Hydatid cyst of the orbit in a young Nigerian female: a case report

Objective: To report an unusual case of orbital hydatid cyst successfully managed by surgical excision.Case report: A 33-year-old female presented with gradual protrusion of the left eye associated with poor vision, cosmetic embarrassment and watering. She had excision biopsy of an encapsulated cystic lesion with cheesy tissue and serous content. Orbital hydatid cyst due to echinococcosis was confirmed at histopathological examination of the excised tissue. She subsequently became pregnant hence, could not undergo post-operative antihelminthic treatment, but was managed conservatively with no recurrence after five years of regular follow-up.Conclusion: Orbital hydatid cyst should be considered as a differential in a young patient presenting with unilateral proptosisFunding: NoneKeywords: Echinococcosis, Hydatid cyst, Orbit, Nigerian, Proptosi

The prospect of deepwater heavy oil production using CO2-EOR.

The prospect of unconventional oil development has long been coming to offset the rapid decline of conventional crude. And looking ahead, the worry is already turning away from the onshore exploitation to the challenging offshore environment, with the question being whether the emerging technology can overcome the challenges of deep-water heavy oil production. In economics terms, the immiscible process shows a negative return, a longer payback time, and a low net present value. With an increased revenue through increased production, there is a degree of strong, dynamic, and appealing prospect to any future heavy oil development using miscible process

Investigation of CO2 sequestration during cold heavy oil production.

CO2 sequestration during cold heavy oil production using captured carbon dioxide was investigated using REVEAL of Petroleum Experts. The results indicated that the CO2 release was influenced by the production phases. The prediction showed high CO2 retention in the first few years post start-up, followed by a gradual decline toward 16.5% post peak production. The recovery rate was strongly influenced by the reservoir characteristics, such as fluid properties, permeability, aquifer, and well completion. Horizontal wells provided better performance than vertical wells. The CO2 utilization and retention per barrel of heavy oil increased as the CO2 injection pressure increased

Seasonal variations in heavy metal concentrations in soil and some selected crops at a landfill in Nigeria

In this study, the seasonal variations in concentrations of the heavy metals - As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn - in soil and crops from a farm near the refuse dump site of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria were investigated during the two major seasons of Nigeria. This was done to assess the pollution status of the farm and hence the safety levels of the crops produced. Soil and crop samples collected during the 2005/2006 rainy and dry seasons were treated and digested using standard wet digestion methods. Heavy metals were determined with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Analytical results of soil from landfill indicated that in the wet and dry seasons, values for Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Cr, Zn, Co and Pb were higher than normal levels of a typical agricultural soil, but As (3.20 and 4.13 mg/kg) was found to be within the acceptable range while Mn values of 597.00 - 828.37 mgkg-1 were slightly above the usual background levels. The study showed highest concentrations of As (8.31 mg/kg), Cr (9.00 mg/kg) and Ni (40.00 mg/kg) in Manihot esculenta leaves; Cu (25.0 0 mg/kg) and Fe (176.00 mg/kg) in Xantosoma mafaffa tuber; Cd (14.50 mg/kg), Co (22.50 mg/kg), Mn (189.50 mg/kg), Pb (680.00 mg/kg) and Zn (440.59 mg/kg) in Talinum triangulare. In general, the levels of heavy metals in soil and crops were higher in the dry season than in the wet season, but this difference is not statistically significant. Particularly, the levels of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were above the critical toxic level in plant leaves in both dry and wet seasons while Zn and Cu occurred at toxic levels only in the dry season.Key words: Contamination, heavy metals, landfill, refuse dump, transfer factor

A summary of artificial lift failure, remedies and run life improvements in conventional and unconventional wells.

Artificial lift (AL) systems are crucial for enhancing oil and gas production from reservoirs. However, the failure of these systems can lead to significant losses in production and revenue. This paper explores the different types of AL failures and the causes behind them. The article discusses the traditional methods of identifying and mitigating these failures and highlights the need for new designs and technologies to improve the run life of AL systems. Advances in AL system design and materials, as well as new methods for monitoring and predicting failures using data analytics and machine learning techniques, have been discussed. The findings of this work provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the development of more reliable and efficient AL systems

Evaluation of Interactions Between Oilfield Chemicals and Reservoir Rocks

The authors gratefully acknowledge Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Nigeria for funding the PhD work from which the materials and results presented in this paper originated. The authors are also grateful to the Laboratory technicians in the School of Pharmacy and Life science and Gray School of arts, Robert Gordon University; and School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen for their technical support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Topological network properties of resting-state functional connectivity patterns are associated with metal mixture exposure in adolescents

IntroductionAdolescent exposure to neurotoxic metals adversely impacts cognitive, motor, and behavioral development. Few studies have addressed the underlying brain mechanisms of these metal-associated developmental outcomes. Furthermore, metal exposure occurs as a mixture, yet previous studies most often consider impacts of each metal individually. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the relationship between exposure to neurotoxic metals and topological brain metrics in adolescents. MethodsIn 193 participants (53% females, ages: 15-25 years) enrolled in the Public Health Impact of Metals Exposure (PHIME) study, we measured concentrations of four metals (manganese, lead, copper, and chromium) in multiple biological media (blood, urine, hair, and saliva) and acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Using graph theory metrics, we computed global and local efficiency (global:GE; local:LE) in 111 brain areas (Harvard Oxford Atlas). We used weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression models to examine association between metal mixtures and each graph metric (GE or LE), adjusted for sex and age. ResultsWe observed significant negative associations between the metal mixture and GE and LE [beta GE = -0.076, 95% CI (-0.122, -0.031); beta LE= -0.051, 95% CI (-0.095, -0.006)]. Lead and chromium measured in blood contributed most to this association for GE, while chromium measured in hair contributed the most for LE. DiscussionOur results suggest that exposure to this metal mixture during adolescence reduces the efficiency of integrating information in brain networks at both local and global levels, informing potential neural mechanisms underlying the developmental toxicity of metals. Results further suggest these associations are due to combined joint effects to different metals, rather than to a single metal