Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Replacement of Sodium Tripolyphosphate with Iota Carrageenan in the Formulation of Restructured Ostrich Ham †

The influence of iota carrageenan (iota-CGN) as a partial replacement of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) was investigated on the physical (pH, yield, instrumental color, texture profile analysis), chemical (moisture, protein, total fat, ash, phosphate) and sensory (descriptive analysis, acceptance testing) quality of restructured ostrich ham (95% lean meat plus fat). Treatments consisted of five decreasing levels of STPP (0.70%, 0.53%, 0.35%, 0.18% and 0%) that were simultaneously substituted with five increasing levels of iota-CGN (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4%). Cooked yield, hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess of restructured ostrich ham increased (p ≤ 0.05) with decreasing levels of STPP (and increased levels of iota-CGN). No significant trend in instrumental color measurements or springiness were observed between treatments. Ostrich ham with 0.35% STPP and lower had increased ostrich meat aroma and flavor, while spicy aroma and flavor, mealiness and consumer acceptance decreased. Iota carrageenan can be substituted for STPP (up to 0.35% STPP and 0.2% iota-CGN) to produce reduced STPP ham.
Influence of Sodium on the Structure and HDS Activity of Co–Mo Catalysts Supported ON Silica and Aluminosilicate

Abstract Structural changes and catalytic performances of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) Co–Mo catalysts, supported on amorphous aluminosilicate (ASA) and amorphous SiO 2 were investigated as a function of the amount of sodium ions added to the supports. The catalysts were prepared according to the incipient wet impregnation method using (NH 4 ) 6 Mo 7 O 24 as molybdenum precursor and CoCl 2 or Co(NO 3 ) 2 as cobalt precursor. Structural and morphological characterisations of the materials were performed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and surface area measurements (BET). In the case of the ASA-supported catalysts, increasing the amount of sodium resulted in a gradual decrease of the catalyst surface areas and allowed formation of the β-CoMoO 4 phase. In the SiO 2 -supported catalysts, the β-CoMoO 4 phase formed in the absence of sodium. Moreover, addition of the alkali ions to the amorphous silica induced the phase transition to cristobalite resulting in a drastic decrease of the surface area. The catalytic behaviour of the materials was tested in the HDS of thiophene carried out in a continuous-flow system at atmospheric pressure, in a range of temperature between 603 K and 673 K. Unlike the silica-supported catalysts that were strongly inhibited by the addition of sodium, the ASA-supported catalysts exhibited a maximum of the HDS activity in correspondence with a specific amount of sodium. A correlation between structure and activity is proposed.
Aqueous Dispersions of Few-Layered and Monolayered Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets from Sonication-Assisted Hydrolysis: Critical Role of Water

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is traditionally considered to be insoluble in water. However, here we demonstrate that water is effective to exfoliate the layered h-BN structures with the assistance of bath sonication, forming “clean” aqueous dispersions of h-BN nanosheets without the use of surfactants or organic functionalization. Besides few-layered h-BN nanosheets, there was also evidence on the presence of monolayered nanosheet and nanoribbon species. Most nanosheets were of reduced lateral sizes, which was attributed to the cutting of parent h-BN sheets induced by the sonication-assisted hydrolysis (evidenced by the ammonia test and spectroscopy results). The hydrolysis effect also assisted in the exfoliation of h-BN nanosheets in addition to the solvent polarity effect. The h-BN nanosheets in such “clean” aqueous dispersions were demonstrated to be conveniently processed via solution methods with retained physical properties. The dispersed h-BN nanosheets in water also exhibited strong affinity tow.
Large enhancement in dissociative electron attachment to HCl adsorbed on H2O ice via transfer of presolvated electrons

