Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PAPER MILL RESIDUALS AND COMPOST EFFECTS ON PARTICULATE ORGANIC MATTER AND RELATED SOIL FUNCTIONS IN A SANDY SOIL

Amending sandy soils with paper mill residuals (PMR) and/or PMR composts should build soil organic matter pools, thereby increasing carbon and nutrient availability for biologically mediated soil functions. We investigated the effects of PMR and PMR composts on total and particulate organic matter (POM) and their relationships with plant available water (PAW) and mineral nitrogen. From 1998 to 2001, we applied PMR, PMR composted alone (PMR-C), and PMR composted with bark (PMR-B) annually at two agronomic rates to sandy soils in a 3-year vegetable rotation of potato, snap bean, and cucumber. After 4 years, all PMR amendments increased total soil C and N (TC, TN), POM-C, and POM-N 2- to 4-fold, relative to a nonamended control. After 3 years of annual amendment additions, the soil achieved an elevated steady state of POM-C, indicating a net balance between C-input and C-decay. Either TC or POM-C explained greater than 50% of the variation in PAW in years 2 through 4, indicating the functional similarities between the two carbon pools. The first sign of a significant but weak relationship between mineral N and POM-N (R2 = 15%) or TN (R2 = 34%) occurred during the final year of study. Annual additions of PMR and PMR composts produced sustained increases in labile soil C and N pools; however, increases in these OM pools did not translate into short-term nutrient availability in these sandy soils.
High-energy X-ray diffuse scattering using Weissenberg flat-cone geometry

In the paper by Butler et al. [J. Appl. Cryst. (2000), 33, 1046–1050], Figures 3 and 4 on pages 1047 and 1048 reproduced poorly. Revised versions of these pages are available in the online version of this erratum, which is available through Crystallography Journals Online.
A study of magnetic and optical properties of Cu‐doped ZnO

The ferromagnetism of ZnO‐based magnetic semiconductors has been investigated by theoretical calculation and many kinds of experiments. In the Cu‐doped ZnO system, ferromagnetic ordering by Cu magnetic moments does not exist, but Cu‐doped ZnO can have ferromagnetism due to the distortion of the ZnO‐based structure by Cu doping. In this study, we investigated the magnetic properties of Cu‐doped ZnO and discussed the possible origin of magnetism in this system. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Growth Promotion and Increased Potassium Uptake of Tobacco by Potassium-Mobilizing Bacterium Frateuria aurantia Grown at Different Potassium Levels in Vertisols

Potassium-mobilizing bacterial strain Frateuria aurantia was examined for plant-growth-promoting effects and nutrient uptake on tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) grown in vertisols as a field experiment for two crop seasons, 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. Inoculation with bacterial strain Frateuria aurantia was found to increase biomass, nutrient content, and leaf quality of flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco. Bacterial strain F. aurantia was able to enhance potassium uptake efficiently in tobacco plants when sulfate of potash was added to the soil. In tobacco, the ultimate product is the leaf that is consumed and has commercial value. In tobacco-growing soils treated with soluble potassium and inoculated with strain F. aurantia, the potassium content of the leaf was increased by 39%. Bacterial inoculation also resulted in greater nitrogen and phosphorus contents of aboveground plant components. The bacterial isolate was also able to colonize and develop in the rhizosphere soil of tobacco after root inoculation. Solubilization of potassium containing minerals by potassium-mobilizing bacteria in vertisols and their effect on tobacco plant growth, yield, and quality are reported in this study.
Eco-Diesel Engine Fuelled with Rapeseed Oil Methyl Ester and Ethanol. Part 2: Comparison of Emissions and Efficiency for Two Base Fuels: Diesel Fuel and Ester

