Repetitive traumatic brain injury-induced complement C1-related inflammation impairs long-term hippocampal neurogenesis.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202503000-00027/figure1/v/2024-06-17T092413Z/r/image-tiff Repetitive traumatic brain injury impacts adult neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, leading to long-term cognitive impairment. However, the mechanism underlying this neurogenesis impairment remains unknown. In this study, we established a male mouse model of repetitive traumatic brain injury and performed long-term evaluation of neurogenesis of the hippocampal dentate gyrus after repetitive traumatic brain injury. Our results showed that repetitive traumatic brain injury inhibited neural stem cell proliferation and development, delayed neuronal maturation, and reduced the complexity of neuronal dendrites and spines. Mice with repetitive traumatic brain injuryalso showed deficits in spatial memory retrieval. Moreover, following repetitive traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammation was enhanced in the neurogenesis microenvironment where C1q levels were increased, C1q binding protein levels were decreased, and canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling was downregulated. An inhibitor of C1 reversed the long-term impairment of neurogenesis induced by repetitive traumatic brain injury and improved neurological function. These findings suggest that repetitive traumatic brain injury-induced C1-related inflammation impairs long-term neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and contributes to spatial memory retrieval dysfunction.

Beyond Conventional Enhancements: Self-Organization of a Buffer Material on Tin Oxide as a Game-Changer for Improving the Performance of Inverted Organic Solar Cells.

Inverted organic solar cells (OSCs) have garnered significant interest due to their remarkable stability. In this study, the efficiency and stability of inverted OSCs are enhanced via the in situ self-organization (SO) of an interfacial modification material Phen-NaDPO onto tin oxide (SnO2). During the device fabrication, Phen-NaDPO is spin-coated with the active materials all together on SnO2. Driven by the interactions with SnO2 and the thermodynamic forces due to its high surface energy and the convection flow, Phen-NaDPO spontaneously migrates to the SnO2 interface, resulting in the formation of an in situ modification layer on SnO2. This self-organization of Phen-NaDPO not only effectively reduces the work function of SnO2, but also enhances the ordered molecular stacking and manipulates the vertical morphology of the active layer, which suppress the surface trap-assisted recombination and minimize the charge extraction. As a result, the SO devices based on PM6:Y6 exhibit significantly improved photovoltaic performance with an enhanced power conversion efficiency of 17.62%. Moreover, the stability of the SO device is also improved. Furthermore, the SO ternary devices based on PM6:D18:L8-BO achieved an impressive PCE of 18.87%, standing as one of the highest values for single-junction inverted organic solar cells to date.

Microbially mediated sulfur oxidation coupled with arsenate reduction within oligotrophic mining-impacted habitats.

Arsenate reduction is a major cause of As release from soils which threatens more than 200 million people worldwide. While heterotrophic As(V) reduction has been investigated extensively, the mechanism of chemolithotrophic As(V) reduction is less studied. Since As is frequently found as sulfidic minerals in the environment, microbial mediated sulfur oxidation coupled to As(V) reduction (SOAsR), a chemolithotrophic process, may be more favorable in oligotrophic mining-impacted sites (e.g., As-contaminated mine tailings). While SOAsR is thermodynamically favorable, knowledge regarding this biogeochemical process is still limited. The current study suggested that SOAsR was a more prevalent process compared to heterotrophic As(V) reduction in oligotrophic sites, such as mine tailings. The water-soluble reduced sulfur concentration was predicted as one of the major geochemical parameters that substantially impacted SOAsR potentials. A combination of DNA-SIP and metagenome binning revealed members of the genera Sulfuricella, Ramlibacter, and Sulfuritalea as sulfur oxidizing As(V)-reducing bacteria (SOAsRB) in mine tailings. Genome mining further expanded the list of potential SOAsRBs to diverse phylogenetic lineages such as members associated with Burkholderiaceae and Rhodocyclaceae. Metagenome analysis using multiple tailing samples across southern China confirmed that the putative SOAsRB were the dominant As(V) reducers in these sites. Together, the current findings expand our knowledge regarding the chemolithotrophic As(V) reduction process, which may be harnessed to facilitate future remediation practices in mine tailings.

Mechanism of acoustic pressure spectrum shifting toward lower frequencies in applied current thermoacoustic imaging.

Objective. Thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) is a promising imaging technique used for early cancer diagnosis, tumor therapy, animal study and brain imaging. Although it is widely known that the TAT frequency response depends on the pulse width of the source and the size of the object, a thorough comprehension of the quantitative frequency modulation in TAT and the mechanism governing the shift in the thermoacoustic pressure spectrum towards lower frequencies with respect to the excitation source is still lacking. This study aims to understand why the acoustic pressure spectrum and the final voltage signals shift towards lower frequencies in TAT.Approach. We employed a linear time-invariant model. In the proposed model, the applied current thermoacoustic imaging (ACTAI) process is divided into the thermoacoustic stage and the acoustoelectric stage. These two stages are characterized by the thermoacoustic transfer function(TATF) and the transducer transfer function (TDTF), respectively. We confirmed the effectiveness of our model through a rigorous examination involving both simulations and experiments.Main results. Simulation results indicate that the TATF behaves as a low-pass filter. The inherent low-pass nature induces a shift towards low frequencies in the acoustic pressure spectrum. Experiments further confirm this behavior, demonstrating that the final electrical voltage also shifts towards low frequencies. Notably, employing the proposed model, there is a remarkable consistency between the main frequency bands of the synthesized and measured final voltage spectrum.Significance. The proposed model thoroughly explains how the TATF causes shifts to low frequencies in both the acoustic pressure spectrum and the final voltage spectrum in TAT. These insights deepen our understanding of optimizing TAT systems in the frequency domain, including aspects like filter design and transducer selection. Furthermore, we underscore the potential significance of this discovery for medical applications, particularly in the context of cancer diagnosis.

Bi2Te3-Based Thermoelectric Modules for Efficient and Reliable Low-Grade Heat Recovery.

Bismuth-telluride-based alloy has long been considered as the most promising candidate for low-grade waste heat power generation. However, optimizing the thermoelectric performance of n-type Bi2Te3 is more challenging than that of p-type counterparts due to its greater sensitivity to texture, and thus limits the advancement of thermoelectric modules. Herein, the thermoelectric performance of n-type Bi2Te3 is enhanced by incorporating a small amount of CuGaTe2, resulting in a peak ZT of 1.25 and a distinguished average ZT of 1.02 (300-500 K). The decomposed Cu+ strengthens interlayer interaction, while Ga+ optimizes carrier concentration within an appropriate range. Simultaneously, the emerged numerous defects, such as small-angle grain boundaries, twin boundaries, and dislocations, significantly suppresses the lattice thermal conductivity. Based on the size optimization by finite element modelling, the constructed thermoelectric module yields a high conversion efficiency of 6.9% and output power density of 0.31 W cm-2 under a temperature gradient of 200 K. Even more crucially, the efficiency and output power little loss after subjecting the module to 40 thermal cycles lasting for 6 days. This study demonstrates the efficient and reliable Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric modules for broad applications in low-grade heat harvest.

Ketogenic Diet Alters the Epigenetic and Immune Landscape of Prostate Cancer to Overcome Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade Therapy.

Resistance to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy represents a formidable clinical challenge limiting the efficacy of immunotherapy. In particular, prostate cancer poses a challenge for ICB therapy due to its immunosuppressive features. A ketogenic diet (KD) has been reported to enhance response to ICB therapy in some other cancer models. However, adverse effects associated with continuous KD were also observed, demanding better mechanistic understanding and optimized regimens for using KD as an immunotherapy sensitizer. In this study, we established a series of ICB-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and developed a highly effective strategy of combining anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 antibodies with histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) vorinostat, a cyclic KD (CKD), or dietary supplementation of the ketone body ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which is an endogenous HDACi. CKD and BHB supplementation each delayed prostate cancer tumor growth as monotherapy, and both BHB and adaptive immunity were required for the antitumor activity of CKD. Single-cell transcriptomic and proteomic profiling revealed that HDACi and ketogenesis enhanced ICB efficacy through both cancer cell-intrinsic mechanisms, including upregulation of MHC class I molecules, and -extrinsic mechanisms, such as CD8+ T-cell chemoattraction, M1/M2 macrophage rebalancing, monocyte differentiation toward antigen-presenting cells, and diminished neutrophil infiltration. Overall, these findings illuminate a potential clinical path of using HDACi and optimized KD regimens to enhance ICB therapy for prostate cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: Optimized cyclic ketogenic diet and 1,3-butanediol supplementation regimens enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade in prostate cancer through epigenetic and immune modulations, providing dietary interventions to sensitize tumors to immunotherapy.

Enhancing the relative abundance of comammox nitrospira in ammonia oxidizer community decreases N2O emission in nitrification exponentially.

Comammox Nitrospira and canonical ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (cAOB) generally coexist in activated sludge. In present study, the effect of comammox Nitrospira on N2O production during nitrification of activated sludge was investigated. Comammox Nitrospira and cAOB were separately enriched in two nitrifying reactors, with respective relative abundance of approximately 98% in ammonia oxidizer community. The N2O emission factor (EF) of nitrification in comammox Nitrospira dominated reactor was 0.35%, consistently lower than that (2.2%) in cAOB dominated reactor. When increasing the relative abundance of comammox Nitrospira in ammonia oxidizer community, the N2O EF of nitrification decreased exponentially, which suggested that comammox Nitrospira not only decreased N2O production directly but also might have reduced N2O yield by cAOB. When cAOB dominated the ammonia oxidizer community of sludge, decreasing pH to 6.3, lowering DO to less than 0.5 mg/L, and increasing nitrite concentration enhanced N2O EF dramatically. When comammox Nitrospira became the dominant ammonia oxidizer, however, the N2O EF correlated to nitrite insignificantly and a low DO of 0.2 mg/L and weakly acidic pH (6.3) decreased N2O EF by approximately 70% and 60%, respectively. These results imply that enhancing the relative abundance of comammox Nitrospira in sludge is an effective way to reducing N2O emissions and can also offset the promoting effects of acidic pH, low DO, and high nitrite concentration on N2O production during nitrification.

Genome-wide association study and haplotype analysis reveal novel candidate genes for resistance to powdery mildew in soybean.

Powdery mildew disease (PMD) is caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Microsphaera diffusa Cooke & Peck (M. diffusa) and results in significant yield losses in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) crops. By identifying disease-resistant genes and breeding soybean accessions with enhanced resistance, we can effectively mitigate the detrimental impact of PMD on soybeans. We analyzed PMD resistance in a diversity panel of 315 soybean accessions in two locations over 3 years, and candidate genes associated with PMD resistance were identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), haplotype analysis, qRT-PCR, and EMS mutant analysis. Based on the GWAS approach, we identified a region on chromosome 16 (Chr16) in which 21 genes form a gene cluster that is highly correlated with PMD resistance. In order to validate and refine these findings, we conducted haplotype analysis of 21 candidate genes and indicated there are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion-deletions (InDels) variations of Glyma.16G214000, Glyma.16G214200, Glyma.16G215100 and Glyma.16G215300 within the coding and promoter regions that exhibit a strong association with resistance against PMD. Subsequent structural analysis of candidate genes within this cluster revealed that in 315 accessions, the majority of accessions exhibited resistance to PMD when Glyma.16G214300, Glyma.16G214800 and Glyma.16G215000 were complete; however, they demonstrated susceptibility to PMD when these genes were incomplete. Quantitative real-time PCR assays (qRT-PCR) of possible candidate genes showed that 14 candidate genes (Glyma.16G213700, Glyma.16G213800, Glyma.16G213900, Glyma.16G214000, Glyma.16G214200, Glyma.16G214300, Glyma.16G214500, Glyma.16G214585, Glyma.16G214669, Glyma.16G214700, Glyma.16G214800, Glyma.16G215000, Glyma.16G215100 and Glyma.16G215300) were involved in PMD resistance. Finally, we evaluated the PMD resistance of mutant lines from the Williams 82 EMS mutations library, which revealed that mutants of Glyma.16G214000, Glyma.16G214200, Glyma.16G214300, Glyma.16G214800, Glyma.16G215000, Glyma.16G215100 and Glyma.16G215300, exhibited sensitivity to PMD. Combined with the analysis results of GWAS, haplotypes, qRT-PCR and mutants, the genes Glyma.16G214000, Glyma.16G214200, Glyma.16G214300, Glyma.16G214800, Glyma.16G215000, Glyma.16G215100 and Glyma.16G215300 were identified as highly correlated with PMD resistance. The candidate genes identified above are all NLR family genes, and these discoveries deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of PMD resistance in soybeans and will be useful for guiding breeding strategies.

Compact and water flushing resistant mesh biofilms forming at short SRT disappeared naturally under extended SRT in dynamic membrane bioreactor.

Extending the solids retention time (SRT) has been demonstrated to mitigate membrane biofouling. Nevertheless, it remains an intriguing question whether the compact and water flushing resistant mesh biofilms developed at short SRT can undergo biodegradation and be removed with extended SRT. In present study, the bio-fouled mesh filter in the 10d-SRT dynamic membrane bioreactor (DMBR), with mesh surfaces and pores covered by compact and water flushing resistant biofilms exhibiting low water permeability, was reused in the 40d-SRT DMBR without any cleanings. After being reused at 40d-SRT, its flux driven by gravity occurred from the 10th day and recovered to a regular level of 36.7 L m-2·h-1 on the 27th day. Both scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analyses indicated that the compact mesh biofilms formed at10d-SRT biodegraded and were removed at 40d-SRT, with the residual biofilms becoming removable by water flushing. As a result, the hydraulic resistance of the bio-fouled mesh filter decreased from 4.36 × 108 to 6.97 × 107 m-1, and its flux fully recovered. The protein and polysaccharides densities in mesh-biofilms decreased from 24.4 to 9.7 mg/cm2 and from 10.7 to 0.10 mg/cm2, respectively, which probably have contributed to the disappearance of compact biofilms and the decrease in adhesion. Furthermore, the sludge and mesh-biofilms in the 40d-SRT reactor contained a higher relative abundance of dominant quorum quenching bacteria, such as Rhizobium (3.52% and 1.35%), compared to those in the 10d-SRT sludge (0.096%) and mesh biofilms (0.79%), which might have been linked to a decline in extracellular polymeric substances and, consequently, the biodegradation and disappearance of compact biofilms.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 promotes the testicular sperm production by improving germ cell survival and proliferation in high-fat diet-treated male mice.

BACKGROUND: A decrease in semen volume among men is comparable to the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. The anabolic hormone insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) can promote proliferation and differentiation in cultured mouse spermatogonial stem cells and alleviate abnormal in vitro spermatogenesis. Additionally, serum IGF-1 level is negatively correlated with body mass index. Whereas the role of IGF-1 in the sperm production in obese men remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of IGF-1 on spermatogenesis of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice. METHODS: An HFD-induced obesity mouse model was established. Alterations in testicular morphology, sperm count, proliferation, and apoptosis were observed by H&E staining,immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. Exogenous recombinant IGF-1 was administered to obese mice to investigate the correlations between altered testicular IGF-1 levels and sperm production. RESULTS: The sperm count was reduced, the testicular structure was disordered, and sex hormone levels were abnormal in HFD-fed mice compared with normal diet-fed mice. The expression of proliferation-related antigens such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67 was decreased, while that of proapoptotic proteins such as c-caspase3 was increased in testes from HFD-fed mice. Most importantly, the phosphorylation of insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in testes was decreased due to reductions in IGF-1 from hepatocytes and Sertoli cells. Recombinant IGF-1 alleviated these functional impairments by promoting IGF-1R, Akt, and Erk1/2 phosphorylation in the testes. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling is intimately linked to damaged sperm production in obese male mice. Exogenous IGF-1 can improve survival and proliferation as well as sperm production. This study provides a novel theoretical basis and a target for the treatment of obese men with oligozoospermia.

Glucose-Driven Droplet Formation in Complexes of a Supramolecular Peptide and Therapeutic Protein.

Biology achieves remarkable function through processes arising from spontaneous or transient liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins and other biomolecules. While polymeric systems can achieve similar phenomena through simple or complex coacervation, LLPS with supramolecular materials has been less commonly shown. Functional applications for synthetic LLPS systems are an expanding area of emphasis, with particular focus on capturing the transient and dynamic state of these structures for use in biomedicine. Here, a net-cationic supramolecular peptide amphiphile building block with a glucose-binding motif is shown that forms LLPS structures when combined with a net-negatively charged therapeutic protein, dasiglucagon, in the presence of glucose. The droplets that arise are dynamic and coalesce quickly. However, the interface can be stabilized by addition of a 4-arm star PEG. When the stabilized droplets formed in glucose are transferred to a bulk phase containing different glucose concentrations, their stability and lifetime decrease according to bulk glucose concentration. This glucose-dependent formation translates into an accelerated release of dasiglucagon in the absence of glucose; this hormone analogue itself functions therapeutically to correct low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). These droplets also offer function in mitigating the most severe effects of hypoglycemia arising from an insulin overdose through delivery of dasiglucagon in a mouse model of hypoglycemic rescue. Accordingly, this approach to use complexation between a supramolecular peptide amphiphile and a therapeutic protein in the presence of glucose leads to droplets with functional potential to dissipate for the release of the therapeutic material in low blood glucose environments.

Application of Calcium Sulfate Whiskers to Cement-Based Materials: A Review.

In recent years, significant attention has been paid to the use of calcium sulfate whiskers (CSWs) to enhance the performance of cement-based materials (CBM). This technology has attracted widespread interest from researchers because it enhances the performance and sustainability of CBM by modifying the crystal structure of calcium sulfate. This article summarizes the fundamental properties and preparation methods of calcium sulfate whisker materials as well as their applications in cement, potential advantages and disadvantages, and practical applications and prospects. The introduction of CSWs has been demonstrated to enhance the strength, durability, and crack resistance of CBM while also addressing concerns related to permeability and shrinkage. The application of this technology is expected to improve the quality and lifespan of buildings, reduce maintenance costs, and positively impact the environment. The use of CSWs in CBM represents a promising material innovation that offers lasting and sustainable advancement in the construction industry.

Strong electron-phonon coupling and high lattice thermal conductivity in half-Heusler thermoelectric materials.

Traditional half-Heusler thermoelectric materials, identified as 18-electron compounds, are characterized by the high power factor and the high lattice thermal conductivity. Interestingly, the emerging 19-electron half-Heusler compounds were also found to be promising thermoelectric materials, but with a 5-10 times lower lattice thermal conductivity. Since the two kinds of compounds have similar chemical and physical structures, such as TiCoSb and VCoSb, the large difference in lattice thermal conductivity is a puzzling question. Here, we present a theoretical study to clarify the lattice thermal transport in half-Heusler thermoelectric materials. Based on electronic band structure analysis, we show that the two transition-metal elements in half-Heusler compounds form the strong and direct d-d interaction that is responsible for the high lattice thermal conductivity of 18-electron compounds. In 19-electron half-Heusler compounds, however, the extra valence electron enters the d-d antibonding states, which significantly weakens the atomic bond strength, leading to a large decrease in the cohesive energy. The resulting softened acoustic phonons enhance the phonon-phonon scattering, and thus reduce the lattice thermal conductivity significantly. By constructing an artificial 18-e compound V0.5Sc0.5CoSb, it is proved that the one less electron relative to VCoSb increases the lattice thermal conductivity significantly.

Enhanced nitrogen removal via partial nitrification/denitrification coupled Anammox using three stage anoxic/oxic biofilm process with intermittent aeration.

Pre-capturing organics in municipal wastewater for biogas production, combined with Anammox-based nitrogen removal process, improves the sustainability of sewage treatment. Thus, enhancing nitrogen removal via Anammox in mainstream wastewater treatment becomes very crucial. In present study, a three-stage anoxic/oxic (AO) biofilm process with intermittent aeration was designed to strengthen partial nitrification/denitrification coupling Anammox (PNA/PDA) in treatment of low C/N wastewater, which contained chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 79.8 mg/L and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) of 58.9 mg/L. With a hydraulic retention time of 8.0 h, the process successfully reduced TIN to 10.6 mg/L, achieving a nitrogen removal efficiency of 83.3 %. The 1st anoxic zone accounted for 32.0 % TIN removal, with 10.3 % by denitrification and 21.7 % by PDA, meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd anoxic zones contributed 19.4 % and 4.5 % of TIN removal, primarily achieved through PDA (including endogenous PD coupling Anammox). The 1st and 2nd intermittent zones accounted for 27.2 % and 17.0 % of TIN removal, respectively, with 13.7 %-21.3 % by PNA and 3.2 %-5.3 % by PDA. Although this process did not pursue nitrite accumulation in any zone (< 1.5 mg-N/L), PNA and PDA accounted for 35.1 % and 52.1 % of TIN removal, respectively. Only 0.21 % of removed TIN was released as nitrous oxide. The AnAOB of Candidatus Brocadia was enriched in each zone, with a relative abundance of 0.66 %-2.29 %. In intermittent zones, NOB had been partially suppressed (AOB/NOB = 0.73-0.88), mainly due to intermittent aeration and effective nitrite utilization by AnAOB since its population size was much greater than NOB. Present study indicated that the three-stage AO biofilm process with intermittent aeration could enhance nitrogen removal via PNA and PDA with a low N2O emission factor.