We report that dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to HCl is strongly enhanced by adsorption on the surface of H2O ice. The absolute DEA cross section at ∼0 eV for HCl adsorbed on ice is measured to be ∼4.0×10−15 cm2, which is two orders of magnitude higher than in the gas phase. This enhancement is essentially due to electron transfer from precursor states of the solvated electron in ice to an unfilled molecular orbital of HCl followed by its dissociation. This study indicates that electron-induced dissociation may be a significant process leading to HCl dissociation on ice surfaces in polar stratospheric clouds due to ionization by cosmic rays.
Experimental and CFD studies of fluid dynamic gauging in annular flows

Fluid dynamic gauging has been applied for the first time to measurements on a curved surface, specifically the inner convex surface of an annulus. Two hydraulic cases were examined: (i) the quasi-static case, where there is no flow in the annulus, other than the flow imposed by the working action of the gauge and (ii) the turbulent case, where there is additionally a forced advective flow in the turbulent regime (14,000 < Reannulus < 32,000). The nozzle clearance–flow rate characteristics resembled those reported previously for flat geometries, with one exception; at small clearance values (0 < h/dt < 0.1), flow rate was found to be independent of clearance because of a leakage flow arising from the curvature of the surface. The experimental results for the quasi-static case showed very good agreement with simulations of the configuration using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The agreement indicates that the technique may be used not only for measuring the thickness of deposits on curved surfaces, but also for measuring their strength. CFD simulation of the turbulent case was not attempted, but the experimental results imply that the technique could be used reliably as a real-time in situ thickness sensor for this scenario, which is often employed in laboratory fouling studies. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Pyrolysis of kraft lignin in molten ZnCl2-KCl media with tetralin vapor addition

On a pyrolyse de la lignine kraft dans des melanges de ZnCl 2 -KCl sous forme de sels fondus dans lesquels on a ajoute de la vapeur de tetraline a 0,4 et 4% molaire diluee avec du N 2 , dans une gamme de temperatures de 400 a 700°C. Les analyses par chromatographie gazeuse des produits de pyrolyse montrent que le rendement de H 2 n'augmente pas avec l'addition de vapeur de tetraline. Ce fait suggere que le radical hydrogene produit par la tetraline est consomme lors de la formation des composants phenoliques et des liquides legers mais non dans la formation de H 2 . Le p-cresol est le composant phenolique le plus abondant. Le rendement des composants phenoliques totaux avec ajout de 4% molaire de vapeur de tetraline augmente approximativement de 80% comparativement au rendement de la pyrolyse simple de la lignine kraft.
Challenges to Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Plant-derived Polyphenolic Compounds

Abstract As multidrug resistance gains momentum, the last two decades have seen an ever-growing interest in the antimicrobial properties of plant extracts and plant-derived compounds. Most of the focus is on polyphenols – a large and diverse group of phytochemicals with strong antibacterial activity. Testing methods provide reliable results as long as they follow standard procedures. However, methods and procedures used in antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are often too diverse to allow comparison of results. The lack of uniformity and comparability is much owed to the absence of guidelines. The focus of this review is to give a critical overview of different methods used in the assessment of polyphenols antimicrobial efficacy and to highlight the importance of their standardisation.
In-Plane Shear Strength of Single-Lap Co-Cured Joints of Self-Reinforced Polyethylene Composites

The present study introduces the analysis of single-lap co-cured joints of thermoplastic self-reinforced composites made with reprocessed low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and reinforced by ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, along with a micromechanical analysis of its constituents. A set of optimal processing conditions for manufacturing these joints by hot-press is proposed through a design of experiment using the response surface method to maximize their in-plane shear strength by carrying tensile tests on co-cured tapes. Optimal processing conditions were found at 1 bar, 115 °C, and 300 s, yielding joints with 6.88 MPa of shear strength. The shear failure is generally preceded by multiple debonding-induced longitudinal cracks both inside and outside the joint due to accumulated transversal stress. This composite demonstrated to be an interesting structural material to be more widely applied in industry, possessing extremely elevated specific mechanical properties, progressive damage of co-cured joints (thus avoiding unannounced catastrophic failures) and ultimate recyclability.
Dual Inoculation with an Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus and Rhizobium to Facilitate the Growth of Alfalfa on Coal Mine Substrates

