bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eden Yuturi's Hydraulic Fracturing Evolution: Improving Well Performance from Highly Laminated Reservoirs in Ecuador
Authors: Pelaez Lauran , Calderon Diego Alberto , Fun Sang Byron Alfredo , Villarroel Lisbet Cristina , Salazar Franck , Cornejo Paul Israel , Reyes Israel , Zamora Patricio , Giol Cristian Gustavo , Grefa Maria Martina , Pozo Maria Fernanda , Lomas Jonny , Valdez Anne
Published: April 2022

One of the main challenges in production enhancement in mature fields is finding the optimum method to develop different reservoirs under the best exploitation strategy. Ecuador's Eden Yuturi is a mature field where nearly 15% of the field's production comes from a highly laminated, low permeability reservoir with viscous oil properties. The development of this layer requires hydraulic fracturing to economically produce the wells.

Hydraulic fracturing was implemented in Eden Yuturi in 2011. The fracturing technology has evolved since then. In 2019, the channel-fracturing technique was introduced, where proppant is pumped in pulses to achieve a heterogeneous placement within the reservoir, creating infinite-conductivity channels. The hydraulic fracture conductivity generated by open channels is higher than a conventional proppant pack. In conventional fractures, flow through proppant is described by Darcy's law; however, for an open fracture channel, the Navier-Stokes equation is applied, implying that effective permeability is 100 times higher.

Based on lessons learned for the past 6 years, some of the best practices include: perforating the entire reservoir in cluster, aggressive fracture designs averaging approximately 60,000 lbs of 20/40 proppant pumped, using resin-coated proppant to reduce proppant flowback and using ESP pumps with more robust stages that are well suited to handle solids production and viscous oil.

For the frac design, conductivity is increased from 3,500 md-ft to more than 500,000 md-ft with the channel fracturing technique. The associated dimensionless fracture conductivity increased from 2 to 50, and the resulting fracture width increased by 400%. As a result, the average fractured well productivity index increased by two-fold, resulting in higher production rates from 300 to 500 BOPD, ensuring the required volume to be economic as they decline smoothly, reaching cumulative volumes beyond 300,000 bbl of oil per well. This has enabled the Asset to increase reserves in the last campaigns by 2.5 MMbbl.

This result leads the NOC to better optimize their development strategy. Nearly 10 MMbbl are estimated to be recovered from this reservoir. Hydraulic fracturing has made the economic exploitation of this tight layer a reality since the reservoir was previously considered an uneconomic target. Through this aggressive strategy, Eden Yuturi Field has become the pioneer in economically exploiting laminated reservoirs in Ecuador.
Role of Oil and Gas Industry in Meeting Climate Goals Through Carbon Capture, Storage and Utilization CCUS
Authors: Islam Raka , Sohel Rayhana Nayema , Hasan Faruque
Published: April 2022

The near-linear relationship between anthropogenic CO2 emission and global warming is a major cause of concern among scientists. Achieving a low carbon future requires a new approach to providing energy solutions. This paper reviews the advancements in CCUS technology and actions of the oil and gas industry actively participating in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS). CCUS has been identified to play a key role in achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Oil and gas industry has been using CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) for many years which removes some CO2 permanently from the atmosphere. Currently there are more than 150 CO2 EOR projects in place worldwide. Additionally, the major oil and gas companies are stepping up to further remove CO2 from the environment through Direct Air Capture (DAC), Carbonate Fuel Cells etc.

This paper discusses a few of the CCUS projects undertaken by some major oil and gas companies. Many companies are investing in startups, national research institutes and other ventures with proven viable technologies for carbon capture such as DAC and fuel cell technology. It is too early to say which of these technologies will emerge as the most superior one. Therefore, investing in different technologies and continuing with the established practices is the more fitting approach. The recent changes in 45Q tax credit in the USA is going to entice even more investors to approach CCUS as a commercially attractive venture.

There is currently a lot of pressure from government and public to minimize CO2 emission in all industries and this will only increase with time. Oil and Gas industry is investing heavily on CCUS projects and are therefore best equipped to transition to carbon management companies. The end goal is to make the industry profitable while also safeguarding the environment.
Reduction of Casing Failure Risk via SMART Adjustment of Casing Design and/or Downhole Practices
Authors: Noshi Christine Ikram , Amani Mahmood
Published: April 2022

Casing failure incidents have been on the rise since the 70's. An alarming rate of up to 50% of offshore wells in GOM have experienced some degree of casing failure, not to mention, numerous reports of onshore and offshore incidents worldwide. What has been done to mitigate its aftermaths? Most of the attempts to flag or mitigate casing failures were physics-based solutions; analytical, experimental, or numerical, that tackles one or few aspects on a small scale. However, those former studies were found to perform unreliably and did not attain wide-scale execution, mainly, due to the dynamic complexity of the underlying problem. One cannot help but wonder till when the industry is going to turn a blind eye to this global problem.

