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Abstract To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of three minimally invasive (MI) techniques in removing deep dentin carious lesions. Forty extracted carious molars were treated by conventional rotary excavation (control), chemomechanical caries removal agent (Brix 3000), ultrasonic abrasion (WOODPECKER, GUILIN, China); and Er, Cr: YSGG laser ablation (BIOLASE San Clemente, CA, USA). The assessments include; the excavation time, DIAGNOdent pen, Raman spectroscopy, Vickers microhardness, and scanning electron microscope combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX). The rotary method recorded the shortest excavation time (p

Abstract Recently, Nanoparticles have supplied diverse challenges to several scientific issues. Nanoparticles dispersed in a variety of conventional fluids can change the flow and heat transmission properties of the fluids. The mathematical technique is used in this work to investigate the MHD water-based nanofluid flow via an upright cone. The heat and mass flux pattern is used in this mathematical model to examine MHD, viscous dissipation, radiation, chemical reactions and suction/injection processes. The finite difference approach was used to find the solution to the basic governing equations. A combination of nanofluids comprising nanoparticles including aluminum oxide (Al $$_{2}$$ 2 O $$_{3}$$ 3 ), silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and titanium dioxide (TiO $$_{2}$$ 2 ) with a volume fraction of nanoparticles (0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04), viscous dissipation ( $$\epsilon = 0.4, 0.8$$ ϵ = 0.4 , 0.8 ), MHD (M = 0.5, 1.0), radiation (Rd = 0.4, 1.0, 2.0), chemical reaction ( $$\lambda = 0.2, 2.0$$ λ = 0.2 , 2.0 ) and heat source/sink ( $$\Delta = -3, -2 ,0.5 , 1$$ Δ = - 3 , - 2 , 0.5 , 1 ) . The mathematical findings of velocity, temperature, concentration, skin friction, heat transfer rate as well as Sherwood number distributions are analyzed diagrammatically using non-dimensional flow parameters. It has been discovered that by increasing the value of the radiation parameter, velocity and temperature profiles enhance. The production of safe, high-quality products for consumers across the world depends on vertical cone mixers, from food to medicine, household cleansers to personal hygiene products. Every vertical cone mixer type we provide was especially developed to meet the demands of industry. As the mixer warms up on the slanted surface of the cone while vertical cone mixers are being utilized, the effectiveness of the grinding may be felt. The temperature is transferred along the cone’s slant surface as a consequence of the mixture being mixed quickly and repeatedly. This study describes the heat transmission in these events and their parametric properties. The heated cone’s temperature is then convective to its surroundings.

Abstract The heat transport characteristics, flow features, and entropy-production of bi-convection buoyancy induced, radiation-assisted hydro-magnetic hybrid nanofluid flow with thermal sink/source effects are inspected in this study. The physical characteristics of hybrid nanofluids (water-hosted) are inherited from the base liquid (water) and none has considered the physical characteristics of base liquid (water) in the study of temperature-sensorial hybrid nanofluid investigations, though the water physical characteristics are not constants in temperature variations. So, the temperature-sensorial attributes of base liquid (water) are taken into account for this hybrid nanofluid ( $$Cu+{Al}_{2}{O}_{3}+\text{water}$$ C u + Al 2 O 3 + water ) flow analysis. The mathematical forms of the flow configuration (i.e., the set of coupled, nonlinear PDE form of governing equations) are solved by utilizing the subsequent tasks: (i) congenial transformation; (ii) quasilinearization; (iii) methods of finite differences to form block matrix system, and (iv) Varga’s iterative algorithm. The preciseness of the whole numerical procedure is ensured by restricting the computation to follow strict convergence conditions. Finally, the numerically extracted results representing the impacts of various salient parameters on different profiles ( $$F, G, H$$ F , G , H ), gradients, and entropy production are exhibited in physical figures for better perception. A few noticeable results are highlighted as: velocity graph shows contrast behaviour under assisting and opposing buoyancy; temperature ( $$G(\xi ,\eta )$$ G ( ξ , η ) ) is dropping for heightening heat source ( $$Q$$ Q ) surface friction remarkably declines with the outlying magnetic field ( $$St$$ St ); thermal transport confronts drastic abatement under radiation ( $${R}_{1}$$ R 1 ), and $$St$$ St ; the characteristics Reynolds and Brinkman numbers promote entropy. Furthermore, the bounding surface acts as a strong source of $${S}_{G}$$ S G -production. Summarizations are listed at the end to quantify percentage variations.

