Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF VOLATILE OIL AND OLEORESIN OF ANISE ON THE SHELF LIFE OF YOGURT

Yogurt (prepared from buffalo's milk) samples treated with anise volatile oil and its oleoresin (ethanol) at varying concentrations (0.1–1.0 g/L) were stored up to 20 days at 4 ± 1C. The physicochemical and microbiological qualities of yogurt samples were analyzed at 5-day interval during storage. A gradual increase in acidity and syneresis was observed, whereas a decline in pH and total solid contents was noted in all the samples. The studies revealed that incorporation of essential oil and oleoresin of anise at 1.0 g/L concentration is quite effective in controlling the growth of spoilage microorganisms in yogurt. The results also suggest that the addition of anise volatile oil and oleoresin has no adverse effect on the physicochemical properties of yogurt. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Essential oils and oleoresins of anise can be used as food preservatives for yogurt.
A novel biobased epoxy resin with high mechanical stiffness and low flammability: synthesis, characterization and properties

Exploring renewable biobased epoxy resins possessing intrinsic fire retardancy and high mechanical and thermal properties will greatly advance their potential to satisfy sustainability demands. Herein we develop a biobased route to synthesize a novel eugenol-based difunctional epoxy resin (TPEU-EP) with a full aromatic ester backbone. With 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (33DDS) as the curing agent, TPEU-EP is compared with a standard bisphenol A epoxy resin (DGEBA) regarding their cure reactions and ultimate properties. The results show that TPEU-EP/33DDS expresses a higher reaction activation energy and a slower curing rate than DGEBA/33DDS. The isothermal cure reaction of TPEU-EP/33DDS is found to be autocatalytic. We accurately model the curing kinetics and elaborate on the related mechanisms based on the isoconversional analysis. The structure–property study reveals that TPEU-EP/33DDS manifests a 27%, 20% and 17% higher storage modulus (30 °C), Young's modulus and hardness than DGEBA/33DDS, respectively. TPEU-EP/33DDS displays a high glass temperature (168.4 °C) and thermal stability (up to 300 °C), and shows a much higher damping than DGEBA/33DDS in the glassy state. Moreover, compared with DGEBA/33DDS, TPEU-EP/33DDS shows a 130% and 3.3 increase in char yield (in N2) and limiting oxygen index and a 68% and 40% decrease in the heat release rate and total heat release (microscale combustion test), respectively. Impressively, TPEU-EP/33DDS can self-extinguish in a vertical burning test, and the cone calorimeter test further confirms that TPEU-EP/33DDS has a much improved flame retardancy with a notably lowered smoke production. In brief, TPEU-EP possesses good intrinsic flame retardancy, low smoke production, and excellent mechanical properties, showing high promise for application. Our contribution will open a new avenue to develop sustainable high-performance flame-retardant epoxy resins.
ENFOQUE DE CUENCA PARA LA IDENTIFICACIÓN DE FUENTES DE CONTAMINACIÓN Y EVALUACIÓN DE LA CALIDAD DE UN RÍO, VERACRUZ, MÉXICO

The Seco river is located at the center of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. This river originates from the melting waters of the Pico de Orizaba and on its way to the Gulf of Mexico it is polluted by point and nonpoint sources. The aim of this study was to analyze the water quality of the Seco river and to use a watershed approach using a
Determinants of agriculture commercialization among smallholder farmers in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces of Zimbabwe

Development practitioners have long advocated for smallholder agriculture commercialization as a key strategy for improving the economic wellbeing of rural households in Zimbabwe. This paper analyzes the level and determinants of commercialization of smallholder agriculture in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces of Zimbabwe. The study used primary data collected using a structured questionnaire from a random sample of 474 smallholder farmers. The Household Commercialization Index was used to assess the degree of commercialization, while the Tobit model evaluated factors associated with agricultural commercialization. The mean Household Commercialization Index is 0.28 and the degree of commercialization for female headed households is similar to that of male headed households. Results of the Tobit regression show that the variables that significantly and positively influenced commercialization are size of the household, availability of draft power, livestock ownership, access to irrigation, agricultural training, distance of homestead to town, and household income. On the other hand, the variables that significantly and negatively influenced commercialization are number of household members with secondary education, communal tenure and location in agro-ecological zone IV. The study found that farmers in these two provinces are highly subsistence oriented. In order to increase the degree of commercialization of smallholder farmers, the study recommends that particular attention should be focused on training farmers to view farming as a business, equipping farmers with marketing and negotiation skills and provision of affordable draft power.
A Study of Equation-Solving and Gibbs Free Energy Minimization Methods for Phase Equilibrium Calculations

Phase equilibrium calculations are often involved in the design, simulation, and optimization of chemical processes. Reported methods for these calculations are based on either equation-solving or Gibbs free energy minimization approaches. The main objective of this work is to compare selected methods for these two approaches, in terms of reliability to find the correct solution, computational time, and number of K-value evaluations. For this, four equation-solving and three free minimization methods have been selected and applied to commonly encountered vapour–liquid equilibrium (VLE), liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE), and vapour–liquid–liquid equilibrium (VLLE) examples involving multiple components and popular thermodynamic models. Detailed results show that the equation-solving method based on the Rachford–Rice formulation accompanied by mean value theorem and Wegstein's projection is reliable and efficient for two-phase equilibrium calculations not having local minima. When there are multiple minima and for three-phase equilibrium, the stochastic method, genetic algorithm (GA) followed by modified simplex method of Nelder and Mead (NM) is more reliable and desirable. Generic programs for numerical methods are ineffective for phase equilibrium calculations. These findings are of interest and value to researchers and engineers working on phase equilibrium calculations and/or developing thermodynamic models for phase behaviour.
Removal of Furfural from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption Using Organobentonite: Isotherm and Kinetic Studies

Lubricant refineries are facing pollution problems associated with the occasional loss of furfural. This constitutes both an economic loss and an environmental hazard, especially for aquatic organisms. Some studies on the removal of furfural by adsorption onto hydrophobic polymeric resins (XAD-4 and XAD-7), activated carbon and the nanoporous material MCM-48 have been published, but none provides information on the adsorption of furfural onto clays. In the present work, we have studied the efficiency of sodium bentonite modified with the cationic surfactant cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in the adsorption of furfural. The structures of both natural and modified bentonites have been examined using XRD and FT-IR analyses. Adsorption studies were performed in a batch system, with the effects of various experimental parameters such as the contact time, the organobentonite concentration, pH, the initial furfural concentration and the temperature being evaluated. Kinetic results showed that furfural could be removed by CTAB–bentonite after contact for 6 h, with the adsorption process being well described by the pseudo-second-order reaction model. Furfural sorption onto CTAB–bentonite was characterized by a linear isotherm, with the adsorption capacity towards furfural being reduced by increasing temperature. A comparison of furfural adsorption capacities revealed that the capacities decreased in the following order: CTAB–bentonite > XAD-4 > XAD-7.
Effect of Spray Drying of Four Fruit Juices on Physicochemical, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Properties

Fruit juices from Khasi mandarin orange, watermelon, carambola and pineapple were spray dried with 20% maltodextrin and studied for physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties. Khasi mandarin orange gave the highest yield (85.27%). Viscosity of the feed sample and the particle size distribution of the powders varied among samples. Moisture content ranged between 3.41 and 5.47%. pH was in the acidic range and titratable acidity was highest in carambola (0.70%). Solubility values ranged from 57.57 to 76.75%. Hygroscopicity of the juice powders ranged from 11.63 to 11.99 g/100 g of samples. The change in color (ΔE) after spray drying was highest in reconstituted Khasi mandarin. The phytochemical content and antioxidant activity were significantly different between the spray-dried and fresh untreated juice samples. An increase in total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, ferric reducing antioxidant potential and DPPH radical scavenging activity was observed in Khasi mandarin juice powder. Practical Applications Application of heat treatment causes number of changes in quality parameters of spray-dried fruit juice powder. The present work studied the effect of spray drying on the physicochemical properties of four fruit juice powders as well as changes in their phytochemical and antioxidant activities. It was observed that spray drying had both positive and adverse effects on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties depending on the fruit juice type. The phytochemical and antioxidant properties were enhanced upon spray drying of Khasi mandarin juice. The results indicate that spray-dried Khasi mandarin orange and watermelon juice powders can be promoted for processing by the fruit processing industries.
Political Polarization During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Affective polarization has increased substantially in the United States and countries of Europe over the last decades and the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to drastically reinforce such polarization. I investigate the degree and dynamic of affective polarization during the COVID-19 pandemic through a two-wave panel survey with a vignette experiment in Germany fielded in April/May and July/August 2020. I 1) compare the findings to a previous study from 2017, and 2) assess how economic distress due to the crisis changes perceptions of other partisans. Results show that the public today experiences slightly stronger polarization between AfD voters and supporters of other parties. Yet, higher economic distress decreases the negative sentiment of voters of other parties towards AfD supporters. I argue that experiencing economic distress increases the awareness of political debate and the responsiveness to government decisions. Thus, in times of broad cross-party consensus, this can translate into public opinion so that it makes people less hostile towards other partisans.
Geographical Discrimination of Croatian Wines by Stable Isotope Ratios and Multielemental Composition Analysis

The δ18O and δ13C (analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry, IRMS) and concentration of 22 selected elements (analyzed by inductively coupled plasma—optical emission spectrometry, ICP-OES) in 190 Croatian microvinified and commercial wine samples from continental and coastal winegrowing areas and from three viticultural zones (B, CI, and CII) were measured to investigate whether multivariate statistical methods could provide the fingerprint for geographical origin determination. The highest power for discrimination of wines produced in Croatian winegrowing areas was achieved by general discriminant analysis (GDA) showing correct classification of 97.9% of all investigated samples, 100.0% of microvinified samples and 84.8% of commercial samples in the cross-validation matrix. The most significant markers for discrimination of coastal and continental areas found by GDA were δ18O and Co, followed by K, Rb, Sn, Li, and δ13C in descending order. GDA showed higher levels of correctly classified samples from three viticultural zones in Croatia if only microvinified samples were employed in the analysis (94.9%) than for all samples together (86.3%) or for commercial samples (66.1%) in the cross-validation matrix. The discrimination of viticultural zones B, CI, and CII in Croatia was achieved by δ18O, Co, Rb, Li, K, and Sn. The results obtained showed that the relationships between the isotopic ratios and concentrations of different considered elements combined with appropriate statistical model represent a powerful tool in discrimination of wines produced in different Croatian winegrowing areas.
Interlayer bonding in IIb chlorite

The interlayer bond energy of a IIb-4 chlorite has been calculated as a function of layer charge, the site of the charge and the selective replacement of hydroxyl groups by fluoride ions. Long hydrogen bonds between the hydroxide sheet and the adjacent oxygens are strong and by themselves sufficient to create a stable structure. Coupled substitutions giving the 2:1 layer a negative charge and the hydroxide sheet a positive charge increase substantially the interlayer bond energy. 3 figures.
Sodium fertilizer application to pasture. 6. Effects of combined applications with sulphur on herbage production and chemical composition in the season of application

The effect of sulphur and sodium fertilizers on the response of a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) sward was examined over 2 years. Sulphur fertilizer was applied as ammonium sulphate at 0 or 97·5 kg S ha−1 year−1 and sodium fertilizer as sodium nitrate at 0 (nil), 31 (low), 62 (medium) or 94 (high) kg Na ha−1 year−1, with nitrogen input balanced across all treatments. Both sulphur and sodium increased herbage yield. Sodium fertilizer increased herbage sulphur concentration and sulphur fertilizer slightly increased herbage sodium concentration, but there were no major interactions between the two fertilizers on herbage yield or composition in the season of application. Sodium fertilizer increased dry-matter digestibility, water-soluble carbohydrate concentration and the live proportion of the herbage. Herbage sodium and magnesium concentrations were increased and potassium concentration decreased by sodium fertilizer. Sulphur fertilizer increased herbage dry-matter digestibility and water-soluble carbohydrate concentration. Sulphur and potassium concentrations were also increased and non-protein nitrogen, magnesium and phosphorus concentrations decreased in response to sulphur fertilizer. It is concluded that, although there was evidence of facilitation of sodium uptake by sulphur fertilizer and vice versa, this was not sufficient to produce synergistic effects on herbage growth in the season of application.
Hydrolytic Pretreatment of Softwood and Almond Shells. Degree of Polymerization and Enzymatic Digestibility of the Cellulose Fraction

Autohydrolysis and dilute-acid hydrolysis were used as pretreatment methods to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of cellulose in two different lignocellulosic substrates, a softwood mixture and an agricultural residue of almond shells. The changes in the chemical composition of the softwood mixture during dilute-acid pretreatment were studied, and the results were grouped by using a severity parameter, KROH, which was derived from the kinetics of hemicellulose solubilization. The average degree of polymerization of the cellulose retained in the pretreated substrate, DPv, was investigated and its trend compared with that of almond shells. Cellulose DPv decreased for both the substrates from a value of 700 for the untreated lignocellulosic to around 200, which corresponds to the leveling-off degree of polymerization, as there is no significant variation in DPv when severity increases. Glucose yields after enzymatic saccharification of the pretreated substrates turned out to be higher for almond shells tha.
Evaluating grassed waterway efficiency in southeastern Iowa using WEPP

Properly calibrated, single storm event, model simulations can be valuable quantitative tools for evaluating the effectiveness of grassed waterways (GWWs) and identifying a threshold length for an effective GWW. Current specifications for GWW lengths in Iowa are lacking. The key objective of this study is to employ the well‐established Water Erosion Prediction Project model (WEPP) for determining an effective (or threshold) GWW length for reducing runoff and sediment yields under a wide range of hydrologic and management conditions in an agricultural Iowa watershed, namely Clear Creek, IA. The advantage of this physically based, distributed‐parameter model is its ability to replicate processes at the hillslope scale where GWW performance is mostly evaluated. Overall, 84 WEPP runs were performed for assessing (i) the effect that GWW length has on reducing runoff and sediment yields within a representative test hillslope, and (ii) the effect of the gradient of the drainage area on GWW efficiency. Results show that the GWW efficiency for all GWW lengths is governed by hydrology, expressed as Qpeak. The results suggest that the threshold length for an effective GWW is 500 m for the hydrologic conditions in this study and for a representative drainage area of approximately 27 ha. For all storm events, a threshold drainage area gradient of approximately 3% was found above which the GWW efficiency was independent of topographic steepness. The results demonstrate similar trends to other studies although the relative increases in reduction in runoff and sediment delivery differ between sites and are very much dictated by Qpeak and hydrologic soil group. The effectiveness of models to evaluate GWW efficiency for nearly saturated conditions and shallow flows is discussed.
Degenerate quantum gases of strontium

Degenerate quantum gases of alkaline-earth-like elements open new opportunities in research areas ranging from molecular physics to the study of strongly correlated systems. These experiments exploit the rich electronic structure of these elements, which is markedly different from the one of other species for which quantum degeneracy has been attained. Specifically, alkaline-earth-like atoms, such as strontium, feature metastable triplet states, narrow intercombination lines, and a non-magnetic, closed-shell ground state. This review covers the creation of quantum degenerate gases of strontium and the first experiments performed with this new system. It focuses on laser-cooling and evaporation schemes, which enable the creation of Bose-Einstein condensates and degenerate Fermi gases of all strontium isotopes, and shows how they are used for the investigation of optical Feshbach resonances, the study of degenerate gases loaded into an optical lattice, as well as the coherent creation of Sr_2 molecules.
Physical Activity With Eduball Stimulates Graphomotor Skills in Primary School Students

Despite the general agreement that the interdisciplinary model of physical education (PE), based on the incorporation of core academic subjects into the PE curriculum, stimulates the holistic development of students, there is still a lack of methods for its implementation. Therefore, Eduball was created, i.e., a method that uses educational balls with printed letters, numbers, and other signs. Numerous studies have shown that children participating in activities with Eduballs can develop their physical fitness while simultaneously improving their academic performance, particularly in math and language, including some writing skills. However, little is known about the effects of Eduball on children’s graphomotor skills, which are key for the academic performance of students throughout the entire schooling process. Here, we investigate whether 6-month participation in PE with Eduball stimulates graphomotor skills in primary school students, such as drawing prehandwriting letter patterns on unlined or lined paper and rewriting text on unlined or lined paper. Our results show that the Eduball class (N = 28) significantly improved these skills compared to the control class (N = 26) participating in traditional PE. For example, students from the experimental group wrote with a lower pen pressure and better stability of the line, in contrast to those from the control group. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the Eduball method successfully supports teachers in developing graphomotor skills in children. More broadly, our findings make clear once again that there is the need to integrate physical and cognitive development in education, which can be achieved by using an interdisciplinary model of PE.
Combining ability studies in chilli (Capsicum annum L.) for oleoresin and related traits

Three female and fourteen male parents were crossed in line x tester fashion for studying combining ability analysis for oleoresin and related characters in chilli. Non-additive components predominated for dry matter, colouring matter in powder and oleoresin, oleoresin (%) and oleoresin yield while additive components predominated for capsaicin in powder and oleoresin. The female parent Punjab Guchhedar was good combiner for dry matter, capsaicin in powder and oleoresin, oleoresin (%) and oleoresin yield. The male parent Punjab Lal was good combiner for dry matter, capsaicin in powder and oleoresin, S-2529 for oleoresin, colouring matter in powder and oleoresin. The cross combinations MS- 12 x S-2530, Lt-2 x RHCH Up, Punjab Guchhedar x S-2545 and Punjab Guchhedar x LLS recorded significant sca effect for oleoresin yield, oleoresin (%), capsaicin in powder and colouring matter in powder respectively.
Early Growth and Protein-Energy Metabolism in Chicken Lines Divergently Selected on Ultimate pH

In chickens, a divergent selection on the Pectoralis major pHu allowed the creation of the pHu+ and pHu− lines, which represent a unique model for studying the biological control of carbohydrate storage in muscle. The present study aimed to describe the early mechanisms involved in the establishment of pHu+ and pHu− phenotypes. At hatching, pHu+ chicks were slightly heavier but exhibited lower plasma glucose and triglyceride and higher uric acid. After 5 days, pHu+ chicks exhibited higher breast meat yield compared to pHu− while their body weight was no different. At both ages, in vivo muscle glycogen content was lower in pHu+ than in pHu− muscles. The lower ability of pHu+ chicks to store carbohydrate in their muscle was associated with the increased expression of SLC2A1 and SLC2A3 genes coding glucose transporters 1 and 3, and of CS and LDHα coding key enzymes of oxidative and glycolytic pathways, respectively. Reduced muscle glycogen content at hatching of the pHu+ was concomitant with higher activation by phosphorylation of S6 kinase 1/ribosomal protein S6 pathway, known to activate protein synthesis in chicken muscle. In conclusion, differences observed in muscle at slaughter age in the pHu+ and pHu− lines are already present at hatching. They are associated with several changes related to both carbohydrate and protein metabolism, which are likely to affect their ability to use eggs or exogenous nutrients for muscle growth or energy storage.