bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioremedation of Oily Contaminated Soil through Biostimulation of Indigenous Soil Microbial Community at the Sahara Desert
Authors: Ercoli Eduardo , Carrillo Gonzalo , El Mansuri Omar
Published: September 2011

Biological treatment has been successfully used to remediate oily contaminated soil in El Sharara Field, South West of Libya. A reduction of 66.6 % in TPH GC Sum, Gas Chromatographic Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon, was obtained in a period of 6.2 months (from July of 2007 to January of 2008). During this time, mineral oil decreased from 15000 to 5000 mg/kg dry matter. The pilot trial consisted in a soil pile of about 2.2 meters in height, mechanically mixed to maintain aerobic conditions. The volume of the pile was approximately 180 m3. The goal of the bioremediation pilot trial was to degrade hydrocarbons by using a low-cost, "poorly controlled" technology which consisted in stimulating naturally occurring microorganisms by adding oxygen (mixing), nutrients and water. One important advantage of the applied technique is that moisture of the soil was maintained at a certain level during the treatment period by adding a minimal amount of water, which is particularly important under the desert working conditions. Another advantages are that contaminants are destroyed, making this a toxicity reduction process that is preferred by the regulators, the treatment systems are relatively easy to design and construct, remediation can be completed in a relatively short time of 3 to 6 months. Mechanically aerated piles offer a cost-competitive technology compared to thermal desorption or landfilling and can be engineered to be potentially effective for any combination of site conditions and petroleum products.
Engineering Approach to Utilize Fiber Optics Telemetry Enabled Coiled Tubing in Well Testing and Sand Stone Matrix Stimulation - First Time in the World
Authors: Shaheen Tarek , El Fattah Mohamed Abd , Dilling Lambert , El Rahman Sayed Abd , Anwar Emad , Noya Vidal , El Refaei Ahmed , Elsherif Tamer
Published: September 2011

For the last several years, viscous pills, polymer based, were used to kill the wells during the workover operation in the tronian formation existing in the eastern desert of Egypt. These polymer pills have negatively affected the wells productivity by blocking the pore throats and reducing the permeability. As an example, the well A-1 was producing 300 bpd (Gross) which declined dramatically after a workover operation which included the viscous polymer pills to produce only 20 bopd.

An engineering study was carried out to identify the main reason for the decline in the production. Several experiments were performed in the lab in order to simulate the filter cake using formation samples and evaluate the effect of the polymer being injected on the sandface permeability. An engineered solution was designed to break the polymer subsequently pumped in the formation and stimulate the matrix in order to recover and enhance the oil production. The remedial work was executed using a Fiber Optics Telemetry Enabled Coiled Tubing (FOTECT) system to optimize the treatment leveraging on downhole real time measurements.

This paper describes the first application of FOTECT in sandstone formations, involving: The sandstone matrix stimulation operation.Measuring both bottom hole pressure and temperatures at static and dynamic conditions during the entire operation.Accurate depth correlation to achieve optimum placement of the treatment fluidsMonitor the chemical reactions in real time of the engineered treatment fluid.Monitor the diversion performance during Sand Stone stimulations and the timing required for efficient reactions.Qualitative production allocation of the interval as a response to the treatment fluidsEvaluation of the skin value real-time while executing matrix stimulation.Pressure transient analysis in real-time enabling the standard output of a well test (permeability, skin, Pressure, and reservoir boundaries).

The experience demonstrates that use of real-time downhole measurements during the CT treatment allows: a) the evaluation of the well performance before and after the treatment, b) enables optimization of the treatment as it is executed, based on the formation response, enhancing the chance for a successful intervention, and c) provides an added alternative to perform a well testing operation right after the treatment, thus, obtaining valuable information to update the reservoir model.
Risk Analysis Tool Applied to Understand the Possible Negative Environmental Effects of Unlined Drilling Pits in Desert Environments
Authors: Carrillo G. , Rubial M. J. , Firth S.
Published: September 2011

Traditionally in desert operations in Libya, drilling mud and cuttings (water based) have been disposed of directly on the ground in unlined pits. This practice has lately been challenged because other than affecting the landscape, it can pose a risk to the soil and to shallow aquifers.

To correctly assess the risk that this practice poses, REMSA and specialized environmental consultants developed a tool to predict the risk of pollutants transported by lixiviates reaching shallow aquifers below the drilling pit itself.

The model has the capacity of determining the threat of a group of pollutants individually moving from the pit through the Unsaturated Zone. Other than modeling the movement driven by gravity, the model also considers biodegradation of organics and absorption processes within the Unsaturated Zone and dilution once in the Saturated Zone.

