Sol-Gel Synthesis of 5 V LiCuxMn2−xO4 as a Cathode Material for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

Spinel LiCuxMn2−xO4 0.025 x 0.1 has been synthesized using oxalic acid as the chelating agent using a sol-gel method to obtain submicrometer-sized particles, good surface morphology, homogeneity, agglomeration, and high crystallinity involving short heating time. X-ray diffraction XRD, scanning electron microscopy SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis were carried out for the physical characterization of the synthesized powder. The XRD patterns of LiCuxMn2−xO4 show the single-phase spinel product, which is in good agreement with the JCPDS card 35-782. SEM images show that the particles, on the average, are of 50 nm in size and are present as agglomerated clusters at all dopant levels. Electrochemical cycling studies of the compound were carried out between 3 and 5 V to understand the redox behavior of Cu2+ ions. The charge–discharge cycling studies of spinel material with Cu stoichiometry of x = 0.1 calcined at 850°C exhibit an initial discharge capacity of 130 mAh g−1 and stabilized at 120 mAh g−1

Electrochemical Performance of AlÕMnO2 Dry Cells: An Alternative to Lechlanche Dry Cells

Aluminum-MnO2 �Al/MnO2� dry cells of “D” size configuration are investigated as an alternative to the Lechlanche dry cell, where aluminum is replaced for zinc as the anode, MnO2 as the cathode, and a mixture of aluminum chloride/ammonium chloride/chromium chloride as the electrolyte. Investigations regarding the optimization of conducting material, electrolyte composition, and electrochemical performance of the cell at different temperature and current drains �100, 200, and 400 mA� are carried out. Internal resistance and storage life of the fabricated aluminum dry cells are also evaluated. The results suggest that Al/MnO2 dry cells exhibit a superior performance than their Zn counterpar

In vitro antioxidant activity of Vetiveria zizanioides root extract

Free radicals induce numerous diseases by lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. It has been reported that some of the extracts from plants possess antioxidant properties capable of scavenging free radicals in vivo. Vetiveria zizanioides belonging to the family Gramineae, is a densely tufted grass which is widely used as a traditional plant for aromatherapy, to relieve stress, anxiety, nervous tension and insomnia. In this regard, the roots of V. zizanioides was extracted with ethanol and used for the evaluation of various in vitro antioxidant activities such as reducing power ability, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity, deoxyribose degradation assay, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolics and total flavonoid composition. The various antioxidant activities were compared with suitable antioxidants such as butyl hydroxy toluene, ascorbic acid, quercetin, alpha tocopherol, pyrocatechol and curcumin respectively. The generation of free radicals O2-, H2O2, OH and NO were effectively scavenged by the ethanolic extract of V.zizanioides. In all these methods, the extract showed strong antioxidant activity in a dose dependent manner. The results obtained in the present study clearly indicates that V. zizanioides scavenges free radicals, ameliorating damage imposed by oxidative stress in different disease conditions and serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant. The study provides a proof for the ethnomedical claims and reported biological activities. The plant has, therefore, very good therapeutic and antioxidant potential

Investigation of Antidiabetic, Antihyperlipidemic, and In Vivo Antioxidant Properties of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. in Type 1 Diabetic Rats: An Identification of Possible Biomarkers

The present investigation was aimed to study the antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and in vivo antioxidant properties of the root of Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. in streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced type 1 diabetic rats. Administration of ethanolic extract of Sphaeranthus indicus root (EESIR) 100 and 200 mg/kg to the STZ-induced diabetic rats showed significant (P < .01) reduction in blood glucose and increase in body weight compared to diabetic control rats. Both the doses of EESIR-treated diabetic rats showed significant (P < .01) alteration in elevated lipid profile levels than diabetic control rats. The EESIR treatment in diabetic rats produced significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels than diabetic control rats. Administration of EESIR 200 mg/kg produced significant (P < .01) higher antioxidant activity than EESIR 100 mg/kg. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of EESIR revealed the presence of biomarkers gallic acid and quercetin. In conclusion, EESIR possess antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, and in vivo antioxidant activity in type 1 diabetic rats. Its antioxidant and lipid lowering effect will help to prevent diabetic complications, and these actions are possibly due to presence of above biomarkers

Primate epididymis-specific proteins: characterization of ESC42, a novel protein containing a trefoil-like motif in monkey and human

Epididymal secreted proteins promote sperm maturation and fertilizing capacity by interacting with sperm during passage through the epididymis. Here we investigate the molecular basis of sperm maturation by isolating cDNA clones for novel epididymis-specific expressed sequences. Thirty-six novel cDNAs were isolated and sequenced from a subtracted Macaca mulatta epididymis library. The clones encode proteins with a range of motifs characteristic of protein-modifying enzymes, protease inhibitors, hydrophobic ligand-binding and transport proteins, extracellular matrix-interacting proteins, and transcription regulatory factors. The full length coding sequences were obtained for 11 clones representing a range of abundance levels. Expression of each is regionally localized and androgen regulated. The most abundant, ESC42, contains a cysteine-rich region similar to the signature binding domain of the trefoil family of motogenic wound repair proteins. The monkey and human proteins are nearly 90% identical. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the protein is most abundant in the epithelium of the caput and is also present in the lumen and bound to sperm. The ESC42 gene, located on chromosome 20q11, contains two exons encoding two nearly identical predicted signal peptides and a third exon encoding the rest of the protein

Analytical Study of Base Isolation- A Review

Now a days the rate of happening of seismic events increasing and due to that so many structures got collapsed or damaged. In order to reduce the damage to structures during earthquakes, now a days the base isolation system is widely adopted and used over the world. This paper makes a wide review on the various base isolation techniques adopted and used. Different types of isolating bearings and materials used in it are reviewed. Here the review is done for the isolation system in normal R.C buildings (regular and irregular in plan) and also for bridges. The effect of base isolation system on some historic structures is also reviewed. The various advantages and disadvantages of different isolating bearings are reviewed. Here the effect of temperature on some isolating devices are also reviewed

The actinobacterial transcription factor RbpA binds to the principal sigma subunit of RNA polymerase

RbpA is a small non-DNA-binding transcription factor that associates with RNA polymerase holoenzyme and stimulates transcription in actinobacteria, including Streptomyces coelicolor and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. RbpA seems to show specificity for the vegetative form of RNA polymerase as opposed to alternative forms of the enzyme. Here, we explain the basis of this specificity by showing that RbpA binds directly to the principal σ subunit in these organisms, but not to more diverged alternative σ factors. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that, although differing in their requirement for structural zinc, the RbpA orthologues from S. coelicolor and M. tuberculosis share a common structural core domain, with extensive, apparently disordered, N- and C-terminal regions. The RbpA-σ interaction is mediated by the C-terminal region of RbpA and σ domain 2, and S. coelicolor RbpA mutants that are defective in binding σ are unable to stimulate transcription in vitro and are inactive in vivo. Given that RbpA is essential in M. tuberculosis and critical for growth in S. coelicolor, these data support a model in which RbpA plays a key role in the σ cycle in actinobacteria

Expression and purification of tau protein and its frontotemporal dementia variants using a cleavable histidine tag

Recombinant tau protein is widely used to study the biochemical, cellular and pathological aspects of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTPD-17). Pure tau in high yield is a requirement for in vitro evaluation of the protein's physiological and toxic functions. However, the preparation of recombinant tau is complicated by the protein's propensity to aggregate and form truncation products, necessitating the use of multiple, time-consuming purification methods. In this study, we investigated parameters that influence the expression of wild type and FTPD-17 pathogenic tau, in an attempt to identify ways to maximise expression yield. Here, we report on the influence of the choice of host strain, induction temperature, duration of induction, and media supplementation with glucose on tau expression in Escherichia coli. We also describe a straightforward process to purify the expressed tau proteins using immobilised metal affinity chromatography, with favourable yields over previous reports. An advantage of the described method is that it enables high yield production of functional oligomeric and monomeric tau, both of which can be used to study the biochemical, physiological and toxic properties of the protein