Browse Articles

Prevalence of indication for lateral approach sinus floor augmentation in maxillary molar tooth deficiency: a retrospective study

Abstract This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the frequency of lateral approach sinus floor augmentation (LASFA) in patients missing at least one maxillary molar, based on assessments of residual vertical bone height (RVBH) and maxillary sinus anatomy using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A total of 402 CBCT scans meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed, encompassing 458 maxillary sinuses. The RVBH was measured on ten equidistant mesiodistal slices beneath the maxillary sinus, and the mean value was recorded as the RVBH for each site. Patients were divided equally by sex and into four age groups (18–28, 29–39, 40–50, and > 50 years). Those with RVBH ≤ 5 mm were classified as requiring LASFA, and those with RVBH > 5 mm as not requiring the procedure. LASFA was indicated in 28.2% of patients, whereas 71.8% did not require it. The mean RVBH was 7.68 ± 3.69 mm (range: 1.31–19.73 mm). Age distribution showed no significant difference between groups ( p  = 0.714), whereas gender distribution did ( p  = 0.017), with a higher proportion of males requiring LASFA (58.9%) compared with females (41.1%). Within the study limitations, a substantial proportion of patients with maxillary molar tooth deficiency required LASFA. While RVBH exhibited a slight downward trend with advancing age, it was found to be higher in males than in females. These findings highlight the critical importance of pre-operative RVBH assessment via CBCT to ensure precise surgical planning.

Early identification of major depression risk among reproductive-age women using hormonal contraceptives in southern Ethiopia: A Machine Learning Approach

Abstract Machine-learning (ML) algorithms are increasingly valuable in health sciences because they can analyze complex, high-dimensional data and detect patterns that may not be easily identified using traditional statistical methods. These models can efficiently classify individuals into low- and high-risk groups, enabling early detection of conditions such as depression, cancer, and diabetes before symptoms become severe. Thus, by revealing intricate patterns in sizable health datasets, machine-learning analysis facilitates the precise and early identification of high-risk patients, facilitating prompt diagnosis, efficient screening, and well-informed clinical decision-making. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a predictive model for major depression in women using hormonal contraceptives in southern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional data was collected from 1002 participants over two consecutive months from eight public hospitals in Gamo Zone southern Ethiopia from August 1 to September 30, 2025. Six machine-learning models, random forest, decision tree, logistic regression, partial decision tree (PART), Naïve Bayes, and XGBoost, were employed to predict the probability of developing major depression. The dataset was split into a training set (80% of the observations) and a test set (20% of the observations). The predictive capacities of each machine-learning model were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and various measures of model performance. The SHAP and Gini information values were used in selection of important attributes for predicting major depression. The predictive performance of the six machine-learning models demonstrated Cohen’s Kappa values ranging from 0.185 to 0.480, indicating slight to moderate agreement beyond chance. Among the algorithms tested, the random forest model demonstrated the highest accuracy (84.4%) and precision (93.2%). Using fivefold cross-validation and SMOTE to address data imbalance, the model achieved a high F1-score (91%) and the highest AUC (0.831) on the test data, indicating good discriminatory power. Feature-importance analysis using SHAP values identified maternal occupation and younger maternal age as the key attributes associated with an increased probability of major depression among hormonal contraceptive users, whereas longer duration of method use was identified as a protective factor associated with a 16% lower risk. The Random Forest model demonstrated the best predictive performance for major depression, achieving comparatively higher accuracy, recall, precision, F1-score and AUC values than the other models evaluated. Therefore, clinicians and healthcare researchers consider using the Random Forest model as a supportive decision-making tool for early risk prediction and targeted intervention.

Optimization study of light olefins production in gasoil cracking over HZSM-5 catalyst: temperature and catalyst loading as key parameters

Tumor treating field plus chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An international cost-effectiveness analysis

3D geothermal model of southern Italy based on the Curie isotherm depth

DNA Condensates Enable Crosstalk‐Free Operation of Identical DNA Computing Cascades

ABSTRACT DNA strand displacement reactions (SDR) have enabled the development of biosensing devices, molecular machines, and molecular computing. However, the need for high sequence orthogonality poses a major challenge to the modular integration and scaling of DNA SDR networks into more complex systems capable of advanced or parallel functions. Here, we propose the use of liquid‐like DNA condensates with addressable barcodes for confining DNA SDR networks for parallel and selective operation of near‐identical circuits that would otherwise show undesired crosstalk in a homogeneous solution. By introducing Transducer modules, specific inputs can be recognized by corresponding condensates and converted to a unified Messenger for triggering downstream DNA processing locally. This allows orthogonal execution of DNA SDRs of the same sequence design in different compartments in parallel without crosstalk and interference. Our strategy contributes a facile approach to enhance modularity and scalability in DNA SDR network design, paving the way for more sophisticated and complex functionalities.

Outside Back Cover: Millisecond Aliphatic Iodonium‐Claisen Rearrangement Enabling Dual Functionalization of Alkenyl Iodanes (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 22/2026)

A Synergistic Inhibitor Development Strategy Against Human UDP‐Galactose‐4‐Epimerase

ABSTRACT O‐GalNAc ( N ‐acetylgalactosaminyl) glycosylation is an abundant posttranslational modification in mammalian cells. Dysregulation of O‐GalNAc glycosylation is implicated in cancer metastasis and immune evasion; however, our mechanistic understanding remains limited due to the lack of small‐molecule tools. O‐GalNAc biosynthesis depends heavily on the availability of UDP‐GalNAc that is biosynthesised by the cytosolic enzyme UDP‐galactose‐4‐epimerase (GalE). Knockout studies have demonstrated that loss of GalE severely impairs O‐GalNAc glycosylation, positioning GalE as a promising enzymatic therapeutic target in oncology. Here, we present an efficient workflow that combines both covalent and high‐throughput crystallographic non‐covalent fragment screening with structure‐based design to identify GalE inhibitors. Using these strategies, we discovered a ligandable pocket adjacent to a reactive tyrosine, enabling the development of a potent, “beyond cysteine” sulfonyl fluoride covalent inhibitor as well as a derived covalent alkyne probe. Structurally‐enabled fragment screening methodologies yielded nanomolar non‐covalent as well as covalent binders within no more than 22 elaborated compounds. Our work demonstrates synergism in next‐generation delivery of chemical matter for GalE inhibition, with the broader potential for targeting non‐cysteine residues in chemical biology and therapeutic applications.

Diazo Transfer From Nitrous Oxide Employing Phosphorus Ylides

ABSTRACT The synthesis of diazo‐containing molecules traditionally relies on hazardous reagents such as azides or hydrazines, which restrict their practicality, especially for large‐scale applications. Herein, we report a novel strategy for diazo transfer utilizing nitrous oxide (N 2 O) fixation at a phosphorus ylide. This method enables the efficient synthesis of valuable organic building blocks under mild, hydrazine‐free conditions. The one‐pot approach provides a safer and more practical route to diazo compounds, which can be trapped directly. This facile pathway gives access to a broad range of dinitrogen‐containing compounds, including 1,2,3‐triazolo heterocycles and (macrocyclic) aldazines. We additionally disclose a new phthalazine heterocycle synthesis utilizing bis‐P‐ylides and N 2 O. Both intra‐ and intermolecular trapping are investigated, which establishes N 2 O fixation as a powerful tool in synthetic methodology.

Ligand Protection Strategy for Highly Selective and Stable Electrochemical CO ₂ Methanation

ABSTRACT The large‐scale electrochemical CO 2 methanation represents a promising route toward carbon neutrality. The construction of efficient catalytic sites and the maintenance of the site stability are crucial to achieving high‐efficiency conversion of CO 2 ‐to‐CH 4 . Herein, we design a La 2 O 3 ‐supported oxygen‐containing Cu clusters functionalized with hexanethiol (HT) molecules catalyst (HT@O‐Cu c /La 2 O 3 ), achieving a high CH 4 Faradaic efficiency (FE CH4 ) of 77.8% with a partial current density of 389.2 mA cm −2 , and demonstrating excellent stability over a 250 h operation period. The thiol‐ligand was modified at the interface between O‐Cu c and La 2 O 3 via S‐coordination, enabling electron transfer between La and Cu sites and establishing a stable electronic supplementary channel that continuously stabilizes the low‐coordinated Cu δ+ (0.4 < δ < 0.5) active state during the electrochemical process. Moreover, mechanistic studies reveal that the ligand modification optimizes *CO adsorption on Cu sites and steers *CHO hydrogenation toward *CH 2 OH. The electronic channel effect can strengthen the bond energy of Cu–C, facilitating the desorption of *OH. The La‐mediated water activation generates abundant protons, which drives the *CH 2 ─*CH 3 ─*CH 4 directional hydrogenation step, ultimately achieving highly selective CH 4 production.

