Brachytherapy at the nanoscale with protein functionalized and intrinsically radiolabeled [169Yb]Yb2O3 nanoseeds

PURPOSE

Classical brachytherapy of solid malignant tumors is an invasive procedure which often results in an uneven dose distribution, while requiring surgical removal of sealed radioactive seed sources after a certain period of time. To circumvent these issues, we report the synthesis of intrinsically radiolabeled and gum Arabic glycoprotein functionalized [169Yb]Yb2O3 nanoseeds as a novel nanoscale brachytherapy agent, which could directly be administered via intratumoral injection for tumor therapy.

METHODS

169Yb (T½ = 32 days) was produced by neutron irradiation of enriched (15.2% in 168Yb) Yb2O3 target in a nuclear reactor, radiochemically converted to [169Yb]YbCl3 and used for nanoparticle (NP) synthesis. Intrinsically radiolabeled NP were synthesized by controlled hydrolysis of Yb3+ ions in gum Arabic glycoprotein medium. In vivo SPECT/CT imaging, autoradiography, and biodistribution studies were performed after intratumoral injection of radiolabeled NP in B16F10 tumor bearing C57BL/6 mice. Systematic tumor regression studies and histopathological analyses were performed to demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in the same mice model.

RESULTS

The nanoformulation was a clear solution having high colloidal and radiochemical stability. Uniform distribution and retention of the radiolabeled nanoformulation in the tumor mass were observed via SPECT/CT imaging and autoradiography studies. In a tumor regression study, tumor growth was significantly arrested with different doses of radiolabeled NP compared to the control and the best treatment effect was observed with ~ 27.8 MBq dose. In histopathological analysis, loss of mitotic cells was apparent in tumor tissue of treated groups, whereas no significant damage in kidney, lungs, and liver tissue morphology was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

These results hold promise for nanoscale brachytherapy to become a clinically practical treatment modality for unresectable solid cancers.

ZnAl2O4:Er3+ Upconversion Nanophosphor for SPECT Imaging and Luminescence Modulation via Defect Engineering

This work reports an "all-in-one" theranostic upconversion luminescence (UCL) system having potential for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Despite considerable efforts in designing upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for multimodal imaging and tumor therapy, there are few reports investigating dual modality SPECT/optical imaging for theranostics. Especially, research focusing on in vivo biodistribution studies of intrinsically radiolabeled UCNPs after intravenous injection is of utmost importance for the potential clinical translation of such formulations. Here, we utilized the gamma emission from 169Er and 171Er radionuclides for the demonstration of radiolabeled ZnAl2O4:171/169Er3+ as a potent agent for dual-modality SPECT/optical imaging. No uptake of radio nanoformulation was detected in the skeleton after 4 h of administration, which evidenced the robust integrity of ZnAl2O4:169/171Er3+. Combining the therapeutics using the emission of β- particulates from 169Er and 171Er will be promising for the radio-theranostic application of the synthesized ZnAl2O4:169/171Er3+ nanoformulation. Cell toxicity studies of ZnAl2O4:1%Er3+ nanoparticles were examined by an MTT assay in B16F10 mouse melanoma cell lines, which demonstrated good biocompatibility. In addition, we explored the mechanism of UCL modulation via defect engineering by Bi3+ codoping in the ZnAl2O4:Er3+ upconversion nanophosphor. The UCL color tuning was successfully achieved from the red to the green region as a function of Bi3+ codoping concentrations. Further, we tried to establish a correlation of UCL tuning with the intrinsic oxygen and cation vacancy defects as a function of Bi3+ codoping concentrations with the help of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) studies. This study contributes to building a bridge between nature of defects and UC luminescence that is crucial for the design of advanced UCNPs for theranostics.

Role of plant neurotransmitters in salt stress: A critical review

Neurotransmitters are naturally found in many plants, but the molecular processes that govern their actions still need to be better understood. Acetylcholine, γ-Aminobutyric acid, histamine, melatonin, serotonin, and glutamate are the most common neurotransmitters in animals, and they all play a part in the development and information processing. It is worth noting that all these chemicals have been found in plants. Although much emphasis has been placed on understanding how neurotransmitters regulate mood and behaviour in humans, little is known about how they regulate plant growth and development. In this article, the information was reviewed and updated considering current thinking on neurotransmitter signaling in plants' metabolism, growth, development, salt tolerance, and the associated avenues for underlying research. The goal of this study is to advance neurotransmitter signaling research in plant biology, especially in the area of salt stress physiology.

Color tunable luminescence in ThO2:Er3+,Yb3+ nanocrystals: a promising new platform for upconversion

Lanthanide-doped luminescent nanoparticles are an appealing system for many applications in the area of biomedical, solar cell, thermometry, anti-counterfeiting, etc. due to their sensitivity, reliability, high photochemical stability, and high optical transparency in the visible-NIR range. A color-tunable upconversion-luminescence (UCL) in a new low phonon energy ThO2 host based on modulating sensitizer concentration has been realized in this work and it may work as a potential candidate to replace corrosive and toxic fluoride based hosts in the future. Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped thoria nanoparticles were prepared using a gel combustion route and their structural and luminescence properties were determined as a function of the Yb3+ concentration. Phonon dispersion measurements have established the dynamic structural stability of the thoria nanoparticles. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to calculate the defect formation energy, highlighting the feasibility of dual ion (Er3+ and Yb3+) doping in thoria. The morphology and average size of the doped thoria was studied using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and any defects evolving as a result of aliovalent doping were probed using positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). With 980 nm laser excitation, the nanothoria emits green and near-red light. A significant enhancement of the red-to-green intensity ratio of Er3+ ions in nanothoria was observed with an increase in Yb3+ concentration which resulted in beautiful color tunability from green to yellow light in going from lower (up to ∼5 mol%) to higher (10 and 15 mol%) Yb3+ concentration. The power dependence and the dynamics of the upconverted emission confirm the existence of two-photon upconversion processes for the green and red emissions.

Oxygen vacancy-enriched Zn2SnO4 for aliphatic alcohol sensing and enhanced selectivity towards n-butanol

The sensitive detection of toxic flammable volatile organics using low cost efficient sensors is important for ensuring both indoor and outdoor safety. It is essential for chemical sensors to exhibit a significantly stronger response to target analytes compared to equivalent amounts of analogous competing chemicals. In line with this importance, current work evaluated the performance of Zn2SnO4, a n-type semiconducting metal oxide, for sensing n-butanol in comparison to methanol, ethanol, and propanol vapours. These vapours fall within the category of aliphatic alcohols but vary in characteristics such as molecular weight, vapour pressure, volatility, and diffusivity. In this work we have explored the sensor's performance by adjusting the operating temperature over the range of 225-300 °C while detecting 1000 ppm of each of these vapours. Efforts were made to establish a correlation between the sensor's responses with the interactions of these vapours on the sensor's surface. Prior to assessing the sensing characteristics of the solid-state-route-derived Zn2SnO4, its structural characteristics, including phase purity, crystalline structure, bonding patterns, morphology, and defect characteristics, were studied. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on the potential of Zn2SnO4 as an effective sensor for detecting n-butanol.

