bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Key Considerations: Improving Uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccine Amongst Women in South Sudan
Authors: Butler Nadia , Roldan de Jong Tamara , Muzzulini Barbara , Tulloch, Olivia
Published: March 2022

Disparities in vaccine equity exist on a global scale, but also within countries. While in high income countries slightly more women than men tend to be vaccinated, the opposite is true in low income countries. In South Sudan, as of September 2021, 28% of people who had received a COVID-19 vaccine were women. This rate then increased markedly, reaching 41% by January 2022. This brief explores some of the reasons behind the low uptake amongst women during the initial phases of the roll-out and the contributing factors to the increase over time. This brief draws on evidence from academic and grey literature, dashboards and datasets on COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and consultations with partners working in the COVID-19 response. It also reviews some of the interventions to increase uptake amongst women and provides considerations for partners working on vaccine demand promotion. It is part of the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform (SSHAP) series on social science considerations relating to COVID-19 vaccines and was developed for SSHAP by Anthrologica (led by Nadia Butler). Contributions and reviews were provided from response partners in South Sudan and international experts (UNICEF, IFRC, South Sudan Red Cross, Internews, Anthrovisions Productions, WHO, WFP, and the Humanitarian Country Office and Anthrologica). It was requested by the UNICEF East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO). This brief is the responsibility of SSHAP.
Lactose in milk: properties, nutritional characteristics and role in dairy products
Authors:   FrieslandCampina, The Netherlands, Huppertz Thom ,   Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
Published: March 2022

Lactose is the main carbohydrate in milk and serves as a source of energy for the neonate, but also has other unique functionalities. Lactose is a low GI carbohydrate with low cariogenic potential, which are important to the healthy development of the neonate. These functionalities are derived from the presence of galactose as one of the monosaccharides and the fact that the monosaccharides, galactose and glucose, are bound by an b-1à4 rather than an a-1à4 glycosidic bond. Technologically, lactose also has important properties. Fermentation of lactose is key to products such as yoghurt and cheese and lactose can be isolated and applied as an ingredient in many other products. For individuals suffering from lactose maldigestions, a variety of lactose-free dairy products are available, whereas many fermented dairy products containing lactose can also be consumed, thus allowing also these people to utilize the nutritional potential of milk and dairy products.
Nutritional properties and biological activity of lactose and other dairy carbohydrates
Authors:   University of Alberta, Canada, Gänzle Michael
Published: March 2022

Lactose is the main carbohydrate in the milk of dairy animals; it is also the only dairy carbohydrate that is digested in the human small intestine. While lactose is digested by all human infants, it is conditionally digestible in human adults and its nutritional properties depend on the genetic background of the individual, the capacity of intestinal microbiota to ferment lactose without adverse effects for the host, and the presence of other components of the diet. In addition to lactose, milk of dairy animals contains glycoproteins and a low concentration free oligosaccharides. These dairy carbohydrates are indigestible but have multiple biological activities related to infant nutrition, the modulation of the composition and activity of intestinal microbiota, and the inhibition of pathogen or toxin adhesion to intestinal epithelia. This chapter provides an overview on carbohydrates and glycoproteins in milk, focusing on bovine milk, and their nutritional properties and biological activity.
Microbial quality and spoilage of raw cow’s milk
Authors:   Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, Kazou Maria , Gavriil Alkmini ,   Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, Kounenidaki Chryssi ,   Agricultural University of Athens, Greece, Tsakalidou Effie ,   Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
Published: March 2022

Milk, which is a basic component of the human diet since millennia worldwide, is rich in all kind of nutrients, thus comprises an excellent growth substrate for both beneficial and harmful microorganisms. As a result, milk contains numerous microorganisms deriving either from the animal itself or from the environment during the collection and storage of milk. These microbes can play a number of roles, such as facilitating dairy fermentations, promoting health, causing spoilage or even disease. For decades, the microbial ecology of dairy products has been based on the study of microbial isolates through conventional culture-dependent microbiological analysis. However, culture-independent approaches, and, most importantly, high throughput sequencing coupled with the omics-based techniques enable a thorough taxonomic fingerprinting of the dairy microbiota. This chapter provides a broad overview on the microbiota of raw cow's milk, as this has been described so far by both culture-dependent and -independent approaches.
Marcas compuestas por nombres de celebridades
Authors: García Vidal Ángel
Published: March 2022

El presente trabajo se centra en las marcas compuestas por el nombre de celebridades para examinar si la fama del personaje tiene alguna relevancia en el régimen jurídico de dichas marcas. Se analiza si el conocimiento del personaje por parte del público implica, per se, un mayor ámbito de protección de la marca, así como las implicaciones de la fama a la hora de realizar la comparación de dichas marcas con marcas de terceros y determinar si concurre riesgo de confusión o procede la especial protección de las marcas de renombre. Finalmente, cuando es un tercero quien solicita como marca el nombre de una celebridad, también se estudia el papel que puede jugar la fama del personaje para apreciar mala fe en la solicitud. El trabajo se centra en el Derecho europeo de marcas, a la luz de la más reciente jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia y del Tribunal General.
Apresentação do dossiê do II encontro de pesquisadores marxistas
Authors: Santos Breno Augusto de Oliveira , Ferreira Fernando , Alves Lucas
Published: March 2022

