Pressure-induced electronic and structural transformations in bulk GeSe2 glass

The pressure dependence of the electrical resistivity of bulk GeSe₂ glass shows a semiconductor-to-metal transition at 7 GPa pressure. The high pressure phase is examined using the x-ray diffractometer and is found to be crystalline, with a face-centred cubic structure havinga = 4·06 A. The electrical conductivity has also been studied as a function of temperature at various pressures.     

Relation between efficiency of quartz transducers and ultrasonic absorption coefficient of liquids. I

A relationship between the efficiency of a quartz transducer oscillating in organic liquids as expressed by the conversion of electricla input to the total heating and the ultrasonic absorption coefficients of those liquids has been worked out on the basis of the experimental work carried out earlier in this laboratory.     

Withanolide production by fungal endophyte isolated from Withania somnifera

Withanolides, the secondary metabolite from Withania species is used in Ayurvedic medicine and now proved to have potential use in treating cardiovascular, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. Its production in plants varies between genotypes with very low yield. For improved industrial commercialisation, there is a need to increase its production. Endophytic fungi are symbiotically associated with plants and can synthesise the same bioactive compounds and natural products as their host plant. There are no reports available on withanolide-producing (endophytic) fungi. The present study identified an endophytic fungus (Taleromyces pinophilus) from leaves of Withania somnifera which produces withanolides in the medium. The structure of withanolide was confirmed by ¹H NMR, LC-MS analyses and quantified by HPLC analysis. The fungus produces high amount of withanolide when compared to leaf and root of W. somnifera. The fungus can be exploited to produce the withanolide to meet its demand.     

Electrical transport in Bi doped n-type amorphous semiconductors (GeSe3.5)100−xBix at high pressure

Electrical transport in Bi doped amorphous semiconductors (GeSe_3.5)_100?xBi_x (x=0,4,10) is studied in a Bridgman anvil system up to a pressure of 90 kbar and down to 77 K. A pressure induced continuous transition from an amorphous semiconductor to a metal-like solid is observed in GeSe_3.5. The addition of Bi disturbs significantly the behaviour of resistivity with pressure. The results are discussed in the light of molecular cluster model for Ge_ySe_1?y proposed by Phillips.     

Crystal structure,conformation, and absolute configuration of (−)-menthyl-p-bromophenylglyoxylate

The crystal and molecular structure of (—)-menthyl-p-bromophenylglyoxylate has been studied by x-ray diffraction techniques using diffractometer data. Crystals of this compound are triclinic:a= 10.152(3),b=19.661(3),c = 9.220(3) Å, α = 92.45(2), β = 102.74(4), γ = 93.11(4) °, andZ = 4. The structure was refined by least squares toR = 0.064. All 88 hydrogen atoms were determined from electron density difference maps. The significant structural features are the following: (i) the four molecules are conformationally different from one another; (ii) the two > C=O groups of the glyoxylate are twisted with respect to each other across the central C-C bond by angles ranging from 92 ° to 111 °; (iii) the phenyl group is coplanar with the proximal > C=O group; and (iv) all four molecules exhibit a conformation in which the axial hydrogens on the cyclohexane rings eclipse the closer keto oxygen. The absolute configuration was determined by the anomalous dispersion method and is (1R, 3R, 4S).     

A modified method for the determination of lead in zircons by differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry

Zircons (20–100 mg) are decomposed within 1 h by fusion with potassium hydrogenfluoride followed by fuming with sulphuric acid. With differential-pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, after deposition for 1 min, the limit of detection for lead is 2 ng ml^?1 and the limit of quantitation is 6.6 ng ml^?1. Results (7–247 mg kg^?1 lead) are reported for nine zircons.