What am I bringing to the table, then? Simply, an automated solution, based on ensemble models focusing on resolving the infamous casing fatigue problem. This avant-garde solution accounts for potential risk factors and their impact on the probability of casing failure, using them to construct the proposed automated casing failure mitigation framework based on a two-step prediction-correction procedure. This research proposes two different schemes or scenarios that can be followed for mitigating casing failure. Namely, adjusting downhole practices (e.g., Doglegs, Frac. Temp., Cement Support, etc.) that impose high risk of casing failure while maintaining the initial casing string design or adjusting casing design (e.g., Size, Length, Grade, etc.) according to encountered downhole conditions while maintaining downhole practices as is. However, the workflow proposed in this paper is based on Scheme I, where downhole practices is adjusted based upon downhole conditions during cyclic operations. As such, the focus of the study is on highlighting potential casing fatigue estimators for different parts of the casing during such operations. The model uses data aggregated from several sources from both failed and non-failed wells and has been tested on the data set managing to reduce the overall outcome occurrence to "Low".

It is the feedback step in the adopted "prediction-correction" scheme that gives the edge to the proposed workflow in this study over other data-driven workflows existing in literature, specifically, in the area of tubular and casing failures. Following this two-step procedure, the proposed tool can handle the risk of casing failure proactively rather than reactively. This, in turn, could potentially give the allowance for drillers and drilling engineers to adjust their design specifications in to avoid or mitigate potential casing failure.
Analysis of Crossdipole Sonic Data for an Intelligent Targeting of Stack Pay in the Permian Basin
Authors: Sinha Bikash , Mohamed Farid , Xu Lili , Malpani Raj , Fisher Kevin
Published: April 2022

Horizontal placement of a producer well plays an important role in the efficient production of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs. The preferred placement of a producer well is based on the available information about the presence of natural fractures and formation stresses. Identifying the depth intervals with natural fractures and the relative magnitudes of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses enables us to intelligently place a producer well that will support effective hydraulic fractures for enhanced hydrocarbon production.

Crossdipole sonic data can be processed to output the fast- and slow-dipole flexural dispersions. The fast dipole flexural dispersion can be inverted to obtain C55, C66, C33, and C13, whereas the slow dipole flexural dispersion can be inverted to obtain C44 (<C55) and C23. Relative magnitudes of the three shear moduli C44, C55, and C66 provide orientations of the natural fractures primarily_oriented along the axial or cross-sectional planes of the vertical pilot well superposed on the transversely isotropic (TI) constants C44 = C55, and C66 for an organic shale reservoir. Relative magnitudes of C23 and C13 can help to identify the ratio of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses as a function of depth.

This workflow has been applied to crossdipole sonic data acquired in a vertical pilot well drilled in the Permian Basin. This well traverses several identifiable lithologies with varying amounts of illite, chlorite, quartz, calcite, dolomite, kerogen, oil saturation, and unbounded water. The upper portion of the logged interval exhibits crossdipole slowness anisotropy, implying C55 > C44. The presence of crossdipole shear slowness anisotropy indicates a dominance of vertically aligned fractures in this logged interval. The lower portion of the logged interval displays TI constants typically associated with an organic shale reservoir characterized by C66 > C55 = C44. In contrast, the upper portion of the logged interval is characterized by C66 nearly equal to C55 or even less than C55, caused by the presence of vertical fractures dominating the TI anisotropy effects on the shear moduli. Moreover, differences between C13 and C23 are more pronounced in the upper fractured interval, implying differences between the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses.

More detailed 3D finite-element stress analysis of horizontal stress distributions in an upper depth interval confirms the presence of interspersed stiff and compliant layers. Significant variations of maximum and minimum horizontal stresses in these layers are potential barriers to the hydraulic fracture propagation in the vertical direction. These observations suggest a need to account for such variations in the hydraulic fracture models and might require multiple laterals for an efficient drainage of hydrocarbons from this reservoir.
The Use of Localized Well-Drainage Reservoir Pressure Model in Optimum Fracture Design
Authors: Ekeregbe Merit P.
Published: April 2022

This study is to determine the effective use of localized reservoir pressure of each well drainage area in a multi-well reservoir system model to determine optimum fracturing design for production improvement.

A static bottom-hole pressure (BHP) survey may present different values for each well draining from the same reservoir but these different pressure values have not been incorporated into determining the performance of each individual well based on the pressure as seen by each well, rather an indeterminate average reservoir pressure is used. Fracturing as a concept of increasing reservoir permeability will further expose the well to reservoir pressure as seen by the individual well than the assumed single-value reservoir-wide pressure. This is so except when the fracture half-length is equal to the drainage length of the reservoir, connecting the whole reservoir to justify the single reservoir pressure effect if it is a single-well reservoir system. In reality, many reservoirs are multi-well reservoir systems and this simplified assumption may pose some drawbacks. The damaged wellbore area may truly be more exposed to the localized reservoir pressure as seen by the well than the apparent reservoir single value pressure assumed to determine drawdown and damage. In a multi-well reservoir system with each well-drainage area subjected to different reservoir pressures than the single reservoir pressure, fracturing and stimulation candidates screening may not present the actual effect of each well-drainage area static reservoir pressure.

This paper is to present a new model that incorporates the average reservoir pressure for whole reservoir system and the reservoir pressure as seen by individual wells in the determination of the drawdown and damage. The knowledge of the different pressures in different well locations in the reservoir system will be utilized to present a linear flow model in well fracturing to enhance better well performance.

