Proteomic Analyses Reveal Functional Pathways and Potential Targets in Pediatric Hydrocephalus.

INTRODUCTION: Hydrocephalus is a common pediatric disorder of cerebral spinal fluid physiology resulting in abnormal expansion of the cerebral ventricles. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. METHODS: We performed proteomic analyses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 7 congenital hydrocephalus and 5 arachnoid cyst patients who underwent surgical treatment. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified by label-free Mass Spectrometry followed by differential expression analysis. The GO and GSEA enrichment analysis was performed to explore the cancer hallmark pathways and immune-related pathways affected by DEPs. Then, network analysis was applied to reveal the location of DEPs in the human protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network. Potential drugs for hydrocephalus were identified based on drug-target interaction. RESULTS: We identified 148 up-regulated proteins and 82 down-regulated proteins, which are potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis of hydrocephalus and arachnoid cyst. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEPs were significantly enriched in the cancer hallmark pathways and immunerelated pathways. In addition, network analysis uncovered that DEPs were more likely to be located in the central regions of the human PPIs network, suggesting DEPs may be proteins that play important roles in human PPIs. Finally, we calculated the overlap of drug targets and the DEPs based on drugtarget interaction to identify the potential therapeutic drugs of hydrocephalus. CONCLUSION: The comprehensive proteomic analyses provided valuable resources for investigating the molecular pathways in hydrocephalus, and uncovered potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and therapy.

Thermal Evolution, Hydrocarbon Generation, and Heat Accumulation of a High Geothermal Coalfield: A Case Study of Pingdingshan Coalfield, China.

As an important energy base in central China, the Pingdingshan coalfield has abundant coal and geothermal resources. The cooperative exploration of coal and geothermal resources is significant for the comprehensive utilization of energy resources. This work collected coal-bearing samples from the Pingdingshan coalfield to investigate the tectono-thermal evolution of a high geothermal coalfield, especially the present geothermal field and hydrocarbon generation model. The geochemical results show that the Shanxi and Taiyuan source rocks have average R o values of 0.88 and 0.97%, respectively, with an average Rock-Eval T max value of 442 °C. Hydrocarbon generation of source rocks started at ∼205 Ma, with the highest rates at ∼170 Ma, reaching the maximum transformation ratio of 40-50% in the middle of the Early Cretaceous. The age and length of apatite fission tracks (AFTs) indicate that coal-bearing strata underwent significant post-depositional annealing after the Late Permian and suggest an abnormal thermal event that occurred in the Late Mesozoic. Meso-Cenozoic thermal event was mainly caused by the plutonic metamorphism of the Early Jurassic and magmatic thermal metamorphism of the Early Cretaceous, achieving a maximum paleotemperature of ∼140 °C. The magmatic thermal event resulted from the intensive post-orogenic extension of the Qinling-Dabie Orogenic Belt caused by the tectonic transition of the North and South China Plates. The present-day high geotemperature of Pingdingshan Coalfield is dominated by the horst structure caused by the regional extension of the basin-mountain system. The Cambrian limestone with a high thermal conductivity underlying coal measure collects deep heat, forming a heat accumulation center of this horst structure with a heat flow of 74 mW/m2 and a maximum temperature of ∼50 °C nowadays.

TopoRoot: a method for computing hierarchy and fine-grained traits of maize roots from 3D imaging.

