Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of pH adjustment-based operational strategy to increase total phenol removal rate in biodegradation of olive mill wastewater by Rhodotorula glutinis

During the treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW) by Rhodotorula glutinis, the pH of the medium increases in accordance with cell accumulation and biodegradation. Considering the pH of the medium as an indicator of biodegradation, an operation strategy depending on the pH adjustment of the batch medium with intermittent additions of OMW was developed. The addition of OMW into the biodegradation medium decreased the medium’s pH; fresh substrate was provided to the cells and the cells were kept active for biodegradation up to a critical pH value. This approach also provided the biodegradation of high volumes of undiluted OMW. About five- and twofold enhancements in total phenol removal rate were obtained in batch biodegradation but with interval feedings being carried out by free and immobilized cells, respectively, relative to the corresponding batch-wise operations.
Electrical conduction mechanisms in tin disulphide

The results of measurements on the conductivity of single crystals of SnS2 in a direction parallel to the c-axis are given. Prior to forming, space charge injection is shown to be the predominant mechanism and subsequently for the formed crystal the relation between current and voltage is I ∝ Un where n may be as high as eleven. The results show marked similarities to those obtained for amorphous glasses. Ergebnisse von Messungen der Leitfahigkeit in SnS2-Einkristallen parallel zur c-Achse werden mitgeteit. Vor der Formierung sind raumladungsbegrenzte Strome der vorherrschende Mechanismus. Die „formierten” Einkristalle zeigen eine Strom-Spannungs-Abhangigkeit gemas I ∝ Un, wobei n Werte bis zu elf annehmen kann. Die Ergebnisse zeigen augenscheinliche Ahlichkeiten mit denen in amorphen Glasern.
Flexibility improvement of poly(lactic acid) by stearate-modified layered double hydroxide

Poly(lactic acid)/layered double hydroxide (PLA/LDH) nanocomposites were prepared from PLA and stearate-Mg3Al LDH via a solution casting method. The anionic clay Mg3Al LDH was prepared first by coprecipitation method from nitrate salts solution at pH 9 and then modified by stearate anions through an ion exchange reaction. This modification increased the basal spacing of the synthetic clay from 8.72 to 31.68 A. The presence of stearate ions in the synthesized Mg3Al LDH was shown by the stearate-Mg3Al LDH infrared spectrum. When the stearate-Mg3Al LDH at the low concentration was dispersed in the PLA matrix, its layers were largely delaminated. The presence of 1.0 wt % of the stearate-Mg3Al LDH in the PLA improved drastically (of around 650%) of its elongation at break but retained its tensile strength and modulus as compared to those of the pure PLA. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Life-Cycle Assessment of Potential Algal Biodiesel Production in the United Kingdom: A Comparison of Raceways and Air-Lift Tubular Bioreactors

Life-cycle assessment has been used to investigate the global warming potential (GWP) and fossil-energy requirement of a hypothetical operation in which biodiesel is produced from the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris, grown using flue gas from a gas-fired power station as the carbon source. Cultivation using a two-stage method was considered, whereby the cells were initially grown to a high concentration of biomass under nitrogen-sufficient conditions, before the supply of nitrogen was discontinued, whereupon the cells accumulated triacylglycerides. Cultivation in typical raceways and air-lift tubular bioreactors was investigated, as well as different methods of downstream processing. Results from this analysis showed that, if the future target for the productivity of lipids from microalgae, such as C. vulgaris, of ∼40 tons ha−1 year−1 could be achieved, cultivation in typical raceways would be significantly more environmentally sustainable than in closed air-lift tubular bioreactors. While biodiesel pr.
Preparation of HDTMA‐bentonite: Characterization studies and its adsorption behavior toward dibenzofuran

Bentonite is one of the most commonly used raw materials in the water treatment processes because of its low cost, easily availability and high mechanical and chemical stability. In this study, natural bentonite was modified with a large organic surfactant, which is hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium (HDTMA) bromide. The modified bentonite was called organobentonite. The surface characterization of natural bentonite and HDTMA‐bentonite was examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffractometry (XRD), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. FTIR spectroscopy showed the existence of HDTMA functional groups on bentonite surface. XRD results revealed randomly lateral‐monolayer arrangements of the intercalated alkylammonium cation. The BET surface area significantly decreased after the modification due to the coverage of the pores of natural bentonite. Differences in the differential thermogravimetric (DTG) peaks for natural‐ and HDTMA‐bentonite were observed and interpreted. HDTMA‐bentonite was then tested as an adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds such as dibenzofuran (DBF) from aqueous solutions. The amount of adsorption for HDTMA‐bentonite was found to be around 20 times higher than that of natural bentonite in 10 mg dm−3 DBF solution at 20 °C. The adsorption kinetics of DBF onto HDTMA‐bentonite was also studied at 20, 30 and 40 °C and thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The overall adsorption process was exothermic and physical in nature. The results indicate that HDTMA‐bentonite is an effective and a low‐cost adsorbent for the removal of heterocyclic aromatic compounds such as DBF. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CO2-Reforming of Methane over Transition Metals

Abstract Catalysts based on Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, and Pt are compared for CO 2 -reforming of methane by studying the equilibrium for methane decomposition, the activity for reforming, and carbon formation. as well as the selectivity for carbon formation. Replacing steam by carbon dioxide has no significant impact on the reforming mechanism. All catalysts show smaller equilibrium constants for methane decomposition than that based on graphite, the effect being largest for the noble metals. Ru and Rh show high selectivity for carbon-free operation, which can be ascribed to high reforming rates combined with low carbon formation rates. Similar high selectivity can be achieved with a sulfur-passivated nickel catalyst.
The positive corona in air: A simplified analytic approach

The stable positive corona in air is analyzed; the coaxial cylindrical geometry is considered in detail. The analysis separates the corona into two physical regions, corresponding to the absence or presence of significant electron impact ionization. Continuity of electric field and carrier flux across the boundary between these regions gives rise to the criterion for the stable discharge. Electron attachment and detachment are included in the analysis, in an approximate manner. Three secondary‐electron‐generation processes are considered: secondary emission at the cathode wall due to positive ion impact, photoemission of electrons from the cathode wall, and photoionization in the volume of the air. Comparison of the analysis with experimental data suggests that secondary processes associated with the cathode wall play a minor role in the atmospheric positive corona discharge in cylindrical geometry. Evidence is shown that photoionization of the air is a viable candidate to be the leading secondary‐electron‐generation process in the discharge.
Agroecossistemas de produção familiar da Amazônia e seus impactos nos atributos do solo

The absence of environmental constraints to organic production is the main characteristic of the Amazon, which does not translate into high yields of crops for several successive years when the forest is replaced by agroecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil management on the chemical and physical properties of soil by family agriculture, conducted in primitive way. The evaluated forms of use were: agroforestry system, pasture, slash-and-burn agriculture and preserved forest (used as reference), all under Entisol Quartzipsamment. Soil monoliths were collected at 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm during two consecutive years (2010/2011 and 2011/2012) in July and January, collecting seven replicates per system. The evaluated soil attributes were: flocculation, aggregates larger than 2 mm, organic matter, acidity, exchangeable cations, phosphorus, base saturation, aluminum and cation exchange capacity. The results indicate that 22 years after the conversion of forest into agricultural ecosystems it is still possible to see the best indicators in managed systems.
Dynamic and viscoelastic properties during the thermal gelation process of a nonionic cellulose ether dissolved in water in the presence of ionic surfactants

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and shear relaxation experiments have been performed at various temperatures on the thermoreversible gelling aqueous systems ethyl(hydroxyethyl) cellulose (EHEC)/sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and EHEC/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Both the shear relaxation modulus and the decay of the time correlation function are slowed down as the gel is formed. The DLS results indicate initially an exponential decay followed by a stretched exponential at longer times. The relaxation time of the fast mode decreases with increasing temperature, whereas the characteristic time of the stretched exponential increases as the gel evolves. The fast relaxation mode is found to be diffusive at all temperatures, while the slow mode exhibits a complex wave vector dependence. The characteristic features are the same for both systems, but the shear relaxation modulus measurements as well as the DLS experiments suggest that the level of chain association or entanglement is higher for the EHEC/SDS system than for the EHEC/CTAB system.
Degradation of Toxaphene by Zero-Valent Iron and Bimetallic Substrates

The pesticide, toxaphene, is a major environmental concern and has been reported to be harmful, especially via skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation. Although now banned, it persists in nature. The results of this research showed that toxaphene in an aqueous solution was degraded by dechlorination when contacted with Fe0 and bimetallic substrates. This degradation displayed a power-law relationship with a decrease of toxaphene concentration over time. Toxaphene contacted with Fe0 produced a degradation rate value, − kTox [ln (h) ]−1 , of 0.088 for a solution-to-mass ratio of 4:1 and 0.113 for a 2:1 ratio. Doubling the initial concentration of toxaphene for a volume-to-mass ratio of 4:1 decreased the degradation rate and resulted in a − kTox value of 0.061. Bimetallic substrates including nickel-plated Fe0 and copper-plated Fe0 had degradation values of 0.219 and 0.245, respectively. A chloride mass balance indicated that nearly all of the toxaphene in the solution had been dechlorinated; as the chloride .
Combination of an anaerobic process with O3, UV and O3/UV for cellulose pulp bleaching effluent treatment

Recent studies have shown that partial oxidation by advanced oxidation processes (AOP) is able to transform hard-to-degrade compounds and increase their biodegradability. In this work, anaerobic treatment was followed by ozonation, UV radiation and ozonation in the presence of UV radiation, to treat bleaching effluents from a cellulose kraft pulp plant. The anaerobic reactor (horizontal anaerobic immobilized sludge bed, HAISB) was used as a pretreatment to reduce the effluent organic load before applying AOP. The ozone treatments were applied in three different pH environments (3, 8 and 10) with retention times of 10, 30, 45 and 60 min. COD and adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) removal efficiencies at the HAISB were approximately 50%, while the BOD removal efficiency reached 80%. Ozonation promoted further removal of AOX and COD so that the combined efficiency reached 96% for AOX and 70% for COD. In the oxidation process, BOD was either removed in small quantities or actually increased, as intended, so th.
Photoelectron spectroscopy of liquid water, some alcohols, and pure nonane in free micro jets

The recently developed technique of accessing volatile liquids in a high vacuum environment by using a very thin liquid jet is implemented to carry out the first measurements of photoelectron spectra of pure liquid water, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and benzyl alcohol as well as of liquid n-nonane. The apparatus, which consists of a commercial hemispherical (10 cm mean radius) electron analyzer and a hollow cathode discharge He I light source is described in detail and the problems of the sampling of the photoelectrons in such an environment are discussed. For water and most of the alcohols up to six different electronic bands could be resolved. The spectra of 1-butanol and n-nonane show two weakly discernable peaks from which the threshold ionization potential could be determined. A deconvolution of the photoelectron spectra is used to extract ionization potentials of individual molecular bands of molecules near the surface of the liquid and shifts of the order of 1 eV compared to the gas p.
CADMIUM INDUCED APOPTOSIS AND CELLULAR TOXICITY IN RATS MAJOR SALIVARY GLANDS

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal in the environment and contaminated food causes a serious risk to biodiversity and human health. Cd affects Cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptotic pathway. A growing attention is now towards the severely damaging effects of Cd and its relation to different cancers. Unfortunately, few reports found about Cd effects on salivary tissues. In our study, we will investigate the effect of Cd on Rats major salivary glands and the level of Caspase 3 in their blood. Fourteen albino Rats were allotted randomly into 2 equal groups, control group I and group II which received Cd orally by gavage needle for 24 days. Parotid and submandibular salivary glands were carefully dissected and blood samples were collected from Rats. Paraffin blocks of the salivary glands were prepared and stained with Haematoxyline and Eosin (H&E) stain, examined by light microscope examination. Caspase 3 levels were measured in the sera of Rats by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using Rat Caspase 3 ELISA kit. Cd treated group revealed especially in the parotid glands more than submandibular glands a sever hydropic degeneration with areas of necrosis containing apoptotic
Influence of polyfunctional monomer on melt strength and rheology of long‐chain branched polypropylene by reactive extrusion

Long chain branching (LCB) were added to linear polypropylene (PP) using reactive extrusion in the presence of selected polyfunctional monomers (PFMs) and a peroxide of dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO). Fourier Transformed Infrared spectra (FTIR) directly confirmed the grafting reaction occurred during the reactive extrusion process. Various rheological plots including viscosity curve, storage modulus, Cole-Cole plot, and Van-Gurp plots, confirmed that the LCB structure were introduced into modified PPs skeleton after modification. In comparison with linear PP, the branched samples exhibited higher melt strength, lower melt flow index, and the enhancement of crystallization temperature. The LCB level in modified PPs and their melt strength were affected by the type of PFM used and could be controlled by the PFM properties and structure. PFMs with lower boiling points, such as 1, 4-butanediol diacrylate (BDDA), could not produce LCB structure in modified PP skeleton. The shorter molecular chain bifunctional monomers, such as 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), favored the branching reaction if their boiling points were above the highest extrusion temperature. And some polar groups, such as hydroxyl, in the molecule of PFM were harmful to the branching reaction, which might be attributed to the harm of the polarity of groups to the dispersion of PFM in PP matrix.
Microbiological fractionation of stable sulfur isotopes: A review and critique

Microbiological transformations of sulfur compounds discriminate to various degrees between the stable sulfur isotopes 32S and 34S. Comparatively little is known on isotopic effects associated with sulfur‐oxidizing organisms, and the interpretation of results is complicated since the sulfur pathways are poorly defined and compounds containing two or more sulfur atoms at different oxidation states may be involved. Dissimilatory reduction of sulfate, and sulfite reduction by certain assimilatory microorganisms, causes particularly marked isotopic effects, the expression of which depends on the extent of reaction and other incompletely defined environmental conditions. Models have been proposed to account for these effects based on current knowledge of the reduction pathways. Many of the trends observed during dissimilatory sulfate reduction in the laboratory can also be found in the modern environment leaving little doubt that microbiological factors play a significant role in determining sulfur isotope dis.
Structure, energetics, and electronic properties of the surface of a promoted MoS2 catalyst : An ab initio local density functional study

