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Abstract Objective Mild acute biliary pancreatitis (MABP) is one of the most common diseases that require surgical treatment. Previous studies have focused on the timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for MABP. However, the impact of its inflammatory response process on the clinical outcome has been rarely reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative external application of mirabilite on the inflammatory response and clinical efficacy in MABP. Methods Medical records of patients undergoing LC due to MABP from November 2017 to June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Prior to surgery, the control group received the same baseline treatment measures as the study group. The difference was the addition of external application of mirabilite in the study group. Results A total of 75 patients were included in the final analysis: 38 patients in the mirabilite group and 37 patients in the control group. Repeated-measures ANOVA (P

Purpose: This study reviews the use of mirabilite in traditional Chinese medicine and various preparations by describing its chemical composition, processing methods, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical research progress. Methods: The applications and processing methods of mirabilite are searched in traditional and modern Chinese medical writings, and the articles on chemical composition, pharmacological effects, toxicology, and clinical studies of mirabilite and its combinations in PubMed and China Knowledge Network are reviewed, sorted, and analyzed. Results: The main chemical component of mirabilite is sodium sulfate decahydrate (Na2SO4·10H2O), followed by small amounts of sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and other inorganic salts. This study systematically organizes the history of the medicinal use of mirabilite in China for more than 2,000 years. This mineral has been used by nine Chinese ethnic groups (Han, Dai, Kazakh, Manchu, Mongolian, Tujia, Wei, Yi, and Tibetan) in a large number of prescription preparations. The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2020 edition) records stated that mirabilite can be used for abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation, intestinal carbuncle, external treatment of breast carbuncle, hemorrhoids, and other diseases. The traditional processing methods of mirabilite in China include refining, boiling, sautéing, filtration after hot water blistering, and firing. Since the Ming Dynasty, processing by radish has become the mainstream prepared method of mirabilite. Mirabilite can exhibit antiinflammatory detumescence effects by inhibiting AMS, LPS, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and NO levels and attenuating the upregulation of TNF-α and NF-κB genes. It can promote cell proliferation and wound healing by increasing the production of cytokines TGFβ1 and VEGF-A and gastrointestinal motility by increasing the release of vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P, and motilin. It can increase the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor and AKT phosphorylation in the liver by up-regulating bile acid synthesis genes; reduce TRB3 expression in the liver, FGF15 co-receptor KLB expression, and FGF15 production in the ileum, and JNK signal transduction; and increase the transcription of CYP7A1 to achieve a cholesterol-lowering effect. Mirabilite also has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as regulating intestinal flora, anti-muscle paralysis, anti-colon cancer, promoting water discharge, and analgesic. Only a few toxicological studies on mirabilite are available. External application of mirabilite can cause local skin to be flushed or itchy, and its oral administration is toxic to neuromuscular cells. The sulfur ions of its metabolites can also be toxic to the human body. At present, no pharmacokinetic study has been conducted on mirabilite as a single drug. This mineral has been widely used in the clinical treatment of inflammation, edema, wound healing, digestive system diseases, infusion extravasation, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, breast accumulation, muscle paralysis, intestinal preparation before microscopic examination, and other diseases and symptoms. Conclusion: Mirabilite has good application prospects in traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine. In-depth research on its processing methods, active ingredients, quality control, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms, and standardized clinical application is needed. This paper provides a reference for the application and research of mirabilite in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mild acute biliary pancreatitis (MABP) is one of the most common diseases that require surgical treatment. Previous studies have focused on the timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for MABP. However, the impact of its inflammatory response process on the clinical outcome has been rarely reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of