From scents to defense: Decoding the genetic drivers of plant terpenes
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Nov-2025 13:11 ET (2-Nov-2025 18:11 GMT/UTC)
This paper introduces a novel methodology for analysing and optimising the matching process between angel investors and startup companies by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and game-theoretic models. Leveraging the natural language processing capabilities of AI engines such as Gemini and ChatGPT 4, we extract and analyse historical investment patterns to identify critical qualitative and quantitative criteria influencing investment decisions. These criteria are further refined through R programming simulations, optimising cutoff values using the Youden index to balance sensitivity and specificity in predicting successful matches. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of a hybrid framework that combines qualitative preferences with quantitative metrics, offering a comprehensive tool for enhancing strategic investment decisions. This study represents the first attempt to apply AI technologies systematically to the investor-startup matching process, contributing practical insights for investors, entrepreneurs, and intermediaries in navigating the early-stage investment landscape. The proposed approach not only improves matching efficiency but also supports the creation of stronger, more aligned partnerships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Radiative cooling is a passive thermal management strategy that leverages the natural ability of materials to dissipate heat through infrared radiation. It has significant implications for energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and sustainable technology development, with applications in personal thermal management, building temperature regulation, and aerospace engineering. However, radiative cooling performance is susceptible to environmental aging and special environmental conditions, limiting its applicability in extreme environments. Herein, a critical review of extreme environmental radiative cooling is presented, focusing on enhancing environmental durability and cooling efficiency. This review first introduces the design principles of heat exchange channels, which are tailored based on the thermal flow equilibrium to optimize radiative cooling capacity in various extreme environments. Subsequently, recent advancements in radiative cooling materials and micro-nano structures that align with these principles are systematically discussed, with a focus on their implementation in terrestrial dwelling environments, terrestrial extreme environments, aeronautical environments, and space environments. Moreover, this review evaluates the cooling effects and anti-environmental abilities of extreme radiative cooling devices. Lastly, key challenges hindering the development of radiative cooling devices for extreme environmental applications are outlined, and potential strategies to overcome these limitations are proposed, aiming to prompt their future commercialization.
Rechargeable aqueous metal-ion batteries are promising alternative energy storage devices in the post-lithium-ion era due to their inherent safety and environmental compatibility. Among them, aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) stand out as next-generation energy storage systems, offering low cost, high safety, and eco-friendliness. Nevertheless, the instability of Zn metal anodes, manifested as Zn dendrite growth, interfacial side reactions, and hydrogen (H2) evolution, remains a major obstacle to commercialization. To address these challenges, extensive research has been conducted to understand and mitigate these issues. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in Zn anode stabilization strategies, including artificial solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers, structural optimization, electrolyte modification, and bioinspired designs. These approaches collectively aim to achieve uniform Zn deposition, suppress parasitic reactions, and enhance cycling stability. Furthermore, it critically evaluates the advantages and feasibility of different strategies, discuss potential synergistic effects of multi-strategy integration, and provide perspectives for future research directions.
Symmetric solid oxide fuel cells (SSOFCs) have emerged as promising energy conversion devices due to their low fabrication cost and outstanding durability. Ammonia (NH3), a carbon‑free hydrogen carrier with high energy density and ease of storage, serves as an ideal fuel for such systems. In this study, a bifunctional electrode material, Pr0.32Sr0.48Fe0.75Ni0.2Ru0.05O3-δ (PSFNRu), is synthesized by doping 5 mol% Ru into the parent perovskite Pr0.32Sr0.48Fe0.8Ni0.2O3-δ (PSFN). The resulting PSFNRu exhibits abundant oxygen vacancies and enables the in‑situ exsolution of alloy nanoparticles (ANPs) under reducing conditions, which act as additional active sites to enhance electrochemical performance. The PSFNRu‑based SSOFC delivers peak power densities of 736 mW cm-2 with H₂ and 547 mW cm-2 with NH3 at 800 °C, significantly outperforming its undoped counterpart. Furthermore, the cell maintains stable performance for over 172 h at 700 °C under NH3 fuel, confirming excellent operational durability. These findings underscore the potential of PSFNRu as a high‑performance symmetric electrode for direct ammonia SSOFCs (DA‑SSOFCs).
