bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a Proposed ASTM Guide to Continued Applicability of Reports on Fire Test Standards
Authors: Earl Timothy T. , Hirschler Marcelo M.
Published: January 2013

Fire test reports provide information relative to the fire-test-response characteristics of a material, product, or assembly at the time when it was tested and to the evaluative approach of the fire test used, including understanding of the fire test that was used. Such fire test reports remain valid for the particular point in time at which the fire test was conducted, as long as the test was conducted in full accordance with the fire test standard referenced in the test report. However, fire test reports may, at some time, cease being applicable to the material, product, or assembly currently being offered for use; for example, if there has been a technical change in the fire test protocol or if there has been a substantial change in the material, product, or assembly being offered for use. The ASTM Committee E05, and subcommittee E05.31 on Terminology and Services/Functions, is considering the development of an ASTM Guide to formalize the above ideas. The draft ASTM guide contains concepts which provide guidance for assessing the continued applicability of fire test reports. The concepts in the draft guide are intended for application by users of fire test reports to assess whether a particular fire test report continues to be an applicable representation of the fire-testresponse characteristics of a material, product, or assembly which is required to be tested for a new assessment using the same fire test standard. The continued applicability of the fire test report will be a function primarily of two issues: (a) whether the material, product or assembly being offered for use is substantially the same as the one that was tested and (b) whether the test method being required is substantially the same as the test that was conducted for the report in question. Some concepts included in the draft guide may be a function of the type of fire test conducted and of the type of material, product, or assembly assessed. The draft guide considers in a separate category materials, products or assemblies listed by an accredited listing agency.
Against Court-Ordered Apologies
Authors: Smith Nick
Published: January 2013

Court-ordered apologies add very little of value to the meanings and functions already present in contemporary legal proceedings and punishments. They also present considerable costs. This article first evaluates Kant’s infamous advocacy for court-ordered apologies as retributive humiliation as well arguments from contemporary Kantians who support court-ordered apologies on somewhat less divisive grounds. It then considers various consequentialist arguments for and against court-ordered apologies. Throughout these discussions clean distinctions between voluntary and involuntary apologies deteriorate. Any value we might derive from court-ordered apologies can probably be better realized through less problematic means.
Links Between Criminal Justice Procedure and Torture: Learning from Russia
Authors: Levina Polina
Published: January 2013

This article aims to establish the causes behind the sense of impunity that pervades the institutions of Russian law enforcement in the context of interrogations in pretrial detention. This sense of impunity is critical, for it creates a climate in which torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment is used as a tool to expedite the investigative process and guarantee the success of the subsequent prosecution. This study argues that impunity for torture by law enforcement officials in Russia is fostered by three discernible factors. First, the Criminal Code inadequately articulates the prohibition of torture. Second, the Code of Criminal Procedure contains substantive shortcomings that create a structure that both incentivizes torture and discourages investigation into allegations of torture. And, third, allegations of ill treatment and torture that are raised during trial trigger no substantive investigative actions. The combined effect of these factors is that the state, in effect, fosters the law enforcement officers’ sense of impunity. This article analyzes these shortcomings through the lens of international human rights law, contributing to the ongoing scholarly inquiry into the relationship between European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence and the domestic law of states within the Council of Europe.
Eucalyptus globulus Leaves Incorporated as Green Manure for Weed Control in Maize
Authors: Puig Carolina G. , Álvarez-Iglesias Lorena , Reigosa Manuel J. , Pedrol Nuria
Published: January 2013

The use of eucalyptus leaves for weed control in maize-based cropping systems is proposed. Aqueous extracts of eucalyptus are known to exert phytotoxicity on many weeds and crops, but there is also experimental evidence of the relative tolerance of maize. Based on in vitro dose-response bioassays of leaf aqueous extracts, we conducted greenhouse pot experiments testing incorporated eucalyptus leaves as green manure. The phytotoxic effects were tested on the germination, establishment and growth of maize and some representative accompanying weeds, in comparison to the PRE herbicide metolachlor. Eucalyptus fresh leaves incorporated into the soil as green manure at 1 and 2% w/w reduced the emergence of the dicot weed species redroot pigweed and black nightshade. After one month of incorporation, both doses reduced aerial biomass >94% two monocot weed species (barnyardgrass + large crabgrass) with respect to the eucalyptus-free pots, and around 80% for the small seeded dicots. Although the aerial biomass of maize was reduced by 33%, the final relative yield of maize biomass with respect to the untreated control increased by 37%. On the assessment of the temporal phytotoxic effects, the reduction of aerial biomass in maize could be overcome by adopting a relay-planting of maize after 12 to 15 days from eucalyptus incorporation. Our results constitute evidence that the incorporation of E. globulus residues to soil could be a feasible practice to reduce the reliance on synthetic herbicides in maize-based cropping systems.
A Trp574to Leu Amino Acid Substitution in the ALS Gene of Annual Bluegrass(Poa annua)Is Associated with Resistance to ALS-Inhibiting Herbicides
Authors: McElroy J. Scott , Flessner Michael L. , Wang Zhuoyu , Dane Fenny , Walker Robert H. , Wehtje Glenn R.
Published: January 2013

