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2. Regional Climates

Author

Peter Bissolli, Catherine Ganter, Ademe Mekonnen, Ahira Sánchez-Lugo, Zhiwei Zhu, A. Abida, W. Agyakwah, Laura S. Aldeco, Eric J. Alfaro, Teddy Allen, Lincoln M. Alves, Jorge A. Amador, B. Andrade, P. Asgarzadeh, Grinia Avalos, Julian Baez, M. Yu. Bardin, E. Bekele, Renato Bertalanic, Oliver Bochníček, Brandon Bukunt, Blanca Calderón, Jayaka D. Campbell, Elise Chandler, Candice S Charlton, Vincent Y. S. Cheng, Leonardo A. Clarke, Kris Correa, Catalina R. Cortés Salazar, Felipe Costa, Lenka Crhová, Ana Paula Cunha, Mesut Demircan, K. R. Dhurmea, Diana A. Domínguez, Dashkhuu Dulamsuren, M. ElKharrim, Jhan-Carlo Espinoza, A. Fazl-Kezemi, Nava Fedaeff, Chris Fenimore, Steven Fuhrman, Karin Gleason, Charles 'Chip' P. Guard, Samson Hagos, Mizuki Hanafusa, Richard R. Heim, John Kennedy, Sverker Hellström, Hugo G. Hidalgo, I. A. Ijampy, Gyo Soon Im, G. Jumaux, K. Kabidi, Kenneth Kerr, Yelena Khalatyan, Valentina Khan, Mai Van Khiem, Tobias Koch, Gerbrand Koren, Natalia N. Korshunova, A. C. Kruger, Mónika Lakatos, Jostein Mamen, Hoang Phuc Lam, Mark A. Lander, Waldo Lavado-Casimiro, Tsz-Cheung Lee, Kinson H. Y. Leung, Xuefeng Liu, Rui Lu, José A. Marengo, Mohammadi Marjan, Ana E. Martínez, Charlotte McBride, Mirek Mietus, Noelia Misevicius, Aurel Moise, Jorge Molina-Carpio, Natali Mora, Awatif E. Mostafa, O. Ndiaye, Juan J. Nieto, Kristin Olafsdottir, Reynaldo Pascual Ramírez, David Phillips, Amos Porat, Esteban Rodriguez Guisado, Madhavan Rajeevan, Andrea M. Ramos, Cristina Recalde Coronel, Alejandra J. Reyes Kohler, M. Robjhon, Josyane Ronchail, Roberto Salinas, Hirotaka Sato, Hitoshi Sato, Amal Sayouri, Serhat Sensoy, Amsari Mudzakir Setiawan, F. Sima, Adam Smith, Matthieu Sorel, Sandra Spillane, Jacqueline M. Spence, O. P. Sreejith, A. K. Srivastava, Tannecia S. Stephenson, Kiyotoshi Takahashi, Michael A. Taylor, Wassila M. Thiaw, Skie Tobin, Lidia Trescilo, Adrian R. Trotman, Cedric J. Van Meerbeeck, A. Vazifeh, Shunya Wakamatsu, M. F. Zaheer, F. Zeng, and Peiqun Zhang

Subjects
Atmospheric Science
Published
2022

4. Nanoindentation of Horn River Basin Shales: The Micromechanical Contrast Between Overburden and Reservoir Formations

Author

T. S. Charlton, M. Rouainia, A. C. Aplin, Q. J. Fisher, and L. Bowen

Subjects
Geophysics, Space and Planetary Science, Geochemistry and Petrology, Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Abstract

We present a micromechanical characterization of shales from the Horn River Basin, NW Canada. The shales have contrasting mineralogy and microstructures and play different geomechanical roles in the field: the sample set covers an unconventional gas reservoir and the overburden unit that serves as the upper fracture barrier. Composition and texture were characterized using X-ray diffraction, mercury injection porosimetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Grid nanoindentation testing was used to obtain the mechanical response of the dominant phases in the shale microstructure. Samples were indented parallel and perpendicular to the bedding plane to assess mechanical anisotropy. Chemical analysis of the grids with SEM-EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) was undertaken and the coupled chemo-mechanical data was used in a statistical clustering procedure (Gaussian mixture model) to reveal the mechanical properties of each phase. The results show that the overburden consists of a soft clay matrix with highly anisotropic elastic stiffness, and stiffer but effectively isotropic inclusions of quartz and feldspar; the significant anisotropy of the overburden has been previously observed on a much larger scale using microseismic data. Creep displacement is concentrated in the clay matrix, which is the key phase for fracture barrier and seal applications. The reservoir units are harder and have more isotropic mechanical responses, primarily due to their lower clay content. Despite varied compositions and microstructures, the major phases of these shales (clay/organic matrix, quartz/feldspar, dolomite, and calcite) have unique mechanical signatures, which will aid identification in future micromechanical characterizations and facilitate their use in upscaling schemes.

Published
2023

5. Characterizing Bushfire Occurrences over Jamaica Using the MODIS C6 Fire Archive 2001–2019

Author

Candice S. Charlton, Tannecia S. Stephenson, Michael A. Taylor, and Christina A. Douglas

Subjects
Caribbean, bushfires, MODIS, wavelet, climate, Jamaica, Meteorology. Climatology, QC851-999
Abstract

There is an increasing need to develop bushfire monitoring and early warning systems for Jamaica and the Caribbean. However, there are few studies that examine fire variability for the region. In this study the MODIS C6 Fire Archive for 2001–2019 is used to characterize bushfire frequencies across Jamaica and to relate the variability to large-scale climate. Using additive mixed model and backward linear regression, the MODIS represents 80% and 73% of the local Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) data variability for 2010–2015, respectively. However, the MODIS values are smaller by a factor of approximately 30. The MODIS climatology over Jamaica reveals a primary peak in March and a secondary maximum in July, coinciding with months of minimum rainfall. A significant positive linear trend is observed for July-August bushfire events over 2001–2019 and represents 29% of the season’s variability. Trends in all-island totals in other seasons or annually were not statistically significant. However, positive annual trends in Zone 2 (eastern Jamaica) are statistically significant and may support an indication that a drying trend is evolving over the east. Significant 5-year and 3.5-year periodicities are also evident for April–June and September–November variability, respectively. Southern Jamaica and particularly the parish of Clarendon, known for its climatological dryness, show the greatest fire frequencies. The study provides evidence of linkages between fire occurrences over Jamaica and oceanic and atmospheric variability over the Atlantic and Pacific. For example, all-island totals show relatively strong association with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. The study suggests that development of an early warning system for bushfire frequency that includes climate indices is possible and shows strong potential for fire predictions.

Published
2021
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7. Declaring Sydney free from red imported fire ants Solenopsis invicta buren – a view from the branches of the scenario tree

Author

E. S. G. Sergeant, S. Charlton, P. Worsley, Bernard C. Dominiak, and R. Henderson

Subjects
Entomology, biology, Insect Science, Biosecurity, Forestry, biology.organism_classification, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Scenario tree, Red imported fire ant
Abstract

Tramps ants are a constant biosecurity threat to Australia. Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta was detected in Sydney, New South Wales in 2014, and a successful eradication program was undertaken. Stratified surveillance was conducted as part the program, and allowed for scenario tree analysis to statistically support the claim of freedom. Our analysis demonstrated a mean probability of freedom was 93.1%, 99.5% and > 99.9% after one, two or three surveys for two nests within 2 km of the detection. We demonstrated > 99.9% probability of freedom after three surveys if for a threshold value of five nests were present. Our analysis was the basis of declaring Sydney free from S. invicta. Sydney was declared free 18 months after the first detection of S. invicta.

Published
2021

10. Ingested plastics in beach-washed Fairy Prions Pachyptila turtur from Tasmania

Author

Jennifer L. Lavers, Alix M. de Jersey, Nina R. Jones, Lillian G. Stewart, Hayley S. Charlton-Howard, Megan L. Grant, and Eric J. Woehler

Subjects
Waste Products, Prions, Aquatic Science, Oceanography, Pollution, Gastrointestinal Contents, Tasmania, Birds, Eating, Animals, Environmental Pollutants, Plastics, Ecosystem, Environmental Monitoring
Abstract

Plastic is an omnipresent pollutant in marine ecosystems and is widely documented to be ingested among seabird species. Procellariiformes are particularly vulnerable to plastic ingestion, which can cause internal damage, starvation, and occasionally mortality. In this study, 34 fledgling Fairy Prions (Pachyptila turtur) recovered during a wreck event in south-eastern Tasmania in 2022 were examined for ingested plastics and body condition (e.g., wing chord length). While many of the birds exhibited poor body condition, this was not correlated with the count or mass of ingested plastics. We hypothesise the marine heatwave event, and resulting lack of prey, contributed to bird body condition and subsequent mortality. We provide some of the first data on the size of individual plastic particles ingested by seabirds and make recommendations for future studies to report this important metric in a consistent manner that ensures data are comparable.

Published
2022

11. Screening of potential novel candidate genes in schwannomatosis patients

Author

Cristina Perez‐Becerril, Andrew J. Wallace, Helene Schlecht, Naomi L. Bowers, Philip T. Smith, Carolyn Gokhale, Helen Eaton, Chris Charlton, Rachel Robinson, Ruth S. Charlton, D. Gareth Evans, and Miriam J. Smith

Subjects
Skin Neoplasms, Neurofibromatoses, Genetics, Humans, RNA-Binding Proteins, SMARCB1 Protein, Genetics (clinical), Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16, Neurilemmoma, Transcription Factors
Abstract

Schwannomatosis comprises a group of hereditary tumor predisposition syndromes characterized by, usually benign, multiple nerve sheath tumors, which frequently cause severe pain that does not typically respond to drug treatments. The most common schwannomatosis-associated gene is NF2, but SMARCB1 and LZTR1 are also associated. There are still many cases in which no pathogenic variants (PVs) have been identified, suggesting the existence of as yet unidentified genetic risk factors. In this study, we performed extended genetic screening of 75 unrelated schwannomatosis patients without identified germline PVs in NF2, LZTR1, or SMARCB1. Screening of the coding region of DGCR8, COQ6, CDKN2A, and CDKN2B was carried out, based on previous reports that point to these genes as potential candidate genes for schwannomatosis. Deletions or duplications in CDKN2A, CDKN2B, and adjacent chromosome 9 region were assessed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis. Sequencing analysis of a patient with multiple schwannomas and melanomas identified a novel duplication in the coding region of CDKN2A, disrupting both p14ARF and p16INK4a. Our results suggest that none of these genes are major contributors to schwannomatosis risk but the possibility remains that they may have a role in more complex mechanisms for tumor predisposition.

Published
2022

12. Jamaica’s Climate Change Research Agenda

Author

Gracia Maria Lanza Castillo, Birthwright, Anne-Teresa Donna, S Charlton, C., ice, Cruz Chú, Mariana Beatriz, Li Pun, Hugo, Alvarado Irías, Enrique E., and Roberts, Kate

Subjects
CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO, ADAPTACION AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO, EMISIONES DE GASES DE EFECTO INVERNADERO, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION, CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, JAMAICA, Sede Central, MITIGACION DEL CAMBIO CLIMATICO
Abstract

With the support of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), the first phase of defining a road map for targeted research in Jamaica began in September 2020. During the development process, an effort was made to identify and analyse existing capacities in universities, research centres, and the private sector, whose lines of work support climate change priorities and the development of technological capacities in productive activities. This document presents an agenda for research and technology development (RT&D), the result of a co-creation process with academia, R&TD centres, and the private sector, to support climate change targets in the key sectors identified for the first phase: agriculture and fisheries, water, human settlement and infrastructure, waste, and energy. The sectors were prioritised using a multicriteria analysis that took account of the need for new knowledge to address climate change impact-related issues, as well as the importance of each sector in terms of economic impact, climate, environmental, and social impact.

Published
2022

13. Micromechanical characterisation of overburden shales in the Horn River Basin through nanoindentation

Author

T S Charlton, M Rouainia, A C Aplin, Q J Fisher, and L Bowen

Subjects
General Medicine, General Chemistry
Abstract

The paper presents a micromechanical characterisation of Fort Simpson shale, which overlies unconventional gas-producing lithologies in the Horn River Basin, NW Canada. The Fort Simpson formation is clay-rich and microseismic data recorded during hydraulic fracturing events in the underlying reservoir has shown the formation acts as a barrier to fracture development, with a notably anisotropic seismic response. Samples were prepared from core fragments and the composition and texture of the shale was characterised using X-ray diffraction, mercury injection porosimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nanoindentation testing was used to obtain the mechanical response of the shale microstructure, at grain-scale. The indentation was conducted on a grid pattern and samples were oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the bedding plane to assess the inherent mechanical anisotropy. Chemical analysis of the grids was also undertaken through SEM/EDS (energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) and the coupled chemo-mechanical data was used to characterise the material phases of the shale through a statistical clustering procedure. The results show that Fort Simpson shale broadly consists of a soft clay phase, with strongly anisotropic elastic stiffness, and stiffer but effectively isotropic grains of quartz and feldspar. A simple upscaling scheme was also applied to link the grain-scale elastic stiffness to the field-scale microseismic data.

Published
2023

15. The Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute at Texas A&M University

Author

Claudio A. Gariazzo, Kelley H. Ragusa, David R. Boyle, William S. Charlton, Sunil S. Chirayath, Craig M. Marianno, and Paul Nelson Jr

Subjects
nuclear security education, safeguards, nuclear security, global security, proliferation, nuclear proliferation, nonproliferation, nuclear nonproliferation, security, nuclear security science, Nuclear engineering. Atomic power, TK9001-9401
Abstract

The Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) is a multidisciplinary organization at Texas A&M University and was the first U.S. academic institution focused on technical graduate education, research, and service related to the safeguarding of nuclear materials and the reduction of nuclear threats. NSSPI employs science, engineering, and policy expertise to: (1) conduct research and development to help detect, prevent, and reverse nuclear and radiological proliferation and guard against nuclear terrorism; (2) educate the next generation of nuclear security and nuclear nonproliferation leaders; (3) analyze the interrelationships between policy and technology in the field of nuclear security; and (4) serve as a public resource for knowledge and skills to reduce nuclear threats. Since 2006, over 31 Doctoral and 73 Master degrees were awarded through NSSPI-sponsored research. Forty-one of those degrees are Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering with a specialization in Nuclear Nonproliferation and 16 were Doctorate of Philosophy degrees with a specific focus on nuclear nonproliferation. Over 200 students from both technical and policy backgrounds have taken classes provided by NSSPI at Texas A&M. The model for creating safeguards and security experts, which has in large part been replicated worldwide, was established at Texas A&M by NSSPI faculty and staff. In addition to conventional classroom lectures, NSSPI faculty have provided practical experiences; advised students on valuable research projects that have contributed substantially to the overall nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards and security arenas; and engaged several similar academic and research institutes around the world in activities and research for the benefit of Texas A&M students. NSSPI has had an enormous impact on the nuclear nonproliferation workforce (across the international community) in the past 8 years, and this paper is an attempt to summarize the activities accomplished by NSSPI during this time and the future direction of the program.

