bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing and Accelerating Reservoir Modelling and History Matching of an Offshore Mature Oilfield with Geological and Production System Complexity Using Data-Driven Approach
Authors: Hendraningrat Luky , Salam Irzie Hani Bt. A , Mohsin Norshida , Wah Tan Seng , Rinadi Muhammad , Sedaralit Mohd
Published: January 2020

This paper demonstrates that data-driven approach can address to resolve the big data complexity, enhance reservoir characterization and accelerate history matching process into an offshore mature field with many challenges such as complex reservoir geology with high properties variation, fair correlation between seismic amplitude and reservoir properties, multi-stacked completion of production/injection strings, commingled production system from multiple zones, mechanical leaking issue and sparse production allocation.

By these complexities, classical technique of integrated full-field modelling cannot be done easily. In addition, it is difficult to acquire reservoir engineering insights for reservoir characterization. Data-driven reservoir modelling approach is applied to tackle the technical challenges. A workflow is proposed for rapid quality check of big data and integrated with systematic reservoir engineering analyses. In data-driven approach, current understanding of geology and physics is relieved with field measurements data as the foundation of constructing the model. The model is kept at high level and introduce further detail where needed within the bound of uncertainty to achieve history match.

Data-driven approach has successfully improved reservoir characterization and provide cost-effective technique to accelerate history match process. The quality of big data (i.e. pressure, correct production allocation of each zone) plays key role in data-driven approach. Through early valuable insights from engineers, it significantly reduced the iterations number for history match purposes between engineers and geologist. In this study, it cuts from commonly in months to be weeks. Consequently, field-level and well-level history match can be satisfactorily achieved with deviation within 5%. The blind testing has been conducted to validate data-driven approach and improve confidence level with the model for further field development opportunities such as waterflood optimization, stimulation, new well placement, effective completion and enhanced oil recovery.

The results can be reconciled with geological understanding, which will be very useful and suitable in current oil price situation as a cost-effective technique, especially for mature fields with large data and have complexity in geological and production system. The data-driven approach can be deployed to other neighbour mature fields and can improve the level of confidence to support fast business decisions.
Near Surface Characterization in Southern Oman : Multi-Wave Inversion by Machine Learning
Authors: Sylvain Masclet , Thomas Bardainne , Vivien Massart , Herve Prigent
Published: January 2020

Shallow stratigraphy in Southern Oman is characterized by the presence of an anhydrite layer (RUS formation) causing a strong velocity inversion which makes seismic imaging particularly difficult. This known shallow sharp velocity inversion cannot be easily captured with methods relying on reflection or diving wave energy.

We propose here to use multi-wave inversion using first breaks and dispersion curves of surface waves to provide near-surface high resolution velocity models in the shallow range depths (0-400m). The success of Multi-Wave Inversion strongly depends on the reliability of the surface wave velocity picking, which could be much more challenging compared to the conventional first break picking. Heavy preconditioning is often the solution to increase dispersion curves quality and to obtain a narrower velocity corridor. To improve reliability, we use K-means clustering, an unsupervised machine learning method in order to filter out the outliers as well as to define geologically dependent corridors. The unsupervised machine learning clustering helps to define more stable dispersion curves picking corridors for different areas, in order to extract better quality surface wave dispersion curves's, especially at low frequencies where their quality is low.

The multi-wave inversion, fed with the optimized phase velocity picks, captures the shallow velocity inversion, which is impossible to recover with either first break tomography only or diving wave full waveform inversion only. The combination of two recently developed technologies allows us to characterize accurately the near surface for the first time in the South of Oman. The velocity inversion caused by the RUS formation is well captured and the velocity trend of the updated model follows correctly the checkshot trend down to 500m, confirming the reliability of the dispersion curves picks at a very low frequency. By incorporating this shallow inversion layer into the velocity model, the resulting seismic image is significantly improved and more interpretable. Geological features such as faults appear clearly and seismic layering in the tilted blocks is significantly improved with the multi-wave Inversion machine learning-guided workflow.
The Role of FEED Front End Engineering Design In The EPC Execution Strategy
Authors: Bianco Armando
Published: January 2020

The evolution of Project Management in Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Projects is the reflection of the global industry demand, continuous technological innovations and the changing needs of the customers and stakeholders.

These factors have deeply impacted Project Engineering.

Engineering is responsible for converting the business idea into tangible objects: documents, drawings, management plans, etc. which will eventually allow the realization of the Project itself. From the first conceptual proposal to the final as-built drawings, engineering flows through different phases which commonly refer to the following sequence:
How Does HVFRs in High TDS Environment Enhance Reservoir Stimulation Volume?
Authors: Ellafi Abdulaziz , Jabbari Hadi , Wan Xincheng , Rasouli Vamegh , Geri Mohammed Ba , Al-Bazzaz Waleed
Published: January 2020

