Photo-gated charge transfer of organized assemblies of CdSe quantum dots

The electronic conductivity of tri-n-octylphosphineoxide (TOPO)-protected CdSe quantum dots (QDs) was studied at the air-water interface using the Langmuir technique within the context of photochemical and photophysical excitation. It was found that, upon photoirradiation with photon energies higher than that of the absorption threshold, the voltammetric currents increased rather substantially with a pair of voltammetric peaks at positive potentials. However, the photoconductivity profiles exhibited a dynamic transition, which was ascribed to the strong affinity of oxygen onto the CdSe surface and the consequent trapping of the photogenerated electrons. The resulting excess of holes led to photocorrosion of the particle cores. The oxygen adsorption and photoetching processes were found to be reversible upon cessation of the photoexcitation. In contrast, only featureless voltammetric responses were observed when the particle monolayers were deposited onto the electrode surface and the film conductance was measured in a vacuum (the overall profiles were analogous to that of a Coulomb blockade). A comparative study was also carried out with a CdSe dropcast thick film immersed in acetonitrile, where the photoconductivity profiles were reversible and almost linear. The latter was attributed to the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes which were subsequently collected at the electrodes under voltammetric control. In the dropcast system, the oxygen effects were minimal which was ascribed to the acetontrile medium that limited the access to oxygen and thus the particles were chemically intact. These studies suggest that chemical environment plays an important role in the determination of the chemical stability and electronic conductivity of CdSe QD thin films.     

A Plane-Symmetric Inhomogeneous Cosmological Model of Perfect Fluid Distribution with Electromagnetic Field I

A plane-symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological model of perfect fluid distribution with electro-magnetic field is obtained. F12 is the non-vanishing component of electromagnetic field tensor. To get a deterministic solution, we assume the free gravitational field is Petrov type-Ⅱ non-degenerate. Some physical and geometric properties of the model are also discussed.     

Coexistence of Jahn-Teller effect and superconductivity in high-Tc superconductors

Using a simple model, the coexistence of superconductivity (SC) and the Jahn-Teller (JT) effect are studied for high-T _c cuprate systems. The interplay of SC and JT gaps is studied and found that in the coexistence phase the SC gap as well as the JT gap are suppressed. For calculations, the single particle Green’s function technique of Zubarev is used. The density of states (DOS) and dispersion curves are also studied in the coexistence phase.     

Total Synthesis of a Glycoglycerolipid from Meiothermus taiwanensis through a One‐Pot Glycosylation Reaction and Exploration of its Immunological Properties

The total synthesis of a glycoglycerolipid isolate of Meiothermus taiwanensis and its truncated structural analogues is reported. Our synthesis employed DMF‐modulated and low‐concentration glycosylation reactions for the construction of α‐ and β‐glycosidic bonds in the absence of participating protecting groups. Further simplification of the synthesis was achieved by employing a low‐concentration one‐pot glycosylation procedure. Preliminary immunological studies showed that one of the truncated structural analogues suppressed the cytokine production of THP‐1 monocytes.     

Medium effects on the reactions of coordination complexes: Base hydrolysisof(αβS)(p-hydroxybenzoato)(tetraethylenepentamine) cobalt(III) in iso-propanol–water,tert-butanol–water and dimethyl sulfoxide–water media

The base hydrolysis of (S)(p-hydroxybenzoato)-(tetraethylenepentamine)cobalt(III) has been investigated in aqueous–organic solvent media using i-PrOH, t-BuOH and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as cosolvents at 20.0 T (°C) 40.0 (I=0.02 mol dm ^-3) with 80% (v/v) of cosolvents. Only the base-catalysed path (k_obs=k_OH[OH^-]) is observed. The relative second order rate constant k _OH ^os /k _OH ^ow at I=0 increases nonlinearly with increasing mol fraction (x_O.S.) of the cosolvents, the rate acceleration in alcoholic cosolvents being greater than in DMSO. The destabilization of ^-OH in mixed solvent media alone does not explain the observed rate acceleration. The solvent composition dependence, log k _OH ^os = log k _OH ^ow + a_ix _os ⁱ [i=1,2,k _OH ⁰ denotes k_OH at I=0 in mixed solvent(s) and water (w)] indicates specific solute–solvent interactions. The values of the relative transfer free-energy data [_TG(t.s.) - _TG^o (i.s.)](sw)(25 °C)(G), where t.s. and i.s. denote the transition state and initial state of the substrates respectively, are positive for all substrates at all compositions, indicating a greater destabilizing effect of the mixed solvent on the transition state than on the initial state. The G values also correlate with G^E(G = ax_O.S. + cG^E) for all solvents, supporting the fact that solvent structural effects mediate the rates and energetics of the reaction. However, the solvent effects on the solvation components of H and S are mutually compensating, thus indicating that there is no change in the mechanism.     

Selective determination of airborne hexavalent chromium using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A new method for determining ultra-trace levels of hexavalent chromium in ambient air has been developed. The method involves a 24-h sampling of air into potassium hydroxide solution, followed by silica gel column separation of chromium (VI), then preconcentration by complexation and solvent extraction. The chromium (VI) complex was dissolved in nitric acid. The resultant chromium ions were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) using a dynamic reaction cell (DRC) with ammonia as the reactive gas to reduce polyatomic interferences. The interconversion of chromium in potassium hydroxide solution and air sample matrix were investigated under ambient conditions. It was found that there was no conversion of chromium (VI) into chromium (III) species. However, it was observed that some chromium (III) species were converted into chromium (VI) species. For a KOH solution containing 100 μg l⁻¹ of chromium (III) species, the rate of conversion was found to be 3% after 24 h exposure, 8% after 48 h, 10% after 72 h and no further conversion was observed thereafter. However, in a solution containing air sample matrix, 9.3% of chromium (III) converted to chromium (VI) within 6 h, and during the course of a 11-day exposure period, 13% (range 8–17%) of chromium (III) converted to chromium (VI). The method detection limit (MDL) for chromium (VI) in potassium hydroxide solution (0.025 M) was found to be 2×10⁻² μg l⁻¹. This is equivalent to 0.2 ng m⁻³ (for 23 m³ air sampled into 200 ml of KOH solution over a 24-h period). The recovery of spiked chromium (VI) from solutions containing air sample matrix was 95±9% (n=8). Matrix related interferences were estimated to be less than 10% based on recovery studies. The concentration of airborne chromium (VI) in Sydney residential areas was found to be less than 0.2 ng m⁻³, however, in industrial areas the concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 1.3 ng m⁻³ using this analytical procedure.     

Application of Lipopeptide Biosurfactant Isolated from a Halophile: Bacillus tequilensis CH for Inhibition of Biofilm

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules having hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties produced by various microorganisms. These molecules trigger the reduction of surface tension or interfacial tension in liquids. A biosurfactant-producing halophile was isolated from Lake Chilika, a brackish water lake of Odisha, India (19°41′39″N, 85°18′24″E). The halophile was identified as Bacillus tequilensis CH by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and assigned accession no. KC851857 by GenBank. The biosurfactant produced by B. tequilensis CH was partially characterized as a lipopeptide using thin-layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The minimum effective concentration of a biosurfactant for inhibition of pathogenic biofilm (Escherichia coli and Streptococcus mutans) on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces was found to be 50 μg ml^?1. This finding has potential for a variety of applications.     

Grafting Vinyl Monomers onto Tussah Silk Fiber. I. Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto Nonmulberry Tussah Silk by Tetravalent Cerium Ion

The graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto nonmulberry natural tussah silk fibers was investigated in aqueous solution using tetravalent cerium as initiator. The rate of grafting was determined by varying the monomer concentration, the cerium (IV) concentration, the temperature, and the nature of the silk. With increasing monomer concentration the graft yield increased (up to 0.657 M) and thereafter decreased. The graft yield also increased with increasing cerium (IV) concentration. The graft-on was influenced by chemical modification of the tussah silk prior to grafting. The effect of certain inorganic salts on the rate of grafting was investigated.     

Reaction of benzyl chloride with ammonium sulfide under liquid–liquid phase transfer catalysis: Reaction mechanism and kinetics

The reaction between benzyl chloride and aqueous ammonium sulfide was carried out in an organic solvent – toluene, using tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as phase transfer catalyst (PTC). Two products, namely dibenzyl sulfide (DBS) and benzyl mercaptan (BM), were identified in the reaction mixture. The selectivity of DBS was maximised by changing various parameters such as NH₃/H₂S mole ratio, stirring speed, catalyst loading, concentration of benzyl chloride, volume of aqueous phase, and temperature. The highest selectivity of DBS obtained was about 90% after 445 min of reaction with excess benzyl chloride at 60 °C. Complete conversion of benzyl chloride could be achieved at the cost of very low selectivity of DBS and very high selectivity of BM. The apparent activation energy for the kinetically controlled reaction was found to be 12.3 kcal/mol. From the detailed study of the effects of various parameters on the reaction, a suitable mechanism was established which could explain the course of the reaction.     

Oxidative stress induced antimicrobial efficacy of chitosan and silver nanoparticles coated Gutta-percha for endodontic applications

Root canal treatment is the most effective treatment for irreversible pulpal damage. However, it suffers the risk of failure due to micro-leakage at the Gutta-percha-sealer-tooth interface. Concerning the issue, it is important to enhance the antimicrobial properties of Gutta-percha. The current study describes a novel coating of the Gutta-percha with chitosan and silver nanoparticles to increase their antimicrobial efficacy. They were coated with chitosan and silver nanoparticles with concentrations of 1%, 2% using chemical methodology. Coated Gutta-percha were evaluated for their antimicrobial efficacy against E. faecalis, which is frequently isolated microorganism in failed endodontic cases using standard microbiological methods like growth curve analysis. Detailed analysis of the antimicrobial activity was performed by live-dead analysis with the help of flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy. Although, the experimental analysis showed concentration-dependent antibacterial activity by both chitosan and silver NP coated Gutta-percha, the silver NP coating exhibited higher antibacterial activity compared to the Gutta percha coated with chitosan nanoparticles. Mechanistic evaluation unveiled the cause of antibacterial activates due to action of induced oxidative stress and membrane damage to the bacteria by coated nanoparticles. The information will be useful for the endodontist to have an alternative filling material with higher antibacterial potency for higher success rate of root canal therapies in clinical procedures.