Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of high temperature stress on starch metabolism in two durum wheat varieties differing in heat tolerance

The formation and characteristics of the grain is largely a function of starch biosynthesis. This study investigated the effect of high temperature during grain development on enzymes, metabolites and components of starch metabolism in two durum wheat (Triticum durum) varieties namely WH896 and WH912 differing in their response to high temperature. Activity of starch branching enzyme (SBE) was reduced by 38% in less sensitive variety (WH896) and by 43 per cent in more sensitive variety (WH912). The remarkable difference between the two cultivars was also observed in inorganic pyrophosphate and UDP – glucose level. Differential effects in amount of total soluble sugar and amylopectin were also observed. Magnitude of reduction in ADP-glucose and UDP-glucose metabolites was more in WH 896 (41.0%) and WH 912 (29.3%) under high temperature stress as compared to control. No correlation between the changes in sucrose and ADP – glucose concentration was observed at high temperature.
Innovations in wastewater treatment: the moving bed biofilm process.

This paper describes the moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and presents applications of wastewater treatment processes in which this reactor is used. The MBBR processes have been extensively used for BOD/COD-removal, as well as for nitrification and denitrification in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. This paper focuses on the municipal applications. The most frequent process combinations are presented and discussed. Basic design data obtained through research, as well as data from practical operation of various plants, are presented. It is demonstrated that the MBBR may be used in an extremely compact high-rate process (<1 h total HRT) for secondary treatment. Most European plants require P-removal and performance data from plants combining MBBR and chemical precipitation is presented. Likewise, data from plants in Italy and Switzerland that are implementing nitrification in addition to secondary treatment are presented. The results from three Norwegian plants that are using the so-called combined denitrification MBBR process are discussed. Nitrification rates as high as 1.2 g NH4-N/m2 d at complete nitrification were demonstrated in practical operation at low temperatures (11 degrees C), while denitrification rates were as high as 3.5g NO3-Nequiv. /m2.d. Depending on the extent of pretreatment, the total HRT of the MBBR for N-removal will be in the range of 3 to 5 h.
Molecular Dynamics Study of Molecular Mobility in Catenanes

Molecular machines described in this paper are meant to be such molecular systems that make use of conformational mobility (i.e. hindered rotation around chemical bonds and molecular construction deformations with formation and breakage of nonvalent bonds). Components of molecular machines move mainly by means of restricted diffusion. As an example of molecular machines of a nonbiological nature catenanes (compounds with two interlocked molecular rings) can be proposed. Thus, for example, model catenane ((2)-(cyclo-bi (paraquat-p-phenylene))- (1(2,6)-tetrathiafulvalena-16(1,5)naphtalena-3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29- decaoxatnacontaphane)-catenane) changes its redox status when an electric field is applied, and rotation of the rings takes place. It occurs with fixation at certain moments of the influence. To find out characteristic properties of rings movements under various external conditions molecular dynamics simulation was carried out. Three cationic forms of the catenane were first subjected to geometrical optimization and quantum chemical calculation.
Stress Degradation Studies on Flupirtine Maleate Using Stability-Indicating RP-HPLC Method

With the objective of developing an advanced method for rapid separation with shorter runtime, a simple, precise, and accurate stability-indicating isocratic RP-LC method coupled with PDA detector was developed for the quantitative determination of flupirtine maleate in bulk and in capsule dosage form. Good resolution between the peaks for degradation products and the analyte was achieved on a Waters Agilent XDB C18 ( mm, 5 μm) column using mobile phase containing a mixture of phosphate buffer pH 3.36 and acetonitrile in the ratio of 65 : 35. The eluted compounds were monitored at 344 nm and the flow rate employed for the present investigation was 1 mL/min. The newly developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy, precision, and robustness. The method may be employed for the assay determination of flupirtine maleate in pharmaceutical dosage forms.
Controllable Synthesis of Bi2WO6 Nanofibrous Mat by Electrospinning and Enhanced Visible Photocatalytic Degradation Performances

