Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OPTIMIZING THE USE OF ARSENIC-HYPERACCUMULATING FERNS FOR TREATMENT OF ARSENIC-CONTAMINATED WATER

Water supplies in many regions of the world are contaminated by the carcinogenic metalloid arsenic (As). Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reduced the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) from 50 ƒÝg/L to 10 ƒÝg/L, water in some developing countries are far from this standard. Therefore, highly efficient, sustainable technologies that require low maintenance and have low capital costs must be considered.Several Pteris fern species were recently discovered to be effective at removing As from soil and water. This study was designed understanding the key operating parameters that would form the basis for an actual treatment process in regions where As in water exceeds 50 ƒÝg/L limit.This study determined that aeration facilitates greater removal efficiency of As by Pteris ferns in water. Following 72 hours of exposure, Pteris ferns demonstrated 96 iO 2% removal efficiency with aeration and 84 iO 7% without. However, the benefits of aeration can be compensated by extending the contact time to eliminate the energy cost associated with aeration. Bench-scale experiment with 11 Pteris ferns in a batch reactor filled showed that the removal of As occurs much faster and to a greater extent when compared to individual plants. Individual plants were not always able to reduce the As concentration from 300 ppb to less than 50 ppb in a 4-day period. However, the batch reactor filled with multiple plants was capable of removing As concentration from 275 iO 25 ppb to less than 50 ppb in a 3-day period, even after four cycles of repeated exposure. Because As can be adsorbed to hydrous ferrous oxides, co-precipitation and settling can aid As removal. When Pteris ferns were exposed to 250 ppb As in the presence of Fe (II) = 2.7 mg/L, they removed the As content to less than 50 ppb in a 24-hr period. In the absence of Pteris ferns, the As content could not be reduced below 100 ppb in a 4-day period. Therefore, the presence of naturally occurring iron can significantly enhance the removal efficiency of Pteris ferns.
Ultrasound appearances and histological correlation of native arteriovenous fistula stenoses – A retrospective case series

The pathophysiology of haemodialysis arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) stenoses is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to perform histology assessment of stenoses in native AVF and compare and correlate the findings between ultrasound and histology. Intimal medial thickness (IMT) was measured on ultrasound where there was measurable neointimal hyperplasia at the site of stenosis and percentage intimal thickening calculated. Ultrasound findings were then compared with histology analysis of AVF stenoses in nine patients. In this small sample, different sonographic appearances and histology were demonstrated. Ultrasound demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia and those with no measurable neointimal hyperplasia. Percentage intimal thickening was between 0% and 100%. The histology of the de novo stenoses (where no previous radiological or surgical procedure was performed) demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia, no neointimal hyperplasia and neointimal hyperplasia and fibrosis. The histology findings after percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia and fibrosis and a stenosis with an acute inflammatory reaction. The findings in this small sample demonstrated that AVF stenoses are not a uniform group as demonstrated by different sonographic and corresponding appearances at histology. Ultrasound appearances of neointimal hyperplasia appear to correlate with neointimal hyperplasia on histology. These findings warrant further investigation and may have implications for treatment strategies.
FEASIBILITY OF ACCELERATED TESTS FOR BROWNING IN DEHYDRATED CABBAGE

SUMMARY– Feasibility of using accelerated tests for deterioration of dehydrated vegetables through nonenzymatic browning was evaluated. Studies were made on unsulfited freeze-dehydrated cabbage. Two procedures for shortening the time required to predict shelf life were used: (1) Extrapolation from high to low moisture contents; and (2) Extrapolation from high to low temperatures. A combination of the two procedures was also evaluated. It was determined that activation energy for browning was dependent on moisture content, and an equation expressing this dependence was developed. Equations relating rates of browning to moisture content at a given temperature were also obtained. Extrapolations based on either procedure, or on a combination of both, gave satisfactory results. The variance of the extrapolation-based estimates of browning rates was dependent on the number of points used for the extrapolation. The procedures used reduced the time required to obtain browning-rate data at low moisture contents from over a year to only 10 days.
Impact of population density and weather on COVID-19 pandemic and SARS-CoV-2 mutation frequency in Bangladesh

Abstract Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has caused the recent pandemic worldwide. Research studies are focused on various factors affecting the pandemic to find effective vaccine or therapeutics against COVID-19. Environmental factors are the important regulators of COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to determine the impact of weather on the COVID-19 cases, fatalities and frequency of mutations in Bangladesh. The impacts were determined on 1, 7 and 14 days of the case. The study was conducted based on Spearman's correlation coefficients. The highest correlation was found between population density and cases (rs = 0.712). Among metrological parameters, average temperature had the strongest correlation (rs = −0.675) with the cases. About 82% of Bangladeshi isolates had D614G at spike protein. Both temperature and UV index had strong effects on the frequency of mutations. Among host factors, coinfection is highly associated with frequency of different mutations. This study will give a complete picture of the effects of metrological parameters on COVID-19 cases, fatalities and mutation frequency that will help the authorities to take proper decisions.
Effect of crystallisation on the magnetic properties of FeCuNbBSi amorphous thin films produced by sputtering

