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Canine Chiari-like malformation (CM) is a neuroanatomical condition associated with conformational change of the cranium, craniocervical junction and neuroparenchyma, resulting in pain (Chiari associated pain or CM-P) and the development of syringomyelia (SM). The associated neuro-disability in affected individuals compromises quality of life. CM is characterized by overcrowding of the brain and cervical spinal cord and is predisposed by skull-base shortening and miniaturization with brachycephalic toy dogs overwhelmingly represented. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is conventionally used for diagnosis; however, CM is complex and ubiquitous in some dog breeds so that diagnosis of CM-P relies on a combination of clinical signs, MRI, and elimination of other causes of pain. This research aimed to identify cranial and spinal pathologies and neural morphologies linked to CM-P and SM in dogs using MRI scans and machine learning with the aim of identifying novel data driven biomarkers which could confirm CM-P and identify dogs at risk of developing SM. The methodology identified four regions of interest as having robust discrimination for CM-P, with 89% sensitivity and 76% specificity. A set of morphological features linked to CM-P were identified. Four regions of interest were also identified as having robust discrimination for SM, with 84% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Overall, these findings shed light on the distinct morphologies related to CM-P and SM, offering the potential for more accurate and objective diagnoses in affected dogs using MRI. These results contribute to the further understanding of the complex pathologies associated with CM and SM in brachycephalic toy pure and mixed breed dogs and support the potential utility of data-driven techniques for advancing our knowledge of these debilitating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Deep mycoses acquired by penetrating trauma to the skin can have varied and sometimes atypical morphological presentations resulting in diagnostic dilemmas and delay in treatment onset. Histopathology can be a useful tool in not only diagnosing but also differentiating various deep mycoses. Aims and Objectives To observe various morphological presentations and histopathological features of deep fungal infections. Materials and Methods A retrospective multi-centric study was conducted from 2010 to 2020 at 16 centres. The cases with diagnoses of various deep mycoses were included in the study. The patients presenting with cutaneous manifestations were included in the study. Their demographic details, history, presenting signs and symptoms, morphological presentations, histopathological features and treatment details were collected from the case sheets. Results A total of 124 cases were found from the case records. The most common type was chromoblastomycosis (42) followed by mycetoma (28) and rhinosporidiosis (17). The mean age was 43.76 ± 5.44 years. The average duration of symptoms before presentation was between 2 months to 10 years (average 2.5 ± 1.33 years). Male to female ratio was 1:0.7. Prior history of trauma was recorded in 36% of cases. Chromoblastomycosis cases presented with verrucous to atrophic plaques with black dots on the surface and histopathology findings included pesudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, epithelioid cell granulomas, copper penny bodies within granulomas and abscesses. Rhinosporidiosis cases had polypoid grape-like lesions in the nose and eyes most commonly with histopathology findings of abundant thick-walled sporangia in dermis packed with thousands of spores. Eumycetoma patients had pigmented, indurated swelling with multiple sinuses discharging black granules and histopathology showed dermal abscesses and foreign body granulomatous reaction with PAS-positive hyphae. Histoplasmosis patients presented with few to multiple nodulo-pustular lesions on skin and palatal ulcers while small basophilic bodies packed in the cytoplasm of histiocytes were noted in histopathology. Phaeohyphomycosis cases presented as deep-seated cystic lesions and biopsy revealed deepithelialized cysts in the dermis or hypodermis with lumen showing necro inflammatory debris and fungal hyphae. Sporotrichosis cases had erythematous, tender nodules and papules either as single lesions or as multiple lesions arranged in a linear fashion and histopathology showed pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of epidermis, loose to well-defined epithelioid cell granulomas and microabscesses. Spores were found in two cases. Cryptococcosis patient had multiple umbilicated lesions resembling giant molluscum contagiosum loose epithelioid cell granulomas and medium-sized spores lying in both intra and extracellularly on histopathology. Penicilliosis patients had nodulo-pustular lesions and histopathology showed an admixture of histiocytes, epithelioid cells, plasma cells, lymphocytes and polymorphs in the dermis with the presence of yeast-like spores in the cytoplasm of histiocytes and epithelioid cells. Entomophthoromycosis cases presented with asymptomatic subcutaneous firm swelling with loss of skin pinchability. Conclusion Though clinical findings of deep fungal infections are characteristic similar morphology and atypical presentations can be sometimes confusing. Histopathology is useful for confirming the diagnosis.

