Range Of Size Distribution Research Articles

Office Indoor PM and BC Level in Lithuania: The Role of a Long-Range Smoke Transport Event

While the impacts of climate change on wildfires and resulting air pollution levels have been observed, little is known about how indoor air filtering systems are performing under intensive smoke conditions. For this aim, particle number size distribution and concentration in a size range 0.5–18 µm and equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentration were measured in a modern office with a mechanical ventilation system. Measurements took place from 30 September to 6 October 2020 in the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) campus located in the urban background environment in Lithuania. During the measurement campaign, an intensive pollution episode, related to long-range transport wildfire smoke, was observed. The results indicated that the smoke event increased both indoor and outdoor eBC mass concentrations twice. Filters were non-selective for different eBC sources (biomass burning versus traffic) or chemical composition of carbonaceous aerosol particles (eBC versus brown carbon (BrC)). Air filtering efficiency was found to be highly dependent on particle size. During the smoke event the highest particle number concentration was observed at 2.1 µm and 1.0 µm size particles in outdoor and indoor air, respectively. Differences of indoor to outdoor ratio between event and non-event days were not significant. Because of lower removal rate for small particles, eBC had higher contribution to total PM2.5 mass concentration in indoor air than in outdoor air. The results gained are crucial for decision-making bodies in order to implement higher-quality air-filtering systems in office buildings and, as a result, minimize potential health impacts.

Model for fracture conductivity considering particle size distribution in a proppant monolayer

The formation of a complex supporting fracture network by volume fracturing is the key to the development of unconventional gas reservoirs, such as shale gas reservoirs and coalbed gas reservoirs. It is critical to predict the conductivity of the supporting fractures for the optimal design of volume reconstruction. A large number of narrow fractures exist that are filled with a proppant monolayer in the fracture network. To date, an analytical model for predicting the conductivity of narrow fractures has been established. However, the proppant added in fracturing has a limited particle size distribution range, and the effect of different particle size combinations on the conductivity of narrow fractures remains unclear. Therefore, based on the mechanical contact theory, this study established a prediction model for the conductivity of monolayer-supported fractures with multi-particle size distributions. The results showed that, under the action of closure pressure, the fracture conductivity decreased sharply when proppants with large and small particle sizes were successively embedded in the rock. The higher was the proportion of proppant with a large particle size, the smaller was the sharp decline in conductivity. When the embedding process was stable, the embedding of a small particle size proppant could slow the decline in conductivity. The larger the proppant proportion was, the larger was the residual fracture width. The permeability increased linearly with an increase in the proppant proportion. It was determined that a least desirable proppant particle size ratio exists, which results in the lowest conductivity. With an increase in the large proppant size ratio, the proppant particle size ratio shifts to the right. The choice of proppant with a similar particle size has little effect on the conductivity. On the other hand, mixing with a proppant with a smaller particle size can significantly reduce the conductivity, whereas mixing with a proppant with a larger particle size plays a significant role in the conductivity. The higher the elastic modulus of the rock is, the greater is the conductivity. The findings of this study are expected to assist in the selection of proppant particle sizes in fracturing operations.

Effect of Nanoclay Addition on the Morphology, Fiber Size Distribution and Pore Size of Electrospun Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) Composite Fibers for Air Filter Applications

The fabrication of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) electrospun layers for air filter applications is the target of this study. Solutions of 10% PVP containing 0, 3, 10 and 25 wt% nanoclay were used to fabricate electrospun fibers. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fibers’ roughness increased by increasing the nanoclay content, and it was maximum at the nanoclay concentration of 25 wt%. Concurrently, nanoclay decreased the pore size considerably and increased the range of the fibers’ size distribution up to 100%. In addition, as the nanoclay concentration increased, the frequency distribution decreased abruptly for the larger fiber sizes and increased dramatically for the small fiber sizes. This phenomenon was correlated to the effect of nanoclay concentration on the conductivity of the solution. The solution’s conductivity increased from 1.7 ± 0.05 µS/cm for the PVP solution without nanoclay to 62.7 ± 0.19 µS/cm for the solution containing 25 wt% nanoclay and destabilized the electrospun jet, increasing the range of fiber size distribution. Therefore, the PVP solution containing 25 wt% nanoclay has potential characteristics suitable for air-filter applications, owing to its rougher fibers and combination of fine and thicker fibers.

