bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Standalone Screen Design and Evaluation for Cased and Perforated Application in Unconsolidated Formations: The Role of Perforation Strategy and Sand Control Design on Well Productivity
Authors: Roostaei Morteza , Mohammadtabar Mohammad , Hosseini Seyed Abolhassan , Velayati Arian , Soroush Mohammad , Mahmoudi Mahdi , Porttin Nolan , Mohammadtabar Farshad , Izadi Hossein , Alkouh Ahmad , Fattahpour Vahidoddin
Published: March 2022

Productivity of cased and perforated wellbores completed with standalone screen depends on the interactions of parameters such as perforation diameter, length, phasing and density, the gap between the casing and the standalone screen, and standalone screen aperture/pore size. Moreover, the permeability of the sand in the gap plays a major role in the overall productivity. This study aims at providing a numerical estimation of pressure drop for such completions.

This study uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in order to simulate the flow around a wellbore equipped with cased and perforated completion with standalone screen. Slotted liner was used as the standalone screen in this study. Details of such a complex completion were imported into the Finite Volume (FV) based numerical simulation via Computer-Aided Design (CAD). In addition to the geometrical design of the completion, different scenarios for the perforation stability, which affect the permeability of the perforation tunnel and result in potential fill-up of the annular gap between the slotted liner and perforations, were investigated.

A large number of simulations (over 200 models) were completed to cover the different scenarios for perforation design and strategy along with different Open to Flow Area (OFA) values for the standalone slotted liner. Based on the results, completion efficiency is strongly changed by perforation and gap flow properties. The OFA for the standalone slotted liner completion has minor influence on the overall pressure drop if the gap between the casing and the standalone screen and the perforation is clean, unless the perforations are collapsed and the annular gap between the casing and slotted liner is filled up with sand. This is mainly because perforation parameters, such as penetration and diameter dominate the effect of all the other parameters, including slotted liner configuration. The results emphasize the effect of the completion geometry, perforation strategy, and opening size on the skin and productivity. Another main observation was the need to better understand the stability of the perforations and sanding potential from perforations, which dictate the permeability of the perforation and annular space.

The results of this study highlight the comparative importance of different standalone screen designs and perforation parameters on well productivity. This study is the basis for optimizing the sand control and perforation strategy as an alternative to other completion types such as gravel packing in cased and perforated completions in vertical and slant wells.
Hydraulic Fracturing a Reservoir in Proximity to a Water Zone – Oman Case History
Authors: Al-Yaqoubi Mazin Marzouq , Abass Hazim Hussain , Al Riyami Hamyar Masaaod , Ainouche Dalil , Al Bahri Khalfan Mubarak , Persac Stephen
Published: March 2022

Hydraulic fracturing is a challenge when the reservoir is adjacent to a water zone as it will extremely limit hydrocarbon production. The challenge becomes tougher when there is no stress barrier below the reservoir to contain the fracture. Several technologies have been applied by the oil and gas industry such as reducing injecting rate, using low viscosity, employing dual viscosity/density fracturing fluids, perforation location, and using proppant settling with dual fracturing treatment. The focus of this paper is to achieve two objectives; 1) place a long hydraulic fracture in the pay zone, and 2) avoid penetrating nearby water zone. This paper presents the proppant settling concept with essential augmentation that makes it a novel technology. The paper provides the oil and gas industry with a successful case history on fracturing low permeability reservoirs situated close to a water zone.
Optimizing the Performance of Produced Water Chemical Treatment Following CEOR Polymer Breakthrough
Authors: Hesampour Mehrdad , Toivonen Susanna , Holpoainen Saija , Koski Jouni , Sheril Prince , Porat Iris , Bava Luciana
Published: March 2022

Chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) plays a major role in sustaining production, extending the life of field and improves the recoverable reserves which is of economic benefit. The injected polymer will eventually propagate to the production wells where it is co-produced with production fluids. The presence of polymer in the back produced water may increase the residual oil levels and suspended solids in the produced water. This causes production systems bottlenecks, have a detrimental effect on water treatment processes, and increase in Oil in Water levels higher than admissible specs for discharge or reinjection.

Several CEOR projects are introduced to producing fields where an established water treatment process already exists. These processes are initially designed to perform under a set of fluid and operating conditions. Polymer breakthrough can change the back produced water characteristics and impact the performance of the process. Upgrading of processes may require substantial investment. Chemical additives are widely considered as pragmatic alternative to improve water quality to desired levels. The selection of chemicals is very important as there are other associated challenges to be considered e.g. of the use of inorganic coagulants such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC) has been shown in studies to generate significant amounts of viscous sludge with low dry solids creating, sludge handing and equipment issues in the field.

In this study, a new product combination has been developed to solve some of the drawbacks of traditional chemical such as sludge production while maintaining the performance of treatment.

