Dielectric properties of some MM′O4 and MTiM′O6 (M=Cr, Fe, Ga; M′=Nb, Ta, Sb) rutile-type oxides

We describe an investigation of the structure and dielectric properties of MM'O-4 and MTiM'O-6 rutile-type oxides for M = Cr, Fe, Ga and M' = Nb. Ta and Sb. All the oxides adopt a disordered rutile structure (P4(2)/mnm) at ambient temperature. A partial ordered trirutile-type structure is confirmed for FeTaO4 from the low temperature (17 K) neutron diffraction studies While both the MM'O-4 oxides (CrTaO4 and FeTaO4) investigated show a normal dielectric property MTiM'O-6 oxides for M = Fe, Cr and M' = Nb/Ta/Sb display a distinct relaxor/relaxor-like response. Significantly the corresponding gallium analogs, GaTiNbO6 and GaTiTaO6, do not show a relaxor response at T<500K (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved

(Ba3MTiMO9)-Ti-III-O-V (M-III = Fe, Ga, Y, Lu, M-V = Nb, Ta, Sb) perovskite oxides Synthesis, structure and dielectric properties

We describe the synthesis structures and dielectric properties of new perovskite oxides of the formula (Ba3MTiMO9)-Ti-III-O-V for M-III = Fe Ga Y Lu and M-V = Nb Ta Sb While M-V = Nb and Ta oxides adopt disordered/partially ordered 3C perovskite structures where M-III/Ti/M-V metal-oxygen octahedra are corner connected the M-V = Sb oxides show a distinct preference for the 6H structure where Sb-V/Ti-IV metal-oxygen octahedra share a common face forming (Sb Ti)O-9 dimers that are corner-connected to the (MO6)-O-III octahedra The preference of antimony oxides (Sb-V 4d(10)) for the 6H structure which arises from a special Sb-V-O chemical bonding that tends to avoid linear Sb-O-Sb linkages unlike Nb-V/Ta-V d(0) atoms which prefer similar to 180 degrees Nb/Ta-O-Nb/Ta linkages - is consistent with the crystal chemistry of M-V-O oxides in general The dielectric properties reveal a significant difference among Mill members All the oxides with the 3C structure excepting those with Mill = Fe show a normal low loss dielectric behaviour with epsilon = 20-60 in the temperature range 50-400 degrees C the M-III = Fe members with this structure (M-V = Nb Ta) display a relaxor-like ferroelectric behaviour with large E values at frequencies <= 1 MHz (50-500 degrees C) (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS All rights reserved

Spin-Valve-Like Magnetoresistance in Mn2NiGa at Room Temperature

Spin valves have revolutionized the field of magnetic recording and memory devices. Spin valves are generally realized in thin film heterostructures, where two ferromagnetic (FM) layers are separated by a nonmagnetic conducting layer. Here, we demonstrate spin-valve-like magnetoresistance at room temperature in a bulk ferrimagnetic material that exhibits a magnetic shape memory effect. The origin of this unexpected behavior in Mn2NiGa has been investigated by neutron diffraction, magnetization, and ab initio theoretical calculations. The refinement of the neutron diffraction pattern shows the presence of antisite disorder where about 13% of the Ga sites are occupied by Mn atoms. On the basis of the magnetic structure obtained from neutron diffraction and theoretical calculations, we establish that these antisite defects cause the formation of FM nanoclusters with parallel alignment of Mn spin moments in a Mn2NiGa bulk lattice that has antiparallel Mn spin moments. The direction of the Mn moments in the soft FM cluster reverses with the external magnetic field. This causes a rotation or tilt in the antiparallel Mn moments at the cluster-lattice interface resulting in the observed asymmetry in magnetoresistance.

SecB binds only to a late native-like intermediate in the folding pathway of barstar and not to the unfolded state

SecB is a cytosolic, tetrameric chaperone of Escherichia coli which maintains precursor proteins in a translocation competent state. We have investigated the effect of SecB on the refolding kinetics of the small protein barstar in I M guanidine hydrochloride at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C using fluorescence spectroscopy. We show that SecB does not bind either the native or the unfolded states of barstar but binds to a late near-native intermediate along the folding pathway. For barstar, polypeptide collapse and formation of a hydrophobic surface are required for binding to SecB. SecB does not change the apparent rate constant of barstar refolding. The kinetic data for SecB binding to barstar are not consistent with simple kinetic partitioning models.

