Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of microwave heating on pigment composition and colour of fruit purees

Microwave energy was applied to inactivate the oxydoreductases peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC 1.14.18.1) in processed fruit products. Microwave blanching of papaya, strawberry and kiwi purees at various conditions of power and time produced inactivation of PPO and POD activities depending on the fruit and the heating conditions. Treatment at 850 W/60 s produced about 60% of POD inactivation for papaya and kiwi fruit. POD activity in strawberry, however, seemed to be more resistant to microwave inactivation; treatment at 850 W/60 s only achieved a loss of POD activity near 8%. Papaya oxidoreductases showed lower stability in the microwave treatments tested. Microwave blanching at 475 W/45 s produced about 75% inactivation of POD activity and nearly complete PPO inactivation. Kiwi fruit and strawberry purees exhibited similar inactivation of PPO – 32% at 475 W/30 s and 70% at 475 W/60 s. The decrease of PPO activity in both products was almost linear at constant power. This thermal treatment, however, directly affects the colour of the fruit pulps. Papaya, kiwi and strawberry purees suffered slight colour (CIE L* a*b*) changes. Carotenoid, chlorophyll and anthocyanin changes were evaluated by HPLC and related to objective colour. Microwave treatments produced small modifications of the quantitative and qualitative composition of carotenoids (in papaya) and anthocyanins (in strawberry). Chlorophylls (kiwi) showed significant degradation as a consequence of microwave heating. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry
Enhanced Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Control Strategy for Second-Order Unstable Processes with Time Delay

Using the direct synthesis method, a proportional−integral−derivative (PID) controller in series with a lead-lag compensator is designed for control of the open-loop unstable second order plus time delay processes with/without a zero. Set-point weighting is considered for reducing the overshoot. The method has two tuning parameters, and guidelines are provided for selecting the two tuning parameters. The method gives significant improvement in load disturbance rejection performances. The designed controller is also robust for uncertainties in the process parameters. Illustrative examples are considered to show the performances of the proposed method. Significant improvement is obtained when compared to recently reported methods.
Glass formation in binary alloy systems: A prediction of the composition range

Abstract A semi-empirical theory is used to calculate the composition range of binary amorphous alloys. The theory is based on the comparison of the free energies of the amorphous alloy and competing crystalline phases: terminal solid solutions and intermetallic compounds with simple structures. The enthalpy of formation of the solid solution is expressed as a sum of two contributions: a chemical contribution arising from electronic redistribution in forming the alloy, and an elastic contribution arising from the difference in size between solute and solvent atoms. The enthalpy of formation of the amorphous phase has only the chemical contribution. The theory clearly shows the key role that atomic size mismatch plays in determining the glass-forming concentration range, which is successfully computed for an illustrative sample of binary alloy systems. A connection of our treatment with the work of other authors is also provided.
Inhibition of the Carcinogenic Action of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene by Beta-Naphthoflavone∗

Summary Beta-naphthoflavone, a potent inducer of increased polycyclic hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity, was found to inhibit the occurrence of neoplastic lesions resulting from DMBA in experiments in which the beta naphthoflavone was given prior to the carcinogen. Pulmonary adenoma formation in the A/HeJ strain mouse resulting from oral administration of DMBA and mammary tumor formation in the Sprague-Dawley rat also from oral administration of the same carcinogen were both inhibited by beta-naphthoflavone.
Large‐Scale Synthesis of High Quality Trigonal Selenium Nanowires

A direct and simple one-step hydrothermal reaction route has been developed for the synthesis of high quality trigonal selenium (t-Se) nanowires at 110 °C, with (NH4)2S2O3 and Na2SeO3 as starting materials in the presence of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The diameter of the trigonal selenium nanowires can be tuned by carefully adjusting the initial feedstock concentration. The unusual chain like structure of the target material plays a key role in determining the final morphologies of the products. Several factors, such as initial concentration of the feedstock, the presence of surfactant, and the temperature which influences the quality of the t-Se nanowires, have been investigated. The optical properties of the t-Se nanowires with different diameters were examined by means of UV/Vis absorbance spectroscopy at room temperature. The investigation revealed that the absorbance peak for the t-Se nanowires with diameters of 20−40 nm shifts to the blue, relative to those for bulk t-Se nanowires (374 nm) and nanowires with diameters of 50−130 nm (306 nm). (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003)
On the Theory of Grafted Weak Polyacids

