Proper Conformal Killing Vectors in Kantowski-Sachs Metric

This paper deals with the existence of proper conformal Killing vectors(CKVs) in Kantowski-Sachs metric.Subject to some integrability conditions, the general form of vector filed generating CKVs and the conformal factor is presented. The integrability conditions are solved generally as well as in some particular cases to show that the nonconformally flat Kantowski-Sachs metric admits two proper CKVs, while it admits a 15-dimensional Lie algebra of CKVs in the case when it becomes conformally flat. The inheriting conformal Killing vectors(ICKVs), which map fluid lines conformally, are also investigated.     

Effect of the non-homogenity on the composite infinite cylinder of orthotropic material

In this Letter, the solution of non-homogeneous orthotropic elastic cylinder for plane strain problems is developed. The dynamical problem of an orthotropic cylinder containing: (i) an isotropic core and (ii) a rigid core are considered. The elastic constants and density are taken as a power function of the radial coordinate. Analytical expressions for the component of the displacement and the components of the stresses in different cases are obtained. The numerical calculations are carried out for the component of displacement and the components of the stresses through the radial of the cylinder. The results indicate that the effect of inhomogeneity is very pronounced. Those cases have been illustrated and discussed by figures.     

In-Beam γ-Ray Studies of Band Structures in Ho151

We reported here the level structure in the ood proton nucleus Ho¹⁵¹. High spin states in Ho¹⁵¹ have been populated in the Sn¹²² (Cl³⁵, xyzγ) reaction. The level structure has been established up to an energy of 9.9 MeV and spin value I = 63/2. The systematic behavior of the level pattern of Ho¹⁵¹ nucleus is discussed in the context of the high-spin structure in the neighbouring nuclei. Most of the proposed level configurations can be explained by the coupling of h 11/2 protons to f 7/2 and/or h 9/2 neutrons.     

Exploring the potential of tetraazaacene derivatives as photovoltaic materials with enhanced photovoltaic parameters

A series of D-π-A type molecules have been designed for their potential use in organic photovoltaic devices. Photovoltaic and optoelectronic properties of newly designed molecules have been explored by comparing with a reference molecule R comprising of the central core (2,3,8,9-tetrakis(thiophen-2-ylethynyl)-5,7,10,12-tetrakis((trimethylsilyl)ethynyl)pyrazino[2,3-b]phenazine) and π-bridge (thiophene). The end groups are (2-(2-ethylidene-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1 ylidene)malononitrile), (2-ethylidenemalonitrile), (methyl 2-cyanoacrylate) and (3-methyl-5-methylene-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one) in the newly designed molecules. Among the investigated molecules M1 and M2 exhibit a broad absorption range of 627 and 626 nm with respect to the reference. All the designed molecules exhibited a lower bandgap as compared to R which indicates a better transfer of electron density from highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) to lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). The reorganization energy values show that all designed molecules have efficient charge transport capability. This study proves that end-capped acceptor modification is an effective strategy for designing optimistic molecule for high performance future organic solar cells fabrication.     

Application of a validated stability-indicating densitometric thin-layer chromatographic method to stress degradation studies on moxifloxacin

A simple, sensitive, selective, precise and stability-indicating high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for densitometric determination of moxifloxacin both as a bulk drug and from pharmaceutical formulation was developed and validated as per the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. The method employed TLC aluminium plates pre-coated with silica gel 60F-254 as the stationary phase and the mobile phase consisted of n-propanol-ethanol-6 M ammonia solution (4:1:2, v/v/v). Densitometric analysis of moxifloxacin was carried out in the absorbance mode at 298 nm. Compact spots for moxifloxacin were found at R_f value of 0.58 ± 0.02. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed good linear relationship with r = 0.9925 in the working concentration range of 100-800 ng spot⁻¹. The method was validated for precision, accuracy, ruggedness, robustness, specificity, recovery, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ). The LOD and LOQ were 3.90 and 11.83 ng spot⁻¹, respectively. Drug was subjected to acid and alkali hydrolysis, oxidation, dry heat, wet heat treatment and photodegradation. All the peaks of degradation products were well resolved from the standard drug with significantly different R_f values. Statistical analysis proves that the developed HPTLC method is reproducible and selective. As the method could effectively separate the drug from its degradation products, it can be employed as stability-indicating one. Moreover, the proposed HPTLC method was utilized to investigate the kinetics of the acidic and alkaline degradation processes at different temperatures. Arrhenius plot was constructed and apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant, half-life and activation energy were calculated. In addition the pH-rate profile for degradation of moxifloxacin in constant ionic strength buffer solutions within the pH range 1.2-10.8 was studied.     

Solution of elementary equations in the Minkowski geometric algebra of complex sets

The solution of elementary equations in the Minkowski geometric algebra of complex sets is addressed. For given circular disks and with radii a and b, a solution of the linear equation in an unknown set exists if and only if ab. When it exists, the solution is generically the region bounded by the inner loop of a Cartesian oval (which may specialize to a limaçon of Pascal, an ellipse, a line segment, or a single point in certain degenerate cases). Furthermore, when a<b<1, the solution of the nonlinear monomial equation is shown to be the region that is bounded by a single loop of a generalized form of the ovals of Cassini. The latter result is obtained by considering the nth Minkowski root of the region bounded by the inner loop of a Cartesian oval. Preliminary consideration is also given to the problems of solving univariate polynomial equations and multivariate linear equations with complex disk coefficients.     

Identification and characterization of smallest pore-forming protein in the cell wall of pathogenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corynebacterium urealyticum</Emphasis> DSM 7109

Background

Corynebacterium urealyticum, a pathogenic, multidrug resistant member of the mycolata, is known as causative agent of urinary tract infections although it is a bacterium of the skin flora. This pathogenic bacterium shares with the mycolata the property of having an unusual cell envelope composition and architecture, typical for the genus Corynebacterium. The cell wall of members of the mycolata contains channel-forming proteins for the uptake of solutes.

Results

In this study, we provide novel information on the identification and characterization of a pore-forming protein in the cell wall of C. urealyticum DSM 7109. Detergent extracts of whole C. urealyticum cultures formed in lipid bilayer membranes slightly cation-selective pores with a single-channel conductance of 1.75 nS in 1 M KCl. Experiments with different salts and non-electrolytes suggested that the cell wall pore of C. urealyticum is wide and water-filled and has a diameter of about 1.8 nm. Molecular modelling and dynamics has been performed to obtain a model of the pore. For the search of the gene coding for the cell wall pore of C. urealyticum we looked in the known genome of C. urealyticum for a similar chromosomal localization of the porin gene to known porH and porA genes of other Corynebacterium strains. Three genes are located between the genes coding for GroEL2 and polyphosphate kinase (PKK2). Two of the genes (cur_1714 and cur_1715) were expressed in different constructs in C. glutamicum ΔporAΔporH and in porin-deficient BL21 DE3 Omp8 E. coli strains. The results suggested that the gene cur_1714 codes alone for the cell wall channel. The cell wall porin of C. urealyticum termed PorACur was purified to homogeneity using different biochemical methods and had an apparent molecular mass of about 4 kDa on tricine-containing sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

Conclusions

Biophysical characterization of the purified protein (PorACur) suggested indeed that cur_1714 is the gene coding for the pore-forming protein in C. urealyticum because the protein formed in lipid bilayer experiments the same pores as the detergent extract of whole cells. The study is the first report of a cell wall channel in the pathogenic C. urealyticum.

     

Structural characterization of copper (II) tetradecanoate with 2,2′-bipyridine and 4,4′-bipyridine to study magnetic properties

This paper presents synthesis, structural characterization and spintronic applications of copper (II) tetradecanoate derived magnetic complexes. The complexes were prepared by a chemical reaction between [Cu₂(CH₃(CH₂)₁₂COO)₄](EtOH)₂ and 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-bipyridine ligands respectively. The complexes were further reacted between the product of the first reaction and 4,4′-bipyridine-2,2′-bipyridine respectively. The structural characterization techniques included elemental analysis, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultra-violet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, polarized optical microscopy, magnetic moment and thermogravimetric analysis. The structural and characterization results suggested that the synthesized complexes were binuclear and mononuclear covalent complexes of copper(II) with structural formulas [Cu₂(η²-(OOCR)₄](4,4′-bpy)2H₂O] and [Cu(η¹-(OOCR)₂(2,2′-bpy) (4,4′-bpy)] respectively.