Tm Ratio Research Articles

Atomic order of rare earth ions in a complex oxide: a path to magnetotaxial anisotropy

Complex oxides offer rich magnetic and electronic behavior intimately tied to the composition and arrangement of cations within the structure. Rare earth iron garnet films exhibit an anisotropy along the growth direction which has long been theorized to originate from the ordering of different cations on the same crystallographic site. Here, we directly demonstrate the three-dimensional ordering of rare earth ions in pulsed laser deposited (EuxTm1-x)3Fe5O12 garnet thin films using both atomically-resolved elemental mapping to visualize cation ordering and X-ray diffraction to detect the resulting order superlattice reflection. We quantify the resulting ordering-induced ‘magnetotaxial’ anisotropy as a function of Eu:Tm ratio using transport measurements, showing an overwhelmingly dominant contribution from magnetotaxial anisotropy that reaches 30 kJ m−3 for garnets with x = 0.5. Control of cation ordering on inequivalent sites provides a strategy to control matter on the atomic level and to engineer the magnetic properties of complex oxides.

Numerical analysis and ANN performance prediction of solar composite ventilation wall for built environment regulation

With the aim to achieve winter heating, summer heat insulation and year-round power generation as well as indoor pollutant purification, photovoltaic (PV) combined with phase change heat storage technology is ingeniously embedded in an adjustable solar composite ventilation wall with entire room model (SPVW-PV/PCM) in this study. Then, the effects of key parameters e.g. PCM melting temperature Tm and PV coverage ratio Cr on solar energy conversion and utilization with indoor environment creation are comprehensively illustrated by indoor temperature, exergy efficiency as well as power generation amount. In addition, to further clarify the application potential of the proposed model applied in different typical places in China, the artificial neural network (ANN) has been rarely adopted to predict the annual heating amount, power generation as well as its economic and environmental benefits. Research results show that the three numerical submodels closely align with previously published results, with only minor discrepancies observed in the decoupling model regarding Cout, vroom and PCM melt fraction, well within acceptable numerical tolerances of 9.87% RMSE. The thermal performance is significantly influenced by the key parameters of Tm and Cr, with at least 110 min of advance heating start-up time revealed, and excellent indoor temperature improvement of 1.59 K and 3.02 K are achieved in the heating season at Tm = 318 K or Cr = 0 % simulated group. The highest annual total energy conversion of 1367.39 kWh is surveyed in Guangzhou, corresponding to the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of 0.18 $/kWh and the highest CO2 saving cost of 19.03 $/year. The total energy conversion effect and the CO2 saving cost can be effectively improved by 13.88 % and 13.82 % in Guangzhou, respectively, compared to the coupling off-grid PV and conventional wall in building. These research findings offer valuable insights for optimizing the design of SPVW-PV/PVM in indoor environmental construction and enhancing its overall applicability.

Petroleum potentiality of the Balambo Formation in Bekhme and Razan sections, Kurdistan region, northeastern Iraq

Balambo Formation (Early Cretaceous) had been studied in Razan and Bekhme sections, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region-Iraq, to determine the hydrocarbon generation potentiality for the studied rocks. The samples were analyzed for TOC, Rock Eval pyrolysis and GC-MS technique. The Balambo Formation’s TOC wt. % content is relatively high, ranging between 0.95 to 7.59 wt.% (average 2.91 wt.%). The Formation has the potentiality to generate gas and oil owing to its suboxic-anoxic depositional environment, marine origin organisms, suitable maturity level, and the type of kerogen is predominantly types III and subordinate amount of mixed type II-III according to the Rock-Eval pyrolysis data and isoprenoid/n-alkane. The C27%, C28% and C29% regular steranes distribution suggested the studied formation is deposited in marine environment. The samples were proven to be mature based on the ratios of the Tmax, steranes 20S/ (20S+20R)C29 to ββS/(ββS+ααR)C29 steranes and C32 22S/(22S+22R) hopane. Although the Ts/(Ts+Tm) ratio data point to an early mature stage, vitrinite reflectance predictions ranged from 0.55 to 0.75%, once more pointing to a mature stage.

