bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overview of Material Balance Equation (MBE) in Shale Gas & Non-Conventional Reservoir
Authors: Singh Vikash Kumar
Published: December 2013

Material balance has long been used in reservoir engineering practice as a simple yet powerful tool to determine the Original-Gas-In-Place (G). The conventional format of the gas material balance equation is the simple straight line plot of p/Z versus cumulative gas production (Gp) which can be extrapolated to zero p/Z to obtain G. The method was developed for a "volumetric" gas reservoir. It assumes a constant pore volume of gas and accounts for the energy of gas expansion, but it ignores other sources of energy such as the effects of formation compressibility, residual fluids expansion and aquifer support. In this paper, overview will presented on new format of the gas material balance equation is presented which recaptures the simplicity of the straight line while accounting for all the drive mechanisms. It uses a p/Z** instead of p/Z. The effect of each of the mentioned drive mechanisms appears as an effective compressibility term in the new gas material balance equation. Also, the physical meaning of the effective compressibility’s are explained and compared with the concept of drive indices. Furthermore, the gas material balance is used to derive a generalized rigorous total compressibility in the presence of all the above-mentioned drive mechanisms, which is very important in calculating the pseudo-time used in rate transient analysis of production data.

This Paper will represent another two method of MBE for unconventional reserve.one is appropriate for estimating OGIP and second is appropriate for making Reservoir prediction. These techniques are differing from MBE of conventional gas reservoir in which effect of absorbed gas are included. For calculating OGIP, the assumption of equilibrium between free gas and absorbed gas phase is required. No additional assumptions are required for reservoir prediction.
Designing a High Performance Computational Platform for Simulation of Giant Reservoir Models
Authors: Hayder M. Ehtesham , Baddourah Majdi , Harbi Badr , Al-Zawawi Ahmed S. , Abouheit Fouad , Zamil Khalid , Nahdi Umar
Published: December 2013

Simulation of high resolution reservoir models is useful to gain insight into oil and gas reservoirs. Nowadays, massive comprehensive reservoir simulation models can be built with detailed geological and well log data. These models require a very large high performance computing (HPC) platform for conducting reservoir simulation. Saudi Aramco has developed a state-of-the-art simulator, GigaPOWERS™, which is capable of simulating multibillion cell reservoir models. This paper provides an overview of challenges related to constructing, HPCs and visualizing the simulation output of giant reservoir models, and how the computational platform at Saudi Aramco is designed to overcome these challenges.

A large HPC platform can be designed for reservoir simulation by connecting multiple Linux clusters in a simulation grid. Such an environment can provide the necessary capacity and computational power to solve multi-billion cell reservoir models. Such a simulation grid for reservoir simulation has been designed in the Saudi Aramco EXPEC Computer Center. In this study, we provide the benchmark results of multiple giant fields to evaluate the performance of the Saudi Aramco simulation grid for reservoir simulation. Communication and I/O routines in the simulator may add a considerable overhead in computation on such a computing platform. Connectivity between clusters on our simulation grid is tuned to maintain a high level of scalability in simulation. Excellent scalability results have been obtained for computations of giant simulation models on the simulation grid.

Simulation models of the order of one billion cells pose a challenge to pre- and post-processing applications to load and process data in a reasonable time. Remote visualization, Level of Detail and Load on Demand algorithms were implemented in these applications and data formats were revised to efficiently process and visualize massive simulation models.
Air Quality Control Initiatives
Authors: Al-Ameer Hassan , Al-Alawi Hijji , Al-Balawi Abdulrahman
Published: December 2013

The intent of this paper is to share the successful operational story in controlling air quality at Saudi Aramco, Uthmaniyah Gas Plant. Obligation with environmental regulations becomes, nowadays a challenge to the industry fields. UGP was committed to comply with the government and Saudi Aramco environmental standards by implementing several ideas to enhance the air quality. The first idea is Wet Hydrocarbon Recovery System which eliminates the continuous use of burn pit for Wet HC from eth blow down system and re-injects back into the HC crude lines. Beside this modification will allow UGP to comply with environmental regulations by eliminating the continuous flaring of Wet HC, it will reserve the life time of the burn pits and protect the ground water aquifer from contaminations. The second idea is upgrading the Sulfur units from CLAUS process to SUPERCLAUS process to achieve 98.7 % of sulfur recovery and reduce SO2 emissions by installing new condenser with coalser and changing the type of converters’ catalysts. All of these modifications resulted in decreasing the SO2 emissions by 25 %. The third idea is Flare Gas Recovery System which the system will recover the flare gases from the flare headers and then compressed the gas to 260 psig for feeding the plant low pressure sour gas header. The ultimate goal of this idea is to avoid visible smoke and flame from flaring system and comply with environmental regulations. The system is very attractive not only reducing flares’ emissions but also it would recover the valuable gases being wasted to the flare stack. This paper discusses, in details, all ideas objectives, processes and benefits.
Filter Cake Cleanup Using HCl/Glycolic Acid System
Authors: Elkatatny S. M. , Al Moajil A. M. , Nasr-El-Din H. A.
Published: December 2013

Cleanup of filter cake generated by high density drilling fluids (1.5 SG) that are based on manganese tetraoxide (Mn3O4) particles as a weigthing material was investigated using a mixture of HCl and glycolic acids. Manganese tetraoxide (Mn3O4) has a specific gravity of 4.8, which means that it can be used to drill deep wells. Because of the hetrogenouty of the filter cake, it was suggested in the literature to degrade the top layer of the filter using an enzyme and dissolve the remaining filter cake using organic acid. HCl at concentrations greater than 5 wt% HCl releases chlorine gas, a toxic and corrosive gas.

