bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevention of postpartum stress incontinence in primigravidae with increased bladder neck mobility: a randomised controlled trial of antenatal pelvic floor exercises
Authors: Reilly E.T.C. , Freeman R.M. , Waterfield M.R. , Waterfield A.E. , Steggles P. , Pedlar F. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo test whether supervised pelvic floor exercises antenatally will reduce the incidence of postpartum stress incontinence in at‐risk primigravidae with bladder neck mobility, ultrasonically proven.DesignSingle blind, randomised controlled trial.SettingAntenatal clinic in a UK NHS Trust Hospital.SampleTwo hundred and sixty‐eight primigravidae attending an antenatal clinic at approximately 20 weeks of gestation with bladder neck mobility, on standardised valsalva, of 5 mm or more linear movement. The median age was 28, ranging from 16 to 47 years.InterventionPatients randomised to supervised pelvic floor exercises (n = 139) attended a physiotherapist at monthly intervals from 20 weeks until delivery. The exercises comprised three repetitions of eight contractions each held for six seconds, with two minutes rest between repetitions. These were repeated twice daily. At 34 weeks of gestation the number of contractions per repetition was increased to 12. Both the untreated control group and the study group received verbal advice on pelvic floor exercises from their midwives antenatally.Main outcome measuresSubjective reporting of stress incontinence at three months postpartum. Pelvic floor strength, using perineometry, and bladder neck mobility measured by perineal ultrasound.ResultsOf the 268 women enrolled, information on the main outcome variable was available for 110 in the control group and 120 in the study group. Fewer women in the supervised pelvic floor exercise group reported postpartum stress incontinence, 19.2% compared with 32.7% in the control group (RR 0.59 [0.37–0.92]). There was no change in bladder neck mobility and no difference in pelvic floor strength between groups after exercise, although all those developing postpartum stress incontinence had significantly poorer perineometry scores than those who were continent.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that antenatal supervised pelvic floor exercises are effective in reducing the risk of postpartum stress incontinence in primigravidae with bladder neck mobility.
An in vitro evaluation of infusion methods using a syringe pump to improve noradrenaline administration
Authors: GENAY S. , DÉCAUDIN B. , SCOCCIA S. , BARTHÉLÉMY C. , DEBAENE B. , LEBUFFE G. , ODOU P. 
Published: December 2014

BackgroundInternational guidelines recommend noradrenaline (NA) as the vasopressor of choice to treat septic shock. The aim of this study was to determine the best way to infuse patients with NA.MethodsThe in vitro study was designed to measure NA concentration at the end of each studied assembly line. Three infusion systems used the double pump method and three single pumps, which differed as regards NA concentrations (0,2 – 0,5 – 1 mg/h), dead space volume of the devices and the use of saline. Infusion systems were compared according to the time necessary to reach an NA mass flow rate steady‐state plateau after the onset of infusion or after a flow change.ResultsTimes were significantly different between the six methods for infusing NA. The system using the double syringe method with a standard extension set was the longest to reach the steady state after the onset of infusion [40.00 min (19.57 – 49.22)]. The steady‐state plateau was obtained most rapidly with the double‐syringe pump systems using very low dead‐space volume extension sets and single‐syringe pump systems containing diluted noradrenaline at the beginning of NA infusion.ConclusionA combination of a low dead‐space volume extension set and a double pump method with a constant saline flow rate at 5 ml/h might be the solution to provide the most reliable NA infusion delivery.
Targeting the Neurovascular Unit in Brain Trauma
Authors: Lok Josephine , Wang Xiao‐Shu , Xing Chang‐Hong , Maki Taka‐Kuni , Wu Li‐Min , Guo Shu‐Zhen , Noviski Natan , Arai Ken , Whalen Michael J. , Lo Eng H. , Wang Xiao‐Ying 
Published: December 2014

SummaryAlthough the neurovascular unit was originally developed as a conceptual framework for stroke, it is now recognized that these cell–cell interactions play critical roles in many other CNS disorders as well. In brain trauma, perturbations within the neurovascular unit may be especially important. Changes in neurovascular coupling may disrupt blood flow and metabolic regulation. Disruption of transmitter release‐reuptake kinetics in neurons and astrocytes may augment excitotoxicity. Alterations in gliovascular signaling may underlie blood–brain barrier disruptions and traumatic edema. Perturbations in cell–cell signaling between all neuronal, glial, and vascular compartments may increase susceptibility to cell death. Finally, repairing the brain after trauma requires the integrated restoration of all neural, glial, and vascular connectivity for effective functional recovery. Just as in stroke, saving neurons alone may also be insufficient for treating brain trauma. In this minireview, we attempt to briefly highlight some of these pathways to underscore the importance of rescuing the entire neurovascular unit in brain trauma.
Development of Sinkhole Hazard for Pipeline Risk Assessment in Northern Florida
Authors: Keaton Jeffrey R. , Boudra Luther H. 
Published: December 2014

