bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brown Field Optimization: Coiled-Tubing Operations Beyond the Short String
Authors: Asedegbega Daniel , Desalu Adedeji , Hutapea Tumpal
Published: October 2015

Workover activities on wells have been traditionally carried out either to correct completion faults or to allow greater, more efficient access to perforations. While the former may not be geared toward reserve optimization, the latter objective is solely a drive towards optimization and enhancement of reserves.

With about half of the completions in Nigeria being dual string, there is the need to optimize production from two zones. However, despite reservoir depletion trends being similar in both the long and short string of a dual-completion system, fewer treatments are made through the short string in contrast to treatments deployed through the longer string. As a consequence, the true potential of a well may never be realized unless a total retrieval and recompletion workover is carried out with high-cost implications to the operators.

Performing workovers beyond the short string of dual completions is perceived as near impossible by most operating companies. The genuine skepticism is generated by the fact that e-line and slickline activity are limited to the end of tubing (EOT) only. This limitation is due to a high probability of becoming stuck or entangled with the long string. Due to this possibility, other workover options, specifically, coiled tubing (CT) beyond the short string, have also been perceived the same way.

Short-string intervention is geared toward performing rig-less intervention in the short string of a dual-completion system to optimize production from the upper zone. Our study evaluates different factors ranging from completion ratios and buckling tendencies to weight trends. Conclusions are drawn based on the evaluated data as to the feasibility or impracticability of a given intervention scenario.

In other words, the results of this study we believe provides a lifeline for the operators' existing short string by performing the same traditional treatment as occurs in long-string scenarios. We evaluate the client's skepticism of CT operations beyond the short string and draw a line between feasible and impractical operations by examining the various factors that affect interventions. The study also highlights that within reasonable limits, some of the perceived limitations are actually not limitations but hot spots to watch for during the design phase.

One success story is evaluated to support our study.

Introduction

Intervention operations performed with coiled tubing are usually restricted to the long string. The short string, though a potential candidate for intervention, is usually left to deplete gradually until it is shut-in or abandoned pending a major workover. This opinion is a result of the transferred mind-set of a slickline image on the coiled tubing. Slickline is prone to becoming entangled with the long string if it is run adjacent to it in the casing. This is one of the underlying reasons why the end of tubing in the short string is capped off and perforated.
Diagnosis of Production Performance After Multistage Fracture Stimulation in Horizontal Wells by Downhole Temperature Measurements
Authors: Cui Jingyuan , Zhu D.. , Jin Minquan
Published: October 2015

Downhole temperature data that are measured by production logging tools (PLTs) or fiber-optic distributed-temperature sensors are used frequently today to diagnose multistage fracture treatments in horizontal or highly deviated wells. These temperature data, measured at the wellbore during fracturing and post-fracture, provide important transient-flow information that helps engineers understand the process of fracturing and the performance of fractured wells, to optimize fracture design.

The interpretation models developed to translate temperature data to flow conditions can be fully numerical simulations or analytical/semianalytical approaches. With reasonable assumptions, analytical/semianalytical models are more suitable for real-time field applications. This paper presents the application of a coupled semianalytical fracture model and a wellbore model to predict temperature and pressure behavior in multiple-fracture horizontal wells during production. The thermal model calculated the heat transfer in the fracture/reservoir/wellbore system, considering subtle temperature changes caused by the Joule-Thomson cooling effects. The results showed that transient temperature behavior is sensitive enough to estimate the fracture-initiation points, the number of created fractures, and the flow profile along the wellbore.

We discuss the characteristics of transient temperature behaviors and flow-rate distribution along a fractured horizontal wellbore. The temperature decreases when the gas entering the wellbore is strong at the toe and weak toward the heel and when the fractures are more evenly created along the wellbore because of the fluid mixture inside the wellbore. Two field cases are presented to illustrate the application of the temperature model to understand the fracture/flow distribution. The estimation of flow-rate distribution from the temperature model is compared with the interpretation of flow by PLTs. Although this is a single-phase gas model, we can identify the water sump at certain locations by identifying fast temperature recovery to geothermal value. Flow distribution from the temperature model presents a consistent trend with PLT measurement. It is more sensitive to the fluid entries (fracture locations) and less sensitive to the influence of the flow pattern inside the wellbore when compared with PLTs.

This work shows that temperature data can identify fracture locations (fluid-entry points) and estimate flow-rate distribution. Because of the complexity of flow in a multistage, fractured horizontal well, any measurement alone would not be able to provide clear description of the created fracture system. A combination of temperature data with other diagnostic methods will provide a better description of the production performance of such a well.
Oil Recovery From Gas-Over-Bitumen Reservoirs: Results From the AIDROH Pilot Project in Alberta
Authors: Hogue Bill , Gutiérrez Dubert , Hong Claire , Steiner Jennifer , Freeman Larry
Published: October 2015

Producing from bitumen reservoirs overlain by gas caps can be a challenging task. The gas cap acts as a thief zone to the injected steam used during oil-recovery operations and hinders the effectiveness of processes such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). Moreover, gas production from the gas cap can accentuate the problem even more by further depressurization of the gas zone.

