bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Revised Procedure for Establishing Radiographic Standards
Authors: Ball Leslie W.
Published: July 2009

The Bureau of Aeronautics recently has authorized the Naval Ordnance Laboratory to make a new attempt at setting up specifications based on the establishment of standard types and grades of discontinuities as shown by radiography. It is for tackling this task that we recommend a revised procedure for establishing radiographic standards. All previous papers by this author on the subject of establishing radiographic standards, and most papers that have been given on this subject by other people, have been dominated by their technical content. Experience in trying to establish specifications containing radiographic standards has shown that these technical contributions are rather like an assortment of building blocks which cannot simply be fitted together to form a useful structure. These building blocks include the standard terminology that A.S.T.M. Committee E - 7 has established, the clear identification of radiographic images by X-ray micrography, and the correlations between strength and radiographic appearance for certain defects and materials. Particularly for aircraft castings, it has become evident that we will never have a satisfactory specification of radiographic standards unless we have an administrative framework upon which these technical bricks are placed to form a complete structure.
Electro Spot Testing and Electrography
Authors: Hermance H. W. , Wadlow H. V.
Published: July 2009

Ordinarily, chemical analysis is concerned with the mass composition of a specimen and the sample is taken to obtain a representative, uniform product for the analytical operations. However, numerous occasions arise in which knowledge of both the composition and the nonuniformities in the material is required. Surfaces often receive special treatments, as in the case of coatings or the surface effects of processing which change them from the body as a whole. It is a fundamental requirement in the examination of such surfaces that a very thin film must suffice for the sample. Moreover, identification alone is not always enough. Often a diagnosis is possible only when the exact distribution and form of the surface components can be charted. Thus, the second requirement of surface analytical methods is the localization of identified products to permit recognition of significant distributive patterns.
Rapid Methods for the Identification of Copper-Base Alloys
Authors: Nevers R. P.
Published: July 2009

Copper-base alloys are so numerous and varied in composition that there are few simple tests which can give reliable indications of all the alloying elements. There are tests to show the presence of the elements tin, lead, silicon, etc. which, taken together with such other factors as color and a knowledge of the origin or application of the alloy, will serve to classify the material within certain limits. These tests generally involve dissolvinga small portion in a beaker or test tube and observing the effects of added reagents. Spot tests are not always reliable, due to the intense blue color of the copper masking the effects of subsequent reactions. There is no reliable substitute for the spectrograph except a complete qualitative chemical analysis with all its time-consuming operations.
Rapid Identification of Metal Finishes
Authors: Lewis A. , Evans D. R.
Published: July 2009

A portable kit for the rapid identification of zinc, cadmium, lead, nickel, silver, tin, and chromium metals and plated metal finishes was developed during the war by Western Electric. This kit has found extensive use in inspection and sorting work and is now commercially available. The scheme of analysis employed consists of the electrolytic solution of a small quantity of metal into an electrolyte contained in a filter paper and the application of reagents to the paper to produce identifying colors. The kit, shown in Fig. 1, consists of: 1. Electrolysis circuit—two dry cells, a milliammeter, fixed 60-ohm resistance, cathode plate, and anode probe. 2. Bottles of Reagents equipped with medicine dropper. Electrolytes— Potassium chloride and potassium nitrate, Identifying Reagents—Sodium sulfide, potassium iodide, potassium chromate, silver nitrate, potassium ferrocyanide, uranium nitrate, and dimethylglyoxime. The sequence of analysis is outlined in Fig. 2. A small piece of filter paper is placed on the cathode plate and a few drops of potassium chloride solution, the first electrolyte, are added. The metal sample is placed on the paper and is contacted by the anode probe. Deflection of the needle on the milliammeter shows electrolysis is taking place. After a few seconds the probe and sample are removed and a few drops of sodium sulfide, the first reagent, are added to part of the moist filter paper. A yellow stain positively identifies cadmium. Lead, nickel, silver, and tin show a black stain while zinc and chromium fail to produce a stain.
A Survey of Pickups for Dynamic Physical Measurements
Authors: White Gifford E.
Published: July 2009

The basic principles governing the analysis of the dynamic response of simple measuring instruments are presented, with suggestions on the selection of instruments with adequate time and frequency response. Brief attention is paid to static characteristics. The several types of transducers commercially available for use in pressure gages, dynamometers, accelerometers, vibrometers, and other tools for use with modern recorders are described. Typical sources for instruments in each class are tabulated.
The Principles of Corrosion Testing
Authors: Borgmann C. W. , Mears R. B.
Published: July 2009

This paper constitutes a discussion of the desirability of standardization of corrosion tests and of the difficulties and pitfalls involved. A brief historical review of attempts to standardize corrosion testing is given, and the various types of tests are classified into three broad groups: (1) laboratory; (2) field; and (3) service. A short review of the theory of corrosion and a discussion of the factors influencing the corrosion rate is given. Various methods of estimating the extent or rate of corrosion, together with methods of presentation and interpretation of data, are discussed critically. Corrosion tests are examined from the standpoint of the functions they are to fulfill, such as: the selection of suitable materials for a definite environment, the development of new alloys, the control of the product, etc. The advantage of special-property tests over accelerated life tests is stressed. Special-property tests are defined as those which attempt to determine a specific characteristic of the metal or alloy. Among such tests are those to determine the susceptibility of the metal to pitting, season-cracking, dezincification, etc. Tests such as the salt-spray or immersion can be employed either as special property tests or as accelerated life tests depending on the attitude of the user and his interpretation of the results obtained. As the ultimate purpose of this symposium is the possibility of standardization of corrosion tests, an attempt has been made to divide the various tests into two groups: those ready for standardization, and those requiring more investigation before they can be standardized.
Alternate-Immersion and Water-Line Tests
Authors: Crampton D. K. , Mitchell N. W.
Published: July 2009

