bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Irradiation on Ni-Containing Components in CANDU®Reactor Cores: A Review
Authors: Griffiths M. 
Published: June 2013

For nickel-containing alloys irradiated in thermalized neutron fluxes, the formation and reaction of59Ni with thermal neutrons can lead to time-varying changes in displacement damage rate, expressed as displacements per atom per second (dpa.s-1), gas formation and nuclear heating. Ni-rich alloys are used in PWR and BWR reactors as spacers within fuel assemblies but also as tensioning springs for these same assemblies. Flux thimbles have also been made from Ni-rich alloys in the past but are gradually being replaced by thimbles made from other alloys containing substantially less Ni. In a CANDU®reactor, Ni-alloys are used as tensioning springs, fuel channel spacers (in the form of garter springs) and as cable sheathing and core wires in flux-detector assemblies. Prediction of the irradiation processes that affect the functionality of these CANDU internals, such as irradiation embrittlement and irradiation creep, especially under conditions of extended operation, necessitates a consideration of the effect of the transmutation of Ni.Over the past 10 years, there has been a considerable increase in the understanding of the effects of irradiation on the properties of components made from Ni-rich alloys. The nuclear processes and the effects of irradiation damage on the performance of components made from these alloys will be described.
New Obesity Agents: Lorcaserin and Phentermine/Topiramate
Authors: Fleming Joshua W , McClendon Katie S , Riche Daniel M 
Published: June 2013

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the evidence for lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate in the treatment of obesity. DATA SOURCES Literature was accessed through PubMed (June 1975-March 2013) using the search terms lorcaserin, phentermine, topiramate, or phentermine/topiramate. Additionally, reference citations from publications identified were reviewed. Additional information was obtained from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved prescribing information and FDA briefing documents. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION English-language articles focusing on Phase 3 clinical trials for obesity were critiqued. Data from preclinical and Phase 1 and/or 2 trials are reported when appropriate. Six prospective Phase 3 trials were reviewed. DATA SYNTHESIS Obesity has reached epidemic proportions, affecting more than one third of adults in the US. Two medication products, lorcaserin and phentermine/topiramate, have recently received FDA approval as adjuncts to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity among individuals with a body mass index greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 or greater than or equal to 27 kg/m2 with an obesity-related comorbidity, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. Lorcaserin is a selective serotonin 5-HT2C agonist that regulates food intake, while the combination of phentermine/topiramate causes appetite suppression and enhanced satiety. Three Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled trials reported approximately 75% and 45% of patients achieved greater than or equal to 5% weight loss with phentermine/topiramate and lorcaserin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS With lifestyle modification, phentermine/topiramate appears most effective in terms of weight loss. Lorcaserin demonstrates moderate efficacy. Long-term cardiovascular outcomes studies are needed to confirm the safety and benefit of these new obesity agents.
Newsgathering and language: Concerns and strategies among European minority language journalists
Authors: Zabaleta Iñaki , Fernandez Itxaso , Ferré-Pavia Carme , Gutierrez Arantza , Xamardo Nicolás , Urrutia Santi 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Minority language media journalists face specific difficulties during the newsgathering process such as the lack of news agencies and scarcity of sources that speak their language. This reality could affect the production and quality of their news stories since often times those journalists, working in their community, must act as if they were foreign correspondents covering newsworthy issues abroad and in a different language. To overcome these problems, they deploy diverse strategies that lead to different journalistic outcomes and news stories as it can be seen in this article. It is based on a fairly representative and stratified survey of journalists from ten European minority languages (Basque, Catalan, Galician, Corsican, Breton, Frisian, Irish, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Sámi).
