Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-education and neuromuscular factors relating to the prevention and rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injuries

Background: The purpose of this study was to use unilateral neuromuscular training following a period of bilateral training compared to a control detraining group. Functional output measures were used to assess cross-education adaptations with a view to their potential use in the rehabilitation of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. No cross-education research to date has incorporated functional interventions or output measures and only one ACL rehabilitation study has investigated the potential effects of cross-education. Methods: Eighteen recreationally active females (21.2 ± 3 years of age, with a stature of 166.4 ± 6.6 cm, and body mass of 61.9 ± 3.6 kg) were recruited (n = 18). The participants all completed a six week bilateral plyometrics programme to raise their functional performances above their baselines. The participants were then divided into two groups, a cross-education group (CEG) (n = 9) and a detraining group (DTG) (n = 9). The CEG completed a nine week unilateral neuromuscular training programme while the DTG ceased their training. Output measures were recorded before and after the bilateral training programme (weeks 0 and 7) and again post-intervention (week 16) for drop jumps (DJs) and single leg vertical jumps (SLVJs). The data for all tests were recorded using Bioware software and a Kistler 9286A Force Platform (Kistler, UK). Additionally an eight channel surface electromyography (sEMG) unit (ME6000, Megawin sEMG, Finland) and two dimensional video analysis were used for the pre and post-intervention tests at week 7 and 16. The variables tested were peak force (N), force adjusted for bodyweight (N·Kg), contact time (s), average rate of force development (N·m·s−1), propulsion (m·s−1), deceleration (m·s−1), velocity (m·s−1), power (W), flight time (s), jump height (cm), knee abduction moment probability (KAM) and knee valgus (cm). Findings: This study found there to be significant effect for DJ velocity on first landing on time (P = 0.02), velocity on take off for SLVJ on interaction (P = 0.02) and peak power on take off on interaction (P = 0.04). For all other variables there was no significant (P > 0.05) unilateral retardation of the detraining effect for any of the kinetic variables for DJs or SLVJs following a nine week neuromuscular cross-education training programme. There were also no significant adaptations to the kinematic variables of KAM for either DJs or SLVJs. Interpretation: There are clear kinetic differences between DJs and SLVJs primarily related to the utilisation of the stretch shortening cycle for DJs given the counter movement nature of the first landing and take off. Other differences include the key muscle groups and joint movements for force generation, which are specific to each jump type. Clinical relevance: Cross-education adaptations for a contralateral limb are well established and there is an increasing interest in its potential use for rehabilitation purposes including the management of ACL injury risks.
Graphene reinforced hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction for the determination of phthalates in water, juice and milk samples by HPLC

A novel graphene reinforced hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction method was developed for the extraction of phthalates (PAEs) from water, juice and milk samples prior to their determination by high performance liquid chromatography. The main factors that affect the extraction efficiency, such as fiber length, concentration of graphene, extraction time, the pH and ionic strength of the sample solution, and stirring rate were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the concentration factors for the analytes ranged between 59 and 71. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) of the method were between 0.2 and 1.2 ng mL−1 for water and juice samples, and between 2.5 and 5.0 ng mL−1 for milk samples. The recoveries of the method were in the range between 81.0% and 108.0% for water, juice and milk samples. The results indicated that the method was rapid, efficient and environmental friendly for the determination of PAEs in different matrix samples.
Theoretical and experimental characterization of amino‐PEG‐phosphonate‐terminated Polyphosphorhydrazone dendrimers: Influence of size and PEG capping on cytotoxicity profiles

The synthesis of new series of PPH (poly(phosphorhydrazone)) dendrimers with amino-PEG phosphonates or the corresponding amino-PEG phosphonic acids as terminal groups is presented, from generations 1–3. The size of PEG-terminated dendrimers is experimentally measured by diffusional NMR, and by means of dynamic light scattering. Classical molecular dynamics and well-tempered metadynamics simulations are used to assess or confirm the formation of aggregates in some cases. The influence of PEG capping on the cytotoxicity profiles of the dendrimers is evaluated on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by means of LIVE/DEAD assays, and confirms the importance of PEG capping to ensure low cytotoxicity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 761–774
Recovery of Deuterium from Water‐Isotopes Mixture in Flat‐Plate Thermal‐Diffusion Columns of the FRAZIER Scheme with Optimal Plate Aspect Ratio for Improved Performance