Annual bluegrass is commonly controlled by acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides in managed turfgrass. An annual bluegrass population with suspected resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides was collected from Grand National Golf Course in Opelika, AL (GN population). Subsequent testing confirmed resistance of the GN population to foramsulfuron, trifloxysulfuron, bispyribac-sodium (bispyribac), and imazaquin when compared to a susceptible population collected locally at Auburn University (AU population). Sequencing of the ALS gene revealed a point mutation resulting in an amino acid substitution at Trp574. Cloning of the ALS gene surrounding the Trp574region yielded two distinct ALS gene sequences: one producing Trp574and one producing Leu574. Trp574to Leu has been previously correlated with resistance to ALS-inhibiting herbicides. Both AU and GN gene sequences contained other similar silent and missense mutations. This research confirms resistance of annual bluegrass to ALS-inhibiting herbicides with Trp574to Leu amino acid substitution being the most likely mode of resistance based on past literature.
Aminocyclopyrachlor Absorption, Translocation and Metabolism in Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
Authors: Lindenmayer R. Bradley , Nissen Scott J. , Westra Philip P. , Shaner Dale L. , Brunk Galen
Published: January 2013

Field bindweed is extremely susceptible to aminocyclopyrachlor compared to other weed species. Laboratory studies were conducted to determine if absorption, translocation, and metabolism of aminocyclopyrachlor in field bindweed differs from other, less susceptible species. Field bindweed plants were treated with 3.3 kBq14C-aminocyclopyrachlor by spotting a single leaf mid-way up the stem with 10 µl of herbicide solution. Plants were then harvested at set intervals over 192 h after treatment (HAT). Aminocyclopyrachlor absorption reached a maximum of 48.3% of the applied radioactivity by 48 HAT. A translocation pattern of herbicide movement from the treated leaf into other plant tissues emerged, revealing a nearly equal aminocyclopyrachlor distribution between the treated leaf, aboveground tissue, and belowground tissue of 13, 14, and 14% of the applied radioactivity by 192 HAT. Over the time-course, no soluble aminocyclopyrachlor metabolites were observed, but there was an increase in radioactivity recovered bound in the nonsoluble fraction. These results suggest that aminocyclopyrachlor has greater translocation to belowground plant tissue in field bindweed compared with results from other studies with other herbicides and other weed species, which could explain the increased level of control observed in the field. The lack of soluble metabolites also suggests that very little metabolism occurred over the 192 h time course.
Taxonomy of limnic Ostracoda (Crustacea) from the Alagamar Formation, middle–upper Aptian, Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil
Authors: Carmo Dermeval Aparecido Do , Coimbra João Carlos , Whatley Robin Charles , Antonietto Lucas Silveira , De Paiva Citon Raphael Teixeira
Published: January 2013

Fifteen limnic ostracodes species have been recorded in the Alagamar Formation, Potiguar Basin:Cypridea araripensisSilva, 1978a;Cypridea?sp.,Harbinia sinuata(Krömmelbein and Weber, 1971);Harbinia crepatan. sp.,Harbinia dimorphican. sp.,Harbinia altaAntonietto et al., 2012;Paracypria?elongatan. sp.,Ilyocyprimorpha berthoui(Colin and Dépêche, 1997);Ilyocypris? sp.,Brasacypris subovatumn. sp.,Candona? sp.,Theriosynoecum colinin. sp.,T. guzzoin. sp.,T. silvai(Silva, 1978b) diagnosis emended by Do Carmo et al. (2004b); andDarwinula martinsiSilva, 1978c diagnosis emended by Do Carmo et al. (2004b). Nine of these species have also been recorded outside of the Potiguar Basin, either in other Cretaceous basins in Brazil or coeval strata in western Africa. Despite the controversy about dating the local Alagoas Stage and the relatively large range of the ZoneHarbiniaspp. 201–218, the material studied in this paper belongs to the interval corresponding to the well-defined palynological zone coded as P-270, which is mid-upper Aptian in age.
Late Moscovian fusulinids from the “N” Formation (Donets Basin, Ukraine)
Authors: Khodjanyazova Rimma R. , Davydov Vladimir I.
Published: January 2013

A fusulinoidean taxonomic study of the Gurkovo and Kalinovo sections allows us to refine the biostratigraphy of the poorly studied Myachkovian (upper Moscovian) strata of the “N” Formation in the Donets Basin. Three fusulinid biozones,Hemifusulina graciosa–Fusiella spatiosa,Fusulina cylindrica–Fusulinella pseudobocki, andFusulinella?kumpani, are proposed in the interval from the top of Limestone M10to the base of N3, and they are correlated with coeval strata in the historical type area of the Moscow Basin. A total of 33 fusulinid species and subspecies belonging to eight genera are described, including three new species:Hemifusulina gurkovensisn. sp.,Beedeina innaeformisn. sp., andFusulina sosninaen. sp. The main evolutionary trend in fusulinoidean morphology in the late Moscovian is the appearance of massive secondary deposits in the limestone of the “N” Formation.

