bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural insights into the Shigella flexneriGmvAT toxin‐antitoxin system
Authors: Chen Ran , Zhao Hui , Zhou Jie , Liu Aoyun , Guo Yinfeng , Wu Kejue , Xiang Yongle , Lei Jinping , Jiang Songshan , Xie Wei
Published: February 2025

Toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems are common bicistronic gene elements in bacteria and are critical for stress responses. The toxin members of the GNAT/RHH TA family can acetylate certain aminoacylated tRNA molecules and inhibit global protein translation. One member named GmvT is important for virulence plasmid maintenance in Shigella flexneri, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we report the cocrystal structures of GmvT in two forms. The binding of the antitoxin mainly relies on the backbone of the toxin while the cofactor is free of contacts with the antitoxin, supported by follow‐up in vitro and in vivo studies. Our study provides insight into the protein–protein/protein–ligand interactions of the GmvAT pair and the structural basis for molecular recognition.
Promoting Literacy and Numeracy in Adult Learning and Education
Authors: Alamprese Judith A. , Hoogland Kees
Published: February 2025

Adults’ development of literacy and numeracy skills that can enable them to navigate the demands of contemporary life and be prepared for the future is central to their economic, social, and personal well‐being and the functioning of society. This article discusses the role of literacy and numeracy in adult learning and education, beginning with the current status of literacy and numeracy skills in OECD countries and economies. Explored are the types of frameworks and standards that are used to guide adults’ acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills and approaches to delivering instructional and supportive services for those adults. The article concludes with challenges and considerations in strengthening literacy and numeracy as critical components of adult learning and education.
Reimagining Workforce Development: A Critical Analysis of Approaches in Europe, Singapore, and the United States
Authors: El Amoud Lyndsey , Raymer Annalisa L. , Tan Renee
Published: February 2025

This chapter examines three distinct approaches to lifelong learning to illustrate workforce and societal development efforts in Europe, Singapore, and the United States. The case studies bring to the fore various complex issues, including, in the case of Europe, ensuring more equitable access to workforce development initiatives for all. Singapore's size and single coordinating platform of the SkillsFuture movement allow for both opportunities and challenges to entrench lifelong learning within its citizenry. In the United States, the competing concerns of state, federal, and local levels make for a varied mixture of lifelong learning offerings and, along with it, the need to maneuver different levels to achieve goals. The case studies allow for insights and reflection into the possibilities available and difficulties to be navigated in the global workforce development and lifelong learning landscape.
Engineering the Hierarchical Porosity of Granular Hydrogel Scaffolds Using Porous Microgels to Improve Cell Recruitment and Tissue Integration
Authors: Kedzierski Alexander , Kheirabadi Sina , Jaberi Arian , Ataie Zaman , Mojazza Catherine L. , Williamson Marisa L. , Hjaltason Anton M. , Risbud Aneesh , Xiang Yuanhui , Sheikhi Amir
Published: February 2025

Granular hydrogel scaffolds (GHS), composed of jammed hydrogel microparticles (microgels), have emerged to overcome the structural limitations of nonporous (bulk) hydrogels. Microscale void spaces among jammed microgels in GHS promote cell infiltration and host tissue integration; however, the prevalent use of spherical nonporous microgels limits the GHS void fraction to that of random close packing. To address this persistent challenge, a new class of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) GHS comprising porous microgels, fabricated via thermally induced polymer phase separation within composite microgels, is developed. These novel GHS not only attain hierarchical porosity across inter‐ and intramicrogel length scales, but also have up to ≈ 170% increase in void fraction compared with the nonporous microgel‐based GHS counterpart. Such increase in void fraction while maintaining structural stability, to the best of our knowledge, is among the highest increase reported in the literature. Compared with nonporous microgels in which cells cannot readily infiltrate, in vitro cell infiltration is significantly higher in the porous microgels. Furthermore, in vitro cell distribution in the GHS comprising porous microgels is more uniform compared with the GHS made up of nonporous microgels. In vivo subcutaneous implantation in mice shows that the GHS comprising porous microgels undergo higher and more uniform cell infiltration. Up to ≈ 78% increase in cell infiltration into GHS is yielded in vivo using the GHS fabricated from porous microgels. This work lays the foundation of engineering GelMA GHS with hierarchical porosity, superior cell infiltration, and enhanced tissue integration, which may open new opportunities for developing next‐generation granular biomaterials for accelerating tissue repair.
A Plug‐and‐Play Ferritac Platform Degrading Membrane Proteins via Receptor Crosslinking
Authors: He Qunye , Wang Lei , Huang Lulu , Ke Yong , Paerhati Pameila , Zhang Jiawei , Zong Huifang , Zhang Baohong , Zhu Jianwei
Published: February 2025

