Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retention of carotenoids in cassava roots submitted to different processing methods

Large genetic variation in carotenoid content has been reported after screening roots from thousands of cassava genotypes. Moreover, these pigments have to withstand different processing methods before cassava is consumed. True retention of -carotene from cassava roots that had been boiled, oven-dried, sun-dried, shadow-dried, or used for gari preparation was measured. True retention was also measured after storing for 2 or 4 weeks some of the products of these processing methods. Oven-drying, shadow drying and boiling retained the highest levels of -carotene (71.9, 59.2 and 55.7%, respectively) and gari the lowest (about 34.1%). Higher retention was observed when dried roots were kept as chips rather than as flour. Storage of flour packed in plastic bags under vacuum unexpectedly resulted in higher losses than storage of flour packed in plastic bags without the application of vacuum. Losses were higher during the first 2 weeks and tended to be considerably lower during the second 2 weeks of storage. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry.
Thermodynamic Parameters for the Adsorption of Aromatic Hydrocarbon Vapors at the Gas−Water Interface

Experimental data on the adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the gas−water interface is lacking. The inverse gas chromatography (IGC) technique with Chromosorb P NAW as the packing support was used to obtain the thermodynamic parameters for the adsorption of three aromatic compounds (benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene) at the gas−water interface. The partition constants at different temperatures were measured and used to compute the free energy, enthalpy, and entropy of adsorption using the Gibbs−Helmholtz equation. The enthalpy of adsorption at the gas−water interface for all three compounds was larger than the enthalpy of condensation and the enthalpy of aqueous solvation. This supports the prevailing “critical cluster” model for the dynamics of the transfer of compounds to the gas−water interface. The thermodynamics of adsorption at the gas−solid interface was more favorable than that at the gas−water interface. The partition constant at the gas−water interface was correlated w.
Gefüge und Anlaßverhalten von Weißen Bändern

In Walzlagern bilden sich nach grosen Uberrollungszahlen bei hoher Last unter der Laufbahnoberflache in einem Abstand von etwa 10 μm bis 250 μm die sogenannten Weisen Bander, die auch als WEA's (White etching areas) bezeichnet werden. Sie entstehen durch plastische Wechselgleitvorgange durch die sich lokal Karbide auflosen und Kohlenstoff an den Rand der Deformationszone diffundiert. Man unterscheidet zwischen flachen und steilen weisen Bandern, die sich nacheinander durch die spannungsmechanische Beanspruchung des Werkstoffs bilden. Um das Gefuge und das Anlasverhalten von weisen Bandern zu untersuchen, wurden aus dem Innenring eines Schragkugellagers kreissegmentformige Proben hergestellt. Zur Untersuchung des Anlasverhaltens (Karbidneubildung) wurden an einem Teil der Proben drei unterschiedliche Warmebehandlungen durchgefuhrt. Es zeigte sich, das eine bestimmte Temperatur uberschritten werden mus, um deutliche temperaturinduzierte Gefugeveranderungen im Bereich der weisen Bander und des Grundgefuges zu erreichen. Durch Hartemessungen konnte gezeigt werden, das die Harte im Bereich der weisen Bander makroskopisch stark abfallt, ihre direkte Umgebung jedoch eine hohere Mikroharte besitzt als die Bander selbst. Bei einer thermoanalytischen Untersuchung einer Rand- und einer Kernprobe stellte sich heraus, das das thermische Reaktionsverhalten der Randprobe mit etwa 15–20 Vol% weisen Bander im Vergleich zu der Kernprobe ein eindeutig exothermes verhalten aufweist, d.h. das eine Reaktion thermisch aktiviert wird, bei der Energie freigesetzt wird. Der Grund hierfur ist in einem energetisch hoheren Niveau des Randbereiches zu suchen. Structure and Annealing Behaviour of White Etching Areas Due to a high number of revolutions combined with high load beneath the surface of the rings of roller bearings so called white etching areas will accure in a distance of about 10 μm to 250 μm under the race way. Two different kinds of WEA's were observed: the 30° WEA's and the 80° WEA's were built up depending on the direction of the stresses beneath the Hertzian Contact region. To investigate the structure and the annealing behaviour of the WEA's, influenced by three different heat treatments, the inner ring of a ball bearing was used for preparation of the section samples. It was seen that a special temperature must be exceeded to introduce a significant microstructural change in the area of the WEA's. The measurement of the microhardness showed that the hardness decreases in the region of the WEA's, but that the adjacent areas posess a higher microhardness. To see the different behaviour of thermal reaction of a near surface sample with 15–20 Vol% of WEA's and a core sample, a thermoanalytical test was made which showed that the surface-sample had an exotherm behaviour, in relation to the core-sample, because it posessed a higher energetic level.
Recent Achievements in Combination of Ultrasonolysis and Other Advanced Oxidation Processes for Wastewater Treatment

