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Phosphogypsum (PG) and coal gangue (CG), as the largest solid waste today, the effective utilization of this part of the resource can help to alleviate environmental pollution and resource waste. The aim of this study was to utilize the excellent thermal insulation properties of original PG and the regulation of hydration products by calcined coal gangue (CCG) to produce phosphogypsum-based calcined coal gangue composite cementitious materials (PBCM). The optimal ratio of PBCM was studied through a combination of mechanical properties and thermal insulation properties. Finally, the effect of the foam factor is further investigated. The results show that: CCG can be used as a silicon-rich material with gelling properties to regulate the hydration products generated. The test block with a foam content of 8 % has the best performance, with a compressive strength of 2.53 MPa and a thermal conductivity of 0.1427 W/(m·K). The optimal experimental scheme obtained from the orthogonal test was as follows: The optimal experimental design obtained from orthogonal experiments was as follows: PG, quicklime (QL), sulfoaluminate cement (SAC) and foam contents were 45 %, 8 %, 8 % and 8 %, respectively. The CCG: cement and water-solid ratios (W/S) were 3:7 and 0.275, respectively. The development of high-performance composites presented in this study is conducive to enhancing waste utilization and provides a novel approach as well as a theoretical foundation for insulating building materials in practical engineering applications.

Driven by continuous advancements in artificial intelligence, especially deep learning, the level of realism associated with deepfake technology continues to improve year after year, which poses unprecedented challenges to the field of deepfake detection. The boundary between what we as humans can detect as real or fake becomes evermore blurred as new generations of algorithms such as Dall-E 3 and Stable Diffusion are released. This paper provides a comprehensive study into the landscape of deepfake detection, exploring in-depth the key challenges, recognising recent successes, and suggesting promising avenues for future research. A meta-literature review is conducted to identify the current challenges and future directions, which form the foundation of this work. They are investigated by analysing state-of-the-art research with a focus on the key components that are crucial to the design of a deepfake detector, i.e., the architecture, detection methods and datasets. A major challenge identified by this study is the lack of dataset diversity leading to unfair attribute representation. This must be addressed by improving standardisation on dataset ethics and privacy. This is one of the main reasons for the insufficient generalisation capability of current deepfake detectors as demonstrated by their unsatisfactory performance when faced with unseen data or data in the wild. This literature review provides deepfake detection researchers and practitioners with the latest information that will serve as a vital resource for their continued and important activity, now and in the future.

Abstract Highly stretchable porous materials are promising for flexible electronics but their fabrication is a great challenge. Herein, several kinds of highly stretchable conductive porous elastomers with low or negative Poisson’s ratios are achieved by uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial hot-pressing strategies. The reduced graphene oxide/polymer nanocomposite elastomers with folded porous structures obtained by uniaxial hot pressing exhibit high stretchability up to 1200% strain. Furthermore, the meta-elastomers with reentrant porous structures combining high biaxial (or triaxial) stretchability and negative Poisson’s ratios are achieved by biaxial (or triaxial) hot pressing. The resulting elastomer-based wearable strain sensors exhibit an ultrawide response range (0-1200%). The materials can be applied for smart thermal management and electromagnetic interference shielding, which are achieved by regulating the porous microstructures via stretching. This work provides a versatile strategy to highly stretchable and negative-Poisson-ratio porous materials with promising features for various applications such as flexible electronics, thermal management, electromagnetic shielding, and energy storage.

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO2)-based photodynamic antibacterial (PDA) agents present a novel approach for addressing drug-resistant bacterial infections and the associated tissue damage. However, the suboptimal dispersibility, negative charge, and weak photocatalytic activity under visible light of TiO2 hinder its practical applications. This study aimed to address these limitations by developing a highly hydrophilic and dispersed Zn-TiO2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (HTGZ) nano-system with exceptional visible light catalytic activity and tissue repair ability. HTGZ produced an antibacterial ratio over 98% within a short time, likely due to the enhanced production of reactive oxygen species under visible light. After being co-cultured for 4 days, L929 cells and BMSCs maintained over 90% activity, indicating that HTGZ had no significant cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the transcriptomic and metabolic analyses revealed that the antibacterial mechanism mainly came from the destruction of cell membranes and the disruption of various metabolic processes, such as purine metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis. Critically, results of in vivo experiments had authenticated that HTGZ significantly promoted infected tissue regeneration by slaughtering bacteria and release Zn2+. After 14 days, the wound area was only one-third that of the control group. Overall, the enhanced antibacterial efficacy and wound-healing potential position HTGZ as a promising nano-antibacterial medication for the clinical treatment of infectious bacterial diseases.

Abstract Background Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a chronic glomerular disease that leads to nephrotic syndrome in adults. The aim of this study was to identify novel biomarkers and immune-related mechanisms in the progression of MN through an integrated bioinformatics approach. Methods The microarray data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between MN and normal samples were identified and analyzed by the Gene Ontology analysis, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis and the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) enrichment. Hub The hub genes were screened and identified by the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated the diagnostic value of hub genes. The single-sample GSEA analyzed the infiltration degree of several immune cells and their correlation with the hub genes. Results We identified a total of 574 DEGs. The enrichment analysis showed that metabolic and immune-related functions and pathways were significantly enriched. Four co-expression modules were obtained using WGCNA. The candidate signature genes were intersected with DEGs and then subjected to the LASSO analysis, obtaining a total of 6 hub genes. The ROC curves indicated that the hub genes were associated with a high diagnostic value. The CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and B cells significantly infiltrated in MN samples and correlated with the hub genes. Conclusions We identified six hub genes (ZYX, CD151, N4BP2L2-IT2, TAPBP, FRAS1 and SCARNA9) as novel biomarkers for MN, providing potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment.

The Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation is the favorable target area for deep shale gas exploration and development in southeastern Sichuan Basin. Based on whole-rock X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope, reservoir evolution thermal simulation experiment and nitrogen adsorption experiment, the diagenetic characteristics of deep shale reservoir in Longmaxi Formation were analyzed, and the reservoir pore evolution law was clarified. The results show that: ①The diagenetic minerals of the deep shale in the Longmaxi Formation are mainly quartz and clay minerals, with a small amount of carbonate minerals and feldspar. The primary inorganic pores are mainly controlled by mechanical compaction and cementation (quartz, carbonate, clay, pyrite). The organic pores are mainly controlled by the thermal maturity of organic matter, dissolution and later compaction. ②In the process of thermal simulation experiment, the organic pores of shale show a process of change from scratch, from small to large and then from large to small. Later, the organic matter is affected by compaction and graphitization, and the volume of micropores and mesopores begins to decrease. ③The shale pores of Longmaxi Formation have undergone several evolutionary stages. In the early stage of diagenesis, compaction caused a large number of inorganic pores to disappear. In the middle stage of diagenesis, kerogen hydrocarbon generation occupied pores, dissolution and cementation transformed pores. In the late diagenetic period, liquid hydrocarbon cracking gas and pressurization promote the development of organic pores.

Objective:. To evaluate the correlation between the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and the perioperative possible risk factors. Methods:. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Medline for studies describing complications related to PD from 2018 to 2022. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata/SE16.0 software. Results:. In 6 retrospective studies, 1 systematic review, and 1 randomized controlled trial (RCT) experiment, 12,419 patients (2174 and 10,245 patients, respectively, in DGE and no delayed gastric emptying [NDGE] groups). The preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score between DGE and NDGE groups (log odds ratio [OR] = 0.23, 95% credible interval [CI]: 0.11–0.35, P < .01), operation time (mean diff. = 21.87, 95% CI: 15.96–27.78, P < .01), estimated intraoperative blood loss (EIBL; mean diff. = 70.67, 95% CI: 17.75–123.58, P < .05), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (log OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.24–1.46, P < .05) were statistically significant. No significant differences in preoperative body mass index (BMI), preoperative biliary drainage, and pancreatic texture were observed (P > .05). Conclusion:. The incidence of DGE is significantly correlated with the operation time, preoperative ASA score, POPF, and EIBL,which suggests that the surgeon should thoroughly evaluate the patient through adequate preoperative examination before the operation. Finally, standardized practice and perfect technology are undoubtedly necessary to reduce complications.

Abstract Background Adult nephropathy is mainly caused by idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). In cases of proteinuria, Modified Ponticelli Regimens (MPR) are often successful. However, it can cause adverse side effects. Oral Sanqi Qushi Granule (SQG) with MPR is effective in patients with IMN. However, whether it can improve the remission rate of IMN and shorten the remission time is unknown. In this trial, SQG with MPR on IMN will be evaluated clinically for its efficacy and safety. Methods We will randomly assign IMN patients who meet the criteria to receives SQG plus cyclical Cyclophosphamide (CTX)/steroids or with placebo plus cyclical CTX/steroids for 6 months. A 12-month follow-up will be conducted on them. Status of remission will be used to assess treatment efficacy. Discussion This study aims to appraise whether treatment with SQG plus cyclical CTX/steroids is superior to placebo plus cyclical CTX/steroids in the remission rate of patients with adult IMN. Adverse events of SQG plus MPR will be also evaluated for further researches about Chinese Medicine and MPR on whether it can improve the remission rate of IMN in half a year and shorten the remission time and relieve adverse effects will also be clarified. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200061953 . Registered on 13 July 2022.

Thermal performance of densely populated underground buildings is normally influenced by various factors, including the surrounding rock (SR), ventilation, and indoor heat sources. It is recognized that little experimental studies on thermal control for the above building was reported. In this article, a full-size 50-person mine refuge chamber (MRC) was newly constructed to test the thermal performance under natural convection and ventilation. The heat ducts were used to simulate the heat released from human body. Experimental results indicated that: (1) the intensity of the heat transfer between rock and air increases with the rise in heat source rate and ventilation temperature (VT), while it decreases as the initial surrounding rock temperature (ISRT) increases; (2) when considering the joint temperature control of pre-cooled SR, it is recommended to reduce the VT linearly during the evacuation period in order to ensure the thermal safety of personnel. During the non-refuge period, the cold amount should be stored as far as possible into the shallow SR body to make full use of it; (3) to ensure the thermal safety of an MRC with a capacity of 30 people for 96 h, cooling measures are required when the ISRT exceeds 21.3 °C. In addition, when the ISRT reaches 27.6 °C, the per capita ventilation is 0.19 m3/min, and the temperature is 26 °C, which can also meet the requirements. This study provides experimental verification as a basis for future research on underground space temperature control considering the influence of SR.

The Zhaotong national shale gas demonstration area in Yunnan (hereinafter referred to as demonstration area) is China's third largest national shale gas production base after Changning–Weiyuan in Sichuan and Fuling in Chongqing. And after more than ten years of deep and careful cultivation, a series of important achievements have been obtained in the exploration and development. From the perspective of exploration and development history, theory and technology, this paper systematically summarizes the exploration discovery process and productivity construction progress of shale gas in the demonstration area, expounds the geological exploration theories and key technologies of mountain shale gas, and predicts their development prospect and direction. And the following research results are obtained. First, the exploration and development in the demonstration area has gone through five development stages, and so far, three major productivity construction zones have been formed, including Huangjinba and Zijinba middle–deep shale gas zones and Taiyang shallow shale gas zone, with cumulative proved geological reserves more than 3100 × 108 m3 and cumulative gas production more than 72 × 108 m3. It has been constructed into the third largest green shale gas demonstration base in China. Second, the “multi-field coordination and multi-element coupling” mountain shale gas enrichment, accumulation and occurrence theory of “sedimentary background controlling source rock and reservoir, reworking intensity controlling preservation, and three-dimensional sealing controlling enrichment” is put forward innovatively, and the “three-dimensional sealing system” accumulation model of extrabasinal shallow shale gas is established. Third, a series of zone selection and evaluation technologies for mountain shale gas in strongly reworked complex structural areas have been developed, and the concept of geology–engineering integration has first been adopted to create transparent shale gas reservoirs and cultivate high-yield wells. A major exploration breakthrough has been achieved from marginal basin medium deep shale gas layers to extrabasin ultra shallow to medium shallow ones, and domestic first large-scale monoblock shallow shale gas field with reserves over 2570 × 108 m3 has been discovered. Fourth, a landmark technological achievement and efficient development model with geology–engineering integration and shale geomechanical evaluation as the core has been formed, which leads the clean, green and efficient exploration and development of mountain shale gas. In conclusion, it is necessary to implement the exploration strategic idea of “two outgoing” in the demonstration area, i.e., “walking out of the stable area of the basin and marching into the complex structure areas in the Dianqianbei Depression” and “walking out of the Wufeng–Longmaxi Formation and exploring other layers for breakthrough”. What's more, it is recommended to carry out the double-layer stereoscopic horizontal well pattern deployment of “Leping Formation CBM (coal measure gas) + Longmaxi Formation shale gas” appropriately in a large scale, so as to establish a new integrated development model for the three-dimensional efficient development of mountain shale gas and CBM.

Abstract Background Emerging evidence has shown the crucial roles of pleomorphic adenoma gene (PLAG) family genes in multiple cancers. However, their functions and mechanisms in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) remain poorly understood. Methods We analyzed the expression levels of PLAG family genes in both The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and a Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and confirmed the results in our three independent cohorts of 382 PAAD tissues and 362 adjacent nontumor pancreatic tissues. Integrated analyses were carried out to explore the function, mechanism and prognostic value of the selected PLAG family gene in PAAD patients. Results By analyzing the TCGA and GEO databases, PLAGL1 was identified to be downregulated in PAAD tissues, and its decreasing levels of both mRNA and protein were verified in our three independent PAAD cohorts. PLAGL1 expression was inversely correlated with clinicopathological factors including the Ki67+ cell rate and pathologic stage. Further GSEA of the TCGA-PAAD cohort demonstrated that multiple signaling pathways implicated in cell proliferation were enriched in the lower PLAGL1 expressing PAAD group. Moreover, we demonstrated that PLAGL1 expression was obviously negatively associated with patients’ overall survival outcome in both the TCGA-PAAD cohort and our verification cohorts. Additionally, through MTS and BrdU assays, we further demonstrated in vitro that PLAGL1 had the impact of preventing the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusions Our present study suggested that downregulated PLAGL1 might act as a biomarker in predicts poor prognosis and one of important factors in increasing cell proliferation in PAAD. This study provides us with a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic strategy for PAAD, which deserves further study.

Most studies about tunnel environments focus on the adjustment of brightness in tunnels and pay little attention to the decoration of the walls. This study is based on a highway tunnel in Jilin province, China. Five design schemes (white, gray, dark-blue, light-yellow, and blue sky with white clouds) were selected for the tunnel vaults. The experiment was conducted on a self-developed driving simulation platform. Pupil diameter and heart rate growth (HRG) were proposed to analyze the driving comfort. A SMI eye tracker and a Polar heart-rate belt were employed to record the pupil diameter and heart rate, respectively. The results indicate that the color of the tunnel vault considerably influences the pupil diameter and HRG of a driver. The degrees of emotional fluctuation and psychological tension is higher for drivers in dark-color environments than in light-color environments. Therefore, light colors must be prioritized when designing tunnel vaults. The results also indicate that a tunnel vault in blue sky with white clouds is the most comfortable for drivers. This experiment provides a reference for the tunnel design.

Abstract The naturally formed aeolian sand dunes in northern Shaanxi exhibit unique engineering characteristics. Several challenges, such as the poor self-stabilization ability of the surrounding rock, difficultly in injecting grout, and insufficient construction experience, restrict the construction of road tunnels under this stratum. Therefore, in this study, a case study of the Shenmu No. 1 tunnel was conducted to investigate the engineering characteristics of aeolian sand tunnels, compare the grouting effects of commonly used grouting materials, and discuss the reinforcement effects of different construction schemes in aeolian sand tunnels. Based on a field grouting test, it was determined that it is difficult to inject ordinary cement grout into an aeolian sand layer. Furthermore, it was determined that superfine cement grout and modified sodium silicate grout can be injected, but the former exhibits a poor reinforcement effect. Additionally, results of numerical analysis indicated that an approach based on a concept of “horizontal jet grouting pile + benching partial excavation method with a temporary invert” is suitable for the construction of tunnels in aeolian sand in China.

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal malignancy due to failures of early detection and high metastasis in patients. While certain genetic mutations in tumors are associated with severity, the molecular mechanisms responsible for cancer progression are still poorly understood. Synaptotagmin-8 (SYT8) is a membrane protein that regulates hormone secretion and neurotransmission, and its expression is positively regulated by the promoter of the insulin gene in pancreatic islet cells. In this study, we identified a previously unknown role of SYT8 in altering tumor characteristics in pancreatic cancer. SYT8 levels were upregulated in patient tumors and contributed towards increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Increased SYT8 expression also promoted tumor metastasis in an in vivo tumor metastasis model. Furthermore, we showed that SYT8-mediated increase in tumorigenicity was regulated by SIRT1, a protein deacetylase previously known to alter cell metabolism in pancreatic lesions. SIRT1 expression was altered by orphan nuclear receptor ERRα and troponin-1 (TNNI2), resulting in cell proliferation and migration in an SYT8-dependent manner. Together, we identified SYT8 to be a central regulator of tumor progression involving signaling via the SIRT1, ERRα, and TNNI2 axis. This knowledge may provide the basis for the development of therapeutic strategies to restrict tumor metastasis in pancreatic cancer.

Vertical compressive stress of the foundation is a vital parameter for determining the coefficient of self-weight collapsibility of loess tunnels. This paper aims to provide a theoretical solution for the vertical compressive stress of shallow neighbourhood loess tunnel foundation. Firstly, the formula of boundary depth for deep- and shallow-buried neighbourhood loess tunnels with the consideration of the construction order of two holes is derived. In addition, solutions for surrounding rock pressure of the first and rear holes are established. Then, calculation of foundation vertical compressive stress of shallow neighbourhood loess tunnel is deduced by basing on the Flamant’s elasticity solution. Finally, the Xi’an metro line NO. 2 is taken as a case study to examine and verify the applicability of the proposed theoretical method. The case study results show that the variation between the proposed formula and numerical simulation is less than 15%, which proves the reliability of our proposed formula and its potential application in the construction of shallow neighbourhood loess tunnels.

Full-cycle and real-time monitoring of the wellbore flow during hydraulic fracturing is challenging in unconventional oil and gas development. In the past few years, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) provides opportunities to measure the acoustic energy distribution along the entire horizontal well. It is a promising tool for real-time monitoring and understanding of the fluid injection process. However, the signal identification of effective flow in the wellbore from DAS data is cumbersome and prone to error. We propose a deep learning approach to solve this problem. The neural network is a combination of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Networks (BiLSTM) to extract the spatial and temporal features from the DAS data. The trained model is applied to the field data collected in the horizontal well. The results demonstrate its capability for intelligent monitoring and real-time evaluation for hydraulic fracturing.

Natural gases from the Taiyang (shallow), Jiaoshiba (middle), and Weirong (deep) shale gas fields in the southern Sichuan Basin were analyzed for molecular and stable carbon isotopic compositions to investigate the geochemical characteristics and gas origins. All the gases belong to shale gas from the Upper Ordovician–Lower Silurian shale and are dominated by methane with gas wetness generally less than 0.83%. The δ13C1 values are −28.5‰, −30.3‰, and −35.2‰ in Taiyang, Jiaoshiba, and Weirong shale gas fields, respectively. The extremely high thermal maturity is the controlling factor for the enrichment of 13C in methane, with a minor contribution from the heavy carbon isotope of the organic matter in the Ordovician Wufeng Formation. Fischer–Tropsch-type synthesis of hydrocarbon gas from CO2 and H2 contributes to the increase of wet gas, which results in the offset from the δ13C1∼wetness linear trend in the Taiyang and Jiaoshiba gas fields. Methane, ethane, and propane in the Taiyang shale gas field have increasing δ13C values with increasing burial depth, which is mainly caused by diffusive migration. All gases are characterized by a complete carbon isotopic reversal trend (δ13C1 > δ13C2 > δ13C3), and it is mainly caused by the reversible free-radical reactions with the conversion from alkane to alkyl groups, with some contribution from the Fischer–Tropsch-type synthesis. The results of this study will improve our understanding of the geochemical characteristics of shale gases from different burial depths and have important implications for future shale gas exploration in the deep and shallow layers.

In this paper, shale gas cores from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in the Zhaotong National Shale Gas Demonstration Area were selected to study the hydration effect of different fluids on the fracture morphology inside the shale, the rock tensile strength and the Brazilian tensile failure mode. Fresh water and slick water were adopted for hydration pretreatments and the CT technique was used to compare the changes of the fabric in the shale. Then, Brazilian tensile tests were carried out to study the tensile strength and tensile failure modes of the shale specimen after hydration pretreatment. Finally, two horizontal wells in the study area were selected to perform pilot tests of hydration pretreatment in their fracturing operation sites. And the following research results were obtained. First, in the process of spontaneous imbibition, the hydration effect of fresh water is superior to that of slick water in promoting the fracture complexity of marine shale in the same hydration duration. Second, fresh water has greater surface tension and lower viscosity and its hydration effect can not only promote the propagation of original fractures but induce new micro-fractures or branches, while the hydration effect of slick water mainly promotes the propagation of original fractures. Third, due to hydration effect, marine shale is damaged and its tensile strength is reduced. After the hydration pretreatment by fresh water and slick water, the tensile strength of the shale specimens are reduced by 35.6% and 18.1%, respectively. Fourth, according to the propagation paths of main fractures, the Brazilian tensile failure modes of hydrated shale can be divided into four types (i.e., step shaped, dog-leg shaped, branching shaped and arc shaped) or their combinations, while the tensile failure mode of unhydrated shale is only a straight line. Fifth, hydration effect can effectively increase the complexity of the hydraulic fractures in marine shale, so if the conditions permit, it is recommended to inject a certain amount of fresh water at a high pumping rate within the limited pressure after perforation and to shut in the well until the hydraulic fracturing operation. And in order to reduce the difficulties of pumping the proppant during the hydraulic fracturing operation, a pumping strategy of “low proppant concentration, large volume of slurries” can be adopted to reach the expected proppant volume.

The Zhaotong National Shale Gas Demonstration Area along the southern margin of the Sichuan Basin is located in the complex marine tectonic area of South China, where shale deformation and reformation are intense and the factors controlling sweet spots are complex, so the preservation conditions have an important impact on the enrichment of shale gas. In order to support the selection and evaluation of shale gas sweet spots in this area and improve the success rate of drilling, this paper carried out a geological survey on field outcrops. Then, based on drilling, mud logging and physical property test data, the structural deformation pattern and the regional deformation characteristics of this demonstration area were analyzed, and the development characteristics of formation joints and fractures, the sealing capacity of shale surrounding rock and the distribution characteristics of gas reservoirs were studied. Finally, the preservation conditions of shale gas in the Wufeng Formation of Upper Ordovician and the Longmaxi Formation of Lower Silurian were discussed. And the following research results were obtained. First, in the Zhaotong National Shale Gas Demonstration Area, three structural deformation patterns are developed from south to north, including trough type, equal amplitude type and baffle type, which are distributed in three major deformation zones, respectively, i.e., the shear deformation zone of Central Guizhou Uplift, the compression–torsion deformation zone of northern Yunnan–Guizhou Depression and the compression deformation zone of Southern Sichuan Depression. Second, three types of joints and fractures whose relationships with the direction of strata are high angle, middle–low angle and bedding intersection are developed in the Wufeng–Longmaxi formations and its overlying strata, and their occurrence characteristics are basically consistent with those of the three major deformation zones. Third, the shale of Wufeng–Longmaxi formations is thick in the north and thin in the south and possesses the preservation conditions of source–reservoir integration and self-sealing hydrocarbon accumulation. And combined with the sealing ability of the overburden strata and the roof and floor, its preservation conditions are overall better. Fourth, from the perspective of shale gas component, this area can be divided into three belts, i.e., methane, methane + nitrogen mixture and nitrogen from north to south. And the preservation conditions of shale gas are generally better in the north and worse in the south. In conclusion, the shale in the central–northern part of Zhaotong National Shale Gas Demonstration Area (compression deformation area and its southern margin) is the most favorable area because of its large shale thickness, weak reformation and deformation, bedding development of joints and fractures, good sealing performance and excellent preservation conditions. The compression–torsion deformation zone of northern Yunnan–Guizhou Depression in the central part is moderate in preservation conditions, and it is the relatively favorable area. The shear deformation zone of Central Guizhou Uplift in the southern part has poor preservation conditions, and it is a prospective area.

Background: Biodegradable suture anchors are commonly used for repairing torn rotator cuffs, but these biodegradable materials still suffer from low mechanical strength, poor osteointegration, and the generation of acidic degradation byproducts. Method: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term mechanical behavior and osteogenetic capabilities of a biocomposite anchor injection molded with 30% β-tricalcium phosphate microparticles blended with 70% poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) (85/15). This study investigated in vitro degradation and in vivo bone formation in a canine model. The initial mechanical behavior, mechanical strength retention with degradation time, and degradation features were investigated. Results: The results showed that the biocomposite anchor had sufficient initial mechanical stability confirmed by comparing the initial shear load on the anchor with the minimum shear load borne by an ankle fracture fixation screw, which is considered a worst-case implantation site for mechanical loading. The maximum shear load retention of the biocomposite anchor was 83% at 12 weeks, which is desirable, as it aligns with the rate of bone healing. The β-tricalcium phosphate fillers were evenly dispersed in the polymeric matrix and acted to slow the degradation rate and improve the mechanical strength of the anchor. The interface characteristics between the β-tricalcium phosphate particles and the polymeric matrix changed the degradation behavior of the biocomposite. Phosphate buffer saline was shown to diffuse through the interface into the biocomposite to inhibit the core accelerated degradation rate. In vivo, the addition of β-tricalcium phosphate induced new bone formation. The biocomposite material developed in this study demonstrated improved osteogenesis in comparison to a plain poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide) material. Neither anchor produced adverse tissue reactions, indicating that the biocomposite had favorable biocompatibility following long-term implantation. Conclusion: In summary, the new biocomposite anchor presented in this study had favorable osteogenetic capability, mechanical property, and controlled degradation rate for bone fixation. Translational potential of this article: The new biocomposite anchor had sufficient initial and long-term fixation stability and bone formation capability in the canine model. It is indicated that the new biocomposite anchor has a ​potential for orthopedic application. Keywords: Anchor-bone interaction, Biocomposite anchor, Degradation rate, Mechanical property, Osteogenesis

Based on exploration and development results and evaluation of marine shale gas in South China in the past ten years, in view of the features of “high maturity, strong tectonic reformation and high shear stress” of the shale in Zhaotong exploration zone in the Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau, as well as the key issues of long time diffusion and leakage of shallow shale gas, and the preservation conditions, the factors controlling shallow shale gas sweet spot and key zone selection evaluation technology of shale gas are investigated. From 2017 to 2018, the first significant exploration breakthrough was made in the Taiyang anticline at a buried depth of 700 to 2 000 m, discovering large-scale proved geological reserves of shallow shale gas. By examining the accumulation conditions and sweet spot control factors of the shallow shale gas in this area, it is found that the accumulation and productivity potential of shale gas in the mountainous area with complex structure outside basin are controlled by five factors: (1) The gas-rich area has weak tectonic reformation and good preservation conditions on the whole, taking on typical anticline trap occurrence mode. (2) The gas-rich area is in over-pressure state and high in shale gas content. (3) The gas-rich area has high quality shale and thus superior source rock condition. (4) The gas-rich area has high quality reservoirs dominated by class I. (5) The shale gas reservoir in the gas-rich area has high content of brittle minerals and small difference between maximum and minimum horizontal stresses which are conducive to hydraulic fracturing. The innovative practice and core technologies formed during the exploration and production capacity construction of shallow shale gas in the Zhaotong demonstration zone have great reference significance for shallow shale gas exploration and development in other areas. Key words: shallow shale gas, Silurian Longmaxi Formation, Ordovician Wufeng Formation, exploration breakthrough, Taiyang anticline area, Zhaotong area, anticline

Well shut-in and drainage after shale gas fracturing are important factors affecting the productivity. Due to the imperfect optimization method of shale gas flowback, there has been no clear explanation for the problems such as “formulation of reasonable well shut-in time” and “less fracturing fluid flowback but high-gas production phenomenon” during shale gas drainage. In this paper, the double pressure funnels (one funnel is formed during fracturing by pressure difference from wellbore to formation, and two funnels are formed during flowback by pressure difference from fracture to formation and from fracture to wellbore) and gas-liquid two-way mass transfer (gas transfer by diffusion and liquid transfer by pressure difference) in shale gas drainage are investigated by calculating the pressure distribution after fracturing shale gas wells. The discrete numerical simulation by using unstructured PEBI grid is conducted, and the result is as follows: when shale gas well is shut-in for 20 days and produce for 1 year, the daily gas production corresponding to fracturing fluid flowback rates of 20%, 10%, and 5% are 47700 m3, 5800 m3, and 72700 m3, respectively. The investigation of double pressure funnels and gas-liquid two-way mass transfer explains clearly the phenomenon “less fracturing fluid flowback but high-gas production.” Meanwhile, the two conditions for optimizing the well shut-in time after fracturing are presented. That is, as for the studied case, the moving speed of the pressure boundary line should be less than 0.1 m/d, and the water-gas ratio near the fracture should be less than 1/d with time. Consequently, the reasonable well shut-in time is optimized to be 20-25 days. The findings in this work are of benefit to enrich the flowback theory of shale gas after fracturing and provide a theoretical basis for the optimization technology of shale gas drainage after fracturing.

Introduction: Some encouraging findings of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) in management of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) obtained in the setting of clinical trials are hard to validate in the daily clinical practice due to a complicated treatment scenario of CHM in practice. The primary objective of this registry is to provide a description of treatment patterns used in management of IMN and assess clinical remission in daily practice in a Chinese population sample with IMN.Methods and analysis: This is a prospective, multicenter cohort which will comprise 2000 adults with IMN regardless of urinary protein levels that will be recruited from 11 nephrology centers across China. The participants will be followed for up to at least 2 years. Primary outcome is composite remission (either complete remission or partial remission) 24 months after enrolment. The secondary outcomes are complete remission, partial remission, time to remission, no response, relapse, proteinuria, annual change of glomerular filtration rate, antibodies against PLA2R, and composite endpoint of 40% reduction of glomerular filtration rate, doubling of serum creatinine, end-stage renal disease, and death. Propensity score analysis will be used for matching and adjustment.Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (BF2020-094-01). Results of the study will be published in both national and international peer-reviewed journals, and presented at scientific conferences. Investigators will inform the participants as well as other IMN patients of the findings via health education.Study registration: ChiCTR2000033680 (prospectively registered).

Recently, magnetic two-dimensional Cr2TiC2Tx MXenes with promising applications in spin electronics have been experimentally confirmed. However, the underlying magnetic mechanism needs to be further investigated. Along these lines, in this work, the magnetic properties of Cr2TiC2On/4F2−n/4 and Cr2TiC2On/4 structures were simulated through first-principle calculations using the GGA+U approach. The values of 4.1 and 3.1 eV were calculated for the Hubbard U of Cr and Ti, respectively, by applying the linear response method. Interestingly, the Cr2TiC2On/4F2−n/4-based configurations with low O content (n ≤ 4) exhibit antiferromagnetic behavior, while the majority of the respective configurations with high O content (n ≥ 5) are ferromagnetic. As far as the Cr2TiC2O5/4F3/4 structure (n = 5) is concerned, the value of about 2.64 μB was estimated for the magnetic moment of the Cr atom. On top of that, the Curie temperature lies within the range of 10~47 K. The extracted theoretical results are in good agreement with experimental outcomes of the Cr2TiC2O1.3F0.8-based structure. From the simulated results, it can be also argued that the magnetic moment of Cr atoms and the Neel temperature can be directly tuned by the active content of O atoms. The conductivity of both Cr2TiC2On/4F2−n/4 and Cr2TiC2On/4 configurations can be regulated by the externally applied magnetic field, while the density of states around the Fermi level shifted significantly between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic arrangements. The acquired results provide important theoretical insights to tuning the magnetic properties of Cr2TiC2Tx-based structures through surface termination mechanisms, which are quite significant for their potential applications in spin electronics.

Petroleum-contaminated soil (PCS) exhibits a variety of oil–soil interfacial properties. Surface heterogeneity of soil particles is one of the most critical influencing aspects. The interaction energies of the heterogeneous surfaces of montmorillonite (Mnt) and kaolinite (Kln) for saturates adsorption were determined by molecular simulation to be −1698.88 ± 0.67 (001 surface of Mnt), −73.81 ± 0.51 (010 edge of Mnt), −3086.33 ± 0.46 (001 surface of Kln), and −850.17 ± 0.74 (010 edge of Kln) kJ/mol, respectively. The adsorption of both clays with saturates relied on van der Waals forces, and the edges of Mnt were hardly adsorbed with saturates. According to adhesive force measurements, the oil–clay interaction forces of Mnt and Kln were 111.18 ± 0.01 and 122.65 ± 0.03 μN, respectively. In agreement with the simulations, Kln adsorbed saturates more strongly. Dynamic interfacial rheology and liquid viscoelasticity also revealed differences in adsorption behaviors between Mnt–saturates and Kln–saturates. It demonstrated that in the case of relatively low clay concentrations, the impact of particle surface heterogeneity on the adsorption process was stronger than that of structure even though Mnt had multilayer structures. Moreover, in thermodynamic adsorption experiments, it was evident that Kln adsorbed more oil than Mnt at the adsorption equilibrium states even though both were multilayer adsorptions and the adsorption amounts declined with increasing temperature. Simultaneously, the characteristics of the thermal adsorption of clay and saturates with different proportions were consistent with clay dispersion in saturates, and Kln released more heat being combined with oil. Overall, the heterogeneity of clay particles strongly affects the oil–clay interfacial chemical behaviors, causing more difficulty in treating PCS containing Kln than those containing Mnt. These results provide a theoretical basis for PCS treatment technology.

Pancreatic cancer (PCa) is one of the most aggressive lethal malignancies, and cancer metastasis is the major cause of PCa-associated death. F-box/LRR-repeat protein 7 (FBXL7) regulates cancer metastasis and the chemosensitivity of human pancreatic cancer. However, the clinical significance and biological role of FBXL7 in PCa have been rarely studied. In this study, we found that the expression of FBXL7 was down-regulated in PCa tissues compared with tumor-adjacent tissues, and the low expression of FBXL7 was positively associated with cancer metastasis. Functionally, overexpression of FBXL7 attenuated PANC1 cell invasion, whereas FBXL7 silencing promoted BxPC-3 cell invasion. Forced expression of FBXL7 upregulated the expression of epithelial markers (e.g., E-cadherin) and repressed the expression of mesenchymal markers (e.g., N-cadherin and Vimentin), indicating that FBXL7 negatively regulated the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of PCa cells. Furthermore, we identified that FBXL7 repressed the expression of Snail1, a crucial transcription factor of EMT. Mechanistically, FBXL7 bound to Snail1 and promoted its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. In vivo studies demonstrated that FBXL7 inhibition promotes PCa metastasis. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that FBXL7 knockdown could efficiently enhance PCa metastasis by regulating Snail1-dependent EMT.

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal solid malignancies in the world due to its excessive cell proliferation and aggressive metastatic features. Emerging evidences revealed the importance of posttranscriptional modifications of RNAs in PC progression. However, knowledge about the 5-methylcytosine (m5C) RNA modification in PC is still extremely limited. In this study, we attempted to explore the expression changes and clinical significances of 12 known m5C-related genes among PC patients. Methods: A total of 362 normal and 382 tumor specimens from PC patients were examined for candidate m5C-related gene and protein expression by using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The proliferation rate of PC cells was detected by MTS assay. Xenograft mouse models were used to assess the role of NSUN6 in PC tumor formation. Findings: Through analyzing the four Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, six m5C-related genes shown significant and consistent alterations were selected for further examination in our 3 independent PC cohorts. Finally, we identified the reduction of NSUN6 as a common feature of all PC sample sets examined. NSUN6 expression correlated with clinicopathologic parameters including T stage, and Ki67+ cell rate. Further assessing the transcriptional profiles of 50 PC tissues, we found biological processes associated with cell proliferation like cell cycle and G2M checkpoint were enriched in NSUN6 lower expression group. Helped by in vitro PC cell lines and in vivo xenograft mouse models, we confirmed the role of NSUN6 in regulating cell proliferation and PC tumor growth. Last but also importantly, we also show the good performance of NSUN6 in evaluating tumor recurrence and survival among PC patients. Interpretation: Our data suggested that NSUN6 is an important factor involved in regulating cell proliferation of PC, and highlights the potential of novel m5C-based clinical modalities as a therapeutic approach in PC patients. Funding: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81803014, 81802424, and 81802911).

In this study, we developed a tunnel excavation model test system to investigate the deformation and mechanical response of the surrounding rocks and tunnel structure during the reconstruction and expansion of an existing shallow single-hole tunnel into a twin-arch tunnel. A model test was conducted to study the variation in the ground surface settlement characteristics, surrounding rock pressure, and internal stresses of the supporting structure and midwall during the construction process. The influence of the excavation distance on displacements and structural stress between the faces of the left and right tunnels was analysed using numerical software. A comparison between the model test results and the monitoring and measurement construction results revealed a fairly consistent ground surface settlement, indicating that the system is stable and reliable and can be widely applied to laboratory model test research on tunnel excavation. Results show that the excavation of the first tunnel had a significant effect on the stability of the surrounding rock within the distance of a single-tunnel span behind the tunnel face. When the excavation distance between the two tunnels exceeded twice the length of the single-tunnel span, its effect on the stresses and deformation of the reconstructed twin-arch tunnel was negligible.

To improve the accuracy of centrifugal pump fault diagnosis, a novel fault diagnosis method based on improved multiple fractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA), the fusion of multi-sensing information derived from the back propagation (BP) neural network and the Dempster–Shafter (D-S) evidence theory, is accordingly proposed. Firstly, the multifractal spectral parameters of four sensor signals under four different operating conditions were extracted as centrifugal pump fault feature vectors using improved MFDFA and input to the BP neural network. Then, the basic trust assignment function was constructed by calculating trustworthiness (both local and global) as priori information, which is based on the output results of the neural networks specific to of each group of sensors. Finally, the basic trust assignment function was fused with decision processing in accordance with the D-S evidence combination rule in order to effectively achieve the multi-sensor information fusion centrifugal pump fault diagnosis. The experimental results show the multiple fractal spectrum feature parameters extracted by the improved MFDFA can accurately reflect the signal essence, and can be used as the fault feature vector. On this basis, this multi-sensor fault diagnosis reduces the uncertainty of fault classification and demonstrates improved accuracy compared to the single-sensor fault diagnosis thanks to being based on a combination of the BP neural networks and D-S evidence theory. Thereby, this method can facilitate accurate diagnosis of the centrifugal pump fault type with high confidence, subsequently providing a novel and alternative method to existing methods of diagnosis.

A polarized arrangement of neuronal microtubule arrays is the foundation of membrane trafficking and subcellular compartmentalization. Conserved among both invertebrates and vertebrates, axons contain exclusively ‘plus-end-out’ microtubules while dendrites contain a high percentage of ‘minus-end-out’ microtubules, the origins of which have been a mystery. Here we show that in Caenorhabditis elegans the dendritic growth cone contains a non-centrosomal microtubule organizing center (MTOC), which generates minus-end-out microtubules along outgrowing dendrites and plus-end-out microtubules in the growth cone. RAB-11-positive endosomes accumulate in this region and co-migrate with the microtubule nucleation complex γ-TuRC. The MTOC tracks the extending growth cone by kinesin-1/UNC-116-mediated endosome movements on distal plus-end-out microtubules and dynein clusters this advancing MTOC. Critically, perturbation of the function or localization of the MTOC causes reversed microtubule polarity in dendrites. These findings unveil the endosome-localized dendritic MTOC as a critical organelle for establishing axon-dendrite polarity.

With the development of modern cities, roads, and landscapes, it is becoming increasingly important for infrastructure such as tunnels to provide an esthetically pleasing experience. In this respect, it is necessary to conduct studies that consider the esthetic design of tunnel portals using esthetics research. Regarding the esthetic evaluation of tunnel portals, this paper fully considers the dynamic visual effect from the driver's perspective. This study combines the use of Blender, SpeedTree Modeler Cinema, Adobe Photoshop CS6, and other software for secondary development. These programs are connected to the driving simulation platform Euro Truck Simulator 2 (which is equipped with a driving simulator) to construct a set of driving simulation tests that enable the esthetic evaluation of a tunnel portal. The Banlun Tunnel on the Funing-Longliu Expressway in Yunnan Province, China, is used as a case study, and four impact factors that vary significantly in esthetic design are included: the linearity, color, greening and texture of the portal. Using an orthogonal experimental design, the influence of the esthetic degree was simulated and evaluated, and the order of sensitivity to esthetic factors of a headwall tunnel portal was sequentially determined as follows: the portal texture exerts the maximum impact on the beauty degree of the headwall portal, followed by the portal greening and the portal color, while the portal linearity exerts the minimum impact. The results show that the developed driving simulation test system can be used to determine the sensitivity of esthetic factors for a tunnel portal and obtain an optimal collocation of esthetic factors on different levels; hence, it provides feedback for use in designing the optimum esthetic tunnel portal. This test system can be used as a reference when conducting future evaluations and studies on tunnel portal esthetics.

Abstract: Based on scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption experiment at low temperature, the pore types and structures of the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Dianqianbei area, SW China were analyzed, and a molecular model was built. According to mathematical statistics, the validation of the model was solved by converting it into a mathematical formula. It is found by SEM that the pores in clay mineral layers and organic pores occupy most of the pores in shale; the nitrogen adsorption experiment at low temperature reveals that groove pores formed by flaky particles and micro-pores are the main types of pores, and the results of the two are in good agreement. A molecular model was established by illite and graphene molecular structures. Moreover, based on the fractal theory and the Frenkel-Halsey-Hill formula, a modified Frenkel-Halsey-Hill formula was proposed. The reliability of the molecular model was verified to some extent by obtaining parameters such as the fractal dimension, replacement rate and fractal coefficients of correction, and mathematical calculation. This study provides the theoretical basis for quantitative study of shale reservoirs. Key words: Dianqianbei area, shale, Silurian, Longmaxi Formation, micro-pore, pore model, model verification

In this data, the statistical analyses of vanadium oxide microspheres cathode materials are presented for the research article entitled “Statistical analyses on hollow and core-shell structured vanadium oxides microspheres as cathode materials for Lithium ion batteries” (Liang et al., 2017) [1]. This article shows the statistical analyses on N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and morphology vanadium oxide microspheres as cathode materials for LIBs. Keywords: Adsorption-desorption isotherm, Pore size distribution, SEM images, TEM images

The influence of shale composition on methane adsorption capability and gas content is investigated using 14 samples from Well YS8 in the southern Sichuan Basin, China. The results show that the Langmuir adsorption capacity of the Longmaxi shale is mainly a function of the total organic carbon (TOC) content. When TOC is ~1.1%, 50% CH4 is adsorbed onto the surface of the organic matter. The mineral content has limited control on the adsorption capacity of the Longmaxi shales. Organic matter is also a major control on gas content when TOC content is 1.0%, gas content remains constant, indicating that gas preservation is more important than gas generation and rock adsorption capacity. Scatter plots of TOC versus gas content and, Langmuir adsorption capacity shows that when TOC is 2.0%.

By using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and CT scanning technologies, hydration experiments have been conducted on shale samples from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Zhaotong area in North Yunnan and Guizhou Provinces under the confining pressure of 10 MPa to study the effect of hydration on the propagation of pores and natural fractures in shale formation. The results show that the hydration not only offsets the permeability drop caused by confining pressure, but makes the fracture network more complicated, the connection between fractures and pores better with larger volume, and permeability higher by facilitating the dilation, propagation and cross-connection of primary pores, natural fractures, and newly created micro-fractures; hydration damage mainly occurs along the bedding plane or the direction of primary fractures; samples with better-developed primary pores and fractures are most affected by hydration, samples with best-developed primary pores and natural fractures are less affected by hydration, samples with only pores are least affected by hydration; and the hydration intensity of shale plugs is affected by the development of primary pores and fractures, clay content, brittleness index, confining pressure and the hydration duration jointly. Therefore, in shale reservoir stimulation, it is suggested that the pumping schedule, shut-in operation or clean-up with small choke during early flow-back process be considered according to the features of shale reservoir to enhance the complexity and connection of facture network and improve the stimulation effect. Key words: shale reservoir, stimulation, flow-back process, hydration, NMR, CT scanning, pores and natural fractures

Twelve polyphenols were identified in the extracts (WMP) from cold pressed degreased walnut meal by UPLC-ESI-MS, among which glansreginin A, gallic acid, ellagic acid and ellagic acid 4-O-xyloside took up the majority proportion. The potential of WMP to improve glucose and lipid metabolism was investigated by the postnatally monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced mice. The levels of serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, and adiponectin, ascending in the MSG group, had a significant decrease after the WMP treatment with the corresponding increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The administration of WMP suppressed the weight gain and fat accumulation. Furthermore, activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and malondialdehyde level decreased obviously compared to the MSG group, however, activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase went higher after the WMP treatment in liver. Our findings have posed WMP the potential to treat obesity and related disorders by improving glucose and lipid metabolism.

Due to downhole complexities, shale-gas horizontal well fracturing in the Sichuan Basin suffered from casing deformation and failure to apply the technique of cable-conveyed perforation bridge plug. In view of these problems, a new technique of staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling is employed. Based on theoretical analyses and field tests, a design of optimized parameters of coiled tubing-conveyed multi-cluster sand-blasting perforation and temporary plugging by sand filling was proposed. It was applied in the horizontal Well ZJ-1 in which casing deformation occurred. The following results are achieved in field operations. First, this technique enables selective staged fracturing in horizontal sections. Second, this technique can realize massive staged fracturing credibly without mechanical plugging, with the operating efficiency equivalent to the conventional bridge plug staged fracturing. Third, full-hole is preserved after fracturing, thus it is possible to directly conduct an open flow test without time consumption of a wiper trip. The staged volume fracturing with temporary plugging by sand filling facilitated the 14-stage fracturing in Well ZJ-1, with similar SRV to that achieved by conventional bridge plug staged fracturing and higher gas yield than neighboring wells on the same well pad. Thus, a new and effective technique is presented in multi-cluster staged volume fracturing of shale gas horizontal wells.

With the continuous improvement of the planning system for urban subway construction, shield tunnels are being more frequently constructed, and thus, the floating problem of shield tunnels in construction has been paid increasingly more attention. In view of this, in this paper, with the combination of numerical simulation and theoretical analysis, the problem of floating segments compressing the overburden in the deep shield tunnel is discussed. The influential factors of the pressure arch effect are analysed using numerical simulation, the compressive displacement of soil in the plastic zone is investigated in a focused manner based on the pressure arch effect, and the problem of floating segments that the Mindlin solution is applied to under the actions of distributed force and concentrated force is solved. The results show the following: (1) the displacement of the segment is composed of the shield tail gap, the compressive displacement of the soil, and the translational displacement of the soil; (2) the intensity of the pressure arch effect is interactively influenced by the thickness-diameter ratio and the soil properties; (3) the compressive displacement of the soil mass accounts for a larger proportion of floating segment-induced displacements; and (4) the perturbation influence calculation formula of the surrounding strata and the building structure is obtained based on the Mindlin solution.

GDF11 is related to myostatin yet has no known role in postnatal bone turnover. Here the authors show that recombinant GDF11 injection causes bone loss and impairs healing by driving osteoclastogenesis while inhibiting osteoblast differentiation, plus they show that anti-GDF11 Ab can inhibit bone loss in ovariectomy and ageing mouse models.

The exploration and development of marine shale gas reservoirs in South China is challenged by complex geological and geographical conditions, such as strong transformation, post maturity, complex mountains and humanity. In this paper, the evaluations on shale gas sweet spots conducted in Zhaotong demonstration zone in the past six years and the construction of 500 million m3 shale gas productivity in Huangjinba region were discussed, and the results of shale gas reservoir evaluations in China and abroad were investigated. Accordingly, it is proposed that another two key indicators be taken into consideration in the evaluation on shale gas sweet spots in marine mountains in South China, i.e. shale gas preservation conditions and pore pressure, and the research on ground stress and natural microfracture systems should be strengthened. Then, systematic analysis was conducted by integrating shale gas multidisciplinary data and geological and engineering integration study was carried out. Finally, a 3D model, which was composed of “geophysics, reservoir geology, fracture system and rock geomechanics”, was established for shale gas reservoirs. Application practice shows that the geological engineering integration and the 3D reservoir modeling are effective methods for evaluating the shale gas sweet spots in complex marine mountains in South China. Besides, based on shale gas sweet spot evaluation, 3D spatial congruency and superposition effects of multiple attributes and multiple evaluation parameters are presented. Moreover, the short-plate principle is the factor controlling the distribution patterns and evaluation results of shale gas sweet spots. It is concluded that this comprehensive evaluation method is innovative and effective in avoiding complex geological and engineering risks, so it is of guiding significance in exploration and development of marine shale gas in South China.

Six new zinc(II) complexes were prepared by the reaction of ZnBr2 or ZnI2 with 4′-(substituted-phenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine compounds, bearing p-methylsulfonyl (L1), p-methoxy (L2) and p-methyl (L3), which were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The antiproliferative properties against Eca-109, A549 and Bel-7402 cell lines and the cytotoxicity test on RAW-264.7 of these compounds were monitored using a CCK-8 assay, and the studies indicate that the complexes show higher antiproliferative activities than cisplatin. The interactions of these complexes with CT-DNA and proteins (BSA) were studied by UV-Vis, circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescent spectroscopy, respectively. The results indicate that the interaction of these zinc(II) complexes with CT-DNA is achieved through intercalative binding, and their strong binding affinity to BSA is fulfilled through a static quenching mechanism. The simulation of the complexes with the CT-DNA fragment and BSA was studied by using molecular docking software. It further validates that the complexes interact with DNA through intercalative binding mode and that they have a strong interaction with BSA.

Toll/IL-1R-domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-β (TRIF) is an important adaptor for TLR3- and TLR4-mediated inflammatory signaling pathways. Recent studies have shown that TRIF plays a key role in vessel inflammation and atherosclerosis; however, the precise mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the mechanisms of the TRIF-regulated inflammatory response in RAW264.7 macrophages under oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) stimulation. Our data show that ox-LDL induces TRIF, miR-155, and BIC expression, activates the ERK1/2 and SOCS1-STAT3-NF-κB signaling pathways, and elevates the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells. Knockdown of TRIF using TRIF siRNA suppressed BIC, miR-155, IL-6, and TNF-α expression and inhibited the ERK1/2 and SOCS1-STAT3-NF-κB signaling pathways. Inhibition of ERK1/2 signaling also suppressed BIC and miR-155 expression. These findings suggest that TRIF plays an important role in regulating the ox-LDL-induced macrophage inflammatory response and that TRIF modulates the expression of BIC/miR-155 and the downstream SOCS1-STAT3-NF-κB signaling pathway via ERK1/2. Therefore, TRIF might be a novel therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

Aims: Accumulating evidence suggests that atherosclerotic progression depends on persistent and chronic inflammation in the arterial walls. MicroRNA-155 is reportedly involved in cardiovascular disease and has been implicated as a pro-inflammation regulator. Although some researchers have focused on microRNA-155 as an atherosclerosis regulator, the mechanisms by which microRNA-155 functions as a putative pro-atherosclerosis microRNA are largely unknown. This study aims to analyze microRNA-155's effects on atherosclerotic inflammation and to explore its mechanism. Methods: MicroRNA-155's effects on atherosclerotic inflammation were observed along with the expression and activity levels of SOCS1, STAT3 and NF-κB though microRNA-155 inhibition or overexpression. Results: Highly expressions of microRNA-155 in oxLDL-stimulated macrophages and atherosclerosis mice were inversely correlated with SOCS1 expression. Ectopic microRNA-155 overexpression significantly promoted inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production and atherosclerosis progression. We then observed microRNA-155's functional role in the atherosclerotic pathophysiological process in vivo and in vitro. The observation revealed that by enhancing STAT3 and NF-κB signaling and facilitating immune inflammation by targeting SOCS1, microRNA-155 plays a promotable role in atherosclerosis progression. Conclusions: microRNA-155 works as a promoter in the atherosclerotic procession. Its mechanism may include enhancing inflammatory response in atherosclerosis by increasing STAT3 and NF-κB signaling via targeting SOCS1.

In this paper, a novel random facial variation modeling system for sparse representation face recognition is presented. Although recently Sparse Representation-Based Classification (SRC) has represented a breakthrough in the field of face recognition due to its good performance and robustness, there is the critical problem that SRC needs sufficiently large training samples to achieve good performance. To address these issues, we challenge the single-sample face recognition problem with intra-class differences of variation in a facial image model based on random projection and sparse representation. In this paper, we present a developed facial variation modeling systems composed only of various facial variations. We further propose a novel facial random noise dictionary learning method that is invariant to different faces. The experiment results on the AR, Yale B, Extended Yale B, MIT and FEI databases validate that our method leads to substantial improvements, particularly in single-sample face recognition problems.

Detailed vertical profiles of Cl− in porewaters through the aquitard-aquifer system were used to yield solute transport mechanism and build a conceptual model regarding evolution processes and transport time of natural tracer migration in North Jiangsu coastal plain, China. One-dimensional vertical simulated models of Cl− profiles illustrate that diffusion appeared to be the dominant solute transport mechanism in the aquitard-aquifer system. A downward groundwater flow did not improve the fitness between simulated and measured values. Several simulated models were constructed and suggested that the evolution of the Cl− profiles is mainly ascribed to the introduction of seawater and freshwater of transgression-regression to the first confined aquifer and the upper boundary. Groundwater in the first confined aquifer recharged by the Late Pleistocene glacial meltwater (25–15 ka BP) was supported in response to the low Cl− concentrations. The shallow groundwater in the first confined aquifer and porewater with high salt were attributable to the Holocene seawater intrusion. These timeframes were also consistent favorably with the results of previous studies into the palaeohydrology of the study area.

The hydrogeochemical and stable isotope compositions of aquitard porewater samples from three boreholes were investigated to determine the origin, salinization, and hydrochemical evolution of water in the North Jiangsu coastal plain, China. Three porewater groups were identified based on the water-bearing subsystems. The total dissolved solids (TDS) of porewater samples highly varied from 0.03 to 26.1 g/L. Molar Cl/Br ratios and δ18O and δ2H data indicate that the source of Group 1 salinized porewater was the Holocene seawater, whereas Group 3 salinized samples were probably related to the remnant palaeoseawater of the Late Pleistocene. Group 2 samples had low salinity (TDS < 1 g/L) and undetectable Br− concentrations, which were probably recharged during a colder period and without evidence of seawater involvement. The salinized porewater was likely diluted by freshwater, as evidenced by its depleted isotopes and low salinity relative to standard seawater. The ionic ratios and ionic deltas indicate that considerable water-rock interactions (e.g., cation exchange and mineral weathering) also accounted for the hydrochemical constituents of porewaters, and cation exchange seems to be more noticeable at low salinity.

Reactions between a N6O4 macrocyclic ligand (L1) and several Zn(II) salts (trifluoromethane sulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, acetate, benzoate, o-, m- or p-hydroxybenzoate) led to the formation of seven complexes, [Zn2L1 (DMSO)4](OSO2CF3)4 (1), [Zn2(p-OSO2PhCH3)4L1] (2), [Zn2(OCOCH3)4L1] (3), [Zn2(OCOPh)4L1] (4), [Zn2(o-OCOPhOH)4L1] (5), [Zn2(m-OCOPhOH)4 L1] (6) and [Zn2(p-OCOPhOH)4 L1] (7), which were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR, fluorescence spectroscopies and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In 1, the Zn atom is pentacoordinated with a N3O2 irregular trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment, like the geometries in compounds 3–7, whereas in structure 2 the metal atom is envisaged as possessing a distorted N3O3 octahedronal environment. All the compounds show interesting photoluminescent properties in solid states and solutions in DMF and DMSO, which are reported along with their TG-DTA thermal decomposition processes, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence quantum yields in DMF and DMSO.