With this new model, the actual and more realistic damage estimation and ways to achieve a linear flow for optimum performance through fracturing will be better understood. The effect of other flowing wells on the skin of the candidate well will enhance a better planning than is done now because the existing formulations are done with a single-well reservoir system in mind; no account for contributing skin of other flowing wells in the industry applied model approaches.
Implementation of an Optimized Solution using a Cloud-Based Production Data Management System for Production Operations
Authors: Tello Bahamon Cristhian Camilo , Claib Meinhardt Amin Adolfo , Perez de la Cruz Francisco , Ramirez Olarte Hector Eric , Soberanes Hernandez Roberto Eduardo , Lozano Henry Andrey , Sena de Lima Jesley , Vasquez Garcia Claudia , Garibay Francisco , Gomez John , Gonzalez Ordonez Abraham , Parra Javier
Published: April 2022

Major oil and gas operators often face performance issues related to on-premises applications when dealing with huge amounts of data. A cloud-based digital solution was developed for an oil and gas company in Colombia to upgrade the production data management system (PDMS) by migrating from on-premises to a secure cloud-based environment, enhancing the performance of the solution and the remote access experience for end users.

This implementation was carried out under a cloud-based infrastructure using a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) scheme, which includes middleware, database management systems, and backup services. The user access to the PDMS is through virtual desktop services, which enables load balancing of the users to avoid performance issues. The performance of the previous infrastructure was evaluated and considered when designing the new architecture, the database sizing, licensing, and integration with third-party applications. The data from the on-premises solution were analyzed and validated to guarantee correspondence with the cloud-based solution, and both solutions were run in parallel to verify consistency and reliability. The release of the cloud-based application was done in stages, with a stabilization period during which any issues could be detected and corrected.

The PDMS solution was improved by faster data processing, reducing the execution time of calculation and allocation processes by 50%, while some heavy processes as data carry forward reached a 90% reduction. Enhancements included the generation of complex reports, such as hierarchy production allocation results, that did not run on the on-premises servers. As a result of this implementation, the application can be accessed from a personal computer as well as from a mobile phone, allowing the user access from any place or device, without security risks. The cloud-based solution reduced OPEX and increased flexibility due to lower maintenance costs for physical infrastructure and the cloud server's capacity based on demand.
The conformational impact of eliminating the C-terminal peptide extension from IMPDH1- 604 retinal isoform via experimental and molecular dynamics simulation approaches
Authors: Ebli Parisa Elyasi , Yazdanparast Razieh , Gharaghani Sajjad
Published: April 2022

Retinitis Pigmentosa, a blindness with acquired and hereditary origins, includes 2 percent of global cases of blindness. RP10, a gene involved in autosomal dominant form of the RP, encodes for isoform 1 of inosine 5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH1). IMPDH1, the rate-limiting enzyme in the purine nucleotide de novo synthesis pathway, retinal isoforms are identified as the root cause of observing diverse phenotypes of IMPDH1 mutations in other tissue cells in comparison to the retinal photoreceptors. Considering previously reported significant varied kinetic activity among retinal isoforms, the central focus of the current article is prediction of possible structural explanations. The recombinant 604-isoform lacking carboxyl terminus peptide fragment has been used in proteolytic digestion with α-Chymotrypsin as a means of detecting intermolecular interactions. Dimer models of wild type 604-isoform were subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Our results indicated that a 604-isoform lacking C-terminal peptide tends to have a more accessible surface and thus a more rapid proteolysis. Our computational data predict a possible spontaneous inhibition due to formation of a novel helix in GTP binding site in the engineered protein.
Culture Negative Extra Pulmonary Spinal Tuberculosis – a New Challenge
Authors: Taha Ali , Houston Angela , Ajayi Bisola , Hamdan Thamer , Bishop Timothy , Bernard Jason , Lui Darren F
Published: April 2022

Introduction Pulmonary Tuberculosis(TB) can be detected by sputum cultures. However, Extra-Pulmonary Spinal Tuberculosis(EPSTB), diagnosis is challenging as it relies on retrieving samples. It is usually discovered in the late stages of presentation due to its slow onset and vague early presentation. Difficulty in detecting Mycobacterium Tuberculosis bacteria from specimens is well documented. Diagnostic imaging is helpful to initiate therapy, but growing incidence of multi-drug resistant TB adds further challenges. MethodsA retrospective analysis of cases from the Infectious Disease database with EPSTB between 01/01/2015 to 31/01/2020. Two groups were compared, Culture-Negative TB(CNTB) and Culture-Positive TB(CPTB). Results31 cases were identified with EPSTB. 68%(n=21) were male. 55%(n=17) were Asian, 19%(n=6) were black and 16%(n=5) were white. 90.4%(n=28) patients presented with isolated EPSTB symptoms. No patient had evidence of HBV/HCV/HIV infections. CPTB Group was 51.6%(n=16) compared to CNTB with 48.4%(n=15) 48%(15) lumbar involvement, 42%(n=13) thoracic and 10%(n=3) cervical. 38.7%(n=12) patients presented with late neurology, equally in both groups. 56% CPTB patients showed signs of vertebral involvement on X-rays compared to 13.3% in CNTB patients. 68.7% CPTB patients had pathological changes seen on CT scan compared to 53.3% of CNTB patients. 81% of CPTB showed positive MRI and 86% in CNTB. Both groups were treated with Anti-TB medications. 83% patients were followed up till the end of the treatment course. 22.5%(n=7) patients had Ultrasound-guided aspiration.29%(n=9) patients required surgery. ConclusionTB continues to be a growing problem in the developed world specially with patients travelling from endemic regions. Thoracolumbar region was most commonly affected(90%). Approximately 50% of cases of extrapulmonary spinal TB were culture negative. Neurological deficit occurred in 40% patients. 30% of patients required surgery. Anti-TB treatment was however effective in all cases. No drug-resistant variants noted. MRI imaging remains the superior diagnostic test in the presence of high CN EPSTB.
Photoaging of polystyrene microspheres causes oxidative alterations to surface physicochemistry and enhances airway epithelial toxicity
Authors: Hayek Eliane El , Castillo Eliseo , In Julie G. , Parra Amalia S. , Garcia Marcus , Cerrato Jose , Brearley Adrian , Gonzalez-Estrella Jorge , Herbert Guy , Bleske Barry , Benavidez Angelica , Hsiao Hsuan , Yin Lei , Campen Matthew J. , Yu Xiaozhong
Published: April 2022

Background: Microplastics represent an emerging environmental contaminant, with large gaps in our understanding of human health impacts from the myriad types of plastics. Furthermore, environmental factors may modify the plastic chemistry, further altering the toxic potency. Ultraviolet light is an unavoidable factor for airborne microplastic particulates and a known modifier of polystyrene surface chemistry. How such modifications impact the toxicity of polystyrene microparticles is unclear. As an experimental model, we aged commercially-available polystyrene microspheres for five weeks with ultraviolet radiation, then compared the cellular responses in A549 lung cells to both pristine and irradiated particulates. Results: Photoaging altered the surface morphology of irradiated microspheres and increased the intensities of polar groups on the near-surface region of the particles as indicated by scanning electron microscopy and by fitting of high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy C 1s spectra, respectively. Even at low concentrations (1-30 µg/ml), photoaged microspheres at 1 and 5 µm in diameter exerted more pronounced biological responses in the A549 cells than was caused by pristine microspheres. High-content imaging analysis revealed S and G2 cell cycle accumulation and morphological changes, which were also more pronounced in A549 cells treated with photoaged microspheres, and further influenced by the size, dose, and time of exposures. Polystyrene microspheres reduced intracellular barrier integrity and slowed regrowth in a wound healing assay in a manner dependent on dose, photoaging, and size of the microsphere. Conclusions: UV-photoaging enhanced the toxicity of polystyrene microspheres in A549 cells. Understanding the influence of weathering and environmental aging, along with size, shape, and chemistry, on biocompatibility of microplastics may be an essential consideration for incorporation of different plastics in products.
A seven-year surveillance of epidemiological trends of Serratia marcescens with different infection types in a tertiary hospital in China
Authors: Liu Bo , Zhu Qingtang , Chen Caiyun , Ge Zijun , Zang Feng , Yang Yue , Zhang Yongxiang
Published: April 2022

Objective: To explore the trend of detection and antimicrobial resistance of Serratia marcescens with different infection types for 7 consecutive years, to provide a reference for future studies for the control of S. marcescens infections and a rational selection of antibiotics.Methods: S. marcescens isolates were collected from 2014 to 2020, and the trend of detection and antimicrobial resistance were analyzed according to different types of infection.Results: For 7 consecutive years, the data showed that patients with S. marcescens infections were mainly from the intensive care unit (ICU) (384 isolates, 40.98%), and the isolates recovered were mainly from sputum samples (743 isolates, 79.30%). The number of isolated strains increased every year, and the average rate of detection ranged from 0.60% to 0.80%. The detection rate of S. marcescens with hospital-acquired infections (HAI) showed a downward trend and that of S. marcescens with colonization showed an upward trend. The detection rate of multidrug-resistant S. marcescens fluctuated between 8.33%–16.89%. The resistance rate of S. marcescens to piperacillin was 17.0%–29.06% and the resistance rate to piperacillin tazobactam was 2.95%–13.13%. For cephalosporin antibiotics, the resistance rates of S. marcescens to cefuroxime and cefazolin were >99% and the resistance rates to ceftazidime and cefepime were <13%. The resistance rate of S. marcescens to aminoglycoside antibiotics, especially amikacin, was the lowest. The resistance rate of S. marcescens with community-acquired infections (CAI) to carbapenems was higher than that with HAI and colonization.Conclusion: The different infection types of S. marcescens have different detection and epidemic trends. In addition, resistance to carbapenems is different across the strains.
RETRACTED: Prioritization of critical areas on hydrological response unit level for sediment and nutrient loss control in a river basin of India
Authors: Khalkho Dhiraj , Tripathi M. P. , Patel S , Kumar Rohitashw , Kumar Love , Sagar Atish , Singh Prashant , Singh Vijay Kumar , Vishwakarma Dinesh Kumar , Elbeltagi Elbeltagi
Published: April 2022

