A comparative study on brown-rot fungus decay and subterranean termite resistance of thermally-modified and ACQ-C-treated wood

The resistance of thermally-modified and Alkaline Copper Quaternary type C (ACQ-C) treated aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) against the brown-rot fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) and Eastern U.S. subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) was studied. Wood materials were thermally-modified at a temperature of 210 °C for 15 min. ACQ-C was impregnated into yellow-poplar and jack pine wood at three different retention levels and at each level both leaching and non-leaching procedures were conducted. Results indicate that ACQ-C-treated yellow-poplar and jack pine became significantly more resistant to the brown-rot fungus compared to the thermally-modified wood and the untreated control. Thermally-modified yellow-poplar and jack pine were more resistant to this fungus than untreated wood. For aspen and Scots pine, the resistance to G. trabeum was improved after the thermal modification, but it remained susceptible to this brown-rot fungus decay. Termite susceptibility of thermally-modified aspen, jack pine, and yellow-poplar was comparable to that of untreated controls. Significantly greater termite attack occurred on thermally-modified Scots pine wood than it did on untreated wood. This likely is attributed to some compounds contained in Scots pine wood that inhibited termite attack.     

Novel liposome-based and in situ gelling artificial tear formulation for dry eye disease treatment

Purpose

Artificial tears are widely used in the treatment of dry eye disease, although current formulations do not closely resemble natural tears. The purpose of this study was the design and characterization of a novel in situ gelling artificial tear formulation, containing both lipid and aqueous components, in order to resemble natural tears and replenish the tear film.

Microwave drying and moisture diffusivity of white mulberry: experimental and mathematical modeling

The literature surveyed revealed that drying kinetics of white mulberry under microwave treatment has not been investigated. In present study, both experimental study and mathematical modeling on microwave drying of white mulberry was performed. The microwave drying process which reduced the moisture content of mulberry from 3.76 to 0.25 (g water/g dry matter) was carried out at 90, 180, 360, 600, and 800 W in a modified microwave drying set-up. The effects of microwave drying technique on the moisture ratio and drying rate of white mulberry were investigated experimentally. Both the effects of microwave power level (under the range of 90–800W) and initial sample weight (50–150g) were studied. No constant rate period was observed. Mathematical modeling of thin layer drying kinetics of white mulberry under microwave treatment was also investigated by fitting the experimental drying data to eight thin layer drying models. Among the models proposed, Midilli et al. model precisely represented the microwave drying behavior of white mulberry with the coefficient of determination higher than 0.999 and mean square of deviation (χ²) and root mean square error (RMSE) lower than 1.1×10⁻⁴ and 8.9×10⁻³, respectively for all the microwave drying conditions studied. The effective moisture diffusivity (D_eff) of white mulberry varied from 0.45×10⁻⁸ to 3.25×10⁻⁸ m²s⁻¹. Both the drying constant (k) and D_eff increased with the increase of microwave power level.     

Time-dependent performance indicators of damaged bridge superstructures

The ability of a structure to survive an extreme event without collapse reduces in time due to deterioration processes. Therefore, in the lifetime management of structures and infrastructures, the resistance to sudden local damage has to be considered together with the effect of progressive deterioration. The aim of this paper is to present a framework for computation of time-dependent performance indicators of civil structures and infrastructures, with emphasis on bridges, including reliability, vulnerability, robustness and redundancy. A brief theoretical background and selected structural performance indicators regarding vulnerability, redundancy and robustness are presented. The approach is based on probabilistic performance assessment supported by finite element analysis and applied to an existing bridge. Time-variation of vulnerability, redundancy and robustness associated with various damage scenarios under uncertainty and the effects of several loading conditions on performance are investigated.     

Inhibitory effect of sour pomegranate sauces on some green vegetables and kisir

In this study, the antimicrobial effects of both traditional and commercial pomegranate sour sauce samples on some green vegetables and also on "k?s?r" which is a popular and traditional appetizer in Turkey were investigated. The inhibitory effect of the pomegranate products on the naturally existing bacterial microflora of lettuce, spring onion, parsley and k?s?r were analyzed. Also, all these food samples were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-25923) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC-43895) and antimicrobial effect of the pomegranate products on the inoculated microflora was detected. All the food samples were treated with pomegranate products for different time periods and the effect of treatment time was investigated. pH and titratable acidity values of the traditional and commercial pomegranate sour sauce samples were detected. The results showed that although the pomegranate products had an antimicrobial effect on the natural bacterial microflora of the food samples, the effect on inoculated food samples was more prominent and additionally the application time was found to be a crucial parameter for both cases.     

