Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new technology for the characterization of microfractured reservoirs (test case: Unayzah reservoir, Wudayhi field, Saudi Arabia)

This article presents a test case of a new technology using artificially enhanced anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (referred to here as EAMS) for the characterization of microfractured reservoirs. These are reservoirs in which microfractures are essential to porosity and/or permeability. A conventional geological characterization is costly, time consuming, and difficult to quantify in terms of assessing fracture impact on porosity and permeability. Therefore, an efficient and effective method is required to characterize these microfractures and to determine their contribution to porosity and permeability. The EAMS technology, which we developed and tested, allows rapid analysis that bridges reservoir geology and engineering. Using petrography, the margin of error to detect microfractures that impact porosity and/or permeability is 43%; however, it requires three times the sampling rate of the new EAMS technology. The lower part of the Unayzah reservoir (Unayzah-B/C) in the Wudayhi field, Saudi Arabia, where fractures were studied and microfractures are known to impact reservoir performance, is used to develop and verify the EAMS technology. The results show that EAMS-derived microfracture fabric strikes east-northeast–west-southwest, consistent with that obtained by geological means. The effective-porosity profile obtained from EAMS tests is similar to that of the conventionally acquired porosity. Open microfractures in tested samples increase mean values of reservoir effective porosity by 36–50% in Unayzah-B/C. The occurrence of connected microfractures is estimated to cause an increase in average permeability of 75% in Unayzah-B/C. This is in agreement with the fact that wells in microfractured Unayzah-B/C have 4.5–14 times the productivity of wells as nonfractured sections of this reservoir. A maximum permeability trend of northeast-southwest permeability anisotropy is detected. The implementation of the EAMS technology in other fields with microfractured reservoirs will directly impact operational and simulation effort.
Estimates of Genetic and Phenotypic Parameters for Milk Production in Moroccan Holstein-Friesian Cows

To satisfy the growing demand of the human population for milk, the Moroccan government set up a plan in 1975 to increase milk production. The most important genetic strategies were the introduction of improved dairy cattle, the institution of milk recording, and the extension of artificial insemination (AI). Thus, more than 10,000 Holstein and Friesian heifers were purchased annually from Europe and North America. In 1995, the number of improved cows was 288,000 (5). To improve this gene pool, official milk recording was instituted in the early 70’s and the progeny test of AI bulls was initiated in 1989 (5). However, development and realization of animal breeding plans require knowledge of genetic parameters of the traits considered.
Three‐year decline of magmatic CO2 emissions from soils of a Mammoth Mountain Tree Kill: Horseshoe Lake, CA, 1995–1997

We used the closed chamber method to measure soil CO2 efflux over a three‐year period at the Horseshoe Lake tree kill (HLTK)—the largest tree kill on Mammoth Mountain in central eastern California. Efflux contour maps show a significant decline in the areas and rates of CO2 emission from 1995 to 1997. The emission rate fell from 350 t d−1 (metric tons per day) in 1995 to 130 t d−1 in 1997. The trend suggests a return to background soil CO2 efflux levels by early to mid 1999 and may reflect exhaustion of CO2 in a deep reservoir of accumulated gas and/or mechanical closure or sealing of fault conduits transmitting gas to the surface. However, emissions rose to 220 t d−1 on 23 September 1997 at the onset of a degassing event that lasted until 5 December 1997. Recent reservoir recharge and/or extension‐enhanced gas flow may have caused the degassing event.
Effect of fiber reinforcement on the isotropic compression behavior of a sand

High-pressure isotropic compression tests were carried out on samples of a uniform fine sand at different initial specific volumes, reinforced with randomly distributed polypropylene fibers (0.5% by weight, 24 mm in length and 0.023 mm thick), as well as on a nonreinforced sand specimen. Analysis of the results identified changes in the isotropic compression behavior due to the random inclusion of fibers into the sand. Two distinct and parallel normal compression lines were observed for the fiber-reinforced and nonreinforced sand. The fibers were exhumed after testing and it was found that fibers had both extended and broken, indicating that the fibers tend to suffer large plastic tensile deformations before breaking and that the fibers act under tension even in isotropic compression.
Analysis of Timescales of Response of a Simple Climate Model

