High-quality Source Research Articles

Chemical approaches targeting the hurdles of hepatocyte transplantation: mechanisms, applications, and advances

Hepatocyte transplantation (HTx) has been a novel cell-based therapy for severe liver diseases, as the donor livers for orthotopic liver transplantation are of great shortage. However, HTx has been confronted with two main hurdles: limited high-quality hepatocyte sources and low cell engraftment and repopulation rate. To cope with, researchers have investigated on various strategies, including small molecule drugs with unique advantages. Small molecules are promising chemical tools to modulate cell fate and function for generating high quality hepatocyte sources. In addition, endothelial barrier, immune responses, and low proliferative efficiency of donor hepatocytes mainly contributes to low cell engraftment and repopulation rate. Interfering these biological processes with small molecules is beneficial for improving cell engraftment and repopulation. In this review, we will discuss the applications and advances of small molecules in modulating cell differentiation and reprogramming for hepatocyte resources and in improving cell engraftment and repopulation as well as its underlying mechanisms.

An Intelligent Framework of Equipment Fault Diagnosis Based on Knowledge Graph

Equipment fault information typically exhibits the characteristics of fragmentation and diversified structure. The existing fault diagnosis methods are incapable of fully exploiting the prior knowledge and expert knowledge within the field, and the diagnosis results are overly one-sided. Given that it is challenging to obtain effective fault diagnostic knowledge for complex equipment and complex faults, this paper proposes the application of the domain knowledge graph (KG) for fault diagnosis. Different from the existing fault diagnosis methods involving the KG, our framework consists of two major parts. The first part is to construct an equipment fault KG from semi-structured and unstructured text. We further enrich the graph knowledge through knowledge completion, which can furnish high-quality knowledge sources for downstream applications. The second part is to employ the built fault KG either online or offline for fault diagnosis. We offer two approaches: the deep learning plus KG approach; the question-answering approach. The former not only guarantees the diagnostic accuracy but also provides more comprehensive diagnostic information. This constitutes the online utilization of the KG. The latter realizes the offline use of the KG, providing users with a natural and user-friendly manner to retrieve fault diagnosis information. We demonstrate and verify our proposed framework in the context of the bearing fault diagnosis.

Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Metabolomic Variations and Key Transcription Factors Involved in Lipid Biosynthesis During Seed Development in Carya illinoinensis

Plant oils are a large group of neutral lipids that play a vital role in the food and oleochemical industries. The pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a promising woody oil crop known for its high-quality sources of essential fatty acids and various bioactive compounds that may aid in preventing heart diseases. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the accumulation of lipids and the molecular mechanism of lipid biosynthesis during seed development. This study aims to analyze the metabolite variations and molecular mechanisms of lipid biosynthesis by integrating untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics during pecan seed development. A total of 293 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified and further categorized into 13 groups, with lipids and lipid-like molecules constituting the largest group. The oil content and fatty acid compositions of pecan embryos were assessed at three stages of seed development. Oleic acid (c18:1) and linoleic acid (c18:2n6) were found to be the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid components in pecan embryos. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis revealed 15,990 differentially expressed genes, with a focus on the key genes related to lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the study identified 1201 transcription factors from differentially expressed genes. These transcription factors were divided into 65 families, with different members in the same family exhibiting different expression patterns during seed development. The expression patterns of ten transcription factor genes during seed development were verified by qRT–PCR. Two key genes, CiABI3 and CiFUS3 were further cloned and found to be localized in the nucleus. This study used metabolome and transcriptome analysis during key periods of pecan seed development to identify the key genes associated with seed development and fatty acid biosynthesis.