Transforming growth factor β1 is not a reliable biomarker for valvular fibrosis but could be a potential serum marker for invasiveness of prolactinomas (pilot study)
Authors: Elenkova Atanaska , Atanassova Iliana , Kirilov Georgi , Vasilev Vladimir , Kalinov Krassimir , Zacharieva Sabina 
Published: June 2013

BackgroundTransforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) signaling pathway is crucial for both human fibrogenesis and tumorigenesis.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the usefulness of TGFβ1 and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) as potential circulating markers for fibrotic valvular heart disease (FVHD) and invasiveness as well as of Fetuin A as a marker for calcification in patients with prolactinomas.DesignThe study population consisted of 147 subjects divided into four groups: 30 dopamine agonist (DA)-treated prolactinoma patients with proven FVHD and three control groups with normal echocardiograms: 43 DA-treated patients, 26 naïve patients, and 48 healthy subjects.ResultsWe observed significantly higher serum TGFβ1 levels in all three patient groups than in the healthy subjects (21.4±8.86 vs 19.1±9.03 vs 20.7±11.5 vs 15.8±7.2 ng/ml; P=0.032). Moreover, TGFβ1 levels were significantly higher in patients with macroprolactinomas and invasive prolactinomas than in those with microprolactinomas and noninvasive tumors respectively. In addition, a strong positive linear relationship between TGFβ1 levels and invasiveness score (ρ=0.924; P<0.001) and a moderate correlation between TGFβ1 levels and tumor volume (r=0.546; P<0.002) were observed in patients with invasive prolactinomas. By contrast, prolactin (PRL) levels exhibited a better correlation with tumor volume (r=0.721; P<0.001) than with invasiveness score (ρ=0.436; P<0.020). No significant difference was observed in Fetuin A levels between patients with FVHD and healthy controls. Results concerning MMP2 were unclear.ConclusionsTGFβ1, MMP2, and Fetuin A are not reliable biomarkers for valvular fibrosis and calcification in DA-treated patients with prolactinomas, but TGFβ1 may represent a useful serum marker for tumor invasiveness. The simultaneous determination of TGFβ1 and PRL levels could improve the noninvasive assessment of prolactinoma behavior.
Isolated versus Pierre Robin Sequence Cleft Palates: Are They Different?
Authors: Godbout Audrey , Leclerc Jacques E. , Arteau-Gauthier Isabelle , Leclerc Louis-David 
Published: June 2013

Objective To determine if there are any differences in size between isolated cleft palates (CPs) and those associated with Pierre Robin (PR) sequence. Study Design Prospective case series. Settings Tertiary care hospital. Subjects and Methods From 1993 to 2011, nonsyndromic isolated CP and PR sequence cases were classified as severe if the patients had respiratory or feeding difficulties. While patients were under general anesthesia, seven anatomical cleft parameters were prospectively measured in the operating room at the time of palatoplasty. Results Fifty-seven patients without the PR sequence and 36 patients with the PR sequence were enrolled. Within the PR group, 61% of cases were mild and 39% were severe. A larger soft palate width was found to be statistically significant in a comparison of the severe PR cases with the isolated clefts ( P < .005) and mild PR ( P < .05), respectively. For the hard palate width, a statistically significant difference was found in a comparison of the narrower isolated cleft cases with the mild PR ( P < .05) and the severe PR cases ( P < .05), respectively. A shorter cleft length was found to be statistically significant in isolated clefts versus both the clefts of the mild PR ( P < .05) and the severe PR cases ( P < .05). Conclusions The patients with PR sequence presented statistically significant different cleft characteristics. The increased width of the cleft at the soft palate level showed the greatest correlation with increased airway and feeding problems.
Control of Numerical Dispersion in Streamline-Based Simulations of Augmented Waterflooding
Authors: AlSofi Abdulkareem M. , Blunt Martin J. 
Published: June 2013

SummaryAugmented waterflooding is when a component is coinjected with water to modify the fractional-flow curve. Examples include polymer flooding, surfactant injection, low-salinity waterflooding, and carbonated-water injection (including applications related to carbon dioxide storage). The numerical simulation of these processes is a challenge for several reasons: The appropriate physical behavior needs to be incorporated consistently into empirical models of the fractional flow, whereas the solutions should minimize numerical dispersion, allowing the correct and accurate tracking of compositional variations.Lower-order numerical simulations of these processes give excessive front smearing, requiring many thousands of gridblocks in one dimension to resolve the fronts adequately, rendering the predictions from 3D simulations dubious at best. These erroneous predictions are not caused by phase dispersion (the improper prediction of water velocity)—as in black-oil simulation, in which the effect is less significant—but occur because of the coupling of compositional dispersion with fractional flow. Small errors in composition alter the fractional flow, causing the development of incorrect wavespeeds. The same effect is also seen in compositional simulation of gas injection.We propose a simple method for streamline-based simulations that substantially reduces numerical dispersion. The method is rooted in the assumption of segregated flow within a gridblock. After comparing numerical and analytical results in one dimension, we implement the method into a 3D streamline-based simulator of polymer flooding that also incorporates a physically based model of the fluid rheology. We demonstrate that traditional simulation methods can vastly overestimate recovery, potentially leading to poor injection design and management decisions. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by suggesting optimal strategies for the design of polymer injection on the basis of our improved simulation technique.
