bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Has Been Learned From A Hundred MEOR Applications
Authors: Zahner R. L. , Tapper S. J. , Marcotte B. W. , Govreau B. R.
Published: July 2011

Using a breakthrough process, which does not require microbes to be injected, over one hundred Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) applications have been conducted since 2007 in producing oil and water injection wells in the United States and Canada. On average, these applications increased oil production by 127% with an 89% success rate. This paper reviews the MEOR process, reviews the results of the first one hundred plus applications and shares what has been learned from this work.

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

The application of MEOR can be applied to many more reservoirs than originally thought with little downside risk. This review of more than a hundred MEOR applications expands the types of reservoirs where MEOR can be successfully applied. Low risk and economically attractive treatments can be accomplished when appropriate scientific analysis and laboratory screening is performed prior to treatments.
Assessing the EOR Potential of the United States
Authors: Mohan Hitesh , Biglarbigi Khosrow , Carolus Marshall , Van Wagener Dana
Published: July 2011

With the conventional decline in oil production from wells in the United States, additional sources of crude oil are required. One option supported by high oil prices is the application of enhanced oil recovery and advanced secondary recovery technologies to the currently producing wells. The U.S. onshore lower 48 crude oil in-place resource are vast. The question is how much of the oil can be produced using currently available technologies.

In order to answer that question, a detailed analysis was conducted in which the potential technical and economic production was estimated for several commonly used technologies. These include EOR technologies such as carbon dioxide flooding, polymer flooding, and steam flooding, as well as a variety of advanced secondary recovery technologies.

This analysis was conducted using screening and analytic tools which identify the recovery processes which are applicable to each reservoir in the onshore lower 48 and estimate the technical production from each reservoir. In addition, a newly developed economic model was used to estimate the technical and economic production which could be realized. The results, data and opinions presented in this paper are those of the authors and not the companies with which they currently work.

This paper describes the screening criteria which were used to determine the applicable technologies. The paper also describes the analytical tools used to estimate the technical and economic production for each of the assessed technologies. Finally, the paper details the production levels which could be realized under a variety of technical and economic scenarios.
Recovering Heavy Oil from a Middle East Carbonate Reservoir: EOR Potential, Screening, Challenges, Uncertainties and Risk Management Measures
Authors: Choudhary Muhammad A. , Wani Mohamad R. , Mahmeed Ali , Al-Rashidi Hussain , Redha Mohammad
Published: July 2011

Heavy oil carbonate reservoirs of the giant Wafra field located in the Kuwait - Saudi Arabia Divided Zone hold huge resource of heavy oil in 3 reservoirs, namely 1st Eocene, 2nd Eocene, and Maastrichtian. More than 50 years of primary production from these high porosity, moderate permeability carbonates has recovered less than 5% of this volume and the ultimate recovery is not expected to exceed 10%. Suitable EOR technology is needed to unlock these huge resources. In absence of any commercial analogs, application of EOR technology carries enormous risk in terms of technical viability, reserves recovery and resources commitment. Proper understanding of the reservoir and optimization of EOR technology are essential to mitigate these risks to a manageable level.

This paper will discuss the process used to mitigate the risks of EOR application in the 2nd Eocene reservoir. Production in this reservoir is from dolomitized carbonates associated with anhydrite. Ultimate recovery from primary production is estimated about 12%. Low primary recovery in this highly porous and moderate permeability reservoir is attributed to oil gravity, viscosity and drive mechanism. Detailed screening study to select suitable EOR processes suggested the suitability of both waterflood and steamflood for this reservoir. The study indicated the opportunity to recover up to 20% with waterflood and 40% with steamflood. Economic Modeling work indicates similar NPV for both processes but higher profitability in water flood case due to substantially lower capital requirement. Both projects have serious challenges due to reservoir nature, uncertainty in reservoir characterization, non-availability of fresh water, lack of proven technology for processing produced water for steam generation, disposal of excess produced water, fuel for steam generation, and safe environment for workers, public and wild life. These challenges make the EOR projects very high risk ventures in the areas of oil recovery, return on investment, and health, safety and environment (HSE). These risks are being managed through extensive G&G and simulation studies, exhaustive screening work and properly designed pilot projects. Two pilot projects, steamflood and waterflood, are under implementation to resolve the number of uncertainties and manage associated risks in the high reward EOR process for this reservoir.

This paper will share the work flow (reservoir to economic modeling) for planning, designing and evaluation of pilot projects and innovative technology being utilized to manage risks of EOR in carbonate reservoirs. Success in mitigation of such risks will help industry to enhance sustainable and economic energy resource for future.
Polymer Flooding Design and Optimization Under Uncertainty
Authors: AlSofi Abdulkareem M. , Blunt Martin J.
Published: July 2011

