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The present study involved the preparation of a nano-polymer based on shrimp wastes as a biodegradable chitosan nanoparticle (Cs) incorporated into titanium oxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 ) in an aqueous medium and carried on the specific polymer to form thin films. The spectroscopic properties of chitosan/TiO 2 /Polymer thin films were estimated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The fabricated films were then examined for their potential to eliminate iron (Fe) and chromium (Cr) from solutions. The adsorption efficiency was also evaluated along various contact times. In general, the results illustrated that the heavy metals removal increases with increasing the different ratios of chitosan and TiO 2 nanoparticles incorporated in polymer thin films. Removal efficiency increased with an increase in contact time. More than 70% of Fe and Cr ions were removed in the first 30 min of contact time using different thin films examined. The maximum removal for metal ions after 90 min for the pest thin film (0.08 TiO 2 ) was 97.1 and 88.8% for Fe and Cr, whereas the lowest thin film removal efficiency (PVC) was 29.5 and 8.07% for Fe and Cr, respectively. In conclusion, the fabricated thin film composed of polyvinylidene chloride and chitosan plus 0.08 g titanium oxide nanoparticles had a heavy metal removal capacity three times greater than that of basic polyvinylidene chloride.

Pollution by synthetic polymers is even more problematic to the environment when this material is fragmented into small portions, forming microplastics (MPs). We analyzed the contamination of ichthyofauna by MPs in an important river of the Atlantic Rainforest in regard to abundance, diversity of morphotypes, polymers, colors, and sizes of the synthetic particles in 20 species of fish. Fish were collected in November 2019 and in March 2020 in five sites along the Pomba River. Of the 101 fish analyzed, 49 (49%) presented MPs in at least one organ. Of the 20 species of fish collected 13 included individuals with at least one MP in their analyzed organs. The organs, trophic categories and feeding areas did not affect the general abundance of MPs types. Blue MPs were predominant, followed by the colors black, red, and white. MP fibers represented 91% of total MPs. Most MPs were between 2 and 3 mm in size. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), polyvinylidene chloride “Nylon” (PVDC), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were detected in the fishes. The exposure of the fish species to MPs was associated mainly with individual size and species-specific aspects, regardless of ecological traits. Considering that 55% of the fish species studied are consumed by humans, it is necessary to study the potential impact of MP ingestion on human health and to understand to what extent we may be consuming both plastic particles and contaminants that are adsorbed to MPs.

We report on the formation of the field-effect transistor based on a polyyne–polyene structure. Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) drop casting and its subsequent dehydrochlorination in KOH solution allowed for the formation of porous polyyne–polyene material, which was analyzed via transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, revealing the presence of sp- and sp2-hybridized chained fragments in the structure. The polyyne–polyene-based field-effect transistor showed a transconductance of 3.2 nA/V and a threshold voltage of −0.3 V. The obtained results indicate that polyyne–polyene-based transistors can be used as discrete elements of molecular electronics and that subsequent studies can be aimed toward the development of selective polyyne–polyene-based gas sensors with tunable sensitivity.

A study was conducted in the district of Rawah, which is located 224 km away from the city of Ramadi, on the pomegranate trees of the seedless Rawa cv. The study investigated the effect of fruit bagging and calcium spray on some fruit traits and percentage of cracking in fruits. Two factors were studied during the research: the first factor involved using different types of bags to cover the fruits, including (untreated control, double gauze cloth, Saran, and white paper bags). The second factor included calcium spraying at concentrations of 0, 1, and 2 gL −1 . The findings showed that fruit bagging treatments significantly impacted every study subject characteristics except for the number of fruits and peel thickness, Saran bagging helped achieve the greatest outcomes for traits (fruit volume (cm3), percentage of fruit peel, percentage of peel moisture, and yield) at (214.40 cm 3 , 40.00%, 60.23%, and 23.27 kg tree −1 ) respectively. Furthermore, the above treatment resulted in the lowest percentage of cracked fruits at 13.43%. Conversely, the treatment of bagging with white paper bags attained the greatest value for the fruit firmness characteristic at 2.43 kg cm −2 . As for the calcium spray, It had a noteworthy impact on every subject examined. characteristics. The high concentration (2 g liter −1 ) achieved the best values for fruit volume, number of fruits, peel thickness, percentage of fruit peel, percentage of peel moisture, and yield, at 211.08 cm 3 , 58.21 fruits tree −1 , 4.36 mm, 40.91%, 61.25%, and 24.03 kg tree −1 ) respectively. Additionally, the above treatment resulted in the lowest percentage of cracked fruits at 15.24%.

A bstract A method of functional reduction for the dimensionally regularized one-loop Feynman integrals with massive propagators is described in detail. The method is based on a repeated application of the functional relations proposed by the author. Explicit formulae are given for reducing one-loop scalar integrals to a simpler ones, the arguments of which are the ratios of polynomials in the masses and kinematic invariants. We show that a general scalar n -point integral, depending on n ( n + 1) / 2 generic masses and kinematic variables, can be expressed as a linear combination of integrals depending only on n variables. The latter integrals are given explicitly in terms of hypergeometric functions of ( n − 1) dimensionless variables. Analytic expressions for the 2-, 3- and 4-point integrals, that depend on the minimal number of variables, were also obtained by solving the dimensional recurrence relations. The resulting expressions for these integrals are given in terms of Gauss’ hypergeometric function 2 F 1 , the Appell function F 1 and the hypergeometric Lauricella — Saran function F S . A modification of the functional reduction procedure for some special values of kinematic variables is considered.

