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CaAl-Layered double hydroxide (LDH) of hydrocalumite-type with nitrate anions in the inter-lamellar region was synthesized via the co-precipitation method at fixed pH and with a selected Ca/Al molar ratio of the starting salts equal to two. The obtained CaAl–NO3 compound was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In this context, this material has been employed as an adsorbent for the retention of the reactive azo dye, alizarin yellow R (AYR), from an aqueous solution. To further investigate the practical potential of CaAl–NO3 for AYR dye adsorption, the effects of various parameters such as temperature, the concentration of dye, pH, adsorbent dose, and contact time on adsorption capacity were separately exanimated. The findings results suggest that a pH of 9 is more suitable for the AYR dye adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics was better explained by the pseudo-first-order model, and equilibrium was achieved after 30 min of contact. The equilibrium adsorption data of AYR dye on the prepared CaAl–NO3 was well fitted to the Langmuir model, and it was characterized by an excellent adsorption capacity of 2107 mg/g at 293 K. Thus, due to the 2D structure and its positively charged layers, CaAl–NO3 material exhibits an exceptional ability to remove alizarin yellow R dye from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposites based on hydrozincite-TiO2 and copper-doped HZ-xCu-TiO2 (x = 0.1; 0.25; 0.35) were synthesized in a single step using the urea method. The samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM/TEM, and DRS. The study of adsorption capacity and photocatalytic efficiency of these nanocomposites have been tested on a pharmaceutical pollutant, mefenamic acid (MFA). Kinetic study of removal of MFA indicates that this pollutant was adsorbed on the surface of the synthesized phases, according to Langmuir's model. Such adsorption proved to be well adapted in a kinetic pseudo-second-order model with capacity of 13.08 mg/g for HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2. Subsequently, the kinetics of photocatalytic degradation under UV–visible irradiation was studied according to several parameters, which allowed us to optimize our experimental conditions. The nanocomposite HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2 showed significant removal efficiency of MFA. Elimination rate reached 100% after 20 min under UV–vis irradiation, and 77% after 7 h under visible light irradiation. Repeatability tests have shown that this nanocomposite is extremely stable after six photocatalytic cycles. By-products of MFA were detected by LC/MS. These photoproducts was produced by three types of reactions of hydroxylation: cyclization and cleavage of the aromatic ring. MFA underwent complete mineralization after 22 h of irradiation in the presence of the HZ-0.25Cu-TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations on regulatory genes of feed intake will provide a rational scientific basis to improve future selection indices for more efficient chickens. In the present study, we investigated the association of 13 previously reported SNPs in the chicken adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) subunits PRKAB1, PRKAG2, and PRKAG3 genes with body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in two distinct yellow meat-type strains. Six SNPs with a very low minor allele frequency were removed by genotype quality control and data filtering. The experimental population comprised 796 pedigreed males from two strains with different genetic backgrounds, 335 chickens from N202 and 461 chickens from N301. BW at 49 (BW49) and 70 days of age (BW70) and FI (from 49 to 70 days of age) were determined individually. BWG and FCR were computed based on BW and FI in the interval between 49 to 70 days. The results indicated that PRKAB1 SNPs rs14094358 and rs14094362 were significantly associated with BW70, BWG, and FI in the N202 strain, and rs14094361 and rs14094363 were significantly associated with FI and FCR in the N301 strain (P < 0.05). In addition, the PRKAG2 SNP rs14133282 showed significant association with FI in N202, and rs13535812 was significantly associated with BW70 in N202 (P < 0.05). Moreover, the PRKAG3 SNP rs13595570 was significantly associated with BW in N202 (P < 0.05), and significantly associated with FI and FCR in N301 (P < 0.05). Additionally, a two-SNP haplotype comprising rs14094361 and rs14094362 in PRKAB1 was significantly associated with BWG in N202 (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, haplotypes based on two SNPs, rs14133282, and rs13535812, showed significant effects on FI in N202 (P < 0.05). Our findings therefore provide important evidence for association of AMPK subunits polymorphisms with body weight, feed intake, and feed efficiency that may be applied in meat-type chicken breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinyl benzene sulfonate (styrene sulfonate, VBS) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) were incorporated into Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) by templating reaction. The two host structures investigated are Zn2Al(OH)6Cl. nH2O of hydrotalcite-type and Ca2Al(OH)6Cl. nH2O of hydrocalumite-type.The electrostatic binding between sulfonate groups of VBS and the inner-surface of LDH host structure evaluated by 13C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy causes some shifts in the resonance lines. In situ polymerization of VBS molecules between LDH sheets is reached after soft heat treatment. Its completion requires a good matching between the layer charge density and the projected surface area of the guest molecule achieved by a ratio M2+ to M3+ of 2. For the pristine material, the change from Oh to Td aluminum site appears to be a collective process for the hydrocalumite, whereas it is more progressive for the hydrotalcite-type material. For the corresponding organoceramics, the site conversion before the breakdown of the lamellar structure is substantially reduced, and especially for PSS/LDH nanocomposite obtained by in situ polymerization.CaAl–VBS intercalate crystallizes in C2/c space group inducing a bilayer arrangement of VBS anions in the interlamellar space. Furthermore, distances between anionic sites allow an in situ zig-zag polymerization of syndiotactic type along the a axis. For hydrotalcite, the short Al3+–Al3+ distance at a√3 prevents also the formation of PSS other than syndiotactic. The thermal stability of the nanocomposites depends on the host structure but also on the synthesis pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CaAl-Layered double hydroxide (LDH) of hydrocalumite-type with nitrate anions in the inter-lamellar region was synthesized via the co-precipitation method at fixed pH and with a selected Ca/Al molar ratio of the starting salts equal to two. The obtained CaAl–NO3 compound was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In this context, this material has been employed as an adsorbent for the retention of the reactive azo dye, alizarin yellow R (AYR), from an aqueous solution. To further investigate the practical potential of CaAl–NO3 for AYR dye adsorption, the effects of various parameters such as temperature, the concentration of dye, pH, adsorbent dose, and contact time on adsorption capacity were separately exanimated. The findings results suggest that a pH of 9 is more suitable for the AYR dye adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics was better explained by the pseudo-first-order model, and equilibrium was achieved after 30 min of contact. The equilibrium adsorption data of AYR dye on the prepared CaAl–NO3 was well fitted to the Langmuir model, and it was characterized by an excellent adsorption capacity of 2107 mg/g at 293 K. Thus, due to the 2D structure and its positively charged layers, CaAl–NO3 material exhibits an exceptional ability to remove alizarin yellow R dye from aqueous solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]