bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mature Field Revitalization: Analysis of Wellhead Compression to Enhance Productivity from a Mature Retrograde Reservoir
Authors: Jain S. , Al Hamadi M. A. , Jaber S. , Jany A. B.
Published: October 2015

Sajaa gas field is one of the oldest fields in the Northern Emirates operated by Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) where Petrofac currently holds accountability for the Sajaa asset operations until November 2015. Since 1982, this mature asset has experienced increasing gas recoveries with declining reservoir pressures subsequently leading to condensate banking and liquid loading problems. Many techniques had therefore been adopted including drilling of multilaterals, plant inlet compression and foamer, but the effects were short lived as the reservoir pressure declined further. This paper deals with the latest production enhancement technique involving field wellhead compressors applied on the asset to increase its deliverability and longevity.

This project involves the installation of 12 Well head compressors which effectively aim to include the entire inlet from the field through these units. A total of 18,600 HP of compression has been introduced throughout the field with these fuel gas powered reciprocating compressors, including a primary separation unit on each skid. They have principally been able to reduce the flowing WHP to as low as 15 Psig associated with a reduction of DeltaP across the wellbore, thereby reducing the effect of liquid loading and aiding to an increase in the primary condensate and water recovery. The scope of this paper is the analysis of the Full field compression (FFC) project providing an overview of the installation methodology, performance of the wells and the incremental effect of the project which exceeded the forecasted gain, along with troubleshooting from a subsurface point of view. Finally using the Integrated Asset Model to link the subsurface performance to the surface gain and forecasting the increment of reserves associated with the FFC in a mature retrograde carbonate reservoir environment. An insight into the factors influencing the compressor performance and the optimization techniques employed during the 2 year long project is also presented.
Swing-Rod Flowmeter - A New Downhole Flow Measurement Technology
Authors: Lichen Zheng , Jiaqing Yu , Xiaohan Pei , He Liu , Zhengyun Zuo
Published: October 2015

In the process of separate layer injection and production, downhole flow measurement is always a difficult problem and is the bottleneck for realizing flow automatic control. To solve this problem, a new swing-rod flowmeter is disclosed in this paper.

The structure of the swing-nod flowmeter mainly comprises a sampler, a swing-rod, a displacement transfer rod, a target and a sensor etc. A hollow swing-nod which inserted in the measuring tube is used as the sensitive element. At the end of swing-nod is a sampler which is used as the sampling element of the fluid to be measured, Eddy current displacement sensor is used as sensitive element to measure the displacement of the target. The working principle is: when fluid flowing thought the sampler, a displacement of the swing-nod is produced. The displacement reflects the rate of flow. The displacement of the swing rod is transfer to the electronic cabin by the transfer rod, by measuring the displacement of the target mounted on the transfer rod, the quality of the flowing fluid can be measured accurately.

Downhole flowmeter is required to be with high working pressure, long service life, strong anti-interference ability and small volume. Especially for the battery-powered metering system, low power consumption is necessary for flowmeter. The Swing-rod flowmeter presents excellent performance, the working pressure can reach 70Mpa, range ratio is 30, the minimum flow measurement is 0.5m3/day, and measurement precision is 3%. The advantages of the swing-rod flowmeter include: high working pressure, low power consumption, compact structure, wide measurement range, convenient range adjustment and strong anti-interference ability. The Swing-rod flowmeter is suit for downhole flow measurement.

In one hand, the pressure is very high in the downhole environment, in the other hand, small flow measurement require high sensitivity. The existing flow measurement technology is hard to be used in downhole flow measurement directly. Swing-rod flowmeter provides a perfect solution for downhole flow measurement and flow control; it has been successfully used in separate layer water flooding system.
Successful Drilling of First CBM Horizontal Wells in Indonesia Through Meticulous Drilling Design and Geomechanical Analysis
Authors: Syed Anzar , Patterson Jason , Supriyanto Erick , Hsu Ding , Setiawan Ade Surya , Bahuguna Somesh
Published: October 2015

Drilling horizontal wells in soft formations can pose significant risks that require careful planning and execution. During 2014, Virginia Indonesia Co. Limited (Vico) successfully completed two surface-to-inseam horizontal wells to appraise coalbed methane (CBM) production potential on their Sanga Sanga license in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Both wells passed through soft shales and coals that exhibited breakouts in offset wells, in addition to heavily depleted zones exhibiting large fluid losses in an area well known for shallow gas blowouts. Geomechanical analysis of information from nearby offset wells was used to determine the mud-weight window and fluid properties required to effectively manage these conditions. The results were incorporated into the preliminary well design and planning, and with model matching carried out in real time while drilling operations were underway, any deviations in wellbore integrity were managed as they arose.

