CURE CHARACTERISTICS OF HYDROXYL TERMINATED POLYBUTADIENE PREPOLYMER WITH BLOCKED TOLUENE DIISOCYANATE-Ⅱ

Cure characteristics of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) prepolymer with avariety of blocked toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) andchloroacetic acid catalyst are reported. Phenol, thiophenol, p-chloropheno1, p-nitrophenol,p-cresol, resorcinol, naphthols, caprolactam and butylated-hydroxytoluene were used as blockingagents. Viscosity measurements have been carried out using a mixture of HTPB and blocked TDIin cyclohexanone in the presence of the catalysts at 50℃ and 60℃ using Haake rotational vis-cometer. Viscosity measurements have also been carried out with 50% solids such as ammonium sulphate along with HTPB and TDI adduct.     

Neighborhood contraction in graphs

Let G be a graph and v be any vertex of G. Then the neighborhood contracted graphG_v of G, with respect to the vertex v, is the graph with vertex set V ? N(v), where two vertices u,w ∈ V ? N(v) are adjacent in G_v if either w = v and u is adjacent to any vertex of N(v) in G or u,w ? N[v] and u,w are adjacent in G. The properties of the neighborhood contracted graphs are discussed in this paper. The neighborhood contraction in some special class of graphs, the domination in a graph and the neighborhood contracted graphs are discussed in the paper.     

Dose–Response Relationship of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Matrix Metalloproteinase in Healing Dynamics of Diabetic Neuropathic Ulcers—An in vivo Study

Individuals with diabetic foot ulcers have overlapped the inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling phase, making the tissue vulnerable to delayed healing responses. We aimed to establish the dose–response relationship of photobiomodulation therapy of different doses and matrix metalloproteinases in the healing dynamics of diabetic neuropathic ulcers. Diabetes was induced in 126 Albino Wistar rats, and neuropathy was induced to the hind paw by a sciatic nerve injury method. An excisional wound was created on the neuropathy-induced leg. Photobiomodulation therapy of dosages 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 J cm⁻² and wavelength 655 nm and 808 nm was irradiated. Photobiomodulation therapy of dosages 4, 6 and 8 J cm⁻² showed better wound healing properties with optimized levels of matrix metalloproteinases-1 and 8. We observed a strong dose response in the experimental group treated with 6 and 8 J cm⁻². The findings from the present study conclude that photobiomodulation therapy of dosages 4, 6 and 8 J cm⁻² is suggestive of usefulness in diabetic neuropathic ulcer healing. Markers like matrix metalloproteinases may give a clear direction on response to the therapy. Based on the findings from the present study, we recommend to validate the findings for safety and efficacy in future through human prospective randomized controlled clinical trials.     

Determination of niobium in steels

The determination of niobium at levels of 0.01% and below is required in certain specifications for stainless-steel welding electrodes, containing 2-3% molybdenum and 0.01% titanium. A method has been developed, based on initial extraction of niobium thiocyanate into butyl acetate followed by stripping with fluoride and re-extraction of niobium thiocyanate after masking of the fluoride by addition of boric acid. The absorbance of the extract is measured at 385 nm. Mo, Ti, V and W can be tolerated at 50 times the concentration of Nb. For higher amounts of Mo, corrections can also be applied. Ta should, however, be restricted to ten times the Nb level. Precision and accuracy of the method are satisfactory. The time taken for an individual determination is about an hour. The method is applicable to mild, low-alloy, stainless and niobium-stabilized steels.     

Shelf-Life Studies on B-Stage Novolac Epoxy Glass Mica Tapes

Activation energy for the curing process of epoxy glass mica tape has been experimentally determined from differential scanning calorimetric measurements and found to be 20 kcal/ mol. Thermochemical calculation shows that the rate controlling step is the dissociation of the C-O bond in the epoxide leading to ring opening and its subsequent reaction with amine hardener. Shelf life has been determined from the measurement of the enthalpy loss corresponding to the curing during the aging process. The kinetics of the aging process also yields an activation energy of 20 kcal/mol which corresponds to the slow curing of the epoxy resin.     

FT-IR study of the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle of Labeo rohita

Heavy metal pollution is a major environmental problem in the modern world due to increasing human activities. Zinc is an essential element involved in a wide variety of cellular processes. However, it becomes toxic when elevated concentrations are introduced into the environment. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle tissues of freshwater species Labeo rohita using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Since the muscle constitutes the greatest mass of the fish that is consumed, the present study has paid particular attention to muscle component. The result reveals that the zinc exposure causes significant changes in the biochemical contents of the L. rohita muscle tissues. In addition, it causes an alteration in the protein secondary structures by decreasing the α-helix and increasing the β-sheet contents of muscle tissues. Further, it has been observed that the administration of chelating agent D-penicillamine improves the protein and lipid contents in the muscle tissues compared to zinc exposed tissues. This result shows that D-penicillamine is the effective chelator of zinc in reducing the body burden of L. rohita fingerlings.     

Development of Raman-shifted probe laser beam for plasma diagnosis using polaro-interferometer

Optical diagnostics of laser-produced plasma requires a coherent, polarized probe beam synchronized with the pump beam. The probe beam should have energy above the background emission of plasma. Though the second harmonic probe beam satisfies most of the requirements, the plasma emission is larger at the harmonic frequencies of the pump. Hence, at high intensities we need a probe beam at non-harmonic frequencies. We have set up a Raman frequency shifted probe beam using a pressurized hydrogen cell that is pumped by the second harmonic of the Nd glass laser that operates at only one Stokes line of 673.75 nm.