N. E. Quest Volume 4, Issue 4, January 2011

Newsletter of North East India Research Forum
NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 | 1

Newsletter
Of
NORTH EAST INDIA RESEARCH FORUM
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/northeast_india_research/
www.neindiaresearch.org

them understand how chemistry can help

for a sustainable future.
Last year in Tinsukia District, Assam two

of our esteemed forum members organized
several lectures cum interactive programs,
to create awareness towards Science and
Technology among school students.
N.E. India Research Forum, Indeed, the idea of two members was great
and should feel proud of them. On the eve
N.E. Quest, IYC-2011 and We of International Year of Chemistry-2011 it
will be really great if we can organize
It is my immense pleasure to write the some meetings or interactive sessions
editorial page of N. E. Quest. In this throughout North-east India. Especially
regard I am thankful to Dr. Arindam the group of research scholars in the
Adhikari for giving me this opportunity to University of North-Eastern region can go
serve our forum. It is also my fortune that I to the schools / colleges interact with the
am editing the first issue of N. E. Quest of younger people and share ideas and show
the “International year of Chemistry, IYC” the future of Chemistry.
declared by United Nations. Through this
editorial column I would like to bubble out As part of IYC, there are also scopes of
some of my thoughts and feelings. submitting proposal to UN and IUPAC and
one can utilize this opportunity for getting
IUPAC and United Nations realized that some funds to arrange meetings and others
this is the time to dedicate and celebrate activities. I hope National Chemical
Chemistry as well as appreciate and Society or Regional Chemical Society has
attract people towards chemistry. such program. We can go through it or
Therefore the year 2011 is declared as IYC may request and submit some proposal.
by United Nations. It is not only for the
celebration of the hundred years of Marie Here again some of my thoughts… I did
Curie’s 2nd Nobel Prize for the discovery not hear about IIT until M. Sc. and
of Polonium and Radium (chemistry), but couldn’t get any information of doing Ph.D
also 100th year of founding International abroad till I joined in IIT-Guwahati for
Association of Chemistry. In addition to Ph.D. This is due to lack of awareness
salute Marie Curie for her significant among us and unavailability of proper
discovery, the IYC prospectus outline information. The fast development of IT is
several goals for the year, out of which two creating a vast difference between us and
major goals are a) increase public our juniors. That’s sounds good if the new
appreciation and b) attract young generation utilize the scope in right
generation towards chemistry. manner, however I still feel that the student
of North-Eastern Region lacking far
As we know, majority of the members of behind from other part of India. In that
this group are with chemistry background, case we, the forum members through our
also I hope other members also like and forum can take initiative to bring forward
know ‘abc’ of chemistry. Therefore this is our brothers and sisters. Indeed the
also the time for us to create appreciation, creation of this group was a great idea and
awareness among the young generation, publishing the N. E. Quest was even more
attract them towards chemistry and make promising.

I am surprise to see that there is no Where is India or Hindi?

North East India Research Forum cell in
Gauhati University, which is regarded
as the centre point for higher education
in the N.E. Therefore I hereby take the
opportunity to request you all to open
the same in the esteemed university.
A community or Group has been created

in cyberworld’s most popular social
networking site, Facebook. There are
lots of good example how Facebook help
to know/communicate with each other.
For instant, a group of Assamese has
created a group named ‘Asomiyat Kotha
Botora’, through which many Assamese
people staying around the world have
been connected. There have been lots of
discussion about the Assamese
language, culture, history and inturn
tries to help each other. It would be
worth mentioning here that main aim of
creating Facebook group is to
popularise North-East India Research
forum and its activities with ease.
At last not least I thank all of the forum

members for helping me to bring out this
issue. I am grateful to the editorial
board for giving the final touch. I thank
all the contributors of this issue which
make it more fruitful. My heartfelt thank
goes to Anirbanda (Mr. Anirban
Adhikari) for designing the cover-page
within very short time.
Wish you all Happy

New Year 2011, May “Chemistry- our life our future” is the
God give you another slogan for IYC 2011. The picture above is
successful year to available in the website if IYC, where
your life. Also wish almost all language of the world except
you belated happy Hindi- the “Indian National Language” is
“BHOGALI BIHU”. written. There is also Bengali script. Now,
is our national language Bengali or if it
Saitanya K Bharadwaj
www.saitanya.blogspot.com comes from Bangladesh then where is
India?
NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |4

Contents
1. The Forum 6
2. Science News 10
3. North East Indian made us Proud 16
4. Members in News/Awards/Fellowship 17
5. Meet the Scientist 18
7. Article Section
A) Application of Mathematics (Invited) 20
Dr. Dambaru Bhatta, Texas, USA
B) International Year of Chemistry-How should We Celebrate? (Special) 32
Dr. Saitanya K Bharadwaj, Munich, Germany
C) A greener nanoscale and the challenges before the nano gypsies! 34
Mr. Rocktotpal Konwarh and Prof. Niranjan Karak, Tezpur University
D) Adopting Green Chemistry Protocol 38
Dr. Suvangshu Dutta, D.R. College, Assam
E) Impact of Theoretical Modelling in Studying Nanometarials 45
Mrs. Bulumoni Kalita, Tezpur University
F) Biological Function of Nitric Oxide 49
Mr. Aswini Kalita, IIT Guwahati
G) Polyphenols 51
Mr. Monoj Mon Kalita, Toklai Tea Research Center, Jorhat, Assam
8) Thesis Abstract 54
Development of Mesua Ferrea L. Seed Oil based Polyurethane Resins
Dr. Suvanshu Dutta, Tezpur University
9) Faces of the Issue 60
10) Reader’s page 62
11) Opportionity/Advertisement/ Conference 63
12) Through the Lenses of the Members 70

The Forum
th
North East India Research Forum was created on 13 November 2004.
1. How we are growing. 5. Apathy from Central Govt. = 4%
Every forum has to pass through difficult • Which area of science is going to
phases at the time of birth. NE India Research dominate by creating a great impact on
Forum is also no exception. At the very society in next decade?
beginning, it was a march hardly with few
members (from chemistry only) and today the 1. Nanoscience & nanotechnology =
forum comprised of a force of 380 elite 22%
members. Now we are in a position such that 2. Biotechnology = 11%
people voluntarily come and join the group 3. Nanobiotechnology = 38%
irrespective of disciplines. 4. Chemical Engineering = 0%
5. Medicine = 11%
400
6. Others = 16%
7. None = 0%
300
No of Members
• Kindly let us know your view regarding

200
the following topic. What activities of
this group you like most?
100
0
1. Research articles = 33%
0 20 40 60 80 2.Information about vacancy/positions
Months available = 10%
3. Way to have a contact with all
Graph of no of members w.r.t. months members = 29%
4. Scientific discussions = 14%
2. Discussions held in the forum 5. Others = 2%
• Necessity of directory of all the members • Selection of name for Newsletter
of the forum. There were total 36 proposals submitted by
• Possibility of organising conference in the members of the forum for the Newsletter.
N. E. India. The name proposed by Mr. Abhishek
• Taking initiation on setting up of South Choudhury, N. E. QUEST received the
East Asian Scientific Institute. maximum number of votes and hence it is
• On selection of Best paper award. accepted as the name of the Newsletter.
• Let us introspect. • How often should we publish our
newsletter '' N. E. Quest’’?
3. Poll conducted and results
1. Every 3 months = 61%
• North East India is lacking behind the rest 2. Every 6 months = 38%
of the country due to- 3. Once a year = 0%
4. Editors of Previous NE-Quest Issues
1. Geographical constrain = 0%
2. Bad leadership = 40% 1. Vol 1 Issue 1 April, 2007
3. Lack of work culture = 36% Editor: Dr. Arindam Adhikari
4. Corruption = 18% 2. Vol 1 Issue 2 July 2007

Editor: Dr. Tankeswar Nath • Help master’s students in doing projects

3. Vol 1 Issue 3 October 2007 in different organisation-proposed by
Editor: Dr. Ashim Jyoti Thakur Dr. Khirud Gogoi.
4. Vol 1 Issue 4 January 2008 • Supporting schools in rural areas by
Editor: Dr. Pranjal Saikia different ways.
5. Vol 2 Issue 1 April 2008 • Best paper awards.
Editor: Dr. Sasanka Deka • Compilation of book on ‘Education
6. Vol 2 Issue 2 July 2008 system of different countries’. Initiative
Editor: Dr. Rashmi Rekha Devi for this project is taken by Dr. Mantu
7. Vol 2 Issue 3 October 2008 Bhuyan, NEIST, Jorhat, Assam
Editor: Dr. Prodeep Phukan 7. New activity
8. Vol 2 Issue 4 January 2009 • Guidelines for the members are being
Editor: Dr. Manab Sharma formulated by the moderators of the NE
9. Vol 3 Issue 1 April 2009 India Research Forum. These guidelines
Editor: Dr. Debananda Ningthoujam are placed in the forum for discussion.
10. Vol 3 Issue 2 July 2009 • HiMedia Laboratories Pvt. Ltd is willing
Editor: Dr. Robert Singh Thangjam to sponsor some future activities of the
11. Vol 3 Issue 3 October 2009 forum and have asked for space to
Editor: Dr. Pankaj Bharali advertise for their products in the
12. Vol 3 Issue 4 January 2010 N..E.Quest. Starting this issue (July
Editor: Dr. Abdul Wahab 2009) N.E.Quest is providing one page
13. Vol 4 Issue 1 April 2010 for the advertisement. Details about this
Editor: Dr. Utpal Bora deal will be informed soon once
14. Vol 4 Issue 2 July 2010 finalised. Thanks to Dr. Robert
Editor: Dr. Babita Baruwati Thangjam for his initiative in this
15. Vol 4 Issue 3 October July 2010 matter.
Editor: Dr. Shanta Laishram • North East India Research Forum cell
16. Vol 4 Issue 4 January 2011 has been started in the following
Editor: Dr. Saitanya K Bharadwaj (this issue) colleges,
• Dibrugarh University
5. A domain in the name of www.
neindiaresearch.org is booked. Contact: Dr. Jitu Ranjan Chetia
6. Future activities Dept. of Chemistry
Proper planning and consequent Email: jituranjan@yahoo.co.in
implementation always play an important role • Tezpur University
in every aspect. Some of the topics / activities Contact: Dr. Ashim J. Thakur
/ suggestions which were being discussed, Dept. of Chemistry
time to time in the forum will get top priorities
Email: ajtthax@yahoo.com
in our future activities. Those are mentioned
Phone: +91 (3712) 267008/9/10 extn
here,
5059
• Manipur University
• Preparing complete online database of
N.E. researchers with details. Contact: Dr. Debananda S.
• Organising conference in the N.E. region- Ningthoujam
proposed by Dr. Utpal Bora. Coordinator, Microbial Biotech Lab
• Research collaboration among forum Reader & Head, Dept of
members. Biochemistry,
• Motivate student to opt for science Manipur University, Canchipur,
education. Imphal, India Email:
n.debananda@gmail.com

• Mizoram University 8. Guidelines for the forum

Contact: Dr. Thangjam Robert Singh
Assistant Professor, Department of The moderators formulated some
Biotechnology, Mizoram University, guidelines for the forum which are as
Aizawl, India follow. These guidelines were kept open
Email: robth@mzu.edu.in for discussion in the forum. With time
Phone: +91 389-2330861/2330859 (O) and need the guidelines will be changed.
• Govt. Science College, Jorhat
(Jorhat Institute of Technology)
Contact: Mr. Prasanta Kumar Bordoloi, 1. Anybody in the forum can start a
Senior Lecturer meaningful and constructive
Email: prasantabordoloi@yahoo.co.in discussion after discussion with
Mobile: +91-9957036339 moderators.
• Arya Vidyapeth College, Guwahati 2. Comments from the individual
Contact: Mr. Pabitra Kalita, members do not necessarily reflect
Senior Lecturer the view of the forum.
Email:pabitra_kalita@rediffmail.com 3. No single moderator can take a
Mobile No: +91-9613133859 crucial decision. All decision would
& Dr. Pradip Bhattacharyya, be taken by the moderators
Senior Lecturer unanimously or together with the
Email: prdpbhatta@yahoo.com group as majority.
Mobile No: +91-9864087494 4. One should not write any massage to
• Pandu College, Pandu
the forum addressing some particular
Contact: Mr. Sanchay Jyoti Bora
members. It should always start with
Lecturer, Department of Chemistry
Dear all / Dear esteemed members
E-mail: sanchay.bora@gmail.com etc.
Mobile: (+91) 9854078814 5. If one has to write a mail to a
• Bajali college, Pathsala
particular member she/he should
Contact: Mr. Arindam Talukdar,
write personal mail.
Lecturer, Environ. and Tourism Dept.
6. Everyone has the freedom to speak
Email: katharpankaj@yahoo.com
& Mr. Satyendra Nath Kalita, but that doesn’t mean that one should
Lecturer, Dept. of Zoology attack personally. Of course we do
Email: satyendranathkalita@gmail.com have differences. There can be
debate or discussion, but it should
To run the forum smoothly, to make it more always be a healthy one. One’s
organised and to speed up activities, formation personal comment should be written
of a committee/team is essential. in such a way that it reflects his/her
The combined discussion of the moderators
and senior members make the forum feel the
view only. It should not touch other's
importance of Advisors, co-ordinator, sentiments/emotions.
volunteer, webmasters etc. Of course it needs 7. Whenever we are in a forum, society,
more discussion and will be approved by poll. home, members should be sensitive /
caring enough to their comments so
that it does not hurt sentiment of
any second members.

8. Members should not post greetings other members want to send the
messages (Bihu wish, New Year wish article will know about the status of
etc) to the forum. the request. This will also help
9. Members should post authentic news members in keeping mailbox clean.
only. The source of the news should be For example
authentic. No controversial news or
• Moreover sending articles (copyright
comment should be posted to the
protected articles) to the open forum
forum.
violates copyright act. So please
10. Our main aim is to discuss science to
send the article to the person who
generate science consciousness,
requests not to everybody through
scientific temperament, sensitivity,
this open forum.
awareness and research for the benefit
of the mankind in general and North -------0-------
East India in particular. Good News:
11. In severe cases, moderators can take a
hard decision unanimously or Resource Hub Centre for Ethnic Designs
majority wise (may be through poll).
(This point needs to be accepted by all Under the CSIR Rural Development
Programme (11 Five Year Plan), the North-
the members).
East Institute of Science & Technology,
Jorhat and the Central Leather Research
While sending request or while fulfilling Institute, Chennai have jointly established a
request for articles please follow the “Resource Hub Centre for Ethnic Designs of
following points. North-East” at the NEIST Substation,
Imphal, Manipur with a cost of Rs 85.00
• The forum has been formed to help lakhs. The Centre was inaugurated by
each other. When a member requests Director, NEIST, Jorhat on January 10,
articles/literature to forum, members of 2011 in presence of Shri Th Surendranath
the forum are always happy to help the Singh, Executive Director, MASTEC,
person by supplying the articles. But at Imphal, Shri Kh Borkeshor Singh,
this stage we have to keep in mind that Chairman, Institute of Cooperative
Management, Imphal, Profs B Manihar
the article should be sent to the person Sharma & N Rajmuhon Singh of Manipur
who requested it, not to the whole University and Dr K Chaoba Singh,
forum as it creates lots of unnecessary Scientist of Regional Tasar Research
mails in the message box of the forum. Station, Imphal and 45 Entrepreneurs of
Moreover if it continues, it becomes an Manipur. In the Inaugural Function, 15
irritation also for many members. novel products like ladies bags, purse,
carrying bags, cards holder, etc. developed
• It is also the duty of the person who by CLRI, Chennai based on ethnic fabrics of
requests article to acknowledge the North-east was displayed for visitors. Two
person who helped him/her. This can experts of CLRI, Chennai namely, Shri G
be done by writing ' Request fulfilled Sathyamoorthy and Shri S Aranganathan
have demonstrated the equipments like 2-D
by......' in the subject area while CAD/CAM, digitizer, plotter-cutter, etc.
composing the mail and write a installed at the Hub Centre and imparted
thanking message in the main message training to the staffs of NEIST Substation,
board. Once this is done, then if some Imphal.

Science News
bang, and therefore our universe could
Top 10 Science News of 2010 have formed within the wormhole.
1) Does Our Universe Live Inside a 2) These Dance Moves Are Irresistible
Wormhole? Humans aren't the only animals that
A long time ago, in a universe much larger move in special ways to lure females.
than our own, a giant star collapsed. Its Male fiddler crabs wave an outsized
implosion crammed so much mass and claw to show off, and male
energy together that it created a wormhole hummingbirds display their flying
to another universe. And inside this prowess with a flamboyant mating dive.
wormhole, our own universe was born. It These moves probably show off their
may seem fantastic, but a theoretical strength and motor skills. Evolutionary
physicist claims that such a scenario could psychologist Nick Neave of
help answer some of the most perplexing Northumbria University in Newcastle
questions in cosmology. A number of Upon Tyne wondered whether there was
facets about our universe don't make something about male human dancing
sense. One is gravity. Scientists can't that impressed females as well.
construct a mathematical formula that
The researchers stuck 38 reflective
unites gravity with the three other basic
markers to the joints and other body
forces of nature: the strong and weak
parts of 30 male students at Northumbria
nuclear forces and electromagnetism.
University. Then they asked the guys to
Another problem is dark energy, the
dance for 30 seconds as if they were in a
mysterious phenomenon that seems to be
nightclub, while a thumping drum beat
expanding our universe at an accelerating
played over speakers. Heterosexual
rate, even though gravity should be
women watched the videos and rated
contracting it or at least slowing the
them according to whether the man was
expansion.
a good dancer or a bad dancer. The most
These conundrums may be a result of important factor to the women was how
stopping the much the man moved his head, neck,
search for the and torso.
riddle of the
The team expected to see a lot of action
cosmos at the
in the hands and feet. "Legs and arms we
big bang, says
thought would be really important, and
Nikodem
they're not, apart from the right knee,"
Poplawski of
says Neave. He thinks that's because
Indiana
most people are right-footed—so they
University in
use their left leg for balance and execute
Bloomington. According to Poplawski's
fancy moves with the right. He and his
calculations, the collapse of a giant star in
colleagues think dance is an honest
another universe could have created a
signal to women of the man's strength
wormhole, a space-time conduit to another
and health, just as it is in crabs and
universe. Between these two openings,
hummingbirds.
conditions could have developed that were
similar to those we associate with the big

3) Oil Drop Navigates Complex Maze southwest England. Dogs that howled,
scratched, relieved themselves, or
Scientists have found a way to make
showed other separation-related
simple droplets of oil navigate complex
behaviors were also those shown to be
labyrinths with the same skill as laboratory
more pessimistic, a sign that they're
rodents. The advance could help
unhappy animals. "So many people think
researchers devise better ways to solve
[separation-related behavior] is just
other mazelike problems, from rooting out
something dogs do," says Blackwell.
cancer in the body to mapping paths
They think the dog is angry the owner is
through traffic jams.
leaving, say, and exacting its revenge on
Physical chemist Bartosz Grzybowski of the owner's slippers.
Northwestern University in Evanston,
Illinois, 5) Tiny 'Flying Saucers' Could Save
and Earth from Global Warming
Using a trick of sunlight itself, tiny
metallic disks could be levitated to the
stratosphere where they would shade
Earth's surface and counteract the effects
colleagues hit upon the droplets while of global warming. But even the scientist
trying to devise novel cancer therapies. who dreamed up the idea says the little
Scientists have developed a variety of saucers should be used only as a last
ways to get cancer drugs into the body-- resort, if efforts to stem global warming
including nanoparticles and liposomes-- by limiting the build-up of heat-trapping
but all face the same obstacle: It's hard to green house gases fails. This
navigate the body's maze of vessels and phenomenon called photophoresis, in
tissues to seek out and destroy hidden which the movement of a particle in a
cancers. gas is affect by light shining on the
particle and warming it. For example,
Grzybowski notes that cancers are more
suppose a disk-shaped particle is warmer
acidic than the rest of the body, so--like
than the surrounding air and its top
the maze droplets--one could potentially
consists of a different material than its
design drug vehicles to follow the acid-
bottom. Differences in the way the two
base gradient toward the cancer cells.
materials react with light cause gas
4) Is Your Dog Pessimistic? molecules to push the object upward. In
About a third of dogs display some kind of nature, photophoresis makes particles
behavior problem when their owners leave like silicate dust migrate up and down in
home, like howling, peeing on the floor, or the atmosphere, and it explains how
chewing up remote controls. The study "solar mills" like the one in the
was part of a project funded by the U.K.- illustration spin.
based Royal Society for the Prevention of Now, physicist David Keith of the
Cruelty to Animals, which wanted to University of Calgary in Canada
devise a test to predict whether shelter proposes using the effect to control the
dogs are likely to have problems with climate. He envisions cranking out scads
separation after they're adopted. of 20-nanometer-wide nanodisks whose
Blackwell and her colleagues studied the tops are made of aluminum and whose
moods of 24 dogs at two shelters in bottoms are made of barium titanate.

