Separate-layer balanced waterflooding development technology for thick and complex carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East

Based on the waterflooding development in carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East,in order to solve the problem of the poor development effects caused by commingled injection and production,taking the thick bioclastic limestone reservoirs of Cretaceous in Iran-Iraq as an example,this paper proposes a balanced waterflooding development technology for thick and complex carbonate reservoirs.This technology includes the fine division of development units by concealed baffles and barriers,the combination of multi well type and multi well pattern,and the construction of balanced water injection and recovery system.Thick carbonate reservoirs in Iran-Iraq are characterized by extremely vertical heterogeneity,development of multi-genesis ultra-high permeability zones,and highly concealed baffles and barriers.Based on the technologies of identification,characterization,and sealing evaluation for concealed baffles and barriers,the balanced waterflooding development technology is proposed,and three types of balanced waterflooding development modes/techniques are formed,namely,conventional stratigraphic framework,fine stratigraphic framework,and deepened stratigraphic framework.Numerical simulations show that this technology is able to realize a fine and efficient waterflooding development to recover,in a balanced manner,the reserves of thick and complex carbonate reservoirs in Iran and Iraq.The proposed technology provides a reference for the development optimization of similar reservoirs.

Adaptive delay-energy balanced partial offloading strategy in Mobile Edge Computing networks

Mobile Edge Computing(MEC)-based computation offloading is a promising application paradigm for serving large numbers of users with various delay and energy requirements.In this paper,we propose a flexible MECbased requirement-adaptive partial offloading model to accommodate each user's specific preference regarding delay and energy consumption.To address the dimensional differences between time and energy,we introduce two normalized parameters and then derive the computational overhead of processing tasks.Different from existing works,this paper considers practical variations in the user request patterns,and exploits a flexible partial offloading mode to minimize computation overheads subject to tolerable delay,task workload and power constraints.Since the resulting problem is non-convex,we decouple it into two convex subproblems and present an iterative algorithm to obtain a feasible offloading solution.Numerical experiments show that our proposed scheme achieves a significant improvement in computation overheads compared with existing schemes.

Incentive-compatible and budget balanced AGV mechanism for peer-to-peer energy trading in smart grids

Peer-to-peer(P2P)energy trading refers to a type of decentralized transaction,where the energy from distributed energy resources is directly traded between peers.A key challenge in peer-to-peer energy trading is designing a safe,efficient,and transparent trading model and operating mechanism.In this study,we consider a P2P trading environment based on blockchain technology,where prosumers can submit bids or offers without knowing the reports of others.We propose an Arrow-d’Aspremont-Gerard-Varet(AGV)-based mechanism to encourage prosumers to submit their real reserve price and determine the P2P transaction price.We demonstrate that the AGV mechanism can achieve Bayesian incentive compatibility and budget balance.Kernel density estimation(KDE)is used to derive the prior distribution from the historical bid/offer information of the agents.Case studies are carried out to analyze and evaluate the proposed mechanism.Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism in guiding agents to report the true reserve price while maximizing social welfare.Moreover,we discuss the advantages of budget balance for decentralized trading by comparing the Vickrey-Clarke-Groves(VCG)and AGV mechanisms.

A novel energetic framework with the combination of 5,6-fused triazolo-triazine and nitropyrazole-tetrazole for energy-stability balanced explosive

In recent years,the introduction of fused rings own high density and low sensitivity has promoted the development of energetic materials.However,the development of energetic compounds containing fused and bridged rings by introducing multiple nitrogen heterocycles at different sites of fused rings is still difficult to progress,which seriously limits the emergence of advanced energetic compounds.In this study,a series of energetic materials choosing different nitrogen rich heterocycles at the vacancies of the fused ring,i.e.,neutral compound 5,6 and their ionic derivatives(compounds 7-12)were designed and synthesized.Compounds 5 and 6 were further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction,while the crystal analysis and theoretical calculations were carried out to explore the relationship between crystal structure and physicochemical properties.All of the newly synthesized compounds(5-12)are insensitive to mechanical stimulation(IS>40 J;FS≥342 N)and they own the high detonation velocity(D:8322-9075 m/s).Notably,hydrazine salt 11 own the higher detonation velocity(9075 m/s)and powder density(1.83 g/cm^(3)),but exhibits lower sensitivity(IS>40 J)than the classical energetic compound RDX(8795 m/s,1.80 g/cm^(3),7.5 J).It is obvious that the combination of 5,6-fused triazolo-triazine and nitropyrazole-tetrazole may be a new energetic skeleton for synthesising the heterocyclic compounds with balanced energy-stability.

Improved Load-Balanced Clustering for Energy-Aware Routing(ILBC-EAR)in WSNs

Sensors are considered as important elements of electronic devices.In many applications and service,Wireless Sensor Networks(WSNs)are involved in significant data sharing that are delivered to the sink node in energy efficient man-ner using multi-hop communications.But,the major challenge in WSN is the nodes are having limited battery resources,it is important to monitor the consumption rate of energy is very much needed.However,reducing energy con-sumption can increase the network lifetime in effective manner.For that,clustering methods are widely used for optimizing the rate of energy consumption among the sensor nodes.In that concern,this paper involves in deriving a novel model called Improved Load-Balanced Clustering for Energy-Aware Routing(ILBC-EAR),which mainly concentrates on optimal energy utilization with load-balanced process among cluster heads and member nodes.For providing equal rate of energy consumption among nodes,the dimensions of framed clusters are measured.Moreover,the model develops a Finest Routing Scheme based on Load-Balanced Clustering to transmit the sensed information to the sink or base station.The evaluation results depict that the derived energy aware model attains higher rate of life time than other works and also achieves balanced energy rate among head node.Additionally,the model also provides higher throughput and minimal delay in delivering data packets.

BE-RPL:Balanced-load and Energy-efficient RPL

Internet of Things(IoT)empowers imaginative applications and permits new services when mobile nodes are included.For IoT-enabled low-power and lossy networks(LLN),the Routing Protocol for Low-power and Lossy Networks(RPL)has become an established standard routing protocol.Mobility under standard RPL remains a difficult issue as it causes continuous path disturbance,energy loss,and increases the end-to-end delay in the network.In this unique circumstance,a Balanced-load and Energy-efficient RPL(BE-RPL)is proposed.It is a routing technique that is both energy-efficient and mobility-aware.It responds quicker to link breakage through received signal strength-based mobility monitoring and selecting a new preferred parent reactively.The proposed system also implements load balancing among stationary nodes for leaf node allocation.Static nodes with more leaf nodes are restricted from participating in the election for a new preferred parent.The performance of BE-RPL is assessed using the COOJA simulator.It improves the energy use,network control overhead,frame acknowledgment ratio,and packet delivery ratio of the network.

Wireless Network Security Using Load Balanced Mobile Sink Technique

Real-time applications based on Wireless Sensor Network(WSN)tech-nologies are quickly increasing due to intelligent surroundings.Among the most significant resources in the WSN are battery power and security.Clustering stra-tegies improve the power factor and secure the WSN environment.It takes more electricity to forward data in a WSN.Though numerous clustering methods have been developed to provide energy consumption,there is indeed a risk of unequal load balancing,resulting in a decrease in the network’s lifetime due to network inequalities and less security.These possibilities arise due to the cluster head’s limited life span.These cluster heads(CH)are in charge of all activities and con-trol intra-cluster and inter-cluster interactions.The proposed method uses Lifetime centric load balancing mechanisms(LCLBM)and Cluster-based energy optimiza-tion using a mobile sink algorithm(CEOMS).LCLBM emphasizes the selection of CH,system architectures,and optimal distribution of CH.In addition,the LCLBM was added with an assistant cluster head(ACH)for load balancing.Power consumption,communications latency,the frequency of failing nodes,high security,and one-way delay are essential variables to consider while evaluating LCLBM.CEOMS will choose a cluster leader based on the influence of the fol-lowing parameters on the energy balance of WSNs.According to simulatedfind-ings,the suggested LCLBM-CEOMS method increases cluster head selection self-adaptability,improves the network’s lifetime,decreases data latency,and bal-ances network capacity.

Challenges in Work-Family Balance and Support Needs of Japanese Parents with Nursery School-Aged Children

We aimed to identify the challenges parents face raising preschool-aged children when trying to maintain a good work-family balance. We also highlight how public health nurses can support the community in this regard. Seven Japanese parents volunteered to participate, and individual in-depth interviews were conducted from May to October 2021. We analyzed the recorded interview data using qualitative descriptive methods. Three main themes concerning work-family balance challenges were extracted: 1) conflicts between parents’ childcare and work roles, 2) issues related to institutions and social systems, and 3) a lack of informal support. Factors contributing to the difficulties were a lack of time to spend with their children;an imbalance in the division of housework and childcare roles between married couples;the employment environment in Japan that makes it difficult to pursue a career while raising children;a lack of childcare services, including childcare for sick children;inadequate consultation systems;and an aging grandparents’ generation owing to late marriages. To solve this problem, we suggest that in addition to establishing a reliable system for providing childcare, local public health nurses should work with childcare workers to create an environment in which parents feel comfortable discussing work-family balance, considering the time constraints of parents during the childrearing period, and use nursery schools as a place for parent-child support.

Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase:ion pump,signal transducer,or cytoprotective protein,and novel biological functions

Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase is a transmembrane protein that has important roles in the maintenance of electrochemical gradients across cell membranes by transporting three Na^(+)out of and two K^(+)into cells.Additionally,Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase participates in Ca^(2+)-signaling transduction and neurotransmitter release by coordinating the ion concentration gradient across the cell membrane.Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase works synergistically with multiple ion channels in the cell membrane to form a dynamic network of ion homeostatic regulation and affects cellular communication by regulating chemical signals and the ion balance among different types of cells.Therefo re,it is not surprising that Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase dysfunction has emerged as a risk factor for a variety of neurological diseases.However,published studies have so far only elucidated the important roles of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase dysfunction in disease development,and we are lacking detailed mechanisms to clarify how Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase affects cell function.Our recent studies revealed that membrane loss of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase is a key mechanism in many neurological disorders,particularly stroke and Parkinson's disease.Stabilization of plasma membrane Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase with an antibody is a novel strategy to treat these diseases.For this reason,Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase acts not only as a simple ion pump but also as a sensor/regulator or cytoprotective protein,participating in signal transduction such as neuronal autophagy and apoptosis,and glial cell migration.Thus,the present review attempts to summarize the novel biological functions of Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase and Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase-related pathogenesis.The potential for novel strategies to treat Na^(+)/K^(+)-ATPase-related brain diseases will also be discussed.

Soleus arthrogenic muscle inhibition following acute lateral ankle sprain correlates with symptoms and ankle disability but not with postural control

Background:Acute lateral ankle sprains(ALAS)are associated with long-term impairments and instability tied to altered neural excitability.Arthrogenic muscle inhibition(AMI)has been observed in this population;however,relationships with injury-related impairments are unclear,potentially due to the resting,prone position in which AMI is typically measured.Assessing AMI during bipedal stance may provide a better understanding of this relationship.Methods:AMI was assessed in 38 young adults(19 ALAS within 72 h of injury:10 males,21.4±2.7 years;19 healthy controls:10 males,21.9±2.2 years;mean±SD)using the Hoffmann reflex(H-reflex)during bipedal stance.Electrical stimulation was administered to identify the _(max)imal H-reflex(H_(max))and _(max)imal motor response(M_(max))from the soleus,fibularis longus,and tibialis anterior muscles.The primary outcome measure was the H_(max)/M_(max) ratio.Secondary outcomes included acute symptoms(pain and swelling),postural control during bipedal stance,and self-reported function.Results:No significant group-by-limb interactions were observed for any muscle.However,a significant group main effect was observed in the soleus muscle(F(1,35)=6.82,p=0.013),indicating significantly lower H_(max)/M_(max) ratios following ALAS(0.38±0.20)compared to healthy controls(0.53±0.16).Furthermore,lower H_(max)/M_(max) ratios in the soleus significantly correlated with acute symptoms and self-reported function but not with postural control.Conclusion:This study supports previous evidence of AMI in patients with ALAS,providing insight into neurophysiologic impacts of musculoskeletal injury.Our results suggest that assessing AMI in a standing position following acute injury may provide valuable insight into how AMI develops and guide potential therapeutic options to curb and offset the formation of joint instability.