Quality Characteristics of Meat Analogs through the Incorporation of Textured Vegetable Protein and Tenebrio molitor Larvae in the Presence of Transglutaminase.

Alternative protein sources with greater nutritional value and a lower environmental footprint have recently attracted interest in the production of meat substitutes. However, it is required that these alternatives mimic the texture and structure of meat. This study investigated varying ratios of textured vegetable proteins (TVP) to Tenebrio molitor larvae (brown mealworm; TM) with the addition of transglutaminase (TG) to determine the quality characteristics of these emulsions. The results demonstrated low protein solubility of the emulsions as TVP content increased. Furthermore, when the proportion of TM was high, the TG-treated emulsion had a low pH. Additionally, when there was a high TM ratio to TVP in the TG treatment, the emulsions demonstrated better thermal stability and water holding capacity. Regarding the rheological properties of the emulsion, both the frequency-dependent storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G'') increased as the proportion of TVP in the emulsion increased with and without the addition of TG. Differential scanning calorimetry analyses demonstrated two protein denaturation peaks in all treatments, with high peak temperatures for both treatments with a high proportion of TM. The hardness and chewiness of the emulsion were highest in the treatment (T6 and T8) with TG, and the gumminess of the emulsion was greatest when TM only or when equal ratios of TVP and TM were treated with TG, respectively. In conclusion, the addition of TM to TVP with TG improves the overall texture of the protein mixture, making it a suitable meat alternative.

The Effects of Small Amounts of Cobalt in LiNi1-XCoxO2 on Lithium Diffusion

Lithium-ion batteries with Co-free Ni-rich cathodes have attracted interest due to lower cost and supply chain issues compared to cobalt-containing cathodes1. However, cobalt is thought to provide some benefits in cycling stability and rate performance. In this work, cobalt substitution for nickel in the positive electrode material LiNi1-xCoxO2 at 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10 is systematically investigated to determine the impact of Co and material synthesis conditions on Li diffusivity, measured using the Atlung Method for Intercalant Diffusion (AMID)2,3 in coin cells vs Li metal negative electrodes. Cobalt was found to have no impact on Li diffusivity in the intermediate voltage range (4.2 V to 3.7 V), while cation mixing (%Ni in Li layer) was found to have a strong correlation to slow Li diffusivity. At high voltage (4.3 V to 4.2 V), 0 to 10% cobalt incrementally suppresses the H2-H3 phase transition4,5 enabling significantly faster lithium diffusion. Cation mixing can be minimized through synthesis conditions, improving Li diffusivity for the low and intermediate voltage regions, without using Co. In summary, with optimal positive electrode material synthesis conditions and limiting cell upper cutoff voltage to 4.2 V, Co-free Ni-rich materials can be made with similar rate performance as 10% Cobalt-containing materials. Additionally, cobalt was found to have minimal impact on the following material properties: crystallinity of LiNi1-xCoxO2, surface impurities, particle size, and electronic conductivity. Cobalt substituted for nickel from 0% to 10% was found to decrease first cycle discharge capacity in the voltage range between 3.0 V and 4.3 V and improve capacity retention in coin cell cycling vs Li metal negative electrodes. The capacity retention improvement is most likely due to the suppression of the H2-H3 phase transition as Co is added5. Figure 1. (a), (b) shows %Ni in Li layer vs Cobalt content, obtained from powder XRD Rietveld refinement from a series of LiNi1-xCoxO2 materials. (a), (b) were synthesized under two different O2 flow velocities, both at 700oC for 20 hours, with a Li:TM ratio of 1.02:1. (c), (d) Show the lithium chemical diffusion coefficient vs cell voltage for the materials from (a), (b), respectively, measured using the Atlung Method for Intercalant Diffusion (AMID), in coin cells at 30oC. The protocol consists of 2C to C/160-rate discharge steps per voltage interval (0.1V), with OCV relaxation in between discharge steps. Figure 1

Material Selection for Fundamental Investigation of High Temperature Processes in Lithium-Ion Cathode Production