Following a September 2003 ruling by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), the oil and gas industry in the province of Alberta, Canada, had approximately 130 million scf/D of sweet gas shut-in to maintain pressure in gas zones in communication with bitumen reservoirs. This decision led to the development of EnCAID (Cenovus' air-injection and -displacement process), a process in which air is injected into a gas-over-bitumen (GOB) zone, and combustion gases are used to displace the remaining formation gas while maintaining the required formation pressure.

An EnCAID pilot was started in June 2006, and preliminary results were reported in 2008. After 8 years of operations, the EnCAID project has not only proved to be effective at recovering natural gas and maintaining reservoir pressure, it has also shown it can heat up the bitumen zone and make the oil more mobile and amenable for production. This led to the development of the air-injection and -displacement for recovery with oil horizontal (AIDROH) process.

The AIDROH process is the second of two distinct stages. First, an air-injection well is drilled and perforated in the gas cap. The well is ignited and air injection is performed to sustain in-situ combustion in the gas zone. This phase is characterized by a radially expanding combustion front, accompanied by conduction heating into the bitumen below. The second stage begins when horizontal wells are drilled in the bitumen zone. The pressure sink caused by drawing down the wells alters the dynamics of the process and creates a pressure drive for the combustion front to push toward the producers in a top-down fashion, taking advantage of the combustion-front displacement and gravity drainage.

In light of the temperature increases observed in the bitumen overlain by the EnCAID project, a horizontal production well was drilled in late 2011 and commenced producing in early 2012. This paper provides an update of the EnCAID pilot results and presents a summary of the technical aspects of the AIDROH project, pilot results, and interpretation of the data gathered to date, such as observation-well temperatures, pre- and post-burn cores, and temperatures along the horizontal producer.

Results indicate that the AIDROH process has the potential to maximize oil production from GOB reservoirs, and efforts continue to be made to optimize its design and operation.
Effect of Different Types of Exercise in HIV + Mozambican Women Using Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Mangona Lucília , Daca Timóteo , Tchonga Francisco , Bule Odete , Bhatt Nilesh , Jani Ilesh , Damasceno Albertino , Prista António
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of two types of exercises interventions on the regularity and health-related physical fitness in HIV-infected individuals who use antiretroviral therapy (ART). A total of 53 HIV+ African women (mean age=39.5±8.4 years) on ART participated in the study. Subjects were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely, formal exercise (FEG), playful exercise (PEG) and control (CG). During 12 weeks, the exercise groups underwent a program of 1-hour duration with a frequency of 3 times a week. The FEG performed a protocol that included 20 minutes of exercise, cycling at 60 % of V̇O2peak, increasing to 75 % and 85 % in the 4th and 8th weeks, respectively, and a muscular endurance circuit consisted of 6 exercises at 15 repetitions per minute (RM). The PEG followed a program consisting of active games. Before and after the intervention the participants were submitted to a clinical evaluation including immunological parameters (CD4+), cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness and anthropometry. Comparison of somatic variables before and after the program showed no exercise effect. Immunological and cardiovascular variables were also independent of the exercise group. The main effect was found in cardiorespiratory fitness: exercise groups increased significantly in V̇O2peak(FEG=14.7 %; PEG=11.1 %) with no significant differences in CG. The percentage of high attendance was identical between the two groups. It was concluded that there is no contraindication for exercise in this type of population and the beneficial effect was mainly in cardiorespiratory fitness, regardless of the type of exercise performed.
Combined orthodontic-surgical management of a transmigrated mandibular canine
Authors: Cavuoti Serena , Matarese Giovanni , Isola Gaetano , Abdolreza Jamilian , Femiano Felice , Perillo Letizia
Published: October 2015

The presence of an impacted mandibular canine is one of the most difficult challenges that an orthodontist will meet. Orthodontic treatment is planned on an individual basis after thoroughly considering the patient’s overall facial and dentoskeletal characteristics; the duration, risks, and costs of treatment; patient preferences; and the orthodontist’s experience. This article reports an orthodontic treatment of a boy, age 12.9 years, with an impacted mandibular canine in the permanent dentition that was successfully managed. Radiographic analysis indicated a transmigration of the mandibular right canine. The orthodontic treatment plan included extraction of the deciduous right canine followed by surgical exposure and ligation of the permanent canine. Eruption was properly guided, and the correct position of the tooth was achieved. This challenging treatment approach is described in detail, including the mechanics used to align the impacted canine.
Test of Precipitation, Compensation and Monday Effect Hypotheses on Group Hare Trapping Effort
Authors: Hušek Jan , Panek Marek , Tryjanowski Piotr
Published: October 2015

