bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification and Monitoring of Geotechnical Risk Areas Using Inertial Data Supplied by In-Line Inspection Tools
Authors: Castro Tom Henry Bernabe , Moya John Erick Malpartida 
Published: January 2016

By their nature, Pipeline Transmission Systems are exposed to threats from various sources. These include the threat of Weather and Outside Forces (WOF), this threat has a destructive potential associated with landslides, creeping, soil erosion and scouring in rivers, etc. Their hazards increase when pipelines are installed in areas with a tropical climate, having rains of a magnitude that often tend to destabilize the soil surrounding the pipelines, affecting its integrity and therefore the safety of people and the environment.
The identification and monitoring of geotechnical risk areas, using inertial data, is based on the reprocessing and analysis of the raw data provided by in line inspection tools. The result of this analysis, after the noise reduction process using a variety of filters at different intervals, reveals areas where there is possible deformation. These zones are transformed into indications that are studied by an analyst, correlating other data sources such as terrain topography, soil characteristics, hydrology, ground motion records, ILI records (caliper records, MFL records, etc.), as-built data, stress concentrators, etc. The analyst determines if they are pipeline deformations due to soil movement or if the indication is caused by another source such as the noise caused by the electronic components of the tool, the operating conditions during the inspection, the filtering process, etc.
Areas with signs of strain are evaluated to determine the tensional state in critical conditions for each specific case. If the stresses are close to the limits, a field inspection and an action plan are needed for each case. In certain cases, according to the experts, field indications are evaluated to verify the data obtained by the ILI Tool and to simultaneously give feedback to the noise reduction process.
The execution of the calculation process allows the monitoring and identification of geotechnical risk areas, providing better control over parameters such as limits for reporting indications, control of discrimination and selection criteria, detailed assessment of each indication, etc. Finally, this process provides the opportunity to obtain additional information from the ILI inspection such as unregistered bending, misaligned welds, areas with excess root welding, etc.
Redundancy in the Analysis of Information, Applied to the Early Identification of Effects on Pipelines Subjected to External Loads: Case Study
Authors: Aristizabal Ceballos Jaime , Eliecer Torres Camilo , Acosta Cubillos Javier Alexander , Cuevas Henry Osorio , Galvis Adriana , Gualdrón Oscar , Trespalacios Prada Diego 
Published: January 2016

The principle of redundancy in the analysis of pipeline integrity has taken on particular significance in recent years, thanks to the integration and relating of information obtained from various sources, which include, smart pig runs, visual right-of-way inspections and monitoring of the land and the pipeline. This document contains information related to the monitoring and analysis prior to emergency actions taken in the case study presented, located in northeast Colombia, where the effects of mining activity and excess rain during the winter period of 2010–2011 combined.
The integrity information available with regard to background, visual right-of-way inspection, threat and risk assessments, direct monitoring of the pipeline and the analysis of deformation by bending, which Ecopetrol’s Office of Vice-president for Transportation and Logistics (VIT) made at the site, was taken into account. In addition, it includes a description of the interrelationship of such information, the findings in the activities conducted during the attention to the site, for the purpose of identifying the evidence related to external loads exerted by the land in the soil-pipeline interaction, which made it possible to better determine the proposed plan of action.
The redundancy in the analysis of this information makes it possible to more accurately determine the root cause of the problem, the interaction between the phenomenon (external load - geotechnical event) and the pipeline, by which attention was directed in the field and action plans were obtained that better mitigate the threat and guarantee more safe and reliable operation.
Panorama of the Strategy for Managing the Risk Created by the Weather-Related and Outside Force Threat in VIT-Ecopetrol
Authors: Aristizábal Ceballos Jaime Hernán , Chaves Agudelo Julián Fernando 
Published: January 2016

The realization of the weather-related and outside force threat has historically caused losses of containment with their subsequent social, environmental, economic and image consequences for Ecopetrol. The zones in which these phenomena occur are characterized by the interaction of transmission systems with an environment that is complex in its topographical, geological-geomorphological and climatic conditions, and because of the anthropic impact of changes in land use.