BACKGROUND: 3D imaging, such as X-ray CT and MRI, has been widely deployed to study plant root structures. Many computational tools exist to extract coarse-grained features from 3D root images, such as total volume, root number and total root length. However, methods that can accurately and efficiently compute fine-grained root traits, such as root number and geometry at each hierarchy level, are still lacking. These traits would allow biologists to gain deeper insights into the root system architecture. RESULTS: We present TopoRoot, a high-throughput computational method that computes fine-grained architectural traits from 3D images of maize root crowns or root systems. These traits include the number, length, thickness, angle, tortuosity, and number of children for the roots at each level of the hierarchy. TopoRoot combines state-of-the-art algorithms in computer graphics, such as topological simplification and geometric skeletonization, with customized heuristics for robustly obtaining the branching structure and hierarchical information. TopoRoot is validated on both CT scans of excavated field-grown root crowns and simulated images of root systems, and in both cases, it was shown to improve the accuracy of traits over existing methods. TopoRoot runs within a few minutes on a desktop workstation for images at the resolution range of 400^3, with minimal need for human intervention in the form of setting three intensity thresholds per image. CONCLUSIONS: TopoRoot improves the state-of-the-art methods in obtaining more accurate and comprehensive fine-grained traits of maize roots from 3D imaging. The automation and efficiency make TopoRoot suitable for batch processing on large numbers of root images. Our method is thus useful for phenomic studies aimed at finding the genetic basis behind root system architecture and the subsequent development of more productive crops.

Nanopore Structure Distribution of the Upper Paleozoic Tight Sandstones and Its Controls on Gas Production Performance in the Shenfu Area, Northeastern Ordos Basin, China.

Based on X-ray diffraction, thin section and scanning electron microscopy observation, helium porosity and permeability tests and high-pressure mercury intrusion experiments, the pore and throat distributions of tight sandstone reservoirs were revealed on a nm-µm scale, and their control on gas productivity in the Shenfu area, northeastern Ordos Basin, China was discussed. The results show that lithic sandstones are the main rock types. As the burial depth increases, the quartz content increases, while the feldspar content decreases. There is approximately 5-25% of interstitial material varying between the different layers, and this interstitial material is mainly composed of mud, kaolinite and Fe-calcite. These tight sandstone reservoirs generally have porosities <10% and permeabilities <1 mD. Except for the Shiqianfeng Formation, the dissolution pores in other Upper Paleozoic strata all account for more than 80% of pores. The main pore types are mainly intragranular dissolution pores, intergranular dissolution pores and cement dissolution pores. Generally, the pore radius is approximately 500 nm, while the pore throats are much smaller are variable in size. Wells with high amounts of sandstones but low gas production rate are generally characterized by dominant intercrystalline pores, few macropores, and low effective porosity. The lithology and reservoir characteristics, which are controlled by primary deposition and secondary diagenesis, are speculated to be main factors controlling the gas contents.

Nanopore Formation and Structural Changes in Black Shale During the Initial Weathering Stage: A Longmaxi Formation Profile in Northwestern Hunan, China.

Understanding the controls on composition changes and porosity evolution in the critical zone of shale remains a major challenge. The aim of the present study is to develop a model of the changes in mineral compositions, chemical compositions and nanopore formation in shale during the initial weathering stage. To understand these processes, we selected a Silurian shale profile rich in pyrite and organic matter located in South China. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) and bulk elemental data, the variations in mineralogical and chemical compositions with depth were studied. To characterize the full pore size spectrum and to gain insight into the nature of secondary pores and their relationship with weathering, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements and petrographic observations were combined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The results show that Al and K are enriched slightly, while Ca and Na are depleted in the upper part of the weathering profile. Si, Mn and Ti are relatively stable from the bottom to the top of the profile. Quartz, feldspar, mica, illite and chlorite are the main minerals in the parent rock, and they are relatively stable along the profile. The rock density gradually decreases from 2.6 g/cm³ to 2.1 g/cm³ from the bottom to the top, and the color of the shales changes from black to grayish yellow, but no secondary minerals are detected. The chemical weathering of black shale is dominated by the oxidation of pyrite and organic matter, giving rise to color variation and nanopore formation. The increase in interparticle pores at the nanometer-micron scale is initiated by the dissolution of easily weathered components such as organic matter and pyrite. The removal of clay minerals and tiny particles by groundwater seepage may be the main cause of porosity enhancement during the initial weathering stage. This study suggests that nanoporosity may play an important role in the process of fluid-rock interaction within black shale during the initial weathering stage.

