pH-metric method for determining the solubility and solubility products of slightly soluble hydroxides and acids

In this paper, original methods for determining such thermodynamic characteristics as solubility K S0 product (KS) or the activity product ( )of slightly soluble hydroxides and acids are communicated. Developed methods for determining KS and solubility S are based only on the pH values of the saturated aqueous solution for a known initial composition of the heterogeneous mixture and the equilibrium constants of an arbitrary set of possible side reactions in the aqueous natural systems. The determination of solubility S and solubility product KS is also possible in the presence of other hydroxides or acids of known concentrations. Deduced equations allow the calculation of such characteristics, as the equilibrium concentrations of the components of slightly soluble compounds in aqueous phase and the degree of precipitation γ of the solid phase for various initial concentrations of the components of the heterogeneous mixture which are known in the process of preparing the mixture, requiring only experimental pH values of a saturated solution. From the known experimental pH data, S and KS were calculated for a series of hydroxides and acids of arbitrary composition. The obtained results correlated well with the known tabular values. Analysis of a number of real systems illustrated the deduced expressions, including calculations and theoretical explanations.

Preservation of Underground Microbial Diversity in Ancient Subsurface Deposits (>6 Ma) of the Rio Tinto Basement

The drilling of the Rio Tinto basement has provided evidence of an underground microbial community primarily sustained by the Fe and S metabolism through the biooxidation of pyrite orebodies. Although the gossan is the microbial activity product, which dates back to the Oligocene (25 Ma), no molecular evidence of such activity in the past has been reported yet. A Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) molecular analysis of a subsurface sample in the Peña de Hierro basement has provided novel data of the ancient underground microbial community. It shows that the microbial remains are preserved in a mineral matrix composed of laminated Fe-oxysulfates and K- and Na-bearing sulfates alternating with secondary silica. In such a mineral substrate, the biomolecule traces are found in five different microstructure associations, (1) <15 micron-sized nodular microstructures composed of POn(2≤n≤4)−, (2) <30 micron-size micronodules containing fatty acids, acylglycerides, and alkanol chains, (3) <20 micro-sized nodules containing NOn−(2≤n≤3) ions, (4) 40-micron size nodules with NH4+ and traces of peptides, and (5) >200-micron thick layer with N-bearing adducts, and sphingolipid and/or peptide traces. It suggests the mineralization of at least five microbial preserved entities with different metabolic capabilities, including: (1) Acidiphilium/Tessaracoccus-like phosphate mineralizers, (2) microbial patches preserving phosphate-free acylglycerides bacteria, (3) nitrogen oxidizing bacteria (e.g., Acidovorax sp.), (4) traces of heterotrophic ammonifying bacteria, and (5) sphingolipid bearing bacteria (e.g., Sphingomonadales, and δ-Proteobacteria) and/or mineralized biofilms. The primary biooxidation process acted as a preservation mechanism to release the inorganic ions that ultimately mineralized the microbial structures.

Non-fatal senior pickleball and tennis-related injuries treated in United States emergency departments, 2010–2019

Background Pickleball is growing rapidly with a passionate senior following. Understanding and comparing players’ injury experience through analysis of a nationally representative hospital emergency department sample helps inform senior injury prevention and fitness goals. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed using 2010 to 2019 data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Tennis was selected for comparison purposes because of the similarity of play, occasional competition for the same court space, and because many seniors play both sports. Non-fatal pickleball and tennis-related cases were identified, examined, recoded, and separated by injury versus non-injury conditions. Since over 85% of the pickleball injury-related cases were to players ≥60 years of age, we mostly focused on this older age group. Analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, injury frequency, type and trends over time, and comparative measures of risk. Results Among players ≥60 years of age, non-injuries (i.e., cardiovascular events) accounted for 11.1 and 21.5% of the pickleball and tennis-related cases, respectively. With non-injuries removed for seniors (≥60 years), the NEISS contained a weighted total of 28,984 pickleball injuries (95% confidence interval [CI] = 19,463–43,163) and 58,836 tennis injuries (95% CI = 44,861-77,164). Pickleball-related injuries grew rapidly over the study period, and by 2018 the annual number of senior pickleball injuries reached parity with senior tennis-related injuries. Pickleball-related Slip/Trip/Fall/Dive injury mechanisms predominated (63.3, 95% CI = 57.7–69.5%). The leading pickleball-related diagnoses were strains/sprains (33.2, 95% CI = 27.8–39.5%), fractures (28.1, 95% CI = 24.3–32.4%) and contusions (10.6, 95% CI = 8.0–14.1%). Senior males were three-and-a-half times more likely than females to suffer a pickleball-related strain or sprain (Odds Ratio [OR] 3.5, 95% CI = 2.2–5.6) whereas women were over three-and-a-half times more likely to suffer a fracture (OR 3.7, 95% CI = 2.3–5.7) compared to men and nine times more likely to suffer a wrist fracture (OR 9.3 95% CI = 3.6–23.9). Patterns of senior tennis and pickleball injuries were mostly similar. Conclusions NEISS is a valuable data source for describing the epidemiology of recreational injuries. However, careful case definitions are necessary when examining records involving older populations as non-injury conditions related to the activity/product codes of interest are frequent. As pickleball gains in popularity among active seniors, it is becoming an increasingly important cause of injury. Identifying and describing the most common types of injuries may can help inform prevention and safety measures.

Non-fatal Senior Pickleball and Tennis-related Injuries Treated in United States Emergency Departments, 2010-2019

Background: Pickleball is growing rapidly with a passionate senior following. Understanding and comparing players’ injury experience through analysis of a nationally representative hospital emergency department sample helps inform senior injury prevention and fitness goals.Methods: A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed using 2010 to 2019 data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Non-fatal pickleball and tennis-related cases were identified, examined, recoded, and separated by injury versus non-injury conditions. Since over 85% of the pickleball injury-related cases were to players ≥60 years of age we mostly focused on this older age group. Analyses consisted of descriptive statistics, injury frequency, type and trends over time, and comparative measures of risk. Results: Among players ≥60 years of age, non-injuries (i.e., cardiovascular events) accounted for 11% and 21.5% of the pickleball and tennis-related cases, respectively. With non-injuries removed for seniors (≥60 years), the NEISS contained a weighted total of 28,984 pickleball injuries (95% CI=19,463–43,163) and 58,836 tennis injuries (95% CI=44,861-77,164). Pickleball -related injuries grew rapidly over the study period and by 2018, the annual number of senior pickleball injuries reached parity with senior tennis-related injuries. Slip/Trip/Fall/Dive injury mechanisms predominated (63.3%, 95% CI=57.7%-69.5%). The leading diagnoses were strains/sprains (33.2%, 95% CI=27.8%-39.5%), fractures (28.1%, 95% CI=24.3%-32.4%) and contusions (10.6%, 95% CI=8.0%-14.1%). Senior males were three-and-a-half times more likely than females to suffer a pickleball-related strain or sprain (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.2-5.6) whereas women were over three-and-a-half times more likely to suffer a fracture (OR 3.7 95% CI = 2.3-5.7) compared to men and nine times more likely to suffer a wrist fracture (OR 9.3 95% CI 3.6 - 23.9). Patterns of senior tennis and pickleball injuries were mostly similar.Conclusions: NEISS is a valuable data source for describing the epidemiology of recreational injuries. However, careful case definitions are necessary when examining records involving older populations as non-injury conditions related to the activity/product codes of interest are frequent. As pickleball gains in popularity among active seniors, it is becoming an increasingly important cause of injury. Identifying and describing the most common types of injuries may can help inform prevention and safety measures.

Overhead Cost Assessment of Construction Projects in Erbil Governorate

Overhead or indirect cost considers as an element of the total project costs. The economic strength of any country depends on the activity of their construction industry. Overhead is an idiom refers to the costs required to operate a business, but it could not be directly attributed to any specific business activity, product, or service. And so on, overhead costs do not generate profits directly. Overhead is remainedimportant since it provides major support for the generation of profit-making value. The objective of this study is to explore common methods of measuring the overhead cost of the project in perspective of the contractors, as well as to show important types of overhead costs entire measuring cost. The research method has been conducted is a questionnaire concerning overhead cost in construction projects in Erbil Governorate. The questionnaire consists of two sections include, specify the method used by technical sector or company to measure overhead cost for the project, with choices, (i. Measuring in details ii. Measuring as a percentage, iii. Measuring as a lump sum, iv. Vary from one project to another, v. Other Method), and specify the overhead cost important, with indicating the choices of assessment. Thus; the total of 70 requests has been distributed to the respondents, 54 questioners responded. Excel program used to analyze information obtained through conducting statistical operations. Results showed that most frequent method used was measuring in details, with a percentage (42.6%). And the study shows that the most important overhead cost is material test costs which scored (RII=0.76), because of its great effect on the construction project processes generally and on overhead cost especially.

Dissolution, Stability and Solubility of Tooeleite [Fe6(AsO3)4(SO4)(OH)4·4H2O] at 25–45 °C and pH 2–12

Tooeleite [Fe6(AsO3)4(SO4)(OH)4·4H2O] was synthesized and characterized to investigate its possible immobilization for arsenic in acidic and alkali environments by a long-term dissolution of 330 d. The synthetic tooeleite was platy crystallites of ~1μm across, giving the lattice parameters of a = 6.4758 Å, b = 19.3737 Å and c = 8.9170 Å. For the tooeleite dissolution, the dissolved arsenic concentration showed the lowest value of 427.3~435.8 mg/L As at initial pH 12 (final pH 5.54). The constituents were dissolved preferentially in the sequence of SO42− > AsO33− > Fe3+ in the aqueous medium at initial pH 2–12. The dissolved iron, arsenite and sulfate existed mainly as FeSO4+/Fe3+, H3AsO30 and SO42− at initial pH 2, and in the form of Fe(OH)30/Fe(OH)2+, H3AsO30 and SO42− at initial pH 12, respectively. The tooeleite dissolution was characterized by the preferential releases of SO42− anions from solid surface into aqueous medium, which was fundamentally controlled by the Fe-O/OH bond breakages and the outer OH− group layers. From the data of the dissolution at 25 °C and initial pH 2 for 270–330 d, the ion-activity product [logˍIAP], which equaled the solubility product [Ksp] at the dissolution equilibrium, and the Gibbs free energy of formation [ΔGfo] were estimated as −200.28 ± 0.01 and −5180.54 ± 0.07 kJ/mol for the synthetic tooeleite, respectively.

Engineering Robust Cellulases for Tailored Lignocellulosic Degradation Cocktails

Lignocellulosic biomass is a most promising feedstock in the production of second-generation biofuels. Efficient degradation of lignocellulosic biomass requires a synergistic action of several cellulases and hemicellulases. Cellulases depolymerize cellulose, the main polymer of the lignocellulosic biomass, to its building blocks. The production of cellulase cocktails has been widely explored, however, there are still some main challenges that enzymes need to overcome in order to develop a sustainable production of bioethanol. The main challenges include low activity, product inhibition, and the need to perform fine-tuning of a cellulase cocktail for each type of biomass. Protein engineering and directed evolution are powerful technologies to improve enzyme properties such as increased activity, decreased product inhibition, increased thermal stability, improved performance in non-conventional media, and pH stability, which will lead to a production of more efficient cocktails. In this review, we focus on recent advances in cellulase cocktail production, its current challenges, protein engineering as an efficient strategy to engineer cellulases, and our view on future prospects in the generation of tailored cellulases for biofuel production.

Single-phase catalysis for reductive etherification of diesel bioblendstocks

We developed a single-phase Pd/NbOPO4 catalyst for reductive etherification that displays high catalytic activity, product selectivity, and regeneration stability.

Terapi Ammonium Khlorida-Asam Askorbat untuk Menurunkan Tingkat Keasaman Urin dan Kristalisasi Struvit pada Kucing Urolithiasis (THERAPY AMMONIUM CHLORIDE-ASCORBIC ACID FOR LOWERING URINE ACIDITY AND STRUVITE CRYSTALLIZATION IN FELINE UROLITHIASIS)

Struvite/Magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) is common causes of feline urolithiasis. Prevent the formation of MAP crystallization can be treated by adjusting the pH urine in acid conditions. Urine with an acid pH will decrease struvite activity product (SAP) by preventing the phosphate deprotonation process which is the main constituent of struvite components. This study aims to determine the potential of a combination of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and ascorbic acid to decrease SAP by retain the urine pH under normal conditions. Twelve male cats, 2-5 years old and body weight 3.0 ± 0.8 kg were diagnosed struvite urolithiasis used for this study. Cats have a9clinical history of hematuria, dysuria, polyuria, and stranguria. Diagnosis of urolithiasis performed by clinical examination, USG, x-rays, and urinalysis. Cats that found struvite urolith, treated with 200 mg/kg NH4Cl and 100 mg/kg ascorbic acid orally twice a day. The research objects were observed included urine pH and crystaluria density. The data were analyzed using analisis of varian. The result of this study showed NH4Cl and ascorbic acid treatment can decrease the urine pH at 8 cats (89%) with an average pH 6.3 ± 0.3. Microscopic examination of the urine showed the struvite crystallization more infrequently than before therapy. The study concluded that the combination of NH4Cl and asam askorbat can lower the urine pH and reduce struvite crystal density in the urine.