bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lack of Evidence for Vesicular Glutamate Transporter Expression in Mouse Astrocytes
Authors: Li Dongdong , Hérault Karine , Silm Kätlin , Evrard Alexis , Wojcik Sonja , Oheim Martin , Herzog Etienne , Ropert Nicole
Published: March 2013

The concept of a tripartite synapse including a presynaptic terminal, a postsynaptic spine, and an astrocytic process that responds to neuronal activity by fast gliotransmitter release, confers to the electrically silent astrocytes an active role in information processing. However, the mechanisms of gliotransmitter release are still highly controversial. The reported expression of all three vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1–3) by astrocytes suggests that astrocytes, like neurons, may release glutamate by exocytosis. However, the demonstration of astrocytic VGLUT expression is largely based on immunostaining, and the possibility of nonspecific labeling needs to be systematically addressed. We therefore examined the expression of VGLUT1–3 in astrocytes, both in culture andin situ. We used Western blots and single-vesicle imaging by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in live cultured astrocytes, and confocal microscopy, at the cellular level in cortical, hippocampal, and cerebellar brain slices, combined with quantitative image analysis. Control experiments were systematically performed in cultured astrocytes using wild-type, VGLUT1–3 knock-out, VGLUT1Venusknock-in, and VGLUT2-EGFP transgenic mice. In fixed brain slices, we quantified the degree of overlap between VGLUT1–3 and neuronal or astrocytic markers, both in an object-based manner using fluorescence line profiles, and in a pixel-based manner using dual-color scatter plots followed by the calculation of Pearson's correlation coefficient over all pixels with intensities significantly different from background. Our data provide no evidence in favor of the expression of any of the three VGLUTs by gray matter protoplasmic astrocytes of the primary somatosensory cortex, the thalamic ventrobasal nucleus, the hippocampus, and the cerebellum.
Functional Mechanotransduction Is Required for Cisplatin-Induced Hair Cell Death in the Zebrafish Lateral Line
Authors: Thomas Andrew J. , Hailey Dale W. , Stawicki Tamara M. , Wu Patricia , Coffin Allison B. , Rubel Edwin W , Raible David W. , Simon Julian A. , Ou Henry C.
Published: March 2013

Cisplatin, one of the most commonly used anticancer drugs, is known to cause inner ear hair cell damage and hearing loss. Despite much investigation into mechanisms of cisplatin-induced hair cell death, little is known about the mechanism whereby cisplatin is selectively toxic to hair cells. Using hair cells of the zebrafish lateral line, we found that chemical inhibition of mechanotransduction with quinine and EGTA protected against cisplatin-induced hair cell death. Furthermore, we found that the zebrafish mutantsmariner(myo7aa) andsputnik(cad23) that lack functional mechanotransduction were resistant to cisplatin-induced hair cell death. Using a fluorescent analog of cisplatin, we found that chemical or genetic inhibition of mechanotransduction prevented its uptake. These findings demonstrate that cisplatin-induced hair cell death is dependent on functional mechanotransduction in the zebrafish lateral line.
Deletion ofAbca7Increases Cerebral Amyloid-β Accumulation in the J20 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Kim Woojin S. , Li Hongyun , Ruberu Kalani , Chan Sharon , Elliott David A. , Low Jac Kee , Cheng David , Karl Tim , Garner Brett
Published: March 2013

ATP-binding cassette transporter A7 (ABCA7) is expressed in the brain and has been detected in macrophages, microglia, and neurons. ABCA7 promotes efflux of lipids from cells to apolipoproteins and can also regulate phagocytosis and modulate processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to generate the Alzheimer's disease (AD) amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide. Genome-wide association studies have indicated thatABCA7single nucleotide polymorphisms confer increased risk for late-onset AD; however, the role that ABCA7 plays in the brain in the AD context is unknown. In the present study, we crossed ABCA7-deficient (A7−/−) mice with J20 amyloidogenic mice to address this issue. We show that ABCA7 loss doubled insoluble Aβ levels and thioflavine-S–positive plaques in the brain. This was not related to changes in APP processing (assessed by analysis of full-length APP and the APP β C-terminal fragment). Apolipoprotein E regulates cerebral Aβ homeostasis and plaque load; however, the apolipoprotein E concentration was not altered by ABCA7 loss. Spatial reference memory was significantly impaired in both J20 and J20/A7−/−mice compared with wild-type mice; however, there were no cognitive differences between J20 and J20/A7−/−mice. There were also no major differences detected in hippocampal or plaque-associated microglial/macrophage markers between J20 and J20/A7−/−mice, whereas the capacity for bone marrow-derived macrophages derived from A7−/−mice to take up oligomeric Aβ was reduced by 51% compared with wild-type mice. Our results suggest that ABCA7 plays a role in the regulation of Aβ homeostasis in the brain and that this may be related to altered phagocyte function.
Protein Phosphatase-Dependent Circadian Regulation of Intermediate-Term Associative Memory
Authors: Michel Maximilian , Gardner Jacob S. , Green Charity L. , Organ Chelsea L. , Lyons Lisa C.
Published: March 2013