Real-time tracking of fast-moving object in occlusion scene

Tracking the fast-moving object in occlusion situations is an important research topic in computer vision. Despite numerous notable contributions have been made in this field,few of them simultaneously incorporate both object's extrinsic features and intrinsic motion patterns into their methodologies,thereby restricting the potential for tracking accuracy improvement. In this paper, on the basis of efficient convolution operators(ECO) model, a speed-accuracy-balanced model is put forward. This model uses the simple correlation filter to track the object in real-time, and adopts the sophisticated deep-learning neural network to extract high-level features to train a more complex filter correcting the tracking mistakes, when the tracking state is judged to be poor. Furthermore, in the context of scenarios involving regular fast-moving, a motion model based on Kalman filter is designed which greatly promotes the tracking stability, because this motion model could predict the object's future location from its previous movement pattern. Additionally,instead of periodically updating our tracking model and training samples, a constrained condition for updating is proposed,which effectively mitigates contamination to the tracker from the background and undesirable samples avoiding model degradation when occlusion happens. From comprehensive experiments, our tracking model obtains better performance than ECO on object tracking benchmark 2015(OTB100), and improves the area under curve(AUC) by about 8% and 32% compared with ECO, in the scenarios of fast-moving and occlusion on our own collected dataset.

Attribution of Biases of Interhemispheric Temperature Contrast in CMIP6 Models

One of the basic characteristics of Earth's modern climate is that the Northern Hemisphere(NH) is climatologically warmer than the Southern Hemisphere(SH). Here, model performances of this basic state are examined using simulation results from 26 CMIP6 models. Results show that the CMIP6 models underestimate the contrast in interhemispheric surface temperatures on average(0.8 K for CMIP6 mean versus 1.4 K for reanalysis data mean), and that there is a large intermodel spread, ranging from -0.7 K to 2.3 K. A box model energy budget analysis shows that the contrast in interhemispheric shortwave absorption at the top of the atmosphere, the contrast in interhemispheric greenhouse trapping, and the crossequatorial northward ocean heat transport, are all underestimated in the multimodel mean. By examining the intermodel spread, we find intermodel biases can be tracked back to biases in midlatitude shortwave cloud forcing in AGCMs. Models with a weaker interhemispheric temperature contrast underestimate the shortwave cloud reflection in the SH but overestimate the shortwave cloud reflection in the NH, which are respectively due to underestimation of the cloud fraction over the SH extratropical ocean and overestimation of the cloud liquid water content over the NH extratropical continents.Models that underestimate the interhemispheric temperature contrast exhibit larger double ITCZ biases, characterized by excessive precipitation in the SH tropics. Although this intermodel spread does not account for the multimodel ensemble mean biases, it highlights that improving cloud simulation in AGCMs is essential for simulating the climate realistically in coupled models.

Unveiling evapotranspiration patterns and energy balance in a subalpine forest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:observations and analysis from an eddy covariance system

Evapotranspiration is an important parameter used to characterize the water cycle of ecosystems.To under-stand the properties of the evapotranspiration and energy balance of a subalpine forest in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,an open-path eddy covariance system was set up to monitor the forest from November 2020 to October 2021 in a core area of the Three Parallel Rivers in the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau.The results show that the evapotranspira-tion peaked daily,the maximum occurring between 11:00 and 15:00.Environmental factors had significant effects on evapotranspiration,among them,net radiation the greatest(R^(2)=0.487),and relative humidity the least(R^(2)=0.001).The energy flux varied considerably in different seasons and sensible heat flux accounted for the main part of turbulent energy.The energy balance ratio in the dormant season was less than that in the growing season,and there is an energy imbalance at the site on an annual time scale.

Distributed Graph Database Load Balancing Method Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning

This paper focuses on the scheduling problem of workflow tasks that exhibit interdependencies.Unlike indepen-dent batch tasks,workflows typically consist of multiple subtasks with intrinsic correlations and dependencies.It necessitates the distribution of various computational tasks to appropriate computing node resources in accor-dance with task dependencies to ensure the smooth completion of the entire workflow.Workflow scheduling must consider an array of factors,including task dependencies,availability of computational resources,and the schedulability of tasks.Therefore,this paper delves into the distributed graph database workflow task scheduling problem and proposes a workflow scheduling methodology based on deep reinforcement learning(DRL).The method optimizes the maximum completion time(makespan)and response time of workflow tasks,aiming to enhance the responsiveness of workflow tasks while ensuring the minimization of the makespan.The experimental results indicate that the Q-learning Deep Reinforcement Learning(Q-DRL)algorithm markedly diminishes the makespan and refines the average response time within distributed graph database environments.In quantifying makespan,Q-DRL achieves mean reductions of 12.4%and 11.9%over established First-fit and Random scheduling strategies,respectively.Additionally,Q-DRL surpasses the performance of both DRL-Cloud and Improved Deep Q-learning Network(IDQN)algorithms,with improvements standing at 4.4%and 2.6%,respectively.With reference to average response time,the Q-DRL approach exhibits a significantly enhanced performance in the scheduling of workflow tasks,decreasing the average by 2.27%and 4.71%when compared to IDQN and DRL-Cloud,respectively.The Q-DRL algorithm also demonstrates a notable increase in the efficiency of system resource utilization,reducing the average idle rate by 5.02%and 9.30%in comparison to IDQN and DRL-Cloud,respectively.These findings support the assertion that Q-DRL not only upholds a lower average idle rate but also effectively curtails the average response time,thereby substantially improving processing efficiency and optimizing resource utilization within distributed graph database systems.

Transverse momentum balance of dijets in Xe+Xe collisions at the LHC

We present a theoretical study of the medium modifications of the Pr balance(xJ)of dijets in Xe+Xe cllions at√SNN=5.44 TeV.The initial production of dijets was carried out using the POWHEG+PYTHLA8 prescription,which matches the next-to-leading-order(NLO)QCD matrix elements with the parton shower(PS)effect.The SHELL model described the in-medium evolution of nucleus-nucleus collisions using a transport approach.The theoretical results of the dijet xJ in the Xe+Xe collisions exhibit more imbalanced distributions than those in thep+p collisions,consistent with recently reported ATLAS data.By utilizing the Interleaved Flavor Neutralisation,an infrared-and-collinear-safe jet flavor algorithm,to identify the flavor of the reconstructed jets,we classify dijets processes into three categories:glucn-gluon(gg),quark-gluon(qg),and quark-quark(qq),and investigated the respective medium modification patterns.and fraction changes of the 9g,qg,and qq components of the dijet sample in Xe+Xe collisions.It is shown that the increased fraction of qg component at a small xJ contributes to the imbalanceof the dijet;in particular,the 9192(quark-jet-leading)dijets experience more significant asymmetric energy loss than the 9192(gluon-jet-leading)dijets traversing theQGP.By comparing the O(xz)=(x)pp-(xJ)AA ofincdusive,cc and b6 dijets in Xe+Xe cllions,we observe△(xj)inal.>△(xj)cε>△(xj)bD.Moreover,Pxe,Pb,the ratios of the nuclear modification factors of dijets in Xe+Xe to those in Pb+Pb,were calculated,which indicates that the yield suppression of dijets in Pb+Pb is more pronounced than that in Xe+Xe owing to the larger radius of the lead nucleus.

Joint position optimization,user association,and resource allocation for load balancing in UAV-assisted wireless networks

Unbalanced traffic distribution in cellular networks results in congestion and degrades spectrum efficiency.To tackle this problem,we propose an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)-assisted wireless network in which the UAV acts as an aerial relay to divert some traffic from the overloaded cell to its adjacent underloaded cell.To fully exploit its potential,we jointly optimize the UAV position,user association,spectrum allocation,and power allocation to maximize the sum-log-rate of all users in two adjacent cells.To tackle the complicated joint optimization problem,we first design a genetic-based algorithm to optimize the UAV position.Then,we simplify the problem by theoretical analysis and devise a low-complexity algorithm according to the branch-and-bound method,so as to obtain the optimal user association and spectrum allocation schemes.We further propose an iterative power allocation algorithm based on the sequential convex approximation theory.The simulation results indicate that the proposed UAV-assisted wireless network is superior to the terrestrial network in both utility and throughput,and the proposed algorithms can substantially improve the network performance in comparison with the other schemes.

