bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bridging the gap: improving integration between duty holders involved in well operations
Authors: Hick Claire , Bourne Mark , Barratt Tom , O’Keeffe Derrick
Published: May 2023

Major incidents often culminate from complex human, technical, organisational and regulatory factors. Risk mitigation is rarely the responsibility of only one party, and deficiencies in communication and integration between contractual parties continue to be a contributing factor in incidents. Duty holders involved in well construction and intervention should continually seek to improve their coordination and communication, particularly with respect to change management, risk management and well control. This paper describes the criticality of the rig contractor/operator relationship and describes available tools that should be used to ensure gaps are identified and addressed in the planning phase.
Seeing sustainability reporting through a lens of value creation
Authors: Bonato Katelyn
Published: May 2023

With a global push towards achieving the Paris Agreement as an imperative, there is a growing focus on how this will be achieved, and the role of organisations in supporting the transition to a net-zero economy and broader sustainability action. Investment decision-making is increasingly being informed by sustainability information, with stakeholders demanding greater transparency and comparability of disclosures, especially climate-related disclosures from organisations typically categorised as heavy emitters. This has ramifications for the oil and gas industry. Today, the sustainability reporting landscape is complicated, with a proliferation of sustainability disclosure frameworks developed by various standard setters. In an effort to standardise disclosures, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation launched the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in November 2021 to develop baseline global sustainability reporting standards including for climate disclosure (based on Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures). We have also seen proposals from The US Securities Exchange Commission on climate-related disclosures, which have sparked extensive public comment. Locally, the Government has committed to introducing standardised internationally aligned reporting requirements, including climate-related disclosures, which will be mandatory for certain entities. Regardless of exactly where each jurisdiction lands, it is clear that the sustainability reporting requirements will be significant, leading to increased costs for reporters, resulting in a business imperative to leverage value creation from this compliance transformation. Indeed, organisations putting sustainability at the heart of their business strategy will be the game changer in the new sustainable and equitable energy transition. And just as there will be leaders, there will also be laggards who risk value erosion.
Decoding decommissioning requirements when using new technology – Queensland’s petroleum wells code of practice
Authors: Barrand Chris , Lucas Radika
Published: May 2023

Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) is the independent regulator for safety and health in Queensland’s resources sector. The Petroleum and Gas Inspectorate administers safety and health regulation for the petroleum and gas industry. RSHQ uses a risk-based and data-driven approach to pursue its vision of zero serious harm for resource sector workers. The Code of practice for the construction and abandonment of petroleum wells and associated bores in Queensland (the Code) was introduced in 2011 to manage the expansion of well construction activities associated with the emerging coal seam gas (CSG) industry. The statutory application of the Code under the former Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Regulation 2004 commenced 1 January 2012. Since implementation, the Code has been regularly revised with a single code adopted in 2018 for both CSG and petroleum wells. The Code is applied under sections 35 and 36 of the Petroleum and Gas (Safety) Regulation 2018. The Code directly addresses the highest level of controls in risk management of the identified high-risk areas for the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of petroleum and water bores. The Code permits alternative means of compliance (AMoC) against the stated means of compliance. Since commencement of the Code, approximately 87% of AMoC applications received by the Chief Inspector are related to well decommissioning activities. This paper evaluates the AMoC process under the Code, and considers its application and the regulatory challenges faced by Queensland operators during decommissioning of wells. The paper’s objective is to highlight the application of the AMoC process and identify potential areas for improvement to facilitate the adoption of new decommissioning technologies.
Measuring change in the race to deliver net zero
Authors: Anderson Clare , Ebert Paul , Greig Chris
Published: May 2023

Worley and Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment have been exploring what it will take to deliver the infrastructure necessary to get to the world to net zero by mid-century. We have proposed a new delivery paradigm comprising five shifts in the way we work to meet the challenge of scale and speed. This new paradigm encompasses broadening how value is defined, keeping technology options open, designing one and building many, communicating and collaborating, and enabling and monitoring digitally. In our most recent work, we have turned our attention to measuring and tracking the uptake of this new paradigm by participants in the net-zero infrastructure delivery ecosystem. We propose that to be successful in achieving net zero by mid-century, these five shifts need to be widely adopted by 2030 and to track this, we have developed a set of leading indicators, which we call the indicators of change. Through an annual survey, conducted by Princeton, we will measure year on year just how well implementation of these shifts is tracking. In this paper, we examine the indicators of change in the context of the Australian Oil and Gas Industry. We draw on the results of Net Zero Australia to demonstrate where the opportunities exist for oil and gas. We review where the Australian Oil and Gas Industry is now, where it needs to be by 2026 and what success looks like in 2030 to be a key player in the energy transition.
The Northern Territory low-emissions carbon capture, utilisation and storage hub development – the collaborative business case development
Authors: Ross Andrew Stuart , Ironside Matthew , Gee Ryan
Published: May 2023

The Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Northern Territory Government, and Industry are working collaboratively on developing the business case for a carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) hub based on the Middle Arm of Darwin Harbour. This business case is following the development vision developed by government and industry which incorporates, Northern Territory industrial development goals and those of the gas companies to chart a course for rapid decarbonisation of the energy and industrial sectors of the Northern Territory. The business case is focussed on three key elements; Part 1 – macro-economics, emissions, markets and best practice CCUS hub examples; Part 2 – CCUS hub technical definition and technical risk reduction studies; and Part 3 – Hub economic models and execution plans. These activities aim to understand the viability of the development of a 25 million ton CO2 storage and utilisation hub by 2040. Work on the business case is well underway and this paper will provide a progress update, with particular focus on the activities associated with part 1 of the business case.
Under the loupe: the case for carbon-offset LNG from Australia
Authors: Ramesh Kaushal , Bogle Sally
Published: May 2023

More than 2 million tonnes of carbon-offset (LNG) were traded in 2021, and we expect this market to exceed 25 million tonnes of LNG by 2030. A critical aspect to enable this growth will be the veracity of offset claims (which have come under increasing scrutiny from investors, lenders, and consumers), and compliance with the principles of additionality, permanence, and non-deterrence. This paper will examine broader trends in the decarbonisation of the LNG sector to prepare for a low-carbon world: renewables-sourced electrification, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), and the use of high-quality offsets. We discuss the development of a cross-value chain downstream market for carbon-offset LNG in Australia’s North Asian customer-countries, such as in Japan where at least 47 downstream customers have signed carbon-offset GSAs (general security agreements) with 7 importers, and the advantages of Australian LNG to support this nascent market. Proximity lowers emissions from transportation, while the upcoming large-scale implementation of CCUS will lower well-to-ship emissions. For instance, CCUS at Moomba can remove more than 35% of the well-to-ship emissions from Darwin LNG, while the Ichthys CCUS hub will remove more than 22% of that from Ichthys LNG. Further, the existing participation from North Asian buyers in Australian LNG ventures ensures better visibility of the emissions profile that they take home. In addition, we discuss the advantages of purchasing LNG from high-accountability and high-transparency regimes as investors tighten scrutiny on ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) reporting, and how blockchain technology is being deployed to ensure robustness in carbon accounting.
The gold standard for Australian oil and gas corporations to report credible methane emissions
Authors: Riordan Helen , Annesley Kane
Published: May 2023

Reducing oil and gas (O&G) methane emissions is the most immediate and impactful thing humanity can do to slow the rate of global warming. Initiatives such as the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) have been introduced, which aim to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 from 2020 levels. The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) also launched the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS), which combines information from multiple sources to alert governments, companies, and operators of large emissions sources. The IMEO is intending to use MARS to educate governments and companies on emissions management. In response to global action for O&G emission reductions, Australia has reformed their Safeguard Mechanism for O&G facilities. The reform details a credit trading scheme that will incentivise facilities to progressively reduce emissions by 2030. Socially responsible Australian O&G corporations need to embrace best practices for measuring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) methane emissions, introducing a top-down, bottom-up approach of both satellite and on-site measurements. IMEO’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership, OGMP 2.0, provides a method for corporations to MRV their methane emissions from both operated and non-operated assets. The OGMP 2.0 is considered the gold standard of methane emissions MRV and should be embraced alongside the Safeguard Mechanisms reform to generate a roadmap of emissions reduction by 2030. This paper describes the global pressures and advancements in satellite technology for transparent methane emissions MRV, including the gold standard, OGMP 2.0, required of Australian O&G corporations to comply with this.
Re-discovering the Gummy gas field – Gippsland Basin
Authors: Montague Eamonn , Frears Brendan , Browne Mark , Strauss Peter , Adams Stephen , Prosser Jeremy
Published: May 2023

Recent sub-surface studies of the Gummy Gas Field have resulted in a significant upgrade of its gas and liquids resource potential. Previous interpretations had ascribed little resource potential to the field. Shell drilled Gummy-1 in 1990, a Golden Beach (GB) Subgroup gas/liquids discovery in the eastern Gippsland Basin. The GB Subgroup was previously described as a stacked, grading to generally thin, isolated sandstone reservoir hosting limited gas volumes. In 2022, a new study integrated the interpretation of the CGG Gippsland Multi-Client 3D seismic survey dataset with a re-look at the reservoir characterisation, petrophysical properties and reservoir pressures and found that reservoir quality is better than previously thought. The improved reservoir quality is interpreted to be the result of depositional reworking, which also increases confidence that the sandstones are laterally extensive. Consideration of the impact of regional pressure depletion due to nearby production from the GBJV fields has improved the understanding of the hydrocarbon columns encountered at Gummy-1. Increased hydrocarbon column heights are interpreted, which are consistent with wireline log evaluation and regional saturation-height data. Confidence that the seal at Gummy is working as effectively or better than offset fields and reservoirs is high. The new interpretation has also significantly improved the exploration potential for underlying gas reservoirs within the middle and lower GB Subgroup. Gummy-1 reached a total depth of 3530 m MDRT in a gas sandstone reservoir with an interpreted main gas column up to 185 m. Potential exists for additional gas in reservoir quality sandstones to be discovered in deeper exploration targets – the Gummy Deep exploration prospect. Combined with the adjacent Manta Gas Field, this demonstrates the enhanced potential for future commercial development in the area.
Maintenance planning innovation: realising planning and execution efficiencies through process and digital transformation
Authors: Clarke Melinda , Clarke Darrshan
Published: May 2023

