Erdafitinib diminishes LPS-mediated neuroinflammatory responses through NLRP3 in wild-type mice.

Introduction: Erdafitinib is an FDA-approved inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) that is used clinically to treat metastatic urothelial cancer. FGFR activation is involved in proinflammatory responses, but the potential effects of FGFR inhibitors like erdafitinib on neuroinflammatory responses in the brain have not been fully established.

Methods: The effects of pretreatment with 1 μM or 5 μM erdafitinib on proinflammatory responses induced by 1 μg/mL or 200 ng/mL LPS were evaluated in BV2 microglial cells.

Polyelectrolytes as a Stable and Tunable Platform for Triboelectric Nanogenerators.

Polyelectrolytes (PEs) provide a versatile material system for improving the efficiency and stability of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs). Compared to conventional ionic liquids (ILs), which suffer from leakage, environmental instability, and limited durability, PEs feature covalently tethered ionic groups that enable precise tribopolarity control while preventing unwanted ion migration. By systematically varying polymer backbones and ionic compositions, including two polycations and three polyanions, tunable triboelectric behavior is demonstrated using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and TENG output measurements.

Role of Conjugated Structure of Cross-linkers in Patterned QLEDs.

Direct optical lithography is a promising method for the high-resolution patterning of colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) in optoelectronic devices. However, this approach requires photo-cross-linkers that ensure strong chemical binding without degrading CQD ligands, while also supporting efficient charge transport. In this study, we compare two cross-linkers, 4,4'-thiobisbenzenethiol (TBBT) and biphenyl-4,4'-dithiol (BPDT), to evaluate their impact on CQD optoelectronic performance.

Synergistic Piezo- and Triboelectricity in a Novel Triglycine Sulfate/Bacterial Cellulose/Chitosan Flexible Composite Nanogenerator.

Organic piezoelectric materials offer sustainable alternatives for mechanical energy harvesting (MEH), yet their potential remains underexplored compared to inorganic counterparts. This study pioneers the use of triglycine sulfate (TGS), a rarely studied organic piezoelectric, within a flexible three-phase composite with bacterial cellulose (BC) and chitosan (CS) for piezoelectric (PENG) and triboelectric (TENG) nanogenerators. Unlike widely researched systems, TGS's unique hybrid organic-inorganic nature is leveraged here for the first time in MEH.

Direct Optical Lithography Using Diazirine Cross-Linker for Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diodes and Enhancing Photoluminescence Quantum Yield through Post-treatment.

The precise patterning of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) is essential for fabricating high-resolution subpixels in optoelectronic devices, including quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). However, conventional photolithographic methods using photoresists often result in QD swelling, pattern distortion, and degradation of the optical properties. To overcome these limitations, we propose a direct optical lithography (DOL) approach without a photoresist, utilizing 4-(3-trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3-yl)benzoic acid (TDBA) as a carbene cross-linker.

ATP stimulates appetite by enhancing the expression of hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptides.

Hypothalamic neuropeptides play a pivotal role in regulating appetite and energy homeostasis. Extracellular ATP, a key signaling molecule in the hypothalamus, is associated with neuronal activity and metabolic processes. However, its role in appetite control remains unclear.

Open Frameworks Materials for Nitrogen Electrofixation to Ammonia, Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives.

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction (eNRR) offers a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to the conventional Haber-Bosch process for ammonia (NH) synthesis, operating under mild conditions with reduced environmental impact. Open framework materials (OFMs), encompassing covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have emerged as highly promising candidates due to their modular structures, tunable porosity, and adaptable functionalities. This review summarizes recent advancements in OFMs for eNRR, focusing on strategies for selection and design of active centers, regulation of porous structure, and conductivity enhancement strategy, as well as surface functionalization and interface engineering.

Intermetallic Platinum-Calcium Alloy Breaks the Activity-Stability Trade-Off in Fuel Cell for Enhanced Performance.