Live trapping in combination with translocation of wild animals is an important tool in wildlife management, but drivers of human trapping activity are poorly understood. Here we test three hypotheses that have been proposed to describe and explain temporal variation in group hunting‐trapping effort. Namely, we test the precipitation effect, effort compensation and Monday effect hypotheses on live trapping effort of brown hares for restocking. Analysis of 26 047 hares trapped in 460 trapping days during the period 1966–1995 in western Poland showed that seasonal onset of trapping was later during rainy autumns supporting avoidance of rainy weather by the trapping group. The hunting group increased the number of animals caught the day following a day with low off‐take providing evidence for the ability to respond quickly and compensate for short term variation in the trapping effort. Group trapping effort as reflected by number of hares caught was lower on Monday than on any other working day. This is in line with observations on weekly variation in working effort of employees across various contexts. We conclude that even seemingly standardized and rigid trapping schemes may be responsive to factors such as weather, experienced effort and subtle seasonal effects.
Later is Better: Optimal Timing for Walked Activity Surveys for a European Bat Guild
Authors: Goodenough Anne E. , Deans Liam , Whiteley Laura , Pickering Simon
Published: October 2015

Bat activity surveys (walked surveys combining transect and point counts) are extremely important for collecting data throughout Europe in conservation and planning contexts. To ensure optimal data, it is vital to ensure synchronicity between survey time and peak bat activity. However, although protocols for two‐hour dusk activity surveys are well accepted, recommended start time in relation to sunset is a ‘best guess’ rather than based on empirical evidence. Accepted practice differs widely with recommended start times varying from 30 min pre‐sunset (finishing 90 min post‐sunset) to 30 min post‐sunset (finishing 2.5 h after sunset). We provide the first empirical test of optimal start times for dusk activity surveys by comparing bat activity at the same sites on the same nights. Four sites were surveyed, viz. two high‐quality woodland sites and two low‐quality agricultural sites. At each site, surveyors walked the same route and stopped at the same pre‐defined listening points for three repeat surveys per night: 1) starting 30 min pre‐sunset; 2) starting at sunset; and 3) starting 30 min post‐sunset. In total, 240 hours' of data were collected. Four species, all widespread and common throughout Europe, were recorded: common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, soprano pipistrelle P. pygmaeus, Natterer's Myotis natterai and noctule Nyctalus noctule. Recorded bat activity was highest on sunset and post‐sunset surveys both generally (overall bat activity) and for all specific species encountered. Findings were generally consistent for both low‐ and high‐quality habitats. The same species were generally represented in both point and transect data but point data yielded higher estimates of overall activity in low‐quality habitat and higher bat species richness in both high‐ and low‐quality habitat relative to transect data. We recommend that: 1) two‐hour dusk bat activity surveys start at/after sunset not before sunset and 2) both transect and point data are collected and analysed.
Validity of the Handheld Dynamometer Compared with an Isokinetic Dynamometer in Measuring Peak Hip Extension Strength
Authors: Keep Heather , Luu Levana , Berson Ayli , Garland S. Jayne
Published: October 2015

Purpose: To determine whether the handheld dynamometer (HHD) is an appropriate tool to assess and quantify peak hip extension strength in prone standing position by (1) evaluating the concurrent validity of the HHD versus an isokinetic dynamometer (IKD), (2) establishing the minimal detectable change (MDC), and (3) determining the validity of single-trial versus multi-trial measures. Method: A convenience sample of 20 healthy adults was recruited for this cross-sectional study. Measures of peak hip extension strength were collected in prone standing position with both the HHD and the IKD and in supine position with the IKD. Results: Values of r were 0.37 for HHD versus IKD prone standing and 0.51 for HHD versus IKD supine. MDC was 14.8 Nm for the HHD, 25.6 Nm for IKD prone standing, and 41.5 Nm for IKD supine. High correlations (r values of 0.92–0.94) were observed between trial 1 and the mean of three trials. Conclusions: The HHD has moderate concurrent validity in measuring peak hip extension strength in the prone standing position in healthy adults. MDC for hip extension strength was lowest using the HHD. Single-trial values showed a high correlation with three-trial mean values.
Berlin’s Futurity in Zafer Şenocak’sGefährliche Verwandtschaft(1998) and Marica Bodrožić’sKirschholz und alte Gefühle(2012)
Authors: Mayr Maria
Published: October 2015

This article traces and compares the use of Berlin as a site through which to renegotiate memories of the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and the 1990s wars in former Yugoslavia in Zafer Şenocak’s Gefährliche Verwandtschaft (1998) and Marica Bodrožić’s Kirschholz und alte Gefühle (2012). The author argues that both novels experiment with narrative and stylistic devices, such as ellipsis and allusion, in order to leave the represented past open for present and future renegotiation to safeguard the past from becoming co-opted by identity politics. The author concludes by showing that, next to all of their similarities, the novels’ differ in their depiction of Berlin. Whereas Şenocak’s post-Wende Berlin is ultimately still located within a Germany determined by its past, Bodrožić’s Berlin gestures towards the city’s European present and future.
“Wir sind alle Oranienplatz”! Space for Refugees and Social Justice in Berlin
Authors: Landry Olivia
Published: October 2015

