Degradation of LiNiMnO Cathodes in the PFSI Ionic Liquid Electrolyte and Carbonate Electrolytes.

LiNiMnO (LNMO) is a promising material for the cathode of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs); however, its high operating voltage causes stability issues when used with carbonate battery electrolytes. Ionic liquids are a viable alternative to conventional carbonate solvents due to their thermal stability and electrochemical window. This work reports the performance of LNMO/Li half cells with an ionic liquid electrolyte (ILE) composed of 0.

Three-Step One-Pot Photocatalytic Oxidation of Feedstocks and Organocatalytic Sequential Cascade to Access Enantioenriched α-Aminonitriles.

A three-step, one-pot, sequential cascade starting from simple feedstocks to increase complexity toward value-added chiral synthetic building blocks is reported. This is achieved by precisely integrating organic photocatalysis and noncovalent organocatalysis, often operating at dissimilar conditions and reaction media. In particular, this strategy is used to enable the direct transformation of readily available benzylic substrates, such as methylbenzenes, benzyl alcohols, or amines, into enantioenriched α-aminonitriles by benzylic CH photooxidation to their corresponding aldehydes, followed by in situ imine formation and final asymmetric organocatalytic Strecker reaction.

Mitigating Silicon Amorphization in Si-Gr Anodes: A Pathway to Stable, High-Energy Density Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries.

Silicon-Graphite (SiGr) blended anodes represent a promising approach for enhancing the energy density of commercial Li-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the ≈300% volume change of the silicon component during lithiation and delithiation induces significant mechanical stress, leading to particle cracking and pulverization that compromise electrode stability. This study presents the first evidence of controlled Si lithiation in Si-rich blended anodes, where a crystalline silicon (c-Si) core remains unreacted while the outer shell undergoes complete amorphization.

Unveiling the therapeutic potential of phenolic compounds from Boletus edulis in osteoarthritis treatment.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a joint disease characterized by inflammation, cartilage degeneration, and pain. Recent studies have focused on the potential of active phenolic compounds as a treatment for OA, owing to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chondroprotective effects. Specifically, Boletus edulis (BE) extracts, a natural product from mushrooms, have been shown as significantly active compounds against oxidative stress and inflammation.

Biomimetic Apatite Nanoparticles and Microcrystalline Tyrosine as Biocompatible Vaccine Adjuvants: Performance in a Bluetongue Virus Sheep Model.

Aluminum oxyhydroxide (AlOOH) is the most widely used vaccine adjuvant, but its known adverse effects prompt the finding of other, safer alternative adjuvants. This study compares in sheep the global performance and safety of vaccine prototypes against bluetongue virus (BTV) formulated with AlOOH, biomimetic apatite nanoparticles (ApNPs), and microcrystalline tyrosine (MCT). Five groups of 6 sheep were included in the study: control, BTV serotype 4 alone, and BTV-4 combined either with AlOOH, ApNPs, or MCT.

Medial arterial calcification in ageing and disease: current evidence and knowledge gaps.

Medial arterial calcification (MAC) characterizes human arterial ageing, potentially remaining clinically silent for decades. However, in susceptible individuals and patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, it becomes a critical risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it is a significant risk factor for chronic limb-threatening ischaemia and limb amputation. A key biological feature of MAC pathogenesis is the phenotype switching of vascular smooth muscle cells, ultimately responsible for the deposition of hydroxyapatite crystals and the progressive medial layer destruction associated with intimal thickening.

Near-Infrared Light-Accelerated Bioorthogonal Drug Uncaging and Photothermal Ablation by Anisotropic Pd@Au Plasmonic Nanorods.

Selective activation of chemotherapeutics at the tumor site via bioorthogonal catalysis is a promising strategy to reduce collateral damage to healthy tissues and organs. Despite significant advances in this field, targeted drug activation by transition-metal catalysts is still limited by insufficient spatiotemporal control over the metal-mediated uncaging process. Herein, we report the development of anisotropic Pd@Au plasmonic nanorods with the capacity to accelerate dealkylation reactions under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, thereby enabling precise control over when and where these catalytic devices are switched on.

Dynamic regulation of and its correlation with Neuregulin1 expression in acute and chronic nerve injury.

Regulators of G Protein Signaling (RGS) form a gene family that modulates G protein-coupled receptor signaling by enhancing the GTPase activity of the Gα-GTP complex, effectively inhibiting G protein-dependent signal transduction cascades. While RGSs are expressed across many organs, including the central nervous system, few data are available for the peripheral nervous system (PNS). To investigate potential links between RGS and PNS, open-access single-cell RNA sequencing datasets were analyzed, focusing on mice intact sciatic nerves and distal stumps at 3 and 9 days post-transection.

Scaffold-Adaptive P450 Enzymes Balance Substrate Promiscuity with Catalytic Specificity in Brassicicene Biosynthesis.

We investigated the functional plasticity of two P450 enzymes, AbnK and AbnG, in the brassicicene biosynthetic pathway. Through heterologous expression, feeding assays, and reactions, we show that these enzymes regio- and stereoselectively transform both 5-8-5 and 5-9-5 terpenoid scaffolds in different ways, supported by computational simulations. AbnK also bridges a missing step in brassicicene A biosynthesis.

Ultrasound-Enhanced Gelation of Stimuli-Responsive and Biocompatible Phenylalanine-Derived Hydrogels.

Stimuli-responsive materials, particularly supramolecular hydrogels, exhibit a dynamic adaptability to external factors such as pH and ultrasound. Among these, phenylalanine (Phe)-derived hydrogels are promising due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable properties, making them ideal for biomedical applications. This study explores the effects of pH and ultrasound on the gelation properties of -substituted Phe derivatives, with a primary focus on the role of ultrasound in optimizing the gelation process.

Toward the Controlled Synthesis of Nanostructured Si and SiO Anodes for Li-Ion Batteries via SiO Magnesiothermic Reduction Reaction.

Nanostructured SiOx (0 ≤ ≤ 2) materials are key for boosting energy density in next-generation Li-ion battery anodes, with the magnesiothermic reduction reaction (MgTR) emerging as a scalable pathway for their production from nanoporous SiO. In MgTR, SiO reacts with Mg at moderate temperatures to form Si and MgO, enabling the preservation of nanostructured features. However, the widespread application of MgTR is hindered by the strong influence of reaction parameters on process dynamics, which leads to the uncontrolled formation of multiple byproducts that not only reduce the Si yield but also require the use of hazardous hydrofluoric acid (HF) for their removal, hampering the synthesis of SiO due to HF's reactivity with SiO.

Novel cisplatin-magnetoliposome complex shows enhanced antitumor activity via Hyperthermia.

There are several methods to improve cancer patient survival rates by inducing hyperthermia in tumor tissues, which involves raising their temperature above 41 °C. These methods utilize different energy sources to deliver heat to the target region, including light, microwaves or radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. We have developed a new, magnetically responsive nanocarrier, consisting of liposomes loaded with magnetic nanoparticles and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP), commonly known as Cisplatin.

A Novel Multicompartment Barrier-Free Microfluidic Device Reveals the Impact of Extracellular Matrix Stiffening and Temozolomide on Immune-Tumor Interactions in Glioblastoma.

The immune system plays a crucial role in shaping the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment, characterized by its complexity and dynamic interactions. Understanding the tumor-immune crosstalk is essential for advancing cancer research and therapeutic development. Here, a novel multicompartment, barrier-free microfluidic device is presented that overcomes the limitations of existing models by enabling direct tumor-immune interactions without physical barriers, preserving natural immune cell infiltration.

Preclinical evaluation of polymer encapsulated carbon-based nano and microparticles for sentinel lymph node tattooing.

Selective sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNLB) is the standard method for detecting regional metastases in breast cancer patients. Identifying affected axillary lymph nodes before neoadjuvant treatment is crucial, as such treatment may alter drainage pathways and lymph node morphology, hindering the identification of sentinel lymph nodes. The use of carbon-based tattooing on sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) has been employed as a permanent tattooing method in clinical studies of Targeted Axillary Dissection (TAD), aiding in the SLN identification during surgery.