The composition of the product was determined through series of lab experiments and using design of experiments (DOE) methodology. The experiments were initially performed using a synthetic mixture of 400 parts per million (ppm) of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM with hydrolysis degree ~ 30%) in saline water. The results were benchmarked to PAC and shown to produce a lower amount of sludge (25-50%) with the same performance in the same range of dosage (300-400 ppm). The sludge generated from the new combined product was also less viscous compared to the benchmark product. The investigation also revealed that a composition containing both inorganic/organic coagulant and cationic polymer improved performance. Results were validated with a field sample containing approx. 300 ppm of HPAM polymer. It was found that to generate less sludge and remove maximum total suspended solids, complete removal of polymer is not required.

This new product offers several benefits including a reduction in the operating costs (product dosage is about half of benchmark product, polyaluminum chloride), reduction in the chemical footprint, improves the operational efficiency of the water treatment process and allows to operate within their environmental specifications.
Overcoming Challenges in the Development of Underground Gas Storage
Authors: Alali Ammar , Aljamaan Hamza , Ahmed Mahbub , Alomani Hanan
Published: March 2022

Subsurface gas storage is a strategic tool used to balance seasonal sales gas supply and demand fluctuations. Developing and managing gas storage reservoirs requires the application of standard reservoir engineering tools and practices; however, a number of additional challenges are specific to Underground Gas Storage (UGS). This paper addresses these challenges and present both modelling, design, and operational solutions. There are important considerations and challenges that can be associated with areas such as reservoir selection, surface-subsurface modelling, and optimum number of wells with the best design in gas storage reservoirs. Nevertheless, operational challenges can also be very critical and lead to jeopardizing the success of the project, if not mitigated properly. Due to the cyclic nature of gas storage during injection and re-production, cyclic stress effects can be a concern and should be studied via appropriate geomechanical models and laboratory tests (Thick-Walled-Cylinder) to address any imapct on wellbore stability and potential sand/solid production. Although mature gas reservoirs are good candidates for underground gas storage, drilling any new wells can be challenging and has to be addressed using state of the art technologies such as managed-pressure-drilling (MPD) or under-balance-coiled-tubing drilling (UBCTD). The well completion in terms of material selection and design will also impact the workover frequency and productivity/injectivity of the gas storage wells. As such, accurate evaluation of flow assurance and completion accessories are essential to ensure long term suitability of the gas storage wells. Last but not least, due to the lean nature of the gas in these developments, the risk of hydrates formation is very likely and should be analyzed and mitigated with the right engineering tools. This work presents the basic theory and applications of the above-mentioned methods and evaluations with the ultimate goal of proposing general guidelines for the development of UGS. The results and interpretations of geomechanical modelling and laboratory testing are presented as well as the drilling design and its challenges. Well integrity and erosional velocity assessment are discussed as part of the flow assurance as well as hydrates formation envelopes and its prediction methods. Gas storage projects are strategic for gas operating companies and require careful planning and economic feasibility evaluation. The challenges and lessons learnt, discussed in this paper, are required to guarantee the success of such initiative.
Message Passing Interface (MPI) Parallelization of Iteratively Coupled Fluid Flow and Geomechanics Codes for the Simulation of System Behavior in Hydrate-Bearing Geologic Media. Part 1: Methodology and Validation
Authors: Zhang Jiecheng , Moridis George J. , Blasingame Thomas A.
Published: March 2022

The Reservoir GeoMechanics Simulator (RGMS or RGM simulator), a geomechanics simulator based on the finite element method (FEM) and parallelized using the Message Passing Interface (MPI), is developed in this work to model the stresses and deformations in subsurface systems. RGMS can be used standalone or coupled with flow and transport models. pTOUGH+ HYDRATE (pT+H) V1.5, a parallel MPI-based version of the serial TOUGH+HYDRATE (T+H) V1.5 code that describes mass and heat flow in hydrate-bearing porous media, is also developed. Using the fixed-stress split iterative scheme, RGMS is coupled with the pT+H V1.5 codes to investigate the geomechanical responses associated with gas production from hydrate accumulations.

In the first paper of this series, we discuss the governing equations underlying physics and their mathematical representation in the modeling of the geomechanics, methane hydrate, and coupled problems as well as the numerical methods and the parallelization processes (involving a domain decomposition method based on the MPI approach) used for the parallel simulators. Two 2D problems (in Cartesian and radial-cylindrical coordinates) and a 3D Cartesian coordinate problem are created to validate the FEM and the parallelization method in RGMS. The displacements and the maximum principal effective stresses obtained from the RGMS solution of these three problems are compared to those from the commercial software Ansys Mechanical and are shown to practically coincide. The parallelization of pT+H V1.5 is validated by comparing its results to those from the serial T+H V1.5 code in a study that involved (a) fluid production from a large-scale 2D cylindrical system describing a real-life oceanic hydrate deposit and (b) a simplified geomechanical model based on hydrate-dependent pore compressibility. The coupling method is validated by comparing the numerical results to the analytical solutions of the Terzaghi and the McNamee-Gibson problems. The parallelization validation of the coupled simulator is achieved by comparing the results obtained for different numbers of processes in the solution of the problems used for the pT+H V1.5 parallelization validation with the full geomechanical model. The results clearly demonstrate the validity and reliability of the parallel codes (a) RGMS, (b) pT+H V1.5, and the (c) coupled pT+H V1.5 and RGM simulators, which can be used to solve the large-scale physics of complex problems.
Low-Temperature Recrosslinkable Preformed Particle Gel as a Material for Lost Circulation Control
Authors: Ahdaya Mohamed , Al Brahim Ali , Bai Baojun , Schuman Thomas
Published: March 2022

