bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
p38-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Stimulated Steroidogenesis in Granulosa Cell-Oocyte Cocultures: Role of Bone Morphogenetic Proteins 2 and 4
Authors: Inagaki Kenichi , Otsuka Fumio , Miyoshi Tomoko , Yamashita Misuzu , Takahashi Mina , Goto Junko , Suzuki Jiro , Makino Hirofumi
Published: November 2008

Roles of the p38-MAPK pathway in steroidogenesis were investigated using coculture of rat granulosa cells with oocytes. Activin and FSH readily phosphorylated p38 in granulosa cells. Activin effect on p38 phosphorylation was abolished by a selective activin receptor-like kinase-4, -5, and -7 inhibitor, SB431542. SB431542 decreased FSH-induced estradiol but had no effect on progesterone production with a marginal cAMP reduction, suggesting that endogenous activin is primarily involved in estradiol synthesis. FSH-induced p38 activation was not affected either by SB431542 or follistatin, suggesting that FSH activates p38 not through the endogenous activin. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 and BMP-4 also enhanced FSH-induced p38 phosphorylation, which was augmented by oocyte action. A specific p38 inhibitor, SB203580, decreased FSH-induced estradiol production. However, FSH-induced cAMP accumulation was not changed by SB203580, suggesting that p38 activation is linked to estradiol synthesis independently of cAMP. BMP-2 and BMP-4 inhibited FSH- and forskolin (FSK)-induced progesterone and cAMP synthesis regardless of oocyte action. BMP-2, BMP-4, and activin increased FSH-induced estradiol production, which was enhanced in the presence of oocytes. In contrast to activin that enhanced FSK-induced estradiol, BMP-2 and BMP-4 had no effects on FSK-induced estradiol production, suggesting that BMP-2 and BMP-4 directly activate FSH-receptor signaling. Given that activin increased, but BMP-2 and BMP-4 decreased, FSH-induced cAMP, the effects of BMP-2 and BMP-4 on estradiol enhancement appeared to be diverged from the cAMP-protein kinase A pathway. Thus, BMP-2 and BMP-4 differentially regulate steroidogenesis by stimulating FSH-induced p38 and suppressing cAMP. The former is involved in estradiol production and enhanced by oocyte action, whereas the latter leads to reduction of progesterone synthesis.
Metal Transcription Factor-1 Is Involved in Hypoxia-Dependent Regulation of Placenta Growth Factor in Trophoblast-Derived Cells
Authors: Nishimoto Fumihito , Sakata Masahiro , Minekawa Ryoko , Okamoto Yoko , Miyake Asako , Isobe Aki , Yamamoto Toshiya , Takeda Takashi , Ishida Emi , Sawada Kenjiro , Morishige Ken-ichiro , Kimura Tadashi
Published: November 2008

Placenta growth factor (PlGF) is a placental angiogenic factor. Metal-responsive transcription factor (MTF)-1 was reported to take part in the hypoxic induction of PlGF in RAS-transformed mouse fibroblasts. We contrarily showed that PlGF mRNA and protein levels decreased under hypoxia in a choriocarcinoma BeWo cell line derived from trophoblast. In this report, we examined whether hypoxia-dependent regulation of the PlGF gene in these cells also depends on MTF-1. We analyzed the effect of hypoxia on MTF-1 expression, and it was revealed to be decreased. Moreover, MTF-1 small interfering RNA treatment decreased PlGF mRNA level. To investigate the transcription of PlGF under hypoxia, we cloned promoter region of the human PlGF. Promoter deletion analysis suggested that triple repeats of metal-responsive element located between −511 and −468 bp in the promoter are important for the hypoxic regulation of PlGF. Treatment with MTF-1 small interfering RNA resulted in the significant decreased luciferase activity in PlGF reporter constructs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation showed the binding of the MTF-1 protein to the promoter region. We examined MTF-1 immunoreactivity in trophoblasts of term placental tissue from patients with normal pregnancies and preeclampsia, which represents a condition of placental hypoxia. Immunoreactivity of the MTF-1 protein was decreased in placentas from pregnant women with preeclampsia when compared with those from normal pregnant women. Taken together, these findings suggest that MTF-1 is involved in hypoxia-dependent regulation of PlGF in trophoblast-derived cells.
Growth regulation by Dpp: an essential role for Brinker and a non-essential role for graded signaling levels
Authors: Schwank Gerald , Restrepo Simon , Basler Konrad
Published: November 2008

