Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prions: Novel Pathogens of Environmental Concern?

On March 13, 2006, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the third case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy BSE or “mad cow” disease in the United States, the eighth confirmed case in North America. A ninth case was announced a month later by Canadian officials. While North America is not expected to experience a BSE outbreak of the magnitude as that in the United Kingdom 180,927 cases as of March 1, 2006, www.defra. gov.uk , the causal link between BSE and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease vCJD in humans has focused government and industry attention on preventing human exposure to the disease agent. The geographic range of a related disease, chronic wasting disease CWD of North American cervids members of the deer family , has expanded rapidly in the last six years. Once believed to be confined to parts of northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming, CWD is now present in captive and wild deer populations in fourteen states and two Canadian provinces www.nwhc. usgs.gov/disease-information/chronicwasting-disease/north-america-CWD-map.jsp . Management responses in several states and provinces have involved significant reductions in wild cervid populations and depopulation of game farms. There is no evidence that CWD is transmissible to humans, however, recent research has demonstrated the experimental transmission of CWD to squirrel monkeys Marsh et al. 2005 and that CWD agent is present in deer muscle Angers et al. 2006 . These findings may intensify concern by scientists, wildlife managers, and the general public about potential human exposure to CWD agent. BSE, CWD, CJD, and scrapie a natural infection of sheep and goats belong to a family of infectious, neurodegenerative diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies TSEs or prion diseases. TSEs are characterized by long incubation periods, spongiform degeneration of the brain, accumulation of PrPSc a misfolded form of a normally benign cell-surface prion protein PrPC , loss of coordination and, in humans, personality changes and memory loss Prusiner 1998 . These diseases have long preclinical phases, and once clinical symptoms
Novel Hybrids Derived from Poly(thiourea-amide)/Epoxy and Carbon Nanotubes

In the present work, nanocomposites of a matrix composed of poly(thiourea-amide) (an aramid)/epoxy (thermoset) and CNTs were fabricated. The hybrids were prepared by in situ polymerization using functionalized and nonfunctionalized CNTs. Amine-terminated poly(thiourea-amide)/epoxy/CNTs hybrids were cured at 120°C with different CNTs content. Chemical linking between amine terminated poly(thiourea-amide) and epoxide group of Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) formed PTA/DGEBA complex. Hydrogen bonding of PTA with functionalized CNTs was expected to improve the hybrid characteristics. Tensile strength of functional hybrids ranged 57.36–60.68 MPa. 10% gravimetric loss (569–590°C) and Tg of PTA/DGEBA/functional CNTs (235–238°C) showed improvement over PTA/DGEBA/nonfunctional CNTs.
Adsorption of Native and Hydrophobized Human IgG onto Silica: Isotherms, Calorimetry, and Biological Activity

Adsorption onto silica of native human IgG and its hydrophobized forms prepared by covalent attachment of 11, 25, and 52 C8 alkyl chains was studied. All hydrophobized IgGs spontaneously form micellelike aggregates (nanoclusters) in aqueous solutions with a mean diameter of 40 ± 2 nm. Adsorption isotherms are of a high affinity type. The plateau surface concentration of the isotherms depends on the degree of the protein modification, increasing for 11C8−IgG and 25C8−IgG and decreasing for 52C8−IgG as compared with the native protein. The isothermal enthalpies of adsorption for the native and modified IgGs at all degrees of silica surface coverage were found to be endothermic, that is, the adsorption process is entropically driven. For the native IgG, the adsorption isotherm is apparently reversible, while the isotherms for the modified forms display distinct hysteresis. The biological (immunological) activity of the desorbed molecules was evaluated, and it was found that all forms of IgG which were desorb.
Mechanism of conduction in doped polyaniline

The conductivity of -doped emeraldine polymers is studied as a function of temperature in the range . The dopant concentration of the samples varies between 0.1 M and 1.0 M. The temperature dependence of the dc electrical conductivity gives evidence for a transport mechanism based on variable-range hopping in three dimensions. Using Mott's formula for the dc conductivity, physically meaningful values of the density of states at the Fermi energy, the hopping energy and hopping distance are calculated.
Photochemical oxidation and flow injection conductivity determination of dissolved organic carbon in estuarine and coastal waters

A modified version of the flow injection method for the determination of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) developed by Koshy et al. is described. This method is capable of DOC measurements in the presence of high levels of chloride and has a method detection limit of 0.8 mg C/L, a linear response range of 0–35 mg/L, carbon recovery of 98 ± 9%, and a sample throughput of 60 h−1. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Lab Robotics and Automation 12:157–163, 2000
Reaction of Hydroxyl Radical with Acetone. 2. Products and Reaction Mechanism

The products of the reaction of OH with acetone (OH + CH3C(O)CH3 → products) were investigated using a discharge flow tube coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer. It was shown that the yield of acetic acid from the reaction was less than 1% between 237 and 353 K. The yield of acetonyl radical was measured to be (96 ± 11)%, independent of temperature, between 242 and 350 K. The rate coefficients for the reaction were measured with this system to be the same as those reported in part 1 (J. Phys. Chem. A 2003, 107, 5014). The rate coefficients for the removal of OH (v = 1) by acetone and acetone-d6 were shown to be (2.67 ± 0.15) × 10-11 and (3.45 ± 0.24) × 10-11 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively, at 295 K. It was shown that the enthalpy of reaction for the formation of an OH−acetone adduct is more than −8 kcal mol-1 (i.e., the adduct is bound by at most 8 kcal mol-1) at 203 K. On the basis of these observations and those from part 1, we deduce that the reaction of OH with acetone occurs through a .
Analysis of Phosphate Rock Dissolution Determining Factors Using Principal Component Analysis in Some Acid Indonesian Soils

Abstract Dissolution of phosphate rock (PR) materials and its subsequent phosphorus (P) availability to plants depend upon soil characteristics, PR characteristics, type of crops, and environmental conditions. Agronomic effectiveness of the PR sources has frequently been investigated in the field or in the greenhouse. This is time consuming and not cost‐effective. Therefore, identification of the soil characteristics influencing the dissolution of PR is very important for direct application of P sources. The principal component analysis was used to summarize the characteristics of acid soils in an incubation system into a number of factors that may affect PR dissolution. Three major factors were selected in this study: 1) soil texture, 2) soil acidity, and 3) fertilization. Using the scores of the individual factors as independent variables, a stepwise regression analysis was performed to derive a PR dissolution function. The coefficient of determination (R2) reached 0.91**, and the magnitude of the different factors affect PR dissolution following the order of soil texture (54%)>soil acidity (43%)>fertilizer (3%). Fertilizer was not significant as a PR dissolution factor.
Singlet and triplet energy surfaces of NiH2

Contracted CI calculations have been performed for the concerted dissociation of NiH2 into Ni and H2. All low‐lying states have been considered. The most important result of the calculations is that the 1A1 state is much lower in energy than the other states for bent geometries. This state even forms a slightly stable complex with an H–Ni–H angle of 49°. The binding is between Ni sd‐hybridized orbitals and a weakened H2 molecule. The ground state of NiH2 is, however, found to be a linear 3Δg state, with the lowest singlet almost 1.5 eV higher in energy at this geometry. The forbidden dissociation reactions for the triplets and singlets with the lowest barriers proceed in steps with the occupation of each symmetry changing by only one unit in each step. The lowest triplet barrier is 1.8 eV, and for this state a concerted dissociation is slightly preferred over a stepwise loss of a hydrogen at a time. The mechanism for the concerted triplet dissociation may also be through spin‐orbit coupling to the 1A1 sta.
Differential anomalous wide-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray absorption experiments to investigate the formation of glass ceramics in the CaO–SiO2–ZrO2 system

The structure of a CaO–SiO2–ZrO2-based glass ceramic has been investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and differential anomalous scattering techniques as a function of the thermal treatment of the sample. The microstructure of the glass has been investigated at room temperature, before the recrystallization of the glass ceramic, and on two samples annealed at 1073 and 1273 K for 1 h to follow the early stages of nucleation of the quartz and wollastonite crystalline phases. Indications on the roles of Ca, Si and Zr during the devitrification process are given.
Does Cold Plasma Affect Breaking Dormancy and Seed Germination? A Study on Seeds of Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album agg.)

Low-pressure discharge is applied for stimulation of germination of two seed lots of Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album agg.) with different starting germinations (17%, 8%) and in different stages of dormancy. Different exposition durations with cold plasma treatment were applied. The variable of the ratio cumulative germination was calculated. The Richards' equation was used for curve-fitting and simulation of the growth curves. Population parameters, namely Vi - viability, Me - time, Qu - dispersion, and Sk - skewness, counted from the curves described the germination rate well. Significant differences among Qu confirmed the erratic dormancy and gradual germination of Lamb's Quarters. No difference in the Me parameter was found between two tested seed lots, and no interspecies characteristics were changed using low-pressure discharge. The results suggested that plasma treatment changed seed germination in Lamb's Quarters seeds.
Novel compounds with gold–transition–metal bonds; crystal and molecular structure of bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium bis(tetracarbonylcobaltio)aurate(I)

The tetrahydrothiophen group (tht) in [Au(C6F5)3(tht)] can readily be replaced by carbonylmetallate anions [M(Co)n]–(M = Co, n= 4; M = Mn, n= 5) or [M(cp)(CO)3]–(M = Mo or W; cp =η-C5H5) to give a novel type of anionic complex of general formula [N(PPh3)2][(C6F5)3Au–M(CO)n] or [NBun4][(C6F5)3Au–M(cp)-(CO)3] whose reactivity with PPh3 depends upon M. Thus, for M = Mo or W the reaction leads to the cleavage of the metal–metal bond, for M = Mn no reaction is observed at room temperature, whilst substitution of one CO group takes place for M = Co. Reaction of the carbonylmetallates with [Au(C6F5)(tht)] gives rise to disproportionations affording Q[Au(C6F5)2][Q = N(PPh3)2+ or NBun4+] and [N(PPh3)2][Au{M(CO)n}2] or [NBun4]-[Au{M(cp)(CO)3}2] which are stable at room temperature. The presence of the linear unit CO–Au–Co in [N-(PPh3)2][Au{Co(CO)4}2] has been established by a single-crystal structure determination; space group P, a= 9.610(4), b= 9.978(4), c= 11.506(5)A, α= 97.70(2), β= 97.84(2), γ= 90.97(2)°, and Z= 1. The structure has been refined to R= 0.032 for 2 475 unique observed reflections. Both the anion and cation lie on crystallographic centres of symmetry, hence the Co–Au–Co and P–N–P moieties are linear. The Au–Co bond length is 2.509(2)A.
A Study of Relationship between Alcohol Dependence and Personality

Alcohol dependence is related with multiple etiological factors and one among those is personality of the individual. This study was undertaken to explore the relationship between type of personality and alcohol addiction. Samples of 30 patients who have been admitted for de addiction were taken for the study. Socio demographic proforma, alcohol history proforma, CAGE questionnaire and Eysenck Personality Inventory were administered. It was found that significantly high number of patients with alcohol dependence syndrome had ambivert (76.6%) and neurotic (70%) personality. There were very few introverts (3.3%) and none of them had mentally well balanced personality. Clinical and research implications of the study are discussed.
Optical spectra of liquid water in vacuum uv region by means of inelastic x-ray scattering spectroscopy

Inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) spectroscopy using hard x-rays is in principle equivalent to optical spectroscopy as long as momentum transfer can be approximated to be zero. Hence IXS spectra of liquid water which corresponds to vacuum uv absorption were measured at small energy transfers with energy resolution of 0.5 eV. The loss function was derived from the spectra and its convergence for the momentum transfer smaller than 0.28 a.u. was confirmed. The reflectance spectrum and the optical oscillator strength have been calculated from the loss function. It is shown that the optical oscillator strength of liquid water differs considerably from that of gaseous water.
Lipophilicity study of fifteen fluoroquinolones by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography

The lipophilicity of fifteen fluoroquinolones has been investigated. Reversed-phase thin layer chromatography with densitometric detection was applied to determine the RM0 factor. The RP-TLC investigations were performed in mixtures of organic modifier–water. The partition coefficients of examined fluoroquinolones were also calculated with computational programs. All the obtained data, from experimental methods and theoretical calculations, were compared and a suitable conclusion was reached. The received results demonstrate that the RP-TLC method may be the only reliable technique for fluoroquinolones in describing their lipophilic nature as well as the activity.
Linear Band-Gap Modulation of Graphane Nanoribbons under Uniaxial Elastic Strain: A Density Functional Theory Study

The band-gap modulation of graphane nanoribbons under uniaxial elastic strain is investigated with the density functional theory method. Our results predict that the band gap of graphane nanoribbons can be tuned linearly with strain regardless of their widths or edge structures. The band gap increases remarkably from 2.49 to 4.11 eV and 2.04 to 4.21 eV for 13-armchair and 6-zigzag graphane nanoribbons when the strain changes from −10.0% to 10.0%, respectively. Moreover, the band gap of the graphane nanoribbon is more sensitive to the compressive than tensile deformation, which mainly originates from the shift of its valence band edge under strain. Our results imply the great potential of graphane nanoribbons in the pressure sensor and optical electronics applications at nanoscale.
IMPACT FRAGMENTATION OF BRITTLE MATERIALS

Impacts of high speed soft projectiles on finite and "semi-infinite" brittle blocks are described. Penetration is accompanied by projectile erosion and by the comminution and ejection of fine debris from a crater, the kinetic energy of this debris accounting for over 50% of the projectile impact kinetic energy. The conservation of momentum requires a small forward velocity of the centre of mass, and reflection of stress waves from distal surfaces and interaction of these reflected waves results in spalling and fragmentation of the block. The volume of finely fragmented material ejected is proportional to the size of the impact crater, and thus related to the intensity of the impact, i.e. the mass and velocity of the projectile. Fracture into larger fragments away from the impact crater is also related to the impact intensity, which determines the stress level and the sizes of flaws which are activated, and hence both the fragment velocity and size. The elastic strain energy is converted into the kinetic energy of expansion of this debris cloud.
Enhancement of exchange bias by ultra‐thin Mn layer insertion at the interface of Mn‐Ir/Co‐Fe bilayers

Effects of ultra‐thin Mn, Ru, Pd, Ta, Gd, and Tb layer insertion at the interface on the exchange bias of Mn75Ir25/Co70Fe30 bilayers were investigated. Unidirectional anisotropy constant, JK, of the bilayer was significantly enhanced from 0.46 erg/cm2 to 0.84 erg/cm2 with the insertion of 0.5‐nm‐thick Mn layer, while it was reduced with increasing the inserted layer thickness for the other materials. The value of 0.84 erg/cm2 was not obtained in the variation of JK with respect to the chemical composition of Mn‐Ir layer in a range of Ir content of 0 ∼ 40 at. %. The cause of the enhancement of JK with ultra‐thin Mn insertion might be due to the modification of antiferromagnetic spin structure at the interface. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Evolution of the structure of precipitates during internal oxidation of Ag-0·4 at.% Mg alloy

Abstract Internal oxides, formed at low temperatures (T ≤ 550°C) under an oxygen pressure of 1 atm, in dilute Ag-0·4 at. % Mg alloys have been studied by gravimetric measurements. It has been established that the oxygen fixation process involves three steps: firstly, substoichiometric species are initially formed; secondly, these elementary species evolve towards irregular clusters including an important excess of oxygen; thirdly, a part of this excess oxygen is released and clusters evolve towards a more compact structure. The largest oxygen excess is found in stable clusters formed at low temperature. The size of the oxide particles increases with increasing distance from the specimen surface and reaches a maximum value of about 1 nm. The fixation of oxygen follows a parabolic law during most of the coalescence process. The observed deviation from Wagner's law is attributed to the high value of the oxygen-to-magnesium ratio.
Development of Fast Reactor Metal Fuels Containing Minor Actinides

Fast reactor metal fuels containing minor actinides (MAs) Np, Am, and Cm and rare earths (REs) Y, Nd, Ce, and Gd are being developed by the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) in collaboration with the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) in the METAPHIX project. The basic properties of U-Pu-Zr alloys containing MA (and RE) were characterized by performing ex-reactor experiments. On the basis of the results, test fuel pins including U-Pu-Zr-MA(-RE) alloy ingots in parts of the fuel stack were fabricated and irradiated up to a maximum burnup of ∼10 at% in the Phénix fast reactor (France). Nondestructive postirradiation tests confirmed that no significant damage to the fuel pins occurred. At present, detailed destructive postirradiation examinations are being carried out at ITU.
High Sensitivity Analysis of Trace Element‐Poor Geological Reference Glasses by Laser Ablation‐Inductively Coupled Plasma‐Mass Spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS)

Fifty‐two trace elements in NIST SRM 614, 616 and MPI‐DING BM90/21‐G glass reference materials as well as in NIST SRM 612, USGS BCR2‐G and other MPI‐DING reference glasses (KL2‐G, GOR132‐G, GOR128‐G, ATHO‐G, Tl‐G, StHs6/80‐G and ML3B‐G) were determined by laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS). Accurate ultra‐low trace element abundances in the NIST SRM 614, 616 and BM90/21‐G reference glasses down to lower ng g−1 levels were determined with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 10%. Limits of detection using He as carrier gas were up to two times lower than with Ar and were 0.004 to 0.12 μg g−1 for elements of lower mass numbers (amu < 85) and 0.002 to 0.06 μg g−1 for elements having amu < 85. The measured concentrations generally agree within 15% with previous studies except for B in NIST SRM 614 and 616, which appears to be heterogeneously distributed, and Co, Zn, Ga and Ag in NIST SRM 616 for which the existing data set is too small to evaluate the discrepancies. New values for As (0.593 μg g−1), Ag (0.361 μg g−1) and Cd (0.566 μg g−1) in NIST SRM 614 and new values for Na (94864 μg g−1) and As (0.276 μg g−1) in NIST SRM 616 are reported.
Nanoscratching on surfaces: the relationships between lateral force, normal force and normal displacement

Abstract The relationship between lateral force, normal force and normal displacement has been investigated. Surfaces of diverse materials were nanoscratched at constant rate. Nanoindents with cube corner, Berkovich or cono-spherical indenter indicate proportionality of (normal force) ~ (normal displacement)3/2 up to considerable forces, sometimes approaching the 10 mN range, but phase transformations under pressure may change the slope. This differs from the varying Meyer exponents reported at forces higher by two to three magnitudes when applied to Vickers indenters. Nanoscratching on diverse materials consistently reveals proportionality of (lateral force) ~ (normal force)3/2. This relationship is valid for amorphous (fused quartz) and crystalline materials such as silicon, silica, strontium titanate and the polar molecular crystals of thiohydantoin and nin-hydrin with hydrogen bonds, or pure van-der-Waals crystals of tetraphenylethylene. Anisotropies of the crystals and the type of destruction (breaking covalent bonds, or hydrogen bonds, or van-der-Waals interactions; abrasion, or molecular movements) do not affect the obviously universal relationship but only the proportionality factor with the dimension μN–0.5 which describes materials response to the scratching action for the particular crystal face and anisotropic direction. The new quantitative relationship is usable for the calculation of scratch work and of other quantities related to the lateral force on the basis of the new empirical constants. Both new relationships from nanoindents and nanoscratches are unified in the (lateral force) ~ (normal displacement)9/4 relationship and experimentally verified.
Preparation and Antibacterial Effect of Bamboo Charcoal/Ag on Staphylococcus Aureus and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Bamboo charcoal supporting silver (BC/Ag) was prepared by activation and chemical reduction. The BC/Ag composites were characterized by silver particle size and distribution, silver ion (Ag + ) release and antibacterial properties. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) showed that the Ag particles were distributed uniformly on the BC matrix. The Ag particle size was found to be less than 150 nm based on TEM. The Ag + release increased initially which was followed by a marginal increase between the 8th and 24th hour. Composites contained higher amounts of silver exhibited a further rise in Ag + release from the 24-hours of storage in water. The antibacterial effects of the BC/Ag composite powders against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were assessed from the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) method, and an excellent antibacterial performance was discovered.