Synergistic effect of RuNi alloy supported by carbon nanohorns for boosted hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane hydrolysis

The present study addresses the critical challenges associated with hydrogen production from ammonia borane (AB) hydrolysis, focusing on the development of cost-effective, high efficient, and stable catalysts. A promising strategy to achieve superior catalytic performance in AB hydrolysis involves alloying noble and non-precious metals. Herein, RuNi bimetallic nanoparticles were successfully deposited onto carbon nanohorns (CNHs) through a facial hydrothermal-reduction processes. The optimized Ru0.6Ni0.4-CNHs catalyst demonstrates a remarkably high turnover frequency (TOF) of 144  [Formula: see text]  molRu-1 min-1, approximately twice that of Ru-CNHs. The synergistic effect between CNHs and the RuNi alloy enhances the anchoring and dispersion of metal particles, leading to reduced particle size and a narrow distribution, along with exceptional stability. Experimental results reveal that the incorporation of the RuNi alloy enables precise regulation of the electron distribution in Ru. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the RuNi alloy significantly reduces the activation and dissociation energies of AB and H2O on the Ru site of Ru0.6Ni0.4 compared to those on a monometallic Ru site. This work provides valuable insights for designing efficient and economical bimetallic nanocatalysts for AB hydrolysis.

Tuning particle aspect ratio and surface roughness to modulate properties in colloidal gels

HYPOTHESIS

Particle shape and surface roughness may have synergistic effects on particle network formation in colloidal gels. Particles with an aspect ratio greater than one have orientation-dependent interactions with neighboring particles compared to spheres, making their interactions highly sensitive to rotational dynamics. By adding surface roughness, we add non-central surface forces and expect to further constrain particle rotation, potentially enhancing the stability and rigidity of networks formed by these particles.

EXPERIMENTS

To this end, smooth and rough particles of different aspect ratios were synthesized and grafted with an octadecyl layer to form a thermoreversible gel in tetradecane. The gels were characterized using rheological and optical methods.

FINDINGS

Surface roughness was found to reduce the percolation threshold and improve sedimentation stability, though its impact diminishes with increasing aspect ratio. Rough particles formed more homogeneous networks, as surface roughness restricts the excluded-volume-driven local alignment in smooth systems. Consequently, elasticity and yielding behavior are more strongly influenced by aspect ratio in smooth rod gels than in rough rod gels.

NaCl-Assisted electrospinning of bifunctional carbon fibers for High-Performance flexible zinc-air batteries

With the increasing demand for flexible, rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs), developing efficient oxygen electrocatalysts is challenging. A large specific surface area and porous structure are critical for electrochemical performance but can compromise mechanical strength and flexibility. Herein, a novel strategy with NaCl-assisted electrospinning and pyrolysis has been proposed to fabricate self-supported carbon fibers with a solid core and mesoporous shell as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for flexible ZABs. The fibers incorporate NaCl and ZnCo-ZIFs via coaxial electrospinning. NaCl enhances both the electrospinning process and ZIF carbonization, creating a porous surface on robust carbon fibers that balances surface exposure with structural stability. Experimental data and density functional theory calculations confirm that cobalt atoms anchored on the carbon surface are the primary active sites, boosting electrocatalytic performance. Zinc facilitates the formation of structural defects and porosity during volatilization at high temperatures, promoting NaCl molten salt infiltration, ZIF decomposition, and large pore formation. The resulting cross-linked porous structure increases active site exposure, enhancing catalytic efficiency. The synthesized ZN3-CNFs-900 exhibit remarkable catalytic activity, achieving an oxygen reduction reaction half-wave potential of 0.834 V and an oxygen evolution reaction overpotential of 1.695 V at 10 mA cm-2. ZABs assembled with these carbon fibers demonstrate an open-circuit voltage of 1.43 V, a peak power density of 111 mW cm-2, and cycling stability beyond 400 h. The carbon fiber-based solid-state ZABs show a high open circuit voltage of 1.39 V, a power density of 81.7 mW cm-2 and a cycle life of 33 h.

Defect and doping synergistic optimization for efficient and durable alkaline seawater hydrogen production

Seawater electrolysis offers a dual benefit of alleviating freshwater scarcity and advancing hydrogen energy technologies. However, its practical implementation is hindered by the complex chemical composition of seawater, particularly the corrosive chloride ions that induce electrode degradation and parasitic chlorine evolution, posing critical challenges to long-term electrolytic stability. To address this issue, we designed an efficient electrocatalyst by introducing vanadium (V) doping and oxygen vacancies (Ov) into nanoflower-structured Co3O4 (V-Co3O4(Ov)-250) through hydrothermal synthesis and controlled annealing. The Ov configuration modulates electronic structures and facilitates charge transfer, whereas V doping enhances corrosion resistance, increases lattice defects, and generates active sites. This dual modification synergistically improves surface reactivity and conductivity, boosting catalytic performance. V-Co3O4(Ov)-250 achieves low overpotentials of 69 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and 158 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline freshwater, and 133 mV (HER) and 228 mV (OER) in alkaline seawater at a current density of 10 mA cm-2. When assembled into an electrolytic cell, the catalyst requires a low voltage of 1.68 V to drive a current density of 100 mA cm-2 in an alkaline seawater electrolyzer, while maintaining outstanding stability over 100 h of continuous operation. This performance surpasses that of most non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts for seawater electrolysis. Theoretical analysis elucidates that V doping promotes preferential adsorption of OH- at the active site and optimizes intermediates' adsorption-desorption equilibrium through its synergy with Ov, consequently lowering the reaction energy barrier and enhancing intrinsic catalytic activity.

Bilisense: An affordable sensor for on-site diagnosis of jaundice and prevention of kernicterus

Bilirubin (BR) in blood serum is elevated during jaundice (a common complication among newborns). Accessible and frequent monitoring of BR is necessary for timely diagnosis and intervention. This work developed a low-cost electrochemical sensor for point-of-care and at-home measurement of BR. The sensor measures BR based on its oxidation at a laser-induced graphene electrode. A microfluidic channel for sample wicking is embedded on the electrodes to bifurcate the blood sample into two zones to allow measurement of different BR forms (conjugated and unconjugated). One zone remains bare, while the second zone is impregnated with caffeine sodium benzoate, which acts as an accelerant to release albumin-bound BR and makes it accessible for electrochemical oxidation. The sensors demonstrate linear response in the concentration range of 100 to 500 µmolL-1 total bilirubin (4:1 ratio of unconjugated to conjugated bilirubin) in undiluted blood serum. Physiologically relevant BR levels range from 170 µmolL-1 (healthy concentrations) to 460 µmolL-1 (elevated, unhealthy concentration). Recovery values at 150 and 250 µmolL-1 are 119 % and 104 %, which fall within the 20 % error required by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This device represents the first point-of-care bilirubin-sensor capable of distinguishing between different forms of bilirubin.

Recent advances in bioreceptor-based sensing for extracellular vesicle analysis

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale, membrane-bound structures secreted by various cell types into biofluids. They show great potential as biomarkers for disease diagnostics, owing to their ability to carry molecular cargo that reflects their cellular origin. However, the inherent heterogeneity of EVs in terms of size, composition, and source presents significant challenges for reliable detection and analysis. Recent advances in bioreceptor-based biosensor technologies provide promising solutions by offering high sensitivity and specificity in EV detection and characterization. These technologies address the limitations of conventional methods, such as ultracentrifugation and bulk analysis. Biosensors utilizing antibodies, aptamers, peptides, lectins, and molecularly imprinted polymers enable precise detection of EV subpopulations by targeting specific EV surface markers, including proteins, lipids, and glycans. Additionally, these biosensors support multiplexed and real-time analysis while preserving the structural integrity of EVs. This review highlights the transformative potential of combining modern biosensing tools with bioreceptor technologies to advance EV research and diagnostics, paving the way for innovations in disease diagnostics and therapeutic monitoring.

