Evolution and Application of Sealing Ability of Gypsum Caprocks under Temperature-Pressure Coupling:An Example of the ZS5 Well in the Tazhong Area of the Tarim Basin

Gypsum caprocks'sealing ability is affected by temperature-pressure coupling.Due to the limitations of experimental conditions,there is still a lack of triaxial stress-strain experiments that simultaneously consider changes in temperature and pressure conditions,which limits the accuracy of the comprehensive evaluation of the brittle plastic evolution and sealing ability of gypsum rocks using temperature pressure coupling.Triaxial stress-strain tests were utilized to investigate the differences in the evolution of the confinement capacity of gypsum rocks under coupled temperaturepressure action and isothermal-variable pressure action on the basis of sample feasibility analysis.According to research,the gypsum rock's peak and residual strengths decrease under simultaneous increases in temperature and pressure over isothermal pressurization experimental conditions,and it becomes more ductile.This reduces the amount of time it takes for the rock to transition from brittle to plastic.When temperature is taken into account,both the brittle–plastic transformation's depth limit and the lithological transformation of gypsum rocks become shallower,and the evolution of gypsum rocks under variable temperature and pressure conditions is more complicated than that under isothermal pressurization.The sealing ability under the temperature-pressure coupling is more in line with the actual geological context when the application results of the Well#ZS5 are compared.This provides a theoretical basis for precisely determining the process of hydrocarbon accumulation and explains why the early hydrocarbon were not well preserved.

Fracture sealing performance of granular lost circulation materials at elevated temperature:A theoretical and coupled CFD-DEM simulation study

Lost circulation is a common downhole problem of drilling in geothermal and high-temperature,high-pressure(HTHP)formations.Lost circulation material(LCM)is a regular preventive and remedial measure for lost circulation.However,conventional LCMs seem ineffective in high-temperature formations.This may be due to the changes in the mechanical properties of LCMs and their sealing performance under high-temperature conditions.To understand how high temperature affects the fracture sealing performance of LCMs,we developed a coupled computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method(CFD-DEM)model to simulate the behavior of granular LCMs in fractures.We summarized the literature on the effects of high temperature on the mechanical properties of LCMs and the rheological properties of drilling fluid.We conducted sensitivity analyses to investigate how changing LCM slurry properties affected the fracture sealing efficiency at increasing temperatures.The results show that high temperature reduces the size,strength,and friction coefficient of LCMs as well as the drilling fluid viscosity.Smaller,softer,and less frictional LCM particles have lower bridging probability and slower bridging initiation.Smaller particles tend to form dual-particle bridges rather than single-particle bridges.These result in a deeper,tighter,but unstable sealing zone.Reduced drilling fluid viscosity leads to faster and shallower sealing zones.

Dynamic evaluation on sealing capacity of caprocks of the Meso-Neoproterozoic reservoirs in Ordos Basin,China

The Meso-Neoproterozoic is a new play in the Ordos Basin.A deeper understanding about the dynamic relationship between the caprocks and the source rocks is needed.Based on the comprehensive analysis of hydrocarbon source development characteristics of the Meso-Neoproterozoic and its overlying strata,as well as the formation contact relationships,lithology characteristics and exploratory drilling data,it is recognized that the Meso-Neoproterozoic contains two types of petroleum accumulation assemblage,that is,the“self-sourced indigenous”and“upper source rock-lower reservoir”assemblages.The former is mainly controlled by the development and distribution of source rocks of the Changcheng System,with the Lower Cambrian shale sequence as its caprock.The later is controlled by the superposition between the Meso-Neoproterozoic and its overlying source rocks and this assemblage is mainly distributed in Hangjinqi and Pingliang areas with the Carboniferous-Permian shale sequence as its caprock.The dynamic evaluation on the displacement pressure serves to reconstruct the displacement pressure history of the caprock.The results show that the shale sequence of the Cambrian Maozhuang Formation in well XY 1 in the southern Ordos Basin has possibly acquired the ability of sealing natural gas since the early of Late Triassic.Its displacement pressure increased rapidly up to 20 MPa during the Late Triassic-Jurassic and keeps at 9.2 MPa at present,indicating fair sealing ability.The Carboniferous-Permian caprocks in Hangjinqi area could have acquired the ability to seal natural gas in the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous,and the present-day displacement pressure is 9e12 MPa,indicating good sealing ability.The upper Paleozoic caprock in Pingliang area has been able to seal natural gas since the Early Jurassic,with a maximum displacement pressure of 23 MPa during the Cretaceous period and a current value of 17 e20 MPa,indicative of strong ability to seal natural gas.The sealing ability of caprocks of both the“selfsourced indigenous”and“upper source rock-lower reservoir”assemblages has come into being earlier than or at least no later than the peak gas generation of the source rocks and therefore the caprocks are dynamically effective in geohistory.The Meso-Neoproterozoic reservoirs in the Ordos Basin are well preserved and probabally of better potential for exploration in terms of the caprock-source rock combination.

