A Self-Priming Pyroptosis-Inducing Agent for Activating Anticancer Immunity.

Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death mediated by the gasdermin family, has emerged as a promising strategy for inducing anti-tumor immunity. However, efficiently inducing pyroptosis in tumor cells remains a significant challenge due to the limited activation of key mediators like caspases in tumor tissues. Herein, a self-priming pyroptosis-inducing agent (MnNZ@OMV) is developed by integrating outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) with manganese dioxide nanozymes (MnNZ) to trigger pyroptosis in tumor cells.

Non-copper-based Catalysts for CO2 Electroreduction to Multi-carbon Compounds.

Renewable energy has made significant strides, with the cost of clean electricity plummeting, making the use of renewable electricity for electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to synthesize high-value chemicals and fuels more economically attractive. Notably, certain non-copper-based electrocatalysts have shown remarkable selectivity for C2+ products at low overpotentials, even enabling the production of multi-carbon molecules that are undetectable on copper-based electrodes. This breakthrough opens up new avenues for research into non-copper catalysts.

Linear Model for Concentration Measurement of Mixed Gases.

Electronic noses have been widely used in industrial production, food preservation, agricultural product storage, environmental monitoring, and other fields. However, due to the cross-sensitivity of gas-sensing responses, accurately measuring the concentration of mixed gases remains challenging. To address this issue, this study attempts to determine the number of state variables that produce the cross-influence based on the experimental data, establish the state space model from the equivalent circuit model, and obtain model parameters through parameter correlation iterative algorithms and a Kalman filter.

Unlocking the Potential of Machine Learning in Co-crystal Prediction by a Novel Approach Integrating Molecular Thermodynamics.

Co-crystal engineering is of interest for many applications in pharmaceutical, chemistry and material fields, but rational design of co-crystals is still challenging. Although artificial intelligence has brought major changes in the decision-making process for materials design, yet limitations in generalization and mechanistic understanding remain. Herein, we sought to improve prediction of co-crystal by combining mechanistic thermodynamic modeling with machine learning.

Janus Membrane-Based Wearable Dual-Channel SERS Sensor for Sweat Collection and Monitoring of Lactic Acid and pH Levels.

Sweat, as a metabolic byproduct, encompasses a diverse array of molecular information pertinent to our physiological states and overall health. The extraction of minute quantities of sweat, coupled with sensitive monitoring and identification of its internal molecular components, constitutes an effective strategy for assessing bodily conditions. We engineer a Janus membrane utilizing electrospinning techniques for application on human skin to facilitate sweat collection.

Danshensu Derivatives: A Series of Promising Drugs With Protective Effects Against Cardiocerebrovascular Diseases and Cancers.

Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen in Chinese) is a traditional medicinal plant with an extensive range of cardiocerebrovascular protective effects widely used in China and other Asian countries. Danshensu (DSS) is the most important water-soluble component of Danshen and has significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet aggregation, antitumor, and other pharmacological activities. However, DSS has poor fat solubility and is unstable due to its o-phenol hydroxyl and α-hydroxy carboxylic acids.

Distance-Readout Paper-Based Microfluidic Chip with a DNA Hydrogel Valve for AFB1 Detection.

Accurate and rapid aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) detection is essential for ensuring the safety of food supplies. In this paper, we introduce a distance-readout paper-based microfluidic chip (DPMC) that offers a sensitive and reliable method for the detection of AFB1. The DPMC comprises a DNA hydrogel sensitive valve and a paper-based capillary channel.

10% carbon dioxide improves cognitive function after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats: inhibiting neuronal apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Many patients experience long-term cognitive dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and effective treatments are currently lacking. Carbon dioxide (CO2), an inexpensive and easily produced gas, forms carbonic acid when dissolved in water. Studies have suggested that hypercapnia may have neuroprotective effects.

Highly Adhesive ZJ316: Structural Insights of Lipoteichoic Acid and Its Anti-Inflammatory Properties.

