bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Achievements of Integrated Design for Multi-Stage Hydraulic Fracturing in Ultra-Low Permeability Carbonate Reservoirs: A Case Study in the Middle East
Authors: Liu Y. , Jin R. , Chen Y. , Pan Q. , Ling Z. , Liu Z. , He Y. , Ning C. , Yang J. , Zhu D. , Wang N. , Li N.
Published: September 2023

S-T is an ultra-low permeability (0.03 mD-2.29 mD) porous limestone reservoir with moderate porosity (15%-17.6%) in H Oilfield in the Middle East. Compared to the conventional acidizing and acid fracturing, multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in this reservoir has great improvement on well productivity. This paper will present a case study of integrated design for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells in S-T reservoir.

An integrated geology-engineering-economy design is put forward based on the "Design-Implementation-Post Evaluation-Improvement cycle" strategy. Combining sedimentary and diagenesis facies, sweet spots are identified and further classified into four grades to optimize the well location. Then, according to the rock mechanics properties, production prediction and technical limitations, stimulation-completion-drilling proposals are carried out accordingly. After implementing multi-stage hydraulic fracturing, on-time post well evaluation is done to improve the designs for coming new wells.

With the integrated design, smooth implementation and significantly improved productivity of individual well is obtained. Until the end of Jan 2023, nine (9) horizontal wells have been implemented multi-stage proppant fracturing and commissioned. Compared with previous wells which are under intermittent production, new wells’ performance become stable with higher initial rate (above 1500 bbl/d), 3-5 times of productivity improved and lower monthly decline rate (3%~1%). Furthermore, higher cumulative oil production helps to achieve quick cost recovery, guaranteed economic benefits with 2.5-3 months payout time under relatively high oil price. This good production performance illustrates the success of the integrated design for multi-stage hydraulic fracturing for horizontal wells, which lays a solid foundation for the S-T "Pilot-Scale up-Overall deployment" development.

The experience gained from this case could also provide theoretical as well as practical information for similar reservoirs in the Middle East.
Sustainability in Frac Operation: Reduced CO2 Emission by Implementing Biofuel and Pump Idling Reduction Intelligent System
Authors: Al Fadhli K. A. , Al Shidhani T. , Al Qassabi M. , Alghassani H. , Kayumov R. , Allam M. , Manzano F.
Published: September 2023

Hydraulic fracturing operations are known to have a significant impact on the environment due to high energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions. The oil and gas industry is seeking sustainable alternatives to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to global efforts towards a low-carbon future. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using a biodiesel blend (B05 and higher) in frac equipment engines along with pump idling reduction intelligent system (PIRIS) to improve sustainability and reduce emissions.

The B05 biodiesel blend is partially produced from renewable resources, such as vegetable oils, animal fats, or waste cooking oil, which reduces the dependence on fossil fuels and promotes the circular economy. We conducted field trial tests using a Caterpillar 3512C engine and other types to measure the fuel consumption, engine performance, and emissions under different operating conditions. The results showed that the B05 biodiesel blend can be a viable alternative to diesel fuel, with similar engine performance and emissions characteristics. Moreover, using biofuels in frac operations has additional benefits, such as reducing the emission of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. The B05 blend was found to reduce carbon emissions by up to 5%, depending on the operating conditions.

PIRIS automatically stops the frac pump after 10 minutes of idling. When the pump is needed, the remote starter enables rapid restarting from the control van. As the result, PIRIS reduces pump idling by up to 75%, which cuts carbon emissions by approximately 7%. These reductions are significant and can contribute to the industry's efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.

Our study highlights the potential for the oil and gas industry to adopt sustainable practices into frac operations. The use of B05 and reducing idle time with frac pumps can improve sustainability and reduce carbon emissions, leading to a cleaner and more sustainable energy future. Our study provides insight into the applicability of sustainable practices in the oil and gas industry and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.
Microfracs and Frac Diagnostic in Tight Gas Reservoirs; Continuous Surveillance to Update Frac Design
Authors: Al Shueili A. , Al Salmi H. , Jaboob M. , Al Qassabi M.
Published: September 2023

Barik Sandstone is a well know condensate reservoir developed in several fields across Central Oman between Ghaba Salt Basin and Fahud Salt Basin. Its particularity lays in the vertical and lateral heterogeneity resulting from the fluvial-deltaic depositional environment and an associated quite unusually high stress differential across the different mudstone and sandstone members. Barik is classified as Unconventional Tight Gas due to the low average permeability and requires hydraulic fracturing (HF) to economically exploit the natural resources.

Understanding the reservoir parameters was a key success for successful stimulation of the Barik Sandstone in Khazzan and Ghazeer Fields in Oman. A massive surveillance campaign was carried out to understand the reservoir properties including detailed seismic and long-term flowing and build up data. building a calibrated Mechanical Earth Model MEM allowed the team to design the best fit frac design that made the successful results on frac placement and well performance. With the extension of the reservoir height, more data were used to update the Mechanical Earth Model that helped to refine the frac design. this paper describes the workflow of how additional data helped modifying frac design using DFIT injections & different frac design approaches across different barriers.

