bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Use of rCBV as a Tumor Grade and Treatment Response Classifier Across NCI Quantitative Imaging Network Sites: Part II of the DSC-MRI Digital Reference Object (DRO) Challenge
Authors: Bell Laura C. , Semmineh Natenael , An Hongyu , Eldeniz Cihat , Wahl Richard , Schmainda Kathleen M. , Prah Melissa A. , Erickson Bradley J. , Korfiatis Panagiotis , Wu Chengyue , Sorace Anna G. , Yankeelov Thomas E. , Rutledge Neal , Chenevert Thomas L. , Malyarenko Dariya , Liu Yichu , Brenner Andrew , Hu Leland S. , Zhou Yuxiang , Boxerman Jerrold L. , Yen Yi-Fen , Kalpathy-Cramer Jayashree , Beers Andrew L. , Muzi Mark , Madhuranthakam Ananth J. , Pinho Marco , Johnson Brian , Quarles C. Chad
Published: June 2020

We have previously characterized the reproducibility of brain tumor relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) using a dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging digital reference object across 12 sites using a range of imaging protocols and software platforms. As expected, reproducibility was highest when imaging protocols and software were consistent, but decreased when they were variable. Our goal in this study was to determine the impact of rCBV reproducibility for tumor grade and treatment response classification. We found that varying imaging protocols and software platforms produced a range of optimal thresholds for both tumor grading and treatment response, but the performance of these thresholds was similar. These findings further underscore the importance of standardizing acquisition and analysis protocols across sites and software benchmarking.
Tumor Sphericity Predicts Response in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Invasive Breast Cancer
Authors: Li Wen , Newitt David C. , La Yun Bo , Jones Ella F. , Arasu Vignesh , Wilmes Lisa J. , Gibbs Jessica , Nguyen Alex Anh-Tu , Onishi Natsuko , Kornak John , Joe Bonnie N. , Esserman Laura J. , Hylton Nola M.
Published: June 2020

This retrospective study examined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–derived tumor sphericity (SPH) as a quantitative measure of breast tumor morphology, and investigated the association between SPH and reader-assessed morphological pattern (MP). In addition, association of SPH with pathologic complete response was evaluated in patients enrolled in an adaptively randomized clinical trial designed to rapidly identify new agents for breast cancer. All patients underwent MRI examinations at multiple time points during the treatment. SPH values from pretreatment (T0) and early-treatment (T1) were investigated in this study. MP on T0 dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was ranked from 1 to 5 in 220 patients. Mean SPH values decreased with the increased order of MP. SPH was higher in patients with pathologic complete response than in patients without (difference at T0: 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02–0.05, P < .001; difference at T1: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02–0.04, P < .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was estimated as 0.61 (95% CI, 0.57–0.65) at T0 and 0.58 (95% CI, 0.55–0.62) at T1. When the analysis was performed by cancer subtype defined by hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were observed in HR−/HER2+: 0.67 (95% CI, 0.54–0.80) at T0, and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.51–0.76) at T1. Tumor SPH showed promise to quantify MRI MPs and as a biomarker for predicting treatment outcome at pre- or early-treatment time points.
Radiomics Prediction of EGFR Status in Lung Cancer—Our Experience in Using Multiple Feature Extractors and The Cancer Imaging Archive Data
Authors: Lu Lin , Sun Shawn H. , Yang Hao , E Linning , Guo Pingzhen , Schwartz Lawrence H. , Zhao Binsheng
Published: June 2020

We investigated the performance of multiple radiomics feature extractors/software on predicting epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status in 228 patients with non–small cell lung cancer from publicly available data sets in The Cancer Imaging Archive. The imaging and clinical data were split into training (n = 105) and validation cohorts (n = 123). Two of the most cited open-source feature extractors, IBEX (1563 features) and Pyradiomics (1319 features), and our in-house software, Columbia Image Feature Extractor (CIFE) (1160 features), were used to extract radiomics features. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed sequentially to predict EGFR mutation status using each individual feature extractor. Our univariate analysis integrated an unsupervised clustering method to identify nonredundant and informative candidate features for the creation of prediction models by multivariate analyses. In training, unsupervised clustering-based univariate analysis identified 5, 6, and 4 features from IBEX, Pyradiomics, and CIFE as candidate features, respectively. Multivariate prediction models using these features from IBEX, Pyradiomics, and CIFE yielded similar areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.68, 0.67, and 0.69. However, in validation, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of multivariate prediction models from IBEX, Pyradiomics, and CIFE decreased to 0.54, 0.56 and 0.64, respectively. Different feature extractors select different radiomics features, which leads to prediction models with varying performance. However, correlation between those selected features from different extractors may indicate these features measure similar imaging phenotypes associated with similar biological characteristics. Overall, attention should be paid to the generalizability of individual radiomics features and radiomics prediction models.
A New Egyptian Validation Tool for Measuring Quality of Nursing Care Using the CQ Index
Authors: Aly Nagah Abd El-Fattah Mohamed , El-Shanawany Safaa Moustafa
Published: June 2020

Background and Purpose

Measuring and monitoring the quality of nursing care are essential for improving quality of nursing care and safety. This study aimed to develop an Egyptian validation tool for measuring the quality of nursing care from the perspectives of patients based on consumer quality index and describe the aspects of quality of nursing care that need improvement.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive survey using Consumer quality index questionnaire of nursing care aspects was carried on 400 patients.