Quenching induced Cu and F co-doping multi-dimensional Co3O4 with modulated electronic structures and rich oxygen vacancy as excellent oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst

The development of highly efficient non-precious electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a significant challenge. In this work, we introduce a highly effective OER electrocatalyst, Cu-F-Co3O4, synthesized by doping copper (Cu) and fluorine (F) into Co3O4 using a quenching method. Both experimental and theoretical calculations reveal that Cu and F incorporation significantly shifts the d-band center closer to the Fermi level, creates abundant oxygen vacancies, and facilitates the reconstruction of the catalyst to form the CuCo2O4-yFy/CuO heterojunction. This structural modification enhances the OER performance of the catalyst. Additionally, the multi-dimensional architecture exposes more active sites and accelerates mass and charge transfer kinetics. The optimal catalyst, Cu-F-Co3O4-0.7, demonstrates a low overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA·cm-2, along with remarkable stability exceeding 100 h, significantly outperforming both pristine Co3O4 and benchmark RuO2 electrocatalysts. These findings offer new insights into activating surface reconstruction in spinel oxides by engineering both anion and cation defects for water oxidation.

Ameliorating water splitting by entropy regulation and electronic structure engineering on pristine Prussian blue analog

Electrochemical water splitting is the most promising green method for hydrogen production. In this work, the traditional Prussian blue analogs were endowed with the new concept of high entropy to bring a breakthrough in electrocatalytic performance. A classic two-step synthetic strategy was employed to fabricate the high-entropy FeCoNiCr6P nanoparticle via phosphating the FeCoNiCr6, which was prefabricated using a facile coprecipitation method. The phosphides can trap protons by acting as bases to promote the discharge step faster. FeCoNiCr6P requires a lower overpotential of only 268.3 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm-2 for OER. The FeCoNiCr6P//FeCoNiCr6P electrochemical water splitting couple can realize a low voltage of 1.58 V to at 10 mA cm-2 current density. Furthermore, the electronic states and coordination environment of catalyst active sites were investigated to get deeper insight into material design.

Sensitive fluorescence-responsive photonic crystals fabricated from AIE molecule embedded nanospheres for application in dual anti-counterfeiting textiles

The preparation of anti-counterfeiting textiles is usually associated with laborious processes, high cost and environmental risks. In this work, the core-shell colloidal nanospheres composed of the polystyrene (PS) core with embedded aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecules of tetraphenylethene (TPE) and the shell of densely crosslinked PS ((PS-TPE)@CPS) were designed and synthesized via emulsion polymerization. The patterned fluorescence-responsive photonic crystals (FRPCs) were then constructed using the (PS-TPE)@CPS nanospheres as building blocks on textile substrates via screen printing. Thanks to the compatibility and affinity of TPE with PS and its own AIE property, the TPE molecules enriched in the PS core and then aggregated and embedded within (PS-TPE)@CPS colloidal nanospheres. Confined by the polymer chains, the TPE molecules formed π-π stacking and exhibited AIE effect, while maintaining a stable conjugated structure. The FRPC anti-counterfeiting patterns constructed with the (PS-TPE)@CPS nanospheres exhibited angle-dependent structural colors under visible light and sensitive responsive fluorescence characteristic under ultraviolet light, realizing the double anti-counterfeiting effect. This approach to achieve anti-counterfeiting textile is simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. The obtained FRPC patterns possess excellent optical properties and anti-counterfeiting functions, meeting the requirements for the sustainable structural coloration of textiles, and also promoting the practical application of responsive photonic crystal anti-counterfeiting textiles.

Hydrodynamic Stokes flow induced by a chemically active patch imprinted on a planar wall

Patches of catalyst imprinted on supporting walls induce motion of the fluid around them once they are supplied with the chemical species ("fuel") that are converted by the catalytic chemical reaction. While the functioning of such chemically active micropumps is conceptually well understood, an in-depth characterization of the induced hydrodynamic flow, and in particular of its possible dependences on parameters such as material properties of the patch and the wall or the geometry of the experimental cell, remains elusive. By using a simple model for the chemical activity of a patch imprinted on a planar wall, we determine analytically the induced hydrodynamic flow in a Newtonian solution that occupies the half space above the wall supporting the patch. This can be seen as an approximation for an experimental-cell geometry with a height much larger than its diameter, the latter, in turn, being much larger than the size of the patch. The general flow is a linear superposition of a surface-driven and a bulk-driven component; they have different topologies and, generically, each one dominates in distinct regions, with the surface-driven flow being most relevant at small heights above the wall. The surface-driven flows exhibit a somewhat unexpectedly rich behavior, including qualitative changes in the topology of the flow, as a function of the contrast in surface-chemistry (osmotic slip coefficient) between the patch and the support wall. The results are expected to provide guidance for the interpretation of the drift of tracers by the ambient flow, which is the observable usually studied in experimental investigations of chemically active micropumps.

Bimetallic sulfide Fe5Ni4S8 nanoparticles modified N/S co-doped carbon nanofibers as anode materials for high-performance sodium-ion batteries

Transition metal sulfides (TMSs) have garnered significant attention owing to high theoretical capacities, favorable environmental compatibility, abundant natural resources, and suitable discharge/charge voltage platform in the field of anode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the sluggish reaction rates and significant volume alteration during the process of sodiation/desodiation restrict the practical application of TMSs for SIBs. Herein, a novel bimetallic sulfide Fe5Ni4S8 nanoparticles modified nitrogen/sulfur co-doped carbon nanofibers (NSCFs) composite is successfully synthesized using a straightforward electrostatic spinning and sulfurization treatment. As an anode material for SIBs, Fe5Ni4S8/NSCFs exhibits a high reversible specific capacity of 686.34 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A/g and a capacity of 607.26 mAh g-1 after 120 cycles at 1.0 A/g with a capacity retention rate of 96.9 %. Even at 10.0 A/g, it still maintains a capacity of 481.14 mAh g-1 after 800 cycles, indicating an excellent electrochemical energy storage performance. Density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the Fe5Ni4S8 exhibits enhanced binding with NSCFs, promoted electron transfers, improved Na+ adsorption ability, and decreased Na+ diffusion barrier energy compared to those of monometallic sulfide FeS. Additionally, the three-dimensional network skeleton of NSCFs can effectively enhance the electrical conductivity and relieve the volume change during the discharge and charge process. The innovative multicomponent design and nanostructural configuration provide a promising strategy to develop high-performance anode materials based on bimetallic sulfide for SIBs.

Tunable interfacial charge transfer in a nickel sulfide/red phosphorus composite for efficient benzyl alcohol selective oxidation: Effect of nickel sulfide crystal phase

Red phosphorus (RP) has recently attracted considerable attention in the field of photocatalysis owing to its remarkable optical properties. However, the rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers presents a substantial challenge for the application of RP in the selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Herein, a series of nickel sulfide (NiS) materials with different crystal phase, including α-NiS, β-NiS and α-β-NiS, were employed to modulate the interfacial charge transfer in RP for photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) coupled with H2 evolution. A comprehensive array of experimental and theoretical analyses has demonstrated that the Ohmic junction formed between β-NiS and RP is more conducive to enhancing the separation and migration of carriers in comparison to the Schottky junction formed between α-NiS and RP. As expected, the β-NiS/RP exhibited superior photocatalytic performance, achieving higher yields of benzaldehyde (6.79 μmol g-1 h-1) and H2 (7.16 μmol g-1 h-1) compared to α-NiS/RP, α-β-NiS(glo)/RP and α-β-NiS(fla)/RP. The observed enhancement in photocatalytic activity can primarily be attributed to the distinct carrier separation mechanisms, specifically the Ohmic contact in the β-NiS/RP system and the Schottky junction in the α-NiS/RP system. This study introduces an effective strategy for optimizing carrier migration mechanisms in composite catalysts via crystal phase modulation, thereby providing valuable insights into the design of highly efficient photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications.