We use a self-consistentmean-field (SCF) theory to determine the behavior of grafted polyacids. In these systems, the charge on a brush segment depends on its local environment and on the pH of the solution. The scaling dependence of the brush height on salt concentration O s , is significantly different from that for a brush with constant charge density. In the latter case, the thickness is a continuously decreasing function of O s , whereas for a brush of weak polyacids the thickness passes through a maximum. The numerical SCF results show qualitative agreement with predictions obtained from a simple scaling model based upon a block profile with a uniform degree of dissociation
Formation of Au Nanoclusters on TiO2 Surfaces by a Two-Step Method Consisting of Au(III)-Complex Chemisorption and Its Photoreduction

The aim of this study is to prepare Au clusters with a mean size (d) of less than 3.0 nm, at which nonmetallic properties can be expected to appear. Au clusters (d 300 nm) at temperatures below 25 °C. In the photoreduction of the Au(III) complex to Au0, chemisorbed and physisorbed H2O on the TiO2 surface acts as a reductant. This method also enables us to produce Au clusters selectively at the UV-irradiated TiO2 surfaces.
Variability of methane emissions from an old landfill over different time‐scales

Methane (CH4) emission patterns were investigated at an old landfill in northern Germany during a 2‐year campaign over three different time‐scales (seasonal, daily and diurnal) using modified static chambers. Emissions were not uniformly distributed over the cover soil, but occurred through localized preferential pathways (hotspots). The range of emissions from the 14 investigated hotspots at any one measurement event was large, reflecting large spatial variability of emissions from the landfill. In addition, the individual hotspots showed a large temporal variability of emissions (0–9.7 mol CH4 day−1 over a range of 20 months). Environmental variables effectively modified either the biological process of methane oxidation in the soil (temperature) or the physical gas transport process (moisture and atmospheric pressure). During the seasonal campaign, emissions generally were greater in winter (moister and cooler) and smaller during the summer period (dryer and warmer). Under dry conditions, emissions were independent of soil moisture but correlated negatively with soil temperature. A positive correlation of emissions with moisture was found for moisture levels relating to a matric potential of −30 to −6 kPa, reflecting impeded diffusive oxygen ingress and hence reduced methanotrophic activity. Under very moist conditions, more than −6 kPa, emissions were negatively correlated with moisture content because of decreased gas permeability in the soil. In addition, a pressure decrease preceding the measurement was at all time‐scales often related to large emissions, whereas constant or rising pressure prior to measurement resulted in small emissions. The particular importance of the different effects depends on the type of gas transport at the specific emission location and whether it is advective or diffusive gas transport or a mixture of both, and varies at the temporal scale both between and within locations.
Theoretical Aspects of the Enantiomeric Resolution of Dimetallo Helicates with Different Surface Topologies on Cellulose Columns

Abstract Cellulose has been used to separate the enantiomers of a range of dimetallo coordination compounds with different surface topologies. The compounds are all approximately cylindrical in shape, but are based on octahedral coordination at the metals and are also helical. When separation has been achieved, the first eluted enantiomer has always been proven to have a negative circular dichroism (CD) signal for its longest wavelength metal to ligand charge transfer band. In order to understand the underlying basis for the elution order, gas phase molecular dynamics and snap‐shot minimisations of each enantiomer with the repeat unit of cellulose, glucose, have been undertaken. For new dimetallo helicates, it is important to have a quick assessment of the enantiomeric identity of the first eluted compound. To this end, the coupled‐oscillator model of CD has been applied to relate the signs of the CD signals to the identity of the enantiomers. This correlation is consistent with crystallographic data for the first eluted enantiomer of the parent compound.
Characterization of potential liquid organic fertilizers obtained by alkaline extraction from two‐phase olive‐mill waste composts

