Virtual reality for preoperative patient education: Impact on satisfaction, usability, and burnout from the perspective of new nurses

BACKGROUND Traditional paper-based preoperative patient education is a struggle for new nurses and requires extensive training.In this situation,virtual reality technology can help the new nurses.Despite its potential benefits,there are studies on patient satisfaction but there is limited information on the usability of virtual reality(VR)technology for new nurses in giving preoperative education to patients.AIM To investigate the impact on satisfaction,usability,and burnout of a system using VR technology in preoperative patient education.METHODS The study involved 20 nurses from the plastic surgery ward and 80 patients admitted between April and May 2019.Each nurse taught four patients:Two using traditional verbal education and two using virtual reality.The System Usability Scale,After-Scenario Questionnaire,and Maslach Burnout Inventory(MBI)were employed to evaluate the impact of these education methods.RESULTS The VR education groups showed a statistically higher satisfaction than the traditional verbal education groups.Among the three subscales of the MBI,emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment improved statistically significantly.VR was also better in terms of usability.CONCLUSION This study suggests VR enhances usability and reduces burnout in nurses,but further research is needed to assess its impact on depersonalization and objective measures like stress and heart rate.

Liquefaction susceptibility and deformation characteristics of saturated coral sandy soils subjected to cyclic loadings-a critical review

Coral sandy soils widely exist in coral island reefs and seashores in tropical and subtropical regions.Due to the unique marine depositional environment of coral sandy soils,the engineering characteristics and responses of these soils subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings have been a subject of intense interest among the geotechnical and earthquake engineering communities.This paper critically reviews the progress of experimental investigations on the undrained behavior of coral sandy soils under monotonic and cyclic loadings over the last three decades.The focus of coverage includes the contractive-dilative behavior,the pattern of excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)generation and the liquefaction mechanism and liquefaction resistance,the small-strain shear modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus and damping,the cyclic softening feature,and the anisotropic characteristics of undrained responses of saturated coral sandy soils.In particular,the advances made in the past decades are reviewed from the following aspects:(1)the characterization of factors that impact the mechanism and patterns of EPWP build-up;(2)the identification of liquefaction triggering in terms of the apparent viscosity and the average flow coefficient;(3)the establishment of the invariable form of strain-based,stress-based,or energy-based EPWP ratio formulas and the unique relationship between the new proxy of liquefaction resistance and the number of cycles required to reach liquefaction;(4)the establishment of the invariable form of the predictive formulas of small strain modulus and strain-dependent shear modulus;and(5)the investigation on the effects of stress-induced anisotropy on liquefaction susceptibility and dynamic deformation characteristics.Insights gained through the critical review of these advances in the past decades offer a perspective for future research to further resolve the fundamental issues concerning the liquefaction mechanism and responses of coral sandy sites subjected to cyclic loadings associated with seismic events in marine environments.

Recent advances in the study of epitopes,allergens and immunologic cross-reactivity of edible mango

Mango(Mangifera indica L.)is a tropical fruit that is widely consumed as both fresh fruits and processed products around the world.The high incidence of mango allergy,on the other hand,has sparked widespread concern.Therefore,a summary and analysis of the current status and issues in mango allergen research can guide in-depth study on the mechanism of mango allergy and reveal effective desensitization methods.We described the incidence of fruit allergy,as well as the mechanism and clinical symptoms of mango allergy,in this review.We also looked into the structural properties of mango allergens,the effect of processing methods on mango allergens,prediction methods for mango allergen epitopes,and the current state of research on mango cross-reactive allergens and preventive measures.Finally,the research directions and ideas for the future are proposed and discussed.

