Chemical composition of the essential oil of Feronia elephantum Correa

The essential oil composition of Feronia elephantum Correa (family: Rutaceae) was examined by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The analysis revealed the presence of 24 constituents, of which 18 constituents were identified. Trans-anethole (57.73%) and methyl chavicol (37.48%) were the major compounds, while cis-anethole, p-anisaldehyde, (E)-jasmone, methyl eugenol, β-caryophyllene, linalool and (E)-methyl isoeugenol were also present as the minor constituents.     

A Physiologically Regulated Multidomain Cystatin of Wheat Shows Stage-Dependent Immunity Against Karnal Bunt (Tilletia indica)

To identify novel components of basal resistance against the Tellitia indica of wheat, breeding for disease resistance was carried out on resistant and susceptible genotype of Karnal Bunt. The different members of wheat cystatin gene families were cloned, and their role in triggering differential resistance through co-expression was analyzed in our lab. The multidomain wheat cystatin (WCM) is a proteinase inhibitor characterized by cloning the gene from susceptible (WH542) and resistant genotype (HD 29). A WCM cDNA was isolated from both genotypes and sequenced. The WCM had a highly conserved N-terminal cystatin domain and a long C-terminal extension containing a second region, which exhibited similarity to the cystatin domain. The expression level was significantly (P?>?0.001) higher in resistant compared to susceptible genotype at all the physiological stages of wheat spikes. In order to characterize the biochemical properties of WCM, the coding sequence was expressed in Escherichia coli using pET expression vector. The recombinant WCM was purified from soluble fraction of the cell extract by using affinity chromatography. WCM, with 23 KDa molecular mass, showed cysteine proteinase inhibitory activity against papain (Ki 3.039?×?10^?7?M) as determined by using BAPNA as substrate. Furthermore, it was able to arrest the fungal mycelial growth of T. indica. Hyphae growth was inhibited, and morphological changes such as swelling and fragmentation of the fungus were observed. Overall, these observations suggest an endogenous high expression of cystatin, possibly associated with the resistance of wheat against Karnal bunt.     

Evaluation of the chiral recognition properties as well as the column performance of four chiral stationary phases based on cellulose (3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) by parallel HPLC and SFC

The performance of four commercially available cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) based chiral stationary phases (CSPs) was evaluated with parallel high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and super critical fluid chromatography (SFC). Retention, enantioselectivity, resolution and efficiency were compared for a set of neutral, basic and acidic compounds having different physico-chemical properties by using different mobile phase conditions. Although the chiral selector is the same in all the four CSPs, a large difference in the ability to retain and resolve enantiomers was observed under the same chromatographic conditions. We believe that this is mainly due to differences in the silica matrix and immobilization techniques used by the different vendors. An extended study of metoprolol and structure analogues gave a deeper understanding of the accessibility of the chiral discriminating interactions and its impact on the resolution of the racemic compounds on the four CSPs studied. Also, a clear difference in enantioselectivity is observed between SFC and LC mode, hydrogen bonding was found to play an important role in the differential binding of the enantiomers to the CSPs.     

Correction to: Synthesis of nanosized TiO2 using different molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG) as capping agent and their performance as photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - The author would like to add Acknowledgements in the originally published paper     

Fabrication and chemical surface modification of nanoporous silicon for biosensing applications

In this work, porous silicon (PS) films with varied porosity (68–82%) were formed on the p-type, boron-doped silicon wafer (100) by the electrochemical anodisation in an aqueous hydrofluoric acid and isopropyl alcohol solution at different current densities (I _d) ranging from 20–70 mA cm^?2, respectively. Biofunctionalisation of the PS surface was carried out by chemically modifying the surface of PS by the deposition of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane thermally leading to high density of amine groups covering the PS surface. This further promotes the immobilisation of immunoglobulin (human IgG and goat anti-human IgG binding) on to the PS surface. Formation of nanostructured PS and the attachment of antibody–antigen to its surface were characterised using photoluminescence (PL), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques, respectively. The possibility of using these structures as biosensors has been explored based on the significant changes in the PL spectra before and after exposing the PS optical structures to biomolecules. These experimental results open the possibility of developing optical biosensors based on the variation of the PL position of the PL spectra of PS-based devices.     

A review on the use of nanometals as catalysts for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

In this review, an attempt to collect summarized literature data on catalytic effect of nanosized metals and nanoalloys on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorates (AP) is made. Several experimental results show nanometals are more effective catalysts as compared to nanosized metal oxides. During decomposition process; metal react with oxygen containing species that are produced in decomposition process; and metal oxide is formed with large amount of heat which enhances the catalytic activity of metals as compared to metal oxide nanoparticles.     

Heteroaryl‐substuted semicarbazones: Synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of N‐(3‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐substituted semicarbazones

A series of substituted N‐(3‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl) semicarbazones was designed and synthesized to meet the structural requirements essential for anticonvulsant activity. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were confirmed by means of spectral and elemental analysis. All the compounds were evaluated for their anticonvulsant activity by maximal electroshock seizures (MES) test, subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) screen, subcutaneous strychnine (scSTY) pattern test and subcutaneous picrotoxin (scPIC) seizure threshold test along with the behavioral, and neurotoxicity evaluation. A number of N‐(3‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl) semicarbazone derivatives exhibited significant protection after intraperitoneal administration at the dose of 100 and 300 mg/kg. Compound N¹‐(3‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐N⁴‐(isatin) semicarbazone ( 19 ) emerged as the most active analogue of the series, being more effective in most of the test models than ethosuximide and sodium valporate.     

Investigation of surface interactions in molecular recognition of phosphonate imprinted organosilicates and the role of water

Surface interactions in molecular recognition of phosphonate imprinted organosilicates and the role of water have been studied. NMR and calorimetry studies have shown the changing nature of the surface water structure on silicate surfaces due to template directed molecular imprinting. Results indicate the interaction of an organophosphonate compound with the functionalized silica surfaces to be through surrounding water molecules. However, with nonfunctionalized surfaces, additional higher energy interactions were possible. Further, our results support the possible templating effect of water during the imprint process.