Conformation‐Adaptive Crown Ether‐Polyimides as Superfast and Exceptionally Selective Artificial Na ⁺ Channels

ABSTRACT The development of artificial Na + channels that simultaneously achieve high permeability and high selectivity remains a formidable challenge, as existing systems are constrained by a limited performance ceiling. To address the classical permeability–selectivity trade‐off, we present an adaptive design strategy that moves beyond conventional rigid‐pore architectures. The system is based on a flexible polyimide backbone functionalized with 15‐crown‐5 ionophores via tunable alkyl linkers (C n H 2 n +1 , n = 8–16), enabling efficient Na + permeation through multiple adaptive mechanisms. The conformational plasticity of the architecture facilitates dynamic and cooperative ion coordination during capture and transmembrane transport. The best‐performing transporter, 4 , exhibits a high Na + conductance of 48.9 pS, which is twice that of gramicidin A‐mediated K + transport, together with a record Na + /K + selectivity of 37.8. This work establishes a new benchmark for synthetic ion transporters and opens promising avenues for the development of biomimetic membranes and therapeutic applications.

Measuring the Hall Effect in Hysteretic Materials

ABSTRACT Measurement of the Hall effect is a ubiquitous probe for materials discovery, characterization, and metrology. Inherent to the Hall measurement geometry, the measured signal is often contaminated by unwanted contributions, so the data must be processed to isolate the Hall response. The standard approach invokes Onsager–Casimir reciprocity and antisymmetrizes the raw signal about zero applied magnetic field. In hysteretic materials this becomes nontrivial, since Onsager–Casimir relations apply only to microscopically reversible states. Incorrect antisymmetrization can lead to artifacts that mimic anomalous or topological Hall signatures. The situation is especially subtle when hysteresis loops are not centered at zero applied field, as in exchange‐biased systems. A practical reference for generically extracting the Hall response in hysteretic materials is lacking. Here, using as a bulk single‐crystal model that can be prepared with or without exchange‐biased hysteresis, we review and demonstrate two procedures that can be used to extract the Hall effect: (1) reverse‐magnetic‐field reciprocity and (2) antisymmetrization with respect to applied field. We then measure the Hall effect on , a noncentrosymmetric antiferromagnet which can be prepared to have asymmetric magnetization and magnetoresistance, and demonstrate how improper processing can generate artificial anomalous Hall signals. The methods reviewed are generic and can be applied to any conductor.

A Dithio Vinylthio C ₂ Synthon Enabling Crystalline and Luminescent Sulfur‐Decorated Polymers

ABSTRACT While thioether linkages are commonly associated with soft and amorphous polymer backbones, herein, we show that a calcium carbide‐derived α,ω‐bis(vinylthio) synthon enables crystalline, sequence‐defined sulfur polymers with nonconventional luminescence. A single‐step thiol–yne addition reaction uses acetylene generated in situ from industrial calcium carbide (CaC 2 ) to produce a modular C 2 vinyl sulfide (also known as vinylthio) monomer that undergoes quantitative, light‐induced thiol‐ene step‐growth polymerization with aliphatic dithiols. Type I photoinitiation ensures complete anti‐Markovnikov addition to give C 2 ‐segmented poly(thioether)s, while thermal and base‐mediated conditions generate hybrid poly(thioether)/polydisulfide structures. The resulting sulfur‐rich backbones display sharp melting transitions, spherulitic crystallization, one‐step thermal decomposition up to about 316°C, and pronounced cluster‐triggered emission arising from dense thioether clustering and through‐space conjugation. Green metric analysis reveals high Atom Economy and essentially waste‐free polymer formation, thereby linking efficient use of an established C 2 synthon to precision sulfur polymer design. This C 2 vinylthio platform provides a general strategy to convert classically soft thioether motifs into structurally ordered and luminescent materials, and establishes vinyl sulfides as powerful, yet underutilized, building blocks in sustainable polymer chemistry.

Orthogonal Topochemical Reactions in a Single Crystal Mediated by Distinct Physical Stimuli

ABSTRACT Single crystals capable of undergoing two distinct chemical transformations are rare, and achieving two distinct transformations controlled by two different stimuli is unprecedented. Here, we report an M:BPE co‐crystal formed through complementary hydrogen bonding between the carboxylic acid group of M and the pyridyl group of BPE , further reinforced by C─H···O and C─H···N interactions. Monomer M contains azide and alkyne groups that undergo a heat‐driven topochemical click reaction, while BPE features an olefin that enables light‐driven topochemical [2+2] dimerization. Upon heating, M in the co‐crystal undergoes a regiospecific click reaction in a single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal manner to yield a 1,4‐triazolyl‐linked cyclic dimer. In contrast, photoirradiation drives the BPE units in the co‐crystal to undergo [2+2] photodimerization, yielding the rctt isomer. This stimulus‐dependent behavior represents the first example of orthogonal reactivity within a single crystal mediated by different external stimuli.

A High‐Capacity Molecular Sieve With Ultrafast Adsorption Kinetics for Separating C ₃ F ₆ /C ₃ F ₈

ABSTRACT The efficient separation of fluorocarbon mixtures, such as perfluoropropene (C 3 F 6 ) and perfluoropropane (C 3 F 8 ), is critical for producing high‐purity electronic gases, but remains a formidable challenge due to their similarity in physicochemical characteristics. Herein, we report the size‐sieving separation of C 3 F 6 and C 3 F 8 by a robust zinc‐based metal–organic framework, NCU‐542, which features a “dual‐channel bottleneck‐cavity” pore architecture. We show that its specific pore geometry and optimal pore dimensions are beneficial to overcome the intrinsic trade‐off between size‐sieving precision and diffusion efficiency. The framework contains narrow sieving necks (∼5.2 Å) that fully exclude bulky C 3 F 8 , interconnected by larger cavities that serve as diffusion highways for C 3 F 6 . Consequently, NCU‐542 exhibits a high C 3 F 6 /C 3 F 8 uptake ratio of 65.6 and a high C 3 F 6 capacity of 52.5 cm 3 g −1 at 298 K and 1 bar, while achieving ultrafast adsorption kinetics. In situ IR spectroscopy and DFT calculations elucidate that the specific recognition of C 3 F 6 is driven by multiple cooperative C−H···F interactions at the imidazolate‐zinc junctions. Furthermore, the shaped pellets of NCU‐542 retain excellent structural integrity and separation performance, validating its industrial potential for C 3 F 6 and C 3 F 8 separation.

High‐Purity Monovalent Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes

ABSTRACT Single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) show promise for probing molecular interactions at single‐molecule resolution, yet generating SWCNT populations bearing a single defined functional tag remains challenging because surface functionalization is inherently stochastic. Here, we present a batch‐scale strategy to produce predominantly singly tagged SWCNTs by leveraging the stochastic adsorption of single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA). Specifically, SWCNTs are dispersed using a mixture of unmodified ssDNA (um‐ssDNA) and a minor fraction of modified ssDNA (m‐ssDNA) carrying an affinity handle. We developed a probabilistic ssDNA–SWCNT binding model that predicts the distribution of m‐ssDNA per nanotube as a function of the input minor‐strand fraction p = m‐ssDNA/total ssDNA, enabling selection of conditions that maximize single‐tag purity. Using magnetic‐bead capture via a biotin affinity interaction and subsequent release, we isolate SWCNTs with 97.6% predicted single‐tag purity at 2% recovery. Single‐molecule fluorescence imaging further supports predominantly single‐label occupancy under the model‐selected conditions. Thus, this approach provides a general route to SWCNTs bearing a single molecular handle for downstream conjugation and assembly, supporting diverse future applications in SWCNT‐based nanotechnologies.

Nanoconfined CsPbBr ₃ in Boron‐Doped Mesoporous TiO ₂ Enables Built‐In Electric Field Modulation for Fully Selective CO ₂ ‐to‐CO Photoconversion

ABSTRACT Achieving single‐product selectivity in photocatalytic CO 2 reduction remains an enormous challenge. Although modulating a catalyst's nanoconfined environment can mitigate the co‐production of CO and CH 4 in CO 2 reduction, the contribution of nanoconfined architecture to interfacial built‐in electric field (BIEF) regulation for solid‐gas CO 2 conversion has received limited attention. Herein, CsPbBr 3 quantum dots (QDs) are grown in situ within the ordered porosity of boron‐doped mesoporous TiO 2 (BMT) for CO 2 photoreduction under simulated solar irradiation. The composite CsPbBr 3 @BMT delivers a CO production rate of 226 µmol g −1 h −1 with essentially 100% (99.9%) selectivity in a solid‐gas system, outperforming state‐of‐the‐art CsPbBr 3 ‐based photocatalysts under comparable conditions. The new CsPbBr 3 @BMT architecture integrates pore‐level stabilization of QDs, with the nanocage framework isolating and stabilizing the QDs, as evidenced by in situ XPS and TEM. The combination of boron doping and nanoconfinement is shown by theoretical calculations to enhance the BIEF between the QDs and BMT, leading to improved charge separation and suppressed hydrogen evolution. In addition, calculations reveal that nanoconfinement stabilizes the COOH intermediate in CO 2 photoreduction while weakening CO adsorption, directing the system toward CO formation and release. These results highlight nanoconfinement as an effective strategy for selective, efficient solar‐driven CO 2 ‐to‐CO conversion.