Ensuring Regulatory Compliance When Transporting Hazardous Materials in Brazil
Authors: Firmino Glaydson S. , Celly John J. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Brazil is the largest country in Latin America. Strict national regulations as well as state regulations are in place regarding the control and transportation of hazardous materials. Oil and gas industry operations require a significant number of long distance trips to transport materials across the country, and it is critical to implement a process that includes appropriate controls to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition to improving the safety of operations, an effective process avoids risk of non-compliance that could lead to the loss of licenses to operate in the country.
This paper describes how an oilfield services company developed a process to address all of its hazardous material trips in Brazil. The process includes implementation of a hazardous material transport checklist used by all business units that utilize and transport such materials in company-owned or dedicated contractor vehicles. The checklist was designed to comply with all regulatory requirements of materials used that are considered hazardous. The checklist was designed to take into account not only regulations in Brazil but also the company’s own stringent internal requirements.
The paper describes the management of the checklist, how it kept is up-to-date for each trip, and how the process has been integrated in the company’s overall journey management plan. The paper describes the verification process that confirms each trip complies with all the requirements. It also shows how the journey management system monitors the trip in real time, provides feedback to the driver, and notifies both the requester and approver of the progress of the trip. At the close of a trip the corresponding compliance reports are distributed to the various stakeholders involved.
The paper also discusses how the process ensures that all trip requesters, approvers, supervisors, and dispatchers have control over the trips.
The Human Chain - A Different Approach To Behavior Safety Program Through the Use of Social Marketing Concepts
Authors: Daher E. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Safety at the work place has been the focus of attention in recent times. While huge strides have been made in engineering and safety management systems, unsafe behaviors play a major role in most accidents that still occur in the oil and gas industry.
Behavior safety has many advocates and critics. Advocates vouch for the effects of a well-designed process on incident rates. Conversely, critics do not believe it truly involves workers in the overall safety process. Given the complexity of the process and the variety of behavioral safety approaches, success is still not consistent.
The first part of this paper discusses the elements of behavior. The issue is that when we are not able to overcome our intuitive tendency to assume how people should behave and start studying how people really behave, human behavior turns out to be much more predictable than we think. Therefore, understanding real human behavior and incorporation of this behavior should be an integral part of safety programs. This paper explains and exposes the most important elements of human behavior which may pose risks. From there, it extends our understanding of all types of behavior so we can evaluate and design proper behavioral safety programs. Some of the components of behaviors that are exposed in this paper are: communication, memory and intuition.
The second part of this paper discusses issues like adoption, generalisation, lack of empowerment, punishment, normalization of deviances, outdated training methods and poor or inconsistent communication in current behavioral safety programs and proposes an alternative method: Social Marketing.
This relatively new approach is being used to change safety behaviors of workers, people and communities worldwide. We will discuss how it could be implemented in an Oil and Gas setting and how it improves the safety behavior of oil and gas workers.
Building Strong Stakeholder Relations and Minimizing Operational Risks in the Oil and Gas Industry Through Market-Based Certification
Authors: Santos V. , Benalcazar F. L. , Valdivieso S. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Many Oil and Gas Exploration and Production (O&G) companies devote significant resources to keep their employees safe, protect the environment around their operations, stimulate local economies and build strong and trusting relationships with community stakeholders. Despite these efforts, recent public opinion surveys show that the oil and gas industry is mistrusted more than any other, and cite questionnaire responses that reveal a negative impression of the sector for having minimal regard for social and environmental issues. This mistrust translates into direct operational, reputational, legal, and financial risks for O&G companies throughout the project life cycle, from exploration to production and to decommissioning.
The O&G industry is not the only sector to have attracted criticism and been challenged by social campaigns to improve sustainability performance. It is worthwhile to learn from the responses of other initiatives that have successfully made a virtue of their corporate responsibility through third-party certification, especially those built around market mechanisms, such as with sustainable palm oil and soy; responsibly produced timber, fish, and mining; and Fair Trade cotton and coffee. These approaches serve to create a constructive relationship between producers, consumers and stakeholders that reduce risk to both society and to business and facilitate wealth creation.
Between 2009 and 2012, Equitable Origin developed the first and only stakeholder-based, social and environmental certification system specifically for the oil and gas industry. The system includes a rigorous, comprehensive standard for exploration and production, a certificate trading platform and a consumer-facing ecolabel program that enables downstream customers to support operations working to high HSE standards and better production practices. Pacific Rubiales Energy (PRE), the largest private operator in Colombia, committed in 2012 to implement the fundamental principles of this standard in two of their producing fields to be the first fully certified oil and gas operations to the market by the end of 2013.
This paper will present the process, practices and results of PRE’s commitment to achieve certification, including a thorough performance gap analysis against the EO100™ Standard and the lessons-learned for putting in place the systems and practices to meet the requirements of certification.
