Unraveling the Synergistic Role of Kinks in Zig-Zag AgSe Nanorod Arrays for High Room-Temperature zT and Improved Mechanical Properties: Experimental and First-Principles Studies.

Flexible thermoelectric materials are usually fabricated by incorporating conducting or organic polymers; however, it remains a formidable task to achieve high thermoelectric properties comparable to those of their inorganic counterparts. Here, we present a high zT value of 1.29 ± 0.

MARTINI Coarse-Grained Force Field for Thermoplastic Starch Nanocomposites.

Thermoplastic starch (TPS) is an excellent film-forming material, and the addition of fillers, such as tetramethylammonium-montmorillonite (TMA-MMT) clay, has significantly expanded its use in packaging applications. We first used an all-atom (AA) simulation to predict several macroscopic (Young's modulus, glass transition temperature, density) and microscopic (conformation along 1-4 and 1-6 glycosidic linkages, composite morphology) properties of TPS melt and TPS-TMA-MMT composite. The interplay of polymer-surface (weakly repulsive), plasticizer-surface (attractive), and polymer-plasticizer (weakly attractive) interactions leads to conformational and dynamics properties distinct from those in systems with either attractive or repulsive polymer-surface interactions.

Microfibre pollution: An emerging contaminant, alarming threat to the global environment.

Microfibres, mostly obtained from home laundry, textiles, industrial materials, sewage effluents, and sludge, are considered the main source of environmental pollution, which has become a prevalent threat to terrestrial and aquatic creatures. Global population growth and industrialization have led to a rise in fibre consumption and production, which spread its network in drinking water, beer, and seafood. Focusing on the alarming threat of microfibre towards the natural environment, we have penned an extensive review article about microfibre pollution.

Investigating role of corn stover biochar supplementation on continuous pilot scale anaerobic digestion: Performance and microbial community dynamics.

Biochar supplementation could facilitate microbial colonization and increase biogas and methane yield in anaerobic digestion (AD). This study investigated the impact of corn stover biochar (CSB) augmentation on the continuous pilot scale AD of rice straw. The CSB supplementation exhibited the daily average specific biogas and methane yield of 368.

Distinction of pseudoprogression from true progression in glioblastomas using machine learning based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and O-methylguanine-methyltransferase promoter methylation status.

Background: It is imperative to differentiate true progression (TP) from pseudoprogression (PsP) in glioblastomas (GBMs). We sought to investigate the potential of physiologically sensitive quantitative parameters derived from diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and molecular signature combined with machine learning in distinguishing TP from PsP in GBMs in the present study.

Methods: GBM patients ( = 93) exhibiting contrast-enhancing lesions within 6 months after completion of standard treatment underwent 3T MRI.

Fundamentals of Flexoelectricity, Materials and Emerging Opportunities Toward Strain-Driven Nanocatalysts.

Flexoelectricity, an intrinsic property observed in materials under nonuniform deformation, entails a coupling between polarization and strain gradients. Recent catalyst advancements have reignited interest in flexoelectricity, particularly at the nanoscale, where pronounced strain gradients promote robust flexoelectric effects. This paper comprehensively examines flexoelectricity, encompassing methodologies for precise measurement, elucidating its distinctions from related phenomena, and exploring its potential applications in augmenting catalytic properties.

A Regioselective, One-Pot, Transition-Metal-Free α-Alkylation of Quinone Monoacetals for Various Organic Transformations.

Regioselective reactions of biologically significant quinones are challenging. An unprecedented advancement in quinone monoacetal (QMA) chemistry is proposed for constructing regioselective and less explored α-alkylated QMAs through the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. Electrophilic QMAs were transformed to nucleophilic umpolung reagents for aldol-type condensation with several electrophiles.

Developmental Imaging of Radish Sprouts Using Dynamic Optical Coherence Tomography.

The germination process of radish sprouts was investigated in detail using volumetric dynamic optical coherence tomography (OCT). Dynamic OCT involves the sequential acquisition of 16 OCT images and subsequent temporal variance analysis of each pixel, enabling non-invasive visualization of the cellular and tissue activities of plants. The radish sprouts were longitudinally investigated for up to 12 days, and changes in morphology and dynamic OCT image patterns were observed as the plants developed.

An approach to target multiple proteins involved in anti-microbial resistance using natural compounds produced by wild mushrooms.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the number of patients infected by multi-drug-resistant bacteria have increased significantly over the past decade. This study follows a computational approach to identify potential antibacterial compounds from wild mushrooms. Twenty-six known compounds produced by wild mushrooms were docked to assess their affinity with drug targets of antibiotics such as penicillin-binding protein-1a (PBP1a), DNA gyrase, and isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (ILERS).

TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose as potential carrier for sustained antibacterial delivery.

Designing a suitable, cost-effective nanocarrier with an ability to capture and deliver antibiotics for restricting microbial spread remains an unmet need. A simple two-stepped strategy involving citric acid-induced hydrolysis of cellulose pulp (NFC) followed by TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical) mediated oxidation to obtain carboxylated nano fibrillated cellulose (TNFC-5) with high carboxyl content (1.12 mmol/g) has been explored.

Role of Orphan ParA Proteins in Replication and Cell Division in Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4.

Bacteria have a very well-regulated mechanism for chromosome segregation and cell division. This process requires a large number of complex proteins to participate and mediate their functionality. Among these complex proteins, ParA and ParB play a vital role for the faithful segregation of chromosome.

