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Drilling challenges in the Mesopotamian Basin, Southern Iraq, are varied and include such issues as mud loss, bit damage, and differential sticking. This study aims to analyze these problems across the stratigraphic column in the study area. The results show that the MMD65R, EQH16R, and SF74R bits were successfully used for the 16” section, while the MSi616L bit was the most efficient for the 12¼” section. The MMD65R was suitable for the 8½” section, with the EQH12DR bit being used for the remaining parts of this section. The MMD54 bit showed excellent performance, achieving the highest rate of penetration (ROP) of 26.9 m/hr in well horizontal sections. Mud losses were most commonly observed at the base of the Dammam, Rus, Tanuma, Mishrif, Hartha, Shuaiba, and Zubair Formations. An appropriate drilling mud density is 1.28 sg is recommended for Zubair and Mishrif Formations. Additionally, tripping in/out operations must be conducted at controlled speed to prevent surging or swabbing the well. Potassium Chloride concentrations should be maintained between 3 to 5%. A 7” production liner must be run and properly seated to isolate the Mishrif and Zubair Formations, with overlap to prevent potential communication between lower water-bearing zones and shallow loss zones.

Copyright of AURUM: Journal of Social Sciences / Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Altinbas Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: Horse owners employ a variety of equestrian professionals, e.g., coaches, therapists and fitters, all of whom play a role in safeguarding equine welfare. Bridle and bit suitability and fit contribute to the horse's comfort and performance, and, hence, equestrian professionals forming a multidisciplinary team (MDT) have opportunities to support the horse owner on matters of bridle and bit fit. The aim of this study was to learn more about the frequency and nature of observations of bridle and bit fit made by professionals and the type of issues they see most often. The participants completed an online questionnaire designed to obtain information about their professional role and experience, whether they carried out assessment of bridles and bits as part of their professional role and what they perceived as the key issues of fit. Data were analyzed descriptively and statistically (p ≤ 0.05). The results from 377 respondents were analyzed: 184 saddle fitters, 116 coaches and 77 therapists. Of the three professions, coaches were found to assess their clients' bridle and bit fit more than saddle fitters and therapists. Coaches and therapists agreed on the top three bridle fit issues, which were 'browband too small', 'noseband too tight' and 'noseband too low'. The professionals reported that bits may not fit or be suitable for the horse and rider combination. Saddle fitters, coaches and therapists can all support horse owners in achieving optimal bridle and bit fit. To ensure the comfort of ridden horses, equipment including bridles and bits should be suitable and fit correctly. Horse owners employ a variety of equestrian professionals with varying degrees of responsibility regarding bridle and bit fit. This study aimed to compare the frequency and manner in which equestrian professionals within a multidisciplinary team (MDT) engage with clients on matters of bridle and bit fit, and to capture their perceptions of the key issues in bridle and bit fit. The participants completed an online questionnaire to obtain information regarding participant demographics, bridle fit and bit fit for the horse. Descriptive statistics and Kruskal–Wallis analyses were performed (p ≤ 0.05). Inductive content analysis identified themes from open-question responses. The results from 377 respondents were analyzed: 184 saddle fitters, 116 coaches and 77 therapists. The results showed that 65% of coaches 'nearly always' or 'very often' ask clients when they last had their bridle fitted, which was significantly more than saddle fitters (p = 0.002). More saddle fitters assess bridle fit statically and dynamically compared with coaches (p = 0.02). 