The endogenous circadian clock is a principal factor modulating memory across species. Determining the processes through which the circadian clock modulates memory formation is a key issue in understanding and identifying mechanisms to improve memory. We used the marine molluskAplysia californicato investigate circadian modulation of intermediate-term memory (ITM) and the mechanisms through which the circadian clock phase specifically suppresses memory using the operant learning paradigm, learning that food is inedible. We found that ITM, a temporally and mechanistically distinct form of memory, is rhythmically expressed under light-dark and constant conditions when induced by either massed or spaced training. Strong circadian regulation of ITM occurs with memory exhibited only by animals trained during the early subjective day; no apparent memory is expressed when training occurs during the late subjective day or night. Given the necessity of multiple persistent kinase cascades for ITM, we investigated whether protein phosphatase activity affected circadian modulation. Inhibition of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A blocked ITM when animals were trained during the early (subjective) day while resulting in phase-specific memory rescue when animals were trained late in the subjective day and early night. In contrast, inhibition of calcineurin did not block ITM when animals were trained during the early day and permitted ITM when animals were trained during the late subjective day, early evening, and throughout the night. These results demonstrate that levels of protein phosphatase activity are critical regulators of ITM and one mechanism through which the circadian clock regulates memory formation.
Parkinson's Disease: Increased Motor Network Activity in the Absence of Movement
Authors: Ko Ji Hyun , Mure Hideo , Tang Chris C. , Ma Yilong , Dhawan Vijay , Spetsieris Phoebe , Eidelberg David
Published: March 2013

We used a network approach to assess systems-level abnormalities in motor activation in humans with Parkinson's disease (PD). This was done by measuring the expression of the normal movement-related activation pattern (NMRP), a previously validated activation network deployed by healthy subjects during motor performance. In this study, NMRP expression was prospectively quantified in15O-water PET scans from a PD patient cohort comprised of a longitudinal early-stage group (n= 12) scanned at baseline and at two or three follow-up visits two years apart, and a moderately advanced group scanned on and off treatment with either subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (n= 14) or intravenous levodopa infusion (n= 14). For each subject and condition, we measured NMRP expression during both movement and rest. Resting expression of the abnormal PD-related metabolic covariance pattern was likewise determined in the same subjects. NMRP expression was abnormally elevated (p< 0.001) in PD patients scanned in the nonmovement rest state. By contrast, network activity measured during movement did not differ from normal (p= 0.34). In the longitudinal cohort, abnormal increases in resting NMRP expression were evident at the earliest clinical stages (p< 0.05), which progressed significantly over time (p= 0.003). Analogous network changes were present at baseline in the treatment cohort (p= 0.001). These abnormalities improved with subthalamic nucleus stimulation (p< 0.005) but not levodopa (p= 0.25). In both cohorts, the changes in NMRP expression that were observed did not correlate with concurrent PD-related metabolic covariance pattern measurements (p> 0.22). Thus, the resting state in PD is characterized by changes in the activity of normal as well as pathological brain networks.
Fear Extinction Memory Consolidation Requires Potentiation of Pontine-Wave Activity during REM Sleep
Authors: Datta Subimal , O'Malley Matthew W.
Published: March 2013

Sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation within multiple memory systems including contextual fear extinction memory, but little is known about the mechanisms that underlie this process. Here, we show that fear extinction training in rats, which extinguished conditioned fear, increased both slow-wave sleep and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep. Surprisingly, 24 h later, during memory testing, only 57% of the fear-extinguished animals retained fear extinction memory. We found that these animals exhibited an increase in phasic pontine-wave (P-wave) activity during post-training REM sleep, which was absent in the 43% of animals that failed to retain fear extinction memory. The results of this study provide evidence that brainstem activation, specifically potentiation of phasic P-wave activity, during post-training REM sleep is critical for consolidation of fear extinction memory. The results of this study also suggest that, contrary to the popular hypothesis of sleep and memory, increased sleep after training alone does not guarantee consolidation and/or retention of fear extinction memory. Rather, the potentiation of specific sleep-dependent physiological events may be a more accurate predictor for successful consolidation of fear extinction memory. Identification of this unique mechanism will significantly improve our present understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the sleep-dependent regulation of emotional memory. Additionally, this discovery may also initiate development of a new, more targeted treatment method for clinical disorders of fear and anxiety in humans that is more efficacious than existing methods such as exposure therapy that incorporate only fear extinction.
The Rostral Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates the Expression of Conditioned Eyelid Responses in Behaving Rabbits
Authors: Leal-Campanario Rocío , Delgado-García José M. , Gruart Agnès
Published: March 2013