Autocombustion Route Derived Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles as Chemiresistive Sensor for Detection of Alcohol Vapors

Prolonged exposure to alcohol vapors can have detrimental effects on human health, potentially leading to eye irritation, dizziness, and in some cases, damage to the nervous system. The present article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding on the synthesis and characterization of zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles, as well as their interactions with a range of alcohol vapors, including methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and isopropanol. These alcohols differ in their molecular weight, boiling points, diffusivity, and other properties. The study reveals the semiconducting ZnFe2O4 nanoparticulate sensor's capability for reversible, repeatable, and sensitive detection of alcohol vapors. The sensor exhibits the highest response to ethanol within operating temperature range (225-300°C). An attempt is made to establish a correlation between the properties of the target analytes and the observed sensing signals. Additionally, the response conductance transients of ZnFe2O4 under the exposure to the studied alcohol vapors are modeled based on the Langmuir-Hinshelwood adsorption mechanism. The characteristic time constants obtained from this modeling are justified with respect to the properties of the analytes.

Evidence of a Hardening in the Cosmic Ray Proton Spectrum at around 166 TeV Observed by the GRAPES-3 Experiment

We present the measurement of the cosmic ray proton spectrum from 50 TeV to 1.3 PeV using 7.81×10^{6} extensive air shower events recorded by the ground-based GRAPES-3 experiment between 1 January 2014 and 26 October 2015 with a live time of 460 day. Our measurements provide an overlap with direct observations by satellite and balloon-based experiments. The electromagnetic and muon components in the shower were measured by a dense array of plastic scintillator detectors and a tracking muon telescope, respectively. The relative composition of the proton primary from the air shower data containing all primary particles was extracted using the multiplicity distribution of muons which is a sensitive observable for mass composition. The observed proton spectrum suggests a spectral hardening at ∼166  TeV and disfavors a single power law description of the spectrum up to the Knee energy (∼3  PeV).

Recycling air conditioner-generated condensate water for microalgal biomass production and carbon dioxide sequestration

Air conditioners alleviate the discomfort of human beings from heat waves that are consequences of climate change caused by anthropogenic activities. With each passing year, the effects of global warming worsen, increasing the growth of air conditioning industry. Air conditioning units produce substantial amounts of non-nutritive and (generally) neglected condensate water and greenhouse gases. Considering this, the study explored the potential of using air conditioner condensate water (ACW) to cultivate Chlorella sorokiniana, producing biomass, and sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2). The maximum biomass production was obtained in the BG11 medium (1.45 g L-1), followed by ACW-50 (1.3 g L-1). Similarly, the highest chlorophyll-a content was observed in the BG11 medium (11 μg mL-1), followed by ACW-50 (9.11 μg mL-1). The ACW-50 cultures proved to be better adapted to physiological stress (Fv/Fm > 0.5) and can be suitable for achieving maximum biomass with adequate lipid, protein, and carbohydrate production. Moreover, C. sorokiniana demonstrated higher lipid and carbohydrate yields in the ACW-50 medium, while biomass production and protein yields were comparable to the BG11 medium. The lipid, protein, and carbohydrate productivity were 23.43, 32.9, and 23.19 mg L-1 d-1, respectively for ACW-50. Estimation of carbon capture potential through this approach equals to 9.5% of the total emissions which is an added advantage The results indicated that ACW could be effectively utilized for microalgae cultivation, reducing the reliance on freshwater for large-scale microalgal biomass production and reduce the carbon footprints of the air conditioning industry.

Composition-dependent photoluminescence in nanocrystalline La2Hf2-xZrxO7:Eu phosphor: role of chemical twin Zr/Hf environments around a luminescent center

Based on chemical intuition, linear trends are anticipated in Eu3+ photoluminescence performance inside a pyrochlore matrix of the chemical twins, Hf and Zr, owing to probable geometrical and chemical similarity around the luminescent center. The present work reports the drastically fluctuating result of doping Eu3+ in nanocrystalline pyrochlore, La2Hf2-xZrxO7 (LHZO), matrix on composition variation; the variation is counter to the anticipation-based chemical brotherhood of Hf and Zr. Zirconium-enriched samples of LHZO improve asymmetry around Eu3+ ion leading to enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). The samples with compositions 0.7Hf and 1.3Zr depict the lowest non-radiative channels with the highest theoretically calculated PLQY of ∼71% and excellent thermal stability (∼91%). Synergistic experimental and theoretical analysis reveals that Eu does not unbiasedly occupy La-sites in the pyrochlore LHZO matrix towards chemical twins of Hf and Zr; rather, it energetically prefers to occupy Zr-rich vicinal sites. When the composition with Zr is in the low-medium range, Eu has a higher probability of occupying Zr-rich vicinal sites depicting higher lifetime and PLQY. When Zr-content goes beyond 70-80%, the other site occupancies start contributing leading to a reduction in both lifetime and quantum yield. This work paves a great strategy and provides a futuristic potential to utilize europium luminescence in separating chemically close Hf-Zr for various technological applications.

Probing the p-type Chemiresistive Response of NiFe2 O4 Nanoparticles for Potential Utilization as Ethanol Sensor

Detection of gas molecules and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using efficient, low cost sensors has fetched significant attention in environmental monitoring, safety measures and medical diagnosis. In the present work, nickel ferrite (NFO) nanoparticles are explored as p-type semiconducting metal oxide (SMO) sensor for detection of five different organic vapors namely methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, iso-propanol and acetone which often cause severe damage to human body under prolonged exposure. The sensing studies in presence of the aforementioned five vapors are carried out by varying the sensor operating temperature (225-300 °C) and vapor concentrations (10-1000 ppm). Developed NFO sensor demonstrated best performance in terms of sensing (~10 ppm), response time (<10 s), excellent repeatability and selectivity towards ethanol among all other considered gas species. The repeatability of the sensor response is verified and the underlying reasons for the variation in the response of NFO sensor due to the change of operating temperature, analyte type and concentrations has been discussed. The synthesis of NFO through auto combustion method and study on their formation behaviour, oxygen vacancy evolution, band gap calculation, crystalline nature as well as microstructural features provides here the comprehensive information about the potential application of NFO nanoparticles as gas sensor.

