bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Holistic Approach to Tackle Proppant Flowback & Coal Fines Challenges Through in House Engineered Chemical Formulation
Authors: Nain Pooja , Qamruzzaman Mohammed , Mhaske Ganesh , Nischal Rajiv
Published: October 2024

This paper addresses the challenges associated with coal bed methane (CBM) well dewatering, particularly the issue of proppant flowback and production of coal fines. The primary objective is to mitigate the impairment in fracture permeability caused by fines migration and assess the suitability of a developed Proppant and Fines Agglomerating Formulation (PFAF).

The devised PFAF system coats proppant surfaces thus enhancing agglomeration & preventing flowback. It was synthesized after extensive evaluation of various chemicals. Agglomeration Tests, Microscopic imaging and SEM imaging was conducted to select the best performing PFAF formulation. Optimal concentration was determined through measuring maximum proppant free production rate from proppant pack. Effect of PFAF on permeability was evaluated on fracture conductivity setup. A visualization assembly was fabricated to visualize the migration of fines in proppant pack before and after treatment with PFAF. Compatibility of PFAF with conventional fracturing fluid was evaluated through rheological tests to employ PFAF during Fracturing.

Extensive laboratory studies indicate that the developed PFAF, a reaction product of an amine and ester exhibits promising results thereby reducing clean-up time and cost. The proppant treated with PFAF agglomerated and descended slowly as one piece of consolidated mass indicating reduced proppant flowback, as compared to untreated proppant which fell as individual sand grains. Microscopic study shows uniform adsorption and SEM imaging indicates non- glue like behaviour with developed formulation. The Maximum Proppant Free Production rate significantly increased post-treatment, from 350 cc/min to 900 cc/min, indicating proppant consolidation. No significant change was observed in permeability of the treated proppant pack. Fines Migration visualization shows the retention of coal fines in the treated pack, affirming the efficacy of PFAF in mitigating coal fines. No adverse behavior was observed in compatibility study of PFAF with conventional guar based fracturing fluid. Near Zero magnitude zeta potential values was obtained with PFAF which corroborated with other test results.

This paper introduces a novel Proppant and Fines Agglomerating Formulation (PFAF) to address fines-related challenges in CBM wells. PFAF demonstrates unique consolidation properties without compromising the fracture conductivity, as demonstrated by laboratory studies. The paper contributes additive information to the existing literature by presenting a practical solution for mitigating fines migration and proppant flowback in CBM wells.
Exploring the Limit of Low-Salinity Waterflooding in a Carbonate Reservoir with Low Total Acid Number Oil
Authors: Uetani T. , Takeya M. , Elakneswaran Y.
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a workflow for designing the optimal injection brine composition for an offshore carbonate reservoir. The crude oil from this reservoir has a very low total acid number (0.01 mg KOH/g), leading to the expectation that injecting diluted seawater would not be an effective enhanced oil recovery (EOR) fluid. To address this, we designed a water composition that maximizes electrostatic repulsion (total disjoining pressure) at the oil-rock interface. This was achieved by combining two surface complexation models (oil-water and calcite-water interfaces), tuned to represent the reservoir conditions, with the extended DLVO theory. The total disjoining pressure was calculated for more than 30 different brine compositions, and we selected the one that demonstrated the highest value. The optimized injection brine, termed ‘repulsive’ water, was then evaluated in the laboratory for its oil recovery performance. Both spontaneous imbibition tests and coreflooding tests showed limited success with the repulsive water, yielding additional oil recovery factors of only 1-2%. We believe that the poor oil recovery results from insufficient repulsion at the oil-rock interface. Greater repulsion would be necessary for improved oil recovery, but this was not achieved within the scope of this study. Additionally, injecting diluted seawater (by fifty times) also failed to yield promising oil recovery results. Based on these findings, we conclude that low-salinity waterflooding is not a viable EOR option for the studied carbonate reservoir.
An Experimental Study on the Proppant Transport in a Horizontal Wellbore Considering Perforation Erosion in Clean Water Fracturing
Authors: Li Xintong , Rui Zhenhua , Deng Chao , Xu Minghao , Cao Wenxing , Liu Muchen , Zhou Fujian , Hu Xiaodong
Published: October 2024

Horizontal well fracturing has become a crucial method for exploiting unconventional oil and gas reservoir in recent years. The transport and distribution of proppant in a horizontal wellbore have a direct impact on the effectiveness of large-scale horizontal fracturing. It is important to reveal the proppant transport mechanism and fracturing fluid distribution between perforation holes in horizontal wellbores. At present, most experimental studies focus on proppant transport in fractures. However, the mechanism of proppant transport in a horizontal wellbore and fluid and proppant distribution is still unclear. This paper establishes a visualized horizontal wellbore proppant transport simulation system. Laboratory experiments are conducted to investigate the proppant carried by fracturing fluid in horizontal wellbores under various conditions. We analyze sensitivity for factors including proppant concentration, fracturing fluid injection rate, proppant size, and perforation erosion. The distribution of proppant and fluid in the perforation holes is investigated quantitatively. Results demonstrate that a proppant size of 40/70 mesh and injection rate of 0.08 m3/min which give a good transport performance are proposed at the experimental scale. In addition, perforation erosion affects proppant distribution in perforation holes. In field operations, the proper proppant concentration should be utilized to reduce the risk of sand plugging. It provides the experimental foundation for future research on the proppant transport mechanism in a horizontal wellbore.
Improving Local Potential and Attempting to Save Environment Between Indonesia – Malaysia Border
Authors: Kurniawan Isrianto , Indrawan Dony , Saputra Dharma , Rahman Aditya Cahya Kurnia , Siregar Muhammad Abrar Putra , _ Riduansyah
Published: October 2024

