bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Synergic Effect of Brine Salinity and Dispersed Clay Particles on Water-in-Heavy Oil Emulsion: Insight into Asphaltene Structure and Emulsion Stability
Authors: Mahdavi Mina Sadat , Tajikmansori Alireza , Saeedi Dehaghani Amir Hossein , Seyed Mousavi Seyed Amir Hossein 
Published: October 2024

Summary
The research on enhancing oil recovery in sandstone reservoirs through low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) has been well-documented, while there have been few studies conducted on the impact of emulsion formation in heavy oil due to the incompatibility between the injected brine, clay particles, and heavy oil components. In this study, we explored the synergic role of asphaltene and clay in the process of LSWF by introducing an innovative and thorough experimental approach. Our findings presented new insights into how LSWF in clay-rich sandstone reservoirs can influence the behavior and properties of the water-in-heavy oil emulsions. In this regard, we contacted the heavy oil and brine (with and without clay) for 20 days at 90°C. Then, the emulsion was centrifuged to separate the oil and brine phases. The oil phase was examined by conducting the viscosity, interfacial tension (IFT), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and asphaltene onset point (AOP) precipitation experiments. Significant decreases in viscosity and asphaltene precipitation values were observed when crude oil was exposed to clay solutions, as indicated by viscosity and IP-143 results. Furthermore, the zeta potential of clay particles suspended in various brines was determined to assess the electrostatic aspects of rock-oil interactions. The analysis of the emulsion phase indicated that the emulsion stability in the presence of clay increased because of the improvement of asphaltene contribution in the interface. This trend aligns with the zeta potential measurement results. In addition, after examining the pH and conductivity of aged brine in the presence and absence of clay, it was observed that the clay caused the release of hydrogen ions in the brine and then bonded with the dissolved cations, leading to improvement in the emulsion stability. Ultimately, the asphaltene molecular structure was compared via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and attenuated total reflection analysis before contact with the brine and after separation from the emulsion phase. The results indicated a decrease in the concentration of aliphatic groups in the molecular structure of the remaining asphaltene following the aging of the oil bulk. These new findings can potentially mitigate unwanted emulsion damage in the LSWF in heavy oil recovery.

Additional Keywords
emulsion; asphaltene; low-salinity waterflooding; clay; heavy oil; zeta potential
Characteristics of Effective Fractures in Deep Buried-Hill Basement Gas Reservoirs and Its Effects on Fluids: The Jianbei Slope, Qaidam Basin, China
Authors: Ye Yu , Cheng Chao , Liu Xiangjun , Yang Guojun , Li Xi , Deng Hongbing , Li Peiyan , Yang Songyu , Li Rui 
Published: October 2024

Summary
Buried hills are basement uplifts beneath sediment layers that possess significant exploration potential. Using the Jianbei Slope of the Qaidam Basin in China as a case study, we systematically investigated the types and origins of fractures in deep buried-hill gas reservoirs. In our study, we synthesized various data, including experimental results, production dynamics, and both conventional and special logging with the aim of clarifying the sequence and effectiveness of fracture formation in these gas reservoirs; analyzing the impact of effective fractures on fluid migration, accumulation, and preservation; and proposing a development plan to enhance stable production. Research reveals that since the Late Paleozoic, the region has been influenced by multiple phases of tectonic stress, deep fluid dissolution, and surface weathering leaching. This has resulted in a fracture system dominated by east-west trending deep major faults, with accompanying tectonic fractures, alongside dissolution, diagenetic, and weathering-collapse fractures. Smaller fractures oriented at an angle to the maximum principal stress and fractures with normal stress lower than the compressive strength are conducive to maintaining fracture effectiveness. Fracture widths range from 0.1 μm to 343.36 μm, with effective fractures comprising 63.49% of the total. Based on aperture and permeability, effective fractures are categorized into three levels: Level I fractures (&gt;100 μm) serve as primary migration pathways; Level II fractures (10–100 μm) are well configured with dissolution pores, forming a foundation for favorable reservoir development; and Level III fractures (micron scale) enhance reservoir storage capacity by connecting fractures. The gas-water interface in the reservoir rises rapidly and unevenly. In the I + II + III fracture combination model, fluid exhibits high-conductivity channeling, leading to rapid declines in formation pressure, quick water breakthroughs in single wells, and severe water sealing. Conversely, in the II + III fracture combination model, fluid invasion is characterized by weak-to-strong finger-like intrusion, leading to prolonged stable production. Vertically, the 20-m to 60-m interval above the bedrock weathering crust has a favorable pore-fracture configuration, making it a high-quality reservoir zone in buried hills. In addition, local thick layers of Level II microfractures within the bedrock represent potential exploration targets. Considering the differential distribution of reservoir fractures, the optimal development plan is expected to achieve a recovery rate of 28.35% by 2030.
Unmasking phosphine: Assessing its continued effectiveness on stored product insects in India across populations and life stages
Authors: Arora Sumitra , S Ramya R , Navik Omprakash , J Stanley , N Patil , T Adak , M Jena , Srivast Chitra , P Gupta J , D Pandey 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Phosphine is the primary fumigant to disinfest majority of world's grain against insect pests. However, the toxicity of phosphine against stored grain insect populations from different locations in India has been compared rarely. Under the present study, comparative toxicity of phosphine was determined for the storage insect pests of wheat and rice at different locations. It also evaluated phosphine’s efficacy against Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) and Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) for which information is limited. Developmental stages including adults, larvae and eggs of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), adults of rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), larvae of khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, eggs of C. maculatus and larvae, pupae and adults of H. hampei, were exposed to phosphine concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 2.25 mg/L for 24, 48, and 72 hours. Sitophilus oryzae and R. dominica strains of Almora were observed to be more resistant to phosphine when compared with the most susceptible population from Cuttack. Tribolium castaneum strains of Delhi and Almora were more susceptible than strains of Cuttack. All the tested developmental stages of H. hampei were found to be highly susceptible; while, eggs of C. maculatus and larvae of T. granarium were highly resistant. Results showed significant variations in susceptibility among insect populations and life stages. The study also revealed that median lethal concentrations decrease with an increase in exposure levels irrespective of the insect species and life stages tested, suggesting the need for location-specific dosage and exposure periods for phosphine fumigation.
A computational approach to evaluate how molecular mechanisms impact large-scale brain activity
Authors: Destexhe Alain , Sacha Maria , Tesler Federico , Cofre Rodrigo 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Assessing the impact of pharmaceutical compounds on brain activity is a critical issue in contemporary neuroscience. Currently, no systematic approach exists for evaluating these effects in whole-brain models, which typically focus on macroscopic phenomena, while pharmaceutical interventions operate at the molecular scale. Here, we address this issue by presenting a computational approach for brain simulations using biophysically grounded mean-field models that integrate membrane conductances and synaptic receptors, showcased in the example of anesthesia. We show that anesthetics targeting GABAA and NMDA receptors can switch brain activity to generalized slow-wave patterns, as observed experimentally in deep anesthesia. To validate our models, we demonstrate that these slow-wave states exhibit reduced responsiveness to external stimuli and functional connectivity constrained by anatomical connectivity, mirroring experimental findings in anesthetized states across species. Our approach, founded on mean-field models that incorporate molecular realism, provides a robust framework for understanding how molecular-level drug actions impact whole-brain dynamics.
Trehalose ameliorates severe acute pancreatitis by modulating the gut microbial metabolism
Authors: Li Weiqin , Hao Haibin , Du Deren , Lin Hong , Ke Lu , Fu Aikun , Shi Chongli , Li Wei , Li Yuanzhen , Hou Gaohuan , Li Lianglan , Liu Yuxiu , Shao Shengwen , Tong Zhihui 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Severe Acute Pancreatitis (SAP) is an acute, severe, and high-mortality special type of pancreatitis, often accompanied by gut microbiota disorders. Gut microbiota and its derived metabolites are involved in SAP progression, but gut microbial metabolism in SAP and their roles remain unclear. In this study, we found that gut microbial metabolism homeostasis was imbalanced in SAP, especially the increase of lipids metabolism and decrease of carbohydrate & amino acid metabolism, which were reversed by depleting the gut microbiota. Trehalose in microbial carbohydrate metabolism significantly increased after depleting gut microbiota. Interestingly, oral trehalose effectively reduced pancreatic injury and ameliorated the SAP-induced microbial metabolism imbalance by increasing carbohydrate metabolism and decreasing lipids metabolism, especially increasing galactose metabolism. The role of trehalose was shown to be dependent on gut microbiota via FMT, especially the inhibition of Lactobacillaceae and the expansion of Muribaculaceae. Mechanistically, trehalose-remodeled gut microbiota reduced SAP-induced increases in serum TG, IL-6, IL-17A, and TNF-α, and inhibited caspase-3-mediated apoptosis and macrophage infiltration in the pancreas. Overall, our study revealed that trehalose ameliorates SAP by modulating the gut microbial metabolism homeostasis, which provides new insights into alterations of gut microbial metabolism and the “microbial metabolism-gut-pancreatic axis” to treat pancreatic diseases.
