Protein-Assembled Nanocrystal-Based Vertical Flash Memory Devices with Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> Integration

This work presents vertical flash memory devices with protein-assembled PbSe nanocrystals as a floating gate and Al₂O₃ as a control oxide. The advantage of a vertical structure is that it improves cell density. Protein assembly improves uniformity of nanocrystals, which reduces threshold voltage variation among devices. The introduction of Al₂O₃ as a control oxide provided lower voltage/faster operation and hence less power consumption compared with the devices fabricated with SiO₂. The integration of Al₂O₃ appeared to be compatible with the protein assembly approach. In conclusion, Al₂O₃ has the potential to become the high-k control oxide due to its relatively high electron/hole barrier heights, and high permittivity.     

The use of GA-ANNs in the modelling of compressive strength of cement mortar

In this paper, results of a project aimed at modelling the compressive strength of cement mortar under standard curing conditions are reported. Plant data were collected for 6 months for the chemical and physical properties of the cement that were used in model construction and testing. The training and testing data were separated from the complete original data set by the use of genetic algorithms (GAs). A GA-artificial neural network (ANN) model based on the training data of the cement strength was created. Testing of the model was also done within low average error levels (2.24%). The model was subjected to sensitivity analysis to predict the response of the system to different values of the factors affecting the strength. The plots obtained after sensitivity analysis indicated that increasing the amount of C₃S, SO₃ and surface area led to increased strength within the limits of the model. C₂S decreased the strength whereas C₃A decreased or increased the strength depending on the SO₃ level. Because of the limited data range used for training, the prediction results were good only within the same range. The utility of the model is in the potential ability to control processing parameters to yield the desired strength levels and in providing information regarding the most favourable experimental conditions to obtain maximum compressive strength.     

Thermal performance analysis of a tube finned surface

The present work submits an experimental work on the heat transfer and friction loss characteristic, employing a tube finned heating surface kept at a constant temperature in a rectangular channel. The tube fins attached on the surface (o.d.=29 mm) were arranged as either in‐line or staggered. The parameters for the study were Reynolds number (3700–30 000), depending on hydraulic diameter, the distance between the tube fins in the flow direction (S_y/D=1.72–3.45) and the fin arrangement. The change in the Nusselt number with these parameters was determined. For both tube fin arrangements, it was observed that increasing Reynolds number increased Nusselt number, and maximum heat transfer occurred at S_y/D=2.59. Thermal performances for both arrangements were also determined and compared with respect to heat transfer from the same surface without fins. With staggered array, a heat transfer enhancement up to 25 per cent for S_y/D=3.45 in staggered array was achieved in constant pumping power. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrocoagulation of azo dye production wastewater with iron electrodes: process evaluation by multi‐response central composite design

Central composite design was used to optimise electrocoagulation of CI Acid Blue 193 production wastewater. By applying a response surface quadratic model, the main process manipulators (effluent chemical oxygen demand, initial pH, electrical current density and treatment time) were optimised to achieve maximum colour, chemical oxygen demand and total organic compound removals. Analysis of variance indicated that the established polynomial regression models were significant and fitted the experimental data satisfactorily.     

Inactivation of peroxidase and lipoxygenase in carrots, green beans, and green peas by combination of high hydrostatic pressure and mild heat treatment

The efficiency of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) with the combination of mild heat treatment on peroxidase (POD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) inactivation in carrots, green beans, and green peas was investigated. In the first part of the study, the samples were pressurized under 250–450 MPa at 20–50 °C for 15–60 min. In the second part, two steps treatments were performed as water blanching at 40–70 °C for 15 and 30 min after pressurization at 250 MPa and 20 °C for 15–60 min. Carrot POD was decreased to 16% residual activity within the first 30 min at a treatment condition of 350 MPa and 20 °C and then it decreased to 9% at 60 min. When the carrots were water blanched at 50 °C for 30 min after HHP treatment of 250 MPa at 20 °C for 15 min, 13% residual POD activity was obtained. For green beans, the most effective results were obtained by two steps treatment and approximately 25% residual POD activity was obtained by water blanching at 50 °C for 15 min after pressurization at 250 MPa and 20 °C for 60 min. An effective inactivation of POD in green peas was not obtained. For carrots, LOX activity could not be measured due to very low LOX activity or the presence of strong antioxidants such as carotenoids. After pressurization at 250 MPa and 20 °C for 15 or 30 min, water blanching at 60 °C for 30 min provided 2–3% residual LOX activity in green beans. The treatment of 250 MPa for 30 min and then water blanching at 50 °C for 30 min provided 70% LOX inactivation in green peas.     

Modeling and Predicting of News Popularity in Social Media Sources

The popularity of news, which conveys newsworthy events which occur during day to people, is substantially important for the spectator or audience. People interact with news website and share news links or their opinions. This study uses supervised learning based machine learning techniques in order to predict news popularity in social media sources. These techniques consist of basically two phrases: a) the training data is sent as input to the classifier algorithm, b) the performance of pre-learned algorithm is tested on the testing data. And so, a knowledge discovery from the data is performed. In this context, firstly, twelve datasets from a set of data are obtained within the frame of four categories: Economic, Microsoft, Obama and Palestine. Second, news popularity prediction in social network services is carried out by utilizing Gradient Boosted Trees, Multi-Layer Perceptron and Random Forest learning algorithms. The prediction performances of all algorithms are examined by considering Mean Absolute Error, Root Mean Squared Error and the R-squared evaluation metrics. The results show that most of the models designed by using these algorithms are proved to be applicable for this subject. Consequently, a comprehensive study for the news prediction is presented, using different techniques, drawing conclusions about the performances of algorithms in this study.     

Mechanical,hydrological and microstructural assessment of the durability of cemented paste backfill containing alkali-activated slag

The durability of full (FT) and deslimed sulphide-rich tailings (DT) cemented paste backfill (CPB) of alkali-activated slag (AAS; LSS–S: activated slag with aqueous sodium silicate and SH–S: activated slag with sodium hydroxide) was investigated based on the mechanical (strength), hydraulic and microstructural properties. DT and AAS improved the strength gain rate by decreasing the total- and macro porosity. DT and LSS–S configuration had a profound effect on strength development and produced 4.3–9.9-fold strengths than ordinary Portland cement (OPC) samples. DT also favoured the degree of cementation with dense packing matrix, decreased the permeability and thus, limited the adverse effects of acid and sulphate. DT hindered the decalcification of C–S–H leading to higher Ca/Si ratios for OPC while AAS samples exhibited approximately similar ratios over the curing period. SH–S led to drying shrinkage due to the greater amount of threshold pores. LSS–S/DT combination provided better durability performance in case of aggressive environments by improving the microstructure of CPB.     

Development and application of a new multiplex real‐time PCR assay for simultaneous identification of Brucella melitensis,Cronobacter sakazakii and Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk and cheese

Brucella melitensis, Cronobacter sakazakii and Listeria monocytogenes are important foodborne pathogens in milk and milk products, which are responsible for a variety of diseases that pose serious hazards to public health and food safety. The objective of this study was to develop a novel multiplex RTi‐PCR for the detection of B. melitensis, C. sakazakii and L. monocytogenes and to characterise the potential risk of these pathogens in raw milk and cheese. The raw milk (n = 25) and cheese samples (n = 20) were analysed by multiplex RTi‐PCR assay and detected for quantification of the three pathogens. In this study, B. melitensis, C. sakazakii and L. monocytogenes were simultaneously identified using BMEII0466, mms operon and hly as target genes, respectively. The multiplex RTi‐PCR assay that was developed showed good sensitivity and selectivity for the pathogenic microorganisms (r² = 0.986–0.997). Multiplex RTi‐PCR results showed that most of the samples were contaminated with the pathogens screened.     

Calix[4]arene Polyamine Triazoles: Synthesis,Aggregation and DNA Binding

Artificial gene delivery systems are in great demand from both scientific and practical biomedical points of view. In this paper, we present the synthesis of a new click chemistry calix[4]arene precursor with free lower rim and new water-soluble calixarene triazoles with 12 amino-groups on the upper rim (one with free phenol hydroxyl groups and two another containing four butyl or tetradecyl fragments). Aggregation in the series of amino-triazole calixarenes of different lipophilicity (calixarene with free phenol hydroxyl groups or butyl and tetradecyl fragments on the lower rim) was studied using dynamic light scattering and fluorescent pyrene probe. It was found that calix[4]arene with a free lower rim, like alkyl-substituted butyl calix[4]arene, forms stable submicron aggregates 150–200 nm in size, while the more lipophilic tetradecyl –substituted calix[4]arene forms micellar aggregates19 nm in size. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorimetry and CD, it was shown that amino-triazole calix[4]arenes bind to calf thymus DNA by classical intercalation. According to DLS and TEM data, all studied macrocycles cause significant DNA compaction, forming stable nanoparticles 50–20 nm in size. Among all studied calix[4]arenes the most lipophilic tetradecyl one proved to be the best for both binding and compaction of DNA.     

Treatment of paint manufacturing wastewater by electrocoagulation

Treatability of paint manufacturing wastewater (PMW) by electrocoagulation (EC) process was investigated. Effects of operating parameters for the EC process such as electrode type (Al or Fe), initial pH (2–10), current density (5–80 A/m²) and operating time (0–50 min) were evaluated for optimum operating conditions. The highest removal efficiencies for COD and TOC in PMW were obtained with 93% and 88% for Fe and 94% and 89% for Al electrodes at the optimum conditions (35 A/m², 15 min and pH 6.95). Operating costs for removal of PMW at the optimum conditions were calculated for Fe and Al electrodes as 0.187 €/m³ and 0.129 €/m³. Toxicity test was carried out to obtain information about toxic effect of the raw and treated wastewaters at optimum operating conditions. The samples measured by respirometric method contained hardly toxicities. Performance of Al electrode was better than that of Fe electrode in terms of removal efficiency and operating cost.