Nunukan Regency, located on the Indonesian-Malaysian border, is the largest seaweed-producing area in Indonesia. The territorial waters of Nunukan Island are almost entirely employed as seaweed cultivation areas traditionally by communities. The seaweed cultivation process in water utilizes plastic bottle waste as floats for seaweed seeds. Problems potentially occurred when used plastic bottles employed as floats for seaweed cultivation became piles of rubbish that continued to increase due to obsolete and could contaminate coastal and marine ecosystems. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program aimed to improve local potential by overcoming pollution issues due to the seaweed cultivation process.s

Through the CSR program, PT Pertamina EP Tarakan Field (PEP Tarakan Field) initiated a social innovation by inviting all seaweed farmers to exchange incompatible used plastic bottle floats in the cultivation process; the plastic bottle waste could only be used for a short term due to the durability of the bottle material. Furthermore, the plastic bottle waste would be taken to the main waste bank under company guidance. The used plastic bottles would be processed into new floats with better durability and buoyancy; thus, they could be used by seaweed farmers for longer periods. The processed floats would be given free to farmers who were willing to exchange their used bottles. The supervision of the ongoing program was carried out periodically to determine farmer's interest in this program. Socialization also continued to be committed to seaweed farmers regarding the preservation of aquatic ecosystems, which needed to be maintained; hence, the local potential of seaweed could continue to be increased

The persuasive methods employed by researchers could be confirmed capable of attracting public attention, especially the seaweed farmers. Within 1-year, most farmers had used more durable recycled floats in their seaweed cultivation activities. The amount of plastic bottle float waste previously produced from the cultivation process could also be reduced, thereby declining environmental pollution risk.

The researcher carried out social innovation programs to improve the production efficiency of seaweed cultivation as a leading commodity in Nunukan Regency and reduced plastic bottle waste, which polluted the aquatic ecosystem.
Drilling Fluid Optimization at M Fields: How to Deal with the Total Loss in Globigerina Limestone Reservoir
Authors: Fajarrenaningtyas Ursula , Xiaopo Liu , Zhi Yang , Athallah Fairuz , Zulkarnain Shubhan , Sinaga Samuel Zulkhifly
Published: October 2024

A vision to become the largest gas producer in East Java – Indonesia, has led Husky-CNOOC Madura Limited (HCML) to increase its gas production by developing high-gas wells at M Fields. In December 2021, HCML commenced the M Fields development drilling campaign. Ten (10) development wells in three (3) fields were drilled and completed by March 2023. During the campaign, HCML used water-based mud (WBM) to drill all sections, including the reservoir section. The reservoir section is thin-highly porous Globigerina (GL) Limestone. This reservoir was characterized by Globigerina foraminifera abundance with excellence which has an average net-to-gross (NTG) of 95%, average porosity of 33-49%, and average permeability of 5-225 mD. Critical challenges were encountered due to limited available data on offset exploration wells leading to uncertainties in the simulation model and drilling design.

Total loss circulation occurred while drilling the reservoir section of the first development well leading to the earlier setting of the well target depth (TD). Upon the total loss occurrence, critical actions were taken directly in a relatively short time, including the re-assessment of wellbore stability, reservoir properties, and fluid gradient and then followed up by optimization of the drilling fluid system and properties and application of optimized drilling parameters.

This paper presents successful strategic actions to drill reservoir section in M Fields wells after encountering massive total loss circulation in the first field. These actions resulted in a technically feasible, economically viable, and reservoir-friendly system with adjustable mud weight (MW) and an optimized drilling operations plan and procedure. Ultimately, this process helped to drill the subsequent development wells safely and economically to TD leading to a successful M Fields development drilling campaign.
Multiphase Characterization of Waxy Crude Oil and its Impact to Optimize Flow Assurance Mitigation for Operation and Field Development
Authors: Sariman Mior Zaiga , Saaid Ismail M , Jasamai Mazuin , Bhaskoro Petrus Tri
Published: October 2024

Waxy crude oils are crude oils that contain high paraffins content. The paraffins can be of wide range of high molecular weight straight chain, normal paraffin and branched or cyclic paraffin [3]. Flow Assurance issues normally associated with waxy crude oil are wax deposition and wax gelation. Wax deposition is when solid wax crystals precipitate on the colder surfaces of the wall of pipeline, as the temperature drops below the wax appearance temperature. With respect to wax gelation, as the temperature drops lower than the wax appearance temperature, the paraffins will further crystallize [4]. The crystal-crystal interactions and interlocking effects will cause increase in viscosity, leading to ultimately the gelation and solidification of the crude oil [3].