'Browband too small' featured in the top three bridle fit issues for all professions. More professionals reported issues of bit suitability than fit. The findings demonstrate that whilst various equestrian professionals assess and act upon issues of bridle and bit fit, the extent to which this occurs is lower than for the saddle. Further work should quantify the prevalence of issues in bridle and bit fit and suitability in ridden horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the historical and current contexts of threat assessment and violence risk in higher education, highlighting the evolving roles of college counseling centers in the threat assessment process for students displaying signs of concerning behaviors. Given research showing many college mental health professionals feel under-prepared for this work, we build foundational knowledge about the differing purposes of psychological evaluations and threat assessments, and provide recommendations for ways to continue to build and demonstrate understanding, competency and proficiency with threat assessments... Our review shares recent updates in the field regarding high-risk groups and the use of AI in assessment, and highlights the need for more attention to be given to training community members as well as counseling center staff and other members of campus teams involved in decision-making about students who threaten violence. We recommend the deliberate practice model of skill building to better prepare college mental health professionals when needing to respond under stress and pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of ICT diffusion on financial development (FD) and economic growth (EG) by using the PLS-SEM method. The sample size consists of data from 158 countries for the 2015-2020 time period. Test results indicate that ICT diffusion has positive and substantial direct effects on both FD and EG. A one-unit increase could lead to a 0.836 unit increase in FD and a 0.437 unit increase in EG. Test results show that Internet and telephone usage have a similar substantial effect on FD, while Internet usage has a greater effect on EG than telephone usage, as a one-unit increase in Internet usage could cause an increase of 0.509 units in EG, but a one-unit increase in telephone usage could cause an increase of 0.200 units in EG. Lastly, the findings of this paper support the causality running from FD to EG and the moderating role of FD between ICT constructs and EG. Thereby, the novelty of this study is that it examines the relationship between ICT diffusion (in addition to Internet and telephone use), FD, and EG concurrently using the PLS-SEM method in a large data set and finds robust empirical results supporting the theory.

Optimization of drilling processes for oil and gas and geothermal wells requires the effective use of mechanical energy for the destruction of rocks. When constructing a well, an important indicator of the drilling stage is the mechanical speed. Therefore, when performing drilling operations, operators usually use blade bits of an aggressive design and often use forced drilling modes. Drill bits under forced operation modes generate a wide range of vibrations in the drilling tools; in turn, a drill string, being a long-dimensional deformable body, causes the development, amplification, and interconnection of vibrations of different types. Vibration loads reduce the technical and economic indicators of drilling, with destructive effects on drill string elements, and cause complications and emergencies. The authors initiated the creation of an informational and analytical database on emergency situations that occurred as a result of excessive vibrations of the drill string during the construction of deep wells in the deposits of the Dnipro–Donetsk Basin. For the first time, the suitability and effectiveness of using the Smart 4 controller (“Innova Power Solutions”, Calgary, Canada) for monitoring the vibration load of the drilling tool was tested in industrial conditions, while the controller was used as a separate element in the drill string. A special module was developed for the reliable installation of the Smart 4 controller, with a power battery in the layout of the lower part of the drill string. During the testing of the proposed device for measuring vibrations in the process of drilling an inclined well, verification of the registered data was carried out with the help of a high-cost telemetry system. The implementation of the proposed innovation will allow each operator to assess the significance of the impact of vibrations and shocks on the production process and, if necessary, adjust the drilling modes or apply vibration protection devices. In addition, service departments that operate and repair drilling equipment will be able to obtain an evidence base for resolving warranty disputes or claims.