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Glomus mosseae and Rhizobium on Medicago sativa grown on three types of coal mine substrates, namely a mixture of coal wastes and sands (CS), coal wastes and fly ash (CF), and fly ash (FA). Inoculation with Rhizobium alone did not result in any growth response but G. mosseae alone displayed a significant effect on plant growth. G. mosseae markedly increased the survival rate of M. sativa in CS substrate. In CF and FA substrates the respective oven dry weights of M. sativa inoculated with G. mosseae were 1.8 and 5.1 times higher than those without inoculation. Based on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake and legume growth, the results also show that dual inoculation in CS and CF substrates elicited a synergistic effect. This indicates that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi may be a promising approach for revegetation of coal mine substrates.
The Effects of Organizational Traits on NGO–Business Engagement in Mexico

This paper explores the organizational traits that increase the likelihood of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to engage with businesses in order to enhance their mutual economic, environmental and social goals, consistent with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17, Targets 17.16 and 17.17. The research is based on a survey of 364 randomly selected environmental and social NGOs in Mexico. A probit model is used to analyze the data and generate insights whereby an NGO’s proclivity to engage with the private sector is associated with a number of fundamental organizational characteristics that make them distinct from other NGOs active in their field. The main findings show that likelihood of NGO engagement with firms is correlated with making corporate donations deductible for businesses, NGO size and scope, activities and level of professionalization, sustaining broader stakeholder relations, and showing transparency about the mission and goals of the NGO. The paper includes an analysis of the determinants of specific forms of engagement and discusses some implications for NGO–business engagement and its support of the SDG targets.
Nematicidal Activity of Benzyloxyalkanols against Pine Wood Nematode

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN; Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and causes severe environmental damage to global pine forest ecosystems. The current strategies used to control PWN are mainly chemical treatments. However, the continuous use of these reagents could result in the development of pesticide-resistant nematodes. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to find potential alternatives to the currently used PWN control agents abamectin and emamectin. Benzyloxyalkanols (BzOROH; R = C2–C9) were synthesized and the nematicidal activity of the synthetic compounds was investigated. Enzymatic inhibitory assays (acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST)) were performed with BzOC8OH and BzOC9OH to understand their mode of action. The benzyloxyalkanols showed higher nematicidal activity than did benzyl alcohol. Among the tested BzOROHs, BzC8OH and BzC9OH showed the strongest nematicidal activity. The LD50 values of BzC8OH and BzC9OH were 246.1 and 158.0 ppm, respectively. No enzyme inhibitory activity was observed for BzC8OH and BzC9OH. The results suggested that benzyloxyalcohols could be an alternative nematicidal agent.
Experimental determination of electron inelastic mean free paths in 13 elemental solids in the 50 to 5000 eV energy range by elastic‐peak electron spectroscopy

We have determined electron inelastic mean free paths (IMFPs) in C (graphite), Si, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Ag, Ta, W, Pt and Au by elastic‐peak electron spectroscopy (EPES) using Ni as a reference material for electron energies between 50 and 5000 eV. These IMFPs could be fitted by the simple Bethe equation for inelastic electron scattering in matter for energies from 100 to 5000 eV. The average root‐mean‐square (RMS) deviation in these fits was 9%. The IMFPs for Si, Cr, Fe, Cu, Ag, Ta, W, Pt and Au were in excellent agreement with the corresponding values calculated from optical data for energies between 100 and 5000 eV. While the RMS differences for graphite and Mo in these comparisons were large (27 and 17%, respectively), the average RMS difference for the other 11 elements was 11%. Similar comparisons were made between our IMFPs and values obtained from the TPP‐2M predictive equation for energies between 100 and 5000 eV, and the average RMS difference for the 13 solids was 10.7%; in these comparisons, the RMS differences for Ta and W were relatively large (26% for each). A correction for surface‐electronic excitations was calculated from a formula of Werner et al.; except for Si and Ga, the average correction was 5% for energies between 150 and 5000 eV. The satisfactory consistency between the IMFPs from our EPES experiments and the corresponding IMFPs computed from optical data indicates that the uncertainty of these IMFPs is about 11% for electron energies between 100 and 5000 eV. Similar comparisons with IMFPs from the EPES experiments of Werner et al. showed a consistency of 8% for energies between 200 and 5000 eV. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Long-Term Nitrogen Fertilization on the Formation of Metabolites Related to Tea Quality in Subtropical China