Sinkholes are common features in parts of Florida, and the Florida Geological Survey maintains an online database of sinkhole incident reports (SIRs) that was started in 1965. The incident reports are accepted “as-is” without verification; sinkhole location, length, width, and depth are included in SIRs. A desktop assessment of sinkhole activity in northern Florida was developed on the basis of SIRs that were available in GIS (shape file) format from the Florida Geological Survey website and an understanding that sinkhole activity needed to be normalized to length for use in pipeline risk assessments.
The rate of sinkhole development in northern Florida was quantified by extracting sinkhole locations within 10 miles of a 230-mile-long hypothetical alignment of a pipeline and lateral. Over 500 sinkholes were located within the approximately 4,700-square mile polygon. Sinkhole trends aligned to highways indicate more complete reporting; therefore, 33 road segments comprising a combined length of about 944 miles within the polygon were used for statistical analysis. The SIR database was accepted as an accurate portrayal of sinkholes during its 47-year existence. Sinkhole activity was portrayed as annual frequency for sinkhole width or length ranging from 1 to 500 feet and normalized to 1 square mile and 1 lineal mile. A sinkhole 2 feet or larger in width occurs on average 8 times per year somewhere within 10 miles of the hypothetical alignment; whereas, a similar sinkhole occurs on average 4 times per year along a length of 944 miles. A 2-foot or larger sinkhole occurs on average about every 600 years within any 1 square mile of the 4,700-square-mile area and about every 200 years along any 1 mile of alignment length. On a per-lineal-mile basis, the expected 1,000-year sinkhole would be at least 9 feet wide; whereas the 1,000-year sinkhole would be at least 22 feet wide. Performance of specific pipelines under loading conditions associated with sinkholes of various widths can be assessed and used in a pipeline risk assessment.
Oil and Gas Production Pipelines: Current Status of Brazil Safety Regulation
Authors: de Oliveira Erica Vanessa Albuquerque , Kazmierczak Priscila Raquel 
Published: December 2014

The Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional do Petróleo Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis - ANP) is the regulatory body responsible to regulate, contract and supervise the activities that integrates oil, natural gas and biofuels industry in Brazil, including the onshore and offshore pipelines.
With this intent, ANP’s Resolution n° 06/2011, Technical Regulation of Onshore Pipelines for the Transport of Petroleum, its Derivatives and Natural Gas (Regulamento Técnico de Dutos Terrestres para Movimentação de Petróleo, Derivados e Gás Natural - RTDT), was published, establishing the essential critical requirements and the minimum safety directives for onshore pipelines, aiming at the protection of human life, facilities, and environment. The Technical Regulation covers onshore pipelines, new and existing ones, acting on the transference of the oil and gas production in the Brazilian jurisdiction and it is also applied on design, construction, assembling, operation, inspection, maintenance, integrity management, emergency response and decommissioning of the pipelines. Currently, ANP is elaborating a normative instrument applied to offshore pipelines, intending to establish the essential critical requirements for its safety management system.
This paper presents an evaluation of the RTDT after its publication, including the improvements that will be concern with the review of the Resolution, and also gives an overview of the elaboration of the normative instrument for offshore pipelines.
Calculation Method of Natural Gas Compressibility Factor and its Application in Pipeline Trade
Authors: Tian Xiaocui , Xing Xiaokai , Chen Rui , Pang Shubao , Yang Liu 
Published: December 2014

In the custody transfer metering of natural gas, it’s necessary to transform gas volume from metering state into standard state. Natural gas is non-ideal gas, and its compressibility factor varies with different components, temperature and pressure. So the accuracy of its calculation has direct impact on that of natural gas metering, and then affects the economic benefits of the enterprise [1].
According to related standard of China, in the custody transfer metering of natural gas, the formula stipulated by AGA NO.8 should be adopted to calculate compressibility factor. But the components of natural gas must be monitored at all times when this method is used, and the calculation process is complicated. In practical operation of natural gas trade, compressibility factor changes because of frequent adjustment of pipeline operating conditions. In order to simplify the calculation, simplified formula is applied to calculate compressibility factor generally, but it’s difficult to guarantee the accuracy at the same time. In this paper, the simplified formula, which is used for calculating natural gas compressibility factor of a joint-stock natural gas pipeline of CNPC, is modified with the standard formula stipulated by AGA NO.8. After the modification, an empirical formula of compressibility factor calculation applicable to this pipeline system is proposed, whereby the accuracy of compressibility factor calculation is improved. When the modified one is applied to natural gas trade, the accuracy of metering is improved likewise.
Automated Test System for Monitoring the Efficacy and Reliability of Leakage Detection in Pipelines
Authors: Inaudi Daniele , Walder Roberto 
Published: December 2014

