Global and regional perspectives on optimizing thermo-responsive dynamic windows for energy-efficient buildings.

Architectural thermo-responsive dynamic windows offer an autonomous solution for solar heat regulation, thereby reducing building energy consumption. Previous work has emphasized the significance of thermo-responsive windows in hot climates due to their role in solar heat control and subsequent energy conservation; conversely, our study provides a different perspective. Through a global-scale analysis, we explore over 100 material samples and execute more than 2.

Functional protein mining with conformal guarantees.

Molecular structure prediction and homology detection offer promising paths to discovering protein function and evolutionary relationships. However, current approaches lack statistical reliability assurances, limiting their practical utility for selecting proteins for further experimental and in-silico characterization. To address this challenge, we introduce a statistically principled approach to protein search leveraging principles from conformal prediction, offering a framework that ensures statistical guarantees with user-specified risk and provides calibrated probabilities (rather than raw ML scores) for any protein search model.

Separation of life stages within anaerobic fungi (Neocallimastigomycota) highlights differences in global transcription and metabolism.

Anaerobic gut fungi of the phylum Neocallimastigomycota are microbes proficient in valorizing low-cost but difficult-to-breakdown lignocellulosic plant biomass. Characterization of different fungal life stages and how they contribute to biomass breakdown are critical for biotechnological applications, yet we lack foundational knowledge about the transcriptional, metabolic, and enzyme secretion behavior of different life stages of anaerobic gut fungi: zoospores, germlings, immature thalli, and mature zoosporangia. A Miracloth-based technique was developed to enrich cell pellets with zoospores - the free-swimming, flagellated, young life stage of anaerobic gut fungi.

Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides: A Theory and Simulation Perspective.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) are a promising class of functional materials for fundamental physics explorations and applications in next-generation electronics, catalysis, quantum technologies, and energy-related fields. Theory and simulations have played a pivotal role in recent advancements, from understanding physical properties and discovering new materials to elucidating synthesis processes and designing novel devices. The key has been developments in theory, deep learning, molecular dynamics, high-throughput computations, and multiscale methods.

Effects of Cofeeding Hydrogen on Propane Dehydrogenation Catalyzed by Isolated Iron Sites Incorporated into Dealuminated BEA.

Iron sites dispersed on nonacidic siliceous supports have been reported to be catalytically active for propane dehydrogenation (PDH), yet the precise relationship between site structure and catalytic activity remains elusive. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the catalytic performance of iron supported on dealuminated BEA (DeAlBEA) zeolites for PDH. Using XAS, UV-vis, and IR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine and deuterated acetonitrile, it was found that, at an Fe/Al of 0.

Regioisomeric Engineering for Multicharge and Spin Stabilization in Two-Electron Organic Catholytes.

Developing multicharge and spin stabilization strategies is fundamental to enhancing the lifetime of functional organic materials, particularly for long-term energy storage in multiredox organic redox flow batteries. Current approaches are limited to the incorporation of electronic substituents to increase or decrease the overall electron density or bulky substituents to sterically shield reactive sites. With the aim to further expand the molecular toolbox for charge and spin stabilization, we introduce regioisomerism as a scaffold-diversifying design element that considers the collective and cumulative electronic and steric contributions from all of the substituents based on their relative regioisomeric arrangements.

Infrared nanosensors of piconewton to micronewton forces.

Mechanical force is an essential feature for many physical and biological processes, and remote measurement of mechanical signals with high sensitivity and spatial resolution is needed for diverse applications, including robotics, biophysics, energy storage and medicine. Nanoscale luminescent force sensors excel at measuring piconewton forces, whereas larger sensors have proven powerful in probing micronewton forces. However, large gaps remain in the force magnitudes that can be probed remotely from subsurface or interfacial sites, and no individual, non-invasive sensor is capable of measuring over the large dynamic range needed to understand many systems.

Future increase in compound soil drought-heat extremes exacerbated by vegetation greening.

Compound soil drought and heat extremes are expected to occur more frequently with global warming, causing wide-ranging socio-ecological repercussions. Vegetation modulates air temperature and soil moisture through biophysical processes, thereby influencing the occurrence of such extremes. Global vegetation cover is broadly expected to increase under climate change, but it remains unclear whether vegetation greening will alleviate or aggravate future increases in compound soil drought-heat events.

Grain engineering for efficient near-infrared perovskite light-emitting diodes.

Metal halide perovskites show promise for next-generation light-emitting diodes, particularly in the near-infrared range, where they outperform organic and quantum-dot counterparts. However, they still fall short of costly III-V semiconductor devices, which achieve external quantum efficiencies above 30% with high brightness. Among several factors, controlling grain growth and nanoscale morphology is crucial for further enhancing device performance.

ASbMnO (A = K or Rb): New Mn-Based 2D Magnetoplumbites with Geometric and Magnetic Frustration.

Magnetoplumbites are one of the most broadly studied families of hexagonal ferrites, typically with high magnetic ordering temperatures, making them excellent candidates for permanent magnets. However, magnetic frustration is rarely observed in magnetoplumbites. Herein, the discovery, synthesis, and characterization of the first Mn-based magnetoplumbite, as well as the first magnetoplumbite involving pnictogens (Sb), ASbMnO (A = K or Rb) are reported.

Plastid-nuclear coevolution of ribosomal protein genes in papilionoid legumes.

In plants, cellular function is orchestrated by three distinct genomes located within the nucleus, mitochondrion, and plastid. These genomes are interdependent, requiring tightly coordinated maintenance and expression. Plastids host several multisubunit protein complexes encoded by both the plastid and nuclear genomes.

Omics-driven onboarding of the carotenoid producing red yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous CBS 6938.