Results

44 attributes of care were extracted into nine dimensions accounting for 70.4% of the total variance. The majority of nursing care aspects needed moderate levels of quality improvement.

Conclusions

A valid and reliable Egyptian tool was developed for measuring the quality of nursing care built upon consumer quality index.
Kerkorde en Leer en Aktuele Sake: NG Kerkorde Artikel 56 in Perspektief
Authors: Strauss Pieter Johannes
Published: June 2020

Church order, doctrine and current affairs: a perspective on the church order article 56 of the Dutch Reformed Church

In 1982 at the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church of that year, a new article 56 was added to its church order. This article stipulated that the church, through its assemblies and other work, strives to stimulate views in church and society that depart from Scripture. The Dutch Reformed Church wants to see such an approach in doctrinal, current and ethical affairs. The Dutch Reformed Church is part of the South and Southern African society and wants to influence these affairs to be handled according to the Bible. The same Synod referred to the Bible as a God-given document which sheds light on life as a whole and has an in-principle influence on the whole of society and the total existence of every believer.

In approaching this calling and task, the Dutch Reformed Church opted to do it in an ecclesiastical way. It believes that creation as a whole is a unity in which everything can have an effect on any other thing. Every matter in society and creation can develop an ecclesiastical aspect for the church to act on in an ecclesiastical way. This article shows examples of this in the Dutch Reformed Church.
Postural control in children: Effect of discrete manipulation of visual information
Authors: Toledo Diana R. , Rinaldi Natália M. , Barela José A.
Published: June 2020

Postural control developmental changes are observed throughout the first decade of life.These changes are in behavioral performance as well in how to integrate sensory information into motor activity.Despite all the efforts to uncover the mechanisms and processes underlying these changes, it is not clear yet when children integrate sensory information related to postural control similarly to adults.Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of visual manipulation on body oscillation in children. Ten eight-year old, ten twelve-year old children and eight adults were asked to maintain the upright stance inside a moving room that oscillated discretely back or forward.Participant trunk’s sway and moving room displacement, in the anterior-posterior, direction were obtained through IRED markers.Dependent variables were mean sway amplitude and body displacement due to the movement of the moving room.Results revealed that young children oscillated more than older children and adults. Similar results were observed as a consequence of visual manipulation; with young children being more affected and displaying larger body sway than older children and adults.These findings suggest that postural control is not fully developed even at age of eight years and that children at this age still may have difficulties in solving sensory conflicting situations.
Testicular Tuberculosis in an HIV Positive Patient Co-infection with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Mimicking Malignancy: A Case Report
Authors: Purnomo Wahyu Agung , Kusmiati Tutik , Soedarsono Soedarsono
Published: June 2020

Background: Extrapulmonary involvement can be seen in more than 50% of patients with concurrent HIV and tuberculosis (TB). Approximately 7% of those are presented as a rare case, namely testicular TB, with scrotal mass as common clinical manifestation. Testicular TB should be a different diagnosis, especially in areas with a high prevalence rate for TB.Case: A 24-year-old male with HIV positive co-infection with pulmonary TB presented with a progressively increasing painless right testicular swelling of 1-month duration. History of chronic cough was complained, accompanied by loss of appetite and decrease of body weight. There was no history of testicular traumatic accident before. Genital examination was right testicular mass measuring 7cm x 4cm and depletion of right side scrotal skin with pus and necrotic tissue. He had right orchidectomy by an urologist in a private hospital; then an anatomical pathology was examined. The result of the microscopic evaluation showed granuloma inflammation process typical for orchitis tuberculosis. The patient was reactive for HIV and had Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detected, Rifampicin resistant not recognized as the result of Gene Xpert MTB/RIF assay.Conclusion: Although a rare case, testicular TB should be a different diagnosis when there is a patient with HIV positive concurrent pulmonary TB with scrotal mass as clinical manifestation, especially in areas with a high prevalence rate for TB.
Tuberculosis Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Soedarsono Soedarsono , Riadi Agustinus Rizki Wirawan
Published: June 2020

