Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TOTAL POROSITY AND OPEN-PORE POROSITY IN THE DRYING OF FRUITS

A simple procedure has been implemented to measure porosity of apples as a function of moisture contents. The method has been applied to apples with change in moisture contents by conventional air drying. It is shown that the pores, which for biological reasons are open, i.e. connected to the outside, at the onset of dehydration, remain so until X = 1.5 g/g. As dehydration proceeds the pores are split into two families of pores: externally connected pores and locked-in bores. Both total and open pore porosity can be predicted from experimental correlations. Alternatively, the total porosity can be estimated from data on bulk volume shrinkage and the average composition of the tissue by means of equations presented. The interpretation of experimental data using this approach confirms that there is a significant change in the three-dimensional arrangement of the cellular tissue below X = 1.5 g/g. The two approaches lead to the conclusion that, probably due to cellular collapse, the open structure that characterizes the fresh foodstuff changes into a structure with locked-in pores. This fact may help to explain the slow and difficult re-hydration which characterizes air-dried foodstuffs. This hypothesis will be followed up in future work. The information developed should be of help in qualitative and quantitative modeling of processes involving moisture changes.
Influence of Water Content on the Growth of Anodic TiO2 Nanotubes in Fluoride-Containing Ethylene Glycol Electrolytes

The effect of water additions, from 0 to 50 vol %, to an ammonium fluoride/ethylene glycol electrolyte on the composition and morphology of titania-based nanotubes was investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and nuclear reaction analysis. Further to the presence of units of TiO 2 , the films contained fluorine, carbon, nitrogen, and probably hydrogen species derived from the electrolyte. The compositions of the films appeared to be relatively independent of the water content of the electrolyte. Following a small increase in efficiency of film growth for additions between 0 and 1 vol % water, the efficiency decreased from about 25 to about 10% between water contents of 1 and 25 vol %, respectively, possibly due to a combination of loss of titanium species to the electrolyte and evolution of oxygen. The densities of the nanotube layers were estimated to be in the range of 1.25―1.75 g cm ―3 , with an average value of 1.47 g cm ―3 .
On the evaporation of small ions from charged droplets

Experiments are briefly reported which show that small ions separate or ’’evaporate’’ from evaporating droplets carrying electrical charges. A theoretical argument is developed to find in which conditions this ion evaporation can occur; to that end solvation free enthalpies of cluster ions are derived from existing experimental data and the absolute reaction rate theory is applied. The conditions for ion evaporation are compared with those for Rayleigh instability and it is shown that the first process should occur only when the drop reaches sizes of the order of 10−6 cm. The ion evaporation process must be operative in the evaporation of highly electrified cloud droplets when their solute concentration is low.
Development of a heterogeneous catalyst for lignocellulosic biomass conversion: Glucose dehydration by metal chlorides in a silica‐supported ionic liquid layer

An attempt is made to immobilize the homogeneous metal chloride/EMIMCl catalyst for glucose dehydration to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural. To this end, ionic liquid fragments were grafted to the surface of SBA‐15 to generate a heterogenized mimick of the homogeneous reaction medium. Despite a decrease in the surface area, the ordered mesoporous structure of SBA‐15 was largely retained. Metal chlorides dispersed in such ionic liquid film are able to convert glucose to HMF with much higher yields as is possible in the aqueous phase. The reactivity order CrCl2 > AlCl3 > CuCl2 > FeCl3 is similar to the order in the ionic liquid solvent, yet the selectivity are lower. The HMF yield of the most promising CrCl2‐Im‐SBA‐15 can be improved by using a H2O:DMSO mixture as the reaction medium and a 2‐butanol/MIBK extraction layer. Different attempts to decrease metal chloride leaching by using different solvents are described. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 33: 657–662, 2014
Relationship of pH and Floc Formation Kinetics to Granular Media Filtration Performance

