1011. Tomato spotted wilt virus in tomato from Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia: genetic diversity and evolutionDijana Škorić, Jelena Zindović, Dorotea Grbin, Patrik Pul, Vladan Božović, Paolo Margaria, Nataša Mehle, Anja Pecman, Zala Kogej Zwitter, Denis Kutnjak, Ana Vučurović, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) is a major plant pathogen causing significant economic losses in tomato production worldwide. Understanding its genetic diversity and evolutionary mechanisms is crucial for effective disease management. This study analyzed TSWV isolates from symptomatic tomato plants collected across Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia between 2020 and 2024. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) was employed to obtain whole-genome sequences, followed by phylogenetic analyses to assess genetic variability and relationships among isolates from these three countries and other isolates of worldwide geographic origin. Phylogenetic analyses placed all studied isolates within the L1-M3-S3 genotype, commonly associated with solanaceous crops in Europe. While Croatian and Slovenian isolates exhibited high genetic similarity, Montenegrin isolates clustered in a distinct subgroup, showing closer relationships to Asian and Mediterranean accessions. Despite the severe disease symptoms observed, no substitutions in the NSm protein associated with resistance-breaking (RB) phenotypes were detected. These findings suggest that additional virome components, environmental factors or so far unknown mechanism(s) may contribute to infection and disease severity in tomato and strongly support the need of continuous surveillance of TSWV genetic diversity in order to inform breeding programs and develop sustainable management strategies to mitigate future outbreaks.
Keywords: tomato, HTS, phylogeny, TSWV, plant virus
Published in DiRROS: 16.09.2025; Views: 329; Downloads: 152
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1012. Stable implementation of a Chen-based enhancement to the Lee phase-change model for CFD simulation of film boiling under energetic melt-coolant interaction conditionsMihael Boštjan Končar, Matej Tekavčič, Mitja Uršič, Mihael Sekavčnik, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: This study investigates heat and mass transfer during energetic melt-coolant interactions, focusing on film boiling around a hot melt particle in subcooled convective flow. The considered conditions, free-flow velocities of a few m/s, melt particle temperatures of several thousand K, particle diameters of several tens of a μm, and liquid subcooling of several tens of a K, align with TREPAM experiments (CEA, France). A two-phase computational fluid dynamics framework, based on the Volume of Fluid method, is used. An improved phase-change model is implemented, combining Chen’s explicit formulation of the phase-change intensity factor with the robustness of the conventional Lee model. The approach reduces sensitivity to empirical parameters and enhances phase-change localisation. Additional constraints on the intensity factor ensure numerical stability under extreme thermal conditions relevant to vapour energetic melt-coolant interactions. Simulations of TREPAM experiments demonstrate improved heat flux predictions and enhanced flow dynamics capture. Analysis of the simulated velocity fields reveal secondary flows in the vapour wake, impacting heat and mass transfer and emphasizing the need to resolve vapor-phase flow conditions. To fully validate proposed modifications to phase-change model further numerical and experimental investigation is required, focusing on vapour film morphology and localized heat transfer intensity.
Keywords: film boiling, extreme thermal conditions, phase-change modelling, computational fluid dynamics, two-phase flow
Published in DiRROS: 16.09.2025; Views: 254; Downloads: 122
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1016. Plasma-tunable metasurfaces for SERS nanosensing of hazardous chemicalsVasyl Shvalya, Andrii Breus, Oleg Baranov, Damjan Vengust, Janez Zavašnik, Uroš Cvelbar, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The demand for rapid, field-deployable detection of hazardous substances has intensified the search for plasmonic sensors with both high sensitivity and fabrication simplicity. Conventional approaches to plasmonic substrates, however, often rely on lithographic precision or complex chemistries limiting scalability and reproducibility. Here, a facile, one-step synthesis of vertically aligned 2D nanosheets composed of intergrown Cu2O/CuO crystallites is presented, fabricated via oxygen plasma discharge on copper substrates. Decorated with a discontinuous Ag nanoparticle layer, the substrates serve as high-performance plasmonic metasurface exhibiting nanomolar sensitivity of explosive molecules, with detection limits as low as 4–5 nm for tetryl and 2–3 nm for HMX under 488 nm excitation. Importantly, the SERS (Surface enhanced Raman scattering) activity expands into a broad spectral range (488, 535, 633 nm), enabled by the formation of plasmonic “hotspots” network within nanoparticle gaps, crevices, that cumulatively boost SERS signal. A pronounced red-shift in the symmetric NO2 stretching mode of tetryl is further demonstrated, attributed to LUMO-mediated charge transfer from the Ag Fermi level—highlighting the need for laser- and substrate-sensitive interpretation of vibrational data. Together, these findings advance the rational design of low-cost, reproducible SERS substrates for trace chemical detection, with potential for integration into autonomous sensing platforms.
Keywords: plasmonic sensors, surface enhanced Raman scattering
Published in DiRROS: 16.09.2025; Views: 359; Downloads: 142
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1017. Splay nematic phaseerAlenka Mertelj, Luka Cmok, Nerea Sebastián Ugarteche, Richard J. Mandle, Rachel R. Parker, Adrian C. Whitwood, J. W. Goodby, Martin Čopič, 2018, original scientific article Published in DiRROS: 15.09.2025; Views: 355; Downloads: 91
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1020. Antiferroelectric order in nematic liquids : flexoelectricity versus electrostaticsPeter Medle Rupnik, Ema Hanžel, Matija Lovšin, Natan Osterman, Calum Jordan Gibb, Richard J. Mandle, Nerea Sebastián Ugarteche, Alenka Mertelj, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The recent discovery of ferroelectric nematic liquid crystalline phases marks a major breakthrough in soft matter research. An intermediate phase, often observed between the nonpolar and the ferroelectric nematic phase, shows a distinct antiferroelectric response to electric fields. However, its structure and formation mechanisms remain debated, with flexoelectric and electrostatics effects proposed as competing mechanisms. By controlling the magnitude of electrostatic forces through ion addition in two representative ferroelectric nematic materials, it is shown that the primary mechanism for the emergence of antiferroelectric order is the flexoelectric coupling between electric polarization and splay deformation of the nematic director. The addition of ions significantly expands the temperature range over which the antiferroelectric phase is observed, with this range increasing with increasing ion concentration. Polarizing optical microscopy studies and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy reveal the splayed structure modulated in 2D, while SHG interferometry confirms its antiferroelectric character. The model previously used to describe pretransitional behavior is extended by incorporating the electrostatic contribution of ions. The model shows qualitative agreement with the experiments, accurately reproducing the phase diagram and temperature-dependent evolution of the modulation period of the observed structure.
Keywords: ferroelectric nematic liquids, flexoelectricity, antiferroelectric order
Published in DiRROS: 15.09.2025; Views: 298; Downloads: 131
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