Rapid upscaling of current and near-future lithium-ion battery (LIB) technologies is one of the main remaining challenges for road transport electrification. Among cathode materials high-Ni layered lithium transition metal oxides, Li(NixCoyMn1-x-y)O2 (LNMC, x ≥ 0.7), show large potential for application in next-generation LIB’s because of their high energy density, low cost, and superior electrochemical properties 1–3.To optimize current cathode production technologies, and to select the most optimal future technologies, a thorough understanding of the synthesis fundamentals of lithium-ion cathode calcination processes is a prerequisite. In this context, in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) have emerged as powerful tools for investigating the high-temperature reaction mechanism of the synthesis of these materials 4,5. However, most research does not address some challenges that come with studying complex high temperature synthesis reactions at the inherit small scale of these in-situ techniques. One issue, is that detailed information on the materials used for supporting the samples is seldomly mentioned, making it difficult to distinguish possible side reactions from the main reactions occurring during high temperature characterization. In only a limited number of studies on the high temperature interaction between ternary lithium-ion battery cathode materials and common substrate materials, evidence of direct contact-corrosion of refractory materials due to lithium compounds has been observed 6. To obtain meaningful insights from these in-situ techniques on the synthesis mechanism of LIB cathode materials that are transferable to mass production processes, these unwanted side reactions must be avoided as much as possible.The purpose of the current study is to select the optimal support material for high temperature in-situ characterization of LIB calcination processes. Several LNMC blends, containing a Li compound and a NMC precursor, were calcined in different crucible materials under a 100% O2 flow at 900 °C for 10-12 hours. The selected crucibles for this investigation include common oxide refractories: Al2O3, SiO2 (fiber and quartz) and MgO, as well as Au, as a frequently used inert material for lab scale experiments. Chemical composition of the precursor blend and calcined products are compared by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy ICP-OES. Additionally, weight increase of each crucible material is tracked over multiple calcination cycles, and the formed corrosion products are characterized with SEM-EDS and XRD. The ICP-OES measurements show that the final Li:TM ratio of the calcined LNMC material is heavily influenced by the used crucible material, indicating that selecting an appropriate support material is crucial to avoid side reactions and thus ensure that small scale in situ characterization methods such as in-situ XRD and TGA provide relevant data. Nitta, N., Wu, F., Lee, J.T. & Yushin, G. Mater. Today 18, 252–264 (2015).Schipper, F. et al. J. Electrochem. Soc. 164, A6220–A6228 (2017).Julien, C.M. & Mauger, A. Energies 13, 6363 (2020).Wang, D. et al. Adv. Mater. 29, 1606715 (2017).Gao, M. et al. Ionics 27, 3729–3737 (2021).Zhai, P. et al. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 38, 2145–2151 (2018).

Biological Marker Fingerprints of Crude Oils from Three Oilfields in the Central Niger Delta: Implication to Source Input, Conditions of Deposition, and Thermal Maturation

Crude oil samples recovered from three oilfields distributed within the central Niger Delta were used to investigate biological marker fingerprints, sources of organic matter, conditions of deposition, and thermal maturation. This was achieved by the application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analyses on the saturated components of the crude oils. The biological marker ratios show low sterane/hopane (steranes/hopane ˂ 1) in the scope of 0.29 to 0.61 indicating that the crude oils initiated from rocks containing high terrigenous biota (mainly land plants). The n-alkanes distribution and the pristane/phytane ratios (0.63 to 2.08) suggested source deposition under oxic to suboxic environmental conditions. The percentage composition of C27, C28, and C29 steranes and oleanane index (18α (H)-oleanane/ C30 17α (H)-hopane) also indicated major contributions from terrigenous organic biota with minor marine source input. The studied crude oils have C32:22S/ (22S+22R) ratios in the scope of 0.55 to 0.64, and these values suggested high maturation level. This agrees with the oleanane index (0.64 to 0.95), CPI (0.92 to 1.06), C29: 20S/ (20S + 20R) sterane ratios (0.29 to 0. 61), Ts/(Ts+Tm) ratio (0.45 to 0.83) and moretane/C30 hopane proportion (0.16 to 0.24). Keywords: Biological marker; Depositional conditions; Niger Delta; Organic matter; Thermal maturation.