Specific temporal and distributional patterns of the Middle Pennsylvanian fusulinoidean assemblages indicate variations in sea level stand. Variations are cyclic, with periods ∼600,000–1,000,000 years. AHemifusulina-association indicates the beginning of transgression; the late transgression–high sea level stand is designated by theBeedeina–Neostaffella–Ozawainella–Taitzehoellaassemblage which is successively replaced by the most diverseFusulinella-dominant association, which occupied a progressively shallowing sea.

The similarity of fusulinoidean assemblages in the Moscow and Donets Basins and their cognate evolution trends reveal a connection between both regions at least during Podolskian–Myachkovian time.
Reconstructing Rangea: new discoveries from the Ediacaran of southern Namibia
Authors: Vickers-Rich Patricia , Ivantsov Andrey Yu. , Trusler Peter W. , Narbonne Guy M. , Hall Mike , Wilson Siobhan A. , Greentree Carolyn , Fedonkin Mikhail A. , Elliott David A. , Hoffmann Karl H. , Schneider Gabi I. C.
Published: January 2013

Rangea is the type genus of the Rangeomorpha, an extinct clade near the base of the evolutionary tree of large, complex organisms which prospered during the late Neoproterozoic. It represents an iconic Ediacaran taxon, but the relatively few specimens previously known significantly hindered an accurate reconstruction. Discovery of more than 100 specimens of Rangea in two gutter casts recovered from Farm Aar in southern Namibia significantly expands this data set, and the well preserved internal and external features on these specimens permit new interpretations of Rangea morphology and lifestyle. Internal structures of Rangea consist of a hexaradial axial bulb that passes into an axial stalk extending the length of the fossil. The axial bulb is typically filled with sediment, which becomes increasingly loosely packed and porous distally, with the end of the stalk typically preserved as an empty, cylindrical cone. This length of the axial structure forms the structural foundation for six vanes arranged radially around the axis, with each vane consisting of a bilaminar sheet composed of a repetitive pattern of elements exhibiting at least three orders of self-similar branching. Rangea was probably an epibenthic frond that rested upright on the sea bottom, and all known fossil specimens were transported prior to their final burial in storm deposits.
Diel phosphorus variation and the stoichiometry of ecosystem metabolism in a large spring‐fed river
Authors: Cohen Matthew J. , Kurz Marie J. , Heffernan James B. , Martin Jonathan B. , Douglass Rachel L. , Foster Chad R. , Thomas Ray G.
Published: January 2013

Elemental cycles are coupled directly and indirectly to ecosystem metabolism at multiple time scales. Understanding coupling in lotic ecosystems has recently advanced through simultaneous high‐frequency measurements of multiple solutes. Using hourly in situ measurements of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), specific conductance (SpC), and dissolved oxygen (DO), we estimated phosphorus (P) retention pathways and dynamics in a large (discharge, Q ≈ 7.5 m3/s) spring‐fed river (Ichetucknee River, Florida, USA). Across eight multi‐day deployments, highly regular diel SRP variation of 3–9 μg P/L (mean ∼50 μg P/L) was strongly correlated with DO variation, suggesting photosynthetic control directly via assimilation, and/or indirectly via geochemical reactions. Consistent afternoon SRP maxima and midnight minima suggest peak removal lags gross primary production (GPP) by ∼8 hours. Two overlapping processes were evident, one dominant with maximum removal near midnight, the other smaller with maximum removal near midday. Hourly [Ca] measurements during three 24‐hour deployments showed consistent afternoon minima, suggesting that calcite precipitates as GPP increases pH and mineral saturation state. Resulting P co‐precipitation was modeled using SpC as a [Ca] proxy, yielding a diel P signal adjusted for the primary geochemical retention pathway. P assimilation, the dominant diel signal, was computed by interpolating between daily concentration maxima, both with and without geochemical adjustment, and converting concentration deficits to fluxes using discharge and benthic area. Adjusting for calcite co‐precipitation yielded assimilation rates (13.7 ± 5.8 mg P·m−2·d−1) strongly correlated with GPP, accounting for 72% ± 9% of gross removal, and ecosystem C:P stoichiometry (466 [± 12]:1) consistent with dominant vascular autotrophs (478 [± 24]:1). Without adjusting for co‐precipitation, covariance with GPP was weaker, and C:P implausibly high. Consistent downstream P accumulation, likely from P‐rich porewater seepage, varied across deployments (3–22% of total flux) and co‐varied with discharge and respiration. Asynchronous N and P assimilation may arise from differential timing of protein and ribosome production, with the latter requiring maximal carbohydrate stores and minimal photolytic interference. This study demonstrates direct and indirect coupling of biological, hydrological, and geochemical processes and the utility of high‐resolution time series of multiple solutes for understanding these linkages.
Is Interleukin‐17 Involved in the Interaction Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gingival Inflammation?
Authors: Özçaka Özgün , Buduneli Nurcan , Ceyhan Banu Ozturk , Akcali Aliye , Hannah Victoria , Nile Christopher , Lappin David F.
Published: January 2013

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder of females of reproductive age that impacts their oral and systemic health. The aim of this study is to evaluate interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A), IL‐17F, IL‐17A/F, and IL‐17E (IL‐25) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), saliva, and serum of non‐obese females with PCOS and with either a clinically healthy periodontium or gingivitis.

