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Characterization of soil water retention, e.g., water content at field capacity (FC) and permanent wilting point (PWP) over a landscape plays a key role in efficient utilization of available scarce water resources in dry land agriculture; however, direct measurement thereof for multiple locations in the field is not always feasible. Therefore, pedotransfer functions (PTFs) were developed to estimate soil water retention at FC and PWP for dryland soils of India. A soil database available for Arid Western India (N=370) was used to develop PTFs. The developed PTFs were tested in two independent datasets from arid regions of India (N=36) and an arid region of USA (N=1789). While testing these PTFs using independent data from India, root mean square error (RMSE) was found to be 2.65 and 1.08 for FC and PWP, respectively, whereas for most of the tested ‘established’ PTFs, the RMSE was >3.41 and >1.15, respectively. Performance of the developed PTFs from the independent dataset from USA was comparable with estimates derived from ‘established’ PTFs. For wide applicability of the developed PTFs, a user-friendly soil moisture calculator was developed. The PTFs developed in this study may be quite useful to farmers for scheduling irrigation water as per soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a highly tunable film bulk acoustic wave resonator (TFBAR) using magnetostrictive (MS) Fe65Co35 thin films in acoustic layer stack. The resonator acoustic layer stack consists of Pt/ZnO/Fe65Co35 layers to tune the devices. Due to $\Delta {E}$ effect, TFBAR resonance frequency was up-shifted ~106.9 MHz (4.91%) in the presence of 2-kOe magnetic field. From experimental measurement, $\Delta {E}$ enhancement was estimated to be ~35 GPa. Further, it is observed that return loss (${S}_{{11}}$), phase response, and quality factor were improved in the presence of magnetic field. This improvement is due to the field-induced stiffness in the magnetic layer. Equivalent-modified Butterworth–Van Dyke (mBVD) circuit model was developed and fit with the experimental data, and circuit parameters were extracted. The proposed resonator is compact, low loss, power efficient, and highly tunable. This method also facilitates a new method of tuning FBAR devices using MS thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fabrication of ternary polymer blend thin films by spray coating. • Effect of electric field on FRET in polymer-polymer thin film. • Absorption, photoluminescence and transient absorption confirmed the FRET. • Maximum PCE observed 6.86% at an applied voltage of 750 V. Thin films of the ternary polymer blend (donors PCE-10 and PCDTBT with the acceptor PC 71 BM in chlorobenzene) were fabricated by using spray coating technique without and with applied voltage to the nozzle during deposition. The increased absorption range from 400 nm to 800 nm indicates that Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is occurring for the films deposited under the electric field. This is also supported by photoluminescence measurements and suggesting that under the applied voltage the orientation of polymer chains are changing at desired distances to facilitate FRET phenomenon to occur due to repulsion between uniformly charged ultrafine droplets. The size of droplets further reduced at higher applied voltage. Absorption, photoluminescence, femtosecond transient absorption spectra and Kinetics traces were recorded to elucidate the role of applied DC voltages during the deposition of these films on photovoltaic performance of bulk heterojunction organic solar cell. The effect of FRET in polymer-polymer thin film under applied voltage during the deposition is observed, which indicates enhancement in the power conversion efficiency with the maximum value of 6.86% (J sc of 15.81 mA/cm2 and V oc of 0.77 V) at an applied voltage of 750 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the band gap tuning and facilitated charge transport at perylenediimide (PDI)/GaN interface in organic–inorganic hybrid nanostructure system over flexible titanium (Ti) foil. Energy levels of the materials perfectly align and facilitate high efficiency charge transfer from electron rich n-GaN to electron deficient PDI molecules. Proper interface formation resulted in band gap tuning as well as facilitated electron transport as evident in I–V characteristics. Growth of PDI/GaN hybrid system with band gap tuning from ultra-violet to visible region and excellent electrical properties open up new paradigm for fabrication of efficient optoelectronics devices on flexible substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured zinc oxide sensing film was deposited on the Si/SiO2/Pt substrate by the RF magnetron sputtering process. The film was characterized by FESEM (field-emission scanning electron microscope) and XRD (X-ray diffraction) for their morphology and structural analysis. The FESEM results show that the film morphology is in nanophase with an average nanostructure size of ~ 50 nm. XRD results show that the film is polycrystalline. The AFM (atomic force microscopy) and Raman spectroscopy were done to analyze the surface roughness and the structural properties of the film, respectively. FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) was used to analyze the presence of ZnO. Further, the ZnO nanostructure film has been explored for pH sensing for pH (4–12). The sensitivity of the film was found to be 31.81 mV/pH. The drift characteristics of the film were also done to find out the stability of the film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-tissue colonizing bacteria demonstrated with multiple PGP traits from sorghum plants were identified as Ochrobactrum sp. EB-165, Microbacterium sp. EB-65, Enterobacter sp. EB-14 and Enterobacter cloacae strain EB-48 on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Here, the in vivo experiments using ½-MS media and ½-MS media + 15% PEG 8000 (for inducing drought stress) indicated stress tolerance imparting ability of these rhizobacterial endophytes in a non-stay green and senescent genotype (R-16) of sorghum. In the experiment with sterile soilrite mix base, seed bacterization with these isolates showed improved plant growth specifically the roots, in terms of root length (~ 44.2 to 50.8% over controls), root dry weight (~ 91.3 to 99.8% over controls) and root surface area (~ 1 to 1.5 fold over controls) under drought stress. Rhizobacterial endophytes were successful, not only in providing better cellular osmotic adjustment in leaves (≥ 1-fold increase in proline accumulation over controls), but favorable physiological responses like Relative Water Content (RWC) and cell Membrane Stability Index (MSI) in the inoculated plants during the drought stress induction. Up-regulation of drought responsive genes like sbP5CS2 and sbP5CS1 was observed in these endophytes-treated plants as compared to untreated control and Escherichia coli DH5α (negative control)-treated plants. Interestingly, the stress imparting traits of rhizobacterial endophytes, including up-regulation of specific genes, were observed during sorghum seedling growth only under drought stresses. The results of this study lead to the conclusion that the potential endophytic rhizobacterial interactions can contribute to plant growth promotion as well as induced stress tolerance in sorghum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fullerene derivatives (C60 and C70) have been widely used in excitonic solar cells due to their exceptional electron accepting properties and low reorganization energies. In recent years, a wide variety of fullerene-based n-type materials have been developed, showing tremendous potential in the field of organic photovoltaics. However, only a few studies have been performed on heteroatom bearing methanofullerenes and their opto-electronic properties for use as n-type organic semiconductor materials. In the present study, we report the synthesis of two mono-substituted methanofullerene derivatives, i.e., C60-Th (Product 1) and C60-TPA (Product 2), with a heteroatom (S and N, respectively) in the exohedral chain attached via an ethylene linker to the cyclopropane ring, and a comprehensive study of their photophysical and electrochemical properties. The methanofullerene derivatives have been synthesized using an amine-assisted cycloaddition (AACA) reaction method. The structures of the synthesized products were established via different spectroscopic techniques. Reasonable quenching efficiencies were observed with respect to the fluorescence emission in mixtures with the donor polymer P3HT using both methanofullerenes. The electron transport properties were evaluated through fabricating electron-only devices, and 10 and 6 times higher mobilities were found compared to PC61BM for Products 1 and 2, respectively. Finally, the charge transfer properties were evaluated in mixtures with P3HT via transient absorption spectroscopy to study the ultrafast charge separation and formation of long-lived charge-separated states. The study suggests that both the products show excellent electron transport properties and the formation of longer-lived charge-separated states in mixtures with the donor polymer for use as n-type materials for organic solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cu2O nanoparticles having average crystallite diameters ∼8–16 nm were synthesized by a simple solvothermal method. The Mn was doped in the Cu2O sample of crystallite size ∼8 nm. The effects of the size and doping concentration on the crystal structures of the nanoparticles were investigated. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies clearly showed that the Mn was incorporated into the Cu2O lattice as Mn2+ due to the substitution of the Cu+ ions by Mn2+ ions. The quantum confinement effects were observed in the nanoparticles. The multiple emissions from the Cu2O were quenched in the Mn doped nanoparticles and only blue light emitting Cu2O nanoparticles were obtained due to the transition 4T2→6A1 of Mn. The effects of the doping concentration and the particle size on the relaxations dynamics of the Cu2O nanoparticles were mainly investigated using photoluminescence decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of gas sensors with ppb level concentration experiences profound challenges. In this research, Lanthanum (La)-Zinc Oxide (ZnO)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites were successfully fabricated and loaded on a flexible polyimide substrate where interdigitated electrodes (thickness: 300 µ m and spacing: 300 µ m) were prepared using a laser carbonation technique for room temperature (RT) carbon monoxide (CO) gas detection. The synthesized composites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, UV – visible spectrophotometry, x-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. When compared to the La-ZnO composite, the addition of MWCNTs on the synthesized composite-based sensor exhibited ∼8 times higher response than La-ZnO to 100 ppm CO at 27 °C. The response of the La-ZnO/MWCNTs composite sensors to 20 ppm CO was tested at six different relative humidity (RH) levels ranging from 0% to 90% in the increments of 20% RH. These sensors exhibited humidity tolerant properties, as evidenced by their responses to different humidity levels. Even when exposed to 90% RH, the sensor only showed ∼13% reduction in response compared to 0% RH, indicating that it is a humidity tolerant sensor. Furthermore, the La-ZnO/MWCNTs sensor has excellent selectivity and can detect low CO concentrations of 100 ppb. As a result, the proposed high-performance flexible sensor has a lot of potential for use in wearable devices to sense CO gas at RT for trace level detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ageing is a complex, natural process. Due to structural and physiological changes that occur as a consequence of intrinsic and extrinsic aging, the elderly population is highly susceptible to dermatological disorders. These changes are associated with significant morbidity and stress. Hence, it is important to have a better understanding of the dermatological needs of elderly patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern and frequency of geriatric dermatoses in patients attending the Skin Outpatient Department (OPD) at a tertiary care centre. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy at BPS Government Medical College for Women, Khanpur Kalan (Sonepat), Haryana, India, from September 2022 to February 2023. A total of 300 patients aged 60 years and above, of either sex, who consented to participate were enrolled. Detailed history taking and dermatological examinations were performed, and relevant investigations were carried out. Data was collected, entered into a Microsoft Excel sheet, and analysed for frequency, percentage, and mean of variables. Results: Out of the total 300 patients, 155 (51.66%) were males and 145 (48.33%) were females. The majority of patients belonged to the age group of 60-69 years (n=171, 57%). Wrinkling (n=287, 95.66%) was the most common physiological skin finding, followed by dry skin (n=157, 52.33%). Among pathological dermatoses, infectious dermatoses were present in (n=134, 44.66%) patients, followed by eczemas (n=92, 30.66%). Papulosquamous disorders were seen in (n=17, 5.66%) patients. Hypertension was the most common systemic illness present in (n=53, 17.66%) patients. Conclusion: Physiological and pathological skin changes in the elderly are a common cause of consultation in dermatology OPD. Physiological changes were seen in all patients. Among pathological changes, infections were the leading dermatoses, followed by eczemas and papulosquamous disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2019, the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended shared clinical decision-making (SCDM) for use of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) among immunocompetent elderly adults. The impact of SCDM on PCV13 use in this population, immunocompromised persons, and vulnerable subgroups has not been well documented. Using Medicare Research Identifiable Files (01/2018 – 09/2020), monthly uptake of pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine [PPSV23]) was identified among fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥ 65 years with Part B coverage and no evidence of prior PCV13. Uptake was stratified by vaccine, risk profile, and demographics. Among the > 12 M beneficiaries included each month, PCV13 uptake declined from > 70% of pneumococcal vaccinations before SCDM to < 60% after SCDM (02/2020). Reductions in PCV13 uptake were consistent across vulnerable subgroups as well as immunocompromised persons. PCV13 use decreased among immunocompetent and immunocompromised persons alike, despite continued routine PCV13 recommendation for the latter group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management and water scarcity are two unprecedented challenges to humanity. In recent years, steady growth has been observed in the development of different technologies for the treatment of industrial wastewater. However, conducting a quantitative analysis of literature published on rubber wastewater treatment is still a novelty. In this study, bibliometric and content analysis techniques are used to analyse literature related to rubber wastewater, published during the last 5 decades to unearth research trends in this field. For this, the Web of Science database was used to extract 462 relevant records. The parameters analysed in this analysis are annual publication output, publication patterns, leading countries and leading organisations. Furthermore, to map the research trends of the field, content analysis was also performed and the most frequent keywords, as well as research fronts of the field, were highlighted. Results show that about 48% of the literature was published during the last 5 years. Water Science & Technology and Bioresource Technology were spotted as the most famous journals. Furthermore, conducting kinetic studies and using silver nanoparticles, due to their exceptional antimicrobial properties, to enhance overall wastewater treatment performance are found research fronts in this field. The use of membranes to treat rubber wastewater has emerged as a promising option. However, some key challenges such as high installation and maintenance cost, membrane fouling and low membrane efficacy still need to be resolved. Furthermore, mathematical modeling and simulation of membrane technologies require further attention from the research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigofera oblongifolia Forssk. locally known as 'Goilia or Jhil', is an important underutilized leguminous browse shrub for small ruminants in hot arid region of India and traditionally utilized for its medicinal value. Its irregular patchy distribution was observed in depression of rocky areas, bunds of farmer fields and along the depression on the road sides in Jaisalmer and Pali district during collection. Soil samples collected from Pali district have high level of pH and electrical conductivity as compared to Jaisalmer which indicates its suitability to saline areas. It exhibited good plant growth under Jodhpur conditions with respect to plant height (171.5 cm), number of branches (47.9) and canopy diameter (100–210 and 115–180 cm in north-south and east-west direction, respectively) after 12 months of planting in fields under protected condition. Morphological characterization showed the presence of high coefficient of variation (%) in the number of raceme per branch (27.3) followed by raceme length (22.9), pod length (21.0) and least in pod width (8.1). Phytochemical results revealed that