We studied the contribution of the rostral mPFC (rmPFC) to the acquisition and performance of classical eyeblink conditioning in rabbits using a delay paradigm. The rmPFC was determined by its afferent projections from the medial half of the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus. The rmPFC neurons were identified by their antidromic activation from the mediodorsal nucleus and/or by their firing characteristics. The rmPFC neurons increased their firing during the first conditioning sessions, but decreased it when conditioned responses (CRs) reached asymptotic values. Therefore, no significant relationships could be established between neuronal firing rates and the percentage of CRs or the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle during conditioning. Electrical train stimulation of the rmPFC produced a significant inhibition of air-puff–evoked blinks and reduced the generation of CRs compared with controls. Inhibition of the rmPFC by the local injection of lidocaine produced an increase in the amplitude of evoked reflex and conditioned eyeblinks and in the percentage of CRs. The rmPFC seems to be a potent inhibitor of reflex and conditioned eyeblinks, controlling the release of newly acquired eyelid responses until advanced stages of the acquisition process—i.e., until the need for the acquired response is fully confirmed. Therefore, the rmPFC seems to act as a “flip-flop” mechanism in controlling behavior.
Interaction of uranium(VI) with bioligands present in human biological fluids: the case study of urea and uric acid
Authors: Osman Alfatih A. A. , Geipel Gerhard , Bernhard Gert
Published: March 2013

The complexation of uranium(VI) with bioligands found in human biological fluids, viz, urea and uric acid in aqueous solutions, has been investigated using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) at room temperature, I = 0.1 M (NaClO4) and pH (3 for uric acid; 4 for urea). In both complex systems a static quench effect with increasing ligand concentration and no peaks shift upon complexation were observed. With uranium(VI) both ligands formed a fairly weak 1:1 complex with average stability constants of log β110 = 4.67 ± 0.29 for uric acid and log β110 = 3.79 ± 0.15 and 2.12 ± 0.18 for relatively low and relatively high urea concentrations, respectively. Application of the newly generated data on the U(VI) speciation modelling in biofluids, e.g., human urine was also discussed.
A functional conditional symmetry test for a GARCH-SM model: Power asymptotic properties
Authors: Laïb Naâmane , Lemdani Mohamed , Ould Saïd Elias
Published: March 2013

In this paper we consider the empirical process of the errors appearing in a generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic with stochastic mean (GARCH-SM) model. Various functional tests of conditional symmetry can be built on the basis of the limiting distribution of this process. In particular, a Cramér–von Mises-type test is considered. Its theoretical power is studied under fixed and local alternatives. Using the Karhunen–Loève decomposition, the limiting law of the latter is approximated by a chi-square distribution under both null and alternative hypotheses. The local power under a sequence of alternatives is also computed.
Properties of hierarchical Archimedean copulas
Authors: Okhrin Ostap , Okhrin Yarema , Schmid Wolfgang
Published: March 2013

In this paper we analyse the properties of hierarchical Archimedean copulas. This class is a generalisation of the Archimedean copulas and allows for general non-exchangeable dependency structures. We show that the structure of the copula can be uniquely recovered from all bivariate margins. We derive the distribution of the copula values, which is particularly useful for tests and constructing confidence intervals. Furthermore, we analyse dependence orderings, multivariate dependence measures, and extreme value copulas. We pay special attention to the tail dependencies and derive several tail dependence indices for general hierarchical Archimedean copulas.
Effect of GLP1R agonists taspoglutide and liraglutide on primary thyroid C-cells from rodent and man
Authors: Boess Franziska , Bertinetti-Lapatki Cristina , Zoffmann Sannah , George Catherine , Pfister Thomas , Roth Adrian , Lee Serene M L , Thasler Wolfgang E , Singer Thomas , Suter Laura
Published: March 2013

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) analogs have been associated with an increased incidence of thyroid C-cell hyperplasia and tumors in rodents. This effect may be due to a GLP1 receptor (GLP1R)-dependent mechanism. As the expression of GLP1R is much lower in primates than in rodents, the described C-cell proliferative lesions may not be relevant to man. Here, we aimed to establish primary thyroid cell cultures of rat and human to evaluate the expression and function of GLP1R in C-cells. In our experiments, GLP1R expression was observed in primary rat C-cells (in situhybridization) but was not detected in primary human C-cells (mRNA and protein levels). The functional response of the cultures to the stimulation with GLP1R agonists is an indirect measure of the presence of functional receptor. Liraglutide and taspoglutide elicited a modest increase in calcitonin release and in calcitonin expression in rat primary thyroid cultures. Contrarily, no functional response to GLP1R agonists was observed in human thyroid cultures, despite the presence of few calcitonin-positive C-cells. Thus, the lack of functional response of the human cultures adds to the weight of evidence indicating that healthy human C-cells have very low levels or completely lack GLP1R. In summary, our results support the hypothesis that the GLP1R agonist-induced C-cell responses in rodents may not be relevant to primates. In addition, the established cell culture method represents a useful tool to study the physiological and/or pathological roles of GLP1 and GLP1R agonists on normal, non-transformed primary C-cells from rats and man.
Bleeding of haemorrhoids resulted in gravis anaemia in a young man with toxic cirrhosis
Authors: Kovács Erzsébet , Palatka Károly , Németh Attila , Pásztor Éva , Pfliegler György
Published: March 2013