In drinking water treatment, destabilization of suspended particles through effective coagulation processes is critical for optimizing filtration performance. This study examined the impact of coagulation pH (6.0−7.4), ζ-potential, and floc formation kinetics on particle removal during settling and filtration. Increasing pH improved turbidity removal in the settling process and significantly increased the ζ-potential range in which filtration performance was optimized. Although it was possible to optimize filtration (i.e., attain total particles < 10/mL) at each of the three pH levels examined, the ζ-potential range in which this was possible was approximately +2 to +4 at pH 6.0 and −4 to +4 at pH 7.4. Overall, these results indicate that the use of a higher coagulation pHand thus higher alum dosesmay be particularly advantageous during periods of rapidly changing water quality conditions, such as high-NOM runoff events. Results from PDA experiments indicated that the rate of floc formation (measured imme.
13C NMR analysis of the triacylglycerol composition of Greek virgin olive oils

High‐resolution 13C NMR spectroscopy was used to study the potential of the method for the quantitative analysis of the most abundant fatty acids in the triacylglycerols of virgin olive oil samples harvested at different geographic areas of Greece. The analysis of the results was compared with data obtained with gas chromatography. Both methods showed results that differed only by 1–2 mol% of the fatty acids. NMR data provided the α/β ratio of oleic and linoleic acids. The results showed a preference for the β‐position in these unsaturated acids. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of oleic acid-coated TiO2 nanoparticles carrying MoO2 (acac)2 in the oxidation of olefins and sulfides using economical peroxides

Titanium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified polymerized complex derived sol–gel method followed by coating with oleic acid (OA) to modify their surface. The reaction with MoO2 (acac)2 yielded the TiO2–OA–MoO2 nanocomposite as a supported cis-dioxomolybdenum complex. The structural and morphological characterization of the as-prepared TiO2 and TiO2–OA–MoO2 were carried out by different techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, TGA and TEM. The catalytic activity of the TiO2–OA–MoO2 nanocomplex in the epoxidation of olefins and oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using H2O2 in ethanol as a safe solvent was investigated. The reactions also proceeded efficiently in the presence of tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP). Good/high yields and excellent selectivity were obtained. The recovery of the title heterogeneous nanocatalyst was easy and efficient and its catalytic activity was strikingly different from other nanooxometals such as m-ZrO2, MoO3, Fe3O4 and TiO2, as well as their nanocomposites such as TiO2–OA, ZrO2–OA–MoO2, MoO3–OA–MoO2 and Fe3O4–OA–MoO2.
The Influence of the Electronic Properties of Passive Films on the Corrosion Resistance of Mo‐Ta Alloys A Photoelectrochemical Study

Photoelectrochemical experiments have been carried out for characterizing passive films on Mo-Ta sputtered alloys having different compositions, as well as on pure Mo and Ta metals. Both corrosion layers, formed by simple immersion in solution, and films grown anodically were investigated. The presence of Mo species in the passive layer anodically shifts the flatband potential with respect to pure Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} films. For high Mo contents the films change their behavior from an insulating to n-type semiconducting one. A variation in the optical bandgap occurs due to the change of the Mo{sup 6+}/Ta{sup 5+} ratio into the passive films. Cross experiments, performed in different solutions on the same film, suggest that a loss of Mo{sup 6+} ions occurs at the oxide/electrolyte interface under anodic polarization. The influence of Mo content on the electronic properties of the passive films is invoked in order to explain its effect on the corrosion resistance of the different alloys.
Dynamics of CO Oxidation on a Polycrystalline Platinum Electrode: A Time-Resolved Infrared Study

Electro-oxidation of CO adsorbed on a polycrystalline Pt electrode in the potential region of hydrogen absorption is examined by fast time-resolved surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy coupled to voltammetry or chronoamperometry. Oxidation dynamics at a weak preoxidation peak around 0.5 V (vs RHE) and the main oxidation peak around 0.7 V observed in stripping voltammetry are focused. IR spectra show that the shift of bridge-bonded CO to atop sites triggers the partial oxidation of CO adsorbed at atop sites to yield the preoxidation peak. It is also shown that CO on terraces becomes very mobile in the main oxidation region after some amount of CO being oxidized via a nucleation-and-growth mechanism and that terrace CO is oxidized faster than CO adsorbed at step edges. The result is interpreted in terms of a Langmuir−Hinshelwood type mechanism involving adsorbed CO and an oxygen-containing species (most likely OH) adsorbed at steps. The oxidation mechanism is essentially identical to that propo.
Some theoretical and computational aspects of the inclusion of proton isomerism in the protonation equilibrium of proteins

