Graphene: Piecing it together

Graphene has a multitude of striking properties that make it an exceedingly attractive material for various applications, many of which will emerge over the next decade. However, one of the most promising applications lie in exploiting its peculiar electronic properties which are governed by its electrons obeying a linear dispersion relation. This leads to the observation of half integer quantum hall effect and the absence of localization. The latter is attractive for graphene-based field effect transistors. However, if graphene is to be the material for future electronics, then significant hurdles need to be surmounted, namely, it needs to be mass produced in an economically viable manner and be of high crystalline quality with no or virtually no defects or grains boundaries. Moreover, it will need to be processable with atomic precision. Hence, the future of graphene as a material for electronic based devices will depend heavily on our ability to piece graphene together as a single crystal and define its edges with atomic precision. In this progress report, the properties of graphene that make it so attractive as a material for electronics is introduced to the reader. The focus then centers on current synthesis strategies for graphene and their weaknesses in terms of electronics applications are highlighted.     

Full-depth flexible pavement responses to different truck tyre geometry configurations

Pavement stresses and strain responses due to tyre loading are essential data for design and performance analysis. The magnitude and distribution of these responses are primarily affected by the tyres configuration geometry. This study investigates the longitudinal strain responses at the bottom of a hot-mix asphalt layer for full-depth medium-volume flexible pavement under different truck tyres design. Pavement testing was carried out with a user-control accelerated pavement facility at various speeds and tyre inflation pressures and loading. Three truck tyre configurations: dual-tyre (11R22.5) and two wide-base tyres (425/65R22.5 and 455/55R22.5) widely used in the truck industry were examined. A 3D finite element model was developed to quantify surface stresses to loading at various critical locations in the pavement after being calibrated with the field-measured strains. Field measurements showed that the 455 wide-base tyres yield 7% more longitudinal strain than a dual-tyre assembly at the same tyre pressure.     

Seasonal evaluation of nutritional benefits of two fish species in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Fish are a good nutritional source of proteins, essential fatty acids and minerals. Societies with high fish intake have lower rates of acute myocardial infarctions and atherosclerosis, better cognitive functions, and better neural and visual development in foetuses. In the present work, we evaluated seasonal variation in proximate composition of two commercial fish species, the rabbitfish Siganus rivulatus, an algaevore, and the white sea bream Diplodus sargus, a carnivore from the eastern Mediterranean. Fifteen fish were collected on the second weekend of each of 8 months covering the four seasons. Results show that the nutritive value of a species of fish varies throughout the year. Furthermore, rabbitfish tissue generally contains more lipids than white sea bream, and fillet yield from rabbitfish is greater than from sea bream. As both fish are sold at a similar price in Lebanese markets, results suggest that rabbitfish offers better value for the price than does white sea bream.     

A new high speed switch for computer communication networks

The existing telecommunication networks, whether circuit switched or packet switched, are oriented towards particular applications e.g. Voice has Telephone Networks, Video has CATV, and Data Applications has Arpanet, Bitnet, Sitanet etc. All of these networks operate in parallel and independently. Each of these networks are suitable for the application for which they are designed, they are not very efficient for supporting other applications. New applications are inevitable but the existing and planned networks are unlikely to be able to accommodate them. High speed switching that provide basic communication capabilities in an application-independent fashion is required and proposed. In this paper we present a new switch architecture whose speed is clock rate dependent. The switch has less stages and provides a pipeline activity which makes it nonblocking. These features makes it highly attractive for use in real-time traffic environment.     

Proteomic Analysis Identifies an NADPH Oxidase 1 (Nox1)-Mediated Role for Actin-Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 2 (ARPC2) in Promoting Smooth Muscle Cell Migration

A variety of vascular pathologies, including hypertension, restenosis and atherosclerosis, are characterized by vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) hypertrophy and migration. NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) plays a pivotal role in these phenotypes via distinct downstream signaling. However, the mediators differentiating these distinct phenotypes and their precise role in vascular disease are still not clear. The present study was designed to identify novel targets of VSMC Nox1 signaling using 2D Differential In-Gel Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry (2D-DIGE/MS). VSMC treatment with scrambled (Scrmb) or Nox1 siRNA and incubation with the oxidant hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; 50 μM, 3 h) followed by 2D-DIGE/MS on cell lysates identified 10 target proteins. Among these proteins, actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 2 (ARPC2) with no previous link to Nox isozymes, H₂O₂, or other reactive oxygen species (ROS), was identified and postulated to play an intermediary role in VSMC migration. Western blot confirmed that Nox1 mediates H₂O₂-induced ARPC2 expression in VSMC. Treatment with a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) resulted in reduced ARPC2 expression in H₂O₂-treated VSMC. Additionally, wound-healing “scratch” assay confirmed that H₂O₂ stimulates VSMC migration via Nox1. Importantly, gene silencing of ARPC2 suppressed H₂O₂-stimulated VSMC migration. These results demonstrate for the first time that Nox1-mediated VSMC migration involves ARPC2 as a downstream signaling target.     