Abstract The equations for estimating the optimal plate aspect ratio as well as the corresponding maximum recovery, maximum production rate, and minimum plate surface area for recovery of deuterium from water‐isotopes mixture in flat‐plate thermal diffusion columns of the Frazier scheme, have been derived. Considerable improvement in performance is obtainable if the operation is carried out with the optimal plate aspect ratio. It was found that all the optimal plate aspect ratios, as well as the improvements in performance, do not depend on feed concentration.
Location of melting point at 300 K of nitrogen by Monte Carlo simulation

We present an accurate new method to compute absolute free energies of molecular solids by computer simulations. As a first application, we computed the thermodynamic phase transition between the fluid phase and the orientational disordered solid β phase of nitrogen at 300 K, using a well tested pair potential. The computed coexistence pressure and the volume change coincides within the error margins with the experimental values. The coexistence volume differed by 2% from the experimental value. To our knowledge these results constitutes the first numerical calculation of the thermodynamic stability for a model of a realistic molecular solid.
Susceptibility of some Rose Varieties to Verticillium Wilt and Role of Beat Moss and Compost on its Control

ix rose species or varieties, i.e. Rosa gallica var Aegyptiaca, Rosa hybrid var. Hamoschush, Rosa. Hybrid var. Queen, Rosa hybrid var. Yellow, Rosa hybrid var. White and Rosa canina were tested to study their relative susceptibility to infection by Verticillium dahliae, the causal pathogen of rose wilt. All tested varieties and species of rose are liable to infection with different degrees. Isolates VD1 and VD2 appeared to be the most pathogenic ones.Rosa canina was the highly resistant to Verticillium wilt. Rosa gallica var. Aegyptiaca, R. hybrid var. Yellow, R. hybrid var. White and R. hybrida var. Queen are the most susceptible, while Rosa hybrida var. Hamoschush was moderately susceptible to any of the tested isolates. Mixing the Nile loamy soil with different levels of peat moss led to remarkable decrease of both disease incidence (DI, %) and severity (DS, %). The percentages of reduction of DI and DS were increased with increasing the rate of peat moss amended to soil. The maximum infection with any of the tested isolates occurred in the raw loamy soil, 90 days after sowing, whereas the lowest infection resulted when soil was mixed with peat moss by 66.6% (1:2 ratio). Amending of either Bio-Pianta compost or rice straw compost to the soil before sowing significantly decreased the wilt of rose incidence by 44.4 – 88.9 and disease severity by 45.7 91.6% when compared with the control (compost free soil), in both seasons of the experiment. The Bio-Pianta compost caused higher reduction in both DI, % and DS, % of rose wilt if compared with rice straw.
First-principles study of the oxygen adsorption and dissociation on graphene and nitrogen doped graphene for Li-air batteries

Recently, Yoo and Zhou [ACS Nano 5, 3020–3026 (2011)] reported that graphene can be directly used as electrode for Li-air batteries, suggesting that graphene itself can be served as catalyst for O2 dissociation reaction. In this work, we show from density functional theory calculations that the O2 dissociation reaction energy barrier is substantially decreased on the graphene surface comparing to that of in vacuum. Furthermore, N-doping can further decrease the energy barrier from 2.39 eV (undoped case) to 1.20 eV. The O2 molecule physical adsorption, O atom chemical adsorption at the graphene, and N-doped graphene surfaces are also simulated.
Deactivation and regeneration of SCR catalysts used in bio fuel power plants

