Bulk geochemical characteristics and carbon isotope composition of oils from the Sayhut sub-basin in the Gulf of Aden with emphasis on organic matter input,age and maturity

The Sayhut sub-basin is undergoing hydrocarbon exploration province in the Gulf of Aden, South Yemen. In this study, geochemical analyses were performed on three oil samples from two exploration wells in the Sayhut sub-basin. The results were used to describe the source organic matter input, age and maturity and to correlate between crude oils from different pay zones.The high saturated hydrocarbon values of more than 70% indicate that the analysed oils are normal crude oils and not degraded oils. This is supported by a complete suite of their normal alkanes and acyclic isoprenoids. The hydrocarbon distributions of normal alkane and isoprenoid with bulk carbon isotope data also suggest that the analysed oils are grouped into two genetic families and were generated from marine-source rock. The family A presents by one oil sample representing Harshiyat reservoir rock and characterized by relatively high Ph/Ph ratio > 2 and δ¹³C values of their saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions range from ?26.1‰ to ?24.8‰. This oil family was derived from mixed organic matter with high contribution of a terrigenous organic matter input. The family A was deposited under suboxic conditions during the Late Cretaceous age. The family B presents by two oil samples representing Ghaydah and Habshiyah reservoir rocks and characterized by relatively low Ph/Ph ratio < 2 and carbon isotope less than ?23 for their saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions. These oils were generated from source rock containing high contributions of marine organic matter (e.g., algal and microbial) with minor amount of land plant source inputs that was deposited in more reducing conditions. The family B oils are consistent with those of the Paleogene Umm Er Radhuma source rock.The hydrocarbon distribution and oil composition data also indicate that the analysed oils were generated from mature source rocks with a peak oil-window maturity.     

Organic geochemistry characterisation of crude oils from Mishrif reservoir rocks in the southern Mesopotamian Basin,South Iraq: Implication for source input and paleoenvironmental conditions

Seven crude oils from Cretaceous Mishrif reservoir rocks in the southern Mesopotamian Basin, South Iraq were studied to describe oil characteristics, providing information on the source of organic matter input and the genetic link between oils and their potential source rock in the basin. This study is based on biomarker and non-biomarker analyses performed on oil samples. The analysed oils are aromatic intermediate oils as indicated by high aromatic hydrocarbon fractions with more that 50%. These oils are also characterized by high sulfur and trace metal (Ni, V) contents and relatively low API gravity values (19.0–27.2° API). The results of this study indicate that these oils were derived from a marine carbonate source rocks bearing Type II-S kerogen that were deposited under sulphate-reducing conditions. This is primary achieved from their biomarkers and bulk carbon isotope and inorganic element contents (i.e., S, Ni and V). The absence of 18a (H)-oleanane biomarker also suggests a source age older than Late Cretaceous. The biomarker characteristics of these oils are consistent with those of the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous source rocks in the basin. However, biomarker maturity data also indicate that the oils were generated from early maturity source rocks. This appears to result from the type of kerogen of the source rock, characterized by a high-S kerogen (Type II-S).     

An efficient meshless method based on a new shape function

Although, the finite element method numerically is efficient it exhibits difficulties whenever the remeshing of the analysis domain must be performed. For such problems, utilizing meshless computation methods is very promising. But, their large computational cost, which arises from following a time‐consuming process to find shape functions, is one of the most important factors limiting the use of these methods. In this paper, we introduce a direct approach, based on properties required for any shape function, to prepare the shape function and propose a new meshless method. The proposed method does not need any predetermined basis or weighting functions and can be performed faster and more efficiently. Another advantage of the introduced method is its capability to apply desirable changes to the shape function. Application of the proposed approach for electrostatic field computation and verification of the obtained results using theoretically known solution is also presented. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Low-power CMOS distributed amplifier using new cascade gain cell for high and low gain modes

A CMOS distributed amplifier (DA) with low-power and flat and high power gain (S₂₁) is presented. In order to decrease noise figure (NF) an RL terminating network used for the gate transmission line instead of single resistance. Besides, a flat and high S₂₁ is achieved by using the proposed cascade gain cell consist of a cascode-stage with bandwidth extension capacitor. In the high-gain mode, under operation condition of V _dd  = 1.2 V and the overall current consumption of 7.8 mA, simulation result shown that the DA consumed 9.4 mW and achieved a flat and high S₂₁ of 20.5 ± 0.5 dB with an average NF of 6.5 dB over the 11 GHz band of interest, one of the best reported flat gain performances for a CMOS UWB DA. In the low-gain mode, the DA achieved average S₂₁ of 15.5 ± 0.25 dB and an average NF of 6.6 dB with low power consumption (P_DC) of 3.6 mW, the lowest P_DC ever reported for a CMOS DA or LNA with an average gain better than 10 dB.     

Throughput analysis of wireless-powered decode-and-forward relay systems with interference

Wireless Networks - This paper investigates the throughput of a wireless-powered dual-hop relaying system with the presence of co-channel interference. Specifically, an energy-constrained source...     

