Comparative Cranial Geometric Morphometrics among Wistar Albino, Sprague Dawley, and WAG/Rij Rat Strains

This research utilizes geometric morphometrics to investigate shape variation in the skull, mandible, and teeth among three rat strains: Wistar Albino (WA), Sprague Dawley (SD), and WAG/Rij (WR). Through the analysis of 48 rats using 2D geometric morphometric techniques, significant differences in their skull morphology were identified. This study indicates a shift from a rectangular to an oval cranial shape across strains, with notable size and morphological variances. Particularly, the WR strain’s skull shape significantly differs from the SD and WA strains, suggesting distinct ecological or genetic pathways. Compared to the skull, mandible shape differences are less pronounced, but still significant. The WR strain exhibits a distinct mandible shape, potentially reflecting ecological adaptations like dietary habits. The teeth shape of WR rats is the most distinct. SD rats consistently exhibited larger sizes in both skull and mandible measurements, while WR rats were notably smaller. Interestingly, sexual dimorphism was not statistically significant in skull and teeth sizes, aligning with findings from previous studies. However, the mandible showed clear size differences between sexes, underscoring its potential for adaptive or behavioral studies. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of morphological variations in rat strains, highlighting the intricate interplay of size, shape, and ecological factors. These findings lay a foundation for deeper explorations into the adaptive, ecological, or genetic narratives influencing rat morphology

Electrochemistry, Chemical Reactivity, and Time-Resolved Infrared Spectroscopy of Donor-Acceptor Systems [(Q(x))Pt(pap(y))) (Q = Substituted o-Quinone or o-Iminoquinone; pap = Phenylazopyridine)

The donor−acceptor complex [(O,NQ2−)Pt- (pap0)] (1; pap = phenylazopyridine, O,NQ0 = 4,6-di-tertbutyl- N-phenyl-o-iminobenzoquinone), which displays strong π-bonding interactions and shows strong absorption in the near-IR region, has been investigated with respect to its redoxinduced reactivity and electrochemical and excited-state properties. The one-electron-oxidized product [(O,NQ•−)Pt- (pap0)](BF4) ([1]BF4) was chemically isolated. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies establish the iminosemiquinone form of O,NQ in [1]+. Simulation of the cyclic voltammograms of 1 recorded in the presence of PPh3 elucidates the mechanism and delivers relevant thermodynamic and kinetic parameters for the redox-induced reaction with PPh3. The thermodynamically stable product of this reaction, complex [(O,NQ•−) Pt(PPh3)2](PF6) ([2]PF6), was isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Picosecond time-resolved infrared spectroscopic studies on complex 1b (one of the positional isomers of 1) and its analogue [(O,OQ2−)Pt(pap0)] (3; O,OQ = 3,5-di-tert-butyl-o-benzoquinone) provided insight into the excited-state dynamics and revealed that the nature of the lowest excited state in the amidophenolate complex 1b is primarily diimine-ligandbased, while it is predominantly an interligand charge-transfer state in the case of 3. Density functional theory calculations on [1]n+ provided further insight into the nature of the frontier orbitals of various redox forms and vibrational mode assignments. We discuss the mechanistic details of the newly established redox-induced reactivity of 1 with electron donors and propose a mechanism for this process