Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stimulation of Methanotroph Activity by Cu-Substituted Borosilicate Glass

Previous investigations have shown that bacteria can derive benefits from elements within mineral assemblages associated with/or proximal to their point of attachment; however to date, no study has shown a direct connection between mineral dissolution and the biological oxidation of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4). Here we investigate linkages between the Cu content of silicate glasses (Si-glasses) and CH4 oxidation rates in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, a type II methanotroph. A series of batch growth experiments were performed under varying solid phase Cu (0, 80, 200, 400, and 800 ppm Cu) and initial aqueous phase methane concentrations (40, 70, and 130 nM CH4). Under near equilibrium conditions, the release of Cu from the glasses increased in association with M. trichosporium OB3b activity. The acquisition of Cu from the glasses directly influenced CH4 oxidation rates of M. trichosporium OB3b, presumably by promoting the expression and activity of copper-containing particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO), the most efficient MMO for methane oxidation produced. Highest CH4 oxidation rates were observed in glasses with 80 ppm Cu. However, rates generally displayed an inverted-U relationship with solid-phase Cu concentration; i.e., rates were lower with solid phase Cu concentrations < 80 ppm or > 200 ppm. We conclude that in situ methanotroph activity in soils and sediments is strongly influenced by ambient solid-phase Cu concentrations, which has important implications to interpreting greenhouse gas flux data in geologic settings.
Phosphorus fractions in bulk subsoil and its biopore systems

Improving phosphorus (P) accessibility in subsoils could be a key factor for sustainable crop management. This study aims to explain the quantity of different P fractions in subsoil and its biopore systems, and to test the hypothesis that crops with either fibrous (fescue) or tap‐root systems (lucerne and chicory) leave behind a characteristic P pattern in bulk subsoil, biopore linings and the rhizosphere. The crops were cultivated for up to 3 years in a randomized field experiment on a Haplic Luvisol developed from loess. Aqua regia‐extractable P (referred to as total P) and calcium acetate lactate‐extractable P (PCAL) were assessed at 0–30 (Ap horizon), 30–45 (E/B horizon), 45–75 and 75–105 cm subsoil depths. In addition, sequential P fractionation was performed on different soil compartments between 45 and 75 cm depths. The results showed that total P stocks below the Ap horizon (30–105 cm) amounted to 5.6 t ha−1, which was twice as large as in the Ap, although the Ap contained larger portions of PCAL. Both PCAL and sequential P extractions showed that biopore linings and the rhizosphere at the 45–75 cm depth were enriched, rather than depleted, in P. The content of inorganic P (81–90% of total P) increased in the following order: bulk soil = biopores <2 mm ≤ rhizosphere ≤ biopores >2 mm. Biopores >2 mm and rhizosphere soil were clearly enriched in resin‐ and NaHCO3‐extractable Pi and Po fractions. However, we failed to attribute these P distribution patterns to different crops, suggesting that major properties of biopore P originated from relict biopores, rather than being influenced by recent root systems. The stocks of the sum of these P fractions in the bulk subsoil (182 kg ha−1 at 45–75 cm depth) far exceeded those in the biopores (3.7 kg ha−1 in biopores >2 mm and 0.2 kg ha−1 in biopores <2 mm). Hence, these biopores may form attractive locations for root growth into the subsoil but are unlikely to sustain overall plant nutrition.
Estimation of Gas Permeability of a Zeolite Membrane, Based on a Molecular Simulation Technique and Permeation Model

A method for estimating gas permeability through a zeolite membrane, using a molecular simulation technique and a theoretical permeation model, is presented. The estimate of permeability is derived from a combination of an adsorption isotherm and self-diffusion coefficient based on the adsorption-diffusion model. The adsorption isotherm and self-diffusion coefficients needed for the estimation were calculated using conventional Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. The calculated self-diffusion coefficient was converted to the mutual diffusion coefficient and the permeability estimated using the Fickian equation. The method was applied to the prediction of permeabilities of methane and ethylene in silicalite at 301 K. Calculated permeabilities were larger than the experimental values by more than an order of magnitude. However, the anisotropic permeability was consistent with the experimental data and the results obtained using a grand canonical ensemble molecular dynamics technique (Pohl et al.
Radiative Response on Massive Noble Gas Injection For Runaway Suppression in Disruptive Plasmas

