Influence of Y~(3+),Yb~(3+),Gd~(3+) cations on structural and electromagnetic properties of CuFe_2O_4 nanoferrites prepared via one step sol-gel method

Rare earths(REs) play a key role in distorting spinel structure by creating some defects at the lattice sites and make them suitable for magnetodielectric applications.In the present study,the nanoferrites of CuRE_(0.02)Fe_(1.98)O_4,where REs=Y~(3+),Yb~(3+),Gd~(3+),were prepared using one step sol-gel method.The prepared samples are copper ferrite(CFO),yttrium doped copper ferrite(Y-CFO),ytterbium doped copper ferrite(Yb-CFO) and gadolinium doped copper ferrite(Gd-CFO),respectively.The single-phase structure of all the REs doped nanoferrites was determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD) analysis.The porosity,agglomerations and grain size of the REs doped copper ferrite were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM) analysis.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)elaborates the phase formation and environmental effects on the REs doped nanoparticles(NPs).The recorded room temperature M-H loops from a vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM) elucidate the magnetic properties of the REs doped spinel nanoferrites.The magnetic saturation(M_s) was calculated in the range of 23.08 to 51.78 emu/g.The calculated coercivity values(272.6 to 705.60 Oe) confirm the soft magnetic behavior of REs doped copper ferrites.Furthermore,the electromagnetic and dielectric properties were assessed using a Vector network analyzer(VNA) from 1 to 6 GHz.The permeability,permittivity,dielectric tangent loss and electric modulus of the REs doped spinel ferrites illustrate that the prepared NPs may be suitable for microwave and high frequency applications.     

Microstructural evolution during friction surfacing of tool steel H13

Coatings of AISI H13 tool steel were made on low carbon steel by friction surfacing. Detailed microstructural studies and microhardness tests were carried out on the coatings. Studies revealed defect-free coatings and sound metallurgical bonding between the coating and the substrate. In addition, mechanical interlocking on a very fine scale was observed to occur between the coating and the substrate. Coatings exhibited martensitic microstructure with fine grain size and with no carbide particles. Coatings in as-deposited condition showed very high hardness (58 HRC) compared to the mechtrode material in annealed condition (20 HRC). Based on these findings, microstructural evolution during friction surfacing of H13 tool steel is discussed. The current work shows that friction surfaced tool steel coatings are suitable for use in as-deposited condition. Further improvements in coating microstructure and properties are possible with appropriate post-surfacing heat treatment.     

Self-activated ‘green’ carbon nanoparticles for symmetric solid-state supercapacitors

Tuning of porosity and surface properties of nanoparticles especially on carbon-based nanomaterials, adopting a ‘greener’ or self-activation synthesis technique for electrical charge storage, is progressing. Herein, we report the self-activation of Teak wood sawdust in a nitrogen atmosphere at different activation temperatures to synthesize carbon nanoparticles. The activated carbon nanoparticles synthesized at 900 °C exhibits a maximum?~?360 m² g^?1 surface area with?~?2 nm average pore size diameter. Five electrolytes viz. KOH, KCl, Na₂SO₄, NaCl, and H₃PO₄ are used for studying the supercapacitance nature of the activated carbon nanoparticles in a 3-electrode configuration. A maximum specific capacitance of?~?208 F g^?1 @ 0.25 A g^?1 is obtained in 1 M KOH as the electrolyte. Two symmetric supercapacitors, aqueous (1 M KOH) and solid-state (PVA/KOH), are fabricated, and their performance difference is compiled. The solid-state symmetric supercapacitor performs in a wider voltage window (1.7 V) with a superior energy density of 27.1 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 178 W kg^?1.

Graphical abstract

     

Performance analysis of an opportunistic multi‐user cognitive network with multiple primary users

