Quenching of Meridional Circulation in Flux Transport Dynamo Models

Guided by the recent observational result that the meridional circulation of the Sun becomes weaker at the time of the sunspot maximum, we have included a parametric quenching of the meridional circulation in solar dynamo models such that the meridional circulation becomes weaker when the magnetic field at the base of the convection zone is stronger. We find that a flux transport solar dynamo tends to become unstable on including this quenching of meridional circulation if the diffusivity in the convection zone is less than about 2x10(11) cm(2) s(-1). The quenching of alpha, however, has a stabilizing effect and it is possible to stabilize a dynamo with low diffusivity with sufficiently strong alpha-quenching. For dynamo models with high diffusivity, the quenching of meridional circulation does not produce a large effect and the dynamo remains stable. We present a solar-like solution from a dynamo model with diffusivity 2.8x10(12) cm(2) s(-1) in which the quenching of meridional circulation makes the meridional circulation vary periodically with solar cycle as observed and does not have any other significant effect on the dynamo.

Dependence of Protein Adsorption on Wetting Behavior of UHMWPE-HA-Al2O3-CNT Hybrid Biocomposites

Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is used as an articulating surface in total hip and knee joint replacement. In order to enhance long-term durability/wear resistance properties, UHMWPE-based polymer-ceramic hybrid composites are being developed. Surface properties such as wettability and protein adsorption alter with reinforcement or with change in surface chemistry. From this perspective, the wettability and protein adsorption behavior of compression-molded UHMWPE-hydroxyapatite (HA)-aluminum oxide (Al2O3)-carbon nanotube (CNT) composites were analyzed in conjunction with surface roughness. The combined effect of Al2O3 and CNT shows enhancement of the contact angle by similar to 37A degrees compared with the surface of the UHMWPE matrix reinforced with HA. In reference to unreinforced UHMWPE, protein adsorption density also increased by similar to 230% for 2 wt.%HA-5 wt.%Al2O3-2 wt.%CNT addition to UHMWPE. An important conclusion is that the polar and dispersion components of the surface free energy play a significant role in wetting and protein adsorption than do the total free energy or chemistry of the surface. The results of this study have major implications for the biocompatibility of these newly developed biocomposites.

Isomeric identification of methylated naphthalenes using gas phase infrared spectroscopy

We report gas phase mid-infrared spectra of 1- and 2- methyl naphthalenes at 0.2 cm(-1) resolution. Assignment of observed bands have been made using scaled quantum mechanical (SQM) calculations where the force fields rather the frequencies are scaled to find a close fit between observed and calculated bands. The structure of the molecules has been optimized using B3LYP level of theory in conjunction with standard 6-311G** basis set to obtain the harmonic frequencies. Using the force constants in Cartesian coordinates from the Gaussian output, scaled force field calculations are carried out using a modified version of the UMAT program in the QCPE package. Potential energy distributions of the normal modes obtained from such calculations helped us assign the observed bands and identify the unique features of the spectra of 1- and 2-MNs which are important for their isomeric identification.

Solution processable quinoxaline based molecular materials for organic field effect transistors

Three new solution processable quinoxaline based donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type molecules have been synthesized for application in field effect transistors. These molecules were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and cyclic voltammetry. DFT calculation gives deeper insight into the electronic structure of these molecules. The crystallinity and morphology features of thin film were investigated using X-ray diffraction. These molecules show liquid crystalline phase confirmed by DSC and optical polarizing microscopy. Investigation of their field effect transistor performance indicated that these molecules exhibited p-type mobility up to 9.7 x 10 (4) cm(2) V (1) s (1) and on/off ratio of 10(4). (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Online Actor-Critic Algorithm with Function Approximation for Constrained Markov Decision Processes

We develop an online actor-critic reinforcement learning algorithm with function approximation for a problem of control under inequality constraints. We consider the long-run average cost Markov decision process (MDP) framework in which both the objective and the constraint functions are suitable policy-dependent long-run averages of certain sample path functions. The Lagrange multiplier method is used to handle the inequality constraints. We prove the asymptotic almost sure convergence of our algorithm to a locally optimal solution. We also provide the results of numerical experiments on a problem of routing in a multi-stage queueing network with constraints on long-run average queue lengths. We observe that our algorithm exhibits good performance on this setting and converges to a feasible point.

