bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proactive Maintenance in the Context of Integrated Operations Generation 2
Authors: af Sätra Ulf Skytte , Christensen Rebecca , Tanase Adrian , Koppervik Ingvar , Rokke Espen
Published: April 2011

With increased requirements to improve production availability and to have a continuous updated overview of the condition status of subsea production systems (SPSs), oil and gas operators have increased focus to reach beyond the current practice of integrating onshore and offshore centers and processes for continuous onshore support. Integrated operations (IO) Generation 2 is a further extension to integrate operation centers of the operator and their vendors with heavily automated processes and digital services in a round-the-clock operation.

To reach IO Generation 2, proactive management as a foundation for operations with a pre-emptive maintenance program giving an early insight on coming abnormal issues is essential. Focusing on knowledge and understanding of how the equipment and installed base perform is essential and will be empowered by a management system that takes a holistic approach while an automatic integrity diagnoses functionality. To achieve IO Generation 2, work processes that promote collaboration and continuous improvements and visualization of the equipment will be necessary to facilitate a common awareness and maintain an optimum field operation.

By continuous monitoring of the integrity of the SPSs in an IO Generation 2 context, the condition and performance management (CPM) system enables pre-emptive maintenance leading to maximum production at minimum maintenance cost. Increasingly important, and supported by the CPM system, is the enforcing of health, safety, and environment (HSE) standards as stipulated in company goals and in national and international regulations.

The CPM system facilitates enhanced collaboration, and it is configured to support the identified IO Generation 2 work processes regarding work interfaces and roles. The agreed work processes for an IO Generation 2 setup make up the base foundation of the CPM system, from day-to-day monitoring and collaboration to in-depth analysis and improvement of the installed base performance.
Steamflood With Vertical Injectors and Horizontal Producers in Multiple Zones
Authors: Malik Sanjeev , Zhang Y.M.. M. , Asimi Mohammed Al , Gould Thomas L.
Published: April 2011

The Mukhaizna heavy-oil field in the Sultanate of Oman desert has three distinct zones that require steam injection to enhance oil recovery. A new, geocellular-based reservoir description was prepared to evaluate the steamflood performance of these three zones using different horizontal- and vertical-well configurations. On the basis of the results of thermal simulations, the final design called for vertical wells injecting steam into all three zones, with three stacked horizontal production (HP) wells, one for each zone. One advantage of this design is the ability to control the steam flux from each vertical injector (VI) into each zone to mitigate early steam breakthrough and optimize recovery. After 2 years of steam injection, oil production is tracking the thermal model nicely.
Snorre Low-Salinity-Water Injection—Coreflooding Experiments and Single-Well Field Pilot
Authors: Skrettingland K.. , Holt T.. , Tweheyo M.T.. T. , Skjevrak I..
Published: April 2011

Low-salinity (lowsal) waterflooding has been evaluated for increased oil recovery (IOR) at the Snorre field. Coreflooding experiments and a single-well chemical tracer-test (SWCTT) field pilot have been performed to measure the remaining oil saturation after seawaterflooding and after lowsal flooding.

The laboratory coreflooding experiments conducted at reservoir and low-pressure conditions involved core material from the Upper and Lower Statfjord and Lunde formations. The core material from the Statfjord formations gave incremental recovery in the order of 2% of original oil in place (OOIP) by injection of diluted seawater. Similar amounts were produced during following NaCl-based lowsal injections. The same trend was observed in the high- and low-pressure experiments. No significant response to lowsal flooding was observed for Lunde cores. No response was normally observed during alkaline injection.

The SWCTT field pilot was carried out in the Upper Statfjord formation. The average oil saturations after seawater injection, after lowsal seawater injection, and after a new seawater injection were determined; no significant change in the remaining oil saturation was shown. The measured in-situ value of remaining oil saturation after seawaterflooding was in agreement with previous special core analysis (SCAL) experiments.

The measured effect of tertiary lowsal flooding from core experiments was in agreement with the SWCTT. Both measurements indicated only low or no effect from lowsal injection.

It has been suggested that lowsal flooding has a potential for improved oil recovery in all clayey sandstone formations containing crude oil. The results from this work indicate that the initial wetting condition is a crucial property for the effect of lowsal injection.
What Would Be the Impact of Temporarily Fracturing Production Wells During Squeeze Treatments?
Authors: Al-Rabaani Abdul , Mackay Eric J.
Published: April 2011

It is generally assumed that scale-inhibitor squeeze treatments in production wells are displaced radially into the formation because it is normal to pump these treatments below the fracture pressure. However, it is known that thermal stresses as a result of injecting cold fluids can result in thermally induced fractures (TIFs). This paper addresses the evidence of thermal fracturing during low-volume (less than 10,000 bbl) treatments, and asks: What would be the impact on squeeze life of treating a well that was fractured during treatment vs. a nonfractured well?

