High Ammonia Yield Rate from Dilute Nitrate Solutions Using a Cu(100)-Rich Foil: A Step Closer to Large-Scale Production.

The electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO) ions to ammonia (NH) provides an alternative method to eliminate harmful NO pollutants in water as well as to produce highly valuable NH chemicals. The NH yield rate however is still limited to the μmol h cm range when dealing with dilute NO concentrations found in waste streams. Copper (Cu) has attracted much attention because of its unique ability to effectively convert NO to NH.

Long-Lived Interlayer Excitons in WS/Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskite van der Waals Heterostructures.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and perovskites hold substantial promise for various optoelectronic applications such as light emission, photodetection, and energy harvesting. However, each of these materials possesses certain limitations that can be overcome by synergistically combining them to form heterostructures, thereby unveiling intriguing optical properties. In this study, we present an uncomplicated technique for crafting a van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction comprising monolayer WS and a Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskite, namely (TEA)PbI.

Functionalized chitosan based antibacterial hydrogel sealant for simultaneous infection eradication and tissue closure in ocular injuries.

Management of infections at ocular injury often requires prolonged and high dose of antibiotic, which is associated with challenges of antibiotic resistance and bacterial biofilm formation. Tissue glues are commonly used for repairing ocular tissue defects and tissue regeneration, but they are ineffective in curing infection. There is a critical need for antibacterial ocular bio-adhesives capable of both curing infection and aiding wound closure.

Tailoring thermoelectric performance of-type BiTethrough defect engineering and conduction band convergence.

BiTe, an archetypical tetradymite, is recognised as a thermoelectric (TE) material of potential application around room temperature. However, large energy gap (Δ) between the light and heavy conduction bands results in inferior TE performance in pristine bulk-type BiTe. Herein, we propose enhancement in TE performance of pristine-type BiTethrough purposefully manipulating defect profile and conduction band convergence mechanism.

Dysregulated expression of cholesterol biosynthetic genes in Alzheimer's disease alters epigenomic signatures of hippocampal neurons.

Aging is the main risk factor of cognitive neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, with epigenome alterations as a contributing factor. Here, we compared transcriptomic/epigenomic changes in the hippocampus, modified by aging and by tauopathy, an AD-related feature. We show that the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway is severely impaired in hippocampal neurons of tauopathic but not of aged mice pointing to vulnerability of these neurons in the disease.

Antimicrobial nanocomposite coatings for rapid intervention against catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) pose a significant challenge in hospital settings. Current solutions available on the market involve incorporating antimicrobials and antiseptics into catheters. However, challenges such as uncontrolled release leading to undesirable toxicity, as well as the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance reduce the effectiveness of these solutions.

An adsorbate biased dynamic 3D porous framework for inverse CO sieving over CH.

Separating carbon dioxide (CO) from acetylene (CH) is one of the most critical and complex industrial separations due to similarities in physicochemical properties and molecular dimensions. Herein, we report a novel Ni-based three-dimensional framework {[Ni(μ-OH)(μ-OH)(1,4-ndc)](3HO)} (1,4-ndc = 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate) with a one-dimensional pore channel (3.05 × 3.

Tuning of thermoelectric performance by modulating vibrational properties in Ni-doped SbTe.

SbTe, a binary chalcogenide-based 3D topological insulator, attracts significant attention for its exceptional thermoelectric performance. We report the vibrational properties of magnetically doped SbTethermoelectric material. Ni doping induces defect/disorder in the system and plays a positive role in engineering the thermoelectric properties through tuning the vibrational phonon modes.

New Lead-free Hybrid Layered Double Perovskite Halides: Synthesis, Structural Transition and Ultralow Thermal Conductivity.

Hybrid layered double perovskites (HLDPs), representing the two-dimensional manifestation of halide double perovskites, have elicited considerable interest owing to their intricate chemical bonding hierarchy and structural diversity. This intensified interest stems from the diverse options available for selecting alternating octahedral coordinated trivalent [M(III)] and monovalent metal centers [M(I)], along with the distinctive nature of the cationic organic amine located between the layers. Here, we have synthesized three new compounds with general formula (R'/R'')M(III)M(I)Cl; where R'=CHNH (i.

Mild chemistry synthesis of ultrathin BiOS nanosheets exhibiting 2D-ferroelectricity at room temperature.

Modern technology demands miniaturization of electronic components to build small, light, and portable devices. Hence, discovery and synthesis of new non-toxic, low cost, ultra-thin ferroelectric materials having potential applications in various electronic and optoelectronic devices are of paramount importance. However, achieving room-temperature ferroelectricity in two dimensional (2D) ultra-thin systems remains a major challenge as conventional three-dimensional ferroelectric materials lose their ferroelectricity when the thickness is brought down below a critical value owing to the depolarization field.

Enzymatic Reaction-Coupled, Cooperative Supramolecular Polymerization.

Nature employs sophisticated mechanisms to precisely regulate self-assembly and functions within biological systems, exemplified by the formation of cytoskeletal filaments. Various enzymatic reactions and auxiliary proteins couple with the self-assembly process, meticulously regulating the length and functions of resulting macromolecular structures. In this context, we present a bioinspired, reaction-coupled approach for the controlled supramolecular polymerization in synthetic systems.

Proximity Ligation Assay to Detect the Proximity Between Host Proteins and Viral Proteins of HIV-1.

The study of host-pathogen interaction often requires interrogating the protein-protein interactions and examining post-translational modifications of the proteins. Traditional protein detection strategies are limited in their sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing capabilities. The Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA), a versatile and powerful molecular technique, can overcome these limitations.

