Browse Articles

Correction for Manthey et al., Rapid growth and the evolution of complete metamorphosis in insects

Circular RNA‐Based Molecular Computation Enhances Plasma Biomarker Detection in Biliary Tract Cancer

Abstract Molecular diagnosis of biliary tract cancer (BTC) remains a significant clinical challenge due to the lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools. Although large panels based on multi‐biomarkers have demonstrated potential in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, their clinical application is hindered by complexity and high costs. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a DNA‐based molecular computation system that integrates the detection of plasma circular RNAs (circRNAs) with molecular computation, enabling intelligent and rapid diagnosis of BTC. By identifying and validating a specific and small set of circRNA biomarkers that are differentially expressed in BTC patients, we designed a DNA computation framework that directly translates biomarker levels into diagnostic outcomes without the need of external analysis and interpretation. In a validation cohort of 70 individuals, our approach achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 83%, demonstrating its potential as a cost‐effective and efficient tool for rapid diagnosis of BTC. This work highlights the potential of molecular computation in enhancing integrated and rapid cancer diagnostics, paving the way for clinical implementation.

Engineered Biocatalyst for Enantioselective Hydrazone Reduction

Abstract Enantioselective reduction of hydrazones provides a convergent and versatile route to synthesize hydrazine‐containing motifs that are commonly found in pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. However, current methods require the use of precious metals, costly chiral ligands, and/or forcing reaction conditions. Here, we report the development of a biocatalytic approach for enantioselective hydrazone reduction using engineered imine reductases. Following evaluation of an in‐house panel of >400 IRED sequences, we identified a single IR361 I127F L179V variant that promotes reduction of Cbz‐protected hydrazones. The introduction of additional two mutations via directed evolution afforded HRED1.1 that is 20‐fold more active than the parent template and promotes reduction of a variety of protected hydrazones in high yields and selectivities (>99% e.e .), including in preparative scale biotransformations. Structural analysis of HRED1.1 provides insights into the origins of its unique hydrazone reductase activity. This study offers a powerful biocatalytic route to synthesize valuable chiral hydrazine products and further expands the impressive range of transformations accessible with engineered imine reductases.

Guideline for Analysis and Prevention of Contamination Catalysis

Abstract Over the last decades, numerous efforts have been made to replace metal catalysts with cheaper and earth‐abundant alternatives or to completely exclude metals from cross‐coupling reactions while maintaining high efficiency in the target transformation. However, follow‐up studies often revealed the role of metal impurities in the catalytic process. Thus, active metal impurities can lead to mechanistic misinterpretations, and these could initiate erroneous research directives and lead to severe reproducibility problems. Milestone precedents of the impurity effect in cross‐coupling reactions are well documented in the literature. Interestingly, this fallacy has reoccurred repeatedly over the years due to a lack of thorough mechanistic studies and appropriate research study schemes for identifying impurity effects. Herein, we propose a guideline to elucidate the real catalyst of future catalytic transformations, aiming to reveal the correct mechanism and help exclude the role of impurities in novel catalytic processes. Although this guideline mainly focuses on problems related to trace transition metals, it also offers the basis for more general catalyst research.

A Fluorine‐Free Organic/Inorganic Interphase for Highly Reversible Aqueous Zinc Batteries

Abstract Construction of robust solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs) has proved effective in mitigating dendrite growth and side reactions of zinc (Zn) anodes in aqueous electrolytes. Fluorinated SEIs, in particular, have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional electrochemical stability and high Zn 2+ conductivity. However, the formation of such SEIs typically relies on the use of fluorine (F)‐containing precursors, which inadvertently raise environmental and biological concerns because they show high resistance to degradation in natural environments. Herein, we develop an F‐free organic/inorganic hybrid SEI for aqueous Zn batteries using a low‐cost N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosamine (NAG) electrolyte additive. The NAG additive not only modulates the solvation structure of Zn 2+ but also preferentially adsorbs on the Zn anode to promote the in situ formation of a robust organic (Zn chelates)/inorganic (ZnS and ZnCO 3 ) hybrid SEI layer, thereby enhancing Zn 2+ de‐solvation kinetics and Zn plating/stripping reversibility. Consequently, the Zn anode exhibits a long‐term cycling over 6500 h at 0.5 mA cm ‒2 , a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.6% at 1 mA cm ‒2 , and greatly extended cycling stability in full cells (up to 2000 cycles). Our electrolyte design paves a promising avenue toward practical Zn batteries that combine performance, cost‐effectiveness, and eco‐friendliness.

Histidine‐Based “Transfer Stations” at Carbon‐Immobilized Metal Particles Enable Rapid Hydrogen Transfer for Efficient Formic Acid Dehydrogenation

Abstract The interaction of surface metal species with the solution plays a key role in engineering heterogeneous catalytic processes. Herein, we present the facile synthesis of L‐histidine‐coordinated PdAg nanoparticles (4.03 ± 0.08 nm) anchored on pristine carbon supports (denoted as PdAg‐NH 2 /C) and their use for formic acid dehydrogenation (FAD). Significant acceleration of FAD related to the histidine is observed, and the enhancement mechanism is experimentally and theoretically investigated. The presence of L‐histidine at metal sites promotes rapid binding of formic acid molecules due to acid–base interactions. The local enrichment of both protons and formate at the metal‐solution interfaces promotes the subsequent formate decomposition and hydride transfer to the metal surface. The as‐generated surface H species are more concentrated compared to the previously reported catalyst where the metal is loaded on an amino modified support, this enabling a significantly enhanced H 2 production. The optimal Pd 1 Ag 1 ‐NH 2 /C catalyst exhibits a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 6493.5 h −1 at 333 K based on the total amount of Pd, together with an H 2 selectivity of 100%. This study emphasizes the critical role of optimizing local transport pathways near catalytic centers chemically and further provides insights into the rational development of heterogeneous catalysts for FAD technologies.

Precise Engineering of Asymmetric Tri‐Active Sites by Symbiotic Strategy for Photocontrolled Directional Reforming of Biomass

Abstract Sunlight‐driven production of high‐value chemicals from renewable resources represents a pivotal driver toward achieving sustainable energy supply. However, fundamental barriers include inadequate use of light energy and insufficient understanding of reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulating mechanisms in photocatalytic processes. To address this, a novel symbiotic strategy for the design of Cu x /TiO 2 single‐atom catalysts (SACs) supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations was proposed. The developed catalyst achieved nearly 100% conversion and selectivity for the directional photooxidative transformation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF) or 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) under both vis‐light and UV–vis light conditions. Importantly, compared to previous works, this catalyst exhibited the highest photooxidation activity reported to date while effectively suppressing the over‐oxidation of HMF to CO 2 . Mechanistic investigations revealed that rational construction of Cu single‐atoms (SAs) could effectively create the asymmetric Cu–Ov–Ti structure, which significantly enhanced the activation of O 2 and HMF, facilitating generation of oxygen vacancy (Ov) and Ti 3+ . Furthermore, Cu SAs served as hole (h + ) extractors in the photooxidation process, promoting rapid charge carrier transfer and ROS formation. The applicability of this developed strategy was further demonstrated for photooxidative conversion of various bio‐feedstocks, including HMF and alcoholic substrates, indicating its great potential for harnessing light energy for sustainable valorization of biomass into high‐value chemicals.

Reply to Uveges et al.: The assumption of a time-constant emission factor leads to biased estimates of fossil fuel methane emissions

Correction for Jiang et al., Structural basis of the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor type 2 activation by LTD4

Sequence Control in Sulphur‐Containing Ring‐Opening Co‐ and Terpolymerisations

Abstract Sulphur‐containing polymers uniquely expand the catalogue of accessible material properties compared to current commodity materials, yet their synthesis remains underdeveloped. Combining sulphur‐ and oxygen‐containing monomers in ring‐opening copolymerisation leads to a reshuffling reaction of the sulphur centres, which has been challenging to control — a central task for reliably tailoring properties. However, very recent methodologies have emerged that not only suppress but also utilise this phenomenon to precisely access sulphur‐containing polymer structures. These structures can exhibit improved degradability, chemical recyclability, refractive indices and crystallinity compared to their all‐oxygen analogues. Furthermore, underutilised and even entirely untapped monomer feedstocks can become accessible as a result. This minireview aims to provide a roadmap of the tools currently available to selectively access sulphur‐containing co‐ and terpolymer structures to enable emerging applications that leverage the chemistry of sulphur.

Correction for Borovska and de Haas, Individual gaze shapes diverging neural representations

Pore Engineering in Isoreticular Titanium‐Isophthalate Coordination Polymers

Abstract Pore engineering through chemical environment modification is vital for developing industrial porous materials. Understanding the effects of substitutions in isoreticular porous coordination polymers—such as steric hindrance, vibrational capabilities, electronic influences, and hydropathy—is key to elucidating structure–property relationships. However, accurately assessing the impact of functional groups on properties remains challenging due to limitations in current methodologies. In this study, we designed a series of titanium‐isophthalate coordination‐polymers with various functional groups to regulate pore characteristics and structural dimensionality. The unique spatial arrangement and electronic distribution of isophthalate and its functional groups provide an ideal platform to address these challenges. We conducted extensive investigations combining experimental methods with computational simulations to explore how pore engineering affects adsorptive separation and photoresponsive behavior in these compounds. Our findings not only tackle the synthesis challenge of isostructural titanium‐coordination polymers but also offer new insights into understanding structure–property relationships achieved through modulation of their chemical environments.

Correction for Yang et al., Synonymous edits in the <i>Escherichia coli</i> genome have substantial and condition-dependent effects on fitness

Leaching‐Induced Ti Trapping Stabilizes Amorphous IrO <i> _x </i> for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Abstract Transition metal nitrides are promising conductive support materials in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), whereas it is unclear if their electrochemical oxidation during prolonged test would affect the OER catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate that the leaching‐induced Ti trapping effect from TiN supports effectively stabilizes the electrochemically oxidized amorphous IrO x catalyst. Structural characterizations reveal that the TiN support experiences severe leaching during OER test, leaving minor amounts of Ti–O species trapping on IrO x clusters, which mitigate the overoxidation of Ir(III) species and elongate the Ir–O bonds. This leads to 70% reduction of lattice oxygen oxidation and the substantially reduced Ir leaching. Additionally, self‐thickening of the catalyst layers is found during proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), enabling an ultralow catalyst loading of 87 µg Ir cm −2 to obtain a stable operation at 1.0 A cm −2 for 500 h. This work deepens the understanding of TiN‐supported catalysts for long‐term stable OER electrocatalysis.

The VIPR-1 trial (Visualizing Ischemia in the Pancreatic Remnant): Assessing the role of intraoperative indocyanine green perfusion in predicting postoperative pancreatic leaks and fistulas: Protocol for a phase II clinical trial

Surgery of the pancreas has come a long way since its inception; however, postoperative morbidity is still high. Pancreatic leaks and fistulas are common complications in patients undergoing surgery to remove the pancreas. Fistulas delay subsequent oncological care after surgery and prolong the hospital stay. Hypoperfusion of the pancreas has been proposed as one factor leading to fistulas. Indocyanine green (ICG) injection allows the surgeon to evaluate blood perfusion to tissue in real-time. This protocol describes a trial that aims to assess the effectiveness of intraoperative ICG metrics of the cut edge of the remnant pancreas to predict postoperative fistulas. A single group will participate in an observational, surgeon-blinded, phase II trial. ICG measurements of the cut edge of the pancreas will be recorded before reconstruction. International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery criteria for pancreatic fistula will be used to define leaks and fistulas. The study objective is to analyze the correlation between ICG measurements and the development or absence of both biochemical leak and clinically relevant fistula formation. Currently, limited objective intraoperative predictors exist for predicting postoperative fistulas. Having a reliable predictive tool could decrease the healthcare burden posed by fistulas. The findings of this trial will provide conclusions on the usefulness of ICG measurements in predicting postoperative pancreatic fistulas and leaks. This clinical trial is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the ID NCT06084013. The current protocol version is v1.1.

An Autonomously Liquefied Hydrogel Adhesive for Programmable Bioelectronic Interface

Abstract Hydrogel adhesives have many important applications in the fields of drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and bioelectronics. The detachment of hydrogel adhesives under the benign conditions is vital to the definitive surgical repair and implanted devices. Although stimuli‐mediated detachment of hydrogel adhesives has been achieved, it is still a grand challenge to develop a transient adhesive with programmable adhesion and autonomous detachment from the substrate, especially the hairy skins. Here, we report a transient hydrogel adhesive driven by antagonistic enzyme reaction networks for programmable bioelectronic interface. The transient hydrogel shows tunable mechanical properties, adjustable adhesive strength, and autonomous sol‐gel‐sol transition with a programmable lifetime. Moreover, the transient hydrogel adhesive enables conformable and stable adhesion to various materials. In particular, the bioelectrode coated by the transient hydrogel adhesive allows to record stable and high‐quality electromyogram, electrocardiogram, and electroencephalogram signals directly on the hairy skins without hair shaving. Notably, the autonomous liquefication of the hydrogel adhesives enables the easy removal of bioelectrode from hairy skins after usage without any noticeable damages to the hairy skins and electrode. This work paves a new avenue in the innovative development of hydrogel adhesives for the conformable and detachable bioelectronic interface.

Identification and mitigation of blood’s interference with the antimicrobial activity of AgNbO3 particles

The detrimental impact of blood on the antimicrobial activity of AgNbO3 particles was identified and investigated. It was observed that the impact is more severe in the case of lysed blood. The same phenomenon also operates in the case of commonly used silver salt, AgNO3. The inhibition was shown to be due to hemoglobin, but may be unrelated to the heme moiety. In an attempt to find additives to mitigate the inhibitory effect of hemoglobin, iron ions and the chelating agent, K2EDTA, were initially considered as potential candidates. Including ferric iron on the particles was shown to have a marginal effect, but supplying the medium with K2EDTA chelating agent, provided a better outcome for countering the deleterious impact of hemoglobin on AgNbO3 activity. These findings may be relevant for adapting the silver compounds to applications such as wound dressings, where silver’s antimicrobial action would have to take place in a blood containing environment.

The relationship between fibular head height and lower limb alignment deviation and severity after TKA for varus deformity knee osteoarthritis

Purpose To investigate the correlation between fibular head height and the deviation and severity of lower limb alignment after TKA in patients with varus deformity and knee osteoarthritis. Methods Based on the varus angle (γ = 10°), the sample was divided into two groups: &lt; 10° and ≥10°, The differences in fibular head height between the two groups of patients were analyzed using an independent samples t-test; The Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze the differences in fibular head height between genders. An unordered multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, and fibular head height on postoperative lower limb alignment; Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between fibular head height and varus angle, preoperative HKA angle, and postoperative HKA angle; A Multiple linear regression was performed to evaluate the effects of gender, age, height, weight, body mass index, fibular head height, preoperative HKA angle, and varus angle on the postoperative HKA angle. Results The sample was divided into two groups based on the varus angle: ≥ 10° and &lt;10°. The fibular head height was 8.1825 ± 2.72505 mm in one group and 9.2234 ± 2.68225 mm in the other group (p = 0.028 &lt; 0.05), which was statistically significant; The median fibular head height in females was 8.050 mm, compared to 10.645 mm in males (p &lt; 0.05), which was statistically significant. In the unordered multinomial logistic regression, with postoperative lower limb alignment (varus, valgus, neutral) as the dependent variable, In the unordered multinomial logistic regression with postoperative lower limb alignment as the dependent variable, Height, weight, and body mass index are influencing factors for postoperative lower limb alignment in patients with varus deformity knee osteoarthritis, affecting both varus and valgus alignment, while fibular head height is a significant factor for postoperative varus alignment. In the Pearson correlation analysis, fibular head height was positively correlated with postoperative HKA angle (r = 0.212, p &lt; 0.05). In the multiple linear regression with postoperative HKA angle as the dependent variable, fibular head height and preoperative HKA angle were identified as significant factors influencing the postoperative HKA angle (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions This study found that in patients with varus deformity knee osteoarthritis, a greater degree of varus was associated with a lower fibular head height. Additionally, the fibular head in female patients was positioned closer to the lateral tibial plateau compared to male patients. In varus deformity knee osteoarthritis, fibular head height is a risk factor for postoperative lower limb varus alignment following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients with a higher-positioned fibular head (lower fibular head height) are more likely to develop postoperative varus malalignment after TKA. Therefore, routine measurement of fibular head height is warranted in clinical practice for patients with varus deformity knee osteoarthritis.

Correction for Luo and Yu, NBS1 facilitates preribosomal RNA biogenesis

Exploring the Interplay of Lattice Dynamics and Charge Transport in Organic Semiconductors: Progress Toward Rational Phonon Engineering

Abstract Organic semiconductors (OSCs) have garnered significant attention due to their potential use in flexible, lightweight, and cost‐effective electronic devices. Despite their promise, the assembly of organic molecules into the condensed phase promotes a diverse set of lattice dynamics that introduce a detrimental modulation in the intermolecular electronic structure—termed dynamic disorder—that results in charge carrier mobilities that are orders of magnitude lower than inorganic semiconductors. This dynamic disorder is generally associated with low‐frequency phonons, yet whether a small subset of modes or a broad range of phonons  drives dynamic disorder remains contested. Resolving this debate is critical for defining how targeted phonon engineering could practically improve OSC performance. In this review, we explore progress toward uncovering the interplay between lattice dynamics and charge transport in OSCs, focusing on the critical role of thermally activated phonons. We describe the powerful insight that mode‐resolved analyses of electron–phonon interactions lends toward the rational design of new materials. We highlight recent efforts to achieve this, showcasing proposed strategies to mitigate dynamic disorder through molecular and crystal design. This work offers an overview of the insight gained toward understanding the fundamental mechanisms governing charge transport in OSCs and outlines pathways for enhancing performance via targeted manipulation of interatomic/intermolecular interactions and resulting phonon modes.