bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Buccinator Mucomuscular Flap: An In-Depth Analysis and Evaluation of Its Role in the Management of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction
Authors: Ahl Rebecka , Ahmad Tariq , Harding-Bell Anne , Wharton Laura , Jordan Adam , Hall Per 
Published: August 2015

Background A significant proportion of patients with cleft palate experience persisting velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) after primary surgery. Pharyngoplasty is the most common procedure to correct inadequate velopharyngeal closure. Although it is often effective, it poses a risk for postoperative airway obstruction. The mucomuscular buccinator flap is a more recent alternative: In the largest case series to date, we outline its use and evaluate its effectiveness in managing persistent VPD. Methods Over 9 years, 103 buccinator flap procedures were performed by the Cambridge group to improve velar function. Clinical records were retrospectively assessed: 60 patients were analyzed by two expert speech and language therapists external to the group using the Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech—Augmented. In a subset of patients, the buccinator flap was interpolated between the limbs of a large mucosal Z-plasty. Consensus listening was undertaken, and interrater reliability was calculated for 24.17% of the cohort. The remaining samples were assessed by a single listener following calibrated consensus listening. Results There was a significant reduction in VPD ( P < .001). Preoperatively, 68.5% of patients demonstrated marked VPD, falling to 24.1% postoperatively. The buccinator procedure demonstrated significant improvement for three of four individual speech parameters: hypernasality, passive cleft speech characteristics, and audible nasal emission. Overall, 13.5% of patients required further corrective speech surgery. Conclusions The buccinator mucomuscular flap reliably and effectively improves velar function in the management of VPD and has low complication rates. We therefore recommend the use of the buccinator flap in primary surgical management of persisting VPD.
Belowground competition among invading detritivores
Authors: Chang Chih‐Han , Szlavecz Katalin , Filley Timothy , Buyer Jeffrey S. , Bernard Michael J. , Pitz Scott L. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThe factors regulating soil animal communities are poorly understood. Current theory favors niche complementarity and facilitation over competition as the primary forms of non‐trophic interspecific interaction in soil fauna; however, competition has frequently been suggested as an important community‐structuring factor in earthworms, ecosystem engineers that influence belowground processes. To date, direct evidence of competition in earthworms is lacking due to the difficulty inherent in identifying a limiting resource for saprophagous animals. In the present study, we offer the first direct evidence of interspecific competition for food in this dominant soil detritivore group by combining field observations with laboratory mesocosm experiments using 13C and 15N double‐enriched leaf litter to track consumption patterns. In our experiments, the Asian invasive species Amynthas hilgendorfi was a dominant competitor for leaf litter against two European species currently invading the temperate deciduous forests in North America. This competitive advantage may account for recent invasion success of A. hilgendorfi in forests with established populations of European species, and we hypothesize that specific phenological differences play an important role in determining the outcome of the belowground competition. In contrast, Eisenoides lonnbergi, a common native species in the Eastern United States, occupied a unique trophic position with limited interactions with other species, which may contribute to its persistence in habitats dominated by invasive species. Furthermore, our results supported neither the hypothesis that facilitation occurs between species of different functional groups nor the hypothesis that species in the same group exhibit functional equivalency in C and N translocation in the soil. We propose that species identity is a more powerful approach to understand earthworm invasion and its impacts on belowground processes.
Uncertainty Assessment of Chemical EOR in One of the Offshore Fields in Malaysia
Authors: Ghadami Nader , Arsanti Dian , Sedaralit M Faizal 
Published: August 2015

AbstractChemical flooding is one of the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods to mobilize the residual oil after waterflooding by reduction of oil-water interfacial tension or wettability alteration and consequently increase of capillary number. The objective of this study is to assess the potential of alkaline surfactant (AS) flooding on a major oil reservoir at offshore Malaysia, besides to conduct the uncertainty assessment. High capital and operating expenditure are associated with chemical EOR (CEOR) projects. Therefore, key subsurface uncertainties quantified thoroughly for a robust assessment of influential parameters.The considered field is planned to be a pioneer in offshore CEOR. After the completion of pilot and matching the results in the simulation model, the key step is to upscale the results to the full field level. A critical step of the chemical EOR is to find the relative contribution of the influential parameters on the objective function like oil recovery. To do so, a detailed modeling work was performed for sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of AS flooding. Some of the important parameters used in the model are interfacial tension, chemical adsorption, slug size, and reduction of residual oil saturation by chemical.A single well pilot test project was successfully conducted in 2007. The pilot entailed the injection of Alkaline-Surfactant chemicals and chemical tracer test into a waterflooded reservoir and produced from the same well. The pilot test indicated significant reduction of residual oil saturation (Sorw) in the range of 50% to 80% of Sorw. After running the uncertainty cases for the targeted reservoir, the probability ranges of the objective function were established. Based on the results of this uncertainty analysis, a proxy model has been built and subsequently quality checked to ensure that it can reproduce the simulated data with high accuracy. The developed proxy model was used to capture all combination of parameter ranges and do better decision making on the project. The results showed that based on the corresponding ranges of parameters, the residual oil reduction and slug size exhibited the highest and lowest impact on oil recovery, respectively. Therefore, the uncertainty of the objective function can be reduced by mitigating the uncertainty of the most influential parameters. Moreover, this work presents a proper workflow of CEOR modeling in addition to detailed and systematic approach for uncertainty evaluation.
Low-Salinity Waterflood Simulation: Mechanistic and Phenomenological Models
Authors: Kuznetsov Dan , Cotterill Sam , Giddins Marie Ann , Blunt Martin J. 
Published: August 2015

AbstractThis paper describes a simulation study of the low-salinity effect in sandstone reservoirs. The proposed mechanistic model allows differentiation of water composition effects and includes multi-ionic exchange and double layer expansion. The manifestation of these effects can be observed in coreflood experiments.We define a set of chemical reactions, to describe the contribution of van der Waals forces, ligand exchange, and cation bridging to mobilization of residual oil. The reaction set is simplified by incorporating wettability weighting coefficients that reflect the contribution of different adsorbed ions to the wettability of the rock. Changes in wettability are accounted for by interpolation of the relative permeability and capillary pressure curves between the low and high salinity sets. We also construct and test simplified phenomenological models, one relating the change of the relative permeability to the concentration of a dissolved salinity tracer and another one to the concentration of a single adsorbed tracer.The full mechanistic model, with multiple ion tracking, is in good qualitative agreement with experimental data reported in the literature. A very close agreement with the mechanistic model was obtained for a coreflood simulation using single tracer phenomenological models. The similarity of the results is explained by the fact that the most critical factor influencing the flow behavior was the function used to interpolate between the oil- and water-wet sets of saturation curves. Similar interpolation functions in different models lead to similar oil recovery predictions.This study has developed a detailed chemical reaction model that captures both multicomponent ion exchange and double layer expansion effects, and can be used to improve understanding of low-salinity recovery mechanisms by analyzing their relative contributions. The approach of matching a tracer model to a detailed mechanistic model promises a route to the development of simplified, less computationally demanding proxy models for full field simulation studies.
Nanowetting Microscopy Probes Liquid-Solid Interaction at the Nanoscale
Authors: Steiner M. B. , Engel M.. , Bryant P. W. , Giro R.. , Neumann R. F. , Avouris P.. , Feger C.. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Advances in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) require quantification of surface wetting phenomena on the nanometer scale under well controlled conditions. We introduce a novel measurement platform that enables optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy within a dedicated, optically transparent analysis device. The measurement entails the deposition and characterization of extremely small amounts of liquids having volumes on the order of 10 attoliters (10–17liter). The analyzed liquids are located at a well-characterized test surface that is customizable to match the specifics of the experiment, e.g. by surface patterning or surface functionalization. We present initial experimental and simulation results that demonstrate that it is possible to map within the device individual, spatially isolated oil droplets with diameters well below the micrometer scale having heights of several tens of nanometers only. The combined analysis of high-resolution optical and topographical data reveals how oil droplet shape and surface wetting behavior are determined by the properties of the liquid and local properties of the test surface, such as surface roughness. Future applications of the measurement platform in the domain of oil recovery include screening of EOR chemicals and verification of advanced molecular dynamics models of liquid-solid interactions.
Laboratory to Field Scale Simulation of a Complex Micro-Emulsion System Performance for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Kharghoria A.. , Lett Nathan , Portwood J. T. , Biswas D.. , Hammond Charles , Penny Glenn , Rigoris Adriana 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
This paper investigates the application of a proprietary surfactant-solvent package as an alternate chemical solution in Enhance Oil Recovery (EOR). This micro-emulsion system (MES) has many upsides to traditional solvent or surfactant-alone alternatives, as the package can be transported in-depth with less sacrificial adsorption yet maintain its interfacial tension reduction and oil swelling abilities to mobilize residual oil.
While designing conformance jobs over the past several years, it has been observed that often times the injected fluids tend to travel through high permeability channels between a binary pair(s) of injector and producer. This short-circuit of injected fluids leaves residual oil in the channels and renders a large volume of the reservoir unswept. This paper examines the specific MES application where a high permeability channel is treated to mobilize the residual oil. The characteristic of the high permeability channel is based on production data and is comparatively relative to the total flood zone between a producer and an injector. Due to the small size of the channel the mobilized oil will be produced quickly resulting in attractive economics (due to smaller volume of treatment required). Due to quick response and attractive economics, there will be added incentive and field data to decide whether to expand the treatment on a field wide basis. Subsequently, the moving forward plan could be that once the treatment is validated, this process will be used in conjunction with conformance control along with Polymer as mobility control drive fluid for fieldwide expansion.
Laboratory core flood experiment shows that a 1.0 PV slug of 1 gallons for thousand gallons (gpt) of the complex MES additives recovers about 9-12% OOIP (23-27% OIP). The experiment shows that an increase of oil cut from 1% to 12% occurs due to use of the complex MES. The laboratory experiment was performed with oil saturated Torrey Buff sandstone core. The results of this experiment were simulated using CMG's STARS simulation tool. The laboratory results were scaled up to test in two pilot configurations where the remaining oil in the channels was the primary target of the simulation exercise.
The first pilot is a quarter 9-spot with one injector and three producers. The second pilot is a central injector in the up-dip of the structure with 5 producers. The simulation results show that the peak oil production due to the effect of the MES is very significant. The economic analysis indicates attractive returns over continued waterflood for both pilots.
Flow Potential of Thin Beds in DW Turbidite Reservoirs from Production Logs
Authors: Arogun Olubunmi , Itua Osazua J. 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
XY is a deepwater turbidite field with potential untapped volume opportunity estimated at ~100MMbbls residing in Inter-Channel Thin Beds (ICTB) facies. Quantitative interpretation of Production Logging Tool (PLT) data was performed using commercial production log interpretation software to accurately quantify contributions to total flow and flow potential of the ICTB facies. The PLT data was acquired pre-production across two ICTB dominated “A” and “B” reservoirs in the XY-P well during a production test at flow rates of 5,000 and 12,000 bbls/day. The PLT evaluation result was calibrated using production test data.
This paper demonstrates the application of a simple workflow to estimate the flow potential of ICTBs from conventional PLT data. The results suggest ICTBs have significant potential to flow at economic rates. The interpretation also demonstrates producibility of ICTB at relatively high Productivity Index (PI) at flow rate above 12,000bbls/day. Intuitively, one can infer that though the flow potential of ICTB is lower than Channel Storey Margin (CSM) facies, ICTBs could become potential producers in the XY Field if produced standalone at relatively high drawdown.
Entrenching Process Safety Culture in The Face of Shifting Demography – a key to Sustaining Goal Zero Performance in Well Operations
Authors: Egbeocha Judith O , Reginald-Ugwuadu Onyinye G , Oluchi Ekpemu , Ebisike Richard C , Obanya Philip 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
The oil and gas industry is at a time when sustaining the license-to-operate; maintaining a positive reputation amongst stakeholders as well as achieving competitive performance is at the heart of business objective. This period also coincides with an all-time high entrance of young technical professionals into the industry due to an accelerated reaction to the impending crew change. Recent catastrophic process safety related incidents which resulted in fatalities, reputational damage and financial loss to the industry have once again brought to the forefront the importance of Process Safety management to industry leadership. Historically, the industry builds on long established focus on personal safety. In this regard, several organisations have developed Process Safety capability frameworks and terms of reference. Efforts have also been made to align these as much as possible to existing Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) critical competencies. “A process safety risk is a hazard that can give rise to major accidents involving the release of potentially hazardous materials, release of energy, or both; and Process safety in Wells is about keeping all hydrocarbons safely in the pipe, well or reservoir at all times” – Shell. Demographic shift in the oil and gas industry is emerging as one of the most significant challenges to business continuity and sustainability in the face of a rapidly aging workforce and shortfall in skilled and experienced manpower. The need for a well-knit strategy to enhance the training and competency development of young technical professionals becomes imperative in order to ensure that Process Safety oriented culture is fully understood and imbibed. This paper will examine how process safety can be successfully managed with the ‘big crew change’.
A Comparative Study of the Mechanism of Asp Flooding for Light Oil Recovery in Strongly Water Wet Cores Using Sodium Hydroxide, Lauryl Sulphate, and Gum Arabic
Authors: Rieborue Kharma , Oluwaseun Taiwo , Olalekan Olafuyi 
Published: August 2015

Abstract
Oil recovery resulting from Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) flooding is mainly due to the improvement in sweep efficiency by the action of the chemicals. The alkaline modifies the wettability of the reservoir rock and generates in-situ surfactants, the surfactant impairs the capillary pressure between water and oil in the reservoir, while the polymer increases the viscosity of the mobilizing slug and improves mobility ratio. The resulting effect therefore is an improvement in volumetric sweep efficiency, which in turn leads to higher oil recovery.
This work presents an experimental study of ASP flooding. Four methods classified as A, B, C and D were studied. Method “A” involving the mixture of Sodium Hydroxide, Lauryl sulphate and Gum Arabic to form an ASP slug resulted to further oil recovery of 7.1% of the Initial Oil in Place(IOIP). Method “B” (Sodium Hydroxide Pre-flush before Lauryl sulphate and Gum Arabic slug) gave an oil recovery of 7.9% IOIP. Method “C” (Sodium Hydroxide, Lauryl sulphate Pre-flush, Gum Arabic) had an oil recovery of 6.3% IOIP. While Method “D” (Lauryl Sulphate pre-flush before Sodium Hydroxide and Gum Arabic slug)recovered7.6% IOIP.
The results of the experimental study show that the usage of an alkaline as pre-flush and a mixture of surfactant and polymer to flood yield a much greater oil recovery. This reveals that the effectiveness of an ASP flooding is dependent on the mechanism employed in implementing the flooding process.
Sowing Date and Wheat Quality as Determined by Gluten Index
Authors: Bonfil David J. , Abbo Shahal , Svoray Tal 
Published: August 2015

ABSTRACTWheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Mediterranean regions is highly variable in end‐use quality at the producer level. This study aimed to understand how sowing date affects wheat quality, especially gluten index (GI). Experiments were conducted in five fields over three consecutive seasons in 2009–2011. Twenty cultivars (four of which were common to all experiments) were sown from late October to mid‐January on three dates (early, normal, and late) in each field. Grain yield, test weight, protein content, GI, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) sedimentation, and alveograph parameters were analyzed. The GI of the four common cultivars showed a significant environment (experiment) × cultivar × sowing date interaction. In two experiments, GI increased with a delay in sowing; in two other experiments, a similar increase resulted from delaying sowing from the early to normal sowing dates but there was no further increase following late sowing or in one experiment where GI was unaffected by sowing date. Hence, delayed sowing mostly increased GI, except where weed or severe drought stress prevailed. Similarly, dough tenacity increased with delayed sowing. A high correlation was found among grain protein, wet gluten contents, SDS sedimentation, and alveograph index. Wheat GI was not a good predictor of quality and did not correlate with other parameters, whereas flour GI showed better correlations. Hence, we suggest delaying sowing (from late October to mid‐January) to increase GI and that GI should be used with caution as a quality predictor. Instead of GI, using different methods may improve the determination of wheat quality.
Detection of Caries Around Amalgam Restorations on Approximal Surfaces
Authors: Diniz MB , Cordeiro RCL , Ferreira-Zandona AG 
Published: August 2015

