Iron leaching from China clay with oxalic acid: effect of different physico-chemical parameters

China clay is an important mineral, which is used in the manufacture of ceramics and refractory, as also in other industries. Mined China clay contains iron oxides and silicates as impurity; if present in excess of a threshold level, the impurities affect the commercial value of the products. Currently available processes for lowering the iron content in China clay to the desired level ( < 0.8%) are energy- and cost-intensive, not sufficiently flexible, and may cause environmental pollution. An alternative approach for iron removal consists in the development of a biotechnological process which is expected to be cost-effective, less complex and eco-friendly. We reported earlier that several fungi, especially Aspergillus niger, and their culture filtrates could leach sufficient amount of iron from a China clay sample; oxalic acid was found to be the most active component of the culture filtrate (Trans. Indian Inst. Met. 55 (2002) 1). We now report the rates of iron leaching from another China clay sample by oxalic acid and by the culture filtrate of A. niger NCIM 548 that was found to be the most active strain in our previous study (Trans. Indian Inst. Met. 55 (2002) 1). The iron-leaching rates increased with temperature (T) and followed biphasic kinetics. The effect of oxalic acid concentration (C), pH (H), solids concentration or pulp density ( P), time and mode of agitation on the rate of iron leaching is described. The rate of leaching with oxalic acid (Rox) can be calculated theoretically from the following relationship: Roxf(C)0.76(T)1.76(H)0.80( P)0.20 under the specified set of conditions. Using the same concentration of oxalic acid in A. niger culture filtrate, the relationship of the rate differed; this may be due to the influence of other metabolites present in the culture filtrate on the rate

PTEN negatively regulates mTORC2 formation and signaling in grade IV glioma via Rictor hyperphosphorylation at Thr1135 and direct the mode of action of an mTORC1/2 inhibitor

To investigate the role of PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) in mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) signaling in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), we found higher activation of mTORC2 in PTENmu cells, as evidenced by enhanced phosphorylation of mTOR (Ser2481), AKT (Ser473) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) (Ser9) as compared with PTENwt cells. In addition, PTENwt cells upon PTEN depletion showed mTORC2 activation. The reduced mTORC2 signaling in PTENwt cells was related to higher Rictor phosphorylation at Thr1135 residue. Phosphorylation of Rictor at Thr1135 inhibited its association with mTORC and thus there was a reduction in mTORC2 complex formation. In addition, PTENwt cells expressing mutated Rictor in which Thr1135 was substituted with alanine, showed enhanced mTORC2 formation and signaling. This enhanced mTORC2 signaling promoted inactivation of GSK3β. Thus, we established the reciprocal activation of mTORC2 and GSK3β in GBM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing role of PTEN in mTORC2 formation by promoting Rictor phosphorylation (Thr1135) in GBM. Furthermore, the drug sensitivity of mTORC2 was evaluated. A newly identified carbazole alkaloid, mahanine, showed cytotoxicity in both PTENmu and PTENwt cells. It inhibited both mTORC1/2 and AKT completely in PTENmu cells, whereas it inhibited only mTORC1 in PTENwt cells. Cytotoxity and AKT-inhibitory activity of the mTORC1/2 inhibitor was increased either by depleting PTEN or in combination with phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase inhibitors in PTENwt cells. In contrast, depletion of Rictor decreased the cytotoxicity of the mTORC1/2 inhibitor in PTENmu cells. Thus, PTEN has an important role in mTORC2 formation and also influences the effectiveness of an mTORC1/2 inhibitor in GBM

Growth of [110] La2/3_{2 / 3}Sr1/3_{1 / 3}MnO3_{3} - YBa2_{2}Cu3_{3}O7_{7} heterostructures

YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7}$ - La$_{2 / 3}$Sr$_{1 / 3}$MnO$_{3}$ heterostructures of [110] orientation are grown to allow direct injection of spin polarized holes from the La$_{2 / 3}$Sr$_{1 / 3}$MnO$_{3}$ into the CuO$_2$ superconducting planes. The magnetic response of the structure at T $<$ T$_{sc}$ shows both diamagnetic and ferromagnetic moments with [001] direction as magnetic easy axis. While the superconducting transition temperature (T$_{sc}$) of these structures is sharp ($\Delta$T$_{sc} \simeq$ 2.5 K), the critical current density (J$_c$) follows a dependence of the type $J_c = J{_o}(1-\frac{T}{T_{sc}})^{3/2}$ with highly suppressed J$_o$ ($\simeq 2 \times 10^4$ A/cm$^2$) indicating strong pair breaking effects of the ferromagnetic boundary.Comment: 12 pages five figure

Control of postharvest grape rots caused by Aspergillus niger and Botryodiplodia theobromae

Die Bekämpfung der durch Aspergillus niger und Botryodiplodia theobromae an geernteten Trauben verursachten FäulnisTrauben der Sorten Thompson Seedless, Anab-e-Shahi und Kishmish wurden nach der Ernte mit A. niger und B. theobromae - sowohl rein als auch gemischt - infiziert. Die Wirksamkeit verschiedener Nahrungskonservierungsmittel, Pflanzenöle, Wachstumsregulatoren, homoeopathischer Drogen, Antibiotika und Fungizide, vor und nach der Inokulation angewandt, wurde gepriift. Durch die Behandlung der geernteten Trauben mit Bavistin (0,1 % ) + Kaliummetabisulfit (5 % ) könnten hohe wirtschaftliche Verluste vermieden werden

Studies on Dissociation Constants of Substituted Salicylic Acids in Ethanol - Water Mixtures by Conductometric Method

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Dissociation Constants of Substituted Benzoic Acids by Conductometric Methods

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The effect of substituted benzene dicarboxylic acid linkers on the optical band gap energy and magnetic coupling in manganese trimer metal organic frameworks

We have systematically studied a series of eight metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in which the secondary building unit is a manganese trimer cluster, and the linkers are differently substituted benzene dicarboxylic acids (BDC). The optical band gap energy of the compounds vary from 2.62 eV to 3.57 eV, and theoretical studies find that different functional groups result in new states in the conduction band, which lie in the gap and lower the optical band gap energy. The optical absorption between the filled Mn 3d states and the ligands is weak due to minimal overlap of the states, and the measured optical band gap energy is due to transitions on the BDC linker. The Mn atoms in the MOFs have local moments of 5 mu B, and selected MOFs are found to be antiferromagnetic, with weak coupling between the cluster units, and paramagnetic above 10 K