Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THEORY OF DIBLOCK-COPOLYMER SEGREGATION TO THE INTERFACE AND FREE-SURFACE OF A HOMOPOLYMER LAYER

Equilibrium and dynamics of block-copolymer chains in a homopolymer layer (between the interface with another homopolymer and the free surface) are considered. An analytical mean-field theory for equilibrium copolymer segregation to the interface is presented, the results being in good agreement with those of another theoretical approach and with experimental data. The dynamics of an interface copolymer excess is also considered. The situation above the critical micelle concentration (cmc) is also analyzed. It is shown that (i) copolymer micelles usually strongly attract each other, tending to form a separate micellar macrophase; (ii) primings of the copolymer phase are attracted to the free surface and (somewhat weaker) to the interface; the superwetting of the free surface by t he micellar phase is expected for copolymer molecular weights exceeding some critical value; (iii) the formation of micelles is an activation process usually with a high energy of activation; so, the apparent cmc might be appreciably greater than the equilibrium cmc; (iv) for high enough copolymer molecular weights the micellar geometry should be dynamically controlled; in that case the formation of spherical micelles dominates over other geometries in a wide range of copolymer compositions including symmetric copolymers (provided that the copolymer volume fraction is small); (v) the micellar contribution to the free surface and interface excesses is due to higher rate of the micelle's formation at the surfaces.
FUNCTIONAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF IKIVUNDE AND INYANGE, TWO TRADITIONALLY PROCESSED BURUNDIAN CASSAVA FLOURS

Ikivunde and Inyange are traditionally processed cassava flours that are widely consumed in Burundi. Functional and chemical properties were measured at fermentation periods of 0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and120 h. Yield, bulk density, dispersibility, crude fiber and pasting temperature (PT) increased as the fermentation time increased for both products. In addition, decreases in pH, starch, cyanide, peak viscosity (PV), hot paste viscosity, cold paste viscosity and water retention capacity were also observed as the fermentation time increased. At the end of the fermentation period, Ikivunde exhibited higher yield, dispersibility, bulk density and PT but showed lower water retention capacity and PV than Inyange. Color parameters showed that Ikivunde became whiter while Inyange turned yellowish in color as the fermentation time increased. Overall, the fermentation of cassava has a profound effect on the functional and chemical properties of both Ikivunde and Inyange.
TEMPERATURE RELATIONSHIPS AND SOME OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MICROBIAL FLORA DEVELOPING ON REFRIGERATED BEEF

SUMMARY Growth curves were obtained for numbers of organisms surviving on beef stored at 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, 20° and 25° C. These were related to the development of off-odor and slime. It was shown that the initial load of organisms determined the time required for development of slime. The critical value for slime production was found to be 6 × 107 organisms or a log value of 7.8. There was a change in slope for the effect of temperature at 0° C when compared with that of 20° C. Comparison was made of the swab, rinse and cut-section methods of sampling; swab samples were selected as being the most reproducible and most convenient to use. The effect of storage time and temperature on percentages of lipolytic, gelatin liquefying, oxidase producing, chromogenic and fluorescent bacteria was studied. Most of the bacteria on stored meats had lipolytic activity; from one-third to two-thirds of the organisms liquefied gelatin. Oxidase production could not be determined accurately. From 4-20% of the initial population were found to be chromogens but colored colonies were rarely found beyond the fourth day of storage; also, plates stored at temperatures less than 15° C did not yield chromogens. Fluorescent bacteria comprised 10-25% of the flora throughout storage. Microorganisms isolated from refrigerated beef were classified and it was found that at 10° C or lower the bacteria responsible for production of slime were almost without exception pseudomonads. Various species of Pseudomonas were identified. At 15° C or above, there was approximately an equal incidence of organisms of the genus Micrococcus and Pseudomonas. Other bacteria that were recovered from the sliced meat were Achromobacter, Flavobacterium, Microbacterium, Alcaligenes, Aeromonas, Bacillus, Clostridium and Streptococcus. Species of Penicillium were the most commonly encountered molds, more rarely, Cladosporium, Thamnidium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Sporotrichum were found.
Axial segregation of additives in mercury–metal‐halide arcs