SUMMARYTo evaluate the in vitro performance of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) visual examination, bitewing radiography (BW), and the DIAGNOdent 2190, a pen-type laser fluorescence device (LFpen), in detecting caries around amalgam restorations on approximal surfaces. Approximal surfaces (N=136) of permanent posterior teeth (N=110) with Class II amalgam restorations were assessed twice by two experienced examiners using ICDAS, BW, and LFpen. The occurrence of proximal overhangs was also evaluated. The teeth were histologically prepared and assessed for caries extension. Different cutoff limits for the LFpen were used. Intraexaminer and interexaminer reproducibility showed moderate to good agreement for all the methods (weighted κ/intraclass correlation coefficient=0.40 to 0.87). The specificities at D1 (all visible lesions affecting enamel) and D3 (lesions extended into dentin) were, respectively, 0.41 and 0.82 for ICDAS, 0.70 and 0.82 for BW, and 0.77-0.89 and 0.88-0.94 for LFpen. The sensitivities were 0.80 and 0.52 for ICDAS, 0.56 and 0.51 for BW, and 0.04-0.23 and 0.01-0.02 for LFpen at D1 and D3, respectively. At the D1/D3 thresholds, the accuracy and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (Az) values were similar and statistically higher for ICDAS (0.65/0.68 and 0.633/0.688) and BW (0.64/0.68 and 0.655/0.719), respectively; whereas, LFpen presented lower accuracy (0.37-0.44/0.49-0.52) and Az (0.390-0.454/0.345-0.395) values. The occurrence of overhangs (26.8%) was shown to be irrelevant in determining the presence of secondary caries. The ICDAS and BW methods presented the best performance in detecting caries lesions affecting enamel and dentin on approximal surfaces of amalgam restorations.
The Impact of a Customized Tray on In-Office Bleaching Tooth Sensitivity: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Correa AC , Santana TR , Nahsan FP , Loguercio AD , Faria-e-Silva AL 
Published: August 2015

SUMMARY

Objective
It was recently demonstrated that using a tray over a bleaching agent reduces its pulpal chamber penetration, which can reduce tooth sensitivity. This study evaluated the effect of the sealed technique on the presence and level of sensitivity reported by patients during and after the bleaching procedure performed in office.

Methods
Forty-six patients underwent a bleaching procedure with 35% hydrogen peroxide used in a single application of 45 minutes for two sessions with an interval of seven days. A customized tray was maintained over the bleaching agent during the entire procedure in half of the patients. The sensitivity level was evaluated during and immediately after the bleaching using verbal and visual analogue scales. The shade alteration was evaluated with a bleach guide scale. The peak sensitivity after 24 hours and the presence/level at 24 hours were also evaluated using a verbal rating scale. Relative risks were calculated for all time assessments. Data on the sensitivity level for both scales were subjected to Friedman and Mann-Whitney tests (α=0.05). Data on the shades were analyzed by two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance and Tukey's test (α=0.05).

Results
The use of a customized tray increased the relative risks to the tooth measured 24 hours after each bleaching session. The sealed technique also increased the level of tooth sensitivity only at 24 hours after the first session. No difference was observed between the bleaching techniques regarding the shade evaluation.

Conclusion
Using a tray over the bleaching agent can increase the level and risk of tooth sensitivity for the first 24 hours after in-office bleaching.