bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histologic and Histometric Responses to Polymeric Composite Grafts
Authors: Plotzke A.E. , Barbosa S. , Nasjleti C.E. , Morrison E.C. , Caffesse R.G.
Published: March 2012

The present study was designed to determine whether a polymeric composite promotes new attachment in artificially‐induced bony defects in the dog model. HTR, hard tissue replacement, is a non‐resorbable calcium‐layered polymer of polymethyl‐methacrylate and hydroxyethyl‐methacrylate. It has been reported to be clinically non‐inflammatory, osteophilic, and osteoconductive. For the study, 4 beagle dogs, 4 to 6 years old with no periodontal disease were used. Mucoperiosteal flaps were raised including the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th maxillary premolars. Buccal Class II furcation defects were created on these premolars. Reference notches were placed in the roots at the level of the bony defects. Test quadrants were selected by the toss of a coin, and furcations were filled with the polymeric composite particles wetted with sterile saline. Following grafting, the flaps were approximated and sutured. The contralateral side, serving as control, was treated by flap debridement only. Sutures were removed 7 days after surgery. Dogs were sacrificed 4 months following surgery. Mesio‐distal histological sections were evaluated by descriptive histology. In addition, surface area determinations (in mm2) of the furcal tissues were carried out using the microscope attached to a digitizer and a computer. In 8 mesio‐distal serial sections cut 30 μm apart in both experimental and control teeth, surface area determinations relative to the furcations were made evaluating: 1) the total fill of the furcation; 2) the area filled with alveolar bone; 3) the area occupied by connective tissue; 4) the area occupied by new deposited cementum; and 5) the area filled by epithelium. These measurements were statistically evaluated using the paired ttest and the Wilcoxon signed rank test (n = 4). The animal was used as the statistical unit for assessing statistical significance. Overall, histologic responses showed that composite particles were well tolerated by the animals and caused no aberrant tissue responses. In general, the particles were encapsulated by connective tissue. However, periodontal healing following the use of the polymeric composite graft resulted in no increase in connective tissue and/or alveolar bone regeneration. The polymer has acted as a biocompatible filler without evidence of new attachment associated with its use. J Periodontol 1993; 64:343–348.
Enzyme Activity in Crevicular Fluid in Relation to Metabolic Control of Diabetes and Other Periodontal Risk Factors
Authors: Oliver Richard C. , Tervonen Tellervo , Flynn Donald G. , Keenan Kathleen M.
Published: March 2012

Diabetics are generally considered at higher risk for periodontitis than non‐diabetics. Among diabetics, those with poorer metabolic control have often been found to have more periodontitis. This study investigated the relationship between two crevicular fluid en2ymes, β‐glucuronidase (βG) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and metabolic control in 93 adults with type 1 or 2 diabetes. Metabolic control was evaluated by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The most visibly inflamed site was sampled for crevicular fluid enzymes and plaque for microbial assessment. Plaque, calculus, and probing depth were also recorded, β‐glucuronidase was found at significantly higher levels in patients with poorer diabetic control while LDH levels were not related to control. Using multiple regression analysis, good metabolic control was the only predicting variable for β‐glucuronidase when considered with microbes, probing depth, plaque, calculus, age, duration, and type of diabetes. If β‐glucuronidase is a predictor of periodontal disease activity, diabetics with poor metabolic control are at higher risk for periodontitis. J Periodontol 1993; 64:358–362.
The Effect of Chlorhexidine Irrigation on Tensile Wound Strength
Authors: Shahan Michael H. , Chuang A. Henry , Brennan William A. , Dirksen Thomas R. , Van Dyke Thomas E. , McPherson James C.
Published: March 2012

Chlorhexidine in an alcohol vehicle with flavoring agents has been used as a mouthrinse to reduce plaque accumulation in periodontal surgery patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a chlorhexidine‐containing mouthrinse on the early tensile wound strength of healing surgical wounds in the rat. Standardized transdermal incisions were made on each lateral abdominal wall of 40 Sprague‐Dawley rats. Wounds were irrigated with 10 ml of 0.12% Chlorhexidine or 10 ml of normal saline prior to closure. Animals were sacrificed at 48 hours and 96 hours, and the wound area was excised by a standardized protocol. Wound strength was measured using constant speed tensiometry to determine the tensile strength of the healing incision. Results revealed a significantly reduced tensile wound strength at 48 hours for the chlorhexidinetreated group (127 ± 18.5 gm) compared to the saline irrigation group (150 ± 32.3 gm) (P <0.001). However, by 96 hours a significantly increased tensile wound strength was demonstrated by the Chlorhexidine treated group (202.1 ± 21.7 gm) compared to the saline irrigation group (183.2 ± 37.3 gm) (P <0.05). These data suggest that chlorhexidine‐containing mouthrinse irrigation of wounds produced a reduced early tensile wound strength, but ultimately resulted in shorter healing time. J Periodontol 1993; 64:719–722.
Sophisticated Software Analysis System and Use of Torque/Drag Modeling for Complex Well Operations Increases Operational Efficiency
Authors: Xie Liangjun , Moran David , Yan Lei , Mercado Jose , Mercado Jose
Published: March 2012