A new purification technique to obtain specific size distribution of giant lipid vesicles using dual filtration.

A new purification technique is developed for obtaining distribution of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) within a specific range of sizes using dual filtration. The GUVs were prepared using well known natural swelling method. For filtration, different combinations of polycarbonate membranes were implemented in filter holders. In our experiment, the combinations of membranes were selected with corresponding pore sizes–(i) 12 and 10 μm, (ii) 12 and 8 μm, and (iii) 10 and 8 μm. By these filtration arrangements, obtained GUVs size distribution were in the ranges of 6−26 μm, 5–38 μm and 5–30 μm, respectively. In comparison, the size distribution range was much higher for single filtration technique, for example, 6−59 μm GUVs found for a membrane with 12 μm pores. Using this technique, the water-soluble fluorescent probe, calcein, can be removed from the suspension of GUVs successfully. The size distributions were analyzed with lognormal distribution. The skewness became smaller (narrow size distribution) when a dual filtration was used instead of single filtration. The mode of the size distribution obtained in dual filtration was also smaller to that of single filtration. By continuing this process of purification for a second time, the GUVs size distribution became even narrower. After using an extra filtration with dual filtration, two different size distributions of GUVs were obtained at a time. This experimental observation suggests that different size specific distributions of GUVs can be obtained easily, even if GUVs are prepared by different other methods.

Noncovalent Interactions of Sea Buckthorn Polyphenols with Casein and Whey Proteins: Effect on the Stability, Antioxidant Potential, and Bioaccessibility of Polyphenols

In this work, effect of casein and whey protein interaction on the stability, antioxidant potential, and bioaccessibility of sea buckthorn polyphenols was investigated. The results revealed that casein–polyphenol and whey protein–polyphenol interaction both decreased the in vitro antioxidant capacity of polyphenols. On the other hand, the protein–polyphenol complexes increased the stability of sea buckthorn polyphenols during simulated in vitro digestion. Moreover, both the casein–polyphenol and whey protein–polyphenol complexes exhibited an increased bioaccessibility of polyphenols (60.97–64.97%) in comparison to that of free polyphenolic extract (40.01%). The main bonding force between sea buckthorn polyphenols and the proteins was found to be a hydrophobic interaction, as revealed by ATR-FTIR, UV–vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The particle size of casein–polyphenol and whey protein–polyphenol complexes was in the nanosize region (650–983 nm). The low span factors of polyphenol–protein complexes revealed the narrow range of particle size distribution and thus more homogeneity in the particle size. This finding highlights that the interaction between casein and whey proteins with sea buckthorn polyphenols could protect these bioactive compounds against the influence of simulated digestion.

Particle size effects on dislocation density, microstructure, and phase transformation for high-entropy alloy powders

Recrystallization and phase transformation reactions are driven by energy stored in the parent phase due to previous processing history. Grain boundaries, lattice strain, and dislocation networks may affect subsequent microstructural evolution, especially during metal powder consolidation processes. In this work, AlCrFe2Ni2 eutectic high-entropy alloy powders over a wide range of size distribution were used to investigate the correlation between dislocation density and microstructure as a function of particle size. Line profile analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns of the as-received (quenched) samples shows that the dislocation density increases linearly with decreasing particle size. Based on microstructure analysis of the as-quenched and the annealed samples, it is found that the correlation is associated with the grain boundary length which increases with decreasing particle size, revealing that the key source of dislocation density is dislocations within the grain boundaries. The grain boundary energy acts as a driving force for the metastable to stable phase transformation of AlCrFe2Ni2, showing that the phase transformation kinetics is a function of particle size. This work shows a direct experimental observation and quantitative analysis that in metallic powder systems particle size is one of the key parameters which affects the dislocation density and the phase transformation kinetics most probably due to the different cooling rates achieved during powder production.

Amination of ether-linked polymers via the application of Ullmann-coupling reaction: synthesis, characterization, porosity, and thermal stability evaluation

In this report, an open-chain ether-linked polymer (PE-AF) has been prepared via one-step co-condensation polymerization of 1,4-dibromo-2,5-difluorobenzene with bisphenol AF. The new polymer has shown a good solubility in non-polar solvents, good thermal stability (up to 300 °C), high char residue with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 33.5, surface morphology with random fluffy-like texture, and a non-porosity nature with a surface area (SA) of 35 m2g−1. Tailoring these properties has been achieved by considering post-modification on the Bromo-sites of the polymer backbone. The post-modification was attained by applying Ullmann-coupling reaction of the Bromo-sites of PE-AF and aromatic diamines in presence of a catalytic amount of copper iodide. Upon inclusion of the aromatic diamines within the polymer’s backbone, the new polymers have depicted aggregated surface morphology (e.g. spherical particles ca. 0.3–0.1 µm), pronounced porosity nature (SA up to 354 m2g−1), varied range of pore size distribution, and higher thermal stability with lower char residue contents when compared with PE-AF. The successful production of the polymers was confirmed by (C, H, O, and N) elemental analysis, solid-state 13C-NMR, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The application of Ullmann-coupling raises the opportunity to create cavities and pores within the polymer’s framework. Though this modification lowered the LOI of the polymers and their flame-retardant tendency, it enhanced their opportunity for gas capture and separation applications.

Nasal Spray Formulations Based on Combined Hyalurosomes and Glycerosomes Loading Zingiber officinalis Extract as Green and Natural Strategy for the Treatment of Rhinitis and Rhinosinusitis.

A total green nanotechnological nasal spray has been manufactured and proposed as an alternative treatment of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. It was obtained by combining the strengthening effect of liposomes on barrier function, the hydrating and lubricating properties of sodium hyaluronan and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the extract of Zingiber officinalis. To this purpose, the extract was loaded in special phospholipid vesicles immobilized with hyaluronic acid (hyalurosomes), which were further enriched with glycerol in the water phase. Liposomes and glycerosomes were prepared as well and used as reference. Vesicles were oligolamellar and multicompartment, as confirmed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) observation, small in size (~140 nm) and negatively charged (~−23 mV). Spray characteristics were evaluated by using the Spraytec® and instant images, from which the plume angle was measured. The range of the droplet size distribution and the narrow spray angle obtained suggest a good nebulization and a possible local deposition in the nasal cavity. In vitro studies performed by using human keratinocytes confirmed the high biocompatibility of vesicles and their ability to effectively counteract oxidative damage on cells induced by hydrogen peroxide. The overall collected data suggest that our vesicles are suitable as nasal spray.

Research progress and prospect of membrane method in seawater/brine extraction of lithium

With the widespread promotion of new energy electric vehicles for lithium batteries worldwide, the demand for lithium is surging. And the industry chain of lithium is in the process of technological transformation and upgrading, the extraction of lithium from salt lake brine is becoming the main source. Comprehensively compare the precipitation method, adsorption method, calcining leaching method, extraction method, and other processes used in the extraction of lithium from brine, membrane separation is a high-efficiency and energy-saving separation and purification technology without phase change at room temperature, and it has become the most promising energy-saving and environmentally-friendly new technology in the lithium extraction industry. At present, the research on membrane processes with lithium separation effect mainly includes membrane-adsorption, membrane-solvent extraction and membrane-electrodialysis, etc. And membrane-electrodialysis technology has been successfully applied to extract lithium from salt lake brine in industry. However, the existing shortcomings of organic membranes, such as membrane blockage, organic matter dissolution loss, and environmental pollution, limit the promotion of membrane-electrodialysis in the lithium extraction industry. Inorganic ceramic membranes are divided into microfiltration, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration according to the pore size. The separation process is mainly based on the “physical screening” theory, and the inorganic ceramic membrane material has stable chemical structure, good mechanical properties, simple preparation process, high temperature resistance, uniform pore size, It has many advantages such as narrow pore size distribution range and long life. Therefore, the development of new inorganic membrane materials has attracted widespread attention from the academic community and has become a hot issue in the study of lithium extraction by membrane methods.

A critical note on filtering-face-piece filtration efficiency determination applying EN 149

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, filtering-face-pieces and their certification get great attention from society. The determination of total filtration efficiency according to DIN EN 149/DIN EN 13274-7 (European standard for FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 masks) has several drawbacks, making reliable certification of filtering-face-pieces difficult. This note analyses two of these drawbacks, namely the ambiguous definition of the total filtration efficiency and the broad range of the test aerosol particle size distributions allowed. The range of total filtration efficiency values for individual masks resulting from rather wide or missing specifications in the standard is calculated using size resolved penetration curves of 11 FFP2 masks from literature and 11 FFP2 masks from own measurements. From the 22 FFP2 masks regarded in this analysis, two would either pass or fail certification in dependence of the applied definition of the total filtration efficiency and the test aerosol applied.

Güneydoğu Karadeniz’de dağılım gösteren kahküllü horozbina balığı Parablennius tentacularis (Brünnich, 1768)’de yaş tahmini ve en uygun büyüme modelinin seçimi

By the study's coverage, 522 individuals of tentacled blenny (Parablennius tentacularis (Brünnich, 1768)), were caught with the bottom trawl operations (commercial fisheries and scientific field surveys) between May 2010 and March 2012 from the southeastern Black Sea. The size distribution range of the sample varied between 4.8-10.8 cm. The difference between sex length (K-S test, Z=3.729, P=0.000) and weight frequency distributions (K-S test, Z=3.605, P=0.000) was found to be statistically significant. The length-weight relationship models were defined as isometric with W = 0.009L3.034 in male individuals and positive allometric with W = 0.006L3.226 in female individuals. Otolith and vertebra samples were compared for the selection of the most accurate hard structure that can be used to determine the age. Otolith was chosen as the most suitable hard structure. The current data set was used to predict the best growth model. For this purpose, the growth parameters were estimated with the widely used von Bertalanffy, Gompertz and Logistic growth functions. Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC), Lmak./L∞ ratio, and R2 criteria were used to select the most accurate growth models established through these functions. Model averaged parameters were calculated with multi-model inference (MMI): L'∞ = 15.091 cm, S.E. (L'∞) = 3.966, K'= 0.232 year-1, S.E. (K') = 0.122.

Impact of Dust on Spectral Distortion Measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Abstract Spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) are sensitive to energy injection by exotic physics in the early universe. The proposed Primordial Inflation Explorer (PIXIE) mission has the raw sensitivity to provide meaningful limits on new physics, but only if foreground emission can be adequately modeled. We quantify the impact of interstellar dust on Compton y and μ measurements by considering a range of grain size distributions and compositions constrained by theoretical and observational priors. We find that PIXIE can marginalize over a modest number of dust parameters and still recover y and μ estimates, though with increased uncertainty. As more foreground components are included (synchrotron, free–free), estimates of y degrade, and measurement of μ in the range sometimes considered for the standard ΛCDM of 2 × 10−8 becomes infeasible without ancillary low-frequency foreground information. An additional concern is dust absorption of the CMB monopole, a subtle effect that must be included. We quantify one form of model discrepancy error, finding that the error introduced by fitting our interstellar medium dust model with a modified blackbody is too large for CMB spectral distortions to be detectable. The greatest challenge may be the cosmic infrared background (CIB). We find that μ and y are extremely sensitive to modeling choices for the CIB, and quantify biases expected for a range of assumptions.

Particle Parameters of Asphalt Pavement Milling Recycling Material

Based on laboratory data and literature data, this paper has carried out a study on the particle parameters of asphalt pavement milling recycled materials. From the two indicators of the characteristic particle size and uniformity of the aggregate, the difference between the particle characteristics of the new aggregate and the recycled material, the changes in the composition of the macroscopic particles after the recycled material are extracted in advance and the attenuation law of the asphalt mixture gradation during the service time of the road surface was studied in this paper. The results show that based on the RRS equation, the particle distribution simulation of aggregates, RAP materials and mixtures can be simulated, and two characterization parameters of characteristic particle size and uniformity coefficient can be obtained. Under the condition of the same particle size range, the characteristic particle size of RAP material is smaller than that of the new aggregate, the uniformity improved, and the particle size distribution range becomes narrow. There is a good mathematical relationship between the characteristic particle size and uniformity coefficient of the RAP material after extraction. The characteristic particle size of the RAP material after extraction reduces, while the uniformity coefficient gets further reduced. With the extension of the age, the characteristic particle size and uniformity coefficient of the mixture have shown a significant linear attenuation. In order to ensure the quality stability of recycled mixtures, the classification and management of RAP materials should be strengthened in the actual recycling design and application process.