Coupling Coordination Analysis of Cropland Intensification and Agroecosystem Services:Evidence from Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province,China

One of the greatest challenges in the agroecosystem is to improve cropland intensification while preserving agroecosystem services.While many studies have investigated the effect of cropland intensification on agroecosystem service,the interactive coupling and coordination among these factors remain largely unexplored.In view of this,this study performed a case study of the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province,China and constructed comprehensive evaluation models to quantify the cropland intensification and agroecosystem service in this area.Balance analysis and the coupling coordination degree model were used to evaluate the interactive relationship between cropland intensification and agroecosystem service,and statistical analysis and spatial autocorrelation were used to analyze the spatial characteristics and potential mechanism of the coupling coordination.Results show that both the cropland intensification and agroecosystem service in the study area were relatively low yet gradually increased from 2000 to 2020.Agroecosystem service lag was identified as the dominant unbalanced development type.Improving the supply capacity of agroecosystem services plays a key role in the balanced development of cropland in the Loess Plateau.The coupling coordination degree between cropland intensification and agroecosystem service ranges from basic coordination to serious incoordination.Therefore,cropland intensification practices in the area should be optimized to enhance this coordination degree.An upward trend was also observed in the coupling coordination degree from2000 to 2020.The withdrawal of marginal cropland in the Grain for Green program is one of the most important reasons for this trend,especially for the northern region.Around 83.6%of the high-high clusters are concentrated in the southern region of the Loess Plateau,whereas 70.5%of the low-low clusters are distributed in the northern region.These clustering characteristics are mainly attributed to the environmental suitability of these areas for agriculture and their degree of economic development.

Experimental study on workability and permeability of sandy soils conditioned with thickened foam

Water spewing and muck plugging often occur during earth pressure balance(EPB)shield machines tunnelling in water-rich sandy strata,even though the conventional foam has been employed to condition sandy soils.In this study,a novel thickened foaming agent suitable for EPB shield tunnelling in water-rich sandy strata is developed.In contrast to conventional foam-conditioned sands,the thickened foam-conditioned sand has a low permeability due to the consistent filling of soil pores with the thickened foam,and the initial permeability coefficient decreases by approximately two orders of magnitude.It also exhibits a suitable workability,which is attributed to the enhanced capability of the thickened foam to condition sandy soils.In addition,the effect of concentration on the stability of the foam is explained by the Gibbs-Marangoni effect,and conditioning mechanisms for the thickened foam on sands are discussed from the evolution of foam bubbles.

Harmonic balance simulation of the influence of component uniformity and reliability on the performance of a Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifier

A Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifier(JTWPA),which is a quantum-limited amplifier with high gain and large bandwidth,is the core device of large-scale measurement and control systems for quantum computing.A typical JTWPA consists of thousands of Josephson junctions connected in series to form a transmission line and hundreds of shunt LC resonators periodically loaded along the line for phase matching.Because the variation of these capacitors and inductors can be detrimental to their high-frequency characteristics,the fabrication of a JTWPA typically necessitates precise processing equipment.To guide the fabrication process and further improve the design for manufacturability,it is necessary to understand how each electronic component affects the amplifier.In this paper,we use the harmonic balance method to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of nonuniformity and fabrication yield of the electronic components on the performance of a JTWPA.The results provide insightful and scientific guidance for device design and fabrication processes.

Reduction of epinephrine in the lumbar spinal cord following repetitive blast-induced traumatic brain injury in rats

Traumatic brain inju ry-induced unfavorable outcomes in human patients have independently been associated with dysregulated levels of monoamines,especially epinephrine,although few preclinical studies have examined the epinephrine level in the central nervous system after traumatic brain injury.Epinephrine has been shown to regulate the activities of spinal motoneurons as well as increase the heart rate,blood pressure,and blood flow to the hindlimb muscles.Therefore,the purpose of the present study was to determine the impact of repeated blast-induced traumatic brain injury on the epinephrine levels in seve ral function-s pecific central nervous system regions in rats.Following three repeated blast injuries at 3-day intervals,the hippocampus,motor cortex,locus coeruleus,vestibular nuclei,and lumbar spinal cord were harvested at post-injury day eight and processed for epinephrine assays using a high-sensitive electrochemical detector cou pled with high-performance liquid chromatography.Our results showed that the epinephrine levels were significantly decreased in the lumbar spinal cord tissues of blast-induced traumatic brain injury animals compared to the levels detected in age-and sex-matched sham controls.In other function-specific central nervous system regions,although the epinephrine levels were slightly altered following blast-induced tra u matic brain injury,they were not statistically significant.These results suggest that blast injury-induced significant downregulation of epinephrine in the lumbar spinal cord could negatively impact the motor and cardiovascular function.This is the first repo rt to show altered epinephrine levels in the spinal cord following repetitive mild blast-induced traumatic brain injury.