Safety Management of Steel Pipes Road Transportation Project
Authors: Guadalupe D. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
Accidents related to road transportation activity are one of the main causes of company deaths worldwide. 23% of fatal accidents at work occurred during road transportation activities in the Exploration and Production Industry of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers in the period 2011. This percentage is increasing annually, and it is therefore necessary to implement specific preventive practices for this activity.
Transporting steel pipes is an activity with significant potential risks due to specific safety and occupational health hazards. Our goal is to reduce the number and severity of accidents during the road transportation of steel pipes by implementing the most effective internationally-proven preventive practices including those that TGP had already employed during the preliminary activities in 2010 for the Gas Pipeline Transportation System Expansion Project in Peru.
The safety and health management for the transportation of steel pipes demanded careful planning and thorough organization of equipment operation and supervision, training the personnel and the comprehensive review of the health and safety aspects and knowledge of lessons learned, all essential for the prevention of accidents.
We will describe the activities and implementation of the occupational health and safety management system in each phase of the project of road transportation of steel pipes. These guidelines will be presented in general terms to allow adaptation by companies with diverse operations and cultures.
A Suggestion of Decision Making Methodology To Assist Oil Companies Develop Shoreline Protection and Cleanup Plans
Authors: Van der Ven Adriana , Rustichelli Bruna , Pina Marushka , Perez Pedro 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
This paper presents a suggestion of methodology to previously define proper emergency response strategies to protect different coastal environments in case of a potential oil spill. In the event of an oil spill reaching the coast, a plan must be in place to mitigate its consequences.
For an effective response during a spill emergency the shoreline must be divided and classified according to the identification of sensitive areas, protection priorities, and protection methods. The proposed methodology suggests a qualitative assessment in a decision tree format that relates physical, biotic and socioeconomic data collected in secondary surveys and fieldwork campaigns. Using these inputs, the methodology is applied to assist oil companies defining the proper level of investment for establishing a customized shoreline protection and cleanup plan.
Despite being useful for planning effective response actions the methodology proposed in this paper is yet the first step towards the construction of a consolidated emergency environmental management process.
Contributions to the Design of a Methodology for the Monitoring of the Impacts of Habitat Fragmentation on Biodiversity Under an Adaptive Management Approach on a Pipeline Project in the Lower Urubamba, Peru
Authors: Panta-Corzo M. , Watson A. , Chung C. , Ahumada C. , Videla C. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
The development of gas transportation projects is considered as one of the main causes of the loss of biodiversity, habitat fragmentation and edge effect. This study has important implications in terms of conservation, forest regeneration and wildlife management.The biological monitoring methodology was designed and implemented for linear projects such as identification criteria considering borders, functional food webs and transversal adaptive management approach to the different stages of a development project (construction, operation and closure) allowing the biological monitoring program of the "Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the development of the southern Kinteroni field area "(Peru) evolve through these stages and function as a management tool and as a support for the various planning entities involved in the development of linear projects in tropical forest.
The identification of the distances between the edge zones, intermediate and deep forest was conducted by measuring the intensity of light, allowing adjusting the model by the different characteristics of the forest. Wildlife records were made using camera traps.
The Role of Quantitative Risk Analysis QRA in Risk Management
Authors: Mata O. 
Published: June 2013

Abstract
The industry through the years has learned that in order to make successfully decisions about risks it is not enough to practice minimal efforts from the single application of the law, it is necessary to involve the implementation of a management system risk and deeply rooted in the process of making process decisions in the company. The tool Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) is an essential part of the risk management system, as one of the main elements, and in the same time as one of the most objective and the tool to provide better information when making decisions.
About QRA has published numerous papers, articles and studies but almost in the same way and usually explain on detail how to calculate the frequency and consequences of the events. Very few ones, if not almost none; can explain how combine these factors in order to produce specific measures of the risk.
This paper tries to explain in a simple way the risk calculation and clarify the confusion between the practical meanings of some elements to QRA. Also, these paper attempts to define the process of QRA well done, the role and benefits in the process of making appropriate and intelligent decisions, looking for show by itself the complexity of the risk concept, and the fact that there is no a single or simple answer to the question, what is risk?
Finally it is concluded that the risk management process supported by an adequate QRA process, is the starting point to ensure the integrity of the facilities, equipment and safe operations. In addition the QRA application process is damaged by several shortcomings that seriously compromise the usefulness of it in making decisions and have contributed for loss credibility. Consequently, one of the most important roles of the QRA is to ensure the provision of acceptable and credible measures risk in order to reduce the uncertainty of it, allow a more objective decision making as part of the process risk management.