Membrane protein degradation techniques hijacking lysosome targeting receptors (LTRs) have provided new opportunities to develop anticancer therapeutics. However, due to varied expression of these LTRs and potential influence on their native biological function resulting from excessive endocytosis, developing alternative membrane protein degraders is highly desirable. Here, Ferritac (ferritin‐based targeting chimeras) is developed, a plug‐and‐play membrane degradation platform that displayed multivalent antibodies via Spycatcher‐Spytag chemistry to crosslink the membrane protein ectodomains nearby for degradation. Based on receptor crosslinking, the Ferritac platform obviates the dependence on specific LTRs. This study reveals the Ferritac nanoparticles efficiently degraded epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) both in vitro and in vivo. In mechanistic studies, the Ferritac‐Anti‐EGFR nanoparticles adopted clathrin‐based endocytosis and mainly involved with lysosome pathways for protein degradation, which are successfully expanded to degrade PD‐L1 (programmed death‐ligand 1) and HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) in vitro. Moreover, the efficient PD‐L1 degradation by Ferritac‐Anti‐PD‐L1 to induce a potent anticancer immune response in vivo is validated in both MC38 and B16F10 tumor models. Further combined with chemotherapeutics paclitaxel, the Ferritac‐Anti‐PD‐L1 saw a satisfactory synergistic therapeutic effect. Overall, the Ferritac platform could be easily applied to various targets by directly attaching the relevant antibodies and could be a promising candidate as a novel and versatile LTR‐independent membrane protein degrader.
Boosting CO2 Photoreduction Efficiency of Carbon Nitride via S‐scheme g‐C3N4/Fe2TiO5 Heterojunction
Authors: dos Santos Gustavo , Tian Liang , Gonçalves Renato , García Hermenegildo , Rossi Liane
Published: February 2025

Photocatalysis has emerged as an alternative to high energy‐demanding CO2 reduction reactions. Among the widely studied photocatalysts, g‐C3N4 stands out due to its composition based on earth‐abundant elements, its ability to absorb visible light, and its suitable band structure. In this study, a photocatalyst based on an S‐scheme heterojunction formed by g‐C3N4 and nanosized Fe2TiO5 is successfully prepared via simple hydrothermal assembly of both pre‐synthesized semiconductors. Modifications induced on g‐C3N4 during the heterojunction preparation play a crucial role in the efficiency of the CO2 photoreduction reaction. Under simulated sunlight irradiation, the g‐C3N4/Fe2TiO5 heterojunction exhibits higher photocatalytic performance than the pristine materials for both CO2 reduction to produce CO and CH4, and H2O reduction reaction, producing H2. The results obtained correspond to a 1.5‐fold improvement compared to pristine g‐C3N4. When [Ru(bpy)3]2+ is applied as a sensitizer, the visible light (>380 nm) activity of the photocatalytic system is restored, showing lower activity but higher selectivity toward CO and H2 production, a route to renewable syngas.
Critical Challenges and Optimization Strategies for Rechargeable Aluminum‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Wang Yu , Wu Xiaolin , Meng Jiashen , Zhang Hao , Song Yibo , Wang Xuanpeng , Liu Yakun , Mai Liqiang
Published: February 2025

The increasing demand for efficient, cost‐effective energy storage systems has spurred research into alternatives to lithium‐ion batteries. Among these alternatives, aluminum‐sulfur (Al‐S) batteries have become a promising option, demonstrating noteworthy advancements over the past decade. These batteries provide benefits such as high theoretical energy density, low cost, and improved safety. Nonetheless, certain fundamental electrochemical challenges, similar to those encountered by other sulfur‐based batteries, persist, including slow reaction kinetics, significant polysulfide shuttling, and uncontrollable dendrite growth on the anode. Herein, this review offers a comprehensive overview of recent advancements related to the critical challenges and optimization strategies for rechargeable Al‐S batteries. It begins by outlining the development history of Al‐S batteries and the challenges present in current systems. Next, efficient optimization strategies aimed at enhancing Al‐S batteries are summarized by focusing on optimizing each battery component, including the cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. Detailed examinations include structural features, electrochemical performance, structure‐property correlations, and enhancement mechanisms of key breakthroughs. Finally, the challenges and potential opportunities are explored for future research on rechargeable Al‐S batteries. This review aims to provide insightful guidance for the rational design of high‐performance Al‐S batteries and to accelerate their development for practical large‐scale energy storage applications.
Fabrication of Tubular Electricity Nanogenerator with High Power Density by Bulk Effect
Authors: Zhang Hanli , Zhang Rui , Zhao Yingda , Xiao Ke , Wu Zhuolin , Ding Zhengmao , Yang Yongfeng , Li Jinjin
Published: February 2025

Enclosed liquid‐solid triboelectric nanogenerators (LS‐TENGs) have gained widespread attention due to the advantages of self‐storage of liquid and less susceptibility to contamination, but are limited by the low output power density. Here, a tubular bulk effect electricity nanogenerator (TBE‐ENG) is reported by inserting an internal electrode with an appropriate depth between the fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film and the glass cross‐section in the tube. The TBE‐ENG can achieve an output current of 5.0 mA and a peak power density of 2169 W m−3 after adding a 1 M sodium chloride solution, which are much higher than those of the enclosed LS‐TENGs in previous studies. The mechanism of TBE‐ENG is elucidated via an equivalent capacitor model, and the effects of the electrode spatial position, dielectric layer thickness, and liquid properties on the output performance are well revealed in combination with experiments. Moreover, the applicability of TBE‐ENG and its application for driving electronic devices are demonstrated. This work lays the groundwork for the design of higher‐performance enclosed LS‐TENGs, and greatly expands the application of the bulk effect.
Dual Anions Doping Enhanced Conductivity and Stability of Layered δ‐MnO2 Cathode for Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Battery
Authors: Liang Jinrui , Zhao Yajun , Ren Longtao , Li Mengchao , Zhang Qiaoli , Wang Yinghong , Sun Xiaoming , Chuai Mingyan , Wang Xusheng , Liu Wen
Published: February 2025

