bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology Focus: Matrix Stimulation (June 2015)
Authors: Morgenthaler Lee
Published: May 2016

Technology Focus

The technical contributions highlighted this year focus on matrix stimulation of carbonate and unconventional reservoirs. Matrix stimulation encompasses pumping processes used to improve the connection between the wellbore and the reservoir. They are effective in a wide range of lithologies and have been successful in most types of completions—cased and open hole, horizontal and vertical, simple and complex, injectors and producers. Wells are matrix stimulated during completion and to remove production- or injection-induced impairment. The defining characteristic of matrix stimulation is the use of chemical systems to dissolve material in the near-wellbore region pumped below pressures that propagate reservoir fractures. Three papers are presented in this feature, and several others are referenced for the interested reader.

One of the papers, SPE 168198, “The First Visualization of Acid Treatments on Carbonates With 3D Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance Imaging,” provides a detailed description of the application of cutting-edge technology to image acid-induced wormholes in carbonates. While this technology is new, it offers the promise of quantifying the effect of wormholes on near-wellbore flow to a degree that has not been possible until now. (See also SPE 171699, “NMR as a Characterization Tool for Wormholes: The Complete Picture.”)

While the industry has focused on fracture stimulation of unconventional reservoirs, SPE 173640, “Monitoring Acid-Stimulation Treatments in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs With Slickline Distributed-Temperature Sensing,” demonstrates the value of matrix stimulation in a shale reservoir. It is a good example with some excellent data on distributed-temperature-sensing profile monitoring, and it shows how naturally fractured reservoirs, which have generally been a challenge for stimulation, can be addressed. Distributed-temperature-sensing technology continues to develop, and a number of papers have been presented in the past year describing new capabilities and interpretation methods. (See, for example, SPE 173686, “Optimization of Matrix Acidizing With Fluids Diversion in Real Time Using Distributed-Temperature Sensing and Coiled Tubing”; SPE 172546, “Setting a New Milestone in Carbonate Matrix Stimulation With Coiled Tubing”; and SPE 171021, “First Installation of Efficient and Accurate Multilaterals-Stimulation Technology in Carbonate Oil Application.”)

The stimulation process can also be improved by applying classical concepts from reaction engineering and other disciplines. Paper SPE 171766, “Challenge of Acidizing Horizontal Wells in Tight Carbonate Reservoirs: Weak Acid and Nonacid Alternatives,” is an excellent example. The lesson is to look in both directions, back to the technical basics and forward to embrace new technologies.
Use of Weak-Acid and Nonacid Alternatives in Acidizing Horizontal Wells
Authors: Carpenter Chris
Published: May 2016

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 171766, “Challenge of Acidizing Horizontal Wells in Tight Carbonate Reservoirs: Weak-Acid and Nonacid Alternatives,” by Sameer Punnapala, SPE, Maryam Abdul Rahman, SPE, and Sanjay Misra, SPE, Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations, prepared for the 2014 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, 10–13 November. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

An operator developing tight carbonate reservoirs found that conventional acid stimulation with 15% hydrochloric acid (HCl) in horizontal wells did not provide expected results. A subsequent study revealed that permeability and length of treatment are the main parameters in deciding the optimal stimulation chemical. A correlation was developed, on the basis of the kinetic parameters of various chemicals and field experience, that can act as a guide in selecting the proper acidization formulations.

Introduction

In vertical wells, positive skin pertains to reduction of effective wellbore radius, thus sacrificing reservoir contact. It is very important to note that, in long horizontal wells, wellbore radius does not represent the reservoir contact; rather, it is replaced by the horizontal length. It can be said that the horizontal well itself represents a limiting case of the finite-conductivity fracture. Thus, in the case of a homogeneous reservoir, if vertical permeability is sufficient, the horizontal well is supposed to drain the reservoir. The primary aim of stimulation in such cases becomes removal of near-wellbore formation damage.

The field development of this operator’s tight carbonate reservoirs was envisaged as being performed by drilling 3,000- to 5,000-ft-long horizontal wells. Although 15% HCl is the conventional acidization formulation for these fields, a study of conventional acidization jobs carried out in these fields revealed that HCl stimulation did not yield the desired results. Selective stimulation in a segmented completion and by use of diversion also did not change the situation. The operator therefore launched an extensive market and literature survey to conduct a root-cause analysis. The study revealed that weakacid chemicals and nonacid chemicals (e.g., chelates and nanoemulsions) offer a viable alternative. On the basis of the study, using kinetic and transport parameters of different chemical and coreflood studies cited in the literature, a correlation was developed for formation permeability and length of treatment vs. effectiveness of different stimulation recipes. This correlation was validated by the results obtained from the acidization review, and a reasonable matching was obtained.
Detection of Kicks With Networked Drillstring and Along-String Pressure Evaluation
Authors: Carpenter Chris
Published: May 2016

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 163417, “Detect Kicks Prompted by Losses and Direct-Measurement Well-Control Method Through Networked Drillstring With Along-String Pressure Evaluation,” by Daan Veeningen, SPE, NOV IntelliServ, prepared for the 2013 SPE/ IADC Drilling Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, 5–7 March.