The drilling success was, in large part, a result of extensive preplanning and a regimented approach to how the wells would be drilled and any instability dealt with promptly. In addition, real-time monitoring that identified deviations from model-based predictions provided invaluable information for planning subsequent wells. The methodical approach to planning and execution of these wells led to their successful completion, with the results potentially reshaping the Indonesian CBM and energy industry.
Research of Enhancing Heavy Oil Recovery By Steam-Air Combination Flooding
Authors: Yang Jian , Li Xiangfang , Xu Darong , Yan Yiqun , Li Jing , Fang Sidong , Zhang Baorui
Published: October 2015

In order to enhance the recovery of heavy oil, the paper mainly studies the in-door experiment and numerical simulation of the steam-air combination flooding. The experiment contains 7 sub-experiments: steam flooding, steam-air combination flooding including mass ratio of air and steam from 1:32 to 6:32. After the research of different mass ratio of air and steam, we can see that heavy oil recovery will increase firstly then decrease as the mass ratio of air and steam increases. When the mass ratio of air and steam is 2:32, the oil recovery ranks the highest, which is up to 68.67%. Furthermore, temperature showed at the thermodetecter is almost the same as steam flooding. When the mass ratio of air and steam exceeds 4:32, the oil recovery factor of steam-air combination flooding is less than that of steam flooding. The temperature at the end of the sand packed tube is far less than that of steam flooding. Through numerical simulation study based on the condition of Qi40 Block in Liaohe Oil Field by CMG, when mass ratio of air and steam is 1:32, oil recovery remains the highest. However, when mass ratio of air and steam is more than 3:32, oil recovery of steam-air combination flooding is less than that of steam flooding. Since differences exist between in-door experiment and numerical simulation, the detailed results are different. However, the tendency of the heavy oil recovery varies with mass ratio of air and steam remains the same. At last, a field test of Qi40 Block in Liaohe oil field is introduced in the paper to validate the experiment and numerical research.
Investigation of the Effects of Near-Wellbore Pressure Loss and Pressure Dependent Leakoff on Flowback during Hydraulic Fracturing with Pre-Existing Natural Fractures
Authors: Pokalai K. , Haghighi M. , Sarkar S. , Tyiasning S. , Cooke D.
Published: October 2015

It is generally believed that the incomplete return of treating fluids (flowback) is a reason for the failure of hydraulic fracturing and it is associated with poor gas production. Capillary effects and fracture face skin are known to be the main parameters that limit flowback in tight gas sands. However, near-wellbore pressure loss during the main operation of hydraulic fracturing and its effects on flowback are not well understood.

In the case of pre-existing natural fractures in a reservoir, near-wellbore pressure loss is high mainly because multiple fractures with tortuous paths are often created. Also, it is believed that this tortuous path causes shear dilation in natural fractures and opens the closed fractures. As a result, there is a large amount of pressure dependent leakoff. Therefore, pressure dependent leakoff has both positive and negative impacts. It can increase rock permeability and at the same time it can cause a high near-wellbore pressure drop. Hence, near-wellbore pressure needs to be reduced in order to have better proppant placement and maximize the fracturing fluid flowback.

For this research, several hydraulic fracturing treatments in the Patchawarra formation in the Cooper Basin, South Australia have been studied. There are some pre-existing natural fractures in our case study. The bottom-hole treating pressure has been analysed with 600 psi of near-wellbore pressure loss causing a low percentage of proppant placement. We constructed a 3D hydraulic fracturing model coupled with multiphase flow simulation for the prediction of flowback of water and gas production.

Several injection fall-off tests were first interpreted and found that the leakoff is pressure dependent. Our simulation has shown that high near-wellbore pressure loss has an impact on the effectiveness of the fracture treatment. This results in a shorter fracture length and low pressure distribution inside the fracture that leads to a low recovery of fracturing fluid. As a result, we have successfully provided recommendations for best practice to reduce near-wellbore pressure loss.
Development Optimization of a Marginal Tight Oil Field in Songliao Basin: Innovative Integrated Solutions to Overcome Challenges in Onshore Horizontal Well Construction
Authors: Wang Rui , Cai Min , Sun Guoqing , Wang Chao , Zhou Hongmei , Liu Xingdong , Wang Fei , Yang Bin , Li Shuzhong , Hu Zhong , Ou Rongna , Wu Kai
Published: October 2015

Daqing oilfield located in onshore North China has been produced for over 56 years. Most of the primary oil was produced from conventional formation. With ongoing of exploration and development, the unconventional resource development plays a key role in maintaining stable production. The reserve of tight oil is more than 1 billion ton in the central depression area of North Songliao Basin, accounts for about 40% of unexploited reserves. However, there are following challenges for developing tight oil, such as the dense lithology, complex sand distribution, lower production with vertical well development and ultra poor profit need to be overcome.

Multidisciplinary study was conducted to focus on formation evaluation and horizontal well planning optimization. A new horizontal well construction was launched to optimize the tight oil development at the beginning of 2014. Meanwhile, advanced azimuthal LWD, with the ability to map the distance to the multiple boundaries such as the oil-water-contact (OWC), the top and bottom of the reservoir structure, was selected as the fit-for-purpose application and to enhanced reservoir understanding. In combination, rotary steerable system (RSS) was selected to improve drilling efficiency and deliver smooth trajectory control.