Abstract A detailed analysis is made of various analytic solutions to a 0D climate model coupled to an upwelling diffusion ocean model. In particular, the responses to impulse, step-function, exponential, and linear forcings are addressed. The coupled climate–ocean model is characterized by two timescales: a relatively fast timescale, τc, associated with the damping of an ocean temperature anomaly by thermal radiation down to the depth of the thermocline, and a slow timescale, τu, representing the time required for upwelling to balance vertical diffusion in an uncoupled ocean model. A small parameter, e = τc/τu, is introduced, and it is shown from the analytic solutions that the decay of transients in the complex system is governed by a third timescale resulting from a combination of the first two timescales and written as eτc; that is, it is much faster than either of the more obvious timescales. The parameter e evidently indicates the ratio of the depth of heating anomaly penetration to the depth of the.
Comparing the Impact of Specific Strength Training vs General Fitness Training on Professional Symphony Orchestra Musicians: A Feasibility Study.

Musculoskeletal symptoms, especially in the upper body, are frequent among professional symphony orchestra musicians. Physical exercise may relieve pain but might also interfere with playing performance. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility and effect of "specific strength training" (SST) versus "general fitness training" (GFT). METHODS A feasibility study using randomized controlled methods. Primarily, evaluations involved self-reported impact on instrument playing and satisfaction with the interventions. Secondary evaluations included pain intensity, hand-grip strength, aerobic capacity, body mass index, and self-assessed physical fitness. A total of 23 professional symphony orchestra musicians were randomly allocated to either the SST (n=12) or GFT (n=11) groups. Participants conducted three 20-minutes exercise periods/wk at the workplace for 9 weeks. RESULTS Evaluations of both interventions showed that approximately 50% of musicians were satisfied with the interventions and experienced a positive impact on playing, while 18% reported a slightly negative impact. From baseline to follow-up, SST showed a significant reduction in pain (26.3±22.5 to 11.4±15.2 mm), with no significant reduction for GFT (19.7±24.0 to 13.5±26.0 mm). GFT significantly improved aerobic capacity (34.1±7.9 mL/min/kg to 40.0±13.6 mL/min/kg) compared to no significant gain for SST. For GFT, a significant improvement was seen in self-reported muscle strength (5.7±1.3 to 6.5±1.8) with a tendency toward significant improvement in self-reported aerobic fitness (5.6±2.3 to 6.2±2.5). CONCLUSION Exercise interventions have the potential to improve musicians' working situation. For future research, muscle-strengthening exercises and aerobic fitness exercises might be combined in an intelligently designed program, which may include other relevant educational activities.
Tectonics of the Virgin Islands Basin, north eastern Caribbean

The tectonics of the Virgin Islands Basin are controlled by the plate boundary between the Puerto Rico‐Virgin Islands Microplate and the stable part of the Caribbean Plate. Several contradicting theories about the formation and development of this basin have previously been proposed. As part of the Danish Galathea 3 expedition, extensive marine geological investigations of the basin were carried out in March 2007 including sediment coring and acquisition of multi‐beam and two‐dimensional seismic data. This paper represents a summary of the key observations from the multi‐beam and the seismic data set. The interpretation of these observations leads to the proposition of a tectonic model for the Virgin Islands Basin. The model consists of N–S to NW–SE directed extension combined with E‐W trending sinistral strike‐slip and the new structural evidence from the Virgin Islands Basin is entirely consistent with the most recently published GPS data.
Formononetin Induces Apoptosis of Human Osteosarcoma Cell Line U2OS by Regulating the Expression of Bcl-2, Bax and MiR-375 In Vitro and In Vivo

Background/Aims: Phytoestrogens are known to prevent tumor progression by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Formononetin is one of the main components of red clover plants, and is considered as a typical phytoestrogen. This study investigates formononetin induction of apoptosis of human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS by regulating Bcl-2 and Bax expression in vitro and in vivo. Methods: U2OS cells were treated with different concentrations of formononetin and the proliferation of the cells was measured using an MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The levels of miR-375, Bax and Bcl-2 protein expression in treated cells were determined by Western blot and RT-PCR. The antitumor activity of formononetin was also evaluated in vivo in nude mice bearing orthotopic tumor implants. Results: High concentrations of formononetin significantly suppress the proliferation of U2OS cells and induce cell apoptosis. Moreover, compared to control group the expression of Bcl-2 and miR-375 decreases with formononetin in the U2OS cells, while Bax increases. Conclusion: Formononetin has inhibitory effects on the proliferation of U2SO cells, both in vitro and in vivo. This antitumor effect is directly correlated with formononetin concentration.
Incidental Bilateral Renal Oncocytoma in a Patient with Metastatic Carcinoma of Unknown Primary: a Pitfall

Bilateral renal masses are uncommon but can raise a strong suspicion of primary or secondary malignan- cy, especially during the initial work-up of an oncology patient. Renal oncocytomas are benign renal tumors that are commonly discovered incidentally on diagnostic imaging with a small percentage occurring bilaterally. Although 18 F-FDG uptake in renal oncocytomas has been described, a case of a bilateral 18 F-FDG-avid renal oncocytoma has not been previously reported in the literature. A variety of malignant causes of bilateral 18 F-FDG positive renal masses are known, however it is important to include this benign etiology in the differential diagnosis. We report an unusual case of an incidental bilateral renal oncocytoma evaluated with contrast enhanced CT and 18 F-FDG PET/CT.
Integrin α1β1 Regulates Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Activation by Controlling Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ-Dependent Caveolin-1 Expression

ABSTRACT Integrin α1β1 negatively regulates the generation of profibrotic reactive oxygen species (ROS) by inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation; however, the mechanism by which it does this is unknown. In this study, we show that caveolin-1 (Cav-1), a scaffolding protein that binds integrins and controls growth factor receptor signaling, participates in integrin α1β1-mediated EGFR activation. Integrin α1-null mesangial cells (MCs) have reduced Cav-1 levels, and reexpression of the integrin α1 subunit increases Cav-1 levels, decreases EGFR activation, and reduces ROS production. Downregulation of Cav-1 in wild-type MCs increases EGFR phosphorylation and ROS synthesis, while overexpression of Cav-1 in the integrin α1-null MCs decreases EGFR-mediated ROS production. We further show that integrin α1-null MCs have increased levels of activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which leads to reduced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), a transcription factor that positively regulates Cav-1 expression. Moreover, activation of PPARγ or inhibition of ERK increases Cav-1 levels in the integrin α1-null MCs. Finally, we show that glomeruli of integrin α1-null mice have reduced levels of Cav-1 and activated PPARγ but increased levels of phosphorylated EGFR both at baseline and following injury. Thus, integrin α1β1 negatively regulates EGFR activation by positively controlling Cav-1 levels, and the ERK/PPARγ axis plays a key role in regulating integrin α1β1-dependent Cav-1 expression and consequent EGFR-mediated ROS production.
Wintertime radiation and energy budget along an urbanization gradient in Montreal, Canada

This study reports on the radiation and energy balance of three sites (rural, suburban, and urban) located along an urbanization gradient in the Montreal, QC, region for two winters (December–March) with contrasting snow regimes. The urban and suburban sites had similar albedo which was about half that at the rural site during the snow‐cover period. Temporal variability in albedo was attributable to the presence of snow on rooftops at the urban site and to a site‐specific response to cloudiness at the suburban site. As compared to the suburban site, the urban site showed higher albedo inducing lower net radiation (Q*) which was compensated for by greater anthropogenic heat flux (QF), so that the urban site had highest total available energy (Q* + QF). Hourly QF estimates were a significant term in the winter energy budget analysis. QF was dominated by building heating at both urbanized sites, while vehicular traffic contributed to rush hour peaks. Daytime total available energy was mostly dissipated as sensible heat flux (QH) at the beginning of the winter season and mostly stored (ΔQS) towards the end of the winter at both urbanized sites. Daytime energy partitioning into QH and ΔQS was correlated with air temperature with no significant differences between urbanized sites. On a daily time scale, available energy was mostly stored before noon and dissipated as QH in the afternoon at both urbanized sites. Urbanized sites showed differences in diurnal variability of QH and ΔQS occurring in the afternoon and evening. Latent heat flux (QE) was low throughout winter and accounted for 10% of the total available energy during daytime at the urbanized sites. Water vapour emissions showed intra‐urban differences in their response to wintertime climatic conditions. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Phonological Similarity Effect in Complex Span Task

