Pros and cons of the new financial support policy for Turkish researchers

Scientometrics - In 2015, a new ex-post incentive policy was introduced in Turkey to increase the academic productivity of researchers. This convergent parallel design study aims to find an answer...     

Effects of Temperature,Time, and pH on the Stability of Anthocyanin Extracts: Prediction of Total Anthocyanin Content Using Nonlinear Models

In this study, different anthocyanin sources including grape skin, black carrot, and red cabbage were used to determine the effect of thermal treatment, different acidity levels, and time on the anthocyanin content and degradation. The total anthocyanin contents were modeled by neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The red cabbage anthocyanin stabilities were higher than others. The anthocyanins degraded more rapidly at higher temperatures. The anthocyanin contents of samples decreased with the increase of pH from 3 to 7. Comparison of the models showed that the ANFIS model performed better than the ANN model for the estimation of total anthocyanin content in all samples. The lowest root mean square error (0.0457) and highest R ² (0.9942) values were obtained for red cabbage and grape skin in the validation period with the ANFIS model, respectively. This study showed that both models can be utilized efficiently for the prediction of total anthocyanin content affected by temperature, time, and pH.     

Relationships between acute toxicities of para nitrophenol (p-NP) and nitrobenzene (NB) to Daphnia magna and Photobacterium phosphoreum: physicochemical properties and metabolites under anaerobic/aerobic sequentials

In this study, the acute toxicities of nitrobenzene (NB) and para nitrophenol (p-NP) were investigated in a high rate sequential anaerobic migrating blanket (AMBR)/aerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) using Microtox and Daphnia magna tests. After sequential anaerobic and aerobic treatments, the inhibitions in the Microtox bacteria decreased from an initial 78.10-48.20% and 4.00%, respectively, in wastewater containing 40.00 mg/L p-NP. The inhibitions of the influent wastewater containing 60.00 mg/L NB decreased from 72.10% to 45.30% and to 4.00% after anaerobic and aerobic treatment, respectively. The acute toxicity removals were 94% and 93% in the effluent of the whole sequential system, for p-NP and NB, respectively. The acute toxicity in the influent was dependent on the parent NB and p-NP concentrations and ons their physicochemical properties such as hydrophobicity, octanol/water partition coefficient and vapour density for both Microtox bacteria and Daphnia magna while the toxicity in the effluent of the anaerobic reactor was strongly dependent on the metabolites of p-NP (p-amino phenol, phenol, NH(4)-N) and NB (aniline) for Microtox test. This effluent was not toxic to Daphnia magna.     

Intelligent poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-isopropylacrylamide)-carboxymethyl cellulose full interpenetrating polymeric networks for protein adsorption studies

Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAm)–carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) full interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPNs), based on PNIPAm and CMC, were prepared and investigated for adsorption of biomolecules utilizing a model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA). N-isopropyl acrylamide monomers were polymerized in the presence of a natural polymer, e.g., carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt. N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (CL) was used to crosslink PNIPAm and CMC chains and IPN formed simultaneously. Spectroscopic and thermal characterization of the hydrogels were done with IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The swelling properties of PNIPAm and PNIPAm–CMC hydrogels were investigated as functions of the medium pH, temperature, ionic strength, and BSA. It was observed that the adsorption of protein molecules onto the hydrogels was mainly dependent on temperature and pH of the environment during the experiments. The maximum adsorption capacity (X) was observed at pH 4.7 which is the isoelectric point of BSA and at 40 °C for both hydrogels; and introducing CMC to PNIPAm increased the protein adsorption of the hydrogel. Adsorbed amounts of BSA were 26.70 mg g⁻¹ (4 °C) and 38.70 mg g⁻¹ (40 °C) for PNIPAm–CMC full IPN hydrogels. Adsorbed BSA (up to 80%) was eluted in the elution medium containing 0.1 mol dm⁻³ NaSCN at pH 8.0. Synthesized cylindrically shaped PNIPAm–CMC full IPN hydrogels can be used for adsorption studies related to the removal of proteins in pH- and temperature-sensitive biotechnological areas.     

Is there any interaction of resistin and adiponectin levels with protein‐energy wasting among patients with chronic kidney disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of adipocytokines including adiponectin, leptin, resistin, neuropeptide Y and ghrelin in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on appearance of protein‐energy wasting (PEW). One hundred fifty patients with mean age of 45.4 ± 15.9 years, without active infections or chronic inflammatory conditions were recruited into the study. Study groups were control group (consisting of 30 healthy volunteers with normal kidney functions), hemodialysis group, predialysis group, peritoneal dialysis group and kidney transplant group. Fasting morning serum leptin, ghrelin, acylated ghrelin, neuropeptide Y, adiponectin, resistin levels of all of the groups were measured. Anthropometric and nutritional assessments of all patients were obtained. Diagnosis of PEW was made according to definition recommended by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism. Presence of PEW in hemodialysis (23.3%) and peritoneal dialysis (26.7%) groups were significantly higher than those of predialysis (3.3%), and transplantation (0%) groups. Adiponectin and resistin levels in predialysis, peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients were significantly higher than control group (p: 0.0001). This study had given significant positive correlations between presence of PEW and serum resistin (r: 0.267, p: 0.001), and serum adiponectin levels (r: 0.349, p: 0.0001). There were no relationship between presence of PEW and ghrelin, acylated‐ghrelin, neuropeptide Y, and leptin levels of the groups. CKD patients except transplant patients had higher adiponectin and resistin levels than control group. PEW was found to be linearly correlated with resistin and adiponectin. High serum resistin and adiponectin levels might have a role in development of PEW among dialysis patients.     

An Automated Ultrasonic NDT System for In-Situ Inspection of Wind Turbine Blades

It is crucial to maintain wind turbine blades regularly, due to the high stress leading to defects or damage. Conventional methods require shipping the blades to a workshop for off-site inspection, which is extremely time-consuming and very costly. This work investigates the use of pulse-echo ultrasound to detect internal damages in wind turbine blades without the necessity to ship the blades off-site. A prototype 2D ultrasonic NDT （non-destructive testing） system has been developed and optimised for in-situ wind turbine blade inspection. The system is designed to be light weight so it can be easily carried by an inspector onto the wind turbine blade for in-situ inspection. It can be operated in 1D A-scan, 2D C-scan or 3D volume scan. A software system has been developed to control the automated scanning and show the damage areas in a 2D/3D map with different colours so that the inspector can easily identify the defective areas. Experiments on GFRP （glass fibre reinforced plastics） and wind turbine blades （made of GFRP） samples showed that internal defects can be detected. The main advantages of this system are fully automated 2D spatial scanning and the ability to alert the user to the damage of the inspected sample. It is intended to be used for in-situ inspection to save maintenance time and hence considered to be economically beneficial for the wind energy industry.     

Liquefaction Potential Index: Field Assessment

Cone penetration test (CPT) soundings at historic liquefaction sites in California were used to evaluate the predictive capability of the liquefaction potential index (LPI), which was defined by Iwasaki et al. in 1978. LPI combines depth, thickness, and factor of safety of liquefiable material inferred from a CPT sounding into a single parameter. LPI data from the Monterey Bay region indicate that the probability of surface manifestations of liquefaction is 58 and 93%, respectively, when LPI equals or exceeds 5 and 15. LPI values also generally correlate with surface effects of liquefaction: Decreasing from a median of 12 for soundings in lateral spreads to 0 for soundings where no surface effects were reported. The index is particularly promising for probabilistic liquefaction hazard mapping where it may be a useful parameter for characterizing the liquefaction potential of geologic units.     

Polytetrahydrofuran macroinimer

Summary Polytetrahydrofuran macroinimers were synthesized by means of cationic polymerization of tetrahydrofuran, initiated by azo-oxocarbenium salt, followed by termination with methacrylate anion. The macroinimers were characterized by ¹H-NMR analysis and GPC measurements. Self polymerization of macroinimers and copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA) yielded crosslinked and soluble branched block copolymers depending on the MMA concentration.