Simultaneous Determination of Catecholamines in Presence of Uric Acid and Ascorbic Acid at a Highly Sensitive Electrochemically Activated Carbon Paste Electrode

A simple yet remarkable, electrochemically activated carbon paste electrode (EACPE) was prepared by successive potential cycling of carbon paste in a 0.1 M NaOH solution and was effectively used for the simultaneous determination of catecholamines such as dopamine (DA), epinephrine (E) and Norepinephrine (NE) in presence of uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA). Taking DA as the ideal catecholamine, the electrochemical behaviors of DA, UA and AA such as scan rate and pH variation was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.1). This electrochemical sensor exhibited strong electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of a mixture of catecholamines, UA and AA with apparent reduction of overpotentials. Crider optimum conditions, limit of detection (S/N = 3) of DA, E, NE, UA and AA was found to be 0.08, 0.08, 0.07, 0.1 and 6.0 mu M, respectively by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The analytical performance of this modified electrode as a biosensor was also demonstrated for the determination of DA, UA and AA in dopamine injection, human urine and vitamin C tablets, respectively, in presence of other interfering substances. (C) 2015 The Electrochemical Society. All-rights reserved.

GRMHD formulation of highly super-Chandrasekhar magnetized white dwarfs: stable configurations of non-spherical white dwarfs

The topic of magnetized super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs is in the limelight, particularly in the last few years, since our proposal of their existence. By full-scale general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) numerical analysis, we confirm in this work the existence of stable, highly magnetized, significantly super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs with mass more than 3 solar mass. While a poloidal field geometry renders the white dwarfs oblate, a toroidal field makes them prolate retaining an overall quasi-spherical shape, as speculated in our earlier work. These white dwarfs are expected to serve as the progenitors of over-luminous type Ia supernovae.

Bio-inspired route for the synthesis of spherical shaped MgO:Fe3+ nanoparticles: Structural, photoluminescence and photocatalytic investigation

MgO:Fe3+ (0.1-5 mol%) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via eco-friendly, inexpensive and simple low temperature solution combustion route using Aloe vera gel as fuel. The final products were characterized by SEM, TEM and HRTEM. PXRD data and Rietveld analysis revealed the formation of cubic system. The influence of Fe3+ ion concentration on the structure morphology, UV absorption, PL emission and photocatalytic activity of MgO:Fe3+ NPs were investigated. The yellow emission with CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.44, 0.52) and average correlated color temperature value was found to be 3540 K which corresponds to warm light of NPs. The control of Fe3+. on MgO matrix influences the photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) under UV light. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of MgO:Fe3+ (4 mol%) was attributed to dopant concentration, effective crystallite size, textural properties, decreased band gap and capability for reducing the electron hole pair recombination. Further, the trends of inhibitory effect in the presence of different radical scavengers were explored. These findings open up new avenues for the exploration of Fe-doped MgO in eco-friendly water applications and in the process of display devices. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Eu3+-activated BaMoO4 phosphors and their Judd-Ofelt analysis: Applications in lasers and white LEDs

Eu3+-activated BaMoO4 phosphors were synthesized by the nitrate citrate gel combustion method. The Rietveld refinement analysis confirmed that all the compounds were crystallized in the scheelite-type tetragonal structure with I4(1)/a (No. 88) space group. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of BaMoO4 phosphor reveals broad emission peaks at 465 and 605 nm, whereas the Eu3+-activated BaMoO4 phosphors show intense 615 nm (D-5(0) -> F-7(2)) emission peak. Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to evaluate the intensity parameters (Omega(2), Omega(4)) of Eu3+-activated BaMoO4 phosphors. The transition probabilities (A(T)), radiative lifetime (tau(rad)), branching ratio (beta), stimulated emission cross-section (sigma(e)), gain bandwidth (sigma(e) x Delta lambda(eff)) and optical gain (sigma(e) x tau(rad)) were investigated by using the intensity parameters. CIE color coordinates confirmed that the BaMoO4 and Eu3+-activated BaMoO4 phosphors exhibit white and red luminescence, respectively. The obtained results revealed that the present phosphors can be a potential candidate for red lasers and white LEDs applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of Eu3+ -activated LnOCl (Ln=La and Gd) phosphors and their Judd-Ofelt analysis

Eu3+-activated layered LnOCl (Ln=La and Gd) phosphors were synthesized by the conventional solid-state method at relatively low temperature (700 degrees C) and shorter duration of 2 h. The structural parameters were refined by the Rietveld refinement analysis and confirmed by the high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Both the compounds were crystallized in the tetragonal structure with space group P4/nmm (No. 129). The homogeneity of the elements were analyzed by TEM mapping and found to be uniformly distributed. The photoluminescence spectra revealed that the intensity of D-5(0)-> F-7(2) transition (619 nm) was more intense in Eu3+-activated GdOCl compared to LaOCl. This was due to the property of Gd3+ ions to act as an intermediate sublattice to facilitate the energy transfer to Eu3+ ions. Intensity parameters and radiative properties such as transition probabilities, radiative lifetime and branching ratio were calculated using the Judd-Ofelt theory. The CIE color coordinates result revealed that the Eu3+-activated GdOCl (0.641, 0.354) phosphor was close to the commercial red phosphors like, Y2O3:Eu3+ (0.645, 0.347), (Y2OS)-S-2:Eu3+ (0.647, 0.343) and National Television System Committee (NTSC) (0.67, 0.33). The results suggest that the present GdOCl:Eu3+ compound acts as a potential candidate for red phosphor materials.

