Sample records for bed cross section

  1. Stability of fluidization

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gel'perin, N.I.; Ainshtein, V.G.; Nosova, V.V.

    1983-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to ascertain the reasons for the appearance of stagnant zones in a fluidized bed. Analyzed is the state of a hypothetical bed without the supporting gas distribution grate with fluctuations in the local velocities w of fluidizing agent in its cross sections in relation to the average value wav. It assumes that at any instant the distribution of the fluidizing agent over the bed cross section is inhomogeneous. As the local velocities and dimensions increase and the effective cross section of the grate decreases, the apparatus cross section regularly increases.

  2. Low shear stress gravel-bed river

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Milhous, Robert T.

    1997-01-01

    A low stress gravel bed river is a river where the cross-sectional average dimensionless shear stress (??*) rarely exceeds 0.047. That is the case for the Gunnison River below Delta in Western Colorado. The cross-sectional average ??* in the Gunnison River has not exceeded 0.047, except at one cross section during one year, in the 87 years of record. A ??* of 0.047 is the critical ??* in the bed-load equation considered to be most applicable to gravel/cobble bed rivers (the Meyer-Peter, Mueller equation). According to this equation, there has been no bed-material movement in the Gunnison River since 1920; in fact there has been bed-material movement and this movement is biologically important. Bed-material is moved when the ??* is 0.016 or larger. Streamflows that cause a ??* of at least 0.016 maintain the aquatic habitat in a low shear stress river.

  3. Shoreface to estuarine sedimentation in the late Paleocene Matanomadh Formation, Kachchh, western India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srivastava, V. K.; Singh, B. P.

    2017-04-01

    Late Paleocene sedimentation in the pericratonic Kachchh Basin marks the initial marine transgression during the Cenozoic era. A 17 m thick sandstone-dominated succession, known as the clastic member (CM) of the Matanomadh Formation (MF), is exposed sporadically in the basin. Three facies associations are reconstructed in the succession in three different sections. Facies association-1 contains matrix-supported pebbly conglomerate facies, horizontally-laminated sandstone-mudstone alternation facies, hummocky- and swaley cross-bedded sandstone facies, wave-rippled sandstone facies and climbing ripple cross-laminated sandstone facies. This facies association developed between shoreface and foreshore zone under the influence of storms on a barrier ridge. Facies association-2 contains sigmoidal cross-bedded sandstone facies, sandstone-mudstone alternation facies, flaser-bedded sandstone facies, herringbone cross-bedded sandstone facies and tangential cross-bedded sandstone facies. This facies association possessing tidal bundles and herringbone cross-beds developed on a tidal flat with strong tidal influence. Facies association-3 comprises pebbly sandstone facies, horizontally-bedded sandstone facies, tangential cross-bedded sandstone facies exhibiting reactivation surfaces and tabular cross-bedded sandstone facies. This facies association represents sedimentation in a river-dominated estuary and reactivation surfaces and herringbone cross-beds indicating tidal influence. The bipolar paleocurrent pattern changes to unipolar up-section because of the change in the depositional currents from tidal to fluvial. The sedimentation took place in an open coast similar to the Korean coast. The presence of neap-spring tidal rhythmites further suggests that a semidiurnal system similar to the modern day Indian Ocean was responsible for the sedimentation. Here, the overall sequence developed during the transgressive phase where barrier ridge succession is succeeded by the tidal flat succession and the latter, in turn, is succeeded by the estuarine succession. This study resolves the most debated issue of initial marine transgression in the Kachchh Basin during the Cenozoic.

  4. KINKFOLD—an AutoLISP program for construction of geological cross-sections using borehole image data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Özkaya, Sait Ismail

    2002-04-01

    KINKFOLD is an AutoLISP program designed to construct geological cross-sections from borehole image or dip meter logs. The program uses the kink-fold method for cross-section construction. Beds are folded around hinge lines as angle bisectors so that bedding thickness remains unchanged. KINKFOLD may be used to model a wide variety of parallel fold structures, including overturned and faulted folds, and folds truncated by unconformities. The program accepts data from vertical or inclined boreholes. The KINKFOLD program cannot be used to model fault drag, growth folds, inversion structures or disharmonic folds where the bed thickness changes either because of deformation or deposition. Faulted structures and similar folds can be modelled by KINKFOLD by omitting dip measurements within fault drag zones and near axial planes of similar folds.

  5. Stratigraphic framework and coal correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation, Bisti-Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah area, San Juan Basin, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flores, Romeo M.; Erpenbeck, Michael F.

    1982-01-01

    This report illustrates and describes the detailed stratigraphic framework and coal correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Fruitland Formation exposed in isolated badlands and along washes within a 20-mile outcrop belt in the Bisti-Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah area, southwestern San Juan Basin, Nex Mexico (see index). The stratigraphic framework showing the vertical and lateral distributions of rock types and the lateral continuity of coal beds is illustrated in cross sections. The cross sections were constructed from 112 stratigraphic sections measured at an average distance of 0.4 mi apart. Each section contained key marker beds (sandstone, coal, and tonstein) that were physically traced to adjacent sections. Each measured section was "hung" on multiple marker beds arranged in a geometric best-fit method that accounts for the differential compaction and facies associations of the deposits. 

  6. Coarse sediment transport dynamics at three spatial scales of bedrock channel bed complexity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goode, J. R.; Wohl, E.

    2007-12-01

    Rivers incised into bedrock in fold-dominated terrain display a complex bed topography that strongly interacts with local hydraulics to produce spatial differences in bed sediment flux. We used painted tracer clasts to investigate how this complex bed topography influences coarse sediment transport at three spatial scales (reach, cross- section and grain). The study was conducted along the Ocoee River gorge, Tennessee between the TVA Ocoee #3 dam and the 1996 Olympic whitewater course. The bed topography consists of undulating bedrock ribs, which are formed at a consistent strike to the bedding and cleavage of the metagreywake and phyllite substrate. Ribs vary in their orientation to flow (from parallel to oblique) and amplitude among three study reaches. These bedrock ribs create a rough bed topography that substantially alters the local flow field and influences reach- scale roughness. In each reach, 300 tracer clasts were randomly selected from the existing bed material. Tracer clasts were surveyed and transport distances were calculated after five scheduled summer releases and a suite of slightly larger but sporadic winter releases. Transport distances were examined as a function of rib orientation and amplitude (reach scale), spatial proximity to bedrock ribs and standard deviation of the bed elevation (cross- section scale), and whether clasts were hydraulically shielded by surrounding clasts, incorporated in the armour layer, imbricated, and/or existed in a pothole, in addition to size and angularity. At the reach scale, where ribs are parallel to flow, lower reach-scale roughness leads to greater sediment transport capacity, sediment flux and transport distances because transport is uninhibited in the downstream direction. Preliminary results indicate that cross section scale characteristics of bed topography exert a greater control on transport distances than grain size.

  7. Annual bed-elevation regime in the alluvial channel of Squamish River, southwestern British Columbia Canada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stanford, S.D.; Seidl, M.A.; Ashley, G.M.

    2000-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine the annual regime of channel scour and fill by monitoring bed-elevation changes in a reach of Squamish River in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Sonar surveys of 13 river cross-sections in a sandy gravel-bed single-channel study reach were repeated biweekly over a full hydrologic year (1995/6). The survey results show that bedload movement occurs as waves or pulses forming bedwaves that appear to maintain an overall coherence with movement downstream. These bedwaves propagate downstream by a mode here termed pulse scour and pulse fill, a process distinguished from the conventional mode of scour and fill commonly associated with flood events (here termed local scour and local fill). Bedwave celerity was estimated to be about 15.5 m d-1 corresponding to a bedwave residence time in the study reach of almost one hydrologic year. The total amount of local bed-elevation change ranged between 0.22 m and 2.41 m during the period of study. Analysis of the bed-elevation and flow data reveals that, because of the bedware phenomenon, there is no simple relation between the mean bed-elevation and discharge nor any strong linear correlation among cross-sectional behaviour. The bed-elevation data also suggest that complex changes to the bed within a cross-section are masked when the bed is viewed in one dimension, although no definitive trends in bed behaviour were found in the two-dimensional analysis. Although a weak seasonal effect is evident in this study, the bed-elevation regime is dominated by sediment supply-driven fluctuations in bedload transport occurring at timescales shorter than the seasonal fluctuation in discharge. The study also indicates that bed-elevation monitoring on Squamish River, and others like it, for purposes of detecting and measuring aggradation/degradation must take into account very considerable and normal channel-bed variability operating at timescales from hours to months. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

  8. Streamflow and sediment-transport data, Colorado River and three tributaries in Grand Canyon, Arizona, 1983 and 1985-86

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Garrett, W.B.; van de Vanter, E.K.; Graf, J.B.

    1993-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey collected streamflow and sediment-transport data at 5 streamflow-gaging stations on the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Mead as a part of an interagency environmental study. The data were collected for about 6 mo in 1983 and about 4 mo in 1985-86; data also were collected at 3 sites on tributary streams in 1983. The data were used for development of unsteady flow-routing and sediment-transport models, sand-load rating curves, and evaluation of channel changes. For the 1983 sampling period, 1,076 composite cross-section suspended-sediment samples were analyzed; 809 of these samples were collected on the main stem of the Colorado River and 267 samples were from the tributaries. Bed-material samples were obtained at 1,988 verticals; 161 samples of material in transport near the bed (bedload) were collected to define the location of sand, gravel, and bed rock in the channel cross section; and 664 discharge measurements were made. For the 1985-86 sampling period, 765 composite cross-section suspended-sediment samples and 887 individual vertical samples from cross sections were analyzed. Bed-material samples were obtained at 531 verticals, 159 samples of bedload were collected, and 218 discharge measurements were made. All data are presented in tabular form. Some types of data also are presented in graphs to better show trends or variations. (USGS)

  9. Changes in intervertebral disc cross-sectional area with bed rest and space flight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    LeBlanc, A. D.; Evans, H. J.; Schneider, V. S.; Wendt, R. E. 3rd; Hedrick, T. D.

    1994-01-01

    STUDY DESIGN. We measured the cross-sectional area of the intervertebral discs of normal volunteers after an overnight rest; before, during, and after 5 or 17 weeks of bed rest; and before and after 8 days of weightlessness. OBJECTIVES. This study sought to determine the degree of expansion of the lumbar discs resulting from bed rest and space flight. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA. Weightlessness and bed rest, an analog for weightlessness, reduce the mechanical loading on the musculoskeletal system. When unloaded, intervertebral discs will expand, increasing the nutritional diffusion distance and altering the mechanical properties of the spine. METHODS. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cross-sectional area and transverse relaxation time (T2) of the intervertebral discs. RESULTS. Overnight or longer bed rest causes expansion of the disc area, which reaches an equilibrium value of about 22% (range 10-40%) above baseline within 4 days. Increases in disc area were associated with modest increases in disc T2. During bed rest, disc height increased approximately 1 mm, about one-half of previous estimates based on body height measurements. After 5 weeks of bed rest, disc area returned to baseline within a few days of ambulation, whereas after 17 weeks, disc area remained above baseline 6 weeks after reambulation. After 8 days of weightlessness, T2, disc area, and lumbar length were not significantly different from baseline values 24 hours after landing. CONCLUSIONS. Significant adaptive changes in the intervertebral discs can be expected during weightlessness. These changes, which are rapidly reversible after short-duration flights, may be an important factor during and after long-duration missions.

  10. Mental health effects from urban bed bug infestation (Cimex lectularius L.): a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Susser, Stephanie Rebecca; Perron, Stéphane; Fournier, Michel; Jacques, Louis; Denis, Geoffroy; Tessier, François; Roberge, Pasquale

    2012-01-01

    To assess whether bed bug infestation was linked to sleep disturbances and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Exploratory cross-sectional study. Convenience sample of tenants recruited in apartment complexes from Montreal, Canada. 39 bed bug-exposed tenants were compared with 52 unexposed tenants. The effect of bed bug-exposed tenants on sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression symptoms measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 5th subscale, Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale and Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-item, respectively. In adjusted models, bed bug infestation was strongly associated with measured anxiety symptoms (OR (95% CI)=4.8 (1.5 to 14.7)) and sleep disturbance (OR (95% CI)=5.0 (1.3-18.8)). There was a trend to report more symptoms of depression in the bed bug-infested group, although this finding was not statistically significant ((OR (95% CI)=2.5(0.8 to 7.3)). These results suggest that individuals exposed to bed bug infestations are at risk of experiencing sleep disturbance and of developing symptoms of anxiety and possibly depression. Greater clinical awareness of this problem is needed in order for patients to receive appropriate mental healthcare. These findings highlight the need for undertaking of deeper inquiry, as well as greater collaboration between medical professionals, public health and community stakeholders.

  11. Modelling the flooding capacity of a Polish Carpathian river: A comparison of constrained and free channel conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Czech, Wiktoria; Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Wyżga, Bartłomiej; Hajdukiewicz, Hanna

    2016-11-01

    The gravel-bed Biała River, Polish Carpathians, was heavily affected by channelization and channel incision in the twentieth century. Not only were these impacts detrimental to the ecological state of the river, but they also adversely modified the conditions of floodwater retention and flood wave passage. Therefore, a few years ago an erodible corridor was delimited in two sections of the Biała to enable restoration of the river. In these sections, short, channelized reaches located in the vicinity of bridges alternate with longer, unmanaged channel reaches, which either avoided channelization or in which the channel has widened after the channelization scheme ceased to be maintained. Effects of these alternating channel morphologies on the conditions for flood flows were investigated in a study of 10 pairs of neighbouring river cross sections with constrained and freely developed morphology. Discharges of particular recurrence intervals were determined for each cross section using an empirical formula. The morphology of the cross sections together with data about channel slope and roughness of particular parts of the cross sections were used as input data to the hydraulic modelling performed with the one-dimensional steady-flow HEC-RAS software. The results indicated that freely developed cross sections, usually with multithread morphology, are typified by significantly lower water depth but larger width and cross-sectional flow area at particular discharges than single-thread, channelized cross sections. They also exhibit significantly lower average flow velocity, unit stream power, and bed shear stress. The pattern of differences in the hydraulic parameters of flood flows apparent between the two types of river cross sections varies with the discharges of different frequency, and the contrasts in hydraulic parameters between unmanaged and channelized cross sections are most pronounced at low-frequency, high-magnitude floods. However, because of the deep incision of the river, both cross section types are typified by a similar, low potential for the retention of floodwater in floodplain areas. The study indicated that even though river restoration has only begun here, it already brings beneficial effects for flood risk management, reducing flow energy and shear forces exerted on the bed and banks of the channel in unmanaged river reaches. Only within wide, unmanaged channel reaches can the flows of low-frequency, high-magnitude floods be conveyed with relatively low shear forces exerted on the channel boundary. In contrast, in channelized reaches, flow velocity and shear forces are substantially higher, inevitably causing bank erosion and channel incision.

  12. German "National Cancer Aid Monitoring" 2015-2019 - study protocol and initial results.

    PubMed

    Schneider, Sven; Görig, Tatiana; Schilling, Laura; Breitbart, Eckhard W; Greinert, Rüdiger; Diehl, Katharina

    2017-09-01

    The National Cancer Aid Monitoring of Tanning Bed Use (NCAM) project is a major German study that aims to observe the most significant risk factors for skin cancer: natural sunlight and artificial UV radiation. NCAM is a nationwide cross-sectional survey that will initially involve four rounds of data collection (so-called waves) between 2015 and 2018. Every year, a representative nationwide sample consisting of 3,000 individuals aged between 14 and 45 years will be surveyed. The cross-sectional survey will be complemented by a panel of n  =  450 current tanning bed users. The initial wave in 2015 shows an overall prevalence of tanning bed use of 29.5 %. Eleven percent of all participants had used a tanning bed within the past twelve months. Determinants of current tanning bed use included younger age, female gender, and full-time/part-time employment. The main motivations for tanning bed use reported were relaxation and increased attractiveness. NCAM is the first study worldwide to monitor skin cancer risk factors at one-year intervals using a large, nationally representative sample. Initial results indicate that, despite WHO warnings, millions of Germans use tanning beds, and that many of these users are adolescents despite legal restrictions aimed at preventing minors from using tanning beds. © 2017 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Bed-material entrainment potential, Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Elliott, John G.

    2002-01-01

    The Roaring Fork River at Basalt, Colorado, has a frequently mobile streambed composed of gravel, cobbles, and boulders. Recent urban and highway development on the flood plain, earlier attempts to realign and confine the channel, and flow obstructions such as bridge openings and piers have altered the hydrology, hydraulics, sediment transport, and sediment deposition areas of the Roaring Fork. Entrainment and deposition of coarse sediment on the streambed and in large alluvial bars have reduced the flood-conveying capacity of the river. Previous engineering studies have identified flood-prone areas and hazards related to inundation and high streamflow velocity, but those studies have not evaluated the potential response of the channel to discharges that entrain the coarse streambed. This study builds upon the results of earlier flood studies and identifies some potential areas of concern associated with bed-material entrainment. Cross-section surveys and simulated water-surface elevations from a previously run HEC?RAS model were used to calculate the boundary shear stress on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on the tops of adjacent alluvial bars for four reference streamflows. Sediment-size characteristics were determined for surficial material on the streambed, on large alluvial bars, and on a streambank. The median particle size (d50) for the streambed samples was 165 millimeters and for the alluvial bars and bank samples was 107 millimeters. Shear stresses generated by the 10-, 50-, and 100-year floods, and by a more common flow that just inundated most of the alluvial bars in the study reach were calculated at 14 of the cross sections used in the Roaring Fork River HEC?RAS model. The Shields equation was used with a Shields parameter of 0.030 to estimate the critical shear stress for entrainment of the median sediment particle size on the mean streambed, in the thalweg, and on adjacent alluvial bar surfaces at the 14 cross sections. Sediment-entrainment potential for a specific geomorphic surface was expressed as the ratio of the flood-generated boundary shear stress to the critical shear stress (to/tc) with respect to two threshold conditions. The partial entrainment threshold (to/tc=1) is the condition where the mean boundary shear stress (to) equals the critical shear stress for the median particle size (tc) at that cross section. At this threshold discharge, the d50 particle size becomes entrained, but movement of d50-size particles may be limited to a few individual particles or in a small area of the streambed surface. The complete entrainment threshold (to/tc=2) is the condition where to is twice the critical shear stress for the median particle size, the condition where complete or widespread mobilization of the d50 particle-size fraction is anticipated. Entrainment potential for a specific reference streamflow varied greatly in the downstream direction. At some cross sections, the bed or bar material was mobile, whereas at other cross sections, the bed or bar material was immobile for the same discharge. The significance of downstream variability is that sediment entrained at one cross section may be transported into, but not through, a cross section farther downstream, a situation resulting in sediment deposition and possibly progressive aggradation and loss of channel conveyance. Little or no sediment in the d50-size range is likely to be entrained or transported through much of the study reach by the bar-inundating streamflow. However, the entrainment potential at this discharge increases abruptly to more than twice the critical value, then decreases abruptly, at a series of cross sections located downstream from the Emma and Midland Avenue Bridges. Median particle-size sediment is mobile at most cross sections in the study reach during the 10-year flood; however, the bed material is immobile at cross sections just upstream from the Upper Bypass and Midland Avenue Bridges. A similar s

  14. 2D Hydrodynamic Investigation of Olmsted Cofferdams

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-07-01

    34  Figure 30. HEC - RAS cross-section locations in the AdH 2012. ........................................................... 34...stress in Pascals for Condition 1 (typical). ........................................................ 40  Figure 43. HEC - RAS cross-section locations in...Then in 2008, CHL used an Adaptive Hydraulics model (AdH) to further evaluate potential impacts on mussel beds. In 2012, LRL used a HEC - RAS model to

  15. Streambank Protection and Erosion Control.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    TABLE OF CONTENTS N CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION ----------------------------------------- -- 1. 1.1 Purpose...downstream cross sectional area by stream bank erosion and bed scour to accommodate the increased flow. This may be caused by poor planning and assessment...the magnitude, except for very large floods which occur infrequently. 3.2 Channel Geometry [6] .*. Channel geometry of a river cross section is an

  16. Paleoenvironment of the Ogallala (Neogene) Formation in west-central Kansas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Twiss, P.C.; McCahon, T.J.; Oviatt, C.G.

    At Lake Scott (Scott County) in west-central Kansas, the Ogallala Formation unconformably overlies the Niobrara Formation (Cretaceous) and forms the bluffs of the north-trending Ladder Creek valley. Two sections (Devil's Backbone, 23 m thick; Suicide Bluff, 45 m thick) contain fluvial sands that grade upward into probable eolian sands. The lower sections contain poorly cemented, moderately sorted, arkosic sand, some mud gravel, and poorly defined fluvial channels. In the lower part of Devil's Backbone, cross-bedded sand is capped by mud drapes. At Suicide Bluff, beds of cross-bedded and better sorted sand occur high in the section. Paleosols and secondary calcitemore » and opal dominate the sections. Pedogenic calcretes with more than 52% CaCO[sub 3] are especially abundant and range up to morphologic Stage VI. The [delta][sup 13]C and [delta][sup 18]O in the calcretes range from [minus]4.8 to [minus]6.5 and [minus]8.2 to [minus]6.7 per mil (PDB), respectively. Opal-A has replaced most rhizoliths of the Ogallala. Silicified fossil seeds (Celtis sp., Biorbia sp.) and probable fossil mammal burrows also occur in the sections. Rhyolitic tephra, about 10 Ma, occurs 12 m below the calcrete caprock of Suicide Bluff. A massive layer of opal occurs about 8 m above the tephra and below a diatomaceous bed. Siliceous cement occurs throughout each section, possibly originating from opal phytoliths, tephra, and/or diatoms. These sections afford the potential for understanding the stratigraphic succession and paleoclimate during the late Miocene to possibly early Pliocene in the central High Plains region.« less

  17. Sedimentary architecture of the Shaler outcrop, Gale Crater, Mars: paleoenvironmental and sediment transport implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, S.; Edgar, L. A.; Rubin, D. M.; Lewis, K. W.; Kocurek, G.; Anderson, R. B.; Bell, J. F.; Dromart, G.; Edgett, K. S.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Hardgrove, C. J.; Kah, L. C.; Leveille, R. J.; Malin, M.; Mangold, N.; Milliken, R.; Minitti, M. E.; Muller, J.; Rice, M. S.; Rowland, S. K.; Schieber, J.; Stack, K.; Sumner, D. Y.; Team, M.

    2013-12-01

    Sedimentary rocks are archives of ancient depositional processes and environments on planetary surfaces. Reconstructing such processes and environments requires observations of sedimentary structures and architecture (the large-scale geometry and organisation of sedimentary bedsets). We report the analysis of the distinct Shaler outcrop, a prominent stratified unit located between the Bathurst Inlet outcrop and the floor of Yellowknife bay. The Shaler outcrop is an ~1 m thick stratal unit that spans approximately 30 m outcrop in length, and was examined by Curiosity on sols 120-121 and more recently on sols 309-324. Detailed stereo observations of the outcrop across most of its entire lateral extent were made using Navigation and Mast Cameras. These data permit detailed analysis of stratal geometries, distribution of sedimentary structures, and broad grain size trends. Overall the Shaler outcrop comprises a heterogeneous assemblage of interstratified platy sandstones separated by recessive, likely finer-grained beds. Coarser-grained beds are characterised by decimeter-scale trough cross-bedding. The north-eastern section of the outcrop shows greater abundance of interstratified sandstones and finer-grained beds. The southwestern section is characterised by darker bedsets that are likely coarser grained interstratified with finer-grained sandstones. The darker bedsets appear to comprise stacked trough-cross stratified bedsets. Finer-grained recessive intervals are not apparent in this section. The presence and scale of trough cross-stratification indicates that sediment was transported by the migration of sinuous crested dunes. Bedding geometries indicate sub-critical angles of climb. We examine the large-scale bedset architecture to evaluate the original depositional geometry of the Shaler sedimentary system, and consider its plausible depositional processes and paleoenvironmental setting. Finally, we consider its relationship to the sedimentary succession exposed in the Yellowknife bay region.

  18. Correlation of Paleocene Harmon and Hansen lignite beds, Adams, Billings, Bowman, Golden Valley, Hettinger, and Slope Counties, Williston Basin, North Dakota

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Keighin, C.W.; Flores, R.M.; Ochs, A.

    In southwestern North Dakota, minable lignite beds in the Paleocene Fort Union Formation include the Harmon and Hansen beds in the Bowman-Gascoyne area. Data from more than 700 drill holes penetrating these beds was used to construct stratigraphic cross sections. The Harmon and Hansen beds are the thickest and most laterally persistent lignites found under < 150 ft of overburden. The Harmon coal bed is as much as 34 ft thick, and is often split by claystone interbeds of variable thickness. The Hansen coal bed typically occurs 10--100 ft below the Harmon coal bed; it rarely attains a thickness ofmore » 15 ft, and averages 4 ft in thickness.« less

  19. Preliminary report on near-surface lignite occurrences, Cleveland County, Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heermann, Stephen E.

    1983-01-01

    Four cross sections were constructed from lithologic descriptions of 43 drill holes in Cleveland County, Ark., in order to illustrate the occurrence of lignite and to relate the lignite beds to the regional stratigraphic framework. Of 43 holes drilled, 8 contained beds of lignite, but only two had beds greater than 30 in. thick. These beds are apparently lenticular and are restricted to the upper 60 ft. of the Cockfield Formation of the Claiborne Group of Middle Eocene age. The Cockfield Formation is at or near the surface west of the Saline River.

  20. Nursing home bed capacity in the States, 1978-86

    PubMed Central

    Harrington, Charlene; Swan, James H.; Grant, Leslie A.

    1988-01-01

    Trends in nursing home bed supply in the States show large variations in beds per population and a gradual decline in supply per aged population. A cross-sectional time-series regression analysis was used to examine some factors associated with nursing home bed supply. Variation was accounted for by economic factors, supply of alternative services, and climate. State Medicaid reimbursement rates had negative coefficients, with supply suggesting States may be increasing rates to improve access where supply is limited. Medicaid waiver policy was not found to be significant. PMID:10312634

  1. Modelling of hyperconcentrated flood and channel evolution in a braided reach using a dynamically coupled one-dimensional approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Junqiang; Zhang, Xiaolei; Wang, Zenghui; Li, Jie; Zhou, Meirong

    2018-06-01

    Hyperconcentrated sediment-laden floods often occur in a braided reach of the Lower Yellow River, usually leading to significant channel evolution. A one-dimensional (1D) morphodynamic model using a dynamically coupled solution approach is developed to simulate hyperconcentrated flood and channel evolution in the braided reach with an extremely irregular cross-sectional geometry. In the model, the improved equations for hydrodynamics account for the effects of sediment concentration and bed evolution, which are coupled with the equations of non-equilibrium sediment transport and bed evolution. The model was validated using measurements from the 1977 and 2004 hyperconcentrated floods. Furthermore, the effects were investigated of different cross-sectional spacings and allocation modes of channel deformation area on the model results. It was found that a suitable cross-sectional distance of less than 3 km should be adopted when simulating hyperconcentrated floods, and the results using the uniform allocation mode can agree better with measurements than other two allocation modes.

  2. Does bedding affect the airway and allergy?

    PubMed

    Siebers, R W; Crane, J

    2011-04-01

    Various cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that synthetic bedding is associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema while feather bedding seems to be protective. Synthetic bedding items have higher house dust mite allergen levels than feather bedding items. This is possibly the mechanism involved although fungal and bacterial proinflammatory compounds and volatile organic compounds may play a role. In this review we present and discuss the epidemiological evidence and suggest possible mechanisms. Primary intervention studies are required to show whether feather bedding is protective for the development of childhood asthma and allergic diseases while secondary intervention studies are required to potentially reduce symptoms and medication use in subjects with established disease.

  3. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF HIGH LEVELS OF SO2 REMOVAL IN ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE FUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report describes tests conducted in an atmospheric-pressure-fluidized-bed combustor (FBC) with a cross-section of 1 x 1.6 m) to demonstrate high levels of S02 removal when burning a high-sulfur coal and feeding limestone sorbent for S02 removal. The goal was to achieve 90-plu...

  4. Total Electron-Impact Ionization Cross-Sections of CFx and NFx (x = 1 - 3)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huo, Winifred M.; Tarnovsky, Vladimir; Becker, Kurt H.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The discrepancy between experimental and theoretical total electron-impact ionization cross sections for a group of fluorides, CFx, and NFx, (x = 1 - 3), is attributed to the inadequacies in previous theoretical models. Cross-sections calculated using a recently developed siBED (simulation Binary-Encounter-Dipole) model that takes into account the shielding of the long-range dipole potential between the scattering electron and target are in agreement with experimentation. The present study also carefully reanalyzed the previously reported experimental data to account for the possibility of incomplete collection of fragment ions and the presence of ion-pair formation channels. For NF3, our experimental and theoretical cross-sections compare well with the total ionization cross-sections recently reported by Haaland et al. in the region below dication formation.

  5. Channel evolution of the Hatchie River near the U.S. Highway 51 crossing in Lauderdale and Tipton counties, West Tennessee

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bryan, B.A.

    1989-01-01

    An investigation was conducted to describe the channel cross-section evolution near the bridge crossing of the Hatchie River at U.S. Highway 51 in Lauderdale and Tipton Counties, in West Tennessee. The study also included velocity and discharge distributions near the bridge crossing, and definition of streamflow duration and flood frequencies at the bridge site and comparison of these statistics with flows prior to the bridge collapse. Cross-section measurements at the site indicated that the channel was widening at a rate of 0.8 ft/year from 1931 through about 1975. The channel bed was stable at an elevation of about 235 ft. Construction of a south bound bridge in 1974 and 1975 reduced the effective flow width from about 4,000 to about 1,000 ft. Data collected from 1975 to 1981 indicated that the channel bed degraded to an elevation of about 230 ft and the widening rate increased to about 4.5 ft/year. The channel bed returned to approximately the pre-construction elevation of 235 ft as channel width increased. The widening rate decreased to about 1.8 ft/year from 1981 through 1989. Channel-geometry data indicated that recent channel morphology changes along the toe of the right bank have resulted in continued bank undercutting and bank failure. Cross-section geometry and flow-velocity distributions from measurements made from April 6 through 10, 1989, indicate that there is a high-flow meander pattern through this river reach and that the bridges are located at the point where the current strikes the right bank. (USGS)

  6. Nuclear reactor control column

    DOEpatents

    Bachovchin, Dennis M.

    1982-01-01

    The nuclear reactor control column comprises a column disposed within the nuclear reactor core having a variable cross-section hollow channel and containing balls whose vertical location is determined by the flow of the reactor coolant through the column. The control column is divided into three basic sections wherein each of the sections has a different cross-sectional area. The uppermost section of the control column has the greatest cross-sectional area, the intermediate section of the control column has the smallest cross-sectional area, and the lowermost section of the control column has the intermediate cross-sectional area. In this manner, the area of the uppermost section can be established such that when the reactor coolant is flowing under normal conditions therethrough, the absorber balls will be lifted and suspended in a fluidized bed manner in the upper section. However, when the reactor coolant flow falls below a predetermined value, the absorber balls will fall through the intermediate section and into the lowermost section, thereby reducing the reactivity of the reactor core and shutting down the reactor.

  7. Staged cascade fluidized bed combustor

    DOEpatents

    Cannon, Joseph N.; De Lucia, David E.; Jackson, William M.; Porter, James H.

    1984-01-01

    A fluid bed combustor comprising a plurality of fluidized bed stages interconnected by downcomers providing controlled solids transfer from stage to stage. Each stage is formed from a number of heat transfer tubes carried by a multiapertured web which passes fluidizing air to upper stages. The combustor cross section is tapered inwardly from the middle towards the top and bottom ends. Sorbent materials, as well as non-volatile solid fuels, are added to the top stages of the combustor, and volatile solid fuels are added at an intermediate stage.

  8. Synthetic bedding and wheeze in childhood.

    PubMed

    Ponsonby, Anne-Louise; Dwyer, Terence; Kemp, Andrew; Cochrane, Jennifer; Couper, David; Carmichael, Allan

    2003-01-01

    The reasons for the increase in childhood asthma over time are unclear. The indoor environment is of particular concern. An adverse role for synthetic bedding on asthma development in childhood has been suggested by cross-sectional studies that have found an association between synthetic pillow use and childhood wheeze. Prospective data on infant bedding have not been available. Bedding data at 1 month of age were available from an infant survey for children who were participating in a 1995 follow-up study (N = 863; 78% traced). The 1995 follow-up was embedded in a larger cross-sectional survey involving 6,378 seven year olds in Tasmania (N = 92% of eligible). Outcome measures included respiratory symptoms as defined in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood protocol. Frequent wheeze was defined as more than 12 wheeze episodes over the past year compared with no wheeze. Synthetic pillow use at 1 month of age was associated with frequent wheeze at age 7 (adjusted relative risk [aRR] = 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-5.5) independent of childhood exposure. Current synthetic pillow and quilt use was strongly associated with frequent wheeze (aRR = 5.2; CI = 1.3-20.6). Substantial trends were evident for an association of increasing number of synthetic bedding items with frequent wheeze and with increasing wheeze frequency. Among children with asthma, the age of onset of asthma occurred earlier if synthetic bedding was used in infancy. In this cohort, synthetic bedding was strongly and consistently associated with frequent childhood wheeze. The association did not appear to be attributable to bedding choice as part of an asthma management strategy.

  9. Prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder related features in the community.

    PubMed

    Mustelin, Linda; Bulik, Cynthia M; Kaprio, Jaakko; Keski-Rahkonen, Anna

    2017-02-01

    Binge eating disorder (BED) is associated with high levels of obesity and psychological suffering, but little is known about 1) the distribution of features of BED in the general population and 2) their consequences for weight development and psychological distress in young adulthood. We investigated the prevalence of features of BED and their association with body mass index (BMI) and psychological distress among men (n = 2423) and women (n = 2825) from the longitudinal community-based FinnTwin16 cohort (born 1975-1979). Seven eating-related cognitions and behaviors similar to the defining features of BED were extracted from the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and were assessed at a mean age of 24. BMI and psychological distress, measured with the General Health Questionnaire, were assessed at ages 24 and 34. We assessed prevalence of the features and their association with BMI and psychological distress cross-sectionally and prospectively. More than half of our participants reported at least one feature of BED; clustering of several features in one individual was less common, particularly among men. The most frequently reported feature was 'stuffing oneself with food', whereas the least common was 'eating or drinking in secrecy'. All individual features of BED and their clustering particularly were associated with higher BMI and more psychological distress cross-sectionally. Prospectively, the clustering of features of BED predicted increase in psychological distress but not additional weight gain when baseline BMI was accounted for. In summary, although some features of BED were common, the clustering of several features in one individual was not. The features were cumulatively associated with BMI and psychological distress and predicted further increase in psychological distress over ten years of follow-up. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Supercritical CO2 Migration under Cross-Bedded Structures: Outcrop Analog from the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, S.; Allen, J.; Han, W.; Lu, C.; McPherson, B. J.

    2011-12-01

    Jurassic aeolian sandstones (e.g. Navajo and White Rim Sandstones) on the Colorado Plateau of Utah have been considered potential sinks for geologic CO2 sequestration due to their regional lateral continuity, thickness, high porosity and permeability, presence of seal strata and proximity to large point sources of anthropogenic CO2. However, aeolian deposits usually exhibit inherent internal complexities induced by migrating bedforms of different sizes and their resulting bounding surfaces. Therefore, CO2 plume migration in such complex media should be well defined and successively linked in models for better characterization of the plume behavior. Based on an outcrop analog of the upper Navajo Sandstone in the western flank of the San Rafael Swell, Utah, we identified five different bedform types with dune and interdune facies to represent the spatial continuity of lithofacies units. Using generated 3D geometrical facies patterns of cross-bedded structures in the Navajo Sandstone, we performed numerical simulations to understand the detailed behavior of CO2 plume migration under the different cross-bedded bedforms. Our numerical simulation results indicate that cross-bedded structures (bedform types) play an important role on governing the rate and directionality of CO2 migration, resulting in changes of imbibition processes of CO2. CO2 migration tends to follow wind ripple laminations and reactivation surfaces updip. Our results suggest that geologically-based upscaling of CO2 migration is crucial in cross-bedded formations as part of reservoir or basin scale models. Furthermore, comparative modeling studies between 3D models and 2D cross-sections extracted from 3D models showed the significant three-dimensional interplay in a cross-bedded structure and the need to correctly capture the geologic heterogeneity to predict realistic CO2 plume behavior. Our outcrop analog approach presented in this study also demonstrates an alternative method for assessing geologic CO2 storage in deep formations when scarce data is available.

  11. Cross-bedding Related Anisotropy and its Role in the Orientation of Joints in an Aeolian Sandstone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deng, S.; Cilona, A.; Mapeli, C.; Panfilau, A.; Aydin, A.; Prasad, M.

    2014-12-01

    Previous research revealed that the cross-bedding related anisotropy in aeolian sandstones affects the orientation of compaction bands, also known as anticracks. We hypothesize that cross-bedding should a have similar influence on the orientation of the joints within the same rock at the same location. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between the cross-beds and the cross-bed package confined joints in the Jurassic aeolian Aztec Sandstone cropping out in the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada. The field data demonstrates that the cross-bed package confined joints occur at high-angle to bedding and trend roughly parallel to the dip direction of the cross-beds. This shows that the cross-bed orientation and the associated anisotropy also exert a strong control on the formation and orientation of the joints. In order to characterize the anisotropy due to cross-bedding in the Aztec Sandstone, we measured the P-wave velocities parallel and perpendicular to bedding from 11 samples in the laboratory using a bench-top ultrasonic assembly. The measured P-wave anisotropy is about 13% on average. Based on these results, a numerical model based on the generalized Hooke's law for anisotropic materials is analyzed assuming the cross-bedded sandstone to be transversely isotropic. Using this model, we tested various cross-bed orientations as well as different strain boundary conditions (uniaxial, axisymmetric and triaxial). It is possible to define a boundary condition under which the modeled results roughly match with the observed relationship between cross-bed package confined joints and cross-beds. These results have important implications for fluid flow through aeolian sandstones in reservoirs and aquifers.

  12. User's Guide for Mixed-Size Sediment Transport Model for Networks of One-Dimensional Open Channels

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bennett, James P.

    2001-01-01

    This user's guide describes a mathematical model for predicting the transport of mixed sizes of sediment by flow in networks of one-dimensional open channels. The simulation package is useful for general sediment routing problems, prediction of erosion and deposition following dam removal, and scour in channels at road embankment crossings or other artificial structures. The model treats input hydrographs as stepwise steady-state, and the flow computation algorithm automatically switches between sub- and supercritical flow as dictated by channel geometry and discharge. A variety of boundary conditions including weirs and rating curves may be applied both external and internal to the flow network. The model may be used to compute flow around islands and through multiple openings in embankments, but the network must be 'simple' in the sense that the flow directions in all channels can be specified before simulation commences. The location and shape of channel banks are user specified, and all bedelevation changes take place between these banks and above a user-specified bedrock elevation. Computation of sediment-transport emphasizes the sand-size range (0.0625-2.0 millimeter) but the user may select any desired range of particle diameters including silt and finer (<0.0625 millimeter). As part of data input, the user may set the original bed-sediment composition of any number of layers of known thickness. The model computes the time evolution of total transport and the size composition of bed- and suspended-load sand through any cross section of interest. It also tracks bed -surface elevation and size composition. The model is written in the FORTRAN programming language for implementation on personal computers using the WINDOWS operating system and, along with certain graphical output display capability, is accessed from a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI provides a framework for selecting input files and parameters of a number of components of the sediment-transport process. There are no restrictions in the use of the model as to numbers of channels, channel junctions, cross sections per channel, or points defining the cross sections. Following completion of the simulation computations, the GUI accommodates display of longitudinal plots of either bed elevation and size composition, or of transport rate and size composition of the various components, for individual channels and selected times during the simulation period. For individual cross sections, the GUI also allows display of time series of transport rate and size composition of the various components and of bed elevation and size composition.

  13. Bankfull characteristics of Ohio streams and their relation to peak streamflows

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sherwood, James M.; Huitger, Carrie A.

    2005-01-01

    Regional curves, simple-regression equations, and multiple-regression equations were developed to estimate bankfull width, bankfull mean depth, bankfull cross-sectional area, and bankfull discharge of rural, unregulated streams in Ohio. The methods are based on geomorphic, basin, and flood-frequency data collected at 50 study sites on unregulated natural alluvial streams in Ohio, of which 40 sites are near streamflow-gaging stations. The regional curves and simple-regression equations relate the bankfull characteristics to drainage area. The multiple-regression equations relate the bankfull characteristics to drainage area, main-channel slope, main-channel elevation index, median bed-material particle size, bankfull cross-sectional area, and local-channel slope. Average standard errors of prediction for bankfull width equations range from 20.6 to 24.8 percent; for bankfull mean depth, 18.8 to 20.6 percent; for bankfull cross-sectional area, 25.4 to 30.6 percent; and for bankfull discharge, 27.0 to 78.7 percent. The simple-regression (drainage-area only) equations have the highest average standard errors of prediction. The multiple-regression equations in which the explanatory variables included drainage area, main-channel slope, main-channel elevation index, median bed-material particle size, bankfull cross-sectional area, and local-channel slope have the lowest average standard errors of prediction. Field surveys were done at each of the 50 study sites to collect the geomorphic data. Bankfull indicators were identified and evaluated, cross-section and longitudinal profiles were surveyed, and bed- and bank-material were sampled. Field data were analyzed to determine various geomorphic characteristics such as bankfull width, bankfull mean depth, bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull discharge, streambed slope, and bed- and bank-material particle-size distribution. The various geomorphic characteristics were analyzed by means of a combination of graphical and statistical techniques. The logarithms of the annual peak discharges for the 40 gaged study sites were fit by a Pearson Type III frequency distribution to develop flood-peak discharges associated with recurrence intervals of 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years. The peak-frequency data were related to geomorphic, basin, and climatic variables by multiple-regression analysis. Simple-regression equations were developed to estimate 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year flood-peak discharges of rural, unregulated streams in Ohio from bankfull channel cross-sectional area. The average standard errors of prediction are 31.6, 32.6, 35.9, 41.5, 46.2, and 51.2 percent, respectively. The study and methods developed are intended to improve understanding of the relations between geomorphic, basin, and flood characteristics of streams in Ohio and to aid in the design of hydraulic structures, such as culverts and bridges, where stability of the stream and structure is an important element of the design criteria. The study was done in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

  14. Electron-impact total ionization cross sections of DNA sugar-phosphate backbone and an additivity principle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huo, Winifred M.; Dateo, Christopher E.

    2005-01-01

    The improved binary-encounter dipole (iBED) model [W.M. Huo, Phys. Rev. A64, 042719-1 (2001)l is used to study the total ionization cross sections of the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone by electron impact. Calculations using neutral fragments found that the total ionization cross sections of C3' - and C5', -deoxyribose-phospate, two conformers of the sugar-phosphate backbone, are close to each other. Furthermore, the sum of the ionization cross sections of the separate deoxyribose and phosphate fragments is in close agreement with the C3' - and C5" -deoxyribose-phospate cross sections, differing by less than 10%. The result implies that certain properties of the-DNA, like the total singly ionization cross section, are localized properties and a building-up or additivity principle may apply. This allows us to obtain accurate properties of larger molecular systems built up from the results of smaller subsystem fragments. Calculations are underway using a negatively charged sugar-phosphate backbone with a metal counter-ion.

  15. Retrodeformable cross sections and Oak Ridge fault, Ventura basin, California

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yeats, R.S.; Huftile, G.F.

    1988-03-01

    A retrodeformable (balanced) cross section is constructed such that stratified rocks are restored to their undeformed state without loss or gain of bed length or bed thickness. Ductile strata may be area-balanced if original thickness is known. Near Ventura, folds in Pliocene-Pleistocene turbidites and Miocene-early Pliocene shales (Rincon, Monterey, Sisquoc) overlie an unfolded competent Paleogene sequence. The basal decollement of the foldbelt is in the ductile Rincon Formation (lower Miocene). The overlying Sulphur Mountain, Ventura Avenue, San Miguelito, and Rincon anticlines are fault-propagation folds developing from south-dipping, largely late Quaternary frontal ramp thrusts (Sisar-Big Canyon-Lion fault set, Barnard fault set,more » padre Juan fault, and C-3 fault, respectively) that rise from the decollement. Cross-section balancing shows that the overlying fold-thrust belt has shortened 2.5-6 km more than subjacent Paleogene competent strata. This excess bed length is taken up in the Paleogene sequence on the Oak Ridge fault as a ramp from the brittle-plastic transition zone through the upper crust. This implies that the basal decollement is the frontal active thrust of the Oak Ridge fault. The decollement dies out southeast of a line between Timber Canyon oil field and the west end of Oak Ridge, possibly because of decreased ductility in the Miocene decollement sequence due to appearance of sandstone interbeds. Farther southeast, late Quaternary displacement concentrated on the Oak Ridge fault itself at rates greater than 10 mm/year.« less

  16. Sand-storage changes in the Colorado River downstream from the Paria and Little Colorado rivers, April 1994 to August 1995

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Graf, Julia B.; Marlow, Jonathan E.; Rigas, Patricia D.; Jansen, Samuel M.D.

    1997-01-01

    Sixty-six cross sections on the Colorado River in 11-kilometer reachesdownstream from the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers were monitoredfrom June 1992 to August 1995 to provide data to evaluate the effectof releases from Glen Canyon Dam on channel-sand storage and fordevelopment of multidimensional flow and sediment-transport models.Most of the network of monumented cross sections was established andfirst measured JuneSeptember 1992. Data collected from June 1992through February 1994 were published in a previous report. Crosssections downstream from the Paria River were remeasured six timesbetween April 1994 and August 1995. Most sections downstream from theLittle Colorado River were remeasured four times in the same timeperiod. Each measurement consisted of 10 passes across the section,and data presented are the mean section and the standard deviationfrom the mean. Measured depths were converted to bed elevations usingwater-surface elevations measured or estimated for each reach. A linemarked at regular intervals was strung across the river between thesection end points and used to provide horizontal-position control. AWilcoxon rank-sum test was applied to the data, and bed-elevationdifferences between successive measurements that were statisticallysignificant at the 5-percent significance level were identified andused to compute the difference in cross-sectional area frommeasurement to measurement. Changes in sand storage computed forselected cross sections are presented. Changes in area at most of theselected cross sections during the period presented in this reportwere smaller than those measured during the period covered bythe previous report. The largest changes over the monitoring periodpresented in this report were measured at section p22 (+115 squaremeters) downstream from the Paria River and at sections lb1 (+209square meters) and lc2 (156 square meters) downstream from theLittle Colorado River. This report presents selected data from themeasurements made from April 1994 through August 1995 in graphicalform and describes the electronic form of the entire data set.

  17. Sediment sources in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada; preliminary results of a four-year study, August 1983-September 1987

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hill, B.R.; Hill, J.R.; Nolan, K.M.

    1988-01-01

    Data were collected during a 4-yr study of sediment sources in four drainage basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. The study areas include the Blackwood, General, Edgewood, and Logan House Creek basins. Data include changes in bank and bed positions at channel cross sections; results of stream-channel mapping; analyses of bank and bed material samples; tabulations of bed material point counts; measured rates of hillslope erosion; dimensions of gullies; suspended-sediment data collected during synoptic snowmelt sampling; and physiographic data for the four study basins. (USGS)

  18. Sediment-source data for four basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada; August 1983-June 1988

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hill, B.R.; Hill, J.R.; Nolan, K.M.

    1990-01-01

    Data were collected during a 5-year study of sediment sources in four drainage basins tributary to Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. The study areas include the Blackwood Creek, General Creek, Edgewood Creek, and Logan House Creek basins. Data include changes in bank and bed positions at channel cross sections; results of stream-channel inventories; analyses of bank and bed material samples; tabulations of bed-material pebble counts; measured rates of hillslope erosion; dimensions of gullies; suspended-sediment data collected during synoptic snowmelt sampling; and physiographic data for the four study basins. (USGS)

  19. Comparing ownership and use of bed nets at two sites with differential malaria transmission in western Kenya.

    PubMed

    Ernst, Kacey C; Hayden, Mary H; Olsen, Heather; Cavanaugh, Jamie L; Ruberto, Irene; Agawo, Maurice; Munga, Stephen

    2016-04-14

    Challenges persist in ensuring access to and optimal use of long-lasting, insecticidal bed nets (LLINs). Factors associated with ownership and use may differ depending on the history of malaria and prevention control efforts in a specific region. Understanding how the cultural and social-environmental context of bed net use may differ between high- and low-risk regions is important when identifying solutions to improve uptake and appropriate use. Community forums and a household, cross-sectional survey were used to collect information on factors related to bed net ownership and use in western Kenya. Sites with disparate levels of transmission were selected, including an endemic lowland area, Miwani, and a highland epidemic-prone area, Kapkangani. Analysis of ownership was stratified by site. A combined site analysis was conducted to examine factors associated with use of all available bed nets. Logistic regression modelling was used to determine factors associated with ownership and use of owned bed nets. Access to bed nets as the leading barrier to their use was identified in community forums and cross-sectional surveys. While disuse of available bed nets was discussed in the forums, it was a relatively rare occurrence in both sites. Factors associated with ownership varied by site. Education, perceived risk of malaria and knowledge of individuals who had died of malaria were associated with higher bed net ownership in the highlands, while in the lowlands individuals reporting it was easy to get a bed net were more likely to own one. A combined site analysis indicated that not using an available bed net was associated with the attitudes that taking malaria drugs is easier than using a bed net and that use of a bed net will not prevent malaria. In addition, individuals with an unused bed net in the household were more likely to indicate that bed nets are difficult to use, that purchased bed nets are better than freely distributed ones, and that bed nets should only be used during the rainy season. Variations in factors associated with ownership should be acknowledged when constructing messaging and distribution campaigns. Despite reports of bed nets being used for other purposes, those in the home were rarely unused in these communities. Disuse seemed to be related to beliefs that can be addressed through education programmes. As mass distributions continue to take place, additional research is needed to determine if factors associated with LLIN ownership and use change with increasing availability of LLIN.

  20. How Is Topographic Simplicity Maintained in Ephemeral, Dryland Channels?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singer, M. B.; Michaelides, K.

    2014-12-01

    Topography in river channels reflects the time integral of streamflow-driven sediment flux mass balance. In dryland basins, infrequent and spatially heterogeneous rainfall generates a nonuniform sediment supply to ephemeral channels from hillslopes, and this sediment is subsequently sorted by spatially and temporally discontinuous channel flow. Paradoxically, the time integral of these interactions tends to produce simple topography, manifest in straight longitudinal profiles and symmetrical cross sections, which are distinct from bed morphology in perennial channels, but the controlling processes are unclear. We present a set of numerical modeling experiments based on field measurements and scenarios of uniform/nonuniform streamflow to investigate ephemeral channel bed-material flux and net sediment accumulation behavior in response to variations in channel hydrology, width, and grain size distribution. Coupled with variations in valley and channel width and frequent, yet discontinuous hillslope supply of coarse sediment, bed material becomes weakly sorted into coarse and fine sections that then affect rates of channel Qs. We identify three sediment transport thresholds relevant to poorly armored, dryland channels: 1) a low critical value required to entrain any grain sizes from the bed; 2) a value of ~4.5τ*c needed to move all grain sizes within a cross section with equal mobility; and 3) a value of ~50τ*c required to entrain gravel at nearly equivalent rates at all sections along a reach. The latter represents the 'geomorphically effective' event, which resets channel topography. We show that spatially variable flow below ~50τ*c creates and subsequently destroys incipient topography along ephemeral reaches and that large flood events above this threshold apparently dampen fluctuations in longitudinal sediment flux and thus smooth incipient channel bar forms. Both processes contribute to the maintenance of topographic simplicity in ephemeral dryland channels.

  1. Development of Methods for Cross-Sectional HIV Incidence Estimation in a Large, Community Randomized Trial

    PubMed Central

    Donnell, Deborah; Komárek, Arnošt; Omelka, Marek; Mullis, Caroline E.; Szekeres, Greg; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Fiamma, Agnes; Gray, Ronald H.; Lutalo, Tom; Morrison, Charles S.; Salata, Robert A.; Chipato, Tsungai; Celum, Connie; Kahle, Erin M.; Taha, Taha E.; Kumwenda, Newton I.; Karim, Quarraisha Abdool; Naranbhai, Vivek; Lingappa, Jairam R.; Sweat, Michael D.; Coates, Thomas; Eshleman, Susan H.

    2013-01-01

    Background Accurate methods of HIV incidence determination are critically needed to monitor the epidemic and determine the population level impact of prevention trials. One such trial, Project Accept, a Phase III, community-randomized trial, evaluated the impact of enhanced, community-based voluntary counseling and testing on population-level HIV incidence. The primary endpoint of the trial was based on a single, cross-sectional, post-intervention HIV incidence assessment. Methods and Findings Test performance of HIV incidence determination was evaluated for 403 multi-assay algorithms [MAAs] that included the BED capture immunoassay [BED-CEIA] alone, an avidity assay alone, and combinations of these assays at different cutoff values with and without CD4 and viral load testing on samples from seven African cohorts (5,325 samples from 3,436 individuals with known duration of HIV infection [1 month to >10 years]). The mean window period (average time individuals appear positive for a given algorithm) and performance in estimating an incidence estimate (in terms of bias and variance) of these MAAs were evaluated in three simulated epidemic scenarios (stable, emerging and waning). The power of different test methods to detect a 35% reduction in incidence in the matched communities of Project Accept was also assessed. A MAA was identified that included BED-CEIA, the avidity assay, CD4 cell count, and viral load that had a window period of 259 days, accurately estimated HIV incidence in all three epidemic settings and provided sufficient power to detect an intervention effect in Project Accept. Conclusions In a Southern African setting, HIV incidence estimates and intervention effects can be accurately estimated from cross-sectional surveys using a MAA. The improved accuracy in cross-sectional incidence testing that a MAA provides is a powerful tool for HIV surveillance and program evaluation. PMID:24236054

  2. Analysis and classification of topographic flow steering and inferred geomorphic processes as a function of discharge in a mountain river

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gore, J.; Pasternack, G. B.; Wiener, J.

    2016-12-01

    Process-based river classification tends to be done at reach to catchment scales assuming channels are uniform and thus differentiated by the simple specific stream power metric. In fact, mountain rivers are highly variable at subreach scales to the point that local topographic steering may be the dominant control on geomorphic processes. This study presents a new framework for characterizing how stage-dependent topographic steering varies continuously down a river, leading to a classification of subreach landforms on the basis of the geomorphic mechanism of flow convergence routing. The two remote mountain river segments were located in the 3480-km2 Yuba River, with the upper South Yuba having a substantial sediment supply from legacy hydraulic gold mining and the mainstem Yuba downstream of New Bullards Bar Dam having a restricted sediment supply. Meter-scale DEMs were produced for both cases using airborne LiDAR and survey data. DEMs were slope detrended to focus the analysis on cross-sectional variability. DEMs were then heavily smoothed to allow for automated tracing of the valley centerline, and then cross-sectional rectangles were spaced every 5 m. The average width (W) and detrended bed elevation (Z) of the wetted area was computed from the DEM for each raster for 6-7 different river stages. Both width and cross-sectionally averaged bed elevation were standardized. The product of these two variables was computed as a measure of cross-sectional area, and is termed the geomorphic covariance (Czw) series when plotted along each river corridor. Cwz was then used to classify each cross-section as one of five distinct landform types: nozzle, wide bar, normal channel, constricted pool, and oversized pool- with this classification varying with discharge such that a section could, for example, function as a nozzle during low flow but an oversized pool at high flow, or any other combination. Longitudinal profiles of bed elevation, width, covariance, and landform type were analyzed for their stage-dependent patterns to understand their geomorphic significance and to contrast the two rivers. This new method may be the first example of a hierarchical, process-based classification at the subreach scale in which one mechanism is assessed for how it varies not only in space, but as a function of discharge.

  3. Measuring hospital efficiency--comparing four European countries.

    PubMed

    Mateus, Céu; Joaquim, Inês; Nunes, Carla

    2015-02-01

    Performing international comparisons on efficiency usually has two main drawbacks: the lack of comparability of data from different countries and the appropriateness and adequacy of data selected for efficiency measurement. With inpatient discharges for four countries, some of the problems of data comparability usually found in international comparisons were mitigated. The objectives are to assess and compare hospital efficiency levels within and between countries, using stochastic frontier analysis with both cross-sectional and panel data. Data from English (2005-2008), Portuguese (2002-2009), Spanish (2003-2009) and Slovenian (2005-2009) hospital discharges and characteristics are used. Weighted hospital discharges were considered as outputs while the number of employees, physicians, nurses and beds were selected as inputs of the production function. Stochastic frontier analysis using both cross-sectional and panel data were performed, as well as ordinary least squares (OLS) analysis. The adequacy of the data was assessed with Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Breusch-Pagan/Cook-Weisberg tests. Data available results were redundant to perform efficiency measurements using stochastic frontier analysis with cross-sectional data. The likelihood ratio test reveals that in cross-sectional data stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) is not statistically different from OLS in Portuguese data, while SFA and OLS estimates are statistically different for Spanish, Slovenian and English data. In the panel data, the inefficiency term is statistically different from 0 in the four countries in analysis, though for Portugal it is still close to 0. Panel data are preferred over cross-section analysis because results are more robust. For all countries except Slovenia, beds and employees are relevant inputs for the production process. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  4. Cross-bedding related anisotropy and its interplay with various boundary conditions in the formation and orientation of joints in an aeolian sandstone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deng, Shang; Cilona, Antonino; Morrow, Carolyn; Mapeli, Cesar; Liu, Chun; Lockner, David; Prasad, Manika; Aydin, Atilla

    2015-08-01

    Previous research revealed that the cross-bedding related anisotropy in Jurassic aeolian Aztec Sandstone cropping out in the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, affects the orientation of compaction bands, also known as anti-cracks or closing mode structures. We hypothesize that cross-bedding should have a similar influence on the orientation of the opening mode joints within the same rock at the same location. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between the orientation of cross-beds and the orientation of different categories of joint sets including cross-bed package confined joints and joint zones in the Aztec Sandstone. The field data show that the cross-bed package confined joints occur at high-angle to bedding and trend roughly parallel to the dip direction of the cross-beds. In comparison, the roughly N-S trending joint zones appear not to be influenced by the cross-beds in any significant way but frequently truncate against the dune boundaries. To characterize the anisotropy due to cross-bedding in the Aztec Sandstone, we measured the P-wave velocities parallel and perpendicular to bedding from 11 samples and determined an average P-wave anisotropy to be slightly larger than 13%. From these results, a model based on the generalized Hooke's law for anisotropic materials is used to analyze deformation of cross-bedded sandstone as a transversely isotropic material. In the analysis, the dip angle of cross-beds is assumed to be constant and the strike orientation varying from 0° to 359° in the east (x), north (y), and up (z) coordinate system. We find qualitative agreement between most of the model results and the observed field relations between cross-beds and the corresponding joint sets. The results also suggest that uniaxial extension (εzz > εxx = εyy = 0) and axisymmetric extension (εxx = εyy < εzz and εxx = εyy > εzz) would amplify the influence of cross-bedding associated anisotropy on the joint orientation whereas a triaxial extension (εxx > εyy > εzz) would mitigate this influence. We suggest that the potential implication of different categories of joint sets (i.e., cross-bed package confined joints and joint zones) forming in response to the variation of the boundary conditions (axisymmetric extension and triaxial extension, respectively) and the interplay with the rock anisotropy is significant. These results have important implications for fluid flow through aeolian sandstones in reservoirs and aquifers.

  5. Modelling heat transfer during flow through a random packed bed of spheres

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burström, Per E. C.; Frishfelds, Vilnis; Ljung, Anna-Lena; Lundström, T. Staffan; Marjavaara, B. Daniel

    2018-04-01

    Heat transfer in a random packed bed of monosized iron ore pellets is modelled with both a discrete three-dimensional system of spheres and a continuous Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. Results show a good agreement between the two models for average values over a cross section of the bed for an even temperature profiles at the inlet. The advantage with the discrete model is that it captures local effects such as decreased heat transfer in sections with low speed. The disadvantage is that it is computationally heavy for larger systems of pellets. If averaged values are sufficient, the CFD model is an attractive alternative that is easy to couple to the physics up- and downstream the packed bed. The good agreement between the discrete and continuous model furthermore indicates that the discrete model may be used also on non-Stokian flow in the transitional region between laminar and turbulent flow, as turbulent effects show little influence of the overall heat transfer rates in the continuous model.

  6. HIV Diversity as a Biomarker for HIV Incidence Estimation: Including a High-Resolution Melting Diversity Assay in a Multiassay Algorithm

    PubMed Central

    Cousins, Matthew M.; Konikoff, Jacob; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Celum, Connie; Buchbinder, Susan P.; Seage, George R.; Kirk, Gregory D.; Moore, Richard D.; Mehta, Shruti H.; Margolick, Joseph B.; Brown, Joelle; Mayer, Kenneth H.; Koblin, Beryl A.; Wheeler, Darrell; Justman, Jessica E.; Hodder, Sally L.; Quinn, Thomas C.; Brookmeyer, Ron

    2014-01-01

    Multiassay algorithms (MAAs) can be used to estimate cross-sectional HIV incidence. We previously identified a robust MAA that includes the BED capture enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA), the Bio-Rad Avidity assay, viral load, and CD4 cell count. In this report, we evaluated MAAs that include a high-resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay that does not require sequencing. HRM scores were determined for eight regions of the HIV genome (2 in gag, 1 in pol, and 5 in env). The MAAs that were evaluated included the BED-CEIA, the Bio-Rad Avidity assay, viral load, and the HRM diversity assay, using HRM scores from different regions and a range of region-specific HRM diversity assay cutoffs. The performance characteristics based on the proportion of samples that were classified as MAA positive by duration of infection were determined for each MAA, including the mean window period. The cross-sectional incidence estimates obtained using optimized MAAs were compared to longitudinal incidence estimates for three cohorts in the United States. The performance of the HRM-based MAA was nearly identical to that of the MAA that included CD4 cell count. The HRM-based MAA had a mean window period of 154 days and provided cross-sectional incidence estimates that were similar to those based on cohort follow-up. HIV diversity is a useful biomarker for estimating HIV incidence. MAAs that include the HRM diversity assay can provide accurate HIV incidence estimates using stored blood plasma or serum samples without a requirement for CD4 cell count data. PMID:24153134

  7. Hydroliquefaction of coal

    DOEpatents

    Sze, Morgan C.; Schindler, Harvey D.

    1982-01-01

    Coal is catalytically hydroliquefied by passing coal dispersed in a liquefaction solvent and hydrogen upwardly through a plurality of parallel expanded catalyst beds, in a single reactor, in separate streams, each having a cross-sectional flow area of no greater than 255 inches square, with each of the streams through each of the catalyst beds having a length and a liquid and gas superficial velocity to maintain an expanded catalyst bed and provide a Peclet Number of at least 3. If recycle is employed, the ratio of recycle to total feed (coal and liquefaction solvent) is no greater than 2:1, based on volume. Such conditions provide for improved selectivity to liquid product to thereby reduce hydrogen consumption. The plurality of beds are formed by partitions in the reactor.

  8. Impact of a large flood on mountain river habitats, channel morphology, and valley infrastructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hajdukiewicz, Hanna; Wyżga, Bartłomiej; Mikuś, Paweł; Zawiejska, Joanna; Radecki-Pawlik, Artur

    2016-11-01

    The Biała River, Polish Carpathians, was considerably modified by channelization and channel incision in the twentieth century. To restore the Biała, establishing an erodible corridor was proposed in two river sections located in its mountain and foothill course. In these sections, longer, unmanaged channel reaches alternate with short, channelized reaches; and channel narrowing and incision increases in the downstream direction. In June 2010 an 80-year flood occurred on the river; and this study aims at determining its effects on physical habitat conditions for river biota, channel morphology, and valley-floor infrastructure. Surveys of 10 pairs of closely located, unmanaged and channelized cross sections, performed in 2009 and in the late summer 2010, allowed us to assess the flood-induced changes to physical habitat conditions. A comparison of channel planforms determined before (2009) and after (2012) the flood provided information on the degree of channel widening as well as changes in the width of particular elements of the river's active zone in eight stretches of the Biała. The impact of the flood on valley-floor infrastructure was confronted with the degree of river widening in unmanaged and channelized river reaches. Before the flood, unmanaged cross sections were typified by finer bed material and greater lateral variability in depth-averaged and near-bed flow velocity than channelized cross sections. The flood tended to equalize habitat conditions in both types of river cross sections, obliterating differences (in particular physical habitat parameters) between channelized and unmanaged channel reaches. River widening mostly reflected an increase in the area of channel bars, whereas the widening of low-flow channels was less pronounced. A comparison of channel planform from 2009 and 2012 indicated that intense channel incision typical of downstream sections limited river widening by the flood. Active channel width increased by half in the unmanaged cross sections and by one-third in the channelized cross sections. However, damage to the valley-floor infrastructure was practically limited to the channelized river reaches with reinforced channel banks. This indicates incompetent management of riparian areas rather than the degree of river widening as a principal reason for the economic losses during the flood.

  9. Under sleeper pads in switches & crossings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Plasek, Otto; Hruzikova, Miroslava

    2017-09-01

    Under sleeper pads (USPs) have been installed in the Czech railway lines since 2007 into two trial sections in switches and crossings and in a trial section with the aim to reduce rail pitch corrugation. The basic motivation for the construction of the trial track sections in turnouts was an evaluation of USPs’ influence on improvement of track quality as a consequence of ballast bed protection against extreme stress. The paper comprises experience of USPs installation in the Czech Republic in the two trial sections with switches and crossings built in 2007 and 2014. The paper particularly provides an information about USPs applications focusing on the track settlement received by an evaluation of data from the geodetic surveying by precise levelling. Some positive influence of under sleeper pads on the track quality is observed.

  10. Hydrodynamics and sediment transport in a meandering channel with a model axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, Craig; Kozarek, Jessica; Sotiropoulos, Fotis; Guala, Michele

    2016-02-01

    An investigation into the interactions between a model axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine (rotor diameter, dT = 0.15 m) and the complex hydrodynamics and sediment transport processes within a meandering channel was carried out in the Outdoor StreamLab research facility at the University of Minnesota St. Anthony Falls Laboratory. This field-scale meandering stream with bulk flow and sediment discharge control provided a location for high spatiotemporally resolved measurements of bed and water surface elevations around the model turbine. The device was installed within an asymmetric, erodible channel cross section under migrating bed form and fixed outer bank conditions. A comparative analysis between velocity and topographic measurements, with and without the turbine installed, highlights the local and nonlocal features of the turbine-induced scour and deposition patterns. In particular, it shows how the cross-section geometry changes, how the bed form characteristics are altered, and how the mean flow field is distorted both upstream and downstream of the turbine. We further compare and discuss how current energy conversion deployments in meander regions would result in different interactions between the turbine operation and the local and nonlocal bathymetry compared to straight channels.

  11. The Application of the Specific Gage Technique and Aerial Photographs in Kaskaskia River Degradation Studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, X.

    2008-12-01

    The Kaskaskia River basin contains 136,000 acres of bottomland forest, the largest contiguous tract of bottomland forest remaining in the state of Illinois. Since the 1960's, the Carlyle Lake Dam impoundment and channelization activities have altered the natural hydrologic and ecological equilibrium of the Kaskaskia River. Morphological changes of the river channel have necessitated conservation and restoration efforts to create and maintain the sustainability, diversity, health, and connectivity of the river watershed. This study utilized the specific gage technique and historical aerial photographs to investigate the spatial and temporal changes of the river. Historical daily discharge and daily stage data from the Carlyle (1966 to 2002) and Venedy Station gages (1984 to 2003) were analyzed. Logs of daily discharge data were used to generate annual rating curves. The best fit equations were produced from annual rating regressions. A stage associated with a chosen reference discharge, the minimum available discharge (MAD), was calculated. A stage decreasing/increasing trend was used as a primary indicator of channel bed incision/aggradation. Pseudo specific gage analysis (PSGA) was used to model channel cross sectional geometry changes over time. PSGA applied similar procedures as compared to the specific gage technique. Instead of using the stage variable, PSGA utilized cross sectional width, cross-sectional area, mean velocity and gage height individually. At each gage, the historical change of each cross sectional parameter was plotted against the log of discharge. Ratings of specific stages, specific cross sectional width, specific depth, specific area, and specific velocity associated with the chosen discharge, MAD, were produced. The decreasing/increasing trend of each parameter mentioned above corresponded with changes of channel cross sectional geometries over time. Historical aerial photographs were also used to assess the bankfull channel width changing rates during the pre and post modification period. The statistical significance of the regression trendlines from the specific gage analyses and PSGA was tested. Results suggested that there was no significant channel bed incision trend near the river gages within the studied time period. A statistically significant increase in channel width changing rates was found during post-modification period. Following the channelization and dam construction on the Kaskaskia River, substantial channel bed widening has accelerated bank erosion and associated channel morphology change, which has consequently resulted in a net loss of riparian habitat in this important bottomland forest corridor in southern Illinois, USA.

  12. Environmental Transitions Recorded by Fluvial Fan Stratigraphy at Dingo Gap and Moonlight Valley, Gale Crater, Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edgar, L. A.; Gupta, S.; Rubin, D. M.; Schieber, J.; Stack, K.; Lewis, K. W.

    2016-12-01

    The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover investigated a number of sedimentary outcrops across Aeolis Palus. Observations of conglomerates, cross-bedded sandstones, and mudstones suggest that fluvial and lacustrine environments were common. Outcrops that expose cross-sections are particularly helpful for identifying stratigraphic relationships and changes through time. In the vicinity of an outcrop informally named Dingo Gap, the drive strategy shifted from driving on the topographic high areas to the topographic low areas, which resulted in a unique vantage point to observe stratigraphy in cross-section. During Sols 513-541, Curiosity investigated 4 m of stratigraphy exposed at Dingo Gap and Moonlight Valley. The valley walls reveal five distinct sedimentary facies, including 1) a fine-grained evenly laminated facies interpreted as upper plane bed stratification, 2) ripple and dune cross-stratified sandstone facies, interpreted to represent the southward migration of subaqueous bedforms, 3) fully preserved bedform sandstone facies, formed during high rates of deposition, 4) planar-bedded granule-rich sandstone facies, interpreted as sheet flood deposits, and 5) a weakly stratified, poorly-sorted conglomerate facies, interpreted to represent rapid deposition from a high-energy fluvial flow. The conglomerate facies is unlike other conglomerates observed thus far in the mission, on the basis of both texture and chemistry. Analysis of conglomerates reveal that they occur as distinct channel bodies, incised into cross-stratified sandstones. This coarsening upward signature is interpreted to record a prograding fan succession. Channel bodies appear to be time-equivalent, which suggests a major change in the system, likely associated with a drop in base level. The unique viewing geometry offered by Dingo Gap and Moonlight Valley makes it possible to observe these environmental changes.

  13. Virtual and Experimental Visualization of Flows in Packed Beds of Spheres Simulating Porous Media Flows

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hendricks, R. C.; Athavale, M. M.; Lattime, S. B.; Braun, M. J.

    1998-01-01

    A videotape presentation of flow in a packed bed of spheres is provided. The flow experiment consisted of three principal elements: (1) an oil tunnel 76.2 mm by 76.2 mm in cross section, (2) a packed bed of spheres in regular and irregular arrays, and (3) a flow characterization methodology, either (a) full flow field tracking (FFFT) or (b) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation. The refraction indices of the oil and the test array of spheres were closely matched, and the flow was seeded with aluminum oxide particles. Planar laser light provided a two-dimensional projection of the flow field, and a traverse simulated a three-dimensional image of the entire flow field. Light focusing and reflection rendered the spheres black, permitting visualization of the planar circular interfaces in both the axial and transverse directions. Flows were observed near the wall-sphere interface and within the set of spheres. The CFD model required that a representative section of a packed bed be formed and gridded, enclosing and cutting six spheres so that symmetry conditions could be imposed at all cross-boundaries. Simulations had to be made with the flow direction at right angles to that used in the experiments, however, to take advantage of flow symmetry. Careful attention to detail was required for proper gridding. The flow field was three-dimensional and complex to describe, yet the most prominent finding was flow threads, as computed in the representative 'cube' of spheres with face symmetry and conclusively demonstrated experimentally herein. Random packing and bed voids tended to disrupt the laminar flow, creating vortices.

  14. Cross-sectional analysis of the association between bedtime and malaria exposure in the Ouest and Sud-Est Departments of Haiti.

    PubMed

    Stephenson, Caroline J; Rossheim, Matthew E; Frankenfeld, Cara L; Boncy, Jacques; Okech, Bernard A; von Fricken, Michael E

    2017-12-01

    The governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic have a binational agreement to work towards malaria elimination for the island of Hispaniola by the year 2020. Understanding malaria-related knowledge and behaviors can help inform elimination efforts. This study examined the association between social-behavioral factors, like bedtime and bed net ownership, with malaria seroconversion status among people in the Ouest and Sud-Est departments of Haiti. In 2013, cross-sectional survey data (n=377) and blood samples were collected from a convenience sample of individuals within community, clinic and school settings. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine associations between social-behavioral factors and malaria exposure, adjusting for potential confounders. Compared to people going to bed between 6 and 8 pm, those going to bed between 8 and 10 pm were 2.67 (OR, 95% CI: 1.16-6.14) times as likely to have been exposed to malaria. Participants who reported going to bed after 10 pm were 5.96 times as likely to have had previous malaria exposure (OR, 95% CI: 2.26-15.7), compared to 6-8 pm. No significant associations were found between malaria exposure and either insecticide use nor bed net ownership. These findings are consistent with suspected feeding behaviors of Anopheles albimanus, which prefers feeding at night and outdoors. Study findings may improve overall understanding of malaria transmission in Haiti and potentially guide future studies conducted in this region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Impact of implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee on administrative and care indicators at a teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Luciane Cristine Ribeiro; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

    2015-01-01

    To compare hospital indicators before and after implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee at a reference hospital. It is an quantitative, evaluation, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional research. The data was gathered from the hospital administrative reports for the period 2008-2013, provided by the Information Technology Center of the Complexo FAMEMA. The indicators improved after implementation of the Internal Bed Regulation Committee. The individuals involved in the process acknowledged the improvement. It is necessary to carry on the regulatory actions, especially in a comprehensive and complex healthcare system, such as the brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde.

  16. Sedimentary structures and stratal geometries at the foothills of Mount Sharp: their role in paleoenvironmental interpretation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gupta, S.; Rubin, D. M.; Sumner, D. Y.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Lewis, K. W.; Stack, K.; Kah, L. C.; Banham, S.; Edgett, K. S.

    2015-12-01

    The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover has been exploring sedimentary rocks at the foothills of Mount Sharp since August 2014. Robust interpretation of the paleoenvironmental contexts requires detailed facies analysis of these rocks including analysis and interpretation of sedimentary structures and sediment body geometries. Here, we describe some of the detailed sedimentary structures and sedimentary geometries observed by Curiosity between the Pahrump_Hills field site and its current location at Marias Pass. The Pahrump Hills sedimentary section comprises a succession dominated by finely laminated mudstones of the Murray formation that are interpreted to have been deposited in an ancient lake within Gale crater. Toward the top of the Pahump Hills succession, we observe the appearance of coarser-grained sandstones that are interstratified within the lacustrine mudstones. These sandstones that include Whale Rock and Newspaper Rock show lenticular geometries, and are pervasively cross-stratified. These features indicate that currents eroded shallow scours in the lake beds that were then infilled by deposition from migrating subaqueous dunes. The paleoenvironmental setting may represent either a gullied delta front setting or one in which lake level fall caused fluvial erosion and infilling of the shallow scours. Since leaving Pahrump_Hills, Curiosity has imaged extensive exposures of strata that are partly correlative with and stratigraphically overlie the uppermost part of the Pahrump section. Isolated cross-bedded sandstones and possible interstratified conglomerates beds occur within Murray formation mudstones. Capping sandstones with a likely variety of environmental contexts overlie mudstones. Where imaged in detail, sedimentary structures, such as trough-cross bedding and possible eolian pinstriping, provide constraints on plausible sedimentary processes and bounds on depositional setting.

  17. Lateral and vertical channel movement and potential for bed-material movement on the Madison River downstream from Earthquake Lake, Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chase, Katherine J.; McCarthy, Peter M.

    2012-01-01

    The 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake caused a massive landslide (Madison Slide) that dammed the Madison River and formed Earthquake Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers excavated a spillway through the Madison Slide to permit outflow from Earthquake Lake. In June 1970, high streamflows on the Madison River severely eroded the spillway channel and damaged the roadway embankment along U.S. Highway 287 downstream from the Madison Slide. Investigations undertaken following the 1970 flood events concluded that substantial erosion through and downstream from the spillway could be expected for streamflows greater than 3,500 cubic feet per second (ft3/s). Accordingly, the owners of Hebgen Dam, upstream from Earthquake Lake, have tried to manage releases from Hebgen Lake to prevent streamflows from exceeding 3,500 ft3/s measured at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging station 0638800 Madison River at Kirby Ranch, near Cameron, Montana. Management of flow releases from Hebgen Lake to avoid exceeding the threshold streamflow at USGS gaging station 06038800 is difficult, and has been questioned for two reasons. First, no road damage was reported downstream from the Earthquake Lake outlet in 1993, 1996, and 1997 when streamflows exceeded the 3,500-ft3/s threshold. Second, the 3,500-ft3/s threshold generally precludes releases of higher flows that could be beneficial to the blue-ribbon trout fishery downstream in the Madison River. In response to concerns about minimizing streamflow downstream from Earthquake Lake and the possible armoring of the spillway, the USGS, in cooperation with the Madison River Fisheries Technical Advisory Committee (MADTAC; Bureau of Land Management; Montana Department of Environmental Quality; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; PPL-Montana; U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service - Gallatin National Forest; and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), conducted a study to determine movement of the Madison River channel downstream from Earthquake Lake and to investigate the potential for bed material movement along the same reach. The purpose of this report is to present information about the lateral and vertical movement of the Madison River from 1970 to 2006 for a 1-mile reach downstream from Earthquake Lake and for Raynolds Pass Bridge, and to provide an analysis of the potential for bed-material movement so that MADTAC can evaluate the applicability of the previously determined threshold streamflow for initiation of damaging erosion. As part of this study channel cross sections originally surveyed by the USGS in 1971 were resurveyed in 2006. Incremental channel-movement distances were determined by comparing the stream centerlines from 14 aerial photographs taken between 1970 and 2006. Depths of channel incision and aggregation were determined by comparing the 2006 and 1971 cross-section and water-surface data. Particle sizes of bed and bank materials were measured in 2006 and 2008 using the pebble-count method and sieve analyses. A one-dimensional hydraulic-flow model (HEC-RAS) was used to calculate mean boundary-shear stresses for various streamflows; these calculated boundary-shear stresses were compared to calculated critical-shear stresses for the bed materials to determine the potential for bed-material movement. A comparison of lateral channel movement distances with annual peak streamflows shows that streamflows higher than the 3,500-ft3/s threshold were followed by lateral channel movement except from 1991 to 1992 and possibly from 1996 to 1997. However, it was not possible to discern whether the channel moved gradually or suddenly, or in response to one peak flow, to several peak flows, or to sustained flows. The channel moved between 2002 and 2005 even when streamflows were less than the threshold streamflow of 3,500 ft3/s. Comparisons of cross sections and aerial photographs show that the channel has moved laterally and incised and aggraded to varying degrees. The channel has developed meander bends and has incised as much as 5–12 feet (ft) through the upstream part of the Madison Slide (cross sections 1400–800). Near cross section 800, the stream has eroded into the steep right bank between the stream and the road where fill was mechanically placed after 1970. Channel movement also was noted downstream from the Madison Slide. Near Raynolds Pass Bridge, about 3 miles (mi) downstream from Earthquake Lake, elevations across the channel have changed by -1.4 ft to +1.9 ft, but these changes were local in nature and could represent a few rocks or depressions in the bed. Overall, it does not appear that the materials eroded from the Madison Slide are causing aggradation in the subreach near the Raynolds Pass Bridge. Comparisons of critical shear stresses to mean boundary-shear stresses indicate that the D50 particle sizes (median size) along the right side of the bed between cross sections 400 and 500 and along the right side of the bed between cross sections 1300 and 1400 could move at the threshold streamflow. In contrast, most of the D84 particle sizes at those two locations probably will not move at the threshold streamflow. This lack of movement for the larger particles at the threshold streamflow could lead to further armoring of the bed as the D50 and smaller-sized particles are removed from the bed and transported downstream. The Shields parameter values from 0.04 to 0.08 that were used to calculate critical shear stresses could be conservative for a high-gradient stream such as the Madison. A higher, less conservative, Shields parameter would result in higher critical shear stresses, meaning that higher streamflows would be required to move material than those reported herein. In addition, because materials in the channel thalweg are exposed to higher boundary-shear stresses than the materials along the sides of the channel, larger, more erosion-resistant materials likely exist in the deeper parts of the channel where high-flow depths and velocities prevented sediment sampling. Movement of these materials might require higher critical shear stresses than estimated in this report. Characterization of sediment sizes in the center of the stream and observation of bed-material movement for a range of streamflows could provide information to help refine the Shields parameter and critical-shear stress estimates for bed materials in the Madison River downstream from Earthquake Lake. Furthermore, resurveying cross sections and water-surface elevations more frequently (either annually or after high streamflows) could better define the relation between streamflow and lateral and vertical channel movement.

  18. Particle bed reactor modeling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sapyta, Joe; Reid, Hank; Walton, Lew

    1993-01-01

    The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: particle bed reactor (PBR) core cross section; PBR bleed cycle; fuel and moderator flow paths; PBR modeling requirements; characteristics of PBR and nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) modeling; challenges for PBR and NTP modeling; thermal hydraulic computer codes; capabilities for PBR/reactor application; thermal/hydralic codes; limitations; physical correlations; comparison of predicted friction factor and experimental data; frit pressure drop testing; cold frit mask factor; decay heat flow rate; startup transient simulation; and philosophy of systems modeling.

  19. Predictors of obstetric intervention rates: case-mix, staffing levels and organisational factors of hospital of birth.

    PubMed

    Joyce, Rachel; Webb, R; Peacock, Janet

    2002-11-01

    We performed a cross-sectional study of all Thames maternity units, 1994-96, including 540,834 live and stillbirths. In contrast to recent media speculation, no association of caesarean section rates with midwifery staffing levels was found after adjustment for confounders. The only association with staffing was with levels of junior obstetric staffing, which could be a reflection of less experienced management of labour. Caesarean section rates were also associated positively with the levels of delivery beds, which could be a reflection of the closer monitoring of labour that may result from increased bed availability. Both caesarean section and instrumental vaginal delivery rates were associated with epidural rates, which was expected from the literature. Variations in epidural rates were mainly associated with variations in demographic case-mix, due possibly to patient demand. Demographic case-mix was also associated with instrumental vaginal deliveries but not the caesarean section rate.

  20. The impact of dairy cows' bedding material and its microbial content on the quality and safety of milk - A cross sectional study of UK farms.

    PubMed

    Bradley, Andrew J; Leach, Katharine A; Green, Martin J; Gibbons, Jenny; Ohnstad, Ian C; Black, David H; Payne, Barbara; Prout, Victoria E; Breen, James E

    2018-03-23

    The introduction of bedding dairy cows on recycled manure solids (RMS) in the UK led to concern by competent authorities that there could be an increased, unacceptable risk to animal and human health. A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the microbial content of different bedding materials, when used by dairy cows, and its impact on the microbial content of milk. Data were collected from farms bedding lactating cows on sand (n=41), sawdust (n=44) and RMS (n=40). The mean duration of RMS use prior to sampling was 13months. Total bacterial count, and counts of Streptococcus/Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus cereus, thermophilic, thermoduric and psychrotrophic bacteria were determined in used bedding and milk. Samples were evaluated for the presence/absence of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica. Data on milking practices were collected to investigate their potential to reduce microbial transfer from bedding to milk. There were substantial differences in bacterial counts both within and between bedding materials. However, there were no significant differences between bedding groups in counts in milk for any of the organisms studied, and no significant correlations between bacterial load in used bedding and milk. Fore-milking was associated with a reduced total bacterial count in milk. Dipping teats with disinfectant and drying, prior to milking, was associated with lower numbers of Streptococcus/Enterococcus spp. in milk. Disinfecting clusters between milking different cows was associated with a reduction in thermophilic and psychrotrophic counts in milk. This study did not provide evidence that use of RMS bedding increased the risk of presence of Y. enterocolitica, Salmonella spp. or L. monocytogenes in milk. However, the strength of this conclusion should be tempered by the relatively small number of farms on which Y. enterocolitica and Salmonella spp. were isolated. It is concluded that, despite the higher bacterial load of RMS, its use as bedding for lactating dairy cows need not be associated with a higher bacterial load in milk than the use of sand or sawdust. However, this finding must be interpreted in the light of the relatively recent introduction of RMS as a bedding material on the farms studied. Teat preparation provides a control point for the potential transfer of microorganisms from bedding to milk. The detection of zoonotic pathogens in a small proportion of milk samples, independent of bedding type, indicates that pasteurisation of milk prior to human consumption remains an important control measure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Channel Bank Cohesion and the Maintenance of Suspension Rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dunne, K. B. J.; Jerolmack, D. J.

    2017-12-01

    Gravel-bedded rivers organize their channel geometry and grain size such that transport is close to the threshold of motion at bankfull. Sand-bedded rivers, however, typically maintain bankfull fluid shear (or Shields) stresses far in excess of threshold; there is no widely accepted explanation for these "suspension rivers". We propose that all alluvial rivers are at the threshold of motion for their erosion-limiting material, i.e., the structural component of the river cross-section that is most difficult to mobilize. The entrainment threshold of gravel is large enough that bank cohesion has little influence on gravel-bed rivers. Sand, however, is the most easily entrained material; silt and clay can raise the entrainment threshold of sand by orders of magnitude. We examine a global dataset of river channel geometry and show that the shear stress range for sand-bedded channels is entirely within the range of entrainment thresholds for sand-mud mixtures - suggesting that rivers that suspend their sandy bed material are still threshold rivers in terms of bank material. We then present new findings from a New Jersey coastal-plain river examining if and how river-bank toe composition controls hydraulic geometry. We consider the toe because it is the foundation of the river bank, and its erosion leads to channel widening. Along a 20-km profile of the river we measure cross-section geometry, bed slope, and bed and bank composition, and we explore multiple methods of measuring the threshold shear stress of the the river-bank toe in-situ. As the composition of the river bed transitions from gravel to sand, we see preliminary evidence of a shift from bed-threshold to bank-threshold control on hydraulic geometry. We also observe that sub-bankfull flows are insufficient to erode (cohesive) bank materials, even though transport of sand is active at nearly all flows. Our findings highlight the importance of focusing on river-bank toe material, which in the studied stream is always submerged. The toe is more compacted and more resistant to erosion than the subaerially-exposed upper bank. We find mounting evidence that sand-bedded rivers are much like gravel-bedded river; they are near-threshold channels in which the suspended load does not play a controlling role in the determination of equilibrium hydraulic geometry.

