Study of solar features causing GMSs with 250γ<<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis><400γ

The effect of solar features on geospheric conditions leading to geomagnetic storms (GMSs) with planetary index,A ^P ≥ 20 and the range of horizontal component of the Earth’s magnetic fieldH such that 250γ <H < 400γ has been investigated using interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), solar wind plasma (SWP) and solar geophysical data (SGD) during the period 1978–99. Statistically, it is observed that maximum number of GMSs have occurred during the maximum solar activity years of 21st and 22nd solar cycles. A peculiar result has been observed during the years 1982, 1994 when sunspot numbers (SSNs) decrease very rapidly while numbers of GMSs increase. No distinct association between yearly occurrence of disturbed days and SSNs is observed. Maximum number of disturbed days have occurred during spring and rainy seasons showing a seasonal variation of disturbed days. No significant correlation between magnitude (intensity) of GMSs and importance ofH _α , X-ray solar flares has been observed. Maximum number of GMSs is associated with solar flares of lower importance, i.e., SF during the period 1978-93.H _α , X-ray solar flares occurred within lower helio-latitudes, i.e., (0–30)°N to (0–30)°S are associated with GMSs. NoH _α , X-ray solar flares have occurred beyond 40°N or 40°S in association with GMSs. In helio-latitude range (10–40)°N to (10–40)°S, the 89.5% concentration of active prominences and disappearing filaments (APDFs) are associated with GMSs. Maximum number of GMSs are associated with solar flares. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are related with eruptive prominences, solar flares, type IV radio burst and they occur at low helio-latitude. It is observed that CMEs related GMS events are not always associated with high speed solar wind streams (HSSWSs). In many individual events, the travel time between the explosion on the Sun and maximum activity lies between 58 and 118 h causing GMSs at the Earth.     

Effect of Pressure on Fluid Damping in MEMS Torsional Resonators with Flow Ranging from Continuum to Molecular Regime

High quality factor of dynamic structures at micro and nano scale is exploited in various applications of micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and nano electro-mechanical system. The quality factor of such devices can be very high in vacuum. However, when vacuum is not desirable or not possible, the tiny structures must vibrate in air or some other gas at pressure levels that may vary from atmospheric to low vacuum. The interaction of the surrounding fluid with the vibrating structure leads to dissipation, thus bringing down the quality factor. Depending on the ambient fluid pressure or the gap between the vibrating and the fixed structure, the fluid motion can range from continuum flow to molecular flow giving a wide range of dissipation. The relevant fluid flow characteristics are determined by the Knudsen number which is the ratio of the mean free path of the gas molecule to the characteristic flow length of the device. This number is very small for continuum flow and reasonably big for molecular flow. In this paper, we study the effect of fluid pressure on the quality factor by carrying out experiments on a MEMS device that consists of a double gimbaled torsional resonator. Such devices are commonly used in optical cross-connects and switches. We only vary fluid pressure to make the Knudsen number go through the entire range of continuum flow, slip flow, transition flow, and molecular flow. We experimentally determine the quality factor of the torsional resonator at different air pressures ranging from 760 Torr to 0.001 Torr. The variation of this pressure over six orders of magnitude ensures required rarefaction to range over all flow conditions. Finally, we get the variation of quality factor with pressure. The result indicates that the quality factor, Q, follows a power law, Q ∝P ^–r , with different values of the exponent r in different flow regimes. In the second part of the paper, we propose the use of effective viscosity for considering velocity slip conditions in solving Navier–Stokes equation numerically. This concept is validated with analytical results for a simple case and then compared with the experimental results presented in this paper. The study shows that the effective viscosity concept can be used effectively even for the molecular regime if the air-gap to length ratio is sufficiently small (h ₀/L<0.01). As this ratio increases, the range of validity decreases.     