Impact of mixed Staphylococcus aureus-Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm on susceptibility to antimicrobial treatments in a 3D in vitro model.

Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the most common bacteria co-isolated from chronic infected wounds. Their interactions remain unclear but this coexistence is beneficial for both bacteria and may lead to resistance to antimicrobial treatments. Besides, developing an in vitro model where this coexistence is recreated remains challenging, making difficult their study.

A Spontaneous Magnetic Moment in an Organic Radical: Synthesis and Characterization of Benzodioxepinyl-1,3,2-dithiazolyl.

The synthesis of the 1,3,2-dithiazolyl radical () derived from 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,5-benzodioxepine is described. Crystals of were grown by vacuum sublimation and adopt the orthorhombic space group . DC SQUID magnetometry reveals Curie-Weiss behavior for > 20 K ( = 0.

Biological Properties of Extract on Caco-2 Cells: Antioxidant, Anticancer, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects.

(BE) is a mushroom well known for its taste, nutritional value, and medicinal properties. The objective of this work was to study the biological effects of BE extracts on human colon carcinoma cells (Caco-2), evaluating parameters related to oxidative stress and inflammation. In this study, a hydroethanolic extract of BE was obtained by ohmic heating green technology.

Guidelines for communicating commensurate magnetic structures. A report of the International Union of Crystallography Commission on Magnetic Structures.

A report from the International Union of Crystallography Commission on Magnetic Structures outlining the recommendations for communicating commensurate magnetic structures.

Evaluation of gelatin-based hydrogels for colon and pancreas studies using 3D cell culture.

Biomimetic 3D models emerged some decades ago to address 2D cell culture limitations in the field of replicating biological phenomena, structures or functions found in nature. The fabrication of hydrogels for cancer disease research enables the study of cell processes including growth, proliferation and migration and their 3D design is based on the encapsulation of tumoral cells within a tunable matrix. In this work, a platform of gelatin methacrylamide (GelMA)-based photocrosslinked scaffolds with embedded colorectal (HCT-116) or pancreatic (MIA PaCa-2) cancer cells is presented.

Detection of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) by Interrupted Energy Transfer.

The ubiquitous presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aqueous environments has aroused societal concern. Nonetheless, effective sensing technologies for continuous monitoring of PFAS within water distribution infrastructures currently do not exist. Herein, we describe a ratiometric sensing approach to selectively detect aqueous perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at concentrations of μg ⋅ L .

Synthetic Control of the Defect Structure and Hierarchical Extra-Large-/Small-Pore Microporosity in Aluminosilicate Zeolite SWY.

The SWY-type aluminosilicate zeolite, STA-30, has been synthesized via different routes to understand its defect chemistry and solid acidity. The synthetic parameters varied were the gel aging, the Al source, and the organic structure directing agent. All syntheses give crystalline materials with similar Si/Al ratios (6-7) that are stable in the activated K,H-form and closely similar by powder X-ray diffraction.

Hydrosaline balance evolution of an irrigated zone: The case of Lerma basin (Spain, 2004-2020).

Geologically saline zones with scarce pluviometry are areas susceptible to salinization of their natural drainage. However, the salinization of the receiving water systems can be accelerated with the implementation of irrigation. This work aims to analyze the effects of irrigation on some zones transformed into irrigation land, from the beginning of the process until its complete consolidation.

Geochemical modeling of systems affected by irrigation: The case of Lerma basin (Spain, 2004-2020).

Geologically "saline" zones with scarce pluviometry, which are already susceptible to the salinization of natural drainage, can experience the acceleration of the salinization of the receiving water systems with the implementation of irrigation. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the geochemical processes that control the variations of the hydrosaline balance due to the implementation of irrigation of the Lerma basin (Spain) from the beginning of its transformation into irrigation land (2004) until the consolidation of irrigation (2020). The results of this study evidence the dissolution of some mineral phases, such as halite, gypsum, and dolomite, and the precipitation of others, such as calcite.