Insertion Behavior of Dialkylgermylene Ge(Flu) in Different E-X σ Bonds (E = Au, Si, Ge, Sn) and Its Relevance for Germanium Cluster Formation.

We present the insertion behavior of the alkyl-substituted germylene Ge(Flu) in different E-X σ bonds (E = Au, Si, Ge, Sn), first with the isolation of the germylgold complex (Flu)Ge(Cl)AuPPh. Afterward, the oxidative addition of GeCl to Ge(Flu) gives the digermane (Flu)Ge(Cl)GeCl, followed by a reductive elimination of GeCl and the formation of the oxidation product (Flu)GeCl. A comparable behavior is observed, with the homologues ECl (E = Si, Sn) stopping at different steps of the reaction.

A Field-to-Parameter Pipeline for Analyzing and Simulating Root System Architecture of Woody Perennials: Application to Grapevine Rootstocks.

Understanding root system architecture (RSA) is essential for improving crop resilience to climate change, yet assessing root systems of woody perennials under field conditions remains a challenge. This study introduces a pipeline that combines field excavation, in situ 3-dimensional digitization, and transformation of RSA data into an interoperable format to analyze and model the growth and water uptake of grapevine rootstock genotypes. Eight root systems of each of 3 grapevine rootstock genotypes ("101-14", "SO4", and "Richter 110") were excavated and digitized 3 and 6 months after planting.

Root System Architecture Reorganization Under Decreasing Soil Phosphorus Lowers Root System Conductance of Zea mays.

Background And Aims: The global supply of phosphorus is decreasing. At the same time, climate change reduces the availability of water in most regions of the world. Insights on how decreasing phosphorus availability influences plant architecture are crucial to understanding its influence on plant functional properties, such as the root system's water uptake capacity.

Ag(PEt)Cl: A Hexagonal Prismatic Metalloid Cluster.

The ligands used for the protection of metalloid clusters heavily influence the resulting structure and shape. For silver, thiolate and alkynyl ligands are commonly used, while phosphines usually play a minor role as co-ligands. Herein, we report the synthesis and structural characterization of Ag(PEt)Cl (1), the largest structurally characterized metalloid silver cluster with phosphines and halides as sole ligands.

Overview and perspectives on metalloid tin cluster chemistry.

Although the first metalloid tin cluster was discovered by Wiberg in 1999, the number of isolated and characterized compounds is still low. However, numerous theoretical calculations indicate that a large variety of compounds are yet to be discovered, thereby suggesting that larger clusters might form a cluster-of-clusters arrangement rather than compact structures. This trend seems to be supported by the largest metalloid tin clusters exhibiting up to 20 tin atoms.

A Series of Cyclopentadienyl Lanthanum Complexes with Metalloid Germanium Clusters.

A series of cyclopentadienyllanthanum complexes with the disilylated metalloid germanium cluster [Ge(Hyp)] [Hyp = Si(SiMe)] has been prepared and fully characterized. The synthetic procedure is based on the salt metathesis reaction of two different cyclopentadienyllanthanum diiodides CpLaI (Cp: Cp*, pentamethylcyclopentadienyl; Cp, 1,2,4-tri--butylcyclopentadienyl) with K[Ge(Hyp)] in tetrahydrofuran (THF) with a subsequent extraction with -hexane. The composition of the obtained compounds and the mode of coordination of the germanium cluster to the rare-earth metal are strongly influenced by the steric demand of the cyclopentadienyl ligands and the crystallization conditions.

Multi-year aboveground data of minirhizotron facilities in Selhausen.

Improved understanding of crops' response to soil water stress is important to advance soil-plant system models and to support crop breeding, crop and varietal selection, and management decisions to minimize negative impacts. Studies on eco-physiological crop characteristics from leaf to canopy for different soil water conditions and crops are often carried out at controlled conditions. In-field measurements under realistic field conditions and data of plant water potential, its links with CO and HO gas fluxes, and crop growth processes are rare.

Seedling root system adaptation to water availability during maize domestication and global expansion.

