bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of a board-game approach on current smokers: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Khazaal Yasser , Chatton Anne , Prezzemolo Roberto , Zebouni Fadi , Edel Yves , Jacquet Johan , Ruggeri Ornella , Burnens Emilie , Monney Grégoire , Protti Anne-Sylvie , Etter Jean-François , Khan Riaz , Cornuz Jacques , Zullino Daniele
Published: January 2013

Background

The main objective of our study was to assess the impact of a board game on smoking status and smoking-related variables in current smokers. To accomplish this objective, we conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the game group with a psychoeducation group and a waiting-list control group.

Methods

The following measures were performed at participant inclusion, as well as after a 2-week and a 3-month follow-up period: “Attitudes Towards Smoking Scale” (ATS-18), “Smoking Self-Efficacy Questionnaire” (SEQ-12), “Attitudes Towards Nicotine Replacement Therapy” scale (ANRT-12), number of cigarettes smoked per day, stages of change, quit attempts, and smoking status. Furthermore, participants were assessed for concurrent psychiatric disorders and for the severity of nicotine dependence with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).

Results

A time × group effect was observed for subscales of the ANRT-12, ATS-18 and SEQ-12, as well as for the number of cigarettes smoked per day. At three months follow-up, compared to the participants allocated to the waiting list group, those on Pick-Klop group were less likely to remain smoker.

Outcomes at 3 months were not predicted by gender, age, FTND, stage of change, or psychiatric disorders at inclusion.

Conclusions

The board game seems to be a good option for smokers. The game led to improvements in variables known to predict quitting in smokers. Furthermore, it increased smoking-cessation rates at 3-months follow-up. The game is also an interesting alternative for smokers in the precontemplation stage.
Selenium and sulindac are synergistic to inhibit intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc/p21 mice
Authors: Bi Xiuli , Pohl Nicole , Dong Huali , Yang Wancai
Published: January 2013

Background

Both selenium and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) sulindac are effective in cancer prevention, but their effects are affected by several factors including epigenetic alterations and gene expression. The current study was designed to determine the effects of the combination of selenium and sulindac on tumor inhibition and the underlying mechanisms.

Results

We fed the intestinal tumor model Apc/p21 mice with selenium- and sulindac-supplemented diet for 24 weeks, and found that the combination of selenium and sulindac significantly inhibited intestinal tumorigenesis, in terms of reducing tumor incidence by 52% and tumor multiplicities by 80% (p<0.01). Mechanistic studies revealed that the combination of selenium and sulindac led to the significant induction of the expression of p27 and p53 and JNK1 phosphorylation, and led to the suppression of β-catenin and its downstream targets. Impressively, the data also showed that demythelation on p21 promoter was associated with tumor inhibition by the combination of selenium and sulindac.

Conclusions

The selenium is synergistic with sulindac to exert maximal effects on tumor inhibition. This finding provides an important chemopreventive strategy using combination of anti-cancer agents, which has a great impact on cancer prevention and has a promising translational potential.
Mechanisms of chemoresistance in cancer stem cells
Authors: Abdullah Lissa Nurrul , Chow Edward Kai‐Hua
Published: January 2013

Chemotherapy is one of the standard methods of treatment in many cancers. While chemotherapy is often capable of inducing cell death in tumors and reducing the tumor bulk, many cancer patients experience recurrence and ultimately death because of treatment failure. In recent years, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have gained intense interest as key tumor‐initiating cells that may also play an integral role in recurrence following chemotherapy. As such, a number of mechanisms of chemoresistance have been identified in CSCs. In this review, we describe a number of these mechanisms of chemoresistance including ABC transporter expression, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (BCL2) related chemoresistance, enhanced DNA damage response and activation of key signaling pathways. Furthermore, we evaluate studies that demonstrate potential methods for overcoming chemoresistance and treating chemoresistant cancers that are driven by CSCs. By understanding how tumor‐initiating cells such as CSCs escape chemotherapy, more informed approaches to treating cancer will develop and may improve clinical outcomes for cancer patients.
Imaging heterogeneity in the mitochondrial redox state of premalignant pancreas in the pancreas-specific PTEN-null transgenic mouse model
Authors: Xu He N , Nioka Shoko , Li Lin Z
Published: January 2013

Background

Metabolic alteration is one of the hallmarks of carcinogenesis. We aimed to identify certain metabolic biomarkers for the early detection of pancreatic cancer (PC) using the transgenic PTEN-null mouse model. Pancreas-specific deletion of PTEN in mouse caused progressive premalignant lesions such as highly proliferative ductal metaplasia. We imaged the mitochondrial redox state of the pancreases of the transgenic mice approximately eight months old using the redox scanner, i.e., the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/oxidized flavoproteins (NADH/Fp) fluorescence imager at low temperature. Two different approaches, the global averaging of the redox indices without considering tissue heterogeneity along tissue depth and the univariate analysis of multi-section data using tissue depth as a covariate were adopted for the statistical analysis of the multi-section imaging data. The standard deviations of the redox indices and the histogram analysis with Gaussian fit were used to determine the tissue heterogeneity.

