bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antimicrobial peptides as potential new antifungals
Authors: Müller F.‐M. C. , Lyman C. A. , Walsh T. J. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryRibosomally synthesized natural antimicrobial peptides (AP) and their synthetic derivatives are small, cationic, amphipathic molecules of 12–50 amino acids with unusually broad activity spectra. These peptides kill microorganisms by a common mechanism, which involves binding to the lipid bilayer of biological membranes, forming pores, and ultimately followed by cell lysis. Several AP from mammals, amphibians, insects, plants and their synthetic derivatives demonstrate promising in vitro activity against various pathogenic fungi including azole‐resistant Candida albicans strains. In addition to their antimicrobial activity, some AP such as lactoferrin, interact with a variety of host cells and can increase the activity of natural killer and lymphokine activated killer cells. Pretreatment of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMN) or monocytes with these AP also may upregulate superoxide release. AP as potential new antifungal agents offer some advantages, such as rapid killing of pathogenic fungi and the difficulty to raise mutants resistant to these peptides. AP are limited by their nonselective toxicity, stability, immunogenicity and their costs of production. Potential clinical applications of AP in the future have to be further explored in preclinical and clinical studies to assess their impact as a new class of antifungals.
Therapeutic experience with fluconazole in the treatment of fungal infections in diabetic patients
Authors: Penk A. , Pittrow L. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryDiabetes mellitus is associated with a higher incidence of certain infections, including fungal infections like rhinocerebral zygomycosis (RCZ) and cutaneous candidosis. As the pathophysiology of increased susceptibility to infection of diabetic patients is very complex, a general therapeutic approach is not existing yet. Appropriate diabetes control remains as the best preventive measure. Nevertheless, effective drug therapy is very often required.Fluconazole has proven efficacy in prophylaxis, treatment and suppressive therapy of both systemic and superficial fungal infections, especially in candidosis and cryptococcosis. Therefore it is used routinely against fungal infections in diabetes (FID).Clinical efficacy of fluconazole against cutaeneous candidosis, oropharyngeal candidosis (OPC) and vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) has been confirmed in more than 100 studies, involving more than 10.000 patients (pts). The overall success rate is 90%, with a mean dosage of 100–200 mg/d. In severe cases, e.g. in OPC in late‐stage AIDS pts or in recurrent VVC, higher dosages of up to 800mg/d may be required.In the treatment of RCZ, therapeutic experience with fluconazole is limited1,2. Four diabetic pts have been treated with dosages of 200–300 mg/d and all of them recovered. Nevertheless, treatment of RCZ should include surgical debridement combined with aggressive antifungal therapy.In conclusion, proven efficacy and the excellent safety profile justify the routine use of fluconazole in the treatment of FID.
Activity of terbinafine against serious fungal pathogens
Authors: Ryder N. S. 
Published: December 2017

SummaryAlthough primarily indicated for dermatophyte infections, the allylamine terbinafine is active in vitro against a broad spectrum of filamentous and dimorphic fungi, in most cases with a primary fungicidal action. Using the standard NCCLS M27‐A assay, recent studies confirmed the high activity of terbinafine against dematiaceous fungi and other medically important moulds such as Aspergillus and Penicillium marneffei. Terbinafine displayed a geometric mean MIC of 1.4 μg/ml against Candida albicans (n = 259) and has significant in vitro activity against other species of Candida, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon and Blastoschizomyces. As an approach to treatment of refractory infections, interactions of terbinafine with azoles and other agents are being investigated. Terbinafine was synergistic with azoles (and in some cases amphotericin B) against Candida species, Trichosporon beigelii, Aspergillus species, Pseudallescheria boydii and Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, some of which were unresponsive to any drug used singly. Terbinafine combined with fluconazole showed potent synergy against fluconazole‐ and multidrug‐resistant C. albicans isolates. In conclusion, recent in vitro data suggest that terbinafine, either alone or in combination with other antifungal drugs, has potential in the therapy of a range of more severe fungal infections, in addition to its current widespread use against dermatomycoses.