This paper describes efficient detection of well-control events, in both underbalanced and overbalanced conditions. This is especially relevant for deepwater operations because the reaction time is significantly less than with surface blowout preventers (BOPs). A methodology is offered to detect the annulus-fluid level in conditions of unknown hydrostatic-column height and fluid density through the use of discrete annular-pressure acquisition along a networked drillstring.

Downhole-Fluid-Level Analysis

Annular-pressure-while-drilling (PWD) data are commonly available through measurement-while-drilling (MWD) services and have the potential for fluid-level detection. But until recently, mud-pulse technology could provide data only during dynamic conditions when the circulation rate exceeded a minimum threshold. Operationally, the pump rate would usually be reduced to below such a threshold in an attempt to reduce the severity of the losses. Furthermore, PWD data measure pressure at only a single location, so pressure gradients across particular sections are unknown for detecting the origin of gains or location of losses. Another practical concern is that an effective fluid-density estimate is required to compute hydrostatic-column height if only one pressure measurement is available, and density is likely unknown because the hole will be filled with seawater. Finally, negative-pulser technology functions in a very limited manner during severe losses, leaving wellsite personnel deprived of downhole data and short of meaningful surface data.

Technology Providing Downhole Information

Along-string temperature and annular pressure as well as the temperature and pressure gradients are currently available through wired or networked drillstrings. These real-time data improve identification and analysis and, ultimately, the ability to regain well control by supplementing available surface data with downhole information. The along-string evaluation services provide for pinpointing the origin of the influx. In some instances, the same downhole measurements help identify where hydrocarbons may exit the wellbore, which reveals the onset and development of an underground blowout.

Three sources of downhole information are described here.
Pilot Steam Generator Uses Solar Energy Successfully for EOR Operations in Oman
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: May 2016

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 169745, “Construction, Operations, and Performance of the First Enclosed-Trough Solar-Steam-Generation Pilot for EOR Applications,” by Daniel Palmer, SPE, GlassPoint Solar Muscat, and John O’Donnell, GlassPoint Solar, prepared for the 2014 SPE EOR Conference at OGWA, Muscat, Oman, 31 March– 2 April. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

This paper presents performance, results, and learnings from the first solar enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) project in the Middle East/North Africa region, including the motivation for solar EOR in Oman, a description of the enclosed-trough design used in the Amal field, and operations and performance data. The key objective for the pilot was to prove that the system is able to be deployed practically and economically at scale in the region.

Introduction

Thermal-EOR projects require a massive long-term thermal energy supply to heat the reservoir. Concentrating solar power (CSP) could provide this energy at a low cost after the initial capital investment; hence, the two processes are well-matched, especially in locations with high levels of solar radiation.

The Sultanate of Oman, in common with many other countries in the region, has large heavy-oil reserves, which are best produced with thermal-EOR methods. Natural gas is traditionally used as the fuel for these projects. However, concerns about future supply, carbon dioxide emissions, and future costs led Petroleum Development Oman to investigate solar technology to power long-term EOR plans. The result was the solar-steam-generation pilot (SSGP) built at the Amal West field in southern Oman.

Potential

One cannot spend time in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula without appreciating the potential for solar energy in the region. The measure of solar radiation used to quantify resources for CSP is direct normal irradiance (DNI), the amount of direct-beam (rays that come in a straight line from the sun) radiation received per unit area by a surface that is always held perpendicular (or normal) to the direction of the sun at its current position in the sky.

The deserts of Oman receive DNI of greater than 2000 kW-hr/a in most locations, with higher altitudes reaching greater than 2500 kW-hr/a (Fig. 1). For reference, the Amal location receives 2057 kW-hr/a. Because of Oman’s low latitude, solar irradiation does not show large seasonal variations. Petroleum Development Oman selected the Amal field in southern Oman (Fig. 2) as the site for the SSGP using the enclosed-trough technology.
Magnus Water-Alternating-Gas-Pattern Optimization Through Data Integration
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: May 2016

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 169167, “Magnus WAG-Pattern Optimization Through Data Integration,” by Demet Erbas, SPE, Matthew Dunning, Timothy M. Nash, David Cox, SPE, John A. Stripe, and Euan Duncan, BP, prepared for the 2014 SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, 12–16 April. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

Several studies explored the possibility of improving both areal and vertical sweep efficiency in mature water-alternating-gas (WAG) patterns in the Magnus oil field. Key surveillance data, such as 4D seismic, production-logging-tool (PLT) data, and well performance and openhole saturation logs, have been coupled with simulations to study options for sweep improvement. Optimizing the WAG patterns enables a more efficient use of the available gas, which makes this a more-commercially-viable and –cost-effective tertiary-recovery option.