In most arcs burning vertically in a gas mixture, axial segregation of the components is observed. This segregation can be explained by the combined action of radial diffusion and axial convection. The effect is very strong in arc plasmas which consist of large amounts of a chemically inert component together with a molecular additive of high thermal stability. For mercury arcs with admixtures of TlI, InI, NaI, and SnI2, axial concentration profiles have been calculated numerically from the theoretical model and are compared with experimental data derived from spectroscopic measurements.
Effect of solvent; enhancing the wettability and engineering the porous structure of a calcium phosphate/agarose composite for drug delivery

Tissue engineering deals with the regeneration of tissues for bone repair, wound healing, drug delivery, etc., and a highly porous 3D artificial scaffold is required to accommodate the cells and direct their growth. We prepared 3D porous calcium phosphate ((hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate)/agarose, (HAp/β-TCP)/agarose) composite scaffolds by sol–gel technique with water (WBS) and ethanol (EBS) as solvents. The crystalline phases of HAp and β-TCP in the scaffolds were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The EBS had reduced crystallinity and crystallite size compared to WBS. WBS and EBS revealed interconnected pores of 1 μm and 100 nm, respectively. The swelling ratio was higher for EBS in water and phosphate buffered saline (PBS). An in vitro drug loading/release experiment was carried out on the scaffolds using gentamicin sulphate (GS) and amoxicillin (AMX). We observed initial burst release followed by sustained release from WBS and EBS. In addition, GS showed more extended release than AMX from both the scaffolds. GS and AMX loaded scaffolds showed greater efficacy against Pseudomonas than Bacillus species. WBS exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, wettability, drug loading and haemocompatibility compared to EBS. In vitro cell studies showed that over the scaffolds, MC3T3 cells attached and proliferated and there was a significant increase in live MC3T3 cells. Both scaffolds supported MC3T3 proliferation and mineralization in the absence of osteogenic differentiation supplements in media which proves the scaffolds are osteoconducive. Microporous scaffolds (WBS) could assist the bone in-growth, whereas the presence of nanopores (EBS) could enhance the degradation process. Hence, WBS and EBS could be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering and drug delivery. This is a cost effective technique to produce scaffolds of degradable 3D ceramic–polymer composites.
Effect of Fe doping on the terahertz conductivity of GaN single crystals

Bulk single crystals of GaN with different degrees of Fe doping were studied using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy at high temperatures. Features due to free carriers were observed in the complex permittivity spectra with a pronounced dependence on both doping and temperature. Fitting the spectra using the Drude model made it possible to deduce a defect ionization energy of 16 meV in the undoped sample while the spectra of doped samples are consistent with an ionization energy of 60 meV. Also, the free carrier concentrations at temperatures from 300 to 900 K were estimated.
A Lumped Model for Butyl Acrylate Emulsion Polymerization

Abstract The goal of the present work was to develop a lumped model for butyl acrylate emulsion polymerization based on the monodispersed particle size distribution assumption (all particles having the same particle size at a given time). The polymerization system that the model simulates consists of an isothermal and well-mixed batch reactor with butyl acrylate (monomer), polybutyl acrylate (polymer), potassium persulphate (initiator), sodium dodecyl sulphate (emulsifier) and water as the dispersion medium. The model was validated against the experimental data for the number of particles formed at different emulsifier and initiator amounts, variation of particle diameter with time and the variation of conversion with time at one initiator amount and one emulsifier amount. The model predictions were in good agreement with the experimental data.
Efficient Downlink Power Allocation Algorithms for Cell-Free Massive MIMO Systems

Cell-free Massive MIMO systems consist of a large number of geographically distributed access points (APs) that serve the users by coherent joint transmission. The spectral efficiency (SE) achieved by each user depends on the power allocation: which APs that transmit to which users and with what power. In this article, we revisit the max-min and sum-SE power allocation policies, which have previously been approached using high-complexity general-purpose solvers. We develop and compare several different high-performance low-complexity power allocation algorithms that are appropriate for use in large systems. We propose two new algorithms for sum-SE power optimization inspired by weighted minimum mean square error (WMMSE) minimization and fractional programming (FP). Further, one new FP-based algorithm is proposed for max-min fair power allocation. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is used to solve specific convex subproblems in the proposed algorithms. Our ADMM reformulations lead to multiple small-sized subproblems with closed-form solutions. The proposed algorithms find global or local optimal power allocation solutions for large-scale systems but with reduced computational time compared to previous work.
Processing Factors Influencing the Stability of Freeze Dried Sodium Ethacrynate

