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Oral corticosteroids represents the most prevalent treatment for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Ductal lavage with triamcinolone acetonide and antibiotics followed by observation (DL-OBS) has emerged as a novel strategy, but a comparison of them remains lacking. Here in this multicenter, open-label, non-inferiority, randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03724903), we assigned 140 patients to oral corticosteroids (N = 71) and DL-OBS (N = 69), stratified by baseline M-score. The primary outcome is complete Clinical Response rate at 1 year. The non-inferiority margin is -15%. The primary outcome is 85.5% in DL-OBS and 87.3% in oral corticosteroids (difference: -1.8%; 95%CI, 13.2 to 9.5; P non-inferiority  = .01) in intention-to-treat population, and 92.6% vs 98.2% (difference -5.6%; 95%CI -13.4 to 2.2; P non-inferiority  = .01) in per-protocol population, respectively. The most common (>15%) adverse events were Cushingoid, epigastric pain and arthralgia in oral corticosteroids, and irregular menstruation in DL-OBS, respectively. Here, we report that DL-OBS shows similar efficacy to oral corticosteroids but with better safety profile., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Since dietary intake is challenging to directly measure in large-scale cohort studies, we often rely on self-reported instruments (e.g., food frequency questionnaires, 24-hour recalls, and diet records) developed in nutritional epidemiology. Those self-reported instruments are prone to measurement errors, which can lead to inaccuracies in the calculation of nutrient profiles. Currently, few computational methods exist to address this problem. In the present study, we introduce a deep-learning approach-Microbiome-based nutrient profile corrector (METRIC), which leverages gut microbial compositions to correct random errors in self-reported dietary assessments using 24-hour recalls or diet records. We demonstrate the excellent performance of METRIC in minimizing the simulated random errors, particularly for nutrients metabolized by gut bacteria in both synthetic and three real-world datasets. Additionally, we find that METRIC can still correct the random errors well even without including gut microbial compositions. Further research is warranted to examine the utility of METRIC to correct actual measurement errors in self-reported dietary assessment instruments., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Carboxylesterases serve as potent biocatalysts in the enantioselective synthesis of chiral carboxylic acids and esters. However, naturally occurring carboxylesterases exhibit limited enantioselectivity, particularly toward ethyl 3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate (CHCE, S1), due to its nearly symmetric structure. While machine learning effectively expedites directed evolution, the lack of models for predicting the enantioselectivity for carboxylesterases has hindered progress, primarily due to challenges in obtaining high-quality training datasets. In this study, we devise a high-throughput method by coupling alcohol dehydrogenase to determine the apparent enantioselectivity of the carboxylesterase AcEst1 from Acinetobacter sp. JNU9335, generating a high-quality dataset. Leveraging seven features derived from biochemical considerations, we quantitively describe the steric, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, electrostatic, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interaction effects of residues within AcEst1. A robust gradient boosting regression tree model is trained to facilitate stereodivergent evolution, resulting in the enhanced enantioselectivity of AcEst1 toward S1. Through this approach, we successfully obtain two stereocomplementary variants, DR3 and DS6, demonstrating significantly increased and reversed enantioselectivity. Notably, DR3 and DS6 exhibit utility in the enantioselective hydrolysis of various symmetric esters. Comprehensive kinetic parameter analysis, molecular dynamics simulations, and QM/MM calculations offer insights into the kinetic and thermodynamic features underlying the manipulated enantioselectivity of DR3 and DS6., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The orbital Hall effect in light materials has attracted considerable attention for developing orbitronic devices. Here we investigate the orbital torque efficiency and demonstrate the switching of the perpendicularly magnetized materials through the orbital Hall material, i.e., Zr. The orbital torque efficiency of approximately 0.78 is achieved in the Zr orbital Hall material with the perpendicularly magnetized [Co/Pt] 3 sample, which significantly surpasses that of the perpendicularly magnetized CoFeB/Gd/CoFeB sample (approximately 0.04). Such a notable difference is attributed to the different spin-orbit correlation strength between the [Co/Pt] 3 sample and the CoFeB/Gd/CoFeB sample, confirmed through theoretical calculations. Furthermore, the full magnetization switching of the [Co/Pt] 3 samples with a switching current density of approximately 2.6×10 6  A/cm 2 has been realized through Zr, which even outperforms that of the W spin Hall material. Our finding provides a guideline to understand orbital torque efficiency and paves the way for developing energy-efficient orbitronic devices., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Brown planthopper (BPH) is the most destructive insect pest of rice. Drought is the most detrimental environmental stress. BPH infestation causes adaxial leaf-rolling and bulliform cells (BCs) shrinkage similar to drought. The BC-related abaxially curled leaf1 (ACL1) gene negatively regulates BPH resistance and drought tolerance, with decreased cuticular wax in the gain-of-function mutant ACL1-D. ACL1 shows an epidermis-specific expression. The TurboID system and multiple biochemical assays reveal that ACL1 interacts with the epidermal-characteristic rice outermost cell-specific (ROC) proteins. ROC4 and ROC5 positively regulate BPH resistance and drought tolerance through modulating cuticular wax and BCs, respectively. Overexpression of ROC4 and ROC5 both rescue ACL1-D mutant in various related phenotypes. ACL1 competes with ROC4/ROC5 in homo-dimer and hetero-dimer formation, and interacts with the repressive TOPLESS-related proteins. Altogether, we illustrate that ACL1-ROC4/5 complexes synergistically mediate drought tolerance and BPH resistance through regulating cuticular wax content and BC development in rice, a mechanism that might facilitate BPH-resistant breeding., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Advancements in human-engineered heart tissue have enhanced the understanding of cardiac cellular alteration. Nevertheless, a human model simulating pathological remodeling following myocardial infarction for therapeutic development remains essential. Here we develop an engineered model of myocardial repair that replicates the phased remodeling process, including hypoxic stress, fibrosis, and electrophysiological