Physicochemical and functional characteristics of egg white powder as affected by pre-treatment and drying methods

Egg white is often regarded as a high-quality protein source that contains all essential amino acids required by humans. A fresh egg in liquid form has a short shelf life, thus drying it into powder can be the best alternative for a longer short life. This research aimed to evaluate the physicochemical and functional characteristics of egg white powder (EWP) as affected by pasteurization as pre-treatment and drying methods. There were six treatments in the preparation of EWP, i.e., pasteurization, unpasteurization and combined with three drying methods (spray-, cabinet-, or freeze-drying). The physical and functional properties of EWP were determined i.e., the yield, color, water activity, bulk density, flowability, foaming, emulsification, water absorption (WAC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), and gel strength. The chemical properties i.e. moisture content, fat, ash, protein content, protein digestibility, and antioxidant activity were also determined. The results showed that pasteurization and different drying methods affected the physicochemical and functionality of EWP. Pasteurization treatment significantly increased the bulk density of EWP prepared by spray- and cabinet drying, WAC of EWP prepared by spray- and cabinet drying, gel strength of EWP prepared by spray drying, the protein content of EWP prepared by spray drying, protein digestibility of EWP prepared by spray- and cabinet drying; however, significantly decreased the aerated and tapped bulk density of EWP prepared by freeze-drying, gel strength of EWP prepared by cabinet- and freeze-drying, the protein content of EWP prepared by cabinet- and freeze-drying, protein digestibility of EWP prepared by freeze-drying, antioxidant activity of EWP prepared by spray-, cabinet-, and freeze-drying. Different drying methods significantly affected the color parameters, bulk density, gel strength, moisture content, protein content and protein digestibility. This study suggested that the best characteristic of EWP was that of unpasteurized and prepared by freeze-drying method.

Impact of heat stress on poultry production: Feed intake, water homeostasis, gut integrity, and meat quality

Heat stress (HS) is a major challenge to the poultry industry, especially as global temperatures continue to rise due to climate change. Heat stress has a negative effect on poultry by disrupting production sustainability, water homeostasis, gut integrity, and meat quality, leading to economic losses and welfare concerns. This review consolidates current research on these issues and explores potential strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of HS. Nutritional interventions, environmental modifications, e.g., ventilation systems and cooling techniques, as well as genetic approaches are discussed as promising solutions to improve poultry resilience to HS. Moreover, this article emphasizes the importance of adopting sustainable and innovative practices to enhance poultry farming’s long-term viability, ensuring that production systems remain both efficient and environmentally friendly. As climate change continues to intensify, the development of holistic and effective solutions becomes critical to support the global poultry industry and meet the growing demand for high-quality protein sources in a sustainable manner.

Picometer-Sensitivity Surface Profile Measurement Using Swept-Source Phase Microscopy

In recent years, the Swept-Source Phase Microscope (SS-PM) has gained more attention due to its greater robustness to sample motion and lower signal decay with depth. However, the mechanical wavelength tuning of the swept source creates small variations in the wavenumber sampling of spectra that introduce serious phase noise. We present a software post-processing method to eliminate phase noise in SS-PM. This method does not require high-quality swept light sources or high-precision synchronization devices and achieves ~72 pm displacement sensitivity using a conventional SS-PM system. We compare the performance of this method with traditional software-based methods by measuring phase fluctuations. The phase fluctuations in the traditional software-based method are five times those of the proposed method, which means the proposed method has better sensitivity. Using this method, we reconstructed phase images of air wedges and resolution plates to demonstrate the SS-PM’s potential for high-sensitivity surface profiling measurement. Finally, we discuss the advantages of SS-PM over traditional Spectral-Domain PM techniques.

A petrophysically driven seismic inversion method for the total organic carbon content of source rocks

Organic carbon content is the main index for evaluating organic matter abundance of source rocks, and it is still difficult to quantitatively predict total organic carbon (TOC) in source rocks based on seismic data. The study of seismic fluid identification driven by petrophysics can help to understand the fluid characteristics and distribution patterns of subsurface oil and gas reservoirs. First, this paper clarifies the sweet spot parameters (parameters characterizing hydrocarbon enrichment) and sensitive elastic parameters (a parameter characterizing the nature of an ideal elastic body) of source rocks through theoretical petrophysical modeling. Next, the paper establishes the relationship between sensitive elastic parameters and sweet spot parameters TOC and constructs a statistical petrophysical model that can characterize the relationship between the two on this basis. And then we construct the joint distribution of TOC and elastic impedance through the Bayesian theoretical framework to obtain the maximum posterior probability estimate as the final TOC inversion results of source rocks. Our method successfully predicts the spreading of high-quality source rocks in the Wen4 Section of Lufeng 13 Subsag, and the inversion results are within an uncertainty range of ±14 m for well data, which proves the reliability of the method. The prediction results show that the organic matter abundance of source rocks in the Wen4 Section is high, and the organic carbon content is generally higher than 2%, which provides a reliable basis for the further implementation of the resource scale of the depression and the clarification of the hydrocarbon-rich area, which provides technical support for the evaluation of the source rocks of the new depression in the new area.

Information Regarding Male Infertility in the Nordic Countries’ Fertility Clinics’ Websites: An Evaluation of Readability, Suitability, and Quality

Background There is a shortage of information on infertility targeted at men on the Internet, and the quality of websites on fertility-related information varies. This may lead men to seek information on the Internet, as the anonymity of online forums may appeal to some men. However, this information is not a substitute for proper diagnosis and treatment. Aim To examine whether online information on male infertility on private or university infertility clinics in Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden is readable, suitable, and of good quality. Methods A cross-sectional design was used to evaluate 83 fertility clinics’ websites focusing on male infertility by using the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM), and the DISCERN instrument. Results The results indicated that information pertaining to male infertility was scarce but had an “adequate” readability and was easy to comprehend. The findings also pinpoint several elements on websites that necessitate enhancement, notably updated evidence-based information. Conclusions The conclusion was that the information on the websites must be reliable, so that men can base their choices concerning their fertility issues on trustworthy facts. It is crucial that healthcare professionals develop high-quality sources of information regarding male infertility.

Spontaneous parametric downconversion in a laser-poled lithium niobate nonlinear photonic crystal with nanoscale resolution.

Based on quasi-phase-matching (QPM) theory, nonlinear photonic crystals (NPCs) are capable of realizing efficient spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC) for the generation of photonic entangled states. However, the traditional electric field poling techniques employed in NPC fabrication often result in non-negligible processing errors of a few hundred nanometers, thus impeding the production of quantum photon pairs as intended. In this work, we investigate the SPDC photon pairs generated in a laser-poled lithium niobate (LN) NPC. By using the recently developed laser poling technique, the processing error of the NPC is substantially reduced to approximately 15 nm. Consequently, the coincidence counts of the generated photon pairs in the experiment reach 83.6% of the designed value. Our result paves the way for on-demand production of high-quality quantum sources, which has potential applications in quantum communications and quantum computations.

A positive semi definite tensor factorization method for separation of non stationary noise sources

In the aircraft industry, noise mitigation has emerged as an increasingly pressing issue, underscoring the critical importance of advancing our understanding of noise origins within turbofan engines. This paper presents the application of Positive Semi Definite Tensor Factorization (PSDTF), a potential method for the analysis of engine static tests conducted with far-field microphone arrays. By extending the capabilities of Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF), PSDTF offers an effective algorithm for source separation. Leveraging on cross spectral matrices to harness phase information across microphones, this approach aims at separating the contributions of several noise sources, avoiding the need for a precise acoustical model (sound propagation, source directivity, etc.). Experimental findings on a controlled experiment demonstrate the superiority of PSDTF over conventional NMF variants in achieving higher-quality source separation.

TEMPORARY REMOVAL: Effect of soy isoflavones on measures of estrogenicity: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundDespite recommendations to increase plant food consumption for public and planetary health and the role that soy foods can play in plant-predominant diets, controversies around the effects of soy foods and especially soy isoflavones, are a barrier to their intake. Given their cardioprotective effects and ability to alleviate menopausal symptoms, addressing these concerns is particularly relevant to women. ObjectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials aimed to determine the effect of soy isoflavones on measures of estrogenicity in postmenopausal women. MethodsMEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched through August 2024 for randomized trials 3-months investigating soy isoflavones versus non-isoflavone controls in postmenopausal women. Outcomes included endometrial thickness (ET), vaginal maturation index (VMI), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol. Independent authors extracted data and assessed risk of bias. GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) was used to assess certainty of evidence. ResultsWe included 40 trials (52 trial comparisons, n=3285) assessing the effect of a median reported dose of 75mg/day of soy isoflavones in substitution for non-isoflavone controls over a median of 24 weeks. Soy isoflavones had no statistically significant effect on any measure of estrogenicity; ET (mean difference, -0.22mm [95% confidence interval, -0.45, 0.01mm], PMD=0.059), VMI (2.31 [-2.14, 6.75], PMD=0.310), FSH (-0.02IU/L [-2.39, 2.35IU/L], PMD=0.987), and estradiol (1.61pmol/L [-1.17, 4.38pmol/L], PMD=0.256). The certainty of evidence was high-to-moderate for all outcomes. ConclusionsCurrent evidence suggests that soy isoflavones do not exhibit estrogenic effects compared to non-isoflavone controls on 4 measures of estrogenicity in postmenopausal women. This synthesis supports that soy isoflavones likely act as selective estrogen receptor modulators, differing clinically from the hormone estrogen. Addressing public health concerns may promote soy foods as high-quality plant protein sources with low environmental impact and cost, particularly benefiting postmenopausal women, and aligning with sustainable dietary patterns and guidelines. RegistrationPROSPERO (CRD42023439239)

Co-fermentation of hot-pressed rapeseed meal with multiple strains and cellulase: Evaluating changes in protein quality and metabolite profiles

Hot-pressed rapeseed meal (RSM) is rich in resources, but high fiber content and low protein utilization result from high temperature processing. This study aims to obtain a high-quality protein source through the fermentation of hot-pressed RSM. We used Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs to optimize parameters for solid state fermentation with Bacillus subtilis strain 5, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Aspergillus niger. Under the optimum conditions, the synergistic fermentation with multiple strains and cellulase significantly reduced anti-nutritional factors in hot-pressed RSM, while also increasing protein solubility, digestibility and extraction rate by 466.80%, 45.56% and 816.44%, respectively. 77 enzymes secreted by fermentation strains were identified in fermented hot-pressed RSM, which were mainly involved in the metabolism of proteins, peptides and amino acids (28.6%), energy (28.5%), carbohydrates (13.0%) and lipids (5.2%). Non-targeted metabonomics identified 1245 differential metabolites, with the top five being peptides and amino acids, lipids, heterocyclic compounds, alkaloids, and organic acids. These differential metabolites enhanced the nutritional, functional and flavor properties of fermented hot-pressed RSM. Among them, 702 differential metabolites were enriched into metabolic pathways, with the largest number of pathways associated with amino acid metabolism. These results hold important implications for understanding the quality of fermented hot pressed RSM.

Widespread coastal upwelling along the marginal Yangtze Platform (South China) during the early Cambrian: Implications for hyper-enrichment of organic matter

Early Cambrian Earth history witnessed significant changes in marine environments and biological evolution contemporaneous with extensive accumulation of organic-rich shale. However, major factors controlling hyper-enrichment of organic matter (OM) of lower Cambrian shale deposits remain controversial. Black shale of the lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation (NTT) of the Marginal Yangtze Platform (South China) deposited during the Cambrian middle Age 2 are especially organic-rich, with total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations of as much as 13.0 wt%. Geochemical evidence suggests that cool, dry paleo-climatic conditions that prevailed on the Yangtze Platform during the Cambrian Fortunian-late Age 2, induced vigorous coastal upwelling. Paleo-productivity level assessments indicate that the magnitude of primary productivity contemporaneous with deposition of the NTT shale deposits exceeded that of modern upwelling systems (e.g., Peruvian Margin). The widespread occurrence of phosphate nodules within these deposits and decreased Co-EF × Mn-EF values of associated lower Cambrian black shale successions deposited along the margin of the Yangtze carbonate platform suggest extensive coastal upwelling. Widespread and strong coastal upwelling in tandem with elevated surface water primary productivity and anoxic (even euxinic) bottom water conditions are manifested by deposition of OM hyper-enriched black shale during Cambrian Fortunian to middle Age 2 time. However, weakened seasonal upwelling that appears to have prevailed during the late Cambrian Age 2 was accompanied by accumulation of NTT shale deposits of diminished TOC content. In summary, this study provides robust evidence of extensive coastal upwelling along the Marginal Yangtze Platform during early Cambrian time that favored accumulation of OM hyper-enriched shale. These results help to elucidate the distribution of high-quality lower Cambrian natural gas source rocks in South China.

