Numerical analysis on the factors affecting post-peak characteristics of coal under uniaxial compression

The post-peak characteristics of coal serve as a direct reflection of its failure process and are essential parameters for evaluating brittleness and bursting liability.Understanding the significant factors that influence post-peak characteristics can offer valuable insights for the prevention of coal bursts.In this study,the Synthetic Rock Mass method is employed to establish a numerical model,and the factors affecting coal post-peak characteristics are analyzed from four perspectives:coal matrix mechanical parameters,structural weak surface properties,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The research identifies four significant influencing factors:deformation modulus,density of discrete fracture networks,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The response and sensitivity of post-peak characteristics to single-factor and multi-factor interactions are assessed.The result suggested that feasible prevention and control measures for coal bursts can be formulated through four approaches:weakening the mechanical properties of coal pillars,increasing the number of structural weak surfaces in coal pillars,reducing the width of coal pillars,and optimizing mining and excavation speed.The efficacy of measures aimed at weakening the mechanical properties of coal is successfully demonstrated through a case study on coal burst prevention using large-diameter borehole drilling.

Geochemical and petrological studies of high sulfur coal and overburden from Makum coalfield (Northeast India) towards understanding and mitigation of acid mine drainage

Opencast coal mining produces trash of soil and rock containing various minerals,that are usually dumped nearby the abandoned sites which causes severe environmental concern including the production of acid mine drainage(AMD)through oxidation pyrite minerals.The current study entailed assessing the potential production of AMD from an opencast coal mining region in Northeast part of India.In order to have a comprehensive overview of the AMD problem in Makum coalfield,the physico-chemical,geochemical,and petrological characteristics of the coal and overburden(OB)samples collected from the Makum coalfield(Northeast India)were thoroughly investigated.The maceral compositions reveal that coal features all three groups of macerals(liptinite,vitrinite,and inertinite),with a high concentration of liptinite indicating the coal of perhydrous,thereby rendering it more reactive.Pyrite(FeS_(2))oxidation kinetics were studied by conducting the aqueous leaching experiments of coal and(OB)samples to interpret the chemical weathering under controlled laboratory conditions of various temperature and time periods,and to replicate the actual mine site leaching.Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy(ICP-OES)was operated to detect the disposal of some precarious elements from coal and OB samples to the leachates during our controlled leaching experiment.The Rare earth element(REE)enrichment in the samples shows the anthropogenic incorporation of the REE in the coal and OB.These experiments reveal the change in conductivity,acid producing tendency,total dissolved solid(TDS),total Iron(Fe)and dissolved Sulfate(SO_(4)^(2−))ions on progress of the leaching experiments.Moreover,the discharge of FeS_(2) via atmospheric oxidation in laboratory condition undergoes a significant growth with the rise of temperature of the reaction systems in the environment and follows pseudo first order kinetics.A bio-remediative strategies is also reported in this paper to mitigate AMD water by employing size-segregated powdered limestone and water hyacinth plant in an indigenously developed site-specific prototype station.Apart from neutralisation of AMD water,this eco-friendly AMD remediation strategy demonstrates a reduction in PHEs concentrations in the treated AMD water.

Organic petrographic and mineralogical composition of the No. 6 coal seam of the Soutpansberg Coalfield, South Africa: Insights into paleovegetation and depositional environment

This study investigates the paleodepositional conditions of the No.6 Seam of the Madzaringwe Formation in Makhado and Voorburg south area of the Soutpansberg Coalfield(Limpopo Province,South Africa)utilizing organic petrography and inorganic geochemical proxies.The coals are predominantly high-volatile bituminous B-A rank with high ash yields(avg.36.1 wt%),characterized by high-vitrinite(~41.5 vol%),moderate-to-high inertinite(9.8 vol%–33.7 vol%)and low liptinite(~2.3 vol%).The distribution of inertinite varies among different coal horizons(from bottom-lower to middle-upper),suggesting differential oxidation conditions and/or paleofire occurrence.Vitrinite-to-inertinite(V/I)ratio,tissue preservation–gelification index(TPI–GI),and groundwater–vegetation index(GWI–VI)plots,indicate that the peat-forming forest-swamp vegetation accumulated under mesotrophic-to-rheotrophic hydrological conditions.The presence of structured macerals(i.e.,telinite,collotelinite,fusinite,and semifusinite)suggests well-preserved plant tissues,whereas framboidal pyrite and sulphur content(0.24 wt%–2.16 wt%)point to brackish-water influence at the peat stage.The coals contain quartz,kaolinite,siderite,muscovite,dolomite,calcite,and pyrite minerals,most of which were likely sourced from felsic igneous rocks.The Al/(Al+Fe+Mn)and(Fe+Mn)/Ti ratios for the studied samples range between 0.24–0.97 and 0.57–70.10,respectively.The ratios,Al–Fe–Mn plot,and presence of massive botryoidal-type pyrite imply some influence of meteoric waters or fluids from hydrothermal activity post-deposition.Moreover,the chemical index of alteration(CIA:98.25–99.67),chemical index of weathering(CIW:92.04–97.66),and A–CN–K ternary diagram suggest inorganic matter suffered strong chemical weathering,indicating warm paleoclimatic conditions during the coal formation.