Introduction: Deep mycoses acquired by penetrating trauma to the skin can have varied and sometimes atypical morphological presentations resulting in diagnostic dilemmas and delay in treatment onset. Histopathology can be a useful tool in not only diagnosing but also differentiating various deep mycoses. Aims and Objectives: To observe various morphological presentations and histopathological features of deep fungal infections. Materials and Methods: A retrospective multi-centric study was conducted from 2010 to 2020 at 16 centres. The cases with diagnoses of various deep mycoses were included in the study. The patients presenting with cutaneous manifestations were included in the study. Their demographic details, history, presenting signs and symptoms, morphological presentations, histopathological features and treatment details were collected from the case sheets. Results: A total of 124 cases were found from the case records. The most common type was chromoblastomycosis (42) followed by mycetoma (28) and rhinosporidiosis (17). The mean age was 43.76 ± 5.44 years. The average duration of symptoms before presentation was between 2 months to 10 years (average 2.5 ± 1.33 years). Male to female ratio was 1:0.7. Prior history of trauma was recorded in 36% of cases. Chromoblastomycosis cases presented with verrucous to atrophic plaques with black dots on the surface and histopathology findings included pesudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia, epithelioid cell granulomas, copper penny bodies within granulomas and abscesses. Rhinosporidiosis cases had polypoid grape-like lesions in the nose and eyes most commonly with histopathology findings of abundant thick-walled sporangia in dermis packed with thousands of spores. Eumycetoma patients had pigmented, indurated swelling with multiple sinuses discharging black granules and histopathology showed dermal abscesses and foreign body granulomatous reaction with PAS-positive hyphae. Histoplasmosis patients presented with few to multiple nodulo-pustular lesions on skin and palatal ulcers while small basophilic bodies packed in the cytoplasm of histiocytes were noted in histopathology. Phaeohyphomycosis cases presented as deep-seated cystic lesions and biopsy revealed deepithelialized cysts in the dermis or hypodermis with lumen showing necro inflammatory debris and fungal hyphae. Sporotrichosis cases had erythematous, tender nodules and papules either as single lesions or as multiple lesions arranged in a linear fashion and histopathology showed pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of epidermis, loose to well-defined epithelioid cell granulomas and microabscesses. Spores were found in two cases. Cryptococcosis patient had multiple umbilicated lesions resembling giant molluscum contagiosum loose epithelioid cell granulomas and medium-sized spores lying in both intra and extracellularly on histopathology. Penicilliosis patients had nodulo-pustular lesions and histopathology showed an admixture of histiocytes, epithelioid cells, plasma cells, lymphocytes and polymorphs in the dermis with the presence of yeast-like spores in the cytoplasm of histiocytes and epithelioid cells. Entomophthoromycosis cases presented with asymptomatic subcutaneous firm swelling with loss of skin pinchability. Conclusion: Though clinical findings of deep fungal infections are characteristic similar morphology and atypical presentations can be sometimes confusing. Histopathology is useful for confirming the diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailoring the morphologies and optical properties of the 2D and hierarchical nanostructures self-assembled by the π-conjugated molecules is both interesting and challenging. Herein, a series of 2D ribbon-like nanostructures with single or multiple H-aggregated perylene bisimides (PBI) monolayer and hierarchical nanostructures (including straw-like, dumbbell-shaped, and rod-like nanostructures) are fabricated by solution self-assembly of three chiral alanine-decorated PBI. The influence of the solvent's dissolving capacity, the chirality of alanine, and the preparation methods on the morphologies and optical properties of the nanostructures were extensively studied. It was observed that the hierarchical nanostructures are formed by the reorganization of the 2D ribbon-like nanostructures. The size of the 2D ribbon-like nanostructures and the amount of the hierarchical nanostructures increase with the decrease in the solvent's dissolving capacity. The small chiral alanine moiety is unable to induce chirality in the nanostructures, owing to its low steric hindrance and the dominant strong π-π stacking interaction of the PBI skeleton. A weaker π-π stacking interaction and better H-aggregated arrangement of the PBI skeleton could reduce the low-wavelength fluorescence intensity. The process of heating, cooling, and aging promotes the formation of H-aggregation in the PBI skeleton. The region of spectral overlap of the PBI solutions increases with the decrease in the dissolving capacity of the solvent and the steric hindrance of the chiral alanine. This study supplies a view to tailor the morphologies and optical properties of the nanostructures, which could be used as sensors and photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are morphologically classified as saccular and fusiform. There is still a great deal of clinical controversy as to which types of CAA are more likely to cause thrombosis. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the trend of thrombus growth in CAAs with different morphologies and to assess the risk of possible long-term complications based on hemodynamic parameters. Utilizing computed tomography angiography (CTA) data from eight healthy coronary arteries, two distinct morphologies of coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) were reconstructed. Distribution of four wall shear stress (WSS)-based indicators and three helicity indicators was analyzed in this study. Meanwhile, a thrombus growth model was introduced to analyze the thrombus formation in CAAs with different morphologies. The research results showed the distribution of most WSS indicators between saccular and fusiform CAAs was not statistically significant. However, due to the presence of a more pronounced helical flow pattern, irregular helical flow structure and longer time of flow stagnation in saccular CAAs during the cardiac cycle, the mean and maximum relative residence time (RRT) were significantly higher in saccular CAAs than in fusiform CAAs (P < 0.05). This may increase the risk of saccular coronary arteries leading to aneurysmal dilatation or even rupture. Although the two CAAs had similar rates of thrombosis, fusiform CAAs may more early cause obstruction of the main coronary flow channel where the aneurysm is located due to thrombosis growth. Thus, the risk of thrombosis in fusiform coronary aneurysms may warrant greater clinical concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine Chiari-like malformation (CM) is a neuroanatomical condition associated with conformational change of the cranium, craniocervical junction and neuroparenchyma, resulting in pain (Chiari associated pain or CM-P) and the development of syringomyelia (SM). The associated neuro-disability in affected individuals compromises quality of life. CM is characterized by overcrowding of the brain and cervical spinal cord and is predisposed by skull-base shortening and miniaturization with brachycephalic toy dogs overwhelmingly represented. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is conventionally used for diagnosis; however, CM is complex and ubiquitous in some dog breeds so that diagnosis of CM-P relies on a combination of clinical signs, MRI, and elimination of other causes of pain. This research aimed to identify cranial and spinal pathologies and neural morphologies linked to CM-P and SM in dogs using MRI scans and machine learning with the aim of identifying novel data driven biomarkers which could confirm CM-P and identify dogs at risk of developing SM. The methodology identified four regions of interest as having robust discrimination for CM-P, with 89% sensitivity and 76% specificity. A set of morphological features linked to CM-P were identified. Four regions of interest were also identified as having robust discrimination for SM, with 84% sensitivity and 80% specificity. Overall, these findings shed light on the distinct morphologies related to CM-P and SM, offering the potential for more accurate and objective diagnoses in affected dogs using MRI. These results contribute to the further understanding of the complex pathologies associated with CM and SM in brachycephalic toy pure and mixed breed dogs and support the potential utility of data-driven techniques for advancing our knowledge of these debilitating conditions.

Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a pivotal biopolymer in biomedicine, especially in tissue engineering for scaffolds and biomaterials. Recognized for its effectiveness as a drug carrier with superior controlled release properties, PCL is commonly processed via electrospinning, typically employing chlorinated or fluorinated solvents known for cellular toxicity. As an environmentally conscious alternative, this study explores glacial acetic acid (AA) as a solvent for electrospinning solutions. Investigating PCL's molecular degradation through acid hydrolysis in acidic solvents (AA/formic acid) (FA), the study assesses the impact of storage time on resulting structures. Solutions containing 30% PCL in AA/FA (9:1) were stored at 35°C for up to 14 days, revealing a 50% molar mass reduction during solubilization through gel permeation chromatography, x‐ray diffraction, and Fourier‐transform infrared analyses. This reduction influenced chain packing, raising crystallinity indices from approximately 37% to 49% with prolonged storage. The reduced molar mass resulted in unstable Taylor cones, generating diverse mat morphologies. Intriguingly, this degradation enhanced water adsorption capacity, indicating exposed hydrogen bonds from acid hydrolysis as an advantageous trait for regenerative medicine. This underscores the hydrolyzed materials' potential for cell anchoring in tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the current work is to develop external excellence, hardness, and anti-corrosion quality materials for engineering and metal finishing applications. To design and prepare a binary type of Zn-Ag nanoparticles as an alloy substantial over on mild steel (MS) engineering substrate using direct current (DC) electrochemical deposition. In this regard, silver nanoparticles are evenly distributed throughout the pure zinc with high-quality surface. Some different bath compositions, experimental settings, and parameters are used to optimize Zn-Ag nanoalloy coatings. The prepared specimen is examined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD data for the AgZn3 phase demonstrate well-crystalline properties with reference pattern JCPDS 00–025-1325. Investigations are conducted into electrochemical research, including the Tafel corrosion test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed AgZn3 and Zn lower values of Icorr (1 × 10−5 A cm−2) compared to the Zn (1 × 10−3) sample, a greater corrosion potential (Ecorr) of − 0.9 V and − 0.6 V, respectively, when deposited on MS substrate. For technical and automotive applications, the produced AgZn3 on MS therefore shows the optimum corrosion resistance and hardness surface with compact microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag3PO4 is an effective green photocatalyst that exhibits higher visible light photocatalytic performance for the degradation of various organic pollutants. The photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4 is affected by the exposed high‐energy crystal facets. Herein, Ag3PO4 with different morphologies and specific surfaces is synthesized via a direct precipitation method in the presence of triethanolamine (TEA). The Ag(TEA)n complex, which served as an intermediate medium, plays a critical role during the morphological transformation. When the molar ratio of Ag+ to TEA is set as 1:12, 18‐facet polyhedral morphology of Ag3PO4 crystals is obtained. The spherical and dodecahedral samples are also obtained by adjusting the molar ratio of Ag+ to TEA as 1:1 and 1:14. The photocatalytic activity of the samples for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) is tested under visible light irradiation. It is demonstrated when the molar ratio of Ag+/TEA is 1:12, Ag3PO4 polyhedra with 18‐facet are fabricated. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results indicate that the 18‐facet polyhedron, with six {100} facets and twelve {110} facets, enjoys the most exposed high‐energy crystal facets. Photocatalytic experiments show that the 18‐facet polyhedron has the best performance, and the degradation of MB by Ag3PO4 polyhedron with 18‐facet morphology reaches 90% within 70 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZIFs of different morphologies were synthesized by different solvents. Three types of ZIFs with different morphologies, ZIF-M, ZIF-P, and ZIF-L, were prepared using anhydrous methanol, polyethylene glycol-400, and water as solvents, respectively. The morphologies of ZIF-M and ZIF-L are rhombic dodecahedron and blade-like, respectively. Wherein the ZIF-M sample using methanol as solvent has an unusual morphology of high internal specific surface and pore volume. The ZIFs were characterized by XRD, SEM, AAS, N2 adsorption isotherms, pore size distribution, and evaluated with S. aureus and E. coli to gain antibacterial activity. Using the determination of growth curves, plate counting method and circle of inhibition method, the results showed that ZIF-M like has high antibacterial properties for ZIF-L and ZIF-P. Folding and rupture of the cell walls of dead bacteria was found by measuring the SEM of the bacteria. ZIF-M has the largest specific surface area, better potential properties and highest Zn2+ release, which leads to the high antibacterial effect of ZIF-M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled synthesis and design of nanomaterials with intricate morphologies and active phases offer new prospects in harnessing their unique chemical and physical properties for various applications. Herein, a facile and efficient hydrothermal approach is reported for obtaining various complex Nb2O5 nanostructures, including thin sheets, thick flakes, spiky and elongated spiky sea urchin morphologies using urotropin as a growth‐directing and hydrolyzing agent in various mixed and pure solvents. The detailed structural and chemical composition, surface morphology and crystallinity of as‐synthesized Nb2O5 nanostructures are presented. The urotropin concentration, reaction time, and water‐ethanol solvent mixture play a critical role for obtaining the elongated spiky sea urchin morphologies. The spiky Nb2O5 structures show a pseudohexagonal