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Abstract Owning pets offers various potential health benefits; however, it can be associated with gastrointestinal illnesses due to poor food safety knowledge and practices. This study aimed to evaluate the level of food safety knowledge and practices among pet owners in Lebanon, exploring the association between their knowledge/practices and socio-demographic characteristics. The participants included 300 pet owners, representing various genders, ages, educational levels, educational backgrounds, and incomes. They completed a questionnaire of 72 food handling practices and knowledge questions related to preparation, cross-contamination, storage and hygiene. In parallel, 300 non-pet owners with comparable sociodemographic characteristics to pet owners (control group) completed the questionnaire. On average, food safety knowledge scores were 62.1 ± 14.9% and 58.7 ± 15.5% among pet and non-pet owners, respectively, and the difference was significant (p = 0.05). On the other hand, mean food safety practice scores were 41.3 ± 14.8% and 40.4 ± 15.3% among pet and non-pet owners, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.41). In the food safety knowledge part, non-pet owners who were young, high income, university graduate, and from health-related majors scored significantly (p

Abstract Cartilage tissue engineering aims to develop functional substitutes for treating cartilage defects and osteoarthritis. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems lack the complexity of native cartilage, leading to the development of 3D regenerative cartilage models. In this study, we developed a 3D model using Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA)-based hydrogels seeded with Y201 cells, a bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell line. The model investigated chondrogenic differentiation potential in response to Wnt3a stimulation within the GelMA scaffold and validated using known chondrogenic agonists. Y201 cells demonstrated suitability for the model, with increased proteoglycan content and upregulated chondrogenic marker expression under chondrogenic conditions. Wnt3a enhanced cell proliferation, indicating activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which plays a role in cartilage development. GelMA hydrogels provided an optimal scaffold, supporting cell viability and proliferation. The 3D model exhibited consistent responses to chondrogenic agonists, with TGF-β3 enhancing cartilage-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) production and chondrogenic differentiation. The combination of Wnt3a and TGF-β3 showed synergistic effects, promoting chondrogenic differentiation and ECM production. This study presents a 3D regenerative cartilage model with potential for investigating cartilage biology, disease mechanisms, and drug screening. The model provides insights into complex cartilage regeneration mechanisms and offers a platform for developing therapeutic approaches for cartilage repair and osteoarthritis treatment.

Abstract Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to developing electrode materials with high capacity to address the increasing complexities arising from the energy crisis. Herein, a new nanocomposite was synthesized via the sol–gel method by immobilizing K6ZnW12O40 within the surface of NiZn2O4. ZnW12O40@NiZn2O4 was characterized by FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, and TGA-DTG methods. The electrochemical characteristics of the materials were examined using cyclic voltammogram (CV) and charge–discharge chronopotentiometry (CHP) techniques. Multiple factors affecting the hydrogen storage capacity, including current density (j), surface area of the copper foam, and the consequences of repeated cycles of hydrogen adsorption–desorption were evaluated. The initial cycle led to an impressive hydrogen discharge capability of 340 mAh/g, which subsequently increased to 900 mAh/g after 20 cycles with a current density of 2 mA in 6.0 M KOH medium. The surface area and the electrocatalytic characteristics of the nanoparticles contribute to facilitate the formation of electrons and provide good diffusion channels for the movement of electrolyte ions throughout the charge–discharge procedure.

Abstract In this research, a new and eco-friendly heterogeneous catalyst (ND@Tannicacid-Cu) was synthesized based on nanodiamond and copper tannic acid via esterification process. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The catalytic efficacy of the intended catalyst was examined by one-step three-component reaction of 1,4-benzodiazepine derivatives from a mixture of ortho-phenylenediamine, aromatic aldehydes, and dimedone under mild conditions. In all instances, corresponding 2,4-benzodiazepines derivatives were synthesized with high efficiency, short reaction time, straightforward work up procedure, no requirement for column-chromatography, and cost-effective catalyst. The heterogeneous catalyst was easily recycled using fillers, and it can be reused for eight cycles without significantly diminishing its performance.

Abstract Characterization of the microbial activity impacts on transport and storage of hydrogen is a crucial aspect of successful Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS). Microbes can use hydrogen for their metabolism, which can then lead to formation of biofilms. Biofilms can potentially alter the wettability of the system and, consequently, impact the flow dynamics and trapping mechanisms in the reservoir. In this study, we investigate the impact of microbial activity on wettability of the hydrogen/brine/rock system, using the captive-bubble cell experimental approach. Apparent contact angles are measured for bubbles of pure hydrogen in contact with a solid surface inside a cell filled with living brine which contains sulphate reducing microbes. To investigate the impact of surface roughness, two different solid samples are used: a “rough” Bentheimer Sandstone sample and a “smooth” pure Quartz sample. It is found that, in systems where buoyancy and interfacial forces are the main acting forces, the impact of biofilm formation on the apparent contact angle highly depends on the surface roughness. For the “rough” Bentheimer sandstone, the apparent contact angle was unchanged by biofilm formation, while for the smooth pure Quartz sample the apparent contact angle decreased significantly, making the system more water-wet. This decrease in apparent contact angle is in contrast with an earlier study present in the literature where a significant increase in contact angle due to microbial activity was reported. The wettability of the biofilm is mainly determined by the consistency of the Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) which depends on the growth conditions in the system. Therefore, to determine the impact of microbial activity on the wettability during UHS will require accurate replication of the reservoir conditions including surface roughness, chemical composition of the brine, the microbial community, as well as temperature, pressure and pH-value conditions.

Abstract Surfaces on transit vehicles are frequently touched and could potentially act as reservoirs for micro-organism transmission. Regular cleaning and disinfection to minimize the spread of micro-organisms is operationally challenging due to the need to keep vehicles in circulation. The application of copper (Cu) alloys to high- touch surfaces could help reduce the risk of cross-contamination, however, little is known about the durability and efficacy of engineered copper surfaces after prolonged use. Three Cu products (decal, thermal fabrication, and alloy covers) were assessed over a 12-month period. These Cu products were randomly installed on 110 stanchions on three buses and four train (SkyTrain) cars in Vancouver and three buses, two subway cars, and two streetcars in Toronto with mirrored control surfaces directly opposite. Bacterial counts (Colony forming units, CFU) and ATP bioluminescence (ATPB) were measured every two months after peak morning routes. Durability of the Cu products were assessed monthly through visual inspection and colorimetry assays or by ex-situ microscopy. Cu products on stanchions reduced the mean colony forming units (CFU) of all vehicles by 42.7% in the mean CFU (0.573 (CI 95% 0.453–0.726), p-value

Abstract During the cryopreservation of sperm, the production of highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) can reduce their viability and fertility. However, the addition of antioxidants can help reduce the harmful effects of ROS. One such antioxidant is selenium, which is a co-factor of the glutathione peroxidase enzyme that is effective in scavenging ROS. Cysteamine can also take part in the structure of this enzyme. The use of nanoparticles can be less toxic to cells than their salt form. To this end, researchers synthesized Se-NPs using the streptococcus bacteria and loaded cysteamine onto the synthesized Se-NPs. The biosynthesis of Se-NPs and cysteamine loaded on Se-NPs was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (EDX), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). For cryopreservation, ram semen samples were diluted, and different concentrations (0, 1, 5, 25, and 125 µg/mL) of cysteamine, Se-NPs, cysteamine loaded on Se-NPs, and sodium selenite were added. An extender containing no supplement was considered as control group. After cooling the semen samples, they were frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen for evaluation. The samples were thawed and analyzed for mobility, viability, membrane and DNA integrity, and sperm abnormalities, as well as malondialdehyde level (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The data was processed using SPSS, and a significance level of p

Abstract Sulfur compounds are among the most unfavorable constituents of petroleum derivatives, so stringent regulations have been established to curb their atmospheric emissions. In this regard, a new nanocomposite ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO) was synthesized composed of quaternary ammonium bromide salt of ironIII-substituted Keggin-type polyoxometalate immobilized on nickel(II) oxide nanoceramics via sol–gel method. The assembled (n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO nanocomposite was identified by FT-IR, UV–Vis, XRD, SEM, EDX, and TGA-DTG methods. The characterization results exhibited that ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39] dispersed uniformly over the surface of the NiO nanoceramics. The ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO nanocomposite was employed as a heterogeneous nanocatalyst in the extractive coupled oxidation desulfurization (ECOD) of real gas oil and dibenzothiophene (DBT) as a model compound. Under relatively moderate conditions, the catalytic performance of the ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO in the ECOD procedure was studied by incorporating acetic acid/hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant system at a volume ratio of 1:2. According to the ECOD results, the ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO demonstrated the effectiveness of up to 95% with 0.1 g at 60 °C under optimal operating conditions. Moreover, the ((n-C4H9)4N)4H[PW11FeO39]@NiO nanocatalyst could be separated and reused for five runs without a noticeable decrease in the ECOD process. This study provides a promising way to meet the target of ultra-low sulfur as an essential process in oil refineries.

