Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitrate removal from liquid effluents using microalgae immobilized on chitosan nanofiber mats

Mats of electrospun chitosan nanofibers were found effective in immobilizing microalgal cells. These immobilized microalgal cells were also used as a durable model system for wastewater treatment which has been demonstrated by the removal of around 87% nitrate from liquid effluents ([NO3−-N]initial 30 mg L−1). Virtuous nitrate removal rates were derived by superimposing physicochemical adsorption and biological nutrient consumption phenomena for chitosan and microalgae, respectively.
Estimate of zearalenone exposure through the intake of white and brown rice in the Korean population

Rice samples (n = 482) harvested for 2010–2012 in South Korea were analyzed for zearalenone content by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. The exposure of the Korean populations was assessed by a deterministic approach. Because the proportion of non-detectable results was >80% in white rice but less than <60% in brown rice, the zearalenone levels for white rice were reported as 0.52 µg kg−1 as lower bound and 2.54 µg kg−1 as upper bound, while for brown rice the middle bound value was 13.9 µg kg−1. The average dietary intake of zearalenone from white and brown rice by the Korean population was estimated to be 1.5 ng kg−1 body weight (bw) day−1 each. For heavy consumers, the average intakes were 18.5 and 10.1 ng kg−1 bw day−1, respectively. The age groups with the highest zearalenone intake were 1–2-year-old children for white rice and 3–6-year-old children for brown rice. Overall, the dietary exposure of the Korean population to zearalenone from white and brown rice was found to be lower than the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 0.5 μg kg−1 bw day−1.
Huntington’s Disease: Clinical Features and Routes to Therapy

In 1872, physician George Huntington reported a familial form of chorea noted previously on Long Island by his father and grandfather, also physicians. More than a century later his comments about the disease now carrying his name, Huntington’s disease (HD), remain a clear description of its major clinical features (Huntington, 1872; reprinted in Huntington, 2003). Huntington described chorea in general as the “dancing propensities of those … affected,” in whom there “seems to exist some hidden power, something that is playing tricks, as it were, upon the will. ” The familial form started “as an ordinary chorea might begin, by the irregular and spasmodic action of certain muscles as of the face, arms, etc. These movements gradually increase when muscles hitherto unaffected take on the spasmodic action…. ”The disease, he further noted, “seems to obey certain fixed laws. ” It is “confined to … a few families, is attended generally by all the symptoms of common chorea, hardly ever manifesting itself until adult or middle life, and then coming on gradually but surely, increasing by degrees, and often occupying years in its development, until the hapless sufferer is but a quivering wreck of his former self. ” The “tendency to insanity,” Huntington observed, progresses so that the “mind becomes more or less impaired, in many amounting to insanity while in others, mind and body both gradually fail until death relieves them of their sufferings. ”The inheritance pattern was also clear to Huntington: “When either or both the parents have shown manifestations … one or more of the offspring almost invariably suffer from the disease … but if by any chance these children go through a life without it, the thread is broken…. ” Finally, he noted the relentless, fatal course: “I have never known a recovery … it seems at least to be one of the incurables. ” Commenting later on Huntington’s description, Sir William Osler noted that “there are few instances in which a disease has been more accurately, more graphically, and more briefly described” (Stevenson, 1934).
Possible climatic implications of depletion of Antarctic ozone.

The total amount of ozone overhead in late winter and early spring has decreased considerablyduring the past decade. Recent satellite data confirm that the column abundances of ozone atAntarctica are among the lowest recorded anywhere on the globe. Our radiative-convectivemodel calculations demonstrate that this depletion of Antarctic ozone could lead to a surfacecooling of about 0.47°K which is in contrast to that observed from climatological temperaturerecords. This calls for a detailed investigation of the air chemistry in relation to dynamicradiativebalance for the Antarctica atmosphere. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1987. tb00103.x
Autoxidation of Organic Compounds in the Atmosphere

We present a hypothesis that autoxidation (inter- and intramolecular hydrogen abstraction by peroxy radicals) plays an important role in the oxidation of organic compounds in the atmosphere, particularly organic matter associated with aerosol. In the laboratory, we determine the rate of this process at room temperature for a model system, 3-pentanone. We employ ab initio calculations to investigate H-shifts within a broader group of substituted organic compounds. We show that the rate of abstraction of hydrogen by peroxy radicals is largely determined by the thermochemistry of the nascent alkyl radicals and thus is highly influenced by neighboring substituents. As a result, autoxidation rates increase rapidly as oxygen-containing functional groups (carbonyl, hydroxy, and hydroperoxy) are added to organic compounds. This mechanism is consistent with formation of the multifunctional hydroperoxides and carbonyls often found in atmospheric aerosol particles.
X-ray diffraction studies on nitric acid dihydrate

