Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monitoring Soil Ecosystem Recovery Following Bioremediation of a Terrestrial Crude Oil Spill With and Without a Fertilizer Amendment

The effect of fertilizer as an amendment in the bioremediation of a terrestrial crude oil spill has been investigated in terms of the subsequent recovery of the soil ecosystem following bioremediation. Two different spills in the same area with different initial hydrocarbon concentrations (33,500 mg kg-1 and 4,800 mg kg-1) were compared. At the higher initial hydrocarbon concentration fertilizer addition increased the rate of bioremediation (first-order rate constant of 0.0033 days-1 with fertilizer amendment vs. 0.0020 days-1 without) and resulted in more rapid recovery of soil bacteria (numbers, community structure, diversity) and nematodes (trophic diversity and community structure). The effect of the fertilizer amendment was more significant at the higher initial concentration of crude oil hydrocarbons, presumably due to greater depletion of soil nutrient pools in the absence of the amendment. A second objective of this work was to identify sensitive and cost-effective ecological indicators useful for monitoring the recovery of soil ecosystems impacted by crude oil. Ecological indicators used included: microbial numbers, community structure, and activity as revealed by biomarker analysis (phospholipid fatty acids); nitrogen availability; nematode numbers and community structure (trophic groups and colonizer-persister classes); and ultimately, plant cover and diversity. All ecological indicators investigated were sensitive to disturbances in the soil food web in a hydrocarbon-impacted site. However, nematode community structure analysis offered the greatest sensitivity coupled with low cost and readily available sources for the analysis.
Synthesis and investigation of mechanism of platinum–graphene electrocatalysts by novel co-reduction techniques for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications

In this paper, we demonstrate two novel green synthesis methods for preparing platinum–graphene catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. Starting from graphite oxide, the platinum precursor is added and the composite is separately subjected to (a) focused solar radiation and (b) hydrogen gas, for carrying out simultaneous reduction of graphite oxide to graphene and platinum complexes to platinum nanoparticles. These co-reduction methods employ a single agent, namely either sunlight or hydrogen gas, to accomplish the reduction process. Both techniques are therefore cost and energy effective and capable of large scale production. Rotating disc electrode (RDE) and PEMFC measurements reveal the high performance of these electrocatalysts as compared to commercial Pt–C electrocatalysts due to high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. Stability studies show that both catalysts are highly stable under acidic medium. The proposed methods are quite general in their applicability and we believe that these can be extended for synthesizing a wide variety of electrocatalysts such as various metal, metal oxide or metal alloy nanoparticle decorated carbon nanostructures.
Isocyanates in marine sponges: Axisocyanate-3, a new sesquiterpene from Acanthella cavernosa

The isolation of axisocyanate-3 as a minor component of Acanthella cavernosa has been confirmed by spectroscopic characterisation of the metabolite, and by conversion of a mixture of axisothiocyanate-3 and axisocyanate-3 to their diethyl(thio)urea derivatives. The role of isocyanates in the formation of urea metabolites in sponges has been investigated through a model study with a menthyl-derived isocyanate.
Cotton flame retardancy: state of the art and future perspectives

As clearly reported in the scientific literature, the history of cotton flame retardancy is very old: this is easily attributable to the chemical and physical properties of this fibre that made it predominant during the 20th century; at present, it is only exceeded in volume by polyester. As a consequence, the huge number of papers published in the scientific literature so far covers an extended period and, sometimes, it could be easy to forget some of the knowledge already developed in the past and to focus the attention on the recent highlights only. Therefore, the present work is aimed to review the most significant scientific and technological results about the flame retardancy of cotton, merging the past experience and the current efforts, trying also to foresee a possible scenario for the next future. After a historical excursus on the achievements up to 2010, the review will summarize the recent developments reached in the so-called “era of nanotechnology” for cotton, as a consequence of the setup of new approaches like nanoparticle adsorption, Layer by Layer assembly and sol–gel processes. Finally, a possible alternative development route indicated by the potential exploitation of bio-macromolecules as green flame retardant systems will be briefly discussed.
Plasmonic fluorescence enhancement of DBMBF2 monomers and DBMBF2-toluene exciplexes using al-hole arrays

The optical properties of aluminum hole arrays fabricated via colloidal lithography were investigated. By tuning the hole diameter and hole spacing independently, their influence on the Bloch wave–surface plasmon polariton (BW-SPP) and localized surface plasmon resonances resonances (LSPR) could be identified. The aluminum hole arrays were used to enhance the fluorescence of a dibenzoylmethanatoboron difluoride (DBMBF2) dye. The dye exhibits the advantageous property of forming an exciplex with aromatic compounds. The interaction of DBMBF2 monomer fluorescence and DBMBF2–toluene exciplexes with Al hole arrays is studied. Furthermore, the respective roles of the BW-SPPs and LSPRs were studied through tuning of the plasmon resonances from the UV excitation wavelength (λext = 385 nm) through the visible emission range (400–550 nm). Monomer emission was predominately enhanced by BW-SPPs while exciplex emission showed a contribution from both BW-SPPs and LSPRs. Fluorescence enhancement of 3.8 was observed for .
Nanoporous Alumina Membranes as Diffusion Controlling Systems

This work describes the use of nanoporous alumina membranes for the diffusion of crystal violet molecules, encapsulated in the micelles of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), through pores ranging between 20 and 200 nm in diameter. The encapsulation of the crystal violet in SDS micelles is necessary in order to enlarge the size of the molecules to such an extent that the pore size becomes a speed‐controlling function. Superior results were obtained when the membrane‐containing capsule is placed into a water‐filled beaker, and carefully moved by means of a “tipping bridge” in order to prevent diffusion problems in the capsule. Free crystal violet was liberated following diffusion due to the low SDS concentration in the aqueous solution, which was far below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Micelle formation and encapsulation of crystal violet is shown by UV‐visible and fluorescence spectroscopies. The experiments described herein serve as an exploratory test for developing novel drug delivery systems.
Design of protein crystals in the development of solid biomaterials

The design of protein crystals has become a growing field in materials science and biotechnology. Protein crystals have immense potential for use as new porous materials that allow the precise arrangement of exogenous compounds by metal coordination and chemical conjugation in the solvent channels of the crystals. Generation of novel protein crystal lattices and regulation of chemical environments by design of protein interfaces represent important efforts in this field. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the preparation of 2D and 3D protein crystals by several approaches including protein engineering, ligand-mediated assembly, interfacial metal coordination, symmetric assembly by engineered proteins, genetic fusion of protein domains, and computational design of protein interfaces. A major advantage of using protein crystals as solid materials is that they can be utilized as porous biomaterials for accumulation of functional molecules, such as metal ions, metal complexes and inorganic nanoparticles. Protein crystals can be used in applications such as separation processes, heterogeneous enzymatic catalysis and drug delivery systems. It is expected that engineering of protein crystals will provide remarkable advances in the field of materials science.
Microbial inactivation by ultra high-pressure homogenisation on fresh apple juice

The effect of ultra high-pressure homogenisation (UHPH) on the microbial shelf life of fresh apple juice immediately after treatment and storage at 4 °C was studied and compared with fresh raw apple juice and a conventional heat treatment (pasteurised apple juice (PA)) used at industrial level (90 °C for 4 min). Apple juice samples were processed using an ultra high-pressure homogeniser (model FPG11300, Stansted Fluid Power Ltd., Essex, UK), applying treatments of 100, 200 and 300 MPa (single stage) at an inlet temperature of 4 °C. The microbial quality was studied by enumerating total counts (TC), psychrotrophs (PS), moulds and yeasts (MY), lactobacilli (LB), enterobacteriaceae (EB) and faecal coliforms (FC). UHPH samples at 200 and 300 MPa and PA samples reached reductions on PS, MY, LB, EB and FC of at least 3.9, 3.5, 2.4, 3.2 and 3.0 log cycles, respectively, whereas on TC reductions were of 2.6 and 3.6 log cycles on UHPH samples at 200 and 300 MPa, respectively, and at least 4.3 log cycles (not detected) on PA samples. Hence, alternative methods such as UHPH may give new opportunities to develop fresh apple juice with an equivalent shelf life to PA in terms of microbiological characteristics.
Effects of gate dielectrics and their solvents on characteristics of solution-processed N-channel polymer field-effect transistors