dysfunction. Transcriptomic analysis identifies nine critical signaling pathways related to cellular fate transitions, leading to the evaluation of seventeen modulators for their therapeutic potential in a mini-repair model. A scoring system quantitatively evaluates the restoration of abnormal electrophysiology, demonstrating that the phased combination of TGFβ inhibitor SB431542, Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632, and WNT activator CHIR99021 yields enhanced functional restoration compared to single factor treatments in both engineered and mouse myocardial infarction model. This engineered heart tissue repair model effectively captures the phased remodeling following myocardial infarction, providing a crucial platform for discovering therapeutic targets for ischemic heart disease., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Microtubule-based vesicle trafficking usually relies upon kinesin and dynein motors and few reports describe microtubule polymerisation driving directional vesicle trafficking. Here we show that Arabidopsis END BINDING1b (EB1b), a microtubule plus-end binding protein, directly interacts with SYP121, a SNARE protein that mediates the trafficking of the K + channel KAT1 and its distribution to the plasma membrane (PM) in Arabidopsis guard cells. Knockout of AtEB1b and its homologous proteins results in a modest but significant change in the distribution of KAT1 and SYP121 in guard cells and consequently delays light-induced stomatal opening. Live-cell imaging reveals that a portion of SYP121-associated endomembrane compartments co-localise with AtEB1b at the growing ends of microtubules, trafficking along with the growth of microtubules for targeting to the PM. Our study reveals a mechanism of vesicle trafficking driven by microtubule growth, which is involved in the redistribution of PM proteins to modulate guard cell movement., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Neovaginas are surgically constructed to correct uterovaginal agenesis in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome or as part of gender-affirming surgery for transfeminine individuals. Understanding the assembly of the neovaginal microbiota is crucial for guiding its management. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study on MRKH patients following laparoscopic peritoneal vaginoplasty. Our findings reveal that the early microbial assemblage exhibited stochastic characteristics, accompanied with a notable bloom of Enterococcus faecalis and genital Mycoplasmas. While both the pre-surgery dimple microbiota and the fecal microbiota constituted the primary species pool, the neovaginal microbiota developed into a microbiota that resembled that of a normal vagina at 6-12 months post-surgery, albeit with a bacterial vaginosis (BV)-like structure. By 2-4 years post-surgery, the neovaginal microbiota had further evolved into a structure closely resembling with the homeostatic pre-surgery dimple microbiota. This concords with the development of the squamous epithelium in the neovagina and highlights the pivotal roles of progressive selective forces imposed by the evolving neovaginal environment and the colonization tropism of vaginal species. Notably, we observed that strains of Lactobacillus crispatus colonizing the neovagina primarily originated from the dimple. Since L. crispatus is generally associated with vaginal health, this finding suggests potential avenues for future research to promote its colonization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Photo-thermal-coupling ammonia decomposition presents a promising strategy for utilizing the full-spectrum to address the H 2 storage and transportation issues. Herein, we exhibit a photo-thermal-catalytic architecture by assembling gallium nitride nanowires-supported ruthenium nanoparticles on a silicon for extracting hydrogen from ammonia aqueous solution in a batch reactor with only sunlight input. The photoexcited charge carriers make a predomination contribution on H 2 activity with the assistance of the photothermal effect. Upon concentrated light illumination, the architecture significantly reduces the activation energy barrier from 1.08 to 0.22 eV. As a result, a high turnover number of 3,400,750 is reported during 400 h of continuous light illumination, and the H 2 activity per hour  is nearly 1000 times higher than that under the pure thermo-catalytic conditions. The reaction mechanism is extensively studied by coordinating experiments, spectroscopic characterizations, and density functional theory calculation. Outdoor tests validate the viability of such a multifunctional architecture for ammonia decomposition toward H 2 under natural sunlight., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A single-atom catalyst with generally regarded inert Zn-N 4 motifs derived from ZIF-8 is unexpectedly efficient for the activation of alcohols, enabling alcohol-mediated alkylation and transfer hydrogenation. C-alkylation of nitriles, ketones, alcohols, N-heterocycles, amides, keto acids, and esters, and N-alkylation of amines and amides all go smoothly with the developed method. Taking the α-alkylation of nitriles with alcohols as an example, the α-alkylation starts from the (1) nitrogen-doped carbon support catalyzed dehydrogenation of alcohols into aldehydes, which further condensed with nitriles to give vinyl nitriles, followed by (2) transfer hydrogenation of C=C bonds in vinyl nitriles on Zn-N 4 sites. The experimental results and DFT calculations reveal that the Lewis acidic Zn-N 4 sites promote step (2) by activating the alcohols. This is the first example of highly efficient single-atom catalysts for various organic transformations with biomass-derived alcohols as the alkylating reagents and hydrogen donors., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppressing HIV-1 replication, existing antiviral drugs pose limitations, including lifelong medication, frequent administration, side effects and viral resistance, necessitating novel HIV-1 treatment approaches. CD4, pivotal for HIV-1 entry, poses challenges for drug development due to neutralization and cytotoxicity concerns. Nevertheless, Ibalizumab, the sole approved CD4-specific antibody for HIV-1 treatment, reignites interest in exploring alternative anti-HIV targets, emphasizing CD4's potential value for effective drug development. Here, we explore anti-CD4 nanobodies, particularly Nb457 from a CD4-immunized alpaca. Nb457 displays high potency and broad-spectrum activity against HIV-1, surpassing Ibalizumab's efficacy. Strikingly, engineered trimeric Nb457 nanobodies achieve complete inhibition against live HIV-1, outperforming Ibalizumab and parental Nb457. Structural analysis unveils Nb457-induced CD4 conformational changes impeding viral entry. Notably, Nb457 demonstrates therapeutic efficacy in humanized female mouse models. Our findings highlight anti-CD4 nanobodies as promising HIV-1 therapeutics, with potential implications for advancing clinical treatment against this global health