Ideal Size Research Articles

Optimization of the Fermentative Production of Rhizomucor miehei Lipase in Aspergillus oryzae by Controlling Morphology.

Morphology plays an important role in the fermentation bioprocess of filamentous fungi. In this study, we investigated the controlling strategies of morphology that improved the efficiency of Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RML) production using a high-yield Aspergillus oryzae. First, the inoculated spore concentrations were optimized in seed culture, and the RML activity increased by 43.4% with the well-controlled mycelium pellets in both ideal sizes and concentrations. Then, the initial nitrogen source and agitation strategies were optimized to regulate the morphology of Aspergillus oryzae in a 5 L bioreactor, and the established stable fermentation system increased the RML activity to 232.0 U/mL, combined with an increase in total RML activity from 98,080 U to 487,179 U. Furthermore, the optimized fermentation strategy was verified by a high-yield Aspergillus oryzae and achieved an additional improvement of RML activity, up to 320.0 U/mL. Moreover, this optimized fermentation bioprocess was successfully scaled up to a 50 L bioreactor, and the RML activity reached 550.0 U/mL. This work has established a stable precision fermentation bioprocess for RML production by A. oryzae in bioreactors, and the controlling strategy developed in this study could potentially be extended to an industrial scale for RML production with high efficiency.

Ideal Size Range for Embolic Agents in Interventional Oncology Experiments Involving Rat Models of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PurposeTo optimize future translational research, this study aimed to determine the ideal range of sizes for embolic agents in interventional oncology experiments utilizing rat models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and MethodsFifty-five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups to evaluate the distribution of microparticles and tumor response rates. After implanting hepatoma cells into the rodent liver, fluorescent microparticles of sizes ranging from 5 to 35 μm were administered via the hepatic artery. In the first group, the distribution of microparticles was evaluated in hepatoma-free rats, and the tumor necrosis rates following administration of a predetermined aliquot of microparticles (0.4 mL) were measured in tumor-bearing rats. Thereafter, the 3 microparticle sizes associated with the best tumor response rates were chosen for analysis of the tumor necrosis rates following hepatic artery embolization until angiographic stasis is achieved in the second group. ResultsThe tendency for microparticles to distribute in nontarget organs increased as the microparticle size decreased below 15 μm. Tumor necrosis rates tended to be higher in rats treated with 15–19-μm microparticles than in those treated with 19–24-μm or 19–24-μm microparticles. The in-group deviation of the tumor necrosis rates was highest for microparticle sizes of 19–24 and 25–35 μm, which implies the proximal embolization of the hepatic artery for larger microparticle sizes. However, there was no statistical significance among the 3 groups (P = .095). ConclusionsThe 15–19-μm embolic agents were the most favorable for causing tumor necrosis without nontarget toxicity in the transarterial treatments of rat HCC models.

Prevalence and factors associated with unmet need for family planning among women of reproductive age (15-49) in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A multilevel mixed-effects analysis.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has experienced high levels of unmet need for family planning (UNFP) for many years, alongside high fertility, maternal and infant mortality rates. Previous research addressed the UNFP in DRC, but analyses were limited to the individual-level and to specific regions. This study aims to determine the individual- and community-level factors associated with UNFP among married women of reproductive age in DRC. Using data from the 2014 DRC Demographic and Health Survey, a two-level mixed-effect logistic model examined i) the associations between UNFP and individual- and community level factors, and ii) the extent to which individual variability in UNFP is due to the variability observed at the community-level, given the individual characteristics. A total of 10,415 women in 539 clusters were included. Prevalence of unmet need for limiting was 8.13%, and 23.81% for spacing. Compared to adolescents (15–24), young (25–34) (aOR = 0.75, CI: 0.63–0.90) and middle-aged (35–49) (aOR = 0.65, CI: 0.51–0.82) women were less likely to have unmet need for family planning. The odds of having unmet need increased significantly with number of living children [1–2 children (aOR = 2.46, CI: 1.81–3.35), 7+ children (aOR = 6.46, CI: 4.28–9.73)] and among women in a female-headed household (aOR = 1.22, CI: 1.04–1.42). Women from provinces Equateur (aOR = 1.82, CI: 1.24–2.68), Nord-Kivu (aOR = 1.66, CI: 1.10–2.55) and Orientale (aOR = 1.60, CI: 1.10–2.32) were more likely to have unmet need, compared to women from Kinshasa. Women from communities with medium (aOR = 1.32, CI: 1.01–1.72) and high (aOR = 1.46, CI: 0.98–2.18) proportion of women in wealthy households, and medium (aOR = 1.32, CI: 1.01–1.72) and high (aOR = 1.46, CI: 0.98–2.18) proportion of women with low ideal family size (≤6) were more likely to have unmet need, compared to those from communities with low proportion of wealthy households and high ideal family size, respectively. Policies should consider strengthening family planning programs in provinces Equateur, Orientale, and Nord-Kivu, and in wealthier communities and communities with a higher ideal family size. Family planning programs should target adolescents and young women.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF KENYA FOREST SERVICE IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY

Purpose: The objective was to determine the effect of corporate governance and organizational performance of Kenya forest service in Nairobi City County
 Methodology: The survey adopted stratified sampling and employed questionnaires to collect data from a sample of 166 managerial level staff working at the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Headquarters’ Office at Karura in Nairobi City County. Descriptive and inferential statistical models were employed to analyze, describe, and infer deduction and conclusion from the research findings. Correlation matrix and regressions models were employed to analyze data collected, and describe the research findings in reference to the variables under examination.
 Findings: The study findings showed that board composition, board independence, board size and board audit committee have an advantageous and significant influence on the iperformance of an organization.
 Unique contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that, qthe qKFS qmanagement should qensure more qboard members are qappointed externally to enhance board efficiency and organization iperformance. Additionally, KFS management should increase the number of board members with non-executive status to increase board independence within the organization. The survey findings established that, small boards are preferable to large boards in influencing organization iperformance positively. The study recommends that, sKFS management should design an effective system to identify its ideal board size to promote iperformance.

Tumor-targeting intravenous lipid emulsion of paclitaxel: Characteristics, stability, toxicity, and toxicokinetics

Lipid nanoemulsions are promising nanodrug delivery carriers that can improve the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel (PTX). However, no intravenous lipid emulsion of PTX has been approved for clinical treatment, and systemic safety profiles have not yet been reported. Here we outline the development of a PTX-loaded tumor-targeting intravenous lipid emulsion (PTX Emul) and describe its characteristics, colloidal stability, and systemic safety profiles in terms of acute toxicity, long-term toxicity, and toxicokinetics. We also compare PTX Emul with conventional PTX injection. Results showed that PTX Emul exhibited an ideal average particle size (approximately 160 nm) with narrow size distribution and robust colloidal stability under different conditions. Hypersensitivity reaction and hemolysis tests revealed that PTX Emul did not induce hypersensitivity reactions and had no hemolytic potential. In addition, where the alleviated systemic toxicity of PTX Emul may be attributed to the altered toxicokinetic characteristics in beagle dogs, including the decreased AUC and increased plasma clearance and volume of distribution, PTX Emul alleviated acute and long-term toxicity as evidenced by the enhanced the median lethal dose and approximate lethal dose, moderate body weight change, decreased bone marrow suppression and organ toxicity compared with those under PTX injection at the same dose. A fundamental understanding of the systemic safety profiles, high tumor-targeting efficiency, and superior antitumor activity in vivo of PTX Emul can provide powerful evidence of its therapeutic potential as a future treatment for breast cancer.