One of the most prevalent, expensive, and time-consuming problems during drilling operations is the loss of circulation. Uncontrolled lost circulation of drilling fluids may lead to dangerous well control difficulties and, in some cases, complete loss of the well. In this paper, the ability of a low-temperature recrosslinkable preformed particle gel (LT-RPPG) has been evaluated to determine the extent to which it can be used to control drilling fluid losses during drilling operations. The RPPG consists of swellable gel particles that can self-crosslink to form a strong bulk gel in fractures to form strong plugging after being placed in the loss zones. We investigated the effect of the LT-RPPG swelling ratio and fracture width on its plugging efficiency to fractures through core flooding tests. Results showed that its sealing pressure can reach up to 1,381 psi/ft and permeability reduction more than 99.99% when the RPPG swelling ratio is five for the fracture with a width of 2.00 mm. LT-RPPG is a good candidate that can be used to control the severe or total loss during drilling operations.
Well Interference and Fracture Geometry Investigation Using Production and Low-Frequency Distributed Acoustic Sensing Data in an Unconventional Reservoir
Authors: Ning Yanrui , Jin Ge , Zhu Xiaoyu , Tura Ali
Published: March 2022

Well interference directly impacts well spacing optimization and well economics, thus it has received significant attention. Observed in many unconventional reservoirs, well interference is mainly attributed to connection of hydraulic fractures. Few studies have compared the hydraulic fracture connection during stimulation with that during the production period. This study connects these two aspects by leveraging the low-frequency distributed acoustic sensing (LF-DAS) signals acquired during the stimulation and the daily production data of 23 horizontal wells in the Denver-Julesburg (DJ) Basin. Strong cross-formation communication between Niobrara and Codell has been identified from both LF-DAS and production data. Interwell fracture connection could divert up to 80% of a shut-in well’s production to the offset well in the adjacent formation, revealing that well interference can be evaluated through random shut-ins of wells during production. Further, fracture connection in LF-DAS data is observed between Codell wells but rarely between Niobrara wells. Given the average Codell well spacing of 1,270 ft and Niobrara well spacing of 650 ft, we observe that the half-length of the stimulated hydraulic fractures in Codell wells is significantly longer than that of Niobrara wells. This study also confirms that stronger well interference during production correlates with strong fracture connection identified from LF-DAS.
An unexpected transition to virtual care: family medicine residents’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Smith Neale , Newton Christie , Barbacuta Demetra , Tseng Olivia L.
Published: March 2022

BackgroundThe global COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid changes in both medical care and medical education, particularly involving the rapid substitution of virtual solutions for traditional face-to-face appointments. There is a need for research into the effects and impacts of such changes. The objective of this article investigates the perspectives of Family Medicine Residents in one university program in order to understand the impact of this transition to virtual care and learning.Methods This is a qualitative focus group study. Four focus groups, stratified by site type (Rural=1; Semi-Urban=1; Urban=2) were conducted, with a total of 25 participants. Participants were either first or second-year Residents in Family Medicine. Focus group recordings were analyzed thematically, based upon a five-level social ecological model (individual, family, organization, community, environment and policy context).Results Two main themes were identified: (1) Residents’ experiences of Virtual Learning and Virtual Care, and (2) Living and Learning in Pandemic Times. In the first theme, Residents reported challenges both individually, in their family context, and in their training organizations. Of particular concern was the loss of hands-on experience with clinical skills such as conducting physical examinations. In the second theme, Residents reported disruption of self-care routines and family life. These Residents were unable to engage in the relationships outside of the workplace with their preceptors and peers which they had expected, and which play key roles in social support as well as in future decisions about practice location.ConclusionsWhile many patients appreciated virtual care, in the eyes of these Residents it is not the ideal modality for learning the practice of Family Medicine, and they awaited a return to normal times. Despite this, the pandemic has pointed out important ways in which residency training needs to adapt to an evolving world.
Application of Multivariate Techniques for Spatial Drought Modelling using Satellite Rainfall Estimate
Authors: Anshuka Anshuka , Buzacott Alexander JV , Ogtrop Floris van
Published: March 2022

