Intercompatibility of eukaryotic and Asgard archaea ribosome-translocon machineries.

In all domains of life, the ribosome-translocon complex inserts nascent transmembrane proteins into, and processes and transports signal peptide-containing proteins across, membranes. Eukaryotic translocons are anchored in the endoplasmic reticulum, while the prokaryotic complexes reside in cell membranes. Phylogenetic analyses indicate the inheritance of eukaryotic Sec61/oligosaccharyltransferase/translocon-associated protein translocon subunits from an Asgard archaea ancestor.

Measurement of Nanoparticle-Blood Protein Adsorption and Its Heterogeneity with Single-Nanoparticle Resolution via Dual Fluorescence Quantification.

The formation of a protein corona gives nanomedicines a distinct biological identity, profoundly influencing their fate in the body. Nonspecific nanoparticle-protein interactions are typically highly heterogeneous, which can lead to unique biological behaviors and fates for individual nanoparticles that remain underexplored. To address this, we have established an approach that allows quantitative examination of nanoparticle-protein adsorption at the individual nanoparticle level.

Synthesis and Characterization of Furan-Based Methacrylate Oligomers Containing the Imine Functional Group for Stereolithography.

Herein, a furan-based methacrylate oligomer (FBMO) featuring imine functional groups was synthesized for application in stereolithography. The preparation involved the imination reaction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and amino ethanol. Utilizing 5-HMF as a sustainable building block for furan-based polymers, FBMO was formulated and subsequently integrated into photosensitive resin formulations along with methacrylate-containing diluents, such as PEGDMA and TEGDMA.

Green Chemistry, Catalysis, and Waste Valorization for a Circular Economy.

The circular economy represents an economic model that prioritizes sustainability and resource efficiency, aiming to minimize waste minimization, promote reuse, and close material loops. This Special Collection highlights recent advancements in green chemistry, catalysis, and waste valorization, fields critical for achieving sustainable practices and resource efficiency within a circular economy. Researchers from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, South America, and North America have contributed to designing sustainable chemical processes that minimize environmental impact.

A three-step "ping-pong" mechanism of a GH20 β-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Vibrio campbellii belonging to a major Clade A-I of the phylogenetic tree of the enzyme superfamily.

β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (GlcNAcase) is an essential biocatalyst in chitin assimilation by marine Vibrio species, which rely on chitin as their main carbon source. Structure-based phylogenetic analysis of the GlcNAcase superfamily revealed that a GlcNAcase from Vibrio campbellii, formerly named V. harveyi, (VhGlcNAcase) belongs to a major clade, Clade A-I, of the phylogenetic tree.

Self-healing, antibiofouling and anticorrosion properties enabled by designing polymers with dynamic covalent bonds and responsive linkages.

Coating metal structures with a protective material is a popular strategy to prevent their deterioration due to corrosion. However, maintaining the barrier properties of coatings after their mechanical damage is challenging. Herein, we prepared multifunctional coatings with self-healing ability to conserve their anticorrosion performance after damage.

Immobilized chitinase as effective biocatalytic platform for producing bioactive di-N-acetyl chitobiose from recycled chitin food waste.

Described is chitinase immobilization on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as biocompatible support for enzymatic production of di-N-acetyl chitobiose from chitin waste. Chitinase immobilization was feasible with an immobilization yield of 88.9 ± 1.

Designed Nanoarchitectures of a BiOBr/BiOI Nanosheet Heterojunction Anchored on Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica as Visible-Light Responsive Photocatalysts.

Heterojunctions, particularly those involving BiOBr/BiOI, have attracted significant attention in the field of photocatalysis due to their remarkable properties. In this study, a unique architecture of BiOBr/BiOI was designed to facilitate the rapid transfer of electrons and holes, effectively mitigating the recombination of electron-hole pairs. Accordingly, the BiOBr/BiOI nanosheet heterojunction was anchored on dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS) by the immobilization of BiO nanodots in DFNS and the subsequent reaction with HBr and then HI vapors at room temperature.

Enhancement of essential cofactors for biocatalysis.

