Journals
2026 EN
Mihalko Claire A. · Lu Juanjuan · Zhang Yizhi
+8 more
Successful tuning of the metal‐to‐insulator transition (MIT) near room temperature for VO 2 thin films has been previously reported via a variety of methods, from strain and defect engineering to energy band restructuring. In this study, a nanocomposite VO 2 design is integrated on glass substrates resulting in tuning the transition, morphology, and optical and electrical properties. Specifically, VO 2 ‐Au nanocomposite and VO 2 thin films are grown using pulsed laser deposition on glass with a ZnO buffer layer. The variations in film composition and buffer layer result in unique morphology, phase change properties, and optical properties. Notably, the introduction of the ZnO buffer layer results in a redshift of the surface plasmon resonance wavelength and unique epsilon‐near‐zero characteristic for the buffered films. Overall, this work discusses the effect on the tuning of the MIT and optical properties through a novel multifaceted approach using both defect engineering and energy band restructuring. These VO 2 and VO 2 nanocomposite films integrated on amorphous glass substrates show promise for future applications in sensing, thermochromics, and optical switching.
Journals
2026 EN
Zhang Yushan · Dou Beiji · Li Sha
+5 more
ABSTRACT Gel‐based room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials have garnered significant attention due to their promising applications in flexible electronics and photonics. However, the inherent swollen state and porous architecture of such gels often promote intense molecular motion and facilitate oxygen diffusion, which can severely quench phosphorescence under ambient conditions. In this work, we report a versatile strategy for constructing high‐performance organic RTP materials by leveraging organic aerogels, which exhibit superior luminescent, mechanical, and thermal properties. Owing to their structural advantages, these organic aerogels possess a three‐dimensional rigid framework that enhances intersystem crossing (ISC) efficiency and promotes multiple intermolecular interactions, thereby enabling efficient RTP with an ultralong phosphorescent lifetime of up to 1007 ms. Notably, the resulting RTP aerogels demonstrate exceptional structural robustness (compression modulus of 1 MPa), excellent thermal insulation (peak heat release rate reduced to 31.1 kW/m 2 ), and outstanding flame retardancy (limiting oxygen index exceeding 90%), positioning them among the most multifunctional organic aerogels reported to date. Given their balanced combination of RTP performance, mechanical resilience, and thermal stability, these phosphorescent aerogels represent a highly promising platform for the development of advanced, multifunctional organic RTP materials.
Journals
2026 EN
Cheng Xu · Cai Zhenzhen · Dong Jiahao
+5 more
ABSTRACT The design of zero‐background fluorescent sensing materials with specific functionalities is of great significance. Here, a special Eu‐MOF with nonfluorescent emission was designed and driven by H 2 O‐induced cascade reaction through modulating the number of hydroxyl groups in ligands to enhance the signal‐to‐noise ratio, sensitivity, and reaction speed toward triacetone triperoxide (TATP). It is found that only when the ligand was selected as 2,5‐dihydroxyterephthalic acid (DHTA), and with the introduction of H 2 O, the intramolecular hydrogen bond could be changed to a weaker intermolecular hydrogen bond, which would be interrupted and oxidized from the original enol structure to ketone, producing the fluorescence turn‐on response toward TATP. The special Eu‐MOF exhibited a high‐performance sensing for TATP, with fast response (<1 s), low limit of detection (LOD, 36.1 nM), superior selectivity even in the presence of 28 kinds of interferents, including the very similar hydrogen peroxide, strong robustness, and a practical detecting ability of 5 pg airborne TATP particle. Furthermore, we validated the practical feasibility of the specific Eu‐MOF by integrating a sensing chip into a portable detector, thereby confirming that this MOF exhibits considerable potential for trace‐level TATP detection in real‐world application scenarios. The present nonfluorescent MOF design strategy and the elaborate modulation of the conformation in MOF structure would provide a new pathway for the exploration of novel functional MOFs as well as high‐performance sensing methodologies.
Journals
2026 EN
Zheng Hong · Wang Xupeng · Dou Cunli
+3 more
ABSTRACT The perception of sweet taste, which is dominantly mediated by the heterodimeric sweet taste receptor composed of two subunits T1R2 and T1R3 (taste receptor type 1 member 2 and taste receptor type 1 member 3), is crucial for the diet of primates. However, there are only a small number of primate species (primarily non‐hominid such as New World monkeys and lemuriforms) whose sweet taste receptors have been functionally identified until now. In this study, we characterized the sweet taste receptor T1R2/T1R3 of a hominid species, chimpanzees, humans' closest living relative, a primate. Although the activities and responses of chimpanzee T1R2/T1R3 are mostly comparable to those of human T1R2/T1R3, an obvious discrepancy in sensitivity is revealed between T1R2s/T1R3s of human and chimpanzee toward a variety of sweeteners, including natural and artificial sweet compounds. Moreover, the difference in sweet taste between humans and chimpanzees could be associated with variation in the sequence and structure of their sweet taste receptors. These results serve as a meaningful basis for further exploring the molecular mechanism of sweet taste as well as its evolution in primates.
Journals
2026 EN
Jia Yewei · Guo Yuhuai · Yang Yusheng
+10 more
Abstract Background Skeletal tuberculosis (TB) remains a persistent clinical and research challenge due to its chronic course, osteolytic destruction, and the limitations of existing animal models, which often require high‐level biosafety containment or fail to replicate human skeletal pathology. Methods This study developed a biosafe, accessible, and versatile murine model of skeletal TB using Mycobacterium smegmatis , a fast‐growing, nonpathogenic mycobacterial species with high genomic homology to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Three infection routes—subperiosteal calvarial injection, intratibial injection, and intracardiac inoculation—were systematically evaluated for their ability to induce localized versus disseminated bone infection under standard biosafety level (BSL)‐1 conditions. Results Subperiosteal calvarial and intratibial injection of M. smegmatis induced localized bone lesions characterized by osteolysis, sequestrum formation, granulomatous inflammation, and increased osteoclast activity. Intratibial infection additionally triggered compartment‐specific immune responses, including neutrophil and macrophage expansion, transient B‐cell depletion, and activation of interferon‐γ + (IFN‐γ + ) T cells, reflecting active immune remodeling at the infection site. Systemic dissemination via intracardiac injection reproducibly generated progressive vertebral and tibial bone destruction with organized granuloma formation and immune cell infiltration but without prominent sequestrum formation. Compared to intratibial infection, intracardiac delivery exhibited lower intragroup variability and more closely recapitulated the diffuse progression of extrapulmonary skeletal tuberculosis. Conclusions This M. smegmatis –based murine model provides a straightforward, reliable, and immunopathologically relevant platform for exploring host–pathogen dynamics, immune‐driven bone destruction, and early‐stage therapeutic testing in skeletal TB, all within standard BSL‐1 laboratories. This model fills a critical gap by enabling BSL‐1 research into skeletal TB mechanisms and drug development.
Journals
2026 EN
Shang XiaoWen · Dou JianPeng · Tang Hao
+1 more
ABSTRACT The de Broglie–Bohm (dBB) theory was first proposed by L. de Broglie in 1927, nearly a century ago, and has now become an indispensable complement to the orthodox interpretation of quantum theory. As a nonlocal and contextual hidden‐variable theory, the dBB theory is compatible with Bell's inequality and the Kochen–Specker theorem. With the establishment and development of the weak measurement formalism, average Bohmian trajectories were experimentally reconstructed in 2011. Subsequent experiments in 2016 and 2019 provide a visual manifestation of the predicted nonlocality of Bohmian trajectories. Recently, stemming from the Englert–Scully–Süssmann–Walther (ESSW) Gedanken experiment, the concept of “nonlocal energy alteration” (i.e., nonlocal change of energy in space) has been proposed and observed on a quantum memory platform. This paper first reviews the evolution of the dBB theory, then summarizes recent experimental research progress, particularly providing insights into the redistribution of energy in space‐like intervals, and finally prospects for future research in this field.
Journals
2026 EN
Wang Zunhao · Dou Mingyu · Yang Guang
+4 more
ABSTRACT Converting benzyl alcohol into benzaldehyde and hydrogen through photocatalytic oxidation is an effective approach to produce high‐value‐added chemicals and green energy. Hence, we adopted a physical method to synthesize a dual‐functional Ni 3 (PW 12 O 40 ) 2 /CdS S‐scheme photocatalyst and verified that Ni 3 (PW 12 O 40 ) 2 can enhance the efficiency of CdS for benzyl alcohol valorization and hydrogen evolution. This optimized Ni 3 (PW 12 O 40 ) 2 /CdS‐20 composite displayed hydrogen production rate and benzaldehyde generation rate of 4.42 and 3.66 mmol·g −1 ·h −1 , which are 7.6‐ and 11.4‐fold higher than those of pristine CdS. In addition, the S‐scheme charge transfer mechanism was proved through some experimental characterizations. The results indicate that the S‐scheme heterojunction constructed from this composite material can efficiently facilitate the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers, thereby increasing the photocatalytic ability. This study provides a promising reference for incorporating polyoxometalates into metal sulfides to achieve efficient photocatalytic redox reactions.