Microtubule-driven cell shape changes and actomyosin flow synergize to position the centrosome

The regulation of centrosome position is critical to the alignment of intracellular structures with extracellular cues. The exact nature and spatial distribution of the mechanical forces that balance at the centrosome are unknown. Here, we used laser-based nanoablations in adherent cells and found that forces along microtubules were damped by their anchoring to the actin network, rendering them ineffective in moving the microtubule aster. In contrast, the actomyosin contractile network was responsible for the generation of a centripetal flow that robustly drives the centrosome toward the geometrical center of the cell, even in the absence of microtubules. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the remodeling of cell shape around the centrosome was instrumental in aster centering. The radial array of microtubules and cytoplasmic dyneins appeared to direct this reorganization. This revised view of the respective roles of actin and microtubules in centrosome positioning offers a new perspective for understanding the establishment of cell polarity.

A contemporary overview on quantum dots-based fluorescent biosensors: Exploring synthesis techniques, sensing mechanism and applications

In the epoch of bioinformatics, pivotal biomedical scrutiny and clinical diagnosis hinge upon the unfolding of highly efficacious biosensors for intricate and targeted identification of specific biomolecules. In pursuit of developing robust biosensors endowed with superior sensitivity, precise selectivity, rapid performance, and operational simplicity, semiconductor QDs have been acknowledged as pivotal and advantageous entities. In this review, we present a comprehensive analysis of the latest unfolding within the domain of QDs used in fluorescent biosensors for the detection of diverse biomolecular entities, encompassing proteins, nucleic acids, and a range of small molecules, with an emphasis on the synthesis methodologies of QDs employed and mechanism behind sensing. Additionally, this review delves into several pivotal facets of QD-based fluorescent biosensors in detail, such as surface functionalization methodologies aimed at enhancing biocompatibility and improving target specificity. The challenges and future perspectives of QD-based fluorescent biosensors are also considered, emphasizing the necessity of ongoing multidisciplinary research to realize their full potential in enhancing personalized medicine and biomedical diagnostics.

Interaction, inhibition and disruption of lysozyme fibrillar aggregates by the plant alkaloid berberine

This study investigated the interaction and impact of berberine, a pharmacologically important natural alkaloid, on lysozyme amyloidosis with the aim to develop effective anti-amyloidogenic agents. Interaction between berberine and lysozyme was analyzed using both theoretical and experimental tools to unleash its anti-amyloidogenic potency. The intrinsic fluorescence of lysozyme was quenched by berberine through static mechanism, indicating the presence of single binding site predominantly involving TRP residues. Complexation with berberine caused microenvironmental and conformational changes in lysozyme as shown by synchronous and 3D fluorescence spectroscopic analysis. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation study revealed the probable binding site and pharmacokinetics involved in lysozyme-berberine complexation. Berberine significantly inhibited lysozyme fibrillation which was confirmed by Thioflavin T, Congo red, Nile red and ANS assays. FTIR and circular dichroism studies revealed that berberine reduced β-sheet content of lysozyme fibrillar samples, indicating inhibition of fibril formation. Additionally, berberine can degrade pathogenic mature fibril as well. Amyloid inhibition and defibrillation was visualised by atomic force microscopy.

Probing ultraviolet-induced dissociation of hydrogen bond networks in tyrosine by terahertz spectroscopy

Tyrosine (Tyr) has gained significant attention as one of the most sensitive amino acids. Its oxidation is accompanied by changes in hydrogen bonds, so the oxidation process of Tyr is monitored and the dissociation sequence of different hydrogen bond network is elucidated based on the sensitivity of terahertz (THz) waves to intermolecular interactions. We find that the peak height of Tyr at 0.97 THz and 2.08 THz decreases with time, but the change behavior of the two is different. Combined with density functional theory (DFT), this phenomenon is attributed to the difference of factors that dominate THz vibration. The weakening of the peak height of Tyr at 0.97 THz is due to the ordered dissociation of hydrogen bonds with different intensities, while the peak at 2.08 THz mainly involves the lattice itself. This means that the peak at 0.97 THz is a more accurate parameter for characterizing the oxidation process. Our study reveals the hydrogen bond changes of Tyr when its structure is destroyed, and provides a spectral technique for monitoring and preventing harmful oxidation reactions using hydrogen bond network evolution.

Cationic conjugated microporous polymers for efficient quinolone antibiotics extraction: Experimental and DFT study

The development of exquisitely sensitive analytical methods for the surveillance of quinolone antibiotics (QAs) holds pivotal significance in safeguarding both ecosystems and human well-being. In this work, a cationic conjugated microporous polymer (iCMP) was constructed through a facile post-synthetic approach. Capitalizing on its unique dual-porosity architecture, cationic framework, and π-conjugated backbone, iCMP exhibited exceptional adsorption capabilities and remarkable repeatability. Integrating with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method founded on iCMP was meticulously developed for the sensitive and accurate detection of QAs within complex matrices. This proposed analytical method exhibited remarkably low limits of detection, specifically 0.0200-0.128 ng·L-1 for water samples and 0.0250-0.105 ng·g-1 for meat samples, along with good accuracy in the range of 70.9 %-115 %. The underlying adsorption mechanism was comprehensively investigated using a synergistic approach that combined systematic adsorption experiments, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and in-depth material characterizations. Overall, this study presents viable strategies for the precise trace-level analysis of QAs in complex environmental and food samples.

Simulation of a Free Boundary Cell Migration Model through Physics Informed Neural Networks

Understanding the complexities of single-cell migration is facilitated by computational modeling, which provides important insights into the physiological processes that underlie migration mechanisms. This study developed a computational model for one-dimensional actomyosin flow in a migrating cell with moving boundaries. The model incorporates the complex interplay of actin polymerization, substrate adhesion, and actomyosin dynamics through a system of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations. A physics-informed neural network is designed to understand the dynamic behavior of actin flow and actin concentration within the cell along with the unknown moving boundaries, taking into account the computational cost of solving a dynamic model with a deformable domain. The model's capacity to depict the complex interaction between biological and physical processes within the cell is demonstrated by the numerical results, which qualitatively agree with experimental and computational data available in the literature. This study demonstrates the application of a deep learning method to simulate a challenging biophysical problem with moving boundaries. The model does not require synthetic data for training and accurately reflects the intricate biophysics of cell migration.

Multifunctional nanozymes: Promising applications in clinical diagnosis and cancer treatment

Cancer remains one of the greatest challenges in modern medicine. Traditional chemotherapy drugs often cause severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, neurotoxicity, liver damage, and nephrotoxicity. In addition to these adverse effects, high recurrence and metastasis rates following treatment pose significant challenges for clinicians. There is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies to improve cancer treatment outcomes. In this context, nanozymes-artificial enzyme mimetics-have attracted considerable attention due to their unique advantages, including potent tumor-killing effects, enhanced biocompatibility, and reduced toxicity. Notably, nanozymes can dynamically monitor tumors through imaging and tracing. The multifunctional nanozyme (MN) is a promising research focus, integrating multiple catalytic activities, signal enhancement, sensing capabilities, and diverse modifications within a single nanozyme system. MNs can selectively target tumor regions, facilitating synergistic effects with other cancer therapies while enabling real-time imaging and tumor tracking. In this review, we first categorize MNs based on their composition and structural characteristics. We then discuss the primary mechanisms by which MNs exert their anticancer effects. Additionally, we review three types of MN biosensors and four MN-based therapeutic approaches applied in cancer treatment. Finally, we highlight the current challenges in MN research and provide an outlook on future developments in this field.

Electronic analysis of 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium halide adsorption on AlN nanoflakes

This study explores the interaction of AlN nanoflakes with ionic liquids (ILs) consisting of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cations and halide anions (fluoride, chloride, bromide), aiming to enhance AlN nanoflake performance in energy applications. ILs adsorb onto the nanoflake surface, with halide ions attaching to aluminum atoms, indicating strong interactions that improve the material's electronic properties. Adsorption energy is the highest for fluoride and lowest for chloride, reflecting the strength and proximity of interaction. Thermodynamic analysis shows the adsorption is exothermic, with fluoride exhibiting the most substantial interaction due to its small size and high electronegativity. This significantly alters the electronic properties of the nanoflake, increasing dipole moment, redistributing charge, and reducing the HOMO-LUMO gap. Additionally, the enhanced nonlinear optical (NLO) properties make these IL-modified AlN nanoflakes promising candidates for energy storage and optical applications. These changes suggest improved conductivity and potential for enhanced supercapacitor performance, offering valuable insights for optimizing AlN nanoflakes in energy storage.

