Optical nonlinearity and charge transfer analysis of 4-[(E)-2-(2,4,6-Trinitrophenyl) ethylidene] benzonitrile adsorbed on silver nanoparticles : Computational and experimental investigations

The search for a potential nonlinear optical (NLO) material has led to the investigation of an organic compound 4-[(E)-2-(2,4,6-Trinitrophenyl)ethylidene]benzonitrile (TEB), which has a possibility of enhancing the NLO properties by the charge transfer mechanism if metal atoms are adsorbed on it. The experimental characterization of TEB is done using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Fr-Raman, Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Visible), Photoluminescence (PL), Thermogravimetric/Differential Thermal Analysis (TG/DTA) and Z-scan techniques. The third order NLO properties evaluated using Z-scan technique proves that the material can be used as a good optical limiter. TEB is attached with silver atoms and the theoretical studies including geometry optimization, NBO analysis and hyperpolarizability calculations are carried out. The TEB molecule with silver atoms adsorbed is found to have increased hyperpolarizability values. The charge transfer from the metal atom to the nitrile group of the molecule is evident from the Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) spectra using the silver nanoparticles. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Qualitative and quantitative approach towards the molecular understanding of structural, vibrational and optical features of urea ninhydrin monohydrate

In this study, single crystals of urea ninhydrin monohydrate (UNMH) have been grown by slow evaporation method. The grown crystals were characterized by FT-IR, FT-Raman and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopies. The Kurtz and Perry powder method was employed to confirm the near-zero SHG efficiency of the as-grown centrosymmetric UNMH crystal. The third order nonlinearity of the crystal has been studied by the open aperture Z-scan method. The nonlinear absorption coefficient is calculated and the potentiality of UNMH in optical limiting applications is identified. The molecular geometry and the origin of optical non-linearity at the molecular level have been investigated by the density functional theory. The normal coordinate analysis was carried out to assign the molecular vibrational modes. Vibrational spectral studies confirms the presence of weak O-H ... O and moderate O-H ... O type hydrogen bonds in the molecule as well as O-H ... O, N-H ... O and blue-shifted C-H ... O type H-bonds in the crystal. The intramolecular charge transfer interactions and the electronic absorption mechanisms have been discussed. The static and the dynamic values of hyperpolarizabilities for UNMH were estimated theoretically by DFT methods. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

A Rare Case of HIV-Induced Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy.

Background:Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) is an uncommon form of neuropathy in HIV-infected patients that can cause pain, sensory disturbance, and motor weakness. Case presentation:A 23-year-old African American male with past medical history of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), Lyme disease, and sexually transmitted infections including syphilis and chlamydia presented with acute back pain radiating to bilateral lower extremities with worsening right foot weakness for four days. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies including meningoencephalitis panel were negative as well as blood tests for Lyme disease and HIV antibody testing. Patient was initially treated with penicillin for positive treponemal serology but without improvement in lower extremity weakness. Electromyogram showed evidence of early demyelinating motor polyneuropathy. Four days after presentation, repeat HIV antibody testing returned positive. Recurrent AIDP in this case was suspected to be secondary to acute HIV infection, and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was administered along with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Muscle strength improved with therapy and patient was expected to have continued improvement with intensive rehabilitation after discharge. Conclusion:Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) tends to present early in course of HIV infection. Therefore, HIV testing should be obtained in individuals presenting with new neurological deficits. Our patient received HAART therapy, in addition to the traditional modalities to manage AIDP, which led to a substantial recovery of his sensorimotor function

Vibrational spectral investigation and natural bond orbital analysis of pharmaceutical compound 7-Amino-2,4-dimethylquinolinium formate – DFT approach

AbstractThe molecular geometry, the normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments, natural bond orbital analysis and the HOMO–LUMO analysis of 7-Amino-2,4-dimethylquinolinium formate in the ground state were performed by B3LYP levels of theory using the 6-31G(d) basis set. The optimised bond lengths and bond angles are in good agreement with the X-ray data. The vibrational spectra of the title compound which is calculated by DFT method, reproduces vibrational wave numbers and intensities with an accuracy which allows reliable vibrational assignments. The possibility of N–H⋯O hydrogen bonding was identified using NBO analysis. Natural bond orbital analysis confirms the presence of intramolecular charge transfer and the hydrogen bonding interaction

Controlling Cherenkov angles with resonance transition radiation

Cherenkov radiation provides a valuable way to identify high energy particles in a wide momentum range, through the relation between the particle velocity and the Cherenkov angle. However, since the Cherenkov angle depends only on material's permittivity, the material unavoidably sets a fundamental limit to the momentum coverage and sensitivity of Cherenkov detectors. For example, Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors must employ materials transparent to the frequency of interest as well as possessing permittivities close to unity to identify particles in the multi GeV range, and thus are often limited to large gas chambers. It would be extremely important albeit challenging to lift this fundamental limit and control Cherenkov angles as preferred. Here we propose a new mechanism that uses constructive interference of resonance transition radiation from photonic crystals to generate both forward and backward Cherenkov radiation. This mechanism can control Cherenkov angles in a flexible way with high sensitivity to any desired range of velocities. Photonic crystals thus overcome the severe material limit for Cherenkov detectors, enabling the use of transparent materials with arbitrary values of permittivity, and provide a promising option suited for identification of particles at high energy with enhanced sensitivity.Comment: There are 16 pages and 4 figures for the manuscript. Supplementary information with 18 pages and 5 figures, appended at the end of the file with the manuscript. Source files in Word format converted to PDF. Submitted to Nature Physic

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Plays an Important Evolutionary Conserved Role in the Regulation of Glucose Metabolism in Fish Skeletal Muscle Cells

AMPK, a master metabolic switch, mediates the observed increase of glucose uptake in locomotory muscle of mammals during exercise. AMPK is activated by changes in the intracellular AMP∶ATP ratio when ATP consumption is stimulated by contractile activity but also by AICAR and metformin, compounds that increase glucose transport in mammalian muscle cells. However, the possible role of AMPK in the regulation of glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle has not been investigated in other vertebrates, including fish. In this study, we investigated the effects of AMPK activators on glucose uptake, AMPK activity, cell surface levels of trout GLUT4 and expression of GLUT1 and GLUT4 as well as the expression of enzymes regulating glucose disposal and PGC1α in trout myotubes derived from a primary muscle cell culture. We show that AICAR and metformin significantly stimulated glucose uptake (1.6 and 1.3 fold, respectively) and that Compound C completely abrogated the stimulatory effects of the AMPK activators on glucose uptake. The combination of insulin and AMPK activators did not result in additive nor synergistic effects on glucose uptake. Moreover, exposure of trout myotubes to AICAR and metformin resulted in an increase in AMPK activity (3.8 and 3 fold, respectively). We also provide evidence suggesting that stimulation of glucose uptake by AMPK activators in trout myotubes may take place, at least in part, by increasing the cell surface and mRNA levels of trout GLUT4. Finally, AICAR increased the mRNA levels of genes involved in glucose disposal (hexokinase, 6-phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and citrate synthase) and mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC-1α) and did not affect glycogen content or glycogen synthase mRNA levels in trout myotubes. Therefore, we provide evidence, for the first time in non-mammalian vertebrates, suggesting a potentially important role of AMPK in stimulating glucose uptake and utilization in the skeletal muscle of fish

Bryostatin Modulates Latent HIV-1 Infection via PKC and AMPK Signaling but Inhibits Acute Infection in a Receptor Independent Manner

HIV's ability to establish long-lived latent infection is mainly due to transcriptional silencing in resting memory T lymphocytes and other non dividing cells including monocytes. Despite an undetectable viral load in patients treated with potent antiretrovirals, current therapy is unable to purge the virus from these latent reservoirs. In order to broaden the inhibitory range and effectiveness of current antiretrovirals, the potential of bryostatin was investigated as an HIV inhibitor and latent activator. Bryostatin revealed antiviral activity against R5- and X4-tropic viruses in receptor independent and partly via transient decrease in CD4/CXCR4 expression. Further, bryostatin at low nanomolar concentrations robustly reactivated latent viral infection in monocytic and lymphocytic cells via activation of Protein Kinase C (PKC) -α and -δ, because PKC inhibitors rottlerin and GF109203X abrogated the bryostatin effect. Bryostatin specifically modulated novel PKC (nPKC) involving stress induced AMP Kinase (AMPK) inasmuch as an inhibitor of AMPK, compound C partially ablated the viral reactivation effect. Above all, bryostatin was non-toxic in vitro and was unable to provoke T-cell activation. The dual role of bryostatin on HIV life cycle may be a beneficial adjunct to the treatment of HIV especially by purging latent virus from different cellular reservoirs such as brain and lymphoid organs