Hybrid Application of Nanoparticles and Polymer in Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes

Nowadays, the addition of nanoparticles to polymer solutions would be of interest; however, the feasible property of nanoparticles and their impact on oil recovery has not been investigated in more detail. This study investigates the rheology and capillary forces (interfacial tension and contact angle) of nanoparticles in the polymer performances during oil recovery processes. Thereby, a sequential injection of water, polymer, and nanoparticles; Nanosilica (SiO2) and nano-aluminium oxide (Al2O3) was performed to measure the oil recovery factor. Retention decrease, capillary forces reduction, and polymer viscoelastic behavior increase have caused improved oil recovery due to the feasible mobility ratio of polymer–nanoparticle in fluid loss. The oil recovery factor for polymer flooding, polymer–Al2O3, and polymer–SiO2 is 58%, 63%, and 67%, respectively. Thereby, polymer–SiO2 flooding would provide better oil recovery than other scenarios that reduce the capillary force due to the structural disjoining pressure. According to the relative permeability curves, residual oil saturation (Sor) and water relative permeability (Krw) are 29% and 0.3%, respectively, for polymer solution; however, for the polymer–nanoparticle solution, Sor and Krw are 12% and 0.005%, respectively. Polymer treatment caused a dramatic decrease, rather than the water treatment effect on the contact angle. The minimum contact angle for water and polymer treatment are about 21 and 29, respectively. The contact angle decrease for polymer treatment in the presence of nanoparticles related to the surface hydrophilicity increase. Therefore, after 2000 mg L−1 of SiO2 concentration, there are no significant changes in contact angle

Temporal Series Analysis Approach to Spectra of Complex Networks

The spacing of nearest levels of the spectrum of a complex network can be regarded as a time series. Joint use of Multi-fractal Detrended Fluctuation Approach (MF-DFA) and Diffusion Entropy (DE) is employed to extract characteristics from this time series. For the WS (Watts and Strogatz) small-world model, there exist a critical point at rewiring probability . For a network generated in the range, the correlation exponent is in the range of . Above this critical point, all the networks behave similar with that at . For the ER model, the time series behaves like FBM (fractional Brownian motion) noise at . For the GRN (growing random network) model, the values of the long-range correlation exponent are in the range of . For most of the GRN networks the PDF of a constructed time series obeys a Gaussian form. In the joint use of MF-DFA and DE, the shuffling procedure in DE is essential to obtain a reliable result. PACS number(s): 89.75.-k, 05.45.-a, 02.60.-xComment: 10 pages, 9 figures, to appear in PR

A high triglyceride glucose index is associated with early renal impairment in the hypertensive patients

ObjectiveSerum β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and serum cystatin C (CysC) are sensitive and reliable indicators of early renal impairment. Triglyceride glucose index (TyG) is an emerging vital indicator of insulin resistance and is associated with increased risk of hypertension. We aimed to analyze the relationship between TyG and early renal impairment in hypertensive patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 881 hypertensive patients treated in Qinghai Provincial People, s Hospital from March 2018 to March 2021, their clinical data and corresponding laboratory index values were recorded, and the TyG index was calculated. According to the TyG index, the patients were divided into a low TyG (L-TyG) group (TyG ≤ 8.50, n=306), medium TyG (M-TyG) group (8.51≤TyG ≤ 8.94, n=281), and high TyG (H-TyG) group (TyG>8.95, n=294) in sequence by using tertiles. Then, according to serum β2-MG and CysC levels, they were divided into a normal renal function group (β2-MG ≤ 2.4 mg/L, n=700 and CysC ≤ 1.25mg/L, n=721) and a renal function injury group (β2-MG>2.4 mg/L, n=181, and CysC>1.25 mg/L, n=160). Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of serum β2-microglobulin and cystatin C. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the TyG index and early renal impairment in hypertensive patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine the value of the TyG index in predicting early renal impairment in patients with hypertension.ResultAs the TyG index level increased, serum β2-MG and CysC levels also gradually increased. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that TyG index was the influencing factor of serum β2-MG (B=0.060, P=0.007) and serum CysC (B=0.096, P<0.001). For every 1 standard deviation increase in the TyG index, the serum β2-MG and CysC increased by 0.06mg/L and 0.096mg/L, respectively. When compared to the normal group, the TyG level (8.91 ± 0.65 vs 8.64 ± 0.60, P<0.001) was higher in the renal impairment group with β2-MG>2.4 mg/L. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that for every 1 standard deviation increase in the TyG index, the risk of early renal impairment in hypertensive patients increased 1.53 times (OR=1.53, 95%CI 1.006-2.303).The ROC curves showed that the TyG index was not superior to TG in predicting early renal impairment in hypertensive patients. the AUC values were 0.623 and 0.617, respectively. Then, when CysC>1.25 mg/L was used as the renal damage group, the level of TyG was still higher than that in the normal group (8.94 ± 0.67 and 8.64 ± 0.60, P<0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that for every 1 standard deviation increase in the TyG index, the risk of early renal impairment in hypertensive patients increased 2.82 times (OR=2.82, 95%CI 1.863-4.262). The ROC curves showed that the TyG index was not superior to TG in predicting early renal impairment in hypertensive patients. the AUC values were 0.629 and 0.626, respectively.ConclusionTyG index is an influential factor in serum β2-MG and CysC levels. The elevated TyG index levels are closely associated with the occurrence and development of early renal impairment in hypertensive patients, but it should be used cautiously in the prediction of early renal impairment