Plant-based dietary patterns and risk of esophageal cancer:A prospective cohort study spanning 17 years

Objective: Plant-based diets have multiple health benefits for cancers;however, little is known about the association between plant-based dietary patterns and esophageal cancer(EC).This study presents an investigation of the prospective associations among three predefined indices of plant-based dietary patterns and the risk of EC.Methods: We performed endoscopic screening for 15,709 participants aged 40-69 years from two high-risk areas of China from January 2005 to December 2009 and followed the cohort until December 31, 2022. The overall plant-based diet index(PDI), healthful plant-based diet index(h PDI), and unhealthful plant-based diet index(u PDI), were calculated using survey responses to assess dietary patterns. We applied Cox proportional hazard regression to estimate the multivariable hazard ratios(HRs) and 95% confidence intervals(95% CIs) of EC across 3plant-based diet indices and further stratified the analysis by subgroups.Results: The final study sample included 15,184 participants in the cohort. During a follow-up of 219,365person-years, 176 patients with EC were identified. When the highest quartile was compared with the lowest quartile, the pooled multivariable-adjusted HR of EC was 0.50(95% CI, 0.32-0.77) for h PDI. In addition, the HR per 10-point increase in the h PDI score was 0.42(95% CI, 0.27-0.66) for ECs. Conversely, u PDI was positively associated with the risk of EC, and the HR was 1.80(95% CI, 1.16-2.82). The HR per 10-point increase in the u PDI score was 1.90(95% CI, 1.26-2.88) for ECs. The associations between these scores and the risk of EC were consistent in most subgroups. These results remained robust in sensitivity analyses.Conclusions: A healthy plant-based dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of EC. Emphasizing the healthiness and quality of plant-based diets may be important for preventing the development of EC.

Ethnocultural heritage of the North-Eastern Caucasus as a factor of eco-tourism development

The North-East Caucasus is a multi-ethnic mountain macroregion with a rich cultural heritage,insufficiently studied in the context of the ecotourism development.To fill this gap and identify promising directions of environmentally safe forms of tourism,the author used in-depth review of modern literature to investigate the features of ecological tourism and the problems of preserving ethno-cultural heritage,and used historical and comparative-geographical methods to analyze the development of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North-Eastern Caucasus in different historical periods and to identify the geographical peculiarities of the distribution of historical and cultural monuments(tower buildings),pilgrimage sites and centers of traditional crafts and trades.As part of the planned expeditions,the author personally visited some historical monuments and handicraft centers for a deeper study of ethno-cultural heritage.The cartographic method made it possible to visualize the results.The results of the research show that the ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus is formed by material(historical and cultural monuments)and immaterial elements of culture(language,customs,traditions,ethnic identification)of those peoples,who live here.The ethnocultural heritage is considered as the most important factor in the development of the tourism industry.It is revealed that this region has a large potential for development in various areas of eco-tourism.The highest concentration of religious buildings focused in mountainous areas.Medieval tower structures were erected in mountainous and high-altitude areas.From ancient times to the present day there have been preserved various types of crafts and trades(pottery,metalworking,burka making,jewelry making,carpet weaving,gold embroidery,wood and stone carving,etc.),which can become objects of ecotourism.The ethnocultural heritage of the North-East Caucasus needs to be preserved and protected.To solve this problem,the author recommends to focus on a balanced combination of traditions and innovations in this industry,also considering the current state and development of the tourism industry in the country and in the world.The research highlights that the development of scientific approaches to plan and manage tourism development can contribute to the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.This is a complex and labour-intensive task,but its solution will have a multiplier effect in the social sphere,in economic development and in environmental security,which is in line with the principles and concept of sustainable development.