Manganese‐based oxides have been identified as promising cathodes for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) due to their high theoretical energy density and cost‐effectiveness. However, their low electronic conductivity and tendency to dissolve during cycling have limited their applications in AZIBs. Herein, a one‐step calcination method is proposed to incorporate sulfur and nitrogen anions into the MnO2 structure (referred to as NS‐MnO2). Characterizations and theoretical calculations confirm that the sulfur and nitrogen dopants improve the intrinsic electronic conductivity and structural stability of MnO2. Specifically, sulfur doping accelerates the diffusion of Zn2+, while the formation of Mn─N bonds strengthens the Mn─O bonds, thereby stabilizing the structure of MnO2 during cycling. In addition, the doping process creates oxygen vacancies that facilitate Zn2+ diffusion kinetics. As a result, the NS‐MnO2 demonstrates a specific capacity of 295 mAh g‒1 at a current density of 0.2 A g‒1 and exhibits high cycling stability of 120 mAh g‒1 at 1 A g‒1 over 1500 cycles. This study highlights the effectiveness of dual anions doping in modifying the structure of transition metal oxides and suggests its potential application in designing other materials for energy storage.
Amorphization Strategy for Constructing Metal‐Triazole Framework Glass Foams with Multistage Pore Structure for Selective Removal of Mercury
Authors: Li Xiulei , Jin Zixuan , Lu Hejie , Li Yihang , Chen Xiangwen , Zhu Sichao , Jia Zhiqian , Tan Hong‐Wei , Yang Yu , Hou Li‐An
Published: February 2025

Amorphous MOFs have attracted more attentions due to their excellent adsorption performance. However, the transformation of crystalline MOF into amorphous MOF often requires harsh conditions, and simple and scalable amorphization strategies are still lacking. In this work, amorphous MOF via a solvent‐assisted evaporation amorphization strategy is synthesized. The results show that amorphous agfBNU‐1(Zn) and agfBNU‐1(Cd) glass foams with short‐range ordered but long‐range disordered atomic structure and foam‐like multistage pore structure display adsorption capacities of up to 1009 and 1127 mg g−1 for Hg2+, surpassing those of crystalline cBNU‐1(Zn) and cBNU‐1(Cd) by 1.29 and 5.12 times, reaching a record high. The adsorption kinetics show that the adsorption rate constants of agfBNU‐1(Zn) and agfBNU‐1(Cd) are 1.49 and 7.6 times compared with those of the crystalline, and the partition coefficients for Hg2+ are 2.13 and 373 times those of the crystallines, and the separation factors of Hg2+/Ni2+ attain 1506 and 2012, exhibiting excellent adsorption selectivity. Experiments and DFT calculations show that N and S atoms in agfBNU‐1(Zn) and agfBNU‐1(Cd) are involved in the coordination with Hg2+. The present work demonstrates the benefits of utilizing amorphous MOFs glass foams for ion adsorption and provided a new strategy for the preparation of high‐performance MOFs‐based adsorbents.
Activating Oxygen Redox in Layered KxTMO2 to Construct High‐Capacity and Enable Phase‐Transition‐Free Potassium Ion Cathode
Authors: Yang Liwei , Shi Chen , Pan Xinyi , Xu Wangwang , Wang Yuanzhe , Yang Wuhai , Wang Dong , Zhao Yufeng , Gao Faming
Published: February 2025

Mn‐based layered oxides are one of the most appealing cathodes for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) due to its cost‐effective potassium and manganese resources, and high theoretical specific capacity. However, severe phase transitions and Jahn‐Teller distortion of Mn3+ have already hindered its practical application. To circumvent these issues, a layered P2‐type K0.67Mn0.75Ni0.23Nb0.02O2 (P2‐KMNNb) cathode is proposed where the nickel and niobium substitution enables increase non‐bonding oxygen states and structural stability. Via electrochemical test and physicochemical characterizations, it is demonstrated that the substitution induces oxygen redox activity in potassium ion battery system, favoring the highly reversible K+ (de) intercalation capability. The P2‐KMNNb exhibits a high reversible capacity of 134.8 mAh g−1 at a current density of 10 mA g−1, with a capacity retention of 85.2% after 150 cycles. The full cell, composed of the P2‐KMNNb cathode and hard carbon anode, also shows excellent electrochemical performance, achieving a high specific capacity of 63.6 mAh g−1 at a large current density of 200 mA g−1, with an initial coulombic efficiency of 95.2%. Meanwhile, in situ X‐ray powder diffraction patterns and Raman spectra show that the absence of phase transitions and the stable oxygen stacking sequence. These findings provide new strategies for modulating the redox activity and reversibility of structure.
Efficient Harvesting Waste Heat by Zn‐Ion Battery Under Thermally Regenerative Electrochemical Cycles
Authors: Sun Xiaoling , Chen Hongyi , Li Yitong , Zeng Dewen , Qiu Pengfei , Zeng Huarong , Ji Xiaobo , Chen Lidong , Shi Xun
Published: February 2025

Typical technologies that can convert waste heat into electricity include thermoelectrics, thermionic capacitors, thermo‐cells, thermal charge cells, and thermally regenerative electrochemical cycles. They have small thermal‐to‐electrical conversion efficiency or poor stability, severely hindering the efficient recovery of waste heat. Herein, a thermally regenerative electrochemical Zn‐ion battery to work under Carnot‐like mode to efficiently harvest waste heat into electricity is successfully developed. Through introducing Layered Double Hydroxides to modify the battery's anode reaction, a record absolute high temperature coefficient of 2.944 mV K−1 is achieved in NiHCF/Zn battery, leading to a high thermal‐to‐electrical conversion efficiency of 26.08% of the Carnot efficiency and an extraordinary energy efficiency of 104.11% when the battery is charged at 50 °C and discharged at 5 °C. This work demonstrates that thermally regenerative electrochemical batteries can effectively harvest waste heat to provide a powerful energy conversion technology.
Acoustic Valley Filter, Valve, and Diverter
Authors: Wu Hao , He Hailong , Ye Liping , Lu Jiuyang , Ke Manzhu , Deng Weiyin , Liu Zhengyou
Published: February 2025