Two potential liquid fertilizers were produced from two mature “alperujo” composts by using an alkaline extraction (1M KOH at 70°C). The characteristics of the resulting humic‐like substances were compared to those extracted according to the international humic substance society protocol by using elemental analysis, FTIR and fluorescence spectroscopy in both excitation‐emission matrix and synchronous modes. The results obtained confirmed that the hot alkaline extraction dissolved more polymerized compounds, probably including lignin degradation by‐products and/or newly formed aromatic materials. On the other hand, based on fluorescence excitation‐emission matrix results, different Δλ (18, 66, and 100 nm) were selected to provide more information about humic substances in synchronous mode. The results showed that the extracted humic‐like substances presented characteristics close to those of standard humic materials. As a consequence, the alkaline extraction of “alperujo” compost with 1M KOH at 70°C can be used to produce liquid organic fertilizers, thus diversifying the marketable products obtained from “alperujo,” the most abundant by‐product of the Spanish olive‐oil extraction industry. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 32: 1170–1178, 2013
Inner-sphere, outer-sphere and ternary surface complexes: a TRLFS study of the sorption process of Eu(III) onto smectite and kaolinite

Summary The surface sorption process of Eu(III) onto smectite and kaolinite was investigated by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) in the trace concentration range. The experiments were performed in 0.025 M and 0.45 M NaClO4. The sorption process of Eu(III) onto smectite was obtained by TRLFS under atmospheric conditions and in absence of CO2. The pH was varied between 3.5 and 9 at a fixed metal ion concentration of 3.3 × 10−6 mol/L Eu(III). At low pH (< 4) the metal ion keeps its complete hydration sphere indicating outer-sphere complexation. With increasing pH the formation of an inner-sphere Eu(III) surface complex was observed. The differences in the spectra and the fluorescence emission lifetimes of the surface sorbed Eu(III) in presence and absence of carbonate indicate the formation of ternary clay/Eu(III)/carbonate complexes. The different europium/clay surface complexes were characterized by their fluorescence emission spectra (5D0 → 7F1/5D0 → 7F2 intensity ratio) and their fluorescence emission lifetime.
Estimation of river discharge loadings of PAHs in a suburban river in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

The PAHs loadings on river discharge was estimated based on consecutive measurements during rainfall and non-rainfall periods at a river in a suburban area in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The PAH concentrations ranged from 12 to 58 ng L for dissolved PAHs, and from 8 to 105 ng L for particulate PAHs on rainy periods. In non-rainy periods, they ranged from 10 to 58 ng L for dissolved PAHs, and from 4 to 418 ng L for particulate PAHs. PAH concentrations on non-rainy periods were stable for diurnal and seasonal terms. The dissolved PAH concentration was negatively correlated with EC and the particulate PAH concentration was negatively correlated with SS concentration. The yearly loading amount of PAHs was calculated with the data of river flow rate and PAH concentration, and the calculated yearly PAHs specific loading in the River on rainy days was 37 μg m year and the loading in non-rainy days was 29 μg m year. The total loading was 66 μg m year. From these estimations and our previous studies, the atmospheric loadings and river discharge were compared. From the comparison, the order of the loading from river basin area was comparable to this from atmospheric loadings.
Development of Freshness Index of Eggplant

Surface gloss, stiffness, and density were considered prime contributors to the freshness of eggplant fruit (Solanum melongena L.). An index to measure freshness was defined as the ratio of product of relative spectral reflectance (surface gloss) and stiffness ratios to the density ratio. Surface gloss was measured in terms of relative spectral reflectance using a computerized spectral radiometer system. Stiffness was determined as an initial slope of force deformation curve obtained by uniaxial compression tests. Weight and volume for computing eggplant density were determined by standard methods. These parameters were changed to consumers’ acceptable limit by storing the eggplants for different periods at 25.2. C temperature and 90µ5 % relative humidity. Experiments were replicated five to eight times, and the average values were used to compute dimensionless ratios (values at any time divided by initial value) that were later used to determine a freshness index. Various forms of equations were tested for best fitting the data to establish the best relationship with price variation in local market. The freshness index of eggplant fruit decreased exponentially with storage period while it varied in form of power equation of weight and density ratios. It attained the lowest value (5.6%) at acceptable limit of weight ratio of about 0.87. Freshness index correlated linearly with stiffness ratio and quadratically with surface gloss (correlation coefficient 0.99). Price of eggplant varied linearly with the freshness index with good correlation coefficient (0.98), which indicated that the developed freshness index might be useful in estimating the price of eggplants.
High Quality Transparent Conductive ITO/Ag/ITO Multilayer Films Deposited on Glass Substrate at Room Temperature