A Breaker fluid was developed, which combined low and safe concentration of HCl and glycolic acid. Solubility tests conducted at 250°F indicated that glycolic acid alone did not dissolve the filter cake. However, a combination of 7 wt% glycolic acid and 1 wt% HCl dissolved 90% of the filter cake.

The acid mixture was tested in a modified HPHT filter press. Indiana limestone and Berea sandstone cores were used at 250°F. The cleaning fluid was very effective in removing filter cake, removal efficiency was nearly 90% and the return permeability was 100%. The filtrate into limestone and Berea cores did not cause any damage.
Comprehensive Reservoir Assessment and Refracturing Improve Saudi Arabian Gas Well Deliverability
Authors: Rahim Zillur , Al-Anazi Hamoud , Waspada Dwi , Al-Kanaan Adnan
Published: December 2013

Hydraulic fracturing is a widely used and proven technology in the industry to enhance oil and gas production, particularly in tight formations. Recent improvements in fracture fluid chemistry, proppant types, drilling strategy, and well completion technology have significantly contributed in optimizing reservoir and field development. Consequently, well evaluation and comprehensive analysis of reservoir parameters and production data is necessary to ascertain that the most appropriate stimulation treatment is selected to provide the level of productivity expected from the wells. The evaluation consists of assessing reservoir geology, open hole logs, pressure transient data, production performance, and reservoir fluid properties along with drilling and fracturing parameters. Such assessments help improve and optimize the stimulation technique for any given reservoir and field conditions, addressing specific challenges in that area, and determining remedial plans on any well that did not show expected results in terms of productivity enhancement.

Saudi Arabian gas wells are routinely stimulated to enhance and sustain production. The current strategy to drill horizontal wells and induce multiple hydraulic fractures has contributed to improved gas recovery. Due to the reservoir heterogeneity and challenges in creating optimal hydraulic fractures, some wells show high post-treatment production rate and fall into early decline.

A critical and intense work on the underperforming wells has been conducted using data mainly from geology, open hole logs, cores, fluid properties, and pressure transient tests to understand and quantify reservoir characteristics, fracture properties, and flow capacity of these wells and come up with plans to improve production. Evaluations of many wells are depicted in this paper where expected production was not achieved. The results have shown that short fracture half-lengths, limited vertical coverage, and poor fracture fluid cleanup are some of the main contributors to suboptimal post-fracture productivity. The main remedial plans to restore well productivity included the addition of perforations, re-perforations and refracturing. The refracturing treatments are designed different than the initial treatments to include some of the newer fracturing fluids, perforation strategy, and pumping schedule. This paper summarizes the well conditions, complete evaluation processes, and the remedial procedures undertaken for each well to ensure full potential. Pre- and post-remedial action program indicates the success of refracturing program.
Illuminating the Reservoir: Magnetic NanoMappers
Authors: Al-Shehri Abdullah A. , Ellis Erika S. , Felix Servin Jesus M. , Kosynkin Dmitry V. , Kanj Mazen Y. , Schmidt Howard K.
Published: December 2013

The ability to map injected fluids in hydrocarbon reservoirs with high resolution is a key goal for reservoir engineering and optimization. Saudi Aramco is developing tools and methodologies to map floodfront, locate bypassed oil, monitor the oil-water contact and detect super-k zones and fracture corridors prior to early water breakthrough at producing wells. Magnetic NanoMappers (MNM) is a new approach exploiting the use of Magnetic Nano-Particles (MNP) as contrast agents for mapping the floodfront inside the hydrocarbon reservoir. This approach takes advantage of the fact that electromagnetic (EM) waves speed slow down when they pass through magnetic media. Localizing MNP within injected fluids could provide a detailed map of fluids movements. Lab tests have recently demonstrated that the capability of MNM to locate MNP volumes hidden within a 2,000 liter tank (reservoir model) with high resolution. This paper will outline the MNM concept, laboratory testbed, results and future plans.
Sexual Function, Activity, and Satisfaction among Women Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis
Authors: Mor Maria K. , Sevick Mary Ann , Shields Anne Marie , Green Jamie A. , Palevsky Paul M. , Arnold Robert M. , Fine Michael J. , Weisbord Steven D.
Published: December 2013

Background and objectives

Past studies that demonstrated that sexual dysfunction is common among women receiving chronic hemodialysis did not distinguish sexual dysfunction/difficulty from sexual inactivity. This study sought to differentiate these in order to elucidate the prevalence of true “sexual dysfunction” in this population.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

As part of a clinical trial of symptom management strategies in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis, female sexual function was prospectively assessed monthly for 6 months and quarterly thereafter using the Female Sexual Function Index, to which questions were added differentiating sexual dysfunction/difficulty from sexual inactivity. Beginning in month 7, patients were asked three questions about sexual activity, difficulty, and satisfaction monthly.