A 38-year-old alcoholic man with severe iron deficient anaemia, and bloody-mucous stool was found to have haemorrhoidal bleeding. In spite of intravenous iron supplements haemoglobin levels were falling. He was admitted because of deteriorating condition, jaundice, severe anaemia (haemoglobin, 38 g/l) and iron deficiency. Except of toxic (alcohol) agent all other causes of liver disease could be excluded. Sclero-, and medical therapy, and abstinency resulted in a rapid improvement in his condition and subsequently rectal bleeding also disappeared. Bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract is a well known and serious complication in liver cirrhosis, however, a voluminous blood loss resulting in a life-threatening anaemia from lower gastrointestinal tract or haemorrhoids, as it was detected in this patient, is quite rare. Sclerotherapy seems to be an effective method with only minor complications when compared with other invasive techniques. However, the patient’s compliance even in liver cirrhosis with haemorrhoidal nodes is essential for a long-time success. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 382–386.
Inverse processing-structure relation for the nucleation and growth mechanism
Authors: Jhon Mark , Lau Yang Hao , Quek Siu Sin , Wu David T.
Published: March 2013

The formation of realistic, polycrystalline microstructures can be simulated by modeling the kinetics of nucleation and growth. However, it is difficult to perform the inverse simulation, where details of the nucleation and growth process are inferred from geometric properties of the final microstructure. In the present study, we develop a methodology for solving the inverse problem for interface-limited growth in 1D, utilizing a reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) algorithm. The algorithm produces a time dependent nucleation rate that gives a grain size distribution closest to a target distribution. Its results may be used to understand the limitations of manipulating the grain boundary distributions through temperature alone.
Contact pattern sensitivity and precision machine control in roll-to-roll microcontact printing
Authors: Petrzelka Joseph E. , Hale Melinda R. , Hardt David E.
Published: March 2013

Scaling contact lithography (microcontact printing, microflexography, and nanoimprint lithography) to large roll-to-roll platforms will enable high speed, low cost lithographic patterning of surfaces. However, many details of robust implementations at the roll-to-roll scale remain an engineering challenge, including precise regulation of printing pressures and the stamp-substrate interaction. This paper introduces a method for precise control of contact pressure that can accommodate large dimensional variations, i.e. varying stamp and substrate thicknesses. This control algorithm is implemented on a simply supported roll positioning stage. Experimental results for microcontact printing and microflexography are shown both with in situ contact measurements on a pseudo substrate and with 5 um silver nanoparticle prints. Ultimately, this approach enables robust printing despite sensitive stamp patterns and large dimensional variations (> 10 μm) in substrates, stamps, and roll equipment.
Sintering of Inkjet-printed Cu-nanoparticle Ink in Ambient Conditions Using a Continuous Wave 808 nm Diode Laser
Authors: Halonen E. , Koskinen S. , Leino I. , Heljo P. , Mäntysalo M.
Published: March 2013

In this paper, we focused on sintering of inkjet-printed copper nanoparticle ink structures using a continuous wave 808nm diode laser. Laser sintering in printed electronics is a rapid sintering method which enables localized sintering. Sintering of Cu inks is usually done in nitrogen atmosphere but the novelty of this study is that successful sintering of Cu ink was done under ambient conditions. The used ink consists of copper nanoparticles covered with a dispersion agent. Photonic sintering is needed to speed up the sintering process to prevent oxidation during sintering. Electrical and mechanical performance of the printed structures was analyzed. Resistivity of 10-12 μΩcm with good repeatability as well as excellent adhesion, were achieved.
Fabrication of large area nanogap electrodes for sensing applications
Authors: Bendavid A. , Wieczorek L. , Chai R. , Cooper J. S. , Raguse B.
Published: March 2013

A large area nanogap electrode fabrication method combinig conventional lithography patterning with the of focused ion beam (FIB) is presented. Lithography and a lift-off process were used to pattern 50 nm thick platinum pads having an area of 300μm × 300μm. A range of 30-300 nm wide nanogaps (length from 300μm to 10 mm ) were then etched using an FIB of Ga+at an acceleration voltage of 30 kV at various beam currents. An investigation of Ga+beam current ranging between 1-50 pA was undertaken to optimise the process for the current fabrication method. In this study, we used Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the damage depth in various materials by the Ga+. Calculation of the recoil cascades of the substrate atoms are also presented. The nanogap electrodes fabricated in this study were found to have empty gap resistances exceeding several hundred MΩ. A comparison of the gap length versus electrical resistance on glass substrates is presented. The results thus outline some important issues in low-conductance measurements. The proposed nanogap fabrication method can be extended to various sensor applications, such as chemical sensing, that employ the nanogap platform. This method may be used as a prototype technique for large-scale fabrication due to its simple, fast and reliable features.
Dimensionamento de recursos humanos em serviços de alimentação e nutrição de hospitais públicos e privados
Authors: Santos Rita de Cássia Lusia dos , Diez-Garcia Rosa Wanda
Published: March 2013