DCAF26, an Adaptor Protein of Cul4-Based E3, Is Essential for DNA Methylation in Neurospora crassa

DNA methylation is involved in gene silencing and genome stability in organisms from fungi to mammals. Genetic studies in Neurospora crassa previously showed that the CUL4-DDB1 E3 ubiquitin ligase regulates DNA methylation via histone H3K9 trimethylation. However, the substrate-specific adaptors of this ligase that are involved in the process were not known. Here, we show that, among the 16 DDB1- and Cul4-associated factors (DCAFs) encoded in the N. crassa genome, three interacted strongly with CUL4-DDB1 complexes. DNA methylation analyses of dcaf knockout mutants revealed that dcaf26 was required for all of the DNA methylation that we observed. In addition, histone H3K9 trimethylation was also eliminated in dcaf26KO mutants. Based on the finding that DCAF26 associates with DDB1 and the histone methyltransferase DIM-5, we propose that DCAF26 protein is the major adaptor subunit of the Cul4-DDB1-DCAF26 complex, which recruits DIM-5 to DNA regions to initiate H3K9 trimethylation and DNA methylation in N. crassa

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of St Andrew′s Nutrition Screening Instrument

Objective·To translate St Andrew′s Nutrition Screening Instrument (SANSI), and test its reliability and validity.Methods·With the consent of the authors, the SANSI was translated into Chinese in accordance with the "Brislin translation-back translation method" and the Chinese version underwent cross-cultural debugging. Five clinical medical staff were selected to a pre-survey on 10 patients, and the expression and structure of the scale items were fine-tuned according to the feedback. A total of 221 inpatients with mental disorders were selected by convenient sampling method in Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine as research objects from January to February 2022, and the general clinical data of these patients were collected. The correlation between the items in Part Ⅲ and the identified risks in that part was evaluated by Spearman correlation analysis, and some items were deleted according to the results. Eight experts in mental disorders or nutrition were selected to evaluate the items of Chinese version of SANSI, and then the content validation indexes (CVIs) were calculated. With the standard of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002), Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the calibration validity of Chinese version of SANSI. Cronbach′s α coefficient, split half reliability and inter-rater reliability (κ consistency coefficient) were used to evaluate the reliability of the Part Ⅲ of the scale.Results·Through literal translation, back translation, cross-cultural debugging and pre-investigation, Chinese version of SANSI was formed. Among the 221 patients with mental disorders, 174 (78.73%) were males, the mean age was (64.12±13.87) years, and the duration of diseases was (26.06±17.65) years. There were 128 cases of schizophrenia (57.92%), 75 cases of organic mental disorders (33.94%), 10 cases of mood disorders (4.52%) and 8 cases of other mental disorders (3.62%). According to the results of correlation analysis in Part Ⅲ, the original items 1, 3, and 10 were deleted. The correlation coefficients between the remaining 7 items and the risk degree in this part were 0.391－0.734 (all P0.05).Conclusion·Chinese version of SANSI has good reliability and validity for hospitalized patients with mental disorders

Transcriptomic atlas for hypoxia and following re-oxygenation in Ancherythroculter nigrocauda heart and brain tissues: insights into gene expression, alternative splicing, and signaling pathways

