Synthesis of Graphene on Gold

Here we report chemical vapor deposition of graphene on gold surface at ambient pressure. We studied effects of the growth temperature, pressure and cooling process on the grown graphene layers. The Raman spectroscopy of the samples reveals the essential properties of the graphene grown on gold surface. In order to characterize the electrical properties of the grown graphene layers, we have transferred them on insulating substrates and fabricated field effect transistors. Owing to distinctive properties of gold, the ability to grow graphene layers on gold surface could open new applications of graphene in electrochemistry and spectroscopy.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Comparison of some blood parameters, serum vitamin E and mineral concentrations of Arabian and English thoroughbred race horses

The aim of this study was to determine some blood parameters, serum vitamin E and mineral concentrations of Arabian and English thoroughbred racehorses fed the same diets. The diet was formulated to provide 2.31 Mcal DE/kg, and 10.96% crude protein. Total protein, lactate, calcium, phosphorus, potassium copper, cobalt and zinc were determined in serum obtained from 40 Arabian and 40 English healthy racing thoroughbred horses aged 2-3. The copper, cobalt and zinc concentrations were determined by atomic absorption, vitamin E by HPLC and the other biochemical parameters by a spectrophotometer. Mean values were 6.77 and 6.86 g/dl for total protein, 1.88 and 2.16 mg/dl for lactate 13.18 and 12.80 mg/dl for calcium, 4.35 and 4.39 mmol/l for phosphorus, 2.64 and 3.14 mmol/l for potassium, 129 and 166 μg/dl for copper, 36 and 44 μg/dl for cobalt and, 160 and 58 μg/dl for zinc in Arabian and English horses respectively, and Mean serum vitamin E levels were 2.65 and 2.81 μg/ml respectively. This study did not demonstrate a significant effect of breed on serum total protein, lactate, calcium, phosphorus, copper, cobalt and vitamin E. However, breed may have an effect on potassium and zinc concentration in Arabian and English thoroughbred racehorses (p<0.05)

Secondary Education Teachers’ training needs towards web based collaborative learning in TRNC

AbstractThe aim of this study is to investigate the teacher's education needs towards collaborative learning. The sample of the study consists of 200 teacher from Secondary and High Schools in North Cyprus. “Web based collaborative learning” questionnaire developed by Ozdamli & Bicen (2009) was used to collect data. The first phase of the questionnaire involves 9 demographic questions and second phase involves 20 likert type statements. The result of the study show that the high school teachers in TRNC need to be educated about creating videos, blogging pages, publishing their own studies, applying web based education applications, and using wikis in their courses. Ministry of Education should give in-service training to teachers considering these needs

Color Regeneration from Reflective Color Sensor Using an Artificial Intelligent Technique

A low-cost optical sensor based on reflective color sensing is presented. Artificial neural network models are used to improve the color regeneration from the sensor signals. Analog voltages of the sensor are successfully converted to RGB colors. The artificial intelligent models presented in this work enable color regeneration from analog outputs of the color sensor. Besides, inverse modeling supported by an intelligent technique enables the sensor probe for use of a colorimetric sensor that relates color changes to analog voltages

Spectrophotometric determination of the soil fumigant: dazomet with copper(II)-neocuproine reagent

A spectrophotometric method has been developed for the assay of dazomet, a soil fumigant effective for the control of nematodes, germinating weeds and soil fungi, using the copper(II)-neocuproine (2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) oxidizing reagent. A highly colored copper(I)-neocuproine chelate formed immediately in ammonium acetate-buffered solution a result of the redox reaction with dazomet, and its concentration measured from the absorbance at 453 nm using a molar absorptivity of (3.35 +/- 0.15) x 10(4) l mol(-1) cm(-1) for dazomet, the LOD for soil being 1-2ppm. Dazomet in commercial formulations (such as Basamit, BASF) and soil extract could be measured by the developed method which was rapid (color development took 5 min), and cost-effective. The developed method was as precise as the CIPAC HPLC method (at 95% confidence level) using a nucleosil 100-5 C-18 column with UV detection. The degradation of dazomet in different types of forestry soil, i.e. sandy, loamy and clay soils to which moisture and Basamit in recommended doses were applied, was followed kinetically using the developed procedure. The proposed method is much simpler than the US-EPA and CIPAC methods of dazomet assay, and is applicable to on-site colorimetry for field use (via retention of the colored copper(I)-neocuproine cation on an acidic cation exchanger) where rapid detection of dazomet residues and breakdown products is required. The method was not interfered with common soil ions and 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), a fumigant used in combination with dazomet. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Kinetics and isotherms of dazomet adsorption on natural adsorbents

