Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Species‐specific differences in nitrogen uptake and utilization by six European tree species

Species-specific uptake and allocation mechanisms for N are scarce, in particular when trees are cultivated in potted soil under more natural conditions than in hydroponic culture. The objective of this study was to compare specific N-uptake rates for economically and ecologically important tree species in Central European forests: pine (Pinus sylvestris), spruce (Picea abies), oak (Quercus petraea), beech (Fagus sylvatica), lime (Tilia cordata), and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) when they grow in mineral soil from an old fallow site with a pH of 6. We used an 15N-labeling method to measure tree seedling 15N uptake in potted soils (Humic Cambisol) when both N forms NH and NO were simultaneously present in the soil solution for interspecies comparison and assessment of relationships between specific 15N-uptake rates and amino acid–accumulation rates or relative growth rates (RGR). The results demonstrate that tree species varied significantly in their capacity to take up NH or NO into roots, stems, or leaves, but indicate only marginal differences in their preference for NH or NO when they grow in mineral soil. The ranking of specific 15N-uptake rates for NH and NO was oak < beech < spruce < pine < lime < ash. Fine roots of all species had the highest specific 15N-uptake rates for both N forms, followed by total roots, leaves/needles, and stems. As regards tree seedling species, we found negative relationships between glutamine (Gln)-accumulation rates in leaves/needles and total 15N-uptake rates in fine roots. Noteworthy was the fact that, at high Gln-accumulation rates, the N-uptake system in fine roots of ash was probably lower under feedback inhibition by the amino acid.
Molar fraction and substrate orientation effects on carbon doping in InGaAs grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy using carbon tetrabromide

Carbon incorporation in InGaAs and GaAs is systematically studied in solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) as a function of carbon tetrabromide pressure, indium molar fraction, and substrate orientation. The maximum attainable free carrier concentration in GaAs and InGaAs lattice matched with InP was 2×1020 cm−3. The etching effect of CBr4 on growth rate reduction, surface morphology, and growth mechanism is clarified. A comparative study of carbon incorporation as function of substrate orientation and polarity was undertaken by the growth of GaAs and In0.53Ga0. 47As on (n11)A and B (n=2, 3, 5) and (100) oriented substrates. Free carrier concentration and mobility measurements showed no carbon autocompensation in GaAs but strong amphoteric behavior for In0.53Ga0. 47As grown on arsenic terminated planes. Measurement of hole concentration as function of indium molar fraction in InxGa1−xAs shows that carbon tetrabromide can be used as an effective acceptor doping percursor for indium molar fraction x less .
Structural properties of mixtures of highly asymmetrical electrolytes and uncharged particles using the hypernetted chain approximation

We have solved the Ornstein–Zernike equation in the hypernetted chain (HNC) approximation for several mixtures of electrolytes and uncharged hard spheres. The mixtures that we studied range from a simple restricted primitive model plus hard spheres of the same size to highly asymmetric electrolytes plus hard spheres of different sizes. We monitored the radial distribution function and thermodynamic properties. We find that the presence of neutral particles changes the nature of the interaction between the charged particles. We also find a strong correlation between nonelectrostatic and electrostatic contributions to the free energy of the mixtures. Potential applications of this approach to the study of protein solubility in solutions of nonionic polymers are discussed.
Isotropic-nematic phase equilibria of polydisperse hard rods: The effect of fat tails in the length distribution

We study the phase behavior of hard rods with length polydispersity, within a simplified Onsager model. We focus on unusual effects occurring when the rod length distribution has a “fat” (e.g., log-normal) tail, up to some cutoff. The relatively large number of long rods in the system has strong effects: the isotropic cloud curve, which defines where a nematic phase first occurs as density is increased, exhibits a kink; the properties of the coexisting nematic shadow phase change discontinuously there. A narrow three-phase isotropic-nematic-nematic coexistence region exists near the kink in the cloud curve, even though the length distribution is unimodal. A theoretical derivation of the isotropic cloud curve and nematic shadow curve is sketched for the limit of large cutoff. The two curves are shown to collapse onto each other in the limit. The coexisting isotropic and nematic phases are essentially identical, the only difference being that the nematic contains a larger number of the longest rods; also, only long rods show significant nematic ordering.
Some postharvest factors associated with the occurrence of chilling injury in banana

Unripe Cavendish banana fruits were stored at 5–7°C under normal or 0.14 normal atmospheric pressure for two weeks, with or without a continuous supply of ethylene, prior to ripening at 20°C. Pulp/peel ratio, colour index and production of volatile were measured following prestorage at chilling temperature, and after reaching ripeness at 20°C. CO2 and C2H4 production were also measured at 20°C. The results show that green fruits had lower pulp/peel ratios than treated green fruits while the reverse was true following ripening at 20°C. Yellow colour development was retarded by 5°C pretreatment, and low pressure storage had no noticeable effect on colour index. Prestorage at 7°C, however, improved colour development slightly. Acetates, butyrates and alcohol produced by fruits prestored at chilling temperature and 0.14 normal atmospheric pressure showed both qualitative and quantitative differences compared with those produced by non-chilled fruits.
POTENCIAL ALELOPÁTICO DE CARYOCAR CORIACEUM WITTM NA GERMINAÇÃO E CRESCIMENTO INICIAL DE PLÂNTULAS DE ALFACE

Alelopatia se traduz como efeito que uma planta exerce sobre a outra por meio de compostos quimicos liberados no ambiente. No presente trabalho testou-se a influencia do extrato aquoso bruto (EBA) nas concentracoes de 25, 50, 75 e 100 % de caule, folha e fruto de Caryocar coriaceum (piqui) coletados em area de cerrado na Chapada do Araripe – Crato-CE na germinacao e crescimento de Lactuca sativa (alface). As sementes foram distribuidas nas placas de Petri, em lotes de 50 unidades, espacadas de modo a facilitar a avaliacao individual. As avaliacoes foram realizadas sete dias apos as sementes terem sido colocadas no germinador. Do total de 50 sementes que compunham cada parcela, foram avaliadas 20 sementes para obtencao das medias referentes a percentagem de germinacao, comprimentos das partes aereas e subterrâneas. Os extratos aquosos (caule, folha e fruto) reduziram a taxa de germinacao, o comprimento da raiz e do hipocotilo das plântulas receptoras. Nas maiores concentracoes (100, 75 e 50%) do EBA de piqui, ocorreram radiculas engrossadas, curtas e necrosadas nas plântulas de alface, caracterizando efeito fitotoxico. A especie doadora evidenciou potencial alelopatico que variou de acordo com a fonte do extrato. Sendo as folhas e o caule as principais fontes de substâncias soluveis em agua com potencial alelopatico.
Relativistic Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory and Excited States Calculations for the Zinc Dimer

I present a time-dependent density functional study of the 20 low-lying excited states as well the ground states of the zinc dimer Zn2, analyze its spectrum obtained from all electrons calculations performed using time-depended density functional with a relativistic 4-component and relativistic spin-free Hamiltonian as implemented in Dirac-Package, and show a comparison of the results obtained from different well-known and newly developed density functional approximations, a comparison with the literature and experimental values as far as available. The results are very encouraging, especially for the lowest excited states of this dimer. However, the results show that long-range corrected functionals such as CAMB3LYP gives the correct asymptotic behavior for the higher states, and for which the best result is obtained. A comparable result is obtained from PBE0 functional. Spin-free Hamiltonian is shown to be very efficient for relativistic systems such as Zn2.
Optimization of Extraction of Wax from Flax Straw by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of wax from flax straw. SC-CO2 variables included flow rate (24.8, 35, 50, 65, and 75.2 g/min), pressure (132, 200, 300, 400, and 468 bar), and temperature (34.8, 45, 60, 75, and 85.2°C). The SC-CO2 extraction technique was optimized for the extraction of flax straw wax and its main constituents (fatty acids, alkanes, sterols, aldehydes, and wax esters). A second order polynomial model provided a good fit (R2 value of 0.90) for the yield of wax from flax straw. Canonical analysis revealed a maximum stationary point for wax yield of 1.26 g/100 g at a flow rate of 61.1 g/min, a pressure of 378 bar and a temperature of 75°C. The fatty acid and wax ester contents of flax wax were also fitted with a second order polynomial model with R2 values of 0.94 and 0.87, respectively. The temperature was found to be the most important factor affecting the recovery of wax. Linear and quadratic effects of temperature and interaction effects of temperature and pressure had a significant effect on the total wax yield and on the content of fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and sterols in the wax.
Microdomain Structure in YBa2(Cu1-xFex)3O7-y Observed by Electron Microscopy

