Amorphous, Monoclinic, and Tetragonal Porous Zirconia Through a Controlled Self-Sustained Combustion Route

Porous, large surface area, metastable zirconias, are of importance to catalytic, electrochemical, biological, and thermal insulation applications. Combustion synthesis is a very commonly used method for producing such zirconias. However, its rapid nature makes control difficult. A simple modification has been made to traditional solution combustion synthesis to address this problem. It involves the addition of starch to yield a starting mixture with a ``dough-like'' consistency. Just 5 wt% starch is seen to significantly alter the combustion characteristics of the ``dough.'' In particular, it helps to achieve better control over reaction zone temperature that is significantly lower than the one calculated by the adiabatic approximation typically used in self-propagating high-temperature synthesis. The effect of such control is demonstrated by the ability to tune dough composition to yield zirconias with different phase compositions from the relatively elusive ``amorphous'' to monoclinic (> 30 nm grain size) and tetragonal pure zirconia (< 30 nm grain size). The nature of this amorphous phase has been investigated using infrared spectroscopy. Starch content also helps tailor porosity in the final product. Zirconias with an average pore size of about 50 mu m and specific surface area as large as 110 m2/g have been obtained.

Study of temperature distribution along an artificially polluted insulator string

Insulator becomes wet partially or completely, and the pollution layer on it becomes conductive, when collecting pollutants for an extended period during dew, light rain, mist, fog or snow melting. Heavy rain is a complicated factor that it may wash away the pollution layer without initiating other stages of breakdown or it may bridge the gaps between sheds to promote flashover. The insulator with a conducting pollution layer being energized, can cause a surface leakage current to flow (also temperature-rise). As the surface conductivity is non-uniform, the conducting pollution layer becomes broken by dry bands (at spots of high current density), interrupting the flow of leakage current. Voltage across insulator gets concentrated across dry bands, and causes high electric stress and breakdown (dry band arcing). If the resistance of the insulator surface is sufficiently low, the dry band arcs can be propagated to bridge the terminals causing flashover. The present paper concerns the evaluation of the temperature distribution along the surface of an energized artificially polluted insulator string.

Altitude variation of aerosol properties over the Himalayan range inferred from spatial measurements

Altitude variations of the mass concentration of black carbon, number concentration of composite aerosols are examined along with the columnar spectral aerosol optical depths using state of the art instruments and the Angstrom parameters are inferred from the ground based measurements at several altitude levels, en route from Manora Peak, Nainital (similar to 1950 m above mean sea level) to a low altitude station Haldwani (similar to 330 m above mean sea level) at its foothill within an aerial distance of <10,000 m. The measurements were done during the winter months (November-February) of 2005, 2006 and 2007 under fair weather conditions. The results show a rapid decrease in all the measured parameters with increase in altitude, with >60% contribution to the AOD coming from the regions below 1000 m. The Angstrom wavelength exponent remained high in the well mixed region, and decreased above. The normalized AOD gradient was used to estimate aerosol mixing height, which was found to be in the altitude range 1000-1500 m, above which the particle concentrations are slowly varying as a function of altitude. The heating rate at the surface is found to be maximum but decreases sharply with increase in altitude. Analysis of the wavelength dependence of absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD) showed that the aerosol absorption over the site is generally due to mixed aerosols. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Antileukemic Activity of Novel 4-(3-(Piperidin-4-yl) Propyl)Piperidine Derivatives

To explore the anticancer effect associated with the piperidine framework, several (substituted phenyl) {4-[3-(piperidin-4-yl)propyl]piperidin-1-yl} methanone derivatives 3(a-i) were synthesized. Variation in the functional group at N-terminal of the piperidine led to a set of compounds bearing amide moiety. Their chemical structures were confirmed by (1)H NMR, IR and mass spectra analysis. Among these, compounds 3a, 3d and 3e were endowed with antiproliferative activity. The most active compound among this series was 3a with nitro and fluoro substitution on the phenyl ring of aryl carboxamide moiety, which inhibited the growth of human leukemia cells (K562 and Reh) at low concentration. Comparison with other derivative (3h) results shown by LDH assay, cell cycle analysis and DNA fragmentation suggested that 3a is more potent to induce apoptosis.