  2. Comparison between Measured and Calculated Sediment Transport Rates in North Fork Caspar Creek, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, T. W.; Yarnell, S. M.; Yager, E.; Leidman, S. Z.

    2015-12-01

    Caspar Creek is a gravel-bedded stream located in the Jackson Demonstration State Forest in the coast range of California. The Caspar Creek Experimental Watershed has been actively monitored and studied by the Pacific Southwest Research Station and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for over five decades. Although total annual sediment yield has been monitored through time, sediment transport during individual storm events is less certain. At a study site on North Fork Caspar Creek, cross-section averaged sediment flux was collected throughout two storm events in December 2014 and February 2015 to determine if two commonly used sediment transport equations—Meyer-Peter-Müller and Wilcock—approximated observed bedload transport. Cross-section averaged bedload samples were collected approximately every hour during each storm event using a Helley-Smith bedload sampler. Five-minute composite samples were collected at five equally spaced locations along a cross-section and then sieved to half-phi sizes to determine the grain size distribution. The measured sediment flux values varied widely throughout the storm hydrographs and were consistently less than two orders of magnitude in value in comparison to the calculated values. Armored bed conditions, changing hydraulic conditions during each storm and variable sediment supply may have contributed to the observed differences.

  3. Negative affect mediates the relationship between interpersonal problems and binge-eating disorder symptoms and psychopathology in a clinical sample: a test of the interpersonal model.

    PubMed

    Ivanova, Iryna V; Tasca, Giorgio A; Hammond, Nicole; Balfour, Louise; Ritchie, Kerri; Koszycki, Diana; Bissada, Hany

    2015-03-01

    This study evaluated the validity of the interpersonal model of binge-eating disorder (BED) psychopathology in a clinical sample of women with BED. Data from a cross-sectional sample of 255 women with BED were examined for the direct effects of interpersonal problems on BED symptoms and psychopathology, and indirect effects mediated by negative affect. Structural equation modelling analyses demonstrated that higher levels of interpersonal problems were associated with greater negative affect, and greater negative affect was associated with higher frequency of BED symptoms and psychopathology. There was a significant indirect effect of interpersonal problems on BED symptoms and psychopathology mediated through negative affect. Interpersonal problems may lead to greater BED symptoms and psychopathology, and this relationship may be partially explained by elevated negative affect. The results of the study are the first to provide support for the interpersonal model of BED symptoms and psychopathology in a clinical sample of women. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

  4. Mohawk Lake or Mohawk meadow Sedimentary facies and stratigraphy of Quaternary deposits in Mohawk Valley, upper Middle Fork of the Feather River, California

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yount, J.C.; Harwood, D.S.; Bradbury, J.P.

    1993-04-01

    Mohawk Valley (MV) contain thick, well-exposed sections of Quaternary basin-fill sediments, with abundant interbedded tephra and a diverse assemblage of sedimentary facies. The eastern arm of MV, extending from Clio to Portola, contains as much as 100 m of trough cross-bedded cobble to pebble gravel and planar and trough cross-bedded coarse and medium sand, interpreted as braided stream deposits. Sections exposed in the western arm of MV consist in their lower parts of massive organic-rich silt and clay interbedded with blocky to fissile peat beds up to 1 m thick. Diatom assemblages are dominated by benthic species indicating fresh marshmore » environments with very shallow water depths of one meter or less. Proglacial lacustrine deposits of limited lateral extent are present within the outwash complexes as evidenced by varved fine sand and silt couplets, poorly sorted quartz-rich silt beds containing dropstones, and contorted beds of diamict grading laterally into slump blocks surrounded by wood-bearing silt and silty sand. The Rockland Ash (400 ka) is a prominent marker in the middle or lower part of many sections throughout MV, indicating that at least half of the basin-fill sequence is Late Quaternary in age. A log buried in diamict slumped into a proglacial lake lying approximately 3 km downstream from the Tioga Stage ice termini in Jamison and Gray Eagle Creeks yields an age of 18,715 [+-]235 C[sup 14] years BP. Previous interpretations of MV deposits originating in a large, deep lake with water depths in excess of 150 m are untenable given the sedimentary facies and diatom floras that dominate the valley. Unexhumed valleys such as Sierra Valley to the east and Long Valley to the northwest which contain large meadows traversed by braided streams are probably good analogs for the conditions that existed during the accumulation of the Mohawk Valley deposits.« less

  5. PIT-tagged particle study of bed mobility in a Maine salmon river impacted by logging activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thompson, D. M.; Fixler, S. A.; Roberts, K. E.; McKenna, M.; Marshall, A. E.; Koenig, S.

    2017-12-01

    Presenting an interim report on a study on the Narraguagus River in Maine, which utilizes laser total stations cross-sectional surveys and tracking of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags embedded in glass spheres to document changes in channel-bed characteristics associated with large wood (LW) additions and natural spawning activities. In 2016, work was initiated to monitor changes in bed elevation and sediment mobility with the addition of LW to the Narraguagus River as part of a restoration effort. Ten cross-sections, spaced 5-m apart, were established and surveyed with a laser total station in each of three different study reaches. The study sites include a control reach, a section with anticipated spawning activities and a site with ongoing LW placement. A grid of 200 glass spheres embedded with PIT tags, with twenty alternating 25-mm and 40-mm size particles equally spaced along each of the ten transects, were placed to serve as point sensors to detect sediment mobilization within each reach. In 2017, the site was revisited to determine if differences in PIT-tagged tracer particle mobilization reflect locations were LW was added and places where Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) construct spawning redds. The positions of PIT-tagged tracer particles was recorded, but particles were not disturbed or uncovered to permit study of potential reworking of buried tracer particles the following year. Full tracer particle recovery will be determined in 2018 to determine if depths of tracer burial and changes in bed elevation vary among places near redds, LW and main channel locations. The data will be used to determine if salmon redds are preferentially located in either places with greater evidence of sediment reworking or alternatively in stable areas? The study will help determine the degree of bed disruption associated with spawning activities and whether LW placement encourages similar sediment mobilization processes.

  6. Late Diagenetic Cements in the Murray Formation, Gale Crater, Mars: Implications for Postdepositional Fluid Flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kah, L. C.; Kronyak, R. E.; Van Beek, J.; Nachon, M.; Mangold, N.; Thompson, L. M.; Wiens, R. C.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Schieber, J.

    2015-12-01

    The Murray formation in its type section at Pahrump Hills, consists of approximately 14 meters of recessive-weathering mudstone interbedded with decimeter-scale cross-bedded sandstone in the upper portions of the exposed section. Mudstone textures vary from massive, to poorly laminated, to well laminated. Unusual 3-dimensional crystal clusters and dendrites occur in the lowermost part of the section and are erosionally resistant with respect to the host rock. Crystal clusters consist of elongate lathes that occur within individual blocks of the fractured substrate. Individual lathes show tabular morphologies with a pseudo-rectangular cross-section and the three dimensional morphology of the crystal clusters cross-cut host rock lamination with little or no deformation. Dendritic structures are typically larger and show predominantly planar growth aligned with bedding planes. Individual lathes within the dendrites are elongate and pseudo-rectangular in cross-section. Unlike crystal clusters, dendritic morphologies appear to nucleate at bedrock fractures and near mineralized veins. Here we show evidence that crystal clusters and dendrites are post-depositional, potentially burial diagenetic features. Association of features with through-going fractures suggests that fractures may have been a primary transport pathway for ions responsible for dendrite growth. Even where dendrites do not occur, enhanced cementation suggests that fluids permeated the rock matrix. We suggest that growth of clusters proceeded as inter-particle crystal growth, wherein mineral growth within inter-particle spaces resulted in cementation and porosity loss, with little further effect on the rock matrix. Crystal clusters and dendrites are most likely to form when mineral saturation states are highest, for instance with initial intrusion of fracture-borne fluids and mixing with ambient pore fluids, and thus emphasize the importance of fractures in ion transport during late diagenesis.

  7. Sorting Out Effects of Active Stream Restoration: Channel Morphology, Channel Change Processes and Potential Controls

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McDowell, P. F.

    2017-12-01

    In many active restoration projects, instream structures or modifications are designed to produce specific change in channel form, such as reduced W:D or increased pool depth, yet there is little monitoring to evaluate effectiveness. Active restoration often takes place within a context of other land management changes that can have an effect on channel form. Thus, the effects of active restoration are difficult to separate from the effects of other management actions. We measured morphologic response to restoration designs on sections of the Middle Fork John Day River, a gravel-cobble bed river under a cattle grazing regime in the Blue Mountain of Oregon. Since 2000, restoration actions have included elimination of cattle grazing in the riparian zone (passive restoration), riparian planting of woody vegetation, instream log structures for fish habitat and pool maintenance, and elimination of a major flow diversion. We listed the hypothetical effects of each of these management changes, showing overlap among effects of active and passive restoration. Repeat cross-section and longitudinal profile surveys over eight years, and repeat aerial imagery, documented changes in channel width, depth and bed morphology, and processes of change (bank erosion or aggradation, point bar erosion or aggradation, bed incision or aggradation), in two restored reaches and two adjacent control (unrestored) reaches. Morphologic changes were modest. Bankfull cross-section area, width, and W:D all decreased slightly in both restored reaches. Control reaches were unchanged or increased slightly. Processes of change were markedly different among the four reaches, with different reaches dominated by different processes. One restored reach was dominated by slight bed aggradation, increased pool depth and deep pools/km, while the other restored reach was dominated by bank erosion, bar aggradation and slight bed incision, along with increased deep pools/km. The longitudinal profile showed significant re-arrangement of bed morphology. The spatial context of processes and controls allows some separation of the effectiveness of different management actions. Active restoration directly increased pool depth, but passive restoration apparently had more impact on aggradation/degradation and width.

  8. Impact of implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee on administrative and care indicators at a teaching hospital

    PubMed Central

    Rodrigues, Luciane Cristine Ribeiro; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

    2015-01-01

    Objective To compare hospital indicators before and after implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee at a reference hospital. Methods It is an quantitative, evaluation, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional research. The data was gathered from the hospital administrative reports for the period 2008-2013, provided by the Information Technology Center of the Complexo FAMEMA. Results The indicators improved after implementation of the Internal Bed Regulation Committee. Conclusion The individuals involved in the process acknowledged the improvement. It is necessary to carry on the regulatory actions, especially in a comprehensive and complex healthcare system, such as the brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde. PMID:25993075

  9. Riverbank erosion induced by gravel bar accretion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Klösch, Mario; Habersack, Helmut

    2010-05-01

    Riverbank erosion is known to be strongly fluvially controlled and determination of shear stresses at the bank surface and at the bank toe is a crucial point in bank erosion modeling. In many modeling attempts hydraulics are simulated separately in a hydrodynamic-numerical model and the simulated shear stresses are further applied onto the bank surface in a bank erosion model. Hydrodynamics are usually simulated at a constant geometry. However, in some cases bed geometry may vary strongly during the event, changing the conditions for hydrodynamics along the bank. This research seeks to investigate the effect of gravel bar accretion during high discharges on final bank retreat. At a restored section of the Drava River bed widenings have been implemented to counter bed degradation. There, in an initiated side-arm, self-dynamic widening strongly affects bed development and long-term connectivity to the main channel. Understanding the riverbank erosion processes there would help to improve planning of future restoration measures. At one riverbank section in the side-arm large bank retreat was measured repeatedly after several flow events. This section is situated between two groins with a distance of 60 m, which act as lateral boundaries to the self-widening channel. In front of this bank section a gravel bar developed. During low flow condition most discharge of the side-arm flows beside the gravel bar along the bank, but shear stresses are too low for triggering bank erosion. For higher discharges results from a two-dimensional hydrodynamic-numerical model suggested shear stresses there to be generally low during the entire events. At some discharges the modeled flow velocities even showed to be recirculating along the bank. These results didn't explain the observed bank retreat. Based on the modeled shear stresses, bank erosion models would have greatly underestimated the bank retreat induced by the investigated events. Repeated surveys after events applying terrestrial photogrammetry, continuous observation of the bank section with a time-lapse camera and continuous measurement of soil hydrological variables showed that around the flow peaks steeper banks collapsed, when matric suction and hence soil shear strength decreased below critical values. But much larger bank erosion with continuous transport of failed blocks from the bank toe was observed to occur during the falling limbs of the hydrographs, when discharge went back to mean flow condition. The flow velocities along the bank then were much larger than at the same discharges during the rising limbs of the hydrographs. Surveys of the riverbed demonstrated a temporary decreased cross section for the flow along the bank because of aggradation and resulting gravel bar accretion during the event. The decreased cross section led to the high flow velocities and shear stresses observed at the end of the events. After every bar accretion, the cross section was re-established by bed degradation along the bank and by massive bank erosion. Monitoring results of the gravel bar accretion and bank retreat are presented. Shear stresses modeled at a constant geometry are compared to the shear stresses modeled when bar accretion was considered. The results highlight the importance of non-equilibrium sediment transport processes during flood events for bank erosion and the need for its consideration in bank erosion modeling. Demonstrated here at a riverbank between groins, bar accretion may play a general role at gravel-bed rivers for bank erosion, particularly near lateral constraints.

  10. The role of bed-parallel slip in the development of complex normal fault zones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Delogkos, Efstratios; Childs, Conrad; Manzocchi, Tom; Walsh, John J.; Pavlides, Spyros

    2017-04-01

    Normal faults exposed in Kardia lignite mine, Ptolemais Basin, NW Greece formed at the same time as bed-parallel slip-surfaces, so that while the normal faults grew they were intermittently offset by bed-parallel slip. Following offset by a bed-parallel slip-surface, further fault growth is accommodated by reactivation on one or both of the offset fault segments. Where one fault is reactivated the site of bed-parallel slip is a bypassed asperity. Where both faults are reactivated, they propagate past each other to form a volume between overlapping fault segments that displays many of the characteristics of relay zones, including elevated strains and transfer of displacement between segments. Unlike conventional relay zones, however, these structures contain either a repeated or a missing section of stratigraphy which has a thickness equal to the throw of the fault at the time of the bed-parallel slip event, and the displacement profiles along the relay-bounding fault segments have discrete steps at their intersections with bed-parallel slip-surfaces. With further increase in displacement, the overlapping fault segments connect to form a fault-bound lens. Conventional relay zones form during initial fault propagation, but with coeval bed-parallel slip, relay-like structures can form later in the growth of a fault. Geometrical restoration of cross-sections through selected faults shows that repeated bed-parallel slip events during fault growth can lead to complex internal fault zone structure that masks its origin. Bed-parallel slip, in this case, is attributed to flexural-slip arising from hanging-wall rollover associated with a basin-bounding fault outside the study area.

  11. Heat Transfer Coefficient Distribution in the Furnace of a 300MWe CFB Boiler

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, P.; Lu, J. F.; Yang, H. R.; Zhang, J. S.; Zhang, H.; Yue, G. X.

    Properly understanding and calculating the distributions of heat flux and heat transfer coefficient (α) in the furnace is important in designing a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler, especially with supercritical parameters. Experimental study on the heat transfer in a commercial 300MWe CFB boiler was conducted. The α from the bed to the water wall was measured by the finite element method (FEM), at five different heights. The influence of suspension density and bed temperature on α was analyzed. It was found that the pressure difference between the inlet and exit of the three cyclones, and the chamber pressure of the corresponding loop seal were not equal. The results indicated the suspension solid density was non-uniform in the cross section at a certain height. Consequently, the distributions of heat flux and α in the horizontal plane in the furnace was non-uniform. The furnace can divided into three sections according to the arrangement of the platen superheaters hanging in the upper CFB furnace. In each section, the heat flux near the center showed increasing trend.

  12. Reasons for tanning bed use: a survey of community college students in North Carolina.

    PubMed

    Neenan, Ashley; Lea, C Suzanne; Lesesky, Erin B

    2012-01-01

    Tanning bed use is classified as carcinogenic and is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer. The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to identify the most commonly stated reasons for tanning bed use among a sample of male and female community college students in eastern North Carolina. A brief, self-administered survey was distributed to students during English, Art, or Psychology class periods in 5 eastern North Carolina community colleges during the 2010 fall semester. The 95% response rate consisted of 487 returned surveys. Of the 487 respondents, 12.7% (N = 62) were current users, 24.5% (N = 119) were past users, and 62.2% (N = 303) reported never using tanning beds. Women (79%) were more likely than men (18%) to be current or former tanning bed users. Three African Americans reported current tanning bed use (4.8%). Reasons for tanning bed use were similar among men and women, with "I think I look better when I am tan" being the most commonly cited reason (70.2%) for tanning bed use. A convenience sample limits generalizability to all North Carolina students attending community college. Current tanning bed use was not widely reported. However, educational strategies for preventing tanning bed initiation or recurrence among male and female community college students should include appearance-driven factors.

  13. Manipulating riparian vegetation, large wood, and discharge in a gravel-cobble bed stream: channel response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McDowell, P. F.

    2016-12-01

    The Middle Fork John Day River at Oxbow Conservation Area, northeastern Oregon, experienced heavy cattle grazing for a number of decades and was dredge mined for gold in the 1930s-50s. As a result of dredging, flow was divided between the original meandering channel on the southern part of the floodplain and a straight dredged channel on the northern part of the floodplain. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs acquired this property and began planning floodplain and instream restoration focused primarily on anadromous and resident salmonids. In 2000, cattle grazing in the riparian zone was eliminated, resulting in expansion of sedges and other plants on banks, bars and the channel bed. In 2003, riparian planting of woody vegetation began. In 2011, log structures were constructed in the south channel. The overarching goals of the log structure project were: 1) to add bank protection and roughness to accommodate the planned increase in discharge, and 2) to provide fish cover, pools, and channel complexity. In 2013, the north channel was closed and all flow was put in the south channel. This paper examines channel morphological response to these multiple actions. Channel adjustment was monitored through repeated channel cross-section surveys, longitudinal profile surveys, and analysis of planform change using high-resolution aerial imagery. I hypothesized that channel adjustment would be greatest where banks were less protected, and where bed materials were more mobile due to smaller size or local hydraulic factors such as bend curvature. The results indicate that there has been significant reorganization of riffle-pool structure in the longitudinal profile, but less change in cross-sections and planform. Cross-sections, both at log structures and not at structures, show limited bar aggradation and bank erosion. Some modest erosion occurred on banks protected by log structures. There is no increase in pool depth. The hypothesized relationship between channel change and hydraulic factors is not supported. With healthy riparian vegetation and log structures, this reach is relatively resistant to change, yet it continues to have an active and mobile gravel-cobble bed, even in years with modest floods.

  14. Malaria-related knowledge and prevention practices in four neighbourhoods in and around Mumbai, India: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Dhawan, Gaurav; Joseph, Nidhin; Pekow, Penelope S; Rogers, Christine A; Poudel, Krishna C; Bulzacchelli, Maria T

    2014-08-07

    India accounts for the highest number of malaria cases outside of Africa. Eighty per cent of India's population lives in malaria-risk areas, with cases increasing in urban areas. Mumbai, India, one of the most populous cities in the world, has experienced such an increase. To be successful, many malaria control efforts require community participation, which in turn depends on individuals' knowledge and awareness of the disease. This study assessed the knowledge and prevention practices regarding malaria in residents of four different areas of Mumbai, India, around the time of a malaria outbreak and the start of a widespread awareness campaign. A cross-sectional comparative study assessed malaria-related knowledge and prevention practices in four geographically and socio-demographically distinct areas of Mumbai, India. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was administered to a stratified random sample of 119 households between 16 December 2010 and 30 January 2011. Participant socio-demographic characteristics, malaria knowledge, malaria prevention practices, and household environmental factors were examined overall and compared across the four areas of Mumbai. Overall, respondents had excellent knowledge of the mosquito as the means of transmission of malaria, mosquito biting times and breeding sites, and fever as a symptom of malaria. However, many respondents also held misconceptions about malaria transmission and symptoms. Respondents generally knew that bed nets are an effective prevention strategy, but only 30% used them, and only 4% used insecticide-treated bed nets. Knowledge and prevention practices varied across the four areas of Mumbai. Although most residents know that bed nets are effective in preventing malaria, usage of bed nets is very low, and almost no residents use insecticide-treated bed nets. As the four areas of Mumbai differed in knowledge, prevention practices, and primary sources of information, malaria control campaigns should be tailored according to the knowledge gaps, practices, environments, resources, and preferences in different areas of the city, using the interpersonal and media channels most likely to reach the target audiences. Malaria control efforts involving bed nets should emphasize use of insecticide-treated bed nets.

  15. Adolescent egocentrism and indoor tanning: is the relationship direct or mediated?

    PubMed

    Banerjee, Smita C; Greene, Kathryn; Yanovitzky, Itzhak; Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Choi, Soe Yoon; Magsamen-Conrad, Kate

    2015-01-01

    This paper explored how imaginary audience and personal fable ideations contribute to adolescent indoor tanning intentions directly and indirectly through the way they shape pro-tanning attitude and association with peers who use tanning beds. Five hundred and ninety-five male ( n = 207) and female ( n = 387) adolescents, ranging in age from 11 to 19 ( M = 16.87; SD = 1.34) years completed a cross-sectional survey. Measures included imaginary audience, personal fable (three dimensions: invulnerability, uniqueness, and omnipotence), pro-tanning attitude, association with peers who use tanning beds, and tanning bed use intentions. Bootstrapping analyses documented that imaginary audience ideations are indirectly associated with indoor tanning intentions through the mediation of pro-tanning attitude and association with peers who use tanning beds. Of the personal fable ideations, only invulnerability ideation is indirectly associated with indoor tanning intentions through the mediation of association with peers who use tanning beds. Design and evaluation of interventions and campaigns to reduce indoor tanning must be targeted to adolescents varying in imaginary audience ideations differently.

  16. Contaminant transport from point source on water surface in open channel flow with bed absorption

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Jinlan; Wu, Xudong; Jiang, Weiquan; Chen, Guoqian

    2018-06-01

    Studying solute dispersion in channel flows is of significance for environmental and industrial applications. Two-dimensional concentration distribution for a most typical case of a point source release on the free water surface in a channel flow with bed absorption is presented by means of Chatwin's long-time asymptotic technique. Five basic characteristics of Taylor dispersion and vertical mean concentration distribution with skewness and kurtosis modifications are also analyzed. The results reveal that bed absorption affects both the longitudinal and vertical concentration distributions and causes the contaminant cloud to concentrate in the upper layer. Additionally, the cross-sectional concentration distribution shows an asymptotic Gaussian distribution at large time which is unaffected by the bed absorption. The vertical concentration distribution is found to be nonuniform even at large time. The obtained results are essential for practical implements with strict environmental standards.

  17. The prevalence and characteristics associated with mother-infant bed-sharing in Klang district, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Tan, K L; Ghani, S N; Moy, F M

    2009-12-01

    This was a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence and characteristics of mother-infant bed-sharing practice in Klang district, Malaysia. Data was collected by face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire for a four month period in 2006. A total of 682 mother-infant pairs attending government health clinics were included in the study. Data regarding socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers, information on the infants, bed-sharing and breastfeeding practices were collected. The mean maternal age was 28.4 +/- 5.1 years while the mean infant gestational age was 38.8 +/- 1.8 weeks. The study showed the prevalence of bed-sharing was 73.5% (95% CI: 70.0, 76.7). In multivariate analysis; area of interview, maternal occupation, family income, breastfeeding and infant birth weight were associated with bed-sharing after adjusted for maternal ethnicity, age, marital status, educational level, parity, infant gender and infant gestational age. In conclusion, bed-sharing is a common practice in Klang district, Malaysia, not specific to ethnicity, but strongly associated with low family income and breastfeeding.

  18. Upper flow regime sheets, lenses and scour fills: Extending the range of architectural elements for fluvial sediment bodies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fielding, Christopher R.

    2006-08-01

    Fluvial strata dominated internally by sedimentary structures of interpreted upper flow regime origin are moderately common in the rock record, yet their abundance is not appreciated and many examples may go unnoticed. A spectrum of sedimentary structures is recognised, all of which occur over a wide range of scale: 1. cross-bedding with humpback, sigmoidal and ultimately low-angle cross-sectional foreset geometries (interpreted as recording the transition from dune to upper plane bed bedform stability field), 2. planar/flat lamination with parting lineation, characteristic of the upper plane bed phase, 3. flat and low-angle lamination with minor convex-upward elements, characteristic of the transition from upper plane bed to antidune stability fields, 4. convex-upward bedforms, down- and up-palaeocurrent-dipping, low-angle cross-bedding and symmetrical drapes, interpreted as the product of antidunes, and 5. backsets terminating updip against an upstream-dipping erosion surface, interpreted as recording chute and pool conditions. In some fluvial successions, the entirety or substantial portions of channel sandstone bodies may be made up of such structures. These Upper Flow Regime Sheets, Lenses and Scour Fills (UFR) are defined herein as an extension of Miall's [Miall, A.D., 1985. Architectural-element analysis: a new method of facies analysis applied to fluvial deposits. Earth Sci. Rev. 22: 261-308.] Laminated Sand Sheets architectural element. Given the conditions that favour preservation of upper flow regime structures (rapid changes in flow strength), it is suggested that the presence of UFR elements in ancient fluvial successions may indicate sediment accumulation under the influence of a strongly seasonal palaeoclimate that involves a pronounced seasonal peak in precipitation and runoff.

  19. Development of the 7-Item Binge-Eating Disorder Screener (BEDS-7)

    PubMed Central

    Deal, Linda S.; DiBenedetti, Dana B.; Nelson, Lauren; Fehnel, Sheri E.; Brown, T. Michelle

    2016-01-01

    Objective Develop a brief, patient-reported screening tool designed to identify individuals with probable binge-eating disorder (BED) for further evaluation or referral to specialists. Methods Items were developed on the basis of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, existing tools, and input from 3 clinical experts (January 2014). Items were then refined in cognitive debriefing interviews with participants self-reporting BED characteristics (March 2014) and piloted in a multisite, cross-sectional, prospective, noninterventional study consisting of a semistructured diagnostic interview (to diagnose BED) and administration of the pilot Binge-Eating Disorder Screener (BEDS), Binge Eating Scale (BES), and RAND 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (RAND-36) (June 2014–July 2014). The sensitivity and specificity of classification algorithms (formed from the pilot BEDS item-level responses) in predicting BED diagnosis were evaluated. The final algorithm was selected to minimize false negatives and false positives, while utilizing the fewest number of BEDS items. Results Starting with the initial BEDS item pool (20 items), the 13-item pilot BEDS resulted from the cognitive debriefing interviews (n = 13). Of the 97 participants in the noninterventional study, 16 were diagnosed with BED (10/62 female, 16%; 6/35 male, 17%). Seven BEDS items (BEDS-7) yielded 100% sensitivity and 38.7% specificity. Participants correctly identified (true positives) had poorer BES scores and RAND-36 scores than participants identified as true negatives. Conclusions Implementation of the brief, patient-reported BEDS-7 in real-world clinical practice is expected to promote better understanding of BED characteristics and help physicians identify patients who may have BED. PMID:27486542

  20. Development of the 7-Item Binge-Eating Disorder Screener (BEDS-7).

    PubMed

    Herman, Barry K; Deal, Linda S; DiBenedetti, Dana B; Nelson, Lauren; Fehnel, Sheri E; Brown, T Michelle

    2016-01-01

    Develop a brief, patient-reported screening tool designed to identify individuals with probable binge-eating disorder (BED) for further evaluation or referral to specialists. Items were developed on the basis of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, existing tools, and input from 3 clinical experts (January 2014). Items were then refined in cognitive debriefing interviews with participants self-reporting BED characteristics (March 2014) and piloted in a multisite, cross-sectional, prospective, noninterventional study consisting of a semistructured diagnostic interview (to diagnose BED) and administration of the pilot Binge-Eating Disorder Screener (BEDS), Binge Eating Scale (BES), and RAND 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (RAND-36) (June 2014-July 2014). The sensitivity and specificity of classification algorithms (formed from the pilot BEDS item-level responses) in predicting BED diagnosis were evaluated. The final algorithm was selected to minimize false negatives and false positives, while utilizing the fewest number of BEDS items. Starting with the initial BEDS item pool (20 items), the 13-item pilot BEDS resulted from the cognitive debriefing interviews (n = 13). Of the 97 participants in the noninterventional study, 16 were diagnosed with BED (10/62 female, 16%; 6/35 male, 17%). Seven BEDS items (BEDS-7) yielded 100% sensitivity and 38.7% specificity. Participants correctly identified (true positives) had poorer BES scores and RAND-36 scores than participants identified as true negatives. Implementation of the brief, patient-reported BEDS-7 in real-world clinical practice is expected to promote better understanding of BED characteristics and help physicians identify patients who may have BED.

  1. Evaluating the impact of health resource reconstruction on improving spatial accessibility of tuberculosis care.

    PubMed

    Izumi, K; Kawatsu, L; Ohkado, A; Uchimura, K; Kato, S

    2016-11-01

    In Japan, a decline in tuberculosis (TB) notification rates and shortening of duration of hospitalisation have led to a drastic decrease in the number of hospital beds for TB patients (TB beds), causing severe undersupply in certain regions. To assess the current status of spatial access to TB beds in Japan and evaluate the potential impact of health resource reconstruction in mitigating undersupply of TB beds. A cross-sectional study was conducted whereby a two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method was used to calculate an 'accessibility score' to evaluate spatial accessibility of TB beds in the regions classified by four levels of urbanisation. The impact of introducing 'potential TB beds' was assessed via the changes in the proportion of undersupplied regions and TB patients notified from undersupplied regions. Undersupplied regions were characterised by 'very low', 'low' and 'moderate' level of urbanisation. By introducing 'potential TB beds', the proportion of both undersupplied regions and TB patients could be significantly reduced, especially in less urbanised regions. Our results may be used to guide future decision-making over resource allocation of TB care in Japan. The 2SFCA method may be applied to other countries using appropriate demand and supply variables.

  2. Reactive collisions of electrons with H2+ , HD+, BeH+, BeD+ and SH+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pop, Nicolina; Iacob, Felix; Mezei, János Zsolt; Motapon, Ousmanou; Niyonzima, Sebastien; Kashinski, David O.; Talbi, Dahbia; Hickman, Albert Peet; Schneider, Ioan F.

    2017-12-01

    In numerous cold ionized gases the dissociative recombination (DR), the elastic collisions (EC), the vibrational excitation (VE) (inelastic collisions) and the vibrational de-excitation (VdE) (super-elastic collisions) of molecular cations with electrons are major elementary processes. Using a stepwise method based on the Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory (MQDT), cross sections and rate coefficients have been obtained for reactions induced on HD+, H2+, BeH+, BeD+ and SH+. Moreover, the relative importance of the different reaction mechanisms, direct vs. indirect and rotational vs. non-rotational, have been studied for these molecular systems.

  3. Influence of alluvial cover and lithology on the adjustment characteristics of semi-alluvial bedrock channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferguson, Sean P.; Rennie, Colin D.

    2017-05-01

    A growing body of research has focused on evaluating the adjustment characteristics of semi-alluvial channels containing proximate bedrock, mixed, and alluvial sections. Active orogens have been the focus of most empirical field-based studies with comparatively less focus on semi-alluvial bedrock channels located in other regions. In this study, we present an inventory of channel geometry data collected from semi-alluvial bedrock channels in Ontario and Québec, Canada, which are not subject to tectonic uplift. Data were sourced from a variety of physiographic settings, permitting evaluation of the influence of alluvial cover, lithology, and gradient on cross-sectional channel form. Our results show no substantial difference in channel width or scaling behaviour amongst bedrock, mixed, and alluvial channels included in our study, except for sedimentary bedrock channels virtually bare of alluvial cover that represent a uniquely wide, distinct subgroup. Channel gradient does not appear to exhibit any observable control on channel width amongst our study rivers, suggesting that sedimentary bedrock channels form a distinct subgroup because of lithology. Comparatively, the widths of our bedrock channels formed in igneous/metamorphic bedrock are comparable to the widths of mixed channels and alluvial channels for a given discharge and drainage area. Our findings also suggest that cross-sectional adjustment of sedimentary bedrock channels is achieved through lateral erosion of the channel banks and downward erosion of the channel bed, whereas cross-sectional adjustment of igneous/metamorphic bedrock is primarily achieved through downward erosion of the bed with limited lateral erosion of the banks.

  4. Ground beetle communities in a mountain river subjected to restoration: The Raba River, Polish Carpathians.

    PubMed

    Bednarska, Agnieszka J; Wyżga, Bartłomiej; Mikuś, Paweł; Kędzior, Renata

    2018-01-01

    Effects of passive restoration of mountain rivers on the organisms inhabiting exposed riverine sediments are considerably less understood than those concerning aquatic biota. Thus, the effects of a recovery of the Raba River after abandonment of maintenance of its channelization scheme on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities were investigated by comparing 6 unmanaged cross-sections and 6 cross-sections from adjacent channelized reaches. In each cross-section, ground beetles were collected from 12 sampling sites in spring, summer, and autumn, and 8 habitat parameters characterizing the cross-sections and sampling sites were determined. Within a few years after abandonment of the Raba River channelization scheme, the width of this gravel-bed river increased up to three times and its multi-thread pattern became re-established. Consequently, unmanaged river cross-sections had significantly larger channel width and more low-flow channels and eroding cutbanks than channelized cross-sections. Moreover, sampling sites in the unmanaged cross-sections were typified by significantly steeper average surface slope and larger average distance from low-flow channels than the sites in channelized cross-sections. In total, 3992 individuals from 78 taxa were collected during the study. The ground beetle assemblages were significantly more abundant and richer in species in the unmanaged than in the channelized cross-sections but no significant differences in carabid diversity indices between the two cross-section types were recorded. Redundancy Analysis indicated active river zone width as the only variable explaining differences in abundance and species richness among the cross-sections. Multiple regression analysis indicated species diversity to predominantly depend on the degree of plant cover and substrate grain size. The study showed that increased availability of exposed sediments in the widened river reaches allowed ground beetles to increase their abundance and species richness within a few years after the onset of river restoration, but more time may be needed for development of more diverse carabid communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Palaeogeography of Late Triassic red-beds in Singapore and the Indosinian Orogeny

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliver, Grahame; Prave, Anthony

    2013-10-01

    A red-bed facies of the Upper Triassic Jurong Formation has been logged on Sentosa Island, Singapore. An overall coarsening and thickening-upward pattern is well developed. The lower part of the section is dominated by purple-red, massive to finely laminated illite-smectite-kaolin-rich mudstones containing thin, discontinuous lenses of fine sandstone marked by low-angle lamination and small ripples. One dinosaur-like foot print has been discovered in a loose block of red mudstone. It is concluded that this is a lacustrine sequence and it is proposed to name the lake, Lake Sentosa. The upper part of the sequence consists of flat-laminated to trough cross-bedded medium-grained sandstone and granule to cobble conglomerates alternating with purple-red mudstone. The mudstone-sandstone packages are arranged in decametre-scale coarsening-upward cycles. The channelling and decimetre-scale cross-bedding characterising the sandstone and conglomeratic beds is evidence for deposition by flashy fluvial flood processes, possibly feeding into the lake as a fresh water delta. One possible dinosaur trackway in granule size conglomerate has been located. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages vary from 2.7 Ba to 209 Ma with significant populations at ˜245 Ma and 220 Ma. These ages throw light on the timing of the Indosinian Orogeny. The molasse red-beds of the Jurong Formation were deposited in a half graben formed in the hangingwall of the Bukit Timah Fault when central Peninsular Malaysia went into extension following the climax of the Indosinian Orogeny in the Late Triassic.

  6. Molecular Data for a Biochemical Model of DNA Radiation Damage: Electron Impact Ionization and Dissociative Ionization of DNA Bases and Sugar-Phosphate Backbone

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dateo, Christopher E.; Fletcher, Graham D.

    2004-01-01

    As part of the database for building up a biochemical model of DNA radiation damage, electron impact ionization cross sections of sugar-phosphate backbone and DNA bases have been calculated using the improved binary-encounter dipole (iBED) model. It is found that the total ionization cross sections of C3'- and C5'-deoxyribose-phospate, two conformers of the sugar-phosphate backbone, are close to each other. Furthermore, the sum of the ionization cross sections of the separate deoxyribose and phosphate fragments is in close agreement with the C3'- and C5'-deoxyribose-phospate cross sections, differing by less than 10%. Of the four DNA bases, the ionization cross section of guanine is the largest, then in decreasing order, adenine, thymine, and cytosine. The order is in accordance with the known propensity of oxidation of the bases by ionizing radiation. Dissociative ionization (DI), a process that both ionizes and dissociates a molecule, is investigated for cytosine. The DI cross section for the formation of H and (cytosine-Hl)(+), with the cytosine ion losing H at the 1 position, is also reported. The threshold of this process is calculated to be 17.1 eV. Detailed analysis of ionization products such as in DI is important to trace the sequential steps in the biochemical process of DNA damage.

  7. Comparison of cross-sectional HIV incidence assay results from dried blood spots and plasma.

    PubMed

    Schlusser, Katherine E; Pilcher, Christopher; Kallas, Esper G; Santos, Breno R; Deeks, Steven G; Facente, Shelley; Keating, Sheila M; Busch, Michael P; Murphy, Gary; Welte, Alex; Quinn, Thomas; Eshleman, Susan H; Laeyendecker, Oliver

    2017-01-01

    Assays have been developed for cross-sectional HIV incidence estimation using plasma samples. Large scale surveillance programs are planned using dried blood spot (DBS) specimens for incidence assessment. However, limited information exists on the performance of HIV cross-sectional incidence assays using DBS. The assays evaluated were: Maxim HIV-1 Limiting Antigen Avidity EIA (LAg-Avidity), Sedia HIV-1 BED-Capture EIA (BED-CEIA), and CDC modified BioRad HIV-1/2 Plus O Avidity-based Assay (CDC-BioRad Avidity) using pre-determined cutoff values. 100 matched HIV-1 positive plasma and DBS samples, with known duration of infection, from the Consortium for the Evaluation and Performance of HIV Incidence Assays repository were tested. All assays were run in duplicate. To examine the degree of variability within and between results for each sample type, both categorical and continuous results were analyzed. Associations were assessed with Bland Altman, R2 values and Cohen's kappa coefficient (ĸ). Intra-assay variability using the same sample type was similar for all assays (R2 0.96 to 1.00). The R2 values comparing DBS and plasma results for LAg-Avidity, BED-CEIA, and CDC-BioRad Avidity were 0.96, 0.94, and 0.84, respectively. The concordance and ĸ values between DBS and plasma for all three assays were >87% and >0.64, respectively. The Bland-Altman analysis showed significant differences between plasma and DBS samples. For all three assays, a higher number of samples were classified as recent infections using DBS samples. DBS and plasma sample results were highly correlated. However, when compared to plasma, each assay performed somewhat differently in DBS at the lower and higher ends of the dynamic range. DBS samples were more likely to be classified as recently infected by all three assays, which may lead to overestimation of incidence in surveys using performance criteria derived for plasma samples.

  8. Investigations of Sediment Transportation, Middle Loup River at Dunning, Nebraska: With Application of Data from Turbulence Flume

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hubbell, David Wellington; Matejka, Donald Quintin

    1959-01-01

    An investigation of fluvial sediments of the Middle Loup River at Dunning, Nebr., was begun in 1946 and expanded in 1949 to provide information on sediment transportation. Construction of an artificial turbulence flume at which the total sediment discharge of the Middle Loup River at Dunning, Nebr., could be measured with suspended-sediment sampling equipment was completed in 1949. Since that time. measurements have been made at the turbulence flume and at several selected sections in a reach upstream and downstream from the flume. The Middle Loup River upstream from Dunning traverses the sandhills region of north-central Nebraska and has a drainage area of approximately 1,760 square miles. The sandhills are underlain by the Ogallala formation of Tertiary age and are mantled by loess and dune sand. The topography is characterized by northwest-trending sand dunes, which are stabilized by grass cover. The valley floor upstream from Dunning is generally about half a mile wide, is about 80 feet lower than the uplands, and is composed of sand that was mostly stream deposited. The channel is defined by low banks. Bank erosion is prevalent and is the source of most of the sediment load. The flow originates mostly from ground-water accretion and varies between about 200 and 600 cfs (cubic feet per second). Measured suspended-sediment loads vary from about 200 to 2,000 tons per day, of which about 20 percent is finer than 0.062 millimeter and 100 percent is finer than 0.50 millimeter. Total sediment discharges vary from about 500 to 3,500 tons per day, of which about 10 percent is finer than 0.062 millimeter, about 90 percent is finer than 0.50 millimeter, and about 98 percent is finer than 2.0 millimeters. The measured suspended-sediment discharge in the reach near Dunning averages about one-half of the total sediment discharge as measured at the turbulence flume. This report contains information collected during the period October 1, 1948, to September 30, 1952. The information includes sediment discharges; particle-size analyses of total load, of measured suspended sediment, and of bed material; water discharges and other hydraulic data for the turbulence flume and the selected sections. Sediment discharges have been computed with several different formulas, and insofar as possible, each computed load has been compared with data from the turbulence flume. Sediment discharges computed with the Einstein procedure did not agree well, in general, with comparable measured loads. However, a satisfactory representative cross section for the reach could not be determined with the cross sections that were selected for this investigation. If the computed cross section was narrower and deeper than a representative cross section for the reach, computed loads were high; and if the computed cross section was wider and shallower than a representative cross section for the reach, computed loads were low. Total sediment discharges computed with the modified Einstein procedure compared very well with the loads of individual size ranges and the measured total loads at the turbulence flume. Sediment discharges computed with the Straub equation averaged about twice the measured total sediment discharge at the turbulence flume. Bed-load discharges computed with the Kalinske equation were of about the right magnitude; however, high computed loads were associated with low total loads, low unmeasured loads, and low concentrations of measured suspended sediment coarser than 0.125 millimeter. Bed-load discharges computed with the Schoklitsch equation seemed somewhat high; about one-third of the computed loads were slightly higher than comparable unmeasured loads. Although, in general, high computed discharges with the Schoklitsch equation were associated with high measured total loads, high unmeasured loads, and high concentrations of measured suspended sediment coarser than 0.125 millimeter, the trend was not consistent. Bed-load discharges computed

  9. Reservoir characterization of Mesaverde (Campanian) bedload fluvial meanderbelt sandstones, northwestern Colorado

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jones, J.R. Jr.

    1984-04-01

    Reservoir characterization of Mesaverde meanderbelt sandstones is used to determined directional continuity of permeable zones. A 500-m (1600 ft) wide fluvial meanderbelt in the Mesaverde Group is exposed as laterally continuous 3-10-m (10-33-ft) high sandstone cliffs north of Rangely, Colorado. Forty-eight detailed measured sections through 3 point bar complexes oriented at right angles to the long axis of deposition and 1 complex oriented parallel to deposition were prepared. Sections were tied together by detailed sketches delineating and tracing major bounding surfaces such as scours and clay drapes. These complexes contain 3 to 8 multilateral sandstone packages separated by 5-20 cmmore » (2-8 in.) interbedded siltstone and shale beds. Component facies are point bars, crevasse splays, chute bars, and floodplain/overbank deposits. Two types of lateral accretion surfaces are recognized in the point bar facies. Gently dipping lateral accretions containing fining-upward sandstone packages. Large scale trough cross-bedding at the base grades upward into ripples and plane beds. Steeply dipping lateral accretion surfaces enclose beds characterized by climbing ripple cross laminations. Bounding surfaces draped by shale lags can seal vertically stacked point bars from reservoir communication. Scoured boundaries allow communication in some stacked point bars. Crevasse splays showing climbing ripples form tongues of very fine-grained sandstone which flank point bars. Chute channels commonly cut upper point bar surfaces at their downstream end. Chute facies are upward-fining with small scale troughs and common dewatering structures. Siltstones and shales underlie the point bar complexes and completely encase the meanderbelt system. Bounding surfaces at the base of the complexes are erosional and contain large shale rip-up clasts.« less

  10. Cross-Bedding at Whale Rock

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-12-08

    This view from the NASA Curiosity Mars rover shows an example of cross-bedding that results from water passing over a loose bed of sediment. It was taken at a target called Whale Rock within the Pahrump Hills outcrop at the base of Mount Sharp.

  11. Stability evaluation of modernized bank protections in a culvert construction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cholewa, Mariusz; Plesiński, Karol; Kamińska, Katarzyna; Wójcik, Izabela

    2018-02-01

    The paper presents stability evaluation of the banks of the Wilga River on a chosen stretch in Koźmice Wielkie, Małopolska Province. The examined stretch included the river bed upstream from the culvert on a district road. The culvert construction, built over four decades ago, was disassembled in 2014. The former construction, two pipes that were 1.4 m in diameter, was entirely removed. The investor decided to build a new construction in the form of insitu poured reinforced concrete with a 4 x 2 m cross section. Change of geometry and different location in relation to the river current caused increase in the flow velocity and, as a consequence, erosion of both protected and natural banks. Groundwater conditions were determined based on the geotechnical tests that were carried out on soil samples taken from the banks and the river bed. Stability calculations of natural slopes of the Wilga River and the ones protected with riprap indicate mistakes in the design project concerning construction of the river banks. The purpose of the study was to determine the stability of the Wilga River banks on a selected section adjacent to the rebuilt culvert. Stability of a chosen cross section was analysed in the paper. Presented conclusions are based on the results of geotechnical tests and numerical calculations.

  12. Decision tree for accurate infection timing in individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1 infection.

    PubMed

    Verhofstede, Chris; Fransen, Katrien; Van Den Heuvel, Annelies; Van Laethem, Kristel; Ruelle, Jean; Vancutsem, Ellen; Stoffels, Karolien; Van den Wijngaert, Sigi; Delforge, Marie-Luce; Vaira, Dolores; Hebberecht, Laura; Schauvliege, Marlies; Mortier, Virginie; Dauwe, Kenny; Callens, Steven

    2017-11-29

    There is today no gold standard method to accurately define the time passed since infection at HIV diagnosis. Infection timing and incidence measurement is however essential to better monitor the dynamics of local epidemics and the effect of prevention initiatives. Three methods for infection timing were evaluated using 237 serial samples from documented seroconversions and 566 cross sectional samples from newly diagnosed patients: identification of antibodies against the HIV p31 protein in INNO-LIA, SediaTM BED CEIA and SediaTM LAg-Avidity EIA. A multi-assay decision tree for infection timing was developed. Clear differences in recency window between BED CEIA, LAg-Avidity EIA and p31 antibody presence were observed with a switch from recent to long term infection a median of 169.5, 108.0 and 64.5 days after collection of the pre-seroconversion sample respectively. BED showed high reliability for identification of long term infections while LAg-Avidity is highly accurate for identification of recent infections. Using BED as initial assay to identify the long term infections and LAg-Avidity as a confirmatory assay for those classified as recent infection by BED, explores the strengths of both while reduces the workload. The short recency window of p31 antibodies allows to discriminate very early from early infections based on this marker. BED recent infection results not confirmed by LAg-Avidity are considered to reflect a period more distant from the infection time. False recency predictions in this group can be minimized by elimination of patients with a CD4 count of less than 100 cells/mm3 or without no p31 antibodies. For 566 cross sectional sample the outcome of the decision tree confirmed the infection timing based on the results of all 3 markers but reduced the overall cost from 13.2 USD to 5.2 USD per sample. A step-wise multi assay decision tree allows accurate timing of the HIV infection at diagnosis at affordable effort and cost and can be an important new tool in studies analyzing the dynamics of local epidemics or the effects of prevention strategies.

  13. Paleoenvironmental interpretation of section of Rosario Formation in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tellez-Duarte, M.A.; Ferman-Almada, J.L.

    In contrast to previous interpretations of the Rosario Formation in other parts of Baja California, a stratigraphic section 6 km north of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, contains evidences for deposition in shallow waters during a regressive event in a steep slope basin. Among the sedimentary evidence, the section shows a coarse, shoaling-upward sequence, with high-angle cross-stratification and planar bed lamination. Load structures with a westward orientation were found only at the base. The fossils assemblages support the same shoaling-upward interpretation as the sedimentary evidence, with ammonoids and deposit feeder trace fossils (such as Chondrites) at the bottom to mollusks andmore » suspension feeder trace fossils (such as Scolicia and Ophiomorpha, characteristic of shallower waters) at the top. This sedimentologic and paleontologic evidence suggests nearshore to beach coastal deposits. The contact between the section and a discontinuous thin limestone bed at the top of the section shows an unconformity. The absence of well-preserved fossils makes this limestone difficult to date, but the lithology is similar to that of Paleocene Sepultura Formation limestones.« less

  14. A physically-based channel-modeling framework integrating HEC-RAS sediment transport capabilities and the USDA-ARS bank-stability and toe-erosion model (BSTEM)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Classical, one-dimensional, mobile bed, sediment-transport models simulate vertical channel adjustment, raising or lowering cross-section node elevations to simulate erosion or deposition. This approach does not account for bank erosion processes including toe scour and mass failure. In many systems...

  15. Geologic framework for the coal-bearing rocks of the Central Appalachian Basin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chesnut, D.R.

    1996-01-01

    Coal production has been an important economic factor in the Central Appalachian Basin. However, regional stratigraphic and structural relationships of the coal-bearing rocks of the basin have been poorly understood due to numerous separate nomenclatural schemes employed by various states. In order to estimate coal resources and understand mechanisms controlling the distribution of coal within the basin, a reliable geologic framework is necessary. Seven detailed cross sections across the Central Appalachian Basin were constructed in order to examine the stratigraphic and structural framework of the coal-bearing rocks in the basin. The cross sections were based on more than 1000 oil and gas well logs, measured sections, and borehole information from Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The cross sections revealed three main points discussed here: southeast thickening of the Pennsylvanian strata, unconformable northwestward onlapping relationship of Lower Pennsylvanian strata over underlying Lower Pennsylvanian and Mississippian strata and regional continuity of beds. The cross sections, geologic mapping, coal-resource studies, extensive new highway exposures and the occurrence of tonstein beds indicate that many coal beds and marine strata are laterally extensive, albeit locally variable across the basin. Certain quartzose sandstone bodies are also extensive over large areas of the basin. Existing stratigraphic nomenclature schemes obscured the geologic framework of the basin, so a new unified nomenclature scheme was devised to better describe stratigraphic features of the basin. The new stratigraphic nomenclature, now only formalized for Kentucky, was based on key stratigraphic units that proved to be extensive across the basin. Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian rocks are now recognized as the Breathitt Group (the Breathitt Formation was elevated to group rank). The Breathitt Group was subdivided into eight coal-bearing formations by relatively thick marine strata, and, in the lower part of the Breathitt Group, by quartzose sandstone formations. The new coal-bearing units are formally ranked as formations and, in ascending order, are the Pocahontas, Bottom Creek, Alvy Creek, Grundy, Pikeville, Hyden, Four Corners and Princess Formations. The quartzose sandstone units are also formally ranked as formations and are, in ascending order, the Warren Point, Sewanee, Bee Rock and Corbin Sandstones. The sandstone formations were previously recognized units in some states, but have been extended (formally in Kentucky) across the basin. The key stratigraphic marine units are formally ranked as members, and are, in ascending order, the Betsie Shale Member, the Kendrick Shale Member, Magoffin Member and Stoney Fork Member.

  16. Salivary cortisol and binge eating disorder in obese women after surgery for morbid obesity.

    PubMed

    Larsen, Junilla K; van Ramshorst, Bert; van Doornen, Lorenz J P; Geenen, Rinie

    2009-01-01

    Binge eating episodes characterized by loss of control are hypothesized to be accompanied by changes in hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis functioning. Cortisol is an end product of this neuroendocrine stress system. The aim of this study was to examine the cortisol levels and the awakening cortisol response (ACR) in obese persons showing binge eating after surgery for morbid obesity. Sixteen obese women with binge eating disorder (BED) and 18 obese women without BED participated in the study. Means+/-SD: age 43 +/- 15, body mass index 40 +/- 8. Salivary cortisol, anthropometric assessments, and the eating disorder examination interview were taken. Women with BED showed a significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio and cortisol levels during the day than women without BED, whereas the ACR did not differ. Our cross-sectional study in a small sample generates the hypothesis that neuroendocrine regulation differs between obese women with and without BED after obesity surgery. This finding needs replication in future studies that should also examine the causal direction of the observed association.

  17. Adolescent egocentrism and indoor tanning: is the relationship direct or mediated?

    PubMed Central

    Banerjee, Smita C.; Greene, Kathryn; Yanovitzky, Itzhak; Bagdasarov, Zhanna; Choi, Soe Yoon; Magsamen-Conrad, Kate

    2016-01-01

    This paper explored how imaginary audience and personal fable ideations contribute to adolescent indoor tanning intentions directly and indirectly through the way they shape pro-tanning attitude and association with peers who use tanning beds. Five hundred and ninety-five male (n = 207) and female (n = 387) adolescents, ranging in age from 11 to 19 (M = 16.87; SD = 1.34) years completed a cross-sectional survey. Measures included imaginary audience, personal fable (three dimensions: invulnerability, uniqueness, and omnipotence), pro-tanning attitude, association with peers who use tanning beds, and tanning bed use intentions. Bootstrapping analyses documented that imaginary audience ideations are indirectly associated with indoor tanning intentions through the mediation of pro-tanning attitude and association with peers who use tanning beds. Of the personal fable ideations, only invulnerability ideation is indirectly associated with indoor tanning intentions through the mediation of association with peers who use tanning beds. Design and evaluation of interventions and campaigns to reduce indoor tanning must be targeted to adolescents varying in imaginary audience ideations differently. PMID:28042281

  18. Bed sharing among mother-infant pairs in Klang district, Peninsular Malaysia and its relationship to breast-feeding.

    PubMed

    Tan, Kok Leong

    2009-10-01

    The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of mother-infant bed sharing in Klang district, Peninsular Malaysia and to identify factors associated with bed sharing. This was a cross-sectional study involving 682 mother-infant pairs with infants up to 6 months attending government clinics in Klang district, Peninsular Malaysia. Data were collected by face-to-face interview using a pretested structured questionnaire for a 4-month period in 2006. Data regarding maternal, paternal, obstetric, infant, occupancy, breast-feeding characteristics, and bed-sharing practice were collected. Data on bed sharing were based on practice in the past 1-month period. Bed sharing was defined as an infant sharing a bed with mother, and infant must be within arms reach from the mother, whereas a bed was defined as either a sleeping mattress placed on a bed frame or placed on the floor. The prevalence of bed sharing was estimated. Relationship and magnitude of association between independent factors and bed sharing were examined using odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Logistic regression analysis was used to control for confounding factors. The prevalence of bed sharing among mothers with infants aged between 1 and 6 months was 73.5% (95% confidence interval: 70.0-76.7). In multivariate analysis, urban/rural differences, mothers' ethnicity, occupation, family income, husbands' support on bed sharing, number of children younger than 12 years staying in the house, and breast-feeding were associated with bed sharing. These factors need to be considered in analyzing the overall risks and benefits of bed sharing, paying attention to breastfeeding practices.

  19. Ageing and endurance training effects on quantity and quality of pulmonary vascular bed in healthy men

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    It has recently been demonstrated that in healthy individuals, peak oxygen consumption is associated with a greater pulmonary capillary blood volume and a more distensible pulmonary circulation. Our cross-sectional study suggests that, in healthy men aged 20 to 60 years (n = 63), endurance sport practice (vigorous-intensity domain of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire) is associated with better quantity (pulmonary capillary blood volume) and quality (slope of increase in lung diffusion for carbon monoxide on exercise) of the pulmonary vascular bed, partly counterbalancing the deleterious effects of ageing, which remains to be demonstrated in a prospective longitudinal design. PMID:24460636

  20. Channel widening due to urbanization and a major flood can alter bed particle organization and bed stability in an urban boulder-bed channel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prestegaard, K. L.; Behrns, K.; Blanchet, Z.; Hankin, E.

    2007-12-01

    The Anacostia River is a tributary of the Potomac River north of Washington D.C. that has become progressively more urbanized in the past 50 years. Bankfull discharge and bankfull width in the Anacostia have increased by 3- 4x in the past 50 years. Nearby watersheds of similar size and geology, but without significant urbanization, contain threshold gravel-bed streams. The Anacostia, however, is not a threshold channel; it exhibits break-up of boulder-bed channels in upstream reaches and significant gravel bar formation in downstream reaches. These gravel bars have grown and migrated considerably in the past 10-15 years, contributing significantly to local channel widening that can be twice that of adjacent reaches. The purpose of this study is to determine bedload transport rates and grain size distributions and their relationship to discharge, bed organization and sediment supply. Bed mobility data come from both bedload transport measurements and measurements of channel bed changes. Channel bed changes were obtained from a) repeated channel cross section surveys, b) surface and subsurface size distributions, and c) bed particle organization measurements (measurements of location of particles within reaches). These measurements were made prior to and after the floods of 2006, which equalled the largest floods on record for most parts of the Anacostia River. In some boulder bed reaches, boulders were removed from the center of the channel and deposited along and on the channel banks. The mid-channel boulders were replaced by sheets of gravel and cobbles, significantly altering the bed mobility of the channels.

  1. A simple autocorrelation algorithm for determining grain size from digital images of sediment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rubin, D.M.

    2004-01-01

    Autocorrelation between pixels in digital images of sediment can be used to measure average grain size of sediment on the bed, grain-size distribution of bed sediment, and vertical profiles in grain size in a cross-sectional image through a bed. The technique is less sensitive than traditional laboratory analyses to tails of a grain-size distribution, but it offers substantial other advantages: it is 100 times as fast; it is ideal for sampling surficial sediment (the part that interacts with a flow); it can determine vertical profiles in grain size on a scale finer than can be sampled physically; and it can be used in the field to provide almost real-time grain-size analysis. The technique can be applied to digital images obtained using any source with sufficient resolution, including digital cameras, digital video, or underwater digital microscopes (for real-time grain-size mapping of the bed). ?? 2004, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology).

  2. Depositional environments and processes in Upper Cretaceous nonmarine and marine sediments, Ocean Point dinosaur locality, North Slope, Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Phillips, R.L.

    2003-01-01

    A 178-m-thick stratigraphic section exposed along the lower Colville River in northern Alaska, near Ocean Point, represents the uppermost part of a 1500 m Upper Cretaceous stratigraphic section. Strata exposed at Ocean Point are assigned to the Prince Creek and Schrader Bluff formations. Three major depositional environments are identified consisting, in ascending order, of floodplain, interdistributary-bay, and shallow-marine shelf. Nonmarine strata, comprising the lower 140 m of this section, consist of fluvial distributaries, overbank sediments, tephra beds, organic-rich beds, and vertebrate remains. Tephras yield isotopic ages between 68 and 72.9 Ma, generally consistent with paleontologic ages of late Campanian-Maastrichtian determined from dinosaur remains, pollen, foraminifers, and ostracodes. Meandering low-energy rivers on a low-gradient, low-relief floodplain carried a suspended-sediment load. The rivers formed multistoried channel deposits (channels to 10 m deep) as well as solitary channel deposits (channels 2-5 m deep). Extensive overbank deposits resulting from episodic flooding formed fining-upward strata on the floodplain. The fining-upward strata are interbedded with tephra and beds of organic-rich sediment. Vertical-accretion deposits containing abundant roots indicate a sheet flood origin for many beds. Vertebrate and nonmarine invertebrate fossils along with plant debris were locally concentrated in the floodplain sediment. Deciduous conifers as well as abundant wetland plants, such as ferns, horsetails, and mosses, covered the coastal plain. Dinosaur skeletal remains have been found concentrated in floodplain sediments in organic-rich bone beds and as isolated bones in fluvial channel deposits in at least nine separate horizons within a 100-m-thick interval. Arenaceous foraminifers in some organic-rich beds and shallow fluvial distributaries indicate a lower coastal plain environment with marginal marine (bay) influence. Marginal marine strata representing interdistributary bay deposits overlie the nonmarine beds and comprise about 15 m of section. Extensive vegetated sand flats, shoals, and shallow channels overlain by shallow bay deposits (less than 7 m deep), containing storm-generated strata characterize the marginal marine beds. Abundant bioturbation and roots characterize the stratigraphic lowest bay deposits; bioturbated sediment, pelecypods, barnacles, and benthic microfossils are found in the overlying bay storm deposits. The sediments abruptly change upward from hummocky cross-stratified bay deposits to a muddy marsh deposit containing shallow organic-rich channels to prograding nonmarine to marginal marine beds. Transgressive, abundantly fossiliferous shallow-marine strata more than 13 m thick comprise the uppermost exposures at Ocean Point. The marine beds overlie nonmarine and bay strata and represent an environment dominated episodically by storms. The age of the marginal marine and marine beds is late Maastrichtian based on pollen. ?? 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. The association between household bed net ownership and all-cause child mortality in Madagascar.

    PubMed

    Meekers, Dominique; Yukich, Joshua O

    2016-09-17

    Malaria continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Madagascar. It has been estimated that the malaria burden costs Madagascar over $52 million annually in terms of treatment costs, lost productivity and prevention expenses. One of the key malaria prevention strategies of the Government of Madagascar consists of large-scale mass distribution campaigns of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLIN). Although there is ample evidence that child mortality has decreased in Madagascar, it is unclear whether increases in LLIN ownership have contributed to this decline. This study analyses multiple recent cross-sectional survey data sets to examine the association between household bed net ownership and all-cause child mortality. Data on household-level bed net ownership confirm that the percentage of households that own one or more bed nets increased substantially following the 2009 and 2010 mass LLIN distribution campaigns. Additionally, all-cause child mortality in Madagascar has declined during the period 2008-2013. Bed net ownership was associated with a 22 % reduction in the all-cause child mortality hazard in Madagascar. Mass bed net distributions contributed strongly to the overall decline in child mortality in Madagascar during the period 2008-2013. However, the decline was not solely attributable to increases in bed net coverage, and nets alone were not able to eliminate most of the child mortality hazard across the island.

  4. Is it time for bed? Short sleep duration increases risk of obesity in Mexican American children

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Cross-sectional studies show that sleep is related to childhood obesity. We aimed to examine the longitudinal impact of sleep on the risk of obesity in Mexican American children. We evaluated 229 Mexican American 8–10-year-olds and their mothers at base- line and at 12- and 24-month follow-ups. Slee...

  5. "To sleep, perchance to tweet": in-bed electronic social media use and its associations with insomnia, daytime sleepiness, mood, and sleep duration in adults.

    PubMed

    Bhat, Sushanth; Pinto-Zipp, Genevieve; Upadhyay, Hinesh; Polos, Peter G

    2018-04-01

    The use of mobile device-based electronic social media (ESM) in bed is rapidly becoming commonplace, with potentially adverse impacts on sleep and daytime functioning. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which in-bed ESM use is associated with insomnia, daytime sleepiness, mood, and sleep duration in adults. This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted among 855 hospital employees and university students (mean age, 43.6years; 85% female) via an online questionnaire. Nearly 70% of participants indulged in in-bed ESM use, with nearly 15% spending an hour or more a night doing so. The degree of in-bed ESM use did not vary by gender, but higher levels of in-bed ESM use were seen in younger and middle-aged than elderly participants. Compared with participants with no in-bed ESM use and controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity, participants with high in-bed ESM use were more likely to have insomnia, anxiety, and short sleep duration on weeknights, but not depression or daytime sleepiness; low in-bed ESM use only increased the likelihood of short sleep duration on weeknights. In-bed ESM use by a bed partner did not have an adverse association with sleep or mood. In-bed ESM use is associated with sleep and mood dysfunction in adults. These findings are of relevance to clinicians, therapists, and the public at large, as they suggest that limitation of in-bed ESM use is a potential interventional strategy in the overall management of sleep hygiene and mental health. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Morphology of the pore space in claystones - evidence from BIB/FIB ion beam sectioning and cryo-SEM observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Desbois, G.; Urai, J. L.; Kukla, P. A.

    2009-12-01

    Mudrocks and clay-rich fault gouges are important mechanical elements in the Earth’s crust and form seals for crustal fluids such as groundwater and hydrocarbons. Other fields of interest are the storage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide and radioactive waste in geologic formations. In addition, coupled flows, capillary processes, and associated deformation are of importance in many applied fields. A key factor to understanding these processes is a detailed understanding of the morphology of the pore space. Classic studies of porosity in fine grained materials are performed on dried or freeze dried samples and include metal injection methods, magnetic susceptibility measurement, SEM and TEM imaging, neutron scattering, NMR spectroscopy, and ESEM. Confocal microscopy and X-ray tomography are used to image porosity in coarse grained sediments but the resolution of these techniques is not sufficient at present for applications to mudrocks or clay-rich fault gouges. Therefore, observations and interpretations remain difficult because none of these approaches is able to directly describe the in-situ porosity at the pore scale. In addition, some methods require dried samples in which the natural structure of pores may have been damaged to some extent due to desiccation and dehydration of the clay minerals. A recently developed alternative is to study wet samples using a cryo-SEM, which allows stabilization of wet media at cryo-temperature, in-situ sample preparation by ion beam cross-sectioning (BIB, FIB) and observations of the stabilized microstructure at high resolution. We report on a study of Boom clay from a proposed disposal site of radioactive waste (Mol site, Belgium) using cryo-SEM at cryogenic temperature, with ion beam cross-sectioning to prepare smooth, damage free surfaces. Pores commonly have crack-like tips, preferred orientation parallel to bedding and power law size distribution. We define a number of pore types depending on shape and location in the microstructure. 3-D reconstruction by serial cross-sectioning shows 3-D connectivity of the pore space. These findings offer a new insight into the morphology of pores down to nano-scale and provide the basis for microstructure-based models of transport in clays. SEM image (SE) of a Broad Ion Beam polished cross-section performed on dry Boom clay (Mol site, Belgium) showing the 2D apparent porosity (26.3%). The cross-section is perpendicular to the bedding.

  7. Field Quality and Fabrication Analysis of HQ02 Reconstructed Nb3Sn Coil Cross Sections

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Holik, Eddie Frank; Ambrosio, Giorgio; Carbonara, Andrea

    2017-01-23

    The US LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP) quadrupole HQ02 was designed and fully tested as part of the low-beta quad development for Hi-Lumi LHC. HQ02’s design is well documented with full fabrication accounting along with full field analysis at low and high current. With this history, HQ02 is an excellent test bed for developing a methodology for measuring turn locations from magnet cross sections and comparing with CAD models and measured field. All 4 coils of HQ02 were cut in identical locations along the magnetic length corresponding to magnetic field measurement and coil metrology. A real-time camera and coordinate measuringmore » equipment was used to plot turn corners. Measurements include systematic and random displacements of winding blocks and individual turns along the magnetic length. The range of cable shifts and the field harmonic range along the length are in agreement, although correlating turn locations and measured harmonics in each cross section is challenging.« less

  8. Data for calibrating unsteady-flow sediment-transport models, East Fork River, Wyoming, 1975

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mahoney, Holly A.; Andrews, Edmund D.; Emmett, William W.; Leopold, Luna Bergere; Meade, Robert H.; Myrick, Robert M.; Nordin, Carl F.

    1976-01-01

    In 1975, data to calibrate a one-dimensional unsteady-flow and sediment-transport routing model were collected on a reach of the East Fork River of western Wyoming. The reach, 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) in length, wan immediately upstream from a previously established bedload sampling station. Nineteen channel cross sections were sounded at regular intervals during the spring-runoff period. Four stage recorders provided continuous records of water-surface elevations. Samples of bed material at most of the cross sections were obtained prior to high water. Streamflow and sediment-discharge measurements were collected at four of the sections.The physiography and hydrology of the contributing watershed, the study reach, and the equipment and techniques used in data collection are described briefly. The bulk of the report is a presentation of data for the several-week period of late May to early June 1975, for which concurrent water discharge data, bedload transport and size data, and cross-section depth measurements were collected. In addition, some data collected in 1973 and 1974 and before and after the calibration period in 1975 are included for completeness.

  9. Controlling HIV Epidemics among Injection Drug Users: Eight Years of Cross-Border HIV Prevention Interventions in Vietnam and China

    PubMed Central

    Hammett, Theodore M.; Des Jarlais, Don C.; Kling, Ryan; Kieu, Binh Thanh; McNicholl, Janet M.; Wasinrapee, Punneeporn; McDougal, J. Stephen; Liu, Wei; Chen, Yi; Meng, Donghua; Huu Nguyen, Tho; Ngoc Hoang, Quyen; Van Hoang, Tren

    2012-01-01

    Introduction HIV in Vietnam and Southern China is driven by injection drug use. We have implemented HIV prevention interventions for IDUs since 2002–2003 in Lang Son and Ha Giang Provinces, Vietnam and Ning Ming County (Guangxi), China. Methods Interventions provide peer education and needle/syringe distribution. Evaluation employed serial cross-sectional surveys of IDUs 26 waves from 2002 to 2011, including interviews and HIV testing. Outcomes were HIV risk behaviors, HIV prevalence and incidence. HIV incidence estimation used two methods: 1) among new injectors from prevalence data; and 2) a capture enzyme immunoassay (BED testing) on all HIV+ samples. Results We found significant declines in drug-related risk behaviors and sharp reductions in HIV prevalence among IDUs (Lang Son from 46% to 23% [p<0.001], Ning Ming: from 17% to 11% [p = 0.003], and Ha Giang: from 51% to 18% [p<0.001]), reductions not experienced in other provinces without such interventions. There were significant declines in HIV incidence to low levels among new injectors through 36–48 months, then some rebound, particularly in Ning Ming, but BED-based estimates revealed significant reductions in incidence through 96 months. Discussion This is one of the longest studies of HIV prevention among IDUs in Asia. The rebound in incidence among new injectors may reflect sexual transmission. BED-based estimates may overstate incidence (because of false-recent results in patients with long-term infection or on ARV treatment) but adjustment for false-recent results and survey responses on duration of infection generally confirm BED-based incidence trends. Combined trends from the two estimation methods show sharp declines in incidence to low levels. The significant downward trends in all primary outcome measures indicate that the Cross-Border interventions played an important role in bringing HIV epidemics among IDUs under control. The Cross-Border project offers a model of HIV prevention for IDUs that should be considered for large-scale replication. PMID:22952640

  10. Low-energy collisions between electrons and BeD+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niyonzima, S.; Pop, N.; Iacob, F.; Larson, Å; Orel, A. E.; Mezei, J. Zs; Chakrabarti, K.; Laporta, V.; Hassouni, K.; Benredjem, D.; Bultel, A.; Tennyson, J.; Reiter, D.; Schneider, I. F.

    2018-02-01

    Multichannel quantum defect theory is applied in the treatment of the dissociative recombination and vibrational excitation processes for the BeD+ ion in the 24 vibrational levels of its ground electronic state ({{X}}{}1{{{Σ }}}+,{v}{{i}}+=0\\ldots 23). Three electronic symmetries of BeD** states ({}2{{\\Pi }}, {}2{{{Σ }}}+, and {}2{{Δ }}) are considered in the calculation of cross sections and the corresponding rate coefficients. The incident electron energy range is 10-5-2.7 eV and the electron temperature range is 100-5000 K. The vibrational dependence of these collisional processes is highlighted. The resulting data are useful in magnetic confinement fusion edge plasma modeling and spectroscopy, in devices with beryllium based main chamber materials, such as ITER and JET, and operating with the deuterium-tritium fuel mix. An extensive rate coefficients database is presented in graphical form and also by analytic fit functions whose parameters are tabulated in the supplementary material.

  11. Knowledge of binge eating disorder: a cross-sectional survey of physicians in the United States.

    PubMed

    Supina, Dylan; Herman, Barry K; Frye, Carla B; Shillington, Alicia C

    2016-01-01

    Binge eating disorder (BED)--now a designated disorder in the DSM-5--is the most prevalent eating disorder (ED), affecting 2-3% of the US population. This survey of US physicians assesses how BED is diagnosed, treated and referred. Internists, family practitioners, obstetrics/gynecologist (OB/GYNs) and psychiatrists were randomly selected from a nationally-representative panel. Participants completed an online survey and reviewed case vignettes consistent with DSM-5-defined BED, then answered questions to elicit whether they would assess for psychiatric conditions including EDs. Those reporting they would screen and who correctly identified BED in vignettes received additional questions about BED diagnosis, treatment, and referral patterns. Of 278 physicians surveyed, 96% were board-certified and 87% had practiced >10 years. 23% were psychiatrists, 27% family practitioners, 31% internists and 19% OB/GYNs. 92% were 'somewhat likely' to screen for ED after reviewing DSM-5-consistent vignettes. 206 (74%) correctly identified BED. Of these, 33% and 68% reported they proactively screen eating habits for all patients and obese patients, respectively. 10% reported not screening eating habits even in the presence of ED symptoms. Fewer than half reported using DSM criteria in Diagnosing BED, and 56 (27%) did not recognize BED to be a discreet ED. Although ED awareness is improving, understanding BED as a distinct ED is lacking, which may result in low rates of screening and diagnosis. This study illustrates how taking a complete patient history (including probing BED characteristics) may be an effective first-line strategy for clinicians to facilitate optimal care for these patients.

  12. Chemical-quality reconnaissance of the water and surficial bed material in the Delaware River estuary and adjacent New Jersey tributaries, 1980-81

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hochreiter, Joseph J.

    1982-01-01

    This report presents chemical-quality data collected from May 1980 to January 1981 at several locations within the Delaware River estuary and selected New Jersey tributaries. Samples of surface water were analyzed Environmental Protection Agency ' priority pollutants, ' including acid extractable, base/neutral extractable and volatile organic compounds, in addition to selected dissolved inorganic constituents. Surficial bed material at selected locations was examined for trace metals, insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and base/neutral extractable organic compounds. Trace levels (1-50 micrograms per liter) of purgeable organic compounds, particularly those associated with the occurrence of hydrocarbons, were found in about 60% of the water samples taken. DDT, DDD, DDE, PCB 's and chlordane are present in most surficial bed material samples. Diazinon was the only organophosphorous insecticide detected in the study (1.6 micrograms per kilogram at one location). High values for select trace metals in bed material were discovered at two locations. Of the 10 sites sampled, the surficial bed material containing the most contamination was found along one cross section of Raccoon Creek at Bridgeport. An additional analysis of Raccoon Creek revealed bed material containing toluene, oil and grease, and trace quantities of 15 base/neutral extractable organic compounds, including polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalate esters, and chlorinated benzenes.

  13. Are neonatal intensive care resources located according to need? Regional variation in neonatologists, beds, and low birth weight newborns.

    PubMed

    Goodman, D C; Fisher, E S; Little, G A; Stukel, T A; Chang , C H

    2001-08-01

    Despite marked growth in neonatal intensive care during the past 30 years, it is not known if neonatologists and beds are preferentially located in regions with greater newborn risk. This study reports the relationship between regional measures of intensive care capacity and low birth weight infants using newly developed market-based regions of neonatal intensive care. Cross-sectional small-area analysis of 246 neonatal intensive care regions (NICRs). 1996 American Medical Association and American Osteopathic Association masterfiles data of clinically active neonatologists; 1999 American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Perinatal Pediatrics survey of directors of neonatal intensive care units in the United States with 100% response rate; 1995 linked birth/death data. The number of total births per neonatologist across NICRs ranged from 390 to 8197 (median: 1722) and the number of total births per intensive care bed ranged from 72 to 1319 (median: 317). The associations between capacity measures and low birth weight rates across NICRs were statistically significant but negligible (R(2): 0.04 for neonatologists; 0.05 for beds). NICRs in the quintile with the greatest neonatologist capacity (average of only 863 births per neonatologist) had very low birth weight (VLBW) rates of 1.5% while those in the quintile of lowest neonatologist capacity (average of 3718 births per neonatologist) had VLBW rates of 1.3%; a similar lack of meaningful difference in VLBW rates was noted across quintiles of intensive care bed capacity. Including midlevel providers and intermediate care beds to the analyses did not alter the findings. Neonatal intensive care capacity is not preferentially located in regions with greater newborn need as measured by low birth weight rates. Whether greater capacity affords benefits to the newborns remains unknown.

  14. The Grain-size Patchiness of Braided Gravel-Bed Streams - example of the Urumqi River (northeast Tian Shan, China)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guerit, L.; Barrier, L.; Narteau, C.; Métivier, F.; Liu, Y.; Lajeunesse, E.; Gayer, E.; Meunier, P.; Malverti, L.; Ye, B.

    2014-02-01

    In gravel-bed rivers, sediments are often sorted into patches of different grain-sizes, but in braided streams, the link between this sorting and the channel morpho-sedimentary elements is still unclear. In this study, the size of the bed sediment in the shallow braided gravel-bed Urumqi River is characterized by surface-count and volumetric sampling methods. Three morpho-sedimentary elements are identified in the active threads of the river: chutes at flow constrictions, which pass downstream to anabranches and bars at flow expansions. The surface and surface-layer grain-size distributions of these three elements show that they correspond to only two kinds of grain-size patches: (1) coarse-grained chutes, coarser than the bulk river bed, and (2) finer-grained anabranches and bars, consistent with the bulk river bed. In cross-section, the chute patches are composed of one coarse-grained top layer, which can be interpreted as a local armour layer overlying finer deposits. In contrast, the grain size of the bar-anabranch patches is finer and much more homogeneous in depth than the chute patches. Those patches, which are features of lateral and vertical sorting associated to the transport dynamics that build braided patterns, may be typical of active threads in shallow gravel-bed rivers and should be considered in future works on sorting processes and their geomorphologic and stratigraphic results.

  15. Evaluation of process errors in bed load sampling using a Dune Model

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gomez, Basil; Troutman, Brent M.

    1997-01-01

    Reliable estimates of the streamwide bed load discharge obtained using sampling devices are dependent upon good at-a-point knowledge across the full width of the channel. Using field data and information derived from a model that describes the geometric features of a dune train in terms of a spatial process observed at a fixed point in time, we show that sampling errors decrease as the number of samples collected increases, and the number of traverses of the channel over which the samples are collected increases. It also is preferable that bed load sampling be conducted at a pace which allows a number of bed forms to pass through the sampling cross section. The situations we analyze and simulate pertain to moderate transport conditions in small rivers. In such circumstances, bed load sampling schemes typically should involve four or five traverses of a river, and the collection of 20–40 samples at a rate of five or six samples per hour. By ensuring that spatial and temporal variability in the transport process is accounted for, such a sampling design reduces both random and systematic errors and hence minimizes the total error involved in the sampling process.

  16. Effects of recent logging on the main channel of North Fork Caspar Creek

    Treesearch

    Thomas E. Lisle; Michael Napolitano

    1998-01-01

    The response of the mainstem channel of North Fork Caspar Creek to recent logging is examined by time trends in bed load yield, scour and fill at resurveyed cross sections, and the volume and fine-sediment content of pools. Companion papers report that recent logging has increased streamflow during the summer and moderate winter rainfall events, and blowdowns from...

  17. Geometry and Hydraulics of Englacial Conduits, Storglaciaren, Sweden

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fountain, A. G.; Schlichting, R.; Frodin, S.; Jacobel, R. W.

    2001-12-01

    Englacial conduits are the primary structure responsible for transporting surface water to the base of a glacier, where it supplies the subglacial hydraulic system and, in turn, affects glacier movement. Despite the well-known theoretical descriptions of englacial conduits, little direct evidence exists about their geometry and hydraulics. In July 2001, we initiated a field effort on Storglaciären, Sweden, to intersect englacial conduits by drilling into the glacier using a hot water drill. A companion project (Jacobel et al., this session) attempted to detect the englacial conduits using ground-penetrating radar. In a typical borehole, the water level remained at the surface while drilling through the impermeable ice. Once a connection was made, the water level dropped roughly 10 m and remained low despite continued water pumping. A small video camera was lowered, with attachments, to measure the geometry of the opening, and water flow speed. The water level in the hole provided a piezometric measure of the pressure. We drilled 22 holes at 3 separate locations and 17 (77%) connected englacially, the remaining 5 reached the bed without englacial connection, of which 2 drained at the bed. The geometry of the connections was highly irregular in cross-section with 1-2 cm openings, reminiscent of crevasse-like features rather than circular cross-sections as anticipated from the theoretical literature. Flow behavior was observed by tracking particle motion. The flow was complicated, in part by the inferred tangential intersection between the borehole and structure, and by the observed surging behavior. Flow speeds were low, on the order of 1 cm sec-1. Water level records from 3 different holes over several days exhibited highly correlated variations and large diurnal excursions. In contrast, records from holes drilled to the bed showed little variation. Based on these measurements, our conceptual picture of the englacial system is that of a sluggish flow system composed of many passages with hydraulically inefficient cross-sections. In general, correlation between the radar images and directly measured connections was inconclusive. However, in one case we believe we drilled to a very clear linear subsurface structure imaged by the radar.

  18. Controlling the Release of Indomethacin from Glass Solutions Layered with a Rate Controlling Membrane Using Fluid-Bed Processing. Part 1: Surface and Cross-Sectional Chemical Analysis.

    PubMed

    Dereymaker, Aswin; Scurr, David J; Steer, Elisabeth D; Roberts, Clive J; Van den Mooter, Guy

    2017-04-03

    Fluid bed coating has been shown to be a suitable manufacturing technique to formulate poorly soluble drugs in glass solutions. Layering inert carriers with a drug-polymer mixture enables these beads to be immediately filled into capsules, thus avoiding additional, potentially destabilizing, downstream processing. In this study, fluid bed coating is proposed for the production of controlled release dosage forms of glass solutions by applying a second, rate controlling membrane on top of the glass solution. Adding a second coating layer adds to the physical and chemical complexity of the drug delivery system, so a thorough understanding of the physical structure and phase behavior of the different coating layers is needed. This study aimed to investigate the surface and cross-sectional characteristics (employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS)) of an indomethacin-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) glass solution, top-coated with a release rate controlling membrane consisting of either ethyl cellulose or Eudragit RL. The implications of the addition of a pore former (PVP) and the coating medium (ethanol or water) were also considered. In addition, polymer miscibility and the phase analysis of the underlying glass solution were investigated. Significant differences in surface and cross-sectional topography of the different rate controlling membranes or the way they are applied (solution vs dispersion) were observed. These observations can be linked to the polymer miscibility differences. The presence of PVP was observed in all rate controlling membranes, even if it is not part of the coating solution. This could be attributed to residual powder presence in the coating chamber. The distribution of PVP among the sample surfaces depends on the concentration and the rate controlling polymer used. Differences can again be linked to polymer miscibility. Finally, it was shown that the underlying glass solution layer remains amorphous after coating of the rate controlling membrane, whether formed from an ethanol solution or an aqueous dispersion.

  19. Modelling of Sediment Transport of the Mehadica River, Caras Severin County, Romania

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grozav, Adia; Beilicci, Robert; Beilicci, Erika

    2017-10-01

    Study case is situated in Caras-Severin County. Every sediment transport model application is different both in terms of time and space scale, study objectives, required accuracy, allocated resources, background of the study team etc. For sediment transport modelling, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the sediment in the river bed. Therefore, it is recommended to collect a number of bed sediment grap samples. These samples should be analysing in terms of grain size distribution. To solve theoretical problems of movement of water in the river Mehadica, it requires modelling of water flow in this case. Numerical modelling was performed using the program MIKE11. MIKE 11 is a user-friendly, fully dynamic, one-dimensional modelling tool for the detailed analysis, design, management and operation of both simple and complex river and channel systems. With its exceptional flexibility, speed and user friendly environment, MIKE 11 provides a complete and effective design environment for engineering, water resources, water quality management and planning applications. The Hydrodynamic (HD) module is the nucleus of the MIKE 11 modelling system and forms the basis for most modules including Flood Forecasting, Advection- Dispersion, Water Quality and Non-cohesive sediment transport modules. The MIKE 11 HD module solves the vertically integrated equations for the conservation of mass and momentum, i.e. the Saint-Venant equations. The input data are: area plan with location of cross sections; cross sections topographical data and roughness of river bed; flood discharge hydrograph. Advanced computational modules are included for description of flow over hydraulic structures, including possibilities to describe structure operation.

  20. Thinking dimensional: prevalence of DSM-5 early adolescent full syndrome, partial and subthreshold eating disorders in a cross-sectional survey in German schools.

    PubMed

    Hammerle, Florian; Huss, Michael; Ernst, Verena; Bürger, Arne

    2016-05-05

    Investigating for the first time in Germany Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fifth Edition (DSM-5) prevalences of adolescent full syndrome, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED), partial and subthreshold anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED). A national school-based cross-sectional survey with nine schools in Germany was undertaken that was aimed at students from grades 7 and 8. Of the 1775 students who were contacted to participate in the study, 1654 participated (participation rate: 93.2%). The sample consisted of 873 female and 781 male adolescents (mean age=13.4 years). Prevalence rates were established using direct symptom criteria with a structured inventory (SIAB-S) and an additional self-report questionnaire (Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI-2)). Prevalences for full syndrome were 0.3% for AN, 0.4% for BN, 0.5% for BED and 3.6% for OSFED-atypical AN, 0% for BN (low frequency/limited duration), 0% for BED (low frequency/limited duration) and 1.9% for purging disorder (PD). Prevalences of partial syndrome were 10.9% for AN (7.1% established with cognitive symptoms only, excluding weight criteria), 0.2% for BN and 2.1% for BED, and of subthreshold syndrome were 0.8% for AN, 0.3% for BN and 0.2% for BED. Cases on EDI-2 scales were much more pronounced with 12.6-21.1% of the participants with significant sex differences. The findings were in accordance with corresponding international studies but were in contrast to other German studies showing much higher prevalence rates. The study provides, for the first time, estimates for DSM-5 prevalences of eating disorders in adolescents for Germany, and evidence in favour of using valid measures for improving prevalence estimates. DRKS00005050; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Thermomechanical CSM analysis of a superheater tube in transient state

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Taler, Dawid; Madejski, Paweł

    2011-12-01

    The paper presents a thermomechanical computational solid mechanics analysis (CSM) of a pipe "double omega", used in the steam superheaters in circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers. The complex cross-section shape of the "double omega" tubes requires more precise analysis in order to prevent from failure as a result of the excessive temperature and thermal stresses. The results have been obtained using the finite volume method for transient state of superheater. The calculation was carried out for the section of pipe made of low-alloy steel.

  2. Field evaluation of the error arising from inadequate time averaging in the standard use of depth-integrating suspended-sediment samplers

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Topping, David J.; Rubin, David M.; Wright, Scott A.; Melis, Theodore S.

