Browse Articles

Synergistic Electron‐Proton Transfer Over In ₂ O ₃ /CuGa _0.5 S Z‐Scheme Heterojunction for Highly Selective CO ₂ ‐to‐CH ₄ Photoconversion

ABSTRACT Solar‐driven photoconversion of CO 2 and H 2 O into value‐added chemicals such as CH 4 remains a promising yet challenging strategy, hindered by inefficient charge separation and sluggish proton migration kinetics. Herein, an interfacial‐engineered Z‐scheme In 2 O 3 /CuGa 0.5 S heterojunction is designed to synchronize electron transfer with proton delivery. Utilizing Kelvin probe force microscopy, a direct Z‐scheme charge‐transfer pathway with electron accumulation on CuGa 0.5 S is identified. Electronic‐state modulation facilitating CO 2 activation is revealed by quasi‐ in situ XANES and operando XPS, while water dissociation is promoted by In–O sites on In 2 O 3 for continuous reactive H* supply. Preferential H* relocation to CuGa 0.5 S and coupling with *COOH intermediates are demonstrated by in situ DRIFTS and DFT calculations, through which continuous hydrogenation toward CH 4 is driven. Key intermediates are stabilized by synergistic interactions between adjacent components, resulting in significantly enhanced CH 4 selectivity and effectively suppressed competing H 2 evolution. Consequently, a CH 4 evolution rate of 319.2 µmol g −1  h −1 with approximately 100% selectivity is achieved over optimized In 2 O 3 /0.5CuGa 0.5 S in pure water. A mechanistic understanding of electron‐coupled proton transfer in photocatalytic CO 2 reduction is provided, offering an efficient pathway for advancing solar‐driven hydrocarbon production technologies.

Landscape configuration shapes cultural ecosystem service perception and interrelationships in the urban parks of Lhasa

Abstract A central challenge in sustainable urban design is quantifying how landscape spatial configuration influences public perception of cultural ecosystem services (CES), particularly in ecologically sensitive high-altitude regions. This exploratory study explored the relationships between landscape configuration and CES perception in Lhasa’s urban parks, adopting text mining of social media comments( $$n=3319$$ ), landscape pattern analysis, spatial mapping, and questionnaire validation. Six CES dimensions were identified, with significant variations in service provision across Parks. Statistical correlation analysis suggested that specific landscape metrics were meaningfully related to CES perception: the Largest Patch Index (LPI) exhibited a strong positive linear relationship with recreation perception ( $$R^2=0.713$$ ), while the Landscape Shape Index (LSI) showed a quadratic trend with aesthetic perception. Spatial analysis revealed distinct spatial patterns for each perceived service. Field surveys supported these exploratory linkages, with mean agreement scores ranging from 3.87 to 4.52 on a 5-point Likert scale. Correlation analysis among CES dimensions revealed negative associations indicative of perceptual interrelationships: Recreation was negatively associated with heritage and culture ( $$r=-0.75$$ ) and education ( $$r=-0.82$$ ), while heritage and culture and education were positively associated ( $$r=0.90$$ ), reflecting synergy. These findings suggest that landscape configuration shapes multidimensional CES perceptions through distinct pathways, forming spatial-functional interactions among perceived services. This study provides exploratory empirical evidence on the impact of landscape configuration on CES perception in high-altitude cities, reveals the interrelationships within perceived service bundles, and offering insights for Park design and management aimed at balancing diverse service needs.

The evolving landscape of CDK inhibitor use in breast cancer therapy and beyond

Cytosolic heat shock protein 90 is required for photoreceptor outer segment development and vision

Achieving near-theoretical strength and high elasticity in micrometer scale TiB2 ceramics

Abstract Achieving near-theoretical strength and elastic limits in crystalline solids remains challenging, yet defect sensitivity typically restricts such behavior to nanometer scale specimens. Here we report experimental evidence of near-theoretical strength and large elastic tensile strains in micrometer scale TiB 2 ceramics, produced in situ by eutectic solidification in steel. In situ bending of crystallographically oriented cantilevers, fixed end beams and C-shaped structures, combined with specimen specific finite element analysis, reveals tensile side stresses of tens of gigapascals and elastic strains up to 9%. Direct microscale tension shows that a large gauge volume exceeding 4 μm 3 sustains nearly uniform tensile stress of ~13 GPa without fracture before grip edge failure, providing a conservative lower bound tensile benchmark, while micropillar compression confirms high stress bearing capability. These results establish eutectic solidification as a scalable pathway to suppress strength limiting defects over micrometer scale volumes, extending near-theoretical ceramic strength beyond the nanoscale and enabling robust microarchitected components.

Ultrafast X-ray Pump–Probe Investigation of the Formation Dynamics of SiV Centers in Diamond

Analysis of the current situation of female induced abortion under China’s “three-child policy”

Objective To assess the changes in the characteristics of women undergoing induced abortion and their contraceptive choices before and after the implementation of the “three-child” policy, and to inform strategies for improving reproductive health services in China. Methods We conducted a retrospective comparative study at a tertiary maternity hospital in Fujian, China. Women who underwent induced abortion between 31 May 2019 and 30 May 2020 (pre-policy period) and those who underwent the procedure between 31 May 2023 and 30 May 2024 (post-policy period) were included. We used R software (version 4.3.2) to compare contraceptive use and method choices prior to the abortion, as well as the primary reasons for unintended pregnancy between pre- and post-policy periods. Results In the pre-policy period, non-use of contraception was the leading cause of unintended pregnancy (43.38%), primarily attributed to a perception of low pregnancy risk. Among contraceptive users, condoms were the most common method (26.47%). Post-policy, the rate of contraceptive non-use decreased to 32.19%. However, reliance on low-efficacy methods persisted, with condoms (43.49%) and withdrawal (23.51%) remaining predominant. Conclusion Non-use of contraception and reliance on low-efficacy methods remained the primary contributors to unintended pregnancies among women undergoing induced abortion both before and after the three-child policy. Higher educational attainment was associated with lower contraceptive failure risk. These findings underscore the urgent need to improve access to effective contraceptive methods and strengthen reproductive health education to reduce unintended pregnancies and safeguard women’s reproductive health.

Automatic emotional responses as a transdiagnostic risk and emotional control as a protective factor for adolescent psychopathology: a network analysis

Abstract Adolescence is a critical developmental period marked by heightened risk for emotion-related impulsivity (ERI), challenges in emotion regulation (ER), and mental health difficulties. Dual-process models propose that individuals respond to emotions either automatically or deliberately, with implications for mental health. We applied network analysis using a Gaussian Graphical Model to examine associations between automatic and deliberate emotional responses and symptoms of internalizing, externalizing, and thought problems in a general population of adolescents from south-east Norway ( N  = 918; Mage = 13.97, SD = 0.93, range = 12–18; 54.60% female). This cross-sectional study relied on self-report. Automatic ER and ERI nodes exhibited the most connections with symptom nodes across internalizing, externalizing, and thought problems. The strongest association linked limited access to ER strategies with feeling down and depressed. Deliberate ER nodes were also interconnected with symptoms, the strongest association showing more emotional control being linked to less feeling bad or not liking oneself. Several nodes demonstrated many or strong connections with other nodes within and across their groupings (i.e., strength and bridge centrality, respectively). Findings suggest that responding automatically may reflect a transdiagnostic risk factor and emotional control may serve as a protective factor, and these may be particularly useful targets in intervention and prevention efforts. Future studies are needed to determine causality.

Dual tumour–myeloid targeting of glioblastoma with GPNMB CAR-T cells

Abstract Glioblastoma is a lethal brain tumour for which current multimodal treatment rarely prevents recurrence 1 . Therapeutic failure is driven by extensive intratumoural cellular heterogeneity 2 with a microenvironment dominated by tumour-associated macrophages that sustain tumour growth and immunosuppression 3 . Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies are being developed for glioblastoma, sustained response has been undermined by non-uniform antigen expression, antigen loss and microenvironmental barriers that are not directly engaged by tumour-targeting designs 4 . These limitations motivate new strategies that address the disease as a coupled tumour–immune system rather than a single malignant compartment. Here we use a multi-omic target discovery platform to identify GPNMB as a dual-compartment antigen in glioblastoma. Anti-GPNMB CAR-T cells showed potent anti-tumour activity, with long-term disease control in orthotopic patient-derived xenografts and syngeneic glioma models through concomitant depletion of GPNMB + tumour and immunosuppressive myeloid populations. By collapsing tumour control and microenvironmental reprogramming, these findings provide a new strategy for antigen selection and targeting in heterogenous, myeloid-rich solid cancers.

A prokaryotic-like cardiolipin synthase is essential to maintain mitochondrial function, lipid homeostasis, and survival of the blood stage malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Molecular basis for depsipeptide HDAC inhibitor combinatorial biosynthesis

Abstract Polyketides and nonribosomal peptides are important natural product classes with wide-ranging medical and agricultural applications. The analogous enzymatic logic employed by bacterial modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) and nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) enables the assembly of hybrid products. One important group of polyketide-nonribosomal peptide hybrids is exemplified by the HDAC-targeting drug romidepsin. This group is assembled by combinatorial biosynthesis involving fusion of a conserved Zn 2+ -binding pharmacophore to a variable peptide-based cap. Here, we use gene proximity searching to identify the FR-901375 biosynthetic gene cluster in Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. piscium DSM 21509. Comparison of the PKS-NRPS encoded by this gene cluster with those assembling related depsipeptide HDAC inhibitors suggests an unusual subunit docking modality enables interaction between the conserved pharmacophore and variable cap biosynthetic machineries. This hypothesis is validated using crosstalk assays, mutagenesis, AlphaFold predictions, and carbene footprinting, providing insight into the evolution of mechanisms for hybrid polyketide-nonribosomal peptide combinatorial biosynthesis.

Synthesis of Unusually High Valent Perovskite Oxide from the Highly Oxidized Coprecipitation Precursor

Double DQN-based secrecy energy efficiency and fairness performance in IRS-assisted NOMA systems with friendly jamming

Faced with the challenge of increasing energy consumption and the need for sustainability in 6th generation (6G) wireless communication networks, this paper investigates the secrecy energy efficiency (SEE) and user fairness performance in an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS)-assisted non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system in the presence of a friendly jammer and a passive eavesdropper over THz-Rician channels. We formulate both optimization objectives: maximizing the system’s total SEE and maximizing the maximum-min SEE to guarantee fairness for the worst-case user. Additionally, Jain’s fairness index is used to quantitatively evaluate the SEE balance among users. To solve these problems, we apply a Double Deep Q-Network (Double DQN)-based SEE of our proposed system model to jointly optimize power allocation and IRS phase shifts. This proposed approach enables efficient learning of optimal policies in dynamic environments without requiring explicit knowledge of the channel distribution. Furthermore, conventional Deep Q-Netowrk (DQN) and random allocation strategies are also implemented for comparison with Double DQN. Simulation results are presented for both IRS-assisted NOMA and OMA (orthogonal multiple access) systems to highlight the advantages of NOMA in terms of the secrecy-energy trade-off and spectral efficiency. Finally, the effects of system essential parameters, such as transmitted power, the number of IRS elements, atmospheric absorption coefficients, and the passive eavesdropper’s position, are examined. These simulation results show that the proposed Double DQN-based scheme significantly outperforms DQN and random methods in both SEE maximization and fairness enhancement, and that the NOMA system outperforms the OMA system. These findings confirm that the proposed model provides a basis for deploying a secure, energy-efficient, and sustainable wireless communication for future 6G networks.

Specific Ion Effects of Chaotropic and Superchaotropic Anions Probed by Raman Hydration‐Shell Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT Chaotropic ions enhance protein solubility and the associated Hofmeister effects are widely used in biotechnology and materials science. However, the characterization of the recently discovered class of superchaotropic borate cluster anions remains incomplete, limiting their rational application. Using Raman multivariate curve resolution spectroscopy, we measured the O─H stretching vibrational frequencies of hydration‐shell water molecules surrounding both conventional and superchaotropic anions. For conventional monoanions, we observed dangling O—H bands in their hydration‐shell spectra, whose vibrational frequencies increase with chaotropicity and follow the trend Br − < I − < ClO 4 − , BF 4 − < PF 6 − . This affords a useful molecular‐spectroscopic scale for ion classification and differentiation from kosmotropic and hydrophobic solutes. In contrast, superchaotropic dodecaborates (B 12 X 12 2− , X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I) emerged as significant outliers: their dangling O─H frequencies do not exceed those of classical chaotropes, despite displaying more pronounced chaotropic properties (such as salting‐in effects) and they show an opposing trend along the halogen series. These deviations were attributed to higher charge and charge screening in solution which affect ion‐water interactions to a different extent depending on the X substituents. These effects compete with general chaotropicity trends and affect the hydration pattern.

Impact of peer‑led education on sexual health outcomes among female sex workers in Arak, Iran

Functional roles for FEN1 phosphate steering residues in multi-step substrate verification prior to reaction

The Riemann Hypothesis manifested in dynamical quantum phase transitions

Visualizing Millisecond Atomic Dynamics of Nanocrystals in Liquid

Thymidylate synthase inhibitory drugs induce p53-dependent pathways differently

Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a key enzyme in thymidylate biosynthesis and an established target of chemotherapeutics such as 5-fluoro-2’-deoxyuridine (5FdUR) and raltitrexed (RTX). Inhibition of TS disrupts the dUTP:dTTP balance, leading to uracil misincorporation, triggering futile base excision repair cycles, DNA strand breaks, and ultimately cell death. Interestingly, when the main uracil-DNA repair pathway is inhibited, treatment with TS-inhibitory drugs still leads to cell death. Beyond its catalytic role, TS also binds RNA, autoregulating its own translation and interacting with transcripts such as p53 and c-Myc, thereby linking TS activity to broader post-transcriptional regulatory networks. These interactions, together with regulation by miRNAs and lncRNAs, suggest that TS inhibition may provoke cellular responses extending beyond DNA metabolism. To explore these mechanisms, we investigated the transcriptomic effects of TS inhibition with either 5FdUR or RTX in wild-type HCT116 and two HCT116-derived cell lines with different capacities in base excision and mismatch repair pathways. Both drugs induced DNA damage responses yet displayed distinct transcriptional signatures. A strong 5FdUR-biased induction of mRNAs corresponding to p53-related pathways was detected in all cell lines and further validated with qPCR and Western blot. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation coupled to sequencing revealed direct RNA partners of TS, highlighting its possible post-transcriptional regulatory role. Our findings underscore the multifaceted impact of TS inhibition, linking enzymatic disruption to RNA-level regulation and revealing drug-specific differences in cellular responses.

Optimization design and numerical simulation of cross-passage intersection angles in high-altitude super-long tunnels