A scarcity of cofactors, necessary metabolites or substrates for enzymatic reactions, is among the major barriers for product synthesis in metabolically engineered cells. This work compares our recently developed cofactor-boosting strategy, which uses xylose reductase (XR) and lactose to increase the intracellular levels of reduced or oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) (NAD(P)H), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and acetyl coenzymeA (acetyl-CoA), with other previously reported methods. We demonstrated that the XR/lactose approach enhances levels of sugar alcohols and sugar phosphates, which leads to elevated levels of crucial cofactors required by specific metabolic pathways.

Correlation between biomedical and structural properties of Zn/Sr modified calcium phosphates.

This study investigates the correlation between the biomedical and structural properties of Zn/Sr-modified Calcium Phosphates (ZnSr-CaPs) synthesized via the sol-gel combustion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the presence of Ca(PO)(OH) (HAp), CaCO, and Ca(OH) phases in the undoped sample, while the additional phase, Ca(PO) (β-TCP) was formed in modified samples. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis demonstrated the incorporation of Sr into the lattice, with a preference for occupying the Ca1 sites in the HAp matrix.

Catalytic Strategies for the Cycloaddition of CO to Epoxides in Aqueous Media to Enhance the Activity and Recyclability of Molecular Organocatalysts.

The cycloaddition of CO to epoxides to afford versatile and useful cyclic carbonate compounds is a highly investigated method for the nonreductive upcycling of CO. One of the main focuses of the current research in this area is the discovery of readily available, sustainable, and inexpensive catalysts, and of catalytic methodologies that allow their seamless solvent-free recycling. Water, often regarded as an undesirable pollutant in the cycloaddition process, is progressively emerging as a helpful reaction component.

Revisiting the Potential of Group VI Inorganic Precatalysts for the Ethenolysis of Fatty Acids through a Mechanochemical Approach.

The utilization of biobased feedstocks to prepare useful compounds is a pivotal trend in current chemical research. Among a varied portfolio of naturally available starting materials, fatty acids are abundant, versatile substrates with multiple applications. In this context, the ethenolysis of unsaturated fatty acid esters such as methyl oleate is an atom-economical way to prepare functional C10 olefins with a biobased footprint.

Ten years of laser-induced graphene: impact and future prospect on biomedical, healthcare, and wearable technology.

Since its introduction in 2014, laser-induced graphene (LIG) from commercial polymers has been gaining interests in both academic and industrial sectors. This can be clearly seen from its mass adoption in various fields ranging from energy storage and sensing platforms to biomedical applications. LIG is a 3-dimensional, nanoporous graphene structure with highly tuneable electrical, physical, and chemical properties.

Unraveling the structural complexity of and the effect of calcination temperature on calcium phosphates derived from bones.

In this study, the interplay between the structural complexity, microstructure, and mechanical properties of calcium phosphates (CaPs) derived from fish bones, prepared at various calcination temperatures, and their corresponding sintered ceramics was explored. Fourier-transform infrared analysis revealed that the calcined powders primarily consisted of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and carbonated calcium hydroxyapatite, with an increasing concentration of Mg-substituted β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) as the calcination temperature was increased. X-ray diffraction patterns showed enhanced sharpness of the peaks at higher temperatures, indicating a larger crystallite size and improved crystallinity.

Unveiling a Novel Decomposition Pathway in Propylene Carbonate-Based Supercapacitors: Insights from a Jelly Roll Configuration Study.

This research elucidates novel insights into the electrochemical properties and degradation phenomena of propylene carbonate (PC)-based supercapacitors at a large-scale 18650 cylindrical jelly-roll cell level. Central to our findings is the identification of 2-ethyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolane (EMD) as a hitherto undocumented decomposition by-product, highlighting the nuanced complexity of PC electrolyte stability. We further demonstrate that elevated operational voltages precipitate accelerated electrolyte degradation, underscoring the criticality of defining the operational voltage window for maximizing device longevity.

On the Mechanisms of Hypohalous Acid Formation and Electrophilic Halogenation by Non-Native Halogenases.

Enzymatic electrophilic halogenation is a mild tool for functionalization of diverse organic compounds. Only a few groups of native halogenases are capable of catalyzing such a reaction. In this study, we used a mechanism-guided strategy to discover the electrophilic halogenation activity catalyzed by non-native halogenases.