Consider a multi‐user underlay cognitive network where multiple cognitive users concurrently share the spectrum with a primary network with multiple users. The channel between the secondary network is assumed to have independent but not identical Nakagami‐m fading. The interference channel between the secondary users (SUs) and the primary users is assumed to have Rayleigh fading. A power allocation based on the instantaneous channel state information is derived when a peak interference power constraint is imposed on the secondary network in addition to the limited peak transmit power of each SU. The uplink scenario is considered where a single SU is selected for transmission. This opportunistic selection depends on the transmission channel power gain and the interference channel power gain as well as the power allocation policy adopted at the users. Exact closed form expressions for the moment‐generating function, outage performance, symbol error rate performance, and the ergodic capacity are derived. Numerical results corroborate the derived analytical results. The performance is also studied in the asymptotic regimes, and the generalized diversity gain of this scheduling scheme is derived. It is shown that when the interference channel is deeply faded and the peak transmit power constraint is relaxed, the scheduling scheme achieves full diversity and that increasing the number of primary users does not impact the diversity order. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Plasminogen–Activator Plasmin System in Physiological and Pathophysiological Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a process associated with the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells (EC) to form new blood vessels. It is involved in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions and is controlled by a wide range of proangiogenic and antiangiogenic molecules. The plasminogen activator–plasmin system plays a major role in the extracellular matrix remodeling process necessary for angiogenesis. Urokinase/tissue-type plasminogen activators (uPA/tPA) convert plasminogen into the active enzyme plasmin, which in turn activates matrix metalloproteinases and degrades the extracellular matrix releasing growth factors and proangiogenic molecules such as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A). The plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is the main inhibitor of uPA and tPA, thereby an inhibitor of pericellular proteolysis and intravascular fibrinolysis, respectively. Paradoxically, PAI-1, which is expressed by EC during angiogenesis, is elevated in several cancers and is found to promote angiogenesis by regulating plasmin-mediated proteolysis and by promoting cellular migration through vitronectin. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) also induces EC cellular migration during angiogenesis via interacting with signaling partners. Understanding the molecular functions of the plasminogen activator plasmin system and targeting angiogenesis via blocking serine proteases or their interactions with other molecules is one of the major therapeutic strategies scientists have been attracted to in controlling tumor growth and other pathological conditions characterized by neovascularization.     

Two new Protecting Groups for the Guanidino Function of arginine

Two new synthons, Fmoc-L-Arg(biphenyl-4-sulphonyl)-OH ( 8 ) and Fmoc-Arg(4-methoxy-3-t-butylbenzenesulphonyl)-OH ( 14 ), are prepared for the synthesis of arginine-containing peptides. These groups are cleaved by commonly employed trifluoroacetic acid and methanesulphonic acid. Kinetic studies reveal that extended bicyclic aromatic conjugation, as in biphenyl, slightly improves the acid lability compared to the electron-donating t-butyl group.     

Thermal Upgrading of Nickeliferous Pyrrhotite Tailings for the Recovery of Nickel in the Form of Ferronickel Alloy

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - Production of ferronickel alloy by thermal treatment of nickeliferous pyrrhotite (Pyrr) tailings was studied by both thermodynamic assessment and...     

Synthesis of Novel Series of Benzothieno [2,3-d] Pyrimidine Derivatives, Promising Anticancer Agents

An extension of the authors＇ previous discovery of in vitro antitumor activity of substituted thino [2,3-d] prymidine derivatives is reported. The synthesis of some new spirothino [2,3-d] prymidine （4a-f）, imidazolidin, substituted prymidinyl and substituted thiazolidine thino [2,3-d] prymidine derivatives have been described. Thirteen of the obtained compounds were selected by the NCI and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity. Seven of the investigated compounds, 4a, 8a, 9a, （12a, b）, 14a and 15a, displayed high anticancer activity in the primary assay. These compounds have been selected for a full anticancer screening against a 60-cell panel assay where they showed non-selective broad spectrum and promising activity against all cancer cell lines. Compounds 12a and 12b proved to be the active members in this study compared to 5-fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide as reference drugs, respectively. Compounds 12a and 12b were identified as promising lead compounds, evaluated for their in-vitro antitumor activity.     

Computations of shear driven vortex flow in a cylindrical cavity using a modified k-ε turbulence model

In this paper, a new variant of the k-ε turbulence model (Saqr et al., CFD Letters, 1(2) pp. 87–94) is used to compute the shear driven vortex flow in an open cylindrical cavity. The results are compared with published LDA measurements for such flow configuration. The modified turbulence model demonstrated good agreement with experimental results, which further supports its validity in computing vortex dominated flows.     

Electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on carbon brush as bioanode for microbial fuel cell operated with real wastewater

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy harvesting. The properties of the anode material play a critical role in the performance of the MFC. In this study, graphene oxide was prepared by a modified hummer's method. A thin layer of graphene oxide was incorporated on the carbon brush using an electrophoretic technique. The deoxygenated graphene oxide formed on the surface of the carbon brush (RGO-CB) was investigated as a bio-anode in MFC operated with real wastewater. The performance of the MFC using the RGO-CB was compared with that using plain carbon brush anode (PCB). Results showed that electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on the surface of carbon brush significantly enhanced the performance of the MFC, where the power density increased more than 10 times (from 33 mWm^?2 to 381 mWm^?2). Although the COD removal was nearly similar for the two MFCs, i.e., with PCB and RGO-CB; the columbic efficiency significantly increased in the case of RGO-CB anode. The improved performance in the case of the modified electrode was related to the role of the graphene in improving the electron transfer from the microorganism to the anode surface, as confirmed from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.