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Background: Malignant pleural effusion is mostly a complication of advanced malignant tumors. However, the cancer markers such as carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA 125), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), and cytokeratin fragment 21-1 (CYFRA 21-1) have low sensitivity and organ specificity for detecting malignant pleural effusion. Research question: Is IR808@MnO nano-near infrared fluorescent dye worthy for the diagnosis in differentiating benign and malignant pleural effusions. Study design and methods: This experiment was carried out to design and characterize the materials for in vitro validation of the new dye in malignant tumor cells in the A549 cell line and in patients with adenocarcinoma pleural effusion. The dye was verified to possess tumor- specific targeting capabilities. Subsequently, a prospective hospital-based observational study was conducted, enrolling 106 patients and excluding 28 patients with unknown diagnoses. All patients underwent histopathological analysis of thoracoscopic biopsies, exfoliative cytological analysis of pleural fluid, and analysis involving the new dye. Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel, GraphPad Prism, and the R language. Results: The size of IR808@MnO was 136.8 ± 2.9 nm, with peak emission at 808 nm, and it has near-infrared fluorescence properties. Notably, there was a significant difference in fluorescence values between benign and malignant cell lines (p < 0.0001). The malignant cell lines tested comprised CL1-5, A549, MDA-MB-468, U-87MG, MKN-7, and Hela, while benign cell lines were BEAS-2B, HUVEC, HSF, and VE. The most effective duration of action was identified as 30 min at a concentration of 5 μl. This optimal duration of action and concentration were consistent in patients with lung adenocarcinoma accompanied by pleural effusion and 5 μl. Of the 106 patients examined, 28 remained undiagnosed, 39 were diagnosed with malignant pleural effusions, and the remaining 39 with benign pleural effusions. Employing the new IR808@MnO staining method, the sensitivity stood at 74.4%, specificity at 79.5%, a positive predictive value of 69.2%, and a negative predictive value of 82.1%. The area under the ROC curve was recorded as 0.762 (95% CI: 0.652–0.872). The confusion matrix revealed a positive predictive value of 75.7%, a negative predictive value of 75.6%, a false positive rate of 22.5%, and a false negative rate of 26.3%. Interpretation: The IR808@MnO fluorescent probe represents an efficient, sensitive, and user-friendly diagnostic tool for detecting malignant pleural fluid, underscoring its significant potential for clinical adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rat primitive extraembryonic endoderm (pXEN) stem cell lines indefinitely preserve the characteristic features of the early extraembryonic endoderm (ExEn) in vitro, but require unknown serum factors and exhibit a hybrid (mesenchymal-epithelial) phenotype. We report two chemically defined conditions that differ by the addition of the cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (Lif) and the β-catenin-stabilizing drug Chir99021, and enable permanent self-renewal as mesenchymal and epithelial morphotypes, respectively. The morphotypes are interconvertible and equipotent, as shown by the formation of well-differentiated organoids. Surprisingly, the proliferation of both morphotypes requires Lif-type Gp130/Stat3 signaling (autocrine in the absence of added Lif) and noncanonical Wnt signaling (autocrine). In addition, the epithelial version requires β-catenin for proliferation and morphology. Interestingly, the mesenchymal cells also express key epithelial markers, but those are improperly structured and/or not functional, indicating a primed state. These results provide an improved platform for studying the proliferation and plasticity of the early ExEn, which occurs in mesenchymal and epithelial forms in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebrovascular diseases are associated with high incidence of health care–associated infections (HAIs) and poor prognosis in elderly patients. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinical characteristics of HAIs in elderly patients with cerebrovascular disease in the intensive care unit (ICU). Patients admitted with cerebrovascular disease, aged ≥65 years, were included. The clinical data of the patients were retrospectively analyzed to determine the risk factors, infection type, distribution, and pathogenic characteristics of HAIs in the context of cerebrovascular diseases. Out of 381 ICU inpatients monitored, 79 (20.73%) developed HAIs. Risk analysis revealed number of ventilator days as significant risk factors for HAIs in elderly patients with cerebrovascular diseases in the comprehensive ICU. In the HAI group, 56 patients (70.89%) had respiratory tract infection (RTI). Sixty-five patients (82.28%) were infected with Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and 42 (53.16%) with multi-drug–resistant organism (MDRO). The length of hospitalization days, ventilator days, and overall hospitalization costs were higher in the HAI group than in the non-HAI group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups in the treatment outcome of patients. Patients with MDRO infection had longer duration and higher cost of hospitalization than those infected with non-MDRO (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the groups in the treatment outcome of patients. HAIs occurred mostly due to RTI and GNB infection. The hospitalization cost and duration, as well as the length of ventilator days, were higher for cerebrovascular patients with HAIs than for non-HAIs patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberry juice has been found to undergo severe browning after treatment and cold storage, such as processing by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at 550 MPa/10 min/25 °C followed storage at 4 °C for 4 days. This browning may be due to the degradation of anthocyanin (AC) in the berries. Therefore, in this study, gallic acid (GA), ferulic acid (FA), ascorbic acid (VC), citric acid (CA), tea polyphenol (TP) and α-tocopherol (VE) were compared to determine their ability to improve the stability of the AC in HHP-treated blueberry juice. The juice was combined with the six abovementioned antioxidants at different concentrations, then treated by HHP at 550 MPa/10 min/25 °C and stored at 4 °C for 20 days. Thereafter, the pH levels, degrees °Brix, color parameters, total AC content and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity of the blueberry juice blend were measured and compared. Gallic acid at 2 g/L was found to be the most effective antioxidant to protect against AC degradation. After storage at 4 °C for 20 days, the AC content of the juice with no added antioxidants had decreased by 62.27% with a PPO relative activity of 50.78%, while the AC content of juice supplemented with 2 g/L GA had decreased by 13.42% with a PPO relative activity of 28.13%. The results of this study, thus, suggest that GA can stabilize the structure of AC in blueberry juice and reduce PPO activity, which may be beneficial in guiding the production of blueberry juice with high AC retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest fire burned area is one of the most basic factors used to describe forest fires and plays a vital role in damage assessment. The development of the NSSI-NDVI vegetation index triangular space method enables simultaneous calculation of the flammable non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), combustible photosynthetic vegetation (PV), and incombustible bare soil (BS) fractional cover in forest areas. This can be used to compensate for the calculation method that was based on NDVI vegetation index only by comparing vegetation cover before and after forest fires, with the omission of the NPV burned area. To this end, the NSSI-NDVI triangular space shape consistency before and after forest fires was elucidated through combustion and ash wetting experiments. In addition, the feasibility of the NSSI-NDVI triangular space method for the accurate calculation of the post-fire vegetation damage area was verified. Finally, the applicability and accuracy of this research method were verified based on 10 m spatial resolution satellite hyperspectral images from before and after the forest fire in Lushan, Sichuan Province, China. The NSSI-NDVI triangular space method was used to calculate the PV, NPV, and BS coverage simultaneously, and component transformation was used to calculate the burned area and burned site separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the approximation orders of a real number x ∈ (0 , 1) by the partial sums of its β -expansions as β varies in the parameter space { β ∈ ℝ : β > 1 }. More precisely, letting S n (x , β) be the partial sum of the first n items of the β -expansion of x , we prove that for any real number x ∈ (0 , 1) , the approximation order of x by S n (x , β) is β − n for Lebesgue almost all β > 1. Moreover, we obtain the size of the set of β > 1 for which x can be approximated with a more general order β − φ (n) , where φ : ℕ → ℝ + is a positive function. We also determine the Hausdorff dimension of the set C φ (α) = β > 1 : lim sup n → ∞ l n (x , β) φ (n) = α , 0 ≤ α ≤ ∞ , where l n (x , β) is the number of the longest consecutive zeros just after the n th digit in the β -expansion of x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CML patient developed myeloid blast crisis 18 months after the initial diagnosis of CML; the MPN-U patient developed accelerated phase of disease 24.1 months after initial diagnosis (Figure B S2 b ). Of the four patients alive at last follow-up, one patient had AML transforming from MDS with a follow-up time of 20.6 months and three were in complete remission including two patients who received allo-SCT. Keywords: acute myeloid leukaemia; EVI1; MECOM; MYC; myelodysplastic syndrome EN acute myeloid leukaemia EVI1 MECOM MYC myelodysplastic syndrome 604 608 5 07/27/22 20220801 NES 220801 I MYC i rearrangement can occur in various B-cell lymphomas, plasma cell neoplasm, rarely B or T cell lymphoblastic leukaemia, and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.1-6 However, the occurrence and significance of I MYC i rearrangement in other myeloid neoplasms have not been thoroughly investigated.7-13 Here, we assessed a cohort of 40 patients with 8q24/ I MYC i -rearranged myeloid neoplasms diagnosed from January 2009 through December 2020. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: This study investigated the effect of ultrafiltration (UF) combined with high‐pressure processing (HPP) at 550 MPa, 25 °C for 5 min, ultrasound (US) at 520 W, 40 °C for 10 min and heat treatment (HT) at 90 °C for 3 min on the microbial, physicochemical and sensory properties of a blueberry–grape–pineapple–cantaloupe juice blend during 104 days of storage at 4 °C. After UF, the shelf life of the HPP‐ and US‐treated clear juice blends were 104 and 72 days during the storage at 4 °C respectively. HPP, US and HT treatment minimally affected the anthocyanin and total phenol contents, while HPP better maintained the ascorbic acid levels and sensory properties in the clear juice blend during the storage. Therefore, HPP combined with UF was identified as a prospective processing technique in the fruit juice industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal stability and conductivity are important for long-term performance and easy regeneration of CO2 adsorbents. In this paper, a kind of dialdehyde-cellulose/graphene-oxide composite gel (DAC-GO) with a flexible structure was obtained successfully via periodate oxidation and a self-assembly method. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) was impregnated and crosslinked into a DAC-GO gel using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) to prepare a solid amine adsorbent (DAC-GO-cPEI) for CO2 adsorption. The adsorption amount and regeneration performance of the DAC-GO-cPEI were evaluated in comparison with those of the adsorbents prepared without adding GO (DAC-cPEI) or crosslinking (DAC-GO@PEI). The structure of the composite gels was different from that of the initial DAC gel, accompanied by the trend of an initial increase in the adsorption amount followed by a decrease as the amount of GO increased. Among DAC-GOs, the DAC-0.05GO with a leaf-vein-branched structure exhibited a higher adsorption amount than others after being functionalized with PEI, in which DAC-0.05GO-cPEI was suitable for achieving long-term adsorption performance. Under wet conditions, DAC-0.05GO-cPEI reached a CO2 adsorption amount as high as 4.25 mmol g−1 at 25 °C, and could be regenerated by purging with a flow of N2 at a low temperature of 70 °C. Furthermore, DAC-0.05GO-cPEI maintained a stable adsorption amount of more than 4 mmol g−1 after 12 adsorption–desorption cycles, demonstrating that DAC-0.05GO-cPEI was an effective CO2 adsorbent with long-term performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bimetallic alloy nanoparticles enhance the cycling stability during K intercalation/de-intercalation process. • A novel preparation of PIB anode via a scalable bimetallic alloy nanoparticles and carbonization. • The doped N and O elements increase the contact sites between the electrode materials and electrolyte. • The composite material has bimetallic alloy active site and conductive carbon frame. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great potential as anode materials for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to their hierarchical porous structures, large number of reaction sites, and adjustable chemistry. However, the larger size of potassium ions adversely impacts the electrochemical performance and specific capacity. Therefore, it is imperative to develop novel electrode materials featuring distinctive structures for PIBs. This study achieved bimetal introduction by adding Ammonium ferric citrate during ZIF-67 growth. The resulting metal–organic skeleton of the bimetallic alloy nanoparticle (FeCo@PAZ-C) exhibits a core–shell structure and adorned with numerous microspheres on its surface, thereby offering an abundance of active sites for K+ storage. This architecture effectively reduces the diffusion path length for potassium ions and enhances electron transport pathways, ultimately contributing to improved performance. At 100 mA g−1 and after 500 cycles, the FeCo@PAZ-C electrode material demonstrated a stable specific capacity of 328 mAh/g with 95 % capacity retention. This self-sacrificing template method for MOFs offers a new approach to developing high-capacity and cycling-stable potassium-ion battery materials, broadening their potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• RNA sequencing identifies gene rearrangements important for lymphoma diagnosis. • RNA sequencing can identify rearrangements that are cryptic by other methods. • Rearrangement partners revealed by RNA sequencing may be novel or unexpected. • The workup of lymphomas may be optimized by using a combination of methods. Aggressive B-cell lymphomas are currently classified based in part upon the presence or absence of translocations involving BCL2, BCL6 , and MYC. Most clinical laboratories employ fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis for the detection of these rearrangements. The potential role of RNA-based sequencing approaches in the evaluation of malignant lymphoma is currently unclear. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing (RNAseq) in 37 cases of aggressive B-cell lymphomas using a commercially available next generation sequencing assay and compared results to previously performed FISH studies. RNAseq detected 1/7 MYC (14%), 3/8 BCL2 (38%) and 4/8 BCL6 (50%) translocations identified by FISH. RNAseq also detected 1 MYC/IGH fusion in a case not initially tested by FISH due to low MYC protein expression and 2 BCL6 translocations that were not detected by FISH. RNAseq identified the partner gene in each detected rearrangement, including a novel EIF4G1-BCL6 rearrangement. In summary, RNAseq complements FISH for the detection of rearrangements of BCL2, BCL6 and MYC in the evaluation and classification of aggressive B-cell lymphomas by detecting rearrangements that may be cryptic by FISH methods and by identifying the rearrangement partner genes. Detection of these clinically important translocations may be optimized by combined use of FISH and RNAseq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Porous PEI-based adsorbents were first designed and prepared by HIPE template method. • PEI70K-E-HIPE-8 exhibited a record high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 14.22 mmol/g. • PEI70K-E-HIPE-8 showed superior CO 2 adsorption kinetics and great potential in CO 2 /CH 4 separation. • Ring-opening nucleophilic reaction of PEI and EGDE enriched the method of O/W HIPE polymerization. A novel solid amine adsorbent with interconnect open-cell porous structure was successfully synthesized by crosslinking polyethyleneimine (PEI) with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) via high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) polymerization. The preparation conditions were optimized. The adsorption performance of the prepared adsorbent for CO 2 was evaluated by fixed bed dynamic adsorption experiment. The results indicated that the optimal adsorbent PEI70K-E-HIPE-8 exhibited a record high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 14.22 mmol/g, amine efficiency of 83% and ratio of breakthrough capacity to equilibrium capacity of 0.92 (abbreviated as Q b /Q e ratio). Both adsorption capacity and adsorption kinetics are much better than those of PEI70K-E-gel-8 prepared without using HIPE template. The adsorbent also showed good CO 2 /CH 4 separation performance, a CH 4 productivity of 54.84 mmol/g could be obtained while using PEI70K-E-HIPE-8 to separated it from a 20 mL CO 2 /CH 4 (20:80, v:v) mixed gas, remarkably higher than that of PEI70K-E-gel-8 (0.28 mmol/g). PEI70K-E-HIPE-8 could keep a stable adsorption and separation performance after at lease 15 adsorption-desorption cycles. The superior CO 2 adsorption capacity and adsorption kinetics make it a promising candidate in practical CO 2 adsorption and CO 2 /CH 4 separation application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel dual-emission ratiometric fluorescent sensor (CDs@Eu-MOFs) has been synthesized successfully by encapsulating water-soluble fluorescent CDs into the chambers of Eu-MOFs via a simple one-pot hydrothermal method, which can be used for the detection of Hg2+ in environmental water samples. The synthesized CDs@Eu-MOFs inherited simultaneously the excellent luminescence performance of Eu3+ and CDs and exhibited good structural and fluorescence stability in aqueous solution. The presence of Hg2+ changed the fluorescence intensity of CDs, while the fluorescence intensity of Eu-MOFs hardly changed, which could be used as the recognition part and the reference part respectively to construct the ratiometric fluorescence