challenge., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Natural evolution has resulted in reduced cold tolerance in cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Herein, we perform a combined analysis of ATAC-Seq and RNA-Seq in cold-sensitive cultivated tomato and cold-tolerant wild tomato (S. habrochaites). We identify that WRKY34 has the most significant association with differential chromatin accessibility and expression patterns under cold stress. We find that a 60 bp InDel in the WRKY34 promoter causes differences in its transcription and cold tolerance among 376 tomato accessions. This 60 bp fragment contains a GATA cis-regulatory element that binds to SWIBs and GATA29, which synergistically suppress WRKY34 expression under cold stress. Moreover, WRKY34 interferes with the CBF cold response pathway through regulating transcription and protein levels. Our findings emphasize the importance of polymorphisms in cis-regulatory regions and their effects on chromatin structure and gene expression during crop evolution., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Photosystem I (PSI) from Fittonia albivenis, an Acanthaceae ornamental plant, is notable among green plants for its red-shifted emission spectrum. Here, we solved the structure of a PSI-light harvesting complex I (LHCI) supercomplex from F. albivenis at 2.46-Å resolution using cryo-electron microscopy. The supercomplex contains a core complex of 14 subunits and an LHCI belt with four antenna subunits (Lhca1-4) similar to previously reported angiosperm PSI-LHCI structures; however, Lhca3 differs in three regions surrounding a dimer of low-energy chlorophylls (Chls) termed red Chls, which absorb far-red beyond visible light. The unique amino acid sequences within these regions are exclusively shared by plants with strongly red-shifted fluorescence emission, suggesting candidate structural elements for regulating the energy state of red Chls. These results provide a structural basis for unraveling the mechanisms of light harvest and transfer in PSI-LHCI of under canopy plants and for designing Lhc to harness longer-wavelength light in the far-red spectral range., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The functions of natural killer (NK) and T cells in innate and adaptive immunity, as well as their functions in tumor eradication, are complementary and intertwined. Here we show that utilization of multi-specific antibodies or nano-antibodies capable of simultaneously targeting both NK and T cells could be a valuable approach in cancer immunotherapy. Here, we introduce a tri-specific Nano-Antibody (Tri-NAb), generated by immobilizing three types of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), using an optimized albumin/polyester composite nanoparticle conjugated with anti-Fc antibody. This Tri-NAb, targeting PDL1, 4-1BB, and NKG2A (or TIGIT) simultaneously, effectively binds to NK and CD8 + T cells, triggering their activation and proliferation, while facilitating their interaction with tumor cells, thereby inducing efficient tumor killing. Importantly, the antitumor efficacy of Tri-NAb is validated in multiple models, including patient-derived tumor organoids and humanized mice, highlighting the translational potential of NK and T cell co-targeting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

One-dimensional metallic transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires (TMC-NWs) hold promise for interconnecting devices built on two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides, but only isotropic growth has so far been demonstrated. Here we show the direct patterning of highly oriented Mo 6 Te 6 NWs in 2D molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe 2 ) using graphite as confined encapsulation layers under external stimuli. The atomic structural transition is studied through in-situ electrical biasing the fabricated heterostructure in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field STEM images reveal that the conversion of Mo 6 Te 6 NWs from MoTe 2 occurs only along specific directions. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the oriented growth to the local Joule-heating induced by electrical bias near the interface of the graphite-MoTe 2 heterostructure and the confinement effect generated by graphite. Using the same strategy, we fabricate oriented NWs confined in graphite as lateral contact electrodes in the 2H-MoTe 2 FET, achieving a low Schottky barrier of 11.5 meV, and low contact resistance of 43.7 Ω µm at the metal-NW interface. Our work introduces possible approaches to fabricate oriented NWs for interconnections in flexible 2D nanoelectronics through direct metal phase patterning., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The occurrence of whole-genome duplication or polyploidy may promote plant adaptability to harsh environments. Here, we clarify the evolutionary relationship of eight GhCIPK6 homologous genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Gene expression and interaction analyses indicate that GhCIPK6 homologous genes show significant functional changes after polyploidy. Among these, GhCIPK6D1 and GhCIPK6D3 are significantly up-regulated by drought stress. Functional studies reveal that high GhCIPK6D1 expression promotes cotton drought sensitivity, while GhCIPK6D3 expression promotes drought tolerance, indicating clear functional differentiation. Genetic and biochemical analyses confirm the synergistic negative and positive regulation of cotton drought resistance through GhCBL1A1-GhCIPK6D1 and GhCBL2A1-GhCIPK6D3, respectively, to regulate stomatal movement by controlling the directional flow of K + in guard cells. These results reveal differentiated roles of GhCIPK6 homologous genes in response to drought stress in upland cotton following polyploidy. The work provides a different perspective for exploring the functionalization and subfunctionalization of duplicated genes in response to polyploidization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

While protein aggregation's association with aging and age-related diseases is well-established, the specific proteins involved and whether dissolving them could alleviate aging remain unclear. Our research addresses this gap by uncovering the role of PKM2 aggregates in aging. We find that PKM2 forms aggregates in senescent cells and organs from aged mice, impairing its enzymatic activity and glycolytic flux, thereby driving cells into senescence. Through a rigorous two-step small molecule library screening, we identify two compounds, K35 and its analog K27, capable of dissolving PKM2 aggregates and alleviating senescence. Further experiments show that treatment with K35 and K27 not only alleviate aging-associated signatures but also extend the lifespan of naturally and prematurely aged mice. These findings provide compelling evidence for the involvement of PKM2 aggregates in inducing cellular senescence and aging phenotypes, and suggest that targeting these aggregates could be a promising strategy for anti-aging drug discovery., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Hierarchically