Microstructure-Dependent Rate Theory Model of Radiation-Induced Segregation in Binary Alloys

Conventional rate theory often uses the mean field concept to describe the effect of inhomogeneous microstructures on the evolution of radiation induced defect and solute/fission product segregation. However, the spatial and temporal evolution of defects and solutes determines the formation and spatial distribution of radiation-induced second phase such as precipitates and gas bubbles/voids, especially in materials with complicated microstructures and subject to high dose radiation. In this work, a microstructure-dependent model of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) has been developed to investigate the effect of inhomogeneous thermodynamic and kinetics properties of defects on diffusion and accumulations of solute A in AB binary alloys. Four independent concentrations: atom A, interstitial A, interstitial B, and vacancy on [A, B] sublattice are used as field variables to describe temporal and spatial distribution and evolution of defects and solute A. The independent concentrations of interstitial A and interstitial B allow to describe their different generation rates, thermodynamic and kinetic properties, and release the assumptions of interstitial generation and sink strength used in the conventional rate theory. Microstructure and concentration dependent chemical potentials of defects are used to calculate the driving forces of defect diffusions. With the model, the effects of defect chemical potentials and mobilities on the RIS in polycrystalline AB model alloys have been simulated. The results demonstrated the model capability in predicting defect evolution in materials with inhomogeneous thermodynamic and kinetic properties of defects. The model can be extended to materials with complicated microstructures such as a wide range of grain size distribution, coating structure and multiphases as well as radiation-induced precipitation subject to severe radiation damage.

Effects of Oxygen Cathode Substrates with Various Carbon Catalysts on the Discharge Capacity of Lithium-Oxygen Battery

Lithium-oxygen batteries have been considered strong candidates to supersede current rechargeable batteries especially lithium-ion batteries. Despite having tremendously high theoretical energy density, the practically achievable energy density is far from commercial application till date. The oxygen electrode is one of the major bottlenecks in maximizing the battery capacity. It is comprised of a porous structure (mainly carbon) with high surface area and sufficient reaction sites. High porosity facilitates lithium ion and oxygen mass transfer and results in high storage capacity for the insoluble discharge product during discharging. The cathode electrode is fabricated by coating a catalyst layer on a porous carbon substrate. The substrate, which contacts with oxygen channels, plays a vital role in mass transfer of oxygen from outside to the reaction sites. Therefore, it is important to select a substrate that does not clog with deposition of Li2O2 particles immediately after discharging begins and allows oxygen to reach the catalyst side for longer period of time.This study investigates the effects of oxygen electrode substrates with various coating materials on the discharge capacity of lithium-oxygen battery. For this purpose, we have compared the discharge capacity of plain carbon cloth, plain carbon paper and carbon cloth or carbon paper coated with carbon catalysts including Vulcan XC, Super P and Graphene Oxide. 1.5mg/cm2 (+/-0.3mg/ cm2) is used as catalyst loading. The electrolyte used in this study is 1M LiTFSI in TEGDME. PTFE (30wt%) is used as a binder. All experiments are conducted at room temperature with pure oxygen supply.With carbon cloth as a substrate, the discharge capacities obtained were 3 to 6 times higher (depending on the carbon catalysts coated) than the capacities obtained with carbon paper. The bare carbon cloth, Vulcan XC, Super P and Graphene oxide with carbon cloth as a substrate have discharge capacities of 0.11 mAh/mg, 13 mAh/mg, 6.8 mAh/mg, 1.5 mAh/mg respectively. On the other hand, the discharge capacities achieved with bare carbon paper, Vulcan XC, Super P and graphene oxide with carbon paper as substrate were 0.02 mAh/mg, 2.4 mAh/mg, 2.7 mAh/mg, 0.28 mAh/mg respectively. The results clearly indicate that the cathode with carbon cloth as a substrate yields significantly higher discharge capacity with all the coating materials as compared with the carbon paper. The different performances of two substrates can be attributed to their structure and pore size distribution. Carbon cloth is composed of flexible woven threads with longer lengths ( ̴ 30µm) and broader pore size distribution (5-200 µm) with peaks at 10, 70 and 100 µm. This type of structure is favorable in reducing tortuosity, enhancing mass transport of oxygen and lithium ion and improving ionic conductivity. On the other hand, the structure of carbon paper comprises of non-woven short carbon fibers ( ̴ 15µm) and smaller pore size distribution range (10-70 µm) with a peak at 50 µm. This renders poor transport of oxygen from outside to the reaction sites leading to lower discharge capacity.The primary function of coating materials is to increase surface area of cathode thereby providing more reaction sites and creating tri-phase boundaries for reaction to take place. These catalysts also have different pore size distributions and resistance to mass transfer. Therefore, various carbon catalysts used yield different discharge capacity with same substrate.

