Enhanced Photocatalytic Oxidative Coupling of Methane over Metal-Loaded TiO Nanowires.

The photocatalytic oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) on metal-loaded one-dimensional TiO nanowires (TiO NWs) was performed. With metal loading, the electric and optical properties of TiO NWs were adjusted, contributing to the improvement of the activity and selectivity of the OCM reaction. In the photocatalytic OCM reaction, the 1.

From Powders to Performance-A Comprehensive Study of Two Advanced Cutting Tool Materials Sintered with Pressure Assisted Methods.

This paper presents a comprehensive study of two tool materials designed for the machining of Inconel 718 superalloy, produced through two distinct sintering techniques: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) sintering and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). The first composite (marked as BNT), composed of 65 vol% cubic boron nitride (cBN), was sintered from the cBN-TiN-TiSiC system using the HPHT technique at a pressure of 7.7 GPa.

Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Performance of ZnO Nanowires for Green Hydrogen Production and Organic Pollutant Degradation.

With growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable energy, multifunctional materials that can simultaneously address water treatment and clean energy production are in high demand. In this study, we developed a cost-effective method to synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires via the anodic oxidation of zinc foil. By carefully controlling the anodization time, we optimized the Zn/ZnO-5 min electrode to achieve impressive dual-function performance in terms of effective photoelectrocatalysis for water splitting and waste water treatment.

Innovative Powder Pre-Treatment Strategies for Enhancing Maraging Steel Performance.

Maraging steel is a high-performance material valued for its exceptional properties, making it ideal for demanding applications such as aerospace, tooling, and automotive industries, where high strength, toughness, and precision are required. These steels can be prepared by powder metallurgy techniques, which offer new processing possibilities. This paper introduces novel thermal powder pre-treatment and its impact on the final mechanical properties.

Effect of Inherent Mg/Ti Interface Structure on Element Segregation and Bonding Behavior: An Ab Initio Study.

To provide insight into the interface structure in Ti particle-reinforced Mg matrix composites, this study investigates the inherent Mg/Ti interface structure formed during the solidification of supercooled Mg melt on a (0001)Ti substrate using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations and density function theory (DFT) calculation. The resulting interface exhibits an orientation relationship of 0001Mg//0001Ti with a lattice mismatch of approximately 8%. Detailed characterizations reveal the occurrences of 0001Mg plane rotation and vacancy formation to overcome the lattice mismatch at the inherent Mg/Ti interface while allowing Mg atoms to occupy the energetically favorable hollow sites above the Ti atomic layer.

SO Removal from Flue Gas by Char-Supported Fe-Zn-Cu Sorbent.

In this study, the mechanisms of SO adsorption on lignite char and char-supported Fe-Zn-Cu sorbent (FZC sorbent) were investigated. The FZC sorbent was prepared by the impregnation of metal components on raw coal followed by steam gasification. Flue gas desulfurization experiments were carried out on a fixed-bed reactor at 100-300 °C by using simulated flue gas containing SO/O/HO balanced by N.

Effects of Pre-Deformation in Corrosion Fatigue Crack Growth of Al-Mg-Zn Alloy.

This study investigated the effect of pre-deformation on the corrosion fatigue crack propagation (CFCG) of Al-Mg-Zn alloy in a corrosive environment. Tensile tests at different pre-deformation levels and molecular dynamics simulations analyzed changes in dislocation density. Corrosion fatigue experiments were conducted in a 3.

All-Fiber Micro-Ring Resonator Based p-Si/n-ITO Heterojunction Electro-Optic Modulator.

With the rapid advancement of information technology, the data demands in transmission rates, processing speed, and storage capacity have been increasing significantly. However, silicon electro-optic modulators, characterized by their weak electro-optic effect, struggle to balance modulation efficiency and bandwidth. To overcome this limitation, we propose an electro-optic modulator based on an all-fiber micro-ring resonator and a p-Si/n-ITO heterojunction, achieving high modulation efficiency and large bandwidth.

Effect of Temperature on Magnetoimpedance Effect and Magnetic Properties of Fe- and Co-Rich Glass-Coated Microwires.

We provide new experimental studies of the temperature dependence of the giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect and hysteresis loops of Fe-rich and Co-rich amorphous microwires with rather different room temperature magnetic properties and GMI effect features. We observed a remarkable modification of hysteresis loops and magnetic field dependence of the GMI ratio upon heating in both of the studied samples. We observed a noticeable improvement in the GMI ratio and a change in hysteresis loops from rectangular to inclined upon heating in Fe-rich microwire.

Design of Iron-Based Multifunctional Alloys Electrodeposited from Complexing Electrolytes.

There is a growing focus on sustainability, characterized by making changes that anticipate future needs and adapting them to present requirements. Sustainability is reflected in various areas of materials science as well. Thus, more research is focused on the fabrication of advanced materials based on earth-abundant metals.

Improved Grain Boundary Reconstruction Method Based on Channel Attention Mechanism.

The grain size of metal materials has a significant impact on their macroscopic properties. However, original metallographic images often suffer from issues such as substantial noise, missing grain boundaries, low contrast, and blurred edges. These challenges hinder the accurate extraction of complete grain boundaries, limiting the precision of grain size measurement and material performance prediction.

Effect of Elemental Iron Containing Bauxite Residue Obtained After Electroreduction on High-Pressure Alkaline Leaching of Boehmitic Bauxite and Subsequent Thickening Rate.

The use of reduction leaching in the production of alumina from bauxite by the Bayer process in order to decrease the amount of waste (bauxite residue) by adding elemental iron or aluminum, as well as Fe salts and organic compounds in the stage of high-pressure leaching, requires the purchase of relatively expensive reagents in large quantities. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of the use of electrolytically reduced bauxite residue (BR) as a substitute for these reagents. Reduced BR was obtained from Al-goethite containing BR using a bulk cathode in alkaline suspension.

High-Mobility All-Transparent TFTs with Dual-Functional Amorphous IZTO for Channel and Transparent Conductive Electrodes.

The increasing demand for advanced transparent and flexible display technologies has led to significant research in thin-film transistors (TFTs) with high mobility, transparency, and mechanical robustness. In this study, we fabricated all-transparent TFTs (AT-TFTs) utilizing amorphous indium-zinc-tin-oxide (a-IZTO) as a dual-functional material for both the channel layer and transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs). The a-IZTO was deposited using radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, with its composition adjusted for both channel and electrode functionality.

Lethal Male Combat of (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), an Egg Parasitoid of Lepidopterous and Hemipterous Pests.

Aggressive interactions between males are common when victors gain increased mating success but can result in severe injury or death for the defeated. (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a solitary egg parasitoid of hemipteran and lepidopteran species. Here, we investigated lethal interactions between males and analyzed aggression behavior scaled with the male condition, number of competitors, number of presented females, and female mating status.

Exploring How Adipose Tissue, Obesity, and Gender Influence the Immune Response to Vaccines: A Comprehensive Narrative Review.

Vaccines represent an essential tool for the prevention of infectious diseases. Upon administration, a complex interaction occurs between the vaccine formulation and the recipient's immune system, ultimately resulting in protection against disease. Significant variability exists in individual and population responses to vaccination, and these differences remain the focus of the ongoing research.

One-Step Fabrication of Water-Dispersible Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles with Immobilized Lactoferrin for Intraoral Disinfection.

Lactoferrin is a highly safe antibacterial protein found in the human body and in foods. Calcium phosphate (CaP) nanoparticles with immobilized lactoferrin could therefore be useful as intraoral disinfectants for the prevention and treatment of dental infections because CaP is a mineral component of human teeth. In this study, we fabricated CaP nanoparticles with co-immobilized lactoferrin and heparin using a simple one-step coprecipitation process.

Environmental Exposure to Bisphenol A Enhances Invasiveness in Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a prevalent environmental contaminant found in plastics and known for its endocrine-disrupting properties, posing risks to both human health and the environment. Despite its widespread presence, the impact of BPA on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) progression, especially under realistic environmental conditions, is not well understood. This study examined the effects of BPA on PTC using a 3D thyroid papillary tumor spheroid model, which better mimicked the complex interactions within human tissues compared to traditional 2D models.