Morphogens can control organ development by regulating patterning as well as growth. Here we use the model system of the Drosophila wing imaginal disc to address how the patterning signal Decapentaplegic (Dpp)regulates cell proliferation. Contrary to previous models, which implicated the slope of the Dpp gradient as an essential driver of cell proliferation, we find that the juxtaposition of cells with differential pathway activity is not required for proliferation. Additionally, our results demonstrate that, as is the case for patterning, Dpp controls wing growth entirely via repression of the target gene brinker (brk). The Dpp-Brk system converts an inherently uneven growth program, with excessive cell proliferation in lateral regions and low proliferation in medial regions, into a spatially homogeneous profile of cell divisions throughout the disc.
SIT1 is a betaine/proline transporter that is activated in mouse eggs after fertilization and functions until the 2-cell stage
Authors: Anas Mohamed-Kheir Idris , Lee Martin B. , Zhou Chenxi , Hammer Mary-Anne , Slow Sandy , Karmouch Jennifer , Liu X. Johné , Bröer Stefan , Lever Michael , Baltz Jay M.
Published: November 2008

Betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) added to culture media is known to substantially improve the development of preimplantation mouse embryos in vitro, and to be imported into 1-cell embryos by a transporter that also accepts proline. Here, we found that the betaine/proline transporter is active in preimplantation mouse embryos only for a short period of development,between the 1- and 2-cell stages. Betaine/proline transport was activated after fertilization, beginning ∼4 hours post-egg activation and reaching a maximum by ∼10 hours. One- and 2-cell embryos contained endogenous betaine, indicating that a likely function for the transporter in vivo is the accumulation or retention of intracellular betaine. The appearance of transport activity after egg activation was independent of protein synthesis,but was reversibly blocked by disruption of the Golgi with brefeldin A. We assessed two candidates for the betaine/proline transporter: SIT1 (IMINO;encoded by Slc6a20a) and PROT (Slc6a7). mRNA from both genes was present in eggs and 1-cell embryos. However, when exogenously expressed in Xenopus oocytes, mouse PROT did not transport betaine and had an inhibition profile different from that of the embryonic transporter. By contrast, exogenously expressed mouse SIT1 transported both betaine and proline and closely resembled the embryonic transporter. A morpholino oligonucleotide designed to block translation of SIT1, when present from the germinal vesicle stage, blocked the appearance of betaine transport activity in parthenogenotes. Thus, SIT1 is likely to be a developmentally restricted betaine transporter in mouse preimplantation embryos that is activated by fertilization.
Competence, specification and commitment to an olfactory placode fate
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sujata , Bronner-Fraser Marianne
Published: November 2008

The nasal placode shares a common origin with other sensory placodes within a pre-placodal domain at the cranial neural plate border. However, little is known about early events in nasal placode development as it segregates from prospective lens, neural tube and epidermis. Here, Dlx3, Dlx5, Pax6 and the pan-neuronal marker Hu serve as molecular labels to follow the maturation of olfactory precursors over time. When competence to form olfactory placode was tested by grafting ectoderm from different axial levels to the anterior neural fold, we found that competence is initially broad for head, but not trunk,ectoderm and declines rapidly with time. Isolated olfactory precursors are specified by HH10, concomitant with their complete segregation from other placodal, epidermal and neural progenitors. Heterotopic transplantation of olfactory progenitors reveals they are capable of autonomous differentiation only 12 hours later, shortly before overt placode invagination at HH14. Taken together, these results show that olfactory placode development is a step-wise process whereby signals from adjacent tissues specify competent ectoderm at or before HH10, followed by gradual commitment just prior to morphological differentiation.
γ-Protocadherins regulate neuronal survival but are dispensable for circuit formation in retina
Authors: Lefebvre Julie L. , Zhang Yifeng , Meister Markus , Wang Xiaozhong , Sanes Joshua R.
Published: November 2008

Twenty-two tandemly arranged protocadherin-γ (Pcdh-γ) genes encode transmembrane proteins with distinct cadherin-related extracellular domains and a common intracellular domain. Genetic studies have implicated Pcdh-γ genes in the regulation of neuronal survival and synapse formation. Because mice lacking the Pcdh-γ cluster die perinatally, we generated conditional mutants to analyze roles of Pcdh-γ genes in the development and function of neural circuits. Retina-specific deletion of Pcdh-γs led to accentuation of naturally occurring death of interneurons and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) during the first two postnatal weeks. Nonetheless, many neuronal subtypes formed lamina-specific arbors. Blocking apoptosis by deletion of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax showed that even neurons destined to die formed qualitatively and quantitatively appropriate connections. Moreover, electrophysiological analysis indicated that processing of visual information was largely normal in the absence of Pcdh-γ genes. These results suggest that Pcdh-γ genes are dispensable for elaboration of specific connections in retina, but play a primary role in sculpting neuronal populations to appropriate sizes or proportions during the period of naturally occurring cell death.
Incremental Universalism for the United States: The States Move First?
Authors: Gruber Jonathan
Published: November 2008