Abstract Crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells have dominated the photovoltaic industry for decades. However, due to high reflectivity and the presence of numerous types of surface contaminants, the solar cell only absorbs a limited amount of the incident solar radiation. To improve the efficiency of the solar cell, anti-reflection and self-cleaning coatings must be applied to the surface. The main objective of this work is to synthesize an amorphous carbon nitride CNx thin film as a novel dual-function anti-reflection coating (ARC) for c-Si solar cells. The CNx film was synthesized by the RF magnetron sputtering technique and characterized by different chemical, structural, and optical analysis techniques. The performance of CNx film was investigated via measuring the reflectance, photoelectric conversion efficiency, and external quantum efficiency. The minimum reflectance was 0.3% at 550 nm wavelength, and the external quantum efficiency achieved was more than 90% within the broad wavelength range. The open circuit voltage and short circuit current density that have been achieved are 578 mV and 33.85 mAcm−2, respectively. Finally, a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 13.05% was achieved with the coated c-Si solar cell in comparison with 5.52% for the uncoated c-Si solar cell. This study shows that CNx films have promising application potential as an efficient ARC for c-Si solar cells as compared to traditional ARC materials.

Abstract The entropy production and mixed convection within a trapezoidal nanofluid-filled cavity having a localised solid cylinder is numerically examined using the finite element technique. The top horizontal surface moving at a uniform velocity is kept at a cold temperature, while the bottom horizontal surface is thermally activated. The remaining surfaces are maintained adiabatic. Water-based nanofluids ( $$\text {Al}_2\text {O}_3$$ Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles) are used in this study, and the Boussinesq approximation applies. The influence of the Reynolds number, Richardson number, nanoparticles volume fraction, dimensionless radius and location of the solid cylinder on the streamlines, isotherms and isentropic are examined. The results show that the solid cylinder’s size and location are significant control parameters for optimising the heat transfer and the Bejan number inside the trapezoidal cavity. Furthermore, the maximum average Nusselt numbers are obtained for high R values, where the average Nusselt number is increased by 30% when R is raised from 0 to 0.25.

Biologically mediated synthesis of nanomaterials has emerged as an ecologically benign and biocompatible approach. Our study explores enzymatic synthesis, utilizing α-amylase to synthesize ZnO nanoflowers (ZnO-NFs). X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed crystal structure and elemental composition. Dynamic light scattering analysis indicates that ZnO-NFs possess a size of 101 nm. Transmission electron microscopy showed a star-shaped morphology of ZnO-NFs with petal-like structures. ZnO-NFs exhibit potent photocatalytic properties, degrading 90% eosin, 87% methylene blue, and 81% reactive red dyes under UV light, with kinetics fitting the Langmuir-Hinshelwood pseudo-first-order rate law. The impact of pH and interfering substances on dye degradation was explored. ZnO-NFs display efficient bacteriocidal activity against different Gram-positive and negative strains, antibiofilm potential (especially with P. aeruginosa), and hemocompatibility up to 600 ppm, suggesting versatile potential in healthcare and environmental remediation applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

