Using multiphase fluid flow modeling and time-lapse electromagnetics to improve 4D monitoring of CO 2 in an EOR reservoir

Understanding the changes in the saturation within a reservoir undergoing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is crucial to optimizing production. We debut a novel, multiphase fluid flow modelling code, TOGA, to assist in modeling gas, oil, and water phases within the reservoir, and combine its output with time-lapse Depth to Surface Resistivity data in a case study involving an EOR reservoir. The results show the potential for combining the two methods to improve our understanding of reservoir saturation over an extended period of time

Bayesian clinical trial designs : Another option for trauma trials?

The UK-REBOA Trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme (project number 14/199/09). PP was supported by the MRC Network of Hubs for Trials Methodology Research (MR/L004933/1-R/N/P/B1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Determining information for inclusion in a decision-support intervention for clinical trial participation : A modified Delphi approach

Peer reviewedPostprin

Development of catecholamine and cortisol stress responses in zebrafish.

Both adrenal catecholamines and steroids are known to be involved in the stress response, immune function, blood pressure and energy homeostasis. The response to stress is characterized by the activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adrenomedullary system, though the correlation with activation and development is not well understood. We evaluated the stress response of both cortisol and catecholamines during development in zebrafish. Zebrafish at two different stages of development were stressed in one of two different ways and cortisol and catecholamine were measured. Cortisol was measured by enzyme immune assay and catecholamine was measured by ELISA. Our results show that stress responses are delayed until after the synthesis of both cortisol and catecholamines. These observations suggest that the development of HPA axis may be required for the acquisition of the stress response for cortisol and catecholamines

Exploring the ‘middle ground’ between state and market: the example of China

Studies of housing systems lying in the ‘middle ground’ between state and market are subject to three important shortcomings. First, the widely used Esping-Andersen (EA) approach assesses only a subset of the key housing outcomes and may be less helpful for describing changes in housing policy regimes. Second, there is too much emphasis on tenure transitions, and an assumed close correspondence between tenure labels and effective system functioning may not be valid. Third, due attention has not been given to the spatial dimensions in which housing systems operate, in particular when housing policies have a significant devolved or localised emphasis. Updating EA’s framework, we suggest a preliminary list of housing system indicators in order to capture the nature of the housing systems being developed and devolved. We verified the applicability of this indicator system with the case of China. This illustrates clearly the need for a more nuanced and systematic basis for categorising differences and changes in welfare and housing policies

Public acceptability of financial incentives for smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Objective To survey public attitudes about incentives for smoking cessation in pregnancy and for breast feeding to inform trial design. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting and participants British general public. Methods Seven promising incentive strategies had been identified from evidence syntheses and qualitative interview data from service users and providers. These were shopping vouchers for: (1) validated smoking cessation in pregnancy and (2) after birth; (3) for a smoke-free home; (4) for proven breast feeding; (5) a free breast pump; (6) payments to health services for reaching smoking cessation in pregnancy targets and (7) breastfeeding targets. Ipsos MORI used area quota sampling and home-administered computer-assisted questionnaires, with randomised question order to assess agreement with different incentives (measured on a five-point scale). Demographic data and target behaviour experience were recorded. Analysis used multivariable ordered logit models. Results Agreement with incentives was mixed (ranging from 34% to 46%) among a representative sample of 1144 British adults. Mean agreement score was highest for a free breast pump, and lowest for incentives for smoking abstinence after birth. More women disagreed with shopping vouchers than men. Those with lower levels of education disagreed more with smoking cessation incentives and a breast pump. Those aged 44 or under agreed more with all incentive strategies compared with those aged 65 and over, particularly provider targets for smoking cessation. Non-white ethnic groups agreed particularly with breastfeeding incentives. Current smokers with previous stop attempts and respondents who had breast fed children agreed with providing vouchers for the respective behaviours. Up to £40/month vouchers for behaviour change were acceptable (>85%). Conclusions Women and the less educated were more likely to disagree, but men and women of childbearing age to agree, with incentives designed for their benefit. Trials evaluating reach, impact on health inequalities and ethnic groups are required prior to implementing incentive interventions

Perspectives on financial incentives to health service providers for increasing breast feeding and smoking quit rates during pregnancy: a mixed methods study

Objective: To explore the acceptability, mechanisms and consequences of provider incentives for smoking cessation and breast feeding as part of the Benefits of Incentives for Breastfeeding and Smoking cessation in pregnancy (BIBS) study. Design: Cross-sectional survey and qualitative interviews. Setting: Scotland and North West England. Participants: Early years professionals: 497 survey respondents included 156 doctors; 197 health visitors/maternity staff; 144 other health staff. Qualitative interviews or focus groups were conducted with 68 pregnant/postnatal women/family members; 32 service providers; 22 experts/decision-makers; 63 conference attendees. Methods: Early years professionals were surveyed via email about the acceptability of payments to local health services for reaching smoking cessation in pregnancy and breastfeeding targets. Agreement was measured on a 5-point scale using multivariable ordered logit models. A framework approach was used to analyse free-text survey responses and qualitative data. Results: Health professional net agreement for provider incentives for smoking cessation targets was 52.9% (263/497); net disagreement was 28.6% (142/497). Health visitors/maternity staff were more likely than doctors to agree: OR 2.35 (95% CI 1.51 to 3.64; p<0.001). Net agreement for provider incentives for breastfeeding targets was 44.1% (219/497) and net disagreement was 38.6% (192/497). Agreement was more likely for women (compared with men): OR 1.81 (1.09 to 3.00; p=0.023) and health visitors/maternity staff (compared with doctors): OR 2.54 (95% CI 1.65 to 3.91; p<0.001). Key emergent themes were 'moral tensions around acceptability', 'need for incentives', 'goals', 'collective or divisive action' and 'monitoring and proof'. While provider incentives can focus action and resources, tensions around the impact on relationships raised concerns. Pressure, burden of proof, gaming, box-ticking bureaucracies and health inequalities were counterbalances to potential benefits. Conclusions: Provider incentives are favoured by non-medical staff. Solutions which increase trust and collaboration towards shared goals, without negatively impacting on relationships or increasing bureaucracy are required