Improvement in hydrocarbon production from unconventional reservoirs, such as the Bakken Formation, is driven by drilling horizontal wells and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. The main objective of a frac treatment is to create complex fracture geometry to increase well/reservoir contact area (i.e. large SRV; stimulated reservoir volume) by injecting larger fluid volume and high proppant concentration. The success of the treatment relies substantially on selecting appropriate fracturing fluids that transport the proppant particles deep enough into the fractures. This research is aimed at studying the capability of high-viscosity friction reducers (HVFRs) by examining the produced water from the Bakken Fm through an integral approach. The application of surfactant as an additive to the HVFRs was investigated in high TDS (total dissolved solids) conditions. To assess the current industry practice for hydraulic fracturing in the Williston Basin, these tasks were performed: a) rate trainset analysis (RTA) to evaluate the current completion in Bakken wells by estimatingfracture half-length and SRV properties, b) 2D/3D fracture simulation to study the impact of treatment fluids on fracture-network/SRV properties, and c) reservoir simulation to predict the estimated ultimate oil recovery (EUR) for identifyingoptimum hydraulic fracturing design. The results show that using a surfactant mixed with the frac fluids can lead to improved proppant transport, fracture conductivity profile, and thus higher effective fracture-half length compared tocurrent practice. It was found that such a frac fluid mixed with surfactant can result in improved EUR by as high as 15% compared with linear gel and HVFRs with produced water (HVFR-PR) due to larger SRVs. Reusing produced water, including formation and flow back water can be a wise decision to minimize environmental footprint and reduce operating costs. The findings from this research can be applied to other unconventional shale plays, such as Eagle Ford and Permian Basin for comparison and optimization purposes.
A Novel Technique to Revive Killed Wells Back into Production
Authors: Wrighton Christopher , Xiao J J , Cochran Jami , Mukerji Parijat
Published: January 2020

This paper describes the development program for a new and innovative well intervention service for lifting naturally flowing wells back into production.

The Well Initiation Service Tool (WIST) is a high efficiency, slimhole pumping system that is conveyed and powered through a wireline power cable to the appropriate depth to lift high density kill fluid; thereby, lightening the fluid column to kickoff/initiate and allow the well to flow naturally to surface.

A multi-resettable inflatable packer system has been developed to work with the permanent magnet motor pumping system, which allows the pump to be positioned and repositioned in the well as required. This design improves operational efficiency, enabling jobs to be conducted in a single run, rather than multiple runs as would be the case with conventional packer design.

The rigorous test program looked at each element of WIST individually and then as a system in both horizontal and vertical flow loops to verify performance. The novel multi-resettable inflate hydraulic logic circuit worked perfectly exceeding design/performance expectations. Planning is now in progress for three field trials to validate WIST performance. This paper will describe the development activities, results and future plans.

This lightweight cable deployed pump system is an alternative to coiled tubing and nitrogen kickoff jobs, which can often be expensive and logistically challenging, requiring a large amount of equipment and personnel at the wellsite to perform the activity.
Transitioning a Legacy Reservoir Simulator to Cloud Native Services
Authors: Noor Zainub , Wang Qinghua , Govindaraju NagaBalaji , Lu Jianxin , Dong Hui
Published: January 2020

The digital transformation journey provides new opportunities for running simulations through cloud computing, with flexibility in hardware resources and availability of a wide array of software tools that can enhance decision-making. This work reviews the benefits of running reservoir simulations in a cloud environment and demonstrates the efficiency and cost savings. Additionally, a workflow for uncertainty analysis and history matching that integrates data analysis and machine-learning tools is presented.

First, the hardware architecture must be designed to meet parallel reservoir simulation needs: significant message passing occurs between computer nodes, and for satisfactory performance, these nodes must be connected by a low-latency network, rather than be randomly located. Second, to ensure portability and easy replication across multiple cloud sites and platforms, the software performing the simulations must be containerized. Third, to reduce the time required to start a new simulation run, the Kubernetes platform is used to optimize resource allocation. Finally, reservoir simulation in the cloud is no longer merely the running of the simulation model, but it is integrated with data management and data analysis tools for decision-making. The cloud-based simulation services discussed herein exhibit good results during scale up, when a simulation operation requires a larger number of central processing units and/or greater memory, and also during scale out, when thousands of operation scenarios are necessary for history matching. The "pay as you go" pricing model reduces the time and capital costs of acquiring the new computing infrastructure to nearly zero, and the effectively unlimited scale-out capability can reduce the elapsed time for history matching by 80%. The availability of data centers in different regions is good for team collaborations. It serves the data management tool well to track history data, perform data mining, extract more information, and make decisions.

Compared to traditional reservoir simulation, the cloud-based reservoir simulation software as a service model simplifies the process and reduces hardware acquisition and maintenance costs. Integrating intelligent data analysis with simulation helps quantify the uncertainty in the model and enables improved decisions.
Advancements in Turbine Performance for Coiled Tubing Drilling
Authors: Bussy Mohamad , Khamees Shaker A. , Al-Naim Mohammad , Fudge Grayson , Duesterhoeft Martin , Folaranmi Felix , Aldawood Jahad , Arguedas Oswaldo , Flint Gordon
Published: January 2020

Over the past 20 years in the Middle East Region, the performance of Underbalance Coiled Tubing Drilling (UBCTD) has significantly improved, with regular use in several areas. Improvements in application selection, drilling technologies & procedures have also helped to expand the scope of available reservoir targets.

