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Using gas and rock samples from major petroliferous basins in the world, the helium content, composition, isotopic compositions and the U and Th contents in rocks are analyzed to clarify the helium enrichment mechanism and distribution pattern and the exploration ideas for helium-rich gas reservoirs. It is believed that the formation of helium-rich gas reservoirs depends on the amount of helium supplied to the reservoir and the degree of helium dilution by natural gas, and that the reservoir-forming process can be summarized as “multi-source helium supply, main-source helium enrichment, helium-nitrogen coupling, and homogeneous symbiosis”. Helium mainly comes from the radioactive decay of U and Th in rocks. All rocks contain trace amounts of U and Th, so they are effective helium sources. Especially, large-scale ancient basement dominated by granite or metamorphic rocks is the main helium source. The helium generated by the decay of U and Th in the ancient basement in a long geologic history, together with the nitrogen generated by the cracking of the inorganic nitrogenous compounds in the basement rocks, is dissolved in the water and preserved. With the tectonic uplift, the ground water is transported upward along the fracture to the gas reservoirs, with helium and nitrogen released. Thus, the reservoirs are enriched with both helium and nitrogen, which present a clear concomitant and coupling relationship. In tensional basins in eastern China, where tectonic activities are strong, a certain proportion of mantle-derived helium is mixed in the natural gas. The helium-rich gas reservoirs are mostly located in normal or low-pressure zones above ancient basement with fracture communication, which later experience substantial tectonic uplift and present relatively weak seal, low intensity of natural gas charging, and active groundwater. Helium exploration should focus on gas reservoirs with fractures connecting ancient basement, large tectonic uplift, relatively weak sealing capacity, insufficient natural gas charging intensity, and rich ancient formation water, depending on the characteristics of helium enrichment, beyond the traditional idea of searching for natural gas sweetspots and high-yield giant gas fields simultaneously.

This study investigates the efficacy of the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2.1 (PI-RADS v2.1) score combined with quantitative metrics from Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and Dynamic Contrast Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) in differentiating between benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa). The data of 65 patients with prostate diseases were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into a BPH group (n = 34) and a PCa group (n = 31). All patients underwent a multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) examination, which included conventional MRI, DWI and DCE-MRI scans. Variables analyzed included the PI-RADS v2.1 score, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep) and extravascular space volume ratio (Ve). The diagnostic performance of the PI-RADS v2.1 score, DWI, DCE-MRI and their combined metrics in differentiating BPH from PCa was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The results demonstrated that the PI-RADS v2.1 scores, Ktrans and Kep values of the PCa group were significantly higher than those of the BPH group (p < 0.001), while the ADC value of the PCa group was significantly lower than the BPH group (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed in the Ve value between the two groups (p = 0.596). ROC analysis indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) values for the PI-RADS v2.1 score, ADC, Ktrans, Kep , Ve and their combination parameters were 0.824, 0.916, 0.903, 0.904, 0.625 and 0.990, respectively, with the combined parameters showing higher sensitivity and specificity than any single parameter. These findings suggest that the PI-RADS v2.1 score, along with DWI and DCE-MRI sequences, are valuable tools for differentiating BPH from PCa. The quantitative parameters, including ADC, Ktrans and Kep values, offer significant imaging references for clinical assessment, and the combination parameters can significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy.

This study aims to propose a radiomics model to identify male patients suffering from renal pelvis urothelial carcinoma (RPUC) with preoperative lymph node (LN) metastasis. In a study involving 133 male RPUC patients, 94 were assigned to a training group and 39 to a testing group. Their arterial-phase computed tomography (CT) images were analyzed to extract radiomics features, which were then refined through data reduction and feature selection. Using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), a radiomics signature was created, which was then incorporated into a Logistic regression classifier in the training group to predict pathologic lymph node metastases. A comprehensive radiomics model was developed using multivariate logistic regression, integrating clinical risk factors. The model’s efficacy was evaluated in both sets using discrimination, calibration and decision curve analyses in both the training and testing sets. The constructed signature, composed of eight promising imaging-derived features, showed strong discrimination ability in both sets (training: area under the curve (AUC) 0.836 and testing: AUC, 0.817). When combined with CT-reported tumor status, the radiomics model demonstrated excellent calibration and discrimination, achieving an AUC of 0.849 in the training set and 0.851 in the testing set. The radiomics model, incorporating both the radiomics signature and the CT-reported tumor status, could help in the preoperative individualized prediction of LN metastasis in male patients with RPUC.

Helium, a critical rare strategic resource primarily sourced from natural gas, is currently a subject of intense research regarding its enrichment processes within gas reservoirs. Investigating the enrichment of helium is urgent and vital for advancing helium exploration. This study involved the collection of natural gas samples from the Qaidam, Sichuan, and Junggar basins for helium and nitrogen content testing and analysis. The findings were combined with studies on natural gas fractions and helium content in local and international major helium-rich fields. The investigation revealed a strong correlation between helium content and nitrogen presence in helium-rich fields, a phenomenon that also extends to some helium-poor fields. Accordingly, this study proposes a coupling relationship between helium and nitrogen, suggesting that both elements are simultaneously enriched in natural gas. Furthermore, both are associated with groundwater and may share a common origin in source rocks. This proposed coupling relationship holds the potential to unveil the mystery of helium enrichment, offering a new perspective for the exploration of helium-rich resources and providing a foundational framework for helium enrichment theory.

