Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlled Electrodissolution of Polyelectrolyte Multilayers: A Platform Technology Towards the Surface‐Initiated Delivery of Drugs

A novel method for the electrochemical dissolution of polyelectrolyte multilayers from the surface of an electrode for applications in controlled drug delivery is reported. Biodegradable and biocompatible multilayer films based on poly(L‐lysine) and heparin have been selected as a model system, and have been built on an indium tin oxide semiconductor substrate. The build‐up and dissolution processes of the multilayers is followed by electrochemical optical waveguide light mode spectroscopy. The formation and stability of the polyelectrolyte multilayers have been found to depend on the applied potential and the ionic strength of the buffer. The application of potentials above a threshold of 1.8 V induces dissolution, which follows single‐exponential kinetics, of the polyelectrolyte multilayer film. The rate of this process can be varied by an on–off profile of the potential, leading to the controlled release of heparin into the bulk. Atomic force microscopy investigations show that the electrodissolution of the polyelectrolyte multilayers is a local phenomenon that leads to the formation of nanoporous films.
Evaluation of Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) for Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Soil

Accelerated solvent extraction, or ASE, is a new extraction technique that is similar in principle to Soxhlet extraction, but the use of elevated temperature and pressure with ASE allows the extraction to be completed within a short time and with a small quantity of solvent. In this study, we investigated the effect of residue aging, solvent type, and ASE conditions on the recovery of atrazine and alachlor from different soils and compared the efficiency of ASE with that of Soxhlet and solvent−shake extractions. With ASE, the use of dichloromethane−acetone (1:1, v/v) or methanol as solvent resulted in significantly greater pesticide recovery than hexane. After the residue was aged for >2 weeks, pesticide recovery was significantly influenced by the extraction temperature in ASE vessel, and the recovery increased to 130−140 °C and then decreased. The efficiency of ASE was generally better than that for Soxhlet or shake extraction using methanol−water (4:1, v/v). ASE extraction also consumed considerably le.
Canadian agricultural land-use and land management data for Kyoto reporting

The land use and management data requirements for assessing, monitoring and reporting on the impact of agricultural production practices on the environment, especially in a country as large as Canada, are considerable. In view of the fact that environmental assessments are a relatively new phenomenon, data collection activities targeted toward these needs are not widespread. As a result, we find it necessary to acquire and integrate a variety of data sources with differing time lines, spatial scales and sampling frameworks. This paper uses our current activities with respect to Kyoto reporting as a focus to present and discuss the types of data required and the spatial analysis and integration procedures being developed to provide them. The essential data for this activity include the area of crop and land use types, land use changes since 1990, farm and land management practices and biomass production. The spatial framework selected for national analysis is the Soil Landscapes of Canada, and the primary .
Highly specific DNA detection from massive background nucleic acids based on rolling circle amplification of target dsDNA

An advanced rolling circle amplification (RCA) strategy based on the target-circularization of the targeted double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) was established. Different from the traditional padlock-RCA, in which single-stranded probe DNA was circularized and amplified as signal amplification, our new approach could amplify a double-stranded DNA target. This special circularization of the target was realized by the ligation of target DNA with a biotin-labelled duplex adaptor containing 9 nt sticky ends by complementary base pairing. High specificity was obtained using two primers targeting the target sequence but not the probe itself in traditional padlock-RCA. With the help of streptavidin magnetic beads that immobilized the ligated dsDNA amplicon, the background nucleic acids contributing the most to non-specific amplification were eliminated. Under optimized conditions, less than 60 copies of the target sequence could be detected in the presence of massive background nucleic acids (>1012 copies of unrelated sequences). The sensitivity and specificity can rival canonical PCR. Without thermal cycles, the reduced handling and simpler equipment requirements render this assay a simple and rapid alternative to conventional methods. Based on these advantages, this method is a promising candidate in practical applications such as detecting contaminated food-borne pathogens in comprehensive food samples.
Poly α‐ester degradation studies. IV. Rheological studies of polymer degradation

The Farol-Weissenberg rheogoniometer has been used to follow molecular weight changes during the degradation of certain poly-α-esters in the melt state. By observing the change in melt viscosity at low shear rates it had been shown that the decomposition of the poly(isopropylidene carboxylate) is substantially first-order with respect to the molecular weight of the residual polymer. The derived kinetic parameters are in good agreement with those previously obtained by other techniques. This provides a substantial piece of supporting evidence for the view that degradation takes place predominantly by intramolecular ester interchange involving the formation of 1,1,4,4,-tetramethylglycollide. The introduction of β-chlorine atoms into the polymer structure leads to a more complex degradation pattern. Thus the presence of a single β chlorine atom per repeat unit, as in poly(3-chloro-2-methyl-2-hydroxypropionic acid) leads to a substantially similar dependence on molecular weight with the added complication of progressive crosslinking which becomes more apparent in later stages of the reaction. This crosslinking reaction plays an increasingly important part as the extent of chlorination of the polymer is increased. In addition, the presence of chlorine leads to an increased sensitivity of the degradation reaction to the presence of oxygen.
EVALUATION OF MICROPOROUS COVERS FOR THE REDUCTION OF MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE PREPARATION ODORS

