bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Technology Focus: Gas Production (August 2023)
Authors: Veeken Cornelius (Kees) 
Published: August 2023

The demand for natural gas remains unabated and with it the need to further develop and disseminate gas-production-related expertise. A few of the common themes that emerge from recent SPE publications are elaborated upon here.
The recovery of condensate from gas condensate depletion drive reservoirs is much lower than the recovery of gas from the same reservoirs because of condensate dropping out below dewpoint pressure. Besides pressure maintenance, no field-proven methods are yet available to mobilize this trapped condensate. Most papers present model or laboratory results without mentioning field data. The same applies to inflow impairment because of condensate dropout; many modeling studies lack validation against field data. Case in point: Pressure/volume/temperature testing generally does not venture below 500–1,000 psi pressure while many reservoirs reach (near-wellbore) pressures well below that range.
Reducing emissions of natural gas or CO2 has become a key deliverable of most projects. Some papers present dedicated technology, while many others emphasize emission reduction as an important side benefit.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is permeating the exploration and production business, as it does society at large, and features in many recent papers. So far, most applications use advanced data analysis to achieve higher derived data accuracy. This appears to be very successful as long as the evaluated data is within the domain of the training data. It is not always clear how well the AI models perform outside of their training domain. A relevant question is whether complex AI techniques applicable within a restricted domain can or should be used to replace simple, well-established engineering relations. Time will tell how deep and wide AI will affect day-to-day gas production applications.
Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.
SPE 210136 The Reversible Relationship Between Choke Management and Liquid Yield Trends in Shale Reservoirs by Yalda Barzin, Repsol, et al.
SPE 210099 Innovative, Cost-Effective, and Zero-Flaring Solution to Clean Up and Start Up New Wells in a High-H2S Field in Kazakhstan— The Vital Step Forward Toward Net-Zero Carbon Footprint by Timur Tankiyev, Karachaganak Petroleum Operating, et al.
SPE 209745 A Data-Driven Approach To Predict the Critical Gas Flow Rate in Gas Wells by Ehsan Rahmati, Ambyint, et al.
Water Shutoff With a Thixotropic Treatment in Offshore Well Increases Gas Production
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: August 2023

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This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 209889, “A Successful Water Shutoff Using a Thixotropic Treatment in a Subhydrostatic and Highly Aromatic Well Results in Increased Gas Production of 30% and Reduced Water Production of 63% in Vietnam,” by Tuanangkoon Daohmareeyor, Tran Thang Nguyen, and Reawat Wattanasuwankorn, Halliburton, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

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An offshore operator in Vietnam faced high water production in a subhydrostatic and highly aromatic gas well. In addition to low productivity, the high water cut also strained the water-treatment facility. Previous treatment attempts to shut off the high-water-producing zones have been unsuccessful because of challenging well conditions. A customized solution using a thixotropic organically crosslinked polymer (TOCP) with extensive laboratory testing was found to be the most suitable treatment design for this well. The new placement technique provided prevention of losses to the depleted zones. The thixotropic treatment provided higher viscosity when pumping stopped, allowing the polymer to seal off at the target zone.

Introduction
Excessive water production in mature wells is a major challenge for oil and gas operators worldwide, causing numerous economic issues for hydrocarbon production. In this case, the operator faced concerns with handling the water at the production facility, which had almost reached its capacity limit and would soon result in well abandonment. Furthermore, the well discussed in the complete paper was one of the highest-producing gas wells on the platform. The trend of gas production in this well was decreasing year over year, however, and the previous chemical water-shutoff treatment was not successful because of reasons that included the following:
- The highly depleted formation created difficulties for well-intervention activities and treatment placement.
- A complex well-completion setup was not ideal for well intervention, especially for mechanical isolation applications.
- High aromatic content from the reservoir created incompatibility with mechanical isolation packer elements, risking operational failure.
To achieve a shutoff objective, prejob considerations should include proper candidate selection, root-cause investigation, placement selection, tailored treatment design, and risk-mitigation planning, all of which are important factors of a successful operation. The complete paper presents the design and operational execution to serve as a guideline for future wells with similar issues. The operation’s objective was to shut off the top interval (Interval A) of five intervals in the well to reduce water production and increase gas production.