Diamond-Graphite Hybrids And The Nature Of Amorphous-Carbon And Diamond-Like Carbon

The nature of amorphous carbon has been explored by molecular mechanics by examining the structures of species such as C84Hx and C150Hx, wherein the percentage of sp(3) carbons is progressively increased in a graphitic network. The nature of diamond-like carbon has been similarly investigated by examining the structures of C84Hx and C102Hx where the percentage of sp(2) carbons is varied in an sp(3) network. The dependence of the average coordination number as well as the sp(3)/sp(2) atom ratio on the atom fraction of hydrogen has been investigated in light of the random covalent network model.

Exact ground state and kink-like excitations of a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet

A rare example of a two-dimensional Heisenberg model with an exact dimerized ground state is presented. This model, which can be regarded as a variation on the kagome' lattice, has several features of interest: it has a highly (but not macroscopically) degenerate ground state; it is closely related to spin chains studied by earlier authors; in particular, it exhibits domain-wall-like "kink" excitations normally associated only with one-dimensional systems. In some limits it decouples into noninteracting chains; unusually, this happens in the limit of strong, rather than weak, interchain coupling. [S0163-1829(99)50338-X].

Transition from disc to rod-like shape of 16-3-16 dimeric micelles in aqueous solutions

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements from bis-cationic C16H33N+(CH3)(2)-(CH2)(3)-N+ (CH3)(2)C16H33 2Br(-) dimeric surfactant, referred to as 16-3-16, at different concentrations and temperatures, are reported. It is seen that micelles are disc-like for concentrations C = 2.5 and 10 mM at temperature T = 30 degrees C. At low concentration C = 0.5 mM micelles are rod-like. Similarly, there is a disc to rod-like transition of micelles on increasing the temperature. For C = 2.5 mM, micelles are rod-like at T = 45 and 70 degrees C.

Constraining the low-energy pion electromagnetic form factor with space-like and phase of time-like data

The Taylor coefficients c and d of the EM form factor of the pion are constrained using analyticity, knowledge of the phase of the form factor in the time-like region, 4m(pi)(2) <= t <= t(in) and its value at one space-like point, using as input the (g - 2) of the muon. This is achieved using the technique of Lagrange multipliers, which gives a transparent expression for the corresponding bounds. We present a detailed study of the sensitivity of the bounds to the choice of time-like phase and errors present in the space-like data, taken from recent experiments. We find that our results constrain c stringently. We compare our results with those in the literature and find agreement with the chiral perturbation-theory results for c. We obtain d similar to O(10) GeV-6 when c is set to the chiral perturbation-theory values.

Thermal Crystallization Studies On Ga-Te Glasses

Semieonducting GaxTe~oo-x (17 -< x _< 25) glasses have been prepared by melt quenching method and thermal crystallization studies carried out using differential scanning calorimetry. On heating, virgin GaxTel0o-x glasses exhibit one glass transition and two crystallization reactions.The first crystallization reaction corresponds to the precipitation of hexagonal Te and the second one to the crystallization of the matrix into zinc blende Ga2Te3 phase. If GaxTeloo-x glasses are quenched to ambient temperature from Tcrl and reheated, they exhibit the phenomenon of double glass transition.

Synthesis and magnetic studies of flower-like nickel nanocones

Flower-like nickel nanocone structures are synthesized by a simple chemical reduction method using hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of as synthesized products are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and SQUID magnetometer. The morphology evolution is studied by varying the reaction temperature and concentration of nickel chloride keeping other conditions unchanged.

Biomethanation of herbaceous biomass residues using 3-zone plug flow like digesters - A case study from India

Biomethanation of herbaceous biomass feedstock has the potential to provide clean energy source for cooking and other activities in areas where such biomass availability predominates. A biomethanation concept that involves fermentation of biomass residues in three steps, occurring in three zones of the fermentor is described. This approach while attempting take advantage of multistage reactors simplifies the reactor operation and obviates the need for a high degree of process control or complex reactor design. Typical herbaceous biomass decompose with a rapid VFA flux initially (with a tendency to float) followed by a slower decomposition showing balanced process of VFA generation and its utilization by methanogens that colonize biomass slowly. The tendency to float at the initial stages is suppressed by allowing previous days feed to hold it below digester liquid which permits VFA to disperse into the digester liquid without causing process inhibition. This approach has been used to build and operate simple biomass digesters to provide cooking gas in rural areas with weed and agro-residues. With appropriate modifications, the same concept has been used for digesting municipal solid wastes in small towns where large fermentors are not viable. With further modifications this concept has been used for solid-liquid feed fermentors. Methanogen colonized leaf biomass has been used as biofilm support to treat coffee processing wastewater as well as crop litter alternately in a year. During summer it functions as a biomass based biogas plants operating in the three-zone mode while in winter, feeding biomass is suspended and high strength coffee processing wastewater is let into the fermentor achieving over 90% BOD reduction. The early field experience of these fermentors is presented.

