bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laboratory Permeability and Diffusivity Measurements of Unconventional Reservoirs: Useless or Full of Information? A Montney Example from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin
Authors: Cui Albert , Brezovski Ron
Published: November 2013

Permeability is one of the most critical parameters characterizing unconventional (shale or tight) gas and oil reservoirs for resource evaluation and exploitation. Permeability is also perhaps the most difficult parameter to be accurately characterized because it is not just a single number but a complicate property with attributes that depend on many factors (namely sampling or testing scale, pore shape and size and distribution, different transport mechanisms, different test fluids, pore pressure, effective stress, and even temperature). Laboratory permeability measurements are mainly conducted on cores or smaller samples. The size and scale of laboratory measurements are hence severely limited as compared to the meters or kilometers scale of exploration or producing fields. Even in the scale of centimeters or less, for the same core samples, laboratory measurements likely yield variable permeability spanning several orders of magnitudes, leading to seemingly useless laboratory permeability for field applications. In this study, using samples from the Montney Formation in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin as an example, we first present contrasting laboratory permeability measurements with different methods or experimental conditions. Explanations to the seemingly contradictory permeability measurements are then provided in context of different transport modes in highly heterogeneous microporous unconventional reservoir rocks, highlighting that the contrast laboratory measurements are not useless but full of information for understanding the complex characteristics of microporous unconventional rocks. Appropriate experiments to determine the appropriate permeability and their application to field problems are also discussed, which is helpful for petroleum geologists and engineers to better understand the unique permeability system of unconventional reservoirs and hence to make optimal decisions for successful unconventional resource exploitation.
Improving Hydraulic Fracture Geometry by Directional Drilling in a Coal Seam Gas Formation
Authors: Bentley Philip J. , Jiang Hui , Megorden Mike
Published: November 2013

Hydraulic fracturing has been widely used to develop coal seam gas (CSG) resources worldwide and improve gas production from CSG wells. An optimal stimulation in CSG, in particular with lower permeability coals lacking a well-developed cleat system, creates a fracture with sufficient length and orientation along the maximum horizontal stress (σHmax) direction such that the fracture intersects the existing hydraulically-conductive natural fracture network in an a way that maximizes the stimulation effect. In the Walloon Coal Measures (WCM) in the Surat Basin in eastern Australia, induced fractures have been observed to grow in a way which does not optimally intersect the natural fracture network or conform to the σHmax azimuth. This resultant stimulation of the natural fractures, as opposed to the construction of a conductive path crosscutting the natural fracture system and linking it to the wellbore, has proven to reduce the effect of stimulation in vertical wells.

This paper will present a two-well program in the WCM where the wells have been directionally drilled along the σHmax direction with different deviation angles from vertical. Both wells have been stimulated with a combination of treated water with a low proppant concentration, followed by crosslinked-gelled water with a higher proppant concentration. There are two microseismic observation wells and twenty one tiltmeters to map the fracture propagation and determine the fracture geometry.

The diagnostic results from microseismic wells and surface tiltmeters for each hydraulic fracturing stage will be outlined in this paper. These results, compared with similar diagnostic results from nearby offset vertical wells, are encouraging and indicate consistent fracture growth along the maximum horizontal direction for all stages. These results indicate that hydraulic fracture geometry can be improved by directional drilling.
Water Management Approach for Shale Operations in North America
Authors: Kuijvenhoven C.. , Fedotov V.. , Gallo D.. , Hagemeijer P..
Published: November 2013

This paper discusses technical drivers that influence the produced/flowback water management goals and decisions in unconventional hydrocarbon developments and then presents case studies and a decision tree chart for effective water treatment. Produced/flowback water quality in shale projects is influenced not only by the formation, but also by the fracturing fluid introduced to the formation during hydraulic stimulation. The water produced by shale wells can contain suspended solids, dissolved solids, organics including hydrocarbons and residual fracturing fluid chemicals, and bacteria. Furthermore the water composition can change rapidly during the short flowback period followed by gradual stabilization during the production phase. The clean-up treatment of water with complex and highly varying quality with an effective and robust treatment process presents specific challenges.

Conventional oilfield water treatment technologies may not be always effective in unconventional gas projects due to specific constituents in produced/flowback water such as residual polymers. This paper describes the functional water treatment steps, which target the most common removal of suspended solids and oil/condensate from flowback water/produced water for recycling or disposal operations. In addition pilot tests were run to validate and assess the performance of solids and oil/condensate removal processes. One key learning is that residual guar gum polymer in the water has a major impact on treatment effectiveness and thus the equipment selection process.
First Reverse Circulation Cement Job in Australia Executed in HP-HT Geothermal Well in Cooper Basin
Authors: Bour Daniel L. , Hodson-Clarke Amy , Russell Peter
Published: November 2013

Drilling and completing Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) / geothermal wells poses unique well construction problems and challenges. These operations have proven to be especially challenging for the wells drilled in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. High temperatures encountered, in combination with the high pressures are a key consideration in the design of the well, for both drilling and stimulation operations.

