bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel Approach for NORM Scale Removal
Authors: Salahat K. , Correia G. , Altamimi S. , Ibrahim A. , Ambrosi G. , Cosendey S. , Richter Rüdiger B. , Evangelista G. 
Published: September 2024

Upper Zakum oil field is one of the largest offshore oil fields in the world, located about 80 km off the coast of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The field covers an area of about 1,200 km2 and contains an estimated 50 billion barrels of oil. The field was discovered in 1963 and production started in 1982.
One of the challenges of developing Upper Zakum oil field is its shallow depth of 5 to 15 m, which makes conventional drilling and production platforms impractical and costly. To overcome this challenge, ADNOC has implemented an innovative solution of creating four artificial islands to serve as the base for drilling and production facilities. The islands are designed to minimize the environmental impact, maximize oil recovery, and reduce the operational costs. The islands are connected by subsea pipelines and power cables, and equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, such as extended reach drilling, intelligent completions and smart wells
Scale deposition is a major flow assurance issue in oil wells that can create facility blockage such as at main export pipelines, at manifolds or even at separators. Additionally, scale deposition can create near-wellbore formation damage which can block the pores of the rock or clog the tubing and perforations. Wettability alteration can also be induced by scale formation in the reservoir. Therefore, scale deposition can reduce production and can cause safety and environmental hazards at surface.
Efficient Tool for Bias-Free HSE Management System Audits
Authors: Tiengtrong W. , Klunngien C. 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Internal audits of the health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) are essential to verifying the effectiveness of HSE management processes. However, conducting HSE audits can also be challenging, especially when it comes to avoiding or eliminating auditor biases. These biases can lead to errors in audit findings, reduce the effectiveness of internal audit reports, and ultimately undermine the credibility of the entire auditing process.
This paper demonstrates an innovative tool for conducting bias-free HSE audits in organizations. The Management System Verification (MSV) toolkit is a creative solution designed to revolutionize HSE management system audits by providing auditors with clear guidelines and methods to conduct bias-free audits effectively, ensuring that audit outcomes are grounded in objective evidence rather than subjective opinions. With clear guidelines and methods outlined in the toolkit, auditors can effectively evaluate HSE management systems without the influence of personal biases, ultimately enhancing the credibility and reliability of audit outcomes. The outcomes from applying these toolkits reveal areas of weakness within the HSE system, pinpointing specific deficiencies that require attention and improvement.
DRA Chemical - A Game Changer in Reducing GHG Emission by Reduction of Pumping Power for Long Crude Oil Pipelines
Authors: De Kousik , Mehta Himanshu , Pasricha Nitin , Al Kuwaiti Yaser 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Use of Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) chemical is well established in oil & gas industry to reduce frictional pressure drop in long pipelines thereby increasing operating capacity. In any brownfield facility, drag reduction strategy not only helps to minimize capital investment by retaining existing pumps and pipelines for increased capacities during short-term flow excursions, but also saves substantial GHG emission by reducing pumping power.
The paper highlights ADNOC Offshores’ three existing main crude oil pipelines where DRA chemical is being injected to overcome hydraulic limitations while maintaining business continuity as a primary objective, but this also provides extensive benefits in terms of emission reduction. A detailed analysis on DRA performance, optimum injection rate based on operational experience, reduction in DRA efficiency experienced due to change in crude oil flow due to shear or mixing impact at downstream is included in this paper.
DRA chemical is injected in an optimized manner to gain overall pressure drop benefit in three existing crude oil pipelines, 14"x10 km, 12"x18 km and 42"x65 km. The crude oil (32-34 °API, 5-10% water cut) pipelines operate in liquid phase. More than 60% drag reduction (pressure drop reduction) is achieved with 50 ppm injection rate. Efficacy of DRA injection is verified from vast experience based on last 5 years’ operating data. DRA performance based on actual operating data shows drag reduction is very high at initial concentration (around 45-50% drag reduction is possible with 15-20 ppm DRA dosage), subsequently the incremental drag reduction is at a slow rate and reaches almost saturation point at 60-70 ppm dosage rate to achieve upto 70% drag reduction.
The operational findings also demonstrate that there is an efficiency drop of DRA if the chemical is injected from an upstream location where in between there is mixing of fluid and due to which the flow pattern is lost. For Pipeline-3, there is around 13-18% drag efficiency loss observed due to mixing effect because of dosing DRA from upstream Platform-1/2.
The injection removes hydraulic bottlenecks to meet high production target and at the same time saving huge pumping power due to high reduction of pipeline pressure drop. Overall pumping power saving ≈ 25 to 30 MWh/day, which is equivalent to around 160 mmscf/year reduced fuel gas consumption amounting to 12,500 to 14,400 tons of CO2e saving per year.
The findings demonstrate use of drag reducing chemicals not only as a tool for capacity enhancement of the existing pipelines, but also for substantial GHG emission savings. The study findings are highly encouraging, this shows that even for any greenfield project of new pipelines, proper techno-economic analysis can be conducted to consider DRA as a base case design option with reduced pipeline size/low head pumps with substantial GHG saving.
The role of cydB gene in the biofilm formation by Campylobacter jejuni
Authors: Korkus Jakub , Sałata Patrycja , Thompson Stuart A. , Paluch Emil , Bania Jacek , Wałecka-Zacharska Ewa 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food- and water-borne bacterial infections in humans. A key factor helping bacteria to survive adverse environmental conditions is biofilm formation ability. Nonetheless, the molecular basis underlying biofilm formation by C. jejuni remains poorly understood. Around thirty genes involved in the regulation and dynamics of C. jejuni biofilm formation have been described so far. We applied random transposon mutagenesis to identify new biofilm-associated genes in C. jejuni strain 81-176. Of 1350 mutants, twenty-four had a decreased ability to produce biofilm compared to the wild-type strain. Some mutants contained insertions in genes previously reported to affect the biofilm formation process. The majority of identified genes encoded hypothetical proteins. In the library of EZ-Tn5 insertion mutants, we found the cydB gene associated with respiration that was not previously linked with biofilm formation in Campylobacter. To study the involvement of the cydB gene in biofilm formation, we constructed a non-marked deletion cydB mutant together with a complemented mutant. We found that the cydB deletion-mutant formed a weaker biofilm of loosely organized structure and lower volume than the parent strain.
In the present study, we demonstrated the role of the cydB gene in biofilm formation by C. jejuni.
Multi-purpose 3D-printed Tooth for a Modular Training Model for all Standard Procedures – Caries Excavation and Pulp Capping
Authors: Carnier Lisanne , Hougne Michael , Schmitter Marc , Höhne Christian 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
To date, no suitable model tooth has been available for all standard restorative and prosthodontic procedures. To fill this gap, a realistic multilayer tooth with enamel, dentin, integrated caries, pulp, and electrometric and X-ray imaging abilities was developed. The aim of this study was to test the printed tooth while focusing on caries excavation and pulp capping.
Methods
Based on micro-CT data, a tooth was designed and produced via 3D printing. A total of 396 teeth were tested and evaluated by 66 fourth- and fifth-year students experienced in caries excavation at standard typodonts, extracted teeth and patients. They excavated the caries and capped the pulp on six teeth and rated them in a questionnaire.
Results
Compared with real teeth, the printed teeth were generally rated positively and significantly better in all criteria than typodonts used previously (p < .001). They were rated as a suitable training option (Ø 2.3 ± 0.9) with fair examination conditions (Ø 2.1 ± 0.8) and easy to use (Ø 2.0 ± 0.8). Subjective learning success was also significantly greater (Ø 2.3 ± 0.9) than that of standard typodonts (Ø 3.2 ± 1.1) (p < .001). In general, the students desired more exercises with 3D-printed teeth for their studies (Ø 1.8 ± 0.8).