This modeling tool (CREWD) has been tested in block NC186 in Libya and the results have been validated throughboreholes and excavations that reached down 4 meters below the bottom of the pit. The results obtained using the model, gave a clear indication that with the prevailing conditions in NC186 and knowing that the shallowest aquifer mapped is below 60 m depth, the risk of hydrocarbons, heavy metals or salts causing detrimental impact to the aquifer is extremely low.
Industry First Field Trial of Reservoir Nanoagents
Authors: Kanj Mazen Y. , Rashid Md. Harunar , Giannelis Emmanuel P.
Published: September 2011

The promise of nanotechnology becomes limitless with the possibility of having functionalized molecular agents to "illuminate" the reservoir and intervene to alter adverse oil recovery conditions. The future reality of the reservoir nanoagents concept is herein lab and field demonstrated with the industry first building block nanoagents' template. The template is intentionally geared towards the harsh but prolific Arab-D carbonate formation of the giant Ghawar field of Saudi Arabia. The challenge is magnified by a condition of 100 °C or greater temperature and 120,000 ppm or more connate water salinity. The industry's first proven reservoir nanoagents template is introduced and demonstrated via a push-pull field trial in an observation well. The testing objectives, processes, and results are outlined and further detailed in the paper.
Well and Reservoir Behavior with Varying Associated Gas/Oil Ratio
Authors: Lundberg Bruce
Published: September 2011

A production well may experience varying associated GOR if the reservoir has a gas cap which gains access to the well (e.g. GOGD or Gas Coning), or if stationary oil near the well liberates gas due to near-well pressure drawdown (Liberated Gas). This Free Gas inflow rate varies disproportionally with well production, resulting in varying associated GOR.

Production wells in fields producing varying associated GOR are often susceptible to well instability and excessive gas breakthrough, where Free Gas is produced at unacceptably high rates. Operational control of these wells with manually adjusted chokes or beans is hampered because well behavior is highly non-linear and displays severe hysteresis.

A common scenario is: 1)A well produces at low liquid rates with little or no free gas production.2)Moderate increases in liquid production are achievable without gas breakthrough.3)At some point, a minor further increase in liquid production results in gas breakthrough and unacceptably high free gas production.4)Choking back the well moderately does reduce some free gas production, but an acceptable level of gas is not obtained until the well is choked back so far that liquid production is reduced to an unacceptably low level. Sometimes wells are stopped for a period in order to recover and resume production at acceptably low gas rates (Stop Cocking).

This complex production behavior, where the same choke position produces different production results, has often been attributed to complex or unpredictable reservoir drainage dynamics. A theory is developed in which this production behavior can be explained with simple, intuitive reservoir dynamic drainage models and standard well performance models.

The theory explains limitations of production control using manually adjusted chokes or beans and provides a basis for the development of simple automated well flow control systems which stably maintain optimal production.

Petroleum Development Oman has successfully applied automated well flow control on more than 90 wells with varying associated GOR. Many of these wells had previously been Stop Cocked and all are now continuous producers. The resulting stable, predictable production from each well is a necessary foundation for field-wide production monitoring and optimization.
Ensemble-Based Water Flooding Optimization Applied to Mature Fields
Authors: Pajonk O. , Schulze-Riegert R. , Krosche M. , Mustafa H. , Nwakile M.
Published: September 2011

Water flooding schemes introduced as part of redevelopment projects in mature fields are more often built on smart completions with multiple control valves (ICVs) in wells to be drilled. Decision processes for the implementation and operation of ICVs is supported by reservoir simulations to investigate the upside potential of technical production rates. The robustness of any presented solution is difficult to prove and requires workflows which integrate alternative geological scenarios for capturing uncertainties.

In this work the employment of smart well technologies is modeled to investigate the potential for increasing o il recovery over the life time of a reservoir. Challenges exist on different levels. The number of control variables increases significantly as the number of wells, perforation sections per well and injection time intervals with varying injection constraints increases. Uncertainties related to different geological modeling concepts are taken into account for verifying the robustness of any optimized production scenario.

The starting point for this paper is an ensemble of history matched simulation models. Ensemble-based production optimization including stochastic methods is applied for the optimization of water injection scenarios by individually adjusting ICVs. A novel concept for a time dependent target function is introduced. This reduces the number of control parameters adjusted at a time by focusing on incremental contributions to economic indicators.

The workflow is applied to a complex reservoir model with production history. The optimization process is successfully improving economic indicators over the life time of the reservoir including a full risk evaluation based on alternative geological realizations.
Strategies to Conduct Steam Injection in Waterflooded Light Oil Reservoir and a Case in Fuyu Reservoir, Jilin
Authors: Xin Zhao , Yongbin Wu , Baiming Zhou , Yu Liang , Yu Sun , Xianbao Zheng , Panqing Gao
Published: September 2011

Steam injection is an effective means to enhance the recovery of light oil reservoirs. The industry experience has been built up over the past decades. But there is no detailed literature to describe or demonstrate any successful use. The pilot test of steam injection on several wells of Block E9 in Fuyu oilfield was conducted in 2007. After then, injection was converted to Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) at a field scale from late 2008.In this study, an integrated investigation was conducted to analyze the steam injection performance and potentials in the Fuyu field light oil reservoir. The methodologies include in-house experiments and dynamic analysis based on geologic and reservoir characteristics and production performance.

First of all, the factors which impact CSS performance have been summarized and quantified, like natural and artificial fractures, major direction of the flow line during waterflooding, and the distribution of sandbodies, etc. During the CSS process of light oil reservoir, the phenomenon of steam driving oil during steam injection phase is apparent which results in lower oil saturation in the wellbore vicinity and lower peak oil rate compared with heavy oil CSS. Finally, essence of steam injection in the light oil reservoirs, mechanisms of EOR, and strategies to enhance the performance of steam injection are summarized.
Collaboration Models for University and Petroleum Industry Partners with Focus on MENA
Authors: Van Kirk Craig W.
Published: September 2011

This paper has been prepared in response to an invitation to make a keynote presentation at this MEOS Conference, and to set the stage for the other several presentations to follow during the same Session. With the Session titled "People Development", naturally this paper and the others address current issues and topics related to human resources, human capital, talent management, diversity in the workforce, university partnerships in collaboration with other significant stakeholders, and education and training.

There are many ways to tell a good story, and I hope the "way" presented herein is a good choice. There is no doubt about the "story" being good; the only uncertainty is in the telling.

As the title above indicates, the intent of this paper is to present models and examples of collaborations among international universities and petroleum industry partners, with emphasis on the MENA region. For purposes of this paper, this Middle East and North Africa MENA region is considered to cover the area approximately from Oman to Turkey, and from Tehran to Timbuktu and Tunisia, plus or minus a little more or less, and most points in between. Hopefully, this paper will be useful to many within and outside this geographical area.

The MENA region has a long and wonderful history of education, research, discovery, inventions, writing, laws, and other university-related functions provided by the "House of Wisdom".

The members of the intended particular audience targeted by this paper are the leaders and decision makers representing the partners in the actual and potential collaborations which are addressed herein, including all of the following: University faculty members, Department Heads, Vice Presidents, Presidents, Deans, Boards of Directors, Advisory Groups.Leadership personnel of NOCs, IOCs, Ministries of Oil and Higher Education; and any other stakeholders with power, influence, control, resources, advice, or wisdom to share.

This paper is based on 35 years of global experiences, including many current engagements with countries in the MENA region, addressing models for innovative collaborations among universities and the petroleum industry. The focus of this paper is on Petroleum Engineering (PE) education, research, and training provided by universities, and the critical needs for better engagements with National Oil Companies (NOCs), International Oil Companies (IOCs), International Service Companies, and Ministries of Oil and Higher Education.

The experiences, observations, and recommendations presented herein are based primarily on PE, and readily incorporate the other upstream oil and gas industry disciplines of Geology (GE) and Geophysics (GP). In addition, much of the petroleum industry downstream personnel and efforts relate to this paper equally well.
Enhanced Waterflood for Middle East Carbonate Cores — Impact of Injection Water Composition
Authors: Gupta Robin , Smith P. Griffin , Hu Lu , Willingham Thomas W. , Cascio Mauro Lo , Shyeh J. Jane , Harris Chad R.
Published: September 2011

Carbonate coreflood experiments have demonstrated the potential for Advanced Ion Management (AIMSM) to significantly increase oil recovery compared to waterflood using formation water. AIMSM involves adding and/or removing ions from the injection water to improve waterflood performance. AIMSM further improves current state-of-the-art processes through the addition of certain salts and/or the softening of water. Simulations have accurately matched the experiments, providing a tool to assess field-scale recovery and supporting the premise that the increased recovery is due to a change in wettability. This study shows that a relatively inexpensive and straightforward modification of injection water composition can significantly increase oil recovery.
Deploying a Wireless Downhole Reservoir Testing System Enabling Real-Time Interpretation and Tool Control
Authors: Al-Nahdi A. A. , Saleh R. , Omidiya A. , Loth M. , Mabrouki F. , Lemenager E.
Published: September 2011

Successful exploration and field development requires knowledge of fundamental reservoir and production properties. These properties can only be confidently measured by conducting a reservoir test, properly designed to measure pressure, temperature, and flow rate and sample for the zone of interest. Alongside the key task of gathering the necessary data and validating test objectives, this process involves the flowing of hydrocarbons through temporary equipment. It is therefore critical, to safely and efficiently manage the wellbore.

A new wireless downhole reservoir testing system has been deployed in Saudi Arabia to meet reservoir testing challenges. This integrated system allows retrieval of downhole measurements throughout the test, control and verification of the tester and circulating valves, and selective activation of multizone perforating guns.