CHIVID: A Rapid Deployment of Community and Home Isolation During COVID-19 Pandemics.

Background: CHIVID is a telemedicine solution developed under tight time constraints that assists Thai healthcare practitioners in monitoring non-severe COVID-19 patients in isolation programs during crises. It assesses patient health and notifies healthcare practitioners of high-risk scenarios through a chatbot. The system was designed to integrate with the famous Thai messaging app LINE, reducing development time and enhancing user-friendliness, and the system allowed patients to upload a pulse oximeter image automatically processed by the PACMAN function to extract oxygen saturation and heart rate values to reduce patient input errors.

Detailed discussion on the structure of alloy nanoparticles synthesized magnetron sputter deposition onto liquid poly(ethylene glycol).

This paper is devoted to reviewing a decade of the development of vacuum sputter deposition onto liquid poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to prepare metal and alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with a controlled particle growth, size, structure, and composition. Especially, we have discussed the fine structures of alloy NPs obtained in PEG and compared them with those sputtered onto other non-volatile liquids. Finally, we have shared our prospect of applications for the resulting alloy NPs.

Hybridization of layered double hydroxides with functional particles.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a class of materials with useful properties associated with their anion exchange abilities as well as redox and adsorptive properties for a wide range of applications including adsorbents, catalysts and their supports, electrodes, pigments, ceramic precursors, and drug carriers. In order to satisfy the requirements for each application as well as to find alternative applications, the preparation of LDHs with the desired composition and particle morphology and post-synthetic modification by the host-guest interactions have been examined. In addition, the hybridization of LDHs with various functional particles has been reported to design materials of modified, improved, and multiple functions.

The eukaryotic-like characteristics of small GTPase, roadblock and TRAPPC3 proteins from Asgard archaea.

Membrane-enclosed organelles are defining features of eukaryotes in distinguishing these organisms from prokaryotes. Specification of distinct membranes is critical to assemble and maintain discrete compartments. Small GTPases and their regulators are the signaling molecules that drive membrane-modifying machineries to the desired location.

Impacts of pre-treatment methods on the morphology, crystal structure, and defects formation of hydroxyapatite extracted from Nile tilapia scales.

The comprehensive control of hydroxyapatite (HAp), involving morphological and structural variations, particle sizes, and defect formations, has garnered considerable attention for its versatile functionalities, rendering it applicable in diverse contexts. This work examined the shape, structure and optical characteristics, and defect formation in hydroxyapatite (HAp) extracted from Nile tilapia () scales with various pre-treatments through experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Utilizing scanning electron microscopy, our findings revealed that dried fish scales (FS-D) exhibited a layered pattern of collagen fibers, while boiled fish scales (FS-B) had smoother surfaces and significantly reduced collagen content.

Nanoarchitectonics of a Smectite with 4,4'-Diammonium-α-truxillic Acid and Its Methyl Ester for the Removal of -Phenylphenol and Biphenyl from Water.

Adsorbents with hydrophilic and hydrophobic natures were designed by intercalating a bioderived molecule; 4,4'-diammonium-α-truxillic acid (4ATA) and 4,4'-diammonium-α-truxillic acid dimethyl ester (E4ATA), which both are bioderived molecules, into a smectite (purified bentonite) to concentrate -phenylphenol and biphenyl, respectively, from water. The adsorption isotherm showed high affinity between the 4ATA-smectite hybrid and -phenylphenol with a high Langmuir constant (0.98 L mg).

Single-Molecule Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Double-Stranded Polynucleotides Using Solid-State Nanopore with AI-Assisted Detection and Classification: Implications for Understanding Disease Severity.

This study utilized solid-state nanopores, combined with artificial intelligence (AI), to analyze the double-stranded polynucleotides encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, receptor-binding domain, and N protein, important parts of SARS-CoV-2 infection. By examining ionic current signals during DNA translocation, we revealed the dynamic interactions and structural characteristics of these nucleotide sequences and also quantified their abundance. Nanopores of sizes 3 and 10 nm were efficiently fabricated and characterized, ensuring an optimal experimental approach.