Widening the available choice of down hole tools is one main factor that has led to an improvement in drilling performance and one such technology is the 2 7/8" downhole turbine drive motor (turbine). Historically, the choice of turbines for UBCTD had been restricted to harder formations but for over a decade now, turbines have been used in these UBCTD applications in KSA – consistently producing steady drilling performance and meeting well objectives.

In a recent bid to optimize drilling performance, a newly designed high-power 2-7/8" downhole turbine was introduced for KSA in 2018. This new turbine utilized in varying downhole environments, from hard and abrasive sandstone to the typically targeted carbonate reservoirs. Trials were performed in varying downhole temperatures to evaluate the performance improvement. Today this turbine has shown a visible improvement in both performance and reliability compared to the alternative turbine options.

The new turbine design integrated with existing MWD technology in order to execute the drilling operation in UBCTD with higher drilling efficiency and better economic returns. In order to establish performance improvements, a set of success indicators was established:

Power delivery efficiency.

Performance in varying reservoirs

Turbine and MWD tool Reliability

Directional drilling performance

Downhole tool vibration monitoring.

These success indicators were closely monitored during 2018 and the results revealed a significant increase in overall footage drilled. BHA reliability also improved. From these two major factors, the utilization of 2 7/8" downhole turbines have significantly increased.
A Novel Approach in Gas Well Performance Monitoring and Forecasting Using Modified Decline Curve Analysis
Authors: Kaur Balpreet , Haq Bashirul , Ahmed Iftekhar , Habibi Daryoush , Phung Viet , Al Shehri Dhafer , Amaechi Benedict Ikem , Kabir Jahangir , Jamaluddin Abul
Published: January 2020

Decline curve analysis is a widely used technique in evaluating well production performance and forecasting. One of the most commonly used decline curve modelling approaches is called Arp's model. This modelling approach has four fundamental assumptions. One of these assumptions is that the well is produced at constant bottomhole pressure (BHP). This assumption is usually approximated under real-production situation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to construct a novel mathematical workflow using modified decline curve models without violating constant pressure assumption, and use the production forecast to identify potential issues in the wellbore.

In this data analytic process, using a large field data sets, the linear regression technique was implemented to convert variable pressure values into an equivalent constant pressure value. Consequently, this equivalent constant pressure was used to derive new gas rates using the back pressure equation. The new gas rates were used as input parameters in the new production performance as well as forecasting algorithm.

Using MATLAB's toolbox, a large set of field gas production data were analysed, and the results showed very good agreement with insignificant margin of deviation. In addition, the new model prediction when compared with the actual production data enabled the user to detect events such as liquid loading (hydrocarbon) or water dropout phenomena. Consequently, the new algorithm was used to forecast the future production behaviour.

A novel decline curve modelling algorithm without constant bottomhole pressure approximation is presented in this paper. In addition, the new algorithm also presents a tool for the reservoir engineers to identify events in the wellbore such as well loading with dropped out condensate or accumulation of conning water to create blockage of gas production.
‘Personalization or fictionalization of national history in Zimbabwe?’ A re-evaluation of the Political careers of Ian Smith and Ndabaningi Sithole
Authors: Hlongwana James , Maposa Richard S. , Moyo Thamsanqa
Published: January 2020

The historiography concerning the making of Zimbabwe as an independent nation has been writtenfrom various perspectives and by using different sources, both primary and secondary ones. Thestudy constitutes a re-evaluation of the political careers of Ndabaningi Sithole and Ian DouglasSmith against the background of their autobiographies as forms of primary resources of nationalhistory for Zimbabwe. It will be noted that autobiographical writing is a fruit of an arduousprocess of human construction, de-construction and re-construction done in the shadow of someinterlocking interests, fears and pressures that surround the autobiographer. The present studycontends that every personal engagement in the writing of history of a particular people or nationis a moralizing crusade or enterprise, whether by default or by design. Evidently, that is how thecharacteristic elements of objectivity and subjectivity come to the fore vis- a- vis the status ofautobiography as a source and resource of national (or patriotic) history.
Exploring Homogeneous Conditions for Mild Buchwald-Hartwig Amination in Batch and Flow
Authors: Kashani Saeed K. , Jessiman Jacob E. , Newman Stephen
Published: January 2020

We describe the use of high throughput experimentation to identify a number of conditions that enable Buchwald-Hartwig reactions to be carried out using readily available ligands (e.g. XantPhos) with DBU as a soluble, functional group tolerant, homogeneous base. Application of this system to diverse aminations in batch and flow are demonstrated, as is the translation of this technique to performing continuous Mizoroki-Heck and Sonogashira coupling reac-tions.
Hierarchical Assembly Pathways of Spermine Induced Tubulin Conical-Spiral Architectures
Authors: Dharan Raviv , Shemesh Asaf , Millgram Abigail , Levi-Kalisman Yael , Ringel Israel , Raviv Uri
Published: January 2020

