bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Cemented Sub-Seismic Faults on Porosity and Permeability in Porous Sandstone Reservoirs
Authors: Ogilvie S.
Published: June 2009

Sub-seismic scale faults and fractures have considerable negative impact on production from hydrocarbon reservoirs. These structures may have only a few centimeters offset and width, but have considerable lateral continuity and the potential to significantly compartmentalise a reservoir. Porosity and permeability have been mapped across examples of small faults in highly porous reservoir sandstones, showing significant decreases in porosity related to both cementation and grain comminution. In uncemented fractures, the gouge material was found to have a modal grain size approximately half of that for the host rock. This represents the degree of comminution required before the fragmented grains increase the internal friction of the fault sufficiently to lock it up. A stochastic fragmentation model is presented which generates gouge particle size distributions from the particle size distribution of the parent material. Initial results from this modelling show that the particle size distribution of the gouge can be accurately predicted. Permeability plots generated using unsteady state profile permeametry show fine permeability structure within the fault zones that is related to grain cataclasis and cementation, with permeability reduced by up to three orders of magnitude. Clearly, fractures with such low permeabilties have the potential for significantly affecting fluid flow, and contribute to degrading the quality of the reservoir. Complexities such as permeability differences across sub-seismic faults are often overlooked when applying reservoir simulation techniques.
Transient Pressure Behaviour in Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Pattay Patrick W.
Published: June 2009

This paper was presented as part of the student paper contest associated with the European Petroleum Conference.

This paper gives an overview over the different aspects of transient pressure behaviour in fractured reservoirs.

Basically fractured reservoirs can be divided into two different groups. The first consists of reservoirs of single porosity which have been fractured artificially, the second group consists of reservoirs which contain a network of natural fractures and which have been additionally fractured artificially(double porosity fractured reservoir). Further it is possible to make a difference based on the radial dimensions and the boundary conditions of a reservoir. Therefore the systems of infinite and finite reservoirs will also be discussed.

These four cases will be presented separately. The different flow regimes will be discussed and also the parameters which influence the pressure behaviour.

Further the interpretation of the pressure tests will be discussed by using the type curves which correspond with the results of the flow regimes description.

Finally a short brief of the simulation of the two main different fractured reservoirs on a numerical reservoir simulator will be given.

Introduction

To enhance the productivity of wells which were damaged or were completed in tight formations, hydraulic fracturing (called "HF" in the following text) is a common and often used technique. Hydraulic fracturing as well as acidicing have been used with great success in many reservoirs with low natural permeability. It was realised very early that a HF influences the flow behaviour of a well extremely, so that common pressure test analyses techniques may cause errors. Thus the transient flow behaviour of fractured reservoirs became an important topic.

The different analyses of the pressure tests do not only describe the status quo of the flow behaviour after the treatment but describe also the form of the HF. The interpretation of the tests is very important for the production strategy and even for the design of a new HF.
Generation of Porosity and Permeability Fields Conditioned to Geostatistical and Pressure Transient Data
Authors: Ceyhan A. G.
Published: June 2009

This study aims at the generation of permeability and porosity distributions conditioned to geostatistical (variogram, mean values of permeability and porosity), static (well-logging, core etc.) and well-test pressure data and the assessment of uncertainty in generated distribution and performance prediction. Integration of all the available data from different sources (static, well test, geostatistical, etc.) into reservoir description is prerequisite for reliable performance predictions. It is shown that reservoir characterization solely based on geostatistical, static or well test pressure data imposes a nonunique problem to be solved. Specifically, by using 1-D and 2-D numerical flow simulators, we show that the pressure transient response obtained at a single well cannot provide unique determination of permeability. This necessitates the direct incorporation of well test pressure data as well as geostatistical and static data into reservoir description to resolve porosity and permeability distributions in lateral (or inter-well) directions. It is shown that the inverse problem theory based on Bayesian statistics provides a powerful methodology to incorporate different sources of data into reservoir characterization. Moreover, it provides means to assess the uncertainty in reservoir description generated and performance predictions based on such descriptions. By assuming multinormal distributions for porosity and log-permeability fields, an application of Bayesian estimation methodology to reservoir characterization is presented.
Factors Affecting Value of Undrilled Properties
Authors: Crichton Jack A.
Published: June 2009

Introduction

It would be well to define the terms under consideration in the title of this paper. "Value" is derived from a Latin word "valere" which means "to be strong, be worth." As defined by Webster in an economic sense, value is "the monetary worth of a thing; the marketable price,"and valuation is "the value set upon a thing; the appraised price."

"Undrilled Acreage" as used here means any land which has not had its petroleum producing possibilities tested by the drilling of a hole thereon. The subject for discussion concerns the various elements which influence the value of acreage not previously tested for petroleum by the drill.