Abstract Siltation significantly threatens a reservoir’s original storage capacity and lifespan. Pressure flushing is an effective measure against siltation through the partial drawdown of the reservoir water level with limited flushed cone volumes in front of the bottom outlet. In this study, a novel configuration with submerged vanes has been proposed and tested experimentally to increase the flushed sediment volume during pressure flushing. In the new configuration, submerged vanes aligned with ten skew angles (θ) of 10°, 20°, 30°, 45°, 70°, 110°, 135°, 150°, 160°, and 170° to the flow direction in noncohesive sediment bed materials were used. The results showed that increasing the skew angle at 45° ≤ θ ≤ 160° increased the flushing cone geometry. The minimum and maximum flushing cone dimensions and volume occurred at skew angles of θ = 45° and 135° ≤ θ ≤ 160° around the bottom outlet. The sediment flushing volume in the presence of submerged vanes at 135° ≤ θ ≤ 160° increased 25 times compared to tests without submerged vanes. Eventually, nonlinear regression analysis yielded an equation for estimating flushing cone volumes. The developed equation was tested in real case studies of a target reservoir, and an acceptable correlation between the calculated and experimental results was obtained.

Abstract Reservoir simulations for subsurface processes play an important role in successful deployment of geoscience applications such as geothermal energy extraction and geo-storage of fluids. These simulations provide time-lapse dynamics of the coupled poromechanical processes within the reservoir and its over-, under-, and side-burden environments. For more reliable operations, it is crucial to connect these reservoir simulation results with the seismic surveys (i.e., observation data). However, despite being crucial, such integration is challenging due to the fact that the reservoir dynamics alters the seismic parameters. In this work, a coupled reservoir simulation and time-lapse seismic methodology is developed for multiphase flow operations in subsurface reservoirs. To this end, a poromechanical simulator is designed for multiphase flow and connected to a forward seismic modeller. This simulator is then used to assess a novel methodology of seismic monitoring by isolating the reservoir signal from the entire reflection response. This methodology is shown to be able to track the development of the fluid front over time, even in the presence of a highly reflective overburden with strong time-lapse variations. These results suggest that the proposed methodology can contribute to a better understanding of fluid flow in the subsurface. Ultimately, this will lead to improved monitoring of reservoirs for underground energy storage or production.

Abstract Subsurface geological formations can be utilized to safely store large-scale (TWh) renewable energy in the form of green gases such as hydrogen. Successful implementation of this technology involves estimating feasible storage sites, including rigorous mechanical safety analyses. Geological formations are often highly heterogeneous and entail complex nonlinear inelastic rock deformation physics when utilized for cyclic energy storage. In this work, we present a novel scalable computational framework to analyse the impact of nonlinear deformation of porous reservoirs under cyclic loading. The proposed methodology includes three different time-dependent nonlinear constitutive models to appropriately describe the behavior of sandstone, shale rock and salt rock. These constitutive models are studied and benchmarked against both numerical and experimental results in the literature. An implicit time-integration scheme is developed to preserve the stability of the simulation. In order to ensure its scalability, the numerical strategy adopts a multiscale finite element formulation, in which coarse scale systems with locally-computed basis functions are constructed and solved. Further, the effect of heterogeneity on the results and estimation of deformation is analyzed. Lastly, the Bergermeer test case—an active Dutch natural gas storage field—is studied to investigate the influence of inelastic deformation on the uplift caused by cyclic injection and production of gas. The present study shows acceptable subsidence predictions in this field-scale test, once the properties of the finite element representative elementary volumes are tuned with the experimental data.