Synthesis and magnetic studies of flower-like nickel nanocones

Flower-like nickel nanocone structures are synthesized by a simple chemical reduction method using hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent. The structure, morphology and magnetic properties of as synthesized products are studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and SQUID magnetometer. The morphology evolution is studied by varying the reaction temperature and concentration of nickel chloride keeping other conditions unchanged.

Structure and interactions of aspirin-like drugs

A pre-requisite for the elucidation of the mechanism of action of aspirin-like drugs, which are believed to exert their pharmacological effects through the inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis, is an understanding of their molecular geometry, the non-covalent interactions they are likely to be involved in, and the geometrical and the electronic consequences of such interactions. This has been sought to be achieved through the x-ray analysis of these drug molecules and their crystalline complexes with other suitable molecules. The results obtained from such studies have been discussed in terms of specific typical examples. For instance, antipyrine can form metal and hydrogen-bonded complexes; phenylbutazone can form ionic complexes with basic molecules. Complex formation is accompanied by characteristic changes in the molecular geometry and the electronic structure in both the cases. The results obtained so far appear to indicate that the important common invariant structural features of the fenamates, deduced from crystal structures, are retained even when complexation takes place.

A hybrid clustering procedure for concentric and chain-like clusters

K-means algorithm is a well known nonhierarchical method for clustering data. The most important limitations of this algorithm are that: (1) it gives final clusters on the basis of the cluster centroids or the seed points chosen initially, and (2) it is appropriate for data sets having fairly isotropic clusters. But this algorithm has the advantage of low computation and storage requirements. On the other hand, hierarchical agglomerative clustering algorithm, which can cluster nonisotropic (chain-like and concentric) clusters, requires high storage and computation requirements. This paper suggests a new method for selecting the initial seed points, so that theK-means algorithm gives the same results for any input data order. This paper also describes a hybrid clustering algorithm, based on the concepts of multilevel theory, which is nonhierarchical at the first level and hierarchical from second level onwards, to cluster data sets having (i) chain-like clusters and (ii) concentric clusters. It is observed that this hybrid clustering algorithm gives the same results as the hierarchical clustering algorithm, with less computation and storage requirements.

Characterization of the restriction enzyme-like endonuclease encoded by the Entamoeba histolytica non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon EhLINE1

The genome of the human pathogen Entamoeba histolytica, a primitive protist, contains non-long terminal repeat retrotransposable elements called EhLINEs. These encode reverse transcriptase and endonuclease required for retrotransposition. The endonuclease shows sequence similarity with bacterial restriction endonucleases. Here we report the salient enzymatic features of one such endonuclease. The kinetics of an EhLINE1-encoded endonuclease catalyzed reaction, determined under steady-state and single-turnover conditions, revealed a significant burst phase followed by a slower steady-state phase, indicating that release of product could be the slower step in this reaction. For circular supercoiled DNA the K-m was 2.6 x 10-8 m and the k(cat) was 1.6 x 10-2 sec-1. For linear E. histolytica DNA substrate the K-m and k(cat) values were 1.3 x 10-8 m and 2.2 x 10-4 sec-1 respectively. Single-turnover reaction kinetics suggested a noncooperative mode of hydrolysis. The enzyme behaved as a monomer. While Mg2+ was required for activity, 60% activity was seen with Mn2+ and none with other divalent metal ions. Substitution of PDX12-14D (a metal-binding motif) with PAX(12-14)D caused local conformational change in the protein tertiary structure, which could contribute to reduced enzyme activity in the mutated protein. The protein underwent conformational change upon the addition of DNA, which is consistent with the known behavior of restriction endonucleases. The similarities with bacterial restriction endonucleases suggest that the EhLINE1-encoded endonuclease was possibly acquired from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. The loss of strict sequence specificity for nicking may have been subsequently selected to facilitate spread of the retrotransposon to intergenic regions of the E. histolytica genome.