Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of growth stage and season on the energy value of fresh herbage. 2. Relationships between digestibility and metabolizable energy content and various laboratory measurements

This paper gives details of a study which has examined the effect of herbage growth type and season on the relationships of digestible organic matter in the dry matter (DOMD) and metabolizable energy (ME) contents measured in vivo to various laboratory measurements including three in vitro estimates of DOMD based on rumen fluid pepsin (RFP), pepsin cellulase (PC) or neutral detergent cellulase (NCD). Seventy herbages harvested over two years and comprising 32 spring primary growths, 14 summer regrowths and 24 autumn growths were used. For DOMD in vivo, significantly different regression relationships were required for spring and autumn-harvested herbage. Equations based on PC were: Spring herbage: DOMD (g kg-1 DM) = 436 + 0·501 PC (g kg-1 DM) 2= 76·7%; r.s. d. = 25·4 Autumn herbage: DOMD (g kg-1 DM) = 594 + 0·195 PC (g kg-1 DM) 2= 15·5%; r.s. d. = 23·1 For autumn herbages there were no significant relationships with ME. As with DOMD in vivo the PC method was shown to provide the most accurate relationship with ME concentration of spring herbage. The relationship was: ME (MJ kg-1 DM) = 6·16 + 0·0094 PC (g kg-1 DM) 2= 69·8%; r.s. d. = 0·57 For both DOMD and ME the relationships for spring herbage based on PC were the only ones which did not differ significantly from those of an earlier study. It is concluded that even where significant relationships for summer and autumn herbages were developed, the predictors accounted for substantially less of the variability than in spring herbages. This appeared to be largely due to reduced range in the DOMD and ME content in summer and autumn herbages.
Effect of humic substances on the mobility of toxic metals in a mature landfill

The effect of the aeration of a landfill in its humic phase on the leaching potential of deposited metals has been investigated. Aeration increased the cation- exchange capacity, but decreased the buffering capacity and the metal-binding capacity. Leachates from the aerated landfill contained less than half the amount of aluminium, iron and molybdenum and more than double the amount of calcium, magnesium, sulfur and zinc of leachates derived from an identical, but anaerobic, landfill. The leachate from the aerated landfill was capable of extracting metals from the original landfill when recirculated. Leachate from the original landfill treated with leachate from the aerated landfill contained more than twice as much aluminium, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, nickel, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and zinc than leachate from the identical anaerobic landfill. It was concluded that the mobility of deposited metals in landfills will change over time as the ageing of the landfills progresses and conditions become more oxidized.
Developing and Evaluating an Eighth Grade Curriculum Unit That Links Foundational Chemistry to Biological Growth: Paper 5--Using Teacher Measures to Evaluate the Promise of the Intervention.

AAAS is collaborating with BSCS in the development of a curriculum unit for eighth grade students that connects fundamental chemistry and biology concepts to better prepare them for high school biology. Recognizing that teachers play an influential role in delivering the curriculum to students, we developed teacher support materials and professional development designed to help teachers use the unit effectively. In order to learn about the promise of the teacher support materials, we developed an assessment targeting aspects of participating teachers’ (n = 8) science content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for the specific learning goals of the unit. Specifically, the assessment targeted three areas of teachers’ knowledge: 1) content knowledge 2) knowledge of student thinking, and 3) knowledge of strategies to move student thinking forward, across four item contexts: 1) chemical reactions, 2) conservation of mass, 3) flow of matter in living systems, and 4) plant growth. Teachers took the assessment three times: before PD, after PD, and after teaching the unit. The assessment items were mainly constructed response and were scored using indicators of success and difficulty. Teachers made gains over time in most of the knowledge areas and across most of the contexts. Areas where they did not make clear progress, or where their knowledge was particularly low, indicated that either the assessment instrument or the teacher support materials could be improved. Revisions based on these findings are reported.
Analysis of the room acoustic texture parameters in function of diffusers location and distribution inside a small concert hall