Hypoxia is a mounting problem that affects the world’s freshwaters, with severe consequence for many species, including death and large economical loss. The hypoxia problem has increased recently due to the combined effects of water eutrophication and global warming. In this study, we investigated the transcriptome atlas for the bony fish Ancherythroculter nigrocauda under hypoxia for 1.5, 3, and 4.5 h and its recovery to normal oxygen levels in heart and brain tissues. We sequenced 21 samples for brain and heart tissues (a total of 42 samples) plus three control samples and obtained an average of 32.40 million raw reads per sample, and 95.24% mapping rate of the filtered clean reads. This robust transcriptome dataset facilitated the discovery of 52,428 new transcripts and 6,609 novel genes. In the heart tissue, the KEGG enrichment analysis showed that genes linked to the Vascular smooth muscle contraction and MAPK and VEGF signaling pathways were notably altered under hypoxia. Re-oxygenation introduced changes in genes associated with abiotic stimulus response and stress regulation. In the heart tissue, weighted gene co-expression network analysis pinpointed a module enriched in insulin receptor pathways that was correlated with hypoxia. Conversely, in the brain tissue, the response to hypoxia was characterized by alterations in the PPAR signaling pathway, and re-oxygenation influenced the mTOR and FoxO signaling pathways. Alternative splicing analysis identified an average of 27,226 and 28,290 events in the heart and brain tissues, respectively, with differential events between control and hypoxia-stressed groups. This study offers a holistic view of transcriptomic adaptations in A. nigrocauda heart and brain tissues under oxygen stress and emphasizes the role of gene expression and alternative splicing in the response mechanisms

Twenty amino acids at the C-terminus of PA-X are associated with increased influenza A virus replication and pathogenicity

The PA-X protein, arising from ribosomal frameshift during PA translation, was recently discovered in influenza A virus (IAV). The C-terminal domain ‘X’ of PA-X proteins in IAVs can be classified as full-length (61 aa) or truncated (41 aa). In the main, avian influenza viruses express full-length PA-X proteins, whilst 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza viruses harbour truncated PA proteins. The truncated form lacks aa 232–252 of the full-length PA-X protein. The significance of PA-X length in virus function remains unclear. To address this issue, we constructed a set of contemporary influenza viruses (pH1N1, avian H5N1 and H9N2) with full and truncated PA-X by reverse genetics to compare their replication and host pathogenicity. All full-length PA-X viruses in human A549 cells conferred 10- to 100-fold increase in viral replication and 5–8 % increase in apoptosis relative to corresponding truncated PA-X viruses. Full-length PA-X viruses were more virulent and caused more severe inflammatory responses in mice. Furthermore, aa 233–252 at the C terminus of PA-X strongly suppressed co-transfected gene expression by ∼50 %, suggesting that these terminal 20 aa could play a role in enhancing viral replication and contribute to virulence

Genetically predicted causal effects of gut microbiota on spinal pain: a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis

BackgroundObservational studies have hinted at a correlation between the gut microbiota and spinal pain (SP). However, the impact of the gut microbiota on SP remains inconclusive.MethodsIn this study, we employed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal relationship between the gut microbiota and SP, encompassing neck pain (NP), thoracic spine pain (TSP), low back pain (LBP), and back pain (BP). The compiled gut microbiota data originated from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted by the MiBioGen consortium (n = 18,340). Summary data for NP were sourced from the UK Biobank, TSP from the FinnGen Biobank, and LBP from both the UK Biobank and FinnGen Biobank. Summary data for BP were obtained from the UK Biobank. The primary analytical approach for assessing causal relationships was the Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) method, supplemented by various sensitivity analyses to ensure result robustness.ResultsThe IVW analysis unveiled 37 bacterial genera with a potential causal relationship to SP. After Benjamini-Hochberg corrected test, four bacterial genera emerged with a strong causal relationship to SP. Specifically, Oxalobacter (OR: 1.143, 95% CI 1.061–1.232, P = 0.0004) and Tyzzerella 3 (OR: 1.145, 95% CI 1.059–1.238, P = 0.0007) were identified as risk factors for LBP, while Ruminococcaceae UCG011 (OR: 0.859, 95% CI 0.791–0.932, P = 0.0003) was marked as a protective factor for LBP, and Olsenella (OR: 0.893, 95% CI 0.839–0.951, P = 0.0004) was recognized as a protective factor for low back pain or/and sciatica. No significant heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was observed through alternative testing methods.ConclusionThis study establishes a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and SP, shedding light on the “gut-spine” axis. These findings offer novel perspectives for understanding the etiology of SP and provide a theoretical foundation for potential interventions targeting the gut microbiota to prevent and treat SP