Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of Organic Matter Degradation in an Upflow Anaerobic Filter Using Slaughterhouse Wastewater

An assessment of a lab-scale Upflow Anaerobic Filter (UAF) reactor used to treat slaughterhouse wastewater was carried out with varying operating conditions for Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and temperature. The best organic matter removal efficiency, measured as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), was 86.1% at HRT of 24h at 35oC. Under steady state conditions, the first-order, Stover-Kincannon and Grau-second-order kinetic models were used to represent the kinetics of organic matter removal in the UAF. The experimental data showed that the Stover-Kincannon and Grau kinetic models were the most suitable for predicting organic matter degradation. The kinetic analysis was used to establish two exponential relationships for determining the kinetic constants for both the Stover-Kincannon and Grau models as a function of temperature within the mesophilic interval studied. The results from this research study enable the determination of organic matter velocities, times and efficiencies of degradation which can be used in the design of an UAF for slaughterhouse wastewater.
Fluoride Content in Selected Food Items from Five Areas in East Africa

Abstract Dental fluorosis is widespread in the eastern part of Africa. Drinking water has traditionally been considered the main reason for the development of fluorosis, but food items may also be a contributor in areas with high concentrations of fluoride in the soil. The purpose of this study was to assess the fluoride content of fish and staple food items commonly consumed by children. Sampling was undertaken during November and December 1993 and March 1994 from the following areas: Awassa and Zwai, Ethiopia; Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Bujumbura, Burundi. The fluoride concentration was analyzed by the use of a fluoride selective electrode. Whole fish and bone samples had a high fluoride concentration while fillet samples generally were low in fluoride. The highest fluoride concentrations in fish were found in marine species that are eaten whole. The fluoride concentrations in the vegetables varied, ranging from 0.3 mg/kg dry wt in maize to 7.7 mg F/kg dry wt in spinach. Since a typical East African meal often has starchy food as the central component, a high fluoride content in cereals and legumes may be of greater concern than food made from whole fish. It is difficult to assess the amount of fluoride absorbed as fluoride interacts with other elements in the diet, which will most likely reduce the absorption.
Computer-Aided Design and Simulation of Working Fluid Pairs for Absorption Refrigerators

The performance of real absorption refrigeration systems is influenced by their working fluids. Despite there being many pair s that can act as working fluids, the conventional pairs (ammonia-water and water-lithium bromide) are still the most used. This paper reports an investigation to find an alternative pair via a three-step approach. The first is computer-aided molecular design using ICAS- ProCAMD software to preliminarily find a pair with analogous thermophysical properties. The second step is plotting Duhring c urves to display the thermodynamic behaviour of the proposed pair, the required data for which are obtained from Aspen plus . Upon obtaining satisfactory results from the second step, the third step is simulation of an absorption refrigerator operating under different conditions. The results show that n-butane-ethanol can act as a suitable pair, where butane is the refrigerant and ethanol the absorbent. It has an acceptable pressure range (high pressure of approximately 4 atm, low pressure of around 1 atm) and generator temperature (91°C). In addition, there is no crystallisation probability at 0°C. However, the coefficient of performance is up to 0.33, which is low compared to both of the conventional pairs.
The Influence of House Characteristics in a Canadian Community on Microbiological Contamination

Abstract Fifty-nine houses in the small Canadian community of Wallaceburg, 39 with high levels of biologically active contaminants and 20 with low levels, were subjected to detailed field inspections: testing to determine house-operating parameters; monitoring of indoor environmental conditions; and simulating to predict the condensation formation potential under winter conditions. It was found that low air leakage and natural ventilation were not associated with higher levels of mold growth, as measured by ergosterol concentrations and airborne viable particulates. Analyses showed that moisture sources in the houses were a more significant factor in mold levels and dust mite antigen levels than relative humidity. Mold areas visible during inspection were not a good predictor of ergosterol concentrations in dust, indicating that much of the mold growth was in hidden locations.
Clinical efficacy of Early Administration of Convalescent Plasma among COVID-19 Cases in Egypt

Abstract Importance: Early and effective treatment of COVID-19 is vital for control of SARS-CoV-2 infection Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to assess the degree of clinical improvement in severe and critically ill COVID-19 patients, treated early with early CPT. Designs: An interventional, single-arm, non-randomized clinical trial conducted in Egypt from April 15 to July 21, 2020. Settings: This was a multi-centre study conducted in 3 hospitals in Egypt. Participants: a total of 94 COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed patients using qRT-PCR were enrolled in the study. Intervention: All patients were administered with two plasma units (each unit is 200cc). The volume of donated plasma was 800cc. Main Outcome and Measures: Primary measure was the degree of clinical improvement among the COVID-19 patients who received CPT within seven days Results: A total of 94 patients were enrolled who received CPT either within seven days or after seven days of hospitalization. 82 were severely ill, 12 were critically ill. The average age remained 58 years (SD 15.1 years). Male were 69% and 49% patients got cured while 51% died with CFR 51%. 75% deaths were above 45years of age. The symptoms were dyspnoea (55%), fever (52%), cough (46%), and loss of taste and smell (21%), and cyanosis (15%). The most common co-morbidities among the <40 years remained Diabetes Mellitus (21%) and Asthma (14%). Among 40-60 years Hypertension (56%), Diabetes Mellitus (39%) and among >60 years age group Hypertension (57%) and Chronic Heart Disease (24%) were reported. CPT within seven days remained significant as compared with the CPT after seven days with the number of days to cure (p=0.007) and ICU stay (P=0.008) among severely ill cured cases. Conclusion and Relevance: Among patients with COVID-19 and severe or critical illness, the use of CPT along with routine standard therapy resulted in a statistically significant improvement when administered within seven days of hospital admission. However, plasma transfusion, irrespective of days to transfusion may not help treat critically ill patients. The overall mean time to cure in severely ill patients was 15 days if CPT provided within seven days with 65% cure rate. Trial Registration: Clinical Intervention identifier: MOHP_COVID-19_Ver1. 1
Investigation of the interactions of cationic guar with human hair by electrokinetic analysis

Cationic guar is an important polysaccharide used as a hair conditioning agent in personal care products. In this article, we report streaming potential data demonstrating its behaviour as it interacts electrostatically with hair. Several cationic guar variants with different molecular weights (MWs) and charge densities (CDs) were examined.
Clinical, genomic, and transcriptomic differences between myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN‐RS‐T) and myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS‐RS)

REFERENCES 1. Kumar SK, Callander NS, Hillengass J, et al. NCCN guidelines insights: multiple myeloma, version 1.2020. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2019;17 (10):1154-1165. 2. Cheson BD, Leoni L. Bendamustine: mechanism of action and clinical data. Clin Adv Hematol Oncol. 2011;9(8 Suppl 19):1-11. 3. Leoni LM, Bailey B, Reifert J, et al. Bendamustine (Treanda) displays a distinct pattern of cytotoxicity and unique mechanistic features compared with other alkylating agents. Clin Cancer Res. 2008;14(1): 309-317. 4. Lentzsch S, O'Sullivan A, Kennedy RC, et al. Combination of bendamustine, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (BLD) in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma is feasible and highly effective: results of phase 1/2 open-label, dose escalation study. Blood. 2012;119(20):4608-4613. 5. Ludwig H, Kasparu H, Leitgeb C, et al. Bendamustine-bortezomibdexamethasone is an active and well-tolerated regimen in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Blood. 2014;123(7):985-991. 6. Leng S, Bhutani D, Raza S, et al. Phase I/II study of carfilzomib, bendamustine, and dexamethasone (CBD) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Blood Cancer J. 2020;10(2):13.
Temperature dependence of the structure and electrostatics of Newton black Films: insights from computer simulations

Newton black films (NBF) can be obtained from solutions containing ionic surfactants. These thin structures have typical thickness of the order of 3 nm and are similar to biological membranes. An understanding of the NBF structure and stability is of relevance to problems concerned with the biophysics of the cell. From a practical point of view, the stability of NBFs determines the stability of dispersions and foams, which are relevant in a number of industrial areas such as foodstuffs, cosmetics or distillation. In this paper, we investigate the temperature dependence of the structure and electrostatics of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) NBFs using large-scale computer simulations. We show that high temperature black films exibit a dramatic change of the film roughness. Notably, the structural changes in the film occur without a significant modification of the total thickness. The degree of polarization of the water molecules and the electrostatic fields in the NBF also show a very weak dependence on temperature, suggesting that water remains strongly ordered in the NBF even at high temperatures ( ≈ 350 K). We conclude that the anomalous dielectric response observed in NBF at ambient temperature should also be present at high temperatures.
Surface oxygen vacancies on Co3O4 mediated catalytic formaldehyde oxidation at room temperature

Three kinds of Co3O4 catalysts with different concentrations of surface oxygen vacancies were successfully synthesized through a solvothermal and subsequent thermolysis method. Room temperature catalytic removal of formaldehyde, which is one of the major indoor air pollutants and is seriously harmful to human health, is achieved by these Co3O4 catalysts. The existence of surface oxygen vacancies was confirmed by XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The concentration of oxygen vacancies was obtained via TGA data, which could reach 1.93% (atom ratio) in this study. H2-TPR and O2-TPD results reveal the essential role played by surface oxygen vacancies in the catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde, which is reflected in the improved mobility of oxygen and the facile formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a consequence, the catalytic activity shows a direct relationship with the concentration of surface oxygen vacancies. The Co3O4 nanobelts exhibited the best performance for formaldehyde oxidation due to their larger specific surface area, higher low-temperature reducibility and abundant active surface oxygen species. The high catalytic activity and stability of this Co3O4 catalyst without the introduction of noble metals as a co-catalyst shows its potential practical application for formaldehyde removal at room temperature. This study reveals the key importance of surface oxygen vacancies in the catalytic oxidation activity and complements the common viewpoint that Co3+ is the major active species in Co3O4-based systems, as well as provides a possibility for developing high performance catalysts through surface modification.
Role of Hemicelluloses in the Formation of Chromophores During Heat Treatment of Bleached Chemical Pulps

The heat-induced colour formation of TCF- and ECF-bleached chemical pulps has been investigated. Partial hydrolysis of the pulps and analysis of the carboxyl content of the pulps and hydrolysed matter were carried out. It was found that the yellowing tendency of the pulps corresponds to the content of hydrolysable substances. The hydrolysis leads to a considerable removal of the carboxyl groups in the case of hardwood pulps. Differences between softwood and hardwood pulps are discussed in terms of their hemicellulose content. The yellowed pulps were extracted and the extracts were analysed by different NMR and mass spectrometric techniques. Structures of low molecular products were elucidated and the routes of their formation were proposed. The results suggest that the yellowing proceeds in two main steps, i.e. decay of unstable polysaccharide chains such as hemicelluloses to low molecular carbohydrate compounds that subsequently undergo dehydration and condensation reactions to form coloured products.
Dielectric Relaxation Time and Relaxation Time Distribution of Alcohol−Water Mixtures

Complex permittivity was measured in the frequency range from 10 MHz to 20 GHz at 25 °C for water mixtures of 22 aliphatic alcohols. The molecular structures of these alcohols systematically changed with the number of carbon atoms and hydroxyl groups, and their positions in the molecules. The asymmetric shape of the frequency dependence of the dielectric loss for the primary relaxation process was observed for each mixture. The broadness of the asymmetric dielectric loss depends on the water content, and the broadest dielectric loss was observed in the water mole fraction range of 0.65 < xw < 0.85. There is a strong correlation between the broadness of dielectric loss and the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol molecule. Deviations of observed relaxation times from those estimated for ideal mixtures depend on the number of carbon atoms except for the mixtures of water and alcohols with large alkyl groups, which form a micelle-like structure. These experimental results are interpreted on the basis of a m.
Self-assembling peptide–polysaccharide hybrid hydrogel as a potential carrier for drug delivery

Here we report a novel peptide–polysaccharide hybrid hydrogel as a potential carrier for sustained delivery of hydrophobic drugs. The hybrid hydrogel composed of Fmoc-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) peptide and konjac glucomannan (KGM) was prepared through molecular self-assembly of Fmoc-FF in the KGM solution. The physicchemical properties of the Fmoc-FF–KGM hybrid hydrogel were further evaluated. This hybrid hydrogel exhibited a highly hydrated, rigid and nanofibrous gel network in which self-assembled peptide nanofibers were interwoven with the KGM chains. The results of a stability test and rheology study showed that the hybrid hydrogel has much higher stability and mechanical strength compared to Fmoc-FF hydrogel alone. Both CD and FTIR analysis indicated an anti-parallel β-sheet arrangement of Fmoc-FF peptide in self-assembled nanofibers, regardless the presence of KGM. Moreover, docetaxel was chosen as a model of hydrophobic drugs and incorporated into hydrogels to study the in vitro release behavior. The sustained and controlled drug release from this hybrid hydrogel was achieved by varying the KGM concentration, molecular weight, aging time or β-mannanase concentration. Our results not only provide a new strategy for fabricating Fmoc-FF–KGM hybrid hydrogel as a sustained-release drug carrier but also open an avenue for the design of new self-assembling peptide–polysaccharide hybrid hydrogels.
The buckling and invagination process during consolidation of colloidal droplets

Drying a droplet of colloidal dispersion can result in complex pattern formation due to both development and deformation of a skin at the drop surface. The present study focuses on the drying process of droplets of colloidal dispersions in a confined geometry where direct observations of the skin thickness are allowed. During the drying process, a buckling process is followed by a single depression growth inside the drop. The deformation of the droplet is found to be generic and is studied for various colloidal dispersions. The final shape can be partly explained by simple energy analysis based on the competition between bending and stretching deformations. Particularly, the final shape enables us to determine precisely the critical thickness of the shell for buckling. This study allows us to validate theory in 2D droplets and apply it to the case of 3D droplets where the thickness is not accessible by direct observation.
Addition of 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane to slowly reacting mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen

When 1 % of 2,2,3,3-tetramethylbutane (TMB) is added to slowly reacting mixtures of H2+ O2+ N2 at 480°C, analysis of the reaction products shows that, even in the presence of half an atmosphere of O2, 96 % of the tetramethylbutyl radical, formed by radical attack on TMB, decomposes by reaction (34) with k34= 1.9 × 106 s–1; a value of 1.1 × 104 s–1 is obtained for the alternative decomposition reaction (38). ,(CH3)3CC(CH3)2CH2=t-C4H9+i-C4H8(34),(CH3)3CC(CH3)2CH2=(CH3)3CC(CH3)CH2+CH3(38),Small amounts (≈ 1 %) of propene, 2,3,3-trimethylbut-1-ene, 2,3-dimethyloxiran, formaldehyde and methane are also formed in addition to the main product, isobutene. Secondary formation of propene from isobutene is relatively rapid. There is no evidence for the formation of conjugate O-ring compounds, or for the further addition of O2 molecules to the two QOOH radicals formed from the tetramethylbutylperoxy radicals.The relative rates of consumption of TMB and H2 have been determined using 0.025 % of the additive. Rate constants for H and OH attack on TMB have been obtained and compared with those for ethane and neopentane. The variation in the rate constants for the three alkanes is not quantitatively consistent with a simple additivity rule.
13C n.m.r. spectra of steroids —a survey and commentary†

The literature on 13C n.m. r. examinations of steroids has been reviewed and the shielding data for over 400 examples are tubulated. The assignments for each compound have been considered and, where necessary, revised in the light of more recent evidence and for consistency throughout each series. The methods available for assignments are reviewed and, in many cases, illustrated with specific examples. The major practical features concerning 13C studies of steroids are discussed as a guide to the use of the technique. From the main body of shielding data, an extensive set of substituent effects has been generated to aid the examination of new systems. The utility and the limitations of these effects are described.
Wearout and Breakdown in Thin Silicon Oxide

A model describin how wearout leads to breakdown in thin silicon oxides has been developed. During wearout traps are generated inside of the oxide and at the oxide interfaces. In oxides thinner than 20 nm the dominant trap generation mechanism is determined by high field emission processes and not impact ionization. Locally higher current densities through the traps generated during wearout lead to local breakdown. This model is critically dependent on measurement of the traps generated inside of the oxide during the wearout and the measurement of these traps is described. The random nature of the wearout process is related to the statistical breakdown distributions. The ability of this model to describe oxide charging, low-level leakages, transient currents, the role of asperities, polarity dependences, and the fluence, time, thickness, voltage, and temperature dependences of oxide breakdown distributions are described
Investigation on porosity changes of Lecce stone due to conservation treatments by means of x-ray nano- and improved micro-computed tomography: preliminary results

Cultural heritage materials are subject to continuous chemical and physical changes depending on the establishment of a dynamic equilibrium with the environment in which they are placed. In particular, different phenomena can take place, such as formation of black crusts, corrosion of the material, internal cracks. Lecce stone, a biocalcarenite mainly used for historical buildings in South Italy, has a high total porosity. In order to prevent its deterioration, different kinds of hydrophobic organic products are applied on the surface of the restored artefacts. Since the efficacy of the treatments depends mostly on the penetration depth and the distribution of the products in the pores, porosity and internal structure of the stone material were mainly investigated in this research. Micro x-ray computed tomography (µ-CT) has been used to study and characterize the internal structure of different samples, untreated and treated with protective products. The porosity and other parameters of the rock were then calculated and compared, before and after the conservation treatment, in order to highlight the changes due to the application of the product. On the other hand, small pieces of the untreated and treated samples were analysed by sub-micron resolution x-ray tomography where it was possible to see the distribution of the products inside the pores. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors That Determine the Performance of Carbon Fuels in the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell

The direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) is a promising power generation device, which has a much higher efficiency (80%) and a lower emission than conventional coal-fired power plants. In this study, different commercial carbon fuels including activated carbon (AC), carbon black (CB220 and CB660), and graphitic carbon (GC) were tested in DCFC at 600−800 °C. The relationship between the intrinsic properties of carbon fuels and their electrochemical performance in the DCFC was analyzed. It is found that a desirable carbon fuel for DCFC should have high mesoporous surface area and rich oxygen-containing surface groups. The anodic performance of the DCFC may also be improved by small carbon particle size, fast stirring rates, and high cell temperatures.
Poly(ether–amide) vs. poly(ether–imide) copolymers for post-combustion membrane separation processes

This work is focused on the comparison between the commercial polyamide PEBAX® MH 1657 and a new set of synthetized polyimides with different polyethylene glycol lengths. The samples were synthesized with the same poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) content (57 wt%) for comparison with the commercial polymer. All polymers have been characterized by several techniques revealing a direct relationship between crystallinity, PEO length and permeability properties. Results at temperatures lower than the Tm of the polyether blocks confirm that lower PEO crystallinity corresponds to higher permeability. At temperatures higher than the Tm of the PEO block, no significant differences were found between the commercial polyamides and the synthesized polyimides. This confirms that the aliphatic phase controls the separation while the hard block provides mechanical strength. Remarkable are the results for the CO2/N2 separation. These new copolyimides are promising materials for post-combustion processes.