A uracil nitroso amine based colorimetric sensor for the detection of Cu²⁺ ions from aqueous environment and its practical applications

A simple uracil nitroso amine based colorimetric chemosensor (UNA-1) has been synthesized and screened for its cation recognition ability. Sensor UNA-1 exhibited a high sensitivity and selectivity towards Cu²⁺ ions in aqueous medium in the presence of a wide range of other competing cations (Ag⁺, Al³⁺, Ba²⁺+, Ca²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cs⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Li⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Na⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Sr²⁺). With Cu²⁺, the sensor UNA-1 gave a distinct color change from colorless to dark yellow by forming a complex of 1:1 stoichiometry. Furthermore, sensor UNA-1 was successfully utilized in the preparation of test strips and supported silica for the detection of Cu²⁺ ions from aqueous environment

Correlating features in the primordial spectra

Heavy fields coupled to the inflaton reduce the speed of sound in the effective theory of the adiabatic mode each time the background inflationary trajectory deviates from a geodesic. This can result in features in the primordial spectra. We compute the corresponding bispectrum and show that if a varying speed of sound induces features in the power spectrum, the change in the bispectrum is given by a simple formula involving the change in the power spectrum and its derivatives. In this manner, we provide a uniquely discriminable signature of a varying sound speed for the adiabatic mode during inflation that indicates the influence of heavy fields. We find that features in the bispectrum peak in the equilateral limit and, in particular, in the squeezed limit we find considerable enhancement entirely consistent with the single field consistency relation. From the perspective of the underlying effective theory, our results generalize to a wide variety of inflationary models where features are sourced by the time variation of background quantities. A positive detection of such correlated features would be unambiguous proof of the inflaton's nature as a single light scalar degree of freedom embedded in a theory that is UV completable.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure; matches published versio

Traditional Medicolore in Badwani District (M.P.) India

The study concerns significant ethnobotanical information of 25 plant species belonging to 25 genera and 19 families traditionally used by the aborigines and rural folks of Badwani district, Of these 21 species are being noted for the first time from Indian region.  Madhya Pradesh (India) to treat various human diseases such as, impotency, intestinal worms, fever, constipation, ring worms, eczema, hepatitis, menstrual complaints, urinary complaints, migraine stomach-ache, bone fracture, lactation, piles, night blindness, pregnancy and abortion, etc.,This paper highlights traditional uses of plants used by the rural and tribal people. The district is inhabited with tribes viz., Gond, Baiga, Koraku, Bhariaya, Halba, Bhil, Kaul and Pawara. The population of the region is predominantly rural and tribal having considerable knowledge about ambient plant wealth and their traditional utility. The present work is an attempt to collect document and evaluate the ethnomedicinal claims in the areas under study. Key words: Ethnomedicine, Badwani District, Madhya Pradesh P. S. Patil. Traditional Medicolore in Badwani District (M.P.) India. J Phytol 2/12 (2010) 49-53

Mass hierarchies and non-decoupling in multi-scalar field dynamics

In this work we study the effects of field space curvature on scalar field perturbations around an arbitrary background field trajectory evolving in time. Non-trivial imprints of the 'heavy' directions on the low energy dynamics arise when the vacuum manifold of the potential does not coincide with the span of geodesics defined by the sigma model metric of the full theory. When the kinetic energy is small compared to the potential energy, the field traverses a curve close to the vacuum manifold of the potential. The curvature of the path followed by the fields can still have a profound influence on the perturbations as modes parallel to the trajectory mix with those normal to it if the trajectory turns sharply enough. We analyze the dynamical mixing between these non-decoupled degrees of freedom and deduce its non-trivial contribution to the low energy effective theory for the light modes. We also discuss the consequences of this mixing for various scenarios where multiple scalar fields play a vital role, such as inflation and low-energy compactifications of string theory.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, typeset in PRD style. v2: Minor changes throughout to emphasize that the analysis also applies to sharp and/or prolonged turns. References adde

Investigation on folkloric medicines in Badwani district (M.P.) India

The paper communicates first-hand information on 25 plant species belonging to 25 genera and 21 families traditionally used by the aborigines and rural populace of Badwani district (Madhya Pradesh, India) to treat various human diseases.Of these, 16 species are being reported for the first time from India. These are administered to various diseases such as dysentery, whitlow, throat infection, mouth ulcers, earache, impotency, fever, bone-fever, cough, migraine, stomach-ache, bone fracture, rheumatism, post-pregnancy complaints, etc., They are employed in the form of extract, infusion, paste, powder, juice, decoction, etc. The district is inhabited by tribes viz., Gond, Baiga, Koraku, Bhariaya, Halba, Bhil, Kaul and Pawara. The population of the region is predominantly rural and tribal having considerable knowledge about ambient plant wealth and their traditional utilities. The correct scientific name of plant, family and local names, preparations of medicinal recipes, dosage, mode of administration and diseases treated are given. These have been gathered from medicine-men, elders and experienced informants. This is attempt to evaluate the ethnomedicinal claims, which in turn on further scientific scrutiny, may emerge as new drugs. ÂÂ

The Cosmology of Massless String Modes

We consider the spacetime dynamics of a gas of closed strings in the context of General Relativity in a background of arbitrary spatial dimensions. Our motivation is primarily late time String Gas Cosmology, where such a spacetime picture has to emerge after the dilaton has stabilized. We find that after accounting for the thermodynamics of a gas of strings, only string modes which are massless at the self-dual radius are relevant, and that they lead to a dynamics which is qualitatively different from that induced by the modes usually considered in the literature. In the context of an ansatz with three large spatial dimensions and an arbitrary number of small extra dimensions, we obtain isotropic stabilization of these extra dimensions at the self-dual radius. This stabilization occurs for fixed dilaton, and is induced by the special string states we focus on. The three large dimensions undergo a regular Friedmann-Robertson-Walker expansion. We also show that this framework for late-time cosmology is consistent with observational bounds.Comment: 15 pages, no figures, references added (again

Two phase detonation studies

An experimental study of the passage of a shock wave over a burning fuel drop is described. This includes high speed framing photographs of the interaction taken at 500,000 frames per second. A theoretical prediction of the ignition of a fuel drop by a shock wave is presented and the results compared with earlier experimental work. Experimental attempts to generate a detonation in a liquid fuel drop (kerosene)-liquid oxidizer drop (hydrogen peroxide)-inert gas-environment are described. An appendix is included which gives the analytical prediction of power requirements for the drop generator to produce certain size drops at a certain mass rate. A bibliography is also included which lists all of the publications resulting from this research grant

Sugar, acid, and nitrogen in the developing berries of some grape varieties

Periodical data regarding changes in total nitrogen, total acid and total sugar of the developing berries revealed that the total nitrogen in dry weight basis increased very rapidly between 10-20 days after anthesis and decreased subsequently until maturity of berries. The maximum N content 20 days after anthesis is thought to coincide with the period of maximum requirement of N at this stage for building up of the various tissue. The total acidity in developing berries showed the familiar pattern of gradual rise to 40 days after anthesis, followed by a gradual decline until maturity of berries. The maximum coincides with low night temperatures, indicating greater synthesis of acids at low temperatures. The gradual reduction of acidity until maturity corresponcled with the rise in day temperature suggesting the respiration of acids at high temperatures.The sugar accumulation in developing grape berries started 50 days after anthesis. The rate of accumulation was very high from 60-80 days after anthesis. This period coincides with the beginning of the third stage of berry growth.Zucker, Säure und Stickstoff in den wachsenden Beeren einiger RebsortenDer Gehalt an Gesamtstickstoff, Gesamtsäure und Gesamtzucker in wachsenden Beeren wurde in regelmäßigen Abständen ermittelt. Dabei zeigte sich, daß der Gesamtstickstoff, auf das Trockengewicht bezogen, in der Zeitspanne zwischen 10 und 20 Tage nach der Anthese sehr schnell zunahm und danach bis zur vollen Beerenreife wieder absank. Es wird vermutet, daß der Höchstgehalt 20 Tage nach der Anthese mit der Phase eines maximalen Stickstoffbedarfes für den Aufbau der verschiedenen Gewebe zusammenfälllt.Die Gesamtsäure in den wachsenden Beeren zeigte das bekannte Bild eines allmählichen Anstiegs während einer Dauer von 40 Tagen nach der Anthese sowie einer darauffolgenden allmählichen Abnahme bis zur vollen Reife der Beeren. Das Maximum fällt mit niedrigen Nachttemperaturen zusammen und zeigt eine stärkere Säuresynthese bei niedrigen Temperaturen an. Der allmähliche Säureabbau entspricht dem Anstieg der Tagestemperaturen und läßt eine Veratmung der Säuren bei hohen Temperaturen vermuten.Die Zuckerakkumulation in wachsenden Beeren begann 50 Tage nach der Anthese. Die Akkumulationsrate war in der Zeitspanne zwischen 60 und 80 Tage nach der Anthese sehr hoch. Diese Periode fällt mit dem Beginn der dritten Phase des Beerenwachstums zusammen