The discovery of valley degrees of freedom in electronic and classical waves opened the field of valleytronics and offered the prospect for new devices based on valleys. However, the implementation of valley‐based devices remains challenging in practice. Here, by taking advantage of the flexibility of phononic crystals in design and fabrication, the realizations of valley devices, or filters, valves, and diverters for acoustic waves are reported. All the devices are configured as the structures of input and output ports bridged by channels. The phononic crystals serving as ports allow the propagation of both valley polarizations, whereas the phononic crystals serving as channels, as they are narrow, only allow the propagation of single polarizations. For valley filters that achieve valley‐polarized currents, the bridge channel is simply a straight single phononic crystal, but for valley valves that can turn off the valley‐polarized currents, the channel consists of two parts, allowing the propagation of opposite valley polarizations. The valley diverters have one input port, and two output ports, and thus a branched channel, and the three parts in the channel allow the propagation of the same valley polarizations, so that the energy flow can be partitioned. The results may serve as a basis for developing advanced acoustic valley devices.
Unravelling the Atomic Structure of a Metal‐Covalent Organic Framework Assembled from Ruthenium Metalloligands
Authors: Hennessey Seán , González‐Gómez Roberto , Arisnabarreta Nicolás , Ciotti Anna , Hou Jing , Tarakina Nadezda V. , Bezrukov Andrey , Mali Kunal S. , Zaworotko Michael , De Feyter Steven , García‐Melchor Max , Farràs Pau
Published: February 2025

Covalent and metal‐organic frameworks (COFs and MOFs) have shown great promise in light‐driven processes mainly due to their ligand‐to‐metal charge‐separation properties, as well as having access to a diverse range of photoactive metalloligands and organic linkers. However, both frameworks present individual drawbacks that can potentially be avoided by combining both systems (metal and covalent) to produce metal‐covalent organic frameworks (MCOFs), exhibiting the advantages of both material types. Yet, due to their poor crystallinity, the understanding of the structure‐properties relation of MCOFs remains unclear. Herein, we report photoactive linkers in the form of a [Ru(tpy)2]2+ (tpy: 2,2′,6,2″‐terpyridine) complex which covalently binds to a luminescent pyrene core to yield a new, photoactive Schiff‐base MCOF. The structure, thermal, electronic, and optical properties of this novel material have been exhaustively characterized by a wide range of microscopy, spectroscopic, and computational methods. This combined experimental and computational work represents a significant step toward the fundamental understanding of the photoactive units within the framework, their hierarchical arrangement and interactions with substrates, which is essential for the future design of efficient photocatalytic materials.
New Insights Into the Effects of Electrode Polarization of Chitosan on Graphene Nanomaterials
Authors: Naidoo Lyndon , Uwaya Gloria Ebube , Bisetty Krishna
Published: February 2025

The efficient transfer of electrons between the electrode and the analyte, influenced by electrode polarization (EP), is a crucial yet often overlooked factor in assessing the performance of electrochemical systems. This study explores the use of chitosan as an EP suppressor for graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in a ferri/ferro cyanide redox probe, using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The CV results indicate that GO has greater pseudocapacitance than RGO does, indicating a greater abundance of oxygen‐containing functional groups that facilitate stronger interfacial interactions with chitosan. By reducing the capacitive current, as shown through EIS, the sensitivity toward the Fe2+/3+ redox couple at the electrode double layer is enhanced. These findings align with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which indicate a charge distortion favoring chitosan, thereby allowing more efficient intrinsic electron transfer within the aromatic rings of the GO/RGO graphene nanomaterials. This research holds significant potential for advancing the development of more efficient sensors and energy storage devices.
Flexible and Wearable Devices Based on Colloidal Quantum Dots
Authors: Yu Zhaoyang , Fang Tao , Cao Wenhan
Published: February 2025

A significant class of semiconductor nanostructures, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs), which exhibit narrow emission spectrum and tunable emission frequency, are utilized for numerous flexible and wearable applications including state‐of‐the‐art display, biological sensing, showcasing great prospects in physiological measurement, health monitoring, and rehabilitation. Interestingly, synthesizing these semiconductor particles using methods such as hot injection as colloids can directly tune their optical properties and emission wavelengths by controlling their sizes, which greatly contributes to materials production simplicity and scalability. Importantly, from a device perspective, due to the advantages of solution‐processed synthesis, and patterning methods such as inkjet printing, CQDs can be combined with soft polymeric substrates, or hierarchical structures in a facile manner, offering extraordinary device flexibility and portability. As optoelectronic devices, CQD can function as photoresistors, phototransistors, or through other mechanisms which convert light between other forms of energy, enabling highly sensitive detection applications. In this Review, synthetic approaches are summarized for CQDs, flexible device fabrication techniques, detection mechanisms, and application scenarios. Furthermore, the challenges associated with these technologies, such as device stability and cost‐efficiency are discussed, and present this outlook on the future trends of CQD devices including multi‐functional integration, as a constituent component of flexible and wearable devices.
Enhancement of Ionic Conductivity in NASICON‐Structured Li3(Zr,Ti)2(Si,Ge)2PO12: An Ab Initio Study
Authors: Wang Jiaqi , Huo Weirong , Peng Zhiwei , Tian Zongqing , Rehman Shafiq Ur , Mei Zongwei , Niu Yinghua , Lv Weiqiang
Published: February 2025