Three microporous membrane covers of various weights and porosities were compared for their ability to impede the transmission of odor-producing compounds released during Phase I of the mushroom substrate preparation process. Moist, cotton flannel 10 cm ×10 cm (4 in. ×4 in.) fabric swatches were used to assess the intensity of odors above four test piles: one with no cover and one with each of the three covers under investigation. The swatches were suspended above each pile (by laying them on top of 10 cm diameter ×10 cm long PVC pipe sections) for 1, 4, and 10 min durations. Upon completion of each test run, five panelists were asked to sniff swatches from all piles and all exposure times and rate the odor intensities from zero to five, zero indicating no detectable odor and five being equivalent to the odor present on a swatch exposed to an uncovered pile for 30 minutes. Additionally, a quantitative assessment of odors, using thermal absorption and gas chromatography, was conducted and the results yielded trends which were compatible with those obtained qualitatively, thus validating the effectiveness of the olfactory procedure employed. Ten minute duration test results indicated that cover A was most effective, cover C was nearly as effective, and cover B was the least effective, although a reduction in odor intensity was observed.
Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes with hierarchical Bi2O2CO3 microstructures under visible-light

A facile one-step hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize novel hierarchical rose-like Bi2O2CO3 microstructures. The physico-chemical properties of the as-synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. A possible formation mechanism of hierarchical Bi2O2CO3 microspheres was proposed. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated toward degradation of rhodamine B, and mixed aqueous solutions containing methylene blue and methyl orange under visible-light. Compared to Bi2O2CO3 and Bi2WO6 nanosheets, hierarchical rose-like Bi2O2CO3 microspheres show enhanced photocatalytic activity. The observed photocatalytic performance was attributed to the synergetic effects of particle morphology, average crystallite size, specific surface area, pore structure, and exposed two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets with dominant {001} facets of 3D hierarchical rose-like Bi2O2CO3 microspheres.
Numerical Realization of a Shell Model for Impurity Spreading in Plasmas

In plasmas of fusion devices impurity particles are released as a consequence of wall erosion and are seeded deliberately for diverse purposes. Often they enter the plasma volume from small spots and spread away both along and perpendicular to the magnetic field. This process is described by continuity, motion and heat balance equations taking into account such physical processes as ionization by electrons, friction and heating in coulomb collisions with background ions, etc. In present paper we introduce a shell model where solutions of these equations, such as the densities of different impurity ions, are approximated by functions decaying exponentially from the source region due to the ionization into higher charged states. By integrating the original transport equations over several space regions, we get a set of ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the characteristic values for the impurity ion densities, fluxes, temperatures, and the dimensions along and across the magnet.
Nanocomposites of Poly(vinyl alcohol) Reinforced with Chemically Modified AL2O3: Synthesis and Characterization

The surface of α-alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles was first modified with γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a coupling agent. Then a series of poly(vinyl alcohol)/ surface modified Al2O3 nanocomposite suspensions were prepared in ethanol by a simple ultrasonic irradiation process. Composite films with 5, 10, and 15 wt % of inorganic Al2O3 nanoparticles were achieved after solvent evaporation. The formation of the composite materials were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and optical transparencies. The FE-SEM and TEM results showed a homogenous dispersion of nanoscale inorganic particles in the poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix. TGA thermographs showed that the thermal stability of the prepared Al2O3-reinforced nanocomposites was improved, increasing with increasing content of the nanoparticles. According to the optical transparencies, the optical clar.
Experimental evidence for carbonyl–π electron cloud interactions

In this work we present some experimental evidence of the existence of carbonyl–π electron cloud interactions. Such interactions are analogous to anion–π interactions, which have been predicted to be energetically favourable in the case of electron deficient aromatic rings. UV-Visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry results obtained for 9,10-anthraquinone, 1,1′-bis-9,10-anthraquinone, poly(9,10-anthraquinone-1,4-diyl) and other 1,4-diaryl substituted anthraquinone derivatives are described. It was found that the steric hindrance occurring between the carbonyl groups and the adjacent aromatic substituent forces the plane of the anthraquinone moiety and that of the aromatic substituent to adopt a nearly orthogonal conformation, resulting in relatively strong carbonyl–π interactions that affect both the UV-Vis absorption spectrum and the reduction potential of the compound. Moreover, in the case of thiophene substituted derivatives, the torsion angle between the anthraquinone moiety and its aromatic substituent is smaller and therefore carbonyl–π interaction effects are not observed in these compounds.
An electronic digital recording machine - the SETAR

