Selective removal of Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions including Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) ions by 4-vinly pyridine/2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate monomer mixture grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber

In this study, a new reactively fibrous adsorbent was prepared by grafting 4-vinly pyridine (4-VP) and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) monomer mixture onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers for removal of Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal ions from aqueous solution by using batch adsorption method. The influence of various parameters such as graft yield (GY), pH, adsorption time, initial ion concentration and adsorption temperature was investigated. The selectivity of the reactive fiber was also examined. The results show that the adsorbed amount of metal ions followed as given in the order Cr(VI) > Cd(II) > Cu(II). At pH 3, Cr(VI) was removed by 99% while the initial concentration of ions was at 5 mg L⁻¹ and by 94% at 400 mg L⁻¹. It was found that the grafted fiber is more selective for Cr(VI) ions in the mixed solution of Cr(VI)–Cu(II), Cr(VI)–Cd(II) and Cr(VI)–Cu(II)–Cd(II) at pH 3 and it was observed that the grafted fibers are stable and regenerable by acid and base without losing their activity.     

Microbial source tracking using host specific FAME profiles of fecal coliforms

The objective of this study was to investigate the host-specific differences in fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles of fecal coliforms (FC). A known-source library was constructed with 314 FC isolates cultured from 6 possible sources of fecal pollution; 99 isolates from sewage; 29 from bovine; 29 from poultry; 50 from swine; 46 from waterfowl; and 61 from deer. It was found that the hydroxy FAMEs 12:0 2 OH, 12:03 OH, and 14:02 OH were exclusively associated with isolates of human origin. On the other hand, 3 saturated FAMEs, 10:0, 15:0, and 18:0 were found only in isolates from non-human sources, 15:0 being associated with livestock samples only. In addition to the presence of these signature FAMEs, the mean relative masses of 16:1 omega7c and 16:1 ISO/14:03 OH were significantly different between the isolates of human and non-human origins. A linear discriminant function differentiated FC isolates of human origin from those of livestock and wildlife origin at 99% accuracy. These results strongly suggest that the FAME profiles of FC show statistically significant host specificity and may have the potential to be used as a phenotypic microbial source tracking tool.     

All‐pass filters using DDCC‐ and MOSFET‐based electronic resistor

The main motivation in this paper is to draw attention to the tunability and input‐signal amplitude limitations when a nonlinear device is used as a resistor. For this purpose, two first‐order all‐pass filters are proposed using differential difference current conveyor (DDCC), a capacitor and a resistor without element‐matching restriction. These all‐pass filter circuits can be made electronically tunable with electronic resistors. Tunability and input‐signal amplitude limitations of the proposed circuits due to the operational restrictions of the electronic resistors are examined. PSPICE simulations confirm the validity and the practical utility of the proposed circuits. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determining of heat balance design criteria for laying hen houses under continental climate conditions

This study focuses on the heat balance status of laying hen houses in regions with continental climate. The material consists of 45 laying hen houses from 27 commercial farms selected from the survey area where continental climate prevails. These laying hen houses differ from each other with respect to capacity, planning system and materials used in construction. First observations were conducted on the size and dimensions of laying hen houses as well as construction materials used, insulation, heat loss factors, ventilation capacity, ground space per hen and total size of laying hen house in order to assess the sufficiency of heat balance. Then, seven laying hen house models were developed. These models were developed by considering the present situation in operating laying hen houses, relevant literature, features of continental climate and suggestions made by firms manufacturing laying hen house construction materials in Turkey. These models give heat conduction coefficients that will prevent moisture concentration and ensure heat balance under continental climate conditions and suggest different sets of materials that can be used on walls and roofs. At the end of the study, under the condition of no moisture on surface of structural components and in areas where the indoor and outdoor temperatures are 25.3 °C and 20.2 °C, respectively, maximum total heat conduction coefficients are calculated to be between 1.38 and 1.73 Kcal/m² °C h. According to the features of area and housing, for providing heat balance, total heat conduction coefficients requirements are calculated to be between 0.62 and 2.08 Kcal/m² °C h for walls, 0.33 and 1.62 Kcal/m² °C h for roofs. In research area, minimum ventilation capacities are determined as 0.72 m³/h hen for carbon dioxide balance and, according to outdoor temperature, as 0.83–1.20 m³/h hen for water vapor balance. Heat loss factors are calculated to be between 0.10 and 0.15 Kcal/°C h hen. We believe that these suggestions will greatly facilitate the work of project engineers in the design of laying hen houses in regions and areas with continental climate.     

Appraisal of self, social environment, and state authority as a possible mediator of posttraumatic stress disorder in tortured political activists.