Methods: Thirty‐one females with PCOS, 30 females with PCOS and gingivitis, and 12 systemically and periodontally healthy females participated in the study. Clinical periodontal measurements, body mass index, and Ferriman‐Gallwey score (FGS) (a measure of hirsutism in females) were recorded. Circulating levels of sex hormones, cortisol, and insulin were also determined. Levels of IL‐17 cytokines were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The general linear model multivariate analysis, adjusting for age or plaque index, showed that the two groups with PCOS had higher concentrations of IL‐17A, IL‐17F, and IL‐17A/F in serum and higher levels of IL‐17A and IL‐17F in GCF and saliva but lower serum IL‐17E than systemically healthy females. Levels of IL‐17E were lowest in females with PCOS and gingivitis who also had the highest FGS. Serum IL‐17A and IL‐17F levels correlated positively with FGS and periodontal probing depth (all ρ >0.33; P <0.005). Serum IL‐17E showed the reverse relationship and also correlated negatively with IL‐17A (ρ >−0.28; P <0.05).

Conclusions: IL‐17 levels are altered in non‐obese females with PCOS and may influence gingival inflammation. Additional studies are warranted to clarify the relationship between PCOS and gingivitis.
Cancer Incidence in a Cohort of Swedish Chimney Sweeps, 1958–2006
Authors: Hogstedt Christer , Jansson Catarina , Hugosson Marcus , Tinnerberg Håkan , Gustavsson Per
Published: January 2013

Objectives. We examined cancer incidence in an expanded cohort of Swedish chimney sweeps.

Methods. We added male chimney sweep trade union members (1981–2006) to an earlier cohort (employed 1918–1980) and linked them to nationwide registers of cancer, causes of deaths, and total population. The total cohort (n = 6320) was followed from 1958 through 2006. We estimated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) using the male Swedish population as reference. We estimated exposure as years of employment and analyzed for exposure–response associations by Poisson regression.

Results. A total of 813 primary cancers were observed versus 626 expected (SIR = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 1.21, 1.39). As in a previous follow-up, SIRs were significantly increased for cancer of the esophagus, liver, lung, bladder, and all hematopoietic cancer. New findings included significantly elevated SIRs for cancer of the colon, pleura, adenocarcinoma of the lung, and at unspecified sites. Total cancer and bladder cancer demonstrated positive exposure–response associations.

Conclusions. Exposure to soot and asbestos are likely causes of the observed cancer excesses, with contributions from adverse lifestyle factors. Preventive actions to control work exposures and promote healthier lifestyles are an important priority.
Public Support for Mandated Nicotine Reduction in Cigarettes
Authors: Pearson Jennifer L. , Abrams David B. , Niaura Raymond S. , Richardson Amanda , Vallone Donna M.
Published: January 2013

Objectives. We assessed public support for a potential Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–mandated reduction in cigarette nicotine content.

Methods. We used nationally representative data from a June 2010 cross-sectional survey of US adults (n = 2649) to obtain weighted point estimates and correlates of support for mandated nicotine reduction. We also assessed the potential role of political ideology in support of FDA regulation of nicotine.

Results. Nearly 50% of the public supported mandated cigarette nicotine reduction, with another 28% having no strong opinion concerning this potential FDA regulation. Support for nicotine reduction was highest among Hispanics, African Americans, and those with less than a high school education. Among smokers, the odds of supporting FDA nicotine regulation were 2.77 times higher among smokers who intended to quit in the next 6 months than among those with no plans to quit.

Conclusions. Mandating nicotine reduction in cigarettes to nonaddictive levels may reduce youth initiation and facilitate adult cessation. The reasons behind nicotine regulation need to be communicated to the public to preempt tobacco industry efforts to impede such a regulation.
Radon, Smoking, and Lung Cancer: The Need to Refocus Radon Control Policy
Authors: Lantz Paula M. , Mendez David , Philbert Martin A.
Published: January 2013

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the risk is significantly higher for smokers than for nonsmokers. More than 85% of radon-induced lung cancer deaths are among smokers. The most powerful approach for reducing the public health burden of radon is shaped by 2 overarching principles: public communication efforts that promote residential radon testing and remediation will be the most cost effective if they are primarily directed at current and former smokers; and focusing on smoking prevention and cessation is the optimal strategy for reducing radon-induced lung cancer in terms of both public health gains and economic efficiency. Tobacco control policy is the most promising route to the public health goals of radon control policy.
Expanding the Physician’s Role in Addressing the Oral Health of Adults
Authors: Cohen Leonard A.
Published: January 2013

Many disadvantaged adults visit physicians or hospital emergency departments to receive relief from dental pain. Physicians also see patients with general questions or concerns about their oral health. Unfortunately, because physicians generally have received little oral health training, patients often do not receive comprehensive emergency services or appropriate counseling.

This situation has begun to change, as there has been a growing sentiment among the dental and medical communities that better integration and coordination between medicine and dentistry would be beneficial. Reports from the Institute of Medicine and professional associations and foundations reflect the need for better integration.

I have outlined the rationale for and progress toward expanding the physician’s role in addressing the oral health of adults.
Gender-Stratified Models to Examine the Relationship Between Financial Hardship and Self-Reported Oral Health for Older US Men and Women
Authors: Chi Donald L. , Tucker-Seeley Reginald
Published: January 2013

Objectives. We evaluated the relationship between financial hardship and self-reported oral health for older men and women.

Methods. We focused on adults in the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (n = 1359). The predictor variables were 4 financial hardship indicators. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the prevalence ratio of poor self-reported oral health.

Results. In the non–gender-stratified model, number of financial hardships was not significantly associated with self-reported oral health. Food insecurity was associated with a 12% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04, 1.21). In the gender-stratified models, women with 3 or more financial hardships had a 24% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health than women with zero (95% CI = 1.09, 1.40). Number of hardships was not associated with self-reported oral health for men. For men, skipping medications was associated with 50% lower prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% CI = 0.32, 0.76).

Conclusions. Number of financial hardships was differentially associated with self-reported oral health for older men and women. Most financial hardship indicators affected both genders similarly. Future interventions to improve vulnerable older adults’ oral health should account for gender-based heterogeneity in financial hardship experiences.
Growing Older With HIV/AIDS: New Public Health Challenges
Authors: Cahill Sean , Valadéz Robert
Published: January 2013

At present, the health care infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle the unique treatment and care needs of HIV-positive older adults.

The long-term effects of antiretroviral use are still being discovered and have been associated with a number of comorbidities. Stigma presents challenges for those in need of services and health care, and can significantly affect mental health and treatment adherence.

The training of elder service providers and health care providers in meeting the needs of HIV-positive older adults, including gay and transgender people, is needed as the population ages. HIV-related and antigay stigma should be challenged by social marketing campaigns. Continued research and key policy changes could greatly improve health outcomes for HIV-positive elderly persons by increasing access to treatment and support.
General Strategy for Stability Testing and Phase-Split Calculation in Two and Three Phases
Authors: Li Zhidong , Firoozabadi Abbas
Published: January 2013

Efficient and robust phase equilibrium computation has become a prerequisite for successful large-scale compositional reservoir simulation. When knowledge of the number of phases is not available, the ideal strategy for phase-split calculation is the use of stability testing. Stability testing not only establishes whether a given state is stable, but also provides good initial guess for phase-split calculation. In this research, we present a general strategy for two- and three-phase split calculations based on reliable stability testing. Our strategy includes the introduction of systematic initialization of stability testing particularly for liquid/liquid and vapor/liquid/liquid equilibria. Powerful features of the strategy are extensively tested by examples including calculation of complicated phase envelopes of hydrocarbon fluids mixed with CO2 in single-, two-, and three-phase regions.
Static and Dynamic Estimates of CO2-Storage Capacity in Two Saline Formations in the UK
Authors: Jin M.. , Pickup G.. , Mackay E.. , Todd A.. , Sohrabi M.. , Monaghan A.. , Naylor M..
Published: January 2013

Estimation of carbon dioxide (CO2)-storage capacity is a key step in the appraisal of CO2-storage sites. Different calculation methods may lead to widely diverging values. The compressibility method is a commonly used static method for estimating storage capacity of saline aquifers: It is simple, is easy to use, and requires a minimum of input data. Alternatively, a numerical reservoir simulation provides a dynamic method that includes Darcy flow calculations. More input data are required for dynamic simulation, and it is more computationally intensive, but it takes into account migration pathways and dissolution effects, so it is generally more accurate and more useful. For example, the CO2-migration plume may be used to identify appropriate monitoring techniques, and the analysis of the trapping mechanism for a certain site will help to optimize well location and the injection plan.

Two hypothetical saline-aquifer storage sites in the UK, one in Lincolnshire and the other in the Firth of Forth, were analyzed. The Lincolnshire site has a comparatively simple geology, while the Forth site has a more complex geology. For each site, both static- and dynamic-capacity calculations were performed. In the static method, CO2 was injected until the average pressure reached a critical value. In the migration-monitoring case, CO2 was injected for 15 years, and was followed by a closure period lasting thousands of years. The fraction of dissolved CO2 and the fraction immobilized by pore-scale trapping were calculated.

The results of both geological systems show that the migration of CO2 is strongly influenced by the local heterogeneity. The calculated storage efficiency for the Lincolnshire site varied between 0.34% and 0.65% of the total pore-volume, depending on whether the system boundaries were considered open or closed. Simulation of the deeper, more complex Forth geological system gave storage capacities as high as 1.05%.

