Directed Structural Evolution of Nickel Nanoparticles into Atomically Dispersed Sites for Efficient CO Electroreduction.

Electrochemical CO reduction (CORR) to carbon monoxide (CO) offers a sustainable pathway for carbon utilization, yet challenges remain in terms of improving selectivity and activity. Herein, we report a Ni/NC catalyst synthesized via a milling - pyrolysis method, in which Ni particles anchored on nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) are electrochemically activated under an Ar atmosphere, leading to their structural evolution into single-atom Ni sites. After activation in Ar atmosphere, the current density nearly doubles (from ≈30 to ≈60 mA cm), and concurrently, the Faradaic efficiency of CO stays at ∼90% with the potential set to -0.

[Expert consensus on local anesthesia application in pediatric dental therapies].

Dental treatments for children and adolescents have unique clinical characteristics that differ from dental care for adults in terms of children's physiology, psychology, and behavior. These differences impose specific requirements on the application of local anesthesia in pediatric dental procedures. This article presents expert consensus on the principles of local anesthesia techniques in pediatric dental therapies, including the use of common anesthetic drugs and dosage control, safety and efficacy evaluation, and prevention and management of complications.

Microfluidic Generation of Exosome-Mimetic Nanoparticles for Scalable Production and Enhanced Therapeutic Efficacy.

Exosomes are nanoscale lipid-bilayer vesicles that mediate intercellular communication by delivering bioactive molecules such as nucleic acids and proteins. Among them, exosomes derived from salivary gland epithelial stem cells (sgESC-Exos) exhibit antifibrotic effects in salivary gland models through the delivery of antifibrotic microRNAs, such as miR-1290 and miR-3162. However, their clinical translation is hindered by low production yield and particle heterogeneity.

The transcription factor ANAC053 confers aluminum tolerance via regulation of a cell wall modifying gene.

Cell wall modification alters plant resistance to aluminum (Al), although the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified the No Apical Meristem (NAM), Arabidopsis Transcription Factor 1/2 (ATAF1/2) and Cup-shaped Cotyledon 2 (CUC2) (NAC) transcription factor (TF) ANAC053 as crucial for Al resistance in Arabidopsis. (Arabidopsis thaliana) Al caused a concurrent increase in ANAC053 transcript and protein accumulation, and anac053 mutants were sensitive to Al, whereas transgenic lines overexpressing ANAC053 exhibited reduced Al sensitivity.

Fibrosis mechanisms and updates in potential therapeutic targets in systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare, multisystem autoimmune connective tissue disease characterized by microvascular dysfunction, inflammation, and progressive fibrosis. The pathogenesis of SSc is regulated by both epigenetic and genetic factors. Although the pathogenesis is being explored, treatment options, especially for fibrosis, remain limited.

A Review of Chitosan-Based Electrospun Nanofibers for Food Packaging: From Fabrication to Function and Modeling Insights.

Food is fundamental to human survival, health, culture, and well-being. In response to the increasing demand for sustainable food preservation, chitosan (CS)-based electrospun nanofibers have emerged as promising materials due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, and inherent antimicrobial properties. When combined with other biopolymers or bioactive compounds, CS-based nanofibers offer enhanced functionality for applications in food packaging, preservation, and additives.

Ultra-stable low-coordinated Pt/CeZrO ordered macroporous structure integrated industrial-scale monolithic catalysts for high-temperature oxidation.

Platinum-group metals (Pt) commonly used in thermal catalytic processes often suffer from catalyst deactivation, such as Pt sintering, Pt overoxidation, and Pt loss under high-temperature conditions. To address these, we present a novel Pt/CeZrO catalyst, featuring isolated Pt single atoms (Pt) on a CeZrO support with an ordered macroporous (OM) structure. Firstly, Zr-stabilized dynamic low-coordinated Pt releases more free d-electrons by reducing Pt-O bond occupation, thereby preserving peroxide activity at high temperatures and enhancing propane C-H activation.

Loss of sialic acid side-chain -acetylation exacerbates colitis.

Sialic acids (Sias) are a diverse family of nine-carbon backbone monosaccharides occupying terminal positions on cell surface and secreted glycans and are abundant at mucosal surfaces. Sias can be modified with -acetyl esters on the side chain (C7 to C9) hydroxyls. Structural analysis and functional studies of these modifications are challenging due to chemical lability and variable resistance to sialidases.

Enantioselective Access to Chiral Vicinal Diamines via Rhodium-Catalyzed Consecutive Reductive Amination/Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Quinoline-2-carbaldehydes with Anilines.

Rhodium-catalyzed one-pot tandem reductive amination/asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of quinoline-2-carbaldehydes with anilines using HCOH/NEt reductant has been developed for enantioselective synthesis of chiral ,'-diaryl vicinal diamines. The reaction tolerates various anilines and quinoline-2-carbaldehydes, affording chiral ,'-diaryl vicinal diamines in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). The enantiocontrol is achieved by the judicious selection of transition-metal catalyst, reductant, and additive.

Fungal frontiers in toxic terrain: Revealing culturable fungal communities in Serpentine paddy fields of Taiwan.

Serpentine soils are predominantly distributed along the Circum-Pacific margin and the Mediterranean, including eastern Taiwan. These soils are characterized by high levels of heavy metals, including nickel and chromium, and a low calcium-to-magnesium ratio, creating a unique environment that fosters microorganisms with specialized traits. In this study, culture-dependent isolation methods were used to elucidate the composition of culturable fungal communities in serpentine-characterized paddy fields in eastern Taiwan.

Chitinase 3-Like 1 Promotes Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Systemic Sclerosis via mTORC1 Signaling Pathway.

Objective: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complicated autoimmune connective tissue disorder. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) contributes to vasculopathy and fibrosis in SSc, yet its underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here, we determined the role and mechanism of chitinase 3-Like 1 (CHI3L1) in SSc EndoMT.

Mechanical and microstructural enhancement of coal gangue backfill using polypropylene fiber and silica fume.

The brittle failure characteristics of backfill materials have limited their engineering applications. Herein, we propose a novel synergistic enhancement strategy to improve these characteristics. We prepared coal gangue-based backfill material (SGBS-PsFs) using industrial solid waste carbide slag to activate coal gangue powder and slag, to which polypropylene fibers (PP) and silica fume (SF) were introduced for synergistic enhancement.

Oral Exposure of Arsenic-Contaminated Soils Triggers Hepatic Ferroptosis via Iron Dysregulation and Glutathione Metabolism Disruption: From Bioavailability to Mechanisms.

Unintentional ingestion of arsenic (As) from contaminated mining and smelting soil poses significant health risks, particularly to liver function. While As-induced hepatotoxicity is documented, the mechanisms linking oral exposure to liver damage remain poorly understood. In this study, we characterized As bioaccessibility through Solubility Bioaccessibility Research Consortium assays and determined its relative bioavailability using a mouse model.

Immunological determinants of pterygium pathogenesis: Mendelian randomization analysis of CD39 + CD8 + T cell proportions within the T cell compartment.

Pterygium is a common eye condition affecting populations in subtropical and tropical climates. Emerging research suggests immune cell imbalances play a critical role in ocular surface diseases, including pterygium. One immune cell subset of interest, CD39 + CD8 + T cells, has been linked to regulating inflammation in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

O-GlcNAcylation of YBX1 drives a glycolysis-histone lactylation feedback loop in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of tumorigenesis and progression, with alterations in glucose metabolism, often referred to as the Warburg effect, playing a central role. This shift allows tumor cells to rapidly acquire energy and generate essential metabolic intermediates, thereby supporting enhanced growth. Despite its significance, the mechanisms by which tumor cells upregulate glycolysis remain inadequately understood.

Agri-plastics in soils drive changes in the rhizosphere bacterial community and plant transcriptome in Arabidopsis.

Farmers use plastic mulching films to suppress weeds and protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses; however, these films can become a source of microplastics in ecosystems. To better understand how plastic film-derived microplastics influence the rhizosphere microbiome and plant health, we examined the effects of plastic residues on Arabidopsis thaliana grown in treated soils. Plastic residues (≥5 mm) were mixed with agricultural soils at 5% (w/w) and incubated at 25°C and 80% relative humidity in the dark for 120 days to allow microbial community stabilization.

Lumefantrine ameliorates DSS-induced colitis by targeting FLI-1 to suppress NF-κB signaling.

Background: Current therapeutic options for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain suboptimal due to limited efficacy, significant side effects, and high relapse rates, necessitating novel treatment strategies. Lumefantrine, a clinically established antimalarial drug, emerges as a compelling repurposing candidate based on its putative anti-inflammatory activity, though its efficacy and mechanism in IBD remain unexplored.

Methods: A murine IBD model was induced by 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

Unveiling the evolution of VIP1 subgroup bZIP transcription factors in plants and the positive effects of BdiVIP1A on heat stress response in Brachypodium distachyon.

Plant VIP1 subgroup bZIPs have been characterized, VIP1 orthologs were angiosperm-specific; BdiVIP1A localized in the nucleus and increased plant heat tolerance. In plants, group I basic region/leucine zipper motif (bZIP) transcription factors (TFs), particularly VIP1 and its close homologs (the VIP1 subgroup), play crucial roles in vascular development and osmosensory responses. However, the ancestral origins and evolutionary processes underlying their functional diversity across plant lineages remain poorly understood.

Enhancing Chiral Site Density in Covalent Organic Frameworks Enables Efficient SERS-Based Enantioselective Discrimination.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enables simultaneous molecular identification and chiral discrimination, yet its broader application is often restricted by the limited availability of robust, reproducible, and universally applicable chiral sensing platforms. Herein, we demonstrate that covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer a versatile platform for constructing stable and highly enantioselective SERS substrates. A three-dimensional chiral COF () was synthesized via a "two-in-one" strategy using a single enantiopure binaphthol-derived monomer bearing both aldehyde and amine functionalities.

Simulating procedural discovery in early language acquisition: Domain-general cognition with contextual learning.

We present a simulation study based on a cognitive architecture that unifies various early language acquisition phenomena in laboratory and naturalistic settings. The model adaptively learns procedures through trial-and-error using general-purpose operators, guided by learned contextual associations to optimise future performance. For laboratory-based studies, simulated preferential focusing explains the delayed behavioural onset of statistical learning and the possible age-related decrease in algebraic processing.

Steric-Electronic Synergy in Isopropyl-Tailored Electrolytes: Enabling Stable Interphases and Long-Cycling Lithium Metal Batteries via Terminal Isomerization.

The development of electrolytes that synergistically integrate moderate weak solvation, high oxidation stability, and low molecular weight remains a formidable challenge for lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs), as conventional chain-extension strategies often exacerbate ionic conductivity loss or fail to suppress α-hydrogen (α-H) oxidation. Herein, a terminal isomerization strategy is proposed to engineer 1,2-diisopropoxyethane (DIPE), an ether electrolyte featuring isopropyl termini that synergistically regulate steric-electronic effects. The branched isopropoxy groups 1) induce tailored steric hindrance to weaken Li⁺-solvent interaction (38.

Trimethylaminoethyl ester derivatization and stable isotope derivatization for enhanced analysis of fatty acids in biological samples by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Abnormal fluctuations in free fatty acids (FFAs) are associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, conducting a thorough analysis of individual FFAs via mass spectrometry has historically posed challenges due to their low ionization efficiency and the absence of distinctive fragment ions.

Results: In this study, we introduce a method utilizing paired stable isotope derivatization coupled with liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (ID-LC-QQQ-MS) for thorough identification and relative quantification of fatty acids in serum samples.

Research on the construction of corneal endothelium transplantation with acellular amniotic membrane as a scaffold.

Introduction: This study aimed to develop a human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM) scaffold suitable for corneal endothelial transplantation. The HAAM was engineered using sequential chemical treatments and physical agitation to remove cellular components while preserving the extracellular matrix structure. The study sought to evaluate the biocompatibility and functional properties of the HAAM when seeded with immortalized human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs), with the ultimate goal of providing a potential therapeutic option for corneal endothelial dysfunction.

Localized Delivery of the mRNAs Encoding CD47 Inhibitor and Interleukins 12, 15, and 21 Elicits Robust Antitumor Immunity.

CD47 inhibitors have emerged as promising candidates in cancer immunotherapy by activating macrophage phagocytosis through CD47/SIRPα signal blockade and enhancing dendritic cell antigen presentation. However, their clinical efficacy remains limited and is accompanied by severe side effects, including anemia and hemagglutination. To address these limitations, a localized delivery strategy is developed using lipid nanoparticles to encapsulate mRNA encoding a secreted CD47 inhibitor.