In praise of H2O2, the versatile ROS, and its vanadium complexes

Hydrogenperoxide (H2O2) is generated in mitochondria in aerobic cells as a minor product of electron transport, is inhibited selectively by phenolic acids (in animals) or salicylhydroxamate (in plants) and is regulated by hormones and environmental conditions. Failure to detect this activity is due to presence of H2O2-consuming reactions or inhibitors present in the reaction mixture. H2O2 has a role in metabolic regulation and signal transduction reactions. A number of enzymes and cellular activities are modified, mostly by oxidizing the protein-thiol groups, on adding H2O2 in mM concentrations. On complexing with vanadate, also occurring in traces, H2O2 forms diperoxovanadate (DPV), stable at physiological pH and resistant to degradation by catalase. DPV was found to substitute for H2O2 at concentrations orders of magnitude lower, and in presence of catalase, as a substrate for user reaction, horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and in inactivating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. superoxide dismutase (SOD)-sensitive oxidation of NADH was found to operate as peroxovanadate cycle using traces of DPV and decameric vanadate (V-10) and reduces O-2 to peroxide (DPV in presence of free vanadate). This offers a model for respiratory burst. Diperoxovanadate reproduces several actions of H2O2 at low concentrations: enhances protein tyrosine phosphorylation, activates phospholipase D, produces smooth muscle contraction, and accelerates stress induced premature senescence (SIPS) and rounding in fibroblasts. Peroxovanadates can be useful tools in the studies on H2O2 in cellular activities and regulation.

Synthesis and an Evaluation of Molecular Conformation and Crystal Packing in Two Substituted 4-Phenylquinolines

The title compounds, namely Methyl 2-methyl-4 -phenylquinoline-3-carboxylate (I), C18H15NO2, and (2E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-(2-methyl-4 -phenylquinolin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (II), C27H23NO3, comprising of the phenyl ring, exhibit differences in conformational behaviour with respect to the plane of the quinoline fragment. (I) contains the methyl ester moiety whereas (II) contains the chalcone fragment, consisting of a double bond and phenyl group containing dimethoxy groups as substituents. The dihedral angles between the phenyl group and the quinoline ring is 82.77 (7)A degrees in (I), and 79.02 (8)A degrees in (II) respectively. It is the weak C-H center dot center dot center dot O=C H-bond and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions which dictate packing of molecules in (I). In (II), it is C-H center dot center dot center dot N and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi, involving the dimethoxy ring, which controls packing of molecules in the crystal lattice. In addition, pi center dot center dot center dot pi aromatic stacking interactions involving the quinoline fragment is present in all the molecules. The title compounds, namely methyl-2-methyl-4 -phenylquinoline-3-carboxylate (I), C18H15NO2, and (2E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-(2-methyl-4 -phenylquinolin-3-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (II), C27H23NO3, comprising of the phenyl ring, exhibit differences in conformational behaviour with respect to the plane of the quinoline fragment. (I) contains the methyl ester moiety whereas (III) contains the chalcone fragment, consisting of a double bond and phenyl group containing dimethoxy groups as substituents. The dihedral angles between the phenyl group and the quinoline ring is 82.77 (7)A degrees in (I), and 79.02 (8)A degrees in (II) respectively. It is the weak C-H center dot center dot center dot O=C H-bond and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions which dictate packing of molecules in (I). In (II), it is C-H center dot center dot center dot N and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi, involving the dimethoxy ring, which controls packing of molecules in the crystal lattice. In addition, pi center dot center dot center dot pi aromatic stacking interactions involving the quinoline fragment is present in all the molecules.

Electrical Resistance and Seebeck Coefficient in PbTe Nanowires

We address a physics-based simplified analytical formulation of the diffusive electrical resistance ( (Omega)) and Seebeck coefficient () in a PbTe nanowire dominated by acoustic phonon scattering under the presence of a low static longitudinal electric field. The use of a second-order nonparabolic electron energy band structure involving a geometry-dependent band gap has been selected in principle to demonstrate that the electron mean free path (MFP) in such a system can reach as low as about 8 nm at room temperature for a 10-nm-wide PbTe nanowire. This is followed by the formulation of the carrier back-scattering coefficient for determination of (Omega) and as functions of wire dimensions, temperature, and the field, respectively. The present analytical formulation agrees well with the available experimental data and may find extensive use in determination of various electrothermal transport phenomena in PbTe-based one-dimensional electron devices.