Results

All methods show consistently that the PTEN deficient pancreases (Pdx1-Cre;PTENlox/lox) were significantly more heterogeneous in their mitochondrial redox state compared to the controls (PTENlox/lox). Statistical analysis taking into account the variations of the redox state with tissue depth further shows that PTEN deletion significantly shifted the pancreatic tissue to an overall more oxidized state. Oxidization of the PTEN-null group was not seen when the imaging data were analyzed by global averaging without considering the variation of the redox indices along tissue depth, indicating the importance of taking tissue heterogeneity into account for the statistical analysis of the multi-section imaging data.

Conclusions

This study reveals a possible link between the mitochondrial redox state alteration of the pancreas and its malignant transformation and may be further developed for establishing potential metabolic biomarkers for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
Contracting with private providers for primary care services: evidence from urban China
Authors: Wang Yan , Eggleston Karen , Yu Zhenjie , Zhang Qiong
Published: January 2013

Controversy surrounds the role of the private sector in health service delivery, including primary care and population health services. China’s recent health reforms call for non-discrimination against private providers and emphasize strengthening primary care, but formal contracting-out initiatives remain few, and the associated empirical evidence is very limited. This paper presents a case study of contracting with private providers for urban primary and preventive health services in Shandong Province, China. The case study draws on three primary sources of data: administrative records; a household survey of over 1600 community residents in Weifang and City Y; and a provider survey of over 1000 staff at community health stations (CHS) in both Weifang and City Y. We supplement the quantitative data with one-on-one, in-depth interviews with key informants, including local officials in charge of public health and government finance.

We find significant differences in patient mix: Residents in the communities served by private community health stations are of lower socioeconomic status (more likely to be uninsured and to report poor health), compared to residents in communities served by a government-owned CHS. Analysis of a household survey of 1013 residents shows that they are more willing to do a routine health exam at their neighborhood CHS if they are of low socioeconomic status (as measured either by education or income). Government and private community health stations in Weifang did not statistically differ in their performance on contracted dimensions, after controlling for size and other CHS characteristics. In contrast, the comparison City Y had lower performance and a large gap between public and private providers. We discuss why these patterns arose and what policymakers and residents considered to be the main issues and concerns regarding primary care services.
Implication of indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase in the tolerance toward fetuses, tumors, and allografts
Authors: Dürr Sophie , Kindler Vincent
Published: January 2013

Review on indolamine 2,3 dioxygenase as required to maintain peripheral tolerance, but if activated too vigorously, may impair pathogen tumor clearance or eradication.

Mammalian IDO is a heme-containing enzyme whose main activity in mammals is to degrade the essential amino acid tryp into l-kynurenine. Although the link between its enzymatic activity and the immune response is not straightforward, several lines of evidence suggest that this enzyme is involved in fighting infections and paradoxically, also in the establishment of the immune tolerance associated with fetus implantation and with the development of oncogenic processes. IDO is associated with the successful development of the fetus. It participates early in pregnancy to the efficient invasion of the uterine mucosa by the nascent trophoblast and remains active throughout the whole process, as illustrated by the decrease in systemic tryp from the second trimester of gestation and the return to normal values after delivery. The short-term activation of IDO in response to invading pathogens and emerging tumors participates in the elimination of these threats, whereas the sustained activation of IDO often results in a state of immune tolerance that may favor chronic infections and the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant cells. However, despite these potential deleterious effects of IDO, the enzyme is instrumental in maintaining the peripheral tolerance that is required to avoid autoimmune diseases. Below, we review the implication of IDO activation upon the physiological development of the fetus and the pathological development of tumors and discuss whether such an enzyme could be used as a therapeutic tool to decrease the rate of allograft rejections via its potent immunomodulatory properties.
Sirtuin deacylases: a molecular link between metabolism and immunity
Authors: Preyat Nicolas , Leo Oberdan
Published: January 2013

Review on the role of sirtuins in modulating an inflammatory response.