Responses of soil stoichiometry and soil enzyme activities in the different distance around opencast coal mine of the Hulun Buir Grassland of China

The objectives of this study were to explore the changes in soil stoichiometry and enzyme activities at different distances from an opencast coal mine in the Hulun Buir Grassland of China. Four transects were established on north and east sides of the opencast coal mining area, and samples were collected at 50 m, 550 m, and 1550 m from the pit on each transect. Control samples were collected from a grassland station 8 km from the opencast coal mining area that was not disturbed by mining. Four replicate soil samples were collected at each point on the four transects. Soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities were determined, and correlations between soil properties and stoichiometric ratios and enzyme activities were explored using redundancy analysis. The increase in distance from mining did not significantly affect soil properties, although soil urease activity was significantly lower than that of the control area. Soil properties 1550 m from the mine pit were similar to those at the grassland control. In addition, soil total nitrogen had the greatest effect on soil stoichiometry, and soil total potassium had the greatest effect on soil enzyme activities. Coal dust from opencast mining might be the main factor affecting soil stoichiometry and enzyme activities. The results of this study provide direction for the next step in studying the influence of mining areas on soil properties and processes.

Microstructural and thermal properties of coal measure sandstone subjected to high temperatures

To study the microscopic structure,thermal and mechanical properties of sandstones under the influence of temperature,coal measure sandstones from Southwest China are adopted as the research object to carry out high-temperature tests at 25℃-1000℃.The microscopic images of sandstone after thermal treatment are obtained by means of polarizing microscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Based on thermogravimetric(TG)analysis and differential scanning calorimetric(DSC)analysis,the model function of coal measure sandstone is explored through thermal analysis kinetics(TAK)theory,and the kinetic parameters of thermal decomposition and the thermal decomposition reaction rate of rock are studied.Through the uniaxial compression experiments,the stress‒strain curves and strength characteristics of sandstone under the influence of temperature are obtained.The results show that the temperature has a significant effect on the microstructure,mineral composition and mechanical properties of sandstone.In particular,when the temperature exceeds 400℃,the thermal fracture phenomenon of rock is obvious,the activity of activated molecules is significantly enhanced,and the kinetic phenomenon of the thermal decomposition reaction of rock appears rapidly.The mechanical properties of rock are weakened under the influence of rock thermal fracture and mineral thermal decomposition.These research results can provide a reference for the analysis of surrounding rock stability and the control of disasters caused by thermal damage in areas such as underground coal gasification(UCG)channels and rock masses subjected to mine fires.

Thermally-induced cracking behaviors of coal reservoirs subjected to cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock

The benefits of using cryogenic liquid nitrogen shock to enhance coal permeability have been confirmed from experimental perspectives.In this paper,we develop a fully coupled thermo-elastic model in combination with the strain-based isotropic damage theory to uncover the cooling-dominated cracking behaviors through three typical cases,i.e.coal reservoirs containing a wellbore,a primary fracture,and a natural fracture network,respectively.The progressive cracking processes,from thermal fracture initiation,propagation or cessation,deflection,bifurcation to multi-fracture interactions,can be well captured by the numerical model.It is observed that two hierarchical levels of thermal fractures are formed,in which the number of shorter thermal fractures consistently exceeds that of the longer ones.The effects of coal properties related to thermal stress levels and thermal diffusivity on the fracture morphology are quantified by the fracture fractal dimension and the statistical fracture number.The induced fracture morphology is most sensitive to changes in the elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient,both of which dominate the complexity of the fracture networks.Coal reservoir candidates with preferred thermal-mechanical properties are also recommended for improving the stimulation effect.Further findings are that there exists a critical injection temperature and a critical in-situ stress difference,above which no thermal fractures would be formed.Preexisting natural fractures with higher density and preferred orientations are also essential for the formation of complex fracture networks.The obtained results can provide some theoretical support for cryogenic fracturing design in coal reservoirs.