Lead ion sensor with electrodes modified by imidazole-functionalized polyaniline

Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) and carbon paste electrodes (CPE) were modified with imidazole functionalized polyaniline with the aim to develop a sensor for lead (II) in both acidic and basic aqueous solution. The electrodes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry. The limit of detections obtained with glassy carbon electrode and carbon paste electrode are 20 ng mL(-1) and 2 ng mL(-1) of lead ion, respectively. An interference study was carried out with Cd(II), As(III), Hg(II) and Co(II) ions. Cd(II) ions interfere significantly (peak overlap) and As(III) has a depressing effect on the lead signal. The influence of pH was investigated indicating that bare and modified GCE and CPE show optimum response at pH 4.0 +/- 0.05.

Tight co-degree condition for perfect matchings in 4-graphs

We will give a tight minimum co-degree condition for a 4-uniform hypergraph to contain a perfect matching.

Synthesis, characterization, thermo- and photoluminescence properties of Bi3+ co-doped Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanophosphors

Gd2O3:Eu3+ (4 mol%) co-doped with Bi3+ (Bi = 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 mol%) ions were synthesized by a low-temperature solution combustion method. The powders were calcined at 800A degrees C and were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The PXRD profiles confirm that the calcined products were in monoclinic with little cubic phases. The particle sizes were estimated using Scherrer's method and Williamson-Hall plots and are found to be in the ranges 40-60 nm and 30-80 nm, respectively. The results are in good agreement with TEM results. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized phosphors excited with 230 nm show emission peaks at similar to 590, 612 and 625 nm, which are due to the transitions D-5(0)-> F-7(0), D-5(0)-> F-7(2) and D-5(0)-> F-7(3) of Eu3+, respectively. It is observed that a significant quenching of Eu3+ emission was observed under 230 nm excitation when Bi3+ was co-doped. On the other hand, upon 350 nm excitation, the luminescent intensity of Eu3+ ions was enhanced by incorporation of Bi3+ (5 mol%) ions. The introduction of Bi3+ ions broadened the excitation band of Eu3+ of which a new strong band occurred ranging from 320 to 380 nm. This has been attributed to the 6s(2)-> 6s6p transition of Bi3+ ions, implying a very efficient energy transfer from Bi3+ ions to Eu3+ ions. The gamma radiation response of Gd2O3:Eu3+ exhibited a dosimetrically useful glow peak at 380A degrees C. Using thermoluminescence glow peaks, the trap parameters have been evaluated and discussed. The observed emission characteristics and energy transfer indicate that Gd2O3:Eu3+, Bi3+ phosphors have promising applications in solid-state lighting.

Synthesis of BiFeO by carbonate precipitation

Magnetoelectric multiferroic BiFeO3 (BFO) was synthesized by a simple carbonate precipitation technique of metal nitrate solutions. X-ray powder diffraction and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the precipitate consists of an intimate mixture of crystalline bismuth carbonate and an amorphous hydroxide of iron. The precipitate yielded BiFeO3 at an optimal calcination temperature of similar to 560A degrees C. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed 1:1 ratio between Bi and Fe in the oxide. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed that Fe to be in +3 oxidation states both in the precipitated powder and BiFeO3. The synthesized BFO exhibits a very weak ferromagnetic correlation at room temperature and the degree of which increases slightly on cooling down to 10 K suggesting alteration in the long range spatial modulation of the spins arrangement as compared to the bulk BiFeO3.

Effect of Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes on Electrical and Structural Properties of Polyaniline

Polyaniline (PANI) and PANI/CNT (multiwall carbon nanotubes, CNT) composites were prepared using an oxidative chemical polymerization method with ammonium persulfate and dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid as the oxidizing agent and surfactant, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy spectra illustrate the presence of PANI in the composite and show that some interaction exists between PANI and CNT. Embedding of CNT in the PANI matrix is confirmed by scanning electron micrography. Conductivity of the PANI/CNT composites was higher than that of pure PANI, and the maximum conductivity obtained was 4.44 S/cm at 20 wt.% CNT.

Fabrication of Transparent BaNaB9O15 Glass-Microcrystal Composites

Transparent glasses in the BaO-Na2O-B2O3 (BNBO) system were fabricated via the conventional melt-quenching technique. The amorphous and the glassy nature of the as-quenched samples were confirmed by x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), respectively. Cyclic heat treatment of the as-quenched glasses yielded transparent glass-microcrystal composites. The volume fraction of the crystallites and their sizes could be easily controlled by this process. Heat-treated samples were highly transparent owing to the minimum mismatch between the refractive indices of the crystallites and the glass residual matrix. BNBO samples that were heat treated at 540A degrees C for 4 h for 10 cycles were found to be 60% to 70% transparent in the 500 nm to 900 nm wavelength range.