High Frequency Pressure Monitoring of the Re-Fracturing or Continuous Pumping Operations: Case Studies

The opportunity to refracture low-producing horizontal wells, which have been fractured few months before is getting more and more popular in the last few years. It provides the opportunity of restoring production without drilling new wells, which might be economically feasible especially in the oil and gas low price environment. However, the success rate of refracturing operations is usually low, mainly driven by the inability to properly stimulate the entire horizontal section. Consequently, many operators do not widely deploy this efficient technology. In contrast, completing a newly drilled well with plug and perf technology allows to individually treat from forty to sixty or even more individual compartments in the lateral section while refracturing attempts to retreat the entire lateral in the absence of any isolating device while trying to cover the entire lateral. There are at least two key factors affecting this operation. First is diversion technology: without efficient chemical diverters, which allow to temporarily block recently treated intervals and divert the stimulation fluid to different open sections of the well is extremely challenging. These diverters should normally be able to hold pressure differentials up to thousand psi or more. Attempting a treatment without this technology, aka a "blind frac" is not an option in many cases. The second factor is monitoring technology: The ability to recognize whether a zone has been successfully stimulated, to decide on the deployment of diverting technology or the further addition of stimulation fluid, to sponsor lateral coverage with minimal risk of premature screen out becomes of utmost importance for the successful outcome of hydraulic refracturing operations. In the absence of either of the aforementioned factors hydraulic refracturing may become inefficient and yield uneconomic success. This paper presents how the application of novel diverters, combined with proper hydraulic fracturing fluid selection, sound engineering design and more importantly hydraulic fracturing monitoring provide a new opportunity for the deployment of hydraulic refracturing to provide significant production increase and enhance recovery factor.

Investigating the Effects of Aqueous and Alcoholic Extracts of Allium Hirtifolium and Allium Jesdianum on Keratinase Activity of Trichophyton Mentagrophytes

Background: Trichophyton spp., as pathogenic species to humans and animals, cause different forms of dermatophytosis through the production of particular enzymes, playing an essential role in tissue invasion. Among these, herein, keratinase was investigated, for the specific case of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, as a target of the effects of Allium hirtifolium and Allium jesdianum extracts, thus pharmacological potential of these plants was studied against keratinase activity. Methodology: Sampling was carried out on 20 bald patients from medical diagnostic laboratories and mycology centers, with suspected dermatophytosis of scalp. For confirming the presence of Trichophyton mentagrophytes in the specimens, different laboratory procedures were applied. Trichophyton mentagrophytes isolates were cultured on a screening medium containing keratin to verify production of the keratinase enzyme. The best enzyme-producing isolate was selected by measuring diameter of transparent halo around colony to be used in subsequent stages. Afterwards, the optimized conditions maximizing enzyme production and activity were determined. Finally, the inhibitory effect of different dilutions of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Allium jesdianum and Allium hirtifolium on extracellular keratinase activity was studied. Results : Sixteen out of 20 fungal isolates were identified as the Trichophyton mentagrophytes. The most desirable reduction on keratinase activity was reported for dilution values of 50 and 100 mg/ml of both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A.jesdianum, though much more significant decrease belonged to the latter, and for dilution values of 25 and 100 mg/ ml of both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A.hirtifolium. Conclusion : Concerning our results, it is suggested that paying special attention to these natural compounds for the treatment of dermatophytosis could be remarkably effective, considering significant production of keratinase observed in T. mentagrophytes, and they are beneficial, as they have no side effects and offer an alternative to currently available medications, which are under the restriction of drug resistance.

Production and Trade Impacts of CAP Post 2022 Reform on Main Croatian Crop and Livestock Markets—Partial Equilibrium Modelling Approach

The Latest Common Agricultural Policy reform intends to expand and strengthen environmental and social support and to liberalise the delivery model carried out through strategic planning. This paper aims to assess the potential impacts of the new CAP reform on the main agricultural markets in Croatia. The impact assessment is analysed using the AGMEMOD model where, in addition to the baseline scenario, three scenarios of potential changes are developed and compared to the baseline. Changes in market patterns (production, yield and net trade) at the end of the simulated period are compared with the baseline scenario results by 2030. The reduction in support levels to production, abolishment of voluntary coupled supports and introduction of additional environmental constraints have a significant impact on the main Croatian agricultural markets. Crop markets prov to be less dependent on subsidies, so that market pattern changes will not mean the loss of Croatia’s net export status for soft wheat, maize and soy beans, while barley no longer holds this status. Livestock sectors, especially beef and dairy, in addition to demonstrating a distinct lack of competitiveness even before the Croatian accession to the EU, additionally suffer significant production volume losses along with an increase in imports. Although significant, changes to the Croatian agricultural market are not dramatic enough to cause a complete production breakdown by 2030.