Apresentação do dossiê do II Encontro de Pesquisadores Marxistas (EPM), organizado para a edição especial, v. 15 (2022) do Cadernos Cemarx.
Chronic epidural hematoma evacuated through surgical treatment: a case report
Authors: Sin Eui Gyu
Published: March 2022

Epidural hematoma (EDH) can sometimes be life-threatening, although small-volume EDHs can resolve spontaneously like other intracranial hematomas. However, in rare cases, EDH can transform into a chronic form instead of disappearing. In contrast to subdural hematoma, there is no agreed-upon definition or treatment of chronic EDH. A 41-year-old male patient with acute EDH in the bilateral paravertical area due to partial rupture of the sagittal sinus was operated first, and then remnant contralateral hematoma was treated conservatively. One month after surgery, he showed hemiparesis, and brain imaging revealed chronic EDH at the location of the remnant acute hematoma. We performed surgery again to treat chronic EDH through a large craniotomy. Although many cases of EDH are self-limited, clinicians must keep in mind that some cases of EDH, especially those of venous origin and arising in young people, can become chronic and require surgical treatment.
Bilateral foot drop caused by T12 infectious spondylitis after vertebroplasty: a case report
Authors: Kim Dong Hwan , Shin Yong Beom , Ha Mahnjeong , Kim Byung Chul , Han In Ho , Nam Kyoung Hyup
Published: March 2022

The most common cause of foot drop is lumbar degenerative disc herniation, particularly at L4/5. We present a rare case of spinal cord injury accompanied by a thoracolumbar lesion that presented with bilateral foot drop. A 69-year-old male patient presented with sudden-onset severe bilateral leg pain and bilateral foot drop. Radiologic findings revealed T12 spondylitis compressing the conus medullaris. He had undergone vertebroplasty for a T12 compression fracture after a fall 6 months before. A physical examination showed bilateral foot drop, paresthesia of both L5 dermatomes, increased deep tendon reflex, and a positive Babinski sign. An acute bilateral L5 root lesion and a conus medullaris lesion were suspected based on electromyography. A surgical procedure was done for decompression and reconstruction. After the operation, bilateral lower extremity muscle strength recovered to a good grade from the trace grade, and the patient could walk without a cane. The current case is a very rare report of bilateral foot drop associated with T12 infectious spondylitis after vertebroplasty. It is essential to keep in mind that lesions of the thoracolumbar junction can cause atypical neurological symptoms. Furthermore, understanding the conus medullaris and nerve root anatomy at the T12–L1 level will be helpful for treating patients with atypical neurological symptoms.
Combined effects of oncolytic vaccinia virus and dendritic cells on the progression of melanoma B16-F10 in mice
Authors: Goncharova Elena P. , Gamburg Tatiana A. , Markov Oleg V. , Zenkova Marina A.
Published: March 2022

Aim: We aimed to test the hypothesis that loading of dendritic cells (DCs) with both viral and tumor-specific antigens would enhance the efficacy antitumor DC-based therapy applied simultaneously with oncolytic virus. Methods: Vaccinia virus LIVP/GFP and melanoma B16-F10 were used in this study. DCs were pulsed with various combinations of viral and tumor-associated antigens. The maturation status of DCs was verified by expression of the markers CD80, CD86, and CCR7 and assessment of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-12 secretion. The most efficient combination of antigens for DC loading was selected based on the analysis of the cytotoxic activity of T lymphocytes. Combination therapy using vaccinia virus LIVP/GFP and DCs pulsed with viral and tumor-specific antigens was administered to the B16-F10 melanoma/mouse C57Bl tumor model. Results: We found that loading of DCs with viral antigens, or with a combination of viral and tumor antigens, resulted in similar levels of expression of DC maturation markers. The maximal in vitro cytotoxicity against virus-infected and non-infected B16 melanoma cells exhibited T lymphocytes activated by DCs loaded with the heat inactivated lysate of vaccinia virus LIVP/GFP infected tumor cell. The results show that the combination of vaccinia virus LIVP/GFP and DCs loaded with both tumor and viral antigens inhibit tumor growth of B16-F10 murine melanoma by more than two-fold. Conclusions: Combination therapy with oncolytic vaccinia virus LIVP/GFP and tumor/virus antigen-loaded DCs limited the growth of established melanoma B16-F10, but no synergistic antitumor effects were observed. We propose that optimization of the therapy regimen could enhance the efficiency of combination therapy.
Prediction of Spot Price of Iron Ore Based on PSR-WA-LSSVM Combined Model
Authors: Cai Xiangjun , Luo Shihua
Published: March 2022