For nearly two years Berlin-Kreuzberg was the site of a large-scale protest camp set up to mobilize awareness and activism with respect to asylum politics in Germany and Europe. Located on the central square Oranienplatz, this protest incited broader questions about the relationship between cities and citizenship and the geopolitical role of urban space. The present article traces the emergence and development of this protest movement, referred to as Refugee Tent Action, its political footing, and especially its urban tracks. With recourse to theories of space, the commons, and citizenship, I demonstrate how this protest movement progressed into an urban manifestation for community, public space, civic engagement, and social justice.
Workload-Based Capacity for Air Traffic Management
Authors: Lindsay Kenneth S.
Published: October 2015

The charter of FAA is to promote the safe, orderly, and expeditious use of the National Airspace System (NAS). To ensure that traffic flow is safe and efficient, FAA needs to know the expected traffic demand on the sector and the sector's capacity to accommodate that demand. When sector capacity is inadequate to meet the demand, congestion occurs. To ensure that safety is not compromised, FAA often takes action to reduce demand or increase capacity to avoid congestion. The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development developed a time-on-task workload model to assess capacity and congestion in en route NAS sectors. A metric was developed and used along with the workload generated by the model and a workload threshold to estimate sector capacity. The metric, as constructed, enabled equitable comparison of capacity of different sectors, regardless of size. A field and lab evaluation of the workload model was used to quantify the model's task coverage and to calibrate its parameter values. The workload model was used to generate workload, capacity, and congestion profiles for selected en route sectors during good weather and during convective weather. The data used to generate the profiles can be used for various air traffic management applications.
Performance of Grooved Warm-Mix Asphalt Pavement Surfaces under Heavy Aircraft Load and High Tire Pressure
Authors: Mejías-Santiago Mariely , Doyle Jesse D. , Rushing John F.
Published: October 2015

This paper presents an evaluation of the performance of grooved warm-mix asphalt (WMA) under heavy aircraft loading compared with that of grooved hot-mix asphalt (HMA). Runway surface grooving is often required to provide high skid resistance for aircraft braking, particularly in wet conditions where hydroplaning must be minimized. An area of potential concern with the use of WMA on the surface of airfield runway pavements is the material response to surface grooving. If the asphalt binder in WMA is softer than that of comparable HMA because of reduced binder aging during production and placement, the WMA mixture may be more likely to experience groove closure or collapse. This condition could result in hydroplaning issues because of the reduction in water discharge and also in chipping of aggregate from the groove edges, which could increase the potential for foreign object damage. A full-scale experiment was designed to evaluate two pavement curing conditions and three WMA mixtures. Traffic was applied to the pavements with an F-15 load cart, and testing occurred during the summer of 2013. The performance of WMA, measured as the percentage of groove closure, was compared with that of comparative HMA. It was concluded that WMA could perform as well as HMA under different pavement curing conditions. This result indicates that WMA runway surface pavement that is properly cured before grooving should not exhibit groove closure under normal aircraft traffic conditions.
Competition between Asian Network Airlines and Low-Cost Carriers
Authors: Pearson James , O'Connell John F. , Pitfield David E. , Ryley Tim
Published: October 2015

Asia Pacific is increasingly at the forefront of world aviation, and low-cost carriers (LCCs) there now have 26% of all seats. This amount rises to 57% in Southeast Asia and 56% in South Asia. Clearly, Asian network airlines are very exposed to LCCs, and there are many consequences, such as lower financial performance from inadequately meeting the expectations of customers, offering insufficient value for money, and customer dissatisfaction. It is crucial that Asian network airlines respond expeditiously and appropriately to LCCs. This paper looks at the strategic capability of 22 Asian network airlines in competing with LCCs on the basis of analyzing questionnaire data from these airlines with respect to the level of importance and difficulty of 37 competitive responses across six response categories. Fundamentally, this paper concerns only their capability in competing with LCCs and does not consider their overall strength. This paper also identifies the importance and difficulty of all 37 responses and how the response categories vary by airline, while linking strategic capability with profit margins. The results show that strategic capability varies widely, with Vietnam Airlines possessing the strongest strategic capability and SilkAir, the weakest. Of airlines that compete heavily with LCCs, Garuda Indonesia has strong capability, while Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines do not. For all 22 Asian network airlines, quickly introducing changes, leveraging brand strength, and increasing aircraft use are the most important responses, and there is a reasonably strong correlation between strategic capability and margin, suggesting that those airlines with strong capabilities should achieve higher margins.
A New Swarm Intelligence Approach for Clustering Based on Krill Herd with Elitism Strategy
Authors: Li Zhi-Yong , Yi Jiao-Hong , Wang Gai-Ge
Published: October 2015

