The high-pressure (HP)/high-temperature (HT) phase diagram of barium hydride (BaH2) was investigated using X-ray diffraction measurements and diamond-anvil cells to clarify the relationships between some phases, including the hydride-ion (H-) conductive HT phase that adopts the Ni2In-type structure. The results revealed that the HT phase and the HP phase were the same in the phase diagram and constitute an HP/HT phase. Furthermore, it was found that the Ni2In-type structure is stable over a wide range up to approximately 50 GPa and 500°C. The coexistence of two phases during the phase transition may be responsible for the previously reported anomalous pressure dependency of ionic conductivity in the HP phase. Additionally, the HP/HT phase diagram of strontium hydride (SrH2), which exhibits a similar HP structural sequence, was also investigated. It was found that the Ni2In-type structure of SrH2 is stable at pressures above 7 GPa within the temperature range of this work (~500 °C). These wide stable HP/HT regions imply that the structural properties of hydride-ion conductive BaH2 and SrH2 can be investigated under the wide conditions in the future. Furthermore, the pressure dependence of the lattice parameters and volume was obtained, and the bulk moduli of BaH2 and SrH2 in the Ni2In-type structure are determined to be 31.5(15) GPa and 42.4(7) GPa, respectively. The pressure dependence of the crystallographic parameters obtained in this study will be useful for understanding the origin of the properties from the crystallographic viewpoint in future work. The stability conditions and crystallographic parameters of the high-pressure phases of BaH2 and SrH2, which exhibit hydride-ion conductivity, were investigated. The obtained information will contribute to elucidating their conduction mechanism.
The tonsillar retractor used during adenotonsillectomy, one of the most common pediatric surgeries, may increase sympathetic activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tonsillar retractor insertion on intracranial pressure (ICP) and intraocular pressure (IOP) in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy. This prospective observational study included 24 pediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy and 20 age-matched controls undergoing other surgeries. Bilateral optic nerve sheath diameters (ONSD) were measured by ultrasonography, and IOP was assessed by tonometry before and immediately after tonsillar retractor insertion. Hemodynamic parameters were also recorded at the same time points and compared between groups. Pressure changes were analyzed using the Generalized Estimating Equation method, and effect sizes were calculated with Cohen's d. Insertion of the tonsillar retractor caused a significant increase in mean ONSD from 4.66 ± 0.58 mm to 5.61 ± 0.52 mm (p < 0.001, d = 2.36). Mean IOP rose significantly from 13.7 ± 2.8 mmHg to 18.2 ± 5.3 mmHg (p < 0.001, d = 0.97). Systolic blood pressure increased from 100.4 ± 10.1 mmHg to 108.5 ± 10.8 mmHg (p = 0.0008), whereas diastolic pressure changes were not significant (p = 0.097). No significant correlation was found between changes in ONSD and IOP (r = -0.22, p = 0.30). Tonsillar retractor use during adenotonsillectomy results in a rapid, marked rise in ICP and IOP. These findings should be considered by otolaryngologists and anesthesiologists managing pediatric patients at risk of sympathetic surges. 2.
To investigate the impact of early postoperative blood pressure variability (BPV) on 90-day functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) undergoing mechanical thrombectomy, and to assess its interaction with pre-existing hypertension. This retrospective cohort study included 144 AIS-LVO patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy between January 2022 and September 2024. Systolic blood pressure was recorded hourly during the first 24 h post-procedure, and BPV was calculated as the standard deviation of systolic BP. Patients were divided into low and high BPV groups according to the median BPV value. Functional outcome at 90 days was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with 0-2 defined as favorable. Subgroup analyses were performed according to hypertension status. Patients in the high BPV group had significantly higher baseline NIHSS and worse 90-day mRS scores (p = 0.021 and p = 0.007, respectively). Favorable outcomes were achieved in 29.5% of high BPV patients compared with 60% of low BPV patients (p = 0.007). ROC analysis showed moderate predictive ability of BPV for favorable outcomes (AUC = 0.743, 95% CI: 0.662-0.840). The detrimental effect of elevated BPV was more pronounced among patients with pre-existing hypertension. Elevated early postoperative BPV is independently associated with worse 90-day functional outcomes in AIS-LVO patients undergoing thrombectomy, particularly in those with hypertension. These findings suggest that maintaining stable blood pressure during the early postoperative period may help optimize recovery in this high-risk population.