Aiming at the problems that the existing single time series models are not accurate and robust enough when it comes to forecasting the iron ore prices and the parameters of the traditional LSSVM model are difficult to determine, we propose a combined model based on Phase Space Reconstruction (PSR), wavelet transform and LSSVM (PSR-WA-LSSVM) to tackle these issues. ARIMA model, LSTM model, PSR-LSSVM model, and PSR-WA-LSSVM models were used for contrast simulation to forecast the spot price data of 61.5%PB powder from January 30, 2019, to February 1, 2021, in Ningbo Zhoushan port. The experimental results show that the PSR-WA-LSSVM combination model achieves better prediction results. At the same time, the model has a good performance in the multistep prediction of the iron ore price.
A Clustering-Anonymity Approach for Trajectory Data Publishing Considering both Distance and Direction
Authors: Jiang Huo-wen , Hu Ke-kun
Published: March 2022

Trajectory data contains rich spatio-temporal information of moving objects. Directly publishing it for mining and analysis will result in severe privacy disclosure problems. Most existing clustering-anonymity methods cluster trajectories according to either distance- or direction-based similarities, leading to a high information loss. To bridge this gap, in this paper, we present a clustering-anonymity approach considering both these two types of similarities. As trajectories may not be synchronized, we first design a trajectory synchronization algorithm to synchronize them. Then, two similarity metrics between trajectories are quantitatively defined, followed by a comprehensive one. Furthermore, a clustering-anonymity algorithm for trajectory data publishing with privacy-preserving is proposed. It groups trajectories into clusters according to the comprehensive similarity metric. These clusters are finally anonymized. Experimental results show that our algorithm is effective in preserving privacy with low information loss.
Improving Machine Translation Quality with Denoising Autoencoder and Pre-Ordering
Authors: Hong-Viet Tran , Van-Vinh Nguyen , Hoang-Quan Nguyen
Published: March 2022

The problems in machine translation are related to the characteristics of a family of languages, especially syntactic divergences between languages. In the translation task, having both source and target languages in the same language family is a luxury that cannot be relied upon. The trained models for the task must overcome such differences either through manual augmentations or automatically inferred capacity built into the model design. In this work, we investigated the impact of multiple methods of differing word orders during translation and further experimented in assimilating the source languages syntax to the target word order using pre-ordering. We focused on the field of extremely low-resource scenarios. We also conducted experiments on practical data augmentation techniques that support the reordering capacity of the models through varying the target objectives, adding the secondary goal of removing noises or reordering broken input sequences. In particular, we propose methods to improve translat on quality with the denoising autoencoder in Neural Machine Translation (NMT) and pre-ordering method in Phrase-based Statistical Machine Translation (PBSMT). The experiments with a number of English-Vietnamese pairs show the improvement in BLEU scores as compared to both the NMT and SMT systems.
Galaxy Formation, Evolution and Rotation as a 4D Relativistic Cloud-World Embedded in a 4D Conformal Bulk
Authors: Al-Fadhli Mohammed
Published: March 2022

The observation of the S-star orbits has established the existence of a supermassive compact object at the galactic centre. However, the G2 gas cloud orbit and absence of observations on event horizon-scale distances have challenged the central black hole model. In addition, the Planck Legacy 2018 (PL18) release has preferred a positively curved early Universe with a confidence level greater than 99%. In this study, the formation of a galaxy from the collapse of a supermassive gas cloud in the early Universe is modelled based on interaction field equations as a 4D relativistic cloud-world that flows and spins through a 4D conformal bulk of a primordial positive curvature considering the preference of the PL18 release. Owing to the curved background, this scenario of galaxy formation reveals that the core of the galaxy undergoes a forced vortex formation with a central event horizon leading to opposite vortices (traversable wormholes) that spatially shrink through evolving in the conformal time. It indicates that the galaxy and its core are formed at the same process where the surrounding gas clouds form the spiral arms due to the frame-dragging induced by the fast-rotating core. Accordingly, the G2 gas cloud that only faced the drag effects could be explained if its orbit is around one of the traversable wormholes but at a distance from the central event horizon. Further, the simulation of the cloud-world flow through a positively curved early bulk demonstrates the fast orbital speed of outer stars owing to external fields exerted on galaxies as they have travelled through conformally curved spacetimes. These findings could elucidate the fast orbital speed of outer stars in galaxies while the formation of a galaxy and its core simultaneously could explain the supermassive compact galaxy core growth to a mass of ~109 M⊙ at just 6% of the current Universe age.
The Complex Universe
Authors: Laforet Christopher
Published: March 2022

In this paper, it is proposed that the correct metric for relativistic cosmology is one which has not only spatial curvature, but time curvature as well, and that it is the curvature of the time dimension that is the source of the accelerated expansion. It is argued that the FRW metric, whose time dimension is uncurved, is effectively a Newtonian approximation to the true cosmological metric and that the internal Schwarzschild metric is the true cosmological metric describing the 3D space of the Universe falling through the time dimension. The unknowns in the internal Schwarzschild metric are solved for using cosmological data and it is shown that the predictions it gives match observations without the need for a cosmological constant. The entire Schwarzschild metric in Kruskal-Sezekeres coordinates is examined and we see that it describes two CPT symmetric Universes moving in opposite directions in the time dimension. One Universe contains matter while the other contains antimatter. In section VIII, we discuss how the internal Schwarzschild metric can be understood as being made of imaginary time and space dimensions and these imaginary dimensions scale the real dimensions of the Universe. The Universe can be thought of as the imaginary counterpart of a galaxy with swapped space and time-like dimensions. The singularity is the point in time where the geodesics reverse their direction in time and begin to re-collapse toward each other. The matter and antimatter Universes annihilate with each other when they collide at the end of collapse, ultimately decaying into two new matter and antimatter Universes. The model also predicts that telescopes such as the JWST should find structures in the early Universe that are much older than expected or predicted by the current ΛCDM model.
The Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF): Its Psychometric Properties Among Sri Lankan Students and Measurement Invariance Across Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA
Authors: Ali Amira Mohammed , Al-Amer Rasmieh , Atout Maha , Ali Tazeen Saeed , Mansour Ayman M. Hamdan , Khatatbeh Haitham , Alkhamees Abdulmajeed A. , Hendawy Amin Omar
Published: March 2022