r, s, t-spherical fuzzy (r, s, t-SPF) sets provide a robust framework for managing uncertainties in decision-making, surpassing other fuzzy sets in their ability to accommodate diverse uncertainties through the incorporation of flexible parameters r, s, and t. Considering these characteristics, this article explores sine trigonometric laws to enhance the applicability and theoretical foundation for r, s, t-SPF setting. Following these laws, several aggregation operators (AOs) are designed for aggregation of the r, s, t-SPF data. Meanwhile, the desired characteristics and relationships of these operators are studied under sine trigonometric functions. Furthermore, we build a group decision-making algorithm for addressing multiple attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problems using the developed AOs. To exemplify the applicability of the proposed algorithm, we address a practical example regarding laptop selection. Finally, parameter analysis and a comprehensive comparison with existing operators are conducted to uncover the superiority and validity of the presented AOs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Due to the fuzziness of the medical field, q-rung orthopair fuzzy 2-tuple linguistic (q-RF2L) set is the privileged way to aid medical professionals in conveying their assessments in the patient prioritization problem. The theme of the present study is to put forward a novel approach centered around the merging of prioritized averaging (PA) and the Maclaurin symmetric mean (MSM) operator within q-RF2L context. According to the prioritization of the professionals and the correlation among the defined criteria, we apply both PA and MSM to assess priority degrees and relationships, respectively. Keeping the pluses of the PA and MSM operators in mind, we introduce two aggregation operators (AOs), namely q-RF2L prioritized Maclaurin symmetric mean and q-RF2L prioritized dual Maclaurin symmetric mean operators. Meanwhile, some essential features and remarks of the proposed AOs are discussed at length. Based on the formulated AOs, we extend the weighted aggregated sum product assessment methodology to cope with q-RF2L decision-making problems. Ultimately, to illustrate the practicality and effectiveness of the stated methodology, a real-world example of patients' prioritization problem is addressed, and an in-depth analysis with prevailing methods is performed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The emergence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4) among clinically relevant bacteria has promoted significant concerns, as tigecycline is considered a last-resort drug against serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. We herein focused on the isolation and molecular characterization of tet(X4)-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in wild bird populations with anthropogenic interaction in Faisalabad, Pakistan. A total of 150 birds including black kites (Milvus migrans) and house crows (Corvus splendens) were screened for the presence of tigecycline resistance K. pneumoniae and E. coli. We found two K. pneumoniae and one E. coli isolate carrying tet(X4) originating from black kites. A combination of short- and long-read sequencing strategies showed that tet(X4) was located on a broad host range IncFII plasmid family in K. pneumoniae isolates whereas on an IncFII-IncFIB hybrid plasmid in E. coli. We also found an integrative and conjugative element ICEKp2 in K. pneumoniae isolate KP8336. We demonstrate the first description of tet(X4) gene in the WHO critical-priority pathogen K. pneumoniae among wild birds. The convergence of tet(X4) and virulence associated ICEKp2 in a wild bird with known anthropogenic contact should be further investigated to evaluate the potential epidemiological implications. The potential risk of global transmission of tet(X4)-positive K. pneumoniae and E. coli warrant comprehensive evaluation and emphasizes the need for effective mitigation strategies to reduce anthropogenic-driven dissemination of AMR in the environment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) and sepsis are major health problems, annually claiming millions of lives. Traditional blood culture techniques, employed to identify sepsis-causing pathogens and assess antibiotic susceptibility, usually take 2-4 days. Early and accurate antibiotic prescription is vital in sepsis to mitigate mortality and antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to reduce the wait time for sepsis diagnosis by employing shorter blood culture incubation times for BD BACTEC™ bottles using standard laboratory incubators, followed by real-time nanopore sequencing and data analysis. The method was tested on nine blood samples spiked with clinical isolates from the six most prevalent sepsis-causing pathogens. The results showed that pathogen identification was possible at as low as 10 2 -10 4  CFU/mL, achieved after just 2 h of incubation and within 40 min of nanopore sequencing. Moreover, all the antimicrobial resistance genes were identified at 10 3 -10 7  CFU/mL, achieved after incubation for 5 h and only 10 min to 3 h of sequencing. Therefore, the total turnaround time from sample collection to the information required for an informed decision on the right antibiotic treatment was between 7 and 9 h. These results hold significant promise for better clinical management of sepsis compared with current culture-based methods., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The idea of probabilistic q-rung orthopair linguistic neutrosophic (P-QROLN) is one of the very few reliable tools in computational intelligence. This paper explores a significant breakthrough in nanotechnology, highlighting the introduction of nanoparticles with unique properties and applications that have transformed various industries. However, the complex nature of nanomaterials makes it challenging to select the most suitable nanoparticles for specific industrial needs. In this context, this research facilitate the evaluation of different nanoparticles in industrial applications. The proposed framework harnesses the power of neutrosophic logic to handle uncertainties and imprecise information inherent in nanoparticle selection. By integrating P-QROLN with AO, a comprehensive and flexible methodology is developed for assessing and ranking nanoparticles according to their suitability for specific industrial purposes. This research contributes to the advancement of nanoparticle selection techniques, offering industries a valuable tool for enhancing their product development processes and optimizing performance while minimizing risks. The effectiveness of the proposed framework are demonstrated through a real-world case study, highlighting its potential to revolutionize nanoparticle selection in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) industry. Finally, this study is crucial to enhance nanoparticle selection in industries, offering a sophisticated framework probabilistic q-rung orthopair linguistic neutrosophic quantification with an aggregation operator to meet the increasing demand for precise and informed decision-making., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the exploration of sustainable and eco-friendly materials well-suited for advanced applications in the realms of thermoelectrics and optoelectronics. Lead-free halide double perovskites have emerged as a compelling class of materials in this context. Nevertheless, despite their potential utility, thorough investigations into their thermal transport characteristics remain limited. In this systematic investigation, we employ density functional theory (DFT) and post-DFT techniques to elucidate the essential stability parameters, transport properties, and carrier-lattice interactions of the metal halide-based Cs 2 MGaBr 6 (X = Li, Ga) double perovskites. Our assessment of structural stability involves a meticulous description of stability index parameters and the optimization of pristine structures using the GGA-PBE potential. Additionally, we calibrate the electronic structure while taking spin-orbit coupling (SOC) effects into consideration by using a combination of GGA and GGA + mBJ potentials. Our findings reveal that the TB-mBJ derived band gaps of 1.82 eV and 1.78 eV for Cs 2 LiGaBr 6 and Cs 2 NaGaBr 6 reside within the visible spectrum, prompting further investigation into their thermal transport characteristics. Moreover, we analyze the phonon characteristics and vibrational modes, extending our investigation to examine the electron-phonon coupling strength. The scrutiny of the Fröhlich coupling constant and the Feynman polaron radius unveils a stronger electron-phonon coupling strength. In the domain of thermoelectrics, the significant figure of merit (zT) values of 1.08 and 1.04 for Cs 2 LiGaBr 6 and Cs 2 NaGaBr 6 , respectively, emphasize the considerable potential of these materials for deployment in renewable energy applications. Furthermore, our computational investigation into optical properties, including the dielectric constant, optical absorption, and refractive index, demonstrates optimal performance within the visible spectrum. Specifically, elevated absorption coefficient values of 30 × 10 4 cm - 1 for Cs 2 LiGaBr 6 and 40 × 10 4 cm - 1 for Cs 2 NaGaBr 6 are noted across visible and infrared spectra, highlighting their promising potential in optoelectronic and solar cell technologies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

