Tropospheric ozone (O3) pollution during summertime has emerged as a major environmental challenge in China. While anthropogenic NOx controls are being aggressively implemented, the influence of biogenic sources, particularly soil NO emissions during peak agricultural periods, remains a critical uncertainty in air quality modeling. This study investigates the influence of refined soil NO emissions on O3 simulation during a representative summertime period (June 2020). By integrating updated environmental response functions, high-resolution fertilizer data, and corrected cropland emission factors into a modified Berkeley-Dalhousie Soil NO Parameterization (BDSNP) scheme, we developed a refined soil NO inventory that leads to a total soil NO estimate of 1.15 Tg N for 2020. Evaluation against 16 in situ flux observations shows a significant reduction in normalized mean bias (NMB, from -38% to -14%). Our numerical simulations reveal that soil NO contributes approximately 15%∼22% to NO2 and 6%∼14% to the population-weighted MDA8 O3 in major urban agglomerations during the simulation period. More importantly, we find that although the overall model bias for surface O3 shows limited statistical improvement, the refined inventory substantially alters the model's sensitivity to anthropogenic emission controls. A 40% reduction in anthropogenic NOx yields a much smaller O3 benefit (2.5 ppb) compared to the original scheme (4.5 ppb), suggesting that underestimating summertime soil NO may lead to overoptimistic projections of anthropogenic mitigation efficacy during peak pollution months. This case study highlights the necessity of accounting for agricultural nitrogen management in designing effective O3 control strategies.

Biomass-based conductive aerogels with excellent biocompatibility, high porosity, and facile functionalization are the key materials for new-generation sustainable high-performance piezoresistive sensors. However, the single lamellar structure of conventional aerogels and the inherent agglomeration tendency of conductive nanomaterials severely hamper the mechanical and strain sensing properties of biomass-based aerogels. Herein, inspired by the natural bamboo-node structure, a novel gelation-confinement strategy was developed to construct a unique bamboo-node-reinforced structure by incorporating metallogels (MOGs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). The resulting CNF-based aerogel exhibits excellent mechanical stability and can withstand over 5000 compression cycles at 50% strain. Meanwhile, integration of the aerogel into a flexible piezoresistive sensor endows the device with comprehensive strain sensing properties, including high linear sensitivity (S = 4.14 kPa-1 in the 0-2 kPa range; S = 1.88 kPa-1 in the 2-92 kPa range) and a low-pressure detection limit of 2.21 Pa. These multifunctional features endow the composite aerogel with great application potential in motion monitoring.

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) can incorporate suspended particles from the electrolyte into growing ceramic-like oxide coatings, but particle size strongly affects their transport, capture, transformation, and final distribution. This review compares nanoparticle and microparticle additions, with particular emphasis on suspension stability, electrophoretic and convective transport, access to discharge channels, interaction with transient oxide melts, and distribution across the coating thickness. Well-dispersed nanoparticles generally remain suspended more readily, access finer pores, and undergo more extensive interfacial reaction or dissolution, whereas microparticles are more strongly affected by sedimentation and are more often retained as discrete or partially fused inclusions in outer coating regions. These differences influence coating morphology, porosity, roughness, phase evolution, hardness, wear and corrosion resistance, photocatalytic activity, and biofunctionality. Primary particle size alone, however, is insufficient to predict coating behavior because agglomeration, surface charge, particle morphology, electrolyte chemistry, waveform, and reactor hydrodynamics can alter the effective size-dependent response. Meaningful comparisons of particle-assisted PEO coatings should therefore account for the effective in-bath particle size and suspension state.

