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Agriculture is heavily dependent on the weather and soil condition. Day by day the weather is getting unpredictable due to climate change, thus the soil condition gets changed. Thus the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a key component in agriculture to improve productivity. The objective of this research is to develop an Internet of Things (IoT) system, named Smart Germination Assistant (SGA) system to improve the seed germination for different types of plants. The proposed system uses multiple sensors to measure and automatically adjust the moisture, humidity, pH level, temperature, and sunlight of a land to the standard value for each particular type of crop. The performance of the SGA system was experimentally evaluated with 300 seeds of jute leaf, where 150 seeds were sowed in SGA system and other 150 seeds were sowed in a natural environment. The experimental data was collected during 25 May to 07 June, 2018. The experimental results showed that the SGA system makes seed germination at higher rate with maximum survivability.

Traditional farming and fishkeeping have enabled human populations to produce foods, but as communities grow though, less and less agricultural and farm land is available. In addition, due to climate change, producing crops progressively is a difficult thing to do. Aquaponics address these concerns. Aquaponics is the integration of aquaculture and hydroponics in one system. The purpose of this study is to create an automated aquaponics system using Nile Tilapia and Romaine Lettuce with access and control of pH level and temperature through Internet of Things (IoT). Intel Edison is used as the microprocessor which continuously sends information of the aquaponics’ status and adjusts them if the parameters falls below their optimal levels. The system can be monitored with the use of an Internet Protocol (IP) camera. Weekly comparison of the growth of the plant and fish in automated aquaponics, and traditional fishkeeping and hydroponics are done and growth in the automated aquapponics is significantly greater than its traditional counterpart.

The composition and development of naturally occurring microbial communities are defined by a complex interplay between the community and the surrounding environment and by interactions between community members. Intriguingly, these interactions can in some cases cause synergies, where the community is able to outperform its single-species constituents. However, the underlying mechanisms driving community interactions are often unknown and difficult to identify due to high community complexity. Here, we show how opposite pH drift induced by specific community members leads to pH stabilization of the microenvironment, acting as a positive interspecies interaction, driving in vitro community synergy in a model consortium of four coisolated soil bacteria, Microbacterium oxydans, Xanthomonas retroflexus, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, and Paenibacillus amylolyticus. We use microsensor pH measurements to show how individual species change the local pH microenvironment and how cocultivation leads to a stabilized pH regime over time. Specifically, in vitro acid production from P. amylolyticus and alkali production primarily from X. retroflexus led to an overall pH stabilization of the local environment over time, which in turn resulted in enhanced community growth. This specific type of interspecies interaction was found to be highly dependent on medium type and concentration; however, similar pH drift from the individual species could be observed across medium variants. IMPORTANCE Understanding interspecies interactions in bacterial communities is important for unraveling species dynamics in naturally occurring communities. These dynamics are fundamental for identifying evolutionary drivers and for the development of efficient biotechnological industry applications. Recently, pH interplay among community members has been identified as a factor affecting community development, and pH stabilization has been demonstrated to result in enhanced community growth. The use of model communities in which the effect of changing pH level can be attributed to specific species contributes to the investigation of community developmental drivers. This contributes to assessment of the extent of emergent behavior and members9 contributions to community development. Here, we show that pH stabilization of the microenvironment in vitro in a synthetic coisolated model community results in synergistic growth. This observation adds to the growing diversity of community interactions leading to enhanced community growth and hints toward pH as a strong driver for community development in diverse environments.

Batik waste monitoring system with LoRa is an instrument to monitor batik waste based on the BML standard, using low power to achieve long distance communication range. Monitored parameters include pH level, temperature, and turbidity level. Interface used is the Thinkspeak cloud service. This system has 0.18 error on pH sensor, 1°C error on temperature sensor and 17 NTU error on turbidity sensor. Maximum range system is 200m on line of sight condition and 100m on residential area. Data analysed from this system will be used as a reference for future works on LoRa based monitoring system.

Background: Inside the oral cavity, restoration always in contact with wet condition, including carbonated drink with low pH level and erosive potential. Sometimes, materials are stored for prolonged time exceeding their expiration date. This research aimed to determine the effect of expiration date (ED) of GIC type II toward its surface deterioration (surface hardness and roughness) when immersed in carbonated drink. Method: This was an experimental laboratory using GIC type II with ED of 2014, 2016 and 2021. Ten cylindrical specimens per group were made (d=10mm, h=2mm). Surface hardness and roughness measurements were done prior and after specimens were immersed for seven days in carbonated drink. Carbonated drinks were changed daily to maintain its pH level. Result: There were reduction in surface roughness and increased in surface roughness after immersed for seven days. The greatest deterioration occurred in group expired in 2014. Based on the Kruskal Wallis test result, there was a signifcant difference in surface hardness alteration (p=0.000) and surface roughness alteration (p=0.000) based on its ED. Conclusion: ED has great impact on surface characteristics (hardness and roughness). Using expired GIC type II deal with great risk of surface deterioration when in contact with low pH level beverages

A fast and accurate ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometric method was established to determine the presence of chlorogenic acid (CGA) according to potassium ferricyanide-Fe (III) detection system. The reaction temperature and pH level greatly influenced the CGA absorption spectrum. Maximum UV–vis absorption wavelength occurred at 790 nm under the optimum conditions (at 25 °C and pH 7.0). The results of UV–vis were further assessed by comparing the results with those of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The proposed method showed a wide linear sensing range of 10.0–800.0 μg mL−1 (R2 = 0.9996) and a high degree of precision (%R.S.D. 3.39). Results of CGA and HPLC methods correlated well with each other. The proposed accurate, rapid, sensitive, low-cost, and high-throughput method was successfully used to quantify CGA in fermentation broth and fruits (Mango). Therefore, it may be applied for measuring CGA in biological samples.