The Mechanical Earth Model created at the early stage of the field development was generated using a detailed Microfracs stress test and reservoir properties using static and dynamic data. layers stresses confirmed using several frac injection to test the break down pressure of that layer which then helped into defining the best frac design for the reservoir.

The successful stimulation treatments confirm the value of such detailed surveillance and details workflow that was continuously updated using frac injections. This has a major impact on frac performance and field development plan that reflect the outstanding performance of these wells.
A New Investigation of Wellbore Parameters Influence on Shut-In Pressure Transient Signatures from Water Hammer Fracture Diagnostics
Authors: Qiu Yang , Hu Xiaodong , Zhou Fujian , Yi Pukang , Wang Yajing , Jiang Zongshuai
Published: September 2023

Water hammer fracture diagnostics has been widely used in recent years, which enables field engineers to understand the stimulation effect from hydraulic fracturing treatment and optimize the completion strategy in time. Based on the high frequency acquisition equipment installed at the wellhead, the sampled water hammer signal is processed to obtain the reflection time of the fracture and the water hammer celerity in the wellbore, which is utilized to locate the downhole stimulation location. However, only the reflection time identified from the water hammer signal is used in current application, which means the waste of the useful information contained in the sampled signal.

In addition, the uncertainty of the water hammer celerity may lead to misjudgment of the downhole fracture, which is still challenging in nowadays diagnosis. Thus, profound investigation of the water hammer reflection characteristics and the its utilization to accurately identify the information of downhole events is the key. Water hammer travels through the wellbore, carrying information about wellbore parameters, which are easy to obtain in the fracturing design or during the treatment. Studying the effect of wellbore parameters helps better understand the details of the water hammer, which helps accurately identify the fracture information. In this paper, the influence of the wellbore parameters on the water hammer reflection details is studied for the first time based on the numerical study, including the wellbore cementing and diameter change. Besides, water hammer signals from field cases are also studied, and the waveform characteristics related with wellbore parameters influence was analyzed, providing some useful guidelines for field application. The results of our study can improve the identification accuracy and provide useful insight for water hammer diagnostics.
Successful Utilization of In-Situ Dune Sands in Saudi Arabian Unconventional Frac Operations
Authors: Qahtani Nahar , Khoja Ghaliah , Rueda Jose , Fekkai Sofiane , Shammari Mohammed , Mulhim Nayef , Kurniadi Stevanus
Published: September 2023

Saudi Aramco has started the development of the first unconventional reservoir in the Middle East, targeting the source rock of the main oil reservoirs in the Kingdom. The completion of an unconventional reservoir requires a fracturing process in each horizontal well, which requires an abundant supply of sand. Therefore, utilizing in-situ dune sand (ISDS) was considered for potential cost savings and lowering CO2 emissions from the reduction of transportation and logistics.

The first location for the ISDS trial was selected by collecting several sand samples from different areas in the field and carrying out sieve analysis and crush and mineralogy tests. The location for the first trial was then selected based on a combination of the highest silica content, fewer impurities, best crush tests, and proximity to the fracturing operations happening at the time. Therefore, an operational trial of ISDS was designed and carried out in two wells of a four-well pad to study the operational feasibility of getting the in-situ sand and filtering the sand to the required mesh size and to determine its impact on good deliverability. Additionally, the trial studied if the in-situ sand was required to be chemically treated to remove impurities. The trial was evaluated based on operational implementation analysis and production performance compared to the other two control wells stimulated with sand from standard operations.

Combining this trial with sandbox technology was decided to facilitate logistics and onsite sand transportation. The in-situ dune sand was sieved onsite, and half of that sand was chemically treated in a nearby facility. Fracturing operations were performed as per design with no complications concerning ISDS. Initial flowback data showed that ISDS wells had similar initial productivity indexes compared to offset standard wells, indicating that ISDS results in good fracture conductivity for the formation rock quality. Full utilization of ISDS may entail moving the sand processing facility to a centralized hub that cuts sand-transport commuting distance by 90%, reducing CO2 emissions in the supply chain of the project. It is expected to decrease sand costs by 30%, equivalent to 6% of the stimulation package cost.

This paper also provides guidance for the industry to explore the controlling properties of sand for fracturing operations. Significant cost savings for the project and some reduction in CO2 emissions could be achieved with ISDS implementation, which will positively impact field development economics.
Novel, Innovative Process to Improve Proppant Distribution and Improve Productivity in Hydraulically Fractured Unconventional Reservoir
Authors: Sierra Leopoldo , Eoff Larry , Palisch Terry
Published: September 2023

In fracturing treatments performed in unconventional reservoirs, propping agents are normally placed in the generated fractures using low viscosity fracturing fluids and friction reducers. It is generally accepted that a majority of the propping agents settle closer to the wellbore due to the poor transport characteristics of these thin fluids, limiting the propped area to the near wellbore region. This preferential settling can leave a majority of the generated fracture unpropped, and can result in:

Reduced effective fracture-reservoir contact Low productivity and recovery of the stimulated well or reservoir Generation of long un-propped fractures Inefficient usage of the carrying fluids and chemicals

Extensive lab testing was performed to demonstrate the impact of variable viscosity on proppant transport and deposition. Fluids were built that covered a range of realistic slickwater viscosities and were then run through a slot with various proppant types and loadings, to observe the changes in deposition. This included the novel process of changing the viscosity within the same test run to simulate changes during an individual treatment.

The new process resulted in a substantially improved placement and distribution of typical conventional propping agents, including natural sand and ceramic proppant, and the effective placement of the proppants further away from the wellbore creating a longer propped and more conductive fracture.

While designed for unconventional reservoir stimulations, the novel process can also be utilized in fracture stimulations of tight or conventional reservoirs, and results in:

Assured connectivity between the fracture and wellbore Maximized propped fracture length and height Maximized reservoir contact Engineered placement of the proppant in fracture or complexity as required Reduced use of water to create a similar or longer propped fracture length

Considering the improved proppant distribution in many simulated cases, this paper will review the development of the new process, present the results, and show the benefits to the user.

The new proposed process to improve proppant distribution will assure better productivity and higher hydrocarbon recovery factors in hydraulically fractured unconventional reservoirs. It will be beneficial for completions and reservoir engineers who wish to improve the drainage area and ultimate recovery in their assets.
Prognostic analysis of non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma in older patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy
Authors: Wang Shuangyue , Huang Heqing , Huang Fengqiao , Wu Haiyan , Li Zhiru , Zhou Ziyan , Kang Min
Published: September 2023

Background: To explore a visual model for predicting the prognosis of older patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and analyze survivals in different patient groups during intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).
Methods: Between January 2012 and March 2021, we included patients with NPC aged > 65 years who received IMRT and were initially diagnosed with no distant metastases. Propensity score analysis with 1:1 matching was used to balance baseline characteristics, including age, sex, tumor stage, and comorbidities. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to calculate the survivals. A Cox regression analysis was utilized to identify the independent prognostic factorsfor overall survival (OS). A nomogram was constructed based on the determined prognostic factors. The nomogram's prediction accuracy was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves.
Results: In total, 140 patients were included in the analysis (median age 69 years [range: 66–81 years], median follow-up duration 84.9 months [range: 26.2–131.5 months]). The median follow-up was 84.9 (26.2–131.5) months. Compared with radiotherapy only, additional chemotherapy during radiotherapy failed to improve the OS (54.2% vs. 50.0%, respectively; P = 0.969), cancer-specific survival (60.7% vs. 60.3%, respectively; P = 0.876), distant metastasis-free survival (67.9% vs. 69.8%, respectively; P = 0.890), and locoregional relapse-free survival (92.4% vs. 90.3%, respectively; P = 0.734). After final regression analysis, age, age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score, N stage, and total stage were identified as independent factors affecting the prognosis of OS. The OS nomogram was applied. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) and calibration curves demonstrated satisfactory predictive performance of the nomogram.
Conclusions: Chemotherapy failed to improve patient survival. Our nomogram had good prognostic performance in predicting the OS of older patients with NPC and may benefit the clinical decision-making process.
Role of the tonsil–oropharynx ratio on lateral cephalograms in assessing tonsillar hypertrophy in children seeking orthodontic treatment
Authors: Lv Chenxing , Yang Liu , Ngan Peter , Xiao Wenjie , Zhao Tingting , Tang Bojun , Chen Xiong , He Hong
Published: September 2023

Objectives: To analyze the diagnostic value of the tonsil–oropharynx (T/O) ratio on lateral cephalograms for evaluating tonsillar hypertrophy (TH).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 185 consecutive children (101 males, 84 females; mean age 7.3 ± 1.4 years) seeking orthodontic treatment. The T/O ratios on lateral cephalograms were calculated following Baroni et al.’s method. Tonsil sizes were clinically determined according to the Brodsky grading scale. Spearman correlation coefficients between the T/O ratio and clinical tonsil size were calculated with the total sample and subgroups and then compared between subgroups. Diagnostic value was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy.
Results: There was a strong correlation between the T/O ratio and clinical tonsil size in children (ρ=0.73; P < 0.001). A significantly higher correlation coefficient was found in the Class III children. The ROC curve revealed an area under the curve of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.86–0.94; P < 0.001). The optimal cutoff value of the T/O ratio for predicting TH was 0.58, with a sensitivity of 98.7% and specificity of 64.2%. Employing the cutoff value of 0.5, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 45.9%.
Conclusions: Measurement of the T/O ratio on lateral cephalograms may be helpful to initial screening in children for TH. Practitioners may combine the clinical examination of tonsil size with the cephalometric findings for a more comprehensive evaluation.
The 'Supercompensation' effect of children's lockdown during COVID-19: based on the analysis of changes in physical activity, sleep and psychology
Authors: Li Yunong , Zhao Guanggao , Su Liqiang , Fu Jinmei , Sun Shunli , Chen Ruiming , Chen Delong , Hu Xuewen , Jiang Tianle , Shen Fanchao
Published: September 2023

