Reversible enzyme-catalysed NAD/NADH electrochemistry.

Formate dehydrogenase (FdsDABG) from is a Mo-containing enzyme capable of catalysing both formate oxidation to CO and the reverse CO reduction to formate by utilising NAD or NADH, respectively. This enzyme is part of the NADH dehydrogenase superfamily. Its subcomplex, FdsBG, lacking the formate oxidizing/CO-reducing Mo-cofactor, but harbouring an FMN as well as [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters, reversibly interconverts the NAD/NADH redox pair.

Dissecting ionic favorable hydrogen bond chemistry in hybrid separators for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Separators, regulating the ion transport channels between electrodes, are crucial for maintaining the properties of electrochemical batteries. However, sluggish ion transport and desolvation kinetics in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) cause uneven ion flux at the separator-electrode interface, accelerating Zn dendrite growth. Herein, we systematically dissect ionic favorable hydrogen bond chemistry in a hybrid separator engineered through rational boron nitride (BN) doping into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) separators.

Novel triphenylamine-based polyimides as promising organic cathode for lithium/sodium-ion batteries.

Organic carbonyl cathode materials are expected to be excellent candidates for widespread application in next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their high theoretical specific capacity, low cost, sustainability, environmental friendliness, and structural diversity. However, organic carbonyl cathode materials face some key challenges, including high solubility in organic electrolytes and low discharge platform, which hinder their practical applications. Herein, a novel poly(4-aminotriphenylamine-3,3',4,4'-benzophenone tetramide) (PTNBI) electrode has been synthesized through the polymerization of 4-aminotriphenylamine with 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), addressing the two crucial issues of solubility and low discharge platform.

Copper-catalyzed chemoselective C-H functionalization/dearomatization sequence: direct access to indole-based spirocyclic scaffolds.

Herein, a copper-catalyzed intermolecular [4+1] spiroannulation of indoles with alkynyldiazoketones affording various indole-based spirocyclic molecules a chemoselective C-H functionalization/dearomatization sequence was developed.

MOF-Based Electrocatalysts: An Overview from the Perspective of Structural Design.

The electrocatalytic technique, as an efficient energy storage and conversion technology, has attracted significant attention to address energy exhaustion and environmental pollution. Usually, the activity and selectivity of electrocatalytic reactions are largely dominated by the dynamic process occurring on electrocatalysts. Therefore, high-performance electrocatalysts, which can dominate the pathway and energy barrier of reactions, are of great significance for the advancement of the electrocatalytic technique.

Redefining the Limits of Functional Continuity in the Early Evolution of P-Loop NTPases.

At the heart of many nucleoside triphosphatases is a conserved phosphate-binding sequence motif. A current model of early enzyme evolution proposes that this 6-8 residue motif could have sparked the emergence of the very first nucleoside triphosphatases - a striking example of evolutionary continuity from simple beginnings, if true. To test this provocative model, seven disembodied Walker A-derived peptides were extensively computationally characterized.

Water Transportation through Nano/Microsized Lipid Protocells with a Significant Deviation from the van't Hoff Osmotic Rule.

Osmotic pressure is known to be an important driving force that induces water transport through membranes, which is crucial for many biophysical processes. Here, we observed that under a relatively low osmotic pressure induced by sugars' protocells (vesicles) with a diameter of ∼110 nm barely shrank. However, NaCl and CaCl at lower concentrations induced a rapid decrease in the vesicle size as evidence of water transportation through the membrane.

Increasing RB1 Expression by Targeting EZH2 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Loss of RB1 function represents a defining characteristic of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and is intricately associated with resistance to therapeutic interventions. In this study, we investigate the epigenetic mechanisms governing RB1 expression in TNBC. Employing a combination of bioinformatics analyses and experimental validations, we identified lysine histone methyltransferase EZH2 as a key upstream regulator of RB1 expression.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Remote Site-Selective Hydroboration of Unactivated Alkenes via Chain-Walking Strategy.