The aim of our study was to test the hypothesis that two systems are involved in verbal working memory; one is specifically dedicated to the maintenance of phonological representations through verbal rehearsal while the other would maintain multimodal representations through attentional refreshing. This theoretical framework predicts that phonologically related phenomena such as the phonological similarity effect (PSE) should occur when the domain-specific system is involved in maintenance, but should disappear when concurrent articulation hinders its use. Impeding maintenance in the domain-general system by a concurrent attentional demand should impair recall performance without affecting PSE. In three experiments, we manipulated the concurrent articulation and the attentional demand induced by the processing component of complex span tasks in which participants had to maintain lists of either similar or dissimilar words. Confirming our predictions, PSE affected recall performance in complex span tasks. Although both the attentional demand and the articulatory requirement of the concurrent task impaired recall, only the induction of an articulatory suppression during maintenance made the PSE disappear. These results suggest a duality in the systems devoted to verbal maintenance in the short term, constraining models of working memory.
Cardiovascular Implications in Preeclampsia An Overview

or remodeling concentric remodeling and concentric hypertrophy. Women destined to preterm preeclampsia evidence of LV mild diastolic dysfunction and segmental impaired myocardial relaxation This diastolic impairment is associated with increased afterload and adverse LV remodeling as demonstrated by significantly higher mean arterial pressure, total vascular resistance index, relative wall thickness, and LV concentric
Intraplate volcanism due to convective instability of stagnant slabs in the mantle transition zone

The study of volcanism can further our understanding of Earth's mantle processes and composition. Continental intraplate volcanism commonly occurs above subducted slabs that stagnate in the Mantle Transition Zone (MTZ), such as in Europe, eastern China, and western North America. Here, we use two‐dimensional numerical models to explore the evolution of stagnant slabs in the MTZ and their potential to sustain mantle upwellings that can support volcanism. We find that weak slabs may go convectively unstable within tens of million years. Upwellings rise out of the relatively warm underbelly of the slab, are entrained by ambient‐mantle flow and reach the base of the lithosphere. The first and most vigorous upwellings rise adjacent to lateral heterogeneity within the slab. Ultimately, convective instability also acts to separate the compositional components of the slab, harzburgite, and eclogite, from each other with harzburgite rising into the upper mantle and eclogite sinking into the lower mantle. Such a physical filtering process may sustain a long‐term compositional gradient across the MTZ.
Novel Cationic Lipids with Enhanced Gene Delivery and Antimicrobial Activity

Cationic lipids facilitate plasmid delivery, and some cationic sterol-based compounds have antimicrobial activity because of their amphiphilic character. These dual functions are relevant in the context of local ongoing infection during intrapulmonary gene transfer for cystic fibrosis. The transfection activities of two cationic lipids, dexamethasone spermine (DS) and disubstituted spermine (D2S), were tested as individual components and mixtures in bovine aortic endothelial cells and A549 cells. The results showed a 3- to 7-fold improvement in transgene expression for mixtures of DS with 20 to 40 mol% D2S. D2S and coformulations with DS, dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine, and DNA exhibited potent bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli MG1655, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which was maintained in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Complete bacterial killing was demonstrated at ∼5 μM, including gene delivery formulations, with 2 orders of magnitude higher tolerance before eukaryotic membrane disruption (erythrocyte hemolysis). D2S also exhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS) scavenging activity resulting in significant inhibition of LPS-mediated activation of human neutrophils with 85 and 65% lower interleukin-8 released at 12 and 24 h, respectively. Mixtures of DS and D2S can improve transfection activity over common lipofection reagents, and D2S has strong antimicrobial action suited for the suppression of bacterial-mediated inflammation.
Simulation of the Direct Radiative Effect of Mineral Dust Aerosol on the Climate at the Last Glacial Maximum