Worldwide, diarrhea is the second most common cause of death and morbidity among under -five years' children. In sub-saran Africa, access to water, sanitation, and hygiene are very scanty and the burden of diarrhea diseases is countless relative to the rest of the world. Prior studies conducted in East Africa vary in design, sample size, and other data collection tools. Through those studies, it is hard to make regional comparisons. Combining datasets that are studied on similar people and having common variable identified enhances statistical power due to the large sample size, advance the ability to compare outcomes, and create the opportunity to develop new indicators. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of diarrhea among under five years' children using the most recent national representative Demographic and Health Surveys from 12 East African countries. The information generated from this pooled datasets will give good insight into the sub-regional prevalence of diarrhea. This study utilized secondary data from 12 East African countries' most recent demographic health survey. Variables were extracted and appended together to assess the pooled prevalence of diarrhea and associated factors. A total of 90,263 under-five years of age children were encompassed in this study. STATA version was used to cross-tabulate and fit the models. To account for the hierarchical nature of the demographic health survey, multilevel logistic regression was calibrated. BIC, AIC, deviance, and LLR were used as Model comparison parameters. Variables with a p-value of <0.2 were considered for multivariable analysis. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI and p-value <0.05 were used to declare statistical significances of factors. The pooled prevalence of diarrhea in under five years children was 14.28% [95%CI; 14.06%, 14.51%]. Being child whose mother age is 15-24 years [AOR = 1.41, 95% CI; 1.33, 1.49], 25-34 years[AOR = 1.17, 95%CI; 1.10, 1.23], being 7-12 months child [AOR = 3.10, 95%CI; 2.86, 3.35], being 12-24 months child [AOR = 2.56, 95%CI; 2.38, 3.75], being 25-59 months child [AOR = 0.88, 95%CI; 0.82, 0.95], being child from poor household [AOR = 1.16, 95%CI; 1.09, 1.23], delayed breast feeding initiation (initiated after an hour of birth) [AOR = 1.15, 95%CI; 1.10, 1.20], and being a child from community with low educational status [AOR = 1.10, 95%CI; 1.03, 1.18] were factors associated with diarrheal diseases. The pooled prevalence of diarrhea among under five years of children in East African countries is high. Maternal age, child's age, wealth status of the household, the timing of breast feeding initiation, sex of the child, community level of educational status, working status of the mother, and the number of under five children were factors that were associated with diarrheal diseases. Scaling up of maternal and child health services by government and other concerned bodies should consider those economically marginalized communities. Additionally, awareness should be created for those uneducated mothers concerning the nature of childhood diarrhea.

A new approach for understanding the mechanism of monolayer adsorption is proposed. The Langmuir model, which does not take into account sorbate-sorbate bonds, is the most common one for interpreting monolayer adsorption.When using it, the assumption about the absence of sorbate-sorbate interactions between the sorbate molecules of the first layer is never checked. However, the sorbate-sorbate interactions can make an important contribution to the adsorption energy at physical adsorption. In this case, the formation of sorbate clusters in first layer is an energetically preferable process compared to the process of individual molecules adsorption. The monolayer cluster adsorption model, which takes into account sorbate-sorbate interactions, was introduced in our previous works. In present work, based on the experimental isotherms analysis, a criterion for the mechanism of monolayer adsorption (cluster or adsorption of individual molecules) is proposed. Examples are given of the this criterion application to the study of the mechanism of carbon dioxide adsorption by IRMOF-6, IRMOF-11 and IRMOF-1, ethane by highly activated carbon Saran and methane by mica. This work develops a new approach to the interpretation of monolayer adsorption mechanism.

For the precision calculations in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) gigantic expressions (several GB in size) in terms of highly complicated divergent multi-loop Feynman integrals have to be calculated analytically to compact expressions in terms of special functions and constants. In this article we derive new symbolic tools to gain large-scale computer understanding in QCD. Here we exploit the fact that hypergeometric structures in single and multiscale Feynman integrals emerge in a wide class of topologies. Using integration-by-parts relations, associated master or scalar integrals have to be calculated. For this purpose it appears useful to devise an automated method which recognizes the respective (partial) differential equations related to the corresponding higher transcendental functions. We solve these equations through associated recursions of the expansion coefficient of the multivalued formal Taylor series. The expansion coefficients can be determined using either the package Sigma in the case of linear difference equations or by applying heuristic methods in the case of partial linear difference equations. In the present context a new type of sums occurs, the Hurwitz harmonic sums, and generalized versions of them. The code HypSeries transforming classes of differential equations into analytic series expansions is described. Also partial difference equations having rational solutions and rational function solutions of Pochhammer symbols are considered, for which the code solvePartialLDE is designed. Generalized hypergeometric functions, Appell-, Kampé de Fériet-, Horn-, Lauricella-Saran-, Srivasta-, and Exton–type functions are considered. We illustrate the algorithms by examples.

The study presents an analysis of sudden emissions of coal and gas in the Karaganda coal basin. The Karaganda coal basin is the largest industrial center of Kazakhstan. Due to the location of the cities of Karaganda, Saran, Abai, Shakhtinsk and other settlements in the basin, threats of sudden emissions to the population have been identified. The most significant factors causing sudden emissions of coal and gas, such as the amount and pressure of gas, strength, fracturing, porosity, and initial rate of coal gas release, have been identified. On the territory of the coal basin, the central and southern sections of the Sherubai-Nurinsky district are more complex in terms of tectonic relationships. In these areas, the conditional extent of continuous pathologies reaches 2.9 - 3.4 km/km2, that is, several times more than in other areas. Due to the presence of numerous faults in the coal seams of the Sherubai-Nurinsky district, the distribution of the current methane content in coal seams and gas pressure in them are characterized by anomalies. As a result of the study, 66 mine formations from critical depths were found to be dangerous, and 33 were found to be non-dangerous in terms of sudden emissions of coal and gas. The paper proposes to identify hazardous areas in advance during exploration to prevent sudden emissions and take appropriate protective measures.