Evidence for particle–hole excitations in the triaxial strongly-deformed well of Tm

Two interacting, strongly-deformed triaxial (TSD) bands have been identified in the Z=69$Z=69$ nucleus ¹⁶³Tm. This is the first time that interacting TSD bands have been observed in an element other than the Z=71$Z=71$ Lu nuclei, where wobbling bands have been previously identified. The observed TSD bands in ¹⁶³Tm appear to be associated with particle–hole excitations, rather than wobbling. Tilted-axis cranking (TAC) calculations reproduce all experimental observables of these bands reasonably well and also provide an explanation for the presence of wobbling bands in the Lu nuclei, and their absence in the Tm isotopes.     

Carbon Dots Derived from Waste Psidium Guajava Leaves for Electrocatalytic Sensing of Chlorpyrifos

Carbon dots (CDs) modified GCE was used for the electrochemical sensing of Chlorpyrifos (CHL). The hydrothermal synthesis (200 °C for 10 h) produced CDs of 3.7 nm using Psidium guajava leaves. Square wave voltammetry was employed for the determination of CHL and the electrokinetic parameters. The reduction of CHL involved an irreversible two-electron process with heterogeneous reaction rate (k°) and formal potential (E°) of 1.21 s⁻¹ and −1.34 V respectively. The modified GCEs exhibited good repeatability (RSD 4.7 %), reproducibility (RSD 1.17 %), and sensitivity (1.30 mA μM⁻¹ cm⁻²). The detection limit and linear ranges were 1.5 nM and 0.01–1 μM, respectively. Electrochemical sensing of CHL was comparable with the HPLC (∼5 % variation).     

Zwitterionic microgel based anti(-bio)fouling smart membranes for tunable water filtration and molecular separation

Tunable gating polymeric nanostructured membrane with excellent water permeability and precise molecular separation is highly advantageous for smart nanofiltration application. Polymeric nanostructures such as microgels with functionalizable cross-linkable moieties can be an excellent choice to construct membranes with a thin separation layer, functionality, and tunable transport properties. In the present work, we prepared switchable anti(bio)fouling membranes using zwitterionically functionalized antibacterial thermoresponsive aqueous core-shell microgels with a thin separation layer for controlled filtration and separation applications. The microgels were synthesized using a one-step graft copolymerization of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) followed by zwitterionization of free amine groups of PEI chains with 1,3-propane sultone. Microgel synthesis and zwitterionization were confirmed by spectroscopic and elemntal analysis. The obtained microgels were thoroughly characterized to analyze their thermoresponsive behavior, morphology, charge, and antibacterial properties. After that, characterizations were performed to elucidate the surface properties, water permeation, rejection, and flux recovery of the microgel membranes prepared by suction filtration over a track-etched support. It was observed that zwitterionic membrane provides better hydrophilicity, lower bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption, and desirable antimicrobial activity. The pure water permeability was directly related to the microgel layer thickness, applied pressure, and temperature of the feed solution. The novel nanostructured membrane leads to an excellent water permeance with a high gating ratio, high flux recovery rate with low irreversible fouling, better rejection for various dyes, and foulant. Most importantly, the long-term performance of the membrane is appreciable as the microgel layer remains intact and provides excellent separation up to a longer period. Owing to easy preparation and well control over thickness, the zwitterionic microgel membranes constitute unique and interactive membranes for various pressure-driven separation and purification applications.     

Bis- and trisuracil nucleosides with nucleobases anchored to 11-, 12-, and 16-membered macrocyclic scaffolds: synthesis and aggregation study

Bis- and trisuracil nucleosides, in which the nucleobases are anchored to isoxazoline ring-fused 11-, 12-, and 16-membered macrooxacycles, were synthesized by nucleosidation of 1,2-isopropylidenefuranose ring-fused macrocycles. The nucleosides exhibited spherical and fiber-like morphologies in water. In one case, the morphology was significantly altered by complexation with an adenine nucleoside via complementary base pairing.     

Regiospecific synthesis of 3-(2,6-dihydroxyphenyl)phthalides: application to the synthesis of isopestacin and cryphonectric acid

DBU catalyzed condensation of phthalaldehydic acids and 1,3-diketones has been developed to be a general method for the synthesis of 3-substituted phthalides. This method, in combination with mercuric acetate mediated oxidative aromatization has been utilized for the regiospecific synthesis of isopestacin (9) and cryphonectric acid (10).     

Production of Nisin Z by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus lactis</Emphasis> Isolated from Dahi

Lactococcus lactis CM1, an isolate from homemade “Dahi,” a traditional fermented milk from India, used maltose as carbon source to produce a high level of bacteriocin. The bacterial cell mass and the bacteriocin production correlated with the initial pH of the medium and were highest when the initial pH was 11.0. The level of bacteriocin reached its peak at the late log phase with concomitant reduction of culture pH to 4.2, regardless of the initial pH of the medium. A combination of maltose and an initial medium pH of 11 resulted in the highest bacteriocin production. The antibacterial spectrum of the bacteriocin was closely similar to that of nisin and it inhibited a number of food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Upon sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the compound migrated close to the position of nisin (3.5 kDa). However, it had higher stability than nisin at a wide range of pH and temperature. PCR amplification using nisin gene-specific primers and sequencing of the amplified DNA revealed the structural gene for the bacteriocin to be identical to that of nisZ.     

DNA binding and topoisomerase II inhibitory activity of water-soluble ruthenium(II) and rhodium(III) complexes

Water-soluble piano-stool arene ruthenium complexes based on 1-(4-cyanophenyl)imidazole (CPI) and 4-cyanopyridine (CNPy) with the formulas [(eta6-arene)RuCl2(L)] (L = CPI, eta6-arene = benzene (1), p-cymene (2), hexamethylbenzene (3); L = CNPy, eta6-arene = benzene (4), p-cymene (5), hexamethylbenzene (6)) have been prepared by our earlier methods. The molecular structure of [(eta6-C6Me6)RuCl2(CNPy)] (6) has been determined crystallographically. Analogous rhodium(III) complex [(eta5-C5Me5)RhCl2(CPI)] (7) has also been prepared and characterized. DNA interaction with the arene ruthenium complexes and the rhodium complex has been examined by spectroscopic and gel mobility shift assay; condensation of DNA and B-->Z transition have also been described. Arene ruthenium(II) and EPh3 (E = P, As)-containing arene ruthenium(II) complexes exhibited strong binding behavior, however, rhodium(III) complexes were found to be Topo II inhibitors with an inhibition percentage of 70% (7) and 30% (7a). Furthermore, arene ruthenium complexes containing polypyridyl ligands also act as mild Topo II inhibitors (10%, 3c and 40%, 3d) in contrast to their precursor complexes. Complexes 4-6 also show significant inhibition of beta-hematin/hemozoin formation activity.     

Simplification of complex EPR spectra by cepstral analysis

As the Fourier transform of time-series data is known as the spectrum, the Fourier transform of the logarithm of the time-series data is called the cepstrum of the data. When cepstral analysis is applied to free induction decay signals of free radicals showing first-order EPR spectra, the identification of nuclear hyperfine coupling constants becomes simple. In a systematic manner, we have examined how the technique of cepstral analysis is affected by the presence of aliasing, noise, uncertainty in the time origin of the free induction decay, the presence of second-order hyperfine couplings, and the applications of various apodization methods. This technique was then applied to analyze the EPR spectrum of anthraquinone anion radical, and anion radicals of porphycene and tetrapropyl-porphycene, and the hyperfine coupling constants thus obtained were compared with published data. A good agreement was always found. We make a case for the usefulness of cepstral analysis in determining the hyperfine coupling constants of complex EPR spectra of organic free radicals.     

Phase equilibria in high energy density PVDF-based polymers

The phase diagrams of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers with chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) are investigated by first-principles calculations. Both PVDF and dilute P(VDF-CTFE) prefer nonpolar structures at zero field, but transform to a polar phase below the breakdown field. The critical field decreases with increasing CTFE content, facilitating the transformation. In disordered P(VDF-CTFE), a distribution of concentrations leads to a range of polar transitions, resulting in ultrahigh energy density. These results explain well experimental observations of very high-energy density in P(VDF-CTFE).     

Remarkably bent, ethane-linked, diiron(III) mu-oxobisporphyrin: synthesis, structure, conformational switching, and photocatalytic oxidation

A remarkably bent diiron(III) mu-oxobisporphyrin containing a highly flexible ethane linker is reported that authenticates, for the first time, the unprecedented ability of this platform to "open" and "close" its binding pockets, leading to facile syn-anti conformational switching with very high vertical flexibility of over 6.5 A in a single molecular framework. X-ray structural characterization reveals the bent diiron(III) mu-oxobisporphyrins with the smallest known Fe-O-Fe angles of 147.9(1) degrees for any iron(III) mu-oxo porphyrin dimers reported so far. Two rings in a molecule are not slipped but are face to face in a nearly eclipsed geometry and are placed so close that at least six carbon atoms from each of the macrocycles are driven to be essentially less than the van der Waals contacts (<3.4 A). The complex catalyzes the rapid photoinduced oxygenation of phosphites under mild conditions using aerial oxygen.