Objective: To investigate the "supercompensation" effect of preschoolers during COVID-19 lockdown by comparing the changes in physical activity (PA), psychological and sleep indicators before and after lockdown.
Methods: 127 children (aged 3-6 years) were recruited. Before and after the lockdown, the children's PA levels were measured using the ActiGraph GT3X+, and their psychological and sleep indicators were measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Child Sleep Habit Questionnaire (CSHQ) respectively.
Results: In terms of PA, the children's total physical activity (TPA), low-intensity physical activity(LPA) and medium-intensity physical activity (MVPA) were all higher after lock down than before lockdown, with significant differences in MVPA (p<0.05). In terms of psychology, the children's SDQ scores and multidimensional scores were better after lockdown than before lockdown, with a significant difference in SDQ scores (p<0.05). In terms of sleep, children's CSHQ scores were better after lockdown than before lockdown, with a highly significant difference in CSHQ scores (p<0.01).
Conclusion: After lockdown, children's PA, psychological and sleep effects were all "supercompensation". In particular, the PA of preschoolers before, during and after lockdown may show a "baseline-inhibition-supercompensation" process.
Health Lifestyles of Six Zhiguo Ethnic Groups in China: A Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Wu Kaiwen , Chen Jie , Xiao Yan , Yan Chaofang , Li Xiaoju , Huang Yuan , Deng Rui
Published: September 2023

Background: Multiple health-related behaviors has been found to have a significant association with morbidity and life expectancy, highlighting the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles. Zhiguo ethnic groups, commonly known as “the directly-entering-socialism ethnic groups”, represent Chinese ethnic minorities who have undergone a unique social development trajectory by transforming directly from primitive societies to the socialist stage. In recent decades, significant lifestyle transformations have occurred among Zhiguo ethnic groups due to poverty alleviation efforts implemented by the Chinese government. Understanding their health lifestyles can play a strategic role in China's pursuit of universal health coverage. This study aims to examine patterns of health-related lifestyle in Zhiguo ethnic groups and explore whether sociodemographic features and specific indicators related to health status are associated with particular class.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Yunnan Province, China, from July to December 2022. Stratified random sampling method was employed to recruit residents belonging to six Zhiguo ethnic groups aged between 15 and 64. Latent class analysis was performed to identify clusters of health-related behaviors within each ethnic group. Logistic regression was utilized to determine the predictors of health lifestyles.
Results: A total of 1,588 individuals from the Zhiguo ethnic groups participated in this study. Three latent classes representing prevalent health lifestyles among the Zhiguo ethnic groups were identified, including "unhealthy lifestyle" (31.80%), "mixed lifestyle" (57.36%), and "healthy lifestyle" (10.83%). In the overall population, individuals belonging to the “unhealthy lifestyle” group exhibited a higher likelihood of being farmers (OR: 2.607, 95% CI: 1.537-4.421), males (OR: 20.833, 95% CI: 13.312-32.605) and those who had to travel more than 15 minutes on foot to reach the nearest health facility (OR: 2.032, 95% CI: 1.350-3.058).
Conclusions: A considerable proportion of the Zhiguo ethnic groups have not adapted healthy lifestyles. Targeted interventions aimed at improving health outcomes within the Zhiguo ethnic communities should prioritize addressing the clustering phenomenon of unfavorable health behaviors, with particular emphasis on male farmers, and expanding healthcare coverage for individuals residing more than 15 minutes away from accessible facilities.
Ameliorative effects of Sida acuta and vitamin C on serum DNA damage, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in roosters fed aflatoxin B1 contaminated diets
Authors: Olarotimi Olumuyiwa Joseph , Gbore Francis Ayodeji , Adu Olufemi Ademola , Oloruntola Olugbenga David , Jimoh Olatunji Abubakar
Published: September 2023

The ameliorative effects of Sida acuta leave meal (SALM) and vitamin C on the serum pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as DNA damage to cocks fed aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contaminated diets were examined. The experiment was a completely randomized design with a total of 250 sexually mature Isa White cocks aged 24 weeks, randomly allotted into five experimental diets; each diet contained 5 replicates with 10 roosters. The diets were A (control), B (containing 1 mg/kg AFB1), C (B + 200 mg/kg vitamin C), D (B + 2.5 g/kg SALM) and E (B + 5.0 g/kg SALM). Fresh and clean water was also provided for the whole experimental period of twelve weeks. Inclusion of 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM increased TNF-α and IL-1β as well as 8-OHdG and NF-κB in the serum significantly (P < 0.05) among the cocks on diet B. However, the fortification of AFB1 contaminated diets with vitamin C and SALM depressed serum TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations of the cocks significantly (P < 0.05). Conversely, serum IL-4 and IL-10 in birds given 1 mg/kg AFB1 without vitamin C or SALM decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with the roosters on the control. However, improvements (P < 0.05) in IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations with corresponding reduction (P < 0.05) in TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-OHdG and NF-κB concentrations were recorded among cocks fed Diets C, D and E, respectively. Therefore, dietary addition of SALM at the level used in this study was beneficial and has comparable effects with inorganic antioxidant (C vitamin) by significantly reducing the inflammatory cytokines and oxidative damage biomarkers as well as enhancing the anti-inflammatory cytokines thereby promoting the health status of the cocks fed AFB1 contaminated ration.
Measuring employees’ perceptions of sustainability transitions at work – A novel survey method with findings from Finland
Authors: Moilanen Fanni , Toikka Arho
Published: September 2023

Sustainability transitions have effects on working life, but there are no standardized measurement instruments for understanding employees’ views on their effects. This article presents a novel survey targeted at employees to gather information on employees’ perceptions of sustainability in their work. A survey was designed to gather information on all workers, regardless of the economic sector in which they work in, to broadly capture transition-relevant changes in working life. These include measuring the actions of both work organizations and employees to work in a more sustainable way. This paper presents the survey with findings from a nationally representative data collection taken in Finland. The topics include questions from work organizations’ sustainability actions to employees’ own sustainable actions. The results show the differences in organizations and individuals’ actions in working life. Large work organizations are most active, and there are differences between sectors. Individuals’ sustainable actions are more common among women and climate worried employees. The method provides evidence of employees’ views and actions in sustainability transitions and improves our holistic understanding of transitions in all sectors of the economy. In addition, the results provoke new questions for both policy and research on how to acknowledge differences between social groups in transitions and support them in delivering a just sustainability transition.
Camrelizumab, apatinib plus induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in stage N3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Xiang Yanqun , Liang Hu , Jiang Yao-Fei , Liu Guo-Ying , Wang Lin , Wang Jian-Wei , Lu Nian , Xia Wei-Xiong , Ke Liang-Ru , Ye Yanfang , Duan Jinling , Bei Wei-Xin , Dong Shu-Hui , Li Wang-Zhong , Liu Li-Ting , Zhao Chong , Xie Changqing
Published: September 2023

Antiangiogenic agent apatinib has shown synergetic antitumoral efficacy in combination with camrelizumab in several solid tumors. Immunotherapy combination with standard treatment regimen was reported benefit in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), however, N3 patients did not show the benefit. In this phase II clinical trial (ChiCTR2000032317), 49 eligible patients with stage TanyN3M0 NPC were enrolled and received the combination of induction chemotherapy, camrelizumab and apatinib followed by chemoradiotherapy. After induction therapy, all patients had objective response, including 13 patients (26.5%) with complete response. After a median follow-up of 28.7 months, the primary endpoint of 1-year distant metastasis-free survival was met (98%, 95% confidence interval 88–100). The 2-year failure-free survival was 96%. Grade ≥ 3 toxicity appeared in 32 (65.3%) patients, with the most common being mucositis (14[28.6%]) and nausea/vomiting (9[18.4%]). Camrelizumab and apatinib in combination with induction chemotherapy shows promising distant metastasis control with acceptable safety profile in stage TanyN3M0 NPC.
Isolation and characterization of PGPR obtained from different arsenic contaminated soil samples and their effect on photosynthetic characters of maize grown under arsenic stress
Authors: Waheed Zainab , Iqbal Sumera , Irfan Muhammad , Jabeen Khajista , Ilyas Noshin , Al-Qahtani Wahidah H.
Published: September 2023

Contamination of the environment due to speedup of anthropogenic activities become a serious threat to modern humanity. Among the contaminant the new emerging concern is the heavy metals (HMs) contamination in the environment. Because the persistence and harmfulness of heavy metals affect the ecosystem and the health of plants, animals and humans, they are the most toxic substances in the environment. Among them, Arsenic (As) emerged as major environmental constraint leading to enormous negative effects on the plant, animal and human health. Even in minute quantity, As is known to cause various critical diseases in humans and toxicity in plants. Research was performed to observe the capability of plant growth promoting strains of bacteria in enhancingZea mays(L.) growth in arsenic polluted soil. Total 30 bacterial strains were isolated from the polluted soils, screened for plant growth promotion potential and arsenic tolerance. Eighteen isolates showed resistance to different levels of sodium arsenate (ranging from 0 to 50 mM) in agar plate using LB media. Of 18 isolates, 83.3% produced IAA, methyl red and hydrogen cyanide, 55.5% exhibited catalase activity, 61.1% showed siderophore production, 88.8% showed phosphate solubilization and 44.4% showed oxidase, Voges proskauer activity and KOH solubility. The most efficient isolates SR3, SD5 and MD3 with significant arsenic tolerance and plant growth promoting (PGP) activity were examined via sequencing of amplified 16S rRNA gene. Isolates of bacteria i.e., SR3, SD5 and MD3 showing multiple PGP-traits were identified asBacillus pumilus(NCBI accession number: OR459628),Paenibacillus faecalis(NCBI accession number: OR461560) andPseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticum(NCBI accession number: OR458922), respectively. Maize seeds treated with these PGPR strains were grown in pots contaminated with 50 ppm and 100 ppm sodium arsenate. Compared to untreated arsenic stressed plants, bacterial inoculationPseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticum(MD3) resulted 20.54%, 18.55%, 33.45%, 45.08% and 48.55% improvement of photosynthetic pigments (carotenoid content, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance (gs), substomatal CO2and photosynthetic rate respectively. Principal component analysis explained that first two components were more than 96% of the variability for each tested parameter. The results indicate that in comparison to other isolates,Pseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticumisolate can be used as efficient agent for improving maize growth under arsenic polluted soil.
Elevated acylcarnitines C4 and C5 in cerebrospinal fluid distinguish viral CNS infections from autoimmune neuroinflammation
Authors: Al-Mekhlafi Amani , Waqas Fakhar , Krueger Maike , Klawonn Frank , Akmatov Manas , Müller-Vahl Kirsten , Trebst Corinna , Skripuletz Thomas , Stangel Martin , Sühs Kurt-Wolfram , Pessler Frank
Published: September 2023