    2011-01-01

    Several common methods for measuring suspended-sediment concentration in rivers in the United States use depth-integrating samplers to collect a velocity-weighted suspended-sediment sample in a subsample of a river cross section. Because depth-integrating samplers are always moving through the water column as they collect a sample, and can collect only a limited volume of water and suspended sediment, they collect only minimally time-averaged data. Four sources of error exist in the field use of these samplers: (1) bed contamination, (2) pressure-driven inrush, (3) inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration, and (4) inadequate time averaging. The first two of these errors arise from misuse of suspended-sediment samplers, and the third has been the subject of previous study using data collected in the sand-bedded Middle Loup River in Nebraska. Of these four sources of error, the least understood source of error arises from the fact that depth-integrating samplers collect only minimally time-averaged data. To evaluate this fourth source of error, we collected suspended-sediment data between 1995 and 2007 at four sites on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona, using a P-61 suspended-sediment sampler deployed in both point- and one-way depth-integrating modes, and D-96-A1 and D-77 bag-type depth-integrating suspended-sediment samplers. These data indicate that the minimal duration of time averaging during standard field operation of depth-integrating samplers leads to an error that is comparable in magnitude to that arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration. This random error arising from inadequate time averaging is positively correlated with grain size and does not largely depend on flow conditions or, for a given size class of suspended sediment, on elevation above the bed. Averaging over time scales >1 minute is the likely minimum duration required to result in substantial decreases in this error. During standard two-way depth integration, a depth-integrating suspended-sediment sampler collects a sample of the water-sediment mixture during two transits at each vertical in a cross section: one transit while moving from the water surface to the bed, and another transit while moving from the bed to the water surface. As the number of transits is doubled at an individual vertical, this error is reduced by ~30 percent in each size class of suspended sediment. For a given size class of suspended sediment, the error arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration depends only on the number of verticals collected, whereas the error arising from inadequate time averaging depends on both the number of verticals collected and the number of transits collected at each vertical. Summing these two errors in quadrature yields a total uncertainty in an equal-discharge-increment (EDI) or equal-width-increment (EWI) measurement of the time-averaged velocity-weighted suspended-sediment concentration in a river cross section (exclusive of any laboratory-processing errors). By virtue of how the number of verticals and transits influences the two individual errors within this total uncertainty, the error arising from inadequate time averaging slightly dominates that arising from inadequate sampling of the cross-stream spatial structure in suspended-sediment concentration. Adding verticals to an EDI or EWI measurement is slightly more effective in reducing the total uncertainty than adding transits only at each vertical, because a new vertical contributes both temporal and spatial information. However, because collection of depth-integrated samples at more transits at each vertical is generally easier and faster than at more verticals, addition of a combination of verticals and transits is likely a more practical approach to reducing the total uncertainty in most field situatio

  3. The dynamics of bedrock channel adjustment: Modeling the influence of sediment supply, weathering, and lithology on channel cross-sectional and longitudinal shape

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wobus, C.; Tucker, G.; Anderson, R.; Kean, J.; Small, E.; Hancock, G.

    2007-12-01

    The cross-sectional form of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate changes in channel cross-sectional geometry through time. We have developed a 2D numerical model that computes the formation of a channel in a cohesive, detachment-limited substrate subject to steady, unidirectional flow. Boundary shear stress is calculated using a simple approximation of the flow field in which log-velocity profiles are assumed to apply along vectors that are perpendicular to the local boundary surface. The resulting model predictions for the velocity structure, peak boundary shear stress, and equilibrium channel shape compare well with the predictions of a more sophisticated but more computationally demanding ray-isovel model. For example, the mean velocities computed by the two models are consistent to within ~3%, and the predicted peak shear stress is consistent to within ~7%. The efficiency of our model makes it suitable for calculations of long-term morphologic change both in single cross-sections and in series of cross-sections arrayed downstream. For a uniform substrate, the model predicts a strong tendency toward a fixed width-to-depth ratio, regardless of gradient or discharge. The model predicts power-law relationships between width and discharge with an exponent near 2/5, and between width and gradient with an exponent near -1/5. Recent enhancements to the model include the addition of sediment, which increases the width-to-depth ratio at steady state by favoring erosion of the channel walls relative to the channel bed (the "cover effect"). Inclusion of a probability density function of discharges with a simple parameterization of weathering along channel banks leads to the formation of model strath terraces. Downstream changes in substrate erodibility or tectonic uplift rate lead to step-function changes in channel width, consistent with empirical observations. Finally, explicit inclusion of bedload transport allows channel width, gradient, and the pattern of sediment flux to evolve dynamically, allowing us to explore the response of bedrock channels to both spatial patterns of rock uplift, and temporal variations in sediment input.

  4. Properties, origin and nomenclature of rodlets of the inertinite maceral group in coals of the central Appalachian basin, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lyons, P.C.; Finkelman, R.B.; Thompson, C.L.; Brown, F.W.; Hatcher, P.G.

    1982-01-01

    Resin rodlets, sclerenchyma strands and woody splinters, which are collectively called rodlets, were studied by chemical, optical petrographic, and scanning-electron microscopic (SEM) techniques. A study was made of such rodlets from the bituminous coal beds of the central Appalachian basin (Pennsylvanian; Upper Carboniferous) of the United States. Comparisons were made with rodlets from coal beds of the Illinois basin, the Southern Anthracite Field of Pennsylvania, the St. Rose coal field of Nova Scotia, and European and other coal fields. In order to determine their physical and chemical properties, a detailed study was made of the rodlets from the Pomeroy coal bed (high volatile A bituminous coal; Monongahela Formation; Upper Pennsylvanian) of Kanawha County, West Virginia. The origin of the rodlets was determined by a comparative analysis of a medullosan (seed fern) stem from the Herrin (No. 6) coal bed (high volatile C bituminous coal; Carbondale Formation) from Washington County, Illinois. Rodlets are commonly concentrated in fusain or carbominerite layers or lenses in bituminous coal beds of the central Appalachian basin. Most of the rodlets examined in our study were probably derived from medullosan seed ferns. The three types of rodlets are distinguished on the basis of cellularity, morphology and fracture. The resin rodlets studied by us are noncellular and appear to be similar in properties and origin to those found in coal beds of the Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian of the Illinois basin. The resin rodlets extracted from the Pomeroy coal bed exhibit high relief and high reflectance when polished and viewed in reflected light; they are opaque in transmitted light. In cross section, the resin rodlets are oval to round and have diameters ranging from 60 to 450 ??m. Many are solid, but some have vesicles, canals or cavities, which are commonly filled with clay, probably kaolinite. Typically, they have distinct fracture patterns ("kerfs") in longitudinal and cross sections and many are characterized by dense (probably oxidized) rims. The orientation and amounts of void space and mineralization of resin rodlets in coal have resulted in much confusion in their recognition and classification. The resin rodlets are petrographically recognized as sclerotinites of the inertinite maceral group. We here propose that resin rodlets be assigned to the maceral variety of sclerotinites termed "resino-sclerotinite" because of their presumable resinous origin. Other investigators have confused some fusinitized resin rodlets with fungal masses, which have different morphological properties and which probably have different chemical properties. We here propose that such fungal masses be assigned to the maceral variety of sclerotinites termed "fungo-sclerotinite.". The sclerenchyma strands examined in our study are cellular, thick-walled, and crescent-shaped in cross section. They exhibit high reflectance and high relief and belong to semifusinite and fusinite of the inertinite maceral group. Sclerenchyma strands are commonly associated with resin canals in Medullosa and related seed-fern genera, which are common in coal balls of the Illinois basin. We here propose adoption of the maceral varietal terms "sclerenchymo-fusinite" and "sclerenchymo-semifusinite" for these bodies. The woody splinters in the Pomeroy coal bed are cellular and thin-walled and have scattered pits as much as a few microns in diameter. They are dark brown to black in transmitted light and commonly have a lower reflectance than the resino-sclerotinite and sclerenchymo-fusinite of the Pomeroy coal. The woody splinters belong to semifusinite and fusinite of the inertinite maceral group. The maceral varietal terms "xylemo-semifusinite" and "xylemo-fusinite" are here proposed for these bodies. Elemental chemical data for the resin rodlets of the Pomeroy coal bed of the central Appalachian basin indicate that resin rodlets have significantly lower atomic H/C and O/C ratio

  5. Verification of roughness coefficients for selected natural and constructed stream channels in Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Phillips, Jeff V.; Ingersoll, Todd L.

    1998-01-01

    Physical and hydraulic characteristics are presented for 14 river and canal reaches in Arizona for which 37 roughness coefficients have been determined. The verified roughness coefficients which ranged from 0.017 to 0.067, were computed from discharges, channel geometry, and water-surface profiles measured at each of the sites. The information given for each stream segment includes bed and bank descriptions, data tables showing hydraulic components, a plan view, cross-section plots, and color photographs that can be used as a comparison aid in determining roughness coefficients for similarly channeled streams. Relations derived from the data presented relate Manning's roughness coefficient (n) to various hydraulic components. For gravel-bed streams, verified roughness coefficients are related to median grain size of the bed material and hydraulic radius resulting in an equation that can be used to transfer results to similar dry-land channels. The equation developed for base values of n for gravel-bed channels in Arizona is significantly different from similarly derived equations for other regions of the United States and the world.

  6. Cognitive and emotional functioning in binge-eating disorder: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Kittel, Rebekka; Brauhardt, Anne; Hilbert, Anja

    2015-09-01

    Binge-eating disorder (BED) is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating and is associated with eating disorder and general psychopathology and overweight/obesity. Deficits in cognitive and emotional functioning for eating disorders or obesity have been reported. However, a systematic review on cognitive and emotional functioning for individuals with BED is lacking. A systematic literature search was conducted across three databases (Medline, PubMed, and PsycINFO). Overall, n = 57 studies were included in the present review. Regarding cognitive functioning (CoF), individuals with BED consistently demonstrated higher information processing biases compared to obese and normal-weight controls in the context of disorder-related stimuli (i.e., food and body cues), whereas CoF in the context of neutral stimuli appeared to be less affected. Thus, results suggest disorder-related rather than general difficulties in CoF in BED. With respect to emotional functioning (EmF), individuals with BED reported difficulties similar to individuals with other eating disorders, with a tendency to show less severe difficulties in some domains. In addition, individuals with BED reported greater emotional deficits when compared to obese and normal-weight controls. Findings suggest general difficulties in EmF in BED. Thus far, however, investigations of EmF in disorder-relevant situations are lacking. Overall, the cross-sectional findings indicate BED to be associated with difficulties in CoF and EmF. Future research should determine the nature of these difficulties, in regards to general and disorder-related stimuli, and consider interactions of both domains to foster the development and improvement of appropriate interventions in BED. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Excitation of high-frequency surface waves with long duration in the Valley of Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iida, Masahiro

    1999-04-01

    During the 1985 Michoacan earthquake (Ms = 8.1), large-amplitude seismograms with extremely long duration were recorded in the lake bed zone of Mexico City. We interpret high-frequency seismic wave fields in the three geotechnical zones (the hill, the transition, and the lake bed zones) in the Valley of Mexico on the basis of a systematic analysis for borehole strong motion recordings. We make identification of wave types for real seismograms. First, amplitude ratios between surface and underground seismograms indicate that predominant periods of the surface seismograms are largely controlled by the wave field incident into surficial layers in the Valley of Mexico. We interpret recorded surface waves as fundamental-mode Love waves excited in the Mexican Volcanic Belt by calculating theoretical amplification for different-scale structures. Second, according to a cross-correlation analysis, the hill and transition seismograms are mostly surface waves. In the lake bed zone, while early portions are noisy body waves, late portions are mostly surface waves. Third, using two kinds of surface arrays with different station intervals, we investigate high-frequency surface-wave propagation in the lake bed zone. The wave propagation is very complicated, depending upon the time section and the frequency band. Finally, on the basis of a statistical time series model with an information criterion, we separate S- and surface-wave portions from lake bed seismograms. Surface waves are dominant and are recognized even in the early time section. Thus high-frequency surface waves with long duration in the Valley of Mexico are excited by the Mexican Volcanic Belt.

  8. Pre-Restoration Geomorphic Characteristics of Minebank Run, Baltimore County, Maryland, 2002-04

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Doheny, Edward J.; Starsoneck, Roger J.; Mayer, Paul M.; Striz, Elise A.

    2007-01-01

    Data collected from 2002 through 2004 were used to assess geomorphic characteristics and geomorphic changes over time in a selected reach of Minebank Run, a small urban watershed near Towson, Maryland, prior to its physical restoration in 2004 and 2005. Longitudinal profiles of the channel bed, water surface, and bank features were developed from field surveys. Changes in cross-section geometry between field surveys were documented. Grain-size distributions for the channel bed and banks were developed from pebble counts and laboratory analyses. Net changes in the elevation of the channel bed over time were documented at selected locations. Rosgen Stream Classification was used to classify the stream channel according to morphological measurements of slope, entrenchment ratio, width-to-depth ratio, sinuosity, and median-particle diameter of the channel materials. An analysis of boundary shear stress in the vicinity of the streamflow-gaging station was conducted by use of hydraulic variables computed from cross-section surveys and slope measurements derived from crest-stage gages in the study reach. Analysis of the longitudinal profiles indicated noticeable changes in the percentage and distribution of riffles, pools, and runs through the study reach between 2002 and 2004. Despite major changes to the channel profile as a result of storm runoff events, the overall slope of the channel bed, water surface, and bank features remained constant at about 1 percent. The cross-sectional surveys showed net increases in cross-sectional area, mean depth, and channel width at several locations between 2002 and 2004, which indicate channel degradation and widening. Two locations were identified where significant amounts of sediment were being stored in the study reach. Data from scour chains identified several locations where maximum scour ranged from 1.0-1.4 feet during storm events. Bank retreat varied widely throughout the study reach and ranged from 0.2 feet to as much as 7.9 feet. Sequential measurements of bed elevation in selected locations indicated as much as 2 feet of channel degradation in one location during a storm event in May 2004 and identified pulses of sediment that were gradually transported through the study reach during the monitoring period. Particle-size analyses of channel bed materials indicated a median particle diameter of 20.5 millimeters (coarse gravel) for the study reach, with more than 24 percent being sand particles (greater than 0.062 millimeters). Analyses of bank samples showed finer-grained material composing the channel banks, predominantly silt/clay or a mixture of silt/clay (less than 0.062 millimeters) and very fine to coarse sand. The Minebank Run stream channel was classified as a B4c channel, based on morphological descriptions from the Rosgen Stream Classification System. The B4c classification describes a single-thread stream channel with a moderate entrenchment ratio of 1.4 to 2.2; a width-to-depth ratio greater than 12; moderate sinuosity of 1.2 or greater; a water-surface slope of less than 2 percent; and a median-particle diameter in the gravel range of 2 to 64 millimeters. Analysis of boundary shear stress indicated larger mean velocities and boundary shear stress values for Minebank Run when compared to relations for non-urban B channel types developed by Rosgen. The slope of the regression line for mean velocity versus boundary shear stress at Minebank Run was considerably less than slopes developed by Rosgen for non-urban channel types. This indicates that relatively small increases in mean velocity can result in large increases in boundary shear stress in stream channels with highly developed watersheds, such as Minebank Run.

  9. Diurnal salivary cortisol and nativity/duration of residence in Latinos: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

    PubMed

    Novak, Nicole L; Wang, Xu; Clarke, Philippa J; Hajat, Anjum; Needham, Belinda L; Sánchez, Brisa N; Rodriguez, Carlos J; Seeman, Teresa E; Castro-Diehl, Cecilia; Golden, Sherita Hill; Diez Roux, Ana V

    2017-11-01

    Latino immigrants have lower prevalence of depression, obesity and cardiovascular disease than US-born Latinos when they are recently arrived in the US, but this health advantage erodes with increasing duration of US residence. Cumulative exposure to psychosocial stress and its physiological sequelae may mediate the relationship between nativity and duration of US residence and poor health. We used data from Latino cohort study participants ages 45-84 to examine cross-sectional (n=558) and longitudinal (n=248) associations between nativity and duration of US residence and features of the diurnal cortisol curve including: wake-up cortisol, cortisol awakening response (CAR, wake-up to 30min post-awakening), early decline (30min to 2h post-awakening) and late decline (2h post-awakening to bed time), wake-to-bed slope, and area under the curve (AUC). In cross-sectional analyses, US-born Latinos had higher wake-up cortisol than immigrants with fewer than 30 years of US residence. In the full sample, over 5 years the CAR and early decline became flatter and AUC became larger. Over 5 years, US-born Latinos had greater increases in wake-up cortisol and less pronounced flattening of the early diurnal cortisol decline than immigrants with fewer than 30 years of US residence. Immigrants with 30 or more years of US residence also had less pronounced flattening of the early decline relative to more recent immigrants, and also had a less pronounced increase in AUC. In sum, we saw limited cross-sectional evidence that US-born Latinos have more dysregulated cortisol than recently-arrived Latino immigrants, but over time US-born Latinos had slower progression of cortisol dysregulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of geometrical configuration of sediment replenishment on the development of bed form patterns in a gravel bed channel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Battisacco, Elena; Franca, Mário J.; Schleiss, Anton J.

    2016-04-01

    Dams interrupt the longitudinal continuity of river reaches since they store water and trap sediment in the upstream reservoir. By the interruption of the sediment continuum, the transport capacity of downstream stretch exceeds the sediment supply, thus the flow becomes "hungry". Sediment replenishment is an increasingly used method for restoring the continuity in rivers and for re-establishing the sediment regime of such disturbed river reaches. This research evaluates the effect of different geometrical configurations of sediment replenishment on the evolution of the bed morphology by systematic laboratory experiments. A typical straight armoured gravel reach is reproduced in a laboratory flume in terms of slope, grain size and cross section. The total amount of replenished sediment is placed in four identical volumes on both channel banks, forming six different geometrical configurations. Both alternated and parallel combinations are studied. Preliminary studies demonstrate that a complete submergence condition of the replenishment deposits is most adequate for obtaining a complete erosion and a high persistence of the replenished material in the channel. The response of the channel bed morphology to replenishment is documented by camera and laser scanners installed on a moveable carriage. The parallel configurations create an initially strong narrowing of the channel section. The transport capacity is thus higher and most of the replenished sediments exit the channel. The parallel configurations result in a more spread distribution of grains but with no clear morphological pattern. Clear bed form patterns can be observed when applying alternated configurations. Furthermore, the wavelength of depositions correspond to the replenishment deposit length. These morphological forms can be assumed as mounds. In order to enhance channel bed morphology on an armoured bed by sediment replenishment, alternated deposit configurations are more favourable and effective. The present study is supported by FOEN (Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland).

  11. Hydraulic geometry of river cross sections; theory of minimum variance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Williams, Garnett P.

    1978-01-01

    This study deals with the rates at which mean velocity, mean depth, and water-surface width increase with water discharge at a cross section on an alluvial stream. Such relations often follow power laws, the exponents in which are called hydraulic exponents. The Langbein (1964) minimum-variance theory is examined in regard to its validity and its ability to predict observed hydraulic exponents. The variables used with the theory were velocity, depth, width, bed shear stress, friction factor, slope (energy gradient), and stream power. Slope is often constant, in which case only velocity, depth, width, shear and friction factor need be considered. The theory was tested against a wide range of field data from various geographic areas of the United States. The original theory was intended to produce only the average hydraulic exponents for a group of cross sections in a similar type of geologic or hydraulic environment. The theory does predict these average exponents with a reasonable degree of accuracy. An attempt to forecast the exponents at any selected cross section was moderately successful. Empirical equations are more accurate than the minimum variance, Gauckler-Manning, or Chezy methods. Predictions of the exponent of width are most reliable, the exponent of depth fair, and the exponent of mean velocity poor. (Woodard-USGS)

  12. Measurement of stream channel habitat using sonar

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flug, Marshall; Seitz, Heather; Scott, John

    1998-01-01

    An efficient and low cost technique using a sonar system was evaluated for describing channel geometry and quantifying inundated area in a large river. The boat-mounted portable sonar equipment was used to record water depths and river width measurements for direct storage on a laptop computer. The field data collected from repeated traverses at a cross-section were evaluated to determine the precision of the system and field technique. Results from validation at two different sites showed average sample standard deviations (S.D.s) of 0.12 m for these complete cross-sections, with coefficient of variations of 10%. Validation using only the mid-channel river cross-section data yields an average sample S.D. of 0.05 m, with a coefficient of variation below 5%, at a stable and gauged river site using only measurements of water depths greater than 0.6 m. Accuracy of the sonar system was evaluated by comparison to traditionally surveyed transect data from a regularly gauged site. We observed an average mean squared deviation of 46.0 cm2, considering only that portion of the cross-section inundated by more than 0.6 m of water. Our procedure proved to be a reliable, accurate, safe, quick, and economic method to record river depths, discharges, bed conditions, and substratum composition necessary for stream habitat studies.

  13. Electron Impact Inner-shell Ionization including relativistic corrections.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saha, Bidhan C.; Alfaz Uddin, M.; Basak, Arun K.

    2007-04-01

    We report a simple method to evaluate the electron impact inner-shell ionization cross sections at ultra high energy regime; there still remains a sparse cross sections due to lack of reliable method. To extend the validity domains of the siBED model [1] in terms of targets and incident energies in this work we modified the RQIBED model [2], and denoted it as MUIBED. It is examined for the description of the experimental EIICS data of various target atoms up to E=250MeV. Details will be presented at the meeting. [1] W. M. Huo, Phys. Rev A 64, 042719 (2001). [2] M. A. Uddin, A. K. F. Haque, M. S. Mahbub, K. R. Karim, A. K. Basak and B. C. Saha, Phys. Rev. A 71, 032715 (2005).

  14. Distribution of hospital beds in Tehran Province based on Gini coefficient and Lorenz curve from 2010 to 2012.

    PubMed

    Asl, Iravan Masoudi; Abolhallaje, Masoud; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Nazari, Hamed; Nazari, Aslan; Salimi, Mohammad; Javani, Ali

    2015-12-01

    Fair distribution of hospital beds across various regions is a controversial subject. Resource allocation in health systems rarely has focused on those who need it most and, in addition, is often influenced by political interests. The study assesses the distribution of hospital beds in different regions in Tehran, Iran, during 2010-2012. This cross-sectional study was conducted in all regions of Tehran (22 regions) during 2010 to 2012. All hospital beds in these regions are included in the study. Data regarding populations of each region were obtained from the Statistics Center of Iran. According to the data, the total number of beds (N.B) and population (P) in 2010 (N.B=19075, P= 7585000), 2011 (N.B=21632, P= 9860500), and 2012 (N.B=21808, P=12818650). The instrument was a form, including the name of the hospital, the district in which the hospital was located, the number of staffed beds, the name of each region, and its population. Data analysis was performed using DASP software version 2.3. The results demonstrate that the Gini coefficient of distributed beds in 22 regions of Tehran was 0.46 in all three years and specifically calculated 0.4666 in 2010, 0.4658 in 2011 and 0.4652 in 2012. The Gini coefficient of beds in 22 regions of Tehran is not fair in comparison with the population of each region during the years 2010 to 2012. The results demonstrate that the distribution of beds in regions in Tehran is not fair in relation to the population of each region-and some regions had no hospitals. Therefore, it is essential for policymakers to frequently monitor this issue and investigate the fair distribution of hospital beds.

  15. Reconnaissance-level application of physical habitat simulation in the evaluation of physical habitat limits in the Animas Basin, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Milhous, Robert T.

    2003-01-01

    Bed material samples were collected at each site. These included samples of the armour, the substrate, and sand and fines deposited on the surface. At selected sites the stream morphology was measured. These measurements included one to three cross sections, stream discharge, and water surface elevations. The data are located in the files of the Fort Collins Science Center.

  16. Investigation of flood routing by a dynamic wave model in trapezoidal channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sulistyono, B. A.; Wiryanto, L. H.

    2017-08-01

    The problems of flood wave propagation, in bodies of waters, cause by intense rains or breaking of control structures, represent a great challenge in the mathematical modeling processes. This research concerns about the development and application of a mathematical model based on the Saint Venant's equations, to study the behavior of the propagation of a flood wave in trapezoidal channels. In these equations, the momentum equation transforms to partial differential equation which has two parameters related to cross-sectional area and discharge of the channel. These new formulas have been solved by using an explicit finite difference scheme. In computation procedure, after computing the discharge from the momentum equation, the cross-sectional area will be obtained from the continuity equation for a given point of channel. To evaluate the behavior of the control variables, several scenarios for the main channel as well as for flood waves are considered and different simulations are performed. The simulations demonstrate that for the same bed width, the peak discharge in trapezoidal channel smaller than in rectangular one at a specific distance along the channel length and so, that roughness coefficient and bed slope of the channel play a strong game on the behavior of the flood wave propagation.

  17. Processing of electronic waste in a counter current teeter-bed separator.

    PubMed

    Dey, Sujit Kumar; Ari, Vidyadhar; Das, Avimanyu

    2012-09-30

    Advanced gravity separation of ground electronic waste (e-waste) in a teeter-bed separator was investigated. It was established that the Floatex Density Seprator (FDS) is a promising device for wet processing of e-waste to recover metal values physically. It was possible to enrich the metal content from 23% in the feed to 37% in the product in a single stage operation using the FDS with over 95% recovery of the metals. A two-stage processing scheme was developed that enriched the metal content further to 48.2%. The influence of the operating variables, namely, teeter water flow rate, bed pressure and feed rate were quantified. Low bed pressures and low teeter water rates produced higher mass yields with poorer product grades. On the contrary, a high bed pressure and high teeter water rate combination led to a lower mass yield but better product quality. A high feed rate introduced en-masse settling leading to higher yield but at a poorer product grade. For an FDS with 230 mm × 230 mm cross section and a height of 530 mm, the process condition with 6.6l pm teeter water rate, 5.27 kPa bed pressure and 82 kg/hr feed rate maximized the yield for a target product grade of 37% metal in a single pass. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Factors associated with bed and room sharing in Chinese school-aged children.

    PubMed

    Li, S; Jin, X; Yan, C; Wu, S; Jiang, F; Shen, X

    2009-03-01

    Co-sleeping (bed or room sharing) has potential implications for children's development. Previous studies showed that co-sleeping was more prevalent in non-Western countries than in Western countries, which demonstrated that co-sleeping was marked with ethnic and socio-cultural background characteristics. The purpose of this study was to survey the prevalence of bed and room sharing and to examine related factors among school-aged children in an Asian country - China. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 10 districts of Shanghai, China from November to December 2005. A total of 4108 elementary school children, 49.2% boys and 50.8% girls with a mean age of 8.79 years, participated. Parent-administered questionnaires were used to collect information about children's sleeping arrangements and socio-demographic characteristics. The prevalence of routine bed sharing, room sharing and sleeping alone in Chinese school-aged children was 21.0%, 19.1% and 47.7%, respectively. Bed and room sharing didn't show significant gender difference but gradually decreased with increasing age. Multivariate logistic regression identified those factors associated with bed and room sharing: younger age, large family, children without their own bedroom and parents' approval of a co-sleeping arrangement. Co-sleeping arrangement was a common practice in Chinese school-aged children. Associated factors were characterized by intrinsic socio-cultural values and socio-economic status in China.

  19. Dating floodplain sediments using tree-ring response to burial

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Friedman, J.M.; Vincent, K.R.; Shafroth, P.B.

    2005-01-01

    Floodplain sediments can be dated precisely based on the change in anatomy of tree rings upon burial. When a stem of tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) or sandbar willow (Salix exigua) is buried, subsequent annual rings in the buried section resemble the rings of roots: rings become narrower, vessels within the rings become larger, and transitions between rings become less distinct. We combined observations of these changes with tree-ring counts to determine the year of deposition of sedimentary beds exposed in a 150-m-long trench across the floodplain of the Rio Puerco, a rapidly filling arroyo in New Mexico. This method reliably dated most beds thicker than about 30 cm to within a year of deposition. Floodplain aggradation rates varied dramatically through time and space. Sediment deposition was mostly limited to brief overbank flows occurring every few years. The most rapid deposition occurred on channel-margin levees, which migrated laterally during channel narrowing. At the decadal timescale, the cross-section-average sediment deposition rate was steady, but there was a shift in the spatial pattern of deposition in the 1980s. From 1936 to 1986, sediment deposition occurred by channel narrowing, with little change in elevation of the thalweg. After 1986 sediment deposition occurred by vertical aggradation. From 1936 to 2000 about 27 per cent of the arroyo cross-section filled with sediment. The rate of filling from 1962 to 2000 was 0-8 vertical m/decade or 85 m2/decade. Published in 2005 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Dating floodplain sediments using tree-ring response to burial

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Friedman, J.M.; Vincent, K.R.; Shafroth, P.B.

    2005-01-01

    Floodplain sediments can be dated precisely based on the change in anatomy of tree rings upon burial. When a stem of tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) or sandbar willow (Salix exigua) is buried, subsequent annual rings in the buried section resemble the rings of roots: rings become narrower, vessels within the rings become larger, and transitions between rings become less distinct. We combined observations of these changes with tree-ring counts to determine the year of deposition of sedimentary beds exposed in a 150-m-long trench across the floodplain of the Rio Puerco, a rapidly filling arroyo in New Mexico. This method reliably dated most beds thicker than about 30 cm to within a year of deposition. Floodplain aggradation rates varied dramatically through time and space. Sediment deposition was mostly limited to brief overbank flows occurring every few years. The most rapid deposition occurred on channel-margin levees, which migrated laterally during channel narrowing. At the decadal timescale, the cross-section-average sediment deposition rate was steady, but there was a shift in the spatial pattern of deposition in the 1980s. From 1936 to 1986, sediment deposition occurred by channel narrowing, with little change in elevation of the thalweg. After 1986 sediment deposition occurred by vertical aggradation. From 1936 to 2000 about 27 per cent of the arroyo cross-section filled with sediment. The rate of filling from 1962 to 2000 was 0·8 vertical m/decade or 85 m2/decade.

  1. Historical Channel Adjustment and Estimates of Selected Hydraulic Values in the Lower Sabine River and Lower Brazos River Basins, Texas and Louisiana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Greene, Lauren E.

    2009-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board, evaluated historical channel adjustment and estimated selected hydraulic values at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations in the lower Sabine River Basin in Texas and Louisiana and lower Brazos River Basin in Texas to support geomorphic assessments of the Texas Instream Flow Program. Channel attributes including cross-section geometry, slope, and planform change were evaluated to learn how each river's morphology changed over the years in response to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Historical and contemporary cross-sectional channel geometries at several gaging stations on each river were compared, planform changes were assessed, and hydraulic values were estimated including mean flow velocity, bed shear stress, Froude numbers, and hydraulic depth. The primary sources of historical channel morphology information were U.S. Geological Survey hard-copy discharge-measurement field notes. Additional analyses were done using computations of selected flow hydraulics, comparisons of historical and contemporary aerial photographs, comparisons of historical and contemporary ground photographs, evaluations of how frequently stage-discharge rating curves were updated, reviews of stage-discharge relations for field measurements, and considerations of bridge and reservoir construction activities. Based on historical cross sections at three gaging stations downstream from Toledo Bend Reservoir, the lower Sabine River is relatively stable, but is subject to substantial temporary scour-and-fill processes during floods. Exceptions to this characterization of relative stability include an episode of channel aggradation at the Sabine River near Bon Wier, Texas, during the 1930s, and about 2 to 3 feet of channel incision at the Sabine River near Burkeville, Texas, since the late 1950s. The Brazos River, at gaging stations downstream from Waco, Texas, has adjusted to a combination of hydrologic, sedimentary, and anthropogenic controls. Since the 1960s, numerous point bars have vertically accreted and vegetation has encroached along the channel margins, which probably promotes channel-bed incision to compensate for a reduction in cross-sectional area. Channel incision was detected at all gaging stations along the Brazos River, and the depth of incision is greatest in the lowermost gaging stations, exemplified by about 5 feet of channel-bed incision between 1993 and 2004 at Richmond, Texas. One notable exception to this pattern of incision was a period of aggradation at U.S. Geological Survey gaging station 08096500 Brazos River at Waco, Texas, during the late 1920s and 1930s, probably associated with upstream dam construction. Lateral channel migration rates along the Brazos River determined from aerial photographs are greatest between Waco and Hempstead, Texas, with numerous bends moving an average of more than 10 feet per year. Migration rates at selected bends downstream from Hempstead were measured as less than 10 feet per year, on average. Two tributaries of the Brazos River, the Little and Navasota Rivers, also were investigated for historical channel adjustment. The Little River near Cameron, Texas (08106500) has incised its channel bed about 12 feet since 1949, and the lower Navasota River shows complex adjustment to bridge construction activities and a channel avulsion.

  2. The use of synthetic bedding in children. Do strategies of change influence associations with asthma?

    PubMed

    Behrens, Thomas; Maziak, Wasim; Weiland, Stephan K; Siebert, Edith; Rzehak, Peter; Keil, Ulrich

    2005-04-01

    Epidemiological data suggest in contrast to clinical recommendations a negative effect of synthetic bedding on asthma and respiratory symptoms. To assess the effects of bedding filled with synthetic material on the risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms in 6- to 7-year-old children, taking into account allergy-related change of bedding material. We analyzed data from the ISAAC Phase III cross-sectional survey (1999/2000) in Münster, Germany. Data were collected by parental report from representative school-based samples of 6- to 7-year old children (n = 3,529). We calculated prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the association between respiratory symptoms suggestive of asthma and synthetic pillows and blankets and adjusting for potential confounders. In the preliminary analyses, synthetic pillows and synthetic blankets were positively associated with the studied respiratory outcomes. For example, a high number of wheezing attacks was positively associated with synthetic pillows (PR = 4.44; 95% CI 2.84-6.94) and synthetic blankets (PR = 3.80; 95% CI 2.48-5.82). However, in the restricted analysis, excluding participants reporting allergy-related change of bedding (pillows n = 440; blankets n = 437), the positive associations disappeared for all studied outcomes. Our findings suggest that allergy-related choice of bedding is an important factor in the assessment of the relation between synthetic bedding and asthma symptoms. Ignoring those changes can lead to false-positive risk estimates. Prospective studies that allow to disentangle the temporal sequence of disease, exposure, and change of bedding should help to further clarify this issue.

  3. Intrahospital transfers and adverse patient outcomes: An analysis of administrative health data.

    PubMed

    Blay, Nicole; Roche, Michael; Duffield, Christine; Xu, Xiaoyue

    2017-12-01

    To determine whether there was an association between intra-hospital transfers and adverse outcomes. Transfers between clinical units and between beds on the same unit are routine aspects of an episode of care in acute hospitals. The rate of these transfers per episode has increased in response to high occupancy levels, a decline in bed numbers, and increased demand for hospital services. The impact of the number of transfers between both wards and beds on patient outcomes is not widely explored. Retrospective cross sectional design using hospital administrative data. Data were extracted from existing hospital administrative datasets for one large metropolitan hospital for the financial year 2008-09 in Australia (n = 14,133). Descriptive analyses and logistic regression models were developed for each of 3 selected patient outcomes. Nearly one-tenth of patients (9.2%) experienced a fall with injury, 3.8% of surgical patients a wound infection and 0.1% a complication from medication errors. For each bed or ward transfer, the odds of falls and wound infections increased. Medication errors were not associated with either bed or ward moves. Hospitals should minimise the number of bed and ward transfers per episode of care in order to reduce the likelihood of adverse patient outcomes. Current bed management policies and practices should be evaluated and further refined to address this need. Additional strategies include improving coordination and communication during and after transfer. Nurses must consider the potential cost of intrahospital transfers on patients, length of stay and bed availability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Is medical perspective on clinical governance practices associated with clinical units' performance and mortality? A cross-sectional study through a record-linkage procedure.

    PubMed

    Sarchielli, Guido; De Plato, Giovanni; Cavalli, Mario; Albertini, Stefano; Nonni, Ilaria; Bencivenni, Lucia; Montali, Arianna; Ventura, Antonio; Montali, Francesca

    2016-01-01

    Assessment of the knowledge and application as well as perceived utility by doctors of clinical governance tools in order to explore their impact on clinical units' performance measured through mortality rates and efficiency indicators. This research is a cross-sectional study with a deterministic record-linkage procedure. The sample includes n = 1250 doctors (n = 249 chiefs of clinical units; n = 1001 physicians) working in six public hospitals located in the Emilia-Romagna Region in Italy. Survey instruments include a checklist and a research-made questionnaire which were used for data collection about doctors' knowledge and application as well as perceived utility of clinical governance tools. The analysis was based on clinical units' performance indicators which include patients' mortality, extra-region active mobility rate, average hospital stay, bed occupancy, rotation and turnover rates, and the comparative performance index as efficiency indicators. The clinical governance tools are known and applied differently in all the considered clinical units. Significant differences emerged between roles and organizational levels at which the medical leadership is carried out. The levels of knowledge and application of clinical governance practices are correlated with the clinical units' efficiency indicators (bed occupancy rate, bed turnover interval, and extra-region mobility). These multiple linear regression analyses highlighted that the clinical governance knowledge and application is correlated with clinical units' mortality rates (odds ratio, -8.677; 95% confidence interval, -16.654, -0.700). The knowledge and application, as well as perceived utility by medical professionals of clinical governance tools, are associated with the mortality rates of their units and with some efficiency indicators. However, the medical frontline staff seems to not consider homogeneously useful the clinical governance tools application on its own clinical practice.

  5. High precision analysis of an embryonic extensional fault-related fold using 3D orthorectified virtual outcrops: The viewpoint importance in structural geology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tavani, Stefano; Corradetti, Amerigo; Billi, Andrea

    2016-05-01

    Image-based 3D modeling has recently opened the way to the use of virtual outcrop models in geology. An intriguing application of this method involves the production of orthorectified images of outcrops using almost any user-defined point of view, so that photorealistic cross-sections suitable for numerous geological purposes and measurements can be easily generated. These purposes include the accurate quantitative analysis of fault-fold relationships starting from imperfectly oriented and partly inaccessible real outcrops. We applied the method of image-based 3D modeling and orthorectification to a case study from the northern Apennines, Italy, where an incipient extensional fault affecting well-layered limestones is exposed on a 10-m-high barely accessible cliff. Through a few simple steps, we constructed a high-quality image-based 3D model of the outcrop. In the model, we made a series of measurements including fault and bedding attitudes, which allowed us to derive the bedding-fault intersection direction. We then used this direction as viewpoint to obtain a distortion-free photorealistic cross-section, on which we measured bed dips and thicknesses as well as fault stratigraphic separations. These measurements allowed us to identify a slight difference (i.e. only 0.5°) between the hangingwall and footwall cutoff angles. We show that the hangingwall strain required to compensate the upward-decreasing displacement of the fault was accommodated by this 0.5° rotation (i.e. folding) and coeval 0.8% thickening of strata in the hangingwall relatively to footwall strata. This evidence is consistent with trishear fault-propagation folding. Our results emphasize the viewpoint importance in structural geology and therefore the potential of using orthorectified virtual outcrops.

  6. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ghosh, S.K.; Zambrano, E.

    The Trujillo Formation, overlying the Paleocene Cerro Verde and Valle Hondo formations, reveals a turbiditic origin in a lowstand shelf-edge and bathyal setting in two excellent road sections on the Valera-Carache road and many creek sections. The basal outcrop shows well developed fining upward (FU) sequences of proximal channel turbidite and overbank origin (abandonment phase) and minor coarsening upward (CU) sequences representing progradational pulse in overbank areas. The FU (and thinning-upward) sequence, overlying a shale, consists of: (a) basal stacked conglomeratic arenites (probably inner fan channels) with graded beds, imbricate casts and transported shells; (b) a sand/shale alternating unit (channelmore » margin/interchannel) with flame structure, lenticular bedding, infrequent Tb-d Sequence, rippled flats, and rare Planolites; and (c) a dark shale (overbank-interchannel lows) with scarce Chondrites and Scaladtuba traces. The CU sequence consists of thickening-upward heterolithic facies overlain by lenticular stacked pebbly arenites. The upper unit exposed near Puente Gomez is a typical progradational lobe starting with a basal shale, with intraformational diastems and slumped beds, and Tb-d and Tb-e sequences in thin intercalated sandstones; a heterolithic facies with flute/groove casts, Planolites, Thalassinoides and Neonereites occurs between the shale and a thick cross-stratified sandstone at the top. This CU lobe sequence is discordantly(?) overlain by a thin wedge of massive bedded pebbly sandstones of Middle Eocene(?) Misoa Formation. Unlike the southwesterly sourced subsurface turbidites, those in this area were probably sourced from both the south and north, though locally the southern source might have been more important.« less

  7. Molecular biomarkers monitoring human skeletal muscle fibres and microvasculature following long-term bed rest with and without countermeasures

    PubMed Central

    Salanova, M; Schiffl, G; Püttmann, B; Schoser, B G; Blottner, D

    2008-01-01

    The cellular mechanisms of human skeletal muscle adaptation to disuse are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and biochemical changes of the lower limb soleus and vastus lateralis muscles following 60 days of head-down tilt bed rest in women with and without exercise countermeasure using molecular biomarkers monitoring functional cell compartments. Muscle biopsies were taken before (pre) and after bed rest (post) from a bed rest-only and a bed rest exercise group (n = 8, each). NOS1 and NOS3/PECAM, markers of myofibre ‘activity’ and capillary density, and MuRF1 (E3 ubiquitin-ligase), a marker of proteolysis, were documented by confocal immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses. Morphometrical parameters (myofibre cross-sectional area, type I/II distribution) were largely preserved in muscles from the exercise group with a robust trend for type II hypertrophy in vastus lateralis. In the bed rest-only group, the relative NOS1 immunostaining intensity was decreased at type I and II myofibre membranes, while the bed rest plus exercise group compensated for this loss particularly in soleus. In the microvascular network, NOS3 expression and the capillary-to-fibre ratio were both increased in the exercise group. Elevated MuRF1 immunosignals found in subgroups of atrophic myofibres probably reflected accelerated proteolysis. Immunoblots revealed overexpression of the MuRF1 protein in the soleus of the bed rest-only group (> 35% vs. pre). We conclude that exercise countermeasure during bed rest affected both NOS/NO signalling and proteolysis in female skeletal muscle. Maintenance of NO signalling mechanisms and normal protein turnover by exercise countermeasure may be crucial steps to attenuate human skeletal muscle atrophy and to maintain cell function following chronic disuse. PMID:18221329

  8. Children of parents with BED have more eating behavior disturbance than children of parents with obesity or healthy weight.

    PubMed

    Lydecker, Janet A; Grilo, Carlos M

    2017-06-01

    A limited literature suggests an association between parental eating disorders and child eating-disorder behaviors although this research has focused primarily on restrictive-type eating disorders and very little is known about families with binge-eating disorder (BED). The current study focused on parents (N = 331; 103 fathers and 226 mothers), comparing parents with core features of BED (n = 63) to parents with obesity and no eating disorder (OB; n = 85) and parents with healthy-weight and no eating disorder (HW; n = 183). Parents with BED were significantly more likely than OB and HW parents to report child binge eating, and more likely than HW parents to report child overeating. Parents with BED felt greater responsibility for child feeding than OB parents, and felt more concern about their child's weight than OB and HW parents. Dietary restriction of the child by the parents was related to child binge eating, overeating, and child overweight, and parental group was related to child binge eating (parental BED), overeating (parental BED), and child weight (parental OB). Parents with BED report greater disturbance in their children's eating than OB and HW parents, and OB parents report higher child weight than HW parents. This suggests that it is important to consider both eating-disorder psychopathology and obesity in clinical interventions and research. Our cross-sectional findings, which require experimental and prospective confirmations, provide preliminary evidence suggesting potential factors in families with parental BED and obesity to address in treatment and prevention efforts for pediatric eating disorders and obesity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:648-656). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Facies architecture and stratigraphic evolution of aeolian dune and interdune deposits, Permian Caldeirão Member (Santa Brígida Formation), Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, Fábio Herbert; Scherer, Claiton Marlon dos Santos; Kuchle, Juliano

    2016-05-01

    The Permian Caldeirão Member (Santa Brígida Formation), located in the Tucano Central Basin, northeast region of Brazil, is characterized by a sandstone succession of aeolian origin that comprises the preserved deposits of dunes and interdunes. Grainflow and translatent wind-ripple strata, and frequent presence of reactivation surface, compose the cross-bedding of crescent aeolian dune deposits. The aeolian cross-strata show a mean dip toward the ENE. In places, interlayered with dune cross-beds, occur interdune units composed of facies indicative of dry, damp and wet condition of the substrate, suggesting spatial and/or temporal variations in the moisture content of the interdune accumulation surface. The presence of NNW current ripple cross-lamination in wet interdune areas indicates streamflows confined to interdune corridors and oriented perpendicular to aeolian transport direction. Lenses of damp and wet interdune strata exhibit mainly interdigitated and transitional relationships with the toe-sets of overlying aeolian dune units in sections parallel to aeolian transport, indicating that dune migration was contemporaneous with accumulation in adjacent interdunes. Lateral variations in the preserved thickness of the interdune units and the associated rare occurrence of abrupt and erosive contacts between interdune and overlying dune sets, suggest temporal variations in the angle of dune and interdune climb that may be related to high-frequency changes in water table position. Four stratigraphic intervals in the Caldeirão Member can be identified, two intervals showing cross-bedding of aeolian dunes without wet interdune areas and two intervals exhibiting aeolian dunes separated by wet interdune areas, marking the transition between dry aeolian systems (Intervals I and III) and wet aeolian systems (Intervals II and IV). The temporal alternations between dry and wet aeolian systems reflect changes in the availability of dry sand and/or the rate in the water table rise, possibly controlled by orbitally-driven climatic fluctuations.

  10. Inpatient Profile of Patients with Major Depression in Portuguese National Health System Hospitals, in 2008 and 2013: Variation in a Time of Economic Crisis.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Daniel Francisco Santos; Nunes, Carla

    2018-02-01

    The economic crisis has placed Portugal in a situation of budgetary constraints with repercussions on mental health, since 2009. This study analyses the association between economic crisis and the inpatient profile of major depression in the working-age population in Portuguese National Health System hospitals. This was an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. An individual analysis of hospitalisation and an ecological analysis at district level, were performed before 2008 and during the crisis (2013). Data on the hospitalisation episodes, working-age population and psychiatric inpatient beds were analysed. An increase in hospitalisation rates for major depression were observed, and across country, high spatial variations were perceived: districts with lower rates of urbanisation and population density had higher hospitalisation rates for major depression. Hospitalisation rates were positively influenced by the available inpatient beds. The results for 2013 were more critical (higher hospitalisation rates, less beds). Further research is needed to understand all patterns, considering other individual and contextual information.

  11. Moving Bed Granular Bed Filter Development Program. Topical report, September 1994

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Haas, J.C.; Prudhomme, J.W.; Wilson, K.W.

    1994-09-01

    Five test arrangements have been designed to support the Granular Bed Filter Development Program as defined in the Test Plan. The first arrangement is a 3.6 ft. diameter half filter, with a glass covering along the cross section to allow visual examination of the granular alumina material passing through the filter. The second test arrangement is a 3.6 ft diameter full size filter having refractory lining to simulate actual surface roughness conditions. The third test arrangement will examine filter geometry scale up by testing a 6.0 ft. diameter full size filter. The fourth Test Arrangement consists of a small 12more » inch diameter fluidizer to measure the minimum fluidization velocity of the 7 m (approx. size) alumina material to be used in the filter assemblies. The last Test Unit is used to evaluation relative abrasion characteristics of potential refractory and ceramic materials to be installed in high abrasion areas in the pneumatic transport piping.« less

  12. Combustor with multistage internal vortices

    DOEpatents

    Shang, Jer Yu; Harrington, R.E.

    1987-05-01

    A fluidized bed combustor is provided with a multistage arrangement of vortex generators in the freeboard area. The vortex generators are provided by nozzle means which extend into the interior of the freeboard for forming vortices within the freeboard areas to enhance the combustion of particulate material entrained in product gases ascending into the freeboard from the fluidized bed. Each of the nozzles are radially inwardly spaced from the combustor walls defining the freeboard to provide for the formation of an essentially vortex-free, vertically extending annulus about the vortices whereby the particulate material centrifuged from the vortices against the inner walls of the combustor is returned through the annulus to the fluidized bed. By adjusting the vortex pattern within the freeboard, a significant portion of the full cross-sectional area of the freeboard except for the peripheral annulus can be contacted with the turbulent vortical flow for removing the particulate material from the gaseous products and also for enhancing the combustion thereof within the freeboard. 2 figs.

  13. Local and non-local effects of spanwise finite perturbations in erodible river bathymetries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Musa, Mirko; Hill, Craig; Guala, Michele

    2015-11-01

    Laboratory experiments were performed to study the effect of axial-flow hydrokinetic turbine models on an erodible river bed under live-bed conditions. Results indicate that the presence of an operating turbine rotor creates a blockage in the mean flow which produces a remarkable geomorphic signature in the migrating bedforms. These impacts affect a local area downstream of the turbines when placed symmetrically with respect to the cross section of the channel. On the other hand, more interesting results are observed with an asymmetric installation of the turbines. This configuration demonstrates a stronger effect on the mean flow, resulting in a larger plan-wise distortion of the mean topography and differential migration patterns of bedforms. Different turbine installation arrangements and hub heights above the mean bed were investigated, focusing mainly on the perturbation of sediment transport characteristics influenced by the turbine wake. Additional results with spanwise modulated submerged walls explore the possibility to control river topography harvesting this type of geomorphic destabilization.

  14. Combustor with multistage internal vortices

    DOEpatents

    Shang, Jer Y.; Harrington, Richard E.

    1989-01-01

    A fluidized bed combustor is provided with a multistage arrangement of vortex generators in the freeboard area. The vortex generators are provided by nozzle means which extend into the interior of the freeboard for forming vortices within the freeboard area to enhance the combustion of particulate material entrained in product gases ascending into the freeboard from the fluidized bed. Each of the nozzles are radially inwardly spaced from the combustor walls defining the freeboard to provide for the formation of an essentially vortex-free, vertically extending annulus about the vortices whereby the particulate material centrifuged from the vortices against the inner walls of the combustor is returned through the annulus to the fluidized bed. By adjusting the vortex pattern within the freeboard, a significant portion of the full cross-sectional area of the freeboard except for the peripheral annulus can be contacted with the turbulent vortical flow for removing the particulate material from the gaseous products and also for enhancing the combustion thereof within the freeboard.

  15. Nugget-Navaho-Aztec sandstone: interaction of eolian sand sea with Andean-type volcanic arc

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Marzolf, J.E.

    1986-05-01

    The Nugget-Navaho-Aztec sand sea was deposited east of an Andean-type volcanic arc. During the early stage of eolian deposition, fluvially transported sand was concentrated in the marine littoral zone and returned inland by onshore winds from the northwest. With progressive development of the arc, the sea withdrew. Wind direction changed from northwest to northeast. Previously deposited eolian sand was transported southwestward into the volcanic arc. Proximity of the arc can be detected with great difficulty by examining eolian and underlying red-bed facies. In southern Nevada, the volcanic arc is undetectable in eolian facies, but thin sandstone beds containing volcanic clastsmore » or weathered feldspar in the finer grained red-bed facies indicate arc volcanism; volcanic clasts are distinct in a basal conglomerate. Westward into California, the sub-Aztec Sandstone contains volcanic pebbles. The upper part of the Aztec Sandstone contains a 1 to 2-m thick volcaniclastic siltstone. Farther west, the Aztec Sandstone is interbedded with volcanic flows, ash flows, and flow breccias. These rocks might easily be mistaken for red beds in well cores or cuttings. Sand in sets of large-scale cross-beds remain virtually identical in composition and texture to sand in eolian facies of the Colorado Plateau. Where sets of eolian cross-beds lie on volcanics, the quartzose sandstone contains pebble to cobble-size volcanic clasts. Locally, cross-bed sets of yellowish-white, quartzose sandstone alternate with purplish-gray cross-bed sets containing numerous pebble to cobble-size volcanic clasts. The ability to recognize volcanic indicators within Nugget-Navaho-Aztec eolian facies is important in delineating the western margin of the back-arc eolian basin.« less

  16. Fluvial development of the Nete valley during the Late Weichselian and early Holocene: new data from a cross-section south of Kasterlee (NE-Belgium)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beerten, Koen; Van Nieuland, Jasper; Vandenberghe, Dimitri; Deforce, Koen; Rogiers, Bart

    2014-05-01

    The Late Quaternary geomorphology and stratigraphy of the fluvial deposits in the Kleine Nete valley is poorly documented, apart from the classic paper by Munaut and Paulissen (1973) on the palaeo-ecology of this river valley. A good description of the fluvial development within this catchment over longer timescales would help to understand palaeohydrological conditions, as it may give insight into changes in river bed elevation and palaeo-channel morphology. As such, existing hydrological models can be tested for conditions that are different than today, by unlocking the palaeohydrological archive. During road construction works, a cross-section through the Kleine Nete alluvium could be observed, directly (tens of meters) south of the present river course and underneath an abandoned channel that is traceable on historical maps and still visible in the landscape today. The river's alluvium is very thin - the sediment thickness usually does not exceed 2-3 m - while the composition is monotonous, either sand or peat with at a thin loamy layer at the top. Different fluvial facies, including horizontally laminated and cross-bedded sands, channel-fill sands, in-situ (?) peat layers, reworked peat mixed with sand, and loamy alluvium were encountered and sampled for grain-size analysis, palynological analysis and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The preliminary results show that vertical aggradation took place during the late Pleniglacial (between ca. 20-16 ka) over a large area (probably by a braided river). This aggradation phase was followed by incision and the development of confined channels that subsequently were filled with basal peat and channel sands during the Late Glacial (ca. 15-12 ka) and the early Holocene (ca. 11 ka). The different dimensions of the observed channels (cross-section and river bed elevation), in comparison with those of the present-day river, suggest that large parts of the alluvial plain were experiencing different hydrological conditions during the Late Glacial and early Holocene than today. We conclude that despite the non-continuous nature of the sedimentary archive in the investigated profile, relevant information with respect to the palaeohydrological evolution of the Nete catchment could be obtained. Reference Munaut, A.V., Paulissen, E., 1973. Evolution et paléo-écologie de la vallée de la Petite Nèthe au cours du post-Würm (Belgique). Extrait des Annales de la Société Géologique de Belgique 96, 301-346.

  17. Using Queuing Theory and Simulation Modelling to Reduce Waiting Times in An Iranian Emergency Department

    PubMed Central

    Haghighinejad, Hourvash Akbari; Kharazmi, Erfan; Hatam, Nahid; Yousefi, Sedigheh; Hesami, Seyed Ali; Danaei, Mina; Askarian, Mehrdad

    2016-01-01

    Background: Hospital emergencies have an essential role in health care systems. In the last decade, developed countries have paid great attention to overcrowding crisis in emergency departments. Simulation analysis of complex models for which conditions will change over time is much more effective than analytical solutions and emergency department (ED) is one of the most complex models for analysis. This study aimed to determine the number of patients who are waiting and waiting time in emergency department services in an Iranian hospital ED and to propose scenarios to reduce its queue and waiting time. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which simulation software (Arena, version 14) was used. The input information was extracted from the hospital database as well as through sampling. The objective was to evaluate the response variables of waiting time, number waiting and utilization of each server and test the three scenarios to improve them. Results: Running the models for 30 days revealed that a total of 4088 patients left the ED after being served and 1238 patients waited in the queue for admission in the ED bed area at end of the run (actually these patients received services out of their defined capacity). The first scenario result in the number of beds had to be increased from 81 to179 in order that the number waiting of the “bed area” server become almost zero. The second scenario which attempted to limit hospitalization time in the ED bed area to the third quartile of the serving time distribution could decrease the number waiting to 586 patients. Conclusion: Doubling the bed capacity in the emergency department and consequently other resources and capacity appropriately can solve the problem. This includes bed capacity requirement for both critically ill and less critically ill patients. Classification of ED internal sections based on severity of illness instead of medical specialty is another solution. PMID:26793727

  18. In-bed tube bank for a fluidized-bed combustor

    DOEpatents

    Hemenway, Jr., Lloyd F.

    1990-01-01

    An in-bed tube bank (10) for a fluidized bed combustor. The tube bank (10) of the present invention comprises one or more fluid communicating boiler tubes (30) which define a plurality of selectively spaced boiler tube sections (32). The tube sections (32) are substantially parallel to one another and aligned in a common plane. The tube bank (10) further comprises support members (34) for joining adjacent tube sections (32), the support members (34) engaging and extending along a selected length of the tube sections (32) and spanning the preselected space therebetween.

  19. Lake Michigan Bluff Dewatering and Stabilization Study - Allegan County, Michigan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    laminated to cross- bedded sand interbedded with reddish brown, often laminated clay; and reddish-brown to gray to blue-gray diamicton (till) containing...Till also is extremely variable in thickness and may be a thin gravel lens, or up to 44 ft of graded sand beds , planar and trough cross- beds , thin...lies lacustrine clay to below lake level. The in-place layers are nominally flat , behind the slumped bluff face. ERDC TR-12-11 12 Figure 8

  20. Experimental Investigation and Analysis of HEC-6 River Morphological Model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tingsanchali, Tawatchai; Supharatid, Seree

    1996-05-01

    Only comparatively few experimental studies have been carried out to investigate the performance of the HEC-6 river morphological model. The model was developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers. In this study, experiments were carried out in a 20 m long concrete flume 0.6 m wide with varying rectangular cross-sections. The channel bed is paved with uniform sand of D50 = 0.9 mm and D90 = 1.2 mm within the test reach of 12 m. Two types of experiments were carried out with sediment transport, one under steady uniform flow and another under steady non-uniform flow conditions. Nine steady uniform flow experiments were carried out to compare the measured equilibrium relationship of flow and sediment transport rate with two bedload formulae, namely, Du Boys and Meyer-Peter and Muller, and with three total load formulae, namely, Toffaleti, Laursen and Yang. It was found that even though the sediment transport consists of a certain portion of bedload, the total load formulae give satisfactory results and better agreement than the two bedload formulae. Five steady non-uniform flow experiments were carried out under various conditions of varying bed profile and channel width and also with sediment addition and withdrawal. The measured transient water surface and bed profiles are compared with the computed results from the HEC-6 model. It was found that the Toffaleti and Yang total load formulae used in the HEC-6 model give the most satisfactory prediction of actual bed profiles under various conditions of non-uniform flow and sediment transport. The effects of Manning's n, variations of sediment inflow, various sediment transport formulae, sediment grain size and the model numerical parameters, i.e. distance interval x and numerical weighting factor, on the computed water surface and bed profiles were determined. It was found that the selection of the sediment transport formulae has the most significant effect on the computed results. It can be concluded that the HEC-6 model can predict satisfactorily a long-term average pattern of local scour and deposition along a channel with either a small abrupt change in geometry or gradually varying cross-sections. However, the accuracy of the model prediction is reduced in the regions where highly non-uniform flow occurs.

  1. Healthy Life-Years Lost and Excess Bed-Days Due to 6 Patient Safety Incidents: Empirical Evidence From English Hospitals.

    PubMed

    Hauck, Katharina D; Wang, Shaolin; Vincent, Charles; Smith, Peter C

    2017-02-01

    There is little satisfactory evidence on the harm of safety incidents to patients, in terms of lost potential health and life-years. To estimate the healthy life-years (HLYs) lost due to 6 incidents in English hospitals between the years 2005/2006 and 2009/2010, to compare burden across incidents, and estimate excess bed-days. The study used cross-sectional analysis of the medical records of all inpatients treated in 273 English hospitals. Patients with 6 types of preventable incidents were identified. Total attributable loss of HLYs was estimated through propensity score matching by considering the hypothetical remaining length and quality of life had the incident not occurred. The 6 incidents resulted in an annual loss of 68 HLYs and 934 excess bed-days per 100,000 population. Preventable pressure ulcers caused the loss of 26 HLYs and 555 excess bed-days annually. Deaths in low-mortality procedures resulted in 25 lost life-years and 42 bed-days. Deep-vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolisms cost 12 HLYs, and 240 bed-days. Postoperative sepsis, hip fractures, and central-line infections cost <6 HLYs and 100 bed-days each. The burden caused by the 6 incidents is roughly comparable with the UK burden of Multiple Sclerosis (80 DALYs per 100,000), HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (63 DALYs), and Cervical Cancer (58 DALYs). There were marked differences in the harm caused by the incidents, despite the public attention all of them receive. Decision makers can use the results to prioritize resources into further research and effective interventions.

  2. Spatial Distribution of Bed Particles in Natural Boulder-Bed Streams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clancy, K. F.; Prestegaard, K. L.

    2001-12-01

    The Wolman pebble count is used to obtain the size distribution of bed particles in natural streams. Statistics such as median particle size (D50) are used in resistance calculations. Additional information such as bed particle heterogeneity may also be obtained from the particle distribution, which is used to predict sediment transport rates (Hey, 1979), (Ferguson, Prestegaard, Ashworth, 1989). Boulder-bed streams have an extreme range of particles in the particle size distribution ranging from sand size particles to particles larger than 0.5-m. A study of a natural boulder-bed reach demonstrated that the spatial distribution of the particles is a significant factor in predicting sediment transport and stream bed and bank stability. Further experiments were performed to test the limits of the spatial distribution's effect on sediment transport. Three stream reaches 40-m in length were selected with similar hydrologic characteristics and spatial distributions but varying average size particles. We used a grid 0.5 by 0.5-m and measured four particles within each grid cell. Digital photographs of the streambed were taken in each grid cell. The photographs were examined using image analysis software to obtain particle size and position of the largest particles (D84) within the reach's particle distribution. Cross section, topography and stream depth were surveyed. Velocity and velocity profiles were measured and recorded. With these data and additional surveys of bankfull floods, we tested the significance of the spatial distributions as average particle size decreases. The spatial distribution of streambed particles may provide information about stream valley formation, bank stability, sediment transport, and the growth rate of riparian vegetation.

  3. Experiments on Pool-riffle Sequences with Multi-fractional Sediment Bed During Floods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez, J. F.; Vahidi, E.; Bayat, E.; de Almeida, G. A. M.; Saco, P. M.

    2017-12-01

    The morphodynamics of pools and riffles has been the subject of research for over a century and has more recently attracted intense attention for their central role in providing habitat diversity conditions, both in terms of flow and substrate. Initial efforts to explain the long-term stability of the pool-riffle (PR) sequences (often referred to as self-maintenance) focused almost exclusively on cross sectional flow characteristics (either average or near bed velocity or shear stress), using episodic shifts in higher shear stress or velocities from riffles to pools during floods (i.e. reversal conditions) as an indication of the long-term self-maintenance of the structures.. However, less attention has been paid to the interactions of flow unsteadiness, sediment supply and sedimentological contrasts as the drivers for maintaining PR sequences. Here we investigate these effects through laboratory experiments on a scaled-down PR sequence of an existing gravel bed river. Froude similitude and equality of Shields' number were applied to scale one- to four-year recurrence flood events and sediment size distributions, respectively. We conducted experiments with different hydrographs and different sedimentological conditions. In each experiment we continuously measured velocities and shear stresses (using acoustic velocity profilers) bed levels (using a bed profiler) and bed grain size distribution (using an automatic digital technique on the painted bed sediments) during the hydrographs. Our results show that the most important factors for self-maintenance were the sediment bed composition, the level of infilling of the pool and the sediment supply grainsize distribution. These results highlight the need to consider the time varying sedimentological characteristics of a PR sequence to assess its capacity for self-maintenance.

  4. The Impact of Muscle Disuse on Muscle Atrophy in Severely Burned Rats

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-01

    Following muscle collection from the right hindlimb, muscle isometric force of PL and SL was measured simultaneously in the left hindlimb under...37.5°C by manually adjusting the temperature of cir culating water in the rat surgical bed. The isometric force of the PL and SL muscles was then...the physiologic cross sectional area (CSA) of PL and SL was calculated using the following formula: CSA= ( muscle mass) × cos θ ( muscle fiber

  5. Potential for bed-material entrainment in selected streams of the Edwards Plateau - Edwards, Kimble, and Real Counties, Texas, and vicinity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Asquith, William H.

    2008-01-01

    The Texas Department of Transportation spends considerable money for maintenance and replacement of low-water crossings of streams in the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas as a result of damages caused in part by the transport of cobble- and gravel-sized bed material. An investigation of the problem at low-water crossings was made by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation, and in collaboration with Texas Tech University, Lamar University, and the University of Houston. The bed-material entrainment problem for low-water crossings occurs at two spatial scales - watershed scale and channel-reach scale. First, the relative abundance and activity of cobble- and gravel-sized bed material along a given channel reach becomes greater with increasingly steeper watershed slopes. Second, the stresses required to mobilize bed material at a location can be attributed to reach-scale hydraulic factors, including channel geometry and particle size. The frequency of entrainment generally increases with downstream distance, as a result of decreasing particle size and increased flood magnitudes. An average of 1 year occurs between flows that initially entrain bed material as large as the median particle size, and an average of 1.5 years occurs between flows that completely entrain bed material as large as the median particle size. The Froude numbers associated with initial and complete entrainment of bed material up to the median particle size approximately are 0.40 and 0.45, respectively.

  6. Geology of deep-water sandstones in the Mississippi Stanley Shale at Cossatot Falls, Arkansas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Coleman, J.L. Jr.

    1993-09-01

    The Mississippian Stanley Shale crops out along the Cossatot River in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas. Here, exposures of deep-water sandstones and shales, on recently established public lands, present a rare, three-dimensional look at sandstones of the usually obscured Stanley. Cossatot Falls, within the Cossatot River State Park Natural Area, is a series of class IV and V rapids developed on massive- to medium-bedded quartz sandstones on the northern flank of an asymmetric, thrust-faulted anticline. In western Arkansas, the Stanley Shale is a 10,000-ft (3200-m) succession of deep-water sandstone and shale. At Cossatot Falls, approximately 50 ft (155 m)more » of submarine-fan-channel sedimentary rocks are exposed during low-river stages. This section is composed primarily of sets of thinning-upward sandstone beds. With rare exceptions, the sandstones are turbidites, grading from massive, homogeneous, basal beds upward through festoon-cross-bedded thick beds, into rippled medium and thin beds. Sandstone sets are capped by thin shales and siltstones. Regional, north-northwestward paleocurrent indicators are substantiated by abundant, generally east-west ripple crests asymmetric to the north-northwest. Flute casts at the top of the sandstone sequence indicate an additional east-ward flow component. Based on regional, lithologic characteristics, the sandstones at Cossatot Falls appear to be within the Moyers Formation. The Moyers is the upper sandstone unit of the Stanley and is an oil and gas reservoir in the eastern Oklahoma Ouachita Mountains.« less

  7. Structure for prevention of health care-associated infections in Brazilian hospitals: A countrywide study.

    PubMed

    Padoveze, Maria Clara; Fortaleza, Carlos Magno Castelo Branco; Kiffer, Carlos; Barth, Afonso Luís; Carneiro, Irna Carla do Rosário Souza; Giamberardino, Heloisa Ilhe Garcia; Rodrigues, Jorge Luiz Nobre; Santos Filho, Lauro; de Mello, Maria Júlia Gonçalves; Pereira, Milca Severino; Gontijo Filho, Paulo; Rocha, Mirza; de Medeiros, Eduardo Alexandrino Servolo; Pignatari, Antonio Carlos Campos

    2016-01-01

    Minimal structure is required for effective prevention of health care-associated infection (HAI). The objective of this study was to evaluate the structure for prevention of HAI in a sample of Brazilian hospitals. This was a cross-sectional study from hospitals in 5 Brazilian regions (n = 153; total beds: 13,983) classified according to the number of beds; 11 university hospitals were used as reference for comparison. Trained nurses carried out the evaluation by using structured forms previously validated. The evaluation of conformity index (CI) included elements of structure of the Health Care-Associated Prevention and Control Committee (HAIPCC), hand hygiene, sterilization, and laboratory of microbiology. The median CI for the HAIPCC varied from 0.55-0.94 among hospital categories. Hospitals with >200 beds had the worst ratio of beds to sinks (3.9; P < .001). Regarding alcoholic product for handrubbing, the worst ratio of beds to dispensers was found in hospitals with <50 beds (6.4) compared with reference hospitals (3.3; P < .001). The CI for sterilization services showed huge variation ranging from 0.0-1.00. Reference hospitals were more likely to have their own laboratory of microbiology than other hospitals. This study highlights the need for public health strategies aiming to improve the structure for HAI prevention in Brazilian hospitals. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Level II scour analysis for Bridge 17 (NEWHTH00200017) on Town Highway 20, crossing Little Otter Creek, New Haven, Vermont

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wild, Emily C.; Burns, Ronda L.

    1998-01-01

    This report provides the results of a detailed Level II analysis of scour potential at structure NEWHTH00200017 on Town Highway 20 crossing Little Otter Creek, New Haven, Vermont (figures 1–8). A Level II study is a basic engineering analysis of the site, including a quantitative analysis of stream stability and scour (U.S. Department of Transportation, 1993). Results of a Level I scour investigation also are included in appendix E of this report. A Level I investigation provides a qualitative geomorphic characterization of the study site. Information on the bridge, gleaned from Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTAOT) files, was compiled prior to conducting Level I and Level II analyses and is found in appendix D. The site is in the Champlain section of the St. Lawrence Valley physiographic province in west-central Vermont. The 10.8-mi2 drainage area is in a predominantly rural and wetland basin. In the vicinity of the study site, the surface cover is shrubland on the downstream right overbank. The surface cover of the downstream left overbank, the upstream right overbank and the upstream left overbank is wetland and pasture. In the study area, Little Otter Creek has a meandering channel with a slope of approximately 0.0007 ft/ft, an average channel top width of 97 ft and an average bank height of 5 ft. The channel bed material ranges from silt and clay to cobble. Medium sized silt and clay is the channel material upstream of the approach cross-section and downstream of the exit cross-section. The median grain size (D50) of the silt and clay channel bed material is 1.52 mm (0.005 ft), which was used for contraction and abutment scour computations. From the approach cross-section, under the bridge, and to the exit cross-section, stone fill is the channel bed material. The median grain size (D50) of the stone fill channel bed material is 95.7 mm (0.314 ft). The stone fill median grain size was used solely for armoring computations. The geomorphic assessment at the time of the Level I and Level II site visit on June 11, 1996, indicated that the reach was stable.The Town Highway 20 crossing of Little Otter Creek is a 32-ft-long, two-lane bridge consisting of a 28-ft steel-beam span (Vermont Agency of Transportation, written communication, December 15, 1995). The opening length of the structure parallel to the bridge face is 24.9 ft. The bridge is supported by almost vertical, concrete abutments. The channel is skewed approximately 15 degrees to the opening while the opening-skew-toroadway is zero degrees. The scour countermeasures at the site consisted of type-1 stone fill (less than 12 inches diameter) along the left and right abutments, as well as along the upstream left and right banks. Type-2 stone fill (less than 36 inches diameter) was present along the downstream right bank. Additional details describing conditions at the site are included in the Level II Summary and appendices D and E. Scour depths and recommended rock rip-rap sizes were computed using the general guidelines described in Hydraulic Engineering Circular 18 (Richardson and Davis, 1995) for the 100- and 500-year discharges. In addition, the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge was determined and analyzed as another potential worst-case scour scenario. Total scour at a highway crossing is comprised of three components: 1) long-term streambed degradation; 2) contraction scour (due to accelerated flow caused by a reduction in flow area at a bridge) and; 3) local scour (caused by accelerated flow around piers and abutments). Total scour is the sum of the three components. Equations are available to compute depths for contraction and local scour and a summary of the results of these computations follows. Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 9.7 to 13.8 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Left abutment scour ranged from 6.9 to 7.9 ft. Right abutment scour ranged from 10.5 to 11.8 ft. The worst-case left and right abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scoured-streambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particle-size distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and Davis, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

  9. Discriminant function analysis as tool for subsurface geologist

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chesser, K.

    1987-05-01

    Sedimentary structures such as cross-bedding control porosity, permeability, and other petrophysical properties in sandstone reservoirs. Understanding the distribution of such structures in the subsurface not only aids in the prediction of reservoir properties but also provides information about depositional environments. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) is a simple yet powerful method incorporating petrophysical data from wireline logs, core analyses, or other sources into groups that have been previously defined through direct observation of sedimentary structures in cores. Once data have been classified into meaningful groups, the geologist can predict the distribution of specific sedimentary structures or important reservoir properties in areasmore » where cores are unavailable. DFA is efficient. Given several variables, DFA will choose the best combination to discriminate among groups. The initial classification function can be computed from relatively few observations, and additional data may be included as necessary. Furthermore, DFA provides quantitative goodness-of-fit estimates for each observation. Such estimates can be used as mapping parameters or to assess risk in petroleum ventures. Petrophysical data from the Skinner sandstone of Strauss field in southeastern Kansas tested the ability of DFA to discriminate between cross-bedded and ripple-bedded sandstones. Petroleum production in Strauss field is largely restricted to the more permeable cross-bedded sandstones. DFA based on permeability correctly placed 80% of samples into cross-bedded or ripple-bedded groups. Addition of formation factor to the discriminant function increased correct classifications to 83% - a small but statistically significant gain.« less

  10. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is inversely related to binge eating disorder in patients seeking a weight loss program.

    PubMed

    Bertoli, Simona; Spadafranca, Angela; Bes-Rastrollo, Maira; Martinez-Gonzalez, Miguel Angel; Ponissi, Veronica; Beggio, Valentina; Leone, Alessandro; Battezzati, Alberto

    2015-02-01

    The key factors influencing the development of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are not well known. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) has been suspected to reduce the risk of several mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. There are no existing studies that have examined the relationships between BED and MD. Cross-sectional study of 1472 participants (71.3% women; mean age: 44.8 ± 12.7) at high risk of BED. A MD score (MED-score) was derived from a validated food frequency questionnaire and BED by Binge Eating Scale questionnaire (BES). Body mass index, waist circumference and total body fat (%) were assessed by anthropometric measurements. 376 (25.5%) cases of self reported BED were identified. 11.1% of participants had a good adherence to MD (MED-score ≥ 9). After adjustments for age, gender, nutritional status, education, and physical activity level, high MED-score was associated with lower odds for BED (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of a BED disorder for successive levels of MED-score were 1 (reference), 0.77 (0.44, 1.36), 0.66 (0.37, 1.15), 0.50 (0.26, 0.96), and 0.45 (0.22, 0.55) (P for trend: <0.01). Olive oil and nut consumption were associated with low risk of BED development whereas butter, cream, sweets and commercial bakery/sweets/cakes consumption increased the risk. We did not find a cumulative effect of depression and anxiety on MED-score in binge eaters. These results demonstrate an inverse association between MD and the development of BED in a clinical setting among subjects at risk of BED. Therefore, we should be cautious about generalizing the results to the whole population, although reverse causality and confounding cannot be excluded as explanation. Further prospective studies are warranted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  11. Continuum Statistics of the Bed Topography in a Sandy River

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McElroy, B.; Jerolmack, D.; Mohrig, D.

    2005-12-01

    Temporal and spatial variabilities in the bed geometry of sandy rivers contain information about processes of sediment transport that has not been fully appreciated. This is primarily due to a disparity between the dynamic nature of the sediment-fluid interface and the relatively static methods of surveying bed elevation, e.g. single profiles or point measurements. High resolution topographic data is paramount to understanding the dynamic behavior of sandy beds. We present and analyze a data set collected on a 2cm x 2cm grid at 1 minute intervals and with a vertical precision of ~1mm. This was accomplished by using Lambert-Beer's Law for attenuation of light to transform low-altitude aerial photographs into digital elevation models. Forty successive models were generated for a 20 m by 30 m section of channel bottom of the N. Loup River, Nebraska. To calculate the average, whole bed translation rate, or celerity, cross-correlations between a reference bed topography and its proceeding configurations were determined. Time differences between models were related to the shift lengths that produced correlation maxima for each model pair. The result is a celerity of ~3.8cm/s with a correlation coefficient of 0.992. Bed topography also deforms while it translates, and this can be seen as a secular decrease of correlation maxima. The form of this decrease in correlation is exponential, and from it an interface half-life is defined. In this case, the bed had become extensively reorganized within ~40 minutes, the time necessary to translate the bed one wavelength of the dominant roughness element. Although the bed is continuously deforming, its roughness is statistically stationary. Essentially, a mean roughness is maintained as the bed creates new realizations of itself. The dynamic nature of the whole bed and similarly transient behavior of individual elements suggests the utility of a holistic approach to studying the feedback between bed topography, fluid flow, and sediment transport. Furthermore, it raises questions about the usefulness of detailed analysis of flow and transport over individual forms.

  12. It Works Both Ways: The Relationship between Exposure to Sexual Content in the Media and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

    PubMed Central

    Bleakley, Amy; Hennessy, Michael; Fishbein, Martin; Jordan, Amy

    2010-01-01

    Using a longitudinal web-based survey of adolescents 14-16 years of age, we estimate regression models where self-reported sexual behavior and content analytic-based exposure to sex in the media are related cross-sectionally and longitudinally. We find evidence for both cross-sectional non-recursive and prospective longitudinal relationships even after adjusting for both established predictors of sexual behavior (e.g., physical development, having a romantic partner, parental monitoring, peer and parental norms, respondent's age) and of exposure to sexual media content (e.g., time the respondent goes to bed, extracurricular activities, television in the bedroom, total time spent with television, music, videogames, and magazines). Sexually active adolescents are more likely to expose themselves to sex in the media and those exposed to sex in the media are more likely to progress in their sexual activity. These findings are consistent with others in the literature that demonstrate a causal effect of exposure to sexual content on sexual behavior but extend established results by also looking at the causal effect of sexual behavior on exposure both cross-sectionally and over time. PMID:20376301

  13. S-wave refraction survey of alluvial aggregate

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ellefsen, Karl J.; Tuttle, Gary J.; Williams, Jackie M.; Lucius, Jeffrey E.

    2005-01-01

    An S-wave refraction survey was conducted in the Yampa River valley near Steamboat Springs, Colo., to determine how well this method could map alluvium, a major source of construction aggregate. At the field site, about 1 m of soil overlaid 8 m of alluvium that, in turn, overlaid sedimentary bedrock. The traveltimes of the direct and refracted S-waves were used to construct velocity cross sections whose various regions were directly related to the soil, alluvium, and bed-rock. The cross sections were constrained to match geologic logs that were developed from drill-hole data. This constraint minimized the ambiguity in estimates of the thickness and the velocity of the alluvium, an ambiguity that is inherent to the S-wave refraction method. In the cross sections, the estimated S-wave velocity of the alluvium changed in the horizontal direction, and these changes were attributed to changes in composition of the alluvium. The estimated S-wave velocity of the alluvium was practically constant in the vertical direc-tion, indicating that the fine layering observed in the geologic logs could not be detected. The S-wave refraction survey, in conjunction with independent information such as geologic logs, was found to be suitable for mapping the thickness of the alluvium.

  14. Association of sleep habits with blood pressure in elderly people.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Nobuo; Ozono, Ryoji; Yamashita, Hidehisa; Ashimen, Hirofumi; Miyamoto, Yoshiko; Iwami, Sumi; Yuzono, Naomi; Fujiwara, Saeko; Kihara, Yasuki

    We investigated the impact of sleep habits on blood pressure (BP) in cross-sectional analyses of 1533 participants aged ≥ 70 without cardiovascular disease or treatment for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. We assessed sleep habits [time in bed (TIB), bed time, and taking sleeping pills], using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. For groups where TIB was >8 h and <6 h, systolic BP was significantly higher than the group where TIB ranged 6-8 h (134.2 ± 17.5, 134.8 ± 19.6 vs. 130.1 ± 17.7, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). Systolic BP was significantly higher in the group whose bed time was before 21:00 than that whose bed time was 21:00 or later (136.6 ± 18.6 vs. 132.0 ± 18.4, p < 0.01). Both systolic and diastolic BPs were lower in the group taking sleeping pills (133.2 ± 18.6 vs. 128.1 ± 17.3, p < 0.0001; 75.3 ± 11.5 vs. 73.3 ± 10.7, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses revealed that after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol intake, taking sleeping pills and short or long TIB were significantly associated with systolic BP, whereas bed time was not. These results suggested that inappropriate TIB and sleeping pills were associated with BP in elderly people.

  15. Depositional Environments of Late Danian Plant Localities: Chubut Provice, Patagonia, Argentina

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Comer, E.; Slingerland, R. L.; Wilf, P.

    2010-12-01

    Diverse, well-preserved macroflora are observed within Cretaceous and Paleocene sediments of Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. These macroflora are the most well preserved early Paleocene flora from Gondwana and add new insight into the diversity and environments of that epoch. Two major sites of fossil preservation, Palacio de los Loros and Parque Provincial Ormachea, sit near the top of the Late Danian (65.5-61.7 Ma) Salamanca Formation. Understanding the depositional history of the Salamanca is important in characterizing paleoenvironments in which these flora lived and relating these Patagonian macroflora to concurrent Paleocene flora within the Gondwanan supercontinent. During a two week field season, twenty stratigraphic sections were measured along the outcrop belt at Palacio de los Loros and Ormachea Park as well as two minor sites; Las Flores, and Rancho Grande. Photo mosaics, laser ranger data, and stratigraphic columns were merged with elevated geologic maps and imported into Fledermaus to generate a 3-D visualization of facies relationships. Rock samples were also collected and will be thin sectioned and analyzed for petrography and grain size. The Salamanca Fm. consists of 7 facies, listed here in stratigraphically ascending order: 1)Transgressive sands, 2)Wispy-bedded claystone, 3)Banco Verde, 4)White Cross bedded sandstone, 5)Accretion set siltstone, 6)Transitional silty claystone and 7)Banco Negro. Based on these facies, the Salamanca Fm. is interpreted as a marine-shelf to brackish, tide-dominated, estuarine deposit. The base of the Salamanca Fm. rests on an unconformity representing a marine flooding surface and lower sections of the Salamanca, facies 1 and 2, contain abundant glauconite and fossils indicative of a marine shelf environment. These facies give way upwards to bi-directional trough cross bedded sandstones interspersed with flaser bedded sandy siltstones (facies 3 and 4) indicating a less marine estuary with strong flow regimes and bi-directional currents. Unique features within these two facies such as microdeltas and plane parallel lamination indicate complex micro-environments and flow patterns. Fossil plant remains lie within lateral accretion sets or siltstone facies both above and below the trough cross-bedded sandstone facies. At the top of the Salamanca we reach facies 6 and 7 which transition from sandstone to black mudstone of the Banco Negro. Mammal fossils found in the Banco Negro identify it as a non-marine continental facies. The Late Paleocene Rio Chico formation that overlies the Banco Negro is identified as a continental fluvial formation indicating that facies 6 represents emptying of the estuary and a longstanding regional transition from a marine to a continental environment. To understand the origin of the tidal flows, a paleogeographic model of the Late Danian Patagonian shelf was constructed from facies distributions within the Salamanca Fm. A 2D hydrodynamic model driven by predicted tides in the paleo-Atlantic produces a tidal range of approximately 2m and strong ebb and flood tides throughout the central estuary. These observations are consistent with our interpretation of a meso-tidal estuarine environment as the paleo-flora accumulation site.

  16. Modeling the evolution of channel shape: Balancing computational efficiency with hydraulic fidelity

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wobus, C.W.; Kean, J.W.; Tucker, G.E.; Anderson, R. Scott

    2008-01-01

    The cross-sectional shape of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate evolution of channel cross-sectional geometry. However, fully two-dimensional (2-D) flow models are too computationally expensive to implement in large-scale landscape evolution models, while available simple empirical relationships between width and discharge do not adequately capture the dynamics of channel adjustment. We have developed a simplified 2-D numerical model of channel evolution in a cohesive, detachment-limited substrate subject to steady, unidirectional flow. Erosion is assumed to be proportional to boundary shear stress, which is calculated using an approximation of the flow field in which log-velocity profiles are assumed to apply along vectors that are perpendicular to the local channel bed. Model predictions of the velocity structure, peak boundary shear stress, and equilibrium channel shape compare well with predictions of a more sophisticated but more computationally demanding ray-isovel model. For example, the mean velocities computed by the two models are consistent to within ???3%, and the predicted peak shear stress is consistent to within ???7%. Furthermore, the shear stress distributions predicted by our model compare favorably with available laboratory measurements for prescribed channel shapes. A modification to our simplified code in which the flow includes a high-velocity core allows the model to be extended to estimate shear stress distributions in channels with large width-to-depth ratios. Our model is efficient enough to incorporate into large-scale landscape evolution codes and can be used to examine how channels adjust both cross-sectional shape and slope in response to tectonic and climatic forcing. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

  17. Three-dimensional finite-element elastic analysis of a thermally cycled single-edge wedge geometry specimen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bizon, P. T.; Hill, R. J.; Guilliams, B. P.; Drake, S. K.; Kladden, J. L.

    1979-01-01

    An elastic stress analysis was performed on a wedge specimen (prismatic bar with single-wedge cross section) subjected to thermal cycles in fluidized beds. Seven different combinations consisting of three alloys (NASA TAZ-8A, 316 stainless steel, and A-286) and four thermal cycling conditions were analyzed. The analyses were performed as a joint effort of two laboratories using different models and computer programs (NASTRAN and ISO3DQ). Stress, strain, and temperature results are presented.

  18. Health Information in Oromo (Afan Oromoo)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Section Bed Bugs Bed Bug Control in Residences - English PDF Bed Bug Control in Residences - Afan Oromoo ( ... Department of Agriculture Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - English PDF Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - Afan Oromoo ( ...

  19. High-Resolution Subsurface Imaging and Stratigraphy of Quaternary Deposits, Marapanim Estuary, Northern Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silva, C. A.; Souza Filho, P. M.; Gouvea Luiz, J.

    2007-05-01

    The Marapanim estuary is situated in the Para Coastal Plain, North Brazil. It is characterized by an embayed coastline developed on Neogene and Quaternary sediments of the Barreiras and Pos-Barreiras Group. This system is strongly influenced by macrotidal regimes with semidiurnal tides and by humid tropical climate conditions. The interpretation of GPR-reflections presented in this paper is based on correlation of the GPR signal with stratigraphic data acquired on the coastal plain through five cores that were taken along GPR survey lines from the recent deposits and outcrops observed along to the coastal area. The profiles were obtained using a Geophysical Survey Systems Inc., Model YR-2 GPR, with monostatic 700 MHz antenna that permitted to get records of subsurface deposits at 20m depth. Were collected 54 radar sections completing a total of 4.360m. The field data were analyzed using a RADAN software and applying different filters. The interpretation of radar facies following the principles of seismic stratigraphy that permitted analyze the sedimentary facies and facies architecture in order to understand the lithology, depositional environments and stratigraphic evolution of this sedimentary succession as well as to leading to a more precise stratigraphic framework for the Neogene to Quaternary deposits at Marapanim coastal plain. Facies characteristics and sedimentologic analysis (i.e., texture, composition and structure aspects) were investigated from five cores collected through a Rammkernsonde system. The locations were determined using a Global Positioning System. Remote sensing images (Landsat-7 ETM+ and RADARSAT-1 Wide) and SRTM elevation data were used to identify and define the distribution of the different morphologic units. The Coastal Plain extends west-east of the mouth of the Marapanim River, where were identified six morphologic units: paleodune, strand plain, recent coastal dune, macrotidal sandy beach, mangrove and salt marsh. The integration of GPR profiles and stratigraphy data allowed for the recognition of paleochannel geometry, with width of 150m and depth of 20m, developed on Barreiras Group, two discontinuity surfaces and three facies associations organized into sedimentary facies: (i) Tidal channel with mottled sand, Conglomerate with clay pebble and Ophiomorpha/linear Skolithos, channel-fill and tabular cross-bedding sand and sand/mud interlayer facies. (ii) Dune/interdune with wavy bedding and cross-bedding sand and planar bedding and tabular cross-bedding sand facies. (iii) infilled tidal channel with mottled sand, planar/flaser bedding sand, lenticular bedding clay and sand/mud interlayer facies. The present study demonstrates that some facies associations occur restricts to tidal paleochannels and shows features well preserved that are very important to reconstruction of the relative sea-level history in the Marapanim Estuary.