Abstract A comparison has been made of the efficiency and emissions from a single-cylinder naturally aspirated direct injection compression ignition engine when fuelled either with diesel fuel (DF) or rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME) and additionally with ethanol in different proportions injected into the inlet port during the suction stroke. Investigations were performed at two constant loads, high and low. At each load the proportions of ethanol and base fuel were changed in such a way that the load was held constant. At each load the engine operated at a constant speed and for three injection timings. The obtained results were similar for both fuels, but in the case of RME there were lower carbon dioxide and smoke emissions and in some operating conditions NO x emission was observed. The aim of the ethanol injection, which was produced with air premixed with a homogeneous mixture in the cylinder, was to promote and accelerate combustion of DF/RME droplets, resulting in shorter combustion of the total fuel. The second objective of ethanol addition was to decrease the emissions of smoke and carbon dioxide, because as ethanol burns its combustion products have more H2 O and less CO2. The aim was to provide a sufficient effective energetic fraction of ethanol in order to reach a satisfactory decrease in emissions, which was found to be about 25 per cent for RME and about 20 per cent for diesel fuel.
DETERMINATION OF CONDITIONAL STABILITY CONSTANTS OF METAL-Trichoderma viride COMPLEXES BY THE POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION METHOD

In this paper the binding ability of functional groups present in the cell walls of an ubiquitous soil fungus, Trichoderma viride Pers. : Fr. , towards some divalent heavy metals, Cd, Co, Cu, Pb and Zn, was studied. Processing the data from potentiometric titrations of T. viride by the McCallum, Midgley and Gran’s combined methods, the surface of the cell wall was characterised in terms of functional group total acidity, distinguishing among strong, weak and very weak acidity. The dissociation constant values of weak and very weak acid, pKa1 and pKa2, respectively, were graphically determined using the Henderson-Hasselbach equation. Titration data of T. viride in the presence of metal were processed with the Bjerrum’s method as adapted by Gregor for determining the conditional stability constants of metal complexes with synthetic polyelectrolytes in terms of log K1 and log K2. Here has been used for 1:1 and 1:2 metal- T. viride complexes, respectively.
Effects of Salinity on Growth, Ionic Content, and Plant–Water Status of Aeluropus lagopoides

The effect of sodium chloride (NaCl) in the external medium upon the growth, plant–water status, and ionic content of Aeluropus lagopoides was studied. Plants grown in non-saline and 200 mM NaCl had the greatest fresh and dry weights. Increasing salinity (400 to 1000 mol m−3 NaCl) caused a decrease in fresh and dry weights of plants. The water potential and osmotic potential of shoots became more negative with an increase in salinity, which was associated with an accumulation of Na+ and Cl− in leaves. Shoot Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ concentration remained constant in salinity treatments, while Na+ increased in salt treatments and reached greater than 4 mol m−3 g−1 dry weight.
Optimization of Laccase Production from Penicillium martensii NRC 345

Laccase production by Penicillium martensii NRC 345 was optimized. Eight media with different components were screened. The enzyme formed by P. martensii NRC 345 was detected mainly exocellularly under shake culture condi- tion. Laccase formation reaches its maximum value with specific activities of about 7.18 U/mg protein at the twenty-sixth day of incubation at pH 5.5 and 30°C. Galactose (5 g/l) and sodium nitrate (0.2 g/l) were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources for laccase formation, respectively. Replacement of galactose instead of glucose at the same concentration increased laccase production by about more than ten-fold. Among the various wastes used wheat bran induces the highest laccase production with specific activity of 39.52 U/mg protein. Tween-80 and CuSO4.5H2O, were also tested for laccase induction.
WAVE-2 and Its Role in LRRK2 Mediated Neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's Disease, primarily resulting from microglial activation. Microglia are the primary phagocytic cells of the central nervous system, and their activation play a significant role in neuroinflammation. Microglial activation and the changes in their morphological appearance depend on the actin cytoskeleton reorganization. WASP family Verprolin-homologous protein-2 (WAVE2), a member of Wiskott Aldrich's Syndrome Proteins, is a primary regulator of actin cytoskeleton. This study is aimed to test the effect of WAVE2 inhibition on inflammatory phenotype of BV-2 microglial cells. We have shown that lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation significantly upregulates oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) signaling, and cause changes in appearance of BV-2 microglial cells. Knocking down WAVE2 with the help of adeno-associated virus vector does not block these outcomes. These data suggest that the inflammatory phenotype of microglial cells may not be primarily dependent on WAVE2 signaling.
Dynamic surface tensions of nonionic surfactant solutions

Abstract The air–solution equilibrium and dynamic surface tensions, γ eq and γ( t ), respectively, of different nonionic C i E j and glucamide surfactants have been studied as a function of concentration c , above and below their CMCs. DuNouy tensiometry was used to determine γ eq , CMCs, and the surface excesses Γ. The γ( t ) decays were measured in the range 2 ms–12 s using a maximum bubble pressure instrument and analyzed in terms of asymptotic solutions to the Ward and Tordai equation. At the start the γ( t ) curves were all consistent with a diffusion-controlled adsorption. However, toward the end good evidence was found for a mixed mechanism with an adsorption barrier of between 5 and 12 kJ mol −1 . This barrier does not seem to depend on the CMC, surfactant type or the presence of micelles up to 100 × CMC. The results support theoretical predictions (L. Liggieri et al., J. Colloid Interface Sci. 156, 109 (1993)) of the diffusion-activation adsorption kinetics for nonionic surfactants.
Determination of total selenium in nutritional supplements and selenised yeast by Zeeman-effect graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the determination of total selenium in nutritional supplements and selenised yeast is described. The samples were ashed in nitric acid. Hydrochloric acid was used to prevent precipitation of, in particular, iron salts. After appropriate dilutions, the selenium was determined by Zeeman-effect background corrected graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. A furnace ashing step at 1100 °C was necessary in order to obtain a total recovery of selenium when present in the organic form. Palladium nitrate-magnesium nitrate was used as a matrix modifier. Independent methods were used to determine the content of selenium in a selenised yeast check sample. Accuracy was assured using this sample and by recovery experiments. Between-day random error showed a coefficient of variation of 4.2%. Results from the analysis of eight different commercial supplements were in good agreement with declared contents.
Preparation of Ursane Triterpenoids from Centella asiatica Using High Speed Countercurrent Chromatography with Step‐Gradient Elution

Abstract Pentacyclic triterpene aglycones and glycosides of the ursane type were successfully separated from 600 mg of a polar extract from Centella asiatica (Apiaceae) by high speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC), applying a mobile phase gradient with a step‐wise increase of elution strength. The lower phase of the biphasic liquid system composed of n‐hexane–n‐butanol–0.05 M NaOH (5:1:6, v/v/v) was used as the stationary phase, the upper phase was used as the initial mobile phase. The mobile phase was changed systematically into 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 consisting of n‐hexane–n‐butanol saturated by 0.05 M NaOH. The separation mainly yielded five fractions with asiatic acid (18 mg), madecassic acid (13 mg), asiaticoside (140 mg), and madecassoside (75 mg). The chemical structures of the four compounds were confirmed by means of electrospray ionization ion trap multiple mass spectrometry (ESI–MS–MS) and NMR analysis.
Topological Analysis of the Electron Density Distribution of Bis(diiminosuccinonitrilo)nickel, Ni(C4N4H2)2: Comparison between Experiment and Theory

A quantitative description of chemical bonds in bis(diiminosuccinonitrilo)nickel, Ni(disn)2, is made in terms of topological properties of electron densities. These properties are obtained both from an X-ray diffraction experiment and from molecular orbital calculations. The asphericity in electron density around the Ni ion is surely observable from the Laplacian of the electron density with density accumulation in the dπ direction but density depletion along the dσ (Ni−N) direction. On the basis of the topological properties at bond critical points, the bonding between Ni and the imino nitrogen atom is classified as mainly a closed-shell interaction but with some covalent character. The bonds within the ligand, disn, are all shared interactions, and the bond order is reflected clearly from the density at the critical point, ρ(rc). The π-delocalization of the molecule is precisely indicated by the bond ellipticity and is illustrated by Fermi-hole distribution. Atom domains in the molecule are demonstrated.
First-principles study of elastic and thermal properties of refractory carbides and nitrides

Abstract The elastic properties and thermal expansion of TiC, TiN, VC and VN are calculated by means of a precise first-principles electronic structure method. The single-crystal elastic constants are derived from the total energies of distorted structures. For the thermal expansion, the contribution of electronic states is determined within a free-electron model utilizing the density of states at the Fermi energy of the actual materials. The contribution of lattice vibrations to the thermal properties is modelled by Debye's approximation for phonon dispersion. Anharmonic effects are included via Gruneisen's theory requiring the volume dependence of the Debye temperature. For the calculation of the Gruneisen parameter, volume- and pressure-dependent single-crystal elastic constants are needed. Since in reality refractory compounds always contain vacancies, the influence of vacancies is studied for vanadium carbides by a supercell of composition VC0.75. It is found that vacancies significantly increase the.
Liquid crystalline polymers XIV. Main chain thermotropic copoly(arylidene-ether)s based on 4-methyl-cyclohexanone and 4-tertiary-butyl-cyclohexanone moieties linked with polymethylene spacers

A new interesting class of thermotropic liquid crystalline copoly(arylidene-ether)s based on cyclohexanone derivative moieties was synthesised by solution polycondensation of 4,4′- diformyl-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes (Ia−f) or 4,4′- diformyl-2,2′- dimethoxy-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes (IIa−f) with methyl-cyclohexanone and 4-tertiary-butyl-cyclohexanone monomers. A model compound III was synthesised from X with benzaldehyde and characterised by elemental and spectral analyses. The inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers were in the range 0.23−0.91 dL/g. All the copoly(arylidene-ether)s were insoluble in common organic solvents but partially soluble in halogenated solvents. The mesomorphic properties of these polymers were studied as a function of the diphenoxyalkane space length. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical polarising microscopy and it was demonstrated that the resulting polymers form nematic mesophases over wide temperature ranges. The thermal properties of those polymers were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis and DSC measurements and correlated to their structural units. X-ray analysis showed that polymers have some degree of crystallinity in the region 2θ = 5−60°. In addition, the morphological properties of the selected examples were tested by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Generalized Theoretical Study of the Effect of Molecular Bond Optical Tensor Components on the Mean-Squared Optical Anisotropy ⟨γ2⟩ of Model Bead-Spring Linear Homopolymer Chains

The conformationally averaged mean-squared optical anisotropy ⟨γ2⟩ of homopolymer chains under the theta solution condition is simulated using a rotational isomeric state (RIS) scheme with a generalized optical tensor description based on model bead-spring macromolecules. The effect of torsion angle values, number of minimum energy torsion states, probability (statistical weights) of the conformational states, and values of the components of the polarizability tensor for the bead are studied in this manner for the first time. Chains having either one or two interdependent rotatable bonds in the repeat unit are simulated. We find that under certain conditions of the relative orientations and values of the optical polarizability components with regards to the plane of the backbone bond angle, a higher probability for the gauche (less extended) conformation actually leads to a higher value of the optical anisotropy. In other cases, in conjunction with expectations from known experimental results, the optical anisotropy decreases with an increase in the probability of the gauche conformational state consistently over the range of values. We observe that, in most cases, higher values of the difference in the polarizability components lead to higher values of the chain optical anisotropy.
Polycondensation of thiourea into carbon nitride semiconductors as visible light photocatalysts

Converting solar energy into hydrogen gas by water splitting is considered as a long-term solution to address global energy and environmental problems. Great effort has been devoted to the search for abundant systems for the purpose of efficient capture, conversion, and storage of solar energy in a cost-effective manner. To further advance the recently-developed carbon nitride photocatalysis for solar hydrogen generation, thiourea, a sulfur-containing compound, was used as a cheap and easily-available starting material for the synthesis of graphitic carbon nitride semiconductors. The as-prepared photocatalysts were subjected to several characterizations, and the results showed that the heating temperature and the presence of sulfur motifs offer a facile chemical pathway for the control of the condensation/polymerization of carbon nitride, and thus adjusting their textural and electronic properties. Photocatalytic activity experiments demonstrated that the g-C3N4 synthesized from thiourea exhibited a much higher H2 production rate than that of g-C3N4 prepared from dicyanamide or urea, and this activity can be further enhanced by increasing the condensation temperature.
Near-Infrared Luminescence from Small Gold Nanocrystals

A novel photoluminescence is reported for small metal nanocrystals in the near-infrared region (1.1−1.6 μm). Near-infrared photoluminescence spectra were measured at room temperature for 1.1 and 1.7 nm Au nanocrystals using a 1.06 μm excitation source. This photoluminescence is attributed to sp to sp-like transitions, analogous to intraband transitions in bulk gold; however, the exact mechanism is unknown. A conservative estimate for the quantum yield for the 1.7 nm gold nanocrystals is (4.4 ± 1.5) × 10-5 at room temperature, more than 5 orders of magnitude greater than that of bulk gold.
Effect of molybdenum, phosphorus, and lime application to acid soils on dry matter yield and molybdenum nutrition of lentil

Abstract Deficiency of molybdenum (Mo) in acid soils causes poor growth of pulses. An experiment was, therefore, conducted in greenhouse to study the effect of Mo, phosphorus (P), and lime application on the dry matter yield and plant Mo concentration of lentil (Lens esculenta L.) in two Mo‐deficient acid alluvial soils. The experiment was conducted using a factorial design with three levels of lime (no lime, half, and full lime requirement), three levels of P (0, 25, and 50 mg kg‐1), and two levels of Mo (0 and 1.0 mg kg‐1). Plants were grown for 60 days and at harvest their dry matter yield and Mo concentration were recorded. The three treatments significantly increased dry matter yield, Mo concentration and Mo uptake, the increase being most pronounced with Mo application followed by lime and P. Increases due to applied Mo were greater in presence than in absence of added P; while the reverse was true with the liming treatments. Liming and P application at their lower levels also interacted positively .
Experimental and theoretical characterization of an inductively coupled plasma source

A typical planar inductively coupled plasma source was characterized by means of several diagnostic methods. Langmuir probe measurements as well as quantitative spectroscopic methods were used in order to determine electron density, mean electron energy, electron energy distribution functions, and the neutral particle temperature. A model based on hydrodynamic balance equations has been developed and used to predict parameters which cannot be determined by direct measurements. As the agreement of experimental and simulated data is excellent, the overall discharge efficiency, influences of substrate holder, fluxes as well as energies, and incident angle of ions on the substrate were determined.
Crystallization kinetics and melting behavior of nylon 10,10 in nylon 10,10–montmorillonite nanocomposites

The crystallization kinetics and melting behavior of nylon 10,10 in neat nylon 10,10 and in nylon 10,10–montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were systematically investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The crystallization kinetics results show that the addition of MMT facilitated the crystallization of nylon 10,10 as a heterophase nucleating agent; however, when the content of MMT was high, the physical hindrance of MMT layers to the motion of nylon 10,10 chains retarded the crystallization of nylon 10,10, which was also confirmed by polarized optical microscopy. However, both nylon 10,10 and nylon 10,10–MMT nanocomposites exhibited multiple melting behavior under isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization conditions. The temperature of the lower melting peak (peak I) was independent of MMT content and almost remained constant; however, the temperature of the highest melting peak (peak II) decreased with increasing MMT content due to the physical hindrance of MMT layers to the motion of nylon 10,10 chains. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2181–2188, 2003
Localities and seasonal variations in the chemical composition of essential oils of Satureja montana L. and S. cuneifolia Ten

The essential oils of Satureja montana L. and Satureja cuneifolia Ten. were subjected to detailed GC–MS analysis in order to determine possible similarities between them and also the differences in their chemical compositions, depending on the locality and the stage of development. The plant materials were collected prior to, during and after flowering from three different locations in the central part of Dalmatia (Croatia). For both plants the qualitative composition of the components appeared to be constant in three phenological stages and in three different localities. However, considerable differences were found to exist in the amounts of several compounds. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.