Element specific scattering techniques known as anomalous small-angle x-ray scattering have been employed in the analysis of the thallium counterion distribution in aqueous salt-free polyacrylate solutions with the molar concentration of 25mM. The pure-resonant scattering contribution of the Tl+-counterions was deduced explicitly, thereby revealing the existence of a hexagonal lattice structure, as suggested by de Gennes etal. About 75% of the Tl+-counterions are localized in the cylinders of the hexagonal lattice structure. A cylinder axis of 12.1nm was deduced, giving, in combination with the amount of monomer units inside the cylinder, a length of the monomer unit of 0.66nm, indicating strong stretching of the polyanions. The stability criterion of Lindemann is served, thus explaining the stability of the liquid crystalline phase. From the mixed-resonant and the non-resonant scattering contribution, the monomer volume of 0.1111nm3 was deduced.

The realization of stimuli-responsive dynamic CPL in static helical polymers remains highly challenging. Herein, a novel, covalent, and green synthetic strategy is developed to construct AIE-featured static helical supramolecular polyisocyanides with multiresponsive and tunable CPL properties, via helix-sense-selective cationic copolymerization of AIE chiral D/L-menthyl-ester-appended aryl isocyanides and achiral stimuli-responsive azobenzene-appended aryl isocyanide by a new cationic initiator (PhEt)+[(Cl)B(C6F5)3]-. Notably, the CPL signal intensities of these static helical supramolecular polyisocyanides in the liquid state exhibit distinct stimulus-responsive behaviors: enhanced CPL response under humidity, an "off" CPL response in the presence of Fe3+ ions, and reversible "on-off" CPL switching upon light and pH stimulation. Molecular simulation methods demonstrate that stimulus-responsive regulation of the cis-trans isomerization of flexible azobenzene side groups lowers the energy barrier for helical conformational transformation, thereby enabling reversible conformational transitions between the helical and disordered states of the main chain and further achieving modulation of chiroptical activity. Different from static/dynamic helical polymers, azobenzene-appended helical polyisocyanides combining static and dynamic features confer enhanced stability, accuracy, and repeatability, suitable for high-performance applications in multicolor dynamic displays, anticounterfeiting, information encryption, and chiral logic gates. This work provides fundamental insights into the covalent construction of static helical polymers with stimuli-responsive dynamic CPL.

Accidental ingestion of contaminated soil is one of the major routes of human exposure to heavy metals, with proven adverse effects on gastrointestinal health. However, the effects with transformation of heavy metals in soil in the gastrointestinal phase remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the bioaccessibility and conversion of Cr(VI) in two contaminated soils with different properties during the intestinal phase. The high- and low-Cr-contaminated soils showed 42% and 64% bioaccessibility of Cr in the small intestinal phase, respectively, followed by substantial reduction and detoxification of Cr(VI) from small intestinal to colonic phase. In the colonic liquid phase, nearly all Cr was present as reduced Cr(III) for the low-Cr soil, whereas Cr(III) accounted for more than 50% of dissolved Cr for the high-Cr soil. Such transformation was primarily microbiota-driven, with key genera including Phascolarctobacterium, Enterobacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Parasutterella. Functional analysis suggested that the tricarboxylic acid cycle and riboflavin metabolism provided electron-donating capacity that promoted Cr(VI) reduction. In parallel, Fe(II) generation supported a secondary Fe(III)/Fe(II)-associated indirect contribution. The PLS-PM modeling further indicated that direct microbial reduction is the major Cr(VI) detoxification route compared with Fe mediated pathways. Our findings show that the intestinal microbiota could induce reduction and detoxification of soil Cr(VI), offering new insights into how heavy metals can be detoxified from contaminated soils after accidental ingestion.

Injectable biodegradable silica hydrogel depot for dexamethasone delivery in the eye via subconjunctival administration.

Enhanced removal of organic micropollutants in earthworm-assisted sludge treatment reed beds.

Unraveling the structural evolution of lignin-carbohydrate complexes in poplar during autohydrolysis.