The process involves modeling fractured and unfractured treatments to identify advantages and disadvantages of temporarily fracturing a well during a squeeze treatment in terms of inhibitor placement. While inhibitor may be placed at a greater distance from the wellbore if the formation is fractured during the treatment, the surface area of rock contacted during the treatment may be less than is the case in radial displacements. Issues such as consolidated vs. unconsolidated formations, initial reservoir temperature, fluid temperature at the sandface during injection, injection rate, and fracture dimensions should be considered.

In general, this work demonstrates that there are clear advantages to temporarily fracturing a well during a squeeze treatment, depending on the inhibitor-return concentrations required to prevent mineral-scale formation.
Glucose Transporters
Authors: Leszek Szablewski
Published: April 2011

Glucose is obtained directly from the diet, principally following the hydrolysis of ingested disaccharides and polysaccharides, and by the synthesis from other substrates in organs such as the liver. Glucose derived from the diet is transferred from the lumen of the small intestine, and both dietary glucose and glucose synthesized within the body have to be transported from the circulation into target cells. These processes involve the transfer of glucose across plasma membranes. Because for its hydrophilicity, glucose cannot penetrate the lipid bilayer, and specific carrier proteins are required to its diffusion. These transporters comprise two structurally and functionally distinct groups, whose members have been identified over the past two decades, namely: the Na+-dependent glucose co-transporters (SGLT, members of a larger family of Na+-dependent transporters, gene name SLC5A) and the facilitative Na+-independent sugar transporters (GLUT family, gene name SLC2A). The number of known glucose transporters has expanded considerably over the past few years. These various transporters exhibit different substrate specificities, kinetic properties and tissue expression profiles. The number of distinct genes products, together with the presence of several different transporters in certain tissues and cell, indicates that glucose delivery into cells is a process of considerable complexity.
Glucose Homeostasis
Authors: Leszek Szablewski
Published: April 2011

Glucose is the main and preferred source of energy for the body. Poly- and oligosaccharides contained in foods are broken down into glucose. The liver and kidney also make glucose in the process of gluconeogenesis. In order to ensure the euglycemia necessary for metabolic processes in the cells glucose levels are carefully regulated to around 90 mg/dL (5 mM). The process of maintaining blood glucose at a steady-state level is called glucose homeostasis. This maintenance is achieved through a balance of several factors, including the rate of consumption and intestinal absorption of dietary carbohydrate, the rate of utilization of glucose by peripheral tissues and the loss of glucose through the kidney tubule, and the rate of removal or release of glucose by the liver. To avoid postprandial hyperglycemia (uncontrolled increases in blood glucose levels following meals) and fasting hypoglycemia (decreased in blood glucose levels during periods of fasting), the body can adjust glucose levels by a variety of cellular mechanisms. Important signals are conveyed by hormones, cytokines, and fuel substrates and are sensed through of cellular mechanisms. The liver plays a major role in blood glucose homeostasis by maintaining a balance between the uptake and storage of glucose via glycogenesis and the release of glucose via glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Therapies and Emerging Targets for the Treatment of Diabetes
Authors: Leszek Szablewski
Published: April 2011

Current therapeutic approaches were largely developed in the absence of defined molecular targets or a solid understanding of disease pathogenesis. Within the past few years, our understanding of biochemical pathways related to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus has expanded. The worldwide epidemic of type 2 diabetes has been stimulating the search for new concepts and targets for the treatment of this incurable disease. Studies using transgenic animals, gene transfer and pharmacological agents have yielded many data that have helped understand the molecular alterations characteristic of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. This has opened the possibility for the development of potentially more-effective therapies, mainly focused on attenuating hepatic glucose production, enhancing glucose-dependent insulin secretion, enhancing the insulin signal transduction etc. Increasing knowledge on the biochemical and cellular alterations occurring in type 2 diabetes mellitus has led to the development of novel and potentially more effective therapeutic approaches to treat the disease.
Index
Authors: Leszek Szablewski
Published: April 2011

Full Text Avaliable
Balancing Power - The Give and Take of Tripartism in Transition Economies
Authors: Inga Hilsen Anne
Published: April 2011

Using the examples of China, Armenia and Tajikistan, this text will discuss the challenge of transition
from a Communist planned economy to a market economy (or, in the case of China, a socialist market economy).
Tripartism and the social dialogue (the formal dialogue between government, business and labor) are democratic
tools to make this transition possible. Tripartism can be seen as a political and pragmatic approach to developing
new industrial relations based on mutual balanced interests, rather than opposition or cooptation.

I will support this claim with data from evaluations of supported development projects in these three countries. The
objectives of these projects were democratization of work life and the support of building a sustainable work life.

Tripartism is a type of partnership, or alliance, in work life. The alliance is designed to promote collaboration
between the social partners, nationally and at the work place level. Instead of only envisioning labor relations as a
continuous engagement with competitive orientation, power struggles and conflict, it can also be seen as a
balancing of power, where each partner gives something in order to gain something. This is its greatest strength
and may well be the root of its ability to transcend political, economic, cultural and historical differences, as
demonstrated by the cases of the transition economies of China, Armenia and Tajikistan.
Environmental Inter-Organizational Collaboratives and their Sustainability
Authors: Kaufman Sanda
Published: April 2011

Public decisions are often inter-organizational by nature. Inter-organizational decision processes are
necessary in the planning and environmental domains in the United States at different levels (national, interstate,
regional, local) around public decisions and initiatives. The coming together of very different public and private
actors around specific problems is due to overlapping jurisdictions and mandates and to the interested parties’
realization that no unilateral action can either promote desired outcomes or prevent unwanted ones.