This paper presents field cases demonstrating how the system has been used for these applications in an effort to reduce operational risks and improve certainty in reservoir testing results.
Drill-Stem Test with Real-Time Reservoir Data Monitoring Improves Operational Efficiency — Case Study, Senoro-6
Authors: Febrianto Dwi Hudya , Rachmawati Fitria Dewi , Khan Ahad , Haddad Josmar , Salguero Alejandro
Published: September 2011

Well testing generates essential reservoir data, and although it can impact initial operating expenditures significantly in oil or gas upstream projects, the data generated can be essential to the efficiency of the completion operation ultimately designed. While having proven its value, data-gathering methods still must be balanced with operational and economic strategies, if the completion goals are to be economically feasible.

Drill-Stem Test (DST) tools with downhole shut in and memory gauges are commonly used in well testing operations to provide reliable data and enhance operational efficiency of the completion. However, DST tools alone cannot monitor reservoir pressure response in real-time for justifying the subsequent operational objective changes during the data acquisition, because the recorded data cannot be retrieved at surface until the well test operation is completed, and the workstring is pulled out of hole. To overcome this problem, surface read-out (SRO) systems can be used with DST for retrieving downhole memory-gauge data in real time; thus, the pressure response can be monitored directly, and operational changes can be made immediately, based on actual reservoir conditions.

An SRO system was used in Senoro-6 well to aid in justifying a shut-in duration to reach reservoir boundary and attain information that indicated the need for a stimulation treatment. Based on the real-time SRO data, it was found out that the permeability was lower than expected, and shut-in should be terminated earlier than planned, since the required shut-in time to reach boundary would be much longer than anticipated. Prolonging testing time would not be reasonable when reviewing operational and economic considerations. In addition, pressure transient analysis from real time SRO data indicated that the well had severe wellbore damage.

Thus, the decision was made to conduct matrix acid stimulation based on the SRO data and to continue with post-stimulation well testing without pulling the DST string out of the hole.

Post-test results showed a 22% production improvement, while the operation itself saved more than US$150,000 from daily rig cost. This approach in using the SRO system proved to be effective in helping to determine an efficient testing operation and completion strategy.
Site-Selective Artificial Ribonucleases: Oligonucleotide Conjugates Containing Multiple Imidazole Residues in the Catalytic Domain
Authors: Beloglazova Natalia G. , Fabani Martin M. , Polushin Nikolai N. , Sil'nikov Vladimir V. , Vlassov Valentin V. , Bichenkova Elena V. , Zenkova Marina A.
Published: September 2011

Design of site-selective artificial ribonucleases (aRNases) is one of the most challenging tasks in RNA targeting. Here, we designed and studied oligonucleotide-based aRNases containingmultipleimidazole residues in the catalytic part and systematically varied structure of cleaving constructs. We demonstrated that the ribonuclease activity of the conjugates is strongly affected by the number of imidazole residues in the catalytic part, the length of a linker between the catalytic imidazole groups of the construct and the oligonucleotide, and the type of anchor group, connecting linker structure and the oligonucleotide. Molecular modeling of the most active aRNases showed that preferable orientation(s) of cleaving constructs strongly depend on the structure of the anchor group and length of the linker. The inclusion of deoxyribothymidine anchor group significantly reduced the probability of cleaving groups to locate near the cleavage site, presumably due to a stacking interaction with the neighbouring nucleotide residue. Altogether the obtained results show that dynamics factors play an important role in site-specific RNA cleavage. Remarkably high cleavage activity was displayed by the conjugates with the most flexible and extended cleaving construct, which presumably provides a better opportunity for imidazole residues to be correctly positioned in the vicinity of scissile phosphodiester bond.
Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Technical Considerations and Review of the Literature
Authors: Stroup Sean P. , Kane Christopher J.
Published: September 2011

Men with high-risk prostate cancer are at significant risk of progressive, symptomatic disease leading to metastases or death from prostate cancer. Surgery—specifically robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP)—is increasingly being considered as a key component of a multimodal strategy to treat these patients. Herein, we review key technical considerations of performing RALP with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy in men with high-risk disease. Recent literature supporting the increasing role of surgery either alone or in combination with adjuvant therapies to treat men with high-risk prostate cancer is also reviewed.
Traffic Optimization at Junctions to Improve Vehicular Flows
Authors: Cutolo A. , D'Apice C. , Manzo R.
Published: September 2011

The aim of this work is to improve urban traffic viability through an appropriate choice of yielding and stop signs or red and green phases for traffic lights in junctions with two entering and one exiting roads
(junctions of 2×1 type). We consider a macroscopic fluid-dynamic model able to capture the traffic evolution. We analyze different functionals measuring networks performance in terms of average velocity, average traveling time, total flux, density, stop and go waves, average traveling time, weighted with the number of cars moving on roads, and kinetic energy. Right of way parameters which optimize the latter two functionals are obtained. Simulations of simple junctions of 2×1type have been used to test the correctness of the analytical results. Then, global performance of optimization procedures has been investigated on Re di Roma Square, in Italy. In particular, we discuss cases in which the functionals are optimized locally at each junction for different values of right of way parameters. We show that for the chosen initial data the only algorithm for the maximization of velocity assures globally the best performance for the network, also in terms of average traveling times and kinetic energy.
The visual rooting reflex in individuals with autism spectrum disorders and co‐occurring intellectual disability
Authors: de Bildt Annelies , Mulder Erik J. , Van Lang Natasja D.J. , de With S.A. Jytte , Minderaa Ruud B. , Stahl Sherin S. , Anderson George M.
Published: September 2011

The rooting reflex has long been studied by neurologists and developmentalists and is defined as an orientation toward tactile stimulation in the perioral region or visual stimulation near the face. Nearly, all previous reports of the visual rooting reflex (VRR) concern its presence in adults with neurological dysfunction. Previously, the VRR was reported to be present in a majority of individuals with autism and absent in control subjects. In the present larger study, we examined the presence of the VRR in 155 individuals with ASD and co‐occurring Intellectual Disability (ASD + ID: autism, N = 60; Pervasive Developmental Disorder‐Not Otherwise Specified (PDD_NOS), N = 95) and in a contrast group of 65 individuals with ID only. The VRR was present significantly more often in the ASD + ID (43.9%) group than in the ID‐only group (24.6%; = 7.19; P = 0.007). Individuals with autism displayed a VRR more often (55.0%) than individuals with PDD‐NOS (36.8%; = 4.92; P = 0.026) and individuals with ID only (24.6%; = 12.09; P = 0.001). A positive VRR was associated with lower IQ and adaptive functioning; in the ASD + ID group, ADI‐R/ADOS domain scores were significantly higher in the VRR‐positive subgroup. The results replicate and extend the finding of an increased occurrence of the VRR in autism. Although some association with IQ was observed, the VRR occurred substantially more often in the autism group compared with an intellectually disabled group, indicating some degree of specificity. Additional studies of infants and children with typical development, ASD and ID are needed to determine the utility of the VRR in ASD risk assessment and to elucidate possible specific behavioral associations. Autism Res 2012,5:67–72. © 2011 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Parallel terrain visibility calculation on the graphics processing unit
Authors: Strnad Damjan
Published: September 2011

In this paper, we present the graphics processing unit (GPU)‐based parallel implementation of visibility calculation from multiple viewpoints on raster terrain grids. Two levels of parallelism are introduced in the GPU kernels — parallel traversal of visibility rays from a single viewpoint and parallel processing of viewpoints. The obtained visibility maps are combined in parallel using the selected logical operator. A comparison with multi‐threaded CPU implementation is performed to establish the expected speed‐ups of viewshed construction when the source and destination types are sets of scattered locations, paths, or regions. The results demonstrate that using the GPU, the acceleration of an order of magnitude can be achieved on average with both point sampling and bilinear filtering of the elevation map. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gibraltar: A Reed‐Solomon coding library for storage applications on programmable graphics processors
Authors: Curry Matthew L. , Skjellum Anthony , Lee Ward H. , Brightwell Ron
Published: September 2011

Reed–Solomon coding is a method for generating arbitrary amounts of erasure correction information from original data via matrix–vector multiplication in finite fields. Previous work has shown that modern CPUs are not well‐matched to this type of computation, requiring applications that depend on Reed–Solomon coding at high speeds (such as high‐performance storage arrays) to use hardware implementations. This work demonstrates that high performance is possible with current cost‐effective graphics processing units across a wide range of operating conditions and describes how performance will likely evolve in similar architectures. It describes the characteristics of the graphics processing unit architecture that enable high‐speed Reed–Solomon coding. A high‐performance practical library, Gibraltar, has been prototyped that performs Reed–Solomon coding on graphics processors in a manner suitable for storage arrays, along with applications with similar data resiliency needs. This library enables variably resilient erasure correcting codes to be used in a broad range of applications. Its performance is compared with that of a widely available CPU implementation, and a rationale for its API is presented. Its practicality is demonstrated through a usage example. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application‐specific thread schedulers for distributed applications
Authors: Roper Matthew D. , Olsson Ronald A.
Published: September 2011

This paper describes our work to improve the performance of distributed applications. We aim at certain application characteristics such as balancing load, allowing separately written applications to work better together, allowing a distributed application to adapt its behavior in more flexible ways, and so on. Our approach is to write application‐specific schedulers, which can access the global state of the application in making scheduling decisions. To achieve this goal, we extended our earlier work on CATAPULTS (Creating And Testing APplication‐specific User Level Thread Schedulers), a domain‐specific language for creating and testing application‐specific user‐level thread schedulers, to distributed applications by adding ‘master schedulers’ for dealing with the distributed parts of applications. This paper presents our design of, experimentation with, and implementation of distributed CATAPULTS. This paper presents several realistic examples to measure the feasibility of this approach, specifically: a website application, an embedded application, and load balancing. Each example has a scheduling goal for which we developed a customized scheduler. We measured the performance with and without the customized scheduler. The customized scheduler for each example was fairly straightforward to develop and each achieved its scheduling goal. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Council‐Based Approaches to Reforming the Health Care Response to Domestic Violence: Promising Findings and Cautionary Tales
Authors: Allen Nicole E. , Larsen Sadie E. , Javdani Shabnam , Lehrner Amy L.
Published: September 2011

