Understanding the Impact of Flow Fields on the Performance of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells: A Review on Design Trends.

Flow fields (FFs) play multifaceted roles in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) by facilitating the transport and distribution of species, removal of products, support to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), electrical conductivity, water, and thermal management. Therefore, the performance of DMFC is directly related to the pattern and geometry of the FF. DMFCs can generate power density of up to ≈100-300 mW cm; however, their performance is impeded by cathode flooding, CO gas bubbles formation, and mass transfer limitations.

Phenylbutyrate restricts murine β-coronavirus infectivity and limits virus-induced demyelination .

High morbidity and mortality associated with human β-coronavirus (CoV) infection highlight the need to determine host responses to infection and develop anti-viral therapies. Gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC), particularly involving Connexin43 (Cx43), is vital for maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, and disruption of GJIC is a well-documented pathogenic mechanism among β-coronaviruses. Specifically, murine β-coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV-A59) inoculation in the mouse brain causes acute-stage CNS viral spread and chronic neuroinflammatory demyelination while causing pronounced downregulation of Cx43 at the acute stage, reflecting a critical role in CNS pathology.

Correction: Esterase-induced release of a theranostic prodrug in lysosomes for improved therapeutic efficacy and lower systemic toxicity.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D5SC03783B.].

HFIP-Mediated Ring Opening of Bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes with Hydroperoxides for Diastereoselective Access to Peroxycyclobutanes.

A transition-metal-free ring opening of bicyclo[1.1.0]butanes (BCBs) using hydroperoxides as nucleophiles in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) resulting in the diastereoselective synthesis of peroxycyclobutanes under mild conditions with a broad scope is demonstrated.

Computational investigation of mutations in PfCRT and PfDHFR proteins for Emerging Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to Antimalarial drugs.

The emergence of multidrug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum poses a serious threat to antimalarial treatment, particularly with growing resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) and partner drugs like piperaquine. Mutations in key proteins, such as PfCRT (P. falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter) and PfDHFR (P.

Decoding the Interactions Between Antibiotics and Microplastics- Chemistry, Environmental Impacts, and Mitigation Approaches- A State-of-the-Art Review.

The coexistence of antibiotics (AB) and microplastics (MP) in the environment has led to the formation of AB-MP complexes, posing several ecological and public health challenges. This review explores the mechanisms driving AB adsorption onto MPs, including diverse interactions (hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, and ionic exchange) and their role in maintaining the persistence and mobility of the complexes. These complexes have been reported to serve as reservoirs/vectors for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), disrupt microbial communities, and enhance the bioavailability of ABs, thus posing various threats affecting biodiversity health and ecosystem stability.

Compartmentalization of multi-enzymes within designable metal-organic frameworks (MOF): A review of systematic approaches.

Integrating multi-enzyme systems within metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has garnered significant attention in biocatalysis due to their tunable structural properties and ability to enhance enzyme performance in cascade reactions. The unique features of MOFs, such as well-defined pore apertures, tailorable compositions, and high loading capacity, facilitate the design of robust multi-enzyme bio-composites with enhanced recyclability and specificity. This review explores systematic approaches for the compartmentalization and positional co-immobilization of multiple enzymes within MOFs, focusing on two key strategies: (i) layer-by-layer assembly and (ii) pore-engineered compartmentalization.

Hierarchical nanotopographies and fractal fingerprints of Anopheles mosquito wing surfaces.

This study investigates the nanoscale surface morphology of Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles aquasalis mosquito wings using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and fractal analysis. High-resolution 3D AFM imaging revealed pronounced inter- and intra-species differences, with the ventral surface of An. darlingi (V-Ad) exhibiting the greatest roughness (Sq = 45.

pH-Responsive Fluorescence Turn-On Copper(II)-Probe for Nitric Oxide Detection: A Reductive Nitrosylation Approach.

Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the crucial biological signaling molecules, yet achieving its selective and spatiotemporal detection in in-situ/invitro or biological systems at specific pH remains a significant challenge. Hence, a probe capable of directly detecting NO would be immensely valuable in understanding its reactivity and biological functions. Here, to develop a Cu(II)-based probe for selective NO detection, we synthesized a Cu(II)-complex (1) using a N3-tridentate ligand having a pendant dansyl fluorophore (L) and evaluated it's NO reactivity under varying pH conditions.

Wadjet-Keeping a watchful eye on circular DNA.

The structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC)-family Wadjet complex restricts plasmid transformation in bacteria through a distinctive mechanism coupling DNA loop extrusion and cleavage. In this issue of Structure, Roisné-Hamelin et al. report the biochemical reconstitution and structure of a type II Wadjet complex, revealing a shared overall mechanism and notable architectural differences compared to related type I complexes.

Exciton interactions in crystalline crossed diazapentacene.

The presence of heteroatoms and their influence on excitonic interactions are vital and can help engineer the optoelectronic properties in molecular assemblies. Herein, we report the effect of nitrogen atoms on excitonic coupling and the resulting optical properties of an orthogonally cross-stacked crystalline diazapentacene derivative.

Intracellular Subdegree Temperature Sensing and Dynamics by Thermoresponsive Silver Nanoclusters as Molecular Probes.

Reported herein are long-lived, red-luminescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) protected by the small-molecule ligand thiolactic acid, which exhibit exceptional stability (shelf life exceeding three years, photostability ∼100%), water-solubility, and high biocompatibility, making them suitable for diverse applications such as sensing and live-cell imaging. The AgNCs display extremely sensitive (>2% K) temperature-dependent luminescence, monitored by a dual approach of changes in photoluminescence intensity and excited-state lifetime, enabling precise local thermal environment monitoring with a very high-resolution temperature sensing down to subdegree levels (<0.5 K).

Atomically Dispersed Ru Catalyst Locked in Knitting Aryl Network Polymers: A Robust Heterogeneous Catalyst for Borrowing Hydrogenation in Aqueous Micelles.

Fabrication of water-stable and atomically dispersed ruthenium catalysts for sustainable borrowing hydrogenation (BH) reactions is a long-standing challenge. Herein, we developed an atomically dispersed Ru catalyst that has been successfully employed for BH reactions in aqueous micelles under mild conditions. The micellar cooperativity with the hydrophobic knitted aryl polymers (KAPs) led to the formation of microconfinements, which act as the confined space for catalysis in water.

Physiological responses in free-ranging Asian elephant populations living across human-production landscapes.

Monitoring the physiology of elephants living in human-production landscapes has become increasingly important for understanding how they cope with various challenges that affect their overall fitness. We assessed physiological stress by measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels and metabolic states using faecal triiodothyronine (fT3) across three free-ranging Asian elephant populations (one in Central India and two in Northeastern India) whose home ranges encompass varying extents of disturbance in human-production landscapes. We present landscape disturbance metrics to characterize variations in fragmentation and anthropogenic pressures across the study landscapes and use faecal carbon and nitrogen (C/N) ratio as a proxy for dietary quality, with higher C/N values indicating poorer-quality diets.

Molecular insights into the structure, function, and stability of the DNA polymerase processivity factor from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Emergence of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) calls for newer drugs and drug targets. Essential proteins such as DNA polymerase (DNAP) processivity factor, also called sliding clamp (DnaN), are indispensable for bacterial survival, and are excellent drug targets. Here, we constructed a dnaN-conditional knockout in Mycobacterium smegmatis (MsmΔdnaN) and were able to successfully complement it with Mtb DnaN (DnaN).

Topology and kinetic pathways of colloidosome assembly and disassembly.

Closed capsules, such as lipid vesicles, soap bubbles, and emulsion droplets, are ubiquitous throughout biology, engineered matter, and everyday life. Their creation and disintegration are defined by a singularity that separates a topologically distinct extended liquid film from a boundary-free closed shell. Such topology-changing processes are of fundamental interest.

