Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomonitoring of Trace Elements with Lichens in Samsun City, Turkey

Lichens have been widely used in biomonitoring studies. In this study, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations in some foliose and fruticose lichens which are found in Samsun were investigated and the differences among the species in terms of trace element concentrations and possible interactions among heavy metals were also examined. The results of the present study show that the study area is polluted by Pb and Cd. The cadmium contamination levels were also higher than those of the other elements. The highest Pb (101.39 ppm), Cu (43 ppm) and Zn (67.60 ppm) levels were found in Physcia adscendes. In addition to this, Hypogymnia physodes is one of the foliose species and the best accumulator of Cd (245.73 ppm) as compared to the other species.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF FULLERENOL C60(OH)24 NANO- PARTICLES IN A MODEL OF ACUTE INFLAMMATION IN RATS

Water soluble fullerene (C60) derivative fullerenol C60(OH)24 nano-particles (FNP) are a promising candidate for many biomedical applications due to, besides other properties, strong free-radical scavenging and antioxidative potential. Using the carrageenan-induced rat footpad oedema test, the anti-inflammatory effect of FNP have been estimated in comparison with those of amifostine (AMI) and indomethacin (IND). FNP and IND, dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide, and AMI, dissolved in saline, were intraperitoneally injected to rats in a dose range 12.5 - 75 mg/kg, 3 - 10 mg/kg, and 50 - 300 mg/kg, respectively. The control groups were given corresponding vehicles. The drugs or vehicles were given 30 min before carrageenan injection. Footpad swelling was measured 3 hours after carrageenan application. Calculation of a per cent of inhibition derived through comparison with the control groups was done. Histopathological examination of the inflamed foot skin biopsies was also performed. FNP dose-dependently and significantly reduced the extent of footpad oedema, comparable to that of IND and significantly better than AMI; their ED50 values (in μmol/kg) were: 35.36, 32.12 and 871.0, respectively. Histopathological examination confirmed these results. The largest therapeutic index of FNP suggests their safety for potential use in humans. Our results support the hypothesis that FNP produce a strong acute anti-inflammatory activity.
Test methods for polymeric insulating materials for outdoor HV insulation

The paper describes an analysis of standardized and non-standardized test methods for polymeric insulating materials, either suitable or applied for, outdoor HV insulation. The analysis particularly considers the increasing use of silicone elastomers for composite insulators. In the first part, test methods covering erosionltracking performance and hydrolysis phenomena are discussed. These are inclined plane test (IPT)a nd arc test (AT) for the evaluation of the tracking and erosion behavior as well as boiling water test (BWT) for the evaluation of the HV diffusion. breakdown-strength. These tests have a long tradition in the field of material research. Secondly, the resistance of hydrophobicity under accelerating aging conditions using simultaneous moisture and voltage stress is considered. Results from the rotating wheel dip test (RWDT) are presented and related to results from an equivalent salt-fog test. The third part of the paper deals with the regeneration of hydrophobicity after sample exposure to moisture and corona discharges. Recovery includes also the transfer of hydrophobicity into pollution layers, which is quantified by measurement of dynamic contact angle.
A New Group Contribution Method for Estimating Critical Properties of Organic Compounds

A new division method of molecular structural units involving group adjacent atom pairs has been developed. Expressions for estimating critical properties T c , P c , and V c have been proposed, with the numerical values of relative structural unit parameters presented. The average percent deviations of estimation of the above three physical properties are 0.73, 2.47, and 1.41, respectively.
Evaluation of the Responses of the Seeds of the Single - Cross 499 Cultivar of Corn (Zea mays L.) to Various Priming Combinations

