bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transient Local Bone Remodeling Effects of rhBMP-2 in an Ovine Interbody Spine Fusion Model
Authors: Bae Hyun W. , Patel Vikas V. , Sardar Zeeshan M. , Badura Jeffrey M. , Pradhan Ben B. , Seim Howard B. , Turner A. Simon , Toth Jeffrey M. 
Published: December 2016

Background:
Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is a powerful osteoinductive morphogen capable of stimulating the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the site of implantation and inducing the proliferation and differentiation of these MSCs into osteoblasts. Vertebral end-plate and vertebral body resorption has been reported after interbody fusion with high doses of rhBMP-2. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2 rhBMP-2 doses on peri-implant bone resorption and bone remodeling at 7 time points in an end-plate-sparing ovine interbody fusion model.

Methods:
Twenty-one female sheep underwent an end-plate-sparing discectomy followed by interbody fusion at L2-L3 and L4-L5 using a custom polyetheretherketone (PEEK) interbody fusion device. The PEEK interbody device was filled with 1 of 2 different doses of rhBMP-2 on an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS): 0.13 mg (1×) or 0.90 mg (7×). Bone remodeling and interbody fusion were assessed via high-resolution radiography and histological analyses at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 20 weeks postoperatively.

Results:
Peri-implant bone resorption peaked between 3 and 8 weeks in both the 1× and the 7× rhBMP-2/ACS-dose group. Osteoclastic activity and corresponding peri-implant bone resorption was dose-dependent, with moderate-to-marked resorption at the 7×-dose level and less resorption at the 1×-dose level. Both dose (p < 0.0007) and time (p < 0.0025) affected bone resorption significantly. Transient bone-resorption areas were fully healed by 12 weeks. Osseous bridging was seen at all but 1 spinal level at 12 and at 20 weeks.

Conclusions:
In the ovine end-plate-sparing interbody fusion model, rhBMP-2 dose-dependent osteoclastic resorption is a transient phenomenon that peaks at 4 weeks postoperatively.

Clinical Relevance:
Using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved rhBMP-2 concentration and matching the volume of rhBMP-2/ACS with the volume of desired bone formation within the interbody construct may limit the occurrence of transient bone resorption.
Comments: Trying to Get in Balance
Authors: Donnelly John 
Published: December 2016

Editor's column
All signs point to another bleak year for the oil and gas industry. Major operators have begun announcing significant capital spending cuts, and analysts see no quick fix to the current global supply/demand imbalance.
ConocoPhillips’ and Chevron’s announcements last month of deep cuts in 2016 capital spending were likely the first in what is expected to be a wave of further reductions by operators in the wake of the lowest oil prices in a decade. Chevron plans to slash its budget 24% to USD 27 billion, with the most spending on international exploration and production projects and the second-largest amount going to US projects, including shale development in Texas. ConocoPhillips said it will spend USD 7.7 billion this year, a 25% decline from the reduced levels it spent in 2015.
Other major operators echoed those sentiments that this year may be even more difficult than 2015. The outlook for 2016 was on the minds of many executives at last month’s International Petroleum Technology Conference in Doha. Global oil supply is still increasing faster than demand despite the plunge in oil prices and it will take a while to reverse that trend, Total Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Patrick Pouyanné told reporters at the conference, which is organized by SPE and other industry associations. “The market is oversupplied and production capacity will continue to grow because a lot of projects were sanctioned in 2013 and 2014. Many of those projects will be coming on line this year and in 2017,” he said. “(Total) does not expect a price recovery in 2016.”
Oil production from the US Gulf of Mexico is currently rising, as many megaprojects invested in several years ago are now coming on line. Output from the Gulf of Mexico is about 19% higher now than it was a year ago, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
ConocoPhillips’ Ryan Lance CEO said at the conference that US production is now running at about 9.1 million B/D, down from 9.6 million B/D in the first half of last year. US output will likely decline another 500,000 B/D this year, he said. That may not be enough, depending on the amount of oil Iran produces this year and with the world oversupply currently estimated at 2 million B/D. Iranian production could add anywhere from 500,000 B/D to 700,000 B/D to the market in 2016, according to a recent estimate from Barclays. Saudi Aramco’s CEO had a more positive view of the world oil market. Amin Nasser said he thought the market would begin to balance this year and that his company was continuing to invest in upstream projects to meet future world demand.
Analysts Tudor, Pickering, Holt and Co. said that oil companies have canceled or delayed final investment decisions on about 150 projects in the past year that would have produced 125 billion bbl of oil equivalent. That could leave the world oil-short a few years from now if global demand continues to rise as expected. JPT
Guest Editorial: Engineering Design in the “Lower for Longer” Environment
Authors: Read Alex 
Published: December 2016