Previous study focused on the relationship between morning blood pressure (BP) and OSA severity, and the effect of sex on hypertension in OSA. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential effect of evening systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) on morning SBP and DBP for different genders in OSA patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 911 patients diagnosed with OSA via polysomnography (PSG). The association between evening and morning blood pressure was evaluated using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) to assess linearity and dose-response relationships. All analyses were stratified by sex. Of the 911 participants, 766 (84.08%) were male and 145 (15.92%) were female. Multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed a consistent positive association between evening and morning BP in both sexes. However, subgroup analyses identified distinct effect modifiers: in males, the association was intensified by diabetes mellitus, whereas in females, it was most evident among those with non-severe OSA. Furthermore, severe OSA significantly exacerbated morning BP surges in males with high evening BP, a synergistic effect notably absent in females. Evening SBP and DBP exhibited a linear association with morning BP across both sexes. However, this relationship was subject to significant effect modification: in males, diabetes mellitus intensified the association, whereas in females, it was most evident among those with non-severe OSA. Consequently, elevated evening BP precipitated marked morning BP surges in males, a phenomenon notably absent in females.
Overweight and obesity have turned into a substantial public health crisis worldwide. We aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity. Data collected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1993 to 2015, including 75,559 adults. We used linear-by-linear trend tests, logistic models, and Cox regression models to test the relationship between the prevalence of overweight and obesity and blood pressure. From 1993 to 2015, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 34.94% to 69.63%, and the prevalence of females was higher than that of males. Cox regression analysis showed that systolic pressure (SBP) <140 and diastolic pressure (DBP) <90 was associated with a lower prevalence in participants. Compared by both age and gender, SBP and DBP were risk factors for the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Higher DBP and SBP were associated with a higher risk of overweight and obesity. When developing blood pressure control strategies, comprehensive consideration should be given to population demographics, with an emphasis on promoting individualized intervention approaches.
Hypertension is highly prevalent in older adults; therefore, hypertension management remains essential. Nevertheless, population data is scarce. Until recently, population blood pressure (BP) monitoring in Germany only included the population up to age 79. This study investigates BP and hypertension management in octogenarians and nonagenarians in Germany from the study Gesundheit 65+. In 2022-2023, brachial BP measurements (Mobil-O-Graph, IEM GmbH, Aachen/Germany) and health questionnaires were conducted in 807 participants aged 80-99 years of the German population-based Gesundheit 65+ study. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥ 140/90 mmHg, or antihypertensive treatment in participants with self-reported hypertension. Hypertension control was defined as BP < 140/90 mmHg among participants with hypertension. Weighted prevalence of hypertension, awareness, treatment and control by sex were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Partitioning Around Medoids cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subtypes among participants with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension in women was 77.8% [95% CI: 71.4-83.2] and in men 72.3% [65.7-78.0]. Among those with hypertension, 85.2% were aware, 81.7% treated, and 57.3% controlled. Control was significantly lower in women compared to men, with half of women having controlled hypertension, compared to two-thirds of men. The cluster analysis revealed two subgroups among women with hypertension: a well-treated/controlled but multimorbid group and an untreated/uncontrolled but subjectively healthier group. Three clusters emerged among men with hypertension: treated/controlled, less treated/uncontrolled and a severely multimorbid cluster with high treatment and control rates. Among octogenarians and nonagenarians in Germany, hypertension prevalence is higher in women than in men, while hypertension control among women is lower. This underscores the need for more attention to BP in older women. Furthermore, our findings indicate that high BP, as a largely asymptomatic health risk, may be inadequately controlled among otherwise healthy older adults.