Results

Of the women enrolled in the clinical trial,125 participants completed 1721 assessments between 2009 and 2011. Scores on 574 of 643 (89%) quarterly Female Sexual Function Index assessments were consistent with sexual dysfunction, due largely to sexual inactivity, which was reported on 525 (82%) quarterly assessments. When reported (n=1663), the most frequently described reasons for sexual inactivity were lack of interest in sex (n=715; 43%) and lack of a partner (n=647; 39%), but rarely sexual difficulty (n=36; 2%). When reported (n=1582), women were moderately to very satisfied with their sexual life on 1020 (64%) assessments and on 513 of 671 (76%) assessments in which lack of interest was cited as a reason for sexual inactivity. Women indicated an interest in learning about the causes of and treatment for sexual dysfunction on just 5% of all assessments.

Conclusions

Although many women receiving chronic hemodialysis are sexually inactive, few describe sexual difficulty. Most, including those with a lack of interest in sex, are satisfied with their sexual life and few wish to learn about treatment options. These findings suggest that true sexual dysfunction is uncommon in this population and that treatment opportunities are rare.
The Balkans as a European inner otherness
Authors: Koprivica Caslav
Published: December 2013

In this paper the author attempts to re-examine the importance of the Balkans
in the imagery of (Western) Europe. Three points are highlighted: the
necessity of mediation of Europe?s identity through the Otherness,
peculiarities of Europe?s perception of the Balkans, and influence of the
construction of this allegedly unitary, external identity of the Balkans on
self-perception of peoples from the Peninsula. An effort is made to show how
the internal complexity of the European identity directly and inevitably
affected different, not only Balkan, cultural Othernesses and how it is
peculiar for the Balkans not to be recognized by the West as sufficiently
different Otherness.
Genetic idealism and structure of society
Authors: Pecenjin Konstantinovic
Published: December 2013

The article introduces the reader to the problem of relations between
scientific theory and idea. Out of these relations genetic idealism is born.
The genetic idealism distorts reality, but it allows the researcher to make
complete theory. The genetic idealism of the society researchers is described
in this work. It is shown how the partial neutralization of idealism allows
us to study the genetic structure of society through the structure of the
habitus. The society structure is presented as the sum of the links between
social institutions.
Rural tourism in the villages around Valjevo as an instrument of sustainable development
Authors: Vidic Nada
Published: December 2013

The aim of this paper is to show that rural tourism as an instrument of
sustainable development can be a component of village revitalization. Rural
tourism is a new term in the post-modern society which, based on the concept
of sustainable development, should lead to optimal use of local natural and
human resources and capacities. The concept of rural tourism is based on
programme documents both in the world and in our country. This paper is
focused on the research of rural tourism in the villages around Valjevo. The
results of this study have shown that sustainable rural tourism in our
country is characterized by European rural patterns: local history, local
tradition, cultural patterns, traditional economy, mainly pristine, healthy
nature, peace and serenity - authentic rural identity, a specific rural sense
of place. The word ?peasant? can be a synonym for sustainability i.e. a
paradigm for sustainable rural development and sustainable rural tourism.
Country houses on the southern slopes of Povlen: 1800-1970.
Authors: Kuzovic Dusko
Published: December 2013

Houses in the village area on the southern slopes of Mt. Povlen began their
development in the late 18th century with the arrival of the first settlers
from Montenegro and Herzegovina. In the new habitat, the immigrants were
applying knowledge and skills acquired in villages they came from. Natural
conditions at this new location offered them wide range of construction
materials. Rapid economic development stimulated the transition from
livestock to farming and more intensive plum growing. New activities
influenced in a new way the shape of rural houses. Slow development of
transportation and public administration also influenced in a certain way the
house forming. At the same time, organization and relationships within the
family remained almost the same. All the influences on the development of
rural houses can be traced in the saved objects on the site and in written
materials. Based on the objects on the site, breakpoints from one stage to
another could be established. Knowledge in this very area may help to
understand the 21st century village architecture. Objects presented in this
paper were recorded for personal project from 1996 to 2000.
Brussels’ despotism and disgusting decencies: On ordered truth - purchased justice - EU’s colonialism by Hannes Hofbauer, Belgrade, 2012
Authors: Reljic Slobodan
Published: December 2013

Eastern European societies became victims of the western economic expansion
after the Berlin Wall had collapsed; their states were ruined and they were
subsequently robbed. The expansion of the EU to the east, in reality, is
nothing else but subduing half of the European continent to the interests and
the logic of Western European companies. Brutal expansion, in which the end
justifies the means, creates the boomerang effect that endangers basic values
of liberal society as a whole. Hence, the law that sanctions public doubt in
verdicts of the Hague Tribunal on the events in Srebrenica that took place in
July 1995, is now transforming into jeopardy for freedom of the press,
bringing back verbal censorship and even focusing the attention of historians
to the one and only truth.
The Changing Face of Auditor Reporting in the Broker-Dealer Industry
Authors: Bedard Jean C. , Cannon Nathan , Schnader Anne L.
Published: December 2013

