A Novel Derivatization-Free Approach for Analysis of (+)2-Aminobutanol and Ethambutol Hydrochloride in Tablets Preparation Using RP-HPLC-NQAD.

A novel and rapid RP-HPLC coupled with nano quantity analyte detector (NQAD) method was developed for determination of ethambutol hydrochloride and (+)2-aminobutanol in drug products. NQAD is an aerosol-based detector that can be used for the direct detection of the substance lacking ultraviolet chromophores. The two highly polar analytes were separated on a C column with mobile phase consists of trifluoroacetic acid solution and methanol and detected with NQAD.

Crystal Morphological Engineering of MFI Nanosheet Assisted by Pyrrolidone Compounds.

Nanosheet MFI zeolite with a shortened -axis length is highly desirable for industrial applications due to the predominant mass transfer pathway provided by its larger straight channels along the -axis. The introduction of specific additives into the precursor fluid of the zeolite can facilitate crystal anisotropic growth. However, the range of available additives is limited, and their role and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Difluorocarbene-Mediated Trimethylsilylation of Nucleophiles with HCFN(TMS) as a Silylation Reagent.

Described herein is the trimethylsilylation of various nucleophiles using a combination of HCF and NaHMDS. This facile protocol enables the rapid construction of alkynylsilanes, silyl enol ethers, etc., under mild conditions.

The Negative Role of Proton Insertion on the Lifetime of Vanadium-Based Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

Vanadium oxides are attracted cathodes for aqueous zinc batteries owing to their high capacity. However, the limited cyclability of vanadium-based oxide cathodes, especially at low current densities, impedes their practical application. Here, it is revealed that proton insertion is responsible for the limited lifetime of vanadium oxides.

LuAlO:Ce Fluorescent Ceramic with Deep Traps: Thermoluminescence and Photostimulable Luminescence Properties.

Electron-trapping materials have attracted a lot of attention in the field of optical data storage. However, the lack of suitable trap levels has hindered its development and application in the field of optical data storage. Herein, LuAlO:Ce fluorescent ceramics were developed as the optical storage medium, and high-temperature vacuum sintering induced the formation of deep traps (1.

Terahertz Wave Alleviates Comorbidity Anxiety in Pain by Reducing the Binding Capacity of Nanostructured Glutamate Molecules to GluA2.

Comorbid anxiety in chronic pain is clinically common, with a comorbidity rate of over 50%. The main treatments are based on pharmacological, interventional, and implantable approaches, which have limited efficacy and carry a risk of side effects. Here, we report a terahertz (THz, 10 Hz) wave stimulation (THS) technique, which exerts nonthermal, long-term modulatory effects on neuronal activity by reducing the binding between nano-sized glutamate molecules and GluA2, leading to the relief of pain and comorbid anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

A genetically encoded anomalous SAXS ruler to probe the dimensions of intrinsically disordered proteins.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) adopt ensembles of rapidly fluctuating heterogeneous conformations, influencing their binding capabilities and supramolecular transitions. The primary conformational descriptors for understanding IDP ensembles-the radius of gyration (), measured by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and the root mean square (rms) end-to-end distance (), probed by fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET)-are often reported to produce inconsistent results regarding IDP expansion as a function of denaturant concentration in the buffer. This ongoing debate surrounding the FRET-SAXS discrepancy raises questions about the overall reliability of either method for quantitatively studying IDP properties.

Ultrasensitive Terahertz Label-Free Metasensors Enabled by Quasi-Bound States in the Continuum.

Advanced sensing devices based on metasurfaces have emerged as a revolutionary platform for innovative label-free biosensors, holding promise for early diagnostics and the detection of low-concentration analytes. Here, we developed a chip-based ultrasensitive terahertz (THz) metasensor, leveraging a quasi-bound state in the continuum (BIC) to address the challenges associated with intricate operations in trace biochemical detection. The metasensor design features an open-ring resonator metasurface, which supports magnetic dipole -BIC combining functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) bound with a specific antibody.

Mapping Full Conformational Transition Dynamics of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Using a Single-Molecule Nanocircuit.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are emerging therapeutic targets for human diseases. However, probing their transient conformations remains challenging because of conformational heterogeneity. To address this problem, we developed a biosensor using a point-functionalized silicon nanowire (SiNW) that allows for real-time sampling of single-molecule dynamics.

Harnessing a silicon carbide nanowire photoelectric synaptic device for novel visual adaptation spiking neural networks.

Visual adaptation is essential for optimizing the image quality and sensitivity of artificial vision systems in real-world lighting conditions. However, additional modules, leading to time delays and potentially increasing power consumption, are needed for traditional artificial vision systems to implement visual adaptation. Here, an ITO/PMMA/SiC-NWs/ITO photoelectric synaptic device is developed for compact artificial vision systems with the visual adaption function.

A 3D nanoscale optical disk memory with petabit capacity.

High-capacity storage technologies are needed to meet our ever-growing data demands. However, data centres based on major storage technologies such as semiconductor flash devices and hard disk drives have high energy burdens, high operation costs and short lifespans. Optical data storage (ODS) presents a promising solution for cost-effective long-term archival data storage.