Effective tuberculosis (TB) treatment requires a combination of bactericidal and/or bacteriostatic TB drugs. The combination of these regimens is the standard therapy recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). The standard therapy consists of 5 first-line anti-TB drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, and streptomycin). TB drugs have mild to severe side effects. Side effects that arise not only cause mortality and morbidity but also cause the cessation of treatment with the effect of not achieving cure, even arising drug resistance. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a form of side effect that causes the cessation of TB treatment or regimen changes due to treatment failure, relapse, and drug resistance. DILI increases the problem, covering more than 7% of all side effects. DILI is also one of the concerns in the treatment of TB.
SAFETY LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTIC OF SUPERVISOR PRODUCTION DIVISION AT PT. BCD
Authors: Prihatiningsih Septyani
Published: June 2020

Background: Work related accidents are one of the main focused and indicators of the successful implementation of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) aspects in Indonesia. One of the causes of accidents is the worst implementation and supervision of OHS. Based on some research that has done, safety leadership is solution to improve OHS performance and reduce the number of work related accidents. PT. BCD is one of paper manufacturing company in Indonesia that using high-tech machinery and involving many workers who possibly increase risk of work related accidents. Objective: Aims of this to identify safety leadership characteristics of supervisors Production Division at PT. BCD Method: This study uses descriptive qualitative research methods on supervisors in the Production Division of PT. BCD, one of paper manufacturing company in Karawang, West Java Province. Results: It has found that the characteristics of good safety leadership applied by the supervisor production division of PT. BCD is an element of commitment to OHS and communication. While the element of safety leadership characteristics that not well implemented, reflected by the element of safety involvement. Supervisors are not fully involved to safety program that consist of are involved in all corrective actions, and motivate the employee to participate in the OHS program. Conclusion: Safety leadership characteristics of supervisors in the Production Division of PT. BCD has not well implemented to the elements of safety involvement.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT SERIES 18001:2007 PT. SURYA BESINDO SAKTI
Authors: Subhi Sudarman , Septiawan Catur
Published: June 2020

Background: OHSAS 18001:2007 is management system of occupational health and safety international standard which includes the structure of the organization, the planning activities, responsibility, procedure, the process and resources to manage K3 .OHSAS have a purpose for protection against the workers from unwanted things arising from work environment, or activity work itself, it have an impact on safety and health workers, and so as not to cause much loss for from accidents work have image bad a company that can lower image company. Purpose: This study aimed to understand the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety assessment series (OHSAS) 18001:2007 in PT. Surya Besindo Sakti. Methods: The research used descriptive qualitative research type and design. Test the validity of data using technique triagulation method. Result: PT. Surya Besindo Sakti still meets the minimum requirements of the application of Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001: 2007. With findings of minor incompatibilities 6 and 1 OFI (Opportunity For Improvement) findings. Conclusion: The company is expected to continue to commit to run the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001: 2007 for corporate vision and mission to be achieved, objective must be monitored its achievement every month by each department and ensure all procedures used in the company reviewed and implemented consistently.
$L_p$ Loss Functions in Invariance Alignment and Haberman Linking
Authors: Robitzsch Alexander
Published: June 2020

The comparison of group means in latent variable models plays a vital role in empirical research in the social sciences. The present article discusses extensions of invariance alignment and Haberman linking concerning the choice of linking functions for comparisons of many groups. Robust linking functions are proposed for invariance alignment and robust Haberman linking that are particularly suited to item response data under partial invariance. In a simulation study, it is shown that both linking approaches have comparable performance, and in some conditions, the newly proposed robust Haberman linking outperforms invariance alignment.
An Evaluation of 4PL IRT and DINA Models for Estimating Pseudo-Guessing and Slipping Parameters
Authors: KALKAN Ömür Kaya , ÇUHADAR İsmail
Published: June 2020

In an achievement test, the examinees with the required knowledge and skill on a test item are expected to answer the item correctly while the examinees with a lack of necessary information on the item are expected to give an incorrect answer. However, an examinee can give a correct answer to the multiple-choice test items through guessing or sometimes give an incorrect response to an easy item due to anxiety or carelessness. Either case may cause a bias estimation of examinee abilities and item parameters. 4PL IRT model and the DINA model can be used to mitigate these negative impacts on the parameter estimations. The current simulation study aims to compare the estimated pseudo-guessing and slipping parameters from the 4PL IRT model and the DINA model under several study conditions. The DINA model was used to simulate the datasets in the study. The study results showed that the bias of the estimated slipping and guessing parameters from both 4PL IRT and DINA models were reasonably small in general although the estimated slipping and guessing parameters were more biased when datasets were analyzed through the 4PL IRT model rather than the DINA model (i.e., the average bias for both guessing and slipping parameters = .00 from DINA model, but .08 from 4PL IRT model). Accordingly, both 4PL IRT and DINA models can be considered for analyzing the datasets contaminated with guessing and slipping effects.
O direito fundamental à boa administração pública como linha interpretativa para a Lei de Improbidade Administrativa
Authors: Rodrigues Reck Janriê , Mello Bevilacqua Maritana
Published: June 2020