The broker-dealer (BD) industry is facing increasing scrutiny because of the recent financial crisis and well-publicized scandals. As is often the case for public companies, a root cause of the problems underlying scandals in the BD sector is ineffective internal controls. This paper describes the current regulatory environment for auditors of BDs, focusing on Congressional actions taken, as well as guidance for auditors in preparing their reports on clients' internal controls and compliance with regulations as required by the SEC. We describe aspects of current attestation standards contributing to uncertainty with respect to the level of assurance that auditors should obtain when evaluating their clients' internal controls for purposes of SEC reporting, and evidence from regulators on the variability in audit quality. Then, we describe the SEC's proposed changes to BD reporting and the PCAOB's proposal for related attestation standards. We conclude with some thoughts about the implications of these proposals for auditing and reporting in this important industry sector.
Effect of extraction conditions of paprika oleoresins on their free radical scavenging and anticancer activity
Authors: Šaponjac Vesna , Četojević-Simin Dragana , Ćetković Gordana , Čanadanović-Brunet Jasna , Djilas Sonja , Mandić Anamarija , Tepić Aleksandra
Published: December 2013

Ground spice paprika was extracted with hexane, by conventional Soxhlet procedure (SX oleoresin), and with supercritical carbon dioxide at three different pressures — 20, 30 and 40 MPa (SF20, SF30 and SF40 oleoresins). The effect of extraction method and conditions on the colour intesity of paprika oleoresins, content of α-tocopherol, as well as antioxidant and antiproliferative activity was examined. Hexane showed highest selectivity for paprika pigments (886.02 ASTA), while α-tocopherol showed highest solubility (3846.9 mg kg−1) in supercritical carbon dioxide at 20 MPa. All paprika oleoresins exhibited good superoxide anion radical scavenging activity SF30 being the best superoxide anion radical scavenger. Cell growth activity was evaluated in vitro in human cell lines:cervix epitheloid carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7) and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29). The highest antiproliferative activity was exhibited by SX in MCF7 cell line (IC50=14.28 mg mL−1). Extract SF40 produced significant and selective antiproliferative action towards HeLa cell line. These results suggest that paprika oleoresins, due to high antiradical and tumor cell-inhibiting activity, can be regarded as functional food ingredients.
Determination of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) based on a novel BZ oscillating reaction system catalyzed by a macrocyclic complex
Authors: Zeng Qingling , Chen Lulu , Song Xianyi , Hu Gang , Hu Lin
Published: December 2013

This paper reports a new method for determination of VB6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride) by its perturbation effects on a novel Belousov-Zhabotinskii (BZ) oscillating system. This novel BZ system, in which malic acid serves as the substrate, contains an enzyme-like complex, macrocyclic complex {[CuL](ClO4)2}, as catalyst. The ligand L in the complex is 5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-4,11-diene. Results show that the addition of pyridoxine hydrochloride can perturb the oscillation amplitude and period, and the change of the oscillation amplitude is linearly proportional to the concentration of pyridoxine hydrochloride in the range of 5×10−7−2.5×10−4 M. The obtained RSD with seven samples is 3.073%. An assay of pharmaceutical tablets of vitamin B6 was evaluated. Some foreign ions were studied with respect to their possible influence on the determination of pyridoxine hydrochloride. The factors which influence this reaction include the concentration of reactant, the temperature of the reaction, property of catalyst, etc. Furthermore, the possible reaction mechanism has been proposed using the Field-Körös-Noyes (FKN) model.
Agglomeration of ZnS nanoparticles without capping additives at different temperatures
Authors: Praus Petr , Dvorský Richard , Kovář Petr , Svoboda Ladislav
Published: December 2013

ZnS nanoparticles were precipitated in diluted aqueous solutions of zinc and sulphide ions without capping additives at a temperature interval of 0.5–20°C. ZnS nanoparticles were arranged in large flocs that were disaggregated into smaller agglomerates with hydrodynamic sizes of 70–150 nm depending on temperature. A linear relationship between hydrodynamic radius (R
a) and temperature (T) was theoretically derived as R
a =652 - 2.11 T.

The radii of 1.9–2.2 nm of individual ZnS nanoparticles were calculated on the basis of gap energies estimated from their UV absorption spectra. Low zeta potentials of these dispersions of −5.0 mV to −6.3 mV did not depend on temperature. Interactions between individual ZnS nanoparticles were modelled in the Material Studio environment. Water molecules were found to stabilize ZnS nanoparticles via electrostatic interactions.
Numerical study of the laminar flame propagation in ethane-air mixtures
Authors: Giurcan Venera , Razus Domnina , Mitu Maria , Oancea Dumitru
Published: December 2013