Proteomic analysis reveals the difference between the sperm of young and old Sus Scrofa
Authors: Fan Shuhao , Xie Fan , Wang Qianqian , Ye Haibo , Tian Yali , Liu Yangguang , Zhang Huibin , Zheng Xianrui , Yin Zongjun , Zhang Xiaodong 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background: The Wannan black pig is a superior local breed in Anhui province, renowned for its exceptional meat quality and remarkable adaptability to various environmental conditions. Semen, being a crucial indicator of male sexual maturity and fertility, significantly influences the performance of breeding boars. The molecular basis for comprehending the fecundity of boars in practical production lies in understanding the disparities in sperm proteins among boars of varying ages. In this investigation, sperm from three one-year-old and three seven-year-old Wannan black pigs were individually chosen.
Results: Employing a Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics approach, a total of 4050 proteins were identified, out of which 130 proteins exhibited significant differences between the two groups. GO enrichment analysis revealed that these proteins primarily participated in energy metabolism, spermatogenesis, fertilization, and reproduction. KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that the differential proteins predominantly resided within the ribosome pathway. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify core proteins such as RPS5. Ultimately, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) was conducted on the selected differential proteins to validate result accuracy.
Conclusions: The findings of this study establish a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying variations in sperm protein levels among Wannan Black Pig with different age.
A case of transient cortical blindness following coronary intervention
Authors: Modi Morni , Sicinschi Stefan , Mina George , Modi Kalgi 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Transient cortical blindness is rare in the setting of cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention. The initial clinical manifestations present similarly to acute posterior cerebral hemorrhage and causes great alarm in both patients and interventional cardiologists. A challenging clinical situation arises, as interruption of antiplatelet therapy due to concerns of hemorrhagic exacerbation poses a risk in the setting of recently placed drug eluting coronary stent. We present a case of an 83-year-old male who developed acute transient bilateral loss of visual acuity following PCI. On non-contrast head CT, he had bilateral hyper densities in the occipital lobes concerning for hemorrhage. Antiplatelet therapy was transiently held until two repeat head CT confirmed resolution of initial hyper densities in setting of no neurological deficits. His vision loss and imaging abnormalities resolved in less than 12 hours and presentation was consistent with contrast-induced transient cortical blindness.
Moroccan genome project: Genomic insight into a North African population
Authors: FAHIME elmostafa EL , Kartti Souad , Chemao-Elfihri Mohammed , Festali Rihab , HAKMI Mohammed , IBRAHIMI Azeddine , Boutayeb Saber , Belyamani Lahcen 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Africa's 1.5 billion people are underrepresented in genomic databases. The African Genome Variation Project exclusively studied populations south of the Sahara, making Morocco, on Africa's northwest coast, a desirable genetic variety study site. Understanding genetic variation and customized therapy require population-specific reference genomes. This study presents Phase 1 results from the Moroccan Genome Project (MGP), which sequenced 109 Moroccan genomes. Of the 27 million variations we found, 1.4 million were unique and 15,378 were highly prevalent in Morocco. The first Moroccan Major Allele Reference Genome (MMARG) was built utilizing high-coverage consensus sequences from 109 whole genomes. The latter more accurately depicts Moroccan genetic variations than GRCh38. To support regional population-specific initiatives and precision medicine in Morocco and North Africa, this baseline research created a high-quality reference genome and genetic variation database. The results stress the necessity of population-relevant data in Human genetic research.
A study of the effects of high-intensity interval training and aerobic training on executive function in college students
Authors: Zou Benxu , Xue Liying , Wei Ming , Xue WanFang 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity cardio-training (MICT) on the executive function of non-athletic college students by combining event-related potentials (ERP) and physiological indexes (heart rate, oxygen saturation), with the aim of providing an objective basis and a practical guide for the college students to choose a more scientific and efficient exercise mode. The study was conducted with 34 non-physical education college students from Shenyang Institute of Physical Education, and the Flanker task, 2-back task and More-odd shifting task were used as the measurement tools. The executive function levels of college students were measured after moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training interventions. The results found that the two exercise modalities had a significant increase in the behavioral outcomes for the response time of the refreshing, inhibitory and switching functions, but the effect was not significant on the correctness of the intervention. Conclusion: Both moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training have positive effects on executive functions of college students.