Corrosion phenomena are classified according to cause and result. The desirability of incorporating the causes and forms of corrosion in corrosion tests is pointed out. Details of the alternate-immersion and water-line tests are given and it is shown that all known forms of corrosion are obtained. The factors influencing the accuracy of the tests are discussed. Actual test data are presented by way of illustration, and the importance of proper interpretation of test results is stressed.
Standardizing Liquid Corrosion Tests
Authors: McKay R. J. , LaQue F. L.
Published: July 2009

Laboratory corrosion work may be divided into theoretical studies and rate tests, and with such a division the conclusion is drawn that a certain amount of standardization or uniformity of procedure is possible in rate testing but is not applicable to theoretical studies. A table is given of actual procedure by modern authors in controlling or describing various factors which affect corrosion rates. This table shows a trend toward better control but also that there is room for much more improvement. Factors capable of control are: temperature, aeration, velocity, and others in special cases. The recommendation is made not to adopt any particular test but to set up reasonable control of factors known to affect corrosion rates.
Boundary Vector Cells in the Subiculum of the Hippocampal Formation
Authors: Lever Colin , Burton Stephen , Jeewajee Ali , O'Keefe John , Burgess Neil
Published: August 2009

“Boundary vector cells” were predicted to exist by computational models of the environmental inputs underlying the spatial firing patterns of hippocampal place cells (O'Keefe and Burgess, 1996; Burgess et al., 2000; Hartley et al., 2000). Here, we report the existence of cells fulfilling this description in recordings from the subiculum of freely moving rats. These cells may contribute environmental information to place cell firing, complementing path integrative information. Their relationship to other cell types, including medial entorhinal “border cells,” is discussed.
Lessons with Stravinsky: The Notebook of Earnest Andersson (1878–1943)
Authors: Slim H. Colin
Published: July 2009

In 1978, Robert Craft expressed the hope that some record might be found of the lessons that the virtually unknown American composer Earnest Andersson (1878–1943) took with Stravinsky in Hollywood during 1941–42. Also missing were scores of the symphony Andersson worked on with Stravinsky. These documents have now come to light. A private collection in Pennsylvania houses Andersson's Futurama symphony and the notebook he kept of his lessons, items heretofore unseen except by family members.

These sources contribute to our understanding of Stravinsky in at least two unique ways. First, Andersson's notebook is the sole record of any long-term pedagogical commitment by Stravinsky, one that eventually numbered 215 lessons. Second, the manuscripts of both composers for Futurama and for two other large orchestral works establish Stravinsky's only known compositional collaborations (with the exception of a one-month stint with Ravel in 1913), which stretched over almost two years. This article examines Stravinsky's previous sporadic role(s) as pedagogue, outlines the various careers of polymath and composer Andersson, questions Stravinsky's final and self-serving remarks in 1966 about Futurama, offers preliminary analyses of two movements from Futurama upon which both men worked and which are discussed in Andersson's notebook, and suggests how and what Andersson may have learned, as recorded in his 58-page notebook (late February–early October 1941). The notebook is here transcribed in full.
Alfred Schnittke's Nagasaki: Soviet Nuclear Culture, Radio Moscow, and the Global Cold War
Authors: Schmelz Peter J.
Published: July 2009

This article examines Alfred Schnittke's final conservatory composition, the oratorio Nagasaki (1957–58, revised 1958–59). Both controversial and yet doctrinaire, Nagasaki proves an unexpectedly rich object of study owing to the unusual circumstances surrounding its dissemination. Its radio broadcasts during the 1960s both within the Soviet Union and abroad provide unique insights into Soviet perceptions of the bomb. The domestic broadcast suggests hitherto unexplored aspects of Cold War culture within the USSR, especially the changing attitudes, both official and unofficial, toward atomic weapons (what can be referred to as nuclear culture). The broadcast to Japan on Radio Moscow (Moskovskoye radio, a Soviet equivalent of the U.S. Voice of America, or VOA) indicates the view of nuclear weapons it promulgated abroad. Thanks to records of its 1960 Radio Moscow broadcast in Japan, Nagasaki provides an extraordinary opportunity to chart the use of music in Soviet international propaganda efforts via the airwaves. This article relies upon an unpublished copyist's score and the original, unreleased 1959 recording of Nagasaki, in addition to previously unknown archival documents. It also synthesizes, corrects, and supplements the existing accounts of the work, all of them in various ways incomplete or inaccurate.
Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection
Authors: Kessler Michael , Smith James F.
Published: July 2009