Published
2015
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17. The histology of brain tumors for 67 331 children and 671 085 adults diagnosed in 60 countries during 2000-2014: a global, population-based study (CONCORD-3)

Author

Girardi, Fabio;Rous, Brian;Stiller, Charles A;Gatta, Gemma;Fersht, Naomi;Storm, Hans H;Rodrigues, Jessica R;Herrmann, Christian;Marcos-Gragera, Rafael;Peris-Bonet, Rafael;Valkov, Mikhail;Weir, Hannah K;Woods, Ryan R;You, Hui;Cueva, Patricia A;De, Prithwish;Di Carlo, Veronica;Johannesen, Tom Børge;Lima, Carlos A;Lynch, Charles F;Coleman, Michel P;Allemani, Claudia;Bouzbid, S;Hamdi-Chérif, M;Zaidi, Z;Meguenni, K;Regagba, D;Bayo, S;Cheick Bougadari, T;Manraj, S S;Bendahhou, K;Ladipo, A;Ogunbiyi, O J;Ramaliba, T;Somdyala, N I M;Chaplin, M A;Moreno, F;Calabrano, G H;Espinola, S B;Carballo Quintero, B;Fita, R;Laspada, W D;Ibañez, S G;Lima, C A;Mafra da Costa, A;De Souza, P C F;Del Pino, K;Laporte, C;Curado, M P;de Oliveira, J C;Veneziano, C L A;Veneziano, D B;Latorre, M R D O;Tanaka, L F;Rebelo, M S;Santos, M O;Azevedo e Silva, G;Galaz, J C;Aparicio Aravena, M;Sanhueza Monsalve, J;Herrmann, D A;Vargas, S;Herrera, V M;Uribe, C J;Bravo, L E;Garcia, L S;Arias-Ortiz, N E;Morantes, D;Jurado, D M;Yépez Chamorro, M C;Delgado, S;Ramirez, M;Galán Alvarez, Y H;Torres, P;Martínez-Reyes, F;Jaramillo, L;Quinto, R;Castillo, J;Mendoza, M;Cueva, P;Yépez, J G;Bhakkan, B;Deloumeaux, J;Joachim, C;Macni, J;Carrillo, R;Shalkow Klincovstein, J;Rivera Gomez, R;Perez, P;Poquioma, E;Tortolero-Luna, G;Zavala, D;Alonso, R;Barrios, E;Eckstrand, A;Nikiforuk, C;Woods, R R;Noonan, G;Turner, D;Kumar, E;Zhang, B;McCrate, F R;Ryan, S;MacIntyre, M;Saint-Jacques, N;Anam, A;De, P;McClure, C A;Vriends, K A;Bertrand, C;Latreille, J;Kozie, S;Stuart-Panko, H;Freeman, T;George, J T;Avila, R M;O’Brien, D K;Holt, A;Almon, L;Kwong, S;Morris, C;Rycroft, R;Mueller, L;Phillips, C E;Brown, H;Cromartie, B;Schwartz, A G;Vigneau, F;Levin, G M;Wohler, B;Bayakly, R;Ward, K C;Gomez, S L;McKinley, M;Cress, R;Green, M D;Miyagi, K;Johnson, C J;Ruppert, L P;Bentler, S;Charlton, M E;Huang, B;Tucker, T C;Deapen, D;Liu, L;Hsieh, M C;Wu, X C;Schwenn, M;Stern, K;Gershman, S T;Knowlton, R C;Alverson, G;Weaver, T;Bushhouse, S;Rogers, D and Girardi, Fabio;Rous, Brian;Stiller, Charles A;Gatta, Gemma;Fersht, Naomi;Storm, Hans H;Rodrigues, Jessica R;Herrmann, Christian;Marcos-Gragera, Rafael;Peris-Bonet, Rafael;Valkov, Mikhail;Weir, Hannah K;Woods, Ryan R;You, Hui;Cueva, Patricia A;De, Prithwish;Di Carlo, Veronica;Johannesen, Tom Børge;Lima, Carlos A;Lynch, Charles F;Coleman, Michel P;Allemani, Claudia;Bouzbid, S;Hamdi-Chérif, M;Zaidi, Z;Meguenni, K;Regagba, D;Bayo, S;Cheick Bougadari, T;Manraj, S S;Bendahhou, K;Ladipo, A;Ogunbiyi, O J;Ramaliba, T;Somdyala, N I M;Chaplin, M A;Moreno, F;Calabrano, G H;Espinola, S B;Carballo Quintero, B;Fita, R;Laspada, W D;Ibañez, S G;Lima, C A;Mafra da Costa, A;De Souza, P C F;Del Pino, K;Laporte, C;Curado, M P;de Oliveira, J C;Veneziano, C L A;Veneziano, D B;Latorre, M R D O;Tanaka, L F;Rebelo, M S;Santos, M O;Azevedo e Silva, G;Galaz, J C;Aparicio Aravena, M;Sanhueza Monsalve, J;Herrmann, D A;Vargas, S;Herrera, V M;Uribe, C J;Bravo, L E;Garcia, L S;Arias-Ortiz, N E;Morantes, D;Jurado, D M;Yépez Chamorro, M C;Delgado, S;Ramirez, M;Galán Alvarez, Y H;Torres, P;Martínez-Reyes, F;Jaramillo, L;Quinto, R;Castillo, J;Mendoza, M;Cueva, P;Yépez, J G;Bhakkan, B;Deloumeaux, J;Joachim, C;Macni, J;Carrillo, R;Shalkow Klincovstein, J;Rivera Gomez, R;Perez, P;Poquioma, E;Tortolero-Luna, G;Zavala, D;Alonso, R;Barrios, E;Eckstrand, A;Nikiforuk, C;Woods, R R;Noonan, G;Turner, D;Kumar, E;Zhang, B;McCrate, F R;Ryan, S;MacIntyre, M;Saint-Jacques, N;Anam, A;De, P;McClure, C A;Vriends, K A;Bertrand, C;Latreille, J;Kozie, S;Stuart-Panko, H;Freeman, T;George, J T;Avila, R M;O’Brien, D K;Holt, A;Almon, L;Kwong, S;Morris, C;Rycroft, R;Mueller, L;Phillips, C E;Brown, H;Cromartie, B;Schwartz, A G;Vigneau, F;Levin, G M;Wohler, B;Bayakly, R;Ward, K C;Gomez, S L;McKinley, M;Cress, R;Green, M D;Miyagi, K;Johnson, C J;Ruppert, L P;Bentler, S;Charlton, M E;Huang, B;Tucker, T C;Deapen, D;Liu, L;Hsieh, M C;Wu, X C;Schwenn, M;Stern, K;Gershman, S T;Knowlton, R C;Alverson, G;Weaver, T;Bushhouse, S;Rogers, D

Published
2020

18. Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2019:a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Author