Accurate torque and drag (T&D) analysis is a fundamental well planning tool essential for predicting and preventing drilling and completion problems. To guarantee an efficient and safe operation, tension/compression and torque on the bottom hole assembly needs to be controlled within acceptable limits. Practically all available torque and drag software can calculate the following general operation modes: rotating off-bottom, pick-up, slack-off, rotary drilling and oriented drilling modes.

However in the well construction process, there are many other complex operational modes that are largely absent from available software systems, as discussed in the literature. The industry requires modeling methodology to analyze complex well operations including: setting and un-setting packers, anchoring liner hangers, shearing pins in wellbore departure operations, loading and operating drilling/fishing jars in both overpull and compression.

The authors will discuss new modeling software capable of analyzing complex well operations including liner hanger and jarring operations in detail. Further discourse about how modeling these special operations were combined with field experience and confirmed the accuracy of the new module with regards to both special operations and conventional T&D capabilities. The simulation/analysis recommendations were successfully executed in the field and led to increased operational efficiency and unplanned cost avoidance. Case studies will be presented of successful liner hanger deployment and complex drilling jar simulation.
Semiautomatic, Semantic Assistance to Manual Curation of Data in Smart Oil Fields
Authors: Chelmis Charalampos , Zhao Jing , Sorathia Vikram , Agarwal Suchindra , Prasanna Viktor
Published: March 2012

Vast volumes of data are continuously generated in smart oilfields from swarms of sensors. On one hand, increasing amounts of such data are stored in large data repositories and accessed over high-speed networks; On the other hand, captured data is further processed by different users in various analysis, prediction and domain-specific procedures that result in even larger volumes of derived datasets.

The decision making process in smart oilfields relies on accurate historical, real-time or predicted datasets. However, the difficulty in searching for the right data mainly lies in the fact that data is stored in large repositories carrying no metadata to describe them. The origin or context in which the data was generated cannot be traced back, thus any meaning associated with the data is lost. Integrated views of data are required to make important decisions efficiently and effectively, but are difficult to produce; since data is being generated and stored in the repository may have different formats and schemata pertaining to different vendor products.

In this paper, we present an approach based on Semantic Web Technologies that enables automatic annotation of input data with missing metadata, with terms from a domain ontology, which constantly evolves supervised by domain experts. We provide an intuitive user interface for annotation of datasets originating from the seismic image processing workflow. Our datasets contain models and different versions of images obtained from such models, generated as part of the oil exploration process in the oil industry. Our system is capable of annotating models and images with missing metadata, preparing them for integration by mapping such annotations. Our technique is abstract and may be used to annotate any datasets with missing metadata, derived from original datasets.

The broader significance of this work is in the context of knowledge capturing, preservation and management for smart oilfields. Specifically our work focuses on extracting domain knowledge into collaboratively curated ontologies and using this information to assist domain experts in seamless data integration.
Test of SAGD Flow Distribution Control Liner System, Surmont Field, Alberta, Canada
Authors: Stalder John L.
Published: March 2012

Surmont well pair 102-06 started SAGD operation in April 2009 with flow distribution control built into the horizontal liners for both the injection well and the production well. After preheat steam circulation, this liner system has allowed operation without a toe tubing string in either completion and has delivered superior steam chamber development and overall performance. The design also allowed reducing the liner and casing size for the injection well. Future SAGD well design may benefit by further reduction in liner and casing sizes for both the injector and producer which could allow longer completions by reducing liner drag and increasing directional drilling flexibility. Ultimately these SAGD well design changes could increase the amount of reservoir developed per well and per well pad using longer wells and more wells per pad while achieving superior SAGD performance.
Simulation and Economic Screening of Improved Oil Recovery Methods with Emphasis on Injection Profile Control Including Waterflooding, Polymer Flooding and a Thermally Activated Deep Diverting Gel
Authors: Okeke Tobenna , Lane Robert
Published: March 2012

The large volumes of water produced during oil extraction presents a significant problem due to the high cost of handling and disposal in an environmentally friendly manner. On average, an estimated seven barrels of water is produced per barrel of oil in the US, and the associated treatment and disposal cost is an estimated $5-10 billion annually.

Water production can be particularly problematic during waterflooding in highly heterogeneous reservoirs with vertical communication between layers leading to unevenness in the flood front, cross-flow between high and low permeability layers and early water breakthrough from high permeability layers. Some of the different technologies that can be used to counteract this involve reducing the mobility of water or using a permeability block in the higher permeability, swept zones. Selective permeability blockage, however, is particularly difficult where crossflow is possible.