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is the most common source for active tuberculosis (TB), and its treatment remains an important cornerstone of global TB eradication. Although pregnancy may represent a unique time during which LTBI may be treated successfully, pregnancy and the postpartum period have been recognized as periods during which the risk of hepatitis from isoniazid (INH), the drug of choice for LTBI, may be increased. Thus, recommendations have suggested postponing treatment of LTBI until the postpartum period. Recent programs indicate that in properly designed surveillance programs, the risk of INH-induced hepatitis is low. Similar to other ongoing clinical encounters in which targeted LTBI screening and treatment may be accomplished, such as methadone and needle exchange clinics, antenatal clinics represent an opportunity to establish trust between clinician and patient for ongoing surveillance for complications and compliance. Furthermore, the addition of a newborn into the household where LTBI has been found poses new implications for eradication of TB. Prospective data collection on outcomes for such programs will be invaluable in assessing the efficacy of these efforts.
Normal values of sacroiliac index according to gender and age
Authors: Bajner Ágnes
Published: July 2009

A kvantitatív sacroiliacalis szcintigráfia során az aktív sacroileitis igazolása a sacroiliacalis index (SI-index) kórosan magas értékén alapul. Az SI-index normáltartományára és felső határértékére vonatkozóan azonban eltérő szakirodalmi adatokat találunk.
Célkitűzés:
A szerző célja az SI-index normálpopulációban előforduló értékeinek meghatározása, a normálértékek nemmel és életkorral való összefüggésének vizsgálata, valamint a saját osztályukon alkalmazható optimális cut-off értékek kijelölése.
Módszer:
A szerző 740 fős normálpopulációs minta egyedeinek standard módszerrel meghatározott SI-indexeit elemezte. A nemenként és életkoronként (10 éves intervallumokban) kialakított kontrollcsoportok adatait statisztikai módszerekkel összehasonlította.
Eredmények:
Minden szignifikanciaszinten kimutatható lineáris kapcsolat az életkor és az SI-index között: az SI-index értéke az életkor növekedésével csökken. A férfiak és a nők SI-index-értékei között is minden szignifikanciaszinten különbség van. Az SI-index egyénenkénti oldalkülönbségének átlaga nem különbözik szignifikánsan az egyes csoportokban.
Következtetések:
Mivel az SI-index normáltartománya életkoronként és nemenként különbözik, eltérő cut-off értéket kell használni az egyes csoportokban. Kétoldali sacroileitis diagnózisához a szerző a legmegbízhatóbb cut-off értéknek a 99%-os konfidenciaintervallum felső határát tartja, a 95%-os és a 99%-os konfidenciaintervallum felső határa közé eső értékek kétes kategóriaként kezelendők. Az egyoldali sacroileitis diagnózisa a jobb és bal SI-index közötti megnövekedett különbség alapján is felállítható. Az SI-index interpretálásánál a sacrum anatómiai variációinak figyelembevétele elengedhetetlen.
Whooping cough in an urban high school in Hungary. Conclusions of a local pertussis outbreak
Authors: Schneider Ferenc , Stánitz Éva , Kalácska Judit , Tompity Tünde , Gábor Beáta
Published: July 2009

A pertussis a védőoltás bevezetésével fokozatosan visszaszoruló fertőző betegség lett, de teljes eradikációja nem lehetséges. Ezt mutatják a nemzetközi és a hazai adatok is. Az ezredforduló után a pertussisos megbetegedések lassú növekedése figyelhető meg.
Célkitűzés:
Az adolescens pertussis klinikumának bemutatása egy helyi járvány kapcsán, ezzel egyidejűleg a pertussis jelenlétének demonstrálása a hazai populációban.
Módszer:
Az első felismert 18 éves beteg környezetében retrospektív adatgyűjtéssel felderített, tartósan köhögő betegektől vett vérmintából emelkedő pertussis-antitoxin-IgG meghatározásával igazolták a pertussisetiológiát.
Eredmények:
A járványügyi munka 17 további, szerológiai vizsgálattal megerősített megbetegedést derített fel a felismert beteg környezetében.
Következtetések:
Tartós köhögés hátterében pertussist kell keresni. A védőoltással szerzett pertussis elleni immunitás a gyermekkor végére kialszik, a kórokozó a hazai populációban is cirkulál, a pertussisemlékeztető oltás beillesztése a 11 éves korúak oltásába indokolt. Serdülő- és felnőttkorban a pertussis enyhébben és atípusosan zajlik, de elhúzódó köhögés esetén gondolni kell rá.
Functional characterization of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in rat pancreatic β cells
Authors: Zhang Yi , Liu Yunfeng , Qu Jihong , Hardy Alexandre , Zhang Nina , Diao Jingyu , Strijbos Paul J , Tsushima Robert , Robinson Richard B , Gaisano Herbert Y , Wang Qinghua , Wheeler Michael B
Published: August 2009

