Synthesis and Characterization of Silver–PVA Nanocomposite for Sensor and Antibacterial Applications

Silver–polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite is synthesized by a simple chemical reduction method in aqueous media and characterized by various techniques such as UV–Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The morphology of the obtained silver nanoparticles is spherical in shape with an average diameter of 24 nm. The prepared silver–PVA nanocomposite is demonstrated to detect the concentration of heavy metal contaminant cadmium in water based on linear change in surface plasmon resonance absorption strength. The antibacterial tests show the inhibiting action of this nanocomposite against pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram negative), Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus (gram positive), which are found commonly in water. These observed optical and antibacterial properties, suggest the possible utilization of prepared silver–PVA nanocomposite in the water purification application.     

A simultaneous TG-DTG-DSC-quadrupole mass spectrometric study

Mechanistic aspects of the thermal decomposition of benzyl-triethyl-ammonium tetrafluoroborate (BTEATFB) employing simultaneous TG-DSC coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer are considered in this work. The experiments were conducted in an inert atmosphere of helium. The decomposition of BTEATFB proceeds through several competing mechanisms. While nucleophilic substitution reaction occurs through the formation of a tertiary amine and plays an important role in the initial stages of the decomposition, and the probability of Hoffman elimination also exists.     

Recent advances in the synthetic chemistry of 1,5-benzothiazepines: A minireview

Benzothiazepine, a prominent “drug prejudice core”, is a heterocyclic moiety of immense importance due to its presence in a wide range of bioactive compounds. They act as a primary “biolinker” in diverse synthetic routes to obtain bioactive molecules and serve as important templates in synthetic and medicinal chemistry. They are known to possess a plethora of pharmacological activities, which include Ca²⁺ channel blockers, CNS acting agents, anti-HIV, ACE inhibitors, antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer. Their promising behaviour as drug molecules led the scientific community to develop novel, mild, green, and highly efficient synthetic routes for their synthesis. The conventional synthesis generally involved the condensation of chalcones with 2-aminothiophenol in the presence of acid/base with high-temperature heating, mostly resulting in poor yields or mixtures. However, recent trends are replacing these conditions with mild and green conditions through organocatalysis or other methodologies. In this review, an attempt has been made by authors to summarize (a) Recent developments in the synthetic strategies of 1,5-benzoathiazepines and its derivatives (b) Conventional methods for the synthesis of 1,5-benzothiazepines including progress in the green chemistry routes (c) Applications of various metals and organocatalysts to achieve the enantioselective synthesis of title compounds.     

Tandem Oxidation Sequence to Prepare Ethyl (E)‐4,5‐Dioxo‐2‐hexadecenoate: A Formal Synthesis of Podoscyphic Acid

A tandem oxidation reaction has been utilized to prepare ethyl (E)‐4,5‐dioxo‐2‐hexadecenoate, the immediate precusor to the antiviral fungal metabolite podoscyphic acid.     

Deuterium dilution technique for body composition assessment: resolving methodological issues in children with moderate acute malnutrition

Childhood malnutrition is highly prevalent and associated with high mortality risk. In observational and interventional studies among malnourished children, body composition is increasingly recognised as a key outcome. The deuterium dilution technique has generated high-quality data on body composition in studies of infants and young children in several settings, but its feasibility and accuracy in children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition requires further study. Prior to a large nutritional intervention trial among children with moderate acute malnutrition, we conducted pilot work to develop and adapt the deuterium dilution technique. We refined procedures for administration of isotope doses and collection of saliva. Furthermore, we established that equilibration time in local context is 3?h. These findings and the resulting standard operating procedures are important to improve data quality when using the deuterium dilution technique in malnutrition studies in field conditions, and may encourage a wider use of isotope techniques.     

Benzofuroxans in heterocyclic synthesis : Reaction of benzofuroxans with dienamines; synthesis of a novel class of quinoxaline nn'-dioxide enamines

Benzofuroxanes react with dienamines to give a novel class of quinoxaline NN'-dioxide enamines in good yields.     

Sinter-active nanocrystalline CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> powder prepared by a mixed fuel process: Effect of fuel on particle agglomeration

A modified combustion process, namely a mixed fuel process making use of a mixture of two fuels, such as citric acid and glycine has been developed to prepare nanocrystalline ceria powders. The effect of the mixed fuel and the different fuel to oxidant ratios on the decomposition characteristics of the gels were investigated by simultaneous thermal analysis experiments. It was established from various characterization techniques that the ceria powder prepared through the mixed fuel process has got the optimum powder characteristics, namely, a surface area of 33.33 m²/g and a crystallite size of 14 nm compared to the powders produced through the combustion process using a single fuel like glycine or citric acid. Such powders when sintered at 1250°C resulted in pellets with densities in the range of 94–96% of theoretical density. In this paper, we have carried out systematic studies on the sintering of ceria powders prepared by different approaches. The sintered ceramic from mixed fuel batch, exhibited and retained relative density more than 95% up to 1250°C and this data clearly underscores the ability of this process in developing ceria ceramics with increased stability against reduction.     

Nonlinear Rayleigh–Taylor instability of two superposed magnetic fluids under parallel rotation and a normal magnetic field

The Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) of a ferrofluid has been the subject of recent research, because of its implications on the stability of stellar and planetary interiors. This paper analyzes the effects of rotation and magnetic field on nonlinear RTI of two superposed ferrofluids. It is considered that the system is subjected to uniform parallel rotation and normal magnetic field. Surface tension acts at the interface. The method of multiple scales is utilized to obtain the solutions and dispersion relations are obtained for the nonlinear problem of RTI of magnetic fluids. Finally the stability of the problem is discussed.