Acoustic and Kinematic Correlates of Heterosyllabicity in Different Phonological Contexts

We investigate the temporal and kinematic properties of consonant gemination and heterosyllabic clusters as opposed to singletons and tautosyllabic clusters in Italian. The data show that the singleton versus geminate contrast is conveyed by specific kinematic properties in addition to systematic durational differences in both the consonantal and vocalic intervals; by contrast, tautosyllabic and heterosyllabic clusters differ significantly for the duration of the consonantal interval but do not vary systematically with respect to the vocalic interval and cannot be consistently differentiated at the kinematic level. We conclude that systematic variations in acoustic vowel duration and the kinematics of tongue tip gestures represent the phonetic correlates of the segmental phonological contrast between short and long consonants, rather than of syllable structure. Data are only partly consistent with the predictions of both moraic and gesture-based models of the syllable about the effects of syllable structure on speech production dynamics and call for a more gradient view of syllabification.

Theobroma cacao L. cultivar CCN 51: a comprehensive review on origin, genetics, sensory properties, production dynamics, and physiological aspects

Many decades of improvement in cacao have aided to obtain cultivars with characteristics of tolerance to diseases, adaptability to different edaphoclimatic conditions, and higher yields. In Ecuador, as a result of several breeding programs, the clone CCN 51 was obtained, which gradually expanded through the cacao-production regions of Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Peru. Recognized for its high yield and adaptability to different regions and environments, it has become one of the most popular clones for breeding programs and cultivation around the world. This review aims to summarize the current evidence on the origin, genetics, morphological, volatile compounds, and organoleptic characteristics of this clone. Physiological evidence, production dynamics, and floral biology are also included to explain the high yield of CCN 51. Thus, characteristics such as osmotic adjustment, long pollen longevity, and fruit formation are further discussed and associated with high production at the end of the dry period. Finally, the impact of this popular clone on the current and future cacao industry will be discussed highlighting the major challenges for flavor enhancement and its relevance as a platform for the identification of novel genetic markers for cultivar improvement in breeding programs.

State of the crop industry of the Republic of Buryatia in the digital age

Agriculture, crop production, analysis, statistics The aim of the study is to assess the state of the crop industry of the Republic of Buryatia and determine the directions of its. The efficiency of use of land resources, production of the main types of crop production, dynamics of crop yields were analyzed; directions of crop production industry development are determined. When preparing the article, methods were applied: comparison, index, relative and average values, graphic, etc., the empirical base is presented by the publications of the Territorial body of the Federal State Statistics Service for the Republic of Buryatia in agriculture, in particular on the crop industry. The results of the study show that the current level of production of crop production does not correspond to the modern needs of the republic. The constraints to the development of the industry are the low level of agricultural culture, frequent droughts, poor technical re-equipment, a small proportion of reclaimed land in the structure of agricultural land and others. Currently, the priority areas in the crop production of Buryatia are the production of feed to meet the needs of the livestock industry and the cultivation of grain crops.

Injection-production optimization of fault-karst reservoir—considering high-speed non-Darcy effect

Fault-karst reservoirs are featured by complex geological characteristics, and accurate and fast simulation of such kind of reservoirs using traditional simulator and simulation methods is pretty hard. Herein, we tried to discrete the complex fault-karst structures into one-dimensional connected units connecting the well, fracture and cave based on reservoir static physical parameters and injection-production dynamics. Two characteristic parameters, conductivity and connected volume, are proposed to characterize the inter-well connectivity and material basis. Meanwhile, the high-speed non-Darcy seepage term is introduced into the material balance equations for well-fracture-cave connected units to describe the actual seepage characteristics within the fault-karst reservoirs, and to better simulate the oil/water production dynamics. Based on this method, a fracture reservoir model of 1 injection-3 production was established. The change of oil–water action law in different injection and extraction systems under two production regimes of fixed production rate and fixed pressure is analyzed. A case study was conducted on S fault zone, where the flow of oil and gas did not follow the Darcy seepage rule and with a β value of 103–104, the single well flow pressure and oil production were perfectly matched with the real data. In addition, connected units with more prominent high-speed non-Darcy features were found to have better connectivity, which might shed light on the more accurate prediction of inter-well connectivity. Moreover, an improved injection-production well pattern and was proposed based on connectivity prediction model and reservoir engineering method to solve the problems of insufficient natural energy supply and overhigh oil production rate in Block S. Furthermore, the injection/production rate as well as the timing and cycle of water injection was predicted and optimized so as to better guide to site operations.