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels regulate pacemaker activity in some cardiac cells and neurons. In the present study, we have identified the presence of HCN channels in pancreatic β-cells. We then examined the functional characterization of these channels in β-cells via modulating HCN channel activity genetically and pharmacologically. Voltage-clamp experiments showed that over-expression of HCN2 in rat β-cells significantly increased HCN current (Ih), whereas expression of dominant-negative HCN2 (HCN2-AYA) completely suppressed endogenous Ih. Compared to control β-cells, over-expression of Ih increased insulin secretion at 2.8 mmol/l glucose. However, suppression of Ih did not affect insulin secretion at both 2.8 and 11.1 mmol/l glucose. Current-clamp measurements revealed that HCN2 over-expression significantly reduced β-cell membrane input resistance (Rin), and resulted in a less-hyperpolarizing membrane response to the currents injected into the cell. Conversely, dominant negative HCN2-AYA expression led to a substantial increase of Rin, which was associated with a more hyperpolarizing membrane response to the currents injected. Remarkably, under low extracellular potassium conditions (2.5 mmol/l K+), suppression of Ih resulted in increased membrane hyperpolarization and decreased insulin secretion. We conclude that Ih in β-cells possess the potential to modulate β-cell membrane potential and insulin secretion under hypokalemic conditions.
THE PROBABILITY OF SMALL SCHEDULE VALUES AND PREFERENCE FOR RANDOM‐INTERVAL SCHEDULES
Authors: Soreth Michelle Ennis , Hineline Philip N.
Published: July 2009

Preference for working on variable schedules and temporal discrimination were simultaneously examined in two experiments using a discrete‐trial, concurrent‐chains arrangement with fixed interval (FI) and random interval (RI) terminal links. The random schedule was generated by first sampling a probability distribution after the programmed delay to reinforcement on the FI schedule had elapsed, and thus the RI never produced a component schedule value shorter than the FI and maintained a rate of reinforcement half that of the FI. Despite these features, the FI was not strongly preferred. The probability of obtaining the smallest programmed delay to reinforcement on the RI schedule was manipulated in Experiment 1, and the interaction of this probability and initial link length was examined in Experiment 2. As the probability of obtaining small values in the RI increased, preference for the schedule increased while the discriminated time of reinforcer availability in the terminal link decreased. Both of these effects were attenuated by lengthening the initial links. The results support the view that in addition to the delay to reinforcement, the probability of obtaining a short delay is an important choice‐affecting variable that likely contributes to the robust preferences for variable, as opposed to fixed, schedules of reinforcement.
Effects of Obesity on Gingival Oxidative Stress in a Rat Model
Authors: Tomofuji Takaaki , Yamamoto Tatsuo , Tamaki Naofumi , Ekuni Daisuke , Azuma Tetsuji , Sanbe Toshihiro , Irie Koichiro , Kasuyama Kenta , Umakoshi Michihiro , Murakami Jun , Kokeguchi Susumu , Morita Manabu
Published: August 2009

Background: Studies indicate a correlation between obesity and periodontitis. Oxidative stress is involved in the progression of periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of obesity on gingival oxidative stress in a rat periodontitis model.

Methods: The obese Zucker rats (n = 14) and their lean littermates (n = 14) were each divided into two groups of seven rats. In one of each group, periodontitis was induced by ligature for 4 weeks, whereas the other group was left unligated. The level of 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine and the ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione were determined to examine gingival oxidative stress. The serum level of reactive oxygen metabolites and the gingival gene‐expression pattern related to oxidative/metabolic stress, inflammation, and cell behavior were also evaluated.

Results: The obese rats weighed more than the lean rats at 4 weeks. Compared to lean rats, obese rats had enhanced gingival 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels and a decreased ratio of reduced/oxidized glutathione in the gingival tissue, with increasing serum reactive oxygen metabolites. However, there were no significant differences in the degree of alveolar bone loss between lean and obese rats, except for teeth with and without ligatures in both rats. In addition, the periodontal lesion in obese rats showed higher 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels and polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration than the inflamed ones in lean rats, with downregulation of multiple cytochrome P450 gene expression.

Conclusions: Obesity induced gingival oxidative stress with increasing serum reactive oxygen metabolites in rats. In the periodontal lesion, gene expressions related to a capacity for xenobiotic detoxification were downregulated in the obese model.
Lysophosphatidic Acid Signals Through Specific Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor Subtypes to Control Key Regenerative Responses of Human Gingival and Periodontal Ligament Fibroblasts
Authors: George JoJu , Headen Karmel V. , Ogunleye Afolabi O. , Perry Greg A. , Wilwerding Terrence M. , Parrish Lawrence C. , McVaney Timothy P. , Mattson John S. , Cerutis D. Roselyn
Published: August 2009

Background: We showed that the pluripotent platelet growth factor and mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) controls key regenerative responses of human gingival fibroblasts (GFs) and periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs) and positively modulates their responses to platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF). This study determined which LPA receptor (LPAR) subtype(s) LPA signals through to stimulate mitogenic extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 signaling and chemotaxis and to elicit intracellular Ca2+ increases in GFs and PDLFs because many healing responses are calcium‐dependent.

Methods: Activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase was determined using Western blotting with an antibody to phosphorylated ERK1/2. Migration responses were measured using a microchemotaxis chamber. GF and PDLF intracellular Ca2+ mobilization responses to multiple LPA species and LPAR subtype–specific agonists were measured by using a cell‐permeable fluorescent Ca2+ indicator dye.

Results: LPA stimulated ERK1/2 phosphorylation via LPA1‐3. For GFs, LPA1 preferentially elicited chemotaxis, and LPA1‐3 for PDLFs, as confirmed using subtype–specific agonists. Elevation of intracellular calcium seems to be mediated through LPA1 and LPA3, with little, if any, contribution from LPA2.