In this study, we investigated the effects of polymer gate dielectrics and their solvents on the characteristics of n-channel top-gate-structured organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) that used poly{[N,N-9-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,59-(2,29-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)) (ActivInk™ N2200). The characteristics of P(NDI2OD-T2)-based OFETs are strongly dependent on the chemical properties of the polymer gate dielectrics used and the morphology of the semiconductor–dielectric interface, which is dependent of the dielectric solvent used for dielectric-layer deposition. Both spin-coated and inkjet-printed P(NDI2OD-T2)-based FETs exhibited reasonably high values of field-effect mobility (μFET) at 0.1–0.3 cm2 V−1 s−1 with poly(methyl methacrylate) as the gate dielectric and a number of carefully selected orthogonal solvents. The value of μFET decreased to 0.03 cm2 V−1 s−1 for a solvent with poor orthogonality (1,2-dichloroethane). This was due to the semiconductor–dielectric interface being rough owing to the dissolution and/or swelling of the underlying P(NDI2OD-T2) layer. In addition, the value of μFET decreased dramatically, to 0.005 cm2 V−1 s−1, with poly(4-vinyl phenol) (PVP) as the dielectric material, dissolved in a perfectly orthogonal solvent (1-butanol). This was due to electron trapping by the hydroxyl groups in PVP.
Three Dimensional Spheroid Co-culture Invasion Assay

[Abstract] The assay was developed to investigate the impact of stromal cells of different types (in our case breast cancer associated fibroblasts stably manipulated to modify expression of genes of interest) on the invasive capacity of epithelial cancer cells (in our case breast cancer cell lines) (Verghese et al., 2013). Typical two dimensional invasion assays do necessarily account for the presence of extracellular matrix that is present around the stromal and tumour cells in vivo and therefore cellular behaviour within these cultures may be non-physiological. This spheroid assay was developed to attempt to replicate more closely the environment that is present around breast cancer stromal and tumour cells in actual tumours (Verghese et al., 2013). Extra cellular matrix composed of both collagen IV and collagen I is included and fibroblasts and epithelial cells are given the opportunity to develop “physiological” interactions (Verghese et al., 2013; Hooper et al., 2006). The method was developed from Nowicki et al. (2008), and we have published data using it in Verghese et al. (2013).
Photochemically Modified α-Crystallin: A Model System for Aging in the Primate Lens¶

Abstract The purpose of this study was to quantitatively study the changes that occur upon irradiation of 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) in the presence of α-crystallin under conditions similar to those in the lens. The samples were prepared in 10 mM phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, bubbled with O2 or Ar and irradiated with 300–400 nm light. The amount of light absorbed by the samples (Iabs) was measured using azobenzene as an actinometer. Modifications to α-crystallin were monitored by ultraviolet–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. Aerobic samples had increased absorption around 320 nm and above 400 nm while the 3-HK maximum at 368 nm decreased. The isolated modified protein showed that there was increased absorption throughout the spectrum. Changes in the anaerobic samples were similar to those of the aerobic but occurred more slowly. As irradiation time increased fluorescence emission of the isolated protein red shifted and quantum yields of fluorescence (Φf) were calculated at different irradiation time intervals by comparison to 3-HK. By comparing OD320/OD365 for the model system to values from primate lenses, Iabs can be correlated with age and transmission of the sample in the blue region of the spectrum and thus allows lenticular aging to be quantitated.
Separation and Determination of Lamivudine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Efavirenz in Tablet Dosage Form by Thin-Layer Chromatographic-Densitometric Method

