Ritual Embodiment: The Body Remembers Through Ritual

Ritual externalizes religious belief through physical embodiment and codified performance that allows it to be shared through a community. In a post 9/11 American society where Muslims are subject to increased scrutiny,. In a secular society that regulates religion to the private sphere so as not to conflict with the identity of the state, externalized religious identity can become problematic, especially as a Muslim living in post 9/11 United States. Ritual thenritual becomes a way to otherize a community based on shared practices. an identity under increased scrutiny. However, looking beyond the framework that the specific rules of ritual creates to the subtle information the body actually communicates through its performance reveals gestures that emerge from the accumulation of one’s experiences through what Merleau-Ponty refers to as “habitual body memory.” Gestures embedded within ritual reach back into a deeper self that the individual can understand and relate to through shared experiences constructed from a single spiritual source. My work deconstructs the ritual of prayer in order to locate gestures and habit memories that through intimacy connect beyond the specificity of ritual performance

An Evaluation of Geomechanical Properties of Potential Shale Gas Reservoirs in the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan

Pakistan has been facing a growing energy crisis for the last decade, and the government is seeking new horizons for enhancing oil and gas production to reduce the gap between supply and demand. Although several shales of the Indus Basin in Pakistan are known source rocks for conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, data currently available to assess their potential as shale gas reservoirs are somewhat limited. The objective of this research was to investigate, assess and improve methods for geomechanical characterization of shales using standard datasets of the type available (in the public domain) for Indus Basin shales. In this research, six shales which are known to be source rocks in the Indus Basin, Pakistan, were evaluated for their shale gas potential by comparison against several of the most active shale gas plays in North America. The comparison included available geological, geochemical, petrophysical and elastic properties, and concluded that all of the Pakistani shales investigated are promising regarding their shale gas potential. However, more petrophysical and geomechanical data are required before conclusions about these shales can be made with greater confidence. In light of this, the remainder of the research conducted in this project focused on applying (and improving) advanced interpretation techniques on two of the prospective Lower Indus shales deemed to have the best available (public domain) data. The interpretation of geomechanical properties generally requires knowledge of sonic shear wave velocity (Vs). Given that Vs measurement is commonly omitted from routine geophysical logging suites, many investigators have developed empirical models and rock physics models of varying form and complexity for the estimation of Vs using available well log and/or core analysis data. This study evaluated various relationships in the literature for the estimation of shear wave velocity applied to sandy shale and shale intervals of the Lower Goru Formation, Lower Indus Basin, for which two wells with Vs data were available. The results reveal that some empirical models can be effective for estimating Vs, but only when the model coefficients are adjusted by calibrating to site-specific Vp and Vs data. A modification to rock physics modeling developed for this type of work demonstrated that the use of Biot’s model (rather than Gassmann’s model) for fluid substitution improved model performance for Vs estimation in gas-saturated sandy shale and shale of the Lower Goru Formation. The rock physics-based model offers the advantage of being useful in settings where only Vp data are available for model calibration, and it is suggested that the rock physics model should be reliable when applied to a broader range of saturations and lithologies in the Lower Goru Formation. The next phase this work involved characterization of a shale interval in the Early Cretaceous-age Sembar Formation, Lower Indus Basin of Pakistan, using only readily available data. A workflow was developed for the estimation and mapping of geomechanical properties using logs from multiple wells and relevant post-stack seismic reflection data. Mineralogy data from well cuttings, core testing results for elastic properties and hydraulic fracturing test data were utilized to constrain the values of the properties estimated from geophysical data. The following results obtained at the well-scale suggest that the Sembar Shale is favorable for development: high gas saturation, good porosity (up to 10%), moderate quantity of thermally mature organic matter (2% - 4% TOC), a number of brittle intervals separated by thicker intervals that fall slightly below the brittle-ductile threshold, and a strike-slip stress regime. At the scale of the study area, robust statistical techniques were used to invert seismic stacks and develop a 3D mechanical earth model. This model shows a trend of increasing shale brittleness towards the northeastern portion of the study area, hence suggesting that this area might be most prospective for initial shale gas development. The final phase of this research involved the assessment and improvement of techniques for estimating mechanical properties using drill cuttings, which serve as the only available basis for laboratory testing when core samples are unavailable. Microindentation testing was selected for this work based on the literature review. Experimental techniques developed or improved in this work include: embedding multiple cuttings into an epoxy puck to facilitate sample preparation, mineralogical analysis, and testing of a large number of sampling points; progressive re-saturation to restore cuttings to in-situ moisture conditions; selection of optimal indentation force; assessment of sample anisotropy; brittleness assessment based on indentation morphology; (and a statistical / rock physics framework for estimating macroscopic properties from extensive testing of samples with variable mineralogy). Limitations of this testing method are discussed, as are recommendations for future research