leaves of I. oblongifolia contained considerable amounts of total phenols (31.44 mg g−1), flavonoids (29.73 mg g−1) and antioxidant capacity (6.26 FRU g−1) which make its suitability as a browse species to ruminants in rangelands. Along with these finding, its traditional knowledge and utilization are detailed in this paper as to hasten further research on its various aspects for its sustainable utilization in rangelands or in alternate land use systems in the Indian hot arid region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Circadian rhythm prepares the plants for upcoming challenges by anticipating daily environmental and seasonal changes. • Circadian clocks consist of various transcriptional and translational feedback loops that are conserved across plant species. • Circadian clock regulates multiple pathways such as photosynthesis, seed germination, hypocotyl elongation, stomatal movement, flowering and senescence. • Plant defense responses such as various biotic and abiotic stresses are also fine tuned by circadian rhythm. • Knowledge of circadian clock machinery will help in the crop domestication as well as will enhance the growth and fitness of plant. Plants have internal timekeeper known as a circadian clock that anticipates environmental cues such as light, temperature and regulates photoperiodic rhythmicity for the proper growth and fitness of the plants. The timing of the rhythms depends on the interaction between the external signal of the surrounding and internal systems of the organism. Initially, circadian clock was known to consist of only three modules i.e. input pathway, central oscillator and output pathway but recent studies showed that circadian clock consists of various complex transcriptional and translational feedback loops. Here we comprehensively summarize the molecular basis of the clock, various clock components and their regulation, input signals and their entrainment. In addition, we also discussed the output pathways in connection to development, biotic and abiotic stress resistance. In this review detail and updated knowledge of clock components and their regulation will help in the understanding of synchronization of plant's internal machinery with environmental signals as well as boost plant's fitness level thereby enhanced immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigates theoretically and numerically the entropy generation in time-dependent free-convective third-grade viscoelastic fluid convection flow from a vertical plate. The nondimensional conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy are solved using a Crank–Nicolson finite difference method with suitable boundary conditions. Expressions for known values of flow-variables coefficients are also derived for the wall heat transfer and skin friction and numerically evaluated. The effect of Grashof number, Prandtl number, group parameter (product of dimensionless temperature difference and Brinkman number) and third-grade parameter on entropy heat generation is analyzed and shown graphically. Bejan line distributions are also presented for the influence of several control parameters. The computations reveal that with increasing third-grade parameter, the entropy generation decreases and Bejan number increases. Also, the comparison graph shows that contour lines for third-grade fluid vary considerably from the Newtonian fluid. The study is relevant to non-Newtonian thermal materials processing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response by Prateek Agarwal and colleagues to a letter to the editor about their article on cerebral venous thromobosis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is presented.

The article presents a study on the treatment of fractures of tibia in dog with the use of circular external skeletal fixators (CEF). It says that under normal pre-operative preparation, the fractured fragments were reduced to normal position by closed reduction technique. It adds that post-operative treatment followed for 5 days wherein Cefazolin sodium was injected. It states that the animal started bearing weight partly while walking after one day of surgery but marked limping was observed.

Current widespread and intensive soil degradation in India has been driven by unprecedented levels of population growth, large‐scale industrialization, high‐yield agriculture, urban sprawl and the spread of human infrastructure. The damage caused to managed and natural systems by soil degradation threatens livelihoods and local services and leads to national socio‐economic disruption. Human‐induced soil degradation results from land clearing and deforestation, inappropriate agricultural practices, improper management of industrial effluents and wastes, careless management of forests, surface mining, urban sprawl, and ill‐planned commercial and industrial development. Of these, inappropriate agricultural practices, including excessive tillage and use of heavy machinery, over‐grazing, excessive and unbalanced use of inorganic fertilizers, poor irrigation and water management techniques, pesticide overuse, inadequate crop residue and/or organic carbon inputs, and poor crop cycle planning, account for nearly 40% (121 Mha) of land degradation across India. Globally, human activities related to agriculture contribute to the transgression of four of the nine Planetary Boundaries proposed by Rockström et al. (2009): Climate Change, Biodiversity Integrity, Land‐system Change, and altered Phosphorus and Nitrogen Biogeochemical Flows. This review focuses on how knowledge of soil processes in agriculture has developed in India over the past 10 years, and the potential of soil science to meet the objectives of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger (End hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), using the context of the four most relevant Planetary Boundaries as a framework. Solutions to mitigate soil degradation and improve soil health in different regions using conservation agricultural approaches have been proposed. Thus, in this review we (1) summarize the outputs of recent innovative research in India that has explored the impacts of soil degradation on four Planetary Boundaries (Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Land‐system Change, and altered Biogeochemical Flows of Phosphorus and Nitrogen) and vice‐versa; and (2) identify the knowledge gaps that require urgent attention to inform developing soil science research agendas in India, to advise policy makers, and to support those whose livelihoods rely on the land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slow evaporation solution growth technique (SEST) was used to successfully grow inorganic single crystals of sodium sulphamate (NaS) in ambient conditions. The titled crystal's structural and optical characteristics were evaluated using a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used to examine the crystal structure characteristics. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, the optical properties of the NaS crystal were carefully examined, and the optical bandgap was determined using Tauc's plot. The HR-XRD analysis examined crystalline perfection. Additionally, photoluminescence spectroscopy determined the emission spectra, and time-resolved photoluminescence measured the decay rate. The Z -scan technique was also used to examine the titled crystal's nonlinear optical (NLO) performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In indium phosphide quantum dots (InP QDs), the presence of surface states due to unbonded indium or phosphorus atoms quenches its photoluminescence (PL) efficiencies. Hence, it is imperative to passivate these surface states to achieve high photoluminescence efficiencies of InP nanocrystals. In this work, a novel post-synthesis nascent H chemical treatment to enhance the quantum yield of single-pot, wet chemical route synthesized InP QD's is reported for the first time. The main advantages of this post-synthesis treatment are: (i) it is easy, inexpensive and reproducible and (ii) it does not involve harsh chemical treatment viz. dipping of InP QDs in HF-based solutions, nor it requires annealing at high temperatures which may be detrimental to the fragile structure of InP. The significant increment in PL intensity upon aforementioned hydrogen treatment is due to the passivation of surface states and structural recrystallization mechanism that promotes radiative recombination of electrons and holes and hence higher lifetime values. An enhancement in PL intensity of as-synthesized InP QDs upon nascent hydrogen treatment is quite remarkable and is even better than that accomplished by InP-ZnS core-shell QDs with similar size-distribution. The hydrophobicity of H-treated InP QD's is found to be more than untreated InP thus implying higher compactness and structural rigidity similar to as achieved by InP-ZnS