Browse Articles

Correction: Enhancing solar air heater performance using corrugated plates and perforated baffles

AI-driven green processing and life cycle assessment for sustainable perovskite solar cells

Photocatalytic Flow Synthesis of Acetone from Methane Carbonylation Using Customized Flow Patterns

Quality appraisal and hydrochemical analysis of groundwater for domestic and irrigation aspects

Climate heterogeneity enhances macroclimate data-driven vegetation modeling on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Cobalt-Catalyzed Highly Regioselective Alkoxycarbonylation of Olefins Driven by Light

TLCFormer: synergizing temporal motion and local contrast for robust infrared video small object detection

Donor−acceptor catalysis with defective MoS2 and Fe0 breaks barriers to perchlorate reduction under mild conditions

Abstract Perchlorate (ClO 4 − ) contamination in water poses global health risks, yet its efficient reduction to harmless Cl − under mild conditions remains challenging. Here, we report a donor−acceptor catalytic system comprising defective MoS 2 on N-doped carbon (MoS 2 −NC) coupled with zerovalent iron (Fe 0 ), which enables rapid ClO 4 − reduction at near-neutral pH (rate constant, 2.36 h −1 ), yielding Cl − as the sole product. In the MoS 2 −NC/Fe 0 system, Fe 0 acts as the electron donor, while undercoordinated Mo atoms in defective MoS 2 serve as the active sites, and N-doped carbon mediates electron transfer and optimizes the electronic environment for ClO 4 − reduction. The reduction proceeds via oxygen atom transfer, involving Cl−O bond cleavage, O binding to Mo sites, and hydrodeoxygenation of the Mo-bound O atoms. Our observations offer a practical strategy for ClO 4 − reduction without harsh conditions or noble metals and underscore the promise of donor−acceptor-based, defect-engineered catalysts for reductive transformation of challenging oxyanions.

Tectono-paleogeographic evolution of the Northern Margin of the North China Block based on provenance analysis of Jurassic strata in Liaodong Peninsula

Atomic-level insights into the high intrinsic thermostability of individual anatase TiO2 nanocrystals through surface-locking effects

Abstract Nanocrystal phase thermostability is critical for their applications, yet fundamentally governed by complex thermodynamic and kinetic variables. Understanding the stabilizing mechanisms and dominant factors requires atomic-level insights into dynamic evolution across surface and bulk regions under extreme conditions. Herein, we present a comprehensive in-situ investigation of individual single-crystalline anatase TiO 2 nanorods using spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. By simultaneously acquiring environmental secondary electron images for surface topography and high-angle annular dark-field images for bulk atomic structures, we reveal the extraordinary phase stability of individual anatase nanorods governed by surface effects, distinct from aggregated nanorods. Anatase TiO 2 nanorods undergo morphology reshaping and surface atomic reconstruction above 600 °C, involving transformation from high-index surfaces to (101) facets and the formation of (1 × 4)-reconstructed (001) surfaces. Remarkably, individual anatase TiO 2 nanorods maintain the anatase structure even up to 1250 °C without transforming into the rutile phase. The restructuring lowers the total energy of the system, and acts as a kinetic “surface-locking” effect preventing rutile nucleation. Beyond elucidating the restructuring mechanisms and intrinsic thermostability of TiO 2 nanocrystals, this work also establishes an effective pathway for simultaneously probing the complex structural evolution of nanomaterials across both surface and bulk regions.

Synthesis of Soft Octahedral Nanoparticles through Supramolecular Self-Assembly of <i>C</i> ₃ -Symmetric Trinaphthylamine Trisamides

The impact of community-acquired critical sepsis on long-term mortality and morbidity—a nationwide cohort study

Abstract The long-term consequences of sepsis, including mortality and morbidity among survivors, are insufficiently understood. This nationwide matched cohort study investigated the association between presumed community-acquired critical sepsis (PCACS)and long-term mortality, the morbidity of burden before and after ICU admission, and causes of death. Patients admitted to Swedish ICUs for PCACS over a ten-year period ( n  = 10,072) were matched 1:5 with population controls ( n  = 50,180). Data on demographics, comorbidities, education, income, and causes of death were collected. Conditional Cox regression was used to assess long-term mortality. Patients with sepsis exhibited a progressive increase in morbidity during the five years preceding ICU admission, which further escalated in the year following discharge. Sepsis was associated with excess mortality up to three years post-admission. Among one-year survivors, sepsis remained independently associated with increased mortality between years one and three, even after adjusting for prior morbidity, indicating persistent long-term effects not fully explained by diagnosed conditions. Early deaths were primarily due to infections and cancer, while later deaths were dominated by cancer and circulatory diseases. These findings highlight the sustained impact of sepsis on survivors, underscoring the need for long-term follow-up and targeted interventions to mitigate post-septic morbidity and mortality.

Electrochemical and chemical cascade catalysis for efficient hexamethylenetetramine synthesis over mesoporous copper nanotips

Role of Molecular Topology Elucidated in Unified Gels

Loop dynamics govern MALT1 activation revealed by integrative AlphaFold, MD, and NMR analysis

Abstract Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) is a central regulator of immune signalling, yet how its conformational dynamics govern activation remains poorly understood. Here, we integrate NMR relaxation measurements, molecular dynamics simulations, and ensemble modelling to characterise the solution-state behaviour of the catalytic core MALT1(PCASP–Ig3) 339−719 under different ionic conditions. Under low-salt conditions, all simulations converge to a dominant inactive ensemble characterised by inward rotation of residue W580 and coordinated rearrangements of regulatory loops, indicating that the inactive state is energetically favoured in solution. At intermediate ionic strength, reversible loop motions permit transient access to active-like conformations, whereas high-salt conditions suppress loop dynamics and trap the protein in its functional starting conformational basin. Comparison with experimental NMR relaxation data identifies the low-salt inactive ensemble as the best representation of solution-state dynamics, revealing stable hydrophobic cores and loop-localised conformational plasticity. Together, these results support ionic strength as a key determinant for MALT1 conformational equilibria in solution and suggest how coordinated loop dynamics regulate access to catalytically competent states. This provides a dynamic framework for future structure-based modulation of MALT1 activity.

A non-invasive end-to-end intelligent assistance system for breast ultrasound

Time-Space-Medium Collaboratively Modulated LIBS Combined with Matrix Dilution: From Self-Absorption to Isotope Discrimination of Lithium

Consumer awareness, perceptions and purchasing behaviour regarding fortified wheat flour available in the market

Single-cell approach dissecting agr quorum sensing dynamics in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract Quorum sensing (QS) enables bacteria to coordinate collective behaviors by secreting and sensing diffusible signals. Understanding QS at single-cell resolution is essential because population-level measurements often obscure regulatory heterogeneity. In Staphylococcus aureus , the accessory gene regulator ( agr ) system is a major QS-controlled virulence regulator activated by autoinducing peptides (AIPs). Four agr- types exist, each defined by distinct AIPs and capable of cross-inhibition, yet their activation dynamics and interaction hierarchies remain poorly understood. Using microfluidics, time-lapse microscopy, and deep-learning-based image analysis, we quantified agr -activation in congenic and native agr -type strains. Agr -types differed in sensitivity to their homologous AIPs: agr -III was largely unresponsive, whereas agr -IV was highly sensitive with elevated basal activation. Agr -activation distribution was frequently bimodal (simultaneous existence of agr -ON and agr- OFF cells), driven by subpopulations that never activated or switched to agr -OFF despite constant stimulation. Combining homologous and heterologous AIPs, AIP‑IV suppressed pre‑activated agr -I, while AIP-I had no inhibitory effect on agr ‑IV, indicating asymmetric cross‑inhibition. In spatially segregated cocultures, diffusional crosstalk resulted in four reproducible agr -interaction regimes, stable-dominance, stable-, delayed-, or unstable-dual-activation, determined by agr -type pairing and influenced by genetic background. Our approach links single-cell signaling to population outcomes and uncovers agr- type-specific asymmetries with potential consequences for strain competition and virulence.

GPR3 Ligands Discovered through Combined Virtual and Conformational Biosensor-Based Screening