Beetroots (Beta vulgaris L.) is a plant that has the potential to be an alternative sugar source and has many health benefits. The various benefits of beet plants and the high demand make beet plants important for cultivation. So far, beet cultivation has been carried out in the highlands so that production development can be carried out outside the growing area, such as in the middle plains. Cultivation outside the growing environment needs to be supported by environmental management, one of which is by adding organic fertilizers such as bokashi. In addition to growing media, variety is also one of the factors that determine the response of beet plants to their growing environment. The aim of this research was to study the effect of different doses of bokashi fertilizer and different varieties on the growth and yield of beet plants. The research was conducted from August to December 2019 in Pendem Village, Junrejo District, Batu City. The tools used are a ruler, tape measure, digital scales and caliper. The materials used were beet seeds of the Crimson Globe (Vikima) and Ayumi 04 varieties and bokashi fertilizer. The study used a split plot design with the main plot of two beet varieties and subplots using bokashi fertilizer doses consisting of five levels, namely without bokashi, 22 tons ha-1, 30 tons ha-1, 38 tons ha-1 and 46 tons ha-1. The results showed that there was no interaction between the variety and the dose of bokashi applied. Differences in plant varieties have no significant effect on plant growth. The addition of bokashi had a significant effect on the growth of beet plants, namely on plant length, number of leaves, leaf area and fresh weight of plants as well as tuber length, tuber diameter and tuber weight. In general, both varieties showed results below their production potential in the highlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Buried in Treasures (BIT) workshop is a promising treatment for hoarding disorder (HD), though many participants struggle with home uncluttering. This randomized waitlist-controlled trial investigated the efficacy of a version of BIT, augmented with in-home uncluttering practice (BIT+). Adults (N = 41) with hoarding disorder were recruited from the community and randomly assigned to BIT+ or waitlist. BIT+ consisted of 16 sessions of the BIT workshop and 10 uncluttering home visits over 18 weeks. Outcome measures included the Saving Inventory-Revised (self-report) and the Clutter Image Rating Scale (self and independent evaluator rated). Between group repeated measures analyses using general linear modeling examined the effect of BIT+ vs waitlist control on hoarding symptoms after 18 weeks. Within group analyses examined pre-post effects for all BIT+ participants combined after 18 weeks. After 18 weeks, BIT+ participants benefited significantly more than waitlist controls on hoarding severity with large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.5, p <.001). BIT+ was also associated with improvement reductions in hoarding symptoms, clutter, and functional impairment. The BIT+ intervention offers promise as a treatment option for hoarding. Adding in-home uncluttering practice may incrementally improve discarding practices. Future controlled trials are warranted. • We examined changes in hoarding symptoms during an 18-week structured group and in-home uncluttering intervention (BIT+) versus waitlist. • The BIT + intervention produced more symptom improvement than the waitlist. • The BIT + intervention resulted in more change in clutter and functional impairment than the waitlist. • BIT + appears feasible and promising for reducing hoarding symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) is the property of Gazi University Journal of Gazi Educational Faculty (GUJGEF) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Izmir Journal of Economics is the property of Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Economics & Administrative Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article examines the scope and depth of environmental protection in Sino-African BITs. Chinese investment in Africa and the steps taken to include or enhance environmental concerns in these Sino-African treaties are comparatively discussed to show that they are generally as inadequate as other investment treaties to provide the necessary protection. Lessons drawn from the coverage of environmental provisions in nearly 125 BITs, some involving African states, are presented to give context to the key argument in this article. Written in the context of the 'Africanization' of international investment law, this article argues, taking into account Africa's overall capacity as well as the amount of Chinese investment in Africa and its environmental impact, that this concern is best addressed through the adoption of aggressive national reform processes that are built into regional and finally a continental policy for ensuring sustainable development and environmental protection in relation to investments in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits, which are widely used in oil and gas well drilling, have begun to be used in geothermal well drilling. Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, K. Maikai Co., Ltd, and National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology started collaborative research project commissioned by Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security with the aim of development of PDC bits that have satisfying efficiency to drill hard, inhomogeneous and fractured formations as is common in the geothermal fields. In the present report, the outline of the project is provided, including the development of PDC cutters and bits and the performance evaluation of PDC bits through laboratory and field drilling tests. Three predetermined numerical goals concerning the drilling performance, namely drilling speed, bit life, and gage loss, were achieved in the project. The ROP model proposed by Miyazaki et al. (2022), which was constructed based on a series of laboratory drilling tests under controlled conditions conducted as part of the project, is also reviewed. The model considers the effect of bit wear quantitatively and has an extremely simple form compared with earlier models. The applicability of the model to field drilling data and several future issues are also discussed.

Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits, which are widely used in oil and gas well drilling, have begun to be used in geothermal well drilling. Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, K. Maikai Co., Ltd, and National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology started collaborative research project commissioned by Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security with the aim of development of PDC bits that have satisfying efficiency to drill hard, inhomogeneous and fractured formations as is common in the geothermal fields. In the present report, the outline of the project is provided, including the development of PDC cutters and bits and the performance evaluation of PDC bits through laboratory and field drilling tests. Three predetermined numerical goals concerning the drilling performance, namely drilling speed, bit life, and gage loss, were achieved in the project. The ROP model proposed by Miyazaki et al. (2022), which was constructed based on a series of laboratory drilling tests under controlled conditions conducted as part of the project, is also reviewed. The model considers the effect of bit wear quantitatively and has an extremely simple form compared with earlier models. The applicability of the model to field drilling data and several future issues are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Phainomena is the property of Phenomenological Society of Ljubljana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Kafkas University, Journal of Economics & Administrative Sciences Faculty / Kafkas Üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of University of Kafkas, Faculty of Economics & Administrative Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gazi Journal of Economics & Business is the property of Gazi Journal of Economics & Business and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Information and communication technologies (ICTs), which play a critical role in the socio-economic development of individuals and societies, also have potential impacts on environmental quality. This study examines the impact of ICT, energy consumption, economic growth, and globalization on the quality of the environment in emerging market economies between 1995 and 2018. The study has employed panel estimations techniques, which are robust for cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity, to investigate the linkages between the variables. Since CO2 emissions, which it has accepted as an indicator of environmental quality, differ between countries, it has been classified the emission levels of countries by using a data-based algorithm. The classification shows that emerging market economies fall into two subclubs. For Club 1, ICT and globalization help to reduce CO2 emissions, while Club 2 and the whole panel have caused environmental degradation. In addition, economic growth and energy consumption increase emissions for both the clubs and the overall. According to the panel causality results, there are different causality relationships in each sub-clubs and the whole panel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, Humaniora dan Politik (JIHHP) is the property of Dinasti Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. is cultivated in South America to prepare a tea-like infusion with pharmacological properties. Its recalcitrant character has hindered the development of a suitable method for propagating selected genotypes. This study aimed to produce in vitro plantlets from axillary shoots of adult plants using a temporary immersion bioreactor. During the elongation phase, the impact of ammonium and nitrate concentration on Murashige and Skoog quarter-strength (¼MS) formulation, macronutrient uptake, hormone supplementation, and explant density (5–30 explants) were analysed. In addition, during the induction and expression stages of root formation, the effect of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), cadaverine, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid supplementation was studied. As a result, we propose a protocol for in vitro plantlet production of I. paraguariensis adult plants in bioreactors. Twenty-day-old stem segments established in semisolid ¼MS medium plus sucrose 30 g·L− 1 and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) 0.5 µM are transferred to the elongation phase during 40 days in 300 cc BIT bioreactor (20 explants per flask) containing 100 mL of ¼MS modified with double ammonium and nitrate content and N6-benzyladenine (BA) 20 µM. Then, shoots longer than one centimetre are removed from the explant and placed into a rooting medium consisting of ¼MS with sucrose 30 g·L− 1 and supplemented with IBA 7.5 µM, cadaverine 20 µM, quercetin 20 µM, and chlorogenic acid 20 µM. Finally, the in vitro 30-day-old plantlets are acclimatised on 150 cc pots filled with non-sterile composted pine bark and controlled-release micro-fertiliser. An inter-simple sequence repeat assessment revealed no difference between in vitro plantlets and mother plants.Key message: This report presents a protocol for producing Ilex paraguariensis in vitro plantlets from adult plants by combining semisolid and liquid mediums in a temporary immersion system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of research is the dynamic processes that occur in the drill string during the deepening of the hole in deep wells. The work is aimed at solving the problem for an idealized system in the form of rod systems while preserving its main oscillatory properties. The nature of oscillatory processes that occur in the drill string during drilling with downhole motors is considered, in some cases it turns out to be very complicated. In the general case, the dynamic process changes according to an aperiodic law, which is superimposed by processes of an oscillating nature with an increasing (damping) nature of the amplitudes of different frequencies. The influence of the torque characteristics of the downhole motor and bit on the development of oscillatory processes in the drill string during well drilling has been theoretically determined. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of oscillatory processes and their interaction with the use of proposed models of hole deepening in the future make it possible to create a simulation model. This model would include taking into account the mode parameters of drilling, the mechanical properties of the rocks to be drilled and the layout of the drill string bottom (DSB). The obtained research results can be applied in practice in the process of designing the structure of the drill string bottom (DSB) with the use of downhole motors, in particular, screw motors, the use of which leads to energy stress, the complication of work processes and structural schemes. As a result, the nature of vibrations changes and the vibration loads on parts of the downhole motor, bits and elements of the drill string are reduced. In the future, it is necessary to take into account the hydrodynamics and the type, as well as the design and parameters of the applied downhole elements for the development of their dynamic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Abant Social Sciences / Abant Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi is the property of Journal of Abant Social Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present rate of growth of powerful AI systems motivates an accurate comparison between the notion of computers and the workings of natural sciences. Statements such as "intelligence doesn't require flesh, blood or carbon atoms" or "it's computation all the way down" incite a substrate‐independent view, providing shortcuts for Darwinian evolution and the possible appearance of sentient machines. This view is discussed and contrasted from a quantum chemical perspective. The qualitative difference between the developed AI and the evolved HI is recognized and the importance of a material constituent, formulated in terms of energy‐temperature, conjugate to an immaterial ingredient, in the context of time‐entropy, is pointed out as a necessary feature. The popular dictum "it from bit" does not appear valid unless amended with its obverse "bit from it." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Catalana de Dret Ambiental is the property of Universitat Rovira I Virgili and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Economic Policy Researches / İktisat Politikası Araştırmaları Dergisi is the property of Journal of Economic Policy Researches / Iktisat Politikasi Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Study aim: The aim of the research was to present a unique intervention for restoring limb function in cases of hemiplegia based on a modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) combined with bimanual training (BIT) carried out as part of “The Pirate Group” program, and long-term observation of its effects.

Sign languages are complex, but there are ongoing research efforts in engineering and data science to recognize, understand, and utilize them in real-time applications. Arabic sign language recognition (ArSL) has been examined and applied using various traditional and intelligent methods. However, there have been limited attempts to enhance this process by utilizing pretrained models and large-sized vision transformers designed for image classification tasks. This study aimed to create robust transfer learning models trained on a dataset of 54,049 images depicting 32 alphabets from an ArSL dataset. The goal was to accurately classify these images into their corresponding Arabic alphabets. This study included two methodological parts. The first one was the transfer learning approach, wherein we utilized various pretrained models namely MobileNet, Xception, Inception, InceptionResNet, DenseNet, and BiT, and two vision transformers namely ViT, and Swin. We evaluated different variants from base-sized to large-sized pretrained models and vision transformers with weights initialized from the ImageNet dataset or otherwise randomly. The second part was the deep learning approach using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), wherein several CNN architectures were trained from scratch to be compared with the transfer learning approach. The proposed methods were evaluated using the accuracy, AUC, precision, recall, F1 and loss metrics. The transfer learning approach consistently performed well on the ArSL dataset and outperformed other CNN models. ResNet and InceptionResNet obtained a comparably high performance of 98%. By combining the concepts of transformer-based architecture and pretraining, ViT and Swin leveraged the strengths of both architectures and reduced the number of parameters required for training, making them more efficient and stable than other models and existing studies for ArSL classification. This demonstrates the effectiveness and robustness of using transfer learning with vision transformers for sign language recognition for other low-resourced languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses Statutory Instruments passed between 2010 and 2019 to evaluate the embeddedness of