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar e comparar o dimensionamento de recursos humanos dos Serviços de Alimentação e Nutrição Hospitalar (SANH) e a qualificação do corpo técnico de nutricionistas da rede hospitalar pública e privada. Foram estudados 27 hospitais, 17 de Campinas e 10 de Ribeirão Preto, por meio de um questionário estruturado aplicado aos coordenadores do SANH, que abordou: condições de trabalho, pela relação entre número de leitos por nutricionista e por profissionais do SANH, e pelo número de refeições produzidas por leito, por nutricionistas e por funcionários do SANH; a formação acadêmica; e a experiência profissional dos nutricionistas. Foram encontradas diferenças significativas na relação número de leitos/nutricionista entre hospitais públicos (38,2 dp 11,4) e privados (94,6 dp 46,4) e de funcionários do SANH/nutricionista (11,4 dp 4,9 e 23,8 dp 13,3). A produção de refeições por leitos foi maior nos hospitais públicos (p=0,04). No setor público concentram-se nutricionistas com capacitação stricto sensu, mesmo que ainda em um número reduzido em relação ao encontrado no país; e, no privado, há mais profissionais com formação lato sensu. Uma ampla heterogeneidade no dimensionamento de recursos humanos do SANH em hospitais públicos e privados foi encontrada; contudo, o setor público apresentou condição mais favorável em alguns indicadores, mesmo estando aquém das necessidades, principalmente na área de atenção nutricional ao paciente hospitalizado. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de se constituirem indicadores específicos de recursos humanos nos SANHs, para o desempenho de ações na área de produção de refeições e de cuidado nutricional ao paciente hospitalizado. Criar mecanismos de capacitação do nutricionista para as áreas de competência da nutrição hospitalar poderia contribuir com o aprimoramento do setor.
International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health in women with breast cancer: a proposal for measurement instruments
Authors: Carvalho Flávia Nascimento de , Koifman Rosalina Jorge , Bergmann Anke
Published: March 2013

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) aims at standardization, but its applicability requires consistent instruments. In Brazil, invasive therapeutic approaches are frequent, leading to functional alterations. The current study thus aimed to identify and discuss instruments capable of measuring ICF core set codes for breast cancer. The review included ICF studies in women with breast cancer diagnosis and studies with the objective of translating and validating instruments for the Brazilian population, and consistent with the codes. Review studies, systematic or not, were excluded. Eight instruments were selected, and the WHOQOL-Bref was the most comprehensive. The use of various instruments showed 19 coinciding codes, and the instruments as a whole covered 58 of the total of 81 codes. The use of multiple instruments is time-consuming, so new studies are needed to propose parsimonious tools capable of measuring functioning in women treated for breast cancer.
Diálise planejada e a utilização regular da atenção primária à saúde entre os pacientes diabéticos do Município de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
Authors: Peixoto Eline Rezende de Morais , Reis Ilka Afonso , Machado Elaine Leandro , Andrade Eli Iola Gurgel , Acurcio Francisco de Assis , Cherchiglia Mariângela Leal
Published: March 2013

O objetivo foi de analisar os fatores associados ao início planejado da diálise dos pacientes diabéticos que iniciaram o tratamento no Município de Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Estudo transversal com 250 pacientes diabéticos que iniciaram diálise entre janeiro de 2006 e dezembro de 2007. Iniciar a diálise com fístula arteriovenosa ou em diálise peritoneal foi classificado como início planejado. Foram investigadas as variáveis sociodemográficas, clínicas e de utilização de serviços de saúde por meio de entrevista semiestruturada. Para análise multivariada utilizou-se regressão de Poisson. Setenta por cento dos pacientes começaram a diálise de forma não planejada e 67% dos que consultaram com o nefrologista foram encaminhados com mais de quatro meses. Frequentar o centro de saúde, não ter a primeira consulta com nefrologista paga pelo SUS e ter tido opção de escolha para o tratamento da doença renal foram fatores relacionados ao início planejado da diálise. O início não planejado da diálise é comum no Município de Belo Horizonte e ocorre independentemente do tempo de encaminhamento ao nefrologista.
Using Large Digital Data Sets to Improve the Accuracy of Reservoir Pressure Measurements
Authors: Fonseca Santiago Hässig
Published: March 2013

The abundance in digital calibration information can be leveraged through statistical mining to improve calibration methodologies in tool manufacturing. Unable to store massive data, historical tool metrology relied on easily processed, summary performance metrics. However, with modern computing power, more computationally expensive methods of large data sets can be used to refine tool and process metrology, accuracy, and reliability. Empirical data from large sets of quartz memory gauges suggest that tools are consistently outperforming the accuracy specification derived from historical static calibration. This paper presents an alternative metrological methodology that provides additional insight into the accuracy of calibrated gauges. An analytic framework based on the Satterthwaite confidence interval (CI) is developed using an unpaired sample t-test and simultaneous field measurements from five stable pressure segments are used to validate the predicted variances between gauges. The methodology significantly improves measurement accuracy and reliability and is applicable to any instrumentation that undergoes a consistent, repeatable, and linear calibration.

In addition to reevaluating existing tool specifications, the methodology can be integrated into metrological practices in the oil industry where large digital data sets and painstakingly accurate tools and calibration devices are commonly found. Presented are results from memory gauges, but by extension the method is applicable in other formation evaluation endeavors. The analytic framework predicts a factor of proportionality between the accuracy predicted by the CI and the traditional metrics of individually calibrated gauges. Specifically, a relationship is found between the 2-norm of the mean quadratic deviation (MQD) error of two individually calibrated pressure gauges. A case study of HPHT gauges in five well tests in the North Sea and India confirm analytic predictions. The paper focuses on quartz memory gauges and improves absolute and relative accuracies of HPHT gauges by over 33% and 56%, accordingly. Comparable analysis can be applied to other tools to better evaluate metrology. The converse method is useful to determine a process' variance and bias — vital information to evaluate and compensate a facility, process, or device.
Probabilistic Well Time Estimation Using Operations Reporting Data
Authors: Codling J. , Leatherby J.
Published: March 2013

Probabilistic well time and cost forecasting models are widely used for estimating budgets for proposed well operations. These models are based on probabilistic simulations and require the input of the range of times for the proposed operations and the frequency of occurrence of problem time. The best source for this information is historical well data from operations in the same area and of a similar type.

Valuable well-operations time information is recorded using operation reporting systems and stored in relational databases. This information is difficult to extract and use in probabilistic well forecasts. The standard procedure is to manually extract the historical activities from offset well reports and to manually process them using spreadsheets, which can be time consuming.

This paper describes techniques for directly extracting the operation information and provides an approach to forecasting using probabilistic methods that makes it easy for the user to review the input data for planned operations in the Monte Carlo model. Methods for working out performance data for planned operations are also discussed, using the frequency of occurrence of unplanned operations, and a novel approach to statistical distributions that can be understood by operations engineers is presented.

The proposed methods reduce preparation time and improve the accuracy of the probabilistic well forecast.
Advanced Streaming Data Cleansing
Authors: Zheng Yingying , Qin S. Joe , Brenskelle Lisa A.
Published: March 2013

A frequent problem experienced throughout industry is that of missing or poor quality data in data historians. This can have various causes, such as field instrument failures, loss of communication, or even issues with the setup of the historian itself. The end result is that data required to perform analyses needed to improve facility operations may be unavailable. This generally incurs delays, as the data analyst must manually "clean up"the data before using it, or could even result in erroneous conclusions if the data is used as is without any corrections. In this paper, a novel multivariate statistical method is proposed to detect incorrect data values and reconstruct corrected values to be stored in the historian. This method works on streaming data, and thus makes its corrections continuously in near real-time. The method has been successfully tested in a laboratory setting using real operating data from a Chevron facility. Chevron plans to test the data error detection and reconstruction method in the field in the near future. Use of this method will ensure that good quality data for needed analyses is available in the data historian, and will save analyst time as well.
Improving Operations through Next Generation Analytics and Mobility
Authors: Landgren K. M. , Das J. A. , Abraham P.
Published: March 2013

New data management and analysis technology improves the capability to collect, manage, and analyze the large volumes of operational data needed to understand multiple aspects of operational performance, in a fully integrated way. New mobile technology supports collection of operational data during field operations and to display results at the operational sites. Predictive analytics gives new ways to optimize operations.

A case study has been performed using an analytic solution for understanding well production loss due to equipment failure and for understanding well workover profitability, based on integration of data from multiple sources. Mobile devices suitable for use in hazardous operating environments are used to collect operational data, including potentially hazardous safety conditions. Results include downtime reduction and timely decisions on service procurement for increasing well workover profitability.
Data Mining and Predictive Analytics Transforms Data to Barrels
Authors: Shirzadi S. , Ziegel E. , Bailey R.
Published: March 2013

BP's Field of the Future Technology Flagship is developing data-driven technologies that complement existing capabilities for reservoir management and operations. Widespread adoption of BP's proprietary wells and equipment real time surveillance and monitoring applications provides efficient workflows that deliver real time data to decision-makers. Data Analytics applications are transforming this data into information that will improve the management of operational risk, increase production and maximize both recovery and workforce efficiency. This paper describes our progress made in the areas of operational risk and increasing production and outlining our future activities.

So far we have created data-driven corrosion assessment tools and have developed new technology for virtual flow meters. Corrosion assessment is now able to evaluate the efficiency of our pipeline inspection programs. Following successful proof of concept and field trials, we will package this capability and deploy it globally as a standard workflow as soon as possible. Data-driven virtual flow meters are being implemented to provide a 3-phase metering capability. Better well and zonal flow allocation will improve reservoir management. Other soft sensors are being developed to create well diagnostic and prognostic capabilities for BP's real-time surveillance toolkit. This helps assets identify well work and optimization opportunities.

Future activities include new predictive technologies to increase recovery and reduce well-integrity risks. We are developing an innovative approach to diagnose and optimize waterflood performance designated as Top-Down Waterflood Diagnostics and Optimization. This novel approach combines BP's proprietary production event detection and association technology with visualization and parametric models that can quantify the subsurface connections between injectors and the producers. Successful trials have demonstrated how this can powerfully complement the conventional waterflood management and optimization workflows. In conjunction with other activities, the benefit to operations is derived from improving sweep efficiency so increasing recovery.