The Fe-doped high-Tc superconducting phase YBa2(Cu1-xFex)3O7-y has been investigated by electron microscopy. The sample with x=0.04 shows a microdomain structure composed of ordered domains with sizes of about 5 nm, while an ordinary striped twin pattern is observed for x=0.02. The impurity-induced orthorhombic to tetragonal transition observed by X-ray diffraction measurements can be explained as resulting from the specific structure: Each domain possesses the orthorhombic structure including 1-D Cu-O chains ordered along the [100] or [010] direction, and two orientation variants are mixed coherently leading to an “averaged” tetragonal symmetry as observed by diffraction methods.
Deciphering the Catalytic Mechanism of the Zn Enzyme Glutaminyl Cyclase and the Deduction of Transition-State Analog Inhibitors

Zn(II)-dependent glutaminyl cyclase (QC) converts N-terminal glutamine or glutamate residues of peptides and proteins. The reaction product is in both cases N-terminal pyroglutamic acid (pyroGlu). In animals the glutaminyl cyclization is involved in posttranslational modification and activation of peptide-based hormone and chemokine precursors. Recently it was established that the driving force in neurodegenerative processes is the pyroGlu modification at the N-terminus of Aβ peptides processed by QC. This unveils the inhibition of QC as a strategy in AD treatment. The enzyme-specific inhibition is required in order to avoid noxious side effects. The elucidation of the reaction mechanism might make possible the development of mechanism-based QC inhibitors (e.g. transition-state analog compounds). Mechanistic and structural investigations were accomplished using the mitochondrial isoform of QC from Drosophila melanogaster. Regarding enzyme kinetic and structural properties, this enzyme is highly similar to the secretory hQC. Zn(II)-isoDromeQC wild type and variants harboring mechanism-relevant amino acids substitutes were heterologously expressed in E. coli. With the purified Zn(II) enzymes kinetic investigations were carried out including substrate specificity and pH-dependence studies. The substitution of the catalytically active Zn(II) ion into Co(II) yields an UV/Vis and EPR-active enzyme with almost the same enzymatic activity compared to the Zn(II) enzyme. The mentioned spectroscopic methods were used to obtain information about reaction trajectory, the binding modes of substrates and products. In addition the structure-function relationship of the enzyme was investigated in terms of the active center residues E190, D228 and D293. In particular the functions of these active center amino acids could be elucidated by successful crystallization trials. The analysis of the results reveal that the active-center amino acids D288, D293, E190 (side chains) and D293 (main chains) as well the metal ion are required for sufficient substrate binding. The function of D293 remains hypothetical due to the absence of a direct substrate-amino acid interaction. New information about the binding mode of N-terminal glutamate substrates were obtained by crystallization and EPR measurements. In contrast to four-coordinate Co(II) during the conversion of glutamine substrates, the binding of N-terminal glutamate provokes a five-coordination sphere of the metal ion. Both γ-carbonyl oxygens are non-covalently bound to the metal ion. Assuming that this conformation is catalytically inactive due to lack of a leaving hydroxyl group, it was proposed that the glutamyl cyclization takes up a proton from the solvent. Statements concerning this mechanism remain hypothetical for now.
A Practical and Highly Efficient Synthesis of 1,2,4,5-Tetrasubstituted Imidazoles Using 2-Ethylhexanoic acid as a Reusable Organocatalyst and Reaction Medium

