The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of remimazolam besylate compared with dexmedetomidine for the relief of agitated delirium in non-intubated older patients after orthopedic surgery. Patients and methods: Seventy-five patients were randomly divided into two groups. Patients assigned to the remimazolam group received a loading dose of 0.075 mg/kg remimazolam besylate over 1 minute, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg/h. Subjects randomized to the dexmedetomidine group received a loading infusion of 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine over 10 minutes, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.2 to 0.7 μg/kg/h. Meanwhile, RASS score-guided dose titration was followed. To assess the efficacy of the study drugs in terms of time to resolution of agitation, time to first achievement of target sedation, percentage of time within the target sedation range, and time to delirium resolution. Safety of the sedatives was evaluated by adverse events during hospitalization. Results: Time to resolution of agitation did not differ between the two groups. The time to first achievement of target sedation was 19.0 (9.5 to 31.0) minutes for remimazolam besylate vs 43.5 (15.0 to 142.5) minutes for dexmedetomidine (P < 0.001). Percentage of time within the target sedation range was 77.8% for remimazolam besylate-treated patients and 67.4% for dexmedetomidine-treated patients (P = 0.001). Patients in the remimazolam group had longer time to delirium resolution (29.5 [21.3 to 32.5] hours) than those in the dexmedetomidine group (22.8 [18.9 to 28.5] hours) (P = 0.042). Patients sedated with remimazolam besylate had more oversedation (P = 0.036) but less hypotension (P = 0.007). Conclusion: Compared with dexmedetomidine, remimazolam besylate was equally effective in relieving agitation, and resulted in earlier achievement of sedation goal and more controllable sedation. Remimazolam may be an ideal agent for obtaining rapid tranquillisation.

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Petrological, mineralogical and geochemical studies carried out on kaolinite deposits in Haerwusu surface mine, Jungar Coalfield, northern Ordos Basin, North China, define their characteristics, ore genesis and economic interest. Based on the crystalline size, two different types of kaolinite rocks, cryptocrystalline and grainy, were identified under the microscope. XRD data show that kaolinite is the predominant mineral, associated with boehmite, magnesite, anatase, pyrite, diaspore and calcite. However, high boehmite content (mean 70%) shows up in the middle layers. Kaolinite minerals present homogeneous shape and a good crystallinity (HI = 0.96-1.26). Geochemical studies show that the SiO 2 /Al 2 O 3 molar ratio of kaolinite is close to the theoretical value, and the contents of Na 2 O, K 2 O, CaO, MgO are less, suggesting a strong chemical weathering environment. The REE and Eu anomalies show a close relationship between kaolinite and the Yinshan Oldland granite. A Ce anomaly reflects a continental sedimentary environment with shallow water. A temperature range of 26.7-34℃ was calculated on the basis of the isotopic signatures (δ 18 O, δD) of the kaolinite rocks. All these data indicate that the formation of the kaolinite is caused mainly by the dissolution, coagulation, precipitation and recrystallization of aluminosilicate clastics in acidic conditions. The formation of boehmite in the middle layers indicates that the source rocks have changed. Boehmite is mainly formed by dehydration and compaction of an aluminum-rich colloid which transported into peat swamp during diagenesis. In addition, it formed by desiliconization of kaolinite under acidic conditions. Due to its high kaolinite content (up to 90%) and low iron mineral content (less than 1%), and good crystallinity, kaolinite deposits occurred at Haerwusu surface mine probably have great economical value in the future.

Irrigation water is essential for greenhouse plants because it is the only water source in the greenhouse. In addition, escalating water costs and expensive fertilizers have raised concerns about adopting advanced technology to improve water and nitrogen utilization efficiency. This study aimed to explore the effects of different water and nitrogen application rates on yield, fruit quality, and water and nitrogen utilization efficiency in southeast China. Plants were irrigated every 7–10 days at different proportions of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) based on the modified Penman–Monteith formula (ET0). The crop coefficient (Kc) was adopted as 0.6, 1.15, 1.15 and 0.9 during the seedling stage, flower stage, the mid-season stage and the end of the season stage, respectively. There were three water levels—0.75 ETc (W1), 1.0 ETc (W2), 1.25 ETc (W3)—and four nitrogen levels—120 (N1), 220 (N2), 320 (N3), and 420 kg N hm−2 (N4)—and a total of 12 treatments, with the application completely randomized by using block design in the experiment. Tomato yield was improved by nitrogen supply. However, nitrogen application had a negative effect on tomato yield when the nitrogen level was applied above 320 N ha−1. The maximum water use efficiency (WUE) value of 30.5 kg m−3 was observed at W2N3, and the maximum nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) value of 684.4 kg kg−1 N was observed at W1 treatment with N1. The net photosynthetic rate of tomato leaves could be increased by reasonably increasing water and nitrogen application. The dry biomass increased with the amount of water and nitrogen in the range of (0.75–1.0) ETc and (120–320) kg ha−1. The best values of tomato quality parameters (Vc, Lycopene, soluble protein et al.) were observed at W2N3. The irrigation level of 1.0 ETc and nitrogen level of 320 N ha−1 was recommended as the best combination of water and nitrogen for greenhouse tomato cultivation in the experimental areas.

Gray-black kaolinitic claystones of industrial value are abundant in Upper Carboniferous–Lower Permian coal-bearing strata of the Datong Coalfield of northern China. The main types are tonsteins and cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones, distinguished by the thinness and greater crystallinity of kaolinite in the former and by the presence of detrital illite and authigenic pyrite in the latter. In order to determine the formation history of these two types of kaolinitic claystone, the petrological, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of borehole samples from the Upper Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation which comprises siliciclastics and coal seams deposited in a coastal environment, were analyzed. In addition to kaolinite, the claystones contain subordinate illite, quartz, pyrite, anatase, feldspar, siderite, and calcite. The tonsteins and cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones have different sources, as shown by petrographic data, elemental ratios, and chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns. The volcanic origin of the tonsteins is revealed by an abundance of volcanic quartz and vitric fragments as well as Al2O3/TiO2, Zr/Hf, and Nb/Ta ratios consistent with a felsic igneous source. Their REE fraction was derived from feldspars or micas of the parent rocks, and the fraction decreased with alteration of these minerals to kaolinite. The sedimentary origin of the cryptocrystalline kaolinitic claystones is revealed by an abundance of detrital quartz and illite grains derived from either granite or sedimentary upper crust, and by the total REE contents (ΣREE) and (La/Yb)N values which are consistent with granitic material. Their depositional environment was in a transitional (coastal) setting (as shown by intermediate Sr/Ba ratios) hosting an open acidic hydrologic system (as shown by high chemical index of alteration (CIA) values indicative of intensive chemical weathering) that was suboxic to anoxic (as shown by high U/Th ratios and trace-metal enrichment factors). The present chemistry of these claystones was thus controlled by a combination of parent rock type and diagenetic alteration.