An oscillatory pressure sintering of zirconia powder: Densification trajectories and mechanical properties
Authors: Han Yao , Li Shuang , Zhu Tianbin , Wu Weiwei , An Di , Hu Feng , Hu Zunlan , Liu Jian , Xu Jingkun , Xie Zhipeng 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe densification trajectories and mechanical properties of zirconia ceramics obtained by oscillatory pressure sintering (OPS) process were investigated, during the sintering process an oscillatory pressure was applied at three stages. Current results indicated that at intermediate stage the oscillatory pressure revealed a favorable improvement of mechanical properties compared with conventional hot pressing (HP) and pressureless sintering (PS) procedures, while the enhancement was not obvious at initial stage. When the oscillatory pressure was applied at final stage, the OPS specimens exhibited the highest bending strength and hardness of 1455 ± 99MPa and 16.6 ± 0.31GPa compared with the PS and HP specimens. Considering the high elastic modulus and Moiré patterns observed in the OPS specimen, the oscillatory pressure applied at intermediate and final stages was detected to facilitate the sliding of grain boundary, plastic deformation of monolithic grains, the removal of pores and the strengthening of atomic bonds.
Synthesis of group IV and V metal diboride nanocrystals via borothermal reduction with sodium borohydride
Authors: Zoli Luca , Galizia Pietro , Silvestroni Laura , Sciti Diletta 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe synthesis of early transition nanocrystals using NaBH4 and the respective metal oxides at atmospheric pressure was studied at temperatures between 400 and 1000°C. Reaction products were analyzed by x‐ray diffraction, the crystallite size was determined after Rietveld refinement of diffraction patterns, while the morphology was analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. For all the investigated systems the lowest temperature to complete the synthesis was 700°C and the reaction occurred in three subsequent steps: (i) decomposition of NaBH4, (ii) formation of crystalline ternary species Na–M–O and Na–B–O, (iii) conversion of intermediary species to MB2 and NaBO2. Syntheses carried out at T > 700°C only caused coarsening of the powders. The synthetized boride powders had the morphology of highly agglomerated nanocrystals. TiB2 had a specific surface area of 33.5 m2/g and crystallite diameter of 12 nm. Both ZrB2 and HfB2 had a platelet‐like morphology with crystallite diameter around 45 nm and specific surface area of 25.0 and 36.4 m2/g, respectively. Finally, NbB2 and TaB2 powders had a crystallite diameter around 5 nm with specific surface area of 21.1 and 11.4 m2/g, respectively. The goal of this synthesis is the use of cheap raw materials and moderate temperature conditions.
The effects of age on pulse wave velocity in untreated hypertension
Authors: Diaz Alejandro , Tringler Matías , Wray Sandra , Ramirez Agustín J. , Cabrera Fischer Edmundo I. 
Published: December 2017

Increased arterial stiffness is an important determinant of cardiovascular risk, able to predict morbidity and mortality, and closely associated with ageing and blood pressure. The aims of this study were: (1) To determine the age‐dependent reference pulse wave velocity (PWV), and compare it with values from hypertensive patients, and (2) to evaluate the impact of isolated and untreated hypertension on arterial stiffness. A total of 1079 patients were enrolled and divided into a control group (NT) of asymptomatic normotensive patients and a group of asymptomatic hypertensive patients (HT). Blood pressure, carotid‐femoral PWV, and body mass index were measured in each subject, whose blood was drawn for laboratory tests. Aortic mean PWV in the NT group was 6.85 ± 1.66 m/s, which increased linearly (R2 = 0.62; P < .05) with age. In patients over 50 years of age, PWV was significantly higher than in younger patients (8.35 vs 5.92 m/s, respectively, P < .001). This significant difference persisted when observing male and female patients separately. In the hypertensive group, mean PWV value was 8.04 ± 1.8 m/s (range 4.5‐15.8 m/s) and increased (R2 = 0.243; P < .05) with age. The PWV increase in HT was significantly higher (0.93 m/s per decade, P < .001) than in NT (0.44 m/s per decade). Our study provides normal values of PVW per decade, and shows that these values increase with age, especially after 50 years of age, particularly in HT patients. This stiffness growth rate may be responsible for increased cardiovascular risk in both groups.