Lysine deacetylation by the NAD+-dependent family of sirtuins has been recognized as an important post-translational modification regulating a wide range of cellular processes. These lysine deacetylases have attracted much interest based on their ability to promote survival in response to stress. Sirtuins require NAD+ for their enzymatic activity, suggesting that these enzymes may represent molecular links between cell metabolism and several human disorders, including diabetes and cancer. Inflammation represents a pathological situation with clear connections to metabolism and aging in humans, raising the possibility that sirtuins may also play an important role during a normal and/or a pathological immune response. A growing body of data has confirmed the immunomodulatory properties of sirtuins, although often with contrasting and opposing conclusions. These observations will be summarized herein and the possible strategies that may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to treat inflammation briefly discussed.
Impressions from South Africa, 1965 to Now
Authors: Jacques Geoffrey
Published: January 2013

The exhibition of prints Impressions from South Africa, 1965 to Now, curated by Judith B. Hecker at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, offered a view of South African art-making practice that flourished among all sectors of society during the apartheid years. The exhibition evoked a combination of cynicism, nostalgia, even sadness. The politics and the politically oriented art of the twentieth century recall utopian hopes that ended in dashed expectations. Yet art that speaks the language of the twentieth-century insurgent Left also recalls the brutality attributed to those struggles. The exhibition showed an acute awareness of these problems and seemed to have been organized with them as a sort of subtext.
Jo Ractliffe: As Terras do Fim do Mundo
Authors: Diakhaté Lydie
Published: January 2013

This review concerns the Walther Collection’s first photographic show, devoted to the work of Jo Ractliffe at the Project Space in New York. Radcliffe’s work offers the viewer a magical journey of remembrance through the long years of civil wars, mapping their tragedies onto the landscapes of our collective memory.
Prevention of Kidney Injury Following Rhabdomyolysis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Scharman Elizabeth J , Troutman William G
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic literature review to evaluate evidence-based recommendations for the prevention of rhabdomyolysis-associated acute renal failure (ARF).

DATA SOURCES

PubMed (1966-December 2012), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Science Citation Index, and Cochrane databases (1970-December 2012) were searched. There were no language restrictions.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Studies selected dealt with treatment of rhabdomyolysis (crush syndrome) or prevention of ARF in patients with rhabdomyolysis. Articles excluded did not present original data or described only the management of ARF after it developed. Single case reports were excluded. Extracted data included study type; population; definitions of rhabdomyolysis and ARF; fluid, sodium bicarbonate, and mannitol dosages; and study findings.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. No controlled trials compared intravenous fluid administration plus sodium bicarbonate to fluid administration alone. Three concluded that there was no significant difference in the rates of ARF between patients receiving and those not receiving sodium bicarbonate; however, urine alkalinization was not documented. Eight investigations concluded that delayed fluid administration increased the risk of ARF. No controlled study compared volumes of fluid administered or targeted urine output goals. Fluid type, therapy duration, and monitoring parameters varied widely; 4 used a urine output goal in adults of more than 300 mL/h or 300 mL/h or more. No evidence supported a preferred fluid type or that sodium bicarbonate with or without mannitol was superior to fluid therapy alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous fluids should be initiated as soon as possible, preferably within the first 6 hours after muscle injury, at a rate that maintains a urine output in adults of 300 mL/h or more for at least the first 24 hours. Sodium bicarbonate should be administered only if necessary to correct systemic acidosis and mannitol only to maintain urine output of 300 mL/h or more despite adequate fluid administration.
Inadequate Therapeutic Response to a Recommended Antituberculosis Fixed-Dose Combination Regimen in an Overweight Patient with Mycobacterium bovis Infection
Authors: Lloret-Linares Célia , Mouly Stéphane , Hoang-Nguyen Dan-Tranh , Evans John , Raskine Laurent , Lopes Amanda , Cambau Emmanuelle , Bergmann Jean-François , Sellier Pierre
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of an overweight man with lymph node tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium bovis, a part of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, treated with fixed-dose combination (FDC) chemotherapy.

CASE REPORT

Following guidelines, according to the patient's weight (92 kg), we prescribed the maximum recommended doses of isoniazid-rifampin-pyrazinamide FDC. It led initially to underdosing, with a poor clinical outcome, justifying increased doses and a complex regimen using separate drugs (isoniazid 600 mg, rifampin 1200 mg, and levofloxacin 1000 mg) to achieve therapeutic drug concentrations and clinical response.

DISCUSSION

Usually recommended doses of FDC chemotherapies may be inappropriate in overweight patients. We discuss here the different factors that may be involved in poor clinical outcomes, particularly the consequences of excess weight on drug metabolism: drug-drug interaction, FDC use, generic formulation use, intestinal malabsorption, and acetylation profile.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapeutic drug monitoring in overweight patients may be useful in the clinical setting to help clinicians individualize drug therapeutic regimens and optimize drug response, adherence, and safety.
High-Dose Oral Medroxyprogesterone for Inappropriate Hypersexuality in Elderly Men with Dementia: A Case Series
Authors: Cross Bethany S , DeYoung G Robert , Furmaga Kevin M
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively examine the utility of high-dose oral medroxyprogesterone (MPA) for the treatment of inappropriate hypersexuality (IH) in elderly men with dementia.