Exploring Shear Strength of Concrete: A Novel Z-Test for Direct Shear Testing of Plain and Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Sahlab Ziad Nabil , Volpatti Giovanni , Diaz Jorge Camilo , Zampini Davide 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
With the advent of new concrete materials and advances in structural design, the shear strength of concrete has become increasingly significant. However, the lack of a standardized shear characterization process impedes full utilization of the inherent shear strength of these novel concrete mixes. This paper aims to address this by introducing a novel direct shear test for plain concrete (PC) and fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) that uses standardized samples and loading method. The shear behavior of PC and FRC samples was thoroughly captured using the test. Furthermore, the study observed the effect of fibers on the shear strength and found it to be primarily dependent on the fiber dosage, with samples with higher dosages exhibiting greater shear strength. Additionally, residual strength was found to depend on both the fiber dosage and type, with longer fibers exhibiting slightly better performance and higher ductility. The paper also introduces a validated numerical model to describe the pre-peak behavior of the samples. The combination of experimental and model results provides a quantitative tool to describe the shear behavior of concrete samples and investigate the effect of different parameters on shear strength. In general, this study contributes to the advancement of shear strength characterization in concrete and provides valuable information on the behavior of plain and fiber-reinforced concrete under shear loading, potentially facilitating the direct use of concrete shear strength in the design and construction of new concrete structures.
Short-term recurrence rate of male urethral stricture and its predictors after treatment with optical internal urethrotomy: Prospective Cohort Study at a tertiary center in Ethiopia
Authors: Issack Feysel Hassen , Tefera Alemayehu Tegegne , Teshome Henok , Hassen Seid Mohammed , Gebreselassie Kaleab Habtemichael , Mummed Ferid Ousman 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background:Even though, one of the managements options of urethral stricture, popular among the urologists in view of its simplicity, safety and shorter learning curve is optical internal urethrotomy , urethroplasty should be offered as the gold standard treatment option for urethral stricture. The main aim of our study is to determine the one-year recurrence rate of urethral stricture after treatment with optical urethrotomy and identify predicting factors of urethral stricture recurrence at a tertiary centre in Ethiopia.
Materials and Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted on 80 male patients who underwent optical urethrotomy from November 2019 to August 2020 G.C. in a tertiary center in Ethiopia. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between dependent and independent variables. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean and median age (± standard deviation) of patients at the time of the procedure were 54.76 (± 14.74) and 58 years with a range [20-78], respectively. Urethral discharge was the most common etiology identified in 39 (48.75%) of patients. Eleven (13.75%) patients had no identifiable etiology for their urethral stricture disease.
Majority of patients presented with at least one voiding lower urinary tract symptoms .
Sixty-eight (85%) patients out of the total had single stricture and 12 (15%) had multiple strictures. The location of stricture was in the bulbar urethra on cysto-urethrography in 83% of the patients. The one-year recurrence rate of urethral stricture after optical urethrotomy was 35% in our study.
Number of strictures and presence of hypertension were independent predictors of recurrence of urethral stricture within one year after treatment with optical urethrotomy [AOR=15.35(2.92-80.61) at 95% CI; P=0.00] and [AOR=19.47(2.11-178.98) at 95% CI; P=0.01], respectively.
Conclusions
Our study identified that multiple strictures, and presence of hypertension are associated with increased recurrence rate in the first post-operative year.
Clinical course of COPD patients with exercise-induced elevation of pulmonary artery pressure or less severe pulmonary hypertension presenting with respiratory symptoms and the impact of bosentan intervention— prospective, single-center, randomized, parallel-group study
Authors: Kashiwada Takeru , Tanaka Yosuke , Tanaka Toru , Okano Tetsuya , Saito Yoshinobu , Seike Masahiro , Hino Mitsunori , Kimura Hiroshi , Gemma Akihiko 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background: The data on bosentan were lacking for the treatment of exercise-induced elevation of pulmonary artery pressure (eePAP) or less severe PH in COPD. This study was conducted to investigate long-term efficacy and safety of bosentan for the treatment of eePAP or less severe PH in COPD.
Methods: COPD patients diagnosed at this hospital as having COPD (WHO functional class II, III or IV) with eePAP or less severe PH whose respiratory symptoms were stable but remained and gradually progressed even after COPD therapy were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either bosentan or no PH treatment for two years and assessed at baseline and every 6 months for respiratory failure, activities of daily living (ADL), lung and heart functions by right cardiac catheterization, and other parameters.
Results: A total of 29 patients who underwent RHT for detail examination were enrolled in the current study between August 2010 and October 2018.No death occurred in drug-treated group (n = 14) for 2 years; 5 patients died in untreated group (n = 15). Significant differences were noted between the 2 group in hospital-free survival (686.00 ± 55.87 days vs. 499.94 ± 53.27 days; hazard ratio [HR], 0.22; P = 0.074) and overall survival (727 days vs. 516.36 ± 55.38 days; HR, 0.11; P = 0.048) in all causes of death analysis, but not in overall survival in analysis of respiratory-related death. Bosentan was not associated with increased adverse events including requiring O2 inhalation.
