Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Regrettably, the roles of ferroptosis-related (FR) genes in POAG remain elusive. Five GEO data sets and a series of experimentations in vitro were used for bioinformatic exploration and biological validation. Using multiple machine learning algorithms, four critical FR genes in POAG progression were screened. The clinical value and biological function of NOX1 were comprehensively analyzed using bioinformatic approaches. A POAG in vitro model was constructed using H2O2 treatment. NOX1 effects on the viability of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and ferroptosis process were determined through CCK8, EdU, ROS detection, and transmission electron microscopy. Its upstream transcriptional mechanisms were determined through dual luciferase assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). NOX1 was identified as the critical FR gene in POAG progression and served as an effective diagnostic biomarker. High-NOX1 expression was tightly associated with increased infiltration levels of multiple subtypes of T cells, such as T cells CD8 and T cells CD4. However, the enrichments of eight metabolic gene sets did not differ between the POAG samples with high- and low-NOX1 expression groups. Silencing NOX1 maintained RGC survival and inhibited the ferroptosis process. Mechanistically, STAT3 upregulated NOX1 by binding its promoter region that was located at the 429th to 419th bases upstream of the NOX1 transcriptional start site. NOX1 overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of silencing STAT3 on RGC survival and the ferroptosis process. NOX1 was a good biomarker for characterizing POAG and promoted POAG progression through STAT3-mediated transcriptionally activation.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) is a versatile, conductive, and highly porous material suitable for use in flexible electronics. However, its application in stretchable devices remains limited due to mechanical and interfacial challenges under strain. Here, we report the development of a stretchable electrochemical sensor based on LIG that maintains electrochemical performance under uniaxial strain up to 20%. The electrode fabrication involves a simple transfer process to elastomeric substrates, which preserves structural integrity and conductivity during deformation. Structural and chemical characterization, including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, confirm the characteristic morphology and composition of the LIG network. The electrodes exhibited stable cyclic voltametric responses and maintained their electrochemical characteristics during repeated folding and stretching-relaxation cycles. Moreover, no statistically significant difference in anodic peak current was observed between the relaxed and stretched states (p > 0.05). As a proof of concept, the electrodes were modified with Prussian blue and lactate oxidase for lactate sensing in artificial sweat. The sensor exhibited a linear response range toward lactate (5 to 30 mmol L-1), effectively covering the clinical window for sweat lactate monitoring and reproducible signals across different deformation states, with a sensitivity of 0.25 μA mM-1. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fully stretchable LIG-based electrochemical sensors and supports their potential integration into wearable sensing platforms.

Gut disorders are largely caused by iron-induced microbial dysbiosis. Excess iron disrupts barrier integrity by inducing oxidative stress, leading to impaired cellular processes. The determination of therapeutic compounds that can reduce iron-induced damage and maintain gut cellular integrity is still a top objective. Dimercaprol (DP) represents a novel iron-chelating strategy for the treatment of iron-induced gut disorders. A chronic iron-overload model was established in mice via intragastric gavage of ferric citrate (FC) (286 mg/kg BW) for 16 weeks. Similarly, IPEC-J2 cells were exposed to FC (50 µmol/L) for 24 h. DP was used as a mechanistic probe to elucidate the pathways involved in iron-induced toxicity. Cells were transfected with or without NRF2 siRNA and exposed to DP post-FC. Colonic contents were assessed via metagenomics and metabolomics. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments were analyzed through a multifaceted analysis, Western blot, RT-qPCR, ELISA, transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence assays. Thiols in DP protect gut cells from damage by boosting their natural antioxidant defenses via the NRF2/HO-1 pathway. The DP mechanism of action is multifaceted, including enhancement of barrier integrity, protecting mitochondrial structure and function, suppression of inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and restoration of gut microbial and metabolic homeostasis. These protective effects are mainly caused by the activation of the NRF2/HO-1 pathway, which makes DP a potential therapeutic agent for disorders caused by chronic gut injury induced by FC. DP provides strong protection against iron-induced gut damage by restoring organelle crosstalk, redox homeostasis and microbial–metabolic balance through NRF2/HO-1 signaling.