As oil and gas facilities age, the need to allocate finite planning effort across mounting scopes of work increases. Woodside has tackled this problem head-on, seeking innovative solutions to reduce waste in deploying low-complexity asset maintenance. Through its Accelerator Programme, Woodside has employed new capabilities – such as enterprise design thinking and agile at scale delivery – conducting over 200 interviews and prototype tests to deeply understand maintenance priorities and identify opportunities to realise value, organisation wide. The result is an in-house scope management application, which supports the end-to-end maintenance planning workflow. The application considers multiple data points on thousands of work orders in seconds, using a sophisticated algorithm to incorporate industry knowledge and business priorities specific to Woodsides’ needs. The application produces a maintenance plan optimised by understanding location, equipment and process efficiency drivers to ensure the best utilisation of resources. The embedding of intelligent automation represents a cultural shift, enabling a move towards a more dynamic maintenance planning process that responds to changing asset priorities. Currently, 41% of all North-West Shelf Gas Project scopes are managed through the application. A 95% reduction in selection time and a 90% reduction in overall planning duration have been realised from this initiative. By releasing valuable planning effort back to the business to focus on complex scope, Woodside can realise and maintain safe, reliable and efficient operations in a low-cost, variable environment.
Improving energy efficiency during LNG plant turndown operation
Authors: Hanlin Michael , Ladner Matthew
Published: May 2023

The Karratha Gas Plant (KGP) is one of the most advanced, integrated gas production systems in the world, producing  liquefied natural gas (LNG), domestic gas, condensate and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The KGP has an export capacity of 16.9 Mtpa, with five LNG processing trains, two domestic gas trains, six condensate stabilisation units and three LPG fractionation units. Following more than 35 years of production from North West Shelf (NWS) fields, the KGP has entered an operating phase where it is more frequently operating in turndown operation. The energy intensity of an LNG production train is often the lowest at maximum production capacity. Should the LNG train become feed gas constrained for extended periods of time, energy intensity increases due to baseload energy required to run the process equipment and physical constraints on equipment turndown. A structured approach has been applied at the KGP to realise improvements in energy intensity in turndown operation through building a strategy, identifying focus areas, energy accounting and benchmarking, data presentation, review and improve cycles, and leadership. The strategy and focus areas are linked to specific actions across different operating timeframes. Review and improve cycles, and leadership help to cultivate an energy efficiency-focused culture and continuous identification of opportunities and barriers to the strategy. Central to all pillars of the strategy is energy accounting, benchmarking and data visualisation which provide value, performance and materiality insights. The benefits can often be realised with limited financial and resource investment, can provide high value return on both emissions performance and reduced fuel consumption.
PESA Australia Business Environment Review 2022
Authors: Wild Erin
Published: May 2023

The energy industry has experienced continued uncertainty in the last 12 months driven by the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine, China’s continued COVID crisis and the energy transformation. While the impacts of these events have varied across the world regional responses have focussed on energy security, affordability, and decarbonisation. While this has resulted in a greater focus on policy, investment decision making and operational discipline, it has also resulted in discussions at COP27 and DAVOS on energy poverty and the need to ensure equitable access to affordable energy. One important ramification of this uncertainty was the record global capital investment in energy transition activities particularly in renewable energy, electrified transport, and energy storage. From an Australian perspective, against the backdrop of a revised national emissions target and an east coast energy crisis, industry participants attempted to progress capital projects to support domestic energy demand–supply requirements. However, these ambitions were challenged by energy policies, economics, and social activism influences. Consequently, important projects designed to address domestic gas supply constraints were either suspended or experienced postponement of final investment decisions. Furthermore, through the vehicle of mergers and acquisitions, new participants entered the Australian market as established upstream operators actively sort to increase sustainable energy investments through ‘new energy’ business models in the form of portfolio consolidation, divestment, and defensibility as part of the energy transition pursuit and carbon abatement. All of which fosters long-term value creation through the ESG growth space as renewable technologies such as Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage, experienced significant investment within the local industry. Finally, the unavoidable maturation of oil and gas assets across the nation has also accelerated activities across the Australian market in preparation for the imminent decommissioning wave, which is anticipated to cost billions of dollars over the next decade.
A tale of two lexical-decision tasks
Authors: Lipski John M.
Published: May 2023

As a probe into the degree of integration of the bilingual lexicon, a series of lexical-decision tasks was carried out in two bilingual speech communities with greatly differing linguistic, cultural, and socio-historical characteristics: Misiones province in northeastern Argentina (Portuguese-Spanish), and three indigenous communities in northern Ecuador (Quichua and the mixed language known as Media Lengua). In both cases the results suggest a tightly integrated bilingual lexicon, but the pattern of responses was qualitatively and quantitatively different for each group, to such an extent as to potentially challenge the assumption of universal validity for lexical decision tasks.
Effect of auditory deprivation on threshold of sound lateralization
Authors: Tubay Ummugul , Gumus Nebi , Celikgun Bahtiyar
Published: May 2023

Objective:

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between auditory deprivation and sound lateralisation.