Semi-refined carrageenan are a type of carrageeanan product that have a low level of purity because it still contains a small amount of selulose within the carageenan. The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of the concentration of both NaOH and KOH towards rendemen, and the physical and chemical charactheristic of semi refined carrageenan made from kappaphycus alvarezii seaweed, and also to minimize the use of chemical product on SRC production process. The method used in this study is steaming method. The results are the rendemen from NaOH is 10% and KOH 14%. This proves that the concentration of alkali affects the amount of rendemen. The higher the amount of alkali used, the higher the amount of rendemen obtained. Water content obtained from the NaOH samples are 3,75%; while those from the KOH samples are 5%. The ash content of semi-refined carrageenan obtain from NaOH samples are 55,42% and KOH are 55,27%. For the pH level on semi-refined carrageenan obtain from the NaOH samples are 8,06; and KOH are 8,69. The alkali concentration greatly affects the amount of rendemen that is obtained because a higher concentration of alkali during the alkalization process will result in higher pH level, therefore the extration ability of alkali are increased.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in biomedical research, but the difficulty in determining their in vivo characteristics limits their clinical translation. So far, positron emission tomography (PET), which requires that the NPs are labeled with an appropriate positron nuclide, appears to be the most likely solution to this problem. 64Cu is the most frequently used positron emitter in NP research and 64Cu radiolabeling using chelators is the most commonly used strategy, although this method has some shortcomings in practice. In the present study, we directly integrated 64Cu into the internal cavities of generation 5 polyamidoamine (G5 PAMAM), a commercially available NP, without the need for chelators. The labeling time, pH level, temperature, and amount of precursor were systematically varied to determine the optimum labeling conditions. Preliminary biological evaluation in mice revealed that the 64Cu direct labeling method was feasible for the preparation of labeled PAMAM for in vivo studies. This study introduced a novel idea for 64Cu labeling of dendrimers (and other NPs with a similar structure) and should facilitate the application of NPs in biomedical studies.

In modern days, the pH level maintaining the process solution present in the cylindrical tank is an essential factor in paper and chemical industries. The main thing is to keep, the pH value of the solution in the neutral range, proper controlled mixing of acid and base solutions is needed. So in this paper, such a control problem has beenaddressed using the conventional PID controller with different tuning methods along with advanced controllers like Fractional OrderPID controller (FOPID), Neural controllerand Internal Model Controller (IMC). In addition to that, the FOPID controller with different tuning methods has implemented for pH level control. The system performance has analyzed with the help of MATLAB simulation. By comparing the responses of different controllers, the suitable controller has adopted for maintaining the pH level.

Kimchi (a traditional Korean fermented vegetable) was prepared with a starter, Lactobacillus zymae GU240 producing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and one precursor of GABA (glutamic acid, glutamic acid monosodium salt (MSG), or kelp extract). L. zymae GU240, an isolate from kimchi, can grow at 7% NaCl and low temperature. Five different kimchi samples were fermented for 20 weeks at -1°C. Kimchi with starter alone could not produce GABA. The GABA content was highest in kimchi with co-inoculation of the starter and MSG (1% (w/w)). Kimchi co-inoculated with the starter and kelp extract powder (3% (w/w)) had the second highest GABA content. Addition of glutamic acid powder (1% (w/w)) caused a reduction in the pH level of kimchi and growth inhibition of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Kimchi samples with MSG or kelp extract showed improvement of sensory evaluation scores. The results demonstrate the possibility to produce kimchi with improved functionality and taste by using L. zymae GU240 as a starter along with a suitable precursor such as MSG or kelp extract.

Objective Aspirin is a commonly used medicine for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It is an acidic medicine associated with gastric irritation and acid reflux, which in turn can lead to low oral pH levels. Therefore, it is important to understand the association between aspirin and oral pH levels in order to achieve an optimum oral health condition among patients who take aspirin on prescription. Results Out of 373 patients, 162 (44%) were males and 245 (66%) were on aspirin. 71% of aspirin taking patients and 29% of non-aspirin taking patients had oral pH less than 6.5 (P

In recent days, people working in agricultural fields are facing lot of problems in cultivating their crops. The solution for such a problem is provided by the solar powered irrigation system. Here with the help of solar panel, submersible pumps, PV cells are used in producing energy. In this system, the moisture sensor and the pH level sensor are powered wirelessly. The sensed data values are transferred to the user mobile via GSM communication method. The aim of this paper is to help the farmers to use water effectively and use solar energy for irrigation purpose.

To ensure normal body function, specific pH levels need to be maintained. In average it is about 7.4 (◘ Table 22.1). The pH level reflects the effective H+-ion concentration or H+-ion activity. Increase of H+-ions and decrease of OH−-ions result in a shift of the pH level towards the acid range and vice versa to the alkaline range (H+-ions = acid ions; OH−-ions = base ions). The formula for the pH level is

The aim of this study was to investigate the hydration status among T-Team FC players during Malaysian Cup against FELDA United FC. It is hypothesized that players may experience dehydration before and after the match in the hot and humid environment. Urine samples were assessed before and after the match via urine specific gravity (USG) and urine pH level measurements of 17 elite football players. As result, there were significant differences in both measurements before and after. Players experienced euhydration before the match (USG 1.035; 92%). Urine pH before match (6.694 ± 0.519) and post-match (6.278 ± 0.492) also indicated an increase in urine acidity after the prolonged game match. T-Team FC players initially started with euhydrated status and struggled to maintain their body fluid balance due to inadequate water intake during the match. As advised by fluid intake guidelines, it is recommended for players to consume water around 150–300 ml for every 20–30 min during games. This action helps in keeping the body well euhydrated. Consumption of sufficient fluids during a match may also prevent excessive (≥3% BM) dehydration. This evidence has suggested that insufficient water intake may impair the physical performance, and thus it is also will be associated with the degradation of psychological abilities as well.