Olaparib Combined with DDR Inhibitors Effectively Prevents EMT and Affects miRNA Regulation in -Mutated Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a leading cause of gynecologic cancer mortality. Despite advances in treatment, metastatic progression and resistance to standard therapies significantly worsen patient outcomes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical process in metastasis, enabling cancer cells to gain invasive and migratory capabilities, often driven by changing miRNA expression involved in the regulation of pathological processes like drug resistance.

Highly Efficient Removal of Organic Pollutants with HCO-Enhanced Ru(III)/NaClO Process.

The design of efficient advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in the presence of bicarbonate has long attracted considerable attention in the field of environmental catalysis. In this study, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) as one of the most abundant substances in actual water, was introduced to a NaClO/Ru(III) system to enhance the removal of acid orange 7(AO7). NaHCO could significantly improve the removal efficiency of the Ru(III)/NaClO process in HCO at a pH range of 6.

Establishing a General Atomistic Model for the Stratum Corneum Lipid Matrix Based on Experimental Data for Skin Permeation Studies.

Understanding the permeation of drugs through the intercellular lipid matrix of the stratum corneum layer of skin is crucial for effective transdermal delivery. Molecular dynamics simulations can provide molecular insights into the permeation process. In this study, we developed a new atomistic model representing the multilamellar arrangement of lipids in the stratum corneum intercellular space for permeation studies.

Evidence for the Worldwide Distribution of a Bile Salt Hydrolase Gene in Through Horizontal Gene Transfer.

Bile salt hydrolase (BSH), a probiotic-related enzyme with cholesterol-assimilating and anti-hypercholesterolemic abilities, has been isolated from intestinal bacteria; however, BSH activity of bacteria in bile-salt-free (non-intestinal) environments is largely unknown. Here, we aimed to identify BSH from non-intestinal and characterize its enzymatic function. We successfully isolated a plasmid-encoded () from , and the recombinant EfpBSH showed BSH activity that preferentially hydrolyzed taurine-conjugated bile salts, unlike the activity of known BSHs.

Advancing Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment by Targeting the Innate Immune System and Precision Drug Delivery.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Current immune-modulating therapies are insufficient for 30-50% of patients or cause significant side effects, emphasizing the need for new treatments. Targeting the innate immune system and enhancing drug delivery to inflamed gut regions are promising strategies.

Diverse Interactions of Sterols with Amyloid Precursor Protein Transmembrane Domain Can Shift Distribution Between Alternative Amyloid-β Production Cascades in Manner Dependent on Local Lipid Environment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis is correlated with the membrane content of various lipid species, including cholesterol, whose interactions with amyloid precursor protein (APP) have been extensively explored. Amyloid-β peptides triggering AD are products of APP cleavage by secretases, which differ depending on the APP and secretase location relative to ordered or disordered membrane microdomains. We used high-resolution NMR to probe the interactions of the cholesterol analog with APP transmembrane domain in two membrane-mimicking systems resembling ordered or perturbed lipid environments (bicelles/micelles).

Advanced Large-Stokes-Shift Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Biothiols: Facilitating Accurate Indirect Measurement of β-Lactamases.

A novel fluorescent probe, Bibc-DNBS, based on the combination of the PET (photoinduced electron transfer) and ESIPT (excited-state intramolecular proton transfer) mechanisms, was designed and synthesized. Bibc-DNBS exhibited a Stokes shift of 172 nm in the fluorescence detection field. In addition, the probe exhibited good performance in key parameters in bioassays such as sensitivity, specificity, and response time.

and Extracts Mixture Target Pyroptosis in Ischemic Stroke via the NLRP3 Pathway.

Ischemic stroke, caused by blocked cerebral blood flow, requires prompt intervention to prevent severe motor and cognitive impairments. Despite extensive drug development efforts, the failure rate of clinical trials remains high, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of a natural herbal extract mixture of Bunge (AM) and Georgi (SB), traditionally used in Eastern Asian herbal medicine (EAHM) for ischemic stroke treatment.