Because the barium titanate more readily or something else. And second, it had to
transmits heat and energy to impinging air be able to influence its adversary's
molecules than the aluminum, the push on actions. If both conditions checked out,
the bottom of the disk would be greater the robot was cleared to lie.
than on the top when it is warmed by Then they tested the idea in two-
sunlight. So that pressure would push it wheeled, camera-equipped robots that
upward to a height of 40 to 50 kilometers, were playing. The "hider" robot had to
just out of the stratosphere. In addition, choose one of three compartments in
because barium titanate can be electrically which to conceal itself. The pathway to
polarized, electric fields in the atmosphere each was blocked by a green, red, or
would stabilize the disks and keep them blue marker. Whichever way the robot
from flipping over. The particles would went, it knocked down one marker. After
sink slowly during the night but rise some training, the hider bot and seeker
during the day. And the aluminum tops, bot figured out that a fallen marker
protected with a thin coating, would reflect indicated which direction the hider had
sunlight back into space, cooling the gone. But there was one catch: The
planet. “I've invented a flying saucer,” seeker didn't know the hider bot had
Keith jokes. been programmed to lie.
6) The Spiky Penis Gets the Girl When the game began, the hider
When it came to insect penises, Charles randomly chose one of the
Darwin had it right. The famed naturalist compartments. Then its deceptive
suspected that insect genitalia, which are programming kicked in and told it to go
frequently festooned with bizarre another direction first—knocking over a
combinations of hooks, spines, and knobs, different marker—and then turn back
essentially functioned like peacock tails. toward its choice. The seeker, seeing the
That is, they helped males beat out their fallen marker and suspecting no trickery,
rivals for females. Now, researchers have would follow the fake trail and leave the
confirmed this hypothesis by zapping fly hider undiscovered.
penises with a laser.
8) The Shocking Truth about Running
Enter laser beams. Evolutionary ecologist Shoes
Michal Polak of the University of Haile Gebrselassie, the world's fastest
Cincinnati in Ohio and entomologist Arash
marathoner, once said of his early career,
Rashed now of the University of "When I wore shoes, it was difficult." A
California, Berkeley, modified a laser new study reveals why: Humans run
commonly used to cut very small things, differently in bare feet. Researchers have
like the nerve cells of nematodes, so that it discovered that sneakers and other sports
could zap off the hooks on fruit fly
shoes alter our natural gait, which
penises. normally protects us from the impact of
7) How to Train Your Robot (to Lie) running. Daniel Lieberman and
Computer scientists Alan Wagner and colleagues looked at more than 200 shod
and unshod runners in the United States
Ronald Arkin of the Georgia Institute of
Technology in Atlanta came up with an and the Rift Valley Province of Kenya,
which is known for its great endurance
algorithm that set two conditions: First, a
robot had to be in conflict with someone runners. The volunteers represented a
spectrum of shoe experience, including

adults who had grown up wearing shoes, atomic clocks on the ground with those
those who had grown up running shoeless in high-flying jets. And the satellite-
but who now wore shoes, and those who based global position system takes them
had never worn shoes at all. Lieberman's into account. Now Chin-wen Chou, Till
team arranged a trial in which each group Rosenband, and colleagues at the
ran shod (either in ASICS GEL-Cumulus National Institute of Standard and
10s or in their own shoes) and bare and Technology (NIST) in Boulder,
measured their running gait and the impact Colorado, have detected changes in the
on their bodies. passage of time caused by speeds of less
than 10 meters per second and height
The researchers noticed a difference right
changes of less than a meter, using a
away. Whereas shod runners tended to
land on the heel of the foot, barefoot new type of atomic clock called an
optical clock.
runners landed on the ball of the foot or
with a flat foot. The unshod runners' style the NIST researchers' clock uses laser
causes more flex in the foot's springlike light with a frequency of 1,120,000
arch, ankle, and knee and engages more billion cycles per second to drive a
foot and calf muscles, blunting the impact higher-energy jump called an optical
on the body and making for a more transition in a single aluminum ion held
comfortable "ride." in an elaborate trap. The cesium standard
is accurate to three parts in 10 million
9) Superaccurate Clocks Confirm Your
billion; the new aluminum clock has an
Hair Is Aging Faster Than Your
accuracy nearly 40 times better. That
Toenails
extra accuracy makes it possible to
According to Einstein's theory of demonstrate the effect of relativity on a
relativity, a clock on the floor ought to run more human scale. The researchers built
very slightly slower than an identical one two aluminum clocks, and to test the
on top of a step stool because the lower velocity effect they set the ion in one
clock nestles deeper into Earth's jiggling back and forth in its trap with a
gravitational field. Now, physicists have speed as low as 4 meters per second.
demonstrated this effect using two super- They were able to resolve the 2-parts-in-
accurate clocks and hoisting one several 10-million-billion slowing that motion
centimeters above the other. It's the first caused in the clock with the moving ion.
time scientists have used clocks to show To test the gravity effect, the physicists
that time flies faster for your nose than for started with one clock 17 centimeters
your navel. below the other and then raised the first
According to Einstein’s theory of general clock by 33 centimeters. This time they
relativity, gravity comes about because detected a 4-parts-in-100-million-billion
massive things like Earth stretch the fabric shift in the frequency of the raised clock,
of space and time. As a result, a clock at as predicted by the theory of general
lower altitude and, hence, lower relativity.
gravitational energy, should run slower 10) The Secret of Turtle Island
than one at higher altitude—by about 3
In the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of
microseconds per year per kilometer of
Libya, there's an area local fishermen
elevation. Such seemingly nonsensical
call "Turtle Island." It's real enough, but
predictions have long since been
you'd be foolish to try to sail there. The
confirmed by comparing ultra-accurate

island is never in precisely the same place, large amounts of lactic acid, produced
and it changes size from one minute to the when the turtles keep swimming when
next. In fact, you never know when its they've run out of oxygen.
gleaming shore might disappear For more information please visit
altogether, because it's made up entirely of
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/
the half-exposed shells of basking 2010/12/top-10-sciencenows-from-
loggerhead sea turtles.
2010.html?etoc#panel-2
Other News
Scientists breed a mouse that Sing

Hochscheid and colleagues collected 10 A team of scientist of University of
loggerheads from various locations in the Osaka, Japan
Mediterranean and glued tracking breeds a mouse
devices—small black boxes with flexible that can tweet
antennas—to their shells. Over a year of like a bird. The
observations, it became clear why the genetically
turtles had developed a reputation as engineered
bottom dwellers. The tagged loggerheads mouse will
spent about 98% of their time underwater. shed light on the origin of human
And when they did come up, it was language-they hope! "Mutations are the
irregularly, sometimes twice in 2 days and driving force of evolution. We have
sometimes not for a week. cross-bred the genetically modified mice
There was a hint to the reason for the for generations to see what would
behavior, however. The turtles almost happen," lead researcher Arikuni
always surfaced during the day, 82% of Uchimura said.
the time, in fact, and mostly at about
midday when the sunlight is most direct. "We checked the newly born mice one
Another clue: Daylight basking sessions by one... One day we found a mouse that
almost always occurred after the turtles was singing like a bird," he said, noting
had returned from a dive below the that the "singing mouse" was born by
thermocline, the transitional zone between chance but that the trait will be passed
the sun-warmed shallows and frigid on to future generations.
depths. Hochscheid believes that daylight
surfacing helps the loggerheads warm up Read more:
quickly; she speculates it could also aid http://www.news.com.au/technology/sci-
digestion, though she's not sure how. tech/
Night surfacing, on the other hand, almost Want to Ace Your Test? Share Your
always followed dives that were long Feelings
enough to cause the turtles to run out of
air, a duration that the team calculated Your entire future depends on this exam.
based on the turtles' weight. Night Score high, and you'll get into the
sessions, then, would help the turtles clear college of your dreams. Score low, it's
best not to think about that right now.

And yet it's all you can think about. As the Meet the Squidworm
clock ticks and those around you scribble
Recently Scientists have discovered a
hard with their pencils, you stare at the test
new creature at the western edge Pacific
and your mind goes blank. You're Ocean and named as “Squidworm”. The
choking. researchers used a remotely operated
You might have been better off writing vehicle to find Teuthidodrilus samae at
down your feelings first, according to
research by psychologists Gerardo
Ramirez and Sian Beilock of the
University of Chicago in Illinois. Their
study, shows that students who spend just
10 minutes writing about their worries
before a test score higher than those who
write about something else or who write
nothing. The exercise is especially
effective for students who say they
habitually choke under pressure. the bottom of the Celebes Sea off the
eastern coast of Borneo
A Universal Marker for Tumor Cells
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/
Cancer researchers have discovered a new
genetic abnormality in tumor cells that sets Alcoholic Beverages Induce
them apart from normal cells. In mice and Superconductivity
humans, cancer cells cranked out large
amounts of a specific type of RNA that Wine can help keep conversation
had been ignored until now. The discovery
flowing at a dinner party. And now it
could shed light on how cancer develops,
and it could give pathologists a new looks like that wine may aid in materials
marker for detecting cancerous cells in a science as well. Japanese researchers
biopsy. discovered that hot alcoholic beverages
Postdoctoral researcher David Ting and induce superconductivity in iron-based
colleagues in the lab of cancer geneticist compounds. These compounds can
Daniel Haber of Massachusetts General become superconducting by being
Hospital in Boston found their new marker
exposed to oxygen, but it takes months.
by using a next-generation sequencing
machine to measure the RNA molecules, Scientists have been searching for a way
or transcripts, that are encoded by a cancer to speed that up.
cell's DNA. Unlike traditional microarrays
dotted with DNA probes that measure the For more information visit:
activity of a subset of a cell's 20,000 http://www.scientificamerican.com/podc
genes, this "digital" gene expression ast/episode.cfm?id=alcoholic-
analysis tallied all RNA transcripts. beverages-induce-supercon-11-03-08
Read More: “Good communication can make you a

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/20 leader and a better scientist” Nancy
11/01 Baron.

Northeast Indians make us Proud
Dr. Biprajit Sarkar, borned in 1977 in

Coochbehar, India, was educated at the
Dr. Dambaru Bhatta is presently St. Mary's School (Barpeta Road) and
working as Associate Professor in the Cotton College, Guwahati, Assam. He
Department of Mathematics, The received his B. Sc. in 1999 from
University of Texas Pan-American, USA. University of Delhi. He was honored
He was debuted in the historical place with M.Sc from IIT Bombay in 2001.
“Patharighat”, Sipajhar, Darrang, Assam. Then he moved Germany and received
He was honored with B.Sc from Cotton Ph. D in 2005 from University of
College Guwahati in 1883 and M.Sc from Stuttgart, Germany. After completing a
Delhi University in 1985 in Mathematics. postdoctoral period at the Université
Thereafter he worked at Hansraj College Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France, he
for a year and joined in the geophysics started his habilitation at the University
department of KDMIPE, Oil and Natural of Stuttgart in August 2006. Currently he
Gas Commission, Dehradun, India as is working as Assistant Professor
mathematician. Afterwards he moved to Institute for Inorganic Chemistry of
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada for Stuttgart University and his research
Ph.D and completed the same in Applied area is Oraganometalic chemistry. He is
Mathematics in 1995. His thesis work reachable at sarkar@iac.uni-stuttgart.de
involved computation of wave loads on and his home page is http://www.iac.uni-
offshore structures. Then he worked for stuttgart.de/Arbeitskreise/AKSarkar/peo
one and half year as a post-doctorate at the ple%20-20biprajit_sarkar_deutsch.htm.
same university on finite element He will happy to help northeast Indian
modeling and computation of heat transfer students!
involving crystals growth. Then he worked
as a software engineer/developer for Indian mathematicians' biggest
various companies in Montreal, Ottawa, invention was the use of zero as a
and Atlanta. He taught mathematics at placeholder, to make it easier to add and
Louisiana State University Alexandria, LA multiply numbers. Our word "zero"
for one year prior to joining UTPA. He is comes from the Sanskrit word meaning
reachable at bhattad@utpa.edu. "nothing."
"Genious only means an infinite capacity for taking pains"-Jane Hokins

Members in News/Awards/Fellowship
1) Dr. Diganta Kalita, has joined as Post and Development of Solid Acid
Doctoral Fellow in the laboratory Prof Catalysts for organic Transformations”
which was submitted and received his
Ph.D in 2009 from IITGuwahati.
3) Mr. Harekrishna Deka is pleased to

accept a postdoc offer from the
Debbie C Crans, at the Department of

Chemistry, Colorado State University,
USA. Recently he has also visited
Department of Chemistry, University of
Memphis, USA as Visiting Research
Fellow after completion of his first Post University of Guelph, Canada. He has
Doctoral research work from the Division joined in the same in the first week of
of Genetic Medicine at Vanderbilt March 2011. He has recently defended
University, USA. Dr Kalita received his his thesis at the department of Chemical
Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from Tezpur Science, Tezpur University.
University, India, in 2009, under the
guidance of Dr. Nashreen S. Islam for his 4) Dr. Bolin Chetia has been awarded
thesis “Polymer Anchored Vanadium(V) with Ph.D by the IIT Guwahati for his
Compounds : Synthesis and Studies on thesis
Their Redox and Biochemical Properties”.
2) Dr. Saitanya K Bharadwaj has

received 2nd best thesis awards of “2010
Eli Lilly and Company Asia Outstanding
thesis awards” for his thesis “ Synthesis,
“Molecular recognition and

metallo-supramolecular complex
forming ability of some tridentate
ligands and oligomers”. He is currently
working as Assiatant Professor in the
Department of Chemistry, Dibrugargh
University.
Structural Evaluation and Studies of

reactivites of Heteroperoxovanadates (V)

Meet the Scientist

By Dr. Saitanya K Bharadwaj Interview
“Without Chemistry Human Civilization could not

have developed”
An old man is walking through the corridor carrying some
chemical…Generally this is the time for that age is to sit
somewhere or take retirement!!!...I nodded down my head with a
gasture of respect when I came to know that the person is none
other than Dr. K. Öfele, whose name I have been finding in
several publications in 1st or 2nd Reference for his discovery of
first Metal-NHC complexes in 1968. Thereafter I was trying to
talk to him and finally I could make out an appointment. I also
informed him about our forum and NE Quest and here is some of
the conversation with Dr. Öfele.
SKB: At the outset, I am from the place where you will see different colors of life within
a short distance, observe strong unity with great diversity, find “Switzerland of Asia”,
from where you can see the Himalayas, and lastly the place from where you get most
favorite Assam and Darjeeling tea!, called North-east India, comprise with 7 states
(now 8). Some of us, Northeast Indians, had created a group “Northeast India
Research forum” with the aim of creating mainly science awareness among the
younger generation, help in taking them up to the world, help each other etc. Also you
will be pleased to know that we have an online magazine (Quarterly in a year). I will
be grateful to convey your message to my people for whom it might be difficult to
meet you personally. First I would like to ask your experience with research, almost
all who is working on NHC-chemistry write your name in the first or second
reference due to your fabulous discovery of Metal-NHC complex in 1968. How did it
come to your mind and how did you confirm that this was the right product, because I
think the research facility was not so well equipped as today. Was it hard to publish
your work? What was the impact that time?
Dr. Oefele: During the middle sixties I was studying the synthesis and the reactions of
transition metal sandwich-complexes with polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic and
unsaturated compounds. Within these studies I found that N-alkylpyridinium cations
by reaction with carbonylmetallate anions underwent reduction to dihydropyridines
forming metal sandwich-complexes. On applying this reaction to related heterocyclic
compounds it turned out that imidazolium cations had reacted under deprotonation
creating a new type of compounds, obviously related to E. O. Fischers carbene
complexes. Discussions with Prof. Fischer’s carbene group and detailed analytical
and spectroscopic investigations convinced. The interest in the first publications and
presentations at different meetings was very high. It was not so difficult to identify
the product as Prof. Fischer group was well equipped with all modern facilities.
SKB: Did you feel that your work would be leading today NHC chemistry?
Dr. Oefele: Within a few years it turned out that with the first NHC-complexes of
Wanzlick and I opened a wide field of new stable metal carbene complexes, involving
different heterocyclic as well as carbocyclic carbene ligands. Off course, the

preparation methods during the first time were limited. While Wanzlicks work on
mercury complexes was not followed by subsequent publications, the big group of M.
F. Lappert at the University of Sussex in 1973 published another method to prepare
NHC-complexes, starting with electron rich olefins. The new carbene ligands derived
from five membered heterocycles with two or more heteroatoms (N, S) soon proved
to be able to form very stable complexes with a lot of transition metals, and different
from the so called “Fischer”and “Schrock”-carbene ligands.
SKB: There was a big gap until 1992 when Prof. Arduengo isolated free carbene and then
from 1995 when Prof. Hermann started catalysis. What makes this gap?
Dr. Oefele: Up to the beginning nineties just Prof. Lapperts group and I essentially were
continuing studies on the synthesis, properties and reactions of NHC-complexes.
After Arduengos pioneering method to prepare the free NHCs, a lot of chemists got
interested in the application of these now easily available ligands in metal complex
chemistry. Prof. Herrmann, whose group I had joined in 1984, during the middle
nineties decided to include NHC-complexes into his work on catalytically active
metal complexes.
SKB: At the same time Dr. Wanzlick had discovered with different metal. Do you think
its like miracle that same idea came to different people at same time? There are
several examples like this.
Dr. Oefele: As mentioned above, at that time I was not interested in carbene complexes,
while Wanzlicks attention was directed to the search for stable carbenes derived from
imidazole and related heterocyclic compounds. During systematic studies on cationic
aromatic heterocycles I attained to the chemistry of NHC-complexes actually without
intention. But soon I recognized the importance of this accident.
SKB: You are coming to the lab and working till now. I was surprise to see you one day
buying some chemicals. What makes you to work till today?
Dr. Oefele: At present I am busy with cleaning the benches in my former labs, especially
in the autoclave rooms. I need some chemicals to work up several old substances and
clean apparatus. About one year ago I ended experimental work in the lab.
SKB: Do you think continuous involvement in research affected your personal life?
Dr. Oefele: The involvement in research teached me in any strange situation to ask why
and what is the reason although not always I could find a satisfactory answer.
SKB: Share some experience with Prof. E.O. Fischer.
Dr. Öfele: It was great experience! He never forced to work, there were weekly seminar
and where we all share our reseach problems and finding. Prof. Fischer was not
married, he considered his group as his family. In holidays, we, the group used to go
his home in Austria and celebrated, enjoyed the time, had lots of fun!!!
SKB: This year UN and IUPAC decided to celebrate “International Year of Chemistry-
2011”. It is thought that the central of science, ie, Chemistry is the way to solve most
of global problems by practicing it. What do you think about that? Your hard-working
ability, continuous life long involvement in research will definitely encourage us and
our young generation; however I would like to request you to give message to them.
Dr. Oefele: Nowadays, chemistry in the public often is associated by less informed
people with “poison”, “pollution” and “ecological disaster”. It is necessary to help
especially young people to realize and to understand, that life is totally based on
chemical processes and without chemistry human civilization could not have
developed. [See page 44 for short biography of Dr. K. Öfele]