Luminous Eating

My work strives to reorient my gaze away from outward definitions of identity toward the complexities and nuances of experiencing the intersections of identity that comprise me and the space of home where I felt most extended. I do not want to essentialize the identifiers of Muslim, Bengali, and Tennessean, nor do I want to neglect the role memory and nostalgia play in shaping home as a place of expansion and ease. Food, cooking, and eating ground both nostalgia and identity in something physical. Through the sense of taste, I reorient myself to the inseparability of experience that cannot be contained by labels

Female Migrant Labor in the Philippines: The Institutionalization of Traditional Gender Roles in the Name of Economic Development

This paper investigates the ways the Philippines’ government applies Filipino ideas of femininity and kinship in pushing Filipina women into becoming transnational migrants as a means of economic development. Given that remittance money sent back by migrants to the Philippines makes up nearly ten percent of the country’s GDP, and that over half of Filipino overseas migrants are female, the Filipino government is committed to maintaining and overseeing transnational migration. As a way to maintain economic stability, the Filipino government has utilized traditional conceptions of femininity, domesticity, and kinship that influence the procurement, recruitment processes of oversea migration, and the creation of policies that regulate Filipina transnational migration

An Evaluation of Geomechanical Properties of Potential Shale Gas Reservoirs in the Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan

Pakistan has been facing a growing energy crisis for the last decade, and the government is seeking new horizons for enhancing oil and gas production to reduce the gap between supply and demand. Although several shales of the Indus Basin in Pakistan are known source rocks for conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, data currently available to assess their potential as shale gas reservoirs are somewhat limited. The objective of this research was to investigate, assess and improve methods for geomechanical characterization of shales using standard datasets of the type available (in the public domain) for Indus Basin shales. In this research, six shales which are known to be source rocks in the Indus Basin, Pakistan, were evaluated for their shale gas potential by comparison against several of the most active shale gas plays in North America. The comparison included available geological, geochemical, petrophysical and elastic properties, and concluded that all of the Pakistani shales investigated are promising regarding their shale gas potential. However, more petrophysical and geomechanical data are required before conclusions about these shales can be made with greater confidence. In light of this, the remainder of the research conducted in this project focused on applying (and improving) advanced interpretation techniques on two of the prospective Lower Indus shales deemed to have the best available (public domain) data. The interpretation of geomechanical properties generally requires knowledge of sonic shear wave velocity (Vs). Given that Vs measurement is commonly omitted from routine geophysical logging suites, many investigators have developed empirical models and rock physics models of varying form and complexity for the estimation of Vs using available well log and/or core analysis data. This study evaluated various relationships in the literature for the estimation of shear wave velocity applied to sandy shale and shale intervals of the Lower Goru Formation, Lower Indus Basin, for which two wells with Vs data were available. The results reveal that some empirical models can be effective for estimating Vs, but only when the model coefficients are adjusted by calibrating to site-specific Vp and Vs data. A modification to rock physics modeling developed for this type of work demonstrated that the use of Biot’s model (rather than Gassmann’s model) for fluid substitution improved model performance for Vs estimation in gas-saturated sandy shale and shale of the Lower Goru Formation. The rock physics-based model offers the advantage of being useful in settings where only Vp data are available for model calibration, and it is suggested that the rock physics model should be reliable when applied to a broader range of saturations and lithologies in the Lower Goru Formation. The next phase this work involved characterization of a shale interval in the Early Cretaceous-age Sembar Formation, Lower Indus Basin of Pakistan, using only readily available data. A workflow was developed for the estimation and mapping of geomechanical properties using logs from multiple wells and relevant post-stack seismic reflection data. Mineralogy data from well cuttings, core testing results for elastic properties and hydraulic fracturing test data were utilized to constrain the values of the properties estimated from geophysical data. The following results obtained at the well-scale suggest that the Sembar Shale is favorable for development: high gas saturation, good porosity (up to 10%), moderate quantity of thermally mature organic matter (2% - 4% TOC), a number of brittle intervals separated by thicker intervals that fall slightly below the brittle-ductile threshold, and a strike-slip stress regime. At the scale of the study area, robust statistical techniques were used to invert seismic stacks and develop a 3D mechanical earth model. This model shows a trend of increasing shale brittleness towards the northeastern portion of the study area, hence suggesting that this area might be most prospective for initial shale gas development. The final phase of this research involved the assessment and improvement of techniques for estimating mechanical properties using drill cuttings, which serve as the only available basis for laboratory testing when core samples are unavailable. Microindentation testing was selected for this work based on the literature review. Experimental techniques developed or improved in this work include: embedding multiple cuttings into an epoxy puck to facilitate sample preparation, mineralogical analysis, and testing of a large number of sampling points; progressive re-saturation to restore cuttings to in-situ moisture conditions; selection of optimal indentation force; assessment of sample anisotropy; brittleness assessment based on indentation morphology; (and a statistical / rock physics framework for estimating macroscopic properties from extensive testing of samples with variable mineralogy). Limitations of this testing method are discussed, as are recommendations for future research

