bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hepatic inflammation scores correlate with common carotid intima-media thickness in rats with NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet
Authors: Wu Jing , Zhang Hua , Zheng Hao , Jiang Ying 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), an emerging public health problem, may be a highly atherogenic condition. But the relationship between fatty liver diseases and carotid atherosclerosis in small-animal is incompletely understood. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in NAFLD rats using high-frequency ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, and to ascertain if the degree of hepatic pathological changes was associated with carotid IMT.ResultsLiver injury was induced by a high-fat diet for 8, 12 and 16 weeks, separately, in fifty four SD rats (27 treated, 27 controls). Liver echogenicity and IMT of the carotid and aorta were evaluated and compared to histological findings of them. In comparison with the rats in the control group, fatty liver disease in rats was characterized by homogeneous and diffusely increased echogenicity (bright liver), an increased anteroposterior diameter of the liver and serum biochemical changes. Hepatic histological analyses demonstrated indications of simple steatosis in rats induced by an 8-week high-fat diet, and a high-fat diet for 12 weeks and 16 weeks could induce steatohepatitis (NASH) in rats. The 12- and 16-week groups had a significantly higher inflammation scores than those of the control groups. IMT values for the carotid and aorta were remarkably increased in the NASH groups compared with the control groups (P < 0.05). The end-diastolic velocity and systolic peak velocity of the carotid and aorta in the NASH groups were significantly smaller than those in the control group. A significant correlation between the IMT of the carotid with hepatic inflammation score (r2 = 0.598, P = 0.001) and the systolic peak velocity of the carotid (r2 = −0.342, P = 0.041) were shown in NAFLD rats.ConclusionWe demonstrated that ultrasound imaging in the diagnosis of fatty liver disease and early atherosclerosis in rats is feasible and efficient, and that carotid IMT increased significantly in NASH rats but not in simple steatotic rats. A significant correlation between the IMT of the carotid artery with hepatic inflammation score were shown in NAFLD rats. This method for non-invasive diagnosis is especially relevant in the research of the pathogenesis and therapy of NAFLD and atherosclerosis using rodent models.
Frictional properties of sediments entering the Costa Rica subduction zone offshore the Osa Peninsula: implications for fault slip in shallow subduction zones
Authors: Namiki Yuka , Tsutsumi Akito , Ujiie Kohtaro , Kameda Jun 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
We examined the frictional properties of sediments on the Cocos plate offshore the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, and explored variations in the intrinsic frictional properties of the sediment inputs to the Costa Rica subduction zone. Sediment samples were collected at Site U1381A during the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 334, and include hemipelagic clay to silty clay material (Unit I) and pelagic silicic to calcareous ooze (Unit II). The frictional properties of the samples were tested at a normal stress of 5 MPa under water-saturated conditions and with slip velocities ranging from 0.0028 to 2.8 mm/s for up to 340 mm of displacement. The experimental results reveal that the steady-state friction coefficient values of clay to silty clay samples are as low as ~0.2, whereas those of silicic to calcareous ooze samples are as high as 0.6 to 0.8. The clay to silty clay samples show a positive dependence of friction on velocity for all tested slip velocities. In contrast, the silicic to calcareous ooze samples show a negative dependence of friction on velocity at velocities of 0.0028 to 0.28 mm/s and either neutral or positive dependence at velocities higher than 0.28 mm/s. Given the low frictional coefficient values observed for the clay to silty clay samples of Unit I, the décollement at the Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project transect offshore the Osa Peninsula likely initiates in Unit I and is initially very weak. In addition, the velocity-strengthening behavior of the clay to silty clay suggests that faults in the very shallow portion of the Costa Rica subduction zone are stable and thus behave as creeping segments. In contrast, the velocity-weakening behavior of the silicic to calcareous ooze favors unstable slip along faults. The shallow seismicity occurred at a depth as shallow as ~9 km along the Costa Rica margin offshore the Osa Peninsula (Mw 6.4, June 2002), indicating that materials characterized by velocity-weakening behavior constitute the fault zone at the depth of the seismicity. Fault slip nucleating along a fault in Unit II would be a likely candidate for the source of the shallow earthquake event.
Constrained Assortment Optimization for the Nested Logit Model
Authors: Gallego Guillermo , Topaloglu Huseyin 
Published: July 2014