Intracellular formate modulates a motility-invasion switch in Salmonella Typhimurium.

Host-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are essential for Salmonella Typhimurium (STM) virulence. Formate, an SCFA found in the ileum, enhances STM invasion, but the role of the intracellular formate pool in STM pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Deletion of the pflB gene, which encodes pyruvate-formate lyase, depletes this intracellular pool, leading to reduced flagellation and increased expression of pathogenicity island-1 genes (hilA and prgH).

Construction of dansylated (fluorescent) amino acid motifs C(sp)-H arylation.

We describe the construction of a library of novel dansylated (fluorescent) phenylalanine-type unnatural amino acid scaffolds using a Pd(II)-catalyzed C(sp)-H arylation method. A literature survey revealed that, in general, the dansyl moiety is introduced at the N-terminus of amino acids. Various dansylated amino acids and peptides have been used as fluorophores or probes and are known to show promising biological activities.

Creating skeletal complexity through an interrupted Corey-Chaykovsky reaction of activated alkynes.

We present the first interrupted Corey-Chaykovsky reaction of α,β-ynones by intercepting the zwitterionic intermediates that prevail during the addition of the Corey-Chaykovsky reagent to activated alkynes. This cascade transformation uncovers a novel mechanistic feature and leverages it to construct complex polycyclic molecular architectures featuring three new carbon-carbon bonds, four new carbo- and heterocycles and four contiguous stereocenters, two of which are quaternary carbons, all in a single-pot operation. Additionally, we demonstrate the synthetic utility of these otherwise unprecedented molecules.

Decoding information entropy of fatty acid and phospholipid vesicles ordering combinatorial output of hydrazones.

Leveraging information entropy to quantitatively measure the organizational diversity and complexity of different chemical systems is a compelling need for next-generation supramolecular and systems chemistry. It can also be a strategy for digitalizing and enabling the bottom-up development of life-like complex systems following probable origin-of-life scenarios. According to the lipid world hypothesis, lipid molecules appear first to facilitate compartmentalization, catalysis, information processing, It is envisaged that fatty acid-based vesicles are more primitive than phospholipid vesicles.

Mycobacterial MutT1-mediated dephosphorylation of the sensor histidine kinases reveals a new link in the regulation of the two-component signaling.

Bacterial pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis majorly rely on two-component signaling (TCS) systems to sense and generate adaptive responses to the dynamic and stressful host environment. TCS comprises a sensor histidine kinase (SHK) that perceives the environmental signal and a response regulator (RR) that modulates the target gene expression. TCS occurs via a phosphotransfer event from SHK to RR.

Tuning probe permeability chalcogen and halogen atom substitution for monitoring alkaline phosphatase activity in mammalian cells.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a family of hydrolase enzymes that play crucial roles in a wide range of biological processes. Its primary function is to catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphate groups from various molecules, a process known as dephosphorylation. It regulates diverse cellular functions such as bone metabolism and liver function.

Impact of a Temperature-Monitored Blood Transfusion Network on Reducing Blood Wastage.

Lack of availability of blood for transfusion is associated with significant mortality rates across the world. Blood collection and storage can be managed either in centralised or decentralised facilities. India has a decentralised blood bank network supply chain, which results in blood wastage due to the lack of data to decide on the quality and suitability of blood for transfusion.

Reversible Ring Oxidation of a β-β Linked 24π Antiaromatic Sapphyrin to a 22π Aromatic Dication Dimer.

Unlike aromatic porphyrins, conventional oxidative coupling reactions do not yield dimeric or oligomeric antiaromatic porphyrinoids. We describe here the first example of a β-β-linked antiaromatic expanded porphyrinoid through a novel synthetic strategy. It contains two 24π sapphyrin units, which undergo independent reversible two-electron oxidation to yield the aromatic tetracation.