Effect of Pr-Ca substitution on the transport and magnetic behavior of LaMnO3 perovskite

The effect of simultaneous substitution of a fluctuating cation and a divalent cation in LaMnO₃ perovskite modifies the properties of the material to exhibit large valence colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect. A good example of these properties is (La_1−2x Pr _x Ca _x )MnO₃ (LPCMO) type CMR material. In this communication it is reported that, with the increase in x (for x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2), the T _c varies between 100 and 120 K with improvisation in metal-insulator transition. Interestingly, resistance increases with x from few hundred ohms to few kilo ohms with corresponding decrease in the unit cell volume. The results of the studies using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and ac susceptibility measurements on LPCMO samples for understanding the structural, transport and magnetic properties are discussed in detail.     

An inexpensive method for the determination of serum ionized calcium

The method described here may be used for the determination of serum ionized calcium. The physical conditions of the measurement, including sample volume (0.6 ml) and temperature (25 or 37 °C), are fixed. Stasis of the sample may contribute to a prolonged but not prohibitive response time. Other than the prolonged response time, the performance characteristics of the electrodes were not altered by incorporating them into the electrode chamber. Exemplifying the utility of this method were the results of protein-binding studies, in vitro and ex vivo CaCl₂ and EDTA administration and a comparison with the Orion SS-20. In consideration of the data presented, the cost and simplicity of construction, and method described should serve to make the determination of serum ionized calcium accessible to a greater number of investigators and encourage research in pharmacological and physiological processes thought to be mediated by serum ionized calcium.     

Integration of gas chromatography mass spectrometry methods for differentiating ricin preparation methods

The investigation of crimes involving chemical or biological agents is infrequent, but presents unique analytical challenges. The protein toxin ricin is encountered more frequently than other agents and is found in the seeds of Ricinus communis, commonly known as the castor plant. Typically, the toxin is extracted from castor seeds utilizing a variety of different recipes that result in varying purity of the toxin. Moreover, these various purification steps can also leave or differentially remove a variety of exogenous and endogenous residual components with the toxin that may indicate the type and number of purification steps involved. We have applied three gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based analytical methods to measure the variation in seed carbohydrates and castor oil ricinoleic acid, as well as the presence of solvents used for purification. These methods were applied to the same samples prepared using four previously identified toxin preparation methods, starting from four varieties of castor seeds. The individual data sets for seed carbohydrate profiles, ricinoleic acid, or acetone amount each provided information capable of differentiating different types of toxin preparations across seed types. However, the integration of the data sets using multivariate factor analysis provided a clear distinction of all samples based on the preparation method, independent of the seed source. In particular, the abundance of mannose, arabinose, fucose, ricinoleic acid, and acetone were shown to be important differentiating factors. These complementary tools provide a more confident determination of the method of toxin preparation than would be possible using a single analytical method.     

Cr(VI) Oxidation of Cholesterol—A Kinetic Study Using N-Cetylpicolinium Dichromates,A Class of Novel Phase Transfer Oxidants

Kinetics and Catalysis - Kinetic study of cholesterol oxidation has been studied using a series of N-cetylpicolinium dichromates (CPDC), a class of phase transfer oxidants, in acetic acid medium...     

Electrochemical proteolytic beacon for detection of matrix metalloproteinase activities

This communication describes a novel method for detecting matrix metalloproteinase-7 activity using a peptide substrate labeled with a ferrocene reporter. The substrate serves as a selective "electrochemical proteolytic beacon" (EPB) for this metalloproteinase. The EPB is immobilized on a gold electrode surface to enable "on-off" electrochemical signaling capability for uncleaved and cleaved events. The EPB is efficiently and selectively cleaved by MMP-7 as measured by the rate of decrease in redox current of ferrocene. Direct transduction of a signal corresponding to peptide cleavage events into an electronic signal thus provides a simple, sensitive route for detecting the MMP activity. The new method allows for identification of the activity of MMP-7 in concentrations as low as 3.4 pM. The concept can be extended to design a multiple peptide substrate labeled with different electroactive reporters for assaying multiple MMPs activities.     

Elastic properties of the Ta–V system: bcc Ta0.33V0.67 and C15 TaV2

Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to measure the elastic constants of bcc Ta_0.33V_0.67 over the temperature range 3.5–300?K; the results were compared to earlier measurements on C15 TaV₂. The temperature dependence of the polycrystalline shear modulus is completely different in the two phases; that of the bcc phase decreases with temperature whereas that of the C15 phases increases in an anomalous fashion. This difference is consistent with a model involving doubly-degenerate levels at the X point of the Brillouin zone in the C15 phase with the Fermi level lying near the doubly degenerate level. This model accounted for the unusual behaviour of the C15 phase. Debye temperatures were determined from the ultrasonic measurements: 295?K for the C15 phase and 315?K for the bcc phase.     

Structural characteristics of different types of nanoparticles synthesised in mesomorphic metal alkanoates

The class of thermotropic ionic liquid crystals (LCs) of the metal alkanoates possesses a number of unique properties, such as intrinsic ionic conductivity, high dissolving ability and ability to form time-stable mesomorphic glasses. These ionic LCs can be used as nanoreactors for the synthesis and stabilisation of different types of nanoparticles (NPs). Thus, some semiconductors, metals and core/shell NPs were chemically synthesised in the thermotropic ionic liquid crystalline phase (smectic A) of the cadmium octanoate (CdC₈) and of the cobalt octanoate (CoC₈). By applying the scanning electron microscopy, the cadmium and cobalt octanoate composites containing CdS, Au, Ag and core/shell Au/CdS NPs have been studied. NPs’ sizes and dispersion distribution of the NPs’ size in the nanocomposites have been obtained.     

Irradiation of a cone by a magnetic dipole

Th electromagnetic field produced by a magnetic dipole in thepresence of a perfectly conducting cone of arbitrary cross-sectionis determined. The solution is used to find out how a currenton the cone travelling towards the apex is reflected. Some valuesof the reflection coefficient are calculated. In particular,it is shown that there is a sort of resonance with the reflectionincreasing significantly as the cone approaches a plane.