E1-M2-E3 mixing of the 1241.7 keV transition in147Yb

The half-life of theI,K ^π=2, 2^? state at 1318 keV in¹⁷⁴Yb has been measured in the¹⁷³Yb(n, γ) reaction to be 0.486±0.015 ns. This half-life determines the absolute transition probabilities of the gamma-ray transitions to the ground state rotational band yielding the following hindrance factors relative to the Weisskopf estimate:F _W(M 2; 2, 2^?→0, 0⁺)=350;F _W(M2; 2, 2^?→2, 0⁺)≧77F _W(M 2;2, 2^?→4, 0⁺)>740;F _W(E 1; 2, 2^?→2, 0⁺)=4.5×10⁶;F _W(E 3; 2, 2^?→2, 0⁺)≈0.1;F _W(E 3; 2, 2^?→4, 0⁺)≈0.4. These data are compared to analogous transitions in neighboring nuclei.     

Two-photon spectroscopy of ytterbium

Two-photon laser spectra of the Yb vapor have been obtained. Transitions to highly excited 4f¹⁴ 6sns¹S₀ and 4f¹⁴ 6snd ¹D₂ states are seen in direct two-photon excitation. Hybrid resonances involving 4f¹⁴ 6s6p ¹P⁰₁ and 4f¹⁴ 5d6s ³D₂ intermediate states lead to transitions to 4f¹⁴ 6sns¹S₀, 4f¹⁴ 6snp ³P⁰_2,1 and 4f¹⁴ 6snd ¹D₂ levels.     

Carrier-free separation of (115m)In from irradiated Cd by solvent extraction with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-caproylpyrazolone-5

A method is presented for the routine milking of the 41 2 -hr half-life nuclide (115m)In from its 2.3 day half-life parent (115m)Cd. The method utilizes the extraction of In and Cd from aqueous solution at various pH values, 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-caproylpyrazolone-5 in isobutyl methyl ketone being used as extracting agent. A good decontamination factor was obtained and the yield of (115m)In from residual cadmium activity was 85-90%.     

Development of surface treated nanosilica for wettability alteration and interfacial tension reduction

The present study examines and compares the effect of surface treatments of nano-silica using internal olefins sulphonates (IOS_20–24 and IOS_19–23), anionic surfactants. The effect of surface modification on colloidal stability, wettability alteration and oil-water interfacial tension reduction were analyzed. Silica nanoparticles were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and integrated energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) before and after surface treatment. Using Turbiscan classic, the optimal nanosilica concentration and inspection of the coated particles dispersion stability with the help of light transmission behavior through the nanofluid was carried out. The stability was found to be enhanced as the mean light transmission declined only after surfactant treatment in both IOS coated nano-silicas but IOS_19–23 O-342 coated dispersions proved to be more stable among all three. RAME-HART Goniometer was used to perform interfacial tension (IFT) and contact angle measurements. IFT was found to be reduced by 48% after the surfactant treatment in case of IOS_19–23 O-342 coated nanosilica. Both surface treatments of nanosilica and increasing silica concentration caused significant reduction and altering wettability towards more water wet. The results revealed that IOS coatings improved the efficiency of NPs dispersion in terms of altered wettability and reduced IFT that mimics their potential for EOR applications.     

Role of Melatonin in Plant Tolerance to Soil Stressors: Salinity,pH and Heavy Metals

Melatonin (MT) is a pleiotropic molecule with diverse and numerous actions both in plants and animals. In plants, MT acts as an excellent promotor of tolerance against abiotic stress situations such as drought, cold, heat, salinity, and chemical pollutants. In all these situations, MT has a stimulating effect on plants, fomenting many changes in biochemical processes and stress-related gene expression. Melatonin plays vital roles as an antioxidant and can work as a free radical scavenger to protect plants from oxidative stress by stabilization cell redox status; however, MT can alleviate the toxic oxygen and nitrogen species. Beyond this, MT stimulates the antioxidant enzymes and augments antioxidants, as well as activates the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) cycle to scavenge excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this review, we examine the recent data on the capacity of MT to alleviate the effects of common abiotic soil stressors, such as salinity, alkalinity, acidity, and the presence of heavy metals, reinforcing the general metabolism of plants and counteracting harmful agents. An exhaustive analysis of the latest advances in this regard is presented, and possible future applications of MT are discussed.     

