Myocardial infarction remains a global health challenge, necessitating advanced therapeutic strategies to address both acute injury and chronic ventricular remodeling. This study presents an innovative tri-layered bioartificial patch engineered to modulate degradation kinetics and drug release for prolonged cardiac regeneration. By integrating a slower-degrading polycaprolactone (PCL) and gelatine-based inner layer into a microstructured polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and gelatine architecture, we developed a system with a highly controlled biphasic degradation profile. Hydrolytic degradation tests revealed that while the external PLGA-based layers undergo bulk degradation and complete dissolution by 60 to 90 days, the internal PCL-based membrane successfully retains its structural integrity and biomimetic micropatterning for up to 90 days. This structural stability also enabled a tailored dual-release of bioactive molecules: a rapid 50-70% burst release of the cardioprotective agent adenosine within the first 5 hours to target acute reperfusion injury, paired with a restricted about 6% release of the antifibrotic drug pirfenidone over 7 days, effectively preserving it for the later stages of tissue healing. Furthermore, the incorporation of the Fmoc-FF peptide conferred a stable electrical conductivity of 4.6 µS cm-1 at 1 Hz without compromising the matrix structure. In vitro biological assessments confirmed excellent cytocompatibility across all layers, supporting an H9c2 cardiomyoblast viability of roughly 90% after 72 hours. Human iPSC-CMs cultured on the patch maintained spontaneous and synchronous beating activity. Moreover, the patch loaded with PIR exhibited significant antifibrotic activity, confirming that the released drug remained biologically active. Ultimately, this multi-layered design provides a promising and functionally active platform for counteracting pathological remodeling and restoring myocardial tissue.
State-of-the-art blue lead-halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) suffer from low brightness and short lifetime, which constitutes a critical bottleneck for the development of full-color perovskite displays. A major performance bottleneck originates from the considerable hole injection barrier at the interface of hole-transporting layers (HTLs) and blue perovskite emissive layers. To address this, we propose a non-protic interfacial modification strategy, by designing and synthesizing two novel organic small molecules - 9,9-dibutyl-N2,N2,N7,N7-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-9H-fluorene-2,7-diamine (MPFO) and 9,9-bis(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-N2,N2,N7,N7-tetrakis(4-methoxyphenyl)-9H-fluorene-2,7-diamine (MPFO-MAP)-to modify the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) HTL. MPFO-MAP, with terminal dimethylamino groups, concurrently reduces the hole-injection barrier, accelerates hole transport, thereby balancing electron and hole current, while passivates PEDOT:PSS/perovskite interfacial defects to enhance radiative recombination. The MPFO-MAP modified blue PeLED achieves a maximum luminance of 8272 cd/m2 and a champion external quantum efficiency of 12.6%, representing 2.9-fold and 3.7-fold improvements over the pristine PEDOT:PSS device, respectively. This dual-function non-protic interfacial engineering strategy provides a versatile molecular design blueprint for high-brightness blue PeLEDs and can be extended to other perovskite-based optoelectronic devices, facilitating their practical application.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) causes progressive muscle degeneration due to dystrophin deficiency. Dystrophin is also expressed in the brain during development and postnatally, yet a characterization of dystrophin isoform expression across brain cells and regions is lacking, limiting our understanding of the cognitive impairment affecting one-third of the patients and hampering the development of dystrophin-restoring drugs in the central nervous system (CNS). Here, we applied spatial transcriptomics to map Dmd isoforms across mouse brain regions and cell types. Mdx52 mice received exon 51-skipping therapies restoring the Dp427-sized isoform at the transcript and protein levels. We observed distinct spatial patterns: full-length isoforms localized to deeper cortical layers and CA1, while shorter isoforms were enriched in cortical layer 1 and dentate gyrus. We present evidence of isoform restoration, immune activation following treatment, and a framework to evaluate exon-skipping therapies in the CNS using spatial transcriptomics.