Conclusions
Multilayered 3D-printed teeth were successfully tested and can improve and extend the teaching methods used for caries excavation and pulp capping. Its other abilities will be tested in subsequent studies.
Microbial alpha diversity in the intestine negatively correlated with disease duration in patients with Meniere’s disease
Authors: Mochizuki¹ Fumihiro , Komori¹⁾ Manabu , Shimizu³⁾ Jun , Sasano¹⁾ Yoshiyuki , Ito¹⁾ Yusuke , Hoffer²⁾ Michael E. , Miyabe Yoshishige , Koizuka¹⁾ Izumi 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Ménière's disease (MD) is characterized by loss of balance and hearing disorders. Although there is known to be endolymphatic hydrops involved in the pathological process, the pathogenesis of the disease is still largely unclear. Approximately half of patients with MD suffer from depressive symptoms and high levels of several stress hormones were observed in MD and depression, simultaneously. Recently, gut microbes have been shown to influence the function of central nervous system in humans through their metabolites. We studied the intestinal microbiota of 10 patients with MD and 11 healthy donors (HD). Significant negative correlations were found between disease duration and alpha diversity indexes of gut microbes in patients with MD. Relative abundance of the species Butyricicoccus ambiguous taxa was increased in patients with MD compared with that of HD. In contrast, Oscillospiraceae UCG-002/UCG-005 ambiguous taxa and Anaerovoracaceae (Eubacterium) brachy group uncultured bacterium were increased in the relative abundance of HD than that of patients with MD. Relative abundance of the Butyricicoccus species was positively correlated with disease duration. Thus, these compositional alterations of gut microbes in patients with MD are associated with inner ear pathologies, such as endolymphatic hydrops, by changing the metabolite profiles in the intestine.
Association between patient signs and symptoms and critical care center admissions in prehospital settings: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Watanabe Taisuke , Asakawa Osamu , Taira Yuka , Kunishima Masayoshi , Iwasaki Yasumasa , Obayashi Masato , Ono Koji 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background
The system to ensure the quality of care when doctors entrust prehospital care to qualified non-doctors is called Medical Control (MC) in Japan. There have been few previous studies that have focused on prehospital care as a way to predict admission to critical care centers. Therefore, we attempted to clarify the factors in prehospital settings that predict admission to critical care centers. We believe that this will help establish an MC system, including the role of emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and doctors in selecting emergency transport destinations.
Methods
This retrospective observational study included 1685 adult patients admitted through the Emergency Department (ED) of a 700-bed tertiary care facility over a 9-month period. The main predictive variables were prehospital patient factors, which were broadly categorized into vital signs, signs of shock, and respiratory symptoms. Prehospital patient factors were collected from prehospital records registered in electronic medical records, and a multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between prehospital patient factors and admission to the critical care center.
Results
A total of 1,685 patients who did not meet the exclusion criteria out of 2,353 patients transported by emergency were analyzed: 350 patients were admitted to the critical care center, 642 patients were admitted to the general ward, and 693 patients returned home. The subjects were patients who were rushed to the ED, and patient data were collected from electronic medical records and emergency transport forms. The level of consciousness, cyanosis, skin wetness, and coldness at the time of contact with emergency services were significantly associated with admission to the critical care center (OR 0.92 [0.87–0.97], p = 0.001; OR 2.93 [1.75–4.92], p < 0.001; OR 3.87 [2.63–5.67], p < 0.001; OR 9.57 [5.18–18.3], p < 0.001).
Conclusion
In a prehospital setting, the level of consciousness and signs of shock were suggested to be associated with admission to critical care centers.