CASE SUMMARY

Ten men aged 65 years or older (median 79.5 years, range 65–93 years) were identified from all admissions at a 170-bed tertiary referral psychiatric hospital between December 2005 and January 2011. Admission records were used to identify subjects who received at least 100 mg daily of oral MPA. The primary outcome of successful treatment was chart documentation of a substantial decline in IH, such that subjects could return to preadmission residence. Data were collected to assess trends in dose, adverse effects, use of other symptom-modifying medications prior to MPA initiation, and successful return to preadmission placement. A trial serotoneric agent was used in 70% of subjects prior to MPA initiation. Sixty percent of subjects failed a trial of an antipsychotic, while 40% did not have response to the use of both a serotonergic agent and an antipsychotic before MPA was initiated. The average daily dose of MPA was 300 mg (range 100–400 mg/day). No adverse effects were documented from physician, nursing, or behavioral health rounding notes; however, adverse effects may not have been systematically assessed at the time of MPA administration. Seventy percent of subjects experienced favorable changes in target behaviors from MPA.

DISCUSSION

Few data exist on effective therapy options for treatment of IH. The minimum concentration of MPA needed to suppress IH in the male body is unknown. MPA was titrated upward, with the efficacy measure being a decrease in inappropriate behaviors. Use of MPA likely contributed to decreased IH; however, other factors involved in hospitalization could have contributed to improved behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

While requiring further study, high-dose (100–400 mg/day) oral MPA may represent an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for subjects displaying IH.
Spuriously Elevated Testosterone Measurements Caused by Application of Testosterone Gel at or Near the Phlebotomy Site
Authors: Kirk Deepa , Misita Caron
Published: January 2013

OBJECTIVE

To report 2 cases of spuriously elevated testosterone measurements caused by contamination of blood samples by testosterone gel applied near the phlebotomy site.

CASE SUMMARIES

A 21-year-old male with primary hypogonadism and a 67-year-old male with secondary hypogonadism were prescribed standard replacement doses of testosterone gel. The patients' symptoms improved without adverse effects. However, their measured testosterone levels rose above the target range and paradoxically increased further despite decreasing the testosterone dose. In both cases, the gel had been applied near the site of venipuncture on the day of blood sampling. Subsequent testosterone measurements from blood obtained after the gel was applied away from the upper/mid arms were in therapeutic range.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, falsely elevated testosterone concentrations due to contamination of blood samples by testosterone gel have been reported only once (PubMed search, 1966-September 2012). In the cases we describe, application of the Naranjo probability scale suggests a probable likelihood that sample contamination caused the falsely elevated testosterone measurements. Health care professionals should recognize and take measures to prevent this problem, which could lead to inappropriate dose changes in hypogonadal patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of testosterone gel at or near the site of venipuncture can markedly increase the measured serum testosterone concentration.
Engaging the evolution of varieties of capitalism: a two-tier approach to examining institutional change
Authors: Mastroeni Michele
Published: January 2013

There is a continuing need for an analytical approach to institutional change, especially as applied to incremental, agent-driven change. Important institutional change can be incremental and not necessarily linked to immediate crisis. Institutional adjustments initiated by actors in the course of meeting specific economic and political goals can unblock systemic bottlenecks leading to improved economic performance. Aggregate incremental change could also lead to system evolution that deviates significantly from the original system model. This paper presents an approach that engages agent impact on the institutional system, and the political or social motives for action; the two-tiered approach moves away from the categories described in Varieties of Capitalism, one of the more influential approaches to analyzing institutional impact in an economy. Instead of static national categories, the approach presented in this paper differentiates betweendefininginstitutions andinstrumentalinstitutions, the differences in ease and speed of change which characterize each institutional tier, and how the system's evolution is impacted by the combined effect of changes in each tier. Differentiating between institutions in this manner, the paper provides an approach that is more flexible in explaining the interactions between agents and institutions, and the changes which may result.
Ethical codes and corporate responsibility of the most admired companies of the world: Toward a third generation ethics?
Authors: Calderón Reyes , Ferrero Ignacio , Redin Dulce M.
Published: January 2013

Codes of ethics contain a set of rules of conduct and corporate principles concerning the responsibility of a company to its stakeholders and shareholders. These codes help to guide corporate and employee behavior, and constitute verifiable elements of social responsibility. This study examines the Most Admired Companies of the World, ranked by Fortune magazine in 2009 to find out, first, whether their codes of ethics exhibit greater emphasis on social responsibility and strong implementation processes, and second, whether they could be considered codes of the third generation as elaborated by Stohl et al. in their article in the Journal of Business Ethics. Our results indicate that the codes of ethics of the 2009 Most Admired Companies of the World resemble “codes of conduct” rather than strictly codes of ethics or “codes of corporate social responsibility”. These codes continue to be governed by traditional norms related to immediate economic success, normative compliance, internal management and the pressing effects of their sector. This study thus provides empirical support for the idea that the philosophy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is scarcely present in the codes of the most reputable companies.
Pan-genomic binding of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors
Authors: Schödel Johannes , Mole David Robert , Ratcliffe Peter John
Published: January 2013

Hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) mediate the cellular response to hypoxia. HIF-DNA binding triggers a transcriptional program that acts to both restore oxygen homeostasis and adapt cells to low oxygen availability. In this context, HIF is centrally involved in many physiologic and pathophysiological processes such as development, high altitude adaptation, ischemic disease, inflammation, and cancer. The recent development of chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to genome-wide DNA sequence analysis allows the position and extent of HIF binding to DNA to be characterized across the entire genome and correlated with genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional analyses. This review summarizes recent pan-genomic analyses of HIF binding and HIF-dependent transcriptional regulation.
Leveraging microfinance to impact HIV and financial behaviors among adolescents and their mothers in West Bengal: a cluster randomized trial
Authors: Spielberg Freya , Crookston Benjamin T. , Chanani Sheila , Kim Jaewhan , Kline Sean , Gray Bobbi L.
Published: January 2013

Microfinance can be used to reach women and adolescent girls with HIV prevention education. We report findings from a cluster-randomized control trial among 55 villages in West Bengal to determine the impact of non-formal education on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors for HIV prevention and savings. Multilevel regression models were used to evaluate differences between groups for key outcomes while adjusting for cluster correlation and differences in baseline characteristics. Women and girls who received HIV education showed significant gains in HIV knowledge, awareness that condoms can prevent HIV, self-efficacy for HIV prevention, and confirmed use of clean needles, as compared to the control group. Condom use was rare and did not improve for women. While HIV testing was uncommon, knowledge of HIV-testing resources significantly increased among girls, and trended in the positive direction among women in intervention groups. Conversely, the savings education showed no impact on financial knowledge or behavior change.
Impact of Vacancy-Type Defects on Thermal Conductivity of β-SiC: Molecular Dynamics Versus an Analytical Approach
Authors: Samolyuk G. D. , Golubov S. I. , Osetsky Y. N. , Stoller R. E.
Published: January 2013

A molecular dynamics technique has been used to study the impact of single vacancies and small vacancy clusters/microvoids on thermal conductivity of β-SiC. It is found that single vacancies reduce thermal conductivity more significantly than do microvoids with the same total number of vacancies in the crystal. According to molecular dynamic result, the relative change of thermal resistivity linearly increases with vacancy concentration. This result is in contradiction with commonly used analytical approach prediction, where the dependence changes from linear at low concentrations to square root at higher values. The dependence on the volume fraction of microvoids switches from square root at small swelling values to nearly linear dependence at higher swelling. In the case of SiC, the molecular dynamic results obtained for vacancies and microvoids agree reasonably well with experimental values. The computational results are compared with the commonly used Debye-Callaway model. A possible way to modify the Debye-Callaway model is discussed.
USDA Programs to Support Development and Use of Biobased Industrial Products
Authors: Bailey Carmela A.
Published: January 2013

Nonfood, nonfeed uses of agricultural and forestry materials offer the best opportunities to realize the full economic potential which agriculture and forestry can play, beyond the traditional food, feed, and fiber markets. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a portfolio of programs that support research, development, and commercialization of biobased lubricants as well as other industrial products that can replace petroleum-based products, such as plastics, paints, coatings, and adhesives. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers competitive grant programs to support basic and applied research through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and pre-commercialization research is supported through the Small Business Innovation Research program www.nifa.usda.gov. NIFA collaborates with the Department of Energy through joint solicitations for the Biomass Research and Development Initiative, which supports developmental research and demonstration projects. USDA is the lead Federal agency for implementing the BioPreferredSM purchasing program. Many products, including lubricants, have been officially designated as biobased and must be given first preference for purchase by Federal agencies, thus creating a tremendous market pull for new products through the purchasing power of the Federal government. This program will allow agencies to meet their environmental goals with products that can also meet performance requirements and are cost competitive. (www.biopreferred.gov). Through partnerships with industry, Academia and other Federal agencies, these programs are making a significant contribution to the development and adoption of alternative technologies to increase energy independence and to open new opportunities for agriculture.
Characteristics of PAG Based Bio-Hydraulic Fluid
Authors: Khemchandani Govind , Greaves Martin R.
Published: January 2013

Regulatory drivers both in the U.S. and in the European Union are attempting to promote the use of biodegradable lubricants in the marketplace. A base fluid that uses the first ever combination of biodegradable polyalkylene glycol (PAG) with a high oleic canola oil was developed to meet environmental accreditation standards. This combination utilizes the PAG to “upgrade” the vegetable oil in hydraulic fluid formulation and provide a base fluid that can solubilize the oxidation by-products and provide better deposit control compared to straight general purpose fluids that are based on vegetable oils. A general purpose bio-hydraulic fluid that use a blend of PAG and high oleic canola oil has shown enhanced performance characteristics in two critical tests namely an oxidation test (ASTM D 2893 B) and a hydraulic vane pump test (ASTM D 7043). These two tests clearly differentiate the superior attributes of the PAG-based bio-hydraulic fluid compared to a widely use general purpose biodegradable hydraulic fluid in the market place.
A New Way to Determine the Biodegradability of Lubricants by a Biokinetic Model
Authors: Rhee In-Sik
Published: January 2013