Micro-Nanopore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Tight Sandstone Gas Reservoirs in the Eastern Ordos Basin, China.

The complex pore system in tight sandstone reservoirs controls the storage and transport of natural gas. Thus, quantitatively characterizing the micro-nanopore structure of tight sandstone reservoirs is of great significance to determining the accumulation and distribution of tight gas. The pore structure of reservoirs was determined through polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the combination of mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on Late Paleozoic conventional and tight sandstone samples from the Linxing Block, Ordos Basin. The results show that in contrast to conventional sandstone, dissolution pores, with diameters less than 8 µm, are the main contributors to the gas storage space of tight sandstone reservoirs. The pore size distribution derived from the MICP experiment demonstrates that the main peak of tight sandstones corresponds to a pore radius in the range of 247 nm to 371 nm, while the secondary peak usually corresponds to 18 nm. The results of the NMR test illustrate that the T2 spectra of tight sandstones are unimodal, bimodal and multimodal, and the main NMR peak is highly related to the MICP peak. Fractal theory was proposed to quantitatively characterize the complex pore structure and rough porous surface. The sandstones show fractal characteristics including nanopore fractal dimension DN obtained from the MICP and large pore fractal dimension DL obtained from the NMR experiment. Both DN and DL are positively correlated with porosity and negatively correlated with permeability, demonstrating that complex and heterogeneous pore structure could increase the gas storage space and reduce the connectivity.

Micro-Nanoscale Characteristics of Pyrite and Its Implications for Gold Mineralization: Two Cases of Gold Deposits in the Youjiang Basin and Southwestern Tianshan Mountains.

The mineralogical and compositional characteristics of gold-bearing minerals and the occurrence of gold are not only of great significance to exploring the sources of ore-forming materials and their formation mechanisms but also helpful for designing reasonable beneficiations and smelting schemes and achieving remarkable economic benefits. This paper presents an integrated study on the crystal characteristics, elemental composition and distribution of pyrite (the main gold-bearing minerals), on the basis of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and nano-secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). The occurrence of gold in the Shuiyindong gold deposit and Ashawayi gold deposit has been studied by means of microscopy, SEM, and EPMA images, elemental correlations, S-Fe-As ternary diagrams, logAs-logAu diagrams and Au/As ratios. The gold in pyrite of the Shuiyindong deposit is in the form of nano gold inclusions and lattice gold. The gold in pyrite of the Ashawayi deposit dominantly exists in the form of nano gold inclusions or is present as micro-nano gold particles in the cracks or edges of pyrite, some of which can exist as lattice gold. The ore-forming hydrothermal solution of the Shuiyindong gold deposit is mainly underground hot brine, but it may be reformed by a deep magmatic hydrothermal solution or volcanic-subvolcanic hydrothermal solution. The ore-forming hydrothermal solution of the Ashawayi gold deposit is mainly derived from the metamorphic hydrothermal solution formed during the orogenic process, and the ore-forming process or post-mineralization process may be reformed by the leaching of underground hot brine. Finally, the characteristics of ore-forming fluids and evolution of the two types of deposits are determined via pyrite element surface scanning. This paper shows that micro-nanoscale study of gold-bearing pyrite is of great significance to understanding the gold mineralization process and is worth further study.

Characteristics of Micro/Nano Pores and Hydrocarbon Accumulation in a Continental Shale Oil Reservoir-A Case Study of the Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag, Junggar Basin, Northwest China.

This paper comprehensively studies the micro- and nanometer-scale pore characteristics and structure of the Lucaogou Formation shale oil reservoir in the Jimsar Sag using high-pressure mercury analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy and nano-CT scanning technology. In addition, the occurrence states of crude oil in pores are analyzed combined with macro-micro characteristics. The results show that there are various reservoir types; the main reservoir pore structure is on the micron and nanometer levels, with other void spaces including intergranular pores, interparticle dissolution pores, intercrystalline pores and microfissures. Nanopores are generally oil-bearing and mostly in the adsorption state, which changes the traditional understanding that micron pores are the only microscopic pores in the reservoir and confirms that shale oil exists in 'sweet spots' and mud-shale sections of the Lucaogou Formation.