Identification of novel candidate genes for Ascochyta blight resistance in chickpea
Authors: Dariva Françoise , Arman Amlan , Morales Mario , Navasca Harry , Shah Ramita , Atanda Sikiru , Piche Lisa , Worral Hannah , Raymon Garrett , McPhee Kevin , Coyne Clarice , Flores Paulo , Ebert Malaika , Bandillo Nonoy 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Ascochyta blight (AB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Ascochyta rabiei, is a major threat to chickpea production worldwide. Resistance genes with broad-spectrum protection against virulent A. rabiei strains are required to secure chickpea yield in the US Northern Great Plains. Here we performed a genome-wide association (GWA) study to discover novel sources of genetic variation for AB resistance using a worldwide germplasm collection of 219 chickpea lines. AB resistance was evaluated 3, 9, 11, 13, and 14 days post-inoculation (dpi). Multiple GWA models revealed eight quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN) across timepoints mapped to chromosomes (Chr) 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Of these eight QTNs, only CM001767.1_28299946 on Chr 4 had previously been reported. A total of 153 candidate genes, including genes with roles in pathogen recognition and signaling, cell wall biosynthesis, oxidative burst, and regulation of DNA transcription, were observed surrounding QTN-targeted regions. QTN CM001766.1_36967269 on Chr 3 explained up to 33% of the variation in disease severity and was mapped to an exonic region of the pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein At4g02750-like gene (LOC101506608). This QTN was validated across all models and timepoints. Further gene expression analysis on the QTNs identified in this study will provide insights into defense-related genes that can be further incorporated into new chickpea cultivars to minimize fungicide applications required for successful chickpea production.
A comparative analysis in monitoring 24-hour urinary copper in Wilson Disease: Sampling on or off treatment?
Authors: Mohr Isabelle , Lamade Patrick , Weber Christophe , Leidner Viola Yuriko , Köhrer Sebastian , Olkus Alexander , Lang Matthias , Langel Andrea , Dankert Patrischia , Greibich Melanie , Wolf Silke , Zimmer Holger , Michl Patrick , Poujois Aurélia , Weiss Karl Heinz , Merle Uta 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background:As the concept of empowerment is increasingly adopted across various mental health care contexts, there is a growing need for standardized measures to assess the effectiveness of empowerment approaches. The Empowerment Scale is widely utilized and translated within the field of mental health, despite its varied psychometric properties. This study aimed to translate the Empowerment Scale into French and assess its internal consistency, validity, and responsiveness.
Methods: This study was part of a larger research project involving 394 participants. The Empowerment Scale was translated into French following cross-cultural adaptation guidelines, with a translation committee consisting of experts and a professional translator. Psychometric properties were assessed using classical test theory. The factor structure was determined through principal component analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha, while validity was evaluated through convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity analyses. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing empowerment scores to changes in recovery rates.
Results: The factor analyses supported a four-factor, 18-item model, showing good fit indices (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.97, AGFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.07, RMSEA = 0.07). Internal consistency was acceptable for the overall scale (alpha = 0.84) and the "self-esteem-self-efficacy" dimension (alpha = 0.88) but lower for the other dimensions. The scale demonstrated moderate correlations with recovery (r = 0.47) and quality of life (r = 0.28). The Empowerment Scale demonstrated low or insignificant responsiveness, except for the "self-esteem-self-efficacy" dimension, which showed moderate responsiveness.
Conclusions:The French version of the Empowerment Scale has a good factor structure with 4 factors and 18 items. The “self-esteem” dimension demonstrates good concurrent validity and reliability, and moderate responsiveness, while other dimensions require additional validation.
Association between Periodontitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Deng Yang , Kong Weiyue 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Purpose
Previous epidemiological studies have shown significant associations between periodontitis disease (PD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the causal relationship remains uncertain. We carried out a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using a variety of MR techniques to investigate the causal relationship between these two diseases.
Materials and Methods
We performed a two-sample MR analysis using publicly released genome-wide association studies (GWAS) statistics. The main analysis used the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. To identify and account for the impact of horizontal pleiotropy, we used complementary techniques such as weighted median, weighted mode, simple mode, MR-Egger regression, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier.