Este trabalho versa sobre o direito fundamental à boa administração pública e as implicações do seu reconhecimento no ordenamento jurídico, especialmente em relação à lei de improbidade administrativa. O problema que norteia a pesquisa é identificar se o direito à boa administração pode ser usado como parâmetro de interpretação de análise das condutas ímprobas previstas nas lei nº 8.429/92. A metodologia que se utiliza para a abordagem é a hipotética-dedutiva, ante a lacuna de conhecimento identificada. O método de procedimento é o monográfico e a técnica de pesquisa a bibliográfica. O trabalho está dividido em três partes, sendo a primeira delas dedicada à extração do direito fundamental à boa administração do ordenamento brasileiro; a segunda elucida a dimensão objetiva desse direito; e a última se dedica a testar o seu uso como orientação para a interpretação da lei de improbidade administrativa. A conclusão é de que o direito fundamental à boa administração ainda precisa avançar cientificamente, mas possui bases suficientes para ser um bom orientador à atividade interpretativa tanto do aplicador do direito quanto do próprio gestor público e, com esta pesquisa, espera-se contribuir para um aperfeiçoamento da temática.
Structure Formation and Properties of Concrete Based on Organic Hydraulic Binders
Authors: Khroustalev B. M. , Veranko U. A. , Zankavich V. V. , Aliakseyeu Yu. G. , Xuejun Yue , Shang Bo , Shi Jicun
Published: June 2020

The article addresses the issues of structure formation of road composite materials containing hydraulic (рortland cement) and organic (bitumen) binders. It has been determined that organic and hydraulic binders, being thermodynamically incompatible, are capable of interaction and complement each other. Structure formation processes are associated with interphase transition layers interaction mechanism and the direct formation of phase contacts with cement crystallohydrates. The interphase boundary is diffuse and is established through interphase transition layers. The emergence of interfacial layers is thermodynamically advantageous, since it contributes to a decrease in Gibbs free energy and does not contradict modern concepts of solid state physics. It was established that with cement content of about 30 % of complex bitumen-cement binder volume, there will appear (nucleate) phase contacts that will prevail in the binder structure when the cement content is more than 60 %. In the case phase contacts prevail, concrete will demonstrate significant strength at high temperatures, but low temperature and fatigue crack resistance, which will lead to their durability loss. The cement content of 30–40 % of the total complex binder can be considered optimal.
Spatial Organization of Energy Facilities: Specific Features and Development Prospects (on the Example of Belarusian Practice
Authors: Morozova Y. B. , Kolesnikow A. A. , Korshunova N. N. , Dolinina O. E.
Published: June 2020

The paper considers spatial organization of energy facilities with an emphasis on modern practice of the Republic of Belarus. The efficiency of enterprise operation in any industry including power industry is largely due to their architectural and planning organization. Knowledge of mechanisms and specific features of the changes taking place here makes it possible to justify a promising strategy for project activities, and therefore, it allows to manage development processes of the industry and thereby avoid many negative consequences. Energy facilities are a typological unit of industrial architecture, their formation has been started due to transition of industrial production to electric energy. Today the typology shows functional approach in architectural shaping, it includes a fairly large variety of constituent units and demonstrates a tendency towards diversification. In Belarus energy facilities in the architectural aspect of their classification are limited mostly to thermal power plants operating on different types of fuel. Currently the diversification is developing in the following areas: construction of hydropower facilities (small plants on reservoirs, medium power plants, low-pressure plants, run-of-the-river hydraulic power stations), alternative energy (wind power stations, photovoltaic power stations and biogas plants) and conventional energy (thermal power plant, mini-combined heat and power plant operating on renewable fuel). The results of Belarusian practice in construction of all types of facilities (hydropower, alternative and conventional energy), peculiarities of the architectural and planning organization of facilities at the current stage, correlation with global trends in the development of industrial architecture have been characterized in the paper. The paper has determined typological features of alternative energy facility architecture, opportunities and directions for implementation of architectural approaches, problems and prospects to develop scientific support for the project process.
Study of Changing Role of Leading Universities in the National Innovation Ecosystem during Transition to the University 4.0 Model
Authors: Maximova T. G. , Bogdanova E. L. , Brovka G. M.
Published: June 2020

The paper is devoted to identifying patterns of activity of Russian universities in the national innovation ecosystem. Decisions on the development of innovative activity, effective commercialization and implementation of scientific developments are substantiated in strategic documents of state development. In fact the level of innovative security of a country, the state of protection of national interests of the state from internal and external threats arising from the conditions of innovative development, depends to a large extent on the success of the implementation of scientific and development projects. The leading higher education institutions are entrusted with the task of becoming centers of regional innovation ecosystems, transforming universities into active participants of socio-economic and innovative development. Official statistics on national research universities of the Russian Federation have been used in order to identify patterns of the activity of higher education institutions in this area. An analysis of the changes in the analyzed indicators has made it possible to single out universities that implement the most promising models of scientific activity management in terms of world experience. These are primarily universities for which there is a positive relative increase in indicators of total R&D, the share of extra-budgetary funds in university income from R&D, and the share of income from R&D in total income. It has been established that the current stage of development of universities is characterized by the presence of both competitive advantages and challenges that form the features of their modernization. The response to the challenges should be the creation of a business model of the University 4.0 activity which includes new technologies, products and services that are in demand in the country.
ADNOC’s New CTO Shares Innovation Philosophy
Authors: Jacobs Trent
Published: June 2020

Alan Nelson is 1 year into his new job as the chief technology officer of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). It is a new job for ADNOC too.