Life's essential 8 and risk of subclinical atherosclerosis progression: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated the benefits of ideal cardiovascular health(CVH) in reducing cardiovascular risk.However,its role in subclinical atherosclerosis(SA) progression remains unclear.We aim to examine the association of CVH,estimated by the American Heart Association's new Life's Essential 8(LE8),with the progression of SA.METHODS This prospective cohort study was conducted among 972 asymptomatic Chinese participants and followed up for5.7 years.The LE8 score(range,0–100) consisted of blood pressure,lipids,glucose,body mass index,smoking status,diet health,physical activity and sleep health was evaluated in 1998 and 2008–2009.Progression of SA was determined by carotid plaque and coronary artery calcification(CAC) in 2008–2009 and 2013–2014.Log-binomial regression model was used to estimate the association of LE8 score with SA progression.RESULTS Each 10 points increment in LE8 score was associated with 15.2%(RR:0.848,95% CI:0.797–0.902),17.7%(RR:0.823,95% CI:0.766–0.884) and 12.0%(RR:0.880,95% CI:0.845–0.916) lower risks of carotid plaque,CAC and overall SA progression,respectively.Compared with participants with non-ideal CVH at both visits,the participants with ideal CVH at both visits had39.1%(RR:0.609,95% CI:0.494–0.752),41.0%(RR:0.590,95% CI:0.456–0.764) and 29.7%(RR:0.703,95% CI:0.598–0.825) lower risks of carotid plaque,CAC and overall SA progression,respectively.CONCLUSIONS Higher LE8 scores were associated with lower risks of SA progression.Besides,long-term maintenance of optimal CVH was more beneficial to prevent SA progression.

Prospect Theory Based Individual Irrationality Modelling and Behavior Inducement in Pandemic Control

Understanding and modeling individuals’behaviors during epidemics is crucial for effective epidemic control.However,existing research ignores the impact of users’irrationality on decision-making in the epidemic.Meanwhile,existing disease control methods often assume users’full compliance with measures like mandatory isolation,which does not align with the actual situation.To address these issues,this paper proposes a prospect theorybased framework to model users’decision-making process in epidemics and analyzes how irrationality affects individuals’behaviors and epidemic dynamics.According to the analysis results,irrationality tends to prompt conservative behaviors when the infection risk is low but encourages risk-seeking behaviors when the risk is high.Then,this paper proposes a behavior inducement algorithm to guide individuals’behaviors and control the spread of disease.Simulations and real user tests validate our analysis,and simulation results show that the proposed behavior inducement algorithm can effectively guide individuals’behavior.

Geochemical Anomalies Identified by Multifractal Modeling: Implications for Mineral Exploration in the Ziyoutun Cu-Au District, Jilin Province, China

The Ziyoutun Cu-Au district is located in the Jizhong–Yanbian Metallogenic Belt and possesses excellent prospects. However, the thick regolith and complex tectonic settings present challenges in terms of detecting and decomposition of weak geochemical anomalies. To address this challenge, we initially conducted a comprehensive analysis of 1:10,000-scale soil geochemical data. This analysis included multivariate statistical techniques, such as correlation analysis, R-mode cluster analysis, Q–Q plots and factor analysis. Subsequently, we decomposed the geochemical anomalies, identifying weak anomalies using spectrum-area modeling and local singularity analysis. The results indicate that the assemblage of Au-Cu-Bi-As-Sb represents the mineralization at Ziyoutun. In comparison to conventional methods, spectrumarea modeling and local singularity analysis outperform in terms of identification of anomalies. Ultimately, we considered four specific target areas(AP01, AP02, AP03 and AP04) for future exploration, based on geochemical anomalies and favorable geological factors. Within AP01 and AP02, the geochemical anomalies suggest potential mineralization at depth, whereas in AP03 and AP04 the surface anomalies require additional geological investigation. Consequently, we recommend conducting drilling, following more extensive surface fieldwork, at the first two targets and verifying surface anomalies in the last two targets. We anticipate these findings will significantly enhance future exploration in Ziyoutun.