This chapter begins with a description of the kinds of collaborative processes seen in the American public
decision arena, and of how they function. It will discuss some criteria used to evaluate collaborative processes
and assess the success of their outcomes. It will then use an example of a public-private collaborative process in
Northeast Ohio to explore a double paradox that appears to characterize such efforts. It seems that, contrary to
what we might expect, even successful collaborative projects tend to be unsustainable. Moreover,
institutionalization of their management – one strategy that can help sustain them – can become a liability instead
of securing long-term survival.
Building Academics-Practitioners Partnership as Means for Generating Usable Knowledge
Authors: Syna Desivilya Helena , Palgi Michal
Published: April 2011

Scholars studying organizations have been concerned about the relevance and the potential for
applying knowledge produced by academics to management practice. The fact that academics and practitioners
travel to divergent paths seems to pose the major barrier in the generation of applicable knowledge.

In an attempt to explore possible ways of circumventing this impediment, we propose partnerships between
academics and practitioners as a vehicle for generating usable knowledge. The objective of the current chapter is
to clarify the role of partnerships in developing applicable knowledge, while focusing on the socio-psychological
and political dimensions underlying relationships between academics and practitioners.

We discuss the partnership format as a mechanism to promote the generation of usable knowledge, while
examining the processes whereby such a partnership can be developed. We stress that the emergence of conflicts
between academics and practitioners is one of the central elements in collaborative relationships, and that these
discords must be dealt with in order to build a cooperatively oriented and sustainable partnership. We also discuss
the issues of trust, power, and control which surface in the process of implementing partnership, signaling the gap
between the idealized conception of partnership as a desirable arrangement on the one hand, and its reality on the
other. We then present illustrations from two case studies showing the strengths and limitations in developing
partnerships between academics and practitioners. Finally, we critically evaluate partnership as a potential vehicle
for generating usable knowledge.
Study of flow past an exponentially accelerated isothermal vertical plate in the presence of chemical reaction
Authors: Muthucumaraswamy R. , Valliammal V.
Published: April 2011

Theoretical study of unsteady flow past an exponentially accelerated infinite
isothermal vertical plate with variable mass diffusion has been presented in
the presence of homogeneous chemical reaction of first order. The plate
temperature is raised to Tw and species concentration level near the plate is
made to rise linearly with time. The dimensionless governing equations are
solved using Laplace-transform technique. The velocity profiles are studied
for different physical parameters like chemical reaction parameter, thermal
Grashof number, mass Grashof number, a and time. It is observed that the
velocity increases with increasing values of a or t. But the trend is just
reversed with respect to K.
An Acardiac Twin with Advanced Brain Development and a Minor Form of Holoprosencephaly and Intracerebral Retina-Like Pigmented Tissue: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Huss Sebastian , Fronhoffs Florian , Gembruch Ulrich , Loeffler Karin , Born Mark , Gessi Marco , Kuchelmeister Klaus , Müller Annette M.
Published: April 2011

The development of an acardiac twin in a monochorionic multiple pregnancy is a rare and severe complication of abnormal placental vascular anastomoses. These malformed fetuses present with a very bizarre morphology and a plethora of different malformations. However, all acardiac twins show either a complete absence or an anlage of the heart. Cerebral development is usually poor. We report, according to our review of the literature, for the first time, a very unusual case of acardius with features of acardius amorphus and acormus (fused head and malformed axial skeleton without macroscopically detectable internal organs) with lobar holoprosencephaly and intracerebral pigmented retina-like tissue.
Unstained viable cell recognition in phase-contrast microscopy
Authors: Skoczylas M. , Rakowski W. , Cherubini R. , Gerardi S.
Published: April 2011

Individual cell recognition is a relevant task to be accomplished when single-ion microbeam irradiations are performed. At INFN-LNL facility cell visualization system is based on a phase-contrast optical microscope, without the use of any cell dye. Unstained cells are seeded in the special designed Petri dish, between two mylar foils, and at present the cell recognition is achieved manually by an expert operator. Nevertheless, this procedure is time consuming and sometimes it could be not practical if the amount of living cells to be irradiated is large. To reduce the time needed to recognize unstained cells on the Petri dish, it has been designed and implemented an automated, parallel algorithm. Overlapping ROIs sliding in steps over the captured grayscale image are firstly pre-classified and potential cell markers for the segmentation are obtained. Segmented objects are additionally classified to categorize cell bodies from other structures considered as sample dirt or background. As a result, cell coordinates are passed to the dedicated CELLView program that controls all the LNL single-ion microbeam irradiation protocol, including the positioning of individual cells in front of the ion beam. Unstained cell recognition system was successfully tested in experimental conditions with two different mylar surfaces. The recognition time and accuracy was acceptable, however, improvements in speed would be useful.
Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Study of Some Acetylisatins and Diazobiphenyls
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Mamun , Shaha Sakanta Kumar , Aziz Foysal , Khan Rahat , Hossain Md Mahabub
Published: April 2011

Nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds, oxindoles especially isatins and related heterocyles have excellent antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Oxindoles keto lactams (1-3) were synthesized according to modified Sandmayer method and their N-acetylated compounds (4-6) gave diazo-biphenyls (7-10) through ring cleavage and consequent cyclization reaction. Bis-amide (11), and Schiff-base (12) were synthesized from oxindoles respectively. The investigation of cytotoxicity of the synthesized compounds was carried out against brine shrimp lethality bioassay. In our present investigation some of the synthesized compounds such as halogen substituted acetylisatins (4-6) and the ring extended diazo-biphenyls, (7-10) have been shown to exhibit strong cytotoxic effect. Key words: diazo-biphenyls; oxindoles; cytotoxicity; brine shrimp DOI: 10.3329/dujps.v9i1.7423Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 9(1): 1-6, 2010 (June)
Comparison of Bactericidal Activity of Serum Collected from Typhoid Patients and Normal Human Against Salmonella typhi at Various Incubation Time
Authors: Shahriar Mohammad , Halder Luke Donald , Nushrat Nayeema , Hossain Mahboob , Kabir ANM Hamidul , Kabir Shaila
Published: April 2011

DOI: 10.3329/dujps.v9i1.7436 Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 9(1): 66-67 2010 (June)
On the Reducible Character of Haldane-Radić Enzyme Kinetics to Conventional and Logistic Michaelis-Menten Models
Authors: Putz Mihai V.
Published: April 2011

The conceptual and practical issues regarding the reduction of the Haldane-Radić enzymic mechanism, specific for cholinesterase kinetics, to the consecrated or logistically modified Michaelis-Menten kinetics, specific for some mutant enzymes, are here clarified as due to the limited initial substrate concentration, through detailed initial rate and progress curve analysis, even when other classical conditions for such equivalence are not entirely fulfilled.
Forest Assessment Using High Resolution SAR Data in X-Band
Authors: Perko Roland , Raggam Hannes , Deutscher Janik , Gutjahr Karlheinz , Schardt Mathias
Published: April 2011

Novel radar satellite missions also include sensors operating in X-band at very high resolution. The presented study reports methodologies, algorithms and results on forest assessment utilizing such X-band satellite images, namely from TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed sensors. The proposed procedures cover advanced stereo-radargrammetric and interferometric data processing, as well as image segmentation and image classification. A core methodology is the multi-image matching concept for digital surface modeling based on geometrically constrained matching. Validation of generated surface models is made through comparison with LiDAR data, resulting in a standard deviation height error of less than 2 meters over forest. Image classification of forest regions is then based on X-band backscatter information, a canopy height model and interferometric coherence information yielding a classification accuracy above 90%. Such information is then directly used to extract forest border lines. High resolution X-band sensors deliver imagery that can be used for automatic forest assessment on a large scale.
Non-Contact Plant Growth Measurement Method and System Based on Ubiquitous Sensor Network Technologies
Authors: Suk Jinweon , Kim Seokhoon , Ryoo Intae
Published: April 2011

This paper proposes a non-contact plant growth measurement system using infrared sensors based on the ubiquitous sensor network (USN) technology. The proposed system measures plant growth parameters such as the stem radius of plants using real-time non-contact methods, and generates diameter, cross-sectional area and thickening form of plant stems using this measured data. Non-contact sensors have been used not to cause any damage to plants during measurement of the growth parameters. Once the growth parameters are measured, they are transmitted to a remote server using the sensor network technology and analyzed in the application program server. The analyzed data are then provided for administrators and a group of interested users. The proposed plant growth measurement system has been designed and implemented using fixed-type and rotary-type infrared sensor based measurement methods and devices. Finally, the system performance is compared and verified with the measurement data that have been obtained by practical field experiments.
Fused Smart Sensor Network for Multi-Axis Forward Kinematics Estimation in Industrial Robots
Authors: Rodriguez-Donate Carlos , Osornio-Rios Roque Alfredo , Rivera-Guillen Jesus Rooney , Romero-Troncoso Rene de Jesus
Published: April 2011

Flexible manipulator robots have a wide industrial application. Robot performance requires sensing its position and orientation adequately, known as forward kinematics. Commercially available, motion controllers use high-resolution optical encoders to sense the position of each joint which cannot detect some mechanical deformations that decrease the accuracy of the robot position and orientation. To overcome those problems, several sensor fusion methods have been proposed but at expenses of high-computational load, which avoids the online measurement of the joint’s angular position and the online forward kinematics estimation. The contribution of this work is to propose a fused smart sensor network to estimate the forward kinematics of an industrial robot. The developed smart processor uses Kalman filters to filter and to fuse the information of the sensor network. Two primary sensors are used: an optical encoder, and a 3-axis accelerometer. In order to obtain the position and orientation of each joint online a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is used in the hardware implementation taking advantage of the parallel computation capabilities and reconfigurability of this device. With the aim of evaluating the smart sensor network performance, three real-operation-oriented paths are executed and monitored in a 6-degree of freedom robot.
Les déterminants du recours aux soins de santé prénataux au Burkina Faso
Authors: Sirpe Gnanderman
Published: April 2011

Les résultats des estimations montrent, à partir d’un modèle logit multinomial emboîté à trois niveaux, que le niveau de vie, le coût des consultations et la distance d’accès aux centres de santé ont un impact significatif sur la demande en soins de santé prénataux. Par ailleurs, les femmes en âge de procréer et possédant un bon niveau d’éducation ont une propension suffisante à recourir aux soins de santé prénataux. Ces résultats suggèrent que des soins de santé prénataux au Burkina Faso peuvent être améliorés en les vulgarisant en zones rurales, en généralisant les politiques éducatives et en menant des politiques spécifiques sur la santé de la reproduction.
Développement durable et aide publique à la santé
Authors: I Barry Mamadou
Published: April 2011

Dans le domaine de l’aide au développement, la période récente a été marquée par deux éléments : une mobilisation internationale forte autour du concept de développement durable et une accélération de l’aide publique à la santé au tournant des années 2000. Nous développons la thèse selon laquelle l’accélération de l’aide à la santé ne s'explique pas principalement par le consensus politique, institutionnel et scientifique autour du développement durable, mais plutôt par les logiques sécuritaires devenues dominantes.
Les nouvelles formes de l'aide publique au développement et l'éventuel "retour de l'État" dans les pays d'Afrique subsaharienne
Authors: Azoulay Gérard
Published: April 2011

Les principes issus de la Conférence de Paris semblent remettre en cause l’un des fondements du consensus de Washington : le retrait de l’État. Ces nouveaux principes peuvent offrir aux pays moins avancés la possibilité de reconquérir la maîtrise de leurs politiques économiques. Cette réappropriation dépendra des modalités effectives de mise en œuvre de ces orientations par les pays. La contribution examine certaines des conditions nécessaires de réalisation de ces nouvelles orientations.
Les évolutions du modèle pétrolier russe : une réponse institutionnelle à la crise de l'industrie
Authors: Rossiaud Sylvain , Locatelli Catherine
Published: April 2011

L’industrie pétrolière russe est depuis le début des années 1990 marquée par d’importants mouvements de réforme de son modèle organisationnel. La montée en puissance de l’État au sein de l’industrie est le facteur le plus souvent mentionné pour caractériser les évolutions en cours. L’article fournit un cadre d’interprétation à ces évolutions à partir d’une lecture néo-institutionnaliste des modèles d’organisation de l’industrie pétrolière. La réorganisation actuelle introduit une plus grande cohérence dans l’arrangement institutionnel encadrant la transaction d’ouverture de l’amont pétrolier à des opérateurs.
L'aide humanitaire dans les pays en développement : qui évalue qui ?
Authors: Pérouse de Montclos Marc-Antoine
Published: April 2011

Les organisations humanitaires qui travaillent dans les pays en développement en crise sont généralement évaluées par leurs bailleurs de fonds, et non par les bénéficiaires de leurs programmes. Sollicitées et contrôlées par les parties prenantes au système, de telles évaluations présentent l’inconvénient de : 1) laisser de côté les institutions qui n’acceptent pas d’être examinées ; 2) biaiser l’analyse, en occultant plus ou moins délibérément les vrais problèmes ; 3) réduire l’exercice à une simple formalité technocratique, souvent vaine et vide de sens ; 4) pénaliser la capitalisation d’expériences en n’incitant pas à apprendre à partir des échecs.
Les déterminants de l'adoption de la téléphonie mobile au Burkina Faso
Authors: Zahonogo Pam
Published: April 2011

Cet article analyse, sur la base de données collectées en 2007, l’adoption de la téléphonie mobile au Burkina Faso à l’aide d’un modèle Probit. Il révèle de profondes différences entre zone urbaine et rurale. Le niveau d’éducation, le revenu, le réseau social et l’âge de l’individu exercent une influence positive sur la probabilité d’adoption du téléphone mobile, alors qu’il n’existe pas de différence significative selon le genre. Les mesures de politique économique qui accroissent les revenus, le niveau d’éducation et améliorent la fourniture des services de base contribuent à un meilleur accès.
Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation by Cooling: Effect of Temperature on Dromotropy in Perfused Rabbit Hearts
Authors: Mischke Karl , Zarse Markus , Knackstedt Christian , Schauerte Patrick
Published: April 2011

Background. Cooling has emerged as a therapeutic option in critically ill patients (especially after cardiac resuscitation) and might also have a negative dromotropic effect in atrial fibrillation. We sought to determine the impact of cooling on electrophysiologic properties of Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts.Methods and Results. In 20 isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts, the temperature of the tissue bath was changed between 17 and 42°C. With decreasing temperature, significant increases of the spontaneous sinus cycle length, decreases of the mean ventricular heart rate during atrial fibrillation, and relevant increases of atrial and ventricular refractory periods were observed (ANOVAP<.01).Conclusions. Cardiac hypothermia leads to a significant drop of mean ventricular heart rate during atrial fibrillation. Negative chronotropy and dromotropy induced by moderate cardiac hypothermia might be a feasible therapeutic approach in patients with hemodynamically relevant tachyarrhythmias in a CCU/ICU setting.
Achievement of Right Ventricular Pacing by Use of a Long Guiding Catheter in a Hemodialysis Patient Presenting Significant Tortuosity of Vasculature
Authors: Dilaveris Polychronis , Sideris Skevos , Vaina Sofia , Gatzoulis Konstantinos , Stefanadis Christodoulos
Published: April 2011

Increased vascular calcification and tortuosity are rather common in end-stage renal failure patients who are on hemodialysis. It renders manipulation of catheters and performance of percutaneous transluminal interventions more difficult than expected. Such vascular alterations may be evident in large veins and pose significant difficulties in placement of pacing leads as shown in our case. To overcome such difficulties, we demonstrated in this patient case that long guiding catheters may be of particular value.
Use of Specific Chemical Reagents for Detection of Modified Nucleotides in RNA
Authors: Behm-Ansmant Isabelle , Helm Mark , Motorin Yuri
Published: April 2011

Naturally occurring cellular RNAs contain an impressive number of chemically distinct modified residues which appear posttranscriptionally, as a result of specific action of the corresponding RNA modification enzymes. Over 100 different chemical modifications have been identified and characterized up to now. Identification of the chemical nature and exact position of these modifications is typically based on 2D-TLC analysis of nucleotide digests, on HPLC coupled with mass spectrometry, or on the use of primer extension by reverse transcriptase. However, many modified nucleotides are silent in reverse transcription, since the presence of additional chemical groups frequently does not change base-pairing properties. In this paper, we give a summary of various chemical approaches exploiting the specific reactivity of modified nucleotides in RNA for their detection.
Slowing and Loss of Complexity in Alzheimer′s EEG: Two Sides of the Same Coin?
Authors: Dauwels Justin , Srinivasan K. , Ramasubba Reddy M. , Musha Toshimitsu , Vialatte François-Benoît , Latchoumane Charles , Jeong Jaeseung , Cichocki Andrzej
Published: April 2011

Medical studies have shown that EEG of
Alzheimer′s disease (AD) patients is “slower” (i.e., contains
more low‐frequency power) and is less complex compared to
age‐matched healthy subjects. The relation between those two
phenomena has not yet been studied, and they are often silently
assumed to be independent. In this paper, it is shown that
both phenomena are strongly related. Strong correlation between
slowing and loss of complexity is observed in two independent
EEG datasets: (1) EEG of predementia patients (a.k.a. Mild
Cognitive Impairment; MCI) and control subjects; (2) EEG of
mild AD patients and control subjects. The two data sets are
from different patients, different hospitals and obtained through
different recording systems. The paper also investigates the potential of EEG slowing and
loss of EEG complexity as indicators of AD onset. In particular,
relative power and complexity measures are used as features to
classify the MCI and MiAD patients versus age‐matched control
subjects. When combined with two synchrony measures (Granger causality and stochastic event
synchrony), classification rates of 83% (MCI) and 98% (MiAD)
are obtained. By including the compression ratios as features,
slightly better classification rates are obtained than with relative
power and synchrony measures alone.
Concurrent Validity of the Cognitive Assessment of Minnesota in Older Adults with and without Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Feliciano Leilani , Baker Jonathan C. , Anderson Sarah L. , LeBlanc Linda A. , Orchanian David M.
Published: April 2011

Cognitive impairment represents a common mental health problem in community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults, and the prevalence increases with age. Multidisciplinary teams are often asked to assess cognitive and functional impairment in this population. The Cognitive Assessment of Minnesota was created by occupational therapists for this purpose and is frequently used, but has not been extensively validated. This study examined the performance of the CAM and compared it to the MMSE with 113 outpatient clinic patients over the age of 60. Subgroups were established based on scores on a depression inventory to determine if the presence of depressed mood altered the relationship between the measures. Both measures demonstrated good internal consistency. The overall correlation between the two measures was high, statistically significant and remained high regardless of depression status. We offer recommendations about the utility of each measure in screening cognitive functioning for older adults.
3D drill hole and geologic map database of the Flin Flon Mining District, Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Authors: Schetselaar E , Currie M , Pehrsson S , Devine C , Mwenifumbo J
Published: April 2011

