Closing the loops: chromatin loop dynamics after DNA damage

Chromatin is a dynamic polymer in constant motion. These motions are heterogeneous between cells and within individual cell nuclei and are profoundly altered in response to DNA damage. The shifts in chromatin motions following genomic insults depend on the temporal and physical scales considered. They are also distinct in damaged and undamaged regions. In this review, we emphasize the role of chromatin tethering and loop formation in chromatin dynamics, with the view that pulsing loops are key contributors to chromatin motions. Chromatin tethers likely mediate micron-scale chromatin coherence predicted by polymer models and measured experimentally, and we propose that remodeling of the tethers in response to DNA breaks enables uncoupling of damaged and undamaged chromatin regions.

Computational framework of neuronal-astrocytic network within the basal ganglia-thalamic circuits associated with Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is the neurodegenerative disorder which involves both neurons and non-neurons, and whose symptoms are usually represented by the error index and synchronization index in the computational study. This paper combines with the classical basal ganglia-thalamic network model and tripartite synapse model to explore the internal effects of astrocytes on the Parkinson's disease. The model simulates the firing patterns of the Parkinsonian state and healthy state, verifies the feasibility of the neural-glial model. The results show that the rate of production for IP3 modulate the frequency and amplitude of slow inward current for subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus externa and interna in two modes. Increasing the rate of production for IP3 of subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus externa can decrease the error index and presumably alleviate the Parkinson's disease. Increasing the rate of production for IP3 of globus pallidus externa and adjusting the rate of production for IP3 of subthalamic nucleus can result in the desynchronization of network in a regular way. These obtained results emphasize the effect of neurons (especially subthalamic nucleus and globus pallidus externa), astrocytes and their interaction on the Parkinson's disease. It enriches the evidence of involvement of astrocyte in Parkinson's disease, and proposes some cognitive points to the alleviation of Parkinson's disease.

Bridging-mediated compaction of mitotic chromosomes

Within living cells, chromosome shapes undergo a striking morphological transition, from loose and uncondensed fibers during interphase to compacted and cylindrical structures during mitosis. ATP driven loop extrusion performed by a specialized protein complex, condensin, has recently emerged as a key driver of this transition. However, while this mechanism can successfully recapitulate the compaction of chromatids during the early stages of mitosis, it cannot capture structures observed after prophase. Here we hypothesize that a condensin bridging activity plays an additional important role, and review evidence - obtained largely through molecular dynamics simulations - that, in combination with loop extrusion, it can generate compact metaphase cylinders. Additionally, the resulting model qualitatively explains the unusual elastic properties of mitotic chromosomes observed in micromanipulation experiments and provides insights into the role of condensins in the formation of abnormal chromosome structures associated with common fragile sites.

Quantum leadership: new approach in managing shoulder dystocia in simulation-based training

BACKGROUND

Shoulder dystocia, a challenging condition for obstetricians, poses significant risks to both maternal and neonatal health, including maternal postpartum hemorrhage, neonatal hypoxia, and brachial plexus injury. Despite being unpredictable and unpreventable, effective management can mitigate these risks. Miscommunication and poor leadership are responsible for 72% of medical errors, which further highlights the importance of robust leadership skills in obstetric emergencies.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A qualitative study involving 20 participants through structured interviews assessed preferred leadership styles in managing shoulder dystocia.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that 55% of participants favored quantum leadership. Other preferences included laissez-faire by one anesthesiologist and democratic by two midwives. However, all participants acknowledged the efficacy of the seven quantum leadership skills in managing shoulder dystocia. Discussion emphasized that traditional leadership styles are less effective compared to quantum leadership in managing the complexities of shoulder dystocia. The quantum Ob-Wheel, consisting of 12 milestones, integrates these seven interdependent skills to guide the management process.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the limited sample size of this study, it is worth noting that, given the unpredictable nature of shoulder dystocia, clinicians should be prepared for its occurrence during any birth, with quantum leadership providing a strategic advantage in such scenarios.

Pragmatic information of aesthetic appraisal

A phenomenological model for aesthetic appraisal is proposed in terms of pragmatic information for a dynamic update semantics over belief states of an aesthetic appreciator. The model qualitatively correlates with aesthetic pleasure ratings in an experimental study on cadential effects in Western tonal music, conducted by Cheung et al. (Curr Biol 29(23):4084-4092.e4, 2019). Finally, related computational and neurodynamical accounts are discussed.

Regulatory mechanism of inhibitory interneurons with time-delay on epileptic seizures under sinusoidal sensory stimulation

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which complex electrophysiological processes are closely linked to inherent nonlinear kinetic properties. This study investigates the effects of sinusoidal sensory stimulation bias and time-delay on the dynamics of epileptic seizures within a corticothalamic neural network model. The results indicate that an increase in sensory stimulation bias can prematurely terminate seizures, and high-frequency stimulation can induce a phenomenon of frequency resonance. Meanwhile, discharge states transitions are associated with the emergence of bifurcation points. Time-delay exerts a significant regulatory influence on pathways with delay embedding (I2-PY), whereas its impact on pathways without delay embedding (I1-I1 and thalamic relay nucleus (TC)-I2) is negligible. Under sinusoidal sensory stimulation, the responses of three pathways (I1-I1, I1-PY, and I2-PY) associated with inhibitory interneurons reveal that the inhibitory properties of interneurons can suppress seizures; however, an excessively strong inhibitory effect may also precipitate seizures and facilitate state transitions. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of seizure dynamics and may guide future research in the transmission and evolution of seizures.

Computational approaches of modelling human papillomavirus transmission and prevention strategies: a systematic review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Persistent oncogenic HPV infection has been a leading threat to global health and can lead to serious complications such as cervical cancer. Prevention interventions including vaccination and screening have been proven effective in reducing the risk of HPV-related diseases. In recent decades, computational epidemiology has been serving as a very useful tool to study HPV transmission dynamics and evaluation of prevention strategies. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive literature review on state-of-the-art computational epidemic models for HPV disease dynamics, transmission dynamics, as well as prevention efforts. Selecting 45 most-relevant papers from an initial pool of 10,497 papers identified through keyword search, we classify them based on models used and prevention strategies employed, summarize current research trends, identify gaps in the present literature, and identify future research directions. In particular, we describe current consensus regarding optimal prevention strategies which favour prioritizing teenage girls for vaccination. We also note that optimal prevention strategies depend on the resources available in each country, with hybrid vaccination and screening being the most fruitful for developed countries, and screening-only approaches being most cost effective for low and middle income countries. We also highlight that in future, the use of computational and operations research tools such as game theory and linear programming, coupled with the large scale use of census and geographic information systems data, will greatly aid in the modelling, analysis and prevention of HPV.

Improving 5-halouracils SERS detection driven by Watson & Crick pairing recognition. A spectroscopic & DFT study

The halogenated C5-substituted uracil derivatives (5-fluor-, 5-chloro, and 5-bromouracil) have drawn attention recently due to their pharmacological uses, properties, and importance as biomarkers and water pollutants. From an analytical point of view, these species are expected to be at very low levels in biological and environmental samples, and the development of methodologies for their determination is a central goal in research. The Raman technique and one of its special effects, Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), is a very suitable approach for detecting and quantifying these compounds. In practice, enhancing Raman scattering requires a nanostructured noble metal surface with the species of interest attached to it. Still, to maximize the effect, a deeper comprehension of the nature of the analyte-metal surface interaction is desirable. The structural information SERS spectra provide can be complemented by theoretical approaches, such as the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. This work studied three 5-halouracils attached to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from experimental and theoretical perspectives. The observed patterns in the spectroscopic behavior showed a trend related to the electronegativity at the halogenated moieties, suggesting their direct influence in enhancing CC and CO stretching modes. Then, the formation of base pairs with adenine through hydrogen bonding was studied as a strategy to improve the detectability through SERS, supported by the well-known high affinity of adenine towards metal nanoparticles. We show that adenine favors the orientation of the 5-halouracils, reaching an additional signal enhancement that is very useful for analytical purposes, as demonstrated for 5-FU, reaching a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.36 nmol L-1. Wavenumber shifts and intensification of NH modes observed in the SERS spectra, along with DFT calculations, strongly suggest that forming hydrogen bonding (NH----N) upon the interaction of the base pairs with an Ag20 cluster is key for improving the halouracils LOD through SERS.

Assessing the effectiveness of test-trace-isolate interventions using a multi-layered temporal network

In the early stage of an infectious disease outbreak, public health strategies tend to gravitate towards non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) given the time required to develop targeted treatments and vaccines. One of the most common NPIs is Test-Trace-Isolate (TTI). One of the factors determining the effectiveness of TTI is the ability to identify contacts of infected individuals. In this study, we propose a multi-layer temporal contact network to model transmission dynamics and assess the impact of different TTI implementations, using SARS-CoV-2 as a case study. The model was used to evaluate TTI effectiveness both in containing an outbreak and mitigating the impact of an epidemic. We estimated that a TTI strategy based on home isolation and testing of both primary and secondary contacts can contain outbreaks only when the reproduction number is up to 1.3, at which the epidemic prevention potential is 88.2% (95% CI: 87.9%-88.5%). On the other hand, for higher value of the reproduction number, TTI is estimated to noticeably mitigate disease burden but at high social costs (e.g., over a month in isolation/quarantine per person for reproduction numbers of 1.7 or higher). We estimated that strategies considering quarantine of contacts have a larger epidemic prevention potential than strategies that either avoid tracing contacts or require contacts to be tested before isolation. Combining TTI with other social distancing measures can improve the likelihood of successfully containing an outbreak but the estimated epidemic prevention potential remains lower than 50% for reproduction numbers higher than 2.1. In conclusion, our model-based evaluation highlights the challenges of relying on TTIs to contain an outbreak of a novel pathogen with characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2, and that the estimated effectiveness of TTI depends on the way contact patterns are modeled, supporting the relevance of obtaining comprehensive data on human social interactions to improve preparedness.

CO2 capture performance of ZrO2-doped Na2CO3/γ-Al2O3 adsorbent

Sodium-based adsorbents (Na2CO3/γ-Al2O3) exhibit significant potential for commercial utilization in CO2 capture. Nevertheless, the requirement for high desorption temperatures poses challenges in terms of the high-quality heat needed for desorption. This study integrated ZrO2 doping into a sodium-based adsorbent to enhance its CO2 capture performance and lower its desorption temperature. The research investigated the CO2 adsorption capacity, reaction rate, and desorption characteristics of the ZrO2-doped Na2CO3/γ-Al2O3 adsorbents in detail. Additionally, the catalytic mechanism of ZrO2 was elucidated through Density Functional Theory calculations. The results showed that ZrO2 doping increased the adsorption rate and capacity of the adsorbent and reduced the desorption energy consumption. Desorption reaction activation energy reduced to 44.8 kJ/mol. The adsorbent doped with 3 wt.% ZrO2 demonstrated the highest adsorption capacity and rate under optimal conditions, with a reaction temperature of 45 ℃, an adsorption capacity of 1.66 mmol/g, and a carbon conversion rate of 80.2 %. ZrO2 acted as a catalyst, enhancing CO2 and H2O adsorption, and facilitated CO2 desorption in the sodium-based adsorbent by forming [ZrO(OH)]+ and OH- through H2O adsorption activation. The lower energy barrier (0.17 eV) for the dissociative adsorption pathway of H2O molecules on the ZrO2 surface further supported the role of ZrO2 in enhancing the overall adsorption performance of the adsorbent in the carbon capture process. Ultimately, the ZrO2-doped Na2CO3/γ-Al2O3 adsorbent was identified as having low desorption energy consumption, high adsorption capacity, and rate, offering potential cost reductions in CO2 capture and representing a promising adsorbent for this application.

Stochastic SIRS models on networks: mean and variance of infection

Due to the heterogeneity of contact structure, it is more reasonable to model on networks for epidemics. Because of the stochastic nature of events and the discrete number of individuals, the spread of epidemics is more appropriately viewed as a Markov chain. Therefore, we establish stochastic SIRS models with vaccination on networks to study the mean and variance of the number of susceptible and infected individuals for large-scale populations. Using van Kampen's system-size expansion, we derive a high-dimensional deterministic system which describes the mean behaviour and a Fokker-Planck equation which characterizes the variance around deterministic trajectories. Utilizing the qualitative analysis technique and Lyapunov function, we demonstrate that the disease-free equilibrium of the deterministic system is globally asymptotically stable if the basic reproduction number R 0 < 1; and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if R 0 > 1. Through the analysis of the Fokker-Planck equation, we obtain the asymptotic expression for the variance of the number of susceptible and infected individuals around the endemic equilibrium, which can be approximated by the elements of principal diagonal of the solution of the corresponding Lyapunov equation. Here, the solution of Lyapunov equation is expressed by vectorization operator of matrices and Kronecker product. Finally, numerical simulations illustrate that vaccination can reduce infections and increase fluctuations of the number of infected individuals and show that individuals with greater degree are more easily infected.

Nickel atoms of nickel foam simultaneously mediated charge redistribution and firm immobilization of zinc oxide for safe and efficient photocatalytic nitrogen oxide removal

Photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising solution for air purification of ppb-level nitrogen oxides (NOx), but potential risk of secondary pollution should not be overlooked, which could be triggered by the production of toxic intermediate and the potential release of airborne catalyst particles during reaction processes. Herein, nickel foam (NF) has been introduced as not only carrier material but also performance promoter for zinc oxide (ZnO). The NF supported ZnO sample (Ni-ZnO/NF) demonstrates multifunctional superiority: 66.4 % nitric oxide (NO) removal efficiency, <1.7 % nitrogen dioxide (NO2) byproduct generation, and ultralow photocatalyst loss (<1.2 % mass). Mechanistic investigations combining experimental characterization and theoretical simulations reveal atomic substitution processes where NF-derived Ni atoms replace Zn sites in the ZnO lattice, forming stable Ni-O interfacial bonds, which contributes to enhance interaction between ZnO and NF for firm immobilization and form electron localization zones around Ni-O bond for reactants activation and reactive oxygen species formation. The optimized reaction pathway (NO + e- → NO-, NO- + 1O2 → NO3-) ensures complete oxidation while suppressing hazardous intermediates. This work blueprints next-generation supported photocatalysts through atomic-level interface engineering, advancing practical application of photocatalytic technology for sustainable air purification.

Coarse-grained simulation of colloidal self-assembly, cation exchange, and rheology in Na/Ca smectite clay gels

KNOWLEDGE GAP

The aggregation of clay minerals-layered silicate nanoparticles-strongly impacts fluid flow, solute migration, and solid mechanics in soils, sediments, and sedimentary rocks. Experimental and computational characterization of clay aggregation is inhibited by the delicate water-mediated nature of clay colloidal interactions and by the range of spatial scales involved, from 1 nm thick platelets to flocs with dimensions up to micrometers or more.

SIMULATIONS

Using a new coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) approach, we predicted the microstructure, dynamics, and rheology of hydrated smectite (more precisely, montmorillonite) clay gels containing up to 2,000 clay platelets on length scales up to 0.1 μm. Simulations investigated the impact of simulation time, platelet diameters (6 to 25 nm), and the ratio of Na to Ca exchangeable cations on the assembly of tactoids (i.e., stacks of parallel clay platelets) and larger aggregates (i.e., assemblages of tactoids). We analyzed structural features including tactoid size and size distribution, basal spacing, counterion distribution in the electrical double layer, clay association modes, and the rheological properties of smectite gels.

FINDINGS

Our results demonstrate new potential to characterize and understand clay aggregation in dilute suspensions and gels on a scale of thousands of particles with explicit representation of counterion clouds and with accuracy approaching that of all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. For example, our simulations predict the strong impact of Na/Ca ratio on clay tactoid formation and the shear-thinning rheology of clay gels.