Councils are commonly formed to address social issues including intimate partner violence (IPV). Research suggests that councils may be well positioned to achieve proximal outcomes, but that their success may depend on contextual factors. The current study compared providers and health care settings at two points in time to explore the degree to which the Health Care Council achieved proximal outcomes in the health care response to IPV, including: (a) providers’ reported capacity to screen for IPV, (b) providers’ beliefs about IPV as a health care issue and about the IPV screening process, (c) providers’ screening behaviors and (d) organizational policies and protocols to encourage screening. This study, while preliminary, provides support for council‐based efforts to stimulate change in the health care response to IPV and also highlights the central role that organizational environment plays in shaping desired outcomes.
Tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor‐targeted combined chemotherapy for metastatic bladder cancer
Authors: Wu Chia‐Lun , Ping Szu‐Yuan , Yu Cheng‐Ping , Yu Dah‐Shyong
Published: September 2011

Overexpression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 alpha is noted during the invasive and metastatic process of transitional cell carcinoma. It will upregulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and drive proliferation, invasiveness, metastasis, and antiapoptotic ability of cancer cells. We proposed that tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, sunitinib malate—(Sutent; Pfizer Inc., Taiwan), combined with chemotherapeutic drug may present synergistic cytotoxic enhancement to transitional cell carcinoma cells with subsequent inhibition of their cellular behaviors, including proliferation, invasiveness, and metastatic activity. The contents of VEGF‐A in mouse bladder tumor cells (MBT‐2) and culture medium were detected by quantification‐polymerase chain reaction and Western blot individually. The inhibitory concentrations of various chemotherapeutic drugs, sunitinib, and their combination treatment in MBT‐2 were determined by 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Microchamber transmembrane migration assay was applied in evaluation of the inhibitory effects of different dosages of sunitinib and combination treatment on tumor cells. The cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed after combination therapy by flow cytometry. Variation in apoptotic pathway was elucidated by Western blot using specific antibodies with cleaved PARP and caspase‐3. Metastatic animal model mimicked by tail vein injection of MBT‐2 cells was used to evaluate the treatment efficiency in tumor weight and survival rate. The mRNA and protein level of VEGF‐A in MBT‐2 cells increased by 70% at 48 hours interval under hypoxia stress condition. In MTT assay, MBT‐2 cells had shown the highest sensitivity to epirubicin. Sunitinib combined with epirubicin had shown a synergistic cytotoxic effect to MBT‐2 cells. Sunitinib and its combination with epirubicin showed significant inhibition on MBT‐2 cells migration in microchambers. G2/M phase arrest and increased subG1 in cell cycle was seen in the epirubicin and sunitinib combination treatment group. The activation of apoptosis pathway was confirmed by increased cleaved caspase‐3 and cleaved PARP in MBT‐2 cells. In tail vein tumor inoculation C3H mice model, epirubicin alone and sunitinib combination therapy decreased tumor growth in lungs with marginal effect. Sunitinib and epirubicin combination had shown a synergistic cytotoxic effect and inhibited cell migration ability in MBT‐2 cells. The combination can induce cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and increase subG1 cells. Metastatic animal study also showed that sunitinib combined with epirubicin has a marginal effect on inhibition of tumor growth of lungs. The tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor‐targeted combined chemotherapy regimen may provide as a new treatment modality for advanced bladder cancer in the future.
Plane Poiseuille flow of miscible layers with different viscosities: instabilities in the Stokes flow regime
Authors: Talon L. , Meiburg E.
Published: September 2011

We investigate the linear stability of miscible, viscosity-layered Poiseuille flow. In the Stokes flow regime, diffusion is observed to have a destabilizing effect very similar to that of inertia in finite-Reynolds-number flows. For two-layer flows, four types of instability can dominate, depending on the interface location. Two interfacial modes exhibit large growth rates, while two additional bulk modes grow more slowly. Three-layer Stokes flows give rise to diffusive modes for each interface. These two diffusive interface modes can be in resonance, thereby enhancing the growth rate. Furthermore, modes without inertia and diffusion are also observed, consistent with a previous long-wave analysis for sharp interfaces. In contrast to that earlier investigation, the present analysis demonstrates that instability can also occur when the more viscous layer is in the centre, at larger wavenumbers.
RESISTANCE TO DIEBACK DISEASE CAUSED BY FUSARIUM AND LASIODIPLODIA SPECIES IN CACAO (THEOBROMA CACAO L.) GENOTYPES
Authors: ADU-ACHEAMPONG RICHARD , ARCHER SIMON , LEATHER SIMON
Published: September 2011