Lactic acid bacteria are widely recognized for their probiotic properties, and their adhesion to the gastrointestinal tract is a prerequisite for their probiotic functions. This investigation aimed to screen a highly adherent strain and explore the impact of its surface lipoteichoic acid (LTA) on strain adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells and the immunomodulatory activity. Results demonstrated that ZJ316 exhibited remarkable surface properties and superior adhesion to enterocytes, and the fluorescent labeling revealed that ZJ316 predominantly adhered to the cecum in mice.

Structure-based development of a covalent inhibitor targeting Streptococcus pyogenes over Staphylococcus aureus sortase A.

Sortase A (SrtA), a cysteine transpeptidase critical for surface protein anchoring in Gram-positive pathogens, represents an attractive antivirulence target. While covalent SrtA inhibitors show therapeutic potential, existing compounds lack species selectivity. Through structure-guided design, we developed T10, a covalent inhibitor selectively targeting Streptococcus pyogenes SrtA (SpSrtA) over Staphylococcus aureus SrtA (SaSrtA).

Phase and Orbital Engineering Effectuating Efficient Adsorption and Catalysis toward High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The delicate construction of electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity is a strategic method to enhance the kinetics of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Adjusting the local structure of the catalyst is always crucial for understanding the structure-activity relationship between atomic structure and catalyst performance. Here, in situ induction of electron-deficient B enables phase engineering MoC, realizing the transition from hexagonal (h-MoC) to cubic phase (c-B-MoC).

Dynamic Bonding for In-Situ Welding of Multilayer Elastomers Enables High-Performance Wearable Electronics for Machine Learning-Assisted Active Rehabilitation.

Patients with hand dysfunction require joint rehabilitation for functional restoration, and wearable electronics can provide physical signals to assess and guide the process. However, most wearable electronics are susceptible to failure under large deformations owing to instability in the layered structure, thereby weakening signal reliability. Herein, an in-situ self-welding strategy that uses dynamic hydrogen bonds at interfaces to integrate conductive elastomer layers into highly robust electronics is proposed.

Kinetic Energy Measured by 4D Flow Cardiac MRI in Evaluating Intraventricular Hemodynamics: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D Flow cardiac MRI) is an advanced non-invasive imaging technology, and its derived kinetic energy (KE) blood flow parameters have been confirmed as a potential biomarkers for assessing ventricular hemodynamics. This review synthesizes details on the methodology, clinical significance, and current status of studies focused on quantifying KE parameters of the ventricle using 4D Flow cardiac MRI, providing an objective foundation for further exploration of the value of KE in cardiac diseases.

Study Type: retrospective.

Exploration of a modified pretreatment process coupled with GC-MS/MS for determination of 18 phthalates in edible oils.

Phthalates (PAEs), which are pollutants that most easily migrate from plastic packages to edible oils, have received increasing attention. In this work, a sample preconditioning method was proposed and explored, involving a single-step extraction using a methanol and ethyl hexanoate mixed solvent, followed by clean-up with a mixed absorbent of graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) and -propyl ethylenediamine (PSA), for the determination of 18 PAEs in oil samples through GC-MS/MS analysis. The triazine ring structure and conjugated aromatic heterocyclic accumulation structure of g-CN and the amino-rich structure of PSA can provide hydrogen bonds, conjugated π-π interactions, and hydrophobic effects for the removal of interferences such as organic acids, aliphatic acids, and pigments.

Enhancing Immune Responses through Modulation of Innate Cell Microenvironments in Lymph Nodes with Virus-Mimetic Vaccines.

Nanovaccines hold significant promise for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. However, the efficacy of many nanovaccines is often limited by inadequate stimulation of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Herein, we explore a rational vaccine strategy aimed at modulating innate cell microenvironments within lymph nodes (LNs) to enhance the generation of effective immune responses.

Photochemistry upon Charge Separation in Triphenylamine Derivatives from fs to μs.