Degradation of ciprofloxacin using hematite/MOF nanocomposite as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst: A comparison of composite and core−shell structures

A novel strategy was described to fabricate hematite-MOF materials with morphologies (core-shell) and (composite) as an efficient peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activator for degrading ciprofloxacin (CIP) antibiotics. First, α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) with a size distribution range of 80 nm were prepared by surfactant-assisted reflux method. Then, cobalt-based metal-organic framework (ZIF-67) was grown onto the α-Fe2O3 NPs with ultrasonic and solvothermal method, which can control the nanostructures morphology. The physicochemical properties of these nanostructures were probed by ATR-IR, WA-XRD, FESEM, VSM, TEM, and EDS spectroscopy. The results showed that all the added CIP (20 ppm) antibiotics were completely degraded in 30 min in the α-Fe2O3/ZIF-67 (0.10 g/L) and PMS (0.20 g/L) system with rate constant of 0.130 min−1. To validate the merits of the α-Fe2O3/ZIF-67, α-Fe2O3@ZIF-67 core-shell nanostructures were also applied under similar conditions. The findings demonstrated that Co/Fe species within α-Fe2O3/ZIF-67 composite catalyzed PMS synergistically to the formation of the OH and SO4− and 1O2 for CIP degradation. Furthermore, α-Fe2O3/ZIF-67 showed good recyclability enabling facile separation of the catalyst from reaction mixtures using an external magnet. The current protocol can be a useful criterion in designing various Magnetic-MOF composites with controlled morphologies for environmental remediation.

The evolution of latitudinal ranges in reef‐associated fishes: Heritability, limits and inverse Rapoport's rule

AbstractAimVariation in the size and position of geographical ranges is a key variable that underlies most biogeographical patterns. However, relatively little is known in terms of general principles driving their evolution, particularly in the marine realm. In this study we explore several fundamental properties regarding the evolution of reef fish latitudinal ranges, namely the degree of similarity in range size between ancestor and descendant lineages (i.e. phylogenetic signal); the evolution of range limits; and the latitudinal distribution of range sizes, particularly with respect to Rapoport's rule.LocationGlobal.TaxonReef‐associated fishes.MethodsWe integrate data on the latitudinal distribution and evolutionary history of 5,071 reef fish species with phylogenetic comparative methods to assess the level of phylogenetic signal in latitudinal range size, low‐ and high‐latitude limits and range midpoints, and to estimate rates of evolution of those traits. Finally, we test whether latitudinal ranges become smaller near the equator, as predicted by Rapoport's rule, using phylogenetic generalized least squares.ResultsThere were varying levels of phylogenetic signal in latitudinal range size, low‐ and high‐latitude limits and range midpoints. Despite these differences, latitudinal midpoints were consistently shown to have the highest phylogenetic signal among all measured geographical features. Interestingly, the position of high‐latitude limits in general evolved at substantially faster rates than their low‐latitude counterparts. Finally, we confirm for the first time the existence of an inverse Rapoport's rule in reef‐associated fishes using phylogenetic comparative methods. Indeed, mean latitudinal range size of tropical species is nearly twice the size of their temperate counterparts (2,067 ± 1,431 km vs. 1,168 ± 725 km respectively).Main conclusionsWe uncovered several congruent patterns in phylogenetic signal and rates of evolution of latitudinal ranges, despite vastly disparate biogeographical distributions and ecological differences between the studied fish lineages. Such broad congruence across different taxa and oceans, as well as with previous data from terrestrial environments, suggests that the observed patterns might represent general principles governing geographical range evolution.

