Breaking symmetry for better catalysis: insights into single-atom catalyst design.

Breaking structural symmetry has emerged as a powerful strategy for fine-tuning the electronic structure of catalytic sites, thereby significantly enhancing the electrocatalytic performance of single-atom catalysts (SACs). The inherent symmetric electron density in conventional SACs, such as M-N configurations, often leads to suboptimal adsorption and activation of reaction intermediates, limiting their catalytic efficiency. By disrupting this symmetry of SACs, the electronic distribution around the active center can be modulated, thereby improving both the selectivity and adsorption strength for key intermediates.

Bending flexibility of negative Poisson's ratio structural vascular stent.

The mechanical properties of the stent have a direct impact on the therapeutic effect after vascular intervention surgery. The flexibility of bending is an important performance to ensure that the vascular stent can adhere to the blood vessels and plaques, reduce vascular damage, and improve the cure rate. A negative Poisson's ratio structural vascular stent with arrow shaped cell is proposed in the paper, and three shapes of connecting bars, namely U-shaped, S-shaped, and linear, are designed.

March2 Alleviates Aortic Aneurysm/Dissection by Regulating PKM2 Polymerization.

Background: Aortic aneurysm/dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening disease lacking effective pharmacological treatment. Protein ubiquitination plays a pivotal role in cardiovascular diseases. However, the possible contribution of the E3 ubiquitin ligase March2 (membrane-associated RING finger protein 2) to the cause of AAD remains elusive.

Root morphology, exudate patterns, and mycorrhizal symbiosis are determinants to improve phosphorus acquisition in alfalfa.

Differences in phosphorus (P) utilisation efficiency (PUtE) and/or yield are closely linked to differences in root functional traits under low soil P availability. However, our understanding of how soil P availability mediates the intraspecific variation in root functional traits for breeding high-P efficiency genotypes to increase PUtE and yield remains limited. We investigated that plant growth parameters and pivotal root functional traits associated with P acquisition in 20 alfalfa genotypes with contrasting P efficiencies and supplied with low, medium or high levels of P.

p16INK4a Deletion Alleviated Obesity-Associated Kidney Fibrosis by Regulating Metabolic Reprogramming and the Inflammasome Pathway.

Recent research has revealed a close association between obesity and various metabolic disorders, including renal metabolic diseases, but the mechanism is still unknown. This study explored the role of p16INK4a in obesity-related kidney fibrosis and evaluated its potential as a therapeutic target. Using wild-type (WT) mice and p16 KO mice, we fed both groups a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 months.