Carbon nanotube production over MCM-41 type catalytic materials via CVD method

We investigate the effects of mesoporous catalyst synthesis methods over carbon nanotube (CNT) production. Metal incorporated mesoporous catalysts were synthesized by two different microwave assisted synthesis methods. In the first method, MCM-41 mesoporous materials were synthesized with microwave radiation and then metal was impregnated into these as-synthesized MCM-41 samples. In the second method metal was added into the raw materials directly and then the mixture was treated in the microwave oven. The catalyst were tested in CVD for CNT production

Production of templated carbon nano materials, carbon nanofibers and super capasitors

i. Porous carbons are usually obtained via carbonization of precursors of natural or synthetic origin, followed by activation. To meet the requirements, a novel approach, the template carbonization method, has been proposed. Replication, the process of filling the external and / or internal pores of a solid with a different material, physically or chemically separating the resulting material from the template, is a technique that is widely used in microporosity and printing. This method has been used to prepare replica polymers [1,2] metals [3] and semiconductors [4] and other materials [5,6]. Zeolites represent an interesting case for replication processes, because the dimensions of their cages and channels are quite similar to those organic molecules that constitute the replica. If such as nanospace in a zeolite is packed with carbon and then the carbon are extracted from the zeolite framework, one can expect the formation of a porous carbon whose structure reflects the porosity of the original zeolite template. Owing to the disordered and inhomogeneous nature of the starting materials,\ud the resulting carbon has a wide and poorly controlled distribution of pore sizes. Zeolites with three-dimensional pore structures were found to be suitable as templates [7,8], whereas zeolites with one-dimensional structures were not effective [9]. These carbons obtained using zeolite templates with three-dimensional pore structures retained the shapes of zeolite particles, but did not retain their internal periodic structure. ii. Many methods have been proposed for carbon nanofiber (CNF) production, among them, we have chosen chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for CNF synthesis because of its potential for scaling up the production and low cost[10]. Recent developments showed that alignment, positional control on nanometer scale, control over the diameter, as well as the growth rate of the carbon nanotubes (CNT) and CNFs can be achieved by using CVD[11-13]. Many catalysts supports and metal catalysts were proposed for CNF production through CVD technique. Silica (SiO2) [14], alumina (Al2O3) [15], quartz [16], titania (TiO2) or calcium oxide (CaO) [17] were used as the catalyst support because of their chemical inertness and high-temperature resistance. However, all of these support materials require harsh chemical treatment i.e. concentrated bases (NaOH) or strong acids (HF) to remove them, and these reagents may also damage the carbon nanostructure. Additionally, strong acids and bases are less desirable for large-scale production due to environmental concerns. Our goal in synthesizing CNFs is to achieve a control in tailoring the diameter, and morphology at the same time. We believe that understanding the chemistry involved in the catalyst and nanofiber growth process is the critical point to be able to produce defectless, property controlled CNFs. Thus, knowing the effect of the catalyst on CVD production of carbon nanofibers is very important for producing the desired CNFs. A very unique material, NaCl in the field of catalytic CVD process for carbon materials production, was selected as the support material which provides easy production and easy removal properties to the catalyst system. Together with the support material, the metal catalyst preparation step was differentiated from the conventional wet catalyst methods in which a liquid solution containing the catalyst in salt form is applied to the substrate via spray coating [16,18,19], spin coating [20-22], or microcontact printing [23] as well. The most active metals that were used previously in the catalytic CVD process for carbon materials production were Fe, Co [24], and Ni. The reason for choosing these metals as catalyst for CVD growth of nanotubes was the thermodynamic behavior of the metals at high temperatures, in which carbon is soluble in these metals and this solubility leads to the formation of metal-carbon solutions and therefore the desired carbon nanomaterial formation nucleates. In this study, transition metal based organometallic complex catalysts of Fe, Co, Ni and Cu were synthesized by a new approach of simultaneous synthesis of the support material and the catalyst. Therefore an easy production method for catalyst to use in CVD was developed by using only wet chemistry. iii. Electrochemically conducting polymers (ECPs) are of interest in late years and they are promising materials for realization of high performance supercapacitors, as they are characterized by high specific capacitances, by high conductivities in the charged states and by fast charge-discharge processes. The charge processes pertain to the whole polymer mass and not only to the surface. These features suggest the possibility to develop devices with low ESR and high specific energy and power. However, the long-term stability during cycling is a major demand for an industrial application of ECPs. Swelling and shrinkage of ECPs, caused by the insertion/deinsertion of counter ions required for doping the polymer, is well known and may lead to degradation of the electrode during cycling. This obstacle has been over overcome to some level by using composite materials made of carbon materials such as CNTs or activated carbons with CPs. Carbon material in the bulk both ensures a good electrical conductivity even the CP is in its insulating state and improves the mechanical properties of the electrodes. As mentioned in the earlier chapters, using carbon nanotubes, CPs, or both as composites for the active material of the supercapacitor applications comes with some disadvantages as well as the advantages. CPs although being a promising energy source for the job, lack the flexibility for insertion/deinsertion of the dopant ions resulting in shorter recycling life times than desired. CNTs are the employed to gain more flexibility however whether they are used as active materials solo, or engaged in a composite with a CP, they could not supply enough energy for the job. Therefore, the objective of this study is, to obtain a new material for supercapacitor active material; by depositing a conducting polymer, polypyrrole, on to carbon nanotubes via electropolymerization. By this method, the problem of bulk charging in conducting polymers is aimed to be overcomed. Since the coating is in magnitudes of nanometers, only surface charging will exist, which is desirable for supercapacitor applications