q-ROPFLS, including numeric and linguistic data, has a wide range of applications in handling uncertain information. This article aims to investigate q-ROPFL correlation coefficient based on the proposed information energy and covariance formulas. Moreover, considering that different q-ROPFL elements may have varying criteria weights, the weighted correlation coefficient is further explored. Some desirable characteristics of the presented correlation coefficients are also discussed and proven. In addition, some theoretical development is provided, including the concept of composition matrix, correlation matrix, and equivalent correlation matrix via the proposed correlation coefficients. Then, a clustering algorithm is expanded where data is expressed in q-ROPFL form with unknown weight information and is explained through an illustrative example. Besides, detailed parameter analysis and comparative study are performed with the existing approaches to reveal the effectiveness of the framed algorithm., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The q-rung orthopair linguistic set (q-ROLS), a combined version of linguistic term sets and q-rung orthopair fuzzy set, is an efficient mathematical tool to accomplish the imprecise information while solving the decision-making problems. Under this environment, we propose additional operations and relations to deal with the decision information, and some properties are well proved. Furthermore, we propound some cosine similarity measures and weighted cosine similarity measures for q-ROLSs based on the traditional cosine similarity measures with a brief study of related properties. In the proposed similarity measures, various linguistic scale functions are utilized in order to take into account the semantics of linguistic terms. Besides this, we employ the stated q-rung orthopair linguistic similarity measures to multi-criteria group decision making problems, in which the weights of DMs are delineated by the projection of individual decisions on the ideal decision results. At last, a numerical example is used to demonstrate the practicality of the suggested technique, and its efficacy is validated by comparison with prevailing techniques. The suggested method's sensitivity and stability analyses are also provided., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Gynura procumbens is a medicinal herb that contains bioactive compounds that can relieve coughs and prevent liver cancer. Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) was suggested as one of the techniques that can be used to extract the valuable compounds from the G. procumbens. SFE was widely applied in extracting medicinal ingredients from herbs. However, most of them were performed only at the laboratory scale. Moreover, study to increase the yield performance, economic studies and safety assessments of the SFE process were also performed; however, these tests were conducted individually. Moreover, to date, there is no integration study between all the factors stated for determining the overall performance of SFE with herbs specifically G. procumbens. The integration between all the factors is beneficial because the data on the overall performance can assist in developing the SFE process with G. procumbens at the pilot or industrial scale. Therefore, this study incorporated a multifactor approach to measure the overall performance of the SFE process towards G. procumbens by using a rating and index approach. A summary of factors, such as the solubility of G. procumbens in CO 2 , operational cost and safety assessment elements, were taken into consideration as the main influences that determine the overall performance index of this study. I performance or overall performance of SFE from G. procumbens was successfully assessed and compared with response surface methodology (RSM). Overall, the results from I performance exhibit satisfactory solubility values when compared to the optimized value from RSM when considering the lowest operational costs in the safest SFE environment., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Sleep problems in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) emerge early in development, yet the origin remains unclear. Here, we characterise developmental trajectories in sleep onset latency (SOL) and night awakenings in infants at elevated likelihood (EL) for ASD (who have an older sibling with ASD) and infants at typical likelihood (TL) for ASD. Further, we test whether the ability to gate tactile input, using an EEG tactile suppression index (TSI), associates with variation in SOL and night awakenings. Parent-reported night awakenings and SOL from 124 infants (97 at EL for ASD) at 5, 10 and 14 months were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Compared to TL infants, infants at EL had significantly more awakenings and longer SOL at 10 and 14 months. The TSI predicted SOL concurrently at 10 months, independent of ASD likelihood status, but not longitudinally at 14 months. The TSI did not predict night awakenings concurrently or longitudinally. These results imply that infants at EL for ASD wake up more frequently during the night and take longer to fall asleep from 10 months of age. At 10 months, sensory gating predicts SOL, but not night awakenings, suggesting sensory gating differentially affects neural mechanisms of sleep initiation and maintenance., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The normal wiggly dual hesitant fuzzy set (NWDHFS) is a modern mathematical tool that can be used to express the deep ideas of membership and non-membership information hidden in the thought-level of decision-makers (DMs). To enhance and expand the applicability of NWDHFSs, this study originates several types of distance and similarity measures between two NWDHFSs. The present paper first revises the basic operational laws of normal wiggly dual hesitant fuzzy elements (NWDHFEs) and then generalizes the rule of length extension for normal wiggly dual hesitant fuzzy setting. Meanwhile, we introduce a variety of distance and similarity measures under the background of NWDHFSs. After that, a family of weighted distance and similarity measures based on NWDHFS is presented and analyzed for discrete and continuous cases. The stated measures are the extension of several existing measures and have the capability to handle uncertain and vague information with a wider range of information. DMs can select the most suitable alternative based on these measures by determining the gap between each alternative and the ideal one. Finally, a practical example concerning disease detection is addressed to demonstrate the applicability and merits of the developed theory and depict the differences between the presented distance and similarity measures., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