Evaluations of undrilled acreage are made for many purposes. They are made every day by any oil or gas company or individual who acquires acreage for the express purpose of obtaining possible petroleum producing acreage. Consciously or subconsciously the price that a company landman is willing to pay for such acreage is the composite of a number of factors that must be considered, and from which emerges an answer in the form of a definite value, such as "tendollars per acre."

In addition, appraisals of undrilled acreage are made for tax purposes, for disposition of estates, for dissolving partnerships, and for many other reasons. In many of these situations, it is necessary for an appraiser to arrive at a value for undrilled acreage when no value has been established by an offer from a buyer. In such instances, the appraiser usually attempts to view the property on the assumption that there exists a willing buyer and a willing seller. This assumption is further defined by same appraisers as a"willing buyer and a willing seller, in similar tax situations." In such case, the value placed on the property is in the final instance only an opinion of the appraiser, and is not a figure tested as a result of negotiation between a buyer and seller.
The Value of a Barrel of Crude Oil
Authors: Eggleston W.S.
Published: June 2009

Introduction

I have been asked to talk to you about the value of a barrel of crude oil. I am going to do this in rather direct terms. This is not to be a philosophical discussion and, therefore, I am not going to enter into a long dissertation as to the many meanings of value.

In the producing end of the oil business the basic commodity is a barrel of crude oil and its associated natural gas. In order to simplify the analysis, all of the factors influencing value are reduced to terms than can be expressed in dollars and cents per barrel of crude oil produced.

It is well known that there is a wide variation in the profit to be obtained from finding, developing and producing crude oil, depending upon many variables.

Each of the variables will be analyzed in detail in the following discussion.

This analysis will cover the value of a barrel of crude oil to a producer that sells his crude at the well, and therefore our basic starting point will be the market price of a barrel of crude oil.

For the purposes of this talk, I have prepared in outline that we will attempt to follow.

Chart 1

The main purpose of this outline is to call to your attention the various sources of income and the costs of producing a barrel of crude oil. The figures shown are for purposes of illustration, and do not necessarily represent a particular or actual barrel of crude oil. The figures, however, are in proper proportion. See Chart 1.
Effect of Secondary Recovery and Pressure Maintenance on Value of Oil Properties
Authors: Lewis James A.
Published: June 2009

Introduction

The wide spread application of fluid injection processes apparent in today'soil production picture confirms the confidence of the oil producer in these processes as a means of increasing value of oil properties. Since the producer is motivated by his interest in conservation and profit to install these types of operations, it is reasonable to presume that the average oil operator recognizes the engineer's ability to accurately predict their outcome and is willing to invest substantial capital in a field project in order to accomplish the predicted gains. Not only is the industry's confidence reflected by the capital invested in injection projects, but also by the substantial efforts put forth in unitization and other negotiations among operators in order to facilitate this type of operation. In transactions involving the purchase or sale of oil properties, it is becoming increasingly common to find that the potential value of properties susceptible to these operations is taken into account in arriving at the total consideration paid or received.

Early applications of fluid injection were restricted to shallow, depleted oil reservoirs and were, in a true sense, secondary recovery operations. The primary reserves of the field had been recovered and a stripper stage of production existed at the outset of the fluid injection. Because of the age of the fields, little or no data associated with the modern science of petroleum engineering were available on the reservoirs to be treated. Lack of confidence in fluid injection potentialities on the part of the operators made them reluctant to spend money to obtain data for proper engineering valuation.
Application of the Bank Loan in the Oil Business
Authors: Ardry Rushton L.
Published: June 2009

Introduction

While the subject which I have been invited to discuss today enjoys no particularly novel aspect, it would seem both applicable and feasible to consider briefly a few important evolutionary steps within the petroleum industry which have created the availability of this type of credit.

Although challenged now by foreign production, since the Lucas discovery at Spindletop in January, 1901, the United States has produced the major portion of the world's output. Yet, it was only with the adoption of sound conservation and proration practices arising from the discovery of the East Texas Oil Field that financial facilities became available to the oil man. Hence, it may be said that it was not until the early 1930's that banking institutions interested themselves in what is commonly known as "production loans". Only in recent years has natural gas come to the fore and, in general, the same pattern of lending is applicable to that phase of the industry.

The perennial controversy over the 27 ½ per cent depletion allowance is one to which I refer only in that it has such a telling and significant effect upon the subject at hand. This allowance was a compromise between the House and the Senate in 1926. It has been estimated that 81 per cent of exploratory wells are dry, and that 36 per cent of all wells drilled are failures. Congress was not unaware of the risks inherent in drilling and accordingly offered an incentive to the oil man toward the development of natural resources. This tax feature of the oil and gas industry has been a stimulus to the operator whose development program has appealed for years to the constructive oil banker. Even so, it has become quite patent that tax pressure and the increasing cost of finding oil have precipitated a tendency, if not a necessity, for the independent operator to sell out. In many instances the capital gains provision is the wiser course to follow, particularly if further advantageous intangible drilling costs seem remote. Should the depletion allowance be reduced or eliminated reason dictates that this tendency would be greatly accentuated.
Institutional Investments in Oil and Gas Interests
Authors: McElvaney Eugene
Published: June 2009