The development of solid electrolytes with high ionic conductivity is crucial for advancing solid lithium‐ion battery technology but is still a challenge. In this study, the ionic conductivity of NASICON‐structured materials Li3(Zr,Ti)2(Si,Ge)2PO12 are explored through ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. This investigation reveals the significant impact of isovalent substitution on the lithium‐ion diffusion pathways and the associated energy barriers. Elemental substitutions, such as replacing Zr with Ti, significantly reduce the Li site energy levels, enhance the polyhedral volume, and change the coordination structure from four‐coordinate to five‐coordinate, thereby facilitating lithium‐ion migration. Conversely, substituting Si with Ge reduces the diffusion channel size and increases fluctuation of Li migration potential surface, leading to less favorable ion transport conditions. Li3Ti2Si2PO12 exhibits a room temperature ionic conductivity of 5.79 × 10−2 Scm−1, 163% higher than that of the pristine Li3Zr2Si2PO12, with a reduced diffusion barrier of 0.16 eV. Additionally, these analyses reveal that the critical size for effective diffusion channels is vital: below this threshold, ion migration is suppressed; while above it, the channel size no longer limits migration.
Waste‐Derived Zn‐Based ASEI Layer for Enhanced Lithium Anodes in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Hajian Foroushani Mohsen , Maroufi Samane , Khayyam Nekouei Rasoul , Sahajwalla Veena
Published: February 2025

The formation of lithium (Li) dendrites on the anode during charge and discharge poses a significant challenge to the scalability of lithium‐metal batteries (LMBs). This study presents an innovative strategy leveraging waste‐derived Zn to create a hybrid in/ex situ artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) layer. The hybrid ASEI layer significantly improves the electrochemical performance of Li anodes compared to uncoated Li. In symmetrical cells, it demonstrates exceptional stability, maintaining a low overpotential of 9 mV over 400 cycles with a charge transfer resistance of 10.4 Ω, attributed to the high Li‐ion diffusivity provided by the ASEI layer. Unlike the bare Li, which develops a rough, thick, and uneven surface with cracks and dendrites after extended cycling, the ASEI‐coated anode exhibits a smooth and uniform surface. Furthermore, chemical analysis during cycling confirms the dynamic formation of beneficial LiZn within the ASEI layer. The performance of waste‐derived ASEI layer is examined in the real condition by pairing it with sulfur cathode. The cell delivers a remarkable specific discharge capacity of 1085 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1C and retains 68% of its initial capacity after 300 cycles at 0.2C, outperforming bare Li, which retains only 54% under the same conditions.
Adenosine Monophosphate Improves Lipolysis in Obese Mice by Reducing DNA Methylation via ADORA2A Activation by Ecto‐5′‐Nucleotidase (CD73)
Authors: Cui Zhijuan , Feng Li , Rao Sujuan , Huang Zihao , Huang Shuangbo , Liu Liudan , Liao Yuan , Lan Zheng , Chen Qiling , Deng Jinping , Wang Leli , Yin Yulong , Tan Chengquan
Published: February 2025

The previous work discovers the potential of adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to alleviate obesity‐related metabolic diseases, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Here, AMP is confirmed to enhance white fat decomposition and improve abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in mice fed with a high‐fat (HF) diet. Mechanically, AMP is converted to adenosine (ADO) through ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase (CD73), and adenosine A2A receptor (ADORA2A) signaling activation is involved in the down‐regulation of methylation in white adipose tissue, thereby reducing the hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) methylation level and promoting HSL transcription and white fat decomposition. Moreover, the metabolic benefits of AMP are found to be partially eliminated in ADORA2A knockout mice, but re‐expression of ADORA2A can reproduce the AMP‐induced metabolic regulation in white fat. These findings reveal the mechanism that AMP, as the upstream of ADO, stimulates ADORA2A signaling and white fat DNA methylation to participate in the anti‐obesity effect.
Peptide Multifunctionalization via Modular Construction of Trans‐AB2C Porphyrin on Resin
Authors: Wu Yue , Wong Yuen‐Ting , Yeung Yik‐Hoi , Lam Pak‐Lun , Chau Ho‐Fai , Tam Wing‐Sze , Zhang Qian , Tai William C. S. , Wong Ka‐Leung
Published: February 2025

Peptide multifunctionalization is a crucial technique to develop peptide‐based agents for various purposes. Porphyrin‐peptide conjugates are a class of popular multifunctional peptides renowned for their multifunctional and multimodal properties. However, the tedious synthetic works for porphyrin building blocks are involved in most previous studies. In this work, a modular solid‐phase synthetic approach is reported to construct trans‐AB2C porphyrin on peptide chains without presynthesized porphyrin building blocks. The products from this approach, which inherit both functionalities from the porphyrins and the modules employed for constructing porphyrins, show potential in biomedical and biomaterial applications. Furthermore, by extending this synthetic approach, the first example of “resin‐to‐resin” reaction is reported to link two peptides together along the construction of porphyrin motifs to give porphyrin‐peptide conjugates with two different peptide chains.
N4‐Acetylcytidine‐Mediated CD2BP2‐DT Drives YBX1 Phase Separation to Stabilize CDK1 and Promote Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: Wang Hongyu , Zhao Bozhi , Zhang Jiayu , Hu Qunyu , Zhou Linlin , Zhang Yinghui , Cai Yixin , Qu Yuansong , Jiang Tao , Zhang Dongwei
Published: February 2025