We studied variation in adaptive traits and genetic association to understand the low P responses, including the symbiotic association of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization in Oryza species (O. sativa, O. nivara, and O. rufipogon). In the present experiment, we performed the phenotypic variability of the morphometric and geometric traits for P deficiency tolerance and conducted the association studies in GLM and MLM methods. A positive association between the geometric trait of the top-view area and root traits suggested the possibility of exploring a non-destructive approach in screening genotypes under low P. The AMOVA revealed a higher proportion of variation among the individuals as they belonged to different species of Oryza and the NM value was 2.0, indicating possible gene flow between populations. A sub-cluster with superior-performing accessions had a higher proportion of landraces (42.85%), and O. rufipogon (33.3%) was differentiated by four Pup1-specific markers. Association mapping identified seven notable markers (RM259, RM297, RM30, RM6966, RM242, RM184, and PAP1) and six potential genotypes (IC459373, Chakhao Aumbi, AC100219, AC100062, Sekri, and Kumbhi Phou), which will be helpful in the marker-assisted breeding to improve rice for P-deprived condition. In addition, total root surface area becomes a single major trait that helps in P uptake under deficit P up to 33% than mycorrhizal colonization. Further, the phenotypic analysis of the morphometric and geometric trait variations and their interactions provides excellent potential for selecting donors for improving P-use efficiency. The identified potential candidate genes and markers offered new insights into our understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms driving PUE and improving grain yield under low-P conditions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Currently, human identification is a challenge. Migration due to war, economic crisis or other factors is frequent. The wisdom teeth are the last teeth to initiate and complete development therefore, are fundamental for determining the legal age of majority in different countries. The aim of the study is to determine the validity of two methods based on mineralisation of the third molar to predict the ages of majority of individuals in a Spanish population. Orthopantomographies of 636 men and 750 women (mean age, 16.5 years) were analysed. The Demirjian and Cameriere methods were used, and each tooth was assigned a value according to the degree of mineralisation and maturation. The level of significance used in the analyses was 5% (α = 0.05), with a power of 96.2%. The predictive ability of the Demirjian method to determine 18 years of age in the lower wisdom teeth 93%, respectively. The Cameriere method has a predictive capacity of 88%. There are no statistically significant differences between men and women. Stage H and a cut-off point of 0.08 were the guiding values for determining the age of majority of the study population. For other proposed age ranges (14 and 16 years), both methods were useful in determining the actual age of individuals, with the Demirjian method having a sensitivity of 97.5% with and Cameriere having a predictive capacity of 95%. Both methods can be used with high reliability to determine the age of individuals where reliable documentation is unavailable. Stage H with the Demirjian method and a cut-off point of 0.08 with the Cameriere method can determine the age of majority of the Spanish population. The combination of the two methods does not substantially increase predictive ability., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Magnetic achiral planar microswimmers can be massively fabricated at low cost and are envisioned to be useful for in vivo biomedical applications. To understand locomotion in representative in vivo environments, we investigated the swimming performance of achiral planar microswimmers in methylcellulose solutions. We observed that these microswimmers displayed very similar swimming characteristics in methylcellulose solutions as in water. Furthermore, this study indicated that the range of precession angles increased as the concentration of MC solution increased. Last, it was demonstrated that achiral planar microswimmers with similar precession angles exhibited nearly the same dimensionless speeds in different concentrations of the methylcellulose solutions. Upon understanding swimmer kinematics, more effective control over the achiral planar microswimmers can be achieved to perform multiple biomedical tasks in in vivo environments., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