In Ecopetrol’s office of the Vice-president for Transportation Logistics (VIT-Ecopetrol), a threat management strategy has been proposed that seeks to minimize the vulnerability of the pipelines to processes that can impact on operating efficiency or that, because of their degree of complexity, require comprehensive management in order to guarantee operation at tolerable levels of risk. This article presents a panorama of the work performed with regard to the validation of the threat and risk levels of the assets, the internal analyses performed by geotechnical professionals for formulating the plans for the management of assets and the accompaniment of such in order to achieve the continuous operation of the transmission systems.
Killing of Trypanozoon Parasites by the Equine Cathelicidin eCATH1
Authors: Cauchard S. , Van Reet N. , Büscher P. , Goux D. , Grötzinger J. , Leippe M. , Cattoir V. , Laugier C. , Cauchard J. 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Trypanozoon
parasites infect both humans, causing sleeping sickness, and animals, causing nagana, surra, and dourine. Control of nagana and surra depends to a great extent on chemotherapy. However, drug resistance to several of the front-line drugs is rising. Furthermore, there is no official treatment for dourine. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop antiparasitic agents with novel modes of action. Host defense peptides have recently gained attention as promising candidates. We have previously reported that one such peptide, the equine antimicrobial peptide eCATH1, is highly active against equine Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, without cytotoxicity against mammalian cells at bacteriolytic concentrations. In the present study, we show that eCATH1 exhibits an
in vitro
50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) of 9.5 μM against
Trypanosoma brucei brucei
,
Trypanosoma evansi
, and
Trypanosoma equiperdum
. Its trypanocidal mechanism involves plasma membrane permeabilization and mitochondrial alteration based on the following data: (i) eCATH1 induces the rapid influx of the vital dye SYTOX Green; (ii) it rapidly disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential, as revealed by immunofluorescence microscopy using the fluorescent dye rhodamine 123; (iii) it severely damages the membrane and intracellular structures of the parasites as early as 15 min after exposure at 9.5 μM and 5 min after exposure at higher concentrations (19 μM), as evidenced by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We also demonstrate that administration of eCATH1 at a dose of 10 mg/kg to
T. equiperdum
-infected mice delays mortality. Taken together, our findings suggest that eCATH1 is an interesting template for the development of novel therapeutic agents in the treatment of trypanosome infections.
Aminophthalocyanine-Mediated Photodynamic Inactivation of Leishmania tropica
Authors: Al-Qahtani Ahmed , Alkahtani Saad , Kolli Bala , Tripathi Pankaj , Dutta Sujoy , Al-Kahtane Abdullah A. , Jiang Xiong-Jie , Ng Dennis K. P. , Chang Kwang Poo 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Photodynamic inactivation of
Leishmania
spp. requires the cellular uptake of photosensitizers, e.g., endocytosis of silicon(IV)-phthalocyanines (PC) axially substituted with bulky ligands. We report here that when substituted with amino-containing ligands, the PCs (PC1 and PC2) were endocytosed and displayed improved potency against
Leishmania tropica
promastigotes and axenic amastigotes
in vitro
. The uptake of these PCs by both
Leishmania
stages followed saturation kinetics, as expected. Sensitive assays were developed for assessing the photodynamic inactivation of
Leishmania
spp. by rendering them fluorescent in two ways: transfecting promastigotes to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) and loading them with carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE). PC-sensitized
Leishmania tropica
strains were seen microscopically to lose their motility, structural integrity, and GFP/CFSE fluorescence after exposure to red light (wavelength, ∼650 nm) at a fluence of 1 to 2 J cm
−2
. Quantitative fluorescence assays based on the loss of GFP/CFSE from live
Leishmania tropica
showed that PC1 and PC2 dose dependently sensitized both stages for photoinactivation, consistent with the results of a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cell viability assay.
Leishmania tropica
strains are >100 times more sensitive than their host cells or macrophages to PC1- and PC2-mediated photoinactivation, judging from the estimated 50% effective concentrations (EC
50
s) of these cells. Axial substitution of the PC with amino groups instead of other ligands appears to increase its leishmanial photolytic activity by up to 40-fold. PC1 and PC2 are thus potentially useful for photodynamic therapy of leishmaniasis and for oxidative photoinactivation of
Leishmania
spp. for use as vaccines or vaccine carriers.