Comparison of biomarkers in retained oil and expelled oil of lacustrine marlstone determined by hydrous pyrolysis: Application to hydrocarbon migration determination in the tight oil reservoir

Oil in an unconventional tight reservoir is considered to migrate from a very adjacent reservoir or be impregnated in situ within source rocks, but their large hydrocarbon molecular fractions during short‐distance migration in the tight system are poorly understood. In order to explore the evolution characteristics and differences of the geochemical properties, especially the biomarkers, between expelled oil (just detached from source rock and not undergoing long‐distance migration) and retained oil under different thermal evolution stages of lacustrine marlstone. Semi‐open hydrous pyrolysis was conducted on an immature lacustrine marlstone collected from the third member of the Eocene Shahejie Formation in Shulu Sag, Bohai Bay Basin and the hydrocarbon product expelled from and remained in the rock during pyrolysis were collected and analysed with gas chromatography–mass spectrum instrument. The results indicate that the saturates compositions show expelled oil having commonly lower thermal maturity than retained oil because expelled oil is a mixture of multiple‐term hydrocarbon expulsions, while retained oil is the remained final hydrocarbon product of pyrolysis in semi‐open experimental system. The hydrocarbon migration has a significant effect on the maturity‐related parameters distribution such as 20S/(20S + 20R) and αββ/(αββ + ααα) for C29 steranes. Hydrocarbon expulsion enables Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratio in expelled oil is much greater than that of retained oil at lower matural stage. The saturated hydrocarbon maturity biomarkers in retained oil and expelled oil vary in a subtly different pathways with increasing maturity, comparatively the aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers, such as triaromatic steroids and methyl‐phenanthrene (MPI1 and MPI2), regularly changed during maturation, which is not obviously affected by migration effects and can be used not only for thermal maturity predications but also for oil–oil or oil–source correlation. C29 20S/(20S + 20R) and C29 αββ/(αββ + ααα) commonly are preferable maturity parameters for shale or mudstone, reflecting that mineral matrix and oil in source rock are not affected by migration and supposed to have an oil thermal maturity corresponding to depth. Combined with some tight reservoir cases in North America and China, the biomarker ratios variation along depth and its abnormal value can be used to predict sweet spots in tight reservoirs.

Grading the severity of the rotator cuff tendinosis on MRI: Assessment of inter-observer agreement and evaluation of anovel objective assessment tool.

MRI is generally considered the modality of choice for the assessment of rotator cuff pathology including tendinosis. Assessment of severity is currently subjective primarily based on tendon morphology and signal intensity. Limited data are available evaluating the inter-observer agreement regarding the assessment of tendinosis severity. One hundred and twenty-four patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Patients included were referred to two private radiology practices for shoulder MRI for any reason. Two musculoskeletal radiologists assessed the severity of tendinosis independently. Supraspinatus tendon signal was evaluated with a ROI and compared to the adjacent deltoid muscle signal, generating a ratio of tendon: muscle signal, termed the 'objective TM ratio'. The relationship between the subjective assessment of tendinosis severity and objective ratio was examined. Inter-observer agreement was also calculated. Tendinosis severity was graded as normal in 36 and 11 patients by readers 1 and 2, respectively, mild in 45 and 48 patients, moderate in 26 and 48 patients and severe in 10 and 10 patients. Inter-observer agreement is classified as fair (0.31 kappa co-efficient). Mean objective TM ratio increased on both the PD and TS F2 sequences as the subjective grade of tendinosis severity increased. A novel means of evaluating rotator cuff tendinosis severity is presented, demonstrated to correlate with the subjective grade of tendinosis severity. Further research is required to assess the utility of such objective measurements across varying imaging protocols whilst understanding the inherent limitations with quantifying signal intensity on MRI.

Synthesis and characterization of Tm2O3-doped Lu2O3 nanoparticle suitable for fabrication of thulium-doped laser fiber

Synthesis of Tm2O3-doped Lu2O3 nanoparticle using homogeneous co-precipitation method along with its material/optical characterization is reported. Four different compositions with variation of Tm: Lu ratios are synthesized followed by calcination at different temperatures (800, 1000 and 1200 °C) was performed to optimize the synthesis process as well as composition. The XRD analysis indicates steady growth of particle size with increasing calcination temperature and an average particle size of 100 nm was achieved at 1200 °C. Pure bixbyite structure was observed for every sample independent of Tm: Lu ratio. The FESEM and HRTEM analysis associated with EDX indicates formation of pure crystalline particles and results are in good agreement with XRD analysis. The photoluminescence spectra observed under 808 nm excitation exhibit characteristic Tm emission peak that extended beyond 2 micron region the intensity of which is strongly depends on Lu: Tm ratio as well as calcination temperature. The overall result reveals that the synthesized material which indicates good thermal stability is a potential doping material for the development of Thulium-doped fiber suitable for eye-safe laser application.

Wire Crossing Time Correlate with Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure in Patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Backgrounds: Mortality and morbidity in acute myocardial infarction depend on the extent of the infarct area. Rapid recovery of coronary artery blood flow with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) can limit the extent of infarction and improve left ventricular function. Acute myocardial infarction reduce diastolic function, which in the early stage of diastolic dysfunction, there is an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP). The non-invasive marker of E/e’ ratio is an accurate parameter of increased LVEDP.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study enrolled consecutive patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) who underwent pPCI at Dr. Sardjito Hospital. The wire crossing time was calculated from the onset of chest pain until the guidewire crossed the infarct-related artery during the pPCI procedure. The E/e’ ratio was determined by transthoracic echocardiography which performed within 48 hours after the primary PCI. Correlation between the wire crossing time and the E/e’ ratio was assessed by the Pearson correlation test. The value of p <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: A total of 40 patients were enrolled in this study. The mean wire crossing time was 12.73±5.22 hours. The median value of the E/e’ ratio was 8.36 (range: 4.71-22.00). There was a moderate strength and significant correlation between the wire crossing time and the E/e’ ratio (r = 0.572; p <0.001). Patients with E/e’ ratio >15 had significantly longer wire crossing time than in patient with E/e’ ratio ≤15 (20.21±2.5 hours vs. 11.41±4.39 hours; p <0.001; respectively). The wire crossing time was independently associated the E/e’ ratio (r = 0.463; p = 0.003).Conclusion: There was a moderate strength and significant positive correlation between the wire crossing time and increased LVEDP, an earlier marker of diastolic dysfunction, measured by E/e’ ratio using TTE in patients with STEMI underwent pPCI.

Comparing biodegradation and thermal maturity of some Nigerian oils.

Organic geochemical (Biomarker) method using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to access the thermal maturity and biodegradation levels of the Agbada, Afowo, Yolde, and Bima Formation oils. Results obtained reveals that the Sterane and homohopane maturity parameters for the studied oils and their corresponding trisnorhopane thermal indicators (Ts:Tm ratio) are consistent with the thermal maturity values of petroleum source rocks within the oil window. This suggests that all the studied oils were generated as conventional light oil, some of which later degraded into heavy oils. Total Ion Current (TIC) fragmentogram of the saturate fractions of the studied oils shows progressive depletion of chromatographically resolved hydrocarbons relative to the unresolved hydrocarbon mixture, forming an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) hump consistent with oils that have undergone biodegradation except for the reservoired Agbada1 oil which was deeply buried beyond 2000 m and hence not biodegraded. Where these reservoir sands occur at depths greater than 2000m, it is possible to find non-biodegraded oils in them as long as they are properly sealed and connected to active petroleum source rocks.

