Synergistic effect of neutral donors on the extraction of zirconium(IV) by salicylaldoxime in dichloromethane

Liquid-liquid extraction of zirconium(IV) was investigated from dilute hydrochloric acid medium by salicyaldoxime (HA) in dichloromethane. The metal was spiked with ⁹⁵Zr and analyzed by its radioactivity. The effects of different donors, like trioctyl phosphine oxide (TOPO), triphenyl phosphine oxide (TPPO), tributyl phosphine oxide (TBPO), tributyl phosphate (TBP), trioctyl amine (TOA) and Amberlite LA-2 were studied. The adduct formation constants for both binary species (metal-ligand) and ternary species (metal-ligand-donor) were also calculated form the distribution data.One of the authors (S.B.) thanks The University of Burdwan for providing senior research fellowship to her. She also wishes to thank Dr. D. Mukherjee and Dr. S. Bhattacharya, B.U. for their valuable suggestions.     

Increased Photosensitivity in HL60 Cells Expressing Wild-Type p53

Loss of p53 function has been correlated with decreased sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in a variety of human tumors. Comparable analysis of p53 status with sensitivity to oxidative stress induced by pho-todynamic therapy has not been reported. In the current study we examined photosensitivity in human promye-locytic leukemia HL60 cells exhibiting either wild-type p53, mutated p53 or deleted p53 expression. Experiments were performed using a purpurin, tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2)-, or a porphyrin, Photofrin (PH)-based photo-sensitizer. Total SnET2 accumulation was comparable in all three cell lines. Uptake of PH was highest in cells expressing wild-type p53 but incubation conditions could be adjusted to achieve equivalent cellular PH levels during experiments that analyzed photosensitivity. Survival measurements demonstrated that HL60 cells expressing wild-type p53 were more sensitive to PH- and SnET2-mediated photosensitization, as well as to UVC irradiation, when compared to HL60 cells exhibiting deleted or mutated p53 phenotypes. A rapid apoptotic response was observed following purpurin- and porphyrin-induced photosensitization in all cell lines. Results of this study indicate that photosensitivity is increased in HL60 cells expressing wild-type p53 and that photosensitizer-medi-ated oxidative stress can induce apoptosis through a p53-independent mechanism in HL60 cells .     

Determination of the orientation of the electric field gradient at the Cu(1) site from the Mössbauer spectra of textured pellets made of YBa2Cu3O7−δ superconductor

A textured pellet of YBa₂Cu₃O_7?δ was prepared and doped with⁵⁷Co. After subsequent heat treatments the cobalt was found at the two copper sites. The degree of alignment of individual crystallites (about 40%) was determined from the Mössbauer spectrum by using a method developed by the authors [1]. The same method showed that the most characteristic doublet component of such spectra (δ=0.08 mm/s; |ΔE _Q|=1.96 mm/s) is associated with a site, most probably a Cu(1) site, where the EFG is parallel to thec direction of the unit cell. The sign ofV _zz turned out to be negative, giving a negative quadrupole splitting (ΔE _Q=?1.96 mm/s) for that component.     

Recent results from large electron positron collider

We summarize here the recent results from the four experiments at the large electron positron collider (LEP). These experiments provide precise measurements of theW and Z boson properties and their couplings to leptons and quarks. These measurements, together with measurements of the top quark andW boson masses in the Tevatron collider provide a stringent test of the standard electroweak theory. Searches for Higgs boson and supersymmetric particles have yielded null results so far giving rise to lower bounds in the parameter space.     

Operational characteristics and power scaling of a transverse flow transversely excited CW CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser

Transverse flow transversely excited (TFTE) CO₂ lasers are easily scalable to multikilowatt level. The laser power can be scaled up by increasing the volumetric gas flow and discharge volume. It was observed in a TFTE CW CO₂ laser having single row of pins as an anode and tubular cathode that the laser power was not increasing when the discharge volume and the gas volumetric flow were increased by increasing the electrode separation keeping the gas flow velocity constant. The discharge voltage too remained almost constant with the change of electrode separation at the same gas flow velocity. This necessitated revision of the scaling laws for designing this type of high power CO₂ laser. Experimental results of laser performance for different electrode separations are discussed and the modifications in the scaling laws are presented.     

Electron transfer reactions of nickel(III) and nickel(IV) complexes

This review narrates the electron transfer reactions of various nickel(III) and nickel(IV) complexes reported during the period 1981 until today. The reactions have been categorized mainly with respect to the type of nickel complexes. The reactivity of nickel(III) complexes of macrocycles, 2,2′-bipyridyl and 1,10-phenanthroline, peptides and oxime–imine, and of nickel(IV) complexes derived from oxime–imine, oxime and miscellaneous ligands with various organic and inorganic electron donors have been included. Kinetic and mechanistic features associated with such interactions have been duly analyzed. The relevance of Marcus cross-relation equations in the delineation of the electron transfer paths has also been critically discussed.