Effects of Participation in Inclusive Physical Activity on Social Skills of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In the National Standards Report (2015) of the National Autism Centre, participation in physical activities in the education of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined to be a promising intervention method (scientific base being formed). On the other hand, as a result of the regulations on inclusion, there has been a rapid increase in the number of children with special needs studying in general education classes together with their peers. Based on these two tendencies in recent years, the objective of this study was determined to be the effect of participation in inclusive physical activity on social skill in children and youth with ASD. The participants of the study were 55 children with ASD between the ages of 6 and 26 including 15 girls and 40 boys who participated in the inclusive physical activity (IPAC) program with their peers having typical development for two days a week and 45 minutes a day during 3 months within the scope of the “Inclusive Physical Activity Centre” project of the Istanbul Gedik University. The applied IPAC program involved peer participation and supported specialized movement skills and development of physical and motor capabilities. The data of this research were gathered using a Personal Information Form and Autism Social Skill Profile (ASSP) by face-to-face interviews with the parents of the participants. The study was designed with the single group pretest-posttest model of quasi-experimental studies. The study after IPAC determined a significant difference in the subscales of the scale and in the ASSP-Total score (p<0.05). The findings of this study demonstrated the effectiveness of inclusive physical activity on the social skills of individuals with ASD. For the similar future studies, the use of the design with control group and supporting it with qualitative data for the detailed explanation of the results obtained by quantitative approach are recommended

Conversion of low-rank Kilyos coal to nitrogeneous fertilizers

The aim of this work is to convert the low-rank Kilyos coal to a material that could be used as a nitrogenous fertilizer. Incorporation of nitrogen into this Kilyos coal was accomplished by oxidative ammoniation, which was a two-step process involving oxidation with nitric acid followed by a treatment by ammonia. The nitrogen content of the raw coal increased from 0.8% to 8.3-9.3% after ammoniation process. Trace element concentrations in the nitro-coal, HA and OAC samples were within the acceptable ranges to be used as nitrogenous fertilizer. Therefore the oxy-ammoniated products could be considered as high-value fertilizers

The aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans heat shock protein GroEL interacts directly with human peripheral blood T cells

Heat shock family protein GroEL of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) has antigenic properties. We previously demonstrated that A. actinomycetemcomitans GroEL-like protein affects human CD4 T cells by converting them into IL-10 and IFNg double cytokine producing Tbet+ Th1 cells. The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not AaGroEL communicates with T cells directly. To do this, sorted cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with AaGroEL for 48 h. Flow cytometry was used to measure soluble and intracellular cytokine expression in the cell cultures and detect TLR2 expression on the surface of T cells. Expression of six different soluble cytokines was evaluated by CBA assay. To determine whether AaGroEL affects CD3+ T cells directly or not, purified CD3+ T cells or CD14+ cells were cultured with AaGroEL separately, and the quantity of soluble cytokine was measured. Results showed that sorted CD3+ cells produced soluble IL-6, TNFα-and IFNγ cytokines. Additionally, the intracellular cytokine staining data showed that AaGroEL-stimulated CD3+ cells were also TNFα-and IFNγ-positive. Moreover, AaGroEL-responsive T cells slightly increased their TLR2 expression. These findings suggest that CD3+ T cells produce cytokines in response to AaGroEL protein without requirements for other cells, such as CD14+ monocytes.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK 106T417

Spontaneous arachnoid cyst rupture with subdural hygroma in a previously asymptomatic man: Case report