We use a streamline-based simulator that accurately captures non-Newtonian rheology and controls numerical dispersion to investigate polymer flooding design. First, we develop and test a parallel design algorithm to optimize polymer floods with respect to net present value in terms of slug size, polymer concentration and initiation; in which simulations are ran simultaneously and the results are combined through scaling of optimal slug size. In terms of optimal strategies, the optimization results illustrate that polymer-flooding design – with respect to concentration, slug size, and initiation – is more intuitive than earlier expected. It is always beneficial to start polymer flooding as soon as possible preferably before any waterflooding. The optimal slug size is close to being continuous. The optimal concentration is generally high and represents a balance between mobility gains and injectivity losses. Second, we quantify the impact of uncertainty on both the design and profitability of polymer flooding. This serves as a guide to associated data acquisition efforts, where pre-polymer flooding initiation, efforts can be focused on reducing uncertainties of high impact factors thereby increasing the probability of success. The same methods can be applied to other augmented waterfloods, such as low salinity flooding.
Pressure Group Competition and GMO Regulations in Sub-Saharan Africa - Insights from the Becker Model
Authors: Takeshima Hiroyuki , Gruère Guillaume P
Published: July 2011

It is widely acknowledged that pressure groups play influential roles with regard to decision making on the agricultural and food use of genetically-modified organisms (GMO) in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, there has been relatively minimal examination of when these lobbying efforts actually influence GMO policies, and how such influence changes when other exogenous constraints associated with GMO improve. Using the model of competition between pressure groups developed by Becker (1983), this paper shows that if anti-GMO lobbying appears to be working, it is likely because conditions in SSA are unfavorable to the introduction of GMO. This result is validated by a discussion of existing capacity constraints for the development, regulation, and dissemination of GMO in SSA countries, and of how these constraints may make conditions less favorable despite the reported potential benefits of GMO. The findings of this paper confirm the importance of relaxing capacity and institutional constraints, and suggest that these constraints should be addressed before considering a possible lack of political will for promising GMO in SSA countries. Political influence may not have as much of an impact on the slow adoption of GMO by SSA countries as insufficient scientific and institutional capacity.
Comment on Hoerger: Early Pilots of Medicare Auctions Bring No Solace to Auction Experts
Authors: Cramton Peter , Katzman Brett E.
Published: July 2011

Peter Cramton and Brett Katzman stick to their guns: Medicare auctions remain fatally flawed and must be fixed. They argue that contrary to Hoerger's comment, no comfort can be drawn from the fact that the market was able to withstand price reductions in early pilots.
Microwave Vacuum Drying of Shredded Carrots and Its Nutritional Evaluation
Authors: Chaughule Vivek Avinash , Thorat Bhaskar Narayan
Published: July 2011

Microwave vacuum drying of shredded carrots to obtain highly nutritious carrot powder with ?-carotene retention above 87% and practically zero solid losses is discussed. Response surface methodology has been used to optimize the drying parameters for shredded carrots. The experiments were carried out to investigate the combined effects of microwave power, vacuum chamber pressure and sample thickness on ?-carotene retention. Shredded carrot powder was analyzed for colour retention, glucose and total protein retention, water activity, drying time and sensory responses. A model for the retention of ?-carotene was established. A microwave input of 200 W and a pressure of 10 kPa, for a sample thickness of 7.1 mm, were determined to be the optimum conditions for dehydration. The drying data was analyzed by empirical models, viz., the Newton model, the Page model and the Handerson and Pabis model. The Page model was found to be the best fit for drying data as compared to other models with an R2 value of 0.99.
Riemann Integral of Functions from R into Real Normed Space
Authors: Miyajima Keiichi , Kato Takahiro , Shidama Yasunari
Published: July 2011

Riemann Integral of Functions from R into Real Normed Space

In this article, we define the Riemann integral on functions from R into real normed space and prove the linearity of this operator. As a result, the Riemann integration can be applied to a wider range of functions. The proof method follows the [16].
Difference and Difference Quotient. Part IV
Authors: Liang Xiquan , Tang Ling , Jiang Xichun
Published: July 2011

Difference and Difference Quotient. Part IV

In this article, we give some important theorems of forward difference, backward difference, central difference and difference quotient and forward difference, backward difference, central difference and difference quotient formulas of some special functions.
Linear Transformations of Euclidean Topological Spaces
Authors: Pąk Karol
Published: July 2011

Linear Transformations of Euclidean Topological Spaces

We introduce linear transformations of Euclidean topological spaces given by a transformation matrix. Next, we prove selected properties and basic arithmetic operations on these linear transformations. Finally, we show that a linear transformation given by an invertible matrix is a homeomorphism.
Linear Transformations of Euclidean Topological Spaces. Part II
Authors: Pąk Karol
Published: July 2011

Linear Transformations of Euclidean Topological Spaces. Part II

We prove a number of theorems concerning various notions used in the theory of continuity of barycentric coordinates.
The Axiomatization of Propositional Linear Time Temporal Logic
Authors: Giero Mariusz
Published: July 2011

The Axiomatization of Propositional Linear Time Temporal Logic

The article introduces propositional linear time temporal logic as a formal system. Axioms and rules of derivation are defined. Soundness Theorem and Deduction Theorem are proved [9].
Banach Algebra of Bounded Complex-Valued Functionals
Authors: Kanazashi Katuhiko , Okazaki Hiroyuki , Shidama Yasunari
Published: July 2011