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
A Scoping Review of Patient Support Program Services Across Diverse Settings and Disease Areas Described from a People-Centered Perspective
Authors: Riveroll Angela L , Charlton Patricia , Pyper Evelyn , Macphail Keltie , Fisher Brenda , Beck Christina , Montelpare William
Published: April 2022

BackgroundGovernments, private industries and not-for-profit organizations are increasingly investing resources in support programs for patients. These programs may provide self-management strategies enabling patients to manage their disease and medication regimen and/or access to medications, therapies and health services, with the goal to improve health outcomes. The objectives of this scoping review were to: (i) describe the characteristics of patient support programs (PSPs), for patients on medication regimens, (ii) identify subthemes that describe PSP services, and (iii) to classify the service subthemes, using an integrated people-centered (IP-C) perspective. MethodsPRISMA-ScR methodology and Covidence software were used to facilitate the review of 479 articles, and the selection and screening of 70 original research articles that described PSP services and their impact on clinical, humanistic and/or economic outcomes. A search of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Academic Search Ultimate, and Web of Science was conducted covering a 10 year period, from 2010 to 2020. The PSPs identified were organized into subthemes identified as part of an inductive process. The thematic areas were grouped into one of three people-centered categories that reflect the WHO vision for IPC health care. ResultsThe 70 articles reviewed, describe PSPs covering more than nine disease categories. The majority of the articles were published in North America, predominantly in the United States (26) and Canada (11), and also in Germany (6), the United Kingdom (6), China (4) and other countries (18). PSPs were funded and delivered by private drug or device manufacturers, government organizations, specialty pharmacies and also non-governmental groups (e.g., not-for-profit organizations), private hospitals, private payers (e.g., insurance companies) and various partnership types among these organizations. Fifty-six unique PSPs were identified that offered a range of services. Twenty-five PSP service subthemes were identified and these were each placed into one of three over-arching patient-centered categories: (i) access and equity services; (ii) quality and health services, and (iii) patient and caregiver empowerment and self-management services.ConclusionsPSPs offer various services that can be optimized and synergized to facilitate equitable, accessible, quality health services that support patient empowerment for the self-management of disease for improved health outcomes.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis specific antigen-stimulated CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+ T cells for active tuberculosis diagnosis
Authors: fang Yong , Wang Na , Tang Liang , Yang Xiaojun , Tang Yuan , Li Lin , Wu Wenfei , Su Bo , Sha Wei
Published: April 2022

Background: Traditional bacteriological tests are time-consuming and of low sensitivity for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis (ATB). The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for active tuberculosis (ATB) diagnosis. Methods: This prospective diagnostic accuracy study was conducted at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients with ATB, non-tuberculosis mycobacterium infection (NTM), latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), other respiratory diseases (OD), and healthy individuals (HC) were enrolled. The accuracy of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ and other phenotypic markers for ATB diagnosis was assessed.Results: A total of 376 patients (237 ATB, 38 LTBI, 8 NTM, 50 OD, and 43 HC) were enrolled. The ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD27- and CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-CD38+ profiles in CD4+IFN-γ+ cells and the ratios of CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+, CD4+IFN-γ+CD27-, and CD4+IFN-γ+CD38+CD27- profiles in CD4+ cells in the ATB group were significantly higher than in the other groups. The area under the curve (AUC) of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for the diagnosis of ATB was the highest, with a value of 0.890. With the optimal cutoff value of 1.34´10-4, the sensitivity and specificity of CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ for ATB diagnosis was 0.869 and 0.849, respectively. Conclusion: CD27-CD38+IFN-γ+CD4+/CD4+ might be an effective biomarker for active tuberculosis diagnosis.
Red blood cell transfusion in palliative care patients with oncohematological disease
Authors: Magnus Mariana , Lacativa Julia Crosariol Lindenberg , Assumpção Jackeline Androlage
Published: April 2022

Purpose: Red blood cell transfusion in oncohematological patients is considered an essential part of treatment, but its role in palliative care that aims to improve symptoms and quality of life is not well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of symptoms after red blood cell transfusion in palliative care patients.Methods: Thirteen patients were followed at an outpatient blood transfusion clinic at the University of Campinas. Data was collected on the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) as well as the characteristics of the patients, the oncohematological diagnosis, the stage of the disease, and clinical symptoms that justified transfusion. To analyze the evolution of symptoms and functional capacity, the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and the Katz Index Functional Assessment Scale for basic activities of daily living were applied serially on the day of transfusion, as well as two and seven days after the procedure. We also observed the occurrence of transfusion reactions.Results: We were able to identify improvements in symptoms such as fatigue, depression, drowsiness, as well as overall well-being in most patients up to seven days after transfusion. However, patients with seven days or more of transfusion maintained improvement only in fatigue.Conclusion: Similarly, other studies report an improvement in symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and overall well-being after transfusion, this improvement also being transient and lasting less than 14 days.
Tile-based microscopic image processing for malaria screening using deep learning approach
Authors: Abdurahman Fetulhak , Fante Kinde Anlay
Published: April 2022

Background: Manual microscopic examination remains the golden standard for malaria diagnosis. However, it is cumbersome and requires the experience of pathologists for accurate diagnosis. The shear workload and challenges involved in manual microscopy drives for alternative computer-aided diagnosis techniques. While the importance of computer-aided diagnosis is increasing at an enormous pace fostered by the advancement of deep learning algorithms, there are still challenges. Existing state-of-the-art (SOTA) deep learning-based object detection models suffer from effectively detecting small objects which are less represented on benchmark datasets and are affected by the loss of detailed spatial information due to in-network feature map downscaling. The problem even becomes harder when the input image is high resolution. This is due to the fact that existing SOTA models will not directly process high-resolution images limited by their low-resolution network input size. Methods: In this study, an effective and robust tile-based image processing approach was proposed to enhance malaria parasite detection performance of SOTA object detection models. Three YOLOV4 based object detectors were adopted considering their detection speed and accuracy. The proposed detection models were developed by using tiles generated from 1,780 high-resolution P. falciparum-infected thick smear microscopic images. External validation was performed to verify the detection accuracy and generalization ability of the proposed models on three datasets acquired from a different domain. Results: The best-performing model leveraging the proposed tile-based approach significantly outperforms its baseline method (Recall, [95.3%] vs [57%] and Average Precision, [87.1%] vs [76%]). In addition, the proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performance compared with previous research works which use different machine learning techniques on similar datasets. Conclusions: The obtained qualitative and empirical results show that the proposed method reveals a fundamental performance improvement for the detection of P. falciparum from thick smear microscopic images while maintaining real-time speed. Furthermore, the proposed method could have the potential to assist and reduce the workload of laboratory technicians in malaria-endemic remote areas in developing countries where there is a critical skill gap and shortage of experts.
The influence of Ahy1 strain of Acremonium hansfodii on functional response of Neoseiulus barkeri to Tetranychus urticae
Authors: SHANG SU-QIN , WEI-ZHEN LI , CHEN YAO-NIAN , TONG ZHU
Published: April 2022

The spider mite Tetranychus urticae is one of the most economically key mite pests of fields and greenhouse crops over the world. In order to clarify the control efficacy of Neoseiulus barkeri on T. urticae in the presence of entomopathogenic fungus Acremonium hansfodii. This study was conducted to evaluate the control of combining N. barkeri with A. hansfodii against T. urticae. The results showed that the functional response of N. barkeri treated with Ahy1 strain to T. urticae was Holling type II equation. Among these, the highest predation number and the shortest attack time were obtained for the predator feeding on eggs, then followed by feeding on nymphs, female adults ranked as the lowest. That of N. barkeri to T. urticae treated with Ahy1 strain was also Holling type II equation. The predation capacity of N. barkeri on nymphs and female adults of T. urticae treated by Ahy1 strain increased with the increase of the concentration of Ahy1 strain, but that when feeding eggs had no significant difference. Therefore, the combination of EPF with N. barkeri on control of TSSM had synergistic effects, which will provide the guidance to carry out combined utilization of entomogenous fungi with predatory mites.
Effects of pre-incubation egg storage length and orientation on hatching traits in Transylvanian naked neck chickens
Authors: ABIOJA MONSURU OLADIMEJI , Ojoawo Henry Temitope , Akinjute Obafemi Foluso , Logunleko Mariam Opeyemi
Published: April 2022

Eggs from Transylvanian naked neck (TN) chickens (n = 560) were stored in cold room (at 16 ± 1.5oC) in daily batches of 80 eggs each, for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7d either with broad (BEU) or narrow end up (NEU). Additional day in storage caused significant (P < 0.001) loss in egg weight. Dead in germ (DIG) followed (P < 0.001) the pattern: 5d < 6d < 2d = 1d < 4d < 7d. DIG in 3d group was similar to both 4d and 7d. However, dead in shell (DIS) took (P < 0.001) 6d > 7d > 1d = 4d = 5d > 3d pattern. DIS in 2d stood in-between 6d and 7d groups. Similar hatchability of set eggs (HSE; P > 0.05) was recorded in eggs stored for 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d. These were significantly (P < 0.001) higher than others. Storage for 5d resulted in better HSE than 6d and 7d. HFE was in descending order: 1d > 2d > 3d > 4d = 5d > 6d > 7d. BEU eggs (P < 0.001) had higher DIG and DIS and lower HSE and HFE than those stored NEU. Hatch window (HW) was significantly (P < 0.001) influenced by length of storage. Storage for 4d and 5d exhibited longer HW than 2d, 3d and 7d. Shortest HW was observed in eggs stored for 1d. Hatching (P < 0.05) commenced earlier and took longer time in BEU eggs (472h; 36h) than in NEU eggs (478h; 30h) respectively. Chicks in 3d (17.4 cm) were (P < 0.01) longer than those from 4d (16.9 cm), but the two groups were similar to other groups. In conclusion, storage of TN chicken eggs should not exceed 4d. Storage in NEU orientation gave better hatching traits than BEU.
Methodology for estimating streamflow by water balance and rating curve methods based on logistic regression
Authors: Generoso Tarcila N. Neves , Silva Demetrius David da , Amorim Ricardo Santos Silva , Rodrigues Lineu Neiva , Santos Erli Pinto dos
Published: April 2022