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence that LPA signals through specific LPAR subtypes to stimulate human oral fibroblast regenerative responses. These data, in conjunction with our previous findings showing that LPA modulates GF and PDLF responses to PDGF, suggest that LPA is a factor of emerging importance to oral wound healing.
Effectiveness of Full‐Mouth and Partial‐Mouth Scaling and Root Planing in Treating Chronic Periodontitis in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Santos Vanessa Renata , Lima Jadson Almeida , De Mendonça Adriana Cutrim , Braz Maximo Maria Beatriz , Faveri Marcelo , Duarte Poliana Mendes
Published: August 2009

Background:This study evaluated the clinical and metabolic effects of full‐mouth scaling and root planing (FMSRP) compared to partial‐mouth scaling and root planing (PMSRP) in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis, and it assessed the impact of the glycemic status on the clinical and metabolic response to periodontal therapy.

Methods:In this clinical trial, 18 subjects with diabetes received FMSRP in a maximum of 24 hours, and 18 subjects received PMSRP in a maximum of 21 days. Visible plaque accumulation, bleeding on probing, suppuration, probing depth, clinical attachment level (CAL), and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were obtained at baseline and at 3 and 6 months post‐therapy. Baseline HbA1c values ≥9% and <9% defined subjects with poorly and better‐controlled diabetes, respectively.

Results:All clinical parameters improved after therapy (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed between treatment groups for clinical and metabolic parameters at any time (P>0.05). There were no changes in the HbA1c levels after therapy (P>0.05). No subject reported any adverse effects during the study. Individuals with better‐controlled diabetes achieved a lower mean CAL at 6 months post‐therapy, when FMSRP and PMSRP were evaluated together (P<0.05).

Conclusions:FMSRP and PMSRP were equally effective in treating chronic periodontitis in subjects with type 2 diabetes, without significant improvements in the glycemic control at 3 and 6 months. Considering the periodontal therapy as a whole (FMSRP plus PMSRP), subjects with better‐controlled diabetes exhibited a benefit in CAL at 6 months compared to subjects with poorly controlled disease.
Effects of Nicotine on Antioxidant Defense Enzymes and RANKL Expression in Human Periodontal Ligament Cells
Authors: Lee Hwa‐Jeong , Pi Sung‐Hee , Kim Youngho , Kim Hee‐Soo , Kim Sun‐Ju , Kim Young‐Suk , Lee Suk‐Keun , Kim Eun‐Cheol
Published: August 2009

Background: This study examined the effects of nicotine on osteoblastic differentiation and the osteoclastogenesis regulatory molecules receptor activator of nuclear factor‐kappa B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG). In addition, we investigated the mechanism by which nicotine induced antioxidant defense enzyme expression as a protective response.

Methods: The expression of osteoblast markers, RANKL, OPG, and antioxidant defense enzymes were examined in nicotine‐treated human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.

Results: Nicotine treatment concomitantly downregulated the expression of OPG and osteoblastic differentiation markers, such as alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and osteopontin, and upregulated the expression of RANKL. Nicotine induced the synthesis of the transcription factor NF‐E2‐related factor‐2 (Nrf2) as well as a number of cellular antioxidants and phase II enzymes, such as heme oxygenase‐1. Pretreatment with antioxidants inhibited the upregulation of RANKL, the downregulation of OPG expression, and cytotoxicity by nicotine in PDL cells.

Conclusions: Nicotine upregulated RANKL and antioxidant defense enzymes. These data suggest that Nrf2‐mediated induction of cellular antioxidants and phase II enzymes could contribute to the cellular defense against nicotine‐induced cytotoxicity and osteoclastic differentiation in PDL cells.
Faster Seismic History Matching in a United Kingdom Continental Shelf Reservoir
Authors: Stephen Karl D. , Shams Asghar , MacBeth Colin
Published: July 2009

In seismic history matching, we (the authors) obtained a computer-assisted history match to conventional production data but also include the spatio-temporal information offered by time-lapse (4D) seismic to further constrain the model. Good predictive models can only be found with a suitable search of the space of uncertain parameters, such as permeability, porosity, net:gross, and fault transmissibility.

We present a method of history matching that speeds up the search process. By using streamlines in place of a finite difference simulator, a factor 10 speed up in simulation can be obtained. The model accuracy is slightly diminished, affecting both the predicted well data along with saturations and pressures used to predict the 4D signal. We show how to reduce any bias effects by calibrating the model error and including it in the misfit calculation.

The method has been applied to the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS) Nelson field using 6 years of production history and two seismic surveys. The field is maintained above bubblepoint and is ideal for streamline simulation. We compared the use of the finite difference simulator with the streamline method in history matching, when we changed net:gross and vertical permeability properties. By addressing the mismatch in seismic data, together with production, we improved our predictive capability.

A proper parameter search increases the reliability of predictions made by using simulations and has great benefits for reservoir management. Decisions regarding water and gas handling, well maintenance, and optimization of production can be made with greater confidence and new wells can be planned with reduced risk.
Cement-Slurry Design To Prevent Destabilization of Hydrates in Deepwater Environment
Authors: Ravi Kris , Iverson Benjamin , Moore Seth
Published: July 2009

Hydrates present challenges to drilling, cementing, and producing in deepwater environments. If the hydrates are destabilized during well operations, gas or solids could rise to the surface and create problems. Therefore, there is a compelling need to prevent destabilization of hydrates from drilling to producing operations in the life of the well.

