Microenvironment-Programmed siRNA-Based Hydrogel for Spatiotemporal Gene Silencing in Wound Healing.

Excessive inflammation and overexpressed matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are significant factors in the prolonged healing of chronic diabetic wounds. Here, a precise gene therapy strategy is proposed utilizing siRNA and employing intelligent responsive materials for controlled release to mechanistically intervene in the pathological process of chronic non-healing wounds. The system employs a cationic hyperbranched aminoglycoside with disulfide bonds (SS-HPT) as its core delivery mechanism.

Enhancement of sulforaphene stability via hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based solid dispersions: exploiting hydrophobic cavities and hydrogen bonding-mediated water sequestration.

Sulforaphene (SFE) is a bioactive isothiocyanate, known for its cancer-preventive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. However, the application of SFE is severely limited by its poor stability. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), an amphiphilic carbohydrate polymer, has potentials to enhance the stability of SFE and the loading capacity.

Quaternary-ammonium chitosan/Sericin-modified carbon nanotubes Photothermal coatings: A reusable and sustainable chemical-free seed disinfection strategy.

The increasing global demand for food and the adverse environmental impacts of excessive agrochemical use highlights the urgent need for sustainable and scalable seed treatment technologies. This paper reports a novel photothermal seed coating (QC@SCCNTs) with high biocompatibility, exceptional photothermal efficiency, and notable reusability, serving as an effective alternative to conventional chemical treatments. The coating consists of sericin-functionalized carboxylated carbon nanotubes (SCCNTs) electrostatically complexed with quaternary ammonium chitosan (QC), forming a composite film (QS film).

Novel Enterococcus phage BUCT630: Isolation and genomic insights targeting drug-resistant Enterococcus faecium in vitro and in vivo.

The antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) is a significant health issue requiring alternative therapies. Phages could be an alternative to antibiotics and have promising activity in both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Pre-ionization assisted synthesis of tailored magnesium‑aluminum bimetallic metal-organic framework-derived carbon with controlled layer spacing and porosity for performance supercapacitor and sodium-ion battery.

Precise control of particle size, pore size distribution, and carbon layer spacing under green and low-energy conditions is critical for developing advanced carbon electrodes for supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, we proposed a new strategy to prepare an MgAl bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOF) via a pre-ionization strategy, effectively avoiding harsh conditions and using organic solvents in hydrothermal synthesis. By fine-tuning the Mg/Al ratio and pyrolysis conditions, the particle size, pore size distribution and carbon layer spacing of rod porous carbon (RPC) were precisely adjusted.

Seismic random noise separation and suppression based on improved variational mode decomposition via grey wolf optimization.

Seismic noise separation and suppression is an important topic in seismic signal processing to improve the quality of seismic data recorded at monitoring stations. We propose a novel seismic random noise suppression method based on enhanced variational mode decomposition (VMD) with grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm, which applies the envelope entropy to evaluate the wolf individual fitness, determine the grey wolf hierarchy, and obtain the optimized key elements K and α in VMD. Then, the decomposed effective intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are extracted to separate and suppress random noises.

Synergistically Enhanced NiCo(OH)@NiS Heterojunction Catalyst for High-Performance Ethanol Electrooxidation.

Coupling the ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR) with the hydrogen evolution reaction is an effective way to obtain green energy. Although Ni-based catalysts have the characteristics of low cost and good stability, meanwhile, the activity needs to be further improved. Here, we report a Ni-based heterojunction EOR catalyst, NiCo(OH)@NiS, composed by two phases of NiS and NiCo(OH).

Synergistic Cu-based catalysts with multiple active sites for high-efficiency Li-CO batteries.

The lithium-carbon dioxide (Li-CO) battery is a promising energy storage technology that integrates CO utilization with energy storage and conversion. However, its development is hindered by slow reaction kinetics and insulating LiCO discharge products deposited at the cathode, which cause severe polarization and rapid capacity degradation. Herein, novel Cu-based catalysts with multiple active sites anchored on nitrogen-doped carbon (Cu/NC) are developed to achieve highly efficient Li-CO batteries.

Environmental Drivers of Phytoplankton Structure in a Semi-Arid Reservoir.

Artificial reservoirs in arid regions provide unique ecological environments for studying the spatial and functional dynamics of plankton communities under the combined stressors of climate change and anthropogenic activities. This study conducted a systematic investigation of the phytoplankton community structure and its environmental drivers in 17 artificial reservoirs in the Ili region of Xinjiang in August and October 2024. The Ili region is located in the temperate continental arid zone of northwestern China.

Arriving at ultralow wear using cellulose/two-material composites.