A central objective of the Geological Survey of Canada third Targeted Geoscience Initiative Program (TGI3) was to update the geoscience knowledge base in VMS mining districts across Canada. Towards this objective a 3D modelling initiative was undertaken to
enhance insight into the subsurface geology of the Flin Flon-Callinan-777 VMS ore system hosted in the Paleoproterozoic Flin Flon Belt of Central Manitoba and Saskatchewan. This Open File DVD publication presents relational and spatial databases populated with drill hole and geologic map data that
were used to constrain the 3D geologic model of the Flin Flon exploration camp. The file contents of this DVD publication are listed in Appendix 1. The relational database (MS AccessTM format) archives 2769 surface and subsurface drill holes
compiled from exploration drilling programs conducted from 1916 to recent by HudBay Minerals Inc. and previous operational firms exploring the Flin Flon-777-Callinan VMS ore system. It contains geological, geochemical and geophysical drill log data organized in eight thematic tables that are
relationally linked to tables containing deviation log surveys and drill collar locations georeferenced in mine and UTM NAD83 coordinates. The MS AccessTM database also contains structural field and surface whole-rock geochemistry data acquired from the archives of legacy mapping projects and the
recent TGI3 Flin Flon 1: 10000 scale geological mapping projects (Simard et al., 2010 and references therein). The spatial database (ESRITM geodatabase format) provides a comprehensive 3D geoscience GIS dataset of the Flin Flon exploration camp. It allows users to jointly visualize and analyze the
drill hole data with geological and topographic map data in 2D ArcGIS and 3D ArcScene GIS environments. The 2D digital map data in the geodatabase were compiled from the digital archives of the TGI3 Flin Flon 1:10 000 scale geological mapping project (Simard et al., 2010). The geodatabase contains,
in addition to the drill hole and digital map data, the 3D-modelled lithostratigraphic and fault surfaces found in the affiliated Open File Publication OF6313: "The 3D Flin Flon Knowledge Cube". OF6313 presents a 3D interactive geologic model of the exploration camp and a report that describes the
geologic background, the employed 3D modelling methodology and a synthesis of the 3D modelling results (Schetselaar et al. 2010). These 3D model elements are also provided in AutocadTM .dxf format to facilitate import/export to various 3D modelling and 3D GIS software packages. The databases
presented in this Open File report provide a multi-thematic and reconciled surface and subsurface geoscience dataset to support future mapping, exploration and 3D modelling initiatives in the Flin Flon mining district. They can also be used for testing 3D geologic modelling methods applicable to
mineral exploration and hard-rock settings in
general.
Levitikus as agtergrond van Markus 5:25–34, geïnterpreteer in terme van eer-en-skaamte
Authors: Le Roux Elritia
Published: April 2011

This article investigated whether Mark 5:25–34 proposes a radical discontinuity with the Jewish purity codes and subsequently, holds drastic liberating implications for women as far as access to the temple is concerned and more existentially speaking, access to Yahweh. It determined whether Leviticus speaks about women in such an androcentric and exclusive manner and whether Jewish culture is indeed so discriminating. This article argued that Mark 5:25–34 does indeed radically turn the Jewish purity codes upside down and that the Jesus movement proclaims a drastic liberation for women from social marginalisation. However, the original meaning of the text in Leviticus should not be viewed so negatively. The dreadful consequences of the exile and the destruction of the temple lead to the idea amongst the orthodox rabbi’s that the purity codes should be maintained in a very strict way. These codes were thought to ensure that the holiness of Yahweh would manifest in the social sphere, the people of Yahweh would be blessed and a catastrophe of these immense proportions would be avoided in future. Unfortunately, this lead to the degeneration of the cult, that became exclusive as many people were deprived from the presence of Yahweh. The author of the Gospel according to Mark is reacting to this and clearly voices his criticism against this marginalisation.
The impact of new national HIV testing guidelines at a district general hospital in an area of high HIV seroprevalence
Authors: Page I , Phillips M , Flegg P , Palmer R
Published: April 2011

The latest UK national human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing guidelines, released in September 2008, state that HIV testing should be offered to all patients with indicator conditions and considered in all general medical admissions in high-prevalence areas. We audited testing rates at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, a high-prevalence area, one year before and one year after the publication of the new guidelines. In the year after publication the rate of HIV testing in patients with indicator diseases was as follows: hepatitis B 6%, hepatitis C 28%, tuberculosis 9% and lymphoma 14%. The overall rate of HIV testing in acute medical admissions was 0.5%. Our results demonstrate that traditional methods of guideline dissemination did not lead to implementation. We are now assessing alternative methods such as marking all positive laboratory results for indicator diseases with the phrase ‘HIV testing should be considered’ and implementing universal opt-out screening in our Clinical Decisions Unit.
Myasthenic syndromes
Authors: Farrugia ME
Published: April 2011

The neuromuscular junction is vulnerable to autoimmune attack both at the pre-synaptic nerve terminal and at the post-synaptic muscle membrane. Antibodies directed to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at the muscle surface are the cause of myasthenia gravis in the majority of cases. Myasthenia gravis is an acquired condition, characterised by weakness and fatigability of the skeletal muscles. The ocular muscles are commonly affected first, but the disease often generalises. Treatment includes symptom control and immunosuppression. The thymus gland plays an important role in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis and thymectomy is indicated in certain subgroups. Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome is associated with antibodies directed to the voltage-gated calcium channel antibodies at the pre-synaptic nerve terminal. It is an acquired condition and, in some cases, may be paraneoplastic, often secondary to underlying small cell lung carcinoma. Clinical presentation is distinct from myasthenia gravis, with patients often first presenting with lower limb muscle fatigability and autonomic symptoms. Congenital myasthenic syndromes are inherited neuromuscular disorders due to mutations in proteins at the neuromuscular junction. Various phenotypes exist depending on the protein mutation. Treatment is directed towards symptom control and immunosuppression is not indicated.
Parameterization of ion-induced nucleation rates based on ambient observations
Authors: Nieminen T. , Paasonen P. , Manninen H. E. , Sellegri K. , Kerminen V.-M. , Kulmala M.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. Atmospheric ions participate in the formation of new atmospheric aerosol particles, yet their exact role in this process has remained unclear. Here we derive a new simple parameterization for ion-induced nucleation or, more precisely, for the formation rate of charged 2-nm particles. The parameterization is semi-empirical in the sense that it is based on comprehensive results of one-year-long atmospheric cluster and particle measurements in the size range ~1–42 nm within the EUCAARI (European Integrated project on Aerosol Cloud Climate and Air Quality interactions) project. Data from 12 field sites across Europe measured with different types of air ion and cluster mobility spectrometers were used in our analysis, with more in-depth analysis made using data from four stations with concomitant sulphuric acid measurements. The parameterization is given in two slightly different forms: a more accurate one that requires information on sulfuric acid and nucleating organic vapor concentrations, and a simpler one in which this information is replaced with the global radiation intensity. These new parameterizations are applicable to all large-scale atmospheric models containing size-resolved aerosol microphysics, and a scheme to calculate concentrations of sulphuric acid, condensing organic vapours and cluster ions.
Surface heterogeneity impacts on boundary layer dynamics via energy balance partitioning
Authors: Brunsell N. A. , Mechem D. B. , Anderson M. C.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. The role of land-atmosphere interactions under heterogeneous surface conditions is investigated in order to identify mechanisms responsible for altering surface heat and moisture fluxes. Twelve coupled land surface – large eddy simulation scenarios with four different length scales of surface variability under three different horizontal wind speeds are used in the analysis. The base case uses Landsat ETM imagery over the Cloud Land Surface Interaction Campaign (CLASIC) field site for 3 June 2007. Using wavelets, the surface fields are band-pass filtered in order to maintain the spatial mean and variances to length scales of 200 m, 1600 m, and 12.8 km as lower boundary conditions to the model (approximately 0.25, 1.2 and 9.5 times boundary layer height). The simulations exhibit little variation in net radiation. Rather, there is a pronounced change in the partitioning of the surface energy between sensible and latent heat flux. The sensible heat flux is dominant for intermediate surface length scales. For smaller and larger scales of surface heterogeneity, which can be viewed as being more homogeneous, the latent heat flux becomes increasingly important. The simulations showed approximately 50 Wm−2 difference in the spatially averaged latent heat flux. The results reflect a general decrease of the Bowen ratio as the surface conditions transition from heterogeneous to homogeneous. Air temperature is less sensitive to variations in surface heterogeneity than water vapor, which implies that the role of surface heterogeneity may be to maximize convective heat fluxes through modifying and maintaining local temperature gradients. More homogeneous surface conditions (i.e. smaller length scales), on the other hand, tend to maximize latent heat flux. The intermediate scale (1600 m) this does not hold, and is a more complicated interaction of scales. Scalar vertical profiles respond predictably to the partitioning of surface energy. Fourier spectra of the vertical wind speed, air temperature and specific humidity (w~, T~ and q~) and associated cospectra (w~T~, w~q~ and T~q~), however, are insensitive to the length scale of surface heterogeneity, but the near surface spectra are sensitive to the mean wind speed.
A Bayesian inversion estimate of N2O emissions for western and central Europe and the assessment of aggregation errors
Authors: Thompson R. L. , Gerbig C. , Rödenbeck C.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. A Bayesian inversion approach was used to retrieve temporally and spatially resolved N2O fluxes for western and central Europe using in-situ atmospheric observations from the tall tower site at Ochsenkopf, Germany (50°01' N, 11°48' E). For atmospheric transport, the STILT (Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport) model was employed, which was driven with ECMWF analysis and short term forecast fields. The influence of temporal aggregation error, as well as the choice of spatial and temporal correlation scale length, on the retrieval was investigated using a synthetic dataset consisting of mixing ratios generated for the Ochsenkopf site. We found that if the aggregation error is ignored, then a significant bias error in the retrieved fluxes ensues. However, by estimating this error and projecting it into the observation space, it was possible to avoid bias errors in the retrieved fluxes. Using the real observations from the Ochsenkopf site, N2O fluxes were retrieved every 7 days for 2007 at 2 by 2 degrees spatial resolution. Emissions of N2O were strongest during the summer and autumn months, with peak emissions in August and September, while the regions of Benelux and northern United Kingdom had strongest annual mean emissions.