Long-term application of agronomic management strategies effects on soil organic carbon, energy budgeting, and carbon footprint under rice-wheat cropping system

In the plains of western North India, traditional rice and wheat cropping systems (RWCS) consume a significant amount of energy and carbon. In order to assess the long-term energy budgets, ecological footprint, and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollutants from RWCS with residual management techniques, field research was conducted which consisted of fourteen treatments that combined various tillage techniques, fertilization methods, and whether or not straw return was present in randomized block design. By altering the formation of aggregates and the distribution of carbon within them, tillage techniques can affect the dynamics of organic carbon in soil and soil microbial activity. The stability of large macro-aggregates (> 2 mm), small macro-aggregates (2.0-2.25 mm), and micro-aggregates in the topsoil were improved by 35.18%, 33.52%, and 25.10%, respectively, over conventional tillage (0-20 cm) using tillage strategies for conservation methods (no-till in conjunction with straw return and organic fertilizers). The subsoil (20-40 cm) displayed the same pattern. In contrast to conventional tilling with no straw returns, macro-aggregates of all sizes and micro-aggregates increased by 24.52%, 28.48%, and 18.12%, respectively, when conservation tillage with organic and chemical fertilizers was used. The straw return (aggregate-associated C) also resulted in a significant increase in aggregate-associated carbon. When zero tillage was paired with straw return, chemical, and organic fertilizers, the topsoil's overall aggregate-associated C across all aggregate proportions increased. Conversely, conventional tillage, in contrast to conservation tillage, included straw return as well as chemical and organic fertilizers and had high aggregate-associated C in the subsurface. This study finds that tillage techniques could change the dynamics of microbial biomass in soils and organic soil carbon by altering the aggregate and distribution of C therein.

Surgical anatomy of the cerebellar tonsils: A cadaveric study

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the normal anatomy of the cerebellar tonsils is a prerequisite in various surgeries of the posterior cranial fossa Clinical conditions, as the Chiari I malformations (CIM) alter the normal position of the cerebellar tonsils.

OBJECTIVE

Therefore, we aim to better elucidate the surgical anatomy of and around the cerebellar tonsils in regard to the CIM.

METHODS

Fifty formalin-fixed adult cadavers injected with colored latex through vertebral arteries underwent craniotomy and durotomy to expose the cerebellar tonsils and related structures. The tonsils and their surrounding anatomy were then studied.

RESULTS

Forty cerebellar tonsils were at or above the foramen magnum. Five specimens presented with CIM with the tonsils below (3-5 mm) the FM with a mean tonsillar decent of 7.9 ± 2.3 mm. Of the cadavers without CIM, in forty-two cases, the thickness of the dura mater was within ±3SD ranges. In three cases, the dura mater was thinner at the CVJ and one case; the dura adhered tightly to the inner aspect of the occipital squama. In five CIM cadavers, the dura mater was markedly thicker at the CVJ. The PICA caudal loop was 5.9 ± 1.6 mm long. In CIM cases, the PICA loop was longer, nearer the dura, 1 mm below the superior border of the C1 posterior arch. The distances from the PICA loop were markedly reduced by 3 mm from the spinal accessory nerve and 2 mm from the first spinal nerve. The DN was significantly closer to the tonsillar peduncle in CIM cases.

CONCLUSION

These data are important for better understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic anatomy of the cerebellar tonsils in patients with and without CIM. Importantly, tonsillectomy/tonsillar coagulation must consider the close relationship of the dentate nucleus to the base of the cerebellar tonsil to avoid iatrogenic injury.

Analysis of distribution and localization of proteins of the reelin signalling pathway in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

INTRODUCTION

Granule cell dispersion (GCD) is pathognomonic of hippocampal sclerosis seen in the mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Current animal studies indicate deficiency of Reelin is associated with abnormal granule cell migration leading to GCD. The present study aimed to evaluate complete Reelin signalling pathway to assess whether Reelin deficiency is related to MTLE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hippocampal sclerosis was confirmed by H and E stain. To explore the amount and cellular location of the Reelin cascade molecules, the hippocampal tissues from MTLE surgery and controls (n = 15 each) were studied using Immuno-histochemistry (IHC). Additionally, confocal imaging was used to validate the IHC findings by co-localization of different proteins. Quantification of IHC images was performed using histo-score and confocal images by Image J software.

RESULTS

Immune expression of active Reelin was significantly reduced in patients. Reelin receptors were deranged, apolipoprotein E receptor 2 was increased while very low-density lipoprotein receptor was reduced. Disabled-1, a downstream molecule was significantly reduced in MTLE. Its ultimate target, cofilin was thus disinhibited and expressed more in MTLE. Reelin cleaving protease, matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) and MMP-9 inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of matrix protease-1, showed reduced expression in extracellular matrix. Semi-quantification of immunohistochemistry was done using Histo (H) score. H score of Reelin in diseased patients was 15 against 125 for control patients. These results were validated by confocal fluorescence microscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

Reelin signalling cascade was deranged in chronic MTLE. Pharmacological manipulation of Reelin cascade can be done at various levels and it may provide novel treatment options for MTLE.

Local Structure and Speciation-Driven UO22+ → Sm3+ Energy Transfer for Enhanced Luminescence in Li2B4O7

Herein, we report the uranyl sensitization of Sm3+ emissions in uranium-codoped Li2B4O7:Sm3+ phosphor. The uranyl speciation in codoped [Sm, U] LTB samples was determined by synchrotron-based extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy that revealed two coordination shells for U(VI) ions with bond distances of U-Oax (∼1.81 Å) and U-Oeq (∼2.30 Å). EXAFS fitting suggested that the uranyl moiety is present as pentagonal bipyramids (UO7) and hexagonal bipyramids (UO8) with five and six equatorial oxygen ligands, respectively. The alteration of the local structure of Sm3+ from [SmO4] to [SmO7] polyhedra and the changes in the coordination number of equatorial oxygen for uranyl were observed with different codoping concentrations of Sm3+ and uranium. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested the lowering of defect formation energy for Li vacancies on codoping of Sm and U. Hence, we proposed the increase of the equatorial coordination number of UO22+ on the increase in the lithium vacancies in LTB. In addition, DFT supported the feasibility of efficient energy transfer (ET) due to the overlap of uranium and Sm3+ excited state levels. The influence of the same on the spectral features and UO22+ → Sm3+ energy transfer was investigated by time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) studies. The ET efficiency from the UO22+ to Sm3+ was 70.5% in 0.5 mol % codoped [Sm, U] LTB samples. The correlation of EXAFS and luminescence properties indicated a red shift in vibronic features of uranyl emission with increase in the equatorial coordination of the uranyl moiety from five to six. Additionally, a higher probability of ET was observed for uranyl speciation as UO8 hexagonal bipyramids. Temperature-dependent emissions and decay profiles were collected under uranyl excitation to investigate the thermal dependence of ET. A high energy barrier (Ea ∼ 4027 cm-1) was evaluated for the thermal quenching of Sm3+ emissions. This work provides insights into the modulation of luminescence and ET efficiency via structural changes in uranyl and Sm local environment in LTB phosphor.