The SCR technique is used (1998) in five Swedish wood fired CHP plants. These plants are among the first references in the world for SCR in combination with bio fuels. The experiences show some problems with the catalyst function because of deactivation and ash-plugging. The deactivation has been handled by seasonal washing of the catalyst. In this work the cause for and the extent of catalyst deactivation has been investigated when using 100 % wood as fuel. The field tests have been performed in the CFB boiler in Norrkoping, firing forest residues, and in the boiler in Jordbro, firing pulverised wood (PC). Samples of four different commercial catalyst types have been exposed to flue gas in a test rig connected to the convection section of the boiler. The results after 2 100 hours show a large difference in deactivation trends between the two plants; when using a conventional honeycomb catalyst 80 % of the original activity remains in the CFB boiler but only 20 % remains in the PC boiler. The deactivation in the CFB boiler is about 3 - 4 times faster than what is expected for a conservative design for a coal fired boiler. Potassium neutralising the acid sites of the catalyst is suspected to be the reason for the deactivation. The potassium on the catalyst dissolves easily in both water and sulphuric acid. Washing of deactivated catalyst samples with water resulted in higher activity than for the fresh samples if it was supplemented by sulphatization with sulphur dioxide. The use of sulphatization, periodic washing and the use of an optimised catalyst are promising methods to increase the catalyst lifetime and to reduce the operation costs for SCR in bio fuel fluidised bed based power plants.
Homolytic Scission of Interunitary Bonds in Lignin Induced by Ultrasonic Irradiation of MWL Dissolved in Dimethylsulfoxide

Summary An electron spin resonance (ESR) method combined with a spin trapping technique was applied to trap and characterize unstable radicals which were generated by ultrasonic irradiation of the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution of a softwood, Yezo Spruce (Picea jezoensis carr.) lignin. It was found that an unstable secondary carbon radical, ~CH • in the solution was trapped as the stable nitroxide spin adduct when the DMSO solution was subjected to ultrasonic irradiation in the presence of a spin trapping reagent: 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylnitrosobenzene (BNB) at 50°C for 30 min. This means that the alkyl phenyl ether bonds, ~CH-O-phenyl, known as interunitary bonds in lignins were homolytically cleaved by the ultrasonic irradiation, although the phenoxy radical Ph-O •, called guaiacoxy radical, i.e. the counter radical of the secondary carbon radical, was not trapped by the BNB spin trap. This suggests that the trapping of the guaiacoxy radical, having a methoxy group in an ortho-position, by the BNB molecule, carrying two bulky butyl groups in the ortho-positions, is sterically hindered.
Comparative study on total lipid determination using Soxhlet, Roese-Gottlieb, bligh & dyer, and modified bligh & dyer extraction methods

Abstract Soxhlet method was used in hot and standard extraction mode and compared with liquid–liquid extraction methods for lipid determination in food samples. Several solvent mixtures were investigated and Soxhlet extraction time was optimized. Soxhlet extraction was convenient only for solid samples. Except Roese–Gottlieb method, other liquid–liquid extraction methods were suitable for lipid extraction from all samples analysed. Even if the precision of each method was good ( R.S. D.
Impact of Biofloc Technology on the Growth of Goldfish Young Ones

In the present study, the impact of biofloc technology on the growth of goldfish young ones was investigated. In the mean value of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia-N, nitrite-N, nitrate-N and Floc Volume (FV) in biofloc treatment system where goldfish young ones were reared was 25.5oC, 7.9, 3.4 mg/l, 51.92 μg-at-N/l, 1.15 μg-at-N/l, 364.52 μg-at-N/l and 5.25 ml/l respectively. The control set registered the mean value of water temperature (28.6oC), pH (8.1), dissolved oxygen (3.9mg/l), ammonia-N (64.96μg-at-N/l), nitrite-N (2.42μg-at-N/l), nitrate-N (165.22 μg-at-N/l) and FV (0.24ml/l) more than the treatment excepting the nitrate-N and Floc volume. Chlorella sp. , Oscilatoria sp. , Stephanodiscus sp. , Coscinodiscus sp. , Navicula sp. , Amphiprora sp. , Nitzschia sp. , Chaetoceros sp. , Cyclotella sp. , Triceratium sp. , Cymbella sp. , Stentor sp, Paramecium sp, Cyclidium sp, Peranema sp, Petalomonas sp, Rotifer, Nematode or round worm, Chaetonotus sp. and Cyclops sp. were observed in the biofloc treatment tank while the control tank had only Chlorella sp. , Coscinodiscus sp. and Chaetoceros sp. The maximum SGR (25.78) was observed in biofloc treatment while in control the same was 22.87. 91.8 percent survival rate was registered in the young ones of Goldfish reared under biofloc treatment. 52.88 percent growth increment was recorded in goldfish young ones under biofloc treatment when compared with the control.
Covalent Functionalization for Biomolecular Recognition on Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers

We compare two different strategies for covalently modifying carbon nanofibers with biological molecules such as DNA. One method begins with a photochemical reaction between the nanofibers and molecules bearing both a terminal olefin group and a protected amine group followed by deprotection to yield the free primary amine. The second method uses a chemical reaction of an aryldiazonium salt with the nanofibers followed by electrochemical reduction to the primary amine. Both methods then link the primary amines to thio-terminated DNA oligonucleotides. Our measurements show that both methods yield DNA-modified carbon nanofibers exhibiting excellent specificity and reversibility in binding to DNA probe molecules in solution having complementary vs noncomplementary sequences. Quantitative measurements show that 2.3 × 1014 DNA molecules/cm2 will hybridize to the DNA-modified nanofiber samples, approximately eight times higher than for a flat sample of glassy carbon functionalized in an identical manner. Simila.
Computer simulation of blood flow in microvessels and numerical experiments on a cell-free layer

Simulating blood ﬂow in microvessels is a major challenge because of the numerous blood cells suspended in the blood. Furthermore, red blood cells (RBCs), which constitute 45 % of the total blood volume, are highly deformable. RBCs deformation and RBC-RBC interactions determine the complex rheology of the blood. In this research, we simulate the blood ﬂow in periodic two dimensional channels and conduct numerical experiments on the cell-free layer which appears near the wall. We use the boundary integral method and the smooth particle mesh Ewald method to represent the blood ﬂow, and cells are modeled as deformable capsules. In the numerical experiments, we examine four possible mechanisms that may contribute to the cell-free layer: RBC deformation, RBC aggregation, conﬁguration constraint, and the lubrication mechanism. Our simulations correctly represent hemodynamic phenomena such as the blunt velocity proﬁle and the F å hr æ us effect. We observed that more deformable RBCs migrate more away from the wall, and, consequently, the thickness of the cell-free layer increases. However, RBC aggregation increased the cell-free layer thickness by only 5 % . In the experiment on the conﬁguration constraint, no cell-free ”layer” was detected when we removed cells which intersected an artiﬁcial
Crystal structure of copper polysilicate, Cu[SiO3]

For 40 years the copper polysilicate Cu[SiO 3 ], isotypic with the germanate prototype Cu[GeO 3 ], was considered non-existent. Recently however we discovered this compound as a metastable decomposition product of the silicate mineral dioptase, Cu 6 [Si 6 O 18 ]-6 H 2 O. Its orthorhombic unit-cell was refined from Guinier data giving a = 4.6357(6) A, b = 8.7735(11) A and c = 2.8334(4) A. Using powder diffraction data, the crystal structure was determined in the space group Pbmm with Z = 2 formula units, d x = 4.024 g-cm -3 . The reliability factors after least-squares refinement are R F = 0.035 and wR 2 = 0.047. The crystal structure consists of einer single chains of silicate tetrahedra running along [001]. These chains are connected by chains of edge-sharing CuO 4+2 octahedra' with two more distant oxygen neighbours, a result of the Jahn-Teller effect. The interatomic distances were found to be (2×) 1.582(7) A and (2×) 1.640(7) A for Si-O; (4×) 1.941(4) A and (2×) 2.926(7) A for Cu-O. Using this data, the cationic bond valence sums were calculated in accordance with the valencies and found to be 3.96 for Si 4+ , respectively 2.00 for Cu 2+ . The valence angles of ahout 119.5° obtained between silicon atoms and bridging oxygen atoms (ideally 109.47 for the tetrahedral O-Si-O angles and about 139 ° for the Si-O br -Si one) are evidently the topological limits for condensed silicate anions. Being a quasi-onedimensional antiferromagnetic material, the prototype Cu[GeO 3 ] belongs to a few inorganic compounds that exhibit a Spin-Peierls transition. It is expected that Cu[SiO 3 ] will also show magnetic properties of considerable interest.
Synthesis and Characterization of MgCr2O4:Co2+ Fabricated by a Microwave Method