According to the provisions on fire separation distance between industrial and civil buildings in the latest 'General Code for Fire Protection of Buildings and Constructions' (GB 55037-2022). Radiant heat intensity is one of the main factors in calculating the fire separation distance between buildings. Therefore, the design process involves a lot of calculation of radiant heat intensity. This paper mainly studies the prediction model of radiant heat flux. Three different view factor calculation models, Mudan, Mudan-Sparrow, and Rai-Kalelkar, are used to evaluate the influence of key factors such as the diameter of the pool and the distance between the target and the center point of the liquid pool on the calculation results of radiant heat flux. The results show that when it came to estimating the radiant heat flux, the Mudan and Mudan-Sparrow models yielded comparable results. The calculation of the Rai-Kalelkar model shows that the radiant heat flux is about half of the heat flux in the first two models. When calculating the minimum fire separation distance for combustible liquid storage tanks with a fire dike, the results show that all three models can provide a larger safety margin than the point source model.

Since the corrosion defects in gas pipelines have similar corrosion characteristics to the surrounding soil, the random growth of these defects may be correlated, so we can not simply treat the corrosion defects as completely correlated or independent. Therefore, this paper proposes a method that can accurately calculate the failure probability of the pipeline system considering the correlation of corrosion defects: using MATLAB software to fit the parameters of the GEV model to select an appropriate distribution model; using Monte Carlo simulation (MC), considering different correlation coefficients and quantities, the system failure probability of pipeline corrosion defects is calculated; the results show that the system failure probability of the pipeline and the correlation coefficient are basically linear; when the correlation coefficient is increasing, the pipeline is regarded as an independent. There is a large error between the calculated failure probability of the series system and the actual result; the system failure probability of the pipeline increases with the increase of the assumed number of corrosion defects. When the correlation coefficient is greater than or equal to 0.6, the system failure probability of the pipeline increases significantly. An increase and the system failure probability of the pipeline decreases significantly.

Bone defects caused by trauma, tumor resection, or developmental abnormalities are important issues in clinical practice. The vigorous development of tissue engineering technology provides new ideas and directions for regenerating bone defects. Hydroxyapatite (HAp), a bioactive ceramic, is extensively used in bone tissue engineering because of its excellent osteoinductive performance. However, its application is challenged by its single function and conventional environment-unfriendly synthesis methods. In this study, we successfully ''green'' synthesized sr-silk fibroin co-assembly hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (Sr-SF-HA) using silk fibroin (SF) as a biomineralized template, thus enabling it to have angiogenic activity and achieving the combination of organic and inorganic substances. Then, the rough composite microspheres loaded with Sr-SF-HA (CS/Sr-SF-HA) through electrostatic spraying technology and freeze-drying method were prepared. The CCK-8 test and live/dead cell staining showed excellent biocompatibility of CS/Sr-SF-HA. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red staining (ARS), immunofluorescence, western blotting, and qRT-PCR test showed that CS/Sr-SF-HA activated the expression of related genes and proteins, thus inducing the osteogenic differentiation of rBMSCs. Moreover, tube formation experiments, scratch experiments, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR detection indicated that CS/Sr-SF-HA have good angiogenic activity. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that the CS/Sr-SF-HA possesses excellent biocompatibility, vascular activity, as well as ectopic osteogenic ability in the subcutaneous pocket of rats. This study indicates that the construction of CS/Sr-SF-HA with angiogenic and osteogenic properties has great potential for bone tissue engineering.

[Introduction] As a long-term energy storage form, compressed air energy storage (CAES) has broad application space in peak shaving and valley filling, grid peak regulation, new energy consumption, auxiliary services, and other aspects, which is of great significance for accelerating the construction of a new power system with new energy as the main body in the context of "carbon peak & carbon neutrality". [Method] Firstly, current status of CAES were analyzed and summarized from the principles and technical classifications. Then, based on the current technological development, a creative solution of CAES was proposed by China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited, which includes the "medium temperature adiabatic compression" technology route for 180 ℃ high-pressure hot water heat storage and the "high temperature adiabatic compression" technology route for 340 ℃ low melting point molten salt and 180 ℃ hot water combined heat storage. The key technical points, such as system integration and optimization, equipment selection, heat storage medium, gas storage equipment, and digital network storage coordination, have been introduced. Finally, engineering cases were introduced around the two technical routes. [Result] The results indicate that, in order to improve the conversion efficiency of power plants, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the material flow and energy flow coupling characteristics of various systems, such as compressor system, turbo-expander system, heat storage system, and gas storage system, and then develop the key equipment such as compressors, turbo-expanders, heat exchangers suitable for compressed air energy storage, as well as key technologies such as underground gas storage and grid storage coordination. [Conclusions] The research can provide scientific reference for the subsequent development of CAES.

In response to the incident of tourists falling into the sea due to waves on the seawall berm at Macau Road, Qingdao, during the passage of Typhoon “Songda” in 2022, a combination of numerical simulations and physical model experiments was performed to investigate the mechanics of the event, with emphasis on the wave flow characteristics and the flow evolution process on the seawall berm as well as the force exerted on a human body-equivalent cylinder model. The study found that the thickness of the return flow was significantly greater than that of the overtopping flow on the landward part of the berm. The recoil forces applied to the model on the berm were larger than the impact forces, and the ratio tended towards 1 as the wave height increased. In addition, the stability of pedestrians on the seawall berm was analyzed. The instability conditions for pedestrians in cross-wave flows differed slightly from those in floods.

A novel axially chiral all-hydrocarbon cyclo[7] (1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene (CDMB-7) was designed and synthesized using atroposelective[2 + 5] cyclization through Suzuki–Miyaura coupling. CDMB-7 adopts an irregular bowl-like shape with C2 symmetry and exhibits two diastereoisomers in its crystallographic structure. The conformational isomers of CDMB-7 racemates remain stable at high temperatures (393 K). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed that a single chiral isomer will spontaneously undergo racemization within 30 min at room temperature. This finding opens up possibilities for achieving adaptive chirality in all-hydrocarbon cyclo[7] m-benzene macrocycles.