This research was initiated to evaluate the potential effectiveness of an approach to the latter method, known as deep diverting gels (DDG) to plug thief zones deep within the reservoir and far from the injection well. To evaluate the performance of DDG, its injection and placement was modeled, sensitivities run for a range of reservoir characteristics and conditions and a rudimentary economic analysis was performed. Performance of the DDG is compared to waterflooding and polymer flooding from a technical and economic perspective.

A literature review was performed on the background of injection profile control methods, their respective designs and technical capabilities. Commercial software was used to simulate the behavior of these methods in a reservoir using simplified assumptions of reservoir characteristics and fluid properties. Simulation results were used to carry out economic analyses of the recovery methods. Results show that the largest impact on economics was incremental oil produced. Polymer flooding had the highest NPV in all case comparisons followed by DDG.
The Study of Timing of Cyclic Injections in Miscible CO2 WAG
Authors: Jiang Haifeng , Nuryaningsih Lily , Adidharma Hertanto
Published: March 2012

When water alternating gas flooding utilizing carbon dioxide (CO2 WAG) is injected at different stages after secondary recovery, the difference in oil/water/gas saturations influences the micro and macro displacement efficiencies due to multiple mechanisms, thus the performance of WAG could be different and an optimum timing could exist. In this study, the timing of cyclic injections in miscible CO2 WAG is experimentally investigated.

WAG performance is studied in core flood experiments performed in Berea sandstone cores. Synthetic brines and South Slattery crude oil from Wyoming are used to restore the core to its reservoir conditions, and ultra high purity CO2 is used as the miscible gas. The experiments are conducted at 57°C and at a pressure 20% above the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) to ensure miscible condition; slim tube experiments to obtain the MMP of the system are performed prior to the core floods. The experiments utilize a WAG ratio of 1:1, an optimized half cycle slug size of 0.1 PV, and a total slug size of 2 PV. The timing of cyclic injections is studied by introducing WAG at different stages between secondary and tertiary mode. The WAG performance is determined by analyzing the percent oil recovery, CO2 breakthrough time, and tertiary recovery factor (TRF)

The earlier WAG is injected, the longer CO2 stays in the core before its breakthrough. However, the results show that the best timing of cyclic injections for miscible CO2 WAG is when water flooding produces half of the oil that can be flooded by secondary recovery alone, i.e., when the flood front passes through the middle of the core. Injecting WAG too early or too late will result in either low macro sweep efficiency or low micro displacement efficiency. The analysis also shows that the phenomena are the results of multiple mechanisms.

Similar studies using numerical simulations have been reported but never been experimentally investigated. The study of timing of cyclic injections is essential in understanding the mechanisms, as well as optimizing the performance of miscible CO2 WAG.
Determination of Water Injection Zonal Allocation From Distributed Temperature Sensing Data
Authors: Mehtiyev Nijat , Rahman Mahmood , Bourgoyne Dwayne
Published: March 2012

Operators including Aera Energy LLC are evaluating distributed temperature sensing (DTS) systems as an alternative to production logging tools (PLT) and radioactive tracer surveys (RTS) for the determination of zonal allocation factors. If DTS data can be interpreted to provide wellbore velocities, zonal allocation can be determined without well entry and practically in real-time. In comparison to PLT and RTS, DTS could provide zonal allocation at a higher measurement frequency, lower cost, and lower risk to personnel, environment, and the well asset. In wells where casing deformation precludes wireline operations, DTS may be the only viable alternative. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether water injection zonal allocation can be derived from DTS data acquired in thermal tracer injection tests within an uncertainty comparable to RTS. Three waterflood injection wells with RTS and DTS data in Aera Energy"s Belridge field in California are analyzed. The zonal allocation factors derived from the DTS are shown to agree within uncertainty with the RTS-based results. The DTS for two of the wells is interpreted through history matching with an OLGA thermal-fluid model. The DTS for a third well is interpreted using the Temperature Inflection Point (TIP) thermal tracer method proposed in this work. The TIP method is a simpler alternative to history matching and was shown to be theoretically valid for wells with negligible heat transfer at the walls over the duration of the injection test. In this regard the TIP method is less restrictive than the Slopes method, which is currently used in industry but theoretically requires negligible heat transfer at the walls and within the fluid. The TIP method is also shown to be more consistent with the field data of this study. The paper concludes with guidelines on the design and implementation of thermal injection tests and TIP analysis. The most significant practical limitation of the TIP method is its sensitivity to noise in the data, motivating DTS acquisition at the maximum practical resolution, data smoothing, and averaging over multiple test realizations.
Natural Proppants for Hydraulic Fracture Production Optimization in Eagle Ford Shale
Authors: Yang Mei , Economides Michael J.
Published: March 2012

Proppants are essential to the success of most hydraulic fractures and often account for a significant portion of the cost of the treatment. Both the mass of proppant and the selection of the right type of proppant are critical elements in gaining the highest Net Present Value (NPV).