To better understand the early response of genotypes to limited-phosphorus (P) conditions and the role of the phosphate transporter OsPHT1 gene family in the presence of PSTOL1, it is essential to characterize the level of tolerance in rice under limited-P conditions. In the present experiment, six rice genotypes were studied in three-way interactions [genotype (G) × phosphorus (P) × duration (D)] by comparing them at two instances (14 d and 28 d) under seven different concentrations of P (0.5‒10.0 ppm) in a hydroponic system. Trait differences and interactions of these traits were clearly distinguished among the various P rates. However, aboveground trait expression registered increased growth from 6.0 to 10.0 ppm of P. The major root-attributed traits in 0.5 ppm of P are significantly increased vis-à-vis 10 ppm of P. Analysis of variance displayed a significant difference between the genotypes for PSTOL1 and PHT1 expression. In low P, maximum root length with a shoot and root dry weight was observed in a new indigenous accession, IC459373, with higher expression of PSTOL1 than in Dular and IR64-Pup1 in 0.5 ppm of P at 14 d. Among the 13 PHT1 genes, OsPT1, OsPT2, OsPT6, and OsPT13 showed significant upregulation in IC459373, Dular, and IR64-Pup1. These results indicated that studying the expression levels of the PSTOL1 and PHT1 gene family at the early growth stages would be helpful in identifying superior donors to improve low-P tolerance and P-use efficiency in rice breeding programs.

Therapeutic approaches to combat type 1 diabetes (T1D) include donor pancreas transplantation, exogenous insulin administration and immunosuppressive therapies. However, these clinical applications are limited due to insufficient tissue compatible donors, side effects of exogenous insulin administration and/or increased onset of opportunistic infections attributable to induced global immunosuppression. An alternative approach to alleviate disease states is to utilize insulin-producing pancreatic islets seeded in a bioscaffold for implantation into diabetic recipients. The present studies now report that a newly developed cationic polymer biomaterial serves as an efficient bioscaffold for delivery of donor syngeneic pancreatic islet cells to reverse hyperglycemia in murine streptozotocin induced- or non-obese diabetic mouse models of T1D. Intraperitoneal implantation of pancreatic islets seeded within the copolymer bioscaffold supports long-term cell viability, response to extracellular signaling cues and ability to produce soluble factors into the microenvironment. Elevated insulin levels were measured in recipient diabetic mice upon implantation of the islet-seeded biomaterial coupled with reduced blood glucose levels, collectively resulting in increased survival and stabilization of metabolic indices. Importantly, the implanted islet-seeded biomaterial assembled into a solid organoid substructure that reorganized the extracellular matrix compartment and recruited endothelial progenitors for neovascularization. This allowed survival of the graft long-term in vivo and access to the blood for monitoring glucose levels. These results highlight the novelty, simplicity and effectiveness of this biomaterial for tissue regeneration and in vivo restoration of organ functions.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical ability of Near-Infrared Light-Transillumination (NILT) for approximal dentinal caries detection and to compare with direct digital-radiography (DDR), as well as to determine whether the combination of both techniques improves the diagnostic capacity of the lesions. From 88 patients (over 18 years), 138 posterior teeth (76 molars and 62 premolars), that had approximal caries reached into dentine determined by DDR, were included. Lesion extension and DDR images were scored as follows: D0 = sound surface, D1/D2 = caries restricted to the outer/inner-half of the enamel, and D3/4 = caries restricted to the outer/inner-half of the dentin. Opening of the approximal surface using 0.5 mm-in-diameter diamond-bar was used as gold-standard. The lesion extension was then determined by the following criteria: no dentinal caries (D0/1/2) or dentinal caries (D3/4). Seventy-one lesions were D3 and 67 lesions were D4. Sensitivities of overall/D3/D4 were 98.0/95.7/100.0 (NILT) and 100/100/100 (DDR), respectively. Correlations with gold-standard were 0.92 (NILT) and 0.42 (DDR), respectively. The correlation increased to 0.97 (p = 0.045) on combining NILT and DDR. There was no difference in sensitivity between the methods (p > 0.05); but was differences in the correlation (p < 0.01). It can be concluded that NILT showed sensitivity similar to that of DDR and higher correlation than DDR for approximal dentinal caries detection. Accordingly, it may be used to monitor the progression of caries without exposing the patient to ionizing radiation, this being of particular interest in growing patients and in pregnant women. In this respect, NILT can be an effective diagnostic tool adjunctive to bitewing radiographs in detecting approximal dentinal caries. The combination of NILT and DDR represents an increase in the diagnosis of approximal lesions The proposed diagnostic protocol comprises visual examination, followed by NILT and DDR only if the former technique detects approximal caries.