With advanced lubrication technology, natural resources have been turned into lubricants which are no longer recognizable by microorganisms and enzymes that convert natural substances into their basic building blocks. To make more environmentally friendly products, significant efforts are on-going to develop biodegradable materials and technologies which are fully compatible with the environment. One concern in these efforts is the evaluation of their biodegradability in laboratory environments within a short period. Currently, several ASTM and Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) biodegradation test methods are available for determining this environmental property, but these take a long time (28 days) and special biological knowledge is required. Because of these disadvantages, it is very difficult to use in lubrication laboratories for assessing the biodegradability of lubricants. To resolve this problem, a biokinetic model has been developed based on the composition of lubricants. The advantage of this biokinetic model is that it can predict the biodegradability of lubricants within a day without the use of microorganisms. In addition, this new technology resulted in an excellent correlation with the existing laboratory biodegradation tests. Currently, this technology is used in the ASTM D7373 test method. This report presents how to develop a biokinetic model and the results are discussed in a comparison with the Aerobic Closed Respirometer test (ASTM D 6731).
Multiscale Analysis of Viscoplastic Behavior of Recrystallized Zircaloy-4 at 400°C
Authors: Priser Mathieu , Rautenberg Martin , Cloué Jean-Marc , Pilvin Philippe , Feaugas Xavier , Poquillon Dominique
Published: January 2013

Zirconium alloys are used in the nuclear industry as cladding tubes to prevent the fissile material from leaking into the coolant as the first safety wall of nuclear fuel. More and more requirements on fuel performance lead to stronger mechanical solicitations and integrity of cladding tubes has to be guaranteed. In this framework, the polycrystalline models, which are based on plasticity mechanisms, have interesting advantages compared to phenomenological ones. Some previous studies have shown that a polycrystalline approach could be very useful to describe the mechanical behavior of zirconium alloys. This modelling strategy has been successfully applied to fresh material and also, more recently, to irradiated material. The micromechanical approach has been developed in the light of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. These experiments have been achieved to identify the main deformation mechanisms, which occur in several grains of relaxed and crept Zircaloy-4 samples. The main purpose of this paper is to describe an improved micromechanical model able to reproduce both the anisotropic creep behavior and the elasto-plastic behavior of unirradiated recrystallized Zircaloy-4 at 400°C. Finally, the quantitative analyses, which have been carried out with TEM correspond well with the results provided by the micromechanical approach.
Hydrogen Absorption Mechanism of Zirconium Alloys Based on Characterization of Oxide Layer
Authors: Une K. , Sakamoto K. , Aomi M. , Matsunaga J. , Etoh Y. , Takagi I. , Miyamura S. , Kobayashi T. , Ito K.
Published: January 2013

In order to get a better understanding of the mechanism governing hydrogen absorption behavior in Zr-based alloys, various characterization techniques were applied to the oxide layers of three alloys: Zry-2, GNF-Ziron (Zry-2-based alloy with ∼0.26 wt % Fe), and VB (Zr-based alloy containing ∼0.5 wt % Sn, ∼0.5 wt % Fe, and ∼1 wt % Cr). Out-of-pile corrosion tests were carried out in 400 °C steam and 290 °C LiOH water. For both tests, the hydrogen absorption decreased with higher iron content in the alloys, in the order of Zry-2>GNF-Ziron>VB, despite different kinetics of a parabolic law in the former test and a linear law in the latter test. The acceleration of hydrogen absorption in the LiOH water was ascribed to the formation of degraded or open grain boundaries up to locations very near the metal/oxide interface. The pre-transition steam oxides of 1.4–1.7 μm had a double layer structure composed of the outside non-protective oxide of monoclinic ZrO2 with faster diffusivity and the inside barrier layer of predominantly tetragonal ZrO2 with slower diffusivity. The thickness of the barrier layer of about 0.8–0.9 μm was not changed for the different alloys. The diffusion coefficient of deuterium in the VB oxide was approximately half of that in the GNF-Ziron oxide. This factor for the diffusivity was consistent with their hydrogen pickup performance. The higher compressive stress in the barrier layer was directly linked to the higher hydrogen pickup resistance of the alloys. Preferential dissolution of alloy elements from the second-phase particles (SPPs) into the oxide matrix was evinced for iron, and was very limited for chromium and nickel. These two elements had a tendency to exist as precipitates in the oxide layers, chromium mainly as oxide, and nickel mainly as metal. The superior hydrogen absorption performance of VB containing higher iron content and the SPPs with larger size and number density was attributable to the dissolved iron effect and higher compressive stress state generated from the delayed oxidation of the SPPs in the barrier layer.
Neutron Radiography: A Powerful Tool for Fast, Quantitative and Non-Destructive Determination of Hydrogen Concentration and Distribution in Zirconium Alloys
Authors: Grosse Micro
Published: January 2013