The pathology of human diseases is now investigated using vascularized microphysiological systems (MPSs). Efforts to increase physiological relevance of these platforms have centered on the incorporation of organ-specific cellular and noncellular constituents. However, tissue-specific cellular constituents must experience appropriate physical forces to faithfully replicate physiological function. Quantification of physical forces in MPS has received little attention. The goal of this study was to establish a simple and robust system capable of interfacing with existing pumps to quantitatively characterize the flow delivered to an MPS. The system assessed both the fluid pressure driving flow through a microphysiological platform and the resistance to flow of glass capillary tubes or a model vascular network. The system showed excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with resistance values measured by a hydrostatic approach and predicted for laminar flow through a smooth capillary tube. Importantly, the system is optically based without sensors contacting the circulating fluid making it ideally suited for long-term biological studies where sterility is paramount. Benchmarking experiments were supplemented with measurements of driving pressure and flow resistance from vascular structures within an MPS in a humidified incubator. Vascular resistance measurements were consistent with published results obtained from similar microvascular networks.
The hydrodynamic model of hydrocephalus proposes that ventriculomegaly is driven by exaggerated intraventricular pulsations rather than impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation alone. Under this model, endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC) treats hydrocephalus by creating a pulsation absorber and by reducing a primary source of intraventricular pulsation. However, direct intraoperative human evidence supporting this two-step mechanism is lacking. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that ETV followed by CPC would produce measurable, stepwise decreases in mean intraventricular pressure (ICP) and pulsation amplitude in infants with hydrocephalus. This single-institution proof-of-concept study included infants with symptomatic hydrocephalus undergoing ETV/CPC as the first definitive treatment. A fiber-optic ICP sensor was attached to the operative ventriculoscope and passively recorded mean and pulsatile ICP (pulsation amplitude) throughout the procedure. Longitudinal brain parenchymal volume (BPV) and cerebrospinal fluid volume (CSFV) were obtained through segmentation of clinically acquired T2-weighted MRI and converted to age- and sex-matched z-scores. All patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively. Five infants (median corrected age at ETV/CPC 8 months) were included. No surgical complications occurred, and no ETV/CPC failures were observed during follow-up. Overall, mean ICP decreased by 56-97% after the combined procedure in four patients. In three patients (Patients 1, 3, and 5), both mean ICP and pulsation amplitude decreased stepwise following ETV and then CPC, consistent with the hypothesized therapeutic mechanism. Patient 4 demonstrated a large reduction in mean ICP after ETV with minimal additional effect from CPC and no significant change in pulsation amplitude. Patient 2 demonstrated neither a reduction in mean ICP nor a meaningful change in pulsation amplitude after either procedure; this patient also had a delayed and atypical clinical response. Intracranial segmentation demonstrated BPV z-score stabilization within normal range and CSFV plateau in all patients after surgery. This proof-of-concept study provides the first direct intraoperative human evidence supporting the hydrodynamic mechanism of ETV/CPC in a subset of infant with hydrocephalus. Our findings suggest that determination of intraoperative ICP parameters is feasible, safe and might ultimately prove helpful in improving patient selection for ETV/CPC, warranting further investigation in larger cohorts.
This study investigates the spatiotemporal dynamics of aquatic beetle assemblages in the Martil River, northern Morocco, where hydrological intermittency and anthropogenic pressures threaten aquatic diversity and endemism. Over four seasons (spring, summer, autumn 2017, and winter 2018), we sampled 16 sites, grouped into four categories (A-D) along altitudinal and land-use gradients. Our surveys recorded 1,268 individuals representing 50 species from 10 families. Richness and abundance peaked in natural and/or permanent reaches (groups A-B), declining sharply downstream under urbanization and pollution (groups C-D). Gyrinidae dominated numerically (54%), while Dytiscidae exhibited the highest diversity.Adephaga prevailed during dry periods with lentic affinities, in contrast to Polyphaga, which were associated with wet-season lotic conditions. Predators (73%) and swimmers (72%) represented the main functional feeding and locomotion groups. Correspondence analysis revealed seasonal segregation, with rheophilic taxa in wet flows, thermophiles in summer pools, and eurytherms in spring. Co-inertia analysis (CIA) ordination highlighted upstream and midstream refuges with high dissolved oxygen that support sensitive species, in contrast to lowland, slow-flowing streams with elevated BOD5, COD, and conductivity, where more tolerant generalist species dominate. Beta-diversity partitioning showed that species turnover (βsim) was the main component of community dissimilarity. PERMANOVA confirmed significant compositional differences between urban and non-urban assemblages. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating permanent mid-reaches into conservation planning and demonstrate the potential of aquatic beetles as indicators of hydrological intermittency.