The prevalence of internet gaming disorders (IGD) is considerably high among youth, especially with social isolation imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. IGD adversely affects mental health, quality of life, and academic performance. The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS9-SF) is designed to detect IGD according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. However, inconsistent results are reported on its capacity to diagnose IGD evenly across different cultures. To ensure the suitability of the IGDS9-SF as a global measure of IGD, this study examined the psychometric properties of the IGDS9-SF in a sample of Sri Lankan university students (N = 322, mean age =17.2 ± 0.6, range = 16-18 years, 56.5% males) and evaluated its measurement invariance across samples from Sri Lanka, Turkey, Australia, and the USA. Among Sri Lankan students, a unidimensional structure expressed good fit, invariance across different groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, and income), adequate criterion validity (strong correlation with motives of internet gaming, daily gaming duration, and sleep quality), and good reliability (alpha = 0.81). Males and online multiplayers expressed higher IGD levels, greater time spent gaming, and more endorsement of gaming motives (e.g., Social and Coping) than females and offline players. Across countries, the IGDS9-SF was invariant at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, albeit strict invariance was not maintained. The lowest and highest IGD levels were reported among Turkish and American respondents, respectively. In conclusion, the IGDS9-SF can be reliably used to measure IGD among Sri Lankan youth. Because the scale holds scalar invariance across countries, its scores can be used to compare IGD levels in the studied countries.
Alternatives for MRI in Prostate Cancer Diagnostics – Review of Current Ultrasound-Based Techniques
Authors: Gurwin Adam , Kowalczyk Kamil , Knecht-Gurwin Klaudia , Stelmach Paweł , Nowak Łukasz , Krajewski Wojciech , Szydełko Tomasz , Małkiewicz Bartosz
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this review is to present the current role of ultrasound-based techniques in the diagnostic pathway of prostate cancer (PCa). With overdiagnosis and overtreatment of a clinically insignificant PCa over the past years, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) became recommended for every patient suspected of PCa before performing a biopsy. It enabled targeted sampling of the suspicious prostate regions, improving the accuracy of the traditional systematic biopsy. However, mpMRI is associated with high costs, relatively low availability, long and separate procedure or exposure to the contrast agent. The novel ultrasound modalities such as shear wave elastography (SWE), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) or high frequency micro-ultrasound (MicroUS) may be capable of maintaining the performance of mpMRI without its limitations. Moreover, the real-time lesion visualization during biopsy would significantly simplify the diagnostic process. Another value of these new techniques is the ability to enhance the performance of mpMRI by creating the image fusion of multiple modalities. Such models might be further analyzed by artificial intelligence to mark the regions of interest for investigators and help to decide about the biopsy indications. The dynamic development and promising results of new ultrasound-based techniques should encourage researchers to thoroughly study their utilization in prostate imaging.
Collaborative Research for Long COVID Haulers in Greece (Characteristics, Clinical Assessment and Rehabilitation). Non-hospitalized and Hospitalized Long COVID Patients Share Similar Symptom Patterns
Authors: Katsarou Martha Spyridoula , Iasonidou Eleni , Osarogue Alexander , Kalafatis Efthymios , Gatzonis Stylianos , Pappa Sofia , Verentzioti Athanasia , Stefanatou Maria , Gounopoulos Pantelis , Demponeras Christos , Konstantinidou Eleni , Drakoulis Nikolaos , Asimakos Andreas , Antonoglou Archontoula , Mavronasou Aspasia , Spetsioti Stavroula , Kotanidou Anastasia , Katsaounou Paraskevi
Published: March 2022

Abstract: COVID-19 Long Haulers, an estimated 3% to 12% of people infected globally with coronavirus having latter devasting symptoms 12 weeks after the initial infection is on the rise. We conducted a collaborative study with the long covid patient organization in Greece in order to estimate the prevalence, symptoms and problems that adult long haulers experience and then propose a management plan for these patients. Symptoms were obtained from 208 patients using unstructured qualitative free text entries in an anonymized online questionnaire. The majority of respondents (68.8%) were not hospitalized and had been diagnosed more than six months ago with lingering symptoms (66,8%). Eighteen different symptoms (fatigue, tachycardia, shortness of breath, parosmia etc) were mentioned in both hospitalized and community patients. Interestingly, patients with initial mild symptoms suffer from the same persistent symptoms as those who were hospitalized. Awareness of long covid sequelae seems to be low even among medical doctors. Treatment options incorporating targeted rehabilitation programs are either not available or still excluded from the management plan of long covid patients. Since long COVID is a multi-systemic entity, we propose a holistic interventional approach using a multidisciplinary medical team in order to securely and effectively diagnose and treat these specific patients. Academic and medical community must collaborate with long covid patients’ organizations so as to provide personalized medicine.
Usefulness of Multi-Organ Point-Of-Care Ultrasound as a Complement to the Decision-Making Process in Internal Medicine
Authors: Casado-López Irene , Tung-Chen Yale , Torres-Arrese Marta , Luordo-Tedesco Davide , Mata-Martínez Arantzazu , Casas-Rojo Jose Manuel , Montero-Hernández Esther , Casasola-Sánchez Gonzalo García De
Published: March 2022