The water balance method is used, in Brazil, to estimate the outflow from the regularization reservoirs, based on hourly data. The the rating curve method, normally adopted in conventional streamflow gauge stations of the hydrometeorological network national, the values are estimated from the average of two daily readings of the water level elevation and requires the use of extrapolation techniques to the estimation of values outside the validation limits. The objective of study was to analyze the variation of the reservoir’s hourly outflows Queimado Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP Queimado) and to propose a method to evaluate whether the estimate of the daily outflows, obtained by the water balance method, are similar to the flow values obtained at a streamflow gauge station of the ANA network. The logistic regression model was used because it is a method that adopts binary categorical dependent variables to identify the event of interest. The results showed that the average values of streamflow obtained between the observations made from the average of 2 or 24 readings daily were close, so that the estimated data for two daily readings show good representation regarding the variability of the flows in the region. The water balance and rating curve methods showed similar statistical performance for most of the streamflow data considered. The logistic regression was able to identify atypical data in the series of analyzed flows, especially in the rainy season, which are mainly associated with the methods for extrapolation of the rating curve.
Investigation on Prevalence of Canine Trypanosomiasis in the Conservation Areas of Bwindi- Mgahinga and Queen Elizabeth in Western Uganda
Authors: Ochieng James Robert , Bachs Marta Planellas , Nsubuga Anthony , Rwego Innocent B. , Kisakye John Joseph M. , Riba Laura Muro , Figueres Jesus Muro
Published: April 2022

Nowadays, despite the instauration of several control strategies, animal trypanosomiasis continues to be reported all over Uganda. Few canine African trypanosomiasis (CAT) studies have been carried out, yet dogs are known Trypanosoma reservoirs that share identical home ranges with livestock and serve as parasite link between livestock and humans. This study evaluates the prevalence of CAT in dogs in the Bwindi-Mgahinga and Queen Elizabeth conservation areas. This information will be useful to evaluate the possible role of dogs in transmission cycle of Trypanosoma species in livestock and wild animals. GenElute Blood Genomic DNA kit was used to extract DNA from the blood samples collected from identified indigenous dogs (n = 66). This was followed by conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR). Two (3.03%) out of 66 dogs were positive for CAT. One dog was positive with Trypanosoma congolense and the other T. vivax. There was no significant statistical difference in CAT prevalence rate in relation to dog’ sex (X2 = 0.379, df = 1, p = 0.54) and site (X2 = 1.031, df = 2, p = 0.60). This study reports what we believe is the first-time detection of Trypanosoma congolense and T. vivax in the indigenous dogs found in the Bwindi-Mgahinga and Queen Elizabeth conservation areas in western Uganda. The noticed T. congolense and T. vivax could be responsible for both canine and animal trypanosomiasis, and represents a serious threat to the livestock industry. Therefore, there is need for continuous trypanosomiasis surveillance and integrated management in contiguity to wildlife reserves.
Determination of sedimentation rates and life of Kodaikanal Lake, South India, using radiometric dating (210Pb and 137Cs) techniques
Authors: Palani Balamurugan , Vasudevan Sivaprakasam , Ramkumar Thirunavukkarasu , Rajendiran Selvaganapathi , Gunasekaran Sathiyamoorthy
Published: April 2022

A study describes the use of natural (210Pb) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radiometric dating techniques to determine sedimentation rates and life of Kodaikanal Lake. The core sediment from 46 cm was collected and analyzed for 210Pb and 137Cs using an Alpha spectrometer 7200-04 and a Gamma-ray spectrometer GC-3520. Bathymetry studies aided in the selection of a representative sample location and the measurement of the lake's underwater depth, with maximum and mean depths of 11 and 3.38 m, respectively. The maximum and minimum dry bulk density ranged from 0.57 to 1.05 g/cm3 (mean of 0.73 g/cm3), and the weight percentage of porosity collected sediment sample ranged from 60.33 to 78.63 wt. % (mean of 72.32 wt. % ). This study determined the sediment grain size as well as the percentages of sand, silt, and clay. The findings indicate that the core sediment samples contain 56.05 to 69.62 wt.% (mean of 63.21 wt.%) sand, 28.03 to 41.71 wt.% (mean of 34.55 wt.%) silt, and 1.81 to 3.98 wt.% (mean of 2.34 wt.%) clay. For geochronology studies in core sediments, the 210Pb technique was used to assess a model of time changes in the deposit. The sedimentation rate depended on the consistent rate supply (CRS) of the 210Pb model. The 210Pb model was confirmed using 137Cs radioactivity released into the global fallout after nuclear testing (1963) and the Chernobyl accident (1986). The depth concentration of 210Pb ranged from 3.89 ± 0.1 to 15.4 ± 1.6 Bq/kg with a mean of 210Pb concentration is 7.23 ± 0.86 Bq/ kg. The 137Cs radioactivity was varied from the upper and lower peaks that appeared clearly at depths of 16 and 29 cm, respectively, with successive phases of 18.68 ± 1.36 and 22.04 ± 1.4 Bq/kg. According to the CRS model, the mean sedimentation rate was 0.51 ± 0.14 cm/year, and the core age was 86 years. The 137Cs have likely been the mean sedimentation rate of 0.535 ± 0.07 cm/year and 83 years. The evaluated life of Kodaikanal Lake as an average of 210Pb and 137Cs sedimentation rate since 1933 is about 650 ± 24 years and 582.75 ± 19 years.
Nomogram to predict the FSH starting dose based on BMI, AMH and AFC in women with poor ovarian response in PPOS
Authors: Wu Shuxie , Li Yanping , Wu Gao , Wu Hanbin
Published: April 2022

