Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction between particles suspended in solutions of macromolecules

An attractive force appears between particles suspended in solutions of macromolecules when there is neither direct interaction between two particles nor energetic interaction between particles and solute macromolecules. The magnitude of this force is of the order of the osmotic pressure of the solution of macromolecules and the range is of the order of the diameter of macromolecules. This force is calculated as a function of concentration, shape, and charge of macromolecules, and it is shown that it becomes stronger in solutions of chain macromolecules or of macromolecules of dissymmetrical shape than in solutions of rigid spherical macromolecules at the same net concentration. If macromolecules have charge, the force can be greatly intensified. In every case numerical estimation is made, and it is found that actually this kind of force can have a remarkable influence on the state of suspended particles. Numerical examples of the critical concentration of particles at their macroscopic aggregation are given. Finally a short description is added on the effect of energetic interaction between particles and macromolecules.
Quantification of Airborne Influenza and Avian Influenza Virus in a Wet Poultry Market using a Filter/Real-time qPCR Method

Influenza viruses cause pandemics in humans. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate filter/real-time qPCR to quickly and accurately determine and quantify the airborne influenza and avian influenza virus. In this study, the sampling stress of filtration to influenza virus and the storage effects for both the virus and extracted RNA were evaluated in the laboratory. Then, the collection efficiencies of open-face and closed-face filter cassettes were compared in a wet poultry market. From July 8 to August 19, 2006, a total of 36 air samples were quantified by filter/real-time qPCR. The recovery rate of the virus on a filter stored at 4°C reached 0.94 after 3-day storage, whereas the RNA stored at –80°C was 100% after 3-month storage. In terms of collection efficiency, the closed-face filter cassette was superior to the open-face filter cassette in the field study. In the wet poultry market, it was revealed that both the positive rate and concentration of influenza A virus in the chicken pen were higher than that in the duck pen, possibly due to differences in ventilation type, climate factors, and avian characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the quantification of airborne influenza virus in field samples. This quantitative technique should provide more insight into influenza/avian influenza virus transmissibility and epidemiology of influenza/avian influenza, as well as infection control.
The Effect of Direct Covering with Biodegradable Nonwoven Film on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil

It is well known that plastic mulch film increases the yield of many vegetables, in particular the early season yield, most likely by increasing soil temperature and moisture, and inhibiting weed growth. Soil surface covering decreases erosion, reduces evaporation, protects against raindrop impact, and increases aggregate stability. The following field experiment was carried out at the experimental farm in Mydlniki in Krakow, Poland in 2008/09 and 2009/10. Winter leek and onion covered by biodegradable nonwoven (Bionnole 100 g·m -2 and IBWCH 75 g·m -2 ) film were assessed to estimate the changes in several physical and chemical soil properties. The experiment revealed the interaction between treatments and wet-aggregate content in soil. The biofilm covering slightly increased the amount of large aggregates (4.0-2.5 mm) and decreased the percentage of small sized macroaggregates (0.50-0.25 mm). We also observed a trend in the increase of water capacity in soils following treatments. The obtained results suggest that the use of biodegradable film as covering could be an alternative to the traditional plastic films widely used in the world.
31P-nuclear magnetic resonance study of milk fractions

Summary Milk serum, whey and milk ultrafiltrate were examined by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). About 20 phosphorylated milk constituents gave rise to resonances in the spectra. Most of these have been assigned to such well-known milk constituents as inorganic phosphate, N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate and glycerophosphorylcholine. Resonances from previously unknown constituents such as phosphocreatine were also observed. When the pH-dependence of inorganic phosphate, N-acetylglucosamine-1 -phosphate, glycerophosphorylcholine and gly-cerophosphorylethanolamine was examined it was observed that the resonance of inorganic phosphate overlapped that of N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate around neutral pH. This is the most probable explanation as to why this constituent was not observed in earlier 31P-NMR studies on milk.
Performance and Emission Studies of Castor Bean (Ricinus Communis) Oil Biodiesel and Its Blends with Diesel Fuel

Abstract An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the use of various blends of castor (Ricinus Communis) oil methyl ester with diesel fuel. Performance and exhaust emissions of castor oil biodiesel with diesel fuel in a commercial compression ignition engine were presented in this study. Biodiesel produced from castor oil was blended with diesel fuel at the volumetric ratios of 5% (B5), 10% (B10), 25% (B25), 50% (B50), and 100% (B100). Fuel properties of castor oil methyl ester and its blends with diesel fuel were stated. The performance results showed that blends of castor oil methyl ester with diesel provided an increase on brake specific fuel consumption and a small decrease on brake power output. Compared with diesel fuel, diesel-castor oil methyl ester blends showed that while the carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions became reduced; the oxides of nitrogen emissions observed higher than diesel fuel emission characteristics. Test results showed that B25 was determined as a suitable alternative fuel for diesel engines.
Polyethylene under electrical stress

Fifty years ago, the concept of an intrinsic electric strength for insulating solids was fashionable. It was supported by the sophisticated theoretical models of von Hippel, Frohlich and others for the interaction of electrons with crystal lattices in an electric field. The models came to be applied, rather implausibly perhaps, to polymers such as semi-crystalline polyethylene (PE). In that climate, the work of van Roggen on the high-field conductivity of single lamellar crystals of PE was notable. Since then, the picture of the insulating properties of PE has had to be painted with an increasingly complex palette in which the electrical elements have had to be supplemented by mechanical, chemical, and optical ones. The present review of the conducting properties of the polymer considers these other features, but concludes that the fundamental characteristics of the lamellar PE crystal are still the determining factors.
Towards helical and Y-shaped carbon nanotubes: the role of sulfur in CVD processes

Sulfur is introduced as an additive in CVD processes for the production of carbon nanotubes over Co–Mo/MgO sol–gel catalysts employing two different approaches: for the first time as sulfonated Co–Mo/MgO sol–gel catalysts and, alternatively, as thiophene vapour during the CVD reaction process. On one hand, the use of sulfur compounds during the sol–gel catalyst preparation process generally leads to a significant modification of the matrix composition and the matrix–catalyst interaction. When employing a catalyst here containing sulfur compounds the induced matrix modifications yield enhanced growth of helical carbon nanotubes (HCNTs). On the other hand, adding sulfur in the form of thiophene vapour over non-sulfonated sol–gel catalysts, the growth of Y-shaped carbon nanotubes (YCNTs) is favoured depending on the flow conditions of the hydrocarbon source employed. The obtained results underline the general importance of the nature of the sol–gel matrix for the formation of HCNTs as well as of the local fluctuations in the gas phase for the growth of YCNTs. The findings are of importance for the fabrication of nanotube-based electronic devices.
On the use of waste frying oil in the synthesis of sophorolipids.

Sophorolipids are surface-active agents which are synthesised by the yeast Candida bombicola. Here we present the possibility of reducing the economical and ecological cost of producing sophorolipids by using waste frying oil as a substrate for C. bombicola. A comparison is made between two grades of biodiesel, waste frying oil and the methyl ester of coco/palm oil as lipophilic substrates on a shakeflask level. Cultivations in a bioreactor using waste frying oil as a substrate were carried out. A new strategy for product recovery without the use of organic solvent is also proposed. The work presented here investigates whether it is possible to produce sophorolipids on waste frying oil and recover the product without using organic solvents.
Advancing simulations of biological materials: applications of coarse-grained models on graphics processing unit hardware

The timescales of biological processes, primarily those inherent to the molecular mechanisms of disease, are long (>μs) and involve complex interactions of systems consisting of many atoms (>106). Simulating these systems requires an advanced computational approach, and as such, coarse-grained (CG) models have been developed and highly optimised for accelerator hardware, primarily graphics processing units (GPUs). In this review, I discuss the implementation of CG models for biologically relevant systems, and show how such models can be optimised and perform well on GPU-accelerated hardware. Several examples of GPU implementations of CG models for both molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations on purely GPU and hybrid CPU/GPU architectures are presented. Both the hardware and algorithmic limitations of various models, which depend greatly on the application of interest, are discussed.
Influence of weed management on vegetative growth, flower and bulb parameters of tuberose

A field experiment was conducted at the AICRP on Floriculture Unit, Horticulture Farm, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur. The experiment consisted with fourteen treatments comprising of hand weeding, herbicides and weedy check replicated thrice in randomized block design. Among the various weed management practices tested, out of them pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha + 1 hand weeding (HW) at 40 days after planting (DAP) reported lowest weeds counts at 50 DAP (13.1 m-2), fresh weight (20.83 g) and dry weight of weeds (3.28 g) with maximum weed control efficiency (93.10 %) as compare to weedy check. However, 3 HW at 30, 60 and 90 DAP had superior effect on the plant height (89.36 cm), leaves/plant (51.76), spike length (78.52 cm), spike emergence (110.68 days), first flowering (116.44 days), floret/spike (47.97), spike/plant (4.81), flower weight/plant (138.47 g), flower diameter (4.49 cm), flower duration (26.17 days), spike durability in field (20.60 days), bulbs/plant (16.43), bulb diameter (3.85 cm), fresh weight of bulb (28.49 g), bulblets ha-1 (33.39) and fresh weight of bulblet (3.37 g) followed by pendimethalin @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha + 1 HW.
Avaliação de métodos para estimativa de coeficientes da cultura de amendoim

The peanut crop with its low water requirement, short growing period and a higher demand, which is not attended by the regional markets, is an important alternative crop to be grown in the irrigated areas of the Brazilian Northeast, especially in the sandy soils. This paper is concerned with the evaluation of different methods, which determine the water requirements of a peanut crop. The crop water consumption is determined from two evapotranspirometers with constant water table. The reference evapotranspiration is obtained by using different methods. The peanut crop water requirement is in the order of 650 mm and the crop coefficient obtained from the methods of Class A Pan evaporimeter, Hargreaves and Thornthwaite, is more adequate for efficient management of irrigation.
Extracting site-specific reaction rates from steady state surface morphologies: Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of aqueous Si(111) etching

The etching of Si(111) surfaces is studied using a chemically realistic, kinetic Monte Carlo simulation that incorporates the full surface geometry. These simulations show that reliable, site-specific reaction rates can be extracted from steady state etched surface morphologies. The kinetics of pit etching and step etching are examined separately and in concert. Comparisons are made to mean field approximations; however, mean field kinetics are shown to be quantitatively incorrect in their predictions of surface morphology. Statistical parametrizations of surface morphology, such as local width measurements, are also examined. Although these parametrizations are sensitive to the relative etch rates, they cannot be used to ascertain the actual etch mechanism. In general, steady state etch morphologies change gradually as the relative etch rates are varied over three-to-five decades of reactivity. Within this range, a change in surface morphology is observable when a single etch rate is changed by a factor .
Numerical Integration of Equations of Motion with a Self-Consistent Field given by an Implicit Equation

Abstract Numerical integration methods for equations of motion with the right hand side containing an implicit equation (e.g. an equation for the self-consistent electrostatic field in the system of polarizable molecules) are studied. Stable second-order predictors suitable for the Verlet (leap-frog) integrator and allowing one evaluation of the forces per integration step are proposed. Different strategies making the use of only partly stable higher-order predictors possible are discussed.
Optimized cell conditions for a high‐energy density, large‐scale Li–S battery

The electrochemical performance of Li–S cells used in large‐scale battery systems was investigated with various conditions. Li/S cells were fabricated with different loading thicknesses and electrolyte ratios and used in coin cells and single‐sided and double‐sided pouch cells. The optimal conditions for the Li/S cell were as follows: a loading thickness of 28 µm and an electrolyte ratio of 20 ul/mg_S. The coin and single‐sided and doubled‐pouch cells had discharge capacities of 1009, 973, and 939 mAh/g, respectively. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A parametric study of burning of multicomponent droplets in a dilute spray