Introduction

The Magnus oil field was discovered in 1974 and is on the UK continental shelf of the North Sea. The field started production in 1983 through seven predrilled subsea wells by use of a fixed, steel- jacket platform. The first of the 20 platform well slots was drilled out in 1984, followed by water-injection startup in the same year to provide pressure support and sweep. The plateau production was maintained until 1995 at 150,000 STB/D, and, after 7 years of decline, miscible-gas injection through a WAG scheme started in 2002.

In the WAG enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) scheme, lean hydrocarbon gas is injected. The minimum miscibility pressure is 5,000 psi, which is the current target operating pressure. The average net-gas-use efficiency to date is 3,500 cf/STB. So far, EOR has been implemented in three panels—A3:B3, Central, and South (Fig. 1).

This paper focuses on analyzing 10 years of data from running the WAG scheme and on investigating how to improve recovery in mature patterns, specifically in the Central panel.
Labor market performance in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina from a gender perspective
Authors: Radonjić Ognjen , Jarić Isidora
Published: May 2016

In this paper we analyze some aspects of the efficiency of labor markets in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina and compare resulting outcomes with the outcomes of labor markets efficiency in selected economies of the European Union. A particular focus of our analysis is on gender equality, due to the fact that not only gender inequality negatively affects the quality of life of individuals and society in general, but also can produce significant macroeconomic losses which negatively affect economic growth and development. When formulating policy that aims to increase the employability and income of the local population, our recommendation to governments, non-governmental and supranational institutions is to simultaneously take all necessary steps in order to provide women equal access to labor markets. This primarily refers to equality in access to newly created jobs, the uniformity of wages for a work with equal qualification, equal access to employment in formal economy, equal safety at work, equal access to social safety net etc.
Love in the time of the post-apocalypse – ways of imagining love after the end of the world
Authors: Banić-Grubišić Ana
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with ways of representing love and amorous relationships in post-apocalyptic movies. In these movies, there is a dualism of romantic and partner love, and these two types of love are there to help build a new world, or rebuild the destroyed society. These images of love emphasize the importance of evolutionist theories for the central ideas of these films – in post-apocalyptic scenarios love mostly serves the purpose of having or protecting progeny, it is represented as the key tool and mechanism of survival.
The ways of construction of own space in South Slavic oral lyric
Authors: Vukmanović Ana
Published: May 2016

South Slavic oral lyric can form different spatial models. These models can be presented by house/castle, town or village as the enclosed spaces, but also by the open spaces, like a garden or vineyard. In both cases, it is important to note that they are organized and in that sense they are opposed to the open spaces. Notions of this world, especially the house, corespond with models of cosmic centre. In relation to them, the man positions himself in the space. The boundary is an important notion because it separates own world from the alien, open from the closed, organized from the unorganized. It is emphasized by ritual songs. Distinction of tame as an attribute of this world (in contrast with wild/alien) is relative when the mediating position of the field – cultivated or uncultivated – is activated. It is even more complex in the motif of the house in the mountain, which merges domestic and alien, human and inhuman space. The place of isolation as a heterotopias forms specific position in opposition own/alien, marked by ritual layer of oral lyric songs. Lirical singing form complex and diverse constructs of own space and show that the binary system, on which the oral traditional culture is based, is dynamic and depends on perspectives and the context of singing
Semiological analysis of Polish theater posters
Authors: Nikolić Jelena , Nedeljković Uroš
Published: May 2016

Through the application of semiological analysis to theater posters made by two Polish authors, the paper uncovers signs, meanings, codes and specifics of the „Polish school of poster-making“ and contemporary Polish posters. Aside from this, I suggest a methodological framework for studying the issue of coding and shaping a theater poster as a culturally specific form of visual communication. The aesthetic and semiotic outlook of the Polish theater posters which were chosen is analyzed using the semiological method which highlights their differences and similarities. By pointing out the system of codes through the examples given here, a graphic designer is informed about the existence and the possibilities of a more systematic approach to shaping a theater poster.
Entrepreneurs in the eyes of society – on the causes of negative perception of entrepreneurs in transitional Serbia
Authors: Trifunović Vesna
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with the negative social perceptions of entrepreneurs often encountered during the second phase of post-socialist transformation in Serbia. The causes of these widespread social perceptions are investigated by contrasting the previous, decades long socialist system, which was hostile toward entrepreneurship as well as egalitarian ideology with the context of the occurrence and development of private enterprise and the relationship between entrepreneurs – employers and workers in this society.
Planning implementation of method of observation in social sciences
Authors: Ilić Vladimir
Published: May 2016

The paper deals with the problems while planning the application of method of observation as the primary method for data collection. These include determining the objectives, theoretical and operational elaboration of the research plan and collection of initial evidence from other sources of data that can be used to successfully plan research mainly based on observation. In the first section of the paper it is pointed to the unjustified overemphasis of differences between participatory and non-participatory forms of observation in its planning. The second section shows the possibility of its application to other sources and methods of data collection when planning observations. Special attention is paid to the role of interview and sequential analysis. In the third section, the issues of preparing data analysis in the planning of observation are specifically discussed. The fourth section shows the specificity of the planning of observation, depending on the nature of the data. We also considered the concretization of the plan of observation, including the selection of size, location and time for performing monitoring and positioning one or more observers. The fifth section briefly points to some suggestions about training observers. The concluding section of the paper deals with planning during the observations, with emphasis on grounded theory.
To inherit heritage or to inherit inheritance?
Authors: Krivošejev Vladimir
Published: May 2016

The Republic of Serbia is one of the few, if not the only country in the world that, at ratification and translation of the term “baština”- heritage which appears in two significant and related international conventions of UNESCO, used different terms: “baština”- "heritage", with regard to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, and ''nasledje'' -inheritance in the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. One of the reasons for the subsequent rejection of the term heritage could lay in the opinion that it was the case of (end of 20th and beginning of the 21st century) political bureaucratic introduction of an old, forgotten word, which also contains the notion of gender incorrectness based on pointing out the inheritance through the male line, which could be in conflict with international law. The views expressed in this paper suggest the unsustainability of these claims, as well as greater suitability of the term “baština”- heritage. Namely, the ratification of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was done as early as in 1974, and since then the term “baština”- heritage was used, its new introduction into use on the basis of recent daily political aspirations cannot be the case. At the same time inheritance through the male line is encountered with the use of the Latin word "patrimonium", which is the basis for the terms used in the official translation of the UNESCO-listed conventions in French and Spanish: "patrimoine" and "patrimonio" (and other Roman languages) so that the use of the term “baština” –heritage cannot be a violation of international legal norms. Finally, bearing in mind the fact that, in general, use of languages is ​​impossible to achieve complete gender purism, it is necessary to emphasize that in contrast to the term "nasledje'' – inheritance, the term “baština” – heritage is more suitable for use in Serbian language when it comes to the concept of inheritance, preservation and transmission of universal values ​​promoted by the UNESCO Convention, as well as for translating the notion of heritage science.
The Balkans as a Temporal Denominator – The Discourse of Balkanism in Serbian Archaeology
Authors: Babić Staša , Kuzmanović Zorica
Published: May 2016

The idea of universal linear course of time is an important element of the basic framework of reference of the archaeological research into the past. However, even the fundamental theoretical premises of the discipline, such as the conceptualization of time, may be changed and differently interpreted, depending upon the social and cultural context of research. The history of archaeology in Serbia testifies that, contrary to the generally implicit linear course of time, the regional past is seen as a series of repetitions, stagnations and detours, implying the assumption of a different, a-historical course of time in the Balkans. This narrative is especially noticeable in the works dealing with the role of the Classical Greek-Roman civilization in the Balkan past. The ambivalence of the leading narratives in Serbian archaeology towards the presumed sources of the European culture corresponds to the images of the Balkans identified by M. Todorova as the discourse of Balkanism.
Concepts of the Body and Personhood in the Mesolithic-Neolithic Danube Gorges: Interpreting Animal Remains from Human Burials
Authors: Živaljević Ivana
Published: May 2016

In recent years, humanities have brought forward the idea of non-human agency; either in the form of meanings bestowed upon objects, animals and natural phenomena, or through deconstruction of ontological differences between ‘people’ and ‘things’. In case of the former, it has been argued that non-human agents have the power to act as ‘participants’ in social action (e.g. the agentive power of material properties of things, or of animal behaviour). In this paper, I discuss the practice of placing animal body parts alongside human bodies in the Mesolithic-Neolithic Danube Gorges, by using the concept of perspectivism as a theoretical framework. The choice of species and their body parts varied, but was by no means accidental. Rather, it reflected certain culturally specific taxonomies, which were based on animal properties: how they look, move, feel or what they do. Common examples include red deer antlers, which have the power to ‘regenerate’ each year, or dog mandibles (physical remains of ‘mouths’) which have the power to ‘communicate’ (i.e. bark). The aim of the paper is to explore how various aspects of animal corporeality, associated with certain ways of seeing and experiencing the world, could be ‘borrowed’ by humans utilizing animal body parts.
Football and Film: Comrade President – Center-Forward
Authors: Kovačević Ivan
Published: May 2016

The paper is the first in the planned series of texts on football in films and TV programmes in Yugoslavia (Serbia and Croatia). The film Comrade President – Center-Forward (1960, directed by Žorž Skrigin), labelled as the genre of “film humoresque”, presents a ramifying and intertwined story about a small provincial town. The narrative is structured around a celebration of the agricultural cooperative and an important football match played by the local team. Through these two narrative lines the film speaks about the invention of traditions, modernization and industrialization, clothes, arts, popular music, and the elements of romantic comedy and the events surrounding the football match present the media through which the messages are conveyed about the phenomena in a small Serbian town and wider, in the society of the 1950s.
"Salvation Armany": Gay sensibility between high fashion and everyday dressing practices
Authors: Erdei Ildiko , Savić Nebojša
Published: May 2016

The paper considers the link between gay people and the fashion world, their role and and relationship to clothing in different fashion registries, as pointed out by Jennifer Craik, in high and in everyday fashion. Based on secondary literature the paper will outline current problematizations of the relationship between gays and high fashion, as well as their importance for the history of high, elite, designer fashion. In the second part of the paper, based on empirical research on the behavior of gay people in Belgrade fashion-wise, the discourses and practices of everyday fashion within the gay population of the capital of Serbia are presented, with a focus on three aspects of dressing practices: consumption of fashionable clothing and accessories with a focus on shopping, evaluation and hierarchization of branded clothing and the skill of combining them which respondents believe represents the key to their unique styles.
Fashion and the semiotics of gender
Authors: Jestratijević Iva
Published: May 2016

Contemporary studies of fashion interpret articles of clothing as text, through which a specific cultural identity is constructed and expressed. As identities are momentarily realized through the performative act of identifying with a real or ideal subject, fashion has a special significance in every visual creation of a subject as the identity of a given role. In accordance with this, the dressing of the body is viewed as one of the available means of gender identification, as well as a way to confirm the subject through the performing of the assigned role of man and woman. Seeing as the performance of a certain role, in this specific case, entails the existence of the subject as event (of a textual) role, the sphere of clothing fashion is in this paper primarily connected to the sphere of representing the subject as member of a gender category. Clothing is viewed as one in a slew of instruments of gender naturalization, in the sense of the power which clothing has for upholding, performing and displaying the stability of gender norms. Hence, this paper will consider always current issues of the existence of established boundaries of male and female fashion, male and female clothing ornaments and colors, as well as socially acceptable male and female forms of clothing.
Jovanka Broz and fashion: The collection of the first lady
Authors: Menković Mirjana
Published: May 2016

The paper showcases a part of the collection of the first lady of SFRY, Jovanka Broz, captured in photographs taken between 1953 and 1980. The issue of the lack of primary sources is considered – the lack of objects and explicit attitudes of the first lady herself, with the goal of offering a methodological approach through which this deficiency could be overcome. The paper uses the method of chronological tracking of political events, trends in the world of fashion and events in the fashion industry, as well as statements by participants and witnesses of certain events. Through comparison of these three aspects, we indirectly arrive at a view of the relationship of Jovanka Broz to clothing and fashion, as well as to a view of the key influences of the first lady’s collection on the fashion choices of the political elite and the fashion industry of SFR Yugoslavia. Jovanka Broz’s public appearance changed over time, from a careful selection of photographs without personal comment, through the recording of statements on formal occasions, to giving interviews to chosen journalists on specific topics – these changes are noted in the paper. It can be concluded that the fashion choices of Jovanka Broz were,  first and foremost, aligned with the protocols demanded by international diplomacy, as well as that Jovanka Broz herself approached this demands with the utmost diligence, as well as personal attitude.
Preparation and characterization of iron-copper binary oxide and its effective removal of antimony(III) from aqueous solution
Authors: Li Yongchao , Geng Bing , Hu Xiaoxian , Ren Bozhi , Hursthouse Andrew S.
Published: May 2016

An Fe-Cu binary oxide was fabricated through a simple co-precipitation process, and was used to remove Sb(III) from aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and N2 adsorption–desorption measurements demonstrated that the Fe-Cu binary oxide consisted of poorly ordered ferrihydrite and CuO, and its specific surface area was higher than both iron oxide and copper oxide. A comparative test indicated that Fe/Cu molar ratio of prepared binary oxide greatly influenced Sb(III) removal and the optimum Fe/Cu molar ratio was about 3/1. Moreover, a maximum adsorption capacity of 209.23 mg Sb(III)/g Fe-Cu binary oxide at pH 5.0 was obtained. The removal of Sb(III) by Fe-Cu binary oxide followed the Freundlich adsorption isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetics in the batch study. The removal of Sb(III) was not sensitive to solution pH. In addition, the release of Fe and Cu ions to water was very low when the pH was greater than 6.0. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the Sb(III) adsorbed on the surface was not oxidized to Sb(V).
Development of Seismic Fragility Functions for a Moment Resisting Reinforced Concrete Framed Structure
Authors: McCrum D. P. , Amato G. , Suhail R.
Published: May 2016

Understanding the seismic vulnerability of building structures is important for seismic engineers, building owners, risk insurers and governments. Seismic vulnerability defines a buildings predisposition to be damaged as a result of an earthquake of a given severity. There are two components to seismic risk; the seismic hazard and the exposure of the structural inventory to any given earthquake event. This paper demonstrates the development of fragility curves at different damage states using a detailed mechanical model of a moment resisting reinforced concrete structure typical of Southern Europe. The mechanical model consists of a complex three-dimensional finite element model of the reinforced concrete moment resisting frame structure and is used to define the damage states through pushover analysis. Fragility curves are also defined using the HAZUS macro-seismic methodology and the Risk-UE macro-seismic methodology. Comparison of the mechanically modelled and HAZUS fragility curve shows good agreement while the Risk-UE methodology shows reasonably poor agreement.
Impulsive Tests on Historical Structures: The Dome of Teatro Massimo in Palermo
Authors: Paola Mario Di , Iacono Francesco Lo , Navarra Giacomo , Pirrotta Antonina
Published: May 2016

Cultural heritage is the set of things, that having particular historical cultural and aesthetic are of public interest and constitute the wealth and civilization of a place and its people. Sharpen up methodologies aimed at safeguarding of monuments is crucial because the future may have in mind the historical past. Italy is a country that has invested heavily on its historical memory returned in large part by the historical building or the monuments. Furthermore, culture represents a fundamental indicator of the growth of the culture of a country. Consider a monitoring project of one of the most Impressive theater in the world, like “Teatro Massimo” in Palermo (Italy), means to add value to both of the issues mentioned above. Among several methods providing useful information about the conservation status of the structures, dynamic monitoring techniques are suitable to check and restore the global behavior of the buildings. The anomalous features diagnosis of the structural dynamic response is an index of alterations of the material state and, in the worst cases, is related to the presence of damaged structural elements. The present paper assesses, through a real investigation, the importance of dynamic tests on historical buildings. In particular impulsive tests return the main structural characteristics describing the current behaviour. Such tests are then crucial for updating numerical evaluation and check the need of restoring original main features or not, suggesting a strategy of restoration as well.
Structural Health Monitoring of Bridges Via Energy Harvesting Sensor Nodes
Authors: Bonessio N. , Zappi P. , Benzoni G. , Rosing T. Simunic , Lomiento G.
Published: May 2016

This paper deals with the application of novel sensing technologies to an existing Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system for bridges. A vibration based SHM algorithm already in use to detect the structural performance degradation of a suspension highway bridge is modified to investigate the feasibility of replacing traditional wired accelerometers with state of the art wireless energy-harvesting sensors. The remodeled SHM algorithm benefits from the sensor nodes’ ability to support automated triggering and data pre-processing. The Random Decrement technique was included in the algorithm as a pre-processing tool to simultaneously reduce noise and amount of stored and transmitted data. Simulations based on available data were used to calibrate the triggering strategy, to verify the effectiveness of the data pre-processing, and to demonstrate power consumption improvements arising from the algorithm modification.
Copper-Coated Roman Coins – Subferrati
Authors: Haubner R. , Strobl S.
Published: May 2016

In the third century AD, replicas of small denomination coins were manufactured in the border areas of the Roman Empire. They are composed of an iron core with a non-ferrous metal layer and are called “Subferrati”. Four roman coins, one of them from Loig, two of them from Enns, and one of them from Magdalensberg, were metallographically prepared and examined in the LOM, SEM-BSE, and by means of XRF.

The non-ferrous metal layers are composed of lead-containing bronzes with segregation structures from a α-copper solid solution, Sn-rich δ-phase, and Pb. Spherically shaped iron inclusions could also be observed in the bronze coating. They can be attributed to the fact that the iron core was dipped in liquid bronze.

The coins' iron cores mainly contain ferrite and little pearlite. Elongated inclusions originate from the iron manufacture in the bloomery furnace and subsequent forging. The Neumann lines are in the ferrite formed during minting. Copper could also be observed on the ferrite grain boundaries (so-called liquid metal embrittlement) which suggests a contact of the liquid non-ferrous metal with the iron core.

Based on the present results, no indications of different mints or other coating methods could be found.
Microwave-Assisted, Metal- and Solvent-Free Synthesis of Diaryl Thioethers from Aryl Halides and Carbon Disulfide in the Presence of [DBUH]+[OAc]−
Authors: Zhou Yongsheng
Published: May 2016

A microwave-assisted direct coupling between aryl halides and carbon disulfide in ionic liquid [DBUH]+[OAc]− (DBU = 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0] undec-7-ene) has been developed. The reactions are very efficient, affording the corresponding diaryl thioethers in moderate to high yields. Aryl chlorides could also be reacted with carbon disulfide using this protocol. Moreover, [DBUH]+[OAc]− could be easily recovered and reused for several runs.
Life-as-Lived Today: Perpetual (Undesired) Liminality of the Half-widows of Kashmir
Authors: DSouza Paul
Published: May 2016

According to Victor Turner, all liminality must eventually dissolve, for it is a state of great intensity that cannot exist very long without some sort of structure to stabilize it. This paper takes his lead and attempts to describe the liminal status of those women, the whereabouts of whose husbands are not known (they are locally referred to as ‘half-widows’) in the conflict zone of Kashmir, India. The article examines the concept of liminality based on life as lived today by these half-widows and shows how the effects of liminality operate in their day to day life, making them extremely vulnerable victims. In this, it is an attempt to expand upon the concept of liminality, originally linked almost exclusively to rites of passage. Furthermore, this paper reflects on the idea of permanent liminality that has been elaborated by sociologist Arpad Szakolczai. The narratives of the half-widows of Kashmir provide an example of how they are trapped in a form of “permanent liminality” far beyond what was initially defined as a “temporal state”.
Generating Recombinant Antibodies to Membrane Proteins through Phage Display
Authors: Huang Renhua , Kiss Margaret , Batonick Melissa , Weiner Michael , Kay Brian
Published: May 2016

One of the most important classes of proteins in terms of drug targets is cell surface membrane proteins, and yet it is a challenging set of proteins for generating high-quality affinity reagents. In this review, we focus on the use of phage libraries, which display antibody fragments, for generating recombinant antibodies to membrane proteins. Such affinity reagents generally have high specificity and affinity for their targets. They have been used for cell staining, for promoting protein crystallization to solve three-dimensional structures, for diagnostics, and for treating diseases as therapeutics. We cover publications on this topic from the past 10 years, with a focus on the various formats of membrane proteins for affinity selection and the diverse affinity selection strategies used. Lastly, we discuss the challenges faced in this field and provide possible directions for future efforts.
On the Use of Benchmarks for Multiple Properties
Authors: Civalleri Bartolomeo , Dovesi Roberto , Pernot Pascal , Presti Davide , Savin Andreas
Published: May 2016

Benchmark calculations provide a large amount of information that can be very useful in assessing the performance of density functional approximations, and for choosing the one to use. In order to condense the information some indicators are provided. However, these indicators might be insufficient and a more careful analysis is needed, as shown by some examples from an existing data set for cubic crystals.
Coordination Networks Based on Boronate and Benzoxaborolate Ligands
Authors: Sene Saad , Pizzoccaro Marie , Vezzani Joris , Reinholdt Marc , Gaveau Philippe , Berthomieu Dorothée , Bégu Sylvie , Gervais Christel , Bonhomme Christian , Renaudin Guillaume , Mesbah Adel , Van der Lee Arie , Smith Mark , Laurencin Danielle
Published: May 2016

Despite the extensive range of investigations on boronic acids (R-B(OH)2), some aspects of their reactivity still need to be explored. This is the case for the coordination chemistry of boronate anions (R-B(OH)3−), which has only recently been started to be studied. The purpose of this review is to summarize some of the key features of boronate ligands (and of their cyclic derivatives, benzoxaborolates) in materials: (i) coordination properties; (ii) spectroscopic signatures; and (iii) emerging applications.
Anti-Windup Load Frequency Controller Design for Multi-Area Power System with Generation Rate Constraint
Authors: Huang Chongxin , Yue Dong , Xie Xiangpeng , Xie Jun
Published: May 2016

To deal with the problem of generation rate constraint (GRC) during load frequency control (LFC) design for a multi-area interconnected power system, this paper proposes an anti-windup controller design method. Firstly, an H ∞ dynamic controller is designed to obtain robust performance of the closed-loop control system in the absence of the GRC. Then, an anti-windup compensator (AWC) is formulated to restrict the magnitude and rate of the control input (namely power increment) in the prescribed ranges so that the operation of generation unit does not exceed the physical constraints. Finally, the anti-windup LFC is tested on the multi-area interconnected power systems, and the simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed LFC design method with GRC.
Data Interoperability of Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) Based Mutational Burden Estimates from Different Laboratories
Authors: Qiu Ping , Pang Ling , Arreaza Gladys , Maguire Maureen , Chang Ken , Marton Matthew , Levitan Diane
Published: May 2016