Distributed Fiber optic sensing system is a unique tool for the evaluation of distributed temperature over several kilometers. It is a powerful diagnostic instrument for the identification and localization of potential problems, such as leakages in pipelines and dykes, hot-spots in high-voltage cables and other events that create temperature anomalies. Such distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems have the advantage of being relatively easy to deploy over long pipeline sections and have been shown to detect leakages events with good accuracy and reliability. However, when distributed fiber optic sensing systems are deployed in security-critical applications, where availability and reliability are crucial, it is important to continuously verify and assess the correct functioning and reliability of the whole system, including the sensing cables, the measurement system, the data analysis software and the alert transmission. In the past, such testing have been performed periodically by the pipeline personnel, but testing frequencies are typically low, e.g. once per year. The DTS Automated Trip Testing System is a fully independent device that is able to produce a controlled and localized thermal anomaly (hot spot or cold spot) and verify its correct detection. This allows a continuous verification of the DTS system reliability and functionality and a periodic statistical evaluation of the confidence level (proven by experience SIL rating).
This paper will present more specifically the development, the functioning and deployment, and its applications of an automated system and method for testing the efficacy and reliability of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems, in particular those DTS systems used for pipeline leakage detection.
The Application of Lean Six Sigma Methodology in Execution Process, Management and Attribution of Maintenance Activities
Authors: de Souza Robson Ferreira , Tomaz Luciane G. , Real Vicente J. C. , Cardoso Tatiana Malafaia 
Published: December 2014

One of any company’s major assets is information and there is no information without data. In this regard, there are numerous market solutions for maintenance data records. At times, data quality is not satisfactory and this prevents obtaining information, thus jeopardizing reliability of the assets, affecting efficacy of a company’s management decisions and causing serious problems.
This article aims to explain the use of the six sigma methodology to improve quality in maintenance records in the Natural Gas Department of Transpetro. To this end, the Maintenance Record Improvement Project was created, which involved plotting the execution process and maintenance records, development of portable tools for field records, redefining execution and management of routine maintenance processes, workforce training and cultural change. The article demonstrates how improvement opportunities were identified, mapping and measuring gaps, analysis of needs jointly with ways for treating them and preparing the action plan to prioritize the correction of deviations.
In order to control the process, an indicator was developed to monitor progress in the quality of completing the records in the diverse Work Centers in the Transpetro Natural Gas Department (DGN) maintenance area.
An Approach for Maturing Competency Development in the Pipeline Industry
Authors: Lindholm Lark , Robeson Nicole , Flegel Damian , Sahney Reena 
Published: December 2014

The pipeline sector is dealing with a multi-faceted challenge in terms of its workforce. A number of factors limit the available workforce in a growing industry that requires more skilled expertise for maintaining an aging infrastructure. To ensure leading edge safety and operational practices, the industry is meeting the challenge in a number of ways — a critical element of this approach is to take a proactive and focused approach to competency development.
As part of its fundamental approach to developing training, PBoK Technical Training Ltd. launched an initiative to review the range of current industry training strategies and put forth a best practice approach for maturing competency development based on these learnings. In particular, the team identified a number of consistent themes, and, upon combining them with both sound educational theory and industry experience, has developed a practical process for effective workforce competency development.
The Pipeline Industry and Social Media
Authors: Douglas Garrath 
Published: December 2014