The latest wave of health care proposals and laws in the United Sates has been marked by what I call “incremental universalism”—that is, getting to universal health insurance coverage by filling the gaps in the existing system, rather than ripping up the system and starting over. In this paper, I provide an overview of “incremental universalism” as an approach to healthcare reform, explore the issues it raises, and examine how these issues are being addressed at the state level, focusing primarily on the healthcare reform plan enacted by Massachusetts in April 2006. This sweeping bill altered insurance markets, subsidized insurance coverage for a large swath of the population, introduced a new health insurance purchasing mechanism (the “Connector”), and mandated insurance coverage for almost all citizens. The Massachusetts experience has led to similar proposals in a number of states, including a major (but ultimately failed) effort in California. I am far from an objective observer in discussing the Massachusetts law. I was one of the architects of the law and since 2006 have been a member of the board overseeing its implementation. Despite this bias and the fact that the ambitious Massachusetts plan is still in relatively early stages of implementation, I can say that some early results point to major successes for this reform.
Wrongful birth claim for missed antenatal diagnosis of Fragile X syndrome
Authors: Winyard Anne , Conway Darren
Published: November 2008

This is an account (by the two solicitors who acted for the Claimant Mrs A) of some of the key issues encountered in a recently settled ‘wrongful birth’ claim, arising out of failed antenatal genetic diagnosis of an inherited condition called Fragile X.
Risks and benefits of research on children: developing an ethical framework to meet children's needs
Authors: Appleyard James
Published: November 2008

Children are put at unnecessary risk in everyday clinical practice by being given medicines whose safety and efficacy have not been adequately researched.

The lack of appropriate dosage forms for many ‘essential medicines’ for the main five treatable conditions causing the deaths of 10 million children worldwide under the age of 5 years are a major reason why countries are not achieving their millennium developmental goals.

There has been understandable reluctance to undertake the necessary research on children. The reasons for this are reviewed. The existing levels of protection for child subjects worldwide are insufficient. Key principles are suggested both to encourage clinical research and to ensure adequate protection for children around the world.
Labour ward incidents and potential claims – lessons learned from research
Authors: Ashcroft Brenda
Published: November 2008

This paper provides an insight into the underlying factors involved in potential cerebral palsy and/or shoulder dystocia claims. The research was undertaken to identify the root causes of 37 cases of birth asphyxia in term infants severe enough to warrant admission to neonatal care units in the north-west of England between 2001 and 2002. All available staff ( n = 93) providing care during critical periods were interviewed by the author using the cognitive interviewing technique. These included 81 midwives, two consultant obstetricians, eight registrars and two senior house officers. An expert panel consisting of consultant obstetricians, midwives, a consultant neonatologist and the researcher applied the Bolam test to identify instances where care had been substandard and injury caused as a result. Although the cases were often complex, covering more than one shift and over more than one stage of labour, the most dangerous time appeared to be during the night shift (19 cases, 51%), followed by the evening shift (13 cases, 35%) and then the day shift (five cases, 14%). The main problems include: failure to respond appropriately to signs of fetal hypoxia (26 cases, 70%); undiagnosed obstruction (22 cases, 59%), which was broken down into failure to identify cephalopelvic disproportion (13 cases, 35%); and shoulder dystocia (nine cases, 24%). Delayed resuscitation of the infant occurred in 26 cases (80%), and in 18 cases (49%) there was excessive and inappropriate use of Syntocinon. All cases involved human error, either through a delay or failure to take action, or taking inappropriate action. However, these were all underpinned and perpetuated by system and cultural errors present in the labour wards, such as allowing unsupported and inexperienced personnel to work in a position for which they lacked the necessary skill and experience. This was perpetuated by the customary practice of using unsupervised junior medical staff in a first on-call position for complications, and also of failing to sustain safe midwifery staffing levels. This in turn prevented support for more inexperienced staff. Consequently, when inexperienced midwives and obstetricians were left unsupervised in charge of complicated cases, it created accidents waiting to happen. When unsupervised and inexperienced paediatricians attended the birth of an asphyxiated infant, the child's condition deteriorated further when they were unable to resuscitate it. If such system and cultural errors as these are not rectified, the current high rate of damaged babies is likely to continue.
Transilluminated powered phlebectomy: a clinical report
Authors: Åkesson H
Published: November 2008

Twenty-one patients with varicose vein incompetence of the legs have been treated with the TriVex system (Smith & Nephew, Andover, MA, USA). The technique is designed for treatment of local varicosities to provide a good cosmetic result (remaining varicosities and pigmentation) and less morbidity (pain and loss of work days). These parameters showed good results with few remaining varicosities and pigmentations. Reasonable number of days out of work and moderate pain. Eighteen of the 21 patients had an overall good outcome with no complaints.
Venous Clinical Severity Score and quality-of-life assessment tools: application to vein practice
Authors: Vasquez M A , Munschauer C E
Published: November 2008

