Two sides of the coin: synthesis and applications of Janus particles.

Named after the two-faced Roman god, Janus particles (JPs) are defined by their distinct dual chemical compositions on a single particle. Research on micron-sized JPs has yielded remarkable insights, showcasing their unique assembly behaviors both in bulk and at interfaces. However, significant challenges persist, particularly in the synthesis of smaller (<500 nm) JPs, which remains complex and difficult to scale up.

Model Organoids: Integrated Frameworks for the Next Frontier of Healthcare Advancements.

The morphogenetic events leading to tissue formation can be recapitulated using organoids, which allows studying new diseases and modelling personalized medicines. In this review, culture systems comparable to human organs are presented, these organoids are created from pluripotent stem cells or adult stem cells. The efficient and reproducible models of human tissues are discussed for biobanking, precision medicine and basic research.

A bioassay that yields quantifiable symptoms of cucurbit yellow vine disease caused by .

Cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD), which is caused by the gram-negative bacterium and transmitted by squash bugs ( DeGeer), is a devastating disease of cucurbit crops that is emerging rapidly in the eastern half of the U.S. The lack of a robust pathogenicity assay for CYVD in the laboratory has hampered functional tests using genomic sequences to investigate the biology of this phytopathogen.

Development of Innovative Composite Nanofiber: Enhancing Polyamide-6 with ε-Poly-L-Lysine for Medical and Protective Textiles.

Polyamide-6 (PA) is a popular textile polymer having desirable mechanical and thermal properties, chemical stability, and biocompatibility. However, PA nanofibers are prone to bacterial growth and user discomfort. ε-Poly-L-lysine (PL) is non-toxic, antimicrobial, and hydrophilic but lacks spinnability due to its low molecular weight.

Colloidal TiO nanocrystals with engineered defectivity and optical properties.

Partially reduced forms of titanium dioxide (sometimes called "black" titania) have attracted widespread interest as promising photocatalysts of oxidation due to their absorption in the visible region. The main approaches to produce it rely on postprocessing at high temperatures (up to 800 °C) and high pressures (up to 40 bar) or on highly reactive precursors (, TiH), and yield powders with poorly controlled sizes, shapes, defect concentrations and distributions. We describe an approach for the one-step synthesis of TiO colloidal nanocrystals at atmospheric pressure and temperatures as low as 280 °C.

Plasma-based post-processing of colloidal nanocrystals for applications in heterogeneous catalysis.

This review summarizes the work on the use of plasmas to post-process nanostructures, in particular colloidal nanocrystals, as promising candidates for applications of heterogeneous catalysis. Using plasma to clean or modify the surface of nanostructures is a more precisely controlled method compared to other conventional methods, which is preferable when strict requirements for nanostructure morphology or chemical composition are necessary. The ability of plasma post-processing to create mesoporous materials with high surface areas and controlled microstructure, surfaces, and interfaces has transformational potential in catalysis and other applications that leverage surface/interface processes.

Structure and Properties of NaS-SiS-PS-NaPO Glassy Solid Electrolytes.

In the development of sodium all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs), research efforts have focused on synthesizing highly conducting and electrochemically stable solid-state electrolytes. Glassy solid electrolytes (GSEs) have been considered very promising due to their tunable chemistry and resistance to dendrite growth. For these reasons, we focus here on the atomic-level structures and properties of GSEs in the compositional series (0.

Sexual Sanctification and Relationship Satisfaction in Black Heterosexual Couples.

This study examines dyadic data from 299 married and 242 cohabiting Black heterosexual couples in the United States (an understudied cross-section of the population) and assesses individual (actor) effects as well as couple (partner) effects of sexual sanctification and relationship satisfaction. Higher levels of sexual sanctification were associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction for women and men in the actor effects, but no significant associations were found in the partner effects for couples. Additionally, initial findings suggest that sexual sanctification may act as a relational protective factor for Black married and cohabiting couples.

First report of cucurbit yellow vine disease caused by on cucurbit crops in Iowa.

Cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD) is caused by , vectored by squash bugs (), and is an emerging disease in many parts of the U.S. CYVD can cause 100% yield losses in cucurbits (Bruton et al.

N6-adenosine methylation of mRNA integrates multilevel auxin response and ground tissue development in Arabidopsis.

N6-methyl adenosine (m6A) is a widespread internal mRNA modification impacting the expression of numerous genes. Here, we characterize auxin-related defects among the pleiotropic phenotypes of hypomorphic Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with impaired m6A status and reveal that they show strong resistance to exogenously applied auxin. By combining major published m6A datasets, we propose that among high-confidence target transcripts emerge those encoding the main components required for auxin signaling, including the TIR1/AFB auxin receptors and ARF transcriptional regulators.

Effects of LiPON Incorporation on the Structures and Properties of Mixed Oxy-Sulfide-Nitride Glassy Solid Electrolytes.

Glassy solid electrolytes (GSEs) are promising solid electrolytes in the development of all solid-state batteries. Mixed oxy-sulfide nitride (MOSN) GSEs combine the high ionic conductivity of sulfide glasses, the excellent chemical stability of oxide glasses, and the electrochemical stability of nitride glasses. However, the reports on the synthesis and characterization of these novel nitrogen containing electrolytes are quite limited.