Bi2WO6 nanofibrous mat has been successfully synthesized by a simple electrospinning process. TG-DTA, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectra were used to characterize the mat. The results indicated that the mat was composed of one-dimensional nanofibers, whose diameter was about 300 nm. The one-dimensional nanofibers consisted of Bi2WO6 nanoparticles with diameter 112 nm. Also, the Bi2WO6 nanofibrous mat exhibited excellent visible photocatalytic property in the photodegradation of methylene blue. Meanwhile, the photocatalyst synthesized by electrospinning is helpful for separation and recycling. What’s more, the preparation method is suitable for large-scale commercial production. So, the work has great application value in the future.
Effect of vitamins and inorganic micronutrients on callus growth and somatic embryogenesis from young mature leaves of rose

Abstract The effect of different vitamins and inorganic micronutrients on callus growth and on the induction and proliferation of somatic embryos from young mature, fully expanded leaves of rose (Rosa hybrids L.) was investigated. Expiants were cultured onto a solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3% (w/v) sucrose, 53.5 μM p‐chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4.6 μM Kinetin, and 0.5 mg L−1 thiamin.HCI in combination with either of eleven different vitamins. Alternatively, expiants were cultured onto a solid medium containing MS macro‐ and micronutrients except for the salts of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iodine (I), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co), which were added at either the standard MS concentration or at a tenfold increased (Cu, Co) or decreased (Mn, Zn, I) concentration. Embryo maturation and germination took place on a MS medium supplemented with 5.2 μM 6‐benzyladenine and 5.7 μM 3‐indole‐acetic acid. The results indicated that somatic embryogenesis from rose leaves was favored by the addition of nicotinic acid and cystein to the culture medium and the increase of Cu concentration, without reducing embryo maturation and germination.
Time-Varying Trend Models for Forecasting Inflation in Australia

We investigate whether a class of trend models with various error term structures can improve upon the forecast performance of commonly used time series models when forecasting CPI inflation in Australia. The main result is that trend models tend to provide more accurate point and density forecasts compared to conventional autoregressive and Phillips curve models. The best short term forecasts come from a trend model with stochastic volatility in the transitory component, while medium to long-run forecasts are better made by specifying a moving average component. We also find that trend models can capture various dynamics in periods of significance which conventional models can not. This includes the dramatic reduction in inflation when the RBA adopted inflation targeting, the a one-off 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax inflationary episode in 2000, and the gradually decline in inflation since 2014.
Characterization of Artificially Shocked forsterites: (1) Diffraction Profile Analysis by Gandolfi Camera

We have examined synthetic single crystals of forsterites shocked up to 82GPa using a single stage propellant gun. Even in forsterites shocked to 82GPa, any decomposition phases such as spinels or silica glasses and fine-grained MgO could not be detected by X-ray diffraction and EPMA methods. Profile analysis of X-ray diffraction peaks of the shocked forsterites using a Gandolfi camera has been done to detect the maximum strain. The maximum strain derived from Williamson-Hall plot of about 20 diffraction angles and their integral maximum breadths had a linear relation to the shock pressures, in which the elastic limit could not be detected. Unit cell dimensions did not show any changes against the shock pressures, however the increasing broadening of X-ray diffraction peaks occurred with the increase of shock pressures, indicating the homogeneous lattice distortion due to shock pressures. This is the first quantitative analysis that enables us to estimate an experienced shock pressure from the X-ray peak broadening, and is applied to the Dhurmsala LL6 chondrite; the pressure estimated in this study is ranging from 24.0 to 37.8GPa in contrast to the range of 5 to 20 GPa (shock stage S3 by Stoffler et al., 1991) estimated from the texture of olivine in the chondrite.
Surface characterization of hydrophilic functional polymer latex particles