Status Quo of a CO2-Assisted Steam-Flooding Pilot Test in China

It is challenging to enhance heavy oil recovery in the late stages of steam flooding. This challenge is due to reduced residual oil saturation, high steam-oil ratio, and lower profitability. A field test of the CO2-assisted steam flooding technique was carried out in the steam-flooded heavy oil reservoir in the J6 block of the Xinjiang oil field (China). In the field test, a positive response to the CO2-assisted steam flooding treatment was observed, including a gradually increasing heavy oil production, an increase in the formation pressure, and a decrease in the water cut. The production wells in the test area mainly exhibited four types of production dynamics, and some of the production wells exhibited production dynamics that were completely different from those during steam flooding. After being flooded via CO2-assisted steam flooding, these wells exhibited a gravity drainage pattern without steam channeling issues, and hence, they yielded stable oil production. In addition, emulsified oil and CO2 foam were produced from the production well, which agreed well with the results of laboratory-scale tests. The reservoir-simulation-based prediction for the test reservoir shows that the CO2-assisted steam flooding technique can reduce the steam-oil ratio from 12 m3 (CWE)/t to 6 m3 (CWE)/t and can yield a final recovery factor of 70%.

A Prediction Method for Flow-Stop Time in Deep-Water Volatile Oilfields: A Case Study of Akpo Oilfield in Niger Delta Basin

Due to the difference in oil and water density, the wellhead pressure continues to decrease with water-cut rising in deep-water volatile oilfields. Once it is close to the lower limit, the production well will stop flowing. This phenomenon seriously affects the production and recoverable reserves. By taking the dynamic relative permeability which can reflect the macroscopic movement of oil and water in the reservoir as an intermediate bridge, production performance has been combined with dominant reservoir factors, including reservoir structure, reservoir connectivity, and heterogeneity. By the statistical analysis of actual data, this paper clarified the quantitative relationships between dominant reservoir factors and production performance and established the refined prediction methods for production dynamics including water-cut and liquid production rate. A prediction method for the wellhead pressure was further established, and the flow-stop time of single well can be accurately predicted. The results can be used in annual production forecast and recoverable reserve evaluation. This method had been successfully applied in Akpo oilfields in the Niger Basin. The results show that the production dynamics are significantly affected by reservoir factors in deep-water turbidite sandstone reservoir and the prediction method considering reservoir factors will be much more applicable. In deep-water volatile oilfields, the flow-stop risk of the production well in middle and high water-cut stages is very great and is mainly affected by the water-cut and liquid production rate. Judging from the application effect of Akpo oilfields, this method has high prediction accuracy and can be used to guide optimization and adjustment in deep-water oilfields.

From Conventional to Precision Fertilization: A Case Study on the Transition for a Small-Medium Farm

At the CREA research facility of Treviglio (Bergamo, Italy), to provide farmers with valuable hints for the transition from conventional to precision agriculture, information on crop production dynamics (Maize and Triticale) has been obtained using real-time soil mapping (resistivity technique) and production quality and quantity monitoring with a commercial yield mapping apparatus. The geostatistical processing of data resulted in the same zoning for Triticale, meaning that the characteristics of soil influenced crop behavior more than the variability resulting from other factors, which suggests that improvements in product yields can be planned and achieved acting, for instance, on variable rate distribution of fertilizers. The importance of the acquired data can help farmers to manage factors that are external to their plots of land.