Guest editorial
A recurring theme in the earning statements of oil and gas companies in recent months is the desire to survive not only “lower (prices) for longer,” but to use the current market downturn, and the resulting urgency, as an opportunity to reshape organizations to ensure that they are stronger and better able to thrive in the years ahead. Clearly, the industry needs to reduce costs and continue to innovate without compromising safety, but how? In other industry crunches, such as that experienced by automotive manufacturers in 2008–09, simulation played a key role in helping to reduce engineering design costs and lead times, while allowing manufacturers to continue to deliver new and innovative solutions.
While each company’s view on how to tackle this new paradigm will differ, for many it will be to continue the day job (deliver quality and innovative products and solutions), but at reduced development time and cost, without compromising safety. First principles-based engineering simulation tools will be a key enabler, as companies will increasingly rely on simulation-based design exploration. The initial driver will be to reduce engineering costs and time, but companies will also benefit from simulation as an innovation enabler.
Key to this has been the rapid improvement in computer hardware and software technology, as well as innovative licensing models that enable, rather than penalize, the use of high-performance computing and cloud solutions. Through the development of cloud computing, engineers now have ready and cost-effective access to computer resources that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. These improvements allow engineers to increase the number of design and operating conditions evaluated, and to move beyond the physical test to simulate real-world conditions at full scale, such as subsea separators with real process fluids at high temperature and pressure, or the behavior of a floating platform during a hurricane.
The importance of simulation is evident in three specific examples: two from the recent CD-adapco Oil, Gas, and Chemical Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Conference, and one from outside our industry.
Offshore Seismic Feeling Pressures to Change
Authors: Rassenfoss Stephen 
Published: December 2016

Seismic surveys are created using bursts of acoustic energy that are referred to as “marine sound, or noise, depending on your perspective.”
With that thought, John Young, director of the sound business line for CSA Ocean Sciences, introduced a recent panel discussion that included seismic innovators working on new sound sources designed to produce better subsurface images as well as scientists and regulators concerned about the environmental impact of that noise. At that session and others at the recent annual meeting of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), there was discussion about multiple ways to move away from the intense pulses of acoustic energy produced by air guns. The industry standard emits both useful sound for seismic imaging and higher-frequency noise that dissipates in the ground.
One sign that this talk may lead to alternatives to air guns for marine seismic is a joint industry project by three major oil companies backing a new generation of offshore seismic sound sources designed to reduce noise and improve the seismic signal.
Their goal is to “de-risk” vibrator technology, said Mike Jenkerson, geophysical advisor for marine seismic at Exxon Mobil, who represented the Marine Vibrator Joint Industry Project ( JIP) at the conference. The JIP managed by Texas A&M University is supporting development and testing to determine if there is an alternative to air guns that is effective and reliable even with a smaller acoustic signal.
The signal is the critical difference between sounds created using controlled vibrations and air guns, which are called impulsive sound sources and create loud, sharp booms as a large volume of air is emitted. Marine science and regulatory experts on the SEG panel indicated that research on the impact of subsea noise on sea life is likely to gradually lead to increasing limits on seismic surveys, where noise regulation is already a costly fact of life.
Technology Focus: Mature Fields and Well Revitalization
Authors: Lee Jesse 
Published: December 2016

Technology Focus
In last year’s Technology Focus concerning mature fields, I highlighted safety, well integrity, and digital technology as the three enablers for achieving sustainable returns. In light of the challenging environment our industry is facing, I would suggest that JPT readers become familiar with refracturing techniques, technology/methodology that improves efficiency, and opportunities that achieve positive financial impact and exceed environmental responsibility.
First of all, the surge in unconventional completions over the last decade has created ample candidates for hydraulic refracturing. With the proper implementation of new and improved techniques, followed by diligent economic analysis, refracturing has been demonstrated to be a viable alternative to the more expensive endeavor of drilling and completing new wells. There are numerous informative and enlightening SPE publications on this topic.
Speaking of technology and methodology that improves efficiency, these are the technologies that will be embraced and adopted quickly by the industry, especially in this challenging environment. One of the examples is a methodology that precisely and effectively locates the remaining oil in mature reservoirs. In addition to identifying potential opportunities, it also serves to derisk project investment and allows key decisions to be made in a timely manner.
The other example is a stimulation technique that is designed to deliver pinpoint accuracy. These are technology enablers that, when combined, could significantly improve well performance through precisely addressing isolation, diversion, and placement, for example.
The last point is about achieving investment returns and, at the same time, exceeding corporate environmental responsibility. It seems unlikely that we can have our cake and eat it, too. However, I have witnessed enough examples (mostly outside of our industry) to realize that this certainly can be achieved. The journey will not be easy. Some examples take more than 15 years of persistence and investment to become established. I sincerely encourage JPT readers to incorporate this aspect into their professional responsibility and continue to challenge themselves and their teams.
In this editorial, I talked about refracturing, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Therefore, I have selected several papers on these topics to share with you. We all know 2016 will be a challenging year for our industry; however, I am sure this is the driving force that we need to take our industry to the next level. JPT
Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
IPTC 17718 Successful Restimulation of Western Siberian Oil Fields With Channel Fracturing Technique by Alexey Yudin, Schlumberger, et al.
SPE 173340 Refracturing in Eagle Ford and Bakken To Increase Reserves and Generate Incremental NPV—Field Study by YagnaDeepika Oruganti, Baker Hughes, et al.
SPE 173601 Reduced Emissions and Increased Production Through Gas Compressors: Pilot Case in Colombia by J.C.M. Escobar-Remolina, Ecopetrol, et al.
Method of Surface Interception To Access Annulus With Abnormal Gas Pressure
Authors: Wilson Adam 
Published: December 2016

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper IPTC 18122, “A Safe and Efficient Method of Surface Interception To Access Outermost Sealed Annulus Charged With Abnormal Gas Pressure Relieves Well- Integrity Concerns,” by Prashun Kumar Das and Wael Moneer El-Mandrawy, Qatargas, prepared for the 2014 International Petroleum Technology Conference, Kuala Lumpur, 10–12 December. The paper has not been peer reviewed.
One of the operator’s newly acquired ventures is in the North field offshore Qatar. Abnormal rise in Annuli C and D pressures during the last phase of drilling highlighted the need to investigate the condition of producing wells on other platforms. The chances of inner annuli becoming charged with shallow-gas pressure and possible communication to Annulus D was thought to be a well-integrity concern. Establishing safe access to the sealed and potentially gas-charged Annulus D thus posed a challenge.
Introduction
The North field is offshore northeast of Qatar and is the world’s largest nonassociated-gas field. The wells are typically 7-in. monobore completed with a 26-in. conductor and three casing strings. Wells are completed with a liner-top isolation packer, tied back to the surface with 7-in. corrosion-resistant-alloy tubing.
The annuli between the well casings are labeled A (7×10¾ in.), B (10¾×13? in.), C (13?×18? in.), and D (18?×26 in.). Provisions were made for monitoring and bleeding off pressures in Annuli A, B, and C.
Background
During the drilling and well-completion phase, some of the wells developed unusual pressures in Annulus C. Attempts were made to bleed off gas through the drilling facility. However, pressures built up every time, indicating a continuous intrusion of gas. Further pressure bleedoff was not attempted because of concerns that it may open up the communication channels and aggravate the situation.
Several attempts were then made to lubricate and fill Annulus C with treated brine, but these attempts did not help to subdue the gas pressure. A proposal was then made to operate the wells with modified maximum-allowable-annulus- surface-pressure and maximum-allowable- wellhead-operating-pressure techniques for Annulus C, considering it fully charged with gas.
With time, it was established that the same wells also developed gas pressure in Annulus D.
Exploratory Assessment of Aerial Gamma Radiometrics across the Conterminous United States
Authors: Rouze Gregory S. , Morgan Cristine L.S. , McBratney Alex B. , Neely Haly L. 
Published: December 2016

Core Ideas
US aerial gamma radiometrics were analyzed with legacy soil data.
Relationships for aerial gamma and soils data differed by physiography and geology.
Gamma radiometrics could best map soil texture within relatively flat landscapes.
A US map where aerial radiometrics is most useful for soil mapping is provided.
Gamma radiometrics have recently been connected with soil properties at field scales (10 m) and thus may have potential to characterize soil across regional scales using data from preexisting aerial surveys. However, the relationship between γ radiometrics and soil properties across these larger spatial extents (100–1000 km) has been largely unexplored, particularly within the United States. Thus, the overall purpose of this work was to test the effectiveness of aerial γ radiometrics in modeling soil properties across the conterminous United States. After discovering that up to 19% of aerial γ radiometric variability could be explained by variations in physiography and parent material type, linear regression models were created between soil properties (clay and sand contents, cation exchange capacity, CaCO3 equivalent, and pH) and aerial γ dose rate based on physiography and parent material type. Overall, aerial γ radiometrics was most frequently suitable for mapping clay content within flat landscapes of unconsolidated and sedimentary parent materials. Suitability maps for all investigated soil properties are presented. The importance of aerial γ radiometrics relative to other covariates was then assessed. The predictive power of aerial γ radiometrics, relative to other covariates, was mixed due to a non‐optimized sampling scheme. Results suggest that aerial γ radiometrics can be useful in predicting soil properties across large spatial extents after considering both physiography and parent material type. However, a true assessment of the utility of aerial γ radiometrics across the United States requires a soil sampling strategy that represents its feature space.
The Courtyard House: Can a Sustainable Future Learn from a Context Relevant Past
Authors: Bougdah Hocine 
Published: December 2016