Lyotropic Lamellar Nanostructures Enabled High-Voltage Windows, Efficient Charge Transport, and Thermally Safe Solid-State Electrolytes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Developing electrolytes combining solid-like instinct stability and liquid-like conducting performance will be satisfactory for efficient and durable Li-ion batteries. Herein lamellar lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) demonstrate high-voltage windows, efficient charge transport, and inherent thermal safety as solid-state electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. Lamellar LLCs are simply prepared by nanosegregation of [CMim][BF] and LiBF/Propylene carbonate (PC) liquid solutions, which induce lamellar assembly of the liquids as dynamic conducting pathways.

Stressing the role of a short linear motif in ataxin-2 condensation.

Ataxin-2, an RNA-binding protein that is conserved across eukaryotes, is involved in stress granule assembly and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. In this issue of Molecular Cell, Boeynaems et al. identify a short linear motif in ataxin-2 as a condensation switch, providing molecular insights into its essential role in cellular stress response.

Microbiota regulation in constipation and colorectal cancer.

The relevance of constipation to the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently a controversial issue. Studies have shown that changes in the composition of the gut microbiota, a condition known as ecological imbalance, are correlated with an increasing number of common human diseases, including CRC and constipation. CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and constipation has been receiving widespread attention as a risk factor for CRC.

Ultrasensitive Terahertz Biodetection Enabled by Quasi-BIC-Based Metasensors.

Advanced sensing devices, highly sensitive, and reliable in detecting ultralow concentrations of circulating biomarkers, are extremely desirable and hold great promise for early diagnostics and real-time progression monitoring of diseases. Nowadays, the most commonly used clinical methods for diagnosing biomarkers suffer from complicated procedures and being time consumption. Here, a chip-based portable ultra-sensitive THz metasensor is reported by exploring quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BICs) and demonstrate its capability for sensing low-concentration analytes.

Visualizing the disordered nuclear transport machinery in situ.

The approximately 120 MDa mammalian nuclear pore complex (NPC) acts as a gatekeeper for the transport between the nucleus and cytosol. The central channel of the NPC is filled with hundreds of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) called FG-nucleoporins (FG-NUPs). Although the structure of the NPC scaffold has been resolved in remarkable detail, the actual transport machinery built up by FG-NUPs-about 50 MDa-is depicted as an approximately 60-nm hole in even highly resolved tomograms and/or structures computed with artificial intelligence.

Spatial distribution characteristics and risk assessment of soil heavy metal pollution around typical coal gangue hill located in Fengfeng Mining area.

The pollution of heavy metals in soil caused by exposed coal gangue and its prevention and control has become a hot issue restricting the green mining of coal in China. Nemerow integrated pollution index (NIPI), potential ecological risk index (RI) and human health risk assessment model were used to evaluate the pollution and risk of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, As, Pb) in the soil around the typical coal gangue hill in Fengfeng mining area of China. The results show that: firstly, the accumulation of coal gangue leads to the enrichment of four heavy metals in the surrounding shallow soil, and NIPI and RI were 1.

Elucidating the Reaction Pathways of Veratrylglycero-β-Guaiacyl Ether Degradation over Metal-Free Solid Acid Catalyst with Hydrogen.

Efficient cleavage of β-O-4 bonds in lignin to high-yield aromatic compounds for the potential production of fuels and chemicals is vital for the economics of the modern biorefinery industry. This work is distinct in that a detailed mechanistic analysis of the reaction pathways of veratrylglycero-β-guaiacyl ether (VGE) catalyzed by transition-metal-free solid acid zeolite in aqueous conditions at high hydrogen pressure has been performed. VGE degradation produced high monomers yields (≈87 %), including guaiacol (48.

A study of impurities in the repurposed COVID-19 drug hydroxychloroquine sulfate using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance.

Rationale: Hydroxychloroquine sulfate is effective in the treatment of malaria and autoimmune diseases and as an antiviral drug. However, unreported impurities are often detected in this drug, which pose a health risk. In this study, the structures of hydroxychloroquine and six unknown impurities were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/TOF/MS/MS), and the structures were characterized using liquid chromatography-solid-phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-SPE-NMR) spectroscopy.

More is simpler: Decomposition of ligand-binding affinity for proteins being disordered.

In statistical mechanics, it is well known that the huge number of degrees of freedom does not complicate the problem as it seems, but actually greatly simplifies the analysis (e.g., to give a Boltzmann distribution).

Effect of activator/precursor mass ratio on sulfur-doped porous carbon for catalytic oxidation of aqueous organics with persulfate.

Sulfur-doped porous carbon has emerged as promising metal-free catalysts toward persulfate (PS) for catalytic oxidation of aqueous organics. Wherein, thermal pyrolysis with activator activation is very common for the preparation of activated carbon. However, the relationship between the mass ratio of activator/precursor and catalytic efficiency has been rarely reported.

Lenalidomide attenuates post-inflammation pulmonary fibrosis through blocking NF-κB signaling pathway.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a pathological consequence of interstitial pulmonary diseases, and is characterized by the persistence of fibroblasts and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). The etiology of IPF is multifactorial. Although the role of inflammation in fibrogenesis is controversial, it is still recognized as an important component and epiphenomenon of IPF.

Clevudine attenuates bleomycin-induced early pulmonary fibrosis via regulating M2 macrophage polarization.

Pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease. It is a growing clinical problem which can result in breathlessness or respiratory failure and has an average life expectancy of 3 years from diagnosis. Predominantly accumulation of M2 macrophages accelerates fibrosis progression by secreting multiple cytokines that promote fibroblast to myofibroblast transition and aberrant wound healing of epithelial cells.