Right heart modified myocardial performance index and ductus venosus spectrum parameters in pre-eclampsia fetuses for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes

Objective To observe the values of changes of right heart modified myocardial performance index(Mod-MPI)and ductus venosus(DV)spectrum parameters in pre-eclampsia fetuses for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes.Methods Eighty-one pregnant women diagnosed as pre-eclampsia were prospectively enrolled and divided into severe pre-eclampsia(SPE)group(n=39)and mild pre-eclampsia(MPE)group(n=42),while 85 healthy pregnant women were taken as controls(control group).Fetal right heart function parameters,including right ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time(IRT),isovolumetric contraction time(ICT),ejection time(ET),total spent time(TST),Mod-MPI,tricuspid valve peak flow velocity ratio in early and late diastole(TV-E/A),as well as blood flow velocities in each waveform of DV spectrum(S,V,D,and A wave)were obtained,and the pulsatility index(PI)and the ratio of blood flow velocities in each waveform of the DV(S/V,S/D,S/A,V/D,V/A,D/A)were calculated.Intrauterine fetal distress,preterm delivery,neonatal asphyxia and newborn with low weight were considered as adverse pregnancy outcomes.The correlations of right heart Mod-MPI and TV-E/A with DV parameters in pre-eclampsia fetuses were assessed,and their predictive efficacies for adverse pregnancy outcomes were evaluated for right heart Mod-MPI and DV using the receiver operating characteristics(ROC)and the area under the curves(AUC).Results Compared with control group and MPE group,fetal right heart IRT,ICT and Mod-MPI increased and ET decreased in SPE group(all P<0.05).No significant differences of right heart TST and TV-E/A among 3 groups(both P>0.05).Fetal DV A-wave velocity and V/D values progressively decreased but PI progressively increased in control,MPE and SPE groups(all P<0.05).Fetal right heart Mod-MPI in pre-eclampsia was moderately positively correlated with DV PI(r=0.637,P=0.016),while TV-E/A was weakly negatively correlated with DV V/D(r=-0.355,P=0.043).Adverse pregnancy outcomes were noticed in 59 pre-eclampsia cases.The AUC of fetal right heart Mod-MPI and DV PI for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in pre-eclampsia cases was 0.897 and 0.848,respectively,without significant difference(Z=0.460,P=0.400).Conclusion Changes of right heart Mod-MPI and DV spectrum parameters in pre-eclampsia fetuses had high value for predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Iteration and evaluation of shale oil development technology for continental rift lake basins

By benchmarking with the iteration of drilling technology,fracturing technology and well placement mode for shale oil and gas development in the United States and considering the geological characteristics and development difficulties of shale oil in the Jiyang continental rift lake basin,East China,the development technology system suitable for the geological characteristics of shale oil in continental rift lake basins has been primarily formed through innovation and iteration of the development,drilling and fracturing technologies.The technology system supports the rapid growth of shale oil production and reduces the development investment cost.By comparing it with the shale oil development technology in the United States,the prospect of the shale oil development technology iteration in continental rift lake basins is proposed.It is suggested to continuously strengthen the overall three-dimensional development,improve the precision level of engineering technology,upgrade the engineering technical indicator system,accelerate the intelligent optimization of engineering equipment,explore the application of complex structure wells,form a whole-process integrated quality management system from design to implementation,and constantly innovate the concept and technology of shale oil development,so as to promote the realization of extensive,beneficial and high-quality development of shale oil in continental rift lake basins.

Ultrafast pulse wave velocity technique for evaluating changes of carotid artery elasticity in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients with euthyroidism

Objective To explore the value of ultrafast pulse wave velocity(UFPWV)technique for evaluating changes of carotid artery elasticity in Hashimoto thyroiditis(HT)patients with euthyroidism.Methods Conventional ultrasound and UFPWV for carotid artery were prospectively performed in 91 HT patients with euthyroidism(HT group)and 81 healthy subjects(control group).Clinical data and ultrasonic parameters were compared between groups.Spearman correlation analysis was performed to observe the correlations of carotid pulse wave velocity in end of systole(PWV-ES)with clinical indexes and other ultrasonic parameters in HT group.Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis was used to screen the independent impact factors of increased carotid PWV-ES in HT group.Results Significant differences of thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb),thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb),total cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)were found between groups(all P<0.05).The carotid PWV-ES in HT group was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.05),while no significant difference of carotid artery intima-media thickness(CIMT)nor carotid pulse wave velocity in beginning of systole(PWV-BS)was found between groups(both P>0.05).Carotid PWV-ES in HT group was positively correlated with patients'age,body mass index,TPOAb,TC,triglyceride,NLR and CIMT(r=0.217—0.707,all P<0.05).Patients'age,TPOAb and NLR were all independent impact factors of increased carotid PWV-ES in HT patients with euthyroidism(all P<0.05).Conclusion UFPWV technique could be used to evaluate changes of carotid artery elasticity in HT patients with euthyroidism,among which PWV-ES was relatively sensitive.