Board Characteristics Impact on the Firm Performance in the Indian Context

The research aims to determine the impact of the board characteristics on the firm performance for 348 firms of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) 500 Index listed on the National Stock Exchange of India for the period 2012-2018 using (OLS) Ordinary Least Square (FEM) Fixed Effect Model and more robust (GMM) Generalized Method of Moments regression techniques. GMM regression technique also controls for the endogeneity as well as heteroscedasticity and heterogeneity in panel data. Further, the moderating effects of market capitalization are also observed considering the impact of board characteristics on the firm performance using the interaction effects technique. Lastly, the ideal board size was determined based on the classification of market capitalization including small, mid and large market cap. Board characteristics including board size and percentage of shares held by the promoters have a positive significant impact on the firm performance while the percentage of shares pledged by the promoters has a negative significant impact on the firm performance. The results show that market capitalization moderates the relationship between board characteristics and firm performance. Findings also suggest an ideal board size of 8 for mid-cap firms and a range of 7-18 for large-cap firms which show a similar result to the Kotak Committee Report (2017) recommendations with the ideal board size being a minimum of 6 directors on the board. The results cannot be generalized as only the manufacturing and services (excluding financial) industries are taken into account, but the results can be applied to the abovesaid industry sectors.

Body norms, body image, and media in a market-integrating indigenous population in Argentina: A mixed-methods investigation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between media, body norms, and body image among the Qom, a market-integrating indigenous population in Argentina that has historically idealized larger body sizes. With men and women (n=87), we measured frequency of media/technology use through a Likert-type questionnaire. Using the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale, we asked participants to select the most healthy and ideal body size for their gender, as well as their own body size. We calculated body dissatisfaction as the difference between ideal and own body size. We conducted semi-structured interviews to describe the role of media in body norms and body image. Media exposure was not significantly associated with perceptions of the "healthiest" or most "ideal" body sizes, nor body dissatisfaction. Men and women perceived categorically "middle-range" body sizes as both healthy and ideal, differing from a similar study in 2010, where larger bodies were favored. Interviews revealed that: media is not recognized as affecting body norms and body image, but is conceptually associated with cultural loss (Theme 1); a "dual stigma" of fatness and thinness is perpetuated by peers, family, and healthcare providers (Theme 2); and body acceptance is highly valued (Theme 3). In this context, while some body norms have changed over time, the impact of media on body norms and image may be secondary to influences from individuals' social networks, and may be occluded by norms favoring body acceptance.

Efficient operation of battery energy storage systems, electric-vehicle charging stations and renewable energy sources linked to distribution systems

In this paper, distribution systems are optimized to accommodate different renewable energy sources, including PhotoVoltaic (PV) and Wind Turbine (WT) units with existing Electric Vehicles Charging stations (EVCS) connected to specific locations of distribution systems. Battery Energy Storage systems (BES) are provided at the exact locations of the PV and WT units. The BES units are optimized to control the power flow inside the distribution systems and enhance their performance by minimizing the proposed fitness functions. Each BES's generated or consumed power depends mainly on its State of Charge (SoC) and system constraints. The Gorilla Troop Optimizer (GTO) algorithm is adopted to solve the optimization problem either as a single-objective or multi-objective optimization. The adopted fitness functions minimize power loss and total voltage deviation (TVD) of the 108-bus distribution system. Two stages are involved in the GTO solution of the optimization problem. The GTO algorithm finds the ideal positions and sizes of the PV and WT units in the first stage. Then the GTO optimizes the BES operation in the second stage after integrating the EVCS into the system, using distinct profiles with two charging levels on weekdays and weekends. The obtained results show that the percentage reductions in the active energy loss with optimal allocations of the PV/WT are 45.29 % and 45.56 % for Level 1 and Level 2 of EVCS charging. The counterpart reductions increase to 48.22 % and 48.33 % when integrating the BES units. Furthermore, with PV/WT integration, utility power consumptions are reduced by 65.74 % and 65.65 % for the two charging levels, while the reductions increase to 70.63 % and 70.54 % when including BES units. These findings emphasize the importance of optimal BES operation in distribution networks equipped with renewable energy sources. The findings demonstrate the superior capabilities of the GTO algorithm during the optimization phase on an equal footing.

Assessing appropriate panel size and optimization of quality metrics for ambulatory care pharmacists in the primary care setting.

