Bubbles in DNA by random force

We model single strand binding (SSB) proteins as agents exerting randomly oriented force on the bonds in DNA unzipping. The fluctuating force is found to unzip the double stranded DNA (dsDNA) via opening of bubbles along the chain.     

Room temperature ferromagnetism and magnetotransport properties of the layered manganite system La1.2Ba1.8Mn2−xRuxO7 (0≤x≤1.0)

The dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements on two dimensional layered manganite La_1.2Ba_1.8Mn₂O₇ samples reveal the occurrence of ferromagnetism above room temperature with ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) transitions at 338 K. The bifurcation temperatures shown by the zero-field cooled (ZFC) and field cooled (FC) dc magnetization curves at high temperatures shift towards lower temperatures as the applied field is increased from 100 to 2500 Oe. The data are suggestive of a large magnetic anisotropy due to the strong competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions resulting in a spin-glass-like state. Ru doping is found to enhance the ferromagnetism and metallicity of the system in a remarkable way. The magnetoresistance (MR) values obtained are very high and about 40% even at 260 K for the undoped sample.     

A canonical formulation of dissipative mechanics using complex-valued hamiltonians

We show that a large class of dissipative systems can be brought to a canonical form by introducing complex co-ordinates in phase space and a complex-valued hamiltonian. A naive canonical quantization of these systems lead to non-hermitean hamiltonian operators. The excited states are unstable and decay to the ground state. We also compute the tunneling amplitude across a potential barrier by solving the dissipative version of the Schrödinger equation. We then generalize the formalism to cases where the configuration space is a curved Riemannian manifold.     

Cotunnite-Structured Titanium Dioxide and the Hardest known Oxide

Combined theoretical and experimental investigations led to the discovery of a new polymorph of titanium dioxide with titanium nine-coordinated to oxygen in the cotunnite (PbCl 2 ) structure. Hardness measurements on the cotunnite-structured TiO 2 synthesized at pressures above 60 GPa and temperatures above 1000 K reveal that this material is the hardest oxide yet discovered. Furthermore, it is one of the least compressible (with a measured bulk modulus of 431 GPa) and hardest (with a microhardness of 38 GPa) polycrystalline materials studied thus far.     

Effect of gallium, aluminium, and chromium on silica supported V-Mg-O catalysts during oxidative dehydrogenation of propane: Kinetic study

The oxidative dehydrogenation （ODH） of propane was conducted on gallium, aluminum, and chromium doped Si30VMgO catalysts. On doping, the concentrations of the phases responsible for the activity and selectivity increased in their concentrations. The reaction studies were conducted in a tubular steel reactor at temperatures of 753, 783, 813, and 843 K and atmospheric pressure. The total flow rates of the feed were chosen as 30, 40, 50, and 60 ml/min. The propane to oxygen ratios were chosen at 1 ： 1, 2 ： 1, and 3 ： 1, respectively. The effect of various dopants on the activity and selectivity of the catalysts was studied. Deactivation studies were conducted over all the catalysts. The kinetic data were analyzed in terms of power law models and Langmuir-Hinshelwood （LH） models. The kinetic data results were analyzed by comparing the effect of dopants. Statistical model discrimination was done for the proposed models. AIC and BIC criteria were used for discrimination of the models.     

Effect of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) on the thermal degradation behavior of edible oils

Alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) is the most widely used antioxidant for edible oils. The present investigation presents its effect on the thermal degradation behavior of edible oils (sunflower, soybean, and their blend) through the use of dynamic thermogravimetry. The study is based on the comparison of activation energies of decomposition process which were subsequently calculated using preferred and reliable multiple-heating rate methods viz. Kissinger, Friedman, Ozawa–Flynn–Wall, and Coats–Redfern (modified). It is concluded that the role of alpha-tocopherol as antioxidant at higher temperature is nearly accomplished.     

Synthesis of Boltorn 1,2,3‐triazole dendrimers by click chemistry

Second‐, third‐, and fourth‐generation hyperbranched aliphatic polyols namely Boltorn® H20, Boltorn H30, and Boltorn H40 were endcapped with azido and activated acetylenic groups in good to excellent yields (75–95%) following an acid catalyzed procedure. The resultant terminally functionalized dendritic azido and acetylenic groups undergo 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition using methyl (or ethyl) propiolate and benzyl azide, respectively, under catalytic or noncatalytic conditions below 40 °C to yield 1,2,3‐triazole dendrimeric polymers in 82–95% yield, under extremely mild conditions that could be applied for compounds sensitive to acid, base, or heat. The dendritic azido and activated acetylenic derivatives may act as novel scaffolds to tune the mechanical properties of different polymers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3748–3756, 2009     

Non-nucleoside building blocks for copper-assisted and copper-free click chemistry for the efficient synthesis of RNA conjugates

Novel non-nucleoside alkyne monomers compatible with oligonucleotide synthesis were designed, synthesized, and efficiently incorporated into RNA and RNA analogues during solid-phase synthesis. These modifications allowed site-specific conjugation of ligands to the RNA oligonucleotides through copper-assisted (CuAAC) and copper-free strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) reactions. The SPAAC click reactions of cyclooctyne-oligonucleotides with various classes of azido-functionalized ligands in solution phase and on solid phase were efficient and quantitative and occurred under mild reaction conditions. The SPAAC reaction provides a method for the synthesis of oligonucleotide-ligand conjugates uncontaminated with copper ions.