Accumulated data show the utility of diagnostic multi-organ point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the assessment of patients admitted to an internal medicine ward. Assess whether multi-organ PoCUS (lung, cardiac, and abdomen) provides relevant diagnostic and/or therapeutic information in patients admitted for any reason to an internal medicine ward. Prospective, observational, and single-center study, at a secondary hospital. Multi-organ PoCUS was performed during the first 24 hours of admission. The sonographer had access to the patients’ medical history, physical examination, and basic complementary tests performed in the ED (laboratory, X-ray, electrocardiogram). We considered a relevant ultrasound finding if it implied a significant diagnostic and/or therapeutic change. In the second semester of 2019, 310 patients were enrolled (48.7% men, mean age 70.5 years). Relevant ultrasound findings were detected in 86 patients (27.7%) and in 60 (19.3%) triggered a therapeutic change. These findings were associated with older age (Mantel-Haenszel 2 = 25.6; p< .001) and higher degree of dependency (Mantel Haenszel 2 = 5.7; p = .017). Multi-organ PoCUS provides relevant diagnostic information, complementing traditional physical exam, and facilitates therapy adjustment, regardless of the cause of admission. Multi-organ PoCUS to be useful need to be systematically integrated into the decision-making process in internal medicine.
The Pathways to Participation (P2P) Program: A Pilot Outcomes Study
Authors: Hitch Danielle , Vernon Lindsay , Collins Rachel , Dun Carolyn , Palexas Sarah , Lhuede Kate
Published: March 2022

Research has consistently found that people with mental illness (known as consumers) experience lower levels of participation in meaningful activities, which can limit their opportunities for recovery support. The aim of this study was to describe the outcomes of participation in a group program designed to address all stages of activity participation, known as Pathways to Participation (P2P). A descriptive longitudinal design was utilized, collecting data at three time points. Outcomes were measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need Short Appraisal (CANSAS), Recovery Assessment Scale – Domains and Stages (RAS-DS), Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-24), Living in the Community Questionnaire (LCQ) and time use diaries. All data was analysed using descriptive statistics, and Chi square analyses. Seventeen consumers completed baseline data, eleven contributed post program data and eight provided follow up data. Most were female (63.64%) and had been living with mental illness for 11.50 (± 7.74) years on average. Reductions in unmet needs and improvements in self-rated recovery scores were re-ported, but no changes were identified in either time use or psychosocial health. The findings indicate the P2P program may enable consumers to achieve positive activity and participation out-comes as part of their personal recovery.
On the Mass of the Nucleons from "First Principles"
Authors: Roza Engel
Published: March 2022

The mass of the nucleons is calculated from first principles by defining the quark as a non-gravitational particle, subject to Dirac’s equation with non-canonical gamma matrices. Unlike the canonical electron-type, this Dirac particle has two real dipole moments, which allows a structural modelling of hadrons. It is shown how such modelling reveals striking correspondences and differences between dually related particles and properties like electrons and quarks, photons and gluons, pions and nucleons, spin and isospin and protons and neutrons. It is a stepping stone to the actual calculation, which competes in precision with lattice QCD. The appendix contains a Lorentz covariance proof of hadrons composed by such particular Dirac-type quarks.
Licenças maternidade e paternidade no Brasil: direitos e desigualdades sociais
Authors: Sorj Bila , Barbosa Fraga Alexandre
Published: March 2022

Este artigo objetiva examinar as desigualdades sociais existentes no acesso às licenças maternidade e paternidade, com base nos dados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua anual de 2017, realizada pelo IBGE. Com esse intuito, foram estudadas as percentagens de contribuição à previdência social – condição necessária para a obtenção das licenças – para a população ocupada de 16 a 49 anos segundo as variáveis tipo de ocupação e de vínculo, sexo, cor/raça, renda, nível de instrução e idade. Os resultados indicam que o acesso às políticas de licença no país é impactado por uma estratificação social múltipla, revelando desigualdades de gênero, classe, raça e idade. Os achados da pesquisa permitem refletir sobre a relação entre essas desigualdades e o próprio desenho de tais políticas no Brasil. Devido à sua natureza contributiva, as licenças maternidade e paternidade expressam continuidades de uma “cidadania regulada”, em vez de se tornarem um direito universal dos cidadãos.
Rodos Adası’nda Para Vakıfları
Authors: BAYKARA TAŞKAYA Arzu
Published: March 2022

