Carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of n-alkanes as a tool in petroleum exploration

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of individual organic compounds is a powerful but underutilized tool in petroleum exploration. When integrated with other organic geochemical methodologies it can provide evidence of fluid histories including source, maturity, charge history and reservoir processes that can support field development planning and exploration efforts. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of the methodologies used for generating carbon and hydrogen isotope data for mid- and high-molecular-weight n-alkanes. We discuss the factors that control stable carbon and hydrogen isotope compositions of n-alkanes and related compounds in sedimentary and petroleum systems and review current and future applications of this methodology for petroleum exploration. We discuss basin-specific case studies that demonstrate the usefulness of CSIA either when addressing particular aspects of petroleum exploration (e.g. charge evaluation, source rock–oil correlation, and investigation of maturity and in-reservoir processes) or when this technique is used to corroborate interpretations from integrated petroleum systems analysis, providing unique insights which may not be revealed when using other methods. CSIA of n-alkanes and related n-alkyl structures can provide independent data to strengthen petroleum systems concepts from generation and expulsion of fluids from source rock, to charge history, connectivity, and in-reservoir processes

Treatment Burden of Weekly Somatrogon vs Daily Somatropin in Children With Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Randomized Study

Context: Somatrogon is a long-acting recombinant human growth hormone treatment developed as a once-weekly treatment for pediatric patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). / Objective: Evaluate patient and caregiver perceptions of the treatment burden associated with the once-weekly somatrogon injection regimen vs a once-daily Somatropin injection regimen. / Methods: Pediatric patients (≥3 to <18 years) with GHD receiving once-daily somatropin at enrollment were randomized 1:1 to Sequence 1 (12 weeks of once-daily Somatropin, then 12 weeks of once-weekly somatrogon) or Sequence 2 (12 weeks of once-weekly somatrogon, then 12 weeks of once-daily Somatropin). Treatment burden was assessed using validated questionnaires completed by patients and caregivers. The primary endpoint was the difference in mean overall life interference (LI) total scores after each 12-week treatment period (somatrogon vs Somatropin), as assessed by questionnaires. / Results: Of 87 patients randomized to Sequence 1 (n = 43) or 2 (n = 44), 85 completed the study. Once-weekly somatrogon had a significantly lower treatment burden than once-daily Somatropin, based on mean overall LI total scores after somatrogon (8.63) vs Somatropin (24.13) treatment (mean difference -15.49; 2-sided 95% CI -19.71, -11.27; P < .0001). Once-weekly somatrogon was associated with greater convenience, higher satisfaction with treatment experience, and less LI. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for Somatropin and somatrogon was 44.2% and 54.0%, respectively. No severe or serious AEs were reported. / Conclusion: In pediatric patients with GHD, once-weekly somatrogon had a lower treatment burden and was associated with a more favorable treatment experience than once-daily Somatropin

Coherent millennial-scale patterns in Uk'37 and TEX86H temperature records during the penultimate interglacial-to-glacial cycle in the western Mediterranean

The TEX86H temperature proxy is a relatively new proxy based on crenarchaeotal lipids and has rarely been applied together with other temperature proxies. In this study, we applied the TEX86H on a sediment core from the Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean, core ODP-977A) covering the penultimate climate cycle, that is, from 244 to 130 ka, and compared this with previously published sea surface temperatures derived from the U37k' of alkenones of haptophyta and Mg/Ca records of planktonic foraminifera. The TEX86H temperature record shows remarkably similar stadial-interstadial patterns and abrupt temperature changes to those observed with the U37k' palaeothermometer. Absolute TEX86H temperature estimates are generally higher than those of U37k', though this difference (<3°C in 81% of the data points) is mainly within the temperature calibration error for both proxies, suggesting that crenarchaeota and haptophyta experienced similar temperature variations. During occasional events (<5% of the analyzed time span), however, the TEX86H exhibits considerably higher absolute temperature estimates than the U37k'. Comparison with Mg/Ca records of planktonic foraminifera as well as other Mediterranean TEX86 and U37k' records suggests that part of this divergence may be attributed to seasonal differences, that is, with TEX86H reflecting mainly the warm summer season while U37k' would show annual mean. Biases in the global calibration of both proxies or specific biases in the Mediterranean are an alternative, though less likely, explanation. Despite differences between absolute TEX86H and U37k' temperatures, the correlation between the two proxies (r2 = 0.59, 95% significance) provides support for the occurrence of abrupt temperature variations in the western Mediterranean during the penultimate interglacial-to-glacial cycle

Agile-Processes Metrics Project for Small Software Development Companies

Гнучка розробка стала загальноприйнятою практикою для компаній, що займаються розробкою програмного забезпечення, завдяки її численним перевагам. Однак, виконання гнучких проектів вимагає від малих і середніх підприємств (МСП) особливої уваги, оскільки вони мають бути швидкими, але при цьому задовольняти вимоги клієнтів до якості. Тому метою цієї роботи є аналіз практичного досвіду використання метрик, пов'язаних з процесом розробки програмного забезпечення, як засобу підтримки МСП в гнучкій розробці за методологією Agile. Було розроблено та проведено дослідницький протокол, який відповідає потребам компанії, використовуючи пілотний проект. Результатом є множина метрик для гнучкої розробки за методологією Agile, які були практично перевірені в контексті невеликої компанії, що займається розробкою програмного забезпечення, і прийняті компанією для використання у своїх Agile-проектах. Отже, інші розробники можуть використовувати цей каталог метрик у своїх Agile-проектах, зокрема якщо вони працюють у сфері МСП, і адаптувати їх до своїх потреб та інструментів. Отримані дані можуть бути використані як основа для подальших досліджень, включаючи емпіричні дослідження. Agile development has become an accepted practice for software development companies due to its many benefits. However, the implementation of flexible projects requires special attention from small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as they must be fast, but at the same time meet the quality requirements of the customers. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to analyze the practical experience of using metrics related to the software development process as a means of supporting SMEs in flexible development according to the Agile methodology. A research protocol tailored to the needs of the company was developed and conducted using a pilot project. The result is a set of metrics for flexible Agile development that have been field-tested in the context of a small software development company and adopted by the company for use in its Agile projects. So, other developers can use this catalog of metrics in their Agile projects, especially if they work in the SME field, and adapt them to their needs and tools. The obtained data can be used as a basis for further research, including empirical ones.ВСТУП 8 РОЗДІЛ 1. АНАІЗ ПРОБЛЕМИ МОНІТОРИНКУ AGILE-ПРОЕКТІВ 10 1.1 Формулювання проблеми 10 1.2 Проект Q-Rapids 11 1.3 Аналіз публікацій на тематику кваліфікаційної роботи 13 1.4 Методологія дослідження 17 1.1.1 Мета та питання дослідження 18 1.1.2 Інструментальне забезпечення дослідження 19 РОЗДІЛ 2. ФОРМУВАННЯ СИСТЕМИ МЕТРИК ПРОЕКТУ 23 2.1 Визначення метрик процесу 23 2.2 Оцінка метрик процесу 26 2.2.1 Продуктивність процесу розробки 26 2.2.2 Якість продукту 29 2.3 Оцінка завдань (тасків) 29 2.4 Вибір показників 31 2.5 Загальна оцінка метрик процесу 32 РОЗДІЛ 3. ОХОРОНА ПРАЦІ ТА БЕЗПЕКА В НАДЗВИЧАЙНИХ СИТУАЦІЯХ 37 3.1 Аналіз небезпеки і шкідливості при розробці програмного забезпечення 37 3.2 Інформаційно-психологічні небезпеки 39 ВИСНОВОК 44 ПЕРЕЛІК ПОСИЛАНЬ 4

Comparison of TEX₈₆ and U<super>K</super>₃₇ temperature proxies in sinking particles in the Cariaco Basin

The Cariaco Basin, a silled, permanently anoxic basin on the continental shelf of Venezuela with a dynamic chemocline (-240-350 m), has been subject of > 20 years of oceanographic observation and sediment trap studies. We evaluated U-37(K') and the TEX86 temperature proxies using sinking particles collected in shallow sediment trap samples at 275 m (Trap A) and 455 m (Trap B) (within and below the chemocline). The organic geochemical temperature proxies, U-37(K'). (based on coccolithophorid alkenone lipids) and TEX86 (based on archaeal glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) lipids), use observed relationships between the ratio of specific lipids and measured sea surface temperature to hindcast past sea surface temperatures. In this study, both U-37(K') and TEX86 temperature proxies record seasonal temperature variations, including the cooling associated with upwelling events. U-37(K')-based temperatures are colder than measured sea surface temperatures, and better correlated temperature at the chlorophyll maximum. In sediment trap material collected below the chemocline (Trap B),U-37(K') values are higher than those in Trap A. Warmer subchemocline U-37(K') based temperatures may be related to autooxidation of sinking particles, either by small amounts of available oxygen or by alternate electron acceptors concentrated in the biologically dynamic chemocline (e.g. intermediate sulfur compounds). The absolute flux weighted TEX86 temperature values measured in sinking particles from Trap A match the measured SST well. The differences in the TEX86 values between Traps A and B are small and reflect less impact of degradation. Overall, the TEX86 temperatures in sinking particles in the Cariaco Basin reflect annual SST