Surface characteristics of styrene/acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymer and styrene/2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/acrylic acid copolymer latexes prepared without emulsifier using potassium persulfate as initiator and their colloidal stabilities were investigated. The negative ζ-potentials decreased with increasing the amount of acrylamide and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate copolymerized. In spite of the increase in surface charge density, the negative ζ-potentials decreased through the maximum with increasing pH. The colloidal stabilities for NaCl concentration were remarkably enhanced with increasing both pH and the amount of acrylamide and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate. These results suggest that the contration and expansion of water-soluble polymer layer surrounding the particles play an important role in the surface properties.
Subvalent Group 4B metal alkyls and amides. Part I. The synthesis and physical properties of kinetically stable bis[bis(trimethysilyl)methyl]-germanium(II), -tin(II), and -lead(II)

Two methods are described for the synthesis of the unusual bivalent Group 4B metal alkyls M[CH(SiMe3)2]2(M = Ge, Sn,or Pb)from Li[CH(SiMe3)2] indiethyl ether at 0 to –20°C and (a) the metal(II) chloride (M = Sn or Pb) or (b) M[N(SiMe3)2]2(M = Ge or Sn). At ambient temperature in cyclohexane or benzene the solutions are yellow (Ge), red (Sn), or purple (Pb), and the compounds are monomeric and in a singlet electronic ground state. There are colour changes between the solid and the melt, and the compounds tend to become colourless at –196 °C. The crystal structure of the tin(II) alkyl shows a centrosymmetric dimer with a Sn–Sn bond (2.76 A) similar in length to that in Sn2Ph6, and the two pairs of geminal alkyl groups in a mutually trans arrangement. The solid germanium compound is inferred to be structurally similar because of the presence of a strong polarised Raman line at 300 cm–1. The monomer is believed to be angular with three approximately sp2 hybridised orbitals at the metal, one of which is non-bonding; the dimer. with a SnSn bent double bond, is formed by overlap of the non-bonding orbital of each monomer unit with the orthogonal vacant pz orbital of the other.
FLUTE: FLUORESCENT TECHNIQUE FOR TWO-PHASE-FLOW LIQUID-FRACTION MEASUREMENTS

Abstract A new technique for the local, instantaneous (limited only by the speed of the data acquisition system; current rates possible in the 100 kHz range) measurement of liquid fraction in two-phase flows is described. The technique is based on a combined absorption/emission radiation mechanism tailored to a highly accurate linear response over the whole (0 to 1) liquid fraction range. In the particular application demonstrated here, ultraviolet-induced fluorescence (in the liquid phase) is used, but in principle other combinations of radiation are possible. The technique is essentially non-intrusive in that transmission of the incident ultraviolet radiation and the emitted fluorescence are effected by miniature optical fibers, and the measuring volume is at the intersection of their optical paths some distance away from the fibers. This distance and the size of the measuring volume can be tailored to the particular application. The technique provides a unique measuring capability, especially for highl.
From molecules to processes: Molecular simulations applied to the design of simulated moving bed for ethane/ethylene separation

This paper presents results of a modelling study on the separation of ethane/ethylene mixture by selective adsorption on zeolite 13X in a simulated moving bed (SMB) unit. Propane and n-butane are evaluated as desorbent candidates. The study encompasses molecular simulation calculations for determination of adsorption parameters, whose results will then be used in a mathematical model for evaluating the performance of an SMB unit. This work is entirely done in silico, by using available force field parameters for the molecular simulations part and reliable mathematical models for the SMB part. Experimental data are solely used for comparison with the molecular simulation results, which are subsequently expanded to calculate adsorption properties for separating the mixtures, without further experimental work. The separation regions of an SMB unit operating with zeolite 13X for ethane/ethylene separation, using propane and n-butane as desorbents, were obtained by simulation at 110 kPa and at four different temperatures: 298, 323, 348 and 373 K. For each desorbent, an operating point was selected, and the size of the required unit was presented for the complete separation of the two components of the mixture.
Sequential Injection Analysis Hyphenated with Other Flow Techniques: A Review