Potential of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease:A promising future

In this editorial,we provide insights into the publication by Niu et al featured in the latest edition of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.Specifically,our focus was on exploring the potential of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)induced by a high-fat diet through various mechanisms.NAFLD is a common liver condition,affecting approximately 25%of the world's population.It is closely linked to metabolic syndrome,insulin resistance,excessive body weight,and irregular lipid processing,leading to fat accumulation in the liver,as well as oxidative stress and inflammation.While maintaining a healthy diet and active lifestyle are essential for managing NAFLD,treatment options are limited due to undefined pathogenesis and a lack of specific medications.TCM,rooted in traditional Chinese practices,presents a promising alternative through its"syndrome differentiation and treatment"principles,enhancing liver lipid metabolism,reducing inflammation,and addressing fibrosis.Certain herbs,such as Poria cocos,Puaria lobata,and Salvia miltiorrhiza,have shown significant efficacy in reducing fat deposition and improving liver function.Due to systematic research and analysis of mechanisms,TCM is anticipated to yield new approaches to prevent and treat NAFLD,increasing its clinical application.

Advances and outlook of integrated reservoir-wellbore-pipe network simulation technology

The integrated simulation and optimization technology of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network is developed to reflect the mutual influence and restriction among reservoir engineering,oil production engineering and surface engineering,and to obtain the scheme with minimum conflict and optimal benefit in each step.This technology is based on the concept of global optimization to maximize production and profit,reduce costs and increase benefit.This paper elaborates the current situation of integrated simulation technology of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network both at home and abroad,discusses its correlation with the primary business of Sinopec and its development from three aspects of modeling,cloud platform and intellectualization.Suggestions on its future development are put forward from underlying data,software platform,popularization and application,and cross-border integration to provide means and guidance for the construction of intelligent oil and gas fields.The results show that the integrated simulation of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network can better reflect the optimization requirements of each step,avoid the ineffective operation of field equipment,and effectively improve the efficiency of research and management.Coupling solution,global optimization method and pressure fitting,which can make the simulation results reflect the real situation,are the key technologies for the network.The theoretical technology and main function research of integrated simulation technology have been mature,but the large-scale application and local function improvement of oil and gas fields are yet to be promoted.In the future,the integrated simulation of reservoir-wellbore-pipe network will develop from digitalization to modeling and intellectualization,from local simulation to cloud computing,and from manual intervention to intelligent decision-making.We suggest speeding up the construction of the unified database and model base of the whole underlying platform,strengthening the construction of software integration and integration platform with independent intellectual property rights,speeding up the popularization and application of intelligent oil and gas field demonstration projects,and strengthening the integration of oil and gas industry with artificial intelligence(AI),big data and block chain for its development.