Hidden structures: a driving factor to achieve low thermal conductivity and high thermoelectric performance.

The long-range periodic atomic arrangement or the lack thereof in solids typically dictates the magnitude and temperature dependence of their lattice thermal conductivity (). Compared to crystalline materials, glasses exhibit a much-suppressed across all temperatures as the phonon mean free path reaches parity with the interatomic distances therein. While the occurrence of such glass-like thermal transport in crystalline solids captivates the scientific community with its fundamental inquiry, it also holds the potential for profoundly impacting the field of thermoelectric energy conversion.

Room-Temperature Synthesis and Low Thermal Conductivity in Nanocrystalline AgCuS.

Noble-metal-based chalcogenide materials recently gained massive attention in the field of thermoelectrics. In most cases, materials are synthesized using (i) high-temperature solid-state reactions or (ii) soft chemical methods where temperature requirements are lower than those of solid-state reactions (generally below 400 °C). Herein, we present a simple, surfactant-free, room-temperature, and energy-efficient synthesis of AgCuS nanocrystals.

Controlled Supramolecular Polymerization via Bioinspired, Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Monomers.

Dynamic supramolecular assemblies, driven by noncovalent interactions, pervade the biological realm. In the synthetic domain, their counterparts, supramolecular polymers, endowed with remarkable self-repair and adaptive traits, are often realized through bioinspired designs. Recently, controlled supramolecular polymerization strategies have emerged, drawing inspiration from protein self-assembly.

Microwave Assisted Fast Synthesis of a Donor-Acceptor COF Towards Photooxidative Amidation Catalysis.

The synthesis of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) at bulk scale require robust, straightforward, and cost-effective techniques. However, the traditional solvothermal synthetic methods of COFs suffer low scalability as well as requirement of sensitive reaction environment and multiday reaction time (2-10 days) which greatly restricts their practical application. Here, we report microwave assisted rapid and optimized synthesis of a donor-acceptor (D-A) based highly crystalline COF, TzPm-COF in second (10 sec) to minute (10 min) time scale.

Role of Amyloidogenic and Non-Amyloidogenic Protein Spaces in Neurodegenerative Diseases and their Mitigation Using Theranostic Agents.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) refer to a complex heterogeneous group of diseases which are associated with the accumulation of amyloid fibrils or plaques in the brain leading to progressive loss of neuronal functions. Alzheimer's disease is one of the major NDD responsible for 60-80 % of all dementia cases. Currently, there are no curative or disease-reversing/modifying molecules for many of the NDDs except a few such as donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, carbidopa and levodopa which treat the disease-associated symptoms.

Polycatechols inhibit ferroptosis and modulate tau liquid-liquid phase separation to mitigate Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that affects learning, memory, and cognition. Current treatments targeting amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau have shown limited effectiveness, necessitating further research on the aggregation and toxicity mechanisms. One of these mechanisms involves the liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of tau, contributing to the formation of pathogenic tau aggregates, although their conformational details remain elusive.

Designer tryptophan-rich peptide modulates structural dynamics of HIF-1α DNA i-motif DNA.

Cytosine-rich DNA sequences can fold into intercalated motifs known as i-motifs, through noncanonical hydrogen bonding interactions. Molecular probes can provide valuable insights into the conformational stability and potential cellular functions of i-motifs. WK, a decapeptide composed of alternating tryptophan (W) and lysine (K) units, has been identified as a lead candidate to modulate the structural dynamics of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α) DNA i-motif.

Superior Electrochemical Water Splitting and Energy-Storage Performances of In Situ Fabricated Charge-Separated Metal Organophosphonate Single Crystals.

The design and exploration of advanced materials as a durable multifunctional electrocatalyst toward sustainable energy generation and storage development is the most perdurable challenge in the domain of renewable energy research. Herein, a facile in situ solvothermal approach has been adopted to prepare a methylviologen-regulated crystalline metal phosphonate compound, [CHN][Ni(CHN)(Hhedp)]•6HO (), (Hhedp = 1-hydroxyethane 1,1-diphosphonic acid) and well characterized by several techniques. The as-prepared displays excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activity with dynamic stability toward oxygen evolution reaction (η = 288 mV) and hydrogen evolution reaction (η = 228 mV) in alkaline (1.

Biphasic modulation of tau liquid-liquid phase separation by polyphenols.

Molecular tools that modulate tau liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) promise to treat tauopathies. We screened a set of polyphenols and demonstrated concentration-dependent biphasic modulation of tau LLPS by gallic acid (GA), showcasing its ability to expedite the liquid-to-gel transition in tau condensates and effectively impede the formation of deleterious fibrillar aggregates.

Hybrid molecules synergistically mitigate ferroptosis and amyloid-associated toxicities in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the build-up of extracellular amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Ferroptosis, an iron (Fe)-dependent form of cell death plays a significant role in the multifaceted AD pathogenesis through generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial damage, lipid peroxidation, and reduction in glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) enzyme activity and levels. Aberrant liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of tau drives the growth and maturation of NFTs contributing to AD pathogenesis.

Autofluorescence-spectral imaging for rapid and invasive characterization of soybean for pre-germination anaerobic stress tolerance.

The autofluorescence-spectral imaging (ASI) technique is based on the light-emitting ability of natural fluorophores. Soybean genotypes showing contrasting tolerance to pre-germination anaerobic stress can be characterized using the photon absorption and fluorescence emission of natural fluorophores occurring in seed coats. In this study, tolerant seeds were efficiently distinguished from susceptible genotypes at 405 nm and 638 nm excitation wavelengths.