The development of environmentally friendly solid lubricants with exceptional wear resistance is imperative to address the escalating environmental concerns and performance limitations of conventional lubricants in demanding tribological applications. This study systematically investigated the wear resistance of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)/tungsten disulfide (WS)/graphene composites under normal applied loads (2 and 4 N) and varying solid lubricant contents (stoichiometric ratios of 0.2 referred to as CWG-0.

Ta-doped NiFe layered double hydroxide for efficient alkaline water oxidation at ampere-level current with 2000 h durability.

Electrochemical water splitting offers a sustainable strategy for hydrogen production, yet the kinetic sluggishness of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to high activation barriers remains a critical challenge. NiFe layered double hydroxide (NiFe LDH) is a promising OER catalyst in alkaline media, but its performance suffers from limited active site exposure and insufficient durability. Herein, the rational design of a Ta-doped NiFe LDH (NiFeTa LDH) were achieved a facile hydrothermal method.

Silver-Based Nanozyme Hydrogel with Enhanced Multienzyme Activity for Infected Wound Treatment.

Highly effective antibacterial wound dressings are essential for improving the treatment of infected wounds. This study constructs a nitrogen-doped carbon-based silver single-atom/nanoparticle composite carrier (2% Ag-NC) and anchors it in a cationic guar matrix (CG) to develop a smart dressing with synergistic antibacterial-healing-promoting function. Benefiting from the doped Ag, the triple enzyme catalytic efficiencies of oxidase, peroxidase, and glutathione peroxidase are enhanced.

Turbulent Flow-Driven Synthesis of Graphene-Skinned Boron Nitride Heterostructures for Dendrite-Free Potassium Metal Batteries.

Potassium metal batteries are considered as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. However, their practical development is hindered by the insufficient capacity output and persistent dendritic proliferation at the anode side. Here graphene-skinned hexagonal boron nitride powder is demonstrated synthesized via fluidized bed-chemical vapor deposition, realizing conformal growth of layer-controlled graphene (5-90 layers) over h-BN with atomically coupled heterointerfaces.

Interfacial Li Diffusion Booster Accelerated by Enhanced Metal-Organic Framework Sieving and Wettability for High-Voltage Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid-state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) are promising for realizing higher energy density. However, the poor interfacial Li transport kinetics and Li dendrite growth inhibit SSLMBs, leading to sluggish interfacial ion diffusion and depressive lifespan, which is attributed to high barriers blocked by anions or interface space in solid-state electrolytes. Herein, a flexible solid-state polymer skeleton employed with ionic liquid and metal-organic frameworks (PIM) electrolyte is proposed to strengthen interfacial Li ion exchange by improving the Li sieving effect and interfacial wettability.

Glucose-responsive hydrogel with adaptive insulin release to modulate hyperglycemic microenvironment and promote wound healing.

The hyperglycemic microenvironment contributes to the prolonged healing of diabetic wounds by impeding angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and migration. Insulin, a prevalent blood glucose-lowering pharmaceutical agent, has demonstrated the capacity to facilitate diabetic wound healing. Nevertheless, the optimal therapeutic concentration for its direct application at the wound site remains ambiguous.

Multi-wavelength diffractive optical neural network integrated with 2D photonic crystals for joint optical classification.

Optical neural networks (ONNs) have demonstrated unique advantages in overcoming the limitations of traditional electronic computing through their inherent physical properties, including high parallelism, ultra-wide bandwidth, and low power consumption. As a crucial implementation of ONNs, on-chip diffractive optical neural network (DONN) offers an effective solution for achieving highly integrated and energy-efficient machine learning tasks. Notably, wavelength, as a fundamental degree of freedom in optical field manipulation, exhibits multidimensional multiplexing capabilities that can significantly enhance computational parallelism.

Hierarchical Pd Nanoclusters/CuCoAl-LDH/Graphene Catalyst: Pd-CuO Synergistic Enhancement Effect for Highly Improved Reduction of Nitro Compounds.

A series of Pd nanocluster (PdNC) catalysts -PdNCs/CuCoAl(O)/rGO- (: Pd loading (= 0.04-0.24 wt %), = 260-340 °C) are synthesized by loading water-soluble captopril-protected PdNCs on CuCoAl-layered-double-hydroxide/reduced-graphene-oxide using electrostatic adsorption followed by proper calcinations.

Polymerase-based DNA reactions for molecularly computing cancerous diagnostic valences of multiple miRNAs.

Conventional miRNA-based diagnostic methods often treat all biomarkers equally, overlooking the fact that each miRNA contributes differently to disease classification. This differential diagnostic importance is captured by the concept of Cancerous Diagnostic Valence (CDV)-a metric that quantifies both the direction (oncogenic or protective) and magnitude of each miRNA's association with cancer. Here, we introduce a polymerase-based DNA molecular computing system that directly encodes and integrates CDVs to perform weighted molecular classification of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Enhancement of Free Fatty Acids Production in Using the CRISPR/Cas9-Based Base Editor.

is a promising cell factory to produce various value-added chemicals, including fatty acid derivatives. However, their metabolic engineering development has been hindered by the limited availability of genetic tools. In this study, an accurate and specific gene-editing tool, CRISPR/Cas-based cytidine base editor (CBE) system, was developed for the first time in to broaden its genetic toolbox.

pH-Responsive carrier-free nanoparticles based on teicoplanin and borneol for enhanced MRSA infectious wound healing.

Bacterial infections severely threaten human health, and the drug resistance induced by long-term high-dose antibiotic use is a critical issue, which necessitates new antibacterial strategies. In this study, pH-responsive carrier-free nanoparticles (BF-TEI NPs) are fabricated based on the Schiff-base bonding between the hydrophilic antibiotic teicoplanin (TEI) and the hydrophobic antibacterial borneol 4-formylbenzoate (BF). Self-assembled BF-TEI NPs enable synchronous release of BF and TEI in infected sites for synergistic antibacterial effects acidic microenvironment-triggered Schiff-base bond cleavage.

Theoretical Study on an Excited-State Copper-Catalyzed [4 + 1] Cyclization Reaction for the Construction of α,β-Unsaturated-γ-Lactams via an Oxidative Radical-Polar Crossover Mechanism.

The reaction mechanism of the excited-state copper-catalyzed cascade synthesis of α,β-unsaturated-γ-lactams from aroyl chlorides, acrylamides, and -hexanol has been systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The reaction consists of four elementary steps: initiation of aroyl radical formation from aroyl chlorides by the excited-state Cu-Complex; subsequent radical relay between the aroyl radical and acrylamides leading to C-C bond formation; coupling of the C-N bond through the activation of N-H bond/coordination site migration facilitated by a Cu-Complex resulting in the formation of a five-membered ring scaffold; and then the functionalization of the γ-C of lactam to introduce alkoxy or hydride groups is achieved through electrophilic substitution. The single-carbon atom insertion is realized by the radical relay and copper-catalyzed radical polar cross-coupling strategy.

Selectively Modulating the Donor and Acceptor Aggregation Behaviors Through Solid Additive Isomerization Engineering for Organic Solar Cells Exceeding 20% Efficiency.

Regulating the film morphology is essential for achieving high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs). Given the distinct features of donor and acceptor materials, designing solid additives to selectively control the aggregation behaviors of them represents a key strategy for further development of OSCs. Herein, a series of bithiophene isomers solid additives (2,2-TT, 2,3-TT, and 3,3-TT) are designed for film morphology regulation.

Polymer Nanoparticles Enable Self-Adaptive Soft Interface for Vitrimer Elastomer Nanocomposites.

Reconciliation of the elasticity, reinforcement, and recyclability in elastomer nanocomposites (ENCs) remains challenging, primarily due to the energy losses of the friction at polymer-nanoparticle interfaces and the permanent covalent cross-linking. Here, a self-adaptive soft interface strategy is introduced, using modulus-tuned polymer nanoparticles (PNPs) as reinforcement agents and interfacial chemical cross-linking sites within a vitrimer elastomer matrix. Such a framework promotes synergistic deformation of the PNPs with the matrix chains during mechanical deformation to minimize energy dissipation.

Dual Doping of Ruthenium and Iridium in Octahedral Sites of Spinel CoO Nanoflowers for Enhanced PEM Water Electrolysis.

In acid proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE), exploring highly active and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts remains a great challenge. Herein, a durable Ru and Ir co-doped spinel cobalt oxide (RuIr-CoO) nanoflower electrocatalyst with low precious metal loading (Ru 2.7 wt% and Ir 0.

Silicone-Based Thermoplastic Elastomer with Stable Interface Interaction Based on Polymerization-Induced Phase Separation.

The rubber-plastic blend thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) have become a significant research topic due to their excellent performance, combining the strength of plastics and the elasticity of rubbers. However, for highly incompatible systems such as silicone-based TPEs (Si-TPEs), achieving a finely tuned and controllable phase morphology remains a significant challenge. In this study, a thermoplastic polyurethane/silicone rubber thermoplastic elastomer (TPU/SiR TPE) was prepared via polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS), with silicone rubber (SiR) as the dispersed phase and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as the continuous phase, which possessed a fine phase morphology, flexible formulation, and performance tunability.