Carbide precipitates in solution-quenched PH13-8 Mo stainless steel: A small-angle neutron scattering investigation

This paper deals with the small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigation on solution-quenched PH13-8 Mo stainless steel. From the nature of the variation of the functionality of the profiles for varying specimen thickness and also from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it has been established that the small-angle scattering signal predominantly originates from the block-like metallic carbide precipitates in the specimen. The contribution due to double Bragg reflection is not significant in the present case. The single scattering profile has been extracted from the experimental profiles corresponding to different values of specimen thickness. In order to avoid complexity and non-uniqueness of the multi-parameter minimization for randomly oriented polydisperse block-like precipitate model, the data have been analyzed assuming randomly oriented polydisperse cylindrical particle model with a locked aspect ratio.     

Determination of ethyl glucuronide in urine using reversed-phase HPLC and pulsed electrochemical detection (Part II)

A direct, versatile method for the determination of ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a biomarker of ethanol consumption, in urine has been developed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography with pulsed electrochemical detection (PED). EtG and methyl glucuronide (MetG), which serves as an internal standard, are readily separated using a mobile phase consisting of 1% acetic acid/acetonitrile (98/2, v/v). Post-column addition of NaOH allows for the detection of all glucuronides using PED at a gold working electrode. Upon optimization, EtG was found to have a limit of detection of 0.03 μg/mL (7 pmol; 50 μL injection volume) and repeatability at the limit of quantitation of 1.7%R.S.D. (relative standard deviation). Solid-phase extraction (SPE) using an aminopropyl phase was used to remove interferents in urine samples prior to their analysis. Compound recovery following SPE was approximately 50 ± 2%. The forensic utility of this method was further validated by the analysis of 29 post-mortem urine specimens, whose results agreed strongly with certified determinations.     

Isomeric ruthenium terpyridine complexes [Ru(trpy)(L)Cl]n+ containing the unsymmetrically bidentate acceptor L=3-amino-6-(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine. Synthesis, structures, electrochemistry, spectroscopy and DFT calculations

The isomeric title complexes were obtained in almost equimolar ratio from the reaction of Ru(trpy)Cl3 and L. Crystal structure analyses of the perchlorate hemihydrates, electrochemical and spectroscopic (NMR, UV/VIS, EPR) studies, supported by DFT calculations, reveal distinct differences between the isomeric redox series [1]n+(tetrazine-Nt trans to Cl) and [2]n+(pyrazolyl-Np trans to Cl; n= 0, 1, 2). The latter system with the pi acceptors trpy and tetrazine in the equatorial plane and the pyrazolyl and chloride donors in the axial positions exhibits facilitated oxidation, lower energy MLCT transitions, more balanced chelate coordination, and a higher g anisotropy in the oxidised (RuIII) state. According to partially resolved EPR spectra of one-electron reduced neutral compounds and they have the unpaired electron predominantly in the tetrazine ring of L.     

Total synchronous fluorescence scan spectra of petroleum products

Extending the two-dimensional synchronous fluorescence scan to a three-dimensional total synchronous fluorescence scan (TSFS) spectral measurement gives the total synchronous fluorescence characteristics of a multifluorophoric sample at various possible wavelength intervals (Deltalambda), which could help to characterize multifluorophoric systems better. TSFS spectra of petroleum products such as diesel, kerosene, petrol, engine oil etc., available in the Indian market, are reported. Fluorescence in these samples is due to the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of various ring sizes. The TSFS contour plot profiles of the neat samples measured at right-angle geometry is a result of various energy-degrading photophysical processes such as inner filter effect, light attenuation, resonance energy transfer, collisional quenching etc. TSFS plots make it easy to obtain the optimized Deltalambda of an unknown sample of analytical interest. TSFS and the excitation-emission matrix (EEM) techniques are similar, but the contour profiles generated are different. The response of the TSFS contour profiles to dilution is different from that in the EEM contour profiles. Thus, TSFS can provide an alternative way of presenting the fluorescence response of concentrated multifluorophoric samples.     

Intramolecular nitrone cycloaddition reaction on carbohydrate-based precursors: application in the synthesis of spironucleosides and spirobisnucleosides

A simple synthesis of chiral spironucleosides and spirobisnucleosides is described. Intramolecular 1,3-dipolar nitrone cycloaddition reaction of d-glucose-derived precursors having olefin at C-3 and nitrone at C-5, C-1, or C-2 (in nor-series) furnished bisisoxazolidinospirocycles 4-7, 11, and 12 in good yields. Reductive ring opening of the isoxazolidine moieties in 4-6 followed by construction of a nucleoside base upon the generated amino groups smoothly yielded spirobisnucleosides 17 and 18 and spironucleosides 20 and 21.     

Pose scoring by NMR

Recently, we have developed a fast approach to calculate NMR chemical shifts using the divide and conquer method at the semiempirical level. To demonstrate the utility of this approach for characterizing protein-ligand interactions, we used the deviation of calculated chemical shift perturbations from experiment to determine the orientation of a ligand (GPI-1046) in the binding pocket of the FK506 binding protein (FKBP12). Moreover, we were able to select the native state of the ligand from a collection of decoy poses. A key hydrogen bond between O1 and HN in Ile56 was also identified. Our results suggest that ligand-induced chemical shift perturbations can be used to refine protein/ligand structures.     

Luminescence of Ce3+ in Y2SiO5 nanocrystals: Role of crystal structure and crystal size

Here, we report the role of crystal structure and crystal size on the photoluminescence properties of Ce3+ ions in Y2SiO5 nanocrystals. The emission at 430 nm (5d1 --> 4f1) and lifetime of the excited state of Ce3+ ion doped Y2SiO5 nanocrystals are found to be sensitive to the crystal structure, crystal size, and dopant concentration. It is found that the overall lifetime tau of 0.5 mol % Ce doped Y2SiO5 nanocrystals are 8.78 and 3.45 ns for 1000 and 1100 degrees C heat-treated samples with the same crystal structure (X1-Y2SiO5 phase), respectively. However, a significant increase in the overall lifetime (35.21 ns) is observed for the 1300 degrees C annealed 0.5 mol % Ce doped Y2SiO5 sample having a different crystal structure (X2-Y2SiO5 phase). We found that the decay kinetic is biexponential. It is explained that the fast component arises due to sequential hole-electron capture on the luminescent ions and the slow component arises from isolated ions. Our analysis suggests that modifications of radiative and nonraditive relaxation mechanisms are due to local symmetry structure of the host lattice and crystal size, respectively.     

Liquid chromatographic separation of derivatives of diospyrin, a bioactive bisnaphthoquinonoid plant-product, and analogous naphthyl compounds

Isocratic reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) method was developed using acetonitrile and water for the determination of diospyrin, a pharmacologically important bisnaphthoquinonoid plant-product. The method was validated for precision, accuracy and reproducibility, and was found to be linear over the concentration range of 1-1000 microg/ml; the limits of detection and quantitation were 8 and 20 ng, respectively. The technique was used to determine the amount of diospyrin in plant extracts from four climatic regions in India. It was also applied for differentiation and separation of 27 naphthyl compounds. While a composition of 50:50 was preferable for dimeric compounds, the composition 40:60 was a better choice for the monomers. Also, the isomeric alpha- and beta-naphthols and their dimers could be distinguished by conversion into the respective methyl ethers.