Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studies on poly(styrene‐co‐maleic anhydride)‐modified polyesteramide‐based anticorrosive coatings synthesized from a sustainable resource

Polyesteramide (PEA) coating resin, synthesized from linseed oil, a sustainable resource, was found to show improved physicomechanical and acid-resistance properties. To further improve these properties in terms of alkali resistance, scratch hardness, and thermal stability and to reduce the baking temperature, we have attempted to incorporate styrene into the polymer backbone through its copolymer with maleic anhydride. The structural elucidation of modified PEA resin (SCPEA) was carried out by FTIR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopes. The physicomechanical and chemical-resistance properties were investigated by standard methods and thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis method. A comparative study of these properties of PEA and SCPEA was carried out. It was observed that the SCPEA showed better properties than the reported one. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2538–2544, 2004
Electronic Nose Evaluation of the Effects of Canopy Side on Cabernet franc (Vitis vinifera L.) Grape and Wine Volatiles

The effect of grapevine canopy side (north versus south and east versus west) on grape and wine volatiles of Cabernet franc was evaluated during two growing seasons using two electronic nose systems based on conducting polymers and surface acoustic waves. Data from three sampling dates per season from both electronic noses were compared with physicochemistry and wine aroma sensory evaluations. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses generally indicated grape physicochemistry indices could not differentiate consistently (p > 0.05) between canopy sides across growing seasons and sampling dates. Both electronic nose (ENose) systems provided complete discrimination of canopy sides for grapes and wine using canonical discriminant analysis. On average, the surface acoustic wave-based ENose explained <50% of variation for grapes and <60% for wine using the first principal component, compared to >80% for the conducting polymer-based ENose. Wine aroma sensory evaluation differentiated canopy sides in three of four evaluations.
Composition of a Carvone Chemotype of Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. from Iran

Abstract An essential oil composition of Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-three components were identified representing 99.3% of the oil. Carvone (61.8%) and limonene (19.4%) were the most abundant constituents.
Oxime Palladacycle‐Catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura Alkenylation of Aryl, Heteroaryl, Benzyl, and Allyl Chlorides under Microwave Irradiation Conditions

A simple new protocol for the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki―Miyaura cross-coupling of organic chlorides under microwave irradiation is presented. Deactivated aryl and heteroaryl chlorides are efficiently cross-coupled with alkenylboronic acids and potassium alkenyltrifluoroborates using the 4,4'-di-chlorobenzophenone oxime-derived palladacycle 1b as precatalyst in 0.1 to 0.5 mol% palladium loading, tris(tert-butyl)phosphonium tetrafluoroborate {[HP-(t-Bu) 3 ]BF 4 } as ligand, tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide as cocatalyst, and potassium carbonate as base in N,N-dimethylformamide at 130°C under microwave irradiation conditions. Under these conditions, styrenes, stilbenes, and alkenylarenes are obtained in good to high yields, and with high regio-and diastereoselectivities in only 20 min. The reported protocol is also very efficient for the regioselective alkenylation of benzyl and allyl chlorides to afford allylarenes and 1,4-dienes.
RELATIONS BETWEEN MORPHOLOGICAL COLOR INDEX AND SOIL WETNESS CONDITION OF ANTHRAQUIC SOILS IN TAIWAN

The unique hydrologic and soil morphological features of the lowland rice-growing areas of the Chungli Terrace in northern Taiwan derive from diluvium red soils. Soil morphological characteristics and monitoring data provide a long-term record of the hydrological period and are useful for identifying these soils as hydric soils. The objective of this study was to establish relationships between the soil morphology-based soil chroma index and soil wetness conditions, including annual duration of both saturation and reduction. Three transects of a toposequence ranging from 20 to 40 m were selected. Four soils (Plinthaqualfs and Plinthaquults) were located in the toeslope position (20 m), four soils (Plinthudults and Paleudalfs) in the footslope position (30 m), and three soils (Paleudults and Paleudalfs) in the backslope position (40 m) with different redoximorphic features. Because they are seasonally flooded for rice (Oryza sativa L.) production and have perched water tables from February to October, all of these soils are considered to be anthraquic. Seasonally high groundwater levels also occurred during the growing season. Soils in three transects were monitored for groundwater depth, matric potential, and redox potential. The analytical results revealed that the seven soils with A horizons ≤ 25 cm thick were all hydric soils based on redox potential monitoring data. The analytical results indicated significant correlations between the chroma index and saturation time of year at 50-100 cm depth (P < 0.05) and at 100-150 cm depth (P < 0.01). A significant correlation was also found between chroma index and duration of reduction at depths of 50-100 cm (P < 0.01) and 100-150 cm (P < 0. 01). However, no clear correlation existed for depths of <50 cm because of the disturbance associated with plowing and the accumulation of rice straw residual on the soil surface.
Extending the frontiers of mass spectrometric instrumentation and methods

The focus of this dissertation is two-fold: developing novel analysis methods using mass spectrometry and the implementation and characterization of a novel ion mobility mass spectrometry instrumentation. The novel mass spectrometry combines ion trap for ion/ion reactions coupled to an ion mobility cell. The long term goal of this instrumentation is to use ion/ion reactions to probe the structure of gas phase biomolecule ions. The three ion source - ion trap - ion mobility - qTOF mass spectrometer (IT - IM - TOF MS) instrument is described. The analysis of the degradation products in coal (Chapter 2) and the imaging plant metabolites (Appendix III) fall under the methods development category. These projects use existing commercial instrumentation (JEOL AccuTOF MS and Thermo Finnigan LCQ IT, respectively) for the mass analysis of the degraded coal products and the plant metabolites, respectively. The coal degradation paper discusses the use of the DART ion source for fast and easy sample analysis. The sample preparation consisted of a simple 50 fold dilution of the soluble coal products in water and placing the liquid in front of the heated gas stream. This is the first time the DART ion source has been used for analysis ofmore » coal. Steven Raders under the guidance of John Verkade came up with the coal degradation projects. Raders performed the coal degradation reactions, worked up the products, and sent them to me. Gregg Schieffer developed the method and wrote the paper demonstrating the use of the DART ion source for the fast and easy sample analysis. The plant metabolite imaging project extends the use of colloidal graphite as a sample coating for atmospheric pressure LDI. DC Perdian and I closely worked together to make this project work. Perdian focused on building the LDI setup whereas Schieffer focused on the MSn analysis of the metabolites. Both Perdian and I took the data featured in the paper. Perdian was the primary writer of the paper and used it as a chapter in his dissertation. Perdian and Schieffer worked together to address the revisions and publish it in Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry Journal. « less
Red spectral forms of chlorophylls in green plant PSI- A site-selective and high-pressure spectroscopy study

One of the special spectroscopic characteristics of photosystem I (PSI) complexes is that they possess absorption and emission bands at lower energy than those of the reaction center. In this paper, the red pigment pools of PSI-200, PSI-core, and LHCI complex from Arabidopsis thalianahave been characterized at low temperatures by means of spectrally selective (hole-burning and fluorescence line-narrowing) and high-pressure spectroscopic techniques. It was shown that the green plant PSI-200 complex has at least three red pigment pools, from which two are located in the PSI-core and one, in the peripheral light-harvesting complex I (LHCI). All of the red pigment pools are characterized by strong electron-phonon coupling. A Huang-Rhys factor of 2.9 found for the red pigments of LHCI is the largest found for any photosynthetic antenna system. This contrasts with the bulk pigments in the main Qy absorption band of chlorophyll a pigments for which the HuangRhys factors of less than unity are observed. This electron-phonon coupling difference of the red and bulk pigments is well reflected by the spectral dependence of the hole-burning efficiency, which is significantly reduced in the red absorption region. As a result of extremely low hole-burning efficiency in the red absorption band of LHCI, the hole-burning spectra of the PSI-200 complex mainly originate from the red pigments of the PSI-core complex. At the same time, the source of the red emission in PSI-200 is the red pigments of LHCI, in agreement with previous studies. The hole-burning spectra of PSI-core complexes from green plant and cyanobacteria are similar, both in red and bulk absorption regions. High-pressure spectroscopy data reveal dramatically larger pressure-induced linear shift rates for the redmost absorption and emission bands relative to those of bulk absorption bands. This is interpreted as due mostly to increased conformational mixing between the locally excited and charge transfer configurations of the red pigment aggregates. On the basis of analysis of available experimental data, we suggest that pigment dimers are probably responsible for the redmost states. Consequently, the excited red states can be interpreted as excimer states.
A New Electroaffinity Scale; Together with Data on Valence States and on Valence Ionization Potentials and Electron Affinities

A new approximate ``absolute'' scale of electronegativity, or electroaffinity, is set up. The absolute electroaffinity on this scale is equal to the average of ionization potential and electron affinity. These quantities must, however, in general, be calculated not in the ordinary way, but for suitable ``valence states'' of the positive and negative ion. Also, the electroaffinity of an atom has different values for different values of its valence; in general the electroaffinity as here calculated (in agreement with chemical facts) is larger for higher valences. Electroaffinity values have been calculated here for H, Li, B, C, N, O, F, Cl, Br, I. They show good agreement in known cases with Pauling's electronegativity scale based on thermal data, and with the dipole moment scale. The present electronegativity scale (like the others) is rather largely empirical, especially as to its quantitative validity; and it remains to be seen whether or not the latter will be more than very rough when tested for a wide.
Leaching of Nitrate and Ammonium from Cover Crop Straws as Affected by Rainfall

Abstract Nitrogen (N) mineralization dynamics in no‐till systems is affected, among other factors, by N amount and quality in the mulch and by climatic conditions. Leaching of NO3‐N and NH4‐N from six plant species used as soil cover crops in tropical environments were evaluated when the straw was submitted to rainfall after chemical desiccation. Millet (Pennisetum glaucum), guinea sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), black oat (Avena strigosa), triticale (Triticum secale), Indian hemp (Crotalaria juncea), and brachiaria (Brachiaria decumbens) were grown in a greenhouse, in Botucatu‐SP, Brazil. Forty‐five days after emergence, the plants were cut at the root collar, oven‐dried, and submitted to simulated rainfalls of 4.4, 8.7, 17.04, 34.9, and 69.8 mm, considering an amount of straw equivalent to 8 t ha−1 of dry matter. The amounts of N‐NO3 − extracted from the straw by rainwater were very small. However, accumulated rainfall around 70 mm caused ammonium leaching ranging from 2.5 to 9.5 kg ha−1, depending on the species. Plant residues of triticale and black oat (grasses) and Indian hemp (legume) showed high N leaching intensity with the first rains after chemical desiccation. The amount of N leached from straw was highly correlated with N tissue content.
Influence of and correction for moisture in rocks, soils and sediments on in situ XRF analysis

This paper discusses the influence of water contained in rocks, soils and sediments on in situ XRF analysis with a portable XRF analyzer. Water in natural rocks, soil and sediments absorbs the characteristic x-rays from the elements and also causes the primary radiation from the excitation sources to scatter, which results in a decrease in the intensity of characteristic x-rays and an increase in the intensity of scattered x-rays in a fluorescence spectrum. A method for correcting for the influence of the water on the analysis of wet samples is proposed, based on the fact that the intensity of scattered radiation is directly proportional to the water content of wet samples. Tests on a set of wet soil samples showed that the method can effectively correct for the influence of the water in wet samples up to a 20% water content. The method was also applied to the analysis of soil with an IED-2000P XRF analyzer in a copper prospecting area in Yunnan, China. The results show satisfactory agreement of the results for Cu, Zn and Sr analyses before and after rain. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effect of Biodiesel, Ethanol and Diesel Fuel Blends on The Performance and Exhaust Emissions in A DI Diesel Engine

In this study, blends of No. 2 diesel fuel and ethanol with rapeseed oil and soybean oil methyl esters were tested in a four-stroke, four-cylinder, direct injection (DI) diesel engine. Tests were performed using diesel fuel + rapeseed oil + ethanol (DRE) blends and diesel fuel + soybean oil + ethanol (DSE) blends at different engine speeds and full load operating conditions and the results were compared with neat diesel fuel. In each test, brake torque, brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), smoke level, carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions were measured. The experimental results indicated that blends of No. 2 diesel fuel and ethanol with rapeseed oil or soybean oil methyl esters can be used in a DI diesel engine without any modification. According to obtained results, brake torque was decreased and the BSFC was increased with DRE and DSE fuel blends because of their lower heating value. Smoke level and CO and HC emissions were decreased. However, NOx emissions were increased with blends of DRE and DSE compared to neat diesel fuel. Key Words : Diesel engine, alternative fuels, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, ethanol.
The Quantitative Assay of Minerals for Fe2+ and Fe3+ Using 1,10‐Phenanthroline: II. A Photochemical Method

A photochemical method for measuring Fe³⁺ and total Fe in minerals is described. The method determines Fe²⁺ concentration by measuring the Fe(phen)₃²⁺ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) complex formed during HF-H₂SO₄ digestion of the mineral. To measure Fe²⁺ accurately in the presence of Fe³⁺ from the mineral, the sample digestion and analysis are performed under red light to prevent photochemical reduction of the ferric-phen species. Total iron is measured by converting any Fe³⁺ in the digestate to Fe(phen)₃²⁺ by photochemical reduction using a fluorescent lamp. This procedure avoids the problems associated with adding chemical reducing agents to iron-phen solutions. The calibration curves were linear up to 8-µg Fe/ml with a lower detection limit of 0.011 µg/ml. The absorptivities of the calibration curves were 0.1852 ± 0.0017 and 0.1960 ± 0.0018 ml/cm-µg for Fe²⁺ and total Fe, respectively. Ferric iron in the mineral samples was calculated by difference.
EVALUATION OF SOME ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE CHEMICALS AND BIOAGENTS AGAINST Fusarium solani AND Sclerotium rolfsii INFECTED COWPEA PLANTS

Incidence of root rot and damping-off caused by Fusarium solani and Sclerotium rolfsii on cowpea plants was successfully controlled by some plant extracts, essential oils, bioagents, systemic resistance-chemical inducers and seed dressing fungicides which tested under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions in two successive seasons (2008 and 2009). All tested plant extracts; Artemisia absinthium, Ocimum basilicum and Mentha longifolia; significantly reduced the linear growth of F. solani and S. rolfsii. The maximum inhibition in fungal radial growth was induced by Ocimum basilicum and Artemisia absinthium with averages of 81.29 and 61.99%, respectively. All the tested essential oils reduced the fungal growth of S. rolfsii, the most effective oils were Syzygium aromaticum and Eucalyptus globulus with averages of 87.70 and 81.10 %, respectively. On the other hand, using culture filtrates of Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride and Bacillus subtilis significantly reduced the linear growth of F. solani and S. rolfsii with the average of 75.28, 69.62, and 54.36%, respectively. Results of chemical inducers revealed that salicylic acid have the highest inhibition effect on the mycelial growth of F. solani and S. rolfsii with the average of 20.00 and 29.63 %, respectively. Under greenhouse conditions, all treatments caused significant decrease of disease incidence and increase of survival plants, as compared to the untreated plants. Soaking seeds in Ocimum basilicum extract and S. aromaticum oil decreased damping-off and had the highest percentage of healthy survival cowpea plants. Soaking cowpea seeds in Vitavax-captan or in the suspension of T. harzianum, (however, had the best effect) for decreasing damping-off and increasing survival plants. The disease could be controlled also by salicylic acid and ascorbic acid (4mM) which decreased damping-off and root-rot incidence and increased survival plants. On the other hand, there is a correlation between induced resistance and some biochemical changes in leaf tissues of cowpea healthy plants such as increasing the activity of peroxidase and Polyphenol oxidase enzymes. T. harzianum, salicylic acid and S. aromaticum produced the highest level of peroxidase and Polyphenol oxidase enzymes activity. Under field conditions, Vitavax-captan, bioagents T. harzianum, plant extract; Ocimum basilicum, essential oil; S. aromaticum and resistance-inducing chemical salicylic acid significantly reduced disease incidence and increased seed yield production.
Wildlife economics: A study of direct use values in Botswana's wildlife sector

The wildlife resources in Botswana were studied to determine their direct use values. Cost- benefit analysis was applied to develop models for wildlife viewing, safari hunting, community-based wildlife use, game ranching, ostrich farming, crocodile farming and ranching, elephant utilisation and wildlife product processing. Various planning and policy options were analysed within the wildlife sector. Contingent valuation was used to estimate economic characteristics of demand for wildlife-viewing tourism. A linear programniing model, which optimises the contribution of use activities to national income, within a framework of policy constraints, was developed for the whole sector. The findings confirm that wildlife in Botswana can contribute positively and sustainably to national income, and that this can happen without loss in biological diversity. Wildlife's potential contribution will not likely exceed four percent of gross domestic product. The likely flow of positive use values from the wildlife sector justifies anticipated public expenditures in it. In expansion of wildlife use, emphasis should be placed on wildlife viewing, and, to a lesser extent, ostrich production, crocodile production, and community wildlife use in high value areas. Later, as capital, labour and management resources become more abundant, the sector should be diversified to develop all uses fully. A ban on consumptive uses of wildlife would result in 16 percent less gross value added from wildlife in the sector, and would involve use of 75 percent less land. Even with consumptive use, some 88 percent of the wildlife estate cannot generate any direct use value from wildlife in the medium term. The survival of wildlife in Botswana depends largely on its ability to generate economic value. This can happen through an array of uses yielding direct use values, within a framework of land use zoning which precludes loss of indirect use and non-use values, which should also be captured where possible.
Effects of mulching and nitrogen fertilization on "Sugarloaf" Pineapple, Ananas comosus (L) Merr.

The response of pineapple plants to black polyethylene and dry grass mulches, and nitrogen levels was investigated. Both mulching and nitrogen increased vegetative growth, slip and hapa production, peduncle thickness, fruit weight and size, total fruit yield and fruit TSS/acidity ratio. Black polyethylene mulch outyielded dry grass mulch. Mulching and nitrogen also delayed flowering and fruit maturity. Mulching did not influence fruit % TSS and % titratable acidity. Nitrogen, on the other hand, decreased fruit % TSS and % titratable acidity. Significant interactions between mulching and nitrogen treatments were obtained for most of parameters recorded. Black polyethylene mulch was recommended for both small and large scale pineapple production while dry grass mulch was recommended for small scale pineapple farms. Side- dressing with the medium nitrogen level of 360 kg N/ha at two split applications was preferred. Wirkung von Mulchen und Stickstoffdungung auf Ananas ( Ananas comosus (L) Merr, Sorte Sugarloaf Die Reaktion von Ananaspflanzen auf schwarze Polyethylenfolie, trockenem Grasmulch und Stickstoffgaben wurden untersucht. Beides, Mulchen und Stickstoffdungung, erhohten das vegetative Wachstum, Anzahl der Schoslinge des Fruchtstieles und der Fruchtstielbasis, Blutenstieldicke, Fruchtgewicht und -grose, Gesamtfruchtertrag und das Verhaltnis "loslich feste Substanzen" des Fruchtsaftes zu Fruchtsaure. Bodenbedeckung mit schwarzer Folie ubertraf im Ertrag trockenen Grasmulch. Mulchen und Stickstoffdungung verzogerten die Blute und die Fruchtreife. Mulchen beeinfluste nicht die prozentualen Anteile "feste Bestandteile des Fruchtsaftes" und "titrierbare Saure", wahrend Stickstoffdungung beides verringerte. Bei den meisten aufgezeichneten Parametern zeigten sich signifikante Wechselwirkungen zwischen Mulchen und Stickstoffbehandlung. Schwarze Folie wurde fur kleine und grose Ananasplantagen, wahrend trockener Grasmulch nur fur kleine Anlagen empfohlen wurde. Reihendungung mit mittlerer Stickstoffmenge von 360 kg N/ha in zwei Gaben wurde bevorzugt.