In this paper, we investigated the behavior of a natural, low-cost, and biocompatible clay, focusing on its potential use in biomedical applications, with an eye on its ability as a material that inhibits or promotes bacterial growth. The interaction of raw and acid-treated halloysite (HT) with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria representative of different environments, such as the human body, food, air, soil, water, and marine environments, was explored. Environmental strains of Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Lactococcus lactis, and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated and examined for their responses to HT and its derivatives after acid treatment, including acidic HT (HT (H+)), precipitate (P), and supernatant (S). HT before and after acid treatment did not have any effect on the growth of this subset of opportunistic bacteria that mainly inhabit air and water. Bacteria of marine origin (Vibrio spp and Halomonas spp) were isolated from the body lesions of a spotted diseased sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus. These species were highly sensitive to the material tested, showing an opposite survival response under treatment with the raw or the acidic HT forms. Materials were fully characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The responses of marine bacteria exposed to HT and its derivatives were dependent on their structural and physicochemical properties, as elucidated here.

Background: Gefitinib (Gef) is a first-line epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor for NSCLC, but its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low oral bioavailability. Methods: A self-assembled gefitinib nanosuspension (GG-NS) incorporating genistein (Gen) was rapidly developed and optimized via hammer acoustic resonance (HAR) technology. Systematic optimization was conducted using a high-throughput HAR-based process, with particle size, PDI, and zeta potential as key evaluation parameters. Structural and morphological characteristics were analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In vitro dissolution behavior and cytotoxicity against A549 lung cancer cells were evaluated. Results: Optimal GG-NS with Z-Ave = 223.50 ± 1.53 nm, PDI = 0.239 ± 0.031 and zeta potential = −24.10 ± 0.47 mV was successfully prepared. The nanosuspension remained physically stable for up to five months at both 4 °C and 25 °C. Compared with the raw drugs, GG-NS enhanced the dissolution of gefitinib and genistein in water by 3.76-fold and 13-fold, respectively. In addition, GG-NS showed significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against A549 cells, with a 33.8% higher inhibition rate than the physical mixture after 72 h. Conclusions: This study demonstrates, for the first time, that HAR technology enables the rapid fabrication of a self-assembled GG-NS with improved dissolution performance, physicochemical stability, and in vitro anticancer activity, highlighting its promise as an efficient and scalable formulation strategy for poorly soluble anticancer drugs.

This work reports the presence of a significant percentage of toxic chlorpyrifos (CPS) (approximately 16 ppm) in the agricultural wastewater emanating from the local farmlands, largely producing seasonal vegetables, and its effective mitigation using highly porous biochar (BC) and its magnetic derivative synthesized from a combination of waste materials (viz., low-grade coal and municipal sludge) available in abundance locally via low temperature pyrolysis. Detailed material characterization was performed using FE-SEM, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), PXRD, BET, XPS, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), and other techniques to understand the surface morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized materials. Surface morphology confirmed good porosity, crystallinity, and high specific surface areas (1107 m2/g for BC and 550 m2/g for its magnetic derivative). Batch adsorption results with real agricultural wastewater showed promising CPS removal of 81.5% and 92.8% with BC and magnetic BC (MBC), respectively. The regeneration study was encouraging, where between the freshly used samples (batch 1) and the final 7th batch (spent adsorbent), for BC, a drop of 31.35%, and for MBC, 32.2% in terms of removal percentage was observed. The proposed valorization of waste and underutilized indigenous materials holds promise for developing novel adsorbents that can be effective in scaled-up operations.

The effects of different finishing rolling temperatures on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a 580HE hole expansion steel were systematically investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the yield strength increases with decreasing finishing rolling temperature, whereas the tensile strength and total elongation exhibit relatively small variations. Significant changes in phase fraction, grain size, spatial distribution, and NbC precipitation behavior are observed under different finishing rolling temperatures. The microstructure mainly consists of polygonal ferrite and granular bainite, while acicular ferrite is formed at higher finishing rolling temperatures. With decreasing finishing rolling temperature, the ferrite and bainite grains are markedly refined and become more uniformly distributed. Meanwhile, the ferrite fraction slightly increases, the crystallographic texture is weakened, and, more importantly, the number density of precipitates increases while their size is significantly reduced. The hole expansion ratio increases noticeably with decreasing finishing rolling temperature, which is mainly attributed to grain refinement, improved microstructural and strain homogeneity, and the selective strengthening effect of fine NbC precipitates. These factors effectively reduce stress concentration and hardness mismatch between soft and hard phases, thereby delaying crack initiation during hole expansion.