The model for sphericosymmetric thin‐flame combustion of a multicomponent fuel droplet in a dilute spray using a unit cell approach, developed in the companion paper, has been used for studying the interaction effect between droplets. The effects of droplet spacing, ambient oxidizer concentration, ambient temperature and pressure have been considered. Droplet life increases with decrease in droplet spacing, ambient temperature and ambient oxidizer concentration. However, droplet life has a weak dependence on ambient pressure. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enrichment of frying oils with plant phenolic extracts to extend the usage life

The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of extracts prepared from olive leaf (OLVL), hazelnut leaf (HAZL), and hazelnut green leafy cover (HGLC) in frying conditions. The extracts were added into canola oil at 200âppm phenolic equivalence level and fried for seven consecutive days and analyzed. Generally, the lowest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity value were measured in HGLC extract, although, the best performance during frying was with HGLC extract. There were significant differences among the free acidity, conjugated dienoic acids, and total polar materials (TPM). The oil enriched with HGLC extract did not exceed the limit TPM value at the end of seventh day. Also the remaining antioxidant capacities in the frying oil samples were highest in HGLC enriched samples. The viscosity and turbidity values of the oils enriched with OLVL and HAZL extract were a little higher than a control sample. Generally transâfatty acid formation was lower in the enriched oil samples. Also significant decreases in the level of unsaturated fatty acids during frying period were observed. This study shows that enriching oils with easily found and cheap natural plant extracts can extend their usage life. Practical applications: The results of this study have shown that liquid frying oils can successfully be enriched with plant phenolic extract to enhance thermoâoxidative stability. Addition of phenolic extract up to 200âppm level have not created any problem in sensory quality of either the oil or fried dough. The HGLC and OLVL extract were found very suitable for this purpose. These materials are common agroâfood byâproducts and can be produced very easily with low cost. Also, this type of enrichment may aid consumers to get some beneficial phenolic compounds through fried food consumption. In addition, these types of applications may open another area for marketing the named plant extracts.
A Kinetic Study of 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol Oxidation by Dichromate Using Clay-Supported 1-Butyl 4-aza-1-azonia Bicyclo[2.2.2]octane Chloride as the Phase-Transfer Catalyst

Selective oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes is a long-standing problem of organic chemistry (Bueler, C. A.; Pearson, D. E. Survey of Organic Synthesis; Wiley-Interscience: New York, 1977; Vol. 2, p 480; House, H. O. Modern Synthetic Reactions, 2nd. ed.; W. A. Benjamin: Menlo Park, California, 1972; p 257; Epstein, W. W.; Sweet, F. W. Chem. Rev. 1967, 67, 247; Landini, D.; Montanari, F.; Rolla, F. Synthesis 1979, 134). The use of potassium dichromate as a synthetically useful oxidizing agent is reported for the oxidation of an industrially important lipophilic alcohol, employing modified clay as the phase-transfer catalyst. The phase-transfer catalysis results in nearly complete oxidation of the 2-ethylhexanol in 40 min at room temperature, with high selectivity to the 2-ethylhexanal, compared to 48 h in its absence. Kinetic studies show the reaction occurs via transfer of Cr2O72- into the organic phase. The emphasis will be on simplicity of the condition as a preparative organic method, selecti.
Resolving the enigma of prebiotic COP bond formation: Prebiotic hydrothermal synthesis of important biological phosphate esters

Important biological phosphate esters such as sn-glycerol-3-phosphate, glycerol-2-phosphate, and phosphoethanolamine were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Phosphorus was incorporated into the biomolecules, leading to the formation of COP type compounds hydrothermally. Only perlite-catalyzed reaction at 180°C could result in the formation of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate, whereas glycerol-2-phosphate could be easily synthesized at 100°C with or without minerals and phosphoethanolamine was obtained within a temperature range of 100 to 120°C. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 21:161–167, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.20591
Deposition Mechanisms of Magmatic Sulphide Liquids: Evidence from High-Resolution X-Ray Computed Tomography and Trace Element Chemistry of Komatiite-hosted Disseminated Sulphides

Magmatic sulphides are a widespread component in mafic and ultramafic rocks and contain variable concentrations of nickel, copper and platinum-group elements. Previous literature has been concerned with the whole-rock geochemistry of magmatic sulphide ores and their host-rocks and relatively little attention has been paid to the physical nature of magmatic sulphide transport and accumulation. Our high-resolution X-ray computed tomography study quantifies for the first time the 2D and 3D size, shape and textural relationships, and distribution of disseminated magmatic sulphides and olivine in adcumulates from komatiites. These new data are combined with analysis of trace-element concentrations within sulphides to provide important information about the mechanisms of transport, deposition and post-accumulation migration of sulphide liquid in dynamic magmatic systems. Olivine shows evidence of textural maturation, with larger crystals growing at the expense of small ones to different degrees depending on the sulphide content of the rock. The olivine texture and the presence of poikilitic chromite provide evidence of in situ nucleation of olivine and chromite at the interface between a flowing magma and a basal pile of crystals. Disseminated to strongly interconnected base-metal sulphides are located at contacts between olivine crystals or in some cases can be entirely or partially enclosed within chromite. Based on their 3D morphologies, their size distribution and their Pd concentrations, the sulphides are divided into four main categories: finely disseminated sulphides; disseminated to slightly interconnected sulphides; disseminated to globular sulphides; disseminated to strongly interconnected sulphides. All samples contain a population of sub-spherical sulphide blebs ( 3 wt % and the sulphide bleb size population is multi-modal. The Pd content of the sulphide blebs is variable and positively correlated with the sulphide bleb size. The overall sulphide abundance, sulphide bleb size and Pd concentrations indicate that these sulphides have been transported in a flowing sulphur-saturated magma over some distance and accumulated at their present site by mechanical processes. Strongly interconnected network to matrix sulphides are observed in samples containing more than 5 wt % sulphide with small variability in Pd concentrations within and between blebs. These sulphides are interpreted to reflect the accumulation and coalescence (by film drainage) of small sulphide blebs. Overall our results show that komatiite-hosted disseminated sulphides form by a mechanical accumulation process that takes place against a background of steady-state in situ nucleation of small blebs along the olivine–sulphide liquid cotectic.
Reaction Rate Models for the Thermal Decomposition of Ibuprofen Crystals

Kinetics of the decomposition of racemic ibuprofen crystals were studied by non-isothermal analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that ibuprofen is thermally stable up to 152.6°C and the initial loss of mass was due to evaporation only. Activation energy, pre-exponential factor, activation entropy and Gibbs free energy for the decomposition of ibuprofen were determined using the integral method of Coats-Redfern (CR). Geometrical contraction models were found to be the best fits. The Arrheinus equation for the thermal decomposition of ibuprofen is k = (1.1 × 107) e–79125/RT sec–1.
Drying simulation model of agricultural products with constant air enthalpy.

Mathematical drying simulation of agricultural products reached its highest point in the decades of 1960 and 1970, with prominence for MSU and Thompson's models. However, none of them used the constant enthalpy condition of drying air during the process, being limited to checking if the relative humidity of the air did not exceed 100%. Studies conducted in the State University of Maringa allowed to conclude that energy and mass balances of a drying process are included when using the same air enthalpy in such process. The absolute humidity of the air is adjusted as a function of the removed humidity of the product. With that new absolute humidity of the air and with the constant enthalpy, the new temperature of the drying air is evaluated in the exit of the layer and, with those two psychrometric properties, the relative humidity of the air. If it reaches the saturated condition, the drying process is stopped at that time and position. The results obtained by simulation were checked against experimental results of corn dried in fixed-bed layers, with high agreement among them.