Browse Articles

Deep-Pose-Tracker: an automated behavioural analysis framework for Caenorhabditis elegans

Modelling the impact of awareness campaigns on HPV transmission dynamics: a neural network-enhanced mathematical model

Federated multi-modal data fusion for enhanced state of health forecasting in battery electric vehicle fleets incorporating vehicle-to-grid operations

Defining the levels of the chromatin landscape using the I-CATCH system

Abstract Alterations of the epigenome, including histone tail post-translational modifications (PTMs), have been shown to regulate the expression of genes important for driving multiple cellular processes including cellular differentiation, aging and tumorigenesis. Although the ability to measure histone tail PTM levels is integral to the understanding of chromatin biology, because of technological limitations, the proportion of nucleosomes that have histone tail PTMs at genomic loci remain undefined. To overcome this limitation, we developed the i mmuno-profiling of d Ca s9 t argeted ch romatin (I-CATCH) system, a technology designed to measure and normalize the levels of nucleosomes and co-occurring histone tail PTMs at targeted loci. Here, we show that the I-CATCH system has high analytical performance for measuring the levels of histone tail PTMs and we report the normalized levels of multiple histone tail PTMs at different genomic loci from both HeLa cells and human plasma. While further studies are required to determine the full utility of the I-CATCH system, we are hopeful that the I-CATCH system will help enable the ability to investigate new important features of chromatin biology.

Predicting optimal CPAP pressure in obstructive sleep apnea among Chinese patients using respiratory endotype derived from polysomnography

Women’s birth experience according to the type of pushing used during the second stage of labour: a pragmatic randomised trial—The EOLE study

Modulation of inflammatory pain by myeloid FABP5

Subspace-confined QAOA with generalized dicke states for multi-channel allocation in 5G CBRS networks

Abstract Efficient spectrum sharing in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band is essential for maximizing 5G network capacity, particularly when high-traffic base stations require simultaneous access to multiple channels. Standard Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) formulations impose such multi-channel constraints through penalty terms, so most of the explored Hilbert space corresponds to invalid assignments. We propose a subspace-confined QAOA tailored to CBRS multi-channel allocation, in which each node-wise channel register is initialized in a Generalized Dicke state and evolved under an intra-register XY mixer. This ansatz confines the dynamics to a tensor product of Johnson-graph subspaces that exactly encode heterogeneous per-node Hamming-weight constraints. Rather than claiming near-term quantum advantage over mature classical solvers on small instances, we emphasize a constraint-preserving ansatz design that keeps the variational dynamics inside the valid allocation manifold. We complement this design with larger-scale and topology-diverse evaluations on structured and Erdős–Rényi interference graphs for $$n=10,12,14$$ nodes (up to 42 qubits). We also include stronger classical heuristics, an exact ILP benchmark, a QAOA depth study for $$p=1,2,3$$ , a small-scale dual-constraint validation, explicit circuit-resource analysis, and search-space scaling analysis. Across all tested instances, the proposed ansatz maintains unit feasibility ratio and zero mean demand deviation, while producing conflict levels that remain competitive with the strongest classical baselines. We further present a dual-constraint extension that simultaneously preserves node-wise demands and per-channel capacities, and we frame this extension as a proof-of-principle construction rather than a hardware-optimized near-term primitive.

Insights on the accumulation and biomagnification of priority hazardous contaminants in anadromous fish from a European UNESCO Biosphere reserve area

Single‐Crystal Covalent Organic Frameworks for Anhydrous Proton Conduction Above 200°C

ABSTRACT The development of fast proton‐conducting materials that operate above 150°C with high chemical stability is both challenging and critically important for advancing proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, we constructed two three‐dimensional COFs with covalent phosphonate modification using a solvent‐free, melt‐phase post‐synthetic modification (PSM) strategy. This approach simultaneously reduces imine to amine linkages and constructs C─P bonds, covalently anchoring phosphonate groups without disrupting crystal integrity. Single‐crystal x‐ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis reveals precise geometric changes in the framework and the formation of an extended N─H···O═P hydrogen‐bond network. The functionalized single‐crystal COFs exhibit excellent anhydrous proton conduction along the crystallographic c ‐axis at exceptionally high temperatures, achieving 8.91 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at 210°C for COF‐300‐DMP and 5.65 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at 230°C for COF‐300‐DEP. The remarkably low activation energies (0.196‒0.229 eV) indicate a Grotthuss‐type hopping mechanism. This work not only establishes a generalizable route for COF functionalization but also provides a definitive blueprint for designing advanced proton conductors for extreme environments.

Comparative transcriptomics unraveling the genetic duel between high-THC and high-CBD strains in Cannabis sativa L. cannabinoid biosynthesis

Recycling ⁹⁹ Tc From Nuclear Wastewater by Coupling Photocatalysis and In Situ Ion‐Exchange on Bifunctional K‐SnS/TiO ₂ Heterojunction

ABSTRACT The sustainable management of radionuclides in nuclear wastewater, typically like 99 TcO 4 − resulting from 238 U fission, is limited by their high mobility, long half‐lives and redox sensitivity. Herein, we developed a photocatalysis–ion‐exchange coupling strategy for closed‐loop removal and recycling of radioactive metal in nuclear wastewater based on a novel bifunctional K‐SnS/TiO 2 heterojunction. The photocatalytic reduction with in situ ion‐exchange converted mobile 99 TcO 4 − into immobilized 99 Tc 3+ . HCOOH‐assisted photocatalysis by generating ·CO 2 − radicals on TiO 2 , thus driving rapid 99 TcO 4 − reduction. Simultaneously, layered K‐SnS captured 99 Tc 3+ via in situ ion‐exchange with the K + in the framework, thereby forming stable coordination environments that inhibited the re‐oxidation of 99 Tc 3+ to soluble 99 TcO 4 − . Finally, the 99 Tc 3+ could be recycled by reverse ion‐exchange in concentrated KCl solution. This coupled electron–ion transfer established a dynamic interfacial mechanism that linked redox transformation with structural confinement. The system achieves efficient 99 Tc removal across diverse aqueous chemistries, including high ionic strength conditions, and enables complete recovery through reverse ion‐exchange. Our results provide a generalizable route for integrating the transformation, immobilization, and recovery of redox‐active contaminants, thereby advancing sustainable nuclear wastewater management.

Experimental and FE analysis of thrust force, burr formation, and tool wear in drilling aluminized steel

Nitrogen Speciation Dictates Industrial‐Current Oxygen Reduction in Metal‐Free Macrocycles for H ₂ O ₂ Synthesis

ABSTRACT Oxygen activation is a cornerstone of sustainable electrosynthesis, yet controlling reactive intermediates without metallic centers remains challenging at industrial current densities. Here we establish nitrogen speciation as a molecular descriptor for governing oxygen activation in metal‐free macrocycles. Guided by density functional theory, we designed a tetra‐aza macrocycle with nearly exclusive pyridinic nitrogen, distinct from the mixed‐nitrogen environments of conventional porphyrins and phthalocyanines. This configuration uniquely stabilizes the key *OOH intermediate while strengthening interfacial electronic coupling with carbon supports. When integrated into a flow‐cell electrolyzer, the catalyst achieves ∼95% H 2 O 2 Faradaic efficiency and stability for over 800 h at 300 mA cm −2 , continuously generating >3 wt.% H 2 O 2 . Furthermore, in situ generated reactive oxygen species enable selective ambient upgrading of furfural to oxime (>90% yield). Techno‐economic analysis supports the economic viability of the process. By linking well‐defined nitrogen coordination to scalable device performance, this work provides a blueprint for translating molecular precision into practical electrocatalytic manufacturing.

Pathway-specific complement activation against Campylobacter jejuni and its role in bacterial killing and neutrophil-mediated clearance

Biomimetic Synthesis of Multinuclear Metal‐Oxo Bridges Under Mild Aqueous Conditions for Catalytic Cancer Therapy

ABSTRACT In biological systems, enzymes achieve efficient catalysis by precisely assembling multinuclear metal‐oxo bridges, such as Fe─O─Fe motifs, under physiological conditions. However, constructing such structures in synthetic systems, particularly under mild aqueous conditions, remains challenging. Here, we report a self‐assembled helical polymer that creates a protein‐like microenvironment and enables the biomimetic construction of Fe─O─Fe structures in a synthetic polymer system under mild, neutral aqueous conditions. This strategy increases the stability constant of iron coordination by two orders of magnitude and endows the resulting complex with pH‐gated catalytic behavior: the complex remains catalytically inert under neutral conditions but exhibits more than 20‐fold enhanced peroxidase‐like activity in the weakly acidic tumor microenvironment. Moreover, oxo‐bridge formation significantly enhances near‐infrared absorption, enabling a robust photothermal effect. Without any exogenous drug payload, the complex selectively induces ferroptosis and immunogenic cell death in tumor cells, leading to complete tumor eradication in a mouse model. This work establishes a biomimetic strategy for constructing metal‐oxo‐bridged clusters and provides mechanistic insights into the structure‐function relationships of metalloprotein‐inspired materials.

Fabrication, characterization, and emulsifying ability evaluation of flexible zein-sodium caseinate complexes

Phase‐Inversion Engineering of Covalent Organic Framework Microspheres for Advanced Water Purification

ABSTRACT Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are porous, crystalline polymers with broad application prospects. However, their microcrystalline powder morphology severely limits their practical implementation. Herein, a general phase‐inversion spherical shaping strategy is reported, enabling the conversion of powdered COFs into robust microspheres with a radially hierarchical pore structure. This method is mild and scalable and has been validated across eight COFs with distinct topologies. The resulting microspheres retain approximately 90% of the intrinsic adsorption capacity of the pristine materials. As a representative demonstration, TAPB‐DMTP‐COF microspheres were employed in a fixed‐bed continuous‐flow water treatment system, where 1 g of the material effectively purified over 18 L of real water containing a mixture of bisphenols, with each concentration at 200 ppb, while maintaining high performance over 20 regeneration cycles. More notably, the TAPB‐DMTP‐COF microspheres themselves possess intrinsic catalytic activity for peroxymonosulfate activation, enabling sequential adsorption enrichment and catalytic degradation within the same fixed‐bed column without metal modification. This work establishes a versatile COF shaping platform that extends the application scope of COFs from adsorption to advanced oxidation, offering a viable pathway to overcome a critical bottleneck in their industrial implementation.

Institutional pressure, green innovation, and circular supply chain practices in aviation: an inverted U-shaped relationship

Interfacial Charge‐Transfer Kinetics Regulate Na ₂ S Deposition by Recycled V Single‐Atom Catalysts for Durable Na–S Batteries

ABSTRACT Na 2 S, as the terminal discharge product of room‐temperature sodium–sulfur (Na–S) batteries, is electronically and ionically insulating. When it deposits as a compact film on the cathode, the cathode will become passivated, hindering electron transport and inhibiting further sulfur conversion reactions. Existing catalyst strategies promote the formation of Na 2 S thermodynamically by enhancing polysulfide adsorption, but this does not address the kinetics passivation issue. Here, we adopt the exchange current density ( j 0 ) as a kinetic descriptor of the Na 2 S nucleation mode. Finite‐element simulations reveal that increasing j 0 drives the nucleation pathway from progressive to instantaneous nucleation. The deposit morphology then evolves from a compact passivating film to uniformly dispersed nanoparticles, and ion and electron transport channels are preserved. This pathway prevents Na 2 S aggregation and electrode passivation, maintaining electrochemical activity at deep discharge. Guided by this kinetic insight, nitrogen‐doped porous carbon‐supported V single‐atom catalysts (NPC‐V SACs) with high apparent j 0 were fabricated, and instantaneous Na 2 S nucleation was achieved on their surfaces. The resulting Na–S battery retains 976.3 mAh g −1 after 200 cycles at 0.2 A g −1 , with a decay rate of only 0.08% per cycle. This work establishes a kinetic design perspective for regulating Na 2 S nucleation in durable Na–S batteries.