The structure of premixed free one-dimensional laminar ethane-air flames was investigated by means of numerical simulations performed with a detailed mechanism (GRI-Mech version 3.0) by means of COSILAB package. The work provides data on ethane-air mixtures with a wide range of concentrations ([C2H6] = 3.0–9.5 vol.%) at initial temperatures between 300 and 550 K and initial pressures between 1 and 10 bar. The simulations deliver the laminar burning velocities and the profiles of temperature, chemical species concentrations and heat release rate across the flame front. The predicted burning velocities match well the burning velocities measured in various conditions, reported in literature. The influence of initial concentration, pressure and temperature of ethane-air mixtures on maximum flame temperature, heat release rate, flame thickness and peak concentrations of main reaction intermediates is examined and discussed.
QSAR of caffeines by similarity cluster prediction
Authors: Harsa Teodora , Harsa Alexandra , Szefler Beata
Published: December 2013

A novel QSAR approach based on correlation weighting and alignment over a hypermolecule that mimics the investigated correlational space was performed on a set of 40 caffeines downloaded from the PubChem database. The best models describing log P and LD50 values of this set of caffeine derivatives were validated against the external test set and in a new predictive model by using clusters of similarity.
Note on group distance magic complete bipartite graphs
Authors: Cichacz Sylwia
Published: December 2013

A Γ-distance magic labeling of a graph G = (V, E) with |V| = n is a bijection ℓ from V to an Abelian group Γ of order n such that the weight $$w(x) = \sum\nolimits_{y \in N_G (x)} {\ell (y)}$$ of every vertex x ∈ V is equal to the same element µ ∈ Γ, called the magic constant. A graph G is called a group distance magic graph if there exists a Γ-distance magic labeling for every Abelian group Γ of order |V(G)|.

In this paper we give necessary and sufficient conditions for complete k-partite graphs of odd order p to be ℤp-distance magic. Moreover we show that if p ≡ 2 (mod 4) and k is even, then there does not exist a group Γ of order p such that there exists a Γ-distance labeling for a k-partite complete graph of order p. We also prove that K
m,n is a group distance magic graph if and only if n + m ≢ 2 (mod 4).
Fighting Poverty: Assessing the Effect of Guaranteed Minimum Income Proposals in Quebec
Authors: Clavet Nicholas-James , Duclos Jean-Yves , Lacroix Guy
Published: December 2013

This paper analyzes the impact of a recent recommendation made by Quebec’s Comité consultatif de lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale to guarantee every individual an income equal to 80 percent of Statistics Canada’s Market Basket Measure (MBM). Workers with earnings at least equivalent to 16 hours at the minimum wage would be entitled to 100 percent of the MBM. We also investigate the impact of three alternative proposals: (a) a change in the above hours cut-off from 16 to 30 hours; (b) a guaranteed income equal to 100 percent of the MBM, irrespective of earnings; and (c) a $3/hour conditional wage subsidy. To do this, we first estimate a structural labour supply model using the existing tax code and predict the labour supply of a representative sample of individuals based upon the parameter estimates of the model. Simulations show that the original recommendation would have strong negative impacts on participation rates of low earners and that its cost would exceed $2 billion. Increasing the hours cut-off is predicted to have little impact beyond that of the original recommendation. Providing a guaranteed income equivalent to 100 percent of the MBM, on the other hand, would have a large impact. We find that contrary to what is usually assumed, guaranteed income schemes may increase the incidence of low income rather than decrease it.
The Making of Hobo Masculinities
Authors: Tapley Heather
Published: December 2013

Abstract:

The following article summarizes several discursive productions of the US hobo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in order to expose the role the hobo played historically in the making of idyllic American manhood. After the crash of the railroad boom in 1873, the hobo was produced as other to dominant ideals of masculinity that were based in a stable work ethic. Deemed a “tramp” who refused to work, the hobo became a site for medical investigations that highlighted his lack of reason, feminizing the male hobo-tramp and buttressing ideals of both bourgeois and working-class masculinities in the process. Self-identified hobos worked to counter such discourses, but in doing so, also employed exclusionary tactics to distance women, tramps, and men of colour from definitions of hobo masculinity, revealing that white masculinity represented a possession in need of protection, regardless of class.
The Recess Does Not Exist: Absorption, Literality, and Feminine Subjectivity in Sophia Lee’s The Recess
Authors: Rigilano Matthew J.
Published: December 2013

The structure of feminine subjectivity in Sophia Lee’s The Recess; Or, A Tale of Other Times (1783) is frequently reduced to a discursive construction or a maternal substance. When critical attention is focused on Lee’s unique handling of visual and textual “absorption”—a concept I borrow from Michael Fried—it is clear that historicist and Gothic logics of subjectivity fall short of describing what the novel actually achieves. I link Lee’s textual innovations to Jacques Lacan’s theories of the gaze and of feminine desire. Just as Lacan emphasized the literal aspect of the signifier, Lee attempts to literalize the historical and subjective dramas with which she engages in the novel. Her literalizations exceed the standard alignment of the feminine with non-meaning or nature (an alignment that supports the assumption of masculine meaningfulness) as Lee’s literality pertains to the letter itself. To be absorbed by the literal: it is this unique scenario that necessitates a rethinking of the basic problematic of sentimental reading practices in the eighteenth century.
Tending to the (National) Household: Walter Scott’s The Antiquary and “that happy commerce” of the Enlightenment
Authors: Tessone Natasha
Published: December 2013

