Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling the seasonal contribution of a CO2 fertilization effect of the terrestrial vegetation to the amplitude increase in atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa Observatory

An observed increase of the amplitude of the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO 2 at Mauna Loa Observatory has been examined. Previous global carbon cycle studies seemed to suggest, at least qualitatively, that the observed increase may be entirely due to a CO 2 fertilization effect on the terrestrial biota. The present detailed theoretical investigation shows that a pure CO 2 stimulation of the net primary production may indeed lead to an amplitude increase of 0.15 plus 0.17% yr -1 and minus 0.10% yr -1 as compared to the measured value of 0.67 ± 0.25% yr -1 for the period between AD 1958 and AD 1987. This result is based on the assumption of a long term fertilization factor β with a range between 0.15 and 0.60, taken to be equal to the mesaured short term fertilization factor β, obtained in CO 2 enrichment studies with exposure times generally smaller than 1 year. The experimental evaluation of the difference between the relative increase of the summer (peak to trough) and winter (trough to peak) amplitude gives information on the carbon sequestered annually by the terrestrial ecosystems. With the estimated respiration response factor, which characterizes the fraction of the additional production that is consumed by ecosystem respiration, equal to 0.75, and an assumed long-term CO 2 fertilization factor, β, equal to 0.375, acceptable agreement between prediction and measurements is obtained, amounting to a mean annual increase in living biomass of 0.7 Gt C, while a corresponding portion may be stored in soils. The fact that the fertilization alone predicts the observed difference but not the absolute value of both the summer and winter amplitude, leads to the conclusion that other external effects are operative, which are not directly related to the fertilization phenomenon of the vegetation and which influence to an equal extent the summer and winter amplitude. Two such external contributions have been identified; they are both related to the increased fossil fuel carbon input into the Northern Hemisphere: (1) the seasonality of the fossil fuel consumption in the Northern Hemisphere is approximately in phase with the relative uptake or release of CO 2 by the land vegetation and leads to a small contribution to the increase in amplitude, in the range between 0.01 and 0.08% yr -1 ; (2) the seasonally different transequatorial transport of fossil fuel carbon creates a seasonal behavior which again is approximately in phase with the biota and leads to an additional contribution in the range of 0 to 0.31% per year depending on the wind fields used. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1989. tb00137.x
Synthesis of Silver Nanoprisms in DMF

Polygonal (mainly triangular) silver nanoprisms were synthesized by boiling AgNO3 in N,N-dimethyl formamide, in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone). Although during the synthesis, a mixture of nanoprisms and nanospheroids is formed, the latter can be removed through careful centrifugation. The UV−visible spectra of the nanoprisms display an intense in-plane dipolar plasmon resonance band, as well as weak bands for in-plane and out-of-plane quadrupolar resonances. The nanoprisms are also stable in other solvents, such as ethanol and water, and solvent exchange leads to strong shifts of the in-plane dipole plasmon band.
The Levels of Indoor Thoron and Its Progeny in Four Areas in China

Small surveys on thoron, radon and their progeny were carried out in four areas in China. Both high thoron concentrations near to walls and high thoron progeny concentrations were found in some dwellings through the surveys. It is suggested from the limited data that attention shall be paid to the exposure from the inhalation of thoron and its progeny in some kinds of dwellings or areas, and much works on thoron study in detail is necessary.
Growth of Jatropha irrigated with saline water in greenhouse