Several epidermal barrier functions, like skin barrier regeneration and antimicrobial response, are related to the acidic nature of the skin surface pH (ss-pH). However, the epidermal acidification is known to be fragile and it is commonly accepted that cosmetic products, especially soaps and skin cleansing products, can induce significant changes in ss-pH. As a consequence, epidermal barrier function and skin microflora are affected negatively. ss-pH even increases after a single washing procedure or after rinsing the skin with water alone. The skin pH recovery needs time up to several hours before it can reach the physiological level. For cosmetic-relevant skin conditions, skin disorders and specific consumer groups, maintaining of the acidic ss-pH is beneficial for epidermal physiology and cutaneous microflora. In this context, cleansing and skin care products with a pH level of 4.0-5.0 may be helpful. In addition, combining the acidic product pH level with the ideal mix of surfactants, thereby enhancing product compatibility and minimizing skin irritation and intolerance, is a major challenge for the future. Beyond innovative cleansing technology, further multifaceted cosmetic research is a prerequisite to get deeper knowledge on the interrelation of product pH level, surfactant composition and corneobiology.

The aim of this research is to investigate the potential of Sulfidic Natural Water (SNW) of Sebau-Lombok Island as a substitute for the expensive and toxic sulfidising agent, Natrium Hydrosulphide (NaHS), in removing the dissolved Cu2+ from the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The study was conducted by characterising SNW from several sampling points, comparing the recovery of the dissolved Cu2+ using NaHS and SNW at the same pH level, and studying the potential of SNW in several concentrations to precipitate dissolved Cu2+ from the AMD collected from Copper Mine Industry of Batu Hijau Sumbawa Island. The SNW of Sebau exhibited several characteristics, such as: warm temperature (37-39°C), slight alkaline condition (pH = 7.20 - 7.25), electrical conductivity (2330 – 2370 µmhos/cm), sulphate content (4.08 – 6.38 mg/L), and sulphide content (13.58-16.79 mg/L). NaHS (11 × 10−4 M) could precipitate the dissolved Cu2+ (44.45 mg/L) up to 71.3%, while pure SNW of Sebau could completely precipitate the dissolved Cu2+ (44.45 mg/L) at pH 5.5. Applying the SNW of Sebau more than 20% could also precipitate the dissolved Cu2+ in AMD (141.35 mg/L) for more than 93%. These results demonstrated that SNW of Sebau has a potential to remove the dissolved Cu2+ and replace the function of NaHS as a sulfidising agent in the AMD treatment.

In E. coli, under high pH/high salt conditions, a major Na+/H+ antiporter (NhaA) is activated to maintain an internal pH level. Its expression is induced by a specific regulator NhaR, which is also responsible for osmC and pgaA regulation. Here I report that the NhaR regulator affects the carbon storage regulatory Csr system. I found that the expression of all major components of the Csr system-CsrA regulator, CsrB and CsrC small RNAs, and the CsrB and CsrC stability were indirectly affected by nhaR mutation under stress conditions. Using a combination of experimental and in silico analyses, I concluded that the mechanism of regulation included direct and indirect activation of a two-component system (TCS) response regulator-UvrY. NhaR regulation involved interactions with the regulators H-NS and SdiA and was affected by a naturally occurring spontaneous IS5 insertion in the promoter region. A regulatory circuit was proposed and discussed.

The project is designed to build an automatic aquarium kit. The aquarium kit consists of electronic components that control the fish-tank environment by maintaining the parameters such as temperature and PH. The project is very useful for the people who like decorating their houses with an aquarium. Therefore, here the project presents how this smart system works. The smart system has three main functions; food supplying, water filtration, and maintaining system). The food supplier system provides food for the fishes in the aquarium kit automatically. Therefore no effort is required from the user to feed the fishes. The filtration system provides clean water in the aquarium kit. In case if the water gets dirty in the aquarium, then the user will be allowed to enter the system to activate water pump by using manual switch. There is a system in the aquarium kit project to maintain the pH level, humidity level and temperature. The temperature is maintained between 20 and 35 degrees Celsius by the water pump. The water pump recycles the water to cool down the temperature in the system. However if the humidity goes above 20% then the system will run the fan to blow the air in the aquarium in order to reduce the humidity below 20%. In case if the PH level goes above 7 alarm will be activated to alert the user to read the PH level.

Research question Temperature fluctuation negatively impacts the assembly and function of the meiotic spindle, but does pH have a similar effect? Design Polarized light microscopy was used to study the spindle in living mouse oocytes under different pH conditions. Female mice ( n = 53) were superovulated, and oocytes collected, denuded and allocated to treatment groups. All experiments were performed at 37°C, and standard bicarbonate-buffered medium was used either pre-equilibrated in 6% CO 2 or unequilibrated (in ambient CO 2 ). Mean oocyte spindle retardance was measured over time in response to changing pH. Spindles were also assessed to understand whether this effect was reversible, by using a fixed pH in a zwitterionic buffer. Results The data show the spindle is impacted by pH fluctuation, with mean retardance significantly higher at pH 7.4–7.5 than at the point of media equilibration ( P P Conclusions This study has shown that the meiotic spindle in mouse oocytes is highly sensitive to changes in oocyte culture media pH. If comparable in humans, this has significance as to the pH level of culture media currently used in assisted reproductive technology clinics worldwide, and reinforces the requirement for stringent control over extrinsic variables in the IVF laboratory.

In this study, image processing and artificial neural network was used to efficiently identify the nutrients and pH level of soil with the use of Soil Test Kit (STK) and Rapid Soil Testing (RST) of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management: (1) pH, (2) Nitrogen, (3) Phosphorus, (4) Potassium, (5) Zinc, (6) Calcium, and (7) Magnesium. The composition of the system is made of five sections namely soil testing, image capturing, image processing, training system for neural network, and result. The use of Artificial Neural Network is to hasten the performance of image processing in giving accurate result. The system will base on captured image data, 70% for training, 15% for testing and 15% for validation as default of neural network tool of MATLAB. Based on the result, the program will show the qualitative level of soil nutrients and pH. Overall, this study identifies the soil nutrient and pH level of the soil and was proven accurate.

A computer vision-based approach in identifying the pH level of a substance requires the use of multiple computer or machine vision techniques which include image processing, and object/contour detection, counting, or tracking. This paper proposes a pH level indicator system with knowledge-based systems (KBS) which has the capability of detecting, tracking, and identifying the level of a pH level indicator image. Moreover, the data that the system utilizes derives from KBS instead of being explicitly programmed. Furthermore, the study has a graphical user interface which allows the operator to easily use the system. The user may also add data to the knowledge-base, which means that the system improves over time. Compared with the traditional pH monitoring setup, the results in this study show that a computer vision-based approach is viable in determining the pH level of a substance.