It has been generally believed that in a lower closure stress environment (below 6,000 psi, i.e., shallow reservoirs), natural sands such as Brady and Ottawa types are appropriate as proppants and, for the same mesh size, they provide essentially the same permeability. Commonly accepted notion is that manmade proppants (such as ceramics) should be applied at higher closure stress environment, invariably deeper reservoirs.

According to the characteristics of Eagle Ford shale, which include the rock stiffness, exemplified by Young's Modulus, stress anisotropy or isotropy and the existence of a natural fracture network, this study presents fracture designs based on three types of proppants for both shale formations: Brady sand, Ottawa sand and man-made ceramic. Permeability tests and crush tests under certain pressure ranges are done to determine experimentally the dimensioned fracture conductivity. Although natural proppants may exhibit lower permeability, a fracture optimization p-3D model is used to remedy the lower proppant permeability and maximize well performance by optimizing fracture geometry, including fracture half length, width and height. Reduced proppant pack permeability is compensated by larger width. Non-Darcy effects in the fracture are also considered for gas reservoirs. Post-treatment well performance is then estimated, using the optimized well geometry, leading to cumulative production estimates over the well life. Finally, a NPV analysis is employed as the criterion to select the best proppant for the job.

In this study, we show there is an optimum Proppant Number corresponding to maximum NPV for various reservoir permeabilities. Based on that notion, we propose a systematic way of choosing proppant type and mass to maximize NPV in oil reservoirs. For tight gas reservoirs, we correct the prejudice that natural sand proppants cannot be applied to deeper reservoirs by showing NPV study results that are superior to those of manmade proppants. By keeping stimulation costs down, natural sand proppants have a much larger range of applicability than previously thought.
Grid-Based Surrogate Reservoir Modeling (SRM) for Fast Track Analysis of Numerical Reservoir Simulation Models at the Grid block Level
Authors: Mohaghegh Shahab D. , Amini Shohreh , Gholami Vida , Gaskari Razi , Bromhal Grant
Published: March 2012

Developing proxy models has a long history in our industry. Proxy models provide fast approximated solutions that substitute large numerical simulation models. They serve specific useful purposes such as assisted history matching and production/injection optimization. Most common proxy models are either reduced models or response surfaces. While the former accomplishes the run-time speed by grossly approximating the problem the latter accomplishes it by grossly approximating the solution space. Nevertheless, they are routinely developed and used in order to generate fast solutions to changes in the input space. Regardless of the type of model simplifications that is used, these conventional proxy models can only provide, at best, responses at the well locations, i.e. pressure or rate profiles at the well.

In this paper we present application of a new approach to building proxy models. This method has one major difference with the traditional proxy models. It has the capability of replicating the results of the numerical simulation models, away from the wellbores. The method is called Grid-Based Surrogate Reservoir Model (SRM) since it is has the unique capability of being able to replicate the pressure and saturation distribution throughout the reservoir at the grid block level, and at each time step, with reasonable accuracy. Grid-Based SRM performs this task at high speed, when compared with conventional numerical simulators such as those currently in use (commercial and in-house) in our industry.

To demonstrate the capabilities of Grid-Based SRM, its application to three reservoir simulation models are presented. Fist is a giant oil field in the Middle East with a large number of producers, second, to a CO2 sequestration project in Australia, and finally to a numerical simulation study of potential carbon storage site in the United States. The numerical reservoir simulation models are developed using two of the most commonly used commercial simulators1. Two of the models presented in this manuscript are consisted of hundreds of thousands of grid blocks and one includes close to a million cells. The Grid-based SRM that learns and replicates the fluid flow through these reservoirs can open new doors in reservoir modeling by providing the means for extended study of reservoir behavior with minimal computational cost. Surrogate Reservoir Modeling (SRM) is classified as an AI-Based reservoir model (Mohaghegh, 2011) referring to a process that accomplishes the task of proxy modeling by learning the specific behavior of a numerical reservoir simulation model through training on a uniquely developed spatio-temporal dataset. The spatio-temporal dataset is developed for each model using only a handful of simulation runs.
Leveraging New Technologies To Expedite Thermal EOR Facility Expansions
Authors: Kovac Hannie , Malpiede Neil
Published: March 2012

Redeveloping a heavyoil field is a complex undertaking. It requires a thorough understanding of the geology, reservoir and fluid characteristics, and the existing facilities infrastructure. Redevelopment should progress with minimal interference to existing facilities operations, maximizing positive cash flow from beginning of work to full commissioning of the new facilities. Employing new technologies and techniques in design, fabrication, installation, commissioning and start-up can help accomplish a successful expansion of an existing plant. Always, the objectives are to maximize safety, assure best operability, maximize efficiencies, provide design flexibility, ensure best fit of design to the redevelopment plan, and ultimately provide satisfactory project economics.

A comprehensive baseline of the existing infrastructure is required as a basis for process expansion. The 3D Scanning methods presented in this paper provide an efficient method of precision baselining existing facilities. Critical tie-in points are identified on 3D models. Equipment sizing and selection are influenced by the available footprint, access, and utility infrastructure – often undocumented in older facilities that have undergone numerous modifications. Emphasis is placed on minimizing interference with existing production equipment. The tie-in points identified using 3D scanning are integrated into the piping design process. The operator has the opportunity to "fly" through the proposed design and evaluate operability in a very effective three dimensional viewport. CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings from 3D models allow precise dimensioning of pipe spools and allow off-site fabrication of tie-in spools. The tie-in points are installed in a shorter shutdown and are fitted with the isolation required to bring the process online without taking additional downtime. The net benefit is reduced exposure; fewer contractors working on location, fewer and shorter turnaround outages, and a better operational functionality review of the design prior to implementation – resulting in a safer, faster, and higher integrity project overall.
Type Curves for Pressure Transient Analysis of Composite Double-Porosity Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Rana Sachin , Ertekin Turgay
Published: March 2012

This paper presents a new set of type curves for pressure transient analysis of composite dual-porosity systems. The composite, double-porosity system studied in this paper represents shale gas reservoirs with multistage hydraulically fractured horizontal wells. Upon hydraulic fracturing of horizontal wells, it is critically important to determine the permeability and extent of artificially induced fractures. In this study, it is shown that these properties can be calculated by using the type curves presented in this study. In addition to the permeability and extent of hydraulic fractures, dual-porosity dimensionless parameters of the hydraulically fractured region can also be calculated using these type curves. It is shown that type curves developed in this study provide accurate results via analysis of the pressure transient drawdown data. A case study is presented to validate and show the application of the type curves.
Spatial hydrological analysis for water harvesting potential using ArcGIS model: the case of the north-eastern desert, Jordan
Authors: Hadadin Nidal , Shawash Sari , Tarawneh Zeyad , Banihani Qais , Hamdi Moshrik R.
Published: March 2012

Jordan is located in an arid to semi-arid zone where water resources are limited. The threat of water shortages is already a reality and Jordan is struggling to face the scarcity of water. The north-eastern Badia semi-desert (zone) of the Kingdom is a large area with a small population. Constructing a dam can boost the local economy by supplying the water necessary for a community to meet its irrigation needs and develop the study area. In this study, ArcGIS software using a digital elevation model (DEM) map was utilized to determine possible sites where rainwater can be collected in north-eastern Badia. Possible watersheds were delineated using drainage networks. Seven sub-watersheds were characterized hydrologically by developing unit hydrographs, and water volume capacity was computed. Moreover, possible sites for earthen dams or tanks for water harvesting systems were investigated in different areas of Jordan. Rainwater harvesting could make water available during dry periods and its capture can also reduce soil erosion from runoff during wet periods.
Reference Model of Project Prototyping Problem
Authors: Relich Marcin , Banaszak Zbigniew
Published: March 2012

Reference Model of Project Prototyping Problem

The paper presents the idea of reference model of project prototyping problem for the projects that are at risk of failure. The hierarchical structure of declarative model connects two fields: functionalities of a typical service enterprise and management system of project execution in the enterprise. The functionalities as separate Constraints Satisfaction Problems (CSP) are described. CSP contains the sets of decision variables, their domains and constraints, which link these variables. The separated problems described as CSP, then in single main CSP are integrated. On the other hand, these problems can decompose into the subproblems concerning the functionalities of different fields. The open structure of model enables to solve the decision problems with different level of specificity. The decision problem can regard a query about the results of proposed decisions as well as the decisions guaranteeing the expected results. A declarative kind of proposed reference model in a natural way allows to implement its in constraint programming languages. The possibility of this approach illustrates an example.
Complex Mathematical Models for Analysis, Evaluation and Prediction of Aqueous and Atmospheric Environment of Latvia
Authors: Guseynov Sharif , Kopytov Eugene
Published: March 2012

Complex Mathematical Models for Analysis, Evaluation and Prediction of Aqueous and Atmospheric Environment of Latvia

In present paper the authors consider the complete statements of initial-boundary problems for the modelling of various aspects of aqueous (3 models) and atmospheric systems (2 models) in Latvia. All the proposed models are described in terms of differential equations theory (using both ordinary differential equations and partial differential equations) and are regarded to be the evolutional models. Two of the three aqueous system models being studied are intended to describe the natural aquatic media ecosystems while the other models are aimed at studying environmental pollution processes.
Soil biological activity as affected by tillage intensity
Authors: Gajda A. , Przewłoka B.
Published: March 2012

Soil biological activity as affected by tillage intensity

The effect of tillage intensity on changes of microbiological activity and content of particulate organic matter in soil under winter wheat duirng 3 years was studied. Microbial response related to the tillage-induced changes in soil determined on the content of biomass C and N, the rate of CO2evolution, B/F ratio, the activity of dehydrogenases, acid and alkaline phosphatases, soil C/N ratio and microbial biomass C/N ratio confirmed the high sensitivity of soil microbial populations to the tillage system applied. After three year studies, the direct sowing system enhanced the increase of labile fraction of organic matter content in soil. There were no significant changes in the labile fraction quantity observed in soil under conventional tillage. Similar response related to the tillage intensity was observed in particulate organic matter quantities expressed as a percentage of total organic matter in soil. A high correlation coefficients calculated between contents of soil microbial biomass C and N, particulate organic matter and potentially mineralizable N, and the obtained yields of winter wheat grown on experimental fields indicated on a high importance of biological quality of status of soil for agricultural crop production.
Blueprinting Approach in Support of Cloud Computing
Authors: Nguyen Dinh Khoa , Lelli Francesco , Papazoglou Mike P. , Van den Heuvel Willem-Jan
Published: March 2012

Current cloud service offerings, i.e., Software-as-a-service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offerings are often provided as monolithic, one-size-fits-all solutions and give little or no room for customization. This limits the ability of Service-based Application (SBA) developers to configure and syndicate offerings from multiple SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS providers to address their application requirements. Furthermore, combining different independent cloud services necessitates a uniform description format that facilitates the design, customization, and composition. Cloud Blueprinting is a novel approach that allows SBA developers to easily design, configure and deploy virtual SBA payloads on virtual machines and resource pools on the cloud. We propose the Blueprint concept as a uniform abstract description for cloud service offerings that may cross different cloud computing layers, i.e., SaaS, PaaS and IaaS. To support developers with the SBA design and development in the cloud, this paper introduces a formal Blueprint Template for unambiguously describing a blueprint, as well as a Blueprint Lifecycle that guides developers through the manipulation, composition and deployment of different blueprints for an SBA. Finally, the empirical evaluation of the blueprinting approach within an EC’s FP7 project is reported and an associated blueprint prototype implementation is presented.
Novel Meta-Heuristic Optimization Techniques for Solving Fuzzy Programming Problems
Authors: Vasant Pandian
Published: March 2012

In this chapter, three meta-heuristic optimization techniques have been utilized to solve the fuzzy programming problems in industrial production systems. This chapter outlines an introduction to real-world industrial problem for product-mix selection involving eight variables and 21 constraints with fuzzy technological coefficients and thereafter, a formulation for an optimization approach to solve the problem. This problem occurs in production planning in which a decision maker plays a pivotal role in making decision under fuzzy environment. Decision-maker should be aware of his/her level of satisfaction as well as degree of fuzziness while making the product-mix decision. Genetic algorithms, pattern search, and mesh adaptive direct search methods have been employed to solve the large scale problems in real world industrial sector. The results for these techniques have been investigated thoroughly in the form of 2D, 3D plots, and tables. The industrial production planning problem which was illustrated in this chapter was solved successfully by these three meta-heuristic methods. The results are analyzed along with the optimal profit function (objective or fitness function) with level of satisfaction, decision variables, vagueness factor, and computational time (CPU).
III-V Nitride Based Novel Solid-State Terahertz Power-Source
Authors: Mukherjee Moumita
Published: March 2012

The static and dynamic characteristics of Wide Bandgap GaN having different structures and doping profiles are thoroughly investigated. The study has established the potential of this WBG semiconductor in fabricating high-power IMPATT devices in the above high frequency regimes. A comparison between the device performances of WZ- & ZB- GaN IMPATTs has shown that WZ-GaN IMPATTs are superior to ZB-GaN IMPATTs as far as output power density, efficiency, and high-temperature operation are concerned. Starting with brief review on state-of-the-art THz devices and on the conventional ATT devices, a details analysis of THz frequency performances of the novel III-V Nitride semiconductor based ATT devices will be presented in this chapter. Application possibilities of such devices in defence and industrial sectors will be presented in a nutshell. Emphasis will be given on the studies on their experimental realization. Photo-sensitivity studies of the new class of devices are also the scope the chapter.
Business/IT Alignment Framework within e-Government System Case Study
Authors: Atieh Kamal , Mohammad Abd Ulgahfoor , Khalil Tarek , Bagdadlian Fadi
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this chapter is to study the effect of Business Information Technology (BIT) alignment on e-Government success in developing countries and all factors affecting this alignment. Therefore, the chapter studies the multiple factors on BIT alignment, such as people, process, and organizational factors. This research discusses some of the possible factors in developing countries with the case study of Syria. Any e-Government project needs all government resources (IT, financial, and human) and not only a single organization resources in order to be able to harness the benefits from all resources to improve an organization work, and this may imply the existence of BIT alignment. Therefore, the gap between business and IT teams seems to be one of the most important factors negatively impacting the implementation of e-Government. Therefore, filling in this gap may help in avoiding the failure of e-Government projects in developing countries in general and in Syria in particular. This case study contains an analysis of related documents and involves 20 semi-structured interviews with senior managers, e-Government project team members, and independent experts from the academics field. This research shows the need for BIT alignment as one of the most important factors that should be considered for the success of any e-Government project. An e-Government implementation framework based on the BIT alignment was developed as a result of the case study of Syria.
Benchmarking Local e-Government
Authors: de Juana-Espinosa Susana , Tarí Juan José
Published: March 2012