Journals
2026 EN
Zhang Caixia · Chen Shoubing · Dou Qian
+3 more
ABSTRACT This study pioneers the grafting of oleylamine onto halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) to synthesize a low‐temperature composite modifying agent for rubber (HNTs‐Y). It enables the synergistic regulation of the low‐temperature performance of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) via a “plasticization‐reinforcement” mechanism, addressing both the migration propensity of conventional small‐molecule plasticizers and the insufficient low‐temperature modification efficacy of pristine HNTs. This work thereby provides a novel multifunctional modification strategy for optimizing the low‐temperature performance of elastomers. Experimental results demonstrate that HNTs‐Y significantly enhances the low‐temperature resistance of NBR. Specifically, at a loading of 6 phr, the hardness difference of 4 # NBR between −40°C and 40°C is reduced by 45.2% compared to 1 # NBR, indicating improved hardness stability over a broad temperature range. Additionally, the tensile strength of 4 # NBR at −20°C is 79% higher than that at 20°C and 77% higher than that of 1 # NBR, reflecting enhanced resistance to tensile fracture under low‐temperature conditions. Furthermore, with the increase in HNTs‐Y content, the brittle temperature ( T b ) and glass transition temperature ( T g ) of NBR exhibit an overall downward trend. For 4 # NBR, the T b reaches −52°C and the T g is −29.5°C, manifesting excellent low‐temperature resistance.
Journals
2026 EN
Deng Leyang · Lan Yongqiang · Lv Jingru
+3 more
ABSTRACT This study reports the development of ethanol‐selective composite membranes for pervaporation (PV) based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) embedded with reduced graphene oxide@silica core‐shell (GSCS) particles. To enhance interfacial compatibility and particle dispersion within the matrix, 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (FDTS) was immobilized onto the GSCS to entangle with PDMS chains. A pre‐polymerization strategy was adopted to increase the viscosity of the casting suspension, facilitating higher filler loading and improved ethanol separation performance. Optimal separation performance was achieved with a casting solution viscosity of 4 Pa s, yielding a maximum selectivity of 3.94. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirmed the formation of smooth defect‐free PDMS/FDTS‐GSCS composite membranes. The PV testing of these membranes demonstrated a high separation factor of 11.03 and a permeation flux of 242 g m −2 h −1 for separating a 10 wt% ethanol/water mixture at 40°C. Critically, the composite membranes exhibited excellent operational stability over a continuous 168‐h test period. These findings indicate that incorporating FDTS‐modified GSCS into PDMS significantly enhances ethanol selectivity, highlighting the potential of these membranes for bioethanol recovery applications.
Journals
2026 EN
Dou Shengjin · Wang Xin · Zhang Lin
+5 more
ABSTRACT Background This study evaluated the long‐term survival outcomes of concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) for high‐risk salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs). Method Postoperative patients with high‐risk SGCs, other than adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), with T3‐4/N1‐3M0 disease were enrolled. This study included a cohort of 55 patients who received CCRT, derived from a prospective phase II trial, and a retrospective cohort of 61 patients treated with RT alone. Results The median follow‐up for survivors was 54.1 months. In the subgroup analysis, patients without ENE treated with CCRT showed significantly better 5‐year OS (83.4% vs. 69.0%, p = 0.032), with a numerically higher 5‐year DFS (57.3% vs. 41.6%, p = 0.062). In the subgroup of patients with N0‐1 disease, those treated with CCRT showed a numerically higher 5‐year DFS (69.1% vs. 44.9%, p = 0.073) and OS (90.7% vs. 76.2%, p = 0.057). On multivariate analyses, CCRT significantly predicted superior DFS ( p = 0.021) and OS ( p = 0.004) for patients without ENE and superior DFS (p = 0.027) for patients with N0‐1 disease. Conclusion For postoperative high‐risk non‐ACC SGCs, CCRT was associated with improved long‐term survival outcomes in patients without ENE or with N0‐1 disease, which need further evaluation in randomized trials. However, for patients with ENE or N2‐3 disease, they may need alternative treatment strategies to enhance their prognosis. Trial Registration The prospective cohort analyzed in this study originated from the non‐ACC group enrolled in a phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02776163)