Monitoring hydrological extremes are essential for developing risk-mitigation strategies. One of the limiting factors for this is the absence of reliable on the ground monitoring networks that capture data on climate variables, which is highly evident in developing states such as Fiji. Fortunately, increasing global coverage of satellite-derived datasets facilitates the utilisation of this information to monitor dry and wet periods in sparse data regions. This study evaluated three global satellite rainfall datasets (CHIRPS, PERSIANN-CDR and CPC) for Fiji. All satellite products had reasonable correlations with station data, and CPC had the highest correlation with minimum error values. The Effective Drought Index (EDI), a useful index for understanding hydrological extremes, was then calculated. Thereafter, a canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was employed to forecast the EDI using sea surface temperature anomaly (SST) data. A high canonical correlation of 0.98 was achieved between the mean SST and mean EDI PCs, showing the influence of ocean-atmospheric interactions on precipitation regimes in Fiji. CCA was used to perform a hindcast and a short-term forecast. The training stage produced a coefficient of determinant (R2) value of 0.83 and mean square error (MSE) of 0.11. The results in the testing stage for the forecast were more modest, with an R2 of 0.45 and MSE of 0.26. This easy-to-implement system can be a helpful tool used by disaster management bodies to enact water restrictions, provide aid, and make informed agronomic decisions such as planting dates or extents.
Informing the development of a personalized mixed digital/in person multidisciplinary intervention to help breast cancer patients return to work: a qualitative study
Authors: MARTIN Elise , Meglio Antonio Di , Menvielle Gwenn , Arvis Johanna , Bourmaud Aurélie , Michiels Stefan , Pistilli Barbara , Vaz-Luis Ines , Dumas Agnès
Published: March 2022

Purpose: Return to work (RTW) after breast cancer (BC) can be a major challenge for patients. Existing interventions often suffer from methodological weaknesses that hamper their implementation. In this study, we aimed to explore 1) use, as well as 2) preferences, needs and barriers regarding RTW interventions and their deployment, including 3) preferences regarding the use of digital approaches to deliver such interventions.Methods: We conducted a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with 30 early-stage BC patients and 18 providers in four French regions. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Emergent themes were identified by thematic content analysis.Results: Most providers declared not to proactively address RTW with patients mainly due to having other priorities and a lack of knowledge. The following themes emerged: several development and deployment barriers regarding RTW interventions exist; interventions based on a multidisciplinary approach were generally preferred; need to maintain contact between patient and workplace during sick leave, including clearly identify pathways and interlocutors that can facilitate RTW. Participants had mostly positive representations about using digital tools to facilitate RTW, however fear of loss of human contact and exacerbation of inequalities were identified as possible risks associated with the development of digital-only interventions.Conclusions: In this study several points emerged that can help to develop an intervention that blends needs and preferences of BC patients and health care system. A personalized, multimodal approach with a mixed digital and in person features surfaced as a possible solution to respond to the weaknesses of existing interventions.
Silicon Reduces Zinc Absorption and Trigger Oxidative Tolerance Processes Without Impacting Growth in Young Plants of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa L.)
Authors: Luyckx Marie , Hausman Jean-François , Guerriero Gea , Lutts Stanley
Published: March 2022

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a promising crop for non-food agricultural production on soils contaminated by moderate doses of heavy metals, while silicon, as a beneficial element, is frequently reported to improve stressed plants behavior. Using a hydroponic system, plants of Cannabis sativa (cv. Santhica 27) were exposed for one week to 100 µM Zn in the presence or absence of 2 mM Si. Zinc accumulated in all plants organs but was mainly sequestered in the roots. Additional Si reduced Zn absorption but had no impact on Zn translocation. Zn accumulation had a negative impact on biomass and chlorophyll content but additional Si did not mitigate these symptoms. Exogenous Si reduced the Zn-induced membrane lipid peroxidation (assessed by malondialdehyde quantification) and increased the total antioxidant activities estimated by the FRAP index. In the absence of Si, leaf phytochelatin and total glutathione were the highest in Zn-treated plants and Si significantly decreased their concentrations. Additional approaches using omics strategies and histological localization of element will provide interesting information regarding the interaction of Zn and Si in hemp.
Genome report of three novel bacteriophages targeting different multidrug resistant clinical isolates (Escherichia, Klebsiella and Salmonella) from Enterobacteriaceae family
Authors: Nepal Roshan , Houtak Ghais , Karki Sumeena , Dhungana Gunaraj , Vreugde Sarah , Malla Rajani
Published: March 2022

Application of bacteriophages (phages) to treat complex multidrug resistant bacterial infection is gaining traction because of its efficacy and universal availability. However, as phages are specific to their host, a diverse collection of locally isolated phage from various geographical locations is required to formulate a wide host range phage cocktail. Here, we report morphological and genomic features of three newly isolated phages from river water of the urban region in Kathmandu, Nepal, targeting three different bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella spp. ) from the Enterobacteriaceae family. Morphological identification and genome analysis indicated that two phages (Escherichia phage vB_EcoM_TU01 and Klebsiella phage vB_KpnP_TU02) were strictly lytic and free from integrases, virulence factors, toxins and known antimicrobial resistance genes whereas Salmonella phage vB_SalS_TU03 was possibly a temperate phage. The genomic features of these phages indicate that natural phages are capable of lysing pathogenic bacteria and have potential to be used therapeutically.
A Qualitative Study of Interactions With Oncologists Among Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer
Authors: Achkar Morhaf Al , Roy Upal Basu , Manley Eugene , Standifer Maisha , Baik Christina , Walsh Casey
Published: March 2022

Introduction: To support the care of lung cancer patients, oncologists have needed to stay current on treatment advancements and build relationships with a new group of survivors in an era where lung cancer survivorship has been re-defined. The objectives of the study were to: 1) understand the perspectives of advanced lung cancer patients whose tumors have oncogenic alterations about their care experiences with their oncologist(s) and 2) describe the perceptions of advanced lung cancer patients about seeking second opinions and navigating care decisions. Methods: In this qualitative study, patients with advanced lung cancer (n=25) on targeted therapies were interviewed to discuss their ongoing experience with their oncologists. We used deductive and inductive qualitative approaches in the coding of the data. We organized the data using the self-determination framework.Results: Patients described both positive and negative aspects of their care as related to autonomy, provider competency, and connectedness. Patients sought second opinions for three primary reasons: expertise, authoritative advice, and access to clinical trial opportunities. When there is disagreement in the treatment plan between the primary oncologist and the specialist, there can be confusion and tension, and patients have to make difficult choices about their path forward.Conclusions: Patients value interactions that support their autonomy, demonstrate the competency of their providers, and foster connectedness. To ensure that patients receive quality and goal-concordant care, developing decision aids and education materials that help patients negotiate recommendations from two providers is an area that deserves further attention.
Prevalence and risk factors of self-reported financial toxicity in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jiang QingHua , Hua Jiang , Wenxuan Mou , Luxi Jiang , Jianxia Lyu , Yu Zeng , Ying Liu , Aiping Hu
Published: March 2022

Background: Similar to the side effects of cancer treatment，financial toxicity can affect the quality of life of patients, which has attracted increasing attention in the field of oncology. Despite the fact that the estimated prevalence and risk factors of financial toxicity are widely reported, these results have not been synthesized.Objectives: This review aimed to systematically assess the prevalence and risk factors of self-reported financial toxicity.Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Data Sources: A computer search of English literature using the database of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CHINAHL, and reference list of the included articles between 2010 and September 2021. The observational studies that reported the prevalence or risk factors of financial toxcity used subjective measures will be included.Methods: A systematic review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The risk of bias was assessed by the NIH observational cohort and cross-sectional study quality assessment tool. The data were extracted by two reviewers and listed in a descriptive table for meta-analysis.Results: In the 22 studies available for the meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of financial toxicity was estimated to be 45% (95% CI: 38% to 53%, I2 = 97.3%, P < 0.001), which was based on a random-effects model. The pooled analysis identified 9 potential risk factors of financial toxicity(7 in β and 8 in OR) : low income (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.72 to 3.24, I2 =3.1%, P < 0.001), greater annual OOP(β = -4.26, 95% CI: -6.95 to -1.57, I2 =0%, P=0.002), younger age(OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.56 to 2.54, I2 =0%, P < 0.001), no private insurance(OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.37, I2 =0%, P < 0.001), unmarried(OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.25, I2 =53,3%, P < 0.001), non-white(OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.33 to 1.85, I2 =0%, P < 0.001), advanced cancer(β = -4.74, 95% CI: -6.90 to -2.57, I2 =0%, P < 0.001), unemployed(β = -2.90, 95% CI: -5.71 to -0.63, I2 =75,7%, P < 0.001), more recent diagnosis(OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.57, I2 =0%, P < 0.001). Conclusion This systematic review found a pooled prevalence of self-reported financial toxicity of 45%. Low income, greater annual OOP, younger age, unmarried, unemployed, non-white, no private insurance, advanced cancer, and more recent diagnosis constituted risk factors for self-reported financial toxicity. The Research on risk factors for financial toxicity can provide a theoretical basis for nursing staff to evaluate and intervene in the financial toxicity among cancer survivors.
Study of the Impact of Air Pollution on Convulsions in Children: a Hospital-based Retrospective Study in Hangzhou, China
Authors: Yang Lin , Sun LiXia , Chu Wei , Zhu YaFei , Wu GuangSheng
Published: March 2022

Background: To investigate the relationship between the occurrence of convulsions in children and air pollution in Hangzhou.Methods: From January 1st, 2018, to December 31st, 2020, 775 children admitted with convulsion to the pediatric Outpatient clinic of The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University (Hangzhou, China) were enrolled in this study. The clinical data and the corresponding weather data of the day in Hangzhou were collected and analyzed. Also, the monthly etiological classification of convulsions and the monthly average air data of Hangzhou were statistically analyzed.Results: The highest incidence of convulsion was observed in children 1 to 2 years old, and more in males than in females. The top three main causes were febrile seizure, benign infantile convulsion with mild gastroenteritis and epilepsy. Among the meteorological factors, the daily mean concentration of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), PM10 and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were associated with the number of children with convulsion admitted to the outpatient clinic on each day, while SO2 was the most influential factor among all the air pollutants. The increase in the level of PM 2.5 in the air per month could increase the number of patients with febrile seizure, benign infantile convulsion with mild gastroenteritis and epilepsy, but the increase of ozone in 8 hours(O3-8h) per month could decrease the number of patients with febrile seizure, benign infantile convulsion with mild gastroenteritis and epilepsy.Conclusions: PM2.5, PM10 and SO2 are the main meteorological factors affecting the occurrence of convulsions in children in Hangzhou, and PM2.5 and SO2 are correlative factors. The increase in the level of PM2.5 in the air per month could increase occurrence of child convulsions, but the increase of O3-8h per month could decrease occurrence of child convulsions.
Endothelial Dysfunction by Brachial Artery Flow-mediated Dilatation as Predictor of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Event in Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Novitalia Bunga , Suryawan I Gde Rurus , Subagjo Agus , Ramadhan Muhammad Firdani , Intan Ryan Enast
Published: March 2022

Background
Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is thought to be a risk predictor of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) outcome. Our aim is to analyse the ED by brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) as a predictor of major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in ACS patients.
Method
This is a prospective cohort study with consecutive sampling for ACS in a hospital at Indonesia in April – May 2021. 69 patients met the inclusion were examined for brachial artery FMD with value < 5% stated as ED. The outcome was MACE during in-hospital, 1 month, and 6 months after hospitalization. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis.
Result
From bivariate analysis, significant result was found for FMD < 5% (RR 7,13; 95%CI = 2,07–24,58; p = 0.001) with 1 month of follow-up MACE and diabetes mellitus (RR 2,57; 95%CI = 1,15 − 5,73; p = 0,043) and FMD < 5% (RR = 5,60; 95%CI = 2,44 − 12,86; p < 0.001) with 6 months of follow-up MACE. In multivariate analysis, FMD < 5% was found as the most significant predictor of 1 month and 6 months follow-up MACE.
Conclusions
ED by brachial artery FMD was an important independent predictor of the 1 month and 6 months MACE after ACS and might be useful for risk stratification outcome.
Interpeduncular cistern intrathecal targeted drug delivery for Intractable Postherpetic Neuralgia: a case report
Authors: Fu Feng , Jiang Xianfeng , Gong Lei , Yun Chen , Tang Fengwu
Published: March 2022

BackgroundIntractable Postherpetic Neuralgia(PHN) can be difficult to manage though receiving aggressive multimodal therapies. Patients who experience uncontrolled refractory PHN on head despite conservative treatment may benefit greatly from intrathecal drug delivery system （IDDS）. For craniofacial neuropathic pain，the traditional approach has been to place the intrathecal catheter tip usually below the level of cranial nerve root entry zones, which may lead to an insufficient analgesic effect.Case presentationHerein, we describe a 69-year-old male had a one-year history of PHN after developing a vesicular rash in the ophthalmic division of cranial nerve V (trigeminal nerve) distribution. The pain was rated 7-8 at rest and 9-10 of breakthrough pain(BTP) on an numeric rating scale(NRS). Despite receiving aggressive multimodal therapies including large doses of oral analgesics and Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block (SGB), with no relief of his pain, and subsequently the patient elected to pursue an implantable IDDS with the catheter tip placed at the interpeduncular cistern. The frequency of BTP episodes was also decreased. The patient’s continuous daily dose was adjusted to 0.032 mg/day after 3 months of follow-up and stop 5 months later.ConclusionThe use of interpeduncular cistern intrathecal infusion with low dose of opioids by IDDS may present an effective alternative in the management of severe PHN and other forms of neuropathic-associated craniofacial pain.
Azadirachtin inhibits the development and metabolism of the silk glands of Spodoptera frugiperda and affects spinning behaviour
Authors: Zhao Weihua , Zheng Qun , Qin Deqiang , Luo Peiru , Ye Cuiyi , Shen Shigang , Cheng Dongmei , Huang Suqing , Xu Hanhong , Zhang Zhixiang
Published: March 2022

Spodoptera frugiperda is a major agricultural pest, and the 1st -3rd instar S. frugiperda have spinning behaviour and can drift to adjacent plants with the help of the wind. The present study found that azadirachtin can affect this behaviour, and the mechanism by which azadirachtin affects the spinning behaviour of S. frugiperda has been studied. In this study, the 3rd instar larvae were exposed to azadirachtin, and the pathological changes in the silk glands of S. frugiperda and the differences in their metabolites were analysed by pathological sectioning, transmission electron microscopy, metabolomics and other experimental methods. The results showed that azadirachtin can affect the silk gland of S. frugiperda. After 48 h of treatment with azadirachtin, the silk gland lumen of S. frugiperda appeared vacuolated, and KEGG showed that 31 different metabolites were identified, of which 12 were upregulated and 19 were downregulated. These metabolites were enriched in 15 different metabolic pathways, which pathways indicated that the silk gland of S. frugiperda was closely related to the formation of fatty acids and to energy metabolism in the process of silk formation. This research can further explain the spinning mechanism of insects and provide a research basis for determining the spinning, cocooning, and transfer damage mechanisms of many agricultural and forestry pests.
Chemotherapy dose per kilogram lean body mass increased dose-limiting toxicity event in male head and neck cancer with taxane and platinum-based induction therapy
Authors: Hung Chuan-Jen , Kang Bor-Hwang , Chang Keng-Ming , Kang Ying-Ying , Yin Chun-Hao , Lee Ching-Chih
Published: March 2022

Background: This study was aimed to whether drug doses per kilogram of lean body mass (LBM) were associated with dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) events in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 179 HNC patients who underwent induction chemotherapy at a medical center from May 1, 2014 to May 31, 2021. HNC patients’ characteristics, tumor factors, IC regimen and dose, laboratory data, and body composition factors, including lean body mass (LBM) and skeletal muscle index (SMI), derived from CT, MRI, or PET scan images and drug dose per kilogram LBM were recorded. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) events were regarded as the primary outcome. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish a novel risk score for DLT events by the abovementioned variables. Results: The overall DLT events during the first cycle of IC for 179 HNC patients was 24%. After stratifying by gender, docetaxel per kilogram LBM>2.52 mg/kg (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-8.09), pre-treatment glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT)>40 U/L (aOR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.03-6.64), and history of chronic liver diseases (aOR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.03-15.46) were significant variables in male HNC patients. The DLT events risk was categorized by summation of the above-mentioned risk factors for male HNC patients. Three risk group were stratified by overall event of 17.6%, 25.8%, and 75%. Conclusions: Among male HNC patients treated with IC, docetaxel per kilogram more than 2.52 mg/kg, pre-treatment GPT>40 U/L, and history of chronic liver disease were significant risk factors for DLT events. Identifying high-risk patients could help physicians prevent severe/fatal complications among HNC patients undergoing IC.
Identification of candidate regulatory elements controlling transcriptome during the formation of interphalangeal joints.
Authors: Tylzanowski Przemko , Nowosad Karol , Brouwer Rutger W. W. , Odrzywolski Adrian , Korporaal Anne L. , Gielniewski Bartłomiej , Wojtaś Bartosz , IJcken Wilfred F. J. van , Grosveld Frank , Huylebroeck Danny
Published: March 2022

Formation of the synovial joint starts with the visible emergence of interzone, a stripe of densely packed mesenchymal cells located between distal ends of the developing skeletal anlagen. Recently the transcriptome of the early synovial joint was reported. Knowledge about regulatory elements such as enhancers would complement these data and lead to a better understanding of the genetic control of gene transcription at the onset of joint development. Using ChIP-sequencing we have mapped the H3 signatures H3K27ac and H3K4me1 to locate the regulatory elements specific for the interzone and adjacent phalange, respectively. This atlas of candidate enhancers (CEs) was then used to map the association between these respective joint tissue specific CEs and biological processes. Subsequently, an integrative analysis of transcriptomic data and CEs identified new putative regulatory elements of genes expressed in interzone (e.g. GDF5, BMP2 and DACT2) and phalange (e.g. MATN1, HAPLN1 and SNAI1). We also linked such CEs to genes characterized as crucial in synovial joint hypermobility and osteoarthritis, as well as phalange malformations. These analyses show that the enhancer atlas can serve as resource for identifying putative disease-causing genomic regulatory regions in patients with synovial joint dysfunctions and/or phalange disorders, and enhancer-controlled synovial joint and phalange formation.
A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating The Tools and Resources Australian Medical Students Used to Support Their Mental Health During COVID-19
Authors: Jiang Stephen , Lu Anton , Yeoh Alexandra , Tan Andrea , Vimalanathan Viveeka , Xu Annie , Albarqouni Loai
Published: March 2022

BackgroundThe mental health of medical students is notoriously poor, and with the additional challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been greater concern for the wellbeing of the current cohort. This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of coping strategies used by Australian medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health improvement, including exercise, using social media, and connecting with family and friends. MethodsAn anonymous questionnaire was shared with medical students from all years via Facebook and General Practice Students Networks’ communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of a variety of lockdown coping strategies utilised by participants was assessed using SPSS.ResultsThere were 321 participants in this study, 69.6% of whom were females, 54.9% in their pre-clinical years, and 70.5% between the ages of 18-24. The results showed that nearly 80% of participants credited their mental health improvement to peri-lockdown strategies. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated that reading (non-medical books) and spending more time with family were the most notable peri-lockdown strategies associated with mental health improvement. Interestingly, some coping strategies made some participants more “demotivated” and were in fact more “addictive” which “took away from study time”, especially video games, TV series and movies. ConclusionIn quantitatively and qualitatively illustrating the impact of peri-lockdown coping strategies, we hope that medical faculties and mental health support networks within medicine may more appropriately tailor support and resources for students, not only in this time of hardship, but also for the many challenges ahead of all medical students. More specifically, medical faculty leads could explore the possible implementation of small reminders in the course curriculum, i.e. at the end of lecture and study material, to remind students to take breaks from studying, through reading and/or spending more time with family.
Can Prenatal Diagnosis of Parachute Mitral Valve be Achieved? A Case Report of Fetal Parachute Mitral Valve
Authors: Dai Xiaohui , Chen Jiao , Liu Hanmin , Wu Lin , Zhao Fumin
Published: March 2022