Background Chemotherapy resistance is the main obstacle to breast cancer recurrence, metastasis, and mortality. Drug-tolerant persister (DTP) cells are a novel type of target cell associated with tumor resistance, and autophagy is a key factor in maintaining the survival of tumor DTP cells. However, it is unclear whether the activation of autophagy in breast cancer DTP cells is related to their overexpression of the transcriptional regulatory factor CDCA7. Methods We analyzed CDCA7 expression using public datasets and clinical samples and established breast cancer cell lines with CDCA7 overexpression and knockdown to assess the role of CDCA7 in breast cancer. Autophagy was assessed via electron microscopy, mRFP-GFP-LC3 imaging, and immunoblotting. Mechanistic studies employed ChIP-seq, dual-luciferase assays, and site-directed mutagenesis. Functional assays measured chemosensitivity (CCK-8), migration/invasion (scratch/Transwell), and in vivo tumorigenicity (mouse xenograft). Results CDCA7 was significantly upregulated in breast cancer DTP cells. Overexpression of CDCA7 in breast cancer cells significantly enhanced autophagy-related biological processes and molecular functions. Through ChIP-seq and targeted knockout experiments, we identified the binding sites of CDCA7 on the autophagy-related protein genes ULK1 , ATG2A , and ATG3 . Using transmission electron microscopy and mRFP/mCherry-GFP-LC3B tandem fluorescent tagging, we observed that CDCA7 knockdown significantly reduced the number of autolysosomes in breast cancer DTP cells and markedly inhibited autophagic flux. Moreover, CDCA7 knockdown not only decreased drug resistance in breast cancer cells but also reduced metastasis, invasion, and tumorigenic ability in vivo , ultimately prolonging the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Conclusion CDCA7 drives breast cancer chemoresistance by transcriptionally activating a pro-survival autophagy program in DTP cells, nominating it as a promising therapeutic target.

To enhance the skin permeability and retention of Sapindus saponins, cationic liposomes are fabricated via a thin-film dispersion method followed by electrostatic cross-linking with chitosan. The Franz diffusion cell method is used to evaluate the transdermal performance, while molecular dynamics (MD) simulations (50 ns) are employed to elucidate the self-assembly mechanism and intermolecular interactions. The optimized preparation conditions are determined as Sapindus saponin extract concentration of 15 mg/mL, soybean lecithin dosage of 350 mg, lecithin: stigmasterol mass ratio of 4:1, and hydration temperature of 55 °C. Under these conditions, the liposomes achieve an encapsulation efficiency of 87.89 ± 2.85%. Upon modification with chitosan (volume ratio of 0.8), the ζ potential reverses to positive (+39.9 ± 1.7 mV). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the formation of a core-shell structure and the amorphization of the encapsulated components. Notably, the cationic liposomes exhibit a 24 h cumulative permeation rate of 63.92% (2.08 times that of conventional liposomes) and, more importantly, a skin retention rate of 7.09% (5.0 times higher), demonstrating a significant local drug reservoir effect. MD simulation results reveal that the system self-assembles into vesicular complexes driven by van der Waals forces, hydrogen bond networks, and strong electrostatic anchoring. Specifically, robust electrostatic attractions form between the phosphate groups of lipids and the amino groups of chitosan, while a diffuse hydrogen bond network creates a rigid protective coating. These interactions serve as the core forces, maintaining the structural stability and preventing drug leakage.

Growing concerns about environmental pollution and the sustainability of conventional nanomaterial synthesis have accelerated interest in plant-based routes for nanoparticle production. This review provides an in-depth analysis of more than 290 peer-reviewed research and review articles published between 2010 and 2025, extracted from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, on the green synthesis of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles using plant extracts, with particular emphasis on their characterization and application in water treatment. Plant-derived phytochemicals serve as natural reducing and stabilizing agents, enabling nanoparticle formation without hazardous reagents. Key physicochemical characterization techniques, including UV–Visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, are evaluated for their roles in confirming nanoparticle structure, morphology, surface chemistry, and optical behavior. The review focuses on water purification applications, highlighting adsorption and photocatalytic degradation as the most extensively investigated removal pathways. Particular attention is given to widely studied material classes such as silver, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and iron-based nanoparticles, which demonstrate effective removal of heavy metals, synthetic dyes, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. Current limitations related to synthesis reproducibility, mechanistic understanding, stability, and scalability are critically discussed. The review concludes by identifying priority research directions, including standardized synthesis protocols, deeper chemical analysis of plant extracts, and the integration of green nanoparticles into immobilized and membrane-based systems to advance their practical implementation in sustainable water treatment technologies.

A (0001) α-Ga2O3 film was grown by the mist chemical vapor deposition method on a (0001) α-Cr2O3 template (100 μm thick α-Cr2O3 layer formed on an α-Al2O3 substrate). Benefiting from the small a-axis lattice mismatch between α-Ga2O3 and α-Cr2O3, a high-quality α-Ga2O3 film with a small twist distribution, and consequently a low edge dislocation density, was coherently grown on an α-Cr2O3 template. The edge dislocation density of 7 × 107 cm−2, estimated from the full-width at half-maximum value of the X-ray rocking curve (XRC) in X-ray diffraction (XRD), was more than two orders of magnitude lower than that of the film grown on an α-Al2O3 substrate, and was almost consistent with that of the α-Cr2O3 template. The bright-field transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image supports the dislocation density estimated from the XRD measurements. The high-angle annular dark-field scanning TEM and inverse fast Fourier transform images indicate coherent growth, with almost no misfit dislocations generated at the α-Ga2O3/α-Cr2O3 interface.

Halide perovskite light-emitting diodes promise high-efficiency1-3, low-cost optoelectronics, yet their operational instability remains a critical barrier to practical deployment. Here we develop a multimodal in situ electron microscopy approach that integrates four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic-resolution imaging to directly visualize structural and chemical evolution in a working halide perovskite light-emitting diode with nanometre precision. Our in situ biasing measurements uncover nanoscale structural and chemical transformations initiated at transport layer interfaces, including the formation of metallic lead and lead-rich secondary phases, as well as strain-driven grain fragmentation. On biasing, we observe the partial transformation of the metallic Al contact to insulating AlCl3. Crucially, whereas the bulk of the perovskite emitter remains relatively intact, our experiment shows that degradation is localized at interfaces. By comparing in situ and ex situ measurements, these results establish a mechanistic link between interfacial strain, ionic transport and electrochemical reactions in working devices, and provide a broadly applicable framework for nanoscale degradation analysis in complex multilayered optoelectronic systems using multimodal in situ biasing microscopy.

Hydrogels are prevalent materials with applications ranging from drug delivery systems, contact lenses and tissue engineering scaffolds. However, they require considerable perturbation to observe their nanoscale, solution-phase structures necessary for predicting bulk properties. Although studies suggest that methylcellulose, a quintessential hydrogel material, can be described by a semiflexible biopolymer network model, there remain demonstrable inconsistencies in the predicted concentration dependence of rheological properties and in the observation of higher-order features. Here we image solvated hydrogels with high spatiotemporal resolution via liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy to avoid desolvation and shear artefacts. Corroborated by scattering and scanning electron microscopy, we observe that methylcellulose hydrogels form a network with high persistence length and micrometre-scale fibril bundles arranged in hierarchical assemblies, providing a more accurate prediction of bulk rheology. In addition, network structures are observed for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose. These observations across multiple-length scales lead to a clearer understanding of how nanoscale structure impacts microscale structure and macroscopic behaviour, aiding the development of more accurate structure-property relationships for hydrogel materials.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-capped gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs) are of great interest for targeted drug and chemotherapy delivery due to their biocompatibility and ability to evade immune detection. However, repeated administration can trigger the accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon, reducing circulation time and altering pharmacokinetics. This study aimed to evaluate whether pretreatment with free PEG before PEG-AuNP administration could improve pharmacokinetic behavior and mitigate the ABC effect, compared to PEG-AuNPs alone.

AuNPs were synthesized via the Turkevich-Frens method, PEGylated, and characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential (ZP) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The PEG-AuNPs were spherical with a core diameter of 19.54 ± 1.758 nm. To assess the effect of free PEG, two groups of rats received an initial dose of PEG-AuNPs; both were given a second dose, but only the second group was pretreated with free PEG. Gold concentrations in plasma and organs were quantified using a validated inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined.