The time is ripe for universal understanding and acceptance of outcome assessment in venous disease. Outcome studies promote understanding of the diseases we treat and the results of treatment. The choice of a valid and reliable assessment tool is crucial. Patient-generated quality-of-life tools include generic instruments and disease-specific instruments. Generic instruments evaluate overall well-being and provide subjective measurements of treatment outcomes in various disease states. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and the Nottingham Health Profile are widely used generic surveys. Disease-specific instruments relate to a particular disease state. They are popular in venous disease reporting and have high sensitivity. The Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire, the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study, the Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire and the Charing Cross Venous Ulceration Questionnaire are such devices. Physician-generated measurement tools are used to evaluate and classify the consequences of venous disease. The clinical, aetiology, anatomy, pathophysiology classification (CEAP) is a popular descriptive platform for chronic venous disease. The Venous Severity Scoring (VSS) system was derived from the CEAP classification to provide evaluative capabilities. The three elements of the VSS are the venous disability score, the venous segmental disease score and the venous clinical severity score (VCSS). The VCSS facilitates the follow-up of features of venous disease that change with treatment. Each of these outcomes tools has been validated, and each has strengths and weaknesses. Maintaining the dynamic nature of assessment with periodic review and revision is the way forward to generating universal applicability. Although the choice of instrument is debatable, the most important factor in improving treatment outcomes is the decision to examine results and to share them in a meaningful way.
Thigh compression
Authors: Partsch H , Mosti G
Published: November 2008

The aim of this overview is to discuss the role of thigh compression for the management of venous and lymphatic diseases. The most important indications for thigh compression are prevention and treatment of sequelae of superficial vein procedures (surgery or endovenous procedures), prevention and therapy of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), post-thrombotic syndrome and lymphoedema. The intended effects depend mainly on narrowing/occlusion of deep and superficial veins on which the body position and the applied pressure play a crucial role. While in the horizontal position thigh veins can be narrowed by the light pressure of a thromboprophylactic stocking, much higher pressure is needed to compress thigh veins effectively during standing and walking. This is shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed in the supine and upright position. Using pads, rolls or specially designed devices, the local pressure under conventional compression garments or bandages over a treated vein can be increased considerably. In patients with deep valve incompetence, beneficial haemodynamic effects of strong thigh compression have been demonstrated, but clinical studies in this field are still lacking. Thigh compression reduces oedema in patients with DVT and lymphoedema.
Power and the theory-and-practice conundrum: the experience of doing research with a local authority
Authors: O’Brien Mark , Clayton Steve , Varga-Atkins Tünde , Qualter Anne
Published: November 2008

This article reflects on power in contract research relationships. Distinguishing between the overt forms of control and the more subtle aspects of control associated with the ‘enculturing’ of the researcher, it considers the ways in which power affects their ability to relate to professional practice. The discussion draws on the experience of one researcher working within a local schools service. It concludes that the ‘theory-and-practice conundrum’ in research is often the result, not of ‘ivory tower’ limitations of the researcher, but rather of reluctance on the part of senior service managers to allow critical reflection among service professionals.
Classification of toric Fano 5-folds
Authors: Kreuzer Maximilian , Nill Benjamin
Published: November 2008

We obtain 866 isomorphism classes of five-dimensional nonsingular toric Fano varieties using a computer program and the database of four-dimensional reflexive polytopes. The algorithm is based on the existence of facets of Fano polytopes having small integral distance from any vertex.
Holomorphic triples on bielliptic curves
Authors: Ballico Edoardo , Pasotti Stefano , Prantil Francesco
Published: November 2008

Here we study the α-stability for holomorphic triples on bielliptic curves. In particular some existence theorems for α-stable triples are proved using as main tool the study of holomorphic triples on elliptic curves. Elementary transformations of triples are also taken into consideration.
Partners' influence on each other's television exposure: Dominance or symmetry?
Authors: Konig Ruben P. , Kraaykamp Gerbert , Westerik Henk
Published: November 2008

In this study we analyzed to what extent partners who share the same household affect each other's exposure to television. With the use of linear structural equation modeling we analyzed data from a large scale representative survey in The Netherlands (n = 697 couples). Results indicate that both men and women influence their partner's exposure to television. When people spend much time watching television, their partners are also likely to spend a lot of time in front of the television. These influences on each other's exposure were of equal magnitude for both men and women. Finally, we found a strong socialization effect of parental viewing in the family of origin.
Online and print newspapers in Europe in 2003. Evolving towards complementarity
Authors: van der Wurff Richard , Lauf Edmund , Balčytienė Auksė , Fortunati Leopoldina , Holmberg Susan L. , Paulussen Steve , Salaverría Ramón
Published: November 2008

This article assesses online newspapers in Europe from a media evolutionary perspective, ten years after the introduction of the World Wide Web. Comparing print and online front pages of 51 newspapers in 14 countries in 2003, we argue that online newspapers complement print newspapers in modest ways. Online, publishers put more emphasis on service information, offer additional news items, that nonetheless report on similar topics in similar ways, and add personal interactivity, content selectivity and real-time news to the print news offering.