The volume of cement slurry in the surface casing is great because of the large annulus, and this slurry volume results in a great amount of heat generated during slurry hydration. Further, during production, hydrocarbons could increase the temperature of the surrounding formation. These factors could destabilize the hydrates.

Cement slurries are designed to lower the heat of hydration while meeting or exceeding the other properties needed for successful deepwater cementing. Heat of hydration is reduced by a factor of more than two when compared to the conventional cement-slurry design. The improved cement-slurry designs lower considerably the thermal conductivity of the set cement sheath.

Laboratory tests designed to measure and optimize the heat of hydration are discussed and field implementation of these slurries and results are presented. Results presented in this paper should help the industry construct and produce wells without destabilizing the hydrates, thus, promoting well safety and economics.
Impact of Successive Squeezes on Treatment Lifetime and Well Productivity: Laboratory and Field Evidence
Authors: Fleming Niall , Ramstad Kari , Nelson Alex , Graham Gordon
Published: July 2009

Over the lifetime of a well, it is possible that several squeeze operations will be performed, depending on scaling severity. Downhole-squeeze operations have been performed for many years and have been an effective scale-management tool on the whole. However, the long-term impact successive squeezing has on treatment lifetime and well productivity has received little attention. This paper will address these issues by comparing the results from a unique sequence of long-term corefloods designed to replicate five successive treatments on the kaolinite-rich, Middle Tarbert core from the StatoilHydro-operated field Oseberg Sør. Relatively few squeeze treatments have been performed on this field, and the coreflood results have been upscaled to provide a potential prediction of the effects of long-term squeezing on well productivity on Oseberg Sør. Furthermore, the laboratory results have been cross checked by comparing them with the Heidrun field, which has been squeezed for many years. Heidrun is an analog of Oseberg Sør, with kaolinite-rich producing intervals, and has similar productivity issues related to kaolinite mobilization.
Soil Nitrate Leaching in Silvopastures Compared with Open Pasture and Pine Plantation
Authors: Bambo Susan K. , Nowak Jarek , Blount Ann R. , Long Alan J. , Osiecka Anna
Published: July 2009

Wide acceptance of silvopasture as an alternative sustainable agricultural system in the southeastern United States will depend on an improved understanding of the tree‐forage interactions and recognition of its environmental benefits. The objective of this study was to evaluate differences in soil nitrate leaching in different land‐use systems, in north Florida. An 18‐yr‐old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation was thinned in the summer of 2002 to create a fifth–row thinned, nontraditional intensive pine plantation (FO), silvopastures (HE = fourth–row conventionally thinned with random tree distribution and DO = double‐row sets of trees with 15‐m wide alleys), and an open pasture (PA). ‘Argentine’ bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge.) was established as understory vegetation in HE, DO, and PA. From 2004 to 2005 soil nitrate leaching was sampled and compared in the DO, HE, PA, and FO systems at 0.3 and 1.2 m depths after fertilizer application. Significant nitrate peaks were observed at 0.3 m depth after N fertilizer application in all systems. At the 1.2 m depth, the maximum nitrate concentrations were 67, 18, and 8 mg L−1, in the forest plantation, open pasture, and both silvopastures, respectively. In general, reduced nitrate leaching at 1.2 m depth was observed in silvopastures compared with other land‐used systems. These results are not intended to have a direct bearing on traditional pine plantation management, but rather support the potential role of silvopasture systems in reducing nitrate losses from the soil.
Gene and Antigen Markers of Shiga‐toxin Producing E. coli from Michigan and Indiana River Water: Occurrence and Relation to Recreational Water Quality Criteria
Authors: Duris Joseph W. , Haack Sheridan K. , Fogarty Lisa R.
Published: July 2009

The relation of bacterial pathogen occurrence to fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) concentrations used for recreational water quality criteria (RWQC) is poorly understood. This study determined the occurrence of Shiga‐toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) markers and their relation to FIB concentrations in Michigan and Indiana river water. Using 67 fecal coliform (FC) bacteria cultures from 41 river sites in multiple watersheds, we evaluated the occurrence of five STEC markers: the Escherichia coli (EC) O157 antigen and gene, and the STEC virulence genes eaeA, stx1, and stx2. Simple isolations from selected FC cultures yielded viable EC O157. By both antigen and gene assays, EC O157 was detected in a greater proportion of samples exceeding rather than meeting FC RWQC (P < 0.05), but was unrelated to EC and enterococci RWQC. The occurrence of all other STEC markers was unrelated to any FIB RWQC. The eaeA, stx2, and stx1 genes were found in 93.3, 13.3, and in 46.7% of samples meeting FC RWQC and in 91.7, 0.0, and 37.5% of samples meeting the EC RWQC. Although not statistically significant, the percentage of samples positive for each STEC marker except stx1 was lower in samples that met, as opposed to exceeded, FIB RWQC. Viable STEC were common members of the FC communities in river water throughout southern Michigan and northern Indiana, regardless of FIB RWQC. Our study indicates that further information on the occurrence of pathogens in recreational waters, and research on alternative indicators of their occurrence, may help inform water‐resource management and public health decision‐making.
Hydrologic and Biogeochemical Controls of River Subsurface Solutes under Agriculturally Enhanced Ground Water Flow
Authors: Wildman Richard A. , Domagalski Joseph L. , Hering Janet G.
Published: July 2009

