bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluid-Pulse Technology Boosts Oil Recovery
Authors: Davidson Brett
Published: February 2015

Technology Update

A unique fluid-pulse technology has generated impressive increases in ultimate oil recovery in applications in North and South America and the Middle East. Developed in Alberta, Canada, the fluid-pulse technology has proved its ability to recover oil previously left behind in fields thought to be depleted or uneconomical—potentially billions of barrels globally.

In addition to driving the phenomenal growth of the Alberta oil sands, Canada’s oil industry has developed a depth and breadth of experience in some of the world’s harshest conditions. Those harsh conditions often create opportunities for new technologies to show their capabilities to a largely cautious industry.

A recent report by the United States Energy Information Administration notes that the US imported about 45% of the 18.8 million B/D of crude oil and petroleum products it consumed in 2011. Although dependence on foreign petroleum has declined since peaking in 2005, the quest is still on for ways to increase domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. Fluid-pulse technology is one way to revive oil fields by recovering more barrels, flattening decline curves, and reducing production costs.

Pulsating Injection Stream

While waterflooding techniques have been used for secondary oil recovery since the 1920s, fluid-pulse injection optimization brings much higher efficiency to these methods. With most US production growth over the next 2 years predicted to come from tight rock plays in North Dakota and Texas, the fluid-pulse technology is uniquely suited to this type of tight formation, as well as being effective under many other challenging conditions.

A downhole tool works with conventional surface equipment and is installed into injection wells to transform the normally steady rate of injection to a pulsating injection stream with typically 10 or more pulses per minute (Figs. 1a, 1b, and 1c). Similar to the idea of kinking a garden hose, precise amounts of energy are repeatedly built up and released by the tool. The pulses add acceleration and momentum to the injected fluid, forcing it into the reservoirs’ nooks and crannies and more impermeable rock at speeds of up to 100 m/s. This enables the injection fluid to enter pore spaces that have remained untouched. The result is a much better sweep of the oil toward the surrounding producing wells.

Case Studies

A small independent operator in Alberta implemented the technology with six tools in the relatively tight Viking formation in December 2010. This is a mature waterflood in sandstone with average porosity of approximately 9% and permeability ranging from 0 to 50 md. In this light oil project, production increased from the offset producers by 69 BOPD, or 52% above the base decline trend.
Deepwater Developments Driving Technip's Technology
Authors: Jacobs Trent
Published: February 2015

Deepwater Developments

Today’s deepwater projects are not just larger and more expensive than in years past. They are the most technically demanding projects the oil and gas industry has endeavored to undertake since stepping out from the continental shelf, and will require more new technology than ever to successfully execute. The extreme environments of deepwater fields are driving the complexity of these megaprojects to new heights, with shorter deadlines to help offset production declines. Among the companies capable of carrying out these record-setting field development projects is installation and subsea construction firm, Technip.

The price tags of these projects have “exploded,” Pilenko said, because offshore oil and gas reservoirs are getting harder to find. So too is the challenge of safely producing those hydrocarbons and bringing them to the surface. “Today, we know how to drill at 3000-m depths,” he said. “But we are just learning how to produce it with qualified production systems.” Pilenko explained that the industry is not just pushing the frontiers of technology, but also geography. Offshore Africa, oil companies are proving how subsea fields can be developed with little to no onshore support infrastructure.

One of the latest examples is the Moho Nord field, offshore Congo, where Technip will deploy some of its pipelaying and construction vessel fleet to install the entire subsea production system for operator Total. In terms of the scope of work, the project will be the largest subsea development that Technip has ever been awarded.  The company will put into use many of its key assets to make and install the components of the subsea field that include 142 miles (230 km) of rigid pipeline, 14 miles (23 km) of flexible flowlines, and 31 miles (50 km) of umbilicals to deliver chemicals and power to the more than 50 subsea structures to be installed.

Deepwater Facilities Under Construction

Already the uncontested leader in spar development, having delivered 14 of the world’s 17 in operation, Technip is building three new spars simultaneously, including the world’s largest. Spars are deepwater floating facilities that rely on a cylindrical single-column design to achieve optimal stability for drilling and production in an offshore environment.

The Technip-engineered Aasta Hansteen spar will be the biggest platform of its kind built, a distinction driven by the harsh environment of the North Sea and the fact that it is engineered for gas processing and storage. The hull will be 640 ft (195 m) from top to bottom and 167 ft (51 m) in diameter. The spar’s topside facilities will have a processing capacity of 812 MMcf/D of natural gas and a storage capacity of 160,000 bbl of gas condensate.  The first spar to be installed offshore Norway, the Aasta Hansteen spar will operate at a water depth of 4,250 ft (1300 m) and is under construction in South Korea, with first production planned for the end of 2016.
Proppant Goes to Extremes
Authors: Rassenfoss Stephen
Published: February 2015

New and Improved Proppants

Carbo Ceramics and Saint-Gobain Proppants are headed for a battle for crush test supremacy. At the recent 2013 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE), the two large proppant makers rolled out a new class of ultraheavy proppant built to stand up to the extreme stresses found on the frontiers of deepwater exploration.

