Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the various kinds of herbal tea

Objectives : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in a wide spectrum of diseases including chronic inflammation and cancer. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant activities and anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts from the herbal teas such as Lonicera japonica Thunberg (L. japonica), Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat (C. morifolium), Mentha arvensis L. (M. arvensis), and P.rhizoma. Methods : Anti-oxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging assay and Fe2+ chelating assay. And DNA cleavage assay was performed to evaluate an anti-oxidative effect. Anti-inflammatory effect was performed using NO generation assay and western blot in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cell line. Results : L. japonica scavenged DPPH radical by 9.8% at 12.5 μg/ml, 24.8% at 25 μg/ml, 34.3% at 50 μg/ml, 61.1% at 100 μg/ml and 75.8% at 200 μg/ml, respectively. In addition, C. morifolium and M. arvensis removed DPPH radical by 15.6% and 10.4% at 12.5 μg/ml, 34.8% and 22.8% at 25 μg/ml, 66.9% and 43.3% at 50 μg/ml, 87.4% and 69.1% at 100 μg/ml, and 92.1% and 73.2% at 200 μg/ml, respectively. However, P. rhizoma did not affect on DPPH radical scavenging. The Fe2+ chelating activity was highest in L. japonica, but lowest in P. rhizoma among the herbal teas. In addition, the extracts from L. japonica, C. morifolium and M. arvensis inhibited oxidative DNA damage via its anti-oxidant activity. In anti-inflammatory effect, the extracts from C. morifolium inhibited NO production. In addition, it suppressed the NF-κB signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusions : Together, this study indicates that L. japonica, M. arvensis and C. morifolium possess the protective effect against the oxidative DNA damage. Furthermore, C. morifolium exerts an anti-inflammatory effect.
Electrochemistry and photoelectrochemistry of iron(III) oxide

Iron(III) oxide has been extensively studied as a possible n-type semiconductor for use in solar photoelectrolysis cells. However, its properties have remained curiously elusive; even such fundamental properties as bandgap and flat-band potential are still controversial, and this uncertainty has hindered any rational evaluation of the use of the material in solar cells. In this paper, an extensive study of the surface and bulk properties of both single-crystal and polycrystalline Fe2O3 is reported. Surface pretreatment is found to have a major effect on the photoelectrochemical properties. Even in properly treated samples, however, the photocurrent onset is found to be delayed due to the small value of the faradaic rate constant for the oxidation of water, and a semi-quantitative treatment of this case is provided. Improper surface treatment is shown to lead to a substantial conversion of the surface of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4; this introduces a large fraction of recombination sites at the surface that not only delay d.c. photocurrent onset to very anodic potentials but also reduce the observed efficiency to remarkably low values.
Evaluation of capsaicinoids extracts as bioactive substance for antimicrobial films

Capsaicinoid , a naturally occurring alkaloid group and active components which can be found in chili peppers variety ( Capsicum spp .), contributes to the pungency, taste, and aroma of chili peppers. Apart from their culinary and medicinal properties, capsaicinoid functions as antioxidant agent in food preservation. In the current research, the evaluation of bio-active substance of capsaicinoid was carried out to determine its potential in development of antimicrobial film for packaging. A mixture of acetone: petroleum ether (1:1) had been used in extracting the capsaicinoids and carotenoids (natural red pigment). The four types of chili pepper studied were Green Malagueta Salvador , Red Malagueta Salvador , red Thai Capsicum Frutescens and red Cayenne. The optimum capsaicinoids extraction time and amount of carotenoids (color intensity) for each variety of chili peppers were studied. Lastly, antimicrobial properties of AM films were determined as they inhibited both gram-positive ( Streptococcus and B. subtilis ) and gram-negative ( E. coli ) bacteria successfully through agar diffusion test and liquid culture test.
Measurement of Hydroxy Carbonyls and Other Carbonyls in Ambient Air Using Pentafluorobenzyl Alcohol as a Chemical Ionization Reagent

