Local structure of amorphous sulfur in carbon-sulfur composites for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries.

All-solid-state (ASS) batteries are a promising solution to achieve carbon neutrality. ASS lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries stand out due to their improved safety, achieved by replacing organic solvents, which are prone to leakage and fire, with solid electrolytes. In addition, these batteries offer the benefits of higher capacity and the absence of rare metals.

High-throughput evaluation of half-metallicity of CoMnSi Heusler alloys using composition-spread films and spin-integrated hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

We demonstrate high-throughput evaluation of the half-metallicity of CoMnSi Heusler alloys by spin-integrated hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) of composition-spread films performed with high-brilliance synchrotron radiation at NanoTerasu, which identifies the optimum composition showing the best half-metallicity. Co Mn Si composition-spread thin films for  = 10-40% with a thickness of 30 nm are fabricated on MgO(100) substrates using combinatorial sputtering technique. The 2-ordering and (001)-oriented epitaxial growth of CoMnSi are confirmed by X-ray diffraction for  = 18-40%.

Hydrogen isotope separation at exceptionally high temperature using an unsaturated organometallic complex.

A new approach for hydrogen isotope separation using an unsaturated organometallic complex was proposed. Adsorption measurements of [Mn(dppe)(CO)(N)](BArF) (Mn-dppe) (dppe = 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, BArF = B[CH(3,5-CF)]) using H and D revealed a significant difference in the adsorption enthalpy of H/D at much higher room temperatures than in previous studies, with D molecules being more strongly adsorbed on unsaturated metal sites. Mixed gas adsorption isotherms were calculated at each temperature using IAST, and it was predicted that D uptake was much larger than H uptake.

An Advanced Sensing Approach to Biological Toxins with Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy Based on Their Unique Protein Quaternary Structures.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), ricin, and many other biological toxins are called AB toxins possessing heterogeneous A and B subunits. We propose herein a quick and safe sensing approach to AB toxins based on their unique quaternary structures. The proposed approach utilizes IgG antibodies against their A-subunits in combination with those human cell-membrane glycolipids that act as the natural ligands of B-subunits.

Nanostructural Analysis of Age-Related Changes Affecting Human Dentin.

Human dentin performs its function throughout life, even though it is not remodeled like bone. Therefore, dentin must have extreme durability against daily repetitive loading. Elucidating its durability requires a comprehensive understanding of its shape, structure, and anisotropy at various levels of its structure.

Generation of highly stable electron beam via the control of hydrodynamic instability.

By employing the stabilizer in the supersonic gas nozzle to produce the plasma density profile with a sharp downramp, we have experimentally demonstrated highly stable electron beam acceleration based on the shock injection mechanism in laser wakefield acceleration with the use of a compact Ti:sapphire laser. A quasi-monoenergetic electron beam with a peak energy of 315 MeV ± 12.5 MeV per shot is generated.

Useful experimental aspects of small-wedge synchrotron crystallography for accurate structure analysis of protein molecules.

Recent advances in low-emittance synchrotron X-ray technology and highly sensitive photon-counting detectors have revolutionized protein micro-crystallography in structural biology. These developments and improvements to sample-exchange robots and beamline control have paved the way for automated and efficient unattended data collection. This study analyzed protein crystal structures such as type 2 angiotensin II receptor, CNNM/CorC membrane proteins and polyhedral protein crystals using small-wedge synchrotron crystallography (SWSX), which dramatically improves measurement efficiency through automated measurement.

Exploration and development of molecule-based printed electronics materials: an integrated approach using experimental, computational, and data sciences.

The challenge in developing molecule-based electronic materials lies in the uncontrollable or unpredictable nature of their crystal structures, which are crucial for determining both electrical properties and thin-film formability. This review summarizes the findings of a research project focused on the systematic development of crystalline organic semiconductors (OSCs) and organic ferroelectrics by integrating experimental, computational, and data sciences. The key outcomes are as follows: 1) Data Science: We developed a method to identify promising materials from crystal structure databases, leading to the discovery of unique molecule-based ferroelectrics.