Synthesis of carbon nanotubes with and without catalyst particles

The initial development of carbon nanotube synthesis revolved heavily around the use of 3d valence transition metals such as Fe, Ni, and Co. More recently, noble metals (e.g. Au) and poor metals (e.g. In, Pb) have been shown to also yield carbon nanotubes. In addition, various ceramics and semiconductors can serve as catalytic particles suitable for tube formation and in some cases hybrid metal/metal oxide systems are possible. All-carbon systems for carbon nanotube growth without any catalytic particles have also been demonstrated. These different growth systems are briefly examined in this article and serve to highlight the breadth of avenues available for carbon nanotube synthesis.     

Nanoencapsulation of Alpha-linolenic Acid with Modified Emulsion Diffusion Method

Nanocapsules of alpha-linolenic acid (α-LA) were prepared by a modified emulsion diffusion technique with encapsulation efficiency of 93%. Polylactic acid (PLA) was used as the encapsulating polymer with acetone and ethyl acetate as organic solvents, and Tween 20, gelatin and Pluronic-F68 in water as stabilizers. Two ratios of organic to aqueous phases were used with each solvent and stabilizer. Nanocapsule dispersions with a particle size less than 100 nm and a zeta potential as high as 33 mV were obtained as verified by scanning electron microscopy and the dynamic light scattering technique respectively. Both particle size and zeta potential were influenced by such preparation conditions as the type of stabilizer, type of organic solvent and the organic to aqueous phase ratio. Acetone was superior to ethyl acetate, and Tween 20 was superior to each of Pluronic-F68 and gelatin in obtaining smaller, less aggregated nanocapsules. An organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:5 was shown to be more suitable for the formation of smaller nanocapsules, particularly when acetone was used as the organic solvent.     

Composition and Source Apportionment of Organic Aerosol in Beirut,Lebanon, During Winter 2012

Fine organic aerosols were collected at a semi-urban site in Beirut, Lebanon, from 28 January to 12 February 2012 as part of the Emission and Chemistry of Organic Carbon in East Mediterranean-Beirut (ECOCEM-Beirut). A total of 20 quartz filter samples were collected on a 12 h basis using a high-volume sampler and were analyzed using a GC/MS technique. Levoglucosan was the major most abundant single component with an average value of 306 ng.m^?3, followed by saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids and sugars with average values of 234 and 118 ng.m^?3, respectively. Reported values for other carboxylic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) were 87, 33 and 21 ng.m^?3, respectively. Compared to a similar field campaign conducted in summer 2011, levoglucosan concentrations were lower in summer by a factor of 6, due to the use of wood burning for residential heating in winter. Concentrations of saturated and unsaturated carboxylic acids, other carboxylic acids, and BSOA were higher in summer by a factor of 3, 2, and 7, respectively. Higher concentrations observed for BSOA and other dicarboxylic acids during summer are due to higher biogenic emissions and greater photochemical activity in summer.

Copyright 2013 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Effect of Temperature on Microstructure and Fracture Mechanisms in Friction Stir Welded Al6061 Joints

Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in different industries due to such attractive properties as adequate strength, ductility, and low density. It is desirable to characterize welds of aluminum alloys obtained using “friction stir welding” at high temperatures. Al-to-Al (both 6061-T6) butt joints are produced by friction stir welding at tool rotation speed of 1600 rpm and four levels of tool advancing speeds: 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mm/min. Microstructural properties of the different welds are investigated. Observed are noticeable differences in microstructure characteristics between the various weld zones. Mechanical properties of these welded joints are characterized under tensile tests at temperatures of 25, 100, 200, and 300 °C, at a constant strain rate of 10^?3/s. The optimum microstructural and mechanical properties were obtained for the samples FS welded with 1600 rpm tool rotation speed at 1000 mm/min tool advancing speed. The studied welds exhibited yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and strain to failure with values inferior of those of the base material. Observations of postmortem samples revealed that in the temperature range of 25-200 °C the locus of failure originates at the region between the thermo-mechanically affected zone and the heat-affected zones. However, at higher temperatures (300 °C), the failure occurs in the stir zone. A change in the crack initiation mechanism with temperature is suggested to explain this observation.