Magneto-elastic coupling and unconventional magnetic ordering in triangular multiferroic AgCrS2

The temperature evolution of the crystal and magnetic structures of ferroelectric sulfide AgCrS2 have been investigated by means of neutron scattering. AgCrS2 undergoes at TN = 41.6 K a first-order phase transition, from a paramagnetic rhombohedral R3m to an antiferromagnetic monoclinic structure with a polar Cm space group. In addition to being ferroelectric below TN, the low temperature phase of AgCrS2 exhibits an unconventional collinear magnetic structure that can be described as double ferromagnetic stripes coupled antiferromagnetically, with the magnetic moment of Cr+3 oriented along b within the anisotropic triangular plane. The magnetic couplings stabilizing this structure are discussed using inelastic neutron scattering results. Ferroelectricity below TN in AgCrS2 can possibly be explained in terms of atomic displacements at the magneto-elastic induced structural distortion. These results contrast with the behavior of the parent frustrated antiferromagnet and spin-driven ferroelectric AgCrO2

Quantitative trait loci for sensitivity to ethanol intoxication in a C57BL/6J × 129S1/SvImJ inbred mouse cross

Individual variation in sensitivity to acute ethanol (EtOH) challenge is associated with alcohol drinking and is a predictor of alcohol abuse. Previous studies have shown that the C57BL/6J (B6) and 129S1/SvImJ (S1) inbred mouse strains differ in responses on certain measures of acute EtOH intoxication. To gain insight into genetic factors contributing to these differences, we performed quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of measures of EtOH-induced ataxia (accelerating rotarod), hypothermia, and loss of righting reflex (LORR) duration in a B6 × S1 F2 population. We confirmed that S1 showed greater EtOH-induced hypothermia (specifically at a high dose) and longer LORR compared to B6. QTL analysis revealed several additive and interacting loci for various phenotypes, as well as examples of genotype interactions with sex. QTLs for different EtOH phenotypes were largely non-overlapping, suggesting separable genetic influences on these behaviors. The most compelling main-effect QTLs were for hypothermia on chromosome 16 and for LORR on chromosomes 4 and 6. Several QTLs overlapped with loci repeatedly linked to EtOH drinking in previous mouse studies. The architecture of the traits we examined was complex but clearly amenable to dissection in future studies. Using integrative genomics strategies, plausible functional and positional candidates may be found. Uncovering candidate genes associated with variation in these phenotypes in this population could ultimately shed light on genetic factors underlying sensitivity to EtOH intoxication and risk for alcoholism in humans

Evaluation of Salmonella antisera for an optimum enzyme - linked antibody detection of Salmonella using hydrophobic grid membrane filters

NRC publication: Ye

Observance of polymorphic behaviour during dissolution of insulin and lysozyme

Although protein crystallization is a unit operation with potentially high separation factors, it has not been widely used in industry. Protein crystallization studies and practices have hitherto been largely limited to crystallography protocols. Knowledge of the behaviour of protein in solution would help to overcome empiric limitations in protein crystallisation. Thus, dissolution of porcine insulin and hen egg white lysozyme was studied and an unusual variation in solute concentration, with a concentration peak for short dissolution times, was verified. Polymorphic behaviour of protein in solution was observed, which altered physical properties such as solubility