One subset of online newspapers charges for services, and offers more content and personal interactivity. Another, partly overlapping subset offers more original news; in a short and anonymous format. Overall, however, online newspapers in Europe make up a heterogeneous group, suggesting that online newspapers still have to find their definite form and role in the European news market.
Occupational position and consumption of news: A research note
Authors: Nelissen Paul , Konig Ruben , Renckstorf Karsten
Published: November 2008

This study explored in what way and to what extent people's occupational position corresponds with the consumption of news and the exposure to political content offered by the traditional mass media TV, radio, and newspaper, using survey data (N = 825). The influence of occupational position in general and perceived amount of public social capital (or: social network) on especially consumption of news as well as the exposure to political media content, was evident. Findings are in line with the central assumptions on ‘audience activity’ of audience-centered models in communication research in general and the ‘media use as social action’ approach especially (cf. Renckstorf and Wester, 2001, 2004). The subjectively perceived social context, indicated by occupational position as well as the subjectively held structure of relevancies is a central predictor of media use.
Differential diagnosis between the syndrome of inappropriate ADH secretion and cerebral salt-wasting syndrome1
Authors: Beyersdorf Steffi , Albrecht Christin , Wallaschofski Henri
Published: November 2008

Hyponatraemia is one of the most common complications in patients with disorders of the central nervous system or those who have undergone cerebral neurosurgery. The differentiation between the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and the cerebral salt-wasting syndrome (CSWS) is important because the two diseases have different prognoses and require different specific treatment. Although most physicians are familiar with SIADH, they are much less familiar with CSW. This paper emphasizes the need for CSW to be included in the differential diagnosis of hyponatraemia; it reviews the aetiology, pathophysiology, treatment and differential diagnoses of CSW; particular attention is given to diagnostic laboratory markers, both those that are already established and those that are still under investigation.
Differences in Drinking Behavior and Access to Alcohol between Native American and White Adolescents
Authors: Friese Bettina , Grube Joel
Published: November 2008

We investigated differences in drinking behaviors and sources of alcohol among Native American ( n = 361) and White adolescents ( n = 1,735), ages 11 to 19. Native American youth were more likely to have consumed alcohol in their lifetime and been intoxicated in the last 30 days than Whites. Native American drinkers were almost twice as likely to have gotten alcohol from an adult and twice as likely to have obtained alcohol from someone under 21. White drinkers were four times as likely to have obtained alcohol from their parents. Youth did not differ in access to alcohol from other social sources. Because youth access alcohol from different social sources, strategies to limit access must consider these differences. This study underscores the importance of examining ethnic-specific alcohol access patterns.
The Use of Fry (Embalming Fluid and PCP-Laced Cigarettes or Marijuana Sticks) among Crack Cocaine Smokers
Authors: Peters Ronald J. , Williams Mark , Ross Michael W. , Atkinson John , McCurdy Sherly A.
Published: November 2008

Statistics show that the prevalence of crack cocaine use and embalming fluid and phencyclidine (PCP)-laced cigarettes or marijuana sticks, commonly referred to on the street as “fry” or “wet” is a problem; however, the relationship between these substances of abuse and concurrent polydrug use is unknown. In the present study, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 426 African-American crack users in Houston, Texas, to investigate the difference between those who concurrently reported lifetime (defined as at least one usage of fry in life) fry use and those who stated they never used fry. The data were analyzed using chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Fry users were significantly more likely than non-users to not have a casual sex partner (92% users vs. 84% non-users, p ≤ 0.05) and were more likely to have been diagnosed with gonorrhea in the past 12 months (9% users vs. 2% non-users, p ≤ 0.05). In addition fry users had significantly higher odds of currently trading sex for drugs (OR = 2.30, p ≤ 0.05), marijuana use (OR = 12.11, p ≤ 0.05), and codeine (syrup) use (OR = 8.10, p ≤ 0.05). These findings are important in determining the “cultural novelties” relative to crack and fry use among younger African Americans.
Virtual Pattern Optimization Based on Performance Prediction Tools
Authors: Mundl R. , Fischer M. , Strache W. , Wiese K. , Wies B. , Zinken K. H.
Published: November 2008

Due to shorter development cycles and high cost pressure, the tread pattern development process is optimized by an analysis tool, which can predict the influence of the tread pattern on several tire properties. By using this tool conventional development cycles can be substituted by several virtual development cycles. The tool modules for the tire properties traction, handling, plysteer residual aligning torque (PRAT), groove wander, and noise are presented in this paper. The applicability of evolution strategy on tread pattern development is demonstrated, being another prerequisite for a future virtual pattern development process.
From Tread Design to Tread Stiffness Matrices
Authors: Braghin F. , Cheli F. , Sangalli R.
Published: November 2008

The tread design, together with the tread compound, is responsible for the grip characteristics of tires. The aim of this work is to develop an engineering tool that is able to predict the stiffness distribution, i.e., the grip characteristics, of a given tread design without the need of producing a prototype. This is done by combining a graphical preprocessor developed in Matlab that is able to convert a drawing into a mesh, and a commercial FEA code.
Global Petroleum Market Entry Risk Assessment and Opportunity Mining Through Comparison Matrix Approach
Authors: Rajan Surya
Published: November 2008

Escalation of per-barrel crude prices is expected to continue on an inflation adjusted basis in the foreseeable future according to most analysts. Rising prices are largely attributed to market forces fueled by surging world economy and growing demand, particularly in Asia and Middle East. Relatively flat rates of exploration and exploitation success have been unable to keep pace with that growth, leading to tight supplies. Politics, weather, speculation and other factors further contribute to supply uncertainty.

International Oil Companies (IOCs) face competition from other IOCs as well as from entrepreneurial national oil companies (NOCs) aggressively looking to develop assets domestically and overseas, and reserve replacement remains a challenge as suppliers try to gain access to incremental upstream resources in order to meet growing demand. NOCs no longer remain in a simple asset management role for domestic resources; rather, many entrepreneurial NOCs have joined the fray alongside IOCs in pursuit of E&P resources outside national boundaries.

Besides straight E&P initiatives, associated major projects and services are also expanding internationally. With the growing number of international ventures in the petroleum and energy market, the significance of market entry risk assessments has also increased correspondingly. Timely, objective basis for decision-making provides a distinct business advantage in a dynamic global market. Consistent application of the Rajan-Vikas model1, 2 enables rapid screening of candidate markets as relevant to the project or initiative. Other model artifacts include risk characterization profile for the various countries, and relevance profiles for each project or initiative. Different forms of these various profiles, in turn, lend themselves to mining for opportunities once a substantial knowledgebase is built. The focus of this paper is on potential opportunities exposed when the Rajan-Vikas model is applied for market entry risk assessments.

Introduction

The global energy balance is changing, as growth rates slow down in the western developed nations, while countries in Asia and the Middle East are developing rapidly, and energy demand has also grown correspondingly. Oil consumption in OECD Europe, for instance, increased from 13.7 MMbbl/d in 1990 to 15.5 MMbbl/d in 2005, net 1.8 MMbbl/d. Over the next 15 years that oil consumption if expected to only increase 0.1 MMbbl/d. On the other hand, oil consumption in India, China, Russia, and FSU countries is expected to grow dramatically. These global shifts in demand growth will define the future oil markets.
Improvements In The Management of Structured and Unstructured Data
Authors: Garbarini Mike , Catron Robert , Pugh Robert E.
Published: November 2008

We describe business practices and IT tools that we deployed to reduce the time that Engineers and Geoscientists spend looking for, gaining access to, and manipulating data and information. Various sources have estimated that technical professionals spend up to 30% of their time searching for data and information. Less well measured, but estimated to be just as large, is the time spent gaining access to data, moving it into and between technical applications and dealing with data quality problems. We share our analyses and classification of how this time is being spent.

Others have described productivity gains from using one or more technologies to reduce the burden of unproductive time working to locate information. However, over the years our industry and others have been generally unable to sustain a significant reduction in this burden. The phenomenal growth rates in data and the need to work more globally are exacerbating this problem. This comes at a time when the industry can not afford to invest technical staff time in lower value activities.

Starting in 2003 we began an analysis of the state of this problem in our company that led to a program of projects to improve and manage the problem. We found no single "silver bullet" solution, but used an integrated approach that combined multiple information technologies and business practices to achieve significant improvement that we believe can be sustained. We outline the tools and practices that we used and share some analysis, results to date, and learnings. In particular, the experiences with the integration of searching structured and unstructured data from one tool and managing access via roles are described.

Introduction

Despite years of investment in information technologies and processes, it is estimated that Engineers and Geoscientists still spend a large part of their time "looking for data". In 2003 we began to investigate how this problem impacted our upstream technical professionals. This led to an integrated program of IT and business projects designed to reduce this time so that higher value work could take its place. The solution includes a combination of information technology tools and business practices that work together to make step change improvements. The solution also addresses maintaining and improving data quality over time. The core information technologies used include automated access management, search and integration of multiple applications and databases. The core processes that were worked addressed data ownership and data quality stewardship. While the program will continue for several more years, parts of it are in place and producing the desired results. We are able to share some analysis and experiences that may benefit others.
LNG Technology Advances and Challenges
Authors: Bowen Ronald Ray , Miller Michael , Planteen Jacey , Tredennick Owen , Norman Garth , Duke Cathy M. , Greer Matthew Noble
Published: November 2008

This paper outlines the development and implementation of technologies that have led to a significant growth in the world-wide LNG business and offers a look at technology directions that may hold promise to help continue future growth. Among the key technical enablers has been the evolution in the size of LNG trains over the past twenty-five years, resulting in significant unit cost reduction. Similar to liquefaction facilities, LNG ships have also been increasing in size to achieve similar reductions in unit cost of LNG transported. Lessons learned in the design, execution, and implementation of large LNG trains and ships, as well as the overall changes of LNG liquefaction trains over the past twenty-five years, have been key to the evolving design of the LNG value chain.