preoperative external application of mirabilite on the inflammatory response and clinical efficacy in MABP. Methods: Medical records of patients undergoing LC due to MABP from November 2017 to June 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Prior to surgery, the control group received the same baseline treatment measures as the study group. The difference was the addition of external application of mirabilite in the study group. Results: A total of 75 patients were included in the final analysis: 38 patients in the mirabilite group and 37 patients in the control group. Repeated-measures ANOVA (P < 0.01) showed that the white blood cell count (WBC) on the 3rd day of admission and the WBC and C-reactive protein (CRP) level on the 5th day of admission decreased rapidly and significantly in the mirabilite group, compared with the control group. The mirabilite group had earlier anal exhaust time. The number of patients in the mirabilite group and control group with gallbladder wall ≥ 3 mm before the operation was 16 (42.11%) vs. 24 (64.86%), p = 0.048, respectively; and the number of cases with surgical drain placement was 2 (5.26%) vs. 9 (24.32%), p = 0.020, respectively. The intraoperative modified American Fertility Society (mAFS) score of adhesions was lower in the mirabilite group (1.08 ± 0.59 points) than in the control group (1.92 ± 0.60 points), p = 0.000. The mirabilite group, compared to the control group, p = 0.000, had a short waiting time for surgery (5.68 ± 0.70 days vs. 6.54 ± 0.59 days), short operation time (38.03 ± 5.90 min vs. 48.51 ± 8.37 min), and reduced hospitalization time (8.95 ± 0.96 days vs. 9.84 ± 1.07 days). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that preoperative external application of mirabilite can reduce the inflammatory response, decrease the edema and peribiliary adhesions at the surgical site, and accelerate recovery in MABP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two alkalis of industrial solid wastes, calcium carbide residue-mirabilite (CCRM), were used as a green combined activator to consolidate phosphorus tailings and soluble phosphorus as well as fluorine through the alkaline activation process. The results based on XRD, FTIR, 29Si NMR and SEM indicated that most of the blast furnace slag (BFS) forms gels to consolidate phosphorus tailings, and the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel dominated mechanical properties and immobilization of soluble phosphorus and fluorine. Comparing with the classical alkaline activators Na2SiO3 and NaOH, the CCRM activated materials displayed great competitiveness in mechanical properties with the order of NaOH NaSiO3 > NaOH, and the tendency enlarges with increasing BFS addition, over 93.1 % and 98.9 % of soluble fluorine and phosphorus ions could be well fixed. Considering on the environmental and economic efficiency, mechanical properties, soluble phosphorus and fluorine immobilization, the CCRM is found a quite potential solid waste alkali activator for phosphorus tailings and soluble fluorine & phosphorus solidification.

Crystallization of sodium sulfate into mirabilite in sulfate saline soil harms the soil potential and intensifies the reparative expenses for subgrade. However, the effects of pore relative humidity (PRH) on the salt swelling behavior have not been thoroughly explored. The multiple-humidity cycles experiments, in this paper, were performed to investigate salt swelling behavior in sulfate saline soil. The effects of different salinity, temperatures, and PRH values on salt swelling displacement (SSD) and salt swelling rate (SSR) of sulfate saline soil were analyzed. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique was employed to investigate the mineral composition of post-experiment soil samples. All test results show that the SSD and SSR of soil samples increase with the increase of PRH and salinity and decreases as the increasing temperature. The enhancement of salt swelling in the presence of PRH was 80-90-80%. Besides, XRD results denote that the existence of mirabilite in the test soil samples verified for the salt swelling to be closely related to PRH in terms of microstructure. All the results further improve the mechanism of salt swelling in sulfate saline soil in the presence of PRH, which is of great significance to analysis and remediation of salt swelling behavior.

Weather conditions affect the microclimate of architectural monuments. The alteration of microclimate conditions may create risks for monuments, accelerating their weathering process. For Greece, hosting numerous monuments, the identification of the risks that climate change possess is essential for planning mitigation actions. The main soluble salts that affect archaeological materials are halite and the system of thenardite/mirabilite. The thermodynamics of the salts’ equilibrium are affected by atmospheric conditions. We study the climatology of these conditions, adopting modeled data produced by high-resolution simulations. Possible climate change impacts are investigated, aiming at mapping monuments’ vulnerability in Greece.