Flows from production wells are in multiphase form. Produced water and associated gas are among the common phases that are produced in every production wells. The separation and stabilization to its individual phase normally conducted at the central production platform, or further downstream at onshore terminal for field with long tie back. The presence of water and gas in the production fluid has an influence on the severity of the waxy crude oil properties. Addition of gas lift, gas injection, water injection, EOR fluid in the field can also have an influence on the fluid properties and phases [4].

Management of waxy crude oil especially in the area of wax gelation had always been conservative. The practice in design and operation normally allocated high margin of uncertainties to totally avoid the wax related flow assurance issues. Based on industrial experience, it is common to develop a field with waxy crude oil flow assurance issues only by referring to its single phase stabilized crude oil properties. It is not common for the multiphase properties, and the influence of the different phases to be included in the design basis. This can lead to over conservatism in curating the flow assurance strategy affecting the economic of the venture. Additionally, new technologies like remote monitoring and machine learning, as well as concerns like impact to green house gas emissions are seldom considered.
Prediction of Waxy Crude Oil Properties Using Near- Infrared Spectroscopy for Upstream Applications
Authors: Wazir N. Ahmad , Saadon S. , Bashkoro P. Tri , Dolmat N. , Othman A. , Sariman M.
Published: October 2024

Monitoring the flowability of waxy crude oil in offshore pipelines is crucial due to its tendency to solidify when the ambient temperature drops below the crude oil's pour point. Preventing this condition is essential to avoid undesired clogging in the pipeline. Pour Point temperature (PPT) and density are among the critical flow assurance (FA) properties for waxy crude oil that directly indicate the flowability state and the quality of the waxy crude oil in the pipeline. Therefore, it is imperative to develop a rapid and precise technique for an in-situ determination of the waxy crude oil properties. This research describes the prediction of pour point and density of waxy crude oils by exploiting the absorbance spectrum obtained from near-infrared (NIR) region. In this study, the prediction of the PPT and density properties of waxy crude oils were investigated through a calibration models developed using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy which capable of performing multicomponent analysis and can be used with multivariate analytic methods. The FT-NIR spectra for the waxy crude oil were captured and interpreted by using suitable spectra wavenumber regions through multivariate statistical techniques such as partial least square (PLS). A total of 110 samples of waxy crude oils were analyzed for their pour point and density using ASTM 64749-02 and ASTM D5002 methods, respectively. These properties were then utilized as reference data to establish the calibration models and validated using 40 unknown waxy crude oil samples to ensure the robustness of the models. The Calibration models developed for both properties had the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9895 with the RMSECV of 0.75% for the pour point and R2 of 0.9789 and RMSECV of 0.024% for the density property. The statistical evaluation of the validation samples also confirmed that the difference between the actual value and the predicted value from the calibration model was not significantly different and acceptable. Model validation exercise using unknown samples, successfully meeting model performance acceptance criteria of less than 20% outlier and less than 5%Relative standard deviation (RSD). Therefore, the both models have given a satisfactory result for the pour point and density properties determination using the FT-NIR technique. The results of this study indicated that FT-NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics and multivariate technique can be used for the pour point and density of the waxy crude oil monitoring to replace the time-consuming and labor-intensive conventional methods.
Evolution of Water-Gas Relative Permeability with Effective Stresses in Coal and Sandstone
Authors: Zhang Tiancheng , Li Jimmy Xuekai , Rudolph Victor , Chen Zhongwei
Published: October 2024

Relative permeability is an important parameter in reservoir engineering, playing a significant role in understanding and forecasting fluid flow behavior within rock formations. Relative permeability is affected by numerous factors, such as rock type, fluids wettability, pore size and fracture aperture, which was determined by effective stress and fracture stiffness that changes during the reservoir production. Nevertheless, when conducting reservoir simulation, it is a common practice to assume that relative permeability curves are fixed and do not vary with reservoir depletion, leading to substantial uncertainty in simulation outcomes. In this work, a suite of laboratory measurements was conducted to characterize the gas-water two-phase flow in coal and sandstone under varying confining stresses, and the results were then used to refine and update the existing relative permeability curves. Finally, this study conducted a comparative analysis of the two-phase flow curves in sandstone and coal, delving into the distinctions in the characteristics of two-phase flow within fractured porous media (coal) and non-fractured porous media (sandstone).