Introduction

It would be well at the outset to define the scope of the assigned subject lest it develop into such far reaching avenues as to be meaningless in purpose and, even worse, generally uninteresting. Accordingly, I shall apply the definition at both ends of the topic. "Institutional" for our purposes here shall apply to non-profit institutions such as universities, to trusts and to pension and profit sharing plans. "Oil and gas interests" shall apply to any type of direct ownership by recordable assignment of title to unproduced oil and/or gas other than the actual leasehold or working interest. The term shall not apply to stocks or obligations of corporations engaged in any or all phases of the oil and gas business unless it be the stock or obligation of a corporation created solely for the purpose of holding title to such interest for the benefit of the investing institution. Moreover, to focus attention on the particular area we wish to explore it would be well to restrict the word "Investments" to the intentional employment of endowment or other available funds at calculated risk with expectation of fair return or enhancement in value — thus contrasting with "gifts"which while possibly qualifying under the term investments after being included in the institution's assets, do not as a matter of fact reflect investment policy in the sense in which we wish to pursue the subject here. Naturally there's a vast difference in the mental attitude toward the acceptance of an oil or gas interest as a gift and intentional investment of trust funds in such an undertaking.
An Oil Investor Looks at 1956
Authors: Kennedy Edwin L.
Published: June 2009

Introduction

Three years ago the program of the Petroleum Branch of the AIME included one session on the general subject of petroleum valuation and economics. The program of the current meeting includes few subjects outside of this field. What has happened in this short period to change the emphasis? Has it been that the interim merely brought overdue recognition to the importance of' the subject? Or have trends and events within the industry combined during this short period to give increasing importance to petroleum economics and, in particular, to the economics of exploration and production? We believe the latter to be the case.

When your representative extended an invitation to speak to you today he suggested that we again talk about the use of valuation reports in making investment decisions. We replied that we doubted that we had anything new to say on the subject. When pressed for a title of the talk before preparation of the paper had begun, we chose "An Oil Investor Looks at 1956" on the theory that the title was sufficiently broad to permit us to include any subject we wished. But we shall not exercise this open-ended option. We shall restrict our comments to subjects important to the owner of oil securities —his problems, his triumphs and his frustrations.

Problems of the Oil Investor

Consider the oil investor. His position is the end result of a host of decisions made by other men, few of whom can be personally known to him. Yet somehow — by logic, by hunch or by accepting the views of others — he must formulate a view on a matter more important to him than any other. He must evaluate management in a field where ratio analysis of financial statements is less likely to give him the answer than in a manufacturing enterprise. More than ever before, he must consider the general business outlook while making investment decisions. Heretofore there was ample historical precedent to assume that oil unit consumption would suffer little in a period of deflation.
Federal Power Commission and the Gas Industry
Authors: Wolf Justin R.
Published: June 2009

This Pre-Print is based on a transcript of the oral remarks made by Mr. Wolfat the March 30 session of the Conference.

Necessarily, I have to begin this talk with an apology, an explanation, and a confession. The apology is for the lack of a prepared text. The rapidly shifting and changing developments occurring in Washington on the administrative or Federal Power Commission front, the Executive front and the Judicial front, made preparation of an advance, prepared text almost impossible— and, frankly, a job approaching frustration. The two or three outlines of these remarks that were prepared in advance had to be rather summarily destroyed, since facts, in the form of the veto of the Harris-Fulbright Billand otherwise, had caught up with the words that had been written.

The confession is that, frankly, I am at a bit of a loss as to what to talk about. The subject assigned, i.e., "The Federal Power Commission and the Gas Industry," is quite broad. The problems are most intricate and complex, and the high caliber of this audience makes selection a matter of genuine importance — and it's extremely difficult to make a selection. Furthermore, as a result of the Phillips decision (347 U.S. 672), handed down in June of 1954,and subsequent developments stemming therefrom, as they relate to the independent producer, I find myself very much in a brand new world, with few, if any valid guideposts to lead the way.

I concede that no one should begin a talk like this with an apology and a confession. Nevertheless, I feel that both are required, and I offer them freely. At the very least, they should prevent me from being dogmatic and they should explain, in part, why I cannot provide any panaceas for the many problems I am afraid I shall raise.
ARS Dictaminis Perverted: The Personal Solicitation E-Mail as a Genre
Authors: Ross Derek G.
Published: June 2009

Phishing e-mails deceive individuals into giving out personal information which may then be utilized for identity theft. One particular type, the Personal Solicitation E-mail (PSE) mimics personal letters—modern perversions of ars dictaminis (the classical art of letter writing). In this article, I determine and discuss 19 appeals common to the PSE. These appeals were established first by conducting generative rhetorical analysis, then by volunteer coding, on 170 e-mails collected over a 12-month period. After defining these categories, I show how these letters are excellent twenty-first century teaching tools for pathos-based argumentation, logical appeals, the creation of ethos, and kairos in the development of perceived exigency.
Frames in Reports and in Reporting: How Framing Affects Global Warming Information in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's “Summary for Policymakers” and in Documents Written about the Report
Authors: Tutt Bryan
Published: June 2009

Although much has been written about the use of rhetoric in technical communication, the framing of technical documents often is overlooked. Framing differs from rhetoric chiefly in that it involves the use of content selection and structure to place information in a particular context. In this article, I will analyze the techniques used to frame a technical report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's “Summary for Policymakers,” and compare them to the techniques used to frame corporate news releases and newspaper articles written about the report. This framing analysis shows that writers of technical documents, news releases, and news articles frame their documents chiefly by choosing which facts to include or exclude, and by the positioning of information within the document.
Oral Communication and Technical Writing: A Reconsideration of Writing in a Multicultural Era
Authors: Cibangu Sylvain K.
Published: June 2009

This article investigates the status of orality in the history of technical communication. The article calls for orality as an integral part and driving force of technical writing. The article brings to light the misconceptions that have led to a diminished role of oral communication in technical writing. The article shows the implications of oral skills for improved effectiveness of technical communicators. The article outlines the challenges and promises of teaching oral communication in technical writing.
The Divergence Hypothesis in Modernization Theory Across Three European Countries: the UK, Sweden and Greece
Authors: Kalogeraki Stefania
Published: June 2009

Following a comparative approach it is argued that the modernizing trajectories of three European countries, i.e., the UK, Sweden and Greece were different, as the cultural heritages of the three countries under study, formed by specific historical, political and religious events have acted as a filter of their modernization processes and left an imprint on the prevailing values. England followed a type of modernization associated with “bourgeois revolutions”, Sweden was highly influenced by the popular belief system of solidarity of the political culture of Scandinavian nations and Greece, although increasingly modern, can be associated with a more traditional, top to bottom, version of modernization, highly influenced by the Greek Orthodox Church. Secondary data and empirical research show that the different modernizing paths in the three countries have formed their main cultural characteristics; the UK is portrayed as an individualistic culture,Sweden as an amalgamation of both individualism and collectivism, and Greece as a traditional and more collectivist one. As culture, in the Parsonian approach, acts as the binder of the social world it has functioned as a mediating mechanism, shaping the personality traits and social relationships among British, Swedish and Greek citizens in the direction of an individualistic and/or a collectivist ethos. Whilst the thesis of the article does not support the bipolarity of the “divergence” and “convergence” hypotheses it provides some evidence to the former suggesting that modernization does not always take a simple linear path providing no room for variations.
Ethnography in the Marketplace
Authors: Ehn Billy , Löfgren Orvar
Published: June 2009

What happens when cultural analysis enters the world of applied research and academics become consultants working with corporations and public institutions? The divide between academic research and commercial ethnography has often hampered communication and critical exchanges between these two worlds. In this paper we look at the experiences of consultants, drawing on Danish and Swedish examples. What can we learn from them when it comes to organizing research under time pressure, communicating results and making people understand the potentials of cultural analysis? And how could consultants “out there” benefit from a continuing dialogue with their colleagues in Academia?
"Cultural Policy": Towards a Global Survey
Authors: Isar Yudhishthir Raj
Published: June 2009

The field of “cultural policy” has acquired sufficient purchase internationally to warrant a comparative global survey. This article examines questions that arise preliminary to such an endeavour. It looks first at the problems posed by the divided nature of “cultural policy” research: on the one hand policy advisory work that is essentially pragmatic, and on the other so-called “theoretical” analysis which has little or no purchase on policy-making. In both cases, key elements are missed. A way out of the quandary would be to privilege a line of inquiry that analyzes the “arts and heritage” both in relation to the institutional terms and objectives of these fields but also as components of a broader “cultural system” whose dynamics can only be properly grasped in terms of the social science or “ways of life” paradigm. Such a line of inquiry would address: the ways in which subsidized cultural practice interacts with or is impacted by social, economic and political forces; the domains of public intervention where the cultural in the broader social science sense elicits policy stances and policy action; the nature of public intervention in both categories; whether and how the objects and practices of intervention are conceptualised in a holistic way. A second set of interrogations concerns axes for the comparison of “cultural policy” trans-nationally. One possible axis is provided by different state stances with respect to Raymond Williams’ categories of national aggrandizement, economic reductionism, public patronage of the arts, media regulation and the negotiated construction of cultural identity. Another avenue would be to unpack interpretations of two leading current agendas, namely “cultural diversity” and the “cultural and/or creative industries”.
The Future of the European University: Liberal Democracy or Authoritarian Capitalism?
Authors: Rider Sharon
Published: June 2009

This paper examines the prevalent notion that that the production of knowledge, academic research and teaching can and ought to be audited and assessed in the same manner as the production of other goods and services. The emphasis on similarities between industry and the academy leads to a neglect of fundamental differences in their aims and, as a consequence, a tendency to evaluate scientific research in terms of patents and product development and colleges and universities in terms of the labour market. The article examines the idea of the free academy, on the one hand, and compares and contrasts it to the idea of free enterprise, on the other. It is argued that the view of the university as a supplier of specific solutions for pre-determined, non-scientific needs (a workforce with skills currently in demand, innovations for commercial partners, justifications for political decisions, etc) undermines the public legitimacy of university science and weakens the fabric of scientific training and practice. The article proposes that the university’s main purpose must be to provide a recognized neutral, autonomous agency of rigorous, disinterested investigation and scientific education, which constitutes a necessary condition for an enlightened liberal democracy: an informed, capable and critical citizenry.
Non-Extensivity of the Configurational Density Distribution in the Classical Microcanonical Ensemble
Authors: Naudts Jan , Baeten Maarten
Published: June 2009

We show that the configurational probability distribution of a classical gas always belongs to the q-exponential family. One of the consequences of this observation is that the thermodynamics of the configurational subsystem is uniquely determined up to a scaling function. As an example we consider a system of non-interacting harmonic oscillators. In this example, the scaling function can be determined from the requirement that in the limit of large systems the microcanonical temperature of the configurational subsystem should coincide with that of the canonical ensemble. The result suggests that R´enyi’s entropy function is the relevant one rather than that of Tsallis.
The Role of Health Kiosks in 2009: Literature and Informant Review
Authors: Jones Ray
Published: June 2009

Kiosks can provide patients with access to health systems in public locations, but with increasing home Internet access their usefulness is questioned. A literature and informant review identified kiosks used for taking medical histories, health promotion, self assessment, consumer feedback, patient registration, patient access to records, and remote consultations. Sited correctly with good interfaces, kiosks can be used by all demographics but many ‘projects’ have failed to become routine practice. A role remains for: (a) integrated kiosks as part of patient ‘flow’, (b) opportunistic kiosks to catch people’s attention. Both require clear ‘ownership’ to succeed.
Antitumor Compounds from Marine Actinomycetes
Authors: Olano Carlos , Méndez Carmen , Salas José  A.
Published: June 2009

Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments used to combat cancer. A great number of antitumor compounds are natural products or their derivatives, mainly produced by microorganisms. In particular, actinomycetes are the producers of a large number of natural products with different biological activities, including antitumor properties. These antitumor compounds belong to several structural classes such as anthracyclines, enediynes, indolocarbazoles, isoprenoides, macrolides, non-ribosomal peptides and others, and they exert antitumor activity by inducing apoptosis through DNA cleavage mediated by topoisomerase I or II inhibition, mitochondria permeabilization, inhibition of key enzymes involved in signal transduction like proteases, or cellular metabolism and in some cases by inhibiting tumor-induced angiogenesis. Marine organisms have attracted special attention in the last years for their ability to produce interesting pharmacological lead compounds.
Effect of Ionic Liquids as the Mobile Phase Additives on the HPLC Resolution of Four Active Compounds from Sophora flavescens Ait
Authors: Tian Minglei , Liu Junyu , Row Kyung Ho
Published: June 2009

The retention behaviour of four active compounds from Sophora Flavescens Ait using three ionic liquids as mobile phase modifiers was examined. The effect of the pH and the amount of ionic liquid modifier on the retention of these compounds was determined in methanol/water (v/v) as the mobile phase containing different ionic liquids ranging in concentration from 0.1 mmol/L to 3.0 mmol/L. The ionic liquids showed promise as additives in high-performance liquid chromatography.
RPV Model Parameters Based on Hyperspectral Bidirectional Reflectance Measurementsof Fagus sylvatica L. Leaves
Authors: Biliouris Dimitrios , Van der Zande Dimitry , Verstraeten Willem , Stuckens Jan , Muys Bart , Dutré Philip , Coppin Pol
Published: June 2009

The bidirectional reflectance parametric and semi-empirical Rahman-Pinty-Verstraete (RPV) model was inverted based on Bidirectional Reflectance Factor (BRF) measurements of 60 Fagus sylvatica L. leaves in the optical domain between 400 nm and 2,500 nm. This was accomplished using data retrieved from the Compact Laboratory Spectro-Goniometer (CLabSpeG) with an azimuth and zenith angular step of 30 and 15 degrees, respectively. Wavelength depended RPV parameters describing the leaf reflectance shape (rho0), the curve convexity (k) and the dominant forward scattering (Θ) were derived using the RPVinversion-2 software (Joint Research Centre) package with Correlation Coefficient values between modelled and measured data varying between 0.71 and 0.99 for all wavelengths, azimuth and zenith positions. The RPV model parameters were compared with a set of leaves not participating in the inversion procedure and presented Correlation Coefficient values ranging between 0.64 and 0.94 suggesting that RPV could be also used for simulating single canopy elements such as leaves.
3D Vision by Using Calibration Pattern with Inertial Sensor and RBF Neural Networks
Authors: Beşdok Erkan
Published: June 2009

