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Mineralogical and chemical characterization of Suez Bay surface sediments via multi-analytical techniques
Abstract The mineralogical and chemical characteristics of sediments from Suez Bay (SB) were investigated and correlated with the key water quality parameters. These include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and total dissolved solids (TDS). Samples were collected from offshore SB sediments, and mass loss at different temperatures (120, 550, and 1000 °C) was analyzed. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to determine the concentrations of 40 elements. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was applied to identify crystalline mineral phases, while Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to characterize functional groups associated with organic matter and carbonate inputs. Major mass losses at 550 and 1000 °C were confirmed to result from the decomposition of organic matter and carbonate minerals, respectively. High enrichment factors and strong inter-element correlations were observed, indicating common sources for specific element groups. A positive correlation was observed between PAHs in sediments and vanadium and nickel, suggesting a petrogenic origin. Significant positive correlations between barium, copper, lead, and zinc likely reflect contamination from ship maintenance activities at the Kazak Hassan West site, south of the SB. In contrast, dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) in the water showed a negative correlation with silica, highlighting their distinct source origins. These findings reveal the distribution patterns of pollutants and their interactions with sediment mineralogy and chemistry, contributing to a clearer understanding of environmental pollution in SB. The results emphasize the influence of proximity to the Suez Canal and human activities on the geochemical behavior of the SB sediments and overlying waters.
The effect of probiotic baker’s yeast on egg quality, tibia characteristics, and hepatic lipid peroxidation in laying hens
Ionization enhancement in radio-frequency plasma thrusters with applied static magnetic fields
Enhancing ADL skill acquisition in children with ASD through a personalized, fuzzy logic-based tablet game: a pilot study
Efficient transgenic maize (Zea Mays L.) detection using low-depth next-generation sequencing
Climate change perceptions across four ecological regions in Italy and Austria
Correction: Comparative analysis of cutaneous features of psoriasis in acute and chronic imiquimod-induced mouse models
Smart battery management in EVs using IoT, blockchain, and machine learning
Integrated groundwater quality assessment using geochemical modelling and machine learning approach in Northern India
Calculating thermal neutron cross-section and resonance integrals of the 165Ho(n,γ)166gHo, 170Er(n,γ)171Er, 186W(n,γ)187W, and 174Yb(n,γ)175Yb reactions using GEANT4 and TALYS codes
Resolving the boron anomaly in SrF2-borate glasses using combined MRN-TCT-percolation framework
Abstract This study resolves the longstanding “boron anomaly” by integrating Modified Random Network (MRN), Topological Constraint Theory (TCT), and Percolation Theory. SrF 2 (acting dually as network disruptor/charge compensator) was substituted in 50B 2 O 3 –(20–X)PbO–(X)SrF 2 –20CaO–10ZnO glasses (X = 0–20 mol%) via melt-quenching technique. MRN reveals SrF 2 -induced phase separation into $${\text{F}}^{-}$$ -rich disordered domains (XRD: 45° hump) and B 4+ -rich ordered domains (28° hump), explaining increased Urbach energy (from 0.291 to 0.389 eV). TCT quantifies (B 3+ to B 4+ ) conversion (N4% increase from 33.8% to 77.9%), where percolating BO 4 tetrahedra enhance rigidity. This increases Young’s modulus (from 61.98 to 83.25 GPa) despite density loss and widens direct (from 2.964 to 3.215 eV) and indirect (from 2.537 to 2.652 eV) bandgaps. Percolation Theory identifies a critical threshold at 10 mol% SrF 2 : below this, $${\text{F}}^{-}$$ disrupts the network (forming BO 2 F 2 /BO 3 F defects), causing non-monotonic N4% (minimum 27.3% at X = 5 mol%) and modulus anomalies. Above 10 mol%, $${\text{F}}^{-}$$ saturation enables charge compensation (stabilizing BO 4 ⁻ units). This triple-theory synergy decodes the anomaly and enables eco-friendly glass design with tailored opto-mechanical properties.
Genomic characterization and epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 2 isolates from Kazakhstan
Characteristics and influencing factors of spontaneous imbibition in deep tight conglomerate reservoirs in the Mahu Sag
Disentangling contributions to longitudinal magnetoconductivity for Kramers-Weyl nodes
Optimization of mine ventilation energy consumption based on improved dung beetle algorithm
Correction: High-energy X-ray phase-contrast CT of an adult human chest phantom
Trust in institutions and misinformation susceptibility both independently explain vaccine skepticism
Abstract Herd immunity for preventable childhood infectious diseases such as measles and mumps has come under threat in numerous countries, due to declining vaccination rates. This decline underscores the urgent need to understand the underlying mechanisms of vaccine skepticism. Institutional (dis)trust and belief in (vaccine) misinformation have been proposed as important factors, but their interconnectedness and potential mutual influence have remained elusive. Importantly, higher trust has been hypothesized to serve as a “buffer” against the adverse effects of misinformation belief. In this preregistered study ( N = 1356, probability sample of Dutch households), we address these questions using validated, high-quality measures of vaccine attitudes, trust, and misinformation susceptibility. We find that specific trust in the government with respect to vaccinations is a much stronger predictor of vaccine skepticism than general trust in institutions. Moreover, susceptibility to misinformation is significantly associated with vaccine skepticism under all model specifications. Contrary to expectations, we find no evidence for the “buffer” hypothesis, suggesting that, while correlated, misinformation susceptibility and trust are distinctly related to vaccine skepticism.