phase with less urotropin content, while thin sheets are obtained with a higher urotropin concentration and are primarily amorphous. These structures undergo transformation in their crystal phase and morphologies during calcination at higher temperatures revealing the active role of urotropin in stabilizing them. A composite of spiky sea urchin Nb2O5‐carbon nanospheres (suNb2O5‐CNS) is achieved by in‐situ growth of Nb2O5 in the presence of CNS without compromising on morphology, phase, and crystallinity. suNb2O5‐CNS composite is shown to possess higher charge storage capacity compared to its constituents for supercapacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quinoid-donor-acceptor (Q-D-A) strategy has recently emerged as a promising approach for constructing high mobility semiconducting polymers. In order to fully explore the potential of this strategy in improving the charge transport and elucidating the structure-property-performance relationships in Q-D-A polymers, a series of new polymers with different electron acceptor units and backbone coplanarity have been synthesized and characterized. All of the resulting Q-D-A polymers exhibit much more planar backbone conformations in comparison to their donor-acceptor (D-A) counterparts. Moreover, organic field-effect transistors based on Q-D-A polymers exhibit excellent effective hole mobilities in a range of 0.44 to 3.35 cm2 V−1 s−1, most of which are orders of magnitude higher than those of their corresponding D-A polymers. Notably, the hole mobility of 3.35 cm2 V−1 s−1 is among the highest for the quinoidal-aromatic polymers characterized by conventional spin-coating methods. Furthermore, the role of electron acceptors in Q-D-A polymers has been comprehensively investigated. Polymers with stronger acceptor units are more inclined to deliver edge-on lamellas, high film crystallinity, small effective hole masses, and decent operational stability. The detailed structure-property-device performance relationship will pave the way toward high performance semiconducting polymers using the potent Q-D-A strategy.

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) are a class of well‐defined organic–inorganic stereo molecules comprising inorganic SiOSi cores and peripheral organic moieties. Since they were first reported in 1946 by Scott et al., there have been a great number of investigations on the use of POSS macromers as the building blocks to access the organic–inorganic composites with polymers. In most of cases, monofunctional POSS macromers are employed and the linear hybrid polymers are obtained. Under this circumstance, POSS cages act as the side or end groups whereas the main chains of the polymers remain unchanged. Occasionally, octafunctional POSS macromers are involved, resulting in the generation of crosslinked (or network‐like) hybrids. Recently, well‐defined difunctional POSS macromers have increasingly provoked a considerable attention of investigators. From the synthetic methodology of POSS macromers to the approaches to introduce them into polymers, difunctional POSS macromers have the features quite different from mono‐ (or octa‐) functional POSS. More importantly, the related organic–inorganic hybrids possess the different morphologies and properties. In the past years, there has been a rapid increase in the number of literatures on the studies on well‐defined difunctional POSS and the related organic–inorganic hybrids. Nonetheless, the related review is lacking. In this contribution, we would summarize the recent progress in this regard, from the synthesis of POSS macromers, the approaches of introducing the POSS macromers into polymers to the correlation of morphologies with properties of the organic–inorganic hybrids. In addition, perspectives and challenges for the further advancement are envisaged and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt/C catalysts containing four different morphologies of CeO2 as co-catalysts were synthesized in this work, and their electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated. As compared with the Pt/C catalyst, these four catalysts containing CeO2 all exhibited improved catalytic activity. Among them, the Pt/C catalyst containing spherical CeO2 with a diameter of 30 ~ 60 nm (Pt/C-CeO2(s2)) possesses the best catalytic activity, displaying an over-potential of 258 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 42 mV dec−1. According to the characterization results of structure, morphology, and elemental valence state, the enhancement of catalytic activity is ascribed to the small particle size and good dispersion degree of Pt, as well as the strong interaction between the exposed (111) crystal plane of small spherical CeO2 and Pt, which leads to a significant increase in metallic Pt content. Moreover, the Pt/C-CeO2(s2) catalyst also demonstrates outstanding long-term stability besides exceptional catalytic activity. The results clearly illustrate that CeO2 with diverse shapes and sizes can remarkably influence the catalytic performance of loaded Pt particles in the HER process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In practical engineering, overlaying on curved surfaces with constantly changing gravity components usually leads to various defects. In this study, Inconel 625 was downward overlaid on curved surface by cold metal transfer (CMT) process with varied heat input, and the dynamic behavior of the molten pool was observed by high speed camera. At high heat input (0.422 kJ/mm and 0.372 kJ/mm), the volume of the molten pool continued to expand due to the downward flow of the liquid, ultimately leading to overflow or instability defects. In contrast, low heat input (0.230 kJ/mm) will make the molten pool shrink during overlaying, which was attributed to the continuously weakened gravity, the relative position between the heat source and the molten pool was then changed. A well-formed and defect-free weld overlay was obtained at optimized heat input 0.230–0.280 kJ/mm. Compared with gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process, the weld overlay obtained employing CMT process has the largest thickness and the most uniform fusion line, while the content of Fe element was less than 0.5%. It was confirmed that CMT technology has great potential for overlaying on curved surface.