Detection of RHD zygosity in China: using Syber Green Ⅰ real-time polymerase chain reaction based on high-resolution melting curve analysis

Due to relatively higher mutation frequencies in Chinese individuals with the RHD-negative phenotype[25% for 1227 G>A RHD elution and 5% for RHD1-RHCE(2-9)-RHD10], Rhesus box analysis is rarely used in China. Here, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with a high-resolution melting curve mode and a matrix mix containing Syber Green Ⅰ were used to sequence specific primers of 1227 G>A and RHD exons 1, 5, and 10 in two families, consisting of two parents and two children per family (n = 8). The samples with RHD gene dele- tion homozygous/heterozygous, 1227 G>A heterozygous with RHD gene deletion and normal RHD, normal RHD homozygous/heterozygous, and RHD1-RHCE(2-9)-RHD10 homozygous/heterozygous status were all included. All samples were screened using RHD exon genotyping, Sanger sequencing, and Rhesus box analysis. DNA sample quality was maintained at 68~72 ng/μL, and OD_260/280 at 1.7~1.9. The Tm ratio of RHD exon 1 (87 ℃ ) to internal control (77℃ ) was 2.49~2.67 and 2.09~2.35 in subjects with RHD exon 1 homozygous and heterozygous, respectively; the Tm ratio of RHD exon 10 (81℃ ) to internal control (77℃ ) was 5.01~6.11 and 3.34~4.31 in subjects with RHD exon 10 homozygous and heterozygous, respectively; the Tm ratio of RHD exon 5 (83℃ ) to internal control (77℃ ) was 3.98~4.75, 3.02~3.45, and 0.03 in subjects with RHD exon 5 homozygous, heterozygous, and deletion homozygous, respectively; the Tm ratio of 1227A (87℃ ) to internal control (77℃ ) was 1.11, 0.51, and <0.03 in subjects with 1227A heterozygous, 1227A homozygous (exon 9 deletion), and wild type, respectively. The results suggest that using the primers of Tm ratio in comparison with an internal control is an effective way to detect RHD gene deletion or RHD-RHCE hybrid variant allele carrier. The method can also be used to calculate the mother-newborn RHD phenotype proportion and assist pedigree analysis.

Effect of Formulation on the Binding Efficiency and Selectivity of Precipitation Molecularly Imprinted Polymers.

This study investigated the effect of feed formulation: the template:functional monomer (T:fM) and functional monomer:crosslinker (fM:X) ratios as well as the initiator concentration, on the binding performance and selectivity of caffeine (CAF) and theophylline (THP) imprinted polymers obtained by precipitation polymerisation in acetonitrile at 60 °C using methacrylic acid (MAA) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as functional monomer and crosslinker, respectively. Template incorporation, monitored by quantitative 1H-NMR spectroscopy, ranged from 8 to 77% and was found to be more favourable at both high and low T:fM ratios, low fM:X ratio and high initiator concentration. The resulting T:fM ratio in most MIPs were found to be lower than their feed ratios. Incorporation of THP into the polymers was observed to be consistently higher than CAF and, for most MIPs, the observed binding capacities represent less than 10% of the incorporated template. Improved imprinting factors were obtained from molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with high crosslinker content, i.e., fM:X ratio of 1:10, and high initiator concentration, i.e., initiator:total monomer (I:tM) ratio of 1:5, while T:fM ratio (1:2 to 1:8) was found not to influence binding capacities and imprinting factors (IF). The NIPs showed no preference for either CAF or THP in competitive selectivity studies while MIPs were observed to bind preferentially to their template with THP displaying higher selectivity (72–94%) than CAF (63–84%). Template selectivity was observed to increase with increasing initiator concentration, with MIPs from I:tM ratio of 1:5 shown to be the most selective towards CAF (84%) and THP (93%). The fM:X ratio only showed minimal effect on MIP selectivity. Overall, for the MIP systems under study, template incorporation, binding capacity, imprinting factor and selectivity are enhanced at a faster rate of polymerisation using an I:tM ratio of 1:5. Polymer particles obtained were between 66 to 140 nm, with MIPs generally smaller than their NIP counterparts, and have been observed to decrease with increasing T:fM and fM:X ratios and increase with increasing initiator concentration.