the UK Government's regulatory off-setting and business impact target initiatives. It begins by outlining the origins of those initiatives and their scope, technical details and compliance mechanisms. After describing the methodology for the analysis, it reports results, showing that a range of exclusions and exemptions limit the number of Statutory Instruments covered by the initiatives, that the intensity with which burden reduction is pursued declines over time and that the largest savings are incidental rather than being motivated by a desire to reduce burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nigeria is one of the top countries of China's outward foreign direct investments in energy and power projects to meet the needs of China's fast-growing energy-intensive industries. Following several risks faced by investors to invest in countries with high levels of regulatory, judicial and political uncertainties that appeared in most African states, including Nigeria, contracting parties often take steps to advance and enhance their investment relations and investment climate through an agreement or bilateral investment treaties. This paper examines the China–Nigeria Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and the investment arbitration framework in place in the energy sector. It includes a general analysis on China–African BITs and features common difficulties and possible ways of addressing them. It analyzes the adequacy or otherwise of these frameworks and the various protections afforded to the contracting parties or the host state and the investors. It contends that the current China–Nigeria BIT is lacking essential environmental and social aspects, including sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, transparency and respect for the human rights of host communities, for the promotion of better China–Nigeria investment relations. Notwithstanding the fact that there has not been any known energy dispute in China–Nigeria-related projects, this paper calls for the need for an effective and efficient dispute resolution mechanism to address future disputes between the parties, in order to promote a favorable investment climate for Chinese (and international) investors willing to invest in Nigeria. It advocates that the China–Nigeria BIT should be unambiguous and well drafted to cover issues that could best address investment disputes in the energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Reverse circulation (RC) drilling technology enables the rapid acquisition of coal seam samples, which is crucial in accurately measuring gas content. In addition, the design of the drill bit plays a key role in RC sampling. In this study, the turbulence model and simulation method applied during the RC drilling process is analyzed, and an annular jet flow bit is developed. An experimental laboratory setup is used to simulate the RC performance of the proposed drill bit, based on which an orthogonal design simulation of the structural parameters of the drilling bit studies was performed to investigate the effects of the RC drilling process. The experimental results show that annular jet flow moving up the central channel wall of the bit is conducive to the suction of annular airflow and results in the strong flow field created by the center channel of the bit generating negative pressure in the center channel of the bit, a comparison of the computational fluid dynamics data on negative pressure and suction rate shows that the annular jet flow RC bit is suitable for use in RC drilling.

Copyright of Oil Drilling & Production Technology / Shiyou Zuancai Gongyi is the property of Shiyou Zuancai Gongyi Bianjibu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For addressing needs of modern day communication needs, new type of networks are required to be evolved to cater the demand of high data rates. Use of survivable elastic-optical-network (EON) with existing passive-optical-networks (PON) may provide the solution for this. The present work focus on employing EON–PON based wave-length-division multiplexing enabled communication system comprises of 2×5 Gbps for downlink and 2×1 Gbps for uplink over a single-mode-fibre of length 100 km. The results are the evaluated via bit-error-rate analyser, q factor and eye diagrams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi 4 Ti 3- x (Mn 1/3 Ta 2/3) x O 12 piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by conventional sintering and direct-reaction sintering in this study. The effect of B-site Mn/Ta co-substitution and sintering method on the microstructure and electrical properties of Bi 4 Ti 3- x (Mn 1/3 Ta 2/3) x O 12 piezoelectric ceramics was systematically investigated. The experimental results show that the combination of high-valent Ta and low-valent Mn ions replacing Ti4+ ions reduce the concentration of oxide vacancy defects in BITMT ceramics. The direct-reaction sintering is a simpler preparation method and the prepared samples have more uniform grain distribution and higher density. The resistivity of the direct reaction sintered sample with x = 0.05 at 500 °C is 7.19 × 105 Ωcm, the residual polarization is 8.1 μC/cm2, and the temperature stability of the piezoelectric constant is good. Therefore, the present study suggests that the piezoelectric properties of Mn and Ta co-doping of BIT ceramics could be greatly enhanced via the direct-reaction sintering, which provides a promising alternative to the conventionally sintered for a more cost-effective preparation for BIT ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpreting biological phenomena at the molecular and cellular levels reveals the ways in which information that is specific to living organisms is processed: from the genetic record contained in a strand of DNA, to the translation process, and then to the construction of proteins that carry the flow and processing of information as well as reveal evolutionary mechanisms. The processing of a surprisingly small amount of information, i.e., in the range of 1 GB, contains the record of human DNA that is used in the construction of the highly complex system that is the human body. This shows that what is important is not the quantity of information but rather its skillful use—in other words, this facilitates proper processing. This paper describes the quantitative relations that characterize information during the successive steps of the "biological dogma", illustrating a transition from the recording of information in a DNA strand to the production of proteins exhibiting a defined specificity. It is this that is encoded in the form of information and that determines the unique activity, i.e., the measure of a protein's "intelligence". In a situation of information deficit at the transformation stage of a primary protein structure to a tertiary or quaternary structure, a particular role is served by the environment as a supplier of complementary information, thus leading to the achievement of a structure that guarantees the fulfillment of a specified function. Its quantitative evaluation is possible via using a "fuzzy oil drop" (FOD), particularly with respect to its modified version. This can be achieved when taking into account the participation of an environment other than water in the construction of a specific 3D structure (FOD-M). The next step of information processing on the higher organizational level is the construction of the proteome, where the interrelationship between different functional tasks and organism requirements can be generally characterized by homeostasis. An open system that maintains the stability of all components can be achieved exclusively in a condition of automatic control that is realized by negative feedback loops. This suggests a hypothesis of proteome construction that is based on the system of negative feedback loops. The purpose of this paper is the analysis of information flow in organisms with a particular emphasis on the role of proteins in this process. This paper also presents a model introducing the component of changed conditions and its influence on the protein folding process—since the specificity of proteins is coded in their structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the interplay between taxation, trade, and investment in the context of new Asian regionalism. With the emergence of multilateral initiatives, tax rules have evolved with the potential to conflict with trade and investment treaties, resulting in tax-related disputes. This article argues that tax cooperation and harmonization between Asian nations are crucial for promoting tax certainty and maximizing the benefits of regional integration. To achieve this, it is necessary to align trade, investment, and tax policies in the region, which requires coordinated efforts between countries. One approach is to establish a regional tax framework that includes common rules and standards for taxation, as well as mechanisms for cooperation and coordination among member states. This article highlights the importance of a coherent and consistent international tax framework to prevent double taxation and erode the benefits of trade and investment. The increasing digitalization of the global economy has challenged traditional tax principles, leading to debates on the tax implications of digital transactions. This article proposes the implementation of a comprehensive approach that includes infrastructure development, human capital, and technology transfer to maximize the benefits of regional integration fully. Achieving this alignment ensures that trade and investment are not hindered by tax-related disputes, which can negatively impact economic growth and development. Thus, greater coordination and cooperation among Asian nations, along with the development of a shared vision and long-term strategy for regional integration, are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for data storage is growing at an unprecedented rate, and current methods are not sufficient to accommodate such rapid growth due to their cost, space requirements, and energy consumption. Therefore, there is a need for a new, long-lasting data storage medium with high capacity, high data density, and high durability against extreme conditions. DNA is one of the most promising next-generation data carriers, with a storage density of 10¹⁹ bits of data per cubic centimeter, and its three-dimensional structure makes it about eight orders of magnitude denser than other storage media. DNA amplification during PCR or replication during cell proliferation enables the quick and inexpensive copying of vast amounts of data. In addition, DNA can possibly endure millions of years if stored in optimal conditions and dehydrated, making it useful for data storage. Numerous space experiments on microorganisms have also proven their extraordinary durability in extreme conditions, which suggests that DNA could be a durable storage medium for data. Despite some remaining challenges, such as the need to refine methods for the fast and error-free synthesis of oligonucleotides, DNA is a promising candidate for future data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]