A well failure in 2009 led to an in-depth investigation into the cause of the failure. Results of the investigation revealed the most probable cause of the failure was caustic stress cracking corrosion as a result of unset cement plus cyclic temperature and pressure loading of the casing string. This discovery had a major affect on the subsequent well design and operational plan for well construction. The learnings that came about from the failure and subsequent investigation were incorporated into the well design and operations of the following well, Habanero 4. A key area of focus in the investigation lay with the cementing of the primary production casing. It was identified that risk of unset cement in the annulus needed to be reduced. To accomplish this, a reverse circulation cement job was planned and executed.

Details of planning the reverse cementing operation, including cement design and placement modelling will be provided. In addition, a comprehensive account of the execution and equipment used to carry out the operation will be given. Job results will be provided along with a detailed analysis of the final outcome. A discussion of the accomplishments will also be included. Recommendations and conclusions for other operators facing similar challenges and/or who are considering a reverse circulation cement job will also be provided. This will include conclusions on what was critical to the success of the job, limitations and potential improvements for fluid modeling programs, and rheological properties and other related drilling fluid properties.
Novel Approach to EUR estimation in Coal Seam Gas Wells
Authors: Sharma Himanshu , Tovar Miguel , Philpot Jared , Gilbert Tonna , Mazumder Saikat
Published: November 2013

Decline curve analysis (DCA) has been a popular technique to forecast production and estimate reserves using production data for about seven decades. The reliability of forecasts and reserves estimates obtained through DCA ultimately depends on the quality of the data collected and on the experience and judgment of the analyst. It is important to know what assumptions are being made during DCA analysis and under which conditions the application is valid. Originally DCA have been applied to conventional oil reservoirs. Later on, mathematical manipulations of rate versus time and cumulative versus rate decline equations defined by Arps (1) as well as combinations with other analysis techniques have extended the application of DCA to conventional and unconventional gas reservoirs.

The objective of this work is to investigate the applicability of DCA techniques for reserve estimation and production forecasting of Coal Seam Gas (CSG) wells using rate-cum and rate-time technique, and provide general guidelines and limitations for its use.

This paper compares production forecasts from reservoir simulation and DCA. It also presents guidelines for selection of DCA candidates based on field/well maturity and shows the application of DCA in well and reservoir management, i.e. statistical results from Arps DCA analysis can be used to identify production enhancement potential and to generate typical distributions of EUR and decline parameters for specific fields.

The results indicate that the ultimate recovery of CSG wells is dependent on such factors as gas content, seam thickness, well type, depth and well inseam length. Correlations developed to estimate ultimate recovery ranges can be used to estimate a well's EUR without the need for intensive dynamic reservoir simulation modeling and would enables efficient well-by-well analysis for development scenarios where it is not otherwise practical to perform DCA on each individual well.

The results of this paper can be used as a helpful guide to understand the importance of various parameters to CSG wells elsewhere.
Shale Gas Volumetrics of Unconventional Resource Plays in the Canning Basin, Western Australia
Authors: Triche Nina E. , Bahar Mohammad
Published: November 2013

Recent analyses of the potentially vast unconventional shale-gas resource in the Canning Basin, onshore Western Australia, estimate nearly 800 Tcf in the Goldwyer Formation alone. This and other Paleozoic marine shales share numerous characteristics with successful US shale-gas plays and commonly source conventional petroleum accumulations, although none has yet been produced directly. In order to further constrain volumetric estimates in the Canning Basin, we examined two formations that we identify as highly prospective, the Goldwyer and Laurel. Our assessment includes all data currently available for the basin and applies a combined volumetric modeling approach (USGS and PMRS). We compiled data regarding kerogen type, thermal maturity, hydrocarbon generation potential, rock mineralogy, and fluid analyses, in addition to data on porosity, permeability, and pressure and temperature variation, in every well that intersected these shales. Analysis showed maximum total organic content (TOC) of 6.4% (Goldwyer Formation), maximum vitrinite reflectance of nearly 2.0%, (Laurel Formation), and average Hydrogen Index of 0.13 gHC/gTOC (maximum of >1 in both formations). We then calculated total gas-in-place for the rock volumes corresponding to gas-prone sections of each shale (the Goldwyer III and Upper Laurel) by estimating total generation potential, original TOC, primary and secondary cracking of kerogen, and retained oil. Probabilistic analysis of the distribution of key parameters allowed estimation of total hydrocarbon in place, by applying a Monte Carlo simulation based on P90, P50, and P10. This resulted in the third independent estimate of Canning Basin shale-gas volumes and the first ever for the Goldwyer III and the Upper Laurel. Our work thus greatly improves confidence in estimates of the size of shale-gas accumulations in the basin, significantly increases the amount of data utilized in such estimations and provides the first reported volumes for previously unexamined shale layers.
Land, Air, and Water Footprint Reductions Through Technology
Authors: Hackbarth Claudia , Fonseca Ernesto , LaMantia Barbara , Barnes Lisa
Published: November 2013

Because of the very large number of wells in a typical development, and because the wells require fracture stimulation, shale and tight sand unconventional projects may have large land, water, and air "footprints". Responding to rapid industry growth, the public has become concerned about the impacts of development on their communities. This has resulted in protests, moratoria, and bans against exploration in general and hydraulic fracture stimulation in particular. In order to gain social license to operate going forward, industry must be both responsible in fact and also seen to be responsible in mitigating these impacts and addressing concerns.

Fortunately there are a number of technology opportunities that serve the twin goals of environmentally responsible operations and efficient exploration and development. For example in the exploratory stage, better models to predict the economically viable part of the play, and to know what to measure and how to assess productivity in early wells, will allow companies to drill fewer, widely spread single wells and more quickly move to multi-well pads in the ultimately developable area. Real-time monitoring of fracture stimulation gives feedback to optimize pumping strategies and increase per-well productivities. Shear stimulation can require less water than current practice, which helps both the source and disposal sides of the process. Fit-for-purpose drilling rigs of the future can be tuned to the minimum necessary size and require fewer staff to run.

These examples and others are either already in hand or on the horizon, and are active areas of research for both service companies and many oil companies. They can be applied globally to lift the performance of all operators both in fact and also in public perception, thus helping to ensure continued access to these important resources for the future of our industry.
Fracturing Fluid Testing for Design Purposes and Regulatory Oversight in a Shale Gas Project
Authors: Crane B.. , Magill D.. , Squires S. T. , Johnson R. L.
Published: November 2013

Concerns by regulatory authorities regarding cumulative effects or reservoir adsorption of hydraulic fracturing fluid have increased, with an overall focus on fracturing fluid additives. Operators do not always obtain adequate core materials to fully evaluate additive effectiveness or to belay regulatory concerns regarding the cumulative interaction effects of fracturing fluids with the formation. Without these materials, operators are often required to representatively sample post-fracturing fluids and hypothesize the volumes of additives remaining in the formation, material balancing on a qualitative post-frac testing basis, which can be highly unrepresentative.

This paper presents the results from a study from a prospective shale gas interval where formation materials or cuttings were sampled across a representative producing interval, offsetting the proposed multistage fracturing treatment. The processes of how the fluid formulation was optimized using established qualitative procedures for clay sensitivity (i.e., capillary suction testing) and then further evaluated for surfactant requirements (e.g., tensiometry) are demonstrated. Following final fluid formulation, interactive testing with reservoir materials was performed, providing insight into the level of fluid and additive interaction that might result between the formation and the proposed fluid. This study provides practical approaches to testing and defines benefits and limitations of employing these approaches to belay potential concerns evolving related to fracturing fluid interaction within reservoirs and their cumulative effects.
Multi-Realisation Full-Field History-Matching For CBM Resources a New Approach with Global Optimisation Coupled with Geo-Statistical Filtering
Authors: Alessio Laurent D. , Nasri Haitham , Pan Sophoana , Clement Lee Thian , Peng Chua Ket
Published: November 2013

CBM reservoirs are known to exhibit a large degree of variability in production characteristics and performance at the inter-well space. This is a consequence of the variable nature of the fractured permeability network, but also other important measurable parameters such as gas content, isotherms, and much more difficult to measure ones such as porosity, relative permeability and matrix shrinkage.

Once the field is on production for a period of time, operators often wish to perform a history-match of the asset, to determine the remaining production potential, and the most adequate future development activities. Traditionally, this exercise is conducted with numerical models.

An unfortunate reality of history matching is the existence of multiple solutions, which will behave differently when forecasted in the future. This is a consequence of the fact that multiple parameters influence the match and their inter-dependency produces effects that are may compensate each other; many of these parameters are generally either poorly understood and/or highly variable at the inter-well scale. In addition, most of the critical parameters for dynamic performance are not measured in well logs, nor seismic (which often is not available) – only through more expensive activities such as coring and production testing.

Given this reality, using the classical conventional gas workflows for the implementation of 3D history matched models for CBM fields is shown to be inefficient since the transition from the reservoir characterization to the static modelling is insufficiently constrained, and doesn't include the production performance of the existing wells.

In order to adapt the classical workflows to the complex case of CBM fields, we introduce in this paper a filtering process based on geo-statistical constraints which uses the single well stochastic history matches to generate field matches and invest the matched drainage areas on the generation of "average properties" maps.

These maps can thereafter be used as input into the infill drilling analysis and the resource assessment studies, but also introduced into the static model to condition the property model, and achieve a field history-match which much more closely reproduces the production behavior of individual wells.
Lattice Boltzmann Modeling of Classic Solute Transport Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Anwar Shadab , Thorne Danny , Sukop Michael C.
Published: November 2013

Transport phenomena for different boundary conditions in finite and effectively semi‐infinite domains were successfully simulated using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). We verified an LBM solute transport algorithm and its boundary conditions by comparing simulation results with analytical solutions for four different one‐dimensional solute transport problems. Zero‐diffusion analytical breakthrough curves were derived for parallel plate and pipe flow, and LBM simulations with small diffusion coefficients matched these well. Simulations of solute transport in one‐dimensional finite and semi‐infinite domains were performed at a low column Peclet number (Pe = 1) for first‐ and third‐type inlet boundary conditions; these followed the analytical solutions closely. A series of transport simulations were performed to demonstrate the impact of diffusion and dispersion on the solute front. Taylor dispersion coefficients for the simulated range of Peclet numbers were estimated using moment analysis of the concentration obtained from transport simulation by the LBM. The simulation results showed good agreement with theoretical predictions and thus verified the robustness of LBM‐based transport models.
Analysis of Vegetation and Soil Patterns using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, EMI, and Gamma‐Ray Measurements
Authors: Lausch Angela , Zacharias Steffen , Dierke Claudia , Pause Marion , Kühn Ingolf , Doktor Daniel , Dietrich Peter , Werban Ulrike
Published: November 2013

The identification of spatial and temporal patterns of soil properties and moisture structures is an important challenge in environmental and soil monitoring as well as for soil landscape model approaches. This work examines the use of hyperspectral remote sensing techniques for quantifying geophysical parameters from the hyperspectral reflectance of the vegetation canopy. These can be used as proxies of the underlying soil and soil water conditions. Different spectral index derivatives, single band reflectance, and spectral indices from the airborne hyperspectral sensor AISA were quantified and tested in univariate and multivariate regression models for their correlation with geophysical measurements with electromagnetic induction (EMI) and gamma‐ray spectrometry. The best univariate models for predicting electrical conductivity based on spectral information were based on the vertical dipole of an EM38DD with an R2 = 0.54 with the spectral index Normalized Pigments Reflectance Index (NPCI) as well as for the horizontal dipole of an EM38DD with an R2 = 0.65 with the spectral index NPCI. For predicting soil characteristics measured with gamma‐ray spectrometry we received the best model results for γTh with an R2 = 0.55 with the spectral index NPCI and γK with an R2 = 0.44 with the spectral index Triangular Vegetation Index (TVI) and NPCI. The combination of variables including the geographical elevation was tested as the input for a multivariate regression analysis. For EMI and gamma‐ray measurements, the “elevation” was found to be the most predictive variable and an integration of spectral indices into the elevation‐based model led to only a slight improvement in the predictive power for EMI. An improvement could be made to explain the variance of gamma‐ray measurement signals by combining elevation and spectral information.
Regional Regolith Parameter Prediction Using the Proxy of Airborne Gamma Ray Spectrometry
Authors: Martelet Guillaume , Drufin Sébastien , Tourliere Bruno , Saby Nicolas P.A. , Perrin José , Deparis Jacques , Prognon François , Jolivet Claudy , Ratié Céline , Arrouays Dominique
Published: November 2013

Interdependence of regolith density, moisture, and chemistry parameters, as well as their influence on natural gamma ray emissions, led us to investigate systematically whether statistical models could be inferred between gamma spectrometric data and regolith parameters. A series of soil sample parameters were analyzed vs. airborne gamma ray data through multiple linear regressions. Among the approximately 20 regolith parameters modeled (chemical, textural, and mineralogical), about 50% (equally distributed in each category) were found to be predictable, with acceptable error (Radj2 > 0.5 and p value < 5%). With an independent set of texture analyses, we validated two of the predicted parameters (sand and clay contents) with fairly low residuals, with standard deviations of 22 and 16%, respectively. Further statistical investigations revealed why a large number of soil parameters could successfully be modeled in this sedimentary environment. We showed that the main gamma emitters are hosted in weathering products and leached detrital materials. Two main mineral assemblages correlate with gamma variables: (i) fine‐grained weathering clays (with correlated Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Pb, and V elements), and (ii) residual K‐rich minerals, interpreted as feldspar and/or muscovite (correlated with Na and Sr). Additionally, two chemical elements, Si and Ca, have specific behaviors and can scarcely be characterized by the gamma data: they apparently mitigate Ɣ signatures.
X‐ray Computed Microtomography for the Study of the Soil–Root Relationship in Grassland Soils
Authors: Kuka Katrin , Illerhaus Bernhard , Fox Catherine A. , Joschko Monika
Published: November 2013