Synthesis and Antileukemic Activity of Novel 2-(4-(2,4-dimethoxybenzoyl)phenoxy)-1-(4-(3-(piperidin-4-yl)propyl)piper idin-1-yl)ethanone Derivatives

A series of novel 2-(4-(2,4-dimethoxybenzoyl)phenoxy)-1-(4-(3-(piperidin-4-yl)propyl) piperidin-1-yl)ethanone derivatives 9(ae) and 10(ag) were synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, IR, mass spectral, and elemental analysis. These novel compounds were evaluated for their antileukemic activity against two human leukemic cell lines (K562 and CEM) by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay. Some of the tested compounds showed good antiproliferative activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.6 to 8.0 mu m. Compound 9c, 9e, and 10f with an electron-withdrawing halogen substituent at the para position on the phenyl ring showed excellent in vitro potency against tested human leukemia cells (K562 and CEM).

Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Palmitoyl-ligands for Cyclooxygenase-2

An in silico approach was adopted to identify potential cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors through molecular docking studies. The in vivo studies indicated that synthetic palmitoyl derivatives of salicylic acid, para amino phenol, para amino benzoic acid, and anthranilic acid possessed significant pharmacological activities like anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities. None of the tested substances produced any significant gastric lesions in experimental animals. In an attempt to understand the ligandprotein interactions in terms of the binding affinity, the above synthetic molecules were subjected to docking analysis using AutoDock. The palmitoyl derivatives palmitoyl anthranilic acid, palmitoyl para amino benzoic acid, palmitoyl para amino phenol, and palmitoyl salicylic acid showed better binding energy than the known inhibitor diclofenac bound to 1PXX. All the palmitoyl derivatives made similar interactions with the binding site residues of cyclooxygenase-2 as compared to that of the known inhibitor. Thus, structure-based drug discovery approach was successfully employed to identify some promising pro-drugs for the treatment of pain and inflammation.

Origin of grand minima in Sunspot cycles

One of the most striking aspects of the 11-year sunspot cycle is that there have been times in the past when some cycles went missing, a most well-known example of this being the Maunder minimum during 1645-1715. Analyses of cosmogenic isotopes (C-14 and Be-10) indicated that there were about 27 grand minima in the last 11 000 yrs, implying that about 2.7% of the solar cycles had conditions appropriate for forcing the Sun into grand minima. We address the question of how grand minima are produced and specifically calculate the frequency of occurrence of grand minima from a theoretical dynamo model. We assume that fluctuations in the poloidal field generation mechanism and in the meridional circulation produce irregularities of sunspot cycles. Taking these fluctuations to be Gaussian and estimating the values of important parameters from the data of the last 28 solar cycles, we show from our flux transport dynamo model that about 1-4% of the sunspot cycles may have conditions suitable for inducing grand minima.

Studies on the Aging Characteristics of Base Oil with Amine Based Antioxidant in Steel-on-Steel Lubricated Sliding

An industrial base oil, a blend of different paraffin fractions, is heated to 130 degrees C (1) in the ambient and (2) for use as a lubricant in a steel pin on a steel disk sliding experiment. The base oil was tested with and without test antioxidants: dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and alkylated diphenylamine (ADPA). Primary and secondary oxidation products were monitored continuously by FTIR over a 100 h period. In addition, friction and wear of the steel pin were monitored over the same period and the chemical transformation of the pin surface was monitored by XPS. The objective of this work is to observe the catalytic action of the steel components on the oil aging process and the efficacy of the antioxidant to reduce oxidation of oil used in tribology as a lubricant. Possible mechanistic explanations of the aging process as well as its impact on friction and wear are discussed.

Sources of major ions and processes affecting the geochemical and isotopic signatures of subsurface waters along a tropical river, Southwestern India

Systematic monitoring of subsurface hydrogeochemistry has been carried out for a period of one year in a humid tropical region along the Nethravati-Gurupur River. The major ion and stable isotope (delta O-18 and delta H-2) compositions are used to understand the hydrogeochemistry of groundwater and its interaction with surface water. In the study, it is observed that intense weathering of source rocks is the major source of chemical elements to the surface and subsurface waters. In addition, agricultural activities and atmospheric contributions also control the major ion chemistry of water in the study area. There is a clear seasonality in the groundwater chemistry, which is related to the recharge and discharge of the hydrological system. On a temporal scale, there is a decrease in major cation concentrations during the monsoon which is a result of dilution of sources from the weathering of rock minerals, and an increase in anion concentrations which is contributed by the atmosphere, accompanied by an increase in water level during the monsoon. The stable isotope composition indicates that groundwater in the basin is of meteoric origin and recharged directly from the local precipitation during the monsoonal season. Soon after the monsoon, groundwater and surface water mix in the subsurface region. The groundwater feeds the surface water during the lean river flow season.