The maize root system has been reshaped by indirect selection during global adaptation to new agricultural environments. In this study, we characterized the root systems of more than 9,000 global maize accessions and its wild relatives, defining the geographical signature and genomic basis of variation in seminal root number. We demonstrate that seminal root number has increased during maize domestication followed by a decrease in response to limited water availability in locally adapted varieties.

Wearing face masks as a potential source for inhalation and oral uptake of inanimate toxins - A scoping review.

Background: From 2020 to 2023 many people around the world were forced to wear masks for large proportions of the day based on mandates and laws. We aimed to study the potential of face masks for the content and release of inanimate toxins.

Methods: A scoping review of 1003 studies was performed (database search in PubMed/MEDLINE, qualitative and quantitative evaluation).

Tuning the electronic structure of gold cluster-assembled materials by altering organophosphine ligands.

Superatomic clusters can be assembled to build bulk matter, where the individual characteristics are preserved. The main benefit of these materials over conventional bulk species is the capability to tailor their features by altering the physicochemical identities of individual clusters. Electronic properties of metal clusters can be modified by a protective shell of ligands that attach to the surface and make the whole nanoparticle soluble in organic or aqueous solvents.

Synthesis and Investigation of a Soluble Distannene with no Trans-Bent Angle or Twisting in the Solid-State.

By treating KSiPr with Sn[N(SiMe)] the distannene Sn(TIPS) (TIPS=SiPr) is formed in a metathesis reaction. The crystal structure analysis of Sn(TIPS) reveals a planar arrangement of the substituents in the solid-state and hence the second planar alkene like distannene of its kind. Due to the TIPS substituents, Sn(TIPS) is well soluble in all commonly used organic solvents, opening the door for various analytics and reactivity studies.

Direct laser induced writing of high precision gold nanosphere SERS patterns.

The high sensitivity and molecular fingerprint capability of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) have lead to a wide variety of applications ranging from classical physics, chemistry over biology to medicine. Equally, there are numerous methods to fabricate samples owing to the desired properties and to create the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRS). However, for many applications the LSPRs must be specifically localized on micrometer sized areas and multiple steps of lithography are needed to achieve the desired substrates.

Au(PPrBu)Cl-An Open Cluster Provides Insight into the Influence of the Sterical Demand of the Phosphine Ligand in the Formation of Metalloid Gold Clusters.

Phosphine-stabilized gold clusters are an important subgroup of metalloid gold cluster compounds and are important model compounds for nanoparticles. Although there are numerous gold clusters with different phosphine ligands, the effect of phosphine on cluster formation and structure remains unclear. While the linear alkyl-substituted phosphine gold chlorides result in a Au cluster, the bulky BuP leads to a Au cluster.

Synthesis and Reactivity of Fluorenyl-Based Germanium(II) Compounds.

We present the synthesis of alkyl-substituted germylenes GeFlu, Ge(Flu), and FluGeCl (Flu = 9-fluorenyl, Flu = 9-trimethylsilyl-9-fluorenyl) using bulky fluorenyl ring systems and modifications of that. GeFlu can only be crystallized as its three-membered ring trimer, whereby the reaction is accompanied by the formation of several byproducts, such as [Li(THF)][Ge(GeFluH)]. These results led to the modification of the fluorenyl framework by substitution the one H atom in the 9-position by a TMS group.

Stabilization of Colloidal Germanium Nanoparticles: From the Study to the Prospects of the Application in Thin-Film Technology.

We present the stabilization of halide-terminated Ge nanoparticles prepared via a disproportionation reaction of metastable Ge(I)X solutions with well-defined size distribution. Further tailoring of the stability of the Ge nanoparticles was achieved using variations in the substituent. Ge nanoparticles obtained in this way are readily dispersed in organic solvents, long-term colloidally stable, and are perfect prerequisites for thin-film preparation.

Multi-year belowground data of minirhizotron facilities in Selhausen.

The production of crops secure the human food supply, but climate change is bringing new challenges. Dynamic plant growth and corresponding environmental data are required to uncover phenotypic crop responses to the changing environment. There are many datasets on above-ground organs of crops, but roots and the surrounding soil are rarely the subject of longer term studies.