Although pulse pressure (PP) predicts individual cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs), its role in the progression of cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between PP and CMD progression, from incident CMD to CMM development and all-cause mortality. UK Biobank participants (N = 403,851) were prospectively assessed. PP was evaluated per 1-standard-deviation (SD) increase and across quartiles (Q1-Q4) using Cox proportional hazards models for associations with: (1) incident CMD, (2) progression to CMM (defined as two or more of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, or stroke), and (3) all-cause mortality. Restricted cubic splines were used to examine nonlinearity, and threshold effects were identified using piecewise regression. Competing-risk analyses (Fine-Gray models) and sensitivity analyses excluding the first 2 years of follow-up were performed to address mortality-related competing events and potential reverse causality, respectively. Subgroup analyses were stratified by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Among 403,851 UK Biobank participants who were free of CMD at baseline, per 1-SD increase in PP was significantly associated with transitions from health to CMD (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.12-1.14) and to CMM (HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.15-1.21), with Q4 versus Q1 comparisons indicating 36% higher risks for both outcomes. Notably, the PP-CMM association was strongest among patients with stroke, with an HR of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.11-1.36) per 1-SD increase. Subgroup analyses further showed that this association was most pronounced in participants aged < 60 years, women, and those with BMI 18.5 ≤ 25 kg/m2. Threshold-effect analyses identified specific risk turning points: 40 mmHg for incident CMD, 42 mmHg for mortality, and 52 mmHg for CMM development among healthy participants, and 57 mmHg for mortality among participants with established CMM. Our study demonstrates that elevated PP is significantly associated with higher risks of CMD progression and mortality.
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Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) restores stability but is often followed by early cartilage degeneration. The contribution of altered dynamic contact pressure during gait to this degeneration remains poorly understood. To investigate the biomechanical mechanisms underlying early cartilage degeneration after ACLR, with a focus on dynamic contact pressure distribution during gait. Controlled laboratory study. In a 3-year longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of patients with ACLR (n = 30), cartilage thickness of the tibial plateau was quantitatively assessed using deep-learning-based 3-dimensional segmentation techniques. In parallel, cadaveric knees (n = 8) were tested under intact, ACL-deficient, and ACL-reconstructed conditions using a 6 degree-of-freedom robotic simulator replicating gait cycles. Tibiofemoral contact pressure and pressure center trajectories were recorded using pressure-sensitive film. Quantitative MRI analyses revealed significant cartilage thinning in the posterior tibial subregion 3 years after ACLR. On the medial plateau, the central medial tibia, internal medial tibia, and posterior medial tibia subregions exhibited mean reductions of 10% (P = .027), 21% (P = .019), and 13% (P = .041), respectively. On the lateral plateau, significant decreases were observed in central lateral tibia (9%; P = .031), posterior lateral tibia (14%; P = .029), and external lateral tibia (15%; P = .035). In robotic gait simulations, the reconstructed knees exhibited persistent posterior displacement of the whole-gait-cycle contact center of stress on both tibial plateaus (residual shifts: medial, 5.29 mm; lateral, 4.73 mm; both P < .05). Additionally, the contact area was significantly enlarged in early stance (2%-12% gait cycle) and terminal swing (75%-100%), especially in the medial compartment. ACLR-induced pressure center displacement coincides with focal posterior cartilage degeneration, forming a spatiotemporal mechanical-pathological chain. This work highlights the potential of dynamic loading biomarkers for early osteoarthritis risk stratification and targeted mechanical intervention. Persistent shifts in tibiofemoral pressure centers after ACLR coincide with focal cartilage thinning, suggesting a mechanical pathway to post-ACLR osteoarthritis. Identifying such dynamic loading biomarkers may guide early risk stratification and targeted interventions in sports medicine.
