Seismic low-frequency shadows and their application to detect CO2 anomalies on time-lapse seismic data: a case study from Sleipner field, North sea

The detection and underlying mechanism of prospect-scale seismic low-frequency shadows (LFS) has been an issue of debate. Even though the concept of LFS is widely accepted, the practical applicability of the method remains limited due to few real field case studies and little understanding of the underlying attenuation mechanism. To characterize the attenuation phenomenon responsible for the occurrence of LFS in CO2 saturated formations, we use the diffusivity and viscosity of the fluid saturated medium to derive a complex velocity function that characterizes a high-frequency attenuation phenomenon responsible for the occurrence of LFS in a CO2 saturated formation. Synthetic seismic data sets representing pre- and post- CO2 injection scenarios were generated using 2D diffusive viscous equations to model the LFS and understand its occurrence mechanism. Furthermore, to demonstrate the applicability of LFS in a real field, a spectral decomposition analysis of time-lapse 3D seismic data of the Sleipner field, North Sea, was carried out using the continuous wavelet transform. LFSs were clearly detected below the reservoir base at frequencies lower than 30 Hz in the post- CO2 injection surveys. It is shown that the seismic low-frequency shadows are not artefacts but occur due to attenuation of the high frequency components of the propagating seismic waves in the CO2 saturated Utsira Formation. The attenuation of these frequencies is a result of the diffusivity and viscosity of the fluid saturated medium. The low-frequency shadows are localized anomalies at the base of the formation; hence with the present approach, these anomalies cannot be related to the migration of the CO2 plume in the Utsira Formation.

Untargeted lipidomics of ovine milk to analyse the influence of different diet regimens

In this work we report a lipidomics approach to study the effects of two diet systems on the composition of ovine milk. Milk from two groups of Sarda sheep grazing on 40% (P40) and 60% (P60) of pasture were analyzed by a UHPLC-QTOF-MS analytical platform and data submitted to multivariate statistical analysis. Pairwise partial least square discriminant analysis of the lipid profile of the data was carried out to classify samples and to find discriminant lipids. The two dietary groups were characterized by differences in triacylglycerols, phosphocholines and phosphatidylethanolamines levels. Discriminants of the P40 group were TG and PC containing in their backbone saturated medium chain FA thus suggesting greater de novo fatty synthesis in the mammary gland. On the other hand, the P60 group was characterized by TG and PC formed by unsaturated long chain FA originating from the diet or from lipid mobilization.

Mathematical and computer modelling of interconnected processes of moisture- and heat mass transfer in non-saturated soil layer

The paper presents the mathematical modelling of joint processes of moisture transfer and mass transfer in a non-saturated medium taking into account Osmos phenomena under non-isothermic conditions. Numeric calculations of corresponding boundary tasks were found by a method of finite differences using non-evident and monotonous differential schemes adapted for solving non-linear differential equations. As a result of program implementation of the constructed calculation algorithm, the distribution was found of salt solutions concentration under joint transfers and the impact of heat transfer was determined upon distributions of moisture heads and salts concentration in a soil mass. Obtained results may be used to determine moisture heads and salts solutions spreading in soils which is an applied task.

Modelling the effects of diffusive-viscous waves in a 3-D fluid-saturated media using two numerical approaches

SUMMARY The accurate numerical modelling of 3-D seismic wave propagation is essential in understanding details to seismic wavefields which are, observed on regional and global scales on the Earth’s surface. The diffusive-viscous wave (DVW) equation was proposed to study the connection between fluid saturation and frequency dependence of reflections and to characterize the attenuation property of the seismic wave in a fluid-saturated medium. The attenuation of DVW is primarily described by the active attenuation parameters (AAP) in the equation. It is, therefore, imperative to acquire these parameters and to additionally specify the characteristics of the DVW. In this paper, quality factor, Q is used to obtain the AAP, and they are compared to those of the visco-acoustic wave. We further derive the 3-D numerical schemes based on a second order accurate finite-volume scheme with a second order Runge–Kutta approximation for the time discretization and a fourth order accurate finite-difference scheme with a fourth order Runge–Kutta approximation for the time discretization. We then simulate the propagation of seismic waves in a 3-D fluid-saturated medium based on the derived schemes. The numerical results indicate stronger attenuation when compared to the visco-acoustic case.

Protective Role of Hydrogen Gas on Oxidative Damage and Apoptosis in Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cells (IPEC-J2) Induced by Deoxynivalenol: A Preliminary Study

To explore the protective role of hydrogen gas (H2) on oxidative damage and apoptosis in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) induced by deoxynivalenol (DON), cells were assigned to four treatment groups, including control, 5 μM DON, H2-saturated medium, and 5 μM DON + H2-saturated medium treatments. After 12 h of different treatments, the cell viability, biomarkers of cell redox states, and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and apoptosis were observed and detected. Furthermore, caspase-3 and Bax protein expressions were measured by Western blot analysis. Our results demonstrated that the 5 μM DON significantly caused cytotoxicity to IPEC-J2 cells by reducing cell viability and increasing lactate dehydrogenase release in culture supernatants. Moreover, DON treatments significantly increased levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, 3-nitrotyrosine, and malonaldehyde; however, they decreased total superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and downregulated messenger RNA (mRNA) expression related to antioxidant enzymes in cells. The 5 μM DON treatment also downregulated Bcl-2 expression and upregulated caspase-3 and Bax expression. However, the H2-saturated medium significantly improved cell growth status and reversed the change of redox states and expression of genes and proteins related to apoptosis induced by DON in IPEC-J2 cells. In conclusion, H2 could protect IPEC-J2 cells from DON-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in vitro.

Islet Harvest in Carbon Monoxide-Saturated Medium for Chronic Pancreatitis Patients Undergoing Islet Autotransplantation

Stresses encountered during human islet isolation lead to unavoidable β-cell death after transplantation. This reduces the chance of insulin independence in chronic pancreatitis patients undergoing total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. We tested whether harvesting islets in carbon monoxide-saturated solutions is safe and can enhance islet survival and insulin independence after total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. Chronic pancreatitis patients who consented to the study were randomized into carbon monoxide (islets harvested in a carbon monoxide-saturated medium) or control (islets harvested in a normal medium) groups. Islet yield, viability, oxygen consumption rate, β-cell death (measured by unmethylated insulin DNA), and serum cytokine levels were measured during the peri-transplantation period. Adverse events, metabolic phenotypes, and islet function were measured prior and at 6 months post-transplantation. No adverse events directly related to the infusion of carbon monoxide islets were observed. Carbon monoxide islets showed significantly higher viability before transplantation. Subjects receiving carbon monoxide islets had less β-cell death, decreased CCL23, and increased CXCL12 levels at 1 or 3 days post transplantation compared with controls. Three in 10 (30%) of the carbon monoxide subjects and none of the control subjects were insulin independent. This pilot trial showed for the first time that harvesting human islets in carbon monoxide-saturated solutions is safe for total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation patients.