sensor. The obtained Hg2+ fluorescent probe showed a wide linear range (0–300 μM) and a low detection limit (0.12 nM). The developed method can be used as a multi-functional fluorescent sensor with high sensitivity and good selectivity for the determination of Hg2+ in actual water samples. Image 1 • CDs@Eu-MOFs composite was prepared using in-situ synthesis method. • A green, simple, eco-friendly strategy for synthesizing CDs was established. • The ratiometric fluorescence sensor can recognize Hg2+ highly sensitively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by acute lung inflammation and apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) with a high morbidity and mortality. Procyanidin B2 (PCB2) is a naturally occurring flavonoid with anti-inflammatory activity. Our previous study demonstrated that PCB2 inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome signaling and ameliorated paraquat-induced ALI in rat, indicating the protective role of PCB2. As lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute cell injury and dysfunction, we continued to evaluate the protective effects of PCB2 using LPS-treated human AECs and lung fibroblasts (LFs) model. We tested the effects of PCB2 on cell permeability, viability, apoptosis, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) activation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and proinflammatory cytokines production in LPS-treated human AECs and LFs. PCB2 prevented LPS-induced cell apoptosis, and increased the cell viability in LPS-treated human AECs and LFs. PCB2 inhibited LPS-induced Bax and active caspase-3 expression, and promoted Bcl-2 expression. PCB2 prevented LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β expression, NF-κB activation, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. PCB2 suppressed LPS-induced inflammation and apoptosis in human AECs and LFs by inhibiting NF-κB and NLRP3 inflammasome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a key role in the development of various cancers. Zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) is a novel lncRNA with previously demonstrated associations with several types of cancer. Here we examined the expression and potential function of the ZFAS1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: We detected ZFAS1 expression in GSE12452, a human microarray dataset, and NPC cell lines. Small interfering RNA against ZFAS1 was used to elucidate the cellular functions of ZFAS1 using MTT, colony formation, cell cycle, cell apoptosis, transwell invasion and migration and western blot assays. An activator of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway (740Y-P) was used to determine the contribution of PI3K/AKT. RESULTS: ZFAS1 was significantly upregulated in NPC tissues and cell lines. Silencing ZFAS1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, arrested cell cycle progression and promoted cell apoptosis, as well as reduced epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Moreover, 740Y-P could rescue the effects of ZFAS1 knockdown on proliferation, apoptosis and invasion in 5-8F cells. CONCLUSIONS: ZFAS1 might play an oncogenic role in NPC and facilitate cell proliferation and invasion via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in NPC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese villages act as the essential carriers of China's rural heritage. Such villages are considered to retain living practices of intangible heritage through know-how, artistic and folk customs, as well as a well-preserved architectural appearance. However, their conservation is at stake due to degradation, abandonment, and urbanization. Spatial cognition is one way of bringing people to the matter of what is important to conserve (attributes) and why they are important (values). This is done by analysing how people perceive and value rural heritage. Traditional methods of gathering spatial cognition data, such as laborious fieldwork or subjective qualitative analyses, often fall short of providing a holistic representation of real-world experiences. This article presents an innovative method for analysing cognitive features in traditional village spaces using an immersive virtual reality equipped with an eye-tracking system. We selected Cheng and Jitou, two traditional Chinese villages, as our case studies. In two virtual reality environments, we captured accurate 3D cognitive data, including participants' locomotion, gaze point, and sightline. The results indicate that the accessibility of village roads affects the distribution of people's locomotion, which in turn affects the distribution of people's areas of interest; the changes in the rhythm of the sightline scale reflect the rhythm of spatial changes in the villages. By broadening the understanding of spatial cognition in traditional Chinese villages related to people's values, this paper sheds light on an alternative approach to assess the cultural significance of such villages for higher conservation and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BaFe 12-y-2 x Al y Sn x Mn x O 19 had strong natural ferromagnetic resonances at 15.37, 9.96, and 6.96 GHz with x = 0.7, 0.9 and 1.1, respectively. • A strong microwave absorption in the x = 0.7, 0.9 and 1.1 compounds. • With the absorber's thickness as thin as 1.8 mm, the x = 0.7 compound had an effective bandwidth of over 4.1 GHz in the range from 13.9 to higher than 18 GHz. • At thin thickness of 2.5––2.9 mm, the x = 0.9 compound had a broad absorption bandwidth of 8–14.8 GHz, which covered the full X band of 8––12 GHz. • With the absorber thickness thinner than 2.9 mm, the microwave absorption band covered the range of 6.1 to 18 GHz with the doping content × varying between 0.7 and 1.1. The site preferences of the ions in M-type BaFe 12-y-2 x Al y Sn x Mn x O 19 were determined from the XRD patterns refined with the Fullprof program. Due to the preferential occupation of the nonmagnetic Sn4+ ions, the doping Sn4+ and Mn2+/Mn3+ ions decreased the saturation magnetization. The doping also decreased the anisotropic field and the coercivity as well. BaFe 12-y-2 x Al y Sn x Mn x O 19 had strong natural ferromagnetic resonances at 15.37, 9.96, and 6.96 GHz with x = 0.7, 0.9 and 1.1, respectively. The frequency of the natural ferromagnetic resonance fell in the frequency range between 2 and 18 GHz was closely related to the decreased anisotropic field with the Sn4+ and Mn2+/Mn3+ doping. Accompanied with the ferromagnetic resonance, a high attenuation factor was obtained. The highest attenuation factor was 240 in x = 0.7. The minimum reflection loss was at the frequency with the impedance matching being close to 1, and at the thickness satisfying the quarter wavelength mechanism. The impedance matching was good around the natural resonance frequency in each compound. These led to a strong microwave absorption in the x = 0.7, 0.9 and 1.1 compounds. As the absorber's thickness was as thin as 1.8 mm, the x = 0.7 compound had an effective bandwidth of over 4.1 GHz in the range from 13.9 to higher than 18 GHz. At thin thickness of 2.5––2.9 mm, the x = 0.9 compound had a broad absorption bandwidth of 8–14.8 GHz, which covered the full X band of 8––12 GHz. By varying the doping content × , the microwave absorption band covered the range of 6.1 to 18 GHz with the absorber thickness thinner than 2.9 mm. The quarter wavelength mechanism played an important role on the strong microwave absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the Japanese 55-year reanalysis daily data, this study finds that the frequency of persistent cold events from Lake Balkhash to Lake Baikal exhibits a clear interdecadal variation. Circulation characteristics, such as interdecadal variations in regional persistent cold event frequencies, are the focus of this study. During the 57-year period, a subperiod from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s exhibits inactive characteristics compared with those before and after during the study period. On a subseasonal timescale, the typical circulation patterns of persistent cold events are characterized by wave-train anomalies across the Atlantic Ocean and Eurasian continent, with significantly positive height anomalies that persist over the Ural Mountains in the upper troposphere, positive SLP anomalies over Eurasian mid- to high latitudes and cold SAT anomalies from Lake Balkhash to Lake Baikal. The changes in background circulation at the interdecadal timescale correspond well with the typical circulation patterns at the subseasonal timescale, indicating their important role in modulating the frequency of persistent cold events. Interdecadal changes in the background circulation can be partially explained by transient eddy feedback forcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil quality of garden plants is an important factor for good growth of garden plants. Based on the analysis of the current situation of garden soil, the ecological value and feasibility of composting technology applied in garden soil improvement were discussed. This study provided a basis for strengthening the quality management of garden soil, improving the standard of garden soil improvement, and helping the healthy and sustainable development of modern garden greening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the shortage of donors, alveolar stem cells transplantation is under development as an important and promising treatment for end-stage lung disease. Currently, the acquisition of functional lung cells is mostly performed by two dimensional (2D) culture and suffers