Jian Gao

The Kuqa Depression in the Tarim Basin is a structurally complex foreland basin with strong east–west variations in tectonic deformation, pressure regime, and petroleum system evolution, making reconstruction of multiphase hydrocarbon charging essential for deep and tight reservoir exploration. This study aims to compare the timing, phases, and controlling factors of hydrocarbon accumulation in the eastern Dibei area and the western Qiulitage structural belt. Petrography, fluid inclusion petrography, fluorescence spectroscopy, microthermometry, laser Raman spectroscopy, and burial–thermal history modeling were integrated to reconstruct hydrocarbon charging and pressure evolution in two representative structural domains, the eastern Dibei area and the western Qiulitage structural belt. The results show that the Jurassic Ahe Formation in the eastern Dibei area experienced four charging episodes at 22–20 Ma, 12–10 Ma, 9–7 Ma, and 3–2 Ma, including two oil-charging and two gas-charging stages, whereas the western Tuotan-1 area recorded only two main oil-charging events at 23–20 Ma and 5–3 Ma. These contrasting accumulation histories are primarily controlled by differences in the degree of tectonic contraction, pressure evolution, and source rock maturity. In the eastern Kuqa Depression, intense Himalayan compression promoted overpressure development (pressure coefficient 1.5–1.7), facilitating vertical hydrocarbon migration along fault systems and ultimately leading to tight gas accumulation following reservoir densification at ~8 Ma. In contrast, the western region experienced weaker deformation and near-normal pressure conditions, favoring lateral migration along unconformities and the formation of conventional oil reservoirs. These results highlight the role of tectonic–pressure coupling in governing multi-phase hydrocarbon accumulation and provide a geological basis not only for exploration of deep and tight reservoirs in the Kuqa Depression, but also for evaluating reservoir preservation, overpressure-related development risk, and possible hydrocarbon phase and product-quality variation.

Risk assessment of deep shale reservoirs is very important for subsurface energy development. However, due to complex geological environments and physicochemical interactions, shale reservoir fabric parameters exhibit variability. Moreover, the actual investigation and testing information is very limited, which is a typical small-sample problem. In this paper, the heterogeneity and statistical characteristics of deep shale reservoirs are clarified by the measured mechanical parameters. A deep learning method for deep shale reservoirs with limited survey data information is proposed. The variability of deep shale reservoirs is characterized by random field theory. A variable stiffness method and stochastic analysis method are developed to evaluate the risk of deep shale reservoirs. The detailed workflow of the stochastic risk assessment framework is presented. The frequency distribution and failure risk of deep shale reservoirs are calculated and analyzed. The risk assessment of deep shale reservoirs under different model parameters is discussed. The results show that a stochastic risk assessment framework of deep shale reservoirs, using a deep learning method and random field theory, is scientifically reasonable. The scatter plots of the elasticity modulus (EM), cohesive force (CF), and Poisson ratio (PR) distribute along the 45-degree line. The different distributed variables of EM, CF, and PR have a positive correlation. The statistical properties of the measurement data and deep learning data are approximately the same. The principal stress of deep shale follows the normal distribution with significance level 0.1. Under positive copula conditions, the maximum failure probability is 5.99%. Under negative copula conditions, the maximum failure probability is 4.58%. Different copula functions under positive and negative copula conditions have different failure probabilities. For the exponential correlation structure, the minimum failure probability is 3.46%, while the maximum failure probability is 6.19%. The mean failure probability of the EM, CF, and PR of deep shale reservoirs is 4.85%. Different random field-related structures and parameters have different influences on the failure risk.

Artificial ground freezing technology is the most important construction method of complex water-bearing soft clay rock. The thermodynamic properties of soft clay rock are important evidence for the design and construction of space resources development, and the variable hydrothermal parameter can directly affect the uncertain thermodynamic properties of soft clay rock. In this work, an array of field experiments on the soft clay rock are carried out, and the anisotropic spatial variations of hydrothermal parameters of soft clay rock are obtained. The statistical variability characteristics of variable hydrothermal parameters are estimated. A stochastic coupling model of soft clay rock with heat conduction and porous flow is proposed, and the uncertain thermodynamic properties of soft clay rock are computed by the self-compiled program. Model validation with the experimental and numerical temperatures is also presented. According to the relationship between anisotropic spatial variations and statistical variability characteristics for the different random field correlation models, the effects of the autocorrelation function, coefficient of variation, and autocorrelation distance of variable hydrothermal parameters on the uncertain thermodynamic properties of soft clay rock are analyzed. The results show that the proposed stochastic analysis model for the thermal characteristics of soft clay rock, considering the spatial variability of frozen soil layers, is scientifically reasonable. The maximum standard deviation of average thickness is 2.33 m, and the maximum average temperature is 2.25 °C. For the autocorrelation function, the most significant impact comes from DBIN. For the coefficient of variation, the most significant impact comes from thermal conductivity. Different variations of hydrothermal parameters have different effects on the standard deviation of soft clay rock temperature. The biggest influence is the thermal conductivity, while the lowest influence is the specific heat capacity.