Background.
Viral and autoimmune encephalitis may present with similar symptoms, but require different treatments. Thus, there is a need for biomarkers to improve diagnosis and understanding of pathogenesis. We hypothesized that virus-host cell interactions effect different changes in central nervous system (CNS) metabolism than autoimmune processes and searched for metabolite biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to distinguish between the two conditions.
Methods.
We applied a targeted metabolomic/lipidomic analysis to CSF samples from patients with viral CNS infections (n = 34; due to herpes simplex virus [n = 9], varicella zoster virus [n = 15], enteroviruses [n = 10]), autoimmune neuroinflammation (n = 25; autoimmune anti-NMDA-receptor encephalitis [n = 8], multiple sclerosis [n = 17), and non-inflamed controls (n = 31; Gilles de la Tourette syndrome [n = 20], Bell’s palsy with normal CSF cell count [n = 11]). 85 metabolites passed quality screening and were evaluated as biomarkers. Standard diagnostic CSF parameters were assessed for comparison.
Results.
Of the standard CSF parameters, the best biomarkers were: CSF cell count for viral infections vs. controls (area under the ROC curve, AUC = 0.93), Q-albumin for viral infections vs. autoimmune neuroinflammation (AUC = 0.86), and IgG index for autoimmune neuroinflammation vs. controls (AUC = 0.90). Concentrations of 2 metabolites differed significantly (p < 0.05) between autoimmune neuroinflammation and controls, with proline being the best biomarker (AUC = 0.77). In contrast, concentrations of 67 metabolites were significantly higher in viral infections than controls, with SM.C16.0 being the best biomarker (AUC = 0.94). Concentrations of 68 metabolites were significantly higher in viral infections than in autoimmune neuroinflammation, and the 10 most accurate metabolite biomarkers (AUC = 0.89–0.93) were substantially better than Q-albumin (AUC = 0.86). These biomarkers comprised six phosphatidylcholines (AUC = 0.89–0.92), two sphingomyelins (AUC = 0.89, 0.91), and acylcarnitines isobutyrylcarnitine (C4, AUC = 0.92) and isovalerylcarnitine (C5, AUC = 0.93). Elevated C4 and C5 concentrations suggested dysfunctional mitochondrial β-oxidation and correlated only moderately with CSF cell count (Spearman ρ = 0.41 and 0.44), indicating that their increase is not primarily driven by inflammation.
Conclusions.
As opposed to autoimmune neuroinflammation, viral CNS infections likely interfere with mitochondrial energy generation in target cells, thus identifying short-chain acylcarnitines as potential diagnostic biomarkers for the differentiation between the two conditions.
Spatial Assessment of forest litterfall in Central Himalayas (India): Comparison of geospatial, remote sensing and data-driven estimates
Authors: K Kripa M , K Dadhwal V , Kaushik Atul
Published: September 2023

A comparison of multiple approaches for annual litterfall estimation and spatial assessment of forests was carried out for the state of Uttarakhand (Geog. Area = 54533 sq. km, Forest Area- 24652.32 sq. km) in Central Himalayas, India. Non-spatial approach used meta-analysis of published litterfall studies in Uttarakhand (29 studies with 115 measurements over sites/years) classified by forest types and area under forest types estimated by remote sensing by Forest Survey of India. The measured mean litterfall ranged from a high of 7.88 t/ha/yr for the sub-tropical broad- leaved forests to a low of 3.70 t/ha/yr in plantations. Spatial models of litterfall used a data-driven approach with 100 measurements and a random forest (RF) model that used bioclimate, elevation and forest type as covariates at a spatial grid of 1km resolution. This estimate was compared with published global (Li et al., 2019) and European (Neumann et al., 2018) spatial models. The total litterfall with five different forest-type area and estimated mean litterfall varied between 12.34 to 14.69 Mt/yr and with spatial allocation to forest type map estimated 14.02 Mt/yr litterfall. Data-driven spatial model using Random Forest approach estimated 13.305 Mt/yr of total litterfall. Use of spatial litterfall models developed for other study areas resulted in estimates that ranged from 9.11–15.81 Mt/yr. The study provides important insights towards developing a spatial gridded annual litterfall dataset for India and its use for studying the dynamics of forest carbon cycle.
Effects of CLIC family expression levels on the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Yang Di , Zhou Guomei , Tang Ning , Qin Huaxing , Gai Shasha , Yao Mingzhe , Peng Huixin , Chen Wencheng , Huang Qun , Liang Zhengfang
Published: September 2023

