Study of Interfacial Reaction Mechanism of Silicon Anodes with Different Surfaces by Using the In Situ Spectroscopy Technique.

The interfacial reaction of a silicon anode is very complex, which is closely related with the electrolyte components and surface elements' chemical status of the Si anode. It is crucial to elucidate the formation mechanism of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the silicon anode, which promotes the development of a stable SEI. However, the interface reaction mechanism on the silicon surface is closely related to the surface components.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation over Nano-UiO-66(Zr) via Natural Chlorophyll Sensitization.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are potential semiconductor materials, but they still face limitations, such as insufficient photoresponse, high recombination rates, and inadequate N adsorption/activation capabilities. Herein, a UiO-66-based system is designed via a natural chlorophyll sensitization strategy. Density functional theory calculations confirm the coordination interactions between chlorophyll and UiO-66.

Multi-omics evaluation of clinical-grade human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells in synergistic improvement of aging related disorders in a senescence-accelerated mouse model.

Background: The prevalence of age-related disorders, particularly in neurological and cardiovascular systems, is an increasing global health concern. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, particularly using human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (HUCMSCs), has shown promise in mitigating these disorders. This study investigates the effects of HUCMSCs on aging-related conditions in a senescence-accelerated mouse model (SAMP8), with a focus on DNA damage, gut microbiota alterations, and metabolic changes.

Confining Iodine into Metal-Organic Framework Derived Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon for Long-Life Aqueous Zinc-Iodine Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs) are highly appealing for energy requirements owing to their safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. However, the inadequate redox kinetics and severe shuttling effect of polyiodide ions impede their commercial viability. Herein, several Zn-MOF-derived porous carbon materials are designed, and the further preparation of iron-doped porous carbon (Fe-N-C, M9) with varied Fe doping contents is optimized based on a facile self-assembly/carbonization approach.

Nonuniform and pathway-specific laminar processing of spatial frequencies in the primary visual cortex of primates.

The neocortex comprises six cortical layers that play a crucial role in information processing; however, it remains unclear whether laminar processing is consistent across all regions within a single cortex. In this study, we demonstrate diverse laminar response patterns in the primary visual cortex (V1) of three male macaque monkeys when exposed to visual stimuli at different spatial frequencies (SFs). These response patterns can be categorized into two groups.

Pulsed electro-catalysis enables effective conversion of low-concentration nitrate to ammonia over CuO@Pd tandem catalyst.

Electro-catalytic conversion of nitrate (NO) to ammonia (NH) via the Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia (NORA) process represents a promising strategy for both ammonia synthesis and environmental remediation. Despite its potential, the efficiency of low-concentration NORA is often hindered by mass transfer limitations, competing byproducts (N and NO), and side reactions such as hydrogen evolution. This study introduces a novel pulsed electro-synthesis technique that alternates the potential to periodically accumulate and transform NO intermediates near a Cu2O@Pd electrode, enhancing the NORA process.

Visual surround suppression at the neural and perceptual levels.

Surround suppression was initially identified as a phenomenon at the neural level in which stimuli outside the neuron's receptive field alone cannot activate responses but can modulate neural responses to stimuli covered inside the receptive field. Subsequent studies showed that surround suppression is not only a critical property of neurons across species and brain areas but also has been found in visual perceptions. More importantly, surround suppression varies across individuals and shows significant differences between normal controls and patients with certain mental disorders.

Differences among active toluene-degrading microbial communities in farmland soils with different levels of heavy metal pollution.

Heavy metals can severely influence the mineralisation of organic pollutants in a compound-polluted environment. However, to date, no study has focused on the effects of heavy metals on the active organic pollutant-degrading microbial communities to understand the bioremediation mechanism. In this study, toluene was used as the model organic pollutant to explore the effects of soils with different levels of heavy metal pollution on organic contaminant degradation in the same area via stable isotope probing (SIP) and 16 S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.

The Phosphorylation Status of Hsp82 Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis During Glucose Sensing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Sensing extracellular glucose, budding yeast switches from aerobic glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation to adapt to environmental changes. During the conversion of metabolic mode, mitochondrial function and morphology change significantly. Mitochondria are the main supply factories of energy for various life activities in cells.

Synthesis of 2D Co-MOF Nanosheets and Low-Temperature Calcination Activation for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a novel type of porous crystalline material, have aroused widespread interest in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The design and preparation of MOF electrodes with a stable structure and excellent electrochemical performance are primary concerns for improving the capacity of LIBs. Among them, two-dimensional (2D) materials with larger specific surface areas, richer active sites, and higher aspect ratios have great potential.

Direct Imprinting of Large-Area Metallic Photonic Lattices for Infrared Polarization Filters with Broadband Tunability.

Metallic photonic lattices are promising in their application to plasmonic optical devices; however, scalable fabrication strategies are limited by sample size, response wavelength (mostly in the visible range), cost, and duration. This paper proposes a direct imprinting strategy to fabricate large-area metallic photonic lattices, which present a strong plasmonic response and broadband angle-resolved tuning properties in the infrared region. This simple fabrication strategy combines solution-synthesized Au nanoparticle colloid and imprinting technology, which does not require the use of photoresist or lithography.