Structure modification of P2-Na0.67Ni0.15Fe0.2Mn0.65O2 cathode by incorporation of cerium for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

The P2-type transition metal oxides hold promise for the cathode of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the prevailing irreversible phase transition and Jahn-Teller effects of this kind of metal oxides lead to low capacity and poor cycling stability of SIBs. To address these challenges, in this study, the rare-earth metal element cerium (Ce) is successfully introduced into P2-Na0.67Ni0.15Fe0.2Mn0.65O2 (NFM), achieving a synergistic bulk doping and surface modification for NFM. Upon incorporating larger Ce3+ into the lattice, the interlayer spacing of P2- NFM is increased, facilitating the diffusion of Na+. The substitution of Ce for Mn sites suppresses the Jahn-Teller effect caused by Mn3+ in P2-NFM. The concurrently formed CeO2 on the surface effectively inhibits the corrosion and degradation of P2-NFM by the electrolyte. Benefitting from the dual-modification, P2-Na0.67Ni0.15Fe0.2Mn0.61Ce0.04O2 (NFMC-0.04) exhibits an increased discharge capacity of 171.6 mAh g-1 at 0.1C as compared to that of NFM (142.9 mAh g-1), and a higher capacity retention of 57.40 % after 200 cycles than that of NFM (37.97 %). Impressively, it can deliver a capacity retention of 58.41 % after 250 cycles at 1C, while the discharge capacity of un-modified NFM is close to zero. In-situ XRD analysis reveals that the successful doping of Ce into the bulk phase of NFM suppresses the structural distortion of NFM from P2 to OP4 phase. Density Functional Theory calculations disclose that the substitution of Mn sites by Ce elements is energetically most favorable in NFM. Ce doping not only improves the electronic conductivity of NFM by enhancing the degree of electron localization, but also suppresses the Jahn-Teller effect by modulating the electronic structure of Mn. This study provides a new approach for engineering of layered transition metal oxides toward the high-performance cathode of SIBs.

Probing the shear-induced microstructure of a smectite clay aqueous suspensions using rheo-USANS and rheo-SIPLI measurements

HYPOTHESIS

The static microstructure of aqueous sodium-montmorillonite (Na-Mt) suspensions at low ionic strengths (where Particle Size/Debye Length ≈1) exhibits both the particle-particle ordering as well as aggregation with repulsive ordered domains having characteristic optical birefringence and attractive aggregated entities larger than 20 µm resulting in ever-increasing yield stresses also known as physical aging-rejuvenation behavior. We hypothesize that the attractive particle-particle aggregation is the underlying cause behind the physical aging-rejuvenation behavior observed in Na-Mt suspensions with no contribution from structural dynamics driven by repulsive particle-particle ordering or jamming.

EXPERIMENTS

We investigate the shear-induced microstructure of aqueous Na-Mt suspensions in the sol and gel state using rheo-ultra-small angle neutron scattering (rheo-USANS) experiments at shear rates of 1, 50, 500, and 2000 s-1. We also perform rheo-shear-induced polarization light imaging (rheo-SIPLI) experiments to relate ordering with shearing and aging.

FINDINGS

Shearing the suspensions at low to moderate shear rates induces particle-particle aggregation and shearing at high shear rates induces the breakage of particle-particle aggregation in the sol and gel states, suggesting the microstructural aggregation in the sol and gel state is shear sensitive and a full rejuvenation or breakage of particle-particle aggregation is only achieved at a minimum critical shear rate. The rheo-SIPLI experiments reveal that the sol and gel state exhibited strong Maltese cross patterns at a shear rate of 1000 s-1, indicating particle-particle ordering. Post shearing, the gel exhibited temporal evolution of storage modulus without any noticeable influence on the appearance of the Maltese cross pattern indicating physical aging and particle ordering are distinct length scale phenomena in Na-Mt suspensions and the physical aging-rejuvenation behaviour is a feature of particle-particle aggregation as opposed to ordering.

Synergistic optimization of charge carrier separation and transfer in ZnO through crystal facet engineering and piezoelectric effect

Rational regulation of photogenerated charge carrier separation and transfer is a key strategy for optimizing photocatalytic activity. Leveraging the synergistic effects of crystal facet engineering and the piezoelectric effect, a series of hexagonal Zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalysts with varying exposure ratios of the {002} and {210} facets were successfully synthesized and employed under simultaneous excitation by simulated sunlight and ultrasound. As expected, compared to amorphous ZnO, the hexagonal ZnO samples demonstrated a significant enhancement in piezo-photocatalytic tetracycline hydrochloride degradation and polyethylene terephthalate reforming processes. In-depth investigations confirm that the pronounced piezo-photocatalytic performance of the hexagonal ZnO samples is attributed to the synergistic effect of the built-in electric field formed at the facet junctions and the polarization electric field generated by the piezoelectric effect, both of which significantly influence charge separation and carrier mobility. These findings offer new strategies for improving catalytic efficiency and advancing sustainable technologies through photocatalysis.

Surface chemistry-based continuous separation of colloidal particles via diffusiophoresis and diffusioosmosis

The separation of colloidal particles is of great importance in many fields, such as purification, sensing, and bioanalysis. However, separating particles based on their surface physico-chemical properties remains challenging. This study demonstrates through experimental and theoretical analyses that diffusiophoresis and diffusioosmosis enable the continuous separation of carboxylate polystyrene particles with similar sizes and zeta potentials but distinct surface concentrations of carboxyl groups. In the proposed approach, the particles are exposed to salt concentration gradients generated in a double-junction microfluidic device, fed with low and high electrolyte concentration streams. As the particles move across environments with varying salinity levels, their dynamics are affected by the sensitivity of their electrophoretic mobility - and consequently, their apparent zeta potential, which is proportional to it - to the local salt concentration. The apparent zeta potential, measured via electrophoretic light scattering, and its sensitivity to salt concentration are influenced by the ionic conduction occurring near the particle surface whose intensity depends, in turn, on the concentration of surface carboxyl groups. By harnessing these effects, colloids with comparable apparent zeta potentials but different surface concentrations of carboxyl groups are separated with high efficiency when they exhibit opposite apparent zeta potential sensitivities to salt. This simple approach, which relies on an easy-to-operate device with no external energy source, has discipline-spanning potential for the continuous separation of colloids distinguished solely by surface properties like roughness, permeability, heterogeneity, and chemical composition that influence the sensitivities of their electrophoretic mobility and, thus apparent zeta potential, to the salt concentration.

Nanoparticles do not influence droplet break-up, spreading, or splashing

The dynamics of nanoparticle-laden droplets, from dripping to impact, have remained a subject of intense debate due to conflicting reports in the literature. Here, we address this controversy by systematically investigating the breakup, impact, spreading, and splashing behavior of fully characterized additive-free silica nanosuspensions synthesized via the Stöber process. In the absence of additives, we find that nanoparticles exert negligible influence on the fluid viscosity and dynamic behavior of droplets during break up, spreading, and splashing - even in suspensions with a high loading concentration (15 wt.%). This work highlights the pivotal role of additives, dispersants, and interparticle interactions in governing droplet behavior. Our findings offer crucial insights for a wide range of fields, including inkjet printing and spray coating.

Engineering multifunctional high-entropy oxide nanozymes for robust marine antifouling

High-performance interfacial antifouling coatings are crucial for sustainable marine resource utilization. This work reports a novel high-entropy oxide (HEO) nanozyme, CrMnFeNiCuOX nanoparticles, where the synergistic interplay of polymetallic cations and defect engineering yield remarkable multi-enzyme mimetic activity combined with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 40.06%. Under simulated solar irradiation, the HEO nanozyme exhibited complete (100%) bactericidal activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and effectively suppresses biofilm formation in a simulated marine environment. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that the HEO nanozyme exhibits a tailored electronic structure and adsorption properties, enabling disruption of bacterial membrane integrity, perturbation of intracellular redox homeostasis, and suppression of quorum sensing signaling. This multifaceted approach offers a promising strategy for developing durable and environmentally friendly antifouling coatings for diverse marine applications.

Force-electric biomaterials and devices for regenerative medicine

There is a growing recognition that force-electric conversion biomaterials and devices can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy without an external power source, thus potentially revolutionizing the use of electrical stimulation in the biomedical field. Based on this, this review explores the application of force-electric biomaterials and devices in the field of regenerative medicine. The article focuses on piezoelectric biomaterials, piezoelectric devices and triboelectric devices, detailing their categorization, mechanisms of electrical generation and methods of improving electrical output performance. Subsequently, different sources of driving force for electroactive biomaterials and devices are explored. Finally, the biological applications of force-electric biomaterials and devices in regenerative medicine are presented, including tissue regeneration, functional modulation of organisms, and electrical stimulation therapy. The aim of this review is to emphasize the role of electrical stimulation generated by force-electric conversion biomaterials and devices on the regulation of bioactive molecules, ion channels and information transfer in living systems, and thus affects the metabolic processes of organisms. In the future, physiological modulation of electrical stimulation based on force-electric conversion is expected to bring important scientific advances in the field of regenerative medicine.

Cation vacancy modified bismuth selenide nanosheets toward durable and ultrafast sodium-ion batteries

High-performance metal chalcogenide anodes based on conversion and alloy reaction are promising for the next generation of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their high theoretical capacity. However, the intrinsic limitations of metal chalcogenides, including inadequate electrical conductivity and suboptimal ion diffusion kinetics, impede high-rate performance and large-scale applicability. Herein, a two-dimensional ultrathin Cu heteroatom-doped Bi2Se3 nanosheet with cation vacancies (denoted as DBS) has been developed as an anode for SIBs, exhibiting high capacity and superior rate performance. The electrical conductivity of DBS is enhanced by the contribution of surface topological states and the regulation of electronic structure due to structural defects. Furthermore, the modified crystal structure demonstrates improved ion transport capabilities, elevated Na+ adsorption energy, and a greater number of adsorption sites, as substantiated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Consequently, the DBS electrode exhibits reduced polarization potential, fast capacitive charge storage and a more comprehensive conversion-alloy reaction, thereby achieving a high specific capacity (528 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A g-1), large rate performance (383 mA h g-1 at 10 A g-1), and long cycling stability. This superior performance enhances the appealing electrochemical properties of both coin and pouch-type DBS//Na3V2(PO4)3@C full cells.

Nanoscale palladium-Mo6S8/carbon nanowires toward efficient electrochemical hydrogen evolution and hydrogen peroxide detection

Chevrel phase (CP) molybdenum sulfides (Mo6S8) have attracted extensive research attention in the field of energy conversion and storage due to their unique electronic structures and rich open channels. However, comprehensive understanding of intrinsic kinetic mechanisms governing the electrocatalytic bi-functional hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensing on CP-based composites is still lacking. Herein, nanosized palladium (Pd) and Mo6S8 particles were assembled in carbon nanowires (C NWs) via electrospinning followed by pyrolysis. The as-obtained novel Pd-Mo6S8/C NWs exhibited excellent performance in terms of a low overpotential of -194 mV at η10 for HER, and an ultrahigh sensitivity of 2231 μA mM-1 cm-2 with a limit of detection of 25 nM for H2O2 sensing. The experimental and theoretical findings demonstrated that Pd and Mo6S8 nanoparticles (NPs) exhibited exceptional catalytic activity and strong electronic interactions. The synergistic effects of these two components could effectively modulate the binding strength of reactants and intermediates on the catalyst surface, ultimately leading to improved electrochemical catalytic performance toward reduction of small molecules. Moreover, verification of the stable tolerance in various environments and good selectivity of the electrocatalyst promoted the further use of Pd-Mo6S8/C NWs-based electrochemical sensing system for sensing additional H2O2 in milk samples, proving the widespread potential of this material for practical applications. This study significantly advances the understanding of nanoscale and bi-functional CP-based composites.

Construction of an SnS-based heterostructure catalyst for electrochemical CO2 reduction to formate over a wide potential window

SnS has emerged as an attractive catalyst for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to formate, while its long-term operational stability is hindered by the self-reduction of Sn2+ and sulfur dissolution. Thus, maintaining high current efficiency across a wide negative potential range to achieve high production rates of formate remains a significant challenge. In this study, we present a heterostructure constructed with SnS and CuS for efficient CO2RR to formate. The SnS-CuS (30) exhibits a remarkable formate Faradaic efficiency (FEf) of 93.94 % at -1 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and demonstrates long-term stability for 7.5 h, maintaining high activity (with an average FEf of 85.6 %) across a wide negative potential range (from -0.8 to -1.2 V (vs. RHE)). The results reveal that the heterogeneous interface between SnS and CuS mitigates the self-reduction issue of SnS by sacrificing Cu²⁺, highlighting that the true active species is SnS, which effectively resists structural changes during the electrolysis process under the protection of CuS. The synergistic interaction within the CuS and SnS heterostructure, combined with the tendency for electron self-conduction, enables the catalyst to maintain high formate activity and selectivity across a wide potential range. Furthermore, theoretical results further indicate that the incorporation of CuS enhances CO2 adsorption and lowers the energy barrier for the formation of formate intermediates. This study inspires the concept of applying protective layers to active species, promoting high selectivity in Sn-based electrocatalysts.

Unlocking hidden information in sparse small-angle neutron scattering measurements

Hypothesis Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique for studying soft matter systems such as colloids, polymers, and lyotropic phases, providing nanoscale structural insights. However, its effectiveness is limited by low neutron flux, leading to long acquisition times and noisy data. We hypothesize that Bayesian statistical inference using Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) can reconstruct high-fidelity scattering data from sparse measurements by leveraging intensity smoothness and continuity. Experiments and Simulations The method was benchmarked computationally and validated through SANS experiments on various soft matter systems, including wormlike micelles, colloidal suspensions, polymeric structures, and lyotropic phases. GPR-based inference was applied to both experimental and synthetic data to evaluate its effectiveness in noise reduction and intensity reconstruction. Findings GPR significantly enhances SANS data quality and therefore reducing measurement times by up to two orders of magnitude. This cost-effective approach maximizes experimental efficiency, enabling high-throughput studies and real-time monitoring of dynamic systems. It is particularly beneficial for weakly scattering and time-sensitive studies. Beyond SANS, this framework applies to other low-SNR techniques, including laboratory-based small-angle X-ray scattering and various dynamical scattering methods. Furthermore, it offers transformative potential for compact neutron sources, enhancing their viability for structural analysis in resource-limited settings.

Spinning microrods in a rotating electric field with tunable hodograph

HYPOTHESIS

In external high-frequency rotational electric fields, the polarization of rod-like colloidal particles experiences a slight temporal delay relative to the field, resulting in a torque that acts upon the particles. This torque depends on the hodograph of the external rotating electric field (the spatial curve traced by the tip of the electric field vector as it changes over time), enabling control over the rotational dynamics of rod-like colloidal particles.

EXPERIMENTS

The experiments were conducted using synthesized monodisperse silica microrods with average size of 3.29×1.12×1.12μm3 dispersed in deionized water, at a mass fraction of 0.2%. The external electric field was generated using an 8-electrode system, and it rotated within the system's plane along an elliptical hodograph at a frequency of 30 kHz. We used an optical microscope with magnification objective of equipped with a CCD-camera (Thorlabs). The experimental data were processed using Fiji software.

FINDINGS

The external high-frequency rotational electric field allows for controlled imposition of three types of rotational dynamics onto rod-like colloidal particles: (i) asynchronous continuous rotation - tunable spinners, (ii) oscillations around a certain direction with sporadic rod flips - rotational jumpers with enhanced directional ordering, and (iii) a regime of "arrested" particle orientation along the principal axes of field anisotropy.

Enhancement of carbon monoxide catalytic oxidation performance by co-doping silver and cerium in three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Co-based catalyst

Carbon monoxide (CO) catalytic oxidation offers an effective solution for environmental pollutant; however, its progress is limited by sluggish kinetics, and efficient catalysts remain scarce. Herein, we prepared Ag-Ce co-doped three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Co-based catalysts through the synergistic approach of co-doping and morphology control, systematically investigating their CO catalytic oxidation mechanisms. The appropriate amount of Ag-Ce co-doping maintained the original 3DOM structure, promote the mass transfer and diffusion of CO, promoted the redox capacity by increasing the ratio of Co3+ to surface reactive oxygen species (O-/ O2-), achieving low temperature conversion of CO. Specifically, concentration of Co3+ is promoted via Co2+ + Ag+ → Ag0 + Co3+ and then combining the generated the active oxygen specie reduce the CO conversion temperature (Co3+ + O-/ O2- + CO → CO2 + Co2+). Among them 3D-5 %AgCo16Ce1 exhibited a lower activation energy (Ea) and T50, which were only 48.79 KJ mol-1 and 76.8 °C, respectively. Theoretical calculation indicated that the synergistic of co-doped system can lower down the O2 dissociation energy barrier by 0.242 eV compared with 3D-Co16Ce1, thus facilizing the generation of active oxygen species and improving the oxidation kinetic of CO. This work innovated the preparation method of 3DOM co-doped system and provided opportunities to design high-performance heterogeneous catalysts.