He is the first person to ever hold the title of CTO at the almost 50-year-old oil and gas producer, a fact he said reflects “a new mandate” to further invest in science and technology. The fruits of the approach are funneled into the organization via three core areas: innovation (i.e., research and development), the digital transformation, and sustainability.

“One of the key reasons why sustainability reports into the CTO is of course that this will require new technologies,” said Nelson. “Some technologies that we can see today, that we could scale up and implement. Other technologies that are yet to be developed but that we need to develop in order to continue to be a sustainable company.”

And like many of the integrated oil companies, the last downturn sparked a drive within the organization to seek out or develop emerging technologies to bring a new order of automation and lower operating costs.

Under Nelson’s brief tenure, ADNOC has already made several big moves toward this goal including a partnership with Saudi Aramco to open a research center in the UK that will focus on creating nonmetallic technologies to limit the industry’s exposure to costly corrosion issues.

This was accompanied by a raft of other partnerships and joint-venture projects that aim to create new artificial intelligence programs. The biggest of them is a 10-year contract with Honeywell which was selected to deploy its predictive maintenance platform across the company’s upstream and downstream assets.

One of the other major initiatives Nelson oversees today is known as the Panorama Digital Command Center. Panorama leverages advanced computing tools such as artificial intelligence and digital twins to make the company’s oil fields accessible remotely.

Earlier this month, ADNOC reported that the center delivered over $1 billion in value since it was launched 3 years ago. Nelson spoke about how the project prepared his company for the highly disruptive consequences of a global pandemic in an interview with SPE Live.

“Through our Panoramic Digital Command Center we have real-time data at our fingertips - this is data that is updated second by second. So we can track the performance of our assets in real time, and by that we keep our people as safe as we possibly can,” said Nelson.

Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

What Modernization Means at ADNOC

“For us, it means staying relevant, it means staying ahead of the curve. The world is changing, and we all know that we’re going through that now - whether it’s the current pandemic situation that we’re all having to work through and navigate, or whether it’s the current oil and gas price.”

Nelson elaborated on the elements he considers necessary to achieving relevancy. “First and foremost is culture. In order for the company to maintain that bleeding edge on science and technology, you have to have innovation as a part of company culture.
The Great Shale Shut-In Uncharted Territory for Technical Experts
Authors: Jacobs Trent
Published: June 2020

Facing crippling crude prices and a historic supply overhang, the once-booming US shale sector is for the first time being forced to shut in thousands of wells across its most prolific tight-oil basins.

Accurate production data lag by months in the US, but analysts are reporting onshore shut-in for early May to be somewhere between 100,000 to 400,000 B/D. The largest cuts announced so far come from ConocoPhillips which said in addition to its Canadian oil sands projects that it is shutting in nearly the all of its US onshore position - some 2,400 wells, representing about 165,000 B/D.

A projection from commodity researchers at JP Morgan Chase suggests as others follow suit these curtailments may reach 1.5 million B/D by June.

The business driver behind the so-far uncoordinated effort is crystal clear. Much less so is how the development will play out when prices bounce back up and the wells are turned back on.

That part is a subsurface mystery.

A new report by Wood Mackenzie published in April summarizes several factors shale producers are dealing with as they undertake painful but necessary shut-in campaigns. The chief risk listed for subsurface considerations was reservoir damage caused by a loss of relative permeability.

“Routine short-term shut ins - days to weeks - for maintenance or ‘frac hit’ avoidance seem to cause few reservoir problems,” the report reads. “But wide-spread shut in of tight-oil horizontal wells is rare, so the long-term reservoir response is uncertain.”

As the situation unfolds, many in the petroleum engineering community have taken to social media and online SPE forums to ask practical questions about how best to shut in wells, which ones to shut in, and how to restart them again. Some of the answers hinge on how long the shut-ins are meant to last; 2 months or 6 months could make a big difference.

“I don’t think anyone really knows for sure what will happen,” said Eric Gagen, who has spent more than a decade restoring shut-in wells offshore and in shale plays. The petroleum engineer served as a technical manager at a coiled-tubing company until industrywide staff reductions began this month. He said long-term shut-ins on the order of several months could introduce a range of issues that span surface equipment operations to “unexpected” downhole chemical reactions.

At a minimum, Gagen said operators shutting in for months should expect to see significantly higher water cuts upon restart. In most tight-rock reservoirs, especially those that are oil-wet, water becomes more mobilized than oil over time “and shut-in wells have a tendency to produce even more water as they are put back on production.”

Undulating wellbores - a common feature of horizontal wells - may exacerbate this issue. In the worst of outcomes, a water-loaded well produces such an excess of water that remediation efforts stop making economic sense. At that point, the well is a candidate for a plug-and-abandonment operation.
Integrated Optimization Process Advances Steamflood Performance
Authors: Carpenter Chris
Published: June 2020

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 196249, “Advancing Steamflood Performance Through a New Integrated Optimization Process: Transforming the Concept Into Practice,” by Henri Silalahi, Muhamad Aji, SPE, and Afrilia Elisa, SPE, Chevron, et al., prepared for the 2019 SPE/IATMI Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Bali, Indonesia, 29-31 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

Duri Field in Indonesia is the largest active steamflood project in the world. The field produces 73,000 BOPD, and 10,000 optimization jobs are executed annually to support base production. The operator identified an opportunity to implement a new process to improve the quality of reservoir analyses, define short- and long-term reservoir depletion strategies, and increase the ability to develop a prioritized queue of executable opportunities to increase production.

Introduction

Duri Field was discovered in 1941 in the central Sumatra Basin in Riau Province. The first production-optimization effort, in 1967, used cyclic steam stimulation. That led to a successful steamflood pilot trial in 1975 and implementation of a full steamflood areal expansion in 1985. Thirteen production areas currently exist in Duri Field as a result of steamflooding.

Geological Background

The geological setting of the field involves an anticline structure 20 km long and 14 km wide that covers more than 21,000 acres. The historical tectonic process results in shallow reservoir depths.

The field is composed of multiple sand deposits of a tidally influenced estuarine depositional system. The reservoirs are characterized by stacked sand lobes with a total thickness of approximately 240 ft, porosity ranges from 25 to 35%, and relatively high permeability of 600 md to 2 darcy. As a giant field, Duri had an original oil in place of approximately 5 billion bbl. The oil is characterized as heavy, with gravity from 17 to 22 °API and high oil viscosity (300 cp) at 100°F.
Risk Stratification for Hydronephrosis in the Evaluation of Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Tummalapalli Sri Lekha , Zech John , Cho Hyung J. , Goetz Celine
Published: June 2020

Background: Renal ultrasounds (RUS) are commonly ordered in hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Clinical decision support tools could be used to inform which patients may benefit from RUS to rule out hydronephrosis, however current risk stratification frameworks are underutilized.Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of hospitalized adults with AKI at a large, tertiary, academic medical center who had a RUS ordered. We validated an existing risk stratification framework to predict hydronephrosis based on 7 criteria. Outcomes were presence of unilateral or bilateral hydronephrosis and incidental findings on RUS. Results: Two hundred and eighty-one patients were included in the study cohort; 111 (40%), 76 (27%), and 94 (33%) patients were in the high-, medium-, and low-risk groups for hydronephrosis, respectively, based on the risk stratification framework. Thirty-five patients (12%) were found to have hydronephrosis, of whom 86% were captured in the high-risk group. A nephrology consult was involved in 168 (60%) patients and RUS was recommended by the nephrology service in 95 (57%) cases. Of the 95 patients recommended for a RUS, 9 patients (9%) had hydronephrosis. Among the patients with a nephrology consultation, 9 (56%) of the 16 total patients with hydronephrosis were recommended to obtain a RUS. Conclusions: We further validated a risk stratification framework for hydronephrosis and found that nephrology recommendations predicted hydronephrosis less well than the risk stratification framework. Decision support tools for hydronephrosis may be useful to supplement clinical judgement in the evaluation of AKI.
In vitro study of foot bone kinematics via a custom-made cadaveric gait simulator
Authors: Zhu Genrui , Wang Zhifeng , Yuan Chengjie , Geng Xiang , Yu Jian , Zhang Chao , Huang Jiazhang , Wang Xu , Ma Xin
Published: June 2020

Background: Quantifying detailed kinematics of the intrinsic foot bone during gait is crucial for understanding biomechanical functions of the foot complex musculoskeletal structure and making appropriate surgery decisions.Research question: The purpose of this experiment is to measure bones kinematic of the normal foot in a gait cycle via a custom-made cadaveric gait simulator.Methods：In this experiment, we used a custom-made 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) of robotic gait simulator simulating normal human gait to measure the 3-dimensional (3D) kinematics of tibia, calcaneus, cuboid, navicular, medial cuneiform, first metatarsal, and fifth metatarsal through six cadaveric feet.Results: The results showed that the kinematic of the intrinsic foot bones in the stance phase of the gait was successfully quantified using a custom-made robotic gait simulator. During walking stance, the joints in the medial column of foot had less movement than those in the lateral column. And during the later portion of stance, no rotational cease was observed in the movement between navicular and cuboid, calcaneocuboid joint, or cuneonavicular joint.Conclusion: This study described foot bone motion using a biomechanically near-physiological gait simulator with 6 DOF of the tibia. The kinematic data helps to clarify previous descriptions of several joints kinematics that are difficult to study in vivo. The methodology also provides a platform for researchers to explore more invasive foot biomechanics under dynamic and near-physiologic conditions.
Application of Dose-Volume Histogram Prediction in Biologically Related Models for Nasopharyngeal Carcinomas Treatment Planning
Authors: Cao Wufei , Zhuang Yongdong , Chen Lixin , Liu Xiaowei
Published: June 2020

Purpose: In this study, we employed a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based recurrent neural network (RNN) using dosimetric information induced by individual beam to predict the dose-volume histogram (DVH) and investigated the feasibility and usefulness of this method in biologically related models for nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) treatment planning.Methods and Materials: One hundred patients with NPC undergoing volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) between 2018 and 2019 were randomly selected for this study. All the VMAT plans were created using the Monaco treatment planning system (Elekta, Sweden) and clinically approved: >98% of PGTVnx received the prescribed doses of 70 Gy, >98% of PGTVnd received the prescribed doses of 66 Gy and >98% of PCTV received 60 Gy. Of these, the data from 80 patients were used to train the GRU-RNN, and the data from the other 20 patients were used for testing. For each NPC patient, the DVHs of different organs at risk were predicted by a trained GRU-based RNN using the information given by individual conformal beams. Based on the predicted DVHs, the equivalent uniform doses (EUD) were calculated and applied as dose constraints during treatment planning optimization. The regenerated VMAT experimental plans (EPs) were evaluated by comparing them with the clinical plans (CPs).Results: For the 20 test patients, the regenerated EPs guided by the GRU-RNN predictive model achieved good consistency relative to the CPs. The EPs showed better consistency in PTV dose distribution and better dose sparing for many organs at risk, and significant differences were found in the maximum/mean doses to the brainstem, brainstem PRV, spinal cord, lenses, temporal lobes, parotid glands and larynx with P-values <0.05. On average, compared with the CPs, the maximum/mean doses to these OARs were altered by -3.44 Gy, -1.94 Gy, -1.88 Gy, 0.44 Gy, 1.98 Gy, -1.82 Gy and 2.27 Gy, respectively. In addition, significant differences were also found in brainstem and spinal cord for the dose received by 1cc volume with 4.11 and 1.67 Gy dose reduction in EPs on average.Conclusion: The GRU-RNN-based DVH prediction method was capable of accurate DVH prediction. The regenerated plans guided by the predicted EUDs were not inferior to the manual plans, had better consistency in PTVs and better dose sparing in critical OARs, indicating the usefulness and effectiveness of biologically related model in knowledge-based planning.
Intraoperative Ultrasonography assistance for minimally invasive repair of the acute Achilles Tendon Rupture
Authors: Yang Yongliang , Jia Honglei , Zhang Wupeng , Xu Shihong , Wang Fu , Wang Bomin , Li Qinghu , Wang Yonghui , Han Shumei
Published: June 2020

Background: Minimally invasive repair is a better option for Achilles tendon rupture with low re-rupture and wound-related complications than conservative treatment or traditional open repair. The major problem is sural nerve injury. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect and advantage of the intraoperative ultrasonography assistance for minimally invasive repair of the acute Achilles tendon rupture. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 36 cases of acute Achilles tendon rupture treated with minimally invasive repair assisted with intraoperative ultrasonography from January 2015 to December 2017. The relationship of the sural nerve and small saphenous vein was confirmed on the preoperative MRI. The course of the small saphenous vein and sural nerve were identified and marked by intraoperative ultrasonography. The ruptured Achilles tendon was repaired with minimally invasive Bunnell suture on the medial side of the small saphenous vein (SSV).Results: All patients were followed up for at least 12 months. No sural nerve injury or other complications was found intraoperatively and postoperatively. All the patients returned to work and light sporting activities at a mean of 12.78±1.40 weeks and 17.28±2.34 weeks, respectively. The Mean American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores improved from 59.17±5.31 preoperatively to 98.92±1.63 at the time of 12 months follow-up. There was statistically significant difference (P<0.001). No patient complained a negative effect on their life.Conclusions: The minimally invasive repair assisted with intraoperative ultrasonography can yield good clinical outcomes, less surgical time and less complications, especially sural nerve injury. It is an efficient, reliable and safe method for acute Achilles Tendon (AT) rupture.
TgROP18 Targets IL20RB for Host-Defense-Related-STAT3 Activation During T. gondii Infection
Authors: Kong Ling , Jiang Dan , He Cheng , Xia Jing , We Haixia , Zhou Lijuan , Peng Hong-Juan
Published: June 2020