We study assortment optimization problems where customer choices are governed by the nested logit model and there are constraints on the set of products offered in each nest. Under the nested logit model, the products are organized in nests. Each product in each nest has a fixed revenue associated with it. The goal is to find a feasible set of products, i.e., a feasible assortment, to maximize the expected revenue per customer. We consider cardinality and space constraints on the offered assortment, which limit the number of products and the total space consumption of the products offered in each nest, respectively. We show that the optimal assortment under cardinality constraints can be obtained efficiently by solving a linear program. The assortment optimization problem under space constraints is NP-hard. We show how to obtain an assortment with a performance guarantee of 2 under space constraints. This assortment also provides a performance guarantee of 1/(1-ϵ) when the space requirement of each product is at most a fraction ϵ of the space availability in each nest. Building on our results for constrained assortment optimization, we show that we can efficiently solve joint assortment optimization and pricing problems under the nested logit model, where we choose the assortment of products to offer to customers, as well as the prices of the offered products. Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1931 . This paper was accepted by Dimitris Bertsimas, optimization.
Analysis of emboli and blood flow in the ophthalmic artery to understand retinal artery occlusion
Authors: Kaufmann Tim A.S. , Leisser Christoph , Gemsa Jeannie , Steinseifer Ulrich 
Published: July 2014

AbstractRetinal artery occlusion (RAO) is a common ocular vascular occlusive disorder that may lead to partial or complete retinal ischemia with sudden visual deterio ration and visual field defects. Although RAO has been investigated since 1859, the main mechanism is still not fully understood. While hypoperfusion of the ophthalmic artery (OA) due to severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery might lead to RAO, emboli are assumed to be the main reason. Intra-arterial thrombolysis is not a sufficient treatment for RAO, and current research is mainly focused on risk factors. In this study, a computational fluid dynamic model is presented to analyse flow conditions and clot behaviour at the junction of the internal carotid artery and OA based on a realistic geometry from a RAO patient. Clot diameters varied between 5 and 200 μm, and the probability of clots reaching the OA or being washed into the brain was analysed. Results show sufficient blood flow and perfusion pressure at the end of OA. The probability that clots from the main blood flow will to be washed into the brain is 7.32±1.08%. A wall shear stress hotspot is observed at the curvature proximal to the internal carotid artery/OA junction. Clots released from this hotspot have a higher probability of causing RAO. The occurrence of such patient-specific pathophysiologies will have to be considered in the future.
Asymptomatic expulsion of a fetus through cesarean section scar in the presence of invasive placenta previa
Authors: Shrim Alon , Raviv Shira , Weisz Boaz , Perri Tamar , Korach Jacob , Hallak Mordechai , Frisch Leon 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
Spontaneous rupture of the uterus during the 2nd and 3rd trimester resulting from invasive placentation is a rare complication of pregnancy. We report a case of a 39-year-old G6P4, with four previous cesarean sections, who presented at mid-gestation with brown vaginal discharge. Invasive placenta previa was detected upon conducting abdominal ultrasound. The fetal head was seen trapped within the uterine scar, while the fetal body was visualized within the maternal abdominal cavity with intact membranes. In cases with invasive placentation, early attention to uterine rupture may reduce maternal morbidity.
Effect of silymarin pretreatment on the bioavailability of domperidone in healthy human volunteers
Authors: Yamsani Shravan Kumar , Yamsani Madhusudan Rao 
Published: July 2014

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of silymarin pretreatment on domperidone oral bioavailability in humans.

Methods: The rats were pretreated with silymarin for 7 days. The transport of domperidone across the rat intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon) was studied by using in vitro everted and non-everted sac methods. Samples were collected at preset time points and replaced with buffer. The drug content in the samples was estimated. The first part of the study included oral administration of 10 mg domperidone tablet alone, and blood was sampled from the antecubital vein. The second part of the study was conducted after a washout period of 2 weeks. Five hundred milligrams of silymarin was administered twice daily for 6 days. On day 7, one tablet each of 10 mg domperidone and 500 mg silymarin were administered concomitantly.

Results: In the everted sac and non-everted sac study with silymarin pretreatment, domperidone transport increased from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. The silymarin pretreatment increased the bioavailability of domperidone. There was a statistically significant difference in the pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax,

T

1
2

${T_{{\textstyle{1 \over 2}}}}$

, AUC0–∞, and AUC0–24.

Conclusions: The significant difference in absorption of domperidone on pretreatment with silymarin is due to the inhibition of P-glycoprotein and CYP3A. Silymarin, which inhibits CYP3A4, should be contraindicated for domperidone.
Nuclear hormone receptors PXR and CAR and metabolic diseases
Authors: Mo Li , He Jinhan 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
Nuclear receptors (NRs) belong to a superfamily of evolutionarily related DNA-binding transcription factors that can be activated by steroid and thyroid hormones, and other lipid metabolites. Ligand activated NRs can regulate target gene expression by binding to DNA response elements present in the target gene promoters. Through this regulation, NRs are broadly implicated in physiology and metabolism. In this chapter, we will focus on the xenobiotic receptors and their recently discovered functions in metabolic diseases.
Effect of Operating Variables on the Performance of a Highly Loaded Annular Combustor
Authors: Muduli S. K. , Mishra R. K. , Satpathy R. K. , Chandel S. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractA highly loaded full-scale annular combustor is studied in the air-flow facility for the effect of operating variables such as compressor discharge velocity and fuel-air ratio on the performance parameters. The combustor is designed to operate at high pressures and high exit temperatures that impose stringent limitations on its performance such as pressure loss, exit temperature profiles and combustion efficiency. The effect of excess air ratio on performance parameters is found to be marginal over the range tested. Increasing the excess air ratio decreases the pressure loss, exit pattern factors and combustion efficiency. The inlet Mach no. is found to influence the pressure loss strongly and exit temperature patterns marginally. Combustion efficiency is found to deteriorate with increase in Mach number. This will in turn affect the integrity and life of hot end components of the aero engine.
Intercellular network structure and regulatory motifs in the human hematopoietic system
Authors: Qiao Wenlian , Wang Weijia , Laurenti Elisa , Turinsky Andrei L , Wodak Shoshana J , Bader Gary D , Dick John E , Zandstra Peter W 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThe hematopoietic system is a distributed tissue that consists of functionally distinct cell types continuously produced through hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation. Combining genomic and phenotypic data with high‐content experiments, we have built a directional cell–cell communication network between 12 cell types isolated from human umbilical cord blood. Network structure analysis revealed that ligand production is cell type dependent, whereas ligand binding is promiscuous. Consequently, additional control strategies such as cell frequency modulation and compartmentalization were needed to achieve specificity in HSC fate regulation. Incorporating the in vitro effects (quiescence, self‐renewal, proliferation, or differentiation) of 27 HSC binding ligands into the topology of the cell–cell communication network allowed coding of cell type‐dependent feedback regulation of HSC fate. Pathway enrichment analysis identified intracellular regulatory motifs enriched in these cell type‐ and ligand‐coupled responses. This study uncovers cellular mechanisms of hematopoietic cell feedback in HSC fate regulation, provides insight into the design principles of the human hematopoietic system, and serves as a foundation for the analysis of intercellular regulation in multicellular systems.
Pelican Lake Field: First Successful Application of Polymer Flooding In a Heavy-Oil Reservoir
Authors: Delamaide Eric , Zaitoun Alain , Renard Gérard , Tabary René 
Published: July 2014

Summary
The Pelican Lake heavy-oil field in northern Alberta (Canada) has had a remarkable history since its discovery in the early 1970s. Initial production by use of vertical wells was poor because of the thin (less than 5 m) reservoir formation and high oil viscosity (800–80,000-plus cp). The field began to reach its full potential with the introduction of horizontal drilling and was one of the first fields worldwide to be developed with horizontal wells. However, with primary recovery at less than 10% and 6.4 billion bbl of oil in place (OIP), the prize for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is large.
Initially, polymer flooding had not been considered as a viable EOR technology for Pelican Lake because of the high viscosity of the oil, until the idea came of combining it with horizontal wells. A first—unsuccessful—pilot was implemented in 1997, but the lessons drawn from that failure were learned and a second pilot was met with success in 2006. The response to polymer injection in this pilot was excellent, with oil rate increasing from 43 BOPD to more than 700 BOPD and remaining high for more than 6 years; the water cut has generally remained at less than 60%. Incremental recovery over primary production is variable but can reach as high as 25% of oil originally in place (OOIP) in places.
This paper presents the history of the field and then focuses on the polymer-flooding aspects. It describes the preparation and results of the two polymer-flood pilots, as well as the extension of the flood to the rest of the field (currently in progress).
Polymer flooding has generally been applied in light- or medium-gravity oil, and even currently, standard industry-screening criteria limit its use to viscosities up to 150 cp only. Pelican Lake is the first successful application of polymer flooding in much-higher-viscosity oil (more than 1,200 cp), and as such, it opens a new avenue for the development of heavy-oil resources that are not accessible by thermal methods.
Theoretical Breakthrough Time of Vertical and Horizontal Wells Subject to External Fluid Drive in a Layered Reservoir with varying Architecture; Part VI: Letter ‘H’ Architecture
Authors: Adewole E. S. 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
Theoretical breakthrough times for a vertically-stacked two layered reservoir with letter ‘H’ architecture and completed with vertical and horizontal well at the top and bottom layer, respectively, have been compiled. Both crossflow and no-crossflow interface cases were considered.
Fifteen (15) different combinations of only edged fluid drive are possible. No bottom or top external fluid drive is possible for this architecture.
Layered reservoirs with no-crossflow interface are characterized by functions viii(x), x(x) and ix(x) only. But when the two layers are contributing to flow through the interface, breakthrough times are identified by the function v(z), vi(z), viii(x), x(x) and ix(x) only.
Theoretical breakthrough times derived were found to be directly proportional to reservoir extents in two (2) directions and inversely to reservoir layers diffusivity. Therefore, external fluid would finally reach the wellbores earlier if the fluid diffusivity is low and would be delayed if larger vertical reservoir areas are exposed to flow. The vertical reservoir area is suggested because of the infinite-acting boundaries bounding the upper and lower layers along the vertical axis. Irrespective of the number of sides of the reservoir and well type exposed to external fluid drive, the delay may be enhanced using perforation modification along the vertical axes or a rate selection based on estimated breakthrough time. Rate selection in the horizontal wells in this architecture is mandatory, since length modification is limited by lateral reservoir boundaries.
A Review of Erosion-Corrosion Monitoring and Inspection Techniques for Amenam High Pressure (HP) Header
Authors: Alum M. A. , Nworah C. , Omolegbe A 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
The Amenam high pressure Header is a 16" Carbon steel (API 5L gr. X60) network of flow-lines that collect crude oil gathered from the manifold of high pressure wells and convey them to the HP separator. With the combination of an ageing platform and production activities, severe internal erosion-corrosion issues are being experienced on the HP header of AMD2 (Amenam Drilling Platform 2), with estimated corrosion rates within 3 to 5 mm/year.
This erosion-corrosion is resulting from the very high velocities experienced on the HP header of AMD2, certainly combined with some production of sand. Also from a design perspective, using the highest available grade of Carbon Steel in conveying such a seriously corrosive fluid is always seen as the best viable economically because of the lengths of such headers, however considering the changing fluid compositions and conditions of an ageing field in contrast to design parameters, Carbon steel usually do have limitations in the long run.
In November 2010, a Shutdown was carried out to replace a failed section of the piping.
As part of the recommendation of a 2012 study by the Technology-Corrosion team of Total HQ, a periodic monitoring of this header in addition to a continuous inhibitor injection was advised until a more permanent solution of a more corrosion resistant Duplex stainless steel material is used to replace the carbon steel.
This paper highlights the Inspection techniques applied for the corrosion monitoring, results and trending analysis, as well as the advanced Non-destructive techniques (NDT) used for the period starting from December 2012 to December 2013. The results have helped in predicting which methods has the best reliability in detecting internal corrosion, while also helping to predict when a possible loss of containment is expected thereby giving the Operators a measure of proactive planning for sectional replacement; vis-à-vis assess the efficacy of the inhibitor injection and extrapolating the corrosion rates of similar configuration.
Maximizing Oil Production from a Reservoir Benefiting from an Adjacent Water-Flooded Reservoir
Authors: Nwankwo Kenechukwu , Ambastha Anil , Eme Vincent 
Published: July 2014

Abstract
Two reservoirs, the saturated Main area and the under-saturated Horn area, were discovered in 1965 and 1966, respectively. The original oil-water contact of the Main area is 6761 ft ss, while that of the Horn area is likely between 6994 and 7133 ft ss. Production started from both reservoirs in 1968 with almost same initial reservoir pressures, but significant pressure differences were observed when waterflood was initiated in 1991. Material balance can only be achieved with combined model of the two reservoirs and not with separate models of the Main or the Horn area.
The purpose of this study is to optimize oil recovery from the Horn area reservoir by optimizing waterflood performance and/or drilling infill wells to drain the identified remaining reserves. A black-oil simulation model was used to simulate the two reservoirs in a single model. Aquifer pore volume and aquifer transmissibility for both reservoirs are uncertain along with transmissibility for the fault separating the two reservoirs. These and other uncertain parameters were studied in a systematic manner to achieve a high-quality history-match.
Water cut, GOR and pressure matches were obtained by constraining simulated oil production to that of the historical. Oil net flux rate and oil cumulative net flux for each reservoir were derived from the simulation making it possible to calculate the recovery factor of each reservoir as a function of time. Also, since much of the oil has migrated over time from the Main to the Horn area, forecasts were made to evaluate future opportunities in the Horn.
Material balance calculation to reduce the uncertainty range in OOWC for the Horn area was carried out. A systematic evaluation of impact of uncertain parameters like aquifer pore volume and aquifer transmissibility for the Main and Horn areas along with fault transmissibility on history-match quality was deployed.