3D U-Net Segmentation Improves Root System Reconstruction from 3D MRI Images in Automated and Manual Virtual Reality Work Flows.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to image root systems grown in opaque soil. However, reconstruction of root system architecture (RSA) from 3-dimensional (3D) MRI images is challenging. Low resolution and poor contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) hinder automated reconstruction.

Nanometer Sized Direct Laser-Induced Gold Printing for Precise 2D-Electronic Device Fabrication.

Flexible electronics manufacturing technologies are essential and highly favored for future integrated photonic and electronic devices. Direct laser induced writing (DIW) of metals has shown potential as a fast and highly variable method in adaptable electronics. However, most of the DIW procedures use silver structures, which tend to oxidize and are limited to the micrometer regime.

Synthesis and characterisation of four bimetallic gold-gallium clusters with Au-Ga rings as a new structural motif in gold cluster chemistry.

Using the newly introduced reducing agent in gold cluster chemistry GaCp, four new bimetallic gold-gallium cluster compounds were synthesised, stabilised by alkylphosphine ligands. The gold core of Au(GaCl)(PEt), Au(GaCl)(P Pr) and Au(GaCl)(GaCl)(P Pr Bu) is composed of two, three and four Au tetrahedra, linked in different ways. This arrangement gives the last-mentioned cluster the shape of a five-pointed star.

[(thf)Ln(Ge{Si(SiMe)})] (Ln = Eu, Sm, Yb): Capping Metalloid Germanium Cluster with Lanthanides.

We report the synthesis of three neutral complexes with different coordination modes of a di-silylated metalloid germanium cluster to divalent lanthanides [(thf)Ln(η-Ge(Hyp))] (Ln = Yb (, = 1); Eu (, = 2, 3), Sm (, = 2, 3); Hyp = Si(SiMe)) by the salt metathesis of LnI with K[Ge(Hyp)] in THF. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In thf solution, the formation of contact or solvate-separated ion pairs depending on the concentration is assumed.

Nutrient deficiency effects on root architecture and root-to-shoot ratio in arable crops.

Plant root traits play a crucial role in resource acquisition and crop performance when soil nutrient availability is low. However, the respective trait responses are complex, particularly at the field scale, and poorly understood due to difficulties in root phenotyping monitoring, inaccurate sampling, and environmental conditions. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 50 field studies to identify the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), or potassium (K) deficiencies on the root systems of common crops.

Use of Antimicrobials by Class in Pigs in Germany-A Longitudinal Description Considering Different International Categorisation Systems.

Antimicrobial usage in both human and veterinary medicine is considered one of the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance; its reduction poses a serious challenge. To analyse the associations between usage and resistance, data from monitoring systems and classification of all antimicrobial substances are crucial. In this analysis, we investigated longitudinal data collected between 2013 and 2020 within the Veterinary Consumption of Antibiotics project from pig farms in Germany, including all antimicrobial classes, but focusing on critically important antimicrobials: third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and polymyxins.

Oxidative Coupling of [Ge(Si(SiMe))] with f Elements.

We report the reactions of K[Ge(Hyp)] (Hyp = Si(SiMe)) with (thf)YbI, ThI, and UCl, leading to the oxidative coupling of the metalloid germanium cluster to form the dimeric dianion [Ge(Hyp)]. The novel dimerized Ge-cluster was isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis as a component of ionic compounds [Yb(thf)][Ge(Hyp)] () and [K(2.2.

Multilayer Langmuir Film of Monodisperse Au Nanoclusters: Unusual Growth via Bilayers.

The assembly of nanomaterials into thin films is an important area in the nanofabrication of novel devices. The monodispersity of nanoparticles plays an essential role in the resulting quality of the assembled mono- and multilayers. Larger polydispersity leads to smaller lateral correlation lengths and smaller domains of aligned nanoparticles, thus resulting in more point and line defects.

Rate of surgical site and urinary tract infections in dogs after cessation of antibiotics following spinal surgery.

Background: Excessive use of antimicrobials and the increasing occurrence of antimicrobial resistance are major challenges in both human and veterinary medicine. The role of prophylactic antimicrobial therapy in orthopaedic and neurosurgeries in dogs can be questioned. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of surgical site infections (SSI) and urinary tract infections (UTI) in dogs after cessation of antibiotics following spinal surgery.