Efficient Feature Extraction and Fusion for Lightweight Semantic Segmentation Networks
Authors: Yuan Pengfei , Wu Yuanyuan , Zeng Yuan , Liang Jing , Zeng Wu 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Semantic segmentation, pivotal in applications like autonomous driving and robotics, requires accurate pixel-wise labeling. Here we propose a novel Feature Extraction and Fusion (FEF) module, integrating dilated convolution and depth-wise separable convolution, to swiftly extract multi-scale features with enhanced accuracy and computational efficiency. Our lightweight network demonstrates a 72.6% Mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) on the Cityscapes dataset and achieves an impressive 93.7 FPS on a single GTX 1080Ti GPU, showcasing a competitive balance between speed and accuracy. This work contributes to the ongoing advancements in real-time semantic segmentation by offering a streamlined approach that maintains high performance with minimal computational overhead. The code can be found in https://figshare.com/s/ 5f3ad04a8ba0128b633f
Modeling Climate-Induced Refugee Migration: An Explainable Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Qi Haodong , Sirbu Alina , Momeni Rahman , Hisam Enes , Arcila-Calderon Carlos , Bircan Tuba , Iacus Stefano 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

We introduce a novel machine learning model to explain and predict climate-induced refugee migration. Through a case study of Somalis seeking asylum in the EU, we demonstrated three key features of our approach. First, by combining lead-lag analysis and Elastic Net regularization, our model can efficiently extract important predictors and their optimal lags from a high-dimensional space containing thousands of location-specific indicators within a country of origin. This feature is useful for identifying where and when migration responses to climate conditions are likely to occur. Moreover, by training on rolling time windows, our model can analyze the persistence of migration drivers and examine whether persistent drivers might induce qualitative (abrupt) changes in the functioning of migration systems. Finally, compared to common time series extrapolation methods (auto-regressive models), our approach can deliver more accurate forecasts and more reliable assessment of uncertainties. In this regard, our machine learning approach is proven to be not only predictive, but also explainable.
Computational Insights into Graphene-Based Materials for Arsenic Removal from Wastewater: A Hybrid Quantum Mechanical Study
Authors: AYENI Olusola Ibraheem , OYEGOKE Toyese 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

The discharge of industrial wastewater, particularly from chemical and mining industries, poses significant threats to the environment, public health, and safety due to high concentrations of pollutants leading to serious illnesses and the loss of aquatic life. It is therefore essential and urgent to devise measures for mitigating these threats. To advance the understanding of graphene membranes for arsenic removal from wastewater, we investigated the arsenic adsorption mechanism and relative selectivity on graphene-based materials using computational approaches. Our study employed hybrid quantum mechanical calculations for energy and geometry optimization to explore arsenic adsorption on pristine graphene membrane surfaces in vacuum and aqueous environments. We assessed the effect of different adsorption sites on the surface, including top (T), bridge (B), and hollow (H) across both edge (E) and center (C) regions, to identify the optimal site. Our results identified edge sites as the most effective for adsorption, with strong adsorption energies in both vacuum (-1.98 eV) and aqueous environments (-1.97 eV), which are generally stronger than those for water adsorption (-0.25 to -0.26 eV) on the surface. Geometrical analyses confirmed the bridge edge sites as the most preferred adsorption configuration. Our findings advance computational methodologies for designing efficient adsorbents and offer valuable insights for developing graphene-based materials. By elucidating adsorption mechanisms and optimizing membrane properties, this study contributes to the novel design of adsorbents for arsenic removal, addressing critical challenges in environmental remediation.
Identification and functional characterization of multiple haemadins and an oligomeric decorsin in the Asian land leech Haemadipsa interrupta
Authors: Müller Christian , Sponholz Dana , Tolksdorf Céline , Rauch Bernhard H. , Kvist Sebastian 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Haematophagous leeches rely on a broad variety of bioactive compounds to secure a sufficient blood meal from their vertebrate prey. Both the primary (platelet aggregation) and secondary (blood coagulation) haemostasis are main targets of action. The platelet aggregation inhibitor decorsin was first described in the North American leech, Macrobdella decora Say, 1824, whereas the bivalent thrombin inhibitor hirudin was originally identified in the European medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis Linnaeus, 1758. Hirudin blocks both the catalytic site and the fibrinogen-binding site (exosite I) of thrombin. Haemadin of the Indian land leech Haemadipsa sylvestris Blanchard, 1894, is also a highly efficient bivalent thrombin inhibitor, but blocks exosite II of thrombin. So far, only the archetypal form of haemadin from H. sylvestris has been purified and functionally characterized, and two putative haemadins have been identified in the salivary transcriptome of Haemadipsa interrupta Moore, 1835, a terrestrial leech inhabiting mainly the Malayan peninsula. Here we describe the identification of ten additional putative haemadins in the transcriptomic data set of H. interrupta, first generated by another study. Furthermore, we identified a putative oligomeric decorsin, which represents the first finding of this anticoagulant in a haemadipsid leech. Both decorsin and a selection of haemadins were expressed, purified and functionally characterized. The putative haemadins displayed a broad spectrum of thrombin-inhibitory potencies, whereas the putative oligomeric decorsin was indeed a weak inhibitor of platelet aggregation.