Utilization of Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation method for studying attenuation of photons in normal and heavy concretes at high energy values

The mass attenuation coefficients, μ/ρ, the linear attenuation coefficients, μ and the mean free path, MFP of normal and heavy concretes; ordinary, hematite-serpentine, ilmenite-limonite, basalt-magnetite, ilmenite, steel-scrap and steel-magnetite have been investigated using Geant4 Monte Carlo method at photon energies 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 MeV. The mass attenuation coefficients, the linear attenuation coefficient and the mean free path for the concretes were found dependent upon chemical compositions, density and the photon energy. The linear attenuation coefficient values for the selected concretes increase with the density and decrease with the energy. The mean free path thickness for the all the concretes decrease with increase in iron content and increase with increase the photon energy. The Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation method results have been compared with experimental and theoretical XCOM data, and showed a very good agreement. Our investigation validates the utilization of the Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation method for high energy photon interactions.     

Evaluation of settled floor dust for the presence of microbial metabolites and volatile anthropogenic chemicals in indoor environments by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS methods

This study reports on detection of a large number of biological and anthropogenic pollutants using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS technologies in settled floor dust (SFD). The latter technique was applied to obtain a general picture on the presence of microbial as well as non-microbial volatile organic compounds, whereas the targeted LC-MS/MS analysis focused on identification of species specific secondary metabolites. In the absence of moisture monitoring data the relevance of finding of stachybotrylactam and other metabolites of tertiary colonizers are confined only to accidental direct exposure to SFD. To the best of our knowledge 30 of the 71 identified volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are newly reported in SFD matrix. Coordinated application of “AMDIS and Spectconnect” was found beneficial for the evaluation and identification of prime volatile pollutants in complex environmental samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) of peak areas of 18 microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) resulted in identification of nonanal as potential MVOC marker. Two more volatiles toluene and 1-tetradecanol though had discriminative influence, are not regarded as MVOC markers, considering their probable alternate origin from paints and cosmetics, respectively.     

Equality of bulk wave functions and edge correlations in some topological superconductors: a spacetime derivation

For certain systems, the N-particle ground-state wave functions of the bulk happen to be exactly equal to the N-point spacetime correlation functions at the edge, in the infrared limit. We show why this had to be so for a class of topological superconductors, beginning with the p+ip state in D=2+1. Varying the chemical potential as a function of Euclidean time between weak and strong pairing states is shown to extract the wave function. Then a Euclidean rotation that exchanges time and space and approximate Lorentz invariance lead to the edge connection. This framework readily generalizes to other dimensions. We illustrate it with a D=3+1 example, superfluid 3He- B, and a p-wave superfluid in D=1+1. Our method works only when the particle number is not conserved, as in superconductors.     

Majorana modes at the ends of superconductor vortices in doped topological insulators

Recent experiments have observed bulk superconductivity in doped topological insulators. Here we ask whether vortex Majorana zero modes, previously predicted to occur when s-wave superconductivity is induced on the surface of topological insulators, survive in these doped systems with metallic normal states. Assuming inversion symmetry, we find that they do but only below a critical doping. The critical doping is tied to a topological phase transition of the vortex line, at which it supports gapless excitations along its length. The critical point depends only on the vortex orientation and a suitably defined SU(2) Berry phase of the normal state Fermi surface. By calculating this phase for available band structures we determine that superconducting p-doped Bi(2)Te(3), among others, supports vortex end Majorana modes. Surprisingly, superconductors derived from topologically trivial band structures can support Majorana modes too.     

Bio-based bisfuran: synthesis,crystal structure,and low molecular weight amorphous polyester

Discovery of renewable monomer feedstocks for fabrication of polymeric demand is critical in achieving sustainable materials. In the present work we have synthesized bisfuran diol (BFD) monomer from furfural, over four steps. BFD was examined via X-ray crystallography to understand the molecular arrangement in space, hydrogen bonding, and packing of the molecules. These data were further used to compare BFD with structurally related bisphenol A (BPA), and its known derivatives to predict the potential estrogenic or anti-estrogenic activities in BFD. Further, BFD was reacted with succinic acid to generate polyester material, bisfuran polyester (BFPE-1). MALDI characterization of BFPE-1 indicates low molecular weight polyester and thermal analysis reveals amorphous nature of the material.     

Keggin type heteropolyacids-catalyzed synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives in water

Keggin type heteropolyacids was found to be an efficient and reusable catalyst for the synthesis of biologically active quinoxaline derivatives from the condensation of 1,2-diamine with 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds in excellent yields in water.This method provides a new and efficient protocol in terms of small quantity of catalyst,a wide scope of substrates,and simple work-up procedure.     

A convenient synthesis of methyl 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(substituted phenyl) butanoates from malic acid

A synthesis of methyl 2-hydroxy-4-oxo-4-(substituted phenyl)butanoates has been accomplished using Friedel-Crafts acylation of substituted benzenes with 2-acetoxybutanoyl chloride.The key feature of this strategy is that various 4-arylbutanoates can be obtained conveniently,which are important intermediates for the synthesis of biologically active compounds including ACE inhibitors.     

PEG-SO_3H as catalyst for the Beckmann rearrangement and dehydration of oximes

Under mild conditions, conversion of a variety of ketoximes and aldoximes to their corresponding amides and nitriles proceeded in the presence of PEG-SO3H with high yields.