Abstract Bacterial infections can significantly impede wound healing and pose a serious threat to the patient’s life. The excessive use of antibiotics to combat bacterial infections has led to the emergence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, there is a pressing need for alternative approaches, such as photothermal therapy (PTT), to address this issue. In this study, for the first time, CuS NPs with photothermal properties were synthesized using sericin as a biological template, named CuS@Ser NPs. This method is simple, green, and does not produce toxic and harmful by-products. These nanoparticles were incorporated into a mixture (XK) of xanthan gum and konjac glucomannan (KGM) to obtain XK/CuS NPs composite hydrogel, which could overcome the limitations of current wound dressings. The composite hydrogel exhibited excellent mechanical flexibility, photothermal response, and biocompatibility. It also demonstrated potent antibacterial properties against both Gram-positive and negative bacteria via antibacterial experiments and accelerated wound healing in animal models. Additionally, it is proved that the hydrogel promoted tissue regeneration by stimulating collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and reducing inflammation. In summary, the XK/CuS NPs composite hydrogel presents a promising alternative for the clinical management of infected wounds, offering a new approach to promote infected wound healing.

The fungal taxa belonging to the Clavicipitaceae (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) are widely distributed and include diverse saprophytic, symbiotic and pathogenic species that are associated with soils, insects, plants, fungi and invertebrates. In this study, we identified two new fungal taxa belonging to the family Clavicipitaceae that were isolated from soils collected in China. Morphological characterisation and phylogenetic analyses showed that the two species belong to Pochonia (Pochonia sinensis sp. nov.) and a new genus for which we propose Paraneoaraneomyces gen. nov. in Clavicipitaceae.

Owing to the characteristics of chemical inertness, low molecular weight, low boiling point, strong permeability and high heat conductivity, helium is extensively used in the fields of aerospace, low-temperature superconductivity, medicine and high tech, and it is a kind of irreplaceable strategic rare resource. So far, however, less research has been conducted on the enrichment of helium in natural gas reservoirs. To solve this problem, this paper discusses the classification standard of helium-rich gas reservoirs. Based on this, the origin, source and enrichment process of helium in typical helium-rich gas reservoirs are studied, highlighting the contribution of main helium sources to helium-rich gas reservoirs. In addition, helium enrichment models of helium-rich gas reservoir in petroliferous basins are established. And the following research results are obtained. First, 6 helium enrichment models of two categories (crust-source helium enrichment and crust-mantle mixing helium enrichment) are established for different petroliferous basins in China. Second, helium-rich gas reservoirs are characterized by using the multiple helium supply and diverse helium enrichment model. And no matter what enrichment model it is, the contribution of the main helium source to gas reservoirs is indispensable. Third, the helium in the gas reservoirs of central and western basins is mainly crust-source helium, and its enrichment models include ancient formation water moving upward along the fault to dilute helium, helium enrichment in the process of natural gas migration along ancient reservoirs, and helium enrichment of shale gas. Fourth, the helium in the helium-rich gas reservoirs of eastern basins is of crust-mantle mixing origin and its enrichment models are mainly hydrocarbon gas based, carbon dioxide based and nitrogen based. In conclusion, the establishment of the helium enrichment models of helium-rich gas reservoirs in petroliferous basins provides reference and guidance for studying helium enrichment laws and main controlling factors and is of great significance to the evaluation of favorable helium exploration areas.

Thelebolales are globally distributed fungi with diverse ecological characteristics. The classification of Thelebolales remains controversial to date and this study introduces two new taxa, based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses. The results of phylogenetic analyses indicated that the new taxa formed distinct lineages with strong support that were separated from the other members of Thelebolales. The new taxa described herein did not form sexual structures. The phylogenetic relationships of the new taxa and the morphological differences between these taxa and the other species under Thelebolales are also discussed.

With the rapid development of intelligent technology, the smart heightened-containment biological laboratory (sHCBL) has moved from concept to reality. Experimental activities and laboratory construction, operation, and management will undoubtedly lead to disruptive changes. Conventional laboratories are increasingly being replaced by smart laboratories; however, the key technologies involved in this transition remain at an exploratory stage. It is necessary for HCBLs to absorb the advanced ideas of smart laboratories to guarantee the establishment of biosafety and biosecurity in a more automated way. This study examines in detail sHCBL module structures, the functions of each module, laboratory operation processes, and the advanced nature of smart laboratories. It may provide a theoretical foundation for the future transformation and smart construction of sHCBLs.

Skin wounds accompanied by massive bleeding and bacterial infection can be life-threatening and pose a significant challenge to clinical wound management. Herein, we prepared gellan gum/sericin hydrogels containing PDA-encapsulated halloysite nanotubes (halloysite@polydopamine) to achieve fast hemostasis and photothermally antibacterial effects. The morphology and compressive properties of the composite hydrogels were characterized, and the biocompatibility was investigated by hemocompatibility and cytocompatibility tests. The hemostatic properties were further evaluated in the rat liver hemorrhage and tail amputation model. The mechanical performance (compressive strength 353.2 KPa) and the hemostatic effect (30.33 ± 3.68 s in the liver injury model and 28.33 ± 2.35 s in the caudal amputation model) of the composite hydrogel were improved due to the introduction of halloysite@polydopamine. In addition, the composite hydrogel rapidly heated under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation, making the hydrogel extremely effective against E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, the wound closure rate, granulation tissue thickness, collagen deposition, and expression of inflammation-associated cytokines (CD68) and angiogenesis-associated cytokines (CD31) were investigated in a rat full-thickness skin defect model infected with S. aureus. All results showed that this multifunctional hydrogel provided better healing effects, suggesting that the composite hydrogel has become a promising alternative for infected wound repair.