In vitro assessment of histamine and lactate production by a multi-strain synbiotic

Recent studies suggest histamine and d-lactate may negatively impact host health. As excess histamine is deleterious to the host, the identification of bacterial producers has contributed to concerns over the consumption of probiotics or live microorganisms in fermented food items. Some probiotic products have been suspected of inducing d-lactic-acidosis; an illness associated with neurocognitive symptoms such as ataxia. The goals of the present study were to test the in vitro production of histamine and d-lactate by a 24-strain daily synbiotic and to outline methods that others can use to test for their production. Using enzymatic based assays, no significant production of histamine was observed compared to controls (P > 0.05), while d-lactate production was comparable to a commercially available probiotic with no associated health risk. These assays provide a means to add to the safety profile of synbiotic and probiotic products.

Ovarian Cancer-Driven Mesothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition is Triggered by the Endothelin-1/β-arr1 Axis

Transcoelomic spread of serous ovarian cancer (SOC) results from the cooperative interactions between cancer and host components. Tumor-derived factors might allow the conversion of mesothelial cells (MCs) into tumor-associated MCs, providing a favorable environment for SOC cell dissemination. However, factors and molecular mechanisms involved in this process are largely unexplored. Here we investigated the tumor-related endothelin-1 (ET-1) as an inducer of changes in MCs supporting SOC progression. Here, we report a significant production of ET-1 from MCs associated with the expression of its cognate receptors, ETA and ETB, along with the protein β-arrestin1. ET-1 triggers MC proliferation via β-arrestin1-dependent MAPK and NF-kB pathways and increases the release of cancer-related factors. The ETA/ETB receptor activation supports the genetic reprogramming of mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT), with upregulation of mesenchymal markers, as fibronectin, α-SMA, N-cadherin and vimentin, NF-kB-dependent Snail transcriptional activity and downregulation of E-cadherin and ZO-1, allowing to enhanced MC migration and invasion, and SOC transmesothelial migration. These effects are impaired by either blockade of ETAR and ETBR or by β-arrestin1 silencing. Notably, in peritoneal metastases both ETAR and ETBR are co-expressed with MMT markers compared to normal control peritoneum. Collectively, our report shows that the ET-1 axis may contribute to the early stage of SOC progression by modulating MC pro-metastatic behaviour via MMT.

“The Way We Build”: Craft, Innovation, and Sustainability in Japanese House-Carpentry

This article expands and complicates the literature on “craft” by examining the seeming anomaly of a craft community dominating a significant production sector within an advanced industrial economy, and despite the existence of cheaper high-tech and labor-saving alternatives. Japanese house-carpenters, organized into very small firms with very local markets, and producing “traditional” house-frames in small batches, have long held prefabrication and other alternatives at bay through a process of conservative innovation. The primary goal of their innovative process has been the protection and continuance of house-carpentry as a relevant and marketable skill, and of its practitioners as a self-sustaining community. This craft is not an exemplar of sustainability in other ways, however, despite its association with the traditional and organic. Its house-products have unnaturally short lives given Japanese methods of accounting for property value, and its raw material, foreign-sourced old-growth forests, are increasingly subject to global conservation efforts.