Quantum chemical methods and time-resolved laser spectroscopy are employed to elucidate ultrafast charge-separation processes in triphenylamine (TPA) derivatives upon photoexcitation. When changing the ambient solvent from non-electron-accepting to electron-acceptor solvents, such as chloroform, a vastly extended and multifaceted photochemistry of TPA derivatives is observed. Following initial excitation, two concurrent charge-transfer processes are identified.

A Bivalent Iridium(III) Complex Toolkit for Mitochondrial DNA G-Quadruplex-Targeted Theranostics.

The G-quadruplex (G4) is an important diagnostic and therapeutic target in cancers, but the development of theranostic probes for subcellular G4s remains challenging. In this work, we report three G4-targeted theranostic probes by conjugating a pyridostatin-derived G4 ligand to G4-specific iridium(III) complexes with desirable photophysical properties. These probes showed specifically enhanced luminescence to mitochondrial G4 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells.

Attachment styles and attachment (in)security priming in relation to emotional conflict control.

The functional neuro-anatomical model of attachment (NAMA) proposes that the balance between affective evaluation and cognitive control systems can be modulated by adult attachment styles and attachment priming. However, little is known about the characteristics of emotional conflict control that are modulated by attachment patterns. Accordingly, the present study adopted two experiments to investigate the associations between attachment styles, attachment (in)security priming, and emotional conflict control.

A Z-Scheme Heterojunction g-CN/WO for Efficient Photodegradation of Tetracycline Hydrochloride and Rhodamine B.

The construction of heterojunctions can effectively inhibit the rapid recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes in photocatalysts and offers great potential for pollutant degradation. In this study, a Z-scheme heterojunction g-CN/WO photocatalyst was synthesized using a combination of hydrothermal and calcination methods. The photocatalytic degradation performance was tested under visible light; the degradation efficiency of Rh B reached 97.

Research on Wet Etching Techniques for GaInAs/AlInAs/InP Superlattices in Quantum Cascade Laser Fabrication.

Wet etching is the mainstream fabrication method for single-bar quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Different etching solutions result in varying etching effects on III-V semiconductor materials. In this study, an efficient and nearly ideal etching solution ratio was proposed for simultaneously etching both InP and GaInAs/AlInAs, and the surface chemical reactions induced by each component of the etching solution during the process were investigated.

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Carbon Nanochains via the Wurtz Reaction.

In the field of surface synthesis, various reactions driven by the catalytic effect of metal substrates, particularly the Ullmann reaction, have been thoroughly investigated. The Wurtz reaction facilitates the coupling of alkyl halides through the removal of halogen atoms with a low energy barrier on the surface; however, the preparation of novel carbon nanostructures via the Wurtz reaction has been scarcely reported. Here, we report the successful synthesis of ethyl-bridged binaphthyl molecular chains on Ag(111) at room temperature via the Wurtz reaction.

Microwave Absorption Properties of Graphite Nanosheet/Carbon Nanofiber Hybrids Prepared by Intercalation Chemical Vapor Deposition.

Carbon-based microwave absorption materials have garnered widespread attention as lightweight and efficient wave absorbers, emerging as a prominent focus in the field of functional materials research. In this work, FeNi nanoparticles, synthesized in situ within graphite interlayers, were employed as catalysts to grow carbon nanofibers in situ via intercalation chemical vapor deposition (CVD). We discovered that amorphous carbon nanofibers (CNFs) can exfoliate and separate highly conductive graphite nanosheets (GNS) from the interlayers.

A Thermally Controlled Ultra-Wideband Wide Incident Angle Metamaterial Absorber with Switchable Transmission at the THz Band.

We demonstrate a thermally controlled ultra-wideband wide incident angle metamaterial absorber with switchable transmission at the THz band in this paper. The underlying hybrid structure of FSS-VO thin films make them switchable between absorption mode and transmission mode by controlling the temperature. It can achieve ultra-wideband absorption with above 90% absorption from 1 THz to 10 THz and exhibits excellent absorption performance under a wide range of incident and polarization angles at a high temperature (80 °C).