Abstract The climatic responses to the direct radiative effect of dust aerosol at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) are examined using a general circulation model with online simulation of dust. The predicted global dust emission at the LGM is 2.3 times as large as the present-day value, which is the combined effect of the expansion of dust sources and the favorable meteorological parameters (MPs; e.g., the strong surface wind and the low air humidity) under the LGM climate. Simulated global dust emission is 1966 Tg yr−1 with present-day dust sources and MPs, 2820 Tg yr−1 with LGM dust sources and current MPs, 2599 Tg yr−1 with present-day dust sources and LGM MPs, and 4579 Tg yr−1 with LGM sources and MPs. The simulated percentage increases of dust concentrations are the largest at high latitudes in both hemispheres, which are consistent with the deposition data from geological records. The LGM dust is estimated to exert global annual-mean shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiative forcing (RF) of −4.69 and.
A Cryosphere-Hydrology Observation System in a Small Alpine Watershed in the Qilian Mountains of China and Its Meteorological Gradient

Abstract The unavailability of sufficient data at higher elevations causes many uncertainties in research on cold regions. This study considers a cryosphere-hydrology observation system established in 2008 at the Hulu small alpine watershed in the Qilian Mountains of Northwest China. The altitudinal gradient of weather factors is analyzed using data from the Hulu watershed and routine stations located in the Heihe upstream. The data presented here provide the following knowledge of mountain meteorology at elevations from 3367 m to 4166 m/4248 m in the Qilian Mountains: (1) the yearly precipitation—altitude relationship is linear in regions below 4248 m in the Heihe upstream, where the precipitation gradient increased marginally from 1960 to 2011; (2) the yearly air temperature lapse rate (TLR) is weaker at higher elevations (>3000 m), and the seasonal TLR became more divergent between winter and summer half-years from 1960 to 2011 (yearly mean 5.6 °C km-1); (3) in the Hulu watershed, the LRs of water vapor pressure and absolute humidity are higher in warm seasons with yearly means of 1.1 hpa km-1 and 0.84 g m-3 km-1, respectively, and the maximum relative humidity value is found at elevations between 3500 and 3700 m in the Heihe upstream; (4) the long-term existence of snow increases the albedo to yearly means of 0.22, 0.30, 0.35, and 0.27 in areas of grassland, meadow, marshy meadow, and alpine desert in the Hulu watershed, respectively. The relationship between monthly net radiation and soil surface temperature (Ts) is linear, and the mean Ts LR was about 7.5 °C km-1 from July 2009 to September 2011.
Diffusion of Ca, Sr, Ba, and Co in a basalt melt: Implications for the geochemistry of the mantle

Tracer diffusion coefficients of Ca, Sr, Ba, and Co in molten olivine tholeiite basalt have, been determined between 1260° and 1440°C at 1 atm. The diffusion coefficients range from 10−7 to 10−6 cm2 s−1, and the activation energies range from 39 to 44 kcal mol−1. The diffusion coefficients decrease with increasing ionic radius, but the observed relationship does not conform to the Stokes-Einstein relation. The results of our experiments suggest that the characteristic diffusion distances, estimated by the expression (Dt)1/2, exceed 1 km only for very long times of 109 years or more. Consequently, chemical diffusion does not contribute significantly to large-scale differentiation and mixing processes in a partially molten mantle. A layer of 1-km half width that has been depleted in incompatible trace elements (e.g., by extraction of melt) can be replenished by diffusion from the adjacent material to one-half its original concentration in 3×108 years (or 0.9 in 8×109 years). Diffusive transport is efficient in small-scale processes (<1 km). Diffusion in a partially molten asthenosphere greatly increases the rate of local equilibration, and it contributes significantly to small-scale mixing and contamination processes in magma chambers and conduits.