The transitions observed in D.T. A. and E.C. profiles of aqueous sodium ethacrynate systems confirmed their potential to produce different physical forms of drug during freeze drying. The stability of freeze dried preparations was found to be related to the freezing rate, the concentration of sodium ethacrynate in the pre-lyophilised solution and the fill volume of solution. The stability profiles of the freeze dried preparations were related to the physical form of the drug and the production of a liquid degradation product.
The Effect of Magnetic Water on Growth and Quality Improvement of Poultry

4 Abstract: We have investigated the effect of magnetic water treatment on growth and quality improvement of poultry. Some of poultry characteristics have been studied for about 100 chicken samples, including the nonmagnetic samples (drinking by ordinary water) and magnetic samples (drinking by magnetic water). Based on the results of our experiments, magnetic samples have about 200 gr meat more than the nonmagnetic samples. The magnetic samples have also shown other advantages like, increasing in meat fat ratio, livability and European production efficiency, a decrease in mortality, sick case and feed reduction and a high quality of final product. Statistical calculations are in fair agreement with our experimental results.
Algerian mint species: high performance thin layer chromatography quantitative determination of rosmarinic acid and in vitro inhibitory effects on linoleic acid peroxidation

Objective: To determine the quantitative paremeters of rosmarinic acid in Algerian mints, Mentha spicata L. (M. spicata), Mentha pulegium L. and Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC)-densitometric method and screen the effects of these plant extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation. Methods: The analyses were performed on HPTLC silica gel 60 F254 plates with chloroform: acetone: formic acid (75:16.5:8.5, v/v) as the mobile phase. Rosmarinic acid was determined in UV at 365 nm and fluorescence at λ exc 325 nm with a 550 nm filter, respectively. The effects of plants extracts on linoleic acid peroxidation were measured by an indirect in vitro colorimetric method. Results: Chromatographic resolution permitted reliable quantification in both measurement modes and calibration curves were linear in a range of 150-1 000 ng/spot. M. spicata was found to contain significantly higher concentrations of rosmarinic acid. The densitometric quantification allowed the analysis of many samples in a short time with reasonable precision (total precision for Mentha spp extracts, 5.1% and 5.8% for UV and fluorescence detection, respectively). The HPTLC data, allied to assays of linoleic acid peroxidation prevention, suggested the potential of M. spicata (52% Trolox襆 equivalents) as a natural source for inhibitors of lipid peroxidation. Conclusions: Densitometry can be used for routine determination and quality control of rosmarinic acid in herbal and formulations containing Mentha species. Peer reviewer
Quantitative Determination ofApolipoproteins C-I andC-Il inHumanPlasma bySeparateElectroimmunoassays

Separate electroimmunoassays are described for measuringhumanplasmaapolipoproteinsC-I andC-Il. Purified apolipoproteins C-I and C-Il were used in preparing monospecificantiseraandas the primarystandards.These assaysare sensitive (maximalsensitivity, 20 ng),specific, rapid, precise (the within- and between-assaycoefficients of variation for bothassayswere 5 and8%, respectively), and accurate (accuracy was based on comparison of calculated and measuredC-I, C-Il, andC-Ill contents of an ApoC-containing column-eluent fraction) and are applicableto measurementof C-IandC-Il polypeptidesin whole plasma and density classes. However, plasma samples with triglyceride (triacylglycerol) concentrations >6000 mg/L must be delipidized before analysisfor C-Il, as must those with >12 000 mg/L before analysis for C-I polypeptide. Meanconcentrations(andSD)of C-I in plasmaof normolipidemic subjects and hyperlipoproteinemic phenotypes Ila, lIb, IV, and V were 60 (15), 70 (20), 100(20), 100 (20), and 260 (94) mg/L, respectively. The correspondingC-Il valueswere 40(20), 43 (20),68(20), 65 (20), and 210 (70), respectively. C-I and C-Il concentrations in patients with phenotypes lib, IV, or V significantly (p < 0.001) exceeded those in normal persons or phenotype ha. The observed correlations (r = 0.92 and r = 0.94) between triglyceride and C-I and C-Il values suggestthat these two polypeptides, like C-Ill, are excellent plasma markers for assessing the state of triglyceride metabolism.
Wool Keratin Nanofibres for Copper(II) Adsorption

