Removal of heavy metal ions from water by using poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate-co-acrylamide) beads

Poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate-co-acrylamide) (poly(EDGMA-co-AAm)) copolymer beads have been prepared for use in the separation Pb(II), Hg(II), and Cd(II), metal ions in aqueous solution by a batch equilibration technique. Adsorption capacity were increased with pH for Pb(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) and then reached almost plateau value around 6.0. The high initial rate of metal ions uptake (<10 min) suggests that the adsorption occurs mainly at the bead surface. The metal uptake results show that poly(EGDMA-co-AAm) can be used for the adsorption of the following metals in the indicated order: Pb(II) > Cd(II) > Hg(II) expressed on a molar basis. However, when the uptake was expressed in terms of the amount of metal removed from solution was as follows: Pb(II) > Hg(II) > Cd(II). The beads still showed preference toward Pb(II) when this metal was in a mixture with Hg(II) and Cd(II). A linearized form of the Freundlich and the Langmuir isotherm model fits the experimental equilibrium concentration data of Hg(II) and Cd(II) better than isotherm type model of Pb(II). The recovery of the metal ions after adsorption and the regeneration of the adsorbent can be carried out by treatment of the loaded beads with either 0.5 M NaCl, or 1 M HNO₃.     

A novel approach to estimation of E. coli promoter gene sequences: Combining feature selection and least square support vector machine (FS_LSSVM)

In this paper, we have investigated the real-world task of recognizing biological concepts in DNA sequences. Recognizing promoters in strings that represent nucleotides (one of A, G, T, or C) has been performed using a novel approach based on combining feature selection (FS) and least square support vector machine (LSSVM). Dimensionality of Escherichia coli promoter gene sequences dataset has 57 attributes and 106 samples including 53 promoters and 53 non-promoters. The proposed system consists of two parts. Firstly, we have used the FS process to reduce the dimensionality of E. coli promoter gene sequences dataset that has 57 attributes. So the dimensionality of this dataset has been reduced to 4 attributes by means of FS process.Secondly, LSSVM classifier algorithm has been run to estimation the E. coli promoter gene sequences. In order to show the performance of the proposed system, we have used the success rate, sensitivity and specificity analysis, 10-fold cross validation, and confusion matrix. Whilst only LSSVM classifier has been obtained 80% success rate using 10-fold cross validation, the proposed system has been obtained 100% success rate for same condition. These obtained results indicate that the proposed approach improve the success rate in recognizing promoters in strings that represent nucleotides.     

Bridging radial and non-radial measures of efficiency in DEA

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been utilized worldwide for measuring efficiencies of banks, telecommunications, electric utilities and so forth. Yet, the existing models have some well-known shortcomings that limit their usefulness. In DEA we have two fundamental approaches to measuring efficiency with very different characteristics; radial and non-radial. We demonstrate a method for linking these two approaches in a unified framework called Connected-SBM (slacks-based measure). It includes two scalar parameters, and by changing the parameter values we can relocate the analysis anywhere between the radial and the non-radial models. An appropriate choice of these parameters can overcome the key shortcomings inherent in the two approaches, namely, proportionality and mixed patterns of slacks.     

Estimation of stochastic nonlinear dynamic response of rock-fill dams with uncertain material parameters for non-stationary random seismic excitation

This research investigates the effect of uncertain material parameters on the stochastic, dynamic response of a rock-fill dam-foundation system subjected to non-stationary random excitation. The uncertain material parameter of particular interest is the shear modulus, developed from a lognormal distribution model. The stochastic seismic response model of the dam-foundation system, with uncertain material parameters and subjected to random loads is the result of a Monte Carlo simulation method. The nonlinear behavior model arises from an equivalent linear method, which considers the nonlinear variation of soil shear modulus and soil damping as a function of shear strain. Specification of the non-stationary stochastic process arises from a simulation method, which generates artificial earthquake accelerograms obtained from the product of a deterministic function of time and a stationary process. The artificial earthquake ground acceleration records reflect the characteristics of soft, medium and firm soil types. Comparison of the numerical results from these approaches provides stochasticity in earthquake seismic excitation and randomness in material parameter (shear modulus) cases. Further, the results indicate that both these cases generally influence the nonlinear dynamic response of rock-fill dams to a non-stationary seismic excitation.     

A first-principles studies on TlX (X=P, As)

We present an ab initio study of the structural, electronic and thermodynamic properties of TlX(X=P,As). The plane-wave pseudopotential approach to the density-functional theory within the LDA and GGA approximations implemented in VASP (Viena Ab-initio Simulation Package) is used. The calculated lattice parameter, elastic constants, and band structures are compared with other available theoretical results, and good agreement is obtained. In addition, we have calculated the transition pressure (P _t ) from zinc-blende (ZB) to (rock-salt) NaCl structures, and have examined some thermodynamic properties.      

Diffusion-weighted imaging evaluation of subtle cerebral microstructural changes in intrauterine fetal hydrocephalus

OBJECTIVE: Hydrocephalus is an important etiological factor in neurological decline. With the advent of fetal ultrasound, fetal hydrocephalus is now more frequently detected than in the past. Ultrasonography (USG) provides information on general morphology, but microstructural changes that may play a prognostic role are beyond the resolution of that technique. These changes may theoretically be revealed by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). In this study, our preliminary findings of DW-MRI on the hydrocephalic fetuses are presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve fetuses with fetal USG diagnosis of hydrocephalus were investigated using a 1.5-T MR scanner. In addition to conventional techniques, DWI was performed. It was obtained using a single-shot echo-planar imaging sequence (TR/TE: 4393/81 ms; slice thickness: 5 mm; interslice gap: 1 mm; FOV: 230 mm; matrix size: 128x256; b values: 0 and 1000 s/mm2). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured in the white matter of the periventricular frontal and occipital lobes, basal ganglia, thalamus, centrum semiovale and cerebrospinal fluid in the lateral ventricle. These values were compared with the normal prenatal ADC values from a radiological study published in the literature. RESULTS: All fetuses had moderate or severe bilateral supratentorial ventricular dilatation that was compatible with hydrocephalus. On conventional T1- and T2-weighted imaging, cerebral parenchyma had normal signal pattern and ADC values were significantly lower than those reported for fetuses with normal brain. These values were lower in hydrocephalic fetuses with statistical significance (P<.05-.01). CONCLUSION: DWI is a sensitive technique to investigate cerebral microstructure. The reduction in cerebral blood flow and alterations in cerebral energy metabolism in cases with hydrocephalus have been shown before. Changes in cerebral blood flow and energy metabolism, as a consequence of cerebral compression, may occur in hydrocephalus. Elevated ventricular pressure may cause cerebral ischemia. The anaerobic glycolysis seen in the hydrocephalic brain tissue by increasing the lactate concentration and intracellular fluid flux may be the reason for the reduced ADC values in hydrocephalic fetuses. However, long-term prospective trials on the correlation of ADC values and neurological outcome are necessary to exploit the full benefit of that novel technique.     

A new approach for the synthesis of spiro and gem-dimethyl-substituted 1,4-oxazepines from N-propargylic β-enaminones

An efficient and general method for the synthesis of spiro-1,4-oxazepines and 3,3-dimethyl-1,4-oxazepines is reported. When treated with ZnI₂ and AgSbF₆ in refluxing DCE, cyclohexane-embedded N-propargylic β-enaminones underwent 7-exo-dig cyclization to afford spiro-1,4-oxazepines, specifically 12-methylene-11-oxa-7-azaspiro[5.6]dodeca-7,9-dienes, in good to high yields. Accordingly, N-(1,1-dimethyl)propargylic β-enaminones produced 3,3-dimethyl-1,4-oxazepines. Cyclization was found to be general for a diverse range of N-propargylic β-enaminones with high efficiency and broad functional group tolerance. This operationally easy method might provide quick access to a library of functionalized spiro and gem-dimethyl-substituted 1,4-oxazepine derivatives of pharmacological interest.     

Standing on the shoulders of Hermann Staudinger: Post‐polymerization modification from past to present

With a span as long as the history of polymer science itself, post‐polymerization modification represents a versatile platform for the preparation of diversely functionalized polymers from a single precursor. Starting with the initial efforts by Staudinger in the 1920s, many of the early developments in modern polymer science can be attributed to the utilization of post‐polymerization modification reactions. The scope of post‐polymerization modification has greatly expanded since the 1990s due to the development of functional group tolerant controlled/living polymerization techniques combined with the (re)discovery of highly efficient coupling chemistries that allow quantitative, chemoselective, and orthogonal functionalization of reactive polymer precursors. After some basic mechanistic considerations, this Highlight will provide an overview of the development and evolution of eight main classes of post‐polymerization modification reactions. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Atomic layer deposited HfO2 based metal insulator semiconductor GaN ultraviolet photodetectors

A report on GaN based metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) with atomic layer deposited (ALD) 5-nm-thick HfO₂ insulating layer is presented. Very low dark current of 2.24 × 10⁻¹¹ A and increased photo to dark current contrast ratio was achieved at 10 V. It was found that the dark current was drastically reduced by seven orders of magnitude at 10 V compared to samples without HfO₂ insulating layer. The observed decrease in dark current is attributed to the large barrier height which is due to introduction of HfO₂ insulating layer and the calculated barrier height was obtained as 0.95 eV. The peak responsivity of HfO₂ inserted device was 0.44 mA/W at bias voltage of 15 V.