This essay explores the question of commercialism in Walter Scott’s The Antiquary (1816), particularly as it reflects Enlightenment debates about the place of ethics in a modern commercial society. I examine the challenge—and, for Enlightenment thinkers, the urgency—of living morally in a commercialized, modern Britain, where communal ties were replaced by self-interest and monetary gain. In The Antiquary, Scott follows the thinking of Adam Smith and David Hume, who strove to define an aggregate of self-interested men as a principled community with well-developed social and ethical norms that would allow for what Smith called a “happy commerce” of socialization. Set during the French Revolution, the community anxiously anticipating a supposed French invasion cannot afford to give in to self-interested impulses that threaten to pull its members away from a unified polity. Rather than valorizing the feudal community and its social relationships, Scott historicizes the moment when sentiment as an affective communal glue is remediated from its feudal model into a force of sociability that would fit a society governed by a system of moral economy that is contingent upon the rules of contemporary, post-feudal commercial order.
Why the Show Must Not Go On: “Real Character” and the Absence of Theatrical Performances in Mansfield Park
Authors: Urda Kathleen E.
Published: December 2013

This article revisits the question of why Jane Austen refuses to portray any theatrical performances within Mansfield Park (1814), even though much of the plot concerns a group of young people attempting to put on a play. While scholars have generally abandoned the idea that this choice reveals Austen’s puritanical distaste for the theatre, it remains unusual in the context of other roughly contemporary novels that also involve the theatre or theatricals. Looking at examples of such theatrical novels shows that their staging of performances tends to disrupt the idea of character as stable identity, in much the same way that Lisa Freeman has suggested theatre itself did at the time. Though her use of interiority has been much discussed as the tool Austen employs to construct a sense of essential identity for her characters, her decision to forego the direct representation of various theatrical moments while focusing readers’ attention on their consequences is another way Austen convinces us that the novel is able to distinguish “real” character from the performance of it.
Impact of improved documentation on an academic neurosurgical practice
Authors: Zalatimo Omar , Ranasinghe Moksha , Harbaugh Robert E. , Iantosca Mark
Published: December 2013

Object

Accuracy in documenting clinical care is becoming increasingly important; it can greatly affect the success of a neurosurgery department. As patient outcomes are being more rigorously monitored, inaccurate documentation of patient variables may present a distorted picture of the severity of illness (SOI) of the patients and adversely affect observed versus expected mortality ratios and hospital reimbursement. Just as accuracy of coding is important for generating professional revenue, accuracy of documentation is important for generating technical revenue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on the documentation of patient comorbidities as well as its impact on quality metrics and hospital margin per case.

Methods

All patients who were discharged from the Department of Neurosurgery of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center between November 2009 and June 2012 were evaluated. An educational intervention to improve documentation was implemented and evaluated, and the next 16 months, starting in March 2011, were used for comparison with the previous 16 months in regard to All Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Group (APR-DRG) weight, SOI, risk of mortality (ROM), case mix index (CMI), and margin per discharge.

Results

The APR-DRG weight was corrected from 2.123 ± 0.140 to 2.514 ± 0.224; the SOI was corrected from 1.8638 ± 0.0855 to 2.154 ± 0.130; the ROM was corrected from 1.5106 ± 0.0884 to 1.801 ± 0.117; and the CMI was corrected from 2.429 ± 0.153 to 2.825 ± 0.232, and as a result the average margin per discharge improved by 42.2%. The mean values are expressed ± SD throughout.

Conclusions

A simple educational intervention can have a significant impact on documentation accuracy, quality metrics, and revenue generation in an academic neurosurgery department.
Cervicothoracic nonterminal myelocystocele with mature teratoma
Authors: Gressot Loyola V. , Mohila Carrie A. , Jea Andrew , Luerssen Thomas G. , Bollo Robert J.
Published: December 2013

Nonterminal myelocystocele is a rare type of spinal dysraphism characterized by a closed defect with an underlying CSF-filled cyst, either contiguous with the central spinal canal or attached to the spinal cord by a fibrovascular stalk. The authors report the unusual case of a neonate with a prenatal diagnosis of cervicothoracic nonterminal myelocystocele who underwent postnatal surgical untethering of the lesion. Pathological analysis of the excised lesion revealed neuroglial tissue with an ependymal lining associated with a mature teratoma. Three months after surgery, the patient has normal lower-extremity sensorimotor function and no evidence of bowel or bladder dysfunction. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with a nonterminal myelocystocele found to have an associated mature teratoma.
The Origins of Gritty Realism on British Television: Euston Films and Special Branch
Authors: Sexton Max
Published: December 2013

