Mining-Assisted Heavy Oil Production (MAHOP)

This research aims to investigate and compare the ultimate recovery from the largest oil reserve in Turkey (1.85 billion barrels) using a new method called mining-assisted heavy oil production (MAHOP) with conventional SAGD. Tunnels will be excavated from the surface to the reservoir. Fan-shaped up holes will then be drilled in the reservoir from the tunnels.Heavy oil production through these tunnels will be explored using SAGD method. Several numerical models have been designed using CMG’s STARS simulator. Since the fan wells are opened vertically and at certain intervals along the tunnel, both a tight vertical fracturing of these wells and a separate fracture network formed by micro fractures in the vicinity of the fan holes are formed.The validation of these hypotheses has been conducted in CMG which showed that MAHOP gave better results compared to conventional SAGD where two horizontal wells are used. MAHOP gave better recovery values with less steam oil ratios. With the results of the simulation study a laboratory model was designed. Experimental operational parameters using three different wettability cases were simulated to observe recovery by considering several possible physical effects such as steam distillation and in-situ upgrading. Saturation and pressure distributions were also obtained

The Topological Directional Entropy of Z^2-actions Generated by Linear Cellular Automata

In this paper we study the topological and metric directional entropy of $\mathbb{Z}^2$-actions by generated additive cellular automata (CA hereafter), defined by a local rule $f[l, r]$, $l, r\in \mathbb{Z}$, $l\leq r$, i.e. the maps $T_{f[l, r]}: \mathbb{Z}^\mathbb{Z}_{m} \to \mathbb{Z}^\mathbb{Z}_{m}$ which are given by $T_{f[l, r]}(x) =(y_n)_ {-\infty}^{\infty}$, $y_{n} = f(x_{n+l}, ..., x_{n+r}) = \sum_{i=l}^r\lambda_{i}x_{i+n}(mod m)$, $x=(x_n)_ {n=-\infty}^{\infty}\in \mathbb{Z}^\mathbb{Z}_{m}$, and $f: \mathbb{Z}_{m}^{r-l+1}\to \mathbb{Z}_{m}$, over the ring $\mathbb{Z}_m (m \geq 2)$, and the shift map acting on compact metric space $\mathbb{Z}^\mathbb{Z}_{m}$, where $m$ $(m \geq2)$ is a positive integer. Our main aim is to give an algorithm for computing the topological directional entropy of the $\mathbb{Z}^2$-actions generated by the additive CA and the shift map. Thus, we ask to give a closed formula for the topological directional entropy of $\mathbb{Z}^2$-action generated by the pair $(T_{f[l, r]}, \sigma)$ in the direction $\theta$ that can be efficiently and rightly computed by means of the coefficients of the local rule f as similar to [Theor. Comput. Sci. 290 (2003) 1629-1646]. We generalize the results obtained by Ak\i n [The topological entropy of invertible cellular automata, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 213 (2) (2008) 501-508] to the topological entropy of any invertible linear CA.Comment: 9 pages. submitte

The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention in the turkish banking sector: an analysis using structural equation modeling

Bu çalışma Türkiye’de özel bankalar tarafından sunulan hizmetlerin kalitesine yönelik müşteri beklentilerini ve algılarını değerlendirmeyi ve yapısal eşitlik modeli ile banka hizmet kalitesi, müşteri tatmini ve tekrar satın alma niyeti arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada veri SERVQUAL ölçeği kullanılarak dünyanın en değerli 100 banka markası arasında yer alan özel bir bankanın 500 müşterisinden yüz yüze anket yöntemi ile toplanmıştır. Analiz sonuçları müşterilerin hizmet kalitesi algılamalarının beklentilerinin altında kaldığını ve en büyük farkın yanıt verebilirlik en küçük farkın ise somutluk boyutunda olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, kaliteli hizmet sunumunun müşterinin hizmeti tekrar satın alma niyetini doğrudan etkilemediği, buna karşın, müşteri tatminini artırarak müşterinin tekrar satın alma niyetini dolaylı ve güçlü bir şekilde etkilediğini göstermektedir. Bu sonuç müşteri tatmininin tekrar satın alma niyetine aracılık ettiğini doğrulamaktadır.The aim of this paper is two-fold: firstly, to assess customers’ expectations and perceptions towards the quality of services provided by private banks in Turkey and, secondly, to investigate the relationships between service quality, satisfaction, and repurchase intention for bank customers through a structural equation model. Data were collected by face to face interviews with 500 customers of a private bank listed in world’s most valuable 100 banking brands using the SERVQUAL method. Results revealed that customers’ perceptions of service quality fell short of their expectations, with the responsiveness dimension having the largest gap and the tangibles dimension having the smallest gap. Moreover, although the service quality did not have a direct effect on customer repurchase intention, it did have an indirect influence on customer repurchase intention via customer satisfaction. Results confirmed the mediator effect of customer satisfaction