Enhancing PD-1 blockade in NSCLC: Reprogramming tumor immune microenvironment with albumin-bound statins targeting lipid rafts and mitochondrial respiration

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has shown limited response to immunotherapy, primarily due to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment characterized by hypoxia and lipid raft formation, which together inhibit T-cell infiltration and function, impeding effective immune responses. To address these challenges, we developed Abstatin, an albumin-bound fluvastatin formulation that targets lipid raft disruption and mitochondrial respiration inhibition, aiming to reduce hypoxia and destabilize lipid rafts to enhance T-cell activity within the tumor. Using bioinformatics analysis, in vitro assays, and in vivo studies in both murine and humanized PDX models, we demonstrated that Abstatin reprograms the NSCLC microenvironment by concurrently lowering hypoxia levels and lipid raft integrity, thereby restoring T-cell infiltration, enhancing cytotoxic T-cell function, and ultimately improving response to Anti-PD-1 therapy. Results showed that Abstatin significantly amplifies Anti-PD-1 efficacy with minimal toxicity, indicating a favorable safety profile for clinical use. This study highlights Abstatin as a promising immunotherapy adjuvant that addresses critical barriers in NSCLC by modulating metabolic pathways linked to immune resistance. Abstatin's approach, which combines modulation of cellular metabolism with immune sensitization, broadens the potential of immunotherapy and provides a practical, scalable strategy to enhance treatment outcomes in NSCLC and potentially other tumors, offering insights into combinatory cancer therapies.

Expanding the cryoprotectant toolbox in biomedicine by multifunctional antifreeze peptides

The global cryopreservation market size rises exponentially due to increased demand for cell therapy-based products, assisted reproductive technology, and organ transplantation. Cryoprotectants (CPAs) are required to reduce ice-related damage, osmotic cell injury, and protein denaturation. Antioxidants are needed to hamper membrane lipid peroxidation under freezing stress, and antibiotics are added to the cryo-solutions to prevent contamination. The vitrification process for sized organs requires a high concentration of CPA, which is hardly achievable using conventional penetrating toxic CPAs like DMSO. Antifreeze peptides (AFpeps) are biocompatible CPAs leveraging inspiration from nature, such as freeze-tolerant and freeze-avoidant organisms, to circumvent logistic limitations in cryogenic conditions. This study aims to introduce the advances of AFpeps with cell-penetrating, antioxidant, and antimicrobial characteristics. We herein revisit the placement of AFpeps in the biobanking of cancer cells, immune cells, stem cells, blood cells, germ cells (sperms and oocytes), and probiotics. Implementing low-immunogenic AFpeps for allograft cryopreservation minimizes HLA mismatching risk after organ transplantation. Applying AFpeps to formulate bioinks with optimal rheology in extrusion-based 3D cryobiopriners expedites the bench-to-beside transition of bioprinted scaffolds. This study advocates that the fine-tuned synthetic or insect-derived AFpeps, forming round blunt-shape crystals, are biomedically broad-spectrum, and cell-permeable AFpeps from marine and plant sources, which result in sharp ice crystals, are appropriate for cryosurgery. Perspectives of the available room for developing peptide mimetics in favor of higher activity and stability and peptide-functionalized nanoparticles for enhanced delivery are delineated. Finally, antitumor immune activation by cryoimmunotherapy as an autologous in-vivo tumor lysate vaccine has been illustrated.

Metallic TiN-mediated interface to boost charge transfer of bismuth vanadate toward enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Surface modification of cocatalysts is one of the most efficient strategies to improve the surface charge transfer of bismuth vanadate (BVO) photoanodes. However, the interfacial recombination between BVO semiconductors and cocatalysts is seriously undervalued. Herein, metallic titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles are decorated on the surface of BVO to tune the carrier dynamics at BVO/cocatalysts interface. The enlarged band bending at the near-surface of the BVO semiconductor enables significantly promoted interfacial charge transfer and separation, resulting in a much higher charge separation efficiency (83.7 %) than that of the untreated BVO photoanode (67.8 %). Subsequently, the deposition of CoFe-based oxygen evolution catalyst (CoFe-OEC) raises the charge injection efficiency of TiN/BVO from 38 % to 81 % by accelerating water oxidation reaction kinetics. Stemming from the fast charge transfer and separation at semiconductor/cocatalyst/electrolyte interface, a prominent photo-current density of 5.0 mA cm-2 along with outstanding PEC stability can be achieved by the hybrid CoFe-OEC/TiN/BVO photoanode. This work will pave a new design avenue to enhance the carrier dynamics in semiconductor/cocatalyst system for efficient PEC water oxidation.

Single atom catalysts adsorbed on reduced monolayers for enhanced kinetics in Al-S batteries

Rechargeable aluminum-sulfur (Al-S) batteries have attracted significant attention as potential next-generation energy storage devices due to their safety, the natural abundance of the elemental components, and high theoretical energy density. However, their utilization is hindered by sluggish reaction kinetics and poor reversibility. Introducing single-atom catalysts (SACs) can promote redox processes at the cathode and help in mitigating the shuttle effect of Al polysulfides (Al2Sx). While the electrochemical, thermodynamic, and thermal stabilities of SACs (Co, Fe, Ir, Ni, Pt, and Rh) have been explored in previous studies, this work focuses on their potential role in enhancing reaction kinetics in Al-S batteries. Our calculations indicate that SACs-based substrates exhibit more robust binding energies for capturing Al2Sx than the bare surfaces. Additionally, SACs lower the free energies associated with the rate-determining step during discharging and exhibit lower decomposition barriers during charging. Moreover, the interaction of soluble Al2Sx with the electrolyte reveals that SAC supported polysulfides are less likely to dissolve in the electrolyte than their pristine counterparts. The analysis of the underlying mechanisms of the interaction of molecules and the Co@ substrate reveals the ability of this substrate to accommodate large volume changes and support a sulfur loading up to 53.37 wt% during the charging and discharging cycles, without causing fractures. The mechanism driving this enhanced performance is extensively investigated through charge transfer, bond strength, and d-band center analyses. Our findings present an effective strategy for designing SACs substrates to improve the electrochemical performance of Al-S cathodes.

Engineering functional electroconductive hydrogels for targeted therapy in myocardial infarction repair

Myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by a paucity of cardiomyocyte regeneration, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Contemporary therapeutic modalities, while mitigating ischemic effects, fail to reconstitute the impaired electromechanical coupling within the infracted myocardium. Emerging evidence supports the utility of electroconductive hydrogels (ECHs) in facilitating post-MI cardiac function recovery by restoring the conductive microenvironment of the infarcted tissue. This comprehensive review delineates the taxonomy of ECHs predicated on their constituent conductive materials. It also encapsulates prevailing research trends in ECH-mediated MI repair, encompassing innovative design paradigms and microenvironment-sensitive strategies. The review also provides a critical appraisal of various implantation techniques, underscored by a thorough examination of the attendant considerations. It elucidates the mechanistic underpinnings by which hydrogels exert salutary effects on myocardial repair, namely by augmenting mechanical and electrical integrity, exerting anti-inflammatory actions, fostering angiogenesis, and curtailing adverse remodeling processes. Furthermore, the review engages with the pressing challenge of optimizing ECH functionality to achieve superior reparative outcomes post-MI. The discourse concludes with an anticipatory perspective on the evolution of ECH scaffolds, advocating for a tailored approach that integrates multifaceted physicochemical properties to cater to the nuances of personalized medicine.