The realization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) as a replacement for combustion engines and batteries in transportation applications demands a catalyst that is not only active but also highly stable throughout the vehicle's longevity. Alloys of platinum with alkaline earth metals have been identified to be active and highly stable owing to their high vacancy formation energies, but their synthesis in nanoparticle form has proven challenging, which discourages most researchers from exploring this area. In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and PEMFC test of platinum-calcium (PtCa) nanoparticles prepared through the solution phase technique are reported.

Antiviral effects of heme oxygenase-1 against canine coronavirus and canine influenza virus in vitro.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Emerging evidence shows that HO-1 also exhibits antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and Ebola virus. Its antiviral effects are mediated not only by its enzymatic function but also through the modulation of interferon-related pathways, thereby inhibiting viral replication.

Unlocking the Oxygen Evolving Activity of Molybdenum Nickel Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Efficient Water Splitting.

Earth-abundant transition metal-based catalysts with exceptional bifunctionality for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are greatly desired. Alloyed catalysts, such as molybdenum-nickel (MoNi), are known to demonstrate enhanced HER activity, yet suffer from low OER performance. To realize improved functionality, elemental doping can be an effective approach, giving rise to synergistic interactions between incorporated metal species, optimizing surface adsorption of target intermediates, and promoting reaction.

Exploring the frontier: nonlinear optics in low dimensional materials.

Nonlinear optics, the study of intense light-matter interactions, traditionally uses bulk materials like LiNbO for device fabrication. However, these materials face challenges such as limited nonlinear susceptibility, large dimensions, and phase matching issues, limiting compact and integrated devices. Recent research has illuminated that a variety of low-dimensional materials exhibit markedly stronger nonlinear optical responses than their bulk counterparts.

Nucleoporins cooperate with Polycomb silencers to promote transcriptional repression and repair at DNA double-strand breaks.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are harmful lesions and major sources of genomic instability. Studies have suggested that DSBs induce local transcriptional silencing that consequently promotes genomic stability. Several factors have been proposed to actively participate in this process, including Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1).

Unveiling Formation Pathways of Ternary I-III-VI CuInS Quantum Dots and Their Effect on Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation.

Understanding the formation mechanisms of semiconductor nanocrystal quantum dots (QDs) is essential for fine-tuning their optical and electrical properties. Despite their potential in solar energy conversion, the synthesis processes and resulting properties of ternary I-III-VI QDs remain underexplored due to the complex interplay among their constituent elements. Herein, the formation mechanism of ternary I-III-VI CuInS QDs is investigated, and a direct correlation between their synthesis pathways and photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation performance is established.

Advanced Atomic Layer Modulation Based Highly Homogeneous PtRu Precious Metals Alloy Thin Films.

Atomic layer modulation (ALM) presents a novel approach for controlling the stoichiometry of platinum-ruthenium (PtRu) alloys rather than a tedious atomic layer deposition (ALD) supercycling multielement ALD process. This method sequentially pulses dimethyl-(N,N-dimethyl-3-butene-1-amine-N)platinum (CHNPt, DDAP) and tricarbonyl(trimethylenemethane)ruthenium [Ru(TMM)(CO)] precursors with O as a counter reactant at 225 °C to produce ALM-PtRu bimetallic alloys at the nanoscale. By smartly adjusting precursor pulsing times and temperatures, the average surface composition during growth can be modulated, achieving precise control over the PtRu alloy stoichiometry.

The Role of TDP-43 in SARS-CoV-2-Related Neurodegenerative Changes.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been linked to long-term neurological effects with multifaceted complications of neurodegenerative diseases. Several studies have found that pathological changes in transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) are involved in these cases. This review explores the causal interactions between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and TDP-43 from multiple perspectives.

Subregion-specific suppression of dopamine D1 receptor expression prevents L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a debilitating motor complication that develops following prolonged L-DOPA therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Aberrant activation of dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) signaling in D1-type/direct pathway medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of the striatum plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of LID. We previously characterized DRD1 signaling in seven striatal subregions and found that upregulation of DRD1 signaling in the intermediate/caudal part (IC) is associated with LID in a mouse model of PD.

Identification of potential Abl kinase inhibitors using virtual screening and free energy calculations for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Abl kinase, particularly the Bcr-Abl fusion protein, is a critical driver of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and remain significant therapeutic target in hematologic malignancies. Although first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as Imatinib have revolutionized CML treatment, resistance due to kinase domain mutations (e.g.

DYRK1A modulates fear memory formation via epigenetic modification.

Fear memory formation is crucial for survival, with the hippocampus playing a central role. This study investigates the behavioral and molecular aspects of fear memory formation, focusing on Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1 A (DYRK1A), a protein known to be critical for cognitive functions. Our results demonstrate that DYRK1A expression in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons is downregulated after contextual fear conditioning (CFC).

Directional deficits in reactive postural control during perturbations among groups of chronic ankle instability, ankle sprain coper, and healthy control.

Unanticipated postural control measures may better identify mechanisms of ankle sprains in real-life situations. The purpose of this study was to identify directional deficits in reactive postural control during unanticipated horizontal perturbations among groups of chronic ankle instability (CAI), ankle sprain coper, and healthy control. Sixty-eight volunteers (24 CAI patients, 23 ankle sprain copers, and 21 healthy controls) participated in this study.

Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica for Efficient CO Capture: Stability, Performance, and Industrial Feasibility.

Amine-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have emerged as promising materials for efficient CO capture, offering high adsorption capacities, reusability, and environmental benefits. These materials exhibit significant potential in addressing global challenges related to sustainable energy transitions and carbon management. However, their widespread industrial application is hindered by challenges such as amine leaching, thermal degradation, and scalability.

Recent progress in the synthesis of nanostructured TiCT MXene for energy storage and wastewater treatment: a review.

MXene-based functional 2D materials hold significant potential for addressing global challenges related to energy and water crises. Since their discovery in 2011, TiCT MXenes have demonstrated promising applications due to their unique physicochemical properties and distinctive morphology. Recent advancements have explored innovative strategies to enhance TiCT into multifunctional materials, enabling applications in gas sensing, electromagnetic interference shielding, supercapacitors, batteries, water purification, and membrane technologies.

The NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia regulates repetitive behavior by modulating NMDA glutamate receptor functions.

Neuroinflammation is a well-established risk factor for various neurological disorders and cognitive decline. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking inflammation with neuropsychiatric symptoms remain unclear. Here, using NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing protein 3) conditional knockin (cKI) mice harboring a D301N point mutation originating in patients with autoinflammatory diseases, we found that activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by administration of lipopolysaccharide induced anxiety-like and repetitive behaviors frequently found in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as increasing NMDAR (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor)-mediated excitatory synaptic functions in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice.

Intrinsically-Stretchable and Patternable Quantum Dot Color Conversion Layers for Stretchable Displays in Robotic Skin and Wearable Electronics.

Stretchable displays are essential components as signal outputs in next-generation stretchable electronics, particularly for robotic skin and wearable device technologies. Intrinsically-stretchable and patternable color conversion layers (CCLs) offer practical solutions for developing full-color stretchable micro-light-emitting diode (LED) displays. However, significant challenges remain in creating stretchable and patternable CCLs without backlight leakage under mechanical deformation.

Adenosine transmission from hypothalamic tanycytes to AGRP/NPY neurons regulates energy homeostasis.

Tanycytes are a pivotal component of the hypothalamic network that controls energy homeostasis. Despite their importance, the regulatory mechanisms governing tanycyte-neuron interactions in response to metabolic signals remain unexplored. Here we report that adenosine signaling between tanycytes and AGRP/NPY neurons is crucial for tanycytic metabolic regulation mediated by translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO).

EphB2 receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated excitatory synaptic functions are negatively modulated by MDGA2.

MDGA2 is an excitatory synapse-specific suppressor that uses distinct extracellular mechanisms to negatively regulate various postsynaptic properties. Here, we identify EphB2, an excitatory synapse-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, as a new binding partner for MDGA2. The first three immunoglobulin domains of MDGA2 undergo cis-binding to the ligand-binding domain of EphB2, enabling MDGA2 to compete with Ephrin-B1 for binding to EphB2.