The hydrogen concentration in zirconium alloys used in nuclear fuel cladding can be determined quantitatively, rapidly and non-destructively with a spatial resolution of 25 μm by neutron radiography. Because the total neutron cross section of hydrogen is more than one order of magnitude higher than that of zirconium, low concentrations of hydrogen can be measured. Calibration measurements have been performed and confirm the linear dependence of the total macroscopic neutron cross section on the hydrogen to zirconium atomic ratio as expected from theoretical analysis. The fast and non-destructive character of the method provides the possibility of in situ investigations. Examples of in situ investigations of the diffusion of hydrogen into Zircaloy-4 and of hydrogen uptake during steam oxidation are given. For the steam oxidation experiments a fast hydrogen uptake was found during the first 10 s. After this first step, the hydrogen concentration in the sample decreases slightly. If breakaway oxidation occurs, additional hydrogen absorption takes place. The hydrogen concentration can then increase by nearly one order of magnitude by this process. The influence of variations in the total gas flow and the steam flow on the hydrogen uptake was investigated, too.
Experimental Investigation of Irradiation Creep and Growth of Recrystallized Zircaloy-4 Guide Tubes Pre-Irradiated in PWR
Authors: McGrath Margaret A. , Yagnik Suresh
Published: January 2013

Re-crystallized Zircaloy-4 guide tubes were irradiated in commercial pressurized water reactors (PWRs) at three different temperatures to fluences near 1 × 1022 n/cm2 E>1 MeV (15 displacements per atom), resulting in moderate corrosion and three different hydrogen contents (approximately 135, 240, and 700 parts per million). Sections of the guide tubes were re-irradiated in the Halden reactor to assess the irradiation creep and growth behaviors. Three conditions were applied: Bellows-loaded axial compression creep; zero stress growth; and zero stress, zero flux (control specimens). The guide tube sections were re-irradiated under simulated PWR conditions by utilizing a pressurized light water loop operating with normal PWR water chemistry at approximately 320C. Axial length changes were measured in-reactor by linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs), and post-irradiation hot cell measurements were done to confirm the LVDT elongation measurements. After minor corrections were made to account for reactor testing variables, it was shown that the LVDT measurements were accurate, thus creep and growth or free growth rates were established for each guide tube section. Hot cell examinations were also performed to establish the state of corrosion of each specimen, including hydrogen content, both before and after the re-irradiation in the Halden reactor. The results showed that stress free irradiation growth was different for each specimen and correlated qualitatively with the hydrogen content and commercial irradiation temperatures of the guide tubes. The higher hydrogen content, or higher commercial irradiation temperature, gave rise to higher subsequent growth rates. After subtracting the growth strain from the measured creep and growth strain values, the magnitude of creep and creep rates were essentially the same for all specimens: No effect of commercial reactor irradiation temperature or hydrogen content was observed. The results give important new data on irradiation creep and growth and on the correlation between hydrogen content and irradiation temperature on growth rates.
What Have We Learned About Uncertainty? Are We Still Playing with Fire
Authors: Keltner Ned
Published: January 2013

Accurate characterization of the thermal environment in fires and fire safety tests is crucial to understanding the impact of fire on materials and assemblies and the work on modeling those impacts. Standardized fire resistance test methods have been used to help evaluate building materials and assemblies since the early 1900s and have been part of a successful effort to improve fire safety. However, current methods use predominately temperature measurements and do not provide sufficient heat transfer data to support the development and validation of fire protection engineering models. This paper looks at measurement techniques that were used successfully in pool fire research and how they could be applied to modeling structure fires.
Microstructure Response of WWER-440 Reactor Pressure Vessel Weld Material After Irradiation and Annealing Treatment
Authors: Zeman A. , Chernobaeva A. , Grafutin V. , Rogozhkin S. , Debarberis L. , Ballesteros A. , Erak D. , Nikitin A.
Published: January 2013