This work was part of the CO2-Aquifer-Storage Site Evaluation and Monitoring (CASSEM) integrated study to derive methodologies for assessment of CO2 storage in saline formations. Although static estimates are useful for initial assessment when fewer data are available, we demonstrate the value of performing dynamic storage calculations and the opportunities to identify mechanisms for optimizing the storage capacity.
A Multiscale Adaptive Local-Global Method for Modeling Flow in Stratigraphically Complex Reservoirs
Authors: Alpak Faruk O. , Pal Mayur , Lie Knut-Andreas
Published: January 2013

A robust and efficient simulation technique is developed on the basis of the extension of the mimetic finite-difference method (MFDM) to multiscale hierarchical-hexahedral (corner-point) grids by use of the multiscale mixed finite-element method (MsMFEM). The implementation of the mimetic subgrid-discretization method is compact and generic for a large class of grids and, thereby, is suitable for discretizations of reservoir models with complex geologic architecture. Flow equations are solved on a coarse grid where basis functions with subgrid resolution account accurately for subscale variations from an underlying fine-scale geomodel. The method relies on the construction of approximate velocity spaces that are adaptive to the local properties of the differential operator. A variant of the method for computing velocity basis functions is developed that uses an adaptive local-global (ALG) algorithm to compute multiscale velocity basis functions by capturing the principal characteristics of global flow. Both local and local-global methods generate subgrid-scale velocity fields that reproduce the impact of fine-scale stratigraphic architecture. By using multiscale basis functions to discretize the flow equations on a coarse grid, one can retain the efficiency of an upscaling method, while at the same time produce detailed and conservative velocity fields on the underlying fine grid.

The accuracy and efficacy of the multiscale method is compared with those of fine-scale models and of coarse-scale models with no subgrid treatment for several two-phase-flow scenarios. Numerical experiments involving two-phase incompressible flow and transport phenomena are carried out on high-resolution corner-point grids that represent explicitly example stratigraphic architectures found in real-life shallow-marine and turbidite reservoirs. The multiscale method is several times faster than the direct solution of the fine-scale problem and yields more accurate solutions than coarse-scale modeling techniques that resort to explicit effective properties. The accuracy of the multiscale simulation method with ALG-velocity basis functions is compared with that of the local velocity basis functions. The multiscale simulation results are consistently more accurate when the local-global method is employed for computing the velocity basis functions.
Lessons Learned From Applications of a New Organic-Oil-Recovery Method That Activates Resident Microbes
Authors: Zahner R.L.. L. , Tapper S.J.. J. , Marcotte B.W.G.. W.G. , Govreau B.R.. R.
Published: January 2013

Using a breakthrough process, which does not require microbes to be injected, more than 100 microbial enhanced-oil-recovery (MEOR) treatments were conducted from 2007 to the end of 2010 in oil-producing and water-injection wells in the United States and Canada. On average, these treatments increased oil production by 122%, with an 89% success rate. This paper reviews the MEOR process, reviews the results of the first 100+ treatments, and shares what has been learned from this work.

Observations and conclusions include the following:

Screening reservoirs is critical to success. Identifying reservoirs where appropriate microbes are present and oil is movable is the key. MEOR can be applied to a wide range of oil gravities. MEOR has been applied successfully to reservoirs with oil gravity as high as 41° API and as low as 16° API. When microbial growth is appropriately controlled, reservoir plugging or formation damage is no longer a risk. Microbes reside in extreme conditions and can be manipulated to perform valuable in-situ "work." MEOR has been applied successfully at reservoir temperatures as high as 200°F and salinities as high as 140,000 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS). MEOR can be applied successfully in dual-porosity reservoirs. A side benefit of applying MEOR is that it can reduce reservoir souring. An oil response is not always observed when treating producing wells.

MEOR can be applied to many more reservoirs than thought originallys with little downside risk. This review of more than 100 MEOR well treatments expands the types of reservoirs in which MEOR can be applied successfully. Low-risk and economically attractive treatments can be accomplished when appropriate scientific analysis and laboratory screening are performed before treatments.
Nanoparticle and Microparticle Flow in Porous and Fractured Media— An Experimental Study
Authors: Alaskar Mohammed , Ames Morgan , Connor Stephen , Liu Chong , Cui Yi , Li Kewen , Horne Roland
Published: January 2013

The goal of this research was to develop methods for acquiring reservoir pressure and temperature data near the wellbore and farther out into the formation and to correlate such information to fracture connectivity and geometry. Existing reservoir-characterization tools allow pressure and temperature to be measured only at the wellbore. The development of temperature- and pressuresensitive nanosensors will enable in-situ measurements within the reservoir. This paper provides the details of the experimental work performed in the process of developing temperature nanosensors. The study investigated the parameters involved in the mobility of nanoparticles through porous and fractured media. These parameters include particle size or size distribution, shape, and surface charge or affinity to rock materials.

The principal findings of this study were that spherically shaped nanoparticles of a certain size and surface charge compatible with that expected in formation rock are most likely to be transported successfully, without being trapped because of physical straining, chemical, or electrostatic effects. We found that tin-bismuth (Sn-Bi) nanoparticles of 200 nm and smaller were transported through Berea sandstone. Larger particles were trapped at the inlet of the core, indicating that there was an optimum particle size range. We also found that the entrapment of silver (Ag) nanowires was primarily because of their shape. This conclusion was supported by the recovery of the spherical Ag nanoparticles with the same surface characteristics through the same porous media used during the Ag nanowires injection. The entrapment of hematite nanorice was attributed to its affinity to the porous matrix caused by surface charge. The hematite coated with surfactant (which modified its surface charge to one compatible with flow media) flowed through the glass beads, emphasizing the importance of particle surface charge.

Preliminary investigation of the flow mechanism of nanoparticles through a naturally fractured greywacke core was conducted by injecting fluorescent silica microspheres. We found that silica microspheres of different sizes (smaller than the fracture opening) could be transported through the fracture. We demonstrated the possibility of using microspheres to estimate fracture aperture by injecting a polydisperse microsphere sample. It was observed that only spheres of 20 μm and smaller were transported. This result agreed reasonably well with the measurement of hydraulic fracture aperture (27 μm), as determined by the cubic law.
Colorado Drill-Cuttings-Injection Pilot Results
Authors: Kunze Kenneth R. , Romero Edgar E. , Duck Steven
Published: January 2013

From December 2007 through April 2011, the operator conducted a two-phase drill-cuttings-injection pilot at the Piceance field in western Colorado to reduce the environmental footprint of drilling operations. This was the first subsurface injection of drill cuttings in Colorado, and it used a lost-circulation zone in the Wasatch G formation as the injection interval.

The first phase of the pilot was to assess the technical feasibility and formation response to injection. During this phase, water-based mud and drill cuttings from four wells were injected into a fifth well that was temporarily suspended at the intermediate casing and perforated in the Wasatch G formation. More than 40,000 bbl of fluid was injected during vacuum conditions with confirmed confinement to the target zone.

On the basis of the injection results, the pilot progressed to a second phase to assess the logistical requirements of transporting cuttings from multiple drilling locations to a central processing-and-injection site. The injection well selected had experienced lost returns in the Wasatch G when originally drilled and was completed as a dedicated injector. The pilot processed cuttings from three active rigs, and it demonstrated the capacity to process cuttings from more than six rigs.

The operator proved injection as a technically feasible option for drilling-waste disposal during full-field development at Piceance.
Special Considerations in the Design Optimization of the Production Casing in High-Rate, Multistage-Fractured Shale Wells
Authors: Sugden C.. , Johnson J.. , Chambers M.. , Ring G.. , Suryanarayana P.V.. V.
Published: January 2013

Typical shale well completions involve massive, multistage fracturing in horizontal wells. Aggressive trajectories (with up to 20°/ 100 ft doglegs), multistage high-rate fracturing (up to 20 stages, 100 bbl/min), and increasing temperature and pressure of shale reservoirs result in large thermal and bending stresses that are critical in the design of production casing. In addition, when cement voids are present and the production casing is not restrained during fracturing, thermal effects can result in magnified load conditions. The resulting loads can be well in excess of those deemed allowable by regular casing design techniques. These loads are often ignored in standard well design, exposing casing to the risk of failure during multistage fracturing.

In this work, the major factors influencing normal and special loads on production casing in shale wells are discussed. A method for optimization of shale well production casing design is then introduced. The constraints on the applicability of different design options are discussed. Load-magnification effects of cement voids are described, and a method for their evaluation is developed. Thermal effects during cooling are shown to create both bending stress magnification and annular pressure reduction caused by fluid contraction in trapped cement voids. This can result in significant loads and new modes of failure that must be considered in design. The performance of connections under these loads is also discussed. Examples are provided to illustrate the key concepts described. Finally, acceptable design options for shale well production casing are discussed.

The results presented here are expected to improve the reliability of shale well designs. They provide operators with insight into load effects that must be considered in the design of production casing for such wells. By understanding the causes and magnitude of load-augmentation effects, operators can manage their design and practices to ensure well integrity.
Surfactant-Mediated Spontaneous Imbibition in Carbonate Rocks at Harsh Reservoir Conditions
Authors: Chen Peila , Mohanty Kishore K.
Published: January 2013

The goal of this work was to pursue strategies to improve oil recovery in highly fractured carbonate reservoirs by altering the wettability from oil-wet to preferentially water-wet at high temperature (100°C or above), high salinity, and especially in high hardness environments. Cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants were investigated for their compatibility with hard brine at a high temperature. Sequestration agents were added to improve aqueous solubility. The performance of surfactant formulations was evaluated by measuring contact angles on calcite plates and spontaneous imbibition in originally oil-wet dolomite cores. Cationic surfactants altered the wettability of oil-aged calcite plates toward a more water-wet state in the presence of hard brines; oil recovery by spontaneous imbibition from dolomite cores was 50 to 65% of original oil in place (OOIP). Anionic surfactant formulations changed the carbonate wettability to strongly water-wet only when the brine salinity and divalent-ion concentration were reduced. The wettability could be altered in hard brines if a sequestration agent [e.g., ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)] is added to anionic surfactant formulations; up to 45% of OOIP was recovered by spontaneous imbibition. EDTA provides alkalinity, saponification, chelation of divalent ions, and dissolution of dolomite, which may contribute to the increase of imbibition rate and ultimate oil recovery in fractured carbonates.
Multiple Foam States and Long-Distance Foam Propagation in Porous Media
Authors: Ashoori E.. , Marchesin D.. , Rossen W.R.. R.
Published: January 2013