In this study, we report the electrical and optical properties of ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer films deposited on glass substrate by in-line RF sputtering of ITO and DC sputtering of Ag at room temperature. The physical properties of the ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer films changed significantly with the thickness of Ag interlayer. The ITO (43 nm)/Ag (16.1 nm)/ITO (43 nm) multilayer films exhibited both good transmittance (79.4% at 550 nm) and low sheet resistance (8.9 Ω/sq.) due to the combined effects of top ITO layer acting as anti-reflection layer and Ag thin interlayer acting as conductive layer. Furthermore, the maximum figure of merit value of the ITO/Ag/ITO multilayer films was obtained at a Ag thickness of 16.1 nm.
Effect of PVP on the Stability of Spontaneously Formed Zwitterionic/Anionic Vesicles

Vesicles can be formed spontaneously in an aqueous mixture of the surfactant lauryl sulfonate betaine (LSB) and sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT). The growth of such zwitter ionic anionic vesicles is promoted by the addition of salt. Even so, they still may disaggregate at high temperature or under osmotic pressure. The introduction of nonionic polymer, PVP (K30), affects stability through its penetration into the vesicle bilayer due to the electric attraction between negatively charged vesicles and dynamically positive PVP, which was proved with the fluorescence method by the change of the ratio of I1/I3. Vesicles are therefore effectively stabilized by PVP against dialysis, whereas they are slightly destabilized against temperature‐ induced disaggregation.
Land Application of Chemically Treated Sewage Sludge: III. Effects on Soil and Plant Heavy Metal Content

Anaerobically digested sewage sludges resulting from treatment of sewage with Ca(OH)/sub 2/, Al/sub 2/(SO/sub 4/)/sub 3/, or FeCl/sub 3/ for phosphorus precipitation were applied to corn (Zea mays L.) and bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyess) grown on a soil having an initial pH of 7.3. Rates of sludge supplied 200, 400, 800, and and 1,600 kg N/ha each year for 5 years. Treatments with NH/sub 4/NO/sub 3/ supplying 0, 100, 20, and 400 kg N/ha were included for comparison. Plant tissue was analyzed for Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni, Cr, and Pb. No toxicity or deficiency symptoms were noted. Soil Zn, Cd, and Ni extracted by NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid) were increased by continued sludge application. The NTA-extractable Zn and Cd were positively correlated with the Zn and Cd concentrations in corn stover. Soil pH was reduced by the Fe-sludge application, slightly affected by the Al-sludge, and increased by the Ca-sludge. Increases in Cu concentrations in bromegrass and corn stover were associated with increases in the N content rather than the source of N, and plant Cu concentrations remained relatively constant across years. Sewage sludge application increased Zn, Cd, and Ni concentrations in bromegrass and corn stover, and Zn and Ni concentrationsmore » in corn grain, particularly at the higher metal loadings from sludge application. Zinc and Cd concentrations, especially in corn stover, increased with continued sludge application during the 5-year period. The inclusion of soil pH as a factor, in addition to cummulative amounts of Zn or Cd added as a constituent of sludge, improved the regression equations predicting Zn or Cd uptake. « less
Columnar defects and irreversibility lines in Tl-based superconductors

