Exchange bias with Fe substitution in LaMnO<Subscript>3</Subscript>

We observe the negative shift of the magnetic hysteresis loop at 5 K, while the sample is cooled in external magnetic field in case of 30% of Fe substitution in LaMnO₃. The negative shift and training effect of the hysteresis loops indicate the phenomenon of exchange bias. The cooling field dependence of the negative shift increases with the cooling field below 7.0 kOe and then, decreases with further increase of cooling field. The temperature dependence of the negative shift of the hysteresis loops exhibits that the negative shift decreases sharply with increasing temperature and vanishes above 20 K. Temperature dependence of dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements show a sharp peak (T_p) at 51 K and a shoulder (T_f) around 20 K. The relaxation of magnetization shows the ferromagnetic and glassy magnetic components in the relaxation process, which is in consistent with the cluster-glass compound.     

Bionomic exploitation of a ratio-dependent predator–prey system

The present article deals with the problem of combined harvesting of a Michaelis–Menten-type ratio-dependent predator–prey system. The problem of determining the optimal harvest policy is solved by invoking Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. Dynamic optimization of the harvest policy is studied by taking the combined harvest effort as a dynamic variable. Computer simulations are carried out to illustrate our analytical findings. Biological and bioeconomical interpretations of the results are explained critically.     

Understanding the influence of nanoenvironment on luminescence of rare-earth ions

This paper presents an overview of the recent results on upconversion and photoluminescence of rare-earth ions in nanoenvironments. The role of the rare-earth ion concentration, crystal size and crystal phase on the up and downconversion emission of rare-earth ions in oxide nanocrystals and their underlying mechanisms are discussed. It is also found that the luminescence lifetime of the excited state rare-earth ions is sensitive to the particle crystalline phase and size. The analysis suggests that the modifications of radiative and nonradiative relaxation mechanisms are due to local symmetry structure of the host lattice and crystal size respectively     

Targeting non-structural proteins and 3CLpro in SARS-CoV-2 virus using phytochemicals from medicinal plants - In-silico approach

In the present study, the main protease 3CL^pro and non-structural protein (NSP-12 with co-factors 7 and 8) trimer complex are used to study the protein-drug interactions with the phytochemicals from Ocimum Sanctum, Tinospora Cordifolia, Glycyrrhiza Glabra, and Azadirachta Indica. Which can give insight to be used as potent antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Twenty phytochemicals, five from each plant species, known for their wide range of biological activities were chosen from the literature. The in-silico study was carried out using virtual screening tools and the top five, which showed the least binding energies, were selected. Molecular docking tools revealed that gedunin and epoxy azadiradione proved to be excellent inhibitors for 3CL^pro and so did Tinosporide for non-structural-protein complex. Further, the best-hit phytochemicals with respect to structure similarities with FDA drugs and investigatory drugs, were considered for comparative study. Molecular docking was done to check the drug-protein interactions and to check the inhibitory responses of these drugs against the viral protein. The analyses showed that the phytochemicals had similar responses on the protein complex but with exceptionally higher inhibitory responses hence which may be taken for further clinical study.     

Fluorescent nanoparticles based on a microporous organic polymer network: fabrication and efficient energy transfer to surface-bound dyes

Well-defined nanoparticles composed of a tetraphenylmethane-based microporous polymer network with an average particle diameter of 30-60 nm were fabricated by a miniemulsion polymerization technique. Strong green emission was observed and efficient excitation energy transfer from nanoparticles to surface-bound dye molecules was explored.     

Condensed cyclic and bridged-ring systems : part 12: A novel synthetic route to 4-p-methoxyphenyl-bicyclo[ 2.2.2 ]octan-2-ones and some bicyclo [ 3.2.1 ] octane derivatives by acid-catalyzed intramolecula

The efficacy of a new acid-catalyzed intramolecular C-alkylation has been demonstrated by the synthesis of 1-methyl-4-$\text{p}$-methoxyphenylbicyclo [2.2.2] octan-2-one ($\text{5}$) and 4-$\text{p}$-methoxyphenylbicyclo [2.2.2] octan-2-one ($\text{6}$) from easily accessible starting materials. The carbinol $\text{20}$, derived from $\text{5}$, undergoes facile rearrangement leading to 1-$\text{p}$-methoxyphenyl-4-methyl bicyclo [3.2.1] oct-3-ene ($\text{22}$), which has been transformed to $\text{endo}$-1-$\text{p}$-methoxyphenyl-4-methylbicyclo [3.2.1] octan-3-one ($\text{25}$).     

Phenothiazine–BODIPY–Fullerene Triads as Photosynthetic Reaction Center Models: Substitution and Solvent Polarity Effects on Photoinduced Charge Separation and Recombination

Novel photosynthetic reaction center model compounds of the type donor₂–donor₁–acceptor, composed of phenothiazine, BF₂‐chelated dipyrromethene (BODIPY), and fullerene, respectively, have been newly synthesized using multistep synthetic methods. X‐ray structures of three of the phenothiazine‐BODIPY intermediate compounds have been solved to visualize the substitution effect caused by the phenothiazine on the BODIPY macrocycle. Optical absorption and emission, computational, and differential pulse voltammetry studies were systematically performed to establish the molecular integrity of the triads. The N‐substituted phenothiazine was found to be easier to oxidize by 60 mV compared to the C‐substituted analogue. The geometry and electronic structures were obtained by B3LYP/6‐31G(dp) calculations (for H, B, N, and O) and B3LYP/6‐31G(df) calculations (for S) in vacuum, followed by a single‐point calculation in benzonitrile utilizing the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The HOMO?1, HOMO, and LUMO were, respectively, on the BODIPY, phenothiazine and fullerene entities, which agreed well with the site of electron transfer determined from electrochemical studies. The energy‐level diagram deduced from these data helped in elucidating the mechanistic details of the photochemical events. Excitation of BODIPY resulted in ultrafast electron transfer to produce PTZ–BODIPY^.+–C₆₀^.?; subsequent hole shift resulted in PTZ^.+–BODIPY–C₆₀^.? charge‐separated species. The return of the charge‐separated species was found to be solvent dependent. In nonpolar solvents the PTZ^.+–BODIPY–C₆₀^.? species populated the ³C₆₀* prior to returning to the ground state, while in polar solvent no such process was observed due to relative positioning of the energy levels. The ¹BODIPY* generated radical ion‐pair in these triads persisted for few nanoseconds due to electron transfer/hole‐shift mechanism.     

Effect of Controlled Deposition of ZnS Shell on the Photostability of CdTe Quantum Dots as Studied by Conventional Fluorescence and FCS Techniques

The effect of one and two monolayers of ZnS shells on the photostability of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) in aqueous and nonaqueous media has been studied by monitoring the fluorescence behavior of the QDs under ensemble and single‐molecule conditions. ZnS capping of the CdTe QDs leads to significant enhancement of the fluorescence brightness of these QDs. Considerable enhancement of the photostability of the shell‐protected QDs, including the suppression of photoactivation, is also observed. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements reveal an increase in the number of particles undergoing reversible fluorescent on–off transitions in the volume under observation with increasing excitation power; this effect is found to be more pronounced in the case of core‐only QDs than for core–shell QDs.     

Crystal engineering of metalloporphyrin assemblies. New supramolecular architectures mediated by bipyridyl ligands

Targeted synthesis of new supramolecular motifs of metalloporphyrins in crystals by a concerted mechanism of molecular recognition in three dimensions, aided by organic ligands, is presented; it involves induced assembly of [tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrinato]zinc species by a combination of axial coordination through bridging bipyridyls and of lateral hydrogen bonding.     

Aromaticity of N-heterocyclic carbene and its analogues: Magnetically induced ring current perspective

The N-heterocyclic carbene, imidazole-2-ylidene, and its main group (13-15) analogues contain cyclically conjugated 6π electrons. Experimental ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra suggest an increase in aromaticity along a period from left to right. Whereas the order along a group is as follows: period 2 > period 5 > period 4 > period 3 due to change in structure. To understand the order of aromaticity, the magnetically induced ring currents of the molecules are calculated using aromatic ring current shielding, gauge-including magnetically induced currents (GIMIC) method and Stanger's σ-model applying the gauge-including atomic orbitals NMR technique. It is found that GIMIC best describes the order of aromaticity especially along a group where current-profile changes on the bivalent atom down a group due to change in electron density. Moreover, the GIMIC provides the visualization of current by sign modulus and the anisotropy of the induced current density plots.