The present article discusses some aspects concerning the inclusion of proton isomerism in simulations of the global protonation equilibrium of protein molecules. In the context of continuum electrostatic methods, the usual basis for these simulations, this isomerism can be treated as a coexistence of tautomeric forms in equilibrium in a rigid structure; furthermore, it can be formally extended to nontitrable sites with proton isomerism, such as alcohol groups and water molecules. We follow the previously adopted approach of transforming the real system of tautomeric sites into a thermodynamically equivalent one of nontautomeric pseudosites, establishing a proper relation between the two systems. The necessary energetic and entropic modifications of model compound pKa values are also discussed. Additionally, we discuss the new entropy term, named tautomeric entropy, that results from the explicit inclusion of tautomerism in the simulations and how it can be computed together with the occupational entropy.
Optimization Study of Municipal Sludge Conditioning, Filtering, and Expressing Dewatering by Partial Least Squares Regression

The effect of different conditioner doses and different applied pressures on the dewaterability of municipal sludge during the filtration and expression stage was assessed using a series of experiments referred to as a uniform design. The relative importance of conditioner dose and applied pressure on the dewatering characteristics of municipal sludge was evaluated with a quadratic model using partial least squares (PLS) regression analysis. It was shown that the developed quadratic model was able to accurately predict the dewatering characteristics during the whole process. It was further shown that lime as a physical conditioner had the most significant impact on filtration rate, expression rate, cake dry solids content, net sludge solids yield, and total cycle time. Aluminum polychloride as the inorganic flocculant had a quite complex effect although not as significant as lime. Filtration pressure had only a slight effect on dewaterability of the municipal sludge, though higher feeding pressure was needed in order to enhance the total feeding amount. Furthermore, expression pressure was only of benefit to cake dry solids content and expression rate and failed to improve other dewatering characteristics of the municipal sludge.
Effectiveness and Limits of the Deconvolution of SIMS Depth Profiles of Boron in Silicon

In this paper, an iterative algorithm is used in order to deconvolve some real and simulated SIMS profiles of boron-doped layers in silicon. The real SIMS profiles are obtained by the analysis of delta layers of boron-doped silicon in a silicon matrix, analysed in a Cameca IMS3/4f instrument at oblique incidence. It is shown that two layers that are completely convolved by the SIMS experiment can be completely separated. In order to try to solve the problem of reliability of the deconvolution results, a confidence level is defined, which indicates the level below which the deconvolved profile should not be taken into account. Moreover, a parameter defined previously is used to define whether a satisfying solution of the deconvolution problem exists or not. This parameter is applied to the experimental profiles. The simulated profiles are chosen so that they correspond to real cases encountered by the SIMS analysts and clarify what can be expected from the method. Several characteristic features are examined, such as the separability of Gaussian functions or the dynamic range of the deconvolution of rising or falling functions. It is shown that the minimum distance between two delta layers that can be separated using 3.5 keV/O2+ primary beam SIMS analysis at oblique incidence is equal to 60 A, and that abrupt error functions and exponential functions can be retrieved very satisfactorily. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthetic opportunities of gas-liquid phase-transfer catalysis

Catalyse de transfert de phase gaz-liquide. Synthese de malonate activee par le carbonate de K revetu de polyethyleneglycol. Echange d'halogenure dans les hydrocarbures active par un sel phosphonium revetu de zeolites
Synthesis, characterization, cyclic voltammetry, and antimicrobial properties of N-(5-benzoyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-pyrimidine-1-yl)-malonamic acid and its metal complexes