Soft magnetic thin films of FeCuNbSiB alloy having different thickness were deposited on a Si3N4 substrate by rf sputtering. The target was made of amorphous ribbons having nominal composition Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13. 5B9. The amorphicity of as-deposited films has been checked by X-ray diffraction technique. Selected samples have been submitted to controlled annealing to induce the amorphous-to-crystalline transformation. The influence of thermal treatments on the hysteresis properties has been studied as a function of thickness and microstructure on as prepared and annealed samples. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Preparation of polybenzoxazole fibers via electrospinning and postspun thermal cyclization of polyhydroxyamide

Polybenzoxazole (PBO) fibers with a submicron diameter were successfully prepared by electrospinning its precursor, polyhydroxyamide (PHA), solutions to obtain the PHA fibers first, followed by appropriate thermal treatments for cyclization reaction. BisAPAF-IC PHA with two different molecular weights (MWs) were synthesized from a low temperature polymerization of 2,2'-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (BisAPAF) and isophthaloyl chloride (IC). Using dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), solvent effects on the electrospinnability of PHA solutions were investigated. For balancing the solution properties, it was found that DMAc/THF mixture with a weight ratio of 1/9 was the best cosolvent to prepare smooth PHA fibers; uniform PHA fibers with a diameter of 325-720 nm were obtained by using 20 wt % PHA/(DMAc/THF) solutions. For a fixed PHA concentration, solutions with a lower MW of PHA yielded thinner electrospun fibers under the same electrospinning condition. After obtaining the electrospun BisAPAF-IC PHA fibers, subsequent thermal cyclization up to 350 °C produced the corresponding thermally stable BisAPAF-IC PBO fibers with a diameter of 305-645 nm. The structure of the precursor fibers and the fully cyclized fibers were characterized by FTIR. For the cyclized BisAPAF-IC PBO fibers, thermogravimetric analysis showed a 5% weight loss temperature at 523 °C in nitrogen atmosphere. The interconnected fiber structure in the BisAPAF-IC PBO fiber mats was irrelevant to the curing process, but resulted from the jet merging during the whipping process as revealed by the high speed camera images.
Occult hepatitis B virus infection in a Kenyan cohort of HIV infected anti-retroviral therapy naïve adults

Background Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) is a phase of HBV infection characterised by the presence of HBV DNA in the absence of detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). OBI is of concern in the HIV-infected due to high prevalence and risk of HBV reactivation. The prevalence and clinico-demographic characteristics of OBI in anti-retroviral therapy (ART) naïve HIV infected adults in Kenya is unknown. Methods A cross sectional study carried was out at three sites in Kenya. HIV infected ART naïve adults were enrolled and demographic data collected. Blood samples were assayed for HBsAg, HBV DNA, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). Data on CD4 count, HIV viral load and platelet count were obtained from medical records. Results Of 208 patients, 199 (95.7%) did not report HBV vaccination, 196 (94.2%) were HBsAg negative, 119 (57.2%) had no HBV markers, 58 (27.9%) had previous HBV infection (anti-HBc positive) and 11 (5.3%) had OBI. All 11 (100%) OBI patients were anti-HBc positive. OBI patients comprised 19.0% of HBsAg negative, anti-HBc positive patients. There was no difference in clinico-demographic characteristics between the overt HBV, OBI and HBV negative patients. Conclusion This was the first study on OBI in ART naïve HIV infected adults in Kenya. The lower OBI prevalence compared to other sub-Saharan African countries could be attributed to lower HBV exposure. Most patients were HBV unexposed and unimmunized, outlining the need to implement guideline recommended immunization strategies.
Fatores relacionados à suscetibilidade da erosão em entressulcos sob condições de uso e manejo do solo

This study evaluated factors related to the suscetibility to the interrill soil erosion in an Entisol subjected to different degrees of soil use and management. The experiment was carried out under laboratory conditions using samples collected from tobacco fields and disturbed soil placed in erosion pans measuring (0.23 m2) with a slope of 0.09 m m-1. The experimental design was in randomized blocks. Simulated rainfall intensity of 100 mm h-1 was applied to the following treatments: (I) conventionally tilled soil; (II) no-till soil; and (III) native forest soil. Total kinetic energy (rainfall and runoff) to soil loss, average rate of detachment, and aggregate stability indexes were used to assess susceptibility to interrill erosion. Results show that the factors related with the susceptibility to interrill erosion are associated not just to the characteristics and properties that confer cohesivity to soil, but also to those factors that affect runoff hydraulics and therefore the sediment transport phase as well.
Seasonal and annual variations in the photosynthetic productivity and carbon balance of a central Siberian pine forest

Abstract We present a first analysis of data (June 1998 to December 2000) from the long-term eddy covariance site established in a Pinus sylvestris stand near Zotino in central Siberia as part of the EUROSIBERIAN CARBONFLUX project. As well as examining seasonal patterns in net ecosystem exchange (NE), daily, seasonal and annual estimates of the canopy photosynthesis (or gross primary productivity, GP) were obtained using NE and ecosystem respiration measurements. Although the forest was a small (but significant) source of CO2 throughout the snow season (typically mid-October to early May) there was a rapid commencement of photosynthetic capacity shortly following the commencement of above-zero air temperatures in spring: in 1999 the forest went from a quiescent state to significant photosynthetic activity in only a few days. Nevertheless, canopy photosynthetic capacity was observed to continue to increase slowly throughout the summer months for both 1999 and 2000, reaching a maximum capacity in early August. During September there was a marked decline in canopy photosynthesis which was only partially attributable to less favourable environmental conditions. This suggests a reduction in canopy photosynthetic capacity in autumn, perhaps associated with the cold hardening process. For individual time periods the canopy photosynthetic rate was mostly dependent upon incoming photon irradiance. However, reductions in both canopy conductance and overall photosynthetic rate in response to high canopy-to-air vapour differences were clearly evident on hot dry days. The relationship between canopy conductance and photosynthesis was examined using Cowan's notion of optimality in which stomata serve to maximise the marginal evaporative cost of plant carbon gain. The associated Lagrangian multiplier (λ) was surprisingly constant throughout the growing season. Somewhat remarkably, however, its value was markedly different between years, being 416 mol mol−1 in 1999 but 815 mol mol−1 in 2000. Overall the forest was a substantial sink for CO2 in both 1999 and 2000: around 13 mol C m−2 a−1. Data from this experiment, when combined with estimates of net primary productivity from biomass sampling suggest that about 20% of this sink was associated with increasing plant biomass and about 80% with an increase in the litter and soil organic carbon pools. This high implied rate of carbon accumulation in the litter soil organic matter pool seems unsustainable in the long term and is hard to explain on the basis of current knowledge.
Effect of temperature on air-water transfer of hydrogen sulfide

The extent of hydrogen sulfide transfer across the air-water interface plays a major role for odor and corrosion problems in sewer networks. One significant physical factor affecting the air-water transfer process is temperature. This study describes the tempera- ture dependence of air-water transfer of hydrogen sulfide in terms of a temperature correction factor ~temperature coefficient! The air-water transfer rate was found to increase with increasing temperature at a constant turbulence level. A mathematical expression for the transfer rate versus temperature was addressed following the Arrhenius equation. The temperature coefficient for air-water transfer of hydrogen sulfide was observed under acidic and neutral conditions~pH 4.5, 6.5, and 7.0! , i.e., under conditions where only the molecular form of hydrogen sulfide was present~pH 4.5! and under conditions where both the molecular form and the ionized form existed ~pH 6.5 and 7.0! The effect of temperature on air-water transfer of hydrogen sulfide decreased with increasing pH. The temperature coefficients found in this study were within the range reported in the literature for other substances transferring across the air-water interface such as oxygen, ozone, and krypton-85.
Divalent chromium in ferropericlase inclusions in lower-mantle diamonds revealed by micro-XANES measurements

Chromium K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of natural ferropericlase were measured using an X-ray microbeam from a synchrotron radiation source to estimate the valence state of Cr. Measured samples were inclusions collected from lower-mantle diamonds. The obtained results revealed that divalent chromium is present in the materials in the lower mantle and that the proportion of Cr2+ in the total Cr content varied among the samples. The valence state of chromium in the inclusions in diamonds is a potential indicator of the redox conditions in the lower mantle.
The relationship between vertical stiffness during bilateral and unilateral hopping tests performed with different strategies and vertical jump performances

ABSTRACT Vertical stiffness has been highlighted as a potential determinant of performance and may be estimated across a range of different performance tasks. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between vertical stiffness determined during 9 different hopping tests and performance of vertical jumps. Twenty healthy, active males performed vertical hopping tests with three different strategies (self-selected, maximal, and controlled) and three different limb configurations (bilateral, unilateral preferred, and unilateral non-preferred), resulting in nine different variations, during which vertical stiffness was determined. In addition, participants performed squat jump (SQJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) during which jump height, CMJ stiffness, and eccentric utilization ratio (EUR) were determined. Vertical stiffness in bilateral and unilateral preferred tasks performed with a self-selected and maximal, but not controlled, strategy was associated with stiffness in the CMJ (r = 0.61–0.64; p < 0.05). However, stiffness obtained during unilateral preferred and non-preferred hopping with self-selected strategy was negatively associated with performance in SQJ and CMJ tasks (r = −0.50 to −0.57; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that high levels of vertical stiffness may be disadvantageous to static vertical jumping performance. In addition, unilateral hopping with a self-selected strategy may be the most appropriate task variation if seeking to determine relationships with vertical jumping performance. Highlights Stiffness obtained during unilateral hopping with a preferred strategy was negatively associated with vertical jumping performances Stiffness obtained during hopping with preferred and maximal strategies was associated with stiffness obtained during a countermovement jump In this population, hopping stiffness may therefore be reflective of an individual's countermovement jump strategy High levels of stiffness may be disadvantageous to static-start vertical jumping
Marketing lessons from Portuguese wine exporters: the development and application of a conceptual framework

Abstract This paper presents the finding from an investigation of two types of Portuguese wine companies: port and table wine exporters. A strategic orientation framework was proposed to support this qualitative investigation. This new framework systematises how to achieve long‐term profitability based on a clear definition of an appropriate strategic orientation. It shows that there are three ways that can be used simultaneously to achieve long‐term profitability: (1) through the ‘redeployment of capital resources’, (2) ‘increasing volume’, and/or (3) ‘improving productivity’. This study revealed that in the case of port wine companies strategic orientation is associated with firm ownership; for Portuguese table wine companies, it is associated with firm size. In addition, based on research conducted via semi‐structured interviews with presidents and directors of Portuguese wine exporters, several recommendations for the wine industry are presented. However, since this investigation is built on a study o.
Intervalo hídrico ótimo e grau de compactação de um latossolo vermelho após 30 anos sob plantio direto

The soil physical quality is one of the factors that determine the agronomic, economic and environmental sustainability in long-term no-tillage systems (NT). Soil compaction has been discussed as a factor that contributes to a reduction in physical quality under NT. However, the use of NT can increase soil organic matter and lead to a continuous and stable porous system that mitigates the negative impacts of compaction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical quality of an Oxisol after 30 years of NT, using the least limiting water range (LLWR) and the degree of soil compaction (DC). The soil was sampled in a plantation with a history of high yields under NT. Soil samples with undisturbed and disturbed structure were collected to determine bulk density (BD), the LLWR and DC. The samples with undisturbed structure were taken from three sampling positions: from the rows (R); from the middle in-between two rows (M) and from an intermediate position (IP) between the R and M of corn plants. The water retention curve, soil resistance curve and BD were determined. The disturbed soil sample was used to obtain the compaction curve using the Proctor test. The Dmax was obtained from the compaction curve and DC was determined by the ratio between the BD and Dmax. Regardless of the critical limits of resistance to penetration (RP), there is a reduction of the LLWR with increasing BD. The highest values of LLWR were observed in the R sampling position and the use of critical RP > 2.0 MPa resulted in a LLWR consistent with the soil physical quality in long-term NT. The Dmax was 1.52 kg dm-3 and DC ranged from 64 to 87 %, with the highest values obtained from the positions M and IP. The values of LLWR and DC recorded in this study suggest that the physical quality of this soil after 30 years of NT is not limiting to crop production.
Some Phenolic Compounds Enhance Nodulation and Nitrogen Fixation in a Soybean / Bradyrhizobium japonicum System

Summary ABD-ALLA M. H. 1994. Some phenolic compounds enhance nodulation and nitrogen fixation in a soybean / Bradyrhizobium japonicum system. - Phyton (Horn, Austria) 33: (2): 249-256. - English with German summary. The present study has been carried out to clarify the effect of type, concentration and method of application of phenolic compounds (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, o-dihydroxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) on nodulation, plant growth and total plant nitrogen. Phenolic compounds levels of 10,100 and 1000 |iM were applied in two different modes; spraying of the shoots system and application with the irrigation solution. This study revealed that the three classes of phenols (mono-, di-and tri-) each at concentration s of 100 |iM significantly increased nodulation, plant dry matter and total plant nitrogen when applied with the irrigation solution. At this concentration, 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene significantly increased nodule NADH-GOGAT, NADH-GDH activities and total soluble protein. However, monoand di-phenols caused only a slight increase in the total activities of these enzymes and in protein. The promotive effect of phenolic compounds at lower concentrations, on nodule formation, plant growth and enzymes of ammonia-assim ilation are promising for using these substances to enhance the nitrogen status of soybean.