Unsteady MHD flow of a non-Newtonian fluid on a porous plate

This paper deals with the study of the MHD flow of non-Newtonian fluid on a porous plate. Two exact solutions for non-torsionally generated unsteady hydromagnetic flow of an electrically conducting second order incompressible fluid bounded by an infinite non-conducting porous plate subjected to a uniform suction or blowing have been analyzed. The governing partial differential equation for the flow has been established. The mathematical analysis is presented for the hydromagnetic boundary layer flow neglecting the induced magnetic field. The effect of presence of the material constants of the second order fluid on the velocity field is discussed.     

Characterization of synthesizedA-zeolite

Confirmations of the successful synthesis of a particular zeolite demand investigation of the crystals by XRD, SEM, MAS-NMR and chemical analysis. In this work, we have used the DTA exothermic lattice breakdown of theA-zeolite, which gives typical peaks at around 900–1200°C for characterization. The effects ofpH, concentration, time of crystallization and temperature were studied and it was quickly and easily possible to distinguishA-zeolite formation from others originating from the synthesis matrix under different conditions by using DTA/TG analyses. The parameters were optimized for the synthesis of the zeolite and DTA measurements yielded enough information to identify theA-zeolite; this was confirmed by XRD and SEM.     

Two methods for semi-automated quantification of changes in ventricular volume and their use in schizophrenia

Two semi-automated methods for quantification of ventricular volume change from baseline and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scans have been developed. Technique 1 employs direct segmentation of the ventricles from both the scans using thresholding and contour extraction. Technique 2 operates on difference images produced by voxel based intensity subtraction of the baseline from the registered follow-up images. Here, all voxels with intensities above a noise threshold and in a restricted area are monitored to compute volumetric changes. In phantom measurements the first technique was accurate to 0.0046%, the second to 0.167% of the phantom volume. Results from normal volunteers was that the average ventricular volume changed by 1.52% and 1.54% for images acquired within 9 months using techniques 1 and 2, respectively. With schizophrenic patients mean change of 10.78% and 9.43% were found employing the first and second procedures, respectively. All measurements agreed with a radiologist’s visual grading of the changes. Robust, objective, fast, easy-to-use, and fairly accurate procedures have been developed and validated to quantify volumetric changes.     

Two New and a Known Compound from Lawsonia inermis

A new obtusafuran derivative, lawsonicin ( 1 ), and a new naphthaquinone, lawsonadeem ( 2 ), along with a known constituent, vomifoliol ( 3 ), were isolated from the aerial parts of Lawsonia alba and characterized by chemical transformation and spectroscopic experiments, including 2D‐NMR techniques.     

The crystal and molecular structure of DI-trans-β-styrylmercury

The structure of di-trans-β-styrylmercury has been determined by single crystal X-ray methods from counter data. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbcn with unit cell dimensions a 15.413(6), b 11.161(9), c 7.668(5) Å, V 1319(1) ų, D_calc 2.049 g/cm³, and Z = 4. The crystal was solved by conventional heavy atom techniques. The crystal consists of individual molecular units with the mercury atom located on a two fold axis of symmetry. The CHgC fragment is nearly linear with an angle of 178°. The β-styryl groups are oriented so that a dihedral angle of 66.8° is formed between the planes defined by HgC(1)C(2) and HgC(1)′C(2)′ fragments. The HgC bond distance is 2.07(4) Å.     

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of some beta-carboline alkaloids

In view of the attributed medicinal properties of beta-carboline alkaloids, some new O-acyl derivatives of beta-carboline alkaloid--harmol, were prepared and tested for possible antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv.     

Co-activation of Gi and Gq proteins exerts synergistic effect on human platelet aggregation through activation of phospholipase C and Ca2+ signalling pathways

Our previous studies have shown that subthreshold concentrations of two platelet agonists exert synergistic effects on platelet aggregation. Here we studied the mechanism of synergistic interaction of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and epinephrine mediated platelet aggregation. We show that 5-HT had no or little effect on aggregation but it did potentiate the aggregation response of epinephrine. The synergistic interaction of 5-HT (1-5 microM) and epinephrine (0.5-2 microM) was inhibited by alpha2-adrenoceptor blocker (yohimbine; IC50= 0.4 microM), calcium channel blockers (verapamil and diltiazem with IC50 of 10 and 48 mM, respectively), PLC inhibitor (U73122; IC50=6 microM) and nitric oxide (NO) donor, SNAP (IC50=1.6 microM)). The data suggest that synergistic effects of platelet agonists are receptor-mediated and occur through multiple signalling pathways including the activation PLC/Ca2+ signalling cascades.     

Microbial transformation of prednisone

The microbial transformation of prednisone (17alpha,21-dihydroxy-pregna-1,4-diene-3,11,20-trione) (1) by Cunninghamella elegans afforded two metabolites, 17alpha,21-dihydroxy-5alpha-pregn-1-ene-3,11,20-trione (2) and 17alpha,20S,21-trihydroxy-5alpha-pregn-1-ene-3,11-dione (3), while the fermentation of 1 with Fusarium lini, Rhizopus stolonifer and Curvularia lunata afforded a metabolite 1,4-pregnadiene-17alpha,20S,21-triol-3,11-dione (4). Compound 3 was found to be a new metabolite. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. Compound 3 showed inhibitory activity against lipoxygenase enzyme.     

Parametric study of catalytic reforming process?

Summary A parametric study of catalytic reforming process in a pilot plant was carried out by varying the pressure, H₂/HC ratio, and space velocity. The results show that lower aromatics and higher hydrogen yields can be accomplished by increasing the space velocity in existing reformers, which will also result in better C₅⁺yield.