Article Section
Invited
Applications of Mathematics
Dambaru Bhatta
Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas-Pan American, Texas, USA
Email: dbhatta@utpa.edu
chemical engineering, chemistry, civil
Mathematics is a fascinating and engineering, computer science, control
amazing subject. It has a very long theory, cryptography, economics,
history. Mathematics evolves over a long electrical engineering, electromagnetic,
period of time. Number system came to finance, fluid mechanics, fractals,
existence when people started counting games, genetics, geophysics, health
during early stage of human civilization. science, hydrodynamics, image
Mathematics may not be a cup of tree for processing, industrial engineering,
everybody, but it is well known that to information technology, investment,
do anything one always needs some kind measurements, mechanical engineering,
of mathematics. Mathematics has been mathematical modelling, medical
used to solve many real world science, music, nano-technology, nature,
applications. Applied mathematics is an oceanography, oil industry, operation
area of mathematics where mathematics research, optics, optimization, petroleum
is taught from the perspective of various engineering, physics, reservoir
applications. It is one of the greatest engineering, space science, signal
tools of modern civilization. It is very processing, seismology, statistics,
difficult to include a complete list of thermodynamics, tsunami, wave theory.
areas where mathematics is used.
Mathematics is a foundation of all Where applied mathematicians can
sciences. The usefulness of mathematics work: Applied Mathematicians use
is very subjective. For many it is seen in theories and techniques, such as
terms of the arithmetic skills which are mathematical modeling and
required at home, in the office or computational methods, to formulate and
workplace, some see mathematics as the solve practical problems in business,
basis of scientific development and government, engineering, and the
modern technology while some physical, life, and social sciences. For
emphasize the increasing use of example, they may analyze the most
mathematical techniques as a efficient way to schedule airline routes
management tool in commerce and between cities, the effects and safety of
industry. new drugs, the aerodynamic
characteristics of an experimental
Areas that use applied mathematics: automobile, or the cost-effectiveness of
Some of the areas that use mathematics alternative manufacturing processes.
include aeronautical/aerospace Applied mathematicians working in
engineering, art, architecture, industrial research and development may
astrophysics, astronomy, banking, bio- develop or enhance mathematical
math, bio-technology, business, methods when solving a difficult

problem. Some mathematicians, called other mathematicians. Collaborators may

cryptanalysts, analyze and decipher work together at the same institution or
encryption systems—codes—designed from different locations, using
to transmit military, political, financial, technology such as e-mail to
or law-enforcement-related information. communicate. Mathematicians in
Applied mathematicians start with a academia also may be aided by graduate
practical problem, envision its separate students. A Ph.D. degree in mathematics
elements, and then reduce the elements usually is the minimum educational
to mathematical variables. They often requirement for prospective
use computers to analyze relationships mathematicians, except in the Federal
among the variables, and they solve Government.
complex problems by developing models
with alternative solutions. Individuals Education and skill needed: In private
with titles other than mathematician also industry, candidates for mathematician
do work in applied mathematics. In fact, jobs typically need a Ph.D., although
because mathematics is the foundation there may be opportunities for those with
on which so many others academic a master's degree. Most of the positions
disciplines are built, the number of designated for mathematicians are in
workers using mathematical techniques research-and-development laboratories,
is much greater than the number as part of technical teams. In the Federal
formally called mathematicians. For Government, entry-level job candidates
example, engineers, computer scientists, usually must have at least a bachelor's
physicists, and economists are among degree with a major in mathematics or
those who use mathematics extensively. 24 semester hours of mathematics
Some professionals, including courses. Outside the Federal
statisticians, actuaries, and operations Government, bachelor's degree holders
research analysts, are actually specialists in mathematics usually are not qualified
in a particular branch of mathematics. for most jobs, and many seek advanced
Applied mathematicians frequently are degrees in mathematics or a related
required to collaborate with other discipline. Most colleges and
workers in their organizations to find universities offer a bachelor's degree in
common solutions to problems. mathematics, and many universities
Work environment: Mathematicians offer master's and doctoral degrees in
usually work in comfortable offices. applied mathematics. Courses usually
They often are part of interdisciplinary required for these programs include
teams that may include economists, calculus, differential equations, and
engineers, computer scientists, linear and abstract algebra. Additional
physicists, technicians, and others. courses might include probability theory
Deadlines, overtime work, special and statistics, mathematical analysis,
requests for information or analysis, and numerical analysis, topology, discrete
prolonged travel to attend seminars or mathematics, and mathematical logic. In
conferences may be part of their jobs. graduate programs, students also
Mathematicians who work in academia conduct research and take advanced
usually have a mix of teaching and courses, usually specializing in a
research responsibilities. These subfield of mathematics. For jobs in
mathematicians may conduct research by applied mathematics, training in the field
themselves or in close collaboration with in which mathematics will be used is

very important. Mathematics is used Mathematics plays a huge role in the

extensively in physics, actuarial science, day-to-day activities of aircraft
statistics, engineering, and operations mechanics. The basic principles of
research. Computer science, business algebra, trigonometry and even calculus
and industrial management, economics, are applied towards ensuring the
finance, chemistry, geology, life airworthiness of the aircraft and the
sciences, and behavioral sciences are safety of the crew.” These comments
likewise dependent on applied were made by the head of the Aircraft
mathematics. Mathematicians also Services Branch of NASA (National
should have substantial knowledge of Aeronautics and Space Administration).
computer programming, because most Flight vehicles undergo severe
complex mathematical computation and conditions such as differences in
much mathematical modeling are done atmospheric pressure, and temperature,
on a computer. Mathematicians need to with structural loads applied upon
have good reasoning to identify, analyze, vehicle components. The development
and apply basic principles to technical and manufacturing of a modern flight
problems. Communication skills also are vehicle is an extremely complex process
important, because mathematicians must and demands careful balance and
be able to interact and discuss proposed compromise between abilities, design,
solutions with people who may not have available technology and costs. You can
extensive knowledge of mathematics. expect to have great deal of usage of
Now some specific fields where applied mathematics in Aerospace Engineering
mathematics plays a significant role are such as adaptive high-order methods in
presented here. computational fluid dynamics (CFD). It
covers several widely used, and still
Aerospace Engineering: Aeronautical/ intensively researched methods,
Aerospace Engineering is one of the including the discontinuous Galerkin,
most challenging fields of engineering differential quadrature, residual
with a wide scope for growth. It distribution, spectral volume, spectral
specializes in the designing, difference, flux reconstruction, and
construction, development, testing, lifting collocation penalty methods.
operation and maintenance of both
commercial and military aircraft, Art and Architecture: Mathematics is
spacecrafts and their components as well essential to the study and practice of
as satellites and missiles. As Aerospace Architecture. Golden ratio has been used
engineering involves design and in art and architecture for centuries.
manufacture of very high technology Shapes proportional to the golden ratio
systems, the job requires manual, are considered aesthetically pleasant to
technical as well as mechanical aptitude. the eye as it suggests a balance between
One needs to be alert, have an eye for symmetry and asymmetry. Mathematics
detail and should have a high level of is indispensable to the understanding of
mathematical precision to be successful. structural concepts and calculations.
“Without a strong math and science Symmetry and patterns are important in
background, today’s technician is not ornamental art in all cultures. Egyptian
likely to progress far beyond basic line pyramids are one example of a usage of
maintenance” is comment made by a geometry. To produce structures that are
director of an aviation company. functional as well as models of

architectural beauty, designers must predict the behavior of financial markets.

apply principles of mathematics in their This year’s Joint Mathematics Meeting
work. Scale drawings, commonly known (JMM) organized by American
as plans are used as patterns in the Mathematical Society (AMS),
construction of buildings. Proper ratios Mathematical Association of America
and proportions relate each feature of a (MAA) and Society of Industrial
building with every other one and with Applied Mathematics (SIAM) was held
the whole structure to obtain a pleasing at New Orleans, LA in January 6-9,
appearance. The angles of the roof, the 2011. This was the largest annual
thickness of a wall, the amount of mathematics conference in the world
materials that will be used, calculating attended by about 6000 people. Author
the exact location of a building and even was fortunate to attend the Gibbs
the number of detail, these all includes Lecture on “Mathematical Problems in
math. While it should most surely be a Systemic Risk” presented by Professor
concern that buildings do not fall over George Papanicolaou of Stanford
when people enter them, the role of University using differential equations,
mathematics in architecture extends random matrices etc. To commemorate
beyond the scope of static equilibrium the name of Professor Gibbs, AMS
problems from mechanics. There are established an honorary lectureship in
various mathematical tools like partial 1923 to be known as the Josiah Willard
derivatives, multiple integrals, and Gibbs Lectureship. The lectures are
systems of differential equations that can given by invitation and they are usually
be used to mathematically describe devoted to mathematics or its
surfaces for the adaption of drawings to applications. It is hoped that these
computer software, maximize the lectures will enable the public and the
volume of a room given certain academic community to become aware
constraints, maximize the amount of of the contribution that mathematics is
sunlight that enters a room on any given making to present-day thinking and to
day, etc. modern civilization.
Banking, Business and Economics: Mathematical economics refers to the

Math is also useful in terms of saving application of mathematical methods to
money in the bank as people need to be represent economic theories and analyze
able to calculate and weigh their options problems posed in economics. It allows
in order to gain maximum interest. formulation and derivation of key
Economics and finance also make use of relationships in a theory with clarity,
statistical tools, especially time-series generality, rigor, and simplicity.
analysis; some topics, such as voting Mathematics allows economists to form
theory, are more combinatorial. meaningful, testable propositions about
Accountants assist businesses by many wide-ranging and complex
working on their taxes and planning for subjects which could not be adequately
upcoming years. They work with tax expressed informally. Much of economic
codes and forms, use formulas for theory is currently presented in terms of
measuring interest, and spend a mathematical economic models, a set of
considerable amount of energy mathematical relationships that clarify
organizing paperwork. Mathematicians assumptions and implications.
can build models to help explain and Mathematical economics conventionally

makes use of calculus, matrix algebra social insurance, actuarial science

and differential equations in economic focuses on the analyses of rates of
analysis in order to make powerful disability, morbidity, mortality, fertility
claims that would be more difficult and other contingencies. In the pension
without such mathematical tools. The industry, actuarial methods are used to
interactions of mathematics and measure the costs of alternative
economics reflect changes in both the strategies with regard to the design,
mathematics and economics maintenance or redesign of pension
communities over time, so that changes plans.
in mathematical knowledge and
changing ideas about the nature of Computer Science and Information
mathematical knowledge have effected Technology: Mathematicians, with their
changes in the methods and concerns of training in logical and precise thinking,
economists. are highly prized in this field. Computer
science is considered to have a much
An actuary is a risk management closer relationship with mathematics
professional. Actuaries may help design than many scientific disciplines, with
insurance plans, including some observers saying that computing is
recommending premium rates and a mathematical science. Early computer
making sure companies are designating science was strongly influenced by the
enough funds to pay out on claims. They work of mathematicians such as Alan
do this by creating tables or other Turing, and there continues to be a
models that assess how likely a given useful interchange of ideas between the
action or behavior is to result in a claim. two fields. Computer science or
Actuaries may also manage credit and computing science is frequently
help create new investment tools for described as the systematic study of
financial institutions. Actuaries in many algorithmic processes that create,
fields may help set company policy to describe, and transform information.
minimize risk for both the employer and Computer science spans a range of
employees. Insurance industry is a big topics from theoretical studies of
business throughout the world. Actuarial algorithms and the limits of computation
science is the discipline that applies to the practical issues of implementing
mathematical and statistical methods to computing systems in hardware and
assess risk in the insurance and finance software. The Computer Sciences
industries. Calculus is the basic Accreditation Board (CSAB), which is
mathematical tool for studying rates of made up of representatives of the
change and is a crucial tool for actuaries. Association for Computing Machinery
Actuarial science takes mathematics and (ACM), the Institute of Electrical and
statistics and applies them to finance and Electronics Engineers Computer Society
insurance. In traditional life insurance, (IEEE), and the Association for
actuarial science focuses on the analysis Information Systems (AIS), identifies
of mortality, the production of life four areas that it considers crucial to the
tables, and the application of compound discipline of computer science: theory of
interest to produce life insurance, computation, algorithms and data
annuities and endowment policies. In structures, programming methodology
health insurance, including insurance and languages, and computer elements
provided directly by employers, and and architecture. In addition to these

four areas, CSAB also identifies fields Leibniz back in 1666. It makes
such as software engineering, artificial information processing simpler. For a
intelligence, computer networking and processing system to work there must be
communication, database systems, at least two symbols therefore binary is
parallel computation, distributed the smallest numeral system that is
computation, computer-human usable. A CPU can only recognize two
interaction, computer graphics, operating states, on or off, but from this on-off
systems, and numerical and symbolic state, everything works.
computation as being important areas of
computer science. Computational Cryptography: Cryptography is one of
science or scientific computing is the the oldest areas of mathematics.
field of study concerned with Cryptography is the practice and study
constructing mathematical models and of hiding information. Cryptography is
quantitative analysis techniques and considered to be a branch of both
using computers to analyze and solve mathematics and computer science. Not
scientific problems. In practical use, it is just for spies anymore, cryptography
typically the application of computer applications include the security of ATM
simulation and other forms of cards and computer passwords. For as
computation to problems in various long as people have communicated,
scientific disciplines. Software there are messages that we would like
engineering is the branch of computer some people to have and not others.
science that deals with the application of Even outside of wartime, there are
a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable numerous areas where being able to
approach to the development, operation, transmit information and have it remain
and maintenance of a system. secure is vital. For example, for any sort
Information technology refers to of large scale commerce, the ability to
the use of computers and software to transfer and protect an increasingly
convert, store, protect, process, transmit, digital set of assets is vital - and would
and retrieve information. Computational you ever be willing to pay for something
theory, algorithm analysis, formal online with a credit card if your card
methods and data representation are just number wasn't being encrypted before
some computing techniques that require being sent? Historically, this is the art of
the use of mathematics. Computational secret writing. Cryptography is a branch
theory and algorithm analysis deals with of mathematics concerned with the study
whether and how efficiently a computer of hiding and revealing information and
is able to solve problems. Formal also of proving authorship of messages.
methods are mathematically based A typical application of cryptography is
techniques for the specification, one person wanting to send another
development and verification of software person a private message, but they can
and hardware systems. Data only send messages over public
representation refers to how computers channels. The original message is called
exchange and process information using the plain-text. An encryption cipher is an
the ones and zeros of binary, rather than algorithm that transforms the plain-text
the more inconvenient ten-digit decimal into illegible data called the cipher-text,
system. Binary basically means possibly using another piece of
composed of two parts. The binary information called the encryption key.
number system was started by Gottfried The decryption cipher is another

algorithm which transforms the cipher- by Benoît Mandelbrot in 1975 and was
text back into plain-text, also possibly derived from the Latin word fractus.
using another piece of information called Because they appear similar at all levels
the decryption key. Encryption and of magnification, fractals are often
decryption ciphers always come in pairs, considered to be infinitely complex.
as a decryption cipher can only decrypt Natural objects that are approximated by
cipher-texts encrypted with a particular fractals to a degree include clouds,
encryption cipher. mountain ranges, lightning bolts,
coastlines, and snow flakes, various
Engineering: Applied mathematics is vegetables (cauliflower and broccoli).
the basis of all engineering sciences. Some examples are the Cantor sets,
Engineers (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Sierpinski triangle and carpet, Menger
Electronics, Industrial, Material, and sponge, dragon curve, and Koch curve.
Mechanical) build products, structures, A fractal is a rough or fragmented
systems like automobiles, buildings, geometric shape that can be subdivided
computers, machines, and planes, to in parts, each of which is a reduced-size
name just a few. They frequently use copy of the whole. Many natural objects
calculus, differential equations in their have been found to be fractal and fractal
modeling. Ordinary and partial mathematics has been used to generate
differential equations are heavily used to many beautiful “nature” scenes. Fractal
solve various problems. These mathematics is used in image
initial/boundary value problems are compression and for movies and is now
solved constructed analytically or becoming an engineering tool as well.
numerically, or using asymptotic Koch Curve: Consider a straight line.
approximation, Fourier or Laplace Divide it into three equal segments and
transforms. replace the middle segment by the two
Fractals: As a student of mathematics, sides of an equilateral triangle of the
one learns early on the difference same length as the segment being
between one, two, and three dimensional removed. Now repeat, taking each of the
objects. A one dimensional object lives four resulting segments, dividing them
in a line, two dimensional objects live in into three equal parts and replacing each
a plane, and a three dimensional object of the middle segments by two sides of
lives in space. However, the abstractness an equilateral triangle. Continue this
of mathematics became clear as soon as construction. The Koch curve is the
the various physical dimensions limiting curve obtained by applying this
described above began to represent construction an infinite number of times.
numerical quantities such as color, Sierpinski triangle/gasket: A simple
temperature, market price, etc. Further way to generate the Sierpinski Triangle
abstraction becomes apparent when four is to begin with a triangle. Connect the
or more dimensions are added. One may midpoints of each side to form four
ask, "Why limit the dimensions of a separate triangles, and cut out the
mathematical construct to integers?" triangle in the center. For each of the
That question leads to the development three remaining triangles, perform the
of fractals, which are objects with same and iterate infinitely to obtain
fractional dimensions. A fractal is an Sierpinski triangle.
object or quantity that displays self-
similarity. The term fractal was coined

Menger sponge: The sponge is the 3 themes or recognizing patterns. There is

dimensional form of the 2D carpet. It is ongoing research on how to design
created by sectioning the unit cube by artificial intelligence to think about
slits of width one-third. The central chess in a way like human masters do.
piece and each cube located at the center
of the faces are removed. This process is Health/Medicine Science and
repeated forever with the resulting Biotechnology: Mathematical biology
cubes. or biomathematics is an interdisciplinary
Games: All most all the games are field of study. It models natural and
based on some kind of mathematical biological processes using mathematical
logic. Some are more complex than techniques and tools. Results have been
others. Grand Master Vishanathan applied to areas such as cellular
(Vishy) Anand recently won the world neurobiology, epidemic modelling, and
chess championship in Sofia, Bulgaria population genetics. Both doctors and
defeating his opponent Veselin Topalov nurses use math every day while
of Bulgaria in April-May, 2010. They providing health care for people around
played 12 matches and the last match the world. Medical professionals use
made Anand winner of this math when drawing up statistical graphs
championship. All these matches were of epidemics or success rates of
available live at a website to watch treatments. Math applies to X-rays and
online. Questions about Chess have CAT scans. Recently there has been a
motivated explorations of a branch of greater integration of mathematics,
mathematics known as game theory. biology and engineering, especially with
What makes chess so attractive is that applications to problems in medicine.
there are a finite number of game states Many medical issues from brain tumors
and they are easily described by words to heart attacks can be understood better
or characters. Because Chess is a finite when mathematicians model their
game with complete information, it is behavior by studying the blood flow,
possible for either white or black to blood pressure and structure of the
force a win or for both sides to be able to artery, then modeling it on a computer.
force a draw. Which one of these three Researchers have produced a
actually holds for chess is not known; mathematical model that may lead to the
though it is all but impossible that black development of an optimally-timed
is able to force a win. Chess has been a vaccine for chronic leukemia. The model
very fruitful domain for artificial takes into account the natural anti-
intelligence researchers, trying to leukemia response in patients that are
program computers to play chess. Chess treated with the drug. This approach
is perceived by humans to be a difficult provides insights on how to improve the
game. Chess artificial intelligence has treatment of leukemia patients. One of
more or less achieved its goal of besting the more advanced ways that medical
human masters. However, the programs professionals use mathematics is in the
themselves that consistently beat the best use of CAT scans. A CAT scan is a
humans do not seem to be particularly special type of x-ray called a
intelligent. They mostly achieve their Computerized Axial Tomography Scan.
stunning victories by considering A regular x-ray can only provide a two-
millions or billions of possible move dimensional view of a particular part of
combinations rather than understanding the body.

