Synthesis and Spectroscopic Studies of N,N’-dialkyl Derivatives of Antisymmetrical 2H,5H-Dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-diones

2,5-dihydropyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole-1,4-dione derivatives (DPP) are chemically stable, fluorescent molecules, known as High Performance Pigments. Preparation of the soluble derivatives of DPPs provides great advantage in designing the optic sensor for new and existing applications and overcoming aggregation problems in solid matrices. For this purpose, the synthesis of antisymmetric DPPs and the formation of new organic dyes through N,N’-dialkylation and their spectroscopic studies have been carried out both in solutions and in solid phase.     

Supramolecular solvent-based liquid phase microextraction of malachite green at trace level from water samples for its UV–vis spectrophotometric detection

A simple and fast microextraction procedure based on supramolecular solvent extraction of malachite green from water samples has been established in the presented work. The effective analytical parameters including pH, solvent volume, sample volume etc. on the quantitative recoveries of the malachite green were optimised. Matrix effects were also investigated. The preconcentration factor was found as 50. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 16.3 and 54.5 µg L^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviation percentage was below 7%. The presented procedure was applied to the determination of malachite green content of natural water samples from fish farm and tap water etc.     

Pre-service Teachers’ Developing Conceptions about the Nature and Pedagogy of Mathematical Modeling in the Context of a Mathematical Modeling Course

Adopting a multitiered design-based research perspective, this study examines pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ developing conceptions about (a) the nature of mathematical modeling in simulations of “real life” problem solving, and (b) pedagogical principles and strategies needed to teach mathematics through modeling. Unlike other studies that have focused on single-topic and lesson-sized research sites, a course-sized research site was used in this study. Having been through several iterations over three teaching semesters, the 15-week long course was implemented with 25 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers developed ideas about the nature of mathematical modeling involving what mathematical modeling is, the relationship between mathematical modeling and meaningful understanding, and the nature of mathematical modeling tasks. They also realized the changing roles of teachers during modeling implementations and diversity in students’ ways of thinking. The researchers’ conceptual development, on the other hand, involved realizing the critical aspect of the “teacher role” played by the instructor during modeling implementations, and the need for more experience of modeling implementations for pre-service teachers.     

Genetic Algorithms for Optimizing the Remediation of Contaminated Aquifer

Produced water constitutes a large amount of waste fluids during the production operation of an oil field. Underground injection for disposing the wastewater from hydrocarbon production is an engineering problem due to the possibility of leakage of injected pollutant material from receiving medium to a drinking water source. This paper describes a method for optimization of polluted aquifer remediation design using one of the artificial intelligence optimization methods, namely Genetic Algorithms (GAs). As a case study, the contaminated area was created by using a groundwater transport simulator, which is based on Method of Characteristics (MOC). Then, the developed computer program was run to find the optimum solution for remediation, and the solution yielded from the program was verified by using a groundwater simulator. The plume was captured and the concentration level of chloride ion within the aquifer was diminished by using extraction wells. The analytical model approach provided different alternatives for appropriate isolation of plume. GAs were used as an optimization technique for making a decision among the alternatives, by considering operation time, number of wells, pumping rate and drawdown as decision variables and constraints.     

Fe3O4@SiO2@Bacillus pumilis: magnetised solid phase bio-extractor for preconcentration of Pb(II) and Cu(II) from water samples

ABSTRACT

In this study, preconcentration and separation of Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions by using Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@Bacillus pumilis before their determinations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) were investigated. The thermophilic Bacillus pumilis were isolated from Meyremderesi spring, ??rnak, Turkey. Effects of important parameters such as pH, adsorbent amount, eluent type, concentration and volume of eluent and sample volume on magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) were examined in details. The preconcentration factors for Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions were calculated as 30 and 40, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed extraction procedure was validated analysing certificated reference materials and addition – recovery tests. The concentration of copper and lead were determined in water samples from Turkey by Flame AAS after application developed preconcentration-separation method.     

On embodied memetic evolution and the emergence of behavioural traditions in Robots

This paper describes ideas and initial experiments in embodied imitation using e-puck robots, developed as part of a project whose aim is to demonstrate the emergence of artificial culture in collective robot systems. Imitated behaviours (memes) will undergo variation because of the noise and heterogeneities of the robots and their sensors. Robots can select which memes to enact, and—because we have a multi-robot collective—memes are able to undergo multiple cycles of imitation, with inherited characteristics. We thus have the three evolutionary operators: variation, selection and inheritance, and—as we describe in this paper—experimental trials show that we are able to demonstrate embodied movement-meme evolution.     

Near‐IR‐Triggered,Remote‐Controlled Release of Metal Ions: A Novel Strategy for Caged Ions

A ligand incorporating a dithioethenyl moiety is cleaved into fragments which have a lower metal‐ion affinity upon irradiation with low‐energy red/near‐IR light. The cleavage is a result of singlet oxygen generation which occurs on excitation of the photosensitizer modules. The method has many tunable factors that could make it a satisfactory caging strategy for metal ions.     

Vortex-assisted magnetic solid phase extraction of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) on the Nitroso–R salt impregnated magnetic Ambersorb 563 for their separation,preconcentration and determination by FAAS

A novel vortex-assisted magnetic solid phase extraction method followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry was improved to separate, preconcentrate and determine the lead, copper and cadmium ions by using 1-Nitro-2-naphthol-3, 6-disulfonic acid disodium salt (Nitroso-R salt) impregnated magnetic Ambersorb-563 resin. The adsorbent was characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectra, BET surface analyser and scanning electron microscopy. The influences of various analytical parameters, such as pH value, type and volume of the eluent, sample volume, were optimised and the effects of potentially interfering ions were investigated. The analyte ions were quantitatively recovered at pH 7.0 on magnetic adsorbent and desorbed with a 2.0 M HNO₃ in 10% acetone as eluent. The detection limits were 1.4, 5.8 and 1.5 ng mL^?1 for Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II), respectively. The method has been validated with analytically by the analysis certified reference materials and standard additions prior to application to determine metal ions in water samples.     

Near‐IR‐Triggered,Remote‐Controlled Release of Metal Ions: A Novel Strategy for Caged Ions

A ligand incorporating a dithioethenyl moiety is cleaved into fragments which have a lower metal‐ion affinity upon irradiation with low‐energy red/near‐IR light. The cleavage is a result of singlet oxygen generation which occurs on excitation of the photosensitizer modules. The method has many tunable factors that could make it a satisfactory caging strategy for metal ions.