Surface-layer (S-layer) proteins, forming the outermost envelope of many bacteria and archaea, exhibit extraordinary structural precision and self-assemble into two-dimensional crystalline lattices with square, hexagonal, or oblique symmetry. These monomolecular arrays, typically 5 to 25 nm in periodicity (varying by species), offer defined porosity and serve as robust biological nanoplatforms. Their innate capacity for self-assembly and molecular ordering has attracted significant attention in nanobiotechnology, vaccine development, biosensing, drug delivery, and ultrafiltration. S-layers are especially valued for their ability to mimic viral capsids, enhance antigen presentation, stabilize lipid bilayers, and provide highly organized scaffolds for enzyme immobilization and nanopatterning. Recent experimental achievements include the use of S-layer fusion proteins for mucosal vaccine delivery and the development of recombinant S-layer-based electrochemical biosensors. However, transitioning these advances to commercial-scale applications remains challenging. Limitations include the scalability of high-purity protein production, cost-effective recombinant expression, stability under harsh industrial conditions, and unresolved regulatory pathways for biologically derived nanomaterials. Additionally, synthetic alternatives present practical and economic competition. Nonetheless, interdisciplinary efforts in synthetic biology, materials science, and computational modeling are addressing these bottlenecks. Innovations such as cross-linkable domains, fusion with polymers or lipids, and predictive structure-function modeling are improving the robustness and adaptability of S-layer systems. As current research advances from theoretical potential to functional prototypes, S-layer proteins offer transformative prospects across medical, industrial, and environmental domains. This review uniquely integrates mechanistic S-layer biology with engineering-for-manufacture, protein-design workflows, and commercialization roadmaps - offering actionable protocols and benchmarks not covered in prior syntheses.
Semiconducting MoSe2 is susceptible to photon reabsorption, while metallic NbSe2 yields low optical damage thresholds, each limiting their nonlinear optical (NLO) performance. Combining these contrasting traits, this study demonstrates that equimolar heterometallic Mo(1-x)NbxSe2, undergoes structural reconfiguration that substantially enhances NLO responses, as revealed by second harmonic generation (SHG) and nonlinear optical absorption (NOA) measurements. Pronounced SHG is observed in odd-layer samples across 840-1020 nm, with a 32.5% higher optical damage threshold than NbSe2. Further, anomalous SHG persists in even layers, attributed to strain-induced symmetry breaking and emergence of non-zero Berry curvature under substantial alloying. This rare behavior distinguishes the alloy from its binaries and enables integration into piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and spin-valley-coupling platforms. Furthermore, straindriven bandstructure modifications also yield prominent saturable absorption (SA) at 1 µm, as demonstrated by the generation of ultrafast-ultrashort laser pulses of 2.292 ps with repetition rate of 11.21 MHz in Yb‑doped fiber laser system and exceptional reverse-SA (RSA) at 1.5 µm, exhibiting intrinsic "selftriggered" optical-limiting (10.21% and 18.15% improvements over respective binaries), suitable for laserprotection devices. Overall, the study provides a systematic strategy to engineer and enhance NLO functionalities in binary 2D materials, facilitating the development of functional NLO photonics devices.
Beyond pore architecture, local carbon configurations of porous carbons, particularly structural defects and curved carbon domains, play crucial roles in regulating ion adsorption and charge-transfer kinetics in high-rate supercapacitors. However, developing an effective synthetic route that simultaneously constructs hierarchical porosity and tailors defect-rich curved carbon frameworks remains challenging. Herein, agarose-derived porous carbon aerogels were fabricated via Zn-assisted carbonization and CO2 activation. Zn species helped preserve the three-dimensional network during pyrolysis, while CO2 activation simultaneously induced pore development, defect enrichment, carbon-layer curvature, and surface deoxygenation. The optimized sample exhibits a hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure, abundant defects, curved carbon layers, and relatively low oxygen content. As a result, it delivers a specific capacitance of 259 F g-1 and a high capacitance retention of 84.0% from 0.5 to 5 A g-1, together with a short relaxation time constant of 0.78 s. Kinetic analysis indicates a predominantly capacitive-controlled process, while density functional theory calculations reveal that defective curved carbon possesses the lowest adsorption energy toward K+, favoring rapid ion adsorption. The assembled symmetric device further achieves 5.6 Wh kg-1 at 2500 W kg-1 with 97.4% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles.
Ruminant epithelia preferentially catabolize butyrate to fuel metabolism, yet the mechanism by which the rumen epithelium establishes this preference remains unclear. Here, we identify ACSF2 as a mitochondrial acyl‑CoA synthetase (ACS) that catalyzes the activation of butyrate to butyryl‑CoA, thereby enabling rumen butyrate preference. We found that ACSF2 is markedly enriched in the forestomachs across ovine organs, with expression far exceeding other ACSs in the rumen epithelium, and it is rising during postnatal establishment of fermentative function. Single‑cell transcriptomics and immunostaining localize ACSF2 to the mitochondria‑rich layers, where it is co‑expressed in mitochondria with ketogenesis genes, notably the rate‑limiting enzyme HMGCS2. Further gain‑ and loss‑of‑function experiments show that ACSF2 activates butyrate to butyryl‑CoA, enhances butyrate‑supported growth, and is required for efficient butyrate consumption, cell fitness, and ketogenesis under butyrate‑dependent conditions. These findings define ACSF2 as a key mitochondrial gatekeeper for butyrate utilization in the rumen epithelium, providing a molecular mechanism for butyrate‑biased energy metabolism during rumen maturation.
Increasing evidence supports associations between various elasmobranch species and estuarine habitats, particularly during early life stages. However, with substantial knowledge gaps surrounding spatial habitat use and trophic ecology of estuary-associated species in Australia, we cannot reliably assess the functional importance of these areas or identify relevant drivers of resource partitioning in estuarine food webs. Here, we compared the diets and trophic niches of two sympatric dasyatid species, the Australian whipray Himantura australis and brown whipray Maculabatis toshi, in a tropical estuary in North Queensland. Stomach contents were collected from juvenile specimens in 2022-2025 using gastric lavage, muscle tissue samples were analysed for stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and invertebrate communities were surveyed to contextualise prey availability in the intertidal zone. Dietary composition differed significantly between species, with H. australis showing a stronger reliance on burrowing crustaceans (e.g., Callianassidae and Mictyridae), while M. toshi consumed more epibenthic crustaceans (e.g., Ogyrididae, Penaeidae, Portunidae). Himantura australis occupied a larger isotopic niche space than M. toshi, and there was no trophic overlap of larger size classes of H. australis (>50 cm disc width) with M. toshi or with smaller conspecifics (<50 cm disc width). Prey availability was spatially variable and indicated that while both species target locally abundant crustacean taxa, resources may be partitioned across different sediment layers. These findings highlight the importance of estuaries as feeding grounds for juvenile rays and suggest that morphological and behavioural adaptations may drive dietary variability between similar species.
Understanding how environmental stress alters the strength of local interactions is key to explaining diversity in current and future plant communities. Along gradients of increasing environmental stress, traditional theory posits that plants experience stronger facilitative interactions and weaker antagonistic interactions. However, it remains unclear whether this pattern extends to the relative host-specificity of plant-microbe interactions along stress gradients. Understanding these dynamics is particularly important for plant interactions with pathogenic and mycorrhizal fungi, which can drive opposing density-dependent processes that shape plant community compositions. We posit that increases in abiotic environmental stress are associated with stronger associations between plants and mutualists as plants increasingly rely on facilitative resource partnerships to cope with abiotic environmental stressors. We tested this prediction along an abiotic stress gradient in the central Cascade Range of Oregon, USA, using overlapping datasets of large high-resolution forest inventory plots, soil chemistry, and amplicon sequencing. Consistent with our predictions, in low-elevation forest stands with benign abiotic conditions and abundant nutrients, tree composition was more correlated with pathogenic fungal composition than ectomycorrhizal fungal composition. However, in forests at high elevations with limited nutrients and harsher climates, tree community composition was more correlated with ectomycorrhizal fungal composition than pathogenic fungal composition. Additionally, we find that spatial aggregation of ectomycorrhizal fungi increases as abiotic stress increases with elevation and opposing patterns of pathogen and ectomycorrhizal relative abundance in different substrate layers. Together, our findings suggest that facilitative interactions in stressful environments extend to mutualist-plant interactions and such interactions play a key role in shaping forest composition along environmental stress gradients.