The emergence and use of social media has redefined the nature and reach of vocal minorities. It has meant that communities are better engaged, informed, and networked than ever before. It can take a long time to build the trust necessary for social license, and today’s digital citizen expects engagement across many platforms in order for that trust to be maintained.
Though social media sites are comparatively recent phenomena, the sheer weight of statistics means they are a potent force in the information age. Pipeline companies may strategize to be passive monitors of social media or to be active and engaged participants. Companies should bear in mind, however, that poorly-formulated strategies may be as damaging as having no social media presence at all.
This paper will highlight some of the hazards of an inability to evolve in the area of social media; such as the dangers leaving information voids, potential disproportionate representation of opposition versus support, and the potential of the regulatory bar being raised with each new application that includes social media statistics as a measure of the efficacy of a stakeholder engagement program.
The paper employs case-study analysis of successful utilization of social media, and focuses on challenges from activists and project opponents whose astute use of social media has mobilized previously disconnected groups, and shaped debates in a way that places the resource and pipeline industry at a potential disadvantage.
Safety in Mountain Field Investigations
Authors: Benay Stephanie 
Published: December 2014

Every working environment that includes challenging remote wilderness locations, extreme temperatures, potentially threatening wildlife, and multiple contractors with varying degrees of safety systems and culture, requires a systematic, comprehensive safety approach. Lack of preplanning, misunderstanding risk management and poor communication are all sources of risk to safety on the project. Developing, implementing and communicating the HSE system in a mountain field program are essential to keeping people safe and alive. This paper will provide some insight into areas that provided significant challenges, as well as some possible solutions.
In today’s industrial world, safe execution is an essential project driver. Safe execution is paramount to a project’s success, along with budget and time. Best-in-class companies have realized that to be successful, safety must be an integral part of their DNA and not an afterthought.
Zero harm to people, assets and the environment is a core value at WorleyParsons. Our OneWay™ framework, which applies to every person regardless of location or role, consists of simple expectations that align our entire business on a path toward zero harm. OneWay™ is supported by a comprehensive set of processes, systems, policies and standards that describe in detail what needs to be done.
A systematic integrated safety framework to the field would manage risk in a highly challenging environment and would contribute to an overall safe and productive mountain field investigation program. In this context, to achieve the goal of zero harm, a systematic, thorough approach is taken, that includes developing and implementing the following:
• Project-specific field safety plan with the input from all participating disciplines
• Quantifiable leading and lagging indicators
• HSE performance targets
• Comprehensive, relevant risk register
• Effective contractor maturity analysis and mitigation plan
• Safe behaviour observation program
• Field level risk assessment program
• Mentoring and coaching program.
This paper will highlight some major safety risks to the projects, and provide potential solutions during mountain field investigation programs.
Application of Weibull Stress Criterion to Brittle Fracture Assessment of HAZ-Notched Welds With Residual Stress
Authors: Seko Yusuke , Imai Yasuhito , Mitsuya Masaki , Oguchi Noritake , Minami Fumiyoshi 
Published: December 2014

This paper presents a method for estimating the brittle fracture limit of a weld with a notch in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and residual stress based on the Weibull stress criterion. A constraint loss correction procedure using the Weibull stress criterion is specified in ISO 27306. However, this standard is applicable only to structural steel components with defects, not to welded joints. Therefore, we conducted fracture tests and finite element analyses to propose a new evaluation method for welded structural components.
In this study, three-point bending (3PB) tests and wide-plate (WP) tension tests of HAZ-notched welds made of 780-MPa-class high-strength steel were conducted at −40°C. Brittle fractures occurred in the HAZ regions of all the specimens, and the critical crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) values obtained in the 3PB and WP tests were approximately 0.02–0.07 mm and 0.08–0.11 mm, respectively. The minimum critical CTOD of the WP specimen fracturing at the coarse-grained region of the HAZ (CGHAZ) was approximately four times that of the 3PB specimen. These results confirmed that the difference of specimen geometry affects the brittle fracture resistance of a HAZ-notched weld with residual stress. Hence, the assessment of the brittle fracture limit of a welded structural component with a defect obtained by the fracture toughness of a 3PB specimen would be excessively conservative.
The effects of specimen geometry, residual stress, crack-front shape and HAZ microstructure classification on the Weibull stress were investigated to clarify the difference of experimental critical CTOD for 3PB and WP by using a finite element analysis. The results of this analysis showed that the Weibull stress of WP specimen was larger than one of 3PB specimen in all CTOD region due to difference of geometry. The welding residual stress increased the Weibull stress only for WP. Compressive residual stress and crack front shape for 3PB specimen did not affect the Weibull stress. The difference of HAZ microstructure distribution for same welded joint affects the Weibull stress for 3PB and WP specimens.
Finally, it was confirmed that the brittle fracture limit of a HAZ-notched weld with residual stress could be predicted from the Weibull stress criterion because critical CTOD of WP specimens predicted by critical CTOD of 3PB specimens fracturing at the CGHAZ included critical CTOD of WP specimens obtained by experiments.