Banach Algebra of Bounded Complex-Valued Functionals

In this article, we describe some basic properties of the Banach algebra which is constructed from all bounded complex-valued functionals.
Mapping the Complexity of Public Pedagogy Scholarship
Authors: Sandlin Jennifer A. , O’Malley Michael P. , Burdick Jake
Published: July 2011

The term public pedagogy first appeared in 1894 and has been widely deployed as a theoretical construct in education research to focus on processes and sites of education beyond formal schooling, with a proliferation of its use by feminist and critical theorists occurring since the mid-1990s. This integrative literature review provides the first synthesis of public pedagogy research through a thematic analysis of a sample of 420 publications. Finding that the public pedagogy construct is often undertheorized and ambiguously presented in education research literature, the study identifies five primary categories of extant public pedagogy research: (a) citizenship within and beyond schools, (b) popular culture and everyday life, (c) informal institutions and public spaces, (d) dominant cultural discourses, and (e) public intellectualism and social activism. These categories provide researchers with a conceptual framework for investigating public pedagogy and for locating future scholarship. The study identifies the need for theoretical specificity in research that employs the public pedagogy construct and for empirical studies that investigate the processes of public pedagogy, particularly in terms of the learner’s perspective.
The Persistence of School-Level Value-Added
Authors: Briggs Derek C. , Weeks Jonathan P.
Published: July 2011

Using longitudinal data for an entire state from 2004 to 2008, this article describes the results from an empirical investigation of the persistence of value-added school effects on student achievement in reading and math. It shows that when schools are the principal units of analysis rather than teachers, the persistence of estimated school effects across grades can only be reasonably identified by placing strong constraints on the variable persistence model implemented by Lockwood, McCaffrey, Mariano, and Setodji. In general, there are relatively strong correlations between the school effects estimated using these constrained models and a reference model that assumes full persistence. These correlations vary somewhat by grade and the underlying test subject. The results from this study indicate cautious support for previous findings that the assumption of full persistence for cumulative value-added effects may be untenable, and evidence is also presented, which indicates a strong interaction by test subject. However, the practical impact of violating the assumption of full persistence appears to be smaller in the context of schools than it is for teachers.
Low-Velocity, High-Mass, Wide-Area Blunt Impact on Composite Panels
Authors: DeFrancisci Gabriela K. , Chen Zhi M. , Kim Hyonny
Published: July 2011

Impact damage caused by ground vehicles and equipment colliding with the structural components of aircraft is a significant source of damage to commercial aircraft that may go unreported. Most common are blunt impacts from ground maintenance and service vehicles and equipment with attached elastomeric bumpers that protect the aircraft to some degree but may not leave externally visible evidence of an impact. This research examines the types of impact threats to a composite airplane fuselage, impact testing of composite specimens that simulate airplane fuselage specimens, and the visible detectability of the damage. The test program has two distinct aspects: (a) prediction through analysis and (b) small- and large-scale quasistatic indentation testing.
Evaluating Air Traffic Flow Management in a Collaborative Decision-Making Environment
Authors: Fearing Douglas , Barnhart Cynthia
Published: July 2011

The collaborative decision-making (CDM) framework introduced into ground delay programs in the late 1990s is an integral component of FAA's traffic flow management (TFM) procedures. CDM allows FAA to act as a mediator when managing TFM programs, transferring as much decision making as possible to the individual airlines. Although this approach has been highly successful in practice, it creates a new question for the research community: How should proposed enhancements to TFM be evaluated in a CDM environment? A sequential evaluation procedure, developed in this paper, addresses this question. The procedure includes airline disruption responses and a quasi-compression operation, attempting to mimic the three-stage CDM process. To model airline disruption responses, an integer optimization model was developed to balance operational and passenger considerations in determining which flights to cancel, swap, or delay. The value of this procedure is demonstrated by analyzing an optimization-based TFM approach in the CDM environment.
Reactive Chemistry in Aircraft Exhaust
Authors: Lee Ben H. , Wood Ezra C. , Miake-Lye Richard C. , Herndon Scott C. , Munger J. William , Wofsy Steven C.
Published: July 2011

Exhaust emitted from jet engines contains high concentrations of combustion by-products, some of which are damaging to human and ecosystem health. As these pollutants mix with the surrounding air, they undergo chemical reactions that eventually break them down to their water-soluble or inert forms. To date, the reactivity of aircraft exhaust has been largely unexplored, and it is not known whether state-of-the-art models account for chemistry at the plume level, which directly relates to air quality downwind of airports. To a large extent, the concentrations of hydroxyl (OH) and hydroperoxyl (HO2) radicals—collectively called HOx—present in emitted plumes determine the rate at which components of the exhaust are oxidized. In January 2009, the authors quantified emissions of all HOx precursors including nitrous acid (HONO), formaldehyde (HCHO), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), and ozone (O3) at the Alternative Aviation Fuels Experiment in Palmdale, California. The results indicate that (a) HOx production rate due to direct emission of these precursors is orders of magnitude faster in the exhaust plume than in “normal” urban air; (b) the concentration of pollutants in plumes does not reach typical ambient levels until it has been diluted by a factor of about 6,000; and (c) photolysis of HONO in these plumes is by far the biggest source of HOx during daytime. Analyses of the reactions involving HOx demonstrate that propagation of these radicals is favored over termination, which indicates that chemical reactivity will continue to be enhanced in these plumes even after being diluted to ambient levels.
Multiairport Choice Models for the New York Metropolitan Area
Authors: Luken Brittany L. , Garrow Laurie A.
Published: July 2011