Wang, H. (Haidong), Abbas, K. M. (Kaja M.), Abbasifard, M. (Mitra), Abbasi-Kangevari, M. (Mohsen), Abbastabar, H. (Hedayat), Abd-Allah, F. (Foad), Abdelalim, A. (Ahmed), Abolhassani, H. (Hassan), Abreu, L. G. (Lucas Guimaraes), Abrigo, M. R. (Michael R. M.), Abushouk, A. I. (Abdelrahman I.), Adabi, M. (Maryam), Adair, T. (Tim), Adebayo, O. M. (Oladimeji M.), Adedeji, I. A. (Isaac Akinkunmi), Adekanmbi, V. (Victor), Adeoye, A. M. (Abiodun Moshood), Adetokunboh, O. O. (Olatunji O.), Advani, S. M. (Shailesh M.), Afshin, A. (Ashkan), Aghaali, M. (Mohammad), Agrawal, A. (Anurag), Ahmadi, K. (Keivan), Ahmadieh, H. (Hamid), Ahmed, M. B. (Muktar Beshir), Al-Aly, Z. (Ziyad), Alam, K. (Khurshid), Alam, T. (Tahiya), Alanezi, F. M. (Fahad Mashhour), Alanzi, T. M. (Turki M.), Alcalde-Rabanal, J. E. (Jacqueline Elizabeth), Ali, M. (Muhammad), Alicandro, G. (Gianfranco), Alijanzadeh, M. (Mehran), Alinia, C. (Cyrus), Alipour, V. (Vahid), Alizade, H. (Hesam), Aljunid, S. M. (Syed Mohamed), Allebeck, P. (Peter), Almadi, M. A. (Majid Abdulrahman Hamad), Almasi-Hashiani, A. (Amir), Al-Mekhlafi, H. M. (Hesham M.), Altirkawi, K. A. (Khalid A.), Alumran, A. K. (Arwa Khalid), Alvis-Guzman, N. (Nelson), Amini-Rarani, M. (Mostafa), Aminorroaya, A. (Arya), Amit, A. M. (Arianna Maever L.), Ancuceanu, R. (Robert), Andrei, C. L. (Catalina Liliana), Androudi, S. (Sofia), Angus, C. (Colin), Anjomshoa, M. (Mina), Ansari, F. (Fereshteh), Ansari, I. (Iman), Ansari-Moghaddam, A. (Alireza), Antonio, C. A. (Carl Abelardo T.), Antony, C. M. (Catherine M.), Anvari, D. (Davood), Appiah, S. C. (Seth Christopher Yaw), Arabloo, J. (Jalal), Arab-Zozani, M. (Morteza), Aravkin, A. Y. (Aleksandr Y.), Aremu, O. (Olatunde), Arnlov, J. (Johan), Aryal, K. K. (Krishna K.), Asadi-Pooya, A. A. (Ali A.), Asgari, S. (Samaneh), Jafarabadi, M. A. (Mohammad Asghari), Atteraya, M. S. (Madhu Sudhan), Ausloos, M. (Marcel), Avila-Burgos, L. (Leticia), Avokpaho, E. F. (Euripide Frinel Gbenato Arthur), Quintanilla, B. P. (Beatriz Paulina Ayala), Ayano, G. (Getinet), Ayanore, M. A. (Martin Amogre), Azarian, G. (Ghasem), Babaee, E. (Ebrahim), Badiye, A. D. (Ashish D.), Bagli, E. (Eleni), Bahrami, M. A. (Mohammad Amin), Bakhtiari, A. (Ahad), Balassyano, S. (Shelly), Banach, M. (Maciej), Banik, P. C. (Palash Chandra), Barker-Collo, S. L. (Suzanne Lyn), Barnighausen, T. W. (Till Winfried), Barzegar, A. (Akbar), Basu, S. (Sanjay), Baune, B. T. (Bernhard T.), Bayati, M. (Mohsen), Bazmandegan, G. (Gholamreza), Bedi, N. (Neeraj), Bell, M. L. (Michellr L.), Bennett, D. A. (Derrick A.), Bensenor, I. M. (Isabela M.), Berhe, K. (Kidanemaryam), Berman, A. E. (Adam E.), Bertolacci, G. J. (Gregory J.), Bhageerathy, R. (Reshmi), Bhala, N. (Neeraj), Bhattacharyya, K. (Krittika), Bhutta, Z. A. (Zulfiqar A.), Bijani, A. (Ali), Biondi, A. (Antonio), Bisanzio, D. (Donal), Bisignano, C. (Catherine), Biswas, R. K. (Raaj Kishore), Bjrge, T. (Tone), Bohlouli, S. (Somayeh), Bohluli, M. (Mehdi), Bolla, S. R. (Srinivasa Rao Rao), Borzi, A. M. (Antonio Maria), Borzouei, S. (Shiva), Brady, O. J. (Oliver J.), Braithwaite, D. (Dejana), Brauer, M. (Michael), Briko, A. N. (Andrey Nikolaevich), Briko, N. I. (Nikolay Ivanovich), Bumgarner, B. R. (Blair R.), Nagaraja, S. B. (Sharath Burugina), Butt, Z. A. (Zahid A.), dos Santos, F. L. (Florentino Luciano Caetano), Cai, T. (Tianji), Callender, C. S. (Charlton S. K. H.), Camera, L. L. (Luis L. A. Alberto), Campos-Nonato, I. R. (Ismael R.), Cardenas, R. (Rosario), Carreras, G. (Giulia), Carrero, J. J. (Juan J.), Carvalho, F. (Felix), Castaldelli-Maia, J. M. (Joao Mauricio), Castelpietra, G. (Giulio), Castro, F. (Franz), Catala-Lopez, F. (Ferran), Cederroth, C. R. (Christopher R.), Cerin, E. (Ester), Chattu, V. K. (Vijay Kumar), Chin, K. L. (Ken Lee), Chu, D.-T. (Dinh-Toi), Ciobanu, L. G. (Liliana G.), Cirillo, M. (Massimo), Comfort, H. (Haley), Costa, V. M. (Vera Marisa), Cowden, R. G. (Richard G.), Cromwell, E. A. (Elizabeth A.), Croneberger, A. J. (Andrew J.), Cunningham, M. (Matthew), Dahlawi, S. M. (Saad M. A.), Damiani, G. (Giovanni), D'Amico, E. (Emanuele), Dandona, L. (Lalit), Dandona, R. (Rakhi), Dargan, P. I. (Paul I.), Darwesh, A. M. (Aso Mohammad), Daryani, A. (Ahmad), Das Gupta, R. (Rajat), das Neves, J. (Jose), Davletov, K. (Kairat), De Leo, D. (Diego), Denova-Gutierrez, E. (Edgar), Deribe, K. (Kebede), Dervenis, N. (Nikolaos), Desai, R. (Rupak), Dhungana, G. P. (Govinda Prasad), da Silva, D. D. (Diana Dias), Diaz, D. (Daniel), Dippenaar, I. N. (Ilse N.), Djalalinia, S. (Shirin), Do, H. T. (Hoa Thi), Dokova, K. (Klara), Doku, D. T. (David Teye), Dorostkar, F. (Fariba), Doshi, C. P. (Chirag P.), Doshmangir, L. (Leila), Doyle, K. E. (Kerrie E.), Dubljanin, E. (Eleonora), Duraes, A. R. (Andre Rodrigues), Edvardsson, D. (David), Effiong, A. (Andem), El Sayed, I. (Iman), El Tantawi, M. (Maha), Elbarazi, I. (Iffat), El-Jaafary, S. I. (Shaimaa I.), Emamian, M. H. (Mohammad Hassan), Eskandarieh, S. (Sharareh), Esmaeilzadeh, F. (Firooz), Estep, K. (Kara), Farahmand, M. (Mohammad), Faraj, A. (Anwar), Fareed, M. (Mohammad), Faridnia, R. (Roghiyeh), Faro, A. (Andre), Farzadfar, F. (Farshad), Fattahi, N. (Nazir), Fazaeli, A. A. (Ali Akbar), Fazlzadeh, M. (Mehdi), Feigin, V. L. (Valery L.), Fereshtehnejad, S.-M. (Seyed-Mohammad), Fernandes, E. (Eduarda), Ferreira, M. L. (Manuela L.), Filip, I. (Irina), Fischer, F. (Florian), Flohr, C. (Carsten), Foigt, N. A. (Nataliya A.), Folayan, M. O. (Morenike Oluwatoyin), Fomenkov, A. A. (Artem Alekseevich), Freitas, M. (Marisa), Fukumoto, T. (Takeshi), Fuller, J. E. (John E.), Furtado, J. M. (Joao M.), Gad, M. M. (Mohamed M.), Gakidou, E. (Emmanuela), Gallus, S. (Silvano), Gebrehiwot, A. M. (Abiyu Mekonnen), Gebremedhin, K. B. (Ketema Bizuwork), Gething, P. W. (Peter W.), Ghamari, F. (Farhad), Ghashghaee, A. (Ahmad), Gholamian, A. (Asadollah), Gilani, S. A. (Syed Amir), Gitimoghaddam, M. (Mojgan), Glushkova, E. V. (Ekaterina Vladimirovna), Gnedovskaya, E. V. (Elena V.), Gopalani, S. V. (Sameer Vali), Goulart, A. C. (Alessandra C.), Gugnani, H. C. (Harish Chander), Guo, Y. (Yuming), Gupta, R. (Rajeev), Gupta, S. S. (Subodh Sharan), Haagsma, J. A. (Juanita A.), Haj-Mirzaian, A. (Arvin), Haj-Mirzaian, A. (Arya), Halvaei, I. (Iman), Hamadeh, R. R. (Randah R.), Abdullah, K. H. (Kanaan Hamagharib), Han, C. (Chieh), Handiso, D. W. (Demelash Woldeyohannes), Hankey, G. J. (Graeme J.), Haririan, H. (Hamidreza), Haro, J. M. (Josep Maria), Hasaballah, A. I. (Ahmed I.), Hassanipour, S. (Soheil), Hassankhani, H. (Hadi), Hay, S. I. (Simon I.), Heibati, B. (Behzad), Heidari-Soureshjani, R. (Reza), Henny, K. (Kiana), Henry, N. J. (Nathaniel J.), Herteliu, C. (Claudiu), Heydarpour, F. (Fatemeh), Hole, M. K. (Michael K.), Hoogar, P. (Praveen), Hosgood, H. D. (H. Dean), Hossain, N. (Naznin), Hosseinzadeh, M. (Mehdi), Hostiuc, M. (Mihaela), Hostiuc, S. (Sorin), Househ, M. (Mowafa), Hoy, D. G. (Damian G.), Hu, G. (Guoqing), Huda, T. M. (Tanvir M.), Ibitoye, S. E. (Segun Emmanuel), Ikuta, K. S. (Kevin S.), Ilesanmi, O. S. (Olayinka Stephen), Ilic, I. M. (Irena M.), Ilic, M. D. (Milena D.), Imani-Nasab, M. H. (Mohammad Hasan), Islam, M. (MdMohaimenul), Iso, H. (Hiroyasu), Iwu, C. J. (Chinwe Juliana), Jaafari, J. (Jalil), Jacobsen, K. H. (Kathryn H.), Jahagirdar, D. (Deepa), Jahanmehr, N. (Nader), Jalali, A. (Amir), Jalilian, F. (Farzad), James, S. L. (Spencer L.), Janjani, H. (Hosna), Jenabi, E. (Ensiyeh), Jha, R. P. (Ravi Prakash), Jha, V. (Vivekanand), Ji, J. S. (John S.), Jonas, J. B. (Jost B.), Joukar, F. (Farahnaz), Jozwiak, J. J. (Jacek Jerzy), Jurisson, M. (Mikk), Kabir, Z. (Zubair), Kalani, H. (Hamed), Kalankesh, L. R. (Leila R.), Kamiab, Z. (Zahra), Kanchan, T. (Tanuj), Kapoor, N. (Neeti), Karch, A. (Andre), Karimi, S. E. (Salah Eddin), Karimi, S. A. (Seyed Asaad), Kassebaum, N. J. (Nicholas J.), Katikireddi, S. V. (Srinivasa Vittal), Kawakami, N. (Norito), Kayode, G. A. (Gbenga A.), Keiyoro, P. N. (Peter Njenga), Keller, C. (Cathleen), Khader, Y. S. (Yousef Saleh), Khalid, N. (Nauman), Khan, E. A. (Ejaz Ahmad), Khan, M. (Maseer), Khang, Y.-H. (Young-Ho), Khater, A. M. (Amir M.), Khater, M. M. (Mona M.), Khazaei, S. (Salman), Khazaie, H. (Habibolah), Khodayari, M. T. (Mohammad Taghi), Khubchandani, J. (Jagdish), Kianipour, N. (Neda), Kim, C.-i. (Cho-il), Kim, Y.-E. (Young-Eun), Kim, Y. J. (Yun Jin), Kinfu, Y. (Yohannes), Kisa, A. (Adnan), Kisa, S. (Sezer), Kissimova-Skarbek, K. (Katarzyna), Kivimaki, M. (Mika), Komaki, H. (Hamidreza), Kopec, J. A. (Jacek A.), Kosen, S. (Soewarta), Koul, P. A. (Parvaiz A.), Koyanagi, A. (Ai), Kravchenko, M. A. (Michael A.), Krishan, K. (Kewal), Krohn, K. J. (Kris J.), Defo, B. K. (Barthelemy Kuate), Kumar, G. A. (G. Anil), Kumar, M. (Manasi), Kumar, P. (Pushpendra), Kumar, V. (Vivek), Kusuma, D. (Dian), Kyu, H. H. (Hmwe Hmwe), La Vecchia, C. (Carlo), Lacey, B. (Ben), Lal, D. K. (Dharmesh Kumar), Lalloo, R. (Ratilal), Lami, F. H. (Faris Hasan), Lansky, S. (Sonia), Larson, S. L. (Samantha Leigh), Larsson, A. O. (Anders O.), Lasrado, S. (Savita), Lassi, Z. S. (Zohra S.), Lazarus, J. V. (Jeffrey V.), Lee, P. H. (Paul H.), Lee, S. W. (Shaun Wen Huey), Leever, A. T. (Andrew T.), LeGrand, K. E. (Kate E.), Leonardi, M. (Matilde), Li, S. (Shanshan), Lim, L.-L. (Lee-Ling), Lim, S. S. (Stephen S.), Linn, S. (Shai), Lodha, R. (Rakesh), Logroscino, G. (Giancarlo), Lopez, A. D. (Alan D.), Lopukhov, P. D. (Platon D.), Lotufo, P. A. (Paulo A.), Lozano, R. (Rafael), Lu, A. (Alton), Lunevicius, R. (Raimundas), Madadin, M. (Mohammed), Maddison, E. R. (Emilie R.), Abd El Razek, H. M. (Hassan Magdy), Abd El Razek, M. M. (Muhammed Magdy), Mahasha, P. W. (Phetole Walter), Mahdavi, M. M. (Mokhtar Mahdavi), Malekzadeh, R. (Reza), Mamun, A. A. (Abdullah A.), Manafi, N. (Navid), Mansour-Ghanaei, F. (Fariborz), Mansouri, B. (Borhan), Mansournia, M. A. (Mohammad Ali), Mapoma, C. C. (Chabila Christopher), Martini, S. (Santi), Martins-Melo, F. R. (Francisco Rogerlandio), Masaka, A. (Anthony), Mastrogiacomo, C. I. (Claudia I.), Mathur, M. R. (Manu Raj), May, E. A. (Erin A.), McAlinden, C. (Colm), McGrath, J. J. (John J.), McKee, M. (Martin), Mehndiratta, M. M. (Man Mohan), Mehri, F. (Fereshteh), Mehta, K. M. (Kala M.), Meitei, W. B. (Wahengbam Bigyananda), Memiah, P. T. (Peter T. N.), Mendoza, W. (Walter), Menezes, R. G. (Ritesh G.), Mengesha, E. W. (Endalkachew Worku), Mensah, G. A. (George A.), Meretoja, A. (Atte), Meretoja, T. J. (Tuomo J.), Mestrovic, T. (Tomislav), Michalek, I. M. (Irmina Maria), Mihretie, K. M. (Kebadnew Mulatu), Miller, T. R. (Ted R.), Mills, E. J. (Edward J.), Milne, G. J. (George J.), Mirrakhimov, E. M. (Erkin M.), Mirzaei, H. (Hamed), Mirzaei, M. (Maryam), Mirzaei-Alavijeh, M. (Mehdi), Misganaw, A. T. (Awoke Temesgen), Moazen, B. (Babak), Moghadaszadeh, M. (Masoud), Mohamadi, E. (Efat), Mohammad, D. K. (Dara K.), Mohammad, Y. (Yousef), Mezerji, N. M. (Naser Mohammad Gholi), Mohammadbeigi, A. (Abolfazl), Mohammadian-Hafshejani, A. (Abdollah), Mohammadpourhodki, R. (Reza), Mohammed, H. (Hussen), Mohammed, S. (Shafiu), Mohebi, F. (Farnam), Bandpei, M. A. (Mohammad A. Mohseni), Mokari, A. (Amin), Mokdad, A. H. (Ali H.), Momen, N. C. (Natalie C.), Monasta, L. (Lorenzo), Mooney, M. D. (Meghan D.), Moradi, G. (Ghobad), Moradi, M. (Masoud), Moradi-Joo, M. (Mohammad), Moradi-Lakeh, M. (Maziar), Moradzadeh, R. (Rahmatollah), Moraga, P. (Paula), Velasquez, I. M. (Ilais Moreno), Morgado-da-Costa, J. (Joana), Morrison, S. D. (Shane Douglas), Mosser, J. F. (Jonathan F.), Mouodi, S. (Simin), Mousavi, S. M. (Seyyed Meysam), Khaneghah, A. M. (Amin Mousavi), Mueller, U. O. (Ulrich Otto), Musa, K. I. (Kamarul Imran), Muthupandian, S. (Saravanan), Nabavizadeh, B. (Behnam), Naderi, M. (Mehdi), Nagarajan, A. J. (Ahamarshan Jayaraman), Naghavi, M. (Mohsen), Naghshtabrizi, B. (Behshad), Naik, G. (Gurudatta), Najafi, F. (Farid), Nangia, V. (Vinay), Nansseu, J. R. (Jobert Richie), Ndwandwe, D. E. (Duduzile Edith), Negoi, I. (Ionut), Negoi, R. I. (Ruxandra Irina), Ngunjiri, J. W. (Josephine W.), Nguyen, H. L. (Huong Lan Thi), Nguyen, T. H. (Trang Huyen), Nigatu, Y. T. (Yeshambel T.), Nikbakhsh, R. (Rajan), Nikpoor, A. R. (Amin Reza), Nixon, M. R. (Molly R.), Nnaji, C. A. (Chukwudi A.), Nomura, S. (Shuhei), Noubiap, J. J. (Jean Jacques), Motlagh, S. N. (Soraya Nouraei), Nowak, C. (Christoph), Otoiu, A. (Adrian), Odell, C. M. (Christopher M.), Oh, I.