Methods:

This study consisted of a control group (6 female, 4 male) and four study groups (17 female, 19 male) classified according to the participant’s speech discrimination scores (Group 1, above 80%; Group 2, 60–80%; Group 3, 40-60%; and Group 4, below 40%). The lateralisation acuity of the participants was evaluated in a sound-booth room using two loudspeakers. First, the sounds were given equally from both loudspeakers. Later, the point where participants noticed the sound asymmetry between the two speakers was investigated for 250–8000 Hz.

Results:

There was no significant difference in lateralisation thresholds of the participants between groups 1 and group 2 compared to the control group while there was in groups 3 and 4 (p < 0.001). In addition, only the difference between group 4 and the control group was statistically significant (p < 0.05) in the effect of the mental state on test performance. Pearson’s correlation test results showed a medium correlation between the mental test and lateralisation thresholds with speech stimuli and at all frequencies (min-max:44.6 − 51.3%).

Conlusions:

A strong correlation was observed between the auditory discrimination scores and lateralisation thresholds at all frequencies.
Probing Hořava-Lifshitz gravity using particle and photon dynamics in the presence of plasma*
Authors: Alloqulov Mirzabek , Atamurotov Farruh , Abdujabbarov Ahmadjon , Ahmedov Bobomurat
Published: May 2023

We study the particle motion around a black hole (BH) in Hořava-Lifshitz (HL) gravity with the Kehagias-Sfetsos (KS) parameter. First, the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) is obtained for massive particles around the BH in HL gravity. We find that the radii of the ISCOs decrease as the KS parameter decreases, meaning that the parameter

causes the orbits of particles to move inward with respect to that of the Schwarzschild BH case. Then, the optical properties of a KS BH are studied in detail, that is, the BH shadow and gravitational weak lensing. We demonstrate that the size of the BH shadow decreases under the influence of the KS parameter.
On the high-field characterization of magnetocaloric materials using pulsed magnetic fields
Authors: Salazar Mejía C , Niehoff T , Straßheim M , Bykov E , Skourski Y , Wosnitza J , Gottschall T
Published: May 2023

Magnetic refrigeration is a highly active field of research. The recent studies in materials and methods for hydrogen liquefaction and innovative techniques based on multicaloric materials have significantly expanded the scope of the field. For this reason, the proper characterization of materials is now more crucial than ever. This makes it necessary to determine the magnetocaloric and other physical properties under various stimuli such as magnetic fields and mechanical loads. In this work, we present an overview of the characterization techniques established at the Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory in recent years, which specializes in using pulsed magnetic fields. The short duration of magnetic-field pulses, lasting only some ten milliseconds, simplifies the process of ensuring adiabatic conditions for the determination of temperature changes,

Δ

T

a
d

. The possibility to measure in the temperature range from 10 to 400 K allows us to study magnetocaloric materials for both room-temperature applications and gas liquefaction. With magnetic-field strengths of up to 50 T, almost every first-order material can be transformed completely. The high field-change rates allow us to observe dynamic effects of phase transitions driven by nucleation and growth as well. We discuss the experimental challenges and advantages of the investigation method using pulsed magnetic fields. We summarize examples for some of the most important material classes including Gd, Laves phases, La–Fe–Si, Mn–Fe–P–Si, Heusler alloys and Fe–Rh. Further, we present the recent developments in simultaneous measurements of temperature change, strain, and magnetization, and introduce a technique to characterize multicaloric materials under applied magnetic field and uniaxial load. We conclude by demonstrating how the use of pulsed fields opens the door to new magnetic-refrigeration principles based on multicalorics and the ‘exploiting-hysteresis’ approach.
Executive Functioning, Daily Self-Regulation, and Diabetes Management while Transitioning into Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Wiebe Deborah J , Berg Cynthia A , Munion Ascher K , Loyola Maria D Ramirez , Mello Daniel , Butner Jonathan E , Suchy Yana , Marino Jessica A
Published: May 2023

Background

Executive functioning (EF) predicts better Type 1 diabetes (T1D) management in the high-risk years after high school, but the daily self-regulation processes involved are unclear.

Purpose

To examine whether EF is associated with daily self-regulation that minimizes one’s exposure or buffers adverse reactions to daily diabetes problems, and to determine whether these patterns become stronger during the transition out of high school.