Bispecific humanized anti-IL-2 receptor alpha beta antibodies inhibitory for both IL-2- and IL-15-mediated proliferation

Humanized anti-Tac (HAT) and Mik beta1 (HuMik beta 1) Abs directed at IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta, respectively, inhibit IL-2 binding and biological activity and together act synergistically in vitro. The Abs have been used successfully in primate models of allograft rejection, graft-vs-host disease, and autoimmunity. We produced bifunctional humanized anti-IL-2R alpha beta Abs (BF-IgG) to combine the specificity of the two Abs into one entity by fusing HAT-producing NSO cells and HuMik beta 1-producing Sp2/0 cells. BF-IgG was purified using protein G-Sepharose affinity chromatography, followed by IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta affinity chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. BF-IgG exhibited both anti-IL-2R alpha and anti-IL-2R beta specificities in binding assays. While the Ab binds the IL-2R with intermediate affinity (Kd = 2.82 nM), it does not inhibit IL-15 binding to its high affinity IL-15R. In Kit225/K6 (IL-2R alpha beta gamma+) cells, BF-IgG was 10-fold more potent than a HAT/HuMik beta 1 equimolar mixture in blocking IL-2-induced proliferation and, unexpectedly, was at least 65-fold more active than the mixture in blocking IL-15-induced proliferation. This dual inhibitory activity may be due to cross-linking of the IL-2R alpha and IL-2R beta, thus blocking IL-2 binding and possibly impeding the association of IL-2R beta with IL-15R. BF-IgG has potent immunosuppressant activities against both IL-2- and IL-15-mediated responses, and this antagonist could be more efficacious than HAT and/or HuMik beta 1 for the treatment of autoimmunity and the prevention of allograft rejection.     

Generation of stable oscillations in uncertain nonlinear systems with matched and unmatched uncertainties

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a robust limit cycle control technique is proposed for generation of stable oscillations in a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with both matched and unmatched uncertainties. For this purpose, first, the modified Lyapunov function is introduced which is appropriate for stability analysis of invariant sets (instead of equilibrium points). The structure of the proposed Lyapunov function is related to the shape of the desirable limit cycle. Next, in order to design the robust limit cycle control input, the backstepping and Lyapunov redesign methods are employed, simultaneously. The The classical Lyapunov redesign controller is discontinuous and robust with respect to matched uncertainties. To overcome unmatched uncertainties, a modified version of the Lyapunov redesign controller is suggested in each step of backstepping which results in a continuous robust control law. Furthermore, the convergence of the phase trajectories of the uncertain closed-loop system to the target limit cycle is proved using the extended Lyapunov stability theorem. Finally, computer simulations are performed to show the applicability of the given approach. In this regard, two uncertain nonlinear practical systems are considered and robust stable oscillations are generated in these systems via the proposed controller. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique.     

Compact bandpass filter based on SIW loaded by open complementary split‐ring resonators

A compact substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) with open complementary split‐ring resonators (OCSRRs) loaded on the waveguide surface is proposed. The OCSRRs can be interpreted in terms of electric dipoles and they are good candidates to behave as electric scatterers. By loading OCSRRs on the waveguide surface, a forward‐wave pass‐band propagating below the waveguide cutoff frequency is generated. The resonance frequency of the OCSRRs is approximately half of the resonance frequency of the complementary split ring resonator (CSRR). Therefore, the electrical size of this particle is larger than the CSRRs and the OCSRRs are more appropriate for the SIW miniaturization. A bandpass response with a sharp rejection frequency band is obtained by properly manipulating the structure of the elements. By changing the orientation of the OCSRRs, two types of unit cell are proposed. Moreover, by resizing the OCSRRs, resonance frequency can be easily moved and the bandwidth can be tuned by the coupling between two OCSRRs. Compared with some other reported bandpass filters (BPFs) with SIW technique, the presented BPF has great improvements on size reduction and selectivity. To verify the methodology, two filters with center frequency of 5.5 GHz are designed and measured. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated ones. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 26:674–682, 2016.     

Numerical and analytical study of severity of cracks in cylindrical and spherical shells

The present study deals with the severity of cracks in pressure equipments, where such defects are often involved. Our work is particularly concerned with the problem of cylindrical shells and also the little well-known problem of spherical shells, including all sorts of practical defects, namely axisymmetric or semi-elliptic, both internal and external cracks. The stress intensity factor in the linear elastic domain and the J integral in the elastoplastic range are performed using the finite element method and compared to the results provided by the application of the semi-analytical A16 or R6 simplified criteria, depending on a limit load calculation. The nocivity of the defects depends on the crack shape and size and other structural geometrical parameters. Use is made of a polynomial decomposition of the stress field in the vicinity of the crack in order to cover all industrial loadings. All the numerical results, for a wide range of shell and crack geometries, are depicted using appropriate tables and curves in order to check the fracture criteria more easily.