The most direct way to avoid the formation of a relativistic electron beam under the influence of an electric field in a highly conducting plasma, is to increase the electron density to a value, where the retarding collisional force balances the accelerating one. In a disruptive tokamak plasma, rapid cooling induces a high electric field, which could easily violate the force balance and push electrons into the relativistic regime. Such relativistic electrons, the so-called runaways, accumulate many MeV's and can cause substantial damage when they hit the wall. This thesis is based on the principle of rapidly fueling the plasma for holding the force balance even under the influence of high electric fields typical for disruptions. The method of injecting high amounts of noble gas particles into the plasma from a close distance is put into practice in the ASDEX Upgrade fusion test facility. In the framework of this thesis, a multi-channel photometer system based on 144 AXUV detectors in a toroidal stereo measurement setup was built. It kept its promise to provide new insights into the transport mechanisms in a disruptive plasma under the influence of strong radiative interaction dynamics between injected matter and the hot plasma.
Small Angle X-Ray diffraction Patterns of Stratum Corneum and a Model Structure for Its Lip ids

ABSTRACT The structure of the lipid part of stratum corneum,was shown to be a lamellar liquid crystal in accordance with earlier suagestions by Elias et al. The main structure forming compound was found to be the fatly acids which when partially neutralized gave a lamellar liquid crystal over a wide range of water content. Small angle x-ray diffraction was used to estimate the location of the remaining lipid compounds showing localization to be between the methyl group layers of the hydrocarbon chains of some components while remaining compounds were intercalated between the acid/soap molecules.
Relaxation Times and Normal Mode Frequencies

Abstract : A simple relationship between normal mode frequencies and relaxation times known to hold for damped one dimensional solids was proved to obtain in all dimensions. Utilizing this relationship, the solution of the relaxation time distribution function problem reduces to the consideration of normal mode frequency spectrum of the array in question, irregardless of dimensionality.
Theoretical investigation of second-order nonlinear optical response by linking hexamolybdate with graphene in the donor–acceptor (D–A) framework

The graphenes and polyoxometalates (POMs) have been investigated individually for finding a material with intrinsic nonlinear optical (NLO) behaviours. In this study, we designed a novel molecular hybrid containing POM cluster linked with nanographene. We could be able to design a material with very large second-order NLO response. The Coulomb-attenuating method (CAM–B3LYP) is used with the LANL2DZ basis set for molybdenum atoms and both 6–31G (d) and 6–31+G (d) basis sets for main group elements to calculate polarisability and first hyperpolarisability. The second-order polarisability of the system is significantly enhanced by replacing NH2 or NO2 with hexamolybdate in [NO2–HBC(derivative of hexabenzocoronene)–NH2] from 33.33 × 10− 30 esu (system 1) to 57.71 × 10− 30 esu (system 2) and 231.10 × 10− 30 esu (system 3), respectively. The time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations show that the charge transfer from polyanion to graphene in systems 2 and 3 is responsible for the NLO properties of this kind of compound. We believe that the novel designed link between graphene and POMs is a door for further studies to find materials with an excellent NLO response.
New High-pressure Hot Stage for Optical Microscopy : in situ Observation of Texture of Liquid Crystals under Hydrostatic Pressure

High-pressure hot-stage system for optical microscopy was developed for the in situ observation of texture of liquid crystals and crystal growth of polymers under hydrostatic pressures up to 300 MPa. The high-pressure optical cell has two sapphire windows of 5 mm in diameter at the center of the cell. The spherullites of the pressure-induced crystal polymorph of the dimesogenic liquid crystal compound was observed successfully on cooling at 100 and 150 MPa.
Synthesis and characterization of a new class of nematic photoluminescent oxadiazole-containing polyethers