Coal, as a porous medium, exhibits a strong adsorption capacity for gas. The laws governing gas adsorption and transport are critical research topics for gas disaster prevention and control, as well as for coalbed methane (CBM) extraction. This study takes coal samples from the Guobei Mine as the research subject. Isothermal adsorption experiments under constant pressure conditions were conducted on coal particles of different sizes to investigate the influence of particle size and initial pressure on gas adsorption capacity and adsorption rate. Based on the density gradient diffusion theory, mathematical models for gas adsorption in both cylindrical and spherical coal particles were established. These models were nondimensionalized, solved using the finite difference method for simulation analysis, and subsequently validated against experimental results. The research indicates that under the same initial pressure, smaller coal particle sizes result in a larger cumulative adsorption capacity and a faster adsorption rate. For particles of the same size, a higher initial pressure leads to a greater saturated adsorption capacity and a shorter time to reach adsorption equilibrium. The cumulative gas adsorption capacity conforms to an empirical model where ″the reciprocal of adsorption capacity shows a linear relationship with 1/t0.65″. The simulation results for cylindrical and spherical particles show a high degree of agreement. Under different initial pressures, the nondimensional pressure for both shapes follows a consistent pattern: "rapid surface response → internal gradient transmission → overall trend toward equilibrium". The equilibrium nondimensional time is approximately 0.08982 at 4.0 MPa, and ranges between 0.3 and 0.45 at 0.5 MPa, with the radial pressure gradient decay rate being consistent. The initial slope, equilibrium time, and saturated adsorption capacity of the nondimensional cumulative adsorption curves are essentially identical. For 50-60 mesh coal samples at 2 MPa, the deviation in the adsorption cycle is less than 0.05 cm3/g, confirming that particle shape has no significant effect on gas adsorption and transport. The established model accurately captures the dynamic characteristics of gas transport. The fit between simulated and experimental values is excellent, with R 2 > 0.99 and an average relative error of only 3.2%. This work breaks through the limitation of the "single spherical particle" assumption, enhances the applicability of the density gradient diffusion theory, and provides reliable theoretical support for the optimization of CBM extraction and gas disaster prevention and control.
Computation fluid dynamics is useful for assessment of hemodynamic abnormalities. It allows visualization of the blood flow streamline and provides information regarding the pressure and the wall shear stress (WSS). Although previous studies have shown that blood flow patterns might be associated with ascending aortic dilation and adverse aortic events, studies regarding the comparison of different types of aortic prostheses are limited. This study aimed to compare the hemodynamics in the dilated ascending aorta in patient with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) who underwent different type of aortic valve replacement (AVR). Computational fluid dynamics analyses were performed in three BAV patients with dilated ascending aorta who underwent mechanical, bioprosthetic, and transcatheter AVR. Before the AVR, all patients had abnormal blood flow in the ascending aorta. The pressure and the WSS were elevated in the great outer curvature. After the AVR, the abnormal flow patterns improved and the pressure and the WSS decreased (mechanical valve: pressure from 19,806 to 16,718 Pa, WSS from 89 to 17 Pa; transcatheter heart valve: pressure from 19,557 to 15,672 Pa, WSS from 68 to 21 Pa). However, the bioprosthetic valve still had remnant helical flow and relatively high residual pressure and WSS (pressure from 16,253 to 15,724 Pa, WSS from 76 to 40 Pa). Abnormal aortic flow patterns appeared to improve after AVR in patients with BAV. The type of aortic prostheses might be an influence on the hemodynamics, which requires further studies.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries frequently necessitate anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), yet balance deficits persist during preoperative and postoperative periods. However, comprehensive longitudinal comparative studies remain scarce. This study utilized a high-resolution plantar pressure system to thoroughly assess these balance characteristics, aiming to optimize clinical rehabilitation. Fifty participants [25 in the ACLR group, 25 in the normal control (NC) group] were assessed using the SMARTX-MFS plantar pressure system. The ACLR group was assessed preoperatively, 2 months postoperatively, and 6 months postoperatively. The static parameters included the pressure proportion of the affected side (PA), the center of pressure (COP) 95% confidence ellipse area (SCOP) and the COP trajectory length (LCOP). The dynamic parameters included COP medial-lateral offset length (LCOP-ML), COP anterior-posterior offset length (LCOP-AP), gait line length (LG), single-leg support line length (LS), maximum moving speed of COP (VMAX), proportion of swing period (PSW), support period (PS), weight-bearing response period (PWB), single-leg support period (PSL), pre-swing period (PSP), and the maximum pressure in the forefoot (PMAX-F), arch (PMAX-A) and heel (PMAX-H). Inter-group and intra-group comparisons were conducted. Preoperatively: The ACLR group exhibited impairments in both static and dynamic balance, alongside profound bilateral asymmetry. Two Months Postoperatively: Only LCOP-AP showed significant improvement (P > 0.05). Six Months Postoperatively: Static balance and most dynamic parameters showed no statistically significant differences compared to the NC group, except for increased LCOP-ML (P < 0.05) and decreased LG and LS of the affected side (P < 0.05). Within the ACLR group, the affected side still exhibited extremely significant decreased LG, LS, and PMAX-F (P < 0.001), while PMAX-A and PMAX-H decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The ACLR group showed significant balance deficits at pre-operation. Only the LCOP-AP showed significant improvement at 2 months post-operation. The deficits basically recovered at 6 months post-operation. However, the asymmetry of COP trajectory and plantar pressure still existed. The study provided a basis for clinical rehabilitation assessment.
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel to diesel, which can be derived from different feedstocks, and one of them is Ricinus communis L. oil (castor oil). Drawbacks of castor oil biodiesel are its high density, kinematic viscosity, and surface tension values, in comparison with those of diesel. The spray macroscopic characteristics of a fuel such as spray penetration and spray area are influenced mainly by fuel kinematic viscosity. A way to equate the physical properties of castor oil biodiesel (BH100) with those of diesel is by raising its temperature. The present study focused on analyzing the influence of castor oil biodiesel temperature in blend with ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD) on its kinematic viscosity, and the relationship of this with spray macroscopic characteristics. To do so, a BH20 blend (20% of castor oil biodiesel and 80% of ultralow sulfur diesel) and ultralow sulfur diesel as the reference fuel were employed. In order to equate the density and kinematic viscosity values of BH20 with those of ultralow sulfur diesel at 40 °C, curves were determined in a temperature range of 15-75 °C. To evaluate the relationship between the physical properties of BH20 and its spray macroscopic characteristics and considering the physical properties of ULSD at 40 °C, three fuel temperature levels (40, 50, and 60 °C) were employed in the spray macroscopic characterization of BH20. All fuels were injected in a constant volume chamber under nonreactive and evaporative conditions and using three levels of rail pressure (Prail): 80, 100, and 120 MPa, and a level of back pressure (Pb) of 5 MPa. Among other results obtained, it can be highlighted that the spray cone angle exhibits no significant variations when changing both fuel kinematic viscosity and injection pressure. Meanwhile, the spray penetration and spray area of B20 at 60 °C exhibit a similar behavior to that of ULSD at all Prail levels analyzed. Therefore, BH20 injected at 60 °C could be an alternative fuel for diesel engines.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex, multifactorial, systemic disease characterized by the coexistence of metabolic abnormalities and is clinically defined by the presence of at least three important risk factors: excess abdominal fat, a low serum concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high serum triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and high serum glucose levels. Understanding the role of epigenetics in MetS remains challenging because of the complexity of its multifactorial mechanisms. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with MetS and their association with methylation in the nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 1 (NR3C1) gene. This cross-sectional study included 353 volunteers who were patients of the primary care service of the Brazilian Public Health System. Socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and health conditions were assessed, along with anthropometric measurements, blood pressure readings, and the collection of blood samples for biochemical and molecular analyses. The methylation levels of the promoter region (1F) of the NR3C1 gene were specifically analyzed via DNA pyrosequencing. The prevalence of MetS was 40.5% in the present study, and factors associated with MetS in the multivariate Poisson regression were age, excess body fat, serum very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol levels, and methylation at CpGs 40 and 46 of the NR3C1 gene. In summary, these findings demonstrate a site-specific association between NR3C1 DNA methylation and MetS and highlight a molecular profile that coexists with established clinical risk factors. These results suggest a potential epigenetic role of the NR3C1 gene in MetS, contributing to a better understanding of its etiology.