To evaluate the effects of cherry silverberry (Elaegnus multiflora) juice on sulgidduk, rice cakes were prepared using different quantities of cherry silverberry juice (0%, 33%, 66%, and 100%). The pH level of the control group was higher than that of other groups with cherry silverberry juice. The moisture content of the control group was higher than that of other groups with cherry silverberry juice. In terms of color, the L-value were significantly higher in the control group than in other groups, whereas the a-value and the b-value were significantly lower in the control group than in other groups (p

Leaching of slag must be limited when slag is used in other areas than landfill. As slag is composed of different minerals, the properties of slag, inter alia the dissolution, depend on these minerals. If the leaching properties of each mineral are known, counter measurements can be taken to prevent the leaching of unwanted elements. In this study, the dissolution of three common slag minerals will be examined. The three minerals; boron-stabilised β-dicalcium silicate, pseudowollastonite and monticellite were synthesised. The dissolution was measured by setting pH to 4, 7 or 10 and adding 0.05 g mineral in the size range 20-38 mm and the HNO3 consumption required to maintain the pH level was recorded during 40 h. As expected, the dissolution increases for all minerals when pH decreases. The boron-stabilised β-dicalcium silicate was the only mineral fully dissolved at all pH levels, while pseudowollastonite and monticellite only dissolved completely at pH 4.On doit limiter le lessivage de la scorie lorsqu'...

To develop new type of sponge cake, the effects of partial (0~40%) replacement with Rubus coreanus powder (RCP) on the quality characteristics of sponge cakes were investigated. The pH level and moisture content ranged from 4.05~8.23 and 28.49~36.59, respectively, and significantly decreased upon addition of RCP (P

Co 3+ substituted lithium rich cathode material 0.5Li 2 MnO 3 ·0.5LiNi 0.5 Mn 0.5 O 2 , Li(Li 0.3 Ni 0.2 Mn 0.5 Co 0.1 )O 2 , was prepared at strictly controlled pH level realized by a carefully designed feeding system. The as prepared cathode material showed lamellar morphology with clearly shown edges. Less cation mixing and higher hexagonal ordering were observed indicating intact layered structure and good electrochemical performances. The first charge delivered a total capacity of ca. 328 mAh g −1 and the subsequent discharge sent a capacity of 238 mAh g −1 back. Except for the initial several cycles, the fading of the discharge capacity was limited. A discharge capacity of 166 mAh g −1 was still reserved after 50 cycles. The rate performance was also improved. The last cycle of each current density, namely 0.1 C, 0.2 C, 0.5 C, 1 C and 2 C, delivered a capacity of ca. 226 mAh g −1 , ca. 191 mAh g −1 , ca. 160 mAh g −1 , ca. 135 mAh g −1 and ca. 110 mAh g −1 , respectively. When the current density was back to 0.1 C, ca. 80% of the initial discharge capacity, nearly 200 mAh g −1 , was regained.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the vitamin stabilities in dentifrices by analyzing various vitamins according to the level and storage temperature. The stabilities of water- and fat-soluble vitamins were investigated in buffer solution at different pH values (4, 7, 8, 10 and 11) for 14 days and in dentifrices at different pH (7 and 10) for 5 months at two temperature conditions (room and refrigeration temperature) by analyzing the remaining amounts using HPLC methods. In the buffer solution, the stability of vitamins B1 , B6 and C was increased as the pH values increased. Vitamins E and K showed poor stability at pH 4, and vitamin B3 showed poor stability at pH 11. In dentifrices, the storage temperature highly influenced vitamin stability, especially vitamins C and E, but the stabilities of vitamins B1 and C according to pH values did not correspond to the buffer solution tests. Vitamin B group was relatively stable in dentifrices, but vitamin C completely disappeared after 5 months. Vitamin K showed the least initial preservation rates. Vitamins were not detected in commercial dentifrices for adults and detected amounts were less than the advertised contents in dentifrices for children.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of three independent variables: Konjac concentration (0.10.4%), pH level (pH 59) and NaCl concentration (0.20.6M) on Emulsifying Activity (EA) of Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) and Egg White Powder (EWP). Response surface methodology was used to determine the effects and also find out the optimal condition. Both Konjac concentration and pH level had greatly significant effects on EA of MPC and EWP, while NaCl concentration had negligible. An increase in Konjac concentration showed a positive effect to increase the EA of both MPC and EWP. Moreover, their EA values were found to be more pronounced at pH 6.57.5. The interaction of Konjac concentration and pH level had a negative effect on EA. The optimal conditions improving the EA of MPC and EWP were applied to the processing of glutenfree rice cakes. Sensory acceptance of glutenfree cakes added with Konjac flour was evaluated using a 9point hedonic scale test. Incorporation of 0.25% Konjac flour was appeared to increase sensory scores of the glutenfree cake and showed no significant difference compared to the cake containing 0.4% Konjac. Panelists preferred the glutenfree cakes containing Konjac and were willing to purchase the products.

Phenol is a carcinogenic, toxic and chemically stable-benzene ring compound that commonly exists in myriad industrial effluents. In this study, phenol degradation was carried out by Zn/TiO2 photocatalyst synthesized by sol-gel method that photoactive under visible light. The effect of parameters; pH level, phenol concentration and irradiation time on phenol degradation were studied using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The optimum condition was at irradiation time of six hours, pH 8 and phenol concentration of 130 ppm. The SEM analysis on Zn/TiO2 photocatalyst revealed the agglomerated morphology that enabled photoactivity under visible light.

The aim of the present study was to determinate the effect of epicatechin and patulin on selected parameters of meat quality of rabbits. Adult female rabbits (n=25), maternal albinotic line (crossbreed Newzealand white, Buskat rabbit, French silver) and paternal acromalictic line (crossbreed Nitra's rabbit, Californian rabbit, Big light silver) were used in experiment. Animals were divided into five groups: control group (C) and experimental groups E1, E2, E3, and E4. Animals from experimental groups E1, E2, E3, E4 received patulin through intramuscular injection (10 µg.kg-1) twice a week and animals from groups E2, E3, E4 received epicatechin three times a week through intramuscular injection. After 30 days animals were slaughtered. For analysing of meat quality the samples of Musculus longissimus dorsi (50 g) were used. Application of epicatechin and patulin to rabbits had slight or no effect on the pH levels in stomach, small intestine, large intestine and urinary bladder contents, however differences among the groups were insignificant (p ˃0.05). Application of epicatechin and patulin to rabbits had slight or no effect on total water, protein, fat and differences among the groups were insignificant (p >0.05). The values of amino acids concentrations were not influenced after application of epicatechin and patulin. The fatty acid profiles in animals after application of different doses of epicatechin and 10 µg.kg-1 patulin were similar (p >0.05). Concentration of cholesterol increased in experimental groups in comparison with the control group, but differences were insignificant (p >0.05). pH levels of meat of rabbits in experimental group E3 was lower when compared with the control group, but differences was not significant (p >0.05). Electric conductivity parameter was increased in each experimental group (in E3 the highest) against the control but without significant differences (p >0.05). Colour L parameter was slightly decreased in experimental groups with comparison to the control group (in E3 the lowest). Generally we can conclude that intramuscular application of epicatechin or patulin did not affect parameters of meat quality as well as pH values of internal organs content. Further investigations are needed to prove the final answer concerning the health promoting effects of epicatechin and patulin.

In this study, antioxidant activities and quality characteristics of gelatin jelly prepared with different amounts (0, 25, 50, and 75%) of saengmaegsan concentrate (SC) were investigated. As the concentration of SC increased, the pH level of SC-added jelly decreased while acidity increased. Hunter a (redness) value of jelly increased as the amount of SC increased, whereas L (lightness) and b (yellowness) values decreased. Texture properties for springiness and resilience were higher in the SC-added groups compared to those of control. Moreover, antioxidant activities such as DPPH radical and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities increased according to increase of SC amount. Total phenol content was the highest in 75% SC-added jelly. Regarding overall preference of sensory properties, 50% SC-added jelly showed the highest scores among all treatments. From these results, the optimal amount of SC was 50% for preparation of high quality jelly.

We compared the apical extrusion of sodium hypochlorite delivered with a 27-G needle, self-adjusting file (SAF), passive ultrasonic irrigation, or the EndoVac system (SybronEndo, Orange, CA) during the instrumentation and final irrigation of root canals.Matched paired single-canal teeth were divided into 8 groups. The experimental groups were needle irrigation size #30 (NI30) and #50 (NI50), SAF size #30 (SAF30) and #50 (SAF50), passive ultrasonic irrigation size #30 (PUI30) and #50 (PUI50), and EndoVac size #30 (EV30) and #50 (EV50). Teeth were embedded in 0.2% agarose gel (pH = 7.4) containing 1 mL 0.1% m-Cresol purple (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO), which changes color at a pH level of 9.0. Root canals were irrigated with sodium hypochlorite and EDTA using 4 different techniques, and the amount of irrigant was controlled. Standardized digital photographs were taken 20 minutes after the first irrigant was used and were analyzed to determine the amount of extrusion (expressed as a percentage of total pixels).The amounts of apical extrusion obtained in the NI30, NI50, SAF30, SAF50, PUI30, PUI50, EV30, and EV50 groups were 30% (3/10), 50% (5/10), 20% (2/10), 70% (7/10), 40% (4/10), 40% (4/10), 10% (1/10), and 10% (1/10), respectively. The overall extrusion frequency, regardless of the apical preparation size, was 40% (8/20) for needle, 45% (9/20) for SAF, 40% (8/20) for ultrasonic irrigation, and 10% (2/20) for EndoVac. Although the SAF group showed more extrusion, the percentage of pixels was significantly higher in the needle irrigation group (P.01). The EndoVac group showed significantly lower extrusion values than the other techniques in terms of the number of teeth and pixels (P.05 and P.01, respectively).The risk of apical extrusion is significantly lower with the EndoVac in comparison with the 3 other techniques.

The effect of addition of apple, banana and grape flours (1%) on the characteristics of fermented milk by culture ABT-4 was evaluated. Supplementation with fruit flour affected only the acidification rate, and there was no effect on fermentation time. There was a decrease in the pH level and an increase in titratable acidity throughout storage. The level of probiotics was not affected by milk supplementation with fruit flours during 28 days of storage. Decreased probiotic survival during in vitro gastrointestinal simulation was observed in all the treatments. Nonetheless, the supplementation with fruit flours improved Lactobacillus acidophilus tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal conditions, specifically at days 14 and 28 of storage. On the other hand, only banana flour had a protective effect on Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis after 28 days of storage. This is the first report that demonstrated a protective effect of fruit flours on the simulated gastrointestinal resistance of probiotics.

Background: Metabolic acidosis is known to occur in the early stages of an acute myocardial infarction but it is rarely severe except in the presence of profound cardiogenic shock; nevertheless, it could contribute to the development of dysrhythmias. The objective of present study was to ascertain the acid base status of patient of acute STEMI at the time of hospitalization. Methods: Fifty patients of acute myocardial infarction were interrogated for history of presenting illness examined for vitals systemic examination and investigated by collection of blood sample and ECG. Results: Mortality in patients with pH level 26 meq/l was 20%. Thus there is higher rate of mortality in patients with bicarbonate level

Initial pH level at hospital admission was the most accurate and simple predictor of death., Vibrio vulnificus infection can progress to necrotizing fasciitis and death. To improve the likelihood of patient survival, an early prognosis of patient outcome is clinically important for emergency/trauma department doctors. To identify an accurate and simple predictor for death among V. vulnificus–infected persons, we reviewed clinical data for 34 patients at a hospital in South Korea during 2000–2011; of the patients, 16 (47%) died and 18 (53%) survived. For nonsurvivors, median time from hospital admission to death was 15 h (range 4–70). For predicting death, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score and initial pH were 0.746 and 0.972, respectively (p = 0.005). An optimal cutoff pH of

Graphene provides a unique way for sensing local pH level of substances on micrometric scale, with important implications for the monitoring of cellular metabolic activities where protonic excretion could occur. Doping modifications of graphene, induced by the contact of the graphene with different pH solutions were investigated by micro-Raman spectroscopy in order to develop a pH biosensor. To test the developed biosensor with real biological systems, the pH values of cell culture media in different conditions were evaluated.