Tubulin, an essential cytoskeletal protein, assembles into various morphologies by interacting with cellular factors. Spermine, an endogenous polyamine, promotes and stabilizes tubulin assemblies. Yet, the assembled structures and their formation pathways are poorly known. Here we show that spermine induced tubulin to assemble in vitro into hierarchical architectures, based on a tubulin conical-spiral (TCS) subunit. Using solution X-ray scattering and cryo-TEM, we showed that with progressive increase of spermine concentration, tubulin-dimers assembled into a tubulin helical-pitch (or a short TCS), TCSs, TCS that stacked into tubes through base-to-top packing, antiparallel bundles of TCS tubes in a quasi-hexagonal symmetry, and eventually twisted hexagonal bundles of inverted tubulin tubules. Time-resolved experiments revealed that tubulin assemblies formed at low spermine concentrations were precursors of the assemblies formed at higher spermine concentrations. The results provide insight into the variety of morphologies that tubulin can form, and contribute to our understanding of the fundamental interactions that control the composition and construction of protein-based biomaterials.
First record of Montagu’s sea snail Liparis montagui (Donovan, 1804) in Belgian waters
Authors: Derweduwen Jozefien , Hillewaert Hans , Vandendriessche Sofie , Hostens Kris
Published: January 2020

This is a Short Note without an abstract.
The Adoption of Management Accounting Practices (Maps) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME's) of Pakistan
Authors: Allah Bakhsh  , Zeeshan Mahmood  , Sana Chaudhry
Published: January 2020

The practices of Management Accounting have not been highly adopted in developing countries. But with increased importance of these practices, firms of developing countries are motivated to adopt MAPs. In this research, MAPs align with increased importance of SMEs have been studied and provide understanding to enhance adoption of MAPs in SMEs. This study outlines the usage of MAPs in Pakistani SMEs; identify the contextual factors that affect the adoption of MAPs by SMEs and lastly explore perceived benefits and problems in adoption of these practices.  A mixed methodology was used to collect data. A questionnaire with five categories of MAPs was used to examine the extent of use of MAPs by 100 SMEs of Multan from textile sector. Eight interviews were conducted to identify the factors, benefits and problems. However, the results shows that majority of respondent firms adopt traditional MAPs and other medium sized firms do more focus on contemporary MAPs. The findings of current study can be helpful and informative for practitioners and policy makers in the development of contemporary MAPs as well as provide deep insight for SMEs to enhance their business by adopting these practices.
Study the Level of Awareness Among Housewives About Environmental Education
Authors: Muhammad Latif Javed  , Rashid Ahmad  , Muhammad Nadeem Javed  , Muhammad Umar
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper was to study the level of awareness among housewives about environmental education. For this task review of existing literature was carried out. Being descriptive study, survey method was adopted for data collection. A group of 50 housewives from Bahawalnagar District of Division Bahawalpur was recognized as sample to accomplish the study. Closed ended questionnaire for housewives were developed on Likert scale and data was collected. Data collected through questionnaire was tabulated, analysis and discussed. The analysis was arranged on the basis of respondents and the housewives’ opinions were analyzed. The result from the findings of this study showed that active learning of the housewives has appeared with the expansion of their actions in the Green Future. With the presence at the Eco conductors Training course as an opening, they come to join in the Eco conducting Activity and developed Green Future into an essential association connected to the eco-environment in the society. Their Eco-conducting movement was based on the outcome of knowledge from the teaching courses, in which the accessible expert in Eco conducting skilled them. At the end some recommendations were made to improve housewives’ skills and awareness about environmental education.
Um Caso de Eritema Flagelado
Authors: Calado Rebeca , Alves Francisca , Gonçalo Margarida
Published: January 2020

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Peluang dan Tantangan Fintech (Financial Technology) Syariah di Indonesia
Authors: Hiyanti Hida , Nugroho Lucky , Sukmadilaga Citra , Fitrijanti Tettet
Published: January 2020

Saat ini, perkembangan fintech (financial technology) syariah di Indonesia semakin pesat. Tetapi di sisi lain, terdapat beberapa fenomena dan permasalahan pada fintech konvensional yang memberikan dampak negatif di masyarakat. Oleh karenanaya keberadaan fintech syariah seharusnya dapat menjadi solusi atas fenomena ini. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui tentang peluang dan tantangan fintech syariah (Teknologi Finansial) di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah dengan model interaktif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat peluang dan tantangan fintech syariah di Indonesia yang terdiri dari: regulasi, sumber daya manusia, dan penguasaan teknologi dari masyarakat.
Una lectura feminista del pensamiento androcéntrico de la economía y la sostenibilidad de la vida: el caso de las mujeres del barrio María Augusta Urrutia
Authors: Cabrera Montúfar Ximena
Published: January 2020

Este artículo propone un análisis feminista sobre la invisibilización del trabajo doméstico y de cuidados de gran parte de las mujeres que asumen las jefaturas del hogar. De tal forma se revisó y se organizó un marco teórico sobre las teorías feministas, las cuales cuestionan al patriarcado como un sistema cultural imperante y la teoría feminista económica que logra desmontar el androcentrismo acuñado al sistema económico.
Editorial
Authors: Board Editorial
Published: January 2020

The Editorial Board of Pesquisa e Ensino em Ciências Exatas e da Natureza / Research and Teaching in Exact and Natural Sciences would like to thank the referees listed below for their critical review of articles submitted for Volume 3(1−2) (2019).
Primeiro registro de Ampithoe marcuzzii Ruffo, 1954 (Crustacea: Amphitoidae) para o Nordeste do Brasil
Authors: Campos Juliana Marta Pereira , Correia Filipe Ramos , Filho José Souto Rosa
Published: January 2020

O gênero Ampithoe Leach, 1814 é o mais diversificado da família Ampithoidae Boeck, 1871. O grupo é cosmopolita possuindo 94 espécies e estando registrado somente para a costa de São Paulo (Sudeste do Brasil). Neste trabalho, nós registramos pela primeira vez uma congênere para o nordeste do Brasil. A espécie Ampithoe marcuzii Ruffo, 1954 é aqui reportada para a costa do Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco e Sergipe, desta forma, ampliando o conhecimento sobre aspectos distribucionais do gênero Ampithoe para a costa brasileira.
Palavras chave: Distribuição geográfica, novo registro, Corophioidea, Amphipoda.
IMPLEMENTASI MESIN PEMASAK NIRA AREN DILENGKAPI TEKNOLOGI "DUKASTO" GUNA MENINGKATKAN PRODUKTIVITAS GULA AREN DI DESA PLEDOKAN KECAMATAN SUMOWONO KABUPATEN SEMARANG
Authors: Nurdiana Asri , Dwimawanti Ida Hayu , Setyawan Agus
Published: January 2020

Gula aren adalah pemanis yang dibuat dari nira yang berasal dari tandan bunga jantan pohon enau. Gula aren selalu menjadi bahan baku yang digunakan hampir di seluruh bahan makanan. Oleh karena itulah yang menjadi dasar pembukaan usaha kegiatan mandiri (UKM) di daerah Sumowono, Semarang. Proses pencampuran bahan masih dilakukan dengan alat yang sangat sederhana, sehingga prosesnya juga membutuhkan waktu cukup lama. Oleh karena itu, dibutuhkan alat bejana pemasakan nira lengkap dengan peralatan pengadukan, penataan tungku dengan menggunakan bahan bahan bakar gas atau alat pengisap debu, sehingga kualitas gula aren dapat meningkat. Dengan demikian gula aren yang dihasilkan mempunyai kualitas 1, sedangkan yang rafinasi gula aren dapat dihasilkan gula aren dengan kualitas 2, sehingga sesuai dengan apa yang telah ditargetkan, dimana pasar gula mareh maupun gula aren rafinasi meningkat 20 % tiap tahunnya.
Motivation to Study a Second Foreign Language: A Case of Chinese University Learners of German
Authors: Liu Meihua
Published: January 2020

Not much research has been done on motivation to study a second, third or even fourth foreign language though learners of such languages have been increasing. To contribute to this, the present study examined German learning motivation of Chinese university students at different proficiency levels. A total of 297 German learners at three different proficiency levels at a university in Beijing filled in the questionnaires, of whom 191 answered the open-ended question and 50 were informally interviewed. Analyses of the data revealed the following major findings: (1) most respondents at each proficiency level had limited access to and little chance to use German, liked the language, studied it (very) hard and did not think the language was difficult, (2) students at different proficiency levels studied German for similar reasons such as major study/research, further education, future career, interest in foreign language learning and German, and (3)students at higher proficiency levels perceived German to be more difficult and worked harder on it. Students at higher proficiency levels were both integratively and instrumentally more motivated to study German and had greater motivation intensity as well. It is clear that students at different proficiency levels were motivated to study German and that students at the advanced level tended to be more integratively motivated than those at the beginning level. Based on these findings, some suggestions are discussed.
Prognostic Model of Surgical Treatment of Severe Mitral Regurgitation at Mitral Valve Prolapse
Authors: Mokhnatyi S. I. , Dovgan O. M.
Published: January 2020

The article presents a single-center experience of surgical treatment of patients with severe mitral regurgitation(MR) caused by mitral valve prolapse (MVP). The study is based on long-term results of reconstructive interventions on the mitral valve (MV) of the UCCC of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The purpose of this work is to determine the factors that influence the long-term results of surgical treatment of MR in prolapse of the mitral valve leaflets.

Material and methods.From January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2018, 146 patients with severe MR were operated on the basis of the UCCC, which was conditioned by the prolapse of mitral valve leaflets.

Results.Long-term results were analyzed in 95.2% of patients. The average postoperative follow-up period was 39.7 ± 19.8 months. The overall mortality rate was 1.4%. Freedom from moderate and severe MR in the remote postoperative period decreased to 94.2%, compared to the early postoperative period. Residual MR was absent in 17 (12.4%) patients. In 76 (55.5%) patients trivial MR was detected, in 36 (26.3%) there was a mild MR, in 3 (2.2%) a moderate MR. In 5 (3.6%) patients, a severe MR was detected during the observation. Using statistical methods, it was found that the anatomical variant of MVP influences the prognosis of treatment results in the long postoperative period with worse results in the group with isolated prolapse of the anterior leaflet. Also, the dependence of the results on the applied surgical techniques with better results in annuloplication using the annuloplasty rings and in the application of resection of the posterior mitral leaflet. On the basis of statistics, a prognostic model for the evaluation of MV repair results in the distant period was developed. The height of coaptation of mitral leaflets was determined as one of the indicators for predicting the results of surgical treatment of MR with MVP.

Conclusions: 1. In most cases, a successful mitral valve repair is possible with the MVP. 2. A good immediate result does not mean keeping it in the long term. 3. The long-term results of MV reconstruction depend on the anatomical variant of the MVP, with worse results in patients with isolated prolapse of the anterior mitral leaflet. 4. The result of MV repair depends on the surgical techniques used, with better results when using the annuloplasty rings and resection of the posterior mitral leaflet. 5. The height of the coaptation of the MV leaflets is an indicator that allows predicting the outcome of surgical treatment in the long postoperative period.
Infective endocarditis and pregnancy
Authors: Siromakha S. O. , Rusnak A. O. , Luchinets O. F. , Ogorodnyk A.O. , Malysheva T. A. , Lazoryshynets V. V.
Published: January 2020

Infective endocarditis in pregnant women is a threatening disease that leads to significant maternal and perinatal losses. Methods for caring for such patients have not yet been standardized, and literature sources provide single descriptions of case reports.

Objectives. To reduce maternal and perinatal mortality and disability, as well as to provide optimal management and delivery strategy for pregnant women with infective endocarditis.

Materials and methods.This paper presents the experience of treating three cases of IE in pregnant women (n-2) and parturient (n-1) by specialists of a national multidisciplinary team. In all three cases, cardiology, cardiac surgery and perinatal tactics were personalized in accordance with the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiologists and the experience of the team members. Parturient with acute IE and septic clot of right ventricle underwent urgent cardiac surgery. Another pregnant was provided with conservative support by a multidisciplinary team due to the absence of indications for immediate surgery (she underwent aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair in 11 days after in-term labour). The third one underwent cardiac surgery (mitral valve repair) with fetus in utero at 21 weeks of pregnancy after 11 weeks of de-escalation therapy by antibiotics.

Results. In all cases, the immediate maternal and perinatal results were good. Follow-up for two cases we could observe (33 and 18 months after surgery) are good.

Conclusions. Treatment tactic for pregnant women with acute IE that require heart surgery is always a compromise between the treatment and rehabilitation of a deep-preterm baby and the intra-operative risks to the fetus. Risk of intervention for mother and fetus can be minimized by a highly professional multidisciplinary team with wide experience in open-heart surgery, competent preparation of women for surgical treatment, conducting intraoperative fetal monitoring, as well as using special parameters of artificial circulation and anesthesia. Primary and secondary prevention of infectious complications in pregnant women at risk of IE is a powerful tool to reduce maternal, perinatal mortality and disability.
Lack of Effect of Murine Norovirus Infection on the CD4+ CD45RBhigh T-cell Adoptive Transfer Mouse Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Hsu Charlie C , Patil Karuna , Seamons Audrey , Brabb Thea L , Treuting Piper M , Paik Jisun , Meeker Stacey M , Maggio-Price Lillian
Published: January 2020

Murine norovirus (MNV) infection is highly prevalent in laboratory mice. Although MNV infection does not typically induce clinical disease in most laboratory mice, infection may nonetheless affect mouse models of disease by altering immune responses. We previously reported that MNV
altered the bacterial-induced mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using Helicobacter-infected Mdr1a–/– mice. Therefore, we hypothesized that MNV infection would exacerbate another mouse model of IBD, the T-cell adoptive transfer (AT) model.
In this model, Helicobacter infection is used to accelerate the progression of IBD induced by AT of naïve CD4+CD45RBhigh T cells into B6.129S7- Rag1tm1Mom/J (Rag1–/–) mice. We evaluated the effects of MNV infection
in both Helicobacter-accelerated as well as Helicobacter-free AT models. In our studies, Helicobacter-infected Rag1–/– mice that received CD4+CD45RBhigh T cells through AT rapidly developed weight loss and typhlocolitis; MNV infection had no
effect on disease severity or rate of progression. In the absence of Helicobacter infection, progression of IBD caused by AT of CD4+CD45RBhigh T cells was slower and typhlocolitis was less severe; this inflammation likewise was unaltered by MNV infection. These results
indicate that MNV infection does not alter IBD progression and severity in the CD4+CD45RBhigh T-cell AT model in Rag1–/– mice.
INVESTIGATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTI-QUORUM SENSING PROPERTIES OF SOME DERIVATIVES OF CEPHALOSPORANIC ACID, CIPROFLOXACIN, NORFLOXACIN, AND PENICILLANIC ACID
Authors: HAMİDİ Sanaz , TÜFEKCİ Enis Fuat , DEMİRBAŞ Neslihan , ÜNVER Yasemin , KILIÇ Ali Osman
Published: January 2020

Objective: The rapid increase of
antibiotic resistance among bacteria is a serious public health problem.
Studies have focused on the discovery of new antibiotic molecules and the
development of new therapeutic strategies to combat these resistant bacteria.
Once it was known that pathogenic bacteria regulate synthesis of virulence
factors by the quorum sensing (QS) mechanism, QS inhibition became an
attractive target for antibacterial treatment. This study aimed to investigate
the antimicrobial activities and anti-QS properties of 16 derivatives of
cephalosporanic acid, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and penicillanic acid. Methods: Antimicrobial activity of the
derivatives was tested by the agar well diffusion method against various
microorganisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of effective
derivatives was assessed by the broth microdilution method. Anti-QS properties
were investigated using the soft agar method, observing inhibition of violacein
production in Chromobacterium violaceum.
The data were compared statistically.Results: Six norfloxacin derivatives
displayed antimicrobial activity against a number of organisms, three of which
were more effective than control antibiotics (p<0.05) against some organisms. One ciprofloxacin derivative
demonstrated antimicrobial activity against all tested bacteria and was more
effective against some bacteria than control antibiotic (p<0.05).  The MIC values
of these six norfloxacin and one ciprofloxacin derivatives were between
0.04–6.25 µg/mL and 0.04–3.12 µg/mL, respectively. A cephalosporanic acid and a
penicillanic acid derivative displayed anti-QS properties.Conclusion: This study shows that some new
derivatives of cephalosporanic acid, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and
penicillanic acid may have potential for development of new antibacterial and
anti-QS agents.
Ruthenian Protestants of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and their relationship with Orthodoxy, 1569–1767
Authors: Kotljarchuk Andrej
Published: January 2020

In the nineteenth century when the process of the formation of modern ethnic identity in Eastern Europe started, Belarus lost its educated strata, the Ruthenian elite, the potential leadership of this movement. That happened for a number of reasons. Among them, there was the success of the Counter-Reformation over Protestantism and Orthodoxy in Belarus and Lithuania. After 1667 Catholicism became the sign of political loyalty to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. As a result, step by step the Ruthenian nobility and the upper class of townspeople of Orthodox and Protestant faiths adopted Polish religious and cultural identity under the formula ‘gente ruthenus, natione polonus.’ Very little has been written about the ethnic Ruthenian nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, especially its Protestant group. The aim of this article is to present an overview of the relationship between the early modern Protestant and Orthodox parts of the Ruthenian elite and their correlated identity.
National Sovereignty and Popular Overeignty in the Making of Finnish Independence and the Civil War of 1918
Authors: Liikanen Ilkka
Published: January 2020

In the following an attempt is made to summarize the basic lines of the academic discussion on the character of the Finnish civil war. I pose some questions concerning the nature of the conflict in terms of modern politics. Following the recent discussion on the contradictions of modern political culture, I will ask to what degree the war can be understood in terms of conflicting patterns of national sovereignty and popular sovereignty.

In terms of historiography, the nature of the civil war of 1918 was defined during the interwar and Cold war periods mainly in two opposing ways. In the hegemonic academic tradition, the war was interpreted as a fight for national sovereignty, as the ‘war of liberation’. In the discourse close to the labour movement, the conflict was conceptualized as an internal matter, as a social conflict or a ‘class war’. First from the 1960s on, there have appeared new interpretations that have tried to cover both aspects of the crises and reassessed in what sense the war can be understood as a struggle for national sovereignty and to what degree it should be seen in the context of an internal social and political conflict.
Once Again on Soviet Statehood in Lithuania in 1918–1919
Authors: Laurinavičius Česlovas
Published: January 2020

This article makes the claim that by initiating the formation of the so-called Soviet statehood in Lithuania and Belarus (Litbel) the government of Soviet Russia did not intend ‘to set in motion the broad mass of Lithuania for the revolutionary struggle’ and tried to avoid social and national conflicts. However, the attitude of the Soviet government towards Lithuania underwent a change in the middle of 1919 when the advance of the Red Army to the West was halted.
St Bruno of Querfurt: the Missionary Vocation
Authors: Baronas Darius
Published: January 2020

The aim of this article is to reconstruct the picture of the missionary as it appears in the writings of St Bruno of Querfurt (d.1009). Scholars have noted for a long time that St Bruno saw a very close link between the missionary calling and martyrdom. From his writings it becomes quite clear that he personally had a desire to suffer martyrdom. Such a desire, however, did not have much in common with a precipitous drive to become a martyr. He saw it, rather, as a crown awaiting the missionary at the end of a long road of self-mortification and self-renunciation. He put forward for himself and for his ascetic readers a three-stage course of perfection: community life (coenobium) for beginners, a life in seclusion (eremus) for the advanced, and the mission to the pagans for the most perfect. Such a course of ascetic life was characteristic of Irish and Anglo-Saxon monks (in the sixth-eighth centuries) whose pilgrimages tended to evolve into missionary trips among the pagans. In the context of medieval missionaries St Bruno stood out as he personally pondered over this issue in a methodological fashion. In the eyes of the saint, preparation for missionary activities should lead to rational martyrdom (rationale martyrium) in which one could hardly fail to notice the original notion of martyrdom as a witness to the Faith. Another noteworthy feature of St Bruno’s thoughts may be his insistence on having a papal licence to conduct evangelization, which was not asked for usually in his days. Thus, he may be viewed not only as a devotee of St Peter and his successors, but also as an advocate of papal missions, which tended to be most promising to newly converted rulers and their subjects.
The First Occupation of Vilnius During the Great Northern War (April-May 1702)
Authors: Sliesoriūnas Gintautas
Published: January 2020

This article seeks to reconstruct the military actions and the diplomatic initiatives connected with the first Swedish occupation of Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, during the Great Northern War.