Prospective, Controlled Study of Acyclovir Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients
Authors: Turner R. Brigg , Cumpston Aaron , Sweet Michael , Briggs Frank , Slain Douglas , Wen Sijin , Craig Michael , Hamadani Mehdi , Petros William 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

The current recommendations for intravenous (i.v.) acyclovir dosing in obese patients suggest using ideal body weight (IBW) rather than total body weight (TBW). To our knowledge, no pharmacokinetic analysis has validated this recommendation. This single-dose pharmacokinetic study was conducted in an inpatient oncology population. Enrollment was conducted by 1:1 matching of obese patients (>190% of IBW) to normal-weight patients (80 to 120% of IBW). All patients received a single dose of i.v. acyclovir, 5 mg/kg, infused over 60 min. Consistent with current recommendations, IBW was used for obese patients and TBW for normal-weight patients. Serial plasma concentrations were obtained and compared. Seven obese and seven normal-weight patients were enrolled, with mean body mass indexes of 45.0 and 22.5 kg/m
2
, respectively. Systemic clearance was substantially higher in the obese than normal-weight patients (mean, 19.4 ± 5.3 versus 14.3 ± 5.4 liters/h;
P
= 0.047). Area under the concentration-time curve was lower in the obese patients (15.2 ± 2.9 versus 24.0 ± 9.4 mg · h/liter;
P
= 0.011), as was maximum concentration (5.8 ± 0.9 versus 8.2 ± 1.3 mg/liter;
P
= 0.031). Utilization of IBW for dose calculation of i.v. acyclovir in obese patients leads to lower systemic exposure than dosing by TBW in normal-weight patients. While not directly evaluated in this study, utilization of an adjusted body weight for dose determination appears to more closely approximate the exposure seen in normal-weight patients. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01714180.)
A Complex Network of Interactions between S282 and G283 of Hepatitis C Virus Nonstructural Protein 5B and the Template Strand Affects Susceptibility to Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin
Authors: Kulkarni Anupriya S. , Damha Masad J. , Schinazi Raymond F. , Mo Hongmei , Doehle Brian , Sagan Selena M. , Götte Matthias 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT
The hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase NS5B is essentially required for viral replication and serves as a prominent drug target. Sofosbuvir is a prodrug of a nucleotide analog that interacts selectively with NS5B and has been approved for HCV treatment in combination with ribavirin. Although the emergence of resistance to sofosbuvir is rarely seen in the clinic, the S282T mutation was shown to decrease susceptibility to this drug. S282T was also shown to confer hypersusceptibility to ribavirin, which is of potential clinical benefit. Here we devised a biochemical approach to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Recent crystallographic data revealed a hydrogen bond between S282 and the 2′-hydroxyl of the bound nucleotide, while the adjacent G283 forms a hydrogen bond with the 2′-hydroxyl of the residue of the template that base pairs with the nucleotide substrate. We show that DNA-like modifications of the template that disrupt hydrogen bonding with G283 cause enzyme pausing with natural nucleotides. However, the specifically introduced DNA residue of the template reestablishes binding and incorporation of sofosbuvir in the context of S282T. Moreover, the DNA-like modifications of the template prevent the incorporation of ribavirin in the context of the wild-type enzyme, whereas the S282T mutant enables the binding and incorporation of ribavirin under the same conditions. Together, these findings provide strong evidence to show that susceptibility to sofosbuvir and ribavirin depends crucially on a network of interdependent hydrogen bonds that involve the adjacent residues S282 and G283 and their interactions with the incoming nucleotide and complementary template residue, respectively.
Colistin-Nonsusceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa Sequence Type 654 with
bla
NDM-1
Arrives in North America
Authors: Mataseje L. F. , Peirano G. , Church D. L. , Conly J. , Mulvey M. , Pitout J. D. 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

This study describes 3 different
bla
NDM-1
genetic platforms in 3 different species obtained from the same patient who was directly transferred to an institution in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, following a prolonged hospital stay in India. The
bla
NDM-1
in the
Escherichia coli
isolate was located on a 176-kb IncA/C plasmid contained within an IS
CR1
region. The
bla
NDM-1
in the
Providencia rettgeri
isolate was located on a 117-kb IncT plasmid contained within Tn
3000
, while the
bla
NDM-1
in the
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolate was located on the chromosome within an IS
CR3
region. This report highlights the plasticity of the genetic regions and environments associated with
bla
NDM-1
. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of
P. aeruginosa
with
bla
NDM-1
identified in North America and the first report of
bla
OXA-181
in
P. rettgeri
. The
P. aeruginosa
isolate belonged to the international high-risk sequence type 654 clone and was nonsusceptible to colistin. This case emphasizes the need for the use of appropriate infection prevention and control measures and vigilant screening for carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in patients with a history of travel to areas of endemicity, such as the Indian subcontinent.