Enhanced anammox-mediated nitrogen removal in bioelectrochemical systems at prolonged negative electrode potentials.

Bioelectrochemical anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) systems allow eco-friendly removal of nitrogen from reject wastewater coming from biogas processing as the anammox bacteria have previously shown to have c-type cytochromes acting in the extracellular electron transport (EET) mechanism between the bacteria and electrode. The anammoxosome compartment present in anammox bacteria features a highly curved membrane and contains tubular structures along with electron-dense particles that contain iron, which could enhance the process of EET and enhance nitrogen removal by properly applied potentials. In this study, nitrogen removal was investigated in the electrostimulated anammox nitrogen removal (EANR) cells operated comparatively at open circuit and at applied potentials of - 300 mV, - 500 mV, and - 700 mV vs.

Recognizing the reactive sites of SnFeO for the oxygen evolution reaction: the synergistic effect of Sn and Fe in stabilizing reaction intermediates.

Among the reported spinel ferrites, the p-block metal containing SnFeO is scarcely explored, but it is a promising water-splitting electrocatalyst. This study focuses on the reaction kinetics and atomic scale insight of the reaction mechanism of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyzed by SnFeO and analogous FeO. The replacement of FeIIOh sites with SnIIOh in SnFeO improves the catalytic efficiency and various intrinsic parameters affecting the reaction kinetics.

Interface-Engineered MoSe-CoS Nanoheterostructures with Enhanced Charge Storage Performance for Supercapacitor Application.

Cobalt-based chalcogenides have emerged as fascinating materials for supercapacitor applications owing to the presence of various mixed valance oxidation states in their structure along with rich electrochemical properties. However, their limited stability and cyclic performance hinder their viability for practical use in supercapacitors. Herein, a facile hot injection colloidal route is demonstrated to design MoSe-CoS nanoheterostructures (NHSs), which entails the epitaxial growth of CoS nanoparticles (NPs) over the basal planes of ultrathin MoSe nanosheets (NSs).

Effect of Soil-pH, temperature and moisture content on sorption dynamics of metformin and erythromycin.

The rising soil-groundwater quality issues due to pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) contamination have spurred significant concern. To understand the sorption characteristics of metformin (MTN) and erythromycin (ETM) in sandy and sandy loam soils with varying organic matter and particle composition, sorption kinetics (single and competitive), isotherms, and thermodynamics were studied. The effects of pH and soil moisture content (SMC) were also investigated at environmentally relevant concentrations.

Functionalized porous carbon microspheres packed column for solid phase extraction and preconcentration of trace metal ions in food and water samples.

Porous materials play a crucial role in the extraction of trace analytes; yet, the attainment of high selectivity and efficient regeneration continues to pose a considerable problem. In this study, we employed a green method to synthesize porous carbon microspheres. These microspheres were subsequently functionalized with aminophosphonic acid to facilitate the extraction of heavy metal ions from real samples.

Community standards and future opportunities for synthetic communities in plant-microbiota research.

Harnessing beneficial microorganisms is seen as a promising approach to enhance sustainable agriculture production. Synthetic communities (SynComs) are increasingly being used to study relevant microbial activities and interactions with the plant host. Yet, the lack of community standards limits the efficiency and progress in this important area of research.

Low-valent Main-group Catalysis under Ambient Conditions using a Germylene Cation.

Catalysis using low-valent main-group compounds is usually done under inert conditions; no example of such catalysis has been doable entirely in ambient conditions until now. This aspect is addressed in this work through an air- and water-stable germylene cation [DPMGe][(OH)B(CF)] (2) (DPM=dipyrromethene); it efficiently catalyzes aldehyde and ketone hydrosilylations under ambient conditions. Detailed theoretical studies reveal that compound 2's stability is bolstered by the interaction between the anion and germanium's frontier orbitals.

Vaccine hesitancy: a structured review from a behavioral perspective (2015-2022).

Vaccine hesitancy, a complex behavioral phenomenon, poses a significant global health threat and has gained renewed attention amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper scrutinized peer-reviewed literature on vaccine hesitancy published from 2015 to 2022, with a specific focus on behavioral perspectives, utilizing a Theories-Constructs-Variables-Contexts-Methods (TCVCM) framework. The study highlighted prominent theoretical approaches, abstract concepts, research variables, global contexts and academic techniques employed across a selected sample of 138 studies.

Tunable photo-response in the visible to NIR spectrum range of Germanium-based junctionless nanowire transistor.

In this paper, the phototransistor behavior is investigated in the germanium-on-insulator (GeOI)-based junctionless nanowire (JL-NW) transistor under various light conditions. High responsivity and photosensitivity are attributed in the fully depleted regime within the visible and near-infrared bands. The impact of light is also investigated in detail on the electronic and transfer characteristics such as energy bandgap, carrier distribution, electrostatic potential, electric field, generation and recombination rates.

Selective Monoborylation of Methane by a Mono Bipyridyl-Nickel(II) Hydride Catalyst.

We report the development of an earth-abundant metal catalyst for methane C-H borylation. The post-synthetic metalation of bipyridine-functionalized zirconium metal-organic framework (MOF) with NiBr, followed by treatment with NaEtBH affords MOF-supported monomeric bipyridyl-nickel(II) dihydride species via active site isolation. The heterogeneous and recyclable nickel catalyst selectively borylates methane at 200 °C using pinacolborane (HBpin) to afford CHBpin in 61 % yield with a turnover number (TON) up to 1388.