In the present study, the effect of Refractance Window (RW) drying on the functional properties of chickpea protein isolates was investigated and compared to freeze drying at different pH levels. The functional properties investigated were protein solubility, water and oil holding capacity, emulsifying properties, foaming properties, flocculation and coalescence indices and textural properties. The solubility, oil holding capacity and foam stability of the freeze dried protein isolates were determined to be higher than the RW dried samples. On the other hand, the RW dried samples had better water holding capacity and emulsion stability compared to the freeze dried protein isolates. The emulsion activity index, flocculation and coalescence indices of the chickpea protein isolates prepared by different drying techniques showed different tendencies depending on the pH level. Freeze dried protein isolates exhibited higher gelation ability than RW dried samples according to the texture profile analysis. This study clearly showed that the drying technique used in the preparation of protein isolates can affect their functional properties.

This paper presents a study of kaolin ore bleaching from the municipality of Agua Blanca of Iturbide, Hidalgo, México. This process was carried out using solutions of phosphoric acid as the leaching reagent for the iron dissolution process. It is well known that iron oxide is the major contaminant of clay minerals and silicate used in industry. These contents should be decreased, usually by .1%, to achieve a required whiteness index of 90% (ISO) or higher. The whitening improves its economic value, making it possible to use it as a high-quality raw material in industries such as ceramics and paper. For this purpose, we examined the effect of parameters such as the concentration of the leaching reagent (0.10 M,0.50 M,1 M, and3 M), temperature (298–373 K), and pH level (1, 2 and 3). The experimental results showed that the studied variables have a great influence over the ability to obtain an iron dissolution percentage of more than 98% after 2 hours and 373 K.

Hydroponic is one of the farming method without soil, but it uses water that contain nutrition. Nutrient solution is very important to define the successful of hydroponic cultivation. One of hydroponic technique is Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). System NFT uses nutrient solution to drain on the root area. pH level which is good for lettuce is 6.0–6.5, meanwhile the Electrical Conductivity (EC) level which is suggested is 0.8–1.2. Factor of pH and EC need to monitor 24 hours during the growth period. Hydroponic system requires wide area. However, in urban areas, the hydroponic green house can't get a wide area only in one place. This system is used to solve the problem in the real time monitoring lettuce cultivation hydroponic NFT. The method in this system contains communication, planning, modelling, construction, and socialization. The result of experiment shows that pH sensor has an error level of difference is 0.4. There is an error of sensor Analog Electrical Conductivity Meter, that is 5.1 ms/cm.

Saliva is the mouth’s main defense against tooth decay, keeping the mouth’s tissues healthy and offering protection from microbial invasion that can lead to disease. The present study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the effect of black tea on salivary pH and flow rate amongst 255 healthy adults between the ages of 25 and 30. Saliva samples were collected before and after consumption of black tea for 3 minutes. The changes in the unstimulated and stimulated saliva were monitored by measuring the flow rate with a measuring cup that was weighed in a precision balance while the salivary pH was measured with a digital pH meter. A paired t-test was used to analyze results. Both salivary flow rate and pH level results were statistically significant (p≤0.05) with a p-value of (p =0.013) for flow rate and a value of (p =0.0004) for pH level after consumption of black tea. Study shows that black tea significantly increases the pH level and flow rate of saliva.

Indigenous bacterial strain Pseudomonas balearica SAE1, tolerant to e-waste toxicity was isolated from an e-waste recycling facility Exigo Recycling Pvt. Ltd., India. Toxicity tolerance of bacterial strain was analyzed using crushed (particle size ≤150 µm) waste computer printed circuit boards (PCBs)/liter (L) of culture medium. The EC50 value for SAE1 was 325.7 g/L of the e-waste pulp density. Two-step bioleaching was then applied to achieve the dissolution of gold (Au) and silver (Ag) from the e-waste. To maximize precious metal dissolution, factors including pulp density, glycine concentration, pH level, and temperature were optimized. The optimization resulted in 68.5 and 33.8% of Au and Ag dissolution, respectively, at a pH of 9.0, a pulp density of 10 g/L, a temperature of 30 °C, and a glycine concentration of 5 g/L. This is the first study of Au and Ag bioleaching using indigenous e-waste bacteria and its analysis to determine e-waste toxicity tolerance.

A dual-modal approach using Raman spectroscopy and optical pH sensing was investigated to discriminate between normal and cancerous tissues. Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated the potential for in vivo cancer detection. However, Raman spectroscopy has suffered from strong fluorescence background of biological samples and subtle spectral differences between normal and disease tissues. To overcome those issues, pH sensing is adopted to Raman spectroscopy as a dual-modal approach. Based on the fact that the pH level in cancerous tissues is lower than that in normal tissues due to insufficient vasculature formation, the dual-modal approach combining the chemical information of Raman spectrum and the metabolic information of pH level can improve the specificity of cancer diagnosis. From human breast tissue samples, Raman spectra and pH levels are measured using fiber-optic-based Raman and pH probes, respectively. The pH sensing is based on the dependence of pH level on optical transmission spectrum. Multivariate statistical analysis is performed to evaluate the classification capability of the dual-modal method. The analytical results show that the dual-modal method based on Raman spectroscopy and optical pH sensing can improve the performance of cancer classification.