This integrated fit-for-purpose technologies proved the value in its utility by achieving the ultimate objective of drilling six pilot horizontal wells in YA block. In these wells, average 90% net-to-gross(NTG) in sweet zone, 80% improvement in drilling efficiency and initial average productivity after fracturing is around 5 times of vertical well's.

The successful application of the integrated development strategy in this complex tight oil field will lead to outstanding production, increasing the ultimate recovery and well economics. The authors believe this approach and techniques could effectively address the following tight oil development in Songliao basin.
A Novel Selective Fracturing Proppant Applied in Daqing Oilfield
Authors: WanFu Zhou , ZhongLian Han , Gang Cao , Xin Wang , QingGuo Wang , WenJiang Chen , QingSong Li , JingMei Wang , Yang Han , HaiRong Fu
Published: October 2015

In the later stage of development, most oilfields faced high water cut issue after treatments. Meanwhile, how to effectively control oil wells water breakthrough after fracturing so as to increase oil production has become a big challenge for production engineers. This paper introduced a novel selective proppant which can effectively block water from entering well bore after fracturing.

Based on "eggshell principle" and interfacial tension theory, this novel proppant was developed with a new monolayer strong hydrophobic interface treatment technique. This special processing technique could not only reduce the proppant's flow resistance of oil, but also increase its flow resistance of water. As the result, this novel proppant showed the characteristics of excellent lipophilicity and hydrophobicity as well. Experiments indicated that oil water diversion ratio of selective proppant was greater than 1.2, while the ordinary proppant was less than 0.7. The oil wettability index of selective proppant was greater than 0.8, while the ordinary proppant was less than 0.3. The main characteristics of this supporting agent was small apparent density, low broken rate, and high flow capacity. The proppant surface is oil wet, which has the characteristics of oil increasing precipitation. Experiments showed that the seepage velocity of water in selective proppant was obviously lower than in quartz sand, selective proppant with water resistance.

Field test was carried out in 11 wells with selective proppant fracturing. A group of conventional fracturing wells were selected as contrasted wells with similar reservoir and operating conditions. After fracturing with novel proppant, the average water cut of producers was decreased by 7.2% per well, the average oil production was increased by 6.3 tons per well, and the average valid fracturing a period was 14.1 months. As for contrasted wells with conventional fracturing proppant, the average single well water cut decline was only 0.4%, the average single well daily oil 3.1 tons, an average period of only 5.8 months.

The novel proppant showed remarkable advantages in improving oil production and decreasing water cut. This technique has a great future for mature oilfield development.
Estimation of IFT Reduction by a Biomass Material and Potential of Its Utilization for EOR
Authors: Sugai Yuichi , Komatsu Keita , Sasaki Kyuro
Published: October 2015

Surfactant injection is one of the most effective EOR techniques. Chemical surfactants however pose a few problems such as their high cost and low-degradability. We study on the utilization of biomass such as agricultural fertilizer mainly comprising the residue of squeezed beer yeast for EOR as an alternative of chemical surfactants because crude oil can be completely miscible with the fertilizer solution. The fertilizer can be stably supplied at a low cost because it is a waste of beer brewing industry and is only used for an animal feed additive so far. Its retail price is approximately 1 USD/kg in Japan.

We semi-quantitatively estimated the interfacial tension (IFT) between the fertilizer solution and crude oil by the oil displacement test. Concentration of the fertilizer was varied between 10 to 50 g/L. The fertilizer solution to which sodium chloride was added at a concentration of 10 to 40 g/L was hydrothermally treated at 60, 80, 100 or 120 ºC for 10, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes respectively before the tests. The fertilizer solution to which crude oil was added at a ratio of 1 % was also hydrothermally treated at 120 ºC for 20 minutes. Solution of surfactin which was a commercial biosurfactant was used as a standard of the IFT.

The IFT was reduced with the decrease in salinity and increase in concentration of the fertilizer and temperature of the hydrothermal treatment. Time of the hydrothermal treatment was preferably 30 minutes or less for the IFT reduction. The capability of 50 g/L of fertilizer solution to reduce the IFT was almost same as the capability of 0.2 g/L of the surfactin solution. Because the fertilizer solution comes into contact with residual oil under high temperature in oil reservoir, IFT between the solution and crude oil can be expected to be reduced in-situ.

Core flooding experiments were carried out by injecting the fertilizer solution after the water flooding as the primary oil recovery. 1.2 % of original oil in place was additionally recovered by injecting 50 g/L of the fertilizer solution after the water flooding.

The fertilizer should be biodegradable because it is a microbially-derived substance. In addition, because the IFT reduction was observed after the hydrothermal treatment of the fertilizer solution, the fertilizer should be effective even in the reservoir whose temperature is high such as 120 ºC at which chemical surfactants may be deactivated. From those results, the injection of the fertilizer solution can be a promising EOR which has both high cost performance, low environmental load and high versatility.
A Comparison of Frac Pack and High Rate Water Pack in Multizone Single Trip Completion in Mahakam Offshore Block
Authors: Muryanto B. , Lavoix F. , Anashkin A. , Jatikusuma R. , Sinaga H.A. , Maharanoe M.I. , Nusyirwan A. , Hashim S.
Published: October 2015

The Mahakam offshore block consists of three fields, the Sisi-Nubi, Peciko, and Bekapai. Traditionally, most of the wells were completed with high-rate water packs (HRWPs) with good sand control and acceptable productivity. Frac packs (FP) were introduced to improve completion skin, helping ensure longevity of sand control and maximizing recovery. However, considering the unique context of Multi Zone Single Trip gravel packs (MZ-STGP) deployed in the Mahakam and reservoir challenges, the advantages of FPs were carefully reviewed and the design adapted accordingly.