Isotropic volumetric MRI for displaying cranial perineural spread of cranial nerve in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To observe the value of isotropic volumetric MRI for displaying perineural spread(PNS)of cranial nerve(CN)in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods Eighty-seven patients with pathologically proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma were prospectively enrolled.MR scanning,including three-dimensional liver acquisition with volume acceleration-flexible(3D LAVA_Flex)image,T2WI with fat suppression(T2WI-FS),T1WI,contrast enhancement(CE)T1WI-FS of nasopharynx and neck region were performed.The displaying rates of CN PNS were evaluated and compared between 3D LAVA_Flex and T2WI-FS,T1WI,CE-T1WI-FS at patient level,CN group level and neural level,respectively.Results The displaying rate of CN PNS in all 87 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients by 3D LAVA_Flex sequence was 49.43%(43/87),higher than that of conventional MRI(30/87,34.48%,P=0.001).Among 59 patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed with conventional sequences,the displaying rate of CN PNS was 71.19%(42/59)by 3D LAVA-Flex sequence,higher than that of conventional MRI(30/59,50.85%,P=0.001).At both patient level and posterior CN level,significant differences of the displaying rate of CN PNS were found between 3D LAVA-Flex sequence and T2WI-FS,T1WI,CE-T1WI-FS,while at CN level,the displaying rates of mandibular nerve PNS,CNⅨ—ⅪPNS in jugular foramen(P<0.05)and CNⅨ—ⅫPNS in carotid space of 3D LAVA_Flex sequence were all significantly higher than that of T2WI-FS,T1WI and CE-T1WI-FS(all P<0.05),of PNS of CNⅢ—Ⅴin cavernous sinus were higher than that of T2WI-FS(P<0.05),while of PNS of hypoglossal nerve were significantly higher than that of T2WI-FS and T1WI(both P<0.05).Conclusion 3D LAVA_Flex sequence could be used to effectively display CN PNS of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Self-supervised learning artificial intelligence noise reduction technology based on the nearest adjacent layer in ultra-low dose CT of urinary calculi

Objective To observe the value of self-supervised deep learning artificial intelligence(AI)noise reduction technology based on the nearest adjacent layer applicated in ultra-low dose CT(ULDCT)for urinary calculi.Methods Eighty-eight urinary calculi patients were prospectively enrolled.Low dose CT(LDCT)and ULDCT scanning were performed,and the effective dose(ED)of each scanning protocol were calculated.The patients were then randomly divided into training set(n=75)and test set(n=13),and a self-supervised deep learning AI noise reduction system based on the nearest adjacent layer constructed with ULDCT images in training set was used for reducing noise of ULDCT images in test set.In test set,the quality of ULDCT images before and after AI noise reduction were compared with LDCT images,i.e.Blind/Referenceless Image Spatial Quality Evaluator(BRISQUE)scores,image noise(SD ROI)and signal-to-noise ratio(SNR).Results The tube current,the volume CT dose index and the dose length product of abdominal ULDCT scanning protocol were all lower compared with those of LDCT scanning protocol(all P<0.05),with a decrease of ED for approximately 82.66%.For 13 patients with urinary calculi in test set,BRISQUE score showed that the quality level of ULDCT images before AI noise reduction reached 54.42%level but raised to 95.76%level of LDCT images after AI noise reduction.Both ULDCT images after AI noise reduction and LDCT images had lower SD ROI and higher SNR than ULDCT images before AI noise reduction(all adjusted P<0.05),whereas no significant difference was found between the former two(both adjusted P>0.05).Conclusion Self-supervised learning AI noise reduction technology based on the nearest adjacent layer could effectively reduce noise and improve image quality of urinary calculi ULDCT images,being conducive for clinical application of ULDCT.

Life cycle assessment as a prospective tool for sustainable agriculture and food planning at a local level