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the initiation and progression of breast cancer. However, the specific mechanisms and biological functions of lncRNAs in breast cancer remain incompletely understood. Bioinformatics analysis identifies a novel lncRNA, CD2BP2‐DT, that is overexpressed in breast cancer and correlates with adverse clinicopathological features and poor overall survival. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that CD2BP2‐DT promotes proliferation of breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, NAT10 mediates the N4‐acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification of CD2BP2‐DT, enhancing its RNA stability and expression. More importantly, CD2BP2‐DT enhances the stability of CDK1 mRNA by mediating YBX1 phase separation, thereby promoting the proliferation of breast cancer cells. In conclusion, the lncRNA CD2BP2‐DT is identified as a crucial driver of breast cancer cell proliferation through the YBX1/CDK1 axis, highlighting its potential as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target for breast cancer.
Ultrafast All‐Optical Switching and Active Sub‐Cycle Waveform Control via Time‐Variant Photodoping of Terahertz Metasurfaces
Authors: Jang Jeongmin , Rho Junsuk , Shin Hee Jun
Published: February 2025

The development of high‐speed and high‐performance optical switches has been a long‐standing issue in the field of photonics. This paper introduces a pioneering time‐resolved spectroscopy‐based approach for realizing photon‐induced ultrafast terahertz (THz) modulation within an electrical split‐ring resonator (SRR) via photoexcitation, rather than relaxation dynamics, in a silicon‐based indirect‐bandgap material. Two competitive effects (shorting of LC circuit and metallization of substrate) occur during photon‐induced THz modulation. The tradeoff between these two effects enables high‐speed optical switching via different time scales of the photoexcitation processes—THz‐optical cooperative effect and phonon‐assisted electron transition. THz‐optical cooperative photoexcitation, causing a shorting effect within the LC circuit, has been observed in the SRR gap, whose size typically exceeds that facilitating impact ionization (IMI). Notably, a remarkably short THz switching time of 1.3 ps has been achieved via only photoexcitation and with a high‐performance transmission intensity modulation depth of over 500%. In addition, active temporal waveform control down to a sub‐cycle pulse has been successfully demonstrated. The proposed approach suggests a new route for constructing high‐speed and efficient THz dynamic photonic devices with potential applications in temporal waveform control.
Tunable Hierarchically Porous Gadolinium‐Based Metal‐Organic Frameworks for Bacteria‐Targeting Magnetic Resonance Imaging and In Situ Anti‐Bacterial Therapy
Authors: Yu Youyi , Cui Tianming , Liu Chang , Yang Weitao , Zhang Bingbo
Published: February 2025

Currently, there are no non‐invasive tools to accurately diagnose deep surgical site bacterial infections before they cause significant anatomical damage in the clinic. An urgent need exists for bacteria‐targeting bifunctional probes for the detection of deep bacterial infections and precise in situ treatment. Herein, the bacteria‐targeting 1‐borono‐3,5‐benzenedicarboxylic acid (BBDC) ligand and paramagnetic Gd3 + into one single metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are integrated, synergistically realizing bacteria‐specific magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis and MRI‐guided antibacterial treatment. Molecular simulations and nitrogen adsorption‐desorption experiments demonstrate that a hierarchical porous structure can be constructed by tuning the Gd3 + /BBDC ratio, which endows the Gd‐BBDC1.25 MOFs with an impressive longitudinal proton relaxivity of 15.81 mM−1 s−1. In particular, the bacteria‐targeting boronic acid group in BBDC remained intact during the MOF synthesis, ensuring that Gd‐BBDC1.25 MOFs have a unique combination of high sensitivity and specificity for bacteria. Through an in situ reduction reaction, silver nanoparticles （Ag NPs）‐modified Gd‐BBDC1.25 MOFs to form Ag@Gd‐BBDC1.25, an interfacial Schottky heterojunction nanozyme, which enhances their peroxidase (POD)‐catalyze activity. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the bacteria‐targeting Ag@Gd‐BBDC1.25 bifunctional probe can image as few as 105 colony‐forming units (cfu) in vivo and effectively eradicate the bacteria in situ.
Development of Self‐Aligned Top‐Gate Transistor Arrays on Wafer‐Scale Two‐Dimensional Semiconductor
Authors: Zhu Yuxuan , Zhang Jinshu , Xie Hui , Xia Yin , Dong Xiangqi , Gou Saifei , Zhang Zhejia , He Xinliu , Chen Haojie , Ao Mingrui , Sun Qicheng , Hu Yan , Tian Yuchen , Shang Jieya , Song Yufei , Wang Jiahao , Wang Sen , Yue Xiaofei , Cong Chunxiao , Zhou Lihui , Dai Sheng , Xu Zihan , Wan Jing , Qiu Haibing , Wang Yin , Tan Xiaojun , Bao Wenzhong
Published: February 2025

Two‐dimensional semiconductor materials (2DSM) effectively mitigate the short‐channel effect due to their atomic thickness, offering significant advantages over traditional silicon‐based materials, particularly in short channel length. In manufacturing 2DSM top‐gate field‐effect transistors (TG‐FETs), simultaneous miniaturization of the gate and channel can only be achieved through a self‐alignment process, enabling high‐density integration of short‐channel FETs. However, current self‐aligned FETs based on 2DSM face challenges in attaining wafer‐scale integration due to manufacturing process limitations. This work has successfully developed high‐performance and wafer‐scale TG‐FET arrays using a self‐aligned method that integrates the processes of dry etching, wet selective etching, and post‐device optimization. The miniaturization is demonstrated by fabricating TG‐FETs with a channel length of 200 nm, achieving an impressive on‐state current density of 465.5 µA µm−1 and a high on‐off current ratio of 108. Furthermore, we constructed the inverters and logic modules based on self‐aligned FETs, showcasing the process's compatibility for future integration.
Ultrabroadband Directional Tunable Thermal Emission Control Based on Vanadium Dioxide Photonic Structures
Authors: Chen Qixiang , Li Chengcong , Huang Xuemei , Lu Yuehui , Xu Hua , An Yang , Li Longnan , Li Wei , Yin Xiaobo , Cao Xun , Zhao Dongliang
Published: February 2025

The manipulation of thermal radiation amplitude or direction over a broadband spectrum is a fundamental capability, demonstrating significant potential in thermal management and infrared information encryption. However, existing approaches cannot control both aspects simultaneously. In this study, an ultrabroadband directional tunable thermal emitter (UDTTE) utilizing the metal‐insulator transition properties of vanadium dioxide photonic structure and the Brewster effect is proposed. Before the phase transition, the UDTTE exhibits an average emissivity as low as 0.07 across the 3–20 µm band and the entire range of angles. After the phase transition, the UDTTE maintains a low emissivity of 0.33 for incident angles below 73° but displays a high emissivity of 0.78 in the 73°–83° range. This designed experiments in information encryption demonstrate that the UDTTE can synergistically utilize temperature, viewing angle, and polarization to achieve multi‐level encryption of IR information. This strategy further enhances the capability to manipulate thermal radiation and holds promise for advancing technologies in information security, IR camouflage, and thermal management.
Insertion Type Li3VO4 Lithiophilic Sites Boosting Dendrite‐Free Lithium Deposition in Trapping‐and‐leveling Model
Authors: Sun Bing , Kuang Lingling , He Meichun , Zhang Qin , Guan Yunfeng , Zhang Chengzhi , Zhang Dongmei , Pei Cunyuan , Li Pengju , Ni Shibing
Published: February 2025

Lithium (Li) metal batteries offer high energy densities but suffer from uncontrolled lithium deposition, causing serious dendrite growth and volume fluctuation. Tailorable Li nucleation and uniform early‐stage plating are essential for homogenous Li deposition. Herein, insertion type Li3VO4 is first demonstrated as efficient lithiophilic sites trapping Li+ ions for homogenous nucleation. By homogenizing the distribution of electric field and ions flux via an ingenious architecture design with Li3VO4 nanodots grown on the carbon fibers (LVO@CNFs), leveling Li metal deposition after nucleation is also realized. These, together, result in smooth and dendrite‐free Li deposition on the LVO@CNFs via a trapping‐and‐leveling model, giving rise to unprecedented performance (highly stable Li plating/stripping exceeding 2500 h at 2 mA cm−2 under 3 mA h cm−2 capacity, high‐capacity retention of 82.5% over 500 cycles in a Li@LVO@CNFs//LiFePO4 battery). The successful design of Li metal deposition host via insertion‐type Li3VO4 may pave a new way for long lifespan Li metal batteries.
Centering Latinx immigrant knowledge for wellbeing, liberation, and justice in community‐university research partnerships
Authors: Echeverri Herrera Susana , Ruiz‐Negrón Bianca , Lemus Alejandra , Guzmán Cirila Estela Vasquez , Hess Julia Meredith , Ramírez Janet , Ramírez Sonia , Casas Norma , Galvis Margarita , Aguirre Ivonne , Goodkind Jessica R.
Published: February 2025

Structural inequities impacting immigrant health in the United States were intensified during two recent time periods—the anti‐immigrant socio‐political context of 2017–2021 and the COVID‐19 pandemic beginning in 2020. Our community‐university research team adapted and implemented a community‐based mental health intervention with Latinx immigrants during these periods, which allowed us to reflect on the role of our community‐based participatory research (CBPR) partnership in addressing the disparate impacts of these events on Latinx immigrants. We documented the factors and processes that enabled our partnership to navigate crises, address immediate needs, and promote long‐term social change. We analyzed focus groups with community‐based organization staff, research team meetings, retreat notes, and interviews with Latinx immigrants. Exacerbated challenges included fear, uncertainty, limited resources, and restricted mobility and isolation. By prioritizing immigrant individual, community, and organizational knowledge and epistemologies, our team built upon immigrants' experiences of survival and resistance in the face of ongoing exclusion to navigate the difficulties of both periods. Instead of developing reactive processes, our partnership centered on immigrants' existing strategies, ensuring responses were rapid, effective, and aligned with community needs. These findings highlight that immigrant communities survive continual “crises” and engage in ongoing resistance and survival strategies that can provide the basis for effective CBPR and other social change efforts.
Hearing the voices of Ukrainian refugee women in Italy to enhance empowerment interventions
Authors: Guidi Elisa , Tosti Anna Enrica , Meringolo Patrizia , Hatalskaya Halina , Chiodini Moira
Published: February 2025

The 2022 Russian invasion displaced millions of Ukrainians, many of whom sought refuge in Italy. War refugees face heightened mental‐health risks but can also activate resilience and empowerment. This study employed the Transtheoretical Model of Empowerment and Resilience (Brodsky & Cattaneo, 2013) to explore resilience and empowerment processes implemented by Ukrainian refugee women in Italy to cope with war‐related challenges and living in a new country. Twenty Ukrainian refugee women completed questionnaires and participated in semi‐structured interviews. Results indicated perceived psychological distress following traumatic war experiences. Utilizing individual and shared resources, respondents enacted resilience processes stemming from the context of risk in their home country and the receiving country but not empowerment actions. However, some mentioned empowerment goals, such as changes in the formal support system for refugees and creating a network of Ukrainian refugees for mutual support. Results highlighted how some participants held individual characteristics of relative privilege, which could be crucial for transitioning from resilience to empowerment. The study suggests that facilitating this transition may require tailored interventions for the specific needs of Ukrainian refugee women and community‐based interventions for promoting access to shared opportunities with the local community and other migrants.
Longitudinal Metabolomics in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Implicates Impaired Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Guo Kai , Savelieff Masha G. , Jang Dae‐Gyu , Teener Samuel J. , Zhao Lili , Hur Junguk , Goutman Stephen A. , Feldman Eva L.
Published: February 2025

Objective

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by altered metabolome and energy homeostasis, manifesting with body mass index changes and hypermetabolism—both prognostic of disease progression and survival. The cross‐sectional ALS metabolome has been characterized, but longitudinal correlations to functional decline are lacking.