Our results show that as confining pressure increased, water mobility reduced, leading to its retention in the coal sample and resulting in a higher residual water saturation. These changes were reflected in a rightward shift in coal relative permeability curves. Additionally, the relative permeability of both water and gas increased with the increasing confining stress in the coal sample. In contrast, the sandstone sample showed only a slight increase in relative permeability with increasing confining stress, differing from the coal sample. Furthermore, the relative permeability of gas changed more obviously with water saturation when increasing confining stress for both coal and sandstone samples. The findings offer insights into the dynamic behaviour of permeability under varying effective stress conditions, enhancing our understanding of fluid flow in both coal and sandstone reservoir rocks.
Return to Work in Breast Cancer Patients With and Without Pre-Diagnosis Psychological Distress: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pai Tanmayi , Li Zhuo , McLaughlin Sarah , Pruthi Sandhya , Klassen Christine , Cornell Lauren
Published: October 2024

Purpose
Many women are employed at the time of breast cancer (BC) diagnosis. Pre-diagnosis psychological distress is prevalent among early-stage BC patients. We prospectively evaluated return to work (RTW) in BC patients with and without reported pre-diagnosis psychological distress over a 15-month period to determine if such distress affects workforce participation and mental health status after curative treatment.
Methods
188 patients with newly diagnosed stage 0-III BC and working 35-plus hours/week participated at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Florida. Patients received an email survey at diagnosis and 3 and 15 months later. Incidence of severe psychological distress (SPD) per the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6, score ≥ 13) was assessed at each timepoint.
Results
77/188 survey respondents (41%) reported pre-diagnosis psychological distress, with 23.5% noting job-related stress. 59/188 patients (31%) had SPD at diagnosis, with similar incidence in the group that had pre-diagnosis distress (+ stress) and the non-stressed group (no-stress). The sample was highly educated and well salaried. The + stress group worked more hours on average at diagnosis (41.3 vs. 39.3 hours, p = 0.034). At 3 months, 83/141 respondents (60.1%) reported taking time off work after diagnosis, with 46.6% returning within 2 weeks and 42.5% requiring > 4 weeks’ break. More + stress patients reported RTW to maintain health insurance (13/56 vs. 6/85, p = 0.006), although this difference resolved by 15 months. SPD rates decreased over time but affected 17/104 respondents (16.3%) at 15 months.
Conclusion
Job-related stress is a primary driver of pre-diagnosis psychological distress. Three months after BC diagnosis, many women with pre-diagnosis psychological distress were motivated to RTW to keep employer-linked health insurance. SPD is prominent in BC patients; while SPD declined over time, it did not resolve completely.
Similarity of generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers with different left and right heights
Authors: Mengchuan Zhao , Deng Ke , Zhang Hua
Published: October 2024

Within the realm of fuzzy multicriteria decision-making, the measure of similarity in generalized trapezoidal fuzzy numbers (GTFNs) is vital for electing the most suitable option. Several studies focusing on similarity measures have been addressed in scholarly works. Nonetheless, the current methods lack adequate results for similarity calculations or fail to compute the differing left and right heights. The aim of this paper is to create a novel measure for assessing the similarity of GTFNs varying in their left and right heights. Initially, our analysis revealed that if both the left and right heights of a pair of GTFNs equal zero, their similarity is discernible solely through geometric distance. Conversely, if these heights differ from zero, we incorporated elements like center point distance, edge lengths, area, and both left and right heights into the similarity computation equation. The scope of this measure extends beyond GTFNs of varying left and right heights, encompassing the handling of random fuzzy numbers as well. Subsequently, certain properties of the suggested similarity measure are examined. Concentrates on ten properties, including translation, symmetry, folding, and the proportional increase and decrease in size. Furthermore, to confirm the new method's effectiveness, fifteen unique test sets are provided to evaluate the performance of three current techniques for determining similarity across various heights using the new approach.
The Impact of Paternity-Maternity Matching on Suicide Risk Among College Students: A Response Surface Analysis
Authors: zhan yuting
Published: October 2024

Purpose
The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of father-child and mother-child relationships on the suicide risk of college students.
Methods
A questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,215 college students using the Parent-Child Relationship Questionnaire, the Psychological Distress Questionnaire, and the Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire. Polynomial regression and response surface analyses were performed to analyze the data.
Results
The study found that college students had a lower suicide risk when there was consistent paternity and maternity, specifically in cases of “high paternity-high maternity” matching. However, when there was inconsistency, the effect of “low paternity-high maternal-children relationship” on the suicide risk of college students was not significant when matched with “high paternity-low maternal-children relationship”. The study found that psychological distress played a partial mediating role in the relationship between father-child relationship and college students’ suicide risk, and a full mediating role in the relationship between mother-child relationship and college students’ suicide risk.
Conclusion
The conclusion drawn was that similar levels of father-child and mother-child relationships significantly predicted the risk of suicide among college students.
Development and evaluation of RhizoQOL, a quality-of-life caregiver-reported survey for rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata, a rare peroxisomal disorder
Authors: Bose Mousumi , Anglade Tahra , Donlon Chelsea , Kerrihard Adrian , Berger Hila , Berkowitz Ariel , Ritchie Shawn , Smith Tara
Published: October 2024