Chronic disease state management utilizing pharmacists improves quality metrics, allows providers to focus on acute issues, and decreases physician burnout risk. Minimal data exist on pharmacist panel size and its impact. This study aimed to determine appropriate pharmacist panel size based on workload, quality metrics, and patient access. This study was a retrospective, multiclinic cohort analysis of patients with diabetes managed by pharmacists at 7 outpatient clinics. The primary objective calculated panel size per full-time equivalent (FTE) utilizing the National Health Interview Survey. Secondary objectives calculated the ideal FTE based on provider to pharmacist ratio and determined the impact of pharmacist panel size on patient access and quality metrics. A total of 4,399 patients were analyzed from 2017 through 2019, with age (range, 57.4 to 62.6 years), sex (52.5% to 63.5% female), race (41.2% to 93.7% African American), insurance type (13.3% to 41% Medicaid), and mean number of medications (13.1 to 20.3) significantly different between sites. Primary outcome results showed that actual panel sizes were less than calculated. However, secondary outcomes indicated that each site was understaffed (actual 0.2 to 0.5 FTE vs calculated 2.52 to 7.34 FTEs) and overbooked (95% to 122% capacity, 17 to 54.2 days for time to third next available appointment). Patients met the composite quality metric 35.1% to 56.3% of the time across sites. This study supports the use of patient access data to determine appropriate pharmacist panel size. Utilizing provider panel size to pharmacist ratio and time to third next available appointment is preferable for determining appropriate pharmacist panel size. Further research is needed to evaluate return times to help determine an ideal pharmacist panel size.

A SART data cost-effectiveness analysis of planned oocyte cryopreservation versus in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy considering ideal family size

To determine the cost-effectiveness of planned oocyte cryopreservation (OC) as a strategy for delayed childbearing to achieve 1 or 2 live births (LB) compared with invitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) at advanced reproductive age. Decision tree model with sensitivity analyses using data from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinical Outcome Reporting System and other clinical sources. Not applicable. A data-driven simulated cohort of patients desiring delayed childbearing with an ideal family size of 1 or 2 LB. Not applicable. Probability of achieving ≥1 or 2 LB, average and maximum cost per patient, cost per percentage point increase in chance of LB, and population-level cost/LB. For those desiring 1 LB, planned OC at age 33 with warming at age 43 decreased the average total cost per patient from $62,308 to $30,333 and increased the likelihood of LB from 50% to 73% when compared with no OC with up to 3 cycles of IVF/PGT-A at age 43. For those desiring 2 LB, 2 cycles of OC at age 33 and warming at age 40 yielded the lowest cost per patient and highest likelihood of achieving 2 LB ($51,250 and 77%, respectively) when compared withpursuing only 1 cycle of OC ($75,373 and 61%, respectively), no OC and IVF/PGT-A with embryo banking ($79,728 and 48%, respectively), or no OC and IVF/PGT-A without embryo banking ($79,057 and 19%, respectively). Sensitivity analyses showed that OC remained cost-effective across a wide range of ages at cryopreservation. For 1 LB, OC achieved the highest likelihood of success when pursued before age 32 and remained more effective than IVF/PGT-A when pursued before age 39, and for 2 LB, 2 cycles of OC achieved the highest likelihood of success when pursued before age 31 and remained more effective than IVF/PGT-A when pursued before age39. Among patients planning to postpone childbearing, OC is cost-effective and increases the odds of achieving 1 or 2 LB when compared with IVF/PGT-A at a more advanced reproductive age.

Implications on EROI and climate change of introducing Li-ion batteries to residential PV systems

In this study, we investigate the sustainability aspect of residential PV installations combined with batteries — with a focus on EROI (Energy Return On Invested Energy) and CO2 reduction potential. We pay special attention to situations where an excess of photovoltaic power generation is not allowed to be fully fed into the distribution grid and has to be (partly) curtailed. To this extent, we estimate the impact of residential solar batteries in three different European countries: Switzerland, Norway, and Spain. The combined EROI (PV coupled with battery) was shown to be greater for all battery sizes up to 30 kWh compared to a scenario where excess PV production would be curtailed, with Spain’s EROI almost doubling from around 8 for the case of no battery to 15 for an 18 kWh battery. For Switzerland and Norway, the EROI is improving by about 50% to 11 and 9, respectively, with the ideal size being smaller at 12 kWh. Optimal battery sizes were also calculated for different curtailment thresholds, which are set to increase in the coming years due to higher PV penetration in national power grids. Residential solar batteries were demonstrated to be a viable addition in all geographical settings from a Net Energy Analysis point of view. When considering CO2-equivalent emission reduction potential of a PV plus battery system, the local grid’s CO2 intensity is decisive, increasing the benefit in countries such as Spain and Switzerland, but worsening overall impacts in Norway for oversized batteries.

Unraveling the meaning of weight misperception in a sample of college students: Unaware or body satisfied?

Weight misperception has been seen as a threat to public health. We aimed to understand the meaning of weight misperception by examining associations of weight perception with body satisfaction and body awareness along with healthy ideals and culturally normative body ideals. Undergraduates with higher weights at a Mid-South University (n = 166) completed survey measures that included: weight status perception (“How do you think of yourself in terms of weight?”), self-reported weight and height (used to indicate awareness), current and ideal body size using Figure Rating Scales (FRS), three measures of body satisfaction (difference between current and ideal figures on FRS, Appearance Evaluation subscale of the Multidimensional Body Self-Relations Questionnaire, Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3). Height and weight were also measured. Thirty percent (n = 49) of participants perceived themselves as ‘healthy’ weight and 70 % (n = 117) perceived themselves as above healthy weight. In bivariate analyses, there were no significant differences in identification of healthy or culturally normative body ideals by weight perception group. A series of logistic regression models were run to examine associations between weight perception and both BMI awareness and body satisfaction. In unadjusted and adjusted models, increased body satisfaction was associated with reduced odds of perceiving oneself above healthy weight (OR: 0.25, p < 0.001); BMI awareness was not associated with weight misperception. Findings suggest that weight misperception reflects body satisfaction, and not a lack of awareness of body weight/size, definitions of healthy bodies, or culturally normative body ideals. “Correcting” individuals who perceive their bodies as about right has the potential to cause great harm and should be eliminated as a public health goal.

Interdomain Dynamics via Paramagnetic NMR on the Highly Flexible Complex Calmodulin/Munc13-1

Paramagnetic NMR constraints are very useful to study protein interdomain motion, but their interpretation is not always straightforward. On the example of the particularly flexible complex Calmodulin/Munc13-1, we present a new approach to characterize this motion with pseudocontact shifts and residual dipolar couplings. Using molecular mechanics, we sampled the conformational space of the complex and used a genetic algorithm to find ensembles that are in agreement with the data. We used the Bayesian information criterion to determine the ideal ensemble size. This way, we were able to make an accurate, unambiguous, reproducible model of the interdomain motion of Calmodulin/Munc13-1 without prior knowledge about the domain orientation from crystallography.

Multicomponent Solar Cells with High Fill Factors and Efficiencies Based on Non-Fullerene Acceptor Isomers.

Multicomponent organic solar cells (OSCs), such as the ternary and quaternary OSCs, not only inherit the simplicity of binary OSCs but further promote light harvesting and power conversion efficiency (PCE). Here, we propose a new type of multicomponent solar cells with non-fullerene acceptor isomers. Specifically, we fabricate OSCs with the polymer donor J71 and a mixture of isomers, ITCF, as the acceptors. In comparison, the ternary OSC devices with J71 and two structurally similar (not isomeric) NFAs (IT-DM and IT-4F) are made as control. The morphology experiments reveal that the isomers-containing blend film demonstrates increased crystallinity, more ideal domain size, and a more favorable packing orientation compared with the IT-DM/IT-4F ternary blend. The favorable orientation is correlated with the balanced charge transport, increased exciton dissociation and decreased bimolecular recombination in the ITCF-isomer-based blend film, which contributes to the high fill factor (FF), and thus the high PCE. Additionally, to evaluate the generality of this method, we examine other acceptor isomers including IT-M, IXIC-2Cl and SY1, which show same trend as the ITCF isomers. These results demonstrate that using isomeric blends as the acceptor can be a promising approach to promote the performance of multicomponent non-fullerene OSCs.