Co2+-doped MgCr2O4 nanocrystals were prepared by a microwave method. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as well as Mg and Cr nitrates, with a molar ratio of metal ion to PVA monomer unit of 1:3, was irradiated with 2.45 GHz microwaves at microwave powers ranging from 400 to 900 W. These were used as precursors for Co2+-doped MgCr2O4 spinels. The Co2+-doped MgCr2O4 nanocrystals were produced by calcining the precursors at temperatures above 500°C. They were then characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the results of which suggest that MgCr2O4 nanocrystals with good spinel structures can be prepared via the microwave method. Infrared (IR) spectra showed that PVA was decomposed. The observed excitation and emission spectra of nanocrystalline powders in the visible regions were characteristic of tetrahedral Co2+ ions, indicating that Co2+ ions entered the MgCr2O4 crystal by replacing tetrahedral Mg2+ ions. The bands at 677.6 nm are assigned to spin-allowed 4T1(4P) →4A2(4F) transitions.
Fast co-pyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene using Py-GC/MS and Py-FT-IR

In this study, the production of high quality biofuel intermediates via fast co-pyrolysis of cellulose and polypropylene (PP) is investigated. Fast co-pyrolysis experiments were performed in a Pyroprobe® reactor and the generated vapors were analyzed using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer for the composition of pyrolysates, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for the time evolution of the key functional groups. The effects of cellulose : PP mass ratio (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) and temperature (500–800 °C) on bio-oil composition, carbon number distribution of the products, higher heating value of the products, and temporal evolution of O–H, C–O, –CH2–, CO2 and CO groups were evaluated. Formation of long chain alcohols in the carbon number range of C8–C20 was observed as a result of the interaction of cellulose and PP. Feed composition played a decisive role in the formation of alcohols and hydrocarbons. A maximum of ca. 36% alcohols and 45% hydrocarbons were obtained from PP-rich mixture at 600 °C. The yield of char decreased and that of the aromatic hydrocarbons increased with pyrolysis temperature. Significant improvement in the heating value of the products was observed when PP was blended with cellulose. Importantly, the calculated heating values correlated well with the cumulative content of alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The addition of PP to cellulose significantly decreased the time taken for completion of pyrolysis. Based on the product distribution, hydroxyl, hydrogen and methyl abstraction were found to be the dominant reactions involved in the transformations.
Measurement of the C2H2 destruction kinetics by infrared laser absorption spectroscopy in a pulsed low pressure dc discharge

The kinetics of destruction of C2H2 is investigated in a low pressure pulsed dc discharge in dry air. Tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region (1350 cm−1) has been used to measure the influence of (i) the pulse duration, (ii) the pulse repetition rate and (iii) the pulse current on the C2H2 concentration in situ the discharge tube. First, it is shown that in the plasma region under flow conditions the time averaged concentration of C2H2 depends only on the time averaged discharge current. Second, time resolved measurements have been performed in a closed reactor, i.e. under static conditions. A simple kinetic modelling of the pulsed discharge leads to a good agreement with the experimental results and shows that the oxidation rate of C2H2 is mainly controlled by the time averaged concentration of O atoms. Finally, the influence of porous TiO2 photocatalyst on the C2H2 oxidation rate is reported.
Characterization of the microbial community in the anaerobic/oxic/anoxic process combined with sludge ozonation and phosphorus adsorption

In this study, the microbial community in the anaerobic/oxic/anoxic (A/O/A) process combined with sludge ozonation and phosphorus recovery was characterized by using phosphorus uptake rate (PUR) analysis and PCR-cloning analysis. Despite effective phosphorus removal, PUR analysis indicated a lower activity of both polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and denitrifying PAOs (DNPAOs) than in other systems utilizing DNPAOs. This result suggested that endogenous denitrifying bacteria actively contributed to denitrification. The PCR-cloning analysis revealed that Bacteroidetes was most prominent in the process, followed by Betaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria. For Bacteroidetes, most of the sequences obtained in this study were not closely related to isolates. On the other hand, for the Alphaproteobacteria, the genera Amaricoccus, Aminobacter, Hyphomicrobium, and Paracoccus, which have the ability both to accumulate poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and to reduce nitrate to nitrite, were detected. For the Betaproteobacteria, which are major denitrifying bacteria in wastewater treatment systems, the genera Dechloromonas and Zoogloea, were identified. Organisms belonging to the family Comamonadaceae, some of which have been reported as being primary poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)-degrading denitrifying bacteria, also existed in the system. Major PAOs/DNPAOs, Rhodocyclus-related PAOs and Actinobacterial PAOs, were not detected, suggesting that unknown PAOs/DNPAOs could have played an important role for phosphorus removal.