Pumping results from more than 250 zones of HRWP are reviewed. Key parameters, such as blank pipe (BP) coverage and net pressure, are analyzed. HRWP productivity results are compared with 22 zones of FPs performed to date. Apart from productivity analysis, operation time is assessed to determine the merit of FP method. The classic FP parameters, such as fracture length, height, and packing factor are also examined. Special context from the Mahakam offshore fields with tight spacing between zones and presence of water contact nearby along with soft reservoirs and low stress barrier are considered in terms of assessing FP and HRWP. Difficulty to design Tip Screen Out (TSO) fractures and controlling height growth is also analyzed.

The study reveals the merit of performing FP and provides a recommendation for when to use HRWP or FP in conjunction with MZ-STGP completions. General recommendations of pumping design for both HRWP and FP are also established.
Equilibrium Acid Fracturing: A New Fracture Acidizing Technique for Carbonate Formations
Authors: Tinker S. J
Published: October 2015

The equilibrium acid fracturing technique has been developed to stimulate wells in the Wasson San Andres Denver Production Unit. This new treatment technique maximizes acid contact time with the fracture faces while allowing control of the created fracture dimensions. Maximum acid contact time is essential to create highly conductive etched pathways on the fracture faces of cool dolomite formations which react slowly with acid. Control of fracture dimensions is important in the Denver Unit San Andres because fractures tend to grow uncontained in at least one vertical direction and the oil column is bounded by permeable gas bearing intervals above and permeable water bearing intervals below.

Using this technique, a fracture of desired dimensions is first created by injecting acid at fracturing rates. The volume of acid required to create the desired fracture dimensions is determined by a two dimensional fracture geometry program using design parameters determined from mini-frac testing and laboratory testing.

Injection is then continued at reduced rates which maintain equilibrium with the fluid leak-off rate from the created fracture faces. By maintaining equilibrium between injection and leak-off, the created fracture can be held open without significant further fracture extension.

Equilibrium is achieved in the field by maintaining the injection pressure below the fracture extension pressure, but above the fracture closure pressure determined by mini-frac testing.

The background and theory of this technique will be presented in this paper along with design procedures, field examples, results, and conclusions. A comparison of the results of the equilibrium acid fracture treatments to the other acid stimulations performed in the Denver Unit is also shown.
Critical Mixing Parameters for Good Control of Cement Slurry Quality
Authors: Vidick B.
Published: October 2015

The goal of this study is to identify the critical parameters for control of slurry quality during cementing operations.

It appears that the cement mixing process can be split into two different processes:

– a mechanical one that includes the wetting of the powder, the deflocculation and the homogenisation of the resulting suspension, and – a physico-chemical one that includes during the first seconds the dissolution of some cement phases, the formation of supersaturated solutions and the precipitation of cement hydrates.

The validity of the mechanical process has been checked with inert suspensions of silica and barite as well as cement slurries of various reactivities and physical characteristics (particle size distribution). The physico-chemical process was investigated systematically first by looking at the precipitation kinetics, then inert suspensions and finally cement slurries.

The relevant mixing parameters were found to be the residence time of the slurry in the mixer and the rotational speed. Physical properties such as plastic viscosity and fluid loss are related to these two parameters via a single relation which is the mixing energy. Properties related to cement reactivities such as the yield value are affected very little by the rotational speed, but are highly dependent on the residence time in the mixer.

The influence of these two parameters on the response to different additives (dispersants, retarders, fluid-loss agents) is also presented. Finally, a comprehensive physico-chemical model of cement mixing is proposed.
Radiocarbon Dating Khirbet Qeiyafa and the Iron I–IIA Phases in the Shephelah: Methodological Comments and a Bayesian Model
Authors: Finkelstein Israel , Piasetzky Eli
Published: October 2015

This article discusses methodological issues related to the radiocarbon dating of Khirbet Qeiyafa, mainly the question of whether the site should be dated solely according to samples retrieved there or dated as part of a regional sequence of stratigraphically based ceramic typology phases. For the latter, we deploy the large number of14C determinations now available for several sites in the Shephelah, which are located in close proximity to each other, in order to establish a Bayesian model for the absolute chronology of the Iron I–IIA phases in the region. We argue that the information assembled from six neighboring sites in the Shephelah pushes forward the date of Qeiyafa to the 10th century, a date later than the one the excavators estimated based on the more limited14C information from the site alone.
Establishment of reference values for various coagulation tests in healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and evaluation of coagulation in debilitated manatees during rehabilitation
Authors: Gerlach Trevor J. , Bandt Carsten , Conner Bobbi , Ball Ray L.
Published: October 2015

Objective—To establish reference ranges for coagulation parameters in healthy Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) and compare results with those for debilitated manatees undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation facility.

Design—Prospective study.

Animals—29 healthy manatees and 45 debilitated manatees with various diseases.

Procedures—Manatees considered healthy on the basis of results of physical examination, CBC, and serum biochemical analysis underwent coagulation testing including measurement of prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer concentration, platelet count, and fibrinogen concentration to establish reference ranges. For comparison, a group of manatees undergoing rehabilitation was also tested, and the results were compared. Thromboelastography was also performed on some animals.

Results—Values for D-dimer concentration were significantly higher in debilitated versus healthy animals. There was no significant difference for prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, or fibrinogen concentration between groups. Thromboelastography was performed on 8 healthy animals.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Reference ranges were established for various tests of coagulation that may assist clinicians during the initial evaluation and rehabilitation of Florida manatees. Future research to evaluate the effect of specific disease processes on the coagulation cascade is recommended.
Malnutrition Status Among Under - 5 Children in a Hill Community of Nepal
Authors: Gaurav K , Poudel IS , Bhattarai S , Pradhan PMS , Pokharel PK
Published: October 2015

Background Malnutrition, especially under nutrition puts children at increased risk of morbidity and mortality and remains a serious barrier in child growth, development and survival. This is a major public health problem among under- 5 children in Nepal particularly in rural areas.Objective To assess the burden and contributing factors for malnutrition in hill community of Ilam district in eastern Nepal.Method A cross sectional study was conducted in rural hill communities of Ilam district, Nepal with a sample of 240 under- 5 children. Anthropometric measurements were used as per WHO guidelines to asses three nutritional status: Underweight, Stunting, and Wasting using descriptive statistics and chi square test was applied using SPSS 12.0 to assess social and predisposing factors.Result Seventeen percent of under- 5 children were moderately and 10.4 % were severely underweight. Similarly, 22.9%, and 17.5% were found to be moderately and severely stunted respectively. Less than 10% were found to be moderately and severely wasted. Older age group of children, education level of mother, not exclusive breast feeding practice had significant (p <0.05) effect on stunting. More than 50% children were affected with stunting, underweight and wasting at the same time.Conclusion Significant proportion of under - 5 children were malnourished in the communities of the hilly areas. The study unveiled the importance of literacy and exclusive breast feeding for the prevention of malnutrition in under- 5 children.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.12(4) 2014; 264-268
Rare Presentation of Chorioadenoma Destruens as Acute Haemoperitoneum Mimicking Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy
Authors: Sinha M , Kaur R , Gupta R , Rani R , Aggarwal A
Published: October 2015

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasms (GTN) are proliferative degenerative disorders of placental elements and include complete or partial mole (90%), invasivemole (5-8%), choriocarcinoma (1-2%) and placental site tumor (1-2%). Chorioadenoma destruens is a trophoblastic tumor, characterized by myometrial invasion through direct extension or via venous channels. We present a case of invasive mole eroding uterus and uterine vasculature, causing sudden rupture of uterus with massive haemoperitoneum mimicking ectopic pregnancy. A 20 year old G1P0 at 6 weeks gestation presented in Casualty of Kasturba Hospital complaining of severe acute onset lower abdominal pain for one hour. Clinical examination revealed shock. Sonography suggested ectopic pregnancy and immediate exploratory laparotomy was decided. On laparotomy, 2000cc of haemoperitoneum was noted. Grape like vesicles protruding through fundal perforation with profuse active bleeding was seen. Bleeding persisted despite evacuation. Step wise uterine devascularisation failed to achieve haemostasis. Total abdominal hysterectomy was performed as a life saving measure.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.12(4) 2014; 288-291
Aberrant MUC1-TRIM46-KRTCAP2 Chimeric RNAs in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Kannan Kalpana , Kordestani Gona , Galagoda Anika , Coarfa Cristian , Yen Laising
Published: October 2015

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is among the most lethal forms of cancer in women. By analyzing the mRNA-seq reads from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we uncovered a novel cancer-enriched chimeric RNA as the result of splicing between MUC1, a highly glycosylated transmembrane mucin, TRIM46, a tripartite motif containing protein, and KRTCAP2, a keratinocyte associated protein. Experimental analyses by RT-PCR (reverse transcription PCR) and Sanger sequencing using an in-house cohort of 59 HGSC patient tumors revealed a total of six MUC1-TRIM46-KRTCAP2 isoforms joined by different annotated splice sites between these genes. These chimeric isoforms are not detected in non-cancerous ovaries, yet are present in three out of every four HGSC patient tumors, a significant frequency given the exceedingly heterogeneous nature of this disease. Transfection of the cDNA of MUC1-TRIM46-KRTCAP2 isoforms in mammalian cells led to the translation of mutant MUC1 fusion proteins that are unglycosylated and cytoplasmically localized as opposed to the cell membrane, a feature resembling the tumor-associated MUC1. Because the parental MUC1 is overexpressed in 90% of HGSC tumors and has been proposed as a clinical biomarker and therapeutic target, the chimeric MUC1-TRIM46-KRTCAP2 isoforms identified in this report could represent significantly better MUC1 variants for the same clinical utilities.
Multi-Level Wavelet Shannon Entropy-Based Method for Single-Sensor Fault Location
Authors: Yang Qiaoning , Wang Jianlin
Published: October 2015