A review of recent advancements in the combination of ultrasonolysis with other advanced oxidation processes is studied. This study is based on the recent achievements and developments in the field of water and wastewater treatment using ultrasonic irradiation by means of acoustic cavitation with other advanced oxidation technologies. The most important parameter in combined methods is the synergetic effect which is a variable relative to the type of contaminant(s) and other physicochemical properties. The synergetic effect has the key role in process intensification so that a higher synergetic effect provides a higher intensified process efficiency. Results showed that sonolysis is a method that can increase the synergetic percentage in lowering fixed and even operating cost of the wastewater remediation. The combination of photolysis, photocatalysis, Fenton, photo-Fenton, and ozonation processes with ultrasonolysis results in hydroxyl radical production and therefore, the degradation of the organic chemicals. The effect of various parameters on the efficiency of combined processes is investigated in the present study. The combined process performance and the synergetic effect depend on the operating conditions and wastewater characteristics. The synergetic effect can enhance the degradation of organic compounds up to 400%. For example, it has been proven that the sonophotocatalytic process shows over 80% improvement with respect to the photocatalysis alone.
Millimeter-wave remote sensing of ozone and trace constituents in the stratosphere

The application of millimeter-wave heterodyne spectroscopy to measurements of ozone and trace constituents in the upper atmosphere (between about 20- and 70-km altitude) is discussed. Brief, introductory reviews, with references, of the chemistry of ozone creation and destruction are given. The technical considerations involved in making the measurements are discussed. A millimeter-wave instrument for measuring stratospheric ozone is described as an example of the application of the technical considerations to instrument design. Results achieved with this instrument are reviewed. >
Smart bioactive surfaces

The purpose of this highlight is to define the emerging field of bioactive surfaces. In recent years, various types of synthetic materials capable of “communicating” with biological objects such as nucleic acids, proteins, polysaccharides, viruses, bacteria or living cells have been described in the literature. This novel area of research certainly goes beyond the traditional field of smart materials and includes different types of sophisticated interactions with biological entities, such as reversible adhesion, conformational control, biologically-triggered release and selective permeation. These novel materials may be 2D planar surfaces as well as colloidal objects or 3D scaffolds. Overall, they show great promise for numerous applications in biosciences and biotechnology. For instance, practical applications of bioactive surfaces in the fields of bioseparation, cell engineering, biochips and stem-cell differentiation are briefly discussed herein.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations on the Interface between Titanium Dioxide and Water Droplets: A New Model for the Contact Angle

The contact angle of H2O on stoichiometric and hydroxylated rutile (100) surfaces was studied by molecular dynamics simulations. On stoichiometric slabs, TIP3P water forms a highly ordered spreading film containing approximately two monolayers. On top of them, droplets with contact angles of 32−34° were formed. Hydroxylation induced complete spreading, whereas reduction of the partial charges of TiO2 mimicked a hydrophobic nonwetting surface. We postulate that the interface between ordered layers and droplets has an energy similar to that between ice and water. The Young equation is applied to this water/water interface rather than to the contact between H2O and TiO2. This approach reproduces the macroscopic contact angle and is consistent with models for radiation-induced hydrophilicity. UV-induced hydrophilicity, which is well-known for several types of TiO2 films, was observed experimentally for oxide layers on titanium metal. The contact angles of water on different titanium samples exposed to air sig.
Optimal control of selective vibrational excitation in harmonic linear chain molecules