This paper looks at the courtyard house as a traditional urban dwellings of yesteryears with a view to explore its potential in informing the housing developments of the future.Â In order to address the question, the paper starts with a historical overview of this built form as an urban dwellings that fulfilled its functional and spatial requirements in times gone by. It then goes on to highlight the inadequcy of post colonial housing solutions in Algeria and to look into two important aspects of this traditional housing typology; its socio-cultural relevance and environmental performance. The analysis is carried out using both secondary research in the form of three examples from the literature. and primary research carried out as field work in the form of temperature measurements inside a house, during the hot season, in Boussaada (Algeria). The discussion and concluding remarks attempts to make an arguments for re-considering what could be learned from such traditional housing typology to inform future urban development that would subscribe to the values of sustainable development. Â Courtyard house, urabn development, typology, cultural relevance, environmental performance, traditional architecture, sustainable development
Isolation and Characterization of Mouse Specificity Protein 6 Promoter
Authors: Wahyudi Ivan Arie , Horiguchi Taigo , Miyoshi Keiko , Muto Taro , Utami Trianna Wahyu , Hagita Hiroko , Noma Takafumi 
Published: December 2016

Specificity protein 6 (SP6) is a member of the SP/Krüppel-like transcription factor family and plays key roles in tooth development. To study its biological roles, it is important to understand the spatiotemporal regulation of Sp6 gene expression. For this purpose, we first identified two separate 5' ends of the Sp6 cDNA by 5' RACE analysis using mouse mandibular RNA. Next, we isolated mouse genomic DNA fragments covering the Sp6 gene including two putative mouse Sp6 promoter regions and generated a series of luciferase reporter constructs. We confirmed the activity of both promoters by a luciferase assay and found strong second promoter activity in dental epithelial cells. Unexpectedly, we also detected potential third promoter activity in the intron 2 of the Sp6 gene. Last, we also found that bone morphogenetic protein and wingless signals could enhance Sp6 promoter activity in dental epithelial cells, suggesting the regulatory roles of two cytokines in Sp6 gene expression during tooth development. Our findings may shed new light on the regulatory mechanisms of Sp6 gene expression and provide a possible linkage between cytokine regulation of Sp6 expression and inductive epithelial and mesenchymal interactions.
The Effect of Anchovy Stolephorus baganensis on Salivary Mutans Streptococci
Authors: Agunawan Harun , Mangundjaja Soeherwin 
Published: December 2016

A clinical trial was carried out to investigate the effect of Anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis on mutans streptococci inhibiting the growth of the salivary mutans streptococci for a period of one week consumption.Before enrolled in the study, respondents filled out and signed the informed consent. Twenty respondents participated as the subjects on the clinical trial, conducting two times of treatment as follows: twenty astreatment groups before and after consuming anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis and the twenty subjects as control groups before and after consuming non-anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis. Saliva samples werecollected before and after consuming anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis and with a non-anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis. A serial dilution was made, followed by inoculating on TYS20B medium). Data which were obtained from colony forming units of salivary mutans streptococci grew on the TYS20B medium before and after consuming anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis were analyzed in a descriptive and “t” test.Results showed that there was no significance in the average amount of Streptococcus mutans colonies between before and after consuming non-anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis. However, a significant difference wasfound respectively as results before and after consuming anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis. We concluded that Anchovy of Stolephorus baganensis has antimicrobial activity against local strains of Streptococcus mutans isolated from human harboring species. Therefore in a long term of consuming Anchovy fish of Stolephorus baganensis, caries can be prevented.
An in vitro genotoxicity study of silver amalgam on Ames test
Authors: Hassan Akram , Omar S.A , Ariffin Zaihan 
Published: December 2016

Silver amalgam/Silverfil Argentum® is a ‘Malaysian made amalgam’ has already been approved to be free from cytotoxicity, however its genotoxic effect has not been explored yet as biocompatible material. The objective of this study was to identify the genotoxic characteristic of silver amalgam by using Bacterial Reverse Mutation Assay (Ames test). This was a descriptive experimental study involving one strain of mutated Salmonella. The test material was evaluated in one mutated strain of Salmonella typhimurium TA1538 with and without an external metabolic activation system (S9 Mix). The bacteria were incubated for 48 hours at 37±0.5ºC before the colony growth or revertant colonies were counted. Data obtained were analyzed by using non-statistical method. The investigation of the genotoxic reaction on the test material revealed thatthe number of revertant colonies in both strains with and without S9 Mix were less than twice of the negative control even in the presence of high silver amalgam concentrations (5.0μg/ml). This study demonstratedthat the test material did not exhibit any mutagenic activity under the chosen conditions. Thus, silver amalgam could be considered to have no genotoxicity effect.