Unique regulation of Na‐glutamine cotransporter SN2/SNAT5 in rabbit intestinal crypt cells during chronic enteritis
Authors: Singh Soudamani , Arthur Subha , Sundaram Uma 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe only Na‐nutrient cotransporter described in mammalian small intestinal crypt cells is SN2/SNAT5, which facilitates glutamine uptake. In a rabbit model of chronic intestinal inflammation, SN2 stimulation is secondary to an increase in affinity of the cotransporter for glutamine. However, the immune regulation of SN2 in the crypt cells during chronic intestinal inflammation is unknown. We sought to determine the mechanism of regulation of Na‐nutrient cotransporter SN2 by arachidonic acid metabolites in crypt cells. The small intestines of New Zealand white male rabbits were inflamed via inoculation with Eimeria magna oocytes. After 2‐week incubation, control and inflamed rabbits were subjected to intramuscular injections of arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (ATK), piroxicam and MK886 for 48 hrs. After injections, the rabbits were euthanized and crypt cells from small intestines were harvested and used. Results: Treatment of rabbits with ATK prevented the release of AA and reversed stimulation of SN2. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) with piroxicam did not affect stimulation of SN2. However, inhibition of lipoxygenase (LOX) with MK886, thus reducing leukotriene formation during chronic enteritis, reversed the stimulation of SN2. Kinetic studies showed that the mechanism of restoration of SN2 by ATK or MK886 was secondary to the restoration of the affinity of the cotransporter for glutamine. For all treatment conditions, Western blot analysis revealed no change in SN2 protein levels. COX inhibition proved ineffective at reversing the stimulation of SN2. Thus, this study provides evidence that SN2 stimulation in crypt cells is mediated by the leukotriene pathway during chronic intestinal inflammation.
Embodied GHGs in a Fast Growing City: Looking at the Evolution of a Dwelling Stock using Structural Element Breakdown and Policy Scenarios
Authors: Göswein Verena , Krones Jonathan , Celentano Giulia , Fernández John E. , Habert Guillaume 
Published: December 2017

SummaryAfrica is currently experiencing rapid population growth and accelerated urbanization. This demographic shift will require a large amount of new construction material resulting in substantial environmental impact. For many cities on the continent, data gaps make specific quantification and robust prediction of this impact highly difficult. This article presents a method to assess the stock dynamics and embodied emissions of a rapidly growing urban built environment using a bottom‐up, typological approach. This approach allows for the identification of appropriate engineering solutions for decarbonization by localizing embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the different constructive elements with a revisited Sankey diagram. Different alternatives regarding housing type and construction techniques are compared. The city of Johannesburg is used as a case study to illustrate the relation between building types, technologies, and embodied GHG of its residential building stock. This new visualization uncovers the most material‐ and GHG‐intense dwelling types and building elements. The adapted Sankey represents the building stock and its drivers in a simple way, allowing clear understanding of the consequences of potential alternatives. The business‐as‐usual scenario indicates 100.5 megatons carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2‐eq) for new construction between 2011 and 2040. The results of the dynamic model over time show that only a combination of a densified building stock with multistory buildings and the use of alternative construction materials and techniques show real potential to decelerate GHG emissions (33.0 Mt CO2‐eq until 2040) while aiming to provide adequate and sustainable housing for all.