The Xiongcun Cu–Au ore district is in the southern middle Gangdese Metallogenic Belt, Tibet, and formed during Neo-Tethyan oceanic subduction. The Xiongcun ore district mainly comprises two deposits, the No. I and No. II deposits, which were formed by two individual mineralization events according to deposit geology and Re–Os isotopic dating of molybdenite. The No. I deposit is similar to a reduced porphyry copper–gold deposit, given the widespread occurrence of primary and/or hydrothermal pyrrhotite and common CH4-rich and rare N2-rich fluid inclusions. The No. II deposit, similar to classic oxidized porphyry copper–gold deposits, contains highly oxidized minerals, including magnetite, anhydrite, and hematite. The halogen chemistry of the ore-forming fluid from the No. I and No. II deposits is still unclear. Biotite geochemistry with halogen contents was used to investigate the differences in ore-forming fluid between the No. I and No. II deposits. Hydrothermal biotite from the No. I deposit, usually intergrown with sphalerite, is Mg-rich and classified as phlogopite and Mg-biotite, and hydrothermal biotite from the No. II deposit is classified as Mg-biotite. Hydrothermal biotite from the No. I deposit has significantly higher SiO2, MnO, MgO, F, Li, Sc, Zn, Rb, Tl, and Pb contents and lower Al2O3, FeOtot, Cl, Ba, Cr, V, Co, Ni, Y, Sr, Zr, Th, and Cu contents than the biotite from the No. II deposit. Hydrothermal biotites from the No. I and No. II deposits yield temperatures ranging from 230 °C to 593 °C and 212 °C to 306 °C, respectively. The calculated oxygen fugacity and fugacity ratios indicate that the hydrothermal fluid of the No. I deposit has a higher F content, oxygen fugacity, and log(fHF/fHCl) value and a lower log(fH2O/fHF) value than the hydrothermal fluid from the No. II deposit. The biotite geochemistry shows that the No. I and No. II deposits formed from different hydrothermal fluids. The hydrothermal fluid of the No. I deposit was mixed with meteoric waters containing organic matter, resulting in a decrease in oxygen fugacity and more efficient precipitation of gold. The No. I and No. II deposits were formed by a Cl-rich hydrothermal system conducive to transporting Cu and Au. The decreasing Cl, oxygen fugacity, and temperature may be the key factors in Cu and Au precipitation. Biotite geochemistry allows a more detailed evaluation of the halogen chemistry of hydrothermal fluids and their evolution within porphyry Cu systems.

The Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation is largely extended through the Sichuan Basin, SW China. In this formation, several commercially exploited gas reservoirs have been discovered in western and central parts of the basin. Due to the complicated geochemical signatures of the natural gases in these reservoirs, there are contrasted interpretations about their sources, which hamper the evaluation and exploration for new gas resources in the area. To obtain complete understanding of the natural gas sources, the Leikoupo Formation gas reservoirs discovered so far in the Zhongba, Yuanba, Longgang, and Moxi gas fields were selected as the research object of this study. The genetic types and sources of the natural gases in the Leikoupo Formation are discussed based on gas geochemistry combined with their geological background. The natural gas in the top members of the Leikoupo Formation (T2l4 or T2l3) is partially originated from a humic kerogen contained in the source rocks from the overlying Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation and from sapropel kerogen from the source rocks of the Leikoupo Formation itself. The natural gas of T2l1 member in the lower part of the Leikoupo Formation is mainly sapropel-type probably from the source rock of the Permian Wujiaping Formation, where the Permian Longtan Formation undergoes a phase change into the Wujiaping Formation The reversed δ13C1 and δ13C2 trend in the Leikoupo Formation of the Yuanba gas field is due to the more sapropelic source rocks and higher degree of maturity.

With the in-depth understanding of bone regeneration mechanisms and the development of bone tissue engineering, a variety of scaffold carrier materials with desirable physicochemical properties and biological functions have recently emerged in the field of bone regeneration. Hydrogels are being increasingly used in the field of bone regeneration and tissue engineering because of their biocompatibility, unique swelling properties, and relative ease of fabrication. Hydrogel drug delivery systems comprise cells, cytokines, an extracellular matrix, and small molecule nucleotides, which have different properties depending on their chemical or physical cross-linking. Additionally, hydrogels can be designed for different types of drug delivery for specific applications. In this paper, we summarize recent research in the field of bone regeneration using hydrogels as delivery carriers, detail the application of hydrogels in bone defect diseases and their mechanisms, and discuss future research directions of hydrogel drug delivery systems in bone tissue engineering.

Abstract Background Diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) is a systemic metabolic bone disease caused by diabetes mellitus (DM). Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) play an important role in bone regeneration. Our previous study confirmed that ASCs from DOP mice (DOP-ASCs) have a lower osteogenesis potential compared with control ASCs (CON-ASCs). However, the cause of this poor osteogenesis has not been elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the underlying mechanism of the decline in the osteogenic potential of DOP-ASCs from the perspective of epigenetics and explored methods to enhance their osteogenic capacity. Methods The expression level of JNK1-associated membrane protein (JKAMP) and degree of DNA methylation in CON-ASCs and DOP-ASCs were measured by mRNA expression profiling and MeDIP sequencing, respectively. JKAMP small interfering RNA (siRNA) and a Jkamp overexpression plasmid were used to assess the role of JKAMP in osteogenic differentiation of CON-ASCs and DOP-ASCs. Immunofluorescence, qPCR, and western blotting were used to measure changes in expression of Wnt signaling pathway-related genes and osteogenesis-related molecules after osteogenesis induction. Alizarin red and ALP staining was used to confirm the osteogenic potential of stem cells. Bisulfite-specific PCR (BSP) was used to detect JKAMP methylation degree. Results Expression of JKAMP and osteogenesis-related molecules (RUNX2 and OPN) in DOP-ASCs was decreased significantly in comparison with CON-ASCs. JKAMP silencing inhibited the Wnt signaling pathway and reduced the osteogenic ability of CON-ASCs. Overexpression of JKAMP in DOP-ASCs rescued the impaired osteogenic capacity caused by DOP. Moreover, JKAMP in DOP-ASCs contained intragenic DNA hypermethylated regions related to the downregulation of JKAMP expression. Conclusions Intragenic DNA methylation inhibits the osteogenic ability of DOP-ASCs by suppressing expression of JKAMP and the Wnt signaling pathway. This study shows an epigenetic explanation for the reduced osteogenic ability of DOP-ASCs and provides a potential therapeutic target to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

The guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique is a promising treatment for periodontal tissue defects. GTR membranes build a mechanical barrier to control the ingrowth of the gingival epithelium and provide appropriate space for the regeneration of periodontal tissues, particularly alveolar bone. However, the existing GTR membranes only serve as barriers and lack the biological activity to induce alveolar bone regeneration. In this study, sericin-hydroxyapatite (Ser-HAP) composite nanomaterials were fabricated using a biomimetic mineralization method with sericin as an organic template. The mineralized Ser-HAP showed excellent biocompatibility and promoted the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal membrane stem cells (hPDLSCs). Ser-HAP was combined with PVA using the freeze/thaw method to form PVA/Ser-HAP membranes. Further studies confirmed that PVA/Ser-HAP membranes do not affect the viability of hPDLSCs. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red staining (ARS), and RT-qPCR detection revealed that PVA/Ser-HAP membranes induce the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs by activating the expression of osteoblast-related genes, including ALP, Runx2, OCN, and OPN. The unique GTR membrane based on Ser-HAP induces the differentiation of hPDLSCs into osteoblasts without additional inducers, demonstrating the excellent potential for periodontal regeneration therapy.

Juvenile hormone (JH) plays a key role in preventing larval precocious metamorphosis, maintaining larval state, controlling adult sexual development and promoting insect egg maturation. Genetic studies have shown that POU factor ventral veins lacking regulates JH synthesis to control the timing of insect metamorphosis. However, how POU factor regulates JH synthesis is largely unknown. Here, we found POU-M2 was highly expressed in corpora allata (CA) and specifically localized in the nucleus of CA. The overexpression of POU-M2 promoted the expression of JH synthase genes and kr-h1 and enhanced the activity of JH synthase genes promoter. Further, POU-M2 promoted the transcription of JH acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT) by directly binding to the key cis-regulatory elements -207, -249 and -453 within the proximal regions of JHAMT promoter. Both the POU domain and homeodomain were vital for the activation of POU-M2 on JHAMT transcription. Our study reveals the mechanism by which POU-M2 regulates JHAMT transcription.

According to the actual situation of methanol production process, Aspen Plus software is used to build the methanol synthesis process flow model. The main and side reaction system is built in the model, which is realized by connecting the main and side reactors in series and setting the conversion rate of side reaction. Considering the model validation and process integrity, the methanol rectification system is connected in series on the basis of the methanol synthesis model, and the steady state simulation of the whole process is carried out. The methanol purity simulated is 99.74%, which shows that the model is reasonable. Through sensitivity analysis, the influence of feed flow change on the flow and purity of crude methanol and the influence of converter temperature change on the flow and purity of crude methanol were investigated. The relationship between the change of control parameters and the actual yield and equipment safety was preliminarily analyzed in order to provide reference and guidance for the development of methanol synthesis process.

Spinodal decomposition is an important mechanism of exsolution. However, spinodal decomposition has not been observed in natural sulfide intergrowths. We utilized focused ion beam (FIB) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques to confirm spinodal decomposition in natural sulfide intergrowths (chalcopyrite and bornite). According to FIB and TEM analyses, spinodal decomposition occurred as small and curving alternating dark and bright fluctuations in natural bornite–chalcopyrite intergrowths. Due to the low temperature that drove the exsolution mechanism, fluctuations ~10 nm wide and 20–200 nm long contained non-stoichiometric and tetragonal bornite and chalcopyrite. The corresponding electron diffraction of spinodal decomposition displayed a satellite spot in the [−210] direction for bornite, and the (200)* and (224)* of chalcopyrite paralleled the (24−2)* and (242)* of bornite, respectively. These observations all agreed with spinodal decomposition, two coexisting phases formed with a crystallographic orientation relationship, which indicated the first observation of spinodal decomposition in natural sulfide intergrowths. These findings confirmed that spinodal decomposition is a mechanism for natural crystal growth. As spinodal decomposition is larger in extent and faster than nucleation and growth, other Cu ore deposits may also form via this mechanism.

In Internet of Things (IoT)-based applications, one of the foremost application is the localization and detection of continuous objects, such as mud flow, forest fire, toxic gases, biochemical materials, and so forth. The localization and detection of continuous objects require massive communication which may cause congestion, exhaust extensive amount of energy, and cause severe packet loss. In this paper, we proposed consistent data collection and assortment in the progression of continuous objects in IoT (CDCAPC) to tackle traffic congestion, continuous objects detection and throughput maximization problem, which employs the link capacity diversity, congested boundary node selection and node remaining power during the scheduling policy construction to reach maximum data transmission rate. The proposed algorithm is based on efficient utilization of network resources and variable data rates. The congestion is mitigated in hotspots by considering the differences of the link capacities in the sending process. The CDCAPC performance has been evaluated with promising results against equivalent scheme in term of data loss, high priority data packets delivery, end-to-end delay, hop-by-delay, and percentage of successfully received packets.