Results
Genetically determined NAFLD did not have a causal effect on PD (OR = 0.958, 95% CI: 0.838–1.096, P = 0.539). Furthermore, we did not find a significant causal effect of PD on NAFLD in the reverse MR analysis. The results of MR-Egger regression, Weighted Median, and Weighted Mode methods were consistent with those of the IVW method. Horizontal pleiotropy was unlikely to distort the causal estimates according to the sensitivity analysis.
Clinical Significance
Despite observational studies finding a link between periodontitis and NAFLD, our MR analysis demonstrates a non-causal association between NAFLD and PD.
Transforming school EFL teaching with AI: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies
Authors: Kundu Arnab , Bej Tripti 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

This systematic review examines the integration and impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching within schools and synthesizes findings to evaluate the effectiveness, challenges, and pedagogical implications of AI-driven tools and applications in enhancing school EFL education. Original empirical studies were identified from seven authentic databases (Scopus, Google Scholar, PsycInfo, PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and ERIC), resulting in 189 eligible studies out of which 22 relevant studies reporting hands-on experiential learning outcomes of EFL students on AI use were included based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagram. Findings revealed revolutionary impacts of AI in school EFL teaching in areas like adaptive learning systems, assessment, speech recognition, pronunciation and personalized learning experiences. The review highlights significant improvements in student engagement, motivation and language proficiency attributed to AI interventions while also addressing concerns regarding accessibility, teacher training, and ethical considerations. Recommendations for future research and practice are provided to curb challenges and optimize the use of AI. This review contributes to the growing body of knowledge on educational technology, providing valuable guidance for school teachers, policymakers, and researchers committed to advancing EFL education through innovative AI solutions.
Protocol for a Multicentric Cohort Study on Neonatal Screening and Early Interventions for Sickle Cell Disease among high prevalence states of India
Authors: Surve Suchitra , Thakor Mahendra , Madkaikar Manisha , Kaur Harpreet , Desai Shrey , Shanmugam Rajasubramanium , Mohanty Suman Sundar , Pandey Apoorva , Kerketta Anna Salomi , Dave Kapil , Gawit Kalpita , R Lakshmana Bharathi , Warekar Oshin , Kedar Prabhakar , Kulkarni Ragini , Nadkarni Anita 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Background Sickle Cell disease (SCD) has a very widespread geographical distribution including most of Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Sub-continent and parts of the Mediterranean. The higher prevalence of SCD is consequently associated with increased rates of infant and childhood morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early detection is a crucial aspect of managing SCD to mitigate complications and improve health outcomes for children suffering from SCD. Neonatal screening is the primary method for identifying newborns with SCD, enabling early diagnosis, family screening, and comprehensive medical care. The protocol presented in this paper describes a study aimed at screening newborns for SCD in high-prevalence SCD states of India to understand the magnitude of the problem and the benefits of early comprehensive care. It will also evaluate the genotypic and phenotypic correlation to understand the role of genetic modifiers in disease severity.Methods A prospective cohort study will be conducted across seven sites in six states of India (Rajasthan, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat), having a high prevalence of SCD. The cord blood or heel prick samples of all the live-born babies delivered within the facilities of selected regions will be collected for screening SCD by HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography). All the sickle cell homozygous (SS) babies will be confirmed at 6 weeks for Sickle genotype along with cascade screening. Further, all SS babies will be followed up from six weeks up to five years of life with initiation of folic acid, antibiotic prophylaxis, and Hydroxyurea treatment at appropriate times. Follow-up beyond the study period will be integrated with the existing facilities of the selected centres for sustainability.Discussion The protocol aims to lay the groundwork for the smooth implementation of newborn screening programs and effective follow-up strategies. It will pave the way for developing a strategic framework for implementing newborn screening programs for hemoglobinopathies in India.Trial registration Since the study does not involve a clinical trial and does not propose any health care intervention on human participants, it is not registered as a Clinical Trial