Facile Fabrication of Novel NiFe2O4@Carbon Composites for Enhanced Adsorption of Emergent Antibiotics

Water purification is becoming one of the most pertinent environmental issues throughout the world. Among common types of water pollution involving heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, textile dyes, personal care products, and other persistent organic pollutants, the pollution of antibiotic drugs is increasingly emerging due to their adverse effects on microorganisms, aquatic animals, and human health. Therefore, the treatment of such contaminants is very necessary to reduce the concentration of antibiotic pollutants to permissible levels prior to discharge. Herein, we report the use of NiFe2O4@C composites from a bimetallic-based metal-organic framework Ni-MIL-88B(Fe) for removal of ciprofloxacin (CFX) and tetracycline (TCC). The effect of production temperatures (600–900 °C), solution pH (2–10), NiFe2O4@C dose (0.05–0.2 g/L), concentration of antibiotics (10–60 mg/L), and uptake time (0–480 min) was investigated systematically. Response surface methodology and central composite design were applied for quadratic models to discover optimum conditions of antibiotic adsorption. With high coefficients of determination (R2 = 0.9640–0.9713), the proposed models were significant statistically. Under proposed optimum conditions, the adsorption capacity for CFX and TCC were found at 256.244, and 105.38 mg/g, respectively. Recyclability study was employed and found that NiFe2O4@C-900 could be reused for up to three cycles, offering the potential of this composite as a good adsorbent for removal of emergent antibiotics.

Older or Wiser? Age and Experience Trends in 20 Years of Olympic and World Swimming Championships Open Water 10-km Races

The aims of the present research were to estimate the age of peak performance (APP) and to examine the role of previous experience at the world-level open water race performances. Finishing positions and age of swimmers (639 females and 738 males) in the 10-km events of World Championship (WCH) and Olympic Games (OG) from 2000 to 2019 were obtained from the official results websites. Years of previous experience were computed using the number of previous participations in WCH or OG. APP was estimated using quadratic models of the 10th percentile top race positions and resulted in 28.94 years old for males (R2 = 0.551) and 27.40 years old for females (R2 = 0.613). Regression analysis revealed an improvement of 1.36 or 8.19 finishing positions for each additional year of age or experience, respectively (R2 = 0.157). However, significant differences (p < 0.001) between age and experience showed that the swimmer’s age became less relevant for performance as years of experience increased. These results, in terms of age, are in line with other mass-start disciplines of similar duration (≈2 h) and, in terms of experience, confirm the importance of previous participation in improving tactical decision making during open water races.

Optimization studies of stir casting parameters and mechanical properties of TiO2 reinforced Al 7075 composite using response surface methodology

Stir casting is a common metallurgical route in the casting of aluminum composites. Series of work done in this aspect considered the development of the composites with fixed stir casting parameters without applying an optimization approach. These parameters affect the microstructure and performance of the composites. The study is focused on the optimization of the stir casting parameters in the production of Al 7075 reinforced with TiO2 microparticles for performance improvement. Three stir casting parameters of stirring temperature, speed, and time were varied and optimized using the central composite design technique of the response surface method. Properties evaluated were ultimate tensile strength, hardness, impact strength, elastic modulus, and compressive strength. ANOVA results showed that the three stir casting parameters had a significant impact on the property responses. Five quadratic models were established for the properties linking them to the factors. The models were confirmed to be statistically significant at a confidence level of 95% and variations were observed to be < 5%. The interaction profile of the parameters as per response surface was analyzed. Contour plots associated with each interaction gave different ranges of stirring parameters in which each property can be maximized. Simultaneous optimization of the properties using Minitab 19 software showcased 779.3 °C, 574.2 rpm, and 22.5 min as the optimal stir casting parameters for temperature, speed and time respectively.

Empirical Models for the Correlations Between Total Ozone Column and Latitude in different regions in IRAQ: النماذج الرياضية لعلاقات الارتباط بين طول عمود الأوزون وخط العرض في مناطق مختلفة من العراق

This Research aimed at find a correlation between Total Ozone Column (TOC) and Latitude in different regions in Iraq using several Mathematical Models. Models were used for that [Linear Models, Quadratic Models, Exponential Models, Logarithmic Models, Power Models]. Several statistical tests [R2, R, MAE, RMSE] were used to control the validation and goodness of these Models. Quadratic Model gave the highest R2 among the other models in all stations. R2 obtained between (TOC) & Latitude in Winter & Spring months were very high and ranged between (0.953 – 0. 976). Summer months show a good correlation in June & July and week correlation in August. In Autumn months a good correlation was obtained in October & November and week correlation was obtained in September. The highest R2 means that there is a highly significance correlations between Total Ozone Column and Latitude. This mean that these Models gave a very good results to estimate (TOC) from Latitude.

Dietary calcium requirements of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 d of age

Background The current calcium (Ca) recommendation for broilers is primarily based on studies conducted more than 30 years ago with birds of markedly different productive potentials from those which exist today. And the response indicators in these studies are mainly growth performance and bone ash percentage. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary Ca level on growth performance, serum parameters, bone characteristics and Ca metabolism-related gene expressions, so as to estimate dietary Ca requirements of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 d of age. Methods A total of 420 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly assigned to 1 of 7 treatments with 6 replicates (10 birds per cage) and fed the corn-soybean meal diets containing 0.60, 0.70, 0.80, 0.90, 1.00, 1.10 or 1.20% Ca for 21days. Each diet contained the constant non-phytate phosphorus content of about 0.39%. Results The average daily gain decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as dietary Ca level increased. The serum and tibia alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, tibia bone mineral density (BMD), middle toe BMD, tibia ash percentage, tibia breaking strength, and tibia ALP protein expression level were affected (P < 0.05) by dietary Ca level, and showed significant quadratic responses (P < 0.02) to dietary Ca levels. The estimates of dietary Ca requirements were 0.80 to 1.00% based on the best fitted broken-line or quadratic models (P < 0.03) of the above serum and bone parameters, respectively. Conclusions The results from the present study indicate that the Ca requirements would be about 0.60% to obtain the best growth rate, and 1.00% to meet all of the Ca metabolisms and bone development of broilers fed a conventional corn-soybean meal diet from 1 to 21 days of age.

Design of Experiments to Achieve an Efficient Chitosan-Based DNA Vaccine Delivery System

In current times, DNA vaccines are seen as a promising approach to treat and prevent diseases, such as virus infections and cancer. Aiming at the production of a functional and effective plasmid DNA (pDNA) delivery system, four chitosan polymers, differing in the molecular weight, were studied using the design of experiments (DoE) tool. These gene delivery systems were formulated by ionotropic gelation and exploring the chitosan and TPP concentrations as DoE inputs to maximize the nanoparticle positive charge and minimize their size and polydispersity index (PDI) as DoE outputs. The obtained linear and quadratic models were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) and non-significant lack of fit, with suitable coefficient of determination and the respective optimal points successfully validated. Furthermore, morphology, stability and cytotoxicity assays were performed to evaluate the endurance of these systems over time and their further potential for future in vitro studies. The subsequent optimization process was successful achieved for the delivery systems based on the four chitosan polymers, in which the smallest particle size was obtained for the carrier containing the 5 kDa chitosan (~82 nm), while the nanosystem prepared with the high molecular weight (HMW) chitosan displayed the highest zeta potential (~+26.8 mV). Delivery systems were stable in the formulation buffer after a month and did not exhibit toxicity for the cells. In this sense, DoE revealed to be a powerful tool to explore and tailor the characteristics of chitosan/pDNA nanosystems significantly contributing to unraveling an optimum carrier for advancing the DNA vaccines delivery field.

Optimized Fermentation and Freezing Conditions for Ready-to-Proof and Ready-to-Bake Frozen Dough of Sweet Bread

The processing conditions for ready-to-proof (RTP) and ready-to-bake (RTB) frozen sweet bread doughs were optimized using response surface methodology. A central composite design determined four factors and the tested range for each factor: a first fermentation time of 15~45 min, a second fermentation time of 30~90 min, a freezing temperature of −45~−25 °C, and a freezing time of 30~90 min. Sweet bread produced with these doughs was evaluated by bread weight, moisture content, crust color, height, volume, and firmness. Both the RTP and RTB doughs resulted in equal bread volume and height to the fresh dough, indicating excellent frozen stability. The first and second fermentation times were the significant processing factors for the RTP and RTB doughs influencing representative bread quality attributes based on quadratic models and ANOVA. Fermentation steps appeared to more significantly contribute to the quality of sweet bread made of frozen dough than freezing steps. The optimized RTP and RTB sweet bread dough processing conditions were the long first and second fermentation times for the dough based on a multiple response method and desirability. The optimum processing conditions for the RTP and RTB doughs were 44.7 min for the first fermentation time, 86.3 min for the second fermentation time, a −32.8 °C freezing temperature, and an 85.5 min freezing time.

Application of Taguchi method and response surface methodology into the removal of malachite green and auramine-O by NaX nanozeolites

In the present study, the simultaneous removal of malachite green (MG) and auramine-O (AO) dyes from the aqueous solution by NaX nanozeolites in a batch system is investigated. Taguchi method and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize and model dye removal conditions. In order to do so, the effect of various factors (dyes concentration, sonication time, ionic strength, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and pH of the solution) on the amount of dye removal was evaluated by the Taguchi method. Then, the most important factors were chosen and modeled by the RSM method so as to reach the highest percentage of dye removal. The proposed quadratic models to remove both dyes were in good accordance with the actual experimental data. The maximum removal efficiencies of MG and AO dyes in optimal operating conditions were 99.07% and 99.61%, respectively. Also, the coefficients of determination (R2) for test data were 0.9983 and 0.9988 for MG and AO dyes, respectively. The reusability of NaX nanozeolites was evaluated during the adsorption process of MG and AO. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency decreases very little up to five cycles. Moreover, NaX nanozeolites were also applied as adsorbents to remove MG and AO from environmental water samples, and more than 98.1% of both dyes were removed from the solution in optimal conditions.