Novel sesterterpenes from Leucosceptrum canum of nepalese origin

Two novel sesterterpenoids, leucosesterterpenone (1) and leucosesterlactone (2), with novel skeleta were isolated from the hexane extract of the medicinal plant, Leucosceptrum canum. Their structures were established by the analysis of NMR data and the single-crystal X-ray diffraction of compound 1. Compounds 1 and 2 were found to exhibit activity against prolylendopeptidase (PEP).     

Design of tube power amplifiers for optimum FM transmitterperformance

Tube amplifiers are extensively used in modern high-power FM broadcast transmitters. The power amplifier bandwidth affects not only the modulation performance, but also the transmitter's immunity to RF intermodulation. The tradeoffs involved and the choice of bandwidth are discussed. The design of tube power amplifiers for optimum FM performance requires careful considerations in the selection of input-matching and output-coupling circuit topologies, due to their effects on the transmitter amplitude and group delay responses. Results of computer circuit analysis and of measured amplitude and group delay responses are compared for different circuit topologies. Modulation performance data of a typical 20 kW FM transmitter are also presented to illustrate the effects of tube power amplifier input and output circuits     

Molecular imaging by Mid-IR laser ablation mass spectrometry

Mid-IR laser ablation at atmospheric pressure (AP) produces a mixture of ions, neutrals, clusters, and particles with a size distribution extending into the nanoparticle range. Using external electric fields the ions can be extracted and sampled by a mass spectrometer. In AP infrared (IR) matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) experiments, the plume was shown to contain an appreciable proportion of ionic components that reflected the composition of the ablated target and enabled mass spectrometric analysis. The detected ion intensities rapidly declined with increasing distance of sampling from the ablated surface to ∼4 mm. This was rationalized in terms of ion recombination and the stopping of the plume expansion by the background gas. In laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI) experiments, the ablation plume was intercepted by an electrospray. The neutral particles in the plume were ionized by the charged droplets in the spray and enabled the detection of large molecules (up to 66 kDa). Maximum ion production in LAESI was observed at large (∼15 mm) spray axis to ablated surface distance indicating a radically different ion formation mechanism compared to AP IR-MALDI. The feasibility of molecular imaging by both AP IR-MALDI and LAESI was demonstrated on targets with mock patterns. Presented at the 9-th International Conference on Laser Ablation, 2007 Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain     

Revisiting Metal Sulfide Semiconductors: A Solution‐Based General Protocol for Thin Film Formation,Hall Effect Measurement,and Application Prospects

Nanostructured thin films of metal sulfides (MS) are highly desirable materials for various optoelectronic device applications. However, a general low‐temperature protocol that describes deposition of varieties of MS structures, especially in their film form is still not available in literatures. Here, a simple and highly effective general solution‐based deposition protocol for highly crystalline and well‐defined nanostructured MS thin films from ethanol on variety of conducting and non‐conducting substrates is presented. The films display remarkable electronic properties such as high carrier mobility and high conductivity. When NiS thin film deposited on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate is used as a fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO)‐free counter electrode in dye‐sensitized solar cells, it exhibits a solar‐to‐electric power conversion efficiency of 9.27 ± 0.26% with the highest conversion efficiency as high as 9.50% (vs 8.97 ± 0.07% exhibited by Pt‐electrode). In addition, the NiS film deposited on a Ti‐foil has demonstrated an outstanding catalytic activity for the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions from water.     

An Integrated LC-ESI-MSn and High Resolution LC-ESI-QTOF Approach for the Identification of Phloroglucinols from Nepalese Hypericum japonicum

Phloroglucinols are characteristic constituents of Hypericum japonicum that are claimed to exert several bioactivities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant and anti-viral ones. Phloroglucinols are unstable compounds and their synthesis is challenging; thus, isolation from natural sources is still one of the main strategies for obtaining these constituents in purified form. Assessing the presence of phloroglucinols in plant materials can be of interest for compound isolation, and LC-MS approaches afford sensitivity and specificity in this regard. In this work, we combined data from quadrupole-time of flight (QTOF) and ion trap (IT) mass spectrometers in order to assess the presence of the phloroglucinols characteristic of H. japonicum and to elucidate their MS fragmentation pathways. The identified compounds present similar structures bearing the 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene core with different substitutions, which, in constituents at higher MW, is linked to 3′,3′-dimethyl-6′-oxo-phlorisobutyrophenone by a methylene bridge. Differences in MS² spectra of the considered phloroglucinols are useful for compound identification and differentiation, and to perform dereplication studies. Overall, the proposed approach could be useful for the analysis of phloroglucinols in H. japonicum and other plant species.     