Abstract SiRNA is a new generation of drug molecules and a new approach for treating a variety of diseases such as cancer and viral infections. SiRNA delivery to cells and translocation into cytoplasm are the main challenges in the clinical application of siRNA. Lipid carriers are one of the most successful carriers for siRNA delivery. In this study, we investigated the interaction of siRNA with a zwitterionic bilayer and how ion concentration and lipid conjugation can affect it. The divalent cation such as Mg2+ ions could promote the siRNA adsorption on the bilayer surface. The cation ions can bind to the head groups of lipids and the grooves of siRNA molecules and form bridges between the siRNA and bilayer surface. Our findings demonstrated the bridges formed by divalent ions could facilitate the attachment of siRNA to the membrane surface. We showed that the divalent cations can regulate the bridging-driven membrane attachment and it seems the result of this modulation can be used for designing biomimetic devices. In the following, we examined the effect of cations on the interaction between siRNA modified by cholesterol and the membrane surface. Our MD simulations showed that in the presence of Mg2+, the electrostatic and vdW energy between the membrane and siRNA were higher compared to those in the presence of NA+. We showed that the electrostatic interaction between membrane and siRNA cannot be facilitated only by cholesterol conjugated. Indeed, cations are essential to create coulomb repulsion and enable membrane attachment. This study provides important insight into liposome carriers for siRNA delivery and could help us in the development of siRNA-based therapeutics. Due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, these results may shed light on the new approach for treating these diseases and their molecular details.

Abstract Geological porous reservoirs provide the volume capacity needed for large scale underground hydrogen storage (UHS). To effectively exploit these reservoirs for UHS, it is crucial to characterize the hydrogen transport properties inside porous rocks. In this work, for the first time in the community, we have performed $${\text {H}}_2$$ H 2 /water multiphase flow experiments at core scale under medical X-ray CT scanner. This has allowed us to directly image the complex transport properties of $${\text {H}}_2$$ H 2 when it is injected or retracted from the porous rock. The important effective functions of capillary pressure and relative permeability are also measured, for both drainage and imbibition. The capillary pressure measurements are combined with MICP data to derive a receding contact angle for the $${\text {H}}_2$$ H 2 /water/sandstone rock system. The rock core sample is a heterogeneous Berea sandstone (17 cm long and 3.8 cm diameter). Our investigation reveals the interplay between gravitational, capillary, and viscous forces. More specifically, it illustrates complex displacement patterns in the rock, including gravity segregation, enhancement of spreading of $${\text {H}}_2$$ H 2 due to capillary barriers, and the formation of fingers/channel during imbibition which lead to significant trapping of hydrogen. These findings shed new light on our fundamental understanding of the transport characteristics of $${\text {H}}_2$$ H 2 /water relevant for UHS.

Abstract A promising option for storing large-scale quantities of green gases (e.g., hydrogen) is in subsurface rock salt caverns. The mechanical performance of salt caverns utilized for long-term subsurface energy storage plays a significant role in long-term stability and serviceability. However, rock salt undergoes non-linear creep deformation due to long-term loading caused by subsurface storage. Salt caverns have complex geometries and the geological domain surrounding salt caverns has a vast amount of material heterogeneity. To safely store gases in caverns, a thorough analysis of the geological domain becomes crucial. To date, few studies have attempted to analyze the influence of geometrical and material heterogeneity on the state of stress in salt caverns subjected to long-term loading. In this work, we present a rigorous and systematic modeling study to quantify the impact of heterogeneity on the deformation of salt caverns and quantify the state of stress around the caverns. A 2D finite element simulator was developed to consistently account for the non-linear creep deformation and also to model tertiary creep. The computational scheme was benchmarked with the already existing experimental study. The impact of cyclic loading on the cavern was studied considering maximum and minimum pressure that depends on lithostatic pressure. The influence of geometric heterogeneity such as irregularly-shaped caverns and material heterogeneity, which involves different elastic and creep properties of the different materials in the geological domain, is rigorously studied and quantified. Moreover, multi-cavern simulations are conducted to investigate the influence of a cavern on the adjacent caverns. An elaborate sensitivity analysis of parameters involved with creep and damage constitutive laws is performed to understand the influence of creep and damage on deformation and stress evolution around the salt cavern configurations. The simulator developed in this work is publicly available at https://gitlab.tudelft.nl/ADMIRE_Public/Salt_Cavern .

Abstract Biomechanical and morphological analysis of the cells is a novel approach for monitoring the environmental features, drugs, and toxic compounds’ effects on cells. Graphene oxide (GO) has a broad range of medical applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. However, the effects of GO nanosheets on biological systems have not been completely understood. In this study, we focused on the biophysical characteristics of cells and their changes resulting from the effect of GO nanosheets. The biophysical properties of the cell population were characterized as follows: cell stiffness was calculated by atomic force microscopy, cell motility and invasive properties were characterized in the microfluidic chip in which the cells are able to visualize cell migration at a single-cell level. Intracellular actin was stained to establish a quantitative picture of the intracellular cytoskeleton. In addition, to understand the molecular interaction of GO nanosheets and actin filaments, coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out. Our results showed that GO nanosheets can reduce cell stiffness in MCF7 cells and MDA-MB-231 cell lines and highly inhibited cell migration (39.2%) in MCF-7 and (38.6%) in MDA-MB-231 cell lines through the GO nanosheets-mediated disruption of the intracellular cytoskeleton. In the presence of GO nanosheets, the cell migration of both cell lines, as well as the cell stiffness, significantly decreased. Moreover, after GO nanosheets treatment, the cell actin network dramatically changed. The experimental and theoretical approaches established a quantitative picture of changes in these networks. Our results showed the reduction of the order parameter in actin filaments was 23% in the MCF7 cell line and 20.4% in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. The theoretical studies also showed that the GO nanosheet–actin filaments have stable interaction during MD simulation. Moreover, the 2D free energy plot indicated the GO nanosheet can induce conformational changes in actin filaments. Our findings showed that the GO nanosheets can increase the distance of actin-actin subunits from 3.22 to 3.5 nm and in addition disrupt native contacts between two subunits which lead to separate actin subunits from each other in actin filaments. In this study, the biomechanical characteristics were used to explain the effect of GO nanosheets on cells which presents a novel view of how GO nanosheets can affect the biological properties of cells without cell death. These findings have the potential to be applied in different biomedical applications.

Abstract Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in both men and women worldwide. The high mortality rate in lung cancer is in part due to late-stage diagnostics as well as spread of cancer-cells to organs and tissues by metastasis. Automated lung cancer detection and its sub-types classification from cell’s images play a crucial role toward an early-stage cancer prognosis and more individualized therapy. The rapid development of machine learning techniques, especially deep learning algorithms, has attracted much interest in its application to medical image problems. In this study, to develop a reliable Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) system for accurately distinguishing between cancer and healthy cells, we grew popular Non-Small Lung Cancer lines in a microfluidic chip followed by staining with Phalloidin and images were obtained by using an IX-81 inverted Olympus fluorescence microscope. We designed and tested a deep learning image analysis workflow for classification of lung cancer cell-line images into six classes, including five different cancer cell-lines (P-C9, SK-LU-1, H-1975, A-427, and A-549) and normal cell-line (16-HBE). Our results demonstrate that ResNet18, a residual learning convolutional neural network, is an efficient and promising method for lung cancer cell-lines categorization with a classification accuracy of 98.37% and F1-score of 97.29%. Our proposed workflow is also able to successfully distinguish normal versus cancerous cell-lines with a remarkable average accuracy of 99.77% and F1-score of 99.87%. The proposed CAD system completely eliminates the need for extensive user intervention, enabling the processing of large amounts of image data with robust and highly accurate results.

Abstract Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in initially brine-saturated deep porous rocks is a promising large-scale energy storage technology, due to hydrogen’s high specific energy capacity and the high volumetric capacity of aquifers. Appropriate selection of a feasible and safe storage site vitally depends on understanding hydrogen transport characteristics in the subsurface. Unfortunately there exist no robust experimental analyses in the literature to properly characterise this complex process. As such, in this work, we present a systematic pore-scale modelling study to quantify the crucial reservoir-scale functions of relative permeability and capillary pressure and their dependencies on fluid and reservoir rock conditions. To conduct a conclusive study, in the absence of sufficient experimental data, a rigorous sensitivity analysis has been performed to quantify the impacts of uncertain fluid and rock properties on these upscaled functions. The parameters are varied around a base-case, which is obtained through matching to the existing experimental study. Moreover, cyclic hysteretic multiphase flow is also studied, which is a relevant aspect for cyclic hydrogen-brine energy storage projects. The present study applies pore-scale analysis to predict the flow of hydrogen in storage formations, and to quantify the sensitivity to the micro-scale characteristics of contact angle (i.e., wettability) and porous rock structure.