Cigarette smoking, serum lipids, folate, and vitamin B12 in lung cancer

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of cigarette smoking and serum lipids, folate, and vitamin B12 on the development of lung cancer in the Turkish population. The study group consisted of patients with histologically proven lung cancer and the control group comprised healthy smokers being followed in our smoking cessation outpatient department. Smoking history was obtained from all subjects and serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, vitamin B12, and folate levels were measured. Pack/years of cigarettes smoked were significantly higher in the subjects with lung cancer than in the control group (p < 0.01). Serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, serum folate, and vitamin B12 levels were within normal limits in both groups (p < 0.05), but serum vitamin B12 levels were statistically significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the cancer group than in the controls. In our study, we did not observe low levels of serum cholesterol, vitamin B12, or folate in the lung cancer patients.     

Polymeric absorbent for water sorption based on chemically crosslinked poly (acrylamide/2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt) hydrogels

Summary Swelling equilibrium of polyelectrolyte copolymer gels containing of acrylamide (AAm) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid sodium salt (AMPS) have been studied as a function of copolymer composition. AAm/AMPS hydrogels were prepared by free radical solution polymerization in aqueous solution of AAm with AMPS as anionic comonomer and two multifunctional crosslinkers such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA). Swelling experiments were performed in water at 25 °C, gravimetrically. The influence of AMPS content in hydrogels was examined. Swelling of AAm/AMPS hydrogels was increased up to 1018% (for containing 2% AMPS and crosslinked by EGDMA) 15246% (for containing 8% AMPS and crosslinked by TMPTA), while AAm hydrogels swelled up to 804% (crosslinked by TMPTA)–770% (crosslinked by EGDMA). The values of equilibrium water content of the hydrogels are 0.8851–0.9935. Diffusion behavior was investigated. Water diffusion into hydrogels was found to be non-Fickian in character.     

Synthetic polymeric absorbent for dye based on chemically crosslinked acrylamide/mesaconic acid hydrogels

Adsorption properties of copolymers of acrylamide and mesaconic acid (CAME) in aqueous Basic Blue 12 (Nile blue chloride) solution have been investigated. Chemically crosslinked CAME hydrogels with various compositions were prepared from ternary mixtures of acrylamide (A), mesaconic(ME) acid, and water by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution, using a multifunctional crosslinker such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). Dynamic swelling tests in water was applied to the hydrogels. Weight swelling ratio (S) values have been calculated. Sorption of Basic Blue 12 (BB 12) onto CAME hydrogels was studied by batch sorption technique at 25°C. In the experiments of the sorption, L type sorption in the Giles classification system was found. Some binding parameters such as initial binding constant (K_i), equilibrium constant (K), monolayer coverage (n), site‐size (u), and maximum fractional occupancy (Ô) for CAME hydrogels‐BB 12 binding system were calculated by using Klotz, Scatchard, and Langmuir linearization methods. Finally, the amount of sorbed BB 12 per gram of dry hydrogel (q) was calculated to be 2.28 × 10^?6–7.91× 10^?6 mol BB 12 per gram for hydrogels. Sorption % was changed range 16.09–58.86%. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 405–413, 2006     

Binding of some dyes onto crosslinked poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone)

Summary Bindings of some anionic dyes containing sulfonyl group(s), namely, Acid Blue 74 (AB-74), Acid Orange 7 (AO-7), Acid Green 1 (AG-1), Direct Blue 53 (DB-53), and Calconcarboxylic acid (CCA) onto crosslinked poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (CPVP) have been investigated using adsorption isotherm parameter. The dyes were linked positively charged on the tertiary nitrogen atom on the pyrrolidone ring in polymer chain resulting keto-enol tautomerism from sulfonyl group on the benzene ring in the dyes molecules. In the experiments of adsorption, L (Langmuir) type adsorption in the Giles classification system was found. Monolayer coverages (n) of polymer/dye system were founds by "B point" methods. Adsorption studies indicated that monolayer coverages of CPVP by the anionic dyes containing sulfonyl group(s) were increased with following order; CCA > AG-1 >> DB-53 > AO-7 > AB-74. Received: 10 April 2000/Revised version: 26 May 2000/Accepted: 6 June 2000     

DETERMINATION OF COPPER(II) IN NATURAL WATERS BY EXTRACTION USING N-O-VANILLIDINE-2-AMINO-P-CRESOL AND FLAME ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRY

A simple and accurate solvent extraction method was developed for the separation and preconcentration of trace levels of copper(II) in water using N-o-vanillidine-2-amino-p-cresol prior to its determination using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Analytical parameters such as the pH of the aqueous phase, extraction time, concentration of the reagent, concentration of the nitric acid back extraction agent, volumes of aqueous phase and back extraction agent, and concomitant ions on the extraction yield of the copper(II) were investigated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limit (3σ) was 0.61 µ g L^?1 for a 25 mL blank solution, yielding a preconcentration factor of 12.5. The method was succesfully applied to the determination of copper(II) in tap water, river water, and seawater. The accuracy of the method was verified by analyzing two certified reference materials and spiked water samples. The results obtained were in agreement with the certified values and the recoveries for spiked water samples were between 98 and 112%.     

Equilibrium swelling studies of highly swollen acrylamide/mesaconic acid hydrogels

Acrylamide/mesaconic acid (AAm/MA) hydrogels were prepared by free radical solution polymerization in aqueous solution of acrylamide (AAm) with mesaconic acid (MA) as comonomer and two multifunctional crosslinkers such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and 1,4‐butanediol dimethacrylate (BDMA). Swelling experiments were performed in water at 25°C, gravimetrically. The influence of mesaconic acid content in hydrogels was examined. Swelling of AAm/MA hydrogels was increased up to 2301% (for containing 20 mg MA and crosslinked by EGDMA) to 3296% (for containing 80 mg MA and crosslinked by BDMA), while AAm hydrogels swelled up to 1330% (crosslinked by BDMA) to 1400% (crosslinked by EGDMA). The values of equilibrium water content of the hydrogels are 0.9301–0.9706. Diffusion behavior was investigated. Water diffusion into hydrogels was found to be non‐Fickian in character. Diffusion coefficients of AAm/MA hydrogels were calculated by the short time approximation and found to be from 38.01 × 10^?6 cm² s^?1 to 182.73 × 10^?6 cm² s^?1. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 2253–2259, 2005     

Removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions by hazelnut shell

There is a great potential of woody hazelnut shell to use in some applications. Sorption studies are one of these. For this reason in this paper, batch adsorption of Cu(2+) ions onto hazelnut shells was studied. The capacity of the adsorption for the removal of copper ions from aqueous solution was investigated under different conditions such as solution contact time (1-360 min), particle size (0-75, 75-150 and 150-200 microm), temperature of solution (25-60 degrees ) and solution pH (3-7). Moreover, zeta potential of particles at different initial pHs (2-10) was measured. The equilibrium data were processed according to Langmuir and Freundlich's models and higher adsorption capacity values towards Cu(2+) ions were shown. The adsorption kinetics was investigated and the best fit was achieved by a second-order equation.     

Influence of some aromatic amino acids on the swelling behavior of acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel

Summary Influence of some aromatic amino acids (histidine, phenylalanine and tryptophan) on the swelling behavior of acrylamide/maleic acid hydrogel (AAm/MA) prepared by γ-radiation was investigated. Swelling tests of AAm/MA hydrogel were made in buffer solutions and amino acid solutions at various pH at 37°C. The pH values are ionization of α-carboxyl groups (pK'₁), α-amino groups (pK'₂) and, isoelectric points (pI) of amino acids. The swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel increased when pH values of solutions were increased. The value of equilibrium swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel was 1035% at pH 10 buffer, while it was 880% at pH 2 buffer. The values of equilibrium swelling of AAm/MA hydrogel in phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine solutions varied among 1130–1245% at pH 10, while they were among 790–975% at pH 2. The rate constant of swelling, diffusional exponent, network parameter and, diffusion and intrinsic diffusion coefficient were calculated by swelling kinetics. Diffusion of the penetrants into the hydrogel was found to be non-Fickian character. The diffusion coefficients of the hydrogel varied between 3.33×10⁻⁶– 7.71×10⁻⁶ cm ²s⁻¹, while the intrinsic diffusion coefficients waried between 4.03×10⁻⁶– 8.48×10⁻⁶ cm ²s⁻¹. Received: 22 December 1997/Revised version: 3 March 1998/Accepted: 5 March 1998     

Interaction of nicotine and its pharmaceutical derivatives with acrylamide/itaconic acid hydrogels

Acrylamide/itaconic acid hydrogels (AAm/IA) containing different amounts of itaconic acid prepared by irradiating with γ radiation were used in experiments on swelling, diffusion, and interactions of the pharmaceuticals nicotine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and nikethamide. AAm/IA hydrogel containing 60 mg itaconic acid and irradiated at 4.65 kGy has been used for swelling and diffusion studies in water and aqueous solutions of the pharmaceuticals. For this hydrogel, swelling studies indicated that swelling increased with the following order: water > nicotine > nikethamide > nicotinamide > nicotinic acid. Diffusions of water and the pharmaceuticals within hydrogels were found to be non-Fickian in character. The uptake of the pharmaceuticals to AAm/IA hydrogels was studied by batch adsorption technique at 25°C. In the experiments of the adsorption, C-type adsorption in Giles's classification system was found. Some binding and thermodynamic parameters for AAm/IA hydrogel-pharmaceutical systems were calculated by using the Klotz method. The values of adsorption heat, free energy, and entropy of this system were found as negative values. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 733–739, 1997     

High‐performance liquid chromatography of some natural dyes: analysis of plant extracts and dyed textiles

In this study, wool fibre samples were mordanted by means of 25% alum mordant solution. The mordanted wool samples were dyed in 50%Reseda luteola L. (weld), 20%Rhamnus petiolaris Boiss (buckthorn) and 50%Datisca cannabina L. (bastard hemp) dyebaths. A reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with diode‐array detection method was utilised for the identification of dyes in the dyed wool samples and the plant extracts. The extraction of dyes was carried out with a hydrogen chloride/methanol/water (2:1:1; v/v/v) mixture.