A Clathrate‐Like Methane Trap for Capture of Mine Ventilation Air Methane

ABSTRACT Adsorption‐based processes offer an efficient approach for the treatment of ventilation air methane (VAM). However, existing separation mechanisms typically distinguish CH 4 and N 2 based on their insignificant differences in polarizability and size, and remain largely ineffective for VAM with extremely low CH 4 concentrations. Here, we reported a clathrate‐like methane trap featuring dense arrays of electronegative O/N atoms as in methane hydrate, which exhibited electrostatic potential and shape complementarity toward CH 4 , realizing precise CH 4 recognition. The clathrate‐like methane trap exhibited a high isosteric heat of adsorption ( Q st ) of 36.0 kJ mol −1 for CH 4 , a benchmark Q st difference between CH 4 and N 2 (19.6 kJ mol −1 ), and the highest reported equilibrium‐kinetic combined selectivity (19.0). Breakthrough experiments confirmed that this trap efficiently captured CH 4 from a CH 4 /N 2 (1/99) mixture, providing a record‐high breakthrough selectivity (3.8). Its practical potential was validated by conducting a two‐bed, six‐step, variable‐pressure swing adsorption process, and 25% purity CH 4 could be obtained from a CH 4 /N 2 (1/99) mixture. In situ infrared spectroscopy and computational modelling studies revealed that the rational arrangement of dense N/O binding sites imparted a synergy between optimal pore shape and surface electrostatic potential that boosted CH 4 affinity.

An Induced Li ⁺ Oriented Migration Strategy for High‐Efficiency Extremely Strong Acid Lithium Recovery

ABSTRACT Conventional lithium extraction methods exhibit limited efficiency in strongly acidic solutions. This study developed a brand‐new and universal lithium recovery strategy from strongly acidic systems using Li + migration between directionally formed solid phase of lithium‐aluminum layered double hydroxides (Li/Al‐LDHs) and alternate aqueous solutions. Li + ions in strongly acidic solutions with massive coexisting cations (Na + , K + , Fe 2+ , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Al 3+ , etc.) were inductively converted into the solid precipitate through a precise crystal phase regulation. A non‐equilibrium thermodynamic model was developed and revealed that the lithium deintercalation flux exhibited a linear dependence on the chemical potential gradient, systematically elucidating the critical parameters governing extraction efficiency. Subsequently, lithium extraction from Li + ‐enriched solid could be accomplished easily using neutral aqueous solutions with a complete delithiation, and the overall lithium recovery from acidic systems exceeded 96% with the residual solid recycling process and waste‐free disposal. Furthermore, the lithium extraction strategy was proven applicable in authentic multi‐component acidic solutions with efficient lithium recovery and low costs. This work is expected to significantly promote the development of universal extreme system lithium separation technology.

Alkyne‐Based Dual‐Function Self‐Assembled Monolayers for Efficient and Stable p‐i‐n Perovskite Solar Cells

ABSTRACT Recently, self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) have garnered significant attention in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Replacing flexible alkyl chains with conjugated linkers can significantly enhance the material's performance. Traditional conjugation modulation primarily relies on carbon–carbon double bonds (C═C), whereas the use of carbon–carbon triple bonds (C≡C) to expand the conjugated system of SAM materials has been rarely reported, and the influence of introducing triple bonds on material properties and device performance remains unclear. In this work, we design a novel donor–acceptor (D–A) structured SAM, named ABT, by incorporating a C≡C linker between the D–A moiety and the anchor group. The introduction of a C≡C bond effectively extends the conjugated system of the material, significantly enhancing its thermal stability and charge transport properties. As a result, ABT‐based devices achieve a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 26.19%, surpassing the reference BT‐based devices (24.92%), along with exceptional thermal and long‐term operational stability. This work provides a rational molecular design strategy for high‐performance and stable D–A type SAMs, thereby facilitating the commercialization of PSCs.