The aim of this publication is to contribute to the recent research and development efforts on mitigation of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) embrittlement for operational lifetime extension. This research was done in the framework of the PRIMAVERA international project and it was focused on the WWER-440 reactor pressure vessel materials, specifically weld metals. The investigation primarily addressed the issues related to the re-irradiation effects and annealing treatment of “Russian-type” weld metals. A series of experimental data for WWER-440 reactor pressure vessel welds are reported and discussed to analyse the effect of the recovery annealing procedure. The specific annealing process has been developed and practically applied for “Russian-type” reactor pressure vessels to recover the negative effect of radiation embrittlement. Besides mechanical properties, more detailed information regarding microstructure evolution is described because it brings additional information which can help to understand the embrittlement–annealing–re-embrittlement processes. This study contributes to the experimental investigation of three different welds with high levels of copper (0.16 wt. %) and variable content of phosphorus (0.027–0.038 wt. %) at four different stages (unirradiated, irradiated, annealed after irradiation, and re-irradiated after annealing). The specimens were irradiated in the nuclear power plant (NPP) Rovno-1 and Rovno-2 up to a fluence of ∼1.2 × 1023 n/m2 and approximately 1.2 × 1024 n/m2 and 5.9 × 1024 n/m2 (En > 0.5 MeV) for the re-irradiation stage. After the first stage of irradiation, the samples were annealed in accordance with standard regime for WWER-440 RPVs (475°C, 100 h). The flux was about 4 × 1015 n/m2s (Rovno-1) and 2 × 1016 n/m2s (Rovno-2), respectively. The analysis of microstructure was done by atom probe tomography (APT) to obtain information concerning precipitation kinetics of Cu and P segregation, as well as interaction with other alloying elements. Further study of point-type defects and their clustering was analysed by positron annihilation spectroscopy techniques. The paper aims to report on behaviour of investigated RPV weld materials which were irradiated and annealed to analyse the response of main mechanical properties and microstructural parameters. The authors also believe that this study will be of value to the specialists and experts who are involved in the assessment of “Western-type” reactor pressure vessels, which is carried out as a part of ongoing international activities related to the safe and long term operation of present NPP fleet.
Agricultural Weeds in Glyphosate-Resistant Cropping Systems in the United States
Authors: Young Bryan G. , Gibson David J. , Gage Karla L. , Matthews Joseph L. , Jordan David L. , Owen Micheal D. K. , Shaw David R. , Weller Stephen C. , Wilson Robert G.
Published: January 2013

A segment of the debate surrounding the commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) crops, such as glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops, focuses on the theory that implementation of these traits is an extension of the intensification of agriculture that will further erode the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes. A large field-scale study was conducted in 2006 in the United States on 156 different field sites with a minimum 3-yr history of GR corn, cotton, or soybean in the cropping system. The impact of cropping system, crop rotation, frequency of using the GR crop trait, and several categorical variables on emerged weed density and diversity was analyzed. Species richness, evenness, Shannon's H′, proportion of forbs, erect growth habit, and C3species diversity were all greater in agricultural sites that lacked crop rotation or were in a continuous GR crop system. Rotating between two GR crops (e.g., corn and soybean) or rotating to a non-GR crop resulted in less weed diversity than a continuous GR crop. The composition of the weed flora was more strongly related to location (geography) than any other parameter. The diversity of weed flora in agricultural sites with a history of GR crop production can be influenced by several factors relating to the specific method in which the GR trait is integrated (cropping system, crop rotation, GR trait rotation), the specific weed species, and the geographical location. The finding that fields with continuous GR crops demonstrated greater weed diversity is contrary to arguments opposing the use of GE crops. These results justify further research to clarify the complexities of crops grown with herbicide-resistance traits, or more broadly, GE crops, to provide a more complete characterization of their culture and local adaptation.
Evaluation of the Interaction between Glyphosate and Glufosinate
Authors: Bethke Rachel K. , Molin William T. , Sprague Christy , Penner Donald
Published: January 2013

Crops transformed to provide resistance to herbicides with two different mechanisms of action provide new opportunities for control of herbicide-resistant weeds. However, unexpected interactions may develop, especially for herbicides not generally used in tank-mixtures. The objectives of this study were to evaluate weed control and determine herbicide interactions and fluorescence responses with combinations of glyphosate and glufosinate on selected weeds prevalent in Michigan cropping systems. Field studies to determine herbicide interactions resulted in synergism only at 0.84 kg ae ha−1of glyphosate and 0.47 kg ai ha−1glufosinate in 2008. Early synergism (7 d after treatment [DAT]) was observed in the field at several combined rates for common lambsquarters and velvetleaf in 2009, and in the greenhouse for giant foxtail. Differences between years were perhaps due to the effect of environmental conditions on herbicide absorption and translocation. Antagonism was observed in the field in 2009 for velvetleaf, common lambsquarters, and giant foxtail especially at 840 g ae ha−1glyphosate and 118 g ai ha−1glufosinate, 28 DAT. Antagonism was also observed in the greenhouse for giant foxtail and Canada thistle, 28 DAT. Fluorescence measurements on Canada thistle in the greenhouse showed that glufosinate and glufosinate plus glyphosate acted rapidly to quench electron transport of photosystem II (PS II) system of photosynthesis, and the fluorescence characteristics of the glyphosate and glufosinate combinations were indistinguishable from glufosinate alone.