Improving the thermal conductivity of polymer/carbonaceous nanocomposites is still an interesting topic and is affected by a number of factors, such as polymer/nanofiller interaction, dispersion quality and agglomerate formation. In the present work, several polymer/nanocomposite types based on two different linear low-density polyethylenes (LLDPEs), as well as polylactic acid (PLA), reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or a combination of CNTs/carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with graphene oxide (GO) at various loadings were investigated. The thermal diffusivity results for monofiller and hybrid nanocomposites with varying nanofiller loadings were analyzed. Additionally, existing models were employed to simulate the thermal conductivity using experimental data of both monofiller and hybrid nanocomposites. The model parameter values were utilized to explore the mechanism of the thermal conductivity increase, the role of CNTs and the synergistic effects of hybrid nanocomposites.

Owing to its favorable physical and chemical characteristics, zinc oxide (ZnO) has become one of the most extensively investigated metal oxide semiconductors. Pulsed laser irradiation in liquids provides a post-synthesis route for modifying ZnO nanostructures. However, correlating laser parameters with the systematic evolution of particle morphology, size distribution, and surface chemistry remains challenging. In this work, a facile and additive-free pulsed laser irradiation approach was employed to engineer the morphology and surface chemical composition of ZnO nanoparticles. As-prepared hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanorods dispersed in deionized water were irradiated with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser for 30 and 90 min and compared against the untreated powder. TEM and SEM analyses revealed a progressive morphological transformation in which the strongly agglomerated, faceted nanorods partially reshape into a mixed rod and particle morphology after 30 min and evolve into well-dispersed, nearly spherical nanoparticles with diameters of approximately 12-48 nm after 90 min. XRD confirmed that the hexagonal wurtzite structure is retained throughout the treatment with no secondary or impurity phases, while the mean crystallite size increases from 15.14 nm for the powder to 18.80 nm after 90 min of irradiation as a result of photothermal fusion. XPS demonstrated that zinc preserves its +2 oxidation state during laser processing, whereas the surface O/Zn ratio and the relative fractions of lattice oxygen and hydroxyl species evolve systematically with irradiation time, revealing a concurrent modification of the surface chemistry. These results establish the laser post-irradiation duration as a simple and effective control parameter for tailoring both the morphology and surface chemical state of ZnO nanostructures.

Implant-associated infections remain a major challenge in bone-related biomedical applications, where bacterial colonization and biofilm formation can compromise tissue integration and clinical performance. This study reports the mechanochemical synthesis, physicochemical characterization, antimicrobial activity, antibiofilm performance, and short-term fibroblast cytocompatibility of a TiO2-containing bovine-derived biogenic hydroxyapatite ceramic composite (BHAp-TiO2). The composite was prepared by high-energy mechanical milling using 10 wt% TiO2 and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. XRD/Rietveld analysis identified a multiphase ceramic composite composed of hydroxyapatite, whitlockite, and rutile TiO2, with no evidence of Ti4+ substitution into the hydroxyapatite lattice or detectable anatase within the XRD/Rietveld detection limit. SEM-EDS confirmed the granular agglomerated morphology of the powders and the elemental presence of Ti in BHAp-TiO2. Compared with pristine BHAp, BHAp-TiO2 produced a concentration-dependent reduction in AlamarBlue®-derived bacterial metabolic activity against five clinically relevant planktonic strains. At 200 µg/mL, residual metabolic activity decreased to 10.90-32.90%, depending on the bacterial species, with the strongest response observed for Escherichia coli. In crystal violet assays, BHAp-TiO2 markedly inhibited Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm biomass, reaching 91.9 ± 3.4% inhibition at 200 µg/mL. In NIH/3T3 fibroblasts, BHAp-TiO2 preserved short-term cytocompatibility after 24 h of direct exposure within the 0.1-100 µg/mL range, with MTT- and AlamarBlue®-derived responses remaining close to or above the 80% cytotoxicity limit. Overall, BHAp-TiO2 is best interpreted as a rutile TiO2-containing biogenic calcium phosphate ceramic composite with enhanced antimicrobial and antibiofilm performance while maintaining short-term fibroblast cytocompatibility under the evaluated conditions.

Integrating silica aerogels into polyester (PET) high-loft battings is an attractive strategy for thermal insulation, yet the weak aerogel-fiber interface typically causes particle aggregation and shedding. Herein, we report a facile yet robust solvent-activated interfacial engineering strategy that enables the homogeneous distribution and firm anchoring of silica aerogels on the PET batting. First, N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) serves as a mediating solvent that promotes the uniform surface distribution of silica aerogel particles on PET fibers through favorable solvent-particle interactions, thereby reducing particle agglomeration. Second, DMF activates the PET fiber surface by increasing local chain mobility, enabling intimate interfacial contact between the aerogel particles and PET fibers. Upon solvent evaporation, the activated PET surface undergoes local chain rearrangement and partial local ordering, generating microscopic surface locking sites that immobilize the particles on the fiber surface. Furthermore, nanofiber encapsulation technology was employed to establish a robust physical barrier on the batting surface for preventing the detachment of aerogel particles. The resulting battings harmonize low thermal conductivity (27.7 mW m- 1 K- 1) with robust elasticity and exceptional wearing comfort while maintaining outstanding durability against washing and cyclic deformation. Collectively, this work presents a commercially viable paradigm for mass-producing washable aerogel textiles.

Jerusalem artichoke flour (JAF) has emerged as a sustainable ingredient with significant prebiotic potential due to its inulin content; however, the relationship between its physicochemical properties and functional stability remains insufficiently understood. This study provides an integrated characterization of JAF to elucidate how particle size distribution, powder flow behavior, molecular structure, and water sorption influence its stability and handling. Granulometric analysis showed that most particles (77%) were within the 355 to 710 μm size range, whereas only 13% were <250 μm. The whole flour sample exhibited an angle of repose of 70.5° ± 4.9°, indicating poor flowability and strong interparticle cohesion, consistent with agglomeration patterns observed by scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared analysis (800-1200 cm-1) revealed high similarity with commercial inulin standards, supporting the contribution of prebiotic carbohydrates. Moisture sorption isotherms at 10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C exhibited Type III behavior, with limited water uptake at low water activity and a sharp increase at higher relative humidity. These findings establish a mechanistic link between powder structure and hygroscopic behavior, providing useful information for the selection of appropriate storage conditions to preserve the physical stability of the flour and support its application in food formulations.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are ubiquitous dietary additives, yet their impact on the intestinal barrier remains contentious, largely because conventional toxicological models overlook gastrointestinal digestive transformations. Characterization revealed that pristine TiO2 NPs exist as nanoscale aggregates, which, upon simulated digestion, lose electrostatic repulsion and expand into dense, biocorona-coated, micrometer-sized agglomerates enriched in nitrogen and phosphorus. While these transformed entities induce severe barrier dysfunction, the spatiotemporal mechanisms executing plasma membrane rupture remain a critical knowledge gap in nanotoxicology. Here, we uncover a non-canonical, spatially dependent cell death modality termed mitoxyperilysis as the core driver of TiO2 NPs-induced nanotoxicity, operating independently of classical apoptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis. We demonstrate that exposure to digested TiO2 NPs agglomerates hyperactivates the protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2)-RhoA signaling axis, leading to widespread F-actin cytoskeletal paralysis. This structural breakdown dismantles intracellular spatial constraints, enabling ROS-emitting, dysfunctional mitochondria to aberrantly translocate and persistently tether to the plasma membrane, deploying high concentrations of mitochondria-derived ROS (mtROS) locally. Quantitative lipidomics of plasma membrane fractions reveals that this targeted mtROS assault induces severe depletion of membrane-stabilizing lipids and the explosive generation of oxidized lipid mediators, culminating in lytic membrane failure. Ultimately, this nanotoxicology study decodes a novel nano-mechanopathological paradigm dictated by mTOR-cytoskeleton dysregulation and localized mitochondrial lipid peroxidation, providing critical translational insights and therapeutic targets for mitigation.

BackgroundThe Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is widely used to assess disability due to low back pain. Existing Persian versions were developed in Iran only and do not reflect the full linguistic and cultural diversity of Persian speakers worldwide.ObjectiveThis study had two aims: (1) to provide an updated, culturally inclusive Persian translation and adaptation of the ODI following the Beaton cross-cultural adaptation guidelines, and (2) to evaluate, per the COSMIN taxonomy of measurement properties, its reliability and inter-method agreement across diverse Persian speakers. The translation was refined through a structured five-stage process and reviewed by native speakers from Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and diaspora communities.Methods578 participants with low back pain (aged 18-86) completed the Persian ODI twice in a single session, once alone (self-administered) and once with an interviewer, to assess inter-method agreement. Reliability and agreement were analyzed using paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, Cohen's d, ICC, and Bland-Altman limits of agreement.ResultsMean ODI scores were 13.83 ± 12.06 (Alone) and 14.55 ± 12.46 (With interviewer). ICC(2,1) was 0.95, indicating excellent reliability, while Cohen's d = 0.18 indicated a small, non-significant effect. Bland-Altman limits of agreement ranged from -6.91 to +8.35.ConclusionThe updated Persian ODI, developed and evaluated per established cross-cultural adaptation and measurement-property guidelines, shows excellent reliability and agreement across diverse Persian-speaking populations. Interviewer administration yielded slightly higher scores, but the difference was small and not clinically significant. This version can be confidently used for clinical and research purposes across Persian-speaking communities worldwide.

The removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from aqueous streams is of considerable environmental and public-health importance. In the present work, nanocomposite membranes were fabricated by incorporating CaF2 nanocrystals into a poly(ether-b-amide) (PEBA) matrix and evaluated for the hydrophobic pervaporation (PV) of (1-methylethyl)benzene (1-MEB) from dilute aqueous solutions. Relative to Pure PEBA membrane, the introduction of CaF2 nanocrystals produced pronounced changes in the physicochemical properties of the membranes. The water contact angle (CA) increased to a maximum of 108.77° at 0.5 wt% loading, the degree of swelling (DS) declined from 25.99% to 12.5%, fractional free volume (FFV) were reduced, and mechanical properties were enhanced at optimal nanocrystal contents. These modifications resulted in substantially improved separation performance: at 1 wt% CaF2 the separation factor rose from 82.51 to 63330.16, water flux decreased from 721.5 to 7.5 g m[-2] h[-1], and 1-MEB flux increased to 23.75 g m[-2] h[-1].To gain deeper insight into the interaction between the feed components and the prepared membranes, Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) were applied, and modified Bagley relationship incorporating the agglomeration index [Formula: see text]was introduced to calculate the HSP of nanocomposites. The modified HSP provided a reliable explanation for the variations observed in the membrane properties at different nanofiller loadings.

We investigate the mechanisms sustaining population survival beyond the tragedy of the commons (TOC) in finite spatial populations with dynamic environmental feedback. Environmental collapse and population contraction arise when the social dilemma intensifies or environmental carrying capacity declines, driving the system toward the TOC state. Near the boundary separating the collapse regime from a survival-favorable equilibrium, we uncover a survival resonance response to mutation noise. Both the equilibrium state and the resonance, driven by reciprocity of tightly knit cooperator agglomerates, enhance population persistence and environmental quality. Furthermore, our pair-approximation dynamics successfully explains the dynamic transition from the survival-favorable equilibrium state to the TOC state and offers insights into resonance mechanisms. Generally, these results reveal how collective dynamical responses enable cooperative populations to persist under common-resource constraints.