The synthesis and the characterization of a new class of segmented polyethers (PO) containing the oxadiazole unit are reported. Because of the anisotropic shape of oxadiazole-conjugated segment, the copolymers of the series show the monotropic nematic phase to be somewhat different from that observed in the case of the low molecular mass analogous compounds. In that case, high ordered liquid crystalline smectic phases are reported while the nematic phase is observed just in few cases. According to previous reports on oxadiazole-containing materials, PO show high photoluminescence activity in the blue region of the visible spectra. The good solubility in chlorinate solvents allows the preparation of films with homogeneous thickness by spin coating. A glass transition temperature in the range 100−120 °C ensures good stability of film morphology at room temperature. For these features, polymers PO are potential candidate materials for fabricating blue-light-emitting devices.
Scanned photoluminescence with high spatial resolution in semi-insulating GaAs and InP:aspects of surface passivation and photodegradation

Spatially resolved photoluminescence (SRPL) is a useful tool for evaluating the quality of semiconductors used within electronic and photonic devices. SRPL can be done in two ways; scanning with a focused laser beam or imaging with a Vidicon. Laser-scanned SRPL can provide both high spatial resolution and sensitivity in semi-insulating gallium arsenide, GaAs:Si, and iron-doped indium phosphide, InP:Fe. Imaging SRPL can provide rapid analysis at video rates. Video rate laser scanning with a 1 mu m laser spot combines the advantages of both approaches. The contrast of SRPL scans in GaAs:Si wafers is improved by a plasma passivation treatment. Scans clearly reveal dislocated cell structures as bright bands, arsenic precipitates as dark dots and polishing damage such as scratches. Several techniques, including XPS, SIMS, TEM and DSL etching, have been used to analyse optical contrast and the passivation mechanism. SRPL scans must be done non-destructively to allow for subsequent device fabrication and yield analysis. Photodegradation is minimised if a pumping wavelength near 720 nm is selected. This observation is apparently due to a tradeoff between surface recombination and photon recycling. The small dwell time during video scans assures a non-destructive measurement, leading to improved contrast relative to systems with longer dwell times. SRPL scans in InP:Fe reveal bright spot defects, without any need of passivation. Imaging SIMS, TEM and DSL etching have been used to analyse contrast in these scans. The bright spots are dislocations and iron phosphide precipitates that have gettered significant levels of silicon contamination.
Hydrogenation of D-Glucose to D-Mannitol using Raney Nickel Catalyst

Hydrogenation of D-glucose in the presence of Raney nickel as a catalyst was employed for the preparation of D-mannitol. The effects of the reaction time (15-115 min), reaction temperature (15-65 o C), and catalyst to D-glucose ratio (3-11 %) on the yield of D-mannitol were studied. The experimental design of Box-Wilson method was adopted to find a useful relationship between the effecting variables and the Dmannitol yield. The experimental data collected by this design was successively fitted to a second order polynomial mathematical model. The analysis of variance shows that the reaction time had the greatest effect on the yield of D-mannitol among other variables. An optimum operating conditions of 115 min reaction time, 50 ̊C reaction temperature, and 3 % catalyst to D-glucose ratio gave 14.01 % D-mannitol yield, 81.34 % D-sorbitol yield, and 94.9 % D-glucose conversion. D-Mannitol of purity 99.7 % was obtained after its separation from D-sorbitol, the second product of the hydrogenation process, using the fractional crystallization method.
Antibacterial textiles functionalized by layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes and TiO2 photocatalyst

The sprayed layer-by-layer assembly of TiO2 photocatalyst has been efficiently used for functionalizing polyester textiles and elaborating solar light active antibacterial textiles. Polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyanionic poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) polyelectrolytes have been used as polycation and polyanion layers, in alternation with dispersions of negatively- and positively-charged TiO2 particles, respectively. A synergistic effect resulting from both biocidal photocatalytic activity of TiO2 layers and biocidal activity of PEI layers within the multilayer system was put forward for explaining the high self-decontaminating activity of (PEI/TiO2)n functionalized textiles, 5 log of cell viability reduction being achieved with a single TiO2 layer at 50 μg cm−2. The sole solar light photocatalytic antibacterial activity of multilayer textiles was determined by masking the biocidal activity of PEI layers through the controlled assembly of PEI/(PSS/TiO2)n multilayers.
Perceived Stress among Health Care Providers in Long Term Care Facilities

The study was conducted to analyze the effect of self-care intervention on perceived stress of health care providers of elderly with Dementia during the COVID19 pandemic. The objective is find out the outcome of the Self-care intervention on perceived stress of health care providers in long term care facilities. 50 Health care providers of elderly with Dementia are chosen based on purposive sampling. Male and female formal health care providers aged about 20-35yrs who can comprehend Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam and English with an experience of at least 1 month. On an average the perceived stress was higher in the participants prior to the intervention. The study has shown the inevitable benefits of self-care program in modifying aspects of training for the health care workers by identifying perceived stress in maintaining a greater personnel strength and their health promotion. It is concluded that Self-care program aids in subsiding the levels of perceived stress even in situations demanding high levels of occupational dedication in health care
Size-controlled synthesis of MIL-101(Cr) nanoparticles with enhanced selectivity for CO2 over N2

Nanoparticles of MIL-101(Cr) have been fabricated using a hydrothermal method for the first time. The particle size can be controlled from 19 (4) nm to 84 (12) nm, by using a monocarboxylic acid as a mediator. These nano MIL-101(Cr) materials exhibit higher selectivities for CO2 over N2 than bulk MIL-101(Cr).
Modelling Dislocation‐Induced Anisotropic Line Broadening in Rietveld Refinements Using a Voigt Function. II. Application to Neutron Powder Diffraction Data

In paper I [Wu et al. (1998). J. Appl. Cryst. 31, 356–362] an approach was developed to the problem of modelling dislocation-induced X-ray or neutron-diffraction-line broadening. This paper applies those findings to the Rietveld refinement of the neutron powder diffraction profiles of deuterium-cycled LaNi5 and β-PdD0.66. These interstitially modified materials exhibit, respectively, strong and weak anisotropic strain broadening. The broadening in LaNi5 is consistent with a dislocation slip system a/3 (\bar 2110) {0\bar 110}, in agreement with transmission electron microscopy studies. In PdD0.66 the model predicts a regular distribution of screw dislocations, which remains to be confirmed by other techniques.
SOIL MANAGEMENT AND NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN BURLEY TOBACCO ROTATIONS

OF DISSERTATION SOIL MANAGEMENT AND NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN BURLEY TOBACCO ROTATIONS Agronomic practices, including tillage, crop rotation and N fertilization, have been developed to efficiently manage soil N dynamics and crop N nutrition. These practices can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) sequestration, and consequently influence soil nitrogen mineralization (SNM) and crop N nutrition. However, little research has been systematically and simultaneously conducted to examine the effect of agronomic management on (1) SOC and STN stocks; (2) SNM; and (3) crop N nutrition. Burley tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) is a N demanding crop and subject to inefficiency in N fertilization. Moreover, conservation tillage and rotation have been integrated into traditionally tillage intensive tobacco cropping systems. Thus, a tobacco tillage and rotation study was used to test how agronomic practices can affect N dynamics and crop N status in a series of sequential experiments. Firstly, different tobacco production systems were utilized to investigate the effects of tillage and rotation on soil aggregate stabilization and associated SOM sequestration. Notillage and rotation management enhanced SOC and STN stocks, mainly by increasing the proportion of macroaggregates and SOC and STN concentrations. Secondly, a series of studies were conducted on SNM, including: (1) comparison of laboratory and in situ resin-core methods in estimating SNM; (2) evaluation of the influence of N fertilizer application on SNM; and (3) comparison of chemical indices for predicting SNM across management treatments over time. Laboratory method had different results relative to in situ method due to sample pretreatments. Fertilizer N application had a priming effect on SNM, but priming depended on both the N fertilizer rate and the background SOM level. The effect of rotation/tillage treatments on SNM was stable across years and SOC appeared to be the best indicator of SNM among other soil carbon and N estimates. Thirdly, a N fertilizer study for different tillage systems was conducted in 2012 and 2013. Crop parameters and plant available N (PAN) were collected to investigate the impact of tillage on tobacco production. Crop parameters showed that no-tillage can result in N deficiency in dry years. Similar PAN for both tillage methods suggested N deficiency in no-till tobacco was due to the crop’s lower N uptake capacity. In 2014, tobacco root analysis confirmed that no-tillage can result in less root exploration of the soil volume than conventional tillage.
A Model of Secondary Hydrocarbon Migration As a Buoyancy-Driven Separate Phase Flow