To study the room acoustic texture, defined through a group of parameters derived from the cumulative energy of the early reflections temporal information, different room configurations inside a small concert hall with fixed room volume were analyzed. The proposed texture parameters are the expected texture (ETx), the mixing time (Mt) and the distance between models (DBM) of the monaural impulse responses. The cases consisted in: a) six configurations with constant diffusers surface extension positioned at different locations on the lateral walls, b) three configurations with ceiling, lateral, rear and front walls set at the same acoustic condition, i.e. reflective, absorptive and diffusive, and c) constant surface extension of just one wall with different coatings. For this, a series of monaural impulse responses (RIRs) recorded at ESPRO (IRCAM) were processed. For case a) texture parameters remained almost constant through all variations; b) Although ETx showed higher values in the diffusive condition compared to the reflective condition, Absolute DBM showed lower values for the reflective and absorptive conditions. For case c) spatial average ETx showed no significant improvement of adding one diffusive wall from the fully reflective one.
Grazing incidence XAFS spectroscopy of uranyl sorbed onto TiO2 rutile surfaces

The surface complex formed by uranyl oxocations sorbed onto rutile titanium oxide has been probed by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy. These measurements are part of a work that aims to model the interaction between heavy metal ions and mineral surfaces in aqueous conditions. In order to define the orientation and structure of the oxocation complex on the surface, both polycrystalline and monocrystalline (110) and (001) planes of rutile TiO2 have been investigated. Polarized XANES measurements show that the uranyl rod sorbs nearly parallel to the rutile surface, although this ideal configuration must be modulated by the surface topographic defects. Site by site simulation compared to the EXAFS data suggests that two surface oxygen sites are involved: shared edge and shared summit oxygen atoms of the TiO6 octahedron. Both grazing incidence EXAFS on the (110) plane and isotropic EXAFS on polycrystalline TiO2 reveal comparable sorption behavior: on average, the uranyl oxocation bonds to the surface as a bidentate complex with two short oxygen distances at 2.32 A and three larger distances at 2.47 A. Grazing incidence EXAFS on the (001) plane shows an unexpected low signal to noise ratio due to the lower uranium uptake. Data analysis suggests the formation of an outer sphere uranium complex on this plane. The discrepancy between both plane reactivities is still not understood.
DNA MODIFIED CARBON PASTE ELECTRODE FOR THE DETECTION OF 6-MERCAPTOPURINE

A new method for the preparation of a DNA modified carbon paste electrode has been developed and its electrochemical behavior has been investigated. It is found that 6-mercaptopurine(6-MP) can be accumulated onto this electrode surface. This electrode has been used for the determination of 6-MP by differential pulse voltammetry. The linear range is between 5.0 × 10-6 and 8.0 × 10-5mol/L, with a detection limit of 2.0 × 10-6mol/L. The relative standard deviation is 3.6% for eight successive determinations of 2.0 × 10-5mol/L 6-MP. The determination of 6-MP tablets was also carried out and satisfactory results have been obtained.
Hydrogen Bond versus Anti-Hydrogen Bond: A Comparative Analysis Based on the Electron Density Topology

The theory of atoms in molecules is used to examine the nature of anti-hydrogen bond (anti-H bond) interaction. Contrary to what is found in normal hydrogen bond (H bond) complexes, which are characterized by lengthening of the X−H bond and a red shift of its stretching frequency, the anti-H bond leads to a shortening of the X−H bond length and a blue shift of its vibrational frequency. The topological properties of the electron density have been determined for a series of C−H···π complexes, which exhibit either anti-H bond or normal H bond character, as well as for the complexes C6H5F···HCCl3 and C6H6···HF, which are representative cases of anti- and normal H bonds. Inspection of the set of topological criteria utilized to characterize conventional H bonds shows no relevant difference in the two classes of H···π complexes. Analysis of the results suggests that the specific features of the anti-H bond originates from the redistribution of electron density in the C−H bond induced upon complexation, which i.
Synthesis of fullerene- and fullerol-containing polymers