The aim of this chapter is to examine the stages of business process re-Engineering (BPR) and the critical success factors needed to successfully implement e-Government initiatives in a major tourist town in Spain. The research utilises a case study as the main methodology for understanding the penetration of e-Government in a tourist town in Spain. This town is one of the most attractive destinations for holiday travelers from Northern and Central Europe, as well as for many Spanish people. The chapter shows how the stages of BPR are deployed in a local e-Government project and how the critical success factors (CSFs) have been addressed. These results may serve as an exemplary approach to understanding BPR and critical success factors in local e-Government strategies. The study provides lessons for policy makers and other stakeholders, including project managers and implementers that will help them to increase the efficiency and efficacy of their e-Government adoption processes especially if their economy is tourism-centered. Accordingly, the local government in many tourism-oriented, emerging economies may benefit from this experience, since it will allow them to identify the relevant success factors and to overcome possible barriers culminating into the increase of efficiency of their e-Government development plans.
Bridging Synthetic and Organic Materiality
Authors: Yoshida Hironori
Published: March 2012

The recent movement from mass production to mass customization enabled by digital fabrication has opened the door for new typologies in architecture and design. The author brought the idea of mass customization to material connection, which normally appears as orthogonal seams that are predominant in man-made objects. This chapter introduces gradient material transitions that seamlessly bridge synthetic and organic matter. Using digital image processing of organic forms, the fabrication process generates 3D tooling paths, culminating in the concept of ‘bio customization’ rather than mass customization, a new prospect of digital fabrication.
Seeing the Unseen
Authors: Laramée Eve Andrée , Thokala Kalyan Chakravarthy , Webb Donna , Kang Eunsu , Kolodziej Matthew , Niewiarowski Peter , Xiao Yingcai
Published: March 2012

The Synapse Group at the University of Akron was formed to explore enlightened collaborations between art and science, and to probe the ideas, images, and mutual interests connecting art and science professionals and disciplines. This chapter presents selected artworks created by members of the group. A major theme of this chapter is visualizing water that is unseen, such as invisible underground water or imaginary virtual water. Also explained in the chapter are the inspiration processes by which those artworks were created.
Science within the Art
Authors: Craft Doug
Published: March 2012

This chapter discusses how both art and science proceed from an appreciation for and application of the natural proportions and forms associated with nature. Brief descriptions of the Golden Ratio, fractals, and the holographic metaphor are presented with illustrative examples from geometry, nature, science, and art. This material is followed by an outline of a personal theory of aesthetics based on emulation of natural form, and concepts from Thomas Aquinas and James Joyce. Application of the aesthetics are illustrated with art from a series of collage entitled, The Elements in Golden Ratio. A discussion of the four classical elements (earth, air, fire, and water) and application of the Golden Ratio forms used in the art underscores how the emulation of form in nature is central to the author’s artistic process. The author, an artist and scientist, concludes with personal observations on the commonalities between art and science.
Getting Closer to Nature
Authors: Walker James Faure
Published: March 2012

The term bio art has emerged in the past few years to cover the kind of art that seems to come from the biology lab, with simulations of life forms through generative processes, with data taken from organisms, or even through organisms themselves. This is often at the micro level, invisible to the naked eye, where seeing requires some degree of computer modeling. This could be a hybrid form, serving the interests of both art and science, but recent exhibitions have prompted some debate about the divergent roles of art and science. Rob Kesseler and Andrew Carnie are artists who have worked alongside biologists to produce visual works of extraordinary quality, in both their decorative and intellectual aspects. They follow in a long tradition of artists who have been fascinated by the close-up detail. Drawing manuals of a hundred years ago advocated the study of plant forms, sometimes as the basis for pattern design. The author describes his own use of scientific sources, arguing that there is also a place for art that evokes the wonders of nature without being tied to the visible facts.
Surge dynamics on Bering Glacier, Alaska, in 2008–2011
Authors: Burgess E. W. , Forster R. R. , Larsen C. F. , Braun M.
Published: March 2012