A mathematical model of secondary migration is described which permits the prediction of hydrocarbon migration and accumulation patterns in a sedimentary basin, if source rock expulsion rates and geometrical and hydraulic properties of major carrier systems are known through geological time. In this model, secondary migration is treated as buoyancy-driven, segregated flow of hydrocarbons in hydrostatic aquifers. Lateral, updip migration is conceived as a Boussinesq-type, free-surface flow, with source and sink terms representing supply from source rocks and leakage through cap rocks and faults. This permits a two-dimensional, map-view mathematical description of a three-dimensional, time-dependent secondary migration system. A nine-point finite difference approximation has been developed to minimize numerical dispersion, and upstream-weighting is used to obtain stable solutions. Example computations for simple, single carrier bed structures are presented.
Three-Dimensional Spray-Drying Model Based on Comprehensive Formulation of Drying Kinetics

In our previous 2D axisymmetric study of the spray-drying process, it was shown that the introduction of comprehensive formulation of drying kinetics had a substantial influence on both predicted gas and particle flow patterns in a spray dryer. On the other hand, it was demonstrated that the concept of 2D axisymmetric modeling is suitable for fast and low-resource consumptive numerical calculations of the spray-drying process and that the predicted velocity, temperature, and vapor mass fraction are of reasonable accuracy. However, due to their restrictions, 2D axisymmetric simulations fail to predict asymmetry of flow patterns and the presence of the transversal air flow and cannot provide actual 3D representation of particle trajectories inside the spray chamber. Therefore, in the present study a novel 3D theoretical model of multiscale multiphase transport phenomena in a steady-state spray-drying process is proposed for predicting more realistic particles paths, residence times, temperatures, and moisture contents. A drying process of silica slurry in a short-form pilot-scale spray dryer fitted with a pressure nozzle atomizer is investigated. The simulated 3D drying behavior of the dispersed phase and flow patterns of air velocity, temperature, and humidity are compared with the previously published results of 2D axisymmetric modeling. A significant influence of both drying kinetics and number of utilized dimensions on the predicted particle trajectories and transport phenomena in the drying chamber is observed. Hence, a proper formulation of the droplet drying kinetics and realistic 3D flow modeling is crucial for accurate numerical representation of the actual spray dryer performance.
Countable Borel equivalence relations

These notes cover an introduction to countable Borel equivalence relations. The theory of countable Borel equivalence relation is a huge subject. It has a broad impact in several areas of mathematics like ergodic theory, operator algebras, and group theory, and has raised many challenging open problems. We focus on some results about the (anti)classification of torsion-free abelian groups, some applications of Popa’s cocycle superrigidity theorem, and Martin’s conjecture. These notes are from a class I taught in Spring 2020. They may include typos and inaccuracies. Thanks to Will Adkins, John Baldwin, Paolo Degiorgi, Ozkan Demir, Yanlong Hao, Yexin Lin, Noah Schoem, and Kevin Zhou for helpful comments.