Considerando as potencialidades de uso do pinhao manso (Jatropha curcas L.) como fonte energetica e a carencia de resultados de pesquisa relativos ao seu cultivo, realizou-se este trabalho com o fim primordial de se estudar os efeitos da salinidade da agua de irrigacao sobre o crescimento das plantas, em ambiente protegido. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida entre abril e outubro de 2007, no Centro de Tecnologia e Recursos Naturais (CTRN) da UFCG-PB. As plantas foram cultivadas em lisimetros de drenagem (200 L), contendo 230 kg de material de solo devidamente adubado, nao-salino, nao-sodico, classificado como Argissolo Acinzentado eutrofico. Os tratamentos consistiram de cinco niveis de condutividade eletrica da agua de irrigacao - CEa (0,6; 1,2; 1,8; 2,4 e 3,0 dS m-1, a 25 oC), no delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, com quatro repeticoes, sendo cada parcela constituida pela media de duas plantas cultivadas em lisimetros separados. Avaliaram-se altura de planta, diâmetro caulinar, numero de folhas e area foliar aos 37, 58, 79, 100, 121, 142 e 163 dias apos a semeadura; ao final do periodo de estudos, o pinhao-manso irrigado com agua de CEa de 3,0 dS m-1 teve a altura de planta, o diâmetro caulinar, o numero de folhas e a area foliar reduzidos em 9,07, 17,63, 23,41 e 42,58%, respectivamente.
Shift of pH-Value During Thermal Treatments in Buffer Solutions and Selected Foods

The pH value is one of the most important process parameters during thermal treatments, regardless if the medium is a simple buffer solution or a complex food matrix. When the temperature increases after an initial measurement of the pH at ambient temperature (25°C), a significant pH shift could occur, which could produce incomparable results in different buffer solutions or lead to side reactions during food preservation. Consequently, a measurement cell was constructed to record online the pH-value and temperature up to 130°C. By applying the Nernst equation, it was possible to exclude the temperature-dependent influence of the pH glass electrode on the total pH value. The pH shift was measured over a wide temperature range (ΔT 20–130°C) in the most commonly used buffer solutions and some selected food matrices. The ΔpH of certain buffer solutions, namely TRIS and ACES, showed a significant pH decrease of −2.01 ± 0.08 (ΔT 20–130°C) and −1.27 ± 0.1 (ΔT 20–130°C), respectively, whereas the pH of PBS buffer solution was nearly independent of temperature. The ΔpH decrease recorded in milk (−0.89 ± 0.6, ΔT 20–130°C) as well as commercial and self-made baby food (−0.56 ± 0.05, ΔT 20–130°C) is of special interest for the food industry to get a deeper insight in occurring reactions during thermal preservation processes.
Consumers' perceptions of hemp products for animals.

This study was designed to determine which hemp products pet owners are purchasing, reasons for their purchases, and the perceived value of these products on pets’ health. An anonymous online survey was given to pet owners who buy products from an online hemp company. Total responses were 632, of which 58.8% indicated they currently use a hemp product for their dog. Most dog owners (77.6%) indicated they use the product for an illness or condition diagnosed by a veterinarian, with the most common conditions including seizures, cancer, anxiety and arthritis. Fewer participants indicated they currently use hemp products for their cat (11.93%), with 81.8% indicating they use the product for a veterinarian-diagnosed illness or condition, most commonly cancer, anxiety and arthritis. The results of this study provide support for the growing number of anecdotal stories and offer guidance to researchers seeking to perform clinical studies on hemp in terms of its putative effectiveness and possible adverse outcomes. The information from this survey can serve as the basis for controlled clinical trials in areas including pain management, behavioral interventions for sleep disorders and anxiety for dogs, and pain management, inflammation reduction, and improvement in sleep patterns for cats. Introduction The term “cannabis” refers to plants belonging to the genus Cannabis as well as those products designed for therapeutic applications (1). Cannabinoids can be administered in a variety of methods including orally, sublingually, or topically and either extracted naturally from the plant or manufactured synthetically (2). Both hemp and marijuana originate from the Cannabis sativa plant. As such, both contain an array of plant-based chemicals called “cannabinoids,” including the 2 main cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). THCA, when dried or heated, converts to the psychoactive cannabinoid, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Similarly, decarboxylation of CBDA yields cannabidiol (CBD). The main differences between hemp and marijuana are the ratio of THC to CBD, the amount of fiber in the stalks, and the production of seeds for oil (3). By definition, “industrial hemp,” the hemp of commerce which can be used for medicinal purposes, food, or fiber content, contains high levels of CBD and less than 0.3% THC on a dry matter basis. By comparison, tests of some modern strains of marijuana reveal levels of THC greater than 20% and much ABBREVIATION CBD — cannabidiol CBDA — cannabidiolic acid THC — delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol THCA — tetrahydrocannabinolic acid Used with permission of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA). Article first appeared in Volume 42, Spring Issue, 2016.
Field measurements of the photosynthetic rate of potatoes grown with different amounts of nitrogen fertilizer