An experiment using the randomized complete block design in three replications was conducted in 2012 under laboratory conditions to study the effects of different treatments of hydropriming and osmopriming on seed germination of the Singe - Cross 499 cultivar of corn. The treatments studied included subjecting the seeds for 12 or 24 hours to polyethylene glycol 6000 (��� ��� � ) at three concentrations (five, 10, and 15 percent), Potassium nitrate (KN� � ) at three concentrations (one, two, and three percent), potassium chloride (KCl) at three concentrations (one, two, and four percent), and also a control (with no priming). Results obtained showed that the maximum germination rate (19.02) was achieved by priming for 12 hours with PEG (at five percent), and the minimums (2.86. 8.14, and 2.35) by priming for 24 hours with KN� � (at three percent) and for 12 or 24 hours with KCl (at four percent), respectively. The highest germination percentage (90.66) was observed in the treatment of priming for 24 hours with five percent PEG, and the lowest (36) in the treatment of priming for 24 hours with three percent KN� � . Results observed also suggested that the factors measured, including the rate and the percentage of seed germination and also the lengths of the radicles and sprouts and seedlings, exhibited an ascending trend when higher concentrations of osmopriming compounds were used: these compounds showed their greatest effects when used at low concentrations.
Stepwise assembly of multimetallic nanoparticlesvia self-polymerized polydopamine

Without using polyelectrolytes and reducing agents, a multilayer of multimetal nanoparticles was built-up with the help of exceptional adhesive and reductive self-polymerized polydopamine (Pdop). Uniformly distributed multilayer Ag nanoparticles (SNPs) were generated on the surface of polymer film by simply alternative dipping the film in dopamine and silver nitrate solution. The multilayered SNPs demonstrated a significant enhancement in antibacterial and catalytic performance. Multilayer of multimetal nanoparticles (SNPs followed by Au NPs or vice versa) could also be generated. The surface density of metal nanoparticles in each layer could be tuned by varying the Pdop coating time.
Polymer Films on Electrodes. 26. Study of Ion Transport and Electron Transfer at Polypyrrole Films by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

The oxidation and reduction of the conductive polymer polypyrrole (PPy) doped with different counterions (bromide, ferrocyanide (FCN) and poly@-styrenesulfonate)) was studied by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) during both potential step (chronocoulometric) and cyclic voltammetric scans. The ultramicroelectrode tip was positioned, close to the surface of a PPy-modified substrate electrode, and the responses of both electrodes to a substrate potential step or linear sweep were monitored simultaneously. In this way, the rates of bromide or ferrocyanide ejection during PPy reduction were shown to be functions of the reduction potential. The nature of the cation (e.g., TBA+ vs K+) was an important factor determining the kinetics of ion transport in the PPy+/FCN- films. With a solution containing TBA+ the release of Fe(CN)64during PPy+/FCN- reduction was kinetically slow, and some ferrocyanide-containing species were also ejected during film reoxidation. Direct evidence for the incorporation of cations (e.g., RU(NH~)~~/~+) in a PPy film during its reduction was also obtained by SECM measurements. Finally, the physical localization and mechanism of Fc+ (Fc = ferrocene) and O~(bpy)3~+ (bpy = 2,2’-bipyridine) reduction at oxidized and reduced PPy are discussed in connection with the applicability of different models for conducting polymers.
Total lipid extracts from characteristic soil horizons in a podzol profile

