Potassium intercalation of carbon onions ‘opened’ by carbon dioxide treatment

The potassium intercalation of onion-like carbon (OLC) samples consisting of aggregates of carbon onions is studied with photoemission spectroscopy. OLC samples were initially prepared by annealing nanodiamonds (3-20 nm in diameter) at 1800 K in vacuum. The resulting OLC consists of closed fullerene-like shells. The ‘closed’ OLC was subsequently treated with carbon dioxide at 1020 K in order to open the carbon shells by partial oxidation to create ‘opened’ OLC. Core level and valence band photoelectron spectroscopy have been employed in characterizing the changes in electronic structure of the samples. Upon intercalation of the closed OLC with K the C1s core level and valence band features shift to higher binding energies and the density of states at the Fermi level increases, while this effect is significantly smaller for intercalated opened OLC. These results indicate that opening the shells of carbon onions allows potassium to penetrate inside the particles and thus opens up a possible route to fill carbon onions with desired substances and their application as nanocapsules.     

1-Hexene Isomerization Over Nano-crystalline Zeolite Beta: Effects of Metal and Carrier Gases on Catalytic Performance

Zeolite Beta crystals in nanometer size (about 44 nm) were hydrothermally synthesized and its catalytic activities with and without Pt impregnation were studied for 1-hexene isomerization in presence of different carrier gases, namely, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide and also in the absence of carrier gas at reaction temperatures of 473–573 K and 0.1 MPa. General observation for all the cases was that with reaction temperature, hexene conversion increased, however, total isomer selectivity dropped. With temperature skeletal isomerization increased at the cost of double bond shift isomerization. Observed product distribution has been explained on the basis of zeolite structure and crystal size. Catalyst performed better in nitrogen than in hydrogen or carbon dioxide as carrier gas. Nevertheless, catalyst life was shorter with nitrogen as carrier gas than that with hydrogen.     

A spectral finite element for axial-flexural-shear coupled wave propagation analysis in lengthwise graded beam

A new spectral element (SE) is formulated to analyse wave propagation in anisotropic inhomogeneous beam. The inhomogeneity is considered in the longitudinal direction. Due to this particular pattern of inhomogeneity, the governing partial differential equations (PDEs) have variable coefficients and an exact solution for arbitrary variation of material properties, even in frequency domain, is not possible to obtain. However, it is shown in this work that for exponential variation of material properties, the equations can be solved exactly in frequency domain, when the same parameter governs the variation of elastic moduli and density. The SE is formed using this exact solution as interpolating polynomial. As a result a single element can replace hundreds of finite elements (FEs), which are essential for all wave propagation analysis and also for accurate representation of the inhomogeneity. The developed element is used for eliciting several advantages of the gradation, including mode selection, mode blockage and smoothening of stress waves.     

Vitiligo, psoralen, and melanogenesis: some observations and understanding

Since the etiology of vitiligo is still unknown, we searched for some abnormal biochemical parameters, if any, in subjects with vitiligo. Higher urinary excretion of indole metabolites in vitiliginous patients have been noted, in association with higher dioxygenase, superoxide dismutase, and tyrosine aminotransferase activity in their serum. Similar results have also been found in an animal model, Bufo melanostictus, during induced tyrosinase inhibition. Treatment with psoralen can reverse the parameters, except tyrosine aminotransferase, to a normal level. Although psoralens are not the magic bullet for the therapy of vitiligo, they are still being used as a chemotherapeutic agent against vitiligo on a major scale to date. Tryptophan was found to participate in the pathway of melanogenesis, as a precursor as well as a positive regulator of tyrosinase. Its behavior in this regard is much more similar to the conventional substrates tyrosine and dopa (dihydroxyphenylalanine). In consideration of combined participation of tyrosine and tryptophan in the synthesis of melanin and its breakdown, the possible influence of different enzymatic reactions, like mono-oxygenase, dioxygenase, and deamination, has been suggested.     

Detection of cross-reactive antigens shared by Fusarium oxysporum and Glycine max by indirect ELISA and their cellular location in root tissues

Pathogenicity test of Fusarium oxysporum on ten cultivars of soybean revealed Soymax and Punjab-1 to be most resistant while JS-2 and UPSM-19 were most susceptible. Antigens were prepared from the roots of all the ten varieties of soybean and the mycelium of F. oxysporum. Polyclonal antisera were raised against the mycelial suspension of F. oxysporum and the root antigen of the susceptible cultivar UPSM-19. Cross reactive antigens shared by the host and the pathogen were detected first by immunodiffusion. The immunoglobulin fraction of the antiserum was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography. The immunoglobulin fractions were used for detection of cross-reactive antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, antigens of susceptible cultivars showed higher absorbance values when tested against the purified anti-F. oxysporum antiserum. Antiserum produced against UPSM-19 showed cross-reactivity with the antigens of other cultivars. Indirect staining of antibodies using fluorescein isothiocyanate indicated that in cross-sections of roots of susceptible cultivar (UPSM-19) cross-reactive antigens were concentrated around xylem elements, endodermis and epidermal cells, while in the resistant variety, fluorescence was concentrated mainly around epidermal cells and distributed in the cortical tissues. CRAs were also present in microconidia, macroconidia and chlamydospores of the fungus.     

Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against listeriolysin: mapping of epitopes involved in pore formation

Six different mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and a specific rabbit polygonal antibody were raised against listeriolysin. Four of the MAbs also recognized seeligeriolysin, and five cross-reacted with ivanolysin. The hemolytic activity could be neutralized by the polygonal antibody as well as by five of the MAbs. None of the neutralizing antibodies interfered with the binding of listeriolysin to the cellular membrane. The epitopes recognized by the MAbs were localized by using overlapping synthetic peptides between positions 59 and 279, a region hitherto not implicated in mediating hemolytic activity.     

Flexibility improvement of epoxy resin by chemical modification

Epoxy resin was chemically modified with carboxyl‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol) adipate (CTPEGA) and the modified epoxy networks were made by curing with an ambient‐temperature hardener. The modified epoxy networks containing various concentrations of CTPEGA were characterized for their tensile, flexural and impact properties. It was observed that the mechanical strength gradually decreases and the strain increases with increasing CTPEGA concentration. However, the toughness and impact strength gradually increase with increasing CTPEGA concentration, attain a maximum and then decrease. The optimum CTPEGA concentration was found to be 20 phr. Fracture surface analysis by scanning electron microscopy indicates massive plastic deformation in modified networks. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Metamorphosis of the mixed phase PtRu anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells after exposure of methanol: In situ and ex situ characterizations

The change in the mixed phase heavily oxidized PtRu anode with the exposure of methanol in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has been investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The investigation had two major objectives: (i) to explore the original state of the active catalyst and (ii) to understand if alloying of Pt and Ru is a requirement for higher methanol oxidation activity. It was found that the methanol oxidation activity gradually improved for ∼2 h of exposure. The impedance spectra were taken at different times within this time of improvement of activity. The impedance spectra were deconvoluted in different contributions like membrane resistance (R_m), charge transfer resistance (R_Ct), adsorption resistance (R_ad), and oxidation resistance (R_ox). The improvement of the activity was explained in terms of the effect of the pretreatment on different contributions. XRD was done on the virgin and methanol exposed sample as a possible mean to identify the difference. It was postulated that the reduction of the as prepared PtRu after exposure was responsible for the activity improvement. Also, it was shown that bulk alloy formation is not a necessary condition for higher methanol activity of PtRu catalysts.     

An efficient heuristic approach to total flowtime minimization in permutation flowshop scheduling

The problem of permutation flowshop scheduling is considered with the objective of minimizing the total flowtime. We present a constructive heuristic and two composite heuristics to solve the problem. The composite heuristics combine the simulated annealing method of Chakravarthy and Rajendran [Production Planning and Control 10 (1999)], the constructive heuristic of Nawaz et al. [Omega 11 (1983)] and the new heuristic. Computational analysis is carried out with the benchmark problems of Taillard [European Journal of Operational Research 64 (1993)]. The two composite heuristics produce better quality solutions than those produced by the composite heuristics of Liu and Reeves [European Journal of Operational Research 132 (2001)]. Statistical tests of significance are used to substantiate the improvement in solution quality.