The evaporation of a localized, highly saline water body of the Boulder Clay debris-covered glacier, in the Northern Victoria Land, probably generated the accumulation of mirabilite (Na2SO4 × 10H2O) and thenardite (Na2SO4) in a glacier salt-cone. Such an extremely cold and salty environment resembles the conditions on Mars, so it can be considered a terrestrial analog. The study was aimed at gaining a first glimpse at the prokaryotic community associated with Antarctic mirabilite and thenardite minerals and also to find clues about the origin of the salts. For this purpose, samples were analyzed by a next generation approach to investigate the prokaryotic (Bacteria and Archaea) diversity. Phylogenetic analysis allowed the identification of Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, and Gammaproteobacteria as the main bacterial lineages, in addition to Archaea in the phylum Halobacterota. The genera Arthrobacter, Rhodoglobus, Gillisia, Marinobacter and Psychrobacter were particularly abundant. Interestingly, several bacterial and archaeal sequences were related to halotolerant and halophilic genera, previously reported in a variety of marine environments and saline habitats, also in Antarctica. The analyzed salt community also included members that are believed to play a major role in the sulfur cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pore relative humidity (PRH) has a significant effect on salt swelling of sulfate saline soil. • Salt swelling displacement and salt swelling rate significant increase in high PRH (>90%). • Reducing PRH below the turning point effectively inhibits the salt swelling behavior. • The existence of turning point provides a new perspective for hindering salt swelling. Crystallization of sodium sulfate into mirabilite in sulfate saline soil harms the soil potential and intensifies the reparative expenses for subgrade. However, the effects of pore relative humidity (PRH) on the salt swelling behavior have not been thoroughly explored. The multiple-humidity cycles experiments, in this paper, were performed to investigate salt swelling behavior in sulfate saline soil. The effects of different salinity, temperatures, and PRH values on salt swelling displacement (SSD) and salt swelling rate (SSR) of sulfate saline soil were analyzed. The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique was employed to investigate the mineral composition of post-experiment soil samples. All test results show that the SSD and SSR of soil samples increase with the increase of PRH and salinity and decreases as the increasing temperature. The enhancement of salt swelling in the presence of PRH was 80-90-80%. Besides, XRD results denote that the existence of mirabilite in the test soil samples verified for the salt swelling to be closely related to PRH in terms of microstructure. All the results further improve the mechanism of salt swelling in sulfate saline soil in the presence of PRH, which is of great significance to analysis and remediation of salt swelling behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive durability problems such as weathering and degradation are found in historic Scandinavian brick masonry buildings, especially from the neo-Gothic period. These are largely due to the crystallization of salts and frost action in the bricks and mortars. This article aims to show and illustrate which salts and crystals are found in historic brick masonry buildings and to describe their appearance and behavior. An additional aim is to explore possibilities of preventing salt-related damage on internal masonry wall surfaces, such as using hemp-lime sacrificial plaster beneath the plaster. The objective is to show the mechanisms behind salt-related problems and to perform a case study and a laboratory study on salt-damaged brick masonry containing sodium sulphate. In order to prevent and stop damage to the masonry, it is important to be able to identify the nature of the salt damage and the type of salt that caused the damage. Neo-Gothic brick masonry buildings require well-planned, continuous maintenance of the masonry. It is therefore of the utmost importance to have an understanding of the complex functions of the masonry and of the salts that can cause damage to these historic buildings.

The production of soda in the world is accompanied by a large amount of hard-to-recycle liquid waste (distiller liquid) in the form of a solution of CaCl2 and NaCl salts. To solve the problems of the soda industry, some countries of the world approach in different ways, liquid waste is drained into the seas and rivers. In some cases, distiller liquid is partially processed into calcium chloride or liquid road mixtures, building materials, etc. However, the disposal of liquid and solid waste from the soda industry does not always solve environmental problems in this region. In this regard, studies of the conversion of calcium chloride of distiller liquid using sodium sulphate of a mirabilite:thenardite mixture in various ratios have been carried out. It was found that the excess sodium sulphate and its stoichiometry lead to the jointprecipitation of calcium and sodium sulphates. In the process of conversion of calcium chloride with sodium sulphate in the ratio of natural mirabilite:thenardite = 100:0 occurs intensively due to the rapid dissolution of Na2SO4·10H2O. Conversion of calcium chloride at a norm of 0.92-1.0 and a temperature of 50-60°C at various ratios of mirabilite:thenardite shows that in the process of conversion of calcium chloride, the degree of conversion is reached to a maximum of ~97% and at an optimum temperature of 50 °C, the stoichiometric norm of sodium sulphate 1.0 and the duration of 60 minutes. A further increase in temperature does not affect the degree of conversion of calcium chloride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective Minimally invasive and rapid recovery are trends in surgical treatment of lung cancer, and Da Vinci Surgical Robotic System plays an important role in them. This study was planned to explore the effect of chest wall external nursing interventions on reducing postoperative thoracic drainage and promoting rapid recovery of patients. Methods The patients who underwent robotic radical lung cancer resection in our hospital from November 2017 to April 2018were randomly divided into two groups. The control group received robotic radical lung cancer resection with abdominal bands wrapped around the chest. The experimental group underwent Da Vinci robotic radical lung cancer surgery and assisted chest wall external nursing interventions after surgery. Results The total and average daily drainage of the experimental group were less than those of the control group. Both the extubation time and the hospitalization time were shorter than those of the control group, but there was no significant difference. The pain score in the second days after operation of the experimental group was slightly higher than that of the control group, with no significant statistical difference. For patients whose chest wall thickness is less than 4 cm, mirabilite external application can significantly reduce the average daily and total drainage volume, but there is no significant difference in extubation time and hospitalization time. Conclusion Chest wall external nursing interventions are beneficial to the recovery of patients undergoing Vinci robotic lung cancer surgery. Especially for patients with thinner chest wall. It can reduce postoperative drainage, shorten tube retention time and accelerate discharge. Further improvement is expected to achieve better clinical results.

The evaporation of a localized, highly saline water body of the Boulder Clay debris-covered glacier, in the Northern Victoria Land, probably generated the accumulation of mirabilite (Na2SO4 × 10H2O) and thenardite (Na2SO4) in a glacier salt-cone. Such an extremely cold and salty environment resembles the conditions on Mars, so it can be considered a terrestrial analog. The study was aimed at gaining a first glimpse at the prokaryotic community associated with Antarctic mirabilite and thenardite minerals and also to find clues about the origin of the salts. For this purpose, samples were analyzed by a next generation approach to investigate the prokaryotic (Bacteria and Archaea) diversity. Phylogenetic analysis allowed the identification of Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, Firmicutes, and Gammaproteobacteria as the main bacterial lineages, in addition to Archaea in the phylum Halobacterota. The genera Arthrobacter, Rhodoglobus, Gillisia, Marinobacter and Psychrobacter were particularly abundant. Interestingly, several bacterial and archaeal sequences were related to halotolerant and halophilic genera, previously reported in a variety of marine environments and saline habitats, also in Antarctica. The analyzed salt community also included members that are believed to play a major role in the sulfur cycle.

Purpose: This study reviews the use of mirabilite in traditional Chinese medicine and various preparations by describing its chemical composition, processing methods, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical research progress. Methods: The applications and processing methods of mirabilite are searched in traditional and modern Chinese medical writings, and the articles on chemical composition, pharmacological effects, toxicology, and clinical studies of mirabilite and its combinations in PubMed and China Knowledge Network are reviewed, sorted, and analyzed. Results: The main chemical component of mirabilite is sodium sulfate decahydrate (Na 2 SO 4 ·10H 2 O), followed by small amounts of sodium chloride, magnesium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and other inorganic salts. This study systematically organizes the history of the medicinal use of mirabilite in China for more than 2,000 years. This mineral has been used by nine Chinese ethnic groups (Han, Dai, Kazakh, Manchu, Mongolian, Tujia, Wei, Yi, and Tibetan) in a large number of prescription preparations. The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2020 edition) records stated that mirabilite can be used for abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation, intestinal carbuncle, external treatment of breast carbuncle, hemorrhoids, and other diseases. The traditional processing methods of mirabilite in China include refining, boiling, sautéing, filtration after hot water blistering, and firing. Since the Ming Dynasty, processing by radish has become the mainstream prepared method of mirabilite. Mirabilite can exhibit anti-inflammatory detumescence effects by inhibiting AMS, LPS, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and NO levels and attenuating the upregulation of TNF-α and NF-κB genes. It can promote cell proliferation and wound healing by increasing the production of cytokines TGFβ1 and VEGF-A and gastrointestinal motility by increasing the release of vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P, and motilin. It can increase the expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor and AKT phosphorylation in the liver by up-regulating bile acid synthesis genes; reduce TRB3 expression in the liver, FGF15 co-receptor KLB expression, and FGF15 production in the ileum, and JNK signal transduction; and increase the transcription of CYP7A1 to achieve a cholesterol-lowering effect. Mirabilite also has a variety of pharmacological effects, such as regulating intestinal flora, anti-muscle paralysis, anti-colon cancer, promoting water discharge, and analgesic. Only a few toxicological studies on mirabilite are available. External application of mirabilite can cause local skin to be flushed or itchy, and its oral administration is toxic to neuromuscular cells. The sulfur ions of its metabolites can also be toxic to the human body. At present, no pharmacokinetic study has been conducted on mirabilite as a single drug. This mineral has been widely used in the clinical treatment of inflammation, edema, wound healing, digestive system diseases, infusion extravasation, hemorrhoids, skin diseases, breast accumulation, muscle paralysis, intestinal preparation before microscopic examination, and other diseases and symptoms. Conclusion: Mirabilite has good application prospects in traditional Chinese medicine and ethnomedicine. In-depth research on its processing methods, active ingredients, quality control, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological and toxicological mechanisms, and standardized clinical application is needed. This paper provides a reference for the application and research of mirabilite in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Tao, Fu, Wang, Song, Li, Zhang and Wang.)

Various types of complications arising from intravenous indwelling needles have become a challenge in clinical care. It is urgent to seek a simple and cost-effective method for prevention and treatment of phlebitis. We investigated the roles of mirabilite in preventing and treating phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles and provide guidance for prevention and treatment of mechanical phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles. A total of 57 healthy congeneric big-eared New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: blank control, indwelling needle, and group with external application of mirabilite. The ear vein of each rabbit was punctured with an intravenous indwelling needle. The ear vein specimens were taken at 3, 5, and 7 days after indwelling. The hematoxylin and eosin stained pathological tissue sections of the ear veins of the rabbits in each group were observed. The expression levels of IL-1 and IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the vascular tissue of the ear veins of the rabbits in each group were detected with the immunofluorescence method. In the blank control group, there was no inflammatory cellular infiltration and no proliferation of fibrous tissue around the vascular wall. With the increase of the indwelling time, proliferation of fibrous tissue in vascular wall, increased inflammatory cellular infiltration and organized thrombus in the vascular tissue occurred in the ear veins of the rabbits in the indwelling needle group and group with external application of mirabilite. Compared with the indwelling needle group, the group with external application of mirabilite had significantly decreased fibrous tissue in the vascular wall and significantly decreased inflammatory cellular infiltration. At the same point in indwelling time, the expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the indwelling needle and group with external application of mirabilite were significantly higher than that in the blank control group (P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the group with external application of mirabilite were lower than that in the indwelling needle group (P<0.05). The expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α are positively correlated with the indwelling time within the same group at different points in time. In conclusion, external application of mirabilite can significantly decrease infiltration of venous inflammatory cells of the rabbit ear margin, proliferation of fibrous tissue and thrombosis in the vascular wall, significant decrease the expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α in the mechanical phlebitis caused by intravenous indwelling needles, and decrease the inflammatory responses of the ear veins of rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirabilite and thenardite are common minerals found in marine evaporite deposits and also in saline lakes as precipitates. In this study, mirabilite-thenardite equilibria were determined along four humidity-buffer curves at 0.1 MPa and between 285.15 K and 305.15 K. Results for the reaction Na 2 SO 4 ·10H 2 O (s) = Na 2 SO 4(s) + 10H 2 O (g) , based on tight reversals along each humidity buffer, can be represented by ln K = 174.032–62815.11/ T , where s is solid, g is gas, K is the equilibrium constant and T is temperature in K. Our data are in excellent agreement with several previous vapor-pressure measurements and are consistent with the solubility data reported in the literature. Thermodynamic analysis of these data yields 90.858 kJ·mol −1 for the standard Gibbs free energy of reaction, which is in good agreement with the values of 90.69 kJ·mol −1 and 90.34 kJ·mol −1 calculated from the thermodynamic data compiled and evaluated previously from two sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Materials that store the energy of warm days, to return that heat during cool nights, have been fundamental to vernacular building since ancient times. Although building with thermally rechargeable materials became a niche pursuit with the advent of fossil fuel-based heating and cooling, energy and climate change concerns have sparked new enthusiasm for these substances of high heat capacity and moderate thermal conductivity: stone, adobe, rammed earth, brick, water, concrete, and more recently, phase-change materials. While broadly similar, these substances absorb and release heat in unique patterns characteristic of their mineralogies, densities, fluidities, emissivities, and latent heats of fusion. Current architectural practice, however, shows little awareness of these differences and the resulting potential to match materials to desired thermal performance. This investigation explores that potential, illustrating the correspondence between physical parameters and thermal storage-and-release patterns in direct-, indirect-, and isolated-gain passive solar configurations. Focusing on heating applications, results demonstrate the superiority of water walls for daytime warmth, the tunability of granite and concrete for evening warmth, and the exceptional ability of phase-change materials to sustain near-constant heat delivery throughout the night.