Camera calibration is a crucial prerequisite for the retrieval of metric information from images. The problem of camera calibration is the computation of camera intrinsic parameters (i.e., coefficients of geometric distortions, principle distance and principle point) and extrinsic parameters (i.e., 3D spatial orientations: ω, φ, κ, and 3D spatial translations: tx, ty, tz). The intrinsic camera calibration (i.e., interior orientation) models the imaging system of camera optics, while the extrinsic camera calibration (i.e., exterior orientation) indicates the translation and the orientation of the camera with respect to the global coordinate system. Traditional camera calibration techniques require a predefined mathematical-camera model and they use prior knowledge of many parameters. Definition of a realistic camera model is quite difficult and computation of camera calibration parameters are error-prone. In this paper, a novel implicit camera calibration method based on Radial Basis Functions Neural Networks is proposed. The proposed method requires neither an exactly defined camera model nor any prior knowledge about the imaging-setup or classical camera calibration parameters. The proposed method uses a calibration grid-pattern rotated around a static-fixed axis. The rotations of the calibration grid-pattern have been acquired by using an Xsens MTi-9 inertial sensor and in order to evaluate the success of the proposed method, 3D reconstruction performance of the proposed method has been compared with the performance of a traditional camera calibration method, Modified Direct Linear Transformation (MDLT). Extensive simulation results show that the proposed method achieves a better performance than MDLT aspect of 3D reconstruction.
More and More Coronaviruses: Human Coronavirus HKU1
Authors: Woo Patrick C. Y. , Lau Susanna K. P. , Yip Cyril C. Y. , Huang Yi , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: June 2009

After human coronaviruses OC43, 229E and NL63, human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1) is the fourth human coronavirus discovered. HCoV-HKU1 is a group 2a coronavirus that is still not cultivable. The G + C contents of HCoV-HKU1 genomes are 32%, the lowest among all known coronaviruses with complete genome sequences available. Among all coronaviruses, HCoV-HKU1 shows the most extreme codon usage bias, attributed most importantly to severe cytosine deamination. All HCoV-HKU1 genomes contain unique tandem copies of a 30-base acidic tandem repeat of unknown function at the N-terminus of nsp3 inside the acidic domain upstream of papain-like protease 1. Three genotypes, A, B and C, of HCoV-HKU1 and homologous recombination among their genomes, are observed. The incidence of HCoV-HKU1 infections is the highest in winter. Similar to other human coronaviruses, HCoV-HKU1 infections have been reported globally, with a median (range) incidence of 0.9 (0 – 4.4) %. HCoV-HKU1 is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infections that are mostly self-limiting. The most common method for diagnosing HCoV-HKU1 infection is RT-PCR or real-time RT-PCR using RNA extracted from respiratory tract samples such as nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA). Both the pol and nucleocapsid genes have been used as the targets for amplification. Monoclonal antibodies have been generated for direct antigen detection in NPA. For antibody detection, Escherichia coli BL21 and baculovirus-expressed recombinant nucleocapsid of HCoV-HKU1 have been used for IgG and IgM detection in sera of patients and normal individuals, using Western blot and enzyme-linked immunoassay.
Introduction of a Novel Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Virus into Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2009
Authors: Kumar Swati , Chusid Michael J. , Willoughby Rodney E. , Havens Peter L. , Kehl Sue C. , Ledeboer Nathan A. , Li Shun-Hwa , Henrickson Kelly J.
Published: June 2009

On 17 April 2009, novel swine origin influenza A virus (S-OIV) cases appeared within the United States. Most influenza A diagnostic assays currently utilized in local clinical laboratories do not allow definitive subtype determination. Detailed subtype analysis of influenza A positive samples in our laboratory allowed early confirmation of a large outbreak of S-OIV in southeastern Wisconsin (SEW). The initial case of S-OIV in SEW was detected on 28 April 2009. All influenza A samples obtained during the 16 week period prior to 28 April 2009, and the first four weeks of the subsequent epidemic were sub typed. Four different multiplex assays were employed, utilizing real time PCR and end point PCR to fully subtype human and animal influenza viral components. Specific detection of S-OIV was developed within days. Data regarding patient demographics and other concurrently circulating viruses were analyzed. During the first four weeks of the epidemic, 679 of 3726 (18.2%) adults and children tested for influenza A were identified with S-OIV infection. Thirteen patients (0.34%) tested positive for seasonal human subtypes of influenza A during the first two weeks and none in the subsequent 2 weeks of the epidemic. Parainfluenza viruses were the most prevalent seasonal viral agents circulating during the epidemic (of those tested), with detection rates of 12% followed by influenza B and RSV at 1.9% and 0.9% respectively. S-OIV was confirmed on day 2 of instituting subtype testing and within 4 days of report of national cases of S-OIV. Novel surge capacity diagnostic infrastructure exists in many specialty and research laboratories around the world. The capacity for broader influenza A sub typing at the local laboratory level allows timely and accurate detection of novel strains as they emerge in the community, despite the presence of other circulating viruses producing identical illness. This is likely to become increasingly important given the need for appropriate subtype driven anti-viral therapy and the potential shortage of such medications in a large epidemic.
Developing a Threat List—Emerging Infectious Diseases
Authors: Parker Roger W.
Published: June 2009

The critical infrastructure sectors of agriculture and food systems face increasing threats of bioterrorism from agents associated with emerging infectious diseases. These disease agents include human‐specific pathogens, zoonotic pathogens, foreign animal diseases, and plant pathogens. For the purpose of strengthening defenses through awareness and preparation, this article considers the risk factors of availability and cost, ease and route of dissemination, virulence and susceptible host range, and impact and public perception. The threat risks from glanders and melioidosis are presented in more detail.
Evidence for improved conclusion accuracy after reading about rather than conducting a belief‐inconsistent simple physics experiment
Authors: Renken Maggie DeHart , Nunez Narina
Published: June 2009

Prior beliefs that contradict data may interfere with the ability to draw accurate conclusions; however, evidence shows that through engaged activity individuals may learn new information. InExperiment 1, undergraduates performed or read about two physics experiments involving a ball and ramp. The first experiment was consistent with most people's prior beliefs, while the second was inconsistent with most people's prior beliefs. Participants' predictions, experimentation adequacy, conclusions and ability to generalize knowledge were measured to determine the effects of prior belief bias depending on whether participants conducted or read about the experiment. In Experiment 2, a structured hands‐on condition was included and developmental trends across adolescence and adulthood were examined. In both Experiments, reading about a belief‐inconsistent experiment led to improved conclusion accuracy and ability to generalize knowledge as compared to performing the experiment. This was the case when experiments were performed well and after a 12‐week delay for adolescents. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Excitotoxic motoneuron degeneration induced by glutamate receptor agonists and mitochondrial toxins in organotypic cultures of chick embryo spinal cord
Authors: Brunet Núria , Tarabal Olga , Esquerda Josep E. , Calderó Jordi
Published: June 2009

Glutamate receptor‐mediated excitotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction appear to play an important role in motoneuron (MN) degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In the present study we used an organotypic slice culture of chick embryo spinal cord to explore the responsiveness of mature MNs to different excitotoxic stimuli and mitrochondrial inhibition. We found that, in this system, MNs are highly vulnerable to excitotoxins such as glutamate, N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA), and kainate (KA), and that the neuroprotective drug riluzole rescues MNs from KA‐mediated excitotoxic death. MNs are also sensitive to chronic mitochondrial inhibition induced by malonate and 3‐nitropropionic acid (3‐NP) in a dose‐dependent manner. MN degeneration induced by treatment with mitochondrial toxins displays structural changes similar to those seen following excitotoxicity and can be prevented by applying either the antiexcitotoxic drug 6‐cyano‐7‐nitroquinoxaline‐2,3‐dione disodium (CNQX) or riluzole. Excitotoxicity results in an increased frequency of normal spontaneous Ca2+oscillations in MNs, which is followed by a sustained deregulation of intracellular Ca2+. Tolerance to excitotoxic MN death resulting from chronic exposure to excitotoxins correlates with a reduced excitotoxin‐induced increase in intracellular Ca2+and increased thapsigargin‐sensitive Ca2+stores. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:277–290, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The distribution of GAD67‐mRNA in the adult zebrafish (teleost) forebrain reveals a prosomeric pattern and suggests previously unidentified homologies to tetrapods
Authors: Mueller Thomas , Guo Su
Published: June 2009

We used in situ hybridization on sections to examine the distribution of GAD67‐expressing cell populations in the entire forebrain of the adult zebrafish. GAD67 is predominantly expressed in the olfactory bulb (OB), all regions of the subpallium (including the dorsal, ventral, central, and lateral nucleus of the area ventralis [Vd, Vv, Vc, and Vl, respectively]), as well as preoptic (PPa, PPp, and PM), pretectal (PPd, PPv, PCN, PSp, and PSm), ventral (= pre‐) thalamic (I, VM, and VL), hypothalamic (Hr, Hi, and Hc), preglomerular (P, PGa, PGl, PGm, and RT), and posterior tubercular (TPp and TPm) nuclei. Only scattered GAD67‐expressing cells are seen in all pallial zones (Dm, Dd, Dc, Dl, and Dp) and in the previously unidentified bed nucleus of the stria medullaris (BNSM). The BNSM appears to be the adult teleostean derivative of the larval eminentia thalami (EmT). We identify the GAD67‐positive entopeduncular nucleus proper (EN) as being homologous to the entopeduncular nucleus of nonprimate mammals. GAD67 is strongly expressed in the anterior thalamic nucleus (A). The anterior thalamic nucleus is laterally bordered by a distinct GAD67‐expressing cell population, which we interpret as the previously unidentified reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) of teleosts. Furthermore, we identified a GAD67‐positive thalamic nucleus, the intercalated nucleus (IC), which is sandwiched between the GAD67‐negative dorsal (DP) and central posterior (CP) thalamic nuclei. Overall, the distribution of GAD67‐expressing cells highly resembles the distribution of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)/GAD67‐expressing cells found in the early zebrafish (teleost) forebrain and thus allows us to propose a prosomeric fate map of GABAergic cell populations. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:553–568, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Retinal ganglion cells in the eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens: Topography, morphology, and diversity
Authors: Pushchin Igor I. , Karetin Yuriy A.
Published: June 2009

The topography and morphology of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the eastern newt were studied. Cells were retrogradely labeled with tetramethylrhodamine‐conjugated dextran amines or horseradish peroxidase and examined in retinal wholemounts. Their total number was 18,025 ± 3,602 (mean ± SEM). The spatial density of RGCs varied from 2,100 cells/mm2 in the retinal periphery to 4,500 cells/mm2 in the dorsotemporal retina. No prominent retinal specializations were found. The spatial resolution estimated from the spatial density of RGCs varied from 1.4 cycles per degree in the periphery to 1.95 cycles per degree in the region of the peak RGC density. A sample of 68 cells was camera lucida drawn and subjected to quantitative analysis. A total of 21 parameters related to RGC morphology and stratification in the retina were estimated. Partitionings obtained by using different clustering algorithms combined with automatic variable weighting and dimensionality reduction techniques were compared, and an effective solution was found by using silhouette analysis. A total of seven clusters were identified and associated with potential cell types. Kruskal‐Wallis ANOVA‐on‐Ranks with post hoc Mann‐Whitney U tests showed significant pairwise between‐cluster differences in one or more of the clustering variables. The average silhouette values of the clusters were reasonably high, ranging from 0.52 to 0.79. Cells assigned to the same cluster displayed similar morphology and stratification in the retina. The advantages and limitations of the methodology adopted are discussed. The present classification is compared with known morphological and physiological RGC classifications in other salamanders. J. Comp. Neurol. 516:533–552, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Empirical evidence on the dependence of credit default swaps and equity prices
Authors: Dupuis Debbie , Jacquier Eric , Papageorgiou Nicolas , Rémillard Bruno
Published: June 2009

We investigate the common practice of estimating the dependence structure between credit default swap prices on multi‐name credit instruments from the dependence structure of the equity returns of the underlying firms. We find convincing evidence that the practice is inappropriate for high‐yield instruments and that it may even be flawed for instruments containing only firms within a sector. To do this, we model individual credit ratings by univariate continuous time Markov chains, and their joint dynamics by copulas. The use of copulas allows us to incorporate our knowledge of the modeling of univariate processes, into a multivariate framework. However, our test and results are robust to the choice of copula. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 29:695–712, 2009
Red wine consumption and risk of prostate cancer: The California Men's Health Study
Authors: Chao Chun , Haque Reina , Van Den Eeden Stephen K. , Caan Bette J. , Poon Kwun‐Yee T. , Quinn Virginia P.
Published: June 2009

Red wine contains polyphenol antioxidants that inhibit prostate cancer development in animal studies. We investigated the effect of red wine intake on the risk of prostate cancer using data prospectively collected in the California Men's Health Study (CMHS). CMHS is a multiethnic cohort of 84,170 men aged 45–69 years who were members of the Kaiser Permanente Southern and Northern California Health Plans. Information on demographic and lifestyle factors was collected using mailed questionnaires between 2002 and 2003. We used Cox models to estimate the effect of red wine on prostate cancer risk, adjusting for potential confounders. A total of 1,340 incident prostate cancer cases identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result‐affiliated cancer registries were included in the analyses. We did not find a clear association between red wine intake and risk of prostate cancer. Hazard ratio (HR) estimates for consuming <1 drink/week, ≥1 drink/week but <1 drink/day and ≥1 drink/day were 0.89, 95% confidence interval (0.74–1.07), 0.99 (0.83–1.17) and 0.88 (0.70–1.12), respectively. Further, we observed no linear dose response. The lack of association for red wine intake was consistently observed when we restricted the analyses to those with and without a history of PSA screening. In addition, we also did not observe any association with prostate cancer for beer, white wine, liquor or combined alcoholic beverage intake (HR for combined alcoholic beverage intake of ≥5 drinks/day = 1.16 (0.83–1.63). Neither red wine nor total alcohol consumption were associated with prostate cancer risk in this population of moderate drinkers.