As one of the most popular and well-recognized clustering methods, fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering algorithm is the basis of other fuzzy clustering analysis methods in theory and application respects. However, FCM algorithm is essentially a local search optimization algorithm. Therefore, sometimes, it may fail to find the global optimum. For the purpose of getting over the disadvantages of FCM algorithm, a new version of the krill herd (KH) algorithm with elitism strategy, called KHE, is proposed to solve the clustering problem. Elitism tragedy has a strong ability of preventing the krill population from degrading. In addition, the well-selected parameters are used in the KHE method instead of originating from nature. Through an array of simulation experiments, the results show that the KHE is indeed a good choice for solving general benchmark problems and fuzzy clustering analyses.
Learning Processes and Trajectories for the Reduction of Antibiotic Use in Pig Farming: A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Fortané Nicolas , Bonnet-Beaugrand Florence , Hémonic Anne , Samedi Carole , Savy Arnaud , Belloc Catherine
Published: October 2015

Since 2011, French public policy has been encouraging a reduction in the use of antibiotics in animal farming. The aim of this article is to look at how some farms have already managed to lower their consumption of antibiotics, and to highlight the levers of change in farming health practices. Our research uses a qualitative study based on 21 semi-structured interviews with farmers and veterinarians in the French pig-farming sector. We use the notion of “trajectory of change” to examine, over time, the intersection of the technical, economic, social and organisational determinants which affect the reduced use of antibiotics. The “learning process” concept makes it possible to take account of the way in which the actors assimilate, appropriate and implement new health practices. We have identified three interdependent levels of learning: technical learning, cognitive learning and organisational learning.
Research on the Coupling Coordination Relationship between Urbanization and the Air Environment: A Case Study of the Area of Wuhan
Authors: Ding Lei , Zhao Weituo , Huang Yalin , Cheng Shenggao , Liu Chao
Published: October 2015

China’s high-speed socioeconomic development has been characterized by rapid urbanization and a series of ecological environment issues, especially air pollution. This paper proposed a comprehensive indicator system for the evaluation of urbanization and the air environment in Wuhan, a metropolis in central China, and then investigated the relationship between urbanization and the air environment from the perspective of coupling coordination theory. Furthermore, a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) was constructed to estimate the relationship by using panel data collected from 1996–2013. The results showed the following: (1) Spatial urbanization and air environment quality make the greatest contributions to the compound system compared to other first grade indicators, indicating that they are critical factors to consider when the government is making relevant decisions about urban sprawl. (2) The comprehensive level of the air environment initially decreased from 1996–1998 and then increased with fluctuations in Wuhan, with several inflection points, meaning that the variation process of the air environment is unstable and repetitive, and efforts to improve the air environment must persist over a long period of time. Lastly, (3) the degree of coordinated coupling between urbanization and the air environment exhibited an S-shaped curve, indicating that Wuhan changed from having slightly unbalanced development to barely balanced development and then entered into a period of superiorly balanced development, with the air environment lagging. Thus, the ambient urban air quality has been subject to great pressure, and the government should continue to take effective action to improve it.
Biocompatible Hydrogels for Microarray Cell Printing and Encapsulation
Authors: Datar Akshata , Joshi Pranav , Lee Moo-Yeal
Published: October 2015

Conventional drug screening processes are a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, but highly rewarding when they are successful. To identify promising lead compounds, millions of compounds are traditionally screened against therapeutic targets on human cells grown on the surface of 96-wells. These two-dimensional (2D) cell monolayers are physiologically irrelevant, thus, often providing false-positive or false-negative results, when compared to cells grown in three-dimensional (3D) structures such as hydrogel droplets. However, 3D cell culture systems are not easily amenable to high-throughput screening (HTS), thus inherently low throughput, and requiring relatively large volume for cell-based assays. In addition, it is difficult to control cellular microenvironments and hard to obtain reliable cell images due to focus position and transparency issues. To overcome these problems, miniaturized 3D cell cultures in hydrogels were developed via cell printing techniques where cell spots in hydrogels can be arrayed on the surface of glass slides or plastic chips by microarray spotters and cultured in growth media to form cells encapsulated 3D droplets for various cell-based assays. These approaches can dramatically reduce assay volume, provide accurate control over cellular microenvironments, and allow us to obtain clear 3D cell images for high-content imaging (HCI). In this review, several hydrogels that are compatible to microarray printing robots are discussed for miniaturized 3D cell cultures.
Synergistic Anticancer Activities of Natural Substances in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Kojima-Yuasa Akiko , Huang Xuedan , Matsui-Yuasa Isao
Published: October 2015