Biologic phenomena can be modeled imaging techniques based on nuclear

using Mathematics. Usually emission called PET (positron emission
compartmental models are used to tomography), SPECT (single photon
describe an epidemic. These consist of emission computed tomography) are
separating a population into disjoint reliable tools to detect and diagnosis of
classes, which are represented by disease. Fourier transform (Discrete FT,
compartments. SIR is a very common Fast FT) are used to analyze the images.
compartmental model. It consists of Author worked for a medical imaging
three classes: S for Susceptible, I for company in Montreal, Canada during
Infectious, and R for Recovered. A 1995-96 on fan beam reconstruction of
susceptible person is someone who is not image.
infected, an infectious person is someone
who is infected and is able to infect other Hydrodynamics: The flow of fluids is
people, and a recovered person is no simultaneously among the most
longer infectious. Mathematical models important and most complicated areas of
are developed to study blood flow, blood engineering and mathematical
pressure, arterial pressure, increased physics. The construction of airplanes
heart rate, cardiac contractility, and obviously requires the understanding of
increase in nervous activity. air flowing across the wings; it doesn't
Mathematical equations are used to take much stretch of the imagination to
describe cardiac mechanics (blood, realize that the construction of high
muscle, valve mechanics) Simulation/ speed automobiles and trains requires
Computer animation. Realistic treatment careful study of aerodynamics not just to
uses demands the use of methods that reach those high speeds but to prevent
account for anisotropy, inhomogeneity the vehicles from being torn to pieces.
and complex geometry. The immersed That buildings and bridges needed to be
boundary method (IBM) is a modeling carefully constructed with air flow in
and computational approach to analyze mind came as a shock to many. The
macroscopic systems involving elastic Tacoma Narrows Bridge experienced a
flexible structures which interact with a phenomenon called resonance. The
fluid. Thermal fluctuation can be general equation which governs fluid
incorporated in IBM through a forcing flow is called the Navier-Stokes
term in the fluid equations. This type of equation. This equation is a non-linear
model also can be applied to partial differential equation. As a result,
microscopic dynamics of polymers, it exhibits chaotic behavior called
polymer knots, membrane sheets, turbulence. This means that even though
vesicles, mechanics of cellular two points are relatively close to one
structures. another in position, the forces at each of
those two points could be vastly
Medical imaging has been an different. For example, in the eye of a
interdisplinary research field attracting hurricane, there is almost no wind at all,
people expertise from applied and yet just outside this small region, the
mathematics, chemistry, computer winds are strong enough to tear the roof
sciences, biology, engineering, physics off a house. When a plane takes off, the
and medicine. Computed tomography airflow immediately below the plane is
(CT), magnetic resonance imaging powerful enough to throw a car, and yet
(MRI), Doppler ultrasound and various the wheels of the plane are not

destroyed. Chaos is a property which behavior of the phenomenon. The better

results from non-linearity: solutions to our model is, the more accurate our
non-linear equations are extremely hypotheses will be. You may already be
sensitive on initial conditions. This is familiar with quite a few mathematical
one reason why the weather is so hard to models. For instance, the equations one
predict. Clay Institute has announced derives in mechanics are models for
one million dollar prize on the Newton’s laws of motion. Graphs of
existence/solution of the Navier-Stokes supply and demand curves in economics
equation. Author has been working on are models of the economy. These
various research problems involving models rely mostly on calculus,
hydrodynamics. specially, on differential equations.
There are, however, many other models
Image Processing: A picture is worth a out there that use very different kinds of
thousand words. Doctors in hospitals use math. Other areas of modeling include
X-ray pictures to check for broken using group theory and algebraic
bones. Meteorologists employ images geometry.
from satellites to help forecast the
weather. Law enforcement officers study Music: Many composers have applied
aerial photographs to find out where the Fibonacci numbers or the golden
drug crops are being grown. We have ratio in the music they compose, the
been amazed by the images of the planet most famous one being Mozart and the
Mars from the Pathfinder mission and by most recent one being Bela Bartok, a
other astronomical images from the Hungarian composer and pianist. It is
Hubble telescope. Images are often said that Mozart wrote down
displayed on a computer screen as a grid mathematical equations beside his music
of picture elements called pixels, with scores. Mozart also divided most of his
each pixel having assigned to it a piano sonatas into two distinct sections
particular color or shade of grey. Face whose lengths reflect the golden ratio,
recognition program is used to identify though there is much debate about
the people that appear in a surveillance whether it is done on purpose. Some
video. A technique called eigenfaces is musical instruments display the use of
used to do this with the help of Principal Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio,
Component Analysis. A known database for example the violin and the piano. It
of face images is used to detect the new is widely believed that students who do
face. well in music also excel in math. Some
research shows that starting music
Mathematical Modelling: lessons at a young age enhances math
Mathematical models are important tools ability. One theory is that music
in physics, engineering, biology, strengthens the neural chords that
economics, seismology, sociology, and transmit information between the two
many other disciplines. The goal of a hemispheres of the brains. Author had
model is to use math to explain the the privilege to attend a presentation on
behavior of an observed phenomenon use of trigonometric functions to
such that the model behavior coincides generate music by a mathematics
with the observed behavior. We can also professor at the joint meeting of
use these models in a predictive fashion American Mathematical Society (AMS),
and form hypotheses about future Mathematical Association of America

(MAA) and Society of Industrial geophysics division of KDMIPE, Oil

Mathematics (SIAM) in San Diego, and Natural Gas Commission in
California in 2008. Dehradun during 1985-1991.
Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the Operational Research and

science and technology of structuring Optimization: Operational research is
and controlling matter at the nanoscale. an interdisciplinary branch of
One nanometer is 10 −9 meters. Scientist mathematics which uses mathematical
Richard P. Feynman discussed the methods to arrive at optimal decisions to
possibility of creating machines at a problems in maximizing or minimizing
molecularly accurate level in nineteen things like costs or profits. The eventual
fifties. Mathematical computation is the intention behind using Operations
basis for nanotechnology and Research is to elicit a best possible
nanoengineering. What happens when solution to a problem mathematically,
things gets really small? Mathematical which improves or optimizes the
modelling and computer simulation help performance of the system. Revenue
answering these fundamental Management System (RMS) and Supply
nanotechnology question. Using Chain Management (SCM) are two areas
computer simulation, materials can be that profoundly use applied
studied right down at the nanoscale. mathematics, specially, developing
Nanofluidic device is a tiny pipe used software to process huge amount of
for applications such as rapid DNA reservation/supply data using
sequencing. As the pipes are made optimization techniques. Author had the
smaller, the pressure needed to push opportunity to develop RMS software
fluids through them increases for a revenue management company in
dramatically. These are exciting and Atlanta, USA during 1998-2002. Our
rapidly developing problems for main client was Delta Airlines.
mathematical modellers which needs
solid background in applied Signal Processing: Radars work by
mathematics. Growth in the field of emitting and receiving electromagnetic
nanotechnology is creating a demand for radiation. Typically they use the long-
highly-skilled individuals from broad wavelength radio and microwaves. Air
range of fields including applied traffic control radars rotate on a tower
mathematics, biology, biochemistry, emitting signals in every direction at the
chemistry, material science, physics, and speed of light. When these signals come
software engineering. into contact with objects they are
reflected back at the same speed.
Oil and Gas Industry/Petroleum Measuring the time that it takes for the
Engineering: The emergence of signal to return lets us calculate the
complex enhanced recovery procedures distance to the object. Also, it is known
in the field of hydrocarbon extraction at what angle this signal was emitted, so
techniques has emphasized the need for we know the approximate location of the
sophisticated mathematical tools, object. Say you are an astronaut wanting
capable of modeling intricate chemical to transmit a signal from your space
and physical phenomena and sharply station back to mission control on Earth.
changing fluid interfaces. Author You'll be broadcasting from hundreds of
worked as a mathematician with the miles above Earth, through solar

radiation and electromagnetic be used to give advance warning of

disturbances, through atmospheric where a tsunami is likely to hit and how
effects, cloud cover, and amidst the destructive it will be has been worked
millions of other signals that are being out by scientists. The research, led by
sent all across Earth. How can you make Newcastle University's Professor Robin
sure that all (or even a large part) of your Johnson, was prompted by the 2004
message makes it to mission control? tsunami disaster which devastated
Let's assume that you've already coastal communities in Indonesia, Sri
translated your message into binary from Lanka, India and Thailand. Professor
the start, as it's easier for machines to Johnson and his colleague Professor
send and receive. We're going to want to Adrian Constantin, based at the
somehow augment or change our University of Vienna, Austria, felt that if
message in such a way that we can send we could understand more about how
it, possibly lose or damage a part of it, these long water waves behave we could
then on receiving this new damaged predict where they might hit and how
message, either detect the error, or even devastating they might be. Author has an
better, correct the errors and losses back opportunity to attend ten invited talks on
to our original message. nonlinear water waves delivered by
Professor Constantin and one invited
Tsunami and Earthquakes: Tsunami talk delivered by Professor Robin
waves (long waves) can be efficiently Johnson at the University of Texas-Pan
simulated by numerical models solving American during May, 2010.
the Shallow Water equations. Simulation
of tsunamis in large ocean presents a About the Author: Dr. Dambaru Bhatta
huge computational and software is currently working as an Associate
challenge, which the traditional parallel Professor in the Department of
software alone can not meet. To Mathematics at the University of Texas-
effectively use the computational Pan American (UTPA), Edinburg,
resource, one should use different Texas, USA.
mathematical models, different
numerical methods, and different mesh The oldest known Mathematics texts is
types in different areas of the vast ocean. existence are the Sulba-sutras of
This ensures that complex mathematical Budhayana, Apastambha, and
models and high mesh resolution are Kartyayana. The Sulba-sutras has been
only used where necessary. Such a estimated to have been composed around
parallel hybrid tsunami simulator calls 800 BC.
for a very flexible software approach
that can mix different models, methods The Yuktibhasa, written by Jyesthadeva of
and meshes. This can be achieved by the Kerala School of astronomy and
combining overlapping domain mathematics in circa 1530, is widely
decomposition, parallel and object- considered to be the first textbook on
oriented programming. calculus. “Neither Newton nor Leibniz -
The Pre-History of Calculus and Celestial
Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic Mechanics in Medieval Kerala". MAT
eruptions and large meteorite impacts all 314. Canisius College. Retrieved 2006-07-
have the potential to generate a tsunami. 09.
A new mathematical formula that could

IYC-Special
International Year of Chemistry, 2011

How Should We Celebrate?
Saitanya K Bharadwaj
Technische Universität München, Germany
Email: saitanya@tum.de
the Executive committee of IUPAC
discussed about this matter in 2006,
Chemistry- the branch of science April. Later, in December 2008 the
that deals with the composition and Executive Board of UNESCO
properties of substances and various recommended for the same. Thereafter
elementary forms of matter – the in 2009 and 2010, proposition and
meaning states by Oxford dictionary; it planning of activities, logo design,
also means the feeling of human mind or website development etc and finally
personality. The Sanskrit word publicity have been successfully
“Rashayana” means extraction the implemented.
“Rasha”- “the juice or type of
entertainment” of science. Now Questions arise why they dedicate
to chemistry, what are the activities,
Chemistry is regarded as a central what is our duty being lived in the year
science, all other branches of science 2011.
directly or indirectly related to the The proposed activities are
chemistry. Esteemed scientists a) Increase the public appreciation of
considered that current global problems chemistry in meeting world needs:
can be solved by means of practicing Molecular transformations for
Chemistry; Hence need for appreciation production of foodstuffs, medicine,
and deep understanding of Chemistry. fuel metal etc. are the art and science
With the target to create appreciation of Chemistry. Celebration of the year
among general people and attract young 2011 to Chemistry might help to
generations towards chemistry the make it understandable to the general
United Nations and International Union people. Also the global warming,
of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) decreasing the source of petroleum
have declared the year 2011 as products are some of the burning
“International year of Chemistry-IYC”. problems in the present situation.
IUPAC hopes that creating public
After successful celebration of year in appreciation towards Chemistry will
various subjects like Peace (1986), help to overcome such problems.
literacy (1994), Physics (2005) and b) Increase interest of young people
Potato (2008); the year 2011 is proposed in chemistry: The young students
to celebrate as “International Year of with first-rate mind are the future of
Chemistry, IYC” with the slogan our society; therefore the UN and
“Chemistry-our life, our future”. This IUPAC targeted those to attract them
has not come in one day, the general towards chemistry. National and
assembly of IUPAC held in Turin, Italy international activities like
in 2007 approved first to dedicate the workshop, lectures will be carried
year 2011 towards Chemistry. In fact, out in this year to educate and make

awareness among the students appreciated if somebody can show the

towards sustainability the nature. colorful chemistry to the general people.
c) Generate enthusiasm for the
creative future of chemistry: A Group’s Duty: It is preferable always
Opportunities for creative discovery have a group to perform activities;
of new principles and applications dividend of work makes easier for all
for overcoming the challenges facing and ended with successfully. A Non-
today’s world will be given to Government Organization (NGO) as
chemists by the UN and IUPAC. It is well as Government Institution can also
thought that this will reinforce in the write a proposal to the
development of molecular medicine, regional/national/international chemical
creating new materials and foundation to provide funding for the
sustainable source of food and activities. For which we have to have
energy. right plan with estimated value of
d) Celebrate the 100th anniversary of expenditure and others.
Madame Marie Curie Nobel Prize
and founding of the International What IUPAC and UN doing: For IYC,
Association of Chemical Societies: IUPAC and UN have created website
Marie Sklodowska Curie was IYC2011.org. Interested person go
awarded with Nobel Prize for 2nd through the website, read the activities to
time in 1911 in Chemistry. Apart be performed, aim/goal of 2011 etc.
from her significant discovery, it is There is a menu “Network” where you
really admirable because she has can enter your name and address to
contributed to science in the male- connect the people over the world. You
dominated era. Hence celebration of can submit your idea which will be
this year in the honor of her will considered by the committee and might
definitely encourage the female approve for funding. Some people have
towards science. In addition, the year found that there are people from
2011 also marks the one-hundredth Northeast India in the network.
anniversary of the founding of
International Association of What people are doing: If you visit the
Chemical Society in Paris, which website you will find many people over
later renamed as IUPAC (1919). the world shared their idea to
encouraged general crowd to understand
A chemist’s duty: A master or doctoral science/chemistry. If a school teacher
student or researcher or teacher, from Janmu and Kashmir can write a
everyone has something to do in this proposal for a laptop and projector to
year; which will make easier to achieve make awareness among students, if a
the goal of IYC in every corner of Professor from Maharastra can arrange a
World. Master and Doctoral student can lecture series to attract people, why not
explain to the juniors how they are we?
getting interested towards chemistry and Hence being a group with large number
how it will be helpful to their (world) of chemist member, I hope this group
future. As well as teachers and also will definitely can participate in IYC
scientists can make a project to show the celebration!!!
prospect of chemistry, current trend with
global situations etc. It will also be

Nano Prospect
A greener nanoscale and the challenges

before the nano gypsies!
Rocktotpal Konwarh, and Niranjan Karak
Advanced Polymer and Nanomaterial Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, Tezpur
University, Napaam-784028, Assam
Email: nkarak@tezu.ernet.in,
Abstract: pollution of all forms, energy and water