By next year, both companies plan to be mass producing ceramic grains that they said will be the strongest in the market, able to withstand stresses of 20,000 psi or more. The new materials and manufacturing methods used to raise the crush test limit from around 15,000 psi will influence how they produce higher performing proppant for use in lower stress environments.

“On the process side, this will allow us to change everything we do,” said Gary Kolstad, chief executive officer and president of Carbo.

Called Kryptosphere, Carbo’s new product is strikingly uniform in size and shape, with each grain looking like a tiny pingpong ball. The material and the look are a break from sintered bauxite, which has long been used in the most extreme conditions.

At its ATCE booth, Saint-Gobain Proppants played up its new high-performance product, named Titan, which it said could stand up to pressures as high as 30,000 psi.

Both new proppants are made of new materials put together using different manufacturing methods—neither company would offer details. Their customers are operators in places such as the Lower Tertiary trend in the US Gulf of Mexico, where fracturing is required in wells that can go more than 30,000 ft below the mudline in water approaching 10,000 ft.

There were other indications of proppant innovation at the ATCE. Oxane Materials was presenting its first field test information for the proppant it developed using new materials to create particles it says are significantly stronger per pound and were the first to be so uniformly spherical.

Santrol was showing off its recent acquisition, a buoyant coating for proppant that is supposed to help proppant travel deeper into formations. The subsidiary of Fairmount Minerals acquired the inventor of the self-suspending proppant technology earlier this year and has been working to modify the material activated by absorbing water, so it can be used in humid places. Field tests were set to begin in November to see if it could be an effective alternative to the gels used to thicken drilling fluids for delivering heavy proppant.

The coating was tested by Stim-Lab, which found that it did not interfere with equipment, such as blenders. “Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised it has interesting properties,” said Michael Conway, president of Core Lab’s Stim-Lab division. “We will find out soon if it makes a material difference in production.”
Q&A with Al Hosn Gas: Raising the Bar
Authors: Al Ghafli Saif
Published: February 2015

Q&A

Saif Al Ghafli, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Al Hosn Gas, says the Shah gas field development has raised the technical benchmark for sour gas field development in the Middle East.

 

What is the main scope of the Shah gas field development project and what are the main technologies you are using to process the sour gas?

The scope of the whole company, Al Hosn Gas, is to drill for gas in the Shah gas field, which is a sour gas field located in northern Abu Dhabi. The scope of the company is to process 1 Bcf/D of raw gas, feed gas from the Shah gas field, and treat the gas for production of different products in order to produce condensate, sales gas, natural gas liquids, and elemental sulfur.

The project is being developed by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Occidental Petroleum. The project was initially planned to be developed in a joint venture with ConocoPhillips, but after it withdrew from the project, ADNOC continued for a year working on the project as a wholly owned project, in which the engineering department at ADNOC developed the procurement of the long lead items. Things kept on going while ADNOC was looking for another partner, and it eventually selected Oxy.

What is the status of the project? Is it on track for 2014 delivery?

It is progressing according to plan and we are targeting startup in the last quarter of 2014. All engineering, procurement, and construction contractors are working to reach the same goal, and we are on track for a 2014 startup.

Are you expecting to reach full capacity shortly?

Yes, indeed. The plant will ramp up quickly in production, and our aim is to reach full production from the first year notwithstanding any technical problems.

Was “cutting-edge technology” used in the project?

The technologies in this project involve drilling, gas gathering, and processing. This field was discovered in the mid-1960s, and due to the high acid level of the gas contained in the field, plus its remote location and the reservoir characteristics of the field, it was almost impossible to develop the field. But over the years, drilling technologies have improved, and prospects of adhering to health, safety, and environmental guidelines have also improved, along with safety measurements. All these developments have allowed us to exploit the field.

Several technologies have been used during development—those related to health, safety, and the environment; drilling; processing; corrosion resistance alloys employed in the piping and machinery; and many others. These are some of the technical advancements that have enabled us to develop this field.
Integrated-Asset-Modeling Approach for Reservoir Management on North Slope
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: February 2015

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 158497, ’Integrated Asset Modeling for Reservoir Management of a Miscible WAG Development on Alaska's Western North Slope,’ by R.D. Roadifer, SPE, ConocoPhillips Alaska; R. Sauve, Schlumberger; R. Torrens, SPE, Schlumberger Middle East; H.W. Mead, SPE, N.P. Pysz, SPE, and D.O. Uldrich, SPE, ConocoPhillips Alaska; and T. Eiben, ConocoPhillips Canada, prepared for the 2012 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 8-10 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

An integrated-asset-model (IAM) approach has been implemented for the Alpine field and eight associated satellite fields on the western Alaskan North Slope (WNS) to maximize asset value and recovery. The IAM approach enables the investigation of reservoir- and facilities-management options under existing and future operating constraints. The technology used for managing the fields consists of fullfield compositional reservoir-simulation models for each reservoir integrated with a pipeline-surface-network model and a process facility model.