The ABC index confirmed the ABC phenomenon when comparing the first and second PEG-AuNP doses. Unexpectedly, pretreatment with free PEG did not significantly affect pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, tmax, t0.5; p > 0.05) compared to non-pretreated animals. Notably, PEG-AuNP accumulation in the liver and spleen increased approximately six- to sevenfold and two- to threefold, respectively, after the second dose, consistent with ABC-associated organ uptake.

In conclusion, under the current experimental conditions, pretreatment with free PEG before the second PEG-AuNP dose did not significantly mitigate the ABC phenomenon, indicating that additional strategies may be required to overcome immune recognition and enhance the pharmacokinetic performance of PEGylated nanocarriers.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare but underdiagnosed genetic cause of adult bronchiectasis, with current predictive tools (e.g., PICADAR, NA-CDCF) primarily validated in children and lacking adult-specific predictors (e.g., subfertility). This study aimed to develop and validate a practical tool (PCDSOS) for PCD screening in adult bronchiectasis. Derivation group (n = 287) from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (2013-2025) and validation group (n = 107) from The Second Xiangya Hospital (2016-2024) were included. All patients completed ≥ 1 PCD diagnostic test (nasal nitric oxide, whole-exome sequencing, transmission electron microscopy, or high-speed video microscopy analysis). Logistic regression was used to develop PCDSOS, with performance assessed by AUC, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Existing tools showed reduced accuracy in adults (AUC: 0.76-0.85 vs. 0.84-0.98 in original studies). PCDSOS included 6 predictors: pulmonary atelectasis/lobectomy in middle lobe/lingula (P, 2 points), neonatal chest symptoms (C, 2 points), organ laterality defects (D, 5 points), chronic sinusitis (S, 2 points), chronic otitis media/hearing loss from childhood (O, 1 point), and subfertility (S, 1 point). At cutoff = 3, PCDSOS had sensitivity 0.86, specificity 0.76 (derivation cohort, AUC = 0.90) and sensitivity 0.90, specificity 0.67 (validation cohort, AUC = 0.92). A free web-based version of PCDSOS for automated scoring is available to facilitate clinical application. PCDSOS outperforms existing tools in adult bronchiectasis, providing a cost-effective screening strategy to identify patients requiring further PCD diagnostic testing-critical for preventing irreversible lung damage and guiding genetic counseling.

We report the rapid, sustainable, facile, environmentally friendly synthesis of copper oxide nanosheets (CuO NSs) and their application as a nanocatalyst for the synthesis of 2-substituted 1,3-benzothiazoles. The CuO NSs were characterized by various analytical techniques, including UV-Vis, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping. CuO NSs were successfully utilized in the environmentally-friendly synthesis of biologically active 2-substituted 1,3-benzothiazole derivatives in an aqueous ethanol medium. The desired products were obtained in excellent yields without the formation of side products. The synthetic efficacy of this compound is underscored by its high-yielding protocol across a diverse range of substrates and ability to operate under mild reaction conditions. The nanosheet morphology of CuO provides abundant active sites, enabling exceptional catalytic efficiency. The catalyst is readily recoverable and reusable over multiple cycles without significant loss of activity. This operationally simple strategy combines high atom economy, excellent recyclability, and environmentally benign conditions, offering a valuable route to benzothiazole frameworks of pharmaceutical and industrial relevance.

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) exhibits salient properties and thus are applicable in various fields. The major bottleneck to its applications, however, is the long synthesis method that also requires the use of toxic chemicals and high temperatures. Moreover, the surface area of the obtained rGO is often less than that of the starting material, graphene oxide (GO), a phenomenon that compromises its application. In the current study, gamma (γ) irradiation technique where aprotic solvents were substituted with Persea americana Mill. seed extract was investigated for its efficacy in reducing GO to rGO by optimizing the total irradiation dose. The successful synthesis of rGO was confirmed with UV-vis spectrophotometry (UV-vis), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), among others. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) suggested the dominace of reduction on GO with the icrease of the irradiation dosage to 100 kGy (rGO@100). Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) showed that the green reduced GO surface area (60.345 m2 g-1) is 6 times larger than that of GO (9.586 m2 g-1). This was confirmed by an enhanced current response on the cyclic voltammetry (CV) of rGO@100 compared to that of GO. The average number of electrons transferred as calculated from the Kotouckey-Levich's (K-L) equation in alkaline and neutral media were 2.04 and 2.26 respectively. This indicates that the electrode (rGO@100/GCE) follows a 2e- pathway mechanisms in both media. The 2e- reaction pathway is also reported when conventional reduction methods are used, therefore the reduction method used in this study is potentially applicable for the development of advanced graphene-based composites for ORR.