-H. (In-Hwan), Oladnabi, M. (Morteza), Olagunju, A. T. (Andrew T.), Olusanya, B. O. (Bolajoko Olubukunola), Olusanya, J. O. (Jacob Olusegun), Bali, A. O. (Ahmed Omar), Ong, K. L. (Kanyin L.), Onwujekwe, O. E. (Obinna E.), Ortiz, A. (Alberto), Otstavnov, N. (Nikita), Otstavnov, S. S. (Stanislav S.), Overland, S. (Simon), Owolabi, M. O. (Mayowa O.), Mahesh, P. A. (P. A.), Padubidri, J. R. (Jagadish Rao), Pakshir, K. (Keyvan), Palladino, R. (Raffaele), Pana, A. (Adrian), Panda-Jonas, S. (Songhomitra), Park, J. (James), Pasupula, D. K. (Deepak Kumar), Patel, J. R. (Jenil R.), Patel, S. K. (Sangram Kishor), Patton, G. C. (George C.), Paulson, K. R. (Katherine R.), Toroudi, H. P. (Hamidreza Pazoki), Pease, S. A. (Spencer A.), Peden, A. E. (Amy E.), Pepito, V. C. (Veincent Christian Filipino), Peprah, E. K. (Emmanuel K.), Pereira, A. (Alexandre), Pereira, D. M. (David M.), Perico, N. (Norberto), Pigott, D. M. (David M.), Pilgrim, T. (Thomas), Pilz, T. M. (Tessa M.), Piradov, M. A. (Michael A.), Pirsaheb, M. (Meghdad), Pokhrel, K. N. (Khem Narayan), Postma, M. J. (Maarten J.), Pourjafar, H. (Hadi), Pourmalek, F. (Farshad), Pourshams, A. (Akram), Poznanska, A. (Anna), Prada, S. I. (Sergio I.), Prakash, S. (Sanjay), Preotescu, L. (Liliana), Syed, Z. Q. (Zahiruddin Quazi), Rabiee, M. (Mohammad), Rabiee, N. (Navid), Radfar, A. (Amir), Rafiei, A. (Alireza), Raggi, A. (Alberto), Rahman, M. A. (Muhammad Aziz), Rajabpour-Sanati, A. (Ali), Ram, P. (Pradhum), Ranabhat, C. L. (Chhabi Lal), Rao, S. J. (Sowmya J.), Rasella, D. (Davide), Rashedi, V. (Vahid), Rastogi, P. (Prateek), Rathi, P. (Priya), Rawal, L. (Lal), Remuzzi, G. (Giuseppe), Renjith, V. (Vishnu), Renzaho, A. M. (Andre M. N.), Resnikoff, S. (Serge), Rezaei, N. (Nima), Rezai, M. s. (Mohammad sadegh), Rezapour, A. (Aziz), Rickard, J. (Jennifer), Roever, L. (Leonardo), Ronfani, L. (Luca), Roshandel, G. (Gholamreza), Rostamian, M. (Morteza), Rubagotti, E. (Enrico), Rwegerera, G. M. (Godfrey M.), Sabour, S. (Siamak), Saddik, B. (Basema), Sadeghi, E. (Ehsan), Sadeghi, M. (Masoumeh), Moghaddam, S. S. (Sahar Saeedi), Safari, Y. (Yahya), Safi, S. (Sare), Safiri, S. (Saeid), Sagar, R. (Rajesh), Sahebkar, A. (Amirhossein), Sahraian, M. A. (Mohammad Ali), Sajadi, S. M. (S. Mohammad), Salahshoor, M. R. (Mohammad Reza), Salama, J. S. (Joseph S.), Salamati, P. (Payman), Salem, M. R. (Marwa R. Rashad), Salimi, Y. (Yahya), Salomon, J. A. (Joshua A.), Salz, I. (Inbal), Samad, Z. (Zainab), Samy, A. M. (Abdallah M.), Sanabria, J. (Juan), Santric-Milicevic, M. M. (Milena M.), Saraswathy, S. Y. (Sivan Yegnanarayana Iyer), Sartorius, B. (Benn), Sarveazad, A. (Arash), Sathian, B. (Brijesh), Sathish, T. (Thirunavukkarasu), Sattin, D. (Davide), Saylan, M. (Mete), Schaeffer, L. E. (Lauren E.), Schiavolin, S. (Silvia), Schwebel, D. C. (David C.), Schwendicke, F. (Falk), Sekerija, M. (Mario), Senbeta, A. M. (Anbissa Muleta), Senthilkumaran, S. (Subramanian), Sepanlou, S. G. (Sadaf G.), Servan-Mori, E. (Edson), Shabani, M. (Mahsima), Shahabi, S. (Saeed), Shahbaz, M. (Mohammad), Shaheen, A. A. (Amira A.), Shaikh, M. A. (Masood Ali), Shalash, A. S. (Ali S.), Shams-Beyranvand, M. (Mehran), Shamsi, M. (MohammadBagher), Shamsizadeh, M. (Morteza), Shannawaz, M. (Mohammed), Sharafi, K. (Kiomars), Sharafi, Z. (Zeinab), Sharara, F. (Fablina), Sharma, R. (Rajesh), Shaw, D. H. (David H.), Sheikh, A. 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(Whitney L.), Tehrani-Banihashemi, A. (Arash), Teklehaimanot, B. F. (Berhane Fseha), Tessema, Z. T. (Zemenu Tadesse), Thankappan, K. R. (Kavumpurathu Raman), Thomas, N. (Nihal), Thrift, A. G. (Amanda G.), Titova, M. V. (Mariya Vladimirovna), Tohidinik, H. R. (Hamid Reza), Tonelli, M. (Marcello), Topor-Madry, R. (Roman), Topouzis, F. (Fotis), Tovani-Palone, M. R. (Marcos Roberto Roberto), Traini, E. (Eugenio), Tran, B. X. (Bach Xuan), Travillian, R. (Ravensara), Trias-Llimos, S. (Sergi), Truelsen, T. C. (Thomas Clement), Car, L. T. (Lorainne Tudor), Unnikrishnan, B. (Bhaskaran), Upadhyay, E. (Era), Vacante, M. (Marco), Vakilian, A. (Alireza), Valdez, P. R. (Pascual R.), Valli, A. (Alessandro), Vardavas, C. (Constantine), Vasankari, T. J. (Tommi Juhani), Vasconcelos, A. M. (Ana Maria Nogales), Vasseghian, Y. (Yasser), Veisani, Y. (Yousef), Venketasubramanian, N. (Narayanaswamy), Vidale, S. (Simone), Violante, F. S. (Francesco S.), Vlassov, V. (Vasily), Vollset, S. E. (Stein Emil), Vos, T. (Theo), Vujcic, I. S. (Isidora S.), Vukovic, A. (Ana), Vukovic, R. (Rade), Waheed, Y. (Yasir), Wallin, M. T. (Mitchell Taylor), Walters, M. K. (Magdalene K.), Wang, H. (Hongbo), Wang, Y.-P. (Yuan-Pang), Watson, S. (Stefanie), Wei, J. (Jingkai), Weiss, J. (Jordan), Weldesamuel, G. T. (Girmay Teklay), Werdecker, A. (Andrea), Westerman, R. (Ronny), Whiteford, H. A. (Harvey A.), Wiangkham, T. (Taweewat), Wiens, K. E. (Kirsten E.), Wijeratne, T. (Tissa), Wiysonge, C. S. (Charles Shey), Wojtyniak, B. (Bogdan), Wolfe, C. D. (Charles D. A.), Wondmieneh, A. B. (Adam Belay), Wool, E. E. (Eve E.), Wu, A.-M. (Ai-Min), Wu, J. (Junjie), Xu, G. (Gelin), Yamada, T. (Tomohide), Yamagishi, K. (Kazumasa), Yano, Y. (Yuichiro), Yaya, S. (Sanni), Yazdi-Feyzabadi, V. (Vahid), Yearwood, J. A. (Jamal A.), Yeheyis, T. Y. (Tomas Y.), Yilgwan, C. S. (Christopher Sabo), Yip, P. (Paul), Yonemoto, N. (Naohiro), Yoon, S.-J. (Seok-Jun), Lebni, J. Y. (Javad Yoosefi), York, H. W. (Hunter W.), Younis, M. Z. (Mustafa Z.), Younker, T. P. (Theodore Patrick), Yousefi, Z. (Zabihollah), Yousefinezhadi, T. (Taraneh), Yousuf, A. Y. (Abdilahi Yousuf), Yusefzadeh, H. (Hasan), Moghadam, T. Z. (Telma Zahirian), Zakzuk, J. (Josefina), Bin Zaman, S. (Sojib), Zamani, M. (Mohammad), Zamanian, M. (Maryam), Zandian, H. (Hamed), Zhang, Z.-J. (Zhi-Jiang), Zheng, P. (Peng), Zhou, M. (Maigeng), Ziapour, A. (Arash), Murray, C. J. (Christopher J. L.), Wang, H. (Haidong), Abbas, K. M. (Kaja M.), Abbasifard, M. (Mitra), Abbasi-Kangevari, M. (Mohsen), Abbastabar, H. (Hedayat), Abd-Allah, F. (Foad), Abdelalim, A. (Ahmed), Abolhassani, H. (Hassan), Abreu, L. G. (Lucas Guimaraes), Abrigo, M. R. (Michael R. M.), Abushouk, A. I. (Abdelrahman I.), Adabi, M. (Maryam), Adair, T. (Tim), Adebayo, O. M. (Oladimeji M.), Adedeji, I. A. (Isaac Akinkunmi), Adekanmbi, V. (Victor), Adeoye, A. M. (Abiodun Moshood), Adetokunboh, O. O. (Olatunji O.), Advani, S. M. (Shailesh M.), Afshin, A. (Ashkan), Aghaali, M. (Mohammad), Agrawal, A. (Anurag), Ahmadi, K. (Keivan), Ahmadieh, H. (Hamid), Ahmed, M. B. (Muktar Beshir), Al-Aly, Z. (Ziyad), Alam, K. (Khurshid), Alam, T. (Tahiya), Alanezi, F. M. (Fahad Mashhour), Alanzi, T. M. (Turki M.), Alcalde-Rabanal, J. E. (Jacqueline Elizabeth), Ali, M. (Muhammad), Alicandro, G. (Gianfranco), Alijanzadeh, M. (Mehran), Alinia, C. (Cyrus), Alipour, V. (Vahid), Alizade, H. (Hesam), Aljunid, S. M. (Syed Mohamed), Allebeck, P. (Peter), Almadi, M. A. (Majid Abdulrahman Hamad), Almasi-Hashiani, A. (Amir), Al-Mekhlafi, H. M. (Hesham M.), Altirkawi, K. A. (Khalid A.), Alumran, A. K. (Arwa Khalid), Alvis-Guzman, N. (Nelson), Amini-Rarani, M. (Mostafa), Aminorroaya, A. (Arya), Amit, A. M. (Arianna Maever L.), Ancuceanu, R. (Robert), Andrei, C. L. (Catalina Liliana), Androudi, S. (Sofia), Angus, C. (Colin), Anjomshoa, M. (Mina), Ansari, F. (Fereshteh), Ansari, I. (Iman), Ansari-Moghaddam, A. (Alireza), Antonio, C. A. (Carl Abelardo T.), Antony, C. M. (Catherine M.), Anvari, D. (Davood), Appiah, S. C. (Seth Christopher Yaw), Arabloo, J. (Jalal), Arab-Zozani, M. (Morteza), Aravkin, A. Y. (Aleksandr Y.), Aremu, O. (Olatunde), Arnlov, J. (Johan), Aryal, K. K. (Krishna K.), Asadi-Pooya, A. A. (Ali A.), Asgari, S. (Samaneh), Jafarabadi, M. A. (Mohammad Asghari), Atteraya, M. S. (Madhu Sudhan), Ausloos, M. (Marcel), Avila-Burgos, L. (Leticia), Avokpaho, E. F. (Euripide Frinel Gbenato Arthur), Quintanilla, B. P. (Beatriz Paulina Ayala), Ayano, G. (Getinet), Ayanore, M. A. (Martin Amogre), Azarian, G. (Ghasem), Babaee, E. (Ebrahim), Badiye, A. D. (Ashish D.), Bagli, E. (Eleni), Bahrami, M. A. (Mohammad Amin), Bakhtiari, A. (Ahad), Balassyano, S. (Shelly), Banach, M. (Maciej), Banik, P. C. (Palash Chandra), Barker-Collo, S. L. (Suzanne Lyn), Barnighausen, T. W. (Till Winfried), Barzegar, A. (Akbar), Basu, S. (Sanjay), Baune, B. T. (Bernhard T.), Bayati, M. (Mohsen), Bazmandegan, G. (Gholamreza), Bedi, N. (Neeraj), Bell, M. L. (Michellr L.), Bennett, D. A. (Derrick A.), Bensenor, I. M. (Isabela M.), Berhe, K. (Kidanemaryam), Berman, A. E. (Adam E.), Bertolacci, G. J. (Gregory J.), Bhageerathy, R. (Reshmi), Bhala, N. (Neeraj), Bhattacharyya, K. (Krittika), Bhutta, Z. A. (Zulfiqar A.), Bijani, A. (Ali), Biondi, A. (Antonio), Bisanzio, D. (Donal), Bisignano, C. (Catherine), Biswas, R. K. (Raaj Kishore), Bjrge, T. (Tone), Bohlouli, S. (Somayeh), Bohluli, M. (Mehdi), Bolla, S. R. (Srinivasa Rao Rao), Borzi, A. M. (Antonio Maria), Borzouei, S. (Shiva), Brady, O. J. (Oliver J.), Braithwaite, D. (Dejana), Brauer, M. (Michael), Briko, A. N. (Andrey Nikolaevich), Briko, N. I. (Nikolay Ivanovich), Bumgarner, B. R. (Blair R.), Nagaraja, S. B. (Sharath Burugina), Butt, Z. A. (Zahid A.), dos Santos, F. L. (Florentino Luciano Caetano), Cai, T. (Tianji), Callender, C. S. (Charlton S. K. H.), Camera, L. L. (Luis L. A. Alberto), Campos-Nonato, I. R. (Ismael R.), Cardenas, R. (Rosario), Carreras, G. (Giulia), Carrero, J. J. (Juan J.), Carvalho, F. (Felix), Castaldelli-Maia, J. M. (Joao Mauricio), Castelpietra, G. (Giulio), Castro, F. (Franz), Catala-Lopez, F. (Ferran), Cederroth, C. R. (Christopher R.), Cerin, E. (Ester), Chattu, V. K. (Vijay Kumar), Chin, K. L. (Ken Lee), Chu, D.-T. (Dinh-Toi), Ciobanu, L. G. (Liliana G.), Cirillo, M. (Massimo), Comfort, H. (Haley), Costa, V. M. (Vera Marisa), Cowden, R. G. (Richard G.), Cromwell, E. A. (Elizabeth A.), Croneberger, A. J. (Andrew J.), Cunningham, M. (Matthew), Dahlawi, S. M. (Saad M. A.), Damiani, G. (Giovanni), D'Amico, E. (Emanuele), Dandona, L. (Lalit), Dandona, R. (Rakhi), Dargan, P. I. (Paul I.), Darwesh, A. M. (Aso Mohammad), Daryani, A. (Ahmad), Das Gupta, R. (Rajat), das Neves, J. (Jose), Davletov, K. (Kairat), De Leo, D. (Diego), Denova-Gutierrez, E. (Edgar), Deribe, K. (Kebede), Dervenis, N. (Nikolaos), Desai, R. (Rupak), Dhungana, G. P. (Govinda Prasad), da Silva, D. D. (Diana Dias), Diaz, D. (Daniel), Dippenaar, I. N. (Ilse N.), Djalalinia, S. (Shirin), Do, H. T. (Hoa Thi), Dokova, K. (Klara), Doku, D. T. (David Teye), Dorostkar, F. (Fariba), Doshi, C. P. (Chirag P.), Doshmangir, L. (Leila), Doyle, K. E. (Kerrie E.), Dubljanin, E. (Eleonora), Duraes, A. R. (Andre Rodrigues), Edvardsson, D. (David), Effiong, A. (Andem), El Sayed, I. (Iman), El Tantawi, M. (Maha), Elbarazi, I. (Iffat), El-Jaafary, S. I. (Shaimaa I.), Emamian, M. H. (Mohammad Hassan), Eskandarieh, S. (Sharareh), Esmaeilzadeh, F. (Firooz), Estep, K. (Kara), Farahmand, M. (Mohammad), Faraj, A. (Anwar), Fareed, M. (Mohammad), Faridnia, R. (Roghiyeh), Faro, A. (Andre), Farzadfar, F. (Farshad), Fattahi, N. (Nazir), Fazaeli, A. A. (Ali Akbar), Fazlzadeh, M. (Mehdi), Feigin, V. L. (Valery L.), Fereshtehnejad, S.-M. (Seyed-Mohammad), Fernandes, E. (Eduarda), Ferreira, M. L. (Manuela L.), Filip, I. (Irina), Fischer, F. (Florian), Flohr, C. (Carsten), Foigt, N. A. (Nataliya A.), Folayan, M. O. (Morenike Oluwatoyin), Fomenkov, A. A. (Artem Alekseevich), Freitas, M. (Marisa), Fukumoto, T. (Takeshi), Fuller, J. E. (John E.), Furtado, J. M. (Joao M.), Gad, M. M. (Mohamed M.), Gakidou, E. (Emmanuela), Gallus, S. (Silvano), Gebrehiwot, A. M. (Abiyu Mekonnen), Gebremedhin, K. B. (Ketema Bizuwork), Gething, P. W. (Peter W.), Ghamari, F. (Farhad), Ghashghaee, A. (Ahmad), Gholamian, A. (Asadollah), Gilani, S. A. (Syed Amir), Gitimoghaddam, M. (Mojgan), Glushkova, E. V. (Ekaterina Vladimirovna), Gnedovskaya, E. V. (Elena V.), Gopalani, S. V. (Sameer Vali), Goulart, A. C. (Alessandra C.), Gugnani, H. C. (Harish Chander), Guo, Y. (Yuming), Gupta, R. (Rajeev), Gupta, S. S. (Subodh Sharan), Haagsma, J. A. (Juanita A.), Haj-Mirzaian, A. (Arvin), Haj-Mirzaian, A. (Arya), Halvaei, I. (Iman), Hamadeh, R. R. (Randah R.), Abdullah, K. H. (Kanaan Hamagharib), Han, C. (Chieh), Handiso, D. W. (Demelash Woldeyohannes), Hankey, G. J. (Graeme J.), Haririan, H. (Hamidreza), Haro, J. M. (Josep Maria), Hasaballah, A. I. (Ahmed I.), Hassanipour, S. (Soheil), Hassankhani, H. (Hadi), Hay, S. I. (Simon I.), Heibati, B. (Behzad), Heidari-Soureshjani, R. (Reza), Henny, K. (Kiana), Henry, N. J. (Nathaniel J.), Herteliu, C. (Claudiu), Heydarpour, F. (Fatemeh), Hole, M. K. (Michael K.), Hoogar, P. (Praveen), Hosgood, H. D. (H. Dean), Hossain, N. (Naznin), Hosseinzadeh, M. (Mehdi), Hostiuc, M. (Mihaela), Hostiuc, S. (Sorin), Househ, M. (Mowafa), Hoy, D. G. (Damian G.), Hu, G. (Guoqing), Huda, T. M. (Tanvir M.), Ibitoye, S. E. (Segun Emmanuel), Ikuta, K. S. (Kevin S.), Ilesanmi, O. S. (Olayinka Stephen), Ilic, I. M. (Irena M.), Ilic, M. D. (Milena D.), Imani-Nasab, M. H. (Mohammad Hasan), Islam, M. (MdMohaimenul), Iso, H. (Hiroyasu), Iwu, C. J. (Chinwe Juliana), Jaafari, J. (Jalil), Jacobsen, K. H. (Kathryn H.), Jahagirdar, D. (Deepa), Jahanmehr, N. (Nader), Jalali, A. (Amir), Jalilian, F. (Farzad), James, S. L. (Spencer L.), Janjani, H. (Hosna), Jenabi, E. (Ensiyeh), Jha, R. P. (Ravi Prakash), Jha, V. (Vivekanand), Ji, J. S. (John S.), Jonas, J. B. (Jost B.), Joukar, F. (Farahnaz), Jozwiak, J. J. (Jacek Jerzy), Jurisson, M. (Mikk), Kabir, Z. (Zubair), Kalani, H. (Hamed), Kalankesh, L. R. (Leila R.), Kamiab, Z. (Zahra), Kanchan, T. (Tanuj), Kapoor, N. (Neeti), Karch, A. (Andre), Karimi, S. E. (Salah Eddin), Karimi, S. A. (Seyed Asaad), Kassebaum, N. J. (Nicholas J.), Katikireddi, S. V. (Srinivasa Vittal), Kawakami, N. (Norito), Kayode, G. A. (Gbenga A.), Keiyoro, P. N. (Peter Njenga), Keller, C. (Cathleen), Khader, Y. S. (Yousef Saleh), Khalid, N. (Nauman), Khan, E. A. (Ejaz Ahmad), Khan, M. (Maseer), Khang, Y.