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the potential application of a novel nomogram based on antral follicle counting (AFC), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and body mass index (BMI) as a tool to optimize the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) starting dose in women with poor ovarian response in in-vitro fertilization (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS). We performed a retrospective analysis involving 130 poor ovarian responders undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles in a PPOS protocol from June 2017 to February 2019 in our reproductive center. The individual FSH starting dose was selected according to patients’ clinical history and characteristics. The influence of variables including age, BMI, AMH and AFC on the FSH starting dose was assessed through multiple regression analysis. We used the variables reaching the statistical significance for calculation for the final predictive model. In the univariate analysis, BMI, AMH and AFC were significant (P < 0.05) predictors of FSH starting dose, age was canceled. In the multivariate analysis, BMI, AMH and AFC remained significant (P < 0.05). According to the nomogram, 118 patients (90.77% of 130) would have received a higher FSH starting dose and 12 patients (9.23% of 130) a lower FSH starting dose than practice dose. The application of the nomogram based on three variables easily determined in clinical practice: BMI, AMH and AFC would lead to a more tailored FSH starting dose in women with poor ovarian response.
Effectiveness of antiviral treatment in HBeAg-negative patients with normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase: a retrospective study
Authors: Wei Sufang , Hu Meixin , Chen Hongjie , Xie Qiuli , Wang Peng , Li Hong , Peng Jie
Published: April 2022

Background
Few studies have assessed the effects of antiviral treatment in hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative patients with normal or mildly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). This study aimed to investigate the effects of antiviral treatment in these patients.
Methods
We retrospectively analysed the outcomes of antiviral treatment in HBeAg-negative patients with normal or mildly elevated ALT who were treated nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NAs) for up to 96 weeks.
Results
Overall, 128 patients were enrolled, including 74 patients with normal ALT and 54 patients with mildly elevated ALT. The total cumulative rates of viral suppression were 64.06%, 81.97% and 96.39%, at week 24, 48 and 96, respectively. The cumulative rates of viral suppression in normal and mildly elevated ALT groups were 67.86% versus 58.97%, 86.39% versus 76.31% and 93.13% versus 97.04%, at week 24, 48 and 96, respectively. The serum HBV DNA levels at week 12 and the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels at week 24 were significant predictors of the 96-week virological response. Compared with the values at baseline, liver stiffness values significantly decreased at week 48 (8.26 kPa vs 6.60 kPa, p < 0.001), and 96 (8.68 kPa vs 6.33 kPa, p < 0.001), respectively.
Conclusions
HBeAg-negative patients with normal or mildly elevated ALT could benefit from antiviral therapy with NAs. Antiviral treatment is strongly recommended for these patients.
Compliance with Australian Orthopaedic Association guidelines does not reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism after total hip and knee joint arthroplasty: an observational study
Authors: Badge Helen , Churches Tim , Naylor Justine , Xuan Wei , Armstrong Elizabeth , Gray Leeanne , Fletcher John , Gosbell Iain , Lin Chung-Wei Christine , Harris Ian
Published: April 2022

BackgroundPreventing avoidable venous-thrombo-embolism (VTE) is a priority to improve patient and service outcomes after total hip and total knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA), but compliance with relevant clinical guidelines varies. This study aims to determine the degree to which prophylaxis was compliant with Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) VTE prophylaxis guidelines and whether non-compliance is associated with increased risk of VTE.Methods A prospective multi-centre cohort study of adults with osteoarthritis undergoing primary TKA/THA was completed at 19 high-volume public and private hospitals. Data were collected prior to surgery and for one-year post-surgery. Logistic regression was undertaken to explore associations between non-compliance with AOA VTE prophylaxis guidelines and symptomatic 90-day VTE outcomes. ResultsData were analysed for 1838 participants from 19 sites. The rate of non-compliance with all clinical guideline recommendations was 20.1% (N = 369), with 14.1% (N = 259) non-compliance for risk-stratified prophylaxis, 35.8% (N = 658) for duration, and 67.8% (N = 1246) for other general recommendations. Symptomatic VTE was experienced up to 90-days post-surgery by 48 people (2.6%). Overall guideline non-compliance (AOR = 0.1, 95%CI = 0.0 to 0.4, p = 0.006) was associated with a lower risk of symptomatic 90-day VTE. Results were consistent when people with high bleeding risk were excluded (AOR = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.49, p = 0.005).ConclusionsNon-compliance with the AOA VTE prophylaxis guidelines was associated with fewer VTEs within 90 days of arthroplasty. This counterintuitive finding is concerning and necessitates a rigorous review of the AOA VTE prevention clinical guideline.