“A cluster-based spatial analysis of recycling boundaries aligning anaerobic digestion infrastructure with food waste generation in California”

In 2016, California passed Senate Bill (SB) 1383 to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, including methane gas. Towards this end, the law specifically mandates a 75% reduction of organic waste, including food waste (FW), from landfills by 2025. However, current infrastructural capacity to treat this diverted organic waste is limited throughout the state, so new facilities will need to be built to treat these valuable waste flows. The purpose of this study is to investigate ideal size and scale of new facilities that maximize FW treatment and minimize GHG emissions. To do so, this study uses a case study of Los Angeles County to model a decentralized network of small-scale, containerized anerobic digestors (ADs) for treatment of FW in the region. A spatial FW dataset developed for this study is used with a novel iterative-descent clustering model to simulate potential “FW-sheds” of ADs using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Monte Carlo simulation was used to generate a range of model results and a GHG analysis of FW collection is used to compare systems of two different AD capacities. The results of this analysis show that food waste is ideal for recycling at relatively small spatial scales as hauling burden of FW is reduced in these systems. The proposed infrastructure modeling approach is a first step of developing a zero net energy infrastructural solution that promotes a circular economy of food in direct response to SB 1383 and, more broadly, global climate change.

Men's Experiences and Psychological Outcomes of Nonsurgical Medical Penile Girth Augmentation: A Preliminary Prospective Study.

The popularity of penile augmentation procedures is increasing, but investigation into men's experiences with these procedures and their impact on psychological well-being is lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate men's experiences with nonsurgical medical penile girth augmentation and assess, based on valid psychological measures, the impacts these procedures have on psychological well-being. Men seeking to undergo a girth augmentation (n = 19) completed an online questionnaire prior to their procedure and 6 months later that contained standardized measures assessing impacts of the procedure, penile size self-discrepancy, body dysmorphic disorder, psychological distress, self-esteem, and body image-related quality of life. Girth size was also measured preprocedure and 6 months postprocedure for a subsample of men. Almost half of the men reported positive impacts of "increased self-confidence" and "increased sexual pleasure" after their procedure. Despite an average girth increase of 3.29 cm, the men still perceived that their penile girth and length was less than what they should be or less than the ideal size after their augmentation procedure. However, this perceived discrepancy was significantly smaller than before their procedures. Prior to the procedure, the men who met diagnostic criteria for body dysmorphic disorder according to self-reported questionnaire (11%, n = 2/19) and clinical interview (7%, n = 1/15) lost this diagnosis at 6 months. There were no changes in psychological distress, self-esteem, or body image-related quality of life from pre- to postprocedure. Men report positive impacts on their lives after penile girth augmentation, but impacts on broader psychological well-being are mixed.

Family size preferences among women in a union in Nigeria and associated factors

Nigeria’s population is currently estimated at 216million and the country will be the third most populous in the world in 2050. A major driver of the high population growth is persistent high fertility. This study examined women’s fertility preferences, which was measured with ideal family size (IFS) and the associated factors. Data were obtained from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The analysis consisted of a weighted sample of 13, 673 women in union, aged 15–49 years whose first marriage took place within 10 years before the survey. Descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted. The proportion of respondents whose IFS was 5+ was 65%. Slightly above one-quarter had IFS of four children, and 11% had IFS of 0 – 3. IFS of 5+ was significantly associated with women resident in the Northern and Southeast regions, rural residents, Muslims, women who had no education, women working in agriculture, sales/service jobs, those who participated in one or two out of four household decisions, justified wife beating, have 5+ siblings, experienced child death, and married before age 20. Efforts to achieve the target reduction in total fertility rate in Nigeria should be multi-sectoral targeting these subpopulations of women.

Eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles as nanosensor, nanocatalyst and antioxidant agent using leaf extract of P. austroarabica

To reduce the hazardous effects of toxic compounds employed in the synthesis of nanoparticles, researchers are looking at biological agents of reduction. The current work describes a green method for the biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using leaf extract of P. austroarabica plant as biological reduction agent. The conditions of green synthesis were optimized to produce ideal size range of ZnONPs. ZnONPs were observed to have spherical and FCC crystals with particle size of 13.9 ± 4.3 nm, as confirmed by PXRD, SEM, and TEM results. The fluorescence technique demonstrated that ZnONPs are efficient probes for Cr(VI) ion, where LOD was 1.30 nM, that is one of the lowest LOD reported for sensing substances. The findings also explored that ZnONPs are very effective nano-catalyst for degrading of organic dyes, with decolorization of congo red and methylene blue dyes attaining 93.42 and 95.74 % in 10 and 15 min, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that ZnONPs have high antioxidant activity, due to the existing bioactive compounds on their surfaces. This study concludes that green synthesized ZnONPs can be used as environmental sensor for detection of hazardous substances, nanocatalyst for toxic dyes degradation and as antioxidants. This synthesis is highly effective, eco-friendly, low-cost, and non-toxic.

Optimizing Pooled Testing for Estimating the Prevalence of Multiple Diseases.

Pooled testing can enhance the efficiency of diagnosing individuals with diseases of low prevalence. Often, pooling is implemented using standard groupings (2, 5, 10, etc.). On the other hand, optimization theory can provide specific guidelines in finding the ideal pool size and pooling strategy. This article focuses on optimizing the precision of disease prevalence estimators calculated from multiplex pooled testing data. In the context of a surveillance application of animal diseases, we study the estimation efficiency (i.e., precision) and cost efficiency of the estimators with adjustments for the number of expended tests. This enables us to determine the pooling strategies that offer the highest benefits when jointly estimating the prevalence of multiple diseases, such as theileriosis and anaplasmosis. The outcomes of our work can be used in designing pooled testing protocols, not only in simple pooling scenarios but also in more complex scenarios where individual retesting is performed in order to identify positive cases. A software application using the shiny package in R is provided with this article to facilitate implementation of our methods. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.Supplementary materials for this article are available at 10.1007/s13253-022-00511-4.

A comparative analysis of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagging in selective breeding programme of improved rohu (Jayanti) and catla

Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags have been popularly used in identification of individual fish, stock, full-sib and half-sib families, year class and generations in aquaculture selective breeding programs. This study has been conducted on genetically improved Indian Major Carps (IMCs), improved rohu (Jayanti) and improved catla to compare PIT tagging of different size taggable fingerlings with respect to post tagging survival and tag retention. Six groups of improved rohu (Jayanti) and improved catla fingerlings with weight ranging from 10 to 150 g were tagged with PIT tags and mortality was recorded after 24 h. The overall mortality was thus found to be 3 % and 15 % in rohu and catla respectively. In rohu, 3 % mortality was observed after tagging in both small size fish (< 20 g) and large size fish (> 20 g) with no significant difference whereas in catla, mortality in small size fish (< 20 g) was 20 % compared to 14 % in large size fish (> 20 g) (p < 0.05). High correlation of length and weight with tagging space i.e, 0.96 and 0.91 respectively (p < 0.01) was found in rohu while the correlation of length and weight with tagging space was 0.96 and 0.88 respectively (p < 0.01) in catla. In rohu, the correlation of length, weight and tagging space on mortality % was − 0.142, − 0.145 and − 0.173 respectively but not significant (p > 0.05), whereas in catla the correlation of length, weight and tagging space on mortality % was − 0.508, − 0.510, − 0.500 respectively and significant (p < 0.05). Serum cortisol level in control and tagged rohu was 12.98 ± 1.58a ng/ml and 16.09 ± 0.55b ng/ml respectively while the level in control and tagged catla was 12.72 ± 1.56a and 15.97 ± 0.95b ng/ml respectively on the tagging day. There was no significant difference in serum cortisol level in control rohu and control catla and tagged rohu and tagged catla (p > 0.05). This study also revealed more sensitivity of the Indian major carp Labeo catla (Catla) to PIT tagging in comparison to Labeo rohita (rohu) and demonstrates the ideal size for PIT tagging in catla to be 20–30 g.