Abstract. A 2008–2011 surge of Bering Glacier, Alaska is examined using observations of surface velocity and surface elevation change. Velocity measurements are obtained using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) offset tracking and elevation data are obtained from the University of Alaska Fairbanks LiDAR altimetry program. Bering Glacier began to surge in May 2008 and had two phases of accelerated flow. The first phase accelerated progressively for at least 10 months and reached peak observed velocities of ~7 m d−1. Results suggest that during the quiescent phase, prior to the surge, periods of accelerated flow increased driving stresses up to 70% in a ~10 km-long section of the Lower Bering. When the first phase of the surge initiated, synchronous acceleration occurred throughout much of the glacier length, indicating widespread pressurization of the bed, but the largest accelerations initiated at the location where driving stress built up during quiescence. From there, rapid flow velocities propagated upstream and downstream across much of the glacier length and transpired as small, transient and unorganized propagation fronts. The second phase occurred in 2011 and was of comparable scale to the surge in 1993–1995, with velocities exceeding 9 m d−1 or ~18 times quiescent velocities.
Overview of Radical Initiation
Authors: Lalevée Jacques , Fouassier Jean Pierre
Published: March 2012

Free radicals are key intermediates in many chemical or biological processes and are characterized by a growing number of applications. Convenient methods are requested for the clean generation of these intermediates that can be further used as initiating species in various chemical reactions. Radical initiators correspond to compounds that can produce free radicals under mild conditions to promote radical reactions. In this article, the principal routes for radical initiation are described. The different activation pathways (thermolysis, photolysis, and radiolysis) are presented and various examples and different parameters characterizing radical initiator properties are provided (decomposition rates, bond dissociation energies, spectral sensitivity, etc.). Redox processes leading to the generation of free radical are also presented.
Radiation‐Induced Radical Reactions
Authors: Bobrowski Krzysztof
Published: March 2012

This article reports on radiation‐induced radical reactions in gases, liquids, and solids. A brief summary of specific features of high‐energy radiation and its interaction with matter is given as a base for better understanding of reaction mechanisms initiated by radiation. The first section describes the most important features of radiolysis in a gas phase with presentation of the commonly used gas systems for inducing and studying radical reactions. Relevant examples include radical reactions connected with atmospheric and environmental chemistry, combustion, and electric discharges. The second section focuses on radiation‐induced radical reactions in water and aqueous solutions with a special emphasis on procedures that allow induction of radical reactions in a controlled manner. Relevant examples include radical reactions initiated by primary and secondary radicals from water radiolysis with a variety of compounds. Application of various organic solvents and ionic liquids offering a convenient method of generation and also some control over the nature of radical ions and excited states formed in the irradiated solvents and derived from the solutes is also presented. The last section briefly summarizes the most commonly applied solid systems and highlights radiation‐induced radical reactions in zeolites, a new matrix used recently for radiation generation of radicals and radical ions in the solid state.
Organic Electron Donors
Authors: Murphy John A.
Published: March 2012

One of the most prevalent methods of forming radicals involves oxidation of closed‐shell organic molecules to radical cations, followed by loss of a proton or other positively charged entity, leaving a radical. There are so many ways to trigger the loss of an electron from a neutral molecule to form a radical cation that it is not surprising that this approach has very important and widespread synthetic applications. This article examines the oxidation of neutral organic molecules under various conditions: (i) spontaneous electron transfer to a substrate, which happens with highly electron‐rich organic molecules acting as electron donors, (ii) by photoelectron transfer from a substrate to an excited state receptor, where the transfer can be either intramolecular or intermolecular, (iii) by reaction with an oxidizing reagent, and (iv) by electrochemical oxidation. By giving examples of all of these, the article aims to give an overview of organic molecules as electron donors. Notable recent developments in organocatalysis are included, featuring oxidation of enamines, as are recent developments of neutral organic super‐electron‐donors.
Halogen and Chalcogen Transfer Chemistry
Authors: Li Chaozhong
Published: March 2012

Atom transfer reactions have become an indispensable tool for carbon–carbon bond formations. Atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) reactions were first discovered by Kharasch and coworkers in the year 1945. This type of transformations did not receive much attention until the mid‐1980s when Curranet al.first demonstrated the atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) reactions and their application in the synthesis of (±)‐hirsutene. Enormous progress has been made since then. Reactions involving transfer of halogens (I, Br, Cl) and chalcogens (SePh and TeAr) have been developed, providing a powerful, atom‐economic, and nonreductive complement to the tin hydride method for conducting radical addition reactions. The introduction of Lewis acids increases the efficiency and regio‐ and stereoselectivity in many cases. Transition‐metal catalysis, in combination with reducing agents, makes the ATRA and ATRC reactions more efficient and environmentally friendly. In this article, the versatile chemistry of halogen (I, Br, Cl) and chalcogen (PhSe and ArTe) transfer involving carbon–carbon bond formation is discussed.