Methods

We longitudinally evaluated metabolomes from ALS plasma and terminal postmortem spinal cord and brain motor cortex tissue. We constructed 3 plasma models. A linear mixed effects model correlated all metabolite levels across all timepoints to their corresponding functional scores. An interaction model predicted a longitudinal change in function from baseline metabolites, whereas a progression model identified metabolites linked to a 20% or 50% drop in function. In postmortem samples, differential metabolites in onset versus second spinal cord segments served as a surrogate of disease progression. Mendelian randomization assessed potential causality from metabolites.

Results

In plasma, all models primarily selected lipid metabolites and sub‐pathways, in addition to amino acids, xenobiotics, and various less frequently selected pathways. Among lipids, fatty acids and sphingomyelins were predominant, along with plasmalogens, phosphatidylcholines, and lysophospholipids. Sex interaction findings were nominal. In the spinal cord, sphingomyelin and long‐chain saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were more abundant in the onset segment tissue, whereas phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines were less abundant. Mendelian randomization suggested that impaired carnitine and short chain acylcarnitine metabolism may be genetically determined in ALS, along with various antioxidant derivatives.

Interpretation

Our findings suggest metabolomic changes primarily involving different lipid classes and carnitine metabolism may underscore ALS severity and progression. ANN NEUROL 2025
Auf dem Weg zur oberflächenverstärkten homogenen Katalyse: Maßgeschneiderte Anreicherung von Metallkomplexen an der Oberfläche von ionischen Flüssigkeiten
Authors: Hemmeter Daniel , Haumann Marco , Williams Federico J. , Koller Thomas M. , Wasserscheid Peter , Meyer Karsten , Maier Florian , Steinrück Hans‐Peter
Published: February 2025

In der homogenen Katalyse geht man üblicherweise davon aus, dass sich die Konzentrationen der Übergangsmetallkomplexe an der Gas‐Flüssig‐Grenzfläche und im Volumen der Lösung nicht unterscheiden. Tatsächlich zeigen aber umfangreiche Untersuchungen an gelösten Metallkomplexen in ionischen Flüssigkeiten (Englisch: Ionic Liquids, ILs) ausgeprägte Oberflächenanreicherungs‐ und Segregationseffekte, die auch für praktische Anwendungen von großer Bedeutung sein können. Diese Untersuchungen basieren auf Methoden der Oberflächenforschung, die aufgrund der vernachlässigbaren IL‐Dampfdrücke unter wohldefinierten Vakuumbedingungen anwendbar sind. Dieser Übersichtsartikel bietet einen Überblick über die jüngsten Fortschritte bei der Steuerung der Grenzflächenzusammensetzung von katalytischen Systemen auf der Basis ionischer Flüssigkeiten. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt liegt auf der gezielten Oberflächenanreicherung. Insbesondere werden eine Vielzahl von Parametern vorgestellt, welche die lokale Komplexkonzentration an der Oberfläche beeinflussen wie etwa die Wahl der Liganden, die Konzentration im Volumen, die Temperatur und die Natur des IL‐Lösungsmittels. Als experimentelle Methoden wurden vor allem winkelaufgelöste Röntgenphotoelektronenspektroskopie (Englisch: Angle‐Resolved X‐Ray‐Photoelectron Spectroscopy, ARXPS) und Oberflächenspannungsmessungen mit der Methode des hängenden Tropfens (Englisch: Pendant Drop Method) unter ultrareinen Vakuumbedingungen eingesetzt. Die hier zusammengefassten Ergebnisse bilden die Grundlage für die Weiterentwicklung von maßgeschneiderten katalytischen Anwendungen mit großer innerer Oberfläche, z.B. in der Katalyse mit geträgerten ionischen Flüssigphasen (Englisch: Supported Ionic Liquid Phase, SILP); bei solchen Systemen hat das Design der Grenzfläche einen erheblichen Anteil an der katalytischen Effizienz.
Fabrication of Lightweight Polyimide Aerogels With Excellent Mechanical and Thermal Properties by Changing the Dianhydride Structures
Authors: Shen Lu , Sun Binbin , Ni Long , Liao Xiaoting , Luo Yinfu , Zhou Shengtai , Zou Huawei
Published: February 2025

Nowadays, it becomes imperative to develop polyimide (PI) aerogels with excellent thermal insulation and mechanical performance to suit the demanding needs in high‐tech sectors such as aerospace, electronics and fire protection among others. Herein, a series of PI aerogels with different dianhydride structures were prepared by sol–gel method, with 2,2′‐dimethylbenzidine (DMBZ) being used as the diamine. The microstructure, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and thermal insulation properties of PI aerogels were regulated by changing the dianhydride structure. The compressive strength of PI aerogels at 10% strain was in the range of 0.04–1.60 MPa, and PIPMDA‐DMBZ aerogel exhibited the best compressive strength among the studied systems. In addition, PIBPDA‐DMBZ aerogel had an initial degradation temperature up to 510°C and thermal conductivity as low as 0.032 W/(m⋅K), demonstrating excellent thermal stability and insulation properties that can withstand harsh conditions.