Developing an IAM

Reservoir-Management Needs. As with the construction of any reservoir or surface model, the first step in developing an IAM is to define with as much clarity as possible the objectives in undertaking such an endeavor.

A detailed list of all possible objectives for creating an IAM covering all possible development and operational situations that might occur would be quite extensive. As is often the case, however, simply identifying the “big rocks” will allow the finer details of those leveraging aspects to be identified and planned for in the development of the IAM.

The Alpine field anchors the westernmost oil-production and -processing facility on Alaska’s North Slope (Fig.  1). Discovered in 1994, the Alpine field is in the Colville River delta, 6 miles south of the Arctic Ocean and approximately 70 miles west of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The Alpine field began production in November 2000 and continues development today. Subsequently, satellite fields, including the Fiord-Nechelik, Fiord-Kuparuk, Nanuq-Kuparuk, Nanuq-Nanuq, Qannik, and Alpine-Kuparuk, have been brought on line and continue to be developed. Additionally, several fields in the National Petroleum Reserve have the potential to be developed. The common theme across all these developments is that they are or will be produced through the Alpine Central Facility (ACF).

The ACF is a single-train processing facility. The only significant fluid that leaves the ACF is the sales oil. All other gas not used for fuel or lift must either be blended for injection as miscible injectant (enriched lean-gas injectant) or be injected as lean gas into two black-start gas-injection wells. All produced water must be reinjected and, for pipeline-integrity reasons, must be segregated from imported makeup seawater used for injection.
Produced-Water-Reinjection Design and Uncertainties Assessment
Authors: Carpenter Chris
Published: February 2015

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 165138, ’Produced-Water-Reinjection Design and Uncertainty Assessment,’ by Jalel Ochi, Dominique Dexheimer, and Vincent Corpel, Total EP France, prepared for the 2013 SPE European Formation Damage Conference and Exhibition, Noordwijk, the Netherlands, 5-7 June. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

Produced-water reinjection (PWR) is an important strategy for deriving value from waste water, but its implementation can face challenges related to injectivity and safety issues. The first objective of a PWRI-design study is to supply water-quality specifications, and the second is to supply injection-pressure specifications. The objective of this paper is to detail how water quality and injection pressure are deduced when uncertainties of input data are considered.

Introduction

Before any PWRI design commences, a feasibility study is performed to assess any compatibility issues and evaluate the risk of scaling and souring and the viability of the project. Bacteria growth and corrosion of the installations have to be tackled and mitigated upstream in the early phase of the project.

The first objective of a PWRI-design study is to determine the water quality in terms of optimum total-suspended-solid (TSS) and oil-in-water (OIW) contents, which could remain in the water after treatment and which would enable maintaining the injectivity under PWRI during the field life. These two parameters allow design of the water-treatment installations. The second objective is to determine the pressure needed to achieve PWRI sustainability; the pump power and the injection-network size will be designed on the basis of this pressure.

PWRI-Design Approaches

There are three main approaches to PWRI design. The first approach is based on analogs and correlation laws, the second is based on laboratory experiments, and the third uses simulations with predictive models. Of these, the most effective is that of running simulations with predictive models, because this allows simultaneous determination of the water quality and the injection pressure needed to sustain injectivity.

Field evidence indicates that, whatever the quality of produced waters, PWRI in matrix (or radial injection) regimes inexorably leads to a continuous decline of injectivity. PWRI is viable only in a fractured regime, and pressure and water quality have to be designed for long-term efficiency of this regime. Fractured injection, though a complex process to model, is now considered to be a part of the PWRI strategy for field developments.

New PWRI simulators are based on modules describing the flow in both matrix and fractured regimes coupled with a module describing the plugging inside and around the well, as well as plugging within and around the fracture, if any. Compared with conventional fracture software used for stimulation jobs, the fracture module takes into account the thermal and poroelastic effects generated by the high leakoff of cool water.
Root Surface Bio-modification with Erbium Lasers- A Myth or a Reality??
Authors: Lavu Vamsi , Sundaram Subramoniam , Sabarish Ram , Rao Suresh Ranga
Published: February 2015