Modeling the protein-nucleic acid base interactions through hydrogen-bonded complexes of N-heterocyclic analogs of Indene with amino acid side-chain mimics

A series of hydrogen-bonded complexes between N-heterocyclic analogs of Indene and amino acid side-chain mimics have been analyzed employing second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation (MP2) theory and density functional theory with dispersion function (DFT-D) calculations with the aim of gaining greater insight in to the nature of intermolecular interactions in these systems. In this study, the hydrogen bonding ability of N-heterocyclic analogs of Indene towards amino acid side-chain mimics follows the sequence Azaindazole (AIND) > Indazole (IND) > Azaindole (AIN) > Indole (IN) whereas the hydrogen bonding ability of amino acid side-chain mimics towards N-heterocyclic analogs of Indene follows the sequence AcOH > MeNH₂ > MeOH > MeSH. Bader’s theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) and natural bond orbitals (NBO) analyses are employed to elucidate the interaction characteristics in the complexes under study. The purpose of conducting these studies is to measure the relative strength of hydrogen bonding interactions such as N-H···O=C, N-H···O, N-H···S, N-H···N, and O-H···N in these complexes and their role in providing stability to the complexes. The AIM theory shows good correlation of the electron density and its Laplacian at the bond critical points (BCP) with the computed stabilization energy for all the complexes under study.

     

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) study on nonionic fluorinated micelles in aqueous system

We have investigated the self-organization structures of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamide ethoxylate, C(8)F(17)SO(2)N(C(3)H(7))(CH(2)CH(2)O)(10)H, a nonionic fluorinated surfactant in aqueous system by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. Structural modulation of the nonionic fluorinated micelle induced by temperature change, surfactant concentration, and the added fluorinated oils have been systematically studied. The SAXS data were analyzed by the indirect Fourier transformation (IFT), and the generalized indirect Fourier transformation (GIFT) depending on the volume fraction of the surfactant. Various plausible classical model calculations have been performed to confirm the consistency of the GIFT analysis of the SAXS data. Upon successive increase in temperature, the cylindrical micelles formed at lower temperatures undergo a continuous one-dimensional growth and ultimately near the cloud point an indication of flat planar like structural pattern is observed. The evolution in structure of particle near the demixing temperature may be due to onset of attractive interactions. The shape and size of the micelle is apparently unaffected by changing the surfactant concentration from 1 to 5 wt% at 25 degrees C. Nevertheless, addition of small amount of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) oil, of structure F(CF(2)CF(2)CF(2)O)(n)CF(2)CF(2)COOH (n approximately 21) modulate the micellar shape and size. Long cylindrical micelles eventually transform into globular like particles. The onset cylinder-to-sphere transition in the structure of micelles in the surfactant/water/oil system is probably due to amphiphilic nature of the oil, which tends to increase the spontaneous curvature. The lipophilic part of the oil tends to reside in the micellar core, whereas, the hydrophilic part goes close to the polar head group of the surfactant so that effective cross-sectional area per surfactant molecules increases and as a result spherical micelles tend to form. Perfluorodecalin (PFD) also decreases size of the micelles but its effect is poor compared to the PFPE oil.     

Photovoltaics literature survey (No. 108)

In order to help keep readers up to date in the field, each issue of Progress in Photovoltaics will contain a list of recently published journal articles most relevant to its aims and scope. This list is drawn from an extremely wide range of journals, including IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Journal of Applied Physics, Applied Physics Letters, Progress in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. To assist the reader, the list is separated into broad categories, but please note that these classifications are by no means strict. Also note that inclusion in the list is not an endorsement of a paper's quality. If you have any suggestions, please email Santosh Shrestha at s.shrestha@unsw.edu.au .     

Photovoltaics literature survey (No. 110)

In order to help keep readers up‐to‐date in the field each issue of Progress in Photovoltaics will contain a list of recently published journal articles most relevant to its aims and scope. This list is drawn from an extremely wide range of journals, including IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Journal of Applied Physics, Applied Physics Letters, Progress in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. To assist the reader, the list is separated into broad categories, but please note that these classifications are by no means strict. Also note that inclusion in the list is not an endorsement of a paper's quality. If you have any suggestions please email Santosh Shrestha at s.shrestha@unsw.edu.au .