Pore Structure Characterization of Tailing Bed and Dewatering Mechanism at nm-µm Scales Under Shearing.

The preparation of high-density tailings is a prerequisite for cemented paste backfill technology, and the flocculated fine tailings of sealed water leads to challenges in the slurry thickening of tailings. Shearing conditions can compact the micro floc structure to improve the underflow concentration. The nm-µm scales of pore characteristics and connectivity are essential for the dewatering process. The computed tomography (CT) results show that the underflow concentration increases from 62.3 wt% to 68.6 wt% after undergoing rake shearing at 2 rpm, and the porosity decreases from 42.7% to 35.54%. The shearing conditions reduces the spheres and sticks by 43.14% and 43.3%, respectively, from the pore network model (PNM). The seepage flow states were affected by the changes in the pore structure. The maximum surface velocity and the maximum internal pressure decrease after undergoing shearing. Shearing conditions can break the micro floc structures, and the fine particles can fill in the micron-scale pores by gravity and shearing conditions, resulting in the forced drainage of water into the pores. Shearing conditions can break the thickening floc network structures; natural fine particles can fill the micron-scale pores by gravity and shearing conditions. The upward seepage of sealed water along the µm-scale pore channel causes a higher bed concentration. However, the sealed water in the nm-scale pores cannot flow upward due to water cohesion and particle adhesion resistance.

Investigation on the Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Nanopores in High-Rank Coal: Implications for the Methane Adsorption Capacity.

The structure and fractal characteristics of nanopores of high-rank coal were investigated using an approach that integrates N2 adsorption and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results indicated that the high-rank coal of the Shanxi Formation has a complex pore-fracture network composed of organic matter pores, mineral-related pores, and microfractures. The pore type of high-rank coal tends to be complicated, and the main pore types are inkbottle pores and open pores, which are more conducive to methane enrichment. The Ro,max has a negative relationship with the total pore volume. In addition, the ash and inertinite contents show a positive correlation with the average pore size (APS), while the fixed carbon content exhibits a negative relationship with the APS. The pore structure of high-rank coal is controlled not only by the degree of metamorphism but also by coal composition, which leads to the variation in pore structure becoming more complicated. With the increase in coal metamorphism, high-rank coal with high amounts of fixed carbon content generally possesses a higher irregularity in pore structure. No obvious relationship was observed between D2 and the coal components, which indicates that the pore structure, ash content, moisture content and other factors controlled by the metamorphism of coal have different effects on D2 that lead to this inapparent relationship. A negative relationship exists between adsorption volume and D1, which indicates that the high irregularity of the pore structure is not conducive to methane absorption and that no obvious correlation exists between the adsorption volume and D2. In the high-rank coal, the high D1 value represents the complexity and heterogeneity of the pore structure and represents a low adsorption affinity for methane molecules; in addition, D2 has no effect on the methane adsorption capacity.

Micro-Nanostructure of Coal and Adsorption-Diffusion Characteristics of Methane.

The adsorption and diffusion characteristics of coal are important parameters for coalbed methane (CBM) extraction and mine gas control. However, the adsorption test can only obtain the apparent adsorption amount, and it cannot obtain the actual adsorption amount, which leads to a large error during the calculation of the coal diffusion coefficient. Taking the anthracite coal in the Jiulishan Mine as the research object, the micro-nanostructure and instantaneous apparent methane adsorption isotherms of the primary structure coal and tectonic coal were determined by low-temperature CO2 adsorption, mercury intrusion and methane diffusion kinetics tests, and the instantaneous apparent adsorption isotherms of methane were corrected to the instantaneous actual adsorption isotherm by the Langmuir model. The results demonstrate that the micro-nanopore, Density Function Theory (DFT) pore volume and specific surface area values below 1-2 nm in tectonic coal are larger than those in the primary structure coal, which is the fundamental reason why the ultimate adsorption capacity of tectonic coal is larger than that of the primary structure coal. The apparent adsorption amounts of the tectonic coal and the primary structure coal reach the maximum at 8 MPa and 10 MPa, respectively. Thereafter, the instantaneous isotherms of the apparent adsorption amount decrease with increasing of gas pressure. However, the instantaneous isotherms of the actual adsorption amount tend to be stable. The diffusion coefficient undergoes a rapid decay with time under low gas pressure, and undergoes a slow decay with under the high gas pressure.