This study examines the potential to use online ticketing data to model airport choice for domestic flights originating in one of the three major airports located in the New York City area. Results indicate that airport accessibility and level of service influence airport choice. Results also suggest that capacity constraints—reflected in sold-out flights and higher fares—may lead to more switching across airports as the flight departure dates approach. This underscores the importance of incorporating the actual flights available and the actual prices seen by consumers at the time that they ticket into multiairport choice models.
Evaluating Sustainability of Selected Airport Pavement Treatments with Life-Cycle Cost, Raw Material Consumption, and Greenroads Standards
Authors: Pittenger Dominique M.
Published: July 2011

In the global aviation community, sustainability increasingly is becoming a priority for airport projects as a foundation for future prosperity. Pavement structures are an airport's greatest asset and greatest liability. Pavement management systems involve an intensive and expensive enterprise, and pavement maintenance projects consume massive amounts of nonrenewable resources at every airport in the nation. Little research has been conducted to assist airport pavement managers in reducing the environmental, economic, and social impacts of pavement maintenance and preservation processes. The old cliché of “what is not measured is not managed” applies, and a performance metric therefore is needed to permit pavement managers to measure sustainability. No standard, quantitative performance metric for sustainability is now in use by pavement managers assessing pavement treatment alternatives. This paper demonstrates how airport pavement managers can quantitatively analyze typical pavement treatments with a life-cycle cost analysis, quantification of raw material consumption, and the recently developed Greenroads standards to measure the environmental, economic, and social impact of the treatments for a given pavement project to enhance the overall sustainability of their programs.
Public Policy Model of Delays in a Large Network of Major Airports
Authors: Pyrgiotis Nikolas
Published: July 2011

As more airports in the United States and in Europe become congested, it is increasingly common for delays at one or more airports to spread to other parts of the network. This paper describes an analytical model developed to study this complex phenomenon. The Approximate Network Delays (AND) model computes the delays from local congestion at individual airports and captures the “ripple effect” that leads to the propagation of these delays to other airports. AND can be used to explore at a macroscopic level the implications of a large number of policy alternatives and future scenarios on systemwide delays and associated costs. It has been fully implemented for a network consisting of the 34 busiest airports in the continental United States and for a network of the 19 busiest airports in Europe. An analysis is presented of the estimation of ground slack in the scheduled turnaround times and its strong relation with the spreading of delays. Furthermore, AND shows the effect of delay propagation in an airport network and, for that reason, a comparison is made between the two main hubs in the European and U.S. airport networks, Frankfurt International in Germany and Chicago O'Hare in Illinois. The comparison shows that higher local delays and more short-haul flights in Chicago cause stronger delay propagation than in Frankfurt. Finally, by using AND, the modernization program at Chicago O'Hare could achieve an 80% reduction of delays locally and a 5% reduction in networkwide delays under visual flight rules conditions.
Balancing Airport Capacity Requirements with Environmental Concerns
Authors: Wyatt Timothy R.
Published: July 2011

Regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration must balance the need to expand airport capacity with concerns about environmental impact. This balance is governed by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which establishes the environmental review procedures governing airport development activities that receive federal funding. This paper presents a comprehensive study of legal challenges to airport expansion, focusing on the influence of environmental procedural statutes such as NEPA. All known reported court opinions since the enactment of NEPA involving environmental challenges to physical airport expansion were reviewed and characterized with respect to the factual background of each case, the form of the legal challenge, and the disposition of the reviewing court. A regression analysis was performed to determine which factors influence a court's decision to approve the environmental review or to enjoin airport expansion pending further environmental review.
Qualitative and Quantitative Estimation of Water Insoluble Drugs from its Formulations Simultaneously: a Hydrotropic Approach
Authors: Sharma Rajesh , Pathodiya Geetam , Mishra Ganesh Prasad
Published: July 2011

Key words: Derivative spectrophotometry method; area under curve method; multi-component method; ciprofloxacin hydrochloride; tinidazole; hydrotropic agentDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.6541 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 37-42
Dissolution Enhancement of Ibuprofen Solid Dispersion Prepared with Vinyl Polymers by Fusion Method
Authors: Huda Naz Hasan , Saffoon Nadia , Jhanker Yeakuty Marzan
Published: July 2011

Key words: Ibuprofen; Dissolution rate; solid dispersion; fusion method; Kollidone; PovidoneDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8030 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 07-11
Evaluation of Weight Uniformity of Splitted Tablet
Authors: Kawsar Md Hassan , Uddin Md Zia , Nath Aninda Kumar , Dutta Mycal
Published: July 2011