Fusarium and Lasiodiplodia species invade feeding lesions caused by mirid bugs (Distantiella theobroma [Dist.] and Sahlbergella singularis Hagl.) and inflict serious damage and yield loss to susceptible cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) varieties in West Africa. As it is the fungal invasion rather than the physical feeding injury by mirids that cause dieback and tree death in cacao, a dieback resistance strategy in cacao crop must take into account resistance to these causal agents. Twenty-nine and 15 cacao genotypes were screened in the laboratory and the greenhouse, respectively, for resistance to isolates of Fusarium decemcellulare and Lasiodiplodia theobromae at Imperial College London's Biological Sciences Campus, UK. Resistance was assessed as the size of necrotic lesions, distance of fungal colonisation in the stem and the proportion of seedlings with dieback symptoms. Genotypic differences were found in both laboratory and greenhouse tests among various cacao genotypes, and the clones showed a wide range of disease reactions from highly resistant to very susceptible. The pathogenicity of F. decemcellulare and L. theobromae were similar in this study, which suggests that a breeding programme for controlling one of the pathogens can have benefit against the other. Direct significant correlations (r = 0.7) were obtained between visual dieback assessment scores and the percentage cross-sectional area of stem necrosis. Moreover, the response of inoculated stem segments corresponded to the reaction of intact plants despite the variation in the used methodology. Three cacao genotypes (CATIE 1000, T85/799 and MXC 67) were resistant or moderately resistant to F. decemcellulare and L. theobromae. These genotypes could be useful sources of resistance to both pathogens and other wilt causing pathogens in cacao.
Deformity in the Roman Imperial Court
Authors: TRENTIN LISA
Published: September 2011

Over the past two decades, the study of deformity and disability in the ancient world has stimulated intense scholarly debate. Recognizing a relatively unexplored body of ancient evidence, scholars have sought to reintegrate the anomalous human body (placed rather unceremoniously under the broad category of ‘Other’) into the (art-) historical record, classical scholarly consciousness, and our understanding of ancient representation more broadly. This article works towards that end, considering the representation of deformity as documented in extant literary sources of the Roman world. It will employ the hunchback as linchpin, since the figure of the hunchback has remained essentially outside this (albeit still developing) field of research.
Theology and the Historical-Critical Study of the Bible
Authors: Capetz Paul E.
Published: September 2011

One salient characteristic of our current situation is the emergence of a growing consensus among theologians and biblical scholars alike that the time has come to “dethrone” historical criticism as the reigning paradigm of scriptural exegesis for the sake of recovering a theological interpretation of the Bible on behalf of the church.1 To illustrate this new development, I have chosen to focus on the arguments of three prominent biblical scholars, each of whom has made a sustained case about the negative effects of historical criticism upon theological exegesis: They are Brevard S. Childs, Christopher R. Seitz, and Dale B. Martin. All three scholars have close ties to Yale and, not surprisingly, they bear a sort of family resemblance to one another inasmuch as their work partakes of theological themes and concerns that have been prominent at that school in recent decades. Notwithstanding their antagonistic posture toward historical criticism, all three are gifted practitioners of the very method whose dominance they seek to overturn. Since I am not a biblical scholar, I must enter into discussion with them as a theologian who is equally concerned about the relations between biblical studies and theology. At the outset, however, it is necessary to clarify that my own theological orientation prevents me from embracing their call to depose historical criticism. As a liberal Protestant for whom historical-critical interpretation of both the biblical and the post-biblical tradition is constitutive of theology's proper task, their initial premise that historical criticism is somehow inimical to a theological treatment of the Bible strikes me as false and misleading. Contrary to the impression given by their explicit formulations, it appears that the real target of their polemics is not historical scholarship per se but, rather, the normative uses to which it is put in theologies informed by it.
Extensive diversity of intestinal trichomonads of non-human primates
Authors: SMEJKALOVÁ PAVLA , PETRŽELKOVÁ KLÁRA J. , POMAJBÍKOVÁ KATEŘINA , MODRÝ DAVID , ČEPIČKA IVAN
Published: September 2011

Despite the fact that the non-human primates are our closest relatives and represent a species-rich mammalian group, little is known about their intestinal protistan parasites/commensals. Particularly, the intestinal trichomonads represent a neglected part of the fauna of the primate digestive system. We have established 30 trichomonad strains isolated from feces of 11 primate species kept in 3 Czech zoos and performed an analysis of their SSU rDNA and ITS1-5·8S rDNA-ITS2. Our results showed that intestinal trichomonads are rather common among non-human primates. Molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the strains are unexpectedly diversified, belonging to 8 or 9 distinct species. Interestingly, the vast majority of the strains from non-human primates belonged to the genusTetratrichomonaswhile no member of this genus has been found in the human intestine so far. In addition, hominoid and non-hominoid primates differed in their intestinal trichomonads. Our results suggest that captive primates possibly may be infected by intestinal trichomonads of other vertebrates such as pigs, cattle, birds, tortoises and lizards.
The status of divine revelation in the works of Hieromonk Anthony Bulatovich
Authors: Senina Tatiana
Published: September 2011