A non-catalytic approach to the synthesis of 5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]quinolines

A concise synthesis of highly functionalized 5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]quinoline-3-carbonitriles is delineated through base induced ring transformation of 4-sec-amino-2-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitriles with S-methylisothiourea sulfate and 1-carboxamidinepyrazole hydrochloride, separately, in DMF. Under analogous reaction conditions the ring transformation of 4-sec-amino-2-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitriles by formamidine acetate provided 4-sec-amino-benzo[h]quinoline-3-carbonitriles in moderate yields, while with benzamidine hydrochloride, the reaction followed the same mechanism to yield 2-phenyl-4-sec-amino-5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]quinoline-3-carbonitriles.     

An unusual synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[f]isoquinolines

A facile and short synthesis of 2-oxo-4-sec-amino-2,3,5,6-tetrahydrobenzo[f]isoquinoline-1-carbonitriles has been delineated through base catalyzed ring transformation of 5,6-dihydro-2-oxo-4-sec-amino-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitrile by cyanoacetamide in excellent yields.     

Expedient, stereocontrolled synthesis of (+)-compactin lactone via intramolecular Reformatsky reaction

A concise, stereodefined synthesis of compactin lactone is described. Samarium(II) iodide mediated intramolecular Reformatsky reaction is the key step in the synthesis.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and magnetic properties of an alkoxo-hydroxo-bridged octanuclear copper(II) complex showing chemically significant hydrogen-bonding interactions involving a metallamacrocyclic core

A novel 16-member metallamacrocyclic octanuclear copper(II) complex of formulation [Cu8L4(OH)4] (1) has been prepared from a reaction of [Cu2L(O2CMe)] and NaOH in methanol, where L is a pentadentate trianionic Schiff base ligand N,N'-(2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis(salicylaldimine). The complex has been characterized by analytical, structural, and spectral methods. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with the following unit cell dimensions: a = 30.365(3) A; b = 14.320(2) A; c = 19.019(2) A; beta = 125.33(2) degrees; V = 6746.7(13) A3; Z = 4. A total of 4589 unique data with l > 2 sigma (l) were used to refine the structure to R1(F0) = 0.0525 and wR2 = 0.1156. The structure consists of four binuclear [Cu2L]+ units linked covalently by four hydroxide ligands to form an octanuclear core which is stabilized by strong hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the hydroxide ligands. Each binuclear unit has a pentadentate ligand L showing N2O3 coordination with an endogenous alkoxide bridging atom. The magnetic susceptibility data of 1, obtained in the temperature range 14-306 K, show the presence of antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between adjacent spin-1/2 Cu(II) ions. The mu eff values are 1.54 and 0.26 microB (per copper) at 295 and 15 K, respectively. The magnetic data have been theoretically fitted using a Heisenberg spin-1/2 Hamiltonian with nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interactions. The spin coupling in the metallamacrocyclic ring has been modeled using four different coupling constants (J) on the basis of the structural parameters of the octanuclear core. The coupling constants obtained are J1 = -318.8, J2 = -293.3, J3 = -111.6, and J4 = -63.8 cm-1. The theoretical modeling of the susceptibility data gives a higher magnitude of the antiferromagnetic interaction within the binuclear [Cu2L]+ unit compared to those involving adjacent dimeric units.     

In vitro and in silico study of Aloe vera leaf extract against human breast cancer

Abstract

Aloe vera leaf contains some bioactive compounds that have a strong binding affinity toward estrogen receptor as compared to standard drug tamoxifen. In this study, we have found that the IC₅₀ of Aloe vera leaf extract against breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) is 23?µg/mL which is much lower than the IC₅₀ (332?µg/mL) of Aloe vera leaf extract against non-cancerous cell line (NIH-3T3). We have also calculated the total concentration of phenolic acid (385.662?µg/mL), flavonoids (160.402?µg/mL) and alkaloids (276.754?µg/mL) in Aloe vera leaf extract. The free radical scavenging activity of Aloe vera leaf extract is 67% to 89% (at 50 to 300?µg/ml). Our virtual molecular docking study suggests that bioactive compounds like Aloe-emodin (?8.8?Kcal/mol), 7-hydroxy-2,5 dimethylchromone (?7.5?Kcal/mol), Beta-sitosterol (?7.3?Kcal/mol) etc. have a greater binding affinity toward estrogen alpha receptor as compared to standard drug Tamoxifen (?6.4?Kcal/mol).