Key Words: Tablet-splitting; Weight deviations; Therapeutic-toxic rangeDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8031 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 12-15
Q-Analysis Methods for the Simultaneous Spectrophotometric Estimation of Levofloxacin Hemihydrate and Ornidazole in Tablet Dosage Form
Authors: Kumar Rekha Rajeev , Kumar P Rajeev
Published: July 2011

Key words: Levofloxacin; Ornidazole; UV-spectrophotometry; Q-AnalysisDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8032 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 16-19
In vitro Anthelmintic and Cytotoxic Activities of Methanolic Bark Extract of Mimusops elengi Linn.
Authors: Nasrin Mahmuda , Dash Pritesh Ranjan , Saha Moni Rani
Published: July 2011

Key words: Mimusops elengi; anthilmintic; cytotoxic; eathwormDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8033 S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 20-24
Phytochemical and Cytotoxic Investigation of Codiaeum variegatum Linn. leaf
Authors: Saffoon Nadia , Alam Md Ashraful , Uddin Golam Mezbah
Published: July 2011

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sjps.v3i2.8039S.J. Pharm. Sci 3(2): 51-53
Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications of Cell Death Induction by Indole Compounds
Authors: Ahmad Aamir , Sakr Wael A. , Rahman KM Wahidur
Published: July 2011

Indole compounds, obtained from cruciferous vegetables, are well-known for their anti-cancer properties. In particular, indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its dimeric product, 3,3´-diindolylmethane (DIM), have been widely investigated for their effectiveness against a number of human cancers in vitro as well as in vivo. These compounds are effective inducers of apoptosis and the accumulating evidence documenting their ability to modulate multiple cellular signaling pathways is a testimony to their pleiotropic behavior. Here we attempt to update current understanding on the various mechanisms that are responsible for the apoptosis-inducing effects by these compounds. The significance of apoptosis-induction as a desirable attribute of anti-cancer agents such as indole compounds cannot be overstated. However, an equally intriguing property of these compounds is their ability to sensitize cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Such chemosensitizing effects of indole compounds can potentially have major clinical implications because these non-toxic compounds can reduce the toxicity and drug-resistance associated with available chemotherapies. Combinational therapy is increasingly being realized to be better than single agent therapy and, through this review article, we aim to provide a rationale behind combination of natural compounds such as indoles with conventional therapeutics.
Sputum-Based Molecular Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Limitations and Promise
Authors: Kim Connie E. , Tchou-Wong Kam-Meng , Rom William N.
Published: July 2011

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, with an overall survival of 15% at five years. Biomarkers that can sensitively and specifically detect lung cancer at early stage are crucial for improving this poor survival rate. Sputum has been the target for the discovery of non-invasive biomarkers for lung cancer because it contains airway epithelial cells, and molecular alterations identified in sputum are most likely to reflect tumor-associated changes or field cancerization caused by smoking in the lung. Sputum-based molecular biomarkers include morphology, allelic imbalance, promoter hypermethylation, gene mutations and, recently, differential miRNA expression. To improve the sensitivity and reproducibility of sputum-based biomarkers, we recommend standardization of processing protocols, bronchial epithelial cell enrichment, and identification of field cancerization biomarkers.
The Environmental and Social Influences of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Focus on Rural Communities
Authors: Oramasionwu Christine U. , Daniels Kelly R. , Labreche Matthew J. , Frei Christopher R.
Published: July 2011

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic has caused far-reaching effects in sub-Saharan Africa. The pandemic has effectively diminished the workforce, increased poverty rates, reduced agricultural productivity, and transformed the structure of many rural households. HIV/AIDS further strains the already fragile relationship between livelihood and the natural and social environments of these regions. Therefore, the objective of this review is to characterize the impact of HIV/AIDS on the environment and the social infrastructure of rural sub-Saharan Africa. There are many aspects of rural life that contribute to disease transmission of HIV/AIDS and that pose unique challenges to the population dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa. Widespread AIDS-related mortality has caused a decrease in population growth for many African countries. In turn, these alterations in population dynamics have resulted in a decrease in the percentage of prime-age working adults, as well as a gender disparity, whereby, females carry a growing burden of household responsibilities. There is a rising proportion of older adults, often females, who assume the role of provider and caretaker for other dependent family members. These changing dynamics have caused many to exploit their natural surroundings, adopting less sustainable land use practices and utilizing protected resources as a primary means of generating revenue.
Sida rhomboidea. Roxb Leaf Extract Down-Regulates Expression of PPARγ2 and Leptin Genes in High Fat Diet Fed C57BL/6J Mice and Retards in Vitro 3T3L1 Pre-Adipocyte Differentiation
Authors: Thounaojam Menaka C. , Jadeja Ravirajsinh N. , Ramani Umed V. , Devkar Ranjitsinh V. , Ramachandran A. V.
Published: July 2011