In this study primary sources were used – the correspondence of the chief leaders of the army of the Lithuanian Republicans. This allowed a revision of previous assertions found in historiography, which were usually based on the diaries and memoirs of contemporaries.
Historical Sources Bearing on Samuel Bogusław ChyLinski’s Pursuits in England and the Netherlands and their Echoes in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Authors: Kavaliūnaitė Gina
Published: January 2020

This article presents all known manuscript and printed sources relating to Chylinski’s Bible translation, viz. letters written by him to his patrons, the correspondence of his patrons on Chylinski’s endeavours, records of the Privy Council, royal briefs for the collection of monies to support Chylinski and the Lithuanian Calvinists in general, and so forth. The author also presents pamphlets by Chylinski advertising his project, published in Oxford and London. Many of these sources, discovered by the author, have not been used in previous studies.
The Reception History of the Dutch Statenbijbel in Hungary in the 17th Century
Authors: Eredics Péter
Published: January 2020

In the middle of the 16th century, the Reformation gained ground in Hungary, and would-be Protestant ministers sought theological education in Western Europe, as there was no Calvinist university in their homeland. Unfortunately, translations from Dutch to Hungarian in the Early Modern Period have not received the attention they deserve, given their undoubted importance. This article summarises a project for researching the exegetical coomentaries of István Szathmári Ötvös (d. 1655), whose Titkok jelenese, Avagy, Sz. Janos Apostol Mennyei-Latasa. Roevid magyarázo jedzésekkel edgyuett (Secret Signs, or Visions of St John the Apostle) was published posthumously in 1668 in Szeben (now Sibiu in Romania). The author examines the part that Ötvös and his work played in the cultural relations between Hungary and the Republic of the United Provinces in the 17th century. By working out which source underlies the book, and comparing the texts of the original and the Hungarian version, we will hopefully understand which translation method(s), philological precision, and freedom in revision were employed by Szathmári Ötvös.
Vernacular Translations of Scripture in England and Lithuania before the 17th Century
Authors: Rowell S.C.
Published: January 2020

This article gives a general survey of the development of a need among Lithuanian Catholics at the end of the fifteenth century for access to religious literature and especially Scripture in the vernacular (for sake of convenience, in Ruthenian translation). The work of Francis Skorina is examined in this context as a distant forerunner of Chylinski’s first published translation of the Bible into Lithuanian. The development of vernacular translations of parts of Holy Writ into Anglo-Saxon, Anglo- Norman and English are presented in very broad outline, culminating in the Roman Catholic and Anglican versions of the English Bible in the late sixteenth century and 1610. A reminder is given that merely having a text in the vernacular does not mean that such a text is available to all and understood by all.
Ethnic-Demographic Changes in the Data of the Statistical Sources of the City of Vilnius (1920–1939)
Authors: Stravinskienė Vitalija
Published: January 2020

The article deals with the ethnic-demographic developments in the city of Vilnius in 1920–1939, the ‘Polish’ period, when Poles in 1920 occupied Vilnius by armed means and quickly incorporated it into Poland. Due to political, socio-economic and cultural factors (the ethnic policy undertaken by Poland, the importance of Vilnius as the political-economic, cultural-education centre, processes of intensive migration, etc), significant ethnic-demographic changes occurred in the city. It became an attractive object for the Polish population, the number of people of Polish nationality, mainly due to migration, increased steadily (from 70,000 in 1920, to about 130,000 in 1939). During the discussed period, Vilnius was a Polish-Jewish city, in which by 1939, Poles accounted for about 66 per cent, and Jews about 29 per cent of the city’s population.
Disentangling the Research Literature on Number Sense: Three Constructs, One Name
Authors: Whitacre Ian , Henning Bonnie , Atabaș Șebnem
Published: January 2020

In this article, we review research literature concerning number sense from several related fields. Whereas other authors have pointed to difficulty defining number sense or to some degree of inconsistency in the literature, we argue instead that this is a case of polysemy: three constructs given the same name. Our purpose is to clarify the research literature concerning number sense by naming and defining these three constructs, identifying similarities and differences among them, categorizing the research traditions associated with each construct, and summarizing the methods used and findings reported. We compare and contrast themes in each body of literature by drawing on a sample of 141 research articles that were focused on number sense. We find evidence that there is confusion of number sense constructs across research traditions. We emphasize the need for clarity in order for research in each of these traditions to progress.