This paper describes the development and validation of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous determination of lamivudine (LAM), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and efavirenz (EFV). The separation was carried out on Merck HPTLC aluminum plates precoated with silica gel G60 F254 (20 × 10 cm) with 250-µm thickness using chloroform-methanol-toluene (9:1.2:0.3, v/v) as mobile phase. HPTLC separation of the three drugs followed by densitometric measurement was carried out in the absorbance mode at 260 nm. The drugs were resolved satisfactorily with RF values of 0.20 ± 0.02, 0.61 ± 0.01 and 0.73 ± 0.02 for LAM, TDF and EFV, respectively. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed good linear relationship with r2 = 0.9997, 0.9991 and 0.9990 for LAM, TDF and EFV, respectively, in the concentration range of 400–800 ng spot−1 for LAM and TDF and 800–1600 ng spot−1 for EFV. The limit of detection and quantitation were 180 and 300 ng spot−1, respectively for LAM, 150 and 210 ng spot−1, respectively for TDF and 300 and 400 ng spot−1, respectively, for EFV. The method was validated for precision, robustness, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), specificity and accuracy. The method can be used for routine analysis of these drugs in various formulations in quality control laboratories.
Balancing theory of series-stacked power quality conditioners

This paper develops a systematic and mathematically formal study of the balancing theory of series-stacked multilevel converters. It is shown that the DC bus voltages of these converters balance naturally, provided that the switching frequency is chosen high enough. Two balancing mechanisms, one associated with losses and the other with the load impedance, are identified. A 2 MVA series-sacked power quality device was constructed and the theoretical results were verified experimentally.
In situ solvothermal syntheses of a heteronuclear copper(I)-alkaline metallic tetrazole-based coordination polymer

Three novel heteronuclear coordination complexes, namely, [Cu2K(Mtta)I2] (1), [Cu3K(Mtta)3I] (2) and [Cu2Na(Mtta)2(CH3CN)I] (3) (HMtta = 5-methyl-1H-tetrazole) have been solvothermal synthesized by CuI, MCl [M = K (1) and (2); M = Na (3)], sodium azide and acetonitrile generated via a [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of acetonitrile and sodium azide. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that all complexes are three-dimensional (3D) frameworks, where complex 1 is constructed by connecting rare µ5-N bridging Mtta ligands to Cu–I–K layers, complex 2 is built up by connecting inorganic cationic [Cu6I2]4+ clusters with numerous Mtta ligands, while complex 3 is constructed from open Cu(Mtta) subnets and Na+ centers. Furthermore, the luminescence properties of all complexes have been investigated. This work further supplements the mechanism of the Demko-Sharpless reaction in heteronuclear tetrazole-based coordination polymers.
Monodispersed Ag nanoparticles loaded on the surface of spherical Bi2WO6 nanoarchitectures with enhanced photocatalytic activities

Spherical Bi2WO6 nanoarchitectures with scale of 2–4 μm were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction using bismuth nitrate and ammonium tungstate as raw materials. Ag was deposited on the surface of Bi2WO6via a following facile photoreduction process. The as-prepared samples were characterized by UV-Vis-DRS, BET, XRD, XPS, FE-SEM, and HR-TEM. The results revealed that the monodispersed metallic Ag nanoparticles with average size of 10–15 nm were deposited on the surface of the spherical Bi2WO6 nanoarchitectures. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by the photodegradation of RhB and thiophene under visible light irradiation. The results showed that Ag loading greatly improved the photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6, and the content of loading silver has an impact on the catalytic activity of Bi2WO6. The 0.5at%Ag-loaded Bi2WO6 sample exhibited the best photocatalytic activity in both the decolorization of RhB and desulfurization of thiophene. In addition, the mechanism for the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of Ag-loaded Bi2WO6 was also investigated by comparison of their PL spectra.
Ab Initio‐Based Prediction of Phase Diagrams: Application to Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

