The extraction of Cu(II) from HCl media using Cyanex 923 in kerosene was investigated. The effect of shaking time, aqueous phase acid concentration, extractant concentration, chloride ion concentration, various metal ions (Mn²+, Mg²+, Fe²+, and Ni²+), and temperature on the extraction were studied. Using 0.1 M Cyanex 923 the extraction of Cu(II) was 6.7 per cent from 3 M HCl, which increased up to 78.5 per cent with 6.5 M HCl and then decreased due to acid extraction by the extractant. The maximum extraction (97.5 per cent) was obtained with 1 M Cyanex 923 from 5 M HCl solution. A mathematical model has been developed to describe solvent extraction equllibria over wide ranges of concentration of extractant, acid, and chloride ions. The composition of the extracted species has been predicted on the basis of slope analysis results and extraction equilibrium modelling. The negative values of enthalpy change and entropy change confirm the exothermic formation of the extracted complex.

To investigate the seasonal influence on essential oil content and composition of rosemary (Rosmarinus of ficinalis) cultivar 'CIM-Hariyali' a study was conducted in Kumaon region of western Himalaya. Essential oil content was found to vary from 1.0% to 1.14% during the year. GC and GC-MS analyses enabled to identify thirty components representing 95.33% - 97.03% of the total oil composition. Main components of the oils were 1,8-cineole (22.61% - 23.85%), camphor (24.40% - 25.85%), α-pinene (10.74% - 12.59%), verbenone (4.90% - 5.77%), camphene (5.46% - 6.16%), β-pinene (3.28% - 4.02%), limonene (2.86% - 3.39%) and ,S-myrcene (1.89% - 1.95%). The study clearly showed that there were no drastic changes in the essential oil content and composition of rosemary due to season. Therefore, the crop may be harvested in any season to get good quality oil in hilly region of north India.

Placenta is the most accurate record of the infant prenatal experience. If the placenta is examined minutely after delivery, it provides much insight into the prenatal health of the baby and the mother. The weight of placenta is higher in diabetic pregnancy in comparison to the normal pregnancy. To study the cellular changes that might contribute to more weight of placenta in diabetic pregnancies, light microscopic and electron microscopic analysis was performed. Twenty singleton pregnancies complicated with Gestational diabetes mellitus (12 controlled on diet, 8 controlled on insulin) were selected and compared to control group. Tissue sections were processed and analyzed. The placenta of diabetic pregnancies showed no abnormality on gross observation but light microscopic examination revealed, lesions like syncytial knots, fibrinoid necrosis, villous edema, villous fibrosis and capillary proliferation. Transmission electron microscopic examination (TEM) showed changes in almost all the layers of the placental membrane i.e. synctiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast, trophoblastic basement membrane and fetal capillaries. These changes were observed in the placenta of both groups of patients whether blood sugar level was controlled by diet or insulin, but to different degree. It indicates that control of hyperglycemia only partially prevents the development of placental abnormalities which must be due to some other constituent factor of diabetic state.

La placenta es el registro más preciso de la experiencia prenatal infantil. Si la placenta se examina minuciosamente después del parto, ésta proporciona una visión más acabada de la salud prenatal de la madre y el bebé. El peso de la placenta es mayor en el embarazo con diabetes en comparación con el embarazo normal. Para estudiar los cambios celulares que podrían contribuir a un mayor peso de la placenta en los embarazos diabéticos, se llevó a cabo un análisis a través de microscopía óptica y electrónica. Fueron seleccionados 20 embarazos únicos complicados con diabetes mellitus gestacional (12 controlados por dieta, 8 controlado por insulina) y comparados con un grupo control. Las muestras de tejido fueron procesadas y analizadas. La placenta de los embarazos diabéticos no mostró ninguna anormalidad macroscópica, pero el examen por microscopía de luz reveló lesiones como nudos sinciciales, necrosis fibrinoide, edema velloso, fibrosis de las vellosidades y proliferación capilar. La microscopía electrónica de transmisión (TEM) mostró cambios en casi todas las capas de la membrana sincitiotrofoblástica, es decir, la placenta, citotrofoblasto, membrana basal trofoblástica y capilares fetales. Estos cambios se observaron en la placenta de ambos grupos de pacientes donde el nivel de azúcar en la sangre se controló mediante dieta o insulina, pero en grado diferente. Esto indica que el control de la hiperglicemia sólo impide parcialmente el desarrollo de anormalidades en la placenta, las cuales deben ser causadas por algún otro factor constituyente del estado diabético.

Solid waste (SW) from a biodiesel plant has been successfully used for the removal of the hazardous cationic water soluble dye - methylene blue (MB) - from an aqueous phase. Batch adsorption studies were carried out by monitoring the pH, amount of adsorbent, initial dye concentration and contact time. Attempts have also been made to monitor the adsorption process through Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and D-R adsorption isotherm models. Relevant thermodynamic parameters were calculated and it was found that the adsorption process was exothermic and feasible at low temperatures. The nature and randomness of the adsorption process was determined by calculating the thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (∆Gº), change in entropy (∆Sº) and heat of adsorption (∆Hº). The kinetics of the adsorption indicates that the process is pseudo-second-order and also reveals the involvement of bulk diffusion and intraparticle diffusion mechanisms.