Search Results (886)

Turbidite sandstones of the Chang 6 member and delta-front sandstones of the Chang 8 member in the Yuele Block, southwestern Yishan Slope, Ordos Basin, serve as the primary tight oil reservoirs. In this study, a total of 243 continuous core samples from multiple wells were collected for integrated analyses, including cast thin-section observation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) of clay minerals, routine core physical property measurements and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), to systematically compare sedimentary–diagenetic disparities between semi-deep lacustrine turbidites (Chang 6) and delta-front sandstones (Chang 8). Measured data indicate that the two intervals have similar average porosities of 9.27% and 9.88%, while their respective geometric mean permeabilities differ markedly, with values of only 0.142 × 10⁻³ μm² for Chang 6 and 0.260 × 10⁻³ μm² for Chang 8. Micro-pore-throat size and connectivity dominate reservoir fluid flow capacity, and total porosity alone cannot objectively evaluate reservoir quality. Delta-front sandstones of the Chang 8 member are supplied by a proximal magmatic-rich provenance from the southwest, and widespread grain-coating chlorite forms during early diagenesis, effectively mitigating compaction damage and inhibiting quartz overgrowth, leading to well-preserved primary pores. As mixed-provenance deposits lacking protective chlorite rims, Chang 6 turbidites experience more intensive compaction, and abundant fibrous illite and carbonate cements precipitate in the subsequent diagenetic stage to fill and separate pore throats, forming an isolated micropore network. Quantitative comparison with baseline parameters of the Longdong region reveals that the Yuele Block is located closer to the southwestern sediment source, resulting in higher contents of magmatic lithics and chlorite in Chang 8 as well as elevated illite concentrations in Chang 6 relative to regional averages, which verifies that source-to-sink transport distance regulates reservoir quality by driving the differentiation of clay mineral assemblages. A complete quantitative coupling sequence of “provenance supply–authigenic clay mineral-pore evolution” is defined herein, and two distinct sedimentary–diagenetic evolutionary routes are classified: high-quality delta-front reservoirs protected by grain-coating chlorite, and low-quality turbidite reservoirs blocked by illite–carbonate cements. This research refines the diagenetic differentiation rules for continental tight sandstones with diverse sedimentary origins in the Ordos Basin and provides quantitative mineralogical criteria for identifying tight oil sweet spots in proximal provenance blocks. Full article

The Initial Mass Function (IMF) describes the distribution of stellar masses formed in a stellar cluster and constitutes a fundamental constraint for theories of star formation. In this work, we investigate the emergence of the IMF slope using a minimal agent-based model inspired by preferential attachment mechanisms. The model represents stars as accretion centers embedded in a reservoir of infalling material, where mass growth occurs through competitive accretion at a rate proportional to a tunable power of the stellar mass, and where fragmentation of accretion centers is allowed. We systematically explore the effects of accretion and fragmentation probabilities on the resulting mass distribution. The simulations show that competitive accretion alone leads to the dominance of a single massive object, whereas the inclusion of fragmentation regulates mass growth and produces a stable mass spectrum. For a specific range of accretion exponents, the resulting stellar mass function exhibits a logarithmic slope close to the Salpeter value. These results indicate that the interplay between fragmentation and mass-dependent accretion can produce a power-law slope comparable to the observed IMF under the simplified assumptions of the proposed agent-based model. Full article

Accurate reservoir performance assessment increasingly relies on hydrological model-derived inflow series; however, the effects of hydroclimatic forcing pathways on reservoir design outcomes remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluates the sensitivity of reservoir performance to alternative forcing pathways by comparing observed inflows with SWAT+-simulated streamflow driven by ERA5-Land reanalysis data in the Cidadelhe catchment, Portugal. An integrated hydrology–reservoir modeling framework couples SWAT+ simulations with three analytical approaches: Behavior Analysis, the Modified Sequent Peak Algorithm (MSPA), and the Resilience-Regulated MSPA-2024. Results show that, despite strong hydrological model performance (NSE up to 0.83), SWAT+-simulated inflows exhibit systematic attenuation of variability, approximately 20–25%, leading to substantially lower storage capacity (up to 60–65%) and evaporation estimates relative to those derived from observed data. While volumetric reliability remains largely insensitive to forcing pathways, resilience, sustainability, and drought risk indices display pronounced method-dependent behavior. MSPA-2024 demonstrates strong robustness by maintaining near-invariant performance metrics across forcing conditions through embedded resilience constraints. These findings show that inflow statistical structure, rather than mean flow alone, controls reservoir design outcomes and that forcing-pathway consistency is critical for reliable performance assessment. The proposed SWAT+–MSPA-2024 framework supports more reliable model-based reservoir planning, particularly in data-scarce basins and climate-scenario applications. Full article

Persistent HIV-1 reservoirs remain a major barrier to a durable functional cure despite long-term suppressive antiretroviral therapy. Although resting memory CD4⁺ T cells constitute the best-characterized cellular reservoir, tissue microenvironments shape viral persistence and immune clearance. The rectal mucosa represents a specialized tissue niche containing HIV-susceptible target cells, antigen-presenting cells, microbial products, inflammatory cues, and local metabolic signals. Within this setting, myeloid-lineage cells, particularly tissue-resident macrophages and dendritic cells, may contribute to HIV-1 persistence through mechanisms distinct from classical T-cell latency. Here, we review how rectal mucosal macrophages may support HIV-1 persistence through longevity, resistance to apoptosis, metabolic adaptation, epigenetic regulation, and sequestration of virions within virus-containing compartments. We also discuss the dual role of mucosal dendritic cells as sentinels that capture and transfer HIV-1 to CD4⁺ T cells, while considering the limited evidence for inducible proviral persistence in selected anatomical and cellular contexts. Importantly, we further distinguish bona fide reservoir-bearing cells from reservoir-supportive mechanisms, including viral capture, trans-infection, immune suppression, and niche-mediated protection. We also highlight how mucosal dysbiosis, barrier disruption, microbial metabolites, chronic interferon signaling, and immunoregulatory myeloid programs may stabilize HIV-1 persistence in rectal tissues. Integrating intact proviral assays, functional measurements, single-cell profiling, multiplex imaging, and spatial transcriptomics will be critical for defining myeloid-associated persistence and guiding tissue-targeted HIV-1 cure strategies. Full article

High dams and large reservoirs serve flood control, power generation, water supply and ecological security, where rapid safe drawdown is vital for emergency handling and long-term safe operation. Targeting undefined rapid drawdown control standards for over-200 m ultra-high earth-rockfill dams, this study selects 200 m, 250 m and 300 m earth core rockfill dams for finite element calculations of transient unsaturated seepage and slope stability under varying drawdown rates. It analyzes how drawdown rate, drawdown depth and dam height affect dam safety, and tests the sensitivity of rockfill shear strength indices. Results reveal rapid drawdown produces prominent phreatic line lag, which worsens with faster drawdown and taller dams. Slope safety factors fall then rise during water level decline with a critical minimum, and taller dams respond more sensitively to drawdown rate. The allowable drawdown limits are 10 m/d, 8 m/d and 6 m/d for 200 m, 250 m and 300 m dams, paired with maximum safe drawdown depths of 108 m, 140.4 m and 154.8 m. Rockfill cohesion c is highly sensitive at 0–40 kPa; each 2° rise in internal friction angle φ lifts the safety factor by roughly 7.3%. The findings offer theoretical and technical references for drawdown facility design and emergency regulation of reservoirs with dams exceeding 200 m. Full article