Background
Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by symptoms such as respiratory dysfunction, seizures, orthopedic issues, and neurodevelopmental delay. Potential therapeutics for RCDP warrant the development of clinical outcome assessments to assess the efficacy of treatment and the well-being of patients. Our study aimed to develop a valid quality-of-life (QOL) caregiver-reported survey instrument, RhizoQOL, to be used as an endpoint in RCDP clinical trials.
Methods
Development of the RhizoQOL survey tool included three RCDP caregiver focus groups to elicit concepts to serve as potential domains in a QOL survey instrument for RCDP, pilot survey development and initial testing, cognitive interviewing of revised survey drafts to determine content validity, as well as a three-month longitudinal study for reliability and internal consistency of the survey instrument.
Results
Twenty-eight caregivers participated in the focus groups, reporting that concepts that could be appropriate domains of QOL in RCDP include psychosocial behavior, feeding symptoms, mobility symptoms, respiratory symptoms, seizures and related activity, and impact of treatment. Following pilot survey testing (n = 22) and stakeholder feedback, a revised pilot survey instrument was administered to five caregivers for cognitive interviewing. This resulted in a revised survey instrument with 31 question items, six domains, and a 1–5 Likert scale item response assessing frequency or severity of event in the question item. Longitudinal testing (n = 18) of the revised survey instrument found the average response score was 1.98 ± 0.97 for all question items, and a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.856, suggesting strong intra-survey question reliability. Using individual question item results from reliability testing, linear regression modeling, and testing for required magnitude of significant treatment effects, eight question items were removed from the survey instrument, resulting in a total of 23 question items within 6 discrete domains.
Conclusions
The final RhizoQOL survey instrument, consisting of 23 questions, assesses the symptoms and experiences of RCDP patients as observed by caregivers and serves as a novel clinical outcome assessment for RCDP therapeutic clinical trials to assess the impacts of RCDP and the effectiveness of treatments.
WITHDRAWN: Developing a Risk Model of Lipid Metabolism-associated Genes: Implications for Clinical Prognosis and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Xiao Yanan , Yu Qin , Zhu Zewen , Zhou Shan , Wu Zhe , Luo Xin , Peng Hui , Zhan Zhiqiang
Published: October 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors in order to comply with an institutional policy on preprints. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference.
Modified abdominal advancement flap with the Ochikomanai method: Oncoplastic surgery with a simple volume replacement technique
Authors: Hatakawa Erina , Kojima Rena , Yamaguchi Ayu , Nakamura Kaho , Yamakado Rena , Watanabe Sari , Yoshikawa Miyuko , Shibusawa Mai , Kimoto Mao , Imai Nao , Ishitobi Makoto , Kawaguchi Kousuke , Ogawa Tomoko
Published: October 2024

Background Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) of the lower portion of the breast results in poor cosmetic outcomes. Therefore, a simple and suitable technique for performing BCS for breast cancer in the lower region is needed. In 2010, we developed an abdominal advancement flap (AAF) as a simple technique. However, BCS with an AAF could have worse cosmetic results when used in older patients and those with larger breasts. Therefore, we developed the even simpler volume replacement technique based on the AAF in 2017, called the “modified AAF.”Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study focusing on the usefulness of the modified AAF, including cosmetic results and patient satisfaction, in 88 patients (89 breasts) who underwent BCS using the modified AAF with or without the Ochikomanai method.Results Ten patients had complications (11%); however, no fat necrosis was observed, and all complications improved with conservative treatment. With regard to cosmetic results, 41 breasts (58%) were rated excellent, 26 breasts (37%) were rated good, and only 4 were unacceptable, all of which were rated fair. Patients with medium- or larger-sized breasts and older patients who underwent BCS using modified AAF with or without the Ochikomanai method had acceptable cosmetic results. More than 89% of patients indicated they were somewhat or very satisfied in all eight categories, except for physical limitations in the immediate postoperative period.Conclusion BCS using a modified AAF, with or without the Ochikomanai method, is a useful technique for many patients, including patients who are older or have larger breasts.
The lost chILD: a case report of delayed diagnosis of Surfactant Protein C Deficiency in a 15-year-old African male
Authors: Faelli Nadia , Chironi Federica , Andrenacci Beatrice , Patria Maria Francesca , Ferrero Stefano , Borzani Irene , Pucci Costanza , Civeriati Daniela , Lelii Mara , Madini Barbara , Rocchi Alessia , Daccò Valeria
Published: October 2024

Background: Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) encompasses a heterogeneous group of rare disorders characterized by respiratory distress, hypoxemia, exercise intolerance, and distinctive radiological findings. Despite the variable age of onset, these conditions often present with overlapping symptoms and variable progression, even with identical genetic mutations. Surfactant protein deficiencies fall under the category of child, with Surfactant Protein-C (SP-C) deficiency posing significant diagnostic challenges due to its rarity and nonspecific symptoms that may be overlooked.
Case presentation: We present the case of a 15-year-old male from Senegal who recently arrived in Italy, presenting with severe respiratory distress and hypoxemia. The patient, born full-term, had a long history of chronic cough, recurrent respiratory distress, and poor growth since early infancy.
Upon hospitalization, he tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and exhibited signs of chronic respiratory failure and severe malnutrition. An extensive diagnostic work-up, including a chest CT scan, revealed small cystic-like air spaces and diffuse ground-glass opacities. Whole-exome sequencing confirmed the diagnosis of SP-C deficiency by identifying a heterozygous missense mutation (c.218t>C, Ile73Thr) in the third exon of the SFTPC gene. Treatment with steroids, azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine was initiated. Despite pharmacological treatments, the patient remained oxygen dependent due to the severity of this condition and required long-term bilevel non-invasive ventilatory support.
Conclusions: This case provides unique insight into the natural course of untreated child, specifically SP-C deficiency, enhancing our understanding of its manifestations and progression. The lack of standardized treatments underscores the critical need for increased awareness among physicians of this rare but potentially life-threatening condition, enabling early diagnosis and timely therapeutic interventions.
Impact of High-Protein Diets on Weight Loss Programs: Analyzing Loss of Muscle and Skeletal Mass
Authors: Ma Yahui , Sun Lina , Mu Zhijing
Published: October 2024

Objective
The objective of this probe is to determine the effects of High-Protein Diets (HPD) on weight loss programs.
Methodology
From January 2021 to May 2022, 133 patients, who were enrolled in a Chinese-based weight loss program, participated in a clinical trial aimed at investigating the impact of High-Protein Diets (HPD) on weight loss programs. The effects of the diet plan on the patients’ insulin, hemoglobin, and Vitamin D levels were assessed and the findings examined to evaluate the impact of HPD on muscle and skeletal mass.
Results and Findings
HPD was useful in catalyzing the effectiveness of weight loss programs. It led to reductions in skeletal and muscle mass during the trial period based on its impact on insulin, hemoglobin, and Vitamin D levels among the trial population.
Characterizing urban road CO2 emissions: A study based on GPS data from heavy diesel trucks
Authors: Qu Meili , Xu Jiachen , He Chao , Wang Jiguang , Li Jiaqiang , Zhao Longqing , Yu Haisheng , Chen Yanlin
Published: October 2024

The determination of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks (HDTs) is important for the development of traffic emission reduction strategies. This study quantified the CO2 emissions from 5,996 HDTs on different road types using a bottom-up approach combined with the application of the International Vehicle Emissions (IVE) model based on 1.24 million trajectory points. A correlation analysis was conducted on the hourly traffic flow, driving mileage, speed, and CO2 emissions of HDTs in the urban area of Kunming, China. The traditional emission intensity allocation method was improved by establishing a high-resolution (1 × 1 km) emission inventory using trajectory points and the road network density. The results indicated that higher driving speeds can reduce CO2 emissions, but HDTs typically maintain speeds of 40–60 km/h, with emission coefficients around 500 kg/km; HDTs complying with China III standards are significant contributors to CO2 emissions; Regional CO2 emissions from HDTs are highly influenced by traffic flow and driving distances; Vehicle restriction policies contribute to increased nighttime emissions; A pollution spatial allocation method based on trajectory point density and road network density better reflects the regional spatial distribution of CO2 emissions from HDTs; CO2 spatial distribution is predominantly concentrated in the southeast of urban areas, primarily influenced by urban industrial layout.
Gender-Specific Lifestyle Risk Behaviors and Machine Learning Models for Predicting Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Kim Hye-Jin , Choi Heeji , Ahn Hyo-Jeong , Shin Seung-Ho , Kim Chulho , Lee Sang-Hwa , Sohn Jong-Hee , Lee Jae Jun
Published: October 2024

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess the predictive accuracy of machine learning (ML) models incorporating lifestyle risk behaviors for ASCVD risk stratified by gender, using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We analyzed data from 8,573 participants aged 40–79 years, excluding those with prior cardiovascular events. ASCVD risk was assessed using the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Pooled Cohort Equations, with a high-risk threshold of ≥ 15% over 10 years. Five ML algorithms—logistic regression (LR), support vector machine, random forest, extreme gradient boost, and light gradient boosting models—were utilized, with performance metrics including AUROC, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Among men, the support vector machine model achieved the highest AUROC of 0.952, whereas, among women, the LR model achieved the highest AUROC of 0.980. Significant predictors for men included age, smoking, BMI, and LDL cholesterol, while for women, predictors extended to household income and residential area. Comparing the significant the Shapley additive explanation variables in the ML model to the significant variables in the conventional bivariate LR model, lifestyle risk behaviors such as household income, residential area, and weight change over 1 year were identified as significant variables in both models. This analysis provides the importance of gender-specific lifestyle risk factors in ASCVD prediction. The integration of ML and lifestyle factors offers enhanced predictive capabilities over traditional models, highlighting the necessity for tailored prevention strategies.
OMG-Net: A Deep Learning Framework Deploying Segment Anything to Detect Pan-Cancer Mitotic Figures from Haematoxylin and Eosin-Stained Slides
Authors: Shen Zhuoyan , Simard Mikael , Brand Douglas , Andrei Vanghelita , Al-Khader Ali , Oumlil Fatine , Trevers Katherine , Butters Thomas , Haefliger Simon , Kara Eleanna , Amary Fernanda , Tirabosco Roberto , Cool Paul , Royle Gary , Hawkins Maria , Flanagan Adrienne M , Collins-Fekete Charles-Antoine
Published: October 2024