Structural evolution and characterization of organic-rich shale from macroscopic to microscopic resolution: The significance of tectonic activity

Suppl. Table 1: Characteristics of the TCGA cohort; Suppl. Table 2: Characteristics of cohort A. CIS= carcinoma in situ; Suppl. Table 3: Characteristics of cohort B Suppl. Fig. 1. Correlation of degree of DNA methylation at CpG site cg10183885 in the SLC16A3 gene region (see Suppl. Table 4) and MCT4 mRNA expression; Suppl. Fig. 2. Correlation of gene expression and protein expression in cohort B. Suppl. Fig. 3. Representative H&E (upper panel) and immunohistochemical images in matched bladder cancer samples (each column is one patient). CD8 was used to stain T cells (middle panel) in comparison with MCT4 expression (lower panel). Suppl. Fig. 4. Protein expression of MCT4 in benign urothelium, primary tumor tissue and lymph node metastases (cohort A). Suppl. Fig. 5. Protein expression in primary tumors according to tumor stage (left) and lymph node involvement (right) (cohort A).; Suppl. Fig. 6. MCT4 mRNA expression correlates with molecular subtypes in the TCGA cohort using the updated TCGA nomenclature (n=408); Suppl. Fig. 7. MCT4 gene expression does not correlate with overall survival in a cohort of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Suppl. Fig. 8. Expression of MCT4 in urothelial carcinoma cell lines detected by Western Blot (A) and qPCR (B); Suppl. Fig. 9. Effect of MCT4 silencing on cell growth in hypoxic conditions determined by MTT assay. Suppl. Fig. 10. Effect of inhibition of MCT4 using siRNA on cell growth of the MCT4 negative cell line RT4 determined by MTT assay; Suppl. Fig 11. Effect of MCT4 silencing on cell growth in glucose free conditions determined by MTT assay; Suppl.Fig. 12. Effect of different concentrations of MCT4 specific antisense olignucleotide (ASO) on cell growth determined by MTT assay. Suppl. Fig. 13. Oxygen consumption rates at baseline (A), following glucose injection (B) and following oligomycin injection (C) in cell lines treated with control siRNA or MCT4 specific siRNAs.

The Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn deposits and hydrocarbon reservoirs coexist around the margin of the eastern Sichuan basin. This study examined the fluid inclusions, Sr isotope and systematic Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd geochronology for the distinct ore and gangue minerals of four orebodies from two MVT Pb-Zn deposits in the margin of the eastern Sichuan basin, combined with the existing research foundation of oil and gas accumulation and evolution, which was designed to understand the internal relationship between oil and gas accumulation and the involvement of organic matter in metal mineralization. High-density methane, moderate temperature, and salinity inclusions were discovered in the studied MVT Pb-Zn deposits, combined with relatively higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.71088~0.714749), indicating that the ore-forming fluids were derived largely from the hydrocarbon associated basinal brines. Rb-Sr isochron of paragenetic sphalerites and pyrites and Sm-Nd isochron of paragenetic fluorites and calcite from the studied MVT Pb-Zn deposits define isochron ages of 144.5 Ma~138.5 Ma, and 147.6 Ma, respectively, indicating that the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Yanshanian orogeny was an important metallogenic event in the margin of the eastern Sichuan basin. The close temporal and spatial relationship between the MVT mineralization and hydrocarbon accumulation and destruction in the strong structural deformation area of the margin of the eastern Sichuan basin allows us to propose a possible model in which the Yanshanian compressional tectonics drove a large-scale flow of metal- and sulfate- bearing basinal fluids passed under or through methane-bearing carbonate reservoirs, resulting in the MVT mineralization and hydrocarbon accumulation and destruction.

Many studies have proved peer-teaching as a practical or best learning method. However, only a few practical and replicable classroom practices for teaching non-native English university students in China can be found. This article is intended to identify factors affecting ESL peer-teaching process and improve students’ performance in all aspects of English skills. The data collected from questionnaires proves that peer-teaching is an effective teaching method for students to achieve a higher learning level.

Percutaneous tracheostomy, almost associated with cough reflex and hemodynamic fluctuations, is a common procedure for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, especially those in neurosurgery intensive care units (NICUs). However, there are currently a lack of effective preventive measures to reduce the risk of secondary brain injury. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) vs sufentanil during percutaneous tracheostomy in TBI patients. The 196 TBI patients who underwent percutaneous tracheostomy were randomized divided into 3 groups: group D1 (n = 62, DEX infusion at 0.5 μg·kg–1 for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.2–0.7 μg·kg–1·hour–1), group D2 (n = 68, DEX infusion at 1 μg·kg–1 for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.2–0.7 μg·kg–1·hour–1), and group S (n = 66, sufentanil infusion 0.3 μg·kg–1 for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.2–0.4 μg·kg–1·hour–1). The bispectral index (BIS) of all patients was maintained at 50 to 70 during surgery. Anesthesia onset time, hemodynamic variables, total cumulative dose of DEX/sufentanil, total doses of rescue propofol and fentanyl, time to first dose of rescue propofol and fentanyl, number of intraoperative patient movements and cough reflexes, adverse events, and surgeon satisfaction score were recorded. Anesthesia onset time was significantly lower in group D2 than in both other groups (14.35 ± 3.23 vs 12.42 ± 2.12 vs 13.88 ± 3.51 minutes in groups D1, D2, and S, respectively; P < .001). Both heart rate and mean arterial pressure during percutaneous tracheostomy were more stable in group D2. Total doses of rescue propofol and fentanyl were significantly lower in group D2 than in group D1 (P < .001). The time to first dose of rescue propofol and fentanyl were significantly longer in group D2 than in both other groups (P < .001). The number of patient movements and cough reflexes during percutaneous tracheostomy were lower in group D2 than in both other groups (P < .001). The overall incidences of tachycardia and hypertension (which required higher doses of esmolol and urapidil, respectively) were also lower in group D2 than in both other groups (P < .05). Three patients in group S had respiratory depression compared to X in the D1 group and X in the D2 group. The surgeon satisfaction score was significantly higher in group D2 than in both other groups (P < .05). During percutaneous tracheostomy, compared with sufentanil, DEX (1 μg·kg–1 for 10 minutes, then adjusted to 0.2–0.7 μg·kg–1·hour–1) can provide the desired attenuation of the hemodynamic response without increased adverse events. Consequently, DEX could be used safely and effectively during percutaneous tracheostomy in TBI patients.