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The growth and wetting of water on two-dimensional(2D) materials are important to understand the development of 2D material based electronic, optoelectronic, and nanomechanical devices. Here, we visualize the liquefaction processes of water on the surface of graphene, MoS 2 and black phosphorus (BP) via optical microscopy. We show that the shape of the water droplets forming on the surface of BP, which is anisotropic, is elliptical. In contrast, droplets are rounded when they form on the surface of graphene or MoS 2 , which do not possess orthometric anisotropy. Molecular simulations show that the anisotropic liquefaction process of water on the surface of BP is attributed to the different binding energies of H 2 O molecules on BP along the armchair and zigzag directions. The results not only reveal the anisotropic nature of water liquefaction on the BP surface but also provide a way for fast and nondestructive determination of the crystalline orientation of BP. Structural anisotropy of surfaces determines properties relevant for applications. Here the authors observe a relationship between the shape of water droplets forming on graphene, MoS 2 and black phosphorous and the surface structure, proposing a method to determine lattice orientation by optical microscopy.

A biodegradable drug delivery system (DDS) is one the most promising therapeutic strategies for cancer therapy. Here, we propose a unique concept of light activation of black phosphorus (BP) at hydrogel nanostructures for cancer therapy. A photosensitizer converts light into heat that softens and melts drug-loaded hydrogelbased nanostructures. Drug release rates can be accurately controlled by light intensity, exposure duration, BP concentration, and hydrogel composition. Owing to sufficiently deep penetration of near-infrared (NIR) light through tissues, our BP-based system shows high therapeutic efficacy for treatment of s.c. cancers. Importantly, our drug delivery system is completely harmless and degradable in vivo. Together, our work proposes a unique concept for precision cancer therapy by external light excitation to release cancer drugs. If these findings are successfully translated into the clinic, millions of patients with cancer will benefit from our work.

Tellurene is a new-emerging two-dimensional anisotropic semiconductor, with fascinating electric and optical properties that differ dramatically from the bulk counterpart. In this work, the layer dependent electronic and optical properties of few-layer Tellurene has been calculated with the density functional theory (DFT). It shows that the band gap of the Tellurene changes from direct to indirect when layer number changes from monolayer (1 L) to few-layers (2 L–6 L) due to structural reconstruction. Tellurene also has an energy gap that can be tuned from 1.0 eV (1 L) to 0.3 eV (6 L). Furthermore, due to the interplay of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) and disappearance of inversion symmetry in odd-numbered layer structures resulting in the anisotropic SOC splitting, the decrease of the band gap with an increasing layer number is not monotonic but rather shows an odd-even quantum confinement effect. The optical results in Tellurene are layer dependent and different in E ⊥ C and E || C directions. The correlations between the structure, the electronic and optical properties of the Tellurene have been identified. Despite the weak nature of interlayer forces in their structure, their electronic and optical properties are highly dependent on the number of layers and highly anisotropic. These results are essential in the realization of its full potential and recommended for experimental exploration.

Background Genetic diversity of ABO blood, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and haemoglobin type and their ability to protect against malaria vary geographically, ethnically and racially. No study has been carried out in populations resident in malaria regions in western Kenya. Method A total of 574 malaria cases (severe malaria anaemia, SMA = 137 and non-SMA = 437) seeking treatment at Vihiga County and Referral Hospital in western Kenya, were enrolled and screened for ABO blood group, G6PD deficiency and haemoglobin genotyped in a hospital-based cross-sectional study. Result When compared to blood group O, blood groups A, AB and B were not associated with SMA ( P  = 0.380, P  = 0.183 and P  = 0.464, respectively). Further regression analysis revealed that the carriage of the intermediate status of G6PD was associated with risk to SMA (OR = 1.52, 95%CI = 1.029–2.266, P  = 0.035). There was, however, no association between AS and SS with severe malaria anaemia. Co-occurrence of both haemoglobin type and G6PD i.e. the AA/intermediate was associated with risk to SMA (OR = 1.536, 95%CI = 1.007–2.343, P  = 0.046) while the carriage of the AS/normal G6PD was associated with protection against SMA (OR = 0.337, 95%CI = 0.156–0.915, P =  0.031). Conclusion Results demonstrate that blood group genotypes do not have influence on malaria disease outcome in this region. Children in Vihiga with blood group O have some protection against malaria. However, the intermediate status of G6PD is associated with risk of SMA. Further, co-inheritance of sickle cell and G6PD status are important predictors of malaria disease outcome. This implies combinatorial gene function in influencing disease outcome.

Density functional theory calculations of the layer (L)-dependent electronic band structure, work function and optical properties of β-InSe have been reported. Owing to the quantum size effects (QSEs) in β-InSe, the band structures exhibit direct-to-indirect transitions from bulk β-InSe to few-layer β-InSe. The work functions decrease monotonically from 5.22 eV (1 L) to 5.0 eV (6 L) and then remain constant at 4.99 eV for 7 L and 8 L and drop down to 4.77 eV (bulk β-InSe). For optical properties, the imaginary part of the dielectric function has a strong dependence on the thickness variation. Layer control in two-dimensional layered materials provides an effective strategy to modulate the layer-dependent properties which have potential applications in the next-generation high performance electronic and optoelectronic devices.

Since the 1830s, Holiness and Pentecostal movements have had a significant influence on many Christian churches, and they have been a central force in producing what is known today as World Christianity. This book demonstrates the advantages of analyzing them in relation to one another. The Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, the Wesleyan Church, and the Free Methodist Church identify strongly with the Holiness Movement. The Assemblies of God and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World identify just as strongly with the Pentecostal Movement. Complicating matters, denominations such as the Church of God (Cleveland), the International Holiness Pentecostal Church, and the Church of God in Christ have harmonized Holiness and Pentecostalism. This book, the first in the new series Studies in the Holiness and Pentecostal Movements, examines these complex relationships in a multidisciplinary fashion. Building on previous scholarship, the contributors provide new ways of understanding the relationships, influences, and circulation of ideas among these movements in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and Southeast and East Asia. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Kimberly Ervin Alexander, Insik Choi, Robert A. Danielson, Chris E. W. Green, Henry H. Knight III, Frank D. Macchia, Luther Oconer, Cheryl J. Sanders, and Daniel Woods.

Background Physiological characteristics (age and blood feeding status) of malaria vectors can influence their susceptibility to the current vector control tools that target their feeding and resting behaviour. To ensure the sustainability of the current and future vector control tools an understanding of how physiological characteristics may contribute to insecticide tolerance in the field is fundamental for shaping resistance management strategies and vector control tools. The aim of this study was to determine whether blood meal and mosquito age affect pyrethroid tolerance in field-collected Anopheles gambiae from western Kenya. Methods Wild mosquito larvae were reared to adulthood alongside the pyrethroid-susceptible Kisumu strain. Adult females from the two populations were monitored for deltamethrin resistance when they were young at 2–5 days old and older 14–16 days old and whether fed or unfed for each age group. Metabolic assays were also performed to determine the level of detoxification enzymes. Mosquito specimens were further identified to species level using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Results Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto was the predominant species comprising 96% of specimens and 2.75% Anopheles arabiensis . Bioassay results showed reduced pyrethroid induced mortality with younger mosquitoes compared to older ones (mortality rates 83% vs. 98%), independently of their feeding status. Reduced mortality was recorded with younger females of which were fed compared to their unfed counterparts of the same age with a mortality rate of 35.5% vs. 83%. Older blood-fed females showed reduced susceptibility after exposure when compared to unfed females of the same age (mortality rates 86% vs. 98%). For the Kisumu susceptible population, mortality was straight 100% regardless of age and blood feeding status. Blood feeding status and mosquito age had an effect on enzyme levels in both populations, with blood fed individuals showing higher enzyme elevations compared to their unfed counterparts (P < 0.0001). The interaction between mosquito age and blood fed status had significant effect on mosquito mortality. Conclusion The results showed that mosquito age and blood feeding status confers increased tolerance to insecticides as blood feeding may be playing an important role in the toxicity of deltamethrin, allowing mosquitoes to rest on insecticide-treated materials despite treatment. These may have implications for the sustained efficacy of indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets based control programmes that target indoor resting female mosquitoes of various gonotrophic status.

Background Indoor residual spraying (IRS) remains a core malaria vector control intervention, but widespread insecticide resistance threatens its effectiveness. VECTRON™ T500, containing broflanilide, represents a novel IRS product with a new mode of action targeting GABA receptors. Methods A two-arm non-inferiority study was conducted in Bar Olengo, Siaya County, Kenya, between June and November 2024. Twenty-five structures per arm were sprayed with either VECTRON™ T500 (100 mg a.i/m 2 ) or Actellic™ 300CS (1 g a.i/m 2 ), with five water-sprayed controls. Residual efficacy was assessed using world health organization (WHO) cone bioassays with pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto ( s.s .) Bungoma strain and susceptible Kisumu strain monthly for six months. Wild vector susceptibility to insecticides, community acceptability, and adverse events were evaluated. Results VECTRON™ T500 maintained significantly higher mortality than Actellic™ 300CS throughout six months on both wall types. Against resistant An. gambiae s.s. Bungoma strain, VECTRON™ T500 achieved 98.73 ± 3.51% mortality (95% CI 97.95–99.51%) compared to 80.22 ± 11.23% for Actellic™ 300CS (95% CI 77.72–82.72%; t₇₈ = − 10.15, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.27). For susceptible Kisumu strain, VECTRON™ T500 maintained 100% mortality versus 89.60 ± 6.34% for Actellic™ 300CS (95% CI 88.19–91.01%; t₇₈ = 10.53, p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 2.38). Actellic™ 300CS efficacy declined below 80% after month 4, while VECTRON™ T500 remained > 95% effective throughout. Wild An. gambiae sensu lato ( s.l .) and Anopheles funestus s.l. showed 100% susceptibility to broflanilide with no cross-resistance detected. No adverse events occurred in VECTRON™ T500 households versus 8% (12/150) in Actellic™ 300CS households. Community acceptance was 100% for VECTRON™ T500 versus 99.33% (149/150) for Actellic™ 300CS, though this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions VECTRON™ T500 demonstrated superior residual efficacy, excellent safety profile, and high community acceptance compared to Actellic™ 300CS. Its novel mode of action and absence of cross-resistance to pirimiphos-methyl and pyrethroids make it valuable for insecticide resistance management in malaria vector control programmes.

A new approach to material outgassing modelling based on chemical species separation was applied to Bake-Out modelling. The outgassing of the Scotchweld EC-9323-2 epoxy glue was first characterized experimentally, both before and after Bake-Out. Based on the former, the latter was modelled, following the classical approach on the one hand and the new approach on the other hand. The MS-based species separation of this new approach allowed measuring the emitted flux of each species individually, even during the outgassing phase. The evolution of these fluxes all along the outgassing tests, during the five classical 24 h plateaus was successfully modelled by diffusion-limited outgassing laws, while it proved inconsistent with a desorption-limited outgassing. Their modelling by diffusion laws allowed a very consistent modelling of the total mass measurements in TML and CVCMs, with a small number of chemical species of different volatilities. The effect of a preliminary Bake-Out on this outgassing was finally modelled and compared to the experimental characterization of the baked material. The modelling accuracy still remains comparable to that of the traditional modelling based on mathematical species. Yet, the realistic species separation of the new approach allows simpler assumptions on water regain (its first species) than the traditional one, which needs to assess the amount of water contained in each mathematical species. Progress in the new method should come from an improved species separation and a direct characterisation of the water flux.