Study on the evolution of solid–liquid–gas in multi-scale pore methane in tectonic coal

The rich accumulation of methane(CH_(4))in tectonic coal layers poses a significant obstacle to the safe and efficient extraction of coal seams and coalbed methane.Tectonic coal samples from three geologically complex regions were selected,and the main results obtained by using a variety of research tools,such as physical tests,theoretical analyses,and numerical simulations,are as follows:22.4–62.5 nm is the joint segment of pore volume,and 26.7–100.7 nm is the joint segment of pore specific surface area.In the dynamic gas production process of tectonic coal pore structure,the adsorption method of methane molecules is“solid–liquid adsorption is the mainstay,and solid–gas adsorption coexists”.Methane stored in micropores with a pore size smaller than the jointed range is defined as solid-state pores.Pores within the jointed range,which transition from micropore filling to surface adsorption,are defined as gaseous pores.Pores outside the jointed range,where solid–liquid adsorption occurs,are defined as liquid pores.The evolution of pore structure affects the methane adsorption mode,which provides basic theoretical guidance for the development of coal seam resources.

Enhanced properties of stone coal-based composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Phase change materials (PCMs) can be incorporated with low-cost minerals to synthesize composites for thermal energy storage in building applications.Stone coal (SC) after vanadium extraction treatment shows potential for secondary utilization in composite preparation.We prepared SC-based composite PCMs with SC as a matrix,stearic acid (SA) as a PCM,and expanded graphite (EG) as an additive.The combined roasting and acid leaching treatment of raw SC was conducted to understand the effect of vanadium extraction on promoting loading capacity.Results showed that the combined treatment of roasting at 900℃ and leaching increased the SC loading of the composite by 6.2%by improving the specific surface area.The loading capacity and thermal conductivity of the composite obviously increased by 127%and 48.19%,respectively,due to the contribution of 3wt% EG.These data were supported by the high load of 66.69%and thermal conductivity of 0.59 W·m^(-1)·K-1of the designed composite.The obtained composite exhibited a phase change temperature of 52.17℃,melting latent heat of 121.5 J·g^(-1),and good chemical compatibility.The SC-based composite has prospects in building applications exploiting the secondary utilization of minerals.

Stability assessment of tree ring growth of Pinus armandii Franch in response to climate change based on slope directions at the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains,China

Global warming will affect growth strategies and how trees will adapt.To compare the response of tree radial growth to climate warming in different slope directions,samples of Pinus armandii Franch were collected and treering chronologies developed on northern and western slopes from the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains.Correlation analyses showed that two chronologies were mainly limited by temperatures in the previous June–August and the combination of temperatures and moisture in the current May–July.The difference of the climate response to slopes was small but not negligible.Radial growth of the LBL01 site on the northern slope was affected by the combined maximum and minimum temperatures,while that of the LBL02 site was affected by maximum temperatures.With regards to moisture,radial growth of the trees on the north slope was influenced by the relative humidity in the current May–July,while on the western slope,it was affected by the relative humidity in the previous June–August,the current May–July and the precipitation in the current May–July.With the change in climate,the effects of the main limiting factors on growth on different slopes were visible to a certain extent,but the differences in response of trees on different slopes gradually decreased,which might be caused by factors such as different slope directions and the change in diurnal temperature range.These results may provide information for forest protection and ecological construction in this region,and a scientific reference for future climate reconstruction.

Stability assessment of tree ring growth of Pinus armandii Franch in response to climate change based on slope directions at the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains,China

Global warming will affect growth strategies and how trees will adapt.To compare the response of tree radial growth to climate warming in different slope directions,samples of Pinus armandii Franch were collected and tree-ring chronologies developed on northern and western slopes from the Lubanling in the Funiu Mountains.Correlation analyses showed that two chronologies were mainly limited by temperatures in the previous June-August and the com-bination of temperatures and moisture in the current May-July.The difference of the climate response to slopes was small but not negligible.Radial growth of the LBLO1 site on the northern slope was affected by the combined maximum and minimum temperatures,while that of the LBLO2 site was affected by maximum temperatures.With regards to moisture,radial growth of the trees on the north slope was influenced by the relative humidity in the current May-July,while on the western slope,it was affected by the relative humidity in the previous June-August,the current May-July and the precipitation in the current May-July.With the change in climate,the effects of the main limiting factors on growth on different slopes were visible to a certain extent,but the differences in response of trees on different slopes gradually decreased,which might be caused by factors such as different slope directions and the change in diurnal temperature range.These results may provide information for forest protection and ecological construction in this region,and a scientific reference for future climate reconstruction.

Analysis of the Risk of Water Breakout in the Bottom Plate of High-Intensity Mining of Extra-Thick Coal Seams

In order to clarify the danger of water breakout in the bottom plate of extra-thick coal seam mining, 2202 working face of a mine in the west is taken as the research object, and it is proposed to use the on-site monitoring means combining borehole peeping and microseismic monitoring, combined with the theoretical analysis to analyze the danger of water breakout in the bottom plate. The results show that: 1) the theoretically calculated maximum damage depth of the bottom plate is 27.5 m, and its layer is located above the Austrian ash aquifer, which has the danger of water breakout;2) the drill hole peeping at the bottom plate of the working face shows that the depth of the bottom plate fissure development reaches 26 m, and the integrity of the water barrier layer has been damaged, so there is the risk of water breakout;3) for the microseismic monitoring of the anomalous area, the bottom plate of the return air downstream channel occurs in the field with a one-week lag, which shows that microseismic monitoring events may reflect the water breakout of the underground. This shows that the microseismic monitoring events can reflect the changes of the underground flow field, which can provide a reference basis for the early warning of water breakout. The research results can provide reference for the prediction of sudden water hazard.

Future Development Direction of the Restoration of Mountains,Rivers,Forests,Farmlands,Lakes,and Grasslands and the Faced Problems

In this paper,the definition,connotation,and internal relationship of mountains,rivers,forests,farmlands,lakes,and grasslands in China are elaborated,and the current situation of ecological restoration projects for mountains,rivers,forests,farmlands,lakes,and grasslands was introduced.Moreover,the problems that have arisen in the specific implementation process of pilot projects were analyzed,such as unclear target positioning,inaccurate analysis of ecological problems,insufficient engineering design systematicness,weak operability of evaluation standards,and weak coordination in engineering management.The development direction and major needs for the protection and restoration of mountains,rivers,forests,farmlands,lakes,and grasslands in the future have been proposed from four aspects:theoretical research,engineering design,effect evaluation,and monitoring and supervision.

Theoretical analysis of hydrogen solubility in direct coal liquefaction solvents

The cyclic hydrogenation technology in a direct coal liquefaction process relies on the dissolved hydrogen of the solvent or oil participating in the hydrogenation reaction.Thus,a theoretical basis for process optimization and reactor design can be established by analyzing the solubility of hydrogen in liquefaction solvents.Experimental studies of hydrogen solubility in liquefaction solvents are challenging due to harsh reaction conditions and complex solvent compositions.In this study,the composition and content of liquefied solvents were analyzed.As model compounds,hexadecane,toluene,naphthalene,tetrahydronaphthalene,and phenanthrene were chosen to represent the liquefied solvents in chain alkanes and monocyclic,bicyclic,and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen X(mol/mol)in pure solvent components and mixed solvents(alkanes and aromatics mixed in proportion to the chain alkanes+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,bicyclic saturated aromatic hydrocarbons+bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,and bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons+compounds containing het-eroatoms composed of mixed components)are determined using Aspen simulation at temperature and pressure conditions of 373–523 K and 2–10 MPa.The results demonstrated that at high temperatures and pressures,the solubility of hydrogen in the solvent increases with the increase in temperature and pressure,with the pressure having a greater impact.Further-more,the results revealed that hydrogen is more soluble in straight-chain alkanes than in other solvents,and the solubility of eicosanoids reaches a maximum of 0.296.The hydrogen solubility in aromatic ring compounds decreased gradually with an increase in the aromatic ring number.The influence of chain alkanes on the solubility of hydrogen predominates in a mixture of solvents with different mixing ratios of chain alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons.The solubility of hydrogen in mixed aromatic solvents is less than that in the corresponding single solvents.Hydrogen is less soluble in solvent compounds containing heteroatoms than in compounds without heteroatoms.

Stability analysis of longwall top-coal caving face in extra-thick coal seams based on an innovative numerical hydraulic support model

The relationship between support and surrounding rock is of great significance to the control of surrounding rock in mining process.In view of the fact that most of the existing numerical simulation methods construct virtual elements and stress servo control to approximately replace the hydraulic support problem,this paper establishes a new numerical model of hydraulic support with the same working characteristics as the actual hydraulic support by integrating numerical simulation software Rhino,Griddle and FLAC3D,which can realize the simulation of different working conditions.Based on this model,the influence mechanism of the supporting strength of hydraulic support on surrounding rock stress regulation and coal stability in front of the top coal caving face in extra thick coal seam were researched.Firstly,under different support intensity,the abutment pressure of the bearing coal and the coal in front of it presents the “three-stage”evolution characteristics.The influence range of support intensity is 15%–30%.Secondly,1.5 MPa is the upper limit of impact that the support strength can have on the front coal failure area.Thirdly,within a displacement range of 2.76 m from the coal wall,a support strength of1.5 MPa provides optimal control of the horizontal displacement of the coal.

Structural properties of residual carbon in coal gasification fine slag and their influence on flotation separation and resource utilization:A review

Coal gasification fine slag(FS)is a typical solid waste generated in coal gasification.Its current disposal methods of stockpil-ing and landfilling have caused serious soil and ecological hazards.Separation recovery and the high-value utilization of residual carbon(RC)in FS are the keys to realizing the win-win situation of the coal chemical industry in terms of economic and environmental benefits.The structural properties,such as pore,surface functional group,and microcrystalline structures,of RC in FS(FS-RC)not only affect the flotation recovery efficiency of FS-RC but also form the basis for the high-value utilization of FS-RC.In this paper,the characteristics of FS-RC in terms of pore structure,surface functional groups,and microcrystalline structure are sorted out in accordance with gasification type and FS particle size.The reasons for the formation of the special structural properties of FS-RC are analyzed,and their influence on the flotation separation and high-value utilization of FS-RC is summarized.Separation methods based on the pore structural characterist-ics of FS-RC,such as ultrasonic pretreatment-pore-blocking flotation and pore breaking-flocculation flotation,are proposed to be the key development technologies for improving FS-RC recovery in the future.The design of low-cost,low-dose collectors containing polar bonds based on the surface and microcrystalline structures of FS-RC is proposed to be an important breakthrough point for strengthening the flotation efficiency of FS-RC in the future.The high-value utilization of FS should be based on the physicochemical structural proper-ties of FS-RC and should focus on the environmental impact of hazardous elements and the recyclability of chemical waste liquid to es-tablish an environmentally friendly utilization method.This review is of great theoretical importance for the comprehensive understand-ing of the unique structural properties of FS-RC,the breakthrough of the technological bottleneck in the efficient flotation separation of FS,and the expansion of the field of the high value-added utilization of FS-RC.

Estimation of the anisotropy of hydraulic conductivity through 3D fracture networks using the directional geological entropy

With an extension of the geological entropy concept in porous media,the approach called directional entrogram is applied to link hydraulic behavior to the anisotropy of the 3D fracture networks.A metric called directional entropic scale is used to measure the anisotropy of spatial order in different directions.Compared with the traditional connectivity indexes based on the statistics of fracture geometry,the directional entropic scale is capable to quantify the anisotropy of connectivity and hydraulic conductivity in heterogeneous 3D fracture networks.According to the numerical analysis of directional entrogram and fluid flow in a number of the 3D fracture networks,the hydraulic conductivities and entropic scales in different directions both increase with spatial order(i.e.,trace length decreasing and spacing increasing)and are independent of the dip angle.As a result,the nonlinear correlation between the hydraulic conductivities and entropic scales from different directions can be unified as quadratic polynomial function,which can shed light on the anisotropic effect of spatial order and global entropy on the heterogeneous hydraulic behaviors.

Measurement of the high energyγ-rays from heavy ion reactions usingČerenkov detector

The energetic bremsstrahlung photons up to 100 MeV produced in heavy ion collisions can be used as a sensitive probe for short-range correlation in atomic nuclei. The energy of the γ-rays can be measured by collecting the Čerenkov light in the medium induced by the fast electrons generated in the Compton scattering or electromagnetic shower of the incident γray. Two types of detectors based on pure water and lead glass as sensitive materials were designed for this purpose. The γresponse and optical photon propagation in the detectors were simulated based on electromagnetic and optical processes in Geant4. The inherent energy resolutions of 0.022(4) + 0.51(2)∕E^(1/2)_(γ) for water and 0.0026(3) + 0.446(3)∕E^(1/2)_(γ) for lead glass were obtained. The geometry sizes of the lead glass and water were optimized to 30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm and 60 cm × 60 cm ×120 cm, respectively, to detect high-energy γ-rays at 160 MeV. The Hough transform method was applied to reconstruct the direction of the incident γ-rays, providing the ability to experimentally distinguish the high-energy γ-rays produced in the reactions on the target from random background cosmic-ray muons.

Incorporating empirical knowledge into data-driven variable selection for quantitative analysis of coal ash content by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)has become a widely used atomic spectroscopic technique for rapid coal analysis.However,the vast amount of spectral information in LIBS contains signal uncertainty,which can affect its quantification performance.In this work,we propose a hybrid variable selection method to improve the performance of LIBS quantification.Important variables are first identified using Pearson's correlation coefficient,mutual information,least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and random forest,and then filtered and combined with empirical variables related to fingerprint elements of coal ash content.Subsequently,these variables are fed into a partial least squares regression(PLSR).Additionally,in some models,certain variables unrelated to ash content are removed manually to study the impact of variable deselection on model performance.The proposed hybrid strategy was tested on three LIBS datasets for quantitative analysis of coal ash content and compared with the corresponding data-driven baseline method.It is significantly better than the variable selection only method based on empirical knowledge and in most cases outperforms the baseline method.The results showed that on all three datasets the hybrid strategy for variable selection combining empirical knowledge and data-driven algorithms achieved the lowest root mean square error of prediction(RMSEP)values of 1.605,3.478 and 1.647,respectively,which were significantly lower than those obtained from multiple linear regression using only 12 empirical variables,which are 1.959,3.718 and 2.181,respectively.The LASSO-PLSR model with empirical support and 20 selected variables exhibited a significantly improved performance after variable deselection,with RMSEP values dropping from 1.635,3.962 and 1.647 to 1.483,3.086 and 1.567,respectively.Such results demonstrate that using empirical knowledge as a support for datadriven variable selection can be a viable approach to improve the accuracy and reliability of LIBS quantification.

Two-photon live imaging of direct glia-to-neuron conversion in the mouse cortex

Over the past decade,a growing number of studies have reported transcription factor-based in situ reprogramming that can directly conve rt endogenous glial cells into functional neurons as an alternative approach for n euro regeneration in the adult mammalian central ne rvous system.Howeve r,many questions remain regarding how a terminally differentiated glial cell can transform into a delicate neuron that forms part of the intricate brain circuitry.In addition,concerns have recently been raised around the absence of astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in astrocytic lineage-tra cing mice.In this study,we employed repetitive two-photon imaging to continuously capture the in situ astrocyte-to-neuron conversion process following ecto pic expression of the neural transcription factor NeuroD1 in both prolife rating reactive astrocytes and lineage-tra ced astrocytes in the mouse cortex.Time-lapse imaging over several wee ks revealed the ste p-by-step transition from a typical astrocyte with numero us short,tapered branches to a typical neuro n with a few long neurites and dynamic growth cones that actively explored the local environment.In addition,these lineage-converting cells were able to migrate ra dially or to ngentially to relocate to suitable positions.Furthermore,two-photon Ca2+imaging and patch-clamp recordings confirmed that the newly generated neuro ns exhibited synchronous calcium signals,repetitive action potentials,and spontaneous synaptic responses,suggesting that they had made functional synaptic connections within local neural circuits.In conclusion,we directly visualized the step-by-step lineage conversion process from astrocytes to functional neurons in vivo and unambiguously demonstrated that adult mammalian brains are highly plastic with respect to their potential for neuro regeneration and neural circuit reconstruction.

Depositional Environment and Origin of Inertinite-rich Coal in the Ordos Basin

Inertinite-rich coal is widely distributed in the Ordos Basin,represented by the No.2 coal seam of the Middle Jurassic Yan'an Formation.This paper combined coal petrology and geochemistry to analyze the origin of inertinite,changes in the coal-forming environment and control characteristics of wildfire.Research has shown that there are two forms of inertinite sources in the study area.Alongside typical fusinization,wildfire events also play a substantial role in inertinite formation.There are significant fluctuations in the coal-forming environment of samples at different depths.Coal samples were formed in dry forest swamp with low water levels and strong oxidation,which have a high inertinite content,and the samples formed in wet forest swamp and limnic showed low inertinite content.Conversely,the inertinite content of different origins does not fully correspond to the depositional environment characterized by dryness and oxidation.Nonpyrogenic inertinites were significantly influenced by climatic conditions,while pyrofusinite was not entirely controlled by climatic conditions but rather directly impacted by wildfire events.The high oxygen level was the main factor causing widespread wildfire events.Overall,the combination of wildfire activity and oxidation generates a high content of inertinite in the Middle Jurassic coal of the Ordos Basin.