On the systemic entropy of low-order systems

Reliability engineering is a well-defined field and systemic analysis is not new. Typically, the first raw-moment (MTTF) is all that is sought in applications of this method and a rule-of-thumb method achieves this algebraically without the need for calculus by assuming exponential distributions. However, there is no standard labelling or naming of the different block diagrams used, nor is there a standard list of solutions for low-order networks. In this paper different moments are compared, and the vector algebra approach is emphasised. A small amount of fine structure is evident in the moments, but broadly they are found to be equivalent for bulk system analysis. Analogy is made to statistical physics and a set of characteristic values is developed

An investigation into sub-critical choke flow performance in high rate gas condensate wells

There are some correlations in the literature to predict the gas and liquid flow rate through wellhead chokes under subcritical flow condition. Majority of these empirical correlations are developed based on limited production data sets that were collected from a small number of fields. Therefore these correlations are valid within the parameters’ variation ranges of those fields. If such correlations are used elsewhere for the prediction of the subcritical choke flow performance of the other fields, this will lead to significant errors. Additionally, there are only a few empirical correlations for sub-critical choke flow performance in high rate gas condensate wells. These led the authors toward developing a new empirical correlation based on a wider production data set from different gas condensate fields in the world. 234 production data points were collected from a large number of production wells in twenty different gas condensate fields with diverse reservoir conditions and different production history. Non-linear regression analysis method is applied to the production. The new correlation is validated with a new set of data points from some other production wells to confirm the accuracy of the established correlation. The results show that the new correlation had minimal errors and predicted the gas flow rate more accurately compared to the other three existing models over a wider range of the parameters’ variation ranges

An Investigation into the Enhancement of Condensate Recovery from Retrograde Gas Condensate Reservoirs

The loss in condensate recovery from gas condensate reservoirs due to condensate dropout when the flowing bottom hole pressure drops below the dew point pressure of the in-situ reservoir fluid is significant. Pressure maintenance and gas cycling are the standard practices used to alleviate this problem and enhance the condensate and gas recoveries. In this study, swelling and constant volume depletion tests are conducted on the original fluid sample from a gas condensate reservoir. Various scenarios regarding gas injection recycling are examined to determine the most appropriate gas for injection which enhances gas and condensate recovery. In this study, injection of three gases (CO2, N2 and separator gas) with different injection volumes on the current field fluid were tested using simulation. Based on the results of this study, CO2 was the most efficient gas followed by separator gas and N2 respectively to inject into the gas condensate reservoirs for decreasing the condensate dropout and enhancing its recovery. This result is significant as CO2 injection in gas condensate reservoirs could be used to sequestrate the produced CO2 from power plants and other sources while enhancing the production from gas condensate reservoirs

LoCuSS: The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect and Weak Lensing Mass Scaling Relation

We present the first weak-lensing-based scaling relation between galaxy cluster mass, M_wl, and integrated Compton parameter Y_sph. Observations of 18 galaxy clusters at z~0.2 were obtained with the Subaru 8.2-m telescope and the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array. The M_wl-Y_sph scaling relations, measured at Delta=500, 1000, and 2500 rho_c, are consistent in slope and normalization with previous results derived under the assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium (HSE). We find an intrinsic scatter in M_wl at fixed Y_sph of 20%, larger than both previous measurements of M_HSE-Y_sph scatter as well as the scatter in true mass at fixed Y_sph found in simulations. Moreover, the scatter in our lensing-based scaling relations is morphology dependent, with 30-40% larger M_wl for undisturbed compared to disturbed clusters at the same Y_sph at r_500. Further examination suggests that the segregation may be explained by the inability of our spherical lens models to faithfully describe the three-dimensional structure of the clusters, in particular, the structure along the line-of-sight. We find that the ellipticity of the brightest cluster galaxy, a proxy for halo orientation, correlates well with the offset in mass from the mean scaling relation, which supports this picture. This provides empirical evidence that line-of-sight projection effects are an important systematic uncertainty in lensing-based scaling relations.Comment: Accepted versio

On Application of the Empirical Bayes Shrinkage in Epidemiological Settings

This paper aims to provide direct and indirect evidence on setting up rules for applications of the empirical Bayes shrinkage (EBS), and offers cautionary remarks concerning its applicability. In epidemiology, there is still a lack of relevant criteria in the application of EBS. The bias of the shrinkage estimator is investigated in terms of the sums of errors, squared errors and absolute errors, for both total and individual groups. The study reveals that assessing the underlying exchangeability assumption is important for appropriate use of EBS. The performance of EBS is indicated by a ratio statistic f of the between-group and within-group mean variances. If there are significant differences between the sample means, EBS is likely to produce erratic and even misleading information

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Pan-Cancer Analysis of lncRNA Regulation Supports Their Targeting of Cancer Genes in Each Tumor Context

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly dys-regulated in tumors, but only a handful are known toplay pathophysiological roles in cancer. We inferredlncRNAs that dysregulate cancer pathways, onco-genes, and tumor suppressors (cancer genes) bymodeling their effects on the activity of transcriptionfactors, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs in5,185 TCGA tumors and 1,019 ENCODE assays.Our predictions included hundreds of candidateonco- and tumor-suppressor lncRNAs (cancerlncRNAs) whose somatic alterations account for thedysregulation of dozens of cancer genes and path-ways in each of 14 tumor contexts. To demonstrateproof of concept, we showed that perturbations tar-geting OIP5-AS1 (an inferred tumor suppressor) andTUG1 and WT1-AS (inferred onco-lncRNAs) dysre-gulated cancer genes and altered proliferation ofbreast and gynecologic cancer cells. Our analysis in-dicates that, although most lncRNAs are dysregu-lated in a tumor-specific manner, some, includingOIP5-AS1, TUG1, NEAT1, MEG3, and TSIX, synergis-tically dysregulate cancer pathways in multiple tumorcontexts

Pan-cancer Alterations of the MYC Oncogene and Its Proximal Network across the Cancer Genome Atlas

Although theMYConcogene has been implicated incancer, a systematic assessment of alterations ofMYC, related transcription factors, and co-regulatoryproteins, forming the proximal MYC network (PMN),across human cancers is lacking. Using computa-tional approaches, we define genomic and proteo-mic features associated with MYC and the PMNacross the 33 cancers of The Cancer Genome Atlas.Pan-cancer, 28% of all samples had at least one ofthe MYC paralogs amplified. In contrast, the MYCantagonists MGA and MNT were the most frequentlymutated or deleted members, proposing a roleas tumor suppressors.MYCalterations were mutu-ally exclusive withPIK3CA,PTEN,APC,orBRAFalterations, suggesting that MYC is a distinct onco-genic driver. Expression analysis revealed MYC-associated pathways in tumor subtypes, such asimmune response and growth factor signaling; chro-matin, translation, and DNA replication/repair wereconserved pan-cancer. This analysis reveals insightsinto MYC biology and is a reference for biomarkersand therapeutics for cancers with alterations ofMYC or the PMN

Genomic, Pathway Network, and Immunologic Features Distinguishing Squamous Carcinomas

This integrated, multiplatform PanCancer Atlas study co-mapped and identified distinguishing molecular features of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from five sites associated with smokin