Comparison of photosynthetic components of wheat genotypes under rain-fed and irrigated conditions

The major environmental factor limiting the range of adaptation for wheat is drought. Fourteen wheat genotypes (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown under two environments (irrigated and rain fed) to determine physiological and photosynthetic responses to drought. Combined analysis of variance of the data showed that the environment was a significant source of variation for leaf chlorophyll content (LCC), stomatal conductance (g(s)) and grain yield (GY). Wheat genotypes differed significantly for LCC, g(s) and GY. All the measured traits under water-stress conditions except maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (F(v)/F(m)) were lower than those under nonstress conditions. Mean GY in rain-fed conditions was 11.26% lower than that in irrigated conditions. The genotypes number 13 (Marvdasht) and 8 (M-81-13) exhibited the highest GY per unit area in both irrigation and rain-fed conditions. It was concluded that the higher LCC and g(s) under drought-stress conditions could possibly be the proper criteria for screening the drought-tolerant wheat genotypes under field conditions.     

Ferritin-supported palladium nanoclusters: selective catalysts for aerobic oxidations in water

Confinement of nanometallic Pd within the core of a hyperthermophilic ferritin cage (from Pyrococcus furiosus) is reported. The resulting nanostructured hybrid catalysts can be used for highly specific aerobic oxidation of alcohols in water.     

Synthesis of 1,5‐Disubstituted 1H‐Tetrazole Derivatives via a Three‐Component Reaction of Carbodiimides,Isocyanides, and Trimethylsilyl Azide

The three‐component reaction of isocyanides 1 , carbodiimides 2 , and trimethylsilyl azide ( 3 ) occurs at room temperature, and the produced 1,5‐disubstituted 1H‐tetrazole derivatives 4 are formed in 81–98% yields (Scheme 1, Table). The reaction proceeds smoothly and cleanly under mild conditions, and no side reactions are observed.     

Developing electrodeposition techniques for preconcentration of ultra-traces of Ni, Cr and Pb prior to arc-atomic emission spectrometry determination

Electrodeposition is known to be proper for separation and preconcentration of extremely low concentrations of analytes from the bulk sample which is instrumentally very simple. In the present research, a combination of electrodeposition with arc atomic emission spectrometry (ED-AAES) method has been developed in order to improve the analytical performance of this spectrometry technique. The results show that sensitivity and detection limits by using ED-AAES were improved 1000–2000 folds over those of normal arc atomic emission spectrometry in determination of the selected elements. The detection limits for measurement of Ni, Cr and Pb were 2.56, 3.05 and 2.11 µg L^{− 1} for monodeposition and 3.31, 3.72 and 3.25 µg L^{− 1} for simultaneously deposition, respectively. The precision of determination was in the range of 2–4% RSD. Typical calibration graphs for these elements were linear up to 100 µg L^{− 1}, depending on the element and matrix.Application of this technique was also tested on determination of the studied elements in an electroplating plant's waste water. The accuracy of technique was verified by comparing the results of the waste water analysis with those of electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy as a reference standard method.The obtained results show that the combined technique (ED-AAES) has been progressed substantially toward the ultimate goal of direct interference-free determination of trace analysis in complex samples by AAES.     

Development of eclipsed and staggered forms in some hydrogen bonded complexes

Intermolecular hydrogen bonding in X₃CH···NH₃ (X = H, F, Cl, and Br) complexes has been studied by B3LYP, B3PW91, MP2, MP3, MP4, and CCSD methods using 6‐311++G(d,p) and AUG‐cc‐PVTZ basis sets. These complexes could exist in both eclipsed (EC) and staggered (ST) forms. The differences between binding energies of EC and ST forms are negligible and all EC and ST shapes correspond to minimum stationary states. The order of stabilities of them is in an agreement with the results of atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses. On the basis of low differences between binding energies, ST forms are more stable than EC forms in all complexes with the exception of Br₃CH···NH₃, which behaves just opposite. Although the differences between binding energies are negligible, they are consistent with the results of AIM analysis. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Efficient electrocatalysis of formic acid oxidation onto Pd-Cu/poly (2-methoxyaniline)-SDS nanocomposite film

In this work, porous poly (2-methoxyaniline) film prepared in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (P2MA-SDS) is used as a potent support for dispersion of bimetallic palladium-copper nanoparticles (Pd-Cu NPs) towards the electrooxidation of formic acid (HCOOH) in sulfuric acid solution. The Pd-Cu NPs are prepared through galvanic replacement reaction between Pd^II ions and Cu particles. The SEM, EDS, and electrochemical methods were used to characterize the prepared Pd-Cu NPs. The obtained results show that the Pd-Cu exhibited significantly high current density of HCOOH oxidation compared to other catalysts and utilization of Cu NPs enhances the electrocatalytic activity towards electrooxidation. The enhanced performance is related to the synergetic effect between Pd-Cu NPs and P2MA-SDS film. The effects of galvanic replacement time, potential sweep rates, and concentration of HCOOH on the catalytic activity of the electrocatalyst as well as long-term stability are investigated by the various electrochemical techniques.     

Mössbauer study and magnetic properties of Fe–Si–B–Cu amorphous systems with minor substitution of carbon

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The effect of minor substitution of carbon on the structure and magnetic properties of Fe–Si–B–Cu-type metallic glasses was...     

Solvatochromic and nonlinear optical properties of Eosin B in solvents and AOT/water/Heptane

The third-order susceptibility and second-order hyperpolarizability and the two-photon absorption coefficient of Eosin-B in AOT/water/Heptane were investigated by using the Z-Scan technique. The droplets were prepared with an AOT/water droplet in a continuous phase of Heptane. The droplets size changes with the amount of water and the droplet concentration decreases with the increase of Heptane concentration. To study the nonlinear optical properties of Eosin-B, the Z-scan measurements were performed by means of a laser at 532 nm and 80 mW power. The nonlinear refractive and the nonlinear absorption coefficient indices were found to be in the order of 10^?12 (cm² W^?1) and 10^?7 (cm W^?1), respectively. The change of nonlinear optical properties of Eosin-B by droplet size and concentration is due to the change of dye aggregation and thermal conductivity and thermo-optic coefficient of samples. The absorption of Eosin-B changes with the polarity of the medium (dielectric constant and refractive index). It has been shown that the intensity of emission spectra of Eosin-B in AOT/water/Heptane is enhanced compared to that of aqueous solution. By the Bilot and Kawski theory, the ratio between the excited state and the ground state of the dipole moments (μ_e/μ_g) of Eosin-B both in water and in droplets is extracted.