Abstract Tl-based superconducting ceramics of different phases (Tl-2212, Tl-1223, Tl-2223) have been irradiated by heavy ions (6 GeV Pb and U). It is shown by high resolution electron microscopy that Pb irradiations induce columnar defects of about the same diameter (95 ± 5) A in Tl-2223 and Tl-1223 whereas a larger dispersion of the diameter around the value of 95 A is observed for Tl-2212. The U irradiation leads to diameters slightly more scattered than in the Pb irradiation. These samples have been studied by SQUID magnetometry before and after irradiation. Drastic increases of the critical current induced by the irradiation have been observed and the ‘hierarchy’ existing between phases about the location of their irreversibility lines remains the same after irradiation at the same fluence.
Theoretical and practical aspects of aroma retention in spray drying and freeze drying

Abstract For many food products the presence of volatile aroma components is a prime quality feature. Upon drying part of these components may be lost, leading to unbalanced flavour patterns in the reconstituted product. The mechanisms of aroma loss in most drying processes are well understood by now. For homogeneously dissolved aroma components this can be described succesfully by Thijssen's selective diffusion theory. Somewhat more complicated is the loss of aroma components which are present in the form of a dispersion. An extensive overview is given of theory and experimental work on aroma loss in slab drying, spray drying and freeze drying. Practical processing rules following from the basic insights are discussed. It is the intention to present a broad coverage of the subject.
Outcome of antenatal care at high risk pregnancy in Qena University Hospitals

Antenatal care (ANC) is defined as the care provided to a woman during her pregnancy, is an important component of reproductive health care. ANC can serve as a platform for the delivery of highly–effective health interventions that can reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths (United Nations, 2014). The current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation is that each woman receives a minimum of four goal–oriented or focused ANC visits for low–risk deliveries, to be supervised or attended by a skilled ANC attendant. The first visit timing should be before 16 weeks of pregnancy, the second visit should be between 24 and 26 weeks, the third visit between 30 and 32 weeks, and the fourth visit between 36 and 38 weeks. WHO defines a thorough set of essential elements for each visit (Saad-Haddad et al., 2016). The central purpose of antenatal care is to screen for and identify high risk pregnancies as early as possible from a general population of pregnant women, and then provide appropriate skilled care for women with high risk pregnancies while continuing to give adequate care for the women with low risk pregnancies. This “risk approach” is a managerial tool for improving maternal and child health care(Oyibo et al., 2011).
Nonlinearity in the Slopes of Clausius−Clapeyron Plots for SVOCs.

Plots of partial pressures of semivolatile organic compounds versus inverse temperature at the time of measurement (Clausius−Clapeyron or CC plots) have been used to infer local air exchange with surfaces. Recent studies have shown that the slopes of such plots are smaller than would be expected from the known heats of vaporization, of air−water exchange, and probably also of air−vegetation exchange. Using data from the Point Petre Master Station of the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network, CC plots for trans-chlordane are examined for various wind directions approaching the measurement site. The slopes of the CC plots are not linear over the entire range of temperatures measured. It is shown that such behavior can be expected from the combination of exchange and transport processes that affect the air concentration at a remote site. The positive curvature of the CC plots can be detected in the usually noisy CC plots by use of regressions, which include an increasing number of data from lower tempera.
ON COMBUSTION AROUND A POROUS BLOWING REACTANT SPHERE IN A LOW REYNOLDS NUMBER CROSSFLOW

Abstract The low Reynolds number limit of flow past a blowing reactant sphere serves to illustrate a powerful theoretical approximation for the conservation equations of combustion. For this approximation to work, the crossflow rate measured by the Reynolds number must be at least one order of magnitude smaller than the blowing Stefan flow rate from the porous sphere (droplet). This approximation, which retains in the equations only the irrotational component of the velocity field, enables analytical solutions to be derived for the mixture fraction and all other scalar variables. The mixture fraction solution permits predictions to be made for the flame including its shape and its position, and their dependence on both crossflow and radial sphere blowing. The porous sphere can also be treated as a transient, decaying fuel droplet in a quasi-steady gas. Using this simplification, an analytical droplet burning rate formula is derived and compared with an empirical correlation formula. Diffusion flame hole development is examined as a function of the crossflow.