Browse Articles

Efficient extracellular expression and rapid screening of human-like recombinant gelatin in Komagataella phaffii

Biosynthesis of the Red Algal Diterpene Peyssonnosol in Bacteria

Abstract Two diterpene synthases (DTSs) for peyssonnosol and peyssonnosol B were discovered in bacteria. Their enzyme mechanisms were investigated through isotopic labelling experiments, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and site‐directed mutagenesis, yielding biosynthetically related molecules that gave important insights into the terpene cyclisation cascade. In the present case, several mechanisms in line with the isotopic labelling experiments could be formulated. Only an extended experimental approach in combination with computational chemistry ultimately resulted in a refined mechanistic model.

Randomized clinical trial for pop titrated versus the slow coagulation cyclophotocoagulation in treating dark irises neovascular glaucoma

Monitoring and investigation to control the brain network disease under immunotherapy by using fractional operator

Comparing soil microbial diversity in smallholder plantain backyard gardens and main farms in Western and Central Africa

Anion‐Dominated Calendar Aging in Aqueous Zinc Metal Batteries

Abstract Zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) are promising candidates for large‐scale energy storage. While the majority of current research focuses on cyclic aging, the impact of calendar aging on zinc anodes has received far less attention. Here, we reveal that zinc deposition morphology, governed by anion chemistry, plays a decisive role in calendar degradation by amplifying interfacial corrosion and accelerating “dead” zinc accumulation. Notably, intrinsic corrosion rates alone do not predict degradation severity; for instance, triflate anion shows low corrosion but induces highly porous deposits and rapid aging. To address this, we propose a comprehensive electrochemical descriptor to quantify deposition morphology beyond traditional morphological characterization. Moreover, we introduce an acetatization strategy that tailors Zn 2+ solvation and promotes dense plating, effectively suppressing side reactions and “dead” zinc formation. This approach effectively curbs calendar degradation, yielding nearly a 49‐fold improvement in capacity retention. Under demanding conditions (6 h aging intervals per cycle), practical anode‐free Cu||ZnI 2 cells (ca. 3 mAh cm −2 ) exhibit high cycling stability, maintaining 96.2% of their initial capacity over 1000 h. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of zinc anode degradation and offer a viable route to address calendar aging in ZMBs.

Fire susceptibility assessment in the Carpathians using an interpretable framework

Abstract Climate change endangers the Carpathian region by increasing the risk of fires. In response, our study provides a harmonised dataset with twenty-seven variables and develops an interpretable machine learning-based framework for assessing fire susceptibility across all seven countries of the region. We applied a two-stage process: first, using various feature selection techniques to refine predictors before the modeling phase, and second, utilising the SHAP framework to interpret model predictions. Between these steps, advanced machine learning models were optimised and trained in the H2O environment, demonstrating high predictive accuracy. Our findings revealed eight fire susceptibility clusters. The resulting dataset, susceptibility maps, and detailed interpretative insights serve as a valuable resource for local communities and policy-makers in the region.

CT changes in a randomized trial comparing early therapies in an outpatient population at high risk of severe COVID19 disease

European countries policy responses against SARS-Cov-2 in the context of vaccinations

Abstract Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are essential tools for containing or mitigating the spread of a novel virus until vaccination becomes available. Given their well-known side effects, NPIs should be employed only as long as necessary and largely replaced by population immunity through vaccination. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, countries adopted various strategies for implementing NPIs and administering vaccinations. While differences in NPIs and vaccination strategies among countries have been descriptively illustrated, they have not yet been quantified. This study aims to quantitatively analyze the differences in NPIs across 10 European countries immediately after vaccinations became available.

Numerical and experimental analysis of muzzle brake thermo-mechanical load

Disparities in disease burden of congenital heart disease among 150,488 individuals in Western China

Ligand‐Mediated Activity of Cu ₄ Clusters Boosts Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction

Abstract Surface ligands play a crucial role in modifying catalytic environments and enhancing performance through various mechanisms. However, the multivariate synergistic mechanisms, dynamic evolution patterns, and universal design principles of ligand effects remain to be thoroughly investigated. Metal clusters, with their atomically precise structures, serve as ideal models for studying ligand regulation mechanisms. Herein, we synthesized two copper clusters of N,S‐bidentate ligand‐protected Cu 4 (PTI) 4 and Cu 4 (BTT) 4 featuring identical metallic core structures but distinct ligand architectures and evaluated their catalytic performance for the nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR). Notably, the Cu 4 (PTI) 4 cluster with stronger electron‐withdrawing ligands achieved near‐100% Faradaic efficiency at optimal potentials, significantly surpassing the Cu 4 (BTT) 4 . Through in situ characterization and theoretical calculations, we unveiled that enhancing the electron‐withdrawing capability of ligands induces alterations in the local microenvironment and electronic structure of metal active sites, thereby exerting positive impacts on electrocatalytic NO 3 RR performance.

Ready-made bodily sensations

Abstract Embodiment plays an important role in art engagement, yet it is unclear how expectations shape bodily sensations, especially when interacting with ready-made art. In this study, we investigated how expectations and the nature of images of everyday objects affect bodily sensations. We tested if bodily sensations changed depending on (1) whether the participants were told that everyday objects were from a Museum, Commercial or Mixed context and (2) the nature of the images, counterbalancing whether they were of ready-made art or not. To measure bodily sensations, we asked participants to self-report their feelings of activity getting stronger (activations) or weaker (deactivations) in their body by clicking on body silhouettes after viewing the images, a methodology called bodily sensation mapping (BSM). We found that bodily activity in the Chest and Upper Limbs areas was influenced by expectations induced by context only. At the same time, Head and Abdomen activations and Chest, Lower and Upper Libs deactivations were solely impacted by the image type. Our innovative Open Science approach to BSMs image analysis revealed how both context and image type were influenced by the activity type, contributing and enriching the ongoing debate regarding the uniqueness of art experiences and aesthetic cognition.

Introducing Steric Bulk Into Silylboranes: Enhanced Bench Stability and Novel Chemical Reactivity

Abstract Silylboranes are versatile intermediates in organic synthesis, and a wide range of structural variants of silylboranes have already been synthesized. However, the stability of silylboranes varies significantly, and their decomposition mechanism remains to be fully understood. Moreover, some silylborane motifs have not yet been applied as synthetic reagents due to their instability. To address this issue, we first investigated the decomposition mechanism of silylboranes in air and moisture using experimental and theoretical methods. We discovered that oxygenation by atmospheric oxygen is the major decomposition pathway, resulting in the formation of a borylsilylether, and that the introduction of a bulky silyl group suppresses this decomposition. Based on these results, we synthesized triisopropylsilyldimesitylborane ( i‐ Pr 3 Si–BMes 2 ), which exhibits high bench stability. Moreover, i‐ Pr 3 Si–BMes 2 reacts with carbon monoxide (CO), which is the first example of a reaction between a silylborane and CO. Further computational studies revealed that electronic effects, including hyperconjugation between the Si─B σ‐bond and C─O π*‐bond, are crucial for CO activation. Furthermore, we prepared a bench‐stable bissilylaminoborane by introducing triisopropylsilyl groups, providing a bissilylchloroborane upon hydrogen chloride treatment. These findings provide valuable insights into how steric and electronic effects can be used to optimize the balance between stability and reactivity in silylboranes.

DPP4-inhibition reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine production by alpha-beta and gamma-delta T cells in vitro and in the biliary atresia mouse model

Abstract Etiology and pathogenesis of biliary atresia (BA) remain elusive. Evidence points to a T cell mediated autoimmune response contributing to the disease by driving the ongoing hepatic inflammation. CD26, also known as dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP4), is an immunoregulatory protein also expressed on T-lymphocytes. We aimed to investigate the potential of pharmacological DPP4 inhibition on cytokine production of T cells and potential therapeutic benefits in experimental BA. We analyzed the expression and regulation of CD26/DPP4 on αβ and γδ T cells in mice suffering from rotavirus-induced BA. Enzymatic DPP4 activity in murine and human serum was examined. In cell cultures, lymphocytes were incubated with the DPP4-inhibitor Sitagliptin to study the effects of DPP4 inhibition on cytokine production. Clinical effects were assessed by intraperitoneal Sitagliptin injection of mice suffering from BA. Analyses included flow cytometry, qPCR, serum analysis and histological examinations. In mice suffering from BA, CD26/DPP4 was strongly expressed and upregulated on αβ and to an even greater extent on γδ T cells compared to healthy controls. DPP4-inhibition led to a dose-dependent suppression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and IFN-γ produced by Th1, Th17 and γδ T cells. Therapeutic administration of Sitagliptin in experimental BA led to reduced serum levels of GOT and Bilirubin as well as decreased hepatic infiltration with F4/80+ macrophages but had no effect on overall survival. In humans, serum DPP4-activity was upregulated in infants suffering from BA compared to healthy children. To our knowledge, this is the first time an upregulation of CD26 expression has been demonstrated for γδ T cells in the setting of an autoimmune inflammatory response. Mechanistically, we could demonstrate that DPP4/CD26 is upregulated on T cells in experimental BA and that pharmacological inhibition decreased their pro-inflammatory potential. However, this translated to only mild clinical benefits in the mouse model. Thus, although the protein appears to play a role in BA, further research is needed to elucidate the potential to serve as a therapeutic target.

Transition Metal Atom–Cluster Synergistic Modification with Tuned d‐band Center Imparts Longevous Potassium Metal Anodes

Abstract The tailored nucleation and growth of potassium metal over a current collector is essential to realize longevous potassium metal anodes. The commercial current collector lacks sufficient nucleation sites and fails to guide uniform deposition, underscoring the request for interfacial modulation maneuvers. Herein, we develop transition metal atom–cluster moiety decorated N‐doped hollow carbon nanosphere to modify the Al current collector. In a Fe model system, the Fe single atoms provide high surface energy and fast charge transfer, while Fe clusters serve as local electron reservoirs. This cooperative architecture manages to tune the d‐band center, accordingly promoting the potassium capture and minimizing the nucleation overpotential to merely 4 mV. Theoretical simulations and in situ microscopic/spectroscopic characterizations evidence that the synergistic modification markedly accelerates potassium plating/stripping kinetics, enabling prolonged symmetric‐cell cycling (approaching 3000 h) and stabilized full‐cell performance (0.022% decay rate per cycle over 2000 cycles). This strategy could be extended to other transition metals (e.g., Co, Ni, or Cu), offering a paradigm for atomic‐level interfacial engineering toward reversible alkali metal batteries.

Deep learning for survival prediction in triple-negative breast cancer: development and validation in real-world cohorts

Regiodivergent Photocatalytic Annulation for the Synthesis of <i>gem</i> ‐Difluorinated Cyclic Hydrocarbons

Abstract Regiodivergent synthesis is a powerful strategy for expanding chemical space. Given the significance of fluorine‐containing molecules in pharmaceutical sciences, a regiodivergent [3+2] cycloaddition of gem ‐difluorocyclopropyl urea to olefins and [1.1.0]‐bicyclobutanes was developed by employing cationic iridium complexes as photocatalysts under visible‐light irradiation. By properly selecting a counteranion of the photocatalyst and tuning the reaction conditions, each regioisomeric cyclic hydrocarbon with a defined gem ‐difluoromethylene disposition was directly assembled with high selectivity. Mechanistic elucidation revealed the critical relevance of the basicity of the photocatalyst counteranion to the regiochemical outcome. The reaction diverges depending on the intervention of deprotonation of the initially generated urea radical cation by the pairing anion to form the corresponding neutral radical; this not only governs the regioselective ring opening of the cyclopropane moiety but also modulates the relative reactivity of the two resulting terminal carbon radicals, thereby dictating the dominant pathway.

Length Ratio‐Driven Configurational Modulation of Heteroleptic Pd ₆ L ₆ L’ ₆ Cages

Abstract Biomolecular configurational modulation is essential for maintaining the stability and functionality of biological systems. Drawing inspiration from this natural phenomenon, we present a strategy to modulate the configurations of heteroleptic Pd 6 L 6 L' 6 cages by systematically varying the ligand length ratio ( r ). Although theoretical analysis suggests that these Pd 6 L 6 L' 6 assemblies could adopt up to 48 possible configurational isomers, we successfully modulated the thermodynamic preference between two dominant configurations (Type‐A and Type‐B) by implementing energetic differentiation through careful optimization of r . Specifically, the system exclusively forms Type‐A cages at r  = 1.0, whereas Type‐B becomes the predominant configuration when r  ≥ 1.4. Control experiments demonstrate that the introduction of bulky steric groups does not induce configuration changes. This research offers valuable insights and serves as a useful reference for the design and configurational modulation of heteroleptic cages.

An ensemble strategy for piRNA identification through hybrid moment-based feature modeling