Nevertheless, the number of large discovered, undeveloped gas resources needed to realize such economies of scale is decreasing. Continuous technology evolution will have to be maintained to enable economic utilization of smaller, undeveloped, remote gas accumulations via concepts such as floating liquefaction. The need to access markets in stricter permitting environments will drive innovation in terminals, as seen in recent projects such as Adriatic LNG. In addition, an increasingly CO2-constrained regulatory environment will likely necessitate improved efficiencies and lower greenhouse gas emissions across the LNG value chain.

Introduction

The volume of the international LNG trade has tripled over the past two decades, from 52 million tonnes per annum (MTA) in 19901 to 160 MTA in 2006. This growth is expected to continue over the next twenty years, resulting in a forecasted international LNG trade of 325 MTA by 2030.2 As shown in Fig. 1a, the international LNG trade in 1990 was focused in the Asia-Pacific region, with LNG producers in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, and Australia exporting LNG primarily to Japanese and Korean electric utilities. Fig. 1b reflects the transformative growth of the industry that occurred between 1990 and the present—major LNG trains were commissioned in the Middle Eastern nations of Qatar and Oman, as well as in the Atlantic Basin countries of Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, and Equatorial Guinea. Moreover, new LNG trains in Egypt expanded North Africa's historical presence in the LNG industry. A greater portion of the new LNG production was shipped to European and North American markets, where it was regasified at expanded and newly built import terminals.
Integrated Modeling and Statistical Analysis of 3-D Fracture Network of the Midale Field
Authors: Bogatkov Dmitry Sergeevich , Babadagli Tayfun
Published: November 2008

As the maturation of conventional oil reserves pushes the industry to explore challenging reserves, state-of-the-art reservoir characterization becomes an integral part of any exploration and production venture. Naturally fractured reservoirs are good examples of such challenging fields. Oil recovery performance estimation from such reservoirs requires a good understanding of reservoir structure and its effect on the dynamics of the process. Addressed in this work is one of the critical issues for fractured reservoirs—that is characterization and 3-D modeling of a fracture network.

In this study, we employed an integrated solution by combining "direct" and "inverse" approaches to fracture network characterization in a stochastic numerical model. Static geological data obtained from cores and well logs were used together with dynamic data such as well test response to build 3-D discrete fracture network models. We utilized the data obtained from the fractured carbonate Midale field in Canada. The on-going CO2 injection project requires a reliable description of the fracture system and matrix characteristics in the field for reliable performance analysis.

Fracture network constructed from static data was calibrated and validated using well test (interference drawdown and pulse) data. Matrix and several fracture parameters including fracture length, density/spacing, aperture, connectivity, and orientation were evaluated in sensitivity studies to determine which characteristics have a higher influence on the accurate match to well test response. We utilized the factorial experimental design to optimize the number of simulations needed for a sensitivity study and history match. The sensitivity analysis revealed a strong influence of matrix quality on the pressure response. Geological conditions and fracture properties specific to this field explained such distribution of matrix and fracture influence. Through this analysis we were able to clarify the role of fractures in the overall field performance. Matrix/fracture interaction was suggested to be a factor deserving attention. In a general sense, the approach used in this study proved to be useful to integrate fracture data from different sources, as well as to assess its reliability and relative importance.
Numerical Simulation of CO2 Storage in Aquifers without Trapping Structures
Authors: Akaku Kohei
Published: November 2008

The numerical simulations for the CO2 storage using a conceptual, generic, simple 3D aquifer model without trapping structures were carried out in this study. They showed that the mudstone barriers, which have relatively poor sealing efficiency, prevent the upward migration of CO2 and help its lateral distribution. This suggests that the heterogeneities in the formation, particularly the distribution and properties of low permeability rocks, are very important to predict the movement of the injected CO2. Even the gently dipping structures lead to increased updip migration of injected CO2 due to buoyancy effect. When CO2 comes in contact with fresh unsaturated formation water, its dissolution into water phase occurs. If injected CO2 is not large in quantity the dissolution can still store the injected CO2. When a large amount of CO2 is injected into the aquifer the gas relative permeability hysteresis is a key for the long-term CO2 storage. The trapping of CO2 as a residual phase in the post-injection period strongly reduces the distance of updip migration, though it subsequently leads to decreased dissolution into the formation water. The simulation study suggests that heterogeneous formations that do not have structural closures and mudstones with relatively poor sealing efficiency can be a target for long-term CO2 geological storage, if these effects are understood precisely and utilized appropriately.