The podzolization process is studied through lipids in nine characteristic podzol horizons. Organic matter accumulates particularly with aluminium in the Bh horizon, while the hard, cemented Bs horizon below this is formed mainly by iron oxides. The low soil pH seems to have no great influence on the preservation of lipids as reflected by the absolute amounts present and the presence of bacterial lipid markers throughout the profile. Independent of soil pH, lipids accumulate in organically enriched horizons. Albeit, high molecular weight organic compounds accumulate to a relatively greater extent than lipids in these horizons. A lipid signal related to the aerial parts, i.e. leaves and flowers, of Calluna is observed only in the O horizon. This ‘n‐alkane, steroid and triterpenoids’ signal is quickly lost in the underlying Ah horizon due to (bacterial) oxidation. The other total lipid extracts obtained are dominated by root‐derived compounds. In subsoil horizons rich in organic matter, i.e. the Ahb and Bh horizons, root‐derived friedooleanan and steroid compounds dominate the total lipid signal. Degraded horizons, poor in organic matter, i.e. the E2, Bhs, Bs and B/C horizons, are dominated by C22 and C24ω‐hydroxy acids, long‐chain (> C20) n‐alkanoic acids with a strong even‐over‐odd predominance and C22 and C24n‐alkanols. Steroid and root‐derived triterpenoids with a friedooleanan structure have been removed from these horizons through degradation. Based on total organic carbon content and lipid composition, the formation of an E1 horizon has started, but is not yet complete. In the Ahb horizon, a contribution from buried vegetation to the total lipid signal is still present, although degradation and an input from roots have significantly altered the original signal. Overall, lipid data indicate that degradation (microbial oxidation) is an important process that should be taken into account, in addition to leaching, when describing podzolization processes in soils.
Space-Vector Based Excitation of a Bipolar Transmitter for Wireless Power Transfer Applications

A space-vector (SV) based excitation method for wireless power transfer systems with a bipolar transmitter is introduced in this article. Unlike traditional bipolar excitation techniques that rely on fixed transmitter current distributions, this SV approach provides an elegant analytical method of redistributing a greater magnitude of current to the transmitter coil, which is closer to a misaligned receiver. This method is shown to require a smaller transmitter current vector magnitude for a required output power compared to all other bipolar coil excitation schemes over a broad range of receiver misalignments, thereby reducing conduction losses within the system. Additionally, the gradual redistribution of transmitter current as a function of receiver misalignment achieved by the SV method causes it to be less influenced by errors in receiver position sensing compared to conventional methods. Experimental results shows that the proposed method in conjunction with single coil operation at extreme misalignments was able to achieve a coil efficiency profile with minimal variation due to misalignment (93.2% at perfect alignment to 92.7% at a misalignment of 20 cm, for 2 kW power transfer into a 200 V battery load.)
Broadband single-layered graphene absorber using periodic arrays of graphene ribbons with gradient width

We demonstrate that a broadband single-layered graphene absorber can be obtained in the THz range using periodic arrays of chemically doped graphene ribbons with gradient width, supported on a dielectric film placed on a thick piece of metal. The working bandwidth of 90% absorption for this structure is as high as 1.3 THz with a central frequency of 3 THz. The broadband operation mechanism is a result of the varying continuous plasmon resonances occurring in graphene ribbons with gradient width. The operation wavelength can be expanded to the far-infrared range.
First-principles calculation of the infrared spectrum of hematite

Abstract The theoretical infrared spectrum of hematite (α-Fe2O3) was computed using ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. Frequencies of the normal vibrational modes and Born effective charges were computed using the density functional theory (DFT) with and without the addition of a Hubbard U correction. The infrared reflection spectra of a single crystal of hematite were calculated as well as the infrared powder absorption spectrum using an electrostatic model that takes into account the shape of hematite particles. The theoretical behavior of the absorption bands is in agreement with experimental observations and provides a firm basis for the interpretation of the bands in term of vibrational modes. Overall, results suggest that the use of DFT + U, which is necessary to describe correctly the electronic and magnetic properties of hematite, does not improve noticeably the prediction of vibrational properties.
Computation of densities, bulk moduli and glass transition temperatures of vinylic polymers from atomistic simulation