Dental esthetics need to be defined from the scientific perspective in order to obtain predictable treatment outcomes and avoid the effects of subjectivisms on the part of the dental profesional. It can be deduced that the ideal dimensions in the maxillary anterior sector are difficult to establish. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to define the dimensions of the maxillary anterior teeth and the relationships between them. In addition, an analysis was made to reinvestigate whether they complied with the Golden proportion, the RED (Recurrent Esthetic Dental) proportion and the Golden percentage. A total of 2304 tooth corresponding to 384 subjects were evaluated. The central incisor presented a mean width of 8.58 mm and a height of 9.35 mm, while the lateral incisor presented a width of 6.69 mm and a height of 7.75 mm. The mean width of the canine was 7.69 mm, with a height of 8.68 mm. The teeth revisited in this study did not comply with the ideal dimensions in the anterior maxillary sector as established by the Golden proportion, Golden percentage and RED. The information obtained from this study can be clinically applied to restore the dimensions during periodontal surgery, restorative dentistry and prosthetic rehabilitation.

Current saliva testing methods rely on cutting edge yet expensive techniques for the detection and analysis of genetic material, proteins and biomarkers for clinical use. However, these techniques are limited in scope and often cannot be used with complex food materials. We propose an efficient ex-vivo tool for evaluating biologically relevant interactions between food components and human saliva using sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC). We evaluated macromolecular content from "unstimulated" (US) and "stimulated" (SS) samples pooled from 5 healthy volunteers. Over 90% of total saliva protein consisted of α-amylase and mucin, and up to 10% was secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA). It was shown that α-amylase concentration increased upon parafilm stimulation, which lead to a decrease in the viscosity of saliva. Then, we used a simple food system (green tea) to evaluate changes in the salivary protein content caused by green tea polyphenols. It was found that aroma release from green tea is highly influenced by interactions between α-amylase and polyphenol epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG). This interaction was found to increase the viscosity of the salivary bulk, suggested to contribute to astringency, and increased the concentrations of β-ionone, benzaldehyde and isovaleraldehyde (P < 0.01), suggested to play a significant role in the characteristic flavour of green tea.

Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have potential therapeutic application in neuropathologies associated with decrease in function or loss of nAChRs. In this study, we characterize the pharmacological interactions of the nAChRs PAM, LY2087101, with the α4β2 nAChR using mutational and computational analyses. LY2087101 potentiated ACh-induced currents of low-sensitivity (α4)3(β2)2 and high-sensitivity (α4)2(β2)3 nAChRs with similar potencies albeit to a different maximum potentiation (potentiation I max  = ~840 and 450%, respectively). Amino acid substitutions within the α4 subunit transmembrane domain [e.g. α4Leu256 and α4Leu260 within the transmembrane helix 1 (TM1); α4Phe316 within the TM3; and α4Gly613 within TM4] significantly reduced LY2087101 potentiation of (α4)3(β2)2 nAChR. The locations of these amino acid residues and LY2087101 computational docking analyses identify two LY2087101 binding sites: an intrasubunit binding site within the transmembrane helix bundle of α4 subunit at the level of α4Leu260/α4Phe316 and intersubunit binding site at the α4:α4 subunit interface at the level of α4Leu256/α4Ile315 with both sites extending toward the extracellular end of the transmembrane domain. We also show that desformylflustrabromine (dFBr) binds to these two sites identified for LY2087101. These results provide structural information that are pertinent to structure-based design of nAChR allosteric modulators.

Rice eating and cooking quality and protein content (PC) are important properties affecting consumers' preferences, nutrition and health. Linkage QTL mapping and association studies are usually applied to genetically dissect related traits, which could be further facilitated by high density SNP markers and gene annotation based on reference genome to rapid identify candidate genes associated with interested traits. Here, we carried out an association study for apparent amylose content (AC), gel consistency (GC), gelatinization temperature (GT) and PC evaluated in two environments using a diverse panel of 258 accessions from 3 K Rice Genome Project. Wide phenotypic variations were observed in this panel. Genome-wide association study using 22,488 high quality SNPs identified 19 QTL affecting the four traits. Combining gene-based association study and haplotype analyses plus functional annotation allowed us to shortlist nine candidate genes for four important QTL regions affecting AC, GC and GT, including two cloned genes (Wx and ALK), and seven novels. The research suggested that GWAS and gene-based association analysis followed by haplotype analysis is an effective way to detect candidate genes. The identified genes and QTL provided valuable sources for future functional characterization and genetic improvement of rice eating and cooking quality and PC.

Wirelessly controlled nanoscale robots have the potential to be used for both in vitro and in vivo biomedical applications. So far, the vast majority of reported micro- and nanoscale swimmers have taken the approach of mimicking the rotary motion of helical bacterial flagella for propulsion, and are often composed of monolithic inorganic materials or photoactive polymers. However, currently no man-made soft nanohelix has the ability to rapidly reconfigure its geometry in response to multiple forms of environmental stimuli, which has the potential to enhance motility in tortuous heterogeneous biological environments. Here, we report magnetic actuation of self-assembled bacterial flagellar nanorobotic swimmers. Bacterial flagella change their helical form in response to environmental stimuli, leading to a difference in propulsion before and after the change in flagellar form. We experimentally and numerically characterize this response by studying the swimming of three flagellar forms. Also, we demonstrate the ability to steer these devices and induce flagellar bundling in multi-flagellated nanoswimmers.

Desmosomes are adhesion plaques that mediate cell-cell adhesion in many tissues, including the epidermis, and generate mechanical resistance to tissues. The extracellular domains of desmosomal cadherin proteins, desmogleins and desmocollins, are required for the interaction with cadherins of the neighbouring cells, whereas their cytoplasmic tails associate with cytoplasmic proteins which mediate connection to intermediate filaments. Disruption of desmosomal adhesion by mutations, autoantibodies or bacterial toxins results in severe human disorders of e.g. the skin and the heart. Despite the vital role of desmosomes in various tissues, the details of their molecular assembly are not clear. We here show that the two members of the flotillin protein family directly interact with the cytoplasmic tails of desmogleins. Depletion of flotillins in human keratinocytes results in weakened desmosomal adhesion and reduced expression of desmoglein-3, most likely due to a reduction in the desmosomal pool due to increased turnover. In the absence of flotillins, desmoglein-3 shows an altered localisation pattern in the cell-cell junctions of keratinocytes, which is highly similar to the localisation observed upon treatment with pemphigus vulgaris autoantibodies. Thus, our data show that flotillins, which have previously been connected to the classical cadherins, are also of importance for the desmosomal cell adhesion.

Terahertz technologies recently emerged as outstanding candidates for a variety of applications in such sectors as security, biomedical, pharmaceutical, aero spatial, etc. Imaging the terahertz field, however, still remains a challenge, particularly when sub-wavelength resolutions are involved. Here we demonstrate an all-optical technique for the terahertz near-field imaging directly at the source plane. A thin layer (<100 nm-thickness) of photo carriers is induced on the surface of the terahertz generation crystal, which acts as an all-optical, virtual blade for terahertz near-field imaging via a knife-edge technique. Remarkably, and in spite of the fact that the proposed approach does not require any mechanical probe, such as tips or apertures, we are able to demonstrate the imaging of a terahertz source with deeply sub-wavelength features (<30 μm) directly in its emission plane.