Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Characterization of Homopolymer of Decyl Acrylate and its Copolymer with Styrene and Evaluation of their Performance as a Pour Point Depressant in Lubricating Oil

The potential for use of homopolymer of decyl acrylate and its copolymer with styrene as pour point depressant (PPD) additives in lubricating compositions has been investigated. The polymers (homo- and copolymers) were prepared by free radical initiator polymerization in toluene solvent, using benzoyl peroxide (BZP) as initiator and employing different levels of styrene (wt%) in the monomer mixture and were characterized employing TGA, FT-IR, and FT-NMR techniques. The homopolymer showed higher viscometric molecular weight (Mv) compared to the copolymers. A gradual decrease of Mv with the increase in styrene concentration is also observed in the case of copolymers. The resulting copolymers were evaluated for potential use as PPD in lubricant compositions through ASTM method and the results indicated that the prepared copolymer samples are more efficient as PPD than the homopolymer and the efficiency increases with the increase in concentration of additive up to a certain limit.
In situ structural investigation of Fe-S-Si immiscible liquid system and evolution of Fe-S bond properties with pressure

[1] Fe-S-Si immiscibility has been investigated using in situ X-ray methods at high pressure and high temperature. An in situ X-ray diffraction study of immiscible liquids for P∼5 GPa and T/Tm∼1.1 has been performed, showing differences in structural properties between S-rich and Si-rich coexisting liquid phases. Moreover, the respective role of S and Si on Fe alloys has been quantitatively investigated in Fe-X liquids (X = S, Si) with 20%wt of light elements. The transition from immiscible to miscible textures has been observed in the ternary mixture by in situ X-ray radiography for the Fe-18wt%S-8.5wt%Si (Fe-28.8at%Si-11.9at%S) sample composition between 12 and 16 GPa. Closure of the miscibility gap occurs in the same pressure range as the Fe-S eutectic liquid evolves toward a compact structure. By working within the framework of the hard sphere (HS) fluid commonly used in liquid state theory, we show that the equation of state (EOS) for additive HS reproduces very well the compressibility of Fe-Si alloys measured in the 0–5 GPa pressure range, whereas that of Fe-S alloys behave quite differently, with a high degree of covalency. However it is also stressed that at higher pressures (P > 15 GPa) liquid Fe-S adopts a structure close to that exhibited by Fe-Si alloys, a feature which suggests that the compressibility of the two alloys should behave similarly at very high pressure due to transition of S behaviour from covalent to interstitial. Hence for Fe-S liquid under core conditions, we conclude that the sound velocity in Fe-S alloy is compatible with PREM model.
OPTIMIZATION OF CHIPOTLE PEPPER SMOKING PROCESS USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

Effects of smoking time and temperature on optimal chipotle pepper production were evaluated and optimized using the response surface methodology. Batches of red jalapeno peppers were smoked under different temperatures (65.8, 70, 80, 90, 94.1C) and times (0.96, 2, 4.5, 7, 8 h). Afterward, samples were evaluated for moisture, rheological properties and total phenols. Samples were then dried from 80C to between 0.123 and 0.204 kg H2O/kg dry matter and evaluated for rheological properties, texture, rehydration, color and phenols. Phenol content, rehydration ratio, firmness of peppers, and rheological properties and color of puree were affected (P < 0.05) by both temperature and time. Best smoking conditions used temperatures of 74–79C, and times between 8.0 and 7.4 h resulting in viscosities of 5.1– 6.5 Pa·s with phenol content of 110–120 mg/kg, rehydration ratios of 3.7–4.1, firmness of 1.27–1.49 N and acceptable color. Smoking time was significantly reduced and quality maintained.
Combustion and Emission Characteristics of a Premixed Charge Compression Ignition Engine

The combustion and emission characteristics of a low emission and highly efficient premixed charge compression ignition diesel engine operated with moderate amount of exhaust gas recirculation was investigated in a single cylinder test engine. Tests were carried out under constant speed and fuel quantity with two injection pressures 80 and 140 MPa while the injection timing was varied. Exhaust emissions and in-cylinder pressure were measured for the all the experimental conditions considered. Analysis based on the engine performance and exhaust emissions were carried out. The introduction of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) under higher injection pressure led to the simultaneous reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions due to a lower combustion temperature compared to conventional diesel combustion. However, the emissions of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide slightly increased due to insufficient oxygen to allow complete combustion. Higher boost pressure led to higher indicated thermal efficiency and indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) with low emissions of NOx and soot with relatively same CO but slightly higher HC emissions. High engine performance and lower emissions was achieved at the high injection pressure coupled with EGR rate and high boost pressure.
Green chemistry and the biorefinery: a partnership for a sustainable future

Research into renewable bioresources at York and elsewhere is demonstrating that by applying green chemical technologies to the transformation of typically low value and widely available biomass feedstocks, including wastes, we can build up new environmentally compatible and sustainable chemicals and materials industries for the 21st century. Current research includes the benign extraction of valuable secondary metabolites from agricultural co-products and other low value biomass, the conversion of nature's primary metabolites into speciality materials and into bioplatform molecules, as well as the green chemical transformations of those platform molecules. Key drivers for the adoption of biorefinery technologies will come from all stages in the chemical product lifecycle (reducing the use of non-renewable fossil resources, cleaner and safer chemical manufacturing, and legislative and consumer requirements for products), but also from the renewable energy industries (adding value to biofuels through the utilisation of the chemical value of by-products) and the food industries (realising the potential chemical value of wastes at all stages in the food product lifecycle).
Bridging the Hierarchical and Collaborative Divide: Learning in California's Integrated Regional Water Management Process

Author(s): Conrad, Esther C. | Advisor(s): Romm, Jeffrey M | Abstract: Collaborative governance holds promise for generating learning and innovative solutions to complex resource management challenges. However, attending to the cross-scale dynamics of many environmental problems requires local or regional-scale networks to engage with state or national level government agencies, which are often hierarchical in structure. California’s Integrated Regional Water Management process has sought to encourage local water agencies to collaborate at a regional level in order to build a collective understanding of water management problems and define their own priorities and actions. At the same time, to demonstrate public accountability, the state government has required regions to comply with complex requirements to develop plans and apply for project funds, which may constrain learning and innovation.This dissertation examines the extent to which learning is occurring in the midst of these tensions. It focuses particular attention on how regional-level capacity for managing a network can help to mediate between hierarchical and collaborative governance forms to enable learning. Analysis of a sample of 19 out of the 48 water planning regions in California revealed that centralized network structures were associated with higher levels of investment in network management activities. Learning was assessed in two case study regions in the Central Valley with respect to three IRWM program goals embedded in IRWM requirements: building a regional vision for water management, promoting environmental stewardship, and addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities. This analysis indicated that a committed and trusted lead agency with staff dedicated to managing a collaborative process played a crucial role in generating learning around these themes. This lead agency helped to bridge the hierarchical and collaborative divide in three ways: by brokering across regional and state-level interests, developing processes that transform external requirements into learning opportunities, and supporting the development of informal dynamics in addition to ensuring formal rule compliance. This research improves our understanding of how networks function in the context of hybrid governance arrangements with collaborative and hierarchical features. It also delineates critical elements of adaptive governance structures that can support learning to manage multi-scalar environmental problems.
Analysis location of pressure fluctuation in hydraulic jump over roughened bed with negative step

Hydraulic-jump stilling basins are used to dissipate the high energy contained in water. There are several different types of stilling basin which depending on the geometry of the channel boundaries. A negative step with abrupt drop is one these basins. Roughening of the basin bed also is an effective measure which decreases the characteristics of jump. In this study a stilling basin with a combination of bed roughness and negative step are studied experimentally and the pressure fluctuation through stilling basin was measured. From these data the location of maximum negative and positive pressure fluctuations coefficients were specified and compared with the previous studies which has been reported on classical jump and jump on smooth bed with negative step. The results show that maximum of Cp- and Cp+ in smooth bed will occur in near location toward step and Cp + is always decreasing more than Cp - for transforming smooth
CARBON NANOTUBE-GRAFT-POLY(CITRIC ACID) NANOCOMPOSITES

Novel biodegradable nanocomposites containing multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and poly(citric acid) (PCA) were successfully synthesized. For preparation of nanocomposites, MWCNT was opened using a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acid and its derivative containing –COOH and –OH functional groups was obtained. Polycondensation of monohydrate citric acid in the presence of functionalized MWCNT in the melting state was lead to nanotube-graft-poly(citric acid) (CNT-g-PCA) nanocomposites. The degree of polymerization of grafted hyperbranched poly(citric acid) onto the CNTs was controlled using CNT/citric acid ratio. The CNT-g-PCA were soluble in water freely and stirring their water solution and silver nitrate at room temperature lead to the CNT-g-PCA containing encapsulated silver nanoparticles in their polymeric shell. The structure of nanocomposites was characterized by TEM, DLS and spectroscopy methods.
A robust, on-line turn-fault detection technique for induction machines based on monitoring the sequence component impedance matrix

A simple and robust sensorless technique for online stator winding turn fault detection based on monitoring an off-diagonal term of the sequence component impedance matrix is proposed in this paper. Due to the destructive and rapidly propagating nature of insulation failure, it is critical to detect turn faults in an early stage to minimize the financial loss. The motor nonidealities such as the variation in the supply voltage unbalance, slip-dependent influence of inherent motor asymmetry, and measurement errors must be taken into account in order to reliably detect a turn fault in its incipient stage. Simulation and experimental results on a 5 hp induction machine are given to confirm the validity of the proposed method. It is shown that the proposed turn fault detection scheme is simple and is capable of providing reliable fault detection that is immune to the motor nonidealities.
Neutral density profiles in argon helicon plasmas

We present an analysis of laser-induced fluorescence and emission spectroscopy profile measurements of the excited states of neutral argon for two different helicon source pressures. Through use of a collisional–radiative model that calculates excited state profiles based on measured electron densities, electron temperatures, and the measured edge neutral pressure, the ground state neutral density profile is determined for each pressure case. The results demonstrate that it is possible to extract the ground state neutral density profile from such measurements and that the degree of ionization at the center (r = 0) of a helicon source plasma can vary significantly for a small change in source pressure.
A review of osmodehydration for the food industry

As a cost saving drying technology, osmotic dehydration is not receiving much attention in the food industry due to the poor understanding of the counter current flow phenomena associated with it. Therefore, it is very important to investigate the underlying principles of the counter current flow to improve industrial implementation of the technology. Osmotic dehydration experiments had been reported plant and animal materials. Minimal improvement on amount and rate of water loss and corresponding solid gain had been reported in the presence of sodium chloride and agitation especially for the first thirty minutes of osmotic dehydration. Simulation of cell membrane using artificial cell had showed that the presence of starch in food materials retards the diffusion of water. A multilinear regression (MLR) model had been developed for water loss and solid gain during osmotic dehydration of the plant and animal materials. These models took into account the effect of temperature, concentration, time of immersion, sample size, sample type and agitation. Temperature was the most important factor whereas agitation was the least. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) (using the radial basis function (RBF) network with a Gaussian function) had been used successfully to model osmotic dehydration. When predictions of experimental data from MRL and ANN were compared, better agreement was found for ANN models than MLR models. A new method, thermocalorimetry, was developed to study osmotic dehydration. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed that osmotic treatment has a significant effect on the structural properties (cell wall and middle lamella) for the different plant materials. These successfully reports buttress the need for employment of osmotic dehydration in food industries. Key words: Osmodehydration, multilinear regression, artificial neural networks, radial basis function, scanning electron microscopy, visking osmometer.
Effect of UV/H 2 O 2 Oxidation on Fouling in Textile Wastewater Nanofiltration

The aim of the work was to investigate the effect of UV/H2O2 chemical oxidation on fouling in the process of nanofiltration. Investigations were carried out for model textile wastewater from the dyeing of cellulose fibers with direct reactive dyes which contained anionic, non-ionic and cationic surfactants. The effect of preliminary UV/H2O2 oxidation of the wastewater on nanofiltration parameters was also investigated. It was found that the preliminary UV/H2O2 oxidation reduced fouling and thus increased the nanofiltration efficiency of wastewater containing cationic and non-ionic surfactants, which are derivatives of polysiloxanes.
Goji berries ( Lycium barbarum ) as a source of trace elements in human nutrition

The goji fruits ( Licyum barbarum ) are known through their high mineral content: Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Zn, Cu, P, Se, etc., with a positive incidence of high importance on the human body. Considering these aspects, the present paper is provides information on the possibility of using such fruits as mineral supplements for human food. A series of trace essential elements: Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr and toxic substances: Pb, Cd > were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry of (AAS). The experimental results reveal contents of essential items and small values of toxigenic elements. Therefore the goji fruits (imported from China) show a variant of use, as an additional source of trace elements in human nutrition.
Elemental analysis of some medicinal plants used in traditional medicine by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS)

Different elemental constituents at trace levels of plants play an effective role in the medicines prepared. Elemental composition of different parts including leaves, seeds and fruits have been determined by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). A total of 14 elements K+, Mg+2, Ca+2, Na+, Fe+2, Co+3, Mn+2, Cu+3, Cr+3, Zn+2, Ni+3, Li+1, Pb+4 and Cd+2 have been measured. Their concentrations were found to vary in different samples. Medicinal properties of these plant samples and their elemental distribution have been correlated. Key words: Elemental analysis, medicinal plants and atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
Autoinducer 2-based quorum sensing response of Escherichia coli to sub-therapeutic tetracycline exposure

Autoinducer 2-based Quorum Sensing Response of Escherichia coli to Sub-therapeutic Tetracycline Exposure. (August 2004) Lingeng Lu, B.M. ; M.M. , Shanghai Medical University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Suresh D. Pillai Autoinducer 2 (AI-2) is a quorum sensing signal employed by bacteria to coordinate their response to environmental stresses. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between presence of AI-2 molecules, exposure to sub-therapeutic tetracycline, the expression of genes associated with the conjugal transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmids, and the conjugal transfer of these plasmids in Escherichia coli. The studies showed that AI-2 activity increased in Tet E. coli in the presence of tetracycline (2 μg/mL) under both batch and continuous culture conditions. The presence of AI-2 molecules induced tetracycline tolerance development in Tet E. coli. The studies showed that the survival rates of Tet E. coli exposed to AI-2 molecules were significantly higher compared to the cells not exposed to AI-2 molecules or cells that were exposed to only LB (Lauria-Bertani) broth. Molecular analyses using real-time PCR indicate that the expression of at least one conjugation-associated gene (trbC) is increased 9-fold in cells exposed to AI-2 molecules in the presence of sub-therapeutic tetracycline compared to its negative controls. The transconjugation frequency of the plasmid RP4 carrying the tet(A) gene increased between 10-100 fold in the presence of AI-2 molecules. In companion studies, AI-2-like activity was detected in fish, tomatoes, cantaloupes, carrots and milk samples. Interestingly, ground beef and poultry meat contained substances that appear to inhibit AI-2 activity. Collectively, these
Crystallographic orientation effects in energy dispersive X-ray analysis

Abstract The circumstances under which EDX microanalysis can yield serious errors as a function of the crystallographic orientation are discussed. It is shown that such errors can be as high as 50° when examining a fully ordered alloy or compound. Experimental results obtained on CuPt are correlated with a theoretical treatment demonstrating both the necessity in such calculations of considering Bloch wave summation effects and that the small value of the impact parameter thus inferred is consistent with a simple time-dependent perturbation treatment of the inelastic scattering process. The reasons why localization effects should be less apparent in energy loss than in EDX measurements are also considered.
Effect of salinity on growth, ion content and CO2 assimilation rate in lemon varieties on different rootstocks

Citrus rootstocks as well as lemon scions differ in their ability to restrict sodium and chloride ions and in their sensitivity to saline stress. To determine the behaviour of different rootstock-scion combinations, 3 lemon cultivars on 3 different rootstocks were grown in containers in a greenhouse and irrigated with 5, 25 and 50 mM NaCl. Growth of the plants and foliar contents of sodium and chloride as well as physiological parameters including transpiration rate, gas exchange, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content were evaluated. Shoot length of the plants on sour orange and on C. volkameriana showed a greater reduction with salinity than those on C. macrophylla
Antioxidant components and activity in the peel of Ziziphus Jujuba Mill.

The aim of the present study was to compare the antioxidant components and antioxidant activity of the raw and cooked peel of Ziziphus Jujuha Mill. The peel was analyzed for polyphenols, glutathione and tannin contents. In addn. methanol and aq. exts. were analyzed for flavonoid, saponin contents and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of exts. was detd. by DPPH and reducing power assay. Polyphenol and tannin contents were significantly (p<0.05) higher in the raw peel (1.67 Â± 0.07 and 7.69 Â± 0.09 g/100g resp.), while glutathione (GSH) content of cooked peel (125.75 Â± 5.04 I¼Mol/100g) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than raw peel (99.49 Â± 8.84 I¼Mol/100g). The methanolic ext. of raw peel had the highest flavonoid and total saponin content (3.52 Â± 0.02 and 83.07 Â± 3.39 g/100g resp.). The steroidal saponins content (6.13 Â± 0.63 g/100g) was higher in the hot aq. ext. (HA) of cooked peel. It was found that antioxidant activities of all the exts. increased with increasing concn. except in HA of raw peel. In the raw peel, methanolic ext. with highest antioxidant capacity revealed the same antioxidant activity as compared to std. of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The three exts. of cooked peel were found to be significantly (p<0.01) inferior in antioxidant efficacy than BHT. Reducing power assay indicated varying degrees of efficacy in a dose-dependent manner in all peel exts. HA ext. was the most potent antioxidant in the raw and cooked exts. Data indicates the raw and cooked peel of Ziziphus Jujuba Mill. have a great potential for utilization as a source of natural antioxidant. [on SciFinder(R)]
INFLUENCE OF TILLAGE METHODS ON SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT AND SORGHUM GRAIN YIELD IN VERTISOLS OF DRYLAND FARMING NORTHERN GEDARIF

A field experiment was carried out for two consecut ive seasons (2003/04 and 2004/05 ) in the vertisols of the mechanized rainfed agricu ltural sector in the Northern region of Gedarif state, Sud an, to assess the effects of tillage methods on soil moisture content and sorghu m grain yield. The tested tillage methods were; chisel plowing ( 0.20 m), moldboard plowing ( 0.20 m), disk harrowing ( 0.09 m), wide level disk plowing ( 0.07 m) and zero-tillage. The results revealed no significant difference in s oil moisture content among the different tillage methods. The wide level disk plowing resulted in a consistent yield throughout the two seasons compa red to other tillage treatments. Zero tillage and chisel plowing resulte d in a significantly higher sorghum grain yield in the first season and combine d analysis. It is concluded that, zero-tillage is promising and justi fiable for the production of rainfed sorghum.