Stability of Clinical Chemistry and Hematological Analytes in Preserved Plasma and Blood Obtained from Wistar Rats

Blood samples obtained from experimental animals often need preservation due to several technical constraints. The present study was aimed to determine the effect of storage temperature and time on the stability of analytes in whole blood and plasma samples obtained from Wistar rats. Aspartate amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, glucose, total protein, total bilirubin, phosphorous, sodium, potassium and chloride did not show statistically significant changes in plasma preserved a

Measurements and ab initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the High Temperature Ferroelectric Transition in Hexagonal RMnO3

Measurements of the structure of hexagonal RMnO3 (R=rare earths (Ho) and Y) for temperatures significantly above the ferroelectric transition temperature (TFE) were conducted to determine the nature of the transition. The local and long range structural measurements were complemented by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. With respect to the Mn sites in YMnO3 and HoMnO3, we find no large atomic (bond distances or thermal factors), electronic structure changes or rehybridization on crossing TFE from local structural methods. The local symmetry about the Mn sites is preserved. With respect to the local structure about the Ho sites, a reduction of the average Ho-O bond with increased temperature is found. Ab initio molecular dynamics calculations on HoMnO3 reveal the detailed motions of all ions. Above ~900 K there are large displacements of the Ho, O3 and O4 ions along the z-axis which reduce the buckling of the MnO3/O4 planes. The changes result in O3/O4 ions moving to towards central points between pairs of Ho ions on the z-axis. These structural changes make the coordination of Ho sites more symmetric thus extinguishing the electric polarization. At significantly higher temperatures, rotation of the MnO5 polyhedra occurs without a significant change in electric polarization. The born effective charge tensor is found to be highly anisotropic at the O sites but does not change appreciably at high temperatures

In vitro study of some plant extracts against Alternaria brassicae and Alternaria brassicicola

Madhya Pradesh is an important rapeseed-mustard producing state of India contributing nearly of the total production in the country. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of some botanicals viz., Neem, Eucalyptus, Datura, Pudina, Tulsi, Lantana under crude and Forms @ against 10% Alternaria brassicae under in vitro condition by poisoned food technique. Neem and Eucalyptus were also evaluated in the oil forms.  Nearly all the tested botanicals found effective against these fungi. Among the crude extract 10 per cent the minimum growth was recorded in Neem followed by Eucalyptus, Tulsi, Lantana, Datura and Pudina. Neem was significantly superior over Tulsi, Lantana, Datura and Pudina but at par with Eucalyptus. Under boil forms the minimum radial growth was also recorded in Neem. The oil extract (Neem and Eucalyptus) were found less effective as compared to crude and boil extracts

Synthesis and characterization of Na03RhO206H2O - a semiconductor with a weak ferromagnetic component

We have prepared the oxyhydrate Na03RhO206H2O by extracting Na+ cations from NaRhO2 and intercalating water molecules using an aqueous solution of Na2S2O8. Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) reveal that a non-stoichiometric Na03(H2O)06 network separates layers of edge-sharing RhO6 octahedra containing Rh3+(4d6, S=0) and Rh4+ (4d5, S=1/2). The resistivities of NaRhO2 and Na03RhO206H2O (T < 300) reveal insulating and semi-conducting behavior with activation gaps of 134 meV and 7.8 meV, respectively. Both Na03RhO206H2O and NaRhO2 show paramagnetism at room temperature, however, the sodium-deficient sample exhibits simultaneously a weak but experimentally reproducible ferromagnetic component. Both samples exhibit a temperature-independent Pauli paramagnetism, for NaRhO2 at T > 50 K and for Na03RhO206H2O at T > 25 K. The relative magnitudes of the temperature-independent magnetic susceptibilities, that of the oxide sample being half that of the oxyhydrate, is consistent with a higher density of thermally accessible electron states at the Fermi level in the hydrated sample. At low temperatures the magnetic moments rise sharply, providing evidence of localized and weakl -ordered electronic spins.Comment: 15 fages 5 figures Solid State Communications in prin