Magnetic and Transport Properties of Ternary Indides of type R2CoIn8 (R = Ce, Pr and Dy)

We have synthesized and investigated the magnetic and transport properties of a series of compounds, R2CoIn8 (R = rare earth). Compounds form in single phase with a tetragonal structure (space group P4/mmm, no. 162). The Ce compound shows heavy fermion behavior. The magnetic susceptibility of Pr2CoIn8 shows a marked deviation from the Curie-Weiss behavior at low temperatures, which is attributed to the crystalline electric field effects. Heat capacity and magnetization measurements show that Dy2CoIn8 undergoes a magnetic transition at 17 K and a second transition near 5 K, the latter of which may be due to spin reorientation. Magnetization of this compound shows two metamagnetic transitions approximately at 3.6 T and 8.3 T.Comment: Total 7 pages of text and figure

Effect of steroid injection on food utilization in Channa striatus

Synthetic anabolic sex steroid hormones such as methyltestosterone (MT), testosterone (T), testosterone propionate (TP), estroid (ED), diethylstilbesterol (DES), diethylstilbesterol dipropionate (DES dipro) and docabolin (DN) were tested separately for their effect on food utilization in Channa striatus. Injection of low dosages of DES, DES dipro and TP acts as appetite depressors and Dn, MT, Ed and T as stimulators. MT, Ed and Dn induced not only increased feeding but also increased conversion. T promoted growth along with food consumption. Though DES and DES dipro suppressed feeding; individuals receiving these hormones showed increased growth with increasing dosage

Prospecting for scarabid specific Bacillus thuringiensis crystal toxin cry8 gene in sugarcane ecosystem of Tamil Nadu, India

In the present study, we report the occurrence of cry8 positive isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in selected white grub, Holotrichia serrata F. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), endemic soils of sugarcane ecosystem and other places in Tamil Nadu. Out of the 66 soil samples collected and screened for white grub specific Bt, 74 isolates of the bacterium, all containing only spherical crystal toxin, were identified. PCR screening of these isolates with cry8 gene universal primer revealed six isolates to be positive. Further, the amplicon of a 370 bp band, amplified with another set of degenerate primer designed based on the conserved sequence of cry8 genes, was sequenced from four isolates. Multiple sequence alignment revealed the gene sequences to be the same for all the isolates. The present report of the availability of cry8 positive Bt isolates opens the avenue for controlling white grubs through transgenic research

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF DIACEREIN VERSUS S-ADENOSYL METHIONINE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEE JOINT

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) the most common type of arthritis is a degenerative joint disease primarily affecting the articular cartilage and its surrounding tissue. Drugs like Diacerein and S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) are used to remodel the cartilage and slow the progression of the disease, by acting through different mechanisms. Though there is documented evidence of the efficacy of both agents used individually in several clinical trials only a few studies report a comparison. To analyse the efficacy and safety of Diacerein Versus S-adenosyl methionine in the treatment of Osteoarthritis of knee joint.Methods: A prospective randomised interventional study was planned comparing diacerein with SAMe for 12 w in the management of OA of the knee. 40 patients in each group were randomly assigned to receive either diacerein 50 mg twice daily or S-adenosyl methionine 200 mg thrice daily for 12 w. Both groups received a short course of diclofenac 50 mg bd for one week, to tide over the acute symptoms.Results: Assessment of both drugs individually showed an equieffective potential in reducing osteoarthritis pain over a period of 12 w. But the comparison between the two groups showed a marginal improvement in pain relief from the 4th to 12th week of assessment in the diacerein group.Conclusion: Both the drugs for the treatment of OA, were shown to be effective in relieving pain but with a slower onset of action. Since no radiological changes were observed during the 12-week protocol, studies of longer duration are needed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of these drugs