-H. (Young-Ho), Khater, A. M. (Amir M.), Khater, M. M. (Mona M.), Khazaei, S. (Salman), Khazaie, H. (Habibolah), Khodayari, M. T. (Mohammad Taghi), Khubchandani, J. (Jagdish), Kianipour, N. (Neda), Kim, C.-i. (Cho-il), Kim, Y.-E. (Young-Eun), Kim, Y. J. (Yun Jin), Kinfu, Y. (Yohannes), Kisa, A. (Adnan), Kisa, S. (Sezer), Kissimova-Skarbek, K. (Katarzyna), Kivimaki, M. (Mika), Komaki, H. (Hamidreza), Kopec, J. A. (Jacek A.), Kosen, S. (Soewarta), Koul, P. A. (Parvaiz A.), Koyanagi, A. (Ai), Kravchenko, M. A. (Michael A.), Krishan, K. (Kewal), Krohn, K. J. (Kris J.), Defo, B. K. (Barthelemy Kuate), Kumar, G. A. (G. Anil), Kumar, M. (Manasi), Kumar, P. (Pushpendra), Kumar, V. (Vivek), Kusuma, D. (Dian), Kyu, H. H. (Hmwe Hmwe), La Vecchia, C. (Carlo), Lacey, B. (Ben), Lal, D. K. (Dharmesh Kumar), Lalloo, R. (Ratilal), Lami, F. H. (Faris Hasan), Lansky, S. (Sonia), Larson, S. L. (Samantha Leigh), Larsson, A. O. (Anders O.), Lasrado, S. (Savita), Lassi, Z. S. (Zohra S.), Lazarus, J. V. (Jeffrey V.), Lee, P. H. (Paul H.), Lee, S. W. (Shaun Wen Huey), Leever, A. T. (Andrew T.), LeGrand, K. E. (Kate E.), Leonardi, M. (Matilde), Li, S. (Shanshan), Lim, L.-L. (Lee-Ling), Lim, S. S. (Stephen S.), Linn, S. (Shai), Lodha, R. (Rakesh), Logroscino, G. (Giancarlo), Lopez, A. D. (Alan D.), Lopukhov, P. D. (Platon D.), Lotufo, P. A. (Paulo A.), Lozano, R. (Rafael), Lu, A. (Alton), Lunevicius, R. (Raimundas), Madadin, M. (Mohammed), Maddison, E. R. (Emilie R.), Abd El Razek, H. M. (Hassan Magdy), Abd El Razek, M. M. (Muhammed Magdy), Mahasha, P. W. (Phetole Walter), Mahdavi, M. M. (Mokhtar Mahdavi), Malekzadeh, R. (Reza), Mamun, A. A. (Abdullah A.), Manafi, N. (Navid), Mansour-Ghanaei, F. (Fariborz), Mansouri, B. (Borhan), Mansournia, M. A. (Mohammad Ali), Mapoma, C. C. (Chabila Christopher), Martini, S. (Santi), Martins-Melo, F. R. (Francisco Rogerlandio), Masaka, A. (Anthony), Mastrogiacomo, C. I. (Claudia I.), Mathur, M. R. (Manu Raj), May, E. A. (Erin A.), McAlinden, C. (Colm), McGrath, J. J. (John J.), McKee, M. (Martin), Mehndiratta, M. M. (Man Mohan), Mehri, F. (Fereshteh), Mehta, K. M. (Kala M.), Meitei, W. B. (Wahengbam Bigyananda), Memiah, P. T. (Peter T. N.), Mendoza, W. (Walter), Menezes, R. G. (Ritesh G.), Mengesha, E. W. (Endalkachew Worku), Mensah, G. A. (George A.), Meretoja, A. (Atte), Meretoja, T. J. (Tuomo J.), Mestrovic, T. (Tomislav), Michalek, I. M. (Irmina Maria), Mihretie, K. M. (Kebadnew Mulatu), Miller, T. R. (Ted R.), Mills, E. J. (Edward J.), Milne, G. J. (George J.), Mirrakhimov, E. M. (Erkin M.), Mirzaei, H. (Hamed), Mirzaei, M. (Maryam), Mirzaei-Alavijeh, M. (Mehdi), Misganaw, A. T. (Awoke Temesgen), Moazen, B. (Babak), Moghadaszadeh, M. (Masoud), Mohamadi, E. (Efat), Mohammad, D. K. (Dara K.), Mohammad, Y. (Yousef), Mezerji, N. M. (Naser Mohammad Gholi), Mohammadbeigi, A. (Abolfazl), Mohammadian-Hafshejani, A. (Abdollah), Mohammadpourhodki, R. (Reza), Mohammed, H. (Hussen), Mohammed, S. (Shafiu), Mohebi, F. (Farnam), Bandpei, M. A. (Mohammad A. Mohseni), Mokari, A. (Amin), Mokdad, A. H. (Ali H.), Momen, N. C. (Natalie C.), Monasta, L. (Lorenzo), Mooney, M. D. (Meghan D.), Moradi, G. (Ghobad), Moradi, M. (Masoud), Moradi-Joo, M. (Mohammad), Moradi-Lakeh, M. (Maziar), Moradzadeh, R. (Rahmatollah), Moraga, P. (Paula), Velasquez, I. M. (Ilais Moreno), Morgado-da-Costa, J. (Joana), Morrison, S. D. (Shane Douglas), Mosser, J. F. (Jonathan F.), Mouodi, S. (Simin), Mousavi, S. M. (Seyyed Meysam), Khaneghah, A. M. (Amin Mousavi), Mueller, U. O. (Ulrich Otto), Musa, K. I. (Kamarul Imran), Muthupandian, S. (Saravanan), Nabavizadeh, B. (Behnam), Naderi, M. (Mehdi), Nagarajan, A. J. (Ahamarshan Jayaraman), Naghavi, M. (Mohsen), Naghshtabrizi, B. (Behshad), Naik, G. (Gurudatta), Najafi, F. (Farid), Nangia, V. (Vinay), Nansseu, J. R. (Jobert Richie), Ndwandwe, D. E. (Duduzile Edith), Negoi, I. (Ionut), Negoi, R. I. (Ruxandra Irina), Ngunjiri, J. W. (Josephine W.), Nguyen, H. L. (Huong Lan Thi), Nguyen, T. H. (Trang Huyen), Nigatu, Y. T. (Yeshambel T.), Nikbakhsh, R. (Rajan), Nikpoor, A. R. (Amin Reza), Nixon, M. R. (Molly R.), Nnaji, C. A. (Chukwudi A.), Nomura, S. (Shuhei), Noubiap, J. J. (Jean Jacques), Motlagh, S. N. (Soraya Nouraei), Nowak, C. (Christoph), Otoiu, A. (Adrian), Odell, C. M. (Christopher M.), Oh, I.-H. (In-Hwan), Oladnabi, M. (Morteza), Olagunju, A. T. (Andrew T.), Olusanya, B. O. (Bolajoko Olubukunola), Olusanya, J. O. (Jacob Olusegun), Bali, A. O. (Ahmed Omar), Ong, K. L. (Kanyin L.), Onwujekwe, O. E. (Obinna E.), Ortiz, A. (Alberto), Otstavnov, N. (Nikita), Otstavnov, S. S. (Stanislav S.), Overland, S. (Simon), Owolabi, M. O. (Mayowa O.), Mahesh, P. A. (P. A.), Padubidri, J. R. (Jagadish Rao), Pakshir, K. (Keyvan), Palladino, R. (Raffaele), Pana, A. (Adrian), Panda-Jonas, S. (Songhomitra), Park, J. (James), Pasupula, D. K. (Deepak Kumar), Patel, J. R. (Jenil R.), Patel, S. K. (Sangram Kishor), Patton, G. C. (George C.), Paulson, K. R. (Katherine R.), Toroudi, H. P. (Hamidreza Pazoki), Pease, S. A. (Spencer A.), Peden, A. E. (Amy E.), Pepito, V. C. (Veincent Christian Filipino), Peprah, E. K. (Emmanuel K.), Pereira, A. (Alexandre), Pereira, D. M. (David M.), Perico, N. (Norberto), Pigott, D. M. (David M.), Pilgrim, T. (Thomas), Pilz, T. M. (Tessa M.), Piradov, M. A. (Michael A.), Pirsaheb, M. (Meghdad), Pokhrel, K. N. (Khem Narayan), Postma, M. J. (Maarten J.), Pourjafar, H. (Hadi), Pourmalek, F. (Farshad), Pourshams, A. (Akram), Poznanska, A. (Anna), Prada, S. I. (Sergio I.), Prakash, S. (Sanjay), Preotescu, L. (Liliana), Syed, Z. Q. (Zahiruddin Quazi), Rabiee, M. (Mohammad), Rabiee, N. (Navid), Radfar, A. (Amir), Rafiei, A. (Alireza), Raggi, A. (Alberto), Rahman, M. A. (Muhammad Aziz), Rajabpour-Sanati, A. (Ali), Ram, P. (Pradhum), Ranabhat, C. L. (Chhabi Lal), Rao, S. J. (Sowmya J.), Rasella, D. (Davide), Rashedi, V. (Vahid), Rastogi, P. (Prateek), Rathi, P. (Priya), Rawal, L. (Lal), Remuzzi, G. (Giuseppe), Renjith, V. (Vishnu), Renzaho, A. M. (Andre M. N.), Resnikoff, S. (Serge), Rezaei, N. (Nima), Rezai, M. s. (Mohammad sadegh), Rezapour, A. (Aziz), Rickard, J. (Jennifer), Roever, L. (Leonardo), Ronfani, L. (Luca), Roshandel, G. (Gholamreza), Rostamian, M. (Morteza), Rubagotti, E. (Enrico), Rwegerera, G. M. (Godfrey M.), Sabour, S. (Siamak), Saddik, B. (Basema), Sadeghi, E. (Ehsan), Sadeghi, M. (Masoumeh), Moghaddam, S. S. (Sahar Saeedi), Safari, Y. (Yahya), Safi, S. (Sare), Safiri, S. (Saeid), Sagar, R. (Rajesh), Sahebkar, A. (Amirhossein), Sahraian, M. A. (Mohammad Ali), Sajadi, S. M. (S. Mohammad), Salahshoor, M. R. (Mohammad Reza), Salama, J. S. (Joseph S.), Salamati, P. (Payman), Salem, M. R. (Marwa R. Rashad), Salimi, Y. (Yahya), Salomon, J. A. (Joshua A.), Salz, I. (Inbal), Samad, Z. (Zainab), Samy, A. M. (Abdallah M.), Sanabria, J. (Juan), Santric-Milicevic, M. M. (Milena M.), Saraswathy, S. Y. (Sivan Yegnanarayana Iyer), Sartorius, B. (Benn), Sarveazad, A. (Arash), Sathian, B. (Brijesh), Sathish, T. (Thirunavukkarasu), Sattin, D. (Davide), Saylan, M. (Mete), Schaeffer, L. E. (Lauren E.), Schiavolin, S. (Silvia), Schwebel, D. C. (David C.), Schwendicke, F. (Falk), Sekerija, M. (Mario), Senbeta, A. M. (Anbissa Muleta), Senthilkumaran, S. (Subramanian), Sepanlou, S. G. (Sadaf G.), Servan-Mori, E. (Edson), Shabani, M. (Mahsima), Shahabi, S. (Saeed), Shahbaz, M. (Mohammad), Shaheen, A. A. (Amira A.), Shaikh, M. A. (Masood Ali), Shalash, A. S. (Ali S.), Shams-Beyranvand, M. (Mehran), Shamsi, M. (MohammadBagher), Shamsizadeh, M. (Morteza), Shannawaz, M. (Mohammed), Sharafi, K. (Kiomars), Sharafi, Z. (Zeinab), Sharara, F. (Fablina), Sharma, R. (Rajesh), Shaw, D. H. (David H.), Sheikh, A. (Aziz), Il Shin, J. (Jae), Shiri, R. (Rahman), Shrime, M. G. (Mark G.), Shuval, K. (Kerem), Siabani, S. (Soraya), Sigfusdottir, I. D. (Inga Dora), Sigurvinsdottir, R. (Rannveig), Silva, D. A. (Diego Augusto Santos), Simonetti, B. (Biagio), Simpson, K. E. (Kyle E.), Singh, J. A. (Jasvinder A.), Skiadaresi, E. (Eirini), Skryabin, V. Y. (Valentin Yurievich), Soheili, A. (Amin), Sokhan, A. (Anton), Sorensen, R. J. (Reed J. D.), Soriano, J. B. (Joan B.), Sorrie, M. B. (Muluken Bekele), Soyiri, I. N. (Ireneous N.), Spurlock, E. E. (Emma Elizabeth), Sreeramareddy, C. T. (Chandrashekhar T.), Stockfelt, L. (Leo), Stokes, M. A. (Mark A.), Stubbs, J. L. (Jacob L.), Sudaryanto, A. (Agus), Sufiyan, M. B. (Mu'awiyyah Babale), Abdulkader, R. S. (Rizwan Suliankatchi), Sykes, B. L. (Bryan L.), Tabares-Seisdedos, R. (Rafael), Tabb, K. M. (Karen M.), Tadakamadla, S. K. (Santosh Kumar), Taherkhani, A. (Amir), Tang, M. (Muming), Taveira, N. (Nuno), Taylor, H. J. (Heather Jean), Teagle, W. L. (Whitney L.), Tehrani-Banihashemi, A. (Arash), Teklehaimanot, B. F. (Berhane Fseha), Tessema, Z. T. (Zemenu Tadesse), Thankappan, K. R. (Kavumpurathu Raman), Thomas, N. (Nihal), Thrift, A. G. (Amanda G.), Titova, M. V. (Mariya Vladimirovna), Tohidinik, H. R. (Hamid Reza), Tonelli, M. (Marcello), Topor-Madry, R. (Roman), Topouzis, F. (Fotis), Tovani-Palone, M. R. (Marcos Roberto Roberto), Traini, E. (Eugenio), Tran, B. X. (Bach Xuan), Travillian, R. (Ravensara), Trias-Llimos, S. (Sergi), Truelsen, T. C. (Thomas Clement), Car, L. T. (Lorainne Tudor), Unnikrishnan, B. (Bhaskaran), Upadhyay, E. (Era), Vacante, M. (Marco), Vakilian, A. (Alireza), Valdez, P. R. (Pascual R.), Valli, A. (Alessandro), Vardavas, C. (Constantine), Vasankari, T. J. (Tommi Juhani), Vasconcelos, A. M. (Ana Maria Nogales), Vasseghian, Y. (Yasser), Veisani, Y. (Yousef), Venketasubramanian, N. (Narayanaswamy), Vidale, S. (Simone), Violante, F. S. (Francesco S.), Vlassov, V. (Vasily), Vollset, S. E. (Stein Emil), Vos, T. (Theo), Vujcic, I. S. (Isidora S.), Vukovic, A. (Ana), Vukovic, R. (Rade), Waheed, Y. (Yasir), Wallin, M. T. (Mitchell Taylor), Walters, M. K. (Magdalene K.), Wang, H. (Hongbo), Wang, Y.-P. (Yuan-Pang), Watson, S. (Stefanie), Wei, J. (Jingkai), Weiss, J. (Jordan), Weldesamuel, G. T. (Girmay Teklay), Werdecker, A. (Andrea), Westerman, R. (Ronny), Whiteford, H. A. (Harvey A.), Wiangkham, T. (Taweewat), Wiens, K. E. (Kirsten E.), Wijeratne, T. (Tissa), Wiysonge, C. S. (Charles Shey), Wojtyniak, B. (Bogdan), Wolfe, C. D. (Charles D. A.), Wondmieneh, A. B. (Adam Belay), Wool, E. E. (Eve E.), Wu, A.-M. (Ai-Min), Wu, J. (Junjie), Xu, G. (Gelin), Yamada, T. (Tomohide), Yamagishi, K. (Kazumasa), Yano, Y. (Yuichiro), Yaya, S. (Sanni), Yazdi-Feyzabadi, V. (Vahid), Yearwood, J. A. (Jamal A.), Yeheyis, T. Y. (Tomas Y.), Yilgwan, C. S. (Christopher Sabo), Yip, P. (Paul), Yonemoto, N. (Naohiro), Yoon, S.-J. (Seok-Jun), Lebni, J. Y. (Javad Yoosefi), York, H. W. (Hunter W.), Younis, M. Z. (Mustafa Z.), Younker, T. P. (Theodore Patrick), Yousefi, Z. (Zabihollah), Yousefinezhadi, T. (Taraneh), Yousuf, A. Y. (Abdilahi Yousuf), Yusefzadeh, H. (Hasan), Moghadam, T. Z. (Telma Zahirian), Zakzuk, J. (Josefina), Bin Zaman, S. (Sojib), Zamani, M. (Mohammad), Zamanian, M. (Maryam), Zandian, H. (Hamed), Zhang, Z.-J. (Zhi-Jiang), Zheng, P. (Peng), Zhou, M. (Maigeng), Ziapour, A. (Arash), and Murray, C. J. (Christopher J. L.)