The aim of molecular modeling is to mimic reality by considering approximations appropriate to the scale at which the simulation is carried out. At the atomic level, forcefields that represent average atomic interactions are used. However, the phase space has to be adequately explored in order to compare successfully computed and experimental properties. The procedure exposed in this article considers an initial selection of relevant configurations on which a simulated annealing process is applied using the first generation forcefield OPLS, followed by a uniform hydrostatic compression using the second generation forcefield COMPASS©. The resulting data are fitted by an equation of state, from which density and bulk modulus are determined. The glass transition is then simulated and T gs are computed. Our approach is tested using a series of vinylic polymers, which differ from each other by small variations in atomic interaction combinations. The excellent agreement with experimental data shows the validity of the procedure exposed. Moreover, a clear linear relationship between simulated and experimental T gs is revealed.
Sustainable Management of the Offer of Cultural Institutions in the Cross-Border Market for Cultural Services—Barriers and Conditions

The concept of sustainable management in culture has been recognised in global strategic documents on sustainable development for more than a decade. It is also increasingly reflected in the cultural polices of particular states, and—very importantly—cultural managers who are responsible for shaping the cultural offer in cities are becoming more interested in this concept. Despite the increasing attention being paid to this topic among both practitioners and theoreticians of management, in none of these documents or other works can we find any content that is directly related to the possibility of applying this concept in a town which, due to political turmoil, has been divided by a national border. Hence, this gap was the direct impulse for taking up research in this field. In the article, by using different notions of the market, our own definition of a cross-border market for cultural services was developed, and the conditions for the functioning of this market were presented based on the example town of Cieszyn (Poland) and Český Těšín (Czech Republic). In the opinion of the authors of the article, the development and functioning of a cross-border market for cultural services is essential for the application of the concept of sustainable management of the cultural offer in a town divided by a border. For the purpose of the article, a survey and individual interviews with experts shaping the cultural offer in Cieszyn and Český Těšín were conducted. The results of the research prove that despite numerous cross-border Czech–Polish projects carried out by cultural institutions, there are still many barriers in the town, which make it difficult for the residents to benefit from the cultural offer that is available on the other side of the border. These barriers limit the full implementation and application of the concept of sustainable management of the cultural offer.
Sensitivity of photolysis rates and ozone production in the troposphere to aerosol properties

Aerosol impacts on NO 2 photolysis rates and ozone production in the troposphere are studied by applying a modern sensitivity analysis technique ADIFOR on a coupled transport/chemistry/radiative transfer model. Four representative types of tropospheric aerosol (rural, urban, maritime, and desert) are evaluated in terms of loading strength and radiative characteristics. The effects of relative humidity (RH), aerosol vertical loading profile, and NO x (NO+NO 2 ) emission are also studied. The presence of absorbing aerosols in the boundary layer is found to inhibit near-ground ozone formation and to reduce ground level ozone by up to 70% in polluted environments. The presence of strongly scattering aerosols may increase ozone concentration in the lower boundary layer, but their effects vary with season, NO x , nonmethane hydrocarbon emission (NMHC), and temperature. Ozone production in the upper troposphere can be either enhanced or weakened, depending on the scattering and absorbing ability of aerosol particles and availability of NO x . In the lower troposphere, NO 2 photolysis and ozone production rates are most sensitive to urban aerosol, followed by rural, then desert, and finally, maritime aerosol. As expected, NMHC, and NO x emissions also are found to have a large influence on O 3 formation.
Development of alternative photocatalysts to TiO2: Challenges and opportunities

Since the early development of this technology in the 1970s, TiO2 constitutes the archetypical photocatalyst due to its relatively high efficiency, low cost and availability. However, during the last decade a considerable number of new photocatalytic materials, either semiconductor or not, have been proposed as potential substitutes of TiO2, particularly in the case of solar applications, for which this standard photocatalyst is not very suitable because of its wide band gap. Semiconductors based on cations with d0 configuration such Ta5+ or Nb5+, as well as oxides or nitrides of d10 elements such as Bi3+, In3+ or Ga3+ are among the most successful novel photocatalysts, but non-semiconductor solids like cation-interchanged zeolites also produce interesting results. In addition, some classical semiconductors like ZnO or CdS, initially discarded as a consequence of their poor stability under irradiation, have been reconsidered as feasible photocatalysts for particular applications. This growing body of data requires new analysis of the challenges and opportunities facing photocatalysis in order to assess which of the photoactive materials are best for each particular application. In this review, we summarize, with an historical perspective, the main achievements obtained with photocatalyst alternatives to TiO2 in the three main niches for this technology: water splitting for hydrogen production, decontamination and disinfection processes, and organic synthesis.
DFT-GGA and DFT+U Simulations of Thin Water Layers on Reduced TiO2 Anatase