In actual application, sensors are prone to failure because of harsh environments, battery drain, and sensor aging. Sensor fault location is an important step for follow-up sensor fault detection. In this paper, two new multi-level wavelet Shannon entropies (multi-level wavelet time Shannon entropy and multi-level wavelet time-energy Shannon entropy) are defined. They take full advantage of sensor fault frequency distribution and energy distribution across multi-subband in wavelet domain. Based on the multi-level wavelet Shannon entropy, a method is proposed for single sensor fault location. The method firstly uses a criterion of maximum energy-to-Shannon entropy ratio to select the appropriate wavelet base for signal analysis. Then multi-level wavelet time Shannon entropy and multi-level wavelet time-energy Shannon entropy are used to locate the fault. The method is validated using practical chemical gas concentration data from a gas sensor array. Compared with wavelet time Shannon entropy and wavelet energy Shannon entropy, the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve accurate location of a single sensor fault and has good anti-noise ability. The proposed method is feasible and effective for single-sensor fault location.
Miniaturized Air-Driven Planar Magnetic Generators
Authors: Zhao Jingjing , Shi Gengchen , Du Lin
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the design, analysis, fabrication and testing of two miniaturized air-driven planar magnetic generators. In order to reduce the magnetic resistance torque, Generator 1 establishes a static magnetic field by consisting a multilayer planar coil as the stator and two multi-pole permanent-magnet (PM) rotors on both sides of the coil. To further decrease the starting torque and save more space, Generator 2 adopts the multilayer planar coil as the rotor and the multi-pole PMs as the stator, eliminating the casing without compromising the magnetic structure or output performance. The prototypes were tested gathering energy from wind which can work at a low wind speed of 1~2 m/s. Prototype of Generator 1 is with a volume of 2.61 cm3 and its normalized voltage reaches 485 mV/krpm. Prototype of Generator 2 has a volume of 0.92 cm3 and a normalized voltage as high as 538 mV/krpm. Additionally, output voltage can be estimated at better than 96% accuracy by the theoretical model developed in this paper. The two micro generators are capable of producing substantial electricity with little volume to serve as compact power conversion devices.
Validated LC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Scopoletin in Rat Plasma and Its Application to Pharmacokinetic Studies
Authors: Zeng Yingchun , Li Sha , Wang Xiaohong , Gong Tao , Sun Xun , Zhang Zhirong
Published: October 2015

A rapid, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the quantification of scopoletin in rat plasma. After the addition of the internal standard xanthotoxin, plasma samples were pretreated by a simple one-step protein precipitation with acetonitrile-methanol (2:1, v/v). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Diamonsil ODS chromatography column using gradient elution with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid. The determination was performed by positive ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range of 5–1000 ng/mL (r = 0.9996). The intra- and inter-day precision (RSD%) was less than 6.1%, and the accuracy (RE%) was from −3.0%–2.5%. This method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic research of scopoletin in rats after intravenous (5 mg/kg) or oral (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) administration. The result showed that oral bioavailability with a dose of 5 mg/kg was 6.62% ± 1.72%, 10 mg/kg, 5.59% ± 1.16%, and 20 mg/kg, 5.65% ± 0.75%.
Lupanine Improves Glucose Homeostasis by Influencing KATP Channels and Insulin Gene Expression
Authors: Wiedemann Mats , Gurrola-Díaz Carmen , Vargas-Guerrero Belinda , Wink Michael , García-López Pedro , Düfer Martina
Published: October 2015

The glucose-lowering effects of lupin seeds involve the combined action of several components. The present study investigates the influence of one of the main quinolizidine alkaloids, lupanine, on pancreatic beta cells and in an animal model of type-2 diabetes mellitus. In vitro studies were performed with insulin-secreting INS-1E cells or islets of C57BL/6 mice. In the in vivo experiments, hyperglycemia was induced in rats by injecting streptozotocin (65 mg/kg body weight). In the presence of 15 mmol/L glucose, insulin secretion was significantly elevated by 0.5 mmol/L lupanine, whereas the alkaloid did not stimulate insulin release with lower glucose concentrations. In islets treated with l-arginine, the potentiating effect of lupanine already occurred at 8 mmol/L glucose. Lupanine increased the expression of the Ins-1 gene. The potentiating effect on secretion was correlated to membrane depolarization and an increase in the frequency of Ca2+ action potentials. Determination of the current through ATP-dependent K+ channels (KATP channels) revealed that lupanine directly inhibited the channel. The effect was dose-dependent but, even with a high lupanine concentration of 1 mmol/L or after a prolonged exposure time (12 h), the KATP channel block was incomplete. Oral administration of lupanine did not induce hypoglycemia. By contrast, lupanine improved glycemic control in response to an oral glucose tolerance test in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In summary, lupanine acts as a positive modulator of insulin release obviously without a risk for hypoglycemic episodes.
Assessing the Potential to Operationalize Shoreline Sensitivity Mapping: Classifying Multiple Wide Fine Quadrature Polarized RADARSAT-2 and Landsat 5 Scenes with a Single Random Forest Model
Authors: Banks Sarah , Millard Koreen , Pasher Jon , Richardson Murray , Wang Huili , Duffe Jason
Published: October 2015

The Random Forest algorithm was used to classify 86 Wide Fine Quadrature Polarized RADARSAT-2 scenes, five Landsat 5 scenes, and a Digital Elevation Model covering an area approximately 81,000 km2 in size, and representing the entirety of Dease Strait, Coronation Gulf and Bathurst Inlet, Nunavut. The focus of this research was to assess the potential to operationalize shoreline sensitivity mapping to inform oil spill response and contingency planning. The impact of varying the training sample size and reducing model data load were evaluated. Results showed that acceptable accuracies could be achieved with relatively few training samples, but that higher accuracies and greater probabilities of correct class assignment were observed with larger sample sizes. Additionally, the number of inputs to the model could be greatly reduced without impacting overall performance. Optimized models reached independent accuracies of 91% for seven land cover types, and classification probabilities between 0.77 and 0.98 (values for latter represent per-class averages generated from independent validation sites). Mixed results were observed when assessing the potential for remote predictive mapping by simulating transferability of the model to scenes without training data.
Participatory Development of Key Sustainability Concepts for Dialogue and Curricula at The Ohio State University
Authors: Bullock Clair , Hitzhusen Gregory
Published: October 2015

The Ohio State University (OSU) is one of the many universities committed to sustainability within its operations, traditions, and university framework. The university continues to evolve in relation to its sustainability goals, and currently seeks to both build on and deepen the culture of sustainability at OSU. One way to do this is through increasing the sustainability literacy of students on campus, by creating an introductory sustainability curriculum, which would put forth the definitions, concepts, and initiatives that represent sustainability at Ohio State. However, before such a curriculum can be developed, it is important to first understand the current sustainability perceptions at OSU: what definition does the university want to embrace? What is most pertinent to teach OSU students? Twenty sustainability leaders across the university were interviewed in a participatory development process to produce consensus-based, local definitional concepts that are not only beneficial for student knowledge, but for OSU sustainability progress as a whole. The results of their recommendations have provided a solid framework from which the university can build in its future curricular efforts, and provides insights that may be particularly helpful in promoting sustainability in other large American universities. This study also describes a case of using participatory development (PD) methods, which have been under-utilized in a higher education setting, particularly in sustainability implementation.
Measuring Resilience to Natural Hazards: Towards Sustainable Hazard Mitigation
Authors: Shim Jae , Kim Chun-Il
Published: October 2015

Measuring resilience to natural hazards is a central issue in the hazard mitigation sciences. This paper applied a confirmatory factor methodology to operationalize the biophysical, built-environment, and socioeconomic resilience dimensions for local jurisdictions in large urban metropolitan areas in South Korea. Mapping the factor scores of the dimensions revealed great spatial variations. The factor covariances showed a trade-off relationship between natural infrastructure and human activities. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to classify the localities into heterogeneous groups with respect to the identified resilience dimensions. Densely developed and affluent urban areas tend to lack biophysical resilience. Some local governments, sorted into the same groups, turn out to be located in different metropolitan areas. The spatial variation and inequality in the resilience dimensions suggest the necessity of integrated and flexible governance for sustainable hazard mitigation.
Wait Times for Prostate Cancer Treatment and Patient Perceptions of Care in Canada: A Mixed-Methods Report
Authors: Tran K. , Sandoval C. , Rahal R. , Porter G. , Siemens R. , Hernandez J. , Fung S. , Louzado C. , Liu J , Bryant H. ,   in collaboration with the System Performance Steering Committee and Technical Working Group
Published: October 2015

Background: Access to cancer care is a significant concern for Canadians. Prolonged delays between cancer diagnosis and treatment have been associated with anxiety, stress, and perceived powerlessness for patients and their family members. Longer wait times can also be associated with poorer prognosis, although the evidence is inconclusive. Here, we report national wait times for radiation therapy and surgery for localized prostate cancer (pca) and the effect of wait time on patient perceptions of their care. Results: Treatment wait times showed substantial interprovincial variation. The longest 90th percentile wait times for radiation therapy and surgery were, respectively, 40 days and 105 days. In all provinces, waits for radiation therapy were longer for pca patients than for patients with breast, colorectal, or lung cancer. In the focus groups and interviews conducted with 47 men treated for pca, many participants did not perceive that wait times for treatment were prolonged. Those who experienced delays between diagnosis and treatment voiced issues with a lack of communication about when they would receive treatment and a lack of support or information to make an informed decision about treatment. Minimizing treatment delays was an aspect of the cancer journey that participants would like to change because of the stress it caused. Conclusions: Although wait time statistics are useful, a review of cancer control in Canada cannot be considered complete unless an effort is made to give voice to the experiences of individuals with cancer. The findings presented here are intended to provide a snapshot of national care delivery for localized pca and to identify opportunities for improvement in clinical practice.
Response to: “Current Definition of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer”
Authors: Brackstone Muriel
Published: October 2015

