Slow motion of confined molecules: NMR and broadband dielectric spectroscopy investigations

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy are used to investigate the dynamics of small glass-forming molecules confined to restricted geometries. Ethylene glycol molecules are embedded in the supercages of NaX zeolites. The combined application of NMR and broadband dielectric spectroscopy advances the understanding of the slowing down of the motion near the glass transition temperature of these confined molecules. In combination with nuclear spin relaxation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, dielectric relaxation studies on glass forming molecules allow conclusions on the character of the motion. High resolution 1H magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR measurements not only enable a characterisation of the state of the adsorbed molecules via a chemical shift analysis. By means of an analysis of MAS spinning sidebands we may also estimate a correlation time the meaning of which will be discussed in comparison to the results of longitudinal proton spin relaxation measurements. In addition to broadband dielectric spectroscopy slow molecular motions of partially deuterated ethylene glycol adsorbed in NaX are studied by means of 2H NMR line-shape analysis.     

Pavement performance assessment using a cost‐effective wireless accelerometer system

Pavement condition monitoring is required to identify pavements in need of maintenance or rehabilitation. Early identification of reduction in pavement's structural resistance and improving the structural resistance by minor repairs can lead to significantly lower maintenance costs for transportation agencies. In this study, a cost‐effective wireless sensor that can be embedded in the road to measure the transient vibrations due to different applied loads was tested to determine its effectiveness in terms of pavement displacement measurements. Test results show that the vibration sensor, combined with the algorithms, can be embedded in new or existing pavements and used as an accurate wireless displacement sensor. The low cost of the sensor system allows the use of these sensors at high densities for monitoring the performance of an entire road network. Outputs from the developed system can be directly used to evaluate the condition and performance of pavement structure (increasing displacement over time indicating increasing pavement damage). In addition, displacement data from the system can be used to backcalculate pavement layer stiffnesses, which can be used to predict long‐term performance of the pavement structure. Reduction in pavement layer stiffness over time can be used to determine long‐term damage accumulation.     

Effect of heat processing on DNA quantification of meat species

In this study, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for identifying the effects of different temperatures and times of heat treatment on the DNA of meat products. For this purpose, beef, pork, and chicken were baked at 200 °C for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 min, and for 30 min at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210 °C and also cooked by boiling at 99 °C for 10, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 min. The DNA was then extracted from all samples after the heat treatment. Further, a region of 374, 290, and 183-bp of mitochondrial DNA of beef, pork, and chicken, respectively, was amplified by real-time PCR. It was found that baking and boiling of the beef, pork, and chicken resulted in decreases in the detectable copy numbers of specific genes, which varied with the heating time and degree. The results indicated that species determination and quantification using real-time PCR are affected by the temperature, duration of the heat treatment, and size of the DNA fragment to be amplified.     

Dielectric investigations and theoretical calculations of size effect in lead titanate nanocrystals

The dielectric properties of nanograin ferroelectric lead titanate crystals are presented. The PbTiO3 samples were prepared by pressing nanopowders into plates and were studied experimentally by dielectric permittivity measurements in a wide frequency and temperature range. The TC dependence obtained showed a critical change of behavior with increasing mean nanoparticle size in the 9-nm region. The theoretical calculations based on Monte Carlo simulation were performed to describe the behavior of this material. It was shown that the distribution of nanoparticle sizes in the sample taken into account with the Monte Carlo method describes the dielectric properties of PbTiO3 nanocrystals quite well.     

Materials specificity and directed assembly of a gold-binding peptide

Adsorption studies of a genetically engineered gold-binding peptide, GBP1, were carried out using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) to quantify its molecular affinity to noble metals. The peptide showed higher adsorption onto and lower desorption from a gold surface compared to a platinum substrate. The material specificity, that is, the preferential adsorption, of GBP1 was also demonstrated using gold and platinum micropatterned on a silicon wafer containing native oxide. The biotinylated three-repeat units of GBP1 were preferentially adsorbed onto gold regions delineated using streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots (SAQDs). These experiments not only demonstrate that an inorganic-binding peptide could preferentially adsorb onto a metal (Au) rather than an oxide (SiO2) but also onto one noble metal (Au) over another (Pt). This result shows the utility of an engineered peptide as a molecular erector in the directed immobilization of a nanoscale hybrid entity (SAQDs) over selected regions (Au) on a fairly complex substrate (Au and Pt micropatterned regions on silica). The selective and controlled adsorption of inorganic-binding peptides may have significant implications in nano- and nanobiotechnology, where they could be genetically tailored for specific use in the development of self-assembled molecular systems.     

Direct DNA hybridization at disposable graphite electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes

The performance of glassy carbon (GCE) and graphite pencil electrodes (PGE) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are compared, based on the direct electrochemical detection of nucleic acids. This is accomplished by monitoring the differential pulse voltammetry changes of the guanine signal. CNT-modified PGE compares favorably to that of the commonly used CNT-modified GCE owing to the intrinsic improved performance of the supporting PGE. The better intrinsic characteristics of the PGE are related to its composite structure and higher level of porosity compared to GCE. The performance characteristics of the direct DNA hybridization on the disposable CNT-modified PGE are studied in terms of optimum analytical conditions such as probe concentration, target concentration, hybridization time, and selectivity. The new DNA biosensor described here has shown some important advantages such being inexpensive, sensitive, selective, and able to generate reproducible results using a simple and direct electrochemical protocol.     

Determination and comparison of wind loads for industrial reinforced concrete chimneys

Like all other tall structures, determination of wind loads is important for industrial reinforced concrete chimneys. All countries use different wind load standards. These different wind load standards are compared with each other in some studies. For example, in one study by Zhou et al., major international codes and standards for tall buildings were compared. In the first part of this study, modelling information about 10 selected industrial reinforced concrete chimneys is given. All structural and material information about the chimneys are given in the first section. In addition, the first mode natural periods of model chimneys are given. In the second part of this study, procedures of standards used for calculating wind loads are introduced. These standards are ACI 307/98, CICIND 2001, DIN 1056, Eurocode 1 and TS 498. In the third part of the study, the calculated wind loads according to these five standards are shown and compared with each other. In the last part of the study, a conclusion and discussion part is taking place. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Combustion performance and kinetics of oil shales

In this research, combustion performance and kinetics of two Turkish oil shales were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA/DTG), and thermogravimetry–mass spectrophotometry (TG–MS) techniques at three different heating rates (10, 30, and 50°C/min). The combustion reaction occurred in two different regions and the corresponding mass loss of oil shales was calculated. Activation energies of oil shale samples are calculated using three different methods and the results are discussed from the viewpoint of the origin and grade of the samples.