Identification of a novel inflammatory-related gene signature to evaluate the prognosis of gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is a highly aggressive malignancy with a heterogeneous nature,which makes prognosis prediction and treatment determination difficult.Inflammation is now recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer and plays an important role in the aetiology and continued growth of tumours.Inflammation also affects the prognosis of GC patients.Recent reports suggest that a number of inflammatory-related biomarkers are useful for predicting tumour prognosis.However,the importance of inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients is still unclear.AIM To investigate inflammatory-related biomarkers in predicting the prognosis of GC patients.was constructed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression model based on the GEO database.GC patients from the GSE26253 cohort were used for validation.Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to determine the independent prognostic factors,and a prognostic nomogram was established.The calibration curve and the area under the curve based on receiver operating characteristic analysis were utilized to evaluate the predictive value of the nomogram.The decision curve analysis results were plotted to quantify and assess the clinical value of the nomogram.Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to explore the potential regulatory pathways involved.The relationship between tumour immune infiltration status and risk score was analysed via Tumour Immune Estimation Resource and CIBERSORT.Finally,we analysed the association between risk score and patient sensitivity to commonly used chemotherapy and targeted therapy agents.RESULTS A prognostic model consisting of three inflammatory-related genes(MRPS17,GUF1,and PDK4)was constructed.Independent prognostic analysis revealed that the risk score was a separate prognostic factor in GC patients.According to the risk score,GC patients were stratified into high-and low-risk groups,and patients in the high-risk group had significantly worse prognoses according to age,sex,TNM stage and Lauren type.Consensus clustering identified three subtypes of inflammation that could predict GC prognosis more accurately than traditional grading and staging.Finally,the study revealed that patients in the low-risk group were more sensitive to certain drugs than were those in the high-risk group,indicating a link between inflammation-related genes and drug sensitivity.CONCLUSION In conclusion,we established a novel three-gene prognostic signature that may be useful for predicting the prognosis and personalizing treatment decisions of GC patients.

Identification of an immune-related gene signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy in liver cancer via cell-cell communication

BACKGROUND Liver cancer is one of the deadliest malignant tumors worldwide.Immunotherapy has provided hope to patients with advanced liver cancer,but only a small fraction of patients benefit from this treatment due to individual differences.Identifying immune-related gene signatures in liver cancer patients not only aids physicians in cancer diagnosis but also offers personalized treatment strategies,thereby improving patient survival rates.Although several methods have been developed to predict the prognosis and immunotherapeutic efficacy in patients with liver cancer,the impact of cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvir-onment has not been adequately considered.AIM To identify immune-related gene signals for predicting liver cancer prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy.METHODS Cell grouping and cell-cell communication analysis were performed on single-cell RNA-sequencing data to identify highly active cell groups in immune-related pathways.Highly active immune cells were identified by intersecting the highly active cell groups with B cells and T cells.The significantly differentially expressed genes between highly active immune cells and other cells were subsequently selected as features,and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)regression model was constructed to screen for diagnostic-related features.Fourteen genes that were selected more than 5 times in 10 LASSO regression experiments were included in a multivariable Cox regression model.Finally,3 genes(stathmin 1,cofilin 1,and C-C chemokine ligand 5)significantly associated with survival were identified and used to construct an immune-related gene signature.RESULTS The immune-related gene signature composed of stathmin 1,cofilin 1,and C-C chemokine ligand 5 was identified through cell-cell communication.The effectiveness of the identified gene signature was validated based on experi-mental results of predictive immunotherapy response,tumor mutation burden analysis,immune cell infiltration analysis,survival analysis,and expression analysis.CONCLUSION The findings suggest that the identified gene signature may contribute to a deeper understanding of the activity patterns of immune cells in the liver tumor microenvironment,providing insights for personalized treatment strategies.