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of the birth weight of crossbred Moo Lath x Duroc (CMD) gilts on their puberty and first mating age, including the body condition and morphology. The litter size and birth weight of their offspring were also evaluated. Eighteen (18) CMD gilts were selected after weaning and kept in an individual pen 1.5 x 2 x 1 m after puberty. The gilts were grouped into three groups based on birth weight: groups A, B, and C (with 0.9 kg, respectively). 15 mature purebred Moo Lath (PML) gilts reared by farmers were also involved in this study to compare the morphology between the CMD and PML at first mating. There was no difference in the age and body weight of CMD gilts at puberty and first mating among the studied groups. However, the gilts in group A showed a lower mean age at puberty, and marginally lighter body weight than those in groups B and C. Birth weight showed a significant influence on the backfat thickness at puberty and first mating (P

Highly selective production of valuable ethylene from electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2RR) is particularly desirable yet challenging. Morphology engineering is an effective strategy for catalyst design, which can adjust the electronic structure of catalyst surface, change the adsorption behavior of critical reaction intermediates over catalyst surface, and thus regulate the activity of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction. In this work, we prepared copper phosphate catalysts with different morphologies and tested their catalytic activity for the ECO2RR in the flow cell. Compared with irregular flocculent aggregates, copper phosphate nanospheres exhibit a high and stable ethylene Faradaic efficiency of 47% with high current density of 350 mA·cm− 2, which is higher than the 200 mA·cm− 2 required for industrial applications. The catalysts were extensively characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD, ICP-OES, XPS, BET and CO-TPD. Combining the characterization results and activity data, we found that the superior spherical morphology of copper phosphate can increase the electron density around Cu, stabilize the Cu+ species on the surface through the electron transfer between P and Cu, and adjust the adsorption strength of CO intermediates (*CO) to enhance the productivity of C2+ products. This work provides new insights into catalyst design for highly efficient C2H4 production from the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction by tuning morphologies of Cu-based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphism is a prevalent occurrence in pharmaceutical solids and demands thorough investigation during product development. This paper delves into the crystal growth and structure of a newly synthesized polymorph (TPT)2[CoII(NCS)4], (1), where TPT is triphenyl tetrazolium. The study combines experimental and theoretical approaches to elucidate the 3D framework of the crystal structure, characterized by hydrogen-bonded interactions between (TPT)+ cations and [Co(NCS)4]2− anions. Hirshfeld surface analysis, along with associated two-dimensional fingerprints, is employed to comprehensively investigate and quantify intermolecular interactions within the structure. The enrichment ratio is calculated for non-covalent contacts, providing insight into their propensity to influence crystal packing interactions. Void analysis is conducted to predict the mechanical behavior of the compound. Utilizing Bravais-Friedel, Donnay-Harker (BFDH), and growth morphology (GM) techniques, the external morphology of (TPT)2[CoII(NCS)4] is predicted. Experimental observations align well with BFDH predictions, with slight deviations from the GM model. Quantum computational calculations of the synthesized compounds is performed in the ground state using the DFT/UB3LYP level of theory. These calculations assess the molecule's stability and chemical reactivity, including the computation of the HOMO-LUMO energy difference and other chemical descriptors. The study provides a comprehensive exploration of the newly synthesized polymorph, shedding light on its crystal structure, intermolecular interactions, mechanical behavior, and external morphology, supported by both experimental and computational analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anode materials based on the TiO2 nanoparticles of different morphologies were prepared using the hydrothermal method and characterized by various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and N2 absorption. The TiO2 nanoparticles prepared were used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), and their electrochemical properties were tested using discharging/charging measurements. The results showed that the initial morphology of the nanoparticles plays a minor role in battery performance after the first few cycles and that better capacity was achieved for TiO2 nanobelt morphology. The sharp drop in the specific capacity of LIB during their first cycles is examined by considering changes in the morphology of TiO2 particles and their porosity properties in terms of size and connectivity. The performance of TiO2 anode materials has also been assessed by considering their phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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ABC triblock terpolymers are promising soft templates for organic/inorganic hybrids because of their ability to form nanostructures with complex shapes, multiple compartments, and precisely localized chemistry. Exemplified on multicompartment nanofibers (MCNFs) of triblock terpolymers, it is demonstrated that microdomains can be selectively loaded, thereby giving access to nanoscale multimetallic hybrid materials. MCNFs with micrometer length, homogenous diameter (90 nm), and a helix‐on‐cylinder morphology are formed from polystyrene‐block‐polybutadiene‐block‐poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate) (PS‐b‐PB‐b‐PT). After postmodification (cross‐linking/hydrolysis), selective loading with FeCl3, PdCl2, H2PtCl6, AgNO3, CuCl2, or ZnCl2 leads to a variety of hybrid MCNFs analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron tomography, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Mild sulfonation of the PS shell to polystyrene sulfonate renders the MNCFs water‐dispersible and allows the formation of mixed‐bimetallic Pt/Pd/Pt@MCNFs and trimetallic Pt/Pd/Ag@MCNFs. It is demonstrated that the order of loading is key to successfully create multimetallic nanostructures. These and other structures can become useful for energy applications as well as in photo‐ and electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhaoxia Xu,1,&ast; Lei Zhang,2,&ast; Ran Han,1 Chengwei Ding,1 Haochang Shou,1 Xueguang Duan,1 Shengwei Zhang1 1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xueguang Duan; Shengwei Zhang, Department of Clinical Laboratory, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13911179092 ; +86 13124780206, Email duanxg714@163.com; zswo6@aliyun.comBackground: Candida auris is a pathogen first found in external ear canal, becoming a major threat to global health. Here, we describe a candidemia case caused by a novel drug-resistant Candida auris strain.Case Presentation: An 80-year-old patient, with multiple serious medical conditions, was suffered from candidemia caused by Candida auris, died 9 days after admission in our hospital. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this C. auris isolate (designated BJCA003) belongs to the South Asian clade, carries the Y132F mutation in the protein Erg11. And antibiotic susceptibility test indicated that BJCA003 is resistant to fluconazole and amphotericin B, not susceptible to caspofungin. In addition, this strain has multiple colony and cellular morphologies under different culture conditions.Conclusion: Strain BJCA003 is a novel drug resistant C. auris strain in mainland China, the Y132F mutation in Erg11 may attribute to fluconazole-resistance, alarming that we still face more challenges about C. auris.Keywords: Candida auris, candidemia, drug-resistant, mutation, morphologies

Manganese oxide nanoparticles with different crystal phases, morphologies, and structural diversity along with their exceptional properties like high specific surface area, a high fraction of surface atoms, non‐toxic nature, and excellent redox properties are drawing attention for various applications in storage science, especially in the batteries, super‐capacitors, energy conversion, and the environmental catalysis field. Precise control of particle size, morphology, surface area, Mnx+ oxidation state, etc. is the utmost important aspect to explore their application to the full potential. Here, the emphasis is on the recent trends in manganese oxide research – structure, synthesis, and applications. The structure of numerous crystalline phases of manganese oxide nanoparticles are summerized and several facile chemical synthesis processes to achieve the desired crystalline/amorphous structure are discoursed. Temperature and different synthesis conditions dependent phase transformations of β‐MnO2, α‐Mn2O3, and Mn3O4 from α‐MnO2 are discussed as well. The pragmatic approach directs that the application field is mostly controlled by the morphologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZIF-67 has been widely used in the field of photocatalytic, however, its insensitivity to visible light responsiveness has become a major difficulty in its further development. Studies have shown that the combination of cadmium sulfide (CdS) with ZIF-67 has enough potential to address this concern, but different morphologies and sizes of CdS have a great influence on the properties of composite materials. Therefore, this study focused on the physicochemical properties, photoelectric properties, and photocatalytic water-splitting properties of the CdS@ZIF-67 composites obtained by the combination of four different CdS morphologies and ZIF-67. It was found that the CdS@ZIF-67 composites had the performance of visible light region response without the use of photosensitizer, and the specific surface area of the composite was significantly improved. Among them, the nanoparticles CdS@ZIF-67 showed the most significant improvement in photocatalytic water splitting performance, and the optimal value reached 2.21 mmol•g−1•h−1. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the zero-dimensional structure of CdS is more conducive to the performance improvement of composite materials, which provides favorable evidence for the later combination of semiconductor materials and metal-organic framework materials (MOFs). • By combining with CdS, ZIF-67 can get rid of the dependence on photosensitizer. • The effects of four morphologies of cadmium sulfide on the composites were studied. • The hydrogen production performance of CdS nanoparticle composite is 25.7 times that of CdS. • CdS nanoparticles is more conducive to the performance improvement of composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of heterojunction semiconductors for the photodegradation of toxic organic dyes under sunlight exposure has earned significant recognition from researchers nowadays. On that account, we have synthesized and explored a comparative photodegradation study of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite with ZnO and CuO nanoparticles. ZnO and CuO nanoparticles have been synthesized by biosynthesis methods using Ficus benghalensis leaf extract. As-synthesized ZnO and CuO nanoparticles have been further utilized for the synthesis of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite by the mortar pestle crushing/milling method. Both biosynthesis methods and mortar pestle crushing/milling methods are simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly. Structural, optical, and morphological analysis of all the synthesized nanomaterials have been done by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–visible spectroscopy. PXRD data reveal that synthesized ZnO nanoparticles are in the hexagonal wurtzite phase, CuO nanoparticles in the monoclinic phase, and ZnO/CuO nanocomposite in