Preliminary investigations on the antibacterial activity of zinc oxide nanostructures

We have fabricated electroactive multilayer thin films containing ferritin protein cages. The multilayer thin films were prepared on a solid substrate by the alternate electrostatic adsorption of (apo)ferritin and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-carboxyisopropylacrylamide) (NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm) in pH 3.5 acetate buffer solution. The assembly process was monitored using a quartz crystal microbalance. The (apo)ferritin/poly(NIPAAm-co-CIPAAm) multilayer thin films were then cross-linked using a water-soluble carbodiimide, 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide. The cross-linked films were stable under a variety of conditions. The surface morphology and thickness of the multilayer thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy, and the ferritin iron cores were observed by scanning electron microscopy to confirm the assembly mechanism. Cyclic voltammetry measurements showed different electrochemical properties for the cross-linked ferritin and apoferritin multilayer thin films, and the effect of stability of the multilayer film on its electrochemical properties was also examined. Our method for constructing multilayer films containing protein cages is expected to be useful in building more complex functional inorganic nanostructures.     

WAVE PROPAGATION IN A TRANSVERSELY ISOTROPIC THERMOELASTIC SOLID CYLINDER OF ARBITRARY CROSS-SECTION

The wave propagation in an infinite, homogeneous, transversely isotropic solid cylinder of arbitrary cross-section is studied using Fourier expansion collocation method, within the frame work of linearized, three-dimensional theory of thermoelasticity. Three displacement potential functions are introduced, to uncouple the equations of motion and the heat conduction. The frequency equations are obtained for longitudinal and flexural (symmetric and antisymmetric) modes of vibration and are studied numerically for elliptic and parabolic cross-sectional zinc cylinders. The computed non-dimensional wave numbers are presented in the form of dispersion curves.     

Functional inequalities for modified Bessel functions

In this paper, our aim is to show some mean value inequalities for the modified Bessel functions of the first and second kind. Our proofs are based on some bounds for the logarithmic derivatives of these functions, which are in fact equivalent to the corresponding Turán-type inequalities for these functions. As an application of the results concerning the modified Bessel function of the second kind, we prove that the cumulative distribution function of the gamma–gamma distribution is log-concave. At the end of this paper, several open problems are posed, which may be of interest for further research.     

Studies on electron transfer reactions: oxidation of phenol and ring-substituted phenols by heteropoly 11-tungstophosphovanadate(V) in aqueous acidic medium

The kinetics of oxidation of phenol and a few ring-substituted phenols by heteropoly 11-tungstophosphovanadate(V), [PV^VW₁₁O₄₀]⁴⁻ (HPA) have been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous acidic medium containing perchloric acid and also in acetate buffers of several pH values at 25 °C. EPR and optical studies show that HPA is reduced to the one-electron reduced heteropoly blue (HPB) [PV^IVW₁₁O₄₀]⁵⁻. In acetate buffers, the build up and decay of the intermediate biphenoquinone show the generation of phenoxyl radical (ArO^·) in the rate-determining step. At constant pH, the reaction shows simple second-order kinetics with first-order dependence of rate on both [ArOH] and [HPA]. At constant [ArOH], the rate of the reaction increases with increase in pH. The plot of apparent second-order rate constant, k ₂, versus 1/[H⁺] is linear with finite intercept. This shows that both the undissociated phenol (ArOH) and the phenoxide ion (ArO⁻) are the reactive species. The ArO⁻–HPA reaction is the dominant pathway in acetate buffer and it proceeds through the OH⁻ ion triggered sequential proton transfer followed by electron transfer (PT-ET) mechanism. The rate constant for ArO⁻–HPA reaction, calculated using Marcus theory, agrees fairly well with the experimental value. The reactivity of substituted phenoxide ions correlates with the Hammett σ⁺ constants, and ρ value was found to be −4.8. In acidic medium, ArOH is the reactive species. Retardation of rate for the oxidation of C₆H₅OD in D₂O indicates breaking of the O–H bond in the rate-limiting step. The results of kinetic studies show that the HPA-ArOH reaction proceeds through a concerted proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism in which water acts as proton acceptor (separated-CPET).     

Determination of ammonium in aqueous samples using new headspace dynamic in-syringe liquid-phase microextraction with in situ derivitazation coupled with liquid chromatography–fluorescence detection