Measuring the Resource Productivity of Crude Oil: A Chemical Network and its Application
Authors: Ren Yanan , Liu Xiaojie , Liu Litao , Shi Lei 
Published: December 2017

SummaryThe resource productivity (RP) of crude oil is an important indicator to measure the utilization efficiency of a petroleum resource. In this article, we proposed a methodology to calculate the RP of crude oil from a complex network perspective. We constructed a chemical network comprising 578 chemicals and divided all chemicals into six hierarchical levels according to their processing steps. We put forward two indicators to represent two calculation methods: resource productivity based on material flow analysis and resource productivity based on carbon flow analysis (RPCF). To clarify the differences in the meanings of these two indicators, we extracted the para‐xylene (PX) production chain, which is composed of crude oil, PX, pure terephthalic acid, and polyethylene terephthalate, from the network as an example. Finally, we adopted the RPCF indicator. We calculated that the average RPCFs of the six hierarchical levels of crude oil in China from 1992 to 1999 are 145, 219, 601, 929, 1,474, and 4,076 US$/(tonnes carbon). The results show that there is a value‐added effect in the extension of petrochemical industrial chains. Among the derivatives of crude oil, the RPCFs of chemicals are obviously higher than those of oils. Countries, regions, industrial parks, and chemical companies can improve RP by extending and choosing chemical production chains and combinations thereof. We can also use the calculation methodology to compare RP of other sources of carbon like carbon dioxide and biomass with that of crude oil, and promote the development of circular economy in energy and chemical production.
Effects of a simulated emergency airway management education program on the self‐efficacy and clinical performance of intensive care unit nurses
Authors: Han Myong‐Ja , Lee Ju‐Ry , Shin Yu‐Jung , Son Jeong‐Suk , Choi Eun‐Joo , Oh Yun‐Hee , Lee Soon‐Haeng , Choi Hye‐Ran 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAimTo examine the effects of a simulated emergency airway management education program on the self‐efficacy and clinical performance among nurses in intensive care units.MethodsA one‐group, pre‐ and post‐test design was used. Thirty‐five nurses who were working in adult intensive care units participated in this study. The simulation education program included lectures, skill demonstration, skill training, team‐based practice, and debriefing. Self‐efficacy and clinical performance questionnaires were completed before the program and 1 week after its completion. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and the paired t‐test to compare the mean differences between the pre‐test and post‐test. The scores before and after education were compared.ResultsAfter education, there was a significant improvement in the nurses’ self‐efficacy and clinical performance in emergency airway management situations.ConclusionSimulation education effectively improved the self‐efficacy and clinical performance of the nurses who were working in intensive care units. Based on the program for clinical nurses within a hospital, it will provide information that might advance clinical nursing education.
Sexual and Relationship Satisfaction associated with Shifts in Dyadic Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in German Couples across Four Years
Authors: Morgan Preston C. , Durtschi Jared A. , Kimmes Jonathan G. 
Published: December 2017

Depression is a pervasive mental health concern; thus, it is important to identify modifiable factors associated with reducing depressive symptoms across time. Using 1,876 heterosexual couples assessed annually across 4 years from the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (Pairfam) study, time‐varying covariate growth models tested if sexual and relationship satisfaction were linked with shifts in trajectories of depressive symptoms across time. For both men and women, higher sexual and relationship satisfaction scores were significantly associated with decreasing their own depressive symptom trajectories, but only relationship satisfaction was linked with their partners’ depressive symptom trajectories. Potential clinical implications include the treatment of depressive symptoms by making changes across time in their own relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction.
Resilience as a Moderator of Psychological Health in Situations of Chronic Stress (Burnout) in a Sample of Hospital Nurses
Authors: García‐Izquierdo Mariano , Meseguer de Pedro Mariano , Ríos‐Risquez Mª Isabel , Sánchez Mª Isabel Soler 
Published: December 2017

AbstractObjectivesTo analyze the role played by resilience in the dimensions that constitute burnout syndrome and, through that, the psychological health of a sample of nurses working at hospital centers.MethodsCross‐sectional design, with a questionnaire as the tool. The sample consisted of 537 nurses from three public hospitals in Murcia, Spain. The questionnaire contained measures of the following variables: resilience, the three dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy), and general psychological health, as well as sociodemographic and employment information.ResultsThe emotional exhaustion and cynicism dimensions of burnout were significantly linked to psychological health in the manner expected, but this was not the case for professional efficacy. A stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed the moderating role of resilience on the emotional exhaustion and cynicism dimensions, as well as on psychological health.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceThis study highlights the moderating role of resilience on burnout and psychological health. The practical implications of the results are discussed for the implementation of measures to increase resilience as a personal resource in order to improve the health and work performance of these professionals.