Conclusions: This study suggested that the prognosis for COPD patients with eePAP or less severe PH presenting with respiratory symptoms was very poor and that bosentan tended to improve their prognosis and suppress ADL deterioration without worsening respiratory failure.
Trial registration: This study was registered with UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial as UMIN000004749.
(https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000005654).
First trial registration at 18/12/2010
Disentangling effects of anthropogenic disturbance and community structure on multi-pathogen dynamics in tropical cave-dwelling bat communities
Authors: Vicente-Santos Amanda , Ledezma-Campos Paula , Rodríguez-Herrera Bernal , Corrales-Aguilar Eugenia , Czirják Gábor , Civitello David , Gillespie Thomas 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Cave-dwelling bats' persistence in degraded habitats provides a unique opportunity to examine the dual effects of community structure versus habitat degradation on disease prevalence. To evaluate how disturbance and cave complexity influenced bat community composition and the prevalence of multiple pathogens in bat communities, we conducted surveys of 15 caves in Costa Rica along an anthropogenic disturbance gradient. Collecting samples from 1,238 individuals, representing 17 species from four families, we determined the prevalence of four common and divergent pathogens: Bartonella (19.7%), Leptospira(22.7%), Trypanosoma (32.0%), and microfilaria (6.6%). Cave complexity, but not disturbance, predicted bat community composition—however, degraded habitats sustained smaller populations. For bat richness, we found a negative association with Bartonella prevalence, but a positive association with Trypanosoma and microfilaria and no association with Leptospira. Using a multi-host, multi-pathogen system, our work provides insight into the complex patterns of pathogen dynamics and bat community ecology in changing environments.
The development of a set of key points to aid clinicians and researchers in designing and conducting n-of-1 trials
Authors: Chatters Robin , Hawksworth Liv , Julious Steven , Cook Andrew 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Introduction:
n-of-1 trials are undertaken to optimise the evaluation of health technologies in individual patients. They involve a single patient receiving treatments, both interventional and control, consecutively over set periods of time, the order of which is decided at random. Although n-of-1 trials are undertaken in medical research it could be argued they have the utility to be undertaken more frequently. We undertook the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissioned DIAMOND (Development of generalisable methodology for n-of-1 trials delivery for very low volume treatments) project to develop key points to assist clinicians and researchers in designing and conducting n-of-1 trials.
Methods
The key points were developed by undertaking a stakeholder workshop, followed by a discussion within the study team and then a stakeholder dissemination and feedback event. The stakeholder workshop sought to gain the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders (including clinicians, researchers and patient representatives) on the design and use of n-of-1 trials. A discussion between the study team was held to reflect on the workshop and draft the key points. Lastly, the stakeholders from the workshop were invited to a dissemination and feedback session where the proposed key points were presented and their feedback gained.
Results
A set of 22 key points were developed based on the insights from the workshop and subsequent discussions. They provide guidance on when an n-of-1 trial might be a viable or appropriate study design and discuss key decisions involved in the design of n-of-1 trials, including determining an appropriate number of treatment periods and cycles, the choice of comparator, recommended approaches to randomisation and blinding, the use of washout periods and approaches to analysis.
Conclusions
The key points developed in the project will support clinical researchers to understand key considerations when designing n-of-1 trials. It is hoped they will support the wider implementation of the study design.
Methylene Blue Removal Using Modified PGMA Powder as a Low-Cost Sorbent in Batch Mode: Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies
Authors: Kara Gülnihal , Temel Farabi , Özaytekin İlkay 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Industrial textile wastewater contains large amounts of cationic dye material. Therefore, a new adsorbent was synthesized as modified poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (mPGMA) with a fluorine group-containing compound 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP). mPGMA was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR). The proposed adsorbent has been used to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions by the adsorption process. In further experiments, the removal efficiency of sorbent in both powder (˂600 µm) and granular form was compared from aqueous solutions by adsorption process. Furthermore, the effects of changing parameters such as adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, temperature, and initial dye concentration on methylene blue adsorption were investigated. Also, Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms have been used to describe the equilibrium characteristics of adsorption. Finally, the experimental data fitted well by Langmuir isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 17.5 mg g− 1. The experimental data were applied to pseudo-first and second-order models. The experimental results were better fitted for the pseudo-second-order model than the other model. Consequently, the experimental results showed that mPGMA is a suitable low-cost adsorbent with great potential benefit in removing methylene blue from aqueous solutions.
Alterations of the gut microbiota in patients with postherpetic neuralgia
Authors: Jiao Bo , Cao Xueqin , Zhang Caixia , Zhang Wencui , Yu Shangchen , Zhang Mi , Zhang Xianwei 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a prevalent, intricate, and intractable form of neuropathic pain. The available evidence indicates that alterations in the gut microbiota are significant environmental determinants in the development of chronic neuropathic pain. Nevertheless, the correlation between the gut microbiota and PHN remains elusive. A cross-sectional study was performed on a cohort of 27 patients diagnosed with PHN and 27 matched healthy controls. Fecal samples were collected and subjected to microbiota analysis using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Comparable levels of bacterial richness and diversity were observed in the gut microbiota of PHN patients and healthy controls. A significant difference was observed in 37 genera between the two groups. Furthermore, the LEfSe method revealed that the abundance levels of Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, Ligilactobacillus, and Clostridia_UCG-014_unclassified were elevated in PHN patients, while Eubacterium_hallii_group, Butyricicoccus, Tyzzerella, Dorea, Parasutterella, Romboutsia, Megamonas, and Agathobacter genera were reduced in comparison to healthy controls. Significantly, the discriminant model utilizing the predominant microbiota exhibited efficacy in distinguishing PHN patients from healthy controls, with an area under the curve value of 0.824. Moreover, Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated noteworthy correlations between various gut microbiota and clinical symptoms, including disease course, anxiety state, sleep quality, heat pain, pain intensity, and itching intensity. Gut microbiota dysbiosis exists in PHN patients, microbiome differences could be used to distinguish PHN patients from normal healthy individuals with high sensitivity and specificity, and altered gut microbiota are related to clinical manifestations, suggesting potentially novel prevention and therapeutic directions of PHN.
Dietary factors and the risk of urolithiasis: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Li Xing , Zhang Lei , Li Yanjun , Lu Tefei , Zhou Libin 
Published: August 2023

Abstract
Background
Observational studies have indicated that dietary factors are correlated with the risk of developing urolithiasis. However, the potential factors contributing to this association remain unclear. Therefore, we adopted the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis for assessing the causal relationship of dietary factors with the risk of developing urolithiasis.
Methods
A two-sample MR analysis (univariable MR and multivariable MR) was performed to study the association of several dietary factors (processed meat, beef, pork, poultry, lamb, non-oily fish, oily fish, tea, fresh fruit, dried fruit, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, cheese, cereal, as well as alcoholic drinks) with the risk of developing urolithiasis. The exposure data were acquired from the UK biobank and published genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and the obtained outcome data were from the FinnGen database. For the purpose of assessing the causal association, we adopted inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods.
Results
The MR analysis demonstrated that several genetically predicted dietary factors, including fresh fruit intake the odds ratio (OR) = 0.507; 95% confidence interval [CI] = < 0.258, 0.995>; p = 0.048), and tea intake (OR = 0.561; 95% CI = < 0.351, 0.898>; p = 0.016) decreased the risk of urolithiasis. Multivariable MR revealed fresh fruits and tea intake affected the risk of developing urolithiasis to varying degrees after adjusting the excretion of citrate, urate, calcium, and phosphate.
Conclusion
Our findings offer the first genetic evidence of the causality of genetically predicted fresh fruits and tea intake with the risk of developing urolithiasis. Our results suggest that tea and fresh fruit consumption can be used as preventive measures for urolithiasis.
Attitude of European Citizens towards Biodiversity Issues in Germany
Authors: Agyemang Richard , Dong Liang , Mahmoud Hatem , Wuni Ibrahim Yahaya , Akpor Rexford-Newton , Lamptey Eunice Naa Odarley 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

The study aimed to explore the attitudes of Europeans, with a specific focus on the German population, towards biodiversity issues. Data from the Eurobarometer database was used to gain insights into public perceptions regarding biodiversity-related concerns. The findings revealed that gender plays a significant role in shaping attitudes towards biodiversity among German citizens, underscoring the importance of considering gender as a crucial factor when addressing biodiversity concerns. This result suggests that men and women possess differing perspectives, values, and levels of engagement with biodiversity issues. Moreover, the study observed a more positive attitude towards biodiversity among younger individuals, indicating a generational shift towards heightened environmental awareness and concern. Additionally, highly educated individuals exhibited more favorable attitudes, likely due to their increased exposure to environmental education and awareness programs. Surprisingly, unemployed individuals expressed positive attitudes, possibly because of their increased leisure time and engagement with nature. Understanding these gender differences can aid in developing targeted strategies and interventions to foster positive attitudes and engagement in biodiversity conservation. However, the study acknowledges certain limitations and calls for future research to address these limitations and explore potential interactions between variables. This would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how various factors impact attitudes towards biodiversity.