The objective of this literature review was to critically review the evidence available in the literature regarding the expediency of erbium family of lasers for root bio modification as a part of periodontal therapy. The literature search was performed on the Pubmed using MeSH words such as "lasers/therapeutic use, scaling, dental calculus, tooth root/anatomy and histology, ultrasonic therapy". The studies were screened and were grouped as follows: those evaluating a) efficacy for calculus removal with the Erbium family of laser b) root surface changes following Er YAG and Er Cr YSGG application c) comparative studies of the Er YAG, Er Cr YSGG lasers versus conventional methods of root surface modification d) Bio compatibility of root surface following Erbium laser treatment e) Studies on the combined efficacy of laser root modification with conventional methods towards root surface bio-modification f) Studies on effectiveness of root surface bio-modification prior to root coverage procedures. In conclusion, the erbium family has a proven anti-bacterial action, predictable calculus removal, minimal root substance removal, and appears to favor cell attachment. The Erbium family of lasers appears to be a useful adjunct for the management of periodontal disease.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation: The Impact of Online Social Support and the Role of Gender
Authors: Wang Jian , Hong Jian-Zhong , Pi Zhong-Ling
Published: February 2015

We examined the impact of online social support on cross-cultural adaptation, and the moderating effect of gender in the relationship between online social support and cross-cultural adaptation. Data were collected from 454 international students in China using the Psychological Adaptation
Questionnaire, the Socio-Cultural Adaptation Scale, and the Online Social Support Scale. The results showed that: (a) online social support had a positive impact on both the psychological and sociocultural adaptation of the international students, and (b) compared with the men, the impact
of online social support on psychological adaptation was more significant for the women, showing that gender moderated this relationship. However, the same moderating effect of gender was not found in the relationship between online social support and sociocultural adaptation.
Analysis of Representation of Sexuality on Women's and Men's Pornographic Websites
Authors: Shim Jae Woong , Kwon Mahnwoo , Cheng Hong-In
Published: February 2015

We investigated how the sexuality of men and women is represented on pornographic websites aimed at women and pornographic websites aimed at men. We analyzed 200 pornographic images randomly selected from 4 websites (2 aimed at women and 2 aimed at men). The criteria for comparison
were based on concepts of sexual inequality and sexual objectification that have been commonly used in the literature on analyses of pornography content. The findings showed that websites containing pornography aimed at men were more likely than the websites aimed at women to include content
with elements of sexual inequality, whereas websites aimed at women were more likely than the websites aimed at men to include content with elements of sexual objectification.
Short-Chain Fatty Acids Protect Against High-Fat Diet–Induced Obesity via a PPARγ-Dependent Switch From Lipogenesis to Fat Oxidation
Authors: den Besten Gijs , Bleeker Aycha , Gerding Albert , van Eunen Karen , Havinga Rick , van Dijk Theo H. , Oosterveer Maaike H. , Jonker Johan W. , Groen Albert K. , Reijngoud Dirk-Jan , Bakker Barbara M.
Published: February 2015

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the main products of dietary fiber fermentation and are believed to drive the fiber-related prevention of the metabolic syndrome. Here we show that dietary SCFAs induce a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ (PPARγ)–dependent switch from lipid synthesis to utilization. Dietary SCFA supplementation prevented and reversed high-fat diet–induced metabolic abnormalities in mice by decreasing PPARγ expression and activity. This increased the expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 and raised the AMP-to-ATP ratio, thereby stimulating oxidative metabolism in liver and adipose tissue via AMPK. The SCFA-induced reduction in body weight and stimulation of insulin sensitivity were absent in mice with adipose-specific disruption of PPARγ. Similarly, SCFA-induced reduction of hepatic steatosis was absent in mice lacking hepatic PPARγ. These results demonstrate that adipose and hepatic PPARγ are critical mediators of the beneficial effects of SCFAs on the metabolic syndrome, with clearly distinct and complementary roles. Our findings indicate that SCFAs may be used therapeutically as cheap and selective PPARγ modulators.
Fetal Sex and Maternal Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: The Impact of Having a Boy
Authors: Retnakaran Ravi , Kramer Caroline K. , Ye Chang , Kew Simone , Hanley Anthony J. , Connelly Philip W. , Sermer Mathew , Zinman Bernard
Published: February 2015

OBJECTIVE

Retrospective analyses of perinatal databases have raised the intriguing possibility of an increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women carrying a male fetus, but it has been unclear if this was a spurious association. We thus sought to evaluate the relationship between fetal sex and maternal glucose metabolism in a well-characterized cohort of women reflecting the full spectrum of gestational glucose tolerance from normal to mildly abnormal to GDM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 1,074 pregnant women underwent metabolic characterization, including oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), at mean 29.5 weeks' gestation. The prevalence of GDM, its pathophysiologic determinants (β-cell function and insulin sensitivity/resistance), and its clinical risk factors were compared between women carrying a female fetus (n = 534) and those carrying a male fetus (n = 540).

RESULTS

Women carrying a male fetus had lower mean adjusted β-cell function (insulinogenic index divided by HOMA of insulin resistance: 9.4 vs. 10.5, P = 0.007) and higher mean adjusted blood glucose at 30 min (P = 0.025), 1 h (P = 0.004), and 2 h (P = 0.02) during the OGTT, as compared with those carrying a female fetus. Furthermore, women carrying a male fetus had higher odds of developing GDM (odds ratio 1.39 [95% CI 1.01–1.90]). Indeed, male fetus further increased the relative risk of GDM conferred by the classic risk factors of maternal age >35 years and nonwhite ethnicity by 47 and 51%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Male fetus is associated with poorer β-cell function, higher postprandial glycemia, and an increased risk of GDM in the mother. Thus, fetal sex potentially may influence maternal glucose metabolism in pregnancy.
Moving Beyond Cardio: The Value of Resistance Training, Balance Training, and Other Forms of Exercise in the Management of Diabetes
Authors: Armstrong Marni J. , Colberg Sheri R. , Sigal Ronald J.
Published: February 2015

IN BRIEF Traditionally, aerobic training has been a central focus of exercise promotion for diabetes management. However, people with diabetes have much to gain from other forms of exercise. This article reviews the evidence and recommendations on resistance, balance, and flexibility training, as well as other, less traditional, forms of exercise such as yoga and Tai Chi.
Effectiveness and Safety of High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Francois Monique E. , Little Jonathan P.
Published: February 2015

IN BRIEF Recent research has shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can promote improvements in glucose control and cardiovascular health in individuals with type 2 diabetes. This article summarizes the evidence and highlights the ways in which HIIT might be safely implemented as an adjunct to more traditional exercise approaches.
Morningness—Eveningness, Current Depression, and Past Suicidality
Authors: Lester David
Published: February 2015

Previous research has reported that people who feel at their peak in the evening are more prone to depression and affective disorders. In a sample of 194 undergraduate students (54 men, 140 women; M age = 21.6 yr., SD = 1.4), using a simple correlational design, describing oneself as an evening person and scores on Horne and Óstberg's Morningness–Eveningess Scale were correlated with higher scores on measures of depression, hopelessness, defeat, and entrapment, but not with a report of past suicidal ideation or attempts, thereby supporting previous research findings.
Two cases of human cutaneous anthrax in Bosnia and Herzegovina, September 2014
Authors: Arapović J , Skočibušić S , Jelavić B , Ivanković H B , Jurić M , Mamić D , Grgić S , Lesko J , Leventić M , Soldo I , Ravlija J , Nikolić J
Published: February 2015

Two cases of human cutaneous anthrax were reported in September 2014 in south-western Bosnia and Herzegovina. The two men were involved in slaughtering a cow and handled its Bacillus anthracis-infected meat. Anthrax has been sporadically observed in livestock in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but no confirmed human cases had been reported in the country in the last two decades. Clinicians in the country should be aware that anthrax may occur in humans, arising from exposure to infected animals.
The impact of a national routine immunisation programme initiated in 1999 on Hepatitis A incidence in Israel, 1993 to 2012
Authors: Levine H , Kopel E , Anis E , Givon-Lavi N , Dagan R
Published: February 2015

Data on long-term impact of universal national vaccination programmes against hepatitis A are lacking. We aimed at evaluating the impact on hepatitis A incidence of the Israeli toddlers-only universal routine two-dose vaccination programme against hepatitis A initiated in 1999. All hepatitis A episodes reported to the national surveillance system from 1993 to 2012 were analysed in relation to the vaccination programme and coverage. Mean vaccine coverage in Israel between 2003 and 2010 was 92% for the first dose, given at 18 months of age, and 88% for the second dose, given at 24 months. The annual hepatitis A incidence declined from a mean of 50.4 per 100,000 in the period between 1993 and 1998 to a mean of?<1.0, during the period from 2008 to 2012, representing a reduction of?>98%. The decline was evident in all ages and ethnicity groups, including unvaccinated populations. Of the 1,247 cases reported nationwide between 2002 and 2012, the vaccination status could be ascertained in 1,108 (89%). Among them, only 20 (2%) were reported be vaccinated with one dose and three (<1%) received two doses. The sustained results of this long-term impact study suggest that a toddlers-only universal routine two-dose vaccination programme is highly effective and practical. These findings underscore the importance of sustainability in both the surveillance systems and vaccination programmes and will aid to determine vaccination policies.
When “Nature” Strikes: A Sociology of Climate Change and Disaster Vulnerabilities in Asia
Authors: Islam Md Saidul , Lim Si Hui
Published: February 2015

Home to 60 percent of the world's population, Asia accounts for 85 percent of those killed and affected globally by disaster events in 2011. Using an integrated sociological framework comprised of the pressure and release (PAR) model and the double-risk society hypothesis, and drawing on data obtained from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), PreventionWeb, and the IPCC special report on extreme events, this article offers a sociological understanding of disaster development and recovery in Asia. The particular focus is on seven Asian countries, namely, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Rather than treating disasters entirely as “natural” events caused by “violent forces of nature”, we emphasize various ways in which social systems create disaster vulnerability. We argue that existing disaster mitigation and adaptation strategies in Asia that focus almost entirely on the natural and technological aspects of hazards have serious limitations, as they ignore the root causes of disaster vulnerabilities, such as limited access to power and resources. This article therefore recommends a holistic approach to disaster management and mitigation that takes into consideration the various larger social, political, and economic conditions and contexts.
Legal Pluralism, Forest Conservation, and Indigenous Capitalists: The Case of the Kalanguya in Tinoc, the Philippines
Authors: Albano Adrian , van Dongen Els , Takeda Shinya
Published: February 2015

The Philippines is one of the many countries that currently acknowledge the presence of indigenous peoples (IPs) within their territories. This acknowledgment often comes with a formal recognition of the rights of IPs, including the right to practice their customary laws. Because of the equal existence of overarching state laws, this formally leads to a situation of legal pluralism for IPs. For many forest conservation advocates, legal pluralism for IPs, particularly with regard to land ownership and forest management, is expected to help conserve forests. This expectation, however, is founded on the erroneous assumption that the traditional land use of IPs is nondestructive and that traditional land ownership is communal. Using a relatively long historical perspective, this article demonstrates that these assumptions do not apply to the Kalanguya of Tinoc, the Philippines. In contrast to the notion of IPs being market-averse, this article further demonstrates that many Kalanguya have been and remain “capitalists”. The article favors the inclusion of a market-based forest conservation policy, which is arguably consistent with the reality of value pluralism.
Hair-Growth-Promoting Effect of Conditioned Medium of High Integrin α6 and Low CD 71 (α6bri/CD71dim) Positive Keratinocyte Cells
Authors: Won Chong , Jeong Yun-Mi , Kang Sangjin , Koo Tae-Sung , Park So-Hyun , Park Ki-Young , Sung Young-Kwan , Sung Jong-Hyuk
Published: February 2015

Keratinocyte stem/progenitor cells (KSCs) reside in the bulge region of the hair follicles and may be involved in hair growth. Hair follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPCs) and outer root sheath (ORS) cells were treated with conditioned medium (CM) of KSCs. Moreover, the effects of KSC-CM on hair growth were examined ex vivo and in vivo. A human growth factor chip array and RT-PCR were employed to identify enriched proteins in KSC-CM as compared with CM from keratinocytes. KSC-CM significantly increased the proliferation of HFDPCs and ORS cells, and increased the S-phase of the cell cycle in HFDPCs. KSC-CM led to the phosphorylation of ATK and ERK1/2 in both cell types. After subcutaneous injection of KSC-CM in C3H/HeN mice, a significant increase in hair growth and increased proliferation of hair matrix keratinocytes ex vivo was observed. We identified six proteins enriched in KSC-CM (amphiregulin, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor, Platelet-derived growth factor-AA, and vascular endothelial growth factor). A growth-factor cocktail that contains these six recombinant growth factors significantly increased the proliferation of HFDPCs and ORS cells and enhanced the hair growth of mouse models. These results collectively indicate that KSC-CM has the potential to increase hair growth via the proliferative capacity of HFDPCs and ORS cells.
Anticancer Properties of Lamellarins
Authors: Bailly Christian
Published: February 2015

In 1985 the first lamellarins were isolated from a small oceanic sea snail. Today, more than 50 lamellarins have been inventoried and numerous derivatives synthesized and tested as antiviral or anticancer agents. The lead compound in the family is lamellarin D, characterized as a potent inhibitor of both nuclear and mitochondrial topoisomerase I but also capable of directly interfering with mitochondria to trigger cancer cell death. The pharmacology and chemistry of lamellarins are discussed here and the mechanistic portrait of lamellarin D is detailed. Lamellarins frequently serve as a starting point in the design of anticancer compounds. Extensive efforts have been devoted to create novel structures as well as to improve synthetic methods, leading to lamellarins and related pyrrole-derived marine alkaloids.
Divinyl Sulfone Cross-Linked Cyclodextrin-Based Polymeric Materials: Synthesis and Applications as Sorbents and Encapsulating Agents
Authors: Morales-Sanfrutos Julia , Lopez-Jaramillo Francisco , Elremaily Mahmoud , Hernández-Mateo Fernando , Santoyo-Gonzalez Francisco
Published: February 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the crosslinking abilities of divinyl sulfone (DVS) for the preparation of novel water-insoluble cyclodextrin-based polymers (CDPs) capable of forming inclusion complexes with different guest molecules. Reaction of DVS with native α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and/or starch generates a variety of homo- and hetero-CDPs with different degrees of crosslinking as a function of the reactants’ stoichiometric ratio. The novel materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and for their sorption of phenol and 4-nitrophenol. They were further evaluated as sorbents with phenolic pollutants (bisphenol A and β-naphthol) and bioactive compounds (the hormone progesterone and curcumin). Data obtained from the inclusion experiments show that the degree of cross-linking has a minor influence on the yield of inclusion complex formation and highlight the important role of the CDs, supporting a sorption process based on the formation of inclusion complexes. In general, the inclusion processes are better described by a Freundlich isotherm although an important number of them can also be fitted to the Langmuir isotherm with R2 ≥ 0.9, suggesting a sorption onto a monolayer of homogeneous sites.
Quelques remarques sur la climatologie urbaine (Some remarks about urban climatology)
Authors: Escourrou Gisèle
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - La climatologie urbaine pose un certain nombre de problèmes qui ne sont que partiellement étudiés. L'influence de l'urbanisation sur les précipitations est très variable et dépend en grande partie de l'instabilité des masses d'air. L'environnement local et régional modifie les rapports énergétiques entre la ville et sa périphérie. La radiation solaire et le brouillard sont le résultat de deux facteurs antagonistes : flot de chaleur et pollution.
Problèmes des pêches maritimes au Brésil (Problems of sea fisheries in Brasil)
Authors: Pébayle Raymond
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - The brasilian fisheries have improved since the creation of the SUDEPE. They are marked by a strong opposition between handicrafts and semi- industrial and industrial fisheries sectores which share the production. The handicrafts fisheries workers are in danger of losing their halieutic space and their habitat. The ground speculation is spreading over the littoral. The fisheries development programs have provided little assistance to handicrafts fisheries activities which employ many families.
Pêche et développement de la péninsule du Yucatan (Fishing and development in Yucatan)
Authors: Le Bail Joël
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - Mexico, a country without maritime antecedents, decided in 1976 to valorise its halieutic potential. The growth of the fisheries was planed in order to alleviate the crisis, and to contribute actively to the regional development. However, despite the rich marine resources of the Yucatan peninsula, fishing remains underdeveloped activity.
La pêche maritime industrielle et artisanale au Congo (Handicraft and industrial fisheries in Congo)
Authors: Cohouvi Hodonou Justin
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - Dès l'indépendance le gouvernement s'est préoccupé de développer une politique de pêche maritime. Les difficultés de gestion ont abouti en 1981 à la liquidation de la SICAPE, société para-étatique, laissant le champ libre aux armements privés. A côté de la pêche industrielle subsiste une pêche artisanale dominée par les pêcheurs «Popo». En 1980 les besoins nationaux n'étaient couverts qu'à 40 %. Le Congo doit recourir à des importations. Le Plan de Développement a dégagé des moyens pour remédier à ce retard.
L'aquaculture aux Philippines (Aquaculture in the Philippines)
Authors: Branellec Sylvie
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - The Philippines are one of the few countries where aquaculture contributes really to people's nutrition. Production system of aquatic species (milkfisch, Chanos, chanos) stands on a symbiosis fish /environment, for infrastructures (ponds) as for methods (natural feeding). The evolution of this traditional activity is going two different ways ; intensification of producing methods or integration in the activity of rural communities.
La pêche côtière traditionnelle à Sri Lanka (Traditional fisheries in Sri Lanka)
Authors: Le Bouc Jean-Michel
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - Ce texte est extrait de la partie rédigée du mémoire de maîtrise de Jean-Michel Le Bouc, mort accidentellement au retour d'un séjour à Sri Lanka (1974). Après une présentation d'ensemble de la pêche côtière dans cette île, mettant en valeur le rôle de Jaffna, sont décrits embarcations et types de pêche (la pêche en lagunes a été laissée de côté). J.D.
Introduction
Authors: Battistini René
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - This meeting deals about the morphology of Mars. The first paper is a general approach of the planet, two concern H20 and the forms in relationship with lithospheric water, two are regional studies on Noctis Labyrinthus and Ismenius Lacus, and the last one is about the eolian phenomena around the north polar cap.
Géologie et morphologie de la Planète Mars (Geology and morphology of planet Mars)
Authors: Masson Philippe
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - La géologie et la morphologie de la surface martienne présentent à la fois des caractères terrestres (volcans, canyons, reliefs de failles, chenaux fluviatiles etc.), et des caractères lunaires (nombreux cratères de météorites, grands bassins etc.) qui résultent d'une histoire et d'une évolution géologiques relativement importantes, situant de ce fait la planète Mars entre les corps très primitifs (Lune, Mercure) et le corps le plus évolué du Système Solaire interne, la Terre.
Ismenius Lacus : les épandages détritiques (Ismenius lacus : debris aprons)
Authors: Bodart-Jourdain J. , Bousquet Bernard
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - Ismenius Lacus, situé sur la partie la plus septentrionale du grand escarpement de la planète Mars, se compose d'un champ de buttes dont la mise en place et l'évolution sont le résultat d'une intense fissuration du matériel du plateau, exploitée par des processus d'érosion très actifs. Ces buttes sont entourées par des épandages détritiques présentant des analogies morphologiques avec les glaciers rocheux terrestres.
Mécanismes anémométriques et morphologie éolienne de la Planète Mars (Aeolian actions on martian surface)
Authors: Mainguet Monique , Mesnier R. , Moreau Corine
Published: February 2015

Résumé. -Le façonnement éolien de la surface de Mars s'exprime par des formes de déflation, de sculpture et de dépôts. Dans l'erg circumpolaire nord, entre 75 et 80° de latitude nord, les édifices dunaires sont transverses, donc indicateurs d'une alimentation sableuse supérieure au départ de sable. Selon la disposition des dunes, les vents sont à dominante est, au Nord de 80°, et à dominante ouest au Sud, situation similaire à celle des zones polaires nord terrestres. L'hypothèse d'une fourniture de l'erg en particules d'origine glaciaire est proposée. Le moindre aérodynamisme des édifices dunaires est à mettre en relation avec les conditions physiques de l'atmosphère et sa moindre turbulence.
Les nodules polymétalliques des fonds océaniques, objets géologiques et miniers ? Quelques réflexions (Manganese nodules, geological objects and mining interest ? Some considerations)
Authors: Leclaire Lucien
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - The ferromanganese nodules are of geological and mining interest. This paper deals about the history of the problem. It shows some knowledges about the distribution of the marine deposits, and the structure and genesis of the nodules. It considers the possibilities of mining and working these resources if they become of economic interest. Finaly it enters upon the question of the origin of the metals in the ocean.
L'habitat urbain au Japon. Mythes et réalité de la tradition (Housing in japanese cities)
Authors: Guichard-Anguis Sylvie
Published: February 2015

L'habitat urbain évolue très rapidement au Japon, au détriment des formes traditionnelles, notamment dans la maison ancienne. Il se caractérise par sa médiocre qualité.
Cartes ethnographiques et revendications territoriales dans les atlas européens de l'Entre-deux-guerres (Ethnical maps and territorial claims in european atlas between World War I and World War II)
Authors: Dietz Bertrand
Published: February 2015

Abstract. - During the period between World War I and World War II, territorial claims were numerous, often based on ethnical and linguistic considerations. These polemical affirmations are often reflected by the maps contained in the european atlas published at that time. This paper deals about the representation of the contested areas along french-german, polish and italian boundaries, in german, polish and italian atlas.
Entre la découverte et la domination : le Lobi (1800-1960). Eléments d'histoire de la géographie coloniale (The Lobi : between the discovery and the domination.1800-1960 an exemple of history of colonial geography
Authors: Dory Daniel
Published: February 2015

Résumé. - A travers l'analyse de l'histoire de la connaissance du Lobi (Sud- Ouest du Burkina - Nord-Est de la Côte-d'Ivoire), l'auteur montre l'importance et les modes d'action des déterminations extérieures agissant sur la production du savoir géographique, avant et pendant la période coloniale.
PDGFRα in Liver Pathophysiology: Emerging Roles in Development, Regeneration, Fibrosis, and Cancer
Authors: Kikuchi Alexander , Monga Satdarshan Pal
Published: February 2015

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) is an isoform of the PDGFR family of tyrosine kinase receptors involved in cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and growth. In this review, we highlight the role of PDGFRα and the current evidence of its expression and activities in liver development, regeneration, and pathology—including fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Studies elucidating PDGFRα signaling in processes ranging from profibrotic signaling, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition point toward PDGFRα as a potential therapeutic target in various hepatic pathologies, including hepatic fibrosis and liver cancer. Furthermore, PDGFRα localization and modulation during liver development and regeneration may lend insight into its potential roles in various pathologic states. We will also briefly discuss some of the current targeted treatments for PDGFRα, including multireceptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and PDGFRα-specific inhibitors.
Comprehensive Analysis of the GABAergic System Gene Expression Profile in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex of Mice With Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Masocha Willias
Published: February 2015

The supraspinal pathophysiology of the painful neuropathy induced by paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent, is not well understood. The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Gene expression of GABAergic system
molecules was examined in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of mice brains, by real-time PCR, during paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain, because this area is involved in pain perception and modulation that might contribute to neuropathic pain. Paclitaxel treatment resulted in thermal hyperalgesia
and in increased GABA transporter-1 (GAT-1) mRNA expression, but not that of other GABA transporters or GABAergic enzymes in the ACC compared to vehicle treatment. Among the 18 GABAA receptor subunits analyzed, only β2, β3, δ, and γ2 had increased mRNA levels,
and for the GABAB receptor subunit, only GABAB2 had increased mRNA levels in the ACC of paclitaxel-treated mice, whereas the rest of the GABA receptor subunits were not altered. The mRNA expression of GABAA receptor subunits α6, , π, ρ1,
ρ2, and ρ3 were not detected in the ACC. In conclusion, these data show that during paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain there is significant increase in GAT-1 expression in the ACC. GAT-1 is the main transporter of GABA from the synapse, and thus its increased expression possibly results
in less GABA at the synapse and dysregulation of the GABAergic system. GAT-1 is a potential therapeutic target for managing paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain.