Electroanalytical study of cadmium-tyrosine complex at D.M.E.

Summary Polarographic behaviour of Cadmium complex of tyrosine at D.M.E. has been investigated. The effect of change of pH, temperature, ligand concentration and height of mercury column on the wave characteristics has been studied and the results interpreted. The values of the stability constants of the complexes so formed have been calculated at 20±1°C and 30±1°C. Thermodynamic functions have also been evaluated.

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Elektroanalytische Untersuchung des Cadmium-Tyrosin-Komplexes an der Quecksilbertropfelektrode

Zusammenfassung Die Einflüsse des pH, der Temperatur, der Ligandenkonzentration sowie der Höhe der Quecksilbersäule auf die Halbstufencharakteristik wurden untersucht. Die Werte der Stabilitätskonstanten der gebildeten Komplexe wurden für 20±1°C und 30±1°C berechnet. Thermodynamische Funktionen wurden ausgewertet.

     

Stochastic analysis of a chemical reaction with spatial and temporal structures

A stochastic analysis of the spatial and temporal structures in the Prigogine-Lefever-Nicolis model (the Brusselator) is presented. The analysis is carried out through a Langevin equation derived from a multivariate master equation using the Poisson representation method, which is used to calculate the spatial correlation functions and the fluctuation spectra in the Gaussian approximation. The case of an infinite three-dimensional system is considered in detail. The calculations for the spatial correlation functions and the fluctuation spectra for a finite system subject to different kinds of boundary conditions are also given.     

Perturbation expansion of the convolutionless master equation of Shibata et al.

It is noted that the structure of the higher order terms in a perturbation expansion of the convolutionless master equation of Shibata et al. may easily be written down by comparing their expansion using the stochastic Liouville equation with that of van Kampen using linear stochastic differential equations.     

2.45 GHz Microwave Irradiation-Induced Oxidative Stress Affects Implantation or Pregnancy in Mice, Mus musculus

The present experiment was designed to study the 2.45 GHz low-level microwave (MW) irradiation-induced stress response and its effect on implantation or pregnancy in female mice. Twelve-week-old mice were exposed to MW radiation (continuous wave for 2 h/day for 45 days, frequency 2.45 GHz, power density?=?0.033549 mW/cm², and specific absorption rate?=?0.023023 W/kg). At the end of a total of 45 days of exposure, mice were sacrificed, implantation sites were monitored, blood was processed to study stress parameters (hemoglobin, RBC and WBC count, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratio), the brain was processed for comet assay, and plasma was used for nitric oxide (NO), progesterone and estradiol estimation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activities of ROS-scavenging enzymes— superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase—were determined in the liver, kidney and ovary. We observed that implantation sites were affected significantly in MW-irradiated mice as compared to control. Further, in addition to a significant increase in ROS, hemoglobin (p?<?0.001), RBC and WBC counts (p?<?0.001), N/L ratio (p?<?0.01), DNA damage (p?<?0.001) in brain cells, and plasma estradiol concentration (p?<?0.05), a significant decrease was observed in NO level (p?<?0.05) and antioxidant enzyme activities of MW-exposed mice. Our findings led us to conclude that a low level of MW irradiation-induced oxidative stress not only suppresses implantation, but it may also lead to deformity of the embryo in case pregnancy continues. We also suggest that MW radiation-induced oxidative stress by increasing ROS production in the body may lead to DNA strand breakage in the brain cells and implantation failure/resorption or abnormal pregnancy in mice.     

Enhancement of the stability and temperature range of the mesophases in the binary mixtures of cholesteryl myristate and 4-n-decyloxy benzoic acid

Thermodynamical, optical, and electrical properties of the binary mixtures of cholesteryl myristate (ChM) and 4-n-decyloxybenzoic acid (DOBA) have been carried out by the differential scanning calorimeter, polarized optical microscopy (POM), and impedance spectroscopy. Through thermodynamic study, various phase transition temperatures, transition enthalpies, and transition entropies have been determined to investigate temperature range and stability of the mesophases of the mixtures. Phase diagrams in the heating and cooling cycles have been drawn for the ChM–DOBA binary system. Optical textures of different mesophases have identified with the help of POM. Dielectric permittivity has been determined in planar and homeotropic alignments of the mixtures having DOBA concentrations 30.0 and 92.3 mol %. The experimental dielectric data in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 35 MHz do not show any relaxation mode in both the alignments of these mixtures. Dielectric anisotropy has been determined for the various observed phases of the mixtures.     

Syntheses of Indigoid Dye Precursors and Bioactive Compounds Via Condensation of 1,2- and 1,4-Diones with Thiohydantoins

The condensation of 1,2- and 1,4-diketones with thiohydantoins to give tetrahydroquinodimethane and isatylidene derivatives respectively is described which may act as potential precursors for indigoid dyes as well as bioactive compounds. The synthesized compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, spectral studies as well as by molecular modelling using PC WIN model. In addition, the newly synthesized products have been screened for antimicrobial activity.     

Performance of digital gamma ray spectrometer for loss free counting and its application to NAA using short-lived radionuclides

A digital gamma-ray spectrometer with loss-free counting system was used for real time correction for dead time (DT) due to pulse processing in the electronics. This spectrometer was used for radioactive assay of samples having constant as well as varying DT conditions. The system was tested by measuring activity of short and medium lived nuclides namely ²⁸Al, ⁵²V and ¹²⁸I in the DT ranges of 80–2 %. Using this spectrometer and neutron activation analysis (NAA), concentrations of Al, V, Ti, Ca, Dy and Mn were determined in some samples and reference materials.     

Binding of rigid dendritic ruthenium complexes to carbon nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) bind strongly to rigid ruthenium metallodendrimers. High valence ions effectively coagulate these nanotubes from stable dispersions in N,N-dimethylforamide. While ruthenium salts and small [Ru(diimine)(3)](2+) complexes also coagulate the nanotubes, they require much higher concentrations and are easily extracted from the nanotubes with acetonitrile. Enantiomerically pure ruthenium metallodendrimer [Lambda(6)Delta(3)Lambda-Ru(10)](20+)[PF(6)(-)](20) is shown to bind strongly and specifically to the SWNTs. Most of the nanotube's ends are functionalized with this large (5.8 nm), optically active, rigid supramolecular complex. We study the binding capacity with UV-vis and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Imaging the functionalized nanotubes with scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) yields direct confirmation of end functionalization. Statistical analysis of the AFM images shows the morphology of the functionalized ends is consistent with the nanotubes binding to one of the endo- or exoreceptors around the dendrimer. Implications of these results toward efficient nanomanufacturing of carbon nanotube devices are discussed.     

Ultrasonic properties of random media under uniaxial loading.

Acoustic properties of two types of soft tissue-like media were measured as a function of compressive strain. Samples were subjected to uniaxial strains up to 40% along the axis of the transducer beam. Measurements were analyzed to test a common assumption made when using pulse-echo waveforms to track motion in soft tissues--that local properties of wave propagation and scattering are invariant under deformation. Violations of this assumption have implications for elasticity imaging procedures and could provide new opportunities for identifying the sources of backscatter in biological media such as breast parenchyma. We measured speeds of sound, attenuation coefficients, and echo spectra in compressed phantoms containing randomly positioned scatterers either stiffer or softer than the surrounding gelatin. Only the echo spectra of gel media with soft scatterers varied significantly during compression. Centroids of the echo spectra were found to be shifted to higher frequencies in proportion to the applied strain up to 10%, and increased monotonically up to 40% at a rate depending on the scatterer size. Centroid measurements were accurately modeled by assuming incoherent scattering from oblate spheroids with an eccentricity that increases with strain. While spectral shifts can be accurately modeled, recovery of lost echo coherence does not seem possible. Consequently, spectral variance during compression may ultimately limit the amount of strain that can be applied between two data fields in heterogeneous media such as lipid-filled tissues. It also appears to partially explain why strain images often produce greater echo decorrelation in tissues than in commonly used graphite-gelatin test phantoms.