The exploration of soil structure and its consequences for ecological functions is of prime importance for understanding of the “critical zone.” In soils, the relationship between soil structure and plant roots—which influences water dynamics in soil—deserves special interest. With X‐ray computed microtomography (micro‐CT), soil structure and roots may be visualized and quantified simultaneously. We analyzed undisturbed soil samples from three grassland sites. After scanning the soil cores with an X‐ray micro‐CT scanner (resolution 40 μm), roots were delineated from the soil material and soil pore space by means of their X‐ray grey value characteristics followed by the use of space transformation during image analyses. To determine efficacy of the X‐ray micro‐CT to identify roots, root volumes and surfaces were quantified with a standard root washing method showing good correspondence. A strong positive correlation between root volume and surfaces and the solid surface/solid volume ratio was found, with greater root growth in a more aggregated and porous soil. Preliminary analyses suggest that the relationship between soil structure and root patterns is related to the intensity of land management at the grassland sites, with reduced root volumes and surfaces at sites with increased land use intensity. This methodology has substantial potential for further research on management influences on soil structure and root growth across landscapes.
Calibration of a Novel Impedance Sensor for Water Content Measurement in Rocks
Authors: Caputo Maria Clementina , Masciale Rita , Barca Emanuele
Published: November 2013

The water content (θ) of the subsoil is an important parameter affecting all the processes that occur in the vadose zone, playing a key role in the infiltration, aquifer recharge, and flow and transport of water and substances, as well as groundwater storage. Although the vadose zone is usually considered constituted of soil, it may also be comprised of rock. In the latter case, θ cannot yet be operationally measured despite its unquestionable importance. The aim of the present work was therefore to investigate the potential of a novel electrical impedance sensor for θ measurement in rocks and to evaluate the effects of frequency and salinity on the calibration of this device. In this study, only the resistance (R), i.e., the real part of the measured impedance, was investigated because of its direct correlation with θ. Calcarenite, a sedimentary porous rock, was used for the calibration in the laboratory via the installation of penetration‐type probes. The independence of the measured R from the different frequencies set on the device was checked using a statistical approach. The θ–R calibration functions obtained for the different saturation solutions have a power‐law dependence with a good degree of correlation. The results highlight both the strong reproducibility of the experimental data (by using the penetration‐type probes) and the suitability of the device for θ measurement in calcarenite. The method could be advantageous for field applications that involve rocks.
Scenario‐Based Three‐Dimensional Distributed Sediment Structures for a Constructed Hydrological Catchment
Authors: Maurer Thomas , Schneider Anna , Gerke Horst H.
Published: November 2013

Many processes in a developing catchment can only be fully understood if the spatial heterogeneity is adequately described. Process‐based modeling allows reproducing specific key structural elements of catchments. Constructed catchments are ideal test objects because of the well‐known spatial conditions. In our study, we (i) modeled the entire process chain of catchment construction, (ii) established a consistent sediment mass/volume balance between the excavated outcrop and the generated catchment model, and (iii) provided consistent three‐dimensional distributions of texture and bulk density for deriving soil hydraulic properties. Data are from the 6 ha Hühnerwasser catchment (Chicken Creek, Lower Lusatia, Germany), which was constructed from overburden sediments in an open‐cast lignite mine. Uncertainty about the parent material origin was captured in a multiscenario approach based on a geological model of the outcrop site and the simulation of excavation procedures. Generated distributions are incorporated in a gridded three‐dimensional volume model (GOCAD), and results were evaluated by semivariogram analysis and by quantifying point‐to‐point deviations. Filling and compaction are modeled based on three‐dimensional volume analysis and mass balances of dumped sediments. Heterogeneities reflect both the batch‐wise sediment variation and the succession of excavated geological units. The scale of the generated spatial models can be adjusted for three‐dimensional hydrological catchment modeling while three‐dimensional sediment mass balances can be used for analyzing soil and ecosystem development processes.
Sympathetic Renal Denervation for the Treatment of Hypertension: A Review of Current Progress, Limitations, Techniques, and the Future
Authors: Sharma Tushar , Rastogi Anjay , Talwar Rishi , Goshtaseb Reza Khosravani , Kumar Rohit , Rashid Mohamad
Published: November 2013

Although the etiology of hypertension is complicated and multifactorial, the role of sympathetic overactivity as part of the pathogenesis in essential hypertension has been well described in the literature. A promising new treatment modality of Renal Sympathetic Denervation has become prominent with very enthusiastic support. This paper suggests that while the support may be overhyped, this new treatment modality may, with further research, become a powerful tool for a specific patient population. The history, benefits, and limitations of the procedure are discussed including, but not limited to, proper screening methodology, technical aspects, and procedural complications.
Hajj pilgrims’ knowledge about Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, August to September 2013
Authors: Gautret P , Benkouiten S , Salaheddine I , Belhouchat K , Drali T , Parola P , Brouqui P
Published: November 2013

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Late season interim estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness reliably predict end of season estimates in Victoria, Australia, 2007 to 2012
Authors: Sullivan S G , Kelly H
Published: November 2013

Twice each year the World Health Organization makes a recommendation for the composition of the influenza vaccine, based on circulating strains of influenza A(H3N2), A(H1N1) and B. Strain selection has always been based on immunogenicity studies with limited human data. Immunogenicity can be considered as a proxy for vaccine effectiveness (VE). However, only interim VE estimates for the target hemisphere can be considered in time for the strain selection meeting. Using surveillance data from Victoria, Australia, we retrospectively estimated and compared interim and final VE estimates for 2007 to 2012. In general, interim estimates were within five percentage points of final estimates. However, estimates made too early or in years of low influenza activity may be unreliable.
A dynamic case definition is warranted for adequate notification in an extended epidemic setting: the Dutch Q fever outbreak 2007–2009 as exemplar
Authors: Jaramillo-Gutierrez G , Wegdam-Blans M C , ter Schegget R , Korbeeck J M , van Aken R , Bijlmer H A , Tjhie J H , Koopmans M P
Published: November 2013

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Retrospective identification of human cases of West Nile virus infection in Austria (2009 to 2010) by serological differentiation from Usutu and other flavivirus infections
Authors: Stiasny K , Aberle S W , Heinz F X
Published: November 2013

There is increasing evidence for the spread of West Nile virus (WNV) in southern, eastern and central Europe. In parallel, another flavivirus, the antigenically closely related Usutu virus, was introduced from Africa and first detected in Austria (2001), followed by Spain (2003), Hungary (2005), Italy (2006), Switzerland (2006) and Germany (2007). In Austria, human WNV infections have not previously been documented, although the virus was isolated from birds and detected in mosquitoes in 2008 and 2009. We therefore conducted a retrospective search for human cases of WNV infection using serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples collected from patients with central nervous system (CNS) disease in the summers of 2009, 2010 and 2011. Although all samples were negative for WNV by polymerase chain reaction, quantitative evaluation of standardised antibody assays with purified flavivirus antigens (including Usutu virus, which cross-reacts with WNV even in neutralisation assays) provided serological evidence for three autochthonous WNV infections in Austria: two in 2009 and one in 2010. Our data highlight the importance of raising awareness of WNV infections in Austria and neighbouring countries and suggest including testing for this infection in routine diagnostic practice of CNS diseases.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus re-emerges in China in winter 2013
Authors: Chen E , Chen Y , Fu L , Chen Z , Gong Z , Mao H , Wang D , Ni M Y , Wu P , Yu Z , He T , Li Z , Gao J , Liu S , Shu Y , Cowling B J , Xia S , Yu H
Published: November 2013

Through a national surveillance system for unexplained pneumonia, a severe case of influenza A(H7N9) in a man in his mid-30s was identified in Zhejiang Province, China on 14 October 2013. Epidemiological and clinical findings were consistent with the patterns reported during the outbreak in spring 2013, and laboratory findings showed that the virus had 99.6% identity with earlier H7N9 viruses identified in humans in the spring except for five mutations in the NA gene.
Monitoring West Nile virus (WNV) infection in wild birds in Serbia during 2012: first isolation and characterisation of WNV strains from Serbia
Authors: Petrović T , Blázquez A B , Lupulović D , Lazić G , Escribano-Romero E , Fabijan D , Kapetanov M , Lazić S , Saiz J C
Published: November 2013

West Nile virus (WNV), a neurovirulent mosquito-transmissible zoonotic virus, has caused recent outbreaks in Europe, including Serbia from August until October 2012. Although humans can be infected, birds are the main natural WNV reservoir. To assess WNV circulation in northern Serbia, 133 wild birds were investigated. These comprised resident and migratory birds, collected between January and September 2012 in the Vojvodina province. The birds belonged to 45 species within 27 families. Blood sera (n=92) and pooled tissues from respective birds (n=81) were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT) and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). WNV antibodies were detected in seven (8%) sera: four from Mute Swans (Cygnus olor), two from White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicillas), and one from a Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Five sera neutralised WNV but not Usutu virus. For the first time in Serbia, WNV RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in pooled tissue samples of eight respective birds. WNV RNA was also derived from an additional bird, after a serum sample resulted infective in cell culture. The total nine WNV RNA positive birds included three Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), two White-tailed Eagles, one Legged Gull (Larus michahelis), one Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix), one Bearded Parrot-bill (Panarus biramicus), and one Common Pheasant. Phylogenetic analysis of partial E region sequences showed the presence of, at least, two lineage 2 Serbian clusters closely related to those responsible for recent human and animal outbreaks in Greece, Hungary and Italy. Full genomic sequence from a goshawk isolate corroborated this data. These results confirm WNV circulation in Serbia and highlight the risk of infection for humans and horses, pointing to the need for implementing WNV surveillance programmes.
Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Czech Republic in 2011
Authors: Hrabák J , Papagiannitsis C C , Študentová V , Jakubu V , Fridrichová M , Zemlickova H ,   Czech Participants of European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network
Published: November 2013

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. are increasingly reported in many countries all over the world. Due to the resistance of those bacteria to almost all antibiotics (e.g. beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones), treatment options are seriously limited. In the Czech Republic, the incidence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae seems to be low, restricted to only three cases detected between 2009 and 2010. Here, we describe molecular typing of 15 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates identified in the Czech Republic during 2011. Five VIM-1-producing isolates belonging to sequence type (ST) 11 and one VIM-4-producing isolate of ST1029 have been detected. blaVIM-1 and blaVIM-4 as a part of class 1 integrons were chromosomally located or carried by a plasmid belonging to A/C replicon type (blaVIM-4). KPC-3-producing isolates of ST512, recovered from six patients, caused an outbreak. Three more isolates producing KPC-2 enzyme belonged to ST258. Both blaKPC genes were part of the Tn4401a transposon carried on plasmids of the pKpQIL type. The isolates were resistant to all antibiotics tested except colistin and/or gentamicin. Four of these 15 strains were recovered from patients repatriated to the Czech Republic from Greece and Italy. This is the first report of outbreaks caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Czech Republic.
Isolation of Catechin from Acacia catechu Willdenow Estimation of Total Flavonoid Content in Camellia Sinensis Kuntze and Camellia Sinensis Kuntze Var. Assamica Collected from Different Geographical Region and Their Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Acharya Padam P , Genwali Giri R , Rajbhandari Meena
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 32-36 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8549
Heavy Metal Contamination in Green Leafy Vegetables Collected From Different Market Sites of Kathmandu and Their Associated Health Risks
Authors: Shakya Pawan Raj , Khwaounjoo Neena Malla
Published: November 2013

The present study was carried out to assess contamination of five heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn) in five different types of green leafy vegetables viz., mustard (Brassica campestris), garden crees (Lepidium sativum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), and spinach (Spinacea oleracea) collected from different market sites of Kathmandu. Atomic absorption spectrometer was used to determine the concentrations of these metals in a total of 45 test vegetables. Results showed a substantial accumulation of heavy metals in roots and leafy shoots of the vegetables. The range of various metals was 0.9-12.0, 2.7-12.5 and 16.8-158.7 mg kg-1 in roots and 3.2-19.1, 5.3- 32.9 and 23.9-223.1 mg kg-1 in leafy shoots of the test vegetables for Cd, Pb and Zn respectively. However, the levels of As and Cr were found below the detection limits. Results revealed that the average concentrations of all metals (both leafy shoots and roots together) in the vegetables were found in order of their abundance as Zn>Pb>Cd. It was also found that Pb and Cd levels exceeded the maximum permissible limits set by FAO/WHO for human consumption. Daily intake of heavy metals through consumption of the vegetables was also investigated. From the present study, we conclude that a monitoring plan and a health risk assessment are necessary to evaluate the levels of metal concentration in vegetables in order to develop the proper measures for reducing excessive build-up of these metals in the food chain. Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 37-42 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8550
Study on the Corrosive Nature of Soil Towards the Buried-Structures
Authors: Bhattarai Jagadeesh
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 43-47 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8551
Solar Spectral Influence on the Performance of Crystalline Based Photovoltaic Modules Under Hot Weather Conditions
Authors: Karki Indra Bahadur , Faiman David
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 48-51 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8552
Thermodynamic Investigation on Solid Dispersions of Nicotinamide - Sulphamerazine Drug System
Authors: Shekar H , Kant Vishnu
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 52-57 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8553
Theoretical DFT Study the Opto-electronic Properties of Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)
Authors: Al-anber Mohanned J , Ali Aqeel M , Al-Mailky Norri S , Al-Mowali Ali H
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 66-69 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8555
Quality Assessment of the Essential Oils From Artemisia Gmelinii and Orifanum Majorana of Nepali Origin
Authors: Shrestha Suraj , Nyaupane Daya Ram , Yahara Shoji , Rajbhandari Meena , Gewali Mohan B
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 77-80 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8557
Traditional Phytotherapy of Some Medicinal Plants Used by Tharu and Magar Communities of Western Nepal, Against Dermatological Disorders
Authors: Singh Anant Gopal , Hamal Jaya Prakash
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 81-89 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8558
Allelopathic Effects of Aqueous Extract of Leaves of Mikania Micrantha H.B.K. on Seed Germination and Seedling Growht of Oryza Sativa L. and Raphanus Sativus L.
Authors: Sahu Anita , Devkota Anjana
Published: November 2013

Scientific World, Vol. 11, No. 11, July 2013, page 90-93 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/sw.v11i11.8559
Chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neurotoxicity: A critical analysis
Authors: Park Susanna B. , Goldstein David , Krishnan Arun V. , Lin Cindy S‐Y , Friedlander Michael L. , Cassidy James , Koltzenburg Martin , Kiernan Matthew C.
Published: November 2013