The relative influences of hydrologic processes and biogeochemistry on the transport and retention of minor solutes were compared in the riverbed of the lower Merced River (California, USA). The subsurface of this reach receives ground water discharge and surface water infiltration due to an altered hydraulic setting resulting from agricultural irrigation. Filtered ground water samples were collected from 30 drive point locations in March, June, and October 2004. Hydrologic processes, described previously, were verified by observations of bromine concentrations; manganese was used to indicate redox conditions. The separate responses of the minor solutes strontium, barium, uranium, and phosphorus to these influences were examined. Correlation and principal component analyses indicate that hydrologic processes dominate the distribution of trace elements in the ground water. Redox conditions appear to be independent of hydrologic processes and account for most of the remaining data variability. With some variability, major processes are consistent in two sampling transects separated by 100 m.
Survival and Growth of Hardwoods in Brown versus Gray Sandstone on a Surface Mine in West Virginia
Authors: Emerson P. , Skousen J. , Ziemkiewicz P.
Published: July 2009

Surface mining in West Virginia removes the eastern deciduous forest and reclaiming the mined land to a productive forest must consider soil depth, soil physical and chemical properties, soil compaction, ground cover competition, and tree species selection. Our objective was to evaluate tree survival and growth in weathered brown sandstone and in unweathered gray sandstone. Brown and gray sandstone are often substituted when insufficient native topsoil is available for replacement. Three 2.8‐ha plots were constructed with either 1.5 or 1.2 m of brown sandstone, or 1.5 m of gray sandstone at the surface. Half of each plot was compacted with a large dozer. Percent fines (<2 mm) in the upper 20 cm was 61% for brown sandstone and 34% in gray. Brown sandstone's pH was 5.1, while gray sandstone's pH was around 8.0. In March 2005, 2‐yr‐old seedlings of 11 hardwood species were planted. After 3 yr, tree survival was 86% on 1.5‐m gray sandstone, 67% on 1.5‐m brown sandstone, and 82% on 1.2‐m brown sandstone. Survival was 78% on noncompacted and 79% on compacted areas. Average volume of all trees (height × diameter2) was significantly greater on brown sandstone (218 cm3) than gray sandstone (45 cm3) after 3 yr. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) had the highest survival (100%) and significantly greater volume (792 cm3) than all other tree species. Survival of the other 10 species varied between 65% for tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) and 92% for redbud (Cercis canadensis L.), and volume varied between 36 cm3 for white pine (Pinus strobes L.) and 175 cm3 for tulip poplar. After 3 yr, brown sandstone appears to be a better topsoil material due to the much greater growth of trees, but tree growth over time as these topsoils weather will determine whether these trends continue.
Nitrate Leaching and Nitrous Oxide Flux in Urban Forests and Grasslands
Authors: Groffman Peter M. , Williams Candiss O. , Pouyat Richard V. , Band Lawrence E. , Yesilonis Ian D.
Published: July 2009

Urban landscapes contain a mix of land‐use types with different patterns of nitrogen (N) cycling and export. We measured nitrate (NO3−) leaching and soil:atmosphere nitrous oxide (N2O) flux in four urban grassland and eight forested long‐term study plots in the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area. We evaluated ancillary controls on these fluxes by measuring soil temperature, moisture, and soil:atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide on these plots and by sampling a larger group of forest, grass, and agricultural sites once to evaluate soil organic matter, microbial biomass, and potential net N mineralization and nitrification. Annual NO3− leaching ranged from 0.05 to 4.1 g N m−2 yr−1 and was higher in grass than forest plots, except in a very dry year and when a disturbed forest plot was included in the analysis. Nitrous oxide fluxes ranged from 0.05 to >0.3 g N m−2 yr−1, with few differences between grass and forest plots and markedly higher fluxes in wet years. Differences in NO3− leaching and N2O flux between forests and grasslands were not as high as expected given the higher frequency of disturbance and fertilization in the grasslands. Carbon dioxide flux, organic matter, and microbial biomass were as high or higher in urban grasslands than in forests, suggesting that active carbon cycling creates sinks for N in vegetation and soil in these ecosystems. Although urban grasslands export more N to the environment than native forests, they have considerable capacity for N retention that should be considered in evaluations of land‐use change.
Performance of a Dispersion Model to Estimate Methane Loss from Cattle in Pens
Authors: McGinn S. M. , Beauchemin K. A. , Flesch T. K. , Coates T.
Published: July 2009