Introduction

Storage of CO2 in oil and gas reservoirs and aquifers with trapping structures and proven seal has been considered for reducing greenhouse effects. However, the potential capacity for CO2 storage in those structures is not large1, 2. Aquifers in the formations that are composed of weakly consolidated sandstone and mudstone are possible attractive candidates for CO2 storage because they are widely distributed in the vicinity of common industrial sources of CO2. These formations usually dip at low angles. The movement of the injected CO2 may be affected by the properties of mudstone3. The dissolution of CO2 into formation water is one of the important trapping mechanisms. The trapping mechanism of CO2 as residual phase due to gas relative permeability hysteresis may occur in those formations4, 5, 6, 7. We conduct 3D numerical simulations to know how they work in the aquifers without trapping structures.
Correction of Induction and Laterolog Charts for Evaluation of Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Shahbazi Alireza , Shahbazi Khalil
Published: November 2008

One of the main parts of reservoir characterization is the estimation of porosity, lithology and water saturation. These are done in the pay zones by utilizing formation evaluation and logging tools consisting of sonic, resistivity, and radioactive logs. For this purpose, induction and laterolog charts in conjunction with the extent of conductivity of drilling fluid are used to decide whether Dual Induction Log (DIL) or Dual Laterolog (DLL) tools to be employed.

In numerous gas reservoirs of Iran, water-based drilling fluids with low conductivity (salinity) are used to drill these reservoirs. Based on existing literature, DIL is the logging tool of the choice for evaluation of these reservoirs. However, comparison of variety of DIL and DLL results showed that this is questionable and is not always the case. To clarify these differences, more logging jobs were closely studied.

It was observed that, regardless of the salinity of the drilling fluid, DLL gives better evaluations. This result is not in full agreement with the prediction of the reference DIL and DLL charts. Therefore, these charts need some modification. In this paper, the corrected charts developed from the field data which result in better predictions are given.

Employing new corrections causes the appropriate tools to be used. This results in lowering the number of logging tool runs and the rig time which both lead to reduction of costs and lowering the probability of stuck logging tools. Moreover, using these new charts helps to distinguish all oil and gas layers which may be missed if the previous procedure is used.
Integrated Approach to Optimise Material Selection for North Field High-Rate Gas Wells
Authors: Wright Eric John , Pugh Dylan , Pacheco Jorge , Sorem William A.
Published: November 2008

The RasGas Company Limited (RasGas) North Field wells typically have a TVD of 9,000+ ft (2750+ m) with a sail angle up to 70 degrees. The combination of 7-in. monobore and 9-5/8-in. big-bore wells are designed to handle H2S and CO2 corrosion, HCl acid stimulation, and environmental cracking. The wells must accommodate high flow rates and through-tubing intervention. This paper describes the technical development of an optimized operational envelope for L80 carbon steel tubulars for these North Field high-rate gas wells in Qatar. This requires corrosion testing under downhole conditions including CO2 and H2S partial pressures, field condensate, water chemistry, and accurately simulated wellbore flow conditions. The program also includes potential effects of water salinity, acidizing treatments, and completion fluids.

This approach to corrosion engineering can enable the use of carbon steel in corrosive service. Well designs have been optimized to take advantage of carbon steel tubing in conjunction with corrosion resistant alloy (CRA) liners. The use of carbon steel production tubing in lieu of CRAs has significantly reduced the cost of these wells and enabled the development of 9-5/8-in. large bore completions to increase production capacity. This integrated corrosion engineering approach can be used for virtually any application to optimize the life-cycle material and corrosion mitigation costs, with the potential to minimize costly alloy use and/or eliminate facilities. Application of the integrated approach to materials selection resulted in well designs unique to the North Field by incorporating the use of carbon steel production tubing.
Safety of Occupants in Freefall Lifeboats
Authors: Skjaeveland Rolf , Philippens Mat
Published: November 2008

The IMO safety criteria for lifeboats, the CDRR or CAR procedure, are both addressing the injury risk to occupants based on seat panel accelerations, thus related to the overall body acceleration. However, based on full scale drop tests with an automotive crashdummy (ATD) it was concluded that additional criteria for head and neck are required as tolerance levels for automotive injury criteria were exceeded. Given the loading scenarios expected in lifeboats, being vertical, frontal, rear and side impact loading to the occupant, the most promising set of injury criteria are the upper neck loading parameters (Fx shear force, Fz axial force and flexion-extension moment My) and two combined neck criteria being Nij and Nkm. For the head the widely used HIC criterion was adopted. It is recommended that regionally specific occupant injury assessment criteria obtained through the use of an ATD during testing, such as the ones proposed in this paper, be adapted in future evaluation of occupant safety in freefall lifeboats. The use of an ATD includes the effect of restraints and the occupants' attire which is fully omitted by the existing IMO procedure.