The serial event timer and recorder (SETAR) was developed for use in experimental studies of human performance. The SETAR records events and the time intervals between them, in sequence and in a digital form, on standard teleprinter tape. An event is defined as the making or breaking of one or more of the input circuits. Recordings can be made from any apparatus capable of providing such events. The machine and its principles of operation are described.
Cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of Scrophularia oxysepala in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and develop therapeutic strategies against this deadly disease. This study is the first to investigate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Scrophularia oxysepala in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Dichloromethane, methanol and n-hexane extracts of Scrophularia oxysepala were examined. The 3-(4,5-dimethylethiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) reduction and trypan-blue exclusion assays were performed in MCF-7 cells as well as control cell line MCF10A to analyze the cytotoxic activity of the plant. Furthermore, the apoptosis-inducing action of extracts of the plant was evaluated using cell death detection ELISA, the terminal deoxynucleotide transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that dichloromethane and methanol extracts significantly inhibited cell growth and viability without inducing damage to MCF10A cells. Cell death detection ELISA, morphological changes of cells in TUNEL assay, Western blot detection of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and increase in the mRNA expression levels of p-53, caspase-3 and c-myc showed that the induction of apoptosis was the main mechanism of cell death. Our results strongly suggest that this plant may contain potential bioactive compound(s) for the treatment of breast cancer.
Speciation and Chemical Interactions in Nitrifying Biofilms. II: Sensitivity Analysis

Steady-state models of nitrifying biofilms have been developed that take into account the mass transfer of neutral and ionic species, electroneutrality, pH-dependent Monod kinetics, chemical equilibrium, and the presence of a boundary layer. Under the conditions investigated, the models predict significant changes in the biomass speciation and percent conversions in nitrifying biofilms as functions of pH, buffer capacity [in terms of total inorganic carbons], and, for the reactor models, volumetric flow rate per unit surface area of biofilm and total ammonium loading. To a lesser extent, the models also predict sensitivity to biofilm thickness, total ammonium, total nitrite, dissolved oxygen concentration, and total biomass density. Nitrogen conversions are only a very weak function of boundary layer thickness, total nitrate concentration, and the ratio of the chemical species' diffusivity in the biofilm to its diffusivity in water.
Role of Metal Coordination Structures in Enhancement of Electrocatalytic Activity of Ternary Nanoalloys for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

The ability to harness the metal coordination structures of nanoalloy catalysts is critical for catalyzing the oxygen reduction reaction because such a detailed atomic-scale structure dictates the surface binding site and strength for molecular oxygen and oxygenated intermediate species in the electrocatalytic process. This Article describes the results of an investigation of the metal coordination structures of ternary (PtNiCo) nanoalloys and their manipulation to enhance the electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction. The basic hypothesis is that such atomic-scale structure can be manipulated by oxidative–reductive thermal treatment to influence the binding site and strength of molecular oxygen and oxygenated species on the nanoalloy surface. The results have revealed remarkable increases in both mass activity and specific activity for the catalysts processed by the oxidative–reductive treatment over those treated under nonreactive or low-degree oxidative atmospheres before the reductive tr.
Production and evaluation of noodles from flour blends of cocoyam, breadfruit, and wheat.

Flour blends were prepared from two cultivars of cocoyam ( and . ), African breadfruit ( ) and wheat ( ) at different proportions and extruded into noodles with a locally fabricated and manually operated singlescrew extruder. Proximate composition and the functional properties of the different flour blends were evaluated. The sensory properties of the noodles produced were also determined using the instant noodle as a control. The flour blends had proximate compositions ranging from 9.38% to 11.76% moisture, 1.25% to 3.24% ash, 8.91% to 14.71% crude fibre, 2.33% to 3.54% crude protein, 1.07% to 4.93% fat, and 65.44% to72.83% carbohydrate. Emulsification capacity and stability of the flour blends ranged from 10.86ml/g to 18.70ml/g and 7.61ml/g to 17.53ml/g, respectively. The gelatinization capacity and gelatinization temperature ranged from 0.50g/ml 0.99g/ml and 77.50oC 84.00oC, respectively. Foam capacity and foam stability of the flour blends were 9.75% - 13.65% and 5.63% 8.72%, respectively. Bulk density of the flour blends was 0.58g/ml 0.59g/ml. The composite flour samples had water absorption capacity of 1.25ml/g 2.34ml/g and oil absorption capacity of 1.19ml/g 2.71ml/g. The swelling index and wettability of the flour blends ranged from 1.93ml/g 2.75ml/g and 49.00secs 65.00secs, respectively. The results of the sensory evaluation based on a nine-point Hedonic scale, showed that the cooked noodle samples had 4.73 6.67 in appearance, 5.27 - 6.53 in flavour, 5.33 6.56 in texture, 5.53 6.73 in taste, 5.20 7.07 palatability, and 5.33 6.87 in general (overall) acceptability. Noodle sample produced with 80% red cocoyam flour, 10% African bread fruit flour, and 10% wheat flour) was found to be the most acceptable to the panelists.
Community structure of bacteria on different types of mineral particles in a sandy soil