A new simultaneous derivatization and extraction method for the preconcentration of ammonia using new one-step headspace dynamic in-syringe liquid-phase microextraction with in situ derivatization was developed for the trace determination of ammonium in aqueous samples by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC–FLD). The acceptor phase (as derivatization reagent) containing o-phthaldehyde and sodium sulfite was held within a syringe barrel and immersed in the headspace of sample container. The gaseous ammonia from the alkalized aqueous sample formed a stable isoindole derivative with the acceptor phase inside the syringe barrel through the reciprocated movements of plunger. After derivatization-cum-extraction, the acceptor phase was directly injected into LC–FLD for analysis. Parameters affecting the ammonia evolution and the extraction/derivatization efficiency such as sample matrix, pH, temperature, sampling time, and the composition of derivatization reagent, reaction temperature, and frequency of reciprocated plunger, were studied thoroughly. Results indicated that the maximum extraction efficiency was obtained by using 100 μL derivatization reagent in a 1-mL gastight syringe under 8 reciprocated movements of plunger per min to extract ammonia evolved from a 20 mL alkalized aqueous solution at 70 °C (preheated 4 min) with 380 rpm stirring for 8 min. The detection was linear in the concentration range of 0.625–10 μM with the correlation coefficient of 0.9967 and detection limit of 0.33 μM (5.6 ng mL⁻¹) based on S N⁻¹ = 3. The method was applied successfully to determine ammonium in real water samples without any prior cleanup of the samples, and has been proved to be a simple, sensitive, efficient and cost-effective procedure for trace ammonium determination in aqueous samples.     

Nucleophilic substitution reaction of Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts of isatin with X,S, N,and O-nucleophiles: a facile and efficient synthesis of highly functionalized tetrasubstituted alkene appended oxindoles

The Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts derived from isatins and maleimides have undergone a facile and efficient allylic nucleophilic substitution reaction with X, S, N, and O-nucleophiles to afford functionalized tetrasubstituted alkene appended oxindoles in very good yield. The MBH adducts and their acetates on treatment with halides, saturated and unsaturated amines, thiols, and trialkyl orthoformates afforded allyl halide, allyl amine, allyl thio-ether and allyl ether derivatives of oxindole, respectively.     

Covering and distortion theorems for planar harmonic univalent mappings

In this paper, we investigate Clunie and Sheil-Small’s covering theorems for sense-preserving planar harmonic univalent mappings defined in the unit disk. Our results significantly improve the earlier known result. Also, we obtain a distortion theorem for fully starlike harmonic mappings in the unit disk.     

Effect of annealing on natural calcitic crystals—A thermostimulated luminescence (TSL) study

The quality crystals (Calcitic limestone) were selected using the UV–visible methylene blue adsorption method. The thermostimulated luminescence (TSL) glow curve characteristics of six well crystallized limestone samples were analyzed. The glow curves of unannealed sample show only one peak in the range 320–330 °C. The sample irradiated with a gamma dose of 100 Gy shows two additional peaks in the range of 113–125 °C and 242–260 °C when recorded with linear heating rate of 10 °C/s. The annealed sample also shows the same trend as that of irradiated sample. Annealing treatment above 250 °C increases the sensitivity of all TSL peaks except 320 °C. On the other hand, annealing at 750 °C caused a collapse in the TSL sensitivity. The enhancement in TSL sensitivity was found to depend on the annealing temperature and time. Annealing treatment at 650 °C for 4 h followed by quenching in air is the optimum condition for TSL sensitization. The response to gamma irradiation is linear in the range from 0.5 Gy to 10⁴ Gy. The emission spectra of all the samples show an emission at around 610 nm but with different intensities for each TSL peak. With reference to earlier work, it may be assumed that the recombination site always involves Mn²⁺ ions. The observation made through infra-red (IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies with thermal treatment shows the structural changes of calcite from D_3h to C_s symmetry at 750 °C. The Thermogravimetric-Differential Thermal Analysis (TG-DTA) analysis shows the calcite gets disordered at 760 °C. Hence, the collapse in the TSL sensitivity at 750 °C is due to structural change or structural disorderedness.     

Linear functionals and the duality principle for harmonic functions

Let ${\mathcal H}$ be the class of complex‐valued harmonic functions in the unit disk |z| < 1 and ${\mathcal H}_1$ the set of all functions $f\in {\mathcal H}$ such that f(0) = 0, f_z(0) = 1 and $f_{\overline{z}}(0)=0$. For $V \subset {\mathcal H}_1$, its dual V* is where * denotes the Hadamard product for harmonic functions. The set V is a dual class if V = W* for some $W \subset {\mathcal H}_1.$ In the present paper, the duality principle is extended to ${\mathcal H}_1$ by means of the Hadamard product. Counterparts of the dual classes are introduced and their structural properties studied.     

Lattice instability and martensitic transformation in LaAg predicted from first-principles theory

The electronic structure, elastic constants and lattice dynamics of the B(2) type intermetallic compound LaAg are studied by means of density functional theory calculations with the generalized gradient approximation for exchange and correlation. The calculated equilibrium properties and elastic constants agree well with available experimental data. From the ratio between the bulk and shear moduli, LaAg is found to be ductile, which is unusual for B(2) type intermetallics. The computed band structure shows a dominant contribution from La 5d states near the Fermi level. The phonon dispersion relations, calculated using density functional perturbation theory, are in good agreement with available inelastic neutron scattering data. Under pressure, the phonon dispersions develop imaginary frequencies, starting at around 2.3 GPa, in good accordance with the martensitic instability observed above 3.4 GPa. By structural optimization the high pressure phase is identified as orthorhombic B(19).