Thermal characterisation of calcium ferrites by laser flash method

The thermal constants, viz., thermal diffusivities, specific heat capacities and thermal conductivities of samples of mono- and di-calcium ferrites, prepared in the laboratory, have been obtained by laser flash method using an Ulvac-Sinku-Riko TC-3000 series instrument. The temperature range used was from 298–1100 K. All possible thermodynamic parameters associated with the heat capacity data were also calculated.     

Thermal analysis on influence of compatibilizing agents

Studies have been made on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of binary blends of isobutylene-isoprene (IIR) copolymer and polychloroprene (CR) elastomers. Blends of IIR and CR are incompatible and showed separateT _g peaks in DSC curves similar to Tanδ peaks. However, addition of chlorinated polyethylene (CM) elastomer, as compatibilizer, imparts miscibility between IIR and CR which could be judged both through DSC as well as by dynamic loss measurements (Loss modulusE″ and Tanδ). The storage modulus (E′) showed variation of stiffness due to structural changes associated with the addition of compatibilizer. TG plots for these blends showed improvement of thermal stability both by addition of a suitable compatibilizer as well as due to formation of crosslinked structures associated with the vulcanization of the blends by standard curative package.     

In vivo EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION ENHANCES PATHOGENIC EFFECTS OF MURINE LEUKEMIA VIRUS, LP-BMS, IN MURINE ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME

LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) induces an immunodeficiency syndrome (MAIDS) in C57BL/6 mice which resembles immunological abnormalities observed in early stages of human AIDS. In our study, MAIDS virus-infected mice were exposed to low doses of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) before and after virus inoculation and compared with MAIDS-infected but not UVR-exposed mice. In all tested parameters (blood IgM levels; mitogenic responses to PHA, ConA, LPS and anti-mu; MLR; antigenic response to SRBC; enlargement and histopathologic changes of the spleen) we observed the same trend: changes due to MAIDS infection were more pronounced in the UVR-exposed group than in the unexposed group. Statistically significant differences between these two groups were seen for mitogenic responses at two different time points after virus inoculation. These results demonstrate that in vivo UVR exposure enhances the immunosuppressive effects of a retroviral infection. UVR exposure may affect the progression of AIDS in a similar manner.     

A Facile Entry into Bicyclo[3.3.0] Octene System Via Anionic Oxy-Cope Rearrangement

The bicyclo[3.3.0] octene system has been synthesised from the readily available starting material 2-methyl-cyclohexane-1,3-dione, utilizing the base catalysed oxy-Cope rearrangement as a key step.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-Idempotency of linear combinations of an idempotent matrix and a tripotent matrix that commute

A complete solution is established to the problem of characterizing all situations in which a linear combination C = c ₁ A+c ₂ B of an idempotent matrix A and a tripotent matrix B is k-idempotent. As a special case of this, a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for a linear combination C = c ₁ A+c ₂ B to be k-idempotent when A and B are idempotent matrices, is also studied in this paper.     

High pressure phase transition and band structures of different phases in CeO2

We report a detailed theoretical calculation of the electronic band structure of CeO₂ in cubic and orthorhombic phases under pressure using a tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital method (TB-LMTO) within local density approximation (LDA). The compressibility behavior of this compound was discussed in the light of the changes occurring in the electronic structure. Apart from the electronic band structure and structural stability calculations, the density of states (DOS) and Fermi energies (E_f) at various pressures are calculated. The calculated lattice parameter, transition pressure, bulk modulus and the pressure-volume relation are found out to be in good agreement with experimental results.     

Catalytic polymerization and facile grafting of poly(furfuryl alcohol) to single-wall carbon nanotube: preparation of nanocomposite carbon

A nanocomposite carbon was prepared by grafting a carbonizable polymer, poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA), to a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT). The SWNT was first functionalized with arylsulfonic acid groups on the sidewall via a method using a diazonium reagent. Both Raman and FTIR spectroscopies were used to identify the functional groups on the nanotube surface. HRTEM imaging shows that the SWNT bundles are exfoliated after functionalization. Once this state of the SWNTs was accomplished, the PFA-functionalized SWNT (PFA-SWNT) was prepared by in situ polymerization of furfuryl alcohol (FA). The sulfonic acid groups on the surface of the SWNT acted as a catalyst for FA polymerization, and the resulting PFA then grafted to the SWNTs. The surfaces of the SWNTs converted from hydrophilic to hydrophobic when they were wrapped with PFA. The formation of the polymer and the attraction between it and the sulfonic acid groups were confirmed by IR spectra. A nanocomposite carbon was generated by heating the PFA-SWNT in argon at 600 degrees C, a process during which the PFA was transformed to nanoporous carbon (NPC) and the sulfonic acid groups were cleaved from the SWNT. Based upon the Raman spectra and HRTEM images of the composite, it is concluded that SWNTs survive this process and a continuous phase is formed between the NPC and the SWNT.     

High-resolution EXAFS of the active site of human sulfite oxidase: comparison with density functional theory and X-ray crystallographic results

Much of our knowledge about molybdenum enzymes has originated from EXAFS spectroscopy. This technique provides excellent bond-length accuracy but has only limited bond-length resolution. We have used EXAFS spectroscopy with an extended data range in an attempt to improve bond-length resolution for the molybdenum enzyme sulfite oxidase. The Mo site of sulfite oxidase has two oxygen and three Mo-S ligands (two from cofactor dithiolene plus a cysteine). For the oxidized (Mo(VI)) enzyme, we find that the three Mo-S bond lengths are very similar (within 0.05 A) at 2.41 A, as are the Mo=O ligands at 1.72 A. Density functional theory shows that this is consistent with the proposed active-site structure. The reduced (Mo(IV)) enzyme shows two Mo-S bond lengths at 2.35 A and one at 2.41 A (assigned to cofactor dithiolene and cysteine, respectively, from DFT), together with one Mo=O at 1.72 A and one Mo-OH(2) at 2.30 A.     

Thermodynamics of aqueous bile salt solutions: Heat capacity,enthalpy and entropy of dilution

Heat capacity data at various temperatures and enthalpies of dilution at 25°C are reported for aqueous bile salt solutions. The apparent molal heat contents _L have been combined with osmotic and activity coefficients to obtain the excess molal entropies. Measurements of some of these properties have also been carried out with the anionic detergent sodium dodecylsulfate so that the bile salt micellization process may be compared with that of a classical detergent. The observed data have been interpreted in terms of the hydrophobic association properties of bile salts in aqueous solution.