ZnGa2-xAlxO4 (x = 0 ≤ 2) spinel for persistent light emission and HER/OER bi-functional catalysis

Spinel materials have demonstrated diverse applications in various fields, especially in the energy sector. Since the pure spinel structure has the limitations of poor inherent activity and low conductivity, defect engineering through octahedral B-site modulation is expected to enhance various properties. Here in this work, we have synthesized ZnGa2-xAlxO4 (x = 0 ≤ 2) spinel and moved from one terminal (ZnGa2O4) to the other (ZnAl2O4) by varying the Ga/Al ratio using solvent-free solid-state reaction. Dopant and rare earth element-free (RE) ZnGa2O4 spinel showed excellent blue luminescence with photoluminescent quantum yields (PLQY) of 13% while exhibiting persistent light emission close to 60 min. The Al3+ incorporation at Ga3+ site doesn't yield any improvement in persistent luminescence lifetime owing to quenching of shallow traps as suggested by thermoluminescence (TL) studies. Moreover our materials have demonstrated bifunctional electrocatalytic activity towards both oxygen evolution (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) which has never been reported for ZnGa2-xAlxO4. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) suggested that mixed Al/Ga-containing spinels possessed enhanced oxygen vacancies/defects. This makes them better electrocatalyst towards OER and HER compare to ZnGa2O4 and ZnAl2O4. The ZnGa1.75Al0.25O4 composition by virtue of enhanced oxygen vacancies and less charge transfer resistance (47.3 ohms) demonstrated best electrocatalytic activity for OER compared to the other synthesized catalysts at the same applied potential (1.6 V). On the other hand, the ZnGa1Al1O4 composition demonstrated excellent faradaic efficiency of ∼ 90% towards HER. From this work we can achieve multifunctional applications towards optoelectronics and electrocatalysis just by modulating Al/Ga ratio in ZnGa2-xAlxO4.

Synthesis and feasibility studies of doping U at Ti site of Y2Ti2O7 as a radioactive waste immobilization matrix

In pursuit of clean and green nuclear energy one of the major challenges is to effectively immobilize the nuclear waste. In this context A2B2O7 type pyrochlore owing to its structural flexibility, ability to accommodate ions at both A/B-sites and high radiation tolerance has demonstrated excellent capability to store highly radioactive actinide ions. To fill the major gap area of actinide doping at the B site we have taken up the challenge of doping uranium ions at the Ti site of Y2Ti2O7 type pyrochlore. An yttria titanate (Y2Ti2-xUxO7; x = 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) based matrix with uranium doped at the Ti site was synthesized using a simple gel combustion route under an air atmosphere. Rietveld refined X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrated that Y2Ti2O7 can accommodate U up to 5 mol% in the Ti site without any phase separation, which was further confirmed using Raman spectroscopy. Y2Ti2O7 based matrices are found to be radiation stable up to 1000 kGy and at the same time they are moderately thermally stable and on a par with the values reported for pyrochlores. Uranium in Y2Ti2O7 stabilizes in +6 oxidation state in the form of uranyl ion distributed near and far off from titanium vacancies with distinct excited state lifetime. This work could provide a smart and strategic way for selecting a suitable advanced ceramic matrix for immobilization of high level waste with additional and important information on solubility limit, actinide speciation, radiation/thermal stability, actinide concentration, etc.

Improved pearl millet genomes representing the global heterotic pool offer a framework for molecular breeding applications

High-quality reference genome assemblies, representative of global heterotic patterns, offer an ideal platform to accurately characterize and utilize genetic variation in the primary gene pool of hybrid crops. Here we report three platinum grade de-novo, near gap-free, chromosome-level reference genome assemblies from the active breeding germplasm in pearl millet with a high degree of contiguity, completeness, and accuracy. An improved Tift genome (Tift23D2B1-P1-P5) assembly has a contig N50 ~ 7,000-fold (126 Mb) compared to the previous version and better alignment in centromeric regions. Comparative genome analyses of these three lines clearly demonstrate a high level of collinearity and multiple structural variations, including inversions greater than 1 Mb. Differential genes in improved Tift genome are enriched for serine O-acetyltransferase and glycerol-3-phosphate metabolic process which play an important role in improving the nutritional quality of seed protein and disease resistance in plants, respectively. Multiple marker-trait associations are identified for a range of agronomic traits, including grain yield through genome-wide association study. Improved genome assemblies and marker resources developed in this study provide a comprehensive framework/platform for future applications such as marker-assisted selection of mono/oligogenic traits as well as whole-genome prediction and haplotype-based breeding of complex traits.

Ample Lewis Acidic Sites in Mg2B2O5 Facilitate N2 Electroreduction through Bonding-Antibonding Interactions

Extensive research on the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has put forward a sound list of potential catalyst materials with properties inducing N2 adsorption, protonation, and reduction. However, rather than a random selection of catalysts, it is essential to understand the vitals in terms of orbital orientation and charge distribution that actually manipulate the rate-determining steps of NRR. Realizing these factors, herein we have explored a main group earth-abundant Mg-based electrocatalyst Mg2B2O5 for NRR due to the abundance of Lewis acid sites in the catalyst favoring the bonding-antibonding interactions with the N2 molecules. Positron annihilation studies indicate that the electronic charge distribution within the catalyst has shallow surface oxygen vacancies. These features in the catalyst enabled a sound Faradaic efficiency of 46.4% at -0.1 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode for the selective NH3 production in neutral electrolyte. In situ Fourier transform infrared suggests a maximum N-N bond polarization at -0.1 V and detected H-N-H and -NH2 intermediates during the course of the NRR on the catalyst surface. In a broader picture, the biocompatibility of Mg2+ diversifies the utility of this catalyst material in N2/biofuel cell applications that would certainly offer a green alternative toward our goal of a sustainable society.

