Effect of cap rock thickness and permeability on geological storage of CO2: laboratory test and numerical simulation

Geological storage of CO2 is considered widely as an efficient method of mitigation of greenhouse gas emission. CO2 storage mechanism includes structural trapping, residual gas trapping, solubility trapping and mineral trapping. The shale cap rock acts as a seal for the storage when CO2 accumulates at the top of the reservoir. The injected CO2 may migrate through the cap rock under buoyancy force or pressure build-up which depends on the seal capacity of the cap rock. As a result, the effectiveness of containment of injected CO2 in the reservoir is largely dependent on the migration rate of CO2 through the cap rock. This paper investigates the effects of CO2 leakage through cap rock by a combination of experimental studies and numerical simulation. Firstly, experimental measurements on shale core samples collected from Australian cap rocks were conducted to determine properties, such as capillary pressure, pore size distribution and permeability. Based on the measured cap rock properties, the effect of thickness and permeability of cap rocks on CO2 leakage was studied using a commercial compositional simulator. Experimental results show that the permeabilities of the shale samples measured by transient pulse technique range from 60 to 300 nD; a non-Darcy calibration factor which equals the ratio of the measured permeability divided by 1000, is identified for samples with permeability lower than 1000 nD. Numerical simulation results show that the largest leakage of CO2 through the seal (cap cock) is about 7.0% with seal thickness of 3m and vertical permeability of 90 nD; both shale thickness and permeability affect the CO2 leakage significantly; with a given seal permeability, the leakage rate has a power relationship with shale thickness

Pore-GNN: A graph neural network-based framework for predicting flow properties of porous media from micro-CT images

This paper presents a hybrid deep learning framework that combines graph neural networks with convolutional neural networks to predict porous media properties. This approach capitalizes on the capabilities of pre-trained convolutional neural networks to extract n-dimensional feature vectors from processed three dimensional micro computed tomography porous media images obtained from seven different sandstone rock samples. Subsequently, two strategies for embedding the computed feature vectors into graphs were explored: extracting a single feature vector per sample (image) and treating each sample as a node in the training graph, and representing each sample as a graph by extracting a fixed number of feature vectors, which form the nodes of each training graph. Various types of graph convolutional layers were examined to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of spectral and spatial approaches. The dataset was divided into 70/20/10 for training, validation, and testing. The models were trained to predict the absolute permeability of porous media. Notably, the proposed architectures further reduce the selected objective loss function to values below 35 mD, with improvements in the coefficient of determination reaching 9%. Moreover, the generalizability of the networks was evaluated by testing their performance on unseen sandstone and carbonate rock samples that were not encountered during training. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the influence of various hyperparameters on the performance of the models. The findings highlight the potential of graph neural networks as promising deep learning-based alternatives for characterizing porous media properties. The proposed architectures efficiently predict the permeability, which is more than 500 times faster than that of numerical solvers.Document Type: Original articleCited as: Alzahrani, M. K., Shapoval, A., Chen, Z., Rahman, S. S. Pore-GNN: A graph neural network-based framework for predicting flow properties of porous media from micro-CT images. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2023, 10(1):39-55. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2023.10.0

L’argumentation sur la titulature impériale dans la dynastie Ming au prisme de la « Théorie généralisée de l’argumentation »

Le recours à la « Théorie généralisée de l’argumentation » cherche à dégager les règles et les structures de l’argumentation dans la controverse dite du « Grand Rituel » autour de la titulature impériale. Notre analyse montre que le Proposant et l’Opposant adhèrent tous deux à l’ancien système politique et aux traditions culturelles anciennes et se réfèrent aux classiques et à des événements historiques du passé afin de défendre leurs thèses. L’argumentation concernant cette question est démontrée via ces règles. En résumé, cet article montre que : 1) la Théorie généralisée de l’argumentation et sa méthode acceptent le pluralisme culturel (culture dominante incluse) ; 2) il est possible de décrire et d’évaluer des arguments en recourant à une interprétation socio-culturelle.By using the Generalized Argumentation Theory, this paper tries to reveal the rules and structures of the argumentation about the imperial title issue in the Great Ritual Controversy. Our analysis shows that both the protagonist and the antagonist follow ancient Chinese political system and cultural traditions, and appeal to ancient classics and historical events in order to defend their claims. With these rules, the argumentation about the issue is demonstrated. Finally, this paper shows that: 1) Generalized Argumentation Theory and its methods are tolerant of cultural pluralism (including mainstream culture); 2) it is feasible to describe and evaluate arguments through socio-cultural interpretation

Serum proteomic, peptidomic and metabolomic profiles in myasthenia gravis patients during treatment with Qiangji Jianli Fang

BACKGROUND: Qiangji Jianli Fang (QJF) has been used for treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG) in China. However, our understanding of the effects of QJF against MG at the molecular level is limited. This study aims to investigate the effects of QJF treatment of MG patients on the protein, peptide and metabolite levels in serum. METHODS: High-throughput proteomic, peptidomic and metabolomic techniques were applied to investigate serum samples from 21 healthy individuals and 47 MG patients before and after QJF treatment via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography Fourier transform mass spectrometry, respectively. RESULTS: After QJF treatment, the expression levels of peptides m/z 1865.019, 2021.128 and 1211.668 of complement C3f increased (P = 0.004, P = 0.001 and P = 0.043, respectively), while that of peptide m/z 1739.931 of component C4b decreased (P = 0.043), in the serum of MG patients. The levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (P = 0.000) and coenzyme Q4 (P = 0.000) resumed their normal states. CONCLUSION: QJF could inhibit the activity of the complement system and restore the normal levels of metabolites

High‐Efficiency Graphene‐Oxide/Silicon Solar Cells with an Organic‐Passivated Interface

A breakthrough in graphene-oxide/silicon heterojunction solar cells is presented in which edge-oxidized graphene and an in-plane charge transfer dopant (Nafion) are combined to form a high-quality passivating contact scheme. A graphene oxide (GO):Nafion ink is developed and an advanced back-junction GO:Nafion/n-Si solar cell with a high-power conversion efficiency (18.8%) and large area (5.5 cm2) is reported. This scalable solution-based processing technique has the potential to enable low-cost carbon/silicon heterojunction photovoltaic devices

The Genomes of Oryza sativa: A History of Duplications

We report improved whole-genome shotgun sequences for the genomes of indica and japonica rice, both with multimegabase contiguity, or almost 1,000-fold improvement over the drafts of 2002. Tested against a nonredundant collection of 19,079 full-length cDNAs, 97.7% of the genes are aligned, without fragmentation, to the mapped super-scaffolds of one or the other genome. We introduce a gene identification procedure for plants that does not rely on similarity to known genes to remove erroneous predictions resulting from transposable elements. Using the available EST data to adjust for residual errors in the predictions, the estimated gene count is at least 38,000–40,000. Only 2%–3% of the genes are unique to any one subspecies, comparable to the amount of sequence that might still be missing. Despite this lack of variation in gene content, there is enormous variation in the intergenic regions. At least a quarter of the two sequences could not be aligned, and where they could be aligned, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rates varied from as little as 3.0 SNP/kb in the coding regions to 27.6 SNP/kb in the transposable elements. A more inclusive new approach for analyzing duplication history is introduced here. It reveals an ancient whole-genome duplication, a recent segmental duplication on Chromosomes 11 and 12, and massive ongoing individual gene duplications. We find 18 distinct pairs of duplicated segments that cover 65.7% of the genome; 17 of these pairs date back to a common time before the divergence of the grasses. More important, ongoing individual gene duplications provide a never-ending source of raw material for gene genesis and are major contributors to the differences between members of the grass family

Morphological diversity of single neurons in molecularly defined cell types.

Dendritic and axonal morphology reflects the input and output of neurons and is a defining feature of neuronal types1,2, yet our knowledge of its diversity remains limited. Here, to systematically examine complete single-neuron morphologies on a brain-wide scale, we established a pipeline encompassing sparse labelling, whole-brain imaging, reconstruction, registration and analysis. We fully reconstructed 1,741 neurons from cortex, claustrum, thalamus, striatum and other brain regions in mice. We identified 11 major projection neuron types with distinct morphological features and corresponding transcriptomic identities. Extensive projectional diversity was found within each of these major types, on the basis of which some types were clustered into more refined subtypes. This diversity follows a set of generalizable principles that govern long-range axonal projections at different levels, including molecular correspondence, divergent or convergent projection, axon termination pattern, regional specificity, topography, and individual cell variability. Although clear concordance with transcriptomic profiles is evident at the level of major projection type, fine-grained morphological diversity often does not readily correlate with transcriptomic subtypes derived from unsupervised clustering, highlighting the need for single-cell cross-modality studies. Overall, our study demonstrates the crucial need for quantitative description of complete single-cell anatomy in cell-type classification, as single-cell morphological diversity reveals a plethora of ways in which different cell types and their individual members may contribute to the configuration and function of their respective circuits

ICTs Intervention for Chinese Adolescents with Mental Health Disorders: Based on Satir family Therapy

Recently, the growing mental health concerns among Chinese adolescents have become a critical issue that requires innovative solutions. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play an important role in addressing these challenges. The access and use of technology to receive information, services, and support has been increasingly drawing attention from researchers. However, limited research has been analyzed to apply ICTs to Chinese adolescents’ mental health on the basis of Satir family therapy. This study was to explore the theoretical and practical models of using ICTs to intervene in adolescent mental health problems based on Satir family therapy, which provided a theoretical basis for further research, and suggested that more attention should be paid to the intervention of ICTs in Chinese adolescents with mental health disorders. The literature review and telephone interviews were conducted with nine Chinese adolescents with mental health problems. A thematic analysis was then conducted based on the data collected to extract common themes, which were used to refine the theoretical and practical models explored. Ultimately, a theoretical model was refined: (1) ICTs as accessible and immediate tools that can provide support in connecting individuals, families, and society. (2) ICTs as an influencing factor need to be assessed for potential dangers, such as internet addiction. The study also refined a practical model. At the prevention level, (1) using online platforms to assist youth in understanding mental health and regaining self-confidence; (2) using micro-videos to assist meditation and enhance the vitality of the individual iceberg; and (3) using social media to connect family and external resources to access to family and peers. At the intervention level, the latent problems brought about by ICTs, such as inaccessibility and reliance on them, and the level of professional intervention by therapists, all need to be brought to the attention of future research. In conclusion, this technology model can be made more accessible and efficient, particularly for those living in areas with limited access to mental health services. This study contributes to the existing research by exploring the potential of ICTs to enhance the delivery of family therapy and improve the mental health of Chinese adolescents. It is essential to maximize the benefits and minimize the downsides of digital divide

Synthesis and catalytic performance of Al-MCM-48 and Ti-MCM-48

Mesoporous sieves MCM-48 with hetero atom were synthesized by adding aluminum and titanium sources through hydrothermal method. The results showed that MCM-48 could be synthesized respectively by adjusting exactly the alkalinity of synthesis gel. The conversion rate of DIPB on Al-MCM-48 increased to 80% after 9 h and the selectivity of IPB was were 97%. The conversion rate of styrene on Ti-MCM-48 increased to 9% after 8 h and the selectivity of benzaldehyde was 85%. The available active sites, which were introduced by aluminum and titanium atoms, were effectively utilized for catalyst reaction due to the presence of mesopores in Al-MCM-48 and Ti-MCM-48