Purpose
CLIC family members act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in multiple cancer processes. However, the CLIC family of genes in bladder cancer is currently not well characterized.
Methods
375 bladder cancer samples containing RNASeq and clinical data were downloaded from the TCGA database. The present study aimed to analyze the role of CLIC members in bladder cancer using bioinformatics analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to quantify gene and protein expression, respectively. The impact of CLIC members on the characteristics of the TME was also analyzed.
Results
The differences in expression among the 5 CLIC family members were statistically significant in bladder cancer, including CLIC1, CLIC2, CLIC3, CLIC4, and CLIC5. CLIC3 and CLIC4 were two independent prognostic factors associated with poor overall survival in patients with bladder cancer. The results of q-PCR and western bloting showed that CLIC3 was overexpressed in bladder cancer and CLIC4 was expressed at low level in bladder cancer. Similar trends were observed in both q-PCR and western blotting. Among the tumor microenvironmental scores, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint genes, CLIC3 and CLIC4 were associated. CLIC3 and CLIC4 were able to influence bladder cancer chemotherapy sensitivity as well as immunotherapy efficacy.
Conclusion
A study like this improves the method of assessing bladder cancer patients' prognoses, and would help optimize chemotherapeutic strategies as well as immunotherapy efficacy in consideration of the expression of CLIC3 and CLIC4.
Frequency Analysis of Rainfall & Discharge for a Sub-Watershed of Cauvery River
Authors: Madasamy Nagarajan , M Manikandan , E Sujitha , A Valliammai
Published: September 2023

The analysis of precipitation data would upgrade the management and effective utilization of water resources, which thus anticipates flood and dry season. Precipitation and temperature data from 1901 to 2016 were extracted from the CRU TS 4.01 data set for the grid enclosing the sub-watershed of the Cauvery river. Basic statistical analyses were conducted on this data to learn about the long-term characteristics of the rainfall. From the analysis of rainfall characteristics, it has been observed that NEM and SWM contribute and accounts for 83.4% of the total annual rainfall. Using Weibull (1951) method, the estimation of probability of exceedance was carried out through rainfall frequency analysis and 50%, 75% and 90% dependable rainfall values were found to be 894.40 mm, 801.10 mm and 683.30 mm, respectively. The Departure analysis of rainfall was also conducted and the result showed that 72% of the total years (116 years) were observed under normal rainfall. For the analysis of rainfall, the CARTODEM tiles corresponding to the location were downloaded from Bhuvan website and the watershed boundary map was generated in ArcMap 10.1. An empirical equation was used to estimate the discharges corresponding to the rainfall period and the annual average discharge for the watershed was calculated as 63.88 cumecs. The flow duration curves within the watershed were developed and plotted through the estimated discharge. The 50%, 75% and 90% of probability of exceedance values were found to be 62.4, 54.4 & 44.3 cumecs, respectively for the yearly discharges.
In Vitro Explant Sterilization and Bud Proliferation Studies on Some Imported Peach Rootstocks
Authors: Eliwa Galal I. , El-Dengawy El-Refaey F. , Gawish Mohamed S. , Yamany Mona M.
Published: September 2023

The present investigation was conducted in the Laboratory of Tissue Culture, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, Egypt. The objective of this study was to establish a micropropagation protocol suitable for three imported peach rootstocks {Okinawa (P. persica), Nemared (P. persica × P. davidiana) × P. persica) and Garnem (P. dulcis × P. persica)} In vitro. According to the results, soaking the explants in sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) at 20% for 15 min achieved the highest value of responsive (82.81%) and Survived (96.61%) with a minimum value of dead (3.14%) and contaminated (0.24%). Garnem genotype explants had achieved the best response (89.12%) and Survived (90.62%) with minimum dead (0.00%) and maximum contamination (9.37%). The shoot tips showed the highest responsive, Survived, and dead% (100, 87.40 and12.59% respectively) and minimum significant contaminated (0.00%). Also, the explants differed significantly in their percentages of responsive, survived, dead, and contaminated at the different collected dates.
The 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations used (3 to 5.0 mg/L-1) demonstrated similar behavior in terms of in vitro proliferation, with rates of 3.77 to 6.11, 4.33 to 8.88 and 3.33 to 7.44 shoots per explant for Okinawa, Nemared, and Garnem peach rootstocks respectively, indicating that the number of shoots proliferation is genotype dependent. Moreover, using 5.0 mg/L-1 BAP in combination with 0.2 mg/L-1 IBA produced higher significant values of average shoot proliferation % (96.29%) as well as number of shoots per explant (7.48) and average Leaves number/explant (16.33) than the other treatments. From these results, we could conclude that indole-butyric acid (IBA) synergists with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) improved adventitious bud development in vitro multiplication of Okinawa, Nemared, and Garnem peach rootstocks.
Practical, high-speed Gaussian coherent state continuous variable quantum key distribution with real-time parameter monitoring, optimised slicing, and post-processed key distillation
Authors: Weerasinghe Amanda , Alhussein Muataz , Alderton Adam , Wonfor Adrian , Penty Richard
Published: September 2023

Gaussian coherent state continuous variable quantum key distribution has gained interest owing to its security and compatibility with classical coherent optical fibre networks. For successful system deployment it is necessary to implement practical high speed systems which distil keys efficiently. Here, we demonstrate a Gaussian coherent state continuous variable quantum key distribution system at a 50 MHz symbol rate. Unlike most demonstrations to date which measure excess noise and infer key rates from this, we record signals in real time and distil keys. We also demonstrate, for the first time, slice reconciliation with optimised guard bands to maximise achievable secret key rates. Using this optimisation with multilevel slicing, a record 5 Mb/s secret key rate after a transmission distance of 25 km is achieved. This is a significant improvement on the 3 Mb/s secret key rate which is achieved with single level optimised slice reconciliation.
EANDL: A High-performance and Low-cost Effort-Aware Just-in-Time Software Defect Prediction Model
Authors: Chen Liqiong , Wang Ying , Song Shilong , Yu Caizhu , Sun Huaiying
Published: September 2023

Just-in-time software defect prediction (JIT-SDP) is a fine-grained software defect prediction technology and its predictive entity is code changes. Effort-aware just-in-time software defect prediction (Effort-aware JIT-SDP) is a defect prediction technology that takes the cost of detection into consideration with the goal of detecting more defect changes with less cost. To solve the problem of poor prediction performance of Effort aware JIT-SDP model, an Effort-aware JIT-SDP model called EANDL based on NSGA3, Differential Evolution and Logistic Regression is proposed. Firstly, two evaluation metrics called DPR and LDSOD are proposed to evaluate the sorting performance. Secondly, the prediction model is constructed by using logistic regression and maximizing two evaluation metrics using NSGA3-DE so as to determine the optimal coefficient vector of logistic regression. In addition, two metrics called ACE and ACEP to measure the effort consumption of Effort-aware JIT-SDP models are proposed. Finally, intensive simulation experiments have been conducted on six open-source datasets to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method. Empirical results demonstrate that EANDL outperforms eight typical and classical supervised and unsupervised models in terms of sorting performance, effort consumption, and response time.
Physcion and its mixture with several fungicides improve the yield of wheat by increasing the control effect to wheat powdery mildew, the antioxidant activity, and photosynthetic efficiency
Authors: Tian Zhixiang , Li Jingchong , Zhang Fulong , Xu Li , Zhou Feng , Wang Hongliang , Liu Runqiang
Published: September 2023

Soil-borne diseases are one of the greatest constraints to wheat productivity. Physcion could induce the resistance of plant and is used to control powdery mildew by spraying in China. In this study, field trial of physcion and its mixtures with fungicide commonly used on wheat was applied as seed coating agent in Huang-Huai-hai plain, the main production region of wheat in China. The emergence rate, tiller number, control effect to powdery mildew, antioxidant enzyme activity, chlorophyll content and final yield of wheat were determined. Results showed that the combination of physcion, validamycin, pyrimidine nucleotide (1#), and physcion, azoxystrobin (3#) at 1:50 exhibit the highest emergence rate, tillering number, control effect to wheat powdery mildew, defense ability enhancement of wheat leaves to stress, photosynthetic efficiency improvement, the accumulation of dry matter and the increasement of yields. The results provided an alternative approach to increase the control effect to disease in wheat fields and laid basis on the reasonable application of physcion.
Behavioral skills training for teaching safety skills to mental health service providers compared to training-as-usual: a pragmatic randomized control trial
Authors: Lin Elizabeth , Malhas Mais , Bratsalis Emmanuel , Thomson Kendra , Hargreaves Fabienne , Donner Kayle , Baig Heba , Boateng Rhonda , Swain Rajlaxmi , Benadict Mary Benisha , Busch Louis
Published: September 2023

Background:
Violence in the healthcare workplace has been a global concern for over two decades, with a high prevalence of violence towards healthcare workers reported. Workplace violence has become a healthcare quality indicator and embedded in quality improvement initiatives of many healthcare organizations. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada’s largest mental health hospital, provides all clinical staff with mandated staff safety training for self-protection and team-control skills. These skills are to be used as a last resort when a patient is at imminent risk of harm to self or others. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy by comparing two training methods of this mandated staff safety training for workplace violence in a large psychiatric hospital setting.
Methods:
Using a pragmatic randomized control trial design, this study compares two approaches to teaching safety skills; CAMH’s training-as-usual (TAU) using the 3D approach (description, demonstration and doing) and behavioural skills training (BST), from the field of applied behaviour analysis, using instruction, modeling, practice and feedback loop. Staff were assessed on three outcome measures (competency, mastery and confidence), across three time points: before training (baseline), immediately after training (post-training) and one month later (follow-up). This study has been registered (ISRCTN18133140, September 6, 2023).
Results:
With a sample size of 99 new staff, results indicate that BST was significantly better than TAU in improving observed performance of self-protection and team-control skills. Both methods were associated with improved skills and confidence. However, there was a decrease in skill performance levels at the one-month follow-up for both methods, with BST remaining higher than TAU scores across all three time points. The impact of training improved staff confidence in both training methods and remained high across all three time points.
Conclusions:
The study findings suggest that BST is more effective than TAU in improving safety skills among healthcare workers. However, the retention of skills over time remains a concern, and therefore a single training session without on-the-job-feedback or booster sessions based on objective assessments of skill may not be sufficient. Further research is needed to confirm and expand upon these findings in different settings.