Equating NHANES Monitor-Based Physical Activity to Self-Reported Methods to Enhance Ongoing Surveillance Efforts.

Purpose: Harmonization of assessment methods represents an ongoing challenge in physical activity research. Previous research has demonstrated the utility of calibration approaches to enhance agreement between measures of physical activity. The present study utilizes a calibration methodology to add behavioral context from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), an established report-based measure, to enhance interpretations of monitor-based data scored using the novel Monitor Independent Movement Summary (MIMS) methodology.

NaPON Doping of NaPS Glass and Its Effects on the Structure and Properties of Mixed Oxy-Sulfide-Nitride Phosphate Glass.

The preparation, properties, and short-range order (SRO) structures of glasses in the series (1-)[2/3NaS + 1/3PS] + [1/3NaS + 2/3NaPON] = NaPSON, where 0 ≤ ≤ 0.5 (NaPSON), are reported on. In this study, these mixed oxy-sulfide-nitride (MOSN) glasses were prepared by adding the nitrided material NaPON; = 0.

Pre-harvest and post-harvest farmer experiences and practices in five maize growing regions in Ghana.

Maize is a major staple crop mainly produced by smallholder farmers in developing nations. Grain losses happen in Sub-Saharan Africa, and therefore the objective of this study was to assess the different kinds of pre-harvest and post-harvest losses that maize farmers in Ghana encounter. The storage practices, and farmers' awareness and knowledge of mycotoxin contamination in maize were also assessed.

Electrochemical Sensing of Neonicotinoids Using Laser-Induced Graphene.

Neonicotinoids are the fastest-growing insecticide accounting for over 25% of the global pesticide market and are capable of controlling a range of pests that damage croplands, home yards/gardens, and golf course greens. However, widespread use has led to nontarget organism decline in pollinators, insects, and birds, while chronic, sublethal effects on humans are still largely unknown. Therefore, there is a need to understand how prevalent neonicotinoids are in the environment as there are currently no commercially available field-deployable sensors capable of measuring neonicotinoid concentrations in surface waters.

Toxigenic mycoflora, aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of poultry feeds in Ghana.

The study was undertaken to identify the major mycotoxigenic fungi, aflatoxin and fumonisin levels in prepared poultry feeds in Ghana. Three hundred and fifty (350) prepared feed samples were randomly collected from 133 commercial poultry farms, 76 feed processors and eight (8) feed vendors in three major poultry producing regions of Ghana over two seasons. Fungi were isolated using the serial dilution method on potato dextrose agar and identified using standard methods of identification.

Deformation of an airfoil-shaped brain surrogate under shock wave loading.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), during military operations, has increased the incidence of blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (bTBI). The shock wave is created following detonation of the IED. This shock wave propagates through the atmosphere and may cause bTBI.

Evidence for root adaptation to a spatially discontinuous water availability in the absence of external water potential gradients.

We hereby show that root systems adapt to a spatially discontinuous pattern of water availability even when the gradients of water potential across them are vanishingly small. A paper microfluidic approach allowed us to expose the entire root system of plants to a square array of water sources, separated by dry areas. Gradients in the concentration of water vapor across the root system were as small as 10⋅mM⋅m (∼4 orders of magnitude smaller than in conventional hydrotropism assays).

Growth of Colloidal Nanocrystals by Liquid-Like Coalescence*.

We here describe, model, and predict the growth kinetics of amine-capped PbS colloidal nanoparticles in the absence of supersaturation. The particles grow by coalescence rather than by Ostwald ripening. A comparison of different models indicates that the effective activation energy of coalescence (67.

All-graphene-based open fluidics for pumpless, small-scale fluid transport laser-controlled wettability patterning.

Open microfluidics have emerged as a low-cost, pumpless alternative strategy to conventional microfluidics for delivery of fluid for a wide variety of applications including rapid biochemical analysis and medical diagnosis. However, creating open microfluidics by tuning the wettability of surfaces typically requires sophisticated cleanroom processes that are unamenable to scalable manufacturing. Herein, we present a simple approach to develop open microfluidic platforms by manipulating the surface wettability of spin-coated graphene ink films on flexible polyethylene terephthalate via laser-controlled patterning.

Three molecules found in rosemary or nutmeg essential oils repel ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) more effectively than DEET in a no-human assay.

Background: Development of new personal repellents to prevent tick bites is progressing to keep up with the increasing threat of tick-borne diseases in humans. However, the market share of natural, plant-based repellents is still quite small. We tested all of the major (>1%) components found in the essential oils of rosemary (Spanish variety) and nutmeg.

Cost Assessment of Five Different Maize Grain Handling Techniques to Reduce Postharvest Losses from Insect Contamination.

Farmers in developing nations encounter high postharvest losses mainly attributable to the lack of modern techniques for threshing, cleaning, grading, and grain storage. Mechanized handling of grain in developing countries is rare, although the technology is effective against insects and pest infestations. The objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of five grain handling techniques that have the ability to reduce postharvest losses from insect infestation.

The use of classification and regression algorithms using the random forests method with presence-only data to model species' distribution.

Random forests (RF) is a powerful species distribution model (SDM) algorithm. This ensemble model by default can produce categorical and numerical species distribution maps based on its classification tree (CT) and regression tree (RT) algorithms, respectively. The CT algorithm can also produce numerical predictions (class probability).