Owing to the far-reaching environmental consequences of agriculture and food systems,such as their contribution to climate change,there is an urgent need to reduce their impact.International and national governments set sustainability targets and implement corresponding measures.Nevertheless,critics of the globalized system claim that a territorial administrative scale is better suited to address sustainability issues.Yet,at the subnational level,local authorities rarely apply a systemic environmental assessment to enhance their action plans.This paper employs a territorial life cycle assessment methodology to improve local environmental agri-food planning.The objective is to identify significant direct and indirect environmental hotspots,their origins,and formulate effective mitigation strategies.The methodology is applied to the administrative department of Finistere,a strategic agricultural region in North-Western France.Multiple environmental criteria including climate change,fossil resource scarcity,toxicity,and land use are modeled.The findings reveal that the primary environmental hotspots of the studied local food system arise from indirect sources,such as livestock feed or diesel consumption.Livestock reduction and organic farming conversion emerge as the most environmentally efficient strategies,resulting in a 25%decrease in the climate change indicator.However,the overall modeled impact reduction is insufficient following national objectives and remains limited for the land use indicator.These results highlight the innovative application of life cycle assessment led at a local level,offering insights for the further advancement of systematic and prospective local agri-food assessment.Additionally,they provide guidance for local authorities to enhance the sustainability of planning strategies.

Long TR three-dimensional inversion recovery sequence with real reconstruction(3D real IR)for quantifying inner ear endolymphatic hydrops

Objective To observe the value of long TR three-dimensional inversion recovery sequence with real reconstruction(3D real IR)for quantifying inner ear endolymphatic hydrops(EH).Methods Totally 46 Ménière's disease(MD)patients and 21 healthy volunteers were prospectively enrolled.MR scanning for inner ear based on 3D real IR and 3D fluid attenuated inversion recovery(3D FLAIR)sequence 4—6 h after administration of contrast agents were performed.The imaging qualities were scored and compared between groups.The endolymphatic space area and the membranous labyrinth area of cochlea and vestibule,as well as endolymph/membranous labyrinth area percentage were calculated,the present or not of EH and the grade of EH were evaluated.EH inner ears of MD patients were enrolled in EH group,while inner ears of healthy volunteers were taken as controls(control group).The endolymphatic space area,membranous labyrinth area and endolymph/membranous labyrinth area percentage of cochlea and vestibule were compared between groups.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to calculate the diagnostic efficacy of the above indexes.Results Cochlear and/or vestibular EH were detected in 56 ears,including cochlear EH in 52 ears and vestibular EH in 45 ears among 46 MD patients(EH group),but not in 42 ears in control group.The subjective quality scores of 3D real IR images were higher than those of 3D-FLAIR(both P<0.05).Quantitative analysis based on 3D real IR images revealed that,compared with control group,significantly larger endolymph areas and endolymph/membranous labyrinth area percentages in both cochlea and vestibule were found in EH group(all P<0.001).The area under the curve(AUC)of cochlear or vestibular endolymph/membranous labyrinth area percentage for identifying inner ear EH was 0.999 and 0.985,respectively.Taken 13.64%and 24.13%as the critical value of cochlear or vestibular endolymph,the specificity was 100%and 92.86%,respectively,and the sensitivity was 96.43%and 96.43%,respectively.Conclusion MR long TR 3D real IR was helpful to quantifying inner ear EH.

Research Progress on Plant Anti-Freeze Proteins

Plant antifreeze proteins(AFPs)are special proteins that can protect plant cells from ice crystal damage in low-temperature environments,and they play a crucial role in the process of plants adapting to cold environ-ments.Proteins with these characteristics have been found infish living in cold regions,as well as many plants and insects.Although research on plant AFPs started relatively late,their application prospects are broad,leading to the attention of many researchers to the isolation,cloning,and genetic improvement of plant AFP genes.Studies have found that the distribution of AFPs in different species seems to be the result of independent evolu-tionary events.Unlike the AFPs found infish and insects,plant AFPs have multiple hydrophilic ice-binding domains,and their recrystallization inhibition activity is about 10–100 times that offish and insect AFPs.Although different plant AFPs have the characteristics of low TH and high RI,their DNA and amino acid sequences are completely different,with small homology.With in-depth research and analysis of the character-istics and mechanisms of plant AFPs,not only has our understanding of plant antifreeze mechanisms been enriched,but it can also be used to improve crop varieties and enhance their freezing tolerance,yield,and quality through genetic engineering.In addition,the study of plant AFPs also contributes to our understanding of freezing resistance mechanisms in other organisms and provides new research directions for thefield of biotech-nology.Therefore,based on the analysis of relevant literature,this article will delve into the concepts,character-istics,research methods,and mechanisms of plant AFPs,summarize the latest research progress and application prospects of AFPs in plant,and provide prospects for the future development of AFP gene research.