Long-read RNA sequencing technologies, including Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), enable direct characterization of full-length transcripts and transcriptome complexity. However, analysis of long-read RNA-seq data remains fragmented across multiple tools, limiting the ability to obtain a unified view of transcript structure, expression, and regulatory variation in long-read transcriptomes. We present NextLongIso, a scalable and reproducible Nextflow pipeline that enables coordinated analysis of multiple layers of transcript regulation. Rather than focusing solely on transcript reconstruction, NextLongIso integrates transcript discovery with downstream regulatory analyses to jointly characterize alternative splicing, isoform switching, transcript boundary dynamics (including alternative promoters and polyadenylation), and transposable element-associated transcription from both PacBio and ONT datasets. By eliminating complex cross-tool data harmonization, this unified framework facilitates the transition from transcript identification to functional interpretation of transcriptomic variation. NextLongIso is implemented in Nextflow and is freely available at github: https://github.com/YidanSunResearchLab/nf-LongIso.git and Zenodo: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21049837. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Repetin (RPTN) is a member of the fusion S100 protein family encoded within the epidermal differentiation complex. Although genetic studies have revealed that RPTN is a susceptibility gene for atopic dermatitis (AD), its biological function remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of RPTN in epidermal homeostasis and inflammatory skin diseases. We examined RPTN expression in normal skin, inflammatory skin diseases, and differentiated normal human keratinocytes (NHKs). Functional analyses were performed using RPTN knockdown (KD) NHK and three-dimensional (3D) skin-equivalent models. Epidermal barrier function was assessed using a lucifer yellow permeability assay, and cytokine-mediated regulation of RPTN expression was evaluated using 3D atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis models. RPTN was primarily expressed in the granular layer of the normal epidermis and increased with keratinocyte differentiation. In the 3D skin-equivalent model, RPTN deficiency impaired epidermal barrier function and induced the expression of differentiation-related genes, including FLG, IVL, TGM1, CLDN1, KLK7, ALOX12, and TCHHL1. Notably, RPTN knockdown significantly increased IL-25 expression. RPTN expression was elevated in chronic atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions and in hypergranular epithelia of psoriasis vulgaris, lichen planus, and epidermolytic ichthyosis. In a 3D AD model, IL-4 and IL-13 significantly induced RPTN expression. These findings indicate that RPTN contributes to maintaining epidermal barrier homeostasis and suggest that it may be associated with regulating inflammatory responses.
To characterize the clinical course of 3 cases of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy during treatment of geographic atrophy with pegcetacoplan. This retrospective case series includes longitudinal analysis of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measurements obtained by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Automatically generated RNFL scans were manually re-segmented when necessary. Three patients developed nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy after receiving 6 to 11 pegcetacoplan injections administered every 6 to 8 weeks. One patient was asymptomatic, and the diagnosis was made only through routine optic nerve monitoring. In all eyes, RNFL thickness increased gradually before the onset of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, at a greater rate in affected eyes than in fellow eyes. Peripapillary RNFL thickness measured by OCT may be useful for monitoring patients receiving pegcetacoplan therapy and may allow earlier detection of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Changes in RNFL thickness may precede the development of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
Large artery stenosis (LAS) can drive cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration even without overt infarction, yet scalable biomarkers for capturing this silent vascular brain injury are limited. We investigated whether retinal and choroidal microvascular and neurostructural measures reflect cerebral atrophy and cognitive impairment in noninfarcted LAS. In a multicenter cohort of 1239 participants (1035 patients with noninfarcted LAS and 204 community-based controls), we integrated optical coherence tomography/angiography (OCT/OCTA), brain magnetic resonance imaging volumetry, and cognitive assessments. Machine learning models were trained internally (n = 891) and externally validated (n = 348) to evaluate the predictive value of combined retinal and choroidal features for cerebral atrophy and cognitive impairment. LAS was associated with ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thinning and profound retinal and choroidal microvascular rarefaction, which tracked closely with reduced gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes (all P < 0.001). These retina-brain associations were strongest in bilateral subcortical and medial temporal regions (all P < 0.05). Crucially, integrating OCT/OCTA metrics into machine learning models substantially improved prediction of cerebral atrophy and cognitive impairment beyond the enhanced clinical baseline model: random forest achieved an external test R2 of 0.456 versus 0.254 for GM volume and 0.430 versus 0.251 for WM volume, while the support vector machine achieved the best classification performance for cognitive impairment (area under the curve = 0.794 vs. 0.668). Retinal and choroidal microvascular measures are sensitive, noninvasive biomarkers of silent, vascular-driven neurodegeneration. They offer substantial incremental value for individual risk stratification in vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia.