Magnetocaloric effect in R2Ti3Ge4 (R = Gd, Tb and Er) Compounds

Heat capacity of polycrystalline R2Ti3Ge4 (R = Gd, Tb and Er) compounds (Orthorhombic, Sm5Ge4-type, Space group Pnma) has been studied in the temperature range of 1.8 K to 300 K in various applied magnetic fields. The compounds with magnetic lanthanide elements show interesting low field magnetism intrigued by possible presence of competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions. The magnetocaloric effect in these compounds is estimated from the field dependent heat capacity data. The magnetic entropy change and the adiabatic temperature change in the vicinity of the magnetic transition are found to be significant.Comment: 12 pages incl 3 figures, submitted to Journal of Applied Physic

Green HRM Practices and the Factors Forcing it: A Study on Health Care Entities in Chennai

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Global Human Resource Management (GHRM) practices on the efficiency of healthcare organizations in the Chennai area. It aims to understand how GHRM can contribute to the success of these organizations, despite potential conflicts with their core values.   Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employs a research methodology that focuses on healthcare organizations within the Chennai area. It employs a comprehensive approach to analyze the implementation of GHRM practices in this specific context. The research design allows for an in-depth exploration of how GHRM practices influence the efficiency of these organizations.   Findings: The findings of this study reveal that GHRM practices have a substantial impact on the efficiency of healthcare businesses in Chennai. Despite potential conflicts with their core values, these organizations benefit from the advanced HRM strategies associated with GHRM. The study uncovers valuable insights into the role of GHRM in the healthcare industry.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This research has implications for both research and practice. It provides valuable insights for academics and researchers studying the impact of HRM practices on different industries, especially in contexts where traditional values may be challenged. Additionally, it offers practical guidance for healthcare organizations in Chennai and beyond, demonstrating the potential benefits of adopting GHRM practices. On a broader social scale, the study underscores the adaptability and relevance of GHRM in diverse sectors.   Originality/Value: The originality and value of this study lie in its specific focus on healthcare organizations in Chennai and their adoption of GHRM practices. By examining a niche sector within a specific geographic region, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the applicability and benefits of GHRM. It adds to the body of knowledge by highlighting the adaptability of GHRM practices, even in industries with established core values, and underscores the potential for organizational success through strategic HR management

To study the association of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients with bad obstetric history

Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome is an autoimmune condition characterized by vascular thrombosis and /or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. A failure or significant delay in recognizing APS as the underlying disease entity may leave to the loss of an opportunity to prevent serious consequences of the disease and the associated pregnancy complications. Aim of the study was to study the association of Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) in patients with bad obstetric history (BOH).Methods: Patients registered in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department SAT Hospital, Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala with bad obstetric history (BOH) meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited for the study. They were followed up in the postnatal ward after abortion and preterm delivery as per protocol for bad obstetrics outcome evaluation. They were offered lab test in standard labs for APL Syndrome especially LAC and anti-cardiolipin antibodies IgM and IgG. Those tested positive were retested 12 weeks later also to confirm the test. Then the various adverse pregnancy outcomes were studied in both APLA positive and negative groups.Results: The association of APLA with bad obstetric history (BOH) in the present study are as follows- Late miscarriages-16%, miscarriages less than 10 weeks-12%, Preterm- 10.8%, unexplained death-14%, Severe Pre-eclampsia-12.3%, IUGR-11.8%, Abruption-11.1% of which late miscarriages more than10 weeks was the commonest association.Conclusions: The study shows that women with bad obstetric history (BOH) and those cases where miscarriage occurred after the appearance of foetal cardiac activity should be investigated for APLA in the preconceptional period itself in the next pregnancy earlier and if positive should be given prophylaxis for the same to prevent a miscarriage in future pregnancy

2-[2-Benzoyl-3,3-bis­(methyl­sulfan­yl)prop-2-enyl­idene]malononitrile

The title compound, C15H12N2OS2, is an example of a push–pull butadiene in which the electron-releasing methyl­sulfanyl groups and electron-withdrawing nitrile groups on either end of the butadiene chain enhance the conjugation in the system. Short intra­molecular C—H⋯S inter­actions are observed. In the crystal structure, an O⋯C short contact of 2.917 (3) Å is observed

