Quantitative analysis of the risk of hydrogen sulfide release from gas hydrates

The role that H2S plays in the global sulfur cycle has been studied extensively in recent years. This paper focuses on the influence of H2S released from gas hydrates on sulfur cycle and establishes a one-dimensional mathematical model to calculate the amount of H2S released from the dissociation of gas hydrates present in multiple layers in the Qiongdongnan Basin China. The results show that the sulfate and methane transition zone that covers an area of about 100 km2in the Qiongdongnan Basin contains 2.3 × 1012 g of pyrite, which requires 4.06 × 1011 mol of H2S for its formation. The H2S released from the dissociation of gas hydrates is 5.4 ×1011 mol, which is about 1.3 times that needed for the formation of pyrite. Therefore, the H2S released from the gas hydrates is an important source of H2S for the formation of pyrite in the sulfate-methane transition zone of Qiongdongnan Basin. According to the flux of H2S and the partial pressure of O2 (PO2) in the atmosphere, the critical value of the balance between the flux of H2S and PO2 turns out to be 0.13 mol kg−1∙bar−1. Furthermore, considering the effect of global sea-level changes, three risk modes are identified to categorize the amount of H2S released from the dissociation of gas hydrate into the atmosphere. We classify the periods from 5–12 Ma BP, 25–29 Ma BP, 47–52 Ma, and 57–61 Ma BP into the high-risk mode. Furthermore, the results show that a part of the H2S released from the gas hydrate dissociation is oxidized by the Fe (III) oxide metal, with much of the metal ions being released into the pore water. Another part of the H2S is re-oxidized by the O2 in the ocean, with much of SO42- released into the seawater. Therefore, the process also provides metal ions and SO42- to pore water or seawater when the H2S released from gas hydrate diffuses from the bottom. This paper provides new insights into the source of H2S in the ocean and shows that the H2S contained in gas hydrates plays an important role in the global sulfur cycle

Investigation of the Static Characteristics of a Geogrid-Reinforced Embankment

The research object of this paper is a geogrid-reinforced embankment. Through numerical simulation and data monitoring, the characteristics of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, vertical earth pressure, horizontal earth pressure, and internal force in a geogrid-reinforced embankment are studied. The results show that: (1) According to the analysis of monitoring data, the cumulative horizontal displacement decreases and the cumulative vertical displacement increases with time. Additionally, the cumulative vertical displacement is greater than the cumulative horizontal displacement. (2) The vertical pressure of the fill and tensile stress of the geogrid are largest at the center of the structure section, and the horizontal earth pressure is also largest on both sides of the structure. (3) The numerical simulation value and actual monitoring value of the project are compared with the design value. It is found that the tensile force, horizontal pressure, vertical pressure, horizontal displacement, and vertical displacement of the geogrid are less than the design value. The simulated characteristic value is greater than the actual monitored characteristic value. The research results provide a reference for the design of similar geogrid-reinforced embankments

Investigation of the Static Characteristics of a Geogrid-Reinforced Embankment

The research object of this paper is a geogrid-reinforced embankment. Through numerical simulation and data monitoring, the characteristics of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, vertical earth pressure, horizontal earth pressure, and internal force in a geogrid-reinforced embankment are studied. The results show that: (1) According to the analysis of monitoring data, the cumulative horizontal displacement decreases and the cumulative vertical displacement increases with time. Additionally, the cumulative vertical displacement is greater than the cumulative horizontal displacement. (2) The vertical pressure of the fill and tensile stress of the geogrid are largest at the center of the structure section, and the horizontal earth pressure is also largest on both sides of the structure. (3) The numerical simulation value and actual monitoring value of the project are compared with the design value. It is found that the tensile force, horizontal pressure, vertical pressure, horizontal displacement, and vertical displacement of the geogrid are less than the design value. The simulated characteristic value is greater than the actual monitored characteristic value. The research results provide a reference for the design of similar geogrid-reinforced embankments

Tunable multiwavelength narrow linewidth Brillouin erbium fiber laser based on Rayleigh backscattering

A Rayleigh backscattering (RBS) assisted Brillouin erbium fiber laser scheme with multiwavelength narrow linewidth output is proposed and investigated experimentally. The stimulated Brillouin scattering and RBS take place at two conventional single-mode fibers (SMFs), respectively. RBS is used as a mechanism to compress the linewidth of each Stokes component, and it has been realized and maximized in conventional SMF by optimizing injection power of Stokes light through adjusting variable optical attenuator (VOA). By adjusting VOA attenuation, the laser can obtain three wavelengths output with 3 dB linewidth less than 2 KHz for each wavelength, or six wavelengths output with 3 dB linewidth less than 5 KHz.Published versio

Quantitative Assessment of Apple Mosaic Disease Severity Based on Hyperspectral Images and Chlorophyll Content

The infection of Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) can severely damage the cellular structure of apple leaves, leading to a decrease in leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) and reduced fruit yield. In this study, we propose a novel method that utilizes hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology to non-destructively monitor ApMV-infected apple leaves and predict LCC as a quantitative indicator of disease severity. LCC data were collected from 360 ApMV-infected leaves, and optimal wavelengths were selected using competitive adaptive reweighted sampling algorithms. A high-precision LCC inversion model was constructed based on Boosting and Stacking strategies, with a validation set Rv2 of 0.9644, outperforming traditional ensemble learning models. The model was used to invert the LCC distribution image and calculate the average and coefficient of variation (CV) of LCC for each leaf. Our findings indicate that the average and CV of LCC were highly correlated with disease severity, and their combination with sensitive wavelengths enabled the accurate identification of disease severity (validation set overall accuracy = 98.89%). Our approach considers the role of plant chemical composition and provides a comprehensive evaluation of disease severity at the leaf scale. Overall, our study presents an effective way to monitor and evaluate the health status of apple leaves, offering a quantifiable index of disease severity that can aid in disease prevention and control

Reconfiguration of Gut Microbiota and Reprogramming of Liver Metabolism with Phycobiliproteins Bioactive Peptides to Rehabilitate Obese Rats

Phycobiliproteins (derived from Arthrospira platensis) bioactive peptide extracts (PPE) possess multiple pharmacological effects in the mitigation of human metabolic disorders. The role of PPE in the treatment of diet-induced obesity and the understanding of the underlying mechanism between the gut microbiome and metabolic blood circulation for obese patients remains poorly understood. In this study, we showed that PPE attenuated obesity by reducing body weight, and ameliorated glucose and lipid indexes in serum. In particular, PPE is postulated to mitigate liver steatosis and insulin resistance. On the other hand, dietary treatment with PPE was found to “reconfigure” the gut microbiota in the way that the abundances were elevated for Akkermansia_muciniphila, beneficial Lactobacillus and Romboutsia, SCFA-producing species Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Lachnospiraceae_bacterium, Clostridiales_bacterium, probiotics Clostridium sp., Enterococcus faecium, and Lactobacillus_johnsonii, while the abundance of Firmicutes was reduced and that of Bacteroidetes was increased to reverse the imbalance of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Finally, the metabolomics of circulating serum using UHPLC-MS/MS illustrated that PPE supplementation indeed promoted lipid metabolism in obese rats. As summary, it was seen that PPE reprogrammed the cell metabolism to prevent the aggravation of obesity. Our findings strongly support that PPE can be regarded as a potential therapeutic dietary supplement for obesity

Study on Durability and Pore Characteristics of Concrete under Salt Freezing Environment

The macroscopic mechanical properties and frost resistance durability of concrete are closely related to the changes in the internal pore structure. In this study, the two-dimensional and three-dimensional ICT (Industrial Computerized Tomography) pore characteristics of C30 concrete specimens before and after freezing and thawing in clean water, 5 wt.% NaCl, 5 wt.% CaCl2, and 5 wt.% CH3COOK solution environments are obtained through concrete frost resistance durability test and ICT scanning technology. The effects of pore structure changes on concrete frost resistance, durability, and compressive strength mechanical properties after freezing and thawing cycles in different salt solution environments are analyzed. This paper provides new means and ideas for the study of concrete pores. The results show that with the increase in the freezing and thawing times, the concrete porosity, two-dimensional pore area, three-dimensional pore volume, and pore number generally increase in any solution environment, resulting in the loss of concrete compressive strength, mortar spalling, and the decrease in the relative dynamic elastic modulus. Among them, the CH3COOK solution has the least influence on the concrete pore changes; the NaCl solution has the greatest influence on the change in the concrete internal porosity. The damage of CaCl2 solution to concrete is second only to the NaCl solution, followed by clean water. The increase in the concrete internal porosity from high to low is NaCl, CaCl2, clean water, and CH3COOK. The change in the pore volume of 0.1 to 1 mm3 after the freeze–thaw cycle is the main factor for reducing concrete strength. The test results have certain guiding value for the selection of deicing salt in engineering

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells implantation accelerates cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats via the Wnt signaling pathway

Abstract Objective Difficulty in wound healing is one common complication of diabetes mellitus. The study explored whether the therapeutic effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) on diabetic ulcer wound was enhanced by the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Methods Rat diabetic model was established by intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (STZ). hUCMSCs were purified and seeded on the collagen–chitosan laser drilling acellular dermal matrix (CCLDADM) scaffold, which was subsequently implanted into the cutaneous wound of normal and diabetic rats, followed by daily injection of Wnt signaling pathway agonist (Wnt3a) or antagonist (sFRP3) at the edge of the scaffold. Wound healing was checked on days 7, 14, and 21, and the fibrous tissue deposition, capillaries, and epidermal regeneration at the wound were examined by hematoxylin–eosin staining. The hUCMSCs-CCLDADM scaffold was cultured in vitro and treated with Wnt3a or sFRP3, followed by evaluation of cell proliferation, cell proliferation rate, survival status, and altered protein levels in the Wnt signaling pathway using BrdU staining, CCK-8 assay, live/dead staining, and Western blotting, respectively. Results On days 7 and 14 postoperatively, the speed of wound healing was significantly lower in diabetic rats than that in normal control rats. This phenomenon was significantly improved by the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway that also elevated the fibrous protein deposition and the abundance of capillary in the granulation tissue. Conversely, blockade of Wnt signaling slowed the healing of skin wound in diabetic rats. The activation of Wnt signaling pathway promoted the proliferation and differentiation and decreased the apoptosis of hUCMSCs, thereby elevating the number of living hUCMSCs on the CCLDADM scaffold, while the suppression exerted a contrary effect. Conclusion The activation of the Wnt signaling pathway promotes the healing of diabetic skin wound by the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of hUCMSCs on the CCLDADM scaffold