Kristalna struktura i optička svojstva sustava Bi-Sb-Te-Se

The quaternary systems of Bi-Sb-Te-Se were synthesized by direct fusion technique. Thin films of these compounds were prepared by thermal evaporation under vacuum of 10−4 Pa. The structural properties of these compounds in powder and thin film forms were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The optical constants (absorption coefficient and band gap) of the thin films were determined by measurements of IR absorbance in the region 2.5 – 10 µm. Analysis of the optical absorption spectra revealed the existence of two direct energy gaps.Sintetizirali smo sustave Bi-Sb-Te-Se sa četiri sastavnice izravnom metodom staljivanja. Tanke slojeve tih spojeva pripremali smo isparavanjem u vakuumu (na 10−4 Pa). Primjenom rendgenske difrakcije odredili smo strukturna svojstva praha i tankih slojeva tih spojeva. Optičke konstante tankih slojeva (koeficijent apsorpcije i procijep med–u vrpcama) odredili smo mjerenjem apsorpcije u području 2.5 – 10 µm. Analiza optičkih apsorpcijskih spektara pokazuje dva izravna procijepa

Acute oral toxicity of two products from a microbial pest control agent (Beauveria bassiana) on physiological status aspects of male albino rats

Background: Synthetic pesticides have accumulated in environment causing harm to humans and ecosystems. As a result, the use of biopesticides in agriculture and public health has expanded as a substitute for traditional pesticides. Purpose: To investigate the acute oral toxicity of Beauveria bassiana, on physiological status aspects of male rats. Material and Methods: Metabolic crude (MC), and wettable powder formulation (2.5% WP) from the local isolate of B. bassiana (AUMC 9896) were tested on adult Sprague Dawley (SD) male rats by single oral dose. Results: There was no evidence of death or toxic symptoms in any of the treated groups. In contrast, each product caused a significant increase in the body weight gain and relative liver weights of B. bassiana-exposed male and reduced the brain somatic index with WP only as compared to the control. The studied bioinsecticide also caused a substantial rise in total erythrocyte and absolute differential leucocyte counts, while red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and platelet count (Plt) were decreased significantly. Furthermore, male rats exposed to both types of B. bassiana, aspartate aminotransferases (AST), total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), AST/ALT, triglyceride, and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) were elevated compared to the untreated group, whereas alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, globulin (Glb), Alb/Glb, urea content, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) count fluctuated between increased and decreased. Also, B. bassiana-treated rats had lower serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (HDL) values.Conclusion: These results suggest that both treatments have slight effects on complete blood count (CBC) of treated male rats and marked effect on liver function, lipid profile, body weight gain and somatic index of the liver and brain

The limits of consensus? Report on the Somaliland Presidential Election, 13th November 2017

This report presents the findings of the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) to Somaliland's third presidential election, held on November 13th 2017

Impaired endogenous fibrinolysis at high shear using a point-of-care test in STEMI is associated with alterations in clot architecture

© The Author(s) 2019Impaired endogenous fibrinolysis is an adverse prognostic biomarker in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Abnormally dense in vitro fibrin thrombi have been demonstrated in ACS patients and related to hypofibrinolysis using cumbersome, laboratory-based methods. We aimed to assess endogenous fibrinolysis using a point-of-care technique and relate this to clot architecture. From patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), venous blood was drawn immediately on arrival to assess thrombotic status. Blood was assessed using the point-of-care Global Thrombosis Test which measures occlusive thrombus formation under high shear and subsequently endogenous fibrinolysis (lysis time, LT). Two samples per patient were run in parallel. In one channel, the measurement was allowed to proceed as normal. In the other, after occlusion, thrombus was extracted, washed, fixed in glutaraldehyde, dried, sputter-coated, and assessed using scanning electron microscope. Endogenous fibrinolysis was strongly associated fibrin fibre thickness (p = 0.0001). As LT increased (less efficient fibrinolysis), the fibrin network of the thrombus was significantly more compact and dense, with thinner fibrin fibres and smaller gaps. Fibrin fibre thickness correlated inversely with LT (r = - 0.89, p = 0.001). Adverse clot architecture in vitro is directly related to impaired endogenous fibrinolysis using a relatively new point-of-care technique in patients with STEMI. This may transform the relevance of fibrin clot architecture from an off-line laboratory association to being directly relevant to endogenous fibrinolysis at the patient bedside, which could be used as a near-patient test to guide prognosis and assess the effect of treatment.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Palm oil formulation as 34 % mayonnaise and evaluation of its biological efficacy against citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri under laboratory and field conditions

The use of environmentally friendly pesticides using palm oil derivatives as palm oil methyl ester (PME) carrier solvents has been reported. PME-based glyphosate isopropylamine nanoemulsion in the water against weeds has been the subject of numerous studies as well as palm oil methyl ester molluscicidal against golden apple snails. This study's major goal was to formulate palm oil in an appropriate formulation form and assess its insecticidal effectiveness against citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri. Palm oil was formulated as 34% oil in water emulsion (O/W) (mayonnaise). The new mayonnaise formulation successfully passed all physical and chemical testing requirements set out by pesticide organizations for (O/W) emulsions. Under laboratory conditions, it was biologically evaluated against nymphs and adults of the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, with serial concentrations. It had considerable insecticidal activity against all study stages, although the impact on nymphs was significantly greater than that on adults. This was evident from its LC50 values, which were 53.52 and 58.58 mg/ml for nymphs and adults, respectively. The citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri, in its adult, nymphs, and gravid stages, was tested using the new palm oil 34% mayonnaise formulation in the field. The highest mortality percentages were seen in the nymphs, followed by adults and then the gravid stage. After additional research, the newly developed palm oil formula might be employed to combat the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri

Temperature dependence of J–V and C–V characteristics of n-InAs/p-GaAs heterojunctions prepared by flash evaporation technique and liquid phase epitaxy

In this work, n-type of InAs films have been successfully fabricated on p-GaAs monocrystalline substrates by both flash evaporation technique and liquid phase epitaxy. The elemental composition of the prepared films has been confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The morphology of the films has been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The current transport mechanisms of n-InAs/p-GaAs heterojunctions in the temperature range 300-400 K have been investigated. Temperature-dependent dark current density-voltage (J–V) studies under forward and reverse bias have been carried out for this purpose. In the temperature range studied, the dark current contribution in the low bias range is believed to be due to the generation-recombination of minority carriers in the space-charge region. A change in the preparation technique does not seem to have altered the dark current conduction mechanism. Capacitance-voltage (C–V) at various temperatures has been measured to identify the junction type as well as determination of the important junction parameters