Euston Films was the first film subsidiary of a British television company that sought to film entirely on location. To understand how the ‘televisual imagination’ changed and developed in relationship to the parent institution's (Thames Television) economic and strategic needs after the transatlantic success of its predecessor, ABC Television, it is necessary to consider how the use of film in television drama was regarded by those working at Euston Films. The sources of realism and development of generic verisimilitude found in the British adventure series of the early 1970s were not confined to television, and these very diverse sources both outside and inside television are well worth exploring. Thames Television, which was formed in 1968, did not adopt the slickly produced adventure series style of ABC's The Avengers, for example. Instead, Thames emphasised its other ABC inheritance – naturalistic drama in the form of the studio-based Armchair Theatre – and was to give the adventure series a strong London lowlife flavour. Its film subsidiary, Euston Films, would produce ‘gritty’ programmes such as the third and fourth series of Special Branch. Amid the continuities and tensions between ABC and Thames, it is possible to discern how economic and technological changes were used as a cultural discourse of value that marks the production of Special Branch as a key transformative moment in the history of British television.
Auteurs and Authenticity: Adapting the Brontës in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Anne Galpin Shelley
Published: December 2013

This article examines two recent adaptations of Brontë novels and how they relate to discussions surrounding the adaptation of literary texts into film. The position of Cary Joji Fukunaga and Andrea Arnold as auteurs is considered, as is the way in which this was used in the marketing of the films prior to release. Fukunaga's Jane Eyre (2011) and Arnold's Wuthering Heights (2011) are evaluated as examples of British film-making in terms of heritage/anti-heritage discourses, concluding that while they both reject aspects of the traditional ‘heritage film’, overtly in Arnold's film but more subtly in Fukunaga's, neither can escape the notion of authenticity which is central to discussions surrounding adaptation of classic literature. Although apparently more ‘faithful’, Fukunaga's film stops short of the adherence to source material that was emphasised in the pre-release publicity, ironically suppressing Fukunaga's auteurist vision, while Arnold's more overtly auteurist vision is shown to present difficulties over the issue of authorship when adapting a ‘literary great’. Finally, the article considers the commercial and critical success of both films, noting that the status of both directors as auteurs is a selling point prior to release, but that when tackling period material it can be something of a hindrance in terms of both the commerciality and the artistic style of the piece.
Footnotes in the History of British Psychoanalysis: Observing Ernest Jones Discerning the Works of Sigmund Freud, 1905–1908
Authors: Kuhn Philip
Published: December 2013

In his late historical and autobiographical writings Ernest Jones claims that he first heard of Freud in 1903, then learnt German and was practising psychoanalysis by 1906. Observing Jones's intellectual development from his treatment of Tom Ellen in early 1905 through to his ‘emigration’ to Canada in late September 1908, reveals flaws in Jones's chronology because his journey towards ‘Freudianism’ was far more complex than he or his biographers have allowed. Jones's contemporaneous publications suggest that his early psychological researches were informed by Pierre Janet and that he only discovered Freud during the Amsterdam Congress in September 1907. Thereafter Jones's knowledge of Freud was gleaned second-hand mainly through the writings of the ‘Boston’ and ‘Zurich’ Schools and his first attempts at psychoanalysis were through Jung's Word Association Tests which he only started using after he arrived in Canada. Revising Jones's autobiographical claims has implications for our understanding of Jones and for the early history of British psychoanalysis.
Regression and the Maternal in the History of Psychoanalysis, 1900–1957
Authors: Bar-Haim Shaul
Published: December 2013

This paper examines the history of the concept of ‘regression’ as it was perceived by Sandor Ferenczi and some of his followers in the first half of the twentieth century. The first part provides a short history of the notion of ‘regression’ from the late nineteenth century to Ferenczi's work in the 1920s and 1930s. The second and third parts of the paper focus on two other thinkers on regression, who worked in Britain, under the influence of the Ferenczian paradigm – the interwar Scottish psychiatrist, Ian D. Suttie; and the British-Hungarian psychoanalyst, and Ferenczi's most important pupil, Michael Balint. Rather than a descriptive term which comes to designate a pathological mental stage, Ferenczi understood ‘regression’ as a much more literal phenomenon. For him, the mental desire to go backwards in time is a universal one, and a consequence of an inevitable traumatic separation from the mother in early childhood, which has some deep personal and cultural implications. The paper aims to show some close affinities between the preoccupation of some psychoanalysts with ‘regression’, and the growing interest in social and cultural aspects of ‘motherhood’ and ‘the maternal role’ in mid-twentieth-century British society.
Regional Air Quality Model Application of the Aqueous-Phase Photo Reduction of Atmospheric Oxidized Mercury by Dicarboxylic Acids
Authors: Bash Jesse , Carlton Annmarie , Hutzell William , Bullock  Jr. O.
Published: December 2013