A wound dressing with excellent hydrophilicity, high porosity, good mechanical property, and antimicrobial activities holds great potential for wound healing. Sericin, a natural protein from silkworm cocoon, is particularly attractive for the development of skin-repairing materials because it is biocompatible and biodegradable. Here, we reported a green strategy for in situ biomimetic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) within sericin/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel. AgNPs were in situ synthesized by the redox property of tyrosine residues in sericin without additional chemicals, similar to a biomineralization process. AgNPs-sericin/poly(vinyl alcohol) dressing was demonstrated to bear desired high porosity, good wettability, hygroscopicity, and mechanical properties. The evaluation of cytocompatibility and immunotoxicity of the composite with NIH/3T3, HEK-293, and RAW264.7 cells further demonstrated its excellent biocompatibility. The composite also showed an effective antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and could inhibit biofilm formation caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Finally, the animal experiment suggested that the composite dressing could facilitate re-epithelialization and collagen deposition to promote wound healing. Our work shows that the composite dressing has great potential as a competitive alternative for traditional wound dressings. Keywords: Biomimetic synthesis, Wound healing, Silk sericin, Silver nanoparticles, Antibacterial activity

The interests of developing antimicrobial biomaterials based on silk sericin from Bombyx mori cocoon, have been shooting up in the last decades. Sericin is a valuable natural protein owing to its hydrophilicity, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. Here, we fabricated a sponge with antibacterial capacities for potential wound dressing application. By co-blending of sericin, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs), the ZnONPs-sericin/PVA composite sponge (ZnONPs-SP) was successfully prepared after freeze-drying. Scanning electron microscopy showed the porous structure of ZnONPs-SP. Energy dispersive spectroscopy indicated the existence of Zn in the sponge. X-ray diffractometry revealed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnONPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the biologic coupling of ZnONPs and sericin resulted in a decrease of α-helix and random coil contents, and an increase of β-sheet structure in the sponge. The swelling experiment suggested ZnONPs-SP has high porosity, good hydrophilicity, and water absorption capability. The plate bacterial colony counting coupled with growth curve assays demonstrated that the composite sponge has an efficiently bacteriostatic effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Furthermore, the cell compatibility analysis suggested the composite sponge has excellent cytocompatibility on NIH3T3 cells. In all, ZnONPs-SP composite sponge has significant potentials in biomaterials such as wound dressing and tissue engineering.

Enzymatic activity assays are essential and critical for the study of enzyme kinetics. Adenylate kinase (Adk) plays a fundamental role in cellular energy and nucleotide homeostasis. To date, assays based on different principles have been used for the determination of Adk activity. Here, we show a spectrophotometric analysis technique to determine Adk activity with bromothymol blue as a pH indicator. We analyzed the effects of substrates and the pH indicator on the assay using orthogonal design and then established the most optimal assay for Adk activity. Subsequently, we evaluated the thermostability of Adk and the inhibitory effect of KCl on Adk activity with this assay. Our results show that this assay is simple, rapid, and precise. It shows great potential as an alternative to the conventional Adk activity assay. Our results also suggest that orthogonal design is an effective approach, which is very suitable for the optimization of complex enzyme reaction conditions.

Silk sericin (SS) is a type of natural macromolecular protein with excellent hydrophilicity, biocompatibility and biodegradability, but also has very poor mechanical properties. To develop sericin-based wound dressings, we utilized polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to reinforce the mechanical property of sericin by blending PVA and sericin, then modified zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on SS/PVA film with the assistance of polydopamine (PDA) to endow SS/PVA film with antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction demonstrated ZnO NPs were well grafted on PDA-SS/PVA film. Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested PDA coating and ZnONPs modification did not alter the structure of sericin and PVA. Water contact angle and swelling tests indicated the excellent hydrophilicity and swellability of ZnO NPs-PDA-SS/PVA composite film. Mass loss analysis showed ZnO NPs-PDA-SS/PVA film had excellent stability. The mechanical performance test suggested the improved tensile strength and elongation at break could meet the requirement of ZnO NPs-PDA-SS/PVA film in biomaterial applications. The antibacterial assay suggested the prepared ZnO NPs-PDA-SS/PVA composite film had a degree of antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The excellent hydrophilicity, swellability, stability, mechanical property and antibacterial activity greatly promote the possibility of ZnO NPs-PDA-SS/PVA composite film in antibacterial biomaterials application.

In this paper, an improved reconfiguration control scheme via an H ∞ fault observer and adaptive control is studied for the quad-rotor helicopter with actuator faults. The bilinear problem is eliminated by constructing fault compensation and control law reconfiguration in the adaptive controller. Fault estimation is achieved by designing the fault observer with an H ∞ performance index, which is applied to evaluate the ‘locking in place’ fault of the actuator in a quad-rotor helicopter. By drawing the H ∞ performance index into the adaptive fault observer, an asymptotically convergent estimated error can be attained and the burden of the adaptive controller is alleviated. Some simulation and experimental results confirm the availability of the reconfiguration control scheme.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are extensively applied for their broad-spectrum and excellent antibacterial ability in recent years. Polydopamine (PDA) has great advantages for synthesizing large amounts of AgNPs, as it has multiple sites for silver ion binding and phenolic hydroxyl structure to reduce silver ions to AgNPs. Here, we mixed sericin and agar solution and dried at 65 °C to prepare a sericin (SS)/Agar composite film, and then coated polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of SS/Agar film by soaking SS/Agar film into polydopamine solution, subsequently synthesizing high-density AgNPs with the assistance of PDA to yield antibacterial AgNPs-PDA- SS/Agar film. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra indicated the successful synthesis of high-density AgNPs on the surface of PDA-SS/Agar film. PDA coating and AgNPs modification did not affect the structure of sericin and agar. Furthermore, water contact angle, water absorption and mechanical property analysis showed that AgNPs-PDA-SS/Agar film had excellent hydrophilicity and proper mechanical properties. Inhibition zone and growth curve assays suggested the prepared film had excellent and long-lasting antibacterial ability. In addition, it had excellent cytocompatibility on the fibroblast NIH/3T3 cells. The film shows great potential as a novel kind of wound dressing.