Summary Three experiments are reported in which the photosynthetic rates of potatoes grown with various amounts of applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer were measured. Rates of photosynthesis in leaves of plants grown without applied N reached levels as high as those receiving N in all experiments. The rate of photosynthesis in the uppermost leaves of the variety Pentland Crown was found to increase during the season, whereas in Estima rates remained the same. Decline in the rate of photosynthesis with leaf age was more rapid in strongly shaded leaves than in less shaded leaves which were found to be photosynthetically active 8 weeks after expansion.
Carbon-doped titania nanoplates with exposed {001} facets: facile synthesis, characterization and visible-light photocatalytic performance

C-doped TiO2 nanoplates (CTNP) with exposed {001} facets were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of TiC powder in a HF–HNO3 mixed aqueous solution for the first time. The effects of hydrothermal temperature (140, 160, 180 and 200 °C) on the crystal phase, morphology, specific surface area and porous properties, surface element composition, optical response properties of the resultant samples were investigated in detail, and the photocatalytic activities of these obtained CTNP samples for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) were evaluated under visible light irradiation. The results showed that precursor cubic TiC was transformed into anatase TiO2 with the morphology of well-defined nanoplate completely after hydrothermal treatment for 30 h. The specific surface area of CTNP was significantly improved in comparison with that of micrometer sized C-doped TiO2 plates (CTP) due to smaller particle size. Due to C-doping, CTNP presented red-shift absorption edge, which supported it with strong visible-light response. All these factors led to as-prepared CTNP having more excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity in comparison with micrometer sized CTP. The CTNP synthesized at 180 °C presented the optimal visible-light photocatalytic activity with a high reaction rate constant (0.03692 min−1) among the four CTNP samples. Based on the results of the present study, a reasonable mechanism of photocatalysis on CTNP under visible light was proposed.
Students' explanations and predictions for interaction between light and prism foil : doctoral thesis

High school students and students engaged in introductory university courses in Slovenia and other countries show a relatively poor ability to apply physics knowledge in novel situations, and especially the ability of scientific reasoning, when solving complex problems [1]. More specifically, they have difficulties constructing mechanistic explanations of observed phenomena and revising them when encountering anomalous data [2]. In my research, I have explored students’ ability to construct scientific explanations of complex phenomena, to use these explanations to make reasonable predictions of the outcomes of the new phenomena, and to revise their explanations when observing additional anomalous data. I have used three different instructional interventions to help the students apply knowledge in a novel situation and compared their effectiveness. The research involved both quantitative and qualitative methods and was focused on the problem involving an unknown optical element called prism foil that has some interesting properties. Preliminary research has shown that the problem was intriguing and non-trivial for students as well as for experts. Since the same amount of initial data about the optical system resulted in explanations that varied widely in their complexity, I have decided to use the problem to study the quality of the students’ explanations and subsequent predictions. My dissertation attempts to answer the following research questions: 1. How does students’ ability to reason scientifically correlate with the quality of the explanatory models that they develop? 2. How do students propose multiple explanatory models for the observed experimental outcomes? 3. To what extend are students able to make predictions based on their explanatory models? 4. What is the relationship between the quality of students’ predictions and their ability to reason scientifically?
Far Wing Asymmetry of Rotational Raman Lines in Hydrogen

Depolarized Raman spectra of compressed hydrogen gas have been computed rigorously previously for 36 K and 50 K (Gustafsson et al. (2009)). The far wings of the rotational lines show asymmetry that goes beyond that expected from the theory for intracollisional interference and Fano line shapes. Here we analyze the 𝑆 0 (0) line for pure hydrogen at 36 K in detail. The added asymmetry stems partly from a shape resonance which adds significant intensity to the higher frequency side of the line profile. The influence of the threshold energy for the rotational transition accounts for the remainder.
More accurate X-ray scattering data of deeply supercooled bulk liquid water