  20. Electron-impact excitation and recombination of molecular cations in edge fusion plasma: application to H2+and BeD+

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pop, Nicolina; Iacob, Felix; Mezei, Zsolt; Motapon, Ousmanou; Niyonzima, Sebastien; Schneider, Ioan

    2017-10-01

    Dissociative recombination, ro-vibrational excitation and dissociative excitation of molecular cations with electrons are major elementary process in the kinetics and in the energy balance of astrophysically-relevant ionized media (supernovae, interstellar molecular clouds, planetary ionospheres, early Universe), in edge fusion and in many other cold media of technological interest. For the fusion plasma edge, extensive cross sections and rate coefficients have been produced for reactions induced on HD+, H2+ and BeD+ using the Multichannel Quantum Defect Theory (MQDT). Our calculations resulted in good agreement with the CRYRING (Stockholm) and TSR (Heidelberg) magnetic storage ring results, and our approach is permanently improved in order to face the new generation of electrostatic storage rings, as CSR (Heidelberg) and DESIREE (Stockholm). Member of APS Reciprocal Society: European Physics Society.

  1. Are Eating Disorders Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Nieto-Martínez, Ramfis; González-Rivas, Juan P; Medina-Inojosa, José R; Florez, Hermes

    2017-11-22

    Eating disorders (ED) affect energy intake modifying body fat depots. Prior evidence suggests that binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN) could increase the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D), while anorexia nervosa (AN) could reduce it. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate if ED are risk factors for T2D. Ten studies were selected out of 1057 screened. Meta-analysis of six studies with T2D as outcome is reported. Among cross-sectional studies, both BED (OR 3.69, 95% CI [1.12-12.12]) and BN (OR 3.45 [1.92-6.1]) increased the risk of T2D, while AN was not associated with lower risk (OR 0.87 [0.40-1.88]). Cohort studies showed increased risk of T2D with BN (RR 1.7 [1.2-2.5]), and decreased risk with AN (RR 0.71 [0.52-0.98]), but for BED the association was less clear (OR 3.34 [0.85-13.12]). Limitations of studies and recommendations for future research are presented.

  2. Analysis of the Internal Bed Regulation Committees from hospitals of a Southern Brazilian city

    PubMed Central

    Soares, Vinícius Sabedot

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the composition of the Internal Regulation Committees created in hospitals of a capital city. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study assessing the structure, processes and results of each Committee. Results The main reasons for implementing the committees were legal issues and overcrowding in the emergency department. The most monitored indicators were the occupancy rate and the mean length of stay, and the most observed results were reductions in the latter. Institutional protocols were developed in 70% of cases, and the degree of support that the Internal Regulation Committee received from the hospital managers was high, despite being only average the support received from the medical teams. Promoting the efficient use of beds seemed to be the main goal. To achieve it, the Internal Regulation Committee had to control hospital capacity at levels that allowed proper and safe bed turnover for patients. The strategies for this were varied and needed to integrate administrative and care issues. Conclusion The Internal Regulation Committees were a management tool with great potential and promising results in the experiences evaluated. PMID:29091157

  3. Monitoring and research to describe geomorphic effects of the 2011 controlled flood on the Green River in the Canyon of Lodore, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mueller, Erich R.; Grams, Paul E.; Schmidt, John C.; Hazel, Joseph E.; Kaplinski, Matt; Alexander, Jason A.; Kohl, Keith

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, a large magnitude flow release from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming and Utah, occurred in response to high snowpack in the middle Rocky Mountains. This was the third highest recorded discharge along the Green River downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam, Utah, since its initial closure in November 1962 and motivated a research effort to document effects of these flows on channel morphology and sedimentology at four long-term monitoring sites within the Canyon of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah. Data collected in September 2011 included raft-based bathymetric surveys, ground-based surveys of banks, channel cross sections and vegetation-plot locations, sand-bar stratigraphy, and painted rock recovery on gravel bars. As part of this surveying effort, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data were collected at benchmarks on the canyon rim and along the river corridor to establish a high-resolution survey control network. This survey control network allows for the collection of repeatable spatial and elevation data necessary for high accuracy geomorphic change detection. Nearly 10,000 ground survey points and more than 20,000 bathymetric points (at 1-meter resolution) were collected over a 5-day field campaign, allowing for the construction of reach-scale digital elevation models (DEMs). Additionally, we evaluated long-term geomorphic change at these sites using repeat topographic surveys of eight monumented cross sections at each of the four sites. Analysis of DEMs and channel cross sections show a spatially variable pattern of erosion and deposition, both within and between reaches. As much as 5 meters of scour occurred in pools downstream from flow constrictions, especially in channel segments where gravel bars were absent. By contrast, some channel cross sections were stable during the 2011 floods, and have shown almost no change in over a decade of monitoring. Partial mobility of gravel bars occurred, and although in some locations vegetation such as tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) was damaged, wholesale bed motion necessary to fully clear these surfaces was not evident. In flow recirculation zones, eddy sandbars aggraded one meter or more, increasing the area of bars exposed during typical dam operations. Yet overall, the 2011 flood resulted in a decrease in reach-scale sand storage because bed degradation exceeded bar deposition. The 2011 response is consistent with that of a similar event in 1999, which was followed by sand-bar erosion and sediment accumulation on the bed during subsequent years of normal dam operational flows. Although the 1999 and 2011 floods were exceptional in the post-dam system, they did not exceed the pre-dam 2-year flood, isolating their effects to the modern active channel with minor erosion or reworking of pre-dam deposits stabilized through vegetation encroachment.

  4. Suspended and Bedload Sand dynamics in the Mekong River Channel and Export to the Coastal Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stephens, J. D.; Di Leonardo, D. R.; Weathers, H. D., III; Allison, M. A.

    2016-02-01

    Two field campaigns were conducted in the tidal and estuarine reach of the Song Hau distributary of the Mekong River to examine the dynamics of sand transport and export to the coastal ocean. This study examines variation in suspended sand concentration and net transport with respect to changes in discharge between the October 2014 high discharge and March 2015 low discharge studies, and over semi-diurnal and spring-neap tidal cycles between Can Tho and the Tran De and Dinh An distributary channels in the Mekong Delta. Suspended sand concentrations were measured using a P-61 isokinetic suspended sediment sampler and a Sequoia Scientific LISST-100X used in vertical profiling mode. Stationary ADCP data are used to examine bed stress at cast sites. Bed load transport rates were calculated using a repeat multibeam transect methodology and dune translation rates with flow. Preliminary results indicate that suspended sand concentration increases towards the bed and is positively correlated with increasing shear stress controlled by river discharge and tides. However, sites with non-sandy bottoms, as indicated by multibeam bathymetry, have low suspended sand concentrations, suggesting a close linkage with a bed sand source. Bed load transport rates vary cross-sectionally with shear stress and are linked to dune size. Most bed load transport is taking place in or near the thalweg. The reduction in ebb flows at low discharge and the mantling of sand fields by salinity driven mud deposition, is suspected to control the low suspended sand concentrations observed in March. Results to date suggest that net sand export (suspended plus bed load) to the ocean occurs predominantly during the high discharge monsoon season.

  5. Lateral solids dispersion coefficient in large-scale fluidized beds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Daoyin; Chen, Xiaoping

    2010-11-15

    The design of fuel feed ports in a large-scale fluidized bed combustor depends on the fuel characteristics and lateral solids mixing. However, the reported values of the effective lateral solids dispersion coefficient (D{sub sr}) are scattered in the broad range of 0.0001-0.1 m{sup 2}/s. With the aim of predicting D{sub sr} in wider fluidized beds which is difficult to measure directly or deduce from experimental results in lab-scale facilities, a computational method is proposed. It combines the Eulerian-Granular simulation and fictitious particle tracing technique. The value of D{sub sr} is calculated based on the movement of the tracers. The effectmore » on D{sub sr} of bed width (W) ranging from 0.4 m up to 12.8 m at different levels of superficial gas velocity (U{sub 0}) is investigated. It is found that increasing W whilst maintaining U{sub 0}, D{sub sr} initially increases markedly, then its increase rate declines, and finally it stays around a constant value. The computed values of D{sub sr} are examined quantitatively and compared with a thorough list of the measured D{sub sr} in the literature since 1980s. Agreed with the measurements performed in the pilot-scale fluidized beds, the value of D{sub sr} in wider facilities at higher fluidizing velocities is predicted to be around the order of magnitude of 0.1 m{sup 2}/s, much higher than that in lab-scale beds. Finally, the effect of D{sub sr} on the distribution of fuel particles over the cross section in fluidized beds with the specified layout of feed ports is discussed. (author)« less

  6. Regional Variation in Neonatal Intensive Care Admissions and the Relationship to Bed Supply.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Wade N; Wasserman, Jared R; Goodman, David C

    2018-01-01

    To characterize geographic variation in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates across the entire birth cohort and evaluate the relationship between regional bed supply and NICU admission rates. This was a population-based, cross-sectional study. 2013 US birth certificate and 2012 American Hospital Association data were used to assign newborns and NICU beds to neonatal intensive care regions. Descriptive statistics of admission rates were calculated across neonatal intensive care regions. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between bed supply and individual odds of admission, with adjustment for maternal and newborn characteristics. Among 3 304 364 study newborns, the NICU admission rate was 7.2 per 100 births and varied across regions for all birth weight categories. IQRs in admission rates were 84.5-93.2 per 100 births for 500-1499 g, 35.3-46.1 for 1500-2499 g, and 3.5-5.5 for ≥2500 g. Adjusted odds of admission for newborns of very low birth weight were unrelated to regional bed supply; however, newborns ≥2500 g in regions with the highest NICU bed supply were significantly more likely to be admitted to a NICU than those in regions with the lowest (aOR 1.20 [1.03-1.40]). There is persistent underuse of NICU care for newborns of very low birth weight that is not associated with regional bed supply. Among larger newborns, we find evidence of supply-sensitive care, raising concerns about the potential overuse of expensive and unnecessary care. Rather than improving access to needed care, NICU expansion may instead further deregionalize neonatal care, exacerbating underuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Improving efficiency, reducing infection, and enhancing experience.

    PubMed

    Massa, Judith

    For health professionals to make an informed choice and tailor each bed bath to the individual needs of the patient, they must firstly understand the different bed bath options available, their impact on skin integrity, and any associated risks they may pose to the patient in terms of cross-infection. Only with this knowledge can health professionals determine the appropriate form and frequency of the bed bath. Specialist wipes offer significant improvements in skin care and a reduced risk of cross-infection, compared with the traditional soap and water bed bath. Use of these wipes also improves the efficiency of the process, which links to the Productive Ward Initiative and results in clinical staff (i.e. nursing staff, healthcare assistants) having more time available to undertake additional patient care activities. This product focus highlights the benefits of moving to a wipe-based bed bath method, and the significant efficiency savings that can be realized as a result.

  8. Use of artificial tanning products among young adults.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Katie; Brooks, Daniel; Dajani, Zeina; Swetter, Susan M; Powers, Erin; Pagoto, Sherry; Geller, Alan C

    2006-06-01

    Neither the prevalence of sunless tanner use nor its impact on sunburning and tanning bed use has been evaluated in the United States. We surveyed young adults in greater Boston to measure use of artificial tanning products, as well as recent history of sunburns and tanning bed use. In July 2004, 448 individuals 18 to 30 years of age completed a brief questionnaire at universities, shopping venues, and parks. Twenty-two percent of respondents used sunless tanning lotions in the preceding 12 months, and another 22% had not used them but would consider doing so in the coming year. Sunless tanning users were more likely to be female, younger, and more likely to report being severe burners. Both users and potential users were more likely to have sunburned during the summer and to have used tanning beds than those who neither used nor intended to use sunless tanning lotions, even after controlling for skin type. The study was based on a non-randomly selected sample in one city and was cross-sectional in nature. Our study raises the possibility that sunless tanning products do not decrease rates of sunburning or use of tanning beds. While safe alternatives to ultraviolet exposure are desirable, the potential risks of widely endorsing artificial tanning products must be considered.

  9. Risky Behaviors of Mothers with Infants on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Erdoğan, Çiğdem; Turan, Türkan

    Sudden infant death syndrome is the most common cause of death during the post-neonatal period. Factors such as sleeping position, bed sharing, pillow use, smoking during pregnancy and the breastfeeding period constitute risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome. This study aims to identify the risky behaviors of mothers with infants that may put their children at risk for sudden infant death syndrome. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data were collected using a questionnaire that was developed by the researchers. The questionnaire was filled out by 456 mothers who applied to the family health center between October 2014 and January 2015. The greatest risk factor is the infant's sleeping position. A total of 77.9% of the mothers put their babies in bed in a non-supine position; 65.8% used a pillow when they put their babies in bed, 52.9% used a soft mattress, and 28.5% shared their beds with their babies. Prone sleeping was more likely to occur when smoke was present in the home or a pillow was used. Nurses should notify families of the risky behaviors that can cause sudden infant death syndrome and plan appropriate nursing care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Modeling the influence of river rehabilitation scenarios on bed material sediment flux in a large river over decadal timescales

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Singer, Michael B.; Dunne, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    A stochastic flood generator and calibrated sediment transport formulae were used to assess the decadal impact of major river rehabilitation strategies on two fraction bed material sediment flux and net storage, first‐order indicators of aquatic riverine habitat, in a large river system. Model boundary conditions were modified to reflect the implementation of three major river rehabilitation strategies being considered in the Sacramento River Valley: gravel augmentation, setting back of levees, and flow alteration. Fifty 30‐year model simulations were used to compute probabilities of the response in sediment flux and net storage to these strategies. Total annual average bed material sediment flux estimates were made at six gauged river cross sections, and ∼60 km reach‐scale sediment budgets were evaluated between them. Gravel augmentation to improve spawning habitat induced gravel accumulation locally and/or downstream, depending on the added mixture. Levee setbacks to recreate the river corridor reduced flow stages for most flows and hence lowered sediment flux. Flow alteration to mimic natural flow regimes systematically decreased total annual average flux, suggesting that high‐magnitude low‐frequency transport events do not affect long‐term trends in bed material flux. The results indicate that each rehabilitation strategy reduces sediment transport in its target reaches and modulates imbalances in total annual bed material sediment budgets at the reach scale. Additional risk analysis is necessary to identify extreme conditions associated with variable hydrology that could affect rehabilitation over decades. Sensitivity analysis suggests that sorting of bed material sediment is the most important determinant of modeled transport and storage patterns.

  11. Safety analysis of patient transfers and handling tasks.

    PubMed

    Vieira, Er; Kumar, S

    2009-10-01

    Low-back disorders are related to biomechanical demands, and nurses are among the professionals with the highest rates. Quantification of risk factors is important for safety assessment and reduction of low-back disorders. This study aimed to quantify physical demands of frequent nursing tasks and provide evidence-based recommendations to increase low-back safety. Thirty-six volunteer female nurses participated in a cross-sectional study of nine nursing tasks. Lumbar range of motion (ROM) and motion during nursing tasks were measured. Compression and shear forces at L5/S1, ligament strain and percentage of population without sufficient torso strength to perform 14 phases of nine nursing tasks were estimated. Peak flexions during trolley-to-bed, bed-to-chair and chair-to-bed transfers reached the maximum flexion ROM of the nurses. Average lumbar flexion during trolley-to-bed transfers was >50% of flexion ROM, being higher than during all other tasks. Mean (SD) compression at L5/S1 (4754 N (437 N)) and population without sufficient torso strength (37% (9%)) were highest during the pushing phase of bed-to-trolley transfers. Shear force (487 N (40 N)) and ligament strain (14% (5%)) were highest during the pulling phase of trolley-to-bed transfers. Nursing tasks impose high biomechanical demands on the lumbar spine. Excessive lumbar flexion and forces are critical aspects of manual transfers requiring most of the nurses' capabilities. Evidence-based recommendations to improve low-back safety in common nursing tasks were provided. Fitness to work, job modifications and training programs can now be designed and assessed based on the results.

  12. Heat pump apparatus

    DOEpatents

    Nelson, Paul A.; Horowitz, Jeffrey S.

    1983-01-01

    A heat pump apparatus including a compact arrangement of individual tubular reactors containing hydride-dehydride beds in opposite end sections, each pair of beds in each reactor being operable by sequential and coordinated treatment with a plurality of heat transfer fluids in a plurality of processing stages, and first and second valves located adjacent the reactor end sections with rotatable members having multiple ports and associated portions for separating the hydride beds at each of the end sections into groups and for simultaneously directing a plurality of heat transfer fluids to the different groups. As heat is being generated by a group of beds, others are being regenerated so that heat is continuously available for space heating. As each of the processing stages is completed for a hydride bed or group of beds, each valve member is rotated causing the heat transfer fluid for the heat processing stage to be directed to that bed or group of beds. Each of the end sections are arranged to form a closed perimeter and the valve member may be rotated repeatedly about the perimeter to provide a continuous operation. Both valves are driven by a common motor to provide a coordinated treatment of beds in the same reactors. The heat pump apparatus is particularly suitable for the utilization of thermal energy supplied by solar collectors and concentrators but may be used with any source of heat, including a source of low-grade heat.

  13. Collagen cross-link excretion during space flight and bed rest

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, S. M.; Nillen, J. L.; Leblanc, A.; Lipton, A.; Demers, L. M.; Lane, H. W.; Leach, C. S.; LeBlanc, A. (Principal Investigator)

    1998-01-01

    Extended exposure to weightlessness results in bone loss. However, little information exists as to the precise nature or time course of this bone loss. Bone resorption results in the release of collagen breakdown products, including N-telopeptide and the pyridinium (PYD) cross-links, pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline. Urinary pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline are known to increase during bed rest. We assessed excretion of PYD cross-links and N-telopeptide before, during, and after long (28-day, 59-day, and 84-day) Skylab missions, as well as during short (14-day) and long (119-day) bed-rest studies. During space flight, the urinary cross-link excretion level was twice those observed before flight. Urinary excretion levels of the collagen breakdown products were also 40-50% higher, during short and long bed rest, than before. These results clearly show that the changes in bone metabolism associated with space flight involve increased resorption. The rate of response (i.e. within days to weeks) suggests that alterations in bone metabolism are an early effect of weightlessness. These studies are important for a better understanding of bone metabolism in space crews and in those who are bedridden.

  14. Experimental study on the effects of fixed boundaries in channelized free surface dry granular flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarno, Luca; Carleo, Luigi; Nicolina Papa, Maria

    2017-04-01

    The dynamics of granular mixtures, involved in geophysical flows like avalanches and debris flows, is far from being completely understood. Several features of their motion, such as rheological stratification, non-local and boundary effects, still represent open problems. Experimental investigations at laboratory scale are an important tool that can provide insights about the dynamics of gravity driven granular flows. The measuring techniques should be non-invasive in order to measure undisturbed flows. In this work we present an experimental campaign devoted to the measurement of the velocity profiles of free surface steady granular flows in an open channel. To achieve this goal the flows were recorded by two cameras and velocity profiles were obtained by image analysis. The employed granular medium consists of acetal-polymeric beads with a mean diameter of 3mm and an estimated internal friction angle of 27°. All the experiments have been performed in a 2m-long plexiglas flume with a rectangular cross-section and a slope angle of 30°. The upper part of the channel was used as a reservoir where the material was loaded before each run and then let flow down through an adjustable gate. Several mass flow rates were investigated. Three different basal surfaces were employed so as to observe slip and non-slip boundary conditions: a smooth Bakelite surface, a roughened surface, obtained by gluing a layer of grains on the bed surface and a sandpaper surface with characteristic length of the roughness equal to 425 µm. The flume is equipped with two high-speed cameras, one placed aside the channel and the other one perpendicular to the channel bed, as to get both side-wall and free surface velocity profiles. The particle image velocimetry open-source code, PIVlab, is employed for estimating the flow velocities. All the free surface velocity profiles show an approximately parabolic shape with a maximum at the cross-section midpoint and a minimum at the side-walls, due to the wall friction. Different kinds of side-wall velocity profiles are observed. As regards the smooth basal surface, a slip velocity at the bed is observed. The profiles are Bagnold-type near the free surface and become linear as the depth increases. On the glued-grain basal surface the flow velocity at the bed is null and all the velocity profiles show a rheological stratification with a lower exponential tail and an upper linear profile. Grain rolling is observed at the sandpaper bed, instead. With the increase of flow depths, the velocity profiles gradually shift from the ones observed on the smooth bed to the ones observed on the glued-grain bed. In order to further understand the constitutive behaviour of granular mixtures, it is useful to perform simultaneous measurements of flow velocity and volume fraction. In this perspective, a new series of experiments is actually undergoing for the measurement of the volume fraction.

  15. Structural design models for tunnels in soft soil

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Duddeck, H.; Erdmann, J.

    In 1982 the ITA (International Tunnelling Association) working group on structural design models for tunnelling published the answers to a questionnaire in the form of a synopsis. As a continuation of that work, results of an investigation on design models for soft ground tunnels are presented and a comparative review of the progress to date in this field is given. The main differences in the assumptions entering the different models are stated. Diagrams for the hoop forces, bending moments and radial displacements shows the differences in the design values evaluated for three different models: (1) the continuum models; (2) themore » design model by Muir Wood; and (3) the bedded beam model without bedding at the crown region. Because a comparison with free parameters necessitates analytical solutions, only circular cross-sections were investigated. Nevertheless the results of the investigation also may be valid to a great extent for noncircular cross-sections and a more refined numerical analyses. It can be shown that there is a trend toward agreement on the proper assumptions and on the design models applied either for shallow or for deep tunnels. As should be expected, the bending moments are sensitive with regard to the model chosen, whereas the hoop forces in the tunnel ring are rather unaffected by the change of ground and lining properties. The significance of the nonlinearity due to geometrical deformations or to plastic behavior is demonstrated from specific examples.« less

  16. ICU fire evacuation preparedness in London: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Murphy, G R F; Foot, C

    2011-05-01

    Hospital fires present a sporadic but significant threat to patients and staff. This is especially so within an intensive care unit (ICU) setting, due to the complexity of moving acutely unwell patients reliant on invasive monitoring and organ support. Despite an average of 500 in-hospital fires reported to the UK department of health per annum, causing 65 injuries and 1-2 fatalities, the readiness of ICUs for urgent evacuation has not been assessed. A cross-sectional survey of all 50 adult and paediatric ICUs within the London Postgraduate Deanery was conducted; neonatal units were excluded. The senior nurse at each unit was asked to complete a 90-question structured questionnaire, covering unit patient characteristics, design, equipment, training, and their evacuation plan. Thirty-five of 50 (70%) responded within 2 months of the study. Significant weaknesses were reported in unit design, equipment, and planning. Unit design was compromised by inadequate fire doors (20%), ventilation cut-outs (17%), and escape routes (up to 60%). The ability to evacuate multiple patients simultaneously may be limited by a lack of portable monitoring equipment (49% of beds) and emergency drug supplies (20% of beds). Evacuation plans were often limited in their scope (96% expected to remain on their floor; 14% had plans to obtain medications after evacuation), and not rehearsed (60%). Staff training, while well provided for permanent staff, is less so for temporary staff (34%). Forward planning for an urgent evacuation can be improved.

  17. Change detection of riverbed movements using river cross-sections and LiDAR data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vetter, Michael; Höfle, Bernhard; Mandlburger, Gottfried; Rutzinger, Martin

    2010-05-01

    Today, Airborne LiDAR derived digital terrain models (DTMs) are used for several aspects in different scientific disciplines, such as hydrology, geomorphology or archaeology. In the field of river geomorphology, LiDAR data sets can provide information on the riverine vegetation, the level and boundary of the water body, the elevation of the riparian foreland and their roughness. The LiDAR systems in use for topographic data acquisition mainly operate with wavelengths of at least 1064nm and, thus, are not able to penetrate water. LiDAR sensors with two wavelengths are available (bathymetric LiDAR), but they can only provide elevation information of riverbeds or lakes, if the water is clear and the minimum water depth exceeds 1.5m. In small and shallow rivers it is impossible to collect information of the riverbed, regardless of the used LiDAR sensor. In this article, we present a method to derive a high-resolution DTM of the riverbed and to combine it with the LiDAR DTM resulting in a watercourse DTM (DTM-W) as a basis for calculating the changes in the riverbed during several years. To obtain such a DTM-W we use river cross-sections acquired by terrestrial survey or echo-sounding. First, a differentiation between water and land has to be done. A highly accurate water surface can be derived by using a water surface delineation algorithm, which incorporates the amplitude information of the LiDAR point cloud and additional geometrical features (e.g. local surface roughness). The second step is to calculate a thalweg line, which is the lowest flow path in the riverbed. This is achieved by extracting the lowest point of each river cross section and by fitting a B-spline curve through those points. In the next step, the centerline of the river is calculated by applying a shrinking algorithm of the water boundary polygon. By averaging the thalweg line and the centerline, a main flow path line can be computed. Subsequently, a dense array of 2D-profiles perpendicular to the flow path line is defined and the heights are computed by linear interpolation of the original cross sections. Thus, a very dense 3D point cloud of the riverbed is obtained from which a grid model of the river bed can be calculated applying any suitable interpolation technique like triangulation, linear prediction or inverse distance mapping. In a final step, the river bed model and the LiDAR DTM are combined resulting in a watercourse DTM. By computing different DTM-Ws from multiple cross section data sets, the volume and the magnitude of changes in the riverbed can be estimated. Hence, the erosion or accumulation areas and their volume changes during several years can be quantified.

  18. Fluvial sandstone reservoirs of Travis Peak (Hosston) Formation, east Texas basin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tye, R.S.

    1989-03-01

    Gas production (7.2 billion ft/sup 3/) from low-permeability sandstones in the Travis Peak Formation, North Appleby field, Nacogdoches County, Texas, is enhanced through massive hydraulic fracturing of stacked sandstones that occur at depths between 8000 and 10,000 ft. stratigraphic reservoirs were formed in multilateral tabular sandstones owing to impermeable mudstone interbeds that encase blocky to upward-fining sandstones. Pervasive quartz cement in the sandstones decreases porosity and permeability and augments the reservoir seal. Subsurface data indicate that much of this 2000-ft thick section represents aggradation of alluvial-valley deposits. Multiple channel belts form a network of overlapping, broad, tabular sandstones having thickness-to-widthmore » ratios of 1:850 (8-44 ft thick; widths exceed 4-5 mi). Six to eight channel belts, each containing 80-90% medium to fine-grained sandstone, can occupy a 200-ft thick interval. In a vertical sequence through one channel belt sandstone, basal planar cross-bedding grades upward into thinly interbedded sets of planar cross-beds and ripple cross-lamination. Clay-clast conglomerates line scoured channel bases. Adjacent to the channels, interbedded mudstones accumulated in well-drained swamps and lakes. Poorly sorted sandstones represent overbank deposition (crevasse splays and lacustrine deltas). During Travis Peak deposition, fluvial styles evolved from dominantly braided systems near the base of the formation to more mud-rich, meandering systems at the top.« less

  19. Whey protein with potassium bicarbonate supplement attenuates the reduction in muscle oxidative capacity during 19 days of bed rest.

    PubMed

    Bosutti, Alessandra; Salanova, Michele; Blottner, Dieter; Buehlmeier, Judith; Mulder, Edwin; Rittweger, Jörn; Yap, Moi Hoon; Ganse, Bergita; Degens, Hans

    2016-10-01

    The effectiveness of whey protein plus potassium bicarbonate-enriched diet (WP+KHCO 3 ) in mitigating disuse-induced changes in muscle fiber oxidative capacity and capillarization was investigated in a 21-day crossover design bed rest study. Ten healthy men (31 ± 6 yr) once received WP+KHCO 3 and once received a standardized isocaloric diet. Muscle biopsies were taken 2 days before and during the 19th day of bed rest (BR) from the soleus (SOL) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle. Whole-body aerobic power (V̇o 2 max ), muscle fatigue, and isometric strength of knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles were monitored. Muscle fiber types and capillaries were identified by immunohistochemistry. Fiber oxidative capacity was determined as the optical density (OD) at 660 nm of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-stained sections. The product of fiber cross-sectional area and SDH-OD (integrated SDH) indicated the maximal oxygen consumption of that fiber. The maximal oxygen consumption supported by a capillary was calculated as the integrated SDH in its supply area. BR reduced isometric strength of knee extensor muscles (P < 0.05), and the fiber oxidative capacity (P < 0.001) and V̇o 2 max (P = 0.042), but had no significant impact on muscle capillarization or fatigue resistance of thigh muscles. The maximal oxygen consumption supported by a capillary was reduced by 24% in SOL and 16% in VL (P < 0.001). WP+KHCO 3 attenuated the disuse-induced reduction in fiber oxidative capacity in both muscles (P < 0.01). In conclusion, following 19 days of bed rest, the decrement in fiber oxidative capacity is proportionally larger than the loss of capillaries. WP+KHCO 3 appears to attenuate disuse-induced reductions in fiber oxidative capacity. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

  20. 25. Typical valves used to control flow into and out ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    25. Typical valves used to control flow into and out of filtration bed. Left valve (painted red) drains the bed, and center valve (painted green) admits water into the bed. The right valve is a cross over valve which is used to admit water into a dry bed from the bottom. This bottom fill excludes entrapped air as the bed is filled. When the water reached to top of the bed, filling is continued from the top of the bed. - Lake Whitney Water Filtration Plant, Filtration Plant, South side of Armory Street between Edgehill Road & Whitney Avenue, Hamden, New Haven County, CT

  1. The Frasnian-Famennian boundary (Upper Devonian) within the Hanover-Dunkirk transition, northern Appalachian basin, western New York state

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Over, D.J.

    In western New York State interbedded pyritic silty green and dark grey shales and siltstone of the Hanover Member, Java Formation, West Falls Group, are overlain by thick pyritic dark grey-black shale of the Dunkirk Member of the Canadaway formation. The dark shales in the upper Hanover and Dunkirk contain a diverse and well preserved conodont fauna which allows precise placement of the Frasnian-Famennian boundary at several described sections. At Pt. Gratiot, in far western New York State, the contact between the Hanover and Dunkirk is disconformable. The Frasnian-Famennian boundary is marked by a pyritic lag deposit at the basemore » of the Dunkirk which contains Palmatolepis triangularis and Pa. subperlobata. The underlying upper Hanover is characterized by Pa. bogartensis , Pa. cf. Pa. rhenana, Pa. winchelli, and Ancyrognathus (asymmetricus/calvini) Eastward, in the direction of the paleo-source area, the Frasnian-Famennian boundary is within the upper Hanover Member. At Irish Gulf the boundary is recognized within a 10 cm thick laminated pyritic dark grey shale bed 3.0 m below the base of the Dunkirk. Palmatolepis triangularis and Pa. subperlobata occur below a conodont-rich lag layer in the upper 2 cm of the bed. Palmatolepis bogartensis , Pa. cf. Pa. rhenana, Ancyrodella curvata, and Icriodus alternatus occur in the underlying 8 cm. Palmatolepis triangularis and Pa. winchelli occur in an underlying dark shale bed separated from the boundary bed by a hummocky cross-bedded siltstone layer.« less

  2. Hospital Nursing Workforce Costs, Wages, Occupational Mix,and Resource Utilization.

    PubMed

    Welton, John M

    2015-10-01

    The objective of the study was to better understand how hospitals use different types of RNs, LPNs, and nurse aides in proprietary (for-profit), nonprofit, and government-owned hospitals and to estimate the wages, cost, and intensity of nursing care using a national data set. This is a cross-sectional observational study of 3,129 acute care hospitals in all 50 states and District of Columbia using data from the 2008 Occupational Mix Survey administered by the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services (CMS). Nursing skill mix, hours, and labor costs were combined with other CMS hospital descriptive data, including type of hospital ownership, urban or rural location, hospital beds, and case-mix index. RN labor costs make up 25.5% of all hospital expenditures annually, and all nursing labor costs represent 30.1%, which is nearly a quarter trillion dollars ($216.7 billion) per year for inpatient nursing care. On average, proprietary hospitals employ 1.3 RNs per bed and 1.9 nursing personnel per bed in urban hospitals compared with 1.7 RNs per bed and 2.3 nursing personnel per bed for nonprofit and government-owned hospitals (P G .05). States with higher ratios of RN compared with LPN licenses used fewer LPNs in the inpatient setting. The findings from this study can be helpful in comparing nursing care across different types of hospitals, ownership, and geographic locations and used as a benchmark for future nursing workforce needs and costs.

  3. Mild, moderate, meaningful? Examining the psychological and functioning correlates of DSM-5 eating disorder severity specifiers.

    PubMed

    Gianini, Loren; Roberto, Christina A; Attia, Evelyn; Walsh, B Timothy; Thomas, Jennifer J; Eddy, Kamryn T; Grilo, Carlos M; Weigel, Thomas; Sysko, Robyn

    2017-08-01

    This study evaluated the DSM-5 severity specifiers for treatment-seeking groups of participants with anorexia nervosa (AN), the purging form of bulimia nervosa (BN), and binge-eating disorder (BED). Hundred and sixty-two participants with AN, 93 participants with BN, and 343 participants with BED were diagnosed using semi-structured interviews, sub-categorized using DSM-5 severity specifiers and compared on demographic and cross-sectional clinical measures. In AN, the number of previous hospitalizations and the duration of illness increased with severity, but there was no difference across severity groups on measures of eating pathology, depression, or measures of self-reported physical or emotional functioning. In BN, the level of eating concerns increased across the severity groups, but the groups did not differ on measures of depression, self-esteem, and most eating pathology variables. In BN, support was also found for an alternative severity classification scheme based upon number of methods of purging. In BED, levels of several measures of eating pathology and self-reported physical and emotional functioning increased across the severity groups. For BED, however, support was also found for an alternative severity classification scheme based upon overvaluation of shape and weight. Preliminary evidence was also found for a transdiagnostic severity index based upon overvaluation of shape and weight. Overall, these data show limited support for the DSM-5 severity specifiers for BN and modest support for the DSM-5 severity specifiers for AN and BED. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Countermeasures against lumbar spine deconditioning in prolonged bed rest: resistive exercise with and without whole body vibration.

    PubMed

    Belavý, Daniel L; Armbrecht, Gabriele; Gast, Ulf; Richardson, Carolyn A; Hides, Julie A; Felsenberg, Dieter

    2010-12-01

    To evaluate the effect of short-duration, high-load resistive exercise, with and without whole body vibration on lumbar muscle size, intervertebral disk and spinal morphology changes, and low back pain (LBP) incidence during prolonged bed rest, 24 subjects underwent 60 days of head-down tilt bed rest and performed either resistive vibration exercise (n = 7), resistive exercise only (n = 8), or no exercise (n = 9; 2nd Berlin Bed-Rest Study). Discal and spinal shape was measured from sagittal plane magnetic resonance images. Cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the multifidus, erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, and psoas were measured on para-axial magnetic resonance images. LBP incidence was assessed with questionnaires at regular intervals. The countermeasures reduced CSA loss in the multifidus, lumbar erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles, with greater increases in psoas muscle CSA seen in the countermeasure groups (P ≤ 0.004). There was little statistical evidence for an additional effect of whole body vibration above resistive exercise alone on these muscle changes. Exercise subjects reported LBP more frequently in the first week of bed rest, but this was only significant in resistive exercise only (P = 0.011 vs. control, resistive vibration exercise vs. control: P = 0.56). No effect of the countermeasures on changes in spinal morphology was seen (P ≥ 0.22). The results suggest that high-load resistive exercise, with or without whole body vibration, performed 3 days/wk can reduce lumbar muscle atrophy, but further countermeasure optimization is required.

  5. Air-drying beds reduce the quantities of antibiotic resistance genes and class 1 integrons in residual municipal wastewater solids.

    PubMed

    Burch, Tucker R; Sadowsky, Michael J; LaPara, Timothy M

    2013-09-03

    This study investigated whether air-drying beds reduce antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) concentrations in residual municipal wastewater solids. Three laboratory-scale drying beds were operated for a period of nearly 100 days. Real-time PCR was used to quantify 16S rRNA genes, 16S rRNA genes specific to fecal bacteria (AllBac) and human fecal bacteria (HF183), the integrase gene of class 1 integrons (intI1), and five ARGs representing a cross-section of antibiotic classes and resistance mechanisms (erm(B), sul1, tet(A), tet(W), and tet(X)). Air-drying beds were capable of reducing all gene target concentrations by 1 to 5 orders of magnitude, and the nature of this reduction was consistent with both a net decrease in the number of bacterial cells and a lack of selection within the microbial community. Half-lives varied between 1.5 d (HF183) and 5.4 d (tet(X)) during the first 20 d of treatment. After the first 20 d of treatment, however, half-lives varied between 8.6 d (tet(X)) and 19.3 d (AllBac), and 16S rRNA gene, intI1, and sul1 concentrations did not change (P > 0.05). These results demonstrate that air-drying beds can reduce ARG and intI1 concentrations in residual municipal wastewater solids within timeframes typical of operating practices.

  6. Hospital nursing workforce costs, wages, occupational mix, and resource utilization.

    PubMed

    Welton, John M

    2011-01-01

    : The objective of the study was to better understand how hospitals use different types of RNs, LPNs, and nurse aides in proprietary (for-profit), nonprofit, and government-owned hospitals and to estimate the wages, cost, and intensity of nursing care using a national data set. : This is a cross-sectional observational study of 3,129 acute care hospitals in all 50 states and District of Columbia using data from the 2008 Occupational Mix Survey administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Nursing skill mix, hours, and labor costs were combined with other CMS hospital descriptive data, including type of hospital ownership, urban or rural location, hospital beds, and case-mix index. : RN labor costs make up 25.5% of all hospital expenditures annually, and all nursing labor costs represent 30.1%, which is nearly a quarter trillion dollars ($216.7 billion) per year for inpatient nursing care. On average, proprietary hospitals employ 1.3 RNs per bed and 1.9 nursing personnel per bed in urban hospitals compared with 1.7 RNs per bed and 2.3 nursing personnel per bed for nonprofit and government-owned hospitals (P < .05). States with higher ratios of RN compared with LPN licenses used fewer LPNs in the inpatient setting. : The findings from this study can be helpful in comparing nursing care across different types of hospitals, ownership, and geographic locations and used as a benchmark for future nursing workforce needs and costs.

  7. Sedimentary Petrography and Facies Analysis at the Shaler Outcrop, Gale Crater, Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edgar, L. A.; Gupta, S.; Rubin, D. M.; Lewis, K. W.; Kocurek, G.; Anderson, R. B.; Bell, J. F.; Dromart, G.; Edgett, K. S.; Grotzinger, J. P.; Hardgrove, C. J.; Kah, L. C.; Leveille, R. J.; Malin, M.; Mangold, N.; Milliken, R.; Minitti, M. E.; Rice, M. S.; Rowland, S. K.; Schieber, J.; Stack, K.; Sumner, D. Y.; Team, M.

    2013-12-01

    The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover has recently completed an investigation of a large fluvial deposit known informally as the Shaler outcrop (~1 m thick). Curiosity acquired data at the Shaler outcrop during sols 120-121 and 309-324. The Shaler outcrop is comprised of cross-bedded coarse-grained sandstones and recessive finer-grained intervals. Shaler is distinguished from the surrounding units by the presence of resistant beds exhibiting decimeter scale trough cross-bedding. Observations using the Mast Cameras, Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) and ChemCam Remote Micro Imager (RMI) enable the recognition of several distinct facies. MAHLI images were acquired on five distinct rock targets, and RMI images were acquired at 33 different locations. On the basis of grain size, erosional resistance, color, and sedimentary structures, we identify four facies: 1) resistant cross-stratified facies, 2) smooth, fine-grained cross-stratified facies, 3) dark gray, pitted facies, and 4) recessive, vertically fractured facies. Panoramic Mastcam observations reveal facies distributions and associations, and show cross-bedded facies that are similar to those observed at the Rocknest and Bathurst_Inlet locations. MAHLI and RMI images are used to determine the grain size, sorting, rounding and sedimentary fabric of the different facies. High-resolution images also reveal small-scale diagenetic features and sedimentary structures that are used to reconstruct the depositional and diagenetic history.

  8. River bed Elevation Changes and Increasing Flood Hazards in the Nisqually River at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halmon, S.; Kennard, P.; Beason, S.; Beaulieu, E.; Mitchell, L.

    2006-12-01

    Mount Rainier, located in Southwestern Washington, is the most heavily glaciated volcano of the Cascade Mountain Range. Due to the large quantities of glaciers, Mount Rainier also has a large number of braided rivers, which are formed by a heavy sediment load being released from the glaciers. As sediment builds in the river, its bed increases, or aggrades,its floodplain changes. Some contributions to a river's increased sediment load are debris flows, erosion, and runoff, which tend to carry trees, boulders, and sediment downstream. Over a period of time, the increased sediment load will result in the river's rise in elevation. The purpose of this study is to monitor aggradation rates, which is an increase in height of the river bed, in one of Mount Rainier's major rivers, the Nisqually. The studied location is near employee offices and visitor attractions in Longmire. The results of this study will also provide support to decision makers regarding geological hazard reduction in the area. The Nisqually glacier is located on the southern side of the volcano, which receives a lot of sunlight, thus releasing large amounts of snowmelt and sediment in the summer. Historical data indicate that several current features which may contribute to future flooding, such as the unnatural uphill slope to the river, which is due to a major depositional event in the late 1700s where 15 ft of material was deposited in this area. Other current features are the glaciers surrounding the Nisqually glacier, such as the Van Trump and Kaultz glaciers that produced large outbursts, affecting the Nisqually River and the Longmire area in 2001, 2003, and 2005. In an effort to further explore these areas, the research team used a surveying device, total station, in the Nisqually River to measure elevation change and angles of various positions within ten cross sections along the Longmire area. This data was then put into GIS for analyzation of its current sediment level and for comparison to previous cross sections, which were in 1993 and 2005. Results of the data analysis revealed changes in altitude of the sediment, as well as new areas of built up sediment. For example, a 7 foot increase in elevation, which was not revealed in the 2005 data, indicated there was an increased amount of debris that traveled from upstream. Further data will be obtained once all the cross sections are completed and data is closer analyzed.

  9. Morphological changes of Gumara River channel over 50 years, upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abate, Mengiste; Nyssen, Jan; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Moges, Michael M.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Enku, Temesgen; Adgo, Enyew

    2015-06-01

    In response to anthropogenic disturbances, alluvial rivers adjust their geometry. The alluvial river channels in the upper Blue Nile basin have been disturbed by human-induced factors since a longtime. This paper examines channel adjustment along a 38-km stretch of the Gumara River which drains towards Lake Tana and then to the Blue Nile. Over a 50 years period, agriculture developed rapidly in the catchment and flooding of the alluvial plain has become more frequent in recent times. The objectives of this study were to document the changes in channel planform and cross-section of the Gumara River and to investigate whether the changes could have contributed to the frequent flooding or vice versa. Two sets of aerial photographs (1957 and 1980) were scanned, and then orthorectified. Recent channel planform information was extracted from SPOT images of 2006 and Google Earth. Channel planform and bed morphology (vertical changes) were determined for these nearly 50 years period. The vertical changes were determined based on aggradation along a permanent structure, historic information on river cross-sections at a hydrological gauging station, and field observations. The results indicate that the lower reach of Gumara near its mouth has undergone major planform changes. A delta with approx. 1.12 km2 of emerged land was created between 1957 and 1980 and an additional 1 km2 of land has been added between 1980 and 2006. The sinuosity of the river changed only slightly: negatively (-1.1% i.e. meandering decreased) for the period from 1957 to 1980 and positively (+3.0%) for the period 1980-2006. Comparison of cross-sections at the hydrological gauging station showed that the deepest point in the river bed aggraded by 2.91 m for the period 1963-2009. The importance of sediment deposition in the stream and on its banks is related to land degradation in the upper catchment, and to artificial rising of Lake Tana level that creates a backwater effect and sediment deposition in Gumara River. Direct anthropogenic impacts (irrigation activities and building of dykes along the river banks) have contributed to the huge deposition in the river bed. Where the abstraction of water for irrigation is intensive, seepage water through the banks has contributed to river bank failure. In general, this study showed that changes to the planform at the mouth of the river and to the riverbed level are substantial. Moreover, the study indicated that the flood carrying capacity of the Gumara River channel has diminished in recent times.

  10. Stratigraphic framework and distribution of lignite on Crowleys Ridge, Arkansas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Meissner, Charles R.

    1983-01-01

    The purpose of this report is to establish a stratigraphic framework of lignite beds and associated strata of Crowleys Ridge, Arkansas. Drill hole data provided by the Arkansas Geological Commission is used in the synthesis and interpretation. Areas containing lignite of potential resource value are also delineated. To illustrate the regional stratigraphic framework of Crowleys Ridge, a cross section was constructed from logs of selected oil and gas test wells, along or adjacent to the north-south trending ridge over a distance of about 115 miles. This section reveals that lignite-bearing Tertiary formations dip gently southward along the ridge. The Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox Group forms the bedrock in the northern part of the ridge and successively younger bedrock of the Eocene Claiborne and Jackson Groups is identified in the central and southern part of the ridge. Crowleys Ridge is mantled with alluvium and loess of Quaternary age, and sand and gravel beds of the Lafayette Formation of Pliocene (?) age that unconformably overlie the Paleocene and Eocene rocks. The thickness of lignite-bearing sedimentary deposits ranges from 830 feet in the north to 2,480 feet in the south. The Wilcox, Claiborne, and Jackson Groups of Paleocene and Eocene age are believed to be fluvial-deltaic in origin. The detailed vertical and horizontal stratigraphic characteristics and distribution of lignite beds in the sediments were determined by constructing seven cross sections from lithologic and geophysical logs of the lignite investigations on Crowleys Ridge by the Arkansas Geological Commission and private companies. Correlation and interpretation of the lignite-bearing strata reveal ten lignite beds of resource potential. These lignite beds range from a few inches to 9.5 ft in thickness and are assigned to stratigraphic intervals that are designated as zone 1 through 7. Zone 1 is near the middle of the Wilcox Group and zone 7 is near the middle of the overlying Claiborne Group. Some of these lignite beds are correlated over distances as much as 30 miles. Other lignite beds thin to a few inches thick and disappear within short distances. Four areas are delineated on Crowleys Ridge that contain one or more lignite beds each 2.5 feet or more thick. Strippable lignite is limited to 300 feet in this area, therefore, all holes were drilled to 300 feet or less. Chemical analyses of eight lignite samples from Crowleys Ridge are on record with the U.S. Geological Survey's National Coal Resources Data System. Two of the samples are from the Wilcox Group, and six are from the Claiborne Group, but the lignite beds from which the samples were taken are unidentified. However, the analyses are believed to be representative of the lignite within the lignite-bearing sequence. The two Wilcox samples had moisture values of 36.3 and 40.1 percent; ash, 30.5 and 20.5 percent (U.S. Bureau of Mines); sulfur content, 0.3 and 1.0 percent; and Btu values, 3,910 and 4,590 on an as received basis. The six Claiborne samples had moisture values ranging from 34.7 to 43.7 percent; ash from 11.9-28.2 percent (USBM); sulfur content, 0.3-3 percent; and Btu values, 3,400 to 5,160. U.S. Geological Survey average ash content for the eight samples was 36.22 percent, and the major oxides are SiO2 (60.75 percent), Al2O3 (15.23 percent), CaO (6.96 percent), Fe2O3 (6.65 percent), and SO3 (5.64 percent). No anomalous values were recorded for the trace element content. Lignite is not currently mined on Crowleys Ridge. It has potential for use as a fuel for direct firing of boilers to generate electricity. It also has potential for gasification to produce pipeline gas, and for liquefaction to produce fuel oil. More drilling and analyses are needed to better define the quantity and quality of lignite beds within the four significant areas with resource potential and to determine the extent of lignite beds 2.5 ft or more thick that occur in several isolated areas.

  11. Correlation of coal beds in the Fruitland Formation as interpreted from geophysical logs, east-central San Juan County, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sandberg, Dorothy T.

    1986-01-01

    Correlation of coal beds in the Fruitland Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in the subsurface, from interpretation of geophysical logs, is an outgrowth of unpublished studies of deep coal on the Navajo Reservation by the author in the Toadlena 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, New Mexico, and by W. J. Mapel in the Farmington 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, New Mexico.  The lines of sections of this report extend eastward from the reservation into east-central San Juan County, which is in the western part of the San Juan Basin.  In this area, the rocks dip gently northeast toward the central part of the basin.  The thick coal is less than 1,500 feet beneath the surface.  Of the 53 logs in the sections, 48 are from oil- and gas-test holes, and 5 are from coal-test holes (see table 1).  Stratigraphic relations of the Upper Cretaceous Lewis Shale, Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, and Fruitland Formation, shown on the cross sections and briefly reviewed below, have been previously described for this or other parts of the San Juan Basin by Hayes and Zapp (1955), Beaumont (1971), Fassett and hinds (1971), O;Sullivan and other (1972), and Molenaar (1983), among others.

  12. A revised velocity-reversal and sediment-sorting model for a high-gradient, pool-riffle stream

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thompson, D.M.; Wohl, E.E.; Jarrett, R.D.

    1996-01-01

    Sediment-sorting processes related to varying channel-bed morphology were investigated from April to November 1993 along a 1-km pool-riffle and step-pool reach of North Saint Vrain Creek, a small mountain stream in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado. Measured cross-sectional areas of flow were used to suggest higher velocities in pools than in riffles at high flow. Three hundred and sixteen tracer particles, ranging in size from 16 mm to 256 mm, were placed in two separate pool-riffle-pool sequences and used to assess sediment-sorting patterns and sediment-transport competence variations. Tracer-particle depositional evidence indicated higher sediment-transport competence in pools than in riffles at high flow. Pool-riffle sediment sorting may be created by velocity reversals, and more localized sorting results from gravitational forces along the upstream sloping portion of the channel bed located at the downstream end of pools.

  13. Alternative marine and fluvial models for the non-fossiliferous quartzitic sandstones of the Early Proterozoic Daspoort Formation, Transvaal Sequence of southern Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eriksson, P. G.; Schreiber, U. M.; van der Neut, M.; Labuschagne, H.; Van Der Schyff, W.; Potgieter, G.

    1993-04-01

    This paper discusses some of the problems related to the palaeoenvironmental interpretation of non-fossiliferous, early Precambrian, recrystallised quartzitic sandstones, using the Early Proterozoic Daspoort Formation, Transvaal Sequence of southern Africa as a case study. These cross-bedded and planar stratified rocks have been interpreted previously as shallow marine deposits, based on limited studies of areas with well-exposed, relatively undeformed outcrops. This postulate rests largely on the apparently mature nature of the recrystallised sandstones and their thin bedding. Examination of outcrops throughout the preserved basin, including those which have been deformed and metamorphosed, reveals the presence of subordinate immature sandstones. Lateral facies relationships permit an alternative distal fan-fluvial braidplain model to be proposed. This is compatible with collected palaeocurrent data, thicknes trends and results of thin section petrography.

  14. Pandemic influenza-implications for critical care resources in Australia and New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Therese A; Hart, Graeme K; Kainer, Marion A

    2003-09-01

    To quantify resource requirements (additional beds and ventilator capacity), for critical care services in the event of pandemic influenza. Cross-sectional survey about existing and potential critical care resources. Participants comprised 156 of the 176 Australasian (Australia and New Zealand) critical care units on the database of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS) Research Centre for Critical Care Resources. The Meltzer, Cox and Fukuda model was adapted to map a range of influenza attack rate estimates for hospitalisation and episodes likely to require intensive care and to predict critical care admission rates and bed day requirements. Estimations of ventilation rates were based on those for community-acquired pneumonia. The estimated extra number of persons requiring hospitalisation ranged from 8,455 (10% attack rate) to 150,087 (45% attack rate). The estimated number of additional admissions to critical care units ranged from 423 (5% admission rate, 10% attack rate) to 37,522 (25% admission rate, 45% attack rate). The potential number of required intensive care bed days ranged from 846 bed days (2 day length of stay, 10% attack rate) to 375,220 bed days (10 day length of stay, 45% attack rate). The number of persons likely to require mechanical ventilation ranged from 106 (25% of projected critical care admissions, 10% attack rate) to 28,142 (75% of projected critical care admissions, 45% attack rate). An additional 1,195 emergency ventilator beds were identified in public sector and 248 in private sector hospitals. Cancellation of elective surgery could release a potential 76,402 intensive care bed days (per annum), but in the event of pandemic influenza, 31,150 bed days could be required over an 8- to 12-week period. Australasian critical care services would be overwhelmed in the event of pandemic influenza. More work is required in relation to modelling, contingency plans, and resource allocation.

  15. Preferences of group-housed female mice regarding structure of softwood bedding.

    PubMed

    Kirchner, J; Hackbarth, H; Stelzer, H D; Tsai, P-P

    2012-04-01

    Bedding influences various parameters in the housing of laboratory mice, such as health, physiology and behaviour (often considered as being integral parts of welfare). Notwithstanding existent studies about bedding preferences of individually tested mice, data about group-housed mice are still lacking. The aim of this study was to find out the structure preference for softwood bedding of group-housed mice. One hundred and eight 8-week-old female mice (C57BL6/JOlaHsd and BALB/cOlaHsd) were housed in groups of three and were given one-week free access to two different bedding structures at a time. In three test combinations, softwood shaving bedding was tested versus softwood chip bedding products of three different particle sizes (fine/medium/coarse-grained). The preference test was performed in a DoubleCage system composed of two Makrolon type IIL cages, connected by a perspex tunnel. This validated system was able to detect the crossings of each individual animal with correct crossing time and direction. On the basis of these data, dwelling times on the particular bedding structures were statistically analysed as a parameter for bedding preferences. In all three test combinations, a highly significant shaving preference was detected. On average, mice spent 70% of their dwelling time on the shavings. This preference was more explicit during the light period and in C57BL/6J mice. The relative ranking of the bedding structures was: shavings > coarse-grained chips > medium chips = fine chips. By means of these results, a shaving structure as bedding can be recommended for laboratory mice, whereas fine chip structures should be avoided.

  16. Isopach map of interval between top of the Pictured Cliffs Sandstone and the Huerfanito Bentonite bed of the Lewis Shale, La Plata County, Colorado, and Rio Arriba and San Juan counties, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sandberg, D.T.

    1986-01-01

    Data used for the isopach map are mostly from interpretation of geophysical logs of oil and gas wells, southeast of the outcrop in parts of the Cortez, Durango, Farmington, and Navajo Reservoir 1: 100,000-scale quadrangles, Colorado and New Mexico. Cross sections A-A’ and B-B' give examples of geophysical logs that show some of the variations in the isopach interval.

  17. Character and Implications of a Newly Identified Creeping Strand of the San Andreas fault NE of Salton Sea, Southern California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janecke, S. U.; Markowski, D.

    2015-12-01

    The overdue earthquake on the Coachella section, San Andreas fault (SAF), the model ShakeOut earthquake, and the conflict between cross-fault models involving the Extra fault array and mapped shortening in the Durmid Hill area motivate new analyses at the southern SAF tip. Geologic mapping, LiDAR, seismic reflection, magnetic and gravity datasets, and aerial photography confirm the existence of the East Shoreline strand (ESS) of the SAF southwest of the main trace of the SAF. We mapped the 15 km long ESS, in a band northeast side of the Salton Sea. Other data suggest that the ESS continues N to the latitude of the Mecca Hills, and is >35 km long. The ESS cuts and folds upper Holocene beds and appears to creep, based on discovery of large NW-striking cracks in modern beach deposits. The two traces of the SAF are parallel and ~0.5 to ~2.5 km apart. Groups of east, SE, and ENE-striking strike-slip cross-faults connect the master dextral faults of the SAF. There are few sinistral-normal faults that could be part of the Extra fault array. The 1-km wide ESS contains short, discontinuous traces of NW-striking dextral-oblique faults. These en-echelon faults bound steeply dipping Pleistocene beds, cut out section, parallel tight NW-trending folds, and produced growth folds. Beds commonly dip toward the ESS on both sides, in accord with persistent NE-SW shortening across the ESS. The dispersed fault-fold structural style of the ESS is due to decollements in faulted mud-rich Pliocene to Holocene sediment and ramps and flats along the strike-slip faults. A sheared ladder-like geometric model of the two master dextral strands of the SAF and their intervening cross-faults, best explains the field relationships and geophysical datasets. Contraction across >40 km2 of the southernmost SAF zone in the Durmid Hills suggest that interaction of active structures in the SAF zone may inhibit the nucleation of large earthquakes in this region. The ESS may cross the northern Coachella Valley to join the blind Palm Spring dextral fault- a source of microearthquakes and differential subsidence. The ESS may also continue north parallel to the margin of the Salton Trough or have both a NW and NE branch. The risk of a future large earthquake directly beneath the greater Palm Springs metropolitan area may be larger if the first or last options are correct.

  18. Stratigraphy and depositional environments of Fox Hills Formation (Late Cretaceous), Williston basin

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Daly, D.J.

    The Fox Hills Formation (Late Cretaceous, Maestrichtian) was investigated where it crops out along the southern flank of the Williston basin and in the subsurface over the central portion of the basin, using 300 well logs. The formation is conformable and gradational with the underlying Pierre formation and can be either conformable or unconformable with the overlying Hell Creek Formation. The Fox Hills Formation is younger, thicker, and stratigraphically more complex to the east and is comprised of marginal marine sediments deposited during the final Cretaceous regression. To the west, the Fox Hills Formation is an upward-coarsening unit generally 30more » to 45 m thick and usually contains three members: from the base, Trail City, Timber Lake, and Colgate. The lower Fox Hills (Trail City, Timber Lake) is generally dominated by hummocky bedding and contains a variety of trace fossils, most notably Ophiomorpha. The upper Fox Hills (Colgate), where present, is characterized by cross-bedding. To the east, including the type area, the section is generally 80 to 100 m thick and contains four members: from the base, Trail City, Timber Lake, Iron Lightning (Colgate and Bullhead lithofacies), and Linton. In contrast to the section in the west, this section is as much as three times thicker, contains abundant body fossils, generally lacks hummocky bedding, and contains the Bullhead and Linton strata. In the west, the strata represent lower shoreface deposits, predominantly of storm origin (lower Fox Hills), overlain by upper shoreface and fluvial deposits (upper Fox Hills). In the east, the lower Fox Hills contains deposits of the lower shoreface (Trail City) and a barrier bar complex (Timber Lake), overlain by the deltaic deposits of the upper Fox Hills (Iron Lightning, Linton).« less

  19. Radiolarians, foraminifers, and biostratigraphy of the Coniacian-Campanian deposits of the Alan-Kyr Section, Crimean Mountains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bragina, L. G.; Beniamovsky, V. N.; Kopaevich, L. F.

    2016-01-01

    Data on the distribution of radiolarians and planktonic and benthic foraminifers are obtained for the first time from the Alan-Kyr Section (Coniacian-Campanian), in the central regions of the Crimean Mountains. Radiolarian biostrata, previously established from Ak-Kaya Mountain (central regions of the Crimean Mountains) were traced: Alievium praegallowayi-Crucella plana (upper Coniacian-lower Santonian), Alievium gallowayi-Crucella espartoensis (upper Santonian without the topmost part), and Dictyocephalus (Dictyocryphalus) (?) legumen-Spongosaturninus parvulus (upper part of the upper Santonian). Radiolarians from the Santonian-Campanian boundary beds of the Crimean Mountains are studied for the first time, and Prunobrachium sp. ex gr. crassum-Diacanthocapsa acanthica Beds (uppermost Santonian-lower Campanian) are recognized. Bolivinoides strigillatus Beds (upper Santonian) and Stensioeina pommerana-Anomalinoides (?) insignis Beds (upper part of the upper Santonian-lower part of the lower Campanian) are recognized. Eouvigerina aspera denticulocarinata Beds (middle and upper parts of the lower Campanian) and Angulogavelinella gracilis Beds (upper part of the upper Campanian are recognized on the basis of benthic foraminifers. These beds correspond to the synchronous biostrata of the East European Platform and Mangyshlak. Marginotruncana coronata- Concavatotruncana concavata Beds (Coniacian-upper Santonian), Globotruncanita elevata Beds (terminal Santonian), and Globotruncana arca Beds (lower Campanian) are recognized on the basis of planktonic foraminifers. Radiolarian and planktonic and benthic foraminiferal data agree with one another. The position of the Santonian-Campanian boundary in the Alan-Kyr Section, which is located stratigraphically above the levels of the latest occurrence of Concavatotruncana concavata and representatives of the genus Marginotruncana, is refined, i.e., at the level of the first appearance of Globotruncana arca. A gap in the Middle Campanian-lower part of the upper Campanian is established on the basis of planktonic and benthic foraminifers. The Santonian-Campanian beds of the Alan-Kyr Section, on the basis of planktonic foraminifers and radiolarians, positively correlate with synchronous beds of the Crimean-Caucasian region, and beyond. Benthic foraminifers suggest a connection with the basins of the East European Platform.

  20. Electron ionization cross-section calculations for liquid water at high impact energies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bousis, C.; Emfietzoglou, D.; Hadjidoukas, P.; Nikjoo, H.; Pathak, A.

    2008-04-01

    Cross-sections for the ionization of liquid water is perhaps the most essential set of data needed for modeling electron transport in biological matter. The complexity of ab initio calculations for any multi-electron target has led to largely heuristic semi-empirical models which take advantage elements of the Bethe, dielectric and binary collision theories. In this work we present various theoretical models for calculating total ionization cross-sections (TICSs) for liquid water over the 10 keV-1 MeV electron energy range. In particular, we extend our recent dielectric model calculations for liquid water to relativistic energies using both the appropriate kinematic corrections and the transverse part. Comparisons are made with widely used atomic and molecular TICS models such as those of Khare and co-workers, Kim-Rudd, Deutsch-Märk, Vriens and Gryzinski. The required dipole oscillator strength was provided by our recent optical-data model which is based on the latest experimental data for liquid water. The TICSs computed by the above models differ by up to 40% from the dielectric results. The best agreement (to within ∼10%) was obtained by Khare's original model and an approximate form of Gryzinski's model. In contrast, the binary-encounter-dipole (BED) models of both Kim-Rudd and Khare and co-workers resulted in ∼10-20% higher TICS values, while discrepancies increased to ∼30-40% when their simpler binary-encounter-Bethe (BEB) versions were used. Finally, we discuss to what extent the accuracy of the TICS is indicative of the reliability of the underlying differential cross-sections.

  1. Analytical Study of the Mechanical Behavior of Fully Grouted Bolts in Bedding Rock Slopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, C. H.; Li, Y. Z.

    2017-09-01

    Bolting is widely used as a reinforcement means for rock slopes. The support force of a fully grouted bolt is often provided by the combination of the axial and shear forces acting at the cross section of the bolt, especially for bedding rock slopes. In this paper, load distribution and deformation behavior of the deflecting section of a fully grouted bolt were analyzed, and a structural mechanical model was established. Based on force method equations and deformation compatibility relationships, an analytical approach, describing the contribution of the axial and shear forces acting at the intersection between the bolt and the joint plane to the stability of a rock slope, was developed. Influence of the inclination of the bolt to the joint plane was discussed. Laboratory tests were conducted with different inclinations of the bolt to the joint plane. Comparisons between the proposed approach, the experimental data and a code method were made. The calculation results are in good agreement with the test data. It is shown that transverse shear resistance plays a significant role to the bolting contribution and that the bigger the dip of the bolt to the joint plane, the more significant the dowel effect. It is also shown that the design method suggested in the code overestimates the resistance of the bolt. The proposed model considering dowel effect provides a more precise description on bolting properties of bedding rock slopes than the code method and will be helpful to improve bolting design methods.

  2. Sleep duration or bedtime? Exploring the association between sleep timing behaviour, diet and BMI in children and adolescents.

    PubMed

    Golley, R K; Maher, C A; Matricciani, L; Olds, T S

    2013-04-01

    To determine whether sleep timing behaviour is associated with energy intake and diet quality in children and adolescents. Cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative survey data. A total of 2200 participants of the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey aged 9-16 years with 2 days of food intake data, 4 days of use of time data and complete anthropometry. Participants were grouped into one of four sleep-wake behaviour categories: early bed-early rise (EE); early bed-late rise (EL); late bed-early rise (LE) and late bed-late rise (LL). The four categories were compared for body mass index (BMI) z-score, energy intake and diet quality assessed using the Dietary Guideline Index for Children and Adolescents. Analyses were adjusted for survey design, sociodemographic characteristics, sleep duration and physical activity level (PAL). In adjusted multivariate regression models with sleep timing behaviour group as the independent variable, the 'LL' category compared with the 'EE' category had a higher BMI z-score (β=0.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06 to 0.34, P=0.007), and lower diet quality (β=-4.0, 95% CI -5.7 to -2.3, P<0.001). Children and adolescents who went to bed late also had a higher intake of extra foods (that is, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods) while those whom went to bed early consumed more fruit and vegetables. Energy intake was associated with sleep duration (β=-4.5 kJ, 95% CI -6.7 to -2.4, P<0.001), but not sleep timing behaviour. Late bedtimes and late wake up times are associated with poorer diet quality, independent of sleep duration, PAL and child and sociodemographic characteristics.

  3. Assessment of the Efficiency of Hospitals Before and After the Implementation of Health Sector Evolution Plan in Iran Based on Pabon Lasso Model

    PubMed Central

    MORADI, Ghobad; PIROOZI, Bakhtiar; SAFARI, Hossein; ESMAIL NASAB, Nader; MOHAMADI BOLBANABAD, Amjad; YARI, Arezoo

    2017-01-01

    Background: Pabon Lasso model was applied to assess the relative performance of hospitals affiliated to Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) before and after the implementation of Health Sector Evolution Plan (HSEP) in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 11 public hospitals affiliated to KUMS in 2015. Twelve months before and after the implementation of the first phase of HSEP, a checklist was used to collect data from computerized databases within the hospitals’ admission and discharge units. Pabon Lasso model includes three indices: bed turnover, bed occupancy ratio, and average length of stay. Results: Analysis of hospital performance showed an increase in mean of bed occupancy and turnover ratio, which changed from 65.40% and 86.22 times/year during 12 months before to 69.97% and 90.98 times/year during 12 months after HSEP, respectively. In line with Pabon Lasso model, before the implementation of HSEP, 27.27% and 36.36% of the hospitals were entirely efficient and inefficient, respectively, whilst after the implementation of HSEP, their condition changed to 18.18% and 27.27%, in order. Conclusion: Indicators of bed occupancy and turnover ratio had a 4% increase in the studied hospitals after the implementation of HSEP. Number of the hospitals in the efficient zone reduced because of the relative measurement of efficiency by Pabon Lasso model. Since more than 50% of the hospitals in the studied province have not yet reached their optimal bed occupancy ratio (more than 70%), short-term and suitable strategy for improving the efficiency is to stop further expansion of hospitals as well as developing the number of hospital beds. PMID:28435825

  4. One Week of Bed Rest Leads to Substantial Muscle Atrophy and Induces Whole-Body Insulin Resistance in the Absence of Skeletal Muscle Lipid Accumulation.

    PubMed

    Dirks, Marlou L; Wall, Benjamin T; van de Valk, Bas; Holloway, Tanya M; Holloway, Graham P; Chabowski, Adrian; Goossens, Gijs H; van Loon, Luc J C

    2016-10-01

    Short (<10 days) periods of muscle disuse, often necessary for recovery from illness or injury, lead to various negative health consequences. The current study investigated mechanisms underlying disuse-induced insulin resistance, taking into account muscle atrophy. Ten healthy, young males (age: 23 ± 1 years; BMI: 23.0 ± 0.9 kg · m(-2)) were subjected to 1 week of strict bed rest. Prior to and after bed rest, lean body mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA; computed tomography) were assessed, and peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and leg strength were determined. Whole-body insulin sensitivity was measured using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Additionally, muscle biopsies were collected to assess muscle lipid (fraction) content and various markers of mitochondrial and vascular content. Bed rest resulted in 1.4 ± 0.2 kg lean tissue loss and a 3.2 ± 0.9% decline in quadriceps CSA (both P < 0.01). VO2peak and one-repetition maximum declined by 6.4 ± 2.3 (P < 0.05) and 6.9 ± 1.4% (P < 0.01), respectively. Bed rest induced a 29 ± 5% decrease in whole-body insulin sensitivity (P < 0.01). This was accompanied by a decline in muscle oxidative capacity, without alterations in skeletal muscle lipid content or saturation level, markers of oxidative stress, or capillary density. In conclusion, 1 week of bed rest substantially reduces skeletal muscle mass and lowers whole-body insulin sensitivity, without affecting mechanisms implicated in high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association.

  5. Functional relationships between vegetation, channel morphology, and flow efficiency in an alluvial (anabranching) river

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jansen, John D.; Nanson, Gerald C.

    2010-12-01

    Water and sediment flux interactions are examined in Magela Creek, an alluvial (anabranching) sand bed river in the northern Australian tropics. Dense riparian vegetation stabilizes the channels and floodplains thereby preventing erosional instability at flow depths up to 6.2 times bankfull and discharges up to 15 times bankfull. Narrow anabranching channels characterize >92% of the alluvial reach and transport bed load more efficiently than short reaches of wide single-channels, yet overall 29 ± 12% of the bed load is sequestered and the average vertical accretion rate is 0.41 ± 0.17 mm yr-1 along the 12 km study reach. The most effective discharge for transporting sediment (40-45 m3 s-1) is consistent at all 5 stations (10 channels) examined and is equivalent to the channel-forming discharge. It has an average recurrence interval of 1.01 years, occurs for an exceptionally long portion (13-15%) of the annual flow duration, and averages a remarkable 2.1 times bankfull. The high flow efficiency (i.e., bed load transport rate to stream power ratio) of the anabranches is facilitated by low width/depth channels with banks reinforced by vegetation. Colonnades of bank top trees confine high-velocity flows overbed (i.e., over the channel bed) at stages well above bankfull. At even larger overbank flows, momentum exchange between the channels and forested floodplains restrains overbed velocities, in some cases causing them to decline, thereby limiting erosion. Magela Creek exhibits a complicated set of planform, cross-sectional and vegetative adjustments that boost overbed velocities and enhance bed load yield in multiple channels while restraining velocities and erosion at the largest discharges.

  6. 21 CFR 892.1350 - Nuclear scanning bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nuclear scanning bed. 892.1350 Section 892.1350...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1350 Nuclear scanning bed. (a) Identification. A nuclear scanning bed is an adjustable bed intended to support a patient during a nuclear medicine...

  7. 21 CFR 892.1350 - Nuclear scanning bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nuclear scanning bed. 892.1350 Section 892.1350...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1350 Nuclear scanning bed. (a) Identification. A nuclear scanning bed is an adjustable bed intended to support a patient during a nuclear medicine...

  8. 21 CFR 892.1350 - Nuclear scanning bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nuclear scanning bed. 892.1350 Section 892.1350...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1350 Nuclear scanning bed. (a) Identification. A nuclear scanning bed is an adjustable bed intended to support a patient during a nuclear medicine...

  9. 21 CFR 892.1350 - Nuclear scanning bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nuclear scanning bed. 892.1350 Section 892.1350...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1350 Nuclear scanning bed. (a) Identification. A nuclear scanning bed is an adjustable bed intended to support a patient during a nuclear medicine...

  10. 21 CFR 892.1350 - Nuclear scanning bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nuclear scanning bed. 892.1350 Section 892.1350...) MEDICAL DEVICES RADIOLOGY DEVICES Diagnostic Devices § 892.1350 Nuclear scanning bed. (a) Identification. A nuclear scanning bed is an adjustable bed intended to support a patient during a nuclear medicine...

  11. Method and apparatus for gasifying with a fluidized bed gasifier having integrated pretreating facilities

    DOEpatents

    Rice, Louis F.

    1981-01-01

    An integral gasifier including a pretreater section and a gasifier section separated by a distribution grid is defined by a single vessel. The pretreater section pretreats coal or other carbon-containing material to be gasified to prevent caking and agglomeration of the coal in the gasifier. The level of the coal bed of the pretreater section and thus the holding or residence time in said bed is selectively regulated by the amount of pretreated coal which is lifted up a lift pipe into the gasifier section. Thus, the holding time in the pretreater section can be varied according to the amount of pretreat necessary for the particular coal to be gasified.

  12. Liquefaction features interpreted as seismites in the Pleistocene fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the Neuquén Basin (Northern Patagonia)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moretti, M.; Ronchi, A.

    2011-04-01

    Superbly exposed soft-sediment deformation structures in Pleistocene fluvio-lacustrine deposits along the southern border of the depression area called Bajo de Añelo (Departamento de Añelo, Neuquén Basin) have been analysed. In the study area, five stratigraphic sections were measured in detail: facies distributions and stacking patterns show that these sediments result from the interaction between fluvial and lacustrine systems, represented by cross-bedded and rippled strata, and varved deposits. The lateral extent of the deformation is some hundred metres and the deformed bed involves the lower-mid part of the 30-metre-thick succession. Deformation affects about 1.5 m of coarse-grained sand, fine-grained sand and rare gravel alternations. The base and top of the deformed layer are defined by planar surfaces: undeformed beds of similar thickness, lithology and facies to the deformed layer occur above and below. Deformation is represented by a complex vertical succession of disturbed layers: each layer shows a general load-structure morphology. It can be described as a multilayered unstable density gradient system: in each bed a partial gravitational re-adjustment occurred after liquefaction. Unequal loading related to lateral variation of both bed thickness and grain packing and porosity is a probable additional driving force that can be described in the undeformed beds. Trigger mechanism recognition for the observed liquefaction features can be based on the study of the geometry of deformed beds and on facies analysis results. Two key factors drive our interpretation: (1) the occurrence of undeformed beds below and above the deformed bed; (2) deformed and undeformed beds showing the same sedimentological features. These field data allow us to exclude the action of internal erosive and/or sedimentary processes (such as overloading, wave action, etc.) as possible trigger agents for liquefaction since deformation is totally absent in beds with similar sedimentary features. Furthermore, each internal erosive and/or sedimentary process can be discussed and easily excluded by analysing its specific signature in the geological record. Having excluded every possible internal trigger (autokinetic processes), the observed liquefaction effects can reasonably be interpreted as seismically induced (allokinetic trigger). From this point of view, this deformed bed is an important record of seismic activity in this sector of the Neuquén Basin during the Pleistocene.

  13. Ionization Cross Sections and Dissociation Channels of the DNA Sugar-Phosphate Backbone by Electron Collisions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dateo, Christopher; Huo, Winifred M.; Fletcher, Graham D.

    2004-01-01

    It has been suggested that the genotoxic effects of ionizing radiation in living cells are not caused by the highly energetic incident radiation, but rather are induced by less energetic secondary species generated, the most abundant of which are free electrons.' The secondary electrons will further react to cause DNA damage via indirect and direct mechanisms. Detailed knowledge of these mechanisms is ultimately important for the development of global models of cellular radiation damage. We are studying one possible mechanism for the formation cf DNA strand breaks involving dissociative ionization of the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone induced by secondary electron co!lisions. We will present ionization cross sections at electron collision energies between threshold and 10 KeV using the improved binary encounter dipole (iBED) formulation' Preliminary results of the possible dissociative ionization pathways will be presented. It is speculated that radical fragments produced from the dissociative ionization can further react, providing a possible mechanism for double strand breaks and base damage.

  14. Revised Subsurface Stratigraphic Framework of the Fort Union and Wasatch Formations, Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flores, Romeo M.; Spear, Brianne D.; Purchase, Peter A.; Gallagher, Craig M.

    2010-01-01

    Described in this report is an updated subsurface stratigraphic framework of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation and Eocene Wasatch Formation in the Powder River Basin (PRB) in Wyoming and Montana. This framework is graphically presented in 17 intersecting west-east and north-south cross sections across the basin. Also included are: (1) the dataset and all associated digital files and (2) digital files for all figures and table 1 suitable for large-format printing. The purpose of this U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-File Report is to provide rapid dissemination and accessibility of the stratigraphic cross sections and related digital data to USGS customers, especially the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to facilitate their modeling of the hydrostratigraphy of the PRB. This report contains a brief summary of the coal-bed correlations and database, and is part of a larger ongoing study that will be available in the near future.

  15. Measurement of bridge scour at the SR-32 crossing of the Sacramento River at Hamilton City, California, 1987-92

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Blodgett, J.C.; Harris, Carroll D.; ,

    1993-01-01

    A study of the State Route 32 crossing of the Sacramento River near Hamilton City, California, is being made to determine those channel and bridge factors that contribute to scour at the site. Three types of scour data have been measured-channel bed (natural) scour, constriction (general) scour, and local (bridge-pier induced) scour. During the years 1979-93, a maximum of 3.4 ft of channel bed scour, with a mean of 1.4 ft, has been measured. Constriction scour, which may include channel bed scour, has been measured at the site nine times during the years 1987-92. The calculated amount of constriction scour ranged from 0.2 to 3.0 ft, assuming the reference is the mean bed elevation. Local scour was measured four times at the site in 1991 and 1992 and ranged from -2.1 (fill) to 11.6 ft , with the calculated amounts dependent on the bed reference elevation and method of computation used. Surveys of the channel bed near the bridge piers indicate the horizontal location of lowest bed elevation (maximum depth of scour) may vary at least 17 ft between different surveys at the same pier and most frequently is located downstream from the upstream face of the pier.

  16. Bed-level adjustments in the Arno River, central Italy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rinaldi, Massimo; Simon, Andrew

    1998-02-01

    Two distinct phases of bed-level adjustment over the last 150 years are identified for the principal alluvial reaches of the Arno River (Upper Valdarno and Lower Valdarno). The planimetric configuration of the river in these reaches is the result of a series of hydraulic works (canalization, rectification, artificial cut-offs, etc.) carried out particularly between the 18th and the 19th centuries. Subsequently, a series of interventions at basin level (construction of weirs, variations in land use), intense instream gravel-mining after World War II, and the construction of two dams on the Arno River, caused widespread degradation of the streambed. Since about 1900, total lowering of the channel bed is typically between 2 and 4 m in the Upper Valdarno Reach and between 5 and 8 m in some areas of the Lower Valdarno Reach. Bed-level adjustments with time are analyzed for a large number of cross-sections and described by an exponential-decay function. This analysis identified the existence of two main phases of lowering: the first, triggered at the end of the past century; the second, triggered in the interval 1945-1960 and characterized by more intense degradation of the streambed. The first phase derived from changes in land-use and land-management practices. The second phase is the result of the superimposition of two factors: intense instream mining of gravel, and the construction of the Levane and La Penna dams.

  17. Weight bias internalization, depression, and self-reported health among overweight binge eating disorder patients.

    PubMed

    Pearl, Rebecca L; White, Marney A; Grilo, Carlos M

    2014-05-01

    This study aimed to examine the relationship between internalization of weight bias, which has been linked to specific negative mental health outcomes, and overall mental and physical health among overweight patients with binge eating disorder (BED). The role of depressive symptoms as a potential mediator in this relationship was also tested. In a cross-sectional study, 255 individuals who were overweight and seeking treatment for BED completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBIS), Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). Regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship between the WBIS and the SF-36, and bootstrapping mediation analyses were conducted to test whether BDI scores mediated this relationship. Higher weight bias internalization was associated with poorer self-reported health on all scales of the SF-36, and BDI scores mediated the relationship. Additional analyses revealed that WBIS scores also mediated the relationship between BDI scores and three SF-36 scales. Weight bias internalization is associated with poorer overall mental and physical health, and depressive symptoms may play a role in accounting for this relationship in treatment-seeking overweight patients with BED. © 2013 The Obesity Society.

  18. Health Information in Amharic (Amarɨñña / አማርኛ )

    MedlinePlus

    ... Section Bed Bugs Bed Bug Control in Residences - English PDF Bed Bug Control in Residences - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ ( ... Department of Agriculture Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - English PDF Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs - Amarɨñña / አማርኛ ( ...

  19. Use of sunscreen, sunburning rates, and tanning bed use among more than 10 000 US children and adolescents.

    PubMed

    Geller, Alan C; Colditz, Graham; Oliveria, Susan; Emmons, Karen; Jorgensen, Cynthia; Aweh, Gideon N; Frazier, A Lindsay

    2002-06-01

    To describe the association of sunscreen use, sunburning, and tanning bed use by age, sex, residence, and psychosocial variables associated with tan-seeking behaviors, and to compare these findings with sun protection recommendations from federal agencies and cancer organizations. A cross-sectional study, from all 50 states, of 10 079 boys and girls 12 to 18 years of age in 1999. Data were collected from self-report questionnaires with the children of the participants from the Nurses Health Study (Growing Up Today Study). The prevalence of sunscreen use was 34.4% with girls more likely to use sunscreen than boys (40.0 vs 26.4, odds ratio: 1.86; 95% confidence interval: 1.70-2.03). Eighty-three percent of respondents had at least 1 sunburn during the previous summer, and 36% had 3 or more sunburns. Nearly 10% of respondents used a tanning bed during the previous year. Girls were far more likely than boys to report tanning bed use (14.4 vs 2.4), and older girls (ages 15-18) were far more likely than younger girls (ages 12-14) to report tanning bed use (24.6% vs 4.7). Tanning bed use increased from 7% among 14-year-old girls to 16% by age 15, and more than doubled again by age 17 (35%; N = 244). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that attitudes associated with tanning, such as the preference for tanned skin, having many friends who were tanned, and belief in the worth of burning to get a tan, were generally associated with sporadic sunscreen use, more frequent sunburns, and increased use of tanning beds. Our findings suggest that many children are at subsequent risk of skin cancer because of suboptimal sunscreen use, high rates of sunburning, and tanning bed use. Recommendations in the United States for improved sun protection and avoidance of tanning beds and sunburning, which began in the early 1990s, have been primarily unheeded. Nationally coordinated campaigns with strong policy components must be developed and sustained to prevent skin cancer in a new generation of children and adolescents.

  20. Colorado River sediment transport: 2. Systematic bed‐elevation and grain‐size effects of sand supply limitation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Topping, David J.; Rubin, David M.; Nelson, Jonathan M.; Kinzel, Paul J.; Corson, Ingrid C.

    2000-01-01

    The Colorado River in Marble and Grand Canyons displays evidence of annual supply limitation with respect to sand both prior to [Topping et al, this issue] and after the closure of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. Systematic changes in bed elevation and systematic coupled changes in suspended‐sand concentration and grain size result from this supply limitation. During floods, sand supply limitation either causes or modifies a lag between the time of maximum discharge and the time of either maximum or minimum (depending on reach geometry) bed elevation. If, at a cross section where the bed aggrades with increasing flow, the maximum bed elevation is observed to lead the peak or the receding limb of a flood, then this observed response of the bed is due to sand supply limitation. Sand supply limitation also leads to the systematic evolution of sand grain size (both on the bed and in suspension) in the Colorado River. Sand input during a tributary flood travels down the Colorado River as an elongating sediment wave, with the finest sizes (because of their lower settling velocities) traveling the fastest. As the fine front of a sediment wave arrives at a given location, the bed fines and suspended‐sand concentrations increase in response to the enhanced upstream supply of finer sand. Then, as the front of the sediment wave passes that location, the bed is winnowed and suspended‐sand concentrations decrease in response to the depletion of the upstream supply of finer sand. The grain‐size effects of depletion of the upstream sand supply are most obvious during periods of higher dam releases (e.g., the 1996 flood experiment and the 1997 test flow). Because of substantial changes in the grain‐size distribution of the bed, stable relationships between the discharge of water and sand‐transport rates (i.e., stable sand rating curves) are precluded. Sand budgets in a supply‐limited river like the Colorado River can only be constructed through inclusion of the physical processes that couple changes in bed‐sediment grain size to changes in sand‐transport rates.

  1. Hydraulic visibility and effective cross sections based on hydrodynamical modeling of flow lines gained by satellite altimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biancamaria, S.; Garambois, P. A.; Calmant, S.; Roux, H.; Paris, A.; Monnier, J.; Santos da Silva, J.

    2015-12-01

    Hydrodynamic laws predict that irregularities in a river bed geometry produce spatial and temporal variations in the water level, hence in its slope. Conversely, observation of these changes is a goal of the SWOT mission with the determination of the discharge as a final objective. In this study, we analyse the relationship between river bed undulations and water surface for an ungauged reach of the Xingu river, a first order tributary of the Amazon river. It is crosscut more than 10 times by a single ENVISAT track over a hundred of km. We have determined time series of water levelsat each of these crossings, called virtual stations (VS), hence slopes of the flow line. Using the discharge series computed by Paiva et al. (2013) between 1998 and 2009, Paris et al. (submitted) determined at each VS a rating curve relating these simulated discharge with the ENVISAT height series. One parameter of these rating curves is the zero-flow depth Z 0 . We show that it is possible to explain the spatial and temporal variations of the water surface slope in terms of hydrodynamical response of the longitudinal changes of the river bed geometry given by the successive values of Z 0 . Our experiment is based on an effective, single thread representation of a braided river, realistic values for the Manning coefficient and river widths picked up on JERS images. This study confirms that simulated flow lines are consistent with water surface elevations (WSE) and slopes gained by satellite altimetry. Hydrodynamical signatures are more visible where the river bed geometry varies significantly, and for reaches with a strong downstream control. Therefore, this study suggests that the longitudinal variations of the slope might be an interesting criteria for the question of river segmentation into elementary reaches for the SWOT mission which will provide continuous measurements of the water surface elevation, the slope and the reach width.

  2. ELECTROSTATIC AIR CLEANING DEVICE AND METHOD

    DOEpatents

    Silverman, L.; Anderson, D.M.

    1961-07-18

    A method and apparatus for utilizing friction-charged particulate material from an aerosol are described. A bed of the plastic spheres is prepared, and the aerosol is passed upwardly through the bed at a rate just large enough to maintain the bed in a fluidized state wim over-all circulation of the balls. Wire members criss-crossing through the bed rub against the balls and maintain their surfaces with electrostatic charges. The particulate material in the aerosol adheres to the surfaces of the balls.

  3. Preliminary Stratigraphic Cross Sections of Oil Shale in the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dyni, John R.

    2008-01-01

    Oil shale units in the Eocene Green River Formation are shown on two east-west stratigraphic sections across the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Several units have potential value for recovery of shale oil, especially the Mahogany oil shale zone, which is a high grade oil shale that can be traced across most of the Uinta Basin and into the Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado. Many thin medium to high grade oil shale beds above the Mahogany zone can also be traced for many miles across the basin. Several units below the Mahogany that have slow velocities on sonic logs may be low grade oil shale. These may have value as a source for shale gas.

