Modification of the Se/MoO Rear Interface for Efficient Wide-Band-Gap Trigonal Selenium Solar Cells.

Trigonal selenium (t-Se) is a promising wide-band-gap photovoltaic material with a high absorption coefficient, abundant resources, simple composition, nontoxicity, and a low melting point, making it suitable for absorbers in advanced indoor and tandem photovoltaic applications. However, severe electrical losses at the rear interface of the t-Se absorber, caused by work function and lattice mismatches, limit the voltage output and overall performance. In this study, a strategy to enhance carrier transport and collection by modifying interfacial chemical interactions is proposed.

Biofloc technology significantly reshapes water microbiome and improves survival rates in Japanese eel ().

Unlabelled: Global aquaculture production faces the challenge of biologically cycling nitrogenous waste. Biofloc technology (BFT) systems offer the potential to reduce water consumption and eliminate waste products by using beneficial microorganisms to convert waste into usable nutrients or non-toxic molecules. Unlike flow-through systems (FTS), which depend on continuous water exchange and result in higher operational costs as well as limited microbiome stability, BFT operates without the need for constant water exchange.

NR1D1 Inhibition Enhances Autophagy and Mitophagy in Alzheimer's Disease Models.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is marked by extracellular beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular Tau tangles, leading to progressive cognitive decline and neuronal dysfunction. Impaired autophagy, a process by which a cell breaks down and destroys damaged or abnormal proteins and other substances, contributes to AD progression. This study investigated Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1 Group D Member 1 (NR1D1) as a potential therapeutic target for modulating autophagy.

Decoding the Multiple Identities and Crosstalk of Organokines in Obesity-Related Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Obesity causes an imbalance in the expression and secretion of several organokines, which in turn contributes to the development of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Organokines are produced by corresponding organs and affect systemic metabolic homeostasis. Diverse organokines play a crucial role in the communication between adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and other organs.

Circadian Rhythms and Lung Cancer in the Context of Aging: A Review of Current Evidence.

Circadian rhythm is the internal homeostatic physiological clock that regulates the 24-hour sleep/wake cycle. This biological clock helps to adapt to environmental changes such as light, dark, temperature, and behaviors. Aging, on the other hand, is a process of physiological changes that results in a progressive decline in cells, tissues, and other vital systems of the body.

Unraveling the ROS-Inflammation-Immune Balance: A New Perspective on Aging and Disease.

Increased entropy is a common cause of disease and aging. Lifespan entropy is the overall increase in disorder caused by a person over their lifetime. Aging leads to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage the antioxidant system and disrupt redox balance.

TBC1D15 Inhibits Autophagy of Microglia through Maintaining the Damaged Swelling Lysosome in Alzheimer's Disease.

Autophagy in microglia is essential for the clearance of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease. However, reports regarding the levels of autophagy in microglia have been inconsistent; some studies indicate an early enhancement followed by a subsequent reduction, while others describe a persistently weakened state. Notably, there is a lack of systematic studies documenting the temporal changes in microglial autophagy.

Dipole-Modulated Carrier Dynamics and Charge Transport Behavior of Ligand-Protected Metal Chalcogenide Nanoclusters.

Atomically precise nanoclusters, distinguished by their unique nuclearity- and structure-dependent properties, hold great promise for applications of energy conversion and electronic transport. However, the relationship between ligands and their properties remains a mystery yet to be unrevealed. Here, the influence of ligands on the electronic structures, optical properties, excited-state dynamics, and transport behavior of ReS dimer clusters with different ligands is explored using density functional theory combined with time-domain nonadiabatic molecular dynamic simulations.

Constructing a Polyoxometalate-Based Metal-Organic Framework for Photocatalytic Oxidation of Thioethers to Sulfoxides Utilizing In Situ-Generated Superoxide Radicals.

Developing new photocatalysts for the selective oxidation of thioethers to high-value-added sulfoxides under low-oxygen mild conditions is a promising but challenging strategy. Here, a new polyoxometalate-based metal-organic framework (POMOF), , was successfully synthesized, wherein continuous π···π stacking interactions and direct coordination bonds not only strengthen the framework's stability but also accelerate electron transfer. A series of experiments and theoretical studies, including control experiments, kinetic studies, electrochemical spectroscopic analyses, and electron paramagnetic resonance, revealed the synergistic catalytic effect among Co(II) metal centers, BWO, and the photosensitizer TPT.

Research on high-performance, real-time periodic signal detection method based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

Long-Time Coherent Integration (LTCI) utilizes digital integration to combine multiple coherent cycles, thereby improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Our previous work introduced single-bit LTCI, an approach optimized for FPGA implementation, but faced challenges of output saturation at high SNR levels and inherent limitations in SNR gain (SNRG), which are insufficient for certain applications. This paper presents a threshold tracking method that improves the performance of single-bit LTCI in high-SNR scenarios.

Innovative applications of bio-inspired technology in bio-based food packaging.

Traditionally, food packaging was used to extend the shelf life of food or to monitor its condition. Inspired by many biological structures found in nature, bio-inspired functional materials for bio-based food packaging have been shown to have significantly improved capabilities over traditional bio-based food packaging materials in various aspects and to attract consumers through novel freshness preservation features. This review synthesizes recent advances in bio-inspired bio-based food packaging materials that mimic the structure of natural organisms with specific functionalities, with examples of specific biomimetics in different enhancement areas.

Screening and characterizing indigenous yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria from cocoa fermentation in Hainan for aroma Development.

Fermentation is crucial for inducing desirable flavor and aroma profiles in cocoa products. This research focused on identifying microbial strains isolated from spontaneous cocoa fermentation in Hainan through 16S and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequencing. Pectinase activity was screened, and metabolic dynamics of sugars and organic acids were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Silicate-Confined Hydrogen on Nanoscale Zerovalent Iron for Efficient Defluorination Reactions.

Defluorination reactions are increasingly vital due to the extensive use of organofluorine compounds with robust carbon-fluorine (C-F) bonds; particularly, the efficient defluorination of widespread and persistent per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances under mild conditions is crucial due to their accumulation in the environment and human body. Herein, we demonstrate that surface-modified silicate of pronounced proton affinity can confine active hydrogen (•H) onto nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) by withdrawing electrons from nZVI to react with bound protons, generating confined active hydrogen (•H) for efficient defluorination under ambient conditions. The exposed silicon cation (Si) of silicate functions as a Lewis acid site to activate the C-F bond by forming Si.

Topologically Engineered High- Quasi-BIC Metasurfaces for Enhanced Near-Infrared Emission in PbS Quantum Dots.

Enhancing photoluminescence (PL) efficiency in colloidal quantum dots is pivotal for next-generation near-infrared photodetectors, imaging systems, and photonic devices. Conventional methods, especially metal-based plasmonic structures, suffer from large optical losses, which limits their practical use. Here, we introduce a quasi-bound state in the continuum (quasi-BIC) metasurface on a silicon-on-insulator platform, tailored to provide high-quality factor resonances with minimized losses.

Red-Shifted and Enhanced Photoluminescence Emissions from Hydrogen-Bonded Multicomponent Nontraditional Luminogens.

Nontraditional luminogens (NTLs) without large π-conjugated aromatic structures have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Developing NTLs with red-shifted and enhanced emissions remains a great challenge. In this work, we developed a NTL composed of three components, i.

Recent advances in research on biomass-based food packaging film materials.

Although traditional petroleum-based packaging materials pose environmental problems, biodegradable packaging materials have attracted extensive attention from research and industry for their environmentally friendly properties. Bio-based films, as an alternative to petroleum-based packaging films, demonstrate their significant advantages in terms of environmental friendliness and resource sustainability. This paper provides an insight into the development of biomass food packaging films such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, and gelatine, including their properties, methods of preparation (e.

The role of audiological features and horizontal semicircular canal function at various frequencies in vestibular migraine and Menière's disease.

Background: Vestibular migraine (VM) and Menière's disease (MD) have numerous overlapping symptoms. Distinguishing the two common recurrent vestibulopathies was challenging.

Objectives: To assess the characteristics of hearing loss and the horizontal semicircular canal function in VM and MD.

SKP1-CUL1-F-box: Key molecular targets affecting disease progression.

The correct synthesis and degradation of proteins are vital for numerous biological processes in the human body, with protein degradation primarily facilitated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The SKP1-CUL1-F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase, a member of the Cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) family, plays a crucial role in mediating protein ubiquitination and subsequent 26S proteasome degradation during normal cellular metabolism. Notably, SCF is intricately linked to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including malignant tumors.

Three dimensional CNTs interweaved layered MnTe nanoparticles as a new cathode for aqueous zinc ion battery.

Currently, the development of suitable transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) is plagued by the terrible conductivity and electrochemical properties. Herein, a one-step ball milling method is applied to enhance the conductivity of commercial MnTe cathode by constructing three dimensional (3D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) interweaved MnTe nanoparticles (abbreviated as MnTe@CNTs), which can achieve ultrafast ion conduction. The stable electrochemistry properties benefit from the synergistic effects between layered MnTe and 3D CNTs, which can improve the electrons/ions diffusion kinetics as cycling.

Navigating the landscape of plant proteomics.

In plants, proteins are fundamental to virtually all biological processes, such as photosynthesis, signal transduction, metabolic regulation, and stress responses. Studying protein distribution, function, modifications, and interactions at the cellular and tissue levels is critical for unraveling the complexities of these biological pathways. Protein abundance and localization are highly dynamic and vary widely across the proteome, presenting a challenge for global protein quantification and analysis.

Lower Risk of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Conduction System Pacing Compared With Right Ventricular Pacing.

Background: Conduction system pacing (CSP) has been reported to improve clinical outcomes in comparison of right ventricular pacing (RVP). However, the performance between CSP and RVP on the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) remains elusive.

Methods: Four online databases were systematically searched up to July 1, 2024.

Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated Microflower-like BiOI for Reactive Oxygen Species Generation through Piezo-Photocoupling Effect.

Photocatalytic reactive oxygen species (ROS) evolution with BiOI still suffers from sluggish charge carrier dynamics and limited light absorption. Herein, abundant oxygen vacancies (OVs) were introduced into the microflower-like BiOI, and its ROS generation toward organic dye degradation under the synergistic effect of visible light and ultrasound irradiation was investigated. Benefiting from the broadened visible-light absorption range, stronger piezoresponse, and higher carrier transport efficiency in OV-enriched BiOI (2-PEG-BiOI), both its photocatalytic and piezocatalytic degradations were improved.

Cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine, and nicotine metabolite ratio indicate association between smoking and tooth loss.

Background: Previous research has indicated a potential connection between smoking and tooth loss, but it remains unclear how the metabolites of nicotine, cotinine (COT) and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (HC), and the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) affect the occurrence and progress of tooth loss. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between tooth loss and smoking metabolites, then verify how the systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII) or monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) levels mediate this process.

Methods: The cross-sectional study data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Taming chimeras in coupled oscillators using soft actor-critic based reinforcement learning.

We propose a universal method based on deep reinforcement learning (specifically, soft actor-critic) to control the chimera state in the coupled oscillators. The policy for control is learned by maximizing the expectation of the cumulative reward in the reinforcement learning framework. With the aid of the local order parameter, we design a class of reward functions for controlling the chimera state, specifically confining the spatial position of coherent and incoherent domains to any desired lateral position of oscillators.