The algebraic entropy of one-dimensional finitary linear cellular automata

The aim of this paper is to present one-dimensional finitary linear cellular automata $S$ on $\mathbb Z_m$ from an algebraic point of view. Among various other results, we: (i) show that the Pontryagin dual $\widehat S$ of $S$ is a classical one-dimensional linear cellular automaton $T$ on $\mathbb Z_m$; (ii) give several equivalent conditions for $S$ to be invertible with inverse a finitary linear cellular automaton; (iii) compute the algebraic entropy of $S$, which coincides with the topological entropy of $T=\widehat S$ by the so-called Bridge Theorem. In order to better understand and describe the entropy we introduce the degree $\mathrm{deg}(S)$ and $\mathrm{deg}(T)$ of $S$ and $T$.Comment: 21 page

Moyamoya disease associated with antiphospholipid syndrome

Moyamoya (MMD) is a disease that often involves the vascular structures of anterior cerebral circulation, particularly the proximal segments of anterior and middle cerebral arteries. The etiology of the disease is unknown. MMD often presents with cerebral ischemia and rarely with cerebral hemorrhage. The pathology is termed Moyamoya syndrome (MMS) when the pathological cerebral angiography findings are accompanied by meningitis, neurofibromatosis, neoplasm, Down syndrome or polycystic kidney disease. Autoimmune diseases including Graves’ disease, Behcet’s disease and antiphospholipid syndrome might also lead to the development of MMS. In this manuscript, we presented an interesting case of MMD associated with antiphospholipid syndrome, which is quite a rare cause of acute cerebral infarction in childhoo

Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase Isoforms During Experimental Tooth Movement

Aim:Many systemic/local factors take part in the process of bone-remodeling. Nitric oxide (NO), an important intercellular signal modulator produced by osteoblasts, is a potent regulator of bone-remodeling. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different NO-isoforms on bone-remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement.Materials and Methods:66-male, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 11 groups to determine the effects of three different NO-synthase (NOS) inhibitors. All NOS-inhibitors (iNOS-inhibitor 1400W-dihydrochloride, eNOS-inhibitor L-NIO-dihydrochloride and nNOS-inhibitor Nu)-propyl-L-arginine) were administered in three different doses (10, 30 and 100μg/20μl); the remaining two groups served as control. Mandibular first molars were moved mesially with Ni-Ti closed coil-springs in all groups.Results:The results were evaluated histomorphometrically and parameters of trabecular bone volume (BV/TV), trabecular bone number (Tr.N) and trabecular separation (Tr.Sep) were analyzed at the interradicular bone area of the mandibular first molars. The outcomes of the WinTAS (Trabecular Analyze System, V. 1.2.9) revealed statistically significant alterations in BV/TV, Tr.N and Tr.Sep for the eNOS groups, especially for the 30\ig L-NIO dihydrochloride group.Conclusion:Data suggest that eNOS could be the primary NO-isoenzyme involved in bone-remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement, and optimum dose is in a certain range

Phase transitions for PP-adic Potts model on the Cayley tree of order three

In the present paper, we study a phase transition problem for the $q$-state $p$-adic Potts model over the Cayley tree of order three. We consider a more general notion of $p$-adic Gibbs measure which depends on parameter \rho\in\bq_p. Such a measure is called {\it generalized $p$-adic quasi Gibbs measure}. When $\rho$ equals to $p$-adic exponent, then it coincides with the $p$-adic Gibbs measure. When $\rho=p$, then it coincides with $p$-adic quasi Gibbs measure. Therefore, we investigate two regimes with respect to the value of $|\rho|_p$. Namely, in the first regime, one takes $\rho=\exp_p(J)$ for some J\in\bq_p, in the second one $|\rho|_p<1$. In each regime, we first find conditions for the existence of generalized $p$-adic quasi Gibbs measures. Furthermore, in the first regime, we establish the existence of the phase transition under some conditions. In the second regime, when $|\r|_p,|q|_p\leq p^{-2}$ we prove the existence of a quasi phase transition. It turns out that if $|\r|_p<|q-1|_p^2<1$ and \sqrt{-3}\in\bq_p, then one finds the existence of the strong phase transition.Comment: 27 page

Dijagnostička točnost sastojaka mlijeka kod dijagnostike gravidnosti u krava srednje i kasne laktacije

The aims of this study were to establish a cut-off point by evaluating the usability of the somatic cell count (SCC) and milk components (fat, fat-free dry matter (FFDM), protein, lactose, freezing point, electrical conductivity and pH) to observe the pregnancy status, and to determine the practical usage of these parameters as diagnostic biomarker of pregnancy status. In the present study, primiparous Holstein cows (n=133) were included in the mid and late lactation. Milk samples were collected in sterile tubes for SCC and milk components analysis. In each lactation period, SCC, milk yield and milk component parameters were analysed by Student\u27s t test according to pregnancy status. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the predictive threshold using SCC and milk component parameters to discriminate between pregnant and non-pregnant cows. SCC levels were similar for all cows in the mid and late-lactation. In the mid lactation, FFDM, protein, lactose and electrical conductivity were higher and milk yield, fat, freezing point and pH were lower in pregnant cows (p<0.05). In the late lactation, FFDM, protein, lactose and electrical conductivity were significantly higher and milk yield, fat and pH were significantly lower in pregnant cows (p<0.05). Furthermore, fat, FFDM, protein, lactose, freezing point, electrical conductivity, and pH were the best predictors for pregnancy diagnosis in mid-lactating cows with the AUC values of 0.840, 0.768, 0.780, 0.772, 0.693, 0.792, and 0.901 respectively. Furthermore, fat, FFDM, protein, lactose, electrical conductivity, and pH could be useful diagnostic tools for pregnancy determination in late lactating cows with the AUC values of 0.869, 0.684, 0.661, 0.689, 0.756, and 0.841 respectively. In conclusion, the milk components could be used as rapid, easily accessible, and inexpensive markers for the evaluation of the diagnosis of pregnancy status in primiparous Holstein cows.Ciljevi ove studije bili su utvrditi granične vrijednosti procjenom mogućnosti upotrebe broja somatskih stanica (SCC) i pojedinih fizikalno-kemijskih parametara mlijeka (udio masti, bezmasne suhe tvari (FFDM), proteina, laktoze, točke zamrzavanja, električne vodljivosti i pH) za promatranje statusa gravidnosti kao i u svrhu korištenja navedenih parametara kao bioloških markera u dijagnozi statusa gravidnosti. U ovu su studiju bile uključene prvotelke holstein pasmine (n=133) u srednjoj i kasnoj laktaciji. Uzorci mlijeka sakupljani su u sterilne epruvete za analizu SCC i fizikalno-kemijskih parametara. U svakom razdoblju laktacije, SCC, prinos mlijeka i fizikalno-kemijski parametri analizirani su Student t-testom u odnosu na status gravidnosti. Za određivanje prediktivnog praga korištene su krivulje odnosa specifičnosti i osjetljivosti klasifikatora (ROC), korištenjem SCC i fizikalno-kemijskih parametara mlijeka za razlikovanje gravidnih i negravidnih krava. Za sve krave u srednjoj i kasnoj laktaciji razine SCC bile su slične. Sredinom laktacije, FFDM, udjeli proteina i laktoze te električna vodljivost bili su viši, a prinos mlijeka, udio masti, točka ledišta i pH bili su niži u gravidnih krava (p<0,05). U kasnoj laktaciji, FFDM, udjeli proteina i laktoze te električna vodljivost bili su značajno viši, a prinos mlijeka, udio masti i pH bili su značajno niži u gravidnih krava (p<0,05). Udjeli masti, proteina i laktoze, FFDM, točka ledišta, električna vodljivost i pH bili su najbolji prediktori za dijagnozu gravidnosti kod krava u srednjoj laktaciji s vrijednostima površina ispod ROC krivulje (AUC) 0,840, 0,768, 0,780, 0,772, 0,693, 0,792 i 0,901. Udjeli masti, proteina i laktoze, FFDM, električna vodljivost i pH mogu biti korisni dijagnostički alati za određivanje gravidnosti kod krava u kasnoj laktaciji s AUC vrijednostima 0,869, 0,684, 0,661, 0,689, 0,756 i 0,841. Zaključno, komponente mlijeka mogu se koristiti kao brzi, lako dostupni i jeftini markeri za procjenu dijagnoze statusa gravidnosti kod prvotelki holstein krava

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10&nbsp;years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37&nbsp;years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P &lt; 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely