The structure and photocatalytic performances of mechanically synthesized poly(3′,4′‐ethylenedioxy‐2,2′:5′,2″‐Terthiophene)/Zno composites

Poly(3′,4′‐ethylenedioxy‐2,2′:5′,2″‐terthiophene)/ZnO(poly(TET)/ZnO) composites with the ratio of poly(TET) and nano‐ZnO from 3:1 to 1:3 were synthesized by hand grinding and ball milling methods, respectively. The photocatalytic activities of the composites were examined through the degradation processes of methylene blue (MB) solution under UV light irradiation, and the possible mechanism for the photocatalytic activity enhancement by synergetic effects between nano‐ZnO and poly(TET) was proposed. The results showed that the strong interactions between the poly(TET) and nano‐ZnO occurred in the case of ball milling method. The results also proved that the crystallinity of ZnO was not disturbed in both of methods, and the nano‐ZnO was uniformly distributed in polymer matrix in the case of ball milling method. The comparative studies showed that the addition of the nano‐ZnO could enhance the photocatalytic activities of the composites. The highest degradation efficiency (100%) at 3 h under UV light irradiation occurred in the case of poly(TET)/ZnO(1:1) synthesized by ball milling method. Furthermore, the nanocompsosite displayed higher photocatalytic activity than nano‐ZnO, which was due to the holes (h⁺) transferring from the valence band of ZnO to the polymer backbone and the adsorption of MB molecules in polymer matrix via π–π conjugation between MB and aromatic regions of the poly(TET). POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1597–1605, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Investigation on vermilion,gingiva, and tooth color of young Uygur and Han populations in Xinjiang,China

This study examines oral tissue color in Uygur and Han Chinese populations. The color of oral tissues is of great significance in dental field. It remains uncertain whether there is any difference in the color of oral tissues between different nationalities or ethnicities. Little is known about the color of oral tissues in different Chinese populations. The study included 263 Uygur and Han students aged 18–22 years. The color of anterior teeth, vermilion, and attached gingiva in the subjects was measured by spectrophotometry and expressed through the CIELCh system. The t test and ANOVA was used to analyze color difference between groups. Distribution ranges for L (lightness), C (chroma) and h (hue angle) of anterior teeth, vermilion, and attached gingiva in these two ethnicities were obtained. Significant differences in color of oral tissues between Uygur and Han Ethnicities were found out. The Uygur and Han populations have similar spatial distribution ranges for the color of oral tissues, with slight differences that displayed strong regularities, suggesting that the color of oral tissues was associated with race. In addition, there was a trend of decreasing lightness (especially for maxillary anterior teeth), increasing chroma and redder hue from the center of teeth toward the sides in both ethnicities. There were differences in the color of teeth and attached gingiva between sexes in the Uygur and Han populations. The color of the upper vermilion differed significantly from that of the lower vermilion. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 2010     

光波导二氧化氮气敏传感元件的研究

本文用离子交换法制备K+交换玻璃光波导元件,并在其表面固定纳米级敏感层酞菁铜(CuPc)薄膜,利用光波导气体检测系统对NO2气体进行测试.结果表明,该传感元件常温下对NO2等气体有快速、可逆的响应,并具有重现性好,灵敏度高等特点.     

Platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio better predicts inflammation than neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio in end‐stage renal disease patients

Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was introduced as a potential marker to determine inflammation in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Recently, platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and NLR were found to positively correlated with inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin (IL)‐6 in cardiac and noncardiac patients. Data regarding PLR and its association with inflammation are lacking in hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Hence, we aimed to determine the relationship between PLR, NLR, and inflammation in ESRD patients. This was a cross‐sectional study involving 62 ESRD patients (29 females, 33 males; mean age, 49.6 ± 14.6 years) receiving PD or HD for ≥6 months in the Dialysis Unit of Necmettin Erbakan University. PLR, NLR, C‐reactive protein, TNF‐α, IL‐6 levels were measured. PLR, NLR, serum high sensitive C‐reactive protein, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels were significantly higher in PD patients when compared with HD patients. ESRD patients with PLR ≥ 140 had significantly higher NLR, IL‐6, and TNF‐α levels when compared to patients with PLR < 139. In the bivariate correlation analysis, PLR was positively correlated with NLR, IL‐6, and TNF‐α in this population. When we compared the association of PLR and NLR with IL‐6 (r = 0.371, P = 0.003 vs. r = 0.263, P = 0.04, respectively) and TNF‐α (r = 0.334, P = 0.008 vs. r = 0.273, P = 0.032, respectively), PLR was found to be superior to NLR in terms of inflammation in ESRD patients. Simple calculation of PLR can predict inflammation better than NLR in ESRD patients.     

Synthesis of oligo‐ortho‐azomethinephenol and its oligomer–metal complexes: Characterization and application as anti‐microbial agents

The oxidative polycondensation reaction conditions and optimum parameters of o‐phenylazomethinephenol (PAP) with oxygen (air) and NaOCl were determined in an aqueous alkaline solution at 60–98°C. The properties of oligo‐o‐phenylazomethinephenol (OPAP) were studied by chemical and spectra analyses. PAP was converted to dimers and trimers (25–60%) by oxidation in an aqueous alkaline medium. The number average molecular weight (M_n), mass average molecular weight (M_w), and polydispersity index (PDI) values were 1180 g mol^?1, 1930 g mol^?1, and 1.64, respectively. According to these values, 20–33% of PAP turned into OPAP. During the polycondensation reaction, a part of the azomethine (? CH?N? ) groups oxidized to carboxylic (? COOH) group. Thus, a water‐soluble fraction of OPAP was incorporated in the carboxylic (? COOH); (2–20%) group. Also, the structure and properties of oligomer–metal complexes of OPAP with Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), and Co(II) were studied. Antimicrobial activites of the oligomer and its oligomer–metal complexes were tested against B. cereus, L. monocytogenes, B. megaterium, B. subtilis, E. coli, Str. thermophilus, M. smegmatis, B. brevis, E. aeroginesa, P. vulgaris, M. luteus, S. aureus, and B. jeoreseens. Also, according to differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis, OPAP and its oligomer–metal complexes were stable throughout to temperature and thermo‐oxidative decomposition. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2004–2013, 2002     

The relationship between neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and vascular calcification in end‐stage renal disease patients

Chronic inflammation was found to be correlated with coronary (CAC) and thoracic peri‐aortic calcification (TAC) in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was introduced as a potential marker to determine inflammation in cardiac and noncardiac disorders. Data regarding NLR and its association with TAC and CAC are lacking. We aimed to determine the relationship between NLR and vascular calcification in ESRD patients. This was a cross‐sectional study involving 56 ESRD patients (22 females, 34 males; mean age, 49.9 ± 14.2 years) receiving peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis for ≥6 months in the Dialysis Unit of Necmettin Erbakan University. TAC and CAC scores were measured by using an electrocardiogram‐gated 64‐multidetector computed tomography. NLR was calculated as the ratio of the neutrophils and lymphocytes. There was a statistically significant correlation between NLR, TACS and CACS in ESRD patients (r = 0.43, P = 0.001 and r = 0.30, P = 0.02, respectively). The stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that age, as well as NLR were independent predictors of TACS. However, increased age was the only independent predictor of CACS according to linear regression analysis. Simple calculation of NLR can predict vascular calcification in ESRD patients.     

Synthesis and characterization of oligosalicylaldehyde‐graft‐oligoaniline and its beginning oligomers

Conjuge bonding oligosalicylaldehyde‐graft‐oligoaniline (OSA‐graft‐OA) was synthesized from the polycondensation reaction of oligosalicylaldehyde (OSA) with oligoaniline (OA). There were various functional groups such as ? OH, ? NH and ? CH?N in the structure of the graft cooligomer. The physical properties of graft‐co‐oligomers such as melting temperature and solubility were studied: number‐average molecular weight, mass‐average molecular weight, and a polydispersity index of OA, OSA, and fractions of the graft cooligomers [(OSA‐graft‐OA)‐I] and [(OSA‐graft‐OA)‐II] were found to be 740, 780 g mol^?1,1.05; 3700, 5990 g mol^?1, 1.62; 990, 2770 g mol^?1, 2.80 and 1300, 4100 g mol^?1, 3.15, respectively. The FTIR and UV‐Vis spectra of the graft cooligomer were compared with those of beginning oligomers. The spectral analyses results showed that the OSA‐graft‐OA synthesized from the polycondensation reaction of aromatic amine with aldehyde that have long oligophenol macromolecule bonded each other with an azomethine bridge through oligophenylamine side chains. The thermal stability of the graft cooligomer and oligomers were measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TG) under an air atmosphere. According to TG analyses, the carboneous residues of the [(OSA‐graft‐OA)‐I) (soluble in ethanol) and (OSA‐graft‐OA)‐II) (soluble in toluene)] were 23 and 40%, respectively, at 1000°C. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 218–226, 2002     

Characterization of tertiary amine and epoxy functional all-acrylic coating system

For many years the coating industry has been working on developing and/or improving non-isocyanate (NISO) coating systems to meet environmental and safety concerns without sacrificing their performance. The approach of all acrylic (AA) resins, in general comprises of anhydride/hydroxyl, tertiary-amine/epoxy, carboxy/epoxy, or activated hydrogen/ketimine functional groups. The objective of this study is to show that the functional groups in tertiary amine acrylic and epoxy acrylic resins can be determined by means of FTIR and Pyrolyzer GC/FID.     

Screw pullout behaviour in polyethylene

Plastics are now rapidly displacing conventional materials in numerous engineering applications in mass productions. The emerging need to produce larger and more complex forms of plastics and their composites has increased the need for joining, in particular, the thermoplastics. Thread fasteners have found widespread use in many systems and structures. Although frequently overlooked they represent a complex and often critical design element. Fastened assemblies are often subjected to dynamic environments including vibration, shock, and/or thermal cycling. Such conditions can lead to fastener loosening and can result in increased maintenance and failure.

In this study, the effect of thermal cycling and different environmental conditions upon the pullout performance of screwed polyethylene in semi crystalline thermoplastic was examined.     

Long and short‐term assessment of surface area changes in saline and freshwater lakes via remote sensing

Advances in remote sensing technology enable monitoring and detection of these vulnerable water bodies that bear numerous functions and ecological services beyond their intended use. As such, valuable data and information may be provided for long and short‐term analyses and stored in a database for future projections. This paper initially grouped 18 natural lakes of the Konya Closed Basin of Turkey according to their salinity level. Freshwater, saline and brackish lakes have then undergone temporal analysis for every 5‐year intervals via Landsat satellite images. Freshwater lake surfaces have not changed noticeably during the inspection period; however, saline waters have decreased in surface area by 32%. Beysehir Lake constituting 94% of the freshwater category and Tuz Lake representing 97% of the saline group were selected for the short‐term analysis that was monthly conducted for years 2017 and 2018 with optical and SAR images to better verify cause and effect relationship.