Deeply supercooled water droplets held containerless in an acoustic levitator are investigated with high-energy X-ray scattering. The temperature dependence of the X-ray structure function is found to be nonlinear. Comparison with two popular computer models reveals that structural changes are predicted too abrupt by the TIP5P-E model, while the rate of change predicted by TIP4P-Ew is in much better agreement with experiment. The abrupt structural changes, predicted by the TIP5P-E model to occur in the temperature range between 260 and 240 K as water approaches the homogeneous nucleation limit, are unrealistic. Both models underestimate the distance between neighbouring oxygen atoms and overestimate the sharpness of the OO distance distribution.
Composition of the Essential Oil of Xanthium brasilicum Vellozo from Iran

Abstract A water-distilled oil obtained from the aerial parts of Xanthium brasilicum Vellozo was analyzed by GC/MS. The oil consisted mainly of monoterpenes and a small percentage of sesquiterpenes. Fifteen compounds were identified, of which borneol (28.9%), fenchone (21.1%) and isobornyl acetate (9.1%) were the major constituents.
Fundamental Studies on Brooker's Merocyanine

The spectroscopic properties of solvent soluble derivatives of Brooker's simple merocyanine 4-[(1-methyl-4(1H)-pyridinylidene)ethylidene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one, which can in principle exist in two distinct canonical forms, have been assessed both experimentally and theoretically using molecular orbital methods. 1H and 13C NMR evidence in a range of solvents suggests that the merocyanine exists as a resonance hybrid which is weighted toward the zwitterion even in solvents of low dielectric constants. In protic solvents, the large hypsochromic shift observed for the merocyanine in the visible region arises from both a dielectric effect and a hydrogen bonding effect. Theoretically, the PM3/COSMO method gives a reasonable account of the structure and spectroscopic shifts of the merocyanine in aprotic solvents. The large shifts observed arise because solvents with large dielectric constants have a much greater stabilizing effect on the more polar ground state of the merocyanine than they do on the first exci.
Influence of growth temperature on the structural and optical quality of GaInNAs/GaAs multi-quantum wells

This work focuses on the influence of the growth temperature on the structural and optical quality of GaInNAs/GaAs and GaInAs/GaAs multi-quantum wells with similar lattice mismatch, studied by transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. We have found compositional fluctuations in all the GaInNAs samples, which vary from negligible to very strong over the temperature range studied (360–460 °C). In comparison, at the same growth temperature, GaInAs heterostructures appear more homogeneous. It is proposed therefore that the introduction of N in the structure could be responsible for the enhanced phase separation. A broadening of the photoluminescence peak in GaInNAs structures when raising the growth temperature has also been found associated with the increase in composition fluctuations. Moreover, a kinetically limited Stranski–Krastanow growth mode has been observed in both GaInAs and GaInNAs structures, taking place at lower temperature in GaInNAs quantum wells. We suggest that the enhancement of this growth mode is a consequence of the increased phase separation. The influence of the introduction of N into the GaInAs alloy on the compositional fluctuations and 3D growth mode is discussed.
Nutrient uptake by rice in response to water management

Abstract All rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in the United States utilizes flood irrigation. Yet, depletion of the aquifer in eastern Arkansas may necessitate the adoption of rice production practices that reduce water inputs. Field studies were conducted to evaluate reductions in the duration of floodwater application on nutrient uptake by lowland irrigated rice. Three water management treatments, (i) recommended application of a flood applied at the 4‐ to 5‐leaf stage of development (normal flood), (ii) a delay in the application of the flood until panicle differentiation (delayed flood), and (iii) full‐season intermittent flush irrigation (flush irrigated), were imposed on the cultivar Tebonnet’ grown on a Crowley silt loam (Typic Albaqualfs). Nitrogen (N) was applied as a recommended three‐way split to all treatments. Uptake and tissue concentration of N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) were determined. Rice subjected to normal flooding consistently responded .
Rheological and Textural Properties of Pacific Whiting Surimi Gels As Influenced by Chicken Plasma

Rheological properties of Pacific whiting surimi, in the absence and presence of chicken plasma (CP) at different levels (0.3–3.0%, w/w), were studied by dynamic rheological (small strain) and torsion fracture measurements, respectively. The surimi paste exhibited two major distinctive rheological transitions during heating (1°C/min) from 20 to 90°C with peaks observed at 33 and 56°C. The abrupt loss of G′ upon heating from 47 to 57°C, and the occurrence of small peak of phase angle at the same temperature range were prevented by the addition of CP. Nevertheless, the final G′ of the surimi paste added with CP was lower than that of the control. But shear fracture stress of both kamaboko and modori gels increased as the CP levels increased and shear strain increased with the addition of CP up to 2% (P < 0.05). CP inhibited the degradation of myosin heavy chains (MHC) caused by endogenous proteinases as indicated by more retained MHC and lowered TCA-soluble peptide content. Whiteness of gels decreased somewhat with increasing CP levels. CP, thus, could be a helpful additive for improving gelling properties of Pacific whiting surimi
Effects of sodium and potassium fertilisers on the composition of herbage and its acceptability to dairy cows

Fertilisation of herbage with Na can increase acceptability to cows, but the influence of fertiliser rate and fertilisation by K is unknown. In experiment 1, ten cows were grazed on pasture plots that had just been fertilised with 0-132 kg-Na ha -1 (current Na) and had received 0-64 kg-Na ha -1 in the previous grazing season (residual Na). Herbage Na concentration increased in proportion to current Na from 2.7 to 4.9 g-Na kg -1 dry matter (DM) and also increased with increasing residual Na from 2.2 to 4.5 g-Na kg -1 DM. Herbage K concentrations were low (10 g kg -1 DM at 0 kg-Na ha -1 ) and were only slightly reduced by Na fertiliser. Herbage Mg and Ca concentrations and DM digestibility were maximum at 66-99 kg-current-Na ha -1 . Cows grazed current-Na-fertilised plots to a lower height and spent more time grazing them. In experiment 2, pasture plots received no fertiliser, low and high isomolar and independent applications of Na and K or a combination of the two. The herbage was more mature than in experiment 1 and Na concentration of the herbage without Na fertilizer was high (5 g kg -1 DM). Na fertiliser, therefore, only slightly increased Na concentration, more in clover than in grass, and had little effect on K concentration. K fertiliser increased K concentration from 16 to 20 g kg -1 DM and reduced Na concentration to 3.5 g kg -1 DM. Sodium fertiliser, therefore, only increased the acceptability of herbage to cattle when herbage Na concentrations were initially low (less than 5 g kg -1 DM) and were increased substantially by the application of the fertiliser.
Preparation and Evaluation of Theophylline Sustained Release Microcapsules Using Coacervation

Preparation of sustained release dosage forms is one of the main objectives in drug formulation. Theophylline that has a narrow therapeutic index, making it a good choice to prepare a sustained release dosage form. Theophylline sustained release microcapsules were prepared by applying the coacervation method. The effect of the type and ratio of polymers, as well as the type of washing solvents, was studied on particle size, drug loading efficiency, and in vitro drug release profile. Results showed that Eudragit RS and RL could be more suitable polymers for preparation of sustained release microcapsules of theophylline when used in ratio of 1:1 and when the washing solvent was hexane.
Representational Translation With Concrete Models in Organic Chemistry

In representation-rich domains such as organic chemistry, students must be facile and accurate when translating between different 2D representations, such as diagrams. We hypothesized that translating between organic chemistry diagrams would be more accurate when concrete models were used because difficult mental processes could be augmented by external actions on the models. In three studies, the task was to translate between different diagrams of molecules with or without a model. The model groups outperformed control groups, and students who received and used models outperformed those who received but did not use models. Uses of the model suggested that participants were performing external actions to support or replace difficult mental spatial processes. Spatial ability was a much weaker predictor of performance than model use. Results suggest that concrete molecular models can be an effective learning tool but some students need direct instruction to be able to take advantage of models.