Vakıflar ,Osmanlı Devleti’nde kuruluş döneminden beri fethedilen bölgelerde ve çeşitli mevkilerde ele geçen yerlerin İslamlaşması adına Müslümanlar tarafından meydana getirilmiştir. Bu kurumların oluşturulmasında İslami amaçlarla hayır düşüncesi hakim olmuş, meydana getirilen vakıf eserleriyle şehirlerdeki birçok belediye hizmetine devlet masraf yapmadan sahip olmuştur.Adada bir yıl süreyle hizmet veren cami,mescit,medrese,su yolu,kuyu gibi farklı unsurları barındıran birçok sosyal vakfın içeriği açıklanmıştır. İmam ,hatip, müzezzin,müderris, mütevvellli gibi dini hizmetli ve görevlilerin maaşları bu hayırsever kişilerin kurduğu vakıflar aracılığıyla verilmiştir. Ada üzerinde ağa,sultan, şeyh, efendi, bey ünvanına sahip ümera ve ülemadan oluşan kurucular yanında; normal reaya arasından şahısların kurduğu vakıflara yer verilmiştir. Toplam 61 adet vakfın 48 ‘i reaya tarafından kurulmuştur. Defterden vakıfların genel ihtiyaçlarının nasıl karşılandığını ; bazı vakıfların şahıslara borç verdiğini ,bazılarının da çeşitli mezheplere ait tarikat ve şehylere ücret ayırdığını izleyebildik.Vakıfların bazılarının tarikatlarla olan bağlantıları görülmüştür. Murat Baba (Reis )’in Bektaşi olduğunu Evliya Çelebi’nin verdiği bilgilerden öğreniyoruz. Makalemizde Rodos Adası üzerinde Osmanlı döneminde bir finansman kaynağı olarak 61 adet vakfın ne şekilde hizmet verdiği, mütevellisi ve harcama kalemleri,borçları ve gelir kalemleri açıklanarak, vakfın ada üzerinde meydana getirdiği kültürel ve sosyal yapının işlevi üzerinde durulmuştur
“We Must Protect This Peace with Our Hands”: Strategic Culture and Japan’s Use of Force in International Disputes as Depicted in Ministry of Defense Manga Promotional Materials
Authors: Brummer Matthew , Oren Eitan
Published: March 2022

Japan’s national security identity and its elite strategic culture are at odds with each other, with the former moored to deep-rooted historical legacies and the latter yearning to adapt to contemporary imperatives, including the need to more actively cooperate with the United States in maintaining peace and stability in Asia. How can this tension be overcome? How do defense planners attempt to shape public perceptions of the military’s changing roles in society? And what might their efforts to do so teach us about how they view the desired identity, norms, and values of Japan’s military in relation to the use of force in international disputes?
Structuring Cultural Analyses: Applying the Holistic Will-to-Fight Models
Authors: Connable Ben
Published: March 2022

Will to fight is the most important factor in war. This article describes two models designed to help analysts understand, describe, and forecast the will to fight of military forces and national leaders. Both models are designed to be modified by the Joint Force for tailored uses around the world.
Unrecognized Republic, Recognizable Consequences: Russian Troops in “Frozen” Transnistria
Authors: Potter Benjamin
Published: March 2022

Since 1993 the Republic of Moldova has been challenged by separatist pressure from the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), known as Transnistria, a parastate within its borders. An uneasy status quo has developed. Russian troops stationed illegally inside Transnistria embolden the dissident government to resist meaningful reintegration with Moldova. Current Moldovan leadership seeks membership within the European Union (EU) and have again called for the removal of unauthorized Russian troops. Coverage of the situation in Transnistria tends to focus on the policies of Russia, the United Nations (UN), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as sole deciding factors, overshadowing the significance of local culture in determining the future stability of the region. An examination of Transnistrian local culture, including an assessment of narratives that have surfaced across local and regional media, offers insights on the pressures surrounding the removal of Russian troops and foreshadows hurdles to reintegration with the Republic of Moldova.
Deterring Russian Nuclear Threats with Low-Yield Nukes May Encourage Limited Nuclear War
Authors: Taylor Jeffrey
Published: March 2022

Tensions between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia have sustained a precarious security environment in Eastern Europe that could quickly escalate to nuclear war. To deter possible Russian nuclear aggression, the United States recently published nuclear policies that called for the deployment of new submarine-launched, low-yield nuclear weapons around Europe. This article highlights how these new U.S. nuclear policies may be reinforcing Russian perceptions and fears of Western aggression. The article suggests that common U.S. characterizations of Russian low-yield nuclear doctrine miss important escalation considerations prominent in Russian military discourse. The article also argues that misalignment between U.S. and Russian officials regarding nuclear intent may increase the likelihood that a miscalculation would escalate to nuclear war.
Hydrogels for Water Shut-Off Treatments: Evaluation of a New Polymer Gel System
Authors: Al-Taq Ali , Alhmad Luai , Alrustum Abdullah , Aldarweesh Sajjad
Published: March 2022

Hydrogel polymers have served the oil and gas industry in different applications including water shot-off. Hydrogel polymers can create impermeable gels to optimize water injection profile, improve sweep efficiency, and seal undesirable permeable zones. They have been successfully applied as remediation treatments to control water production from thief zones, natural fractures, and matrix formation.