Micro-Nano Fine Characterization of Coal Fracture Evolution During the Triaxial Compression Creep.

The production and evolution of fractures during coal creep will directly affect the occurrence, extraction and flow law of gas in a coal seam. The coal fracture evolution under creep conditions was studied by qualitative analysis and quantitative characterization. At a room temperature of 24 °C, triaxial compression creep tests of coal samples from the Zhaogu No. 2 coal mine in Jiaozuo were carried out under different loading conditions (0 MPa, 6 MPa, 9 MPa and 12 MPa), and low field nuclear magnetic resonance technique tests and industrial CT scanning experiments were performed. The obtained CT images were analyzed with the MATLAB software for equalization and binary image processing. The development and distribution of fractures in coal samples under different loading conditions were studied. The results show that the internal fractures are unevenly distributed and controlled by the main fracture, and the expansion direction of fractures is parallel to the direction of the maximum effective compressive stress. The number of fractures shows an increasing trend with the increase of axial stress, and the pace of growth of new fractures accelerates. The primary fractures in the coal body expand and generate new fractures, which improves the connectivity of the fractures in the coal body. The research results can provide a basis for studying the gas flow rule around the borehole and determining the influence range of the borehole.

Small Angle X-ray Scattering Test of Hami Coal Sample Nanostructure Parameters with Gas Adsorbed Under Different Pressures.

The complexity and multiscale structure of coal pores significantly influence the gas diffusion and seepage characteristics of coal. To apply small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to study the coal pore structure parameters within the scale of 1-100 nm in the methane adsorption process, the X-ray window was optimized and a gas adsorption chamber was designed to interface with the small angle X-ray scattering platform. The fractal dimension and porosity of Hami coal samples under different methane pressures were studied using the small angle X-ray scattering platform and adsorption chamber. The surface and nanopore fractal information of the nanopores in coal were distinguished. The variation trends of the pores and surface fractal dimension with time under the same methane pressure were compared. The results indicate that the surface dimension changes from 2.56 to 2.75, and the extremum point may indicate that the primary nanopore structure is crushed by the adsorbed gas after approximately 15 minutes. This work clarifies that the fractal dimension can characterize the changes in nanopores in the process of gas adsorption by using SAXS. According to the fractal characteristics, the adsorption of gas in coal nanopores is summarized as four steps: expansion from adsorbance, deformation, crushing and recombination. The minimum porosity is 0.95% and the extreme value point is 1.47%. This work also shows that decrease in surface energy affect the porosity changes in nano-size pores. This work is of some significance to coalbed methane permeability improvement and gas extraction.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Evidence of the Nanoscale Structural Jump in Medium-Rank Tectonic Coal.