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly resistant to currently available chemotherapeutic agents. The clinical outcome of HCC treatment remains unsatisfactory. Therefore, new effective and well-tolerated therapy strategies are needed. Natural products are excellent sources for the development of new medications for disease treatment. Recently, we and other researchers have suggested that the combined effect of natural products may improve the effect of chemotherapy treatments against the proliferation of cancer cells. In addition, many combination treatments with natural products augmented intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review we will demonstrate the synergistic anticancer effects of a combination of natural products with chemotherapeutic agents or natural products against human HCC and provide new insight into the development of novel combination therapies against HCC.
Dynamics and Thermodynamics of Nanoclusters
Authors: Michaelian Karo , Santamaría-Holek Ivan
Published: October 2015

The dynamic and thermodynamic properties of nanoclusters are studied in two different environments: the canonical and microcanonical ensembles. A comparison is made to thermodynamic properties of the bulk. It is shown that consistent and reproducible results on nanoclusters can only be obtained in the canonical ensemble. Nanoclusters in the microcanonical ensemble are trapped systems, and inconsistencies will be found if thermodynamic formalism is applied. An analytical model is given for the energy dependence of the phase space volume of nanoclusters, which allows the prediction of both dynamical and thermodynamical properties.
Mesoscopic Thermodynamics for the Dynamics of Small-Scale Systems
Authors: Rubi J.
Published: October 2015

We analyze the mesoscopic dynamics of small-scale systems from the perspective of mesoscopic non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The theory obtains the Fokker–Planck equation as a diffusion equation for the probability density of the mesoscopic variables and the nonlinear relationships between activation rates and affinities proper of activated processes. The situations that can be studied with this formalism include, among others, barrier crossing dynamics and non-linear transport in a great variety of systems. We, in particular, consider the cases of single-molecule stretching and activated processes in small systems.
Is Benford’s Law a Universal Behavioral Theory?
Authors: Villas-Boas Sofia , Fu Qiuzi , Judge George
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we consider the question and present evidence as to whether or not Benford’s exponential first significant digit (FSD) law reflects a fundamental principle behind the complex and nondeterministic nature of large-scale physical and behavioral systems. As a behavioral example, we focus on the FSD distribution of Australian micro income data and use information theoretic entropy methods to investigate the degree that corresponding empirical income distributions are consistent with Benford’s law.
Comprehensive Care Plan Development Using Resident Assessment Instrument Framework: Past, Present, and Future Practices
Authors: Dellefield Mary , Corazzini Kirsten
Published: October 2015

Development of the comprehensive care plan (CCP) is a requirement for nursing homes participating in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, referred to as skilled nursing facilities. The plan must be developed within the context of the comprehensive interdisciplinary assessment framework—the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI). Consistent compliance with this requirement has been difficult to achieve. To improve the quality of CCP development within this framework, an increased understanding of complex factors contributing to inconsistent compliance is required. In this commentary, we examine the history of the comprehensive care plan; its development within the RAI framework; linkages between the RAI and registered nurse staffing; empirical evidence of the CCP’s efficacy; and the limitations of extant standards of practices in CCP development. Because of the registered nurse’s educational preparation, professional practice standards, and licensure obligations, the essential contributions of professional nurses in CCP development are emphasized. Recommendations for evidence-based micro and macro level practice changes with the potential to improve the quality of CCP development and regulatory compliance are presented. Suggestions for future research are given.
Biodegradation of di-n-Butyl Phthalate by Achromobacter sp. Isolated from Rural Domestic Wastewater
Authors: Jin Decai , Kong Xiao , Li Yujie , Bai Zhihui , Zhuang Guoqiang , Zhuang Xuliang , Deng Ye
Published: October 2015

A bacterial strain W-1, isolated from rural domestic wastewater, can utilize the environmental hormone di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) as the sole carbon and energy source. The isolated bacterium species was confirmed to belong to the genus Achromobacter based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence. The results of substrate utilization tests showed that the strain W-1 could utilize other common phthalates and phenol. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis revealed that the optimal conditions for DBP degradation were pH 7.0, 35 °C, and an agitation rate of 175 rpm. Under these conditions, 500 mg/L of DBP was completely degraded within 30 h. The effects of heavy metals (50 mg/L Cu2+ and 500 mg/L Pb2+) and surfactants (100 mg/L SDS and 500 mg/L Tween 20) on DBP degradation were investigated. The results demonstrated that Cu2+ and SDS severely inhibited DBP degradation and Pb2+ weakly inhibited DBP degradation, while Tween 20 greatly enhanced DBP degradation. Furthermore, phthalate degradation genes were found to be located on a plasmid present in Achromobacter sp. W-1.
Enhanced Arsenate Removal Performance in Aqueous Solution by Yttrium-Based Adsorbents
Authors: Lee Sang-Ho , Kim Kyoung-Woong , Lee Byung-Tae , Bang Sunbaek , Kim Hyunseok , Kang Hyorang , Jang Am
Published: October 2015