A parachute mitral valve (PMV) is a common form of congenital mitral stenosis and is difficult to diagnose prenatally. We herein report a fetal case of PMV with coarctation of the aorta diagnosed at 25 weeks’ gestation by ultrasound and supported by autopsy. We also describe the use of a new sign to achieve a prenatal diagnosis of PMV.
Exploring the Concept of Cognitive Digital Twins from Model-Based Systems Engineering Perspective
Authors: Lu Jinzhi , Yang Zhaorui , Zheng Xiaochen , Wang Jian , Kiritsis Dimitris
Published: March 2022

Digital Twin technology has been widely applied in various industry domains. Modern industrial systems are highly complex consisting of multiple interrelated systems, subsystems and components. During the lifecycle of an industrial system, multiple digital twin models might be created related to different domains and lifecycle phases. The integration of these relevant models is crucial for creating higher-level intelligent systems. The Cognitive Digital Twin (CDT) concept has been proposed to address this challenge by empowering digital twins with augmented semantic capabilities. It aims at identifying the dynamics and interrelationships of virtual models, thus to enhance complexity management capability and to support decision-making during the full system lifecycle. This paper aims to explore the CDT concept and its core elements following a systems engineering approach. A conceptual architecture is designed according to the ISO 42010 standard to support CDT development; and an application framework enabled by knowledge graph is provided to guide the CDT applications. In addition, an enabling tool-chain is proposed corresponding to the framework to facilitate the implementation of CDT. Finally, a case study is conducted, based on simulation experiments as a proof-of-concept.
RNA-seq and cytological study of sex-specific meiosis response to Gsdf in medaka (Oryzias latipes)
Authors: Li Xi , Li Xinwen , Li Wenhao , Zhang Yingqing , Guo Haiyan , Wang Guangxing , Li Yayuan , Wu Xiaowen , Hu Ruiqin , Wang Siyu , Zhao Xiaomiao , Chen Liangbiao , Guan Guijun
Published: March 2022

Sexually dimorphic meiosis is monitored by meiotic recombination to prevent the formation of abnormal gametes in males and females. However, the regulatory mechanism of sex-specific meiotic recombination is not completely understood. Here we report the role of gsdf, a unique BMP/TGF-b family member gene, in the regulation of meiotic recombination in medaka (Oryzias latipes) based on the RNA-seq and cytogenetic analysis of normal and gsdf deficient gametogenesis. Several differentially expressed genes, including the FKB506-binding protein 7 (fkbp7), were significantly upregulated in pubertal gsdf deficient gonads. The escalation of alternative pre-mRNA isoforms of meiotic synaptonemal complex genes including sycp3 were visualized using Integrative Genomics Viewer and confirmed by real-time qPCR. However, immunofluorescence analysis showed that Sycp3 protein products in gsdf deficient XY oocytes were significantly reduced. Transmission electron microscope observations showed that asynchronous cysts replaced normal synchronous cysts in gsdf-deficient testis. Breeding experiments revealed a skewed ratio of gsdf−/− XY gamete fertility in a non-Mendelian manner resulting in XY chromosome non-disjunction. Taken together, our observations suggest that Gsdf signaling may directly or indirectly affect meiotic recombination in the process of sex-specific division of germline stem cells.
Myocardial injury and inflammatory response in percutaneous device closures of pediatric patent ductus arteriosus Running Title: Myocardial and inflammatory response of patent ductus arteriosus
Authors: Luo Zeng-Rong , Yu Ling-Li , Zheng Guo-Zhong , Huang Zhong-Yao
Published: March 2022

Background
The percutaneous device closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is widely used in clinical practice, however full data on the changes in myocardial injury and systemic inflammatory markers’ levels after PDA in children are not fully reported.
Methods
We have conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 385 pediatric patients in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019. The patients were distributed into five groups. The first four (A, B, C and D) included patients divided by the type of the surgical closure methods, namely ligation, clamping, ligation-combined suturing and ligation-combined clamping, respectively. The fifth group E comprised of percutaneous device PDA patients. All recorded medical and trial data from the five groups were statistically studied.
Results
No serious complications in the patients regardless of the classification group were reported. Our results suggested that there were no considerable differences between the groups at the baseline (P > 0.05). Group E demonstrated a significantly smaller operative time and length of hospital stay (LOS), less intraoperative blood loss while on the other hand, a higher total hospital cost than the other four groups (P < 0.001). Interestingly, the comparison of the inflammatory factors such as white blood cells (WBC) count, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as the myocardial injury markers (CK-MB and troponin I) did not show a significant increase ( P > 0.05) among the four groups. On the contrary, when the aforementioned factors and markers of all the surgical groups were compared to those in group E, we observed significantly higher speed and magnitude of changes in group E than those in groups A, B, C, and D (P < 0.001).
Conclusion
Although the percutaneous device closure of PDA is more comforting and drives fast recuperation in comparison to conventional surgery, it provokes myocardial injury and overall inflammation. Group E in our studies showcased a significant increase in the measured pro-inflammatory and myocardial injury blood markers.