In recent time nanotechnology has crisis and bio-resource depletion. Global
carved a unique niche of its own. A conferences1 are being organised to
number of avant-garde nanoscale address the issues of climate change and
products have already reached the to devise biodiversity conservation
market. Nevertheless, the reported strategies. The catastrophes have left no
growing number, nature and applications alternative but to return to the roots i.e.
of these nanomaterials have generated a switching to the nature’s way of shaping
colossal hue and cry about the possible up the materials and processes. Notably,
and unexplored risks on the environment use of benign materials for
and human health. The realization to manufacture, recycling of wastes,
switch over to greener approaches in smart controls with feedback loops,
nanotechnology is being reported of late. and efficient use of energy- these are
In the first place, it aims to make adroitly maintained by the
emerging nanotechnologies clean from quintessential nano-factories i.e. the cells
the start. Secondly, a complementary to achieve perfection in architecture and
role of nanotechnology to boost up performance.
the green technologies that benefit the In this context, ‘going green’ is
environment can be envisioned. At the the voluntary pursuit of any endeavor
same time, the business world is that embraces concern for environmental
gradually witnessing entrepreuners management, energy efficiency, water
tuning into ecopreneurs. Bringing the management, waste management and
nanotechnology under the green recycling. Green practices ultimately
umbrella would also imply greater lead to sustainable development and
acceptance of the products by the equitable growth. And in the business
customers. However, adopting and scenario, the good news is that many
popularising such strategies globally young entrepreneurs are turning into
faces few challenges that need to be ‘ecopreneurs‘.The goal of a green
addressed from the very grass-root level. business is to keep its environmental
This write-up mirrors few of the above footprint small, reducing waste and
mentioned issues. reusing materials as much as possible.
Media reports of success of green
Keywords: Green nanotechnology; Life- business have shown that it is
cycle assessment; Risk analysis economically feasible. It has also
encouraged the growth of initiatives
which are designed to benefit the
The entire world is confronted by environment, from carbon trading to tax
the debacles of global warming, breaks say for the people who make

energy-efficient modifications to their and human health. This has dictated

homes that may be envisioned with scientists and engineers to comply by the
advanced materials like polymeric principles of green-chemistry and green-
nanocomposites. A green business can engineering to achieve an ideal ‘benign
sell all sorts of things. Many car by design’ strategy of constructing novel
manufacturers, for example, have green nanomaterials from the start, promoting
model factories and offices to convince complete utilization of raw materials
their target consumers that they are and no waste-generation with an
concerned about the environment. objective to obtain maximal energy
Ferrari has unveiled a solar panel system efficiency and performance. A concerted
in Maranello, Italy that would cut annual utility of anti-cancerous properties of
power usage by 210,000 kilowatt hour.2 phytochemicals in tea and
The internet also reports about ‘green simultaneous generation of
washing’ – a trend exhibited by biocompatible gold nanoparticles is a
companies which want to capitalize on recently reported stimulating
the ‘green’ revolution in business breakthrough of practising green
without actually doing the deed. nanotechnology.5 Research is gradually
However, what’s more profound turning towards the use of bioresources
in the research niche these days is the for production of various industrial
buzz-phrase of ‘going nano’, leaving not products. A number of vegetable oil
a single domain of the scientific based flame retardant6; catalytic7 and
panoroma untouched by its avant-garde cytocompatible8 advanced polymeric
impact. The ever-increasing number of nanocomposites have been developed
scientific research journals dedicated to recently. Furthermore, scientists are
various aspects of nanotechnology and exploring phytoextracts and the
websites reporting the latest research microbial world for in-vivo synthesis of
outputs stand in support of the above silver nanoparticles.9
statement. A large number of Green nanotechnology enacted
nanotechnological outputs are knocking on the principles of green chemistry and
the door of commercialization with green engineering darts out to hit the
many being presently nurtured inside the bull’s-eye of doing nanotechnology
laboratories and factories. Lux Research3 safely and responsibly. In the first place,
estimates that by 2014, nanotechnology it shall make emerging nanotechnologies
would be interlaced into manufactured clean from the start. Secondly, a
goods worth $ 2.6 trillion, generating complementary role of nanotechnology
employement for 10 million. Even the to boost up the green technologies
sports world has felt its impact. Wilson that benefit the environment can be
Nano Carbon HOPE tennis racquet has envisioned. The report10 by Karen F.
an extra-light weight and features a 4.25 Schmidt, entitled ‘Green
inch cushion air-grip and high modulus Nanotechnology: It’s easier than you
graphite fibers.4 think’ enlists some advanced research in
The reported growing number, the domain of green nanotechnology.
nature and applications of these Tailoring of nanomaterials and
nanomaterials have generated a colossal products with reduced toxicity, energy
hue and cry about the possible and efficiency and durability complemented
unexplored risks on the environment by design strategy with bottom-up

approach would ensure maximal raw another (ISO 14040:2006).12

material utility, as operative in the International calls for unison of life
cellular niche, to generate the final cycle assessment and risk analysis for
product rather than generation of bulk substances have emphasized on the
volumes of wastes. This molecular indispensability to deal with the
mimicking of controlling nano-scale spectrum of potential concerns about
pattern, however, suffers from slow nanoscale materials. These approaches
production rates and as such new are conceptual frameworks often
approaches for better reallocation of translated into quantitative assessments,
raw materials and resources need to be conducted by application of present
probed into. It is also important to note knowledge and extrapolation to models.
that nano-portion may just be a small However, a major challenge in
part of the final product. Strict material implementing LCA models for
purity requisites, less tolerance for nanomaterial analysis is the limited
defects, low process yields and material information available. The very first
utilization efficacies, high energy to obstacle is the material variability and
water consumption, repetitive processing associated limitation of characterization
steps make sustainability of nano- tools for nanomaterials. Comprehending
products questionable. Nevertheless, the purity and uniformity as well as
green-nanotechnology can pave the way the relationship between these
for industrial ecology, built on ‘clean-up characteristics and their functionality
and green-up of industrial products and in the end-use application is a pre-
processes’ approach. In this context, a requisite. To represent dose in terms
special mention must be made of the of mass terms is elusive for toxicity
diatoms- signature organisms of nature’s and risk assessment for nanomaterials.
nanotechnological maneouvers. A group Interaction with the environmental
of researchers has recently proposed media, surface traits, functionalization
ways of ‘milking’ oil from diatoms using and microbial activation may be
biochemical engineering and a solar envisaged as major players of toxicity
panel approach that utilizes genomically of nanomaterials. And as such, there’s
modifiable aspects of diatom biology.11 no single index to measure their
As a multidisciplinary domain, toxicity. The nomenclature of
nanotechnology affords a focal point nanomaterials in its nascent stage,
for scientific consilience and as such with no shared understanding
information sharing amongst physicists, complements the unexplored system-
material scientists, toxicologists, level human health and environmental
industrial ecologists, chemists and the risks,13 where attention to one set or
biologists is a pre-requisite. system overlooks the larger impacts.
Furthermore, accountability of the The ease with which these materials are
footprint of the total system i.e. to ensure transported makes the biotic component
that all stages of the life cycle are green of the ecosystem more vulnerable. This
is a must. Life Cycle Assessment risk is further aggravated due to lack of
(LCA) quantifies ecological impact at real-time monitoring systems,
different product life cycle stages and transparency, large incongruities in data
avoids shifting potential environmental collection, and differences in
confrontations from one stage to methodology or presentation. For a

strong industry-academia interface, a 2. http://www.environmentalleader.com/20

database on current research in green 09/01/22/ferrari-factory-goes-solar.
nano is required. The research in this 3. Lux Research. The Nanotech ReportTM:
scientific domain and the policies for Investment Overview and Market
commericialization demand an Research for Nanotechnology. Volume
1. New York: Lux Research Inc. 2006.
international collaboration with rational
4. http://www.product-
governance structure, highlighting the reviews.net/review/20090417/wilson-
thrust areas and their possible utility. nano-carbon-hope-tennis-racquet.
This is indispensable in terms of naming 5. S.K. Nune, N. Chanda, R. Shukla, K.
the plethora of new nanomaterials and Katti, R.R. Kulkarni, S.Thilakavathy, S.
accessing of information regarding their Mekapothula, R. Kannan, K.V. Katti, J.
properties, applications and risks amidst Mater. Chem., 2009, 19, 2912-2920.
the scientific community. Schmidt’s 6. G. Das and N. Karak, Polym. Degrad.
report pointed to the fact that we should Stabil., 2009, 94 (11),1948-1954.
be spending at least as much on avoiding 7. N. Karak, R. Konwarh and B. Voit,
risks as we do on studying them. Proper Macromol. Mater. Eng., 2009, 295 (2),
159–169.
identification of useful surrogates and
8. S. Dutta, N. Karak, J.P. Saikia and B.K.
benchmarks is indispensable for Konwar, Bioresource Technol., 2009,
evaluating whether and to what extent 100 (24), 6391-6397.
nanoproducts are green.10 9. V.K.Sharma, R.A. Yngard and Y. Lin,
We believe that the ‘green-nano Adv. Colloid Interface. Sci. 2009, 145,
wave’ will surely result in capital 83–96.
willingness of the industrialists 10. K. F. Schmidt, “Green Nanotechnology:
(investors) to opt for it. Bringing the It’s easier than you think” Presentation
whole scenario of ‘nano-business’ world given at Green Nanotechnology Event
under a ‘green umbrella’ would make hosted by the Projects on Emerging
the products more acceptable to the Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholar,
consumers as well as in the ecosystem.
April 2007.
A green approach towards 11. T. V. Ramachandra, D.M.Mahapatra,
nanotechnological advancements Karthick B and R. Gordon, Ind. Eng.
guarantees to shift the society into a Chem. Res., 2009, 48, 8769–8788
new paradigm that is more proactive 12. ISO 14040:2006: Environmental
rather than imprudent when it comes management - Life cycle assessment -
to ecological and health implications. Principles and framework. International
Atleast the green initiative ushers in Organization for Standardization (ISO).
some hope for the nanogypsies to spread 13. A. Wardak, M.E. Gorman, N. Swami
the optimistic viewpoint about the and S. Deshpande, J. Ind. Ecol., 2008,
‘nano’ word. 12(3), 435-448.
About the Author: Prof. Niranjan Karak

Reference
1. Ronal Gainza-Carmenates, J. Carlos is working as Professor in the
Altamirano-Cabrera, Philippe Department of Chemical Science, Tezpur
Thalmann, Laurent Drouet Trade-offs University. Mr. Roctotpal Konwarh is
and performances of a range of working under Prof Karak as JRF.
alternative global climate architectures
for post-2012 Environmental science &
policy 13 (2010) 63–71

Greener Prospect
Adopting Green Chemistry Protocols

Suvangshu Dutta
Dept. of Chemistry, D.R. College, Golaghat-785621, Assam
Email: suvangshu@rediffmail.com
Abstract United Nation Conference on
Green chemistry is the way by Environment and Development) at Rio-de
which chemists loom chemical reactions Janeiro, the capital of Brazil, in 1992.
in a newer manner that concerns with the This summit has generated a new global
health and the environment. Designing awareness and debate on issues relating to
chemistry adopting the twelve principles man and the environment relationship.
of green chemistry is now gradually “Awareness is utmost necessary at this
welcomed and adopted by the chemical moment for all of us to save the
industries, laboratories and academia. environment for the future in all possible
Ample of new approaches have been ways” as was rightly mentioned by the
developed and at the same time numerous editor (Babita Baruwati) of the July, 2010
techniques have been fine tuned by green issue of NE Quest.
chemistry concept. Some aspects of green The historical earth summit
chemistry and recent research resulted in the concept of “green” or
contributions in the field by the sustainable” that does no harm either to
researchers of the north eastern India human or the environment. The term
have been highlighted. “Green Chemistry” was coined by Prof.
Keyword: Green Chemistry, environment Paul Anastas of the US Environmental
Protection Agency in 1993. Green
Introduction chemistry or sustainable chemistry is the
The emergence of science and way by which chemists loom chemical
technology to meet the need of the reactions in a newer manner that concerns
civilisation is ever welcome. Chemistry with the health and the environment
plays a key role in this regard in almost necessitating a paradigm shift from
every aspect of modern life. In the traditional concept of process efficiency
process, however, chemistry in general to one that assigns economic value to
and chemical industries as well as eliminate waste at source and avoid the
laboratories in particular is releasing use of toxic/ hazardous substances.
billion pounds of toxic chemicals to the Significant progress in green chemistry is
earth’s atmosphere causing threat to the being continued in several key research
humanity. It was this realisation that areas of chemistry utilising the twelve
brought together the heads of 150 nations principles of Green Chemistry (Scheme
for a historic earth summit (UNICED, 1) formulated by Prof. Paul Anastas and

Prof. John Warner. Industries, into the product, R. This concept of atom
Laboratories, academic and R&D economy, developed by Berry Trost of
organizations have now fitted out to adopt Stanford University, equipped with the
the Green Chemistry principles. concept of yield and selectivity have lead
The Protocol to many efficient greener synthesis. The
Most of the conventional chemical thermal Claisen reaction is an well-known
reactions are carried out neglecting the organic reaction with 100% atom
environmental aspects of waste and toxic economy (Scheme 3). The sheer extent of
by-products formed during the process. the waste problem in chemical industry
The waste not only causes pollution but can be observed in terms of a good
also requires expenditure for clean up. barometer known as Environmental factor
Two useful measures that can limit such or simply E factor (Total waste in kg/
non-green practice are Atom Economy product in kg) which is different (Table 1)
and the E factor. Green Chemistry depending on the type of the industry
demands atom economy closer to 100% producing chemicals. It is evident from
in order to maximise the utility of starting Table 1 that the oil companies produce
materials leaving no undesired product
Atom economy
Strengthenin Prevention of
g analytical waste
Renewable Avoid chemical
Starting accidents
Non toxic Green Use catalyst
products Chemistry
Functional Min. energy
efficiency requirement
Biodegradabl Avoid
e products No separation
derivatisation
Scheme 1: Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry
behind as shown in Scheme 2 (where, S is less waste than pharmaceutical industries.

the undesired by-product). Reaction (b) is This is due to the attention paid by the oil
an 100% atom economical reaction as the companies in minimizing waste and in
substrates P and Q are fully converted finding uses for the waste products. On

the other hand, the pharmaceutical

industries are concentrated more on
molecule manufacture and quality which
involves a number of reaction steps
producing undesirable side products
(waste). However large pharmaceutical
and fine chemical industries are now
focusing on improvement of their E Scheme 2: (a) Conventional chemical reaction,
factors by increasing the atom economy (b) Greener chemical reaction
of reactions and decreasing the number of
reaction steps.
O O
200oC
OH
Molecular weight of the atoms utilised

% Atom Economy = X 100
Molecular weight of the starting material
= 1 X 100 = 100
Scheme 3 : Thermal Claisen Reaction with 100% atom economy
Table 1: E Factor of some common chemical mole of Cr2(SO4)3 as the later is more
industries harmful to the environment. Thus,
Industry Type E Waste Sheldon introduced a new term
Factor Produced “Environmental Quotient (EQ)” defined
(Tonnes) as,
Oil Refining Upto 105 - 107
0.1
Bulk Chemicals Upto 5 104 – 5 x
106
Fine Chemicals Upto 5 - 5 x (102 -
50 105)
The magnitude of Q-value is debatable
Pharmaceuticals Upto 25 2.5 x (102 -
- 100 105) and variable depending on the extent of
toxicity, ease of recyclability and many
other factors. For example, HBr could
The most important factor from
possess a lower Q-value than HCl as
the environmental point of view is the
recycling via. oxidation to bromine is
nature of the waste. For example, one
much easier in the former case.
mole of NaCl is not equivalent to one

Another important Green (MCPBA), known to be highly explosive,

Chemistry protocol is to have practicable in caprolactam synthesis used for nylon
synthetic methodologies that are production. However, a modified version
anticipated to use and generate substances known as enzymatic Bayer Villiger
that possess little or no toxicity to human reaction utilises Baker’s yeast which is
health and the environment. For example, non-pathogenic and thus is safe leaving
the classical Bayer Villiger reaction no toxicity (Scheme 4).
utilises meta-chloroperbenzoic acid
O
mCPBA
O + mCPBA
Classical Route
O
O2, Baker's Yeast
+ H2 O
Green Route
Scheme 4: Caprolactam production for nylon industry

The use of auxiliary substances under solvent free conditions
like solvents, separating agents assisted by microwave (MW) by
which may deteriorate human health just mixing the substrates with clay
and the environment should be supported Fe(NO3)3 (known as
minimized in the laboratories. This clayfen) as the oxidant (Scheme 5).
problem of solvents has been A group of scientists from North
overcome by using some East India headed by Ruli Borah,
environmentally benign solvents Tezpur University, Assam have
like liquid carbon dioxide shown that 2-Nitroalkanols can be
(supercritical CO2), ionic liquid, produced from nitro-aldol reaction
water etc. Even reactions without (Henry reaction) using imidazole as
solvent may be conducted in solid a Lewis base catalyst. They carried
state using microwave in a very out the nitro-aldol reaction in water
faster rate catalysed by the surfaces as a solvent and also under
of less expensive and recyclable solventless conditions (Scheme 5).
mineral supports like alumina, Ionic liquids, being polar and ionic
silica, clay etc. For example, the in character, coupled to MW
oxidation of alcohols to carbonyl radiation has been found to
compounds is carried out using drastically reduce the reaction time
harmful conventional CrO3, KMnO4 from hours to minutes to yield 1,3-
etc which can also be carried out dialkylimidazolium halides.

Scheme 5: MW assisted oxidation of a secondary alcohol to a ketone
Energy generation has a major improved process that makes the

environmental effect. According to manufacturing of rantidine HCl clean
green chemistry protocol, the energy and green. In the process, the methyl
requirements should be identified for mercaptan is first converted to dimethyl
environmental and economic impacts sulphide and is then catalytically
and should be minimised. Catalysts can converted into dimethyl sulphoxide
play a remarkable role in this respect by (DMSO) in a quantitative manner. The
decreasing energy requirements, catalysts are based on Ti, V, Al and a
increasing selectivity and permitting the solid acid. The DMSO produced by the
use of less hazardous reaction catalytic reaction is used in the process
conditions. Thus catalysis is often itself thereby reducing the total cost of
termed as the foundation pillar of green production by nearly 40%. The group
chemistry. SMS Pharmaceutical also developed a greener method for
Limited, Hyderabad has developed a extraction of bromine from sea water
catalytic green method for the (Bittern) by biomimetic catalysis.
conversion of foul smelling toxic gases Use of renewable feedstock is
like methyl mercaptan generated in the another green chemistry protocol which
manufacture of rantidine base into is getting attention to considerable
useful byproducts recyclable in the extent in recent times. This is due to
same process. In a major achievement, a their agricultural origin, easy
group of scientists from North East availability, less toxicity and
India headed by Prof. Mihir K. biodegradability. Another group of
Chaudhuri (Vice Chancellor of Tezpur scientists from North East India
University) with the help of SMS headed by Niranjan Karak of Tezpur
Pharmaceutical Limited developed an Universty has successfully developed
the versatile polyurethane (a polymer

having a vast range of commercial green chemistry seems quite large in

applications) using Mesua ferrea L. terms of quantitative benefit to human
Seed oil as the raw material. health and the environment, they are
Transesterification of Mesua ferrea L. merely the tip of the iceberg when
Seed oil is first done with methanol to compared to the potential. The only
get the methyl ester which is then thing is to bring more awareness for
amidolysed with diethanol amine. The adopting the green chemistry protocol
resulting amidolyzed polyol (fatty in industries and laboratories. The
amide diol) is then treated with Toluene principles of green chemistry today
Diisocyanate at 45-50 oC to get the need to become the core of
versatile polyurethanes (Scheme 6). The tommorrow’s chemistry, integrating
group is currently engaged in making sustainability into science and its
the process more greener by developing innovations. The scientists and
water borne polymers by utilising researchers from India including our
various techniques. North Eastern region have also come up
to cope with the situation. The
worldwide industries are now gradually
adopting green chemistry protocol as
they have realised that when their
professional chemists are
knowledgeable about environmental
pollution prevention concepts, they are
able to identify and implement effective
pollution prevention technologies.
Scheme 6: Synthesis of Polyurethane from
renewable feedstock References
Conclusion [1] Anastas P. and Warner J.C., Green
Only a minuscule percentage of Chemistry: Theory and Practice,
the chemical stuff are made following Oxford Publishers, New York, pp. 30,
the principles of green chemistry which 1998.
is based on the ultimate premise that it [2] Anastas P., Kirchoff M.M. and
is better to prevent waste than to clean it Williamson T.C., Applied Catalysis A:
up after it is formed. There is no doubt General, 221, 3-13, 2001.
that the emerging area of green chemistry [3] Varma R.S., Pure and Applied
has identified scientific principles, Chemistry, 73, 193-198, 2001.
approaches and methodologies that have [4] Manley J.B., Anastas P. and Berkeley
demonstrated the most positive aspects of B.C., Journal of Cleaner Production,
chemistry in industry while the success of 16, 743-750, 2008.