from low directed differentiation efficiency. It is particularly critical to replicate the three dimensional (3D) growth of lung cells, as cells grow in 3D microenvironment in vivo. In this work, we develop a 3D biomimetic composite hydrogel system based on the in situ crosslinking of the synthetic polymer 4 arm acrylated-poly(ethylene glycol) (4PEG-AC), the thiolated natural polymer hyaluronic acid (HA-SH), and the thiolated polypeptide (GSE4-SH) via a Michael-type "click" reaction under physiological conditions at pH 7.8. The PEG/HA/GSE4 hydrogel with a sheer modulus of 104.1 ± 9.9 Pa was used for 3D growth of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), displaying excellent biocompatibility. Covalent conjugation of GSE4 peptide in hydrogel promoted the differentiation of BMSCs into alveolar epithelial type 2 cells (AEC2s) with a AEC2s-differentiation rate of 58.6 ± 3.3%. Overall, this study provides a suitable 3D biomimetic platform to enable the efficient differentiation of stem cells into lung cells for lung tissue engineering. [Display omitted] • Michael-type "click" reaction was employed to fabricate a biocompatible and biodegradable HA/PEG hydrogel. • Thiolated GSE4 Peptide was designed and chemically conjugated into 3D HA/PEG hydrogel matrix. • GSE4 Peptide incorporated in PEG/HA hydrogel promotes the AEC2s-Differentiation of BMSCs. • PEG/HA/GSE4 hydrogel provides a 3D platform to enable the efficient differentiation of stem cells into lung cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of micro-cracks in shale gas plays from stress sensitivity of ultrasonic wave velocities. Key highlights of the study include the physico-mechanical parameters of shale samples, comparison of stress sensitivity coefficient and crack density of shale samples, and elastic anisotropy and mineralogy of the samples.

This study categorized blocking high (BH) episodes during the boreal summer in northeast Asia (40°-70°N, 100°-150°E) into four types according to their wave-breaking features at the dynamic tropopause on the initial day: anticyclonic warm, cyclonic warm, anticyclonic cold, and cyclonic cold. Based on the results of a statistical analysis, it was shown that 1) the anticyclonic-warm type tended to occur in eastern Russia (55°-70°N, 127.5°-142.5°E), whereas the other three types preferentially occurred in the vicinity of Lake Baikal; 2) the two cold types generally were more common than the two warm types; and 3) the average life spans of the two anticyclonic types were longer than those of the two cyclonic types. According to a composite analysis, the four BH types were preceded by different wave train-like anomalies over the Eurasian continent over approximately one week. Correspondingly, each BH type was characterized by distinct Rossby wave propagation features. Interestingly, a northeastward propagation of the Rossby waves around the BHs was evident in the two cyclonic types. This feature differs from the quasi-meridional propagation of Rossby waves originating from suppressed convection activity over subtropical regions documented in previous studies. This study also found that every BH type was accompanied by distinct precipitation anomaly patterns over East Asia, highlighting the necessity of classifying BHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively evaluate the complex fracture network forming ability of Fengcheng Formation shale oil reservoirs in Mahu sag, the core in a vertical well of Fengcheng Formation in Mahu sag was considered as the research object. Through coring sampling, indoor experimental testing, combined with logging data and comprehensive interpretation, the rock mechanical properties and in-situ stress profile of the reservoir are systematically obtained. The results show that the shale oil reservoir of Fengcheng Formation in Mahu sag has deep burial depth, large absolute value of in-situ stress, high compressive strength and elastic modulus, good brittleness, low development degree of reservoir bedding, but relatively developed natural fractures. Among these features, brittleness, natural fractures, compressive strength and in-situ stress are the main controlling factors affecting the reservoir fracture propagation. The acoustic emission b value during the process of rock fracture can characterize the ability to form complex fracture network. By evaluating the correlation coefficient between each main control factor and acoustic emission b value for the first time, the weight value of each factor on fracture forming ability is determined. So as to establish the quantitative evaluation model of reservoir fracture forming ability, and quantitatively evaluate the fracture forming ability of the reservoir section. Applying the quantitative evaluation model of fracture forming ability to the logging data of the well. The evaluation results of the whole well section are consistent with the liquid production profile of the well, which shows that the research model established by this method is reliable. That also provides a guidance for the fracturing transformation and horizon optimization of horizontal wells in Fengcheng Formation shale oil reservoir in Mahu sag in the later stage. • A set of rock mechanical property parameters of the reservoir of Fengcheng Formation in Mahu sag are first obtained. • The main controlling factors affecting reservoir fracture propagation are determined. • A set of compressibility evaluation method suitable for the reservoir of Fengcheng Formation is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Liver tumor, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is closely associated with chronic inflammation. We previously showed that farnesoid X receptor knockout (FXR− / − ) mice displayed chronic inflammation and developed spontaneous liver tumors when they aged. However, the mechanism by which inflammation leads to HCC in the absence of FXR is unclear. Because IFNγ is one of the most upregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines in FXR− / − livers, we generated IFNγ− / −FXR− / − double knockout mice to determine IFNγ’s roles in hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods: IFNγ− / − mice were crossed with an FXR− / − C57BL/6 background or injected i.p. with the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Hepatocarcinogenesis was analyzed with biochemical and histological methods. Results: IFNγ deletion accelerated spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis in FXR− / − mice and increased the susceptibility to DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. IFNγ deletion enhanced activation of HCC promoters STAT3 and JNK/c-Jun, but abolished induction of p53 in IFNγ− / − livers after acute DEN-induced injury. Furthermore, hepatic p53 expression increased in aged wild type mice but not in aged IFNγ− / − and IFNγ− / −FXR− / − mice, while activation of STAT3 and JNK/c-Jun was enhanced in aged IFNγ− / − and IFNγ− / −FXR− / − mice. In addition, IFNγ inhibited liver cancer xenograft growth and impaired IL-6-induced STAT3 phosphorylation by inducing SOCS1/3 expression. Conclusions: Increased IFNγ expression in FXR− / − livers represents a protective response of the liver against chronic injury and tumorigenesis. IFNγ suppresses hepatocarcinogenesis by inducing p53 expression and preventing STAT3 activation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The synthesis of quantum dot coated with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and gemini surfactant [C12H25N+(CH3)2(CH2)4(CH3)2N+C12H25]·2Br− (C12-4-12) in aqueous solution have been described. It is characterized by photoluminescent spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), etc. In comparison with CTAB-coated QDs, the QDs coated with C12-4-12 respond selectively to both transition metal ion copper and fluoride ion in aqueous media. When Cu2+ is bound to C12-4-12-coated QD micelles, the fluorescence intensity is quenched. Linear relationships are found between the relative fluorescence intensity and the concentration of Cu2+ in the range 0–500μM, which is best described by a Stern–Volmer-type equation. Meanwhile, it is found that F− enhanced the luminescence of the C12-4-12-coated QD micelles in a concentration dependence that is described by a Langmuir binding isotherm equation in the range 0–300μM. The limits of detection of Cu2+ and F− are 1.1 and 0.68μM, respectively. The possible mechanism is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: A blueberry–grape–pineapple–cantaloupe juice blend was copigmented with gallic acid (GA) firstly and treated by high‐pressure processing (HPP) at 550 MPa, 25 °C for 5 min, ultrasound (US) at 520 W, 40 °C for 10 min, or heat treatment (HT) at 90 °C for 3 min to determine their influence on its physicochemical qualities. The shelf lives of HPP‐, US‐ and HT‐juice blends were 72, 48 and 88 days, respectively. The total anthocyanins (ACs), ascorbic acid and total phenols content in juice blends treated by HPP, US and HT did not change immediately after treatment or during the first 16 days' storage. However, after the three treatments, the total ACs, ascorbic acid and total phenols content in juice blends decreased in the following order after 16 days: US > HPP > HT. The HPP‐ and US‐treated juices were superior to the HT‐treated juices regarding flavour, and in the preservation of more types and relative content of esters and aldehydes. In conclusion, GA improved the total ACs and ascorbic acid stability in the juice, while the flavour of the HPP‐ and US‐treated juices surpasses that of HT‐treated juice. Therefore, the HPP treatment was deemed to be more advantageous and had greater market potential for short‐term storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation of multiple fractures plays a significant role in the effectiveness of hydraulic stimulation in shale oil reservoirs. Previous studies reported that the laminations and bedding interface in shale oil rocks could influence the propagation of single hydraulic fracture. However, the propagation mechanism of multiple fractures in such rocks is still unclear. Here we use a true-triaxial experimental system, together with the acoustic emission (AE) monitoring system, to investigate the propagation of multiple fractures in shale oil reservoir rocks. The results show that the fracture interference started at the initiation stage seriously affects the propagation of multiple fractures. More clusters per stage could aggravate the fracture interference near the wellhead. The laminations and bedding interfaces are the main causes of fracture interference and could hinder the height of hydraulic fractures. Shear-type AE event signals the generation of fracture interference caused by the slip of bedding interface and the deflection of fractures induced by the laminations. The mechanism of fracture interference not only lies in stress shadow but also in the changes in fluid pressure caused by the high permeability of laminations and bedding interface. The experimental results provide basic and detailed data for studying hydraulic fracturing in shale oil reservoirs. Highlights: True-triaxial experiment is conducted to investigate the propagation of multiple hydraulic fractures. Both the lamination and bedding interface influence multiple hydraulic fracture propagation. The AE monitoring indicates many shear-type fractures when fracture interference appears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen environments of Fe+3-δ ions determine the magnetic anisotropy of M-type ferrites. The high annealing temperature increases the oxygen content and decreases the lattice strain in M-type SrFe9.4Cu0.8Sn0.5O19-d ferrites. The anisotropic field and the coercive field decrease with the increasing annealing temperature. Annealed at 1400 °C, a ferromagnetic resonance is observed at the frequency above 9.5 GHz, with the real part having a peak and the imaginary part of the permeability having a high plateau over a wide frequency range. It enables the microwave energy' dissipation by the magnetic loss. Furthermore, the extra oxygen ions ease up the dipole polarizations' rotation and significantly increase the dielectric permittivity. At thin thickness of 1.3 mm, the effective absorption bandwidth (R L ≤ − 10 dB) of SrFe9.4Cu0.8Sn0.5O19-d annealed at 1400 °C is 7.1+ GHz from 10.9 to 18+ GHz. SrFe9.4Cu0.6Sn0.6O19-d annealed at 1400 °C has the microwave absorption bandwidth of 8.8 GHz from 9.2 to 18+ GHz at 1.6 mm. Both are very promising microwave absorbing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A dual-emission ratio fluorescent sensor (N-CDs/R-CDs@ZIF-8) was developed for Pb2+. • Spinach served as carbon source for green preparation of red fluorescent CDs. • Ultrasensitive Pb2+ detection down to 4.78 nM was delivered. A novel dual-emission ratio fluorescent sensor (N-CDs/R-CDs@ZIF-8) has been constructed successfully by introducing nitrogen-doped blue fluorescence carbon dots (N-CDs) and red fluorescence carbon dots (R-CDs) into the synthetic environment of ZIF-8 by a simple stirring method. The synthesized material not only inherits the excellent optical properties of N-CDs and R-CDs and the strong adsorption and accumulation performance of ZIF-8, but also shows strong fluorescence and structural stability in extreme environments. The presence of Pb2+ strongly causes the fluorescence quenching of N-CDs, but has almost no effect on the fluorescence of R-CDs. Therefore, a ratio fluorescence sensor is developed for the determination of Pb2+. Most importantly, the real-time fluorescence response shows that the composite material has a high selectivity and good sensitivity to Pb2+ determination, and the calculated LOD is 4.78 nM(S/N = 3) (0.05–50 μM), indicating that the material can be used as a potential fluorescent sensor for Pb2+ detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water uptake is an essential factor influencing the fate of fluids used during large-scale hydraulic fracturing in tight reservoirs. However, the relationship between water uptake and fracture generation in tight reservoirs is not well understood due to the special properties, such as extra-low porosity, permeability and high salinity. Water uptake, salinity evolution, and triaxial compression experiments were conducted on tight sandstone, shale, and volcanic rock to study the mechanisms of water uptake and its relationship with fracture generation. A new method for evaluating the generation of fractures based on the characteristics of water uptake was proposed. The results show that water uptake due to capillarity and osmosis leads to a decrease in rock compressive strength and Young's modulus but an increase in Poisson's ratio. The dilatancy of the sample changes with the water content for a similar lithology. With the increase of water uptake, the dilatancy of rock will occur earlier and more fractures will be produced. New fractures resulted from the high content of mixed layer of illite and smectite during water uptake lead to a significant increase in the salinity of the fracturing fluid. The difference in water uptake between matrix and fracture-matrix could increase with the larger contact areas and volume of fracture dilation. Owing to the larger contact areas between fractures and the fracturing fluid, the complex fractures lead to a larger final mass difference and more peak time of water uptake. The peak time and final mass difference of water uptake could reflect the generation and morphology of new formed fractures. This study is significant for hydraulic fracturing design and the evaluation of hydraulic fracture complexity in tight reservoirs. • The quantitative relationship between water uptake and fracture generation in tight reservoirs was revealed. • A new method for evaluating the generation of fractures based on the characteristics of water uptake was proposed. • The mechanical mechanisms of water uptake under the combined action of capillarity and osmosis were analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There was a synergistic inactivation effect between US and lysozyme on S. typhimurium. • US + Lys treated LWE was brighter, yellower and more heat resistance. • US + Lys might be a promising pasteurization technology for LWE. An investigation was conducted into the utilization of treatments combining ultrasound and lysozyme (US + Lys) to deactivate Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) in the liquid whole egg (LWE). Furthermore, US + Lys and heat treatment (HT) with a similar microbial inactivation effect were comparatively evaluated by examining their impact on the quality attributes of LWE. The LWE was treated with US at 35–45 °C and 605–968 W/cm2 for 5–35 min, and with HT at 58–64 °C for 3–4 min. Lysozyme (Lys) alone achieved a minimal degree of inactivation in S. typhimurium , while it was enhanced with the application of US alone when the treatment temperature, time, and energy were increased. Furthermore, US and US + Lys caused a reduction of 3.31 and 4.26 log 10 cycles in S. typhimurium , respectively at 968 W/cm2 and 35 °C for 20 min, indicating a synergistic relationship between US and Lys for the effective inactivation of S. typhimurium. Similarly, HT and HT + Lys achieved a reduction of 4.10 and 4.75 log 10 cycles at 64 °C/3 min, respectively. The L* and b* values of the LWE following US and US + Lys application were significantly higher than untreated and heat-treated LWE, indicating that US treated LWE had a brighter and yellower appearance. The protein solubility (PS) slightly decreased after all treatments, while the pH increased. Furthermore, the foaming capacity (FC) and foam stability (FS) were decreased, revealing that LWE had a lower FC and unstable foam after all treatments. Therefore, US and US + Lys could increase the viscosity and gelation temperature (Tg) of LWE, indicating that LWE exhibited higher heat resistance after US treatment. These results indicated that US + Lys might be a promising pasteurization technology in the processing of LWE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-photosynthetic vegetation – soil separation index (NSSI) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can be used to simultaneously estimate the fractional cover of non-photosynthetic vegetation (fNPV), photosynthetic vegetation (fPV), and bare soil (fBS) in vegetation ecosystems. However, these estimates suffer from problems due to shading by dense vegetation or topography. Based on field-measured data and on hyperspectral data acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles, we analyse how shading affects the morphology of NDVI-NSSI and enhanced vegetation index – NSSI (EVI-NSSI). We also investigate the simultaneous estimation of fNPV, fPV, and fBS. The results show that the NDVI-NSSI normalized difference feature space mitigates the impact of shade. Shade causes the NDVI-NSSI and EVI-NSSI to shift rightward parallel to the BS axis and leftward parallel to the PV axis, respectively. Although such shifts may hinder the determination of NPV, PV, and BS endmembers, they do not affect the spectral separation of NPV. Overall, with the NDVI-NSSI and EVI-NSSI methods, the estimation error for fNPV under shaded conditions is approximately 5% greater than that under illuminated conditions. Shaded green vegetation more strongly affects the estimation error of fPV and fBS in EVI-NSSI than in NDVI-NSSI, whereas fBS and fPV depend more strongly on shade than fNPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing promotes the shale gas revolution worldwide. Since most of the fracturing fluids used now are water-based, shale hydration could happen before and after the treatment. However, the effects of shale hydration on hydraulic fracture initiation, fracture complexity, and proppant distribution have not been clarified. Thus, we performed shale hydration experiments on thin discs and cubic specimens under confining conditions to investigate the microstructure evolution through the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and acoustic emission (AE) system. Later, the hydrated cubic specimens were fractured to examine the impact of shale hydration on hydraulic fracturing through CT scanning. The results show that under confining conditions, water imbibition volume increases with time, but the effect of the fluid pressure inside the perforation on shale hydration is limited. The SEM images show that the preexisting microfractures extend at the beginning but stop growing with width reduction in 6 h, which is indirectly evidenced by the AE. The confining pressure inhibits the preexisting microfractures from opening and further propagation, resulting in closure of the microfractures near the perforation and the water imbibition stagnating. Those findings obtained from hydration experiments are verified by the hydraulic fracturing experiments, which show that the breakdown pressure increases with shale hydration. Meanwhile, the CT scanning shows that the fractures initiated from the vertical perforation become more complex after hydration, which leads to the width reduction of individual fractures and, consequently, poor proppant distribution. Therefore, it is suggested to utilize the optimal hydration time when microfractures expand or use clay inhibitors to decrease the breakdown pressure and facilitate the proppant placement. Highlights: Imbibition time plays a key role in shale hydration, but the effect of fluid pressure is limited. Microfractures extend in the early stage of shale hydration and finally close due to confining pressure. Breakdown pressure increases in the hydrated shale after 6-h hydration under confining conditions (25–18–3 MPa). Due to stress condition differences, more complex near-wellbore fractures form in vertical perforations than in horizontal ones after hydration. Complexity of the near-wellbore fracture patterns cause poor proppant distribution for the hydrated specimens with a vertical perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matrix permeability of shale reservoirs is extremely low. Therefore, massive volume fracturing is needed to form a complex crack network and get adequate sufficient capacity during the well completion. After fracturing, the effective stimulated reservoir volume (ESRV) is vital for developing shale reservoirs, mainly determined by stimulated reservoir volume (SRV) and the increase in permeability. Microseismic monitoring is widely used in the field to describe the crack shape and determine the SRV, to evaluate the stimulation effect. However, no studies have been conducted on the relationship between microseismic parameters and permeability. Thereby, we conducted uniaxial compression tests on Longmaxi shale samples and measured their changes in porosity and permeability before and after loading combining the microseismic monitoring under a laboratory scale (acoustic emission (AE)). Results show that porosity has little influence on the permeability before and after loading, while the propagation and connection of cracks are the most critical factors. As the loading stress increases, the crack volume and sample connectivity both grow. Besides, for the Longmaxi shale, when the stress is loaded to 30~50% of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), the cracks start to propagate steadily (dilation), the permeability begins to increase rapidly, and percolation occurs, which indicates that the dilation point is closely related to the percolation threshold. The AE rate and accumulative ringing number both increase when it is larger than the percolation threshold value. The variation of AE characteristics can be used to identify the percolation threshold. Finally, the graphic model including AE parameters, crack, and permeability evolution is established based on the experimental results, which could help us understand the relationship between microseismic parameters and permeability and provide a methodological basis for the ESRV evaluation in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the article was to study the effects of ultrasound (US) and 80 ppm nisin-assisted US (US + nisin) on the inactivation of microorganisms and the nutritional quality of fresh carrot juice. Fresh carrot juice was exposed to HT (60 °C, 10 min), US, and US + nisin at 271 W and 30 °C for 10 min since the treatments had a similar microbial inactivation effect. Results showed that nisin exhibited an additional inactivation effect on the total aerobic bacteria (TAB) with US, while having no obvious effect on the yeast and mold (YM). The TAB was increased by 2.56, 2.20, and 4.28 log10 cycles, while the YM was increased by 4.67, 4.75, and 6.84 log10 cycles in carrot juice treated by US, US + nisin, and HT, respectively, after 20 days' storage at 4 °C, indicating that US + nisin had a better post-inhibition effect on TAB than US and HT. Moreover, no significant changes occurred in the total suspended solids (TSS), viscosity, turbidity, or color, while carotenoid content was increased by 22.4%, 34.6%, and 21.4% in the carrot juice treated by US, US + nisin, and HT, respectively. In conclusion, the study ascertained that US + nisin is able to ensure both the microbial safety and the quality of carrot juice more effectively than HT alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostridium perfringens is a highly versatile pathogen of humans and animals. Rapid and sensitive detection methods for C. perfringens are urgently needed for the timely implementation of control. In this study, to provide novel promising methods for the detection of C. perfringens, two rapid, sensitive, and instrument-free C. perfringens detection methods based on recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 12a (CRISPR/Cas12a) system were developed depending on fluorescence signal (RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL) and lateral flow strip (RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS), respectively. The limit of detection of the RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS methods is 2 copies and 20 copies of C. perfringens genomic DNA per reaction, respectively, and the whole process can be completed in 1 hr. Moreover, these two methods show no cross-reactivity with nontarget bacteria, which were used as a negative control to evaluate the specificity of two developed methods in the detection of C. perfringens and have 100% consistent with real-time polymerase chain reaction tests for 12 clinical samples collected from 2 Chinese Milu at Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center and 6 spiked samples from human blood and stool. Overall, the constructed C. perfringens detection methods, RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-FL and RAA-CRISPR/Cas12a-LFS, have great potential as a novel detection scheme for the early diagnosis of C. perfringens infection in humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale gas reservoirs contain a large number of natural fractures. When shear slip occurs during hydraulic fracturing, it will increase reservoir permeability and improve the reservoir stimulation performance. Because shale contains a large amount of clay and organic matter, its shear slip behavior differs from that of other rocks. In this study, the shear behavior of different shale blocks is experimentally studied, and the proportion of clay and organic matter in the shale dominates the shear slip behavior. Specifically, the friction coefficient and shear strength decrease with the increasing content of clay and organic matter. A microscopic support model was developed to describe the different shear slip behaviors for different contents of clay and organic matter. When the clay and organic matter content is lower than a critical threshold (~35%), shale is microscopically grain supported and brittle shear occurs and the material is prone to shear dilation. When this content is greater than a critical content (~43%), the microscopic structure is a matrix‐supported fabric and plastic shear occurs, which is prone to shear contraction. Shale with contents between these two critical thresholds has a mixed‐support fabric, which is a transition type between brittle and plastic shear. If the proportion of clay and organic matter is less than ~35%, the natural fracture tends to dilate and retain a certain degree of opening after shearing, improving stimulation performance. When the proportion is more than ~43%, shear contraction occurs on the natural fracture surface, which is not conductive and cannot increase reservoir permeability. Key Points: Friction coefficient and shear strength decrease with increasing proportion of clay and organic matterDeveloped microscopic support model to describe different shear slip behaviors for different proportions of clay and organic matterLower clay content is easy to dilate after shear slip, thus improving reservoir permeability [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the daily Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55) dataset, this study reveals that southern Europe/western Asia (SEWA) and northern China are two large-scale regions that have exhibited consistent interdecadal variations in the frequency of persistent hot events (PHEs). Over the past 58 summers, the period approximately from 1973 to 1996 represents an inactive period for the occurrence of PHEs over the two regions, whereas the antecedent and subsequent periods are active periods. At the subseasonal time scale, the regional PHEs over SEWA are characterized by quasi-stationary wave train anomalies aloft from the northwest Atlantic to Europe, while the regional PHEs over northern China are characterized by quasi-stationary wave train anomalies over the Eurasian continent. The persistence of the quasi-stationary anomalies is associated with the Rossby wave propagation. Moreover, the energy extraction from the basic flow is also favorable for their persistence. Our study reveals that the above typical circulation anomalies for the PHEs over both SEWA and northern China are in phase with the background circulation changes during the two active periods. Thus, the interdecadal changes in background circulation can modulate the frequency of PHEs over the two regions simultaneously. Further analysis reveals that the background circulation changes are closely related to the interdecadal variation in the Silk Road pattern based on their similarities in both spatial pattern and temporal variation. The sea surface temperature over four particular regions seems to facilitate the phase shifts in the Silk Road pattern on the interdecadal time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock mechanical properties and elastic anisotropy of terrestrial shale oil reservoirs are affected by various factors, such as lithology, structure, pores, fractures, and fluids. The experimental study of dynamic and static elastic properties can provide important mechanism analysis for the prediction of geological and engineering "sweet spots" in shale reservoirs. There are a large number of studies on the measurement of static mechanical properties of shale, but the experiments on dynamic cross-band elastic anisotropy of terrestrial shale have not yet been conducted thoroughly. Therefore, we report the anisotropic dispersion mechanism of favorable lithofacies (lamellar dolomitic shale, with vertical and horizontal bedding) in the inter-salt shale oil reservoir of the Qianjiang Formation for different confining pressures and fluid saturation conditions. The experiments were conducted by the cross-band rock physics measurement technology that comprised low-frequency stress-strain measurements and a high-frequency ultrasonic test. The experimental results indicated that: (1) The elastic property dispersion of the terrestrial shale was stronger than that of marine shale due to the high viscosity of the medium oil in the terrestrial shale. The lamellar structures and interbedded fractures were the main factors that determined the strong anisotropy of the terrestrial shale. (2) The dispersion of elastic properties from low to high frequencies in a partial oil saturation state ranged from strong to weak; the wave-induced fluid flow or intrinsic dissipation of viscoelastic inclusions may be the dominant mechanisms that caused the seismic dispersion. (3) The elastic parameters measured in the direction vertical to the bedding plane had stronger dispersion and pressure sensitivity than those measured in the direction parallel to the bedding plane, and the anisotropy and pressure sensitivity at seismic frequencies were higher than those at the ultrasonic frequencies. (4) Fluid filling reduced the pressure sensitivity of the elastic parameters along the direction vertical to the bedding plane, whereas the opposite trend was observed along the direction parallel to the bedding plane. (5) The anisotropic Gassmann theory could explain the P-wave velocity well at an extremely low frequency, but the prediction of S- and P-wave velocities at a relatively high frequency remained insufficient. Overall, our study can serve as a reliable mechanism reference for the study of frequency-dependent properties of azimuthal anisotropy, and provide important guidance for the seismic prediction of "sweet spots" in shale oil reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A fundamental question in rock physics is how the coupling of confining stress and pore pressure influences geophysical properties, which is manifested by the effective stress behavior of the porous rock. We investigated the effective stress behavior of four water‐saturated limestones with porosities ranging from 13% to 30%. Unlike previous experimental studies limited to the permeability, we also characterized the effective stress coefficients for pore volume change and bulk strain. The pore spaces of three of the limestones (two allochemical oolitic and one micritic) have significant fractions of macropores and micropores. In these three limestones with dual porosity the effective stress coefficients for permeability and pore volume change were observed to be consistently greater than 1, even though that for axial strain was less than 1. In a microscopically homogeneous assemblage, the effective stress coefficients for permeability, bulk volumetric strain, and pore volume change are predicted to be equal to or less than unity. Our data therefore show that these limestones cannot be modeled as microscopically homogeneous. Berryman (1992a, https://doi.org/10.1029/92JB01593) and Berryman (1992b, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.46.3307) analyzed theoretically a rock made up of two porous constituents, and our experimental data are in agreement with inequalities he derived for effective stress coefficients of such an assemblage. For comparison, we studied the Leitha limestone that is made up predominately of macropores. Our data showed that all three effective stress coefficients in this case were less than unity, as predicted for a microscopically homogeneous assemblage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel stable porous solid amine adsorbent with three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure was prepared by polymerization of divinylbenzene using high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) template method, and followed by further introducing polyethyleneimine (PEI) by impregnation-crosslinking method. Fixed bed dynamic adsorption experiment proved that under wet condition, the former exhibited not only a higher capacity of 6.22 mmol/g but also a better adsorption kinetics process with faster adsorption rate and longer lag in breakthrough point, which makes it potential to be used in gas separation. In CO 2 /CH 4 separation experiment, PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed a CO 2 /CH 4 separation selectivity of 253 at 298 K and 1 bar, and meanwhile exhibited an extra-high operating capacity. The pure methane productivity of PolyHIPE-PE30-4 was 24.1 mmol/g from CO 2 /CH 4 (80:20, v/v) mixed gas, 4.5 times to that of PE30-4 gel (5.36 mmol/g). Significantly, PolyHIPE-PE30-4 could maintain an excellent regeneration performance after at least 7 cycles, while PolyHIPE-P30 exhibited a remarkably decrease in adsorption capacity after only three adsorption-desorption process in wet condition, demonstrating the advantage of impregnation-crosslinking method for amine functionalization. The superior CO 2 adsorption capacity and regeneration stability, combined with its superior adsorption kinetics property make it a broad prospect in the field of CO 2 /CH 4 separation. • The solid amine adsorbents process interconnected open-cell structure. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed superior CO 2 adsorption kinetics and extra-high adsorption capacity. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 maintained stable regeneration performance in humidity. • PolyHIPE-PE30-4 showed excellent CO 2 /CH 4 separation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic abnormalities in DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC) have been detected in patients with myeloid neoplasms, suggesting that 5hmC might act as a valuable epigenetic mark to reflect the disease status of myeloid neoplasms. Here, we report systematic genome-wide mapping of the DNA hydroxymethylomes in over 70 patients with myeloid neoplasms. Our integrative analysis leads to the identification of distinct 5hmC signatures that can sensitively discriminate patients from healthy individuals. At the molecular level, we unveiled dynamic 5hmC changes within key transcription factor (e.g., the CEBP family) binding motifs that are essential for hematopoiesis and myeloid lineage specification. 5hmC redistribution was found to alter the genome-wide binding of CEBP-α, thereby reprogramming transcriptional outputs to affect leukemia cell survival and stemness. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive 5hmC atlas representative of myeloid neoplasms, which sets the stage for future exploration on the epigenetic etiology of hematological malignancies. Mechanistically, our study further furnishes important insights into how abnormal 5hmC distribution in patients directly interrupts the binding of transcription factors to reshape transcriptional landscapes and aggravate leukemogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In laboratory rock mechanics experiments, it is common practice to employ single-component acoustic emission (AE) sensors to monitor the rock fracturing process, where the fracture location and fracturing mechanism can be inverted from the single-component AE waveforms. However, since such applications are often based on simplified isotropic hypotheses, accurately capturing the influence of strong anisotropy in rock on particle vibrations at rock surfaces using single-component AE sensors remains challenging. This limitation biases the actual particle vibration amplitude and direction, potentially leading to erroneous estimations in AE waveform inversion mof rock fracturing. Here, we combined three piezoelectric discs to create a three-component AE sensor, allowing us to capture particle vibration along three sensing directions on rock surfaces. Through two calibration experiments and polarization analysis of the three-component waveforms, we verify the new sensor's capability to reliably capture the vibration features of hypocenters that are not easily obtainable using a single-component sensor. We apply this new sensor in uniaxial compression tests on shale, a material known for its strong anisotropy. The results indicate that the AE behaviors monitored by the three-component sensor are consistent with those obtained from the widely used single-component sensor. Moreover, the polarization analysis of the three-component waveforms reveals the presence of coupled hypocenters associated with multiple fractures. This is the first time a three-component AE sensor is used in laboratory rock mechanics experiments, which offers a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamic evolution of fractures in rock formations. • A three-component AE sensor is applied in rock mechanics experiments for the first time. • Polarization analysis of three-component AE waveforms can distinguish P - and S -wave. • A single three-component AE sensor can pinpoint fracture locations in a rock sample. • Three-component AE waveforms can reveal complex rock fracturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simulation–optimization method to optimize screen length and depth is proposed. • MARS method is used to predict the required parameters in the proposed method. • Screen length is more critical to the optimization of well screen than screen depth. • It is more necessary to optimize well screen for higher N cw , R I , and lower K v / K h. Simulation-optimization methods are widely used in dewatering optimization. However, traditional simulation–optimization methods do not address the optimization of well screen length and depth. This study proposes a modified simulation–optimization method for confined aquifer dewatering optimization, which is capable of determining the optimal screen length and depth. The proposed method is based on the linear programming method, and the multivariate adaptive regression splines method is also introduced to develop the prediction model for the parameters required in the linear programming model. A hypothetical case of deep excavation dewatering was optimized using the proposed method to demonstrate its feasibility, with the optimal pumping rate, screen length and depth of each well computed. Furthermore, parametric studies were performed to investigate the effects of some key factors on the optimization results, such as the number of considered pumping wells, required drawdown, insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain, aquifer anisotropy coefficient, and prescribed well screen. The results show that optimal total pumping rate and screen length generally increase with increasing required drawdown and aquifer anisotropy coefficient, while they decrease with increasing well number and insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain. Adjusting screen length is more critical to the optimization results since lower screen depth is always preferred. Optimizing well screen is more essential for higher well number, insertion ratio of the waterproof curtain, and lower aquifer anisotropy coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Luminescent and stable CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) capped with l-carnitine (LC) were firstly prepared in ethanol. The LC modifiers provided colloidal stability as well as surface passivation. LC capped QDs were sensitive to cadmium ions over other metal ions, such as Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Ag+ and Pb2+. LC capped QDs were used to detect Cd2+ with a detection limit of 0.15μM. It was found that the enhanced luminescence intensity of the LC capped QDs in a concentration of Cd2+ dependence is best described by a langmuir binding isotherm equation. The possible mechanism is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Luminescent and stable CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) capped with sulfur calixarene are prepared for the selective determination of mercury ions in acetonitrile with high sensitivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Since this scenario involving BPDCN has been increasingly encountered in our practice, our group has previously proposed creation of a new BPDCN category: BPDCN with prior and/or concomitant hematologic malignancies (PCHM) [[9]]. Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) with associated prior or concurrent hematologic malignancy (BPDCN-PCHM) is an emerging phenomenon, increasingly seen in clinical practice in the era of targeted therapy. Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm (BPDCN) Commonly Presents in the Setting of Prior or Concomitant Hematologic Malignancies (PCHM): Patient Characteristics and Outcomes in the Rapidly Evolving Modern Targeted Therapy Era. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Effects of ultrasound combined with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on physicochemical properties,microorganisms and storage attributes of cold brew tea were investigated. HHP at 400 MPa/5 min/25 °C inactivated the total aerobic bacteria, yeast and mould in cold brewed tea prepared by static brewing (SB‐tea) at 13 h/4 °C, ultrasonic bath (UB‐tea) at 150 W/120 min/0 °C and ultrasonic pulveriser (UP‐tea) at 600 W/40 min/0 °C, ensuring their microbiological safety. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the concentration of tea polyphenols between hot brewed tea prepared by 7 min/100 °C and cold brewed tea under different preparation conditions, while the caffeine in cold brewed tea was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that in hot brewed tea. During the storage period of 8 days, compared with the untreated group, the cold brewed tea after HHP treatment had better microbiological safety. In addition, HHP treatment constantly maintained the tea polyphenols, pH, colour, antioxidant capacity and turbidity in cold brewed tea. The untreated and HHP‐treated cold brew tea were evaluated by 20 trained volunteers. Results showed that UB‐tea was more close to SB‐tea than UP‐tea in sensory profile, while HHP seem to maintain a good sensory profile as well. Therefore, this particular combined technology of ultrasonic bath and HHP displayed considerable potential for application in the cold brew tea manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aimed to characterize the prevalence of alcohol consumption and further investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: We studied 39,259 participants aged 18 to 79 years of the Henan Rural Cohort study. The associations between alcohol consumption and T2DM were examined using the logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline.Results: For men, alcohol abstinence was associated with an increased risk of T2DM (1.491(1.265, 1.758)), whereas current drinkers were not associated with T2DM (1.03(0.91, 1.15)). Further analysis of alcohol drinkers revealed that only high-risk drinkers of WHO drinking risk levels increased the risk of T2DM (1.289(1.061,1.566)) compared to never drinkers. The risk of T2DM increased as the age of starting to consume alcohol decreased and as the number of years of consuming alcohol and the alcohol intake increased only in men. We further found that the risk of T2DM decreased as the number of years of abstinence increases and no association between alcohol abstinence and T2DM was found after more than 10 years of abstinence among men.Conclusions: Our results suggested that reducing the amount of alcohol consumed and adhering to abstinence from alcohol consumption are beneficial in reducing the risk of T2DM.Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 2015-07-06. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] This paper studies the application of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) in fluorescence detection. The europium-based metal-organic frameworks (Eu-MOFs) are synthesized by a facile solvothermal method, and then the as-prepared MOF were further characterized by PXRD, FT-IR, TG, EDS, SEM, UV–vis spectra and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that Eu-MOF exhibits an intense red fluorescence, which can be readily observed by naked eye in solid state, good structural stability and fluorescence stability in aqueous solution or other organic solvents, especially high selectivity and sensitivity to Fe3+ and benzaldehyde and the visible color change by the naked eye under UV-light. This luminescent MOF can be used to detect Fe3+ and benzaldehyde in an aqueous environment with low detection limits of 0.027 μM for Fe3+ and 0.011 μM for benzaldehyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]