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan infecting almost one -third of the world’s population. T. gondii rhoptry protein 18 ( Tg ROP18) is a key virulence factor determining the parasite’s acute virulence and is secreted into host cells during infection. We previously identified the interaction of Tg ROP18 and host cell immune-related receptor protein IL20RB, and observed the activation of STAT3 in human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells infected by the rop16 knockout RH strain, though Tg ROP16 is regarded as being responsible for host STAT3 activation during T. gondii invasion. Therefore, we hypothesize Tg ROP18 can activate host STAT3 through binding to IL20RB. Methods: CRISPR-CAS9 technology was used to generate the ROP16 and ROP8 double knockout RH strain, RH-∆rop16∆rop18. SDS-PAGE and Western blot were used to detect STAT3 activation in different HaCaT cells with high endogenous IL20RB expression treated with T. gondii tachyzoites infection, recombinant ROP18, or IL-20 . FRET and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was used to detect the protein-protein interaction. Results: We observed that TgROP18 was involved in a synergic activation of the host JAK/STAT3 pathway together with TgROP16 in human HaCaT cells infected with T. gondii or treated with recombinant TgROP18 protein, stimulating host proinflammatory immune responses such as expression of TNF-a. The effect of recombinant ROP18 on STAT3 phosphorylation was presented in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, TgROP18 was identified to target IL20RB on its extracellular domain. When we treated different cell lines with the recombinant ROP18, STAT3 phosphorylation could only be observed in the cells with endogenous IL20RB expression, such as HaCaT cells. Conclusions: These findings indicate that TgROP18-IL20RB interaction upon T. gondii invasion was involved in STAT3 activation, which is associated with host cell defense.
Identification of novel genes associated with dysregulation of B cells in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome
Authors: Inamo Jun , Suzuki Katsuya , Takeshita Masaru , Kassai Yoshiaki , Takiguchi Maiko , Kurisu Rina , Okuzono Yuumi , Tasaki Shinya , Yoshimura Akihiko , Takeuchi Tsutomu
Published: June 2020

Background. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular mechanism of dysregulation of B cell subpopulations of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) at the transcriptome level. Methods. We enrolled patients with pSS (n=6) and healthy controls (HC) (n=6) in the discovery cohort using microarray and pSS (n=14) and HC (n=12) in the validation cohort using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Peripheral B cells acquired from these subjects were separated by cell sorting into four subsets: CD38-IgD+ (Bm1), CD38+IgD+ (naïve B cells), CD38highIgD+ (pre-germinal centre B cells) and CD38±IgD- (memory B cells). We performed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA).Results. Expression of the long non-coding RNA LINC00487 was significantly upregulated in all B cell subsets, as was that of HLA and interferon (IFN) signature genes. Moreover, the normalized intensity value of LINC00487 significantly correlated with the disease activity score of all pSS B cell subsets. Studies of human B cell lines revealed that the expression of LINC00487 was strongly induced by IFNα. WGCNA revealed six gene clusters associated with the B cell subpopulation of pSS. Further, SOX4 was identified as an inter-module hub gene.Conclusion. Our transcriptome analysis revealed key genes involved in the dysregulation of B cell subpopulations associated with pSS. Trial registration: Not required.
Comparative Outcomes of EUS-Guided Lumen-Apposing Mental Stents Drainage for Pancreatic Pseudocysts and Walled-off Necrosis: Case Series and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Jing , Zhang Qian , Zhou Anni , Zhao Guiping , Wang Wenhai , Sun Xiujing , Liu Chuntao , Lei Xiao , Wang Yongjun , Ji Ming , Wu Yongdong , Zhang Shutian , Li Peng
Published: June 2020

Background and Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage for pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs) has become the first-line treatment with quicker recovery and less injury compared with surgery and percutaneous drainage. The efficacy of stents implantation and drainage for different types of PFCs remains controversial, especially lumen-apposing mental stents (LAMS). This study aims to compare efficacy and safety of LAMS drainage for pancreatic pseudocysts (PPC) and walled-off necrosis (WON).Methods: A meta-analysis was performed for LAMS drainage for WON and PPC by systematically searching PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases from January 2010 to January 2020. From 2017 to 2019, 12 patients who were treated with LAMS drainage for PFCs in our medical center were also reviewed and included in this study.Results: Combining 11 searched literatures with the data from our medical center, a total of 585 patients with PFCs were enrolled in this meta-analysis, including 343 patients with WON and 242 with PPC. The technical success rate in WON is not significant different from that of PPC (P = 0.08 > 0.05). The clinical success of LAMS placement was achieved in 99% versus 89% in PPC and WON, respectively (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.98, P = 0.01 < 0.05). Further intervention of direct endoscopic necrosectomy was required in 60% of patients in WON group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events after LAMS placement between WON and PPC, including infection, bleeding, stent migration and stent occlusion.Conclusions: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided LAMS for PFCs is feasible, effective with preferable technical and clinical success rates. The clinical effect of LAMS on PPC is better than that of WON, but its adverse reactions still need to be verified in a large-sample prospective study.