Abstract

Background: Accurate and up-to-date assessment of demographic metrics is crucial for understanding a wide range of social, economic, and public health issues that affect populations worldwide. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 produced updated and comprehensive demographic assessments of the key indicators of fertility, mortality, migration, and population for 204 countries and territories and selected subnational locations from 1950 to 2019. Methods: 8078 country-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 938 surveys, 349 censuses, and 238 other sources were identified and used to estimate age-specific fertility. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate age-specific fertility rates for 5-year age groups between ages 15 and 49 years. With extensions to age groups 10–14 and 50–54 years, the total fertility rate (TFR) was then aggregated using the estimated age-specific fertility between ages 10 and 54 years. 7417 sources were used for under-5 mortality estimation and 7355 for adult mortality. ST-GPR was used to synthesise data sources after correction for known biases. Adult mortality was measured as the probability of death between ages 15 and 60 years based on vital registration, sample registration, and sibling histories, and was also estimated using ST-GPR. HIV-free life tables were then estimated using estimates of under-5 and adult mortality rates using a relational model life table system created for GBD, which closely tracks observed age-specific mortality rates from complete vital registration when available. Independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated by an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance and other sources were incorporated into the estimates in countries with large epidemics. Annual and single-year age estimates of net migration and population for each country and territory were generated us

Published
2020

19. India's Nuclear Fuel Cycle : Unraveling the Impact of the U.S.-India Nuclear Accord

Author

Taraknath V.K. Woddi, William S. Charlton, Paul Nelson, Taraknath V.K. Woddi, William S. Charlton, and Paul Nelson

Subjects
Electric power production
Abstract

An analysis of the current (February 2009) status and future potential of India's nuclear fuel cycle is presented in this book. Such a fuel cycle assessment is important, but relatively opaque because India regards various aspects of its nuclear fuel cycle as strategically sensitive. Any study therefore necessarily depends upon reverse calculations based on the information that is available, expert assessments, engineering judgment and anecdotal information. In this work every effort is made to provide transparency to these foundations, so that changes can be made in light of alternative expectations or subsequent information. This book should be of interest to policy experts, governmental specialists, technologists, nuclear technologists, and others seeking to understand and explain the associated facts and potential consequences of the recent U.S.-India civil nuclear accord. Table of Contents: Introduction / A Brief History of the Indian Nuclear Program / Indian Nuclear Facilities / Fuel Cycle Analysis: From Beginning to Present Day / Fuel Cycle Analysis: Future Projections / Alternate Reactor Systems / Conclusions / Acknowledgements

Published
2022

20. 16 Preliminary investigation into the effects of McTimoney chiropractic treatment and combined with pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on mechanical nociceptive thresholds of horses

Author

V. Davidson, A. Hunnisett, L. Davey, and S. Charlton

Subjects
Equine, business.industry, Spinalis, Longissimus Thoracis, Spinal manipulation, Chiropractic, Tenderness, Nociception, Anesthesia, medicine, Analysis of variance, medicine.symptom, business, Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy
Abstract

McTimoney chiropractic treatment(MCT), a high velocity low amplitude spinal manipulation therapy, produces profound but transient attenuation of motor neurone activity. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy(PEMF) has perceived pain-relieving effects and improves the reduction in muscle and fascial tension. Both are used in therapeutic protocols. The study objectively assessed the influence of MCT and PEMF therapy on mechanical nociceptive thresholds(MNTs) at 3 specific muscular junction trigger points(TPs) of the thoracolumbar musculature. MNTs are a measure of sensitivity to musculoskeletal tenderness. A controlled randomized study using 12 sound cob-type horses from the same yard and training schedule randomly assigned into 3 groups of n = 4. Control group, no intervention; 2 treatment groups:(A) MCT only (10min assessment, 10min treatment by a qualified McTimoney animal practitioner) and (B) combined (MCT plus Biomag 2TM PEMF mat(200hz) placed cranial to T18, 5min per side). Stood square, triplicate MNTs were measured using pressure algometry on both sides at 3 muscle TPs[TP 45(junction of spinalis, longissimus thoracis and trapezius thoracis); 47 (longissimus thoracis et lumborum); and 62 (gluteus medius)] at 4 time points 0(pre-treatment), 30(post MCT), 60(post PEMF), 150min.Statistical tests: Shapiro-Wilk test, paired T- test compared left/right MNTs, ANOVA analyzed group data for each TP over time with Bonferroni post hoc analysis. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between left and right MNTs for all measurement sites. There was no changes in MNTs over time at all TPs for control group(P > 0.05). There was a significant increase in mean MNTs pre-treatment to 150min for both treatment groups (A:P = 0.03, B:P = 0.01). Significant changes in MNTs at each muscle TP shown in Table 1. This study provides positive evidence that chiropractic and when combined with PEMF treatment show a significant reduction in sensitivity to musculoskeletal tenderness (increased MNTs) over the time period compared with no treatment. Different muscle groups behave differently. Further research is required on difference in muscle tonicity effects and over a longer period.

Published
2021

23. Characterizing Bushfire Occurrences over Jamaica Using the MODIS C6 Fire Archive 2001–2019

Author

Tannecia S. Stephenson, Michael A. Taylor, Candice S. Charlton, and Christina A. Douglas

Subjects
Mixed model, Jamaica, Atmospheric Science, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Data variability, fire variability, 0211 other engineering and technologies, 02 engineering and technology, lcsh:QC851-999, Environmental Science (miscellaneous), 01 natural sciences, wavelet, Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, medicine, climate, Fire brigade, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Caribbean, 021110 strategic, defence & security studies, Warning system, bushfires, Geography, MODIS, Climatology, SIDs, Early warning system, Dryness, lcsh:Meteorology. Climatology, medicine.symptom, Linear trend
Abstract

There is an increasing need to develop bushfire monitoring and early warning systems for Jamaica and the Caribbean. However, there are few studies that examine fire variability for the region. In this study the MODIS C6 Fire Archive for 2001–2019 is used to characterize bushfire frequencies across Jamaica and to relate the variability to large‐scale climate. Using additive mixed model and backward linear regression, the MODIS represents 80% and 73% of the local Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) data variability for 2010–2015, respectively. However, the MODIS values are smaller by a factor of approximately 30. The MODIS climatology over Jamaica reveals a primary peak in March and a secondary maximum in July, coinciding with months of minimum rainfall. A significant positive linear trend is observed for July‐August bushfire events over 2001–2019 and represents 29% of the season’s variability. Trends in all island totals in other seasons or annually were not statistically significant. However, positive annual trends in Zone 2 (eastern Jamaica) are statistically significant and may support an indication that a drying trend is evolving over the east. Significant 5‐year and 3.5‐year periodicities are also evident for April June and September– November variability, respectively. Southern Jamaica&nbsp, and particularly the parish of Clarendon, known for its climatological dryness, show the greatest fire frequencies. The study provides evidence of linkages between fire occurrences over Jamaica and oceanic and atmospheric variability over the Atlantic and Pacific. For example, all‐island totals show relatively strong association with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. The study suggests that development of an early warning system for bushfire frequency that includes climate indices is possible and shows strong potential for fire predictions.

Published
2021

24. Biofouling performance of silver-based PES ultrafiltration membranes

Author

Jaleh Mansouri, Timothy S. Charlton, Vicki Chen, and Thomas Weiss

Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification, Fabrication, Materials science, Fouling, chemistry.chemical_element, Ocean Engineering, 02 engineering and technology, Zinc, Polymer, 010501 environmental sciences, 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology, 01 natural sciences, Pollution, Biofouling, Membrane, chemistry, Chemical engineering, Organic chemistry, Chemical stability, Leaching (metallurgy), 0210 nano-technology, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Water Science and Technology
Abstract

Polyethersulfone (PES) polymer is widely used in membrane fabrication due to its good mechanical and chemical stability. However, fouling and in particular biofouling leads to reduced efficiency due to the hydrophobic characteristics of the membrane. In this work, we report on the fabrication of antimicrobial ultrafiltration membranes from PES and a range of silver additives. Commercial silver additives in the form of silver zinc zeolites and silver zinc glasses as well as some common organic silver salts were used. The effect of silver additives on membrane biofouling was extensively studied by both static and dynamic methods using bacteria culture. These tests demonstrated the anti-biofouling properties of modified membranes in comparison with control membranes. The issue of silver leaching during membrane fabrication is of critical importance from both sustainability of membranes and environmental aspects. This was studied in detail for PES–silver zinc zeolite membranes. The treatment of membra...

Published
2016

25. G461(P) Lung function measurement following surgery in idiopathic scoliosis

Author

Mahfuz Khan, S Charlton, IE Williams, EK Finnerty, R Ross Russell, and Matthew Rutter

Subjects
Spirometry, medicine.medical_specialty, medicine.diagnostic_test, Cobb angle, business.industry, medicine.medical_treatment, Scoliosis, respiratory system, medicine.disease, respiratory tract diseases, Surgery, FEV1/FVC ratio, Statistical significance, Spinal fusion, medicine, Arm span, Restrictive lung disease, business
Abstract

Background Idiopathic scoliosis accounts for approximately 80% of scoliosis cases and distorts the thoracic cavity during lung development causing a restrictive lung disease. We have recently shown that each 10o of curve accounts for a fall of approximately 4% in FEV1/FVC.1 However, little is known about whether spinal fusion improves lung function in these patients. We performed follow up spirometry on 18 children who had undergone spinal fusion (age 11–16) and compared this to pre-operative values. Aims To investigate the change in FVC and FEV1 before and after surgery using spirometry, and the relationship between this and the age at surgery and degree of curvature at that time. Methods Eighteen patients who had previously undergone surgery (aged 11–16) were studied. Current height and arm span (to allow comparison with pre-operative measurements) were measured and spirometry was performed by the lung-function department (who had also undertaken pre-operative measurements). Pre and post-operative data were compared as absolute measures, and as Z-scores, using parametric statistical methods. Results Contrary to previous reports, there was an increase in lung function in most patients following surgery but this was much more apparent in younger children and in those with a greater Cobb angle. Improvement in FEV1 was statistically correlated with Cobb angle at surgery (Pearson’s coefficient=0.513 p=0.027) although changes in FVC did not reach statistical significance (Pearson’s=0.42 p=0.07). Younger age at surgery was also significantly predictive of greater improvement for both FEV1 and FVC (Pearson’s coefficient=−0.77 and −0.85 respectively p Conclusions Scoliosis surgery does seem to result in improved lung function, particularly FEV1, and this is greater with Cobb angles over 50o and those with poorer lung function pre-operatively. At smaller angles there is little improvement in lung function. Younger patients may also see greater improvement. Reference . Saych L, et al. EAPS meeting. Barcelona2014.

Published
2018

26. A new broad specificity alkaline metalloprotease from a Pseudomonas sp. isolated from refrigerated milk: Role of calcium in improving enzyme productivity

Author

Arjun Verma, Khawar Sohail Siddiqui, Anne Poljak, Suhaila Mohd Omar, Janice R. Aldrich-Wright, Haluk Ertan, Timothy S. Charlton, Richardo Cavicchioli, and Camilo Cassel

Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification, Proteases, Metalloproteinase, biology, Process Chemistry and Technology, Pseudomonas, chemistry.chemical_element, Bioengineering, Calcium, biology.organism_classification, Biochemistry, Catalysis, Enzyme, chemistry, Enzyme kinetics, Psychrophile, Thermostability
Abstract

Metalloproteases represent the largest fraction of the global enzyme market. For biotechnological purposes the accumulation of product (i.e. productivity) provides the best measure of assessing enzyme performance because it takes into account the interplay between activity, stability, activation and inhibition. Studies assessing the productivity of alkaline metalloproteases and chemicals that improve their productivity have not previously been reported. In this study we report the specificity, productivity, kinetic and thermodynamic properties of an extracellular protease, purified from a new strain of Pseudomonas sp. isolated from refrigerated milk. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed the enzyme is a serralysin-type alkaline metalloprotease, with broad cleavage-site specificity. By studying the effects of Ca2+ ion removal (using a chelator) and Ca2+ ion addition, conditions were identified that led to an increase in productivity by 300% (6.3 vs 1.9 mg azopeptide μg−1 enzyme at 40 °C). The basis for the enhanced productivity was linked to elevated melting temperatures of secondary (Tm 47 vs 38 °C) and tertiary structure (Tm 50 vs 44 °C), increased half-life of inactivation (t1/2 30 vs 4.9 min), increased optimum temperature (44 vs 36 °C), and changes in both catalytic activity (kcat 3.3 vs 2.2 min−1) and substrate affinity (Km 3.9 vs 2.5 mg mL−1). Thermodynamic data were indicative of Ca2+-binding causing the transition-state to be more ordered (less entropy) relative to the folded-state, thereby resisting a transition to an unfolded state. The specificity, kinetics and response to calcium of this AMP illustrate its potential usefulness for industrial applications, and the research highlights the broader potential for using calcium to enhance the productivity of proteases.

Published
2015

28. Predicting Concrete Roadway Contribution to Gamma-Ray Background in Radiation Portal Monitor Systems

Author

Ronald J. Livesay, Alexander A Solodov, Craig M. Marianno, William S. Charlton, Braden Goddard, and C. Ryan

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Radiological weapon, Political science, Gamma ray, Forensic engineering, Russian federation, Nuclear material, Condensed Matter Physics, Soviet union, Radiation Portal Monitor
Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union ushered in an era of interest in the security of the radiological and nuclear material holdings of the Russian Federation and other countries of the Former ...