Electron shuttle-dependent biofilm formation and biocurrent generation: Concentration effects and mechanistic insights.

Introduction: Electron shuttles (ESs) play a key role in extracellular electron transfer (EET) in MR-1. However, the quantification relationship between ES concentration, biofilm formation, and biocurrent generation has not been clarified.

Methods: In this study, 9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid (AQS)-mediated EET and biofilm formation were evaluated at different AQS concentrations in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) with MR-1.

Dark Side of Ammonium Nitrogen in Paddy Soil with Low Organic Matter: Stimulation of Microbial As(V) Reduction and As(III) Transfer from Soil to Rice Grains.

The bioavailability of arsenic (As) is influenced by ammonium (NH-N) fertilization, but the underlying mechanisms controlling As transformation in soil-rice systems are still not fully understood. The effects of two NH-N fertilizers, urea and NHHCO, on the transformation of As in a paddy soil with low organic matter content and transfer in rice plants were investigated. Treatments with urea and NHHCO significantly increased arsenite (As(III)) concentration in porewater, bioavailable As in rhizosphere soil, and the relative abundance of the As(V) respiratory reductase gene () and As(III) methyltransferase gene ().

Compensatory mechanism of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder recovery in resting state alpha rhythms.

Alpha rhythms in the human electroencephalogram (EEG), oscillating at 8-13 Hz, are located in parieto-occipital cortex and are strongest when awake people close their eyes. It has been suggested that alpha rhythms were related to attention-related functions and mental disorders (e.g.

Cascaded normalizations for spatial integration in the primary visual cortex of primates.

Spatial integration of visual information is an important function in the brain. However, neural computation for spatial integration in the visual cortex remains unclear. In this study, we recorded laminar responses in V1 of awake monkeys driven by visual stimuli with grating patches and annuli of different sizes.

Observing the On-Site Generation of Excitons and Charges by Low-Temperature Spectroscopy.

Understanding the relation between phase morphology and physical processes in polymer blends is the key to the fabrication of reproducible and reliable polymer optoelectronic devices. In this work, taking the advantage of low-temperature spectroscopy, we have observed the on-site generation of excitons and long-lived charges in different phase morphology polymer/fullerene blends. Probing at 10K, the photo-generated species are localized to where they are generated.

Sustainability assessment and carbon budget of chemical stabilization based multi-objective remediation of Cd contaminated paddy field.

The feasibility of chemical stabilization-based strategy for extensive field application is under debate due to lacking a proper framework for its sustainability assessment during its life cycle. Herein, a comprehensive framework consisting of crop production, soil quality, and carbon footprint was constructed for assessing agricultural land remediation based on a two-year paddy field trial. Results show that between the two representative agents, biochar scenario substantially benefits for environmental, social, and agricultural sustainability, because of its more positive impacts on human health and ecosystem, public acceptance, soil reproductive, and rice yield.

Engineering of a bona fide light-operated calcium channel.

The current optogenetic toolkit lacks a robust single-component Ca-selective ion channel tailored for remote control of Ca signaling in mammals. Existing tools are either derived from engineered channelrhodopsin variants without strict Ca selectivity or based on the stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) that might crosstalk with other targets. Here, we describe the design of a light-operated Ca channel (designated LOCa) by inserting a plant-derived photosensory module into the intracellular loop of an engineered ORAI1 channel.

A Single Site Phosphorylation on Hsp82 Ensures Cell Survival during Starvation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Unicellular organisms live under diverse stressful conditions and must respond and adapt quickly to these stresses. When these stresses persist, cells favor a transition to quiescence. There are changes to many processes when cells begin their entry into quiescence.

Isoquinolinone derivatives as potent CNS multi-receptor D/5-HT/5-HT/5-HT/5-HT agents: Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation.

In this study, a series of novel Isoquinolinone derivatives were synthesized as potential multi-target antipsychotics. Among these, compound 13 showed high affinity for dopamine D and serotonin 5-HT, 5-HT, 5-HT, and 5-HT receptors, showed low affinity for off-target receptors (5-HT, H, and α), and negligible effects on ether-a-gogo-related gene (hERG; i.e.

Controlling Molecule Aggregation and Electronic Spatial Coherence in the H-Aggregate and J-Aggregate Regime at Room Temperature.

Controlling molecule aggregation in polymer films is one of the key factors in understanding the links between properties and structures in organic semiconductors. Here, we used poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) as the model system. By doping the insulating polar additive poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) into P3HT film and controlling the processing methods, we achieved the side-to-side H-aggregate and head-to-tail J-aggregate of P3HT molecules with different extents at room temperature.

A near-infrared fluorescent probe quinaldine red lights up the β-sheet structure of amyloid proteins in mouse brain.

In this report, we describe a near-infrared fluorescent probe called quinaldine red (QR) which lights up the β-sheet structure of amyloid fibrils. The photochemical and biophysical properties of QR along with other canonical amyloid probes in the presence of protein fibrils were investigated by using fluorescence spectroscopy, confocal fluorescent microscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry. Moreover, the binding sites and interaction mode between QR and insulin fibrils were calculated based on molecule docking.