Frequency And Factors Associated With Headache Among People Of Various Occupations

Objective: To find out the frequency and factors associated with headache among people of various occupations. Materials andMethods: This cross sectional study with purposive sampling was carried out in four cities, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan andMuzafarabad from June 2011 to September 2011. Data was collected on a specially designed questionnaire with 21 questions both open and closed ended variety. After a written consent 250 individuals working as doctors, engineers, businessmen, bankers, executives, drivers, teachers, armed officers, laborers and household servants aged between 18 and 60 years were enrolled. Individuals suffering from any acute illness like common cold and gastroenteritis etc and chronic debilitating disease like diabetes, cancers were excluded. Results: Two hundred and fifty subjects participated in this study. 82.4 % were males while 17.6% were females. Their age range was 18-60 years Majority of subjects 80.8% were married. Overall frequency of headache was 62.8%. Highest frequency of headache was found in bankers & teachers (80%) and lowest was among doctors (48%).Age, anxiety and work place showed statistically highly significant association with headache. Family history, physical activity, high and low blood pressure and daily working hours were significantly associated with headache. Conclusion: Frequency of headache is found to be high whereas age, family history, physical activity, both high & low blood pressure ,anxiety, daily working hours and work place are found to be associated with headache among people of various profession

Optimized production of tannase and gallic acid from fruit seeds by solid state fermentation

Purpose: To investigate the possibility for gallic acid production from different tannin-rich fruit seeds using Aspergillus oryzae via solid-state fermentation. Methods: Fruit seeds of apple, guava, tamarind, black plum and watermelon were analyzed to estimate the synthesis of an enzyme tannase and its product gallic acid. Various physicochemical parameters were optimized to increase the gallic acid yield. Gallic acid was extracted by Soxhlet apparatus and identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was quantitatively determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results: Amongst the various substrates tested, black plum seeds gave the highest activity of 34.40 U/g for tannase and 16.66 mg/g for gallic acid under optimized physicochemical conditions, i.e., 1:3 substrate: moisture ratio, 30 °C, 96 h incubation period and pH 5.5. Addition of carbon source had a negative effect on production while ammonium sulphate (0.2 %) as nitrogen source increased the yield of both products. The gallic acid produced was 98.5 % pure, compared to the standard. Conclusion: Production of tannase and gallic acid via solid-state fermentation conditions has been optimized in vitro. The optimized conditions can be utilized on a commercial scale for economically viable production of gallic acid