the hexagonal wurtzite as well as in monoclinic phase. FE-SEM and TEM images of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite reveal the nanorod-shaped morphology along with micro-sized and nano-sized flakes. The BET analysis shows the surface areas 18.128 m2/g for ZnO nanoparticles, 16.653 m2/g for CuO nanoparticles, and 19.580 m2/g for ZnO/CuO nanocomposite, respectively. The energy band gap values of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite are obtained 3.13 eV for ZnO and 2.76 eV for CuO, respectively. The photocatalytic behaviors of all the synthesized nanomaterials are examined against aqueous dye solutions of methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RhB), and methyl orange (MO) under sunlight irradiation. The results reveal that the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite has been found higher than with ZnO and CuO nanoparticles for all the dyes. Also, all the synthesized nanomaterials indicate higher photocatalytic degradation efficiency for methylene blue dye among all three dyes. The kinetics of photodegradation of all the dye solutions has also been investigated in the presence of ZnO, CuO, and ZnO/CuO photocatalysts separately. The results exhibit that rate constant values for all the dyes are higher with ZnO/CuO nanocomposite than with ZnO and CuO nanoparticles. ZnO/CuO nanocomposite demonstrates degradation efficiency for MB dye 99.13%, for RhB 80.21%, and for MO 67.22% after 180 min of sunlight exposure. ZnO/CuO nanocomposite and ZnO and CuO nanoparticles also show the best reusability and stability up to three cycles for photocatalytic degradation of MB dyes among all the dyes. Therefore, green synthesized ZnO/CuO nanocomposite could be used as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of various toxic dyes. The mineralization of different dyes using ZnO/CuO nanocomposite has been examined by FTIR analysis. Furthermore, the mineralization of MB dye has been done by total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the thermal properties and structural features of blends consisting of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer (EMAA) or its ionomer form (EMAA-54Na). The aim is to investigate how carboxylate functional groups of the ionomer form intervene in blends compatibility at the interface of the two materials and how this impacts their properties. Two series of blends (TPS/EMAA and TPS/EMAA-54Na) were produced with an internal mixer, with TPS compositions between 5 and 90 wt%. Thermogravimetry shows two main weight losses, indicating that TPS and the two copolymers are primarily immiscible. However, a small weight loss existing at intermediate degradation temperature between those of the two pristine components reveals specific interactions at the interface. At a mesoscale level, scanning electron microscopy confirmed thermogravimetry results and showed a two-phase domain morphology, with a phase inversion at around 80 wt% TPS, but also revealed a different surface appearance evolution between the two series. Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis also revealed discrepancies in fingerprint between the two series of blends, analysed in terms of additional interactions in TPS/EMAA-54Na coming from the supplementary sodium neutralized carboxylate functions of the ionomer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu doped Mg(OH)2 nanoparticles were synthesized with varying concentrations from 0 to 10% by a chemical synthesis technique of coprecipitation. X-rays diffraction (XRD) of the samples confirms that all the samples acquire the hexagonal crystal structure. XRD results indicated the solubility limit of dopant in the host material and the secondary phase of CuO was observed beyond 3% Cu doping in Mg(OH)2. The reduction in the size of nanoparticles was observed from 166 to 103 nm for Mg(OH)2 and 10% Cu doped Mg(OH)2 samples, respectively. The shift in absorption spectra exhibited the systematical enhancement in optical bandgap from 5.25 to 6.085 eV. A good correlation was observed between the bandgap energy and crystallite size of the nanocrystals which confirmed the size induced effect in the nanoparticles. The transformation in the sample morphology was observed from irregular spherical particles to sepals like shapes with increasing the Cu concentration in the host material. The energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) analysis confirmed the purity of mass percentage composition of the elements present in the samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Central European Agriculture is the property of Journal of Central European Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A desired morphology is essential for achieving efficient polymer solar cells. Donors and acceptors with appropriate crystallization can lead to a suitable phase-separated morphology for effective photocurrent generation process. Inspired by the success of Y6 acceptors and the 2D side chain engineering on popular polymer donors and small molecule acceptors, the usage of unique 2D 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) side chains on Y6 to regulate its crystallinity, compatibility, and thus the related blend morphology is explored. In this study, two molecules of BTP-EDOT-4F and BTP-EDOT-4Cl with such unique 2D EDOT side chains are designed and synthesized. Due to the advantage of EDOT side chain, when these molecules are blended with PM6, the decent power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 16.78% and 15.87% are obtained. Furthermore, BTP-EDOT-4F is selected as the third component and added into PM6:L8-BO binary system to form ternary blends. The optimized crystallinity, compatibility, and morphology of such ternary blend are discovered in the presence of BTP-EDOT-4F, which enables efficient exciton dissociation and charge transport as well as decreased recombination, resulting in higher short circuit current density Jsc) and fill factor. Finally, the outstanding PCE of 18.56% is achieved in ternary blends containing PM6, L8-BO, and BTP-EDOT-4F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the preceding years, there has been a notable rise in scientific inquiry focused on nanocrystals composed of transition metal sulfides (TMSs) materials. This heightened interest stems from their potential applications in environmental conservancy and the advancement of renewable energy solutions. This is largely attributed to the plentiful availability of materials with readily adjustable electronic-optical, physical, and chemical characteristics. TMSs represent semiconducting compounds wherein sulfur functions as the anion coordinated with a metal cation. These compounds can exhibit mono-, bi-, or multiple forms of metal ions. The extensive range of TMSs materials offers a distinctive framework for generating a myriad of potential materials showcasing diverse chemical, physical, and electronic phenomena, along with innovative serviceable characteristics and applications. Unlocking the complete potential of these captivating materials necessitates the development of scalable techniques for fabricating cost-effective TMSs, heterostructures, and high-quality hybrids. This inclusive review delineates methodologies for the precise fabrication of TMSs, followed by an examination of the recent morphologies of TMSs nanocrystals achieved through various material fabrication techniques. This study highlights the notable contribution of various metal-sulfide-based nano-photocatalysts in efficiently degrading toxic organic pollutants, antibiotics, and dyes. Additionally, a detailed exploration of their role in water splitting for hydrogen fuel has been presented by specifying different charge transfer mechanisms in nanocomposites containing TMSs nanocrystals. Furthermore, TMSs-based electrodes for electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting, carbon dioxide reduction, energy storage, and supercapacitance have been chartered in detail to cope with energy crises. Finally, some shortcomings of TMSs-based semiconductors are discussed from a future perspective in this review article. We hope this review article presents new directions for pollutant degradation, energy generation, and storage to reduce the impacts of global warming. [Display omitted] • Recent applications of transition-metal-based sulfides for photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis and supercapacitance are over-viewed. • The synthesis, classification and morphogenesis for transition-metal-based sulfides are presented. • Fabrication of transition-metal-based sulfides with inorganic, organic, MOF, and carbon-based types. • Deep discussion of different charge transfer scheme in transition-metal-based sulfides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, typical organic pollutants were frequently found in aquatic environments. Among them, synthetic dyes were widely used in many industries, which resulting in a large amount of wastewater contained dyes. Because of the characteristic of complex components, poor biodegradability and high toxicity, this kind of wastewater brought lots of harm to the ecological environment and organism. In this study, three different types of manganese dioxide (MnO2) with the rod-like, needle-like and mixed morphologies respectively were successfully fabricated by hydrothermal method with changing the preparation conditions and addition of the metal ions, and utilized as activator of persulfate (PS) to remove the dyes aqueous. Subsequently, these MnO2 nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements. In addition, Rhodamine B (Rh B), as a representative substance of xanthene dyes was chosen as the target degradants to researched and compared the efficiency of removal via PS activated by different MnO2. By exploring the influences of different reaction parameters on the result of removal, results indicated that PS activated by the acicular MnO2 (α-MnO2) can remove 97.41% of Rh B over 60 min, with the optimal catalyst/PS ratio of 2:1 (the concentration of the α-MnO2 and PS were 1.2 g/L and 0.6 g/L, respectively), pH value of 3, at the temperature of 20 °C. Meanwhile, the probable degradation mechanism was also proposed. At last, as the catalyst was reused for four times, the degradation rate of target degradants decreased less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TDP-43 aggregation is highly dependent on the protein domains. • Aggregation and morphological outcomes are influenced by triggers. • Polymorphism of TDP-43 is a promising drug target. Nuclear TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) mitigates cellular function, but the dynamic nucleus-cytoplasm shuttling of TDP-43 is disrupted in diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The polymorphic nature of the TDP-43 structures in vitro and in vivo is a result of environmental factors leading to the protein pathogenesis. Once the triggers which mitigate TDP-43 biochemistry are identified, new therapies can be developed. This review aims to illustrate recent discoveries in the diversity of TDP-43 structures (amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic) and highlight the triggers which result in their formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium dendrites are widely acknowledged as the main culprit of the degradation of performance in various Li-based batteries. Studying the mechanism of lithium dendrite formation is challenging because of the high reactivity of lithium metal. In this work, a phase field model and in situ observation experiments were used to study the growth kinetics and morphologies of lithium dendrites in terms of anisotropy, temperature, and potential difference. Subsequently, a 2D numerical simulation has been developed to illustrate the impact of microscopic parameters, such as electrolyte potential, current distribution, and anode overpotential, on the growth of lithium dendrites after nucleation. Meanwhile, the influence of electrode interface, charging rate, and charging mode on lithium dendrites was also studied using the 2D model and in situ experiments. This work provides comprehensive insights into the kinetics of dendrite formation and morphologies, offering an important theoretical reference for the safety and long-life applications of batteries.