Mitotic activity is an important feature for grading several cancer types. Counting mitotic figures (MFs) is a time-consuming, laborious task prone to inter-observer variation. Inaccurate recognition of MFs can lead to incorrect grading and hence potential suboptimal treatment. In this study, we propose an artificial intelligence (AI)-aided approach to detect MFs in digitised haematoxylin and eosin-stained whole slide images (WSIs). Advances in this area are hampered by the limited number and types of cancer datasets of MFs. Here we establish the largest pan-cancer dataset of mitotic figures by combining an in-house dataset of soft tissue tumours (STMF) with five open-source mitotic datasets comprising multiple human cancers and canine specimens (ICPR, TUPAC, CCMCT, CMC and MIDOG++). This new dataset identifies 74,620 MFs and 105,538 mitotic-like figures. We then employed a two-stage framework (the Optimised Mitoses Generator Network (OMG-Net) to classify MFs. The framework first deploys the Segment Anything Model (SAM) to automate the contouring of MFs and surrounding objects. An adapted ResNet18 is subsequently trained to classify MFs. OMG-Net reaches an F1-score of 0.84 on pan-cancer MF detection (breast carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumour and melanoma), largely outperforming the previous state-of-the-art MIDOG++ benchmark model on its hold-out testing set (e.g. +16% F1-score on breast cancer detection, p<0.001) thereby providing superior accuracy in detecting MFs on various types of tumours obtained with different scanners.
Acute Hepatic Porphyria in Denmark; a retrospective study
Authors: Wagner Magnus Emil Ulrich , Frost Morten , Frystyk Jan
Published: October 2024

Background
Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) constitutes a class of rare diseases caused by reduced function in enzymes of the heme-biosynthetic pathway. AHP includes acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), hereditary coproporphyria (HCP), variegate porphyria (VP) and the extremely rare δ-aminolevulinic-dehydrase deficiency porphyria (ADP). This retrospective study describes characteristics of the Danish AHP patient population.
Methods
Department of Endocrinology at Odense University Hospital serves as national AHP center. We performed a 5-year retrospective description of our AHP cohort using electronic patient journals. We included general symptoms, number of acute attacks, hospitalization rates, long-term sequelae and symptoms, and grouped patients according to creatinine-adjusted urinary baseline excretion (i.e., outside attacks) of the porphyrin precursor porphobilinogen (PBG) in normal-, moderate- and high-excretion and unknown.
Results
The cohort contained 129 AHP patients, hereof 100 AIP, 12 HCP and 17 VP. Median age was 47.8 (32.0–62.0) years, and 85 (65.9%) were female. During the 5-years, 37 (28.7%) patients experienced symptoms. Hereof, 20 patients were hospitalized with acute attacks or chronic symptoms and treated with human hemin (n = 14). Most frequently reported symptoms were abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and neurological disturbances. Symptoms were more common in patients with high PBG baseline excretion (n = 39) as compared to those with moderate (n = 31) or normal (n = 40) PBG excretion (p = 0.002). Furthermore, females dominated the symptomatic group (70.3%).
Conclusion
As reported internationally, AHP is more commonly diagnosed and symptomatic in women, and AIP was the most frequent AHP subtype. Those with an elevated urinary baseline PBG secretion were more likely to report AHP-related symptoms.
Morphological characterization, mean performances, character associations, divergence and disease reaction studies to augment improvement of mid-late and late maturity genotypes of Cauliflower under North-Western Himalayas
Authors: . Neha , Mehta Devinder Kumar , Kumar Ramesh , Prashar Arshia , . SRISHTI
Published: October 2024

