Synthesis,electrical and thermal properties of Bi4V2−xMexO11 (Me=Nb,Zr, Y and Cu with x = 0.0 and 0.06) ceramics

Polycrystalline ceramic samples of Bi₄V_2?xMe_xO₁₁ (Me=Nb, Zr, Y and Cu and x = 0.0 and 0.06) have been synthesized by standard solid state reaction method using high purity oxides. The formation of the compounds have been analysed by X-ray diffraction method. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and AC conductivity as a function of frequency and temperature have been measured. The dielectric studies indicate that the material is highly lossy, and hence, its AC conductivity increases with the increase of temperature. The DC conductivity of material has been measured as a function of temperature from room temperature to 723 K and its activation energy was calculated using the relation σ = σ ₀exp (?E _a/kT). The modulated differential scanning calorimetry has been used to investigate the effect of substitution on the phase transition (heat capacity and heat flow) of the compounds. The results are discussed in detail.     

Antibacterial Activity of Synthetic Curcumin Derivatives: 3,5-Bis(benzylidene)-4-Piperidone (EF24) and EF24-Dimer Linked via Diethylenetriaminepentacetic Acid (EF2DTPA)

Curcumin is well known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, since systemic absorption and bioavailability of curcumin from gastrointestinal tract is considerably poor, synthetic curcuminoids are being developed as better alternatives. Two curcumin derivatives: 3,5-bis(benzylidene)-4-piperidone (EF24) and EF24-dimer linked via diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid (EF₂DTPA), were included in this study. We investigated the antibacterial activity of EF24 and EF₂DTPA against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. We also studied the effects of EF24 and EF₂DTPA on uptake and localization of pHrodo-labeled E. coli in the acidic compartments (phagolysosomes) of dendritic cells (DCs) under in vitro conditions. Our results demonstrate that treatment with EF24 and EF₂DTPA directly suppresses the bacterial growth. However, these compounds do not affect the bacterial uptake or localization in the DCs.     

Recent advances in application of the graphene-based membrane for water purification

Graphene is an atomic layer thick carbon-based material with unique two-dimensional architecture and extraordinary physiochemical, optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. Graphene and its derivatives show significant promises for the development of nanoporous ultrathin filtration membranes capable of molecular separation properties. Graphene-based nanofiltration membranes featuring distinct laminar structures can offer various novel mass-transport phenomena for purifying water, energy storage and separation, gas separation, and proton conductors. The latest developments in water purification techniques through graphene-based membranes including engineering, design, and fabrication of diverse graphene, graphene-oxide, and graphene-composite membranes are provided here in relation to their application paradigm for purifying water. The critical views on pollutant removal mechanisms for water purification along with optimization measures are specially highlighted. In addition, the challenges, shortcomings, and future prospects are pointed out. The green and large-scale synthesis technology of graphene coupling with advanced membrane fabrication techniques can promote these state-of-the-art nanofiltration membranes for a wide range of applications.     

Applicability of corresponding-states group-contribution methods for the estimation of surface tension of multicomponent liquid mixtures at 298.15 K

Corresponding-states group-contribution methods (CSGC-ST1 and CSGC-ST2) have been applied to four binary liquid mixtures (propyl acetate + o-xylene, propyl acetate + m-xylene, propyl acetate + p-xylene and propyl acetate + ethyl benzene); two ternary (benzene + cyclohexane + toluene and n-hexane + cyclohexane + benzene) and two quaternary liquid mixtures (pentane + hexane + cyclohexane + benzene and pentane + hexane + benzene + toluene) at 298.15 K. In this work, the CSGC-ST2 method is modified and extended to multicomponent liquid mixtures. The excess magnitudes of surface tension were also calculated and graphs were plotted using Redlich–Kister method.     

Principal eigenvector field segmentation for reproducible diffusion tensor tractography of white matter structures

The study was aimed to test the feasibility of utilizing an algorithmically determinable stable fiber mass (SFM) map obtained by an unsupervised principal eigenvector field segmentation (PEVFS) for automatic delineation of 18 white matter (WM) tracts: (1) corpus callosum (CC), (2) tapetum (TP), (3) inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), (4) uncinate fasciculus (UNC), (5) inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFO), (6) optic pathways (OP), (7) superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), (8) arcuate fasciculus (AF), (9) fornix (FX), (10) cingulum (CG), (11) anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), (12) superior thalamic radiation (STR), (13) posterior thalamic radiation (PTR), (14) corticospinal/corticopontine tract (CST/CPT), (15) medial lemniscus (ML), (16) superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP), (17) middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) and (18) inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived fractional anisotropy (FA) and the principal eigenvector field have been used to create the SFM consisting of a collection of linear voxel structures which are grouped together by color-coding them into seven natural classes to provide PEVFS signature segments which greatly facilitate the selection of regions of interest (ROIs) for fiber tractography using just a single mouse click, as compared with a manual drawing of ROIs in the classical approach. All the 18 fiber bundles have been successfully reconstructed, in all the subjects, using the single ROIs provided by the SFM approach, with their reproducibility characterized by the fact that the ROI selection is user independent. The essentially automatic PEVFS method is robust, efficient and compares favorably with the classical ROI methods for diffusion tensor tractography (DTT).     

Ruthenium(III)‐catalyzed oxidation of cyclopentanol and cyclohexanol by N‐bromoacetamide

Kinetic investigations on Ru(III)‐catalyzed oxidation of cyclopentanol and cyclohexanol by acidic solution of N‐bromoacetamide (NBA) in the presence of mercury(II) acetate as a scavenger have been carried out in the temperature range of 30–45°C. Similar kinetics was followed by both the cyclic alcohols. First‐order kinetics in the lower concentration range of NBA was observed to tend to zero order at its higher concentrations. The reaction exhibits a zero‐order rate dependence with respect to each cyclic alcohol, while it is first order in Ru^III. Increase in [H⁺] and [Cl^?] showed positive effect, while successive addition of acetamide exhibited negative effect on the reaction rate. Insignificant effect of sodium perchlorate, D₂O, and mercury(II) acetate on the reaction velocity was observed. Cationic bromine has been proposed as the real oxidizing species. Various thermodynamic parameters have been computed. A suitable mechanism in agreement with the kinetic observations has been proposed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 275–281, 2005     

Kinetics and mechanism of the ruthenium(III)-catalysed oxidation of aminoalcohols by cerium(IV) in a sulphuric acid medium

Summary The kinetics of the ruthenium(III)-catalysed oxidation of primary (viz. 2-aminoethanol and 3-aminopropanol) secondary (diethanolamine) and tertiary aminoalcohols (triethanolamine) by cerium(IV) in a sulphuric acid medium have been studied spectrophotometrically. The reactions exhibit a zero-order rate-dependence with respect to the oxidant and first-order rate-dependence with respect to each of the substrate and catalyst. First order dependence of rate in sulphuric acid is found for primary aminoalcohols. A suitable mechanism, consistent with the observed kinetic data, is proposed.     

Electron interactions and the electrical resistivity of alkali metals at low temperatures

The contribution of the electron-electron umklapp scattering processes to the electrical resistivity of sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium at low temperatures has been evaluated using a simplified spherical Fermi-surface model with an isotropic transition probability. Our values of the electrical resistivity so obtained compare fairly well with the recent experimental values for sodium, potassium and rubidium. Our theoretical results have also been compared with the other available data in the literature due to Lawrence and Wilkins and MacDonald and Geldart.