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Recombinant protein enabled active preparation of novel peptide hz-01. • Quercetin was first introduced into SA/κ-Car microspheres for peptide loading. • Quercetin enhanced peptide encapsulation, gastric protection, and intestinal controlled release. To address the poor stability and high susceptibility to degradation of antimicrobial peptides, a pH-responsive hydrogel microsphere system was developed based on sodium alginate (SA) and κ-carrageenan (Car), with quercetin (Que) for intestinal delivery of chemically synthesized free hz-01 peptide. The optimized formulation containing 0.45% Car exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (77%), corresponding to an absolute increase of 13 percentage points compared with the system without Que. The microspheres remained stable under simulated gastric conditions but enabled controlled intestinal release, with release kinetics fitting the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R 2  = 0.995), while significantly preserving antimicrobial activity during digestion. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and weak hydrophobic associations may contribute to the local stabilization of hz-01 within the SA/Car/Que. matrix. This work provides a food-grade polyphenol-assisted encapsulation strategy in which Que. functions as an auxiliary structural mediator to improve peptide encapsulation, gastric protection, and intestinal-stage release. Download: Download high-res image (322KB) Download: Download full-size image Associated Products

Nitrobenzene (NB) is a highly toxic and persistent groundwater contaminant that poses significant challenges for in situ remediation. Herein, an injectable persulfate (PS) controlled-release gel (CSG) was synthesized from environmentally friendly precursors via a facile room-temperature sol-gel method. CSG exhibited stable PS release under a wide pH range and representative groundwater matrix conditions. In dynamic column experiments, CSG sustained PS release over 42 pore volumes, approximately 17 times longer than free PS injection. The CSG was further coupled with micro zero-valent iron (mZVI) for the remediation of NB-contaminated groundwater. Compared with the conventional mZVI + PS system, controlled PS release in the mZVI + CSG system improved PS utilization and achieved a 2.4-fold higher NB removal efficiency. The mZVI + CSG system maintained high NB removal efficiency under different pH conditions, coexisting ions, and organic matter. Mechanistic analyses suggested that CSG regulated PS flux, while mZVI supplied reactive Fe⁰/Fe²⁺ species for reductive transformation and PS activation. NB removal proceeded through both direct oxidation and reduction-oxidation coupling pathways. SO₄ • − and •OH were identified as the dominant reactive oxygen species responsible for NB degradation. Overall, the mZVI + CSG system offered a feasible strategy for in situ remediation of NB-contaminated groundwater. Associated Products

Real-time monitoring of H 2 O 2 in plant tissues is useful for evaluating oxidative changes during postharvest storage, but direct on-site detection in vegetables remains difficult because most assays still require tissue disruption and laboratory instruments. In this study, a dual-signal microneedle biosensor was developed by integrating polydopamine-coated Fe/Zr-MOF nanozyme (PDA@Fe/Zr-MOF) into a gelatin/sodium alginate microneedle patch for H 2 O 2 detection in lettuce. The polydopamine coating improved the peroxidase-like response of Fe/Zr-MOF through •OH generation and also contributed to photothermal conversion under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. After contact with lettuce leaves, the microneedles extracted interstitial fluid and allowed H 2 O 2 -triggered TMB oxidation to be read by both colorimetric imaging and thermal imaging. The two outputs were not independent recognition mechanisms, but they provided mutually supportive information and helped reduce the influence of sample color and environmental fluctuations. The sensor achieved detection limits of 0.42 μM for the colorimetric mode and 0.34 μM for the photothermal mode. During 15 days of storage at 4°C, the sensor tracked H 2 O 2 accumulation in lettuce and showed a clear relationship with spoilage progression. These results indicate that PDA@Fe/Zr-MOF-based microneedle sensing is a feasible approach for monitoring oxidative freshness changes in postharvest vegetables. Associated Products

The development of highly efficient, stable, and cost-effective non-precious metal electrocatalysts to replace conventional platinum-based materials holds profound significance for accelerating the commercialization of advanced energy conversion devices, such as zinc–air batteries (ZABs). Herein, we propose a facile and highly efficient strategy to prepare a defect-rich, highly active nitrogen-doped porous carbon-based electrocatalyst (denoted U-Fe-N-C, urea-assisted iron–nitrogen–carbon material), via high-temperature co-pyrolysis of heme with urea. Our results demonstrate that urea not only serves as an excellent nitrogen source during pyrolysis, introducing abundant topological defects and heteroatom doping sites, but also induces the carbon substrate to form a hierarchical sponge-like porous structure with a high specific surface area. This unique microenvironment effectively prevents the agglomeration of iron species at high temperatures, achieving enhanced dispersion of iron species stabilized within the nitrogen-rich carbon matrix. Electrochemical evaluations reveal that under the optimal synthesis conditions (a precursor mass ratio of 1:3, calcination at 900 °C), U-Fe-N-C exhibits excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalytic performance, delivering a half-wave potential of 0.731 V vs. RHE, and shows long-term operational durability that significantly surpasses that of commercial Pt/C. Furthermore, liquid rechargeable zinc–air batteries assembled with U-Fe-N-C as the air cathode deliver remarkable cycling stability, operating for up to 270 h of charge–discharge cycling without noticeable performance degradation. This study not only provides useful insights into the mechanisms of pore formation and assistance but also offers a practical perspective for the rational design and scalable synthesis of high-performance metal–nitrogen–carbon (M-N-C) electrocatalysts. Associated Products

Rationale Steroid hormone testing is critical for assessing endocrine function, diagnosing related disorders, and monitoring therapeutic efficacy. However, current mainstream detection methods have limitations. Although liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), regarded as the gold standard, offers high sensitivity and specificity, it involves complex and time-consuming procedures. Immunoassays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are simple and fast but are limited by poor throughput for multitarget detection. Therefore, it is crucial to develop an analytical method that streamlines procedures and enables efficient parallel detection of multiple targets. Methods We developed an integrated signal-enhanced aptasensor platform for pooled MS detection of three steroid hormones in serum. It combines aptamer recognition with mass-tag amplification. This approach uses biorecognition instead of chromatography, while mass spectrometry enables simultaneous readout of multiple mass tags from combined samples. Results The method was evaluated by detecting three steroid hormones (vitamin D, cortisol, and testosterone) in simulated serum samples and human serum samples. The limits of detection (LODs) for these analytes ranged from 0.411 to 6.796 nM, which are below the established clinical cut-off values for each steroid, demonstrating the requisite sensitivity for detection. Conclusions This integrated signal-enhanced aptasensor outperforms conventional LC–MS/MS in efficiency and ELISA in throughput, enabling the quantification of multiple serum steroid hormones. Therefore, we believe that this method could be potentially useful in the clinical screening of hormone-related disorders and suitable for the analysis of serum. Associated Products

This study presents an effective strategy for the screening and enrichment of antioxidant peptides from soybean protein using Fe 3 O 4 -modified carbon fibers with abundant metal-binding sites. Successful material synthesis was confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Under optimized adsorption conditions, an adsorption ratio of 22.95% was achieved, and the resulting peptide fractions displayed significantly enhanced antioxidant activity. Through integrated Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, bioactivity prediction tools, four high-activity peptides were identified: KFFFR, RYFPF, FLWLR, and WERLY. Among them, WERLY exhibited the most potent antioxidant properties, with IC 50 values of 0.437, 0.638, 0.182, and 0.583 mg/mL for ABTS, superoxide, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and ferrous ion chelation, respectively. Notably, its hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity was comparable to that of the positive control, glutathione. Cellular assays further demonstrated that WERLY protected HepG2 cells against oxidative damage, as evidenced by increased activities of Catalase (CAT), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px), along with reduced Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations suggested that WERLY may interact with the Keap1 protein, providing supportive insight into its potential involvement in cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms. However, the precise molecular mechanism requires further validation. Overall, this study demonstrates that Fe 3 O 4 -modified carbon fibers provide an efficient platform for screening antioxidant peptides from soybean protein, offering a promising strategy for the development of functional bioactive peptides. Associated Products

High-strength and high-toughness hydrogels have demonstrated exciting application prospects in soft robotics, artificial skin, and tissue engineering, but the development of such high-performance soft materials remains a challenging task. Here, inspired by the multiscale oriented hierarchical assembly structure of wood, this study innovatively reproduces the multilevel oriented compositional units of wood by incorporating millimeter-scale pulp fibers, nano-scale bacterial cellulose, and molecular-scale sodium lignosulfonate into pre-stretched polyvinyl alcohol hydrogels. The strong interfacial electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds formed between the functional groups of these components effectively stabilize and firmly bundle the hierarchical anisotropic structure. The resulting hierarchically oriented hydrogel exhibits remarkable mechanical properties, including an exceptional fracture strength exceeding 15.5 MPa, an ultimate strain of ~ 130%, and a toughness of ~ 14 MJ/m³, along with enhanced tear resistance. Notably, the hydrogel maintains satisfactory strength and toughness even in non-oriented directions, reinforcing its resistance to complex stress conditions. Furthermore, the composite hydrogel demonstrates extremely low biotoxicity, acceptable blood compatibility, and highly linear strain-sensing behavior. This study presents a natural structure-inspired hierarchical strategy, exploring a promising pathway for fabricating advanced hydrogel materials with outstanding mechanical properties. Graphical abstract The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI. Associated Products

SiO x is a promising anode for lithium–ion batteries, but practical use is hindered by low conductivity, large volume changes, and unstable interfaces. Here, a mild strategy is reported to fabricate a SiO x @RF@CNTs composite anode with a hollow mesoporous architecture and dual–carbon modification. Mesoporous SiO 2 nanospheres are converted into hollow structures by hot–water treatment, which selectively etches the relatively loose interior through mesoporous channels and enables tuning of particle size and shell thickness without harsh acidic or alkaline etchants. The hollow SiO 2 is then coated with resorcinol–formaldehyde resin and combined with carbon nanotubes to build a conductive network. After thermal treatment in an inert atmosphere, SiO 2 is partially reduced to nonstoichiometric SiO x . XPS depth profiling reveals depth–dependent chemical–state variation during this conversion. Owing to synergistic structural buffering, improved interfacial stability, and enhanced charge transport, the electrode delivers 464.8 mAh g −1 after 500 cycles at 1 A g −1 , with good rate capability and favorable kinetics. Associated Products

Bioactive herbal carbon dots with inherited activities for multi-layer skin repair. • Achieving comparable anti-photoaging efficacy at half the concentration of vitamin E. • Breaking the ROS-organelle stress cycle while directly repairing three skin layers. • Concurrent barrier restoration, pigmentation inhibition, and collagen promotion. • Offering superior stability and natural mildness. To meet the substantial global demand for skin anti-aging, particularly for effectively against ultraviolet radiation (the primary exogenous driver of skin aging), this study successfully developed a novel tremella fuciformis polysaccharide derived carbon dots (TFP-CDs) via a hydrothermal method. The skin barrier function of the epidermis and the dense extracellular matrix of the dermis, poses a significant delivery challenge. It limits the penetration and bioavailability of most skincare agents, which would affect their intended multi-layer efficacy. To address this, the prepared TFP-CDs with ultrasmall size (∼2.4 nm) and amphiphilic functional groups, have been designed to sequentially overcome the barriers. As biologically responsive nanomaterials, they integrate the inherent bioactivity of herbal extract with excellent antioxidant properties, exhibiting superior efficacy over positive control drug. Through efficiently scavenging ROS, TFP-CDs may help break the vicious cycle of mitochondrial morphological and functional disorders, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and abnormal organelle contacts exacerbated. This study effectively achieves synergistic anti-aging repair in multi-layered skin repair, ranging from epidermal barrier repair and pigmentation inhibition to dermal collagen regeneration. This work provides a potential strategy for the intervention of skin aging, showing preliminary application promise. Download: Download high-res image (326KB) Download: Download full-size image Associated Products

The foam achieves high-performance EM absorption with RL min of −59.47 dB and 4.1 GHz EAB at 1.5 mm. • The foam-based antenna exhibits a low .|S 11 | of −40.94 dB with excellent frequency selectivity. • The foam delivers stable electrochemical performance with a final capacitance retention of ∼77%. • The foam realizes the integration of EM wave absorption, wireless communication and electrochemical performance. With the rapid advancement of modern electronic information, defense technology and intelligent equipment, single-function electromagnetic (EM) materials fail to satisfy the comprehensive demands of complex application scenarios. Herein, a 3D porous magnetic MXene-based foam constructed from hollow Fe 3 O 4 (H–Fe 3 O 4 ) nanospheres, graphene oxide (GO) and MXene exhibits superior EM wave absorption performance. It delivers a minimum reflection loss of −59.47 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.1 GHz at a thin matching thickness of 1.5 mm. Moreover, the foam-based antenna achieves excellent multi-band frequency-selective performance covering S, C, X and Ku bands, with a low |S 11 | value of −40.94 dB at a substrate thickness of merely 0.13 mm. Additionally, the prepared foam possesses reliable electrochemical performance and thermal insulation capability. This work provides a new insight into the design and development of multifunctional materials and devices for complex practical scenarios. Download: Download high-res image (328KB) Download: Download full-size image Associated Products

SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein ORF3a contributes to viral pathogenesis through membrane remodeling, immune evasion, and inflammation induction. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ORF3a-mediated pathogenesis remain poorly characterized, and no therapeutic strategies targeting ORF3a currently exist. Here, we demonstrate that palmitoylation, a post-translational modification, governs ORF3a-mediated viral pathogenesis. Specifically, ORF3a undergoes ZDHHC18-mediated palmitoylation at evolutionarily conserved Cys130/Cys133 residues, which stabilizes the protein by masking an intrinsic proteasomal degradation signal. This palmitoylation competitively inhibits tripartite motif-containing 16 (TRIM16)-dependent K27-linked polyubiquitination, thereby preventing ORF3a degradation and enhancing viral replication and inflammatory responses. A designed ORF3a-mimicking palmitoylation-inhibitory peptide (OPIP) blocked ORF3a palmitoylation, promoted its degradation, and significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity. Collectively, these findings establish ZDHHC18-mediated palmitoylation as a central regulator of ORF3a stability and virulence, revealing a potentially druggable axis for disrupting SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Associated Products

en This link goes to a English section zh This link goes to a Chinese section Catalytic NH 3 decomposition has garnered substantial attention for hydrogen transformation and storage. Ni-based catalysts continue to suffer from limited thermal stability and suboptimal low-temperature activity, largely attributed to an incomplete understanding of the structure-activity relationships and reaction mechanisms governing their performance. In this study, we designed and constructed a novel Y-Mg bimetallic oxide support system to synergistically modulate the properties of Ni-based catalysts for NH 3 decomposition. Unlike conventional Ni/MgO or Ni/Y 2 O 3 , the precisely tuned Y/Mg ratio in the 20Ni/YMg 8 catalyst creates a unique interface that couples the structural and electronic advantages of both components. A series of Ni-based catalysts with varying Y/Mg ratios was synthesized, and the 20Ni/YMg 8 catalyst with a 1:8 ratio of Y: Mg achieved a hydrogen production rate of 29.77 mmol g cat −1 min −1 at 600°C. Characterizations revealed that Mg incorporation primarily increased surface area and refined Ni dispersion, whereas Y enhanced reducibility and active metal distribution. More importantly, their synergy optimally tailors the electronic structure of Ni and the distribution of basic sites, which collectively promote *NH 2 formation and accelerate N 2 desorption—the rate-determining step. Mechanistic studies confirmed that the optimized catalyst promoted *NH 2 formation and accelerated N 2 evolution, indicating enhanced NH 2 activation and dehydrogenation. This study presents a rational design approach of bimetallic supports to modulate structural and surface properties, offering valuable insights into the development of efficient and stable Ni-based catalysts for ammonia decomposition. 摘要 en This link goes to a English section zh This link goes to a Chinese section 氨催化分解因其在氢能转化与储存方面的潜力而备受关注。镍基催化剂仍面临热稳定性不足和低温活性欠佳的挑战,这主要归因于对其构效关系及反应机理的认识尚不完善。本研究中,我们设计并构建了一种新型的Y-Mg双金属氧化物载体体系,以协同调控镍基催化剂的氨分解性能。与传统的Ni/MgO或Ni/Y 2 O 3 催化剂不同,20Ni/YMg 8 催化剂中精确调控的Y/Mg比例形成了一种独特的界面,耦合了两种组分的结构优势与电子优势。通过合成一系列不同Y/Mg比例的镍基催化剂,我们发现Y:Mg比例为1:8的20Ni/YMg 8 催化剂在600°C时达到了29.77 mmol g cat −1 min −1 的产氢速率。表征结果显示,Mg的引入主要增加了比表面积并优化了Ni的分散性,而Y则增强了还原性和活性金属分布。更重要的是,二者的协同作用精准调控了Ni的电子结构和碱性位点分布,共同促进了NH 2 的形成并加速了N 2 脱附(速率控制步骤)。机理研究证实,优化后的催化剂促进了 NH 2 的形成并加快了N 2 的生成,表明NH 2 的活化和脱氢过程得到增强。本研究为双金属载体的理性设计以调控结构及表面性质提供了新思路,为开发高效稳定的氨分解镍基催化剂提供了重要见解。 Associated Products