Fullerenes have been covalently attached along polydiene chainsvia a lithiation reaction. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements, together with thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), indicate that both highly soluble and crosslinked polymeric fullerene derivatives can be prepared under appropriate reaction conditions. Furthermore, an aqueous methanol solution of hydrochloric acid is shown to be an efficient reagent for the conversion of the polymer-bound fullerenes to fullerols.
Opioid Interactions in Rhesus Monkeys: Effects of δ + μ and δ + κ Agonists on Schedule-Controlled Responding and Thermal Nociception

Agonists at δ, μ, and κ opioid receptors produce interacting effects in rodents and nonhuman primates. To further evaluate the determinants of these interactions, this study examined the effects of mixtures of δ + μ and δ + κ agonists in rhesus monkeys (n = 4–5) using two behavioral procedures, an assay of schedule-controlled responding for food reinforcement and an assay of thermal nociception. Results were analyzed using dose-addition analysis. In the assay of schedule-controlled responding, the δ agonist (+)-4-[(αR)-α-((2S,5R)-4-allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-3-methoxy-benzyl]-N,N-diethyl-benzamide (SNC80); the μ agonists methadone, fentanyl, morphine, and nalbuphine; and the κ agonists (5α,7α,8β)-(–)-N-methyl-N-(7-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-oxaspiro(4,5)dec-8-yl) benzeneacetamide (U69,593) and bremazocine all dose dependently decreased rates of food-maintained responding when administered alone. Fixed ratio mixtures of SNC80 + μ agonists produced additive or subadditive effects, whereas SNC80 + κ agonist mixtures produced only additive effects. In the assay of thermal nociception, SNC80 produced no measurable effects when administered alone, whereas μ and κ agonists produced dose-dependent antinociception. SNC80 + μ agonist mixtures produced superadditive effects manifested as leftward shifts in μ agonist dose-effect curves. This synergism was antagonized by the δ-selective antagonist naltrindole, suggesting that SNC80-induced enhancement of μ agonist antinociception was δ receptor-mediated. SNC80 did not enhance the antinociceptive effects of the highly selective κ agonist U69,593, and it produced only a marginal enhancement of antinociception produced by the less selective κ agonist bremazocine. These results suggest that δ agonists may selectively enhance the antinociceptive effects of μ agonists in rhesus monkeys. These results also confirm that opioid agonist interactions may depend on the receptor selectivity and relative doses of the agonists and on the experimental endpoint.
Effect of Laser Radiation Treatments on in vitro Growth Behavior, Antioxidant Activity and Chemical Constituents of Sequoia sempervirens.

The present study was carried out at in vitro (Tissue culture and Germplasm Conservation Research Lab.) to investigate the effect of different laser rays on inducing growth behavior, some chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of Sequoia sempervirens. The in vitro shootlets were subjected to green (Argon laser), red (Helium neon laser) and blue (Helium cadmium laser) rays for exposure time 5 min. The obtained data pointed out that exposing the in vitro shootlets of Sequoia sempervirens to red laser radiation resulted in the best results in shooting behavior (number of both shootlets and leaves as well as shootlets length), the concentration of both chlorophylls a,b and proline content while, the shootlets exposed to blue laser irradiation led to the highest rooting percentage and number of roots . Using green laser irradiation resulted in the longest roots and augmented the endogenous content of carotenoids, cellulose and carbohydrate (%) as
Block Copolymer Photo-Grafted Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Capillary Pore Membranes Distinctly Switchable by Two Different Stimuli

Abstract Track-etched poly(ethylene terephthalate) capillary pore membranes with a pore diameter of 690 nm were functionalized via photo-initiated “living” radical graft polymerization with block copolymers of acrylic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide. Preadsorbed xanthone was more efficient than benzophenone in order to achieve higher grafting efficiency and “living” character, including the option to reinitiate a grafted homopolymer to obtain grafted diblock copolymers. Characterizations were mainly done with water flux and dextran diffusion experiments at temperatures below and above the lower critical solution temperature (32°C) of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and pH values below and above the pKa value (4.5) of poly(acrylic acid). Block sequences and relative block lengths were identified to obtain stimuli-responsive membranes which have no measurable water flux and allow only low dextran diffusion rates at 25°C and pH 7 (“closed state”), and which reversibly open their pores by either increase of temperature or decrease of pH, or by the combination of both stimuli.
The reinforcement of rubber by carbon black