Abstract Tungsten has demonstrated competitive figure of merits in its application to plasma-facing components (PFCs) of fusion reactors. During service, the material is exposed to high temperature and high-level displacement damage. A common interest is fostered in the nuclear materials community to address the issue of defects evolution at operating temperatures and how they recover throughout service. During maintenance, the application of in-situ thermal repair technologies is tempting, featuring attractive efficiency in defect removal via an optimal selection of post-irradiation annealing (PIA) parameters. In previous studies, we have examined the role of PIA temperature, PIA duration, and initial defect concentration on defect evolution, and redefined the damage recovery stages for tungsten, but from a room-temperature heavy-ion irradiation perspective [see J. Nucl. Mater. 581 (2023) 154454, Acta Mater. 273 (2024) 119942]. In this study, the scope is expanded to heavy-ion induced saturated displacement damage at high temperatures, relevant to the service condition of tungsten-based PFCs. Damage microstructure evolution in response to varied irradiation temperatures (TIrr) and PIA temperatures (TPIA) was assessed via transmission electron microscopy and Doppler broadening positron annihilation spectroscopy. Irradiation hardening was evaluated via nano-indentation. A scientific framework is proposed to guide thermal healing of displacement damage in tungsten via PIA treatment. It was ineffective when TPIA ≤ TIrr. An adverse effect of PIA-induced secondary hardening occurred when TPIA (stage III) > TIrr (stage III). The optimal PIA scheme was confirmed when TPIA (stage IV) > TIrr (stages III–IV), eluding PIA-induced secondary hardening and minimizing PIA-enhanced recrystallization.

Although mobile metal-ion-based filamentary memristors are explored as an artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing, they suffer from abrupt and stochastic switching. Hence, this study reports a non-filamentary synaptic memristor using mobile silver-doped vanadium-cerium oxide (VCeOx:Ag) that achieves linear and symmetric conductance modulation with stable endurance over 104 potentiation/depression cycles through a conduction combined with Ag nanoclusters and redistributed mobile Ag ions. This conjugated contribution enables polarity-dependent, robust and reproducible analog switching. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirms the presence of Ag nanoclusters, and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) verifies the field-driven migration and redistribution of residual Ag ions. Time-dependent synaptic plasticity properties, including paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), post-tetanic potentiation (PTP), spike-rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP) and short-term-to-long-term memory (STM-to-LTM) transitions, are harnessed to implement reservoir computing (RC), which achieves classification accuracies of 90.6% and 76.7% for handwritten digit-MNIST and Fashion-MNIST datasets, respectively. These findings highlight that the VCeOx:Ag memristor with a complementary mechanism enables an unprecedented control of analog conductance and paves the way for developing scalable, energy-efficient neuromorphic hardware for edge artificial intelligence (AI) and on-device learning.

Bridging chirality across length scales with inorganic-organic hybrid materials is a rapidly expanding area of research. Here, we establish asymmetry at CdS nanorod (NR) interfaces using a designed helical repeat protein bearing four cysteine residues (DHR-4Cys). Hydrophobic NRs are transferred into water with glycine, and then glycine is displaced by DHR-4Cys, leveraging the thiophilicity of cadmium. Circular dichroism (CD) in the visible, coincident with CdS electronic transitions, reveals a chiral DHR-4Cys:CdS interface. The dissymmetry factor [g-factor = 4.5 × 10-4 (short NRs) and 5.0 × 10-4 (long NRs)] is weakly dependent on the NR length, and CD persists at nanomolar protein loadings. Additionally, control experiments demonstrate that DHR-4Cys:CdS NR chirality is dictated by the local coordination of Cys with no significant contribution from the chiral secondary structure of the protein (g-factors of short and long Cys:CdS NRs are 4.8 × 10-4 and 4.0 × 10-4, respectively). Together with far-UV CD and transmission electron microscopy, which provide evidence of preserved protein structure, these results provide the first demonstration that a structurally defined protein can induce chirality in CdS nanocrystals while maintaining protein structure at biologically relevant concentrations.