Emittance minimization for aberration correction II: Physics-informed Bayesian optimization of an electron microscope

Aberration-corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) has become an essential tool in understanding materials at the atomic scale. However, tuning the aberration corrector to produce a sub-Ångström probe is a complex and time-costly procedure, largely due to the difficulty of precisely measuring the optical state of the system. When measurements are both costly and noisy, Bayesian methods provide rapid and efficient optimization. To this end, we develop a Bayesian approach to fully automate the process by minimizing a new quality metric, beam emittance, which is shown to be equivalent to performing aberration correction. In part I, we derived several important properties of the beam emittance metric and trained a deep neural network to predict beam emittance growth from a single Ronchigram. Here we use this as the black box function for Bayesian optimization and demonstrate automated tuning of simulated and real electron microscopes. We explore different surrogate functions for the Bayesian optimizer and implement a deep neural network kernel to effectively learn the interactions between different control channels without the need to explicitly measure a full set of aberration coefficients. Both simulation and experimental results show the proposed method outperforms conventional approaches by achieving a better optical state with a higher convergence rate.

Co-surfactant roles of amino acids at oil-water interface: Application in low-pH emulsions to regulate physical and oxidative stabilities

Sucrose monopalmitate (SMP) is an effective surfactant for emulsification, but exhibits poor stability in low pH environments, due to neutralized surface charges. To improve SMP-based emulsions, we used food-grade amino acids as co-surfactants. Lysine, histidine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan lowered the water-oil interfacial tension. Tryptophan was the most effective, providing sufficient electrostatic repulsion to stabilize emulsion droplets by adsorbing onto the oil surface and becoming protonated at pH 3. However, tryptophan was counterproductive to stabilize SMP-based emulsions between pH 4 and 5. A minimum concentration (0.4 w/v%) of tryptophan prevented droplet coalescence and creaming. Incorporating tryptophan with SMP before emulsification resulted in larger droplets compared to post-emulsification addition. Tryptophan-costabilized emulsions induced flocculation with κ-carrageenan via electrostatic adsorption but showed higher compatibility with polysaccharides with weaker charges. Tryptophan enhanced oxidative stability of unsaturated lipids creating a cationic shield to repel transition metals in the aqueous phase and stabilizing cleavage of lipid hydroperoxides.

Emittance minimization for aberration correction I: Aberration correction of an electron microscope without knowing the aberration coefficients

Precise alignment of the electron beam is critical for successful application of scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEM) to understanding materials at atomic level. Despite the success of aberration correctors, aberration correction is still a complex process. Here we approach aberration correction from the perspective of accelerator physics and show it is equivalent to minimizing the emittance growth of the beam, the span of the phase space distribution of the probe. We train a deep learning model to predict emittance growth from experimentally accessible Ronchigrams. Both simulation and experimental results show the model can capture the emittance variation with aberration coefficients accurately. We further demonstrate the model can act as a fast-executing function for the global optimization of the lens parameters. Our approach enables new ways to quickly quantify and automate aberration correction that takes advantage of the rapid measurements possible with high-speed electron cameras. In part II of the paper, we demonstrate how the emittance metric enables rapid online tuning of the aberration corrector using Bayesian optimization.

Synergistic effects of hydrophilic residues in the transmembrane region on lipid scrambling activity of dimeric helices

Phospholipid scramblases promote lipid transbilayer movement (flip-flop) in the plasma membrane, which is involved in a wide range of cellular functions, such as phagocytosis and blood coagulation. One structural characteristic of scramblases and model lipid scrambling peptides is the presence of hydrophilic residues in their transmembrane domains. These hydrophilic regions are considered the active sites through which lipid polar headgroups pass during the translocation process. However, how the structural arrangement of hydrophilic residues results in strong lipid scrambling activities in scramblases needs to be investigated, because the effects of a single hydrophilic residue on lipid scrambling are much lower than the activity of natural scramblases. Here, we developed double-spanning transmembrane peptides containing varying numbers of Gln residues. A combination of lipid vesicle experiments and molecular dynamics simulations indicates that lipid scrambling activities are synergistically enhanced by the proximity between planes created by Gln residues aligned parallel to the helix and that interactions between Gln and Trp residues stabilize the strongly active structures. The contribution of Gln residues to lipid scrambling activity suggests that the alignment and proximity of hydrophilic residues in the transmembrane region is one of the mechanisms of lipid scrambling by natural scramblases. This study provides clues for the energetic and structural mechanisms of lipid scrambling and for the design of artificial phospholipid scramblases.

Defect-induced persistent photoconductivity and nonvolatility in two-dimensional Bi2Se3 thin film for neuromorphic vision sensing capability

Optical synaptic devices (OSDs) have neuromorphic vision sensing capability showing great potential in breaking the von Neumann bottleneck and facilitating future artificial vision systems. However, the applications of two-dimensional (2D) material-based OSDs are still impeded by complicated structures, preparation techniques and so on. In this work, we propose a 2D OSD based on Bi2Se3 films prepared by a chemical vapor deposition method followed by an in-situ thermal treatment. We have found that the thermal treatment at 350 ℃ creates the most n-type defects in the film that can induce persistent photoconductivity (PPC) by trapping and de-trapping electrons. The device exhibits synaptic behaviors under illumination at 450 nm and 550 nm, including long-term potentiation (LTP), short-term potentiation (STP), the transition between them and pair-pulse-facilitation (PPF). For 550 nm light, the device has a long memory ability that the photocurrent after attenuation of 100 s (500 s) still has a memory level of 80 % (62 %), while a nonvolatility is observed. Our work sheds light on the design of 2D material-based OSDs with a simple structure by defects engineering, elaborates on the mechanisms of PPC and non-volatile caused by defect states, and facilitates the simplification of future artificial vision systems.

One-pot synthesis of transition-metal-sulfides decorated CdS by low-temperature KSCN flux: An effective route to strengthen the interface for enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution

The performance of decorated photocatalysts is highly dependent on the interfacial contact between the cocatalyst and the substrate photocatalyst, which is essentially determined by their fabrication routes. Herein, a simple one-pot preparation method based on low-temperature KSCN flux was developed for the synthesis of sulfide photocatalysts with MS/CdS (MS = CoS2, NiS2, Cu1.8S, SnS2, MoS2, and WS2) as prototypes. The results indicate that a sulfidation of Cd2+ and the cocatalyst precursors can be achieved successively in the reaction system, which facilitates the formation of a welded interface as the cocatalysts can grow epitaxially on the formed CdS surface. The KSCN flux serves not only as a reaction medium but also as S2- precursor. Most of the MS (except for WS2) could be successfully fabricated and deposited in situ on CdS. However, only the transition-metal-sulfides (TMSs, MoS2, CoS2, and NiS2) decorated samples showed enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution reaction (HER) performance and the activities decreased in the order of MoS2 > CoS2 > NiS2. The sample loaded with 1 %MoS2 demonstrated the highest activity, which was 25 times higher than that of the pristine CdS. The superior HER performance could be ascribed to the loading of the active MoS2 sites for HER and the intimate tandem type I (between CdS and 2H-MoS2) and Schottky (between 2H- and 1T-MoS2) junctions for separation of photoinduced charge carriers. Compared to the conventional preparation methods, the developed one-pot flux route demonstrates remarkable advantages in fabricating highly efficient MoS2/CdS photocatalyst besides its convenience, versatility, and scalability. We believe that, in addition to CdS, the developed route can also be applied to synthesize other sulfide-based photocatalysts.

Delivery of cisplatin confined into pure and doped C240 fullerene: A molecular dynamics simulation study

In this research, we have investigated the delivery of cisplatin, as the anti-cancer drug molecule encapsulated into C240 fullerene with maximum equal number of water and carbon dioxide molecules (20H2O+20CO2) by continuously increasing the temperature from 310 to 450 K. We have determined the temperature at which the fullerene broke and the drug molecule released into the outer environment. To examine the effect of B, N, and Si doping of C240 fullerene on the bond break and release temperatures, we have also simulated the 20H2O+20CO2 mixture into 3 % doped (C233B7, C233N7, and C233Si7) and 20 % doped (C192B48, C192N48, and C192Si48) fullerenes at the same temperature range. Our results showed that there is not any bond break and consequently the drug release for the pure fullerene containing 20H2O+20CO2 mixture at any temperature. It is also observed that the N-doped fullerene shows less resistance to the breakdown, especially the C192N48 fullerene. Therefore, this N-doped C192N48 fullerene is more proper compound to use in the nano drug delivery investigations using fullerene. It is also shown that the doping fullerene is a proper way to easily destruct its structure to use in the drug delivery applications. It is also shown that the self-diffusion of the cisplatin molecule is higher in the C192N48 fullerene than the other systems. This result is in agreement with the other results and approves the C192N48 fullerene for the drug delivery purpose.

Turbulence control in memristive neural network via adaptive magnetic flux based on DLS-ADMM technique

High-voltage defibrillation for eliminating cardiac spiral waves has significant side effects, necessitating the pursuit of low-energy alternatives for a long time. Adaptive optimization techniques and machine learning methods provide promising solutions for adaptive control of cardiac wave propagation. In this paper, the control of spiral waves and turbulence, as well as 2D and 3D heterogeneity in memristive neural network by using adaptive magnetic flux (AMF) is investigated based on dynamic learning of synchronization - alternating direction method of multipliers (DLS-ADMM). The results show that AMF can achieve global electrical synchronization under multiple complex conditions. There is a trade-off between AMF accuracy and computational speed, lowering the resolution of AMF requires a higher flux of magnetic fields to achieve the network synchronization, resulting in an increase in average Hamiltonian energy, which implies greater energy consumption. The AMF method is more energy efficient than existing DC and AC methods, but it relies on adequate resolution. The ADMM constraints can enhance the synchronization robustness and energy efficiency of DLS techniques, albeit at the cost of increased the computational complexity. The adaptive elimination of spiral waves and turbulence using AMF presented in this paper may provide a novel approach for the low-energy defibrillation studies, and its practical application and performance enhancement deserve further research.

ZnIn2S4 enwrapping CoP with phosphorus vacancies hollow microspheres for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

To address the pressing challenges of energy shortages and environmental sustainability, photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production has emerged as a promising strategy for solar energy conversion. While semiconductor catalysts exhibit significant potential in photocatalysis, their practical applications are hindered by limitations such as inefficient charge separation and insufficient active sites. Designing and preparing efficient, non-precious co-catalysts is therefore essential. In this work, we synthesized cobalt phosphide with phosphorus vacancy defects (vp-CoP) hollow microsphere co-catalysts and loaded them with indium zinc sulfide (ZnIn2S4) nanosheets to construct vp-CoP@ZnIn2S4 (vp-CoP@ZIS) heterojunction photocatalysts. Under visible light irradiation, the vp-CoP@ZIS photocatalyst achieved a hydrogen production rate of 7.4 mmol g-1 h-1, which was 7.6 times higher than that of pristine ZnIn2S4. This remarkable enhancement arises from the synergistic effects between vp-CoP and ZnIn2S4. Specifically, the introduction of single-atom phosphorus vacancies significantly improved electron transfer efficiency and promoted charge separation within the heterojunction. This innovative design and synthesis strategy underscores the potential of vp-CoP@ZIS as a robust photocatalyst for solar-driven hydrogen production, providing a sustainable pathway for efficient solar energy utilization.

Applying multiscale entropy for evaluating website visual complexity in an agile project: Using physiological data

The perceived visual complexity of a website immediately and persistently impacts the user experience. However, existing visual complexity research methods in the literature are not suitable for agile website development, often associating visual complexity with website structure and requiring advanced programming skills and large participant samples. This study proposes an accessible, definition-independent method to evaluate website complexity using multiscale entropy analysis of physiological signals. Our results show that the multiscale entropy derived from physiological data can effectively differentiate websites with varying complexity levels, even with a small number of participants. This approach achieves robust and significant effects, enabling its simultaneous application with user experience assessment in the agile website development process. The proposed MSE-based method provides an objective, unified tool to evaluate visual complexity without the burden of defining and calculating visual complexity, allowing design teams to focus on the website itself during agile software development projects.

Dynamics of single Au nanoparticles on graphene simultaneously in real- and diffraction space by time-series convergent beam electron diffraction

Convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) on two-dimensional materials allows simultaneous recording of the real-space image (tens of nanometers in size) and diffraction pattern of the same sample in one single-shot intensity measurement. In this study, we employ time-series CBED to visualize single Au nanoparticles deposited on graphene. The real-space image of the probed region, with the amount, size, and positions of single Au nanoparticles, is directly observed in the zero-order CBED disk, while the atomic arrangement of the Au nanoparticles is available from the intensity distributions in the higher-order CBED disks. From the time-series CBED patterns, the movement of a single Au nanoparticle with rotation up to 4° was recorded. We also observed facet diffraction lines ̶ intense bright lines formed between the CBED disks of the Au nanoparticle, which we explain by diffraction at the Au nanoparticle's facets. This work showcases CBED as a useful technique for studying adsorbates on graphene using Au nanoparticles as a model platform, and paves the way for future studies of different objects deposited on graphene.

Unraveling a Receptor-Mediated Bioluminescence Signaling Pathway in Red Tide Algae

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous transmembrane proteins in multicellular life. Human vision, taste, and neuron activity are all mediated by GPCRs, and a large percentage of currently approved drugs target GPCRs. However, our understanding of GPCRs in single-celled eukaryotes is incomplete, and many of the components of GPCR signal transduction are underrepresented in protists. Previous works studying bioluminescent dinoflagellates-single-celled algae involved in coral reef endosymbiosis and toxic red tide blooms-implicate GPCRs in a signaling pathway for bioluminescence but have not elucidated the individual components comprising the pathway. Herein, we identified a novel GPCR in dinoflagellates-Bioluminescence-Inducing Receptor 1 (BIR1)-which plays a significant role in the signaling pathway for bioluminescence in red tide blooms in response to wave turbulence. Additionally, we identified a full endogenous G-protein complex and downstream effectors that are integral to known calcium signaling networks. Based on these identifications, we used knockdown and knockout techniques to demonstrate the integral role of BIR1 in bioluminescence and highlight its role in predator response and shear force-elicited GPCR signaling in red tide blooms. This advance opens avenues for red tide control and supports the existence of similar GPCR pathways involved in bloom toxicity dynamics.

Optimized microwave absorption and thermal properties for TiB2@BN/PDMS composites via TiB2@BN heterogeneous interface engineering

The single electromagnetic (EM) wave loss mechanism leads to suboptimal microwave absorption in dielectric materials, whereas, introducing different materials and constructing distinctive microstructures can significantly improve microwave absorption. In this study, TiB2 and TiB2@BN powders were synthesized using boron thermal reduction and chemical solution methods. Their microwave absorption and thermal properties were systematically analyzed. Compared to TiB2/PDMS, TiB2@BN/PDMS composites achieve enhanced microwave absorption across the 2-18 GHz. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) reaches -31.2 dB at 17.92 GHz with 60 wt% TiB2@BN and a thickness of 1.55 mm. RL below -10 dB covers the frequency range of 12.88-18 GHz with 65 wt% TiB2@BN and a thickness of 1.75 mm. Radar cross-section (RCS) simulations show notable stealth capabilities, making it suitable for practical applications. Establishing the TiB2@BN heterointerface can optimize impedance matching and EM wave attenuation, thereby enhancing microwave absorption. Charge transfer from B and N atoms to Ti atoms at the heterointerface, combined with lattice defects, generates strong interface and dipole polarization loss under an external EM field. Additionally, TiB2@BN/PDMS composites possess excellent thermal conductivity. These results highlight the potential of TiB2@BN/PDMS composites in advanced microwave absorption and thermal management applications.