Recent research on the carbon reinforcement of rubber is reviewed and existing theories examined. The stiffening effect of carbon black is thought to be little influenced by the size of the individual spherical particles, but values of tensile strength, tear strength, and abrasion resistance increase with decreasing particle size of the black. Departures from this generalization are considered and possible factors discussed. The nature of the attachments between carbon particles and rubber molecules forms the subject of much current research, the results of some of which indicate the possibility that chemical cross linkages supplement physical adsorption at the carbon-rubber interface.
Mineralogical Characteristics and Cationic Exchange Properties of a Zeolite Mineral from Romana, NW Sardinia, Italy

An investigation was conducted into the Tertiary ignimbrite formations in the Romana area in NW Sardinia. Scanning electron microscopy–energy‐dispersive spectrometry indicated the presence of clinoptilolite and subordinate smectite, quartz, mordenite and calcite. Laboratory analyses of representative samples collected from the deposit indicated a cation exchange capacity ranging from 85 to 135 mEq per 100 g. Ion exchange experiments conducted in flasks containing different initial cation concentrations and in columns supplied with solution having constant cation concentration, showed different selectivity towards the cations examined, in the order: NH4+> Pb2+> Cd2+> Cu2+> Zn2+> Mn2+> Ni2+. Compared to the untreated material, under the experimental conditions used and considering the eluate, and the Italian regulatory limits for discharge into surface waters, the zeolite treated with a 1‐N NaCl solution yielded a 1.3–5‐fold increase in the volume of treated water, depending on the cation examined. The experimental results obtained show that the cationic exchange properties of the zeolite rock from the Romana deposit are comparable with the average quality of zeolites currently imported into Italy from non‐European countries.
Characterization of Octahedral Substitutions in Kaolinites Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy investigations in the near infrared (N1R) region of synthetic and natural kaolinites with various octahedral substitutions have been carried out in order to elucidate the relationships between the substituted cations and specific features of the NIR spectra. The combination modes of the OH stretching and bending vibrations characterizing Fe(III), Ga(III) and Cr(III) octahedral substitutions are identified in the NIR region at 4466, 4498 and 4474 cm-1, respectively, and the first overtones of the OH stretching vibrations at 7018, 7018 and 6986 cm-1, respectively. As far as we know, the bands of kaolinites containing Ga(III) or Cr(III) have not been reported yet. For both Ga(III) and Cr(III), the NIR observations explain why the bending vibration bands of AlGaOH and AlCrOH groups are not observed in the middle infrared (MIR) region.
Generators and Relations for the Group On(Z[1/2])

We give a finite presentation by generators and relations for the group On(Z[1/2]) of ndimensional orthogonal matrices with entries in Z[1/2]. We then obtain a similar presentation for the group of n-dimensional orthogonal matrices of the form M/ √ 2, where k is a nonnegative integer and M is an integer matrix. Both groups arise in the study of quantum circuits. In particular, when the dimension is a power of 2, the elements of the latter group are precisely the unitary matrices that can be represented by a quantum circuit over the universal gate set consisting of the Toffoli gate, the Hadamard gate, and the computational ancilla.
Physical properties of an Alfisol and no-till soybean yield

It is known that any kind of soil management causes changes in the soil physical characteristics and can affect agricultural yield. The purpose of this study was to evaluate soil properties of an Alfisol and soybean yield under different management systems for no-tillage annual crops, no-tillage with chiseling and no-tillage crop rotation. The 11-year experiment was initiated in the 1998/99 growing season, on 100 x 30 m plots (11 % slope). Soil samples (5 per management system) were systematically collected (0-25 cm layer) in the summer growing season, to quantify soil organic matter, bulk density, macroporosity and flocculation, as well as soybean yield. The highest values for soil bulk density and organic matter content and the lowest for macroporosity were observed in the no-till system alone, whereas in the no-till system with quarterly chiseling the values for organic matter content were lowest, and no-tillage crop rotation resulted in the highest values for organic matter and macroporosity, and the lowest for soil bulk density. The average soybean yield was highest under no-till and trimestrial chiseling or crop rotation, and lowest for no-tillage annual crops no-tillage annual crops alone.
The energy and protein metabolism of pigs growing at a high ambient temperature

1. The experiment was designed to investigate the effect of growth at a high ambient temperature, 33–35°C, on the protein and energy metabolism of pigs, compared with 25°C. The high temperature caused an increase in rectal temperature of 1·4° to 1·7°C. The animals were given two low levels of feeding while growing between 25 and 70 kg live weight; energy and nitrogen retention were measured periodically. 2. The apparent digestibilities of the dietary dry matter and energy were decreased and urinary nitrogen losses were increased at the high temperature. Heat production was increased at the high temperature, by between 2% and 10%, the effect becoming more pronounced during the course of the experiment. Retention of energy and nitrogen was reduced at the high temperature. 3. The net efficiency of utilization of metabolized energy above maintenance was between 63% and 67%, and was not significantly affected by live weight or temperature. The results suggested that maintenance requirement was increased at the high temperature. 4. Analyses of sample joints indicated that the high temperature caused an increase in fat percentage only at the higher level of feeding; this result agreed with fat and protein retention calculated from the balances.
Germination, growth, osmotic adjustment and ionic balance of wheat in response to saline and alkaline stresses

Abstract The effects of saline and alkaline stresses (from 1:1 molar ratios of NaCl : Na2SO4 and NaHCO3 : Na2CO3, respectively) were compared on the germination, growth, osmotic adjustment and ionic balance of wheat seedlings to elucidate the mechanism of alkaline stress (high pH) damage to plants and their physiological adaptive mechanism to alkaline stress. The effects of salines on the activity and free concentrations of various ions in nutrient solutions were analyzed with the program GEOCHEM-PC. This analysis showed that alkaline stress caused a heavy precipitate of phosphate and metal ions, excluding Na+ and K+, which caused a sharp decrease in ionic activity and in the free concentrations of various ions. The inhibitory effects of saline stress on the growth and germination of wheat seeds were reduced compared with the effects of alkaline stress. Alkaline stress damaged root function, photosynthetic pigments and the membrane system and led to severe reductions in root system activity and in the content of photosynthetic pigments, and to a sharp increase in electrolyte leakage. Massive Na+ influx may be the main cause of damage from alkaline stress. The effect of alkaline stress on the accumulation of inorganic ions was stronger than that of saline stress. Under alkaline stress, Na+ sharply increased and NO−3 and H2PO4 − decreased in shoots, which caused a severe deficit in negative charge. Wheat might enhance organic acid synthesis to remedy the shortage of inorganic anions and maintain a stable intracellular pH, and accumulate betaine and soluble sugars to cope with the osmotic stress from the high Na+ concentration in the vacuoles.
Oscillating fields about growing cells

Cells in the reproductive state seem to act like small signal generators and emit radiation which is detectable by small polarizable particles nearby in a medium of suitable osmolarity, but very low conductivity. Evidence for this was seen upon using mouse sarcoma (ascites) cells, and by comparing rapidly dividing mouse L fibroblasts with confluent ones. Reproducing cells attracted many more highly polarizable BaTiO3 particles than they did of the much less polarizable BaSO4 (dielectric constants 4000 and 11, respectively). This preferential attraction of certain cells for highly polarizable small particles is interpreted as due, in large measure, to the action of dielectrophoresis on a very small scale—evoked by the presence of nonuniform electric fields of cellular origin acting upon the nearby neutral, polarizable particles—a process called microdielectrophoresis. Consideration of the conductive nature of the surrounding medium forces the conclusion that the cell-generated fields must be oscillatory in nature and have a frequency in the order of a megahertz. These observations recall predictions made earlier by Szent-Gyorgyi on cellular electronic processes, and by Frohlich on the possibility of Bose-Einstein condensations to a single quantum state of oscillatory ferroelectric character, due to cooperative long-range interactions among dipolar features of cells. The persistence of oscillatory energy in the lower modes is reminiscent of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam problem.