Plasma activated water: the next generation eco-friendly stimulant for enhancing plant seed germination,vigor and increased enzyme activity,a study on black gram (Vigna mungo L.)

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - Chemical fertilization in agriculture is threatening to the ecosystem. Therefore, the use of eco-friendly stimulant for crop revolution is highly desirable....     

Efficient in vivo selection of a novel tumor-associated peptide from a phage display library

We developed a screening procedure to identify ligands from a phage display random peptide library that are selective for circulating bone marrow derived cells homing to angiogenic tumors. Panning the library on blood outgrowth endothelial cell suspension in vitro followed by in vivo selection based on homing of bone marrow-bound phage to angiogenic tumors, yielded the peptide QFPPKLTNNSML. Upon intravenous injection phage displaying this peptide homed to Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors in vivo whereas control phage did not localize to tumor tissue. Phage carrying the QFPPKLTNNSML peptide labeled with ??Cu radionuclide when administered intravenously into a tumor bearing mouse was detected noninvasively with positron emission tomography (PET) around the tumor. These proof-of-principle experiments demonstrate the ability of the QFPPKLTNNSML peptide to deliver payload (radiolabeled phage conjugates) in vivo to sites of ongoing angiogenesis and point to its potential clinical utility in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes where neovascular growth is a critical component.     

Poly(azomethine) Rotaxanes: Novel Water Soluble Supramolecular Polymers with High Molar Mass

A novel type of supramolecular poly(azomethine) was synthesized by the polycondensation of an inclusion complex of β‐cyclodextrin/poly(oxypropylene)diamine with one of β‐cyclodextrin/terephthaldehyde and a subsequent reaction with [60]fullerene as the end capping agent. Molar mass determination by gel permeation chromatography showed that the polymers had a high molar mass (about 150 kg · mol⁻¹) with a very narrow polydispersity. Isothermal titration calorimetric studies confirmed that each poly‐(oxypropylene)diamine unit could host seven cyclodextrin molecules, which was further supported by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling studies. Additional characterization by ¹³C NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy, as well as by thermogravimetric analysis, confirmed the structure of the cyclodextrin‐based polyrotaxane.

     

Building a Better Halide Receptor: Optimum Choice of Spacer,Binding Unit,and Halosubstitution

Quantum calculations are used to measure the binding of halides to a number of bipodal dicationic receptors, constructed as a pair of binding units separated by a spacer group. A number of variations are studied. A H atom on each binding unit (imidazolium or triazolium) is replaced by Br or I. Benzene, thiophene, carbazole, and dimethylnaphthalene are considered as spacer groups. Each receptor is paired with halides F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, and I^?. Substitution with I on the binding unit yields a large enhancement of binding, as much as 13 orders of magnitude; a much smaller increase occurs for substitution with Br. Imidazolium is a more effective binding agent than is triazolium. Benzene and dimethylnaphthalene represent the best spacers, followed by thiophene and carbazole. F^? binds much more strongly than do the other halides, which obey the order Cl^?>Br^?>I^?.     

Competitive Halide Binding by Halogen Versus Hydrogen Bonding: Bis‐triazole Pyridinium

The binding of F^?, Cl^?, Br^?, and I^? anions by bis‐triazole‐pyridine (BTP) was examined by quantum chemical calculations. There is one H atom on each of the two triazole rings that chelate the halide via H bonds. These H atoms were replaced by halogens Cl, Br, and I, thus substituting H bonds by halogen bonds. I substitution strongly enhances the binding; Br has a smaller effect, and Cl weakens the interaction. The strength of the interaction is sensitive to the overall charge on the BTP, rising as the binding agent becomes singly and then doubly positively charged. The strongest preference of a halide for halogenated as compared to unsubstituted BTP, as much as several orders of magnitude, is observed for I^?. Both unsubstituted and I‐substituted BTP could be used to selectively extract F^? from a mixture of halides.     

A set-covering model for optimizing selection of portfolio of microcontrollers in an automotive supplier company

The sourcing decisions of microcontrollers in automotive industries are complex to manage largely due to the increasing complexity of products requirements, multiple suppliers, and the nature of microcontroller pricing structures. This paper presents a set-covering model that allows the user to select the most economical microcontrollers that meet all the critical product requirements while minimizing the total cost. The optimization process is carried out in two phases. The first phase deals with the construction of a buildable combination matrix by mapping out the critical product requirements against the microcontroller specifications. In the second phase, the model makes an optimal assignment of microcontrollers to each feasible or buildable product by utilizing economies of scales offered by large microcontroller volumes. Lot size constraints are used to handle the step function in the microcontrollers pricing structure. A case study from Visteon Corporation is used to demonstrate the application of the model. Pilot implementation of the model shows a potential saving of nearly two millions over a 4-year planning horizon.     

Zirconium (IV), Thorium (IV) and Dioxouranium (VI) Complexes of Dibasic Tridentate Schiff Bases

Dibasic tridentate Schiff bases obtained by the condensation of O -aminobenzoic acid with salicyldehyde and its 5-chloro and 5-bromo derivatives were synthesised and used to pracipitate Zr(IV), Th(IV) and UO₂(VI) metals as complexes. The 1: 1 (metal-ligand) stoichiometry of these complexes is shown by elemental analysis, gravimetric estimations and conductometric titrations while the structures of the complexes are proved by i.r. spectra and thermogravimetric analysis. The magnetic susceptibility measurements by Gouy method show, these complexes to be monormeic and diamagnetic. The molar conductance values in nitrobenzene indicate the nonelectrolytic behaviour of the complexes. The results show that the complexes of the type Zr(OH)₃L.H₂O₂ Th(OH)₂ L.H₂O and UO₂L.H₂O are formed having solvent molecule in co-ordination with metal ion.     

Numerical solution of a steady natural convection flow from a vertical plate with the combined effects of streamwise temperature and species concentration variations

This paper concerns the investigation of steady thermosolutal natural convection from a vertical plate with the combined effect of streamwise sinusoidal variations of both the surface temperature and the species concentration about their respective constant means. The governing boundary layer equations are reduced to nonsimilar form, and these are solved by the stream-function formulations, and by the subsequent application of the Keller box method. The effects of varying the governing nondimensional physical parameters are obtained in terms of the isolines of temperature, iso-species concentration and the streamlines. An asymptotic solution for large values of X, the distance from the leading edge, has also been obtained. It has been found that the two-term asymptotic analysis and the numerical results obtained from Keller-box method are in excellent agreement.