Coal is a pressure-sensitive organic rock. The effect of tectonism on the structural evolution of medium-rank coal has been confirmed by the change in the crystal state of tectonic coal, but the organic molecular level response has not been reported. In this paper, three sets of medium-rank tectonic coals and symbiotic nontectonic coals were selected. The distributions of their functional groups and their molecular structure evolution were assessed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and their structural parameters were determined from the curve-fitting analysis. The nanoscale structural jump characteristics and mechanisms of medium-rank tectonic coal were revealed. Compared with symbiotic nontectonic coal, tectonism accelerated the exfoliation of side chains (groups) in the macromolecular structure, enlarged the aromatic system, and removed the unstable groups such as associative hydrogen bonds at first, which indicated that the molecular structure of tectonic coal was affected by nanoscale deformation, showing obvious advanced evolution characteristics. For the fat coal, the removal of side chains (groups) during the formation of tectonic coal makes the aromatic ring condensation obvious. For the coking coal, the formation of tectonic coal is dominated by cycloaliphatic dehydrogenation and aromatization, accompanied by the condensation of the aromatic rings. The tectonic coal formed from lean coal shows obvious aromatization characteristics. The molecular depolymerization and chemical tailoring caused by tectonism promotes the removal of hydrophobic side chains (groups) and activates some polar structure sites in coal. It is considered that the nanoscale structural jump of medium-rank tectonic coal is the result of the competition between the aromatic system and aliphatic structures.

Pore Size Distribution and Fractal Characteristics of the Nanopore Structure in Organic-Rich Shales Using the Neimark-Kiselev Fractal Approach.

Shale gas has been playing an increasingly important role in meeting global energy demands. The heterogeneity of the pore structure in organic-rich shales greatly affects the adsorption, desorption, diffusion and flow of gas. The pore size distribution (PSD) is a key parameter of the heterogeneity of the shale pore structure. In this study, the Neimark-Kiselev (N-K) fractal approach was applied to investigate the heterogeneity in the PSD of the lower Silurian organic-rich shales in South China using low-pressure N2 adsorption, total organic carbon (TOC) content, maturity analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) measurements. The results show that (1) the fractal dimension DN-K obtained by N-K theory better represents the heterogeneity of the PSD in shale at an approximately 1-100 nm scale. The DN-K values range from 2.3801 to 2.9915, with a mean of 2.753. The stronger the PSD heterogeneity is, the higher the DN-K value in shale is. (2) The clay-rich samples display multimodal patterns at pore sizes greater than 20 nm, which strongly effect the PSD heterogeneity. Quartz-rich samples display major peaks at less than or equal to a 10 nm pore size, with a smaller effect on the PSD heterogeneity in most cases. In other brittle mineral-rich samples, there are no obvious major peaks, and a weak heterogeneity of the PSDs is displayed. (3) A greater TOC content, maturity, clay content and pore size can cause stronger heterogeneity of the PSD and higher fractal dimensions in the shale samples. This study helps to understand and compare the PSD and fractal characteristics from different samples and provides important theoretical guidance and a scientific basis for the exploration and development of shale gas resources.

The Gas Content Characteristics of Nanopores Developed in a Normal Pressure Shale Gas Reservoir in Southeast Chongqing, Sichuan Basin, China.

To evaluate the gas content characteristics of nanopores developed in a normal pressure shale gas reservoir, the Py1 well in southeast Chongqing was selected as a case study. A series of experiments was performed to analyze the total organic carbon content, porosity and gas content using core material samples of the Longmaxi Shale from the Py1 well. The results show that the adsorbed gas and free gas content in the nanopores developed in the Py1 well in the normal pressure shale gas reservoir range from 0.46-2.24 m3/t and 0.27-0.83 m3/t, with average values of 1.38 m3/t and 0.50 m3/t, respectively. The adsorbed gas is dominant in the shale gas reservoir, accounting for 53.05-88.23% of the total gas with an average value of 71.43%. The Gas Research Institute (GRI) porosity and adsorbed gas content increase with increasing total organic carbon content. The adsorbed gas and free gas contents both increase with increasing porosity value, and the rate of increase in the adsorbed gas content with porosity is larger than that of free gas. Compared with the other five shale reservoirs in America, the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale in the Py1 well developed nanopores but without overpressure, which is not favorable for shale gas enrichment.

Effect of Composition on the Micropore Structure of Non-Marine Coal-Bearing Shale: A Case Study of Permian Strata in the Qinshui Basin, China.