Various types of mineral particles in a soil probably provide different microenvironments for microorganisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether different types of mineral in a soil harbor different bacterial populations. DNA was extracted from five types (quartz, feldspar, pyroxene, magnetite, iron-coated reddish brown particles) of sand-size mineral particles separated from a sandy soil, and was amplified for partial 16 S rRNA gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-nine to 69 amplicons per each type of mineral were cloned and sequenced, followed by phylogenetic affiliation of the sequences. As a result, some types of bacteria were detected on all of the types of mineral including the orders Rhizobiales, Bacillales, and Acidobacteriales. In the case of Acidobacteriales, higher percentages were found on magnetite and quartz. Some taxa were restricted to specific types of mineral; the class Actinobacteria was found on pyroxene but not on quartz, and rarely on magnetite and feldspar. Bacterial diversity at the order level estimated by Chao1 value was higher in feldspar and pyroxene than the other three types of mineral. The UniFrac Significance test indicated that the differences in bacterial communitiy structures among the particles were suggestive except that between feldspar and pyroxene. These results support the idea that different communities of bacteria were associated with each of the mineral types.
S100A8/S100A9 cytokine acts as a transcriptional coactivator during breast cellular transformation

S100A8/S100A9, a secreted cytokine, also acts in the nucleus as a transcriptional coactivator to promote cellular transformation. Cytokines are extracellular proteins that convey messages between cells by interacting with cognate receptors at the cell surface and triggering signaling pathways that alter gene expression and other phenotypes in an autocrine or paracrine manner. Here, we show that the calcium-dependent cytokines S100A8 and S100A9 are recruited to numerous promoters and enhancers in a model of breast cellular transformation. This recruitment is associated with multiple DNA sequence motifs recognized by DNA binding transcription factors that are linked to transcriptional activation and are important for transformation. The cytokines interact with these transcription factors in nuclear extracts, and they activate transcription when artificially recruited to a target promoter. Nuclear-specific expression of S100A8/A9 promotes oncogenic transcription and leads to enhanced breast transformation phenotype. These results suggest that, in addition to its classical cytokine function, S100A8/A9 can act as a transcriptional coactivator.
Validation, Uncertainty, and Quality Control of Qualitative Analysis of Tear Gas Weapons by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The reliability of the identification/examination of compounds by gas chromatography hyphenated with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) can be significantly affected by the co-elution of interfering compounds and the use of noncharacteristic data of the mass spectrum of the analyte. This work presents a procedure for the examination of the presence of compounds in sample solutions, a strategy for procedure validation including the evaluation of examination uncertainty, and a quality control scheme for routine examinations. The examination uncertainty is evaluated using metrics of Bayes' theorem. The evidence of the presence of a compound is supported by the statistical agreement between retention time and two ratios of abundance of three characteristic ions of their mass spectra, observed in relevant sample and in standard solutions peaks collected under repeatability conditions. This strategy was successfully applied to the examination of active substances in tear gas weapons by GC-MS to check compliance with Portuguese legislation. Given the observation of all three evidences, the performed examinations present a posterior probability of the presence of the active substance, larger than the target minimum of 99.7%.
Full-field fluorescence lifetime dual-comb microscopy using spectral mapping and frequency multiplexing of dual-comb optical beats

Use of dual-comb optical beats enables scan-less FLIM via one-to-one correspondence between 2D image pixels and RF beat signals. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) is a powerful tool for quantitative fluorescence imaging because fluorescence lifetime is independent of concentration of fluorescent molecules or excitation/detection efficiency and is robust to photobleaching. However, since most FLIMs are based on point-to-point measurements, mechanical scanning of a focal spot is needed for forming an image, which hampers rapid imaging. Here, we demonstrate scan-less full-field FLIM based on a one-to-one correspondence between two-dimensional (2D) image pixels and frequency-multiplexed radio frequency (RF) signals. A vast number of dual-comb optical beats between dual optical frequency combs are effectively adopted for 2D spectral mapping and high-density frequency multiplexing in the RF region. Bimodal images of fluorescence amplitude and lifetime are obtained with high quantitativeness from amplitude and phase spectra of fluorescence RF comb modes without the need for mechanical scanning. The parallelized FLIM will be useful for rapid quantitative fluorescence imaging in life science.