Gas-pressure-assisted strategy for precise control of palladium-based nanoparticle sizes: Unveiling size effects on methanol oxidation activity

Understanding the relationship between catalyst particle size and activity is crucial for developing efficient catalytic systems. However, the size-dependent behavior of Pd-based alloy catalysts remains poorly understood, requiring a comprehensive investigation. This study presents a straightforward and effective gas-pressure-assisted heat-treatment method that allows precise control over the particle sizes of various Pd-based catalysts, including Pd, Pd3Fe, Pd3Co, Pd3Ni, and Pd3Cu. Our findings demonstrate that high pressure significantly inhibits nanoparticle sintering by increasing energy barriers for both metal atomic diffusion and nanocluster migration. A linear relationship has been established between average particle size and applied gas pressure. Specifically, this method was employed to synthesize Pd3Fe nanoparticles (NPs) with an average particle size ranging from 2.8 to 6.9 nm. Furthermore, we explored the size effect of Pd3Fe/C in the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The mass activity (MA) of the catalyst exhibited a volcano-shaped trend as particle size decreased. Notably, the Pd3Fe/C-7 MPa catalyst with a particle size of 3.9 nm demonstrated superior MA compared to other samples within this range of sizes tested in this study. This work offers a valuable approach for systematically studying the size effect on catalytic performance, which aids researchers in designing high-performance catalytic materials.

Selective focusing through target identification and experimental acoustic signature extraction: Through-aberration experiments

In the first part of this work (Rodriguez et al. 2016), the selective focusing through identification and experimental acoustic signature extraction (SelF-EASE) method was presented, and its potential for accurate ultrasound focusing was assessed via numerical experiments. In the second part of this work, the inversion procedure and focusing signal extraction are improved in terms of reliability and computation time, and experimental results are presented. First, the improved signature extraction process is evaluated with two experimental aluminum samples. Second, the improved focusing process is experimentally performed on a target immersed in water behind an unknown aberration layer. Compared with the time-of-flight methods, the measured intensity fields greatly improve in terms of accuracy without any further knowledge of the medium.

Exploring phytochemicals and marine natural products as alternative therapeutic agents targeting phosphotransacetylase (PTA) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: An underexplored drug target

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), remains a significant global health threat due to its widespread prevalence and increasing drug resistance. This study targets phosphotransacetylase (PTA), an essential enzyme in acetate metabolism, as a potential therapeutic target. A comprehensive multi-tiered virtual screening approach was employed to identify potent phytochemicals and marine natural products (MNPs) from five databases (AMMPDB, CMNPD, MNPD, Seaweed and SPECS). Five promising bioactive molecules (AMMPDB10473, CMNPD23347, CMNPD5918, MNPD6660, and SPECS-AK-693) were identified, showing high docking scores (-8.17 to -10.83 kcal/mol) and MM-GBSA binding energy scores (-47.51 to -59.14 kcal/mol). These molecules adhered to Lipinski's rule of five (Ro5) and demonstrated acceptable pharmacokinetic profiles. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further validated the interaction potential of these molecules through HOMO and LUMO analysis. Long-range molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) over 300 ns confirmed the structural stability and enhanced hydrogen-bonding potential of the natural products-PTA complexes. Principal component analysis (PCA) and free energy landscape (FEL) contour plots revealed a single dominant energy basin, indicating structural stability and limited conformational flexibility of the complexes. Additionally, MMPBSA analysis corroborated the strong binding affinities of the identified hit molecules with PTA. Critical 'hot spot' residues (Phe516, Cys530, Ala531, and Tyr639) were identified, contributing significantly to the structural stability and binding energy of the complexes. This computational study offers valuable insights into the potential of these lead molecules for combating TB, providing a foundation for experimental validation and innovative therapeutic development, and paving the way for future research and breakthroughs in TB treatment.

An acoustic squeezer for assessment of multiparameter cell mechanical properties

Cells' ability to sense and respond to mechanical stimuli is fundamental to various biological processes and serves as a crucial biomarker of their physiological and pathological states. Traditional methods for assessing cell mechanical properties, such as atomic force microscopy and micropipette aspiration, are hindered by complex procedures and the risk of cellular damage due to direct contact. Here we introduce a novel non-contact acoustic squeezer that leverages focused interdigital transducers to induce cell deformation through a robust standing surface acoustic wave (SSAW) field. This approach enables the multiparametric quantification of multiple mechanical properties, including elasticity (Young's modulus, stiffness) and viscosity, without requiring labeling or physical contact, providing a comprehensive understanding of the cell mechanical properties. Our acoustic squeezer is capable of generating a maximum squeezing force of 25.70 pN, inducing a deformability of 1.27 ± 0.017. Combined with thin-shell deformation model, the quantized Young's modulus of normal red blood cells (RBCs) is approximately 919.04 ± 55.64 Pa. Furthermore, our method demonstrates that cells treated with the anti-cancer drug (doxorubicin) exhibited reduced deformability, increased Young's modulus and viscosity. Our acoustic squeezer offers a standardized, non-invasive, and highly sensitive approach for characterizing cell mechanical properties, with significant promise for clinical applications in disease diagnosis and drug development.

Nitrogen imported in nickel clusters promotes carbon dioxide electrochemical reduction to carbon monoxide

The Ni-N coordination structure has been shown to be conducive to the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to CO, and this process has been extensively validated. However, the impact of Ni-N coordination structures within Ni-based clusters on CO2RR has received relatively limited research attention to date. In this study, catalysts containing Ni single atoms and Nin clusters (Ni-N/Nin) were synthesised, and subsequently, Nin clusters were transformed into NinNx clusters (Ni-N/NinNx) through secondary nitridation. The experimental results, as illustrated by X-ray photoelectron spectra and X-ray absorption fine structure spectra, demonstrate that the Ni-N bond in Ni-N/NinNx increased and Ni-N-Ni bonds within atomic clusters were generated, thereby confirming the transformation from Nin clusters to NinNx clusters. Density functional theory calculations show that the NinNx clusters have a lower energy barrier for the *CO2- + H+ → *COOH step compared to Nin clusters, and promote the entire reaction. Furthermore, in-situ attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations collectively indicate that abundant Ni-N coordination structures in clusters effectively reduce the energy barrier of CO2 + e- → *CO2- and facilitate the activation of CO2 to *CO2- across a broader potential window. Ni-N/NinNx demonstrates high Faraday efficiency of CO (FECOmax = 98.6 % at -0.4 V vs. RHE), a wider potential window (-0.3 to -0.8 V vs. RHE, FECO > 90 %) and high CO partial current density (jCO > 100 mA cm-2). In comparison with Ni-N/Nin, the maximum CO partial current density of Ni-N/NinNx is enhanced by approximately 4.6 times. These findings offer valuable insights into the structure-activity relationship of Ni-based cluster catalysts and facilitate the development of more advanced atomically cluster catalysts.

Transition metal doped pyrazine-graphyne for high-performance CO2 reduction reaction to C1 products

The pressing necessity to mitigate climate change and transition to a sustainable energy economy underscores the importance of developing highly efficient and selective catalysts for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (CO2RR). This study explores nitrogen-doped graphyne (N-GY) as a promising substrate for anchoring 3d and 4d transition metal atoms (TMs), facilitating the creation of high-performance electrocatalysts. Through comprehensive computational analysis based on density functional theory (DFT), we provide a detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved in CO2 capture by these catalysts. Our results reveal a "donation-backdonation" mechanism during CO2 adsorption, characterized by significant charge transfer and orbital overlap, which enhance CO2 adsorption and activation. We identify ten catalysts exhibiting exceptional activity and selectivity, with V-S2@N-GY standing out for its ultra-low limiting potential of -0.279 V, which is particularly beneficial for carbon monoxide generation. The mechanistic analysis further underscores the critical role of the *COOH intermediate adsorption strength in dictating CO2RR activity. This study provides valuable theoretical insights for the design and optimization of efficient CO2RR catalysts.

