Increasing Recoverable Oil in Northern Afghanistan Kashkari Oil Field by Low-Salinity Water Flooding

In northern Afghanistan, the Kashkari oil field\u27s first production well was drilled in 1976, and by 1979, there were a total of ten wells drilled in the area. According to the results of surveys and calculations conducted by research institutions, the total amount of original oil in place (OOIP) in the Kashkari oil site was around 140 million barrels (MMbbls). Therefore, a method to increase the total amount of recoverable oil in the Kashkari oil field by low-salinity water flooding is presented in this study. First, the oil extraction method by low-salinity water injected into the underlying petroleum storage tank was examined by both a laboratory core flooding test and a numerical simulation model. Laboratory conditions (temperature, pressure, rock properties, and oil properties) were designed to mimic those of the Kashkari oil field. Additionally, different injection (Inj) and production patterns were considered to achieve the best results. Next, results obtained from the laboratory and computer simulations were compared. Then, the total amount of recoverable oil was calculated using the low-salinity water flooding method. Based on the findings, details of the simulated model were applied to the Kashkari reservoir model for extracting oil by injecting low-salinity water in the oil field. As a result, an amount of 10.3 MMbbls, which is about 7.5% of the field, was produced

Current status of clinical background of patients with atrial fibrillation in a community-based survey: The Fushimi AF Registry

AbstractBackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risks of stroke and death, and the prevalence of AF is increasing significantly. Until recently, warfarin was the only oral anticoagulant for stroke prevention, but novel anticoagulants are now under development.Methods and resultsThe Fushimi AF Registry is a community-based survey of AF patients. We aimed to enroll all of the AF patients in Fushimi-ku, which is located at the southern end of the city of Kyoto. Fushimi-ku is densely populated with a total population of 283,000, and is assumed to represent a typical urban community in Japan. On the basis of the general prevalence of AF in the Japanese (0.6%), we estimated the total number of AF patients as 1700. A total of 76 institutions, a large proportion of which were private clinics, participated in the study. At present, we have enrolled 3183 patients from March 2011 to June 2012 (approximately 1.12% of total population). The mean age was 74.2±11.0 years, and 59.3% of subjects were male. The mean body weight was 58.5±13.2kg, and the proportions with a body weight of less than 50kg and 60kg were 25.7% and 55.0%, respectively. The type of AF was paroxysmal in 46.0%, persistent in 7.3%, and permanent in 46.7%. Major co-existing diseases were hypertension (60.6%), heart failure (27.9%), diabetes (23.2%), stroke (19.4%), coronary artery disease (15.0%), myocardial infarction (6.4%), dyslipidemia (42.4%), and chronic kidney disease (26.4%). The mean CHADS2 score was 2.09±1.35: 0 in 11.8% of patients, 1 in 27.1%, and 2 in 29.1%. Warfarin was prescribed in only 48.5% of patients, whereas anti-platelet drugs, mainly aspirin, were prescribed for more than 30% of the patients.ConclusionsThe Fushimi AF Registry provides a unique snapshot of current AF management in an urban community in Japan

Serine 62 is a phosphorylation site in folliculin, the Birt–Hogg–Dubé gene product

AbstractRecently, it was reported that the product of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome gene (folliculin, FLCN) is directly phosphorylated by 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In this study, we identified serine 62 (Ser62) as a phosphorylation site in FLCN and generated an anti-phospho-Ser62-FLCN antibody. Our analysis suggests that Ser62 phosphorylation is indirectly up-regulated by AMPK and that another residue is directly phosphorylated by AMPK. By binding with FLCN-interacting proteins (FNIP1 and FNIP2/FNIPL), Ser62 phosphorylation is increased. A phospho-mimic mutation at Ser62 enhanced the formation of the FLCN–AMPK complex. These results suggest that function(s) of FLCN–AMPK–FNIP complex is regulated by Ser62 phosphorylation.Structured summaryMINT-7298145, MINT-7298166: Flcn (uniprotkb:Q76JQ2) physically interacts (MI:0915) with AMPK alpha 1 (uniprotkb:P54645) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)MINT-7298267: AMPK alpha 1 (uniprotkb:Q13131) phosphorylates (MI:0217) tsc2 (uniprotkb:P49816) by protein kinase assay (MI:0424)MINT-7298182: FNIP1 (uniprotkb:Q8TF40) physically interacts (MI:0915) with Flcn (uniprotkb:Q76JQ2) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)MINT-7298132: AMPK alpha 1 (uniprotkb:Q13131) phosphorylates (MI:0217) Flcn (uniprotkb:Q76JQ2) by protein kinase assay (MI:0424)MINT-7298229: FNIPL (uniprotkb:Q9P278) physically interacts (MI:0915) with Flcn (uniprotkb:Q76JQ2) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007

