Diode-pumped moving-disc laser: a new configuration for high average power generation

In this paper we report a new geometry for diode laser pumping. We show that an efficient moving-disc laser can be designed which can operate at 20 kW of average power with existing diode laser technology.     

Nucleon-nucleon interaction with tensor forces in the quark compound bag model

A model forN-N interaction proposed earlier by two of us (VSB and VKG), has been extended to incorporate the tensor component of the nuclear force. Based on the quark compound bag model (QCB), the nucleon-nucleon potential has a short range repulsive core which is non-local and has a characteristic energy dependence and is expressed in terms of the parameters relating to the six-quark compound bag. To account for the low energy properties, this repulsive core interaction is supplemented by a phenomenological non-local potential containing both central (S-wave) and tensor components and operates only outside the QCB. Using this model, we analyse and compare the results with the experimental data for the electromagnetic form factors of the deuteron, theD-state observables, such as the quadrupole moment, theD-state probability, and theD/S ratio along with then-p scattering phase shifts up to about 400 MeV.     

Synthesis,X‐ray powder structure analysis and biological properties of a mononuclear Cu(II) complex of N‐2‐hydroxyhippuric acid

A mononuclear copper (II) complex of N‐2‐hydroxyhippuric acid (2HHA), [Cu(HA)(H₂O)₂], has been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and X‐ray powder diffraction studies. Crystal structure of [Cu(HA)(H₂O)₂] reveals a distorted square‐pyramidal geometry around the metal center. The crystal packing in the complex exhibits a three‐dimensional framework formed by intermolecular O? ; H···O and C? H···O hydrogen bonds. Toxicity and antitumor properties of the complex have been studied in vivo. The complex, capable of depleting glutathione (GSH) at nontoxic doses, may be utilized to sensitize drug‐resistant cells where resistance is due to an elevated level of GSH. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simultaneous occurrence of energy transfer and photoinduced electron transfer in interactions of hen egg white lysozyme with 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide

The carcinogenic drug 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO) has been found to bind with the protein hen egg white lysozyme as evident from fluorescence quenching experiments. The binding constant and stoichiometry have been determined. The values of the thermodynamic parameters indicate that the interaction is an enthalpy-driven spontaneous phenomenon. The experimental value of change in free energy is similar to that obtained from the docking study. The far UV circular dichroism spectra show some changes in the secondary structure of protein. The high value of bimolecular quenching constant leads to the possibility of Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Along with FRET, the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from tryptophan residue of protein to 4NQO has also been evident from the transient absorption spectra obtained in laser flash photolysis experiments. The simultaneous occurrence of FRET and PET is the key factor for quenching of intrinsic fluorescence of the protein as it binds with the drug.     

Engineering enzyme specificity using computational design of a defined-sequence library

Engineered biosynthetic pathways have the potential to produce high-value molecules from inexpensive feedstocks, but a key limitation is engineering enzymes with high activity and specificity for new reactions. Here, we developed a method for combining structure-based computational protein design with library-based enzyme screening, in which inter-residue correlations favored by the design are encoded into a defined-sequence library. We validated this approach by engineering a glucose 6-oxidase enzyme for use in a proposed pathway to convert D-glucose into D-glucaric acid. The most active variant, identified after only one round of diversification and screening of only 10,000 wells, is approximately 400-fold more active on glucose than is the wild-type enzyme. We anticipate that this strategy will be broadly applicable to the discovery of new enzymes for engineered biological pathways.     

Monoclinic CuO nanoflowers on resin support: recyclable catalyst to obtain perylene compound

Monoclinic CuO crystallite in grams has been obtained from resin bound Cu(II)-1,10-phenanthroline complex, R(-)[Cu(1,10-phen)(2)](2+) that becomes a recyclable catalyst for oxidative phenol coupling (OPC) reaction. Thus an exclusively intuitive blue fluorescing perylene derivative is derived from colorless 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene (2,7-DHN) in high yield.     

Fabrication of Large‐Scale Hierarchical ZnO Hollow Spheroids for Hydrophobicity and Photocatalysis

We report here the preparation of a crystalline, pure hexagonal phase of ZnO as hollow 500–800 nm spheroids in the presence of organic bases, such as pyridine, using zinc acetate as the precursor salt. The spheroids exhibit unique 3D hierarchical architectures, like cocoons, and demonstrate improved superhydrophobic (water contact angle, 150°) character due to the inherited air‐trapped capillarity within the cocoon structure. The simple synthetic strategy used in this process is modified hydrothermolysis (MHT), which represents a general approach and may contribute to the formation mechanism of the hollow nanostructures with highly improved porosity. Depending on the concentration of the precursor salt, it has been possible to cover glass plates or the inner wall of a reaction vessel with ZnO nanocrystals. A low salt concentration (<0.01 M ) allows the easy preparation of a superhydrophobic glass surface, whereas a high salt concentration (>0.01 M ) results in the precipitation of cocoons at the bottom of the reaction vessel as a solid mass together with a deposited thin film of ZnO nanocrystals covering the inner wall of the glass vessel. The thickness of the film successively grows through repetitive hydrothermolysis processes for which a low salt concentration (<0.01 M ) was employed. Because of the hollow cocoonlike morphology, the surface area of the film is greatly increased, which makes it accessible for functionalization by incoming substrates from both sides (internally and externally) and helps to drive a competent photocatalytic dye degradation pathway. The heterocyclic base pyridine exclusively develops cocoons. Thus, the mechanism of self‐aggregation of ZnO nanocrystals under MHT reaction conditions has been studied and the characterization of the compounds has been supported with physical measurements.     

Effect of nanoparticle dispersion on glass transition in thin films of polymer nanocomposites

We present spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements on thin films of polymer nanocomposites consisting of gold nanoparticles embedded in poly(styrene). The temperature dependence of thickness variation is used to estimate the glass transition temperature, T _g . In these thin films we find a significant dependence of T _g on the nature of dispersion of the embedded nanoparticles. Our work thus highlights the crucial role played by the particle polymer interface morphology in determining the glass transition in particular and thermo-mechanical properties of such nanocomposite films.