Construction of Genomic Library and Screening of Edwardsiella tarda Immunogenic Proteins for Their Protective Efficacy Against Edwardsiellosis

Edwardsiella tarda is a severe aquaculture pathogen that can infect many hosts including humans, animals, and fish. Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial for the control of edwardsiellosis in the aqua industry. By using rabbit polyclonal antibody, an expression gene library of virulent Edwardsiella tarda strain ED-BDU 1 isolated in south India was constructed and screened. The identified immune expressive proteins were characterized, and the corresponding coding sequences were cloned, expressed, and the purified recombinant proteins were used as antigens. The identified immunoreactive proteins namely HflC, HflK, and YhcI were studied for their immune protective potential in vivo by challenge experiments. The protective efficacy of HflC, HflK, and YhcI showed that the clearance of Edwardsiella from the host with ~ 60% survivability. Further, the immunoreactive proteins induce a strong immune response upon infection and elicit the significant production of IL-10, IFN-γ, Th1, and Th2 mediated mRNA expression and were therefore effective in vaccine production for edwardsiellosis.

BREEDING OF COCOA TREES (THEOBROMA CACAO L.) RESISTANTTO PHYTOPHTHORA MEGAKARYA, AGENT OF BLACK POD DISEASE IN COTE DIVOIRE

Backgrownd : Black pod disease is the cause of significant production losses of cocoa trees. This work aims to select tolerant and resistant genotypes to Phytoththoramegakarya within the main collection of cocoa trees of the National Center for Agronomic Research. Methods : The artificial inoculation test on leaf discs, was used in this study to assess the susceptibility of 52 clones of high-producing cocoa trees resistant in the field to black podcausing by P. megakarya. Results : Three groups of susceptibility to P. megakarya were demonstrated according to the reference controls. The first group is composed of two clones (IFC 1035 and CC 39) qualified as susceptible to black pod. These genotypes have respective sensitivity scores (NS) of 3 and 3.06 which are lower than those of the sensitive control NA32 (NS = 3.31). The second group is composed of 43 clones qualified as moderately resistant with sensitivity scores higher than 2.59 (PA150, moderately resistant control) and lower than 3.31 (NA32). The third group is composed of four clones qualified on the one hand as resistant (IFC 1041 and IFC 1027) with sensitivity scores higher than 1.73 (SCA6) and lower than 2.59 (PA 150) and on the other of very resistant to P. megakarya (NS> 1.73), with sensitivity scores greater than 1.73 Conclusion : These genotypes resistant to P. megakarya thus selected could constitute parents to be included in a variety improvement program with a view to the selection of plant material resistant to black pod disease.

Statistical Analysis: Marine Capture Production of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala

In this study, basic statistical tools viz., measure of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, correlation and ANOVA tests were applied to analyze the marine capture production data of different groups like Pelagic, Demersal, Crustaceans and Molluscs collected from Marine Products Exports Development Authority, Cochin for the period from 1985 to 2011 pertaining to three costal states of India such as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Each group of fish was considered as a treatment for the chosen time series period. Descriptive statistics revealed the elevation of production levels of different groups for states studied. Molluscs production from Andhra Pradesh did not vary much between the years having low standard deviation (918.46) while pelagic fish production varied highly in Kerala having standard deviation (86818.71). In the case of crustaceans, West Bengal had high coefficient of variance (100) and Kerala had low coefficient of variance (19.50) for demersal group. Various kinds of skewed distribution could be observed between groups in all three states. Marine fish productions of different groups from the states of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh had good correlation except with Kerala where even negative production was observed especially in crustacean production. ANOVA also endorsed that significant production level among various fish groups could be observed in all the states. Similarly, the fish production of every group obtained from the states of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh differed significantly with Kerala despite no difference in various fish production between the states of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh could be found.

Development of automated balance flow-sheets in refinery commodity and feedstock depots

Objective. Development of automated balance flow-sheets in commodity and feedstock depots. Methods. Methods for modelling balance flow-sheets of commodity and feedstock depots, taking into account petroleum products movement and shipping plans, were applied. Results. Examples of automated balance flow-sheets of commodity and feedstock depots specific to refineries are given with the description of technological processes or oil product shipment processes. Rail, road, water, and pipelines shipment automation processes are shown. Operational and daily summaries of balance objects, such as a tank or a group of tanks (commodity group), are graphically shown. An example of an automated dispatch sheet formed on the basis of corresponding automated balance flow-sheets is given. Conclusion. The implementation of automated flow-sheets for all significant production facilities at a refinery, in particular for commodity and feedstock depots, will ensure the visibility and transparency of information on balance objects, which is subsequently used to close a balance sheet for the enterprise as a whole.