core-shell QDs. Mechanisms related to nascent hydrogen treatment, photo-oxidation and PL enhancement and its effect on the surface stoichiometry of InP QDs are discussed via structural, morphological, compositional and optical studies corroborated by various complementary techniques viz. SEM, HRTEM, EDAX,NMR, DLS, Zeta Potential, Contact Angle, PL and Transient Absorption respectively. The application of InP films as a humidity sensor has been demonstrated and untreated InP film in particular shows higher sensitivity values upon exposure to humid treatment as compared with H-treated InP and InP-ZnS core-shell QD's respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research article, the transient radiative free convective hydromagnetic Casson fluid flow past a vertical cylinder with entropy heat generation is analysed numerically. The mathematical model of this problem is constituted by highly time-dependent non-linear coupled equations and they are resolved by an efficient unconditionally stable implicit scheme. The time histories of average values of momentum and heat transport coefficients, entropy generation and Bejan number, as well as the steady-state flow variables are discussed for several values of non-dimensional parameters arising in the flow equations. The results indicate that entropy generation parameter and Bejan number upsurges with rising values of Casson fluid parameter, viscous dissipation parameter, group parameter and Grashof number, whereas the reverse trend is observed for radiation and magnetic parameters. Also, it is viewed that the variation of entropy and Bejan lines occurs in the proximity of the hot cylindrical wall only. Finally, a comparison between the Casson and Newtonian fluid is made based on the obtained numerical results of the present study and this has important implications in industrial thermal materials processing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the design methodology of the heater for an indirectly-heated oxide-coated-cathode of a 3 MW S-Band Pulse Magnetron. The temperature coefficient of resistance of 97%Tungsten – 3%Rhenium (W97-Re3) wire has been experimentally estimated. A value in the range of 3.07 × 10−3– 3.43 × 10−3per °C has been estimated over the temperature range of 863–1439 °C. An approach to design the heater has been evolved in order to ensure quality, reliability, and long life of high power magnetrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fullerene–porphyrin dyad system has gained increasing interest because of not only their interesting optoelectronic properties but also their applications in single-material organic solar cells. In the present work, two non-metallated fullerene–porphyrin dyads are prepared, viz, H2P1-C60 (dyad I) and H2P2-C60 (dyad II), where the modes of attachment on fullerene are different, i.e. via 1,3-dipolar cyclopropanation reaction in dyad I and Prato reaction in dyad II. We compare the photophysical and thermally activated conducting properties of these two non-metallated dyads in solution as well as in film to establish the better mode of attachment for dyad preparation with exotic properties. Both the dyads are structurally characterized by FT-IR, NMR and HRMS. Photophysical studies reveal that for dyad II, the reaction rate of charge separation is much higher than for dyad I (0.62 × 109 s−1vs. 0.32 × 109 s−1) in nonpolar solvent. Moreover, dyad II shows higher quenching of porphyrin emission than dyad I (90% vs. 70%) due to faster deactivation of singlet excited state by photoinduced charge transfer between porphyrin and fullerene. The reaction rate for charge transfer (kET(CS)) for dyad II is found to be maximum with lowest activation energy value as compared to dyad I. Excited-state electronic interactions in solution as well as in film have been studied by transient absorption spectroscopy to identify charge separated states. Finally, both the dyads are tested for their thermally activated electrical conductivity where dyad II shows an increase in conductivity with increase in temperature, which is reversible. Thus, dyad II is found to be an excellent material with interesting photophysical and electronic properties that can be beneficial in various applications such as organic solar cells and sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite LaFeO 3 is regarded as one of the promising photocatalysts for solar splitting of water to hydrogen and oxygen due to its suitable band edge positions, visible light absorbance, and high chemical stability. To further improve its photocatalytic performance of LaFeO 3 , the effects of solute concentration in the KCl-flux growth and partial A – and B –site substitution are investigated in this work. Controlling the solute concentration in the range of 1–20 mol% is crucial to grow phase-pure LaFeO 3 crystals with idiomorphic shape. With increasing the solute concentration, the flux-based growth route gradually changes to a solid state-based growth route because of a decrease in solubility and an increase in the crystallization core number. The La 1− x Sr x Fe 1− y Ti y O 3 ( x,y = 0,0; 0,0.15; 0.15,0; 0.1125,0.0375; 0.0375,0.1125; and 0.075,0.075) crystals were also synthesized by a KCl-flux method to explore the effect of partial Sr 2+ -to-La 3+ and/or Ti 4+ -to-Fe 2−4+ substitution on photocatalytic performance of LaFeO 3 . The Sr 2+ –Ti 4+ co-substitution is found to enhance the photocatalytic performance of LaFeO 3 as compared with the corresponding individual substitution (Sr 2+ or Ti 4+ ). The highest photocatalytic hydrogen generation rate (83.2 μmol h −1 ) was observed for Pt-photodeposited La 0.925 Sr 0.075 Fe 0.925 Ti 0.075 O 3 crystals in 5-h reaction due to the improvement of both bulk properties and photoactivity and the reduction in both grain boundaries and lattice defects stemmed from the Sr 2+ –Ti 4+ co-substitution and KCl flux growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied surface chemical states of Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 TiO 3 (BST) thin films as a function of high energy photon doses. BST thin films were deposited on Si substrates by Sputtering technique and post irradiations were carried out with high energy 60 Co gamma radiation. Core-level and Fermi-level spectra were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The gamma-ray irradiated BST films showed a higher binding energy shift of Ba, Sr, and Ti core level with increasing gamma doses due to shift in Fermi level. The Fermi level is shifted towards conduction band by ~ 1.1 eV for 200 kGy gamma irradiated BST with respect to pristine. An increase in full width at half maximum of X-ray diffraction peak and surface roughness were also observed with increasing gamma doses. Higher leakage current and decrease in capacitance with gamma doses are further evidence of higher carrier concentration which is consistent with the shift in Fermi level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the excited state dynamics of Holmium Oxide (Ho 2 O 3) dissolved in perchloric acid using ultrafast optical pump-probe spectroscopy by exciting the samples with laser light at 350 nm and 550 nm and detecting in the visible region. Using an ultrafast spectroscopic approach, the stability of Ho 2 O 3 solution has been examined. UV–Visible spectroscopy revealed 14 bands in the Ho 2 O 3 absorption spectrum and by using ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy, we have probed the dynamics of the excited state and studied transient absorption lifetime in the visible range. We obtained multi-exponential dynamics of carrier relaxation for Ho 2 O 3 , with time constants spanning from 0.07 to >500 ps. The lifetime of molecules has been shown to be on the order of picoseconds (ps), proving the stability of Ho 2 O 3 solution and making it suitable for use as a wavelength standard for spectrophotometer calibration. • An ultrafast transient analysis of Ho 2 O 3 solution has been conducted to study the stability of Ho 2 O 3 solution. • UV–Visible absorbance spectrum of the solution was studied, revealing 14 visible-region bands with energies ranging from 1.9 eV to 5.2 eV. • We observed multi-exponential relaxation dynamics of carriers for Ho 2 O 3 with 350 nm and 550 nm excitation in ultrafast transient absorption studies with time constants ranging from 0.07 to >500 ps. • The short lived transient states provide the stability to the molecule so that in the very short time there is no reaction coordinates available to react with the molecules which render it a high stability for long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message Facial Trauma is common. The emergency physician should conduct a thorough examination of the oral tissues. A laceration in the palate can be easily missed and should be elicited. Failure to identify a split palate can result in severe dentofacial deformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of distributed generation (DG) into a power distribution network allows the establishment of a microgrid (MG) system when the main grid experiences a malfunction or is undergoing maintenance. In this case, the power-generating capacity of distributed generators may be less than the load demand. This study presents a strategy for the effective utilization of deployed active and reactive power sources under power mismatch conditions in the islanded distribution networks. Initially, the DGs' and capacitors' optimal placement and capacity were identified using the Jaya algorithm (JA) with the aim to reduce power losses in the grid-connected mode. Later, the DG and capacitor combination's optimal power factor was determined to withstand the islanded distribution network's highest possible power demand in the event of a power mismatch. To assess the optimal value of the DG–capacitor pair's operating power factor ( p f s o u r c e ) for the islanded operation, an analytical approach has been proposed that determines the best trade-off between power losses and the under-utilization of accessible generation. The test results on 33-bus and 69-bus IEEE distribution networks demonstrate that holding the islanded network's load power factor ( p f l o a d ) equal to p f s o u r c e during the power imbalance conditions allows the installed distributed sources to effectively operate at full capacity. As expected, the proposed strategy will assist the utility companies in designing efficient energy management or load shedding schemes to effectively cope with the power mismatch conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Optic neuritis, defined as inflammation of the optic nerve, is the most common optic neuropathy affecting adults. Various studies in Southeast Asia have shown that the clinical profile of optic neuritis might differ in these regions from that reported in the western literature. Through this study, we evaluate the clinical profile of pediatric optic neuritis (PON) in the Indian population. Methods: This was a hospital-based prospective observational study. Patients with optic neuritis younger than 16 years who attended the neuro-ophthalmology clinic from May 2016 to April 2017 were included in the study. Results: This study included 54 eyes of 38 patients. The mean age of presentation was 10.6 years. Unilateral disease (58%) was found to be more common, and a slight female preponderance (58%) was noted. The most common feature was visual loss (96.3%). Pupillary light reflex abnormality was seen in most patients. Fundus examination revealed disk edema (77.7%) to be the most common feature. Neuroimaging was performed in 34 patients, and multiple sclerosis was diagnosed in four patients. At 3 months follow-up after treatment, 89% of eyes had best correct visual acuity of 6/9 or better (P < 0.001). Conclusion: In our study, we found the clinical profile of PON to be similar to that seen in western studies as well as those done previously in the Indian population, although with a few differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve good living standards, it is critical to make high-performance toxic gas sensing devices for public safety, environmental pollutant control, industrial operations, and other applications. For this purpose, we demonstrate CuO anchored SnO 2 nanostructures for H 2 S gas sensors. The selectivity was improved by anchoring with CuO for a total 60 s duration at four equal consecutive cycles to achieve good selectivity towards H 2 S molecules. The pristine CuO shows instability and metallic behaviour when it is exposed to H 2 S for a longer time. Furthermore, the proposed gas sensor shows good selectivity toward H 2 S as compared to other gases H 2 , NO 2 , CO 2 , and NH 3. The sensing response was measured at around 69 % at the optimal operating temperature of 150 °C. It is observed that CuS formation has better selectivity as compared to pristine SnO 2 and a slight improvement in sensitivity is observed. As a result, a promising strategy for designing and producing good-performance H 2 S gas sensors would be to CuO anchor on SnO 2 nanostructures. The proposed sensors may be integrated with IoT platforms and used for the detection of H 2 S in the sewer line and leak detection in the petroleum industry. [Display omitted] • SnO 2 thin film was anchored with CuO at different time duration using RF sputtering for H 2 S gas sensing. • The sensor exhibits higher sensing response of 69 % at 150 ºC for 100 ppm of H 2 S with a LoD of 1 ppm. • Comparative analysis was performed for H 2 S gas detection for both SnO 2 and CuO/SnO 2 based sensors. • Excellent selectivity and slight improved sensitivity was observed with CuO/SnO 2 based gas sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) nanomaterials are extensively explored to address the multidrug resistance bacteria/diseases and to enable developments of novel and innovative approaches for next-generation highly efficient, cost-effective, and reliable multifunctional biomedical tools. This article reviews the contemporary developments in the utilization of Si nanostructures (Si-NSs) and nanocomposites for antibacterial surfaces and theranostic agents as powerful instruments to tackle pathogenic bacteria and diseases related to them. Realization of nature-inspired antibacterial surfaces, photoresponsive smart antibacterial surfaces, and selective functionality of Si-NSs has been discussed by biomedical imaging and drug delivery applications of Si-NSs. Photoresponsive Si nanocomposite systems enable in-situ non-invasive process monitoring utilizing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) or photothermal imaging phenomenon is also addressed. Finally, crucial challenges and several research trends of implementing Si-NSs and their hybrid systems as multifunctional platforms for advanced biomedical tools and their clinical translation are highlighted. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of the current study was to determine the frequency of anxiety and depression among patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at a tertiary care cardiac center in Pakistan. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care cardiac center in Pakistan from May to November 2019. We included patients of either gender, between 30 and 70 years of age, diagnosed with ACS, and presented within 72 hours of onset of symptoms. After the standard treatment of the condition, the Beck Depression Inventory Scale (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to assess post-AMI depression and anxiety. The BDI =17 was categorized as depression and BAI =11 was taken as anxiety. Results: In the selected sample of 122 patients, the mean age was 58.7 ± 10.2 years and 88 (72.1%) patients were male. Diabetes mellitus was detected in 76 (62.3%) patients and 64 (52.5%) patients were smokers. The mean BDI score was 28.6 ± 6.5 and mean BAI score was 19.5 ± 5.1. Anxiety and depression were observed in 36 (29.5%) and 51 (41.8%) patients, respectively. Conclusion: Depression and anxiety are a common remnants of ACS, hence, in our day to day clinical practice, appropriate consideration should be given to the psychological wellbeing of patients in addition to the management of ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the frequency of pre-hospital aspirin use in patients presenting with ST- segment elevation myocardial infarction and to assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients taken pre-hospital aspirin. Methodology: It was a prospective study conducted at tertiary care hospital for the duration of six months. About 657 patients aged between 18-80 years, of either gender and diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infraction were included in the study. Use of pre-hospital aspirin after symptoms was assessed in all patients, then followed and outcomes such as discharge status and length of hospital in days were evaluated. Results: Overall mean age was 54.60±12.06 years and most of them were males (79.1%). About 254 patients (38.7%) received aspirin before transfer to hospital and 403 patients (61.3%) received aspirin after arrival in hospital. Frequency of pre-hospital use of aspirin was significantly associated with gender (p=0.001), educational status (p=0.006), and monthly income (p=0.003). The mean rank of length of hospital stay was similar significantly lower in STEMI patients who received pre-hospital aspirin as compared to those who did not receive pre-hospital aspirin (p=0.001). Moreover, the death rate was lower in patients with pre-hospital aspirin administration as compared to those who did not receive pre-hospital aspirin (1.2%vs2%). However, the difference between pre-hospital aspirin use and discharge status was not statistically significant (p=0.434). Conclusion: Frequency of pre-hospital aspirin use was