A formalism for designing an optical field for selective vibrational excitation in linear harmonic chain molecules is presented based on optimal control theory. The optimizing functional producing the field designs is flexible to allow for the imposition of desirable laboratory and theoretical constraints. The designed optimal fields, which successfully lead to local bond excitations, exhibit complex structure on the time scale of 10 fs. Analysis of the optimal fields shows a high degree of cooperativety between the temporal structure of the fields and the dynamical capabilities of the molecules. It is generally impossible using only spectral information to devise the optical field needed to selectively excite a local bond in a polyatomic molecule. These results explain why the previous intuitively based laboratory attempts at site specific chemistry have yielded disappointing results.
Impact of multiplex polymerase chain reaction testing for respiratory pathogens on early detection of influenza outbreak in adult patients at a Singapore hospital

Volume 5: 1-3 Detailed analysis of the data show that patients presented with chest x-ray with definite consolidation in the lungs (226 patients,33.6%). Positive cases for Influenza were 184 (27.4%) (Table 2). Among the influenza cases, Influenza A H3 was the highest (142 patients,77%) followed by Influenza B (24 patients, 13%) and Influenza A H1 (15 patients, 8.1%). There were 135 (73.4%) patient who were diagnosed with influenza received Oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Table 1 shows the baseline characteristics of patients diagnosed with Influenza A H3. The average length of stay of infected Influenza A H3 patients in the hospital was 10 days. Impact of multiplex polymerase chain reaction testing for respiratory pathogens on early detection of influenza outbreak in adult patients at a Singapore hospital
Using Organic Matter with Chemical Amendments to Improve Calcareous Sodic Soil

Abstract Kangping soil in northeast China is a sodic soil characterized by a high pH and excessive sodium. The high pH and excessive sodium in sodic soils generally cause loss of soil structure, reduce hydraulic conductivity (HC), increase soil hardness, and make the soil unproductive land. After we mixed organic matter (rice straw) and chemical amendments (H2SO4, CaSO4, and FeSO4), a column experiment was conducted to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of the soil influenced by the changes in HC, penetrability of soil s`urface, pH, electrical conductivity, CO3 2‐, HCO3 −, Ca2+, Na+, sodium adsorption rate (SAR), available phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe), and leached P. Organic matter decreased the concentrations of CO3 2‐, HCO3 −, and Na+ in soil solution and increased the total volume of the leachate. Organic matter also reduced the amount of available Fe and increased the available P. However, organic matter did not affect the penetrability of the soil surface as much as soil hardness, HC, and SAR within the short period of this experiment. Among the chemical amendments, H2SO4 and FeSO4 were more effective than CaSO4 to restore HC, electrical conductivity, Na+, and SAR. The chemical amendments, compared with organic matter, significantly leached P from the soil in this study, but the leaching was independent of the concentration of available P in the soil. The CaSO4 had the strongest effect in increasing leached P from the soil without changing the concentration of available P in the soil. Organic matter with added CaSO4 leached P from the soil more than all other treatments.
Cs 2 Te photocathode for the TTF Injector II

High quantum efficiency (Q.E.) (10-12 % @ 254 nm) cesium telluride (Cs2Te) photocathodes has been produced on different substrata. Photoemitter preparation procedure, gas exposition poisoning and rejuvenation effects have been investigated both from the photoemissive properties point of view (e.g. Q.E. vs. λ and vs. gas exposition) and for what is relative to the chemical structure and composition by using electron spectroscopy techniques as AES (Auger Electron Spectroscopy) and XPS (X-ray Electron Spectroscopy). A Cs2Te preparation system for the TTF injector II is under construction and it will be operative within autumn 1996 at Fermilab, where the gun prototype is being assembled. Moreover we are implementing the apparatus used at Milano for the photocathodes R&D activity with a 250 fs Nd:glass high power laser system and a new UHV analysis chamber: both will be used for optical measurements and low energy electron spectroscopy analysis as angle resolved photoemission.
High‐Throughput Computational Screening of New Li‐Ion Battery Anode Materials