An ultimate goal of material scientists is the prediction of the thermodynamics of tailored materials solely based on first principles methods. The present work reviews recent methodological developments and advancements providing thereby an up‐to‐date basis for such an approach. Key ideas and the performance of these methods are discussed with respect to the Heusler alloy Ni–Mn–Ga – a prototype magnetic shape‐memory alloy of great technological interest for various applications. Ni–Mn–Ga shows an interesting and complex sequence of phase transitions, rendering it a significant theoretical challenge for any first principles approach. The primary goal of this investigation is to determine the composition dependence of the martensitic transition temperature in these alloys. Quasiharmonic phonons and the magnetic exchange interactions as well as the delicate interplay of vibrational and magnetic excitations are taken into account employing density functional theory.
Analyse du coût de renouvellement en élevage bovin lait : Analyse du renouvellement et de la carrière des vaches laitières, coût deproduction des génisses et identification de marges de progrès

En elevage laitier, l’elevage des genisses garantit la perennite de l’exploitation. Faute de marche dynamique, par habitude ou par volonte, la plupart des eleveurs elevent toutes leurs genisses et reforment prematurement leurs vaches laitieres, souvent encore bonnes productrices. Il a ete propose par la Chambre d’Agriculture du Nord-Pas-de-Calais de s’interesser au cout de renouvellement du troupeau laitier en valorisant les donnees issues des gestions technico-economiques 2018. Une etude menee sur 141 elevages, specialises en production laitiere, nous livre quelques pistes interessantes. Le taux de renouvellement moyen des troupeaux est de 35%. Le cout de renouvellement du troupeau est la difference entre le produit des reformes des femelles et le cout de production des genisses pour les remplacer. Il est en moyenne de 34€/1000L mais la variabilite entre les elevages est notable. Le cout de production des genisses est en moyenne de 1430€. Parmi les charges liees a l’elevage de genisses, le cout alimentaire est la charge la plus variable et est estime en moyenne a 700€/genisse. Pour pouvoir analyser correctement le cout de renouvellement, il faut tenir compte du contexte de l’exploitation. Les elevages a cout de renouvellement eleve sont generalement en augmentation de cheptel. Pour maitriser les charges de renouvellement, il est conseille aux eleveurs de vendre le surplus du renouvellement en genisses amouillantes ou de pratiquer des velages croises. Abaisser l’âge au premier velage et augmenter la longevite des vaches permettent de diminuer le cout de renouvellement.
REVIEW ON NIOSOMES AS NOVEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Niosomes are lamellar structures that are microscopic in size. They constitut e of non - ionic surfactant of the alkyl or dialkyl polyglycerol ether class and cholesterol with subsequent hydration in aqueous media. Niosomes are now widely studied as an alternative to liposomes. Niosomal dispersion in an aqueous phase can be emulsified in a non - aqueous phase to regulate the delivery rate of drug and administer normal vesicle in external non - aqueous phase. Stable niosome dispersion must exhibit a constant particle size and a constant level of entrapped drug. The application of niosomal t echnology is widely varied and can be used to treat a number of diseases
Multi-layered tissue head phantoms for noninvasive optical diagnostics

Extensive research in the area of optical sensing for medical diagnostics requires development of tissue phantoms with optical properties similar to those of living human tissues. Development and improvement of in vivo optical measurement systems requires the use of stable tissue phantoms with known characteristics, which are mainly used for calibration of such systems and testing their performance over time. Optical and mechanical properties of phantoms depend on their purpose. Nevertheless, they must accurately simulate specific tissues they are supposed to mimic. Many tissues and organs including head possess a multi-layered structure, with specific optical properties of each layer. However, such a structure is not always addressed in the present-day phantoms. In this paper, we focus on the development of a plain-parallel multi-layered phantom with optical properties (reduced scattering coefficient and absorption coefficient μa) corresponding to the human head layers, such as skin, skull, and gray and white matter of the brain tissue. The phantom is intended for use in noninvasive diffuse near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of human brain. Optical parameters of the fabricated phantoms are reconstructed using spectrophotometry and inverse adding-doubling calculation method. The results show that polyvinyl chloride-plastisol (PVCP) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are suitable materials for fabrication of tissue mimicking phantoms with controlled scattering properties. Good matching was found between optical properties of phantoms and the corresponding values found in the literature.