[5] Horvath I.T., Green Chemistry, 10, and 14th century AD, contains a story
1024-1028, 2008. about the Philosopher's stone. A great
[6] Kirchoff M. M., Resources, Hindu sage wrote about the spiritual
Conservation and Recycling, 44, 237- accomplishment of Gnosis using the
243, 2005. metaphor of the philosopher's stone.
[7] Everts S., New Scientist, 13, 34-38, Saint Jnaneshwar (1275-1296), wrote a
2010. commentary with 17 references to the
[8] Phukan M., Borah K.J. and Borah R., philosopher's stone that explicitly
Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, transmutes base metal into gold. The
2, 249-253, 2009. seventh century Indian sage
[9] Dutta S. and Karak N., Progress in Thirumoolar in his classic
Organic Coatings, 53, 147-152, 2005. Tirumandhiram explains man's path to
[10] Chaudhuri M.K., Tetrahedron Letters, immortal divinity. In verse 2709 he
50, 3767-3771, 2009. declares that the name of God, Shiva or
About the Author: Dr. Suvangshu Dutta the god Shambala, is an alchemical
is presently working as an Assistant vehicle that turns the body into
Professor in D.R. College, Golaghat, immortal gold.
Assam. He was honored with Ph.D in -------------
2010 from Tezpur University, before Short Biography of Dr. K. Öfele
which he completed B.Sc from Dr Karl Öfele was born in 1930 in Munich Germany.
Dibrugarh University in 2000 and He studied in the Technische Hochschule München,
M.Sc. from Gauhati University in 2002. now known as Technische Universität München. He
did his Ph. D under Prof. E. O Fischer (Fischer

Philosopher’s stone carbene!) and received the same in 1959. Thereafter
he joined in the same university and continued his
own research carrier with Prof. Fischer. He spent
few months in the University North Carolina, USA as
visiting scientists. He has more than half century
publications in highly reputed journals. One of his
greatest finding is the isolation of first NHC-metal

complexes. His research interest includes sandwich
complex, heterocyclic and polycyclic transition metal
complex, metal carbonyls, N-heterocyclic carbene
and carbocyclic compounds. He retired in 1997;

The Alchymist, In Search of the
however he still comes to department to share his
Philosophers' Stone
knowledge with the new research scholar, especially
The origins of the philosopher's stone
taking the great responsibility to the auto-clave.
seem to be in ancient Hinduism. The
Yoga Vasistha, written between the 10th

Computational
Impact of Theoretical Modelling in Studying

Nanometarials
Bulumoni Kalita
Department of Chemical Science, Tezpur University, Assam-784028, India
Email: bulumoni@tezu.ernet.in
Abstract heat, energy band gap and wave lengths
There is need to understand the of emitted light. Materials of
fundamental properties of nanomaterials nonmagnetic elements become
in view of the growing field of magnetic, semiconducting and metallic
nanotechnology. This article provides a systems interchange their properties,
general overview of the importance and noble metals become reactive and brittle
current status of computational and materials become malleable. Quite
theoretical methods in studying different properties of nanomaterial
nanomaterials. from their bulk counterpart are due to
Keywords: Nanomaterial, QM method. their extremely high surface to volume
ratio. Nanomaterials can be metals and
alloys, ceramics, glasses, polymers,
Over the past decade, composites, carbon based and biological
nanomaterials have become a subject of materials.
enormous interest due to their potentials
for wide-ranging industrial, biomedical Detailed knowledge of
and electronic applications. The fundamental physics and chemistry of
defining characteristic of nanomaterials nanomaterial is desirable for the
is their sizes in the range of 1-100 nm. fabrication of their designing
The origin of the term nano comes from methodology. There are several
the Greek word meaning dwarf or experimental techniques available to
extremely small. Although the gather information on atomic scale or
worldwide interest in nanomaterials is on the nanoscale. However, there are
recent, the concept was raised over 41 challenges for these techniques in
years ago by Physicist Richard determining surface and interface
Feynman in a talk in 1959 entitled structures of nanomaterials in terms of
“There’s Plenty of Room at the limitations in experimental conditions
Bottom”. The quantum confinement and sensitivity. In addition, the
effects that arise in the nanometer scale complications in interpreting
significantly change the particle experimental results due to wide variety
behaviour such as conductivity, specific of shapes and dimension of the

nanostructures may lead to ambiguous The need for significant

results. It emphasises the need of advances in understanding nanoscale
theoretical methods for interpreting the materials; theory, modelling and
experimental results. In the words of simulation take care of various broad
Material Scientist L. D. Marks, “small classes of nanosystems: nano building
particle structures cannot be blocks such as clusters, nanoparticles,
understood purely from experimental nanotubes and quantum dots; complex
data and it is necessary to nanostructures and nano-interfaces;
simultaneously use theoretical or other dynamics, assembly and growth of
modelling”. For nanoscale systems, nanostructures. Since its advent,
theory, modelling and simulations have molecular modelling has grown to the
provided novel properties that have led state it is today and it became popular
to new designs and materials for being immensely benefited from the
nanotechnology applications. For tremendous improvements in computer
example, applications of carbon hardware and software during the last
nanotubes in molecular electronics or several decades. With high computing
computers were predicted first by power using parallel or grid computing
theory and simulations. Indeed, the facilities and with faster and efficient
report Technology Vision 2020: The U. numerical algorithms, theoretical
S. Chemical Industry has identified modelling can be very effectively used
theoretical modelling as one of the key to solve complex problems of different
technologies that the chemical industry branches of science as small as to
needs to revolutionize its ability to atomic or nano level. Theoretical
design and optimize chemicals and the modelling acts as a bridge connecting
processes to manufacture them. In view theory and experiment. It is an
of the growing importance of theoretical interdisciplinary subject implying the
modelling in nanoscience and synergy of quantum, classical and
nanotechnology, the Basic Energy statistical physics, chemistry and even
Sciences and Advanced Scientific biochemistry. Depending upon the
Computing Research of the U. S. level of theory, theoretical modelling
Department of Energy organized a has been identified as Molecular
workshop on “Theory and Modelling in Mechanics methods and Quantum
Nanoscience” in 2002, in which, it was Mechanical methods. Molecular
in general agreed that the new tools of Mechanics methods apply classical laws
theory, modelling and simulation, of physics to predict structures and
developed so far, are essential for properties of molecules. These methods
meeting the challenges of developing rely on a set of parameters and
nanoscience. functions called a force field to

represent the interactions among atomic Method 3 (PM3) are some of the
species. They allow the modelling of popular Semi-empirical methods used in
very large molecules, such as proteins the study of nanomaterials. There are
and segments of DNA, making it the also methods known as Molecular
primary tool of computational Simulation that allow rapid progress to
biochemists. Quantum Mechanical be made in the field of nanotechnology.
methods can be divided into two Force field algorithms are quite efficient
categories: Ab initio and Semi-empirical and are often used today. However,
methods. Ab initio (meaning “from the quantum mechanical methods are
beginning”) methods include Hartree- required to calculate electronic
Fock (HF), Möller Plesset Perturbation properties, which increase the
(MP), Multi Configurations Self computational complexity and demand
Consistent Field (MCSCF), the improvement of most modern
Configuration Interaction (CI), Coupled supercomputers. Some of the
Cluster (CC), Quantum Monte Carlo simulation tools that are appropriate for
(QMC) and Density Functional Theory modelling nanostructures include
(DFT) methods. The very popular Molecular Dynamics (MD), Car-
method of today’s computational Parrinello Molecular Dynamics
modelling, DFT, allows computing the (CPMD) and Monte Carlo (MC)
ground state energy of a system in terms simulations methods. Finally,
of the total electron density, rather than algorithms combining the accuracy of
the electron wave function. It has been quantum mechanics with the low cost of
successfully used for determining molecular mechanics lead to the
properties like geometric, electronic, embedded Quantum
magnetic, optical characteristics, Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics
phonon spectra and pressure induced (QM/MM) approach. The advantage of
changes in a large number of molecules using QM/MM methods lies in treating
of various dimensions. Semi-empirical the active region (i.e., the site for
methods introduce several chemical processes involving bond
approximations and parameters derived breaking and formation) accurately with
from experimental data to simplify the high level QM method and the
calculations, which make them remainder of the system with low level
computationally faster than the Ab initio MM method. These methods have been
methods but slightly less accurate. successfully applied to deal with
Complete Neglect of Differential problems of different nanomaterials
Overlap (CNDO), Intermediate Neglect including oxide supported metal
of Differential Overlap (MINDO), clusters, fullerenes, nanotubes,
Austin Model 1 (AM1), Parametric

biomolecules and enzymatic reaction

mechanisms.
A tribute to Madame Curie
To realize nanotechnology in its Marie Curie (1867 - 1934) was a
full potential, theoretical modelling for Polish-born French chemist and
quantitative description of structure and pioneer in the early field of radiology
dynamics at nanoscale is the starting and a two-time Nobel laureate (1903,
point, without which the research Physics and 1911, Chemistry). She
community would miss important founded the Curie Institutes in Paris
scientific opportunities in nanoscience. and in Warsaw. Due to her gender, she
In total, theoretical studies have a was not allowed admission into any
crucial role in the interpretation of Russian or Polish universities so she
experiments and also in suggesting new worked as a governess for several
possible fascinating structures and years. Eventually, with the monetary
properties of nanoaggregates. Efficient assistance of her elder sister, she moved
methodologies, overcoming their to Paris and studied chemistry and
present limitations, especially in terms physics at the Sorbonne, where she
of the compromises between desired became the first woman to teach.
level of accuracies and/or the She was introduced to Pierre Curie in
computational cost would have spring 1894, who let Marie work in his
enormous impact in nanotechnology, laboratory. Later they married in July
which is going to immensely benefit the 1895. Her early researches, together
whole mankind in times to come. with her husband, were often performed
under difficult conditions, laboratory
About the Author: Mrs Bulumoni Kalita arrangements were poor and both had
has recently defended her thesis from to undertake much teaching to earn a
Department of Chemical Science, livelihood. The discovery of
Tezpur University. After Completing radioactivity by Henri Becquerel in
M.Sc in Physics (2001) from Gauhati 1896 inspired the Curies in their
University, she worked in IIT Guwahati brilliant researches and analyses which
for one year and joined in Tezpur led to the isolation of polonium, named
University. She has published several after the country of Marie's birth, and
papers in highly reputed Journal radium. Mme. Curie developed methods
including Journal of American for the separation of radium from
Chemical Society (JACS). radioactive residues in sufficient
quantities to allow for its
characterization and the careful study
of its properties, therapeutic properties
in particular.

Biological
Biological Function of Nitric Oxide

Aswini Kalita
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati,
Guwahati-781039, India
Email: aswini@iitg.ernet.in
additionally exceptional due to the fact
Nitric oxide is a chemical that it is a radical gas. It is a key
compound with chemical formula NO. vertebrate biological messenger, playing
This gas is an important signaling a role in a variety of biological
molecule in mammals, including processes. Nitric oxide, known as the
humans, and is an extremely important 'endothelium-derived relaxing factor', or
intermediate in the chemical industry. It 'EDRF'. The endothelium (inner lining)
is also an air pollutant produced by of blood vessels uses nitric oxide to
combustion of substances in air, like in signal the surrounding smooth muscle
automobile engines and fossil fuel to relax, thus resulting in vasodilation
power plants. NO is an important and increasing blood flow. Nitric oxide
messenger molecule involved in many is highly reactive (having a lifetime of a
physiological and pathological few seconds), yet diffuses freely across
processes within the mammalian body membranes. These attributes make
both beneficial and detrimental.[1] nitric oxide ideal for a transient
paracrine (between adjacent cells) and
Biological functions:
autocrine (within a single cell) signaling
Appropriate levels of NO production molecule.[3] Nitric oxide contributes to
are important in protecting an organ vessel homeostasis by inhibiting
such as the liver from ischemic damage. vascular smooth muscle contraction and
growth, platelet aggregation, and
However, sustained levels of NO
leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium.
production result in direct tissue toxicity
and contribute to the vascular collapse Humans with atherosclerosis, diabetes,
associated with septic shock, whereas or hypertension often show impaired
chronic expression of NO is associated NO pathways.[4] A high salt intake was
with various carcinomas and demonstrated to attenuate NO
inflammatory conditions including production, although bioavailability
remains unregulated.[5]
juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis,
arthritis and ulcerative colitis.[2] Nitric
Mechanism of action:
oxide is one of the few gaseous
signaling molecules known and is

There are several a mechanism by Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 3

which NO has been demonstrated to (3): 207–216.
affect the biology of living cells. These 5. Osanai, T; Fujiwara, N; Saitoh, M;
include- Sasaki, S; Tomita, H; Nakamura,
i) Oxidation of iron-containing proteins M; Osawa, H; Yamabe, H et al.
such as ribonucleotide reductase and (2002). Blood purification 20 (5):
aconitase, 466–8.
ii) Activation of the soluble guanylate 6. Shami, P. J; Moore, JO;
cyclase, ADP ribosylation of proteins, Gockerman, JP; Hathorn, JW;
protein sulfhydryl group nitrosylation, Misukonis, MA; Weinberg, JB
6
and iron regulatory factor activation. (1995). Leukemia research 19 (8):
It was found that NO acts through the 527–33.
stimulation of the soluble guanylate 7. Surks, H K (2007). Circulation
cyclase, which is a heterodimeric research 101 (11): 1078–80.
enzyme with subsequent formation of
cyclic GMP. Cyclic GMP activates About The Author: Mr. Aswini Kalita is
protein kinase G, which causes pursuing his Ph.D in Indian Institute of
phosphorylation of myosin light chain Technology Guwahati.
phosphatase, and therefore inactivation
of myosin light-chain kinase, and leads ----
ultimately to the dephosphorylation of
the myosin light chain, causing smooth Chemist can make everything!!!
muscle relaxation.7
References:
1. Hou, YC; Janczuk, A; Wang, PG

(1999). Current pharmaceutical
design 5 (6): 417–41.
2. Taylor, BS; Kim, YM; Wang, Q;
Shapiro, RA; Billiar, TR; Geller,
DA (1997). Archives of
surgery.132 (11): 1177–83.
3. Stryer, Lubert (1995).
Biochemistry, 4th Edition. pp. 732.
4. Dessy, C.; Ferron, O. (2004).
Current Medical Chemistry – Anti- Is it not a dancing kid ?
Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy …known as Nanokid!!!

Pharmaceutical
Polyphenols
Manoj Mon Kalita
Toklai Tea Research Center, Jorhat
Email: mon.123chem@gmail.com
Abstract: hyphenated analytical methods such as
This article points out the varieties of the LC-NMR-MS and LC-SPE-NMR to
naturally available compound accelerate their discovery.
“polyphenol” and its utilities in various
Although there has been a lot of work on
fields. Here one can find how a common
the natural products, still a huge list of
people in India administer the
compounds is yet to be studied or
polyphenol containing food and how it
explore the possibility to use in the
benefits to make us healthy or in other
proper way for the benefit of mankind.
words to fight with various breathtaking
‘Polyphenols’ is one of the important
diseases.
classes of compound having more than
Keywords: Polyphenols, Drug,
one phenolic group. They belong to the
Anioxidant
one of the major classes of plant
secondary metabolites classified as
Traditional medicine practices from
flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes, coumarins
plants have been used for thousands of
and tannins. Several thousands of
years by people in China, India, and
polyphenols have been identified in
many other countries. The earliest
edible plants and they are divided into
records of the usage of plants as drugs
the groups according to their structure
are found in the Artharvaveda in India
and complexity. Flavonoid is the major
(dating back to 2000 BCE), the clay
class of polyphenols and they are further
tablets in Mesopotamia (1700 BCE), the
subdivided into six families including
Eber Papyrus in Egypt (1550 BCE) etc.
anthocyanin, flavones, isoflavones,
Other famous literature sources include
flavonols, flavanones and flavanols.
“De Materia Medica”, by Dioscorides
Polyphenols is the most abundant
between CE 60 and 78, and “Pen Ts’ao
antioxidants in the diet which could be
Ching Materia Medica”, written around
as high as 1 g/d much higher than that of
200 CE.
all class of phytochemicals and known
Not only in the sophisticated traditional dietary antioxidants. For perspective,
medicine practices but the modern drug this is approximately 10 times higher
technology also takes the shelter of than the intake of vitamin C and 100
nature to design newer drugs. Many times higher than that of the vitamin E
plant derived compounds have been used and Carotenoids. The main dietary
as drugs either in their original or semi sources are fruits and plant-derived
synthetic form. Plant secondary beverages such as fruit juices, tea,
metabolites can also act as drug coffee, and red wine. Vegetables,
precursors, drug prototypes, and cereals, chocolate, and dry legumes also
pharmacological probes. In future, plant contribute to the total polyphenol intake.
derived compounds will still be an Turmeric is also a good source of
essential aspect for the therapeutic array polyphenolic compound named
of medicines available to the physician, curcumin. Still necessary studies have
particularly with the availability of new not been done on this Indian spice from

the ginger family. Not only the curcumin Podophyllotoxin [Fig. 1] is a non-
but the whole research on the alkaloid toxin in the lignan family. It
polyphenolic compounds can be is a drug prototype with analogues
regarded as at the initial stage. having the same pharmacological
The research on polyphenols, their action as the parent compounds. This
antioxidant properties and disease antineoplastic compound isolated
prevention effects truly began after from plants is too toxic and not water
1995. The main factor which is soluble enough for clinical application
preventing its progress is the and analogy with higher therapeutic
considerable diversity and chemical indices named “Etopside” has been
structures. Current evidence strongly developed.
supports a contribution of polyphenols to
the prevention of cardiovascular
diseases, cancers and osteoporosis and
suggests a role in the prevention of
neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes
mellitus.
It is established that though some
polyphenols, administered as
supplements or with food, do improve
the health status, as indicated by several
biomarks closely associated with
cardiovascular risk. However in some
cases the key factor may not be the
Fig: Red Wine
native polyphenols, but may be the
2. As Pharmaceutical Probes: In
metabolites. Glucuronides of isoflavones
addition to their direct contribution
and epicatechin were shown to have
as drugs or drug prototypes to cure
much weaker estrogenic activity and
human diseases, polyphenols can
provided no protection against oxidative
also be used as “pharmacological
stress in cells grown in vitro. These
Probes”. Pharmacological probes
findings suggest that many studies
help researchers to understand the
published till now must be revaluated, in
mechanism of action of intracellular
light of the new data and polyphenol
signal transductions and biological
bioavailability.
mechanisms related to human
The more interesting and the main point
diseases, which can aid the design of
of attraction about polyphenols is that
better drugs. One example of
they can not only be used as drug but
polyphenols which is already
also as drug prototypes, and
discovered as pharmaceutical probe
pharmacological probes. Following are
is Genistein [Fig. 2], an isoflavone
some of the examples obtained from
found naturally in soybean. It is an
earlier studies.
inhibitor of various protein tyrosine
1. As Drug prototype: According to the
kinase (PTK), which are essential
definition suggested by Sneader, a
enzymes involved in intracellular
drug prototype is the first compound
signal transduction. Genistein has
discovered in a series of chemically
been used to probe the interaction
related therapeutic agents.

between PTK and cyclic nucleotide Hand-propelled wheel cart, Indus Valley
gated (CNG) channels, which are Civilization (3000–1500 BCE). Housed
important in mammalian olfactory
and visual systems. By observing the
effect of Geinstein on the CNG
channels containing either
homomeric or heteromeric subunits
specific subunits containing binding
sites for PTKs can be identified.
Furthermore, the mechanism of
inhibition of the CNG channels by
PTKs has been studied with the aid
of Genistein as a probe. at the National Museum, New Delhi.
References:
1) Ramawat KG, Merillon JM (eds.);
Bioactive Molecules and Medicinal
Plants; Chapter DOI: 10.1007 / 978-
3-540-74603-4-1; Springer 2008.
2) Scalbert A, Johnson IT, Saltmarsh
M; 81(suppl):215S–7S. ; Am. J.
Clin. Nutr. 2005.
3) Gosh D., Scheepens A.; 53, 322 –
331; Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2009.
4) Archivio MD’, Filesi C, Benedetto Ink drawing of Ganesha under an
RD, Gargiulo R, Giovannini C, umbrella (early 19th century). Ink,
Masella R; Polyphenols, dietary called masi, an admixture of several
sources and bioavailability ; Vol. chemical components, has been used in
43, No. 4: 348-361; Ann Ist Super India since at least the 4th century BC.
Sanità, 2007. The practice of writing with ink and a
5) Raphael I, Natural Product: A sharp pointed needle was common in
laboratory Notebook.; Israel
early South India. Several Jain sutras in
University Press, 1969.
6) Jeffrey B. Harborne FRS, Herbert
India were compiled in ink.
B; The Handbook of Natural
Flavonoids (Vol 1): vii, viii, ix, x, xi,
xii; John Willey & Sons.
About the Autor : Mr.Monoj Mon Kalita

is currently working in Tocklai Tea
Research Center, Jorhat, Assam.
A
ferocious lion excavated in Madan

Kamdev close to Baihata Cariali in
Assam representing the powerful
Kamarupa-Palas (c. 9th–10th century
A.D.)
Identify the Compound and check the
answer in page no.61
Thesis Abstract
“Development of Mesua Ferrea L Seed oil

based Polyurathane Resins”
Dr. Suvangshu Dutta
Supervisor: Prof. Niranjan Karak
School of Science & Technology, Tezpur University,
Tezpur – 784028, India
Email: suvangshu@rediffmail.com
Background adhesives etc. The vegetable oils

successfully utilized so far are traditional
Utilization of naturally oils like castor, linseed, soybean,
renewable resources as the feed stocks sunflower, rapeseed, canola, corn, palm,
for polymers is thriving all around in tung, safflower, peanut, coconut,
contemporary times. Vegetable oil is a cottonseed etc. and non-traditional oils
renewable resource to be worth like rubber seed oil, kamala seed oil,
mentioned in this regard. These feed mahua oil, karanja oil, neem oil, tobacco
stocks are well accepted by the synthetic seed oil, annona squamosa oil, melon
polymer chemists as well as seed oil, jatropha seed oil etc. Mesua
industrialists due to assorted social, ferrea L. is a plant, locally known as
economical and environmental issues. Nahar, the seeds of which contain ca.
Furthermore, there are many advantages 70% non-edible oil. This is a non-drying
of using vegetable oil as the feed stocks. oil and the fatty acid content is
Some of them to mention are (i) consisting of 52.3% oleic and 22.3%
naturally renewable as can be grown linoleic acids as unsaturated fatty acids
wildly or agriculturally, (ii) environment and 15.9% palmitic and 9.5% stearic
friendly and bio-degradable as they are acids as saturated fatty acids. It is
obtained from natural resources, (iii) available in different countries such as
cost effective, (iv) available in large India, Srilanka, Bangladesh, Nepal,
quantities, (v) reduced risk for handling, Indochina (Southeast Asia), Malay
storage and transportation due to Peninsula etc.
physical and chemical stability, (vi) Since its inception in the mid
aptitude to facile chemical modification, thirties, polyurethane is gaining vast
(vii) possibility of recycling etc. popularity for its diversified applications
The vast forest resources and in the fields of coatings, adhesives,
farm lands yield varieties of oil bearing leathers, elastomers, sealants,
seeds. Among them, about 350 oil composites, biomaterials and many
bearing crops have been identified so others. Polyurethane endows versatility
far. A few such vegetable oils have been from its block copolymeric character and
explored for the development of the unique possibilities for tailor making
different polymeric materials like alkyd, their properties by varying the
epoxy, polyesteramide, polyurethane etc. composition of hard and soft segments.
These polymers are largely used in Different vegetable oils such as castor,
different industrial applications such as linseed, soybean, sunflower, argemone,
paints, inks, binder for composites, corn, canola, palm, tobacco etc. have

been investigated to synthesize different (iii) To study the performance

categories of polyurethanes successfully. characteristic of the blends as
The suitable fatty acid composition of matrices for conventional
Mesua ferrea L. seed oil indicates that it composites and nanocomposites.
may be utilized for the synthesis of (iv) To study the biodegradability of
polyurethane resins along with other the virgin blends and their
polymers. nanocomposites.
(v) To use polyurethane blends as
Scopes and Objectives of the Present binders for the preparation of
Investigation industrial paints.
From the literature survey, it has
been found that many vegetable oils are Chapter1 deals with the general
widely used in place of petroleum based introduction of vegetable oils and their
products as the raw materials in the utilization for the production of
production of many industrial products polyurethanes. A brief review on
like binders for surface coatings polyurethanes with special emphasis on
including paints, varnishes, printing resins from vegetable oils, their
inks, soaps, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, importance, history, general techniques
lubricants, emulsifiers, multipurpose for preparation, characterization,
additives, biodiesel, plasticizers etc. properties and applications have been
Although Mesua ferrea L. (Nahar) seed described in this chapter. This chapter
oil has tremendous potential as a also described the scopes and objectives
renewable raw material but only a few along with the plan and methodology of
reports have been found on its utilization the present investigation.
in the fields of medicine and biodiesel.
Further, there is no report on the use of
this oil in the field of polymer, except
polyester resins. Thus, it comes into
sight that there is no study on this oil for
development of polyurethane.
Under this background, the main
objectives of the present investigation
are as follows:
(i) To synthesize, characterize and
Figure 1. Scientific publication as a function
evaluate various properties of
of publication year searched by scopus
Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based
polyurethane resins. Chapter 2 incorporates the synthesis,
(ii) To study the effect of NCO/OH characterization and properties
ratio on the performance of the evaluation of two different types of
polyurethanes as surface coating Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based
materials. polyurethane (PU) resins, poly(urethane
(ii) To improve the performance ester) (PUE) and poly(urethane amide)
characteristics of these resins by (PUA) with varying NCO/OH ratios
blending with suitable using monoglyceride and fatty amide
commercially available resins. diol of the purified oil respectively. The
synthesized resins have been

characterized by measurement of strength, impact resistance, adhesive

physical properties like acid value, strength, flexibility, hardness, elongation
iodine value, saponification value, at break, swelling behavior and chemical
hydroxyl value, isocyanate value, drying resistance in different media as well as
time, viscosity etc. and FTIR and dielectric properties of the blends were
1
HNMR spectroscopic studies as well as studied. FTIR spectroscopic technique
GPC analysis. The synthesized resins was used to study the crosslinking
were cured under ambient conditions between polyurethane and epoxy/ MF
followed by post-curing at 120 OC for 2 resins, whereas scanning electron
h for both the cases. Various microscopy (SEM) and
performance characteristics of the cured thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were
polyurethane films such as hardness, used to study the morphology and
flexibility, gloss, adhesion, impact thermostability of the blends
resistance and chemical resistance in respectively. The results showed good
different media were determined. compatibility between the components
Thermal stabilities were studied as a of the blends and significant
function of NCO/OH ratio by TGA enhancement in blend properties
technique, which indicates the increase including thermostability and chemical
of thermostability with the increase of resistance. In the case of EM and EA
NCO/OH ratio. The chapter concludes blends, EM50 (PUE:epoxy = 50:50) and
that Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based PUE EA50 (PUA:epoxy = 50:50) exhibit the
and PUA resins can be utilized as optimum film performance, whereas in
surface coating materials and PUE resins the case of MM and MA blends, MM25
are found to be more promising in this (PUE:MF = 75:25) and MA25 (PUA:MF
regard. Further, high thermostability of = 75:25) exhibit the optimum film
the cured resins indicated their performance.
applicability under a range of climatic
conditions. Chapter 4 includes the studies on the
preparation, characterization and
Chapter 3 reports the enhancement in evaluation of performance
performance characteristics of the PUE characteristics of the epoxy and MF
and PUA resins (NCO/OH ratio = 0.5) modified Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based
by blending with commercially available polyurethane composites reinforced with
bisphenol-A based epoxy resin and with jute fiber and nanocomposites reinforced
partially butylated melamine- with bentonite nanoclay. Jute fiber
formaldehyde (MF) resin at different reinforced composites were prepared by
weight ratios (PU:epoxy = 40:60, 50:50 using epoxy and MF modified PUE and
and 60:40, whereas PU:MF = 85:15, PUA resin blends through solution
75:25 and 60:40). All the blends were impregnation followed by curing at
prepared by solution blending technique ca.130-140 OC under pressure of ca. 35-
using poly(amido amine) hardener [for 40 kg/cm2 for ca. 2 h. Mechanical
epoxy modified PUE (EM) and PUA properties like tensile strength, flexural
(EA) blends] or p-tolune sulfonic acid strength, elongation at break, hardness
catalyst [for MF modified PUE (MM) and density of all the composites were
and PUA (MA) blends] and xylene as measured and compared. FTIR
the solvent under ambient conditions. spectroscopy and SEM techniques were
Performance characteristics like tensile utilized to understand the mode of

interaction between the filler and the burial degradation. Microorganism

matrix of the fractured composite attack after the soil burial biodegradation
samples. Thermogravimetric analysis of 180 days was realized by the
(TGA) and differential scanning measurement of loss in weight and
calorimetry (DSC) techniques were mechanical properties. Biodegradation
employed to analyze the thermal of the films was also evidenced by SEM,
behavior of the composites. The study TGA and FTIR spectroscopic studies.
showed their high thermostability and The study showed that the chief
high glass transition temperatures (Tg). mechanism behind biodegradation is the
All the properties were found to be much rupture of ester linkages. The study
better for epoxy modified polyurethane further depicts the EM50 blend to be
composites than MF modified ones. more biodegradable than the MM25
blend.
The chapter also describes the
One major finding of the work
preparation, characterization and
mentioned in this chapter is the higher
evaluation of performance
extent of biodegradation of the
characteristics of the epoxy modified
polyurethane nanocomposites (PUE/EP
polyurethane nanocomposites with
or PUA/EP) than the corresponding
different weight % of clay loadings (1%,
pristine polymers as reflected from the
2.5% and 5%). The partially exfoliated
broth culture technique. The rate of
nanocomposites were characterized by
biodegradation was found to be a little
FTIR, XRD and SEM techniques. The
higher for the PUE cases than the PUA
chapter reports the nanocomposites to
cases.
exhibit tremendous improvement in
performance characteristics including
barrier properties as compared to the
pristine polymers. PUE nanocomposites
were found to be better in all aspects
than the PUA nanocomposites.
Figure 3. SEM micrographs of the

biodegraded nanocomposites (a)
EM50/NC2.5 and (b)
The chapter also includes the

Figure 2. TEM images of nanocomposites cytotoxicity study of the blends and the
(a) EM50/NC2.5 and (b) EA50/NC2.5 nanocomposites by a simple anti-
hemolytic test. All the nanocomposites
Chapter 5 describes the biodegradation showed overall non-cytotoxicity. Thus
of the above mentioned Mesua ferrea L. the chapter concludes that Mesua ferrea
seed oil based polyurethane blends and L. seed oil based polyurethane blends as
nanocomposites. The blends were well as nanocomposites have incredible
studied for biodegradation with two prospect to be utilized as biomaterials.
techniques viz. microbial degradation
(broth culture technique) and natural soil

Chapter 6 reports the application of ii) Mesua ferrea L. seed oil was
Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based successfully utilized for the first time
polyurethane blends with MF and epoxy to prepare industrially important
resins as binder materials for industrial polyurethane resins.
stoving paint. The preparation, iii) The blending technique with
characterization and properties of this commercial epoxy or melamine-
stoving paint are described in this formaldehyde resin significantly
chapter. Maximum part of the work was improved the film properties
carried out in a paint industry using their especially thermal stability and
set up to establish the commercial chemical resistance of Mesua ferrea
viability of the resins. The results L. seed oil based polyurethane
indicate that these resins could be used resins.
for low cost stoving deep color paints. iv) Fabrication of the resins into both
Various parameters that reflect the conventional as well as
performance characteristics of the test nanocomposites caused tremendous
paints are found to be comparable with improvement in performance
the standard industrial paint. Among the characteristics.
two test paints, the PUE/epoxy based v) Biodegradability and cytotoxicity
one seems to be more effective in terms studies of the Mesua ferrea L. seed
of performance characteristics than the oil based resins and nanocomposites
PUE/MF based paint. The study reveals showed their potential to be
their perspectives for successful applicable as biomaterials.
utilization as high performance stoving vi) The Mesua ferrea L. seed oil based
paints. polyurethane resins were used for the
first time to investigate the viability
of commercial utilization as binders
for industrial stoving paints.
Publications:
1) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak,

Progress in Organic Coatings, 2005,
53, 147.
Figure 4. TG thermograms of the paints Eurasian Chemico Technological
Journal, 2005, 7, 251.
Chapter 7, the last chapter of the thesis 3) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak,
includes the concluding remarks, high Polymer International, 2006, 55, 49.
lights of the findings and future scopes 4) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak,
of the present investigation. The major M.A. Farhat Hussain, Materials
achievements of the present Science Indian Journal, 2006, 6, 15.
investigation are as follows: 5) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak,
i) A highly potential non-edible Pigment and Resin Technology,
vegetable oil (Mesua ferrea L.) is 2007, 36, 74.
utilized as value added polymeric
product.

6) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak, Ei-ichi Negishi was born in Changchun,

Tirthankar Jana, Progress in Organic China while
Coatings, 2009, 65, 131. it was under
7) Niranjan Karak, Harekrishna Deka, Japanese rule,
Suvangshu Dutta, Proc. Intl. Conf. and studied at
Nano. Mater. Nanocomp., 2009, 1, the
229 (ISBN : 978-81-906027-5-4). Universities
8) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak, of Tokyo and
Jyoti Prasad Saikia and Bolin Kumar Pennsylvania.
Konwar, Bioresource Technology, He worked
2009, 100, 6391. two stints of
9) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak, several years
Sasidhar Baruah, Journal of Applied for the Teijin
Polymer Science, 2010, 115, 843. chemical
10) Suvangshu Dutta, Niranjan Karak, conglomerate
Materials Science Indian Journal, in Japan, before and after earning his
(Accepted, 2010). doctorate, and then came to Purdue
Jyoti Prasad Saikia and Bolin Kumar
Konwar, Journal of Polymers and Japanese chemist Akira Suzuki and his
the Environment, In Press (DOI: colleague, Norio Miyaura, developed
10.1007/s 10924-010-0161-8), 2011. what is now termed the Suzuki-Miyaura
reaction, or
In 1971, American chemist Richard F. "Suzuki
Heck discovered a previously unknown coupling", in
carbon- 1981. A
carbon bond- chemical
forming reaction that
reaction employs
mediated by boronic acids
palladium, or esters,
which forms Suzuki
substituted coupling is a
olefins. He form of
later taught at palladium-
the catalyzed cross couplings, distinct in that
University of it uses organoborons.
Delaware, but
retired with some frustration in 1989 ‘Believe in yourself! Have faith in your
when his funding was canceled and he abilities! Without a humble but
was unable to obtain corporate or reasonable confidence in your own
government grants to further his powers you cannot be successful or
research. In retirement he was once happy ‘- Norman Vincent Peale
quoted as saying, "I'm not doing any
chemistry anymore, but I think I've done
my share".

Faces of the Issue

1) Mr. Jayanta Madhab Borah 2) Mr. Sanjeeb Sutradhar
Mr. Sanjeeb Sutradhar hailing from

Mr. Jayanta Madhab Borah of Majuli, Dhing, Nagaon has completed M.Sc
Jorhat, Assam, has completed his from IIT Guwahati in 2010 in
schooling from Phulani High School, Chemistry. He had completed his B.Sc
Majuli, Assam. He did his higher from Nagaon College in 2008. He
secondary and B. Sc. from J. B. College, received several academic awards and
Jorhat, Assam and M. Sc. from Gauhati honors throughout his academic career.
University, Guwahati in 2005. Currently He also worked in Tezpur University as
he is working as a CSIR Senior Research summer trainee during his bachelor
Fellow, at Materials Science Division, course. He is looking forward to go
CSIR-NEIST (formerly RRL, Jorhat), abroad for pursuing his Ph.D.
Jorhat, Assam under the supervision of
Dr. Sekh Mahiuddin. Recently he has 3) Mr. Aswini Kalita
submitted his PhD thesis entitled
“Adsorption of simple aromatic organic
acids/anions at the α-alumina/water
interface: influence of functionality and
background electrolytes". His primary
research interest is related to the
adsorption of natural organic matter
(NOM) analogues at the solid/liquid
interface. Ion specificity at the
solid/liquid as well as liquid/vapor
interface is the prime focus of his Mr. Aswini Kalita, born in the Village
research. He has emphasized his studies
Hazarikapara, Sipajhar, Darrang is
on surface complexation and the mineral
dissolution phenomenon by using currently pursuing his Ph.D in
different spectroscopic techniques and IITGuwahati. He has completed is B.Sc
has, so far, published six research papers with 1st Class First position from B.
in peer reviewed journals. Barooah College and M.Sc with same
position from Gauhati university in
2009. His Research area is bioinorganic
chemistry. He has been selected for
Summer Research Fellowship

Programme (May- July, 2007) sponsored What makes a good PhD student?
by Indian Academy of Sciences Some tips for PhD students.
(Bangalore), Indian National Science Choose a supervisor whose work you
Academy (New Delhi), and National admire and who is well supported by
Academy of sciences (Allahabad), India grants and departmental infrastructure.
and worked under Prof. B. C. Ranu of Take responsibility for your project.
IACS, Kolkata. Work hard — long days all week and
part of most weekends. If research is
4) Mr. Monoj Mon Kalita your passion this should be easy, and if
it isn't, you are probably in the wrong
field. Note who goes home with a full
briefcase to work on at the end of the
day. This is a cause of success, not a
consequence.
Take some weekends off, and decent
holidays, so you don't burn out.
Read the literature in your immediate
area, both current and past, and around
it. You can't possibly make an original
contribution to the literature unless you
know what is already there.
Mr. Monoj Mon Kalita born in
Guwahati. He has completed B.Sc. Plan your days and weeks carefully to
degree from B. Borooah College in the dovetail experiments so that you have a
year 2007 in chemistry securing first minimum amount of downtime.
class 16th position and M.Sc. degree Keep a good lab book and write it up
from Tezpur University in Applied every day.
Chemistry (Special paper on Medicinal Be creative. Think about what you are
Chemistry) in 2009 securing first class doing and why, and look for better ways
6th position. After passing out from to go. Don't see your PhD as just a road
Tezpur he has immediately joined map laid out by your supervisor.
Tocklai Experimental Station, Jorhat as
Develop good writing skills: they will
JRF and is working till now. He has one make your scientific career
publication at “Green Chemistry Letters immeasurably easier (hence try to
and Reviews” for the work carried out contribute to NEQUEST!!!).
under the guidance of Dr. Ruli Borah,
To be successful you must be at least
Tezpur University department of
four of the following: smart, motivated,
Chemical Sciences, during the final creative, hard-working, skilful and
semester of M.Sc. lucky. You can't depend on luck, so you
had better focus on the others!
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn

as if you were to live forever - Mahatma
Gandhi Answer from the page 53 is Ascaridol

Reader’s Page
Letter from the member

I feel proud being a member of “North East Research Forum”. I have been
benefited greatly by the forum from initial stage till today. I would like to thank to the
members of the forum for helping me, specially sending articles of different journals as
per require for my R & D activities. All the members of the forum are just like a family
and help each other selflessly. This is the specialty of the forum. It is one of the best
platforms for interaction, sharing idea, thoughts, experiences, knowledge of researcher
involving in different fields of work. The forum may also look forward for up gradation
of knowledge/idea of the college/school students in all aspect of NE Region. We know
that NE Region is very rich in natural resources, but due to lack of awareness and
scientific knowledge among the common people, all the resources not explored properly.
So the forum may take positive approach for exploration of natural resources and up-
liftment of socioeconomic condition of common people by utilization of their scientific
knowledge. The NEQUEST may be circulated among the students of schools/colleges/
universities more widely for sharing our idea, knowledge and thoughts upto grass root
level. It will help not only students but also common people of the NE region. Finally I
pray for long life of the forum.
Mr. Chandan Tamuly, Scientist C, NEIST, Jorhat (Arunachal Pradesh branch)
From the Facebook

Fellowship/ Advertisement/Opportunity
PostDoc Positions available in Battery Storage System

Engineering for Electromobility in Megacities for a period of 3
years in Singapore
Job Description
Technische Universität München (TUM) and National Research Foundation (NRF)

Singapore have signed a long-term agreement for the "TUM CREATE Centre for
Electromobility". This research cooperation will work on all relevant topics regarding
electric mobility, with a special focus on the special requirements for its implementation
in a tropical megacity. Those requirements concern climate, infrastructure and users.
Several institutes from TUM and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are taking
part in this interfaculty project and will do fundamental and technology research in the
areas energy storage, information technology, engineering and infrastructure.
We are looking for three dedicated and creative research fellows especially in the
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• Modeling and simulation of abuse behavior for safety requirements of Lithium Ion
Battery Systems.
• Research on battery lifetime, including modeling and battery cell post mortem analyses.
• Algorithms for battery state determination as part of battery quality control method and
as part of battery management systems.
The positions are funded for a period of 3 years, which will be spent full time in
Singapore. Starting date is in the first quarter of 2011.
Requirements
1. Excellent Ph.D. in electrical engineering or in electrochemistry or an equivalent field.
2. Willingness for a long-term stay abroad in Asia, ideally international experience.
3. Languages: English (fluent), German would be an advantage but is no requirement.
4. Ability to build up and lead a small group of Ph.D. students
5. Interest/ideally experience in battery storage systems
Contact
Prof. Dr. Andreas Jossen
Department of Electrical Energy Storage Systems
Technische Universitaet Muenchen
Arcissstrasse 21, 80333 Munich
E-Mail: andreas.jossen@tum.de
Homepage: www.ees.ei.tum.de

Maderas Rainforest Conservancy Scholarship for Education

and Training in Field Primatology
Maderas Rainforest Conservancy (MRC), the American Society of Primatologists (ASP)
will offer two scholarships annually to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students
for research and career training in a field course at La Suerte Biological Research Station,
Costa Rica or Ometepe Biological Research Station, Nicaragua. The goals of the MRC
are to advance research, education and conservation of primates and tropical forests. We
encourage interested students from anywhere in the world to apply.
The scholarship provides full tuition for an approximately one month course including
room and board (3 meals/day), instruction, access to all facilities at the field site and in-
country transportation to and from the field site. All courses are taught in English and
students can select the course and field site they wish to attend. The scholarship does not
include airfare to Costa Rica or Nicaragua, books, supplies, field equipment, medical
insurance, or hotel/meals the first and last night in San Jose, Costa Rica or Managua,
Nicaragua. Field courses are offered during December-January and from May through
August.
Information about the history and location of the field sites, facilities, course offerings,
course syllabi, research opportunities, primate species present, and a list of La
Suerte/Ometepe teachers and alumni can be found at
www.maderasrfc.org/Maderas_Rainforest_Conservancy/Home.html. For more
information visit: https://www.asp.org/grants/scholarship/index.cfm
PhD position in Biostatistics, Belgium

Job description
Authorities and official bodies world-wide require animal experiments in order to be able
to guarantee the safety of clinical tests on humans for medical products. Through
implementation of what they call the “3Rs” initiative, the National Institute of Health
(NIH) has been striving to develop alternative product testing methods that will: Reduce
the number of animals used in testing, Refine testing procedures so animals experience
less pain and distress; or Replace animals with non-animal testing systems. The goal of
this project is to (1) investigate innovative statistical approaches that offer ways to reduce
the number of animals in future toxicology studies, and (2) to obtain more information
from existing data sets (through e.g. better study design, dose-response models, complex
hierarchical clustering models, longitudinal models,…).
Profile and diploma

You have a master degree in (bio)statistics or an equivalent degree;
You are acquainted with statistical methodologies and had exposure to computer
programming. Knowledge of statistical software such as SAS, S-Plus, R, StatXact,
etc. is advantageous;
You are intrinsically motivated and goal oriented;
You enjoy working in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment;

You are willing to closely collaborate with a pharmaceutical industry partner and
travel regularly to the region of Turnhout;
You speak and write English fluently.
Offer
The appointment takes effect at the latest from October 1, 2011, for a period of 2 x 2
years (with evaluation after 2 years).
Further information
• Prof. dr. Christel Faes, +32 11-26 82 85, christel.faes@uhasselt.be
• Prof. dr. Helena Geys, +32 14-60 67 19, helena.geys@uhasselt.be
Content terms of employment and selection procedure: Yves Soen, 011-26 80 85,
yves.soen@uhasselt.be
Application
Applicants must use the official application forms can be downloaded from
http://www2.uhasselt.be/actueel/vacatures/vac320632e.asp
Please add a copy of your diploma, a list of courses and your results per course.
Without these we cannot evaluate your application.
Application by e-mail will only be taken into consideration when sent to the following
address: jobs@uhasselt.be.
Scholarships available in Master programme
Company/Institution: University Rovira i Virgili

Location: Tarragona, Spain
Closing Date: 30 June 2011
The Master programme in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at University Rovira i

Virgili offers 12 scholarships (6000 Euro/each) to international students that would like
to join our Master studies in Tarragona, Spain.
The Master is focused to Nano-(Bio)Chemistry. It is specially addressed to Bachelors

holding a degree related to the Chemistry and Biology Sciences in a broad sense
(Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Quantum Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biological
Chemistry, Microbiology,..)
Applicants should send an e-mail to Prof. F. Xavier Rius <fxavier.rius@urv.cat>

More information in: http://www.urv.cat/masters_oficials/en_nanociencia.html
Some Ph.D. positions in Materials science

Company/Institution: Max Planck Scociety

Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Closing Date: 1 September 2011, Ref: 2011S
The International Max Planck School for Advanced Materials (IMPRS-AM) is a joint
project of the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, the Max Planck Institute for
Solid State Research, and the University of Stuttgart. The research interests of the
IMPRS-AM cover a broad spectrum from fundamental to performance-oriented
chemistry, physics and materials science. The research activities will be focused on three
areas: 1) Physics and Chemistry in Low Dimensions, 2) Interface Controlled Materials,
and 3) Nano-biotechnology and Biomimetics
Describing the whole range of research and the top notch facilities would exceed the
scope of this advert.
The IMPRS-AM is an exciting, interdisciplinary PhD program that will motivate young
scholars to choose a career in research. The synthesis and preparation of novel
compounds, the characterization of physical and structural properties, and theoretical
descriptions are closely linked together. In addition to the structured program of scientific
learning, a training program in complementary skills will be provided. Finally, the
courses will be conducted in English, since the program is open to all nations.
The selection process is highly competitive and only about 3 % of all applicants get an
offer for a Ph.D. position in one of the 24 research groups. We have openings for some
PhD candidates with outstanding academic qualifications. You should hold a master
degree in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science or a related subject. Applications are
welcome for the spring term 2011. For more information about the different research
subjects and the modus of application please consult our web pages.
Comment: A first selection of candidates will be made on the basis of their CV,
transcripts etc., after which selected applicants will be invited for interviews on-site. All
accepted IMPRS-AM fellows will obtain a stipend or working contract which is
sufficient to cover living expenses in the Stuttgart area. Interested candidates should send
their application after successful on line registration to the office of the IMPRS-AM
Web: http://www.imprs-am.mpg.de
Some important Link for PhD/Postdoc position
a) http://academicjobs.in/
b) http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
c) http://chemseer.com/
d) http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/welcome
e) http://www.postdocjobs.com/
f) http://www.intelliagence.fr/ or www.abg.asso.fr
g) http://scholarships4phd.blogspot.com/

Post-doctoral position (24 months) Flavour production by

micro-organism
Company/Institution : UMR GMPA Agroparistech INRA and a food private company
Workplace: Grignon - FRANCE
Skill area: Biology, Medicine, Health - Chemistry
Application deadline: 5/9/2011
Reference: ABG-32415
Website for UMR GMPA: http://www.versailles-grignon.inra.fr/gmpa
Mission:
The goals of the study are to evaluate the flavouring effects of micro-organisms on
natural raw materials, to characterize the flavours obtained by olfaction, to look for the
molecular structures responsible of their specific odours, and finally to elucidate the
pathways used to produce them.
Consumers are looking for more natural flavours in foods. The main objective of the
work proposed by a food company for this project is to increase the offer of natural food
flavouring preparations produced by food grade micro-organisms.
The goals of the study are to evaluate the flavouring effects of micro-organisms on
natural raw materials, to characterize the flavours obtained by olfaction, to look for the
molecular structures responsible of their specific odours, and finally to elucidate the
pathways used to produce them. The knowledge of the flavouring precursors in the raw
materials and of the microbial metabolism should permit an optimal production of the
molecules of interest and to intensify the production.
The work will be realized mainly in Grignon (Yvelines, 35 km west of Paris) and for part
on site of the company.
Remuneration: 1,900 Euros net per month.
Candidates profile:
The post doc candidate should have experience in microbiology (e.g. microbial
metabolism) and very good experience in analytical chemistry (e.g. GC, GC-MS, GC-
olfactometry, HPLC, LC-MS)
English is required and French would be a plus. An ability to communicate well is also
required.
I am absolutely convinced that no wealth in the world can help humanity forward, even in the
hands of the most devoted worker in this cause. The example of great and pure characters is the
only thing that can produce fine ideas and noble deeds. Money only appeals to selfishness and
always tempts its owners irresistibly to abuse it - Albert Einstein

Are you looking for Ph.D and Postdoc. positions?
a) Technische Universität München, Germany

It is a well known university in Europe with a rich background from ancient time and
high-tech facility. It welcomes always students from international countries.
Applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification
• For all Bachelor and Diploma courses is required preliminary inspection

documentation (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) of your university entrance
qualification by uni-assist!
• For all Master degrees, applications should be sent directly to TU München;
this also applies to applications for the “Studienkolleg” (foundation course) - i.e.
no preliminary inspection documentation of the university entrance qualification
is required in these cases.
• Applicants with a foreign university entrance qualification may have to attend the
“Studienkolleg” (foundation course) to undergo preparation for the assessment
test for study at a German university.
• Applications may be submitted from May 15 to July 15 for the winter semester
and from November 15 to January 15 for the summer semester (there are a few
exceptions to this rule).
• Please note: July 15 or January 15 is the deadline for receipt of the signed
application for enrolment including all application documents, not for data entry!
For exact details on how to apply, which application form to use and which
deadline applies, see the information pages of the course in question.
• The application deadline for Master courses is generally May 31. Please consult
the relevant faculty websites for details.
• Generally speaking, it is only possible to start a diploma or Bachelor course at TU
München in a winter semester (Master courses can be started in the summer
semester, too).
• Note for those applying to embark on teacher training in physical education:
applicants are required to pass a sports aptitude test. They must register for this
aptitude test online with the University of Regensburg.
• Applications for Bachelor and diploma courses and for some Master courses are
submitted online.
For more information visit

http://portal.mytum.de/studium/bewerbung/bewerbung_inland/document_view
http://portal.mytum.de/studium/studienfinanzierung/stipendien
b) Bayern Forchungstifung
The Bavarian Research Foundation was established in 1990. It has assets amounting to
around 430 million euros and provides subsidies of approximately 20 million euros per
year. Students can write a proposal and submit through a host from the Braverian state,
Germany.
For more information http://www.forschungsstiftung.de/index.php/Welcome.html.

c) Max Planck Research School Mathematics

The International Max Planck Research School Mathematics in the Sciences, supported by the
Klaus Tschira Stiftung, Germany, offers PhD fellowships for qualified students with an excellent
background in mathematics or related fields. The fellowships will include a generous stipend, and
there will be no tuition fees. Teaching will be in English. In addition, German language courses
will be provided free of charge.
For more information:
http://www.imprs-mis.mpg.de/
d) Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds

The Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds is a public foundation - an independent, not-for-profit
institution for the exclusive and direct promotion of basic research in biomedicine. It
supports researchers and projects aimed to experimentally elucidate basic phenomena of
human life and pays particular attention to the promotion of junior scientists.
The Foundation awards long-term fellowships to PhD students, supporting some 110
PhDs worldwide at the same time. It grants travel grants to PhD students and post-
doctoral scientists to enable them to participate in short-term practicals in laboratories
further afield or in scientific courses, e.g. summer or winter schools. In both programmes,
the Foundation supports Europeans working in Europe and overseas and students from
overseas working in Europe. It awards fellowships to medical students who study in
Germany to give them the opportunity of pursuing excellent research. The Boehringer
Ingelheim Fonds is a foundation specifically geared to and intended for people.
The Inventor of Zero

Arya Bhata was born about 476 AD in India, probably in central India, though nobody knows for
sure. When Arya Bhata was a teenager, he left his hometown and went to Kusumapura (modern
Patna), on the banks of the Ganges river, to study at Nalanda university. At this time, Nalanda
University was a very good college; it was one of the earliest universities anywhere. Nalanda was
a Buddhist school, and King Ashoka paid for some of its buildings..
Arya Bhata believed that the earth was at the center of the universe and the sun and the planets
and the stars all moved around the earth in different orbits, he saw astronomy as a process of
calculating distances and movements from the earth to these orbits. To calculate these distances,
you needed trigonometry, and Arya Bhata began to invent trigonometry for this purpose. Arya
Bhata defined the concept of the sine and cosine, which he called jya and kojya, meaning "chord"
and "perpendicular chord", and wrote down a table of sines.
Arya Bhata also wrote several other books about math and astronomy, but we no longer have
copies of some of them. One of these lost books is the Arya-siddhanta. In this book, Arya Bhata
described ways of measuring time, like sundials and water clocks. Although we may not think of
sundials and clocks and sines and tangents as all being related now, to Arya Bhata and other
scientists of his time, all of these were things that you needed in order to understand the
movements of the stars and the planets around the Earth.

Through the Lenses of Forum members
I will see you tommorow!!! You may not see me tomorrow!!!
Communication!!! Destination!!!
Smoking Kill!!!
Journey to future begins here!!!
First fours snaps are captured by Mr. Gunin Saikia and the rest by Mr. Monoj Mon Kalita

Details about the Northeast India Research Forum

Date of creation of the forum: 13th November 2004
Area: Science and Technology
Total number of members till date: 387
Moderators
2) Dr. Arindam Adhikari, 2) Dr. Utpal Bora, 3) Dr. Ashim Jyoti Thakur, 4) Dr. Khirod Gogoi
Editorial Team of N.E. Quest
1) Dr. Debananda Ningthoujam, HOD, Dept. of Biochemistry, Manipur University, Imphal,
India. Email: debananda.ningthoujam@gmail.com
2) Dr. Tankeswar Nath, Tezpur University, Tezpur, India,
Email: tankeswar_nath@jubl.com
3) Dr. Manab Sharma, Australia,
Email: mansharma123@yahoo.com
4) Dr. Babita Baruwati, Bangalore, India,
Email: babitabaruwati@gmail.com
5) Dr. Pranjal Saikia, Dept. of Chemical Sciences, Institute of Science and Technology,
Gauhati University, Assam, India
Email: psjorhat@yahoo.co.uk
6) Dr. Abdul Wahab, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague
Email: awahab7@gmail.com
7) Dr. Pankaj Bharali, Dept. of Chemical Science, Tezpur University, Assam, India
Email: pankaj_rrlj@yahoo.co.in
8) Dr. Thangjam Robert Singh, Dept. of Biotechnology, Mizoram University, Aizawl,
India.Email: robth@mzu.edu.in
9) Dr. Sasanka Deka, Dept. of Chemistry, (Nanoscience & Nanotechnology), University of
Delhi, Delhi-110 007, India
Email: ssdeka@gmail.com
10) Dr. Ashim Jyoti Thakur, Tezpur University, Tezpur, Assam, India.
Email: ajtthax@yahoo.com
11) Dr. Utpal Bora, Dibrugargh University, Assam, India.
Email: utbora@yahoo.co.in
12) Dr. Arindam Adhikari, Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, India
Email: arindam_tsk@yahoo.com
13) Dr. Khirud Gogoi, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA.
Email: khirudg@gmail.com
Cover Page designed by: Anirban Adhikari
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/northeast_india_research
http://www.neindiaresearch.org

N. E. Quest Volume 4, Issue 4, January 2011

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Newsletter of North East India Research Forum

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 | 1

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 | 2

them understand how chemistry can help

Last year in Tinsukia District, Assam two

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 | 3

I am surprise to see that there is no Where is India or Hindi?

A community or Group has been created

At last not least I thank all of the forum

Wish you all Happy

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |4

3. North East Indian made us Proud 16

5. Meet the Scientist 18

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |5

1. How we are growing. 5. Apathy from Central Govt. = 4%

• Kindly let us know your view regarding

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |6

Editor: Dr. Tankeswar Nath • Help master’s students in doing projects

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |7

• Mizoram University 8. Guidelines for the forum

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |8

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |9

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |10

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |11

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |12

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |13

Scientists breed a mouse that Sing

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |14

Read More: “Good communication can make you a

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |15

Northeast Indians make us Proud

Dr. Biprajit Sarkar, borned in 1977 in

"Genious only means an infinite capacity for taking pains"-Jane Hokins

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |16

3) Mr. Harekrishna Deka is pleased to

Debbie C Crans, at the Department of

2) Dr. Saitanya K Bharadwaj has

“Molecular recognition and

Structural Evaluation and Studies of

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |17

Meet the Scientist

“Without Chemistry Human Civilization could not

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |18

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |19

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |20

problem. Some mathematicians, called other mathematicians. Collaborators may

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |21

very important. Mathematics is used Mathematics plays a huge role in the

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |22

architectural beauty, designers must predict the behavior of financial markets.

Banking, Business and Economics: Mathematical economics refers to the

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |23

makes use of calculus, matrix algebra social insurance, actuarial science

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |24

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |25

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |26

Menger sponge: The sponge is the 3 themes or recognizing patterns. There is

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |27

Biologic phenomena can be modeled imaging techniques based on nuclear

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |28

destroyed. Chaos is a property which behavior of the phenomenon. The better

NE Quest | VOL. 4 NO. 4 | JAN 2011 |29

(MAA) and Society of Industrial geophysics division of KDMIPE, Oil

Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the Operational Research and