Transcriptomics is a powerful approach for functional genomics and systems biology, yet it can also be used for genetic part discovery. Here, we derive constitutive and light-regulated promoters directly from transcriptomics data of the basidiomycete red yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous CBS 6938 (anamorph Phaffia rhodozyma) and use these promoters with other genetic elements to create a modular synthetic biology parts collection for this organism. X.

Investigations on the Origin of Topotactic Phase Transition of LaCoO Thin Films with In Situ XRD and Ambient Pressure Hard X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

With the applications of in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical - measurement, and ambient pressure hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-HAXPES), the characteristics of the topotactic phase transition of LaCoO (LCO) thin films are examined. XRD measurements show clear evidence of structural phase transition (SPT) of the LCO thin films from the perovskite (PV) LaCoO to the brownmillerite (BM) LaCoO phases through the intermediate LaCoO phase at a temperature of 350 °C under high-vacuum conditions, ∼10 mbar. The reverse SPT from BM to PV phases is also found under ambient pressure (>100 mbar) of air near 100 °C.

Genome assembly and annotation of microalga C018.

The microalga is an important organism for algae-based biocommodity production of food, feed, and fuel, among other products. Using PacBio Revio, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated a 26.41 Mbp C018 genome.

A novel open-source cultivation system helps establish the first full cycle chemosynthetic symbiosis model system involving the giant ciliate .

Symbiotic interactions drive species evolution, with nutritional symbioses playing vital roles across ecosystems. Chemosynthetic symbioses are globally distributed and ecologically significant, yet the lack of model systems has hindered research progress. The giant ciliate and its sulfur-oxidizing symbionts represent the only known chemosynthetic symbiosis with a short life span that has been transiently cultivated in the laboratory.

Predicting RNA structure and dynamics with deep learning and solution scattering.

Advanced deep learning and statistical methods can predict structural models for RNA molecules. However, RNAs are flexible, and it remains difficult to describe their macromolecular conformations in solutions where varying conditions can induce conformational changes. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) in solution is an efficient technique to validate structural predictions by comparing the experimental SAXS profile with those calculated from predicted structures.

Chiral effects at the metal center in Fe(III) spin crossover coordination salts.

Evidence of chirality was observed at the Fe metal center in Fe(III) spin crossover coordination salts [Fe(qsal)][Ni(dmit)] and [Fe(qsal)](TCNQ)from x-ray absorption (XAS) spectroscopy at the Fe 2pcore threshold. Based on the circularly polarized XAS data, the x-ray natural circular dichroism for [Fe(qsal)][Ni(dmit)] and [Fe(qsal)](TCNQ)is far stronger than seen for [Fe(qsal)]Cl suggesting this natural circular dichroism signature is a ligand effect rather than a result of just a loss of octahedral symmetry on the Fe core. The larger the chiral effects in the Fe 2p core to bound XAS, the greater the perturbation of the Fe 2pto 2pspin-orbit splitting seen in the XAS spectra.

Raman microscopy of the Cu/LiAlGe(PO) solid electrolyte interphase.

LiAlGe(PO) (LAGP) is a promising solid-state electrolyte (SSE) for solid-state batteries but suffers from side reactions with Li metal resulting in cracking and interfacial resistance rise which hinders its practical application. Herein, in operando Raman spectroscopy was performed to gain insights into local chemical and structural transformations of the Cu/LAGP interface during cathodic polarization.

Comparison of Plasma p-tau217 and [F]FDG-PET for Identifying Alzheimer Disease in People With Early-Onset or Atypical Dementia.

Background And Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance of an immunoassay for plasma concentrations of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) 217 with visual assessments of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose [F]FDG-PET in individuals who meet appropriate use criteria for Alzheimer dementia (AD) biomarker assessments.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of individuals with early-onset (age <65 years at onset) and/or atypical dementia (features other than memory at onset), who were evaluated at a tertiary care memory clinic. All participants underwent measurements of CSF biomarkers (Aβ42, p-tau181, and total tau levels), as well as [F]FDG-PET scans, amyloid-PET scans, and plasma p-tau217 quantifications.

A High-Entropy Engineering on Sustainable Anionic Redox Mn-Based Cathode with Retardant Stress for High-Rate Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Manganese-based (Mn-based) layered oxides have emerged as competitive cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), primarily due to their high energy density, cost-effectiveness, and potential for mass production. However, these materials often suffer from irreversible oxygen redox reactions, significant phase transitions, and microcrack formation, which lead to considerable internal stress and degradation of electrochemical performance. This study introduces a high-entropy engineering strategy for P2-type Mn-based layered oxide cathodes (HE-NMCO), wherein a multi-ingredient cocktail effect strengthens the lattice framework by modulating the local environmental chemistry.

The protein structurome of Orthornavirae and its dark matter.

Unlabelled: Metatranscriptomics is uncovering more and more diverse families of viruses with RNA genomes comprising the viral kingdom Orthornavirae in the realm Riboviria. Thorough protein annotation and comparison are essential to get insights into the functions of viral proteins and virus evolution. In addition to sequence- and hmm profile‑based methods, protein structure comparison adds a powerful tool to uncover protein functions and relationships.

Coherent-Precipitation-Stabilized Phase Formation in Over-Stoichiometric Rocksalt-Type Li Superionic Conductors.

Rationalizing synthetic pathways is crucial for material design and property optimization, especially for polymorphic and metastable phases. Over-stoichiometric rocksalt (ORX) compounds, characterized by their face-sharing configurations, are a promising group of materials with unique properties; however, their development is significantly hindered by challenges in synthesizability. Here, taking the recently identified Li superionic conductor, over-stoichiometric rocksalt Li-In-Sn-O (o-LISO) material as a prototypical ORX compound, the mechanisms of phase formation are systematically investigated.