Adapting to transradial approach in cerebral angiography: Factors influencing successful cannulation

BACKGROUND

To evaluate factors that influence the successful cannulation of intracranial vessels using a transradial approach.

METHODS

A total of 61 transradial diagnostic angiograms were evaluated in a tertiary care center from July 2020 to December 2021. We evaluated the learning curve and aortic arch vessel factors that may influence the cannulation of intracranial major vessels using a transradial approach.

RESULTS

Learning curve for the procedure was established after 21 cases. We were successful in cannulating the supra-aortic arteries except in 4 cases where we were unable to cannulate the left VA (vertebral artery). Significant positive correlation was seen between time to Sim (Simmons curve) formation and aortic arch diameter (p = .002). Significant positive correlation was also seen between left VA take-off angle and time to cannulate left VA (p = .001) and negative correlation was noted between left CCA (common carotid artery) take-off angle and time to cannulate left CCA (p = .001).

CONCLUSION

Transradial approach is a feasible and safe approach for performing cerebral angiography. Multiple factors can influence the procedure time and successful cannulation of intracranial vessels. With the availability of radial specific hardware in the future, procedural success and time taken to complete the procedure may improve.

Stabilization of Eu2+ in Li2B4O7 with the BO3 network through U6+ co-doping and defect engineering

Owing to the unique 4f-5d transitions and the involvement of 5d electrons, the divalent europium (Eu²⁺) ion is extensively used as a dopant ion in luminescent materials for phosphor-converted light emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) and other technological applications. Earlier reports in most of the cases have shown that the reduction of Eu³⁺ to Eu²⁺ requires very high temperatures and large hydrogen flux. In this study, a co-doping strategy with higher valent U⁶⁺ ions was utilized to successfully stabilize Eu²⁺ ions in the Li₂B₄O₇ (LTB) host with both the BO₃ and BO₄ network in low H₂ flux of only 8%. It is postulated that charge transfer occurs from U to Eu, resulting in the reduction of the charged state of Eu and the reaction probably proceeds via the formation of paramagnetic transient [U⁵⁺-Eu³⁺] species in the co-doped LTB. The same is also believed to be facilitated by the enhanced formation of Li-O type vacancy clusters in co-doped samples and enhanced oxygen vacancies in a reducing atmosphere. We believe this work will pave a new pathway for stabilizing the unusual oxidation state of lanthanides and transition metal ions through co-doping with hexavalent uranium ions.

Oxygen vacancy and valence engineering in CeO2 through distinct sized ion doping and their impact on oxygen reduction reaction catalysis

Defect tuning in ceria to enhance its catalytic properties is a subject of great interest for the scientific community owing to the growing demand for catalytic materials in drug, automobile and chemical industries. Doping induced defect engineering was found to be one of the most sought out strategies particularly in oxides for achieving multifunctionality. Here, in this study, we have doped ceria with distinct sized trivalent rare-earth ions, namely, Y³⁺, Eu³⁺ and La³⁺, using combustion techniques. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) suggested enhanced defect density with doping in general and higher concentration of oxygen vacancies in La³⁺ doped ceria compared to Y³⁺ and Eu³⁺ counterparts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggested the existence of both Ce³⁺ and Ce⁴⁺, with the former having higher fraction in CeO₂:La³⁺ compared to CeO₂:Y³⁺. The electron transfer resistance (R_ct) reduced in all the doped samples when compared to undoped ceria and they demonstrated improved catalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The highest reduction in R_ct was seen in the 5% La doped sample owing to the very high concentration of oxygen vacancies and Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ ratio and CeO₂:5.0% La³⁺ showed the best performance towards ORR electrocatalysis. The studies are expected to help in further tuning the catalysts in terms of dopant concentrations, and in future work, the strategy will be to control the Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ ratio and see its implication in both catalytic and magnetic applications.

Metal Oxide Nanomaterials: From Fundamentals to Applications

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials, "Metal Oxide Nanomaterials: From Fundamentals to Applications", highlights the development and understanding of different types of metal oxide nanoparticles and their use for applications in luminescence, photocatalysis, water-oil separation, optoelectronics, gas sensors, energy-saving smart windows, etc [...].

Cumulative human health risk analysis of trihalomethanes exposure in drinking water systems

Chlorinated compounds on reaction with natural organic substances present in water leads to the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), a major type of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Trihalomethanes (THMs) are the most widely investigated DBPs in drinking water systems because of their carcinogenic potential and subsequent adverse effects on human health. This study investigated the effect of gastro-intestinal absorption factor on human health risk assessment. Monitoring and analysis of water quality parameters and THMs levels in drinking water treatment plants revealed that the average values (306.5 μg/L) exceeded the recommended US EPA guidelines of 80 μg/L. Spearman rank (rho) correlation coefficient indicated that dissolved organic carbon is the major parameter influencing THMs formation. Monte Carlo simulations base risk assessment study was conducted for three different exposure pathways. The observed human health risk exposure effects due to THMs were below the recommended USEPA level (1.0 × 10^-6) for both the drinking water treatment plants. Seasonal disparity on risk estimation analysis revealed higher risk in summer season followed by autumn which is principally due to high concentration of THMs in summers.

Design of need-based phosphors and scintillators by compositional modulation in the ZnGa2-xAlxO4:Cr3+ spinel: pure compound versus solid solutions

Materials that can depict persistent deep red light under both ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray illumination can be a boon to sustainable economy, particularly for optical imaging, solid state lighting, and anticounterfeiting applications. Herein, we have made a series of compounds starting from ZnGa₂O₄:Cr³⁺ to ZnAl₂O₄:Cr³⁺ (individual spinel) by substituting the varied concentration of Al³⁺ in place of Ga³⁺ in ZnGa_2-xAl_xO₄:Cr³⁺ (solid solution). By virtue of the structural and defect engineering doping strategy, the photo and radioluminescence are expected to be improved. Both Cr and Al doping was found to be energetically favorable in ZnGa₂O₄, where the same does not hold true for Ga doping in ZnAl₂O₄, as indicated by the DFT-calculated defect formation energies. There seems to be ordering around the dopant ion in the solid solutions compared to either ZnGa₂O₄ or ZnAl₂O₄ and is also reflected to as lower persistent luminescence (PerL) lifetimes. PerL under UV, in general. was found to be lower with the enhancement in the Al³⁺ content endowed by the formation of Cr-Cr ion pair, lower probability of antisite formation, and widening band gap. On the other hand, X-ray excited emission enhances in the solid solution due to the decrease in cation inversion and associated defects. Confocal Microscopy showed that larger particles depicted much brighter deep red emission but failed to percolate to the human cells to a detectable limit; hence, future work is needed for the functionalization of the ZnGa_2-xAl_xO₄:Cr³⁺ spinel. This work could be of great implication in designing need-based materials, where UV and X-ray excitation is required, for deep red emission with persistent characteristics from chromium-doped spinels.

Excitation-Dependent Photoluminescence of BaZrO3:Eu3+ Crystals

The elucidation of local structure, excitation-dependent spectroscopy, and defect engineering in lanthanide ion-doped phosphors was a focal point of research. In this work, we have studied Eu³⁺-doped BaZrO₃ (BZOE) submicron crystals that were synthesized by a molten salt method. The BZOE crystals show orange-red emission tunability under the host and dopant excitations at 279 nm and 395 nm, respectively, and the difference is determined in terms of the asymmetry ratio, Stark splitting, and intensity of the uncommon ⁵D₀ → ⁷F₀ transition. These distinct spectral features remain unaltered under different excitations for the BZOE crystals with Eu³⁺ concentrations of 0-10.0%. The 2.0% Eu³⁺-doped BZOE crystals display the best optical performance in terms of excitation/emission intensity, lifetime, and quantum yield. The X-ray absorption near the edge structure spectral data suggest europium, barium, and zirconium ions to be stabilized in +3, +2, and +4 oxidation states, respectively. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectral analysis confirms that, below 2.0% doping, the Eu³⁺ ions occupy the six-coordinated Zr⁴⁺ sites. This work gives complete information about the BZOE phosphor in terms of the dopant oxidation state, the local structure, the excitation-dependent photoluminescence (PL), the concentration-dependent PL, and the origin of PL. Such a complete photophysical analysis opens up a new pathway in perovskite research in the area of phosphors and scintillators with tunable properties.

Evaluation of Progesterone Receptor Antagonist and Maxi-K Channel Agonist as Neuroprotective in Feeney's Weight Drop Model of TBI

Background

Neuroprotection in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an unmet medical need.

Objective

We evaluated two agents, aglepristone (progesterone receptor antagonist) and N-salicyloyltryptamine (STP) (activator of Maxi-K channel in GH3 cells), for neuroprotection in Feeney's weight drop model of TBI.

Material and Methods

Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into six groups (n = 8 per group). A battery of six neurobehavioral tests was evaluated at the end of the first week (EO1W), second week (EO2W), and third week (EO3W). In addition, histopathological and immunohistochemistry (BAX, Bcl-2, and M30 Cytodeath) tests were performed at EO3W.

Results

Aglepristone at 10 mg/kg showed significant neuroprotection compared to control as assessed by Rota-rod test at EO1W, VEFP right paw and 28-point neurobehavioral test at EO2W, MWM test at EO3W, and positive histopathological and IHC findings. Aglepristone at 20 mg/kg showed negative results as assessed by BAX expression, downregulation of Bcl-2, and positive M30 Cytodeath, thereby suggesting toxicity at higher doses. STP 100 mg/kg showed modest neuroprotective activity but failed to show a dose-response relationship at a dose of 50 mg/kg.

Conclusion

The study shows that progesterone receptor antagonists have neuroprotection at lower doses and toxicity at higher doses.

Meta-analyses of the quantitative computed tomography data in dialysis patients show differential impacts of renal failure on the trabecular and cortical bones

Dialysis patients have compromised bone health that increases their fracture risk due to low bone mass and deterioration in bone microarchitecture. Through meta-analyses of published studies, we conclude that dialysis patients suffer from impaired compartmental bone parameters compared with healthy controls.

INTRODUCTION

We performed meta-analyses to determine the effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients under dialysis on the trabecular and cortical parameters of radius and tibia.

METHODS

This is a meta-analysis of cross-sectional and prospective clinical studies. PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus were searched using various permutation combinations. Dialysis patients were compared with non-CKD healthy controls using quantitative computed tomography. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) and pQCT data of dialysis patients were dissected from eligible studies for pooled analysis of each parameter.

RESULTS

Ten studies met the inclusion criteria that included data from 457 dialysis patients and 2134 controls. Pooled analysis showed a significant decrease (a) in total vBMD at distal radius [standard deviation of the mean (SDM) = -0.842, p = 0.000] and tibia (SMD = -0.705, p = 0.000) and (b) in cortical vBMD (SDM = -1.037, p = 0.000) at radius of dialysis patients compared with control. There were strong correlations between total vBMD and microarchitecture parameters at tibia in dialysis patients.

CONCLUSIONS

At radius and tibia, bone mass, microarchitecture, and geometry at trabecular and cortical envelopes displayed impairments in dialysis patients compared with control. Tibial vBMD may have diagnostic value in dialysis. HR-pQCT and pQCT may be used to further understand the compartmental bones response to CKD-induced loss at different stages of CKD.

Morphology-oxygen evolution activity relationship of iridium(iv) oxide nanomaterials

This work demonstrated shape tuning of IrO2 nanoparticles to nanocube and nanorods in molten salt and demonstrated the exemplary performance of IrO2 nanorods as an electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction even surpassing commercial IrO2.

Knowledge, attitudes, and perception of 398 cancer patients toward participation in clinical trials: A single-center study from New Delhi, India

Background and Objective:

Clinical trials are considered to be the gold standard research methodology for evaluating the efficacy and safety of healthcare interventions.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted using standardized self-administered questionnaires prepared by the research team and statistician. The questionnaires were offered to cancer patients presented at a tertiary care center.

Results:

We surveyed 398 cancer patients, 193 (48.5%) males and 205 (51.5%) females with a mean (±standard deviation) 55.39 (±13.59) of age in years. Out of total, only 59 (14.82%) had the prior knowledge of the clinical trial. Forty-three (10.80%) participants were willing to participate in clinical trials.

Conclusion:

Cancer patients had preconceived notions and myths that linger in our society that clinical trial participation will harm them. The researchers/oncologists need to explore the rationale, objectives, and benefits of taking part in clinical trials and make it easy to understand by cancer patients.

Structural, optical spectroscopy and energy transfer features of Tb3+-activated (Y, Gd)F3 nanophosphors for UV-based LEDs

A 15-fold intense green emission at 545 nm is observed in a Tb3+-activated (Y, Gd)F3 nanophosphor with high Tb3+ content and minimal Gd3+ concentration.

Innovator Filgrastim versus Generic Filgrastim in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Mobilization

Methods This is a retrospective study. G-CSF was administered in the dose of 10 μg/kg subcutaneous as a single dose for 4 days. On day 5, peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) apheresis was performed using Haemonetics MCS plus or COBE Spectra apheresis machine through a double-lumen central venous catheter. Primary outcome parameters were the total number of CD34+ HSCs/kg of recipient weight mobilized in peripheral blood and the number of days required for neutrophil and platelets engraftment, respectively.

Objective We compared the effectiveness and safety of innovator filgrastim versus generic filgrastim in patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).

Results A total of 91 stem cell mobilizations was analyzed. There were 58 normal healthy donors for allogeneic HSCT and 33 patients for autologous HSCT. There was no statistically significant difference among groups in terms of total collected CD34+ cells value ( p = 0.609). The mean time to neutrophil engraftment was 13.7 days in the innovator group and 13.2 days in the Grafeel group ( p = 0.518). The mean time to platelet engraftment was 16.2 days in the innovator group and 14.8 days in the generic group ( p = 0.435). The patient who received generic filgrastim had more febrile episodes during the course of transplantation ( p = 0.020).

Conclusion Generic filgrastim was found to be comparable to original filgrastim for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization in normal healthy donors for allogeneic HSCT and patients for autologous HSCT.

Defect engineering in trivalent ion doped ceria through vanadium assisted charge compensation: insight using photoluminescence, positron annihilation and electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Pair matching charge compensation with trivalent and pentavalent dopants in ceria was found to be an attractive strategy in engineering defects with minimal distortions in the lattice and obtaining enhanced catalytic properties. In the present study, charge compensation with a vanadium codopant in trivalent ion doped ceria is studied. Defect evolution in the trivalent ion doped ceria with vanadium codoping has been studied in CeO₂:Eu³⁺, CeO₂:La³⁺,Eu³⁺ and CeO₂:Y³⁺,Eu³⁺ systems and the choices of the dopant and co-dopant are triggered by their ionic radius. Eu³⁺ photoluminescence (PL) is used as a spectroscopic probe to monitor local structural changes around the dopants. Positron lifetime studies showed that oxygen vacancies formed due to trivalent ion doping are weakly associated when larger ions are doped and result in the formation of vacancy aggregates. Positron lifetime studies along with XRD studies show that vanadium codoping effectively removes the vacancies but the distortions are significant when the size mismatch between the pair match used for charge compensation is higher. Photoluminescence demonstrated that the oxygen vacancies associated with Eu are more effectively removed in the case of Y codoped samples. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) studies suggested that vanadium in excess over the stoichiometric concentration of the trivalent ion can lead to additional defects. These studies are expected to help in tuning the vacancy concentrations as well as controlling the lattice distortions for technological applications such as catalysis, ionic conductivity, etc.

Role of postoperative intact serum PTH as an early predictor of severe post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Post thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is a major sequel of thyroidectomy and continues to trouble the endocrinologists and the endocrine surgeons as there is no ideal predictive marker of hypocalcemia which has the potential to develop into a life-threatening complication. The role of early serum intact parathormone (iPTH) to predict post thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is becoming useful but the literature is still unclear regarding the optimal time of testing and the optimal cut-off value of serum iPTH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study of 111 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in a tertiary care endocrine surgery referral unit. Serum iPTH was measured after 20 min and 4 h of surgery. Receiver-Operator characteristic Curve (ROC) was used to find out of the best cut-off value of S. iPTH 20 min and 4 h after surgery in predicting hypocalcemia.

RESULTS

Hypocalcemia was noted in 60 (54%) out of 111 subjects who underwent total thyroidectomy. The best cut-off values of Serum iPTH to predict hypocalcemia was found to be 4.28 pmol/l at 20 min post total thyroidectomy with a sensitivity and specificity of 81.7% and 51%, respectively. In addition, patients with malignancy or central lymph nodal dissection were significantly over-represented in the hypocalcemia group with serum iPTH above the threshold level of 4.28 pmol/l. Below the cut off level, parenteral calcium supplementation was required in 23% (17/74) subjects while the rate was only 5.4% (2/37) patients when serum iPTH was above the cut-off level.

CONCLUSIONS

The decline of serum iPTH below a specific level after surgery has predictive value together with other factors strictly related to patient, the thyroid disease itself and surgery. The risk of development of hypocalcemia and consequent need for calcium supplementation should be evaluated by clinical assessment along with serum PTH measurement.

Multiphoton light emission in barium stannate perovskites driven by oxygen vacancies, Eu3+ and La3+: accessing the role of defects and local structures

Defect engineering in perovskites has been found to be the most efficient approach to manipulate their performance in ultraviolet-to-visible photon conversion. Under UV irradiation, BaSnO₃ exhibited multicolor photoluminescence (MCPL) in the bluish white region. Its origin has not been well studied in the literature and has been probed in this work using synchrotron radiation, positron annihilation and density functional theory. To achieve desirable performance of doped BaSnO₃ in optoelectronics, it is imperative to have correct information on the dopant local site, doping induced defect evolution and efficacy of host to dopant energy transfer (HDET). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) showed that Eu³⁺ ions stabilize at both Ba²⁺ and Sn⁴⁺ sites consistent with the highly negative formation energy of around -6.26 eV. Eu³⁺ doping leads to an intense ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ orange emission and a feeble ⁵D₀→⁷F₂ red emission and an internal quantum yield (IQY) of ∼21% mediated by ET from the defect level of Eu_Ba and Eu_Sn sites to the valence band maximum (VBM). X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) ruled out any role of Sn²⁺ in the PL of BaSnO₃ or Eu²⁺ in the PL of BaSnO3:Eu³⁺. Interestingly, when co-doped, Eu³⁺ stabilizes at Sn⁴⁺ sites whereas La³⁺ stabilizes at Ba²⁺ sites with a formation energy value of -6.44 eV. Based on the asymmetry ratio in emission spectra, it was found that La³⁺ ions lead to lowering of symmetry around Eu³⁺ due to increased vacancies and structural distortions, and also suppress the luminescence IQY. We have performed experimental positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) to probe the defects in BaSnO₃ in pristine samples and on doping/co-doping. The positron lifetimes for saturation trapping of positrons in various kinds of defects envisaged in BaSnO₃ and in the defect free system were calculated using the MIKA Doppler program. Such deep insight into the effect of local structures, dopant sites, defect evolution, ET, etc. on the optical properties of BaSnO₃ is expected to provide very deep insight for material scientists into the fabrication of perovskite-based optoelectronic and light-emitting devices.

Molten-Salt-Assisted Annealing for Making Colloidal ZnGa2 O4 :Cr Nanocrystals with High Persistent Luminescence

Persistent luminescent nanocrystals (PLNCs) in the sub-10 nm domain are considered to be the most fascinating inventions in lighting technology owing to their excellent performance in anti-counterfeiting, luminous paints, bioimaging, security applications, etc. Further improvement of persistent luminescence (PersL) intensity and lifetime is needed to achieve the desired success of PLNCs while keeping the uniform sub-10 nm size. In this work, the concept of molten salt confinement to thermally anneal as-synthesized ZnGa₂ O₄ :Cr³⁺ (ZGOC) colloidal NCs (CNCs) in a molten salt medium at 650 °C is introduced. This method led to significantly monodispersed and few agglomerated NCs with a much improved photoluminescence (PL) and PersL intensity without much growth in the size of the pristine CNCs. Other strategies such as i) thermal annealing, ii) overcoating, and iii) the core-shell strategy have also been tried to improve PL and PersL but did not improve them simultaneously. Moreover, directly annealing the CNCs in air without the assistance of molten salt could significantly improve both PL and PersL but led to particle heterogeneity and aggregation, which are highly unsuitable for in vivo imaging. We believe this work provides a novel strategy to design PLNCs with high PL intensity and long PersL duration without losing their nanostructural characteristics, water dispersibility and biocompatibility.

Genetic Gains in Pearl Millet in India: Insights Into Historic Breeding Strategies and Future Perspective

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum R. Br.) is an important staple and nutritious food crop in the semiarid and arid ecologies of South Asia (SA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In view of climate change, depleting water resources, and widespread malnutrition, there is a need to accelerate the rate of genetic gains in pearl millet productivity. This review discusses past strategies and future approaches to accelerate genetic gains to meet future demand. Pearl millet breeding in India has historically evolved very comprehensively from open-pollinated varieties development to hybrid breeding. Availability of stable cytoplasmic male sterility system with adequate restorers and strategic use of genetic resources from India and SSA laid the strong foundation of hybrid breeding. Genetic and cytoplasmic diversification of hybrid parental lines, periodic replacement of hybrids, and breeding disease-resistant and stress-tolerant cultivars have been areas of very high priority. As a result, an annual yield increase of 4% has been realized in the last three decades. There is considerable scope to further accelerate the efforts on hybrid breeding for drought-prone areas in SA and SSA. Heterotic grouping of hybrid parental lines is essential to sustain long-term genetic gains. Time is now ripe for mainstreaming of the nutritional traits improvement in pearl millet breeding programs. New opportunities are emerging to improve the efficiency and precision of breeding. Development and application of high-throughput genomic tools, speed breeding, and precision phenotyping protocols need to be intensified to exploit a huge wealth of native genetic variation available in pearl millet to accelerate the genetic gains.

White light emission from co-doped La2Hf2O7 nanoparticles with suppressed host → Eu3+ energy transfer via a U6+ co-dopant

This work highlights white light emission from La₂Hf₂O₇:Eu³⁺ nanoparticles assisted by uranium co-doping to restrict energy transfer from the host oxygen vacancy to the Eu³⁺ dopant.

Slurry-phase ethylene polymerization processes: a review on multiscale modeling and simulations

Slurry polymerization processes using Zeigler–Natta catalysts, are most widely used for the production of polyethylene due to their several advantages over other processes. Significant advancements have been made in the modeling of these processes to obtain high-quality final products. The modeling work in this field has a very wide scope due to the great diversity of the catalyst types, polymerization processes, polymerization conditions, product qualities and microstructures that exist at the commercial scale. In this article, we have reviewed and discussed the slurry polymerization processes for the production of polyethylene and the multiscale modeling and simulation framework in slurry reactors. The multiscale modeling framework mainly comprises of the kinetic model, single-particle diffusion models, multiphase hydrodynamics, phase equilibria, reactor residence time distribution and the overall mass and heat balances. Guidelines to implement the multiscale mathematical modeling and simulation in slurry-phase olefin polymerization processes are proposed. Special focus is given on the need to reduce the computational effort for the simulation of industrial reactors so that the models can be used as an effective tool-kit for optimization studies using state-of-art algorithms.

Clinical utility of procalcitonin in bacterial infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND

Infections are major contributor to morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing bone marrow transplant (BMT).

OBJECTIVE

To assess role of serum procalcitonin (PCT) as a useful biomarker for the infections and outcomes in these patients.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study.

RESULTS

Total 47 patients with febrile episodes were enrolled. Twenty patients underwent autologous BMT and 27 underwent allogeneic BMT. Bacterial infections were documented in 18/47 (38%) patients. Forty patients were neutropenic. The median fever duration was 10 days (range 3-30 days) in positive procalcitonin level group whereas it was 4 days (range 1-18) in negative group. This was statistically significant (P=0.000). Procalcitonin levels were high in 8/9 episodes of sepsis (P=0.029). Intensive care unit transfers and death were significantly higher in PCT positive group as compared to PCT negative group.

CONCLUSION

Serum procalcitonin levels provide prognostic information of worse outcome in patients undergoing HSCT.

Effect of Oxide Ion Distribution on a Uranium Structure in Highly U-Doped RE2Hf2O7 (RE = La and Gd) Nanoparticles

Rare-earth based A₂B₂O₇ compounds have been considered as potential host materials for nuclear waste due to their exceptional chemical, physical, capability of accommodating high concentration of actinides at both A- and B-sites, negligible leaching, tendency to form antisite defects, and radiation stabilities. In this work, La₂Hf₂O₇ (LHO) and Gd₂Hf₂O₇ (GHO) nanoparticles (NPs) were chosen as the RE-based hafnates to study the structural changes and the formation of different U molecular structures upon doping (or alloying) at high concentration (up to 30 mol %) using a combined coprecipitation and molten-salt synthesis. These compounds form similar crystal structures, i.e., ordered pyrochlore (LHO) and disordered fluorite (GHO), but are expected to show different phase transformations at high U doping concentration. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement results show that the LHO:U NPs have high structural stability, whereas the GHO:U NPs exhibit a highly disordered structure at high U concentration. Alternatively, the vibrational spectra show an increasingly random oxygen distribution with U doping, driving the LHO:U NPs to the disordered fluorite phase. X-ray spectroscopy indicates that U is stabilized as different U⁶⁺ species in both LHO and GHO hosts, resulting in the formation of oxygen vacancies stemming from the U local coordination and different phase transformation. Interestingly, the disordered fluorite phase has been reported to have increased radiation tolerance, suggesting multiple benefits associated with the LHO host. These results demonstrate the importance of the structural and chemical effect of actinide dopants on similar host matrices which are important for the development of RE-based hafnates for nuclear waste hosts, sensors, thermal barrier coatings, and scintillator applications.