An expedient synthesis of α-aminoboronic acid derivatives via cobalt-catalyzed remote site-selective hydroboration of unactivated alkenes is described herein. The strategy is characterized by its simplicity, site-selectivity, and wide substrate scope, as both terminal and internal alkenes could undergo the reaction smoothly, affording the corresponding products in good yields. According to the mechanism, Co-H is generated from Co(acac) in the presence of HBpin, which starts the chain-walking strategy via a series of alkene insertion and β-H elimination process.

Stereoselective Synthesis of Olefins from β-Hydroxy NHPI Esters.

Herein, we describe a highly stereoselective method to access a single olefin isomer from readily available β-hydroxy -hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) esters. Depending on the configuration of the precursor ( or ), either the or olefin is prepared selectively under Lewis acid-promoted conditions. Without involving radical chemistry, a β-lactone is proposed as the key intermediate in this decarboxylative olefination.

Low-Voltage Electrooxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzoic Acid Enhanced by PtZn-ZnO Interface.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid is a process that often requires high voltage, leading to increased energy consumption, side reactions (oxygen evolution reaction (OER)), and catalyst degradation. Herein, our study introduces a novel approach. We demonstrate that a PtZn-ZnO catalyst featuring a PtZn intermetallic structure with abundant PtZn-ZnO interfaces on the surface allows for the electrocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzoic acid with an impressive selectivity of 99.

Imaging molecular structures and interactions by enhanced confinement effect in electron microscopy.

Atomic imaging of molecules and intermolecular interactions are of great significance for a deeper understanding of the basic physics and chemistry in various applications, but it is still challenging in electron microscopy due to their thermal mobility and beam sensitivity. Confinement effect and low-dose imaging method may efficiently help us achieve stable high-resolution resolving of molecules and their interactions. Here, we propose a general strategy to image the confined molecules and evaluate the strengths of host-guest interactions in three material systems by low-dose electron microscopy.

TNMpBC-NeoBCSS model: a breast cancer specific survival prediction model for triple-negative metaplastic breast carcinoma patients with neoadjuvant therapy.

The breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) benefits of Neoadjuvant therapy (NeoAT) for triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer (TNMpBC) was uncertain. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for assessing the BCSS for TNMpBC patients with NeoAT. The primary cohort of 1163 patients with TNMpBC, from which a nomogram was established based on the results of a LASSO regression analysis, was derived from multi-centers data in China and the SEER database.

Self-assembly of short peptides activates specific ER-phagy and induces pyroptosis for enhanced tumor immunotherapy.

Developing specific endoplasmic reticulum-autophagy (ER-phagy) inducers is highly desirable for discovering new ER-phagy receptors, elucidating the detailed ER-phagy mechanism and potential cancer immunotherapy. However, most of the current ER-phagy-inducing methods cause non-selective autophagy of other organelles. In this work, we report the design and synthesis of simple and stable short peptides (D-FFxFFs) that could specifically trigger ER-phagy, which further induces pyroptosis and activates immune response against tumor cells.

A Spiro-Driven Ferroelectric Coordination Polymer Exhibiting Distinct Phase Transitions under Thermal and Pressure Stimuli.

Controllable strategies for the design of molecular ferroelectrics have been actively pursued in recent years due to their promising applications in modern electronic devices. In this work, we present a spiro-driven approach for the design of a new class of molecular ferroelectrics. Using 2-morpholinoethanol (MEO) as a bidentate chelating ligand and the SCN- anion as a bridging co-ligand, we obtained a neutral chain-like ferroelectric coordination polymer, [Cd(MEO)(SCN)2].

Ligand Modulation in Metal-Organic Frameworks Derived Regenerable Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging as promising pre-catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis. However, the coordination chemistry of MOF ligands in reconstructed species remains poorly understood, particularly regarding how ligand modulation influences the electronic configurations of catalytic sites. In this study, we present the synthesis of an α-FeOOH coated Ni-catecholate MOF composite (FeOOH@Ni-CAT), which transforms into a ligand-coordinated γ-NiFeOOH active species during OER.

Mobility Control of Mechanical Bonds to Modulate Energy Dissipation in Mechanically Interlocked Networks.