In the last two decades, sequential injection analysis (SIA) became an important automation tool in several analytical fields as it provided advantages in terms of versatility, robustness, and consumption of samples and reagents. The noteworthy versatility of an SIA selection valve allowed its association with several units, including devices typically associated with other flow techniques, resulting in generally better analytical performance. This review discusses the hyphenization of SIA with other flow approaches outlining its advantages and motivations, which are related mainly with sample manipulation and solutions management. The future trends and perspectives in this field are also addressed.
Nanoparticulates at liquid/liquid interfaces

We analyse using molecular dynamics simulation the wetting behaviour of a particulate of nanometer size at a liquid/liquid interface. Our study shows that Young's equation provides accurate predictions of the contact angles that the particulate makes with the interface. This is found to be the case even for very small particulates whose size (≈15 A) is approximately the same as the width of the interface. The line tension is an approximately linear function of the surface tension of the liquid/liquid interface. For the larger particulates studied here the line tensions are positive and of the order 10-11 N, similar to values obtained from experiment on colloidal particles in the water/air interface.
X‐ray diffraction studies of addition compounds of amylose with inorganic salts

Many salts in aqueous alcohol solution can be exchanged for the alkali in oriented filaments of alkali amylose. If the filaments are held taut during exchange, orientation is retained, and excellent fiber patterns are produced. By this method, compounds of amylose were obtained with the iodide, bromide, formate, acetate, and propionate of potassium and with sodium bromide and ammonium fluoride. In addition, potassium bicarbonate–amylose was formed by the action of carbon dioxide on moist filaments of potassium hydroxide–amylose. Data on the composition of the amylose–potassium salt filaments indicate stoichiometric compound formation between amylose and salt, the ratio of salt molecules to glucose residues being 1:2 for the iodide, bromide, formate, and tetragonal form of the acetate, and 1:1 for the propionate and the orthorhombic form of the acetate. As shown by x-ray diffraction patterns, the potassium salts crystallized in two structures. One, based on a tetragonal unit cell, was common to the iodide, bromide, formate, acetate, and bicarbonate; the other, based on an orthorhombic unit, was the stable structure for the acetate and the propionate. Dimensions of the tetragonal unit cells of air-dried filaments of the iodide and bromide were identical, with a0 = 10.7 and c0 (fiber axis) = 16.1 A. Corresponding dimensions for the formate and acetate were 10.8 and 16.1 A. , and those for the bicarbonate were 10.8 and 15.8 A. The orthorhombic structures of the potassium acetate and propionate addition compounds with amylose appeared to be isomorphous, unit cells having a0 = 11.0, b0 = 18.1, c0 (fiber axis) = 17.9 A. for the acetate, and a0 = 11.4, b0 = 18.0, c0 = 17.6 A. for the propionate. The tetragonal structural modification is of particular interest. Observed diffraction maxima were consistent with the enantiomorphous space groups, P4121 and P4321, and this, together with composition and density data, demands that the amylose chains posses fourfold screw symmetry, with four glucose residues corresponding to the fiber repeat period of 16.1 A. Succesive residues in the amylose chain must, therefore, be identical. This is the first x-ray evidence which has demonstrated the identity of successive residues in the amylose chain. From a Patterson projection of potassium bromide amylose, the positions of the inorganic ions were determined. The Fourier projection, ρz(x,y), computed from Fhk0 with signs determined by the bromide ion, confirmed the location of the inorganic ions and gave a general outline of the packing of the amylose chains.
Monte Carlo simulations of neon and argon using ab initio potentials

Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations of neon and argon have been performed with pair potentials taken from literature as well as with new ab initio potentials from just above the triple point to close to the critical point. The densities of the coexisting phases, their pair correlation functions, the vapour pressure and the enthalpy and entropy of vaporization have been calculated. The influence of the potential choice and of the addition of the Axilrod-Teller (AT) three-body potential on the above mentioned properties have been investigated. It turns out that an accurate ab initio two-body potential in connection with the AT potential yields very good results for thermodynamic properties of phase equilibria.
The integration of freely available medium resolution optical sensors with Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery capabilities for American bramble (Rubus cuneifolius) invasion detection and mapping.

