Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Equilibrium, thermodynamic and kinetics of reactive black 5 biosorption on loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) seed

Biosorption is an alternative process for uptake of reactive dyes from aqueous solution. In the present study, the biosorption of reactive black 5 (RB 5) from aqueous solution was investigated by using loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica ) seed biosorbent in a batch adsorption technique as a function of contact time (0.5 min to 3 h), initial dye concentration (50 to 200 mg/L), biosorbent dose (5 to 30 g/L) and pH (1.5 to 5.5). The experimental data showed that the optimum pH for efficient biosorption of RB 5 was 2.5. The data were analyzed on the basis of Lagergren pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich equation and Weber-Morris kinetic models tested. The results suggested that the pseudo-second-order model (R>0.999) was the best choice among all the kinetic models to describe the biosorption behavior of RB 5 onto the biosorbent. The equilibrium data were evaluated by using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and the Langmuir isotherm was found to provide the best correlation of the experimental data. Thermodynamic parameters including the Gibbs free energy ( �G°), enthalpy (�H°) and entropy (�S°) changes indicated that the biosorption of RB 5 onto loquat seed biosorbent was feasible, spontaneous and endothermic. The results revealed that loquat seed biosorbent could be used as biosorbent for the treatment of wastewater containing RB 5.
The Effect of Seed Size and Microstructure on Their Mechanical Properties and Frictional Behavior

The seeds of grass pea were selected based on their size, hardness, and microstructure in order to examine their mechanical properties and friction coefficients versus mass. The size, shape, mass, and static friction coefficients of seeds were determined using adequate methods. Seed hardness was measured using compression methods, and it was described by typical and corrected fracture parameters. The microstructure of cotyledons and seed surfaces was viewed using scanning electron microscopy, and surface microimages were processed by digital image analysis. The length of the examined seeds ranged from 5.86 mm to 14.25 mm, their width ranged from 5.47 mm to 12.93 mm, thickness from 4.59 mm to 6.21 mm, mass from 0.110 g to 0.570 g, projected area from 28.55 mm2 to 148.73 mm2, and roundness from 1.060 to 1.126. The static friction coefficients for seeds of the examined accessions and varieties determined on steel, wood, rubber, and PVC surfaces were 23.4–33.3°, 24.4–37.2°, 29.6–50.4°, and 22.4–35.4°, respectively. For grass pea seeds of irregular size and shape, corrected fracture energy values (with regard to seed mass and volume) were proposed as a more robust parameter of seed hardness. The values of the static friction coefficient depend on both seed mass and the microstructural properties of seed surface digitalized with the involvement of image analysis techniques.
Growth of photoluminescent Ag2Se nanowires from a simple precursor solution

Near-infrared (NIR) photoluminescent silver selenide (Ag2Se) nanowires were synthesized from a precursor solution containing silver nitrate, elemental selenium and hydrazine hydrate (N2H4·H2O). Elemental selenium was reduced by N2H4·H2O and then reacted with silver nitrate. N2H4 also coordinated with the precursors and the resulting Ag2Se nanowires. The single-crystalline Ag2Se nanowires (tetragonal α-Ag2Se) grown from the precursor solution had varying diameters depending on the reaction time. After storing at 60 °C for 24 h, Ag2Se nanowires emitting in the NIR window were obtained. With increasing diameter, the emission intensity decreased until the nanowires became non-photoluminescent. The photoluminescence lifetime and photostability of the Ag2Se nanowires were similar to those of Ag2Se quantum dots reported previously. We expect that these Ag2Se nanowires will hold a broad spectrum of applications in nanoscale optical or photoelectronic devices.
Physical properties of earlywood and latewood of Pinus radiata D. Don: Anisotropic shrinkage, equilibrium moisture content and fibre saturation point

