Giant magnetoresistance (GMR) behavior in electrodeposited NFe/Cu/Ni multilayered (ML) structures is investigated as a function of non-magnetic (Cu) and ferromagnetic (Fe and Ni) layers' thicknesses. ...Detailed structural and magnetic analyses of the ML structures are studied before looking into the GMR behavior. Structural analyses reveal that all peaks are well matched with Ni (face-centered cubic) being the top most layer during ML deposition. Shifting of preferred orientation, between (220) and (111) planes, is observed with the thickest layer of copper spacer. Refined structural parameters are calculated and details of fittings are discussed with reference to layer thicknesses. Crystallite size, dislocation density, stacking fault probability, and strain all show oscillatory behavior with variation in thicknesses. Magnetic behavior shows strong dependence of magnetization on thickness of each layer. Saturation magnetization (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">M_{s}) </tex-math></inline-formula> increases up to a value of 10.12 emu/cm 3 with increasing Fe and Ni layer thicknesses. Whereas, oscillatory behavior of magnetization is observed with variation in Cu layer thickness. Magnetoresistance (MR) measurements show oscillatory GMR behavior as a function of intervening layer thickness. Highest value of GMR ~12% is observed at a Cu layer thickness of 9.6 nm. Structural, magnetic, and MR properties of NFe/Cu/Fe are observed on the basis of variation of thicknesses of non-magnetic (Cu) and ferromagnetic (Fe and Ni) layers. It is observed that layer thicknesses play a dominant effect on the nature (i.e., oscillatory) and on the value of GMR.
This study was conducted to identify the degree to which the objectives of higher secondary level national curriculum of Education were aligned with the textbooks in Punjab- Pakistan. The study was ...done by reviewing the national curriculum of Education and Textbooks for grade XI and XII so as to find the degree of alignment. The quantitative analysis was done by using Surveys of Enacted Curriculum (SEC) method. In quantitative analysis the content of the textbook was analyzed with respect to student learning outcomes SLOs given in the curriculum. It was found that content in the Education-XI and XII textbook were not aligned to a desired level. Alignment Index (AI) of Education XI and XII textbook were 0.61 and 0.50 respectively. This misalignment was not same for all the categories of cognitive domain. The outcomes of the study revealed that there were some gap between curriculum and textbooks. The study lays great implications in the sense that it provides feedback to curriculum developers and textbook writers to consider alignment between curriculum objectives and textbook content. The study suggests adequate training for the curriculum and textbook developers to ensure alignment between national curriculum and textbooks.
Eight mirror-like polished p-type Si (111) wafers were irradiated with 100, 200, 300, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 KrF excimer laser pulses in ambient environment of HCl fumes in air. The laser ...parameters were: wavelength = 248 nm, pulse width = 20 ns, pulse energy = 20 mJ, and repetition rate = 20 Hz. For each set of laser pulses, characterization of the rectangular etched patterns formed on target surface was done by optical/scanning electron microscopy, XRD, and EDX techniques. The average etched depth increased with the increase in number of laser pulses from 100 to 2000 in accord with Sigmoidal (Boltzmann) function, whereas the average etch rate followed an exponential decay with the increase in number of laser pulses. However, the etched area, maximum etched depth, and maximum etch rate were found to increase linearly with the number of laser pulses, but the rate of increase was faster for 100-400 laser pulses (region I) than that for 800-2000 laser pulses (region II). The elemental composition for each etched-pattern determined by EDX shows that both O and Cl contents increase progressively with the increase in the number of laser shots in region I. However, in region II both O and Cl contents attain saturation values of about 39.33 wt.% and 0.14 wt.%, respectively. Perforation of Si wafers was achieved on irradiation with 1200-2000 laser pulses. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of SiO2, SiCl2 and SiCl4 phases in Si (111) wafers due to chemical reaction of silicon with both HCl fumes and oxygen in air.
Purpose: This paper estimates the impact of trade openness and economic growth in Pakistan by using time series data from period of 1975-2014. Econometric method was applied to estimate the impact of ...trade openness on economic growth. Gross fixed capital formation (proxy of investment), Foreign direct investment, Imports, Exports & trade openness (proxy of trade openness to check the volume of trade of a country) is used as explanatory variables while gross domestic product is treated as dependent variable in this study. Johansson co. integration approach developed by Johannes & Jeslius (1988) is used to evaluate the long run relationship among variables in this study. The results suggest that trade openness, imports, exports and foreign direct investment cast have positive impact on economic growth while on the other hand; gross fixed capital formation &labor force has negative impact on economic growth.
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•Eighteen novel (1–18) Bis-Schiff’s base derivatives of 4-nitroacetophenone were synthesized.•Five compounds (1,4, 6, 14, and 17) displayed promising inhibition having IC50 values ...from 2.79 to 17.21 µM.•Among these, compounds 4 (IC50 = 2.79 µM), 1 (IC50 = 9.76 µM) and 6 (IC50 = 11.37 µM) showed potent activity compared to standard.•The structure-activity relationship for all active compounds has been established.•In silico docking studies of all active compounds were performed.
Bis-Schiff’s base derivatives of 4-nitroacetophenone (1–18) were synthesized in good yields by reacting hydrazone of 4-nitroacetophenone with substituted aldehydes and ketones with catalytic amount of acetic acid. The structures of synthesized products (1–18) were deduced with the help of spectroscopic techniques like 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HR-ESIMS. The synthesized bis-Schiff’s bases were assessed for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity where compound 4 (IC50 = 2.79 ± 0.04 µM), 1 (IC50 = 9.76 ± 0.31 µM), 6 (IC50 = 11.37 ± 0.20 µM), 17 (IC50 = 14.10 ± 0.12 µM), 14 (IC50 = 17.21 ± 0.28 µM), and 8 (IC50 = 20.73 ± 0.53 µM), showed a very high potential for inhibition of α-glucosidase. Compounds 11, 15, 16, 2, 18, 7, and 5 showed significant inhibition against alpha-glucosidase with IC50 values 22.98 ± 0.34, 24.45 ± 0.53, 27.31 ± 0.29, 40.56 ± 0.60, 41.58 ± 0.47, 46.53 ± 0.76, and 47.46 ± 0.89 µM, respectively. Furthermore, compound 10 (IC50 = 52.63 ± 0.74 µM), 12 (IC50 = 70.80 ± 3.59 µM), 3 (IC50 = 82.68 ± 0.69 µM), 13 (IC50 = 88.89 ± 4.25 µM), and 9 (IC50 = 94.58 ± 0.86 µM) showed moderate activity towards the inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme. All these compounds were compared with acarbose (IC50 = 875.75 ± 1.24 µM) as a standard α-glucosidase inhibitor. Molecular docking was used to know the molecular bases of such high activities against α-glucosidase. High docking scores were recorded implying significant interactions between the active compounds and amino acid residues of the active site of α-glucosidase.
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience neuropsychiatric symptoms. The term neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) is a generic term that refers to a series of neurological and psychiatric ...symptoms directly related to SLE. In approximately 30% of patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms, SLE is the primary cause (NPSLE), and symptoms manifest more frequently around SLE onset. Neurovascular and psychotic conditions can also lead to NPSLE. Pathogenesis of NPSLE is implicated in both neuroinflammatory and ischemic mechanisms, and it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. After diagnosing and assigning causality, NPSLE treatment is individualized according to the type of neuropsychiatric manifestations, type of the predominant pathway, activity of SLE, and severity of the clinical manifestations. There are many problems to be addressed with regards to the diagnosis and management of NPSLE. Controlled clinical trials provide limited guidance for management, and observational cohort studies support symptomatic, antithrombotic, and immunosuppressive agents. The purpose of this review was to provide a detailed and critical review of the literature on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of NPSLE. This study aimed to identify the shortcoming in diagnostic biomarkers, novel therapies against NPSLE, and additional research needs.
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