Methods

A measurement burst design with convenience sampling was used. Seniors in high school with T1D (N = 207; 66% female) completed self-report (i.e., Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning) and performance measures of EF (i.e., Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System). A 14-day daily diary assessing self-regulation failures, diabetes problems, affect, and indicators of diabetes management was completed at baseline and 1 year later.

Results

Correlations and multilevel modeling were conducted. Lower self-reported EF problems were associated with lower average levels of daily self-regulation failures, and these variables were associated with fewer daily diabetes problems. In contrast, better EF performance was unrelated to average daily self-regulation failures, and was unexpectedly associated with more frequent diabetes problems in year 2. Equally across years, on days participants reported lower than their average levels of daily self-regulation failures, they had fewer diabetes problems, regardless of EF. On days with lower than average diabetes problems, participants reported better diabetes management indicators. EF generally did not buffer daily associations in either year.

Conclusions

Regardless of EF, promoting daily self-regulation may prevent diabetes problems and promote T1D management in daily life at this high-risk transitional time.
Current status of drug development for patients with multiple myeloma: a review of comparison in China and the rest of world
Authors: Huang Lei , Zhang Jingyu , Punnoose Elizabeth , Xiao Zhenyu , Li Wenjin
Published: May 2023

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a highly heterogeneous malignancy. The treatment of MM has been significantly advanced in recent years. B cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted immunotherapy and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy have been approved for the treatment of relapsed and refractory MM (RRMM), which will be launched in China shortly. The CD38 (cluster of differentiation 38) antibody, daratumumab, improves the clinical outcomes both RRMM and newly diagnosed MM patients. The combination of daratumumab, bortezomib and dexamethasone achieved favorable outcomes as the first-line therapy in China. However, high-risk patients have limited benefits from these advanced therapeutics, and usually relapse early, progressing into aggressive end-stage MM. Therefore, novel therapies are sought to improve the cancer prognosis in these patients. This review furnishes an overview of the recent clinical developments of these novel drugs and compares the drug candidates under development in China to the rest of the world.
157 Keynote: Understanding Exposure, Hazard Identification, and Human Health Effects: How Ultrafine/Nano Particle Toxicology Influenced Occupational Safety and Health
Authors: Erdely Aaron
Published: May 2023

Particles and fibers, whether process-derived, engineered, or environmental, have the possibility to cause adverse health effects when inhaled. Historic occupational particulates, such as coal, silica, and asbestos were clearly associated with human disease and induced a human health burden. This necessitated worldwide formation of national institutes to evaluate and mitigate exposures and mechanisms. The scientific evaluation of historic exposures set the stage for conducting air pollution/particulate matter research demonstrating that adverse health outcomes from particulates created potential risk for the general population, not just an occupational workforce. Research soon showed that adverse effects were not confined to the primary target site (e.g., lung) but also included cardiovascular, neurological, and developmental dysfunction. The evaluation of particulate matter, especially the fine and ultrafine fraction, quickly adapted to the rapid expansion of engineered nanomaterials. However, the study of novel engineered nanomaterials required a transition to preventative measures when interpreting controlled toxicity evaluations. Shifting the paradigm of particulate toxicology from explaining a chronic disease to intervening prior to a health burden brought many challenges to toxicologic research, exposure science, and responsible commercialization. Challenges included physicochemical characterization of nanoscale material, toxicologic research proceeding without exposure science guidance, and epidemiological investigations without post-exposure timepoints sufficient for evaluating potential induction of chronic disease. The navigation of these challenges shaped current approaches for evaluating multiple emerging technologies as well as influenced perspective on historic particles, especially those which resurface as part of complex mixtures.
111 Toxicity Assessment of a Carbon Nanotube Embedded Concrete
Authors: Kodali Vamsi , Lee Eun Gyung , Gill Ryan , Afshari Aliakbar , McKinney Walter , Casuccio Gary , Bunker Kristin , Lersch Traci , Rickabaugh Keith , Erdely Aaron
Published: May 2023

Carbon nanotube (CNT) as a reinforcement enhances durability and performance of concrete composites. Exposure to some forms of CNT is known to cause adverse pathological outcomes.  To understand potential toxicity arising from use of CNT-enabled concrete composites as it goes through various occupational life cycle stages, we evaluated 1) the physicochemical characteristics and toxicity of the as-produced CNT and 2) how particulate release during concrete manipulation (e.g., cutting) is altered by CNT incorporation. Physical dimensional profiling indicated a geometric mean length of 0.72 µm and 32 nm in diameter. The toxicity of the as-produced CNT was similar to an agglomerated CNT studied in our previous research, lacking the more severe toxicity associated with longer length and diameter CNT. Four concrete test samples, three different formulations with CNT and one without, were cut in a specialized chamber to simulate an occupational scenario. The mass median aerodynamic diameters from varying CNT incorporated composites did not change and was 5.23 µm in diameter. No free CNT was captured in the aerosols or was visible on the surface of the concrete. The toxicity of the released particulate is currently being investigate using in vitro screening tests designed to investigate mechanisms of potential toxicity. There were minimal changes in the particulate size distribution profiles after cutting, suggesting adding CNT to concrete may have subtle effects on the toxicity of the generated particulate.
6 Characterization of Aerosolized Particles Generated During Cutting of Carbon Nanotubes-Embedded Concrete
Authors: Lee Eun Gyung , Gill Ryan , Afshari Aliakbar , McKinney Walter , Kodali Vamsi , Casuccio Gary , Bunker Kristin , Lersch Traci , Rickabaugh Keith , Erdely Aaron
Published: May 2023

Engineered nanomaterials are revolutionizing many industries, but little is known about potential exposures during the life cycle of nano-enabled composites. This study was conducted to characterize aerosolized particles using direct-reading instruments and integrated air samplers during cutting multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-embedded concrete cylinder blocks. Three types of blocks, 0% (reference), low%, and high% MWCNT, were tested in a specially designed enclosure housing an apparatus for the cutting of a block with an automated computer-controlled process. The highest particle number concentration (163,821 particles/cm3) was measured for the reference cylinder, while others showed similar concentrations (131,689 particles/cm3 and 140,954 particles/cm3 for the low% and high% blocks, respectively). Regardless of the cylinder type, the size-selected particle number concentrations revealed one main mode with a peak at 0.72 µm indicating no shift in the size distribution from addition(s) of MWCNT. Respirable mass concentrations were 342 mg/m3, 405 mg/m3, and 432 mg/m3 for the reference, low%, and high% blocks, respectively. The mass median aerodynamic diameters were similar, 5.23 µm for the reference and 5.05 µm for both low% and high% blocks, indicating a predominant respirable fraction. Respirable particles (quartz, feldspar, paste, etc.) often appeared to be agglomerated materials that included both paste and aggregate minerals. No free MWCNT were observed by electron microscopy from low% and high% samples. These initial studies found no evidence of free MWCNT by cutting concrete test blocks and only minor differences in the particulate aerosol generated, which included a general increase in respirable mass with increasing % CNT.
A demographic approach for predicting population responses to multifactorial stressors
Authors: Zettlemoyer Meredith A
Published: May 2023

Populations face a suite of anthropogenic stressors acting simultaneously, which can combine additively or interact to have complex effects on population persistence. Yet we still know relatively little about the mechanisms underlying population-level responses to multifactorial combinations of stressors because multiple stressor impacts across organisms’ life cycles have not been systematically considered in population models. Specifically, different anthropogenic stressors can have variable effects across an organism’s life cycle, resulting in non-intuitive results for long-term population persistence. For example, synergistic or antagonistic interactions might exacerbate or alleviate the effects of stressors on population dynamics, and different life-history stages or vital rates might contribute unequally to long-term population growth rates. Demographic modelling provides a framework to incorporate individual vital rate responses to multiple stressors into estimates of population growth, which will allow us to make more informed predictions about population-level responses to novel combinations of anthropogenic change. Without integrating stressors’ interactive effects across the entire life cycle on population persistence, we may over- or underestimate threats to biodiversity and risk missing conservation management actions that could reduce species’ vulnerability to stress.
A linear adjustment-based approach to posterior drift in transfer learning
Authors: Maity Subha , Dutta Diptavo , Terhorst Jonathan , Sun Yuekai , Banerjee Moulinath
Published: May 2023

We present new models and methods for the posterior drift problem where the regression function in the target domain is modelled as a linear adjustment, on an appropriate scale, of that in the source domain, and study the theoretical properties of our proposed estimators in the binary classification problem. The core idea of our model inherits the simplicity and the usefulness of generalized linear models and accelerated failure time models from the classical statistics literature. Our approach is shown to be flexible and applicable in a variety of statistical settings, and can be adopted for transfer learning problems in various domains including epidemiology, genetics and biomedicine. As concrete applications, we illustrate the power of our approach (i) through mortality prediction for British Asians by borrowing strength from similar data from the larger pool of British Caucasians, using the UK Biobank data, and (ii) in overcoming a spurious correlation present in the source domain of the Waterbirds dataset.
O001 A novel molecular HLA mismatch algorithm to identify transplant patients at low risk of primary alloimmunity
Authors: Copley H , Wiebe C , Kim J , Manook M , Williams E , Mohorianu I , Kabelitz D , Kling C , Leach A , Nickerson P , Kosmoliaptsis V
Published: May 2023

Introduction

There is an unmet need for prognostic biomarkers for alloimmune risk stratification to guide personalised recipient care kidney transplantation.