A new heterocyclic compound, N-(5-benzoyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-pyrimidin-1-yl)-malonamic acid, was synthesized from N-aminopyrimidine-2-one and malonyldichloride. Bis-chelate complexes of the ligand were prepared from acetate/chloride salts of Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Fe(III), Cr(III), and Ru(III) in methanol. The structures of the ligand and its metal complexes were characterized by microanalyses, IR, NMR, API-ES, UV-Vis spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and conductometric analyses. Octahedral geometry was suggested for all the complexes, in which the metal center coordinates to ONO donors of the ligand. Each ligand binds the metal using C=O, HN, and carboxylate. The cyclic voltammograms of the ligand and the complexes were also discussed. The compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi using microdilution procedure. The antimicrobial studies showed that Cu(II), Fe(III), and Ru(III) complexes exhibited good antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria with minimum inhibitory concentrations between 20 and 80 µg mL−1. However, the ligand and the complexes possess weak efficacy against Gram-negative bacterium and Candida strains. As a result, we suggest that these complexes containing pyrimidine might be a new group of antibacterial agents against Gram-positive bacteria.
Changing dynamics of Alaskan peatlands in the continuous permafrost zone

Peatlands in the continuous permafrost region store globally important amounts of organic carbon, but the stability of this store is threatened by climate warming. Reconstructions from peatlands using sensitive indicators of environmental change, such as testate amoebae, offer insight into the way these ecosystems have responded to past climate changes throughout the late-Holocene. This thesis aims to use palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from two peatlands in the Alaskan North Slope, adjacent to Toolik Lake, to understand their recent past and predict future dynamics to projected warming. To do so, the ecology of testate amoebae from peatlands across the Alaskan North Slope was explored to identify the controlling variables in their distribution. Multivariate statistical analysis shows that pore water electrical conductivity (EC), a proxy for peatland trophic status, was the primary control on testate amoeba distribution, with water table depth (WTD) the secondary control. Two transfer functions were produced to reconstruct EC and WTD with good predictive power. Reconstructions identified that both peatlands at Toolik Lake were mostly moderately-wet, minerotrophic rich fens throughout the late-Holocene, but have undergone a rapid transition to dry, oligotrophic poor fens with post-1850 CE warming. Alongside this ecosystem state shift, there has also been a three-fold increase in carbon accumulation rate post-1850 CE. Overall, this thesis extends the utility of testate amoebae as hydrological indicators into continuous permafrost peatlands; and suggests that rapid ecosystem state shifts may have occurred with recent climatic warming, which may indicate increased rates of carbon sequestration in the future.
Surface Restructuring of Nanoparticles: An Efficient Route for Ligand−Metal Oxide Crosstalk

Surface modification of nanocrystalline metal oxide particles with enediol ligands was found to result in altered optical properties of nanoparticles. The surface modification results in a red shift of the semiconductor absorption compared to unmodified nanocrystallites. The optical shift is correlated to the dipole moment of the Ti−ligand complexes at the particle surface and decreases with the ligand size. The binding was found to be exclusively characteristic of colloids in the nanocrystalline domain(<20 nm). X-ray near-edge structure measurements at Ti K edge indicate that in this size domain the surface Ti atoms adjust their coordination environment to form undercoordinated sites. These five-coordinated defect sites are the source of novel enhanced and selective reactivity of the nanoparticle toward bidentate ligand binding as observed using IR spectroscopy. Enediol ligands have the optimal geometry for chelating surface Ti atoms, resulting in a five-membered ring coordination complex and restored si.
High-performance liquid chromatography method validation for determination of tetracycline residues in poultry meat

Background: In this study, a method for determination of tetracycline (TC) residues in poultry with the help of high-performance liquid chromatography technique was validated. Materials and Methods: The principle step involved in ultrasonic-assisted extraction of TCs from poultry samples by 2 ml of 20% trichloroacetic acid and phosphate buffer (pH 4), which gave a clearer supernatant and high recovery, followed by centrifugation and purification by using 0.22 μm filter paper. Results: Validity study of the method revealed that all obtained calibration curves showed good linearity ( r 2 > 0.999) over the range of 40-4500 ng. Sensitivity was found to be 1.54 and 1.80 ng for oxytetracycline (OTC) and TC. Accuracy was in the range of 87.94-96.20% and 72.40-79.84% for meat. Precision was lower than 10% in all cases indicating that the method can be used as a validated method. Limit of detection was found to be 4.8 and 5.10 ng for OTC and TC, respectively. The corresponding values of limit of quantitation were 11 and 12 ng. Conclusion: The method reliably identifies and quantifies the selected TC and OTC in the reconstituted poultry meat in the low and sub-nanogram range and can be applied in any laboratory.
Breadmaking quality of ten greek breadwheats—baking and storage tests on bread made by long fermentation and activated (chemical) dough development processes, and the effects of bug‐damaged wheat