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as versatile and widely utilized delivery systems in both academic research and industrial applications, offering immense potential beyond liver-targeted and infectious disease treatments. Despite their success, a significant limitation of LNPs is their inherent liver tropism following systemic administration. This liver-centric accumulation represents a key bottleneck, restricting the broader therapeutic applications of LNP-based delivery systems. In a recent review, the authors explore strategies to overcome this challenge by modulating LNP composition—including ionizable lipids, helper lipids, cholesterol, and other critical components—to achieve extrahepatic targeting. The authors further discuss recent advancements in surface modification techniques designed to redirect LNPs to organs beyond the liver. Additionally, the authors highlight recent progress in local delivery approaches, which offer a direct and effective alternative for achieving extrahepatic delivery. By providing a comprehensive overview of current strategies and limitations, the authors aim to guide future research efforts toward fully realizing the therapeutic potential of LNP-based delivery systems.
Researchers from Shenyang Jianzhu University have published a comprehensive review on the technological advances and practical applications of intelligent inspection robots for structural health monitoring. These robots—equipped with advanced sensors, autonomous navigation systems, and AI-based data analysis—are transforming the way we maintain bridges, tunnels, construction machinery, and other critical infrastructure. The review outlines key technologies, real-world applications, current challenges, and future development trends of these cutting-edge systems.
The overall energy efficiency is critical for commercializing promising electrochemical technologies such as the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Despite the rapid development of advanced catalysts and reactors for CO2RR, its commercial potential is still hindered by the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which causes high cell voltages and low energy efficiencies. Herein, we have developed a NiOOH@Ni3S2 catalyst on the surface of nickel foam (NF) via an electrochemical surface reconstruction strategy. We observe that the oxidation of glycerol to formate is more thermodynamically favorable than the OER on the developed NiOOH@Ni3S2/NF catalysts. The Ni2+/Ni3+ redox couples within the NiOOH@Ni3S2 heterojunction enhance the charge transfer kinetics between the active sites and adsorbed reaction intermediates, facilitating the highly selective and active generation of formate from glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR), with a remarkable Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 94% achieved at 100 mA cm-2. Comprehensive mechanistic studies identified that the reaction pathway towards formate generation starts from glyceraldehyde intermediates and the glycolate was considered as the key species. Moreover, benefited from the efficient conversion of CO2 to formate on bismuth nanosheets, the GOR//CO2RR paired electrolysis system realizes a remarkable overall FE of ca. 190% for formate co-production at 160 mA cm-2 (cathodic FE: 91.25%; anodic FE: 98.70%). This proceeds at a cell voltage of ca. 2.32 V, which is ca. 0.85 V lower than that of OER-assisted CO2RR system at the same current density. This work provides new insights for co-upgrading CO2 and biomass to value-added chemicals.
This review examines inflammation as a physiological defense mechanism against infectious agents, physical trauma, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and metabolic stress, which, under dysregulated conditions, may progress into chronic diseases. Nanomedicine, which integrates nanotechnology with medicine, suppresses inflammatory signaling pathways and overexpressed pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as ROS, to address inflammation-related pathologies. Current advances in nanomaterial design and synthesis strategies are systematically analyzed, with parallel discussions on toxicity mechanisms, influencing factors, and evaluation methods that are critical for clinical translation. Applications of functional nanomaterials are highlighted in the context of refractory inflammatory conditions, including wound healing, gastrointestinal disorders, and immune, neurological, or circulatory diseases, along with targeted delivery strategies. Persistent challenges in nanomedicine development, such as biocompatibility optimization, precise biodistribution control, and standardized toxicity assessment, are critically assessed. By bridging material innovation with therapeutic efficacy, this review establishes a framework for advancing nanomedicine to improve treatment outcomes while addressing translational barriers.