Effect of solvent on the excited-state photophysical properties of curcumin

Photophysical properties of curcumin, 1,7-bis-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxy phenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-2,5-dione, a pigment found in the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric) have been studied in different kinds of organic solvent and also in Triton X-100 aqueous micellar media using time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption techniques having pico and nanosecond time resolution, in addition to steady-state absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Steady-state absorption and fluorescence characteristics of curcumin have been found to be sensitive to the solvent characteristics. Large change (delta mu = 6.1 Debye) in dipole moments due to photoexcitation to the excited singlet state (S1) indicates strong intramolecular charge transfer character of the latter. Curcumin is a weakly fluorescent molecule and the fluorescence decay properties in most of the solvents could be fitted well to a double-exponential decay function. The shorter component having lifetime in the range 50-350 ps and percent contribution of amplitude more than 90% in different solvents may be assigned to the enol form, whereas the longer component, having lifetime in the range 500-1180 ps with less than 10% contribution may be assigned to the di-keto form of curcumin. Our nuclear magnetic resonance study in CDCl3 and dimethyl sulfoxide-D6 also supports the fact that the enol form is present in the solution by more than about 95% in these solvents. Excited singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) absorption spectrum and decay kinetics have been characterized by pico and nanosecond laser flash photolysis. Quantum yield of the triplet is low (phi T < or = 0.12). Both the fluorescence and triplet quantum yields being low (phi f + phi T < 0.18), the photophysics of curcumin is dominated by the energy relaxation mechanism via the internal conversion process.     

Simple Zeros of the Riemann Zeta-Function

Assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, Montgomery showed by meansof his pair correlation method that at least two-thirds of thezeros of Riemann's zeta-function are simple. Later he and Taylorimproved this to 67.25 percent and, more recently, Cheer andGoldston increased the percentage to 67.2753. Here we proveby a new method that if the Riemann and Generalized LindelöofHypotheses hold, then at least 70.3704 percent of the zerosare simple and at least 84.5679 percent are distinct. Our methoduses mean value estimates for various functions defined by Dirichletseries sampled at the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function. 1991Mathematics Subject Classification: 11M26.     

Quantum Zeno and anti-Zeno paradoxes

Continuous observation of a time independent projection operator is known to prevent change of state (the quantum Zeno paradox). We discuss the recent result that generic continuous measurement of time dependent projection operators will in fact ensure change of state: an anti-Zeno paradox.     

粉粒体两相流的电容层析成象测量

粉粒体系统中的固相浓度分布的在线测量是十分困难的问题．电容层析成象技术是一种近年来发展起来的非侵入式快速浓度场测量技术．它不干扰流场，不受流动中颗粒浓度、加速度、不透明等因素的制约．本文讨论其测量原理、应用、近期进展、存在的主要问题及其解决的对策．     

ac Conductivity of mixed spinel NiAl0.7Cr0.7Fe0.6O4

ac Conductivity measurements are carried out across the metal to insulator transition in NiAl_0.7Cr_0.7Fe_0.6O₄. The low frequency data is analyzed using Summerfield scaling theory for hopping conductivity. The exponent of the scaling behavior has significantly different values in the conducting and insulating regimes. The hopping frequency and the zero frequency conductivity are found to increase with temperature, slowly in the metallic regime and rapidly in the insulating regime.     

Local canted spin behaviour in Co1.4−x Zn x Ge0.4Fe1.2O4 spinels: A macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic study

DC magnetization, neutron depolarization and neutron diffraction (with both polarized and unpolarized neutrons) measurements have been reported for the Co_1.1−x Zn _x Ge_0.1Fe_1.2O₁ spinels with x=0.5, 0.6 and 0.7. Neutron depolarization and neutron diffraction measurements confirm the presence of a long range ferrimagnetic ordering of the local canted spins in these ferrite samples. The observed features of low field magnetization have been explained under the framework of thermally activated domain wall movement of ferrimagnetic arrangement of local canted spins. An important role of magnetic anisotropy (due to the presence of Co²⁺ ions) in establishing the magnetic ordering and domain kinetics in these ferrites has been observed.