We use density functional theory (DFT) in conjunction with grand canonical linear programming (GCLP), a powerful automated tool for analyzing ground state thermodynamics, to exhaustively enumerate the 515 thermodynamically stable lithiation reactions of transition metal silicides, stannides and phosphides, and compute cell potential, volume expansion, and capacity for each. These reactions comprise an exhaustive list of all possible thermodynamically stable ternary conversion reactions for these transition metal compounds. The reactions are calculated based on a library DFT energies of 291 compounds, including all transition metal silicides, phosphides and stannides found in the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD). We screen our computational database for the most appealing anode properties based on gravimetric capacity, volumetric capacity, cell potential, and volume expansion when compared with graphitic carbon anodes. This high‐throughput computational approach points towards several promising anode compositions with properties significantly superior to graphitic carbon, including CoSi2, TiP and NiSi2.
Crystal structure of cyanometallates Me3[Co(CN)6]2 and KMe[Fe(CN)6] with Me=Mn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+

The crystal structure of four cyanometallates has been determined from X-ray powder diffraction data using the Rietveld method. The variously hydrated compounds Cu3[Co(CN)6]2, Mn3[Co(CN)6]2 and KNi[Fe(CN)6] crystallize at cubic symmetry (Fm3m) with lattice parameters 10.032(2), 10.413(3) and 10.234(5) Å, respectively. The crystal of KMn[Fe(CN)6]·2H2O shows a monoclinic structure (P21/c) with the lattice parameters a=10.108(2) Å, b=10.104(3) Å, c=10.114(3) Å, β=92°, 93°. The starting model was based on an isomorphic Mn3[Co(CN)6]2 single crystal structure, where Co and Mn ions are octahedrally coordinated by C and N atoms, respectively, forming three-dimensional bimetallic networks with the C≡N groups as bridging ligands.
FabIO: easy access to two-dimensional X-ray detector images in Python

FabIO is a Python module written for easy and transparent reading of raw two-dimensional data from various X-ray detectors. The module provides a function for reading any image and returning a fabioimage object which contains both metadata (header information) and the raw data. All fabioimage objects offer additional methods to extract information about the image and to open other detector images from the same data series.
Heavy Metal Phytotoxicity to Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) in a Digested Sludge-amended Gangetic Alluvium

A limiting factor in land application of sewage sludge is the resultant heavy metal accumulation in soils followed by biomagnification in the food chain, posing a potential hazard to animal and human health. In view of this fact, pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of digested sludge application to soil on phytotoxicity of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb to radish (Raphanus sativus L.) plants. Increasing sludge levels resulted in increased levels of DTPA-extractable heavy metals in the soil. Cadmium was the dominant metal extracted by DTPA followed by Ni, Pb, and Cr. The extractability of metals by DTPA tended to decrease from the first to the second crop. Dry matter yield of radish increased significantly as a function of increasing sludge treatments. Soil application of sludge raised the concentration of one or more heavy metals in plants. Shoots contained higher concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni than the roots of radish plants. Shoot concentrations of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were within the tolerance levels of this crop at all rates of sludge application. Shoot as well as root concentration of Cd was above 0.5 mg kg−1, considered toxic for human and animal consumption. The levels of DTPA-extractable Cd and Ni were less correlated while those of Cr and Pb were more correlated with their respective shoot and root contents. The results emphasize that accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metals in soil and their build-up in vegetable crops should not be ignored when sludge is applied as an amendment to land.
The Performance Analysis of a Multi-Duct Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Cathode