Using the trauma patient experience and evaluation of hospital discharge practices to inform practice change: A mixed methods study
Authors: Goldsmith Helen , McCloughen Andrea , Curtis Kate 
Published: December 2017

Aims and objectivesTo explore the pain management experiences of recently discharged adult trauma patients and the discharge practices of the treating hospital.BackgroundAdult trauma patients are not always able to manage their pain effectively and as a result often experience intense and enduring injury pain at home. They describe their pain experience as unique and debilitating, and report feeling uninformed at hospital discharge. There is a need to understand what is fundamentally required for this population at hospital discharge, to facilitate competent pain management and promote best possible outcomes.DesignA mixed methods convergent study design.MethodsThe quantitative results (incidence, intensity and impact of injury pain and the barriers to effective pain management) were merged with the qualitative results (patient experiences and beliefs) to produce greater understanding about the reasons behind the pain management practices of participants.ResultsIntegration of the quantitative and qualitative data produced four new themes. These themes demonstrate that recently discharged adult trauma patients do not have the knowledge or experience to understand or manage their injury pain effectively at home. Inadequate information and education by clinicians, at hospital discharge, contribute to this insufficiency.ConclusionsClinicians need to understand the trauma patient pain experience to appreciate the importance of their discharge practices. Increased understanding and implementation of evidence‐informed discharge processes would improve current discharge practices and ultimately support and improve the trauma patient's injury pain management practices at home.Relevance to clinical practiceBy understanding the patient perspective in the pain management of injuries, clinicians are better able to appreciate what hospital discharge practices and information are genuinely required by the trauma patient to manage their pain effectively at home, potentially preventing the long‐term consequences of injury pain.
Insights on compassion and patient‐centred nursing in intensive care: A constructivist grounded theory
Authors: Jakimowicz Samantha , Perry Lin , Lewis Joanne 
Published: December 2017

Aims and objectivesTo explore patient‐centred nursing, compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue from intensive care nurses’ perspectives.BackgroundCompassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue can influence critical care nurses’ decisions to either continue or leave the profession, and could impact the compassionate patient‐centred nursing care patients receive during their ICU admission.DesignThis qualitative research design was informed by Charmaz's Grounded Theory Constructivist methodology.MethodsIn‐depth interviews were conducted with 21 critical care nurses of two ICUs in Australia during 2016. Interview data were analysed using grounded theory processes.ResultsFindings reflected positive and negative impacts on critical care nurses’ ability to deal compassionately with their patients. Effects on patient‐centred nursing and critical care nurses’ own well‐being were revealed. A core category of “Expectations” emerged, explaining the tension between critical care nurses’ biomedical, clinical skills and knowledge versus compassionate, patient‐centred nursing care. This tension was clarified and expanded in subcategories of “Life in the Balance,” “Passion and Pressure,” “Understanding and Advocacy” and “Tenacity and Fragility”.ConclusionProviding patient‐centred nursing may enhance critical care nurses’ experience of compassion satisfaction, in turn impacting delivery of compassionate patient‐centred nursing to generate a virtuous circle. Critical care nurses who feel respected and supported by their management team and colleagues experience feelings of compassion satisfaction, leading to greater engagement and care towards their patient.Relevance to clinical practiceSystematically addressing critical care nurses’ needs to successfully balance biomedical with compassionate nursing care may lead to greater well‐being in the critical care nursing workforce and improve patient experience of intensive care.