Research progress and development of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology

The research progress of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology systematically reviewed,the key problems existing are analyzed,and the future development direction is proposed.In view of the high temperature,high pressure and high stress,fracture development,wellbore instability,drilling fluid lost circulation and other problems faced in the process of deep and ultra-deep complex oil and gas drilling,scholars have developed deep and ultra-deep high-temperature and high-salt resistant water-based drilling fluid technology,high-temperature resistant oil-based/synthetic drilling fluid technology,drilling fluid technology for reservoir protection and drilling fluid lost circulation control technology.However,there are still some key problems such as insufficient resistance to high temperature,high pressure and high stress,wellbore instability and serious lost circulation.Therefore,the development direction of deep and ultra-deep drilling fluid technology in the future is proposed:(1)The technology of high-temperature and high-salt resistant water-based drilling fluid should focus on improving high temperature stability,improving rheological properties,strengthening filtration control and improving compatibility with formation.(2)The technology of oil-based/synthetic drilling fluid resistant to high temperature should further study in the aspects of easily degradable environmental protection additives with low toxicity such as high temperature stabilizer,rheological regulator and related supporting technologies.(3)The drilling fluid technology for reservoir protection should be devoted to the development of new high-performance additives and materials,and further improve the real-time monitoring technology by introducing advanced sensor networks and artificial intelligence algorithms.(4)The lost circulation control of drilling fluid should pay more attention to the integration and application of intelligent technology,the research and application of high-performance plugging materials,the exploration of diversified plugging techniques and methods,and the improvement of environmental protection and production safety awareness.

Assessment of CO_(2)storage prospect based on physical properties of Rio Bonito Formation rock units

The physical properties of the rock units associated with the Rio Bonito Formation are presented in this study with the focus on modelling reservoir quality based on petrophysics-derived parameters to evaluate CO_(2)storage potentials.It involves the modelling of the reservoir depths,thicknesses,flow zone indicators(FZI),and effective permeability(Keff)and presenting the CO_(2)storage efficiency factors peculiar to the rock units of the study location.Research results presented by this study for the stated objectives are not quite common in the region.Keff values range from 200 mD to higher than 2000 mD,and FZI values are generally above 1.0 mm and up to 13.0 mm within the portions covered by the drilled wells.The sandstone units recorded are up to 20 m thick in some cases.The Keff and FZI models indicate the sandstone reservoirs as permeable units to support the injection and circulation of CO_(2)within the potential reservoir units of the Rio Bonio Formation across São Paulo State.Apart from some points in the southeastern part of the study location,where the Rio Bonito are delineated at depths less than 800 m(minimum CO_(2)storage depth based on best practices),other portions are deeper,ranging from 950 m to 3500 m.Thin-bedded layers will affect the integrity of the rocks as CO_(2)storage tanks or reservoir seals/traps/overburden within the region.Sandstone bed thicknesses are up to 20 m in some cases.However,hybrid CO_(2)reservoir units are feasible,especially in portions where thin siltstone layers are sandwiched between sandstone units to provide considerable thicknesses based on CO_(2)storage standards.The current study shows that useable areas considering reservoir thickness,depth,and other physical qualities will significantly control the CO_(2)storage efficiency of the study location.Further studies featuring a detailed geophysical exploration of the site to confirm the availability and saturations of preexisting fluid(hydrocarbon and water)are encouraged to boost CO_(2)storage in the region.The related research-based results,as mentioned above,may be combined with the results of this research to determine the area's potentials for CO_(2)storage or hydrocarbon production with CO_(2)storage options.