Cell Reports Physical Science最新文献

A persistent challenge in operating S-scheme photocatalysts involves maintaining complete neutralization of low-energy electrons and holes between reducing and oxidizing photocatalysts. To address this, we propose a charge replenishment-assisted S-scheme mechanism that combines a compatible host catalyst with a luminescence phosphor semiconductor capable of long-term storage of photogenerated electrons. Stored electrons can replenish the host photocatalyst, depleting the low-oxidizing holes, thus prolonging the charge-separated state. The concept is demonstrated in a core-shell-structured SrGa₂O₄:Cu²⁺/g-C₃N₄ (SGO/CN) photocatalyst, where stored electrons with a lifetime of up to several hours can continuously consume holes in the CN. The well-defined core-shell structure, abundant interfacial Sr-N bonds, and staggered band alignment between SGO and CN are crucial for this S-scheme interfacial charge transfer, which contributes to the enhanced CO₂-to-CO transformation activity and selectivity. This S-scheme heterojunction, incorporating a charge-storing material as an excess electron reservoir, offers a promising template for designing efficient photocatalytic systems.

In precision therapy, patient-derived cancer cells are inoculated into the same organ from which they are derived to simulate the microenvironment of the original tumor. However, due to the high technical difficulty and low success rate of the required surgical operation, appropriate animal models are lacking, which restricts its application. Here, we report a surgery-free method for creating a desired tumor mouse model using cancer cell microrobots guided by rotating gradient magnetic fields. The uptake of magnetic particles produces cancer cell microrobots. The external magnetic field enables the microrobots to hover around the target localization, enhancing their ability to penetrate the vascular endothelium. In vivo tests in mice demonstrate the capability of creating a desired tumor mass in a particular body location. This work provides a promising method to generate a targeted tumor mouse model without using conventional surgery operations for further precision medicine treatment study of cancer.

The acidic microenvironment of solid tumors is a potential source of selectivity in the anti-cancer activity of ionophores, which requires delicate control of their biophysical properties. In this context, we have systematically studied fluorine substitutions in the aromatic side chains of HCl-binding pseudopeptidic cages. Interconnected factors like chloride binding, protonation, lipophilicity, and conformation and diffusiveness of the cages can impact their ability to transport HCl through the aqueous-lipid interphase, as demonstrated by robust experimental (X-ray, nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR], fluorescence) and theoretical results. The fine-tuning of these properties allows the modulation of their pH-dependent cytotoxicity against cancer cells, from essentially non-cytotoxic at pH 7.5 (like the extracellular surroundings of healthy tissues) to highly toxic in slightly acidic microenvironments (like those around solid tumors). Thus, a distal fluorine substitution produces a big impact on the physicochemical and biological properties of the cages, improving their selectivity as potential therapeutic ionophores.

Ever since the birth of the first air conditioner (Carrier air conditioner) in 1902, over one hundred years ago, it has been accompanied by several technical problems, e.g., (1) low energy efficiency in large open spaces, (2) spread of pollutants, airborne pandemic transmission (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS], COVID-19) through air-conditioning systems, and (3) low comfort caused by fan noise and blowing sounds. Here, we report a personalized pure radiant cooling device that decouples the fresh air supply from space cooling to achieve air conditioning without conditioning the air. Condensation-free radiant cooling with a radiant cooling capacity of 152 W/m² is achieved with a polyethylene (PE) film-covered super-cold infrared-emissive surface. By optimizing the design and operation parameters, the device saves up to 50.4% of cooling energy in a typical summer building environment. Our concept opens up the possibility of pandemic-free personalized thermal management with high energy efficiency and thermal comfort.

Inhibitors of amyloid fibril formation can act in diverse ways and aid in elucidating the mechanisms of protein aggregation. The engineered binding protein β-wrapin AS69 binds monomers of Parkinson-disease-associated α-synuclein (αS), yet achieves inhibition at substoichiometric concentration. The substoichiometric activity was not attributed to the binding protein per se, but to its 1:1 complex with αS, in which AS69 sequesters αS residues 30–60 into a globular protein fold, whereas other αS parts remain intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Here, we investigate AS69-αS fusion constructs that form the AS69:αS complex by intramolecular folding and expose different IDRs. We find that not only the globular part of the complex but also αS IDRs are critical for substoichiometric inhibition, which is achieved by interference with primary and secondary fibril nucleation. The effects in vitro are reproduced in cellular seeding assays, indicating that secondary nucleation drives seeding in aggregate biosensing.

Ammonia (NH₃), touted as a promising hydrogen carrier, has received increasing attention. However, the technoeconomic prospects of comprehensive conversion of hydrogen to ammonia and ammonia to hydrogen (H₂-NH₃-H₂) are unclear, and the approach to ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion has not yet reached the full commercialization stage. In this work, we perform a technoeconomic analysis of a H₂-NH₃-H₂ conversion system, including synthesis, storage and transportation, and ammonia-to-hydrogen conversion, where we particularly compared thermal ammonia cracking with ammonia electrolysis. We find that ammonia electrolysis has a significant economic advantage thanks to its low energy consumption and capital cost. With this as motivation, we develop an energy-efficient and durable ammonia electrolyzer with an energy consumption of 0.84 kWh Nm⁻³ H₂ and a continuous operation for 317 h at 100 mA cm⁻². In addition, we also innovate a tandem cell to produce hydrogen without any electric power supply by coupling fuel-cell and electrolysis technologies.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) translocation is considered a hallmark event of cellular apoptosis. The development of non-invasive multi-modality probes targeting PE for apoptosis detection holds great promise. Here, we develop a dual-modality imaging probe, duramycin-Fluc-AuNRs (DFA), for detecting apoptosis in tumor cells. DFA is created by linking duramycin peptide and firefly luciferase (Fluc) recombinant protein to gold nanorods (AuNRs). Duramycin exhibits high affinity for PE, while Fluc produces a robust bioluminescence signal, and AuNRs enhance imaging resolution through photoacoustic conversion. The DFA probe demonstrates low toxicity in both cells and mice, showcasing its potential for in vivo applications. In A549 and 4T1 cell lines, the bioluminescence signal of the DFA probe increases with the degree of doxorubicin (Dox)-induced apoptosis. At the mouse level, mice with Dox-triggered apoptosis exhibit higher bioluminescence and photoacoustic imaging signals. Thus, this dual-modality bioluminescence/photoacoustic imaging platform holds significant potential for detecting cellular apoptosis and providing high-performance imaging information.

Fog water harvesting offers a solution to water scarcity. Here, we introduce a method to enhance fog water harvesting systems utilizing electrospun yarns featuring a wettability gradient. These yarns, made from polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂), gain photoinduced hydrophilicity under UV light due to TiO₂ photocatalytic properties, allowing dynamic shifts from hydrophobic to hydrophilic states. Experiments show that an alternating PVDF-TiO₂ harp with a wettability gradient surpasses purely hydrophobic or hydrophilic versions in fog collection. The strategic mix of hydrophobic and hydrophilic sections enhances droplet movement and water capture, achieving a 16% increase in collection rate up to 400 mg cm⁻² h⁻¹. This approach introduces a novel method for creating wettability gradients in electrospun yarns via UV irradiation and represents a significant advancement in adaptable fog water harvesting systems.

Conductive hydrogels with remarkable flexibility and sensitivity have attracted substantial attention as a potential material for the construction philosophy of wearable electronics. Nevertheless, the development of high-performance hydrogels continues to be a significant challenge due to the inherent trade-off between conductivity and deformation adaptability. Here, a novel strategy is demonstrated for the preparation of intrinsically conductive reticulated polymer-based hydrogels (allylated hydroxyethyl cellulose-PEDOT:PSS/PAM hydrogel [AHEC-PP/PAM]) with mechanical robustness and perceptual sensitivity. The conductive reticulated component, AHEC-PP, is obtained by an ingenious polymerization involving AHEC and EDOT and demonstrates favorable dispersion and stability, with the treatment of H₂SO₄ and the charge regulation of PSS. The AHEC-PP/PAM hydrogel has a tensile strength of 0.69 MPa, a fracture strain of 1,273%, a broad sensing range, and a high gauge factor of 7.86. The synergistic performance enables integration into smart wearable electronic devices for the detection of motion signals, electronic skin, and advanced human-machine interaction.