bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fatigue Strength and Metal Condition in the Context of Gas Turbine Buckets Life Extension
Authors: Ivanov Sergey A. , Rybnikov Alexander I. 
Published: December 2013

Criteria for remaining life estimation and methods for enhancing fatigue resistance of heavy-duty gas turbine bucket metal are based on the analysis of changes in the structure and properties of metal after long-term operation. High-cycle fatigue (HCF) resistance is shown to be a decisive characteristic in the residual life estimation of turbine buckets after operation over 100,000 hours. The tests of the buckets from cast and wrought nickel-based alloys after long-term operation demonstrated decreasing of fatigue strength by up to 25%. The metal structure in operation undergoes notable deterioration mainly in phase redistribution. The size and configuration of metal phases are changing also. It caused the changes in metal properties. The decrease of the bucket fatigue strength correlates with the decrease of metal ductility.
The reconditioning heat treatment resulted in restoring mechanical properties of metal. The fatigue resistance also increased nearly to the initial level.
The influence of operational factors on bucket fatigue strength deterioration has been established. The mechanical damages on bucket airfoil may decrease the fatigue resistance. We found the correlation of endurance limit and damages depth.
The procedures for metal properties recovering and buckets service life substantial extension have been developed. It has resulted in the extension of the buckets service life by up to 50% over the assigned life in gas turbines operated by Gazprom.
Vaginally Delivered Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Provides Greater Protection than Tenofovir against Genital Herpes in a Murine Model of Efficacy and Safety
Authors: Nixon Briana , Jandl Thomas , Teller Ryan S. , Taneva Ekaterina , Wang Yanhua , Nagaraja Umadevi , Kiser Patrick F. , Herold Betsy C. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACT

Increased susceptibility to genital herpes in medroxyprogesterone-treated mice may provide a surrogate of increased HIV risk and a preclinical biomarker of topical preexposure prophylaxis safety. We evaluated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in this murine model because an intravaginal ring eluting this drug is being advanced into clinical trials. To avoid the complications of surgically inserting a ring, hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC)-stable formulations of TDF were prepared. One week of twice-daily 0.3% TDF gel was well tolerated and did not result in any increase in HSV-2 susceptibility but protected mice from herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) disease compared to mice treated with the HEC placebo gel. No significant increase in inflammatory cytokines or chemokines in vaginal washes or change in cytokine, chemokine, or mitochondrial gene expression in RNA extracted from genital tract tissue was detected. To further evaluate efficacy, mice were treated with gel once daily beginning 12 h prior to high-dose HSV-2 challenge or 2 h before and after viral challenge (BAT24 dosing). The 0.3% TDF gel provided significant protection compared to the HEC gel following either daily (in 9/10 versus 1/10 mice,
P
< 0.01) or BAT24 (in 14/20 versus 4/20 mice,
P
< 0.01) dosing. In contrast, 1% tenofovir (TFV) gel protected only 4/10 mice treated with either regimen. Significant protection was also observed with daily 0.03% TDF compared to HEC. Protection was associated with greater murine cellular permeability of radiolabeled TDF than of TFV. Together, these findings suggest that TDF is safe, may provide substantially greater protection against HSV than TFV, and support the further clinical development of a TDF ring.
Reversible Cysteine Protease Inhibitors Show Promise for a Chagas Disease Cure
Authors: Ndao Momar , Beaulieu Christian , Black W. Cameron , Isabel Elise , Vasquez-Camargo Fabio , Nath-Chowdhury Milli , Massé Frédéric , Mellon Christophe , Methot Nathalie , Nicoll-Griffith Deborah A. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACT

The cysteine protease cruzipain is essential for the viability, infectivity, and virulence of
Trypanosoma cruzi
, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Thus, inhibitors of cruzipain are considered promising anti-
T. cruzi
chemotherapeutic agents. Reversible cruzipain inhibitors containing a nitrile “warhead” were prepared and demonstrated 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC
50
s) as potent as 1 nM in baculovirus-generated cruzipain enzyme assays. In epimastigote and intracellular amastigote
in vitro
assays, the most potent compounds demonstrated antiparasitic behavior in the 5 to 10 μM IC
50
range; however, trypomastigote production from the amastigote form was ∼90 to 95% inhibited at 2 μM. Two key compounds, Cz007 and Cz008, with IC
50
s of 1.1 and 1.8 nM, respectively, against the recombinant enzyme were tested in a murine model of acute
T. cruzi
infection, with oral dosing in chow for 28 days at doses from 3 to 50 mg/kg of body weight. At 3 mg/kg of Cz007 and 3 mg/kg of Cz008, the blood parasitemia areas under the concentration-time curves were 16% and 25% of the untreated group, respectively. At sacrifice, 24 days after immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide, parasite presence in blood, heart, and esophagus was evaluated. Based on negative quantitative PCR results in all three tissues, cure rates in surviving animals were 90% for Cz007 at 3 mg/kg, 78% for Cz008 at 3 mg/kg, and 71% for benznidazole, the control compound, at 50 mg/kg.
Vaccinated C57BL/6 Mice Develop Protective and Memory T Cell Responses to Coccidioides posadasii Infection in the Absence of Interleukin-10
Authors: Hung Chiung-Yu , Castro-Lopez Natalia , Cole Garry T. 
Published: December 2013

ABSTRACTHigh concentrations of lung tissue-associated interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokine, correlate with susceptibility of mice toCoccidioidesspp. infection. In this study, we found that macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and both CD8+and CD4+T cells recruited toCoccidioides posadasii-infected lungs of nonvaccinated and vaccinated mice contributed to the production of IL-10. The major IL-10-producing leukocytes were CD8+T cells, neutrophils, and macrophages in lungs of nonvaccinated mice, while both Foxp3+and Foxp3−subsets of IL-10+CD4+T cells were significantly elevated in vaccinated mice. Profiles of the recruited leukocytes in lungs revealed that only CD4+T cells were significantly increased inIL-10−/−knockout mice compared to their wild-type counterparts. Furthermore,ex vivorecall assays showed that CD4+T cells isolated from vaccinatedIL-10−/−mice compared to vaccinated wild-type mice produced significantly higher amounts of IL-2, gamma interferon (IFN-γ), IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17A in the presence of a coccidioidal antigen, indicating that IL-10 suppresses Th1, Th2, and Th17 immunity toCoccidioidesinfection. Analysis of absolute numbers of CD44+CD62L−CD4+T effector memory T cells (TEM) and IFN-γ- and IL-17A-producing CD4+T cells in the lungs ofCoccidioides-infected mice correlated with better fungal clearance in nonvaccinatedIL-10−/−mice than in nonvaccinated wild-type mice. Our results suggest that IL-10 suppresses CD4+T-cell immunity in nonvaccinated mice duringCoccidioidesinfection but does not impede the development of a memory response nor exacerbate immunopathology of vaccinated mice over at least a 4-month period after the last immunization.
Should suspected cervical spinal cord injuries be immobilised? A systematic review protocol
Authors: Oteir Ala'a O , Jennings Paul A , Smith Karen , Stoelwinder Johannes 
Published: December 2013

BackgroundCervical spinal cord injuries may result in life-threatening situations and long-term disability. Prehospital spinal immobilisation is the standard of care for patients with potential spinal cord injury (SCI). It aims to prepare patients for transport, achieve neutral spinal alignment, and reduce movement and secondary injuries in potentially unstable spines. However, there is a lack of evidence on its clinical benefits and its overall effect on patient outcomes.ObjectivesTo identify the reported outcomes following immobilisation of suspected cervical SCI, to compare the effects of spinal immobilisation versus no immobilisation on the reported outcomes, and to provide recommendations for prehospital cervical immobilisation.Design/methodsA search of the literature will be conducted using relevant online databases. This will include all types of human studies that were published in English from the earliest record available to the first week of October 2013. One author will conduct the search and two independent authors will screen the titles and the abstracts identified by the search and critically appraise the selected papers. A third author will be available to resolve any disagreement. The findings will be reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. Critical appraisal as well as the level and the strength of evidence will follow the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines.DiscussionEvidence-based practices should be pursued to further improve the prehospital care for suspected cervical SCI. This systematic review will contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the spinal immobilisation effects on the SCI patient's outcomes.
Towards hinted collection
Authors: Reames Philip , Necula George 
Published: December 2013