The nanopore network in organic-rich shale plays a key role in shale gas storage and migration, and micropores are an important structural unit in connecting the migration channel. In this study, we selected six non-marine coal-bearing shales from the Qinshui Basin to investigate the effect of composition on micropore structure using X-ray diffraction, total organic carbon (TOC), vitrinite reflectance, and CO2 adsorption methods. The results indicate that non-marine shale with higher TOC content possesses more micropores, leading to a more complex pore structure and improving the heterogeneity of shale reservoirs. With the increase in TOC content, the micropore surface area and micropore volume clearly increases, which greatly improves the gas storage space in shale reservoirs. The thermal evolution of organic matter promotes the development of micropores to a certain extent in non-marine shale. Clay minerals possess a rough surface and develop more micropores, and their influence on the micropore structure of non-marine shale is relatively strong, while terrestrial quartz exhibits significant micropore development. The obviously positive correlations between micropore volume and kaolinite, chlorite contents in the non-marine shale suggest that kaolinite and chlorite make a certain contribution to micropore volume. The characteristics of micropore structures in coal mainly depend on lithotypes, TOC content, and ash content, while clay content, quartz content, and TOC content are the key factors controlling the formation of micropores in non-marine shale.

Experimental Evidence and Characteristic Recognition of the Nanoweakening of Slip Deformation Zones.

A central issue in the study of fault evolution is to identify shear weakening and its mechanism; currently, studies of fault weakening in narrow slip deformation zones, including those of various slipping planes such as schistosity, foliation, cleavage, joints and faults in rocks, are ongoing. To verify the nanoweakening in shear slipping, we carried out experiments: triaxial compression experiments on sandstones and uniaxial compression experiments on granites. Furthermore, on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and experimental data analyses, we suggested three kinds of nanoweakening in terms of the corresponding strain stages: (1) The slip nanoweakening caused by the strain hardening deformation stage of the shear slip, which creates nanograins with dense coatings that may be due to the nanocoating on the shear planes, can result in rolling friction rather than with sliding friction, and the former is a principal mechanism of sliding nanoweakening. (2) The rheological nanoweakening caused by the strain softening deformation stage; in view of developing weakened deformation due to grain boundary migration (GBM), the flow of synkinematic minerals and melt coating phenomena lead to rheological nanoweakening. (3) The dynamic nanoweakening caused by thermal pressurization and fluid pressurization during the strain softening stage and strain degenerating stage. Thus, when these aspects are considered in defining the relationship between the nanoweakening at the slipping planes and the strain stages, the representative mechanism and its behavior rules can be obtained.

Synthesis and Characterization of Montmorillonite Supported Zero-Valent Bimetallic Fe/Ni Nanoparticles for the Removal of Triclosan.

As an important industrial material, triclosan is widely used in manufacturing, and similar to many materials of its kind, triclosan causes significant environmental pollution, especially water pollution. In the organic pollutant degradation field, iron nanoparticles are among the most popular catalysts and have been successfully applied in various kinds of environmental modification, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. As we will show in this study, combined with nickel, the montmorillonite-supported Fe-Ni bimetallic nano-systems gained better organic contaminant degradation ability and stability than iron nanoparticles. By means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the characteristics of the montmorillonite-supported Fe-Ni nanocomposites were studied in detail. BET analysis shows that montmorillonite restrains the aggregation of Fe-Ni to reduce the size of its particles. By adding montmorillonite, Fe-Ni materials are transformed into uniform mesoporous structures, which are beneficial for adsorption and catalysis. The layers of montmorillonite and zero-valent metal constitute a "house-of-cards" structure. Based on FTIR spectral analysis, the stretching vibration of montmorillonite hydroxyl groups is present only in the spectra of supported nanoparticles and not in the spectra of unsupported nanoparticles. The degradation ability of different catalysts is tested by a series of experiments and measured by checking the remaining triclosan in polluted water. The test results confirmed that Mont/Fe-Ni nanoparticles exhibit the best removal efficiency, which is approximately 80% after 90 min.