• Klíčová slova
• IRON *, PHOSPHORUS/toxicology *, SILICON *,
• MeSH
• arsenikové přípravky * MeSH
• fosfiny * MeSH
• fosfor dietní * MeSH
• fosfor toxicita   MeSH
• křemík * MeSH
• železo * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• arsenikové přípravky * MeSH
• arsine MeSH Prohlížeč
• fosfiny * MeSH
• fosfor dietní * MeSH
• fosfor MeSH
• křemík * MeSH
• phosphine MeSH Prohlížeč
• železo * MeSH

Recent advancements in nanotechnology have opened new advances in agriculture. Among other nanoparticles, silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs), due to their unique physiological characteristics and structural properties, offer a significant advantage as nanofertilizers, nanopesticides, nanozeolite and targeted delivery systems in agriculture. Silicon nanoparticles are well known to improve plant growth under normal and stressful environments. Nanosilicon has been reported to enhance plant stress tolerance against various environmental stress and is considered a non-toxic and proficient alternative to control plant diseases. However, a few studies depicted the phytotoxic effects of SiNPs on specific plants. Therefore, there is a need for comprehensive research, mainly on the interaction mechanism between NPs and host plants to unravel the hidden facts about silicon nanoparticles in agriculture. The present review illustrates the potential role of silicon nanoparticles in improving plant resistance to combat different environmental (abiotic and biotic) stresses and the underlying mechanisms involved. Furthermore, our review focuses on providing the overview of various methods exploited in the biogenic synthesis of silicon nanoparticles. However, certain limitations exist in synthesizing the well-characterized SiNPs on a laboratory scale. To bridge this gap, in the last section of the review, we discussed the possible use of the machine learning approach in future as an effective, less labour-intensive and time-consuming method for silicon nanoparticle synthesis. The existing research gaps from our perspective and future research directions for utilizing SiNPs in sustainable agriculture development have also been highlighted.

• Klíčová slova
• Biological synthesis, Environmental stress, Machine learning algorithm, Nanotechnology, Silicon nanoparticles,
• MeSH
• křemík * MeSH
• nanočástice * chemie   MeSH
• nanotechnologie MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• zemědělství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• křemík * MeSH

Silicate minerals are dominant soil components. Thus, plant roots are constantly exposed to silicic acid. High silicon intake, enabled by root silicon transporters, correlates with increased tolerance to many biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the underlying protection mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that silicon interacts with the plant hormones, and specifically, that silicic acid intake increases cytokinin biosynthesis. The reaction of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and Arabidopsis plants, modified to absorb high versus low amounts of silicon, to dark-induced senescence was monitored, by quantifying expression levels of genes along the senescence pathway and measuring tissue cytokinin levels. In both species, detached leaves with high silicon content senesced more slowly than leaves that were not exposed to silicic acid. Expression levels of genes along the senescence pathway suggested increased cytokinin biosynthesis with silicon exposure. Mass spectrometry measurements of cytokinin suggested a positive correlation between silicon exposure and active cytokinin concentrations. Our results indicate a similar reaction to silicon treatment in distantly related plants, proposing a general function of silicon as a stress reliever, acting via increased cytokinin biosynthesis.

• Klíčová slova
• Arabidopsis, cytokinin, senescence, silicon, sorghum,
• MeSH
• Arabidopsis účinky léků   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• cytokininy biosyntéza   MeSH
• geneticky modifikované rostliny MeSH
• kořeny rostlin metabolismus   MeSH
• křemík metabolismus   farmakologie   MeSH
• listy rostlin účinky léků   metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u rostlin MeSH
• Sorghum účinky léků   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cytokininy MeSH
• křemík MeSH

Periodontal disease is a significant burden for oral health, causing progressive and irreversible damage to the support structure of the tooth. This complex structure, the periodontium, is composed of interconnected soft and mineralised tissues, posing a challenge for regenerative approaches. Materials combining silicon and lithium are widely studied in periodontal regeneration, as they stimulate bone repair via silicic acid release while providing regenerative stimuli through lithium activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Yet, existing materials for combined lithium and silicon release have limited control over ion release amounts and kinetics. Porous silicon can provide controlled silicic acid release, inducing osteogenesis to support bone regeneration. Prelithiation, a strategy developed for battery technology, can introduce large, controllable amounts of lithium within porous silicon, but yields a highly reactive material, unsuitable for biomedicine. This work debuts a strategy to lithiate porous silicon nanowires (LipSiNs) which generates a biocompatible and bioresorbable material. LipSiNs incorporate lithium to between 1% and 40% of silicon content, releasing lithium and silicic acid in a tailorable fashion from days to weeks. LipSiNs combine osteogenic, cementogenic and Wnt/β-catenin stimuli to regenerate bone, cementum and periodontal ligament fibres in a murine periodontal defect.

• MeSH
• beta-katenin * MeSH
• křemík farmakologie   MeSH
• kyselina křemičitá farmakologie   MeSH
• lithium farmakologie   MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nanodráty * MeSH
• poréznost MeSH
• zubní cement (tkáň) MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• beta-katenin * MeSH
• křemík MeSH
• kyselina křemičitá MeSH
• lithium MeSH

In the current scenario of global warming and climate change, plants face many biotic stresses, which restrain growth, development and productivity. Nanotechnology is gaining precedence over other means to deal with biotic and abiotic constraints for sustainable agriculture. One of nature's most beneficial metalloids, silicon (Si) shows ameliorative effect against environmental challenges. Silicon/Silica nanoparticles (Si/SiO2NPs) have gained special attention due to their significant chemical and optoelectronic capabilities. Its mesoporous nature, easy availability and least biological toxicity has made it very attractive to researchers. Si/SiO2NPs can be synthesised by chemical, physical and biological methods and supplied to plants by foliar, soil, or seed priming. Upon uptake and translocation, Si/SiO2NPs reach their destined cells and cause optimum growth, development and tolerance against environmental stresses as well as pest attack and pathogen infection. Using Si/SiO2NPs as a supplement can be an eco-friendly and cost-effective option for sustainable agriculture as they facilitate the delivery of nutrients, assist plants to mitigate biotic stress and enhances plant resistance. This review aims to present an overview of the methods of formulation of Si/SiO2NPs, their application, uptake, translocation and emphasize the role of Si/SiO2NPs in boosting growth and development of plants as well as their conventional advantage as fertilizers with special consideration on their mitigating effects towards biotic stress.

• Klíčová slova
• Biotic stress, Crop improvement, Silica NPs, Silicon nanoparticles, Sustainable agriculture,
• MeSH
• fyziologický stres MeSH
• křemík * farmakologie   MeSH
• nanočástice * toxicita   MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• zemědělství MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• křemík * MeSH

Silicon, arguably the most important technological semiconductor, is predicted to exhibit a range of new and interesting properties when grown in the hexagonal crystal structure. To obtain pure hexagonal silicon is a great challenge because it naturally crystallizes in the cubic structure. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of pure and stable hexagonal silicon evidenced by structural characterization. In our approach, we transfer the hexagonal crystal structure from a template hexagonal gallium phosphide nanowire to an epitaxially grown silicon shell, such that hexagonal silicon is formed. The typical ABABAB... stacking of the hexagonal structure is shown by aberration-corrected imaging in transmission electron microscopy. In addition, X-ray diffraction measurements show the high crystalline purity of the material. We show that this material is stable up to 9 GPa pressure. With this development, we open the way for exploring its optical, electrical, superconducting, and mechanical properties.

• Klíčová slova
• Core/Shell Nanowire, Hexagonal Crystal Structure, Raman Spectroscopy, Silicon, Single-Crystalline, X-ray Diffraction,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Silicon (Si) is known to alleviate the adverse impact of different abiotic and biotic stresses by different mechanisms including morphological, physiological, and genetic changes. Photosynthesis, one of the most important physiological processes in the plant is sensitive to different stress factors. Several studies have shown that Si ameliorates the stress effects on photosynthesis by protecting photosynthetic machinery and its function. In stressed plants, several photosynthesis-related processes including PSII maximum photochemical quantum yield (Fv/Fm), the yield of photosystem II (φPSII), electron transport rates (ETR), and photochemical quenching (qP) were observed to be regulated when supplemented with Si, which indicates that Si effectively protects the photosynthetic machinery. In addition, studies also suggested that Si is capable enough to maintain the uneven swelling, disintegrated, and missing thylakoid membranes caused during stress. Furthermore, several photosynthesis-related genes were also regulated by Si supplementation. Taking into account the key impact of Si on the evolutionarily conserved process of photosynthesis in plants, this review article is focused on the aspects of silicon and photosynthesis interrelationships during stress and signaling pathways. The assemblages of this discussion shall fulfill the lack of constructive literature related to the influence of Si on one of the most dynamic and important processes of plant life i.e. photosynthesis.

• Klíčová slova
• Changing environment, Gene expression, Photosynthesis, Silicon,
• MeSH
• chlorofyl MeSH
• fotosyntéza MeSH
• fotosystém II - proteinový komplex metabolismus   MeSH
• křemík * farmakologie   MeSH
• listy rostlin * metabolismus   MeSH
• transport elektronů MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorofyl MeSH
• fotosystém II - proteinový komplex MeSH
• křemík * MeSH

• Klíčová slova
• INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE *, SILICON *,
• MeSH
• anorganické sloučeniny uhlíku * MeSH
• fyzikální vyšetření * MeSH
• hygiena práce * MeSH
• křemík * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• sloučeniny křemíku * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• anorganické sloučeniny uhlíku * MeSH
• křemík * MeSH
• silicon carbide MeSH Prohlížeč
• sloučeniny křemíku * MeSH

The potential of solar cells have not been fully tapped due to the lack of energy conversion efficiency. There are three important mechanisms in producing high efficiency cells to harvest solar energy; reduction of light reflectance, enhancement of light trapping in the cell and increment of light absorption. The current work represent studies conducted in surface modification of single-crystalline silicon solar cells using wet chemical etching techniques. Two etching types are applied; alkaline etching (KOH:IPA:DI) and acidic etching (HF:HNO3:DI). The alkaline solution resulted in anisotropic profile that leads to the formation of inverted pyramids. While acidic solution formed circular craters along the front surface of silicon wafer. This surface modification will leads to the reduction of light reflectance via texturizing the surface and thereby increases the short circuit current and conversion rate of the solar cells.

• Klíčová slova
• Acidic etching, Alkaline etching, Efficiency, Silicon solar cell, Surface texturization,
• MeSH
• analýza selhání vybavení MeSH
• design vybavení MeSH
• hydroxidy chemie   MeSH
• křemík chemie   MeSH
• kyseliny chemie   MeSH
• nanočástice chemie   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• povrchové vlastnosti MeSH
• sloučeniny draslíku chemie   MeSH
• sluneční energie * MeSH
• smáčivost MeSH
• zdroje elektrické energie * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• hydroxidy MeSH
• křemík MeSH
• kyseliny MeSH
• potassium hydroxide MeSH Prohlížeč
• sloučeniny draslíku MeSH

We have prepared colloidal solutions of clusters composed from porous silicon nanoparticles in methanol, water and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Even if the size of the nanoclusters is between 60 and 500 nm, due to their highly porous "cauliflower"-like structure, the porous silicon nanoparticles are composed of interconnected nanocrystals having around 2.5 nm in size and showing strong visible luminescence in the orange-red spectral region (centred at 600-700 nm). Hydrophilic behaviour and good solubility of the nanoclusters in water and water-based solutions were obtained by adding hydrogen peroxide into the etching solution during preparation and 16 min long after-bath in hydrogen peroxide. By simple filtration of the solutions with syringe filters, we have extracted smaller nanoclusters with sizes of approx. 60-70 nm; however, these nanoclusters in water and PBS solution (pH neutral) are prone to agglomeration, as was confirmed by zeta potential measurements. When the samples were left at ambient conditions for several weeks, the typical nanocluster size increased to approx. 330-400 nm and then remained stable. However, both freshly filtered and aged samples (with agglomerated porous silicon nanoparticles) of porous silicon in water and PBS solutions can be further used for biological studies or as luminescent markers in living cells.

• Klíčová slova
• Agglomeration, Colloids, Nanocrystalline silicon, Nanoparticles, Porous silicon,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH