Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deployment of Sawdust as Substrate Medium in Hydroponically Grown Lettuce

In this study, lettuce plants were grown in sawdust (Saw) and/or perlite (Per) mixtures (sawdust; Saw:Per 75:25%; Saw:Per 50:50%; Saw:Per 25:75%; Perlite) and in Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), in an unheated greenhouse. Plants grown in NFT were taller with greater leaf area resulting in greater fresh weight. Sawdust addition reduced leaf length, leaf area and as a consequence the fresh weight but not the leaf number. However, leaf dry weight increased as sawdust content increased into the substrate. Leaf chlorophyll reduced but leaf fluoresces increased in perlite and NFT. High sawdust content (75% or 100%) reduced photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance. Nutrient uptake [potassium (K), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P)] was the greatest in NFT treatment, while perlite and Saw:Per 25:75% increased elemental uptake (up to 74%) comparing with the remaining treatments. Leaf elemental analysis fluctuated among treatments. Thus, low content (i.e. 25%) of sawdust in perlite could improve inorganic substrate media properties.
How Effective are Alternative Ways of Laundry Washing?

Abstract Laundry washing consumes resources. It is therefore a clear task for everyone, especially the industry and the consumer, to try to reduce the amount of resources needed as much as possible. Many possibilities and alternatives to the classical cleaning process using a washing machine and a readily formulated detergent are in discussion and are offered to the consumer. Task of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of some of these alternative methods to see whether the task to save resources can be accomplished by them. This is done by carrying out washing performance tests in a common household washing machine using stain monitors and stain strips as indicators for the washing effect in a 30°C and 60°C cotton program and comparing those alternatives (soap nuts, soapwort, two kind of wash-balls) with the use of regular detergent and washing with pure water. As result it is shown, that none of the investigated alternative cleaning methods does deliver any washing effect better than the result achieved with pure water, besides for soapwort that also included other surfactants. Interesting to note that on most stains the use of just 50% of the detergent delivers already a cleaning performance not much lower as 100% of detergent does provide.
Aryl ethyl ethers prepared by ethylation using diethyl carbonate

Abstract An environmentally more convenient reaction for the production of industrially important aryl ethyl ethers (ArOEts) is described. ArOEts were selectively obtained in essentially quantitative yields by the reaction of corresponding (hetero)aromatic alcohols (ArOHs) with diethyl carbonate as the environmentally friendly alkylating reagent in the presence of N,N-dimethylacetamide used as polar aprotic cosolvent, and sodium ethoxide as the base. The reactions were carried out in the air under atmospheric pressure at 137°C. Reaction equilibrium was shifted by distilling the ethanol from the reaction mixture. All ArOEts were isolated by evaporation of the reaction mixture, and subsequent extraction with water and diethoxymethane. The ethylation agent and used solvents were non-toxic, recyclable and biologically degradable. Wastewater from the extraction was successfully treated by Fenton oxidation and returned to the next work-up process.
Standardized Investigation of Percutaneous Absorption of Bitumen Emission in Humans

The potential for percutaneous absorption of aerosols and vapors of bitumen was investigated in human beings using an experimental chamber. Commercial bitumen B 65 was used to generate the bitumen emissions. The system used for air sampling and analysis permitted the separate evaluation of aerosols and vapors as well as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and contents, respectively. n = 10 male nonsmokers were exposed for 8 h with and two of them in addition without a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). Quantification of the percutaneous and combined inhaled/percutaneous absorption was related to the biological monitoring of the PAH metabolites pyrene, chrysene, and phenanthrene in urine. The bitumen emissions in chamber were determined to be 20.4 mg/m 3 with a vapor content of about 88%. Two subjects stressed by inhalation and percutaneous contact with bitumen showed PAH absorption values of approximately 57% for pyrene and chrysene and about 50% for phenanthrene.
Modelling on‐axis microdiffraction to investigate crystallographic texture within high‐performance polymer fibres

Radial crystallographic texture in high-performance polymeric fibres is a common structural feature. Quite why such preferred orientation should exist and how it impacts upon the mechanical properties of the fibre is still not fully understood. This study reports the use of a modelling approach to investigate radial texture in the poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibre type. The model allows azimuthal scattering profiles to be calculated corresponding to an on-axis microdiffraction geometry. The results show that, in order to model experimental data successfully, an offset is required between the a unit-cell axis and the fibre radial direction. The origin of this offset is tentatively attributed to solvent outflow during coagulation, which aligns the planar molecular chains. Meanwhile, textural differences between different fibre types can be explained by processing differences.
Interaction of dimethyltin(IV) dichloride with 5′-IMP and 5′-UMP

The formation constants of the species formed in the systems H+ + dimethyltin(IV) + 5′-IMP and 5′-UMP, H+ + 5′-IMP and H+ + 5′-UMP have been determined in aqueous solution in the pH range 1.5–9.5 at constant temperature (25 °C) and constant ionic strength (0.1 mol dm−3 NaClO4), using spectrophotometric and potentiometric techniques. 1H and 31P NMR investigations in aqueous solution confirmed the species formation. The precipitated complexes of IMP and UMP by Me2Sn(IV)2+ at low pH values were characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy methods, the bonding sites of the ligands were determined and ruled out purine and pyrimidine moieties (N-7 and N-1 in IMP and N-3 in UMP, respectively) while a bidentated coordination of the phosphate group is concluded in both cases. Finally, the experiments revealed the existence of complexes with trigonal bipyramidal structures that is in agreement with similar systems resulted previously. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
EFICIÊNCIA NO USO DO NITROGÊNIO POR CULTIVARES DE AVEIA BRANCA DE ACORDO COM A ADUBAÇÃO NITROGENADA

With the objective of evaluating the effect of nitrogen doses (N) on the grain yield and the behavior of components involved in the N use efficiency of white oat (Avena sativa L.), a field experiment was conducted with four oat cultivars (CTC 5, UFRGS 15, UFRGS 19, and UPF 18), combined with four levels of N fertilization (0, 24, 48, and 73 kg ha-1). The experiment had a randomized block design with three replications, and was carried out on a Typic Hapludalf soil, with 26.7 g dm-3 of organic matter. The cultivars UFRGS 19 and UPF 18 presented a higher response potential to N fertilization in dry matter yield, N accumulation at flowering, N remobilization, and N fertilization efficiency compared with cultivars CTC 5 and UFRGS 15. The increase in N fertilization decreased the efficiency of N remobilization, uptake and fertilization efficiency; although it did not affect the N utilization efficiency, and increased the dry matter production, grain yield, and N accumulation at maturity in all evaluated cultivars.
Preparation of colloidal solutions of thin platinum nanowires

Colloidal solutions of thin platinum nanowires having lengths of 10 to 70 nm and diameters of 1.5–3 nm were prepared by reducing K2PtCl4 with hydrogen in a glycol solution containing K2C2O4 and preformed Pt seeds. TEM, HRTEM, XRD and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy were used to study the structure of the obtained nanowires and the effect of preparation conditions, such as pH value, temperature, preformed Pt nanoseeds and stabilizing agents, on the morphology of the products. The mechanism for forming the thin Pt nanowires in the absence of a 1D structure template was discussed based on the experimental results. Stable colloidal solutions of mercaptan-modified Pt nanowires were prepared for the first time by transferring the prepared thin Pt nanowires into toluene containing octadecylmercaptan.
Solubility of Hydrogen Sulfide in Water

The solubility of hydrogen sulfide in water has been measured in the temperature range 10–180 °C at pressures up to 6670 kPa or the hydrate/H2S-rich liquid locus, whichever is lower at the particular temperature. Limited vapor phase data at 90, 120, and 150 C were also obtained. Henry's coefficients have been determined from the experimental data.
Characteristics of gas–phase nitric acid and ammonium–nitrate– sulfate aerosol, and their gas–phase precursors in a suburban area in Cairo, Egypt

Simultaneous measurements of gaseous SO2, NO2, HNO3, NH3 and particulate SO42–, NO3– and NH4+ were carried out in a suburban area in Cairo during summer 2009 and winter 2009–2010. PTFE membrane filters were used to collect particulate SO42–, NH4+ and NO3–, followed by the impregnated filter to collect HNO3. Colorimetric methods were used for determination of NO2, SO2, NH3, SO42–, NH4+ NO3–, and HNO3 levels. The mean concentrations of NO2, SO2 and NH3 were 75.0, 40.1 and 29.1 µg/m3 in winter and 54.1, 25.1 and 44.9 µg/m3 in summer, respectively. The daytime/nighttime concentration ratios were 1.3 and 1.2 for NO2, 1.3 and 1.2 for SO2 and 0.6, and 0.8 for NH3 during the winter and summer, respectively. The mean values of NH4+, SO42–, NO3–, HNO3 and total NO3– were 4.4, 19.0, 3.4, 1.1 and 4.5 µg/m3 in winter and 7.5, 28.0, 4.2, 3.1 and 7.3 µg/m3 in summer, respectively. The levels of NH4+, SO42–, NO3– and HNO3 were relatively higher in daytime than in nighttime. Sulfur conversion (Fs) and nitrogen conversion ratios (Fn) in summer were about 1.78 and 2.15 times higher than in winter, respectively. Fs and Fn were higher in daytime than in nighttime. Significant positive correlation was found between Fs and relative humidity. The positive correlation between Fn and relative humidity was insignificant. The correlation between the concentration of NH4+ and NO3– indicates that NO3– may be found in fine mode (NH4NO3) in winter and it may be present predominantly as a coarse mode, such as Ca(NO3)2, Mg(NO3)2 and NaNO3 in summer. The concentration of SO42– was significantly correlated with NH4+ concentration, suggesting neutralization by NH3 and indicating that the forms of (NH4)2SO4 and/or NH4HSO4 exist in the aerosol. The NH4+/SO42– molar ratio indicates that SO42– in aerosol may be present as (NH4)2SO4, (NH4)2SO4.CaSO4.2H2O and CaSO4.
Polyurethane foams made from liquefied bark‐based polyols

Liquefaction is known to be an effective method for converting biomass into a polyol. However, the relationships between bark liquefaction conditions and properties of the resulting foams are unclear. In this study, polyurethane foams (PUF) were made using bark-based polyols obtained through liquefaction reactions of bark at two different temperatures (90 and 130°C). Through systematic characterization of the PUFs the influence of the liquefied bark and liquefaction conditions on foam properties could be observed. The bark-based foams had similar foaming kinetics, thermal stability, and glass transition temperatures compared with the PEG-based control foam. The bark-based PUF from the polyol obtained at the higher liquefaction temperature showed comparable specific compressive strength to the PEG-based control foam. Lastly, both bark foams exhibited a high amount of open-cell content, with the foam made from the lower temperature liquefied polyol having poor cell morphology. This deviation from the controls in the open-cell content may explain the lower modulus values observed in the bark PUFs due to the lack of cell membrane elastic stretching as a strengthening mechanism. These results demonstrated the influence of the bark liquefaction conditions on foam properties, thereby providing a better fundamental understanding for the practical application of bark-based PUFs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40599.
PECTIN‐BASED EDIBLE COATING FOR SHELF‐LIFE EXTENSION OF ATAULFO MANGO

ABSTRACT Mango is a commercial but highly perishable fruit, and therefore, a longer shelf life is necessary for its successful marketing and consumer satisfaction. This study aims at evaluating the effects of edible coating, based on pectin, on the quality and shelf-life extension of mangoes. The coating formulations included different combinations of pectin, beeswax, sorbitol and monoglyceride. The fruits were coated and stored at room temperature along with uncoated controls. Samples tested were evaluated periodically for quality parameters, which included visual observation, weight loss, respiration rate, color, firmness, pH, soluble solids (SS), titrable acidity and extent of decay. The coated-fruits reduced the rate of color development, texture softening, weight loss, CO2 evolution and acid production (only pH and SS increased) compared with the control. The shelf life of control sample was less than a week, whereas the coated fruits remained good for over 2 weeks, thereby offering a significant advantage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The study evaluates the use of pectin-based edible coating for extending the shelf life of mango. The formulation is a blend of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups to provide controlled respiration and water vapor permeability. The properties of pectin films have been highlighted in a previous paper, and several applications based on the coating have been demonstrated. The present study demonstrates that modifications to the formulation were necessary in order to successfully apply it to mango. Mango is a popular commercial product with high heritability. Simple edible coatings that can help to improve the shelf life and marketability of the product will be of significant interest in the marketing of mango products.
Essential Oil of Lantana camara L. var. aculeata from Nigeria

Abstract Essential oils from the leaves and flowers of Lantana camara L. var. aculeata were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Thirty-nine and 46 constituents were identified in the leaf and flower oils, respectively. Sabinene (19.6–21.5%), 1,8-cineole (12.6–14.8%), β-caryophyllene (12.7–13.4%) and α-humulene (5.8–6.3%) were the major components of both oils. Two rare sesquiterpenoids—humulene epoxide III and 8-hydroxybicyclogermacrene—were also isolated from the oils.
THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF DRYING FOODS

Thermodynamic functions computed for food systems showing hysteresis indicate considerable differences. There appears to exist no qualitative agreement between the values obtained. Large differences in values between the adsorption an desorp-tion branches of isotherms make the absolute magnitude of the entropy and enthalpy changes uncertain. The desorption iso-steric heat was found to decrease with temperature while the adsorption branch of the isotherm for a few foods were found to exhibit temperature reversal effect giving higher values at low temperatures. Such trend may indicate either transition in the form of binding energy or the effect of temperature on structural alterations. In designing drying equipment, the isosteric heat of desorption will provide “a worst case” analysis as the true isosteric heat will lie somewhere between the adsorption and desorption isosteric heat. Any overcalculation in designing equipment by using the desorption branch of hysteresis data can only be in favor of increase.
Composição da assembleia de peixes na Região Metropolitana de Recife: nova técnica utilizando BRUVS (Baited Remote Underwater Video Station)

Baited remote underwater video stations were deployed for the first time off Recife, Brazil, to test the feasibility of this technique locally and to assess the relative abundance (MaxN h⁻¹), diversity and spatial distribution of fish assemblages in the area. Between November 15ᵗʰ and 27ᵗʰ, 2017, during 08:00 to 17:00, ninety sites were surveyed, with 90 minutes of video being recorded in each of them, totalising 7254 minutes (± 91.8; min 71; max 150). Seventy-nine out of 90 BRUVS deployments could be utilised, with 3,299 individuals (27.29 h⁻¹) from 29 families being observed. Of the 75 taxa, 69 were teleosts, five were elasmobranchs and one was a chelonid. The Clupeidae was the more representative in relative abundance (10.81h⁻¹), followed by Haemulidae (8.94h⁻¹), Carangidae (2.11h⁻¹) and Lutjanidae (1.26h⁻¹). The Haemulidae was the most diverse family (10 species), followed by Carangidae (6), Lutjanidae (5), Monacanthidae (4), Acanthuridae (3) and Serranidae (3). Most of the fish observed were Haemulon aurolineatum (679 individuals; 5.62h⁻¹), followed by Ophistonema oglinum (507; 4.19h⁻¹), Haemulon steindachneri (267; 2.21h⁻¹), Lutjanus synagris (137; 1.13h⁻¹) and Caranx crysos (110; 0.91h⁻¹). The most common species was Lutjanus synagris, recorded in 56 out of 79 different surveys, followed by Haemulon steindachneri (34), Caranx crysos (32) and Haemulon aurolineatum (30). Most of the species recorded by the BRUVS (46) were carnivore, while eleven were omnivore and the remaining nine herbivore. Sharks and rays showed a rather low relative abundance (0.25 h⁻¹). All rays were from the genus Hypanus, including H. americanus (0.15 h⁻¹), H. marianae (0.008 h⁻¹), and unidentified species of Hypanus (0.08 h⁻¹). The sharks were represented by Ginglymostoma cirratum (0.008 h⁻¹) and Carcharhinus sp (0.008 h⁻¹). The relative abundance and the number of species were compared by: habitat type (Sediment; Sediment with phytobenthos; and Sediment in a shipwreck area), depth (10-15 m; 15-20 m; 20-25 m; and 25-30 m) and geographic region (North and South). Univariate analyses indicated a higher mean number of species in “Sediment in a shipwreck area” and “Sediment with phytobenthos”. The depth range from 20 to 25 meters presented the highest mean number of species and specimens. The efficacy of BRUVS to assess fish assemblages in the region was confirmed, although complementary efforts to run similar experiments in different seasons are necessary to allow a more robust assessment of the temporal and spatial distribution of marine fauna in the region.
Steroidal Saponins from the Rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis and their Cytotoxic Activity on HL-60 Cells

Abstract A new spirostanol steroidal saponin, along with ten known saponins, which were based upon (25R)-spirost-5-en-3β-o1 (diosgenin) or (25R)-spirost-5-ene-3β5,17α-diol (pennogenin) as the aglycones, were isolated from the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. chinensis. Spectral data, including two-dimensional NMR, and the result of hydrolytic cleavage showed that the structure of the new saponin was pennogenin 3-0-{O−α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-O a-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranoside}. The isolated saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity on human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.
Multi-element analysis of Macedonian wines by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) and inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (IP–OES) for regional classification

Major, minor, and trace elements in wines from the Republic of Macedonia were determined in this study. Both inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma– optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) were used for accurate determination of the concentration of 42 elements (Ag, Al, Au, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Ho, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, Pr, S, Sm, Tb, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, Yb, Zn, Zr) in 25 Macedonian white, rose, and red wines from different wine regions. By means of factor and cluster analyses, the wines were discriminated according to wine type (white vs. red) and geographical origin. The main discriminant elements were B, Ba, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, P, and S.
Streamer propagation and breakdown under ac voltage in very large oil gaps

This paper presents a study of prebreakdown and breakdown phenomena under ac voltage in mineral oil in very large gaps (/spl les/80 cm). The investigations presented concern the measurement of breakdown voltages together with the recording of streamers in rod-plane and sphere-plane electrode systems, at different gap sizes. A breakdown mode specific to ac voltage is found, in which 'bursts' composed of streamers initiated at each half cycle appear. This mode leads to the lowest breakdown fields recorded under ac. Values of the average stress required for burst or direct breakdown modes are deduced from the experiments. Positive streamers are responsible for breakdown in large gaps: their propagation is easy and does not depend on the gap geometry and on the presence of particles. On the other hand, the propagation of negative streamers is quenched when not very divergent fields are used.
Influence of various compounds on electrostatic charging tendency in insulating oil

The influence of various compounds on the increase of the electrostatic charging tendency (ECT) in insulating oil was investigated. Sulfide compounds, which are contained in new mineral oil, are identified for the first time as the original materials involved in the increase of the ECT. This is verified by heating tests of alkylbenzene with the addition of various compounds. Coexistence with copper and injection of oxygen enhance the increase of the ECT. Some sulfide and sulfoxide compounds increase the ECT markedly. On the other hand, the influence of sulfones, which are oxidation products of sulfoxides, is negligible. Although sulfonic acids, which are oxidation products of sulfones, markedly increase the ECT, the polarity is reverse. Thus, the ECT is influenced by the kinds and the molecular structures of additive sulfur compounds. The influence of nitrogen compounds and that of oxygen compounds are confirmed to be smaller than that of sulfur compounds. Since the amounts of nitrogen compounds and oxygen compounds are much smaller than those of sulfur compounds in mineral insulating oils, the influence of these compounds is considered negligible. Since the ECT of oils with the addition of sulfides or sulfoxides increases after heating, the other compounds should be created from these compounds that increase the ECT directly. Thus, the increase of the ECT is mostly caused by the oxidation of sulfides, which creates sulfoxides. Then certain compounds, which directly increase the ECT, are created from sulfoxides. If sulfones or sulfonic acids are created by the oxidation of sulfoxides, the ECT decreases because of the influence of these compounds on the ECT. It is most likely that some process other than oxidation occurs in the creation of the compounds that increase the ECT directly. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 176(3): 29–36, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21112
An Investigation of the Effect of Input Air Upon Combustion Performance and Emissions of Biodiesel and Diesel Fuel in an Experimental Boiler

This article addresses effect of input air upon combustion performance and environmental pollution of biodiesel and diesel in a semi industrial boiler. The thermal capacity and exhaust temperature as the combustion performance and emissions like CO2, SO2, CO, and NOx are investigated and plotted over a wide input air to the boiler at a constant fuel pressure of 160 psi and diffuser setting at 3 mm. Indeed, this article demonstrates, in a non-premixed combustion of biodiesel and diesel, how performance of a boiler changes with increasing and decreasing of input air to the boiler. Afterwards, the trend of emissions with change in the input air will be depicted as well.