Multifunctional Heterostructured Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM Electrocatalyst Enabling High-Performance Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Via Built-in Electric Field.

The development of capable of simultaneously modulating the sluggish electrochemical kinetics, shuttle effect, and lithium dendrite growth is a promising strategy for the commercialization of lithium-sulfur batteries. Consequently, an elaborate preparation method is employed to create a host material consisting of multi-channel carbon microspheres (MCM) containing highly dispersed heterostructure Fe3 O4 -FeTe nanoparticles. The Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM exhibits a spontaneous built-in electric field (BIEF) and possesses both lithophilic and sulfophilic sites, rendering it an appropriate host material for both positive and negative electrodes. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the existence of spontaneous BIEF leads to interfacial charge redistribution, resulting in moderate polysulfide adsorption which facilitates the transfer of polysulfides and diffusion of electrons at heterogeneous interfaces. Furthermore, the reduced conversion energy barriers enhanced the catalytic activity of Fe3 O4 -FeTe@MCM for expediting the bidirectional sulfur conversion. Moreover, regulated Li deposition behavior is realized because of its high conductivity and remarkable lithiophilicity. Consequently, the battery exhibited long-term stability for 500 cycles with 0.06% capacity decay per cycle at 5 C, and a large areal capacity of 7.3 mAh cm-2 (sulfur loading: 9.73 mg cm-2 ) at 0.1 C. This study provides a novel strategy for the rational fabrication of heterostructure hosts for practical Li-S batteries.

An A-D-A'-D-A-Type Narrow Bandgap Electron Acceptor Based on Selenophene-Flanked Diketopyrrolopyrrole for Sensitive Near-Infrared Photodetection.

Near-infrared organic photodetectors possess great application potential in night vision, optical communication, and image sensing, but their development is limited by the lack of narrow bandgap organic semiconductors. A-D-A'-D-A-type molecules, featuring multiple intramolecular charge transfer effects, offer a robust framework for achieving near-infrared light absorption. Herein, we report a novel A-D-A'-D-A-type narrow bandgap electron acceptor named DPPSe-4Cl, which incorporates a selenophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (Se-DPP) unit as its central A' component. This molecule demonstrates exceptional near-infrared absorption properties with an absorption onset reaching 1120 nm and a low optical bandgap of 1.11 eV, owing to the strong electron-withdrawing ability and quinoidal resonance effect induced by the Se-DPP unit. By implementing a doping compensation strategy assisted by Y6 to reduce the trap density in the photoactive layer, the optimized organic photodetector based on DPPSe-4Cl exhibited efficient spectral response and remarkable sensitivity in the range of 300-1100 nm. Particularly, a specific detectivity surpassing 1012 Jones in the wavelength range of 410-1030 nm is achieved. This work offers a promising approach for developing highly sensitive visible to near-infrared broadband photodetection technology using organic semiconductors.

Has the agricultural cooperatives served each member fairly? A new perspective based on utilization level of member services.

With the rapid increase of the number of agricultural cooperatives in China, the problem of fake cooperatives has become more and more serious. The core problem is that some members do not use cooperative services, and elite capture phenomenon appears in the organization. Since services are one of the most important public goods attributes of cooperatives, it is important to ensure that more members use them. What are the factors that affect members' utilization level of cooperative services? Existing research does not provide a comprehensive answer. Based on the micro-survey data of 74 citrus cooperatives and 524 citrus members in China, the article found out that 50.9% of the members did not use any services provided by cooperatives, and only 20.04% of the members used cooperatives' sales services. So, this study empirically analyzes the factors that influence the use of cooperatives' services by puns model. The results show that quality of service, service convenience and mountain terrain promote the use of cooperative sales services for members. In addition, cooperative knowledge, planting area, surplus distribution, quality of service, and service convenience significantly increased the utilization leve of cooperative sales services by members. Finally, the study puts forward some suggestions, such as propagating cooperative sales service, improving the quality of cooperative sales service, perfecting cooperative distribution system.

Glucose-Triggered Gelation of Supramolecular Peptide Nanocoils with Glucose-Binding Motifs.

Peptide self-assembly is a powerful tool to prepare functional materials at the nanoscale. Often, the resulting materials have high aspect-ratio, with intermolecular ß-sheet formation underlying 1D fibrillar structures. Inspired by dynamic structures in nature, peptide self-assembly is increasingly moving toward stimuli-responsive designs wherein assembled structures are formed, altered, or dissipated in response to a specific cue. Here, a peptide bearing a prosthetic glucose-binding phenylboronic acid (PBA) is demonstrated to self-assemble into an uncommon nanocoil morphology. These nanocoils arise from antiparallel ß-sheets, with molecules aligned parallel to the long axis of the coil. The binding of glucose to the PBA motif stabilizes and elongates the nanocoil, driving entanglement and gelation at physiological glucose levels. The glucose-dependent gelation of these materials is then explored for the encapsulation and release of a therapeutic agent, glucagon, that corrects low blood glucose levels. Accordingly, the release of glucagon from the nanocoil hydrogels is inversely related to glucose level. When evaluated in a mouse model of severe acute hypoglycemia, glucagon delivered from glucose-stabilized nanocoil hydrogels demonstrates increased protection compared to delivery of the agent alone or within a control nanocoil hydrogel that is not stabilized by glucose.

High Performance Thermoelectric Power of Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 Through Synergistic Cu2GeSe3 and Se Incorporations.

Bi2Te3-based alloys are the benchmark for commercial thermoelectric (TE) materials, the widespread demand for low-grade waste heat recovery and solid-state refrigeration makes it imperative to enhance the figure-of-merits. In this study, high-performance Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (BST) is realized by incorporating Cu2GeSe3 and Se. Concretely, the diffusion of Cu and Ge atoms optimizes the hole concentration and raises the density-of-states effective mass (md *), compensating for the loss of "donor-like effect" exacerbated by ball milling. The subsequent Se addition further increases md *, enabling a total 28% improvement of room-temperature power factor (S2σ), reaching 43.6 µW cm-1 K-2 compared to the matrix. Simultaneously, the lattice thermal conductivity is also significantly suppressed by multiscale scattering sources represented by Cu-rich nanoparticles and dislocation arrays. The synergistic effects yield a peak ZT of 1.41 at 350 K and an average ZT of 1.23 (300-500 K) in the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te2.94Se0.06 + 0.11 wt.% Cu2GeSe3 sample. More importantly, the integrated 17-pair TE module achieves a conversion efficiency of 6.4%, 80% higher than the commercial one at ΔT = 200 K. These results validate that the facile composition optimization of the BST/Cu2GeSe3/Se is a promising strategy to improve the application of BST-based TE modules.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance of P-Type (Bi,Sb)2 Te3 by Incorporating Non-Stoichiometric Ag5 Te3 and Refining Te-Se Ratio.

Power generation modules utilizing thermoelectric (TE) materials are suitable for recycling widespread low-grade waste heat (<600 K), highlighting the immediate necessity for advanced Bi2 Te3 -based alloys. Herein, the substantial enhancement in TE performance of the p-type Bi0.4 Sb1.6 Te3 (BST) sintered sample is realized by subtly incorporating the non-stoichiometric Ag5 Te3 and counteractive Se. Specifically, Ag atoms diffused into the BST lattice improve the density-of-states effective mass (md * ) and boost the hole concentration for the suppressed bipolar effect. The addition of Se further improves md * prompting the room-temperature power factor upgrade to 46 W cm-1  K-2 . Concurrently, the lattice thermal conductivity is considerably lowered by multiple scattering sources exemplified by Sb-rich nanoprecipitates and dense dislocations. These synergistic results yield a high peak ZT of 1.44 at 375 K and an average ZT of 1.28 between 300 and 500 K in the Bi0.4 Sb1.6 Te2.95 Se0.05 + 0.05 wt.% Ag5 Te3 sample. More significantly, when coupled with n-type zone-melted Bi2 Te2.7 Se0.3 , the integrated 17-pair TE module achieves a competitive conversion efficiency of 6.1% and an output power density of 0.40 W cm-2 at a temperature difference of 200 K, demonstrating great potential for practical applications.