Silk sericin is a protein from a silkworm’s cocoon. It has good biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, bioactivity, and biodegradability. However, sericin could not be used in biomedical materials directly because of its frangible characteristic. To develop multifunctional sericin-based materials for biomedical purposes, we prepared a sericin/agar (SS/agar) composite film through the blending of sericin and agar and repetitive freeze-thawing. Then, we synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in situ on the surface of the composite film to endow it with antibacterial activity. Water contact angle, swelling and losing ratio, and mechanical properties analysis indicated that the composite film had excellent mechanical property, hydrophilicity, hygroscopicity, and stability. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed the successful modification of AgNPs on the composite film. X-ray powder diffraction showed the face-centered cubic structures of the AgNPs. This AgNPs modified composite film exhibited an excellent antibacterial capability against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Our study develops a novel AgNPs/sericin/agar composite film with enhanced mechanical performance and an antimicrobial property for potential biomedical applications.

Antibacterial materials are of great importance in preventing bacterial adhesion and reproduction in daily life. Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) is a broad-spectrum antibacterial nanomaterial that has attracted significant attentions for its ability to endow natural materials with antibacterial ability. Silk sericin (SS) has a great advantage for biomaterial application, as it is a natural protein with excellent hydrophilicity and biodegradability. In this study, we prepared AgNPs and polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) modified SS/Agar films through the layer-by-layer adsorption technique and ultraviolet-assisted AgNPs synthesis method. The film was well characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Other properties such as water contact angle, wettability and tensile strength, the release of silver were also studied. The antimicrobial activity of AgNPs-PEM-SS/Agar film was investigated against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as the model microorganisms by the inhibition zone and bacterial growth curve assays. The results suggested that the AgNPs-PEM-SS/Agar film had excellent mechanical performance, high hydrophilicity, prominent water absorption ability, as well as outstanding and durable antibacterial activity. Therefore, the prepared novel AgNPs-PEM-SS/Agar composite film is proposed as a potentially favorable antibacterial biomaterial for biomedical applications.

Sericin is a biomaterial resource for its significant biodegradability, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and reactivity. Designing a material with superabsorbent, antiseptic, and non-cytotoxic wound dressing properties is advantageous to reduce wound infection and promote wound healing. Herein, we propose an environment-friendly strategy to obtain an interpenetrating polymer network gel through blending sericin and agarose and freeze-drying. The physicochemical characterizations of the sericin/agarose gel including morphology, porosity, swelling behavior, crystallinity, secondary structure, and thermal property were well characterized. Subsequently, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose composite gel was successfully prepared by the solution impregnation method. To evaluate the potential of the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel in wound dressing application, we analyzed the lysozyme loading and release, antimicrobial activity, and cytocompatibility of the resulting gel. The results showed the lysozyme loaded composite gel had high porosity, excellent water absorption property, and good antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Also, the lysozyme loaded gel showed excellent cytocompatibility on NIH3T3 and HEK293 cells. So, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel is a potential alternative biomaterial for wound dressing.

To develop silk sericin (SS) as a potential antibacterial biomaterial, a novel composite of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) coated sericin/poly(vinyl alcohol) (SS/PVA) film modified with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been developed using a layer-by-layer assembly technique and ultraviolet-assisted AgNPs synthesis method. Ag ions were enriched by PEMs via the electrostatic attraction between Ag ions and PEMs, and then reduced to AgNPs in situ with the assistance of ultraviolet irradiation. PEMs facilitated the high-density growth of AgNPs and protected the synthesized AgNPs due to the formation of a 3D matrix, and thus endowed SS/PVA film with highly effective and durable antibacterial activity. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, water contact angle, mechanical property and thermogravimetric analysis were applied to characterize SS/PVA, PEMs-SS/PVA and AgNPs-PEMs-SS/PVA films, respectively. AgNPs-PEMs-SS/PVA film has exhibited good mechanical performance, hydrophilicity, water absorption capability as well as excellent and durable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and good stability and degradability. This study has developed a simple method to design and prepare AgNPs-PEMs-SS/PVA film for potential antibacterial application.

Bionanocomposite packaging materials have a bright future for a broad range of applications in the food and biomedical industries. Antimicrobial packaging is one of the bionanocomposite packaging materials. Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) is one of the most attractive antimicrobial agents for its broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against microorganisms. However, the traditional method of preparing AgNPs-functionalized packaging material is cumbersome and not environmentally friendly. To develop an efficient and convenient biosynthesis method to prepare AgNPs-modified bionanocomposite material for packaging applications, we synthesized AgNPs in situ in a silk fibroin solution via the reduction of Ag+ by the tyrosine residue of fibroin, and then prepared AgNPs–silk/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite film by blending with PVA. AgNPs were synthesized evenly on the surface or embedded in the interior of silk/PVA film. The prepared AgNPs–silk/PVA film exhibited excellent mechanical performance and stability, as well as good antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. AgNPs–silk/PVA film offers more choices to be potentially applied in the active packaging field.

Silk sericin has great potential as a biomaterial for biomedical applications due to its good hydrophilicity, reactivity, and biodegradability. To develop multifunctional sericin materials for potential antibacterial application, a one-step synthesis method for preparing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) modified on polydopamine-coated sericin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films was developed. Polydopamine (PDA) acted as both metal ion chelating and reducing agent to synthesize AgNPs in situ on the sericin/PVA composite film. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis revealed that polydopamine could effectively facilitate the high-density growth of AgNPs as a 3-D matrix. X-ray diffractometry studies suggested the synthesized AgNPs formed good face-centered cubic crystalline structures. Contact angle measurement and mechanical test indicated AgNPs modified PDA-sericin/PVA composite film had good hydrophilicity and mechanical property. The bacterial growth curve and inhibition zone assays showed the AgNPs modified PDA-sericin/PVA composite film had long-term antibacterial activities. This work develops a new method for the preparation of AgNPs modified PDA-sericin/PVA film with good hydrophilicity, mechanical performance and antibacterial activities for the potential antimicrobial application in biomedicine.

In this paper, an optimal reconfiguration control scheme is proposed for a quadrotor helicopter with actuator faults via adaptive control and combined multiple models. The combined models set contains several fixed models, an adaptive model and a reinitialized adaptive model. The fixed models and the adaptive model can describe the failure system under different fault conditions. Moreover, the proposed reinitialized adaptive model refers to the closest model of the current system and can improve the speed of convergence effectively. In addition, the reference model is designed in consideration of an optimal control performance index and the principle of the minimum cost to achieve perfect tracking performance. Finally, some simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed reconfiguration control scheme for faulty cases.

In this paper, an adaptive controller is designed for a UAV flight control system against faults and parametric uncertainties based on quantum information technology and the Popov hyperstability theory. First, considering the bounded control input, the state feedback controller is designed to make the system stable. The model of adaptive control is introduced to eliminate the impact by the uncertainties of system parameters via quantum information technology. Then, according to the model reference adaptive principle, an adaptive control law based on the Popov hyperstability theory is designed. This law enable better robustness of the flight control system and tracking control performances. The closed-loop system's stability is guaranteed by the Popov hyperstability theory. The simulation results demonstrate that a better dynamic performance of the UAV flight control system with faults and parametric uncertainties can be maintained with the proposed method.

Introduction: Radiotherapy plays a key role in the multidisciplinary management of oesophageal cancers across neoadjuvant, definitive and palliative settings. Improved precision in radiotherapy planning and delivery techniques have allowed treating disease with tighter margins reducing toxicity. In this study, we examine the appropriateness of current practice in defining the planning target volume (PTV). Methods: This is a single institutional retrospective study of patients who received radiotherapy for oesophageal cancers using volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) during 2020. All cone‐beam computerised tomography (CBCT) scans were reviewed to assess whether PTV expansions appropriately accounted for tumour motion and interfractional variation. Results: Of the 27 patients, 2 (7%), 5 (19%) and 20 (74%) had cervical, thoracic and distal/gastro‐oesophageal junction (GOJ) disease, respectively. 16 (59%) had adenocarcinoma and 9 (33%) had squamous cell carcinoma. 9 of 20 distal/GOJ patients were planned and treated according to the institutional stomach filling protocol. 521/528 (98.7%) CBCTs demonstrated adequate target coverage. Cervical, thoracic and GOJ regions demonstrated adequate target coverage in 57/58, 96/97 and 368/373 CBCTs with median PTV expansions of 5, 7 and 7 mm, respectively. In four patients with GOJ disease, CBCT review identified five episodes where the target volume was insufficiently covered during the treatment course. Conclusion: In this single institutional retrospective study, for the vast majority of patients, our institutional practice of defining PTV margins achieved satisfactory target treatment. The interfractional variations observed in patients with GOJ tumours due to target motion and variable gastric volume, highlights the role of further refinements to motion management techniques in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to address whether coal-bed methane and shale gas can form helium-rich gas reservoirs, this paper employs geochemical research methods to analyze the content of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) in coal and shale, as well as the helium content in coal-bed and shale gas reservoirs. An objective evaluation of the helium-generating potential and helium-bearing properties of coal and shale is provided. It is observed that although the content of U and Th in coal and shale is significantly higher than in other rocks, resulting in relatively more helium production from radioactive decay, the large amount of natural gas generated by coal and shale exerts a serious dilution effect on helium, making it difficult for coal beds and shale to enrich helium. The organic carbon content of coal is much higher than that of shale, leading to a greater generation of natural gas from coal beds compared to shale. Consequently, the helium content of coal-bed gas is much lower than that of shale gas. The helium rich shale gas and coal bed gas found in a few areas are attributed to the helium supply from other rocks in the gas reservoir, which is mostly distributed on or near the old granite masses, or in the tectonic active zones. In addition to capturing some of the helium produced by the coal beds and shales themselves, helium from other rocks, particularly from ancient basement rocks, is also captured, though this is not common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact, although the majority of recently infected cases have presented with mild to moderate symptoms. Previous clinical studies have demonstrated that Shufeng Jiedu (SFJD) capsule, a Chinese herbal patent medicine, effectively alleviates symptoms associated with the common cold, H1N1 influenza, and COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of SFJD capsules in managing symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 infection. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted from May to December 2022 at two hospitals in China. Mild and moderate COVID-19-infected patients presenting respiratory symptoms within 3 days from onset were randomly assigned to either the SFJD or placebo groups in a 1:1 ratio. Individuals received SFJD capsules or a placebo three times daily for five consecutive days. Participants were followed up for more than 14 days after their RT-PCR nucleoid acid test for SARS-CoV-2 turned negative. The primary outcome measure was time to alleviate COVID-19 symptoms from baseline until the end of follow-up. Results: A total of 478 participants were screened; ultimately, 407 completed the trial after randomization (SFJD, n = 203; placebo, n = 204). No statistically significant difference in baseline parameters was observed between the two groups. The median time to alleviate all symptoms was 7 days in the SFJD group compared to 8 days in the placebo group (p = 0.037). Notably, the SFJD group significantly attenuated fever/chills (p = 0.04) and headache (p = 0.016) compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, the median time taken to reach normal body temperature within 24 h was reduced by 7 hours in the SFJD group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.033). No deaths or instances of serious or critical conditions occurred during this trial period; moreover, no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: The trial was conducted in a unique controlled hospital setting, and the 5-day treatment with SFJD capsules resulted in a 1-day reduction in overall symptoms, particularly headache and fever/chills, among COVID-19-infected participants with mild or moderate symptoms. Compared to placebo, SFJD capsules were found to be safe with fewer side effects. SFJD capsules could potentially serve as an effective treatment for alleviating mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]