Colistin Resistance Caused by Inactivation of the MgrB Regulator Is Not Associated with Decreased Virulence of Sequence Type 258 KPC Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Arena Fabio , Henrici De Angelis Lucia , Cannatelli Antonio , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Amorese Marina , D'Andrea Marco Maria , Giani Tommaso , Rossolini Gian Maria 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Using a
Galleria mellonella
animal model, we compared the virulence of two sequence type 258 (ST258) KPC-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
strains, which were representative of the two clades of this clonal lineage, with that of isogenic colistin-resistant
mgrB
mutants. With both strains, the
mgrB
mutants did not exhibit modification in virulence. In the
G. mellonella
model, the clade 1 strain (capsular type
cps-1
[
wzi29
, producing KPC-2]) was significantly more virulent than the clade 2 strain (capsular type
cps-2
[
wzi154
, producing KPC-3]).
Highly Drug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Indiana Clinical Isolates Recovered from Broilers and Poultry Workers with Diarrhea in China
Authors: Gong Jiansen , Wang Chengming , Shi Shourong , Bao Hongduo , Zhu Chunhong , Kelly Patrick , Zhuang Linlin , Lu Guangwu , Dou Xinhong , Wang Ran , Xu Bu , Zou Jianmin 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Highly drug-resistant
Salmonella enterica
serovar Indiana became the most common serovar in broilers with diarrhea in China over the course of this study (15% in 2010 to 70% in 2014). While most
S
. Indiana isolates (87%, 384/440) were resistant to 13 to 16 of the 16 antibiotics tested, 89% of non-
S
. Indiana isolates (528/595) were resistant to 0 to 6 antibiotics. Class 1 integrons and IncHI2-type plasmids were detected in all
S
. Indiana isolates, but only in 39% and 1% of non-
S
. Indiana isolates.
Analysis of TcdB Proteins within the Hypervirulent Clade 2 Reveals an Impact of RhoA Glucosylation on Clostridium difficile Proinflammatory Activities
Authors: Quesada-Gómez Carlos , López-Ureña Diana , Chumbler Nicole , Kroh Heather K. , Castro-Peña Carolina , Rodríguez César , Orozco-Aguilar Josué , González-Camacho Sara , Rucavado Alexandra , Guzmán-Verri Caterina , Lawley Trevor D. , Lacy D. Borden , Chaves-Olarte Esteban 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Clostridium difficile
strains within the hypervirulent clade 2 are responsible for nosocomial outbreaks worldwide. The increased pathogenic potential of these strains has been attributed to several factors but is still poorly understood. During a
C. difficile
outbreak, a strain from this clade was found to induce a variant cytopathic effect (CPE), different from the canonical arborizing CPE. This strain (NAP1
V
) belongs to the NAP1 genotype but to a ribotype different from the epidemic NAP1/RT027 strain. NAP1
V
and NAP1 share some properties, including the overproduction of toxins, the binary toxin, and mutations in
tcdC
. NAP1
V
is not resistant to fluoroquinolones, however. A comparative analysis of TcdB proteins from NAP1/RT027 and NAP1
V
strains indicated that both target Rac, Cdc42, Rap, and R-Ras but only the former glucosylates RhoA. Thus, TcdB from hypervirulent clade 2 strains possesses an extended substrate profile, and RhoA is crucial for the type of CPE induced. Sequence comparison and structural modeling revealed that TcdB
NAP1
and TcdB
NAP1V
share the receptor-binding and autoprocessing activities but vary in the glucosyltransferase domain, consistent with the different substrate profile. Whereas the two toxins displayed identical cytotoxic potencies, TcdB
NAP1
induced a stronger proinflammatory response than TcdB
NAP1V
as determined in
ex vivo
experiments and animal models. Since immune activation at the level of intestinal mucosa is a hallmark of
C. difficile
-induced infections, we propose that the panel of substrates targeted by TcdB is a determining factor in the pathogenesis of this pathogen and in the differential virulence potential seen among
C. difficile
strains.
Association of O-Antigen Serotype with the Magnitude of Initial Systemic Cytokine Responses and Persistence in the Urinary Tract
Authors: Horvath Dennis J. , Patel Ashay S. , Mohamed Ahmad , Storm Douglas W. , Singh Chandra , Li Birong , Zhang Jingwen , Koff Stephen A. , Jayanthi Venkata R. , Mason Kevin M. , Justice Sheryl S. 
Published: January 2016

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common ailments requiring both short-term and prophylactic antibiotic therapies. Progression of infection from the bladder to the kidney is associated with more severe clinical symptoms (e.g., fever and vomiting) as well as with dangerous disease sequelae (e.g., renal scaring and sepsis). Host-pathogen interactions that promote bacterial ascent to the kidney are not completely understood. Prior studies indicate that the magnitude of proinflammatory cytokine elicitation
in vitro
by clinical isolates of uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC) inversely correlates with the severity of clinical disease. Therefore, we hypothesize that the magnitude of initial proinflammatory responses during infection defines the course and severity of disease. Clinical UPEC isolates obtained from patients with a nonfebrile UTI elicited high systemic proinflammatory responses early during experimental UTI in a murine model and were attenuated in bladder and kidney persistence. Conversely, UPEC isolates obtained from patients with febrile UTI elicited low systemic proinflammatory responses early during experimental UTI and exhibited prolonged persistence in the bladder and kidney. Soluble factors in the supernatant from saturated cultures as well as the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) serotype correlated with the magnitude of proinflammatory responses
in vitro
. Our data suggest that the structure of the O-antigen sugar moiety of the LPS may determine the strength of cytokine induction by epithelial cells. Moreover, the course and severity of disease appear to be the consequence of the magnitude of initial cytokines produced by the bladder epithelium during infection.

IMPORTANCE
The specific host-pathogen interactions that determine the extent and course of disease are not completely understood. Our studies demonstrate that modest changes in the magnitude of cytokine production observed using
in vitro
models of infection translate into significant ramifications for bacterial persistence and disease severity. While many studies have demonstrated that modifications of the LPS lipid A moiety modulate the extent of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation, our studies implicate the O-antigen sugar moiety as another potential rheostat for the modulation of proinflammatory cytokine production.
Qualitative study of barriers to cervical cancer screening among Nigerian women
Authors: Isa Modibbo Fatima , Dareng Eileen , Bamisaye Patience , Jedy-Agba Elima , Adewole Ayodele , Oyeneyin Lawal , Olaniyan Olayinka , Adebamowo Clement 
Published: January 2016

ObjectivesTo explore the barriers to cervical cancer screening, focusing on religious and cultural factors, in order to inform group-specific interventions that may improve uptake of cervical cancer screening programmes.DesignWe conducted four focus group discussions among Muslim and Christian women in Nigeria.SettingDiscussions were conducted in two hospitals, one in the South West and the other in the North Central region of Nigeria.Participants27 Christian and 22 Muslim women over the age of 18, with no diagnosis of cancer.ResultsMost participants in the focus group discussions had heard about cervical cancer except Muslim women in the South Western region who had never heard about cervical cancer. Participants believed that wizardry, multiple sexual partners and inserting herbs into the vagina cause cervical cancer. Only one participant knew about the human papillomavirus. Among the Christian women, the majority of respondents had heard about cervical cancer screening and believed that it could be used to prevent cervical cancer. Participants mentioned religious and cultural obligations of modesty, gender of healthcare providers, fear of disclosure of results, fear of nosocomial infections, lack of awareness, discrimination at hospitals, and need for spousal approval as barriers to uptake of screening. These barriers varied by religion across the geographical regions.ConclusionsBarriers to cervical cancer screening vary by religious affiliations. Interventions to increase cervical cancer awareness and screening uptake in multicultural and multireligious communities need to take into consideration the varying cultural and religious beliefs in order to design and implement effective cervical cancer screening intervention programmes.