Nanobubble-Assisted Flotation of Apatite Tailings: Insights on Beneficiation Options.

Processing of materials that originated from tailings of industrial plants (with a wide range of particle size distribution, “PSD”) without grinding has several advantages since mines are faced with a lot of pressure to minimize their environmental impacts. This article indicates that the introduction of submicron bubbles (known as nanobubbles, “NBs”) to conventional flotation could improve the separation efficiency of valuable minerals from their associated gangue phases. It was demonstrated that metallurgical responses (recovery, grade, selectivity, and kinetics) of NB flotation could improve compared to those of conventional tests. Various hydrodynamic cavitation setups for NB generation may lead to different metallurgical responses. In general, the addition of surfactants (frothers and collectors) for NB generation could increase both mass and water recoveries, which would be key factors on selectivity. Selectivity is also markedly dependent on the PSD of feed, and the selectivity of NB flotation is improved significantly by decreasing the feed size. In general, generation of NBs in the presence of a frother leads to higher flotation metallurgical responses than in the presence of a collector.

Performance of simvastatin microsponges as a local treatment for chronic periodontitis – Randomized clinical trial

Simvastatin (SV) is a lipid lowering drug exhibits anti-inflammatory and anabolic effects on the bone, so it could be utilized for the local treatment of periodontitis. However, the poor solubility of SV limits its penetration through the gingival sulcus. Encapsulating SV into microsponges may have the potential to enhance the dissolution and subsequently its local penetration. In this study, SV microsponges had been prepared using the emulsion-solvent evaporation technique where, Eudragit RS-100 was employed as the polymer. The % encapsulation efficiency(%EE) of drug approached 77.32 ± 2.03. The prepared microsponges were free flowing, spherical in shape having narrow size distribution range. The particle size of the prepared microsponges was 93.79 ± 7.21 μm in diameter with a small polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.0059 ± 0.0008. In-vitro dissolution studies of SV microsponges showed that the solubility of SV had significantly enhanced upon inclusion inside the microsponges. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated hydrogen bond formation between SV and Eudragit RS-100. The prepared microsponges were incorporated in chitosan 2% gels. A clinical study was conducted on 24 selected patients having bony periodontal defects to compare the efficacy of chitosan 2% gel containing free (SV) with that containing SV microsponge in treatment of chronic periodontitis. Results showed that the chitosan gels containing SV microsponges exhibited significant reduction in both pocket depth and clinical attachment loss compared to those prepared with free SV. This might be attributed to hydrogen bond formation between microsponges entrapped SV and chitosan, thus microsponges are auspicious as a carrier for SV for local treatment of periodontitis.

Predicting the geographic distribution habitats of Schizomyia buboniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and its host plant Deverra tortuosa (Apiaceae) in Egypt by using MaxEnt modeling

BackgroundIn some localities of the Mediterranean coast and the Nile land region, the gall midge Schizomyia buboniae Frauenfeld, 1859 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) induce small barrel-shaped galls on the stem of Deverra tortuosa (Desf.) DC. (Family: Apiaceae). Host plants interact with several insects in a different manner. The current work studies the interaction of S. buboniae with D. tortuosa. Furthermore, the present work predicted the distribution of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa in Egypt by using MaxEnt modeling, in addition to the effect of elevation and vegetation cover on its distribution.ResultsThe predominance of S. buboniae occurred during late winter to spring. The S. buboniae larvae are occasionally attacked by endoparasitoids of the genus Inostemma (Platygastridae). There was a significant positive correlation between the number of galls per plant and the plant cover within the study localities. Meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between the number of galls per plant and the altitude within the study localities. Also, the high temperature and altitude were the most important predictors for the habitat distribution of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa. The predicted distribution range size for S. buboniae is less than the total predicted distribution range size for D. tortuosa.ConclusionsThe current study suggests that the gall inducer prefers large plants more than small ones. The present study suggests that the habitat distribution patterns of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa in Egypt can be modeled using a small number of occurrence records together with environmental variable layers for the study area through the maximum entropy modeling technique.