2-Ethylhexanoic acid has been applied as a dual solvent-catalyst for the one-pot, four-component synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles. This naturally occurring and widely produced fatty acid exhibited remarkable catalytic activity and was easily separated by extraction. The reusability of this catalytic media was examined up to four times and no significant drop in catalytic activity was observed. Utilizing ecofriendly, low cost and commercially available reagent, short reaction times (30-90 min), very good to excellent yields (88-93) and straightforward workup procedure are the salient properties offered by this methodology.
Miscibility and processibility in linear low density polyethylene and ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer binary blends

Blends of linear low density polyethylene (ethylene-octene-1 copolymer) and ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer ( ter-PP ) mixed in a twin-screw extruder have been characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheometric mechanical spectrometry, a capillary rheometer, and a universal test machine. Melting and crystallization behaviors by DSC and the α, β, and γ dynamic mechanical relaxations proposed that the blend is immiscible in the amorphous and crystalline phases by observing the characteristic peaks arised solely from those of the constituents. The lack of interfacial interaction between the components was suggested by the SEM study. A strong negative deviation of melt viscosity from the additive rule and the Cole-Cole plot confirmed the immiscibility in melt state. Incorporation of ter-PP induced a reduction in melt viscosity, shear stress, and final load. Flexural modulus and yield stress were linearly increased with ter-PP content, while the tensile strength and elongation at break were more or less changed. Although this blend system is immiscible in the solid and melt states, addition of less than 20 wt % ter-PP in the blend is viable for engineering applications with the advantages of improved processibility and mechanical properties.
Molecular Orientation and Deformation of Polymer Solutions under Shear: A Flow Light Scattering Study

The conformational characteristics of polymer coils in dilute solution under shear flow were investigated by means of wide angle laser light scattering in an apparatus similar to one used by Cottrell, Merrill, and Smith (J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 1969, 7, 1415). 1 The polymer solution was subjected to steady, homogeneous shear flow in the annulus between concentric cylinders by rotation of the inner cylinder. By examining the angular dependence of the scattered light intensity during shear, the orientation and the lengths of the major and minor axes of the deformed polymer molecules in solution were determined quantitatively. The solutions studied were linear polystyrenes of various molecular weights dissolved in the viscous solvent dioctyl phthalate near the ϑ temperature. The shear rate dependence of the orientation angle of the deformed molecules was found to agree well with Zimm model predictions. The elastic dumbbell, Rouse, and Zimm models, however, substantially overpredict the degree of defo.
Liquid–vapour interface varying the softness and range of the interaction potential

Molecular dynamics simulations in a canonical ensemble were carried out for simple fluids. The inter-particles interaction law is described by the Morse function plus a repulsive term. This kind of combination allows to tune the repulsive term of the interaction function by fitting the range of the attractive well and vice versa. As a relevant result, we show that for an inhomogeneous system the particle softness affects the vapour pressure, the surface tension and also the equilibrium densities of a simple fluid. Lower numerical values for these same properties were obtained by using a more repulsive interaction potential. The differences among these same interfacial properties are bigger when the range of the attractive interaction is longer. The surface tension written in terms of the corresponding critical parameters, such as scaled surface tension, was plotted for different softness degrees. And from this comparison, a unique master curve was not found.
Catheter Ablation Outcome Prediction With Advanced Time-Frequency Features of the Fibrillatory Waves From Patients in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Although catheter ablation (CA) is still the first-line treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, its limited long-term success rate has motivated clinical interest in preoperative prediction on the procedure's outcome to provide optimized patient selection, limit repeated procedures, hospitalization rates, and treatment costs. To this respect, dominant frequency (DF) and amplitude of fibril-latory waves (f-waves) reflected on the ECG have provided promising results. Hence this work explores the ability of a novel set of frequency and amplitud f-waves features, such as spectral entropy (SE), spectral flatness measure (SFM), and amplitud spectrum area (AMSA), along with DF and normalized f-wave amplitude (NFWA), to improve CA outcome prediction. Despite all single indices reported statistically significant differences between patients who relapsed to AF and those who maintained sinus rhythm after a follow-up of 9 months for 204 6 s-length ECG intervals extracted from 51 persistent AF patients, they obtained a limited discriminant ability ranging between 55 and 62%, which was overcome by 15-23% when NFWA, SE and AMSA were combined. Consequently, this combination of frequency and amplitude features of the f-waves seems to provide new insights about the atrial substrate remodeling, which could be helpful in improving preoperative CA outcome prediction.
Freundsches komplettes Adjuvans beim Huhn: effiziente Immunstimulation bei gravierender lokaler inflammatorischer Reaktion*

Summary Freund's Complete Adjuvant in the Chicken: Efficient Immunostimulation but Severe Local Inflammation To quantify the enhancing activity of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA), the humoral immune response of hens to the antigen human serum albumin (HSA) injected intramuscularly combined with FCA was measured. Local tissue reaction was examined on macroscopic and microscopic level. Other hens were injected with HSA in physiological sodium-chloride solution and served as controls. The immunization of hens without using FCA resulted in a short-term rise in immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titres, while the hens injected with HSA and FCA developed a long-term response (plateau-form of antibody titres). Local tissue reaction after injection of HSA in sodium-chloride solution was a mild and transient form of interstitial myositis. The immunization with HSA combined with FCA regularly resulted in a persisting granulomatous myositis. It is therefore a matter of animal protection to demand restricted use of FCA and to promote adjuvants of comparable efficiency, but better tolerance. Zusammenfassung In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die humorale Immunantwort von Huhnern gegenuber dem intramuskular in Kombination mit Freundschem komplettem Adjuvans (FCA) verabreichten Antigen humanes Serumalbumin (HSA) quantifiziert und lokale Gewebereaktionen auf makroskopischer und lichtmikroskopischer Ebene untersucht. Zum Vergleich wurde HSA in physiologischer Kochsalzlosung appliziert. Die Immunisierung von Huhnern ohne FCA fuhrte zu zeitlich sehr begrenzten IgG-Antikorpertitern. Die Verwendung von FCA bei der Immunisierung mit HSA resultierte in der Ausbildung eines langanhaltenden, hohen Antikorpertiter-Plateaus. Die lokale Gewebereaktion nach Immunisierung mit HSA in physiologischer Kochsalzlosung war durch eine vorubergehende geringgradige interstitielle Myositis gekennzeichnet. Die Immunisierung unter Verwendung von FCA hatte regelmasig die Entwicklung einer persistierenden granulomatosen Myositis zur Folge. Uinter dem Aspekt des Tierschutzes ist deshalb zu fordern, auf die Verwendung von FCA soweit als moglich zu verzichten und stattdessen besser vertragliche aber vergleichbar effiziente Adjuvantien zu entwickeln und einzusetzen.
Process optimization of herbal shrikhand by incorporating tulsi and turmeric powder

Awareness about nutrition in food and it promote the consumer demand for high nutritive value product. The present fact finding was carried out to valuation by the adding Tulsi and turmeric powder into Shrikhand honey used as sweetener.Ratio of Tulsi and turmeric powder@ 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 35% honey used as sweetener. Shrikhand samples of different treatment were analyzed for fat percent lactic acid percent, protein percent, moisture, total solid percent and organoleptic character tics like flavor, taste, appearance, consistency, color & overall acceptability and microbiological characteristics like yeast, molds, & coli form count Shrikhand contains a good amount of milk protein and phospholipids and is obtained by lactic acid fermentation and the microorganisms involved in this action are lactobacillus bulcaricus, streptococcus lactis, streptococcus diacetyl lactis and streptococcus thermophilus, Tulsi. The sensory evaluation revealed that 70% of the panelist extremely like T2 combination as compared T3 and T4.The samples were stored at 7 degree Celsius and sensory and microbiological activity evaluated at regular interval.
High-Pressure Study of h.c.p.-Argon

Argon, used as pressure medium in high-pressure experiments, crystallizes in a hexagonal close-packed structure when the argon is loaded cryogenically in the diamond anvil cell. The behaviour under pressure reveals elastic properties comparable to that of f.c. c. - argon (f.c.c. = face-centred cubic). The bulk modulus is 6.5 (1.3) GPa. The initially good quality of the individual crystals suffers strongly under pressure increase. Heating the cell to 393 K at 8.5 GPa recreates the crystal structure, accompanied by a pressure decrease of more than 1 GPa.