Garbage collection is widely used and has largely been a boon for programmer productivity. However, traditional garbage collection is approaching both practical and theoretical performance limits. In practice, the maximum heap size and heap structure of large applications are influenced as much by garbage collector behavior as by resource availability.
We present an alternate approach to garbage collection wherein the programmer provides untrusted deallocation hints. Usage of deallocation hints is similar to trusted manual deallocation, but the consequence of an inaccurate hint is lost performance not correctness. Our hinted collector algorithm uses these hints to identify a subset of unreachable objects with both better parallel asymptotic complexity and practical performance. On some benchmarks, our prototype collector implementation achieves 10-20% pause time reductions. We close with a discussion of the design trade-offs inherent in our approach and lessons to be learned from our collector.
Pediatric Tuberculosis in Young Children in India: A Prospective Study
Authors: Jain Sanjay K. , Ordonez Alvaro , Kinikar Aarti , Gupte Nikhil , Thakar Madhuri , Mave Vidya , Jubulis Jennifer , Dharmshale Sujata , Desai Shailaja , Hatolkar Swarupa , Kagal Anju , Lalvani Ajit , Gupta Amita , Bharadwaj Renu 
Published: December 2013

Background. India has one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdens globally. However, few studies have focused on TB in young children, a vulnerable population, where lack of early diagnosis results in poor outcomes.Methods. Young children (≤5 years) with suspected TB were prospectively enrolled at a tertiary hospital in Pune, India. Detailed clinical evaluation, HIV testing, mycobacterial cultures, and drug susceptibility testing were performed.Results. 223 children with suspected TB were enrolled. The median age was 31 months, 46% were female, 86% had received BCG, 57% were malnourished, and 10% were HIV positive. 12% had TB disease (definite or probable), 35% did not have TB, while TB could not be ruled out in 53%. Extrapulmonary disease was noted in 46%, which was predominantly meningeal. Tuberculin skin test (TST) was positive in 20% of children with TB. Four of 7 (57%) children with culture-confirmed TB harbored drug-resistant (DR) strains of whom 2 (50%) were multi-DR (MDR). In adjusted analyses, HIV infection, positive TST, and exposure to household smoke were found to be significantly associated with children with TB (P≤0.04). Mortality (at 1 year) was 3 of 26 (12%) and 1 of 79 (1%), respectively, in children with TB and those without TB (P< 0.05).Conclusions. Diagnosis of TB is challenging in young children, with high rates of extra-pulmonary and meningeal disease. While the data on DR-TB are limited by the small sample size, they are however concerning, and additional studies are needed to more accurately define the prevalence of DR strains in this vulnerable population.
Efficacy and Safety of Dabigatran Compared With Warfarin in Relation to Baseline Renal Function in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Hijazi Ziad , Hohnloser Stefan H. , Oldgren Jonas , Andersson Ulrika , Connolly Stuart J. , Eikelboom John W. , Ezekowitz Michael D. , Reilly Paul A. , Siegbahn Agneta , Yusuf Salim , Wallentin Lars 
Published: December 2013

Background—
Renal impairment increases the risk of stroke and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation. In the Randomized Evaluation of Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy (RELY) trial, dabigatran, with ≈80% renal elimination, displayed superiority over warfarin for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in the 150-mg dose and significantly less major bleeding in the 110-mg dose in 18 113 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. This prespecified study investigated these outcomes in relation to renal function.