Application of Choquet Integral-Importance-Performance Analysis and TOPSIS Methods in Approaching the Preference Factors of Calligraphy and Seal Engraving Imagery

Classical Chinese characters,presented through calligraphy,seal engraving,or painting,can exhibit different aesthetics and essences of Chinese characters,making them the most important asset of the Chinese people.Calligraphy and seal engraving,as two closely related systems in traditional Chinese art,have developed through the ages.Due to changes in lifestyle and advancements in modern technology,their original functions of daily writing and verification have gradually diminished.Instead,they have increasingly played a significant role in commercial art.This study utilizes the Evaluation Grid Method(EGM)and the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)to research the key preference factors in the application of calligraphy and seal engraving imagery.Different from the traditional 5-point equal interval semantic questionnaire,this study employs a non-equal interval semantic questionnaire with a golden ratio scale,distinguishing the importance ratio of adjacent semantic meanings and highlighting the weighted emphasis on visual aesthetics.Additionally,the study uses Importance-Performance Analysis(IPA)and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution(TOPSIS)to obtain the key preference sequence of calligraphy and seal engraving culture.Plus,the Choquet integral comprehensive evaluation is used as a reference for IPA comparison.It is hoped that this study can provide cultural imagery references and research methods,injecting further creativity into industrial design.

Working condition recognition of sucker rod pumping system based on 4-segment time-frequency signature matrix and deep learning

High-precision and real-time diagnosis of sucker rod pumping system(SRPS)is important for quickly mastering oil well operations.Deep learning-based method for classifying the dynamometer card(DC)of oil wells is an efficient diagnosis method.However,the input of the DC as a two-dimensional image into the deep learning framework suffers from low feature utilization and high computational effort.Additionally,different SRPSs in an oil field have various system parameters,and the same SRPS generates different DCs at different moments.Thus,there is heterogeneity in field data,which can dramatically impair the diagnostic accuracy.To solve the above problems,a working condition recognition method based on 4-segment time-frequency signature matrix(4S-TFSM)and deep learning is presented in this paper.First,the 4-segment time-frequency signature(4S-TFS)method that can reduce the computing power requirements is proposed for feature extraction of DC data.Subsequently,the 4S-TFSM is constructed by relative normalization and matrix calculation to synthesize the features of multiple data and solve the problem of data heterogeneity.Finally,a convolutional neural network(CNN),one of the deep learning frameworks,is used to determine the functioning conditions based on the 4S-TFSM.Experiments on field data verify that the proposed diagnostic method based on 4S-TFSM and CNN(4S-TFSM-CNN)can significantly improve the accuracy of working condition recognition with lower computational cost.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first work to discuss the effect of data heterogeneity on the working condition recognition performance of SRPS.

Mass-Based Environmental Factor and Energy Assessment of Microwave-Assisted Synthesized Transition Metal Nanostructures

This paper describes mass-based energy phase-space projection of microwave-assisted synthesis of transition metals (zinc oxide, palladium, silver, platinum, and gold) nanostructures. The projection uses process energy budget (measured in kJ) on the horizontal axes and process density (measured in kJg−1) on the vertical axes. These two axes allow both mass usage efficiency (Environmental-Factor) and energy efficiency to be evaluated for a range of microwave applicator and metal synthesis. The metrics are allied to the: second, sixth and eleventh principle of the twelve principle of Green Chemistry. This analytical approach to microwave synthesis (widely considered as a useful Green Chemistry energy source) allows a quantified dynamic environmental quotient to be given to renewable plant-based biomass associated with the reduction of the metal precursors. Thus allowing a degree of quantification of claimed “eco-friendly” and “sustainable” synthesis with regard to waste production and energy usage.

