X-ray emission from clusters of galaxies and cosmological parameters

Clusters of galaxies are excellent probes of cosmic structure and evolution. X-ray studies of clusters provide some of their key parameters, viz., temperature of the hot intra-cluster gas, its metallicity, X-ray luminosity and surface brightness giving mass distribution and mass-flow rate in the case of cooling flows. X-ray measurements for a large sample of clusters have lead to estimates of the total gravitating mass in them, which can be compared to the virial masses derived from dynamical considerations and gravitational lensing in some of them. X-ray derived total masses are consistent with masses obtained from the other methods after the effects due to the presence of cooling flows are taken into account in the analyses. Estimated virial masses, lack of evolution in X-ray properties, and detection of several very hot clusters at high redshifts indicate a Universe with a low value (≤ 0.3) for the Ω parameter.     

Biogenetic-type synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4,4,7-trimethyl-1(4H)-naphthalenone, a modified apocarotenoid from Ipomoea pes-caprae

A biogenetic-type synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4,4,7-trimethyl-1(4H)-naphthalenone (1), a modified apocarotenoid isolated from Ipomoeapes-caprae (Linn.) R. Br. showing anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis in vitro, is described. A biogenetic proposal for the natural occurrence of 1 is also presented.     

Exotic decay in cerium isotopes

Half life for the emission of exotic clusters like ⁸Be, ¹²C, ¹⁶O, ²⁰Ne, ²⁴Mg and ²⁸Si are computed taking Coulomb and proximity potentials as interacting barrier and many of these are found well within the present upper limit of measurement. These results lie very close to those values reported by Shanmugam et al using their cubic plus Yukawa plus exponential model (CYEM). It is found that ¹²C and ¹⁶O emissions from ¹¹⁶Ce and ¹⁶O from ¹¹⁸Ce are most favorable for measurement (T _1/2<10¹⁰ s). Lowest half life time for ¹⁶O emission from ¹¹⁶Ce stress the role of doubly magic ¹⁰⁰Sn daughter in exotic decay. Geiger-Nuttall plots were studied for different clusters and are found to be linear. Inclusion of proximity potential will not produce much deviation to linear nature of Geiger-Nuttall plots. It is observed that neutron excess in the parent nuclei slow down the exotic decay process. These findings support the earlier observations of Gupta and collaborators using their preformed cluster model (PCM).     

Enantiomeric and diastereomeric high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of cyclic beta-substituted alpha-amino acids on a copper(II)-D-penicillamine chiral stationary phase

High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) separation of stereoisomeric cyclic beta-substituted alpha-quaternary alpha-amino acids was performed by ligand-exchange on a copper(II)-D-penicillamine chiral stationary phase. The investigated amino acids are the 1-amino-2-methylcyclohexanecarboxylic acids, the 1-amino-2-hydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acids, the 1-amino-2-methylcyclopentanecarboxylic acids and the trans-configured 1,2-diaminocyclohexanecarboxylic acids. The effects of the mobile phase composition (copper(II) concentration, type and content of organic modifier, pH) and the temperature on the enantio- and diastereoselectivity were studied and the conditions were optimised to resolve the four stereoisomers of each of the said amino acids in single chromatographic runs. A reversal of the elution order occurred for enantiomers of some of the amino acids in dependence on the acetonitrile content of the eluent. This phenomenon is explained by at least two different copper(II) complexes of the tridentate ligand penicillamine.     

Preparation and characterization of MgB2 superconductor

The MgB₂ superconductor, synthesized using solid-state and liquid-phase sintering methods, have been characterized for various properties. The upper critical field, irreversibility line and critical current density have been determined using magnetization data. The current-voltage characteristics recorded under an applied magnetic field revealed the existence of vortex glass transition. The surface analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that MgB₂ is sensitive to atmospheric degradation.