Long-lasting, high-strength plugging materials are required for deep profile control in low-permeability fractured reservoirs. In this study, a series of hyperbranched copolymer hydrogels was prepared through an aza-Michael addition-amidation-one-pot end-group coupling strategy. Linear alkylamines were used as cores to synthesize amino-terminated generation 1.0 G broom-shaped hyperbranched macromolecular backbones via a divergent route. The resulting backbones were subsequently crosslinked with linear α,ω-diepoxy-terminated poly(ethylene glycol), affording three structurally well-defined hydrogels, denoted as C2HG, C6HG, and C8HG. Structural and physicochemical characterization showed that all hydrogels possessed interconnected three-dimensional porous networks, good thermal stability, and a lower critical solution temperature of approximately 37 °C. Rheological analysis demonstrated predominantly elastic behavior, with the storage modulus (G′) consistently exceeding the loss modulus (G″), together with pronounced shear-thinning characteristics favorable for injection into deep, low-permeability formations. By varying the alkyl-chain length of the hyperbranched backbone, the balance between environmental tolerance and plugging performance could be effectively regulated. These findings establish a structure–property relationship between backbone hydrophobicity and hydrogel performance and demonstrate that PEG-crosslinked hyperbranched copolymer hydrogels are promising candidates for deep-profile control and water shutoff in high-salinity, low-permeability fractured reservoirs. Full article

Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits represent one of the world’s most important uranium resources and are strategically significant for nuclear energy development, energy transition, and carbon emission reduction. Compared with conventional open-pit or underground mining, in situ leaching has become the dominant approach for sandstone-hosted uranium deposits due to its minimal surface disturbance, higher resource utilization efficiency, and reduced environmental footprint. However, most sandstone-hosted uranium deposits exhibit pronounced reservoir heterogeneity, including permeability contrasts, uneven flow pathways, complex uranium occurrence, and non-uniform advancement of reaction fronts. These factors collectively restrict leaching solution transport, limit uranium mobilization, and reduce recovery efficiency and sustainability of in situ leaching operations. Therefore, achieving efficient, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development of complex heterogeneous sandstone uranium deposits has become a key challenge in in situ leaching research and engineering practice. This review summarizes recent advances in recovery enhancement technologies for in situ leaching of sandstone-hosted uranium deposits over the past decade. Based on the geological and hydrogeochemical characteristics of these deposits, the mechanisms of in situ leaching are first outlined, followed by technological developments in four areas: flow field regulation, reservoir permeability enhancement, geochemical regulation, and reactive-transport coupling enhancement. Current challenges and future research directions are also discussed. This review provides a systematic framework for improving uranium recovery while advancing efficient, environmentally responsible, and sustainable in situ leaching development. Full article

This article proposes a general integrative model focusing on psychological control and psychological reserve. The former refers to internal psychological control and external psychological control. Internal psychological control refers to the management of physiological processes associated with arousal and panics. Here, the concept of internal psychological control is differentiated into two components: cognitive control/executive function and self-control/emotional regulation. External psychological control refers to the sense the person has of being able to manage, have agency in, and otherwise not be overwhelmed by the external context in which one is adapting functionally. Here, the concept of external psychological control is differentiated into two major sub-components: managing reactivity to external events, such as to daily stressors or extreme events, e.g., natural disasters, and proactively taking steps to have agency in and using predictive processing to adjust to context by mitigating the probability of experiencing overwhelming events. Psychological reserve refers to the fluid state reservoir of mental, cognitive, emotional, motivational, and stress management/coping space that is available for use in confronting ongoing and new stressors, challenges, or difficulties. Here, this article differentiates psychological reserve into phases of depletion and recovery. This article examines prior work on psychological control and reserve, demonstrating how they can be understood or modified based on the present sub-component differentiation of the concepts involved. The revised model is applied to understanding psychotherapeutic change mechanisms, a biopsychosocial model of the mechanisms, an integrated functional adaptational model, posttraumatic stress disorder, a unified model for psychotherapy and psychology generally, and clinical recommendations. Full article

Concrete is inherently susceptible to cracking, which compromises durability and accelerates structural deterioration. Microbially induced calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) precipitation (MICP)-based self-healing concrete has emerged as a sustainable strategy to autonomously repair cracks; however, its efficiency is often limited by challenges related to bacterial survival, nutrient availability, and uncontrolled crack geometry. In this context, the integration of natural fibers presents a promising yet underexplored approach to enhance microbial performance within cementitious systems. This study critically examines the interactions between natural fibers (e.g., coir and sisal) and microbial activity in bio-concrete, with a focus on their influence on bacterial viability, MICP efficiency, and crack-healing performance. Natural fibers are hypothesized to act as multifunctional components by serving as internal moisture reservoirs, providing surface sites for bacterial attachment, and regulating crack width through bridging mechanisms. These combined effects can promote localized microenvironments conducive to bacterial activation and calcium carbonate precipitation. The paper synthesizes current knowledge on fiber-reinforced concrete and bio-concrete systems and proposes a conceptual framework describing fiber–microbe interaction mechanisms, including moisture retention, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) modification, and enhanced nucleation of CaCO₃. Key challenges such as fiber degradation in alkaline environments, variability in natural fiber properties, and long-term durability of hybrid systems are also discussed. Finally, future research directions are outlined, emphasizing the need for systematic experimental validation, microstructural characterization, and optimization of hybrid fiber–microbial systems. This work provides new insights into the synergistic role of natural fibers in bio-concrete and establishes a foundation for developing more efficient, durable, and sustainable self-healing construction materials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although companion animals are recognized as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistant enterococci, it remains unclear whether antimicrobial resistance differs between clinical and commensal isolates, particularly for antimicrobials reserved for human medicine. This study compared antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of clinical and commensal E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates from dogs and cats, focusing on antimicrobials reserved for human medicine under European regulation and EMA/AMEG classification. Methods: A total of 99 isolates (49 E. faecalis and 50 E. faecium) collected between 2022 and 2025 were analysed by broth microdilution, gradient diffusion, and disk diffusion methods. Antimicrobial resistance patterns were compared according to bacterial species and isolate origin. Results:E. faecium exhibited significantly higher resistance rates than E. faecalis, particularly to ampicillin, fluoroquinolones, erythromycin, nitrofurantoin, and vancomycin. Multidrug resistance was widespread, affecting all clinical E. faecium isolates and 72.2% of commensal E. faecium, whereas corresponding proportions in E. faecalis were 64.1% and 40.0%, respectively. Clinical E. faecium isolates showed significantly higher resistance than commensal isolates to antimicrobials commonly used in veterinary medicine, including ampicillin, fluoroquinolones, erythromycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. Conversely, no significant differences were observed for antimicrobials reserved for human medicine, including linezolid, vancomycin, teicoplanin, tigecycline, daptomycin, rifampicin, and quinupristin/dalfopristin. Conclusions: The higher resistance observed in clinical isolates to veterinary antimicrobials is consistent with the selective pressure exerted by antimicrobial use in veterinary clinical settings, whereas resistance to human-reserved agents may reflect epidemiological processes that are independent of antimicrobial exposure in veterinary clinical settings. Continuous integrated One Health surveillance is essential to monitor the emergence and dissemination of these resistance phenotypes. The AMR profiles observed in companion animals further support the need for integrated One Health surveillance, combining veterinary, human, and environmental data to better understand the emergence and dissemination of resistant enterococci. Full article

Adipose tissue is now recognized as a heterogeneous endocrine and metabolic organ rather than a passive lipid reservoir. Beyond the classical white, brown, and beige adipocytes, several depot- and organ-specific lipid-storing cell populations, including pink adipocytes, bone marrow (yellow) adipocytes, and hepatic stellate cells, contribute to energy homeostasis, thermogenesis, immune regulation, bone marrow function, and hepatic retinoid storage. Most existing reviews address these populations separately or focus narrowly on classical depots. Here, we integrate classical and non-classical adipocyte populations within a single depot-specific framework, examining how anatomical location and functional specialization jointly determine their contribution to obesity-related non-communicable diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, hypertension, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We further highlight unresolved mechanistic questions, including macrophage phenotypic heterogeneity beyond the classical M1/M2 model, the translational limits of brown adipose tissue activation, and the paracrine role of perivascular adipose tissue, that represent priority areas for future investigation. Full article

Polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) are increasingly recognized as major drivers of therapy resistance and tumor relapse, yet the conserved molecular programs underlying their persistence remain incompletely defined. To identify genes consistently deregulated across eight independent datasets, we performed an integrative transcriptomic analysis of PGCCs derived from prostate, ovarian, and breast cancers. By focusing on consistently up- or down-regulated genes that were expressed in at least five datasets and showed a concordant direction of expression across more than 70% of datasets and met a significance threshold of adjusted p < 0.05, we defined the core regulatory architecture stabilizing the PGCC state under therapeutic stress. Our analysis reveals that PGCCs exhibit a paradoxical ranscriptomic signature consistent with cytolytic activity alongside reduced immune detection. These cells activated pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine signaling while simultaneously engaging immune-evasion mechanisms, including PD-L1-associated and virus-like escape programs. Concurrently, PGCCs displayed transcriptional features characteristic of immune-privileged cellular states, including embryonic development, reproductive programs, senescence-associated survival, apoptosis resistance, and deep dormancy marked by coordinated suppression of major housekeeping processes. Notably, PGCCs also activated neuronal differentiation and neurodegeneration-associated pathways, including axon guidance, neurogenesis, and calcium signaling. This neuron-like, calcium-dependent stress adaptation program may further enhance immune privilege and long-term survival capacity. We propose that PGCCs represent an immune-adaptive polyploid survival state in which inflammatory and ontogenetic pathways are repurposed to support immune evasion and tumor persistence. By identifying actionable vulnerabilities within calcium signaling, neuronal mimicry, and checkpoint-associated pathways, this study provides a framework for therapeutic strategies aimed at dismantling the PGCC reservoir and preventing tumor relapse. Full article

Magnesium alloys are used or considered for lightweight structures and biodegradable implants, but high electrochemical activity, limited wear resistance, and localized corrosion still limit their service reliability. Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), also called micro-arc oxidation (MAO), forms an adherent ceramic scaffold. Discharge channels, interconnected pores, thermal cracks, and a mechanically weak outer layer mean that the as-formed coating is rarely a complete protective system. This review examines advanced PEO/MAO-based composite coatings through a process–structure–function lens and develops an application-oriented design framework. The discussion covers PEO/MAO process-window control, electrolyte and particle engineering, sol–gel and polymer sealing, layered double hydroxide/inhibitor systems, self-healing reservoirs, superhydrophobic and slippery interfaces, Ca-P/hydroxyapatite and polymer biofunctionalization, and duplex coatings for wear, electrical, and thermal functions. Emphasis is placed on how these modules regulate defect connectivity, mass transport, interfacial stability, damage response, tribocorrosion, and biodegradation, as well as on the evidence needed to support each claimed function. The analysis indicates that coating performance is governed not by multilayer complexity alone, but by the compatibility among the ceramic scaffold, functional module, dominant failure mode, and service-specific validation protocol. Chloride-exposed structures require durable pore sealing and active inhibition; wear-critical components require coupled corrosion–wear assessment; and biodegradable implants require a degradation window that balances corrosion moderation, cytocompatibility, biofunctionality, and residual mechanical integrity. Remaining challenges include interfacial durability, finite inhibitor reservoirs, wetting-state instability, process reproducibility, scale-up, and life-cycle impacts. The proposed process maps and validation criteria are intended to support modular, testable, and application-specific PEO/MAO surface systems for magnesium alloys. Full article

As the core water source area of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the Danjiangkou Reservoir Area plays a critical role in regional ecological security and water resource security. Its land use transitions and associated ecosystem service dynamics are examined. Based on land use, ecological sensitivity, and ecosystem service value data from 2000 to 2020, this study employed the FLUS model to simulate four scenarios—natural development, cropland protection, ecological protection, and ecological–cropland synergy—for 2050, systematically revealing the characteristics of land use transition, the coupled evolution of ecological sensitivity and ecosystem service value, and the trade-off mechanisms between ecological security and food security under multiple scenarios. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, land use in the reservoir area exhibited an ecological transition characterized by “two expansions and three contractions”: forestland and water bodies increased by 764.16 km² and 324.36 km², respectively, while cropland and grassland decreased by 664.33 km² and 547.08 km², the comprehensive index of land use degree declined by approximately 1.0%, indicating continuously weakening development intensity. (2) The overall hierarchical structure of ecological sensitivity improved, with the area of highly sensitive zones decreasing from 5201.60 km² to 3729.91 km²; however, the concentration risk of highly sensitive forestland and the unexpected increase in extremely sensitive cropland persisted. (3) Total ecosystem service value increased from CNY 51.92 billion to CNY 58.35 billion (+12.38%), with hydrological regulation contributing 79.83% of the total increment; regulating services remained the core functional type. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the coefficient of sensitivity (CS) values were below 1, confirming the robustness of the findings. (4) Multi-scenario simulations revealed a rigid ecological–food security trade-off: under natural development, ESV increased by 15.44% but cropland loss reached 1033.29 km²; under cropland protection, ESV decreased by 1.50%, the only scenario with negative ecological outcomes; under ecological protection, ESV increased by 16.59% but with the most severe cropland loss (−1072.98 km²); under ecological–cropland synergy, water bodies expanded the most substantially (+562.75 km²) while cropland loss was the most severe (−1118.19 km²), indicating that the synergy goal was not achieved, as gains in regulating services came at the cost of further provisioning services losses. The study confirms the positive effects of ecological land use transition in the reservoir area, while also highlighting the intensifying conflict between ecological protection and food security against the backdrop of ecological improvement. Full article

The prominent multi-scale pore heterogeneity widely developed in deep-buried coal reservoirs, which seriously restricts accurate reservoir characterization and precise resource evaluation for deep coalbed methane exploitation. Taking deep-buried coal reservoirs of the Benxi Formation in the Ordos Basin as the research target, this study integrates data from low-temperature CO₂/N₂ adsorption and high-pressure mercury intrusion experiments. Segmented monofractal quantification and multi-fractal singularity analysis are further adopted. Fractal differentiation characteristics, scale effects of pores at different scales, and the synergistic control mechanism of multiple geological factors were indicated. Eight segmented single-fractal dimensions (D1~D8) are defined. The results indicate an obvious scale-dependent zonal distribution of pore heterogeneity in deep-buried coal. Micropores smaller than 1.2 nm possess the largest fractal dimension and the strongest heterogeneity. They act as the primary adsorption and storage space for coalbed methane. Mesopores ranging from 1.1 nm to 8 nm have the lowest fractal dimension with the most homogeneous structure, serving as major gas migration pathways. The heterogeneity of macropores gradually increases with pore size. A continuous full-scale pore size distribution curve is reconstructed. Coal reservoirs exhibit a typical bimodal pore structure dominated by micropores and macropores, with the micropore-dominated storage and macropore-dominated seepage. Key multi-fractal indicators including Δα, Δf and the Hurst index are used for quantitative comparison. Micropores display strong aggregation and weak interpore connectivity. Mesopores own superior connectivity, while their heterogeneity differs greatly between individual samples. Macropores feature moderate aggregation and connectivity. Coalification degree, organic macerals, clay minerals and industrial parameters are associated with the formation and differentiation of pore heterogeneity. Each factor differentially regulates the fractal evolution of pores across various scales. Full article