Abstract Anisotropic shrinkage (tangential and longitudinal), equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and fibre saturation point (FSP) were measured for separated earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) of a 0.75-m-long log of 20-year old Pinus radiata that was cut at breast height from a selected tree in the forest of Central North Island, New Zealand. The experimental results have shown that at 12% moisture content (MC), tangential shrinkage was 3.23% for EW and 3.90% for LW, with an overall average of 3.56%. Longitudinal shrinkage was 0.23% for EW and 0.21% for LW with an overall average of 0.22%. Shrinkage for the oven dry (OD) state showed similar trends to those at 12% MC in terms of the differences between EW and LW. The tangential and longitudinal shrinkage varied significantly along the radius from pith to bark. The EW tangential shrinkage increased from pith to the seventh growth ring and then remained relatively constant until the last ring adjacent to the bark. The LW tangential shrinkage also increased from the pith outwards until the seventh growth ring, but beyond that was more variable than the EW shrinkage. Both EW and LW showed similar longitudinal shrinkage, with the highest values in the second growth ring, from which the shrinkage decreased exponentially towards the bark. LW had a slightly higher EMC than EW at a relative humidity (RH) below 80%, but the trend was reversed for RH above 80%. The EMC differences between EW and LW were less than 0.6%. The overall average FSP for Pinus radiata was 29.1%, with actual values varying from 25% to 32.8%. The earlywood FSP (28.9%) was slightly lower than that of the latewood (29.4%).
Daily net ecosystem production in lakes predicted from midday dissolved oxygen saturation: analysis of a five‐year high frequency dataset from 24 mesocosms with contrasting trophic states and temperatures

Much information can be gained from the net ecosystem production (NEP) of freshwater lakes, and NEP has attracted new interest due to climate change, which may change the importance of freshwaters as a source and sink of CO2. Direct measurement of NEP in freshwater lakes is, however, time‐consuming, and high frequency monitoring of diel variations in oxygen levels for metabolism estimation has only recently been commonly employed. However, midday snap‐shot oxygen data is available from numerous monitoring programs worldwide, occasionally covering decades. We hypothesize that midday oxygen saturation levels may provide information on NEP in lakes as oxygen super‐saturation, indicative of high NEP, is observed in very productive lakes, whereas very low oxygen levels may occur in lakes with great input of organic matter or in lakes experiencing sudden decline in primary producers, indicative of low NEP. By analysis of a high frequency dataset encompassing 24 fully mixed mesocosms with contrasting trophic states and temperatures, we show that midday oxygen saturation provides a reasonable description of daily NEP only marginally affected by trophic state, temperature, and season. Oxygen sampling conducted in the afternoon gave a slightly better prediction than at midday, whereas predictions based on NEP representing an average of the previous 3 days led to a 2‐fold increase in R2. Moreover, an analysis of high frequency data sampled in a shallow Danish lake suggests that the method is transferable to natural shallow lakes. This method may therefore allow estimation of NEP based on oxygen measurements available from monitoring programs.
Global Kinetic Rate Parameters for the Formation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from the Pyrolyis of Catechol, A Model Compound Representative of Solid Fuel Moieties

To obtain kinetic parameters on PAH formation relevant to solid fuels combustion, pyrolysis experiments have been conducted with catechol, a model fuel representing entities in coal and biomass. Catechol pyrolysis experiments were performed in a tubular-flow reactor at temperatures of 500−1000 °C and at a residence time of 0.4 s. PAH products were identified and quantified by high-pressure liquid chromatography with ultraviolet−visible diode-array detection and by gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection. A pseudo-unimolecular reaction kinetic model was used to model the experimental yield/temperature data of 15 individual aromatics and of combinations of PAH grouped by structural class and ring-number. The modeling of the individual species' yields showed that the pseudo-unimolecular model agreed very well with the experimental data. Ea values ranged from 50 to 110 kcal mol-1, generally increasing as the size of the aromatic product increased from one to five aromatic rin.
Enhancement of pool boiling heat transfer by surface micro-structuring

The present paper addresses the use of surfaces structured with arrays of square micro-cavities to enhance pool boiling heat transfer. The heat transfer performance, obtained with the structured surfaces is evaluated based on the measured boiling curves and on the heat transfer coefficients. Two new parameters are suggested to relate the bubble dynamics (and consequently the surface topography) with the heat transfer coefficients: the modified dimensionless cavity spacing and the dimensionless distance, which cover the governing parameters of the phenomena. Correlations of these parameters with the heat transfer coefficients allowed to identify the best performing patterns, from those tested so far. Based on this progress it is expected that optimization of these relations will lead to precise relations which allow a systematic optimization of the surface pattern leading to an effective heat transfer enhancement, for situations involving high heat fluxes.
Theoretical and numerical studies of non-equilibrium slip effects on a catalytic surface