This study investigates whether bovine longissimus muscle cell apoptosis occurs during postmortem aging and whether apoptosis is dependent on the mitochondria pathway. This study also determines the apoptosis process mediated by cytochrome c after its release from mitochondria and the factors that affect the activation processes. Results indicate that apoptotic nuclei were detected at 12 h postmortem. Cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm activated the caspase-9 and caspase-3 at early postmortem aging and the activation of caspase-9 occurs before the activation of caspase-3. The pH level decreased during the first 48 h postmortem, whereas the mitochondria membrane permeability increased from 6 to 12 h. Results demonstrate that an apoptosis process of bovine muscle occurred during postmortem aging. Apoptosis was dependent on the mitochondria pathway and occurred at early postmortem aging. Increased mitochondria membrane permeability and low pH are necessary conditions for the release of cytochrome c during postmortem aging.

Introduction of an algorithm and database design that can calculate a possible pouvoir hydrogen, commonly referred to as the pH level by digitally processing the image of the soil and can effectively store the results into a database management system for the reference of the user also suggesting suitable crops for the soil.

Forest fires are common phenomenon in many countries, including Poland. Forest divisions are the institutions responsible for their monitoring and control. Their task is to detect, fight and counteract the fire forest effects. For a long time forest divisions have maintained the database of forest fires, since 2010 in digital version (Information System of the State Forests – SILP, Llas.2). The information gathered in SILP includes the classification, size and location of fires. The Information for the years 2010–2014 was obtained from the Forest Division Suchedniów (Świętokrzyskie province). Most fires were small, often limited to undergrowth and soil cover (less than 1 ha), two of them were classified as medium-size fires (over 1 ha). In post-fire areas a series of shallow geological borings was made. In most profiles no fire traces (layers of charcoal, individual coals etc.) where found. Such traces were preserved on flood plains, under the edges of terraces, where post-fire layer was covered by colluvial deposits. The study of forest soil pH indicate that fires which occurred many years ago did not leave any significant changes in the pH level, while in fire areas several years old pH level was lower. The results of contemporary post-fire sediments studys may be helpful in paleogeographical and geoarchaeological reconstructions (e.g. O’Connor, Evans 2005). In geological profiles it is common to find single charcoals, rarely layers. Their presence, changing the amount of sediment raises a number of controversies and problems with interpretation. In the Druć River valley (Belarus) the layer (0.2–0.35 cm) of post-fire charcoal (14C dating: younger than 200 years old) is covered with sandy colluvia (thickness 30 cm) with numerous of Neolithic and Iron Age artifacts. In this case the thickness of post-fire sediment many times exceeds sediments observed in Suchedniów Forest District, and suggests the occurrence of a very large forest fire (probably anthropogenic). After the fire, intensive soil erosion began in the burnt area, which in a short time covered fossilized charcoals layer by colluvium containing the artifacts. Pożary lasów są częstym zjawiskiem w wielu krajach, w tym i w Polsce. Instytucjami odpowiedzialnymi za ich monitorowanie i kontrolę są nadleśnictwa. Ich zadaniem jest wykrycie oraz przeciwdziałanie skutkom pożaru lasu. Nadleśnictwa prowadzą od dłuższego czasu, od 2010 roku w formie cyfrowej (System Informacji Lasów Państwowych – SILP, Llas.2), bazy danych dotyczące klasyfikacji, wielkości i lokalizacji pożarów lasów. Informacje za lata 2010–2014 pozyskano z Nadleśnictwa Suchedniów (woj. świętokrzyskie). Przeważnie pożary były małe, często ograniczone do podszycia i pokrywy glebowej (poniżej 1 ha), dwa z nich zostały sklasyfikowane jako pożary średnie (ponad 1 ha). Na terenach popożarowych wykonano szereg płytkich wierceń geologicznych. W większości profili nie odnotowano żadnych śladów po pożarach (warstw węgla, pojedynczych węgli etc.). Takie ślady zachowały się na terenach zalewowych, pod krawędziami teras, gdzie warstwa po pożarze była przykryta deluwiami. Badania pH gleby leśnej wskazują na to, że pożary sprzed wielu lat nie pozostawiły żadnych znaczących zmian w poziomie pH, natomiast w miejscach, gdzie pożary miały miejsce kilka lat temu poziom pH był niższy. Wyniki badań współczesnych warstw pożarowych mogą być pomocne w paleogeograficznych i geoarcheologicznych rekonstrukcjach (np. O’Connor, Evans 2005). W profilach geologicznych powszechne są pojedyncze węgle, rzadziej warstwy. Ich obecność, zmienna ilość osadów budzi jednak szereg kontrowersji i problemów interpretacyjnych. Przykładem może być stanowisko w dolinie Druci (Białoruś), gdzie warstwa (0,2–0,35 cm) węgli popożarowych (datowanie 14C – osady młodsze niż 200 lat) jest przykryta piaszczystymi deluwiami (grubość 30 cm) z licznymi artefaktami neolitycznymi i z epoki żelaza. W tym przypadku miąższość warstwy pożarowej wielokrotnie przewyższa osady obserwowane na terenie Nadleśnictwa Suchedniów, sugerując wystąpienie bardzo dużego pożaru lasu (prawdopodobnie antropogenicznego). Po pożarze, na odsłoniętej powierzchni, doszło do intensywnej erozji gleby, co doprowadziło w krótkim czasie do przykrycia warstwy węgla przez deluwia zawierające redeponowane artefakty.

In this study, growth and/or inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes 4032 at different inoculum levels in a vegetable smoothie with purple colour, (previously heat stabilised at 95 °C for 3 min) was evaluated. Growth/inactivation was compared with acidified TSB medium at the same pH level with HCl. Samples were stored at different temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 25 °C). All the smoothies stored at 15 and 25 °C showed growth up to 7.5–8.0 log CFU/mL and at 10 °C growth was only observed at the highest inoculum level. Growth was only observed at 25 °C in acidified TSB. In the case of the smoothies inoculated and stored at 5 °C, L. monocytogenes was not able to grow but survived for a long period of time, whereas at the lower inocula at 10 °C they presented a slow inactivation for an extended time. Acidified TSB inoculated and stored showed inactivation at 5, 10 and 15 °C. Best inactivation modelling alternatives are proposed. The differences between the smoothie and TSB medium about growth or survival in this study, even at relatively low pH values, were due to the favorable nutritional composition of the smoothie compared to a laboratory medium. Results in this study can allow to design safe conditions for smoothie production.