The adsorption of 3,5-dimethyltetrahydro-1,3,5-thiadiazine-2-thione (dazomet) on bentonite and clinoptilolite has been studied at four temperatures (288, 293, 298 and 303 K) and two different solutions (water and water-ethyl alcohol mixture, 50% v/v). The adsorption rates at low concentrations of dazomet were found to fit the first-order kinetic equation. For each system at constant concentration, the rate constants increased with increasing temperature in aqueous solution, but these constants decreased with increasing temperature for 50% (v/v) water-ethyl alcohol mixture solution. By using the Arrhenius equation, the activation energies for each system were calculated. Thermodynamic parameters were evaluated according to Eyring's equation. The values of enthalpy of activation, deltaH*, are lower than TdeltaS*. The results indicated that the adsorption process was entropy-controlled for each system. Adsorption isotherms were determined at 288 and 303 K. These isotherms were fitted to Freundlich equation for aqueous solution at 15 &deg;C, but adsorption from the two different solutions at 30 &deg;C were modeled according to the Langmuir and BET isotherms

Furnace smelting and extractive metallurgy of red mud: Recovery of TiO2, Al2O3 and pig iron

Turkish red mud (bauxite waste) has been mixed with dolomite and coke, pelletized and sintered at 1100 degrees C, and finally smelted at 1550 degrees C to produce pig iron and a slag. The slag was leached with 30% H2SO4 at 90 degrees C. The leachate was diluted, ferric iron was reduced with SO2, and extracted with 5% D2EHPA solution in kerosene. Silica and Al2O3 were recovered from the remaining aqueous solution, while the organic extract was stripped with 10% Na2CO3 solution, finally hydrolysed and calcined to produce pigment-grade TiO2. The titanium recovery efficiency on the basis of slag weight was 84.7%. The extractive separation of titanium from both valencies of iron was investigated as a function of pH and time. A stoichiometric flowsheet for the whole process has been developed

Opinions of Teacher Candidates on the Usage of Mobile Applications in the Multimedia Development Processes

In order that mobile applications can be employed successfully in education, the opinions of teachers for using these applications must be identified and improved. For these reasons, the purpose of this study is to identify the opinions of teacher candidates, who are teachers of the future, on the usage of mobile applications in the process of multimedia project development. This study which was conducted with the purpose of identifying the opinions of teacher candidates on usage of mobile applications in education as means of communication employed qualitative method. Results is that using mobile applications in multimedia project development process attracted the attention of students and ensured effective communication.

Retention of cadmium in the tissues of broiler chicks by dietary supplemental microbial phytase

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Ca : total(t) P ratio, vitamin C and microbial phytase on broiler performance and cadmium retention of broiler. In experiment, 288 day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb) were randomly assigned to 12 treatment groups, 3 replicates of 8 chicks each. The study was carried out for 42 days. The basal diet supplemented calcium, phosphorus, cadmium (0.5 and 5 mg/kg), zinc (20 mg/kg), vitamin C (0 and 1 g/kg) and microbial phytase (0 and 600 PU/kg feed). Differences among diets fed to individual experimental groups affect either body weight gain or feed intake and conversion after the 3 weeks and at the end of the experiment (P < 0.05). Cadmium and microbial phytase supplement to diet caused a significant increase of cadmium concentration in the tissues examined. There were significant differences in tissues concentrations of cadmium (P < 0.05) among the groups fed diets supplemented. In conclusion, addition of 600 PU feed of phytase per kg of diet compensates this effect and lowers the cadmium burden by up to 60%