A new concentration slip model to describe the rarefied gas effect on the species transport in microscale chemical reactors was derived from the approximate solution of the Boltzmann equation. The present model is more general and recovers the existing models in the limiting cases. The analytical results showed that the concentration slip is dominated by two different mechanisms, the reaction induced concentration slip (RIC) and the temperature slip induced concentration slip (TIC). The magnitude of RIC slip is proportional to the product of the Damköhler number and Knudsen number. The impact of the velocity, concentration and temperature slips on the coupling between the surface catalytic reactions and the homogeneous gas phase reactions was examined using the detailed chemistry of hydrogen and methane within a wide range of accommodation coefficients in a two-dimensional microscale chemical reactor. The results showed that the impact of reaction induced concentration slip (RIC) effects on catalytic reactions strongly depends on the Damköhler number, the Knudsen number and the surface accommodation coefficient. It was found that the TIC slip had a strong effect on the fuel oxidation rates and the RIC slip dramatically changed the mass fraction distributions of radicals, especially when the mass accommodation coefficients were far less than unity.
Empirical Comparison of Multivariate GARCH Models for Estimation of Intraday Value at Risk

An empirical comparison of forecasting performance is undertaken for multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) models in the estimation of intraday value at risk (VaR). This comparison aims to evaluate the applicability of such models to risk management using high-resolution intraday data as a possible method for analyzing intraday downside risk. The one-step-ahead VaR is determined using time-transformed data, and performance of five multivariate models is compared on the basis of the frequency that the estimated VaR exceeds the observed data and a likelihood ratio test of this rate with respect to real returns. It is thus revealed that existing GARCH models can be readily employed for risk management in an intraday framework simply by transforming the high-resolution irregularly spaced data into a regular time series. The Dynamic Conditional Correlation model is found to provide the best forecasting performance among the multivariate GARCH models tested, and this model is thus considered favorable for practical risk management.
New global insight in ultrathin oxide reliability using accurate experimental methodology and comprehensive database

In this paper, we critically examine several important experimental aspects concerning ultrathin oxide reliability. The statistical nature of breakdown measurements and the impact on data interpretation is discussed. Thickness dependence of Weibull slopes and its impact on reliability projection is reviewed. We also investigate the voltage-dependent voltage acceleration using two independent experimental methods over a wide range of oxide thickness values. Within the framework of a general defect generation model, we explore the possibility of a voltage-dependent defect generation rate to account for the increase in voltage acceleration with decreasing voltages. Using direct experimental results, we clarify that strong temperature dependence found on ultrathin oxides is a voltage effect, not a thickness effect as previously suggested, In the context of voltage-dependent voltage acceleration, we experimentally resolve various seemingly contradicting and confusing observations such as temperature-independent voltage acceleration and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence found on ultrathin oxides. Finally, we provide a global picture for time-to-breakdown in voltage and temperature domain constructed from two important empirical principles based on comprehensive experimental database.
Analysis of air-corona-treated polypropylene and poly(ethylene terephthalate) films by contact-angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Contact-angle measurements in air and water environments and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the surface properties of air-corona-treated polypropylene (PP) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films. Surface properties were examined as a function of the storage time at various temperatures. Corona treatment forms water-soluble, low-molecular-weight oxidized materials on both polymer films. Corona-treated PP and corona-treated PET films have markedly different responses to aging. For corona-treated PP stored at ambient temperatures, only a slight decrease in wettability was observed. This decrease was attributed to the reorientation of oxidized functionalities within the surface region. At elevated storage temperatures, migration of oxidized species out of the surface region occurred under some conditions. For corona-treated PET, extensive migration and reorientation of oxidized groups occurred even at ambient temperatures, leading to significant decreases in wettability.
Caracterização e estabilidade físico-química de sistemas poliméricos nanoparticulados para administração de fármacos