Methods

We used three molecular Mismatch (molMM) algorithms - Amino-Acid-Mismatch-Score (AAMS), Electrostatic-Mismatch-Score (EMS3D) and NetMHCIIpan in a dataset of patients receiving standardised donor lymphocyte injections to predict de-novo donor-specific-antibody (dnDSA) at the individual HLA level (n=665). Risk thresholds were derived for HLA-DR/DQ mismatch and algorithms combined. External validation was performed in two extensively-phenotyped kidney transplant cohorts (Manitoba, n=856, Denver n=404) and in the NHSBT kidney transplant registry (2000–2020, n=27,028).

Results

External validation (Manitoba cohort, 10-year follow-up) showed all algorithms predicted dnDSA development using experimentally derived HLA-DR/DQ molMM risk thresholds (HLA-DQ AUC: 0.78-0.80; HLA-DR AUC:0.76-0.81). AAMS and EMS3D had improved risk stratification (low-medium-high risk groups for HLA-DR+DQ dnDSA) vs NetMHCIIpan (p=NS). A combined AAMS+EMS3D molMM algorithm further improved discrimination and identified a large patient cohort (15.4% patients) at very-low risk of Class-II dnDSA (1.3% at 10 years). Multivariate analysis confirmed correlation with primary alloimmune events (dnDSA p<0.001, TCMR p<0.001, ABMR p=0.0049) and all-cause graft loss (p=0.0038). Further external validation of the combined molMM algorithm in an ethnically diverse cohort (Denver) confirmed the dnDSA risk association (p<0.0001), and in the UK registry cohort confirmed significant association with all-cause graft loss (p<0.001).

Conclusion

We developed and validated a novel molMM algorithm, incorporating information from HLA amino-acid sequence and tertiary structurebthat may be used as a prognostic biomarker of primary alloimmunity risk and to enrich prospective clinical trials in kidney transplantation.
O105 The impact of experimental hyperchloraemic acidosis on porcine isolated visceral arterial contractility
Authors: Skorepa P , Lobo D N , Wilson V
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Hyperchloraemic acidosis is known to be associated with impaired renal function in post-operative patients. We have experimentally investigated whether elevation in chloride and hydrogen ions have the potential to negatively impact the porcine renal vasculature.

Methods

Porcine renal (RA) and mesenteric (MA) arteries were placed in Krebs-Henseleit solution (K-H), gassed with 95%O2/5%CO2, and prepared for isometric tension recordings. 60mM KCl was used for standardized contractions and preparations were then exposed to the thromboxane-mimetic U46619, followed 6-18mM of either NaCl or Na Gluconate (NaGlu). Preparations were also exposed to increasing concentrations of noradrenaline in normal K-H (pH 7.4) and K-H pH 7.2.

Results

U46619 (10-20nM) produced stable contractions in RA and MA equivalent to 50% of that to 60mM KCl. 18mM NaCl caused a further contraction in RA (19.8±4.2%, n=9, p < 0.01), while 18mM NaGlu (3.8±4.4%, n=9) did not. Neither 6-18mM NaCl nor 6-18mM NaGlu caused responses in MA (< 4%, n=6). Noradrenaline produced concentration-dependent contractions in MA in normal K-H solution (logEC50 5.43±0.11: Max’ 226.8±24.6% 60mM KCl, n=6) that were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in K-H pH 7.2 (logEC50 5.13±0.02: Max’ 174.4.8±3.3%, 60mM KCl, n=6). In contrast, in the RA noradrenaline contractions (logEC50 5.80±0.08: Max’ 162.8±12.0% 60mM KCl, n=11) were not affected (p > 0.05) by K-H solution pH 7.2 (logEC50 5.71±0.07: Max’ 177.8±15.3% 60mM KCl, n=11).

Conclusion

Elevation of chloride ions (experimental hyperchloraemia) selectively constricts porcine renal blood vessels, while corresponding elevation in hydrogen ions (acidosis) selectively dilates the mesenteric vasculature.
Mapping the neuroanatomical heterogeneity of OCD using a framework integrating normative model and non-negative matrix factorization
Authors: Han Shaoqiang , Xu Yinhuan , Fang Keke , Guo Hui-Rong , Wei Yarui , Liu Liang , Wen Baohong , Liu Hao , Zhang Yong , Cheng Jingliang
Published: May 2023

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a spectrum disorder with high interindividual heterogeneity. We propose a comprehensible framework integrating normative model and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) to quantitatively estimate the neuroanatomical heterogeneity of OCD from a dimensional perspective. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of 98 first-episode untreated patients with OCD and matched healthy controls (HCs, n = 130) were acquired. We derived individualized differences in gray matter morphometry using normative model and parsed them into latent disease factors using NMF. Four robust disease factors were identified. Each patient expressed multiple factors and exhibited a unique factor composition. Factor compositions of patients were significantly correlated with severity of symptom, age of onset, illness duration, and exhibited sex differences, capturing sources of clinical heterogeneity. In addition, the group-level morphological differences obtained with two-sample t test could be quantitatively derived from the identified disease factors, reconciling the group-level and subject-level findings in neuroimaging studies. Finally, we uncovered two distinct subtypes with opposite morphological differences compared with HCs from factor compositions. Our findings suggest that morphological differences of individuals with OCD are the unique combination of distinct neuroanatomical patterns. The proposed framework quantitatively estimating neuroanatomical heterogeneity paves the way for precision medicine in OCD.
The rape-pregnancy plots of Roman comedy and their reception in nineteenth-century Greece: the case of The Pot of Basil by Antonios Matesis
Authors: Jotischky Christopher
Published: May 2023