With a 3‐fold increase in the number of cancer survivors noted since the 1970s, there are now over 28 million cancer survivors worldwide. Accordingly, there is a heightened awareness of long‐term toxicities and the impact on quality of life following treatment in cancer survivors. This review will address the increasing importance and challenge of chemotherapy‐induced neurotoxicity, with a focus on neuropathy associated with the treatment of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, testicular cancer, and hematological cancers. An overview of the diagnosis, symptomatology, and pathophysiology of chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy will be provided, with a critical analysis of assessment strategies, neuroprotective approaches, and potential treatments. The review will concentrate on neuropathy associated with taxanes, platinum compounds, vinca alkaloids, thalidomide, and bortezomib, providing clinical information specific to these chemotherapies. CA Cancer J Clin 2013;63:419‐437. ©2013 American Cancer Society, Inc.
Algorithms for Hidden Markov Models Restricted to Occurrences of Regular Expressions
Authors: Tataru Paula , Sand Andreas , Hobolth Asger , Mailund Thomas , Pedersen Christian
Published: November 2013

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) are widely used probabilistic models, particularly for annotating sequential data with an underlying hidden structure. Patterns in the annotation are often more relevant to study than the hidden structure itself. A typical HMM analysis consists of annotating the observed data using a decoding algorithm and analyzing the annotation to study patterns of interest. For example, given an HMM modeling genes in DNA sequences, the focus is on occurrences of genes in the annotation. In this paper, we define a pattern through a regular expression and present a restriction of three classical algorithms to take the number of occurrences of the pattern in the hidden sequence into account. We present a new algorithm to compute the distribution of the number of pattern occurrences, and we extend the two most widely used existing decoding algorithms to employ information from this distribution. We show experimentally that the expectation of the distribution of the number of pattern occurrences gives a highly accurate estimate, while the typical procedure can be biased in the sense that the identified number of pattern occurrences does not correspond to the true number. We furthermore show that using this distribution in the decoding algorithms improves the predictive power of the model.
Heterogeneity of Mesenchymal Markers Expression—Molecular Profiles of Cancer Cells Disseminated by Lymphatic and Hematogenous Routes in Breast Cancer
Authors: Markiewicz Aleksandra , Książkiewicz Magdalena , Seroczyńska Barbara , Skokowski Jarosław , Szade Jolanta , Wełnicka-Jaśkiewicz Marzena , Zaczek Anna
Published: November 2013

Breast cancers can metastasize via hematogenous and lymphatic routes, however in some patients only one type of metastases are detected, suggesting a certain proclivity in metastatic patterns. Since epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in cancer dissemination it would be worthwhile to find if a specific profile of EMT gene expression exists that is related to either lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination. Our study aimed at evaluating gene expression profile of EMT-related markers in primary tumors (PT) and correlated them with the pattern of metastatic spread. From 99 early breast cancer patients peripheral blood samples (N = 99), matched PT (N = 47) and lymph node metastases (LNM; N = 22) were collected. Expression of TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2 and VIM was analyzed in those samples. Additionally expression of CK19, MGB1 and HER2 was measured in CTCs-enriched blood fractions (CTCs-EBF). Results were correlated with each other and with clinico-pathological data of the patients. Results show that the mesenchymal phenotype of CTCs-EBF correlated with poor clinico-pathological characteristics of the patients. Additionally, PT shared more similarities with LNM than with CTCs-EBF. Nevertheless, LNM showed increased expression of EMT-related markers than PT; and EMT itself in PT did not seem to be necessary for lymphatic dissemination.
Applications of Entropy in Finance: A Review
Authors: Zhou Rongxi , Cai Ru , Tong Guanqun
Published: November 2013

Although the concept of entropy is originated from thermodynamics, its concepts and relevant principles, especially the principles of maximum entropy and minimum cross-entropy, have been extensively applied in finance. In this paper, we review the concepts and principles of entropy, as well as their applications in the field of finance, especially in portfolio selection and asset pricing. Furthermore, we review the effects of the applications of entropy and compare them with other traditional and new methods.
Experimental Analysis of Wireless Power Transmission with Spiral Resonators
Authors: Puccetti Giovanni , Reggiani Ugo , Sandrolini Leonardo
Published: November 2013

In this paper, a theoretical and experimental analysis of wireless power transfer through a coplanar resonator array is presented. In particular, six identical spiral resonators are used to form an array and transfer power between an emitter and a receiver. All the spiral resonators resonate at about 20 MHz and the emitter and receiver coils are designed with formulas taken from literature. The resonator system is modeled using mutual inductances, being retardation not significant. The transmission coefficient is measured for four different arrangements of the six resonators and the experimental measurements are compared with the theoretical predictions, showing similar trends. The paper shows that the peaks of the transmission coefficient vary slightly for the resonator arrangements considered.