Synthesis of Eu3+-activated ZnO superstructures: Photoluminescence, Judd-Ofelt analysis and Sunlight photocatalytic properties

Photoluminescence and photocatalytic properties of Eu-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by facile phyto route. XPS results demonstrated the existence of Eu3+ as dopant into ZnO. Morphologies of the NPs were mainly dependent on Eu3+ and Aloe vera gel. Red shift of energy band gap was due to the creation of intermediate energy states of Eu3+ and oxygen vacancies in the band gap. PL emission of ZnO:Eu3+ (1-11 mol%, 8 ml and 7 mol%, 2-12 ml) exhibit characteristic peaks of D-5(0) -> F-7(2) transitions. From the Judd-Ofelt analysis, intensities of transitions between different.' levels dependent on the symmetry of the local environment of Eu3+ ions. CIE chromaticity co-ordinates confirm reddish emission of the phosphor. Further, NPs exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (94%) under Sunlight was attributed to crystallite size, band gap, morphology and oxygen vacancies. In addition, photocatalyst reusability studies were conducted and found that Eu-doped catalyst could be reused several times with negligible decrease in catalytic activity. The present work directs new possibilities to provide some new insights into the design of new phyto synthesized nanophosphors for display devices, photocatalysts with high activity for environmental clean-up and solar energy conversion. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GRMHD formulation of highly super-Chandrasekhar rotating magnetized white dwarfs: stable configurations of non-spherical white dwarfs

Here we extend the exploration of significantly super-Chandrasekhar magnetized white dwarfs by numerically computing axisymmetric stationary equilibria of differentially rotating magnetized polytropic compact stars in general relativity (GR), within the ideal magnetohydrodynamic regime. We use a general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) framework that describes rotating and magnetized axisymmetric white dwarfs, choosing appropriate rotation laws and magnetic field profiles (toroidal and poloidal). The numerical procedure for finding solutions in this framework uses the 3 + 1 formalism of numerical relativity, implemented in the open source XNS code. We construct equilibrium sequences by varying different physical quantities in turn, and highlight the plausible existence of super-Chandrasekhar white dwarfs, with masses in the range of 2-3 solar mass, with central (deep interior) magnetic fields of the order of 10(14) G and differential rotation with surface time periods of about 1-10 s. We note that such white dwarfs are candidates for the progenitors of peculiar, overluminous Type Ia supernovae, to which observational evidence ascribes mass in the range 2.1-2.8 solar mass. We also present some interesting results related to the structure of such white dwarfs, especially the existence of polar hollows in special cases.

Ac2PIM-responsive miR-150 and miR-143 Target Receptor-interacting Protein Kinase 2 and Transforming Growth Factor Beta-activated Kinase 1 to Suppress NOD2-induced Immunomodulators

Specific and coordinated regulation of innate immune receptor-driven signaling networks often determines the net outcome of the immune responses. Here, we investigated the cross-regulation of toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)2 pathways mediated by Ac2PIM, a tetra-acylated form of mycobacterial cell wall component and muramyl dipeptide (MDP), a peptidoglycan derivative respectively. While Ac2PIM treatment of macrophages compromised their ability to induce NOD2-dependent immunomodulators like cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, no change in the NOD2-responsive NO, TNF-alpha, VEGF-A, and IL-12 levels was observed. Further, genome-wide microRNA expression profiling identified Ac2PIM-responsive miR-150 and miR-143 to target NOD2 signaling adaptors, RIP2 and TAK1, respectively. Interestingly, Ac2PIM was found to activate the SRC-FAK-PYK2-CREB cascade via TLR2 to recruit CBP/P300 at the promoters of miR-150 and miR-143 and epigenetically induce their expression. Loss-of-function studies utilizing specific miRNA inhibitors establish that Ac2PIM, via the miRNAs, abrogate NOD2-induced PI3K-PKC delta-MAPK pathway to suppress beta-catenin-mediated expression of COX-2, SOCS-3, and MMP-9. Our investigation has thus underscored the negative regulatory role of Ac2PIM-TLR2 signaling on NOD2 pathway which could broaden our understanding on vaccine potential or adjuvant utilities of Ac2PIM and/or MDP.

Synthesis and Photoluminescence Properties of Eu3+ activated Ce0.5Al0.5O2-delta Nanophosphors for WLEDs Application

A series of Eu3+ activated Ce0.5Al0.5O2-delta nanophosphors have been synthesized by the nitrate - citrate gel combustion method. All the compounds crystallized in the cubic fluorite CeO2 structure with space group Fm-3m (No. 225). FESEM revealed the flakes-like morphology. The average particle size was estimated from TEM studies and found to be in the range 15-25 nm. The values were in good agreement with the Scherer's method. In photoluminescence (PL) spectra, the D-5(0) -> F-7(2) (612 nm) transition dominates than other transitions which indicates that the Eu3+ ions occupy a site without inversion center. CIE chromaticity diagram confirmed that these nanophosphors can be useful in the fabrication of red component in white light emitting diodes (WLEDs).