Plots in which a woman is raped and left pregnant are common in Roman comedy, but the cultural meaning of unwanted pregnancy and its relationship to women’s personal freedoms and bodily autonomy varies across reception contexts. Antonios Matesis (1794–1875) translated Terence’s Hecyra into vernacular Greek in the 1820s before going on to compose a comedy of his own, The Pot of Basil, which is influenced by Terence’s play. Nevertheless, Matesis refocuses the emotional dynamics of Terence’s plot in order to focus on Garoufalia, the pregnant woman, whose counterpart in Terence never appears onstage. This narrative trajectory situates the play within a local Zakynthian context, with contemporary literary works such as the Autobiography of Elisavet Moutzan-Martinengou (1801–32) also offering a critical examination of women’s life on the island. The influence of Terence places Matesis squarely in a European tradition of Roman comic reception, but reading his play alongside Moutzan-Martinengou’s work demonstrates how closely Matesis is entwined with debates concerning the status of women in the area which was the historical faultline between Venetian and Ottoman spheres of influence.
Public Meetings, Respectable Requisitions, and Popular Politics in Great Britain and Ireland, c.1769–1850
Authors: Huzzey Richard
Published: May 2023

This article examines the practice of ‘requisitioning’ public meetings in Great Britain and Ireland. These written requests to office-holders emerged in Ireland and then Great Britain, following bitter contests over the authenticity and authority of addresses and meetings claiming to represent a county or town in the decade after 1769. If the Seditious Meetings Acts privileged meetings officially convened by local elites, they also codified the practice of householders signing their own advertisements to requisition meetings under magisterial oversight. This would, especially when revolutionary threats receded and local justices’ sympathies permitted, allow local organisers some legal and constitutional claims to public assembly, even if Peterloo demonstrated the continuing threat of the Riot Act. Alongside bi-partisan opportunism encouraging public meetings, the article emphasises the creative use of constitutional and legal claims by ‘political entrepreneurs’. Comparison with Ireland demonstrates ministers’ greater recourse to new legislation and executive powers, but also the exchange of political practices with Great Britain. The prosecution of intimidating numbers, rather than seditious conduct, after 1842 diminished the role of requisitions, as did the hybridisation of ‘public meetings’. This was not so much the loss of a demotic form of community deliberation, but a proliferation and multiplication of the meetings—and voices—claiming to represent public opinion. The changing uses of a subscriptional practice can illuminate the relationship between government initiatives and local enforcement, and highlight the talents of those forging new meanings of the law, the constitution, and the political nation from restrictive procedures.
Challenges in heart failure care in four European countries: a comparative study
Authors: Steiner Bianca , Neumann Anne , Pelz Yannick , Ski Chantal F , Hill Loreena , Thompson David R , Fitzsimons Donna , Dixon Lana J , Brandts Julia , Verket Marlo , Schütt Katharina , Eurlings Casper G M J , Boyne Josiane J J , Gingele Arno J , De Maesschalck Lieven , Murphy Marguerite , Furtado da Luz Ermelinda , Barrett Matthew , Windle Karen , Hoedemakers Thom , Helms Thomas M , Brunner-La Rocca Hans-Peter , Zippel-Schultz Bettina
Published: May 2023

Background

In Europe, more than 15 million people live with heart failure (HF). It imposes an enormous social, organizational and economic burden. As a reaction to impending impact on healthcare provision, different country-specific structures for HF-care have been established. The aim of this report is to provide an overview and compare the HF-care approaches of Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK, and to open the possibility of learning from each other’s experience.

Methods

A mixed methods approach was implemented that included a literature analysis, interviews and questionnaires with HF-patients and caregivers, and expert interviews with representatives from healthcare, health service research and medical informatics.

Results

The models of HF-care in all countries analyzed are based on the European Society of Cardiology guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of HF. Even though the HF-models differed in design and implementation in practice, key challenges were similar: (i) unequal distribution of care between urban and rural areas, (ii) long waiting times, (iii) unequal access to and provision of healthcare services, (iv) information and communication gaps and (v) inadequate implementation and financing of digital applications.

Conclusion

Although promising approaches exist to structure and improve HF-care, across the four countries, implementation was reluctant to embrace novel methods. A lack of financial resources and insufficient digitalization making it difficult to adopt new concepts. Integration of HF-nurses seems to be an effective way of improving current models of HF-care. Digital solutions offer further opportunities to overcome communication and coordination gaps and to strengthen self-management skills.