Use of data mining and predictive analytics for business intelligence has created significant value in finance, medicine, power generation, and other industries. BP now has an established, active program to bring the business intelligence approach into its E&P operations and particularly to its reservoir management.
Promoting Retention through the Implementation of Integrated Multicultural Instructional Design
Authors: Higbee Jeanne L. , Goff Emily , Schultz Jennifer L.
Published: March 2013

This article introduces the guiding principles of integrated multicultural instructional design (IMID), a new pedagogical model created to promote retention by addressing multicultural perspectives and social justice issues across the curriculum. To illustrate the model, specific strategies for implementing IMID in a content-based, writing-intensive freshman seminar are described and a template for course evaluation is provided. The article concludes with students' perceptions of the faculty member's efforts to create an inclusive learning environment in the freshman seminar.
Exploring the Association between Campus Co-Curricular Involvement and Academic Achievement
Authors: Bergen-Cico Dessa , Viscomi Joe
Published: March 2013

This research examines the relationship between college student attendance at co-curricular programs and GPA. Researchers tracked attendance of two cohorts totaling 3,000+ students through electromagnetic scanning at university-sponsored events. Analysis of GPA by attendance rate clusters revealed that students attending 5–14 events over the 4–year period had significantly higher ( p < 0.001) GPAs than students attending fewer or more events. The findings from this study contribute to the scope of research on student engagement in higher education. Whereas research on student alcohol use, depression, and anxiety has addressed the risk factors for student success, this study complements existing research by examining the protective facets of student institutional engagement.
The Effect of Communication Centers on College Student Retention: An Argument
Authors: Yook Eunkyong Lee
Published: March 2013

One of the most urgent issues facing institutions of higher learning in the United States today is the problem of college student retention. The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretically and empirically supported argument for stating that there is one potent force for retention of college students that has been as yet largely unmined: communication centers. Relatively new to the field of academia, communication centers have the goal of enhancing communication, which is arguably one of the most important skills for career success and civic participation. Communication centers can play a significant role in all of the variables found to impact college student retention, namely communication competence, academic performance, interaction with students and faculty, and involvement in campus activities.
Latina/O Students' Needs
Authors: Mahaffy Kimberly A. , Pantoja Christina
Published: March 2013

To better understand Latina/o students' needs in a predominantly White institution of higher education with low Latina/o retention rates, semistructured interviews were completed with 30 Latina/o students. The themes that emerged through qualitative analysis of the interviews were: linguistic and financial barriers; a need for unity; availability of resources; sources of support; and educating ourselves and others about Latinas/os. Recommendations for enhancing the Latina/o student experience include activities to engage Latinas/os in the university life, bilingual support, and extending the curriculum to address Latina/o issues. Other institutions of higher education would benefit from studying local Latina/o students' needs to gain more insight into retention and graduation issues from the perspective of the students.
The Oklahoma's Promise Program: A National Model to Promote College Persistence
Authors: Mendoza Pilar , Mendez Jesse P.
Published: March 2013

Using a multi-method approach involving fixed effects and logistic regressions, this study examined the effect of the Oklahoma's Promise Program on student persistence in relation to the Pell and Stafford federal programs and according to socio-economic characteristics and class level. The Oklahoma's Promise is a hybrid state program that pays in-state college tuition for students that have completed a series of academic and disciplinary benchmarks in high school and demonstrated financial need. Results indicate that the Promise program alone or in combination with Pell grants and Stafford loans is a predictor of persistence; however, this effect varies by income and race/ethnicity.
Differentiating the Whites: Using Fractal Analysis to Investigate the Visual Properties of the Architecture of John Hejduk and Peter Eisenman
Authors: Ostwald Michael J. , Vaughan Josephine
Published: March 2013

Architects John Hejduk and Peter Eisenman were members of the “New York Five” and of the famous late modernist group, the “Whites.” Early in their careers, both Hejduk and Eisenman proposed that form or shape (the aesthetics of architecture) was more important than program (the function of architecture) and they designed experimental houses to demonstrate this. The present article uses the computational fractal method to analyze 78 design drawings to develop a mathematical description of the visual complexity of five early domestic designs by each architect. These data will provide an important basis for empirical comparisons of buildings using characteristic visual dimensions. Through this process it is possible to test a variety of hypotheses about the visual and formal qualities of both architects' works. Among the article's conclusions are that the mathematical data typically supports both architect's claims about the formal properties of their designs while challenging several assumptions about scale and Deconstructivist architecture.
Porjadok podlezascego, skazuemogo i dopolnenija v drevneserbskom jazyke XII-XIII vekov
Authors: Pavlovic Slobodan
Published: March 2013

V nastojascej rabote rassmatrivaetsja porjadok podlezascego, skazuemogo i
dopolnenija v svete tipologiceskih i diahroniceskih issledovanij porjadka
slov na materiale drevneserbskoj delovoj pis'mennosti XII-XIII vekov. V
drevneserbskom jazyke net formal'nyh zapretov na razvertyvanie clenov
predlozenija, no mozno govorit' o bazovom porjadkeslov, kak naibolee casto
vstrecajuscejsja linejnoj posledovatel'nosti. Drevneserbskij jazyk otnositsja
k tipu SVO (podlezascee - skazuemoe - prjamoe dopolnenie). ?ta formula
polucaetsja soedineniem porjadkov grupp SV (podlezascee predsestvuet
skazuemomu - SV 65% : VS 35%) i VO (skazuemoe predsestvuet dopolneniju - VO
67,4% : OV 32,6). SVO porjadok vstrecaetsja bolee casto, cem ostal'nye pjat'
posledovatel'nostej, vmeste vzjatye: SVO 51,1%, VSO 14,6%, OVS 13,5%, SOV
8,3%, VOS 7,3%, OSV 5,2%. V predlozenii s dvumja dopolnenijami prjamoe
dopolnenie (O) v vinitel'nom padeze obycno predsestvuet kosvennomu
dopolneniju (OI) v datel'nom padeze (OOI 64,6% : OIO 35,4%).
La flexion et l’analytisme des substantifs en -a dans le dialecte du village de Gatnje, situe au sud du Kosovo
Authors: Mladenovic Radivoje
Published: March 2013

Dans la presente etude, nous examinons la declinaison des substantifs
feminins et masculins en-a dans le dialecte du village de Gatnje, situe au
sud du Kosovo. Du fait qu?il a bien conserve la flexion des substantifs en
-a, le village de Gatnje peut etre rattache au type des parlers du sud de la
Metochie, du sud et centre du Kosovo, qui appartiennent a la grande aire
linguistique de Prizren - Sud de la Morava. Un plus grand nombre de cas se
sont conserves au singulier qu?au pluriel. Nous avons constate que la flexion
est bien conservee dans un grand nombre de constructions avec des
prepositions regissant le genitif au singulier, et que l?influence de
l?analytisme dans ces constructions ne peut etre observe que dans un petit
nombre d?exemples, a l?exception de l?instrumental. La forme du datif
singulier s?est bien conservee avec la signification d?attribution, de
possession et de direction. Les constructions po + locatif singulier et prema
+ locatif singulier se sont egalement bien conservees, et nous avons meme pu
constate des constructions u + locatif singulier et na + locatif singulier
dans un moindre nombre d?exemples. A part les noms de personnes comportant
plus de deux syllabes - qui ont un vocatif singulier identique au nominatif -
les autres substantifs ont soit la terminaison -o (sestro, duso), soit la
terminaison -e pour les substantifs en -ka (Ljupke, strinke). La diversite
des formes du datif pluriel des substantifs en -a (kravama, kravima, kravema,
kravami) s?explique par le contact avec les formes du datif d?autres types de
declinaisons.
Funkcii pljuskvamperfekta v sovremennom serbskom i ukrainskom jazykah
Authors: Popovic Ljudmila
Published: March 2013

V rabote rassmatrivajutsja temporal'nye funkcii pljuskvamperfekta v serbskom
i ukrainskom jazykah, kotorye raneee ne javljalis' predmetom lingvisticeskih
issledovanij. Tradicionnyj podhod k pljuskvamperfektu kak k otnositel'nomu
vremeni, ukazyvajuscemu na predsestvovanie v proslom, to est' na to, cto
situacija (ili ee rezul'tat) imela mesto ran'se nekotoroj drugoj prosloj
situacii, vzjatoj v kacestve referentnoj tocki, fokusirovannoj govorjascim i,
kak pravilo, ?ksplicitno nazvannoj v tekste, ili ze kak ko vremeni,
ukazyvajuscemu na otdalennoe prosloe (davnominulij cas), dopolneno
predstavleniem o konkretnyh tipah taksisnyh konstrukcij s dannoj vremennoj
formoj v oboih jazykah. Vydeljajutsja takze funkcii: oboznacenija prervannoj
situacii v proslom; retrospektivnoj aktualizacii; topikalizacii;
digressivnaja funkcija, a v ukrainskom jazyke - i funkcija vyrazenija
kontrafakticeskogo uslovija. Dannye funkcii rassmatrivajutsja v svjazi s uze
opisannymi serbskimi lingvistami funkcijami annulirovannogo rezul'tata i
evocirovanija obscego fona, a takze rezul'tatami tipologiceskih issledovanij
pljuskvamperfekta poslednego vremeni.
The Spend-Save Decision: An Analysis of How Charities Respond to Revenue Changes
Authors: Jones Christopher L. , Kitching Karen A. , Roberts Andrea Alston , Smith Pamela C.
Published: March 2013

SYNOPSIS:

We study how charities adjust spending when revenues change. Understanding the decision to spend or save revenues provides insights into management behavior and resource allocations. Our results indicate that, on average, the marginal change in overall spending is substantially less than the marginal change in revenue, indicating that charities smooth spending. Charities save a substantial portion of additional revenues and appear to mitigate reductions in revenues by using past savings, especially amounts saved in the previous year. We also find evidence that charities anticipate revenue declines and save for that purpose. Charities with fewer constraints, such as those with larger net assets and those with revenues from sources less likely to impose revenue spending restrictions, do more smoothing by adjusting spending less.

Data Availability: Data are publicly available.
Challenges and Opportunities in Cross-Country Accounting Research
Authors: Gordon Elizabeth A. , Greiner Adam , Kohlbeck Mark J. , Lin Steven , Skaife Hollis
Published: March 2013

SYNOPSIS:

A concurrent session at the 2011 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting featured the panel discussion “Results, Challenges, and Opportunities in Cross-Country Accounting Research.” The panelists summarized major contributions from prior research in international settings, factors a researcher should consider when motivating and designing cross-country studies, and topical areas that could potentially contribute to future international accounting research. This paper summarizes the panelists' prepared remarks, develops a framework for designing cross-country research projects, and provides illustrations of the framework.