Effect of the WHEY protein on pregnancyneonatal outcomes and prophylactic effect on fetal growth restriction cases: A randomized clinical trial

Background: WHEY protein is a high-quality protein source that is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. It has a beneficial effect on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Aim: To evaluate the impact of WHEY protein on pregnancy-neonatal outcomes and its prophylactic effect on Fetal growth restriction (FGR) cases. Patients and methods: This study was a prospective randomized, controlled clinical trial conducted on 300 pregnant females from attendees of obstetrics and gynecology clinics of Al Azhar University Hospitals. They were randomly divided into two groups: Case group: The intervention group (150 cases) received a daily WHEY protein supplement containing 25 grams of protein, and the Control Group: 150 cases received a placebo supplement. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the studied groups regarding demographic criteria (P>0.01), and the prevalence of FGR was (20% vs 18.75) in the studied groups. According to fetal biometry at birth, there was no statistically significant difference regarding sonographic parameters between the appropriate gestational age (AGA) in the studied groups (P>0.01). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding complete blood parameters, platelets, or PTT (P>0.01). There was a highly statistically significant difference regarding PT between the studied groups (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding liver and kidney function tests (P>0.01). There was a highly statistically significant difference regarding total proteins and serum calcium between the studied groups (P<0.001). Conclusion: WHEY protein supplementation did not affect fetal growth, but it improved some maternal parameters, such as total protein and PT.

Exploration breakthrough and factors for enrichment and high-yield of hydrocarbons in ultra-deep clastic rocks in Linhe Depression, Hetao Basin, NW China

Based on drilling and logging data, as well as geological experiments, the geological characteristics and factors controlling high-yield and enrichment of hydrocarbons in ultra-deep clastic rocks in the Linhe Depression, Hetao Basin, are studied. The results are obtained in four aspects. First, the inland saline lacustrine high-quality source rocks developed in the Paleogene in the Linhe Depression have the characteristics of early maturity, early expulsion, high hydrocarbon yield, and continuous and efficient hydrocarbon generation, providing an important resource basis for the formation of ultra-high pressure and high-yield reservoirs. Second, the weak compaction, early charging, and weak cementation for pore-preserving, together with the ultra-high pressure for pore-preserving and fracture expansion to improve the permeability, leads to the development of high-quality reservoirs with medium porosity (greater than 15%) and medium permeability (up to 226×10−3 μm2) in the ultra-deep strata (deeper than 6 500 m), which represents a greatly expanded space for oil and gas exploration. Third, the Linhe Formation adjacent to the trough exhibits a low net-to-gross (NTG) and good reservoir-caprock assemblage, and it is overlaid by very thick high-quality mudstone caprock, which are conducive to the continuous and efficient hydrocarbon generation and pressurization and the formation of ultra-high pressure oil and gas reservoirs. Fourth, the most favorable targets for ultra-deep exploration are the zones adjacent to the hydrocarbon generating center of the Paleogene Linhe Formation and with good tectonic setting and structural traps, mainly including the Xinglong faulted structural zone and the Nalinhu faulted buried-hill zone. The significant breakthrough of ultra-deep oil and gas exploration in the Linhe Depression reveals the good potential of ultra-deep clastic rocks in this area, and provides valuable reference for oil and gas exploration of ultra-deep clastic rocks in other areas.

Accumulation sequence and exploration domain of continental whole petroleum system in Sichuan Basin, SW China

Based on the oil and gas exploration in the Sichuan Basin, combined with data such as seismic, logging and geochemistry, the basic geological conditions, hydrocarbon types, hydrocarbon distribution characteristics, source- reservoir relationship and accumulation model of the Upper Triassic–Jurassic continental whole petroleum system in the basin are systematically analyzed. The continental whole petroleum system in the Sichuan Basin develops multiple sets of gas-bearing strata, forming a whole petroleum system centered on the Triassic Xujiahe Formation source rocks. The thick and high-quality source rocks in the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation provide sufficient gas source basis for the continental whole petroleum system in the basin. The development of conventional-unconventional reservoirs provides favorable space for hydrocarbon accumulation. The coupling of faults and sandbodies provides a high-quality transport system for gas migration. Source rocks and reservoirs are overlapped vertically, and there are obvious differences in sedimentary environment, reservoir lithology and physical properties, which lead to the orderly development of inner-source shale gas, near-source tight gas, and far-source tight–conventional gas in the Upper Triassic–Jurassic, from bottom to top. The orderly change of geological conditions such as burial depth, reservoir physical properties, formation pressure and hydrocarbon generation intensity in zones controlled the formation of the whole petroleum system consisting of structural gas reservoir in thrust zone, shale gas-tight gas reservoir in depression zone, tight gas reservoir in slope zone, and tight gas–conventional gas reservoir in uplift zone on the plane. Based on the theory and concept of the whole petroleum system, the continental shale gas and tight gas resources in the Sichuan Basin have great potential, especially in the central and western parts with abundant unconventional resources.

Tectonic evolution and source rocks development of the super oil-rich Bohai Bay Basin, East China

The Bohai Bay Basin, as a super oil-rich basin in the world, is characterized by cyclic evolution and complex regional tectonic stress field, and its lifecycle tectonic evolution controls the formation of regional source rocks. The main pre-Cenozoic stratigraphic system and lithological distribution are determined through geological mapping, and the dynamics of the pre-Cenozoic geotectonic evolution of the Bohai Bay Basin are investigated systematically using the newly acquired high-quality seismic data and the latest exploration results in the study area. The North China Craton where the Bohai Bay Basin is located in rests at the intersection of three tectonic domains: the Paleo-Asian Ocean, the Tethys Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. It has experienced the alternation and superposition of tectonic cycles of different periods, directions and natures, and experienced five stages of the tectonic evolution and sedimentary building, i.e. Middle–Late Proterozoic continental rift trough, Early Paleozoic marginal-craton depression carbonate building, Late Paleozoic marine–continental transitional intracraton depression, Mesozoic intracontinental strike-slip–extensional tectonics, and Cenozoic intracontinental rifting. The cyclic evolution of the basin, especially the multi-stage compression, strike-slip and extensional tectonics processes in the Hercynian, Indosinian, Yanshan and Himalayan since the Late Paleozoic, controlled the development, reconstruction and preservation of several sets of high-quality source rocks, represented by the Late Paleozoic Carboniferous–Permian coal-measure source rocks and the Paleogene world-class extra-high-quality lacustrine source rocks, which provided an important guarantee for the hydrocarbon accumulation in the super oil-rich basin.

Impact of Tethyan domain evolution on the formation of petroleum systems in the Sichuan super basin, SW China

Based on the “unidirectional break-up and convergence” geodynamic model, this study investigates the impact of the evolution of the Tethyan domain on the formation of petroleum systems in the Sichuan super basin and explores the enrichment pattern of natural gas. The results show that, firstly, the Sichuan Basin and its surrounding areas have experienced two unidirectional rifting-aggregation cycles triggered by the Proto-Tethys Ocean and the Paleo-Tethys Ocean during the Neoproterozoic to Triassic. During Jurassic–Cenozoic, the Sichuan Basin is incorporated in the circum-Tibetan plateau basin-mountain coupled tectonic domain system. The episodic tectonic movements within the plate control the sedimentary infill styles. Second, the evolution of the Tethyan domain, paleoclimatic environment and major geological events controlled the formation and distribution of high-quality source rocks within the basin. The rift valley and intracratonic rift, passive continental margin slope, and intracratonic sags are favorable areas for the development of source rocks. Third, the evolution of the Tethyan domain, supercontinent cycles, global sea level changes, and tectono-climatic events controlled the distribution of carbonate platform and reservoir-caprock combinations. The cratonic platform margins and sub-platform internal high terrains are key areas for finding carbonate high-energy facies belts. Syndepositional paleo-uplifts and surrounding slopes, regional unconformities, and later faults zone are areas where large-scale carbonate reservoirs are distributed. The regional evaporite or shale caprock are beneficial for the large-scale preservation of oil and gas in the basin. Fourth, the spatio-temporal matching relationship of reservoir forming factors influenced by the early tectonic-sedimentary evolution pattern and the degree of later tectonic modification is the key to oil and gas enrichment. Future oil and gas exploration should focus on potential gas systems during the Sinian rift period, Cambrian pre-salt gas systems in the eastern and southern Sichuan, as well as whole oil and gas systems of Permian and Triassic.

Rhenium-platinum group elements reveal seawater incursion induced massive lacustrine organic carbon burial

Organic carbon burial in ancient lacustrine settings is a crucial source of petroleum resources. Unlike the marine environment, the dynamics of organic carbon burial in the terrestrial realm are more complex due to the interplay of global and regional climate-tectonic factors. There appears to be a potential linkage between seawater incursion events (SWIEs) and the generation of lacustrine source rocks. However, reliable proxies to reconstruct the frequency and extent of SWIEs are currently lacking. Here, we explore the potential of rhenium-platinum group elements (Re-PGE) system as a novel proxy for determining SWIEs in the Nenjiang Formation of the lacustrine Songliao Basin in China that is noted for its high-quality source rock. By comparing marine and non-marine intervals, we validate the utility of Re-PGE fractionation patterns and osmium (Os) isotope compositions. Moreover, the Re/Ir ratios demonstrate two main episodes of quantitative seawater-lake water exchange. The comparison of variable indicators shows that the Re-PGE system is more sensitive to the changes in water sources, thus providing detailed information of frequency and exchange amount. The inverse variation between seawater contribution and total organic carbon content further implies that the massive sulfate influx from SWIEs facilitated bacterial sulfate reduction in the sediment pile, which had the effect of recycling nutrients (e.g., phosphorous) back into the water column. The SWIEs-triggered eutrophication induced a positive feedback loop between productivity and hypoxia, creating ideal conditions for the preservation of organic carbon. Our data reveals the detailed mechanism of SWIEs-triggered organic carbon burial and emphasizes the significant role of SWIEs in generating economically important hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Efficient second-harmonic generation in a lithium niobate metasurface governed by high-Q magnetic toroidal dipole resonances.

Lithium niobate (LN) is an excellent nonlinear optical material due to its large nonlinear coefficient, low loss, and broad optical transparency window. So, it is widely used in the generation of nonlinear harmonics. Magnetic toroidal dipole (MTD) resonance is a special optical resonance mode, which can effectively localize the light field inside the device, thus enhancing the nonlinear effects of the materials. In this work, we numerically study the second-harmonic generation (SHG) effect of the LN metasurface based on the MTD mode with a high quality factor (Q-factor). The designed LN nanorod dimer metasurface supports high Q-factor MTD guided mode resonances (GMRs), which are excited by varying the center spacing of the two nanorods, and the Q-factor can be controlled by the offset distance. The excited MTD can effectively confine the electric field within the device, which enables the LN metasurface SHG conversion efficiency to reach 1.15 × 10-2. In addition, by adjusting the structural parameters, it is possible to effectively modulate the wavelength and conversion efficiency of the SHG. Our results provide a new route for high-quality nonlinear light sources.