Mitoxantrone is superior to doxorubicin in a multiagent weekly regimen for patients older than 60 with high-grade lymphoma: results of a BNLI randomized trial of PAdriaCEBO versus PMitCEBO

A prospective, multicenter, randomized trial was undertaken to compare the efficacy and toxicity of adriamycin with mitoxantrone within a 6-drug combination chemotherapy regimen for elderly patients (older than 60 years) with high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HGL) given for a minimum of 8 weeks. A total of 516 previously untreated patients aged older than 60 years were randomized to receive 1 of 2 anthracycline-containing regimens: adriamycin, 35 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on day 1 (n = 259), or mitoxantrone, 7 mg/m2 IV on day 1 (n = 257); with prednisolone, 50 mg orally on days 1 to 14; cyclophosphamide, 300 mg/m2 IV on day 1; etoposide, 150 mg/m2 IV on day 1; vincristine, 1.4 mg/m2 IV on day 8; and bleomycin, 10 mg/m2 IV on day 8. Each 2-week cycle was administered for a minimum of 8 weeks in the absence of progression. Forty-three patients were ineligible for analysis. The overall and complete remission rates were 78% and 60% for patients receiving PMitCEBO and 69% and 52% for patients receiving PAdriaCEBO (P = .05, P = .12, respectively). Overall survival was significantly better with PMitCEBO than PAdriaCEBO (P = .0067). However, relapse-free survival was not significantly different (P = .16). At 4 years, 28% of PAdriaCEBO patients and 50% of PMitCEBO patients were alive (P = .0001). Ann Arbor stage III/IV, World Health Organization performance status 2-4, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase negatively influenced overall survival from diagnosis. In conclusion, the PMitCEBO 8-week combination chemotherapy regimen offers high response rates, durable remissions, and acceptable toxicity in elderly patients with HGL

Joint inversion of seismic and gravity data for lunar composition and thermal state

We invert the Apollo lunar seismic data set, together with lunar mass and moment of inertia, directly for the chemical composition and thermal state of the Moon. The lunar mantle and crust are modelled in the chemical system CaO-FeO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2. The stable minerals, their seismic properties, and the bulk density are computed by Gibbs free energy minimization. Voigt-Reuss-Hill averaging is then used to compute seismic-wave velocity profiles, from which traveltimes are estimated, while mass and moment of inertia are obtained by integration of the density profile. Given this scheme, the data are jointly inverted using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm, from which a range of compositions and temperatures fitting data within uncertainties are obtained. The analysis constrains the range of compositions, thermal states, mineralogy and physical structure of the lunar interior that are consistent with data. Additionally, the analysis provides estimates for the size and density of the lunar core. The inferred lunar compositions have lower Mg#s (∼83) than the Earth's mantle (∼89), suggesting that the Moon was derived from material other than the Earth's mantle. This supports giant impact simulations of lunar origin that show that more than 80 per cent of the material making up the Moon is derived from the impacto

CO2 content beneath northern Iceland and the variability of mantle carbon

Primitive basalt melt inclusions from Borgarhraun, northern Iceland, display large correlated variations in CO2 and non-volatile incompatible trace elements (ITEs) such as Nb, Th, Rb, and Ba. The average CO2/ITE ratios of the Borgarhraun melt inclusion population are precisely determined (e.g., CO2/Nb = 391 ± 16; 2M, n = 161). These data, along with published data on five other populations of undegassed MORB glasses and melt inclusions, demonstrate that upper mantle CO2/Ba and CO2/Rb are nearly homogenous, while CO2/Nb and CO2/Th are broadly correlated with long-term indices of mantle heterogeneity reflected in Nd isotopes (143Nd/144Nd) in five out of the six regions of the upper mantle examined thus far. Our results suggest that heterogeneous carbon contents of the upper mantle are long-lived features, and that average carbon abundances of the mantle sources of Atlantic mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) are higher by a factor of two than those of Pacific MORB. This observation is correlated with a similar distinction in water contents (Michael, 1995) and trace elements characteristic of subduction fluids (Ba, Rb; Arevalo and McDonough, 2010). We suggest that the upper mantle beneath the younger Atlantic Ocean basin contains components of hydrated and carbonated subduction-modified mantle from prior episodes of Iapetus subduction that were entrained and mixed into the upper mantle during opening of the Atlantic Ocean basin.Maclennan is supported by Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/M000427/1. This research was supported by the Carnegie Institution of Washington and is a contribution to the Deep Carbon Observatory