Sida rhomboidea. Roxb leaf extract (SRLE) is being used by the populace of North-East India to alleviate symptoms of diabetes and obesity. We have previously reported its hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic properties. In this study, we report the effect of SRLE on (i) in vivo modulation of genes controlling high fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and (ii) in vitro 3T3L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation and leptin release. Supplementation with SRLE significantly prevented HFD induced increment in bodyweight, plasma lipids and leptin, visceral adiposity and adipocyte hypertrophy. Also, SRLE supplementation reduced food intake, down regulated PPARγ2, SREBP1c, FAS and LEP expressions and up-regulated CPT-1 in epididymal adipose tissue compared to obese mice. In vitro adipogenesis of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes was significantly retarded in the presence of SRLE extract. Also decreased triglyceride accumulation, leptin release and glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate dehydrogenase activity along with higher glycerol release without significant alteration of viability of 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes, was recorded. Our findings suggest that prevention of HFD induced visceral adiposity is primarily by down regulation of PPARγ2 and leptin gene expression coupled with attenuation of food intake in C57BL/6J mice. SRLE induced prevention of pre-adipocytes differentiation, and leptin release further substantiated these findings and scientifically validates the potential application of SRLE as a therapeutic agent against obesity.
Inhibitory Effects of Constituents from Morus alba var. multicaulis on Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Cells and Nitric Oxide Production in RAW264.7 Cells
Authors: Yang Zhi-Gang , Matsuzaki Keiichi , Takamatsu Satoshi , Kitanaka Susumu
Published: July 2011

A new arylbenzofuran, 3',5'-dihydroxy-6-methoxy-7-prenyl-2-arylbenzofuran (1), and 25 known compounds, including moracin R (2), moracin C (3), moracin O (4), moracin P (5), artoindonesianin O (6), moracin D (7), alabafuran A (8), mulberrofuran L (9), mulberrofuran Y (10), kuwanon A (11), kuwanon C (12), kuwanon T (13), morusin (14), kuwanon E (15), sanggenon F (16), betulinic acid (17), uvaol (18), ursolic acid (19), β-sitosterol (20), oxyresveratrol 2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (21), mulberroside A (22), mulberroside B (23), 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (24), 5,7-dihydroxycoumarin 7-O-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (25) and adenosine (26), were isolated from Morus alba var. multicaulis Perro. (Moraceae). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. The prenyl-flavonoids 11–14, 16, triterpenoids 17,18 and 20 showed significant inhibitory activity towards the differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The arylbenzofurans 1–10 and prenyl-flavonoids 11–16 also showed significant nitric oxide (NO) production inhibitory effects in RAW264.7 cells.
Preventive and Therapeutic Strategies for Bovine Leukemia Virus: Lessons for HTLV
Authors: Rodríguez Sabrina M. , Florins Arnaud , Gillet Nicolas , De Brogniez Alix , Sánchez-Alcaraz María Teresa , Boxus Mathieu , Boulanger Fanny , Gutiérrez Gerónimo , Trono Karina , Alvarez Irene , Vagnoni Lucas , Willems Luc
Published: July 2011

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus closely related to the human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). BLV is a major animal health problem worldwide causing important economic losses. A series of attempts were developed to reduce prevalence, chiefly by eradication of infected cattle, segregation of BLV-free animals and vaccination. Although having been instrumental in regions such as the EU, these strategies were unsuccessful elsewhere mainly due to economic costs, management restrictions and lack of an efficient vaccine. This review, which summarizes the different attempts previously developed to decrease seroprevalence of BLV, may be informative for management of HTLV-1 infection. We also propose a new approach based on competitive infection with virus deletants aiming at reducing proviral loads.
Simulation of bonding effects in HRTEM images of light element materials
Authors: Kurasch Simon , Meyer Jannik C , Künzel Daniela , Groß Axel , Kaiser Ute
Published: July 2011

The accuracy of multislice high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) simulation can be improved by calculating the scattering potential using density functional theory (DFT) Gemming, T.; Möbus, G.; Exner, M.; Ernst, F.; Rühle, M. J. Microsc. 1998, 190, 89–98. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2818.1998.3110863.xDeng, B.; Marks, L. D. Acta Crystallogr., Sect. A 2006, 62, 208–216. doi:10.1107/S010876730601004X. This approach accounts for the fact that electrons in the specimen are redistributed according to their local chemical environment. This influences the scattering process and alters the absolute and relative contrast in the final image. For light element materials with well defined geometry, such as graphene and hexagonal boron nitride monolayers, the DFT based simulation scheme turned out to be necessary to prevent misinterpretation of weak signals, such as the identification of nitrogen substitutions in a graphene network. Furthermore, this implies that the HRTEM image does not only contain structural information (atom positions and atomic numbers). Instead, information on the electron charge distribution can be gained in addition.