porous materials containing sub-nm ultramicropores with molecular sieving abilities and microcavities with high gas diffusivity may realize energy-efficient membranes for gas separations. However, rationally designing and constructing such pores into large-area membranes enabling efficient H 2 separations remains challenging. Here, we report the synthesis and utilization of hybrid carbon molecular sieve membranes with well-controlled nano- and micro-pores and single zinc atoms and clusters well-dispersed inside the nanopores via the carbonization of supramolecular mixed matrix materials containing amorphous and crystalline zeolitic imidazolate frameworks. Carbonization temperature is used to fine-tune pore sizes, achieving ultrahigh selectivity for H 2 /CO 2 (130), H 2 /CH 4 (2900), H 2 /N 2 (880), and H 2 /C 2 H 6 (7900) with stability against water vapor and physical aging during a continuous 120-h test., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Direct hydrogen production from inexhaustible seawater using abundant offshore wind power offers a promising pathway for achieving a sustainable energy industry and fuel economy. Various direct seawater electrolysis methods have been demonstrated to be effective at the laboratory scale. However, larger-scale in situ demonstrations that are completely free of corrosion and side reactions in fluctuating oceans are lacking. Here, fluctuating conditions of the ocean were considered for the first time, and seawater electrolysis in wave motion environment was achieved. We present the successful scaling of a floating seawater electrolysis system that employed wind power in Xinghua Bay and the integration of a 1.2 Nm 3  h -1 -scale pilot system. Stable electrolysis operation was achieved for over 240 h with an electrolytic energy consumption of 5 kWh Nm -3 H 2 and a high purity (>99.9%) of hydrogen under fluctuating ocean conditions (0~0.9 m wave height, 0~15 m s -1 wind speed), which is comparable to that during onshore water electrolysis. The concentration of impurity ions in the electrolyte was low and stable over a long period of time under complex and changing scenarios. We identified the technological challenges and performances of the key system components and examined the future outlook for this emerging technology., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

C-1 Glycals serve as pivotal intermediates in synthesizing diverse C-glycosyl compounds and natural products, necessitating the development of concise, efficient and user-friendly methods to obtain C-1 glycosides is essential. The Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of glycal boronates is notable for its reliability and non-toxic nature, but glycal donor stability remains a challenge. Herein, we achieve a significant breakthrough by developing stable glycal boronates, effectively overcoming the stability issue in glycal-based Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. Leveraging the balanced reactivity and stability of our glycal boronates, we establish a robust palladium-catalyzed glycal-based Suzuki-Miyaura reaction, facilitating the formation of various C(sp 2 )-C(sp), C(sp 2 )-C(sp 2 ), and C(sp 2 )-C(sp 3 ) bonds under mild conditions. Notably, we expand upon this achievement by developing the DNA-compatible glycal-based cross-coupling reaction to synthesize various glycal-DNA conjugates. With its excellent reaction reactivity, stability, generality, and ease of handling, the method holds promise for widespread appication in the preparation of C-glycosyl compounds and natural products., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Precipitation from tropical cyclones (TCs) can cause massive damage from inland floods and is becoming more intense under a warming climate. However, knowledge gaps still exist in changes of spatial patterns in heavy TC precipitation. Here we define a metric, DIST30, as the mean radial distance from centers of clustered heavy rainfall cells (> 30 mm/3 h) to TC center, representing the footprint of heavy TC precipitation. There is significant global increase in DIST30 at a rate of 0.34 km/year. Increases of DIST30 cover 59.87% of total TC impact areas, with growth especially strong in the Western North Pacific, Northern Atlantic, and Southern Pacific. The XGBoost machine learning model showed that monthly DIST30 variability is majorly controlled by TC maximum wind speed, location, sea surface temperature, vertical wind shear, and total water column vapor. TC poleward migration in the Northern Hemisphere contributes substantially to the DIST30 upward trend globally., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

To enable high performance of all solid-state batteries, a catholyte should demonstrate high ionic conductivity, good compressibility and oxidative stability. Here, a LaCl 3 -based Na + superionic conductor (Na 1 - x Zr x La 1 - x Cl 4 ) with high ionic conductivity of 2.9 × 10 -4  S cm -1 (30 °C), good compressibility and high oxidative potential (3.80 V vs. Na 2 Sn) is prepared via solid state reaction combining mechanochemical method. X-ray diffraction reveals a hexagonal structure (P6 3 /m) of Na 1 - x Zr x La 1 - x Cl 4 , with Na + ions forming a one-dimensional diffusion channel along the c-axis. First-principle calculations combining with X-ray absorption fine structure characterization etc. reveal that the ionic conductivity of Na 1 - x Zr x La 1 - x Cl 4 is mainly determined by the size of Na + -channels and the Na + /La 3+ mixing in the one-dimensional diffusion channels. When applied as a catholyte, the NaCrO 2 ||Na 0.7 Zr 0.3 La 0.7 Cl 4 ||Na 3 PS 4 ||Na 2 Sn all-solid-state batteries demonstrate an initial capacity of 114 mA h g -1 and 88% retention after 70 cycles at 0.3 C. In addition, a high capacity of 94 mA h g -1 can be maintained at 1 C current density., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Therapeutic resistance represents a bottleneck to treatment in advanced gastric cancer (GC). Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of non-apoptotic cell death and is associated with anti-cancer therapeutic efficacy. Further investigations are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms. Ferroptosis-resistant GC cell lines are constructed. Dysregulated mRNAs between ferroptosis-resistant and parental cell lines are identified. The expression of SOX13/SCAF1 is manipulated in GC cell lines where relevant biological and molecular analyses are performed. Molecular docking and computational screening are performed to screen potential inhibitors of SOX13. We show that SOX13 boosts protein remodeling of electron transport chain (ETC) complexes by directly transactivating SCAF1. This leads to increased supercomplexes (SCs) assembly, mitochondrial respiration, mitochondrial energetics and chemo- and immune-resistance. Zanamivir, reverts the ferroptosis-resistant phenotype via directly targeting SOX13 and promoting TRIM25-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of SOX13. Here we show, SOX13/SCAF1 are important in