PHYTOENE AS A PROTECTIVE AGENT AGAINST SUNBURN (>280nm) RADIATION IN GUINEA PIGS

Abstract— Phytoene, the colorless triene precursor of β-carotene (17 mg/g body weight) or a placebo was given to guinea pigs by daily intraperitoneal injection for 14 days, after which the animals were exposed to radiation (> 280 nm). It was found that the animals receiving phytoene developed significantly less erythema to the radiation than did the animals receiving placebo.     

21-cm radiation: a new probe of variation in the fine-structure constant

We investigate the effect of variation in the value of the fine-structure constant (alpha) at high redshifts (recombination > z > 30) on the absorption of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at 21 cm hyperfine transition of the neutral atomic hydrogen. We find that the 21 cm signal is very sensitive to the variations in alpha and it is so far the only probe of the fine-structure constant in this redshift range. A change in the value of alpha by 1% changes the mean brightness temperature decrement of the CMB due to 21 cm absorption by >5% over the redshift range z < 50. There is an effect of similar magnitude on the amplitude of the fluctuations in the brightness temperature. The redshift of maximum absorption also changes by approximately 5%.     

Mossbauer study of ferrite systems Co x Mn1−x Fe2O4 and Ni x Mn1−x Fe2O4

Mössbauer spectra of Co _x Mn_1?x Fe₂O₄ and Ni _x Mn_1?x Fe₂O₄ ferrites withx values ranging from 0·1 to 0·8 in steps of 0·1 have been recorded at room temperature. All spectra exhibit well-defined Zeeman hyperfine patterns. It has been observed that hyperfine field at Fe³⁺ nucleus increases more rapidly by nickel substitution than by cobalt substitution. This has been explained in terms of exchange interactions and cation distribution in the spinels. Hyperfine fields, isomer shifts and quadrupole splittings have been determined.     

An analysis of phase-modulated heteronuclear dipolar decoupling sequences in solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

The design of variants of the swept-frequency two-pulse phase modulation sequence for heteronuclear dipolar decoupling in solid-state NMR is reported, their performance evaluated, and compared with other established sequences like TPPM and SPINAL. Simulations performed to probe the role of the homonuclear (1)H-(1)H bath show that the robustness of the decoupling schemes improves with the size of the bath. In addition, these simulations reveal that the homonuclear (1)H-(1)H bath also leads to broad baselines at high MAS rates. Results from a study of the SPINAL decoupling scheme indicate that optimisation of the starting phase and phase increment improves its performance and efficiency at high MAS rates. Additionally, experiments performed on a liquid crystal display the role of the initial phase in SPINAL-64 and sequences in the SW(f)-TPPM family.     

Carbon nanotube "T Junctions": formation pathways and conductivity

Using tight-binding molecular dynamics we simulate the formation of single wall carbon nanotube T junctions via the fusing of two nanotubes. We propose energetically efficient pathways for this process in which all atoms maintain their sp(2) arrangements throughout. Recent experimental advances have greatly increased the plausibility of synthesizing T junctions as proposed in the simulations. We further report I-V characteristics of the formed junctions.     

Ultrasonic determination of electron-phonon scattering rates in copper

Electron-phonon scattering rates in ultrapure single crystals of copper have been determined from the temperature dependence of the magnetoacoustic oscillation amplitudes for various orbits on the Fermi surface using both longitudinal and transverse waves. The central belly orbit seattering rate is found to be (6.0±0.3)×10⁶ T ³ sec^?1. Additionally, a rate of (2.9±0.2)×10⁶ T ³ sec^?1 is found which is attributed to belly orbits displaced from the zone center by about 1.25/a ₀, wherea ₀ is the lattice constant. Geometric oscillations associated with the [111]—directed open orbit are observed at low fields forq‖ [113] and the rate for this orbit is found to be (4.8±0.3)×10⁶ T ³ sec^?1. Geometric oscillations for the dog's bone and neck orbits are observable but rates for these orbits are believed to be unreliable. Our measured rates are compared with those of other workers.     

High-resolution solid-state NMR spectroscopy of protons with homonuclear dipolar decoupling schemes under magic-angle spinning

High-resolution NMR spectroscopy of ¹H spins in the solid state is normally rendered difficult due to the strong homonuclear ¹H–¹H dipolar couplings. Even under very high-speed magic-angle spinning (MAS) at ca. 60–70 kHz, these couplings are not completely removed. An appropriate radiofrequency pulse scheme is required to average out the homonuclear dipolar interactions in combination with MAS to get high-resolution ¹H NMR spectrum in solid state. Several schemes have been introduced in the recent past with a variety of applications also envisaged. Development of some of these schemes has been made possible with a clear understanding of the underlying spin physics based on bimodal Floquet theory. The utility of these high-resolution pulse schemes in combination with MAS has been demonstrated for spinning speeds of 10–65 kHz in a range of ¹H Larmor frequencies from 300 to 800 MHz.     

Ring Enlargement of Three-Membered Heterocycles by Treatment with In Situ Formed Tricyanomethane

Although the chemistry of elusive tricyanomethane (cyanoform) has been studied during a period of more than 150 years, this compound has very rarely been utilized in the synthesis or modification of heterocycles. Three-membered heterocycles, such as epoxides, thiirane, aziridines, or 2H-azirines, are now treated with tricyanomethane, which is generated in situ by heating azidomethylidene-malonodinitrile in tetrahydrofuran at 45 °C or by adding sulfuric acid to potassium tricyanomethanide. This leads to ring expansion with formation of 2-(dicyanomethylidene)oxazolidine derivatives or creation of the corresponding thiazolidine, imidazolidine, or imidazoline compounds and opens up a new access to these push–pull-substituted olefinic products. The regio- and stereochemistry of the ring-enlargement processes are discussed, and the proposed reaction mechanisms were confirmed by using ¹⁵N-labeled substrates. It turns out that different mechanisms are operating; however, tricyanomethanide is always acting as a nitrogen-centered nucleophile, which is quite unusual if compared to other reactions of this species.     

Ferric Chloride-catalyzed Synthesis of 2-Oxo-1,2-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylate Derivatives and Their Biological Evaluation

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - A new methodology has been developed for the synthesis of novel 2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylates from 2-aminonicotinaldehyde,...