Amorphous nitric acid hydrates in the concentration range 25 to 50 mol% HNO3 were prepared by low-temperature quenching of the respective HNO3/H2O aerosols. Subsequently, a properly selected thermal treatment enabled the phase distribution of two thermodynamically stable (NAM, β-NAT) and three metastable phases (α-NAD, β-NAD, α-NAT) to be determined between 180 and 232 K by X-ray powder diffractometry. The intriguing phase distribution of the two nitric acid dihydrates was interpreted on the basis of the classical nucleation theory and Ostwald's step rule using known crystallographic data on α- and β-NAD.
Modeling of the Consolidation Stage in Pressure Filtration of Compressible Cakes

High pressure filtration of fines and colloidal suspensions is determined by the structure of particle network in the flocculated suspension, its yield rheology, hindered settling, and flow through the compressible porous media. A realistic theoretical treatment of the process, incorporating the relevant material functions and transport phenomena, results in a nonlinear partial differential diffusion equation for local solid volume fraction with moving boundaries. Because of the complicated nature of numerical solution, deficiencies in the experimental data, and uncertainty inherent in numerical differentiation, among others reasons, the model equation and its approximate linearized version are not convenient for engineering analysis of industrial high pressure filtration cycles. An approximate model of the filter cake consolidation stage is proposed, taking cognizance of the facts that with filtration time the porosity and thickness of the compact bed decrease and the fluid stress drops continually. The model is significantly easier to implement and seemingly capable of simulating a wide variety of suspensions having diverse dewatering characteristics. Only one filtration run, which need not be driven to the end point, is required to estimate all model parameters for the pressure employed. The consolidation model is meant to supplement the more detailed and rigorous diffusion model of white and coworkers in those situations where data is limited in some way or where there is uncertainty in the measurement of the dewatering parameters. Because of its relatively simple mathematical structure, the model could be useful for engineering analysis and simulation of the filtration cycle, including model based control in the face of fluctuating feed properties.
Analysis of Oligomeric and Polymeric Tannins of Grape Berries by Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization Multiple-Stage Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tannins are highly polar, water-soluble and thermally-labile compounds which are difficult to ionize. Mass spectrometry is very useful for the structural determination of such compounds. In this article, we describe a sensitive method for the identification of tannic composition in grape berries (var. Gamaret). An ion trap, equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface, allowed us to develop multiple-stage fragmentation (MS n ), which provided useful structural information. This technique was applied to a mixture of proanthocyanidins and proanthocyanidin gallate oligomers (B-type) generating identical ion sequences for each parent ion.
Amorphous lead titanate: a new wide-band gap semiconductor with photoluminescence at room temperature

This paper describes a new amorphous wide-band gap semiconductor with photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature. The amorphous PbTiO3 was prepared by a sol–gel-like process in powder and thin film form. The optical property and the PL behaviour showed a direct relation to the amorphous structure. The PL peak energy can be controlled by the change of the exciting surge energy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Possibility of Using Crops as Metal Phytoremediants

The possibilities of using nine crops (Beta vulgaris, Cichorium intybus, Cucurbita pepo, Phaseolus vulgaris, Hordeum vulgare, Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Zea mays, Medicago sativa, and Pastinaca sativa) in removing metals from soil were investigated in field trials from 1999 to 2001. The aim of the study was to determine the efficiency of nine cultivated plant species in removing cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc from soil. The most effective ones in cadmium, manganese, copper, nickel, lead and zinc remediation were - Cucurbita pepo; chromium - Zea mays; iron - Medicago sativa. The phytoremediation efficiency of the investigated crops depended both on biomass production and on the possibility of metal accumulation in tissues.
Investigation of the luminescent properties of Ce3+ doped and Ce3+/Mn2+ co-doped CaAl2Si2O8 phosphors

A series of Ce3+ doped and Ce3+/Mn2+ co-doped CaAl2Si2O8 phosphors have been synthesized in a reducing atmosphere (Ar/H2) via a solid-state route and their photoluminescent properties have been investigated at room temperature. For the CaAl2Si2O8:Ce3+ phosphor, a broad emission band at 430 nm is observed in addition to characteristic bands of Ce3+ peaking at 334 nm and 356 nm. The extra band is assigned to the presence of cationic vacancies naturally created to counterbalance the substitution of Ce3+ ions for Ca2+ alkaline-earth species. Its intensity can be significantly reduced when Ca2+ cations are replaced by the reaction i.e. when the amount of alkaline earth vacancies induced by the presence of Ce3+ cations is minimized. Moreover, the co-doping Ce3+/Mn2+ goes along with the appearance of energy transfers that make possible fine tuning of the CIE(x, y) parameters from blue to warm white and even yellow.
Soil respiration across scales: The importance of a model–data integration framework for data interpretation†