Published
2014

29. Quantitative NDA Measurements of Multiactinide Oxide Fuels

Author

Braden Goddard, William S. Charlton, and Paolo Peerani

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Fission, 020209 energy, Nuclear Theory, Monte Carlo method, chemistry.chemical_element, 02 engineering and technology, Actinide, Condensed Matter Physics, Plutonium, Nuclear physics, 020303 mechanical engineering & transports, 0203 mechanical engineering, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, chemistry, 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering, Neutron, Nuclide, Multiplicity (chemistry), Nuclear Experiment, Spontaneous fission
Abstract

As new reprocessing techniques and fuel forms are developed, the ability of inspection agencies and facility operators to measure powders containing several actinides becomes increasingly necessary. Neutrons emitted from induced and spontaneous fission of different nuclides are very similar, making it difficult to measure these powders with nondestructive assay techniques. To measure the powders, a neutron multiplicity technique based on first-principle methods was developed to exploit isotope-specific nuclear properties, such as energy-dependent fission cross sections and neutron-induced fission multiplicity. This technique was tested through measurements using an epithermal neutron multiplicity counter with two different interrogation (α,n) sources and varying plutonium materials. To complement these measurements, extensive Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX) simulations were performed for each measured sample, as well as samples that were not available to measure. The primary application of...

Published
2014

30. Versatile peroxidase degradation of humic substances: Use of isothermal titration calorimetry to assess kinetics, and applications to industrial wastes

Author

Xuexia Yang, Anne Poljak, Timothy S. Charlton, Haluk Ertan, Gavin Marshall, Ricardo Cavicchioli, Khawar Sohail Siddiqui, and A.K. Daud Khaled

Subjects
Electrospray ionization, Kinetics, Industrial Waste, Bioengineering, Calorimetry, Lignin, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, chemistry.chemical_compound, Allosteric Regulation, Enzyme kinetics, Versatile peroxidase, Humic Substances, Peroxidase, Manganese, Chromatography, Isothermal titration calorimetry, General Medicine, Biodegradation, Environmental, chemistry, Product inhibition, Coriolaceae, Oxidation-Reduction, Biotechnology, Nuclear chemistry
Abstract

The kinetic constants of a hybrid versatile-peroxidase (VP) which oxidizes complex polymeric humic substances (HS) derived from lignin (humic and fulvic acids) and industrial wastes were determined for the first time using isothermal titration calorimetry (iTC). The reaction conditions were manipulated to enable manganese-peroxidase (MnP) and/or lignin-peroxidase (LiP) activities to be evaluated. The peroxidase reactions exhibited varying degrees of product inhibition or activation; properties which have not previously been reported for VP enzymes. In contrast to previous work (Ertan et al., 2012) on small non-polymeric substrates (MnSO4, veratryl alcohol and dyes), all kinetic plots for polymeric HS were sigmoidal, lacked Michaelis-Menten characteristics, and were indicative of positive cooperativity. Under conditions when both LiP and MnP were active, the kinetic data fitted to a novel biphasic Hill Equation, and the rate of enzymatic reaction was significantly greater than the sum of individual LiP plus MnP activities implying synergistic activation. By employing size-exclusion chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, the characteristics of the oxidative degradation products of the HS were also monitored. Our study showed that the allosteric behaviour of the VP enzyme promotes a high level of regulation of activity during the breakdown of model and industrial ligninolytic substrates. The work was extended to examine the kinetics of breakdown of industrial wastes (effluent from a pulp and paper plant, and fouled membrane solids extracted from a ground water treatment membrane) revealing unique, VP-mediated, kinetic responses. This work demonstrates that iTC can be successfully employed to study the kinetic properties of VP enzymes in order to devise reaction conditions optimized for oxidative degradation of HS present in materials used in a wide range of industries.

Published
2014

31. First principle active neutron coincidence counting measurements of uranium oxide

Author

Paolo Peerani, Braden Goddard, and William S. Charlton

Subjects
Physics, Nuclear fuel cycle, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Fissile material, Nuclear engineering, Monte Carlo method, chemistry.chemical_element, Uranium, Nuclear physics, chemistry.chemical_compound, chemistry, Calibration, Uranium oxide, Neutron, Coincidence counting, Instrumentation
Abstract

Uranium is present in most nuclear fuel cycle facilities ranging from uranium mines, enrichment plants, fuel fabrication facilities, nuclear reactors, and reprocessing plants. The isotopic, chemical, and geometric composition of uranium can vary significantly between these facilities, depending on the application and type of facility. Examples of this variation are: enrichments varying from depleted (~0.2 wt% 235U) to high enriched (>20 wt% 235U); compositions consisting of U3O8, UO2, UF6, metallic, and ceramic forms; geometries ranging from plates, cans, and rods; and masses which can range from a 500 kg fuel assembly down to a few grams fuel pellet. Since 235U is a fissile material, it is routinely safeguarded in these facilities. Current techniques for quantifying the 235U mass in a sample include neutron coincidence counting. One of the main disadvantages of this technique is that it requires a known standard of representative geometry and composition for calibration, which opens up a pathway for potential erroneous declarations by the State and reduces the effectiveness of safeguards. In order to address this weakness, the authors have developed a neutron coincidence counting technique which uses the first principle point-model developed by Boehnel instead of the “known standard” method. This technique was primarily tested through simulations of 1000 g U3O8 samples using the Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX) code. The results of these simulations showed good agreement between the simulated and exact 235U sample masses.

Published
2014

32. Editorial

Author

J. Taylor, S. Charlton, and K. Ryder

Subjects
ComputingMilieux_COMPUTERSANDEDUCATION, Library science, Sociology, General Psychology, Education
Published
2016

33. Assessment of the Fingerprinting Method for the Verification of Spent Fuel in MACSTOR KN-400 CANDU Spent-Fuel Dry Storage

Author

William S. Charlton, Young Ham, Shiva Sitaraman, Gil Hoon Ahn, Nandan G. Chandregowda, and Sunil S. Chirayath

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Neutron transport, business.industry, Nuclear engineering, Nuclear power, Condensed Matter Physics, Spent nuclear fuel, Dry storage, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Bundle, Environmental science, Model development, Tonne, business, Burnup
Abstract

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power has built a new modular type of CANDU spent fuel bundle dry storage facility, MACSTOR KN-400, at the Wolsong reactor site in the Republic of Korea. Four CANDU reactors operate at the Wolsong site, and the MACSTOR KN-400 has the capacity to store up to 24 000 CANDU spent fuel bundles. The International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regulations demand an effective method for spent-fuel re-verification at the MACSTOR KN-400 facility in the event of any loss of continuity of knowledge. A radiation signal-dependent spent-fuel re-verification design of the MACSTOR KN-400 is scrutinized through mathematical model development and Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations using the state-of-the-art computer code MCNP. Both gamma and neutron transport simulations for various spent fuel bundle diversion scenarios are carried out for the central and corner re-verification tube structures. The CANDU spent fuel bundles with a burnup of 7500 MWd/tonne U (burned at a specific pow...

Published
2013

34. Real-time monitoring of actinides in chemical nuclear fuel reprocessing plants

Author

A. Hagen, T.F. Grimes, J. Lapinskas, William S. Charlton, Rusi P. Taleyarkhan, K. Fisher, Jeffrey A. Webster, Sean M. McDeavitt, and Brian C. Archambault

Subjects
Engineering, Nuclear fuel, business.industry, General Chemical Engineering, Nuclear engineering, Scale (chemistry), General Chemistry, Actinide, Scintillator, Spent nuclear fuel, Nuclear physics, Nuclear reprocessing, Neutron, Nuclide, business
Abstract

Spent nuclear fuel chemical reprocessing plants process several 103 kg of spent nuclear fuel, especially Pu isotopes, which present significant potential for terrorism (Note: ∼8 kg Pu constitutes a threat level quantity). This requires detecting actinides in transit, but also, to ensure they are not diverted. Present-day sensors disallow real-time monitoring leading to significantly non-optimal operations. The tensioned metastable fluid detector (TMFD) sensor technology has been developed by researchers at Purdue University in partnership with Texas A&M University, and various national laboratories (sponsored in part by several United States federal agencies and private enterprise). It is based on nano-to-macro scale interactions of radiation with molecules of fluids that are in a state of tensioned metastability. Developed are lab-scale prototypes for adapting to chemical reprocessing plants providing real-time directionality to within ∼10°–20°, with ∼90% efficiency to detect neutrons (from eV to MeV) and alpha emitting nuclides energies to within 1–5 keV recoil resolution, and sensitivities to ultra-trace levels (e.g., to 10−15 g/cc Pu). TMFD systems are robust, portable and offer 100× lower cost potential compared with present-day systems (e.g., NE-213 based neutron–gamma liquid scintillator based systems). A multi-physics design framework has been developed, and validated. This paper highlights state-of-art developments and adaptations of TMFDs for in situ, real-time monitoring of U, Pu, Am and Cm actinides from the sensitive (in the past virtually impossible to monitor) front-end wherein radioactively hot spent nuclear fuel is chopped and dissolved, to throughout the subsequent stages in a chemical nuclear fuel chemical process.

Published
2013

35. Development of Self-Interrogation Neutron Resonance Densitometry to Improve Detection of Possible Diversions for PWR Spent Fuel Assemblies

Author

William S. Charlton, Martyn T. Swinhoe, Adrienne M. LaFleur, Howard O. Menlove, and Alain Lebrun

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, 020209 energy, Nuclear engineering, Radiochemistry, Neutron resonance, 02 engineering and technology, Condensed Matter Physics, Spent nuclear fuel, 020303 mechanical engineering & transports, 0203 mechanical engineering, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, 0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering, Environmental science, Nondestructive assay, National laboratory, Densitometry
Abstract

A new nondestructive assay technique called self-interrogation neutron resonance densitometry (SINRD) is currently being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to improve existing nuclear safe...

Published
2013

36. Using neutron angular anisotropy information to dynamically determine the ratio of the (α,n) rate to spontaneous fission rate for coincidence counting applications

Author

Sara A. Pozzi, William S. Charlton, Eric D. Miller, and L. Holewa

Subjects
Nuclear physics, Physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Coincident, Detector, Multiplicity (mathematics), Neutron, Coincidence counting, Atomic physics, Anisotropy, Instrumentation, Coincidence, Spontaneous fission
Abstract

Typically, when neutron coincidence or multiplicity counting is performed, there are three unknowns: the sample mass, the leakage self-multiplication, and the ratio of the ( α , n ) rate of the source to the spontaneous fission rate. For a given counting time, the strength of the source or the detector efficiency must be sufficiently high for the singles, doubles, and triples count rates to represent statistically meaningful quantities. Often, the strength of the source and the allotted counting time are such that only the singles and doubles count rates are statistically meaningful. In this latter case, the ratio of ( α , n ) to the spontaneous fission must be estimated through some other means. With a simulated ( α , n ) rate, the two equations related to the singles and doubles count rates can be used to determine the sample mass. In order to determine the ratio of ( α , n ) to spontaneous fission rate of the source, the isotopic composition of the sample as well as the light element impurities inside the source must be known. Ideally, there would be a way to dynamically determine the ( α , n ) rate of the source from count rate information. In this paper, it is shown that the ( α , n ) rate of the source can be determined by using information about the ratio of the number of coincident neutrons at 180° to the number at 90°. By using this information, the three aforementioned unknowns can be dynamically determined through the sole use of singles and doubles count rates.

Published
2013

38. Development of Self-Interrogation Neutron Resonance Densitometry to Quantify the Fissile Content in PWR Spent LEU and MOX Assemblies

Author

Howard O. Menlove, William S. Charlton, Adrienne M. LaFleur, and Martyn T. Swinhoe

Subjects
Materials science, Fissile material, 010308 nuclear & particles physics, Fission, Nuclear engineering, Pressurized water reactor, 0211 other engineering and technologies, chemistry.chemical_element, 02 engineering and technology, Uranium, 01 natural sciences, law.invention, Nuclear physics, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, chemistry, law, 0103 physical sciences, Light-water reactor, Neutron, 021108 energy, MOX fuel, Spontaneous fission
Abstract

A new nondestructive assay technique called self-interrogation neutron resonance densitom- etry (SINRD) is currently being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to improve existing nuclear safeguards and material accountability measurements for light water reactor fuel assemblies. The viability of using SINRD to quantify the fissile content ( 235 U and 239 Pu) in pressurized water reactor 17 × 17 spent low-enriched uranium and mixed-oxide fuel assemblies in water was investigated via Monte Carlo N-particle extended transport code simulations. SINRD utilizes 244 Cm spontaneous fission neutrons to self-interrogate the fuel pins. The amount of resonance absorption of these neutrons in the fuel can be quantified using 235 U and 239 Pu fission chambers placed adjacent to the assembly. The sensitivity of this technique is based on using the same fissile materials in the fission chambers as are present in the fuel because the effect of resonance absorption lines in the transmitted flux is amplified by the corresponding (n,f) reaction peaks in the fission chamber. SINRD requires calibration with a reference assembly of similar geometry. However, this densitometry method uses ratios of different fission chambers so that most systematic errors related to calibration and positioning cancel in the ratios.

Published
2012

39. Comparison of fresh fuel experimental measurements to MCNPX calculations using self-interrogation neutron resonance densitometry

Author

William S. Charlton, Martyn T. Swinhoe, Howard O. Menlove, and Adrienne M. LaFleur

Subjects
Physics, Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Fissile material, Fission, Nuclear engineering, Pressurized water reactor, Monte Carlo method, Enriched uranium, Spent nuclear fuel, law.invention, Nuclear physics, law, Neutron detection, Light-water reactor, Instrumentation
Abstract

A new non-destructive assay technique called Self-Interrogation Neutron Resonance Densitometry (SINRD) is currently being developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to improve existing nuclear safeguards measurements for Light Water Reactor (LWR) fuel assemblies. SINRD consists of four 235 U fission chambers (FCs): bare FC, boron carbide shielded FC, Gd covered FC, and Cd covered FC. Ratios of different FCs are used to determine the amount of resonance absorption from 235 U in the fuel assembly. The sensitivity of this technique is based on using the same fissile materials in the FCs as are present in the fuel because the effect of resonance absorption lines in the transmitted flux is amplified by the corresponding ( n,f ) reaction peaks in the fission chamber. In this work, experimental measurements were performed in air with SINRD using a reference Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) 15×15 low enriched uranium (LEU) fresh fuel assembly at LANL. The purpose of this experiment was to assess the following capabilities of SINRD: (1) ability to measure the effective 235 U enrichment of the PWR fresh LEU fuel assembly and (2) sensitivity and penetrability to the removal of fuel pins from an assembly. These measurements were compared to Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended transport code (MCNPX) simulations to verify the accuracy of the MCNPX model of SINRD. The reproducibility of experimental measurements via MCNPX simulations is essential to validating the results and conclusions obtained from the simulations of SINRD for LWR spent fuel assemblies.