Oxidative transformation of sulfamethoxazole during direct and radical Ozonation: Pathways, kinetics, and water quality effects.

Analysis of damage and fracture mechanisms in quartzite with different inclination angles under liquid oxygen phase change-induced fracturing

Single-entity dual-emissive MOF platform for reliable ratiometric point-of-care detection of amoxicillin residues.

Thermo-responsive nanostructured surface: Beeswax for enhanced condensation performance across solid, liquid, and transition states

Natural convection and flow structure evolution during solid–liquid phase change in a horizontal annulus

Revealing the mechanism of carboxyl groups on biochar filler for enhancing biodegradation of N,N-dimethylacetamide.

Phase-separation mode in HPLC: Theoretical prediction and experimental evaluation of elution times.

The influence of pressure on the interface reaction and the joint shear strength of the Co P/Sn system fabricated by transient liquid phase bonding

The mechanisms of oxide dissolution evolution and mechanical properties transient liquid phase bonding of SSM 6063 aluminum alloy with zamak 2 binder

Thermal response characteristics of nematic liquid crystal-embedded Sagnac interferometer from crystalline state to approaching liquid state

Abstract We investigated the orientation of chiral molecules in the gas phase induced by two laser pulses within the electric dipole approximation. The pulses are assumed to be linearly polarized, which, unlike circular polarization, avoids complications related to time-reversal symmetry. The degree of orientation depends only on the angle between the electric field vectors of the pulses and the angles between the transition dipole moments, and is independent of temperature. Photoelectrons generated by the third laser pulse exhibit a pronounced forward–backward asymmetry even at high kinetic energies, which impart significant recoil momentum. We explore the potential implications for ion-mobility-free chiral mass spectrometry in the gas phase, as well as for chirality-sensitive spectroscopy in the liquid phase.

Abstract Strong electron correlation drives 1T-TaS 2 from a half-filled metallic state into a Mott insulating phase, coexisting with a charge density wave at low temperatures. Under external stimuli such as pressure or ionic gating, superconductivity emerges in 1T-TaS 2 , exhibiting an intricate relationship of competition and coexistence with the charge density wave order. In the two-dimensional (2D) limit, enhanced quantum fluctuations can stabilize a quantum spin liquid (QSL) state in the Mott insulator. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding these quantum states in 2D 1T-TaS 2 from the perspective of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), with a focus on the dimensionality effect on its electronic structure. We outline the signatures of QSL state in electronic spectra and discuss how this state can be revealed in the family of this material through experimental approaches beyond conventional probes such as neutron scattering. The role of Kondo effect in detecting spinon excitations is further discussed. Finally, we suggest future experimental directions and highlight how external perturbations such as gating and light excitation offer versatile pathways to control and exploit these intertwined quantum states.

Development and Validation of a Three Liquid Phase Extraction Method for Simultaneous Determination of Phthalates and Bisphenols in Seafood by GC–MS

The origin of life may have emerged through physical mechanisms that enable molecular organization and self-assembly. Building on Alexander Oparin’s concept of coacervate droplets, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) offers a plausible route for prebiotic molecules to concentrate and interact, supporting the transition from chemistry to biology. LLPS provides a dynamic, membrane-free environment that could enhance RNA function and facilitate the evolution of regulatory and signaling networks that are foundational to the creation of life. By linking molecular interactions and emergent behaviors, LLPS bridges the gap between simple biochemical interactions and collective cellular organization. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), peptides, ions, and other organics can be incorporated into coacervates that concentrate molecules, accelerate reactions, and compartmentalize specific chemicals, which effectively organize primitive environments and produce an arena for “natural selection” to ignite. This framework suggests that RNA, DNA, and proteins each possess intrinsic agency (molecular behavior), which is defined as possessing the ability to sense, respond, and self-organize. When coupled through LLPS, a novel and enhanced agency arises to provide higher-order properties and coordinated function. Emerging theories may explain how such networks achieve coherence and suggest that the boundary conditions created by LLPS provide the architecture by which abiogenesis, evolution, and cognition are possible.