Arsenic contamination in drinking water has become an increasingly important issue due to its high toxicity to humans. The present study focuses on the development of the yttrium-based adsorbents, with basic yttrium carbonate (BYC), Ti-loaded basic yttrium carbonate (Ti-loaded BYC) and yttrium hydroxide prepared using a co-precipitation method. The Langmuir isotherm results confirmed the maximum adsorption capacity of Ti-loaded BYC (348.5 mg/g) was 25% higher than either BYC (289.6 mg/g) or yttrium hydroxide (206.5 mg/g) due to its increased specific surface area (82 m2/g) and surface charge (PZC: 8.4). Pseudo first- and second-order kinetic models further confirmed that the arsenate removal rate of Ti-loaded BYC was faster than for BYC and yttrium hydroxide. It was subsequently posited that the dominant removal mechanism of BYC and Ti-loaded BYC was the carbonate-arsenate ion exchange process, whereas yttrium hydroxide was regarded to be a co-precipitation process. The Ti-loaded BYC also displayed the highest adsorption affinity for a wide pH range (3–11) and in the presence of coexisting anionic species such as phosphate, silicate, and bicarbonate. Therefore, it is expected that Ti-loaded BYC can be used as an effective and practical adsorbent for arsenate remediation in drinking water.
A New Algorithm for Cartographic Simplification of Streams and Lakes Using Deviation Angles and Error Bands
Authors: Gökgöz Türkay , Sen Alper , Memduhoglu Abdulkadir , Hacar Muslum
Published: October 2015

Multi-representation databases (MRDBs) are used in several geographical information system applications for different purposes. MRDBs are mainly obtained through model and cartographic generalizations. Simplification is the essential operator of cartographic generalization, and streams and lakes are essential features in hydrography. In this study, a new algorithm was developed for the simplification of streams and lakes. In this algorithm, deviation angles and error bands are used to determine the characteristic vertices and the planimetric accuracy of the features, respectively. The algorithm was tested using a high-resolution national hydrography dataset of Pomme de Terre, a sub-basin in the USA. To assess the performance of the new algorithm, the Bend Simplify and Douglas-Peucker algorithms, the medium-resolution hydrography dataset of the sub-basin, and Töpfer’s radical law were used. For quantitative analysis, the vertex numbers, the lengths, and the sinuosity values were computed. Consequently, it was shown that the new algorithm was able to meet the main requirements (i.e., accuracy, legibility and aesthetics, and storage).
Processing: A Python Framework for the Seamless Integration of Geoprocessing Tools in QGIS
Authors: Graser Anita , Olaya Victor
Published: October 2015

Processing is an object-oriented Python framework for the popular open source Geographic Information System QGIS, which provides a seamless integration of geoprocessing tools from a variety of different software libraries. In this paper, we present the development history, software architecture and features of the Processing framework, which make it a versatile tool for the development of geoprocessing algorithms and workflows, as well as an efficient integration platform for algorithms from different sources. Using real-world application examples, we furthermore illustrate how the Processing architecture enables typical geoprocessing use cases in research and development, such as automating and documenting workflows, combining algorithms from different software libraries, as well as developing and integrating custom algorithms. Finally, we discuss how Processing can facilitate reproducible research and provide an outlook towards future development goals.
Intra-Genomic Internal Transcribed Spacer Region Sequence Heterogeneity and Molecular Diagnosis in Clinical Microbiology
Authors: Zhao Ying , Tsang Chi-Ching , Xiao Meng , Cheng Jingwei , Xu Yingchun , Lau Susanna , Woo Patrick
Published: October 2015

Internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequencing is the most extensively used technology for accurate molecular identification of fungal pathogens in clinical microbiology laboratories. Intra-genomic ITS sequence heterogeneity, which makes fungal identification based on direct sequencing of PCR products difficult, has rarely been reported in pathogenic fungi. During the process of performing ITS sequencing on 71 yeast strains isolated from various clinical specimens, direct sequencing of the PCR products showed ambiguous sequences in six of them. After cloning the PCR products into plasmids for sequencing, interpretable sequencing electropherograms could be obtained. For each of the six isolates, 10–49 clones were selected for sequencing and two to seven intra-genomic ITS copies were detected. The identities of these six isolates were confirmed to be Candida glabrata (n = 2), Pichia (Candida) norvegensis (n = 2), Candida tropicalis (n = 1) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (n = 1). Multiple sequence alignment revealed that one to four intra-genomic ITS polymorphic sites were present in the six isolates, and all these polymorphic sites were located in the ITS1 and/or ITS2 regions. We report and describe the first evidence of intra-genomic ITS sequence heterogeneity in four different pathogenic yeasts, which occurred exclusively in the ITS1 and ITS2 spacer regions for the six isolates in this study.
Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Thermophilic Endoglucanase, AcCel12B from Acidothermus cellulolyticus 11B
Authors: Wang Junling , Gao Gui , Li Yuwei , Yang Liangzhen , Liang Yanli , Jin Hanyong , Han Weiwei , Feng Yan , Zhang Zuoming
Published: October 2015

The gene ABK52392 from the thermophilic bacterium Acidothermus cellulolyticus 11B was predicted to be endoglucanase and classified into glycoside hydrolase family 12. ABK52392 encodes a protein containing a catalytic domain and a carbohydrate binding module. ABK52392 was cloned and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. After purification by Ni-NTA agarose affinity chromatography and Q-Sepharose® Fast Flow chromatography, the properties of the recombinant protein (AcCel12B) were characterized. AcCel12B exhibited optimal activity at pH 4.5 and 75 °C. The half-lives of AcCel12B at 60 and 70 °C were about 90 and 2 h, respectively, under acidic conditions. The specific hydrolytic activities of AcCel12B at 70 °C and pH 4.5 for sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC) were 118.3 and 104.0 U·mg−1, respectively. The Km and Vmax of AcCel12B for CMC were 25.47 mg·mL−1 and 131.75 U·mg−1, respectively. The time course of hydrolysis for RAC was investigated by measuring reducing ends in the soluble and insoluble phases. The total hydrolysis rate rapidly decreased after the early stage of incubation and the generation of insoluble reducing ends decreased earlier than that of soluble reducing ends. High thermostability of the cellulase indicates its potential commercial significance and it could be exploited for industrial application in the future.
Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Gossypium thurberi in Response to Verticillium dahliae Inoculation
Authors: Fang Weiping , Xie Deyi , Zhu Heqin , Li Wu , Xu Zhenzhen , Yang Lirong , Li Zhifang , Sun Li , Wang Jinxia , Nie Lihong , Tang Zhongjie , Lv Shuping , Zhao Fu’an , Sun Yao , Zhao Yuanming , Hou Jianan , Yang Xiaojie
Published: October 2015

Verticillium wilt is threatening cotton productivity globally. This disease is caused by soil-borne Verticillium dahliae which directly infects cotton roots, and exclusively colonizes and occludes xylem vessels, finally resulting in necrosis, defoliation, and most severely, plant death. For the first time, iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification) was applied to screen the differentially expressed proteins of Gossypium thurberi inoculated with V. dahliae. A total of 6533 proteins were identified from the roots of G. thurberi after inoculation with V. dahliae, and 396 showed up- and 279 down-regulated in comparison to a mock-inoculated roots. Of these identified proteins, the main functional groups were those involved in cell wall organization and reinforcement, disease-resistant chemicals of secondary metabolism, phytohormone signaling, pathogenesis-related proteins, and disease-resistant proteins. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed that peroxidase activity, which promotes the biosynthesis and accumulation of lignin, was induced early in the hypocotyl after inoculation with V. dahliae. Similarly, salicylic acid also accumulated significantly in hypocotyl of the seedlings after inoculation. These findings provide an important knowledge of the molecular events and regulatory networks occurring during G. thurberi-V. dahliae interaction, which may provide a foundation for breeding disease-resistance in cotton.
Perturbation of Brain Oscillations after Ischemic Stroke: A Potential Biomarker for Post-Stroke Function and Therapy
Authors: Rabiller Gratianne , He Ji-Wei , Nishijima Yasuo , Wong Aaron , Liu Jialing
Published: October 2015

Brain waves resonate from the generators of electrical current and propagate across brain regions with oscillation frequencies ranging from 0.05 to 500 Hz. The commonly observed oscillatory waves recorded by an electroencephalogram (EEG) in normal adult humans can be grouped into five main categories according to the frequency and amplitude, namely δ (1–4 Hz, 20–200 μV), θ (4–8 Hz, 10 μV), α (8–12 Hz, 20–200 μV), β (12–30 Hz, 5–10 μV), and γ (30–80 Hz, low amplitude). Emerging evidence from experimental and human studies suggests that groups of function and behavior seem to be specifically associated with the presence of each oscillation band, although the complex relationship between oscillation frequency and function, as well as the interaction between brain oscillations, are far from clear. Changes of brain oscillation patterns have long been implicated in the diseases of the central nervous system including ischemic stroke, in which the reduction of cerebral blood flow as well as the progression of tissue damage have direct spatiotemporal effects on the power of several oscillatory bands and their interactions. This review summarizes the current knowledge in behavior and function associated with each brain oscillation, and also in the specific changes in brain electrical activities that correspond to the molecular events and functional alterations observed after experimental and human stroke. We provide the basis of the generations of brain oscillations and potential cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying stroke-induced perturbation. We will also discuss the implications of using brain oscillation patterns as biomarkers for the prediction of stroke outcome and therapeutic efficacy.