Preparation of dual supramolecular EGCG-carboxymethyl chitosan: Structure, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

In the field of cosmetics, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is highly valued for its multiple effects such as delaying photoaging, whitening, anti-allergy, acne removal, astringency, and moisturizing. However, due to the active chemical properties of EGCG, there are challenges in terms of stability and transdermal absorption, which limits its widespread application in cosmetics. Therefore, we utilized supramolecular modification technology to form supramolecular carboxymethyl chitosan-EGCG-trehalose (CC-EGCG) by combining EGCG with carboxymethyl chitosan and trehalose, enhancing its stability.

Enhanced Structure Stability of Au Nanobipyramids by an Customized Silver Armor.

Revealing the structure stability and evolution of gold nanocrystals at the atomic scale is crucial to their versatile applications; however, the fundamental mechanism remains elusive due to the lack of characterizations. In this work, the structural evolution of two types of Au nanobipyramids (Au NBPs) at elevated temperatures is monitored through electron microscopy analysis, and there is a sharp distinction between their structure stability despite that they possess the same crystalline structure. Detailed material characterization reveals that the surface alloying of residual Ag with Au (customized Ag armor) can greatly inhibit the Au atom diffusion and contribute remarkably to the stability and surface-enhanced Raman scattering improvement.

Force Feedback Method for Statically Indeterminate Steel Structure Construction Based on Staged Temperature Measurement.

Structural design usually adopts uniform temperature action. However, during the actual construction of the structure, the temperature field acting on the structure is inhomogeneous. Therefore, the simulation of the construction of statically indeterminate steel structures considering only the uniform temperature field cannot truly reflect the temperature action after structural molding and the evolution of the stress performance of the temporary stress system of structural construction.

Microstructure and Bioactivity of Ca- and Mg-Modified Silicon Oxycarbide-Based Amorphous Ceramics.

Silicon oxycarbide (SiOC), Ca- and Mg-modified silicon oxycarbide (SiCaOC and SiMgOC) were synthesized via sol-gel processing with subsequent pyrolysis in an inert gas atmosphere. The physicochemical structures of the materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, FTIR, and Si MAS NMR. Biocompatibility and in vitro bioactivity were detected by MTT, cell adhesion assay, and simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion test.

Advanced electrochemiluminescent approaches for contaminant detection in food matrices using metal-organic framework composites.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly valued for their electronic and optical capabilities in food sample analysis. Implementing MOF-based sensors is crucial for public health safety. This review centers on electrochemiluminescence (ECL) MOFs for monitoring food samples, highlighting signal changes from combining MOFs with Ru(bpy), TPrA, nanomaterials, and biomolecules.

Artificial Intelligence Predicts Multiclass Molecular Signatures and Subtypes Directly From Breast Cancer Histology: a Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Detection of biomarkers of breast cancer incurs additional costs and tissue burden. We propose a deep learning-based algorithm (BBMIL) to predict classical biomarkers, immunotherapy-associated gene signatures, and prognosis-associated subtypes directly from hematoxylin and eosin stained histopathology images. BBMIL showed the best performance among comparative algorithms on the prediction of classical biomarkers, immunotherapy related gene signatures, and subtypes.

Strain-Reduced Inversion Symmetry in Ultrathin SnPSe Crystals for Giant Bulk Piezophotovoltaic Generation.

With the potential to surpass the Shockley-Queisser (S-Q) limitation for solar energy conversion, the bulk photovoltaic (BPV) effect, which is induced by the broken inversion symmetry of the lattice, presents prospects for future light-harvesting technologies. However, the development of BPV is largely limited by the low solar spectrum conversion efficiency of existing noncentrosymmetric materials with wide band gaps. This study reports that the strain-induced reduction of inversion symmetry can enhance the second-order nonlinear susceptibility (χ) of SnPSe crystals by an order of magnitude, which contributes to an extremely high value of 1.

CMA-Based design of a Novel structure for isolation enhancement and Radiation Pattern correction in MIMO antennas.

This paper presents novel MIMO microstrip patch antennas with dimensions of 40 × 80 × 1.6 mm³ incorporating a decoupling and pattern correction structure (DPCS) designed to mitigate mutual coupling and radiation pattern distortion, operating within 3.6-3.

Climate change projections for Diamer Division in lesser Himalayas using multi-global climate model ensemble.

Pakistan, like many other regions around the world, is experiencing the impacts of climate change, particularly in its northern region. These changes have adverse impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. Herein, we have investigated future projections of temperature and precipitation trends for three periods historical (HT = 1975-2005), near-term (NT = 2010-2029), and mid-term (MT = 2030-2050) using climate model intercomparison projects along with global climate models (GCMs) including RCP4.

Wearable Fabric System for Sarcopenia Detection.

Sarcopenia has been a serious concern in the context of an increasingly aging global population. Existing detection methods for sarcopenia are severely constrained by cumbersome devices, the necessity for specialized personnel, and controlled experimental environments. In this study, we developed an innovative wearable fabric system based on conductive fabric and flexible sensor array.

Neural Network-Based Shape Analysis and Control of Continuum Objects.

Soft robots are gaining increasing attention in current robotics research due to their continuum structure. However, accurately recognizing and reproducing the shape of such continuum robots remains a challenge. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that combines contour extraction with camera reconstruction to obtain shape features.

Biomimetic Active Stereo Camera System with Variable FOV.

Inspired by the biological eye movements of fish such as pipefish and sandlances, this paper presents a novel dynamic calibration method specifically for active stereo vision systems to address the challenges of active cameras with varying fields of view (FOVs). By integrating static calibration based on camera rotation angles with dynamic updates of extrinsic parameters, the method leverages relative pose adjustments between the rotation axis and cameras to update extrinsic parameters continuously in real-time. It facilitates epipolar rectification as the FOV changes, and enables precise disparity computation and accurate depth information acquisition.

How Pseudomonas conducts reductive dechlorination of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol: Insights into metabolic performance and organohalide respiration process.

Organohalide-respiring bacteria (OHRB) play a key role in facilitating the detoxification of halogenated organics, but their slow growth and harsh growth conditions often limit their application in field remediation. In this study, we investigated the metabolic performance and organohalide respiration process of a non-obligate OHRB, Pseudomonas sp. CP-1, demonstrating favorable anaerobic reductive dechlorination ability of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol to 4-chlorophenol with a removal rate constant (k) of 0.

Continuous Flow Synthesis and Applications of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Advances and Innovations.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are an emerging class of solid-state materials comprising inorganic elements and organic molecules. These hybrid materials are widely recognized for their diverse properties, rendering them indispensable in the field of organic synthesis, material science and the pharmaceutical industry. Although the traditional batch methods for MOFs synthesis are well-developed, they often struggle with reproducibility, scalability and environmental issues.

Extracellular electron transfer-dependent bioremediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater: Advancements and challenges.

Efficient and sustainable remediation of uranium-contaminated groundwater is critical for groundwater safety and the sustainable development of nuclear energy, particularly in the context of global carbon neutrality goals. This review explores the potential of microbial reduction processes that utilize extracellular electron transfer (EET) to convert soluble uranium (U(VI)) into its insoluble form (U(IV)), presenting a promising approach to groundwater remediation. The review first outlines the key processes and factors influencing the effectiveness of dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB), such as Geobacter and Shewanella, during uranium bioremediation and recovery.

A feasible regulation strategy for conjugation of antibiotic resistance genes based on different bacterial quorum sensing inhibition methods.

The dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) poses global environmental issues, and plasmid-mediated conjugation contributes substantially to the spread of ARGs. Quorum sensing (QS), an important cell-cell communication system that coordinates group behaviors, has potential as a feasible regulation pathway to inhibit the conjugation process. We examined the promoting effects of QS signal on conjugation, and this study is the first to report that QS inhibitors 2(3H)-benzofuranone and acylase I effectively repressed conjugation frequency of RP4 plasmid to 0.

Orientation-Related Giant Photothermoelectric Energy Conversion in Quasi-One-Dimensional van der Waals TaSe Crystals.

Featuring the capabilities of self-power, low dark current, and broadband response, photothermoelectric (PTE) detection demonstrates great potential for application in the military and civilian fields. The development of materials with an intrinsically high efficiency for PTE energy conversion and the in-depth study of its thermoelectric properties on the device performance are of great significance. Here, we reported a quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) van der Waals (vdW) TaSe crystal as a promising material candidate for PTE detection.

What influences the community well-being of Chinese living in metropolitan areas? A scale validation and invariance test across gender, age, and hukou.

Background: Rapid socioeconomic development has congregated urban dwellers in various communities, and it remains unclear whether raising income has brought greater happiness or well-being in China. The study aims to validate the Multi-dimensional Community Well-being Scale (MCWS) in the context of Chinese metropolitan areas.

Methods: Multistage stratified sampling from North, East, and West China yielded a total of 4786 community-dwelling adults (mean age = 54.

Deciphering the Interfacial Li-Ion Migration Kinetics of Ni-Rich Cathodes in Sulfide-Based All-Solid-State Batteries.

Nickel-rich layered oxide with high reversible capacity and high working potentials is a prevailing cathode for high-energy-density all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). However, compared to the liquid battery system, ASSLBs suffer from poor Li-ion migration kinetics, severe side reactions, and undesired formation of space charge layers, which result in restricted capacity release and limited rate capability. In this work, we reveal that the capacity loss lies in the H2-H3 phase transition period, and we propose that the inconsistent interfacial Li-ion migration is the arch-criminal.

dressing based on a D-π-A structured aggregation-induced emission photosensitizer for healing infected wounds.

Photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (aPDT) can effectively kill bacteria without promoting drug resistance. However, the phototoxicity of photosensitizers in aPDT against normal cells hinders their practical applications. In this work, we report the utilization of an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active photosensitizer, DTTPB, to develop antibacterial dressing for effective eradication of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Bed-immersion-ratio variation as an efficient strategy to regulate denitrification efficiency directionally in elemental sulfur packed-bed reactors.

Autotrophic denitrification in sulfur packed-bed reactors (SPBR) has been widely employed for treating municipal secondary effluent. However, the fixed volume of packed sulfur in SPBR restricts the ability to adjust denitrification efficiency in response to fluctuating influent nitrate levels, leading to either effluent standard exceedances or unnecessary sulfur consumption. Here, we proposed a novel method for directionally regulating nitrate removal efficiency (NRE) in SPBR by adjusting the bed-immersion-ratio (BIR).

Augmented machine learning for sewage quality assessment with limited data.

Physical, chemical, and biological processes within sewers significantly alter sewage composition during conveyance. This leads to the formation of sulfide and methane-compounds that contribute to sewer corrosion and greenhouse gas emissions. Reliable modeling of these compounds is essential for effective sewer management, but the development of machine learning (ML) models is hindered by differences in data accessibility and sampling frequencies of water quality variables.