Mechanically interlocked networks (MINs) with dense mechanical bonds can amplify the dynamic behaviors of the mechanical bonds to exhibit decent mechanical properties. Energy dissipation resulting from mechanical bond motion is essential for improving toughness, yet effective strategies to optimize this process remain underexplored. Here, by designing mechanical bond models with controllable mobility, we establish a fortification strategy for the two key factors governing energy dissipation, host-guest recognition and sliding friction, thereby enabling mechanical property enhancement of mechanically interlocked materials.

Formation and characterization of acid-soluble soybean protein with chitosan addition: effects of hydrothermal treatment and homogenization.

Background: The development of acid-soluble soybean protein (ASSP) is a dynamic field with ongoing research aimed at exploring its emulsifying, foaming, and gelling properties. These properties can affect the texture, stability, and sensory attributes of food. Innovations in processing technologies, such as freeze-drying, hydrothermal treatment, and homogenization processing, are being made to enhance the quality of ASSP, which are crucial for its application in food products.

A novel crosslinked chitosan material modified by quaternary ammonium group for efficient adsorption of bromide ions from wastewater.

Recovering bromide ions from wastewater can not only alleviate the shortage of bromine resources but also solve the problem of bromine pollution. However, there is no efficient method for selective extraction of bromide ions from bromine-containing wastewater up to now. In this paper, chitosan was acidified into a gel to extend its molecular chain, modified by quaternary ammonium salt functional groups, and then crosslinked to obtain a new adsorption material.

Discovery of tri(indolyl)methanes as potent and selective inhibitors against human carboxylesterase 2.

Human carboxylesterase 2A (CES2A) plays a crucial role in the hydrolysis and metabolic activation of esters and amides. There is increasing evidence that development of CES2A inhibitors to modulate the hydrolysis of ester drugs will increase the potency of these drugs or reduce their side effects. In this study, three sets of indole analogues (4a-j, 5a-k, 6a-e) were designed and synthesized.

Characteristics of N-acyl homoserine lactones secretion in short-chain fatty acid co-metabolic methane production system influenced by ecological factors and its microbiological mechanisms.

The effective enhancement of short-chain fatty acid co-metabolic methane production is a research hotspot. N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) are effective means regulating anaerobic digestion behaviors. However, what factors influence the secretion of endogenous signaling molecules has not been studied.

Optimizing n-3 PUFA dietary enrichment in slow-growing Korat chickens using lipid-based nanoparticles: Effects on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, meat fatty acid composition, and blood biochemical parameters.

This research aimed to investigate the optimization of lipid-based nanoparticles to improve the utilization of n-3 PUFA source in chicken diets. Three groups of slow-growing Korat chickens were reared under the same conditions and fed a diet containing 6 % rice bran oil (RBO, control group), 3 % tuna oil (3 % TO) and 3 % tuna oil in targeted lipid-based nanoparticles (3 % TO-TNP). The growth performance, carcass composition, meat quality, fatty acid profile of breast and thigh meat, hematological and plasma biochemical parameters were evaluated.

Inhibiting demetalation of ZnNC via bimetallic CoZn alloy for an efficient and durable oxygen reduction reaction.

Inhibition of demetalation due to electrochemical dissolution of metal active centers is a major challenge for the real-world commercialization of transition metals and nitrogen co-doped carbon (MNC) material catalysts. This research utilized a microchannel reactor to synthesize zeolitic imidazolate framework-8@zeolitic imidazolate framework-67, resulting in a CoZn/ZnNC material produced through a core-shell pyrolysis strategy. Direct synergistic interaction of CoZn alloy nanoparticles and ZnNC improves the activity and durability of the oxygen reduction reaction.

The community succession mechanisms and interactive dynamics of microorganisms under high salinity and alkalinity conditions during composting.

Microorganisms drive organic matter degradation and humification during composting. However, the mechanisms underlying microbial community succession and their interactions under saline-alkali stress are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the microbial community assembly processes and microbial niche dynamics during composting in the high-saline-alkaline region.

Developed BL-EF to acquire plant growth-promoting functions under salt stress by introducing the ACC deaminase gene.

The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a novel and effective strategy to ameliorate soil salinity and increase agricultural productivity. ACC deaminase (ACCD) in PGPR plays a key role in alleviating salt stress and promoting plant growth. This study aimed to investigate the potential of ACCD-producing strain BL-EF to mitigate salt stress in tomato plants.