Globally, alien invasive plant species are considered a serious threat to native flora and fauna. In the eastern parts of South Africa, the American bramble (Rubus cuneifolius) has been identified as one of the major threats to social and ecological systems. Optimal management and mitigation of American bramble spread requires reliable and cost effective approaches to determine invaded spatial extents. In this study, we test the value of the recently launched, freely available Sentinel-2 (S2), as opposed to conventional Landsat 8 imagery in mapping the American bramble. Using the Support Vector Machine classification algorithm, we seek to identify the optimal season for mapping the American bramble as well as the most influential bands in the classification process. Results show that Sentinel-2 out-performed Landsat 8 in all seasons, with summer providing the highest classification accuracy (77% accuracy). The study also shows that strategically placed Sentinel-2 bands of Near Infrared, Red edge and Short Wave Infrared significantly contribute to an increase in overall bramble mapping accuracy. This study demonstrates the value of freely available multispectral imagery in mapping American bramble at large spatial extents, hence valuable for cost-effective operational use.
Water Density Effects on Homogeneous Water-Gas Shift Reaction Kinetics

Several years ago, using ab initio calculations, Melius et al. examined an interesting pathway for the homogeneous gas-phase water-gas shift reaction. They predicted that an enhancement in the rate of this reaction occurs at high water density due to changes in the generation of formic acid as an intermediate. To investigate this possibility, we have examined the conversion of CO and H2O to CO2 and H2 in the absence of a catalyst in supercritical water at conditions from 410 to 520 °C and 2.0−60 MPa. In these experiments, Raman spectroscopy produced in situ, real-time measurements of reaction rates in an optically accessible, constant-volume reactor. The most rapid homogeneous rate measured, at 59 MPa and 450 °C, corresponds to an effective first-order reaction rate constant of 0.0033 s-1. The data show that the measured reaction rates increase far faster than linearly as water density is raised above 0.35 g/cm3, and the pressure dependence of the rate constant indicates that the transition state is chara.
HT‐PEM Fuel Cell System with Integrated Complex Metal Hydride Storage Tank

A hydrogen storage tank based on the metal hydride sodium alanate is coupled with a high temperature PEM fuel cell (HT‐PEM). The waste heat of the fuel cell is used for desorbing hydrogen from the storage tank that in return feeds the fuel cell. ZBT has developed the HT‐PEM fuel cell, Max‐Planck‐Institut für Kohlenforschung the sodium alanate, and IUTA the hydrogen storage tank. During the experiments of the system the fuel cell was operated by load cycling from 165 up to 240 W. Approximately 60 g of hydrogen were delivered from the tank, which was charged with 2676.8 g of sodium alanate doped with 4 mol. % of TiCl3. This amount of hydrogen was desorbed in 3 h and generated a cumulated electrical energy of 660 Wh. In the first cycle 81.5 g of hydrogen were supplied during 3.69 h to the HT‐PEM fuel cell, which was operated nearly constant at 260 W. In the latter case the cumulated electrical energy was 941 Wh.
LC–MS analysis of anthocyanins from purple corn cob

Liquid chromatography coupled with diode array spectrophotometry and mass spectrometry detection (LC–DAS–MS) has been applied to the study of the anthocyanin composition of a commercial extract from purple corn cob used as a colourant additive in the food industry. Nine different anthocyanins were isolated using semipreparative HPLC and identified by LC–MS and hydrolytic techniques. Useful information for the identification of compounds was also obtained from their fragmentation patterns (MS–MS spectra). Six of these anthocyanins seem to be present in the original cob, namely cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside, peonidin-3-glucoside and their respective malonyl derivatives. The other three are produced during the industrial extraction process and have been identified as the corresponding ethylmalonyl derivatives. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry