Development of superconducting phases in BSCCO and Ba-BSCCO by sol spray process

The effects of barium substitution for Bi or Sr sites on the growth of superconducting phases have been studied. The sol spray process has been used to synthesis the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) and Ba-BSCCO homogeneous ceramic powders. Thermogravimetric (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were employed to characterize the synthesized materials. The electrical resistance was measured by classical d.c. fourprobe technique. It has been observed that sol spray process has affected the physico-chemical properties of the materials and also avoid the use of chelating agent as in the case of sol gel process. In addition to the Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ (2212) phase Ba doped specimens also contained Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ (2223), BaBiO₃, BaCuO₂ and CuO phases. The results revealed that the specific effect of barium-doping on either sites (Bi or Sr) seems to avoid the formation of higher volume fraction of the low T _c phase and promoting the formation of BiBaO₃, BaCuO₂ and CuO along with formation of a high T _c 2223 phase. The substitution of Ba on either sites (Bi or Sr) lower the sintering temperature for the formation of high T _c (small volume fraction) however, the Ba doped specimens also contained non-superconducting phases.     

Structural Studies of [Ru(1,8-naphthyridine)<Subscript>4</Subscript>]<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and [Ru(1,5-cyclooctadiene)(1,8-naphthyridine)<Subscript>2</Subscript>]<Superscript>2+</Superscript> as their Tetraphenylborate Salts

Abstract  

The previously reported [Ru(naph)₄]²⁺ complex (naph = 1,8-naphthyridine) has been prepared by a simplified route using [RuCl₂(1,5-COD)] _x (COD = cyclooctadiene) as starting material and isolated as its tetraphenylborate salt. The salt crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with a = 13.6531(3) ?, b = 12.5389(4) ?, c = 20.0349(5) ?, β = 96.5884(15)o, V = 3407.22(16) ?, D _calc = 1.300 at 150(1) K. The dication has crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. Although the iron analogue has been found to have a coordination number of eight, the ruthenium complex is only six-coordinate, which is achieved by the presence of two monodentate and two bidentate 1,8-naphthyridine ligands. The observation of a higher coordination number for Fe(II) vs. Ru(II) can be explained by the high spin nature of the iron complex. A byproduct complex, [Ru(1,5-COD)(naph)₂][B(C₆H₅)₄]₂, could also be synthesized, isolated pure, and structurally characterized. The organometallic complex possesses an 18 electron configuration by virtue of the dicationic metal center being coordinated by the diene ligand and all four nitrogen lone pairs. This salt crystallizes in the triclinic space group \textP[`1] {\text{P}}\bar{1} with a = 12.9538(3) ?, b = 14.9485(3) ?, c = 17.4291(3) ?, α = 69.0649(11)o, β = 78.3211(9)o, γ = 78.5629(10)o, V = 3057.50(11) ?³, D _calc = 1.293 at 150(1) K.     

Targeting Akt/NF-κB/p53 Pathway and Apoptosis Inducing Potential of 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic Acid,Bis (2-Methyl Propyl) Ester Isolated from Onosma bracteata Wall. against Human Osteosarcoma (MG-63) Cells

Onosma bracteata Wall. is an important medicinal and immunity-enhancing herbs. This plant is commonly used in the preparation of traditional Ayurvedic drugs to treat numerous diseases. Inspired by the medicinal properties of this plant, the present study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative potential and the primary molecular mechanisms of the apoptotic induction against human osteosarcoma (MG-63) cells. Among all the fractions isolated from O. bracteata, ethyl acetate fraction (Obea) showed good antioxidant activity in superoxide radical scavenging assay and lipid peroxidation assay with an EC₅₀ value of 95.12 and 80.67 µg/mL, respectively. Silica gel column chromatography of ethyl acetate (Obea) fraction of O. bracteata yielded a pure compound, which was characterized by NMR, FTIR, and HR-MS analysis and was identified as 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid, bis (2-methyl propyl) ester (BDCe fraction). BDCe fraction was evaluated for the antiproliferative potential against human osteosarcoma MG-63, human neuroblastoma IMR-32, and human lung carcinoma A549 cell lines by MTT assay and exhibited GI₅₀ values of 37.53 μM, 56.05 μM, and 47.12 μM, respectively. In MG-63 cells, the BDCe fraction increased the level of ROS and simultaneously decreased the mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) potential by arresting cells at the G₀/G₁ phase, suggesting the initiation of apoptosis. Western blotting analysis revealed the upregulation of p53, caspase3, and caspase9 while the expressions of p-NF-κB, p-Akt and Bcl-xl were decreased. RT-qPCR studies also showed upregulation in the expression of p53 and caspase3 and downregulation in the expression of CDK2, Bcl-2 and Cyclin E genes. Molecular docking analysis displayed the interaction between BDCe fraction with p53 (−151.13 kcal/mol) and CDK1 (−133.96 kcal/mol). The results of the present work suggest that the BDCe fraction has chemopreventive properties against osteosarcoma (MG-63) cells through the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via Akt/NF-κB/p53 pathways. This study contributes to the understanding of the utilization of BDCe fraction in osteosarcoma treatment.     

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Euphorbia wallichii Leaf Extract: Its Antibacterial Action against Citrus Canker Causal Agent and Antioxidant Potential

Biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles are emerging as attractive alternatives to chemical pesticides due to the ease of their synthesis, safety and antimicrobial activities in lower possible concentrations. In the present study, we have synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the aqueous extract of the medicinal plant Euphorbia wallichii and tested them against the plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis, the causative agent of citrus canker, via an in vitro experiment. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the plant species were investigated for phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant potential of the extract was determined against a DPPH radical. The extract was also evaluated for phenolic compounds using the HPLC technique. The results confirmed the synthesis of centered cubic, spherical-shaped and crystalline nanoparticles by employing standard characterization techniques. A qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenolics (41.52 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (14.2 mg QE/g) and other metabolites of medicinal importance. Different concentrations (1000 µg/mL to 15.62 µg/mL—2 fold dilutions) of AgNPs and plant extract (PE) alone, and both in combination (AgNPs-PE), exhibited a differential inhibition of X. axanopodis in a high throughput antibacterial assay. Overall, AgNPs-PE was superior in terms of displaying significant antibacterial activity, followed by AgNPs alone. An appreciable antioxidant potential was recorded as well. The observed antibacterial and antioxidant potential may be attributed to eight phenolic compounds identified in the extract. The Euphorbia wallichii leaf-extract-induced synthesized AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against X. axanopodis, which could be exploited as effective alternative preparations against citrus canker in planta in a controlled environment. In addition, as a good source of phenolic compounds, the plant could be further exploited for potent antioxidants.     

Model Independent QED Corrections to the Process ep → eX

We give an exhaustive presentation of the semi-analytical approach to the model independent leptonic QED corrections to deep inelastic neutral current lepton-nucleon scattering. These corrections include photonic bremsstrahlung from and vertex corrections to the lepton current of the order φ(α) with soft photon exponentiation. A common treatment of these radiative corrections in several variables — leptonic, hadronic, mixed, Jaquet-Blondel variables — has been developed and double differential cross sections are calculated. In all sets of variables we use some structure functions, which depend on the hadronic variables and which do not have to be defined in the quark parton model. The remaining numerical integrations are twofold (for leptonic variables) or onefold (for all other variables). For the case of hadronic variables, all phase space integrals have been performed analytically. Numerical results are presented for a large kinematical range, covering fixed target as well as collider experiments at HERA or LEP⊗LHC, with a special emphasis on HERA physics.     

Reaction of the diisopropylaminochlorophosphenium cation with crotonaldehyde dimethylhydrazone and acetone azine

The phosphenium ion [(i-Pr₂N)CIP]⁺ (1) reacts with crotonaldehyde dimethylhydrazone (2) to afford a product with a C₃NP ring system (4) . The reaction of 1 with acetone azine (3) results in a novel tricyclic compound (6) which features a C₂N₂P₂ and two C₂N₂P rings. The structures of 4 and 6 were established by X-ray crystallography. Compound 4 , C₁₂H₂₆AlCl₃N₃OP, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n with Z = 4, a = 15.400(6), b = 14.442(4), c = 9.206(3) Å, and β = 93.33(3)°. Compound 6 , C₁₂H₂₂Al₂Cl₆N₄O₂P₂, crystallizes in the triclinic group P1 with Z = 1, a = 8.556(1), b = 9.782(1), c = 8.119(1) Å, α = 94.48(1), β = 104.97(1), and γ = 78.35(1)°.