ferroptosis-resistance, and targeting SOX13 with zanamivir has therapeutic potential., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Precious metals are core assets for the development of modern technologies in various fields. Their scarcity poses the question of their cost, life cycle and reuse. Recently, an emerging catalysis employing contact-electrification (CE) at water-solid interfaces to drive redox reaction, called contact-electro-catalysis (CEC), has been used to develop metal free mechano-catalytic methods to efficiently degrade refractory organic compounds, produce hydrogen peroxide, or leach metals from spent Li-Ion batteries. Here, we show ultrasonic CEC can successfully drive the reduction of Ag(ac), Rh 3+ , [PtCl 4 ] 2- , Ag + , Hg 2+ , Pd 2+ , [AuCl 4 ] - , and Ir 3+ , in both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The effect of oxygen on the reaction is studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and ab-initio simulation. Combining measurements of charge transfers during water-solid CE, EPR spectroscopy and gold extraction experiments help show the link between CE and CEC. What's more, this method based on water-solid CE is capable of extracting gold from synthetic solutions with concentrations ranging from as low as 0.196 ppm up to 196 ppm, reaching in 3 h extraction capacities ranging from 0.756 to 722.5 mg g -1 in 3 h. Finally, we showed CEC is employed to design a metal-free, selective, and recyclable catalytic gold extraction methods from e-waste aqueous leachates., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

While the role of crystal facets is well known in traditional heterogeneous catalysis, this effect has not yet been thoroughly studied in plasmon-assisted catalysis, where attention has primarily focused on plasmon-derived mechanisms. Here, we investigate plasmon-assisted electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction using different shapes of plasmonic Au nanoparticles - nanocube (NC), rhombic dodecahedron (RD), and octahedron (OC) - exposing {100}, {110}, and {111} facets, respectively. Upon plasmon excitation, Au OCs doubled CO Faradaic efficiency (FE CO ) and tripled CO partial current density (j CO ) compared to a dark condition, with NCs also improving under illumination. In contrast, Au RDs maintained consistent performance irrespective of light exposure, suggesting minimal influence of light on the reaction. Temperature experiments ruled out heat as the main factor to explain such differences. Atomistic simulations and electromagnetic modeling revealed higher hot carrier abundance and electric field enhancement on Au OCs and NCs than RDs. These effects now dominate the reaction landscape over the crystal facets, thus shifting the reaction sites when comparing dark and plasmon-activated processes. Plasmon-assisted H 2 evolution reaction experiments also support these findings. The dominance of low-coordinated sites over facets in plasmonic catalysis suggests key insights for designing efficient photocatalysts for energy conversion and carbon neutralization., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Commonly-used ether and carbonate electrolytes show distinct advantages in active lithium-metal anode and high-voltage cathode, respectively. While these complementary characteristics hold promise for energy-dense lithium metal batteries, such synergy cannot be realized solely through physical blending. Herein, a linear functionalized solvent, bis(2-methoxyethyl) carbonate (BMC), is conceived by intramolecularly hybridizing ethers and carbonates. The integration of the electron-donating ether group with the electron-withdrawing carbonate group can rationalizes the charge distribution, imparting BMC with notable oxidative/reductive stability and relatively weak solvation ability. Furthermore, BMC also offers advantages including the ability to slightly dissolve LiNO 3 , excellent thermostability and nonflammability. Consequently, the optimized BMC-based electrolyte, even with typical concentrations in the single solvent, demonstrates high-voltage tolerance (4.4 V) and impressive Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency (99.4%). Moreover, it fulfills practical lithium metal batteries with satisfactory cycling performance and exceptional tolerance towards thermal/mechanical abuse, showcasing its suitability for safe high-energy lithium metal batteries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Large-scale stretchable strain sensor arrays capable of mapping two-dimensional strain distributions have gained interest for applications as wearable devices and relating to the Internet of Things. However, existing strain sensor arrays are usually unable to achieve accurate directional recognition and experience a trade-off between high sensing resolution and large area detection. Here, based on classical Mie resonance, we report a flexible meta-sensor array that can detect the in-plane direction and magnitude of preloaded strains by referencing a dynamically transmitted terahertz (THz) signal. By building a one-to-one correspondence between the intrinsic electrical/magnetic dipole resonance frequency and the horizontal/perpendicular tension level, arbitrary strain information across the meta-sensor array is accurately detected and quantified using a THz scanning setup. Particularly, with a simple preparation process of micro template-assisted assembly, this meta-sensor array offers ultrahigh sensor density (~11.1 cm -2 ) and has been seamlessly extended to a record-breaking size (110 × 130 mm 2 ), demonstrating its promise in real-life applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The development of an effective survival prediction tool is key for reducing colorectal cancer mortality. Here, we apply a three-stage study to devise a polygenic prognostic score (PPS) for stratifying colorectal cancer overall survival. Leveraging two cohorts of 3703 patients, we first perform a genome-wide survival association analysis to develop eight candidate PPSs. Further using an independent cohort with 470 patients, we identify the 287 variants-derived PPS (i.e., PPS 287 ) achieving an optimal prediction performance [hazard ratio (HR) per SD = 1.99, P = 1.76 × 10 -8 ], accompanied by additional tests in two external cohorts, with HRs per SD of 1.90 (P = 3.21 × 10 -14 ; 543 patients) and 1.80 (P = 1.11 × 10 -9 ; 713 patients). Notably, the detrimental impact of pathologic characteristics and genetic risk could be attenuated by a healthy lifestyle, yielding a 7.62% improvement in the 5-year overall survival rate. Therefore, our findings demonstrate the integrated contribution of pathologic characteristics, germline variants, and lifestyle exposure to the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

After decades of efforts, some fundamental physics for electrical switching of magnetization is still missing. Here, we report the discovery of the long-range intralayer Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) effect, which is the chiral coupling of orthogonal magnetic domains within the same magnetic layer via the mediation of an adjacent heavy metal layer. The effective magnetic field of the long-range intralayer DMI on the perpendicular magnetization is out-of-plane and varies with the interfacial DMI constant, the applied in-plane magnetic fields, and the magnetic anisotropy distribution. Striking consequences of the effect include asymmetric current/field switching of perpendicular magnetization, hysteresis loop shift of perpendicular magnetization in the absence of in-plane direct current, and sharp in-plane magnetic field switching of perpendicular magnetization. Utilizing the intralayer DMI, we demonstrate programable, complete Boolean logic operations within a single spin-orbit torque device. These results will stimulate investigation of the long-range intralayer DMI effect in a variety of spintronic devices., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Active matter drives its constituent agents to move autonomously by harnessing free energy, leading to diverse emergent states with relevance to both biological processes and inanimate functionalities. Achieving maximum reconfigurability of active materials with minimal control remains a desirable yet challenging goal. Here, we employ large-scale, agent-resolved simulations to demonstrate that modulating the activity of a wet phoretic medium alone can govern its solid-liquid-gas phase transitions and, subsequently, laminar-turbulent transitions in fluid phases, thereby shaping its emergent pattern. These two progressively emerging transitions, hitherto unreported, bring us closer to perceiving the parallels between active matter and traditional matter. Our work reproduces and reconciles seemingly conflicting experimental observations on chemically active systems, presenting a unified landscape of phoretic collective dynamics. These findings enhance the understanding of long-range, many-body interactions among phoretic agents, offer new insights into their non-equilibrium collective behaviors, and provide potential guidelines for designing reconfigurable materials., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Photoreceptor proteins utilise chromophores to sense light and trigger a biological response. The discovery that adenosylcobalamin (or coenzyme B 12 ) can act as a light-sensing chromophore heralded a new field of B 12 -photobiology. Although microbial genome analysis indicates that photoactive B 12 -binding domains form part of more complex protein architectures, regulating a range of molecular-cellular functions in response to light, experimental evidence is lacking. Here we identify and characterise a sub-family of multi-centre photoreceptors, termed photocobilins, that use B 12 and biliverdin (BV) to sense light across the visible spectrum. Crystal structures reveal close juxtaposition of the B 12 and BV chromophores, an arrangement that facilitates optical coupling. Light-triggered conversion of the B 12 affects quaternary structure, in turn leading to light-activation of associated enzyme domains. The apparent widespread nature of photocobilins implies involvement in light regulation of a wider array of biochemical processes, and thus expands the scope for B 12 photobiology. Their characterisation provides inspiration for the design of broad-spectrum optogenetic tools and next generation bio-photocatalysts., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are increasingly susceptible to atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability, leading to severe cardiovascular events. In this study, we demonstrate that elevated serum levels of palmitic acid, a type of saturated fatty acid, are significantly linked to this enhanced vulnerability in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Through a combination of human cohort studies and animal models, our research identifies a key mechanistic pathway: palmitic acid induces macrophage Delta-like ligand 4 signaling, which in turn triggers senescence in vascular smooth muscle cells. This process is critical for plaque instability due to reduced collagen synthesis and deposition. Importantly, our findings reveal that macrophage-specific knockout of Delta-like ligand 4 in atherosclerotic mice leads to reduced plaque burden and improved stability, highlighting the potential of targeting this pathway. These insights offer a promising direction for developing therapeutic strategies to mitigate cardiovascular risks in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Developing a CO 2 -utilization and energy-storage integrated system possesses great advantages for carbon- and energy-intensive industries. Efforts have been made to developing the Zn-CO 2 batteries, but access to long cycling life and low charging voltage remains a grand challenge. Here we unambiguously show such inefficiencies originate from the high-barrier oxygen evolution reaction on charge, and by recharging the battery via oxidation of reducing molecules, Faradaic efficiency-enhanced CO 2 reduction and low-overpotential battery regeneration can be simultaneously achieved. Showcased by using hydrazine oxidation, our battery demonstrates a long life over 1000 hours with a charging voltage as low as 1.2 V. The low charging voltage and formation of gaseous product upon hydrazine oxidation are the key to stabilize the catalyst over cycling. Our findings suggest that by fundamentally taming the asymmetric reactions, aqueous batteries are viable tools to achieve integrated energy storage and CO 2 conversion that is economical, highly energy efficient, and scalable., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The synthesis of three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks with highly connected building blocks presents a significant challenge. In this study, we report two 3D COFs with the nia topology, named JUC-641 and JUC-642, by introducing planar hexagonal and triangular prism nodes. Notably, our adsorption studies and breakthrough experiments reveal that both COFs exhibit exceptional separation capabilities, surpassing previously reported 3D COFs and most porous organic polymers, with a separation factor of up to 2.02 for benzene and cyclohexane. Additionally, dispersion-corrected density functional theory analysis suggests that the good performance of these 3D COFs can be attributed to the incorporation of highly aromatic building blocks and the presence of extensive pore structures. Consequently, this research not only expands the diversity of COFs but also highlights the potential of functional COF materials as promising candidates for environmentally-friendly separation applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Molten salt aluminum-sulfur batteries are based exclusively on resourcefully sustainable materials, and are promising for large-scale energy storage owed to their high-rate capability and moderate energy density; but the operating temperature is still high, prohibiting their applications. Here we report a rapid-charging aluminium-sulfur battery operated at a sub-water-boiling temperature of 85 °C with a tamed quaternary molten salt electrolyte. The quaternary alkali chloroaluminate melt - possessing abundant electrochemically active high-order Al-Cl clusters and yet exhibiting a low melting point - facilitates fast Al 3+ desolvation. A nitrogen-functionalized porous carbon further mediates the sulfur reaction, enabling the battery with rapid-charging capability and excellent cycling stability with 85.4% capacity retention over 1400 cycles at a charging rate of 1 C. Importantly, we demonstrate that the asymmetric sulfur reaction mechanism that involves formation of polysulfide intermediates, as revealed by operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy, accounts for the high reaction kinetics at such temperature wherein the thermal management can be greatly simplified by using water as the heating media., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) comes with gut dysbiosis, but its relevance remains elusive. Here we use metagenomics sequencing and short-chain fatty acids metabolomics and assess the effects of human CSU fecal microbial transplantation, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Roseburia hominis, and metabolites in vivo. CSU gut microbiota displays low diversity and short-chain fatty acids production, but high gut Klebsiella pneumoniae levels, negatively correlates with blood short-chain fatty acids levels and links to high disease activity. Blood lipopolysaccharide levels are elevated, link to rapid disease relapse, and high gut levels of conditional pathogenic bacteria. CSU microbiome transfer and Klebsiella pneumoniae transplantation facilitate IgE-mediated mast cell(MC)-driven skin inflammatory responses and increase intestinal permeability and blood lipopolysaccharide accumulation in recipient mice. Transplantation of Roseburia hominis and caproate administration protect recipient mice from MC-driven skin inflammation. Here, we show gut microbiome alterations, in CSU, may reduce short-chain fatty acids and increase lipopolysaccharide levels, respectively, and facilitate MC-driven skin inflammation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The spread of many infectious diseases relies on aerosol transmission to the respiratory tract. Here we design an intranasal mask comprising a positively-charged thermosensitive hydrogel and cell-derived micro-sized vesicles with a specific viral receptor. We show that the positively charged hydrogel intercepts negatively charged viral aerosols, while the viral receptor on vesicles mediates the entrapment of viruses for inactivation. We demonstrate that when displaying matched viral receptors, the intranasal masks protect the nasal cavity and lung of mice from either severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or influenza A virus. With computerized tomography images of human nasal cavity, we further conduct computational fluid dynamics simulation and three-dimensional printing of an anatomically accurate human nasal cavity, which is connected to human lung organoids to generate a human respiratory tract model. Both simulative and experimental results support the suitability of intranasal masks in humans, as the likelihood of viral respiratory infections induced by different variant strains is dramatically reduced., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Microbiota have an important function in shaping and priming neonatal immunity, although the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects remain obscure. Here we report that prenatal antibiotic exposure causes significant elevation of group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in neonatal lungs, in both cell numbers and functionality. Downregulation of type 1 interferon signaling in ILC2s due to diminished production of microbiota-derived butyrate represents the underlying mechanism. Mice lacking butyrate receptor GPR41 (Gpr41 -/- ) or type 1 interferon receptor IFNAR1 (Ifnar1 -/- ) recapitulate the phenotype of neonatal ILC2s upon maternal antibiotic exposure. Furthermore, prenatal antibiotic exposure induces epigenetic changes in ILC2s and has a long-lasting deteriorative effect on allergic airway inflammation in adult offspring. Prenatal supplementation of butyrate ameliorates airway inflammation in adult mice born to antibiotic-exposed dams. These observations demonstrate an essential role for the microbiota in the control of type 2 innate immunity at the neonatal stage, which suggests a therapeutic window for treating asthma in early life., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Poor renal distribution of antibody-based drugs is the key factor contributing to low treatment efficiency for renal diseases and side effects. Here, we prepare F(ab') 2 fragmented vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody (anti-VEGFR2 (F(ab') 2 ) to block VEGFR2 overactivation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). We find that the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab') 2 has a higher accumulation in DN male mice kidneys than the intact VEGFR2 antibody, and simultaneously preserves the binding ability to VEGFR2. Furthermore, we develop an antibody fragment drug conjugate, anti-VEGFR2 F(ab') 2 -SS31, comprising the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab') 2 fragment linked to the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide SS31. We find that introduction of SS31 potentiates the efficacy of anti-VEGFR2 F(ab') 2 . These findings provide proof of concept for the premise that antibody fragment drug conjugate improves renal distribution and merits drug validation in renal disease therapy., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPPs) class of natural products has undergone significant expansion due to the rapid growth in genome sequencing data. Using a bioinformatics approach, we identify the dehydrazoles, a novel class of hypermodified RiPPs that contain both side chain dehydration of Ser residues, and backbone heterocyclization at Ser, Thr, and Cys residues to the corresponding azol(in)es. Structure elucidation of the hypermodified peptide carnazolamide, a representative class member, shows that 18 post-translational modifications are installed by just five enzymes. Complete biosynthetic reconstitution demonstrates that dehydration is carried out by an unusual DUF4135 dehydration domain fused to a zinc-independent cyclase domain (CcaM). We demonstrate that CcaM only modifies Ser residues that precede an azole in the core peptide. As heterocyclization removes the carbonyl following the Ser residue, CcaM likely catalyzes dehydration without generating an enolate intermediate. Additionally, CcaM does not require the leader peptide, and this core-dependence effectively sets the order for the biosynthetic reactions. Biophysical studies demonstrate direct binding of azoles to CcaM consistent with this azole moiety-dependent dehydration. Bioinformatic analysis reveals more than 50 related biosynthetic gene clusters that contain additional catalysts that may produce structurally diverse scaffolds., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen that threatens cotton production worldwide. In this study, we assemble the genomes of two V. dahliae isolates: the more virulence and defoliating isolate V991 and nondefoliating isolate 1cd3-2. Transcriptome and comparative genomics analyses show that genes associated with pathogen virulence are mostly induced at the late stage of infection (Stage II), accompanied by a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), with upregulation of more genes involved in defense response in cotton. We identify the V991-specific virulence gene SP3 that is highly expressed during the infection Stage II. V. dahliae SP3 knock-out strain shows attenuated virulence and triggers less ROS production in cotton plants. To control the disease, we employ polyethyleneimine-coated MXene quantum dots (PEI-MQDs) that possess the ability to remove ROS. Cotton seedlings treated with PEI-MQDs are capable of maintaining ROS homeostasis with enhanced peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and exhibit improved tolerance to V. dahliae. These results suggest that V. dahliae trigger ROS production to promote infection and scavenging ROS is an effective way to manage this disease. This study reveals a virulence mechanism of V. dahliae and provides a means for V. dahliae resistance that benefits cotton production., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The search for topological superconductivity (TSC) is currently an exciting pursuit, since non-trivial topological superconducting phases could host exotic Majorana modes. However, the difficulty in fabricating proximity-induced TSC heterostructures, the sensitivity to disorder and stringent topological restrictions of intrinsic TSC place serious limitations and formidable challenges on the materials and related applications. Here, we report a new type of intrinsic TSC, namely intrinsic surface topological superconductivity (IS-TSC) and demonstrate it in layered AuSn 4 with T c of 2.4 K. Different in-plane and out-of-plane upper critical fields reflect a two-dimensional (2D) character of superconductivity. The two-fold symmetric angular dependences of both magneto-transport and the zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in point-contact spectroscopy (PCS) in the superconducting regime indicate an unconventional pairing symmetry of AuSn 4 . The superconducting gap and surface multi-bands with Rashba splitting at the Fermi level (E F ), in conjunction with first-principle calculations, strongly suggest that 2D unconventional SC in AuSn 4 originates from the mixture of p-wave surface and s-wave bulk contributions, which leads to a two-fold symmetric superconductivity. Our results provide an exciting paradigm to realize TSC via Rashba effect on surface superconducting bands in layered materials., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The past decade has witnessed rapid progress in deep learning for molecular design, owing to the availability of invertible and invariant representations for molecules such as simplified molecular-input line-entry system (SMILES), which has powered cheminformatics since the late 1980s. However, the design of elemental components and their structural arrangement in solid-state materials to achieve certain desired properties is still a long-standing challenge in physics, chemistry and biology. This is primarily due to, unlike molecular inverse design, the lack of an invertible crystal representation that satisfies translational, rotational, and permutational invariances. To address this issue, we have developed a simplified line-input crystal-encoding system (SLICES), which is a string-based crystal representation that satisfies both invertibility and invariances. The reconstruction routine of SLICES successfully reconstructed 94.95% of over 40,000 structurally and chemically diverse crystal structures, showcasing an unprecedented invertibility. Furthermore, by only encoding compositional and topological data, SLICES guarantees invariances. We demonstrate the application of SLICES in the inverse design of direct narrow-gap semiconductors for optoelectronic applications. As a string-based, invertible, and invariant crystal representation, SLICES shows promise as a useful tool for in silico materials discovery., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Infected bone defects are a major challenge in orthopedic treatment. Native bone tissue possesses an endogenous electroactive interface that induces stem cell differentiation and inhibits bacterial adhesion and activity. However, traditional bone substitutes have difficulty in reconstructing the electrical environment of bone. In this study, we develop a self-promoted electroactive mineralized scaffold (sp-EMS) that generates weak currents via spontaneous electrochemical reactions to activate voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels, enhance adenosine triphosphate-induced actin remodeling, and ultimately achieve osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells by activating the BMP2/Smad5 pathway. Furthermore, we show that the electroactive interface provided by the sp-EMS inhibits bacterial adhesion and activity via electrochemical products and concomitantly generated reactive oxygen species. We find that the osteogenic and antibacterial dual functions of the sp-EMS depend on its self-promoting electrical stimulation. We demonstrate that in vivo, the sp-EMS achieves complete or nearly complete in situ infected bone healing, from a rat calvarial defect model with single bacterial infection, to a rabbit open alveolar bone defect model and a beagle dog vertical bone defect model with the complex oral bacterial microenvironment. This translational study demonstrates that the electroactive bone graft presents a promising therapeutic platform for complex defect repair., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Bulk-heterojunction structured small-area organic solar cells are approaching 20% power conversion efficiency, but the blurred film-forming kinetics in the fabrication of large-area devices causes significant PCE loss and restrains the potential of commercialization. Such blurring came from insufficient knowledge of structural evolution during the film-forming process. Here, we concretize the evolution process with structures detailed to the submolecular level by comprehensive investigations of in-situ UV-vis spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscope, Grazing Incident Wide Angle X-ray Scattering, and molecular dynamic simulation. With such hierarchical structural knowledge, assembly-controlled film-forming kinetics is proposed to explain the whole picture. Such assembly is determined by molecule configuration and can be tuned via external conditions. Understanding this kinetics will contribute to screening large-area device fabrication conditions, and the detailed structural knowledge could inspire the future design of novel photovoltaic materials that are intrinsically excellent in large-area device fabrications., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)