Vascular Structure Design of an Artificial Tree for Microbial Cell Cultivation and Biofuel Production

This paper reports the design of a vascular structure for an artificial tree, also known as an evaporation-driven porous substrate bioreactor (PSBR), for efficient biofuel production using microalgae. This system consists of multiple vertical ribs, each of which is made of porous membrane and grows algal cells on its surface as a biofilm. Nutrient medium flow through the reactor is driven by evaporation at the terminal end of the porous membrane, and nutrients are delivered from the porous membrane to the cells by diffusion. Flow through the membrane was modeled as a function of the physico-chemical and morphological properties of the membrane, as well as the environmental parameters governing evaporation. It was determined that under typical operating conditions, the evaporative flux from the evaporator region ranged from about 14 to 66 mg/m \(^2\)  s. Moreover, there was a membrane pore radius that maximized nutrient medium flow as a result of the competition between capillary, viscous, and gravitational forces. For the range of evaporative fluxes observed in this study, this pore radius was about 10 \(\upmu \) m. Furthermore, a design example is provided for artificial trees made of three different commercially available membrane materials. A design methodology was demonstrated for maximizing photosynthetic productivity by tuning the evaporation-driven flow rate to ensure sufficient nutrient delivery to cells without incurring large evaporative loss rates. It was observed that both the growth rate and the evaporation-driven nutrient delivery rate were directly related to the irradiance in outdoor artificial trees, which provides a passive and efficient nutrient delivery mechanism. It is expected that the design principles along with the physical models governing the fluid flow in these vascular structures will aid researchers in developing novel applications for artificial trees.     

A comparative analysis of Mindlin and Kirchhoff bending solutions for nonlinearly tapered annular plate with free edges

In this study, we consider the problem of nonlinearly tapered annular plate with a free edge. The supported edge may be simply supported, clamped or elastically restrained against rotation. Exact expressions of deflection, moment-resultants, and stresses are presented for nonuniform thickness. We compare the results of the Kirchhoff plate theory and the Mindlin plate theory. It is shown that the Kirchhoff plate theory and the Mindlin plate theory provide approximately the same results for the positive values of the thickness factor, but the difference between the deflections diverges as the thickness increases at the inner edge. We also propose that the Kirchhoff plate theory may be used in the region of −0.4 ≤ α < 1 and the Mindlin plate theory must be used for α < −0.4.     

Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction of Rhodium from Water,Street Dust,and Catalytic Converters Using a Cellulose–Graphite Oxide Composite

A cellulose–graphite oxide composite was synthesized and characterized as an adsorbent for dispersive solid-phase extraction of rhodium from various samples before atomic absorption detection. The pH, adsorbent volume, centrifugation time and rate, eluent concentration, volume and type, adsorption and elution contact time, sample volume, and matrix interferences were optimized. The developed method is simple, rapid, and inexpensive. The tolerance limits for rhodium were 10,000?mg?L^?1 sodium, 25,000?mg?L^?1 potassium, 10,000?mg?L^?1 magnesium, and 20,000?mg?L^?1 calcium. The recovery for rhodium exceeded 95%. Elution was performed with 10?mL of 2.5?mol?L^?1 H₂SO₄. The adsorption and elution contact times were 30 and 60?s, respectively. The detection limit of the method for rhodium was 5.4?µg?L^?1 and the precision as the relative standard deviation was 1.6%. A certified reference material 2556 (used auto catalyst pellets) and fortified samples were analyzed to evaluate the accuracy of the method. The optimized method was used for the preconcentration of rhodium from tap water, well water, wastewater, seawater, catalytic converters, and street dust.     

An assessment of alkyl chain length effect of symmetric İmidazolium salts as a carrier for selective separation of Cr(VI)

Selective solvent extraction (SSX) of Cr(VI) and recovery was evaluated by using a homologous series of symmetric imidazolium bromide salts (SIMs) having various alkyl chain length. Therefore, propyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, and decyl substituted SIMs were used as an ion carrier. The executive parameters affecting both extraction and stripping conditions were investigated for optimization. Finally, a direct correlation was observed a between increasing alkyl chain length and selective Cr(VI) extraction from acidic solutions containing Cr(VI), Fe(III), Co(II), Cd(II), Ni(II). This relationship was reversed in the stripping conditions. Optimal extraction and stripping were obtained for SIM5 and SIM2 as 97.49% and 70.00%, respectively.     

Determination of Dimenhydrinate Nasal Delivery System in the Blood by RP-LC

Dimenhydrinate (DM) is used therapeutically for the prevention of motion sickness associated with nausea and vomiting. The aim of this investigation is the development of a new, rapid, sensitive, simple and fully validated RP-LC procedure for the suitable assay of DM in pharmaceutical formulation applied in blood samples. The method was validated before the amount determination studies in order to confirm linearity, precision, accuracy, selectivity, determination and quantification limit and consistency. High determination coefficient (r ² = 0.998) of the standard curve drawn in the linearity studies showed that the line equation can be used in the quantification of the DM. Literature was reviewed for the methods based on diphenhydramine (DIP), its metabolite dimenhydrinate, in the in vivo determination of dimenhydrinate amount. The most appropriate method to be used in LC was decided to be the method applied by benefitting from the fluorescence characteristic of DIP. Maximum excitation and emission wavelengths in the developed method were scanned using multiple wavelengths and, maximum excitation and emission wavelengths were found to be 215 and 300 nm, respectively. In the validation study used to prove validity of the method, determination coefficient of the developed standard curve was calculated as 0.998 (RSD %), and line equation was concluded to be appropriate for use in amount determination studies. BBS % (1.06, 1.84 %) values obtained as “<2 %” in the intra-day and inter-day precision studies proved the precision of the method. Selectivity study revealed that other materials used in the formulation did not exhibit absorbance in the same wavelengths. Detection and quantification limit were found as 1 and 5 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The determination of DM plasma concentrations using the proposed and fully validated LC assay has allowed us to characterize DMPK in the sheep, as well as determine DM relative bioavailability.

     

The Synthesis and Formation of Complexes between Derivatives of Chiral Aza-18-Crown-6 Ethers and Chiral Primary Organic Ammonium Salts

Chiral mono aza-18-crown-6 derivatives have been prepared in optically active form and high yield from amino alcohols via a cyclization reaction with tetraethylene glycol ditosylate.The enantiomeric recognition by these chiral aza-crown ethers between chiral primary ammonium perchlorate salts has been characterized by UV–Vis at 25 °C in chloroform.     

Synthesis of new lariat cyclicdiamides and their metal complexes

Three new lariat dilactam host molecules were prepared by the reaction of triethyleneglycol dicarboxylic acid dichloride withN,N-disubstitutèd-4,7-dioxa-1,10-diazadecane precursors. The amide nitrogen pivot of such compounds are substituted with the benzyl, octyl and dodecyl groups. The complexing ability of these dilactams is displayed with a series of metal complexes of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions. The structures determined are consistent with the data of¹H-NMR,¹³C-NMR, IR spectra and elemental analyses.Presented at the Sixth International Seminar on Inclusion Compounds, Istanbul, Turkey, 27–31 August, 1995.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of trans-bis-(3,5-dimethyl-4-nitrosopyrazole) dimer

Bis-(3,5-dimethyl-4-nitrosopyrazole) dimer was prepared by reaction of acetyl acetone with nitrous acid and condensation with hydrazine. Spectroscopic techniques, including IR, UV, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR, and CHN analysis were used to identify the product.     

Quantum chemical and experimental studies on the mechanism of alkylation of beta-dicarbonyl compounds. The synthesis of five and six membered heterocyclic spiro derivatives

The alkylation of beta-dicarbonyl compounds in a K2CO3/DMSO system was found to afford O- and C-alkylated derivatives, depending on the type of the beta-dicarbonyl compound involved. The alkyl derivatives obtained were used in the synthesis of some new spiro barbituric acid derivatives. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out to elucidate the reaction mechanisms for some typical synthesis.