Analysis of Ordovician hydrocarbon migration in the Halahatang area, Tarim Basin, NW China

Hydrocarbon migration mechanism in deep Ordovician reservoir of the Halahatang area, Tarim Basin, is investigated based on the analysis of the geological setting and geochemical parameters. The parameters successfully analyzed include oil–gas properties, crude oil maturity [Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratio], gas carbon isotopic ratios, and trace elements (B, V, Ni, and Cu) in crude oil. The results show that hydrocarbons migrate into the Ordovician of the Halahatang area from the Manjiaer Depression and the Halahatang area itself through unconformities and faults. The overall hydrocarbon migration orientation in the area is generally from south to north. The oil and gas migration process determine parameters vary regularly from south to north as follows: oil density, V/Ni ratio, Ni/Cu ratio, and concentrations of V, Ni and (Ni + B) in crude oil regularly increase, whereas Ts/(Ts + Tm), gas/oil ratio, and dryness coefficient gradually decrease, and methane show a trend toward depletion of heavy carbon isotopes. Additionally, there exist obvious anomalies of geochemical parameter values in the Repu3 well block, which indicates that a local fault intersection could provide a favorable hydrocarbon filling point. Based on these findings, further exploration activities in the deep Ordovician reservoir of the Halahatang area should be conducted in the southern part of the Halahatang area along the oil charging pathways, and fault intersection zones should be emphasized.

Assessment of the imprinting efficiency of an imide with a "stoichiometric" pyridine-based functional monomer in precipitation polymerisation.

The efficiency of the stoichiometric non-covalent imprinting of the imide 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyluridine (TAU) with 2,6-bis(acrylamido)pyridine (BAAPy) as functional monomer due to their strong donor-acceptor-donor/acceptor-donor-acceptor (DAD/ADA) hydrogen bond array interaction has been evaluated by bulk imprinting. This study is the first to investigate the imprinting and template rebinding efficiencies of the TAU/BAAPy molecularly imprinted polymeric (MIP) system prepared by precipitation polymerisation. We found that the stoichiometric 1:1 T:FM ratio has not been maintained in precipitation polymerisation and an optimal TAU:BAAPy ratio of 1:2.5 was obtained in acetonitrile without agitation affording an affinity constant (1.7×104 M-1 ) and a binding capacity (3.69 μmol/g) higher than its bulk counterpart. Molecular modelling, NMR studies, and selectivity assays against analogues uridine and 2,3,5-tri-O-acetyl cytidine (TAC) indicate that, aside from the DAD/ADA hydrogen bond interaction, BAAPy also interacts with the acetyl groups of TAU. Template incorporation and rebinding in precipitation MIPs are favoured by a moderate initiator concentration, ie, initiator:total monomer (I:TM) ratio of 1:131, while low I:TM ratio (ie, 1:200) drastically reduced template incorporation and binding capacity. Vigorous agitation by stirring showed higher template incorporation but significantly lower template rebinding compared to that prepared without agitation. While the imprinting efficiencies for the best performing bulk and precipitation TAU MIPs generated in this study were moderate, 41% and 60%, respectively, their rebinding capacities were only between 3 and 4% of the incorporated template. We also present quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as an efficient method for MIP characterisation.

Control of facies, maturation and primary migration on biomarkers in the Barnett Shale sequence in the Marathon 1 Mesquite well, Texas

A great deal is known about the genetic relationships between biomarkers and their biogenic precursors in organic rich rocks. The same is true of the way in which biomarker compound ratios change during maturation. On the other hand, very little is known about whether a crude oil can fully retain its inherent compositional ancestry during expulsion from a source rock. Thanks to shales being characterized in great detail for their unconventional resource potential, new information is gradually coming to light. Here we report on observations in biomarker geochemistry of a thermally mature core of the Barnett Shale, in which organofacies and maturity are essentially the same, but where intraformational sources and reservoirs have already been reported.Our results indicate that most biomarkers are not fractionated as the primary migration of petroleum within source rocks takes place. The 20S/(20S + 20R) ratio of C27 steranes is uniform in the whole source-rock sequence, while the 20S/(20S + 20R) ratio of C29 steranes shows indistinctly high values in the reservoir unit. The 20S/(20S + 20R) ratio of diasteranes and the 22S/(22S + 22R) ratio of C31 17α-hopanes do not appear to have been fractionated, which may be a result of the thermal isomerization reactions predominating over and masking out the possible fractionation effects. Diasteranes/steranes ratios do not exhibit features that suggest an association with fractionation, but rather are broadly correlated with lithology. However, compared to the diasteranes/steranes ratios, the Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratio is much more sensitive to changes in mineral compositions. Variations in the Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratio show a positive correlation (R2 = 0.73) with mixed-layer illite-smectite content. Fractionation in the Ts/(Ts + Tm) ratio, if it has so occurred, may be subsequently overprinted by in-situ clay-catalyzed reactions.

Plasma hypercoagulability in the presence of thrombomodulin but not of activated protein C in patients with cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis significantly changes all hemostasis steps. Recent studies suggest that cirrhosis is associated with a coagulopathy leading to a hypercoagulable state. The underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, but protein C deficiency is probably a major determinant of this phenotype. The aim of this study was to compare the results of thrombin generation assays performed with addition of thrombomodulin or activated protein C to assess the effect of by-passing the protein C activation step in cirrhotic patients and healthy controls. Fifty-eight patients with cirrhosis and 26 healthy controls were prospectively included in this study. Thrombin generation was determined in platelet-poor plasma using 5 pM of tissue factor and 4 nM of phospholipids, without and with external addition of 1 nM thrombomodulin or 4 nM activated protein C. All results were normalized with the values of a pool of normal plasma samples to limit inter-plate variability. When thrombin generation assays were performed in the presence of thrombomodulin, endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) and ETP with/ETP without TM ratio were significantly higher in cirrhotic patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.0001). Moreover, these values progressively increased with cirrhosis severity. When thrombin generation assays were performed with activated protein C, all thrombin generation parameters were comparable between healthy controls and cirrhotic patients, despite an acquired protein S deficiency. In the presence of activated protein C, no hypercoagulability was observed, adding to the current evidence that acquired protein C deficiency plays a key role in the coagulation imbalance.

Preliminary petroleum source rock evaluation of the Asmari–Pabdeh reservoirs, Karanj and Parsi oil fields, Zagros, Iran

Abstract Petroleum source rock evaluation is formed a main part in the oil field study. The present work is focused on the Dezful Embayment, the Karanj and Parsi oil fields, Zagros. To evaluate the source rocks, oil–oil and oil–rock correlation, multidisciplinary methods were used. Rock-Eval pyrolysis data and Illite Crystallinity Index indicated that the Pabdeh Formation is in beginning of oil generation. The kerogen is principally type II. The Gurpi Formation is in the same maturity level as well. Different parameters such as normal alkanes ratios, CPI, Pri/Phy, Pri/n-C17, Phy/n-C18 were determined. These reservoirs seem to be charged partially by the Pabdeh Formation itself. To make the reservoir oils correlation with the possible source rocks, 6 samples were selected and analysed using GC–MS procedure. Ts/Ts+Tm ratio and C29bb/(bb+aa) sterane to C2920S/(20S+20R) sterane variation are showing high maturity of the Asmari oils in these fields. C29/ (C27+C28+C29) diasterane to C29/C30 hopane ratio are the same in all analysed samples. Carbon isotope data (δ13C) are −26.3, −26.7 and −26.7‰ for saturated and −25.6, −25.8, and −26.1‰ for aromatic fractions of Karanj–Parsi oils and Pabdeh bituminous shale, respectively. All geochemical and isotopic data demonstrated that the oil of Pabdeh and Asmari reservoirs in the Karanj and Parsi oil fields have the same source and are belong to paraphinic oils family.

A 1D Analysis of Nano Multiferroic Composites for the Novel Read Head Technology

The magnetoelectric (ME) effect induced in a multiferroic composite is potentially a key to improve the performance of the nanoread head in the future magnetic recording device. In this paper, the analysis of the 1-dimensional (1D) L-T mode model containing sandwiched structures of Terfenol-D/Lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/Terfenol-D nanomultiferroic composites is performed. The magnetostriction process is described using the 1D standard square law. The magnetoelectric coupling is then investigated. The piezoelectric response on the applied dc magnetic field and PZT to Terfenol-D thickness (tp:tm) ratio, is determined. The optimal electric field and potential across the PZT layer are achieved at 1.3:1 thickness ratio. The result agrees well with the associated magnetic field-induced strain profile. The peak ME coefficient is found at 1.37:1 thickness ratio.