bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alkali-Surfactant Adsorption and Polymer Injectivity Measurements Using Reservoir Core from a Giant High Temperature and High Salinity Clastic Reservoir to Design an ASP Pilot
Authors: Al-Murayri Mohammed T. , Al-Mayyan Haya E. , Al-Mahmeed Narjes , Muthuswamy Aarthi , Shahin Gordon T. , Shukla Shunahshep R. 
Published: October 2019

AbstractThis paper discusses static and dynamic adsorption experiments to evaluate surfactant and alkali consumption as well as polymer injectivity to guide well perforation design for an Alkaline Surfactant Polymer (ASP) pilot in a giant clastic reservoir in Kuwait. Alkali and surfactant consumption in the reservoir and polymer mechanical degradation near the wellbore have a significant impact on the effectiveness of the injected ASP slug to recover additional oil from the reservoir post water flooding. Aqueous solutions consisting of alkali, surfactant and co-solvent with and without hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer were injected into outcrop (Bentheimer) and cleaned reservoir cores at a reservoir temperature of 90°C. The concentration of surfactant and alkali in the effluent stream was measured using potentiometric titration and the retardation of the chemical waves in comparison to the salinity tracer wave was used to estimate chemical adsorption. For the injectivity tests, ASP and polymer drive solutions were injected at various rates into cleaned reservoir core to determine threshold onset rates for screen factor and apparent viscosity loss at room temperature and at 40°C.This laboratory study shows that surfactant adsorption can be higher when the experiments are conducted using reservoir core at the reservoir temperature of 90°C compared to literature reported adsorption values for internal olefin sulfonates (IOS) on Berea rock in the absence of alkali and polymer at room temperature. Both the static and dynamic adsorption experiments revealed that surfactant adsorption and alkali consumption was reduced in the presence of polymer. This is likely due to a competition between surfactant and polymer molecules for the adsorption sites on the rock surface. The polymer injectivity tests showed that screen factor declined above a Darcy velocity of 83 ft/day and apparent viscosity peaked at a Darcy velocity of 166 ft/day. Based on these results, it was recommended that well perforations for injection wells be designed such that flow rate does not exceed 100 - 150 ft/day to preserve the benefits of mobility control through ASP and polymer injection.
Development of Risk-Based Field Spacing Guidelines for Kuwait Oil Company KOC
Authors: de Groot Martin , Mandic Nenad , Mandic Predrag 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Currently, the process safety risk associated with the siting, layout, segregation and spacing of the facilities and equipment is managed through the application of a series of standards developed long ago, when the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) (the Company) oil and gas operations were less complex, and the presence of associated H2S was relatively low. In terms of Building Risk Assessment (BRA), there is no specific company standard or procedure to reflect the best practices to be followed on this subject. However, international standards, mainly API 752 and 753, are followed for the siting and design of buildings located within the facilities.
Additionally, the Company have embarked in an aggressive plan to substantially increase production by 2040 and beyond. This means that existing oil and gas fields will continue to be developed over the next two decades, which will entail a tendency to congestion, both in the fields and in the facilities layout.
In order to successfully contribute to underpin the significant increase in activity and infrastructure required to safely achieve production growth for 2040 and beyond, the Company have decided to improve the approach to siting and layout by undertaking the development of world-class best practices to provide risk-based guidelines for field spacing.
Clearly, the Company realized that optimum location (siting) and layout minimizes material and construction costs, but more importantly, significantly reduces risks, and hence, increases process safety throughout the facility's life cycle. It also allows for building inherent safety into the design of plants and facilities. It is also very important to mention that optimum location (siting) and layout of the facilities will clearly result in an enhanced use of land, which in turn contributes to an adequate management of this limited resource in the State of Kuwait.
Considering all the above, the proper management of process risks derived from siting and layout has been identified as of key importance for the safe operation and success of the company's activities, both at present and particularly in the near future.
This paper describes the process of developing the risk-based guidelines for field spacing, including the methodology, criteria, consequence modelling, etc. that was undertaken for KOC to create look-up tables, graphs, to facilitate layout in a consistent manner throughout all project phases from concept selection, when relatively little is known, through detailed engineering.
Optimization of Fracture Parameters for Hydraulic Fractured Horizontal Well in a Heterogeneous Tight Reservoir: An Equivalent Homogeneous Modelling Approach
Authors: Al-Fatlawi Omar , Hossain Mofazzal , Essa Asaad 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Building numerical reservoir simulation model with a view to model actual case requires enormous amount of data and information. Such modeling and simulation processes normally require lengthy time and different sets of field data and experimental tests that are usually very expensive. In addition, the availability, quality and accessibility of all necessary data are very limited, especially for the green field. The degree of complexities of such modelling increases significantly especially in the case of heterogeneous nature typically inherited in unconventional reservoirs. In this perspective, this study focuses on exploring the possibility of simplifying the numerical simulation process without compromising the accuracy of results for heterogeneous unconventional tight gas reservoir with an emphasis on optimisation of multi-stage hydraulic fractured parameters, such as fracture half-length and number of fractures towards maximization the net present value (NPV).
The key objectives of this study are to mitigate the effect of reservoir heterogeneity through building an equivalent simplified homogeneous reservoir simulation model for forecasting the production performance of fractured horizontal well in a heterogeneous carbonate tight gas reservoir and optimize the fracture parameters such as number of fractures and fracture half-length based on maximizing the NPV. The homogeneous model, which is equivalent to a heterogeneous reservoir model was built based on the statistical analysis of the rock properties of heterogeneous model. The simulation results obtained were analysed for a number of cases covering a range of fracture number (from 1 to 80), fracture half-length (from 500 to 2000 ft). The result demonstrated that the simplified equivalent homogeneous model has the ability to provide a good estimate for production forecasting, and determine the optimum number of fractures and fracture half-length within a high accuracy. The model is simple, yet provides good approximation with high accuracy, but save huge computation time.
The Synergy of Surfactant and Nanoparticles: Towards Enhancing Foam Stability
Authors: AlYousef Zuhair , Schechter David 
Published: October 2019

AbstractGas injection has been widely used for enhancing oil recovery in petroleum reservoirs. One of the major challenges facing this technique is the high mobility of gas caused by its lower viscosity compared to reservoir fluids. Injecting the gas in a foam phase can solve the mobility challenge by increasing the gas apparent viscosity. Surface active agents such as surfactants are usually used to generate foams. However, the long-term stability of the surfactants is challenging. The synergistic effect of surfactants and nanoparticles may offer a novel technique to solve the foam stability issue and generate stronger foams. This study evaluates the role of nanoparticles on stabilizing surfactant foams in porous media.Anionic surfactant and surface modified silica nanoparticles were used in this assessment. Dynamic foam tests were conducted to study the foam stability and strength in porous media. The major parameter used to evaluate the foam strength in this study is the mobility reduction factor (MRF). The experiments were conducted using nitrogen gas at elevated pressure. The influence of nanoparticles on surfactant foam strength was conducted at different nanoparticles concentrations and fixed surfactant concentration.The results demonstrated that the presence of nanoparticles in surfactant solution resulted in a more stable foam compared to surfactant alone. The nanoparticles used in this study seem to enhance the foam stability by either one or two mechanisms: particle arrangement during film drainage or increasing the capillary pressure of coalescence. Based on the dynamic foam tests, higher pressure drops were reported for the mixtures of nanoparticles and surfactant compared to surfactant alone. This clearly indicated the higher resistance to gas flow caused by the foam generated using the mixture. The results also showed that as the nanoparticles concentration increased, MRF increased, too. The MRF for the sample contains only surfactant was 72. However, the addition of 0.50 and 1.00 wt% of nanoparticles to the surfactant solution resulted in higher MRF: 75 and 85, respectively.The need for generating strong foam is very important to ensure the long term stability of foam and, consequently, reducing the gas mobility in porous media. The addition of solid nanoparticles to surfactant solutions might strengthen the aqueous film between gas bubbles and, eventually, enhancing the foam stability.
Demethylation of TIMP2 and TIMP3 inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion in pituitary adenoma
Authors: Yang Yongdong , Huang Fanjun , Wu Xiufu , Huang Chunqin , Li Shenyu 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Background: Pituitary adenoma (PA) is one of the most common intracranial neoplasms. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are prognostic biological markers, but their biological roles remains largely unclear in invasive PA. Methods: The promoter methylation status of TIMP2 and TIMP3 genes in invasive PA tissues and cells was measured by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). The expression of TIMP1-3 was validated by quantitative real time PCR and western blot analysis. Overexpression and knockdown of TIMP2 and TIMP3 in GH3 cells were created by transfection of pcDNA3.0 and siRNA against TIMP2 and TIMP3, respectively. Functional experiments in GH3 cells were performed with CCK-8 assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay. Effects of 5-Azacytidene (5-AzaC) on the methylation of TIMP2 and TIMP3 gene, and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), DNMT3a and DNMT3b were determined by western blot analysis. Results: We found the expression of TIMP1, TIMP2 and TIMP3 was down-regulated in invasive PA tissues and cells. Moreover, decreased TIMP2 and TIMP3 expression was closely associated with their promoter methylation. The in vitro experiments showed that overexpression of TIMP2 and TIMP3 exerted suppressive effects, while knockdown of TIMP2 and TIMP3 presented enhanced effects on cell proliferation, migration and invasion in PA cells. Furthermore, 5-AzaC treatment concomitantly up-regulated the protein levels of TIMP2, TIMP3, DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b. Conclusions: In conclusion, our results support that DNA methylation at least partly accounts for TIMP2 or TIMP3 silencing in invasive PA, which will provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the function of TIMPs in PA.
The role of coping styles in temporomandibular disorder patients with myalgia
Authors: Soto-Goñi Xabier , Viñals Ana Cristina , Pérez-González Fabian , Sánchez-Labrador Luis , Domínguez-Gordillo Adelaida , Sánchez-Sánchez Teresa , Ardizone-García Ignacio , Jiménez-Ortega Laura 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Background Patients suffering pain related temporomandibular disorders (TMD) exhibit greater levels of psychological distress, environmental stress, somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression, somatic awareness, pain catastrophizing, and pain coping strategies compared to pain-free controls. However, little is known about psychological factors involved in the different TMD types fulfilling DC/TMD criteria. Furthermore, regardless of the severity, the role of general coping strategies and styles in TMD is not yet well understood. The main goal of this study was to investigate anxiety, personality traits, and coping behavior in a group of dentistry students suffering from temporomandibular disorder with myalgia. Methods A total of 102 participants were recruited for this study. Following clinical evaluation, a mylagic TMD group (24 participants) and a control group (25 participants) were formed. Participants were later assessed in anxiety, stress coping strategies, and personality measures. Results The myalgic TMD group presented greater levels of trait anxiety and neuroticism in comparison to the control group. In addition, participants with myalgia showed higher levels of avoidance coping. Conclusions Avoidance coping strategies are generally considered maladaptive, as they seem to increase perceived stress, a robust predictor of TMD. Interventions to reduce stress levels and prevent maladaptive coping styles, tailored to the needs of myalgic TMD patients, might improve temporomandibular health and prevent the myalgic TMD and its chronification.
RE: Supporting women who develop postnatal mental illness: What support do fathers receive to support their partner and their own mental health?
Authors: Mayers Andrew , Hambidge Sarah , Bryant Olivia , Arden-Close Emily 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Recent interest has been shown regarding support provided for maternal postnatal mental illness. Fathers appear to play an important role within this support, however many feel alienated within maternal services. The current qualitative study aimed to investigate fathers’ experience of support provided to fathers, to help support their partner through postnatal mental illness. Twenty-five fathers participated in an online questionnaire regarding their experience of their partner’s mental illness and the support provided to fathers. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes: ‘Support received to help support their partner’, ‘Support fathers wanted that was not received’ and ‘Father’s mental health’. These themes, and subsequent sub-themes, are discussed, highlighting an overall lack of support for many fathers, despite many wanting support on how to help their partner, and information on their own mental health and the services available. Fathers specifically wanted healthcare professionals to sign-post them to someone they can talk to for emotional support, and to be taught coping strategies which would help them to support both their partner and baby. The implications for these findings will also be explored, especially in light of the need to inform mental health support services.
Continuous intrapartum support to reduce primary cesarean
Authors: Cardona-Torres Luz Maria , Leyva-Jimenez Rafael 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Background The average percentage of births by cesarean section worldwide in 2014 was 18.6% (range: 1.4% to 56.4%), and in Latin America and the Caribbean 40.5% [range: 5.5% - 55.6%]. In Mexico, the cesarean delivery rate remained above 40% in the period from 2008 to 2015, and without signs of decreasing, the World Health Organization recommends up to 15% maximum. The objective of the study was to decrease the rate of deliveries by cesarean, through continuous intrapartum support during the active phase until birth.Methods Experimental study, open label, carried out in a public health institution in Mexico, during July-December 2018, with a study population of N = 115 women in labor (nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex) and under 40 years old, was formed a control group (n = 55) who received routine maternity care and a study group (n = 60), who received continuous intrapartum support during the active phase until birth by a professional nurse with a university degree.Results In the study group, the cesarean delivery rate was 1.7% (1 of 60), significantly lower than that of the control group, which was 29.1% (16 of 55) [X 2 = 17.13, df = 1, N = 115, p < .001], with a risk ratio of 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.42), the absolute risk reduction was 27.4%, (95% CI: 15% to 40%), also, the hours of labour were significantly lower with a median of 6.7 hours in the study group versus a median of 13.4 hours in the control group,Conclusion Continuous intrapartum support provided by a professional nurse in the active phase helps to reduce the rate of cesarean deliveries, as well as to reduce the time of labour in women (nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex) under 40 years of age.
Pregnancy outcomes in Chinese women with ulcerative colitis: A retrospective study of 23 pregnancies
Authors: Li Sijian , Gao Jinsong , Hu Jing , Chen Xiaoxu , Liu Juntao , Li Yue 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Background: Although China has a large population and increasing incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC), data on pregnancy outcomes in women with UC are insufficient and the relationship between simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI) and pregnancy outcomes has rarely been studied. This retrospective study aimed to assess the relationship between SCCAI and pregnancy outcomes of Chinese women with UC and explore factors affecting pregnancy outcomes.