GABA Expression and Regulation by Sensory Experience in the Developing Visual System

The developing retinotectal system of the Xenopus laevis tadpole is a model of choice for studying visual experience-dependent circuit maturation in the intact animal. The neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been shown to play a critical role in the formation of sensory circuits in this preparation, however a comprehensive neuroanatomical study of GABAergic cell distribution in the developing tadpole has not been conducted. We report a detailed description of the spatial expression of GABA immunoreactivity in the Xenopus laevis tadpole brain at two key developmental stages: stage 40/42 around the onset of retinotectal innervation and stage 47 when the retinotectal circuit supports visually-guided behavior. During this period, GABAergic neurons within specific brain structures appeared to redistribute from clusters of neuronal somata to a sparser, more uniform distribution. Furthermore, we found that GABA levels were regulated by recent sensory experience. Both ELISA measurements of GABA concentration and quantitative analysis of GABA immunoreactivity in tissue sections from the optic tectum show that GABA increased in response to a 4 hr period of enhanced visual stimulation in stage 47 tadpoles. These observations reveal a remarkable degree of adaptability of GABAergic neurons in the developing brain, consistent with their key contributions to circuit development and function

Tinha Incognita

Contexto:A tinha incógnita é infecção fúngica cutânea causada por dermatófito e agravada por tratamento incorreto. Os principais medica-mentos envolvidos são os corticosteroides tópicos, sistêmicos e aplicação tópica de imunomodulador. Nessa enfermidade, as lesões perdemo formato anular ou circinado típico com atividade clínica periférica, manifestando-se clinicamente como máculaseritemato-descamativascom pústulas ou placas e nódulos eritematosos infiltrados, mimetizando diversas doenças cutâneas.Descrição do caso:Relatamos o casode paciente feminina, de sete anos de idade, caucasiana, com lesões eritemato-descamativas pustulosas e história clínica dedois meses.Foi tratada previamente com antibióticos (cefalexina via oral), corticosteroides tópico e injetável, com piora progressiva do quadro. Estabe-leceu-se o diagnóstico de tinha incógnita pelo exame clínico e micológico direto. Houve cura das lesões após tratamento com terbinafina viaoral, 125 mg/dia, e antimicótico tópico por oito semanas.Conclusões:A tinha incógnita, pela apresentação clínica atípica, requer atenção.Assim, o médico deve conhecê-la e pesquisar os fungos dermatófitos em lesões cutâneas faciais com distribuição atípica, recalcitrantes elocalizadas muitas vezes no couro cabeludo.Palavras-chave:Tinha do couro cabeludo, tinha, micoses, fungos, corticosteroide

Increasing Recoverable Oil in Northern Afghanistan Kashkari Oil Field by Low-Salinity Water Flooding

In northern Afghanistan, the Kashkari oil field’s first production well was drilled in 1976, and by 1979, there were a total of ten wells drilled in the area. According to the results of surveys and calculations conducted by research institutions, the total amount of original oil in place (OOIP) in the Kashkari oil site was around 140 million barrels (MMbbls). Therefore, a method to increase the total amount of recoverable oil in the Kashkari oil field by low-salinity water flooding is presented in this study. First, the oil extraction method by low-salinity water injected into the underlying petroleum storage tank was examined by both a laboratory core flooding test and a numerical simulation model. Laboratory conditions (temperature, pressure, rock properties, and oil properties) were designed to mimic those of the Kashkari oil field. Additionally, different injection (Inj) and production patterns were considered to achieve the best results. Next, results obtained from the laboratory and computer simulations were compared. Then, the total amount of recoverable oil was calculated using the low-salinity water flooding method. Based on the findings, details of the simulated model were applied to the Kashkari reservoir model for extracting oil by injecting low-salinity water in the oil field. As a result, an amount of 10.3 MMbbls, which is about 7.5% of the field, was produced