lower in patients with STEMI. Gender, educational status, and socio-economic status were the significant factors for pre-hospital aspirin use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oesophageal and gastrooesophageal junction (GOJ) carcinoma frequently present with dysphagia and de novo metastatic disease. There is scope to improve treatment paradigms to both address symptoms and improve survival. One method is integrating immune checkpoint inhibition with novel treatment combinations. Methods: PALEO is a single arm, phase II clinical trial in patients with previously untreated, oligometastatic or locoregionally advanced oesophageal or GOJ carcinoma and dysphagia. PALEO is sponsored by the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG). Participants receive 2 weeks of therapy with concurrent hypofractionated radiotherapy of 30Gy in 10 fractions to the primary tumour, weekly carboplatin AUC2, weekly paclitaxel 50 mg/m2 and durvalumab 1500 mg q4 weekly, followed by durvalumab monotherapy continuing at 1500 mg q4weekly until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or 24 months of therapy. A single metastasis is treated with stereotactic radiotherapy of 24Gy in 3 fractions in week 7. The trial primary endpoint is the progression free survival rate at 6 months. Secondary endpoints include duration of dysphagia relief, nutritional status change, quality of life, response rate, toxicity, progression free survival and overall survival. The tertiary endpoint is prediction of outcome based on biomarkers identified from patient serial blood samples collected pre- and post-radiotherapy. Discussion: This unique investigator-initiated clinical trial is designed to simultaneously address the clinically relevant problems of dysphagia and distant disease control. The overarching aims are to improve patient nutrition, quality of life and survival with low toxicity therapy. AGITG PALEO is a multidisciplinary collaboration and will add to the understanding of the relationship between radiotherapy and the anti-tumour immune response. Trial registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12619001371189, registered 8 October 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on effect of capric acid and stearic acid based reactive phase change materials (rPCM) on physical properties and thermal comfort of cotton khadi fabric are reported by direct application of Capric acid (CA) and Stearic Acid (SA) as rPCM with Poly-Hydroxy-Amino-Methyl-Silicone reactive binder and MgCl2 as catalyst by simple pad-dry-cure technique (instead of cumbersome and costlier microencapsulation) which are embedded under PHAMS reactive binder film. Thermal characterization of pure Capric acid (CA), pure Stearic acid (SA) and mixture of each with PHAMS binder treated cotton substrate were carried out by cryogenic DSC at 0–100°C and at also at ambient (30°C) to 500°C. Between these two PCM materials, Capric Acid (CA) shows superior results. Amongst different concentrations of CA, 4% CA applied on Cotton khadi fabric with 2% PHAMS binder and 1/5th (on weight of PCM material) of MgCl2 catalyst shows good thermo-regulating character in cotton khadi fabric showing freezing temperature (Tf) 8.3°C, Melting Temperature (Tm) 22.6°C with melting enthalpy 34.1 J/g and freezing enthalpy 36.5 J/g. water vapor transmission value of 28.3 gm/hour/m2 and air permeability value of 262.3 ft3/ft2/min, showing favorable thermal comfort, enabling storage and release of heat energy to improve the thermal comfort with changing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Perylenediimide (PDI) derivatives bearing branched end groups have been designed and synthesized for their controlled self-assembly formation and tuning of energy levels. • On using these PDI derivatives as ETL better solar cell device performance as high as 5.7 (±0.1) % was achieved compared to their precursor PDI molecules with linear/short substituents. • Detailed study has been performed for the structure–property relationship for self-assembly behaviour, photophysical and charge transport properties. • The device data is studied experimentally as well as theoretically and it is observed that PDI derivatives forming J-type aggregates show better device properties in comparison to H-type aggregates. Although organic photovoltaics has witnessed significant growth in their power conversion efficiency still there is need to develop novel electron transport materials that can improve the electron extraction through energy level tuning. Perylenediimide (PDI) is one of the known n-type semiconductor which forms highly ordered self-assembled aggregates by intermolecular interactions. Considering the facile processability of these, herein we report perylenediimide (PDI) derivatives with branched end groups via Michael addition reaction. This work describes the synthesis of two PDI derivatives, i.e., MA-PDI-EDA and MA-PDI-PPD via two-step process and these were further studied for the effect of branched end groups on aggregation behaviour as well as its correlation with the opto-electronic properties. The self-assembling and charge transport properties of the synthesized molecules are fine tuned by branched imide substituent which allows improved performance of these materials as electron transport layer in organic solar cell devices in comparison to their PDI precursors. MA-PDI-EDA forming J-type aggregate showed improved power conversion efficiency in comparison to MA-PDI-PPD undergoing H-type aggregation. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy was also performed for understanding the charge carrier dynamics in the two MA products. A complete rational for the observation is discussed using the theoretical fitting of device I-V characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: InN layers were directly grown on Ge substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). The valence band offset (VBO) of wurtzite InN/Ge heterojunction is determined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). The valence band of Ge is found to be 0.18±0.04eV above that of InN and a type-II heterojunction with a conduction band offset (CBO) of ~0.16eV is found. The accurate determination of the VBO and CBO is important for the design of InN/Ge based electronic devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metallic gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) with an average size of less than 20 nm exhibit surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which makes them intriguing candidates for optical and optoelectronic applications. In this work, Turkevich approach is used to synthesize different samples of Au NPs by tuning the growth times during synthesis. Transmission electron micrographs depict that the Au NPs are highly crystalline, monodisperse, and spherical, with an average size of ~13–30 nm. Moreover, a shift in the ultraviolet-visible (UV–visible) absorption spectrum is observed from 525 nm to 542 nm. The change in the SPR band corroborates with the growth time-dependent size enhancement. Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy (UTAS) has been employed to characterize the optical properties as well as the stability of NPs, and it is worth noticing that as the growth time increases, the intensity of the ground-state bleach and the intraband transitions reduces and increases at 400 fs and 5 ps, respectively, demonstrating the size dependence of the hot-electron distribution (e--e- scattering). These heated electrons subsequently relax into the lattice through two different forms of scattering, namely electron-phonon (e--ph) and phonon-phonon (ph-ph) scatterings. The stability of the Au NPs has been evaluated by kinetic parameters, with a longer average decay time (τ avg) showing enhanced stability of NPs with longer growth durations. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals the size-dependent dynamics of interfacial charge/energy transfer between the Au NPs and the lattice. [Display omitted] • Highly monodispersed, spherical-shaped colloidal Au NPs synthesized by Turkevich method. • The change in the SPR band corroborated the growth time-dependent size enhancement. • UTAS demonstrated the size dependence of the hot-electron distribution via e--e- scattering. • The heated electrons relax into the lattice via electron-phonon & phonon-phonon scatterings. • UTAS studies show enhanced stability of NPs with longer growth durations (~10 min.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate packaging, low temperature and sanitization have immense potential in maintaining postharvest quality of whole green pea pods throughout the supply chain. Untreated green pea pods packed in perforated 38 µm LDPE, 25 µm PP and 25 µm HDPE films were stored at 5, 10, 15°C with 80% ± 5% RH for 12 days. Regular assessment of respiration rates, weight loss, firmness, color change, and biochemical attributes indicated significantly better quality in LDPE bags at 5 ± 1°C with 80% ± 5% RH. The synergistic effect of sanitization using sodium hypochlorite solution (100 ppm/2 min) and aqueous ozone (2 mg L−1/2 min) modified atmosphere packaging (O2:3%–5%, CO2:5%–10%) and low temperature (5°C) on microbial load, weight loss, respiration rate, and total color change was significant at 5% level with a slight change in biochemical attributes along with extended shelf‐life of 16 days as compared to 12 days for tap‐water washed samples. Novelty impact statement: Green pea pods are prone to substantial losses during postharvest handling operations. Sanitization treatments and packaging materials have potential to slow down metabolic activity, reduce rates of respiration and transpiration, prevent induction of spoilage causing bacteria/microorganisms, stimulate the Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) activity, and effectively delay the decay and senescence of vegetables. The present study suggests ozone sanitization, packaging in polymeric pouches and storage under recommended low temperature conditions as promising interventions for retention of the postharvest quality of green pea pods with extended shelf life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne fungus causing sheath blight disease in cereal crops including rice. Genetic resistance to sheath blight disease in cereal crops is not well understood in most of the host(s). Aside from this, a comparative study on the different hosts at the biochemical and proteomic level upon R. solani infection was not reported earlier. Here, we performed proteomic based analysis and studied defense pathways among cultivated rice (cv. Pusa Basmati-1), wild rice accession (Oryza grandiglumis), and barley (cv. NDB-1445) after inoculation with R. solani. Increased levels of phenol, peroxidase, and β-1, 3-glucanase were observed in infected tissue as compared to the control in all of the hosts. Wild rice accession O. grandiglumis showed a higher level of biochemical signals than barley cv. NDB 1445 and cultivated rice cv. Pusa Basmati-1. Using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) and mass spectrometry (MS), differently expressed proteins were also studied in control and after inoculation with R. solani. Wild rice accession O. grandiglumis induced a cysteine protease inhibitor and zinc finger proteins, which have defense functions and resistance against fungal pathogens. On the other hand, barley cv. NDB-1445 and cultivated rice cv. Pusa Basmati-1 mainly induce energy metabolism-related proteins/signals after inoculation with R. solani in comparison to wild rice accession O. grandiglumis. The present comprehensive study of R. solani interaction using three hosts, namely, Pusa Basmati-1 (cultivated rice), O. grandiglumis (wild rice), and NDB-1445 (barley) would interpret wider possibilities in the dissection of the protein(s) induced during the infection process. These proteins may further be correlated to the gene(s) and other related molecular tools that will help for the marker-assisted breeding and/or gene editing for this distressing disease among the major cereal crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients with incurable esophageal cancer (ECa) present with dysphagia as their predominant symptom. Currently there is no consensus on how best to initially manage this scenario with multiple therapeutic options available. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of using hypofractionated radiotherapy given over a progressively shorter timeframe with concurrent carboplatin and paclitaxel in the management of patients with ECa and dysphagia.Methods: In this phase I trial we enrolled patients with histologically proven squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or the gastro-esophageal junction with symptomatic dysphagia from local disease and not for curative treatment. Patients needed to be 18 years or older, have an ECOG performance status of 0-2 and be suitable to receive carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. Patients were placed in four progressively shorter radiation schedules culminating in 30 Gy in 10 fractions in a step wise manner, all with concurrent carboplatin AUC 2 and paclitaxel 50 mg/m2 chemotherapy delivered weekly with the radiation therapy. The primary endpoint was the development of the dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) esophageal perforation or febrile neutropenia. Secondary endpoints were relief of dysphagia, time to improvement of dysphagia, dysphagia progression free survival and overall survival.Results: Eighteen patients were enrolled in the study between October 2014 and March 2019. There were no DLTs experienced during the trial. The most common grade 3 + acute toxicity experienced by patients were nausea and vomiting (both in 4/18 patients). The most common radiation specific acute toxicity experienced was esophagitis with 67% of patients experiencing grade 1-2 symptoms. All patients experienced improvement in dysphagia. The median time to dysphagia improvement was 3 weeks from the start of chemoradiotherapy (CTRT) (range 2-10 weeks). The median dysphagia free survival was 5.8 months with a median overall survival of 8.9 months.Conclusion: Hypofractionated palliative CTRT with 30 Gy/10# of radiation therapy with concurrent weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy is well tolerated and provides a good response in improvement of dysphagia. Further studies need to be undertaken which provide both symptomatic improvement in the primary tumor but also control of the metastatic burden in these patients.Clinical Trial Registration: This trial was prospectively registered with www.anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12614000821695. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we studied two different 2D monolayer systems (i.e., h‐BN and SiC), which exhibit unique electronic and magnetic properties. We analyzed the effects of Transition Methods (TM) doped atoms (i.e., Mn, Ni, and Sc) on the single vacancy (SV) h‐BN and SiC systems using first principles calculations. Through comparison we found that Mn substitution in SV h‐BN and SiC can modify their electronic and magnetic properties having larger magnetic moment as compared to other dopants (i.e., Ni and Sc.). Band structure and PDOS plots confirmed that TM doping in SV h‐BN can convert the pure h‐BN (insulator) to semiconductor, metal, or semi‐metal, it is also observed from the results that Mn‐doped h‐BN has higher band gap approximately equal to Eg ~ 2.7 eV during the negative spin and has smaller band gap, that is, (Eg ~ 1.1 eV) during the positive spin. Similarly doping with the TM atoms on the SV SiC monolayer system can convert pure SiC to metal or half metal. In addition, Mn‐doped SiC showed semimetal property having 0 eV band gap. These finding will help us to vary the electronic and magnetic properties of the pure h‐BN and SiC sheets which can be used for the opto‐electronic and spintronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is associated with hyperactivity of the hypothalamo pituitary adrenal axis. Cortisol is a steroid hormone, released from the adrenal gland and is considered to be a biological marker of stress and anxiety. Serum or plasma cortisol levels have been previously studied in depressive patients but reported contradictory results. The present meta analysis aims to assess the serum or plasma concentration of cortisol in depressive patients compared with controls. We have conducted a systematic review with sequential meta analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases, and published reference lists were searched up to January 2021. We have conducted a systematic review on PubMed for the following search (MeSH) terms ("Hydrocortisone"[Mesh]) AND "Depressive Disorder"[Mesh]). The RevMan 5.3 and Open Meta Analyst software was used with the standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Jamovi and Open Meta Analyst Software were used to evaluate the publication bias, sensitivity analysis, and meta regression as possible sources of heterogeneity. Seventeen studies having a combined population (n) of 1400 (743 depressive patients and 657 controls) had satisfied the inclusion criteria for serum or plasma cortisol. The pooled SMD of the serum or plasma cortisol levels in depressive patients compared with controls was 1.18, (95% CI: 0.84, 1.52; P < 0.00001) with I2 = 85% (Ph < 0.00001). This meta analysis indicates a statistically significant mean difference in serum or plasma cortisol between depressed patients and controls. Meta analysis concluded that serum or plasma cortisol can differentiate depressed patients from nondepressed controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work describes the Michael addition (MA) reaction between amine group appended NDI derivatives and α,β-unsaturated ketones (chalcones) with an aim to tune the optical and electrochemical properties of NDI derivatives via an easy and scalable synthesis method. Two NDI derivatives having aromatic (1) and aliphatic (2) amine N-imide substituents were synthesized and further used for the synthesis of MA products. The products were evaluated for their optical, electrochemical and transport properties. Aggregation behavior of the molecules was studied and established by absorption and emission spectroscopy. It is observed that NDIs and their respective MA derivatives (3 and 4) show strong aggregation behavior. Most interestingly the HOMO–LUMO energy levels in MA products were uplifted which is generally not achieved by imide-N substitutions. The driving force for intramolecular electron transfer was calculated from their first oxidation and reduction potentials indicating the formation of charge separated states. MA products also showed improved electron mobility compared to their NDI precursors. Intramolecular charge transfer interaction was established by fluorescence and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS). The materials have been studied for their use as electron transport layer (ETL) materials in inverted organic solar cells and an efficiency of 3% has been obtained. Overall, Michael addition reaction on NDI has resulted in effective tuning of optical properties, energy levels and transport properties without involving tedious multistep core substitution reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Foldscope is an efficient, low-cost, lightweight, and portable microscope. • Foldscope is an alternative for a conventional compound microscope for monitoring of the pollination process. • Foldscope can be used for field-level real-time in vivo monitoring of the pollination process. An efficient, low-cost, lightweight, and portable paper microscope can be used to monitor real-time in vivo pollination, which is not feasible with a conventional compound microscope. The advantages of paper microscopes (foldscopes) remain unexplored for in vivo field-oriented assessment of pollination. In this study, experiments were carried out to calibrate and validate the capability of foldscopes to investigate in vitro pollen traits and to understand the feasibility of using in real-time in vivo field-level investigations. Comparison of optical images of pollen morphological traits (color, size, and shape) of diverse plant species (including crops) captured using a foldscope and a compound microscope revealed little to no differences. In addition, foldscopes were calibrated to monitor and estimate in vitro pollen viability in wheat, sorghum, sunflower, chickpea, soybean, and periwinkle and to determine in vitro pollen germination in chickpea, maize, and periwinkle. Pollen tube growth was observed by time-lapse imaging of pollen from periwinkle. The foldscope efficiently captured genotypic variation in in vitro pollen germination of twelve chickpea genotypes under drought revealing the possibility of foldscopes as a tool for field level, real-time in vivo monitoring of pollination under drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To study the clinical and socio-demographic profile of somatoform disorders and its associated stressors among pediatric population in a rural setting. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was done from Jan 2015 to June 2015 at rural tertiary care teaching hospital. Methods and Materials: Fifty children presenting with physically unexplained symptoms during the study period were assessed. Complete physical and psychiatric assessment was done and diagnosis was made using DSM -IV TR criteria. Patient Health questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) was used for recording presenting symptoms and severity. Data were analyzed with Statistical Package for social sciences (SPSS 17) and association between different variables was determined using Chi-square test. Results: Male: female ratio was 24:26. Forty-two (84%) of our patients were from rural background. Most common presenting symptom was fainting spells (28%) followed by pain in abdomen (20%). Stressors were elicited in 64% patients and most common stressor was strained interpersonal relations (20%) in family. Females presented with significantly more severe illness (p=0.024). Conclusions: Psychosocial stressors especially interpersonal relations are important factor which needs to be evaluated while encountering patients with somatoform disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work presents a systematic study of energetic N 2 + ion interaction with the clean Al 2 O 3 surface at room temperature. Energetic N 2 + ions with energies ranging from 0.1 to 5 keV were bombarded onto the c -plane Al 2 O 3 surface in situ in a UHV system equipped with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. Survey scans and core level spectra of Al(2p), O(1s), N(1s) were recorded as a function of ion fluence. Survey scans of XPS are used for the compositional analysis, while deconvoluted core level spectra are used to identify the evolution of the chemical bonding. Energetic dependence of N 2 + ions occupying interstitial and substitutional sites in Al 2 O 3 lattice are probed to follow the surface evolution. Results show that maximum thickness of surface is nitride by 5 keV N 2 + ion with an optimal fluence of 1.5 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 . This modified surface can be used as a template for low defect III-nitrides growth, with enhanced lattice matching than on bare c -Al 2 O 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinnow mandarin (Citrus nobilis × Citrus deliciosa) fruits were harvested at firm mature stage, packed in paper-molded trays, and tightly sealed in different packaging films commercially available in the market, viz. cryovac heat shrinkable RD-106 film (15 µ), low density polyethylene film (LDPE, 25 µ), and high density polyethylene film (HDPE, 10 µ). After packaging, the fruits were stored at supermarket conditions (18 to 20 °C; 80–85% RH). There were five storage intervals and for each storage interval three packs (six fruit in each pack) were prepared for each packaging film. In total, 60 packs were made for all packaging films including control to lay out this experiment. The fruits were evaluated for various quality attributes periodically. The shrink film helped in reducing the loss in weight and firmness and maintained the various quality attributes, such as total soluble solids, acidity, ascorbic acid, and carotene content of the fruit juice, during shelf life better than other packaging films and unwrapped control fruits. The in-package gaseous composition (O2and CO2) in shrink film packed fruits was found to be at a desired level, which resulted in maintaining pleasant flavor of the fruits. On the other hand, LDPE and HDPE film accumulated a very high level of CO2, which led to formation of a fermenting odor in the package. The data revealed that RD-106 film proved quite effective in prolonging the shelf life and maintaining the quality of Kinnow fruits for 25 days under supermarket conditions as opposed to 10 days only in the case of unpacked control fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hole accumulation layer (HAL) configuration of p-type oxides (including Co 3 O 4) in ambient air causes intrinsically low gas response and hinders their promising applications in exhaled gas analysis. Herein, Sn and Ni co-doping has been proposed to trigger the response of chemiresistive Co 3 O 4 sensor toward acetone (biomarker of diabetes). Via incorporating 1 at% Sn and 0.5 at% Ni doping (Co 2.95 Sn 0.03 Ni 0.02 O 4), the response to 100 ppm acetone has been boosted ∼2 orders (from 1.24 to 125.6) at 70 °C, the limit of detection (LoD) has been reduced ∼4 times (from 47.9 to 12.4 ppb), the optimal operation temperature has been decreased from 130 °C to ∼70 °C. Various characterizations suggest that co-doping induced abundant surface asymmetric oxygen vacancy defects (Co-□-Ni, Sn-□-Ni), which facilitate the catalytic oxidation of acetone molecules at relatively low operation temperature. In addition to excellent reproducibility and long-term stability, Co 2.95 Sn 0.03 Ni 0.02 O 4 sensor could also operate under highly humid air background and reliably detect acetone concentration in exhaled breath at 150 °C, opening the opportunity for the practical application of p-type oxide sensors for diabetes diagnosis. [Display omitted] • Sn, Ni co-doped Co3O4 dramatically improves the response to acetone. • Sn, Ni co-doped Co3O4 drastically reduces optimal operation temperature (70 °C). • Humidity influence of Co2.95Sn0.03Ni0.02O4 could be suppressed at 150 °C. • Application of Co2.95Sn0.03Ni0.02O4 sensor for non-invasive diabetes monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]