The article presents one aspect of the theology of the leader of the Athonite followers of Onomatodoxy, Hieroschemamonk Anthony Bulatovich, namely his doctrine of divine revelation and words of God in the Bible as uncreated energies of God. This article shows that this doctrine is in conformity with the views of the Fathers of the Eastern Church as well as with the Old Testament theology of the Divine Name.
Sin and human cognition of God
Authors: Peels Rik
Published: September 2011

In this article I argue that the effects of sin for our cognition of God primarily consist in a lack of knowledge by acquaintance of God and the relevant ensuing propositional knowledge. In the course of my argument, I make several conceptual distinctions and offer analyses of 1 Cor 13:9–12 and Rom 1:18–23. As it turns out, we have ample reason to think that sin has had and still has profound consequences for our cognition of God, but there is no reason to think that sin has taken away all knowledge of God or that sin has resulted in a loss of specific cognitive faculties which are orientated towards knowledge of God.
‘Is theology a science?’ Paul Feyerabend's anarchic epistemology as challenge test to T. F. Torrance's scientific theology
Authors: Munchin David
Published: September 2011

To answer in the affirmative Barth's question ‘Is theology a science? is to acknowledge both that such a question has a history and that the predicate ‘scientific’ is a contested one. T. F. Torrance inTheological Scienceand subsequent publications, seeks to proceed with a minimalist conception of science, as a study whose methods are directed by ‘faithfulness to object’. Paul Feyerabend, inAgainst Methodand subsequent publications, contends that such a minimalism amounts to an admission that there is no such thing as ‘the scientific method’, and that therefore the predicate ‘scientific’ lacks coherence and substance. According to Feyerabend, philosophers like Michael Polanyi (an important influence upon Torrance) are simply not bold enough to see their work through to the radical conclusions which it demands and he provides. For Feyerabend, science's reference to qualities such as ‘objectivity’ and ‘rationality’ are simply a smoke-screen for decisively influential vested interests of power and wealth – it is these which ultimately determine what we mean by science, and these which therefore must be unmasked in the cause of humanism. However, in the course of this dialogue we reveal that Feyerabend is too careless a thinker, given to rushing prematurely and too willingly to unwarranted and simplistic dichotomies. Thus Torrance's notion of the ‘scientific’ emerges intact, but not without Feyerabend's stimulating challenge raising important questions, not least to theology as a science. For here, above all, ‘human’ factors are likely unduly to influence scientific knowledge. Thus Feyerabend also points to areas where Torrance's project needs further development and closer scrutiny.
On history, theology and scholarly method
Authors: Beeley Christopher A.
Published: September 2011

It is not every day that one receives such a review of one's work! A colleague who heard these remarks delivered orally reminded me of the old saying that the next best thing to having a noble friend is to have a noble enemy, but I don't think it applies here. Volker Drecoll is hardly an enemy, although he does show some accomplishment at playing the role of the querulous friend! I am grateful to Professor Drecoll not only for travelling from Tübingen to attend the book review panel at the 2009 Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting in New Orleans, where this exchange first took place, but also for his lengthy and exacting challenge of my work.
Why were Latin America's tariffs so much higher than Asia's before 1950?
Authors: Clemens Michael A. , Williamson Jeffrey G.
Published: September 2011

Latin America had the highest tariffs in the world before 1914; Asia had the lowest. Heavily protected Latin America also boasted some of the most explosivebelle époquegrowth, while open Asia registered some of the least. What brought the two regions to the opposite ends of the tariff policy spectrum? We find that limits to Asian tariff policy autonomy may have lowered tariffs substantially there, but by themselves they cannot explain why Asian tariffs were so much lower than the Latin American tariffs before 1914; that natural barriers, domestic political economy and strategic tariff policy seems to have contributed much to the difference and that the origins of Asian post-World War 2 import-substitution policies seem to lie in the interwar years when Asian tariff levels caught up with those of Latin America.
KANT ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF AUTONOMY
Authors: Guyer Paul
Published: September 2011

We all know what Kant means by autonomy: “the property of the
will by which it is a law to itself (independently of any property of
the objects of volition)” (G, 4:440), or, since any law
must be universal, the condition of an agent who is “subject
only to laws given by himself but still universal”
(G, 4:432). Or do we know what Kant means by autonomy? There
are a number of questions here. First, Kant's initial definition
of autonomy itself raises the question of why the property of the will
being a law to itself should be equivalent to its independence from any
property of objects of volition. It is also natural to ask, how does
autonomy as Kant conceives it relate to more familiar notions of freedom.
For example, consider Locke's conception of freedom as the condition
of a person “to think, or not to think; to move, or not to move,
according to the preference or direction of his own mind,” rather
than according to the preference or direction of any other person. What
is the relation between autonomy and this traditional conception of
freedom as the liberty of an agent? And what is the relation of autonomy
to the traditional conception of freedom of the will; that is, the
condition that obtains, as G. E.