Published
2012

40. Pharmacokinetics of Oxycodone after Subcutaneous Administration in a Critically Ill Population Compared with a Healthy Cohort

Author

S Lai, H McConnell, Pamela E. Macintyre, Marianne J. Chapman, R M Ousley, Richard N. Upton, Guy L. Ludbrook, R B Krishnamurthy, Jennifer Ong, A O Fajumi, C S Charlton, A. Martinez, and Stephanie N. O'Connor

Subjects
Adult, Male, Critical Illness, Injections, Subcutaneous, Population, Biological Availability, Pain, Absorption (skin), Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine, Absorption, Cohort Studies, Young Adult, Pharmacokinetics, medicine, Humans, Patient group, education, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Aged, Monitoring, Physiologic, education.field_of_study, business.industry, Critically ill, Analgesia, Patient-Controlled, Middle Aged, Bioavailability, Analgesics, Opioid, Fentanyl, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Area Under Curve, Anesthesia, Cohort, Female, business, Oxycodone, medicine.drug
Abstract

This study aimed to characterise and compare the absorption pharmacokinetics of a single subcutaneous dose of oxycodone in critically ill patients and healthy subjects. Blood samples taken at intervals from two minutes to eight hours after a subcutaneous dose of oxycodone in patients (5 mg) and healthy volunteers (10 mg) were assayed using high performance liquid chromatography. Data were analysed using a non-compartmental approach and presented as mean (SD). Parameters were corrected for dose differences between the groups assuming linear kinetics. Ten patients (eight male, two female) and seven healthy male subjects were included. Maximum venous concentration and area under the concentration curve were approximately two-fold lower in the patient group for an equivalent dose, suggesting either reduced bioavailability or increased clearance: maximum venous concentration 0.14 ± 0.06 vs 0.05 ± 0.02 µg/ml (P

Published
2012

41. Neutron activation analysis of concrete for cross-border nuclear security

Author

Craig M. Marianno, William S. Charlton, W. D. James, and C. Ryan

Subjects
Elemental composition, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Nuclear engineering, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Radioactive waste, Nuclear material, Neutron radiation, Pollution, Radiation Portal Monitor, Neutron temperature, Analytical Chemistry, Nuclear physics, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, Environmental science, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging, Neutron activation analysis, Soviet union, Spectroscopy
Abstract

The dissolution of the Soviet Union coupled with the growing sophistication of international terror organizations has brought about a desire to ensure that a sound infrastructure exists to interdict smuggled nuclear material prior to leaving its country of origin. To combat the threat of nuclear trafficking, radiation portal monitors (RPMs) are deployed around the world to intercept illicit material while in transit by passively detecting gamma and neutron radiation. Portal monitors in some locations have reported abnormally high background counts. The higher background data has been attributed, in part, to the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in the concrete surrounding the portal monitors. Higher background increases the minimum detectable activity (MDA) and can ultimately lead to more material passing through the RPMs undetected. This work employed two different neutron activation analysis (NAA) methods for the purpose of developing a process to characterize the concrete surrounding the RPMs. Thermal neutron instrumental NAA (INAA) and fast NAA (FNAA) were conducted on six samples from three different composition concrete slabs. Comparator standards and quality control materials were used to help ensure that the methods were both precise and accurate. The combination of INAA and FNAA accounted for 84–100% of the total elemental composition of the samples. Knowing the composition of the concrete will allow RPM customers to choose suitable materials prior to installation, thereby increasing the ability of the monitors to detect radiological and nuclear materials.

Published
2011

42. Low prevalence of DFNB1 (connexin 26) mutations in British Pakistani children with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss

Author

Lesley Fairley, Nick Spencer, Soo Y Yoong, Lampros A. Mavrogiannis, Christopher P. Bennett, John Wright, and Ruth S. Charlton

Subjects
Male, Pediatrics, medicine.medical_specialty, Adolescent, Hearing Loss, Sensorineural, media_common.quotation_subject, Immigration, Psychological intervention, Connexins, White People, Asian People, otorhinolaryngologic diseases, medicine, Humans, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Child, Retrospective Studies, Genetic testing, media_common, White (horse), medicine.diagnostic_test, business.industry, Infant, Newborn, Outcome measures, Infant, Retrospective cohort study, medicine.disease, Connexin 26, England, Child, Preschool, Mutation, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health, Female, Sensorineural hearing loss, business, Non syndromic
Abstract

Objective To determine the clinical sensitivity of DFNB1 genetic testing (analysis of the connexin 26 gene GJB2 ) for non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in British Pakistani children and extend to a comparison with British White children and literature data. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting City of Bradford, UK. Patients Overall, 177 children (152 families) were eligible; 147 children (123 families) were British Pakistani, and 30 children (29 families) were British White. Interventions DFNB1 testing was offered. Main outcome measures Detection rate for pathogenic bi-allelic GJB2 mutations. Results DFNB1 testing yielded positive results in 6.9% British Pakistani families compared with 15.4% British White families. Of 65 British Pakistani children tested (from 58 families), five children (from four families) were found to be homozygous for the common South Asian GJB2 mutation p.Trp24X. Of 14 British White children tested (from 13 families), bi-allelic pathogenic GJB2 mutations were seen in two children (from two families). Conclusions The contribution of DFNB1 to non-syndromic SNHL in the Bradford British Pakistani children appears to be low when compared with a White peer group and White populations in general. The high prevalence of genetic deafness in this community, attributed to family structure and immigration history, points to a dilution effect in favour of other recessive deafness genes/loci.

Published
2011

43. Biotechnological uses of enzymes from psychrophiles

Author

Ricardo Cavicchioli, Timothy S. Charlton, S. Mohd Omar, Haluk Ertan, Timothy J. Williams, and Khawar Sohail Siddiqui

Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification, business.industry, Ecology, Microorganism, Biosphere, Bioengineering, Biology, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Enzyme, chemistry, Microbial ecology, Metagenomics, business, Psychrophile
Abstract

The bulk of the Earth's biosphere is cold (e.g. 90% of the ocean's waters are ≤ 5°C), sustaining a broad diversity of microbial life. The permanently cold environments vary from the deep ocean to alpine reaches and to polar regions. Commensurate with the extent and diversity of the ecosystems that harbour psychrophilic life, the functional capacity of the microorganisms that inhabitat the cold biosphere are equally diverse. As a result, indigenous psychrophilic microorganisms provide an enormous natural resource of enzymes that function effectively in the cold, and these cold-adapted enzymes have been targeted for their biotechnological potential. In this review we describe the main properties of enzymes from psychrophiles and describe some of their known biotechnological applications and ways to potentially improve their value for biotechnology. The review also covers the use of metagenomics for enzyme screening, the development of psychrophilic gene expression systems and the use of enzymes for cleaning.

Published
2011

44. Development of a real-time detection strategy for process monitoring during nuclear fuel reprocessing using the UREX+3a method

Author

William S. Charlton, Sean M. McDeavitt, and Braden Goddard

Subjects
Nuclear and High Energy Physics, Engineering, Nuclear fuel, business.industry, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear engineering, Nuclear power, Nuclear reactor, Spent nuclear fuel, law.invention, Semiconductor detector, Nuclear physics, Nuclear reprocessing, Nuclear Energy and Engineering, law, Nuclear power plant, General Materials Science, Neutron, Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, business, Waste Management and Disposal
Abstract

Reprocessing nuclear fuel is becoming more viable in the United States due to the anticipated increase in construction of nuclear power plants, the growing stockpile of existing used nuclear fuel, and a public desire to reduce the amount of this fuel. A new reprocessing facility will likely have state of the art controls and monitoring methods to safeguard special nuclear materials, as well as to provide real-time monitoring for process control. The focus of this research was to create a proof of concept to enable the development of a detection strategy that uses well established gamma and neutron measurement methods to characterize samples from the Uranium Extraction Plus 3a (UREX+3a) reprocessing method using a variety of detector types and measurement times. A facility that implemented real-time gamma detection equipment could improve product quality control and provide additional benefits, such as waste volume reduction. In addition to the spectral analyses, it was determined by Monte Carlo N Particle (MCNP) simulations that there is no noticeable self-shielding for internal pipe diameters less than 5.08 cm, indicating that no self-shielding correction factors are needed. Further, it was determined that High Purity Germanium (HPGe) N-type detectors have the high gamma ray energy resolution and neutron damage resistance that would be required in a reprocessing facility. Finally, the gamma ray spectra for the measured samples were simulated using MCNP and then the model was extended to predict the responses from an actual reprocessing scenario from UREX+3a applied to fuel that had a decay time of 3 years. The 3-year decayed fuel was more representative of commercially reprocessed fuel than the acquired UREX+3a samples. It was determined that the 3-year decayed fuel is easier to apply real-time process monitoring due to an increased number of short lived detectable isotopes. This research found that real-time gamma ray detection for process monitoring would be beneficial to a reprocessing facility and that commercially available detectors may be adequate for the neutron environment.

Published
2010

46. Environmental degradation and biofouling of ‘green’ plastics including short and medium chain length polyhydroxyalkanoates

Author

L. John R. Foster, Lachlan H Yee, Timothy S. Charlton, and Catherine A Woolnough

Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification, Rugosity, Materials science, Polymers and Plastics, Organic Chemistry, Polymer, Biodegradation, engineering.material, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Biofouling, chemistry.chemical_compound, Polymer degradation, chemistry, Ethyl cellulose, Chemical engineering, Materials Chemistry, engineering, Organic chemistry, Biopolymer
Abstract

Biopolymers derived from natural resources are potential alternatives to recalcitrant synthetic plastics; however, studies investigating the degradability of these biopolymers in natural environments are relatively few. This study compares the environmental degradation of polymers described as ‘green plastics’ in garden soil in terms of weight loss, topographical changes and biofilm attachment. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly[(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-hydroxyvalerate)] (P(HB-co-8HV)), (copolymer containing 8 mol% HV) films degraded rapidly, losing 50% of their initial weight in 50 days. In contrast, after burial for 380 days, the medium chain length polyhydroxyoctanoate (PHO) lost 60% of its weight, poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLL) 18% and poly[(D,L-lactide)-co-glycolide] (PDLLG) 35%. Polystyrene (PS) and ethyl cellulose (EC) showed no significant degradation. Both weight loss and biofouling occurred in the following sequence: P(HB-co-8HV) = PHB > PHO > PDLLG > PDLL > PS = EC. The surface rugosity and surface areas of PHB and P(HB-co-8HV) increased three- and twofold, respectively, during degradation, indicating surface erosion. The surface rugosity of PHO increased twofold and the surface area increased by 25%. This in situ study demonstrates a quantifiable relationship between biofilm attachment, surface rugosity and polymer degradation. PHB and P(HB-co-8HV) showed greater biofouling and increased surface rugosity, and degraded significantly faster than the other polymers studied. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Published
2009

47. India's Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Unraveling the Impact of the U.S.-India Nuclear Accord

Author

Paul Nelson, William S. Charlton, and Taraknath V. K. Woddi

Subjects
Nuclear fuel cycle, Nuclear facilities, Work (electrical), business.industry, Fuel cycle, Nuclear engineering, Transparency (graphic), Political science, Accounting, Table of contents, business, Nuclear program
Abstract

An analysis of the current (February 2009) status and future potential of India's nuclear fuel cycle is presented in this book. Such a fuel cycle assessment is important, but relatively opaque because India regards various aspects of its nuclear fuel cycle as strategically sensitive. Any study therefore necessarily depends upon reverse calculations based on the information that is available, expert assessments, engineering judgment and anecdotal information. In this work every effort is made to provide transparency to these foundations, so that changes can be made in light of alternative expectations or subsequent information. This book should be of interest to policy experts, governmental specialists, technologists, nuclear technologists, and others seeking to understand and explain the associated facts and potential consequences of the recent U.S.-India civil nuclear accord. Table of Contents: Introduction / A Brief History of the Indian Nuclear Program / Indian Nuclear Facilities Fuel Cycle Analysis: From Beginning to Present Day / Fuel Cycle Analysis: Future Projections / Alternate Reactor Systems / Conclusions / Acknowledgements

Published
2009

48. A repeatable biofilm removal assay and its application in the assessment of commercial cleaning formulations for medical devices

Author

Timothy S. Charlton

Subjects
business.industry, Biofilm, Repeatability, biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition, Chemical cleaning, Pulp and paper industry, Microbiology, Objective assessment, chemistry.chemical_compound, Infectious Diseases, chemistry, Sodium hydroxide, Medicine, Crystal violet, business
Abstract

Bacterial biofilms are an important target of cleaning protocols for reusable medical devices. One approach to assess the efficacy of chemical cleaning formulations against this challenging type of soil is to grow biofilm of a specific strain on test coupons and measure the amount of biofilm removed after coupons have been immersed in a cleaning solution or control solution. This study reports on a comparison of four commercial formulations and two defined solutions in a biofilm removal assay. Biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25619) were grown on polytetrafluoroethylene coupons in a stirred reactor. A crystal violet assay was used to measure percent reduction of biofilm from test coupons by four commercial formulations and two defined solutions (sodium hydroxide and Tween 20). There was a significant pair-wise difference between all treatments (P

Published
2008

49. Surface changes in polyhydroxyalkanoate films during biodegradation and biofouling

Author

Catherine A Woolnough, L. John R. Foster, Maria Sarris, Lachlan H Yee, and Timothy S. Charlton

Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification, Rugosity, Materials science, Polymers and Plastics, Organic Chemistry, Biofilm, Polymer, Biodegradation, engineering.material, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Contact angle, Biofouling, chemistry, Chemical engineering, Polymer chemistry, Materials Chemistry, engineering, Biopolymer
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite the recognition that microbial biofilms play a role in environmental degradation of bioplastics, few studies investigate the relationship between bioplastic biodegradation and microbial colonisation. We have developed protocols based on a combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy and contact angle goniometry to qualitatively and quantitatively map surface changes due to biofilm formation and biopolymer degradation of solvent cast poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) films in an accelerated in vitro biodegradation system. RESULTS: A significant regression relationship between biofilm formation and polymer biodegradation (R2 = 0.96) was primarily conducted by cells loosely attached to the film surfaces (R2 = 0.95), rather than the strongly attached biofilm (R2 = 0.78). During biodegradation the surface rugosity of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and poly[(3-hydroxybutyrate)-co-(3-hydroxyvalerate)] increased by factors of 1.5 and 1.76, respectively. In contrast, poly(3-hydroxyoctanoate) films showed little microbial attachment, negligible weight loss and insignificant changes in surface rugosity. CONCLUSION: A statistically significant link is established between polymer weight loss and biofilm formation. Our results suggest that this degradation is primarily conducted by cells loosely attached to the polymer rather than those strongly attached. Biofilm formation and its type are dependent upon numerous factors; the flat undifferentiated biofilms observed in this study produce a gradual increase in surface rugosity, observed as an increase in waviness. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry

Published
2008

50. A comparison of two devices for the manual cleaning of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes in a clinical setting

Author

Timothy S. Charlton

Subjects
Endoscope, business.industry, STERILE SALINE SOLUTION, Significant difference, Microbiological assay, Brush, Gastrointestinal Endoscopes, General Medicine, law.invention, Bioburden, law, Medicine, New device, business, Biomedical engineering
Abstract

The ‘Pull Thru’ [Novapharm Research Aust. Pty Ltd], a new device designed for cleaning the biopsy/suction channel of flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes, was compared to reusable brushes in a clinical setting. A total of 53 endoscopes were tested with a microbiological assay. Directly after removing the endoscope from the patient, a sterile saline solution was flushed down the biopsy channel to provide a ‘before clean’ estimate of bioburden. Following a cleaning protocol with either of two manual cleaning devices – i.e. one pass with a Pull Thru or six passes with a reusable brush – a second volume of saline solution was used to provide an ‘after clean’ estimate. The protocols were compared for Log10Reduction in colony-forming units (cfu)/mL between the ‘before clean’ and ‘after clean’ samples. No significant difference was found between the two cleaning protocols (P=0.058) using a combined factorial analysis. The adjusted means for Log10Reduction (cfu/mL) were 3.003 (brush) and 3.302 (Pull Thru) with a standard error of difference of 0.154. It is concluded that the cleaning efficacy of one pass with the Pull Thru was as effective as six passes with a reusable brush.

Published
2007

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