In this study, mats made of randomly oriented pure keratin nanofibres (∼400 nm diameter) were prepared by electrospinning and tested for Cu2+ adsorption. Batch adsorption tests were carried out at pH 6, with different Cu2+ concentrations and contact times. The adsorption capacity and the removal efficiency are higher than those of conventional wool fabrics. This behaviour is due to the higher specific surface area of the nanofibres. By using an adsorbent dosage (mass of adsorbent/volume of the solution) of 1 g/L, the maximum adsorption capacity was 20 mg/g. The adsorption isotherm of the nanofibre mats fitted the Langmuir equation and the separation factor (RL, calculated to evaluate the adsorption efficiency, falls between 0 and 1 denoting a favourable adsorption. The mean free energy adsorption (E) evaluated applying the Dubinin-Radushkevich model is 12.9 kJ/mol, proving that electrostatic interactions are potentially involved in the sorption process
FACTORS AFFECTING ANTIRETROVIRAL TREATMENT ENTRANCE, ADHERENCE AND RETENTION AMONG HIV PATIENTS IN NIGERIA AND UGANDA

Background: HIV patients starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) with advanced disease stage minimize the effectiveness of ARTs, jeopardize their health outcomes and contribute to new HIV infections. We examined the trends in treatment presentation with advanced disease stage and reviewed the impact of changes in national HIV policy on treatment uptake. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of data abstracted from 1050 HIV clinic records of adults aged 15 who initiated ART between 2013 and 2017 at a comprehensive clinic in Nigeria. Advanced HIV disease at ART initiation was defined as having a CD4 cell count of less than 100cells/l or a WHO clinical stage 4 at start of ART. All data was analyzed using STATA version 15. Results: The study population was 33.05% males and the median age was 34 years (inter quartile range [IQR], 29-40). Males had a plunging median CD4 cell count compared to females over time (219 cells/l in 2013 to 159cells/l in 2017 vs 262.5 cells/l in 2013 to 274 cells/l in 2017). Males also continued to present late to ART treatment uptake with advanced HIV disease stage compared to females (19.23 % vs 16.13% in 2013 and 44.83% vs 22.64% in 2017). In multivariate analysis, year of ART, age and documented TB at baseline were significantly associated with late presentation. Patients who had TB at baseline, enrolled in 2016 and 2017 and aged 36 showed higher odds of presenting with advanced HIV disease stage at ART initiation. There was no significant association between the 2015 National HIV treat all policy piloted in our study region and late presentation to ART uptake. Conclusion: Late presentation for ART uptake is still a major challenge in Nigeria. There is a widening gap in ART treatment uptake among males compared to their female counterparts. Interventions targeting men for early ART uptake are needed. Further research is needed to examine the long -term impact of HIV policy and program changes.
Effect of molecular reorientation in urea on the 14N PNQR linewidth and relaxation time

The theory of the influence of molecular C=O reorientation in urea on the 14N PNQR linewidth and spin‐lattice relaxation time is presented. Pulse techniques are used to measure the inverse linewidth, spin phase memory time and spin‐lattice relaxation time of the two high frequency transitions at several temperatures. The relaxation time T1z of the low‐lying transition is measured using double radiation methods. At room temperature the spin‐lattice relaxation times are highly anisotropic, with T1z three orders of magnitude shorter than T1x and T1y. The experimental results are consistent with a molecular C=O reorientation. The activation energy for this motion is ΔE=11.7±2 kcal/mole.
Identity and overall acceptance of two types of sour rye bread

Summary Response surface methodology was employed to study the inXuence of four recipe vari-ables (wheat: rye Xour ratio, bread acidity, ash content of rye Xour and sodium chloridecontent) on the identity and overall acceptance of two rye bread types (soft and crisp ryebread). The subjects (n 5 79) rated attribute intensities, the extent to which the salientsensory properties and the overall sample corresponded to their expectations of ryebread, and the overall acceptance (pleasantness and purchase intentions). The acidity andash content contributed the most to the extent to which a sample met subjects’ expecta-tions. The NaCl content was not critical. Consumer acceptance was aVected by ash con-tent, and by the interactions, NaCl content 3 acidity and wheat:rye ratio 3 ash content.The non-signiWcance of NaCl content should encourage the baking industry to put low-salt rye products on the market. Keywords Attributes, consumer, expectations, experimental design, response surface methodology.
Design and Testing of the NCTU Micro-Orifice Cascade Impactor (NMCI) for the Measurement of Nanoparticle Size Distributions

The NCTU micro-orifice cascade impactor (NMCI) was redesigned and tested to enable the measurement and adjustment of the jet-to-plate distance (S) of the impactors by using a micrometer. Each stage of the NMCI contains an impaction plate and a nozzle plate which are separated. The bottom casing for impaction plate assembly and the nozzle plate holder of each stage are separated. Calibration results show that the cutoff aerodynamic diameter (dpa50) of the three lower stages (dpa50 = 180, 100, and 56 nm) are close to the nominal values given in Marple et al. (1991). In addition, the S/W (W: nozzle diameter) effects on the dpa50 for the three lower stages were investigated and an empirical equation was developed to facilitate the prediction of dpa50 when the nozzle diameters may change slightly from one batch to another. The relationship between the nozzle diameter and pressure drop of the micro-orifice impactors at the fixed operational flow rate of 30 L/min was also established so that the nozzle diameters can be predicted from the pressure drop measurement. An empirical equation was proposed to express the correlation between the dimensionless cutoff size and the S/W ratio when considering isentropic flow to facilitate the design of micro-orifice impactors for S/W > 4. It is expected that the present NMCI could improve the accuracy of size classification of submicron particles below 180 nm, especially for nanoparticles. Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research
Evaluation and Modeling of the Cell Resistance in Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The impedance of anode-supported single cells [Ni/8 yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) anode; La 0.58 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3-δ cathode; 8YSZ electrolyte; area 1 cm 2 ] was characterized in a broad measuring range of temperature and air/fuel gas composition. The data has been analyzed by calculating the distribution function of relaxation times (DRTs). DRT computations enabled us to separate five different loss mechanisms occurring inside the cathode and anode without the need of an equivalent circuit. Two processes exhibit a systematic dependency on changes in the oxygen partial pressure of the cathode gas and thus can be attributed to diffusional and electrochemical losses on the cathode side. The remaining three processes are very sensitive to changes in the fuel gas but are not affected by variations of the cathode gas. These resistances are classified as a gas diffusion polarization within the anode-substrate and as an electro-oxidation reaction at the triple-phase boundary, respectively.
Investigation on Convective Drying of Mixtures of Sewage Sludge and Sawdust in a Fixed Bed

This work is part of a project aiming to develop a renewable fuel for gasification purposes, through convective drying of sludge/wood mixtures. The first step consists of characterizing the behavior of sawdust/sludge mixtures during the application of convective drying. The influence of the mixing step (no mixing versus 30 s at 40 rpm), as well as the sawdust : sludge ratio (1:9, 2:8, 3:7, and 4:6 on a dry basis) and the effect of drying temperature (50, 80, and 110°C) were investigated. In this study, X-ray tomography, a noninvasive imaging technique, is used to assess changes in the volume, void, and exchange surface at the beginning and the end of the drying process. Results first confirm the importance of the mixing step on the drying behavior: the drying rate of the mixed sludge is lower than that of the original sludge. Nevertheless, the addition of sawdust is shown to have a positive impact on the drying process from a mass ratio of 2:8, with drying rates higher than that of the original sludge. With increasing amounts of sawdust, the initial and final bed volumes, initial and final total exchange surfaces, and initial void fraction increase linearly, but the bed volume shrinkage and final void fraction decrease linearly.