A new chemical route for the preparation of fine ferrite powders

Precursors to MFe₂O₄ [spinels ferrites; where M = Ni(II), Co(II) and Zn(II)] have been prepared by the evaporation of polyvinyl alcohol added mixed metal nitratesolution, in presence and absence of urea. Theprecursor materials have low ignition temperature and are spontaneously combustible at low temperatures (250°C to 400°C). The heat liberated through the process is sufficient for the crystallization of the desired ferrite phase. The urea added process resulted in finer, superparamagnetic particles (12–17 nm) compared to the process without urea (particle size 25–30 nm). The ultrafine ferrite powders obtained have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and room temperature magnetic measurement studies.     

PxF, a prenylated protein of peroxisomes

CAAX farnesyltransferase attaches a farnesyl group to proteins that terminate in the sequence CAAX, where C is cysteine, A is an aliphatic amino acid, and X is typically methionine or serine. A limited number of substrates for the CAAX farnesyltransferase have been identified in cultured cells. These include p21ras proteins and the nuclear lamins A and B. We describe here the use of a CAAX farnesyltransferase inhibitor, together with a hamster cell line that exhibits efficient uptake of [3H]mevalonate, as a means of identifying novel farnesylated proteins. One candidate protein was purified and its attached prenyl group identified as farnesyl. The predicted amino acid sequence of this protein, deduced from a cloned cDNA, terminates with the tetrapeptide Cys-Leu-Ile-Met, which conforms to the consensus sequence for recognition by farnesyltransferase. This farnesylated protein, designated PxF, is localized to the outer surface of peroxisomes as determined by indirect immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.     

Androgen-repressed phenotype in human prostate cancer

An androgen-repressed human prostate cancer cell line, ARCaP, was established and characterized. This cell line was derived from the ascites fluid of a patient with advanced metastatic disease. In contrast to the behavior of androgen-dependent LNCaP and its androgen-independent C4-2 subline, androgen and estrogen suppress the growth of ARCaP cells in a dose-dependent manner in vivo and in vitro. ARCaP is tumorigenic and highly metastatic. It metastasizes to the lymph node, lung, pancreas, liver, kidney, and bone, and forms ascites fluid in athymic hosts. ARCaP cells express low levels of androgen receptor mRNA and prostate-specific antigen mRNA and protein. Immunohistochemical staining shows that ARCaP cells stain intensely for epidermal growth factor receptor, c-erb B2/neu, and c-erb B3. Staining is negative for chromogranin A and positive for bombesin, serotonin, neuron-specific enolase, and the c-met protooncogene (a hepatic growth factor/scatter factor receptor). ARCaP cells also secrete high levels of gelatinase A and B and some stromelysin, which suggests that this cell line may contain markers representing invasive adenocarcinoma with selective neuronendocrine phenotypes. Along with its repression of growth, androgen is also found to repress the expression of prostate-specific antigen in ARCaP cells as detected by a prostate-specific antigen promoter-beta-galactosidase reporter assay. Our results suggest that the androgen-repressed state may be central to prostate cancer progression and that advanced prostate cancer can progress from an androgen-independent to an androgen-repressed state.     

A generic framework for tracking using particle filter with dynamic shape prior.

Tracking deforming objects involves estimating the global motion of the object and its local deformations as functions of time. Tracking algorithms using Kalman filters or particle filters (PFs) have been proposed for tracking such objects, but these have limitations due to the lack of dynamic shape information. In this paper, we propose a novel method based on employing a locally linear embedding in order to incorporate dynamic shape information into the particle filtering framework for tracking highly deformable objects in the presence of noise and clutter. The PF also models image statistics such as mean and variance of the given data which can be useful in obtaining proper separation of object and background.     

XRD and optical microscopic studies of Co(III) complexes containing 5-cyano-6-(4-pyridyl)-2-thiouracil, thymine and adenine bases

Multifunctional ligand 5-cyano-6-(-4-pyridyl)-2-thiouracil (L) was prepared and allowed to react withtrans [Co(en)₂Cl₂]⁺Cl^‡ resulting into [Co(en)₂LCl]²⁺.2Cl^- which upon further reaction with equimolar ratio of ligand [L] gave the complex [Co(en)₂L₂]³⁺.3Cl⁻. These metal complexes were then separately reacted with thymine and adenine bases. Complexes thus prepared after characterization by their elemental analysis, FAB mass and spectral (IR,¹ HNMR, UV-visible) data were studied for their powder X-ray diffraction and optical microscopic characteristics.     

Array guided surface waves on a finite planar array of dipoles with or without a grounded substrate

The existence of array guided surface waves (AGSWs) on partially finite (finite /spl times/ infinite) array of dipoles in air have been demonstrated earlier; the work in this paper extends this study to fully finite (finite /spl times/ finite) planar arrays both in air and on a grounded material slab of infinite extent. Effects of AGSWs on scattering characteristics are examined and a ray interpretation is provided for the edge/corner excitation of AGSWs and conventional substrate surface waves.     

Long wavelength MEMS tunable VCSEL with InP-InAlGaAs bottom DBR

In this letter, we present the first demonstration of a long wavelength-tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) using an InP-InAlGaAs distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). The use of such a DBR improves the thermal resistance of the VCSEL while keeping the growth process simple. The devices show operation to temperatures greater than 75/spl deg/C, and single-mode devices emit powers as high as 0.9 mW at room temperature. The tuning range is as high as 17 nm.     

Tribological behaviour of conventional Al-Sn and equivalent Al-Pb alloys under lubrication

Two compositions of conventional aluminium base alloys were selected and equal amounts of tin and lead as a soft phase were incorporated separately. Impeller mixing and chill casting technique were employed for the preparation of the alloys. Mechanical properties of as cast alloys were evaluated at room temperature. Frictional behaviour of the alloys was studied in detail under lubrication while creating different frictional states by imposing 5–60 kg of normal load on the bearing (bush) mating surface. It was found that aluminium tin and leaded aluminium alloys slightly differ in mechanical properties. Frictional states created during sliding against steel shaft (hardness 55–60 Rc) under oil lubrication were not much different. Leaded aluminium alloy bushes show marginally lower friction than the conventional ones.     

Comparison of p–n junction formed by BF2 and B implantation in silicon microstrip detector with low and high thermal budget: impact of fluorine on electrical characteristics

The influence of crystal damage on the electrical properties and the doping profile of the implanted p⁺–n junction has been studied at different annealing temperatures using process simulator TMA-SUPREM4. This was done by carrying out two different implantations; one with implantation dose of 10¹⁵ BF₂⁺ ions/cm² at an energy of 80 keV and other with 10¹⁵ B⁺ ions/cm² at 17.93 keV. Substrate orientation 1 1 1 of phosphorus-doped n-type Si wafers of resistivity 4 kΩ cm and tilt 7° was used, and isochronally annealing was performed in N₂ ambient for 180 min in temperature range between 400°C and 1350°C. The diode properties were analysed in terms of junction depth, sheet resistance. It has been found that for low thermal budget annealing, boron diffusion depth is insensitive to the variation in annealing temperature for BF₂⁺-implanted devices, whereas, boron diffusion depth increases continuously for B⁺-implanted devices. In BF₂⁺-implanted devices, fluorine diffusion improves the breakdown voltage of the silicon microstrip detector for annealing temperature upto 900°C.For high thermal budget annealing, it has been shown that the electrical characteristics of BF₂⁺-implanted devices is similar to that obtained in B⁺-implanted devices.     

Studies on the Extraction of Actinides Using a Solvent Containing D2EHiBA in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids: Unusual Extraction of the Tetravalent Ions

The extraction behavior of U(VI), Pu(IV), and Np(IV) from nitric acid medium has been studied using branched chain di(2-ethylhexyl)isobutyramide (D2EHiBA) dissolved in different room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) [C_nmim][NTf₂] (where n = 4, 6, or 8). Uranium extraction (D_U) increased gradually with aqueous phase acidity for the three RTILs used in this study suggesting solvation mechanism. There was a reversal in the extraction behavior of Pu(IV) and Np(IV) from nitric acid medium using D2EHiBA dissolved in RTILs as solvents as compared to the behavior reported in the molecular diluent, n-dodecane, which shows negligible extraction of these metal ions. The extraction of Pu(IV) increased with aqueous phase acidity in different RTILs in the order: [C₈mim][NTf₂] > [C₆mim][NTf₂] > [C₄mim][NTf₂]. The distribution ratio values of these metal ions followed the order: D_Pu(IV) ≥ D_Np(IV) > D_U(VI) using D2EHiBA as extractant suggesting that RTILs can modify the extraction behavior of extractants.