Polymeric nanoparticle systems such as nanocapsules and nanospheres present potential applications for the administration of therapeutic molecules. The physico-chemical characteristics of nanoparticle suspensions are important pre-requisites of the success of any dosage form development. The purpose of this review is to present the state of the art regarding the physico-chemical characterization of these drug carriers, in terms of the particle size distribution, the morphology, the polymer molecular weight, the surface charge, the drug content and the in vitro drug release profiles. Part of the review is devoted to the description of the techniques to improve the stability of colloidal systems.
Properties of Waterborne Polyurethane/ Functionalized Graphene Sheet Nanocomposites Prepared by an in situ Method

Nanocomposites of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) were prepared by an in situ method. The morphology observed by transmission electron microscopy showed that pristine nanosize FGS can be finely dispersed in a WPU matrix so that it can efficiently improve the conductivity of WPU. The modulus improvement by the reinforcing effect of FGS was more evident than our previous results of nanocomposites prepared by a physical mixing method, showing that the interactions between FGS and WPU were improved when made by the in situ method. In addition, the FGS enhanced the crystallization of the soft segment of WPU evidently; however, it reduced that of the hard segment. The thermal degradation of WPU was accelerated by FGS.
SYNERGISTIC EXTRACTION OF Eu(III) AND Am(III) BY THENOYLTRIFLUOROACETONE AND NEUTRAL DONOR EXTRACTANTS: (CARBAMOYLMETHYL)PHOSPHINE OXIDE AND 2,6-BIS((DIPHENYLPHOSPHINO)METHYL)PYRIDINE N, P, P-TRIOXIDE

ABSTRACT Solvent extraction of Eu(III) and Am(III) from weakly acidic solutions with octyl(phenyl)-N, N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO) and 2,6-bis((diphenylphosphino)methyl)pyridine N, P, P-trioxide (NOPOPO) in 1,2-dichloroethane was studied on a comparative basis. NOPOPO was found to exhibit unusually high extractability for Eu(III) and Am(III), probably due to its trifunctional nature, sufficient steric flexibility and basicity of the functional groups. Both CMPO and NOPOPO demonstrated synergistic effects in extraction of Eu(III) and Am(III) when used in combination with thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA). However, the stoichiometry of the extracted species with CMPO/HTTA and NOPOPO/HTTA was different under similar experimental conditions. The extractant dependencies of the synergistic extractions suggest that the extracted species are the adduct complexes, M(ClO4)(TTA)2(CMPO)2 and M(ClO4)2(TTA)(NOPOPO)2, respectively. It was also observed that CMPO and CMPO/HTTA in dichloroethane extracte.
Effect of herbicides on nitrogen removal by and wheat L. . Phalaris minor (Triticum aestivum )

Significantly higher leaf area, nitrogen content, nitrogen uptake and grain yield of wheat were recorded in fenoxaprop-p-ethyl at 90g a.i./ha as compared to metsulfuron methyl and metribuzin treatments. Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl significantly reduced growth & development of Phalaris minor and increased grain yield of wheat. Application of metribuzin at 70g a.i./ha and metsulfuron methyl at 4.0g a.i./ha also increased leaf area, nitrogen content, nitrogen uptake and grain yield of wheat as compared to weedy (control). The maximum leaf area/plant (47.29 cm ) nitrogen uptake (154.19 kg/ha) by crop and grain yield (5439 kg/ha) was recorded under weed-free treatment. All the herbicide treatments reduced the Phalaris minor leaf area, dry weight, nitrogen content, nitrogen uptake, and total dry weight of weeds significantly. Phalaris minor and other weeds growing throughout the crop season reduced the grain yield to the extent of 35.62%. Herbicides, leaf area, Nitrogen content, Phalaris minor, Wheat, Yield. 2
Structural analysis of calcium reactive hydride composite for solid state hydrogen storage

Owing to a theoretical hydrogen storage capacity of 10.5 wt% H2, Ca(BH4)2+MgH2, the so-called calcium reactive hydride composite (Ca-RHC), has a great potential as a hydrogen storage material. However, its dehydrogenation temperature (∼623 K) is too high for any mobile applications. By addition of 10 mol% of NbF5 into Ca(BH4)2+MgH2, a decrease of the dehydrogenation onset temperature by ∼120 K is observed. In order to understand the reasons behind this desorption temperature decrement two sets of samples [Ca(BH4)2+MgH2 and Ca(BH4)2+MgH2+0.1NbF5] in different hydrogenation states, were prepared. The structural investigation of the above mentioned sets of samples by means of volumetric measurements, anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is reported here. The XAS results show that after the milling procedure NbB2 is formed and remains stable upon further de/rehydrogenation cycling. The results of Nb ASAXS point to nanometric spherical NbB2 particles distributed in the hydride matrix, with a mean diameter of ∼10 nm. Results from Ca ASAXS indicate Ca-containing nanostructures in the Ca-RHC+0.1NbF5 samples to be ∼50% finer compared to those without additive. Thus, a higher reaction surface area and shorter diffusion paths for the constituents are concluded to be important contributions to the catalytic effect of an NbF5 additive on the hydrogen sorption kinetics of the Ca(BH4)2+MgH2 composite system.
Screening and optimization of nutrients for L- asparaginase production by Bacillus cereus MNTG-7 in SmF by plackett-burmann design

The medium components influencing the enzyme production were screened using Plackett-Burman design. A total of 67 nutrients comprising of fifteen each of carbon, nitrogen, mineral/salt and eleven each of inorganic nitrogen sources and amino acid sources were screened for the production of Lasparaginase by SmF. This design involves screening of up to ‘n-1’ variables in just ‘n’ number of experiments. Regression coefficients and t-values were calculated by subjecting the experimental data to statistical analysis. Among the 67 nutrients based on their performance in terms of product yield and cost, tapioca starch, L-asparagine, ammonium oxalate, gelatin and CaCO3 were identified as most effective and therefore selected for inclusion in surface methodology studies.
The effect of water on a new binary transdermal flux enhancer (Peg3-Me/IPP) : An in vitro evaluation using estradiol

AbstractIsopropyl palmitate (IPP), a skin penetration enhancer, combined with triethylene glycol monomethyl ether (Peg3-Me) results in an excellent transdermal flux enhancer. A solution of 11% Peg3-Me/IPP saturated with estradiol delivers the drug at a 60-fold greater rate than from estradiol (E2)-saturated donors of IPP or Peg3-Me alone. Unfortunately, a steady-state flu is not maintained. Studies using vertical permeation cells indicated that the back flux of water causes the donor solution to phase separate, with an IPP-rich phase floating away from the skin. The ternary phase diagram for IPP, Peg3-Me, and H2O shows that a solution of IPP/Peg3-Me will only accept 1 % water before phase separating. Additional experiments, involving donor solution replacement and reorientation of the skin relative to the donor solution, demonstrated that phase separation was responsible for the non-steady-state E2 flux. Finally, a prototype bilayer laminate, which included a hydrophobic polyisobutylene luyer (PIB), minim.
Kinetics of oxidation of hydroquinones by molecular oxygen. Effect of superoxide dismutase

The kinetics of the autoxidation of sixteen hydroquinones (QH2) (substituted 1,4-hydroquinones and 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalenes as well as 9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene) were studied using the Clark electrode technique in aqueous solution, pH 7.40, at 37 °C both with and without added superoxide dismutase (SOD). QH2 oxidation occurs typically with a self-acceleration. A maximum rate of oxidation, RMAX, was found to be the most indicative parameter characterizing QH2 oxidizability. A kinetic scheme of QH2 autoxidation was developed; computer simulations carried out on the basis of this scheme reproduce the main kinetic features of the studied process. QH2 autoxidation is suggested to be a free-radical chain process with semiquinone (Q˙−) and superoxide (O2˙−) as chain-carrying species. The oxidation is initiated by reaction (1) Q + QH2→2Q˙− + 2H+. The addition of SOD results in two main effects: shifting the equilibrium (2) Q˙− + O2⇆Q + O2˙− (K2) to the right and suppressing reaction (3) QH2 + O2˙−→Q˙− + H2O2. The net effect of SOD depends basically on K2. When K2 0.1, the more SOD inhibits the oxidation, the higher K2. The concentration of SOD causing the 50%-effect on RMAX ([SOD]50), both inhibitory and stimulatory, decreases dramatically when K2 increases. At [SOD] ≫ [SOD]50 the rate of QH2 autoxidation is definitively determined by the rate of reaction (1). For the majority of QH2, [SOD]50 is significantly less than the physiological values of [SOD] and thus QH2 autoxidation in biological environment is expected to occur in the above kinetically simple mode.