Selective solvation of Ag(I) iodate in methanol-dimethyl sulphoxide mixtures

The selective solvation of silver(I) iodate was studied in methanoldimethyl sulohoxide mixtures at 30° C by solubility and EMF measurements. The solubility of the salt increases continuously with the addition of dimethyl sulphoxide after a slight decrease into X_DMSO =0.1. The Gibbs energy of transfer of silver cation (determined on the basis of ferrocene reference method) decreases continuously while that of the iodate ion increases with the addition of dimethyl sulphoxide. The solvent transport number passes through a maximum (Δ = 2.0) around X_DMSO = 0.5. These results were interpreted as arising due to a heteroselective solvation of the salt, the silver ions being preferentially solvated by dimethyl sulphoxide and the iodate ion by methanol in these mixtures.     

Skin Cancer Awareness Among 1 271 Black Africans in South Africa

Little is known about levels of awareness and perceptions of skin cancer among Africans living in Africa. This study assessed skin cancer awareness among 1271 deeply pigmented South Africans. Participants (n = 642 males vs n = 629 females) were aware of skin cancer (79%) with more females than males being aware of skin cancer (P = 0.02). Majority of all participants had never checked their skin for signs or symptoms of skin cancer (90%). Palms of hands and soles of feet were the least recognized anatomic sites for skin cancer development, despite these sites being the common sites for acral lentiginous melanoma in individuals with deeply pigmented skin. Results suggest a need for targeted skin cancer awareness among population groups with dark skin on identification, screening, and early detection, professional training for healthcare personnel and content on skin cancer in deeply pigmented skin in medical curricula.     

Synthesis and surface chemistry of nano silver particles

In this report, we present a simple wet chemical route to synthesize nano-sized silver particles, and their surface properties are discussed in detail. Silver nano particles of the size 40–80 nm are formed in the process of oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid by amine in the presence of silver nitrate, and the gluconic acid caps the nano silver particle. The presence of gluconic acid on the surface of nano silver particles was confirmed by XPS and FTIR studies. As the nano silver particle is encapsulated by gluconic acid, there was no surface oxidation, as confirmed by XPS studies. The nano silver particles have also been studied for their formation, structure, morphology and size using UV–Visible spectroscopy, XRD and SEM. Further, the antibacterial properties of these nano particles show promising results for E. Coli. The influence of the alkaline medium towards the particle size and yield was also studied by measuring the pH of the reaction for DEA, NaOH and Na₂CO₃.     

Virtual high throughput screening in new lead identification

Drug discovery continues to be one of the greatest contemporary challenges and rational application of modelling approaches is the first important step to obtain lead compounds, which can be optimised further. Virtual high throughput screening (VHTS) is one of the efficient approaches to obtain lead structures for a given target. Strategic application of different screening filters like pharmacophore mapping, shape-based, ligand-based, molecular similarity etc., in combination with other drug design protocols provide invaluable insights in lead identification and optimization. Screening of large databases using these computational methods provides potential lead compounds, thus triggering a meaningful interplay between computations and experiments. In this review, we present a critical account on the relevance of molecular modelling approaches in general, lead optimization and virtual screening methods in particular for new lead identification. The importance of developing reliable scoring functions for non-bonded interactions has been highlighted, as it is an extremely important measure for the reliability of scoring function. The lead optimization and new lead design has also been illustrated with examples. The importance of employing a combination of general and target specific screening protocols has also been highlighted.     

Tracking interacting dark states through higher order absorption resonances

A three photon resonance arising due to coherent population trapped (CPT) states in multi-level systems, is experimentally shown to be a powerful spectral marker to detect interacting CPT states. In systems showing N type or double Λ type level configurations, these absorption resonances can be used to identify spectral positions of maximal interactions between competing CPT ground states. The contrast of the absorption resonance serves to identify even partially destructive interactions between the CPT states, eliminating the need for strong resonant changes of ground state coherence for identification. We demonstrate this effect in a room temperature, gaseous collection of ⁸⁷Rb. atoms. Three laser fields interact with a double Λ configuration in the Zeeman degenerate levels of the ground state 5S_1/2S_{1/2}, F = 1 and those of the excited states 5P_3/2P_{3/2}, F = 0,1, around the D2 line. The three-photon resonance is studied in the counter-propagating third field when the other two co-propagating fields satisfy the two-photon resonance condition necessary for creation of CPT states. We envisage that this absorption feature in the third field, can become a veritable tool to quantify degradation of CPT induced effects in engineered quantum states using multi-level systems.     

