Abstract
The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is traditionally considered to be a purely two-dimensional (2D) phenomenon. Recently, however, a three-dimensional (3D) version of the QHE was reported in the ...Dirac semimetal ZrTe
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. It was proposed to arise from a magnetic-field-driven Fermi surface instability, transforming the original 3D electron system into a stack of 2D sheets. Here, we report thermodynamic, spectroscopic, thermoelectric and charge transport measurements on such ZrTe
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samples. The measured properties: magnetization, ultrasound propagation, scanning tunneling spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, show no signatures of a Fermi surface instability, consistent with in-field single crystal X-ray diffraction. Instead, a direct comparison of the experimental data with linear response calculations based on an effective 3D Dirac Hamiltonian suggests that the quasi-quantization of the observed Hall response emerges from the interplay of the intrinsic properties of the ZrTe
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electronic structure and its Dirac-type semi-metallic character.
The efficient (site-specific) management of soil nutrients is possible by understanding the spatial variability in distribution of phyto-available nutrients (here after called available nutrients) ...and identifying the soil management zones (MZs) of agricultural landscapes. There is need for delineating soil MZs of agricultural landscapes of the world for efficient management of soil nutrients in order to obtain sustainability in crop yield. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to understand the spatial distribution pattern of available micronutrients (zinc (Zn), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and copper (Cu)), available sulphur (S), and soil properties (soil acidity (pH), electrical conductivity (EC) and organic carbon (SOC) content) in soils of intensively cultivated Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of India and to delineate soil MZs for efficient management of soil nutrients. Totally, 55101 soil samples from 0-15 cm depth were obtained from 167 districts of IGP during 2014 to 2017 and were analysed for different soil parameters. Soil pH, EC and SOC content varied from 4.44 to 9.80, 0.02 to 2.13 dS m.sup.-1 and 0.10 to 1.99%, respectively. The concentration of available Zn, B, Fe, Mn, Cu and S varied from 0.01 to 3.27, 0.01 to 3.51, 0.19 to 55.7, 0.05 to 49.0, 0.01 to 5.29 and 1.01 to 108 mg kg.sup.-1, respectively. Geostatistical analysis resulted in varied distribution pattern of studied soil parameters with moderate to strong spatial dependence. The extent (% area) of nutrient deficiencies in IGP followed the order: S > Zn > B > Mn > Cu > Fe. Principal component analysis and fuzzy c-means clustering produced six distinctly different soil MZs of IGP for implementation of zone-specific soil nutrient management strategies for attaining sustainability in crop yield. The developed MZ maps could also be utilized for prioritization and rationalization of nutrients supply in IGP of India.
Endotoxins also referred to as pyrogens are chemically lipopolysaccharides habitually found in food, environment and clinical products of bacterial origin and are unavoidable ubiquitous ...microbiological contaminants. Pernicious issues of its contamination result in high mortality and severe morbidities. Standard traditional techniques are slow and cumbersome, highlighting the pressing need for evoking agile endotoxin detection system. The early and prompt detection of endotoxin assumes prime importance in health care, pharmacological and biomedical sectors. The unparalleled recognition abilities of LAL biosensors perched with remarkable sensitivity, high stability and reproducibility have bestowed it with persistent reliability and their possible fabrication for commercial applicability. This review paper entails an overview of various trends in current techniques available and other possible alternatives in biosensor based endotoxin detection together with its classification, epidemiological aspects, thrust areas demanding endotoxin control, commercially available detection sensors and a revolutionary unprecedented approach narrating the influence of omics for endotoxin detection.
•The sensing efficiency of various endotoxin based biosensors has been compared.•Graphical illustrations of working mechanism for possible biosensor are provided.•A detailed study on the commercially available biosensor kits has been reviewed.•Special focus has been given on OMICS (rFC) approach for endotoxin detection.•Lab-on-a-chip, printed biosensors and LOCAD-PTS have been briefly discussed.
ABSTRACT
Hot magnetic stars often exhibit incoherent circularly polarized radio emission thought to arise from gyro-synchrotron emission by energetic electrons trapped in the circumstellar ...magnetosphere. Theoretical scalings for electron acceleration by magnetic reconnection driven by centrifugal breakout match well the empirical scalings for observed radio luminosity with both the magnetic field strength and the stellar rotation rate. This paper now examines how energetic electrons introduced near the top of closed magnetic loops are subsequently cooled by the energy loss associated with their gyro-synchrotron radio emission. For sample assumed distributions for energetic electron deposition about the loop apex, we derive the spatial distribution of the radiated energy from such ‘gyro-cooling’. For sub-relativistic electrons, we show explicitly that this is independent of the input energy, but also find that even extensions to the relativistic regime still yield a quite similar spatial distribution. However, cooling by Coulomb collisions with even a modest ambient density of thermal electrons can effectively quench the emission from sub-relativistic electrons, indicating that the observed radio emission likely stems from relativistic electrons that are less affected by such collisional cooling. The overall results form an initial basis for computing radio emission spectra in future models that account for such cooling and multimode excitation about the fundamental gyro-frequency. Though motivated in the context of hot stars, the basic results here could also be applied to gyro-emission in any dipole magnetospheres, including those of ultra-cool dwarfs and even (exo)-planets.
•Genetic gain for rice grain yield for International Rice Research Institute drought breeding program was estimated.•Positive trend of 0.68 %, 0.87 %, 1.9 % under irrigated control, moderate and ...severe drought achieved.•Superiority of new rice varieties over currently grown demonstrated on farmers’ fields.•International Rice Research Institute developed rice varieties can protect farmers from crop losses under drought conditions.
The complexity of genotype × environment interactions under drought reduces heritability, which determines the effectiveness of selection for drought tolerance and development of drought tolerant varieties. Genetic progress measured through changes in yield performance over time is important in determining the efficiency of breeding programmes in which test cultivars are replaced each year on the assumption that the new cultivars will surpass the older cultivars. The goal of our study was to determine the annual rate of genetic gain for rice grain yield in a drought-prone rainfed system in a series of multi-environment trials conducted from 2005 to 2014 under the Drought Breeding Network of Indian sites in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Our results show a positive trend in grain yield with an annual genetic yield increase of about 0.68 % under irrigated control, 0.87 % under moderate reproductive stage drought stress and 1.9 % under severe reproductive stage drought stress due to breeding efforts. The study also demonstrates the effectiveness of direct selection for grain yield under both irrigated control as well as managed drought stress screening to improve yield in typical rainfed systems. IRRI's drought breeding programme has exhibited a significant positive trend in genetic gain for grain yield over the years under both drought stress as well as favorable irrigated control conditions. Several drought tolerant varieties released from the programme have outperformed the currently grown varieties under varied conditions in the rainfed environments on farmers’ fields.
Cancer is the second largest disease throughout the world with an increasing mortality rate over the past few years. The patient's survival rate is uncertain due to the limitations of cancer ...diagnosis and therapy. Early diagnosis of cancer is decisive for its successful treatment. A biomarker-based cancer diagnosis may significantly improve the early diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Biosensors play a crucial role in the detection of biomarkers as they are easy to use, portable, and can do analysis in real time. This review describes various biosensors designed for detecting nucleic acid and protein-based cancer biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. It mainly lays emphasis on different approaches to use electrochemical, optical, and mass-based transduction systems in cancer biomarker detection. It also highlights the analytical performances of various biosensor designs concerning cancer biomarkers in detail.
•Detection of biomarkers with biosensors for early diagnosis of cancer is discussed.•Strategies to fabricate cancer biosensors using nanomaterials are discussed.•Performance of biosensors for nucleic acid and protein biomarkers are reviewed.
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