A comprehensive analysis of the chorion locus in silkmoth

Despite more than 40 years of intense study, essential features of the silkmoth chorion (eggshell) are still not fully understood. To determine the precise structure of the chorion locus, we performed extensive EST analysis, constructed a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) contig, and obtained a continuous genomic sequence of 871,711 base pairs. We annotated 127 chorion genes in two segments interrupted by a 164 kb region with 5 non-chorion genes, orthologs of which were on chorion bearing scaffolds in 4 ditrysian families. Detailed transcriptome analysis revealed expression throughout choriogenesis of most chorion genes originally categorized as ``middle'', and evidence for diverse regulatory mechanisms including cis-elements, alternative splicing and promoter utilization, and antisense RNA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed multigene family associations and faster evolution of early chorion genes and transcriptionally active pseudogenes. Proteomics analysis identified 99 chorion proteins in the eggshell and micropyle localization of 1 early and 6 Hc chorion proteins.

Use of polydispersity index as control parameter to study melting/freezing of Lennard-Jones system: Comparison among predictions of bifurcation theory with Lindemann criterion, inherent structure analysis and Hansen-Verlet rule

Using polydispersity index as an additional order parameter we investigate freezing/melting transition of Lennard-Jones polydisperse systems (with Gaussian polydispersity in size), especially to gain insight into the origin of the terminal polydispersity. The average inherent structure (IS) energy and root mean square displacement (RMSD) of the solid before melting both exhibit quite similar polydispersity dependence including a discontinuity at solid-liquid transition point. Lindemann ratio, obtained from RMSD, is found to be dependent on temperature. At a given number density, there exists a value of polydispersity index (delta (P)) above which no crystalline solid is stable. This transition value of polydispersity(termed as transition polydispersity, delta (P) ) is found to depend strongly on temperature, a feature missed in hard sphere model systems. Additionally, for a particular temperature when number density is increased, delta (P) shifts to higher values. This temperature and number density dependent value of delta (P) saturates surprisingly to a value which is found to be nearly the same for all temperatures, known as terminal polydispersity (delta (TP)). This value (delta (TP) similar to 0.11) is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 0.12, but differs from hard sphere transition where this limiting value is only 0.048. Terminal polydispersity (delta (TP)) thus has a quasiuniversal character. Interestingly, the bifurcation diagram obtained from non-linear integral equation theories of freezing seems to provide an explanation of the existence of unique terminal polydispersity in polydisperse systems. Global bond orientational order parameter is calculated to obtain further insights into mechanism for melting.

Estudio preliminar de la cria de gallinas de patio en el municipio de Nindirí, Masaya

La presente investigación se realizó dentro del marco de la FUNDACION NAKAWE con el objetivo de realizar un estudio preliminar de la cría de gallinas de patio y la influencia que ejerce la dedicación de las productoras sobre el aspecto productivo y reproductivo de las gallinas. El estudio se hizo en las comarcas de Veracruz y El Portillo. Se utilizaron para este estudio las parvadas de gallinas de patio sin alterar su manejo y mantenidas en evaluación durante un periodo de 10 meses. Las productoras que participaron en este estudio estaban interesadas en conocer el comportamiento productivo y reproductivo de sus gallinas. Entre los indicadores sociales-técnicos encontrados en la zona según resultado de la Encuesta estática, se determinó que las gallinas son importante para las mujeres: autoconsumo 93%, ahorro 74%, comercio y prolificidad un 71% respectivamente, ventajas de las gallinas para las mujeres: pagan su comida un 50% y producción diaria un 36%, grupos raciales ( porrocas 100%, chiricanas 64.28%, finas 57.14% e híbridas 35.71%), experiencia en la actividad de 3 a 20 años, la edad de la primera postura es 5.5 y 7.5 meses, número de huevos por postura es de 10 a 15, número de huevos echados por nido de 9 a 13, número de postura por ave/ano es 4 a 7 veces, duración de la crianza de 1.5 a 2.5 meses. Entre los índices técnicos-económicos encontrados en la cría de gallinas de patio, según resultados de las Encuestas de seguimiento por un periodo de 10 meses son: parvadas de 28 a 119 aves y con un promedio de 55 aves, la entradas de aves a la parvada fueron: cambios positivos 51%, nacimiento 45% y compra 4%; salidas de aves fueron: cambios negativos 42.5%, muerte 18.8%, pérdidas 17.6%, venta 12.5%, consumo 8.6%, el incremento fue negativo en un 19.31%, la cantidad huevos por gallina fue de 44 a 120 y un promedio de 85, porcentaje de producción de 26.76% en invierno, 28.72% en verano y el promedio fue de 27.76%, destino huevos: consumo 57%, venta 26%, huevos echados 10%, regalo 5%, compra 1 %, pérdida 1%, el número de huevos echados por nido osciló de 8 a 13 y su promedio fue 11, número de veces echada por gallina oscila de 0.44 a 1.4 veces y su promedio fue de 0.81 veces, incubabilidad obtenida en invierno fue de 46.63% y en verano fue de 58.55% para un promedio de 52.59%, cantidad de pollos nacidos por gallina oscila de 2.51 a 8 con un promedio de 4.68 pollos, el 69.47% del alimento suplementado proviene de la parcela y 30.53% proviene de la compra, el consumo por unidad ave fue de 13.72 a 44.44 libras con un promedio de 31.55 libras, cargas de parásitos internos leves, los costos de alimentación oscilan de 88 a 91% y los costos de salud del 9 a 12% del total de costos variables y la utilidad bruta oscila de 1715.3 córdobas a (86.65) córdobas y con una utilidad promedio para todas las familias estudiadas de 512 córdobas.

