Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Stress/Strain Curve of α-Keratin Fibers and the Structure of the Intermediate Filament

Staying in the tradition of Astbury's hypothesis about the role of the α ⇔ β trans formation for the stress/ strain-curve of wool fibers and of Feughelman's X/Y-zones model, the interrelation between the morphological structure of keratin fibers and the shape of their stress/strain-curve in water is reevaluated. The yield and post-yield regions can be attributed to the opening up of two distinctly different and well defined portions of the monomer of the intermediate filament; the increased slope in the post- yield region can be attributed to the influence of the sulfur bonds in one of the segments. The role of the sulfhydryl-disulfide interchange reaction for the appearance of the post-yield region is pointed out and the molecular mechanisms for achieving the max imum possible strain are discussed.
Current Challenges of Cardiac Amyloidosis Awareness among Romanian Cardiologists

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a restrictive cardiomyopathy characterized by deposition of amyloid in the myocardium and recent studies revealed it is more frequently seen than we thought. Advances in diagnosis and treatment have been made over the last few years that make it desirable to diagnose CA without delay, and that may require extra education. An online survey was conducted among cardiologists from Romania, representing the first assessment of the knowledge of CA among them, with 195 cardiologists answering the questionnaire. There was a wide variation in their knowledge regarding CA. Our participants had limited experience with CA and reported a significant delay between first cardiac symptoms and diagnosis. We address the gaps in knowledge that were identified as educational opportunities in the main identified areas: prevalence and treatment of wild type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt), prevalence of variant transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) in Romania, diagnosis of CA, the delay in CA diagnosis and available treatment options. Awareness among cardiologists is the most important challenge in diagnosing CA. Romanian cardiologists are partially aware of this topic, but there are still gaps in their knowledge. Educational programs can improve screening of patients with a high suspicion for this progressive condition the prognosis of which has been dramatically changed by the new treatment options.
Dual-tuned drug release by nanofibrous scaffolds of chitosan and mesoporous silica microspheres

A sustained drug release with an initial burst release followed by a linear release to optimally maintain the drug concentration in the therapeutic region is highly desirable for medicine administration. This study describes a method for the preparation of chitosan and chitosan–silica scaffolds and assesses their use for sustained release of curcumin. Porous chitosans with nanofibrous or sheet-like morphologies are fabricated from aqueous curcumin–chitosan solutions by a freeze-drying approach. The pore morphology can influence the release rate; curcumin was released much faster from the nanofibers than from the macroporous scaffolds. Amine-modified mesoporous silica microspheres are added into chitosan as another control; the release rate decreases due to the interaction of amine groups on silica and curcumin with chitosan. The silica microspheres with tuneable loading of curcumin are further incorporated into the curcumin–chitosan scaffold. The curcumin release into phosphate buffer solutions at 37 °C shows a two-stage release profile with distinctly different release rates. The high permeability and hydrophilic property of chitosan result in the initial burst release. The slow near-linear release at the 2nd stage results from the loaded silica microspheres. Loading of curcumin, concentration of chitosan, and content of silica microspheres in the composites are investigated and the effects on the release profiles are demonstrated. The present method is further adapted to prepare thin films with reasonable strength and flexibility by air drying and freeze drying. The tuneable sustained release of curcumin is also shown for the films.
Spatial and temporal variation of outdoor and indoor exposure of volatile organic compounds in Greater Cairo

Abstract Monthly measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out in a field study in Greater Cairo in the period of 2005–2007. Ten apartments were chosen as sites for passive sampling of VOCs in different parts of Greater Cairo, Egypt taking into consideration the traffic volume profile across the city and the suburbs. The concentrations of 29 VOCs, belonging to the groups of alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons and terpenes were measured indoor and outdoor at the same time. A strong correlation was found between sites with high traffic volume and the concentration of aromatic compounds. The measured VOC burden in the outdoor environment of the whole city is dominated by compounds related to vehicle emissions, e.g. the BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene). The spatial variation of the indoor BTEX exposure is similar to the outdoor exposure. This implies a strong infiltration of outdoor ambient air pollution into the indoor environment. The highest indoor BTEX concentration was measured in the city centre (172 μg/m3). Significant seasonal cycles with high values in winter and lower values in summer months could be modelled for indoor concentrations of BTEX and terpenes. This is in accordance with findings in Middle Europe (Germany) with completely different climate and building characteristics.
Physical Quality Observation of Edible Coating Made from Aloe Vera on Cantaloupe (Cucumismelo L.) Minimally Processed

Minimally processed fruits, which provide fresh and edible product, are facing some difficulties on damages such as progressive deterioration due to desiccation, microbial growth and bio chemical processes. To overcome these problems the application of edible coating from aloe vera suggests a proper assistance. An edible coating from aloe vera was developed and tested on minimally processed cantaloupe fruit for the extension of shelf-life. A coating from aloe vera with 0.02% ascorbic acid, 1% Glycerol and 1.5% CMC (Carboxymethyl Cellulose) was applied on minimally processed cantaloupe. Cantaloupes coated with the aloe vera were stored at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 27°C for 24, 48, 76 and 96 hours. Weight loss, hardness and color of cantaloupes were measured to determine the ability of aloe vera in protecting the cantaloupes from deterioration after storing at the various conditions. The applications of coating from aloe vera on cantaloupe were shown reducing weight loss and color changes and effective in retaining the firmness of the minimally processed cantaloupe.
High-pressure i.r. spectroscopic evidence of acetyl and acetate species directly formed in CO–H2 conversion on SiO2-supported Rh and Rh–Mn catalysts

By in situ high-pressure i.r. spectroscopy acetyl [MeCO] as a possible intermediate for C2-oxygenates and acetate surface species are observed over Rh/SiO2 and Rh–Mn/SiO2 catalysts in a CO–H2 reaction (CO/H2= 0.5, 30–50 kg/cm2, 230–270 °C).
Analysis and interpretation of particulate matter – PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 emissions from the heterogeneous traffic near an urban roadway

Abstract This paper presents analysis and interpretation of diurnal, weekly and seasonal cycles of 1–h average particulate matter (PM 10 , PM 2.5 and PM 1 ) concentrations measured near an urban roadway in Chennai city, India, between November 2007 and May 2008. The PM data analysis showed clear diurnal, weekly and seasonal cycles at the study site. In diurnal cycle, highest PM concentrations were observed during weekday’s peak hour traffic and lowest PM concentrations were found during trickle traffic (afternoon and nighttime). The seasonal PM data analysis showed highest concentrations during post monsoon season (PM 10 = 189, PM 2.5 = 84, PM 1 = 66 μg/m 3 ) compared to winter (PM 10 = 135, PM 2.5 = 73, PM 1 = 59 μg/m 3 ) and summer (PM 10 = 102, PM 2.5 = 50, PM 1 = 34 μg/m 3 ) seasons. The particle size distribution during post-monsoon, winter and summer seasons showed two distinct modes viz. accumulation (mean diameter, d = 2.2 μm; distribution = 40%) and coarse (d = 7.1 μm, distribution = 60%). The frequency distribution of PM 10 concentrations during post–monsoon and winter seasons indicated that the PM 10 values at the study site fall under moderate to poor categories. During post–monsoon and winter seasons, it was found that more than 50% of the time the 24–h average PM 10 concentrations were violating the Indian national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) (100 μg/m 3 ) and world health organization (WHO) standard (50 μg/m 3 ). The 24–h average PM 2.5 concentrations were also exceeding the NAAQS (60 μg/m 3 ) and WHO standards (25 μg/m 3 ) by 75% of time, irrespective of seasons.
Evaluation of the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) for Southern Ontario: Part II. Simulating Long-Term Effects of Nitrogen Management Practices on Crop Yield and Subsurface Drainage Water Quality

Loss of nitrogen from the agricultural production system is of concern in Ontario. The challenge for researchers and farmers is to fulfi ll crop water requirements while limiting chemical movement with surface and subsurface runoff. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of current N management practices for corn production for two different soil types using the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) for southern Ontario conditions. The model simulated the amount of subsurface tile drainage, residual soil nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 -N), NO 3 -N in subsurface drainage water, and crop yield. The validated RZWQM for silt loam and sandy loam soils showed that the relative long-term effectiveness of the most economic rate of nitrogen (MERN) for corn production fl uctuates signifi cantly from year-to-year in response to weather patterns. In addition, soil type had a small but signifi cant effect on the MERN. Side-dress application of N on sandy loam resulted in signifi cant reduction in corn yield and NO 3 -N loss to shallow groundwater. Also, crop rotation from corn-soybean to corn-soybean-soybean resulted in a greater reduction of NO 3 -N loads in the tile outfl ow on silt loam soil than on sandy loam soil. Overall, the RZWQM simulated tile drain fl ow, NO 3 -N loss, and crop yield with reasonable accuracy. However, more fi eld work is needed to assist with identifying suitable values for a number of coeffi cients used in the RZWQM’s nutrient component for Ontario conditions.
Ageing of added copper in bentonite without and with humic acid

Abstract The ageing of metals in soils plays an important role in assessing ecological risk and soil quality criteria, it therefore is necessary to understand the ageing processes. Using a sequential extraction procedure and a parabolic diffusion equation, the ageing of added copper(Cu) in bentonite without and with humic acid (HA) was investigated as a function of incubation time over one year. At the same time, the effect of pH on Cu ageing in bentonite with HA was also studied. The most labile Cu fractions (water-soluble Cu, Cu extracted by NH4NO3 and EDTA) gradually transformed into less extractable forms. The modelled diffusion equation suggested that the ageing processes were controlled by surface nucleation/precipitation and diffusion. In the presence of HA, the contribution from surface nuclea-tion/precipitation increased significantly, whereas that from diffusion decreased, this indicated the addition of HA significantly enhanced the short-term ageing by complexation with Cu ions, but strongly inhibited the further diffusion of Cu ions into interlayer of bentonite during long-term ageing owing to the more stable complexes formed on solid surface. With increasing pH in bentonite with HA, the apparent diffusion rate coefficient (D/r2) increased greatly, which showed that during long-term ageing pH played an important role in reducing the extractability as a result of the significant increase in residual Cu (RES-Cu), the most inert fraction, due to micropore diffusion.
Far-Infrared Irradiation Effect on Pasteurization of Bacteria on or within Wet-Solid Medium

The present purpose is to study the influence of far-infrared irradiation on pasteurization of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus on or within a model for wet-solid food. Agar medium was used as the food model. By determining the thermal resistances of the test bacteria, the pasteurization effect of far-infrared irradiation (radiative heating) was compared with that of hot-air heating (a conventional method) from the viewpoint of thermal death kinetics. It was found experimentally that far-infrared irradiation is more effective than hot-air heating for the test bacteria on the agar-plate. Moreover, it is suggested that the surface temperature of the pasteurization sample irradiated by far-infrared radiation is higher than that measured by the thermocouples.
Improvement of the Activity of γ-Fe2O3 for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3 at High Temperatures: NO Reduction versus NH3 Oxidization

Lignite is widely used as the fuel for coal-fired power plants, and its flue gas temperature is about 50–100 °C higher than others. V2O5–WO3/TiO2 is extremely restricted in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO from the coal-fired power plants burning lignite due to the drop of NOx conversion, low N2 selectivity, and volatility of vanadium pentoxide at high temperatures. Therefore, a more environmental-friendly SCR catalyst with excellent SCR activity and better N2 selectivity at 350–450 °C should be developed for this application. In this work, sulfated Fe–Ti spinel catalyst was developed for the SCR of NO from the coal-fired power plants burning lignite. The drop of NOx conversion at high temperatures was mainly related to the simultaneous occurrence of the catalytic oxidization of NH3 to NO during the SCR reaction. Ti was incorporated into γ-Fe2O3 to decease the oxidization ability of Fe3+ on the surface, and the sites for −NH2 adsorption and the active components for −NH2 oxidization were sepa.
Hepatotoxic and Nephrotoxic Effects of Petroleum Fumes on Petrol Attendants in Ibadan, Nigeria

The present study was conducted to evaluate the hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects of petroleum fumes on male and female petrol attendants. Investigations had been carried out on thirty (30) adult petrol attendants from different filling stations in Ibadan metropolis of Nigeria with ten (10) healthy adults as control. All the subjects involved in this study were between the ages of 27-35 years. The subjects were grouped according to the duration of time they had worked in the filling station. Serum aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and total bilirubin concentration were determined to evaluate hepatotoxicity. Kidney function tests were also evaluated using serum creatinine, total protein and urea level. Electrolytes (potassium, chloride and sodium ions) leakages into the serum were also evaluated. The results reveal that serum AST, ALT, ALP activities and total bilirubin concentration in the petrol attendants were significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with the control. The petrol attendants that have spent 27-36 months in the petrol station show significant (P<0.05) increase in AST, ALT, ALP activities and total bilirubin concentration compared with other petrol attendants that have spent lesser duration in the filling station. The kidney function test reveals that petrol attendants show significant (P<0.05) increase in creatinine, total protein and urea level compared with the control. Petrol attendanst show significant (P<0.05) increase in serum potassium, chloride and sodium ion concentrations compared with the control group. The study suggests that long term inhalation of petrol fumes is associated with adverse effect on the kidney and liver function. Keywords : Liver; Kidney: Petroleum fume: Petroleum attendants; Electrolytes
Local energy dissipation in agitated turbulent fluids and its significance for the design of stirring equipment

Ideal flow conditions are generally assumed for the reactor design. If stoichiometry, reaction mechanism and kinetics are known, the balance equations for the ideal flow tube, the ideal steady-state continuous stirred tank reactor or the ideal, completely mixed stirred batch reactor are often applied. In many cases, formal kinetics, which forms the basis of reaction modelling, is so uncertain that the idealization of the flow field can be accepted. In practice, however, deviations from the ideally calculated conversions, yields and product qualities, often occur. In these cases, it is necessary to consider the real flow conditions. In general, a distinction is made between macroand micromixing processes.
Liquid-expanded to liquid-condensed transition in lipid monolayers at the air/water interface

Cas des couches monomoleculaires des acides n-pentadecanoique et n-hexadecanoique a l'interface air-solution aqueuse de HCl, ainsi que de dihexadecanoylphosphatidylcholine a l'interface air-solution aqueuse de NaCl
Constraining Particle Evolution from Wall Losses, Coagulation, and Condensation-Evaporation in Smog-Chamber Experiments: Optimal Estimation Based on Size Distribution Measurements

A goal of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) experiments performed in smog chambers is to determine the condensation of SOA onto suspended particles. Complicating the calculation of the condensation rate are uncertainties in particle wall-loss rates. Wall-loss rates generally depend on particle size, turbulence in the bag, the size and shape of the bag, and particle charge. In analyzing smog-chamber data, some or all of the following assumptions are commonly made regarding the first-order wall-loss rate constant: (a) that it is constant during an experiment; (b) that it is constant between experiments; and (c) that it is not a strong function of particle size for the relatively narrow size distributions in smog chamber experiments. Each of these assumptions may not be justified in some circumstances. We present the development and evaluation of the Aerosol Parameter Estimation (APE) model. APE is an inverse model that solves the aerosol general dynamic equation to determine best estimates for the size-dependent condensation rate and size-dependent wall-loss rate as a function of time. Size distribution measurements from a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) provide time boundary conditions that constrain the general dynamic equation. The APE model is tested using data from a smog chamber experiment with dry ammonium sulfate particles in which no condensation occurred. Finally, we assess the variability in predicted SOA production between different wall-loss correction methods for relatively-fast-chemistry limonene-ozonolysis experiments and relatively-slow-chemistry toluene-oxidation experiments. In the fast limonene experiments, wall-loss correction methods agree within 10% for SOA production, and in the slow toluene experiments, wall-loss correction methods disagree up to a factor of 2.
Effect of induced thermal stresses on the coefficients of thermal expansion and densities of filled polymers

It is demonstrated that in a filled polymer the thermal stresses resulting from the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the filler and the polymer have significant effect on the apparent coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite. A model is constructed to aid the thermal stress analysis, and the results are found to agree well with the experimental data obtained from other sources. An expression for the apparent densities of filled polymers is also obtained but the agreement between the present prediction with an existing test result is found to be only qualitative.
Investigating the effect of boron spray on yield nutrient content, texture and brix index of apple (Sheikh Amir Variety) in Shirvan region

The influence of late-season boron (B) application on the bud B concentration and fruit set was studied in apple (Sheikh Amir Variety). The experiment was carried out on 10-year-old trees Shirvan region of Iran. In order to study the effect of boron on some characters of apple Sheikh Amir Variety fruits an experiment was conducted during 2010 and 2011 seasons cropping season in apple orchard at Shirvan region. The experimental design in this research was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The treatment were comprised of two levels of pre-harvest foliar application of nutrients T1 = Control (water foliar application), T2 = Acid boric foliar application (0.51 g/tree). Obtained results in this research showed that foliar application on boron as pre-harvest had significant effect on dry weight, texture, Prix index and B concentration of apple fruits (Sheikh Amir Variety). Highest amount of all characters was obtained in T2 (foliar application of boron) and minimum amount of these properties were recorded in control treatment. Key words: Apple, boron, brix index, dry weight, fruit quality.
Interannual variability and long term changes in planetary wave activity in the middle atmosphere observed by lidar

Abstract The upwelling planetary wave activity (PW) from the troposphere controls the intensityof the equator to pole transport of stratospheric ozone by the Brewer-Dobson circula-tion and thereby modulates the total ozone content at mid- and high-latitudes. Rayleigh 5 lidar temperature data obtained from 1981 to 2001 at mid-latitude were used to studythe interannual variability of PW activity in winter (October to April). The spectrum ofstratospheric temperature ﬂuctuations exhibits 2 peaks corresponding to 2 dominantmodes of free travelling Rossby waves known as 16 day- and 12 day-waves. The 12day-wave activity is shown to be anticorrelated with the equatorial QBO wind at 40hPa. 10 During the period 1981–2000 the global PW activity shows a negative trend for monthsOctober to January and a positive trend in March and April. 1 Introduction The middle atmosphere thermal structure is expected to change due to the increaseof greenhouse gases and the depletion of stratospheric ozone. The radiative eﬀect
Dispersant Adsorption during Asphaltene Aggregation Studied by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is used to study the adsorption of a commercial dispersant on asphaltenes in a toluene−heptane solution. We induce the asphaltene aggregation process by changing the heptane volumetric fraction, where heptane plays the role of a precipitant agent. The dispersant and asphaltenes are naturally fluorescent, and no special labeling was performed to use this fluorescent technique. Low concentrations of asphaltene and dispersant were used in this work0.007 and 0.055 g/L, respectivelyto avoid self-association of the dispersant and to induce asphaltene aggregation only by the presence of heptane in the solution. The results show different behavior of the energy transfer below and above the precipitation onset of the asphaltenes, corresponding to a heptane volumetric fraction of 0.6. The dispersant adsorption was followed during the induced aggregation by measuring the resonance energy transfer from the dispersant (energy donor) to the asphaltenes (energy acceptor) abo.
Folding Studies on the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin β-Subunit Using Optical Spectroscopy of Peptide Fragments

Conformational preferences for the peptides SRPINATLAVEKEGSPVSITVNTTISA (H1) and APTMTRVLQGVLPALPQVVCNYR (H2) corresponding to the amino acid residues 9−35 and 38−60, respectively, of the glycoprot.