Creation of low-mobility foam for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is triggered by an increase in superficial velocity; thereafter, injection rate can be reduced to lower values, and strong foam remains at velocities at which weak foam was previously observed. Here, we consider whether strong foam created near an injection well can propagate to large distances from the well where superficial velocity is much smaller. We study strong-foam propagation with finite-difference simulations and Riemann solutions, applying a population-balance foam model that represents the multiple steady states of foam.

Our simulations show that strong foam cannot displace directly the initial high-water-saturation bank initially in the reservoir at low superficial velocities; it pushes a weak-foam state with lower velocity that in turn displaces the bank ahead. Our traveling-wave solutions show that strong foam propagates more slowly as superficial velocity decreases and stops propagating at yet lower superficial velocities, in agreement with the experiment. Failure of propagation occurs at superficial velocities greater than that at which the strong-foam state disappears; it raises concerns for long-distance propagation of strong foam created near the injection well. In the context of the model, it is not extraordinary destruction of foam at the front that slows the propagation of strong foam, but failure of foam (re-)generation at the front. Our model also represents for the first time a process where strong foam is created near the exit of a core and then propagates upstream, as seen in some experiments.
Single-Phase Inflow Performance Relationship for Horizontal, Pinnate-Branch Horizontal, and Radial-Branch Wells
Authors: Liu Huiqing , Wang Jing , Zheng Jian , Zhang Ying
Published: January 2013

Horizontal and multibranch wells are likely to become the major means of modern exploitation strategies; inflow performances for these wells are needed. Because this paper considers the finite conductivity of a horizontal well, it establishes the inflow performance relationships (IPRs) for different branch configurations of horizontal wells. We find that the IPR of a horizontal well presents nonlinear characteristics and is similar to Vogel's equation, which has been used extensively and successfully for analyzing the IPR of a vertical well in a solution-gas-drive reservoir. Instead of the effect of a two-phase (oil and gas) flow in a reservoir described by Vogel's equation, the nonlinear characteristics of horizontal wells are mainly the result of pressure drops caused by friction, acceleration, and gravity along the horizontal wellbore. The nonlinearity coefficient presents the pressure drop along the major branch, and it is a function of major-wellbore length, major-wellbore diameter, oil viscosity, and relative roughness. Then, the horizontal-well IPR is used to study the performance of the pinnate-branch horizontal well and the radial-branch (horizontal lateral) well. The branch number, branch length, major-wellbore length, major-wellbore diameter, oil viscosity, and relative roughness are combined into grouped parameters to present the effect on the deliverability incremental ratio JH and the nonlinearity coefficient ratio Rv of the pinnate-branch horizontal well to the conventional horizontal well, which show regression relationships with the grouped parameters for pinnate-branch horizontal wells. In addition, another binomial relationship between the deliverability incremental ratio JV and the grouped parameter combined by branch number, branch length, and equivalent oil drainage diameter is obtained for radial-branch (horizontal lateral) wells. The new IPR also covers conventional horizontal wells and vertical wells (with no branch) because the deliverability incremental ratios JH and JV in both cases are unity. The IPR is very valuable for calculating the productivity of horizontal wells, pinnate-branch horizontal wells, and radial-branch wells.
Visual Design Principles: An Empirical Study of Design Lore
Authors: Kimball Miles A.
Published: January 2013

Many books, designers, and design educators talk about visual design principles such as balance, contrast, and alignment, but with little consistency. This study uses empirical methods to explore the lore surrounding design principles. The study took the form of two stages: a quantitative literature review to determine what design principles are mentioned most often in discourse on design, and a card sorting exercise to explore the relationships designers, design educators, and design students saw among the most common design principles. Along with the card sorting exercise, I used pre- and post-exercise surveys to gauge how participants felt and thought about design principles and their use in design practice.
Learning the Communication Lessons of the Port-Au-Prince Earthquake Relief Effort
Authors: Varvas Serena , McKenna Bernard
Published: January 2013

This article examines communication management issues of emergency aid following natural disasters. Ten aid workers involved in the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake relief were interviewed and surveyed while they were still “in the field” to determine their understanding of the role of communication in the relief effort. The analysis was framed using the three-stage process (pre-disaster, response, post-disaster). Analysis of their responses showed that there are still chronic problems in each of the stages. The importance of enhancing communication elements in the pre-disaster phase was a strong finding. In the response stage, the differential role of various media, including old technologies in poor regions, emerged as an issue. Organizational factors such as high staff turnover were also seen as negatively affecting communication efficacy. An important finding about the post-disaster stage is the importance of debriefing.