Bread was made using a long fermentation process and an activated (chemical) dough development process from four soft-milling and six hard-milling varieties of Greek wheat. Breadmaking quality was reliably predicted using results from sedimentation tests and Farinograph dough mixing tests. The damaging effects of proteolytic enzymes in flour from insect-damaged wheat, added at the 3% level, were evaluated. The superior qualities of the newer harder wheats were confirmed and it seems that their loaf volume may be unaffected by moderate levels of insect damage. The activated dough development process seems to be very suitable for hard Greek wheats.
Passierbarkeit in unterschiedlichen Abschnitten einer Fischaufstiegsanlage in Schlitzpassbauweise

Vorgeschlagene Zitierweise/Suggested citation: Pitsch, Matthias; Mockenhaupt, Bernd (2014): Passierbarkeit in unterschiedlichen Abschnitten einer Fischaufstiegsanlage in Schlitzpassbauweise. In: Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau (Hg.): Forschung und Entwicklung zur Qualitätssicherung von Maßnahmen an Bundeswasserstraßen. Karlsruhe: Bundesanstalt für Wasserbau; Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde. S. 105-111.
Beyond the Menu: Assessing the Nutritional Quality of Canadian Restaurant Foods

One of the primary preventative measures of non-communicable diseases is a healthy diet. There is currently no oversight of the nutritional quality of foods served in the restaurant industry, meanwhile increasing numbers of Canadians eat outside the home on a regular basis. This thesis aimed to assess mean saturated fat, sodium, and sugar levels in restaurant foods in Canada, and to determine the proportion of menu items that would require one of Health Canada’s ‘high-in’ labels if applied to the restaurant sector. Analyzing data from 10,950 menu items from 96 chain establishments, this thesis represents the largest study of its kind in Canada. Our results showed the majority of menu items evaluated were high in nutrients of public health concern, and would require at least one ‘high-in’ label. This highlights the urgent need for more legislation and strategies to improve the nutritional quality of restaurant foods in Canada.
A comparison of the contributions of clay, silt, and organic matter to the effective CEC of soils of subsaharan Africa

The contributions of clay, silt, and organic matter (OM) to the effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC) of soils in subSaharan Africa were examined using data from more than 2131 soil samples collected from Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. The data were partitioned into highland humid (HLH), lowland humid (LLH), subhumid (SH), nonhumid (NH), low altitude (LA), mid altitude (MA), 0-20-cm depth (D 1 ), and 20-40-cm depth (D 2 ) following preliminary analysis. The soils of each zone are generally low in ECEC and OM, and low to medium in clay and silt contents, and all exhibited wide variations both within and across the zones. In most ofthe zones, ECEC correlated significantly with all three variables. In the NH zone, however, clay exhibited a nonsignificant correlation with ECEC, and silt showed similar characteristics with ECEC in the SH zone. The absolute CEC of clay was highest in the HLH zone, where it made a relative contribution (RC) of67% to the ECEC. The highest RC of silt (37%) was obtained in the NH zone, where the CEC of silt was also highest. Generally, the RC of OM was either as high as or higher than the combined contributions of clay and silt to ECEC, except in the SH and LA zones. For the entire subregion, OM alone could account for about 60% of the mean ECEC of the soils. This demonstrates the overall importance of OM in maintaining the nutrient reserve in tropical areas. The overall variations in ECEC attributable to the three variables could range from 56% in the SH zone to 95% in the LLH zone. The distinct equations obtained for each zone show that interzonal application of the equations is not advisable, in particular because ofthe varying contributions of clay and silt. The study generally reveals that silt not only contributes significantly to ECEC but is more important than clay in some zones.