Hydroxy carbonyls and other carbonyls were measured in air by sampling with impingers filled with an aqueous solution of O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA), further reacting the PFBHA derivatives of hydroxy carbonyls with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA), and detecting the derivatives with gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry. Molecular weight determinations of ultratrace (pptv) levels of the derivatives in the presence of coeluting interferences was made possible by using pentafluorobenzyl alcohol (PFBOH) as a chemical ionization reagent. Methyl vinyl ketone, methacrolein, methylglyoxal, glycolaldehyde, and hydroxyacetone were identified in air collected in Azusa, CA. Methyl vinyl ketone, methacrolein, methylglyoxal, hydroxyacetone, glyoxal, and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone were identified in samples collected in Davis, CA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hydroxyacetone and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone in the ambient atmosphere. This work is a significa.
Chemical fractionation of metals in core sediments of Orogodo River, southern Nigeria

Sequential chemical extraction of metals (Cu, Ni, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Zn) from core sediments of the Orogodo River was carried out with a view of providing information on the phase distribution of these metals with respect to depths and seasons. The results indicate that copper was speciated into organic matter/sulfide, Fe–Mn oxides, and residual forms at 0–5 cm depth while at deeper sections copper was predominantly in the residual form. Nickel was speciated mainly into Fe–Mn oxides and residual forms. The average of lead in various particulate phases of the sediment are 0–100% for residual; 0–8% for carbonate; 0–16.2% for exchangeable; 0–10% for organic matter/sulfide form and 22–56% for Fe–Mn oxides bound metals. Manganese was speciated into exchangeable (10–36%) and Fe–Mn oxides bound (10–48%) at the surface layers of 0–20 cm depths and predominantly in the residual form in deeper sections implying partitioning into trioctahydral clay and/or well-defined crystalline oxides. Iron was predominantly in the Fe–Mn oxides and residual fractions, less than 8% in the organic fraction, and 24.4–37.3% in the exchangeable and carbonates fractions at the surface. The percentage contributions of iron in the exchangeable and carbonate fractions decreased to 3.2% at 55–60 cm depth. The amount of chromium in the exchangeable fraction ranged from 0% to 7% for exchangeable; 0–26.5% for organic matter/sulfide bound; 3.8–17.9% for Fe–Mn oxides; and 46.8–100% for residual fraction. The mobility factors of the metals indicated that these metals were relatively mobile at top sections as compared with deeper sections. The overall picture of metal mobility and availability indicates potential contamination risk by Fe, Zn, Mn, and Pb in the Orogodo River sediment system.
In Situ Gas Analysis of Li4Ti5O12 Based Electrodes at Elevated Temperatures

In Li-ion batteries, Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) has merits of an excellent cycling stability combined with a safe working potential of 1.55 V vs. Li+/Li at which no adverse side-reactions with the electrolyte are expected. Concerns regarding gassing of LTO, especially at elevated temperatures, have however recently been reported. In this work, LTO gassing behavior at 50◦C is investigated by in situ pressure and online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS), allowing for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of evolving gases. H2, C2H4, and CO2 are the dominantly evolving gases for ethylene carbonate (EC) based electrolytes. H2 is mainly produced during the first charge step, while C2H4 is observed at lower potentials resulting from the reduction of EC. CO2 evolution mechanism is complex and is promoted at more anodic potentials. Passivating the LTO surface, e.g. by a proper coating, and/or exchanging the LiPF6 salt, may effectively reduce gas evolution, thus clearing the way for future use of LTO in energy storage applications at elevated temperatures. © 2015 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0311506jes] All rights reserved.
Internal Reflections in Polar Ice Sheets

Abstract Internal reflections are due to changes in electrical admittance between adjacent depositional layers. Reflection coefficients are given for discontinuous changes in either the permittivity or loss tangent. The observed strengths of internal echoes rule out the possibility that they are caused by isolated layers containing “foreign” material, but suggest instead that they are due to systematic fluctuations of density, anisotropy, or loss tangent. The electrical behaviour of ice from polar ice sheets is reviewed and compared with that of ice grown in controlled laboratory conditions. We suggest that the impurity distribution in polycrystalline ice is dependent on the impurity content and the temperature of freezing, and the conductivity is essentially determined by the intrinsic and impurity defects within the crystal lattice. In a polar ice sheet, density fluctuations decrease with depth, whereas loss tangents (and hence their fluctuations) increase since the ice becomes warmer towards bedrock. Echo strengths in central Antarctica are compared with those calculated for a boundary where either all bubbles disappear or the loss tangent changes by 50%. Assuming a constant layering geometry to 2 700 m depth, density fluctuations account for echoes above 1 500 m, but deeper echoes are best explained by variations in the ice conductivity.
Inorganic Nanoarchitectonics for Biological Applications