Although numerous varieties have been recommended across different agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh, however the information on high yielding genotypes with superior quality and disease resistance is lacking in this state. Diseases like black rot and stalk rot are the main obstacle preventing cauliflower production from being viable in Himachal Pradesh. Therefore, in this investigation, thirty genotypes of cauliflower were evaluated for morphological characters based on DUS, horticultural traits, character associations, genetic divergence and disease reaction to black rot and stalk rot to identify superior genotypes for commercial cultivation. The experiment was designed in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The genotypes were morphologically classified based on twenty one DUS characters. This variation is useful in identification of superior genotypes for inclusion in breeding programmes or direct use as a cultivar. Mean performance of genotypes for various traits disclosed that genotype Pusa Himjyoti recorded the highest marketable curd yield/hectare and genotypes Snowball Super, White Heart, UHF-CAU-1, Early Snowball, UHF-CAU-4, UHF-CAU-8 and KT-18 were determined to be statistically at par with Pusa Himjyoti. All these genotypes have white to snow white curd with self- blanching habit. High heritability along with moderate genetic advance as per cent of mean was showed for net curd weight confirming the occurrence of additive gene action. Correlation coefficient discovered that the number of leaves/plant, plant spread, curd polar diameter, curd equatorial diameter, curd size index, curd solidity, gross plant weight and net curd weight were found to be significantly and positively correlated with marketable curd weight. The maximum positive direct effect on marketable curd weight was contributed by curd equatorial diameter followed by curd polar diameter, net curd weight, curd solidity and number of leaves/plant. Thus, perfection in these traits will lead to higher yield in cauliflower. The D2 analysis grouped the genotypes into three clusters consists maximum genotypes in cluster II. The genotypes were divided into three clusters by the D2 analysis, with cluster II having the highest genotypes. Gross plant weight (32.00%), net curd weight (18.16%), plant height (8.33%) and marketable curd yield (8.21%) were identified as significant traits contributing to divergence. In case of disease reaction studies, no genotype was found resistant to stalk rot but in case of black rot, only one genotype White Heart was found resistant whereas Snowball Super and PSBK-1 showed moderately resistant reaction.
Socioeconomic disparities in optimism and pessimism among children and adolescents: Does age matter?
Authors: Zou Rong , Smyth Bruce M. , Xie Xiaochun , Hua Wei , Wei Gaoxia , Xu Xia , Hong Xiaobin
Published: October 2024

Socioeconomic status (SES) exhibits graded relationships with psychological resources. Dispositional optimism, a crucial psychological asset, encompasses both optimism and pessimism, two related but separated facets considered to be asymmetric in susceptibility to the impact of SES in adults. Little research has explored (a) the effects of SES disparities on both facets of dispositional optimism in children and adolescents and (b) and whether the effects of SES on these facets change with age on the basis of measurement invariance testing. Addressing these gaps, the present study investigated the associations between SES and optimism and pessimism, and whether these relationships change with age in children and adolescents. A sample of 4730 Chinese participants (ages 9–19) from diverse SES backgrounds completed assessments of family SES, optimism, and pessimism. Analyses revealed a positive SES gradient with optimism and a negative gradient with pessimism. While the SES-optimism link was consistent across ages, the SES-pessimism correlation strengthened with age, suggesting a developmental shift in SES's psychological impact. Our findings shed light on the nuanced and complex ways in which SES intersects with optimism and pessimism during critical developmental periods—potentially guiding more targeted interventions aimed at the stimulation of positive changes in both optimism and pessimism.
Designing a Competency-based Curriculum for an Advanced Training Program in Public Health Emergency Management: A Stepwise, Mixed Method Approach, 2023
Authors: Eteng Womi-Eteng Oboma , Collard Emily , Anebonam Uchenna , Mankoula Wessam
Published: October 2024

Introduction: Combating the several public health threats across the African continent requires adequately trained and equipped workforce. The establishment of the 6-month Africa CDC Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) fellowship provides a pathway for developing a cadre of skilled workforce that is capable of initiating and leading emergency management programs in Africa. Objective: This article presents the process adopted to draw up the curriculum for an advanced training program in Public Health Emergency Management in Africa. Method: A multi-step, mixed methodology was employed in this study. Systematic review process was triangulated with case reviews of similar training programs to provide the first draft of competencies. Through subsequent consultations with experts and technical iterations, the program’s competencies and curriculum were developed. Result: Four successive drafts of the competencies framework were revised based on the recommendations from each stage. The final document was produced, consisting of 3 competency domains and 10 sub-domains. These informed the development of an 11-course syllabus with corresponding learning objectives, outline and content. Conclusion: A curriculum that reflects the foundational skills desirable of professionals engaged in the practice, education, and research in public health emergency management in Africa was developed utilizing mixed methods. Although this exercise was designed for the advanced PHEM Fellowship program at Africa CDC, the emerging competencies and curriculum benchmark competency-based emergency management training across the continent.
Utility of Virtual Angioscopy and CT Value for Type A acute aortic dissectionwith intramural hematoma
Authors: Masuyama Shinji , inoue Takehiko , Ichihara Tetsuya
Published: October 2024

Type A acute aortic dissection is a fatal disease, but conservative treatment is recommended only when the false lumen is an intramural hematoma and the ascending aorta is not enlarged. However, it is possible that the false lumen diagnosed as intramural hematoma may actually have an ongoing blood inflow, which may exacerbate type A acute aortic dissection in scattered cases. In such cases, a delayed judgment of the exacerbation may be fatal. In addition, conventional computed tomography evaluation alone is difficult to make such a judgment, and it is doubtful that it will lead to a life-saving outcome. In this study, we evaluated intramural hematoma not only by computed tomography imaging but also by numerical analysis. We report a case in which we were able to quickly determine that type A acute aortic dissection with intramural hematoma had worsened and to perform emergency surgery to save the patient's life by using "Virtual angioscopy" and "CT value," which are useful in the diagnosis of intramural hematoma.