In most ecosystems, atmospheric deposition is the primary input of mercury. The total wet deposition of mercury in atmospheric chemistry models is sensitive to parameterization of the aqueous-phase reduction of divalent oxidized mercury (Hg2+). However, most atmospheric chemistry models use a parameterization of the aqueous-phase reduction of Hg2+ that has been shown to be unlikely under normal ambient conditions or use a non mechanistic value derived to optimize wet deposition results. Recent laboratory experiments have shown that Hg2+ can be photochemically reduced to elemental mercury (Hg) in the aqueous-phase by dissolved organic matter and a mechanism and the rate for Hg2+ photochemical reduction by dicarboxylic acids (DCA) has been proposed. For the first time in a regional scale model, the DCA mechanism has been applied. The HO2-Hg2+ reduction mechanism, the proposed DCA reduction mechanism, and no aqueous-phase reduction (NAR) of Hg2+ are evaluated against weekly wet deposition totals, concentrations and precipitation observations from the Mercury Deposition Network (MDN) using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model version 4.7.1. Regional scale simulations of mercury wet deposition using a DCA reduction mechanism evaluated well against observations, and reduced the bias in model evaluation by at least 13% over the other schemes evaluated, although summertime deposition estimates were still biased by −31.4% against observations. The use of the DCA reduction mechanism physically links Hg2+ reduction to plausible atmospheric processes relevant under typical ambient conditions.
The Complex Function of Hsp70 in Metastatic Cancer
Authors: Juhasz Kata , Lipp Anna-Maria , Nimmervoll Benedikt , Sonnleitner Alois , Hesse Jan , Haselgruebler Thomas , Balogi Zsolt
Published: December 2013

Elevated expression of the inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is known to correlate with poor prognosis in many cancers. Hsp70 confers survival advantage as well as resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, and promotes tumor cell invasion. At the same time, tumor-derived extracellular Hsp70 has been recognized as a “chaperokine”, activating antitumor immunity. In this review we discuss localization dependent functions of Hsp70 in the context of invasive cancer. Understanding the molecular principles of metastasis formation steps, as well as interactions of the tumor cells with the microenvironment and the immune system is essential for fighting metastatic cancer. Although Hsp70 has been implicated in different steps of the metastatic process, the exact mechanisms of its action remain to be explored. Known and potential functions of Hsp70 in controlling or modulating of invasion and metastasis are discussed.
Product Yields and Characteristics of Corncob Waste under Various Torrefaction Atmospheres
Authors: Lu Jau-Jang , Chen Wei-Hsin
Published: December 2013

Biomass is a promising energy source due to its abundant, carbon-fixing, and carbon-neutral properties. Torrefaction can be employed to improve the properties of biomass in an oxygen-free or nitrogen atmosphere. This study investigates the product yields and the solid product characteristics from corncob waste torrefaction at the temperatures of 250 °C and 300 °C for 1 h. Nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and a gas mixture of air and carbon dioxide are employed as the carrier gases. The solid product characteristics approach those of coal at the higher temperature, regardless of what the carrier gases are. The fixed carbon, higher heating value, and solid and energy yields using carbon dioxide as a carrier gas at 300 °C are close to those using nitrogen. The product safety and storage properties before and after torrefaction are revealed by the measurements of ignition temperature and hygroscopicity. A higher torrefaction temperature leads to a higher ignition temperature of treated biomass, except using the mixture of air and carbon dioxide as the carrier gas. Carbon dioxide is a better carrier gas than nitrogen for biomass torrefaction, from the storage and transportation points of view.
Atypical Presentation of Herpes Zoster Duplex Bilateralis in a Renal Transplanted Patient
Authors: Gouveia Ana , Borges-Costa João , Soares-Almeida Luís , Santana Alice , Guerra José
Published: December 2013

Viral infections in renal transplant patients are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. In most cases, the clinical presentation of herpes zoster allows the diagnosis to be made only by history and physical examination. However, patients who are immunosuppressed may have uncommon presentations, and require a high index of suspicion and additional diagnostic testing for proper management. We report a rare presentation of herpes zoster duplex bilateralis involving symmetrical dermatomes over the lower limbs occurring in a woman with a recent history of renal transplantation. The skin lesions were also atypical representing a diagnostic challenge. This infection should be part of differential diagnosis of cutaneous manifestations in organ transplant recipients.
Chimeric Mice with Humanized Livers: A Unique Tool for in Vivo and in Vitro Enzyme Induction Studies
Authors: Kakuni Masakazu , Yamasaki Chihiro , Tachibana Asato , Yoshizane Yasumi , Ishida Yuji , Tateno Chise
Published: December 2013

We performed in vivo and in vitro studies to determine the induction of human cytochrome P450 (CYP) using chimeric mice with humanized liver (PXB-mice®) and human hepatocytes isolated from the PXB-mice (PXB-cells), which were derived from the same donor. For the in vivo study, PXB-mice were injected with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC, 2 or 20 mg/kg) or rifampicin (0.1 or 10 mg/kg) for four days. For the in vitro study, PXB-cells were incubated with 3-MC (10, 50, or 250 ng/mL) or with rifampicin (5 or 25 μg/mL). The CYP1A1 and 1A2, and CYP3A4 mRNA expression levels increased significantly in the PXB-mouse livers with 20 mg/kg of 3-MC (Cmax, 12.2 ng/mL), and 10 mg/kg rifampicin (Cmax, 6.9 µg/mL), respectively. The CYP1A1 mRNA expression level increased significantly in PXB-cells with 250 ng/mL of 3-MC, indicating lower sensitivity than in vivo. The CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 mRNA expression levels increased significantly with 50 ng/mL of 3-MC, and 5 μg/mL of rifampicin, respectively, which indicated that the sensitivities were similar between in vivo and in vitro studies. In conclusion, PXB-mice and PXB-cells provide a robust model as an intermediate between in vivo and in vitro human metabolic enzyme induction studies.