In order to produce meaningful results, the new input parameters need to be chosen carefully. Here we present details of the simulation process and discuss the influence of the main parameters on the final result. Furthermore we apply the simulation scheme to three model systems: A single atom boron and a single atom oxygen substitution in graphene and an oxygen adatom on graphene.
Chiral gold(I) vs chiral silver complexes as catalysts for the enantioselective synthesis of the second generation GSK-hepatitis C virus inhibitor
Authors: Martín-Rodríguez María , Nájera Carmen , Sansano José M , de Cózar Abel , Cossío Fernando P
Published: July 2011

The synthesis of a GSK 2nd generation inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus, by enantioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between a leucine derived iminoester and tert-butyl acrylate, was studied. The comparison between silver(I) and gold(I) catalysts in this reaction was established by working with chiral phosphoramidites or with chiral BINAP. The best reaction conditions were used for the total synthesis of the hepatitis C virus inhibitor by a four step procedure affording this product in 99% ee and in 63% overall yield. The origin of the enantioselectivity of the chiral gold(I) catalyst was justified according to DFT calculations, the stabilizing coulombic interaction between the nitrogen atom of the thiazole moiety and one of the gold atoms being crucial.
NKT Cell Ligand Recognition Logic: Molecular Basis for a Synaptic Duet and Transmission of Inflammatory Effectors
Authors: Joyce Sebastian , Girardi Enrico , Zajonc Dirk M.
Published: July 2011

NKT cells that express the semi-invariant TCR are innate-like lymphocytes whose functions are regulated by self and foreign glycolipid ligands presented by the Ag-presenting, MHC class I-like molecule CD1d. Activation of NKT cells in vivo results in rapid release of copious amounts of effector cytokines and chemokines with which they regulate innate and adaptive immune responses to pathogens, certain types of cancers, and self-antigens. The nature of CD1d-restricted ligands, the manner in which they are recognized, and the unique effector functions of NKT cells suggest an immunoregulatory role for this T cell subset. Their ability to respond fast and our ability to steer NKT cell cytokine response to altered lipid ligands make them an important target for vaccine design and immunotherapies against autoimmune diseases. This review summarizes our current understanding of CD1d-restricted ligand recognition by NKT cells and how these innate-like lymphocytes regulate inflammation.
Progesterone Promotes Differentiation of Human Cord Blood Fetal T Cells into T Regulatory Cells but Suppresses Their Differentiation into Th17 Cells
Authors: Lee Jee H. , Ulrich Benjamin , Cho Jungyoon , Park Jeongho , Kim Chang H.
Published: July 2011

Progesterone, a key female sex hormone with pleiotropic functions in maintenance of pregnancy, has profound effects on regulation of immune responses. We report in this work a novel function of progesterone in regulation of naive cord blood (CB) fetal T cell differentiation into key T regulatory cell (Treg) subsets. Progesterone drives allogeneic activation-induced differentiation of CB naive, but not adult peripheral blood, T cells into immune-suppressive Tregs, many of which express FoxP3. Compared with those induced in the absence of progesterone, the FoxP3+ T cells induced in the presence of progesterone highly expressed memory T cell markers. In this regard, the Treg compartment in progesterone-rich CB is enriched with memory-type FoxP3+ T cells. Moreover, CB APCs were more efficient than their peripheral blood counterparts in inducing FoxP3+ T cells. Another related function of progesterone that we discovered was to suppress the differentiation of CB CD4+ T cells into inflammation-associated Th17 cells. Progesterone enhanced activation of STAT5 in response to IL-2, whereas it decreased STAT3 activation in response to IL-6, which is in line with the selective activity of progesterone in generation of Tregs versus Th17 cells. Additionally, progesterone has a suppressive function on the expression of the IL-6 receptor by T cells. The results identified a novel role of progesterone in regulation of fetal T cell differentiation for promotion of immune tolerance.
Cutting Edge: HLA-DO Impairs the Incorporation of HLA-DM into Exosomes
Authors: Xiu Fangming , Côté Marie-Hélène , Bourgeois-Daigneault Marie-Claude , Brunet Alexandre , Gauvreau Marie-Élaine , Shaw Andrew , Thibodeau Jacques
Published: July 2011

In multivesicular bodies, HLA-DM (DM) assists the loading of antigenic peptides on classical MHC class II molecules such as HLA-DR. In cells expressing HLA-DO (DO), DM is redistributed from the internal vesicles to the limiting membrane of these organelles. This suggests that DO might reduce DM incorporation into exosomes, which are shed upon fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane. To test this hypothesis, we used the 721.45 B lymphoblastoid cell line and different HeLa cell transfectants. We demonstrate that the poor recovery of DM in exosomes as compared with HLA-DR is not the mere reflection of differences in protein expression. Indeed, we found that DO contributes to the inefficient transfer of DM to exosomes. This negative regulation requires an intact di-leucine endosomal sorting motif in the cytoplasmic tail of HLA-DOβ. These results demonstrate that canonical sorting signals and protein–protein interactions modulate the selection of MHC protein cargos.
Graft-versus-Leukemia (GVL) against Mouse Blast-Crisis Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (BC-CML) and Chronic-Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CP-CML): Shared Mechanisms of T Cell Killing, but Programmed Death Ligands Render CP-CML and Not BC-CML GVL Resistant
Authors: Matte-Martone Catherine , Venkatesan Srividhya , Tan Hung Sheng , Athanasiadis Ioanna , Chang Julia , Pavisic Jovana , Shlomchik Warren D.
Published: July 2011

Graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) against chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CP-CML) is potent, but it is less efficacious against acute leukemias and blast-crisis chronic myelogenous leukemia (BC-CML). The mechanisms underlying GVL resistance are unknown. Previously, we found that alloreactive T cell targeting of GVL-sensitive bcr-abl–induced mouse CP-CML (mCP-CML) required TCR–MHC interactions and that multiple and redundant killing mechanisms were in play. To better understand why BC-CML is resistant to GVL, we performed a comprehensive analysis of GVL against mouse BC-CML (mBC-CML) induced by the retroviral transfer of the bcr-abl and NUP98/HOXA9 fusion cDNAs. Like human BC-CML, mBC-CML was GVL resistant, and this was not due to accelerated kinetics or a greater leukemia burden. To study T cell recognition and killing mechanisms, we generated a panel of gene-deficient leukemias by transducing bone marrow from gene-deficient mice. T cell target recognition absolutely required that mBC-CML cells express MHC molecules. GVL against both mCP-CML and mBC-CML required leukemia expression of ICAM-1. We hypothesized that mBC-CML would be resistant to some of the killing mechanisms sufficient to eliminate mCP-CML, but we found instead that the same mechanisms were effective against both types of leukemia, because GVL was similar against wild-type or mBC-CML genetically lacking Fas, TRAIL-R, Fas/TRAIL-R, or TNFR1/R2 or when donor T cells were perforin−/−. However, mCP-CML, but not mBC-CML, relied on expression of programmed death-1 ligands 1 and 2 (PD-L1/L2) to resist T cell killing, because only GVL against mCP-CML was augmented when leukemias lacked PD-L1/L2. Thus, mBC-CML cells have cell-intrinsic mechanisms, distinct from mCP-CML cells, which protect them from T cell killing.
Cutting Edge: A Monoclonal Antibody Specific for the Programmed Death-1 Homolog Prevents Graft-versus-Host Disease in Mouse Models
Authors: Flies Dallas B. , Wang Shengdian , Xu Haiying , Chen Lieping
Published: July 2011

Upon interaction with B7 homolog 1, programmed death-1 (PD-1) transmits a critical coinhibitory signal to T cells to negatively regulate immune responses. By extensively searching the genomic database with the IgV region of PD-1, we identified a homolog and named it PD-1 homolog (PD-1H). PD-1H is broadly expressed on the cell surface of hematopoietic cells and could be further upregulated on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells following activation. We have generated an mAb against PD-1H, which strikingly prevents acute graft-versus-host disease in semi- and fully allogeneic murine models, leading to full chimerism following treatment. Graft-versus-host disease remains a primary hindrance to successful allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation therapy for the treatment of hematologic malignancy. Therefore, manipulation of PD-1H function may provide a new modality for controlling T cell responses to allogeneic tissues in transplant medicine.
Powered Bone Marrow Biopsy Procedures Produce Larger Core Specimens, with Less Pain, in Less Time Than with Standard Manual Devices
Authors: Miller Larry J. , Philbeck Thomas E. , Montez Diana F. , Puga Tatiana A. , Brodie Kim E. , Cohen Stephen C. , Spadaccini Cathy , Swords Ronan , Brenner Andrew J.
Published: July 2011

Bone marrow sampling remains essential in the evaluation of hematopoietic and many non-hematopoietic disorders. One common limitation to these procedures is the discomfort experienced by patients. To address whether a Powered biopsy system could reduce discomfort while providing equivalent or better results, we performed a randomized trial in adult volunteers. Twenty-six subjects underwent bilateral biopsies with each device. Core samples were obtained in 66.7% of Manual insertions; 100% of Powered insertions (p = 0.002). Initial mean biopsy core lengths were 11.1 ± 4.5 mm for the Manual device; 17.0 ± 6.8 mm for the Powered device (p < 0.005). Pathology assessment for the Manual device showed a mean length of 6.1 ± 5.6 mm, width of 1.0 ± 0.7 mm, and volume of 11.0 ± 10.8 mm3. Powered device measurements were mean length of 15.3 ± 6.1 mm, width of 2.0 ± 0.3 mm, and volume of 49.1 ± 21.5 mm3 (p < 0.001). The mean time to core ejection was 86 seconds for Manual device; 47 seconds for the Powered device (p < 0.001). The mean second look overall pain score was 33.3 for the Manual device; 20.9 for the Powered (p = 0.039). We conclude that the Powered biopsy device produces superior sized specimens, with less overall pain, in less time.
Milk of Calcium in the Kidney
Authors: Sandhu Gagangeet , Bansal Anip , Chan Germaine , Jones James , Meisels Ira
Published: July 2011

Milk of calcium of the kidneys is not synonymous with nephrolithiasis, as management of these two entities differs. This important differential diagnosis must be considered in all patients with apparent large renal calculi on X-rays. We report a case of a 40-year old male who presented with acute kidney injury. An incidental finding of milk of calcium of the bilateral renal collecting system was also observed. Treatment is mostly conservative. However, those cases with obstructive nephropathy may need percutaneous endourological marsupialization or irrigation of the milk via flexible ureteroscope. In contrast to nephrolithiasis, the use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is unwarranted because it will only crack solid stones and not liquid material, as seen in milk of calcium.