A 3-D numerical study was carried out first to analyze flow, heat and mass transfer as well as current distribution in a single half-cell cathode duct of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell. From practical point of view, it is necessary to put the appropriate number of cells in a stack. Hence, the above study on a single half-cell is extended to a multiple ducts. Due to multi-duct configuration the assumption of uniform flow distribution would no longer hold true. Therefore, the duct flow maldistribution is considered in the simulation of the multiple ducts. The flow arrangement of the PEM fuel cell resembles that of the plate heat exchangers. Hence, the various types of flow distributions pertinent to the plate heat exchangers are applied to the PEM fuel cell ducts and their effects on heat and mass transfer as well as current distribution are studied in detail. The water formed at the active surface due to the electrochemical reaction diffuses through the porous layer and eventually enters the gas flow duct. A high gas velocity removes the product water at a faster rate from the duct. In nominal-linear and hyperbolic flow distribution cases, the mass fraction of water in the duct is more than that in severe-linear and hyperbolic flow distribution cases. This means that the membrane retains higher water content in nominal distribution cases. This in turn results in higher membrane conductivity and lower ohmic loss. This is the reason for better performance for nominal maldistribution cases over the severe maldistribution cases.
Removal of Dissolved and Particulate Form of Metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) by an Anaerobic Pond System in Marrakesh (Morocco)

The purpose of the present work was to investigate the elimination of heavy metals contained in the wastewaters of Marrakesh city (Morocco) by an anaerobic lagoon system under dry climate. These wastewaters were loaded with heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd). Compared to the norms of water reuse for irrigation, the total concentration of Cd exceeded the maximal level recommended by the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO). The anaerobic stabilization pond reduced the load of Zn, Cu and Pb with respective efficiencies of 28%, 21% and 11%. Heavy metal elimination through this type of pond system was essentially by settling of particulate forms. The decanted sludge is dominated by tiny fractions loaded with heavy metals with increasing amounts from the inlet to the outlet of the lagoon.
Crescimento e nutrição mineral de Eucalyptus maculata e Eucalyptus urophylla em solução nutritiva com concentração crescente de cobre

The effects of increasing concentrations of Cu in nutrient solution on growth, content and translocation of heavy metals and mineral nutrients in eucalyptus were evaluated. Seedlings of Eucalyptus maculata and Eucalypts urophylla were grown in pots containing 2 L of Clarks nutrient solution, amended with 0, 32, 64, 128 and 192 m M Cu supplied as CuSO4. After five weeks of growth in the treatments, plants exhibited typical symptoms of Cu toxicity characterized by aqueous stains, interveinal leaf chlorosis and tissue necrosis. In addition to inhibition of growth, roots were dark even at lower Cu concentrations. The critical Cu toxicity concentrations which decreased shoot dry matter by 10%, were 8,3 mM and 3,3 mM for E. urophylla and E. maculata, respectively, whereas plant tissue critical toxicity concentration was between 12 and 13 mg kg-1 for both species, therefore indicating the high sensitivity of the Eucalyptus spp. to Cu. E. urophylla was less sensitive to Cu than E. maculata and this was related to the capacity of this species to restrict Cu translocation to shoots. Fe translocation was reduced by increasing Cu in both species. Translocation index was, on average, 27% in the control and 12% with 192 mM Cu in nutrient solution. However, E. urophylla exhibited higher Fe uptake under excessive Cu. This effect could be one of the causes of the eucalypts sensitivity to Cu. Toxic concentrations of Cu did not reduce uptake or translocation of P, K, S, Ca e Mg. Therefore reduced nutrient uptake does not account for the Cu toxicity effects observed.
Multilayer Assembly of Hemoglobin and Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles on Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes/Chitosan Composite for Detecting Hydrogen Peroxide

Chitosan (CS) was chosen for dispersing multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) to form a stable CS-MWNTs composite, which was first coated on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode to provide a containing amino groups interface for assembling colloidal gold nanoparticles (GNPs), followed by the adsorption of hemoglobin (Hb). Repeating the assembly step of GNPs and Hb resulted in {Hb/GNPs}n multilayers. The assembly of GNPs onto CS-MWNTs composites was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The consecutive growth of {Hb/GNPs}n multilayers was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The resulting system brings a new platform for electrochemical devices by using the synergistic action of the electrocatalytic activity of GNPs and MWNTs. The resulting biosensor displays an excellent electrocatalytic activity and rapid response for hydrogen peroxide. The linear range for the determination of H2O2 was from 5.0×10−7 to 2.0×10−3 M with a detection limit of 2.1×10−7 M at 3σ and a Michaelis–Menten constant KMapp value of 0.19 mM.