  4. 77 FR 12182 - Safety Standard for Portable Bed Rails: Final Rule

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-29

    ... of ASTM F2085- 10a, comply with the following: (i) 1.4.1 Foam and inflatable bed rails need meet only...--portable bed rail constructed primarily of nonrigid materials such as fabric or foam. 3.1.11 inflatable bed..., inflatable bed rail, are terms that are now incorporated as non-rigid bed rail under new section 3.1.12 in...

  5. Sand deposition in the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon from flooding of the Little Colorado River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wiele, S.M.; Graf, J.B.; Smith, J.D.

    1996-01-01

    Methods for computing the volume of sand deposited in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park by floods in major tributaries and for determining redistribution of that sand by main-channel flows are required for successful management of sand-dependent riparian resources. We have derived flow, sediment transport, and bed evolution models based on a gridded topography developed from measured channel topography and used these models to compute deposition in a short reach of the river just downstream from the Little Colorado River, the largest tributary in the park. Model computations of deposition from a Little Colorado River flood in January 1993 were compared to bed changes measured at 15 cross sections. The total difference between changes in cross-sectional area due to deposition computed by the model and the measured changes was 6%. A wide reach with large areas of recirculating flow and large depressions in the main channel accumulated the most sand, whereas a reach with similar planimetric area but a long, narrow shape and relatively small areas of recirculating flow and small depressions in the main channel accumulated only about a seventh as much sand. About 32% of the total deposition was in recirculation zones, 65% was in the main channel, and 3% was deposited along the channel margin away from the recirculation zone. Overall, about 15% of the total input of sand from this Little Colorado River flood was deposited in the first 3 km below the confluence, suggesting that deposition of the flood-derived material extended for only several tens of kilometers downstream from the confluence.

  6. Vascular and antioxidant effects of an aqueous Mentha cordifolia extract in experimental N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertension.

    PubMed

    Pakdeechote, Poungrat; Prachaney, Parichat; Berkban, Warinee; Kukongviriyapan, Upa; Kukongviriyapan, Veerapol; Khrisanapant, Wilaiwan; Phirawatthakul, Yada

    2014-01-01

    The effect of an aqueous Mentha cordifolia (MC) extract on the haemodynamic status, vascular remodeling, function, and oxidative status in NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertension was investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given L-NAME [50 mg/(kg body weight (BW) d)] in their drinking water for 5 weeks and were treated by intragastric administration with the MC extract [200 mg/(kgBWd)] for 2 consecutive weeks. Quercetin [25 mg/(kg BW d)] was used as a positive control. The effects of the MC extract on the haemodynamic status, thoracic aortic wall thickness, and oxidative stress markers were determined, and the vasorelaxant activity of the MC extract was tested in isolated mesenteric vascular beds in rats. Significant increases in the mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), hind limb vascular resistance (HVR), wall thickness, and cross-sectional area of the thoracic aorta, as well as oxidative stress markers were found in the L-NAME-treated group compared to the control (P < 0.05). MAP, HVR, wall thickness, cross-sectional area of the thoracic aorta, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), and vascular superoxide anion production were significantly reduced in L-NAME hypersensitive rats treated with the MC extract or quercetin. Furthermore, the MC extract induced vasorelaxation in the pre-constricted mesenteric vascular bed with intact and denuded endothelium of normotensive and hypertensive rats. Our results suggest that the MC extract exhibits an antihypertensive effect via its antioxidant capacity, vasodilator property, and reduced vascular remodeling.

  7. A cross-sectional study examining the correlation between sunless tanning product use and tanning beliefs and behaviors.

    PubMed

    Sahn, Rachel E; McIlwain, Mary Jayne; Magee, Kristin H; Veledar, Emir; Chen, Suephy C

    2012-04-01

    To establish the effect of sunless tanning products on tanning behaviors and to determine characteristics of sunless tanning product users. A cross-sectional survey study conducted between May 30, 2007, and December 4, 2007. The Emory University campus and surrounding locations in Atlanta, Georgia. Four hundred fifteen community and university-affiliated women. Self-reported use of sunless tanning products and UV radiation tanning methods. Forty-eight percent of participants had used sunless tanning products, 70.6% had tanned in the sun, and 26.0% had used tanning beds at least once in the past year. Most participants (92.7%) believed that tanned skin is more attractive than untanned skin, and 79.2% reported feeling better about themselves when tan. Many sunless tanning product users reported decreased frequency of tanning in the sun (36.8%) or in tanning beds (38%) because of product use. Frequent users were more likely to have decreased their UV radiation exposure. Lighter complexion, frequent use of UV radiation tanning methods, feeling better about oneself when tan, and having a history of skin cancer were independently associated with sunless tanning product use. The desire for tanned skin remains strong despite growing awareness of the dangers of UV radiation exposure. In some women, sunless tanning product use is associated with decreased UV radiation tanning frequency, especially in women who use them repeatedly. Improvements in the appearance of sunless tanning product tans may allow wider acceptance by the public and further decreases in UV radiation tanning practices.

  8. Qualitative simulation of bathymetric changes due to reservoir sedimentation: A Japanese case study

    PubMed Central

    Dai, Wenhong; Larson, Magnus; Beebo, Qaid Naamo; Xie, Qiancheng

    2017-01-01

    Sediment-dynamics modeling is a useful tool for estimating a dam’s lifespan and its cost–benefit analysis. Collecting real data for sediment-dynamics analysis from conventional field survey methods is both tedious and expensive. Therefore, for most rivers, the historical record of data is either missing or not very detailed. Available data and existing tools have much potential and may be used for qualitative prediction of future bathymetric change trend. This study shows that proxy approaches may be used to increase the spatiotemporal resolution of flow data, and hypothesize the river cross-sections and sediment data. Sediment-dynamics analysis of the reach of the Tenryu River upstream of Sakuma Dam in Japan was performed to predict its future bathymetric changes using a 1D numerical model (HEC-RAS). In this case study, only annually-averaged flow data and the river’s longitudinal bed profile at 5-year intervals were available. Therefore, the other required data, including river cross-section and geometry and sediment inflow grain sizes, had to be hypothesized or assimilated indirectly. The model yielded a good qualitative agreement, with an R2 (coefficient of determination) of 0.8 for the observed and simulated bed profiles. A predictive simulation demonstrated that the useful life of the dam would end after the year 2035 (±5 years), which is in conformity with initial detailed estimates. The study indicates that a sediment-dynamic analysis can be performed even with a limited amount of data. However, such studies may only assess the qualitative trends of sediment dynamics. PMID:28384361

  9. Qualitative simulation of bathymetric changes due to reservoir sedimentation: A Japanese case study.

    PubMed

    Bilal, Ahmed; Dai, Wenhong; Larson, Magnus; Beebo, Qaid Naamo; Xie, Qiancheng

    2017-01-01

    Sediment-dynamics modeling is a useful tool for estimating a dam's lifespan and its cost-benefit analysis. Collecting real data for sediment-dynamics analysis from conventional field survey methods is both tedious and expensive. Therefore, for most rivers, the historical record of data is either missing or not very detailed. Available data and existing tools have much potential and may be used for qualitative prediction of future bathymetric change trend. This study shows that proxy approaches may be used to increase the spatiotemporal resolution of flow data, and hypothesize the river cross-sections and sediment data. Sediment-dynamics analysis of the reach of the Tenryu River upstream of Sakuma Dam in Japan was performed to predict its future bathymetric changes using a 1D numerical model (HEC-RAS). In this case study, only annually-averaged flow data and the river's longitudinal bed profile at 5-year intervals were available. Therefore, the other required data, including river cross-section and geometry and sediment inflow grain sizes, had to be hypothesized or assimilated indirectly. The model yielded a good qualitative agreement, with an R2 (coefficient of determination) of 0.8 for the observed and simulated bed profiles. A predictive simulation demonstrated that the useful life of the dam would end after the year 2035 (±5 years), which is in conformity with initial detailed estimates. The study indicates that a sediment-dynamic analysis can be performed even with a limited amount of data. However, such studies may only assess the qualitative trends of sediment dynamics.

  10. Crowding measures associated with the quality of emergency department care: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Stang, Antonia S; Crotts, Jennifer; Johnson, David W; Hartling, Lisa; Guttmann, Astrid

    2015-06-01

    Despite the substantial body of literature on emergency department (ED) crowding, to the best of our knowledge, there is no agreement on the measure or measures that should be used to quantify crowding. The objective of this systematic review was to identify existing measures of ED crowding that have been linked to quality of care as defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) quality domains (safe, effective, patient-centered, efficient, timely, and equitable). Six major bibliographic databases were searched from January 1980 to January 2012, and hand searches were conducted of relevant journals and conference proceedings. Observational studies (cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control), quality improvement studies, quasi-experimental (e.g., before/after) studies, and randomized controlled trials were considered for inclusion. Studies that did not provide measures of ED crowding were excluded. Studies that did not provide quantitative data on the link between crowding measures and quality of care were also excluded. Two independent reviewers assessed study eligibility, completed data extraction, and assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS) for observational studies and a modified version of the NOS for cross-sectional studies. The search identified 7,413 articles. Thirty-two articles were included in the review: six cross-sectional, one case-control, 23 cohort, and two retrospective reviews of performance improvement data. Methodologic quality was moderate, with weaknesses in the reporting of study design and methodology. Overall, 15 of the crowding measures studied had quantifiable links to quality of care. The three measures most frequently linked to quality of care were the number of patients in the waiting room, ED occupancy (percentage of overall ED beds filled), and the number of admitted patients in the ED awaiting inpatient beds. None of the articles provided data on the link between crowding measures and the IOM domains reflecting equitable and efficient care. The results of this review provide data on the association between ED crowding measures and quality of care. Three simple crowding measures have been linked to quality of care in multiple publications. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  11. Apparatus and method for determining solids circulation rate

    DOEpatents

    Ludlow, J Christopher [Morgantown, WV; Spenik, James L [Morgantown, WV

    2012-02-14

    The invention relates to a method of determining bed velocity and solids circulation rate in a standpipe experiencing a moving packed bed flow, such as the in the standpipe section of a circulating bed fluidized reactor The method utilizes in-situ measurement of differential pressure over known axial lengths of the standpipe in conjunction with in-situ gas velocity measurement for a novel application of Ergun equations allowing determination of standpipe void fraction and moving packed bed velocity. The method takes advantage of the moving packed bed property of constant void fraction in order to integrate measured parameters into simultaneous solution of Ergun-based equations and conservation of mass equations across multiple sections of the standpipe.

  12. Brackish to hypersaline lake dolostones of the Mississippian

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bennett, Carys; Kearsey, Timothy; Davies, Sarah; Millward, David; Marshall, John

    2016-04-01

    Flat-lying ferroan dolomite beds are common in the Mississippian and occur along the southern margin of Laurassia, from Kentucky USA to Poland. These rocks are important as they record shallow marine to coastal plain environments that may have acted as a pathway or refugia for animals that were radiating into freshwaters such as tetrapods, fish, molluscs and arthropods. This study is a contribution to the TW:eed Project (Tetrapod World: early evolution and diversification), that examines the rebuilding of Carboniferous ecosystems following a mass extinction at the end of the Devonian. The project focuses on the Tournaisian Ballagan Formation of Scotland, which contains rare fish and tetrapod fossils. The formation is characterised by an overbank facies association of siltstone, sandstone and palaeosols, interbedded with dolostone and evaporite units, and cut by fluvial sandstone facies associations of fining-upwards conglomerate lags, cross-bedded sandstone and rippled siltstone. Two sites are used as a case study to describe the sedimentological, faunal and ichnofaunal diversity of these dolostones. More than 270 dolostone beds are recorded in each of the 500 metre depth Norham Core (near Berwick-upon-Tweed) and from a 520 metre thick field section at Burnmouth. The beds are laterally extensive, over ˜1 km, although individual units do not appear to correlate between the core and the field site. In the Norham Core dolostones comprise up to 14% of the succession. 17% of the beds contain marginal marine fossils: Spirorbis, rare orthocones, brachiopods and putative marine sharks. More common fauna include ostracods, bivalves, plants, eurypterids, gastropods and sarcopterygian fish, which are interpreted as brackish to freshwater tolerant. Bioturbation is fairly common with Serpula colonies within dolostone beds and Chondrites burrowing down from the base of dolostone beds. Some rare units in the field section have a bulbous bed surface and preserve tree root traces, and 9% of all dolostone beds in the Norham Core are pedogenically altered. The isotopic composition of dolomite beds is δ18O -3.6‰ to -1.7‰ and δ13C -2.6‰ to 1.6‰ which is consistent with a brackish as opposed to marine origin. The dolostones are categorised by their sedimentary composition: Facies 1: Cemented siltstone and sandstone; Facies 2: Homogeneous micrite to micro-crystaline dolomite, within a clay matrix; Facies 3: Bedded dolomite and siltstone; Facies 4: Mixed calcite and dolomite; Facies 5: Dolomite with gypsum and anhydrite. Formation processes are diverse, and include diagenetic cementation (Facies 1), deposition in saline (brackish) lakes (Facies 2), deposition in saline lakes with clastic sediment input (Facies 3), lagoonal to shallow-marine carbonate deposition (Facies 4), and hypersaline lake to sabkha environments (Facies 5). 60% of the beds are facies 2 or 3 and their sedimentology, fauna, ichnofauna and isotopic composition indicate a brackish-water origin. Other Mississippian dolostones from around the world also contain a fairly restricted fauna and have been interpreted as brackish water deposits. The mechanism of dolomite formation under these conditions is discussed. These dolostones provided extensive coastal lakes that may have been an important habitat for tetrapods and other transitional groups during the Mississippian.

  13. 21 CFR 880.6060 - Medical disposable bedding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Medical disposable bedding. 880.6060 Section 880...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Miscellaneous Devices § 880.6060 Medical disposable bedding. (a) Identification. Medical disposable bedding is a device...

  14. 21 CFR 880.6060 - Medical disposable bedding.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Medical disposable bedding. 880.6060 Section 880...) MEDICAL DEVICES GENERAL HOSPITAL AND PERSONAL USE DEVICES General Hospital and Personal Use Miscellaneous Devices § 880.6060 Medical disposable bedding. (a) Identification. Medical disposable bedding is a device...

  15. Dakota sandstone facies, western Oklahoma panhandle

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Atalik, E.; Mansfield, C.F.

    The Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone in Cimarron County comprised three sandstone units and intervening mudrocks; it overlies the Kiowa Shale Member of the Purgatoire Formation. Deposits include shoreface, beach (foreshore) and dune, estuarine and tidal channel, marine marginal bay and swamp/marsh in a generally progradational sequences associated with marine regression in the Western Interior. The shoreface sand, characterized by ripple lamination, bioturbation and the trace fossils Teichichnus and Thalassinoides, is fine-grained, 5-10 m (15-30 ft) thick and grades into the underlying Kiowa Shale. Beach and associated dune deposits are 2-5 m (6-16 ft) thick, medium to fine-grained, medium to thick-bedded, tabular-planarmore » cross-bedded, and lenticular; cross-bed paleocurrent headings are northeasterly and northwesterly. Estuarine channel deposits are 3-5 m (10 to 16 ft) thick, trough to tabular-planar cross-bedded, and medium to coarse-grained with local conglomerate overlying the scoured base which commonly cuts into the Kiowa Shale or overlying shoreface sandstone; rip-up clasts and wood pieces are common but trace fossils are rare; southeasterly and southwesterly paleocurrents predominate. Tidal channel deposits are thinner (up to 2 m of 6 ft) and finer grained (medium to fine-grained) that the estuarine channel deposits; they occur within fine-grained sandstone and mudrock sequences, are trough cross-bedded, and commonly contain trace fossils (e.g., Skolithos) and wood fragments. Marine marginal (tidal flat or bay.) deposits comprise fine-grained sandstone, siltstone and interbedded shale, that are 1-3m (3-10 ft) thick with abundant burrows, small ripple marks, and parallel lamination. These grade into the fine to very fine-grained sandstones, siltstones, shales, and coals of the swamp/marsh deposits that are 1-5m (3-16 ft) thick and contain ripple marks, burrows, other trace fossils, and parallel lamination.« less

  16. Application of Laser Scanning for Creating Geological Documentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buczek, Michał; Paszek, Martyna; Szafarczyk, Anna

    2018-03-01

    A geological documentation is based on the analyses obtained from boreholes, geological exposures, and geophysical methods. It consists of text and graphic documents, containing drilling sections, vertical crosssections through the deposit and various types of maps. The surveying methods (such as LIDAR) can be applied in measurements of exposed rock layers, presented in appendices to the geological documentation. The laser scanning allows obtaining a complete profile of exposed surfaces in a short time and with a millimeter accuracy. The possibility of verifying the existing geological cross-section with laser scanning was tested on the example of the AGH experimental mine. The test field is built of different lithological rocks. Scans were taken from a single station, under favorable measuring conditions. The analysis of the signal intensity allowed to divide point cloud into separate geological layers. The results were compared with the geological profiles of the measured object. The same approach was applied to the data from the Vietnamese hard coal open pit mine Coc Sau. The thickness of exposed coal bed deposits and gangue layers were determined from the obtained data (point cloud) in combination with the photographs. The results were compared with the geological cross-section.

  17. Factors associated with the use of mosquito bed nets: results from two cross-sectional household surveys in Zambézia Province, Mozambique.

    PubMed

    Moon, Troy D; Hayes, Caleb B; Blevins, Meridith; Lopez, Melanie L; Green, Ann F; González-Calvo, Lazaro; Olupona, Omo

    2016-04-11

    Malaria remains a major threat to some 3.2 billion persons globally. Malaria contributes heavily to the overall disease burden in Mozambique and is considered endemic. A cornerstone of Mozambique's vector control strategy has been to strive for universal coverage of insecticide-treated nets (ITN). The study is a population-based cross-sectional survey of female heads-of-household in Zambézia Province, Mozambique conducted during August-September, 2010 and April-May, 2014. Analyses accounted for a stratified two-stage cluster sample design. Outcomes of interest included sleeping under a mosquito net during the previous night. Descriptive statistics were calculated for three oversampled districts and for the entire province. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate factors associated with both changes over time and increased mosquito bed net usage. Of the 3916 households interviewed in 2010 and 3906 households in 2014, 64.3% were in possession of at least one mosquito bed net. A higher proportion of households in Namacurra (90%) reported possession of a mosquito net, compared to Alto Molócuè (77%) and Morrumbala (34%), respectively in 2014. Of pregnant respondents, 58.6% reported sleeping under a mosquito net the previous night in 2010 compared to 68.4% in 2014. Fifty percent of children 0-59 months slept under a mosquito net the previous night in 2010 compared to 60% in 2014. Factors associated with use of a mosquito net for female head-of-household respondents were higher education, understanding Portuguese, larger household size, having electricity in the household, and larger household monthly income. As travel time to a health facility increased (per 1 h), respondents had 13% lower odds of sleeping under a mosquito net (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.74-1.01, p = 0.07). Pregnant women in 2014 had a 2.4 times higher odds of sleeping under a bed net if they lived in Namacurra compared to Alto Molócuè (95% CI 0.91-6.32, p = 0.002 for district). Higher maternal education, living in Namacurra, and acquisition of mosquito bed nets were associated with a child 0-59 months reporting sleeping under the net in the previous night in 2014. Intensified focus on the poorest, least educated, and most distant from health services is needed to improve equity of ITN availability and usage. Additionally, while some districts have already surpassed goals in terms of coverage and utilization of ITN, renewed emphasis should be placed on bringing all geographic regions of the province closer to meeting these targets.

  18. Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves of the Northern Cascade Mountains, Chelan and King Counties, Washington State, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gasperi, J. T.; McClung, J. M.; Hanson, D. L.

    2006-12-01

    The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service has developed regional hydraulic geometry curves relating drainage area to bankfull top width, mean depth and cross-sectional area for the east and west sides of the northern Cascade Mountains in Chelan and King Counties, Washington. NRCS surveyed 10 channel reaches with drainage areas from 1 to 1000 square miles within the Wenatchee River drainage of Chelan County and 10 channel reaches with drainage areas of 1 to 100 square miles within the Cedar and Green River drainages of King County. Selection criteria for stream reaches required a minimum of 20 years of USGS stream gage discharge records, unregulated flows and safe access. Survey data were collected with a Sokkia Total Station during low flow conditions from August 2004 to September 2005. NRCS measured a channel cross-section at each of the USGS stream gage sites and two or three additional cross-sections up and downstream. The authors also collected samples of bed material for gradation analysis and estimation of Manning's roughness coefficient, n. Bankfull elevations were estimated based on visual identification of field indicators and USGS flood discharges for the 50% exceedance probability event. Field data were evaluated with the Ohio DNR Reference Reach spreadsheet to determine bankfull top width, mean depth and cross-sectional area. We applied a simple linear regression to the data following USGS statistical methods to evaluate the closeness of fit between drainage area and bankfull channel dimensions. The resulting R2 values of 0.83 to 0.93 for the eastern Cascade data of Chelan County and 0.71 to 0.88 for the western Cascade data of King County indicate a close association between drainage area and bankfull channel dimensions for these two sets of data.

  19. 21 CFR 880.2400 - Bed-patient monitor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Bed-patient monitor. 880.2400 Section 880.2400 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED... Devices § 880.2400 Bed-patient monitor. (a) Identification. A bed-patient monitor is a battery-powered...

  20. 21 CFR 868.5180 - Rocking bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Rocking bed. 868.5180 Section 868.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5180 Rocking bed. (a) Identification. A rocking bed is a device...

  1. 21 CFR 868.5180 - Rocking bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Rocking bed. 868.5180 Section 868.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5180 Rocking bed. (a) Identification. A rocking bed is a device...

  2. 21 CFR 868.5180 - Rocking bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Rocking bed. 868.5180 Section 868.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5180 Rocking bed. (a) Identification. A rocking bed is a device...

  3. Lateral Erosion Encourages Vertical Incision in a Bimodal Alluvial River

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gran, K. B.

    2015-12-01

    Sand can have a strong impact on gravel transport, increasing gravel transport rates by orders of magnitude as sand content increases. Recent experimental work by others indicates that adding sand to an armored bed can even cause armor to break-up and mobilize. These two elements together help explain observations from a bimodal sand and gravel-bedded river, where lateral migration into sand-rich alluvium breaks up the armor layer, encouraging further incision into the bed. Detailed bedload measurements were coupled with surface and subsurface grain size analyses and cross-sectional surveys in a seasonally-incised channel carved into the upper alluvial fan of the Pasig-Potrero River at Mount Pinatubo, Philippines. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, filling valleys draining the flanks of the volcano with primarily sand-sized pyroclastic flow debris. Twenty years after the eruption, sand-rich sediment inputs are strongly seasonal, with most sediment input to the channel during the rainy season. During the dry season, flow condenses from a wide braided planform to a single-thread channel in most of the upper basin, extending several km onto the alluvial fan. This change in planform creates similar unit discharge ranges in summer and winter. Lower sediment loads in the dry season drive vertical incision until the bed is sufficiently armored. Incision proceeds downstream in a wave, with increasing sediment transport rates and decreasing grain size with distance downstream, eventually reaching a gravel-sand transition and return to a braided planform. Incision depths in the gravel-bedded section exceeded 3 meters in parts of a 4 km-long study reach, a depth too great to be explained by predictions from simple winnowing during incision. Instead, lateral migration into sand-rich alluvium provides sufficient fine sediment to break up the armor surface, allowing incision to start anew and increasing the total depth of the seasonally-incised valley. Lateral migration is recorded in a series of inset terraces within the valley. The importance of sand on channel behavior thus extends beyond transport rates, affecting the depth of incision and volume of material excavated during a rainy to dry season transition.

  4. Toward determining melt pool quality metrics via coaxial monitoring in laser powder bed fusion.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Brian A; Lane, Brandon; Yeung, Ho; Beuth, Jack

    2018-01-01

    The current industry trend in metal additive manufacturing is towards greater real time process monitoring capabilities during builds to ensure high quality parts. While the hardware implementations that allow for real time monitoring of the melt pool have advanced significantly, the knowledge required to correlate the generated data to useful metrics of interest are still lacking. This research presents promising results that aim to bridge this knowledge gap by determining a novel means to correlate easily obtainable sensor data (thermal emission) to key melt pool size metrics (e.g., melt pool cross sectional area).

  5. Experimental observations of granular debris flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghilardi, P.

    2003-04-01

    Various tests are run using two different laboratory flumes with rectangular cross section and transparent walls. The grains used in a single experiment have an almost constant grain sizes; mean diameter ranges from 5 mm to 20 mm. In each test various measurements are taken: hydrograms, velocity distribution near the transparent walls and on the free surface, average flow concentration. Concentration values are measured taking samples. Velocity distributions are obtained from movies recorded by high speed video cameras capable of 350 frames per second; flow rates and depth hydrograms are computed from the same velocity distributions. A gate is installed at the beginning of one of the flumes; this gate slides normally to the bed and opens very quickly, reproducing a dam-break. Several tests are run using this device, varying channel slope, sediment concentration, initial mixture thickness before the gate. Velocity distribution in the flume is almost constant from left to right, except for the flow sections near the front. The observed discharges and velocities are less than those given by a classic dam break formula, and depend on sediment concentration. The other flume is fed by a mixture with constant discharge and concentration, and is mainly used for measuring velocity distributions when the flow is uniform, with both rigid and granular bed, and to study erosion/deposition processes near debris flow dams or other mitigation devices. The equilibrium slope of the granular bed is very close to that given by the classical equilibrium formulas for debris flow. Different deposition processes are observed depending on mixture concentration and channel geometry.

  6. An enigmatic source of hematitic carbonate beds containing vast amounts of iron oxidizers in a paleozoic metamorphic complex, South Hungary, Geresd-Hills, Ófalu.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jáger, Viktor; Dabi, Gergely; Menyhárt, Adrienn

    2013-04-01

    Near the village of Ófalu, in the Geresd Hills, South Hungary, within the "Mecsekalja tectonic belt", low and intermediate grade paleozoic metamorphic complex (phyllite, gneiss) contains vein-like hematitic carbonate beds, up to 30 cm in thickness. The carbonate mineral is calcite. These hematitic carbonate beds cross-cut the foliation of the phyllite, and show no signs of any metamorphic alteration. In the studied section the red carbonate beds are associated with a vein system filled with multiple generations of vein carbonates(Dabi et al., 2011). The red carbonate beds contain a vaste number of twisted stalks of the iron oxidizing taxon of Gallionella. Rarely in some siliceous parts, Leptothrix-like microbial fossils can be found and these beds also contain numerous unidentifiable, hematitic foraminifers. According to ICP-AES measurements, the hematitic carbonate beds contains 8 % Fe, 0.86 % Mn and 0.12 % Ba. XRD and Raman measurements proved that the iron phase is hematite. The SEM observations revealed that the bacterial microfossils and foraminifers are built up of micron-submicron sized pseudohexagonal platy hematite. The bacterial microfossils of the Gallionella iron oxidizer are very well preserved and reaches about 80 µm length and about 2-3 µm width. The above observations raise the following issues: 1. how did these non metamorphic hematitic-carbonatic beds get inside into the metamorphic complex?, 2. what is the age of the formation of these beds?, and 3. what was the source of the iron? If we consider that the hematitic beds contain foraminifers and iron oxidizing bacteria, and no signs of metamorphic alteration nor foliations can be observed in these beds, the only answer for the first question is that the formations are fractures filled with lime-mud, i.e. neptunian dykes, which penetrated into the cracks of the phyllite. The presence of foraminifers and the geotectonic situation of the unit imply marine origin. Considering that these beds are neptunian dykes, their age must be younger than the paleozoic metamorphic event. They must be older than the Early Cretaceous dyke emplacement in the region, based on cross-cutting relation with limonite stained calcite veins, related to the volcanic activity (Dabi et al., 2011) In this region (Tisza-megaunit) continental rift-related alkali basaltic submarine volcanism was widespread during the Early Cretaceous epoch, when hypabyssal basaltic bodies (intrusive pillow basalts) intruded into unconsolidated sediments. Along these magmatic bodies low temperature hydrothermal circulation of seawater hydrolyzed basaltic glass and mafic minerals, and huge amount of Fe(II) was released and got into the lime mud that was saturated with anaerobic water, where iron oxidizing microorganisms thrived (Jáger et al., 2012).We propose a very similar paleoenvironmental model for Ófalu occurence, where low temperature, reductive iron-rich hydrothermal fluids penetrated soft sediments and contributed to the flourishing of iron-oxidizers. Due to subsequent tectonic events, these iron-rich sediments got into the fissures of the Ófalu metamorphic complex. This model is strenghtened by some borehole and outcrops where the Lower Cretaceous interpillow sediments and hyaloclastites rich in iron oxydes and intrusive pillow basalt can be found close to our investigated section. (Hetényi et al., 1976) This study was supported by the Developing Competitiveness of Universities in the South Transdanubian Region (SROP-4.2.1.B-10/2/KONV-2010-0002). Dabi, G., Siklósy, Z., Schubert, F., Bajnóczi, B., M. Tóth, T., 2011. The relevance of vein texture in understanding the past hydraulic behaviour of a crystalline rock mass: reconstruction of the palaeohydrology of the Mecsekalja Zone, South Hungary. Geofluids, 11, 309-327. Hetényi, R., Földi, M., Hámor, G., Nagy, I., Bilik, I., Jantsky, B. 1976. Magyarázó a Mecsek hegység földtani térképéhez 10 000-es sorozat. MÁFI Budapest (in hungarian). Jáger, V., Molnár, F., Buchs, D. & Koděra, P. 2012: The connection between iron ore formations and "mud-shrimp" colonizations around sunken wood debris and hydrothermal sediments in a Lower Cretaceous continental rift basin, Mecsek Mts., Hungary. — Earth-Science Reviews 114/3-4, 250-278.

  7. Association between stall surface and some animal welfare measurements in freestall dairy herds using recycled manure solids for bedding.

    PubMed

    Husfeldt, A W; Endres, M I

    2012-10-01

    The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between stall surface and some animal welfare measurements in upper Midwest US dairy operations using recycled manure solids as bedding material. The study included 34 dairy operations with herd sizes ranging from 130 to 3,700 lactating cows. Forty-five percent of the herds had mattresses and 55% had deep-bedded stalls. Farms were visited once between July and October 2009. At the time of visit, at least 50% of the cows in each lactating pen were scored for locomotion, hygiene, and hock lesions. On-farm herd records were collected for the entire year and used to investigate mortality, culling, milk production, and mastitis incidence. Stall surface was associated with lameness and hock lesion prevalence. Lameness prevalence (locomotion score ≥ 3 on a 1 to 5 scale) was lower in deep-bedded freestalls (14.4%) than freestalls with mattresses (19.8%). Severe lameness prevalence (locomotion score ≥ 4) was also lower for cows housed in deep-bedded freestalls (3.6%) than for cows housed in freestalls with mattresses (5.9%). In addition, the prevalence of hock lesions (hock lesion scores ≥ 2 on a 1 to 3 scale, with 1=no lesion, 2=hair loss or mild lesion, and 3=swelling or severe lesion) and severe hock lesions (hock lesion score=3) was lower in herds with deep-bedded freestalls (49.4%; 6.4%) than in herds with mattresses (67.3%; 13.2%). Herd turnover rates were not associated with stall surface; however, the percentage of removals due to voluntary (low milk production, disposition, and dairy) and involuntary (death, illness, injury, and reproductive) reasons was different between deep-bedded and mattress-based freestalls. Voluntary removals averaged 16% of all herd removals in deep-bedded herds, whereas in mattress herds, these removals were 8%. Other welfare measurements such as cow hygiene, mortality rate, mastitis incidence, and milk production were not associated with stall surface. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Transgressive reef sequences of the Devonian Devils Gate Limestone, Red Hill, Nevada

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shapiro, R.; Dehler, C.; Flynn, J.

    The Devils Gate Limestone at Red Hill, Simpson Park Range, Eureka Co., Nevada is composed of several conformable transgressive sequences cropping out in a series of step-like cliffs 1--5 m high. The general sequence is as follows: (1) a 1--4 m thick in situ boundstone dominated by large, period rugosans, domical and stratiform stromatoporids and rare, 1--3 cm diameter oncolites. Most of the boundstone is composed of small, cylindrical fossils. Petrographic observation revealed them to be mostly Amphipora and Cladopora. The upper portions of these units are packstones composed of Amphipora/Cladopora and, to a lesser degree, small favositids, round stromatoporoidsmore » (3--4 cm diameter), and rip-up clasts. (2) These beds grade upward into a thinly laminated and/or cross-bedded unfossiliferous mudstone. (3) Stratigraphically above the mudstone or in contact with the packstone, is a cross-bedded and/or bioturbated wackestone containing fossils no greater than 2 mm. In thin section, the mottled reddish-grey wackestone is pelletal, with rare lenses of small crinoid columnals. Disarticulated brachiopod shells of low diversity are found near the tops of some of these layers. Community dominance in the reefal units alternates between Amphipora/Cladopora, colonial rugose, and stromatoporoids. Oncolite mounds are common in the uppermost unit. The typical reef succession consists of domical and digitate stromatoporoids growing on the upper surfaces of in place or disturbed, large rugosans, though the reverse has been noted. Tabulate corals encrusted by stromatoporoids are often found in the packstone. It is important to note that often these successions' can be attributed to juxtaposition along styolites.« less

  9. Development of Human Muscle Protein Measurement with MRI

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lin, Chen; Evans, Harlan; Leblanc, Adrian D.

    1997-01-01

    It is known that micro-gravity has a strong influence on the human musculoskeletal system. A number of studies have shown that significant changes in skeletal muscles occur in both space flight and bedrest simulation. In our 5 week bedrest study, the cross-sectional area of soleus-gastrocnemius decreased about 12% while the cross-sectional area of anterior calf muscles decreased about 4%. Using volume measurements, these losses increased after 17 weeks to approximately 30% and 21% respectively. Significant muscle atrophy was also found on the SL-J crew members after only 8 days in space. It is important that these effects are fully understood so that countermeasures can be developed. The same knowledge might also be useful in preventing muscle atrophy related to other medical problems. A major problem with anatomical measurements of muscle during bed rest and microgravity is the influence of fluid shifts and water balance on the measurement of muscle volume, especially when the exposure duration is short and the atrophy is relatively small. Fluid shifts were documented in Skylab by visual observations of blood vessel distention, rapid changes in limb volume, center of mass measurements and subjective descriptions such as puffy faces and head fullness. It has been reported that the muscle water content of biopsied soleus muscles decreased following 8 hours of head down tilt bed rest. Three aspects of fluid shifts that can affect volume measurements are: first, the shift of fluid that occurs whenever there is a change from upright to a recumbent position and vice versa; second, the potential for fluid accumulation in the lower limbs resulting from muscle damage caused by overextending atrophied muscle or swelling caused by deconditioned precapillary sphincter muscles during reambulation; third, the net change of hydration level during and after bed rest or spaceflight. Because of these transitory fluid shifts, muscle protein is expected to represent muscle capacity better than does muscle volume. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of using MRI to quantify of muscle protein and water content changes in muscle.

  10. Depression and Disordered Eating in the Obese Person

    PubMed Central

    Faulconbridge, Lucy F.; Bechtel, Colleen F.

    2014-01-01

    Three mental health problems commonly associated with obesity are major depression, binge eating disorder (BED), and Night Eating Syndrome (NES). Evidence from both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies support independent relationships between obesity and depression, and between obesity and binge eating. These problems are most prevalent in severely obese individuals (Class III obesity; a body mass index (BMI) of >40kgm2), many of whom seek bariatric surgery, and we briefly review whether the presence of pre-operative depression, BED or NES affects post-operative outcomes. Historically depressed individuals have been screened out of weight loss trials due to concerns of worsening mood with weight loss. Such practices have precluded the development of effective treatments for depressed, obese individuals, leaving large numbers of people without appropriate care. We present recent advances in this area, and attempt to answer whether depressed individuals can lose clinically significant amounts of weight, show improvements in mood, and adhere to the demands of a weight loss intervention. PMID:24678445

  11. Dissociative Ionization of Benzene by Electron Impact

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huo, Winifred; Dateo, Christopher; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    We report a theoretical study of the dissociative ionization (DI) of benzene from the low-lying ionization channels. Our approach makes use of the fact that electron motion is much faster than nuclear motion and DI is treated as a two-step process. The first step is electron-impact ionization resulting in an ion with the same nuclear geometry as the neutral molecule. In the second step the nuclei relax from the initial geometry and undergo unimolecular dissociation. For the ionization process we use the improved binary-encounter dipole (iBED) model. For the unimolecular dissociation step, we study the steepest descent reaction path to the minimum of the ion potential energy surface. The path is used to analyze the probability of unimolecular dissociation and to determine the product distributions. Our analysis of the dissociation products and the thresholds of the productions are compared with the result dissociative photoionization measurements of Feng et al. The partial oscillator strengths from Feng et al. are then used in the iBED cross section calculations.

  12. Application of geocomposite placed beneath ballast bed to improve ballast quality and track stability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horníček, Leoš; Břešt'ovský, Petr; Jasanský, Petr

    2017-09-01

    The article deals with the application of a stabilization hexagonal geocomposite for the improvement of poor stability of railway tracks caused by undesirable migration of fine soil particles from the subgrade into the ballast bed. The establishment of a test railway section on a single-line track situated near Domazlice and its long-term monitoring programme are described. Evaluation is aimed especially at track geometry parameters, the load-bearing capacity of the ballast bed, elastic rail deflection during train passages and the durability of geocomposite’s physical properties. The data taken from the test section during five measurement campaigns are compared with both adjacent sections. In one of them, only the ballast bed renovation was carried out, whereas in the second one no intervention was performed at all. The usage of a pioneering geosynthetic product in combination with new trends in ballast bed restoration seems to be an innovative as well as effective solution to analogous problematic spots on railway tracks in the Czech Republic.

  13. ICU ward design and nosocomial infection rates: a cross-sectional study in Germany.

    PubMed

    Stiller, A; Schröder, C; Gropmann, A; Schwab, F; Behnke, M; Geffers, C; Sunder, W; Holzhausen, J; Gastmeier, P

    2017-01-01

    There is increasing interest in the effects of hospital and ward design on multi-faceted infection control. Definitive evidence is rare and the state of knowledge about current ward design is lacking. To collect data on the current status of ward design for intensive care units (ICUs) and to analyse associations between particular design factors and nosocomial infection rates. In 2015, operational infrastructure data were collected via an online questionnaire from ICUs participating voluntarily in the German nosocomial infection surveillance system (KISS). A multi-variate analysis was subsequently undertaken with nosocomial infection rates from the KISS database from 2014 to 2015. In total, 534 ICUs submitted data about their operational infrastructure. Of these, 27.1% of beds were hosted in single-bed rooms with a median size of 18m 2 (interquartile range 15-21m 2 ), and 73.5% of all ICU beds had a hand rub dispenser nearby. The authors were able to match 266 ICUs in the multi-variate analysis. ICUs with openable windows in patient rooms were associated with lower device-associated lower respiratory tract infections [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.90]. ICUs with >40% two-bed rooms were associated with lower primary bloodstream infection rates (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.51-0.86). Only minor associations were found between design factors and ICU infection rates. Most were surrogates for other risk factors. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Bed Rest Muscular Atrophy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, John E.

    2000-01-01

    A major debilitating response from prolonged bed rest (BR) is muscle atrophy, defined as a "decrease in size of a part of tissue after full development has been attained: a wasting away of tissue as from disuse, old age, injury or disease". Part of the complicated mechanism for the dizziness, increased body instability, and exaggerated gait in patients who arise immediately after BR may be a result of not only foot pain, but also of muscular atrophy and associated reduction in lower limb strength. Also, there seems to be a close association between muscle atrophy and bone atrophy. A discussion of many facets of the total BR homeostatic syndrome has been published. The old adage that use determines form which promotes function of bone (Wolff's law) also applies to those people exposed to prolonged BR (without exercise training) in whom muscle atrophy is a consistent finding. An extreme case involved a 16-year-old boy who was ordered to bed by his mother in 1932: after 50 years in bed he had "a lily-white frame with limbs as thin as the legs of a ladder-back chair". These findings emphasize the close relationship between muscle atrophy and bone atrophy. In addition to loss of muscle mass during deconditioning, there is a significant loss of muscle strength and a decrease in protein synthesis. Because the decreases in force (strength) are proportionately greater than those in fiber size or muscle cross-sectional area, other contributory factors must be involved; muscle fiber dehydration may be important.

  15. New data on Berriasian biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and sedimentology in the Belogorsk area (Central Crimea)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arkadiev, V. V.; Baraboshkin, E. Yu.; Bagaeva, M. I.; Bogdanova, T. N.; Guzhikov, A. Yu.; Manikin, A. G.; Piskunov, V. K.; Platonov, E. S.; Savel'eva, Yu. N.; Feodorova, A. A.; Shurekova, O. V.

    2015-03-01

    The most complete composite Berriasian bio- and magnetostratigraphic section of central Crimea is characterized for the first time with a description of the contact between the carbonate Bedenekyr and terrigenous Bechku formations. The section contains all the standard ammonite zones: jacobi, occitanica, and boissieri. The Malbosiceras chaperi Beds are attributed to the occitanica Zone. The Berriasian section is characterized by six foraminiferal assemblages, ostracods (Costacythere khiamii-Hechticythere belbekensis and Costaythere drushchitzi-Reticythere marfenini beds), and dinocysts (Phobercysta neocomica Beds). The magnetostratigraphic section contains analogs of Chrons M17 and M16 reliably correlated with ammonite zones. On the basis of paleomagnetic data, the Berriasian section of central Crimea is correlated with coeval sections of the Mediterranean Region. The sedimenological analysis confirms accumulation of Berriasian sediments mostly in shallow shelf environments of the carbonate platform.

  16. 40 CFR 147.52 - State-administered program-Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Fracturing of Coal Beds. 147.52 Section 147.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... PROGRAMS Alabama § 147.52 State-administered program—Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds. The UIC program for hydraulic fracturing of coal beds in the State of Alabama, except those on Indian lands, is the program...

  17. 40 CFR 147.52 - State-administered program-Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Fracturing of Coal Beds. 147.52 Section 147.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... PROGRAMS Alabama § 147.52 State-administered program—Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds. The UIC program for hydraulic fracturing of coal beds in the State of Alabama, except those on Indian lands, is the program...

  18. 40 CFR 147.52 - State-administered program-Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Fracturing of Coal Beds. 147.52 Section 147.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... PROGRAMS Alabama § 147.52 State-administered program—Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds. The UIC program for hydraulic fracturing of coal beds in the State of Alabama, except those on Indian lands, is the program...

  19. 40 CFR 147.52 - State-administered program-Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Fracturing of Coal Beds. 147.52 Section 147.52 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... PROGRAMS Alabama § 147.52 State-administered program—Hydraulic Fracturing of Coal Beds. The UIC program for hydraulic fracturing of coal beds in the State of Alabama, except those on Indian lands, is the program...

  20. 21 CFR 880.2400 - Bed-patient monitor.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Devices § 880.2400 Bed-patient monitor. (a) Identification. A bed-patient monitor is a battery-powered device placed under a mattress and used to indicate by an alarm or other signal when a patient attempts... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bed-patient monitor. 880.2400 Section 880.2400...

  1. Mixed fluvial systems of Messak Sandstone, a deposit of Nubian lithofacies, southwestern Libya

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lorenz, J.C.

    1987-05-01

    The Messak Sandstone is a coarse to pebbly, tabular cross-bedded, Lower Cretaceous deposit of the widespread Nubian lithofacies. It was deposited at the northern edge of the Murzuq basin in southwestern Libya. Although the sedimentary record is predominantly one of braided fluvial systems, a common subfacies within the formation is interpreted to record the passage of straight-crested sand waves across laterally migrating point bars in sinuous rivers, similar to the pattern documented by Singh and Kumar on the modern Ganga and Yamuna Rivers. Because the sand waves were larger on the lower parts of the point bars, lateral migration createdmore » diagnostic thinning-upward, unidirectional cosets of tabular cross-beds as well as fining-upward, grain-size trends. Common, thick, interbedded claystones, deposited in associated paludal and lacustrine environments, and high variance in cross-bed dispersion patterns also suggest the local presence of sinuous fluvial systems within the overall braided regime. The Messak Sandstone contains some of the features that led Harms et al to propose an unconventional low-sinuosity fluvial environment for the Nubian lithofacies in Egypt, and the continuously high water levels of this model may explain channel-scale clay drapes and overturned cross-beds in the Messak. However, most of the Messak characteristics are incompatible with the low-sinuosity model, suggesting instead that the fluvial channels in the Murzuq basin alternated between braided and high-sinuosity patterns.« less

  2. The bedding environment, sleep position, and frequent wheeze in childhood.

    PubMed

    Ponsonby, Anne-Louise; Dwyer, Terence; Trevillian, Leigh; Kemp, Andrew; Cochrane, Jennifer; Couper, David; Carmichael, Allan

    2004-05-01

    Synthetic quilt use has been associated with increased childhood wheeze in previous studies. Our aim was to examine whether the adverse effect of synthetic quilt use on frequent wheeze differed by usual sleep position. A population-based cross-sectional study of 6378 (92% of those eligible) 7-year-olds in Tasmania, Australia, was conducted in 1995. Exercise-challenge lung function was obtained on a subset of 414 children from randomly selected schools. Child bedding including pillow and overbedding composition and usual sleep position by parental questionnaire. Frequent wheeze (>12 wheeze episodes over the past year), using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood parental questionnaire, and baseline and postexercise forced expiratory volume in 1 second lung-function measures. Frequent wheeze (n = 117) was positively associated with synthetic quilts, synthetic pillows, electric blankets, and sleeping in a bottom bunk bed but did not vary by sleep position. In a nested case-control analysis, the association between synthetic quilt use and frequent wheeze differed by sleep position. Among children who slept supine, synthetic (versus feather) quilt use was associated with frequent wheeze (adjusted odds ratio: 2.37 [1.08, 5.23]). However, among nonsupine sleepers, overlying synthetic quilt use was not associated with frequent wheeze (adjusted odds ratio: 1.06 [0.60, 1.88]). This difference in quilt effect by sleep position was highly significant. Similarly, synthetic quilt use was associated with lower postexercise forced expiratory volume in 1 second measures among supine but not nonsupine sleeping children. An increasing focus on the bedding environment immediately adjacent to the nose and mouth is required for respiratory disorders provoked by bedding, such as child asthma characterized by frequent wheeze.

  3. Determination of mean recency period for estimation of HIV type 1 Incidence with the BED-capture EIA in persons infected with diverse subtypes.

    PubMed

    Parekh, Bharat S; Hanson, Debra L; Hargrove, John; Branson, Bernard; Green, Timothy; Dobbs, Trudy; Constantine, Niel; Overbaugh, Julie; McDougal, J Steven

    2011-03-01

    The IgG capture BED enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA) was developed to detect recent HIV-1 infection for the estimation of HIV-1 incidence from cross-sectional specimens. The mean time interval between seroconversion and reaching a specified assay cutoff value [referred to here as the mean recency period (ω)], an important parameter for incidence estimation, is determined for some HIV-1 subtypes, but testing in more cohorts and new statistical methods suggest the need for a revised estimation of ω in different subtypes. A total of 2927 longitudinal specimens from 756 persons with incident HIV infections who had been enrolled in 17 cohort studies was tested by the BED-CEIA. The ω was determined using two statistical approaches: (1) linear mixed effects regression (ω(1)) and (2) a nonparametric survival method (ω(2)). Recency periods varied among individuals and by population. At an OD-n cutoff of 0.8, ω(1) was 176 days (95% CL 164-188 days) whereas ω(2) was 162 days (95% CL 152-172 days) when using a comparable subset of specimens (13 cohorts). When method 2 was applied to all available data (17 cohorts), ω(2) ranged from 127 days (Thai AE) to 236 days (subtypes AG, AD) with an overall ω(2) of 197 days (95% CL 173-220). About 70% of individuals reached a threshold OD-n of 0.8 by 197 days (mean ω) and 95% of people reached 0.8 OD-n by 480 days. The determination of ω with more data and new methodology suggests that ω of the BED-CEIA varies between different subtypes and/or populations. These estimates for ω may affect incidence estimates in various studies.

  4. Time of elevation of head of bed for patients receiving mechanical ventilation and its related factors.

    PubMed

    Martí-Hereu, L; Arreciado Marañón, A

    The semirecumbent position is a widespread recommendation for the prevention of pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation. To identify the time of elevation of head of bed for patients under mechanical ventilation and the factors related to such elevation in an intensive care unit. An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study. Conducted in an intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital from April to June 2015. The studied population were mechanically ventilated patients. Daily hours in which patients remained with the head of the bed elevated (≥30°), socio-demographic data and clinical variables were recorded. 261 head elevation measurements were collected. The average daily hours that patients remained at ≥30° was 16h28' (SD ±5h38'), equivalent to 68.6% (SD ±23.5%) of the day. Factors related to elevations ≥30° for longer were: enteral nutrition, levels of deep sedation, cardiac and neurocritical diagnostics. Factors that hindered the position were: sedation levels for agitation and abdominal pathologies. Sex, age and ventilation mode did not show a significant relationship with bed head elevation. Although raising the head of the bed is an easy to perform, economical and measurable preventive measure, its compliance is low due to specific factors specific related o the patient's clinical condition. Using innovations such as continuous measurement of the head position helps to evaluate clinical practice and allows to carry out improvement actions whose impact is beneficial to the patient. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Enfermería Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  5. Sleep Environment Risks for Younger and Older Infants

    PubMed Central

    Collie-Akers, Vicki; Schunn, Christy; Moon, Rachel Y.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related causes of infant mortality have several known risk factors. Less is known about the association of those risk factors at different times during infancy. Our objective was to determine any associations between risk factors for sleep-related deaths at different ages. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of sleep-related infant deaths from 24 states during 2004–2012 contained in the National Center for the Review and Prevention of Child Deaths Case Reporting System, a database of death reports from state child death review teams. The main exposure was age, divided into younger (0–3 months) and older (4 months to 364 days) infants. The primary outcomes were bed-sharing, objects in the sleep environment, location (eg, adult bed), and position (eg, prone). RESULTS: A total of 8207 deaths were analyzed. Younger victims were more likely bed-sharing (73.8% vs 58.9%, P < .001) and sleeping in an adult bed/on a person (51.6% vs 43.8%, P < .001). A higher percentage of older victims had an object in the sleep environment (39.4% vs 33.5%, P < .001) and changed position from side/back to prone (18.4% vs 13.8%, P < .001). Multivariable regression confirmed these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for sleep-related infant deaths may be different for different age groups. The predominant risk factor for younger infants is bed-sharing, whereas rolling into objects in the sleep area is the predominant risk factor for older infants. Parents should be warned about the dangers of these specific risk factors appropriate to their infant’s age. PMID:25022735

  6. Do non-melanoma skin cancer survivors use tanning beds less often than the general public?

    PubMed

    Wiznia, Lauren; Dai, Feng; Chagpar, Anees B

    2016-08-15

    Purpose Indoor tanning is associated with an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), yet little is known about indoor tanning habits of individuals with a history of NMSC. Methods We examined self-reported history of NMSC and tanning bed use among non-Hispanic white respondents in the 2010 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a cross-sectional population-based survey designed to be representative of the civilian US population. We computed weighted population estimates and standard errors using the Taylor series linearization method. We then evaluated chi-square tests of independence and conducted weighted logistic regression analyses to evaluate if NMSC status was a predictor of indoor tanning. Results In our analytic sample of 14,400 non-Hispanic white participants, representing 145,287,995 in the population, 543 participants (weighted proportion = 3.45%) self-reported a history of NMSC or "skin cancer type not known." In multivariate analyses, non-melanoma skin cancer survivors were no less likely to use tanning beds in the last 12 months than skin cancer free controls (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.34-1.43, p = 0.33). Conclusions Non-melanoma skin cancer survivors should be educated on their increased risk of recurrence and other skin cancers and in particular the role of indoor tanning in skin tumorigenesis.

  7. Tailoring the thermal conductivity of the powder bed in Electron Beam Melting (EBM) Additive Manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Smith, C J; Tammas-Williams, S; Hernandez-Nava, E; Todd, I

    2017-09-05

    Metallic powder bed additive manufacturing is capable of producing complex, functional parts by repeatedly depositing thin layers of powder particles atop of each other whilst selectively melting the corresponding part cross-section into each layer. A weakness with this approach arises when melting overhanging features, which have no prior melted material directly beneath them. This is due to the lower thermal conductivity of the powder relative to solid material, which as a result leads to an accumulation of heat and thus distortion. The Electron Beam Melting (EBM) process alleviates this to some extent as the powder must first be sintered (by the beam itself) before it is melted, which results in the added benefit of increasing the thermal conductivity. This study thus sought to investigate to what extent the thermal conductivity of local regions in a titanium Ti-6Al-4V powder bed could be varied by imparting more energy from the beam. Thermal diffusivity and density measurements were taken of the resulting sintered samples, which ranged from being loosely to very well consolidated. It was found that the calculated thermal conductivity at two temperatures, 40 and 730 °C, was more than doubled over the range of input energies explored.

  8. Methodology and Estimates of Scour at Selected Bridge Sites in Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heinrichs, Thomas A.; Kennedy, Ben W.; Langley, Dustin E.; Burrows, Robert L.

    2001-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey estimated scour depths at 325 bridges in Alaska as part of a cooperative agreement with the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The department selected these sites from approximately 806 State-owned bridges as potentially susceptible to scour during extreme floods. Pier scour and contraction scour were computed for the selected bridges by using methods recommended by the Federal Highway Administration. The U.S. Geological Survey used a four-step procedure to estimate scour: (1) Compute magnitudes of the 100- and 500-year floods. (2) Determine cross-section geometry and hydraulic properties for each bridge site. (3) Compute the water-surface profile for the 100- and 500-year floods. (4) Compute contraction and pier scour. This procedure is unique because the cross sections were developed from existing data on file to make a quantitative estimate of scour. This screening method has the advantage of providing scour depths and bed elevations for comparison with bridge-foundation elevations without the time and expense of a field survey. Four examples of bridge-scour analyses are summarized in the appendix.

  9. Velocity-based analysis of sediment incipient deposition in rigid boundary open channels.

    PubMed

    Aksoy, Hafzullah; Safari, Mir Jafar Sadegh; Unal, Necati Erdem; Mohammadi, Mirali

    2017-11-01

    Drainage systems must be designed in a way to minimize undesired problems such as decrease in hydraulic capacity of the channel, blockage and transport of pollutants due to deposition of sediment. Channel design considering self-cleansing criteria are used to solve the sedimentation problem. Incipient deposition is one of the non-deposition self-cleansing design criteria that can be used as a conservative method for channel design. Experimental studies have been carried out in five different cross-section channels, namely trapezoidal, rectangular, circular, U-shape and V-bottom. Experiments were performed in a tilting flume using four different sizes of sands as sediment in nine different channel bed slopes. Two well-known methods, namely the Novak & Nalluri and Yang methods are considered for the analysis of sediment motion. Equations developed using experimental data are found to be in agreement with the literature. It is concluded that the design velocity depends on the shape of the channel cross-section. Rectangular and V-bottom channels need lower and higher incipient deposition velocities, respectively, in comparison with other channels.

  10. Reply to Comments on "the Cenozoic Fold-and-Thrust Belt of Eastern Sardinia: Evidences from the Integration of Field Data With Numerically Balanced Geological Cross Section" by Arragoni et al. (2016)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salvini, F.; Arragoni, S.; Cianfarra, P.; Maggi, M.

    2017-10-01

    The comment by Berra et al. (2017) on the evidence of Alpine tectonics in Eastern Sardinia proposed by Arragoni et al. (2016) is based on the sedimentological interpretations of few local outcrops in a marginal portion of the study area. The Cenozoic Alpine fold-and-thrust setting, which characterizes this region, presents flat-over-flat shear planes acting along originally stratigraphic contacts, where stratigraphic continuity is obviously maintained. The ramp sectors present steeply dipping bedding attitudes, and there is no need to invoke and to force prograding clinoforms with unrealistic angles to justify them. The balanced geological cross section proposed by Arragoni et al. (2016) is fully supported by robust newly collected structural data and is compatible with the overall tectonic setting, while the interpretation proposed by Berra et al. (2017) lacks a detailed structural investigation. We believe that the partial application of the techniques available to modern geology may lead to incorrect interpretations, thus representing an obstacle for the progress of knowledge in the Earth sciences.

  11. Pneumatic transportation of dispersed medium through a vertical tube immersed into a fluidized bed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krasnykh, V. Yu.; Korolev, V. N.; Ostrovskaya, A. V.; Nagornov, S. A.

    2013-11-01

    We discuss the technical problem of how to transport granular material in a vertical direction from the underlying section of a multistage apparatus containing a fluidized bed to an upper section through tubes immersed into the fluidized bed without additional expenditures of energy. The intensity with which the dispersed medium (a mixture of gas and fuel particles) moves through the tube and the mass flowrate of particles are determined by the ratio between the hydraulic resistances of dispersed medium inside the tube and of the fluidized bed outside of it. In turn, this ratio depends on the fluidization number W (W = w s/ w 0, where w s is the seepage velocity and w 0 is the fluidization commencement velocity) and on the tube immersing depth into the bed.

  12. Investigation of the conditions affecting the joining of Hungarian hospitals to an accreditation programme: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Margitai, Barnabás; Dózsa, Csaba; Bárdos-Csenteri, Orsolya Karola; Sándor, János; Gáll, Tibor; Gődény, Sándor

    2018-01-01

    Objective Quantitative studies have shown the various benefits for having accreditation in hospitals. However, neither of these explored the general conditions before applying for an accreditation. To close this gap, this study aimed to investigate the possible association between joining an accreditation programme with various hospital characteristics. Design A cross-sectional study was implemented using the databases of the 2013 Hungarian hospital survey and of the Hungarian State Treasury. Setting Public general hospitals in Hungary. Participants The analysis involved 44 public general hospitals, 14 of which joined the preparatory project for a newly developed accreditation programme. Main outcome measures The outcomes included the percentage of compliance in quality management, patient information and identification, internal professional regulation, safe surgery, pressure sore prevention, infection control, the opinions of the heads of quality management regarding the usefulness of quality management and clinical audits, and finally, the total debt of the hospital per bed and per discharged patient. Results According to our findings, the general hospitals joining the preparatory project of the accreditation programme performed better in four of the six investigated activities, the head of quality management had a better opinion on the usefulness of quality management, and both the debt per bed number and the debt per discharged patient were lower than those who did not join. However, no statistically significant differences between the two groups were found in any of the examined outcomes. Conclusions The findings suggest that hospitals applying for an accreditation programme do not differ significantly in characteristics from those which did not apply. This means that if in the future the accredited hospitals become better than other hospitals, then the improvement could be solely contributed to the accreditation. PMID:29391381

  13. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis for the tritium breeding ratio of a DEMO fusion reactor with a helium cooled pebble bed blanket

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nunnenmann, Elena; Fischer, Ulrich; Stieglitz, Robert

    2017-09-01

    An uncertainty analysis was performed for the tritium breeding ratio (TBR) of a fusion power plant of the European DEMO type using the MCSEN patch to the MCNP Monte Carlo code. The breeding blanket was of the type Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB), currently under development in the European Power Plant Physics and Technology (PPPT) programme for a fusion power demonstration reactor (DEMO). A suitable 3D model of the DEMO reactor with HCPB blanket modules, as routinely used for blanket design calculations, was employed. The nuclear cross-section data were taken from the JEFF-3.2 data library. For the uncertainty analysis, the isotopes H-1, Li-6, Li-7, Be-9, O-16, Si-28, Si-29, Si-30, Cr-52, Fe-54, Fe-56, Ni-58, W-182, W-183, W-184 and W-186 were considered. The covariance data were taken from JEFF-3.2 where available. Otherwise a combination of FENDL-2.1 for Li-7, EFF-3 for Be-9 and JENDL-3.2 for O-16 were compared with data from TENDL-2014. Another comparison was performed with covariance data from JEFF-3.3T1. The analyses show an overall uncertainty of ± 3.2% for the TBR when using JEFF-3.2 covariance data with the mentioned additions. When using TENDL-2014 covariance data as replacement, the uncertainty increases to ± 8.6%. For JEFF-3.3T1 the uncertainty result is ± 5.6%. The uncertainty is dominated by O-16, Li-6 and Li-7 cross-sections.

  14. The features of infectious diseases departments and anti-infective practices in France and Turkey: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Erdem, H; Stahl, J P; Inan, A; Kilic, S; Akova, M; Rioux, C; Pierre, I; Canestri, A; Haustraete, E; Engin, D O; Parlak, E; Argemi, X; Bruley, D; Alp, E; Greffe, S; Hosoglu, S; Patrat-Delon, S; Heper, Y; Tasbakan, M; Corbin, V; Hopoglu, M; Balkan, I I; Mutlu, B; Demonchy, E; Yilmaz, H; Fourcade, C; Toko-Tchuindzie, L; Kaya, S; Engin, A; Yalci, A; Bernigaud, C; Vahaboglu, H; Curlier, E; Akduman, D; Barrelet, A; Oncu, S; Korten, V; Usluer, G; Turgut, H; Sener, A; Evirgen, O; Elaldi, N; Gorenek, L

    2014-09-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the infectious diseases (ID) wards of tertiary hospitals in France and Turkey for technical capacity, infection control, characteristics of patients, infections, infecting organisms, and therapeutic approaches. This cross-sectional study was carried out on a single day on one of the weekdays of June 17-21, 2013. Overall, 36 ID departments from Turkey (n = 21) and France (n = 15) were involved. On the study day, 273 patients were hospitalized in Turkish and 324 patients were followed in French ID departments. The numbers of patients and beds in the hospitals, and presence of an intensive care unit (ICU) room in the ID ward was not different in both France and Turkey. Bed occupancy in the ID ward, single rooms, and negative pressure rooms were significantly higher in France. The presence of a laboratory inside the ID ward was more common in Turkish ID wards. The configuration of infection control committees, and their qualifications and surveillance types were quite similar in both countries. Although differences existed based on epidemiology, the distribution of infections were uniform on both sides. In Turkey, anti-Gram-positive agents, carbapenems, and tigecycline, and in France, cephalosporins, penicillins, aminoglycosides, and metronidazole were more frequently preferred. Enteric Gram-negatives and hepatitis B and C were more frequent in Turkey, while human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and streptococci were more common in France (p < 0.05 for all significances). Various differences and similarities existed in France and Turkey in the ID wards. However, the current scene is that ID are managed with high standards in both countries.

  15. 86. (Credit CBF) Canal between Twelve Mile Bayou and Cross ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    86. (Credit CBF) Canal between Twelve Mile Bayou and Cross Bayou in the bed of Blind Bayou (constructed 1901-1903). Photo taken in November of 1911. - McNeil Street Pumping Station, McNeil Street & Cross Bayou, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, LA

  16. Impact of HIV Subtype on Performance of the Limiting Antigen-Avidity Enzyme Immunoassay, the Bio-Rad Avidity Assay, and the BED Capture Immunoassay in Rakai, Uganda

    PubMed Central

    Longosz, Andrew F.; Serwadda, David; Nalugoda, Fred; Kigozi, Godfrey; Franco, Veronica; Gray, Ronald H.; Quinn, Thomas C.; Eshleman, Susan H.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Previous studies demonstrated that individuals with subtype D HIV infection who had been infected for 2 or more years were frequently misclassified as assay positive using cross-sectional incidence assays. Samples from 510 subjects (212 subtype A, 298 subtype D) who were infected for 2.2 to 14.5 years (median 5.4 years) and were not virally suppressed were tested using an LAg-Avidity enzyme immunoassay (LAg-Avidity EIA), Bio-Rad Avidity assay, and BED capture enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA). The performance of these three assays was evaluated using various assay cutoff values [LAg-Avidity EIA: <1.0 OD-n and <2.0 OD-n; Bio-Rad Avidity assay: <40% avidity index (AI) and <80% AI; BED-CEIA: <0.8 OD-n]. The mean LAg-Avidity EIA result was higher for subtype A than D (4.54±0.95 vs. 3.86±1.26, p<0.001); the mean Bio-Rad Avidity assay result was higher for subtype A than D (88.9%±12.5% vs. 75.1±30.5, p<0.001); and the mean BED-CEIA result was similar for the two subtypes (2.2±1.2 OD-n for subtype A, 2.2±1.3 OD-n for subtype D, p<0.9). The frequency of misclassification was higher for individuals with subtype D infection compared to those with subtype A infection, using either the LAg-Avidity EIA with a cutoff of <2.0 OD-n or the Bio-Rad Avidity assay with cutoffs of <40% or <80% AI. No subtype-specific differences in assay performance were observed using the BED-CEIA. Sex and age were not significantly associated with misclassification by any assay. The LAg-Avidity EIA with a cutoff <1.0 OD-n had the lowest frequency of misclassification in this Ugandan population. PMID:24083837

  17. Balancing hydropower production and river bed incision in operating a run-of-river hydropower scheme along the River Po

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denaro, Simona; Dinh, Quang; Bizzi, Simone; Bernardi, Dario; Pavan, Sara; Castelletti, Andrea; Schippa, Leonardo; Soncini-Sessa, Rodolfo

    2013-04-01

    Water management through dams and reservoirs is worldwide necessary to support key human-related activities ranging from hydropower production to water allocation, and flood risk mitigation. Reservoir operations are commonly planned in order to maximize these objectives. However reservoirs strongly influence river geomorphic processes causing sediment deficit downstream, altering the flow regime, leading, often, to process of river bed incision: for instance the variations of river cross sections over few years can notably affect hydropower production, flood mitigation, water supply strategies and eco-hydrological processes of the freshwater ecosystem. The river Po (a major Italian river) has experienced severe bed incision in the last decades. For this reason infrastructure stability has been negatively affected, and capacity to derive water decreased, navigation, fishing and tourism are suffering economic damages, not to mention the impact on the environment. Our case study analyzes the management of Isola Serafini hydropower plant located on the main Po river course. The plant has a major impact to the geomorphic river processes downstream, affecting sediment supply, connectivity (stopping sediment upstream the dam) and transport capacity (altering the flow regime). Current operation policy aims at maximizing hydropower production neglecting the effects in term of geomorphic processes. A new improved policy should also consider controlling downstream river bed incision. The aim of this research is to find suitable modeling framework to identify an operating policy for Isola Serafini reservoir able to provide an optimal trade-off between these two conflicting objectives: hydropower production and river bed incision downstream. A multi-objective simulation-based optimization framework is adopted. The operating policy is parameterized as a piecewise linear function and the parameters optimized using an interactive response surface approach. Global and local response surface are comparatively assessed. Preliminary results show that a range of potentially interesting trade-off policies exist able to better control river bed incision downstream without significantly decreasing hydropower production.

  18. Evaluating Effects of Floodplain Constriction Along a High Energy Gravel-Bed River: Snake River, WY

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leonard, Christina M.

    This study examined approximately 66 km of the Snake River, WY, USA, spanning a natural reach within Grand Teton National Park and a reach immediately downstream that is confined by artificial levees. We linked the channel adjustments observed within these two reaches between 2007 and 2012 to sediment transport processes by developing a morphological sediment budget. A pair of digital elevation models (DEMs) was generated by fusing LiDAR topography with depth estimates derived from optical image data within wetted channels. Errors for both components of the DEMs (LiDAR and optical bathymetry) were propagated through the DEM of difference and sediment budget calculations. Our results indicated that even with the best available methods for acquiring high resolution topographic data over large areas, the uncertainty associated with bed elevation estimates implied that net volumetric changes were not statistically significant. In addition to the terrain analysis, we performed a tracer study to assess the mobility of different grain size classes in different morphological units. Grain sizes, hydraulic conditions, and flow resistance characteristics along cross-sections were used to calculate critical discharges for entrainment, but this bulk characterization of fluid driving forces failed to predict bed mobility. Our results indicated that over seasonal timescales specific grain classes were not preferentially entrained. Surface and subsurface grain size data were used to calculate armoring and dimensionless sediment transport ratios for both reaches; sediment supply exceeded transport capacity in the natural reach and vice versa in the confined reach. We used a conceptual model to describe channel adjustments to lateral constriction by levees. Initially we suggest levees focused flow energy and incised the bed, resulting in bed armoring. Bed armoring promoted channel widening, but levees prevented this and instead the channel migrated more rapidly within the constricted braidplain, eroding vegetated islands and bars and excavating sediment from the reach.

  19. Evaluation of Uncertainty in Bedload Transport Estimates in a Southern Appalachian Stream

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwartz, J. S.

    2016-12-01

    Capacity estimates of bed-material transport rates are generally derived using empirical formulae as a function of bed material gradation and composition, and hydraulic shear stress. Various field techniques may be used to sample and characterize bed material gradation; some techniques assume the existing bar material is representative of that in transport. Other methods use Helly-Smith samplers, pit traps, and net traps. Very few large, complete cross-section pit traps fully instrumented to collect continuous bedload transport have been constructed, and none in the eastern United States to our knowledge. A fully-instrumented bedload collection station was constructed on Little Turkey Creek (LTC) in Farragut, Tennessee. The aim of the research was to characterize bed material transport during stormflows for a southern Appalachian stream in the Ridge and Valley Providence. Bedload transport data from LTC was compared with classic datasets including Oak Creek (Oregon), East Fork River (Wyoming), and Clearwater and Snake rivers (Idaho). In addition, data were evaluated to assess the potential accuracy of both calibrated and uncalibrated bedload transport models using bedload transport data from LTC. Uncalibrated models were assessed with regard to their estimated range of uncertainty according to Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses. Models calibrated using reference shear values determined according to station measurements are evaluated in the same manner. Finally, models calibrated using the small scale, short-term, low rate bedload sampling techniques promoted in the literature for the spreadsheet based Bedload Assessment in Gravel-bedded Streams (BAGS) software for determining the reference shear stress are compared to results of both uncalibrated models and those calibrated using data from the bedload station. This research supports design and construction of dynamically stable alluvial stream restoration projects where stream channels are largely dependent on reach-scale hydraulic geometry that provides a long-term balance between bed-material sediment supply and transport capacity.

  20. The association between higher nurse staffing standards in the fee schedules and the geographic distribution of hospital nurses: A cross-sectional study using nationwide administrative data.

    PubMed

    Morioka, Noriko; Tomio, Jun; Seto, Toshikazu; Kobayashi, Yasuki

    2017-01-01

    In Japan, the revision of the fee schedules in 2006 introduced a new category of general care ward for more advanced care, with a higher staffing standard, a patient-to-nurse ratio of 7:1. Previous studies have suggested that these changes worsened inequalities in the geographic distribution of nurses, but there have been few quantitative studies evaluating this effect. This study aimed to investigate the association between the distribution of 7:1 beds and the geographic distribution of hospital nursing staffs. We conducted a secondary data analysis of hospital reimbursement reports in 2012 in Japan. The study units were secondary medical areas (SMAs) in Japan, which are roughly comparable to hospital service areas in the United States. The outcome variable was the nurse density per 100,000 population in each SMA. The 7:1 bed density per 100,000 population was the main independent variable. To investigate the association between the nurse density and 7:1 bed density, adjusting for other variables, we applied a multiple linear regression model, with nurse density as an outcome variable, and the bed densities by functional category of inpatient ward as independent variables, adding other variables related to socio-economic status and nurse workforce. To investigate whether 7:1 bed density made the largest contribution to the nurse density, compared to other bed densities, we estimated the standardized regression coefficients. There were 344 SMAs in the study period, of which 343 were used because of data availability. There were approximately 553,600 full time equivalent nurses working in inpatient wards in hospitals. The mean (standard deviation) of the full time equivalent nurse density was 426.4 (147.5) and for 7:1 bed density, the figures were 271.9 (185.9). The 7:1 bed density ranged from 0.0 to 1,295.5. After adjusting for the possible confounders, there were more hospital nurses in the areas with higher densities of 7:1 beds (standardized regression coefficient 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.68). We found that the 7:1 nurse staffing standard made the largest contribution to the geographic distribution of hospital nurses, adjusted for socio-economic status and nurse workforce-related factors.

  1. Impacts of backwashing on granular activated carbon filters for advanced wastewater treatment.

    PubMed

    Frank, Joshua; Ruhl, Aki Sebastian; Jekel, Martin

    2015-12-15

    The use of granular activated carbon (GAC) in fixed bed filters is a promising option for the removal of organic micropollutants (OMP) from wastewater treatment plant effluents. Frequent backwashing of the filter bed is inevitable, but its effect on potential filter stratification is not well understood yet and thus has been evaluated in the present study for two commercial GAC products. Backwashing of GAC filters was simulated with 10 or 100 filter bed expansions of 20 or 100% at backwash velocities of 12 and 40 m/h, respectively. Five vertical fractions were extracted and revealed a vertical stratification according to grain sizes and material densities. Sieve analyses indicated increasing grain sizes towards the bottom for one GAC while grain sizes of the other GAC were more homogeneously distributed throughout the filter bed. The apparent densities of the top sections were significantly lower than that of the bottom sections of both products. Comparative long term fixed bed adsorption experiments with the top and bottom sections of the stratified GAC showed remarkable differences in breakthrough curves of dissolved organic carbon, UV light absorption at 254 nm wavelength (UVA254) and OMP. GAC from the upper section showed constantly better removal efficiencies than GAC from the bottom section, especially for weakly adsorbing OMP such as sulfamethoxazole. Furthermore correlations between UVA254 reductions and OMP removals were found. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. River network bedload model: a tool to investigate the impact of flow regulation on grain size distribution in a large Alpine catchment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Costa, Anna; Molnar, Peter

    2017-04-01

    Sediment transport rates along rivers and the grain size distribution (GSD) of coarse channel bed sediment are the result of the long term balance between transport capacity and sediment supply. Transport capacity, mainly a function of channel geometry and flow competence, can be altered by changes in climatic forcing as well as by human activities. In Alpine rivers it is hydropower production systems that are the main causes of modification to the transport capacity of water courses through flow regulation, leading over longer time scales to the adjustment of river bed GSDs. We developed a river network bedload transport model to evaluate the impacts of hydropower on the transfer of sediments and the GSDs of the Upper Rhône basin, a 5,200 km2 catchment located in the Swiss Alps. Many large reservoirs for hydropower production have been built along the main tributaries of the Rhône River since the 1960s, resulting in a complex system of intakes, tunnels, and pumping stations. Sediment storage behind dams and intakes, is accompanied by altered discharge due to hydropower operations, mainly higher flow in winter and lower in summer. It is expected that this change in flow regime may have resulted in different bedload transport. However, due the non-linear, threshold-based nature of the relation between discharge and sediment mobilization, the effects of changed hydraulic conditions are not easily deducible, and because observations of bedload in pre- and post-dam conditions are usually not available, a modelling approach is often necessary. In our modelling approach, the river network is conceptualized as a series of connected links (river reaches). Average geometric characteristics of each link (width, length, and slope of cross section) are extracted from digital elevation data, while surface roughness coefficients are assigned based on the GSD. Under the assumptions of rectangular prismatic cross sections and normal flow conditions, bed shear stress is estimated from available time series of daily discharge distributed along the river network. Potential bedload transport is estimated by the Wilcock and Crowe surface-based model for the entire GSD. Mass balance between transport capacity and sediment supply, applied to each individual grain size, determines the actual transport and the resulting GSD of the channel bed. Channel bed erosion is allowed through a long-term erosion rate. Sediment input from hillslopes is included as lateral sediment flux. Initial and boundary conditions are set based on available data of GSDs, while an approximation of the depth of the mobile bed is selected through sensitivity analysis. With the river network bedload model we aim to estimate the effect of flow regulation, i.e. altered transport capacity, on sediment transport and GSD of the entire Rhône river system. The model can also be applied as a tool to explore possible changes in bedload transport and channel GSDs under different discharge scenarios based, for example, on climate change projections or modified hydropower operation policies.

  3. Deep-sea tsunami deposits in the Miocene Nishizaki Formation of Boso Peninsula, Central Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, I. T.; Ogawa, Y.

    2003-12-01

    Many sets of deep-sea deposits considered to be formed by return flow of tsunami were found from the middle Miocene Nishizaki Formation of Boso Peninsula, Central Japan, which is located near the convergent plate boundary at present as well as in the past, and has been frequently attacked by tsunami. The characteristics of the tsunami deposits in the Nishizaki Formation are as follows. Each set consists of 10-20 beds with parallel laminations formed under upper plane regime composed of alternated pumiceous beds in white and black colors. The white bed comprises coarse sands and pebbles with thickness of 5-10 cm. In contrast, the black bed is made of silts with thickness less than 1 cm. Among the 10-20 beds, the grain size is coarsest in the middle part of the set in general. The uppermost bed of each set shows cross-lamination formed by lower plane regime, gradually changing into finer graded bed on top. Sometimes, the lower part of the parallel laminated bed is associated with an underlying debrite or turbidite bed. Each set of these parallel-laminated beds is lenticular in shape thinning to the east in consistent with the generally eastward paleocurrent of the cross-lamination at the top. Such sedimentary characteristics are different from any event deposits reported in deep-sea but similar to the deep-sea K/T boundary deposits in the Caribbean region. Statistically, tsunami waves occur totally 12-13 times. Among them the height of 5-6th wave is known to be strongest. Interval time of each return flow is known to be 30-40 minutes, enough to settle the finer clastics at each bed top. The parallel-laminated parts have common dish structure and never trace fossils, indicating rather rapid deposition for the whole parts of the set. Consequently, the sedimentary characteristics shown from the parallel-laminated beds of the Nishizaki Formation are attributed to the return flow of tsunami to the deep-sea. We considered that such deep-sea parallel-laminated deposits of pumiceous clastics occur just after a large earthquake which forms the debrite or turbidite at the lowermost part.

  4. 42 CFR 409.45 - Dependent services requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... facilitate treatment or to prevent deterioration of the beneficiary's health, changing the bed linens of an... with ambulation, changing position in bed, and assistance with transfers. (ii) Simple dressing changes...) of this section. For example, these incidental services may include changing bed linens, personal...

  5. A numerical model for the solution of the Shallow Water equations in composite channels with movable bed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    minatti, L.

    2013-12-01

    A finite volume model solving the shallow water equations coupled with the sediments continuity equation in composite channels with irregular geometry is presented. The model is essentially 1D but can handle composite cross-sections in which bedload transport is considered to occur inside the main channel only. This assumption is coherent with the observed behavior of rivers on short time scales where main channel areas exhibit more relevant morphological variations than overbanks. Furthermore, such a model allows a more precise prediction of thalweg elevation and cross section shape variations than fully 1D models where bedload transport is considered to occur uniformly over the entire cross section. The coupling of the equations describing water and sediments dynamics results in a hyperbolic non-conservative system that cannot be solved numerically with the use of a conservative scheme. Therefore, a path-conservative scheme, based on the approach proposed by Pares and Castro (2004) has been devised in order to account for the coupling with the sediments continuity equation and for the concurrent presence of bottom elevation and breadth variations of the cross section. In order to correctly compute numerical fluxes related to bedload transport in main channel areas, a special treatment of the equations is employed in the model. The resulting scheme is well balanced and fully coupled and can accurately model abrupt time variations of flow and bedload transport conditions in wide rivers, characterized by the presence of overbank areas that are less active than the main channel. The accuracy of the model has been first tested in fixed bed conditions by solving problems with a known analytical solution: in these tests the model proved to be able to handle shocks and supercritical flow conditions properly(see Fig. 01). A practical application of the model to the Ombrone river, southern Tuscany (Italy) is shown. The river has shown relevant morphological changes during the last fifteen years, most of them related to the occurrence of high flow rates. The employment of the model allowed to perform a detailed flood hazard assessment where potential risks associated to bedload transport,such as sediments filling of manufacts, excessive erosion or aggradation rates have been evaluated, together with the more 'classical' evaluation of water levels. The whole process also led to the identification of sensitive reaches of the river that require monitoring thus allowing better management practices of the public money allocated for river maintenance. Solution of the Riemann problem for a 10 m wide rectangular XS. The dotted lines represent the numerical solution, while the continuous ones represent the analytical solution

  6. Coevolution of bed surface patchiness and channel morphology: 1. Mechanisms of forced patch formation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nelson, Peter A.; McDonald, Richard R.; Nelson, Jonathan M.; Dietrich, William E.

    2015-01-01

    Riverbeds frequently display a spatial structure where the sediment mixture composing the channel bed has been sorted into discrete patches of similar grain size. Even though patches are a fundamental feature in gravel bed rivers, we have little understanding of how patches form, evolve, and interact. Here we present a two-dimensional morphodynamic model that is used to examine in greater detail the mechanisms responsible for the development of forced bed surface patches and the coevolution of bed morphology and bed surface patchiness. The model computes the depth-averaged channel hydrodynamics, mixed-grain-size sediment transport, and bed evolution by coupling the river morphodynamic model Flow and Sediment Transport with Morphological Evolution of Channels (FaSTMECH) with a transport relation for gravel mixtures and the mixed-grain-size Exner equation using the active layer assumption. To test the model, we use it to simulate a flume experiment in which the bed developed a sequence of alternate bars and temporally and spatially persistent forced patches with a general pattern of coarse bar tops and fine pools. Cross-stream sediment flux causes sediment to be exported off of bars and imported into pools at a rate that balances downstream gradients in the streamwise sediment transport rate, allowing quasi-steady bar-pool topography to persist. The relative importance of lateral gravitational forces on the cross-stream component of sediment transport is a primary control on the amplitude of the bars. Because boundary shear stress declines as flow shoals over the bars, the lateral sediment transport is increasingly size selective and leads to the development of coarse bar tops and fine pools.

  7. Origin of the Nubian and similar sandstones

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McKee, E.D.

    1963-01-01

    The Nubian Sandstone and similar sandstone bodies exposed across much of northern Africa and adjoining parts of Asia are characteristically formed of clean sand that is conspicuously cross stratified throughout. Such sandstone, here called Nubian-type sandstone, ranges from Cambrian through Cretaceous in age and its genesis has been interpreted in many ways. Studies of its primary structures, and of the direction of sand transport, based on statistical measurements of foreset dip directions, have contributed new data on its genesis. By far the most common structure in Nubian-type sandstone is a medium-scale planar-type cross stratification in which sets of evenly dipping cross beds are bounded by essentially flat-lying top and bottom surfaces to form tabular bodies. Other less numerous but typical structures are large-scale, truncated-wedge cross strata, trough-type cross strata, intraformational recumbent folds, small-scale ripple laminae, and dipping sets of tabular-planar cross beds. An analysis of these structures suggests that in the typical Nubian Sandstone of Cretaceous age eolian deposits are not represented and normal marine types probably also are lacking; flood plain, pond or lagoon, and other continental and marginal environments are indicated. In the Carboniferous rocks of Sinai Peninsula some beach sandstone and possibly some eolian, in addition to the types described, form part of the sequence. Direction of sand transport, as determined from cross-bed dips, was northerly in the Cretaceous Nubian of Libya, Sudan, and Egypt; easterly in the Jurassic Adigrat of Ethiopia; westerly in the Carboniferous of Sinai; northwesterly in the early Paleozoic of Jordan. ?? 1963 Ferdinand Enke Verlag Stuttgart.

  8. In-situ Observations of Swash-zone Flow Velocities and Sediment Transport on a Steep Beach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chardon-Maldonado, P.; Puleo, J. A.; Figlus, J.

    2014-12-01

    A 45 m scaffolding frame containing an array of instruments was installed at South Bethany Beach, Delaware, to obtain in-situ measurements in the swash zone. Six cross-shore stations were established to simultaneously measure near-bed velocity profiles, sediment concentration and water level fluctuations on a steep beach. Measurements of swash-zone hydrodynamics and morphological change were collected from February 12 to 25, 2014, following a large Nor'easter storm with surf zone significant wave height exceeding 5 m. Swash-zone flow velocities (u,v,w) were measured at each cross-shore location using a Nortek Vectrino profiling velocimeter that measured a 30 mm velocity profile at 1 mm vertical increments at 100 Hz. These velocity profiles were used to quantify the vertical flow structure over the foreshore and estimate hydrodynamic parameters such as bed shear stress and turbulent kinetic energy dissipation. Sediment concentrations were measured using optical backscatter sensors (OBS) to obtain spatio-temporal measurements during both uprush and backwash phases of the swash cycle. Cross-shore sediment transport rates at each station were estimated by taking the product of cross-shore velocity and sediment concentration. Foreshore elevations were sampled every low tide using a Leica GPS system with RTK capability. Cross-shore sediment transport rates and gradients derived from the velocities and bed shear stress estimates will be related to the observed morphological change.

  9. Imaging radar observations of frozen Arctic lakes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elachi, C.; Bryan, M. L.; Weeks, W. F.

    1976-01-01

    A synthetic aperture imaging L-band radar flown aboard the NASA CV-990 remotely sensed a number of ice-covered lakes about 48 km northwest of Bethel, Alaska. The image obtained is a high resolution, two-dimensional representation of the surface backscatter cross section, and large differences in backscatter returns are observed: homogeneous low returns, homogeneous high returns and/or low returns near lake borders, and high returns from central areas. It is suggested that a low return indicates that the lake is frozen completely to the bottom, while a high return indicates the presence of fresh water between the ice cover and the lake bed.

  10. Changes of muscle function and size with bedrest

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dudley, Gary A.; Gollnick, Philip D.; Convertino, Victor A.; Buchanan, Paul

    1989-01-01

    The impact of a short-term head-down bedrest on the skeletal-muscle function of humans was investigated in healthy males subjected (after five days of control period) to 30-day 6-deg head-down bed rest (BR) followed by a five-day recovery period. It was found that the head-down BR led to a decrease in force developed by the knee extensor muscle group during maximal voluntary efforts, with the average reduction of 21 percent across the speeds of concentric and eccentric muscle action. Significant decreases were also found in the cross-sectional areas of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers of the vastus lateralis.

  11. Eating disorders are frequent among type 2 diabetic patients and are associated with worse metabolic and psychological outcomes: results from a cross-sectional study in primary and secondary care settings.

    PubMed

    Nicolau, Joana; Simó, Rafael; Sanchís, Pilar; Ayala, Luisa; Fortuny, Regina; Zubillaga, Ivana; Masmiquel, Lluís

    2015-12-01

    Data regarding the prevalence of eating disorders (ED) and their influence on clinical outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are scarce. Our aim is to investigate the frequency of positive screening for ED, specifically binge eating disorder (BED), in a T2DM sample and analyze whether there are any differences among T2DM subjects with a positive screening for ED or BED. Three hundred and twenty subjects with T2DM were recruited randomly. All participants were evaluated for the presence of ED by completing the "Eating Attitudes Test-26" (EAT-26). In addition, the "Questionnaire of Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised" (QEWP-R) for the screening of BED was also implemented. Sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical parameters were also recorded. According to EAT-26, 14 % of subjects screened positive for ED. Regarding QEWP-R, 16 % had a positive screening for ED, with BED having a frequency of 12.2 %, being the most prevalent one. There was a positive correlation between the scores obtained with the EAT-26 and the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.0014). Patients with BED were younger (57.5 ± 11.1 vs 63.3 ± 10.3 years; p = 0.004), with a lesser T2DM duration (8.5 ± 6.1 vs 12.1 ± 9.6 years; p = 0.002). Weight and BMI among subjects with BED were greater (89.1 ± 1.3 vs 82.4 ± 16.7 kg; p = 0.04 and 39.4 ± 10.3 vs 30.7 ± 5.5 kg/m(2); p = 0.01). The frequency of subjects with one admission related to T2DM or any other condition during the last year was higher (10 vs 3 %; p = 0.04 and 33 vs 21 %; p = 0.01). ED among T2DM are frequent. Due to their deleterious effect on different metabolic and psychological outcomes, they should be diagnosed promptly, especially BED.