Inorganic structures and their assemblies play important roles in artificial materials for biological applications. In this short review, we briefly summarize recent research on bioapplicable materials supported by inorganic structures possibly reflecting the concept of nanoarchitectonics, according to classification of unit nanostructures (nanoparticles, nanospheres, nanosheets, layer-structures, and nanotubes), internally nanostructured materials (mesoporous materials), organized assemblies (mainly layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies), and hierarchical structures. Bioapplications such as sensing, drug delivery, and cell imaging are described.
Dielectrophoretic liquid actuation and nanodroplet formation

Water, like any polarizable medium, responds to a nonuniform electric field by collecting preferentially in regions of maximum field intensity. This manifestation of dielectrophoresis (DEP) makes possible a variety of microelectromechanical liquid actuation schemes. In particular, we demonstrate a new class of high-speed DEP actuators, including “wall-less” flow structures, siphons, and nanodroplet dispensers that operate with water. Liquid in these microfluidic devices rests on a thin, insulating, polyimide layer that covers the coplanar electrodes. Microliter volumes of water, deposited on these substrates from a micropipette, are manipulated, transported, and subdivided into droplets as small as ∼7 nl by sequences of voltage application and appropriate changes of electrode connections. The finite conductivity of the water and the capacitance of the dielectric layer covering the electrodes necessitate use of rf voltage above ∼60 kHz. A simple RC circuit model explains this frequency-dependent behavior.
Polycubane Clusters: Synthesis of [Fe4S4(PR3)4]1+,0 (R = But, Cy, Pri) and [Fe4S4]0 Core Aggregation upon Loss of Phosphine

The influence of tertiary phosphines on the stability of FeS3P coordination units and the formation of iron−sulfur clusters has been investigated. Reaction of [Fe4S4Cl4]2- with a small excess of PR3 in acetonitrile/THF affords the cubane-type clusters [Fe4S4(PR3)4]1+ (R = Cy, But, Pri), one-electron reduced over the initial cluster and possessing an S = 1/2 ground state. These clusters may be electrochemically oxidized to [Fe4S4(PR3)4]2+ and reduced to [Fe4S4(PR3)4], which can also be generated in solution by chemical reduction. The neutral clusters upon standing in solution lose phosphine and aggregate to form dicubane ([Fe8S8(PCy3)6]) or tetracubane ([Fe16S16(PR3)8]; R = But, Pri) clusters. The [Fe8S8]0 dicubane core has two intercubane Fe−S bonds, defining an Fe2S2 rhomb and affording a structure of overall idealized C2h symmetry. The tetracubane clusters consist of a cyclic array of four cubanes joined in four Fe2S2 rhombs in a structure of overall D4 symmetry, and present a new structural motif in Fe.
Aluminophosphate molecular sieves: a new class of microporous crystalline inorganic solids

A novel class of crystalline, microporous, aluminophosphate phases has been discovered that represents the first family of framework oxide molecular sieves synthesized without silica. The new family of aluminophosphate materials (AlPO/sub 4/-n)/sup 3/ currently includes about 20, three-dimensional framework structures, of which at least 14 are microporous and 6 are two-dimensional layer-type materials. The aluminophosphate materials have interesting properties for potential use in adsorptive and catalytic applications, due to both their unique surface selectivity characteristics and novel structures.
Effect of process variables on liquid hot water pretreatment of wheat straw for bioconversion to fuel‐ethanol in a batch reactor

BACKGROUND: Crop residues as wheat straw are potential sources for fuel-ethanol production as an alternative to current production based on starch- or sugar-containing feedstocks. In this work, the effect of liquid hot water (LHW) process parameters, i.e. temperature (170 and 200 °C), residence time (0 and 40 min), solid concentration (5% and 10% (w/v)) and overpressure applied in the reactor (30 bar and no overpressure), on pretreatment of wheat straw was studied using a full factorial experimental design. Pretreatment effectiveness was evaluated based on the composition of the solid and liquid fractions obtained after filtration of pretreated material, and the susceptibility of the solid fraction to enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) using commercial cellulases. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed that only temperature and time, within the limits of the experimental range, have a significant effect on the responses studied. While the effect of pretreatment time in hemicellulose-derived sugar recovery in prehydrolyzate depends on temperature, EH yield was enhanced as both temperature and time were increased. Maximum EH yield was 96 g glucose per 100 g potential glucose in pretreated residue. Xylan and acetyl groups content remaining in solid residue after pretretament, which were found to be directly correlated, had a marked effect on pretreated substrate degradability. CONCLUSIONS: LHW is an effective pretreatment to enhance the potential of wheat straw as substrate for ethanol production. Maximum hemicellulose-derived sugar recovery (53% of content in raw material) and EH yield (96% of theoretical) fall within different temperature and time intervals, suggesting separate optimization designs for these responses. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Study of methyl‐methacrylate‐viscose fiber graft copolymerization and the effect of grafting on thermal properties

The graft copolymerization of methyl-methacrylate onto viscose fibers was studied under photoactive conditions with visible light using Ce 4+ /Ti 3+ combination as redox initiator in a limited aqueous medium. Polymerization conducted in the presence of light at 30 ± 1°C produced significant grafting, compared with that conducted in the dark under the same conditions. The % grafting, % total conversion, and % grafting efficiency were studied by varying time, monomer concentration, initiator concentration, and pH of the medium. The mechanism of polymerization and graft copolymer formation have been discussed. Characterization of the grafted fibers was done by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of % grafting on thermal properties was studied by thermogravimetric analysis.
Use of General Purpose Adsorption Isotherms for Heavy Metal–Clay Mineral Interactions

Abstract General purpose adsorption isotherm equations were fitted to the sorption data of lead and cadmium on both unmodified and Ca-saturated kaolinite and montmorillonite. Langmuir–Freundlich, Redlich–Petersen, Toth, Dubinin–Radushkevich, competitive Langmuir, and some modified forms of these isotherms were fitted to experimental data, and their goodnesses of fit are compared. The adjustable parameters of the Langmuir- and Freundlich-based isotherms were estimated by nonlinear least-squares analysis. The application of these two isotherms which allow for the effect of surface heterogeneity for both multiple and single desorbing ions during the sorption process was also studied. It was concluded that Redlich–Petersen, Toth, and original and modified forms of Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherms perform superior to the others both in high and low concentration regions for both unmodified and Ca-saturated clays. Competitive Langmuir adsorption isotherm for Ca-saturated clays fitted well for Pb adsorption, while a change of slope was observed for Cd adsorption.
Switching of deep levels in CuInSe2 due to electric field-induced Cu ion migration

To search for the origin of the 0.26 eV deep hole trap, which is well established in p-type CuInSe2 single crystals and thin films, we investigated the influence of electric field-induced Cu ion migration on this level. We show that this hole trap can be removed from the space charge region of a reverse-biased Schottky barrier in p-type CuInSe2 single crystals by annealing at 490 K for 10 min. Simultaneously, a new hole trap at 0.49 eV from the valence band is created in this region. Conversely, the application of a forward bias under the same annealing conditions causes a decrease in the concentration of the 0.49 eV hole trap and a recreation of the 0.26 eV hole trap to the original state. These two processes were found to be reversible. Our results are completely consistent with recent evidence of an electric field-induced Cu ion migration via a vacancy mechanism in CuInSe2. According to a recent theoretical paper on the defect physics of CuInSe2, a candidate for experimentally observed 0.26 eV deep hol.
EFFECTS OF CENTRAL DEPRESSANTS ON THE EVOKED POTENTIALS IN THE INFERIOR COLLICULUS CAUSED BY ACOUSTIC STIMULI IN THE CAT

It has been well-known that the electrical activity of the central nervous system is facilitated by relatively lower doses of central depressants. Many reports were presented to support the facilitatory mechanism in the brain of exprimental animals at lower dose levels of barbiturates: lowering of stimulation threshold for the recruiting response by King (1) and' Domino (2), increase in amplitude of the somatosensory evoked potential recorded from the internal capsule by King et al. (3), and increase in amplitude of the evoked potential recorded from the auditory cortex by Pradhan and Galambos (4). Nakai (5) and Nakai and Takaori (6) showed that pentobarbital sodium, chloralose and chlorpromazine increased the magnitude of the cortical potential evoked by click stimuli and accelerated the manifestation of the ensuing rhythmic after-discharges, while urethane and ethyl alcohol even in small doses reduced the amplitude of the evoked potential. The role of the inferior colliculus as a relay nucleus for the auditory pathway was investigated electrophysiologically by Ades and Brookhart (7) and Thurlow et al. (8). However, there is scarcely any systematic study concerning the effects of central depressants on the evoked potential in the inferior colliculus. It is considered that the effect of central depressants on the collicular acoustic potential may differ from that on the cortical one. The difference may give some clue for the elucidation of the central auditory mechanism.
Biopuce à aptamères : application à la détection de petites molécules par imagerie de résonnance plasmonique de surface

Les aptameres correspondent a de courtes sequences d'oligonucleotides possedant une forte affinite et specificite envers un ligand (petites molecules organiques, peptides, acides nucleiques, proteines, cellules). Du fait de leurs remarquables proprietes, ils sont utilises comme alternative aux anticorps dans les dispositifs de type biocapteur/biopuce, notamment pour la detection de petites molecules (PM < 2000 Da). L'imagerie de resonance des plasmons de surface (SPRi) est une technique de detection optique qui a gagne une attention croissante ces dernieres annees. Elle est basee sur un principe de variation de l'indice de refraction d'une surface selective lors de l'interaction sonde/cible. Sa sensibilite est neanmoins limitee aux molecules de poids moleculaire superieur a 2000 Da. Dans le cadre de ces travaux, nous avons developpe une biopuce a aptameres pour a la detection d'une petite molecule, l'adenosine, au moyen de la technique de resonance des plasmons de surface (SPR). Pour cela, deux differentes strategies ont ete developpees. La premiere combine l'utilisation de nanoparticules d'or (AuNPs) pour l'amplification du signal SPRi avec l'ingenierie des sequences d'aptameres. La seconde strategie est basee sur l'exploitation de la stabilite thermodynamique apportee par l'interaction de la cible (adenosine) avec les sequences d'aptameres. Le dispositif SPR est alors couple a un systeme de regulation de temperature, permettant ainsi d'assurer la dissociation des complexes et d'etablir des profils de denaturation caracteristiques. Nos resultats initient ainsi une nouvelle approche dans la detection de petites molecules par SPRi et ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives de developpement des biocapteurs a aptameres.
Effect of fluctuating oxygen concentration on iron oxidation at the pelagic ferrocline of a meromictic lake

Environmental context The cycling of iron plays an important role in pelagic boundary zones such as the oxic–anoxic interface where physical and chemical gradients occur. The turnover of iron in this zone depends on oxygen fluctuation and the duration of the fluctuation event. This study increases the understanding of biogeochemical iron transformation in such hotspots. Abstract In stratified iron-rich lakes, the interface between oxic and anoxic water bodies, the oxycline, is accompanied by a steep gradient of dissolved iron, the ferrocline. It is a hotspot of biogeochemical transformations, namely the cycling of iron (Fe). The rate of iron oxidation, both chemical and microbial, depends on pH, iron and oxygen concentration, and microbial activity. We investigated the ferrocline of the meromictic Lake Waldsee to find out how the ferrocline is influenced by fluctuating oxygen concentrations. We measured diurnal fluctuations of Fe2+, O2 and pH along vertical profiles during two campaigns in July and September 2011 as well as rates of iron oxidation in laboratory incubations. The oxygen content of the water column varied both between the campaigns and diurnally. We observed a diurnal intrusion of O2 into the ferrocline. The diurnal signal was visible in the iron profile in July but not in September. Iron oxidation rates determined in the laboratory demonstrate the importance of microbial iron reduction and the strong pH dependency. We related the reaction timescales for iron oxidation to the characteristic timescale of oxygen fluctuations by calculating non-dimensional numbers. This analysis showed that an oxygenation event had to last at least 10h in order to affect the depth and vertical extent of the ferrocline, which was the case in July but not in September. Our results show that the duration of events can be an important parameter regulating biogeochemical interactions in pelagic redoxclines.