Supercritical density fluctuations and structural heterogeneity in supercooled water-glycerol microdroplets.

Recent experiments and theoretical studies strongly indicate that water exhibits a liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) in the supercooled domain. An open question is how the LLPT of water can affect the properties of aqueous solutions. Here, we study the structural and thermodynamic properties of supercooled glycerol-water microdroplets at dilute conditions (χ = 3.

Time-Resolved Probing of the Iodobenzene C-Band Using XUV-Induced Electron Transfer Dynamics.

Time-resolved extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy was used to investigate photodissociation within the iodobenzene C-band. The carbon-iodine bond of iodobenzene was photolyzed at 200 nm, and the ensuing dynamics were probed at 10.3 nm (120 eV) over a 4 ps range.

Multi-frame blind deconvolution using X-ray microscope images of an in-plane rotating sample.

We propose a multi-frame blind deconvolution method using an in-plane rotating sample optimized for X-ray microscopy, where the application of existing deconvolution methods is technically difficult. Untrained neural networks are employed as the reconstruction algorithm to enable robust reconstruction against stage motion errors caused by the in-plane rotation of samples. From demonstration experiments using full-field X-ray microscopy with advanced Kirkpatrick-Baez mirror optics at SPring-8, a spatial resolution of 34 nm (half period) was successfully achieved by removing the wavefront aberration and improving the apparent numerical aperture.

Synthesis of Bis(diimino)palladium Nanosheets as Highly Active Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution.

Development of efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) is necessary to achieve environmentally friendly and sustainable hydrogen production. To reduce cost and to circumvent the scarcity of platinum, the most efficient catalyst for HER, it is essential to develop catalysts using ubiquitous base metals or minimal amounts of precious metals. Bis(diimino)metal (MDI) coordination nanosheets are potential HER catalysts because their electric conductivities, two-dimensionality, and porous structures provide large surface areas and efficient mass and electron transfer.

Structural effects of high laser power densities on an early bacteriorhodopsin photocycle intermediate.

Time-resolved serial crystallography at X-ray Free Electron Lasers offers the opportunity to observe ultrafast photochemical reactions at the atomic level. The technique has yielded exciting molecular insights into various biological processes including light sensing and photochemical energy conversion. However, to achieve sufficient levels of activation within an optically dense crystal, high laser power densities are often used, which has led to an ongoing debate to which extent photodamage may compromise interpretation of the results.

Molecular Structure of the Na,K-ATPase α4β1 Isoform in Its Ouabain-Bound Conformation.

Na,K-ATPase is the active ion transport system that maintains the electrochemical gradients for Na and K across the plasma membrane of most animal cells. Na,K-ATPase is constituted by the association of two major subunits, a catalytic α and a glycosylated β subunit, both of which exist as different isoforms (in mammals known as α1, α2, α3, α4, β1, β2 and β3). Na,K-ATPase α and β isoforms assemble in different combinations to produce various isozymes with tissue specific expression and distinct biochemical properties.

Dynamically patterning x-ray beam by a femtosecond optical laser.

Modern science and technology have greatly benefitted from our ability to precisely manipulate light waves, in both their spatial and temporal degrees of freedom. In the x-ray region, however, spatial control has been virtually static mainly due to stringent requirements for realizing high-performance optical elements. The lack of dynamic spatial control of x-ray beam has prevented researchers from realizing more sophisticated use of the wave field, which has rapidly advanced in the optical region in the past decades.

CRISPR Diagnostics for Quantification and Rapid Diagnosis of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Repeat Expansion Disorders.

Repeat expansion disorders, exemplified by myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), present challenges in diagnostic quantification because of the variability and complexity of repeat lengths. Traditional diagnostic methods, including PCR and Southern blotting, exhibit limitations in sensitivity and specificity, necessitating the development of innovative approaches for precise and rapid diagnosis. Here, we introduce a CRISPR-based diagnostic method, REPLICA (peat-rimed ocating of nherited disease by s3), for the quantification and rapid diagnosis of DM1.