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar los valores de pH y el contenido total de azúcares de diferentes bebidas ácidas y dulces, dada su relación con la aparición de erosión y caries dental. Se utilizó 23 bebidas: 2 aguas, 5 refrescos gaseosos, 2 jugos naturales de frutas, 4 jugos industriales, 5 bebidas energizantes, 2 bebidas deportivas, y 3 tés industriales. Estas bebidas fueron sometidas a pruebas químico-analíticas para determinar el pH y el nivel de azúcar. El pH de las bebidas presenta un rango entre 2,30 y 3,40, a excepción del agua destilada (grupo control) y agua sin gas de Dasani con 6,54 y 6,23 respectivamente. La bebida con pH más ácido fue la Coca-Cola (2,30) y la menos ácida fue el Sprite (3,40). El contenido de azúcar de la mayoría de las bebidas fue sobre los 25 gramos en un envase de ½ L. Las bebidas más dulces fueron la limonada y el energizante Monster, ambos con 63 gramos en ½ L, el agua destilada, el agua sin gas de Dasani, la Coca-Cola Light y Sprite-Zero tuvieron 0 gramos de sacarosa/azúcar. La bebida con pH más bajo y con mayor cantidad de azúcar fue la limonada. La mayoría de las bebidas analizadas presentan un nivel de pH inferior al pH crítico (5,5) para iniciar la desmineralización del esmalte dental y, por consiguiente, la erosión dental, y niveles de azúcar altos con valores asociados a la aparición de caries.

In the coming years, farmers will have to deal with growing crops under suboptimal conditions dictated by global climate changes. The application of plant biostimulants such as beneficial microorganisms and plant-derived protein hydrolysates (PHs) may represent an interesting approach for increasing crop tolerance to alkalinity and salinity. The current research aimed at elucidating the agronomical, physiological, and biochemical effects as well as the changes in mineral composition of greenhouse lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) either untreated or treated with a microbial-based biostimulant (Tablet) containing Rhizophagus intraradices and Trichoderma atroviride alone or in combination with a PH. Plants were sprayed with PH at weekly intervals with a solution containing 2.5 ml L(-1) of PH. Lettuce plants were grown in sand culture and supplied with three nutrient solutions: standard, saline (25 mM NaCl) or alkaline (10 mM NaHCO3 + 0.5 g l(-1) CaCO3; pH 8.1). Salt stress triggered a decrease in fresh yield, biomass production, SPAD index, chlorophyll fluorescence, leaf mineral composition and increased leaf proline concentration, without altering antioxidant enzyme activities. The decrease in marketable yield and biomass production under alkali stress was not significant. Irrespective of nutrient solution, the application of Tablet and especially Tablet + PH increased fresh marketable yield, shoot and root dry weight. This was associated with an improvement in SPAD index, Fv/Fm ratio, CAT and GPX activities and a better nutritional status (higher P, K, and Fe and lower Na with NaCl and higher P and Fe with NaHCO3) via an increase of total root length and surface. The combination of microbial biostimulant with foliar application of PH synergistically increased the marketable fresh yield by 15.5 and 46.7% compared to the Tablet-treated and untreated plants, respectively. The improved crop performance of Tablet + PH application was attributed to a better root system architecture (higher total root length and surface), an improved chlorophyll synthesis and an increase in proline accumulation. Combined application of Tablet and PH could represent an effective strategy to minimize alkalinity and salinity stress in a sustainable way.

Background Parenteral antiepileptic drugs are frequently used in critically ill patients for seizure control therapy or prevention. Many of these patients require additional parenteral nutrition (PN). Therefore, a parallel infusion of the frequently used antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV) is interesting in terms of the restricted i.v. lines (e.g., neonates). The potential interactions of the complex PN admixture with the drug product and the appropriate admixing of a drug at effective dosages require physicochemical lab assessments to obtain specific and reliable pharmaceutical documentation for the intended admixing. Aim To assess the of compatibility and stability of LEV, a neutral and hydrophilic drug, in commercial all-in-one (AiO) PN admixtures using simple validated tests to provide necessary data in a timely manner and to allow convenient, documented and safe treatment with PN as the drug vehicle. Methods Different concentrations of LEV were injected into two different AiO PN admixtures with no further additives. Stability and compatibility tests for the drug and the PN admixtures were performed over seven days at + 4 °C, + 23 ± 1 °C and + 37 °C without light protection. Stability and sample characteristics were observed by visual inspection and the validated light microscope method. Moreover, the pH level of the admixture was checked, as were the concentrations of LEV over time in the PN admixtures, using an established LC-MS/MS method. Results The stability controls of LEV at different temperatures were within absolute ± 20% of the theoretical value in a concentration range of 98.91–117.84% of the initial value. No changes in pH occurred (5.55 ± 0.04) and no microscopic out of specification data or visual changes were observed. The mean value of the largest lipid droplet in each visual field over seven days was 2.4 ± 0.08 μm, comparable to that of the drug-free AiO admixture. Samples stored at + 37 °C showed yellowish discolorations after 96 h of storage. Conclusion LEV showed compatibility and stability over seven days in the selected PN admixtures, and the described methods represented a valuable and timely approach to determine the stability and compatibility of the highly hydrophilic, not dissociated LEV in AiO admixtures under conditions of use. Further studies with clinically relevant and representative examples of physicochemically different drug classes are needed.

We report microscale flexible biosensor with multi-modal sensing capabilities (electrical impedance, pH level and glucose concentration) and application to the sensor integrated biopsy needle towards accurate cancer tissue targeting during biopsy process. The sensor is thin enough to be integrated onto the surface of biopsy needle, which allows minimal increase of needle diameter to avoid additional tissue damage during the needle insertion. Also, the sensor shows sensing performance that can cover the physical/chemical differences between cancer and normal tissues. We expect that our sensor integrated on the biopsy needle can overcome the limitation and inaccuracy of conventional image-guided biopsy process.