Glutathione as green corrosion inhibitor for 6061Al-SiC(p) composite in HCl medium: electrochemical and theoretical investigation

This research deals with the inhibition activity of glutathione in 0.5 M HCl on the corrosion behavior of 6061Al-SiC_(p) composite. Glutathione is an eco-friendly water-soluble inhibitor. Polarization results reveal the cathodic inhibitor behavior of glutathione (Gt). The inhibition performance of Gt increases by increasing its concentration and lowering the medium temperature. The decrease in the corrosion current density and increase in inhibition efficiency on increasing Gt concentration reveal the attenuation of composite corrosion. Experimental results indicate the mixed adsorption with predominantly physisorption of Gt molecules adsorption on the composite surface following Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The impedance measurements indicate the rise in polarization resistance with an increase in Gt concentration, showing the control of composite corrosion. The surface analysis of the corroded and inhibited composite samples using a scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope supports Gt molecules’ adsorption. The quantum chemical calculations confirm the conclusions of the experimental studies.

     

Synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using chitosan and starch templates

Natural polymers like chitosan and starch have been employed as templates for the preparation of iron oxide nanoparticles. The templates offer selective binding sites for Fe(II) under aqueous conditions. Controlled drying and subsequent removal of the template backbone enables the synthesis of spatially separated iron oxide nanoparticles. The crystalline character of the iron oxide and near narrow particle size distribution pattern have been confirmed through powder XRD, Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, and TEM measurements. The crystallite sizes of the particles were found to be 26–35 nm irrespective of the nature of the template.     

Biochemical evidence for the tyrosine involvement in cationic intermediate stabilization in mouse β-carotene 15, 15'-monooxygenase

Background  

β-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCMO1) catalyzes the crucial first step in vitamin A biosynthesis in animals. We wished to explore the possibility that a carbocation intermediate is formed during the cleavage reaction of BCMO1, as is seen for many isoprenoid biosynthesis enzymes, and to determine which residues in the substrate binding cleft are necessary for catalytic and substrate binding activity. To test this hypothesis, we replaced substrate cleft aromatic and acidic residues by site-directed mutagenesis. Enzymatic activity was measured in vitro using His-tag purified proteins and in vivo in a β-carotene-accumulating E. coli system.     

Preferential solvation of silver(I) acetate in water,methanol and their mixtures with dimethyl sulfoxide

The solvent transport number, , of dimethyl sulfoxide andGibbs solvation energies of silver acetate in the binary solvent systems, water—DMSO and methanol—DMSO, were determined by employingEMF and solubility measurements. While the transfer free energy of the salt increases from water to water—DMSO mixtures (up toX _DMSO =0.7) and then decreases, it continuously decreases from methanol to methanol—DMSO mixtures. In both mixed solvents, G° _t(Ag+) decreases down to pureDMSO and that of acetate ion increases with increasing composition ofDMSO indicating that silver ion is preferentially solvated byDMSO and acetate ion by water or methanol in these mixtures. The solvent transport numbers, , ofDMSO are positive throughout, passing through a maximum atX _DMSO =0.45 (=1.0) in the case of water—DMSO mixtures and atX _DMSO =0.25 (=1.8) in methanol—DMSO mixtures. This observation is shown to be in accord with the conclusions arrived at from the transfer energy data of the salt in the two mixtures.

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Bevorzugte Solvatation von Silber(I) acetat in Wasser, Methanol und deren Mischungen mit Dimethylsulfoxid

Zusammenfassung Es wurde die Lösungsmitteltransportzahl () von Dimethylsulfoxid und dieGibbssche Solvatationsenergie von Silberacetat in den binären Lösungsmittelsystemen Wasser—DMSO und Methanol—DMSO mittelsEMK- und Löslichkeitsmessungen ermittelt. Während die freie Energie des Transfers des Salzes beim Übergang von Wasser zu Wasser—DMSO-Mischungen zunächst ansteigt (bisX _DMSO =0,7) und dann abfällt, ist für das System Methanol bzw. Methanol—DMSO ein kontinuierlicher Anstieg feststellbar. In beiden Mischsystemen fällt G°t(Ag⁺) bis zu reinemDMSO, der entsprechende Wert für Acetat steigt bei großeren Anteilen vonDMSO an. Das zeigt, daß das Silber(I)ion bevorzugt vonDMSO solvatisiert wird, Acetat von der jeweils anderen Komponente (Wasser bzw. Methanol). Die Lösungsmitteltransportzahl fürDMSO ist stets positiv mit Maxima beiX _DMSO =0,45 (=1,0) für Wasser—DMSO undX _DMSO =0,25 (=1,8) für Methanol—DMSO. Diese Beobachtung steht im Einklang mit Rückschlüssen, die aus den Transferenergiedaten des Salzes in den zwei untersuchten Systemen getroffen werden können.