As a main agronomic intervention in tea cultivation, nitrogen (N) application is useful to improve tea yield and quality. However, the effects of N application on the formation of tea quality-related metabolites have not been fully studied, especially in long-term field trials. In this study, a 10-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of long-term N application treatments on tea quality-related metabolites, their precursors, and related gene expression. Long-term N application up-regulated the expression of key genes for chlorophyll synthesis and promoted its synthesis, thus increasing tea yield. It also significantly increased the contents of total free amino acids, especially l-theanine, in fresh tea leaves, while decreasing the catechin content, which is conducive to enhancing tea liquor freshness. However, long-term N application significantly reduced the contents of benzyl alcohol and 2-phenylethanol in fresh tea leaves, and also reduced (E)-nerolidol and indole in withered leaves, which were not conducive to the formation of floral and fruity aroma compounds. In general, an appropriate amount of N fertilizer (225 kg/hm2) balanced tea yield and quality. These results not only provide essential information on how N application affects tea quality, but also provide detailed experimental data for field fertilization.
Orientation and Crystallization of Natural Rubber Network As Revealed by WAXD Using Synchrotron Radiation

Strain-induced crystallization of natural rubber samples with various network-chain densities, ν, was investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. It was found that the onset strain of crystallization was almost independent of ν. Lateral crystallite size and degree of orientational fluctuations of crystallites were also evaluated. These results indicated that stretched molecular chains acted as nuclei while surrounding chains could also contribute to the crystal growth. Deformation of crystal lattice with nominal stress was detected, and the strain-induced crystallites were found to be responsible for the increased modulus upon elongation. The unit cell volume decreased almost linearly with nominal stress. By assuming the deformation mechanism of the rubber network as a pantograph, the reinforcement effect of the crystallites is thought to be brought out not directly by crystallites connected in series but indirectly through the surrounding network chains.
Predictive Capability of QSAR Models Based on the CompTox Zebrafish Embryo Assays: An Imbalanced Classification Problem

The CompTox Chemistry Dashboard (ToxCast) contains one of the largest public databases on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) developmental toxicity. The data consists of 19 toxicological endpoints on unique 1018 compounds measured in relatively low concentration ranges. The endpoints are related to developmental effects occurring in dechorionated zebrafish embryos for 120 hours post fertilization and monitored via gross malformations and mortality. We report the predictive capability of 209 quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models developed by machine learning methods using penalization techniques and diverse model quality metrics to cope with the imbalanced endpoints. All these QSAR models were generated to test how the imbalanced classification (toxic or non-toxic) endpoints could be predicted regardless which of three algorithms is used: logistic regression, multi-layer perceptron, or random forests. Additionally, QSAR toxicity models are developed starting from sets of classical molecular descriptors, structural fingerprints and their combinations. Only 8 out of 209 models passed the 0.20 Matthew’s correlation coefficient value defined a priori as a threshold for acceptable model quality on the test sets. The best models were obtained for endpoints mortality (MORT), ActivityScore and JAW (deformation). The low predictability of the QSAR model developed from the zebrafish embryotoxicity data in the database is mainly due to a higher sensitivity of 19 measurements of endpoints carried out on dechorionated embryos at low concentrations.
Structural and Optoelectrical Comparison Between Chemical and Electrochemical Synthesized Poly (3-Hexylthiophene)