Aim: Spontaneous rupture of an arachnoid cyst resulting in a subdural hygroma is an infrequent event. We report an adult patient who had no previous neuroimaging and had acute onset headache, dizziness, and nausea unrelated to trauma. Case: A 67-year-old male patient was brought to the emergency service complaints of sudden onset of dizziness, headache, and vomiting while working in the garden. He described ongoing nausea and headache localized to the frontal region. Brain CT imaging was planned for the patient whose nausea and dizziness worsened while his symptomatic treatment continued. In the brain CT, a large hypodense extracerebral collection was detected in the area starting from the middle fossa in the right cerebral hemisphere and extending to the convexity level in the frontoparietal region. The patient was consulted in the neurosurgery unit. Surgical intervention was not considered, and the patient was admitted to the neurosurgery service for treatment. Due to the asymptomatic course in the service follow-ups, he was discharged with outpatient clinic control recommendations. Conclusion: This case illustrates the importance of recognizing the possibility of spontaneous rupture of an arachnoid cyst. This phenomenon should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients without head trauma. Although it is rare, being aware of such a case is helpful in preventing possible bad outcomes.Amaç: Araknoid kistin subdural higroma ile sonuçlanan spontan rüptürü nadir görülen bir olaydır. Daha önce nörogörüntüleme yapılmamış ve travmaya bağlı olmayan akut başlangıçlı baş ağrısı, baş dönmesi ve mide bulantısı olan yetişkin bir hastayı sunuyoruz. Olgu: 67 yaşında erkek hasta bahçede çalışırken aniden başlayan baş dönmesi, baş ağrısı ve kusma şikayetleriyle acil servise getirildi. Frontal bölgeye lokalize devam eden bulantı ve baş ağrısı tarif etti. Semptomatik tedavisi devam ederken bulantı ve baş dönmesi artan hastaya beyin BT görüntüleme planlandı. Beyin BT'sinde sağ serebral hemisferde orta fossadan başlayıp frontoparietal bölgede konveksite seviyesine kadar uzanan alanda geniş hipodens ekstraserebral koleksiyon saptandı. Hasta beyin cerrahisi ünitesinde konsülte edildi. Cerrahi müdahale düşünülmedi ve hasta tedavi için beyin cerrahisi servisine yatırıldı. Servis takiplerindeki asemptomatik seyir nedeniyle poliklinik kontrol önerileri ile taburcu edildi. Sonuç: Bu vaka, araknoid kistin spontan rüptürü olasılığını bilmenin önemini göstermektedir. Bu fenomen kafa travması olmayan hastalarda ayırıcı tanı olarak düşünülmelidir. Nadir de olsa böyle bir durumun farkında olmak olası kötü sonuçların önlenmesinde yardımcı olur

Water Absorption and HEMA Release of Resin-Modified Glass-Ionomers

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the water absorption and the amount of hydroxyethyl metacrylate (HEMA) level released from various resin modified glass ionomer cements. Methods Advance, Vitremer and Protec-Cem resin modified glass ionomer cements were used to evaluate the HEMA release. Ten specimens were fabricated from each cement in 10 x 1 mm height. Thirty specimens were immersed in glass containers filled with 20 ml deionized water. 1 ml solution was taken from the container at 10 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hour and 7 days intervals from each group and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) machine and the results are presented in ppm. The data were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests at a 0.05 significance level. Results At all time intervals Vitremer showed highest HEMA release ( 10 min: 54.2 ppm; 1 h: 86.8 ppm; 24 h: 93.4 ppm) (P=0.0001). At the end of 10 minutes and first hour, following Vitremer, HEMA release was highest for Protec-Cem (10 min: 14.8 ppm; 1 h: 23.6 ppm) and then Advance (10 min: 5.5 ppm; 1 h: 18.8 ppm) (P<.05). Water absorption tests were performed according to the specifications of ISO 4049. Water absorption was highest for Vitremer and lowest for the Protec-Cem and the difference among cement groups was significant (P<.005). Conclusions Vitremer showed the highest HEMA release and water absorption values and Protec-Cem showed the lowest values. HEMA release by time was significant for Advance cement. This release may be relevant both to the risk of adverse pulpal responses in patients and to the risk of allergy in patients and dental personnel.PubMe

Cytokines in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Cytokines are cell molecules that are secreted by immune cells and aid cell to cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma. So, the cytokines are the main part of the immune network to provide the communication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) too. In RA, cytokines may be classified into four groups: pro-inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory cytokines in joints, anti-inflammatory cytokines and natural cytokine antagonists. After the initial stimuli have occurred, cytokines play a role in communication between the parts of immune system in every step of the pathophysiology process of RA. The differentiation of narve T cells into Th17 cells results in inflammation (synovitis) in joints. B cells further the pathogenic process through antigen presentation and autoantibody and cytokine production. The release of cytokines, especially tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1, causes synovial inflammation. In addition to their articular effects, pro-inflammatory cytokines promote the development of systemic effects (anemia, cardiovascular disease, fatigue and depression). So, cytokines are the main molecules contributing to all facets of the disease