Accurate measurements of enteric methane (CH4) emissions from cattle (Bos taurus) are necessary to improve emission coefficients used in national emissions inventories, and to evaluate mitigation strategies. Our study was conducted to evaluate a novel approach that allowed near continuous CH4 measurement from beef cattle confined in pens. The backward Lagrangian Stochastic (bLS) dispersion technique was used in conjunction with global position system (GPS) information from individual animals, to evaluate CH4 emissions from pens of cattle. The dispersion technique was compared to estimates of CH4 production using the SF6 tracer technique. Sixty growing beef cattle were fed a diet containing 60% barley silage (dry matter basis) supplemented with either barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain or corn (Zea mays L.) distillers dried grains. The results show that daily CH4 emissions were about 7% lower for the dispersion technique than for the tracer technique (185 vs. 199 g CH4 animal−1 d−1). The precision of the dispersion technique, relative to the SF6 tracer technique, expressed by the Pearson coefficient was 0.76; the relative accuracy given by the concordance coefficient was 0.69. The bLS dispersion technique was able to detect differences (P < 0.05) due to diet and has the added advantage of measuring the pattern of CH4 production during the 24‐h period, with emissions ranging from 161 to 279 g CH4 animal−1 d−1 Configuring the cattle as point sources resulted in more accurate CH4 emissions than assuming a uniform area release from the pen surface. The results indicate that the bLS dispersion technique using cattle as point sources can be used to accurately measure enteric CH4 from cattle and to evaluate the impact of dietary mitigation strategies.
Investigation on Acid Hydrolysis of Inulin: A Response Surface Methodology Approach
Authors: Eskandari Nasab Ebrahim , Habibi-Rezaei Mehran , Khaki Afshin , Balvardi Mohammad
Published: August 2009

In this study, the acid hydrolysis of inulin was investigated as a function of three variables: pH, temperature and time. Inulin hydrolysis was detected by measurement of reducing sugars, using Dinitro Salicylic acid (DNS) method. The central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was applied to design an experimental program to model the effects of acidic and alkaline pH on the inulin hydrolysis. Additionally, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized for data analysis. The statistical analysis of the results confirmed that pH, temperature and time are significant variables at acidic pH, whereas at alkaline pH, these variables are insignificant. The maximum amount of inulin hydrolysis obtained at the pH < 2, temperature > 90°C and the time of 1 hrs.
On $ℚ$-Conic Bundles, III
Authors: Mori Shigefumi , Prokhorov Yuri
Published: August 2009

A

ℚ

-conic bundle germ is a proper morphism from a threefold with only terminal singularities to the germ

(Z\ni o)

of a normal surface such that fibers are connected and the anti-canonical divisor is relatively ample. Building upon our previous paper [MP08a], we prove the existence of a Du Val anti-canonical member under the assumption that the central fiber is irreducible.
A New Look at Projected Gradient Method for Equilibrium Assignment
Authors: Florian Michael , Constantin Isabelle , Florian Dan
Published: July 2009

A new adaptation of Rosen's projected gradient algorithm for solving fixed-demand equilibrium traffic assignments is developed. It is based on a Gauss-Seidel decomposition scheme in which origin-destination pairs are considered sequentially. The method operates in the space of path flows and shares this approach with earlier work on adapting the gradient projection method, the restricted simplicial decomposition, and the projected gradient adapted for solving equilibrium traffic assignments with explicit capacity constraints. The details of the algorithm are nevertheless quite different and are intended to solve large-scale problem instances. The development of the method is provided, and then computational experiments are performed with an implementation done with the Emme software package. Performance comparisons are carried out against the linear approximation method and the origin base algorithm code of Bar-Gera. The algorithm compares well with these methods and achieves relative gaps of the order of 10-6 or 10-7 in reasonable computing times. It also has the advantage of reaching more modest relative gaps of the order of 10-4 in much shorter computing times than the linear approximation method.
Application of Reactive Tabu Search for Combined Dynamic User Equilibrium and Traffic Signal Optimization Problem
Authors: Karoonsoontawong Ampol , Waller S. Travis
Published: July 2009

A new mixed-zero-one continuous linear bilevel formulation is presented. It simultaneously solves the traffic signal optimization problem and the dynamic user equilibrium problem and yields a mutually consistent solution. The upper-level problem finds optimal traffic signal settings (cycle lengths, green times, time offsets, and phase sequences) for prespecified signalized intersections such that the total system travel time is minimized. The lower-level problem is the existing user-optimal dynamic traffic assignment (UODTA) linear program that embeds Daganzo's cell transmission model (CTM). The reactive tabu search (RTS), based on the analogy between the direct search and the dynamical systems theory, is modified to solve the problem. There are three major modifications. First, the binary-string solution representation is chosen, and the associated encoding and decoding procedures are developed for three-, four-, and five-leg intersections. Second, three neighborhood definitions for RTS are proposed; they yield three variations of the algorithm: RTS-MT0, RTS-MT1, and RTS-MT2. RTS-MT0 uses the deterministic neighborhood definition, and the others are based on probabilistic neighborhood definitions. Third, the functional evaluation uses the existing simulation-based UODTA that uses the CTM. Comparisons of algorithm performance are conducted on a hypothetical grid network and a modified Sioux Falls, Iowa, network. The performances are compared by using three criteria: solution quality, convergence speed, and CPU time. The CPU times for RTS-MT0, RTS-MT1, and RTS-MT2 on the two test networks are approximately equal. On the other two criteria, RTS-MT2 appeared to be the best, and RTS-MT1 and RTS-MT0 were the second and the third best, respectively.