Dopant induced morphologies of ZnS nanoparticles

We have reported the synthesis of cubic (zinc blende) phase ZnS: Ni²⁺ nanoparticles using a simple wet‐chemical method. Synthesized ZnS: Ni²⁺ nanoparticles had been characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis. Surface morphologies were studied using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra of selected samples were also carried out to confirm the presence of capping agent on the surface of the material. We have demonstrated that various morphologies like spherical, tetrapods, sheet and long‐armed multipods are emerged by simple chemical route without any vigorous reaction parameters and changing the concentration of dopant ions only. The probable mechanism for such morphologies has also been suggested.     

Observation of bulk like magnetic ordering below the blocking temperature in nanosized zinc ferrite

We investigated the magnetic behavior of nanosized zinc ferrite with the help of vibrating sample magnetometry and in-field Mössbauer spectroscopy. The nanoparticles of zinc ferrite with crystallite size ranging from 10 to 62 nm were synthesized by a nitrate method. The structure and phase were determined with the help of X-ray diffraction. Attributes of cation inversion were found with the calculated values of lattice parameter. The saturation magnetization decreases with the increase in crystallite size at room temperature, while these values are almost the same at 10 K for all the samples except the one with crystallite size of 10 nm. The thermal magnetization measurement shows a decrease in blocking temperature with increase in particle size for these samples. The synthesized samples exhibit the presence of antiferromagnetic ordering below the blocking temperature as investigated by in-field Mössbauer spectroscopy.     

Synthesis,characterization and antimicrobial activities of new bis-hydrazonothioxothiazolidinone derivatives

New bis-hydrazonothioxothiazolidinone derivatives based on 2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one were synthesized in good yields using a simplified experimental condition. The structure of synthesized compounds was established with the help of common physico-chemical analysis and various spectroscopic techniques like FT-IR, mass and ¹H NMR. The results of characterizations are in good agreement with the proposed structure of all the synthesized compounds. Further, the antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activities of all the synthesized derivatives were carried out against various species like Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillous niger and Aspergillous flavus by using agar-cup method. The results of antimicrobial screening showed that all the compounds have mild to moderate activity. However, some of the compounds (3a, 3b, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3i and 3j) have shown better activity than the other.     

Selective reductive transformations using samarium diiodide-water

Samarium diiodide (SmI(2)) is one of the most important reductive electron transfer reagents available in the laboratory. Key to the popularity of SmI(2) is the ability of additives and co-solvents to tune the properties of the reagent. Over the last decade water has emerged as a particularly valuable additive, opening up new chemical space and leading to the discovery of unprecedented selectivity and new reactions promoted by SmI(2). In this Feature Article we review recent progress in the application of SmI(2)-H(2)O systems, with an emphasis on mechanistic considerations and the development of new transformations.     

New parasite inhibitors encompassing novel conformationally-locked 5'-acyl sulfamoyl adenosines

We describe the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of conformationally-locked 5'-acyl sulfamoyl adenosine derivatives as new parasitic inhibitors against Trypanosoma and Leishmania. The conformationally-locked (3'-endo, North-type) nucleosides have been synthesized by covalently attaching a 4'-CH(2)-O-2' bridge () across C2'-C4' of adenosine in order to reduce the conformational flexibility of the pentose ring. This is designed to decrease the entropic penalty for complex formation with the target protein, which may improve free-energy of stabilization of the complex leading to improved potency. Conformationally-locked 5'-acyl sulfamoyl adenosine derivatives (16-22) were tested against parasitic protozoans for the first time in this work, and showed potent inhibition of Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma rhodesiense and Leishmania infantum with IC(50) = 0.25-0.51 μM. In particular, the potent 5'-pentanyl acyl sulfamoyl adenosine derivative 17 (IC(50) = 0.25 μM) against intracellular L. infantum amastigotes and Trypanosoma subspecies is interesting in view of its almost insignificant cytotoxicity in murine macrophage host cells (CC(50) >4 μM) and in diploid human fibroblasts MRC-5 cell lines (CC(50) 4 μM). This work also suggests that variable alkyl chain length of the acyl group on the acylsulfamoyl side chain at 5' can modulate the toxicity of 5'-O-sulfamoylnucleoside analogues. This conformationally-locked sulfamoyl adenosine scaffold presents some interesting possibilities for further drug design and lead optimization.     

An examination of the pumping requirements for multiphoton deexcitations of isomeric levels

Deexcitation of isomeric levels via virtual excitation of higher levels with short lifetimes is calculated for a variety of circumstances. On and off resonance processes as well as single and multiple photon excitations are considered. Parameters characteristic of atomic and nuclear systems are contrasted. For the nuclear systems, the small excitation cross sections resulting from the small nuclear size leads to enormous intensity requirements for the pumping of nuclear isomers.     

Void-fraction measurements in a steady-state mercury-nitrogen flow loop

 A steady-state vertical mercury-nitrogen flow system has been investigated using three tomographic algorithms. Void-fraction profiles have been reconstructed by the data collected by a 60 mCi gamma-ray source and a single Na(Tl) detector. The results indicate excellent agreement (within ±1%) between the least-squares-solution and the chord-segment-inversion algorithms. The data-collection time for each data-ray was varied so that in each case 3000 counts could be collected to reduce the detrimental effect of Poisson statistics in the reconstructed profiles. Eleven sets of data have been collected for nitrogen flow-rates between 0.00123 and 0.00884  kg/s. The mercury flow-rates were between 17.6 and 34.1 kg/s. The resulting cross-sectional average void varied between 0.10 and 0.38. Received: 13 March 1997/Accepted: 12 September 1997     

Continuous and discrete Bessel wavelet transforms

Using the theory of Hankel convolution, continuous and discrete Bessel wavelet transforms are defined. Certain boundedness results and inversion formula for the continuous Bessel wavelet transform are obtained. Important properties of the discrete Bessel wavelet transform are given.     

Relative photodissociation cross-section of NaCs molecule,using argon ion laser lines

Laser-induced photodissociation of NaCs molecule has been observed when a mixture of Na and Cs metal vapour in a glass cell was irradiated by most of the lines of an argon ion laser. The photodissociation results in the 3P state of Na atoms which is correlated with theF ¹Σ⁺ and G¹π molecular states of NaCs. Distribution of photofragments over fine structure components 3² P _3/2 and 3² P _1/2 of Na has been studied. The ratio of intensity ofD ₂ line (5890 Å) toD ₁ line (5896 Å) of Na varies from around 2 at 5145 Å to about 3.5 at 4579 Å. The relative photodissociation cross-section increases monotonically as the wave-length of laser light decreases from 5145 Å to 4579 Å. It is seen that the 4579 Å photon is about 200 times more effective than the 5145 Å photon in causing the photoreaction NaCs + (Ar⁺ photon) → Na*(3P) + Cs(6S).