We investigated the effect of a reducing subsurface Ti interstitial defect on the structure and reactivity of thin water layers adsorbed on the majority anatase(101) surface of titanium oxide using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. We find that standard DFT-GGA and the DFT+U method predict similar energetics and dissociation barrier for a single water molecule adsorbed on the reduced surface; moreover, the two approaches also lead to very similar structural features and reactivity for an adsorbed water monolayer (ML) on the same surface. This allows us to model 1, 2, and 3 water layers on the reduced surface through Car–Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations up to 20 ps long. Compared to the defect-free surface, the simulations highlight how the interstitial defect alters the stability of surface adsorption sites, substantially enhancing the surface reactivity and leading to a markedly different structure of the first water layers adsorbed on the reduced surface.
Quantitative characterization of the viscosity of a microemulsion

We have measured the viscosity of the three‐component microemulsion water/decane/AOT as a function of temperature and droplet volume fraction. At temperatures well below the phase‐separation temperature the viscosity is described by treating the droplets as hard spheres suspended in decane. Upon approaching the two‐phase region from low temperature, there is a large (as much as a factor of 4) smooth increase of the viscosity which may be related to the percolation‐like transition observed in the electrical conductivity. This increase in viscosity is not completely consistent with either a naive electroviscous model or a simple clustering model. The divergence of the viscosity near the critical point (39 °C) is superimposed upon the smooth increase. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the critical divergence are similar to that seen near the critical points of binary liquid mixtures.
Synthesis of Magnesium Aluminum Oxynitride by Carbothermal Reduction and Nitridation Process

Carbothermal reduction and nitridation (CRN) process was utilized to prepare magnesium aluminum oxynitride (MgAlON) and the influence of reaction variables, such as heating temperature, soaking time and the source of carbon, on the formation of MgAlON was investigated. In addition, the density of samples prepared under different route was compared. The results show that volatile gases, Mg (g) in chief, lead to variation in lattice constant and chemical composition at high temperature, and decrease the sintering effect. Since high temperature and low CO partial pressure are favorable to the CRN reaction in view of thermodynamic reason and high temperature also favors the transport of gases, the rate of CRN reaction increases with the increasing temperature. Due to the difference in reactivity between graphite and carbon black, CRN reaction may be the rate controlling step when graphite is used and solid solution of AIN may be the controlling step when carbon black is utilized. CRN reaction can increase surface energy of reaction materials and results in higher final density. However, gases in the system retard the densification effect.
Tensile Orientation Behavior of Alkoxy-Substituted Bis(phenylethynyl)benzene Derivatives in Polyolefin Blend Films

A series of new dichroic, photoluminescent alkoxy-substituted bis(phenylethynyl)benzene derivatives 1a−e, have been synthesized and characterized. All dyes are highly emissive and show bright-blue photoluminescence with quantum yields in solution ranging from 0.63 to 0.72. Oriented blend films comprising these dyes were prepared with ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) as the matrix material by solution-casting, and with linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) by melt-processing as well as guest diffusion. Despite the introduction of alkoxy substituents, not all dyes are compatible with UHMW PE and large-scale phase segregation was observed during the preparation of a number of UHMW PE blend films. In the case of the latter, films with relatively good dichroic properties are only obtained if the melting point of the dye is lower than or equal to the deformation temperature. On the other hand, melt-processing of 1a−e with LLDPE produces homogeneous blends that, after tensile deformation, give.