  12. Exploring emergency department 4-hour target performance and cancelled elective operations: a regression analysis of routinely collected and openly reported NHS trust data.

    PubMed

    Keogh, Brad; Culliford, David; Guerrero-Ludueña, Richard; Monks, Thomas

    2018-05-24

    To quantify the effect of intrahospital patient flow on emergency department (ED) performance targets and indicate if the expectations set by the National Health Service (NHS) England 5-year forward review are realistic in returning emergency services to previous performance levels. Linear regression analysis of routinely reported trust activity and performance data using a series of cross-sectional studies. NHS trusts in England submitting routine nationally reported measures to NHS England. 142 acute non-specialist trusts operating in England between 2012 and 2016. The primary outcome measures were proportion of 4-hour waiting time breaches and cancelled elective operations. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to show relationships between the outcome measures and various measures of trust activity including empty day beds, empty night beds, day bed to night bed ratio, ED conversion ratio and delayed transfers of care. Univariate regression results using the outcome of 4-hour breaches showed clear relationships with empty night beds and ED conversion ratio between 2012 and 2016. The day bed to night bed ratio showed an increasing ability to explain variation in performance between 2015 and 2016. Delayed transfers of care showed little evidence of an association. Multivariate model results indicated that the ability of patient flow variables to explain 4-hour target performance had reduced between 2012 and 2016 (19% to 12%), and had increased in explaining cancelled elective operations (7% to 17%). The flow of patients through trusts is shown to influence ED performance; however, performance has become less explainable by intratrust patient flow between 2012 and 2016. Some commonly stated explanatory factors such as delayed transfers of care showed limited evidence of being related. The results indicate some of the measures proposed by NHS England to reduce pressure on EDs may not have the desired impact on returning services to previous performance levels. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  13. Bathymetric and velocimetric surveys at highway bridges crossing the Missouri River near Kansas City, Missouri, June 2–4, 2015

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Huizinga, Richard J.

    2016-06-22

    A local spatial minimum average channel-bed elevation at structure A7650 (site 10) compared to adjacent sites may indicate this site is at or near a local feature that controls sediment deposition and scour. The average channel-bed elevation values and the distribution of channel-bed elevations imply that sediment unable to deposit near structure A7650 is flushed downstream and deposits at the next downstream site, structure A5817 (site 11).

  14. Changes to channel sediments resulting from complex human impacts in a gravel-bed river, Polish Carpathians

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zawiejska, Joanna; Wyżga, Bartłomiej; Hajdukiewicz, Hanna; Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Mikuś, Paweł

    2016-04-01

    During the second half of the twentieth century, many sections of the Czarny Dunajec River, Polish Carpathians, were considerably modified by channelization as well as gravel-mining and the resultant channel incision (up to 3.5 m). This paper examines changes to the longitudinal pattern of grain size and sorting of bed material in an 18-km-long river reach. Surface bed-material grain size was established on 47 gravel bars and compared with a reference downstream fining trend of bar sediments derived from the sites with average river width and a vertically stable channel. Contrary to expectations, the extraction of cobbles from the channel bed in the upper part of the study reach, conducted in the past decades, has resulted in the marked coarsening of bed material in this river section. The extraction facilitated entrainment of exposed finer grains and has led to rapid bed degradation, whereas the concentration of flood flows in the increasingly deep and narrow channel has increased their competence and enabled a delivery of the coarse particles previously typical of the upstream reach. The middle section of the study reach, channelized to prevent sediment delivery to a downstream reservoir, now transfers the bed material flushed out from the incising upstream section. With considerably increased transport capacity of the river and with sediment delivery from bank erosion eliminated by bank reinforcements, bar sediments in the channelized section are typified by increased size of the finer fraction and better-than-average sorting. In the wide, multi-thread channel in the lower part of the reach, low unit stream power and high channel-form roughness facilitate sediment deposition and are reflected in relatively fine grades of bar gravels. The study showed that selective extraction of larger particles from the channel bed leads to channel incision at and upstream of the mining site. However, unlike bulk gravel mining, selective extraction does not result in sediment deficit downstream as large volumes of finer bed material are flushed out from the incising channel section. Grain-size analyses of bulk gravels and measurements of 100 coarsest particles within the channel sediment ranging in age from 5200 years BP to the present, performed in this deeply incised section, indicated that grain size of channel sediments changed relatively little since mid-Holocene to the 1960s, but has increased rapidly over the last half-century as a result of human interventions and rapidly progressing channel incision. This study was performed within the scope of the Research Project DEC-2013/09/B/ST10/00056 financed by the National Science Centre of Poland.

  15. Peculiarities of heat transfer at the liquid metal flow in a vertical channel in a coplanar magnetic field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razuvanov, N. G.; Poddubnyi, I. I.; Kostychev, P. V.

    2017-11-01

    The research of hydrodynamics and heat transfer at the liquid metal (LM) downward flow and upflow in a vertical duct of a rectangular cross section with a ratio of sides ˜1/3 in a coplanar magnetic field (MF) under conditions of bilateral symmetrical heating is performed. The problem simulates the LM flow in the heat exchange channels for cooling the liquid metal module of the blanket of the thermonuclear reactor (TNR) of the TOKAMAK type. The experiments were carried out on the basis of the mercury magnetohydrodynamic test-bed (MHD) Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MPEI) - Joint Institute for High Temperatures of the Russian Academy of Sciences (JIHT RAS). The probe measurement technique was used in the flow. Profiles of averaged velocity and averaged temperature, as well as profiles of temperature pulsations in the axial planes of the channel cross-section, are obtained; the distribution of the dimensionless wall temperature along the perimeter unfolding of the channel in the section and along the length of the channel. A significant effect of thermogravitational convection (TGC), which leads to unexpected effects, is found. At the downflow in a magnetic field, in some modes, low-frequency pulsations of anomalously high intensity occur.

  16. Depositional environments and tectonic significance of the Wajid Sandstone of southern Saudi Arabia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dabbagh, Mohamed E.; Rogers, John J. W.

    The Wajid Sandstone, of probable Early Paleozoic age, rests disconformably on crystalline rocks of the southern part of the Arabian shield. Scattered outcrops extend over an area about 450 km north-south and 300 km east-west. The southern part of the formation, near the Yemen border, consists of fluvial sandstones and very minor siltstones and silty shales. The fluvial origin is demonstrated by the presence of fining-upward cycles, channels, trough cross bedding, and absence of all organic traces. The northern part of the outcrop area consists of internally homogeneous, tabular cross-bedded, horizontally bedded sandstones apparently formed in a shallow marine environment. These marine rocks contain trace fossils broadly similar to Skolithos. Abundant cross bedding in both facies of the Wajid indicates a northward transport direction, toward what is now the center of the Arabian shield. The southern part of the Arabian shield, which was cratonized about 500 to 600 Ma ago (Pan-African age), was apparently still a depositional area receiving sediments from a southern source in Early Paleozoic time. Other, older, shields also show a tendency to be areas of deposition shortly after their apparent age of stabilization, becoming sources of clastic sediments only after several hundreds of millions of years. The conversion from basin to uplifted source may indicate a prolonged process of shield maturation after initial stabilization.

  17. Nutrient and food group intakes of women with and without Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder during pregnancy

    PubMed Central

    Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Haugen, Margaretha; Meltzer, Helle M; Von Holle, Ann; Hamer, Robert; Torgersen, Leila; Knopf-Berg, Cecilie; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted; Bulik, Cynthia M

    2009-01-01

    Background Little is known concerning the dietary habits of eating disordered women during pregnancy that may lie in the causal pathway of adverse birth outcomes. Objective To examine the nutrient and food group intake of women with bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED) during pregnancy and compare their intake to women with no eating disorders. Design Data on 30,040 mother-child pairs are from the prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study was used in cross-sectional analyses. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire during the first half of pregnancy. Statistical testing by eating disorder categories with the non-eating disorder category as the referent group were conducted using log (means) adjusted for confounding and multiple comparisons. Food group differences were conducted using a Wilcoxon two-sided normal approximation test also adjusting for multiple comparisons. Results Women with BED before and during pregnancy had higher intakes of total energy, total mono-saturated and saturated fat, and lower intakes of folate, potassium, and vitamin C compared to the referent (p<.02). Women with incident BED during pregnancy had higher total energy and saturated fat intake compared to the referent (p=.01). Several differences emerged in food group consumption between women with and without eating disorders including intakes of artificial sweeteners, sweets, juice, fruits and fats. Conclusions Women with BN before and during pregnancy and those with BED before pregnancy exhibit dietary patterns different from women without eating disorders, that are reflective of their symptomatology, and may influence pregnancy outcomes. PMID:18469258

  18. WISE 2005: Aerobic and resistive countermeasures prevent paraspinal muscle deconditioning during 60-day bed rest in women.

    PubMed

    Holt, Jacquelyn A; Macias, Brandon R; Schneider, Suzanne M; Watenpaugh, Donald E; Lee, Stuart M C; Chang, Douglas G; Hargens, Alan R

    2016-05-15

    Microgravity-induced lumbar paraspinal muscle deconditioning may contribute to back pain commonly experienced by astronauts and may increase the risk of postflight injury. We hypothesized that a combined resistive and aerobic exercise countermeasure protocol that included spinal loading would mitigate lumbar paraspinal muscle deconditioning during 60 days of bed rest in women. Sixteen women underwent 60-day, 6° head-down-tilt bed rest (BR) and were randomized into control and exercise groups. During bed rest the control group performed no exercise. The exercise group performed supine treadmill exercise within lower body negative pressure (LBNP) for 3-4 days/wk and flywheel resistive exercise for 2-3 days/wk. Paraspinal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured using a lumbar spine MRI sequence before and after BR. In addition, isokinetic spinal flexion and extension strengths were measured before and after BR. Data are presented as means ± SD. Total lumbar paraspinal muscle CSA decreased significantly more in controls (10.9 ± 3.4%) than in exercisers (4.3 ± 3.4%; P < 0.05). The erector spinae was the primary contributor (76%) to total lumbar paraspinal muscle loss. Moreover, exercise attenuated isokinetic spinal extension loss (-4.3 ± 4.5%), compared with controls (-16.6 ± 11.2%; P < 0.05). In conclusion, LBNP treadmill and flywheel resistive exercises during simulated microgravity mitigate decrements in lumbar paraspinal muscle structure and spine function. Therefore spaceflight exercise countermeasures that attempt to reproduce spinal loads experienced on Earth may mitigate spinal deconditioning during long-duration space travel.

  19. Towards a better understanding on how large wood is controlling longitudinal sediment (dis)connectivity in mountain streams - concepts and first results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuchardt, Anne; Pöppl, Ronald; Morche, David

    2016-04-01

    Large wood (LW) provides various ecological and morphological functions. Recent research has focused on habitat diversity and abundance, effects on channel planforms, pool formation, flow regimes and increased storage of organic matter as well as storage of fine sediment. While LW studies and sediment transport rates are the focus of numerous research questions, the influence of large channel blocking barriers (e.g. LW) and their impact on sediment trapping and decoupling transportation pathways is less studied. This project tries to diminish the obvious gap and deals with the modifications of the sediment connectivity by LW. To investigate the influence of large wood on sediment transporting processes and sediment connectivity, the spatial distribution and characterization of LW (>1 m in length and >10 cm in diameter) in channels is examined by field mapping and dGPS measurements. Channel hydraulic parameters are determined by field measurements of channel long profiles and cross sections. To quantify the direct effects of LW on discharge and bed load transport the flow velocity and bed load up- and downstream of LW is measured using an Ott-Nautilus and a portable Helley-Smith bed load sampler during different water stages. Sediment storages behind LWD accumulations will be monitored with dGPS. While accumulation of sediment indicates in-channel sediment storage and thus disconnection from downstream bed load transport, erosion of sediment evidences downstream sediment connectivity. First results will be presented from two study areas in mountain ranges in Germany (Wetterstein Mountain Range) and Austria (Bohemian Massif).

  20. Geologic controls on the recent evolution of oyster reefs in Apalachicola Bay and St. George Sound, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Twichell, D.; Edmiston, L.; Andrews, Brian; Stevenson, W.; Donoghue, J.; Poore, Richard; Osterman, Lisa E.

    2010-01-01

    Apalachicola Bay and St. George Sound contain the largest oyster fishery in Florida, and the growth and distribution of the numerous oyster reefs here are the combined product of modern estuarine conditions in the bay and its late Holocene evolution. Sidescan-sonar imagery, bathymetry, high-resolution seismic profiles, and sediment cores show that oyster beds occupy the crests of a series of shoals that range from 1 to 7 km in length, trend roughly north-south perpendicular to the long axes of the bay and sound, and are asymmetrical with steeper sides facing to the west. Surface sediment samples show that the oyster beds consist of shelly sand, while much of the remainder of the bay floor is covered by mud delivered by the Apalachicola River. The present oyster reefs rest on sandy delta systems that advanced southward across the region between 6400 and 4400 yr BP when sea level was 4–6 m lower than present. Oysters started to colonize the region around 5100 yr BP and became extensive by 1200 and 2400 yr BP. Since 1200 yr BP, their aerial extent has decreased due to burial of the edges of the reefs by the prodelta mud that continues to be supplied by the Apalachicola River. Oyster reefs that are still active are narrower than the original beds, have grown vertically, and become asymmetrical in cross-section. Their internal bedding indicates they have migrated westward, suggesting a net westerly transport of sediment in the bay.

  1. Steeply dipping heaving bedrock, Colorado: Part 1 - Heave features and physical geological framework

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Noe, D.C.; Higgins, J.D.; Olsen, H.W.

    2007-01-01

    Differentially heaving bedrock has caused severe damage near the Denver metropolitan area. This paper describes heave-feature morphologies, the underlying bedrock framework, and their inter-relationship. The heave features are linear to curvilinear and may attain heights of 0.7 m (2.4 ft), widths of 58 m (190 ft), and lengths of 1,067 m (3,500 ft). They are nearly symmetrical to highly asymmetrical in cross section, with width-to-height ratios of 45:1 to 400:1, and most are oriented parallel with the mountain front. The bedrock consists of Mesozoic sedimentary formations having dip angles of 30 degrees to vertical to overturned. Mixed claystone-siltstone bedding sequences up to 36-m (118-ft) thick are common in the heave-prone areas, and interbeds of bentonite, limestone, or sandstone may be present. Highly fractured zones of weathered to variably weathered claystone extend to depths of 19.5 to 22.3 m (64 to 73 ft). Fracture spacings are 0.1 to 0.2 m (0.3 to 0.7 ft) in the weathered and variably weathered bedrock and up to 0.75 m (2.5 ft) in the underlying, unweathered bedrock. Curvilinear shear planes in the weathered claystone show thrust or reverse offsets up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft). Three associations between heave-feature morphologies and the geological framework are recognized: (1) Linear, symmetrical to asymmetrical heaves are associated with primary bedding composition changes. (2) Linear, highly asymmetrical heaves are associated with shear planes along bedding. (3) Curvi-linear, highly asymmetrical heaves are associated with bedding-oblique shear planes.

  2. Stratification, Sediment Transport, and the Early Wet Surface of Meridiani Planum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grotzinger, J. P.; Athena Science Team

    2004-12-01

    Several stratification styles are present in the outcrops investigated by the Opportunity rover at Meridiani Planum. These include planar lamination, low-angle cross-stratification, cross-bedding, ripple cross-lamination, and crinkly and undulatory lamination. Planar lamination and low angle stratification are well-developed in several locations, particularly at Slickrock and Shoemakers Patio in Eagle crater and at Karatepe in Endurance crater. MI images at Slickrock show "pinstripe" lamination where individual laminae can be single-grain thick layers, suggestive of eolian sedimentation. At Shoemaker's Patio, a single cross-bed set with thickness of 5-7 cm is preserved. At Burn's Cliff, in Endurance crater, a single cross-bed set of up to several meters thickness is preserved. In contrast, ripple cross-lamination with festoon geometry is present at several locations within Eagle crater including Last Chance, the Dells, and in an isolated rock (Scoop) on the southwest rim of the crater. Ripple cross-laminae sets are 0.8 to 1.7 cm thick. In the case of Scoop, the sets are possibly climbing. Grain size appears to range from 0.1 to 0.8 mm in diameter. The cross-bedding preserved at Eagle crater suggests both eolian and subaqeous environments. The set at Shoemaker's patio represents deposition from either subaerial or subaqeous dunes. The thicker, meter-scale set at Burns Cliff is most consistent with transport by eolian dunes. In contrast, the small-scale festoon cross-laminae at Eagle crater are indicative of sediment transport in subaqueous ripples. The reconstructed size of former bedforms is inferred to be only a few cm, and therefore inconsistent with eolian dunes which commonly have significantly larger minimum amplitudes. Yet the cross-lamination is significantly larger and of differing geometry from the climbing translatent cross-strata produced by wind ripples. Thus, the size of bedforms that produced the cm-scale cross-laminae preserved at Eagle crater occupy the spectral gap in the size distribution of eolian dunes and ripples. A further clue to the likely subaqueous origin for Eagle cross-laminae is provided by their festoon geometry which requires that the reconstructed ripples have three-dimensional geometry defined by highly sinuous crestlines. In terrestrial settings such bedforms are known only to develop in subaqueous, subcritical flows, with velocities of less than one meter per second. On Mars, the initiation of subaqueous sediment movement is expected to occur at velocities lower than on earth, by a factor of 1.34. With respect to length scales, such as bedform dimensions, the scaling factor turns out to have the opposite sense so that, given dynamically similar flows, ripples on Mars might be larger by a factor of 1.34. Neither of these rescaling effects influences the interpretation that cm-scale, festoon cross-lamination at Eagle crater most probably requires sediment transport in subaqueous, low-velocity flows across the Meridiani plains. The assemblage of primary facies recorded at Eagle crater is most consistent with an environment characterized by episodic inundation by surface water to shallow depths, followed by evaporation, and exposure and desiccation. Terrestrial analogs for such a suite of facies and surface processes include small interdune depressions, playa lakes, and sabkhas adjacent to marginal seaways. All rover observations indicate that the evaporite-bearing cross-bedded unit extends at least on the order of 1 km though MOC and THEMIS data suggest it extends much further.

  3. 21 CFR 880.5100 - AC-powered adjustable hospital bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. 880.5100 Section 880.5100 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Therapeutic Devices § 880.5100 AC-powered adjustable hospital bed. (a) Identification. An AC-powered...

  4. 16 CFR 1513.3 - Requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Requirements. 1513.3 Section 1513.3... REQUIREMENTS FOR BUNK BEDS § 1513.3 Requirements. (a) Guardrails. (1) Any bunk bed shall provide at least two... bed. This requirement does not prohibit a wall-side guardrail that terminates in a quarter-circle bend...

  5. 16 CFR 1513.3 - Requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Requirements. 1513.3 Section 1513.3... REQUIREMENTS FOR BUNK BEDS § 1513.3 Requirements. (a) Guardrails. (1) Any bunk bed shall provide at least two... bed. This requirement does not prohibit a wall-side guardrail that terminates in a quarter-circle bend...

  6. 16 CFR 1213.3 - Requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Requirements. 1213.3 Section 1213.3... STANDARD FOR ENTRAPMENT HAZARDS IN BUNK BEDS § 1213.3 Requirements. (a) Guardrails. (1) Any bunk bed shall... instructions is on the bed. This requirement does not prohibit a wall-side guardrail that terminates in a...

  7. 16 CFR 1213.3 - Requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Requirements. 1213.3 Section 1213.3... STANDARD FOR ENTRAPMENT HAZARDS IN BUNK BEDS § 1213.3 Requirements. (a) Guardrails. (1) Any bunk bed shall... instructions is on the bed. This requirement does not prohibit a wall-side guardrail that terminates in a...

  8. 21 CFR 890.5160 - Air-fluidized bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Air-fluidized bed. 890.5160 Section 890.5160 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5160 Air-fluidized bed. (a...

  9. 21 CFR 890.5160 - Air-fluidized bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Air-fluidized bed. 890.5160 Section 890.5160 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5160 Air-fluidized bed. (a...

  10. 21 CFR 890.5160 - Air-fluidized bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Air-fluidized bed. 890.5160 Section 890.5160 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5160 Air-fluidized bed. (a...

  11. 21 CFR 890.5160 - Air-fluidized bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Air-fluidized bed. 890.5160 Section 890.5160 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5160 Air-fluidized bed. (a...

  12. 21 CFR 890.5160 - Air-fluidized bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Air-fluidized bed. 890.5160 Section 890.5160 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5160 Air-fluidized bed. (a...

  13. Faunal and erosional events in the Eastern Tethyan Sea across the K/T boundary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Keller, G.; Benjamini, C.

    1988-01-01

    A regional pattern of three closely spaced erosional events at and above the K/T boundary was determined from six Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary sections in the Negev of Israel. The sections were collected from locations throughout the central and northern Negev. All sections are lithologically similar. The Maastrichtian consists of a sequence of limestone beds intercalated with thin marly beds. In some sections, the last limestone bed is followed by 1 to 2 m of calcareous marls grading upwards into several meters of grey shale. In other sections the limestone bed is followed directly by grey shale with the contact containing particles of limestone and marl. A 5 to 20 cm thick dark grey organic-rich clay layer is present about 1.5 to 2.5 m above the base of the grey shale. The grey shale grades upwards into increasingly carbonate rich marls. No unconformities are apparent in field outcrops. During field collection the dark grey clay layer was believed to represent the K/T boundary clay. Microfossil analysis however identified the boundary at the base of the grey shale. The black shale represents a low productivity anoxic event similar to, but younger than, the K/T boundary clay in other K/T boundary sections. High resolution planktic foraminiferal and carbonate analysis of these sections (at 5 to 10 cm intervals) yield surprising results. The K/T boundary is marked by an erosional event which removed part or all of the uppermost Maastrichtian marls above the last limestone bed. Percent carbonate data for four Negev sections are illustrated and show the regional similarities in carbonate sedimentation. Faunal and carbonate data from the Negev sections thus show three closely spaced short erosional events at the K/T boundary and within the first 50,000 to 100,000 years of the Danian. These K/T boundary erosional events may represent global climatic or paleoceanographic events.

  14. Complex channel responses to changes in stream flow and sediment supply on the lower Duchesne River, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gaeuman, D.; Schmidt, J.C.; Wilcock, P.R.

    2005-01-01

    Channel responses to flow depletions in the lower Duchesne River over the past 100 years have been highly complex and variable in space and time. In general, sand-bed reaches adjusted to all perturbations with bed-level changes, whereas the gravel-bed reaches adjusted primarily through width changes. Gravel-bed reaches aggraded only when gravel was supplied to the channel through local bank erosion and degraded only during extreme flood events. A 50% reduction in stream flow and an increase in fine sediment supply to the study area occurred in the first third of the 20th century. The gravel-bed reach responded primarily with channel narrowing, whereas bed aggradation and four large-scale avulsions occurred in the sand-bed reaches. These avulsions almost completely replaced a section of sinuous channel about 14 km long with a straighter section about 7 km long. The most upstream avulsion, located near a break in valley slope and the transition from a gravel bed upstream and a sand bed downstream, transformed a sinuous sand-bed reach into a braided gravel-bed reach and eventually into a meandering gravel-bed reach over a 30-year period. Later, an increase in flood magnitudes and durations caused widening and secondary bed aggradation in the gravel-bed reaches, whereas the sand-bed reaches incised and narrowed. Water diversions since the 1950s have progressively eliminated moderate flood events, whereas larger floods have been less affected. The loss of frequent flooding has increased the duration and severity of drought periods during which riparian vegetation can establish along the channel margins. As a result, the channel has gradually narrowed throughout the study area since the late 1960s, despite the occasional occurrence of large floods. No tributaries enter the Duchesne River within the study area, so all reaches have experienced identical changes in stream flow and upstream sediment supply. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Human resources needed to perform antimicrobial stewardship teams' activities in French hospitals.

    PubMed

    Le Coz, P; Carlet, J; Roblot, F; Pulcini, C

    2016-06-01

    In January 2015, the French ministry of Health set up a task force on antibiotic resistance. Members of the task force's "antimicrobial stewardship" group conducted a study to evaluate the human resources needed to implement all the required activities of the multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship teams (AST - antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, microbiologists, and pharmacists) in French healthcare facilities. We conducted an online cross-sectional nationwide survey. The questionnaire was designed based on regulatory texts and experts' consensus. The survey took place between March and May 2015. We used the mailing list of the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF) to send out questionnaires. A total of 65 healthcare facilities completed the questionnaire. The human resources needed to implement all AST's activities were estimated at 3.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions/1000 acute care beds for antibiotic/infectious disease lead supervisors, at 2.5 FTE/1000 beds for pharmacists, and at 0.6 FTE/1000 beds for microbiologists. This almost amounts to a total of 2000 FTE positions for all healthcare facilities (public and private) in France and to an annual cost of 200 million euros. Dedicated and sustainable funding for AST is urgently needed to implement comprehensive and functional AST programs in all healthcare facilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  16. A multicenter study on the appropriateness of hospitalization in obstetric wards: application of Obstetric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (Obstetric AEP).

    PubMed

    Mannocci, Alice; Specchia, Maria Lucia; Poppa, Giuseppina; Boccia, Giovanni; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; De Caro, Francesco; Vetrano, Giuseppe; Aleandri, Vincenzo; Capunzo, Mario; Ricciardi, Walter; Boccia, Antonio; Firenze, Alberto; Malvasi, Antonio; La Torre, Giuseppe

    2015-09-01

    The cross-sectional study has been based on the implementation of the Obstetric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (OAEP) in seven hospitals to determine inappropriate hospital admissions and days of stay. The outcomes were: inappropriateness of admission and "percentage of inappropriateness" for one hospitalization. A total number of 2196 clinical records were reviewed. The mean percentage of inappropriateness for hospitalization was 22%. The percentage of inappropriateness for the first 10 d of hospitalization peaked in correspondence of the fourth (42%). The logistic regression model on inappropriated admission reported that emergency admission was a protective factor (OR = 0.4) and to be hospitalized in wards with ≥30 beds risk factor (OR = 5.12). The second linear model on "percentage of inappropriateness" showed that inappropriated admission and wards with ≥30 beds increased the percentage (p < 0.001); whereas the admission in Teaching Hospitals was inversely associated (p < 0.001). The present study suggests that the percentage of inappropriate admission depends especially on the inappropriate admission and the large number of beds in obstetric wards. This probably indicates that management of big hospitals, which is very complex, needs improving the processes of support and coordination of health professionals. The OAEP tool seems to be an useful instrument for the decision-makers to monitor and manage the obstetric wards.

  17. Depression in obese patients with primary fibromyalgia: the mediating role of poor sleep and eating disorder features.

    PubMed

    Senna, Mohammed K; Ahmad, Hamada S; Fathi, Warda

    2013-03-01

    Depression is a prominent feature in fibromyalgia syndrome. Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome who are obese, with poor sleep quality, and those who have recurrent episodes of binge eating are at greater risk to develop depression. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the hypothesis that the relationship between obesity and depression in patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome is mediated by poor sleep, binge eating disorder (BED), and weight and shape concern. This study included 131 patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome. Participants completed the following questionnaires: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Eating Disorder questionnaire, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) provided the primary indicator of obesity. Sobel test showed that the conditions for complete mediation were satisfied on the weight and shape concern as mediator between BMI and depression because the association between BMI and depression score became insignificant after controlling of weight and shape concern. However, since the association between BMI and depression remained significant after BED and poor sleep score were controlled, thus for both mediators, the conditions for partial mediation on the depression were satisfied. The findings suggest that in patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome, weight and shape concern, BED, and poor sleep quality are important mediators of the relationship between obesity and depression. We suggest that a greater focus on these mediators in depression treatment may be indicated.

  18. Microstructural Effects on Initiation Behavior in HMX

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Molek, Christopher; Welle, Eric; Hardin, Barrett; Vitarelli, Jim; Wixom, Ryan; Samuels, Philip

    Understanding the role microstructure plays on ignition and growth behavior has been the subject of a significant body of research within the detonation physics community. The pursuit of this understanding is important because safety and performance characteristics have been shown to strongly correlate to particle morphology. Historical studies have often correlated bulk powder characteristics to the performance or safety characteristics of pressed materials. We believe that a clearer and more relevant correlation is made between the pressed microstructure and the observed detonation behavior. This type of assessment is possible, as techniques now exist for the quantification of the pressed microstructures. Our talk will report on experimental efforts that correlate directly measured microstructural characteristics to initiation threshold behavior of HMX based materials. The internal microstructures were revealed using an argon ion cross-sectioning technique. This technique enabled the quantification of density and interface area of the pores within the pressed bed using methods of stereology. These bed characteristics are compared to the initiation threshold behavior of three HMX based materials using an electric gun based test method. Finally, a comparison of experimental threshold data to supporting theoretical efforts will be made.

  19. Evaluation of hydrologic processes affecting soil movement in the Hagerman fauna area, Hagerman, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Young, H.W.

    1984-01-01

    The Hagerman fauna area on the western slope of the Snake River canyon in south-central Idaho is one of the most important locations of upper Pliocene fossils in the world. The fossil beds are distributed vertically through a 500-foot stratigraphic section of the Glenns Ferry Formation. Accelerated soil movement caused by surface-water runoff from irrigated farmlands on the plateau above the canyon and discharge from springs and seeps along the slope of the canyon is eroding the fossil beds. Source of the springs and seeps is a perched aquifer, which is probably recharged by seepage losses from two irrigation canals that head near the canyon rim. Annual canal losses are about 1,900 acre-feet. Annual discharge from springs and seeps is about 420 acre-feet. Corrective measures that could be taken to stabilize the soil movement and preserve the fauna area include: (1) Lining or treating the canals, (2) eliminating the practice of flushing irrigation systems, (3) constructing road berms and cross dips, and (4) establishing an uncultivated strip of land between irrigated farmlands and the canyon rim. (USGS)

  20. Calf tissue liquid stowage and muscular and deep vein distension in orthostatic tests after a 90-day head down bed rest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arbeille, P.A.; Kerbeci, P.; Audebert, P.; Capri, A.; Pascaud, L.

    2005-08-01

    The objectives were to assess the contribution of (1) the calf veins distension and(2) the tissue liquid stowage during standtest, to orthostatic intolerance "OI" after a head down bed rest (HDBR) of 90days. Method: The population consisted of a control group (Co-gr, n=9) and an exercise Fly wheel counter-measure group (CM-gr, n=9). Calf vein cross sectional area (CSA) and surrounding tissue liquid content (tissue image darkness) were assessed by echography during pre and post HDBR stand-tests. Results: From supine to standing (post HDBR), the Tibial and muscular vein CSA increased significantly in non tolerant subjects whereas in tolerant subjects the vein CSA did not change. Post HDBR the tissue image darkness (proportional to tissue liquid content) increased more from supine to standing in non tolerant than in tolerant subjects. No significant difference were found between Co and exercise CM groups. Conclusion: High calf vein CSA and tissue liquid content increase at post-HDBR stand-test were significantly correlated with occurrence of OI but not with CM.

  1. Role of Relativistic Effects in the Ionization of Heavy Ions by Electron Impact

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saha, Bidhan C.; Basak, Arun K.

    2005-05-01

    Electron impact single ionization cross sections of few heavy ions are evaluated using the recently proposed modifications [1] of the widely used simplified version of the improved binary-encounter (siBED) dipole model [2]. This model consists of two adjustable parameters and it is found that they are related to the nature of the charge distribution in the bonding region of the target. For its effective uses for ionic target the siBED model is further modified [3] in terms of the ionic and relativistic effects. This study focuses on the relativistic energy domain and the findings suggest the fate of those parameters. Details of our findings will be presented at the conference. [1] W. M. Huo, Phys. Rev. A 64, 042719 (2001). [2] M. A. Uddin, M. A. K. F. Haque, A. K. Basak and B. C. Saha, Phys. Rev A70, 0322706(2004). [3] M. a. Uddin, M. A. K. F. Haque, M. S. Mahbub, K. R. Karim, A.K. Basak and B. C. Saha, Phys. Rev. A (in press) 2005.

  2. The Surge Capacity for People in Emergencies (SCOPE) study in Australasian hospitals.

    PubMed

    Traub, Matthias; Bradt, David A; Joseph, Anthony P

    2007-04-16

    To measure physical assets in Australasian hospitals required for the management of mass casualties as a result of terrorism or natural disasters. A cross-sectional survey of Australian and New Zealand hospitals. All emergency department directors of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM)-accredited hospitals, as well as private and non-ACEM accredited emergency departments staffed by ACEM Fellows in metropolitan Sydney. Numbers of operating theatres, intensive care unit (ICU) beds and x-ray machines; state of preparedness using benchmarks defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. We found that 61%-82% of critically injured patients would not have immediate access to operative care, 34%-70% would have delayed access to an ICU bed, and 42% of the less critically injured would have delayed access to x-ray facilities. Our study demonstrates that physical assets in Australasian public hospitals do not meet US hospital preparedness benchmarks for mass casualty incidents. We recommend national agreement on disaster preparedness benchmarks and periodic publication of hospital performance indicators to enhance disaster preparedness.

  3. Lithofacies variation across the Mammoth Cave-Pope Megagroup boundary -- a sequence stratigraphic approach

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    McDonald, T.A.; Tabor, E.; Marzolf, J.E.

    1994-04-01

    Regional stratigraphic relations in southern Illinois suggest a major unconformity near the top of the St. Genevieve Limestone. Large exposures below the unconformity within the Anna quarries display a retrogradational parasequence-stacking pattern. Eight to 12 m-thick parasequences comprise thinning-upward marine bioclastic wackestone overlain by oolitic and bioclastic thickening-upward eolian( ) grainstone. An eolian origin for the bioclastic grainstones is supported by large scale cross stratification (0.5 to 2 m-thick sets), reworked character of rounded, coated bioclasts, and preserved duneforms. At the quarries, the unconformity is directly overlain by mudstones and sandstones. Thinning-upward mudstones interbedded with very thin (1 to 3more » cm thick) intraclastic packstone tempestites crop out in a roadcut about 500 m NE of the quarries. Small-scale ripples and absence of trace fossils in lower mudstone units suggest an estuarine or lagoonal, brackish-waver environment. The trace fossil Conostichus and horizontal burrows appear abruptly in the upper, thin mudstone units. Highly bioturbated green and red shales overlying a 1 to 4 m-thick covered interval in a roadcut 610 m farther north are interbedded with tidally deposited, medium- to coarse-grained, bioclastic grainstones. The shale-draped, medium cross-bedded grainstones document ten or more tidal bundles. The cross-bedded grainstone is overlain by wavy- to flaser-bedded very fine-grained sandstone suggestive of sand flat origin. These sandstones are overlain by the Aux Vases Sandstone. Numerous low-angle bounding surfaces within the Aux Vases enclose low-angle, wedge-planar cross-bedding. A single irregular surface coated by a few centimeters of poorly sorted unstratified sandstone defines a ravinement surface near the base of the Aux Vases Sandstone.« less

  4. Medicare and Medicaid programs; rural hospitals: provision of long-term care services (swing-bed provision); flexibility in application of standards--Health Care Financing Administration. Interim final rule with comment period.

    PubMed

    1982-07-20

    These regulations implement sections 904 and 949 of Pub. L. 96-499, the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980. Under section 904 (the swing-bed provision), certain small, rural hospitals may use their inpatient facilities to furnish skilled nursing facility (SNF) services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and intermediate care facility (ICF) services to Medicaid beneficiaries. These hospitals will be reimbursed at rates appropriate for those services, which are generally lower than hospital rates. This statutory provision is intended to encourage the most efficient and effective use of inpatient hospital beds for delivery of either hospital or SNF and ICF services. Under section 949, rural hospitals of 50 or fewer beds may be exempted from certain personnel standards in the conditions of participation for hospitals. This exemption applies only to the extent that it does not jeopardize or adversely affect the health and safety of patients.

  5. Stratigraphic cross section of measured sections and drill holes of the Neslan Formation and adjacent formations, Book Cliffs Area, Colorado and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kirshbaum, Mark A.; Spear, Brianne D.

    2012-01-01

    This study updates a stratigraphic cross section published as plate 2 in Kirschbaum and Hettinger (2004) Digital Data Series 69-G (http://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-069/dds-069-g/). The datum is a marine/tidal ravinement surface within the Cozzette Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation and the Thompson Canyon Sandstone and Sulphur Canyon Sandstone Beds of the Neslen Formation. One of the cores shown was included on the original cross section, and new core descriptions have been added to the upper part of the cored interval. A new core description (S178) is included in this report. Cores are stored in the U.S. Geological Survey Core Research Facility at the Denver Federal Center, Colorado. The following information has also been added to help define the stratigraphic framework: 1) At least five claystones interpreted as altered volcanic ashes have been identified and may give future workers a correlation tool within the largely continental section. 2) Thickness and general geometry of the Sego Sandstone, Buck Tongue of the Mancos Shale, and Castlegate Sandstone have been added to provide additional stratigraphic context. 3) The geometry in the Sego Sandstone, Buck Tongue of the Mancos Shale, and Castlegate Sandstone has been added to provide additional stratigraphic context. 4) Ammonite collections are from Gill and Hail. The zone of Didymoceras nebrascense projected into the East Salt Wash area is based on correlation of the flooding surface at the base of the Cozzette Member to this point as shown in Kirschbaum and Hettinger. 5) A leaf locality of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is shown in its approximate stratigraphic position near Thompson Canyon. 6) A dinosaur locality of the Natural History Museum of Utah is shown in the Horse Canyon area measured section at the stratigraphic position where it was extracted.

  6. Compositional Grading in an Impact-produced Spherule Bed, Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa: A Key to Condensation History of Rock Vapor Clouds

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krull, A. E.; Lowe, D. R.; Byerly, G. R.

    2003-01-01

    The chemical and physical processes by which spherules form during the condensation of impact-produced rock vapor clouds are poorly understood. Although efforts have been made to model the processes of spherule formation, there is presently a paucity of field data to constrain the resulting theoretical models. The present study examines the vertical compositional variability in a single early Archean spherule bed in the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB), South Africa, in order to better identify the process by which impact vapor clouds condense and spherules form and accumulate. The BGB spherule beds are suitable for this type of study because of their great thickness, often exceeding 25cm of pure spherules, due to the massive sizes of the impactors. Two main problems complicate analysis of vertical compositional variability of graded spherule beds: (1) differential settling of particles in both the vapor and water column due to density and size differences and (2) turbulence within the vapor cloud. The present study compares sections of spherule bed S3 from four different depositional environments in the Barberton Greenstone Belt: (1) The Sheba Mine section (SAF-381) was deposited under fairly low energy conditions in deep water, providing a nice fallout sequence, and also has abundant Ni-rich spinels; (2) Jay's Chert section (SAF-380) was deposited in subaerial to shallow-water conditions with extensive post-depositional reworking by currents. The spherules also have preserved spinels; (3) the Loop Road section (loc. SAF-295; samp. KSA-7) was moderately reworked and has only rare preservation of spinels; and (4) the shallow-water Barite Syncline section (loc. SAF-206; samp KSA-1) has few to no spinels preserved and is not reworked. Although all of the spherule beds have been altered by silica diagenesis and K-metasomatism, most of the compositional differences between these sections appear to reflect their diagenetic histories, possibly related to their differing depositional environments. Sulfate diagenesis in the Barite Syncline and Loop road sections may account for the loss of spinels.

  7. Additive Manufacturing of Single-Crystal Superalloy CMSX-4 Through Scanning Laser Epitaxy: Computational Modeling, Experimental Process Development, and Process Parameter Optimization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Basak, Amrita; Acharya, Ranadip; Das, Suman

    2016-08-01

    This paper focuses on additive manufacturing (AM) of single-crystal (SX) nickel-based superalloy CMSX-4 through scanning laser epitaxy (SLE). SLE, a powder bed fusion-based AM process was explored for the purpose of producing crack-free, dense deposits of CMSX-4 on top of similar chemistry investment-cast substrates. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations revealed the presence of dendritic microstructures that consisted of fine γ' precipitates within the γ matrix in the deposit region. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based process modeling, statistical design of experiments (DoE), and microstructural characterization techniques were combined to produce metallurgically bonded single-crystal deposits of more than 500 μm height in a single pass along the entire length of the substrate. A customized quantitative metallography based image analysis technique was employed for automatic extraction of various deposit quality metrics from the digital cross-sectional micrographs. The processing parameters were varied, and optimal processing windows were identified to obtain good quality deposits. The results reported here represent one of the few successes obtained in producing single-crystal epitaxial deposits through a powder bed fusion-based metal AM process and thus demonstrate the potential of SLE to repair and manufacture single-crystal hot section components of gas turbine systems from nickel-based superalloy powders.

  8. Cross-flow turbines: progress report on physical and numerical model studies at large laboratory scale

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wosnik, Martin; Bachant, Peter

    2016-11-01

    Cross-flow turbines show potential in marine hydrokinetic (MHK) applications. A research focus is on accurately predicting device performance and wake evolution to improve turbine array layouts for maximizing overall power output, i.e., minimizing wake interference, or taking advantage of constructive wake interaction. Experiments were carried with large laboratory-scale cross-flow turbines D O (1 m) using a turbine test bed in a large cross-section tow tank, designed to achieve sufficiently high Reynolds numbers for the results to be Reynolds number independent with respect to turbine performance and wake statistics, such that they can be reliably extrapolated to full scale and used for model validation. Several turbines of varying solidity were employed, including the UNH Reference Vertical Axis Turbine (RVAT) and a 1:6 scale model of the DOE-Sandia Reference Model 2 (RM2) turbine. To improve parameterization in array simulations, an actuator line model (ALM) was developed to provide a computationally feasible method for simulating full turbine arrays inside Navier-Stokes models. Results are presented for the simulation of performance and wake dynamics of cross-flow turbines and compared with experiments and body-fitted mesh, blade-resolving CFD. Supported by NSF-CBET Grant 1150797, Sandia National Laboratories.

  9. Hydrologic, ecologic, and geomorphic responses of Brewery Creek to construction of a residential subdivision, Dane County, Wisconsin, 1999-2002

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Selbig, William R.; Jopke, Peter L.; Marhshall, David W.; Sorge, Michael J.

    2004-01-01

    Other physical, biological, and ecological surveys including macroinvertebrates, fish, habitat, and geomorphology were done on segments of Brewery Creek affected by the study area. Macroinvertebrate sampling results (Hilsenhoff Biotic Index value, or HBI), on Brewery Creek ranged from 'very good' to 'good' water-quality with no appreciable differences during any phase of construction activity. Results for fish-community composition, however, were within the 'poor' range (Index of Biotic Integrity value, or IBI) during each year of testing. A general absence of intolerant species, with the exception of brown trout, reflects the low IBI values. Habitat values did not change significantly from preconstruction to postconstruction phases. Although installation of a double-celled culvert in Brewery Creek most likely altered the width-to-depth ratio in that reach, the overall habitat rating remained 'fair'. Fluvial geomorphology classifications including channel cross sections, bed- and bank-erosion surveys, and pebble counts did not indicate that stream geomorphic characteristics were altered by home-construction activity in the study area. Increases in fine-grained sediment at various cross sections were attributed to instream erosion processes, such as bank slumping, rather than increases in sediment delivery from the nearby construction site.

  10. Role of core excitation in (d ,p ) transfer reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deltuva, A.; Ross, A.; Norvaišas, E.; Nunes, F. M.

    2016-10-01

    Background: Recent work found that core excitations can be important in extracting structure information from (d ,p ) reactions. Purpose: Our objective is to systematically explore the role of core excitation in (d ,p ) reactions and to understand the origin of the dynamical effects. Method: Based on the particle-rotor model of n +10Be , we generate a number of models with a range of separation energies (Sn=0.1 -5.0 MeV), while maintaining a significant core excited component. We then apply the latest extension of the momentum-space-based Faddeev method, including dynamical core excitation in the reaction mechanism to all orders, to the 10Be(d ,p )11Be -like reactions, and study the excitation effects for beam energies Ed=15 -90 MeV. Results: We study the resulting angular distributions and the differences between the spectroscopic factor that would be extracted from the cross sections, when including dynamical core excitation in the reaction, and that of the original structure model. We also explore how different partial waves affect the final cross section. Conclusions: Our results show a strong beam-energy dependence of the extracted spectroscopic factors that become smaller for intermediate beam energies. This dependence increases for loosely bound systems.

  11. Assessing the Importance of Cross-Stream Transport in Bedload Flux Estimates from Migrating Dunes: Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leary, K. P.; Buscombe, D.; Schmeeckle, M.; Kaplinski, M. A.

    2017-12-01

    Bedforms are ubiquitous in sand-bedded rivers, and understanding their morphodynamics is key to quantifying bedload transport. As such, mechanistic understanding of the spatiotemporal details of sand transport through and over bedforms is paramount to quantifying total sediment flux in sand-bedded river systems. However, due to the complexity of bedform field geometries and migration in natural settings, our ability to relate migration to bedload flux, and to quantify the relative role of tractive and suspended processes in their dynamics, is incomplete. Recent flume and numerical investigations indicate the potential importance of cross-stream transport, a process previously regarded as secondary and diffusive, to the three-dimensionality of bedforms and spatially variable translation and deformation rates. This research seeks to understand and quantify the importance of cross-stream transport in bedform three-dimensionality in a field setting. This work utilizes a high-resolution (0.25 m grid) data set of bedforms migrating in the channel of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park. This data set comprises multi-beam sonar surveys collected at 3 different flow discharges ( 283, 566, and 1076 m3/s) along a reach of the Colorado River just upstream of the Diamond Creek USGS gage. Data were collected every 6 minutes almost continuously for 12 hours. Using bed elevation profiles (BEPs), we extract detailed bedform geometrical data (i.e. bedform height, wavelength) and spatial sediment flux data over a suite of bedforms at each flow. Coupling this spatially extensive data with a generalized Exner equation, we conduct mass balance calculations that evaluate the possibility, and potential importance, of cross-stream transport in the spatial variability of translation and deformation rates. Preliminary results suggest that intra-dune cross-stream transport can partially account for changes in the planform shape of dunes and may play an important role in spatially variable translation and deformation rates. Parameterization of cross-stream sediment transport could lead to accounting for ambiguities in bedload flux calculations caused by dune deformation, which in turn could significantly improve overall calculation of bedload and total load sediment transport in sand bedded rivers.

  12. Deglaciation events in part of the Manchester South 7.5' quadrangle south-central New Hampshire

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stone, Byron D.

    1971-01-01

    The study-area lies in south-central New Hampshire, and is bordered on the west by the Merrimack River, the principal north-south drainage route of central New Hampshire. The classical two tills of New England outcrop in the area. In a unique exposure of the sandy upper till, a loose ablation unit overlies a compact basal unit. Both upper till facies overlie a sheared section of dense, olive-gray lower till. Outwash sequences mapped in the study-area are progressively younger to the north, indicating backwastage of the Wisconsinan ice sheet. Primary structures in proglacial Lake Merrimack sediments include contorted bedding, buckled laminae, and folds. A large slumped section in lake sediments exhibits three distinct deformation zones, characterized by brittle, ductile, and unconsolidated deformation. Cross-cutting relationships establish four fold generations and a deformation sequence in the slumped section. Slip in each fold generation was along nearly parallel slip-lines, as deduced from analyses of fold rotation senses. The primary and slump deformation features contrast sharply with the intense style of deformation of lake beds below till at an apparent ice readvance cut. The deduced drag fold slip-line agrees with till fabric point maxima and dip-slip on one group of thrust faults. A southerly movement of readvancing ice is inferred.The study-area was deglaciated about 13,000 years ago, according to a proposed deglaciation model for New Hampshire. The model is based on Nye's theoretical glacier surface gradient, and evidence for active retreat of the Wisconsinan ice sheet.

  13. 76 FR 27882 - Safety Standard for Toddler Beds

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-13

    ..., must meet the warning requirements specified in section 8 of ASTM F 1169-10, instead of the... toddler bed that can convert from a full-size crib, and has the warning specified in section 8.1.3 of ASTM.... (7) In addition to figure 10 of ASTM F 1821-09, use the following: [FR Doc. C1-2011-9421 Filed 5-12...

  14. Permeability and permeability anisotropy in Crab Orchard sandstone: Experimental insights into spatio-temporal effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gehne, Stephan; Benson, Philip M.

    2017-08-01

    Permeability in tight crustal rocks is primarily controlled by the connected porosity, shape and orientation of microcracks, the preferred orientation of cross-bedding, and sedimentary features such as layering. This leads to a significant permeability anisotropy. Less well studied, however, are the effects of time and stress recovery on the evolution of the permeability hysteresis which is becoming increasingly important in areas ranging from fluid migration in ore-forming processes to enhanced resource extraction. Here, we report new data simulating spatio-temporal permeability changes induced using effective pressure, simulating burial depth, on a tight sandstone (Crab Orchard). We find an initially (measured at 5 MPa) anisotropy of 2.5% in P-wave velocity and 180% in permeability anisotropy is significantly affected by the direction of the effective pressure change and cyclicity; anisotropy values decrease to 1% and 10% respectively after 3 cycles to 90 MPa and back. Furthermore, we measure a steadily increasing recovery time (10-20 min) for flow parallel to cross-bedding, and a far slower recovery time (20-50 min) for flow normal to cross-bedding. These data are interpreted via strain anisotropy and accommodation models, similar to the "seasoning" process often used in dynamic reservoir extraction.

  15. 3D Geological Modeling of CoalBed Methane (CBM) Resources in the Taldykuduk Block Karaganda Coal Basin, Kazakhstan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sadykov, Raman; Kiponievich Ogay, Evgeniy; Royer, Jean-Jacques; Zhapbasbayev, Uzak; Panfilova, Irina

    2015-04-01

    Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is gas stored in coal layers. It can be extracted from wells after hydraulic fracturing and/or solvent injection, and secondary recovery techniques such as CO2 injection. Karaganda Basin is a very favorable candidate region to develop CBM production for the following reasons: (i) Huge gas potential; (ii) Available technologies for extracting and commercializing the gas produced by CBM methods; (iii) Experience in degassing during underground mining operations for safety reasons; (iv) Local needs in energy for producing electricity for the industrial and domestic market. The objectives of this work are to model the Taldykuduk block coal layers and their properties focusing on Coal Bed Methane production. It is motivated by the availability of large coal bed methane resources in Karaganda coal basin which includes 4 300 Bm3 equivalent 2 billion tons of coal (B = billion = 109) with gas content 15-25 m3/t of coal (for comparison San Juan basin (USA) has < 20 m3/t). The CBM reserves estimations are about: Saransk block, 26.3 Bm3 and Taldykuduk block, 23.5 Bm3. Methane (CH4) can be considered as an environmentally-friendly fuel compared to coal. Actually, the methane extracted during mining is released in the atmosphere, collecting it for recovering energy will reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 36 Mt, good news regarding climate warming issues. The exploitation method will be based on a EOR technology consisting in injecting CO2 which replaces methane in pores because it has a higher adsorption capacity than CH4; exploiting CBM by CO2 injection provides thus a safe way to sequestrate CO2 in adsorbed form. The 3D geological model was built on Gocad/Skua using the following available data set: 926 wells and large area (7 x 12 km). No seismic data; coal type and chemical components (S, ash, …); unreliable available cross-section & maps due to old acquisition; quality mature coal; complex heterogeneous fractures network reported on geological cross sections; and utilization issues of the water extracted in the early stages of exploitation. The resulting 3D faulted model which includes more than 100 of faults will be further used to simulate the secondary recovery of methane by injecting CO2. The simulation will be carried out on a flow simulator assuming a two phase dimensionless formulation of CBM production in a double porosity model considering two domains: the matrix (m) and the fracture (f) for which the initial and boundary conditions are different. The resulting comprehensive 3D models had helped in better understanding the tectonic structures of the region, especially the relationships between the fault systems.

  16. Evaluation of ADCP apparent bed load velocity in a large sand-bed river: Moving versus stationary boat conditions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jamieson, E.C.; Rennie, C.D.; Jacobson, R.B.; Townsend, R.D.

    2011-01-01

    Detailed mapping of bathymetry and apparent bed load velocity using a boat-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) was carried out along a 388-m section of the lower Missouri River near Columbia, Missouri. Sampling transects (moving boat) were completed at 5- and 20-m spacing along the study section. Stationary (fixed-boat) measurements were made by maintaining constant boat position over a target point where the position of the boat did not deviate more than 3 m in any direction. For each transect and stationary measurement, apparent bed load velocity (vb) was estimated using ADCP bottom tracking data and high precision real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning system (GPS). The principal objectives of this research are to (1) determine whether boat motion introduces a bias in apparent bed load velocity measurements; and (2) evaluate the reliability of ADCP bed velocity measurements for a range of sediment transport environments. Results indicate that both high transport (vb>0.6 m/s) and moving-boat conditions (for both high and low transport environments) increase the relative variability in estimates of mean bed velocity. Despite this, the spatially dense single-transect measurements were capable of producing detailed bed velocity maps that correspond closely with the expected pattern of sediment transport over large dunes. ?? 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.

  17. Stratigraphic evolution of the Late Jurassic Hanifa Formation along the Tuwaiq Escarpment, Saudi Arabia: Evidence for a carbonate ramp system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fallatah, Mohammed I.; Kerans, Charles

    2018-01-01

    A sequence stratigraphic framework of the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) Hanifa Formation at its exposure in Central Arabia is presented for the first time. This study offers the first high-resolution stratigraphic framework of the Hanifa along the Tuwaiq Escarpment by measuring 15 sections ( 770 m total thickness) over an oblique-to-dip distance of 260 km and collecting 295 samples for petrographic analysis. On the basis of these data, the Hanifa Formation can be subdivided into eight facies; 1) tabular cross-bedded quartz-peloidal-skeletal grainstone, 2) cross-bedded skeletal-peloidal grainstone, 3) bioturbated foraminiferal wackestone/mud-dominated packstone, 4) oncolitic rudstone, 5) stromatoporoid-coral biostrome/bioherm, 6) peloidal/composite-grain grain-dominated packstone/grainstone, 7) bioturbated spiculitic wackestone/mud-dominated packstone, and 8) thinly-bedded argillaceous mudstone/wackestone. The vertical and lateral distributions of these facies along the exposure define their sequence setting using the principals of sequence stratigraphy. By recognizing erosional surfaces, facies offset, and changes in facies proportions, five third-order sequences, with an average duration of 1.1 Myr, are interpreted for the Hanifa Formation. The correlation of the sequences across the study area shows that only four sequences are preserved in the north where shallow-water deposits are well-developed. Facies trends within these sequences are further illustrated in depositional models representing the highstand systems tracts (HST) and the transgressive systems tracts (TST) of the Hanifa Formation. These proposed models represent depositional settings of a carbonate ramp with normal open-marine conditions. The HST depositional model is characterized by a high-energy shoreline and depicts the presence of an offshore, structurally controlled skeletal-peloidal shoal body described here for the first time at the Hanifa exposure in the Hozwa area. This work provides a predictive framework and outcrop analog for applications in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Furthermore, a basinal setting predicted to the south of the study area is a potential site for unconventional plays.

  18. Design of a laboratory scale fluidized bed reactor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wikström, E.; Andersson, P.; Marklund, S.

    1998-04-01

    The aim of this project was to construct a laboratory scale fluidized bed reactor that simulates the behavior of full scale municipal solid waste combustors. The design of this reactor is thoroughly described. The size of the laboratory scale fluidized bed reactor is 5 kW, which corresponds to a fuel-feeding rate of approximately 1 kg/h. The reactor system consists of four parts: a bed section, a freeboard section, a convector (postcombustion zone), and an air pollution control (APC) device system. The inside diameter of the reactor is 100 mm at the bed section and it widens to 200 mm in diameter in the freeboard section; the total height of the reactor is 1760 mm. The convector part consists of five identical sections; each section is 2700 mm long and has an inside diameter of 44.3 mm. The reactor is flexible regarding the placement and number of sampling ports. At the beginning of the first convector unit and at the end of each unit there are sampling ports for organic micropollutants (OMP). This makes it possible to study the composition of the flue gases at various residence times. Sampling ports for inorganic compounds and particulate matter are also placed in the convector section. All operating parameters, reactor temperatures, concentrations of CO, CO2, O2, SO2, NO, and NO2 are continuously measured and stored at selected intervals for further evaluation. These unique features enable full control over the fuel feed, air flows, and air distribution as well as over the temperature profile. Elaborate details are provided regarding the configuration of the fuel-feeding systems, the fluidized bed, the convector section, and the APC device. This laboratory reactor enables detailed studies of the formation mechanisms of OMP, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated benzenes (PCBzs). With this system formation mechanisms of OMP occurring in both the combustion and postcombustion zones can be studied. Other advantages are memory effect minimization and the reduction of experimental costs compared to full scale combustors. Comparison of the combustion parameters and emission data from this 5 kW laboratory scale reactor with full scale combustors shows good agreement regarding emission levels and PCDD/PCDF congener patterns. This indicates that the important formation and degradation reactions of OMP in the reactor are the same formation mechanisms as in full scale combustors.

  19. Currents, drag, and sediment transport induced by a tsunami

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lacy, Jessica R.; Rubin, David M.; Buscombe, Daniel

    2012-01-01

    We report observations of water surface elevation, currents, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) from a 10-m deep site on the inner shelf in northern Monterey Bay during the arrival of the 2010 Chile tsunami. Velocity profiles were measured from 3.5 m above the bed (mab) to the surface at 2 min intervals, and from 0.1 to 0.7 mab at 1 Hz. SSC was determined from the acoustic backscatter of the near-bed profiler. The initial tsunami waves were directed cross shore and had a period of approximately 16 min. Maximum wave height was 1.1 m, and maximum current speed was 0.36 m/s. During the strongest onrush, near-bed velocities were clearly influenced by friction and a logarithmic boundary layer developed, extending more than 0.3 mab. We estimated friction velocity and bed shear stress from the logarithmic profiles. The logarithmic structure indicates that the flow can be characterized as quasi-steady at these times. At other phases of the tsunami waves, the magnitude of the acceleration term was significant in the near-bed momentum equation, indicating unsteady flow. The maximum tsunami-induced bed shear stress (0.4 N/m2) exceeded the critical shear stress for the medium-grained sand on the seafloor. Cross-shore sediment flux was enhanced by the tsunami. Oscillations of water surface elevation and currents continued for several days. The oscillations were dominated by resonant frequencies, the most energetic of which was the fundamental longitudinal frequency of Monterey Bay. The maximum current speed (hourly-timescale) in 18 months of observations occurred four hours after the tsunami arrived.

  20. Repeated multibeam echosounder hydrographic surveys of 15 selected bridge crossings along the Missouri River from Niobrara to Rulo, Nebraska, during the flood of 2011

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dietsch, Benjamin J.; Densmore, Brenda K.; Strauch, Kellan R.

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, unprecedented flooding in the Missouri River prompted transportation agencies to increase the frequency of monitoring riverbed elevations near bridges that cross the Missouri River. Hydrographic surveys were completed in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Roads, using a multibeam echosounder at 15 highway bridges spanning the Missouri River from Niobrara to Rulo, Nebraska during and after the extreme 2011 flood. Evidence of bed elevation change near bridge piers was documented. The greatest amount of bed elevation change during the 2011 flood documented for this study occurred at the Burt County Missouri River Bridge at Decatur, Nebraska, where scour of about 45 feet, from before flooding, occurred between a bridge abutment and pier. Of the remaining sites, highway bridges where bed elevation change near piers appeared to have exceeded 10 feet include the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge at Blair, Nebr., Bellevue Bridge at Bellevue, Nebr., and Nebraska City Bridge at Nebraska City, Nebr. Hydrographic surveys at 14 of the 15 sites were completed in mid-July and again in early October or late-November 2011. Near three of the bridges, the bed elevation of locations surveyed in July increased by more than 10 feet, on average, by late October or early November 2011. Bed elevations increased between 1 and 10 feet, on average, near six bridges. Near the remaining four bridges, bed elevations decreased between 1 and 4 feet, on average, from July to late October or early November.

  1. An Investigation into Heavy Metal Contamination and Mobilization in the Lower Rouge River, Michigan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shihadeh, M.; Forrester, J.; Napieralski, J. A.

    2010-12-01

    Similar to many densely populated watersheds in the Great Lakes Basin, the Rouge River in Michigan drains a heavily urbanized watershed, which, over time, has accumulated a substantial amount of contamination due to decades of manufacturing and refining industries. Statistically significant levels of heavy metals have been found in the bed sediment of the Rouge; however, little is known about the mobilization of these contaminated bed sediments. The goal of this study was to ascertain the extent to which these potentially contaminated sediments are mobilized and transported downstream. Suspended sediment samples were collected at four sites along the lower Rouge River using composite depth integrated sediment samples three times per week, resulting in a total of twenty samples from each site. Turbidity was measured simultaneously using a YSI datalogger at all sampling locations. Sediment was also extracted from floodplain soil pits and silted vegetation, as well as river bed sediment cores along stream channel cross-sections. Heavy metal concentrations (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Hg, Ni, Se, Zn) were analyzed using ICP-MS and compared against both background characteristics for Michigan soils and EPA Hazardous Criteria Limits. As expected, a positive correlation exists between turbidity and heavy metal concentrations. Even in the sampling sites furthest upstream, heavy metal concentrations exceeded background soil characteristics, with a few also exceeding hazardous criteria limits. The heavy metal concentrations found in the Lower Rouge affirm the elevated pollution classification of the river, depict the overall influence of industrialization on stream health, and verify that contaminated sediments are being deposited in aquatic and floodplain environments during variable flow or high discharge events. Results from this study emphasize the need to remediate bed sediments in the Rouge and suggest that there may be significant bioaccumulation potential for organisms inhabiting the floodplain corridor.

  2. Binge Eating Disorder and Bipolar Spectrum disorders in obesity: Psychopathological and eating behaviors differences according to comorbidities.

    PubMed

    Segura-Garcia, Cristina; Caroleo, Mariarita; Rania, Marianna; Barbuto, Elvira; Sinopoli, Flora; Aloi, Matteo; Arturi, Franco; De Fazio, Pasquale

    2017-01-15

    Obesity is not a mental disorder, yet DSM-5 recognizes a strong association between obesity and psychiatric syndromes. Disorders within the Bipolar Spectrum (BSD) and Binge Eating Disorder (BED) are the most frequent psychiatric disorders among obese patients. The aim of this research is to investigate the psychopathological differences and the distinctive eating behaviors that accompany these comorbidities in obese patients. One hundred and nineteen obese patients (40 males; 79 females) underwent psychological evaluation and psychiatric interview, and a dietitian evaluated their eating habits. Patients were divided into four groups according to comorbidities, and comparisons were run accordingly. Forty-one percent of participants presented BED+BSD comorbidity (Group 1), 21% BED (Group 2) and 8% BSD (Group 3); only 29% obese participants had no comorbidity (Group 4). Female gender was overrepresented among Groups 1 and 2. BSD diagnosis varied according to comorbidities: Type II Bipolar Disorder and Other Specified and Related Bipolar Disorder (OSR BD) were more frequent in Group 1 and Type I Bipolar Disorder in Group 3. A trend of decreasing severity in eating behaviors and psychopathology was evident according to comorbidities (Group 1=Group2>Group3>Group 4). Limitations include the small sample size and the cross-sectional design of the study. BED and BSD are frequent comorbidities in obesity. Type II Bipolar Disorder and OSR BD are more frequent in the group with double comorbidity. The double comorbidity seems associated to more severe eating behaviors and psychopathology. Distinctive pathological eating behaviors could be considered as warning signals, symptomatic of psychiatric comorbidities in Obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Performance evaluation of hospitals that provide care in the public health system, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Marcelo Cristiano de Azevedo; da Cruz, Lucila Pedroso; Kishima, Vanessa Chaer; Pollara, Wilson Modesto; de Lira, Antônio Carlos Onofre; Couttolenc, Bernard François

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To analyze if size, administrative level, legal status, type of unit and educational activity influence the hospital network performance in providing services to the Brazilian Unified Health System. METHODS This cross-sectional study evaluated data from the Hospital Information System and the Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (National Registry of Health Facilities), 2012, in Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. We calculated performance indicators, such as: the ratio of hospital employees per bed; mean amount paid for admission; bed occupancy rate; average length of stay; bed turnover index and hospital mortality rate. Data were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni correction. RESULTS The hospital occupancy rate in small hospitals was lower than in medium, big and special-sized hospitals. Higher hospital occupancy rate and bed turnover index were observed in hospitals that include education in their activities. The hospital mortality rate was lower in specialized hospitals compared to general ones, despite their higher proportion of highly complex admissions. We found no differences between hospitals in the direct and indirect administration for most of the indicators analyzed. CONCLUSIONS The study indicated the importance of the scale effect on efficiency, and larger hospitals had a higher performance. Hospitals that include education in their activities had a higher operating performance, albeit with associated importance of using human resources and highly complex structures. Specialized hospitals had a significantly lower rate of mortality than general hospitals, indicating the positive effect of the volume of procedures and technology used on clinical outcomes. The analysis related to the administrative level and legal status did not show any significant performance differences between the categories of public hospitals.

  4. Performance evaluation of hospitals that provide care in the public health system, Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Ramos, Marcelo Cristiano de Azevedo; da Cruz, Lucila Pedroso; Kishima, Vanessa Chaer; Pollara, Wilson Modesto; de Lira, Antônio Carlos Onofre; Couttolenc, Bernard François

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To analyze if size, administrative level, legal status, type of unit and educational activity influence the hospital network performance in providing services to the Brazilian Unified Health System. METHODS This cross-sectional study evaluated data from the Hospital Information System and the Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimento s de Saúde (National Registry of Health Facilities), 2012, in Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. We calculated performance indicators, such as: the ratio of hospital employees per bed; mean amount paid for admission; bed occupancy rate; average length of stay; bed turnover index and hospital mortality rate. Data were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni correction. RESULTS The hospital occupancy rate in small hospitals was lower than in medium, big and special-sized hospitals. Higher hospital occupancy rate and bed turnover index were observed in hospitals that include education in their activities. The hospital mortality rate was lower in specialized hospitals compared to general ones, despite their higher proportion of highly complex admissions. We found no differences between hospitals in the direct and indirect administration for most of the indicators analyzed. CONCLUSIONS The study indicated the importance of the scale effect on efficiency, and larger hospitals had a higher performance. Hospitals that include education in their activities had a higher operating performance, albeit with associated importance of using human resources and highly complex structures. Specialized hospitals had a significantly lower rate of mortality than general hospitals, indicating the positive effect of the volume of procedures and technology used on clinical outcomes. The analysis related to the administrative level and legal status did not show any significant performance differences between the categories of public hospitals. PMID:26247385

  5. Estimating False-Recent Classification for the Limiting-Antigen Avidity EIA and BED-Capture Enzyme Immunoassay in Vietnam: Implications for HIV-1 Incidence Estimates.

    PubMed

    Shah, Neha S; Duong, Yen T; Le, Linh-Vi; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Parekh, Bharat S; Ha, Hoang Thi Thanh; Pham, Quang Duy; Cuc, Cao Thi Thu; Dobbs, Trudy; Tram, Tran Hong; Lien, Truong Thi Xuan; Wagar, Nick; Yang, Chunfu; Martin, Amy; Wolfe, Mitchell; Hien, Nguyen Tran; Kim, Andrea A

    2017-06-01

    Laboratory tests that can distinguish recent from long-term HIV infection are used to estimate HIV incidence in a population, but can potentially misclassify a proportion of long-term HIV infections as recent. Correct application of an assay requires determination of the proportion false recents (PFRs) as part of the assay characterization and for calculating HIV incidence in a local population using a HIV incidence assay. From April 2009 to December 2010, blood specimens were collected from HIV-infected individuals attending nine outpatient clinics (OPCs) in Vietnam (four from northern and five from southern Vietnam). Participants were living with HIV for ≥1 year and reported no antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment. Basic demographic data and clinical information were collected. Specimens were tested with the BED capture enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA) and the Limiting-antigen (LAg)-Avidity EIA. PFR was estimated by dividing the number of specimens classified as recent by the total number of specimens; 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Specimens that tested recent had viral load testing performed. Among 1,813 specimens (north, n = 942 and south, n = 871), the LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was 1.7% (CI: 1.2-2.4) and differed by region [north 2.7% (CI: 1.8-3.9) versus south 0.7% (CI: 0.3-1.5); p = .002]. The BED-CEIA PFR was 2.3% (CI: 1.7-3.0) and varied by region [north 3.4% (CI: 2.4-4.7) versus south 1.0% (CI: 0.5-1.2), p < .001]. Excluding specimens with an undetectable VL, the LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was 1.2% (CI: 0.8-1.9) and the BED-CEIA PFR was 1.7% (CI: 1.2-2.4). The LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was lower than the BED-CEIA PFR. After excluding specimens with an undetectable VL, the PFR for both assays was similar. A low PFR should facilitate the implementation of the LAg-Avidity EIA for cross-sectional incidence estimates in Vietnam.

  6. Geologic cross section, gas desorption, and other data from four wells drilled for Alaska rural energy project, Wainwright, Alaska, coalbed methane project, 2007-2009

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clark, Arthur C.; Roberts, Stephen B.; Warwick, Peter D.

    2010-01-01

    Energy costs in rural Alaskan communities are substantial. Diesel fuel, which must be delivered by barge or plane, is used for local power generation in most off-grid communities. In addition to high costs incurred for the purchase and transport of the fuel, the transport, transfer, and storage of fuel products pose significant difficulties in logistically challenging and environmentally sensitive areas. The Alaska Rural Energy Project (AREP) is a collaborative effort between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Bureau of Land Management Alaska State Office along with State, local, and private partners. The project is designed to identify and evaluate shallow (<3,000 ft) subsurface resources such as coalbed methane (CBM) and geothermal in the vicinity of rural Alaskan communities where these resources have the potential to serve as local-use power alternatives. The AREP, in cooperation with the North Slope Borough, the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, and the Olgoonik Corporation, drilled and tested a 1,613 ft continuous core hole in Wainwright, Alaska, during the summer of 2007 to determine whether CBM represents a viable source of energy for the community. Although numerous gas-bearing coal beds were encountered, most are contained within the zone of permafrost that underlies the area to a depth of approximately 1,000 ft. Because the effective permeability of permafrost is near zero, the chances of producing gas from these beds are highly unlikely. A 7.5-ft-thick gas-bearing coal bed, informally named the Wainwright coal bed, was encountered in the sub-permafrost at a depth of 1,242 ft. Additional drilling and testing conducted during the summers of 2008 and 2009 indicated that the coal bed extended throughout the area outlined by the drill holes, which presently is limited to the access provided by the existing road system. These tests also confirmed the gas content of the coal reservoir within this area. If producible, the Wainwright coal bed contains sufficient gas to serve as a long-term source of energy for the community.

  7. Estimating False-Recent Classification for the Limiting-Antigen Avidity EIA and BED-Capture Enzyme Immunoassay in Vietnam: Implications for HIV-1 Incidence Estimates

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Neha S.; Duong, Yen T.; Le, Linh-Vi; Tuan, Nguyen Anh; Parekh, Bharat S.; Thanh Ha, Hoang Thi; Pham, Quang Duy; Thu Cuc, Cao Thi; Dobbs, Trudy; Tram, Tran Hong; Xuan Lien, Truong Thi; Wagar, Nick; Yang, Chunfu; Martin, Amy; Wolfe, Mitchell; Hien, Nguyen Tran; Kim, Andrea A.

    2017-01-01

    Laboratory tests that can distinguish recent from long-term HIV infection are used to estimate HIV incidence in a population, but can potentially misclassify a proportion of long-term HIV infections as recent. Correct application of an assay requires determination of the proportion false recents (PFRs) as part of the assay characterization and for calculating HIV incidence in a local population using a HIV incidence assay. From April 2009 to December 2010, blood specimens were collected from HIV-infected individuals attending nine outpatient clinics (OPCs) in Vietnam (four from northern and five from southern Vietnam). Participants were living with HIV for ≥1 year and reported no antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment. Basic demographic data and clinical information were collected. Specimens were tested with the BED capture enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA) and the Limiting-antigen (LAg)-Avidity EIA. PFR was estimated by dividing the number of specimens classified as recent by the total number of specimens; 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Specimens that tested recent had viral load testing performed. Among 1,813 specimens (north, n = 942 and south, n = 871), the LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was 1.7% (CI: 1.2–2.4) and differed by region [north 2.7% (CI: 1.8–3.9) versus south 0.7% (CI: 0.3–1.5); p = .002]. The BED-CEIA PFR was 2.3% (CI: 1.7–3.0) and varied by region [north 3.4% (CI: 2.4–4.7) versus south 1.0% (CI: 0.5–1.2), p < .001]. Excluding specimens with an undetectable VL, the LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was 1.2% (CI: 0.8–1.9) and the BED-CEIA PFR was 1.7% (CI: 1.2–2.4). The LAg-Avidity EIA PFR was lower than the BED-CEIA PFR. After excluding specimens with an undetectable VL, the PFR for both assays was similar. A low PFR should facilitate the implementation of the LAg-Avidity EIA for cross-sectional incidence estimates in Vietnam. PMID:28193090

  8. Mapping the Characteristics of Critical Care Facilities: Assessment, Distribution, and Level of Critical Care Facilities from Central India.

    PubMed

    Saigal, Saurabh; Sharma, Jai Prakash; Pakhare, Abhijit; Bhaskar, Santosh; Dhanuka, Sanjay; Kumar, Sanjay; Sabde, Yogesh; Bhattacharya, Pradip; Joshi, Rajnish

    2017-10-01

    In low- and middle-income countries such as India, where health systems are weak, the number of available Critical Care Unit (Intensive Care Unit [ICU]) beds is expected to be low. There is no study from the Indian subcontinent that has reported the characteristics and distribution of existing ICUs. We performed this study to understand the characteristics and distribution of ICUs in Madhya Pradesh (MP) state of Central India. We also aimed to develop a consensus scoring system and internally validate it to define levels of care and to improve health system planning and to strengthen referral networks in the state. We obtained a list of potential ICU facilities from various sources and then performed a cross-sectional survey by visiting each facility and determining characteristics for each facility. We collected variables with respect to infrastructure, human resources, equipment, support services, procedures performed, training courses conducted, and in-place policies or standard operating procedure documents. We identified a total of 123 ICUs in MP. Of 123 ICUs, 35 were level 1 facilities, 74 were level 2 facilities, and only 14 were level 3 facilities. Overall, there were 0.17 facilities per 100,000 population (95* confidence interval [CI] 0.14-0.20 per 100,000 populations). There were a total of 1816 ICU beds in the state, with an average of 2.5 beds per 100,000 population (95* CI 2.4-2.6 per 100,000 population). Of the total number of ICU beds, 250 are in level 1, 1141 are in level 2, and 425 are in level 3 facilities. This amounts to 0.34, 1.57, and 0.59 ICU beds per 100,000 population for levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively. This study could just be an eye opener for our healthcare authorities at both state and national levels to estimate the proportion of ICU beds per lac population. Similar mapping of intensive care services from other States will generate national data that is hitherto unknown.

  9. [Cross sectional study of structural quality of German intensive care units. A reevaluation of the DIVI register].

    PubMed

    Fölsch, C; Kofahl, N; Waydhas, C; Stiletto, R

    2013-09-01

    Effectiveness of intensive care treatment is essential to cope with increasing costs. The German national register of intensive care established by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) contains basic data on the structure of intensive care units in Germany. A repeat analysis of data of the DIVI register within 8 years provides information for the development of intensive care units under different economic circumstances. The recent data on the structure of intensive care units were obtained in 2008 and compared with the primary multicenter study from 2000. The hospitals selected were a representative sample for the whole of Germany. Data on the status of the hospital, staff and technical facilities, foundation of the hospital and the statistics of mechanically ventilated patients were analyzed. The technical facilities and the number of staff have improved from 2000 to 2008. A smaller availability of diagnostic procedures and staff remain in hospitals for basic treatment outside normal working hours. The average utilization of intensive care unit beds was not altered. The existence of intermediate care units did not significantly change the proportion of patients with artificial ventilation or ventilation times. The number of beds in intensive care units was unchanged as was the average number of beds in units and the number of patients treated. A relevant number of beds of intensive care units shifted towards hospitals with private foundation without changes in the overall numbers. The structure of the hospitals was comparable at both time points. The introduction of intermediate care units did not alter ventilation parameters of patients in 2008 compared with 2000. There is no obvious medical reason for the shift of intensive care beds towards private hospitals. The number of staff and patients varied considerably between the intensive care units. The average number of patients treated per bed was not different between the periods or between hospitals with different structures. Overall availability of medical staff and diagnostic procedures increased during the study period. An increase of availability of fully trained medical staff in intensive care medicine is desirable to increase the quality of treatment.

  10. Circulation on the Inner-Shelf of Long Bay, South Carolina: Vertical Current Variability and Evidence for Cross-Shelf Variation in Near-Bed Currents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gutierrez, B. T.; Voulgaris, G.; Work, P. A.; Seim, H.; Warner, J. C.

    2004-12-01

    Cross-shelf variations of near-bed currents and variations in vertical flow were investigated on the inner shelf of Long Bay, South Carolina during the spring and fall of 2001. Current meters sampled near-bed currents at six locations as well as vertical current profiles at three of the sites. The observations showed that the tides accounted for approximately 45-66% of the flow variability. The dominant tidal component, the semi-diurnal constituent M2, exhibited tidal ellipse orientations that are increasingly aligned with the coast closer to the shore. The largest M2 current magnitudes were identified closest to shore and over the top of a sand shoal located 5.5 km offshore of Myrtle Beach. The remaining flow variability was associated with sub-tidal flows which respond to the passage of low-pressure systems across the region. These weather systems were characterized by periods of southwesterly winds in advance of low-pressure centers followed by northeasterly winds as the systems passed over the study area. When strong southwesterly winds persisted, surface flow was oriented approximately in the direction of the wind. At the same time near-bottom flows were also directed to the northeast in the direction of the wind except during periods of stratification when vertical current profiles suggest near-bed onshore flow. The stratified flows were observed mainly during the spring deployment. For periods of strong northeasterly winds, currents were directed alongshore to the southwest and exhibited little variation throughout the water column. These observations are consistent with recent field and modeling studies for the inner-shelf. Comparison of the near-bed flow measurements during the fall deployment revealed a cross-shore gradient in alongshore flow during periods of strong northeasterly winds. During these episodes flows at the offshore measurement stations were oriented in the direction of the wind, while flows closest to shore occurred in the opposite direction. These observations reveal 1) conditions which contribute to cross-shore transport and 2) the presence of an alongshore flow gradient which may affect sediment transport patterns during certain meteorological conditions.

  11. Field testing of three bedload samplers' efficiency in a gravel-bed river, Spitsbergen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rachlewicz, Grzegorz; Zwoliński, Zbigniew; Kociuba, Waldemar; Stawska, Monika

    2017-06-01

    A comparative study of the three bedload traps was accomplished to determine the effectiveness differences between the devices. The research was carried out in two transverse sections of the proglacial, gravel-bedded Scott River (SW Svalbard) using three devices to perform direct measurements of bedload transport in the river channels. Several samplers are used for field measurements, but none of them has gained widespread acceptance as a standard so far. The paper compares transport rates collected in three bedload samplers that differ in structure and functionality: i) a portable Helley-Smith, pressure-difference bedload sampler (H-S), ii) an anchored River Bedload Trap (RBT), and iii) the portable sampler used by the Polish Hydrological Services (PIHM type C). All three samplers are constructed using the same components: a frame made of thin stainless steel sheet and a nylon bag with the same (2 mm) mesh size (except PIHM). Measurements were conducted within three consecutive days in two cross sections, in the same vertical profiles and at the same time (at intervals of 30 and 60 min). Measurements of bedload transport and water velocity were performed simultaneously. In order to determine the effectiveness and representativeness of short-term measurements using particular devices, the masses of the samples were converted into a specific rate of bedload transport and compared to the results of long-term continuous measurement (24 h measurement cycle). The results confirm that both specific transport indicators and the mass of the samples collected by the tested devices show a significant variation. Generally, the highest mass and specific transport indicators were obtained using the H-S sampler. The RBT produced moderate transport rates, while the PIHM sampler gave the lowest rates. The bedload transport rate in a profile estimated on the short-term measurements was compared to results of the continuous measurements conducted in the same cross sections. In the 7 cases we obtained underestimation (to max. 10 times) and in the next 7 cases - overestimation (to max. 114 times). Only in four cases were the results of short-term measurements similar to the continuous ones. The results obtained from the RBT sampler show the smallest variability among all tested devices.

  12. Potential effects of deepening the St. Johns River navigation channel on saltwater intrusion in the surficial aquifer system, Jacksonville, Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bellino, Jason C.; Spechler, Rick M.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has proposed dredging a 13-mile reach of the St. Johns River navigation channel in Jacksonville, Florida, deepening it to depths between 50 and 54 feet below North American Vertical Datum of 1988. The dredging operation will remove about 10 feet of sediments from the surficial aquifer system, including limestone in some locations. The limestone unit, which is in the lowermost part of the surficial aquifer system, supplies water to domestic wells in the Jacksonville area. Because of density-driven hydrodynamics of the St. Johns River, saline water from the Atlantic Ocean travels upstream as a saltwater “wedge” along the bottom of the channel, where the limestone is most likely to be exposed by the proposed dredging. A study was conducted to determine the potential effects of navigation channel deepening in the St. Johns River on salinity in the adjacent surficial aquifer system. Simulations were performed with each of four cross-sectional, variable-density groundwater-flow models, developed using SEAWAT, to simulate hypothetical changes in salinity in the surficial aquifer system as a result of dredging. The cross-sectional models were designed to incorporate a range of hydrogeologic conceptualizations to estimate the effect of uncertainty in hydrogeologic properties. The cross-sectional models developed in this study do not necessarily simulate actual projected conditions; instead, the models were used to examine the potential effects of deepening the navigation channel on saltwater intrusion in the surficial aquifer system under a range of plausible hypothetical conditions. Simulated results for modeled conditions indicate that dredging will have little to no effect on salinity variations in areas upstream of currently proposed dredging activities. Results also indicate little to no effect in any part of the surficial aquifer system along the cross section near River Mile 11 or in the water-table unit along the cross section near River Mile 8. Salinity increases of up to 4.0 parts per thousand (ppt) were indicated by the model incorporating hydrogeologic conceptualizations with both a semiconfining bed over the limestone unit and a preferential flow layer within the limestone along the cross section near River Mile 8. Simulated increases in salinity greater than 0.2 ppt in this area were generally limited to portions of the limestone unit within about 75 feet of the channel on the north side of the river. The potential for saltwater to move from the river channel to the surficial aquifer system is limited, but may be present in areas where the head gradient from the aquifer to the river is small or negative and the salinity of the river is sufficient to induce density-driven advective flow into the aquifer. In some areas, simulated increases in salinity were exacerbated by the presence of laterally extensive semiconfining beds in combination with a high-conductivity preferential flow zone in the limestone unit of the surficial aquifer system and an upgradient source of saline water, such as beneath the salt marshes near Fanning Island. The volume of groundwater pumped in these areas is estimated to be low; therefore, saltwater intrusion will not substantially affect regional water supply, although users of the surficial aquifer system east of Dames Point along the northern shore of the river could be affected. Proposed dredging operations pose no risk to salinization of the Floridan aquifer system; in the study area, the intermediate confining unit ranges in thickness from more than 300 to about 500 feet and provides sufficient hydraulic separation between the surficial and Floridan aquifer systems.

  13. Solids feed nozzle for fluidized bed

    DOEpatents

    Zielinski, Edward A.

    1982-01-01

    The vertical fuel pipe of a fluidized bed extends up through the perforated support structure of the bed to discharge granulated solid fuel into the expanded bed. A cap, as a deflecting structure, is supported above the discharge of the fuel pipe and is shaped and arranged to divert the carrier fluid and granulated fuel into the combusting bed. The diverter structure is spaced above the end of the fuel pipe and provided with a configuration on its underside to form a venturi section which generates a low pressure in the stream into which the granules of solid fuel are drawn to lengthen their residence time in the combustion zone of the bed adjacent the fuel pipe.

  14. Fully Resolved Simulations of Particle-Bed-Turbulence Interactions in Oscillatory Flows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apte, S.; Ghodke, C.

    2017-12-01

    Particle-resolved direct numerical simulations (DNS) are performed to investigate the behavior of an oscillatory flow field over a bed of closely packed fixed spherical particles for a range of Reynolds numbers in transitional and rough turbulent flow regime. Presence of roughness leads to a substantial modification of the underlying boundary layer mechanism resulting in increased bed shear stress, reduction in the near-bed anisotropy, modification of the near-bed sweep and ejection motions along with marked changes in turbulent energy transport mechanisms. Characterization of such resulting flow field is performed by studying statistical descriptions of the near-bed turbulence for different roughness parameters. A double-averaging technique is employed to reveal spatial inhomogeneities at the roughness scale that provide alternate paths of energy transport in the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget. Spatio-temporal characteristics of unsteady particle forces by studying their spatial distribution, temporal auto-correlations, frequency spectra, cross-correlations with near-bed turbulent flow variables and intermittency intermittency in the forces using the concept of impulse are investigated in detail. These first principle simulations provide substantial insights into the modeling of incipient motion of sediments.

  15. The ratio of animal protein intake to potassium intake is a predictor of bone resorption in space flight analogues and in ambulatory subjects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zwart, Sara R.; Hargens, Alan R.; Smith, Scott M.

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Bone loss is a critical concern for space travelers, and a dietary countermeasure would be of great benefit. Dietary protein and potassium-associated bicarbonate precursors may have opposing effects on the acid-base balance in the body and therefore on bone loss. OBJECTIVE: In 2 studies, we examined the ability of dietary protein and potassium to predict markers of bone metabolism. DESIGN: In the first study, 8 pairs of male identical twins were assigned to 1 of 2 groups: bed rest (sedentary, or SED, group) or bed rest with supine treadmill exercise in a lower-body negative pressure chamber (EX group). In a second study, groups of 4 subjects lived in a closed chamber for 60 or 91 d, and dietary data were collected for two or three 5-d sessions. Urinary calcium, N-telopeptide, and pyridinium cross-links were measured before bed rest; on bed rest days 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27; and daily during the chamber studies. Data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The ratio of animal protein intake to potassium intake was significantly correlated with N-telopeptide in the SED group during bed rest weeks 3 and 4 (r = 0.77 and 0.80) and during the 91-d chamber study (r = 0.75). The ratio of animal protein intake to potassium intake was positively correlated with pyridinium cross-links before bed rest in the EX group (r = 0.83), in the EX group during bed rest week 1 (r = 0.84), and in the SED group during bed rest week 2 (r = 0.72) but not during either chamber study. In both studies, these relations were not significant with the ratio of vegetable protein intake to potassium intake. CONCLUSIONS: The ratio of animal protein intake to potassium intake may affect bone in ambulatory and bed-rest subjects. Changing this ratio may help to prevent bone loss on Earth and during space flight.

  16. A sorting mechanism for a riffle-pool sequence

    Treesearch

    Thomas Lisle

    1979-01-01

    Transport of coarse, heterogeneous debris in a natural stream under a wide range of flows usually results in a remarkably stable, undulatory bed profile, which manifests an in transit sorting process of the bed material. In general, finer material representative of the bulk of the normal bed load resides in the deep sections, or pools, below flood stages. At high...

  17. Electrostatic formation of liquid marbles and agglomerates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liyanaarachchi, K. R.; Ireland, P. M.; Webber, G. B.; Galvin, K. P.

    2013-07-01

    We report observations of a sudden, explosive release of electrostatically charged 100 μm glass beads from a particle bed. These cross an air gap of several millimeters, are engulfed by an approaching pendant water drop, and form a metastable spherical agglomerate on the bed surface. The stability transition of the particle bed is explained by promotion of internal friction by in-plane electrostatic stresses. The novel agglomerates formed this way resemble the "liquid marbles" formed by coating a drop with hydrophobic particles. Complex multi-layered agglomerates may also be produced by this method, with potential industrial, pharmaceutical, environmental, and biological applications.

  18. Practical Experience of Discharge Measurement in Flood Conditions with ADP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vidmar, A.; Brilly, M.; Rusjan, S.

    2009-04-01

    Accurate discharge estimation is important for an efficient river basin management and especially for flood forecasting. The traditional way of estimating the discharge in hydrological practice is to measure the water stage and to convert the recorded water stage values into discharge by using the single-valued rating curve .Relationship between the stage and discharge values of the rating curve for the extreme events are usually extrapolated by using different mathematical methods and are not directly measured. Our practice shows that by using the Accoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP) instrument we can record the actual relation between the water stage and the flow velocity at the occurrence of flood waves very successfully. Measurement in flood conditions it is not easy task, because of high water surface velocity and large amounts of sediments in the water and floating objects on the surface like branches, bushes, trees, piles and others which can also easily damage ADP instrument. We made several measurements in such extreme events on the Sava River down to the nuclear power plant Kr\\vsko where we have install fixed cable way. During the several measurement with traditional "moving-boat" measurement technique a mowing bed phenomenon was clearly seen. Measuring flow accurately using ADP that uses the "moving-boat" technique, the system needs a reference against which to relate water velocities to. This reference is river bed and must not move. During flood events we detected difficulty finding a static bed surface to which to relate water velocities. This is caused by motion of the surface layer of bed material or also sediments suspended in the water near bed very densely. So these traditional »moving-boat« measurement techniques that we normally use completely fail. Using stationary measurement method to making individual velocity profile measurements, using an Acoustic Doppler Profiler (ADP), at certain time at fixed locations across the width of a stream gave us much better results. We use Stationary Measurement Software from SONTEK ADP manufacture to provide the tools to make USGS/ISO/WMO "Mid-Section Method" measurements using an ADP. We have ADP with 3.0 MHz which gave us 0,15m cell size in which is capable to gauge from 0,3m to a maximum depth of 6m. The beauty of using the Stationary Measurement Software is not only to overcome common moving-bed problems, but that gave us possibility to measure at depth beyond the range of the instrument. The water depth at certain profile can be inputted with known values of cross section and velocities are then extrapolated to the bed with use of velocity profile power-law equation. In practice the other good advantage to use this method is that we can repeat each profile of measurement if we detected some anomalies in the profile of measured velocities or in the case that we must quickly remove instrument from location because of floating destroying material.

  19. Hydraulic conditions of flood flows in a Polish Carpathian river subjected to variable human impacts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Czech, Wiktoria; Wyżga, Bartłomiej; Mikuś, Paweł; Zawiejska, Joanna; Ruiz-Villanueva, Virginia

    2016-04-01

    Channel morphology of the Czarny Dunajec River, Polish Carpathians, has been considerably modified as a result of channelization and gravel-mining induced channel incision, and now it varies from a single-thread, incised or regulated channel to an unmanaged, multi-thread channel. We investigated effects of these distinct channel morphologies on the conditions for flood flows in a study of 25 cross-sections from the middle river course where the Czarny Dunajec receives no significant tributaries and flood discharges increase little in the downstream direction. Cross-sectional morphology, channel slope and roughness of particular cross-section parts were used as input data for the hydraulic modelling performed with the 1D steady-flow HEC-RAS model for discharges with recurrence interval from 1.5 to 50 years. The model for each cross-section was calibrated with the water level of a 20-year flood from May 2014, determined shortly after the flood on the basis of high-water marks. Results indicated that incised and channelized river reaches are typified by similar flow widths and cross-sectional flow areas, which are substantially smaller than those in the multi-thread reach. However, because of steeper channel slope in the incised reach than in the channelized reach, the three river reaches differ in unit stream power and bed shear stress, which attain the highest values in the incised reach, intermediate values in the channelized reach, and the lowest ones in the multi-thread reach. These patterns of flow power and hydraulic forces are reflected in significant differences in river competence between the three river reaches. Since the introduction of the channelization scheme 30 years ago, sedimentation has reduced its initial flow conveyance by more than half and elevated water stages at given flood discharges by about 0.5-0.7 m. This partly reflects a progressive growth of natural levees along artificially stabilized channel banks. By contrast, sediments of natural levees deposited along the multi-thread channel and subsequently eroded in the course of lateral channel migration and floodplain reworking; as a result, they do not reduce the conveyance of floodplain flows in this reach. This study was performed within the scope of the Research Project DEC-2013/09/B/ST10/00056 financed by the National Science Centre of Poland.

  20. Sediment Mobilization and Storage Dynamics of a Debris Flow Impacted Stream Channel using Multi-Temporal Structure from Motion Photogrammetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bailey, T. L.; Sutherland-Montoya, D.

    2015-12-01

    High resolution topographic analysis methods have become important tools in geomorphology. Structure from Motion photogrammetry offers a compelling vehicle for geomorphic change detection in fluvial environments. This process can produce arbitrarily high resolution, geographically registered spectral and topographic coverages from a collection of overlapping digital imagery from consumer cameras. Cuneo Creek has had three historically observed episodes of rapid aggradation (1955, 1964, and 1997). The debris flow deposits continue to be major sources of sediment sixty years after the initial slope failure. Previous studies have monitored the sediment storage volume and particle size since 1976 (in 1976, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1998, 2003). We reoccupied 3 previously surveyed stream cross sections on Sept 30, 2014 and March 30, 2015, and produced photogrammetric point clouds using a pole mounted camera with a remote view finder to take nadir view images from 4.3 meters above the channel bed. Ground control points were registered using survey grade GPS and typical cross sections used over 100 images to build the structure model. This process simultaneously collects channel geometry and we used it to also generate surface texture metrics, and produced DEMs with point cloud densities above 5000 points / m2. In the period between the surveys, a five year recurrence interval discharge of 20 m3/s scoured the channel. Surface particle size distribution has been determined for each observation period using image segmentation algorithms based on spectral distance and compactness. Topographic differencing between the point clouds shows substantial channel bed mobilization and reorganization. The net decline in sediment storage is in excess of 4 x 10^5 cubic meters since the 1964 aggradation peak, with associated coarsening of surface particle sizes. These new methods provide a promising rapid assessment tool for measurement of channel responses to sediment inputs.

  1. Large-scale implementation of disease control programmes: a cost-effectiveness analysis of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net distribution channels in a malaria-endemic area of western Kenya-a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Gama, Elvis; Were, Vincent; Ouma, Peter; Desai, Meghna; Niessen, Louis; Buff, Ann M; Kariuki, Simon

    2016-11-21

    Historically, Kenya has used various distribution models for long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) with variable results in population coverage. The models presently vary widely in scale, target population and strategy. There is limited information to determine the best combination of distribution models, which will lead to sustained high coverage and are operationally efficient and cost-effective. Standardised cost information is needed in combination with programme effectiveness estimates to judge the efficiency of LLIN distribution models and options for improvement in implementing malaria control programmes. The study aims to address the information gap, estimating distribution cost and the effectiveness of different LLIN distribution models, and comparing them in an economic evaluation. Evaluation of cost and coverage will be determined for 5 different distribution models in Busia County, an area of perennial malaria transmission in western Kenya. Cost data will be collected retrospectively from health facilities, the Ministry of Health, donors and distributors. Programme-effectiveness data, defined as the number of people with access to an LLIN per 1000 population, will be collected through triangulation of data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional malaria survey, a cross-sectional survey administered to a subsample of beneficiaries in Busia County and LLIN distributors' records. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis will be used for the evaluation. A cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed from a health-systems perspective, and cost-effectiveness ratios will be calculated using bootstrapping techniques. The study has been evaluated and approved by Kenya Medical Research Institute, Scientific and Ethical Review Unit (SERU number 2997). All participants will provide written informed consent. The findings of this economic evaluation will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  2. Verification and validation of a rapid heat transfer calculation methodology for transient melt pool solidification conditions in powder bed metal additive manufacturing

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Plotkowski, A.; Kirka, M. M.; Babu, S. S.

    A fundamental understanding of spatial and temporal thermal distributions is crucial for predicting solidification and solid-state microstructural development in parts made by additive manufacturing. While sophisticated numerical techniques that are based on finite element or finite volume methods are useful for gaining insight into these phenomena at the length scale of the melt pool (100 - 500 µm), they are ill-suited for predicting engineering trends over full part cross-sections (> 10 x 10 cm) or many layers over long process times (> many days) due to the necessity of fully resolving the heat source characteristics. On the other hand, itmore » is extremely difficult to resolve the highly dynamic nature of the process using purely in-situ characterization techniques. This article proposes a pragmatic alternative based on a semi-analytical approach to predicting the transient heat conduction during powder bed metal additive manufacturing process. The model calculations were theoretically verified for selective laser melting of AlSi10Mg and electron beam melting of IN718 powders for simple cross-sectional geometries and the transient results are compared to steady state predictions from the Rosenthal equation. It is shown that the transient effects of the scan strategy create significant variations in the melt pool geometry and solid-liquid interface velocity, especially as the thermal diffusivity of the material decreases and the pre-heat of the process increases. With positive verification of the strategy, the model was then experimentally validated to simulate two point-melt scan strategies during electron beam melting of IN718, one intended to produce a columnar and one an equiaxed grain structure. Lastly, through comparison of the solidification conditions (i.e. transient and spatial variations of thermal gradient and liquid-solid interface velocity) predicted by the model to phenomenological CET theory, the model accurately predicted the experimental grain structures.« less

  3. Nurse Level of Education, Quality of Care and Patient Safety in the Medical and Surgical Wards in Malaysian Private Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Rahman, Hamzah Abdul; Jarrar, Mu’taman; Don, Mohammad Sobri

    2015-01-01

    Background and Objective: Nursing knowledge and skills are required to sustain quality of care and patient safety. The number of nurses with Bachelor degrees in Malaysia is very limited. This study aims to predict the impact of nurse level of education on quality of care and patient safety in the medical and surgical wards in Malaysian private hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey by questionnaire was conducted. A total of 652 nurses working in the medical and surgical wards in 12 private hospitals participated in the study. Multistage stratified simple random sampling performed to invite nurses working in small size (less than 100 beds), medium size (100-199 beds) and large size (over than 200) hospitals to participate in the study. This allowed nurses from all shifts to participate in this study. Results: Nurses with higher education were not significantly associated with both quality of care and patient safety. However, a total 355 (60.9%) of respondents who participated in this study were working in teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals offer training for all newly appointed staff. They also provide general orientation programs and training to outline the policies, procedures of the nurses’ roles and responsibilities. This made the variances between the Bachelor and Diploma nurses not significantly associated with the outcomes of care. Conclusions: Nursing educational level was not associated with the outcomes of care in Malaysian private hospitals. However, training programs and the general nursing orientation programs for nurses in Malaysia can help to upgrade the Diploma-level nurses. Training programs can increase their self confidence, knowledge, critical thinking ability and improve their interpersonal skills. So, it can be concluded that better education and training for a medical and surgical wards’ nurses is required for satisfying client expectations and sustaining the outcomes of patient care. PMID:26153190

  4. Nurse Level of Education, Quality of Care and Patient Safety in the Medical and Surgical Wards in Malaysian Private Hospitals: A Cross-sectional Study.

    PubMed

    Abdul Rahman, Hamzah; Jarrar, Mu'taman; Don, Mohammad Sobri

    2015-04-23

    Nursing knowledge and skills are required to sustain quality of care and patient safety. The numbers of nurses with Bachelor degrees in Malaysia are very limited. This study aims to predict the impact of nurse level of education on quality of care and patient safety in the medical and surgical wards in Malaysian private hospitals. A cross-sectional survey by questionnaire was conducted. A total 652 nurses working in the medical and surgical wards in 12 private hospitals were participated in the study. Multistage stratified simple random sampling performed to invite nurses working in small size (less than 100 beds), medium size (100-199 beds) and large size (over than 200) hospitals to participate in the study. This allowed nurses from all shifts to participate in this study. Nurses with higher education were not significantly associated with both quality of care and patient safety. However, a total 355 (60.9%) of respondents participated in this study were working in teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals offer training for all newly appointed staff. They also provide general orientation programs and training to outline the policies, procedures of the nurses' roles and responsibilities. This made the variances between the Bachelor and Diploma nurses not significantly associated with the outcomes of care. Nursing educational level was not associated with the outcomes of care in Malaysian private hospitals. However, training programs and the general nursing orientation programs for nurses in Malaysia can help to upgrade the Diploma-level nurses. Training programs can increase their self confidence, knowledge, critical thinking ability and improve their interpersonal skills. So, it can be concluded that better education and training for a medical and surgical wards' nurses is required for satisfying client expectations and sustaining the outcomes of patient care.

  5. Performance of a Limiting-Antigen Avidity Enzyme Immunoassay for Cross-Sectional Estimation of HIV Incidence in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Konikoff, Jacob; Brookmeyer, Ron; Longosz, Andrew F.; Cousins, Matthew M.; Celum, Connie; Buchbinder, Susan P.; Seage, George R.; Kirk, Gregory D.; Moore, Richard D.; Mehta, Shruti H.; Margolick, Joseph B.; Brown, Joelle; Mayer, Kenneth H.; Koblin, Beryl A.; Justman, Jessica E.; Hodder, Sally L.; Quinn, Thomas C.; Eshleman, Susan H.; Laeyendecker, Oliver

    2013-01-01

    Background A limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay (HIV-1 LAg-Avidity assay) was recently developed for cross-sectional HIV incidence estimation. We evaluated the performance of the LAg-Avidity assay alone and in multi-assay algorithms (MAAs) that included other biomarkers. Methods and Findings Performance of testing algorithms was evaluated using 2,282 samples from individuals in the United States collected 1 month to >8 years after HIV seroconversion. The capacity of selected testing algorithms to accurately estimate incidence was evaluated in three longitudinal cohorts. When used in a single-assay format, the LAg-Avidity assay classified some individuals infected >5 years as assay positive and failed to provide reliable incidence estimates in cohorts that included individuals with long-term infections. We evaluated >500,000 testing algorithms, that included the LAg-Avidity assay alone and MAAs with other biomarkers (BED capture immunoassay [BED-CEIA], BioRad-Avidity assay, HIV viral load, CD4 cell count), varying the assays and assay cutoffs. We identified an optimized 2-assay MAA that included the LAg-Avidity and BioRad-Avidity assays, and an optimized 4-assay MAA that included those assays, as well as HIV viral load and CD4 cell count. The two optimized MAAs classified all 845 samples from individuals infected >5 years as MAA negative and estimated incidence within a year of sample collection. These two MAAs produced incidence estimates that were consistent with those from longitudinal follow-up of cohorts. A comparison of the laboratory assay costs of the MAAs was also performed, and we found that the costs associated with the optimal two assay MAA were substantially less than with the four assay MAA. Conclusions The LAg-Avidity assay did not perform well in a single-assay format, regardless of the assay cutoff. MAAs that include the LAg-Avidity and BioRad-Avidity assays, with or without viral load and CD4 cell count, provide accurate incidence estimates. PMID:24386116

  6. The roles of physical habitat in reproduction and survival of pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River, progress 2005–06: Chapter D in Factors affecting the reproduction, recruitment, habitat, and population dynamics of pallid sturgeon and shovelnose sturgeon in the Missouri River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jacobson, Robert B.; Johnson, Harold E.; Reuter, Joanna M.; Elliott, Caroline M.

    2007-01-01

    This report documents progress on three related components of habitat assessments in the Lower Missouri River during 2005–06. The habitat-use component links this research directly to sturgeon ecology research described in other chapters. The habitat availability and habitat dynamics assessments provide physical context for the ecological research. Results from 2005 to 2006 indicate that the methods developed to assess habitat use, quality, quantity, and dynamics are appropriate and sufficiently accurate to address critical questions about sturgeon habitat on the Lower Missouri River. Preliminary analysis of habitats occupied by adult female shovelnose sturgeon indicates that migrating sturgeon do not select for depth but seem to select for lower than reach-averaged velocities and higher than reach-averaged velocity gradients. Data collected to compile, calibrate, and validate multidimensional hydraulic models in probable spawning reaches appear to be sufficient to support the modeling objectives. Monitoring of selected channel cross sections and long profiles multiple times during the year showed little change at the upstreammost reach over the range of flows measured during 2006, likely because of channel stability associated with an armored bed. Geomorphic changes documented at monitoring cross sections increased with distance downstream. Hydroacoustic substrate-class parameters documented systematic changes with discharge and with hydraulic environment across the channel. Similarly, bed velocity varied predictably with discharge and hydraulic environment, indicating its potential as an indicator of bedload sediment transport. Longitudinal profiles showed substantial downstream movement of dunes over the monitored discharges, as well as substantial within-year variability in dune size. Observations of geomorphic change during the moderate flow range of 2006 support the hypothesis that the magnitude of flow modifications under consideration on the Lower Missouri River will be sufficient to transport sediment and potentially modify spawning habitats.

  7. Malaria prevalence in Bata district, Equatorial Guinea: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Ncogo, Policarpo; Herrador, Zaida; Romay-Barja, Maria; García-Carrasco, Emely; Nseng, Gloria; Berzosa, Pedro; Santana-Morales, Maria A; Riloha, Matilde; Aparicio, Pilar; Valladares, Basilio; Benito, Agustín

    2015-11-16

    Malaria has traditionally been a leading public health problem in Equatorial Guinea. After completion, in September 2011, of the integrated set of interventions against malaria launched by the Global Fund Malaria Programme in the mainland area, the epidemiological situation of malaria remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of malaria and associated factors based on the rapid diagnosis test (RDT) in Bata district, in order to provide evidence that will reinforce the National Malaria Control Programme. From June to August 2013, a representative cross sectional survey using a multistage, stratified, cluster-selected sample was carried out in urban zones and rural villages from Bata district. Data on socio-demographic, health status and malaria-related behaviours was collected. Malaria diagnosis was performed by RDT. Bivariate and multivariable statistical methods were employed to assess malaria prevalence and its association with different factors. Prevalence of malaria was higher in rural settings (58.9 %; CI 95 % 55.2-62.5 %) than in the sampled urban communities (33.9 %; CI 95 % 31.1-36.9 %). Presence of anaemia was also high, especially in rural sites (89.6 vs. 82.8 %, p < 0.001). The analyses show that a positive RDT result was significantly associated with age group, the most affected age range being 13 months-14 years old. Other significant covariates were ethnic group (only in urban sites), number of adults living in the house (only in rural villages) previous history of fever, anaemia (only in urban sites) and sleeping under a bed net. Moreover, those who never slept under a bed net were two times more likely to have malaria. The prevalence of malaria was high in Bata district, especially in rural villages. The National Programme to fight malaria in Equatorial Guinea should take into account the differences found between rural and urban communities and age groups to target appropriately those worst affected. The findings of this study will assist in planning and undertaking regional policy and other preventive initiatives.

  8. Verification and validation of a rapid heat transfer calculation methodology for transient melt pool solidification conditions in powder bed metal additive manufacturing

    DOE PAGES

    Plotkowski, A.; Kirka, M. M.; Babu, S. S.

    2017-10-16

    A fundamental understanding of spatial and temporal thermal distributions is crucial for predicting solidification and solid-state microstructural development in parts made by additive manufacturing. While sophisticated numerical techniques that are based on finite element or finite volume methods are useful for gaining insight into these phenomena at the length scale of the melt pool (100 - 500 µm), they are ill-suited for predicting engineering trends over full part cross-sections (> 10 x 10 cm) or many layers over long process times (> many days) due to the necessity of fully resolving the heat source characteristics. On the other hand, itmore » is extremely difficult to resolve the highly dynamic nature of the process using purely in-situ characterization techniques. This article proposes a pragmatic alternative based on a semi-analytical approach to predicting the transient heat conduction during powder bed metal additive manufacturing process. The model calculations were theoretically verified for selective laser melting of AlSi10Mg and electron beam melting of IN718 powders for simple cross-sectional geometries and the transient results are compared to steady state predictions from the Rosenthal equation. It is shown that the transient effects of the scan strategy create significant variations in the melt pool geometry and solid-liquid interface velocity, especially as the thermal diffusivity of the material decreases and the pre-heat of the process increases. With positive verification of the strategy, the model was then experimentally validated to simulate two point-melt scan strategies during electron beam melting of IN718, one intended to produce a columnar and one an equiaxed grain structure. Lastly, through comparison of the solidification conditions (i.e. transient and spatial variations of thermal gradient and liquid-solid interface velocity) predicted by the model to phenomenological CET theory, the model accurately predicted the experimental grain structures.« less

  9. The variability of critical care bed numbers in Europe.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, A; Ferdinande, P; Flaatten, H; Guidet, B; Metnitz, P G; Moreno, R P

    2012-10-01

    To quantify the numbers of critical care beds in Europe and to understand the differences in these numbers between countries when corrected for population size and gross domestic product. Prospective data collection of critical care bed numbers for each country in Europe from July 2010 to July 2011. Sources were identified in each country that could provide data on numbers of critical care beds (intensive care and intermediate care). These data were then cross-referenced with data from international databases describing population size and age, gross domestic product (GDP), expenditure on healthcare and numbers of acute care beds. We identified 2,068,892 acute care beds and 73,585 (2.8 %) critical care beds. Due to the heterogeneous descriptions of these beds in the individual countries it was not possible to discriminate between intensive care and intermediate care in most cases. On average there were 11.5 critical care beds per 100,000 head of population, with marked differences between countries (Germany 29.2, Portugal 4.2). The numbers of critical care beds per country corrected for population size were positively correlated with GDP (r(2) = 0.16, p = 0.05), numbers of acute care beds corrected for population (r(2) = 0.12, p = 0.05) and the percentage of acute care beds designated as critical care (r(2) = 0.59, p < 0.0001). They were not correlated with the proportion of GDP expended on healthcare. Critical care bed numbers vary considerably between countries in Europe. Better understanding of these numbers should facilitate improved planning for critical care capacity and utilization in the future.

  10. New Structural Interpretation of the Central Confusion Range, Western Utah, Based On Balanced Cross Sections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yezerski, D.; Greene, D. C.

    2009-12-01

    The Confusion Range is a topographically low mountain range in the Basin and Range of west-central Utah, located east of and in the hanging wall of the Snake Range core complex. Previous workers have used a gravity sliding model to interpret the Confusion Range as a large structural trough or synclinorium (e.g. Hose, 1977). Based on existing mapping (Hose, 1965; Hintze, 1974) and new field data, we use balanced and restored cross sections to reinterpret the structure of the Confusion Range as an east-vergent fold-and-thrust belt formed during the Sevier Orogeny. The Confusion Range consists of Cambro-Ordovician through Triassic strata, with predominantly thick-bedded, competent carbonate rocks in the lower Paleozoic (lPz) section and incompetent shales and thin-bedded carbonates in the upper Paleozoic (uPz) section. The contrasting mechanical behavior of these stratigraphic sections results in faulted folds within uPz carbonates above detachments in shale-rich units, deforming in response to ramp-flat thrust faulting of the underlying lPz units. East of the axis of the Conger Mountain (Mtn) syncline, we attribute the increase in structural elevation of lPz rocks to a subsurface thrust sheet consisting of lPz strata that advanced eastward via a high-angle ramp from a lower detachment in the Kanosh Shale to an upper detachment in the Pilot Shale. The doubling of lPz strata that resulted continues through the eastern Confusion Range where a series of small-displacement thrust faults comprising the Kings Canyon thrust system gently tilt strata to the west. In the Conger Range, west of the Conger Mtn syncline, our analysis focuses on reinterpreting the geometrically unlikely folding depicted in previous cross sections as more admissible, fault-cored, asymmetric, detached folding. In our interpretation, resistance created by a steeply-dipping thrust ramp in the lPz section west of Conger Mtn resulted in folding of uPz strata into an east-vergent anticline. Continued east-vergent contraction against the ramp resulted in the west-dipping limb of the anticline, consisting of Ely Limestone, developing into an overturned, west-vergent, synclinal backfold detached in the Chainman Shale. Further contraction exceeded the fold capacity of the detachment fold and resulted in the formation of the Browns Wash fault as an east-vergent thrust fault. The Browns Wash fault is a key component in the development of the present structural geometry, emplacing a west-vergent overturned syncline (detachment fold) in the hanging wall against an east-vergent overturned syncline (footwall syncline) in the footwall. Further west, underlying the western Conger Range and Buckskin Hills, lPz strata are exposed in what we interpret to be a ramp anticline overlying a subsurface thrust ramp. This interpretation implies a lateral ramp separating lPz rocks in the Buckskin Hills from uPz rocks exposed in the Knoll Hill anticline to the north. UPz and Mesozoic strata exposed to the west on the edge of Snake Valley were emplaced by a Tertiary west-dipping normal fault that truncated the west limb of the ramp anticline.

  11. Suspended-Bed Reactor preliminary design, /sup 233/U--/sup 232/Th cycle. Final report (revised)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Karam, R.A.; Alapour, A.; Lee, C.C.

    1977-11-01

    The preliminary design Suspended-Bed Reactor is described. Coated particles about 2 mm in diameter are used as the fuel. The coatings consist of three layers: (1) low density pyrolytic graphite, 70 ..mu.. thick, (2) silicon carbide pressure vessel, 30 ..mu.. thick, and (3) ZrC layer, 50 ..mu.. thick, to protect the pressure vessel from moisture and oxygen. The fuel kernel can be either uranium-thorium dicarbide or metal. The coated particles are suspended by helium gas (coolant) in a cluster of pressurized tubes. The upward flow of helium fluidizes the coated particles. As the flow rate increases, the bed of particlesmore » is lifted upward to the core section. The particles are restrained at the upper end of the core by a suitable screen. The overall particle density in the core is just enough for criticality condition. Should the helium flow cease, the bed in the core section will collapse, and the particles will flow downward into the section where the increased physical spacings among the tubes brings about a safe shutdown. By immersing this section of the tubes in a large graphite block to serve as a heat sink, dissipation of decay heat becomes manageable. This eliminates the need for emergency core cooling systems.« less

  12. Vertical Stability of Ephemeral Step-Pool Streams Largely Controlled By Tree Roots, Central Kentucky, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macmannis, K. R.; Hawley, R. J.

    2013-12-01

    The mechanisms controlling stability on small streams in steep settings are not well documented but have many implications related to stream integrity and water quality. For example, channel instability on first and second order streams is a potential source of sediment in regulated areas with Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) on water bodies that are impaired for sedimentation, such as the Chesapeake Bay. Management strategies that preserve stream integrity and protect channel stability are critical to communities that may otherwise require large capital investments to meet TMDLs and other water quality criteria. To contribute to an improved understanding of ephemeral step-pool systems, we collected detailed hydrogeomorphic data on 4 steep (0.06 - 0.12 meter/meter) headwater streams draining to lower relief alluvial valleys in Spencer County, Kentucky, USA. The step-pool streams (mean step height of 0.47 meter, mean step spacing of 4 meters) drained small undeveloped catchments dominated by early successional forest. Data collection for each of the 4 streams included 2 to 3 cross section surveys, bed material particle counts at cross section locations, and profile surveys ranging from approximately 125 to 225 meters in length. All survey data was systematically processed to understand geometric parameters such as cross sectional area, depth, and top width; bed material gradations; and detailed profile measurements such as slope, pool and riffle lengths, pool spacing, pool depth, step height, and step length. We documented the location, frequency, and type of step-forming materials (i.e., large woody debris (LWD), rock, and tree roots), compiling a database of approximately 130 total steps. Lastly, we recorded a detailed tree assessment of all trees located within 2 meters of the top of bank, detailing the species of tree, trunk diameter, and approximate distance from the top of bank. Analysis of geometric parameters illustrated correlations between channel characteristics (e.g., step height was positively correlated to slope while pool spacing was inversely correlated to slope). Most importantly, we assessed the step-forming materials with respect to channel stability. LWD has been widely documented as an important component of geomorphic stability and habitat diversity across many settings; however, our research highlights the importance of roots in providing bed stability in steep, first and second-order ephemeral streams, as 40 percent of the steps in these step-pool systems were controlled by tree roots. Similar to the key member in naturally-occurring log jams, lateral tree roots frequently served as the anchor for channel steps that were often supplemented by rocks or LWD. Assessment of the trees throughout the riparian zone suggested average tree densities of 0.30 trees/square meter or 0.40 trees/meter could provide adequate riparian zone coverage to promote channel stability. These results have implications to land use planning and stormwater management. For example, on developments draining to step-pool systems, maintaining the integrity of the riparian zone would seem to be as important as ensuring hydrologic mimicry if channel integrity is to be preserved.

  13. Fluvial sediments a summary of source, transportation, deposition, and measurement of sediment discharge

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Colby, B.R.

    1963-01-01

    This paper presents a broad but undetailed picture of fluvial sediments in streams, reservoirs, and lakes and includes a discussion of the processes involved in the movement of sediment by flowing water. Sediment is fragmental material that originates from the chemical or physical disintegration of rocks. The disintegration products may have many different shapes and may range in size from large boulders to colloidal particles. In general, they retain about the same mineral composition as the parent rocks. Rock fragments become fluvial sediment when they are entrained in a stream of water. The entrainment may occur as sheet erosion from land surfaces, particularly for the fine particles, or as channel erosion after the surface runoff has accumulated in streams. Fluvial sediments move in streams as bedload (particles moving within a few particle diameters of the streambed) or as suspended sediment in the turbulent flow. The discharge of bedload varies with several factors, which may include particle size and a type of effective shear on the surface of the streambed. The discharge of suspended sediment depends partly on concentration of moving sediment near the streambed and hence on discharge of bedload. However, the concentration of fine sediment near the streambed varies widely, even for equal flows, and, therefore, the discharge of fine sediment normally cannot be computed theoretically. The discharge of suspended sediment also depends on velocity, turbulence, depth of flow, and fall velocity of the particles. In general, the coarse sediment transported by a stream moves intermittently and is discharged at a rate that depends on properties of the flow and of the sediment. If an ample supply of coarse sediment is available at the surface of the streambed, the discharge of the coarse sediment, such as sand, can be roughly computed from properties of the available sediment and of the flow. On the other hand, much of the fine sediment in a stream usually moves nearly continuously at about the velocity of the flow, and even low flows can transport large amounts of fine sediment. Hence, the discharge of fine sediments, being largely dependent on the availability of fine sediment upstream rather than on the properties of the sediment and of the flow at a cross section, can seldom be computed from properties, other than concentrations based directly on samples, that can be observed at the cross section. Sediment particles continually change their positions in the flow; some fall to the streambed, and others are removed from the bed. Sediment deposits form locally or over large areas if the volume rate at which particles settle to the bed exceeds the volume rate at which particles are removed from the bed. In general, large particles are deposited more readily than small particles, whether the point of deposition is behind a rock, on a flood plain, within a stream channel, or at the entrance to a reservoir, a lake, or the ocean. Most samplers used for sediment observations collect a water-sediment mixture from the water surface to within a few tenths of a foot of the streambed. They thus sample most of the suspended sediment, especially if the flow is deep or if the sediment is mostly fine; but they exclude the bedload and some of the suspended sediment in a layer near the streambed where the suspended-sediment concentrations are highest. Measured sediment discharges are usually based on concentrations that are averages of several individual sediment samples for a cross section. If enough average concentrations for a cross section have been determined, the measured sediment discharge can be computed by interpolating sediment concentrations between sampling times. If only occasional samples were collected, an average relation between sediment discharge and flow can be used with a flow-duration curve to compute roughly the average or the total sediment discharges for any periods of time for which the flow-duration c

  14. Determination of pain intensity risk factors among school children with nonspecific low back pain.

    PubMed

    Akdag, Beyza; Cavlak, Ugur; Cimbiz, Ali; Camdeviren, Handan

    2011-02-01

    Low back pain (LBP) is a common disease among people under the age of 20. To the best of our knowledge few studies have been carried out on LBP among school children in Turkey, and none of them studied the correlation between pain intensity and related variables with LBP. This cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the risk factors and their correlations with pain intensity among 222 school children (106 girls and 116 boys) aged 10-18 years in the city of Denizli. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect the data. The regression tree method (RTM) was used to determine the risk factors by using the STATISTICA program package. Pain intensity was the outcome variable, and 8 independent variables (body mass index (BMI), sex, regular exercise habit, studying posture, transportation to/from school, duration of studying, bag handling, and type of bed) were used to detect their effect on pain intensity. The results showed that pain intensity is significantly affected by 4 independent variables: duration of studying, type of bed, transportation to/from school, and BMI. The overall mean and standard deviation of pain intensity was 2.58 ± 0.86 (minimum=1, maximum=5). Results from the literature, as well as our study, show that taking parents' and teachers' concerns seriously is of vital importance. Our results indicate that parents and teachers should be informed about duration of studying, type of bed, transportation and obesity as risk factors predicting NLBP in school children.

  15. River banks and channel axis curvature: Effects on the longitudinal dispersion in alluvial rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lanzoni, Stefano; Ferdousi, Amena; Tambroni, Nicoletta

    2018-03-01

    The fate and transport of soluble contaminants released in natural streams are strongly dependent on the spatial variations of the flow field and of the bed topography. These variations are essentially related to the presence of the channel banks and to the planform configuration of the channel. Large velocity gradients arise near to the channel banks, where the flow depth decreases to zero. Moreover, single thread alluvial rivers are seldom straight, and usually exhibit meandering planforms and a bed topography that deviates from the plane configuration. Channel axis curvature and movable bed deformations drive secondary helical currents which enhance both cross sectional velocity gradients and transverse mixing, thus crucially influencing longitudinal dispersion. The present contribution sets up a rational framework which, assuming mild sloping banks and taking advantage of the weakly meandering character often exhibited by natural streams, leads to an analytical estimate of the contribution to longitudinal dispersion associated with spatial non-uniformities of the flow field. The resulting relationship stems from a physics-based modeling of the flow in natural rivers, and expresses the bend averaged longitudinal dispersion coefficient as a function of the relevant hydraulic and morphologic parameters. The treatment of the problem is river specific, since it relies on an explicit spatial description, although linearized, of the flow field that establishes in the investigated river. Comparison with field data available from tracer tests supports the robustness of the proposed framework, given also the complexity of the processes that affect dispersion dynamics in real streams.

  16. Assessment Approach for Identifying Compatibility of Restoration Projects with Geomorphic and Flooding Processes in Gravel Bed Rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DeVries, Paul; Aldrich, Robert

    2015-08-01

    A critical requirement for a successful river restoration project in a dynamic gravel bed river is that it be compatible with natural hydraulic and sediment transport processes operating at the reach scale. The potential for failure is greater at locations where the influence of natural processes is inconsistent with intended project function and performance. We present an approach using practical GIS, hydrologic, hydraulic, and sediment transport analyses to identify locations where specific restoration project types have the greatest likelihood of working as intended because their function and design are matched with flooding and morphologic processes. The key premise is to identify whether a specific river analysis segment (length ~1-10 bankfull widths) within a longer reach is geomorphically active or inactive in the context of vertical and lateral stabilities, and hydrologically active for floodplain connectivity. Analyses involve empirical channel geometry relations, aerial photographic time series, LiDAR data, HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling, and a time-integrated sediment transport budget to evaluate trapping efficiency within each segment. The analysis segments are defined by HEC-RAS model cross sections. The results have been used effectively to identify feasible projects in a variety of alluvial gravel bed river reaches with lengths between 11 and 80 km and 2-year flood magnitudes between ~350 and 1330 m3/s. Projects constructed based on the results have all performed as planned. In addition, the results provide key criteria for formulating erosion and flood management plans.

  17. Assessment Approach for Identifying Compatibility of Restoration Projects with Geomorphic and Flooding Processes in Gravel Bed Rivers.

    PubMed

    DeVries, Paul; Aldrich, Robert

    2015-08-01

    A critical requirement for a successful river restoration project in a dynamic gravel bed river is that it be compatible with natural hydraulic and sediment transport processes operating at the reach scale. The potential for failure is greater at locations where the influence of natural processes is inconsistent with intended project function and performance. We present an approach using practical GIS, hydrologic, hydraulic, and sediment transport analyses to identify locations where specific restoration project types have the greatest likelihood of working as intended because their function and design are matched with flooding and morphologic processes. The key premise is to identify whether a specific river analysis segment (length ~1-10 bankfull widths) within a longer reach is geomorphically active or inactive in the context of vertical and lateral stabilities, and hydrologically active for floodplain connectivity. Analyses involve empirical channel geometry relations, aerial photographic time series, LiDAR data, HEC-RAS hydraulic modeling, and a time-integrated sediment transport budget to evaluate trapping efficiency within each segment. The analysis segments are defined by HEC-RAS model cross sections. The results have been used effectively to identify feasible projects in a variety of alluvial gravel bed river reaches with lengths between 11 and 80 km and 2-year flood magnitudes between ~350 and 1330 m(3)/s. Projects constructed based on the results have all performed as planned. In addition, the results provide key criteria for formulating erosion and flood management plans.

  18. Physical reconstruction of packed beds and their morphological analysis: core-shell packings as an example.

    PubMed

    Bruns, Stefan; Tallarek, Ulrich

    2011-04-08

    We report a fast, nondestructive, and quantitative approach to characterize the morphology of packed beds of fine particles by their three-dimensional reconstruction from confocal laser scanning microscopy images, exemplarily shown for a 100μm i.d. fused-silica capillary packed with 2.6μm-sized core-shell particles. The presented method is generally applicable to silica-based capillary columns, monolithic or particulate, and comprises column pretreatment, image acquisition, image processing, and statistical analysis of the image data. It defines a unique platform for fundamental comparisons of particulate and monolithic supports using the statistical measures derived from their reconstructions. Received morphological data are column cross-sectional porosity profiles and chord length distributions from the interparticle macropore space, which are a descriptor of local density and can be characterized by a simplified k-gamma distribution. This distribution function provides a parameter of location and a parameter of dispersion which can be correlated to individual chromatographic band broadening processes (i.e., to transchannel and short-range interchannel contributions to eddy dispersion, respectively). Together with the transcolumn porosity profile the presented approach allows to analyze and quantify the packing microstructure from pore to column scale and therefore holds great promise in a comparative study of packing conditions and particle properties, particularly for characterizing and minimizing the packing process-specific heterogeneities in the final bed structure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [A pilot study on pain assessment among elderly with severe dementia
    in residential aged care facilities of Reggio Emilia district].

    PubMed

    Bargellini, Annalisa; Mastrangelo, Stefano; Cervi, Monica; Bagnasco, Michele; Reghizzi, Jlenia; Coriani, Sandra

    2017-01-01

    . A pilot study on pain assessment among elderly with severe dementia in residential aged care facilities of Reggio Emilia district. Despite the availability of pain assessment tools and best practice recommendations for the assessment and management of pain in people with severe dementia, pain in residential aged care facilities is still undetected or misinterpreted. To assess pain prevalence and analgesic load medication in people with severe cognitive impairment admitted to residential aged care facilities of Reggio Emilia (Italy) province. A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 elderly patients affected by severe dementia and resident in aged care facilities. Pain was assessed with the PAINAD observational scale, both at rest and during routine procedures: positioning in bed, from bed to standing position, from bed to chair or during the medication of a pressure sore (under challenge). 33.4% of patients had pain at rest, mainly mild, and 86.9 % under challenge. During routine interventions, in 64 patients (76.2%) pain increased compared to at rest condition (for 39, 2/3, moderate-severe); although 46 of them were prescribed as-required analgesic medication, none had received the drug. Also patients with analgesics on regular basis experienced more pain during routine procedures. Many patients experienced pain during routine procedures. The regular use of pain assessment tools and adequate training of all healthcare professionals are essential requirements for an effective pain control.

  20. Healthcare tariffs for specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation services: rationale and development of a UK casemix and costing methodology.

    PubMed

    Turner-Stokes, Lynne; Sutch, Stephen; Dredge, Robert

    2012-03-01

    To describe the rationale and development of a casemix model and costing methodology for tariff development for specialist neurorehabilitation services in the UK. Patients with complex needs incur higher treatment costs. Fair payment should be weighted in proportion to costs of providing treatment, and should allow for variation over time CASEMIX MODEL AND BAND-WEIGHTING: Case complexity is measured by the Rehabilitation Complexity Scale (RCS). Cases are divided into five bands of complexity, based on the total RCS score. The principal determinant of costs in rehabilitation is staff time. Total staff hours/week (estimated from the Northwick Park Nursing and Therapy Dependency Scales) are analysed within each complexity band, through cross-sectional analysis of parallel ratings. A 'band-weighting' factor is derived from the relative proportions of staff time within each of the five bands. Total unit treatment costs are obtained from retrospective analysis of provider hospitals' budget and accounting statements. Mean bed-day costs (total unit cost/occupied bed days) are divided broadly into 'variable' and 'non-variable' components. In the weighted costing model, the band-weighting factor is applied to the variable portion of the bed-day cost to derive a banded cost, and thence a set of cost-multipliers. Preliminary data from one unit are presented to illustrate how this weighted costing model will be applied to derive a multilevel banded payment model, based on serial complexity ratings, to allow for change over time.

  1. Organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units: relationship to size of intensive care unit and physician management model.

    PubMed

    Dodek, Peter M; Wong, Hubert; Jaswal, Danny; Heyland, Daren K; Cook, Deborah J; Rocker, Graeme M; Kutsogiannis, Demetrios J; Dale, Craig; Fowler, Robert; Ayas, Najib T

    2012-02-01

    The objectives of this study are to describe organizational and safety culture in Canadian intensive care units (ICUs), to correlate culture with the number of beds and physician management model in each ICU, and to correlate organizational culture and safety culture. In this cross-sectional study, surveys of organizational and safety culture were administered to 2374 clinical staff in 23 Canadian tertiary care and community ICUs. For the 1285 completed surveys, scores were calculated for each of 34 domains. Average domain scores for each ICU were correlated with number of ICU beds and with intensivist vs nonintensivist management model. Domain scores for organizational culture were correlated with domain scores for safety culture. Culture domain scores were generally favorable in all ICUs. There were moderately strong positive correlations between number of ICU beds and perceived effectiveness at recruiting/retaining physicians (r = 0.58; P < .01), relative technical quality of care (r = 0.66; P < .01), and medical director budgeting authority (r = 0.46; P = .03), and moderately strong negative correlations with frequency of events reported (r = -0.46; P = .03), and teamwork across hospital units (r = -0.51; P = .01). There were similar patterns for relationships with intensivist management. For most pairs of domains, there were weak correlations between organizational and safety culture. Differences in perceptions between staff in larger and smaller ICUs highlight the importance of teamwork across units in larger ICUs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A model to predict the evolution of a gravel bed river under an imposed cyclic hydrograph and its application to the Trinity River

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Viparelli, Enrica; Gaeuman, David; Wilcock, Peter; Parker, Gary

    2011-02-01

    Major changes in the morphology of the Trinity River in California, such as narrowing of the cross section and sedimentation of fine sediment in pools, occurred after the closure of a system of dams. These changes caused a dramatic reduction in the salmonid population and a resulting decline of the fishery. Gravel augmentation, regulated flood releases, and mechanical channel rehabilitation are currently being implemented to help restore the aquatic habitat of the river. The present paper describes a tool, named the Spawning Gravel Refresher, for designing and predicting the effects of gravel augmentation in gravel bed rivers. The tool assumes an imposed, cycled hydrograph. The model is calibrated and applied to the regulated reach of the Trinity River in four steps: (1) zeroing runs to reproduce conditions of mobile bed equilibrium as best can be estimated for the predam Trinity River, (2) runs to compare the predictions with the results of previous studies, (3) runs at an engineering time scale to reproduce the effects of the dams, and (4) runs to design gravel augmentation schemes. In the fourth group of runs, the combined effects of engineered flood flow releases and gravel augmentation are predicted. At an engineering time scale, the model indicates that the fraction of fine sediment in the surface layer and in the topmost part of the substrate should decrease when subjected to these two restoration measures, with a consequent improvement of the quality of the spawning gravel.

  3. House Dust Mite Prevalence in the House of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in Mashhad, Iran.

    PubMed

    Ziyaei, Toktam; Berenji, Fariba; Jabbari-Azad, Farahzad; Fata, Abdolmajid; Jarahi, Lida; Fereidouni, Mohammad

    2017-06-01

    Being exposed to house dust mites intensifies atopic dermatitis. This study has investigated the contamination rate with Dermatophagoides mites in patient's residential home with atopic dermatitis. In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients took part with atopic dermatitis (positive or negative for mites by prick Dermal Test). Samples were collected from 3 locations (living room, bedroom and bed) by vacuum cleaner. Dust samples (transferred to freezer -20 °C) were examined by direct method and flotation. The data were analyzed using statistical SPSS vr.20 software. Twenty patients of positive prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. The results of direct observation of mites: 7 cases (35%) in bedding sheets, 6 cases (30%) bedrooms' carpet, 3 cases (15%) living room's carpet. Twenty patients of negative prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. Only mites were found (5%) in living room's carpets of negative prick test patients. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was more frequent than Dermatophagoides farina e. (98% vs 83%). Fifty-five percent of residential homes of prick test positive patients and only 5% of residential homes of prick test negative patients were positive for mite. Sunshine provided home had fewer mites than home where sunshine is not provided. Prick test positive patients used handmade carpets more than machine made ones. In positive prick test patients, mites were found in bed sheet and bedroom's carpet more than negative prick test patient's sheets and carpets.

  4. Persistence of effects of high sediment loading in a salmon-bearing river, northern California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Madej, Mary Ann; Ozaki, V.

    2009-01-01

    Regional high-magnitude rainstorms have produced several large floods in north coastal California during the last century, which resulted in extensive massmovement activity and channel aggradation. Channel monitoring in Redwood Creek, through the use of cross-sectional surveys, thalweg profi les, and pebble counts, has documented the persistence and routing of channel-stored sediment following these large floods in the 1960s and 1970s. Channel response varied on the basis of timing of peak aggradation. Channel-stored sediment was evacuated rapidly from the upstream third of the Redwood Creek channel, and the channel bed stabilized by 1985 as the bed coarsened. Currently only narrow remnants of flood deposits remain and are well vegetated. In the downstream reach, channel aggradation peaked in the 1990s, and the channel is still incising. Channel-bed elevations throughout the watershed showed an approximate exponential decrease with time, but decay rates were highest in areas with the thickest flood deposits. Pool frequencies and depths generally increased from 1977 to 1995, as did median residual water depths, but a 10 yr flood in 1997 resulted in a moderate reversal of this trend. Channel aggradation generated during 25 yr return interval floods has persisted in Redwood Creek for more than 30 yr and has impacted many life cycles of salmon. Watershed restoration work is currently focused on correcting erosion problems on hillslopes to reduce future sediment supply to Redwood Creek instead of attempting in-channel manipulations. ?? 2009 Geological Society of America.

  5. Changes in prevalence of subjective fatigue during 14-day 6° head-down bed rest

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirayanagi, Kaname; Natsuno, Toyoki; Shiozawa, Tomoki; Yamaguchi, Nobuhisa; Watanabe, Yoriko; Suzuki, Satomi; Iwase, Satoshi; Mano, Tadaaki; Yajima, Kazuyoshi

    2009-06-01

    The present study examines the prevalence of subjective fatigue in young healthy males during 14 days of 6° head-down bed rest (HDBR) by using a multidimensional questionnaire. Forty-one subjects completed the Subjective Fatigue Scale questionnaire to assess the fatigue-related complaints and symptoms. The questionnaire is composed of three sections, with 10 items each. The sections measured drowsiness and dullness (Section 1), difficulty in concentration (Section 2), and the projection of physical disintegration (Section 3). The subjects answered simple questions between 1400 and 1700 on 6 measurement days before and during the HDBR period. The prevalence rate of low back pain was markedly high (80.5%) on the second day and more than 50% in the first half of the HDBR period, and any complaints related to either a lack of sleep or a deterioration in the quality of sleep continued until the end of the HDBR period. Our findings may be useful in developing preventive strategies against physical and mental fatigue associated with prolonged HDBR, horizontal bed rest, and microgravity environments.

  6. 29. Basement under central corridor. Shaft on right actuates cross ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    29. Basement under central corridor. Shaft on right actuates cross over valve. Shaft at left operates main flood valve to admit water into the bed. - Lake Whitney Water Filtration Plant, Filtration Plant, South side of Armory Street between Edgehill Road & Whitney Avenue, Hamden, New Haven County, CT

  7. Design guidance for low-water crossings in areas of extreme bed mobility, Edwards Plateau, Texas.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-03-23

    The purpose of this report is to present results from a combination of field and laboratory investigations of mobility : of gravel to cobble sized materials in Texas streams on the Edwards Plateau. TxDOT uses low-water crossings for : many of the roa...

  8. Generalized thickness of the confining bed overlying the Floridan Aquifer, Southwest Florida Water Management District

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Buono, Anthony; Spechler, R.M.; Barr, G.L.; Wolansky, R.M.

    1979-01-01

    This map presents the thickness of the confining bed overlying the Floridan aquifer in the Southwest Florida Water Management District and adjacent areas. The bed separates the surficial aquifer from the underlying Floridan aquifer. Lithologic logs and information from quarries were used in conjunction with an unpublished map to compile this map at 1:250,000 scale. Units included in the confining bed are: clay, sandy clay and marl, undifferentiated with respect to age, the Hawthorn Formation, and the unconsolidated sections of the Tampa Limestone. (Kosco-USGS)

  9. Bridge-scour analysis on Cuchillo Negro Creek at the Interstate 25 crossing near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Waltemeyer, S.D.

    1995-01-01

    A sediment-transport model to simulate channel change was applied to a 1-mile reach of Cuchillo Negro Creek at the Interstate 25 crossing at Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, using the Bridge-Stream Tube model for Alluvial River Simulation (BRI-STARS). The 500-year flood discharge was estimated to be 10,700 cubic feet per second. The 100-year, 500-year, and regional maximum discharges were used to design synthetic and discretized hydrographs using a flood volume equation. The regional maximum discharge relation was developed for New Mexico based on 259 streamflow-gaging stations' maximum peak discharge. The regional maximum-peak discharge for the site was determined to be 81,700 cubic feet per second. Bed-material particle-size distribution was determined for six size classes ranging from 1 to 30 millimeters. The median diameter was 4.6 millimeters at the bed surface and 9.0 millimeters 13 feet below the bed surface. Bed-material discharge for use in the model was estimated to be 18,770 tons per day using hydraulic properties, water temperature, and Yang's gravel equation. Channel-change simulations showed a maximum channel degradation of 1.38 feet for the regional maximum-peak discharge hydrograph.

  10. Mechanical stratigraphic controls on natural fracture spacing and penetration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGinnis, Ronald N.; Ferrill, David A.; Morris, Alan P.; Smart, Kevin J.; Lehrmann, Daniel

    2017-02-01

    Fine-grained low permeability sedimentary rocks, such as shale and mudrock, have drawn attention as unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs. Fracturing - both natural and induced - is extremely important for increasing permeability in otherwise low-permeability rock. We analyze natural extension fracture networks within a complete measured outcrop section of the Ernst Member of the Boquillas Formation in Big Bend National Park, west Texas. Results of bed-center, dip-parallel scanline surveys demonstrate nearly identical fracture strikes and slight variation in dip between mudrock, chalk, and limestone beds. Fracture spacing tends to increase proportional to bed thickness in limestone and chalk beds; however, dramatic differences in fracture spacing are observed in mudrock. A direct relationship is observed between fracture spacing/thickness ratio and rock competence. Vertical fracture penetrations measured from the middle of chalk and limestone beds generally extend to and often beyond bed boundaries into the vertically adjacent mudrock beds. In contrast, fractures in the mudrock beds rarely penetrate beyond the bed boundaries into the adjacent carbonate beds. Consequently, natural bed-perpendicular fracture connectivity through the mechanically layered sequence generally is poor. Fracture connectivity strongly influences permeability architecture, and fracture prediction should consider thin bed-scale control on fracture heights and the strong lithologic control on fracture spacing.

  11. Depositional Architecture of Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician Siliciclastic Barik Formation; Al Huqf Area, Oman

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbasi, Iftikhar Ahmed

    2017-04-01

    Early Paleozoic siliciclastics sediments of the Haima Supergroup are subdivided into a number of formations and members based on lithological characteristics of various rock sequences. One of the distinct sandstone sequence, the Barik Formation (Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician) of the Andam Group is a major deep gas reservoir in central Oman. The sandstone bodies are prospective reservoir rocks while thick shale and clay interbeds act as effective seal. Part of the Barik Formation (lower and middle part) is exposed in isolated outcrops in Al Huqf area as interbedded multistoried sandstone, and green and red shale. The sandstone bodies are up to 2 meters thick and can be traced laterally for 300 m to over 1 km. Most of sandstone bodies show both lateral and vertical stacking. Two types of sandstone lithofacies are identified on the basis of field characteristics; a plane-bedded sandstone lithofacies capping thick red and green color shale beds, and a cross-bedded sandstone lithofacies overlying the plane-bedded sandstone defining coarsening upward sequences. The plane-bedded sandstone at places contains Cruziana ichnofacies and bivalve fragments indicating deposition by shoreface processes. Thick cross-bedded sandstone is interpreted to be deposited by the fluvial dominated deltaic processes. Load-casts, climbing ripples and flaser-bedding in siltstone and red shale indicate influence of tidal processes at times during the deposition of the formation. This paper summarizes results of a study carried out in Al Huqf area outcrops to analyze the characteristics of the sandstone-body geometry, internal architecture, provenance and diagenetic changes in the lower and middle part of the formation. The study shows build-up of a delta complex and its progradation over a broad, low-angle shelf where fluvial processes operate beside shoreface processes in a vegetation free setting. Keywords: Andam Group, Barik Formation, Ordovician sandstone, Al Huqf, Central Oman,

  12. Metalliferous coals of the Westphalian A Joggins Formation, Cumberland basin, Nova Scotia, Canada: Petrology, geochemistry, and palynology

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hower, J.C.; Calder, J.H.; Eble, C.F.; Scott, A.C.; Robertson, J.D.; Blanchard, L.J.

    2000-01-01

    Five coals of Westphalian A (early Middle Pennsylvanian) age were sampled from the Joggins Formation section exposed along Chignecto Bay at Joggins, Nova Scotia. Coal beds along the bay were mined beginning in the early 17th century, yet there have been few detailed published investigation of the coal beds of this classic section. The lowermost coal, the Upper Coal 28 (Upper Fundy), is a high-vitrinite coal with a spore assemblage dominated by arboreous lycopsid spores with tree ferns subdominant. The upper portions of the coal bed have the highest ratio of well-preserved to poorly-preserved telinite of any of the coals investigated. Coal 19 ('clam coal') has 88% total vitrinite but, unlike the Fundy coal bed, the telinite has a poor preservation ratio and half the total vitrinite population comprises gelocollinite and vitrodetrinite. The latter coal bed is directly overlain by a basin-wide limestone bed. The Lower Kimberly coal shows good preservation of vitrinite with relatively abundant telinite among the total vitrinite. The Middle Kimberly coal, which underlies the tetrapod-bearing lycopsid trees found by Lyell and Dawson in 1852, exhibits an upward decrease in arboreous lycopod spores and an upward increase in the tree fern spore Punctatisporites minutus. Telinite preservation increases upwards in the Middle Kimberly but overall is well below the preservation ratio of the Upper Fundy coal bed. The coals all have high sulfur contents, yielding up to 13.7% total sulfur for the lower lithotype of the Upper Fundy coal bed. The Kimberly coals are not only high in total and pyritic sulfur, but also have high concentrations of chalcophile elements. Zinc, ranging up to 15,000 ppm (ash basis), is present as sphalerite in fusain lumens. Arsenic and lead each exceed 6000 ppm (ash basis) in separate lithotypes of the Kimberly coals. Together these data are consistent with elevated pH in planar mires. The source of the elemental enrichment in this presumed continental section is enigmatic. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.Five coals of Westphalian A (early Middle Pennsylvanian) age were sampled from the Joggins Formation section exposed along Chigneto Bay at Joggins, Nova Scotia. All the coals were found to have high sulfur contents. Overall, the data obtained are consistent with elevated pH in planar mires.

  13. Seminoe 3, a tidally influenced lowstand wedge and its relationships with subjacent highstand and overlying transgressive deposits, Haystack Mountains Formation, Cretaceous Western Interior, Wyoming (USA)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mellere, Donatella

    1996-06-01

    The Campanian Haystack Mountains Formation (Wyoming, USA) consists of a series of deltaic/estuarine and shoreface sandstone tongues stacked in basinward-stepping units separated by shale intervals. Regional analysis indicates that the tongues have a distinctive two-tiered architecture: (a) a lower sandbody with bioturbated and hummocky strata of wave-dominated shoreface origin; and (b) an erosively based upper unit with bioturbated to tabular cross-bedded sandstones. This study focuses on a single tongue, Seminoe 3, which crops out in a 40 km long continuous dip-oriented exposure. In its landward reaches (westwards) the tongue consists of a thin unit of offshore-transitional to lower shoreface deposits. In the central part of the exposure it becomes thicker and consists of a cross-bedded wedge which truncates the shoreface deposits and pinches out by downlap eastwards onto a thick, westward migrating, shoreface lithosome (spit), probably developed on the margin of a wave-dominated delta. Detailed correlation and mapping of bounding surfaces indicate that the shoreface and spit lithosomes were deposited in a forced regressive mode during falling relative sea-level. The overlying cross-bedded lithosome, is a lowstand wedge which prograded over an incised topography created during the early stage of sea-level lowstand. A large embayment is suggested to have developed during the highstand/forced regressive phase, with shoreline and spit deposits prograding from opposing sides. Significant erosion and truncation occurred during the lowstand phase, as well as a basinward shift of facies onto the shelf and the pre-existing spit deposits. In the early stage of transgression the embayment was drowned, and a tide-dominated, estuarine environment was established. The resulting cross-bedded wedge displays an aggrading to prograding stacking pattern of parasequences with the uppermost portion exhibiting a retrogradational pattern, as a consequence of the reworking operated by the transgression.

  14. Reconnaissance of Stream Geomorphology, Low Streamflow, and Stream Temperature in the Mountaintop Coal-Mining Region, Southern West Virginia, 1999-2000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wiley, Jeffrey B.; Evaldi, Ronald D.; Eychaner, James H.; Chambers, Douglas B.

    2001-01-01

    The effects of mountaintop removal coal mining and the valley fills created by this mining method in southern West Virginia were investigated by comparing data collected at valley-fill, mined, and unmined sites. Bed material downstream of valley-fill sites had a greater number of particles less than 2 millimeters and a smaller median particle size than the mined and unmined sites. At the 84th percentile of sampled data, however, bed material at each site type had about the same size particles. Bankfull cross-sectional areas at a riffle section were approximately equal at valley-fill and unmined sites, but not enough time has passed and insufficient streamflows since the land was disturbed may have prevented the stream channel at valley-fill sites from reaching equilibrium. The 90-percent flow durations at valley-fill sites generally were 6-7 times greater than at unmined sites. Some valley-fill sites, however, exhibited streamflows similar to unmined sites, and some unmined sites exhibited streamflows similar to valley-fill sites. Daily streamflows from valley-fill sites generally are greater than daily streamflows from unmined sites during periods of low streamflow. Valley-fill sites have a greater percentage of base-flow and a lower percentage of flow from storm runoff than unmined sites. Water temperatures from a valley-fill site exhibited lower daily fluctuations and seasonal variations than water temperatures from an unmined site.

  15. Ionization Cross Sections and Dissociation Channels of DNA Bases by Electron Collisions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huo, Winifred M.; Dateo, Christopher E.; Fletcher, Graham D.

    2004-01-01

    Free secondary electrons are the most abundant secondary species in ionizing radiation. Their role in DNA damage, both direct and indirect, is an active area of research. While indirect damage by free radicals, particularly by the hydroxyl radical generated by electron collision with water. is relatively well studied, damage by direct electron collision with DNA is less well understood. Only recently Boudaiffa et al. demonstrated that electrons at energies well below ionization thresholds can induce substantial yields of single- and double-strand breaks in DNA by a resonant, dissociative attachment process. This study attracted renewed interest in electron collisions with DNA, especially in the low energy region. At higher energies ionization becomes important. While Monte Carlo track simulations of radiation damage always include ionization, the probability of dissociative ionization, i.e., simultaneous ionization and dissociation, is ignored. Just like dissociative attachment, dissociative ionization may be an important contributor to double-strand breaks since the radicals and ions produced by dissociative ionization, located in the vicinity of the DNA coil, can readily interact with other parts of the DNA. Using the improved binary-encounter dipole (iBED) formulation, we calculated the ionization cross sections of the four DNA bases, adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, by electrons at energies from threshold to 1 KeV. The present calculation gives cross sections approximately 20% lower than the results by Bemhardt and Paretzke using the Deutsch-Mark and Binary-Encounter-Bethe (BEB) formalisms. The difference is most likely due to the lack of a shielding term in the dipole potential used in the Deutsch-Mark and BEB formalisms. The dissociation channels of ionization for the bases are currently being studied.

  16. Evaluating the potential for remote bathymetric mapping of a turbid, sand-bed river: 2. Application to hyperspectral image data from the Platte River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Legleiter, C.J.; Kinzel, P.J.; Overstreet, B.T.

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the possibility of mapping depth from optical image data in turbid, sediment-laden channels. Analysis of hyperspectral images from the Platte River indicated that depth retrieval in these environments is feasible, but might not be highly accurate. Four methods of calibrating image-derived depth estimates were evaluated. The first involved extracting image spectra at survey point locations throughout the reach. These paired observations of depth and reflectance were subjected to optimal band ratio analysis (OBRA) to relate (R2 = 0.596) a spectrally based quantity to flow depth. Two other methods were based on OBRA of data from individual cross sections. A fourth strategy used ground-based reflectance measurements to derive an OBRA relation (R2 = 0.944) that was then applied to the image. Depth retrieval accuracy was assessed by visually inspecting cross sections and calculating various error metrics. Calibration via field spectroscopy resulted in a shallow bias but provided relative accuracies similar to image-based methods. Reach-aggregated OBRA was marginally superior to calibrations based on individual cross sections, and depth retrieval accuracy varied considerably along each reach. Errors were lower and observed versus predicted regression R2 values higher for a relatively simple, deeper site than a shallower, braided reach; errors were 1/3 and 1/2 the mean depth for the two reaches. Bathymetric maps were coherent and hydraulically reasonable, however, and might be more reliable than implied by numerical metrics. As an example application, linear discriminant analysis was used to produce a series of depth threshold maps for characterizing shallow-water habitat for roosting cranes. ?? 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

  17. Evaluating the potential for remote bathymetric mapping of a turbid, sand-bed river: 2. application to hyperspectral image data from the Platte River

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Legleiter, Carl J.; Kinzel, Paul J.; Overstreet, Brandon T.

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the possibility of mapping depth from optical image data in turbid, sediment-laden channels. Analysis of hyperspectral images from the Platte River indicated that depth retrieval in these environments is feasible, but might not be highly accurate. Four methods of calibrating image-derived depth estimates were evaluated. The first involved extracting image spectra at survey point locations throughout the reach. These paired observations of depth and reflectance were subjected to optimal band ratio analysis (OBRA) to relate (R2 = 0.596) a spectrally based quantity to flow depth. Two other methods were based on OBRA of data from individual cross sections. A fourth strategy used ground-based reflectance measurements to derive an OBRA relation (R2 = 0.944) that was then applied to the image. Depth retrieval accuracy was assessed by visually inspecting cross sections and calculating various error metrics. Calibration via field spectroscopy resulted in a shallow bias but provided relative accuracies similar to image-based methods. Reach-aggregated OBRA was marginally superior to calibrations based on individual cross sections, and depth retrieval accuracy varied considerably along each reach. Errors were lower and observed versus predicted regression R2 values higher for a relatively simple, deeper site than a shallower, braided reach; errors were 1/3 and 1/2 the mean depth for the two reaches. Bathymetric maps were coherent and hydraulically reasonable, however, and might be more reliable than implied by numerical metrics. As an example application, linear discriminant analysis was used to produce a series of depth threshold maps for characterizing shallow-water habitat for roosting cranes.

  18. Propagation and deposition of non-circular finite release particle-laden currents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zgheib, Nadim; Bonometti, Thomas; Balachandar, S.

    2015-08-01

    The dynamics of non-axisymmetric turbidity currents is considered here for a range of Reynolds numbers of O (104) when based on the initial height of the release. The study comprises a series of experiments and highly resolved simulations for which a finite volume of particle-laden solution is released into fresh water. A mixture of water and polystyrene particles of mean diameter d ˜ p = 300 μ m and mixture density ρ ˜ c = 1012 kg / m 3 is initially confined in a hollow cylinder at the centre of a large tank filled with fresh water. Cylinders with two different cross-sectional shapes, but equal cross-sectional areas, are examined: a circle and a rounded rectangle in which the sharp corners are smoothened. The time evolution of the front is recorded as well as the spatial distribution of the thickness of the final deposit via the use of a laser triangulation technique. The dynamics of the front and final deposits are significantly influenced by the initial geometry, displaying substantial azimuthal variation especially for the rectangular case where the current extends farther and deposits more particles along the initial minor axis of the rectangular cross section. Several parameters are varied to assess the dependence on the settling velocity, initial height aspect ratio, and volume fraction. Even though resuspension is not taken into account in our simulations, good agreement with experiments indicates that it does not play an important role in the front dynamics, in terms of velocity and extent of the current. However, wall shear stress measurements show that incipient motion of particles and particle transport along the bed are likely to occur in the body of the current and should be accounted to properly capture the final deposition profile of particles.

  19. Feedback of balanced cross sections and gravity modeling: numerical estimation of horizon mislocations. A case study from the Linking Zone (Northeastern, Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pueyo, E. L.; Izquierdo-Llavall, E.; Ayala, C.; Oliva-Urcia, B.; Rubio, F. M.; Rodríguez-Pintó, A.; Casas, A. M.; García Crespo, J.

    2015-12-01

    The lack of subsurface information in the Linking Zone (between the Iberian and the Catalan Coastal Ranges) where no seismic sections and few boreholes are available, together with the need to perform an evaluation of a potential CO2 reservoir, have motivated us to carry out a combined structural and geophysical study. The reservoir is located in the Bunt/Muschelkalk facies (Triassic in age) just underneath the Keuper evaporites (regional detachment). The expected density contrast between cover/basement/detachment rocks represent a suitable setting to apply gravity modeling. Therefore, we designed the location of eight serial and radial cross sections over 1.50000 available geological maps, we also include bedding data (field work) and thickness and depth information from wells and previous stratigraphic profiles. Besides, gravity data were acquired along the sections to build up 2.5D models and thus, to constrain the geometry of the basement and the thickness of the sedimentary cover. Density values used in the modelling come from a database with 1470 sites (compiled and acquired). Initially we build the balanced sections using the available geological information and applying standard geometric techniques. Regional knowledge and previous sections were also taken into account. Then, we took these sections into Oasis Montaj to fit the real and expected gravimetric signal. In this work we present the comparison of the location of certain horizons before and after that feedback. In some cases, mislocation of some horizons may reach up to 0.4 km, which represents up to 50% of the expected depth. After fitting the gravity data with balanced cross-sections we carried out a stochastic inversion that allowed reducing the uncertainty to a maximum of 0.15 km, i. e. c. 20% . Further error analysis may be focused on the double-checking with seismic section information from the industry, if and when available. Attached figure displays an example of one of the performed sections. There, extrapolation of subsurface structures under the Ebro foreland basin based on lateral information cannot be supported by the measured gravimetric signal. The mislocations of the basement top in A and B zones reach -0.4 and + 0.8 km respectively, with critical implications for any potential CO2 storage.

  20. Impact of maternal diabetes type 1 on proliferative potential, differentiation and apoptotic activity in villous capillaries of term placenta.

    PubMed

    Jirkovská, Marie; Kučera, Tomáš; Dvořáková, Veronika; Jadrníček, Martin; Moravcová, Milena; Žižka, Zdeněk; Krejčí, Vratislav

    2016-04-01

    Maternal diabetes mellitus changes morphology and impairs function of placental capillaries. Here, quantitative parameters characterizing cell proliferation using detection of Ki67, differentiation reflected by nestin expression and apoptosis in placental capillary bed with active caspase 3 as a marker were compared in normal term placentas and placentas from pregnancies complicated by Type 1 maternal diabetes mellitus. Specimens of sixteen diabetic placentas and eight control placentas were collected by systematic uniform random sampling. Immunohistochemical detections of Ki67, nestin, and active caspase 3 were performed in histological sections of five haphazardly chosen blocks per placenta. Twenty fields of view per section, i.e. one hundred fields of view per placenta, were used for analysis of proliferation as well as of apoptosis, and in approximately 70 capillary cross-sections per placenta the nestin-positive segments of their circumference were measured. The percentage of Ki67-positive cells counted in the capillary wall was significantly lower in diabetic group. The counts of Ki67-labelled nuclei per villous area unit were significantly lower in cytotrophoblast and capillary wall of terminal villi in diabetic placenta. The proportion of nestin-labeled segments of capillary circumference was significantly higher in placentas of diabetic group. No differences in the numbers of apoptotic cells were found between studied groups. The results show that the term placenta in Type 1 diabetes has lower potential to enlarge the surface area of structures involved in maternofetal transport, and that the villous capillary bed displays delayed differentiation. Those factors may participate in decreased ability of diabetic placenta to comply with fetal requirements in the final stage of pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Large-Scale Coherent Flow Structures in a Natural Braided Reach Section of a Gravel-Bed River

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-01

    FLOW STRUCTURES IN A NATURAL BRAIDED REACH SECTION OF A GRAVEL- BED RIVER by William F. Ashley June 2011 Thesis Advisor: Jamie MacMahan...William F. Ashley Approved by: Jamie MacMahan Thesis Advisor Edward Thornton Second Reader Jeffrey D. Paduan Chairman...and gratitude to Professor Jamie MacMahan for his guidance and patience. I feel fortunate to have been your student. I thank Professor Ed

  2. Hardware test program for evaluation of baseline range/range rate sensor concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pernic, E.

    1985-01-01

    The test program Phase II effort provides additional design information in terms of range and range rate (R/R) sensor performance when observing and tracking a typical spacecraft target. The target used in the test program was a one-third scale model of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) available at the MSFC test site where the tests were performed. A modified Bendix millimeter wave radar served as the R/R sensor test bed for evaluation of range and range rate tracking performance, and generation of radar signature characteristics of the spacecraft target. A summary of program test results and conclusions are presented along with detailed description of the Bendix test bed radar with accompaning instrumentation. The MSFC test site and facilities are described. The test procedures used to establish background levels, and the calibration procedures used in the range accuracy tests and RCS (radar cross section) signature measurements, are presented and a condensed version of the daily log kept during the 5 September through 17 September test period is also presented. The test program results are given starting with the RCS signature measurements, then continuing with range measurement accuracy test results and finally the range and range rate tracking accuracy test results.

  3. Zonal disintegration of rocks around underground workings. Part II. Rock fracture simulated in equivalent materials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shemyakin, E.I.; Fisenko, G.L.; Kurlenya, M.V.

    1987-05-01

    For a detailed testing of the effects discovered in situ, analysis of the patterns and origination conditions of fractured rock zones inside the bed around workings, and ways explosions affect the surrounding rocks, a program and a method of study on models of equivalent materials have been developed. The method of simulation on two- and three-dimensional models involved building in a solid or fissured medium a tunnel of a circular or arched cross section. The tests were done for elongate adit-type workings. At the first stage, three models were tested with different working support systems: anchor supports, concrete-spray supports andmore » no supports. Zone formation is shown and described. Tests were continued on two groups of three-dimensional models to bring the model closer to in situ conditions. The presence of gaping cracks and heavily fractured zones deep in the interior of the bed with a quasicylindrical symmetry indicates that the common views concerning the stressed-strained state of rocks around underground workings are at variance with the actual patterns of deformation and destruction of rocks near the workings in deep horizons.« less

  4. Acoustic measurement and morphological features of organic sediment deposits in combined sewer networks.

    PubMed

    Carnacina, Iacopo; Larrarte, Frédérique; Leonardi, Nicoletta

    2017-04-01

    The performance of sewer networks has important consequences from an environmental and social point of view. Poor functioning can result in flood risk and pollution at a large scale. Sediment deposits forming in sewer trunks might severely compromise the sewer line by affecting the flow field, reducing cross-sectional areas, and increasing roughness coefficients. In spite of numerous efforts, the morphological features of these depositional environments remain poorly understood. The interface between water and sediment remains inefficiently identified and the estimation of the stock of deposit is frequently inaccurate. In part, this is due to technical issues connected to difficulties in collecting accurate field measurements without disrupting existing morphologies. In this paper, results from an extensive field campaign are presented; during the campaign a new survey methodology based on acoustic techniques has been tested. Furthermore, a new algorithm for the detection of the soil-water interface, and therefore for the correct esteem of sediment stocks is proposed. Finally, results in regard to bed topography, and morphological features at two different field sites are presented and reveal that a large variability in bed forms is present along sewer networks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. THR-TH: a high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor core thermal hydraulics code

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vondy, D.R.

    1984-07-01

    The ORNL version of PEBBLE, the (RZ) pebble bed thermal hydraulics code, has been extended for application to a prismatic gas cooled reactor core. The supplemental treatment is of one-dimensional coolant flow in up to a three-dimensional core description. Power density data from a neutronics and exposure calculation are used as the basic information for the thermal hydraulics calculation of heat removal. Two-dimensional neutronics results may be expanded for a three-dimensional hydraulics calculation. The geometric description for the hydraulics problem is the same as used by the neutronics code. A two-dimensional thermal cell model is used to predict temperatures inmore » the fuel channel. The capability is available in the local BOLD VENTURE computation system for reactor core analysis with capability to account for the effect of temperature feedback by nuclear cross section correlation. Some enhancements have also been added to the original code to add pebble bed modeling flexibility and to generate useful auxiliary results. For example, an estimate is made of the distribution of fuel temperatures based on average and extreme conditions regularly calculated at a number of locations.« less

  6. Improvement of Human Keratinocyte Migration by a Redox Active Bioelectric Dressing

    PubMed Central

    Banerjee, Jaideep; Das Ghatak, Piya; Roy, Sashwati; Khanna, Savita; Sequin, Emily K.; Bellman, Karen; Dickinson, Bryan C.; Suri, Prerna; Subramaniam, Vish V.; Chang, Christopher J.; Sen, Chandan K.

    2014-01-01

    Exogenous application of an electric field can direct cell migration and improve wound healing; however clinical application of the therapy remains elusive due to lack of a suitable device and hence, limitations in understanding the molecular mechanisms. Here we report on a novel FDA approved redox-active Ag/Zn bioelectric dressing (BED) which generates electric fields. To develop a mechanistic understanding of how the BED may potentially influence wound re-epithelialization, we direct emphasis on understanding the influence of BED on human keratinocyte cell migration. Mapping of the electrical field generated by BED led to the observation that BED increases keratinocyte migration by three mechanisms: (i) generating hydrogen peroxide, known to be a potent driver of redox signaling, (ii) phosphorylation of redox-sensitive IGF1R directly implicated in cell migration, and (iii) reduction of protein thiols and increase in integrinαv expression, both of which are known to be drivers of cell migration. BED also increased keratinocyte mitochondrial membrane potential consistent with its ability to fuel an energy demanding migration process. Electric fields generated by a Ag/Zn BED can cross-talk with keratinocytes via redox-dependent processes improving keratinocyte migration, a critical event in wound re-epithelialization. PMID:24595050

  7. Evaluation of Treadmill Exercise in a Lower Body Negative Pressure Chamber as a Countermeasure for Weightlessness-Induced Bone Loss: a Bed Rest Study with Identical Twins

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, Scott M.; Davis-Street, Janis E.; Fesperman, J. Vernell; Calkins, D. S.; Bawa, Maneesh; Macias, Brandon R.; Meyer, R. Scott; Hargens, Alan R.

    2003-01-01

    Counteracting bone loss is required for future space exploration. We evaluated the ability of treadmill exercise in a LBNP chamber to counteract bone loss in a 30-day bed rest study. Eight pairs of identical twins were randomly assigned to sedentary control or exercise groups. Exercise within LBNP decreased the bone resorption caused by bed rest and may provide a countermeasure for spaceflight. INTRODUCTION: Bone loss is one of the greatest physiological challenges for extended-duration space missions. The ability of exercise to counteract weightlessness-induced bone loss has been studied extensively, but to date, it has proven ineffective. We evaluated the effectiveness of a combination of two countermeasures-treadmill exercise while inside a lower body negative pressure (LBNP) chamber-on bone loss during a 30-day bed rest study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight pairs of identical twins were randomized into sedentary (SED) or exercise/LBNP (EX/LBNP) groups. Blood and urine samples were collected before, several times during, and after the 30-day bed rest period. These samples were analyzed for markers of bone and calcium metabolism. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine statistical significance. Because identical twins were used, both time and group were treated as repeated variables. RESULTS: Markers of bone resorption were increased during bed rest in samples from sedentary subjects, including the collagen cross-links and serum and urinary calcium concentrations. For N-telopeptide and deoxypyridinoline, there were significant (p < 0.05) interactions between group (SED versus EX/LBNP) and phase of the study (sample collection point). Pyridinium cross-links were increased above pre-bed rest levels in both groups, but the EX/LBNP group had a smaller increase than the SED group. Markers of bone formation were unchanged by bed rest in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that this weight-bearing exercise combined with LBNP ameliorates some of the negative effects of simulated weightlessness on bone metabolism. This protocol may pave the way to counteracting bone loss during spaceflight and may provide valuable information about normal and abnormal bone physiology here on Earth.

  8. Managed flood effects on beaver pond habitat in a desert riverine ecosystem, bill williams river, Arizona USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Andersen, D.C.; Shafroth, P.B.; Pritekel, C.M.; O'Neill, M. W.

    2011-01-01

    The ecological effects of beaver in warm-desert streams are poorly documented, but potentially significant. For example, stream water and sediment budgets may be affected by increased evaporative losses and sediment retention in beaver ponds. We measured physical attributes of beaver pond and adjacent lotic habitats on a regulated Sonoran Desert stream, the Bill Williams River, after ???11 flood-free months in Spring 2007 and Spring 2008. Neither a predicted warming of surface water as it passed through a pond nor a reduction in dissolved oxygen in ponds was consistently observed, but bed sediment sorted to finest in ponds as expected. We observed a river segment-scale downstream rise in daily minimum stream temperature that may have been influenced by the series of ??100 beaver ponds present. Channel cross-sections surveyed before and after an experimental flood (peak flow 65 m3/s) showed net aggradation on nine of 13 cross-sections through ponds and three of seven through lotic reaches. Our results indicate that beaver affect riverine processes in warm deserts much as they do in other biomes. However, effects may be magnified in deserts through the potential for beaver to alter the stream thermal regime and water budget. ?? Society of Wetland Scientists 2011.

  9. Level II scour analysis for Bridge 71 (WODSTH00050071) on Town Highway 5, crossing Kedron Brook, Woodstock, Vermont

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olson, S.A.; Ayotte, J.D.

    1997-01-01

    Contraction scour for all modelled flows ranged from 0.0 to 2.5 ft. The worst-case contraction scour occurred at the incipient roadway-overtopping discharge, which was less than the 100-year discharge. The contraction scour depths do not take the concrete channel bed under the bridge into account. Abutment scour ranged from 8.7 to 18.2 ft. The worstcase abutment scour occurred at the 500-year discharge. Additional information on scour depths and depths to armoring are included in the section titled “Scour Results”. Scouredstreambed elevations, based on the calculated scour depths, are presented in tables 1 and 2. A cross-section of the scour computed at the bridge is presented in figure 8. Scour depths were calculated assuming an infinite depth of erosive material and a homogeneous particlesize distribution. It is generally accepted that the Froehlich equation (abutment scour) gives “excessively conservative estimates of scour depths” (Richardson and others, 1995, p. 47). Usually, computed scour depths are evaluated in combination with other information including (but not limited to) historical performance during flood events, the geomorphic stability assessment, existing scour protection measures, and the results of the hydraulic analyses. Therefore, scour depths adopted by VTAOT may differ from the computed values documented herein.

  10. Numerical analysis of standard and modified osteosynthesis in long bone fractures treatment.

    PubMed

    Sisljagić, Vladimir; Jovanović, Savo; Mrcela, Tomislav; Radić, Radivoje; Selthofer, Robert; Mrcela, Milanka

    2010-03-01

    The fundamental problem in osteoporotic fracture treatment is significant decrease in bone mass and bone tissue density resulting in decreased firmness and elasticity of osteoporotic bone. Application of standard implants and standard surgical techniques in osteoporotic bone fracture treatment makes it almost impossible to achieve stable osteosynthesis sufficient for early mobility, verticalization and load. Taking into account the form and the size of the contact surface as well as distribution of forces between the osteosynthetic materials and the bone tissue numerical analysis showed advantages of modified osteosynthesis with bone cement filling in the screw bed. The applied numerical model consisted of three sub-models: 3D model from solid elements, 3D cross section of the contact between the plate and the bone and the part of 3D cross section of the screw head and body. We have reached the conclusion that modified osteosynthesis with bone cement resulted in weaker strain in the part of the plate above the fracture fissure, more even strain on the screws, plate and bone, more even strain distribution along all the screws' bodies, significantly greater strain in the part of the screw head opposite to the fracture fissure, firm connection of the screw head and neck and the plate hole with the whole plate and more even bone strain around the screw.

  11. A sudden end-Permian mass extinction (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, S.

    2013-12-01

    The end-Permian mass extinction is the largest of the Phanerozoic. In the immediate aftermath the marine ecosystem was dominated by microbial and communities with disaster taxa. Plausible kill mechanism includes an extremely rapid, explosive release of gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen sulfide. Siberian flood volcanism has been suggested as the most possible mechanism to trigger the massive release of greenhouse gases from volcanic eruptions and interaction of magmas with carbon from thick organic-rich deposits or rapid venting of coal-derived methane or massive combustion of coal. A sharp δ13C isotopic excursion, rapid disappearance of carbonate benthic communities and δ18O data from conodont apatite suggest rapid global warming. The end-Permian mass extinction occurred in less than 200,000 years. This extinction interval is constrained by two ash beds (Beds 25 and 28) at the Meishan section. However, the extinction patterns remain controversial largely due to the condensed nature of the Meishan sections. Geochemical signals and their interpretations are also contentious. Thus, the level of achievable stratigraphic resolution becomes crucial to determine the nature of the event and a detailed study of the extinction interval is essential to unravel the extinction pattern, chemostratigraphy, and the causes. However, the extinction interval at Meishan is only 26 cm thick and contains distinct gaps at the Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) and possibly the base of Bed 25. Thus, it is impossible to resolve a detailed extinction pattern. Studying expanded sections is crucial to understand the detailed events before, during and after the main extinction. In this report, we show a highly-expanded Permian-Triassic boundary section in Guangxi Province, South China. The last 4.5 m between beds 22 and 28 of the Meishan sections is represented by a sequence of ~560 m at the section and the extinction interval between beds 24e and 28 at Meishan is represented by an interval about ~95 m which contains abundant benthic fossils. This expanded section reveals a very sudden extinction in a transgressive sequence that is inferred to have occurred within a few thousands of years.

  12. Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Edgar, Lauren A.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Rubin, David M.

    This article characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground-based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross-stratification tomore » determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain-size distribution and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop probably records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large-scale trough cross-bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the north-east, across the surface of a bar that migrated south-east. Stacked cosets of dune cross-bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggest that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.« less

  13. Fluvial channel-belts, floodbasins, and aeolian ergs in the Precambrian Meall Dearg Formation (Torridonian of Scotland): Inferring climate regimes from pre-vegetation clastic rock records

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lebeau, Lorraine E.; Ielpi, Alessandro

    2017-07-01

    The interpretation of climate regimes from facies analysis of Precambrian clastic rocks has been challenging thus far, hindering full reconstructions of landscape dynamics in pre-vegetation environments. Yet, comparisons between different and co-active sedimentary realms, including fluvial-channelised, floodplain, and aeolian hold the potential to shed further light on this thematic. This research discusses a fluvial-aeolian record from the 1.2 Ga Meall Dearg Formation, part of the classic Torridonian succession of Scotland. Tentatively considered to date as a braided-fluvial deposit, this unit is here reappraised as the record of fluvial channel-belts, floodbasins, and aeolian ergs. Fluvial deposits with abundant transitional- to upper-flow regime structures (mostly cross-beds with tangential sets and plane/antidunal beds) and simple, low-relief sediment bars indicate a low-sinuosity, ephemeral style. Floodbasin deposits consist of plane and cross-beds ubiquitously bounded by symmetrical ripples, and rare sediment bars related to the progradation of splay complexes in temporary flooded depressions. Aeolian deposits occur nearby basement topography, and are dominated by large-scale, pin-stripe laminated cross-beds, indicative of intermountain ergs. Neither ephemeral-fluvial nor intermountain aeolian systems can be considered as reliable indicators of local climate, since their sedimentary style is respectively controlled by catchment size and shape, and basin topography relative to groundwater tables. Contrarily, the occurrence of purely clastic - rather than carbonate or evaporitic - floodplain strata can be more confidently related to humid regimes. In brief, this study provides new insight into an overlooked portion of the Torridonian succession of Scotland, and discusses climate inferences for Precambrian clastic terrestrial rocks.

  14. Coastal dune facies, Permian Cutler Formation (White Rim Sandstone), Capitol Reef National Park area, southern Utah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamola, Diane L.; Chan, Marjorie A.

    1988-04-01

    The Permian Cutler Formation (White Rim Sandstone) in the Capitol Reef National Park area in southern Utah is an excellent example of a coastal dune complex subjected to periodic flooding by marine waters. Wind-ripple, grainfall and grainflow laminae compose the cross-sets deposited by eolian dunes. However, wave-reworked structures such as oscillation ripples, the occurrence of the characteristically marine trace fossils Thalassinoides and Chondrites, and interfingering marine carbonate beds of the Kaibab Formation collectively indicate marine interaction with the eolian environment. Four facies are distinguished: cross-stratified sandstone, burrowed to bioturbated sandstone, brecciated and deformed sandstone, and ripple-laminated sandstone and thin carbonate beds. One unusual aspect of the cross-stratified sandstone facies is the abundance of coarse-grained sand. Coarse-grained sand is atypical in many ancient eolian slipface deposits, but occurs here in large slipface foresets as both grainflow and wind-ripple deposits. No water-laid structures are found in these slipface deposits. Coarse-grained sand was probably transported to the Cutler shoreline by fluvial systems draining the Uncompahgre Uplift to the east, and then concentrated as coarse-grained ripples in interdune areas. Some of these coarse-grained ripples migrated up the stoss side of the dunes and accumulations of coarse-grained sand avalanched down the crest to form grainflow deposits. An extensive amount of soft-sediment deformation is indicated by the presence of convolute bedding and brecciation. These features occur near the zone of interfingering with marine carbonate beds of the Kaibab Formation. The water-saturated and moist conditions required for extensive deformation may have been controlled by the proximity of these sandstones to the shoreline, and fluctuations in the associated groundwater table.

  15. Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Edgar, Lauren; Gupta, Sanjeev; Rubin, David M.; Lewis, Kevin W.; Kocurek, Gary A.; Anderson, Ryan; Bell, James F.; Dromart, Gilles; Edgett, Kenneth S.; Grotzinger, John P.; Hardgrove, Craig; Kah, Linda C.; LeVeille, Richard A.; Malin, Michael C.; Mangold, Nicholas; Milliken, Ralph E.; Minitti, Michelle; Palucis, Marisa C.; Rice, Melissa; Rowland, Scott K.; Schieber, Juergen; Stack, Kathryn M.; Sumner, Dawn Y.; Wiens, Roger C.; Williams, Rebecca M.E.; Williams, Amy J.

    2018-01-01

    This paper characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time, and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground-based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture, and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross-stratification to determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain-size distribution, and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop likely records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large-scale trough cross-bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the northeast, across the surface of a bar that migrated southeast. Stacked cosets of dune cross-bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggests that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry, and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.

  16. Shaler: in situ analysis of a fluvial sedimentary deposit on Mars

    DOE PAGES

    Edgar, Lauren A.; Gupta, Sanjeev; Rubin, David M.; ...

    2017-03-09

    This article characterizes the detailed sedimentology of a fluvial sandbody on Mars for the first time and interprets its depositional processes and palaeoenvironmental setting. Despite numerous orbital observations of fluvial landforms on the surface of Mars, ground-based characterization of the sedimentology of such fluvial deposits has not previously been possible. Results from the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover provide an opportunity to reconstruct at fine scale the sedimentary architecture and palaeomorphology of a fluvial environment on Mars. This work describes the grain size, texture and sedimentary facies of the Shaler outcrop, reconstructs the bedding architecture, and analyses cross-stratification tomore » determine palaeocurrents. On the basis of bedset geometry and inclination, grain-size distribution and bedform migration direction, this study concludes that the Shaler outcrop probably records the accretion of a fluvial barform. The majority of the outcrop consists of large-scale trough cross-bedding of coarse sand and granules. Palaeocurrent analyses and bedform reconstruction indicate that the beds were deposited by bedforms that migrated towards the north-east, across the surface of a bar that migrated south-east. Stacked cosets of dune cross-bedding suggest aggradation of multiple bedforms, which provides evidence for short periods of sustained flow during Shaler deposition. However, local evidence for aeolian reworking and the presence of potential desiccation cracks within the outcrop suggest that fluvial deposition may have been intermittent. The uppermost strata at Shaler are distinct in terms of texture and chemistry and are inferred to record deposition from a different sediment dispersal system with a contrasting provenance. The outcrop as a whole is a testament to the availability of liquid water on the surface of Mars in its early history.« less

  17. Balancing cross-sections combining field work and remote sensing data using LithoTect software in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, N Iraq.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reif, Daniel; Grasemann, Bernhard; Lockhart, Duncan

    2010-05-01

    The Zagros fold-and-thrust belt has formed in detached Phanerozoic sedimentary cover rocks above a shortened crystalline Precambrian basement and evolved through the Late Cretaceous to Miocene collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plate, during which the Neotethys oceanic basin was closed. Deformation is partitioned in SW directed folding and thrusting of the sediments and NW-SE to N-S trending dextral strike slip faults. The sub-cylindrical doubly-plunging fold trains with wavelengths of 5 - 10 km host more than half of the world's hydrocarbon reserves in mostly anticlinal traps. Generally the Zagros is divided into three NW-SE striking tectonic units: the Zagros Imbricate Zone, the Zagros Simply Folded Belt and the Zagros Foredeep. This work presents a balanced cross-section through the Simply Folded Belt, NE of the city of Erbil (Kurdistan, Iraq). The regional stratigraphy comprises mainly Cretaceous to Cenozoic folded sediments consisting of massive, carbonate rocks (limestones, dolomites), reacting as competent layers during folding compared to the incompetent behavior of interlayered siltstones, claystones and marls. Although the overall security situation in Kurdistan is much better than in the rest of Iraq, structural field mapping was restricted to asphalt streets, mainly because of the contamination of the area with landmines and unexploded ordnance. In order to extend the structural measurements statistically over the investigated area, we used a newly developed software tool (www.terramath.com) for interactive structural mapping of spatial orientations (i.e. dip direction and dip angles) of the sedimentary beddings from digital elevation models. Structural field data and computed measurements where integrated and projected in NE-SW striking balanced cross-sections perpendicular to the regional trend of the fold axes. We used the software LithoTect (www.geologicsystems.com) for the restoration of the cross-sections. Depending on the interpretation of the shape of the synclines, which are not exposed and covered by Neogene sediments, the shortening is in the order of 10-20%. The restoration confirms that large scale faulting is only of minor importance in the Simply Folded Belt.

  18. Thermal Energy Storage in Phase Change Material.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-03-01

    Graphs of the exnerimental results follow: tney are groupea in the tree categories: tube cross flow, ricked bed, and tube parallel flow. A. Tube Cross... Riordan , Michael, "Thermal Storage: A Rtsic Guile to the Ptate of the Art", Solar Age, Aril, 1978, P. 10. 5. Telkes, Maria, "Thermal Lner y Storage in

  19. The Permian-Triassic boundary & mass extinction in China

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Metcalfe, I.; Nicoll, R.S.; Mundil, R.; Foster, C.; Glen, J.; Lyons, J.; Xiaofeng, W.; Cheng-Yuan, W.; Renne, P.R.; Black, L.; Xun, Q.; Xiaodong, M.

    2001-01-01

    The first appearance of Hindeodus parvus (Kozur & Pjatakova) at the Permian-Triassic (P-T) GSSP level (base of Bed 27c) at Meishan is here confirmed. Hindeodus changxingensis Wang occurs from Beds 26 to 29 at Meishan and appears to be restricted to the narrow boundary interval immediately above the main mass extinction level in Bed 25. It is suggested that this species is therefore a valuable P-T boundary interval index taxon. Our collections from the Shangsi section confirm that the first occurrence of Hindeodus parvus in that section is about 5 in above the highest level from which a typical Permian fauna is recovered. This may suggest that that some section may be missing at Meishan. The age of the currently defined Permian-Triassic Boundary is estimated by our own studies and a reassessment of previous worker's data at c. 253 Ma, slightly older than our IDTIMS 206Pb/238U age of 252.5 ??0.3 Ma for Bed 28, just 8 cm above the GSSP boundary (Mundil et al., 2001). The age of the main mass extinction, at the base of Bed 25 at Meishan, is estimated at slightly older than 254 Ma based on an age of >254 Ma for the Bed 25 ash. Regardless of the absolute age of the boundary, it is evident that the claimed <165,000 y short duration for the negative carbon isotope excursion at the P-T boundary (Bowring et al., 1998) cannot be confirmed. Purportedly extraterrestrial fullerenes at the boundary (Hecker et al., 2001) have equivocal significance due to their chronostratigraphic non-uniqueness and their occurrence in a volcanic ash.

  20. Kinematics and strain distribution of a thrust-related fold system in the Lewis thrust plate, northwestern Montana (U.S.A.)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yin, An; Oertel, Gerhard

    1993-06-01

    In order to understand interactions between motion along thrusts and the associated style of deformation and strain distribution in their hangingwalls, geologic mapping and strain measurements were conducted in an excellently exposed thrust-related fold system in the Lewis thrust plate, northwestern Montana. This system consists of: (1) an E-directed basal thrust (the Gunsight thrust) that has a flat-ramp geometry and a slip of about 3.6 km; (2) an E-verging asymmetric anticline with its nearly vertical forelimb truncated by the basal thrust from below; (3) a 4-km wide fold belt, the frontal fold complex, that lies directly in front of the E-verging anticline; (4) a W-directed bedding-parallel fault (the Mount Thompson fault) that bounds the top of the frontal fold belt and separates it from the undeformed to broadly folded strata above; and (5) regionally developed, W-dipping spaced cleavage. Although the overall geometry of the thrust-related fold system differs from any previously documented fault-related folds, the E-verging anticline itself resembles geometrically a Rich-type fault-bend fold. The observed initial cut-off and fold interlimb angles of this anticline, however, cannot be explained by cross-section balancing models for the development of either a fault-bend fold or a fault propagation fold. Possible origins for the E-verging anticline include (1) the fold initiated as an open fault-bend fold and tightened only later during its emplacement along the basal thrust and (2) the fold started as either a fault-bend or a fault-propagation fold, but simultaneous or subsequent volume change incompatible with any balanced cross-section models altered its shape. Strain in the thrust-related fold system was determined by the preferred orientation of mica and chlorite grains. The direction and magnitude of the post-compaction strain varies from place to place. Strains in the foreclimb of the hangingwall anticline imply bedding-parallel thinning at some localities and thickening at others. This inhomogeneity may be caused by the development of thrusts and folds. Strain in the backlimb of the hangingwall anticline implies bedding-parallel stretching in the thrust transport direction. This could be the effect of bending as the E-verging anticline was tightened and transported across the basal thrust ramp. Strain measured next to the Gunsight thrust again indicates locally varying shortening and extension in the transport direction, perhaps in response to inhomogeneous friction on the fault or else to a history of alternating strain hardening and softening in the basal thrust zone.

  1. Modern geomorphology in a post-glacial landscape and implications for river restoration, eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minear, J. T.; Wright, S. A.; Roche, J. W.

    2011-12-01

    Yosemite National Park, USA, is one of the most popular national parks in the country with over 3.9 million visitors annually. The majority of tourists visit a relatively small area around the Merced River in scenic eastern Yosemite Valley, which has resulted in degradation to the river and streambanks. The National Park Service is updating the long-term management plan for the Merced River which includes river restoration. A key component determining the success of future river restoration efforts is the transport and supply of sediment. For this study, we investigate the modern geomorphology of the eastern Yosemite Valley region. For the watershed and reach analyses, we draw from a variety of topographic and hydrologic records, including 20-years of data from permanent cross sections, aerial and ground-based LiDAR surveys, and a nearly 100-year hydrologic record. In addition, we utilize hydraulic and sediment transport models to investigate channel velocities, bed shear stress and sediment transport at the reach scale. From the watershed-scale analysis, it is likely that large-scale remnant glacial features exert a primary control on the sediment supply to the study area with relatively small volumes of both suspended and bedload sediment being contributed to the study site. Two of the three major watersheds, Tenaya Creek and the upper Merced River, likely contribute only small amounts of bedload downstream due to low-gradient depositional reaches. Though little-known, the third major watershed, Illilouette Creek, is the only watershed capable of contributing larger amounts of bedload material, though the bedload material is likely contributed only during high flow events. High flows in the Yosemite Valley region have two different distributions: large early winter storm events above the 20-year return interval, and moderate snowmelt flows at and below the 20-year return interval. Sediment transport analyses indicate that bedload transport is dominated by relatively frequent (<2 year) snowmelt flow events and that the coarsest material in the reach (>110 mm) is mobile during these flows. The permanent cross sections record large topographic changes, including infilling at key bars, associated with the 1997 flood, the largest recorded early winter event (100-year return interval). Following snowmelt events post-1997, cross sections are returning to near pre-1997 levels. The cross section data suggest there is likely a disconnect between sediment supplied to the reach and sediment transport, with the majority of sediment supply occurring during large early winter events while the majority of sediment transport occurs during snowmelt events. An implication of our findings for river restoration in this area of the Merced River is that the ability of the channel to rebuild streambanks is relatively low, given the low suspended sediment supply. In contrast, bedload transport is relatively frequent and occurs in significant quantities, suggesting that river restoration involving bed recovery (e.g. recovery of pools formed by riprap or bridges) should be relatively rapid if obstructions are removed.

  2. Comparative simulation of a fluidised bed reformer using industrial process simulators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bashiri, Hamed; Sotudeh-Gharebagh, Rahmat; Sarvar-Amini, Amin; Haghtalab, Ali; Mostoufi, Navid

    2016-08-01

    A simulation model is developed by commercial simulators in order to predict the performance of a fluidised bed reformer. As many physical and chemical phenomena take place in the reformer, two sub-models (hydrodynamic and reaction sub-models) are needed. The hydrodynamic sub-model is based on the dynamic two-phase model and the reaction sub-model is derived from the literature. In the overall model, the bed is divided into several sections. In each section, the flow of the gas is considered as plug flow through the bubble phase and perfectly mixed through the emulsion phase. Experimental data from the literature were used to validate the model. Close agreement was found between the model of both ASPEN Plus (ASPEN PLUS 2004 ©) and HYSYS (ASPEN HYSYS 2004 ©) and the experimental data using various sectioning of the reactor ranged from one to four. The experimental conversion lies between one and four sections as expected. The model proposed in this work can be used as a framework in developing the complicated models for non-ideal reactors inside of the process simulators.

  3. Tracking Adjustments in Fan and Floodplain Storage in a Braided Channel following Major Sedimentary Disturbance, East Cape, NZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tunnicliffe, J. F.; Leenman, A.; Eaton, B. C.; Fuller, I. C.

    2016-12-01

    In this paper we reconstruct the trajectory of a coarse-grained gravel-bed network in recovery from a major sedimentary disturbance, driven by mass-wasting during and following ex-tropical Cyclone Bola in 1988. A strong trend of aggradation in the Tapuaeroa Catchment between 1988 and 2004 culminated in a valley fill with a thickness of up to 35 m. A record of cross-section surveys spanning 40 years, and high resolution structure-from-motion surveys spanning 2015-2016, shows the complex nature of recovery; the upper tributary sections exhibit incision and terrace-building while the lower reaches and the trunk channel exhibit a mix of aggradation and degradation. Tributary fans provide a record of changes to intermediate storage, depending on local supply conditions in the trunk channel. A sediment budget model is developed to elucidate the complex nature of fan and floodplain evolution over decadal timescales following a major disturbance.

  4. 3D-Simulation Of Concentration Distributions Inside Large-Scale Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wischnewski, R.; Ratschow, L.; Hartge, E. U.; Werthe, J.

    With increasing size of modern CFB combustors the lateral mixing of fuels and secondary air gains more and more importance. Strong concentration gradients, which result from improper lateral mixing, can lead to operational problems, high flue gas emissions and lower boiler efficiencies. A 3D-model for the simulation of local gas and solids concentrations inside industrial-sized CFB boilers has been developed. The model is based on a macroscopic approach and considers all major mechanisms during fuel spreading and subsequent combustion of char and volatiles. Typical characteristics of modern boilers like staged combustion, a smaller cross-sectional area in the lower section of the combustion chamber and the co-combustion of additional fuels with coal can be considered. The 252 MWth combustor of Stadtwerke Duisburg AG is used for the validation of the model. A comprehensive picture of the local conditions inside the combustion chamber is achieved by the combination of local gas measurements and the three-dimensional simulation of concentration distributions.

  5. Challenges in universal coverage and utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets in migrant plantation workers in Myanmar

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background High coverage of the bed nets can reduce mortality and morbidity of mosquito-borne diseases including malaria. Although the migrant workers are at high risk of malaria, there are many hidden challenges in universal coverage and utilization of the insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in this populations. Methods Cross sectional study was conducted in 170 migrant workers in palm oil plantation sites in Tanintharyi Region and 175 in rubber plantation sites in Mon State. A multistage stratified cluster sampling was applied to select the participants. During household visit, face-to-face interviews using structured pre-coded, pre tested questionnaires and direct observation on installation of the bed nets was conducted. Two focus group discussions in each site were done by sample stratified purposive sampling method mainly focused on effective utilization of bed nets. Results Among them, 332 (96.2%) had a bed net and 284 (82.3%) had an ITN, while 204 (59.1%) had unused extranets. Among the ITNs users, 28.9% reported problems including insecticide smell (56.9%), dizziness (20.2%), headache (12.8%) and itchiness (9.2%). More than 75% received ITNs from health authorities and NGOs free-of-charge. More than 70% wanted to buy a net but they were unaffordable for 64% of them. On observation, only five families could show no bed net, but 80% showed 1–3 ITNs. Consistent utilization in all seasons was noted in 189 (53.1%), that was higher in palm oil plantation than rubber plantation workers (p = 0.0001) due to the nature of the work at night. Perceived malaria risk was also significantly higher ITNs consistent users than non-users (p = 0.0004) and better willingness to buy an ITN by themselves (p = 0.0005). They said that effectiveness of the ITNs was reduced after 6 months and 2–3 times washing. They wished to receive more durable smooth nets with small holes in lace. Misuses of the ITNs such as use the nets for animals and fishing, were also noted. Conclusion There should be efforts to improve effective utilization of ITNs by continuous mass free distribution, durability monitoring, surveillance of insecticide resistance of the vector and behaviour change interventions in migrant plantation workers. PMID:24888548

  6. Evidence for liquefaction identified in peeled slices of Holocene deposits along the Lower Columbia River, Washington

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Takada, K.; Atwater, B.F.

    2004-01-01

    Peels made from 10 geoslices beneath a riverbank at Washington's Hunting Island, 45 km inland from the Pacific coast, aid in identifying sand that liquefied during prehistoric earthquakes of estimated magnitude 8-9 at the Cascadia subduction zone. Each slice was obtained by driving sheetpile and a shutter plate to depths of 6-8 m. The resulting sample, as long as 8 m, had a trapezoidal cross section 42-55 cm by 8 cm. The slicing created few artifacts other than bending and smearing at slice edges. Each slice is dominated by well-stratified sand and mud deposited by the tidal Columbia River. Nearly 90% of the sand is distinctly laminated. The sand contains mud beds as thick as 0.5 m and at least 20 m long, and it is capped by a mud bed that contains a buried soil that marks the 1700 Cascadia earthquake of estimated magnitude 9. Every slice intersected sills and dikes of fluidized sand, and many slices show folds and faults as well. Sills, which outnumber dikes, mostly follow and locally invade the undersides of mud beds. The mud beds probably impeded diffuse upward flow of water expelled from liquefied sand. Trapped beneath mud beds, this water flowed laterally, destroyed bedding by entraining (fluidizing) sand, and locally scoured the overlying mud. Horizontal zones of folded sand extend at least 10 or 20 m, and some contain low-angle faults. Many of the folds probably formed while sand was weakened by liquefaction. The low-angle faults may mark the soles of river-bottom slumps or lateral spreads. As many as four great Cascadia earthquakes in the past 2000 yr contributed to the intrusions, folds, and faults. This subsurface evidence for fluid escape and deformation casts doubt on maximum accelerations that were previously inferred from local absence of liquefaction features at the ground surface along the Columbia River. The geosliced evidence for liquefaction abounds not only beneath banks riddled with dikes but also beneath banks in which dikes are absent. Such dike-free banks of the Columbia River, if interpreted without study of postdepositional structures in deposits beneath them, provide insufficient basis for setting upper bounds on the strength of shaking from great Cascadia earthquakes. Online material: Data from outcrop surveys, vibracores, and penetrometer tests; tabular summary of depositional and postdepositional features in geoslices.

  7. Drainage of Southeast Greenland firn aquifer water through crevasses to the bed

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poinar, Kristin; Joughin, Ian; Lilien, David; Brucker, Ludovic; Kehrl, Laura; Nowicki, Sophie

    2017-02-01

    A firn aquifer in the Helheim Glacier catchment of Southeast Greenland lies directly upstream of a crevasse field. Previous measurements show that a 3.5-km long segment of the aquifer lost a large volume of water (26,000 - 65,000 m2 in cross section) between spring 2012 and spring 2013, compared to annual meltwater accumulation of 6000 - 15,000 m2. The water is thought to have entered the crevasses, but whether the water reached the bed or refroze within the ice sheet is unknown. We used a thermo-visco-elastic model for crevasse propagation to calculate the depths and volumes of these water-filled crevasses. We compared our model output to data from the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM), which reveals the near-surface geometry of specific crevasses, and WorldView images, which capture the surface expressions of crevasses across our 1.5-km study area. We found a best fit with a shear modulus between 0.2 and 1.5 GPa within our study area. We show that surface meltwater can drive crevasses to the top surface of the firn aquifer ( 20 m depth), whereupon it receives water at rates corresponding to the water flux through the aquifer. Our model shows that crevasses receiving firn-aquifer water hydrofracture through to the bed, 1000 m below, in 10-40 days. Englacial refreezing of firn-aquifer water raises the average local ice temperature by 4°C over a ten-year period, which enhances deformational ice motion by 50 m/yr, compared to the observed surface velocity of 200 m/yr. The effect of the basal water on the sliding velocity remains unknown. Were the firn aquifer not present to concentrate surface meltwater into crevasses, we find that no surface melt would reach the bed; instead, it would refreeze annually in crevasses at depths <500 m. The crevasse field downstream of the firn aquifer likely allows a large fraction of the aquifer water in our study area to reach the bed. Thus, future studies should consider the aquifer and crevasses as part of a common system. This system may uniquely affect ice-sheet dynamics by routing a large volume of water to the bed outside of the typical runoff period.

  8. Larks and owls and health, wealth, and wisdom

    PubMed Central

    Gale, Catharine; Martyn, Christopher

    1998-01-01

    Objective To test the validity of Benjamin Franklin’s maxim “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Design Cross sectional analysis of sleeping patterns in a nationally representative group of elderly people, and longitudinal investigation of mortality. Setting Eight areas in Britain (five in England, two in Scotland, and one in Wales). Subjects 1229 men and women aged 65 and over who in 1973-4 had taken part in a survey funded by the Department of Health and Social Security and for whom data on sleeping patterns, health, socioeconomic circumstances, and cognitive function had been recorded. Main outcome measures Self reported income, access to a car, standard of accommodation, performance on a test of cognitive function, state of health and mortality during 23 years of follow up. Results 356 people (29%) were defined as larks (to bed before 11 pm and up before 8 am) and 318 (26%) were defined as owls (to bed at or after 11 pm and up at or after 8 am). There was no indication that larks were richer than those with other sleeping patterns. On the contrary, owls had the largest mean income and were more likely to have access to a car. There was also no evidence that larks were superior to those with other sleeping patterns with regard to their cognitive performance or their state of health. Both larks and owls had a slightly reduced risk of death compared with the rest of the study sample, but this was accounted for by the fact that they spent less time in bed at night. In the study sample as a whole, longer periods of time in bed were associated with increased mortality. After adjustment for age, sex, the presence of illness, and other risk factors, people who spent 12 or more hours in bed had a relative risk of death of 1.7 (1.2 to 2.5) compared with those who were in bed for 9 hours. The lowest risk occurred in people who spent 8 hours in bed (adjusted relative risk 0.8; 0.7 to 1.0). Conclusion These findings do not support Franklin’s claim. A “late to bed and late to rise” lifestyle does not seem to lead to socioeconomic, cognitive, or health disadvantage, but a longer time spent in bed may be associated with increased mortality. Key messagesProverbial advice about lifestyle has the authority of tradition and the merit of brevity, but it is rarely based on systematically collected evidenceIn a nationally representative cohort of elderly people there was no indication that those who lived by the maxim “early to bed and early to rise” were advantaged as regards state of health, material circumstances, or wisdomSleeping for more than 8 hours a night was associated with increased mortality, but it mattered little whether sleep was taken in the early or late part of the nightThere is no justification for early risers to affect moral superiority PMID:9857121

  9. Trace fossils and bioturbation in peritidal facies of the Potsdam-Theresa Formations (Cambrian-Ordovician), Northwest Adirondacks

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bjerstedt, T.W.; Erickson, J.M.

    The Cambrian-Ordovician Potsdam Sandstone, Theresa Formation, and Canadian correlatives in the St. Lawrence Lowlands preserve tide-dominated facies during the basal Cambrian transgression. Low intertidal sand flats in the upper Potsdam contain a Skolithos Ichnofacies dominated by Diplocraterion parallelum in clean, herringbone cross-bedded sandstones indicative of high tidal current energy. Wind-wave-driven longshore and tidal currents along a macrotidal coastline were funneled northeast-southwest by Precambrian topographic relief of up to 65 m. This relief is now expressed as the Thousand Islands of New York and Canada. The conformably overlying Theresa Formation preserves a shoaling-upward sequence of mixed clastic-carbonate facies. Shallow subtidal andmore » peritidal facies contain a mixed Skolithos-Cruziana Ichnofacies in sharply alternating lithofacies consisting of gray, intensely bioturbated, poorly sorted calcareous sandstone, and meter-thick, white cross-bedded sandstone. The parallelism between ichnofacies and lithofacies indicates that environmental energy level and persistence rather than water depth controlled trace fossil distribution. Bioturbated sandstones contain a Cruziana ichnofacies of abundant deposit feeders including: Fustiglyphus , Gyrochorte , Neonereites uniserialis , Phycodes flabellum, Planolites beverlyensis, Rosselia socialis, and Teichichnus. Suspension feeders are represented by D. habichi, D. parallelum, Skolithos, Monocraterion, and possibly Palaeophycus tubularis. Scavenging or deposit-feeding arthropods are represented by rare Cruziana furrows. Cross-bedded sandstones contain a Skolithos Ichnofacies of shallow Skolithos and Monocraterion burrows, and an undescribed large epistratal eurypterid( ) trail.« less

  10. Experimental Studies in a Reconfigurable C4 Test-bed for Network Enabled Capability

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    Cross1, Dr R. Houghton1, and Mr R. McMaster1 Defence Technology Centre for Human factors Integration (DTC HFI ) BITlab, School of Engineering and Design...NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Defence Technology Centre for Human factors Integration (DTC HFI ) BITlab, School of...studies into NEC by the Human Factors Integration Defence Technology Centre ( HFI -DTC). DEVELOPMENT OF THE TESTBED In brief, the C4 test-bed

  11. Fluidized bed coupled rotary reactor for nanoparticles coating via atomic layer deposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, Chen-Long; Liu, Xiao; Shan, Bin; Chen, Rong

    2015-07-01

    A fluidized bed coupled rotary reactor has been designed for coating on nanoparticles (NPs) via atomic layer deposition. It consists of five major parts: reaction chamber, dosing and fluidizing section, pumping section, rotary manipulator components, as well as a double-layer cartridge for the storage of particles. In the deposition procedure, continuous fluidization of particles enlarges and homogenizes the void fraction in the particle bed, while rotation enhances the gas-solid interactions to stabilize fluidization. The particle cartridge presented here enables both the fluidization and rotation acting on the particle bed, demonstrated by the analysis of pressure drop. Moreover, enlarged interstitials and intense gas-solid contact under sufficient fluidizing velocity and proper rotation speed facilitate the precursor delivery throughout the particle bed and consequently provide a fast coating process. The cartridge can ensure precursors flowing through the particle bed exclusively to achieve high utilization without static exposure operation. By optimizing superficial gas velocities and rotation speeds, minimum pulse time for complete coating has been shortened in experiment, and in situ mass spectrometry showed the precursor usage can reach 90%. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy results suggested a saturated growth of nanoscale Al2O3 films on spherical SiO2 NPs. Finally, the uniformity and composition of the shells were characterized by high angle annular dark field-transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

  12. Section of Morgan formation, Pennsylvanian, at Split Mountain in Dinosaur National Monument, Uintah County, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCann, Franklin T.; Raman, Norman D.; Henbest, Lloyd G.

    1946-01-01

    Extension of the oil pool in the Weber sandstone (Pennsylvanian), in the Rangely oil field, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, subsequent to the completion of the filed work on which Preliminary Chart 16 is based, has stimulated special interest in the beds beneath that sandstone as potential oil reservoirs. In compliance with the demand for additional information concerning these beds, a detailed description of the sequence immediately underlying the Weber sandstone at Split Mountain, Utah, is here given. That part of Split Mountain where the section was measured is approximately 35 airline miles northwest of the town of Rangely. The section itself is shown graphically and somewhat generalized in column 8, sheet 2, Preliminary Chart 16. A more detailed graphic section is presented in the accompanying column section.

  13. 21 CFR 890.5170 - Powered flotation therapy bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Powered flotation therapy bed. 890.5170 Section 890.5170 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5170...

  14. 21 CFR 890.5170 - Powered flotation therapy bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Powered flotation therapy bed. 890.5170 Section 890.5170 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5170...

  15. 21 CFR 890.5170 - Powered flotation therapy bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Powered flotation therapy bed. 890.5170 Section 890.5170 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5170...

  16. 21 CFR 890.5170 - Powered flotation therapy bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Powered flotation therapy bed. 890.5170 Section 890.5170 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5170...

  17. 21 CFR 890.5170 - Powered flotation therapy bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Powered flotation therapy bed. 890.5170 Section 890.5170 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5170...

  18. Critical care capacity in Canada: results of a national cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Fowler, Robert A; Abdelmalik, Philip; Wood, Gordon; Foster, Denise; Gibney, Noel; Bandrauk, Natalie; Turgeon, Alexis F; Lamontagne, François; Kumar, Anand; Zarychanski, Ryan; Green, Rob; Bagshaw, Sean M; Stelfox, Henry T; Foster, Ryan; Dodek, Peter; Shaw, Susan; Granton, John; Lawless, Bernard; Hill, Andrea; Rose, Louise; Adhikari, Neill K; Scales, Damon C; Cook, Deborah J; Marshall, John C; Martin, Claudio; Jouvet, Philippe

    2015-04-01

    Intensive Care Units (ICUs) provide life-supporting treatment; however, resources are limited, so demand may exceed supply in the event of pandemics, environmental disasters, or in the context of an aging population. We hypothesized that comprehensive national data on ICU resources would permit a better understanding of regional differences in system capacity. After the 2009-2010 Influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group surveyed all acute care hospitals in Canada to assess ICU capacity. Using a structured survey tool administered to physicians, respiratory therapists and nurses, we determined the number of ICU beds, ventilators, and the ability to provide specialized support for respiratory failure. We identified 286 hospitals with 3170 ICU beds and 4982 mechanical ventilators for critically ill patients. Twenty-two hospitals had an ICU that routinely cared for children; 15 had dedicated pediatric ICUs. Per 100,000 population, there was substantial variability in provincial capacity, with a mean of 0.9 hospitals with ICUs (provincial range 0.4-2.8), 10 ICU beds capable of providing mechanical ventilation (provincial range 6-19), and 15 invasive mechanical ventilators (provincial range 10-24). There was only moderate correlation between ventilation capacity and population size (coefficient of determination (R(2)) = 0.771). ICU resources vary widely across Canadian provinces, and during times of increased demand, may result in geographic differences in the ability to care for critically ill patients. These results highlight the need to evolve inter-jurisdictional resource sharing during periods of substantial increase in demand, and provide background data for the development of appropriate critical care capacity benchmarks.

  19. Overcrowding of accident & emergency units: is it a growing concern in Nigeria?

    PubMed

    Makama, Jerry G; Iribhogbe, Pius; Ameh, Emmanuel A

    2015-06-01

    The inability of the Nigeria's Accident and Emergency Departments (AED) to meet current demands is growing among the public and health care professionals. The data supporting perceptions of insufficient capacity are limited. Therefore, this study was intended to determine the prevalence, causes, and effects of overcrowding AEDs in Nigeria. This was a cross sectional, descriptive study carried out among AED staff of 3 referral teaching hospitals in Nigeria, using a pre-tested and validated structured questionnaire. The analysis of the 267 AED staff revealed 20-56 years (36.40+5.1 mean) age range. One hundred and twenty eight (47.9%) were males, 139 (52.1%) females. Two hundred and fifty nine (97%) agreed that an AED should have a bed capacity of 21-30. Agreement to AED overcrowding in Nigeria was quite considerable. The frequency of AED overcrowding per week was 4-7 times. The average bed occupancy level was 3.25. Agreed common causes of prolonged AED admissions were to be a high volume of critically ill patients, Delayed transfer of patients to the wards, delay in theatre operation, delay in radiological investigations and exceptionally high proportion of patients requiring admission in AED. Also, long pre-review waiting time and haematological delays were more causes. The average waiting time for victims to be seen was 29.7 minutes. There are many causes of AED overcrowding in this environment. However, improving AED bed management, better organized and diligent discharge planning, and reducing access block should be a priority to reduce AED overcrowding.

  20. Hospital Workers Disaster Management and Hospital Nonstructural: A Study in Bandar Abbas, Iran

    PubMed Central

    Lakbala, Parvin

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: A devastating earthquake is inevitable in the long term and likely in the near future in Iran. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge of hospital staff to disaster management system in hospital and to determine nonstructural safety assessment in Shahid Mohammadi hospital in Bandar Abbas city of Iran. This hospital is the main referral hospital in Hormozgan province with a capacity of about 450 beds and the highest patient admissions. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013 on 200 healthcare workers at Shahid Mohammadi hospital, in the city of Bandar Abbas, Iran. This hospital is the main referral hospital in Hormozgan province and has a capacity of about 450 beds with highest numbers of patient admissions. Questionnaire and checklist used for assessing health workers knowledge and awareness towards disaster management and nonstructural safety this hospital. Results: This study found that knowledge, awareness, and disaster preparedness of hospital staff need continual reinforcement to improve self efficacy for disaster management. Equipping health care facilities at the time of natural disasters, especially earthquakes are of great importance all over the world, especially in Iran. This requires the national strategies and planning for all health facilities. Conclusion: It seems due to limitations of hospital beds, insufficient of personnel, and medical equipment, health care providers paid greater attention to this issue. Since this hospital is the only educational public hospital in the province, it is essential to pay much attention to the risk management not only to this hospital but at the national level to health facilities. PMID:26573039

  1. Sugar before bed: a simple dietary risk factor for caries experience.

    PubMed

    Goodwin, M; Patel, D K; Vyas, A; Khan, A J; McGrady, M G; Boothman, N; Pretty, I A

    2017-03-01

    Clinical care pathways have placed renewed emphasis on caries risk assessment and the ability to predict and prevent further disease. With diet considered a key factor in the development of caries, the level of caries risk posed by dietary habits, such as the frequency of intake and timing of free sugars is questioned. To identify reliable and simple dietary risk factors for caries experience. A cross-sectional observational study of a convenience sample with data gained from clinical examinations, questionnaire and a 24 hour dietary-recall interview. 128 subjects aged 11-12 from comprehensive schools in Greater Manchester and Newcastle upon-Tyne, UK. free sugars consumed between meals, before bed and total % of total free sugars consumed were assessed from dietary assessments led by a dietitian. D4-6MFT was generated with a caries threshold of ICDAS stage 4 from clinical examinations. Analysis revealed no significant differences in caries experience when looking specifically at caries into dentine, referred to as the cavity group (split at D4-6MFT), between high and low deprivation, consumption of free sugars between meals and free sugars (%). The consumption of free sugars within the hour before bed revealed a statistically significant difference between the cavity/no cavity groups (p=0.002). Logistic regression analysis on the cavity/no cavity groups revealed an odds ratio of 2.4 (95%CI 1.3,4.4) for free sugars consumption before bedtime. The study suggests that the consumption of free sugars before bedtime may be an important risk factor for adolescent caries into dentine experience. Copyright© 2017 Dennis Barber Ltd.

  2. Hospital financial position and the adoption of electronic health records.

    PubMed

    Ginn, Gregory O; Shen, Jay J; Moseley, Charles B

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between financial position and adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in 2442 acute care hospitals. The study was cross-sectional and utilized a general linear mixed model with the multinomial distribution specification for data analysis. We verified the results by also running a multinomial logistic regression model. To measure our variables, we used data from (1) the 2007 American Hospital Association (AHA) electronic health record implementation survey, (2) the 2006 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Cost Reports, and (3) the 2006 AHA Annual Survey containing organizational and operational data. Our dependent variable was an ordinal variable with three levels used to indicate the extent of EHR adoption by hospitals. Our independent variables were five financial ratios: (1) net days revenue in accounts receivable, (2) total margin, (3) the equity multiplier, (4) total asset turnover, and (5) the ratio of total payroll to total expenses. For control variables, we used (1) bed size, (2) ownership type, (3) teaching affiliation, (4) system membership, (5) network participation, (6) fulltime equivalent nurses per adjusted average daily census, (7) average daily census per staffed bed, (8) Medicare patients percentage, (9) Medicaid patients percentage, (10) capitation-based reimbursement, and (11) nonconcentrated market. Only liquidity was significant and positively associated with EHR adoption. Asset turnover ratio was significant but, unexpectedly, was negatively associated with EHR adoption. However, many control variables, most notably bed size, showed significant positive associations with EHR adoption. Thus, it seems that hospitals adopt EHRs as a strategic move to better align themselves with their environment.

  3. Effects of uncertain topographic input data on two-dimensional flow modeling in a gravel-bed river

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Legleiter, C.J.; Kyriakidis, P.C.; McDonald, R.R.; Nelson, J.M.

    2011-01-01

    Many applications in river research and management rely upon two-dimensional (2D) numerical models to characterize flow fields, assess habitat conditions, and evaluate channel stability. Predictions from such models are potentially highly uncertain due to the uncertainty associated with the topographic data provided as input. This study used a spatial stochastic simulation strategy to examine the effects of topographic uncertainty on flow modeling. Many, equally likely bed elevation realizations for a simple meander bend were generated and propagated through a typical 2D model to produce distributions of water-surface elevation, depth, velocity, and boundary shear stress at each node of the model's computational grid. Ensemble summary statistics were used to characterize the uncertainty associated with these predictions and to examine the spatial structure of this uncertainty in relation to channel morphology. Simulations conditioned to different data configurations indicated that model predictions became increasingly uncertain as the spacing between surveyed cross sections increased. Model sensitivity to topographic uncertainty was greater for base flow conditions than for a higher, subbankfull flow (75% of bankfull discharge). The degree of sensitivity also varied spatially throughout the bend, with the greatest uncertainty occurring over the point bar where the flow field was influenced by topographic steering effects. Uncertain topography can therefore introduce significant uncertainty to analyses of habitat suitability and bed mobility based on flow model output. In the presence of such uncertainty, the results of these studies are most appropriately represented in probabilistic terms using distributions of model predictions derived from a series of topographic realizations. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

  4. Does a single specialty intensive care unit make better business sense than a multi-specialty intensive care unit? A costing study in a trauma center in India.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Parmeshwar; Jithesh, Vishwanathan; Gupta, Shakti Kumar

    2015-01-01

    Though intensive care units (ICUs) only account for 10% of hospital beds, they consume nearly 22% of hospital resources. Few definitive costing studies have been conducted in Indian settings that would help determine appropriate resource allocation. To evaluate and compare the cost of intensive care delivery between multi-specialty and neurosurgery ICU in an apex trauma care facility in India. The study was conducted in a polytrauma and neurosurgery ICU at a 203 bedded level IV trauma care facility in New Delhi, India from May, 2012 to June 2012. The study was cross-sectional, retrospective, and record-based. Traditional costing was used to arrive at the cost for both direct and indirect cost estimates. The cost centers included in study were building cost, equipment cost, human resources, materials and supplies, clinical and nonclinical support services, engineering maintenance cost, and biomedical waste management. Fisher's two-tailed t-test. Total cost/bed/day for the multi-specialty ICU was Rs. 14,976.9/- and for the neurosurgery ICU was Rs. 14,306.7/-, manpower constituting nearly half of the expenditure in both ICUs. The cost center wise and overall difference in the cost among the ICUs were statistically significant. Quantification of expenditure in running an ICU in a trauma center would assist healthcare decision makers in better allocation of resources. Although multi-specialty ICUs are more expensive, other factors will also play a role in defining the kind of ICU that need to be designed.

  5. A comparative cost analysis of polytrauma and neurosurgery Intensive Care Units at an apex trauma care facility in India.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Parmeshwar; Jithesh, V; Gupta, Shakti Kumar

    2016-07-01

    Although Intensive Care Units (ICUs) only account for 10% of the hospital beds, they consume nearly 22% of the hospital resources. Few definitive costing studies have been conducted in Indian settings that would help determine appropriate resource allocation. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cost of intensive care delivery between multispecialty and neurosurgery ICUs at an apex trauma care facility in India. The study was conducted in a polytrauma and neurosurgery ICU at a 203-bedded Level IV trauma care facility in New Delhi, India, from May 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. The study was cross-sectional, retrospective, and record-based. Traditional costing was used to arrive at the cost for both direct and indirect cost estimates. The cost centers included in the study were building cost, equipment cost, human resources, materials and supplies, clinical and nonclinical support services, engineering maintenance cost, and biomedical waste management. Statistical analysis was performed by Fisher's two tailed t-test. Total cost/bed/day for the multispecialty ICU was Rs. 14,976.9/- and for the neurosurgery ICU, it was Rs. 14,306.7/-, workforce constituting nearly half of the expenditure in both ICUs. The cost center wise and overall difference in the cost among the ICUs were statistically significant. Quantification of expenditure in running an ICU in a trauma center would assist health-care decision makers in better allocation of resources. Although multispecialty ICUs are more cost-effective, other factors will also play a role in defining the kind of ICU that needs to be designed.

  6. House Dust Mite Prevalence in the House of Patients with Atopic Dermatitis in Mashhad, Iran

    PubMed Central

    Ziyaei, Toktam; Berenji, Fariba; Jabbari-Azad, Farahzad; Fata, Abdolmajid; Jarahi, Lida; Fereidouni, Mohammad

    2017-01-01

    Background: Being exposed to house dust mites intensifies atopic dermatitis. This study has investigated the contamination rate with Dermatophagoides mites in patient’s residential home with atopic dermatitis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients took part with atopic dermatitis (positive or negative for mites by prick Dermal Test). Samples were collected from 3 locations (living room, bedroom and bed) by vacuum cleaner. Dust samples (transferred to freezer −20 °C) were examined by direct method and flotation. The data were analyzed using statistical SPSS vr.20 software. Results: Twenty patients of positive prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. The results of direct observation of mites: 7 cases (35%) in bedding sheets, 6 cases (30%) bedrooms’ carpet, 3 cases (15%) living room’s carpet. Twenty patients of negative prick test included 8 (40%) male and 12 (60%) female. Only mites were found (5%) in living room’s carpets of negative prick test patients. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was more frequent than Dermatophagoides farinae. (98% vs 83%). Conclusion: Fifty-five percent of residential homes of prick test positive patients and only 5% of residential homes of prick test negative patients were positive for mite. Sunshine provided home had fewer mites than home where sunshine is not provided. Prick test positive patients used handmade carpets more than machine made ones. In positive prick test patients, mites were found in bed sheet and bedroom’s carpet more than negative prick test patient’s sheets and carpets. PMID:29062855

  7. Fixed-bed operation for manganese removal from water using chitosan/bentonite/MnO composite beads.

    PubMed

    Muliwa, Anthony M; Leswifi, Taile Y; Maity, Arjun; Ochieng, Aoyi; Onyango, Maurice S

    2018-04-24

    In the present study, a new composite adsorbent, chitosan/bentonite/manganese oxide (CBMnO) beads, cross-linked with tetraethyl-ortho-silicate (TEOS) was applied in a fixed-bed column for the removal of Mn (II) from water. The adsorbent was characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR), N 2 adsorption-desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, and moreover the point of zero charge (pH pzc ) was determined. The extend of Mn (II) breakthrough behaviour was investigated by varying bed mass, flow rate and influent concentration, and by using real environmental water samples. The dynamics of the column showed great dependency of breakthrough curves on the process conditions. The breakthrough time (t b ), bed exhaustion time (t s ), bed capacity (q e ) and the overall bed efficiency (R%) increased with an increase in bed mass, but decreased with the increase in both influent flow rate and concentration. Non-linear regression suggested that the Thomas model effectively described the breakthrough curves while large-scale column performance could be estimated by the bed depth service time (BDST) model. Experiments with environmental water revealed that coexisting ions had little impact on Mn (II) removal, and it was possible to achieve 6.0 mg/g breakthrough capacity (q b ), 4.0 L total treated water and 651 bed volumes processed with an initial concentration of 38.5 mg/L and 5.0 g bed mass. The exhausted bed could be regenerated with 0.001 M nitric acid solution within 1 h, and the sorbent could be reused twice without any significant loss of capacity. The findings advocate that CBMnO composite beads can provide an efficient scavenging pathway for Mn (II) in polluted water.

  8. The Importance of Splat Events to the Spatiotemporal Structure of Near-Bed Fluid Velocity and Bed Load Motion Over Bed Forms: Laboratory Experiments Downstream of a Backward Facing Step

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leary, K. C. P.; Schmeeckle, M. W.

    2017-12-01

    Flow separation/reattachment on the lee side of alluvial bed forms is known to produce a complex turbulence field, but the spatiotemporal details of the associated patterns of bed load sediment transported remain largely unknown. Here we report turbulence-resolving, simultaneous measurements of bed load motion and near-bed fluid velocity downstream of a backward facing step in a laboratory flume. Two synchronized high-speed video cameras simultaneously observed bed load motion and the motion of neutrally buoyant particles in a laser light sheet 6 mm above the bed at 250 frames/s downstream of a 3.8 cm backward facing step. Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) and Acoustic Doppler Velocimetry (ADV) were used to characterize fluid turbulent patterns, while manual particle tracking techniques were used to characterize bed load transport. Octant analysis, conducted using ADV data, coupled with Markovian sequence probability analysis highlights differences in the flow near reattachment versus farther downstream. Near reattachment, three distinct flow patterns are apparent. Farther downstream we see the development of a dominant flow sequence. Localized, intermittent, high-magnitude transport events are more apparent near flow reattachment. These events are composed of streamwise and cross-stream fluxes of comparable magnitudes. Transport pattern and fluid velocity data are consistent with the existence of permeable "splat events," wherein a volume of fluid moves toward and impinges on the bed (sweep) causing a radial movement of fluid in all directions around the point of impingement (outward interaction). This is congruent with flow patterns, identified with octant analysis, proximal to flow reattachment.

  9. The prevalence and correlates of binge eating disorder in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

    PubMed Central

    Kessler, Ronald C.; Berglund, Patricia A.; Chiu, Wai Tat; Deitz, Anne C.; Hudson, James I.; Shahly, Victoria; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Angermeyer, Matthias C.; Benjet, Corina; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Graaf, Ron; Haro, Josep Maria; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; O’Neill, Siobhan; Posada-Villa, Jose; Sasu, Carmen; Scott, Kate; Viana, Maria Carmen; Xavier, Miguel

    2013-01-01

    Background Little population-based data exist outside the United States on the epidemiology of binge eating disorder (BED). Cross-national data on BED are presented and compared to bulimia nervosa (BN) based on the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Methods Community surveys with 24,124 respondents (ages 18+) across 14 mostly upper-middle and high income countries assessed lifetime and 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Physical disorders were assessed with a chronic conditions checklist. Results Country-specific lifetime prevalence estimates are consistently (median; inter-quartile range) higher for BED (1.4%;0.8–1.9%) than BN (0.8%;0.4–1.0%). Median age-of-onset is in the late teens to early 20s for both disorders but slightly younger for BN. Persistence is slightly higher for BN (6.5 years; 2.2–15.4) than BED (4.3 years; 1.0–11.7). Lifetime risk of both disorders is elevated for women and recent cohorts. Retrospective reports suggest that comorbid anxiety, mood, and disruptive behavior disorders predict subsequent onset of BN somewhat more strongly than BED and that BN predicts subsequent comorbid psychiatric disorders somewhat more strongly than does BED. Significant comorbidities with physical conditions are due almost entirely to BN and BED predicting subsequent onset of these conditions, again with BN somewhat stronger than BED. Role impairments are similar for BN and BED. Fewer than half of lifetime BN or BED cases receive treatment. Conclusions BED represents a public health problem at least equal to BN. Low treatment rates highlight the clinical importance of questioning patients about eating problems even when not included among presenting complaints. PMID:23290497

  10. Bedload transport rates in a gravel bedded-river derived from high-resolution monitoring using seismic impact plates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Downs, Peter; Soar, Philip

    2015-04-01

    Accurate characterisation of bedload transport rates is critical for a better understanding of geomorphological process dynamics, aquatic habitats, sediment budgets and strategies for catchment-scale initiatives in sediment management under conditions of climate change. However, rate estimation is challenging in practice: direct measurements are costly and logistically difficult to achieve with acceptable accuracy over geomorphologically-relevant time periods, and the uncertainty in transport rates predicted from empirical formulae and numerical simulation is rarely below 50 per cent. Partly reflecting these issues, passive technologies for continuous bedload monitoring are becoming increasingly popular. Sensors such as seismic impact plates offer the opportunity to characterise bedload activity at exceptionally high resolution - monitoring from the River Avon, (Devon, UK) indicated that despite significant intra-event and between-plate differences in apparent bedload transport aggregated over 5-minute periods, the magnitude-frequency product of discharge and impact frequency result in a highly plausible effective discharge, supporting the potential value of impact plates as indicators of relative sediment transport loads over annual timescales. Whereas the focus in bedload rate estimation to date has been on developing satisfactory sediment rating curves from detection signals, we instead develop a method for directly estimating bedload transport rates from impact plate data as a function of intensity of transport (count, n, per second), bed material mass (kg) and cross-stream transport variability. Bulk sediment samples are converted to a mass in transit for each instantaneous discharge according to the intensity of transport and a Monte Carlo simulation of the load in transit determined at random from the bed material particle size distribution. The lower detection threshold is determined using experimental calibration and the upper size limit is determined from incipient motion estimates thereby establishing the fraction of transported material sensed by the plates. The lateral variability in transport rates across the cross-section is estimated empirically using multiple plates or by interpolation. This procedure provides a potentially affordable and robust method of achieving uncertainty-bound indicative measures of bedload transport with the potential for wide-ranging practical applications.

  11. Channel adjustments to historical disturbances along the lower Brazos and Sabine Rivers, south-central USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Heitmuller, Franklin T.

    2014-01-01

    Historical channel adjustments are documented and discussed in context with anthropogenic disturbances along two meandering, coastal plain rivers - the lower Brazos and Sabine Rivers in the south-central United States. Hard-copy streamflow-measurement notes of the U.S. Geological Survey were utilized to render historical cross sections (1925-2007) at nine gauging stations, which were complemented with repeat photographs and flood-frequency analysis to assess trajectories of channel change and interpret causative mechanisms. Downstream- and upstream-propagating disturbances caused episodes of channel-bed incision and aggradation at different locations for distinct time periods along both rivers. Incision associated with upstream dams is detected, but channels are compensated downstream with sediment inputs from lateral channel migration and tributaries. In one case, temporary aggradation along the Brazos River at Waco was likely caused by a combination of dam construction and regional soil erosion. Channel-bed incision on the lowermost Brazos River is unrelated to dams, but is associated with instream aggregate extraction, possibly in conjunction with downstream channelization. On the Sabine River, extensive aggradation during the 1930s might be associated with logging activities (1880s-1930s), but whether the cause is pervasive regional-scale hillslope erosion or local-scale mill-site activities is indeterminate. Following passage of this sediment, the river generally recovered to pre-disturbance conditions and has exhibited stability despite a mainstem reservoir. Translation of this sediment slug is attenuated by a transition to a flood-prone, distributary-dominated system downstream of the Holocene-Pleistocene terrace onlap position. Additional findings include cross-channel hingepoints separating thalweg incision from simultaneous point-bar or bank accretion at meander bends, which indicates channel adjustment occurs along non-cohesive beds in preference to cohesive or artificially reinforced banks. Also, flood reduction has resulted in bankfull stages that are higher than levels associated with the post-regulation 2-year return period. Finally, vegetation encroachment along banks since the 1970s coupled with reduced flooding along the lower Brazos River has promoted bank accretion deposits that, when fully developed, serve as morphologic indicators of the post-regulation 1- to 2-year return period stage.

  12. Constructing river stage-discharge rating curves using remotely sensed river cross-sectional inundation areas and river bathymetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Feifei; Wang, Cheng; Xi, Xiaohuan

    2016-09-01

    Remote sensing from satellites and airborne platforms provides valuable data for monitoring and gauging river discharge. One effective approach first estimates river stage from satellite-measured inundation area based on the inundation area-river stage relationship (IARSR), and then the estimated river stage is used to compute river discharge based on the stage-discharge rating (SDR) curve. However, this approach is difficult to implement because of a lack of data for constructing the SDR curves. This study proposes a new method to construct the SDR curves using remotely sensed river cross-sectional inundation areas and river bathymetry. The proposed method was tested over a river reach between two USGS gauging stations, i.e., Kingston Mines (KM) and Copperas Creek (CC) along the Illinois River. First a polygon over each of two cross sections was defined. A complete IARSR curve was constructed inside each polygon using digital elevation model (DEM) and river bathymetric data. The constructed IARSR curves were then used to estimate 47 river water surface elevations at each cross section based on 47 river inundation areas estimated from Landsat TM images collected during 1994-2002. The estimated water surface elevations were substituted into an objective function formed by the Bernoulli equation of gradually varied open channel flow. A nonlinear global optimization scheme was applied to solve the Manning's coefficient through minimizing the objective function value. Finally the SDR curve was constructed at the KM site using the solved Manning's coefficient, channel cross sectional geometry and the Manning's equation, and employed to estimate river discharges. The root mean square error (RMSE) in the estimated river discharges against the USGS measured river discharges is 112.4 m3/s. To consider the variation of the Manning's coefficient in the vertical direction, this study also suggested a power-law function to describe the vertical decline of the Manning's coefficient with the water level from the channel bed lowest elevation to the bank-full level. The constructed SDR curve with the vertical variation of the Manning's coefficient reduced the RMSE in the estimated river discharges to 83.9 m3/s. These results indicate that the method developed and tested in this study is effective and robust, and has the potential for improving our ability of remote sensing of river discharge and providing data for water resources management, global water cycle study, and flood forecasting and prevention.

  13. Bed-material entrainment and associated transportation infrastructure problems in streams of the Edwards Plateau, central Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Heitmuller, Franklin T.; Asquith, William H.

    2008-01-01

    The Texas Department of Transportation commonly builds and maintains low-water crossings (LWCs) over streams in the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. LWCs are low-height structures, typically constructed of concrete and asphalt, that provide acceptable passage over seasonal rivers or streams with relatively low normal-depth flow. They are designed to accommodate flow by roadway overtopping during high-flow events. The streams of the Edwards Plateau are characterized by cobble- and gravel-sized bed material and highly variable flow regimes. Low base flows that occur most of the time occasionally are interrupted by severe floods. The floods entrain and transport substantial loads of bed material in the stream channels. As a result, LWCs over streams in the Edwards Plateau are bombarded and abraded by bed material during floods and periodically must be maintained or even replaced.

  14. A continuous operating protection system called COPS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chaperon, G.

    1987-01-01

    The continuous operating protection system called COPS is a diverless solution to achieve the stabilization and protection of subsea pipelines and cables: the system is based on the use of a continuous fabric form work mattress which is spread on the sea bed over the pipeline or cable to be protected by a remotely controlled underwater crawler and simultaneously filled with cement grout. The method has been successfully used in the GULLFAKS field where about 3.6 km of grout mattresses having a cross section of 2 meters by 0.2 meters have been laid. The performances of the system are presentedmore » as well as a trade off comparison with the other stabilization and protection methods currently used: burying, rock dumping or placement of covers.« less

  15. Binge eating disorder and depression: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Araujo, Daniele Marano Rocha; Santos, Giovana Fonseca da Silva; Nardi, Antonio Egídio

    2010-03-01

    The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine previous studies that investigated the relation between depression and binge eating disorder (BED). Medline/PubMed published data from 1980 through 2006 was tracked using the following keywords: "binge eating disorder and depression", "periodic binge eating and depression", "binge eating disorder" and "periodic binge eating". The findings of 14 studies were successfully highlighted: one cohort, four cross-sectional and nine case-control studies. Most studies (7/14) were conducted in the United States, with missing data varying between 2.3 and 44.32%, and seven studies emphasizing the most important variables. The majority of the studies (10/14) showed an association between depression and binge eating disorder, but carefully designed studies are required to minimize the limitations found in these studies.

  16. Laminar laboratory rivers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seizilles, Grégoire; Devauchelle, Olivier; Lajeunesse, Éric; Métivier, François

    2014-05-01

    A viscous fluid flowing over fine plastic grains spontaneously channelizes into a few centimeters-wide river. After reaching its equilibrium shape, this stable laboratory flume is able to carry a steady load of sediments, like many alluvial rivers. When the sediment discharge vanishes, the river size, shape and slope fit the threshold theory proposed by Glover and Florey (1951), which assumes that the Shields parameter is critical on the channel bed. As the sediment discharge is increased, the river widens and flattens. Surprisingly, the aspect ratio of its cross section depends on the sediment discharge only, regardless of the water discharge. We propose a theoretical interpretation of these findings based on the balance between gravity, which pulls particles towards the center of the channel, and the diffusion of bedload particles, which pushes them away from areas of intense bedload.

  17. Adaptations to unilateral lower limb suspension in humans

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dudley, Gary A.; Duvoisin, Marc R.; Adams, Gregory R.; Meyer, Ronald A.; Belew, Anne H.; Buchanan, Paul

    1992-01-01

    The effect of unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS) on neuromuscular function in humans is analyzed. All ambulatory activity on crutches was performed by eight subjects for 6 weeks who wear a shoe with a 10 cm sole on the right foot to unweight the left lower limb. Results show that average muscle cross sectional area (CSA) of the left knee extensor (KE) decreased 16 percent whereas the KE of the nonsuspended right limb showed no changes. Maximal integrated electromyography of vastus lateralis and overall mean power frequency of gastrocnemius medialis and soleus for submaximal isometric actions were both decreased post-ULLS. It is concluded that six weeks of ULLS induces adaptations in the neuromuscular system of humans which are comparable to those induced by bed rest and spaceflight.

  18. Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation, Colorado Plateau, United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sanabria, Diego Ignacio

    2001-07-01

    Detailed outcrop analysis of the Lower Jurassic Kayenta Formation provides the basis for the formulation of a new sequence stratigraphic model for arid to semi-arid continental deposits and the generation of a comprehensive set of sedimentologic criteria for the recognition of ephemeral stream deposits. Criteria for the recognition of ephemeral deposits in the ancient record were divided into three categories according to the scale of the feature being considered. The first category takes into account sedimentary structures commonly found in the record of ephemeral stream deposits including hyperconcentrated and debris flow deposits, planar parallel bedding, sigmoidal cross-bedding, hummocky cross-bedding, climbing ripple lamination, scour-and-fill structures, convolute bedding, overturned cross-bedding, ball-and-pillow structures, pocket structures, pillars, mud curls, flaser lamination, algal lamination, termite nests, and vertebrate tracks. The second category is concerned with the mesoscale facies architecture of ephemeral stream deposits and includes waning flow successions, bedform climb, downstream accretion, terminal wadi splays, and channel-fill successions indicating catastrophic flooding. At the large-scale facies architecture level, the third category, ephemeral stream deposits are commonly arranged in depositional units characterized by a downstream decrease in grain size and scale of sedimentary structures resulting from deposition in terminal fan systems. Outcrops of the Kayenta Formation and its transition to the Navajo Sandstone along the Vermilion and Echo Cliffs of Northern Arizona indicate that wet/dry climatic cyclicity exerted a major control on regional facies architecture. Two scales of wet/dry climatic cyclicity can be recognized in northern Arizona. Three sequence sets composed of rocks accumulated under predominantly dry or wet conditions are the expression of long-term climatic cyclicity. Short-term climatic cyclicity, on the other hand, is represented by high-frequency sequences composed of eolian or ephemeral fluvial deposits overlain by perennial fluvial sediments. Increased evapotranspiration rates, depressed water tables, and accumulation of eolian or ephemeral fluvial deposits characterize the dry portion of these cycles. The wet part of the cycles is marked by an increase in precipitation and the establishment of perennial fluvial systems and lacustrine basins. This depositional model constitutes a valuable tool for correlation of similar deposits in the subsurface.

  19. The Financial Effect of Value-Based Purchasing and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program on Safety-Net Hospitals in 2014: A Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Gilman, Matlin; Hockenberry, Jason M; Adams, E Kathleen; Milstein, Arnold S; Wilson, Ira B; Becker, Edmund R

    2015-09-15

    Medicare's value-based purchasing (VBP) and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) could disproportionately affect safety-net hospitals. To determine whether safety-net hospitals incur larger financial penalties than other hospitals under VBP and HRRP. Cross-sectional analysis. United States in 2014. 3022 acute care hospitals participating in VBP and the HRRP. Safety-net hospitals were defined as being in the top quartile of the Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) patient percentage and Medicare uncompensated care (UCC) payments per bed. The differences in penalties in both total dollars and dollars per bed between safety-net hospitals and other hospitals were estimated with the use of bivariate and graphical regression methods. Safety-net hospitals in the top quartile of each measure were more likely to be penalized under VBP than other hospitals (62.9% vs. 51.0% under the DSH definition and 60.3% vs. 51.5% under the UCC per-bed definition). This was also the case under the HRRP (80.8% vs. 69.0% and 81.9% vs. 68.7%, respectively). Safety-net hospitals also had larger payment penalties ($115 900 vs. $66 600 and $150 100 vs. $54 900, respectively). On a per-bed basis, this translated to $436 versus $332 and $491 versus $314, respectively. Sensitivity analysis setting the cutoff at the top decile rather than the top quartile decile led to similar conclusions with somewhat larger differences between safety-net and other hospitals. The quadratic fit of the data indicated that the larger effect of these penalties is in the middle of the distribution of the DSH and UCC measures. Only 2 measures of safety-net status were included in the analyses. Safety-net hospitals were disproportionately likely to be affected under VBP and the HRRP, but most incurred relatively small payment penalties in 2014. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

  20. Sleep indices and eating behaviours in young adults: findings from Project EAT.

    PubMed

    Ogilvie, Rachel P; Lutsey, Pamela L; Widome, Rachel; Laska, Melissa N; Larson, Nicole; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2018-03-01

    To test the associations between sleep indices and eating behaviours in young adults, a group vulnerable to suboptimal sleep. Cross-sectional analysis of survey measures of sleep (i.e. time in bed, variability, timing and quality) and dietary patterns (i.e. breakfast skipping, eating at fast-food restaurants, consumption of sports and energy drinks, and sugar-free, sugar-sweetened and caffeinated beverages). Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota (USA). A total of 1854 respondents (20-30 years, 55·6 % female) from the 2008-2009 survey conducted for the third wave of the population-based Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) study. After adjustment for demographic and behavioural covariates in linear regression models, those who went to bed after 00.30 hours consumed 0·3 more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages per day, consumed 1·7 times more energy drinks, skipped breakfast 1·8 more times per week and consumed fast food 0·3 more times per week compared with those who went to bed before 22.30 hours. Reported sleep quality in the lowest (Q1) v. highest (Q3) tertile was associated with more intake of energy drinks (Q3 v. Q1, prevalence ratio, 95 % CI: 1·79, 1·24, 2·34), sports drinks (1·28, 1·00, 1·55) and breakfast skipping (adjusted mean, 95 % CI: Q1: 4·03, 3·81, 4·26; Q3: 3·43, 3·17, 3·69). Time in bed and sleep variability were associated with few eating behaviours. Some, but not all, sleep indices were related to problematic eating behaviours. Sleep habits may be important to address in interventions and policies that target improvements in eating patterns and health outcomes.

  1. Late pleistocene aggradation and degradation of the lower colorado river: Perspectives from the Cottonwood area and other reconnaissance below Boulder Canyon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lundstrom, S.C.; Mahan, S.A.; Paces, J.B.; Hudson, M.R.; House, P.K.; Malmon, D.V.; Blair, J.L.; Howard, K.A.

    2008-01-01

    Where the lower Colorado River traverses the Basin and Range Province below the Grand Canyon, significant late Pleistocene aggradation and subsequent degrada tion of the river are indicated by luminescence, paleomagnetic, and U-series data and stratigraphy. Aggradational, finely bedded reddish mud, clay, and silt are underlain and overlain by cross-bedded to plane-bedded fine sand and silt. That sequence is commonly disconformably overlain by up to 15 m of coarse sand, rounded exotic gravel, and angular, locally derived gravel. Luminescence dates on the fine sediments range from ca. 40 ka to 70 ka, considering collective uncertainties. A section of fine grained sediments over a vertical range of 15 m shows normal polarity magnetization and little apparent secular variation beyond dispersion that can be explained by com paction. Aggradation on large local tributaries such as Las Vegas Wash appears to have been coeval with that of the Colorado River. The upper limits of erosional rem nants of the sequence define a steeper grade above the historical river, and these late Pleistocene deposits are greater than 100 m above the modern river north of 35??N. Ter race gravels inset below the upper limit of the aggradational sequence yield 230Th dates that range from ca. 32 ka to 60 ka and indicate that degradation of the river system in this area closely followed aggradation. The thick sequence of rhythmically bedded mud and silt possibly indicates set tings that were ponded laterally between valley slopes and levees of the aggrading river. Potential driving mechanisms for such aggradation and degradation include sediment-yield response to climate change, drought, fire, vegetation-ecosystem dynam ics, glaciation, paleofloods, groundwater discharge, and building and destruction of natural dams produced by volcanism and landslides. ?? 2008 The Geological Society of America.

  2. The Use of Mosquito Nets and the Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Rural South Central Somalia

    PubMed Central

    Noor, Abdisalan M.; Moloney, Grainne; Borle, Mohamed; Fegan, Greg W.; Shewchuk, Tanya; Snow, Robert W.

    2008-01-01

    Background There have been resurgent efforts in Africa to estimate the public health impact of malaria control interventions such as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) following substantial investments in scaling-up coverage in the last five years. Little is known, however, on the effectiveness of ITN in areas of Africa that support low transmission. This hinders the accurate estimation of impact of ITN use on disease burden and its cost-effectiveness in low transmission settings. Methods and Principal Findings Using a stratified two-stage cluster sample design, four cross-sectional studies were undertaken between March-June 2007 across three livelihood groups in an area of low intensity malaria transmission in South Central Somalia. Information on bed net use; age; and sex of all participants were recorded. A finger prick blood sample was taken from participants to examine for parasitaemia. Mantel-Haenzel methods were used to measure the effect of net use on parasitaemia adjusting for livelihood; age; and sex. A total of 10,587 individuals of all ages were seen of which 10,359 provided full information. Overall net use and parasite prevalence were 12.4% and 15.7% respectively. Age-specific protective effectiveness (PE) of bed net ranged from 39% among <5 years to 72% among 5–14 years old. Overall PE of bed nets was 54% (95% confidence interval 44%–63%) after adjusting for livelihood; sex; and age. Conclusions and Significance Bed nets confer high protection against parasite infection in South Central Somalia. In such areas where baseline transmission is low, however, the absolute reductions in parasitaemia due to wide-scale net use will be relatively small raising questions on the cost-effectiveness of covering millions of people living in such settings in Africa with nets. Further understanding of the progress of disease upon infection against the cost of averting its consequent burden in low transmission areas of Africa is therefore required. PMID:18461178

  3. The use of mosquito nets and the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection in rural South Central Somalia.

    PubMed

    Noor, Abdisalan M; Moloney, Grainne; Borle, Mohamed; Fegan, Greg W; Shewchuk, Tanya; Snow, Robert W

    2008-05-07

    There have been resurgent efforts in Africa to estimate the public health impact of malaria control interventions such as insecticide treated nets (ITNs) following substantial investments in scaling-up coverage in the last five years. Little is known, however, on the effectiveness of ITN in areas of Africa that support low transmission. This hinders the accurate estimation of impact of ITN use on disease burden and its cost-effectiveness in low transmission settings. Using a stratified two-stage cluster sample design, four cross-sectional studies were undertaken between March-June 2007 across three livelihood groups in an area of low intensity malaria transmission in South Central Somalia. Information on bed net use; age; and sex of all participants were recorded. A finger prick blood sample was taken from participants to examine for parasitaemia. Mantel-Haenzel methods were used to measure the effect of net use on parasitaemia adjusting for livelihood; age; and sex. A total of 10,587 individuals of all ages were seen of which 10,359 provided full information. Overall net use and parasite prevalence were 12.4% and 15.7% respectively. Age-specific protective effectiveness (PE) of bed net ranged from 39% among <5 years to 72% among 5-14 years old. Overall PE of bed nets was 54% (95% confidence interval 44%-63%) after adjusting for livelihood; sex; and age. Bed nets confer high protection against parasite infection in South Central Somalia. In such areas where baseline transmission is low, however, the absolute reductions in parasitaemia due to wide-scale net use will be relatively small raising questions on the cost-effectiveness of covering millions of people living in such settings in Africa with nets. Further understanding of the progress of disease upon infection against the cost of averting its consequent burden in low transmission areas of Africa is therefore required.

  4. 21 CFR 890.5180 - Manual patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Manual patient rotation bed. 890.5180 Section 890.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5180 Manual patient...

  5. 21 CFR 890.5225 - Powered patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Powered patient rotation bed. 890.5225 Section 890.5225 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5225 Powered patient...

  6. 21 CFR 890.5180 - Manual patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Manual patient rotation bed. 890.5180 Section 890.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5180 Manual patient...

  7. 21 CFR 890.5225 - Powered patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Powered patient rotation bed. 890.5225 Section 890.5225 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5225 Powered patient...

  8. 21 CFR 890.5225 - Powered patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Powered patient rotation bed. 890.5225 Section 890.5225 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5225 Powered patient...

  9. 21 CFR 890.5180 - Manual patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Manual patient rotation bed. 890.5180 Section 890.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5180 Manual patient...

  10. 21 CFR 890.5225 - Powered patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Powered patient rotation bed. 890.5225 Section 890.5225 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5225 Powered patient...

  11. 21 CFR 890.5180 - Manual patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Manual patient rotation bed. 890.5180 Section 890.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5180 Manual patient...

  12. 21 CFR 890.5225 - Powered patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Powered patient rotation bed. 890.5225 Section 890.5225 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5225 Powered patient...

  13. 21 CFR 890.5180 - Manual patient rotation bed.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Manual patient rotation bed. 890.5180 Section 890.5180 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Therapeutic Devices § 890.5180 Manual patient...

  14. Bed mixing and leachate recycling strategies to overcome pressure drop buildup in the biofiltration of hydrogen sulfide.

    PubMed

    Roshani, Babak; Torkian, Ayoob; Aslani, Hasan; Dehghanzadeh, Reza

    2012-04-01

    The effects of leachate recycling and bed mixing on the removal rate of H(2)S from waste gas stream were investigated. The experimental setup consisted of an epoxy-coated three-section biofilter with an ID of 8 cm and effective bed height of 120 cm. Bed material consisted of municipal solid waste compost and PVC bits with an overall porosity of 54% and dry bulk density of 0.456 g cm(-3). Leachate recycling had a positive effect of increasing elimination capacity (EC) up to 21 g S m(-3) bed h(-1) at recycling rates of 75 ml d(-1), but in the bed mixing period EC declined to 8 g S m(-3) bed h(-1). Pressure drop had a range of zero to 18 mm H(2)O m(-1) in the course of leachate recycling. Accumulation of sulfur reduced removal efficiency and increased pressure drop up to 110 mm H(2)O m(-1) filter during the bed mixing stage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Experimental Exploration of Scale Effects and Factors Controlling Bed Load Sediment Entrainment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fathel, S. L.; Furbish, D. J.; Schmeeckle, M. W.

    2015-12-01

    Detailed measurements of individual sand grains moving on a streambed allow us to obtain a deeper understanding of the characteristics of incipient motion and evaluate spatial and temporal trends in particle entrainment. We use bed load particle motions measured from high-speed imaging (250 Hz) of uniform, coarse grained sand from two flume experiments, which have different mean fluid velocities near the bed. Particle tracking reveals more than 6,000 entrainment events in 5 seconds (Run 1) and over 5,000 events in 2 seconds (Run 2). We manually track particles, at sub-pixel resolution, from entrainment to either disentrainment or until the particle leaves the frame. Within these experiments we find that over 90% of all initial motions contain a cross-stream component of motion where approximately a third of the motions may be cross-stream dominated, and furthermore, up to 7% of the motions may be negative (i.e. move backwards). We propose that the variability in the direction of initial motion is, in part, a product of the bed topography, where we find that with increasing mean fluid velocity, the initial motion of the sand particles are less sensitive to bed topography, and are more likely to be dominated by the fluid. The high resolution of this data set, containing positions of particles measured start-to-stop, allows us to calculate the characteristic timescale required for a particle to become streamwise, or fluid, dominated in these systems. We also evaluate these data to further show whether the nature of entrainment is a memoryless, uncorrelated process, a correlated process related to the number of particles already in motion (i.e., possibly reflecting collective entrainment), or some combination of the two. This work suggests that the probability of entrainment depends on physical factors such as bed microtopography and the magnitude of the fluid velocity, in addition to varying with space and time scales.

  16. Utilizing borehole electrical images to interpret lithofacies of fan-delta: A case study of Lower Triassic Baikouquan Formation in Mahu Depression, Junggar Basin, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Rui; Zhang, Changmin; Tang, Yong; Qu, Jianhua; Guo, Xudong; Sun, Yuqiu; Zhu, Rui; Zhou, Yuanquan (Nancy)

    2017-11-01

    Large-scale conglomerate fan-delta aprons were typical deposits on the slope of Mahu Depression during the Early Triassic. Without outcrops, it is difficult to study the lithofacies only by examining the limited cores from the main oil-bearing interval of the Baikouquan Formation. Borehole electrical imaging log provides abundant high-resolution geologic information that is obtainable only from real rocks previously. Referring to the lithology and sedimentary structure of cores, a case study of fan-deltas in the Lower Triassic Baikouquan Formation of the Mahu Depression presents a methodology for interpreting the complicated lithofacies utilizing borehole electrical images. Eleven types of lithologies and five types of sedimentary structures are summarized in borehole electrical images. The sediments are fining upward from gravel to silt and clay in the Baikouquan Formation. Fine-pebbles and granules are the main deposits in T1b1 and T1b2, but sandstones, siltstones and mudstones are more developed in T1b3. The main sedimentary textures are massive beddings, cross beddings and scour-and-fill structures. Parallel and horizontal beddings are more developed in T1b3 relatively. On integrated analysis of the lithology and sedimentary structure, eight lithofacies from electrical images, referred to as image lithofacies, is established for the fan-deltas. Granules to coarse-pebbles within massive beddings, granules to coarse-pebbles within cross and parallel beddings, siltstones within horizontal and massive beddings are the most developed lithofacies respectively in T1b1, T1b2 and T1b3. It indicates a gradual rise of the lake level of Mahu depression during the Early Triassic, with the fan-delta aprons retrograding towards to the margin of the basin. Therefore, the borehole electrical imaging log compensate for the limitation of cores of the Baikouquan Formation, providing an effective new approach to interpret the lithofacies of fan-delta.

  17. Bed structure and bedload transport: Sediment grain reorientation in response to high and low flows in an experimental flume

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gurer, M.; Sullivan, S.; Masteller, C.

    2016-12-01

    Bedload is a regime of sediment transport that occurs when particles roll, hop, or bounce downstream. This mode of transport represents an important portion of the sediment load in a gravel river. Despite numerous studies focused on bedload transport, it still remains difficult to predict accurately due to the complex arrangement of riverbed particles. The formation of gravel clusters, stones being imbricated, or streamlined, and other interlocked arrangements, as well as grains armoring the bed, all tend to stabilize gravel channels and decrease bed mobility. Typically, the development of bed structure usually occurs as sediment moves downstream. However, it is unclear that gravel bed structure can be developed during weaker flows that do not generate significant sediment transport. We examine how individual sediment grains reorient themselves during low flow conditions, in the absence of sediment transport, and during high flow conditions, as bedload transport occurs. We then perform flume experiments where we expose a gravel bed to varying durations of low flow and raise the water level, simulating a flood and transporting sediment. We also compare the long-axis orientations of grains before and after each low flow period and transport. We find that sediment grains reorient themselves differently during low and high flows. During low flow, grains appear to reorient themselves with the long-axes towards cross-stream direction, or perpendicular to the flow, with longer duration flows resulting in more pronounced cross-stream orientation. During high flow, grains orient themselves with their long-axes facing downstream or parallel to the flow, similar to imbricated grains observed in the sedimentary record. Further, when transport occurs, we find that median grain orientation is strongly correlated with bedload transport rates (R^2 = 0.98). We also observe that median grain orientations more perpendicular to downstream flow result in reduced transport rates. This new result suggests that the low flow reorientation of grains perpendicular to downstream flow drives observed differences in bedload transport during high flows. We conclude that low flow periods are important for the creation of bed structure and the stabilization of gravel river channels.

  18. Variability of tidal signals in the Brent Delta Front: New observations on the Rannoch Formation, northern North Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Xiaojie; Steel, Ronald J.; Ravnås, Rodmar; Jiang, Zaixing; Olariu, Cornel; Li, Zhiyang

    2016-04-01

    Detailed observations on the Rannoch Formation in several deep Viking Graben wells indicate that the 'classical' wave-dominated Brent delta-front shows coupled storm-tide processes. The tidal signals are of three types: I): alternations of thick cross-laminated sandstone and thin mud-draped sandstone, whereby double mud drapes are prominent but discretely distributed, II): a few tidal bundles within bottomsets and foresets of up to 10 cm-thick sets cross-strata, and III): dm-thick heterolithic lamination showing multiple, well-organized sand-mud couplets. During progradation of the Brent Delta, the Rannoch shoreline system passed upward from 1) a succession dominated by clean-water, storm-event sets and cosets frequently and preferentially interbedded with type I tidal beds, and occasional types II and III tidal deposits, toward 2) very clean storm-event beds less frequently separated by types II and III tidal beds, and then into 3) a thin interval showing muddier storm-event beds mainly alternating with type II tidal beds. It is likely that those variations in preservation bias of storm and tidal beds in each facies succession result from combined effects of 1) the frequency and duration of storms; 2) river discharge; and 3) the absolute and relative strength of tides. Tidal deposits are interpreted as inter-storm, fair-weather deposits, occurred preferentially in longer intermittent fair-weather condition and periods of lower river discharge, and well-pronounced in the distal-reach of delta-front. The formation and preservation of tidal signals between storm beds, indicate that the studied Rannoch Formation was most likely a storm-dominated, tide-influenced delta front 1) near the mouth of a large Brent river, where a significant tidal prism and high tidal range might be expected, and 2) in a setting where there were relatively high sedimentation rates associated with high local subsidence rates, so that the storm waves did not completely rework the inter-storm deposits. The documentation of the unconventional Rannoch Formation contributes to our understanding of mixed-energy coastal systems.

  19. Simulation of Flow, Sediment Transport, and Sediment Mobility of the Lower Coeur d'Alene River, Idaho

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Berenbrock, Charles; Tranmer, Andrew W.

    2008-01-01

    A one-dimensional sediment-transport model and a multi-dimensional hydraulic and bed shear stress model were developed to investigate the hydraulic, sediment transport, and sediment mobility characteristics of the lower Coeur d?Alene River in northern Idaho. This report documents the development and calibration of those models, as well as the results of model simulations. The one-dimensional sediment-transport model (HEC-6) was developed, calibrated, and used to simulate flow hydraulics and erosion, deposition, and transport of sediment in the lower Coeur d?Alene River. The HEC-6 modeled reach, comprised of 234 cross sections, extends from Enaville, Idaho, on the North Fork of the Coeur d?Alene River and near Pinehurst, Idaho, on the South Fork of the river to near Harrison, Idaho, on the main stem of the river. Bed-sediment samples collected by previous investigators and samples collected for this study in 2005 were used in the model. Sediment discharge curves from a previous study were updated using suspended-sediment samples collected at three sites since April 2000. The HEC-6 was calibrated using river discharge and water-surface elevations measured at five U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations. The calibrated HEC-6 model allowed simulation of management alternatives to assess erosion and deposition from proposed dredging of contaminated streambed sediments in the Dudley reach. Four management alternatives were simulated with HEC-6. Before the start of simulation for these alternatives, seven cross sections in the reach near Dudley, Idaho, were deepened 20 feet?removing about 296,000 cubic yards of sediments?to simulate dredging. Management alternative 1 simulated stage-discharge conditions from 2000, and alternative 2 simulated conditions from 1997. Results from alternatives 1 and 2 indicated that about 6,500 and 12,300 cubic yards, respectively, were deposited in the dredged reach. These figures represent 2 and 4 percent, respectively, of the total volume of dredged sediments removed before the start of simulation. In alternatives 3 and 4, the incoming total sediment discharges from the South Fork of the river were decreased by one-half. Management alternative 3 simulated stage-discharge conditions from 2000, and alternative 4 simulated conditions from 1997. Reducing incoming sediment discharge from the South Fork did not affect the streambed and deposition in the Dudley and downstream reaches, probably because the distance between the South Fork and the Dudley reach is long enough for sediment supply, transport capacity, and channel geometry to be balanced before reaching the Dudley and downstream reaches. Development and calibration of a multi-dimensional hydraulic and bed shear stress model (FASTMECH) allowed simulation of water-surface elevation, depth, velocity, bed shear stress, and sediment mobility in the Dudley reach (5.3 miles). The computational grid incorporated bathymetric and Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data, with a node spacing of about 2.5 meters. With the exception of the fourth FASTMECH calibration simulation, results from the FASTMECH calibration simulations indicated that flow depths, flow velocities, and bed shear stresses increased as river discharge increased. Water-surface elevations in the fourth calibration simulation were about 2 feet higher than those in the other simulations because high lake levels in Coeur d?Alene Lake caused backwater conditions. Average simulated velocities along the thalweg ranged from about 3 to 5.3 feet per second, and maximum simulated velocities ranged from 3.9 to 7 feet per second. In the dredged reach, average simulated velocity along the thalweg ranged from 3.5 to 6 feet per second. The model also simulated several back-eddies (flow reversal); the largest eddy encompassed about one-third of the river width. Average bed shear stresses increased more than 200 percent from the first to the last simulation. Simulated sediment mobility, asses

  20. Sequence stratigraphy of the lower Upper Cretaceous Elbtal Group (Saxony, Germany): new data from Middle Cenomanian-Upper Turonian outcrops and boreholes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richardt, Nadine; Wilmsen, Markus

    2013-04-01

    The formations of the Saxonian Cretaceous have been combined in the so-called Elbtal Group. Their sedimentation took place in a terrestrial to neritic environment palaeogeographically located between the Mid-European Island (MEI) in the SW and the Lusatian Massif in the NE. The through extended from the narrow marine strait of Saxony into the broad Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (Czech Republic) further to the SE. Deposition has been dominated by marine siliciclastics that accumulated on a graded shelf with basically three main facies zones: the coarse-grained nearshore zone ("Küstensandsteinzone"), the transitional zone ("Faziesübergangszone") and the fine-grained marly offshore facies zone ("Plänerfazies"). In general, transgression proceeded in late Early Cenomanian times from the N. Relictic remains of these marine bioclastic conglomerates (Meißen Formation) only occur in the northwesternmost area of the basin around Meißen and are related to the highstand of the depositional sequence Cenomanian 3 (DS Ce 3). After a short stratigraphic gap, onlap continued in the Middle Cenomanian with the following Niederschöna Formation consisting of coarse-grained braided river deposits at the base grading via carbonaceous point-bar cycles of a meandering river system into bioturbated, partly cross-bedded estuarine sediments toward the top. These sediments record DS Ce 4 and are capped by a paleosol. Sedimentation of DS Ce 5 started with a renewed transgressional pulse initiating the Late Cenomanian. The strata consist of bioturbated, cross-bedded predominantly fine- to medium-grained quartz sandstones with some shell-rich horizons corresponding to the Oberhäslich Formation. The unconformably overlying DS Tu 1 comprises the uppermost Cenomanian Dölzschen Formation and the Lower Turonian part of the Schmilka Formation. The onset of this depositional sequence is marked by a major transgression ("plenus Transgression) drowning the remaining pre-transgression topography (onlap of Dölzschen Formation onto basement highs). The lowermost Turonian "Lohmgrund Marl" defines the base of the Schmilka Formation changing gradually into strongly bioturbated, silty Pläner and coarsening upward into moderately bioturbated, thick-bedded-massive, mainly fine-grained quartz sandstones with occasional clayey or silty layers, shell-rich horizons and sparse wood remains. After an interruption in sedimentation indicated by a root horizon or a conspicuous erosional surface, the Schmilka Formation continues with similar lithology into the early Middle Turonian. It is replaced up-section by the overlying Middle-Upper Turonian Postelwitz Formation, characterized by decreasing thickness of bedding and stronger sedimentary variability (grain size, bioturbation, glauconite and fossil content), including the intercalation of thick units of silty Pläner. The lithological variations of sandy and Pläner intervals nicely reflect the Middle-Late Turonian sea-level changes of DS Tu 2 (early Middle Turonian), DS Tu 3 (late Middle-earliest Late Turonian) and DS Tu 4 (early Late-mid-Late Turonian): Pläner units represent transgressive and highstand conditions, sand packages late highstand as well as falling and lowstand systems tracts. A major mid-Late Turonian sea-level fall is indicated in the upper Postelwitz Formation, initiating DS Tu 5 (Late Turonian) with a strongly basin-ward prograding unit of coarse-grained sandstone. The following transgression culminated in a prominent maximum flooding interval represented by the intercalation of a clayey-fine-grained regional marker bed, forming the base of the Schrammstein Formation (thick-bedded, unfossiliferous medium- to coarse-grained quartz sandstones). In conclusion, all depositional sequences of Middle Cenomanian-Late Turonian age and their bounding unconformities (sequence boundaries SB Ce 4 and 5, SB Tu 1-4) reported from coeval sections around the MEI (e. g., Münsterland Creatceous Basin, Lower Saxonian and Danubian Cretaceous) and other Cretaceous basins in the Tethyan region (e. g., Egypt) are also developed in the Saxonian Cretaceous, supporting eustatic sea-level changes as main triggers for the sequence stratigraphic architecture of the Elbtal Group.

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