Liquid-phase aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol catalyzed by mechanochemically synthesized manganese oxide

Benzyl alcohol oxidation by molecular oxygen using solid manganese oxide as a catalyst and n-heptane as the solvent was studied in the liquid phase. The catalyst was synthesized by a simple mechanochemical process at room temperature and was characterized by different physical methods. The catalyst was highly active and 100% selective for benzyl alcohol conversion to benzaldehyde. The solid catalyst can be recovered from the reaction mixture by simple filtration and can be re-used. We found n-heptane to be an excellent solvent for the oxidation reaction, and that the catalyst did not leach into solution.     

Mutations in RNF135, a gene within the NF1 microdeletion region, cause phenotypic abnormalities including overgrowth

17q11 microdeletions that encompass NF1 cause 5%-10% of cases of neurofibromatosis type 1, and individuals with microdeletions are typically taller than individuals with intragenic NF1 mutations, suggesting that deletion of a neighboring gene might promote human growth. We identified mutations in RNF135, which is within the NF1 microdeletion region, in six families characterized by overgrowth, learning disability, dysmorphic features and variable additional features. These data identify RNF135 as causative of a new overgrowth syndrome and demonstrate that RNF135 haploinsufficiency contributes to the phenotype of NF1 microdeletion cases.     

The sparing effect of dose-fractionation in adultDrosophila

Summary The sparing effect of dose-fractionation was observed in adult male and femaleDrosophila melanogaster; 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h-old female flies, in general, show a higher recovery (increase in life-span) following dose-fractionation as compared to the males of the respective age. Recovery in 72-h-old females is maximal (31% increase in life-span) as against only 12% increase in the life span of the males.     

Changes in free amino acid level due to physical and chemical agents in ageing Drosophila.

The effects of gamma rays and caffeine on total free amino acids were assessed in unirradiated and irradiated ageing Drosophila. As age advances, there is a rise in the quantity of free amino acids in untreated males and females. Gamma rays and caffeine strongly reduce the level of free amino acids in both the sexes.     

The sparing effect of dose-fractionation in adult Drosophila.

The sparing effect of dose-fractionation was observed in adult male and female Drosophila melanogaster; 24-, 48-, 72-, and 96-h-old female flies, in general, show a higher recovery (increase in life-span) following dose-fractionation as compared to the males of the respective age. Recovery in 72-h-old females is maximal (31% increase in life-span) as against only 12% increase in the life span of the males.     

Changes in free amino acid level due to physical and chemical agents in ageingDrosophila

Summary The effects of gamma rays and caffeine on total free amino acids were assessed in unirradiated and irradiated ageingDrosophila. As age advances, there is a rise in the quantity of free amino acids in untreated males and females. Gamma rays and caffeine strongly reduce the level of free amino acids in both the sexes.Acknowledgment. The author wishes to thank the Dean, School of life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, for providing necessary fascilities during the course of this work.     

Electrical conductivity retention and electrochemical activity of CSA doped graphene/gold nanoparticle@ polyaniline composites

This paper reports the synthesis of CTAB mediated CSA doped PANI and GN/GNP@ PANI composite nanofibers. The as synthesized composite nanofibers were examined by TEM, SEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy; UV–visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy and TGA. The CTAB mediated CSA doped composite nanofibers showed 59% higher DC electrical conductivity at ambient temperature than that of PANI,which might be due to the enhancement in the mobility of the charge carriers and reduction in hopping distance in the composite system. The CTAB mediated CSA doped composite nanofibers compared to PANI was observed to be showing enhanced DC electrical conductivity retention after various cycles of heating, suggesting an enhancement in thermal stability of the composite structure, which could be attributed to the synergistic effect of GN,GNP and PANI. Additionally, the composite nanofibers showed greater electrochemical activity and better capacitive performance and reduced optical bandgap than that of PANI.     

Effect of Zinc additive on dielectric properties of Cd–Se glassy system

Cd5Se95–xZnx(x=0, 2, 4, 6) glassy alloy has been prepared by a melt-quenching technique. Thin films were deposited by thermal coating unit on ultraclean glass substrate under a vacuum of 10–6Torr. The absence of any sharp peaks in the X-ray diffraction confirms the amorphous nature of thin films. The frequency and temperature dependence of dielectric constant and dielectric loss in the frequency range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz and in the temperature range of 290–370 K were studied. Dielectric dispersion was observed when Zinc(Zn) was incorporated into the Cd–Se system.The increase in dielectric parameter with Zn concentration may be due to increase in defect states. The DC conductivity has been reported to investigate the effect of Zn concentration on DC conduction loss. The results are interpreted in term of dipolar theory for Cd5Se95 and Cd5Se93Zn2samples, while the remaining samples have been explained on the basis of DC conduction loss. It was also observed that the DC conductivity increased with the increase of Zinc concentration, which may be due to the decrease in the band gap near Fermi level.