Modulation of dorsal raphe nucleus connectivity and serotonergic signalling to the insular cortex in the prosocial effects of chronic fluoxetine

Long-term exposure to fluoxetine and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors alters social and anxiety-related behaviours, including social withdrawal, which is a symptom of several neuropsychiatric disorders. Adaptive changes in serotonergic neurotransmission likely mediate this delayed effect, although the exact mechanisms are still unclear. Here we investigated the functional circuitry underlying the biphasic effects of fluoxetine on social approach-avoidance behaviour and explored the place of serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) ensembles in this network, using c-Fos-immunoreactivity as a correlate of activity. Graph theory-based network analysis revealed changes in patterns of functional connectivity and identified neuronal populations in the insular cortex (IC) and serotonergic populations in the DR as central targets to the prosocial effects of chronic fluoxetine. To determine the role of serotonergic projections to the IC, a retrograde tracer was micro-injected in the IC prior to fluoxetine treatment and social behaviour testing. Chronic fluoxetine increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in insula-projecting neurons of the rostral, ventral part of the DR (DRV). Using a virally delivered Tet-Off platform for temporally-controlled marking of neuronal activation, we observed that chronic fluoxetine may affect social behaviour by influencing independent but interconnected populations of serotonergic DR ensembles. These findings suggest that sustained fluoxetine exposure causes adaptive changes in functional connectivity due to altered serotonergic neurotransmission in DR projection targets, and the increased serotonergic signalling to the IC likely mediates some of the therapeutic effects of fluoxetine on social behaviour.

Enhancing the vegetable waxes gelation power in the presence of high-intensity ultrasound

The structuration of oils offers a promising alternative to high-saturated fats, capturing significant interest and undergoing development for two decades. Integrating high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) with oil structuration presents a compelling approach, as HIU has demonstrated its ability to alter numerous physical properties of fats with low saturated content. The primary aim of this study was to assess the impact of HIU on beeswax (BEW), candelilla wax (CLW), carnauba wax (CBW), and rice bran wax (RBW) oleogels. The minimum concentration required for oleogel formation (Cg) was established as the concentration at which the gel could maintain its structure without flowing when inverted. All oleogels in their Cg underwent sonication using a 13 mm probe, 50 % amplitude for 10s. The oleogels, whether sonicated or not, were evaluated based on their microstructure, hardness, viscoelastic properties, oil binding capacity (OBC), melting behavior, mild-infrared analysis, and X-ray. The amount of wax used to form a gel was quite low, especially for BEW (1.7 %) and CLW (1.4 %). After sonication, BEW, CLW, and CRW waxes significantly improved, mostly physical properties evaluated. On the contrary, RBW showed a depletory effect of physical properties after sonication in the condition tested. It was possible to observe that when appropriately optimized, sonication serves as a vital technique in the oleogelation of some waxes, offering a robust method to produce enhanced and stable oleogels suitable for food applications.

Anti-corrosion lithium anode interface by Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 modified buffer layer for stable cycling of room-temperature solid-state lithium metal batteries

Non-flammable butanedinitrile (SN) is recognized as a highly prospective plasticizer for significantly reducing the operating temperature of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based solid polymer electrolytes. However, the instability of the lithium anode interface severely hinders the practical application of PEO/SN-based solid polymer electrolytes in room-temperature solid-state lithium metal batteries. In this work, we propose fast-ion conductive Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) nanoparticles as corrosion inhibitors to constructure a multifunctional buffer layer on the surface of PEO/SN-based solid electrolyte (PSE@LLZTO) to stabilize the interface structure of Li anode via a facile spin-coating transfer technique. This LLZTO modified buffer layer with rigid inorganic LLZTO phase and soft organic PEO-LiTFSI phase, not only significantly homogenizes lithium deposition, but also effectively improves the resistance to dendrite formation. Impressively, the LLZTO phase is able to adsorb free SN molecules, preventing them from continuously corroding the Li anode, thereby significantly reinforcing the interface stability. Meanwhile, these rigid LLZTO ceramic particles effectively inhibit lithium dendrite growth. Consequently, the Li symmetric cell demonstrates consistent performance for 1600 h at room temperature, and the LiFePO4|PSE@LLZTO|Li cells exhibit a high reversible specific capacity of 146 mA h g-1 with a remarkable capacity retention of 98.4 % after 200 cycles under 0.5C at room temperature. This study offers a feasible approach for the practical utilization of PEO/SN-based solid electrolyte systems in long lifespan solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Fabricating stable protective layer on orthorhombic tungsten oxide anode for long-lifespan pseudocapacitors by trace of aluminum ion electrolyte additives

Orthorhombic tungsten oxide (WO3·H2O) has been considered as a promising anode material due to its layered crystal structure and high capacity. However, the instability of its crystal structure usually results in poor cyclic stability of the battery/capacitor. Herein, a novel strategy of introducing aluminum ion (Al3+) additives for designing hybrid electrolyte is demonstrated to enhance the cycling stability of WO3·H2O. Aluminum ions may participate in the redox reaction and contribute extra capacitance. More importantly, the Al3+ ions can facilitate fast phase transformation of metastable orthorhombic tungsten oxides to stable monoclinic phase, but also participate in the construction of stable protective layer during the long-term cycling, forming a protective layer at the surface of tungsten oxide for alleviating the dissolution and structural damage. The WO3·H2O is electrodeposited on the exfoliated graphite foil (Ex-GF) and shows a specific capacitance of 395 mF cm-2 at 2 mA cm-2 in the LiCl + AlCl3 hybrid electrolyte (pH = 2.93), and the capacitance remains 91.8 % after 10,000 charge/discharge cycles, indicating that the WO3·H2O/Ex-GF electrode material exhibits excellent stability in supercapacitors. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations further demonstrate whether the adsorption energy or intercalation energy of Li+ at the monoclinic WO3 is lower than the orthorhombic WO3·H2O. This result suggests that the electrochemical performance of WO3·H2O, which operates on a pseudocapacitive reaction mechanism, can be enhanced through the phase transformation from the orthorhombic phase to the monoclinic phase during the cycling. Hence, this ion additive approach can adjust the interface composition and protect internal active material, and can be extended to the stability improvement of other metal oxide electrodes.

Noncovalent guest-host interactions unlock the potential of MOFs for anesthetic xenon recovery: GCMC and DFT insights into real anesthetic conditions

Innovative designs offering cost-effective and highly efficient methods for xenon (Xe) recovery are becoming important for developing sustainable applications. Recently, the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has shown promise as candidates for separating Xe from anesthetic gas mixtures, however, there are limited studies available. We conducted combined Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations to determine the Xe recovery capacities of 19 MOFs from the exhaled anesthetic gas mixture, Xe/CO2/O2/N2. COCMUE, GUHMIH, MAHCOQ, and PADKOK have demonstrated overall larger volumetric and gravimetric Xe uptake, demonstrating how ligand types can enhance selective Xe adsorption in MOFs. At low pressures, Xe atoms mainly adsorbed in close vicinity to the ligands, with tetrazole, phenyl, pyridyl, carboxamide, dicarboxylic acid, phenoxazine, and triazole ligands in the MOF structures acting as Xe trapping locations. Electronic structure analyses reveal that Xe-host interactions are primarily driven by charge-induced dipole and aerogen-π interactions. Our combined GCMC and DFT study shows that a relatively high amount of anesthetic Xe can be captured from real anesthetic exhale gas mixtures using MOFs with the proper chemical and geometrical characteristics. These characteristics maximize noncovalent Xe-host interactions and ultimately enable the utilization of Xe as an anesthetic gas in clinical applications.

A non-crystallization-driven strategy for the preparation of non-spherical polymeric nanoparticles

To fabricate precisely defined non-spherical nanostructures like those widely exist in the biological domain by self-assembly of synthetic polymers without employing crystallization-driven forces is still a great challenge. In this study, we report a strategy to fabricate nanoparticles with advanced hierarchical architectures using styrene and methacrylic as monomers and maleamic acid-α-methyl styrene copolymer as a macroinitiator by polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). The structure of the prepared particles changed from common spherical micelles to cubes with edge lengths ranging from 50 to 200 nm when the solvent was 50 wt% ethanol in water and the monomer molar ratio of styrene to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate was 3:1. The growth of the cubic nanoparticles exhibited an interesting self-assembly process, initially forming vesicles with irregular cubes inside them. As the polymerization progressed, the inner cubes escaped from the vesicles and finally generated well-defined cubic nanoparticles. Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) results of the cubic nanoparticles indicated that no crystalline structure existed. The formation mechanism of the cubic nanoparticles was elucidated via density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This strategy was further applied to various monomers, and its universality was confirmed by successful fabrication of different non-spherical nanoparticles such as rectangles, fusiform platelets, and triangular pyramids.