In this paper, poly (3-hexylthiophene) was synthesized from two methods of chemical polymerization and electrochemical polymerization. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to identify the presence of functional groups in polymers. The x-ray diffraction shows more crystallinity and less overlaps between side chains for the polymer which synthesized electrochemically. The optical behavior of both polymers was compared via Uv-vis spectra indicating the π– π* transition peak at higher wavelength for the electrochemically synthesized polymer. The conductivity measurements of the polymers were calculated and reported as 3.44 S/cm and 0.001 S/cm for electrochemically and chemically synthesized polymers, respectively. This result confirmed the presence of a more crystalline part in electrochemical synthesized polymer which also was observed from X-ray data.
Zein Nanoparticles Improve the Oral Bioavailability of Curcumin in Wistar Rats

Curcumin is a natural compound obtained from turmeric root with high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, clinical application of curcumin has been limited due to its low solubility and bioavailability and rapid metabolism and degradation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of curcumin incorporation in zein nanoparticles on the pharmacokinetic parameters of systemic curcumin in plasma. Wistar rats were administered a single oral dose of 250 mg/kg of standard curcumin (control) or nanocurcumin (zein-based nanoparticles, Nucaps). The proposed new formulation was also compared with two commercially available curcumin complexes. Blood samples were collected at different times, and plasma levels were determined using HPLC-MS/MS. Overall, nanocurcumin (Nucaps) formulation was well tolerated and showed a 9-fold increase in oral bioavailability when compared to the standard curcumin natural extract. In addition, the nanoparticles prepared in this study demonstrated a bioavailability profile superior to that of other bioavailability-enhanced curcumin complexes currently available in the marketplace. Thus, our nanoparticle-based formulation has shown great potential as a nutraceutical for the oral administration of curcumin.
Pressure effect on the Curie point of the Heusler alloys Ni2MnSn and Ni2MnSb

The pressure effect on the Curie point of the Heusler alloys Ni2MnSn and Ni2MnSb was measured. The pressure coefficients of the Curie point were determined to be (1/Tc) (dTc/dp) = 1.6×10−3 1/kbar for Ni2MnSn and 9×10−3 1/kbar for Ni2MnSb, respectively. The volume exchange striction of Ni2MnSn was also studied. The pressure coefficient of the Curie point estimated from the result of exchange striction was found to be 1.4×10−3 1/kbar, which is in good agreement with that by the direct measurement. The results are discussed on the basis of the molecular field theory taking account of the strain dependence of the exchange interaction and the Castellitz’s interaction curve.
Aspects of vapor pressure osmometry

Three aspects of vapor pressure osmometry were examined: drop size, solute volatility, and the constancy of the calibration factor. It was shown that there is a drop size effect which is dependent on the solute concentration. Solutes having vapor pressures as low as 0.3 mm Hg under the operating conditions were found to give unsatisfactory results. The calibration factor was determined using eight compounds in the molecular weight range of 128 to 883 in chloroform, toluene, and methyl ethyl ketone at several temperatures; a small but significant dependence of the calibration factor on molecular weight was demonstrated. The results fitted, with a high degree of accuracy, the relation log Mn = a + b log (ΔV/C)C = 0, where a and b are constants for a given solvent/temperature combination. However, measurements with standard polystyrene samples, using extrapolations of this relationship to higher molecular weights, revealed considerable discrepancies in results for the one compound under different solvent/temperature combinations.
Synthesis of the Bestmann-Ohira Reagent

The conversion of an aldehyde to a terminal alkyne by means of a one-carbon chain extension is a key reaction in organic synthesis. By using dimethyl 1-diazo-2-oxopropylphosphonate, the Bestmann-Ohira reagent, the transformation can be achieved in one pot. A reliable, convenient sequence for the preparation of the Bestmann-Ohira reagent is described.