Methods: Overall, 23 pregnancies of 18 patients with UC were included. The following factors were analyzed: SCCAI before and during pregnancy; basic conditions, comorbidities, and treatment before and during pregnancy; frequency and details of pregnancy-related complications; and mode of delivery. Clinical characteristics, disease condition, and treatment details were compared between patients with and without adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Results: The SCCAI was significantly lower in the remission group than in the active group (P < 0.001), except in the second trimester, but no significant difference in recurrence/exacerbation rate was found. There were 18 live births (remission group, 15; active group 3; P > 0.05). No significant difference in the frequency and characteristics of pregnancy-related complications was noted between the two groups. Outcomes of 15 pregnancies were satisfactory, but the other eight cases had adverse pregnancy outcomes. Patients with adverse pregnancy outcomes had higher SCCAI in the second trimester than the patients without adverse outcomes (P = 0.034). Multivariate analysis showed no statistically significant risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Conclusion: Chinese women with UC can usually achieve favorable pregnancy outcomes under multidisciplinary management, and a higher SCCAI in the second trimester has a positive correlation with adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Shade, Establishment Method, and Varietal Effects on Rhizome Yield and Curcumin Content in Turmeric in Alabama
Authors: Shannon Dennis A. , van Santen Edzard , Salmasi Saeid Zehtab , Murray Timothy J. , Duong Lam T. , Greenfield Jackie T. , Gonzales Tia , Foshee Wheeler 
Published: October 2019

ABSTRACTGrowing interest in curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) for medical and health purposes has led to interest in turmeric cultivation in the United States. The warm growing season in Alabama is short relative to tropical environments where the plant is normally grown, and research on cultural practices is lacking. A split‐split‐plot experiment was performed in Alabama to assess the effects of shade (40% shade vs. no shade), establishment method (early establishment in greenhouse over heat vs. direct seeding), and variety on rhizome yield and curcumin content. Canonical discriminant analysis revealed distinctive trends based on varietal differences, establishment methods, and presence or absence of shade. Extending the growing season by early establishment in the greenhouse increased rhizome and curcumin yield, as well as curcumin concentration in lateral rhizomes. Shade increased plant height, leaf size, and fresh weight of rhizomes, but an apparent increase in rhizome dry weight was not significant. Shade decreased curcumin concentration and yield in mother rhizomes but had little effect on curcumin concentration in lateral rhizomes. An apparent increase in curcumin yield in lateral rhizomes with shade was not significant. Significant differences among varieties were observed for rhizome yield and curcumin concentration and yield. Cultivation of turmeric in Alabama is feasible by extending the growing season and selection of short‐season varieties high in curcumin.
Associations of aldosterone synthase gene polymorphism and atrial fibrillation affected by coronary heart disease in elderly and senile patients
Authors: Kudryavtseva L. I. , Filippov E. V. 
Published: October 2019

Given the significant increase in the frequency of atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly and senile patients with confirmed coronary heart disease (CHD), the study of the relationship between the polymorphisms responsible for the functioning of the renin-angiotensinaldosterone system and the presence of this disease becomes relevant. Purpose of the study. To study the genetic polymorphism of the CYP11B2 gene in elderly patients with ischemic heart disease, as well as to identify the role of aldosterone synthetase in the development of AF in this category of patients. Materials and methods. The study included 140 patients of both sexes (54,3% – men), over the age of 60 years, with confirmed coronary artery disease and any form of AF (the last episode no later than 12 months from the date of inclusion in the study). 84 patients agreed to participate in the study of aldosterone synthase polymorphisms. The control group consisted of 34 patients who had no diagnosed non-infectious diseases at the time of the survey. Both groups were comparable in age and sex characteristics. Results. Comparative evaluation of the distribution of genotypes and alleles – C344/T of the aldosterone synthase gene among patients with AF+CHD and relatively healthy individuals revealed that in the first group, most patients had the CYP11B2 T/T genotype in 38,1% of cases, the incidence was higher, than in patients of the comparison group – 14,7% (OR = 3.44, CI 1.07-11.07, p = 0.038). The frequency of detection of genotypes of CYP11B2 С/T and CYP11B2 С/С did not significantly differ in the compared groups. In the group with AF+CHD, the T allele was significantly more common (53,6% vs. 35,3%; p<0,05), while the frequency of occurrence of allele C was significantly higher in the group of relatively healthy individuals (64,3% vs. 47,1%; p<0,05). Conclusion. AF in elderly and senile patients with CHD is associated with the presence of CYP11B2 T/T genotype (OR = 3,44, DI 1,07–11,07, p = 0,038) and is not associated with myocardial echocardiographic parameters, including the size of left atrium.