Ameliorative Effect of Ginger on Blood Glucose Levels and Cardiac TCA Cycle Enzymes Activity in STZ Induced Diabetic Rat

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ginger administration on altered blood glucose levels, cytosolic and mitochondrial enzymes (TCA cycle enzymes) activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes rats. The study divided Wistar strain rats into five groups: normal control, ginger treated, diabetic control, diabetic plus ginger treated, and diabetic plus glibenclamide treated groups. The diabetic group had significantly elevated blood glucose levels, which were significantly lowered by ginger administration. The cytosolic enzyme G6PDH activity was significantly (P<0.001) decreased along with a significant increase in the LDH activity in diabetic rats heart tissue. The activities of SDH, MDH, GDH in the heart tissue of diabetic rats were significantly decreased, but the daily oral treatment of ginger to diabetic rats for thirty days reversed the above changes in a significant (P<0.001) manner. The study demonstrated that an ethanolic extract of ginger could lower blood glucose levels, improve enzyme activities and body weight in diabetic rats. This suggests that ginger extracts could be used as a cardio-protective supplement to reverse diabetic-induced complications

Structure, morphology and optical characterization of Dy3+-doped BaYF5 nanocrystals for warm white light emitting devices

The barium yttrium fluoride BaYF5 nanocrystalline powders doped with different concentrations of Dy3+ ions have been synthesized via a hydrothermal method and studied their structural, morphological, thermal, vibrational, and optical properties. These nanopowders have been crystallized in a single phase of the tetragonal structure with the average size of around 30 nm having spherical shape in morphology. Upon excitations at 350 and 387 nm, Dy3+ -doped BaYF5 nanocrystals exhibit strong blue and yellow emissions ascribed to the F-4(9/2) -> H-6(15/2) and F-4(9/2) -> H-6(13/2) transitions, respectively. Decay curves of the F-4(9/2) level of Dy3+ ion in BaYF5 nanocrystals exhibit non-exponential nature due to the dipole-dipole interaction between Dy3+ ions, confirmed by Inokuti-Hirayama model. The quantum yield for these nanocrystals have been found to be increased from 4.64% to 11.61% as the concentration of Dy3+ ions increases from 1.0 mol% to 2.0 mol% and then decreased to 10.68% as the dopant concentration increased to 5.0 mol%. Moreover, color coordinates and correlated color temperatures have been evaluated as a function of concentration and excitation wavelength and found to be in the warm white light region for all Dy3+ concentrations

Structure, morphology and optical characterization of Dy3+-doped BaYF5 nanocrystals for warm white light emitting devices

The barium yttrium fluoride BaYF5 nanocrystalline powders doped with different concentrations of Dy3+ ions have been synthesized via a hydrothermal method and studied their structural, morphological, thermal, vibrational, and optical properties. These nanopowders have been crystallized in a single phase of the tetragonal structure with the average size of around 30 nm having spherical shape in morphology. Upon excitations at 350 and 387 nm, Dy3+ -doped BaYF5 nanocrystals exhibit strong blue and yellow emissions ascribed to the F-4(9/2) -> H-6(15/2) and F-4(9/2) -> H-6(13/2) transitions, respectively. Decay curves of the F-4(9/2) level of Dy3+ ion in BaYF5 nanocrystals exhibit non-exponential nature due to the dipole-dipole interaction between Dy3+ ions, confirmed by Inokuti-Hirayama model. The quantum yield for these nanocrystals have been found to be increased from 4.64% to 11.61% as the concentration of Dy3+ ions increases from 1.0 mol% to 2.0 mol% and then decreased to 10.68% as the dopant concentration increased to 5.0 mol%. Moreover, color coordinates and correlated color temperatures have been evaluated as a function of concentration and excitation wavelength and found to be in the warm white light region for all Dy3+ concentrations