Unified contact layer and low-temperature transient liquid phase interconnection for high-performance all-Mg-based thermoelectric devices.

Thermoelectric technology enables direct conversion of untapped low-grade waste heat into electrical energy. Mg₃(Sb, Bi)₂ and MgAgSb, with their excellent thermoelectric performance near room temperature, have emerged as cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to Bi₂Te₃-based materials. However, the development of high-performance Mg-based thermoelectric devices faces significant challenges due to the inherent high chemical reactivity and volatility of Mg elements, coupled with the phase transition-induced degradation of thermoelectric properties in MgAgSb, which collectively led to poor interfacial contacts and device integration.

Superior electron transport in the single-crystalline TiCoSb-based half-Heuslers.

Half-Heuslers emerged as promising candidates for medium- and high-temperature thermoelectric power generation. However, polycrystalline half-Heuslers inevitably suffer from the defect-dominated scattering of electrons that greatly limits the optimization of their electronic properties. Herein, high-quality TiCoSb-based single-crystals with a dimension above 1 cm have been obtained.

Targeting Tiam1 Enhances Hippocampal-Dependent Learning and Memory in the Adult Brain and Promotes NMDA Receptor-Mediated Synaptic Plasticity and Function.

Excitatory synapses and the actin-rich dendritic spines on which they reside are indispensable for information processing and storage in the brain. In the adult hippocampus, excitatory synapses must balance plasticity and stability to support learning and memory. However, the mechanisms governing this balance remain poorly understood.

Realizing Ultrahigh Conversion Efficiency of ≈9.0% in YbCdSb/MgSb Zintl Module for Thermoelectric Power Generation.

Recently, YbCdSb-based Zintl compounds have been widely investigated owing to their extraordinary thermoelectric (TE) performance. However, its p orbitals of anions that determined the valence band structure are split due to crystal field splitting that provides a good platform for band manipulation by doping/alloying and, more importantly, the YbCdSb-based device has yet to be reported. In this work, single-phase YbCdZnSb is successfully obtained through precise chemical composition control.

Plasticity in single-crystalline MgBi thermoelectric material.

Most of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are inorganic semiconductors. Owing to the directional covalent bonding, they usually show limited plasticity at room temperature, for example, with a tensile strain of less than five per cent. Here we discover that single-crystalline MgBi shows a room-temperature tensile strain of up to 100 per cent when the tension is applied along the (0001) plane (that is, the ab plane).

CALPHAD accelerated design of advanced full-Zintl thermoelectric device.

Since thermoelectric materials have different physical and chemical properties, the design of contact layers requires dedicated efforts, and the welding temperatures are distinctly different. Therefore, a general interface design and connection technology can greatly facilitate the development of thermoelectric devices. Herein, we proposed a screening strategy for the contact materials based on the calculation of phase diagram method, and MgNi has been identified as a matched contact layer for n-type MgSb-based materials.

Realizing a Superior Conversion Efficiency of ≈11.3% in the Group IV-VI Thermoelectric Module.

GeTe-based materials exhibit superior thermoelectric performance, while the development of power generation devices has mainly been limited by the challenge of designing the interface due to the phase transition in GeTe. In this work, via utilizing the low-temperature nano-Ag sintering technique and screening suitable Ti-Al alloys, a reliable interface with excellent connection performance has been realized. The Ti-Al intermetallic compounds effectively inhibit the diffusion process at Ti-34Al/GeSbTe interface.

Performance boost for bismuth telluride thermoelectric generator via barrier layer based on low Young's modulus and particle sliding.

The lack of desirable diffusion barrier layers currently prohibits the long-term stable service of bismuth telluride thermoelectric devices in low-grade waste heat recovery. Here we propose a new design principle of barrier layers beyond the thermal expansion matching criterion. A titanium barrier layer with loose structure is optimized, in which the low Young's modulus and particle sliding synergistically alleviates interfacial stress, while the TiTe reactant enables metallurgical bonding and ohmic contact between the barrier layer and the thermoelectric material, leading to a desirable interface characterized by high-thermostability, high-strength, and low-resistivity.

Motor-Cognitive Interventions May Effectively Improve Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a syndrome that occurs in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease. Early intervention can be effective in preventing Alzheimer's disease, but further research is needed on intervention methods. To identify interventions that are more suitable for Chinese characteristics and to investigate the effects of motor-cognitive intervention on the cognitive functions of older adults with MCI, we screened 103 community-dwelling older adults with MCI aged 65 years and older in Qingdao, Shandong, China; divided them into an intervention group and a control group; and administered a motor-cognitive intervention to the intervention group for 12 weeks.

The Rac-GEF Tiam1 Promotes Dendrite and Synapse Stabilization of Dentate Granule Cells and Restricts Hippocampal-Dependent Memory Functions.

The dentate gyrus (DG) controls information flow into the hippocampus and is critical for learning, memory, pattern separation, and spatial coding, while DG dysfunction is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite its importance, the molecular mechanisms regulating DG neural circuit assembly and function remain unclear. Here, we identify the Rac-GEF Tiam1 as an important regulator of DG development and associated memory processes.

Dynamic control of excitatory synapse development by a Rac1 GEF/GAP regulatory complex.

The small GTPase Rac1 orchestrates actin-dependent remodeling essential for numerous cellular processes including synapse development. While precise spatiotemporal regulation of Rac1 is necessary for its function, little is known about the mechanisms that enable Rac1 activators (GEFs) and inhibitors (GAPs) to act in concert to regulate Rac1 signaling. Here, we identify a regulatory complex composed of a Rac-GEF (Tiam1) and a Rac-GAP (Bcr) that cooperate to control excitatory synapse development.

Phytoestrogen alpha-zearalanol inhibits atherogenesis and improves lipid profile in ovariectomized cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Although favorable effects of estrogen replacement therapy on atherosclerosis have been recognized, the benefit versus risk of estrogen replacement on overall cardio- vascular health remains controversial. The main adverse effect jeopardizing the clinical usage of estrogen is the increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Zearalenone (ZEN) is a universal endogenous hormone possessing estrogen-like effects and facilitating plant growth.

Alpha-Zearalanol, a phytoestrogen for cardiovascular therapy.

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is one of the most challenging issues women and their physicians have to face. Clinical and epidemiological studies have provided conflicting data regarding the cardiovascular benefit versus risk in women using ERT. Although ERT may improve several risk factors of coronary heart disease such as favorable changes in lipid profile, an associated increased incidence of uterine and breast tumors has jeopardized the clinical use of ERT.