The determination of the local structure of cobalt- or nickel-promoted MoS2-based hydrodesulfurization catalysts is of interest for understanding the mechanism leading to an increased activity brought by cobalt or nickel, the so-called synergetic effect. For that reason, we carried out ab initio calculations using density functional theory under the generalized gradient approximation for periodic systems. The edge substitution model emerges as the most stable structure and provides an excellent agreement with local structures experimentally determined on real catalysts by in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure. We studied the adsorption of sulfur on the active edge surface of the promoted MoS2 catalyst and determined the equilibrium coverage under sulfiding conditions. It is demonstrated that the incorporation of promoter atoms has a strong influence on the sulfur–metal bond energy at the surface and in particular leads to a reduction of the equilibrium S coverage of the active metal sites. A comparative study on the effects of Co, Ni, and Cu atoms as promoters was performed. Detailed results on the surface electronic structure of promoted MoS2 are presented.
Using Soil Potassium Adsorption and Yield Response Models to Determine Potassium Fertilizer Rates for Potato Crop on a Calcareous Soil in Pakistan

Ustochrept soil was collected from a major potato-growing area in Pakistan for a potassium (K) adsorption isotherm experiment. Adsorption data were fitted to Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models. Results showed that the Freundlich model (R2 = 0.96**) fit the data better than did the Langmuir model. Fertilizer rates were calculated based on the Freundlich model and targeted solution K levels at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 mg K L−1. A field experiment was then conducted on the soil to assess the effect of various soil solution K levels (0–27 mg L−1, with K fertilizer rates at 0, 24, 49, 75, 101, 128, 155, 182, 210, and 237 kg ha−1), on tuber yield and quality along with 300 kg N and 250 kg P2O5 ha−1 as basal doses. Yield response models (linear plus plateau, quadratic, square root, quadratic plus plateau, and exponential) were used to calculate the optimal fertilizer rate for potato crop. Linear plus plateau model fit the data with less bias than the other models. There was a significant effect of K use on the yield and quality of potatoes. Potassium fertilizer application at 130 kg K ha−1, which is equivalent to a soil solution level of 12 mg K L−1, maximized the tuber yield of potato. However, for the improvement in tuber dry matter, reducing sugars, protein contents, and starch contents, the soil solution K level required was as high as14.62 mg L−1 (157 kg ha−1). Even greater rate of K, 17.74 mg L−1 (190 kg ha−1), was needed to maximize vitamin C content in potato.
Hard Real-Time Java: Profiles and Schedulability Analysis

This thesis presents a model based approach to the program analysis of real-time Java systems and the development of Java profiles supporting such analyses. The goal of this work is to enable the development of safetycritical embedded systems in high level modern languages; languages which more elegantly capture the complexities of modern embedded systems. This work is twofold and concerns both tool development and the design of a real-time Java profile named Predictable Java. Throughout this project the schedulability analysis tool SARTS is developed, and then improved. The thesis is based on six primary papers: The first paper presents the SARTS tool, a schedulability analysis tool, which among other things consists of a translator from Java bytecode to timed automata. The second paper presents design and implementations of the Predictable Java profile, and a constructive criticism on the upcoming Safety Critical Java(SCJ) specification. In the fourth paper, the complete reconstruction of SCJ and its predecessor the Real-Time Specification for Java(RTSJ), and the resulting four simple profiles, is presented. The third paper presents an improvement of SARTS is developed which includes the analysis of Java finalizers, made possible by the earlier work on predictable Java. In the fifth paper, a language for specifying abstract system specifications is designed, along with a techniques for checking implementation relations and schedulability for the full system; a step towards compositional schedulability analysis. The last paper describes the current state and recent work on real-time Java.
Dielectric spectroscopy of the SmQ* phase

Liquid crystal possessing two biphenyl moieties in the molecular core and lateral chlorine substitution far from the chiral chain has been studied by dielectric spectroscopy. On cooling from the isotropic phase, the material possesses the frustrated smectic Q* (SmQ*) and SmCA* phases. It has been confirmed by dielectric spectroscopy that the SmQ* phase can be related to the SmCA* anti-ferroelectric phase. However, only one relaxation process has been observed in the SmQ* phase, while in the SmCA*, two relaxations are clearly detectable. It seems that the mode found in the SmQ* can be connected with high-frequency anti-phase mode observed in the SmCA* phase. Its relaxation frequency is similar to PH relaxation frequency, but is weaker. The same relaxation has been observed even a few degrees above the SmQ*–Iso phase transition. Another explanation for the mode detected in SmQ* and isotropic phases can be molecular motions around short molecular axis.