In this study, a new hydrogel polymer system (HGPS) was examined for water control treatments in sandstone formations. The experimental work included swelling testing, viscosity measurements, and coreflood experiments. The effects of water salinity, HGPS concentrations, pH values and temperature on examined HGPS properties were investigated. The HGPS concentrations examined in this study ranged between 0.3 to 2%, while water salinity ranged from 20,000 to 250,000 mg/L of NaCl. The examined pH values were between 7 and 1 and the temperatures ranged from ambient to 90°C. The coreflood experiments were conducted at 80°C using sandstone core plugs.

The results showed that the viscosity of the HGPS increased with concentration and temperature but decreased with water salinity. The viscosity of the HGPS at 1.5 wt% and at a temperature of 60°C decreased from 575 to 16 cP when the pH value was decreased from 7 to 1. The results also demonstrated that the salinity had a negative impact on swelling properties and, eventually, the HGPS viscosity. Coreflood experiments showed that the HGPS should be squeezed into the core plug at higher injection rates (below frac pressure) in order to achieve high water control. The residual resistant factor to water obtained at an injection rate of 5 cm3/min was 158 while it was found to be < 5 at an injection rate of 1 cm3/min. At lower injecting rate, the HGPS was found to form an external filtercake at the inlet face of the core plug.

The paper presents in detail the major lab findings of the evaluation of a newly developed hydrogel polymer system and recommends the optimum conditions to control water production successfully.
Co2 Foams in Carbonate Reservoirs at High Temperature: Boosting Cationics Formulation Performances By Additives
Authors: Margaux Kerdraon , Eloise Chevallier , Nicolas Gland , Guillaume Batot
Published: March 2022

Injection of foams can be used to optimize different gas injection processes such as CCUS (Carbon Capture Use & Storage) and possibly to boost oil recovery kinetics in heterogenous or naturally fractured reservoirs (Enick R.M. 2012). In this case, foams, which are more viscous and dense than gases, aim at limiting early gas breakthrough during field operation by improving the sweeping efficiency of reservoirs and by blocking the most permeable areas of the latters (A. Al Sumaiti 2017, Chabert M. and D'Souza D. 2016). A large part of the world oil reservoirs that have already been operated by primary and secondary recovery methods are carbonate reservoirs and are mostly located in the Middle East (Talebian S.H. 2014). In these reservoirs, which are often operated by CO2 injection, the adsorption of surfactants on positively charged carbonates may be a major hindrance to foam injection (Pownall 1989, Cui L. and Ma K. 2014). That is why, cationic surfactants have been developed for these CO2 foam applications (Chen Y. 2016). However, these cationics are often hardly soluble at pH>6 (Jian G. 2019) and/or not industrially avalaible (Cui et Dubos 2018).

For this study, we selected three different cationic surfactants. Using automated robotic platforms, we explored a large range of surfactant combination (combining each cationic surfactant with a whole co-surfactant portfolio) at high temperature and in a hard concentrated brine (120g/LTDS, [Ca2+]= 8100ppm). We show that adding co-surfactants to each of these cationics boosts their foaming properties in porous media as well as their solubility at high pH (pH=8) while maintaining low levels of adsorption on carbonates. While a high shear rate is required for cationic surfactants to generate foam in sandpacks, formulations combining cationics and co-surfactants form foams at much lower shear rates. Moreover, the fact that these formulations are soluble at pH=8 means that, on field, the water would no longer need to be acidified at the wellhead to solubilize the surfactant blend. Thus, pipe corrosion induced by the flow of acidified solutions in the surface facilities is prevented. Lastly, all the molecules that are tested in this study are industrially available.
Rocking with Insights of Rock & Fluids and Implementing MICRO Reservoir Management for Enhanced Efficiency & Excellence in Sabiriyah Mauddud, North Kuwait
Authors: Chetri Hom , Al-Shuaib Mariam , Al-Shammari Seham , Jamal Mariam
Published: March 2022

It is a global challenge to comprehensively understand the rock & fluids and the impact of interactions between them to fine tune development plans & strategy. Interpretative & qualitative factors often could lead to sub optimal plans & actions impacting the recovery efficiency. This uncertainty to be minimized, MICRO reservoir management is practiced to reap the benefits in terms of enhanced oil production & water flood efficiency.

Sabiriyah Mauddud is a carbonate reservoir in North Kuwait with a massive development & production enhancement plan with water flood and eventually with EOR. Surprises in terms of rock & fluid (R-F) understanding influenced changes in the development plan in the past, some of such changes triggered major departures from the originally conceived plans. All major turnaround impacted by R-F insights have been reviewed, along with the mitigation plans adopted by the team. MICRO (Monitoring Integrating Communicating Re-vitalizing Orchestrating) is a new buzz concept, initiated by authors in the industry, to improve the overall excellence & efficiency. The concept has been implemented with associated workflow processes to optimize the water flood development. A typical diagnostics of the segment under water flood is done to illustrate the value of R-F understanding & reservoir management of the giant carbonate reservoir in North Kuwait.