Seed-initiated polymerization was developed to prepare graphene oxide and polyaniline composites (GO/PANI) with a regular morphology. Pre-functionalization of GO with p-phenylenediamine (PDA) was employed to tailor the interface and seed uniform aniline polymerization across the GO surface, replicating and deepening the substrate's wrinkled texture. Excess aniline, however, drives PANI agglomeration. Magnetoresistance (MR) measurements reveal a monotonic increase in MR to 1.4% at 3 T with an aniline amount of up to 360 µL for the GO-PDA/PANI-4 sample, whereas surplus aniline (480 µL) disrupts the interface between PANI and GO, and reduces MR to 0.8%. These findings underscore the pivotal role of an intact organic-inorganic interface in governing magnetotransport and offer a new design principle for tuning organic MR effects.

The rational reforming of transition metal layered double hydroxides (LDHs) has emerged as a key strategy for developing high-performance supercapacitor electrodes owing to their outstanding electrochemical activity and tunable chemical composition. Despite their potential, pristine LDHs are hindered by their inherent low electrical conductivity and significant particle agglomeration, which adversely affect their electrochemical performance. In this study, a BaMn-LDH/BaMn-MOF composite was synthesized by integrating BaMn-LDHs with BaMn-MOFs via a hydrothermal method. LDH- and MOF-based electrode materials were fabricated to facilitate comparative analyses of their morphological, structural, and electrochemical characteristics. The porous framework of BaMn-MOF provides large structural dimensions, high surface area, and numerous electrochemically active sites, leading to improved electrochemical performance of LDHs. The electrochemical behavior of the synthesized materials was investigated using both three- and two-electrode configurations. The three-electrode electrochemical experiment indicated that the BaMn-LDH/BaMn-MOF composite provided a significant specific capacity (Q s) of 744C g[-1] compared to the pristine LDH electrode material. This was enabled by the particular design of the BaMn-LDH/BaMn-MOF composite, which has vertically oriented LDH nanosheets and porous MOFs with an abundance of active sites and effective ion transport. In addition, a hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) was made with the help of the BaMn-LDH/BaMn-MOF composite (cathode) and activated carbon (AC) (anode). The as-fabricated BaMn-LDH/BaMn-MOF‖AC HSC device showed a significantly high energy density (E d) of 58.44 Wh kg[-1] and an outstanding power density (P d) of 5100 W kg[-1]. The device exhibits excellent cycling stability, retaining 92% of its initial capacitance after 5000 cycles. The kinetic analysis at a scan rate of 10 mV s[-1] revealed that the device delivered 10% capacitive contribution, complemented by 90% diffusion-controlled contribution. The electrochemical activity of the BaMn-LDH electrodes is very high, offering a new perspective on hybrid energy storage devices in the future.

The efficiency bottleneck of organic solar cells (OSCs) is predominantly hindered by severe non-radiative energy loss (ΔE3), which primarily originates from strong electron-phonon coupling and detrimental charge recombination into darker state traps. Herein, we designed and synthesized a highly rigid and polarized dimeric acceptor, DY-SO by incorporating a sulfone bridged unit. It is revealed that the sulfone bridge's steric hindrance restricts backbone torsion and suppresses molecular vibration, enabling DY-SO with significantly reduced reorganization energy compared to small molecule L8-BO, which reduces non-radiative triplet trapping (CT→T1) and yields photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 11.70% and exceptionally low ΔE3 of 0.149 eV. Upon deploying DY-SO into the D18:L8-BO baseline matrix to evaluate its photovoltaic potential, we further discovered that the inclusion of this rigid dimer successfully tames the film-formation kinetics, effectively suppressing the excessive self-agglomeration inherent to rigid structures and promoting more ordered molecular packing and a favorable phase-separated morphology. Benefiting from these synergistic modulations, the optimal ternary D18:L8-BO:DY-SO OSC achieves an outstanding power conversion efficiency of 21.13% (certified as 20.70%). This work demonstrates that by introducing structurally rigidified, highly polarized dimeric acceptor to suppress molecular vibrational coupling, and mitigate non-radiative dissipation is of great significance for improving the performance of OSCs.