Innovative approach to boosting the chemical stability of AZ31 magnesium alloy using polymer-modified hybrid metal oxides

Meeting the demands of complex and advanced applications requires the development of high-performance hybrid materials with unique properties.However,the integration of polymeric frameworks with MgO/WO_(3) composite layers faces challenges due to the lack of understanding of the formation mechanism and the challenge of determining the impact of self-assembled architecture on anticorrosive properties.In this study,we aimed to enhance the corrosion resistance of the MgO layer produced by plasma electrolysis(PE)of AZ31 Mg alloy by incorporating WO_(3) with partially phosphorated poly(vinyl alcohol)(PPVA).Two types of porous MgO layers were produced using the PE process with an alkaline-phosphate electrolyte,one with and one without WO_(3) nanoparticles,which were subsequently immersed in an aqueous solution of PPVA.Incorporating PPVA into the WO_(3)-MgO layer resulted in hybrids being deposited in a fragmented manner,creating a“laminar reef-like structure”that sealed most of the structural defects in the layer.The PPVA-sealed WO_(3)-based coating exhibited superior corrosion resistance compared to the other samples.Computational analyses were employed to explore the mechanism underlying the formation of PPVA/WO_(3) hybrids on the MgO layer.These findings suggest that PPVA-WO_(3)-MgO hybrid coatings can potentially improve corrosion resistance in various fields.

Non-Targeted Metabolomics Reveals the Metabolic Alterations in Response to Artificial Selective Breeding in the Fast-Growing Strains of Pacific Oyster

Pacific oyster(Crassostrea gigas)is one of the most important mollusks cultured all around the world.Selective breeding programs of Pacific oysters in China is initiated since 2006 and developed the genetically improved strain with fast-growing trait.However,little is known about the metabolic signatures of the fast-growing trait.In the present study,the non-targeted metabolomics was performed to analyze the metabolic signatures of adductor muscle tissue in one-year old Pacific oysters from fast-growing strain and the wild population.A total of 7767 and 10174 valid peaks were extracted and quantified in ESI^(+)and ESI^(−)modes,resulting in 399 and 381 annotated metabolites,respectively.PCA and OPLS-DA revealed that considerable separation among samples from fastgrowing strain and wild population,suggesting the differences in metabolic signatures.Meanwhile,81 significantly different metabolites(SDMs)were identified in the comparisons between fast-growing strain and wild population,based on the strict thresholds.It was found that there were highly correlation and conserved coordination among these SDMs.KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the SDMs were tightly related to pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis,steroid hormone biosynthesis,riboflavin metabolism,and arginine and proline metabolism.Of them,the CoA biosynthesis and metabolism,affected by pantetheine and pantothenic acid,might be important for the growth of Pacific oysters under artificial selective breeding.The study provides the comprehensive views of metabolic signatures in response to artificially selective breeding,and is helpful to better understand the molecular mechanism of fastgrowing traits in Pacific oysters.

Four centrosome-related genes to predict the prognosis and drug sensitivity of patients with colon cancer

BACKGROUND As the primary microtubule organizing center in animal cells,centrosome abnormalities are involved in human colon cancer.AIM To explore the role of centrosome-related genes(CRGs)in colon cancer.METHODS CRGs were collected from public databases.Consensus clustering analysis was performed to separate the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort.Univariate Cox and least absolute shrinkage selection operator regression analyses were performed to identify candidate prognostic CRGs and construct a centrosome-related signature(CRS)to score colon cancer patients.A nomogram was developed to evaluate the CRS risk in colon cancer patients.An integrated bioinformatics analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between the CRS and tumor immune microenvironment and response to immunotherapy,chemotherapy,and targeted therapy.Single-cell transcriptome analysis was conducted to examine the immune cell landscape of core prognostic genes.RESULTS A total of 726 CRGs were collected from public databases.A CRS was constructed,which consisted of the following four genes:TSC1,AXIN2,COPS7A,and MTUS1.Colon cancer patients with a high-risk signature had poor survival.Patients with a high-risk signature exhibited decreased levels of plasma cells and activated memory CD4+T cells.Regarding treatment response,patients with a high-risk signature were resistant to immunotherapy,chemotherapy,and targeted therapy.COPS7A expression was relatively high in endothelial cells and fibroblasts.MTUS1 expression was high in endothelial cells,fibroblasts,and malignant cells.CONCLUSION We constructed a centrosome-related prognostic signature that can accurately predict the prognosis of colon cancer patients,contributing to the development of individualized treatment for colon cancer.

Identification and validation of novel prognostic fatty acid metabolic gene signatures in colon adenocarcinoma through systematic approaches

Colorectal cancer(CRC)belongs to the class of significantly malignant tumors found in humans.Recently,dysregulated fatty acid metabolism(FAM)has been a topic of attention due to its modulation in cancer,specifically CRC.However,the regulatory FAM pathways in CRC require comprehensive elucidation.Methods:The clinical and gene expression data of 175 fatty acid metabolic genes(FAMGs)linked with colon adenocarcinoma(COAD)and normal cornerstone genes were gathered through The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)-COAD corroborating with the Molecular Signature Database v7.2(MSigDB).Initially,crucial prognostic genes were selected by uni-and multi-variate Cox proportional regression analyses;then,depending upon these identified signature genes and clinical variables,a nomogram was generated.Lastly,to assess tumor immune characteristics,concomitant evaluation of tumor immune evasion/risk scoring were elucidated.Results:A 8-gene signature,including ACBD4,ACOX1,CD36,CPT2,ELOVL3,ELOVL6,ENO3,and SUCLG2,was generated,and depending upon this,CRC patients were categorized within high-risk(H-R)and low-risk(L-R)cohorts.Furthermore,risk and age-based nomograms indicated moderate discrimination and good calibration.The data confirmed that the 8-gene model efficiently predicted CRC patients’prognosis.Moreover,according to the conjoint analysis of tumor immune evasion and the risk scorings,the H-R cohort had an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment,which caused a substandard prognosis.Conclusion:This investigation established a FAMGs-based prognostic model with substantially high predictive value,providing the possibility for improved individualized treatment for CRC individuals.

Quantum circuit-based proxy blind signatures:A novel approach and experimental evaluation on the IBM quantum cloud platform

This paper presents a novel approach to proxy blind signatures in the realm of quantum circuits,aiming to enhance security while safeguarding sensitive information.The main objective of this research is to introduce a quantum proxy blind signature(QPBS)protocol that utilizes quantum logical gates and quantum measurement techniques.The QPBS protocol is constructed by the initial phase,proximal blinding message phase,remote authorization and signature phase,remote validation,and de-blinding phase.This innovative design ensures a secure mechanism for signing documents without revealing the content to the proxy signer,providing practical security authentication in a quantum environment under the assumption that the CNOT gates are securely implemented.Unlike existing approaches,our proposed QPBS protocol eliminates the need for quantum entanglement preparation,thus simplifying the implementation process.To assess the effectiveness and robustness of the QPBS protocol,we conduct comprehensive simulation studies in both ideal and noisy quantum environments on the IBM quantum cloud platform.The results demonstrate the superior performance of the QPBS algorithm,highlighting its resilience against repudiation and forgeability,which are key security concerns in the realm of proxy blind signatures.Furthermore,we have established authentic security thresholds(82.102%)in the presence of real noise,thereby emphasizing the practicality of our proposed solution.

Evaluation of the injection and plugging ability of a novel epoxy resin in cement cracks

Sustained casing pressure(SCP)is a crucial issue in the oil and gas production lifecycle.Epoxy resins,exhibiting exceptional compressive strength,ductility,and shear bonding strength,have the potential to form reliable barriers.The injectivity and sealing capacity of the epoxy resin is crucial parameters for the success of shallow remediation operations.This study aimed to develop and assess a novel solid-free resin sealant as an alternative to Portland cement for mitigating fluid leakage.The investigation evaluated the viscosity,compressive strength,and brittleness index of the epoxy resin sealant,as well as its tangential and normal shear strengths in conjunction with casing steel.The flow characteristics and sealing abilities of conventional cement and epoxy resin were comparatively analyzed in cracks.The results showed that the application of a viscosity reducer facilitated control over the curing time of the epoxy resin,ranging from 1.5 to 6 h,and reduced the initial viscosity from 865.53 to 118.71 m Pa,s.The mechanical properties of the epoxy resin initially increased with a rise in curing agent content before experiencing a minor decrease.The epoxy resin containing 30%curing agent exhibited optimal mechanical properties.After a 14-day curing period,the epoxy resin's compressive strength reached81.37 MPa,2.12 times higher than that of cement,whereas the elastic modulus of cement was 2.99 times greater than that of the epoxy resin.The brittleness index of epoxy resin is only 3.42,demonstrating high flexibility and toughness.The tangential and normal shear strengths of the epoxy resin exceeded those of cement by 3.17 and 2.82 times,respectively.In a 0.5 mm-wide crack,the injection pressure of the epoxy resin remained below 0.075 MPa,indicating superior injection and flow capabilities.Conversely,the injection pressure of cement surged dramatically to 2.61 MPa within 5 min.The breakthrough pressure of0.5 PV epoxy resin reached 7.53 MPa,decreasing the crack's permeability to 0.02 D,a mere 9.49%of the permeability observed following cement plugging.Upon sealing a 2 mm-wide crack using epoxy resin,the maximum breakthrough pressure attained 5.47 MPa,3.48 times of cement.These results suggest that epoxy resin sealant can be employed safely and effectively to seal cracks in the cement.

The Application of Bilayer Artificial Dermis Combined with VSD Technology in Chronic Wounds

Background: Bilayer artificial dermis promotes wound healing and offers a treatment option for chronic wounds. Aim: Examine the clinical efficacy of bilayer artificial dermis combined with Vacuum Sealing Drainage (VSD) technology in the treatment of chronic wounds. Method: From June 2021 to December 2023, our hospital treated 24 patients with chronic skin tissue wounds on their limbs using a novel tissue engineering product, the bilayer artificial dermis, in combination with VSD technology to repair the wounds. The bilayer artificial dermis protects subcutaneous tissue, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and tendons, and also promotes the growth of granulation tissue and blood vessels to aid in wound healing when used in conjunction with VSD technology for wound dressing changes in chronic wounds. Results: In this study, 24 cases of chronic wounds with exposed bone or tendon larger than 1.0 cm2 were treated with a bilayer artificial skin combined with VSD dressing after wound debridement. The wounds were not suitable for immediate skin grafting. At 2 - 3 weeks post-treatment, good granulation tissue growth was observed. Subsequent procedures included thick skin grafting or wound dressing changes until complete wound healing. Patients were followed up on average for 3 months (range: 1 - 12 months) post-surgery. Comparative analysis of the appearance, function, skin color, elasticity, and sensation of the healed chronic wounds revealed superior outcomes compared to traditional skin fl repairs, resulting in significantly higher satisfaction levels among patients and their families. Conclusion: The application of bilayer artificial dermis combined with VSD technology for the repair of chronic wounds proves to be a viable method, yielding satisfactory therapeutic effects compared to traditional skin flap procedures.

A discussion about the limitations of the Eurocode’s high-speed load model for railway bridges

High-speed railway bridges are subjected to normative limitations concerning maximum permissible deck accelerations.For the design of these structures,the European norm EN 1991-2 introduces the high-speed load model(HSLM)—a set of point loads intended to include the effects of existing high-speed trains.Yet,the evolution of current trains and the recent development of new load models motivate a discussion regarding the limits of validity of the HSLM.For this study,a large number of randomly generated load models of articulated,conventional,and regular trains are tested and compared with the envelope of HSLM effects.For each type of train,two sets of 100,000 load models are considered:one abiding by the limits of the EN 1991-2 and another considering wider limits.This comparison is achieved using both a bridge-independent metric(train signatures)and dynamic analyses on a case study bridge(the Canelas bridge of the Portuguese Railway Network).For the latter,a methodology to decrease the computational cost of moving loads analysis is introduced.Results show that some theoretical load models constructed within the stipulated limits of the norm can lead to effects not covered by the HSLM.This is especially noted in conventional trains,where there is a relation with larger distances between centres of adjacent vehicle bogies.

Calculation of high-speed abrasion forces for ceramic coatings based on the Hertzian contact model

Aero engine seal coatings can effectively improve the air tightness of aircraft engines and increase fuel efficiency.However,due to the frictional forces between the blades and the coating,the coating often flakes off,resulting in damage to the blades and causing eco-nomic losses.Therefore,it is necessary to analyze the friction between the blades and the coating.In this paper,three ceramic-based high-temperature seal coatings with different polyphenylene ester contents and a pure Yttria-stabilised zirconia coating were prepared by atmo-spheric plasma spraying(APS).The hardness and modulus of elasticity of the coated surfaces were obtained by hardness and modulus of elasticity tests,and the coatings were subjected to high-speed touch abrasion tests.The Hertzian contact model was used to calculate the maximum normal contact load on the coating during the process.The test values were compared with the theoretical values and it was found that the calculated values were always greater than the test values.In order to make the Hertzian contact model more accurate in calculating the touching and abrasion forces,the contact coefficients in the Hertzian contact model were optimized.Substituting the optimized coeffi-cients into the Hertzian contact model,the results show that the calculated results after optimizing the coefficients are much closer to the test values,with deviations from the test values ranging from 1%to 38%.

Study on the effect of thermal deformation on the liquid seal of high-temperature molten salt pump in molten salt reactor

The high-temperature molten salt pump is the core equipment in a molten salt reactor that drives the flow of the molten salt coolant.Rotor stability is key to the continuous and reliable operation of the molten salt pump,and the liquid seal at the wear ring can affect the dynamic characteristics of the rotor system.When the molten salt pump is operated in the hightemperature molten salt medium,thermal deformation of the submerged parts inevitably occurs,changing clearance between the stator and rotor,affecting the leakage and dynamic characteristics of the seal.In this study,the seal leakage,seal dynamic characteristics,and rotor system dynamic characteristics are simulated and analyzed using finite element simulation software based on two cases of considering the effect of seal thermal deformation effect or not.The results show a significant difference in the leakage characteristics and dynamic characteristics of the seal obtained by considering the effect of seal thermal deformation and neglecting the effect of thermal deformation.The leakage flow rate decreases,and the first-order critical speed of the seal-bearing-rotor system decrease after considering the seal’s thermal deformation.

Identification of a four-miRNA signature predicts the prognosis of papillary thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND In recently diagnosed patients with thyroid cancer,papillary thyroid cancer(PTC),as the most common histological subtype,accounts for 90%of all cases.Although PTC is known as a relatively adolescent malignant disease,there still is a high possibility of recurrence in PTC patients with a poor prognosis.Therefore,new biomarkers are necessary to guide more effective stratification of PTC patients and personalize therapy to avoid overtreatment or inadequate treatment.Accumulating evidence demonstrates that microRNAs(miRNAs)have broad application prospects as diagnostic biomarkers in cancer.AIM To explore novel markers consisting of miRNA-associated signatures for PTC prognostication.METHODS We obtained and analyzed the data of 497 PTC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas.The patients were randomly assigned to either a training or testing cohort.RESULTS We discovered 237 differentially expressed miRNAs in tumorous thyroid tissues compared with normal tissues,which contained 172 up-regulated and 65 downregulated miRNAs.The evaluation of differently expressed miRNAs was conducted using our risk score model.We then successfully generated a fourmiRNA potential prognostic signature[risk score=(-0.001×hsa-miR-181a-2-3p)+(0.003×hsa-miR-138-5p)+(-0.018×hsa-miR-424-3p)+(0.284×hsa-miR-612)],which reliably distinguished patients from high and low risk with a significant difference in the overall survival(P<0.01)and was effective in predicting the five-year disease survival rate with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.937 and 0.812 in the training and testing cohorts,respectively.Additionally,there was a trend indicated that high-risk patients had shorter relapse-free survival,although statistical significance was not reached(P=0.082)in our sequencing cohort.CONCLUSION Our results indicated a four-miRNA signature that has a robust predictive effect on the prognosis of PTC.Accordingly,we would recommend more radical therapy and closer follow-ups for highrisk groups.

Morphodynamic signatures derived from daily surface elevation dynamics can explain the morphodynamic development of tidal flats

Understanding the sensitivity of tidal flats to environmental changes is challenging.Currently,most studies rely on process-based models to systematically explain the morphodynamic evolution of tidal flats.In this study,we proposed an alternative empirical approach to explore tidal flat dynamics using statistical indices based on long-term time series of daily surface elevation development.Surface elevation dynamic(SED)indices focus on the magnitude and period of surface elevation changes,while morphodynamic signature(MDS)indices relate sediment dynamics to environmental drivers.The statistical analyses were applied to an intervention site in the Netherlands to determine the effect of recently constructed groynes on the tidal flat.Using these analyses,we were able to(1)detect a reduction in the daily SED and(2)determine that the changes in the daily SED were predominantly caused by the reduction in wave impact between the groynes rather than the reduction in tidal currents.Overall,the presented results showed that the combination of novel statistical indices provides new insights into the trajectories of tidal flats,ecosystem functioning,and sensitivity to physical drivers(wind and tides).Finally,we suggested how the SED and MDS indices may help to explore the future trajectories and climate resilience of intertidal habitats.