In this study, the capability of Event-based Vision Sensor (EVS) cameras for measuring simultaneously bubble motion, size, and shape in complex bubbly flows has been assessed. This assessment initially focused on benchmark evaluation of the accuracy of an EVS camera in tracking the motion and size of precisely manufactured naturally buoyant particles in quiescent water. Experiments were carried out in synchronization with a conventional high-speed (HS) camera, enabling quantitative comparison. The synchronized measurements obtained from both cameras agreed well with differences of less than 0.65% in measured particle velocities and 2.4% in measured diameters, demonstrating the EVS camera's capability to precisely measure motion and dimensions. Following this validation, the assessment expanded to characterize bubbles generated by injecting compressed air at various pressures at the bottom of a quiescent water tank. The EVS camera demonstrated comparable performance to the HS camera in measuring bubble size and velocity at low to moderate injection pressures. The bubble tracks uniquely captured by the EVS camera, due to its adjustable accumulation time, can be leveraged to extract trajectory and velocity information, as well as instances of partial bubble visual overlap in the camera view. However, event saturation is observed at the EVS camera for several events generated by bubble motion that surpasses a critical threshold (e.g., dense bubbly flow). Subsequently, the increased latency at both pixel levels and read-out leads to temporal misalignment relative to the flow bubble dynamics. This challenge was addressed by employing a pulsed illumination source, which allowed the camera to capture dense bubbly flows, as the increased presence of bubbles corresponds to a reduced number of EVS recorded events. Overall, the assessment highlights that EVS cameras offer comparable performance to conventional HS cameras in characterising bubbly flows with two additional unique advantages. (i) Ability to record bubble tracks, which can be directly used for bubble velocimetry. (ii) An instantaneous EVS camera image records events at a significantly reduced data rate, which enables real-time bubble EVS imaging at higher speeds than conventional HS cameras. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00348-026-04272-5.
The heterogeneity of nanoscale pore-throat structures controls fluid trapping and gas productivity in tight sandstone reservoirs, but a quantitative method to relate pore-throat combination to movable fluid distribution is lacking. This study integrates multiscale techniques, including high-pressure mercury intrusion (HPMI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray microcomputed tomography (Xμ-CT), and core flooding experiments to classify tight sandstone reservoirs into three types based on initial water saturation (S iw) and reveal how pore-throat size and combinations control fluid mobility. Key findings include the following: (1) LowWater-Saturation Reservoirs (LSwR, S iw <30%) exhibit large primary pores, with 20.2% of connected pores having a pore-throat radius ratio <2; MediumWater-Saturation Reservoirs (MSwR), dominated by secondary dissolution pores with complex pore-throat networks and strong heterogeneity; HighWater-Saturation Reservoirs (HSwR, S iw >60%) are dominated by nanopores (<100 nm) and high pore-throat ratios. (2) Larger pore radii and long throats reduce capillary resistance, lowering S iw. The pore-throat radius ratio governs capillary resistance via the Jamin effectlow ratios (<2) favor gas displacement, whereas high ratios (>10) cause water retention; poor pore-throat connectivity and clay minerals types are the main causes of high S iw. (3) A novel multiparameter method is developed to quantify movable fluid saturation within specific pore-size ranges, showing that >80% of movable water in LSwR resides in pores >100 nm, whereas HSwR requires high displacement pressure (>10 MPa) to mobilize only 28.12% of fluids, primarily from 1 to 100 nm pores. The heterogeneity varies among different types of reservoirs, and the heterogeneity of large pores and small pores also has different effects on the movable water saturation. The integrated framework provides a quantitative tool for predicting movable fluids and optimizing recovery in heterogeneous tight reservoirs.