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which unleash a patient’s own T cells to kill tumors, are revolutionizing cancer treatment. Several independent studies suggest that higher non-synonymous mutational burden assessed by whole exome sequencing (WES) in tumors is associated with improved objective response, durable clinical benefit, and progression-free survival in immune checkpoint inhibitors treatment. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a promising technology being used in the clinic to direct patient treatment. Cancer genome WES poses a unique challenge due to tumor heterogeneity and sequencing artifacts introduced by formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue. In order to evaluate the data interoperability of WES data from different sources to survey tumor mutational landscape, we compared WES data of several tumor/normal matched samples from five commercial vendors. A large data discrepancy was observed from vendors’ self-reported data. Independent data analysis from vendors’ raw NGS data shows that whole exome sequencing data from qualified vendors can be combined and analyzed uniformly to derive comparable quantitative estimates of tumor mutational burden.
Historical Changes of Land Tenure and Land Use Rights in a Local Community: A Case Study in Lao PDR
Authors: Boutthavong Saykham , Hyakumura Kimihiko , Ehara Makoto , Fujiwara Takahiro
Published: May 2016

Land-titling programs, land and forest allocation programs, and projects on state-allocated land for development and investment in Laos have been key drivers of change in land tenure. These have triggered major shifts in land use rights, from customary, to temporary, and then to permanent land use rights. This article explores how government programs to grant land use rights to individual households have affected the way people have been able to acquire and secure land tenure. For our case study, we selected the village of Napo, the target of many land tenure changes in the past four decades. We collected data from district offices, group discussions with village organizations, and interviews with selected households. The study shows how land use rights shifted over time and reveals that households obtained most of their agricultural land and forestland through a claim process. Original households were mainly land claimers, while migrants were land buyers. The process of formalization and allocation of tenure triggered inequality among households. Attention is needed in future land governance and tenure reforms in order to safeguard the land use rights of local people in an equitable manner.
Antimicrobial Nanostructured Bioactive Coating Based on Fe3O4 and Patchouli Oil for Wound Dressing
Authors: Rădulescu Marius , Andronescu Ecaterina , Holban Alina , Vasile Bogdan , Iordache Florin , Mogoantă Laurențiu , Mogoșanu George , Grumezescu Alexandru , Georgescu Mihaela , Chifiriuc Mariana
Published: May 2016

The aim of this study was to develop a biocompatible coating for wound dressings, containing iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with patchouli essential oil in order to obtain improved antimicrobial properties able to prevent biofilm development and consecutive associated infections. The bioactive coating was prepared by the co-precipitation of a precursor in an alkaline solution of patchouli oil. The prepared surface was characterized by XRD (X ray diffraction), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), SAED (selected area diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy). The bioevaluation of the obtained coating consisted in antimicrobial, as well as in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility and biodistribution assays. The obtained coating revealed a strong anti-biofilm activity maintained up to 72 h, as well as a low cytotoxicity on mammalian cells and a good biodistribution after intraperitoneal injection in mice. These results demonstrate the promising potential of the respective coatings for the management of wound infections and for the development of soft materials with improved resistance to microbial colonization.
New Trends on Antineoplastic Therapy Research: Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana Shaw) Oil Nanostructured Systems
Authors: Amaral-Machado Lucas , Xavier-Júnior Francisco , Rutckeviski Renata , Morais Andreza , Alencar Éverton , Dantas Teresa , Cruz Ana , Genre Julieta , Da Silva-Junior Arnóbio , Pedrosa Matheus , Rocha Hugo , Egito Eryvaldo
Published: May 2016

Bullfrog oil is a natural product extracted from the Rana catesbeiana Shaw adipose tissue and used in folk medicine for the treatment of several diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extraction process of bullfrog oil, to develop a suitable topical nanoemulsion and to evaluate its efficacy against melanoma cells. The oil samples were obtained by hot and organic solvent extraction processes and were characterized by titration techniques and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The required hydrophile-lipophile balance and the pseudo-ternary phase diagram (PTPD) were assessed to determine the emulsification ability of the bullfrog oil. The anti-tumoral activity of the samples was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for normal fibroblast (3T3) and melanoma (B16F10) cell lines. Both extraction methods produced yielded around 60% and the oil was mainly composed of unsaturated compounds (around 60%). The bullfrog oil nanoemulsion obtained from PTPD presented a droplet size of about 390 nm and polydispersity = 0.05 and a zeta potential of about −25 mV. Both the bullfrog oil itself and its topical nanoemulsion did not show cytotoxicity in 3T3 linage. However, these systems showed growth inhibition in B16F10 cells. Finally, the bullfrog oil presented itself as a candidate for the development of pharmaceutical products free from cytotoxicity and effective for antineoplastic therapy.