A comprehensive data acquisition, integration & interpretation plan helps in reducing the uncertainties while the reservoir is under active production & injection. Carefully planned appraisal programs have added insights to understand the relatively less-understood flanks. R-F and interactions understanding is augmented by laboratory studies & focused surveillance data. Additionally, MICRO proved to be the backbone for complete gamut of activities so as to reduce the uncertainties & gaps. The segment reviews led to many vital decisions on thief zones, fractures, re-circulation on injected water, connectivity between producers & injectors, actions on producers / injectors for conformance improvement and opportunities for oil gain with reduced water cut. Work flow processes have been standardized and validated with successful trials.

R-F - Interaction linkage to water flood & production efficiency using MICRO approach is a proven way to manage a giant & complex carbonate reservoir in North Kuwait, the results of which are interesting & worth sharing with the global professionals.
Will Hydraulic Fracturing Enhance the Production Recovery in a Complex Comingled Water Flood Field?
Authors: Kindi Muktar , Hamm Carmen , Kindi Said , Al Toqi Shaymaa , Breiki Majdi , Saadi Zuwayda , Harthy Abdullah , Jahwari Mohsin , Gheilani Hamdan , Al Farsi Shaymaa , Suchta Bogdan , Persac Stephen
Published: March 2022

This paper discusses the outcome of a hydraulic fracturing concept in a complex commingled water flood field with dense infill well spacing. The objective was to prove this concept of fracturing in a graywater flood field to improve oil production and increase the recovery factor.

A mature oil field in the central Sultanate of Oman is facing production decline. The flank part of the field is not meeting the expected production even with water flooding. The main challenge is how to communicate between the injector wells and the producer wells. The 5-spot patterns are not showing effectiveness in the flank area. The heterogeneous reservoir complexity and tightness are the main factors for that. The water zones are very close to or imbedded in between the reservoirs.

A careful candidate selection exercise was conducted from the field's 140+ wells. Factors assessed included spacing between producers and injectors, multiple commingled reservoirs, proximity to the Oil Water Contact (OWC), and petrophysical parameters.

A successful fracturing trial in one of the wells, located in the southern part of the field and five kms away from nearest oil producer, was followed with a selection of fracture candidates inside the main field. The method of selection was to gather all well data and select criteria to narrow the list to those wells with a higher success probability to help prove a new concept of fracturing in the middle of water injectors and oil producers by controlling fracture length propagation and height containments. A candidate was selected and the fracturing design was manipulated with different scenarios to overcome challenging oil water contact and control fracture propagation to avoid nearby producers and water injectors. The fracture was design selected and the operation successfully implemented, which resulted in a contained fracture confirmed by the low water cut, salinity results, and the radioactive tracer. One lesson learned from the first fractured well was that the pump design should be optimized to sustain a new production profile after the fracture treatment. Triple production resulted from the initial production stage and a fracturing proposal was prepared to follow the success of the operation.
Deployment Strategies for Effective Hydraulic Fracturing Vertical, Highly Deviated and Horizontal Wells Across Challenging Differential Depleted Tight Gas Formations in Oman
Authors: Chavez Florez Jua Carlos , Fathy Abdelazim Mohamed , Bahri Khalfan , Al-Yaqoubi Mazin , Abri Ahmed , Hinai Adnan
Published: March 2022

Oman tight gas accumulation has been initially developed with fractured vertical wells targeting up to 10 different hydrocarbon units, as well as with dedicated highly deviated to horizontal wells targeting the most tighter zones. The intrinsic geomechanical, petrophysical and lithological heterogeneities of this tight units impact not only the fracture conductivity distribution but the drainage efficiency of the fractured zones, this is observed as mobility variations across this unit impact their contributions once all become commingle, with the areas of higher mobility dominating the total gas well production, this for all wells architectures.

This paper will discuss fundamental formation characterization requirements to assess in-situ stress dynamic variations during the life of the field; incorporating formation pressure points as integral part of the drilling program and in-situ stress measurements supported by comprehensive mini-fracture data evaluation. The use of radioactive tracers in combination with production logging were implemented to assess containment and fracture prediction, providing this an essential tool to determine fracture propagation behavior, deployment strategy and final conductivity distribution. It will be described the logging requirements as well as the lab characterization needed to determine key elastic properties to assess the hydraulic requirements for fracturing individual units or combination of them.

It will be discussed how variations on pore pressure and stress profiles, as the field developed, will impact perforation and fracture strategies for vertical, highly deviated and horizontal wells. It will be presented how increase of pressure confinement affects the in-situ elastic properties as depletion is experienced on specific gas units, inducing alterations on stress and net pressure profiles that impact fracture propagation and final conductivity distribution, this becomes of particular importance on highly deviated and horizontal wells where vertical connectivity with all hydrocarbon units is fundamental to maximize recovery.

Finally, it will discuss the methodology used for fracture deployment considering the differential depletion expected during the field development and its impact on completion integrity and fracture implementation strategies. We will share the identified best practice that will lead to optimum fracture development while maximize investment.