Influencia de rotación de cultivos y métodos de control sobre la dinámica de las malezas y el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento del sorgo (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) var. D-55)

En la Estación Experimental de Las Mercedes municipio de Managua, se inició en la época de postrera en 1991, un experimento de rotación de cultivos bajo diferentes niveles de control de malezas. El presente trabajo evaluó el efecto de los cultivos antecesores sorgo, maíz y pepino con tres niveles de control de malezas : químico, período crítico y limpias periódicas a la dinámica de la cenosis de malezas, crecimiento y rendimiento del cultivo sucesor sorgo. Cuando antecedió el pepino la abundancia de maleza fue mayor con 504 Ind/m2 reduciéndose considerablemente a la cosecha obteniendo una biomasa promedio de 133.9 gr/m2. Sucedió lo contrario con maíz como cultivo antecesor ya que al principio la abundancia fue de 201 Ind/m2 y se obtuvo la mayor biomasa con 259.8 gr/m2 y para sorgo-sorgo tuvo valores de 232 Ind/m2 y a la cosecha en menor valor en biomasa de sorgo 130.0 gr/m2. En el rendimiento se enmarcó una tendencia a favor de maíz como cultivo antecesor con 1878 Kg/ha de sorgo, mientras sorgo-sorgo obtuvo un rendimiento de 1839 Kg/ha comparándose con pepino como antecesor con 1832 Kg/ha de sorgo. Comparando los controles aquí hubo diferencias significativas y en mayor valor le correspondió al control químico con 2048.0 Kg/ha, control período crítico con 1786 Kg/ha y el menor valor le correspondió a limpia periódica con sólo 1715 Kg/ha. En el control período crítico presentó mayor abundancia la maleza al inicio con 444 Ind/m2, teniendo una reducción hasta 62 Ind/m2 en la cosecha. El control químico tuvo un comportamiento similar que el control período crítico con 295 Ind/m2, reduciendo al final del ciclo con 135 Ind/m2. El control limpias periódicas tuvo al inicio la menor abundancia con 200 Ind/m2, reduciendo a la cosecha a 3 Ind/m2.

纳米硬度计在MEMS力学检测中的应用

纳米硬度计是一种能提供103mm-10-2mm尺度材料或结构微力学性能检测的先进仪器。采用纳米压痕技术，研究薄膜材料的弹性模量和硬度随压痕深度的变化规律以及薄膜厚度测量，微桥弯曲变形测量的方法。采用纳米划痕技术，研究薄膜的表面粗糙度、临界附着力和摩擦系数测量的方法。该仪器能广泛应用于MEMS的力学检测，并有望成为这一领域内的标准力学检测设备。

Experimental Study on Benard-Marangoni Convection by PIV and TCL

An experimental investigation of Benard-Marangoni convection has been performed in double immiscible liquid layers of rectangular configuration. The two kinds of liquid are 10cst silicon oil and FC-70 respectively. The velocity fields in the vertical cross-section are obtained by PIV. Flow patterns and/or temperature distributions on the horizontal interface are displayed by using thermal color liquid crystal (TLC), and the velocity distributions on the interface were also obtained with the help of the serial particle image of TCL. The evolution processes of convection are observed in the differential thickness ratio of two liquid layers, and the convection styles are discussed.