N-terminal cleavage of cyclophilin D boosts its ability to bind F-ATP synthase.

Cyclophilin (CyP) D is a regulator of the mitochondrial F-ATP synthase. Here we report the discovery of a form of CyPD lacking the first 10 (mouse) or 13 (human) N-terminal residues (ΔN-CyPD), a protein region with species-specific features. NMR studies on recombinant human full-length CyPD (FL-CyPD) and ΔN-CyPD form revealed that the N-terminus is highly flexible, in contrast with the rigid globular part.

Photoresponsive Adenosine Derivatives for the Optical Control of Adenosine A Receptors in Living Cells.

The use of photoresponsive ligands to optically control proteins of interest, known as photopharmacology, is a powerful technique for elucidating cellular function in living cells and animals with a high spatiotemporal resolution. The adenosine A receptor (AR) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is expressed in various tissues; its dysregulation is implicated in severe diseases such as insomnia and Parkinson's disease. A detailed elucidation of the physiological function of AR is, therefore, highly desirable.

Phonons reveal coupled cholesterol-lipid dynamics in ternary membranes.

Experimental studies of collective dynamics in lipid bilayers have been challenging due to the energy resolution required to observe these low-energy phonon-like modes. However, inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) measurements-a technique for probing vibrations in soft and biological materials-are now possible with sub-meV resolution, permitting direct observation of low-energy, phonon-like modes in lipid membranes. Here, IXS measurements with sub-meV energy resolution reveal a low-energy optic-like phonon mode at roughly 3 meV in the liquid-ordered (L) and liquid-disordered phases of a ternary lipid mixture.

Genome-resolved metaproteogenomic and nanosolid characterization of an inactive vent chimney densely colonized by enigmatic DPANN archaea.

Recent successes in the cultivation of DPANN archaea with their hosts have demonstrated an episymbiotic lifestyle, whereas the lifestyle of DPANN archaea in natural habitats is largely unknown. A free-living lifestyle is speculated in oxygen-deprived fluids circulated through rock media, where apparent hosts of DPANN archaea are lacking. Alternatively, DPANN archaea may be detached from their hosts and/or rock surfaces.

Structural basis for hepatitis B virus restriction by a viral receptor homologue.

Macaque restricts hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection because its receptor homologue, NTCP (mNTCP), cannot bind preS1 on viral surface. To reveal how mNTCP loses the viral receptor function, we here solve the cryo-electron microscopy structure of mNTCP. Superposing on the human NTCP (hNTCP)-preS1 complex structure shows that Arg158 of mNTCP causes steric clash to prevent preS1 from embedding onto the bile acid tunnel of NTCP.

Green upgrading of SPring-8 to produce stable, ultrabrilliant hard X-ray beams.

SPring-8-II is a major upgrade project of SPring-8 that was inaugurated in October 1997 as a third-generation synchrotron radiation light source. This upgrade project aims to achieve three goals simultaneously: achievement of excellent light source performance, refurbishment of aged systems, and significant reduction in power consumption for the entire facility. A small emittance of 50 pm rad will be achieved by (1) replacing the existing double-bend lattice structure with a five-bend achromat one, (2) lowering the stored beam energy from 8 to 6 GeV, (3) increasing the horizontal damping partition number from 1 to 1.

Nucleophilic Displacement Reactions of Silver-Based Metal-Organic Chalcogenolates.

We report nucleophilic displacement reactions that can increase the dimensionality or coordination number of silver-based metal-organic chalcogenolates (MOChas). MOChas are crystalline ensembles containing one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) inorganic topologies with structures and properties defined by the choice of metal, chalcogen, and ligand. MOChas can be readily prepared from a variety of small-molecule ligands and metals or metal ions.