Towards an ideal photon correlator with a SAW-device

The advantages and disadvantages of the clipped correlator for photoelectric correlation measurements are analysed. A scheme is suggested by which the problem of inversion (an inherent disadvantage of clipping) is obviated. With the availability of surface acustic wave (SAW) delay lines, we would like to point out that one can make an almost ideal photon correlator.     

Experimental studies of entropy and concentration fluctuation by photon correlation technique

Recently we reported the design and fabrication of an inexpensive, simple and versatile digital photon correlator. We have used it to investigate the entropy and concentration fluctuations in number of liquid systems i.e. pure, mixtures and solutions. Further we measure the parameters like thermal diffusivity and diffusion coefficient at different concentrations in a time much shorter than the conventional techniques.     

Syntheses of lespedezaflavanone-B and amorilin

Two naturally occurring benzopyranones, lespedezaflavanone-B and amorilin have been synthesised from the same chalcone. Prenylation of the chalcone using prenyl bromide affords mono- and di-prenylated chalcones which on cyclization followed by demethoxymethylation furnishes the respective benzopyranones.     

On the converse of a theorem of Schur

A well known theorem of Schur states that for any group G, if G/Z(G) is finite, then G′ is finite. We give a very short and elementary proof of a further generalization of the converse of Schur’s theorem proved by Niroomand [5] and Sury [7] and also improve the bound for the order of G/Z(G) obtained by Niroomand and Sury.     

Analyses of the complex proton NMR spectra: determination of anisotropic proton chemical shifts of oriented molecules by a two dimensional experiment

NMR spectra of molecules oriented in the liquid crystalline media provide information on the molecular structure and order parameter. However, the numerical iterative analysis of the proton spectra of strongly coupled spins is difficult and time consuming. Such analysis is simplified if nearly accurate starting parameters are available. One such parameter is the chemical shift which in the oriented media is very different from the isotropic values due to anisotropic contributions. In this study, we have explored the possibility of obtaining chemical shifts in the oriented phase to aid the analysis of the spectra. A two dimensional experiment in which FSLG decoupling employed during the t1 period eliminates the homonuclear dipolar couplings and retains only the chemical shifts has been implemented. Experiments on the molecule cis,cis-mucononitrile demonstrate that the chemical shifts obtained by this procedure are nearly the same as the chemical shifts derived by iterative analysis of the one dimensional spectrum of the molecule following the standard procedure. The method has also been used to analyse the spectrum of 1-iodopropane using the chemical shifts obtained from the proposed experiment as the starting parameters.     

Tandem C-C coupling--intramolecular acetylenic Schmidt reaction under Pd/C-Cu catalysis

A new one-pot reaction for the regioselective construction of a six-membered fused N-heterocyclic ring leading to isoquinolones under Pd/C-Cu catalysis is described.     

Fullerene-like (IF) Nb(x)Mo(1-x)S2 nanoparticles

IF-Mo1-xNbxS2 nanoparticles have been synthesized by a vapor-phase reaction involving the respective metal halides with H2S. The IF-Mo1-xNbxS2 nanoparticles, containing up to 25% Nb, were characterized by a variety of experimental techniques. Analysis of the powder X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and different electron microscopy techniques shows that the majority of the Nb atoms are organized as nanosheets of NbS2 within the MoS2 host lattice. Most of the remaining Nb atoms (3%) are interspersed individually and randomly in the MoS2 host lattice. Very few Nb atoms, if any, are intercalated between the MoS2 layers. A sub-nanometer film of niobium oxide seems to encoat the majority of the nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the chemically resolved electrical measurement mode (CREM) and scanning probe microscopy measurements of individual nanoparticles show that the mixed IF nanoparticles are metallic independent of the substitution pattern of the Nb atoms in the lattice of MoS2 (whereas unsubstituted IF-MoS2 nanoparticles are semiconducting). Furthermore the IF-Mo1-xNbxS2 nanoparticles are found to exhibit interesting single electron tunneling effects at low temperatures.     

A rapid and specific approach for direct measurement of pravastatin concentration in plasma by LC-MS/MS employing solid-phase extraction

A rapid, specific and sensitive LC-MS/MS assay using solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the determination of pravastatin, in human plasma is described. The plasma filtrate obtained after SPE, using a polymer base, a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) cartridge, was submitted directly to short-column liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) assay, with negligible matrix effect on the analysis. For validation of the method, the recovery of the free analytes was compared with that from an optimized extraction method, and the analyte stability was examined under conditions mimicking the sample storage, handling, and analysis procedures. The extraction procedure yielded extremely clean extracts with a recovery of 107.44 and 98.93% for pravastatin and IS, respectively. The intra-assay and inter-assay precisions for the samples at the LLOQ were 3.30 and 7.31% respectively. The calibration curves were linear for the dynamic range 0.5-200 ng/mL with correlation coefficient r > or = 0.9988. The intra- and inter-assay accuracy ranged from 95.87 to 112.40%. The method is simple and reliable with a total run time of 3 min. This novel validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic (PK) study in human volunteers receiving a single oral dose of 40 mg immediate release (IR) formulation.     

Investigation of the synthetic and mechanistic aspects of the highly stereoselective transformation of alpha-thioamides to alpha-thio-beta-chloroacrylamides

Treatment of a series of alpha-thioamides with N-chlorosuccinimide results in efficient transformation to the analogous alpha-thio-beta-chloroacrylamides. The mechanistic pathway has been established through isolation and characterisation of intermediate compounds. The scope of the transformation has been explored-aryl and alkylthio substituents, primary, secondary and tertiary amides can be employed. In most instances, the chloroacrylamides are formed exclusively as the Z-stereoisomer; however, with tertiary propanamides or with amides derived from butanoic or pentanoic acid a mixture of E- and Z-stereoisomers is formed.     

Detection of single nucleotide polymorphism using tension-dependent stochastic behavior of a single-molecule template

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is the most common genetic variation among individuals. The association of SNP with individual's response to pathogens, phenotypic variations, and gene functions emphasizes the importance of sensitive and reliable SNP detection for biomedical diagnosis and therapy. To increase sensitivity, most approaches employ amplification steps, such as PCR, to generate detectable signals that are usually ensemble-averaged. Introduction of amplification steps increases the complexity of a system, whereas ensemble averaging of signals often suffers from background interference. Here, we have exploited the stochastic behavior of a single-molecule probe to recognize SNP sequence in a microfluidic platform using a laser-tweezers instrument. The detection relies on on-off mechanical signals that provide little background interference and high specificity between wild type and SNP sequences. The microfluidic setting allows multiplex sensing and in situ recycling of the SNP probe. As a proof-of-concept, we have detected as low as 100 pM of an SNP target associated with coronary heart diseases within half an hour without any amplification steps. The mechanical signal permits the detection of single mutations involving either G/C or A/T pairs. We anticipate this system has the capacity to function as a highly sensitive generic biosensor after incorporation of a specific recognition element, such as an aptamer for example.