Metal effect boosts the photoelectric properties of two-dimentional Dion-Jacobson (3AMPY)(MA)3M4I13 perovskites

Two-Dimentional (2D) Dion-Jacobson (DJ) perovskites are emerging photovoltaic materials due to their excellent rigid structures and improved environmental stability compared to 2D Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskites. Herein, we adopt 3-(aminomethyl)pyridine (3AMPY) as the divalent interlayer spacer to alleviate the toxicity of lead and explore more highly potential DJ alternatives, the optoelectronic and photovoltaic performance of lead-free DJ (3AMPY)(MA)3M4I13 perovskites are investigated by first-principles calculations, where the central metals are considered as Ba, Cd, Cu, Ge, Mg, Mn, Ni, Sn and Zn to replace Pb. Our findings reveal that introducing Mn, Cd, Ni, and Ge can effectively tune the bandgap within the optimal range of 0.90-1.60 eV for solar cell application. Notably, (3AMPY)(MA)3Ni4I13 exhibits the most favorable optical response capacity, with the light-harvesting efficiency maintaining 80 % in the UV-Vis range. (3AMPY)(MA)3Ge4I13 displays the most excellent carrier transport with electron mobility as high as 555.43 cm2 V-1 s-1, exhibiting a great advantage over 2D perovskites. The predicted photovoltaic performance shows that (3AMPY)(MA)3Mg4I13 possesses the largest open circuit voltage (VOC) (2.12 V), (3AMPY)(MA)3Ge4I13 has the highest short circuit current density (Jsc) (38.90 mA/cm2), and (3AMPY)(MA)3Mn4I13 is with the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 22.55 %. The metal substitutions with Cd, Ni, and Ge show promoted photovoltaic potential over (3AMPY)(MA)3Pb4I13. These results form a basis for broadening the potential candidates of this 2D DJ series in photovoltaic perovskite solar cells (PSCs).

Multifunctional role of gallium-doping in O3-type layered-oxide cathodes for sodium-ion batteries: Enhancing bulk-to-surface stability

Charging O3-type layered-oxide cathodes to a high cutoff voltage of 4.3 V (vs. Na+/Na) can enhance the energy density of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the irreversible oxygen redox reaction at high voltages often leads accelerated capacity degradation. Herein, a series of Ga3+-doped O3-type Na0.9Zn0.07Ni0.38-0.5xGaxMn0.45-0.5xTi0.1O2 cathode materials are prepared, and the impact of Ga3+ doping on their bulk/interface properties and electrochemical performance is systematically examined. Ga3+ incorporation enhances the structural ordering of the layered framework and widens Na+ transport pathways, thereby reducing Na+ transport barrier. The Ga3+-doped material demonstrates superior structural reversibility and mechanical stability compared to the pristine counterpart during cycling. As evidenced by the density functional theory calculations, Ga3+ doping modulates the O 2p state near the Fermi level, mitigating the charge compensation mechanism of lattice oxygen, oxygen vacancy formation, and electrolyte decomposition at high voltages. Consequently, within the voltage range of 2.2-4.3 V, Na0.9Zn0.07Ni0.35Ga0.06Mn0.42Ti0.1O2 exhibits a higher capacity retention after 100 cycles at 100 mA g-1 (86.4 % vs. 68.1 %) and better rate capability at 2000 mA g-1 (94.1 mAh g-1 vs. 80.0 mAh g-1) than Na0.9Zn0.07Ni0.38Mn0.45Ti0.1O2. This work provides valuable insights into the role of Ga3+ in high-voltage O3-type layered oxides and offers guidance for the design of high-entropy cathode materials for SIBs.

Phase-engineered CoP-Co2P/coal-based carbon fibers composite as self-supporting electrocatalyst for efficient overall water splitting

The development of highly efficient electrocatalysts is critical to advancing overall water splitting (OWS). Herein, a self-supporting composite electrocatalyst based on CoP-Co2P/coal-based carbon fibers (CoP-Co2P/C-CFs) is successfully fabricated through phase-engineering. The formation mechanism of precursors is investigated, enabling precise modification of CoP and Co2P composite phases. This phase-engineering minimizes the Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption, thereby enhancing OWS performance. In addition, the specific active sites involved in the OWS reaction are examined to confirm the effectiveness of phase modulation on CoP and Co2P. Furthermore, C-CFs derived from coal exhibit self-supporting properties as well as good acid and alkaline resistances, making them a promising potential candidate for OWS. A two-electrode cell assembled using CoP-Co2P/C-CFs exhibits a low voltage of 1.60 V at 10 mA cm-2 for OWS, superior to 1.64 V obtained using Pt/C//RuO2. This study not only presents a reliable strategy for obtaining phase-engineered cobalt phosphide catalysts but also outlines a novel approach for coal into high-value-added CFs. Consequently, it offers a new perspective for the development of self-supporting electrocatalysts for OWS.

Impact and spreading dynamics of a drop of fiber suspension on a hydrophilic solid substrate

HYPOTHESIS

The presence of non-Brownian spherical particles dispersed in a liquid modifies the impact and spreading dynamics of a drop on a hydrophilic substrate. The difference in spreading dynamics is attributed to the increase in the viscosity of the suspension caused by the presence of the particles. Similarly, the presence of anisotropic non-Brownian particles, such as fibers, also increases the bulk viscosity of the suspension. In addition to the diameter D, of the fiber, the length L, which determines the aspect ratio A=L/D, is crucial in controlling the viscosity of fiber suspension. Therefore, we hypothesize that the drop impact of fiber suspensions with different volume fractions will result in a similar modification of the spreading dynamics.

EXPERIMENT

To investigate the impact and spreading dynamics, we prepare suspensions of fibers with an aspect ratio A=12 at different volume fractions. These volume fractions span the dilute, semi-dilute, and dense concentration regimes. Additionally, we conduct a subset of experiments with aspect ratios A=4 and A=20. Furthermore, we characterize the thickness of the resulting droplet film, as well as the coating and orientation of fibers after the spreading dynamics reach a steady state.

FINDINGS

The presence of fibers significantly influences the spreading dynamics and final size of the droplet on the hydrophilic substrate. Notably, the resulting droplet size after spreading decreases as the volume fraction of fibers in the suspension increases. To rationalize these results, we use a modified equation, originally developed for spherical particles, which incorporates the viscosity of the suspension. Additionally, we observe an increase in the splashing of the droplet during spreading when increasing the Weber number and the volume fraction. Furthermore, we show that as the volume fraction increases, the final thickness of the droplet increases, and the resulting fiber coating becomes less uniform. We also highlight the secondary influence of fiber geometry on the coatings, such as the overlap of fibers, which further affects the coating uniformity. Despite these geometry-induced modifications, the radial orientation of the fibers remains isotropic across all volume fractions considered in this study.

Tailoring pore size to enhance dissolution of layered double oxides for efficient nitrogen and phosphorus recovery via crystallization of struvite from wastewater

Nitrogen and phosphorus recovery from wastewater to produce struvite fertilizer can simultaneously alleviate water eutrophication and phosphorus scarcity. Coupled magnesium mineral dissolution and reprecipitation has been emphasized for struvite formation by avoiding excessive Mg salts addition and pH adjustment. However, the recovery efficiency is limited by the low solubility of magnesium mineral. Herein, we capitalized on the concept of "pore-size controlled solubility (PCS)" to enhance the dissolution of MgAl-layered double oxide (MgAl-LDO), where dissolution rate is inversely related to pore size. By reducing the pore size of LDOX from 9.2 to 5.5 nm, the magnesium release from LDOX dissolution increased from 64.0 to 99.0 mg/L, accompanied by OH- release to maintain an alkaline condition. This resulted in effective recovery of NH4-N (80.54%) and PO4-P (80.57%) as high-purity struvite. Scanning electron microscope revealed that LDO acted as seeded surfaces that significantly reduced struvite nucleation barrier by controlling local supersaturation and interfacial energy. Moreover, the recovery is stable across wide pH ranges (5.0-10.0), attributable to the buffering capacity of Al in LDOX. Finally, the feasibility of NH4-N and PO4-P recovery was successfully applied to real aquaculture wastewater. This study offers an effective strategy to enhance mineral dissolution-precipitation for resource recovery.

Interface control in TiO2/BaTiO3 ferroelectric heterostructures: A bidirectional catalytic pathway toward high-performance Li-S batteries

Li-S batteries (LSBs), noted for their high energy density and low cost, face challenges due to sluggish lithium polysulfide (LiPS) redox kinetics and complex phase transformations during charge/discharge cycles. Herein, we introduce a novel hollow nanocomposite, a titanium oxide/barium titanate (TiO2/BaTiO3) heterostructure with an ultrathin carbon coating, designed to act as a bidirectional electrocatalyst, enhancing the sequential conversion of sulfur (S8) to Li2S4 and then to lithium sulfide (Li2S). The ferroelectric nature of BaTiO3 enhances LiPS adsorption, reducing the shuttling effect and improving battery performance. The interface-induced electric field directs LiPS migration to TiO2, facilitating the redox process. An applied electric field polarizes the heterostructure, optimizing the dipole moment of BaTiO3 and further enhancing performance. Electrochemical measurements and theoretical calculations confirm the superior electrocatalytic activity of TiO2/BaTiO3@C for LiPS redox kinetics. The composite electrode achieves a high initial capacity of 836 mAh g-1 at 1C, retaining 64 % of its capacity after 400 cycles with a low fading rate of 0.075 % per cycle. Under practical operation conditions (sulfur areal loading: 6.02 mg cm-2; electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio: 6.5 μL mg-1), the as-fabricated LSBs still demonstrate good areal capacities of 5.18, 4.09, 3.84, 3.64, and 3.15 mAh cm-2, respectively, at current densities from 0.05 to 0.5C. This study elucidates the critical synergy between self-induced electric fields and heterostructure engineering in polysulfide conversion, providing fundamental guidance for designing advanced catalysts in high-energy LSBs and related electrochemical energy systems.

Adsorption suppression and viscosity transition in semidilute PEO/silica nanoparticle mixtures under the protein limit

Understanding the interplay between polymer adsorption and colloidal interactions is essential for designing advanced materials with tailored properties. This study investigates the adsorption-driven aggregation and rheological transitions in semidilute mixtures of silica nanoparticles and high-molecular-weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in the protein limit, where the polymer's size exceeds that of the particles. By systematically varying the ratio of the particle hydrodynamic size to the polymer's hydrodynamic screening length (Rh,silica/ξh,PEO), distinct regimes of adsorption suppression, aggregation onset, and saturation were identified. Below Rh,silica/ξh,PEO = 1, adsorption was suppressed due to the entropic penalty of polymer distortion, resulting in negligible viscosity changes and stable particle dispersions. Near Rh,silica/ξh,PEO = 1, the adsorption energy overcame the entropy loss, triggering rapid aggregation and a sharp increase in viscosity, accompanied by the emergence of a slow relaxation mode in dynamic light scattering. At higher ratios (Rh,silica/ξh,PEO > 2), adsorption saturated, forming dense PEO-silica aggregates, as confirmed by small-angle neutron scattering. These findings challenge conventional theories of polymer adsorption and emphasize the critical role of polymer conformational entropy and adsorption energy balance. This study provides a framework for understanding polymer-mediated colloidal interactions in semidilute regimes, with implications for the rational design of polymer-colloid composites in materials science, biophysics, and industrial formulations.

Terahertz waves promote Ca2+ transport in the Cav2.1 channel

CaV2.1 channels are the structural foundation for neurotransmitter transmission and other vital biological processes. If autoimmune-mediated reduction in presynaptic CaV2.1 leads to a decrease in calcium influx during a presynaptic action potential, which decreases chemical neurotransmission, leading to a debilitating neuromuscular weakness, also known as Lambert-Eaton myasthenia syndrome. The selectivity filter is a core structural component of CaV2.1 channels, with a pivotal role in regulating the selective permeation of Ca2+ ions. Due to the vibration and rotation frequencies of the selectivity filter of CaV2.1 being located in the terahertz band, terahertz waves at specific frequencies may resonate with it, thereby affecting Ca2+ current passing through CaV2.1. Therefore, it is highly worthwhile to study how the terahertz waves regulate the CaV2.1 channel. In this study, we investigate the structure of CaV2.1 channels using molecular dynamics simulations. The effect of external terahertz waves on the channel has been examined at different resonant frequencies of the selectivity filter. We found that when the frequency of terahertz waves applied is around the symmetrical vibration frequency of the carboxyl group in the selectivity filter, the PMF of CaV2.1 significantly decreases, promoting the transport of Ca2+ ions through CaV2.1. The reason behind this is that the terahertz waves resonate with the carboxyl groups of the selectivity filter, affecting the hydrogen network between the hydrated water of Ca2+ ions and the selectivity filter. These findings open up new treatment avenues for channel diseases such as Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome treated with terahertz waves.

Self-activated oxophilic surface of porous molybdenum carbide nanosheets promotes hydrogen evolution activity in alkaline environment

Molybdenum carbides are promising alternatives to Pt-based catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to their similar d-band electronic configuration. Notably, MoxC exhibits superior HER kinetics in alkaline media compared to acidic conditions, contrasting with Pt-based catalysts. Herein, we present 3D porous β-Mo2C nanosheets, achieving an overpotential of 111 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH, significantly lower than in acidic environments. Simulations on pristine Mo2C surface reveal that water dissociation poses a higher energy barrier in alkaline media, suggesting that crystal structure alone does not dictate kinetics. Operando attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy shows that Mo2C activates interfacial water, generating liquid-like and free water, and facilitates hydroxyl species adsorption, reducing activation energy to below 38.43 ± 0.19 kJ/mol. Our findings on the self-activation effect offer insights into the HER mechanism of Mo-based electrocatalysts and guide the design of highly active HER catalysts.

An insight into in silico strategies used for exploration of medicinal utility and toxicology of nanomaterials

Nanomaterials (NMs) and the exploration of their comprehensive uses is an emerging research area of interest. They have improved physicochemical and biological properties and diverse functionality owing to their unique shape and size and therefore they are being explored for their enormous uses, particularly as medicinal and therapeutic agents. Nanoparticles (NPs) including metal and metal oxide-based NPs have received substantial consideration because of their biological applications. Computer-aided drug design (CADD) involving different strategies like homology modelling, molecular docking, virtual screening (VS), quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) etc. and virtual screening hold significant importance in CADD used for lead identification and target identification. Despite holding importance, there are very few computational studies undertaken so far to explore their binding to the target proteins and macromolecules. Although the structural properties of nanomaterials are well documented, it is worthwhile to know how they interact with the target proteins making it a pragmatic issue for comprehension. This review discusses some important computational strategies like molecular docking and simulation, Nano-QSAR, quantum chemical calculations based on Density functional Theory (DFT) and computational nanotoxicology. Nano-QSAR modelling, based on semiempirical calculations and computational simulation can be useful for biomedical applications, whereas the DFT calculations make it possible to know about the behaviour of the material by calculations based on quantum mechanics, without the requirement of higher-order material properties. Other than the beneficial interactions, it is also important to know the hazardous consequences of engineered nanostructures and NPs can penetrate more deeply into the human body, and computational nanotoxicology has emerged as a potential strategy to predict the delirious effects of NMs. Although computational tools are helpful, yet more studies like in vitro assays are still required to get the complete picture, which is essential in the development of potent and safe drug entities.

Synthesis of Pd/SiO2 catalyst with outstanding ambient-temperature formaldehyde decomposition via NH3 treatment of silica supports

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a significant indoor pollutant found in various sources and poses potential health risks to humans. Noble metal catalysts show efficient and stable catalytic activity for ambient-temperature HCHO oxidation, yet suffer from low metal utilization. Efforts focus on designing catalysts with enhanced intrinsic activity and reduced noble metal loading. In this study, we developed a simple pretreatment method using ammonia solution on SiO2 carrier to enhance the activity of the Pd/SiO2 catalyst for HCHO oxidation. After the carrier was pretreated with an ammonia solution, a significant promoting effect was observed on the Pd/SiO2(NH3·H2O)-R catalyst. It achieved almost complete oxidation of 150 ppmV of HCHO at 25 °C, much better than the Pd/SiO2-R (5% HCHO conversion rate). Multiple characterization results indicated that the ammonia solution pretreatment of the SiO2 carrier increased the surface defects, facilitating the anchoring of Pd nanoparticles and increasing their dispersion. The increase dispersion of Pd resulted in the generation of additional oxygen vacancies on the catalyst surfaces. The increased in oxygen vacancies on the catalyst was beneficial for enhancing the catalyst's ability to activate H2O to form surface hydroxyl groups, thereby accelerating the catalytic oxidation process of HCHO. The reaction mechanism of HCHO on the Pd/SiO2(NH3·H2O)-R catalyst mainly follows an efficient pathway: firstly, the HCHO being oxidized by surface active hydroxyl groups to formate; subsequently, the formate being oxidized by hydroxyl groups to H2O and CO2. This study provides a promising strategy for designing high-performance noble metal catalysts for HCHO catalytic oxidation.

Oxygen vacancies in NaTi2(PO4)3 nanoribbons to enhance low-temperature performance for Na storage

Sodium superionic conductor NaTi2(PO4)3 has attracted significant interest as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, its practical application is hindered by its low inherent electrical conductivity, particularly at low temperatures. In this study, oxygen vacancies (VO) were introduced into NaTi2(PO4)3 nanoribbons to enhance sodium storage performance at low temperatures. X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement, electron paramagnetic resonance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm that NaTi2(PO4)3-2 nanoribbons (NTP-2) exhibit the richest VO concentration. These VO, which bridge TiO6 octahedra and PO4 tetrahedra, significantly enhance the antibonding interactions of Ti1-O2 and P1-O1 bonds, while stabilizing the bonding in NaTi2(PO4)3. The energy barrier for Na+ migration is reduced to 0.40 eV involving the VO. The optimized NTP-2 anode demonstrates superior low-temperature performance, maintaining a capacity of 106.1 mAh g-1 (about 96.1 % of its initial capacity) at -20 °C after 300 cycles. Additionally, the NTP-2 anode exhibits a moderate Na+ diffusion coefficient of 1.47 × 10-11 cm2 s-1 at -20 °C. Furthermore, the Na3V2(PO4)3//NTP-2 full cell retains a capacity of 64 mAh g-1 at -20 °C after 250 cycles, highlighting its potential for low-temperature applications. By integrating oxygen vacancies and nanoengineering, both electronic and ionic conductivities are significantly enhanced in NaTi2(PO4)3, positioning promising applications for SIBs in low-temperature environments.

Interface-driven energy filtering effect and enhanced thermoelectric performance of Ag2Se/SnS composites: An experimental and theoretical insights

This study examined the thermoelectric (TE) and mechanical properties of n-type Ag2Se/SnS nanocomposites synthesized via hydrothermal methods and hot-press densification. The incorporation of SnS nanosheets into the Ag2Se matrix enhanced the thermoelectric performance, achieving a maximum figure of merit (zT) value of 0.91 at 393 K for the sample with 2.5 wt% SnS, representing a 13 % improvement over that of Ag2Se. This enhancement is attributed to an increased power factor (∼2704 μWm-1 K-2 at 393 K) resulting from band convergence and a reduced thermal conductivity (κ ∼ 0.744 Wm-1 K-1 at 303 K) owing to interfacial phonon scattering. Furthermore, the nanocomposites exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, with Vickers hardness increasing by up to 28 % compared to that of Ag2Se. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to assess the structural and electronic properties of Ag2Se and Ag2Se/SnS nanocomposites. The computed bandgap confirmed improved electrical conductivity, whereas the binding energy and electron density difference analyses elucidated the interaction strength and charge transfer in the nanocomposite. These findings elucidate the potential of Ag2Se/SnS nanocomposites as promising thermoelectric materials for room-temperature applications and demonstrate the efficacy of nanostructuring in enhancing thermoelectric and mechanical properties.

Fluid-induced piezoelectric field enhanced photocatalytic antibiotic removal over nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots/Bi2WO6@polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene membrane in aqueous environments

Enhancing the charge separation efficiency of photocatalysts is crucial to their catalytic activity, which is still challenging. Herein, nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) were combined with Bi2WO6 to construct an N-CQDs/Bi2WO6 heterocomposite, which was loaded onto the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) membrane to design a flexible, porous and hydrophilic N-CQDs/Bi2WO6@PVDF-HFP photocatalytic membrane. Piezo-response force microscopy (PFM) and the maximum effective piezoelectric coefficient (d33) measurements demonstrate that the PVDF-HFP membrane has favorable piezoelectric properties. Besides, fluid-induced mechanical energy can generate a piezoelectric field within the PVDF-HFP membrane. Theoretical calculations indicate that the difference in work function at the N-CQDs/Bi2WO6 heterocomposite interface creates an inherent electric field. Therefore, the synergistic effect of the two electric fields improves the separation and migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers in N-CQDs/Bi2WO6 heterocomposite. The membrane effectively removed 85.3 % of oxytetracycline (OTC) under the synergistic driving of water flow (900 r/min) and visible light, surpassing the results of only water flow (34.4 %) and visible light (63.1 %). Furthermore, the degradation performance of the membrane towards OTC remains almost unchanged after multiple recycles, highlighting its favorable reusability. This work addresses the issue of powdery catalysts in recovering for practical applications and underlines the potential of integrating with natural low-frequency water flows to purify organic-contaminated wastewater.

A putative binding model of nitazene derivatives at the μ-opioid receptor

Nitazenes are a class of novel synthetic opioids with exceptionally high potency. Currently, an experimental structure of μOR-opioid receptor (μOR) in complex with a nitazene is lacking. Here we used a suite of computational tools, including consensus docking, conventional molecular dynamics (MD) and metadynamics simulations, to investigate the μOR binding modes of nitro-containing meto-, eto-, proto-, buto-, and isotonitazenes and nitro-less analogs, metodes-, etodes-, and protodesnitazenes. Docking generated three binding modes, whereby the nitro-substituted or unsubstituted benzimidazole group extends into SP1 (subpocket 1 between transmembrane helix or TM 2 and 3), SP2 (subpocket 2 between TM1, TM2, and TM7) or SP3 (subpocket 3 between TM5 and TM6). Simulations suggest that etonitazene and likely also other nitazenes favor the SP2-binding mode. Comparison to the experimental structures of μOR in complex with BU72, fentanyl, and mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MP) allows us to propose a putative model for μOR-ligand recognition in which ligand can access hydrophobic SP1 or hydrophilic SP2, mediated by the conformational change of Gln1242.60. Interestingly, in addition to water-mediated hydrogen bonds, the nitro group in nitazenes forms a π-hole interaction with the conserved Tyr751.39. Our computational analysis provides new insights into the mechanism of μOR-opioid recognition, paving the way for investigations of the structure-activity relationships of nitazenes.

Numerical and experimental study of circular array to enhance acoustic tweezer-based particle manipulation

Acoustic tweezers enable non-contact, non-invasive manipulation, with promising applications in fields such as biology, micromechanics, and advanced materials. The circular array, commonly used to generate acoustic vortices-an important type of acoustic tweezer-consists of multiple independently addressable elements arranged in a circular configuration. By adjusting the element excitations, the circular array can flexibly control the location of particles. In this study, we employed numerical and experimental methods to analyse the relationship between device geometrical parameters and acoustic field distribution, as well as their impact on particle manipulation. Results from the three-dimensional model indicate that water surface height, array radius, and the material and thickness of the bottom observation layer, significantly influence the acoustic field distribution and, hence trapping performance. Additionally, we used trap stiffness theory to evaluate particle movement capability, and experimentally identified conditions under which trapping may fail, providing theoretical support for improving acoustic tweezer technology.

Interfacial hydrogen evolution reaction from Ouzo-effect-generated bulk nano/micro droplets of liquid organic hydrogen carriers

HYPOTHESIS

Organosilanes as liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) offer a promising solution for the safe storage and transport of hydrogen gas as a clean energy source. However, the dehydrogenation reaction of organosilanes in the presence of water faces the challenge of sluggish kinetics in conventional bulk reactions. Dispersing organosilanes as stable nanodroplets in basic water offers a potential strategy to increase the interfacial area, thereby enhancing H2 production efficiency.

EXPERIMENTS

Organosilane nanodroplets were generated through spontaneous emulsification via the Ouzo effect in a ternary organosilane-water-acetone system. The reaction between the organosilane nano/microdroplets and the alkaline aqueous phase led to H2 generation. This study investigates how the composition and size distribution of these droplets influence H2 production yield. To gain deeper insight into the reaction mechanisms, single reacting microdroplets were analyzed using side-view imaging and confocal microscopy.

FINDINGS

Organosilane nano/microdroplets formed from the Ouzo effect in the presence of a co-solvent. H2 formation yields from interfacial reactions of these droplets reached up to 25%, whereas single reacting microdroplets achieved a maximum yield of 3.5%. This study demonstrates that spontaneous emulsification in ternary mixture using the Ouzo effect can enhance reaction kinetics and product yields. Furthermore, detailed insights into the behavior of H2 bubbles, from their nucleation within a microdroplet to their growth and eventual detachment, were obtained through the analysis of single reacting microdroplets.

Utilization of fullerenes nanoparticles for ultrasound applications in developing a high-efficiency acoustic emission source

Fullerenes have exhibited excellent performance in solar cells, electric transducer and catalysts. The rather high absorption coefficient, combined with its low specific heat capacity, as well as hydrophobicity and antioxidant, are key features for applications in acoustic emission (AE), which has never been reported. Here, we fabricate and characterize a flexible an AE source based on the fullerenes-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite. By controlling the composite concentration or thickness, the center frequency can be changed in laser ultrasound excitation. The assembled transducer simultaneously achieves relatively wide frequency range (10-dB bandwidth>10 MHz) and efficient laser ultrasound conversion (1.13×10-2). The mechanical robustness of the AE source is also quantitatively characterized in water. Notably, compared to graphene nano-flakes, the fullerenes exhibit a more than threefold increase in excitation amplitude. Owing to high-intensity ultrasound excitation of the fullerenes-PDMS composite, the structure characteristics of centimeter-scaled physical models are clearly resolved by irradiating the material as a laser-ultrasound source. To construct a compact fiber-optic exciter, the fullerenes-PDMS film is additionally applied to a fiber end via dip coating. The findings suggest that fullerenes possess significant competitive advantages as a high-efficiency AE source in the field of ultrasound applications.

Detection of isomers based on silica colloidal crystals doped with noble metals

Structural colors (or stopbands) of different photonic crystals (PCs) could be changed by doping different concentrations of noble metals. The maximum stopband shift of PCs is about 61 nm when Pd colloid nanoparticles are doped into the PCs. Varied of PCs have been used for detecting chemicals, but it is uncommon for detection of isomers based on the simple PCs from SiO2 spheres and noble metals. Although difference of refractive indices of m-xylene and p-xylene is only 0.002, after noble metals as intermedium are doped into PCs, difference of the total average stopband shifts is about 37 nm. The total stopband shifts are related to diameters of SiO2 spheres, species of analytes, doping amounts and kinds of noble metal nanoparticles. The proposed strategy provides a convenient, cheap, trace detection method to distinguish isomers. These PCs have potential applications in display, isomer recognition and anti-counterfeiting.

Manipulating the Li/Ni/Fe mixed configuration promotes structure stability of Li-rich layered oxides

Lithium-rich layered oxides (LLOs) are highly promising for applications in Li-ions batteries as the cathode materials due to their high energy density. However, LLOs often suffer from significant capacity and voltage loss due to the instability of the layered structure when in the deep extraction state. This inherent instability poses a considerable challenge to their practical application. Herein, a distinctive Li/Ni/Fe mixed configuration was constructed by using the exchange mechanism of Fe ions with Li and Ni ions in the Li layer. This configuration not only improves structural stability, but also expands the layer spacing to accelerate Li+ diffusion. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the presence of Li/Ni/Fe mixed configuration leads to more Li - O - Li configurations and decreasing the characteristic energy gap above the Fermi energy level. This configuration also effectively increases the migration energy barrier of transition metal (TM) ions and oxygen (O) vacancy formation energy, which reducing the irreversible migration of TM ions and the escape of O. The target material exhibits high-capacity retention of 82.1 % after 300 cycles at 1C, accompanied by a minimal voltage fading rate of just 0.33 mV/cycle. This study offers innovative strategies to enhance the stability of LLOs, facilitating their widespread commercial use.

Coil dimensions of macromolecules in the presence of crowding colloids: Impact of crowder size

HYPOTHESIS

The size of a macromolecule in solution is strongly influenced by the size and concentration of added colloidal particles. Previous experimental and computer simulation studies have shown conflicting results regarding the influence of colloid size on coil compaction. We suggest the coil size depends on the Kuhn segment / nanoparticle size ratio and argue its subtle influence on the shrinking and expansion of a polymer chain.

METHODS

Based upon the work of van der Schoot (1998) [42] we propose theory that predicts how the colloid size mediates the compaction of macromolecules in crowded environments. The theoretical predictions are compared to self-consistent field (SCF) lattice computations and scattering experiments on polymer solutions exposed to crowders.

FINDINGS

The theoretical approach predicts that the shrinking of a polymer coil upon adding colloidal particles varies with the size of the colloids. We find coil shrinking is weakest when the colloidal particles are approximately the same size as the Kuhn segment length. The extent of coil shrinking passes a minimum at a specific colloid size relative to the Kuhn segment length, which is confirmed by SCF computations. Comparison with scattering experiments reveals that these experiments corroborate the extent of polymer shrinking at a given volume fraction of colloids. Our theoretical approach reproduces the functional dependence of the collapse on the crowder volume fraction.

Single yttrium atom coordinated by nitrogen and oxygen with an asymmetric 4d orbit as efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst

Developing transition metal-nitrogen-carbon (MNC) with the inert metal-atom center for the Fenton reaction is crucial to achieving precious metal-free electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report a new structure of YNC nanosheets for efficient ORR, which was synthesized by pyrolyzing the Y ion-containing self-polymerized compound of 2, 4, 6-triaminopyrimidine (TAP) as a new precursor. Results demonstrate that the precursor of TAP with high N content is capable of forming atomically dispersed specific YN4O moieties anchoring in N-rich carbon nanosheets, exhibiting excellent ORR performance with a higher half-wave potential of 0.88 V and 0.78 V in 0.1 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4 than FeNC synthesized by the same strategy. Meanwhile, the zinc-air battery and proton exchange membrane fuel cell tests also verify its feasibility for practical application with a maximum power output density of 151 mW cm-2 and 496 mW cm-2 respectively. Theoretical calculations further reveal that the axial O coordination in YN4 moiety causes an symmetry breaking of the d-orbital electrons of yttrium and weakens the spin polarization, which can shift the rate-limiting step from the *OH step to the *OOH step with a lower ORR overpotential than the classic FeNC. This work proves that YNC with single yttrium atom holds a great promise as a substitute for the conventional FeNC with active Fenton effect as a none-precious metal ORR electrocatalyst.

Numerical modeling of giant pore formation in vesicles under msPEF-induced electroporation: Role of charging time and waveform

Giant unilamellar vesicle is the closest prototypical model for investigating membrane electrodeformation and electroporation in biological cells. This work employs numerical simulations to investigate the effect of membrane charging time on vesicle electroporation under milli-second pulsed-electric-field (msPEF) of different waveforms. Our numerical approach, which implements the effect of electric stretching on membrane tension and precise calculation of pore energy, successfully predicts the formation of giant pores of O(1)μm size as observed in previous experiments. The poration zone is found to extend up to certain angles as measured from the poles, termed critical angles. An increase in charging time delays pore formation, decreases the pore density, and trims down the poration zone. Counterintuitively, this effect promotes significant pore growth. Moreover, there exists a cut-off charging time above which pore formation is completely inhibited. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced with square bipolar pulses. Comparisons with the previous experimental results reveal that electrodeformation-poration-induced membrane surface area variation and that induced only by electroporation evolves in a similar fashion. Therefore, although the agreements are qualitative, the present electroporation model can be used as the simplest tool to predict the evolution of vesicles under electric pulses in laboratory experiments.