Removal of color from fruit candy waste by activated carbon adsorption

The research in this paper was aimed at finding a treatment method for recovery of fruit candy (fruit leathers) wastes. Fruit leather wastes were dissolved in water to investigate the efficacy of activated carbon adsorption to remove food colorants, which reduce recycling possibilities. The effects of initial pH (2.5-9), food colorant concentration (10-110 g fruit leather/L) and adsorbent dosage (1-12 g/L) on the adsorption process were investigated. Maximum adsorption was obtained at the original pH value of dissolved fruit candy waste in water. Maximum adsorbent capacities for red, yellow and blue food colorants were 4.4; 11.7 and 2 mg/g at pH 3.5 respectively. Regeneration of food colorant loaded activated carbon can be effected at 400 °C. Cost estimates indicate that red color removal would seem to be an economical proposition, costing about $19/ton fruit candy waste, yellow marginal at $70/ton waste, and blue uneconomical at $245/ton waste.     

Boron bioremoval by a newly isolated Chlorella sp. and its stimulation by growth stimulators

It has been well documented that excess concentrations of boron (B) causes toxic effects on many of the environmental systems. Although Chlorella sp. has been studied to remove pollutants from water, its capacity to remove B has not been investigated yet. Boron removal levels of newly isolated Chlorella sp. were investigated in BG 11 media with stimulators as triacontanol (TRIA) and/or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) and without them, to test if they could increase the removal efficiency by increasing biomass. The assays were performed to determine the effect of different medial compositions, B concentrations, pH and biomass concentrations onto removal efficiency. Boron removal was investigated at 5-10 mg/L range at pH 8 in different medial compositions and maximum removal yield was found as 32.95% at 5.45 mg/L B in media with TRIA and NaHCO₃. The effect of different pH values on the maximum removal yield was investigated at pH 5-9, and the optimum pH was found again 8. The interactive effect of biomass concentration and B removal yield was also investigated at 0.386-1.061 g wet weight/L biomass. The highest removal yield was found as 38.03% at the highest biomass range. This study highlights the importance of using new isolate Chlorella sp. as a new biomaterial for B removal process of waters containing B.     

Determination of Vanadium in Food Samples by Cloud Point Extraction and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

A preconcentration methodology utilizing the cloud point phenomenon is described for the determination of total vanadium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Cloud point extraction method was based on the formation of a ternary complex between vanadium, 2-(2′-thiazolylazo)-p-cresol, and ascorbic acid, with subsequent extraction–preconcentration of the formed complexes using Triton X-100. Optimization of different parameters was evaluated. Under optimal conditions, a calibration curve was constructed, showing a linear range of 1.0–60 ng mL⁻¹ and the limit of detection and relative standard deviation for preconcentration of a 10-mL sample were found to be 0.05 ng mL⁻¹ and 3.9%, respectively. The preconcentration factor was found to be tenfold for 10 mL of water sample. The technique has been applied succesfully to the determination of vanadium traces in wine, tea, and tomato samples and the recoveries of added vanadium were in the range 96–102%.     

Effect of roasting on the physico-chemical properties,fatty acids,polyphenols and mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed and oils

The physico-chemical properties, phytochemicals, mineral contents of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seeds grown at Samsun province in Turkey were evaluated. The oil contents of tobacco seeds ranged from 20.6% (control) to 29.0% (microwave-roasted). L*, a* and b* values of tobacco seeds ranged from 32.38 to 35.61; from 6.32 to 6.78; from 13.72 to 14.27, respectively. Total phenolic contents of tobacco seed extract and oils were reported between 31.02 (oven-roasted) and 34.42 mg GAE/100 g (microwave-roasted) to 4.60 (microwave-roasted) and 6.45 mg GAE/100 g (oven-roasted), respectively. Total flavonoid values of raw and roasted tobacco seed extract and oils were determined between 26.62 (oven) and 67.10 mg/100 g (control) to 21.57 (control) and 44.71 mg/100 g (microwave-roasted), respectively. Gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and catechin are the predominant phenolic components of raw and roasted tobacco seed oils. The amounts of oleic and linoleic acid in raw and roasted tobacco seed oils ranged from 10.23% (oven-roasted) to 12.48% (control) and 73.72% (control) to 76.63% (oven-roasted), respectively. The abundant elements found in seeds were K, P, Ca, Mg, S and Fe. The mineral amounts of the roasted seeds were found higher than that of the control. The highest increase was detected in oven roasted tobacco seeds.