Gamma irradiation route to synthesis of highly re-dispersible natural polymer capped silver nanoparticles

Aqueous dispersions of highly stable, redispersible silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were synthesized using gamma radiolysis with gum acacia as a protecting agent. The formation of nanosized silver was confirmed by its characteristic surface plasmon absorption peak at around 405 nm in UV–vis spectra. The size of the silver nanoparticles can be tuned by controlling the radiation dose, ratio of gum acacia to silver ions and also the ionic strength of the medium. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement of the as-synthesized nanoparticles indicated the size less than 3 nm at higher dose of radiation and this also corroborated the size measurement from the width of the corresponding X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak. The face centered cubic (fcc) crystallinity of the nanoparticles was evident from XRD and high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) measurements. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopic data indicate a bonding of Ag NPs with COO^? group of acacia through bridging bidentate linkage.     

On a Coordinate-Independent Description of String Worldsheet Theory

We rewrite the bosonic worldsheet theory in curved background in a language where it describes a single particle moving in an infinite-dimensional curved spacetime. This language is developed at a formal level without regularizing the infinite-dimensional traces. Then, we adopt DeWitt’s (Phys Rev 85:653, 1952) coordinate-independent formulation of quantum mechanics in the present context. This procedure enables us to define coordinate invariant quantum analogue of classical Virasoro generators, which we call DeWitt–Virasoro generators. This framework also enables us to calculate the invariant matrix elements of an arbitrary operator constructed out of the DeWitt–Virasoro generators between two arbitrary scalar states. Using these tools, we further calculate the DeWitt–Virasoro algebra in spin-zero representation. The result is given by the Witt algebra with additional anomalous terms that vanish for Ricci-flat backgrounds. Further analysis need to be performed to precisely relate this with the beta function computation of Friedan and others. Finally, we explain how this analysis improves the understanding of showing conformal invariance for certain pp-wave that has been recently discussed using hamiltonian framework.     

Finite frames,P-frames and basically disconnected frames

Let \({\mathcal{P}}\) be an ideal of closed quotients of a completely regular frame L and \({\mathcal{R}_{\mathcal{P}}(L)}\) the collection of all functions in the ring \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) whose support belong to \({\mathcal{P}}\) . We show that \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) is a Noetherian ring if and only if \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) is an Artinian ring if and only if L is a finite frame. Using this result, we next show that if \({\mathcal{P}}\) is the ideal of all compact closed quotients of L and L is \({\mathcal{P}}\) -continuous, then \({\mathcal{R}_{\mathcal{P}}(L)}\) is a Noetherian ring if and only if L is finite. Moreover, we show that L is a P-frame if and only if each ideal of \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) is of the form \({\mathcal{R}_{\mathcal{P}}(L)}\) for some choice of \({\mathcal{P}}\) . We furnish equivalent conditions for \({\mathcal{R}_{\mathcal{P}}(L)}\) to be a prime ideal, a free ideal, and an essential ideal of \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) separately in terms of the cozero elements of L. Finally, we show that L is basically disconnected if and only if \({\mathcal{R}(L)}\) is a coherent ring.     

Generalization bounds for function approximation from scattered noisy data

We consider the problem of approximating functions from scattered data using linear superpositions of non-linearly parameterized functions. We show how the total error (generalization error) can be decomposed into two parts: an approximation part that is due to the finite number of parameters of the approximation scheme used; and an estimation part that is due to the finite number of data available. We bound each of these two parts under certain assumptions and prove a general bound for a class of approximation schemes that include radial basis functions and multilayer perceptrons. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Designing the Molybdopterin Core through Regioselective Coupling of Building Blocks

Molybdopterin is an essential cofactor for all forms of life. The cofactor is composed of a pterin moiety appended to a dithiolene‐functionalized pyran ring, and through the dithiolene moiety it binds metal ions. Different synthetic strategies for dithiolene‐functionalized pyran precursors that have been designed and synthesized are discussed. These precursors also harbor 1,2‐diketone or osone functionality that has been condensed with 1,2‐diaminobenzene or other heterocycles resulting in several quinoxaline or pterin derivatives. Use of additives improves the regioselectivity of the complexes. The molecules have been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopies, as well as by mass spectrometry. In addition, several compounds have been crystallographically characterized. The geometries of the synthesized molecules are more planar than the geometry of the cofactor found in proteins.     

Dioxygen‐Mediated Decarbonylative CH Alkylation of Heteroaromatic Bases with Aldehydes

An operationally simple and economical method for the direct alkylation of heteroaromatic bases employing readily available aldehydes as alkyl radical precursors and molecular oxygen as a reagent is presented. This simple transformation demonstrates a broad substrate scope with respect to aldehydes and nitrogen heterocycles, enabling the introduction of several medicinally important yet challenging alkyl moieties, such as ethyl, isopropyl, tert‐butyl, and cyclohexyl to the different classes of heterocyclic bases in good to excellent yields.     

Syntheses of (−)-gabosine A, (+)-4-epi-gabosine A, (−)-gabosine E, and (+)-4-epi-gabosine E

(+)-4-epi-Gabosine A 1 and (−)-gabosine A 2 have been synthesized starting from methyl α,d-glucopyranoside and methyl α,d-mannopyranoside, respectively, by utilizing Pd(0) catalyzed Stille coupling as the key step. On the other hand, syntheses of (+)-4-epi-gabosine E 3 and (−)-gabosine E 4 have been accomplished from methyl α,d-glucopyranoside and from methyl α,d-mannopyranoside, respectively, by utilizing DMAP catalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction as the key step. Presence of acetyl group at C-6 position of sugar derived cyclic enone prevented the aromatization of MBH adduct. A plausible mechanism is also described.     

Layer-by-layer assembly of thiol-capped au nanoparticles on a water surface and their deposition on H-terminated Si(001) by the Langmuir-Blodgett method

A monolayer of dodecanethiol-encapsulated Au nanoparticles when compressed laterally transforms into layer-by-layer assemblies on water surface. These layer-by-layer assemblies of Au nanoparticles have been deposited on H-terminated Si(001) substrates by using one down-up cycle (two strokes) in the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. The transformation from monolayer to layer-by-layer assembly on a water surface is irreversible; i.e., if the compressed film is decompressed the layer-by-layer structure cannot regenerate the monolayer structure. Unlike layer-by-layer growth, only odd numbers of layers grow from the monolayer on the H-terminated Si(001) substrates by using different numbers of down-up cycles. Z-type LB deposition occurs only in the first down-up cycle of the hydrophobic substrate, whereas Y-type LB deposition takes place in the successive cycles. Such layer-by-layer assemblies of Au nanoparticles, which are made on bare silicon surfaces and where thickness can be controlled at the nanoscale level, are very promising for their novel applications in the field of nanoscience.