Soil respiration represents the second largest CO2 flux of the terrestrial biosphere and amounts 10 times higher than the current rate of fossil-fuel combustion. Thus, even a small change in soil respiration could significantly intensify—or mitigate—current atmospheric increases of CO2, with potential feedbacks to climate change. Consequently, to understand future dynamics of the earth system, it is mandatory to precisely understand the response of soil respiration to changing environmental factors. Among those changing factors, temperature is the one with clearest and most certain future trend. The relationship of soil respiration to environmental factors and particular temperature has been tackled at a variety of scales—from laboratory via field to global scale, with each of the approaches having its particular problems, where results from different scales are sometimes contradictory. Here, we give an overview of modeling approaches to soil respiration, discuss the dependencies of soil respiration on various environmental factors, and summarize the most important pitfalls to consider when analyzing soil respiration at the respective scale. We then introduce a model–data synthesis framework that should be able to reconcile and finally integrate apparently contradictory results from the various scales.
Innovative large-diameter RO system for water reclamation and seawater desalination

This study presents the performance of two innovative large-diameter (16-inch) demonstration reverse osmosis systems (known as Super-Flux RO systems) for water reclamation and seawater desalination in Singapore. Each 16-inch membrane element of the Super-Flux demonstration RO systems was fitted with patented flow distributors on both ends of each RO element to achieve even distribution of feed water into each membrane element. Electrical coils were embedded into the pressure vessels to produce electromagnetic field for fouling mitigation. Computational fluid dynamics results had verified that feed water was more evenly distributed at membrane inlet with the new flow distributor, compared to the commonly used anti-telescoping device. The operating data collected from the two demonstration RO systems over a period of 1,200 operating hours showed the excellent performance of the Super-Flux RO system regardless of the type of feed water. Both demonstration RO systems produced high quality permeate water and did not show any signs of membrane fouling, i.e., feed pressure, salt rejection and average permeate flux were consistent in the test periods. The average permeate flux of the Super-Flux demonstration RO system for water reclamation was about 2.6 times the value of the existing conventional 8-inch full-scale RO system.
A Comparison of Reflectance Pulse Oximetry and near Infrared Spectroscopy for the Determination of the Fraction of Oxygenated Haemoglobin at Low Oxygen Saturations in an Animal Study

Near infrared spectroscopy scans of cerebral tissue in vivo were compared to reflectance pulse oximetry of local tissue by comparing each method to in vitro femoral arterial blood measurements in an experimental study on 16 newborn piglets. To test the accuracy, the 16 piglets were desaturated stepwise during general anaesthesia, leading to the following results of linear regression analysis of complete data, linear regression analysis for individual piglets and bias ± precision (1SD). Local oxygen saturation (reflectance pulse oximetry) versus arterial (haemoximeter): linear regression analysis R2 = 0.92, n = 207, linear regression analysis for individual piglets: R2 = 0.95 ± 0.05*, p < 0.05 versus near infrared spectroscopy, bias ± precision (1SD): 0.15 ± 9.65%; cerebral tissue oxygenation index (near infrared spectroscopy) versus arterial (haemoximeter): linear regression analysis R2 = 0.26, n = 161, linear regression analysis for individuals R2 = 0.83 ± 0.15, bias ± precision (1SD) −3.33 ± 29%; cerebral concentration of delta oxygenated haemoglobin (near infrared spectroscopy, NIRO 300) versus the corresponding arterial parameter (haemoximeter): linear regression analysis R2 = 0.76, n = 189, linear regression analysis for individuals R2 = 0.90 ± 0.06, bias ± precision (1SD) −2.54 ± 3 μM cm−3. The results of reflectance pulse oximetry in local tissue correlated more closely to in vitro femoral arterial blood measurements (haemoximeter) than results of near infrared spectroscopy, in vivo.
Preparation and characterization of poly(vinyl acetate)-intercalated graphite oxide nanocomposite

Graphite oxide, a pseudo-two-dimensional solid in bulk form, was synthesized from natural graphite powder by graphite oxidation with KMnO4 in concentrated H2SO4. Poly(vinyl acetate) intercalated graphite oxide nanocomposite was prepared by an in situ intercalative polymerization reaction, in which an n-octanol–graphite oxide intercalation compound was first obtained, vinyl acetate monomer was then dispersed into the interlayer of the modified graphite oxide, followed by thermally polymerizing the monomer. It was experimentally shown that the c-axis spacing increased to 1.152 nm when poly(vinyl acetate) was intercalated into the interlayer space of the graphite oxide. Thermal analysis and FT-IR spectrometry were also used to characterize the nanocomposite. The extractability of the intercalated poly(vinyl acetate) and the electrical properties of the nanocomposite were evaluated.
Reinforcement of calcium phosphate cement by bio-mineralized carbon nanotube

Bio-mineralized carbon natotubes (CNTs) were prepared by soaking carboxyl functionalized CNTs in a simulating body fluid (SBF). A uniform hydroxyapatite layer was precipitated on the outer walls of CNTs after 7 days of soaking. The results showed that, by addition of the as-received CNTs and bio-mineralized CNTs, the compressive strength of the calcium phosphate cement (CPC) increased by 24% and 120%, respectively. The modified interfacial bonding between the bio-mineralized CNTs and CPC accounted for the significant improvement in the mechanical property by addition of the bio-mineralized CNTs as compared with the as-received CNTs.
Sellmeier Coefficients and Chromatic Dispersions for Some Tellurite Glasses

Sellmeier coefficients are necessary to optimize the design parameters of optical devices. These coefficients are computed for binary tellurite glasses to find the chromatic dispersion behavior at any wavelength, particularly at the optical windows of optical fiber communication systems and femtosecond technology. A single-oscillator DiDomenico and Wemple's dispersion equation is not sufficient to represent accurately the measured refractive indexes throughout the transmission range. As a minimum, a two-pole Sellmeier equation is necessary to represent the data more accurately. Both the average electronic absorption band gap and the lattice absorption frequency, lying in the UV and IR region, respectively, affect the refractive indexes and their dispersion. Various other optical properties are discussed. A single-oscillator dispersion equation is unable to verify the existence of zero-dispersion wavelength.
Higher order interaction‐induced effects on Rayleigh light scattering by molecular liquids

Molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulation was used to study Rayleigh light scattering (LS) in oxygen and carbon disulfide liquids. Results are presented for one thermodynamic state of oxygen (82 K, 1.215 g/cm3) and two thermodynamic states of CS2 (193K, 1.42 g/cm3 and 293 K, 1.30 g/cm3). The molecular trajectories were generated using Lennard‐Jones atom–atom potential models. LS spectra were calculated using the dipole–induced dipole (DID) model for the interaction‐induced polarizability. The results obtained for the LS intensities, time correlations, and line shapes, using the first‐order perturbation theory for the system polarizability, based on this model, are compared to the exact DID model results. We find that the relative contribution of the higher order DID terms to LS spectra of these liquids can be correlated with the magnitudes of the isolated molecule isotropic and anisotropic polarizabilities. As a result of this, these terms have a very small effect on O2 LS spectra, but that they make a .
Intraparticle diffusion of phenols within bidispersed macroreticular resin particles.

Uptake curves were obtained for phenol, p-chlorophenol and p-nitrophenol/XAD-2000 resin systems using a shallow-bed method for various concentration ranges at 288.2, 298.2, 308.2 and 318.2 K. Both distilled water and a 20% aqeuous solution of isopropanol were employed as solvents, to vary the molecular diffusivity of the solutes. The values of effective intraparticle diffusivity were determined by comparing experimental and theoretical uptake curves. The values obtained for both solvents, i.e., distilled water and propanol/water mixture systems, were not dependent on the amount adsorbed in the higher concentration range. Those results show that, except in the region where there is a low adsorbed amount, an adsorber packed with macroreticular resin particles can be designed using a traditional pore diffusion model.
Spatial Variability of Nitrous Oxide Fluxes and Controlling Soil and Topographic Properties

Spatial heterogeneity of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) flux was characterized along with various soil chemical, physical, and microtopographical properties to identify those determining flux in fertilized grassland in spring 1993 and in fertilized winter wheat in spring 1994. Measurements were made at random locations within regular grids. Nitrous oxide emission was measured using closed chambers at 84 locations in each grid, spread over 2 d. The ranges of emissions from the grassland and from the winter wheat were 0 to 134 and 0 to 26.4 g N 2 O-N ha -1 d -1 . Variograms for N 2 O emission and for concentrations in the soil atmosphere at 100 mm depth indicated that spatial dependence was weak at both sites. Of the other properties, pH and nitrate showed weak autocorrelation but none of the soil physical properties showed any significant spatial dependence. The results of multiple linear regression suggested that denitrification was the main N 2 O production process at the grassland site, but nitrification may have been equally important at the drier winter wheat site. At both sites, the highest N 2 O emissions were associated with areas of a few square centimeters to a few square meters, lying below the average slope. Use of a partial least squares regression technique to predict nitrous oxide flux revealed the contribution of air permeability in addition to nitrate, ammonium, and soil water contents. Our analyses suggested that nitrous oxide production, consumption, and transport processes varied markedly with depth (over a few centimeters) near the soil surface.