Transgenic increases in seed oil content are associated with the differential expression of novel Brassica-specific transcripts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Seed oil accumulates primarily as triacylglycerol (TAG). While the biochemical pathway for TAG biosynthesis is known, its regulation remains unclear. Previous research identified microsomal diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1, EC 2.3.1.20) as controlling a rate-limiting step in the TAG biosynthesis pathway. Of note, overexpression of <it>DGAT1 </it>results in substantial increases in oil content and seed size. To further analyze the global consequences of manipulating <it>DGAT1 </it>levels during seed development, a concerted transcriptome and metabolome analysis of transgenic <it>B. napus </it>prototypes was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using a targeted <it>Brassica </it>cDNA microarray, about 200 genes were differentially expressed in two independent transgenic lines analyzed. Interestingly, 24–33% of the targets showing significant changes have no matching gene in <it>Arabidopsis </it>although these represent only 5% of the targets on the microarray. Further analysis of some of these novel transcripts indicated that several are inducible by ABA in microspore-derived embryos. Of the 200 <it>Arabidopsis </it>genes implicated in lipid biology present on the microarray, 36 were found to be differentially regulated in DGAT transgenic lines. Furthermore, kinetic reverse transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (k-PCR) analysis revealed up-regulation of genes encoding enzymes of the Kennedy pathway involved in assembly of TAGs. Hormone profiling indicated that levels of auxins and cytokinins varied between transgenic lines and untransformed controls, while differences in the pool sizes of ABA and catabolites were only observed at later stages of development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicate that the increased TAG accumulation observed in transgenic <it>DGAT1 </it>plants is associated with modest transcriptional and hormonal changes during seed development that are not limited to the TAG biosynthesis pathway. These might be associated with feedback or feed-forward effects due to altered levels of DGAT1 activity. The fact that a large fraction of significant amplicons have no matching genes in <it>Arabidopsis </it>compromised our ability to draw concrete inferences from the data at this stage, but has led to the identification of novel genes of potential interest.</p

Observation of spin glass state in weakly ferromagnetic Sr2_2FeCoO6_6 double perovskite

We report the observation of spin glass state in the double perovskite oxide Sr$_{2}$FeCoO$_{6}$ prepared through sol-gel technique. Initial structural studies using x rays reveal that the compound crystallizes in tetragonal $I 4/m$ structure with lattice parameters, $a$ = 5.4609(2) \AA and $c$ = 7.7113(7) \AA. The temperature dependent powder x ray studies reveal no structural phase transition in the temperature range 10 -- 300 K. However, the unit cell volume shows an anomaly coinciding with the magnetic transition temperature thereby suggesting a close connection between lattice and magnetism. Neutron diffraction studies and subsequent bond valence sums analysis show that in Sr$_{2}$FeCoO$_{6}$, the $B$ site is randomly occupied by Fe and Co in the mixed valence states of Fe$^{3+}$/Fe$^{4+}$ and Co$^{3+}$/Co$^{4+}$. The random occupancy and mixed valence sets the stage for inhomogeneous magnetic exchange interactions and in turn, for the spin glass like state in this double perovskite which is observed as an irreversibility in temperature dependent dc magnetization at $T_f\sim$ 75 K. Thermal hysteresis observed in the magnetization profile of Sr$_{2}$FeCoO$_{6}$ is indicative of the mixed magnetic phases present. The dynamic magnetic susceptibility displays characteristic frequency dependence and confirms the spin glass nature of this material. Dynamical scaling analysis of $\chi'(T)$ yields a critical temperature $T_{ct}$ = 75.14(8) K and an exponent $z\nu$ = 6.2(2) typical for spin glasses. The signature of presence of mixed magnetic interactions is obtained from the thermal hysteresis in magnetization of Sr$_{2}$FeCoO$_{6}$. Combining the neutron and magnetization results of Sr$_2$FeCoO$_6$, we deduce the spin states of Fe to be in low spin while that of Co to be in low spin and intermediate spin.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, accepted in J. Appl. Phy