Determination of glyoxal and methylglyoxal in the serum of diabetic patients by MEKC using stilbenediamine as derivatizing reagent

An analytical method has been developed for the separation of glyoxal (Go), methylglyoxal (MGo), and dimethylglyoxal (DMGo) by MEKC using stilbenediamine (SD) as derivatizing reagent, separation time 6.5 min, SDS as micellar medium at pH 8, and sodium tetraborate (0.1 M) as buffer. Uncoated fused-silica capillary, effective length 50 cm x 75 microm id; applied voltage 20 kV and photodiode array detection, were used. Calibration was linear within 0.02-150 microg/mL with detection limits 3.5-5.8 ng/mL. Go and MGo, observed for diabetic and healthy volunteers, were within 0.098-0.193 microg/mL Go and 0.106-0.245 microg/mL MGo with RSD 1.6-3.5 and 1.7-3.4%, respectively, in diabetics against 0.016-0.046 microg/mL Go and 0.021-0.066 microg/mL MGo with RSDs 1.5-3.5 and 1.4-3.6%, respectively, in healthy volunteers. Go and MGo in diabetics were also measured by standard addition and DMGo as an internal standard. Additives do not contribute significantly to Go and MGo matrix.     

Dimension of quantum channel of radiation in pure Lovelock black holes

The effects of a running gravitational coupling and the entropic force on future singularities are considered. Although it is expected that the quantum corrections remove the future singularities or change the singularity type, treating the running gravitational coupling as a function of energy density is found to cause no change in the type of singularity but causes a delay in the time that a singularity occurs. The entropic force is found to replaces the singularity type $II\, \hbox {by} \overline{III} (a=\hbox {const.}, H=\hbox {const.}, \dot{H} \rightarrow \infty , p \rightarrow \infty , \rho \rightarrow \infty )$ which differs from previously known type $III$ and to remove the $w$ -singularity. We also consider an effective cosmological model and show that the types $I$ and $II$ are replaced by the singularity type $III$ .     

γ-Al2O3-Supported 12-Tungstosilicic Acid as an Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Synthesis of α-Aminonitrile

The multicomponent Strecker reaction using trimethylsilyle cyanide was performed in very short reaction times, and α-aminonitriles were prepared in excellent yields in the presence of a catalytic amount of alumina-supported tungstosilicic acid.     

Self-assembling dicopper(II) complexes of di-2-pyridyl ketone Schiff base ligands derived from S-alkyldithiocarbazates

Condensation of di-2-pyridyl ketone with S-methyldithiocarbazate or S-benzyldithiocarbazate yields potentially bridging ligands of the form Py₂CNNHC(S)SR; Hdpksme (R = Me; the di-2-pyridyl ketone Schiff base of S-methyldithiocarbazate) and Hdpksbz (R = Bz; the di-2-pyridyl ketone Schiff base of S-benzyldithiocarbazate). Complexation of these ligands with Cu(II) in a 1:1 M ratio leads to the formation of dinuclear complexes of the general formula [Cu(NNNS)X]₂ (X = Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, H₂O). X-ray crystallographic structure determinations show that each ligand provides three donor atoms (NNS) in a meridional configuration to one metal, viz. one of the pyridine nitrogen atoms, the azomethine nitrogen atom and the thiolate sulfur, while the nitrogen atom of the second pyridyl group forms a bridge to another copper(II) ion within the dimer. The coordination geometry around each copper(II) ion is approximately square pyramidal, the basal plane of which is composed of one of the pyridine nitrogen atoms, the azomethine nitrogen atom and a chlorido, nitrato or aqua ligand. The apical position of the square pyramid is always occupied by the pyridine nitrogen atom of the second ligand.