This study examined appraisal of self and others, as measured by semantic differential ratings of Police, State, Society, Family, Friend, Myself as a Man/Woman, and Myself as a Political Person, in 55 tortured political activists in Turkey, 55 nontortured political activists, and 55 nontortured, politically noninvolved controls. There were no remarkable differences between tortured and nontortured political activists; both groups differed from controls in having a more negative appraisal of the police and the state and stronger perceptions of danger, mistrust, and injustice in relation to state authority. Lack of beliefs concerning a "benevolent state" may have protected the survivors from the traumatic effects of state-perpetrated torture. Further research into the possible protective role of belief systems in posttraumatic stress disorder is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New Approach to Structure–Property Correlations of Different Films of Sorbitan Esters and Their Self-Assembly into Viscoelastic Monolayers

This publication is focused on the structural origin of viscoelasticity in Langmuir monolayers. To improve the understanding of the structural origin of viscoelasticity of surfactant films, we systematically studied interfacial films of different sorbitan esters with saturated (Span 60 and 65) and unsaturated (Span 80 and 85) paraffin chains by means of surface rheology, Langmuir isotherms, X-ray reflectometry (XRR), and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The results of two-dimensional shear rheological measurements revealed the existence of temporarily cross-linked networks. In dynamic BAM experiments, we observed a swinging motion of the monolayers as a result of a sudden externally initiated mechanical perturbation. The viscoelastic film response, which relaxed with time as the external force vanished, could be traced back to the presence of foam-like supramolecular structures that interlinked solid-condensed domains. The temperature dependence of the elastic response implied that the solid domains decomposed at temperatures close to the bulk melting point of Span 60 and Span 65. We concluded that insoluble surfactants formed solid domains at the interface, which were linked with each other by nonsolid areas, giving viscoelastic films. These newly discovered insights into coherent film formations could provide new opportunities for designing mechanically stable surfactant interfaces.     

Histone Methylation Marks on Circulating Nucleosomes as Novel Blood-Based Biomarker in Colorectal Cancer

Circulating nucleic acids (CNAs) are under investigation as a liquid biopsy in cancer as potential non-invasive biomarkers, as stable structure in circulation nucleosomes could be valuable sources for detection of cancer-specific alterations in histone modifications. Our interest is in histone methylation marks with a focus on colorectal cancer, one of the leading cancers respective the incidence and mortality. Our previous work included the analysis of trimethylations of lysine 9 on histone 3 (H3K9me3) and of lysine 20 on histone 4 (H4K20me3) by chromatin immuno- precipitation-related PCR in circulating nucleosomes. Here we asked whether global immunologic measurement of histone marks in circulation could be a suitable approach to show their potential as biomarkers. In addition to H3K9me3 and H4K20me3 we also measured H3K27me3 in plasma samples from CRC patients (n = 63) and cancer free individuals (n = 40) by ELISA-based methylation assays. Our results show that of three marks, the amounts of H3K27me3 (p = 0.04) and H4K20me3 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in CRC patients than in healthy controls. For H3K9me3 similar amounts were measured in both groups. Areas under the curve (AUC) in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicating the power of CRC detection were 0.620 for H3K27me3, 0.715 for H4K20me3 and 0.769 for the combination of both markers. In conclusion, findings of this preliminary study reveal the potential of blood-based detection of CRC by quantification of histone methylation marks and the additive effect of the marker combination.     

High-performance a-IGZO-based flexible TTFT with stacked dielectric layers via ultrathin high-κ SrTiO3 buffer layer grown on HfO2

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - In this study, ITO-coated PET was used as the substrate to create a flexible and transparent structure. a-IGZO (amorphous InGaZnO4) is...     

Effects of annealing on the structural and magnetic properties of flame spray pyrolyzed MnFe2O4 nanoparticles

In this study, manganese ferrite (MnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles were produced through flame spray pyrolysis (FSP). To investigate the effects of heat treatment, the nanoparticles were annealed between 400 and 650°C for 4 h in air in a comparative manner. The structural, chemical, morphological, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), respectively. The XRD results showed that the nanoparticles synthesized by the FSP method exhibited the MnFe₂O₄ spinel ferrite structure. The annealing process led to the decomposition of MnFe₂O₄ into various phases. According to the morphological analysis, the as-synthesized particles were hemispherical–cubic in shape and had an average particle size of less than 100 nm. In addition, the chemical bond structures of the nanoparticles were confirmed in detail by XPS elemental analysis. The highest saturation magnetization was recorded as 33.50 emu/g for the as-produced nanoparticles. The saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles decreased with increasing annealing temperature, while coercivity increased.