Locally advanced breast cancer (labc) represents an advanced stage of heterogenous breast cancers that continues to invoke great interest. [...]
To Screen or Not to Screen for Breast Cancer? How Do Modelling Studies Answer the Question?
Authors: Koleva-Kolarova R.G. , Zhan Z. , Greuter M.J.W. , Feenstra T.L. , De Bock G.H.
Published: October 2015

Breast cancer screening is a topic of hot debate, and currently no general consensus has been reached on starting and ending ages and screening intervals, in part because of a lack of precise estimations of the benefit–harm ratio. Simulation models are often applied to account for the expected benefits and harms of regular screening; however, the degree to which the model outcomes are reliable is not clear. In a recent systematic review, we therefore aimed to assess the quality of published simulation models for breast cancer screening of the general population. The models were scored according to a framework for qualitative assessment. We distinguished seven original models that utilized a common model type, modelling approach, and input parameters. The models predicted the benefit of regular screening in terms of mortality reduction; and overall, their estimates compared well to estimates of mortality reduction from randomized controlled trials. However, the models did not report on the expected harms associated with regular screening. We found that current simulation models for population breast cancer screening are prone to many pitfalls; their outcomes bear a high overall risk of bias, mainly because of a lack of systematic evaluation of evidence to calibrate the input parameters and a lack of external validation. Our recommendations concerning future modelling are therefore to use systematically evaluated data for the calibration of input parameters, to perform external validation of model outcomes, and to account for both the expected benefits and the expected harms so as to provide a clear balance and cost-effectiveness estimation and to adequately inform decision-makers.
Un traumatisme dans l’origine : l’enfant issu de l’inceste
Authors: Ansermet François , Giacobino Ariane
Published: October 2015

Le cas exceptionnel d’une femme issue d’un inceste, rencontrée dans une consultation génétique pour une problématique reproductive anodine, nous amène à revisiter d’une part les justifications biologiques de l’interdit de l’inceste, ainsi que ses conséquences délétères d’une consanguinité extrême, et d’autre part les justifications sociales en rapport une loi symbolique qui place la culture en opposition à la nature, et à travers laquelle se réalise une opération où se distingue l’identique et le différent, sur le plan des sexes et des générations. Cette situation révèle aussi la façon dont les protagonistes, mère et fille, tentent de s’extraire d’une tragédie familiale. En aval du chaos familial découlant de l’inceste, celui qui en est issu doit tenter ne pas faire de sa conception la fin de son histoire.
Des « résidus radioactifs » au cœur d’une dyade mère-bébé ou la transmission du trauma d’une mère à son bébé
Authors: Feldman Marion , Dozio Elisabetta , El Husseini Mayssa’ , Drain Élise , Radjack Rahmethnissah , Moro Marie Rose
Published: October 2015

Introduction : L’observation détaillée des interactions entre une mère traumatisée et son bébé renseigne sur les modalités de transmission du traumatisme psychique au bébé. Méthode : Après avoir présenté une revue de la littérature sur l’état actuel de la question, nous illustrerons la problématique par la situation clinique d’une mère haïtienne et de son enfant de 2 ans et demi, rencontrée dans une crèche préventive en région parisienne. Nous analysons la première rencontre avec cette dyade, selon l’axe de la qualité des interactions, pour voir comment un récit traumatique peut impacter sur ces liens mère-bébé, voire avec le thérapeute. Ce récit, en période périnatale, peut raviver des éléments forts d’une histoire à la fois singulière et collective. Résultats : Mère et bébé se répondent l’un et l’autre par l’émission et la réception de « résidus radioactifs ». Discussion : Ce cas clinique montre la nécessité de considérer l’aspect transculturel et l’histoire collective en association avec les événements traumatiques. Le contre-transfert peut être un outil clinique pour accéder au vécu du bébé.
Être adolescent loin de chez soi et des siens : subjectivation et remaniements identitaires
Authors: de Santa Ana Irene
Published: October 2015

L’auteur aborde la prise en charge psychothérapeutique des adolescents arrivés seuls sur notre territoire dans un dispositif de soins pour familles migrantes. Ces adolescents ont vécu des traumatismes et des deuils multiples avant d’arriver chez nous et se retrouvent souvent dans un milieu carencé dans lequel ils peinent à trouver des adultes sur lesquels s’appuyer pour renouer avec le processus adolescent. Dans la relation thérapeutique, à la faveur du transfert et sur son cadre, s’actualisent des traces des objets et des enveloppes psychiques perdus, offrant ainsi une opportunité à la relance du processus de subjectivation et, par là, à la reprise du remaniement identitaire propre à cet âge.