New, remarkably dry parts of the Gamslöcher-Kolowrat Cave at 728 to 853 m depth have been explored in the Untersberg nearSalzburg in Austria. This region is called the Desert, its greatest cavity is called the White Hall. The new cave part is characterizedby various white speleothems. The predominant ones are snow-like calcite powder with an extremely low density, and finegypsum needles. Gypsum also occurs in the form of balls stuck to vertical walls. In addition, fluorescent hydromagnesite crusts,Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O, as well as the sodium sulfate mineral mirabilite were identified in this part of the cave. Mirabilite and gypsumneedles differ from the gypsum balls in their isotopic sulfur signature (δ34S of -16.9‰ and -18.4‰ vs. +2.9‰). The unusually lowsulfur isotopic compositional values are tentatively explained by a source of bacteriogenetic sulfur from sulfides.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is the most common complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Currently, there is no suitable treatment for post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) prophylaxis. Few studies have prospectively evaluated interventions to prevent PEP in children., Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of the external use of mirabilite to prevent PEP in children., Methods: This multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial enrolled patients with chronic pancreatitis scheduled for ERCP according to eligibility criteria. Patients were randomly divided into the external use of mirabilite group (external use of mirabilite in a bag on the projected abdominal area within 30 min before ERCP) and blank group. The primary outcome was the incidence of PEP. The secondary outcomes included the severity of PEP, abdominal pain scores, levels of serum inflammatory markers [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and serum interleukin-10 (IL-10)], and intestinal barrier function markers [diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, and endotoxin]. Additionally, the side effects of topical mirabilite were investigated., Results: A total of 234 patients were enrolled, including 117 in the external use of mirabilite group and the other 117 in the blank group. The pre-procedure and procedure-related factors were not significantly different between the two groups. The incidence of PEP in the external use of mirabilite group was significantly lower than that in the blank group (7.7% vs 26.5%, P < 0.001). The severity of PEP decreased in the mirabilite group ( P = 0.023). At 24 h after the procedure, the visual analog scale score in the external use of mirabilite group was lower than that in the blank group ( P = 0.001). Compared with those in the blank group, the TNF-α expressions were significantly lower and the IL-10 expressions were significantly higher at 24 h after the procedure in the external use of mirabilite group ( P = 0.032 and P = 0.011, respectively). There were no significant differences in serum DAO, D-lactic acid, and endotoxin levels before and after ERCP between the two groups. No adverse effects of mirabilite were observed., Conclusion: External use of mirabilite reduced the PEP occurrence. It significantly alleviated post-procedural pain and reduced inflammatory response. Our results favor the external use of mirabilite to prevent PEP in children., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

The idea of using hydrated salts as working media for thermal energy storage has increased the interest in understanding their phase transitions. During studying the phase transition of mirabilite into thenardite, the crystal structure and water content are monitored by three experimental techniques. With the help of NMR, homogeneous drying of mirabilite crystals over the entire grain is observed. According to the drying behavior, the mobility of water molecules should be high inside the grain during dehydration. XRD experiments show that during this phase transition no disordered phase or other metastable phases like Na 2 SO 4 ·7H 2 O or phase III appear. With Raman spectroscopy, these experiments are repeated at several relative humidities and again no metastable phases are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium sulfate is one of the most damaging and complex salts typically involved in the deterioration of our architectural heritage. One of the main difficulties is to determine which of its crystalline phases, that is, thenardite, mirabilite, or the metastable heptahydrate, will precipitate under certain conditions. Indeed, there is a significant range of temperature and relative humidity in which these phases can crystallize. Furthermore, one precipitated crystalline phase may under certain conditions transform to another one. Here, we show that nuclear magnetic resonance can be successfully used to non-destructively define the phase being precipitated. We investigate delamination of Ançã limestone due to sodium sulfate crystallization, a type of decay which is representative of those occurring in real constructions. The decay was achieved during isothermal drying of stone specimens under different environmental conditions. The work allowed concluding that both mirabilite and heptahydrate can be responsible for this type of decay in different conditions. The heptahydrate tends to crystallize when there is no previous presence of mirabilite crystals in the porous material. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The mineralogy of evaporites from the Lewis Cliff ice tongue (LCIT), Antarctica, and their mineral stabilities and transformation behaviours under different temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions have been evaluated to elucidate formation mechanism(s). A variety of sodium (Na)-rich evaporite minerals were documented using RH-controlled powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods including Na-sulfates (mirabilite and thenardite), Na-carbonate/bicarbonates (nahcolite, occasional trona and natron) and Na-borates (qilianshanite and borax). Mirabilite begins to dehydrate to thenardite, and natron to trona and natrite when exposed to room temperature, even when maintained at RH values similar to those measured at the LCIT (50–70%). The boron-mineral qilianshanite was discovered for the first time in Antarctica within the evaporite mounds. The mirabilite-rich mounds are deduced to have formed via a freezing/sublimation process that occurred in glacial or subglacial bodies of water supplied by glacial tills containing microbially oxidized sulfate ions. The needle-like nahcolite crystals growing on the exteriors of the mounds suggest a dissolution/precipitation process involving atmospheric CO2 and water. The co-existence of nahcolite and boron-bearing minerals indicates the presence of a Na+-, HCO3-- and boron-bearing alkaline brine, which produces qilianshanite as a secondary mineral by reaction of nahcolite and borax in atmospheric CO2 and H2O. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Materials that store the energy of warm days, to return that heat during cool nights, have been fundamental to vernacular building since ancient times. Although building with thermally rechargeable materials became a niche pursuit with the advent of fossil fuel-based heating and cooling, energy and climate change concerns have sparked new enthusiasm for these substances of high heat capacity and moderate thermal conductivity: stone, adobe, rammed earth, brick, water, concrete, and more recently, phase-change materials. While broadly similar, these substances absorb and release heat in unique patterns characteristic of their mineralogies, densities, fluidities, emissivities, and latent heats of fusion. Current architectural practice, however, shows little awareness of these differences and the resulting potential to match materials to desired thermal performance. This investigation explores that potential, illustrating the correspondence between physical parameters and thermal storage-and-release patterns in direct-, indirect-, and isolated-gain passive solar configurations. Focusing on heating applications, results demonstrate the superiority of water walls for daytime warmth, the tunability of granite and concrete for evening warmth, and the exceptional ability of phase-change materials to sustain near-constant heat delivery throughout the night. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The precipitation of mirabilite during the wetting stage of a cyclic total immersion test has widely been implicated as the main damage mechanism of sodium sulfate. We, however, hypothesized that the damage contribution from thenardite cannot be discounted in laboratory tests. To verify the supposition, a series of laboratory experiments was undertaken by subjecting three types of rocks to the sodium sulfate attack. To unambiguously demonstrate the potency of thenardite, in addition to cyclic total immersion tests, continuous partial immersion tests were also performed under different environmental conditions, which allowed either sheer thenardite precipitation or reversible thenardite–mirabilite conversion. Although rock breakdown occurred only during immersion, the results clearly indicated that thenardite alone could induce significant damage in both cyclic total immersion and continuous partial immersion tests. In most cases, tests that involved mirabilite precipitation, however, were more destructive than sheer thenardite tests, regardless of the type of salt supply technique. With the same duration and temperature of the immersion stage, the difference in drying temperature influenced the degree of damage, revealing the damage contribution from thenardite even in the tests with cyclic phase conversion. The reason why mirabilite is generally credited to be more destructive than thenardite and the effect of test duration on the damage potency of thenardite are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]