Methods and Results—

Glomerular filtration rate was estimated with the Cockcroft-Gault, Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI), and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations in all randomized patients with available creatinine at baseline (n=17 951), and cystatin C–based glomerular filtration rate was estimated in a subpopulation with measurements available (n=6190). A glomerular filtration rate ≥80, 50 to <80, and <50 mL/min was estimated in 32.6%, 47.6%, and 19.8% and in 21.6%, 59.6%, and 18.8% of patients based on Cockcroft-Gault and CKD-EPI, respectively. Rates of stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality increased as renal function decreased. The rates of stroke or systemic embolism were lower with dabigatran 150 mg and similar with 110 mg twice daily compared with warfarin, without significant heterogeneity in subgroups defined by renal function (interaction
P
>0.1 for all). For the outcome of major bleeding, there were significant interactions between treatment and renal function according to CKD-EPI and MDRD equations, respectively (
P
<0.05). The relative reduction in major bleeding with either dabigatran dose compared with warfarin was greater in patients with glomerular filtration rate ≥80 mL/min.

Conclusions—
The efficacy of both dosages of dabigatran was consistent with the overall trial irrespective of renal function. However, with the CKD-EPI and MDRD equations, both dabigatran dosages displayed significantly lower rates of major bleeding in patients with glomerular filtration rate ≥80 mL/min.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00262600.
Esophageal diverticula: Analysis of 25 cases
Authors: Bagheri Reza , Maddah Ghodratollah , Mashhadi Mohammadtaghi Rajabi , Haghi Seyed Ziaollah , Tavassoli Alireza , Ghamari Mohammad Javad , Sheibani Shima 
Published: December 2013

Background: esophageal diverticula are classified as 2 types: true diverticula and pseudodiverticula. These disorders result in clinical manifestations such as dysphagia and esophageal reflux. In this study, we evaluated the results of surgical treatment for diverticula. Methods: all patients suffering from symptomatic esophageal diverticulum, who underwent surgical treatment in Ghaem Hospital from 2000 to 2012 and were followed up for at least for one year, were included in the study. Age, sex, clinical manifestations, location, surgical approach, and mortality were evaluated. There were 25 patients (15 men and 10 women) with a mean age of 41 ± 8.3 years. Results: the most common site of involvement was inferior (epiphrenic diverticulum). Barium swallow was diagnostic. After surgical treatment, complications occurred in 4 (16%) patients, comprising anastomosis site leakage, hoarseness, atelectasis, and wound infection; all were treated medically. There was no postoperative mortality. All patients experienced an improvement in symptoms during one year of follow-up. Conclusion: due to the good results and minimal complications postoperatively, surgical treatment is recommended for patients with symptomatic esophageal diverticulum.
The relationship between serum bilirubin concentration and coronary slow flow
Authors: Demir Mehmet , Demir Canan , Coşar Selvi 
Published: December 2013

Background: The pathophysiology of coronary slow flow (CSF) has not been clearly identified, although multiple abnormalities including arteritis, endothelial dysfunction, and atherothrombosis have been reported. Several studies have demonstrated that higher serum bilirubin inhibits the inflammation and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells; in addition, there is a relationship between serum bilirubin and cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between bilirubin and CSF is still unknown. In our study, we compared serum bilirubin concentrations between CSF patients and controls. Methods: The study included 50 CSF patients (19 male, mean age 65.6 ± 13.7 years) and 30 controls (10 male, mean age 57.86 ± 11.6 years). Concurrent routine biochemical tests and leukocyte count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet count on whole blood count were performed in patients that underwent a coronary angiogram. These parameters were compared between groups. Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of basic characteristics. Total, direct, and indirect serum bilirubin levels were significantly lower among CSF patients than controls (14.0 ± 12.0 versus 6.15 ± 6.8, 5.6 ± 3.4 versus 2.6 ± 1.7, and 8.4 ± 8.5 versus 3.6 ± 3.4 µmol/l; all p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: The study revealed a relationship between serum bilirubin and CSF.
Expression of AIM2 is high and correlated with inflammation in hepatitis B virus associated glomerulonephritis
Authors: Du Wenjun , Zhen Junhui , Zheng Zhaomin , Ma Shumin , Chen Shijun 
Published: December 2013

Abstract

Background & aims
Innate immunity is the first line of defense against invasive microbial infection, and AIM2 plays an important role in this process by sensing double-stranded DNA viruses. However, the role of AIM2 in regulating the immune response to viruses in vivo, especially in sensing hepatitis B virus (HBV), has not been examined. We hypothesized that the expression of AIM2 increases corresponding to HBV-mediated inflammation in patients with hepatitis B virus associated glomerulonephritis (HBV-GN), a condition which activates inflammatory mechanisms and causes renal damage. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the expression of AIM2 in HBV-GN patients in relation to the inflammatory response to HBV infection.

Methods
A total of 79 patients diagnosed with chronic nephritis (CN) were enrolled in this study, including 54 HBV-GN patients as the experimental group and 24 chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) patients as the negative control group. Six patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were also enrolled as positive controls. Each CN patient received renal biopsy, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of AIM2 and inflammatory factors caspase-1 and IL-1β in the biopsy specimens. CHB patients received liver puncture biopsy, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of AIM2 in these specimens. Expression of AIM 2 among different groups and in relation to inflammatory factors caspase-1 and IL-1β was analyzed.

Results
The expression of AIM2 in HBV-GN patients (81.4%) was significantly higher than in CGN patients (4.0%). Among the HBV-GN patients, expression of AIM2 was significantly higher in the high HBV replication group than in the low HBV replication group. AIM2 expression was not correlated with age, gender, HBeAg status in serum, HBV-antigen type deposited in renal tissue or pathological type of HBV-GN. However, AIM2 levels were positively correlated with the expression of caspase-1 and IL-1β in HBV-GN patients. The data suggest that AIM2 expression is directly correlated with HBV infection-associated inflammation.

Conclusion
The elevation of AIM2 during HBV infection or replication may contribute to its associated inflammatory damage, thus providing a putative therapeutic target and a new avenue for researching the pathogenesis of HBV-GN.
Psychometric properties of online administered parental strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and normative data based on combined online and paper-and-pencil administration
Authors: Björnsdotter Annika , Enebrink Pia , Ghaderi Ata 
Published: December 2013

Abstract

Objective
To examine the psychometric properties of the online administered parental version of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and to provide parental norms from a nationwide Swedish sample.

Methods
A total of 1443 parents from of a national probability sample of 2800 children aged 10-13 years completed the SDQ online or as usual (i.e., using paper-and-pencil).

Results
The SDQ subscales obtained from the online administration showed high internal consistency (polychoric ordinal alpha), and confirmatory factor analysis of the SDQ five factor model resulted in excellent fit. The Total Difficulties score of the SDQ and its other subscales were significantly related to the Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBD) rating scale. Norms for the parent version of SDQ obtained from the Internet were identical to those collected using paper-and-pencil. They were thus combined and are presented sorted by child gender and age.

Conclusions
The SDQ seems to be a reliable and valid instrument given its high internal consistency, clear factor structure and high correlation with other instruments capturing the intended constructs. Findings in the present study support its use for online data collection, as well as using norms obtained through paper-and-pencil-administration even when SDQ has been administrated online.
Parenteral organophosphorus poisoning in a rural emergency department: a case report
Authors: Malla Gyanendra , Basnet Bibhusan , Vohra Rais , Lohani Shyam Prasad , Yadav Ajay , Dhungana Vivek 
Published: December 2013

Abstract

Background
Poisoning is a common presentation in the emergency department. Oral exposures to organophosphorus compounds are especially frequent in rural and agricultural regions of South Asia and throughout the developing world.

Case presentation
Here we report a case of deliberate self-harm with an organophosphorus pesticide via the relatively uncommon parenteral route. A young woman injected herself with chlorpyriphos. Although the cholinergic effects were mild, cellulitis and abscess development were noted as a result.

Conclusion
Resource limited agricultural countries like Nepal present health care workers with numerous challenges in poisoning management. This case represents a rare but potentially morbid method of agrochemical poison exposure.