Engineering synthetic cells with biomimetic surface architectures requires precise control over the spatial organization and mechanical properties of the membrane surface. Inspired by the protective and regulatory functions of the natural glycocalyx, we present a modular platform for constructing hierarchical, crosslinked PEG networks on fluid lipid membranes. Through spatially controlled, sequential strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC), we assemble a tunable, multilayered PEG mesh that mimics the dynamic, dense, and mechanically resilient architecture of the glycocalyx. By incorporating linear PEG lipids as defined anchors at controlled densities (0.25-1 mol%), we establish a reactive scaffold on the membrane surface. Sequential conjugation with eight-arm PEG-DBCO and eight-arm PEG-azide enables the formation of a covalently crosslinked, multilayered PEG mesh with tunable thickness, connectivity, and mechanical robustness. The multivalency of the eight-arm architecture allows each first-layer PEG to act as a branching node, enabling high-density network formation and exceeding the surface coverage achievable with linear PEG chains. Crucially, the phase-dependent partitioning of the lipid anchor enables a spatially confined network assembly within the liquid-disordered (Ld) domains of phase-separated membranes, allowing for domain-specific functionalization. Once formed, the crosslinked network exhibits persistent spatial organization, retaining its footprint even after thermal mixing of the underlying lipid phase-a hallmark of mechanical stability and functional memory. Quantitative analysis via QCM-D and FRAP reveals that network connectivity and lateral mobility are governed by anchor density and PEG architecture. The resulting mesh acts as a tunable steric barrier, effectively attenuating receptor-ligand interactions in a stepwise, assembly-dependent manner. This work demonstrates a powerful strategy for engineering programmable, adaptive, and mechanically resilient surface architectures on model membranes, a critical step toward interfacing functional synthetic cells with intelligent nanocarriers of spatiotemporally regulated functionality.
Lithium-free anodes can significantly enhance the energy density and simplify the structure of batteries by eliminating conventional anode materials. However, uneven lithium deposition often leads to dendrite growth and interfacial instability, severely compromising their cycling performance. Here, we construct a high-entropy selenide nanocomposite ((VZrNbMoW)Se2, HESe) on a three-dimensional carbon fiber scaffold through a localized high-concentration vapor-phase selenization strategy. This architecture preserves the conductive scaffold while establishing a compositionally graded surface that reduces Li+ diffusion barriers, eliminates local tip effects, and promotes lateral planar epitaxial growth of lithium. Such a gradient interfacial design further directs the formation of a stable, multilayered solid-electrolyte interphase featuring a LiF/Li2O-rich inorganic inner layer and an organic-rich outer layer, enabling synergistic regulation of deposition morphology and interfacial chemistry. As a result, the Li|HESe/CF half-cell delivers stable cycling for 1000 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.5% under 20 mA cm-2/1 mAh cm-2. The LFP||HESe/CF full cell achieves 89.82% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 1.5C, corresponding to a low decay rate of only 0.0509% per cycle. This study provides an effective Li deposition regulation strategy via high-entropy selenide in anode-free lithium metal batteries.
Early fire detection systems that are highly sensitive are essential for reducing the impact of fire disasters. However, their development still faces significant challenges due to the lack of capability for simultaneous monitoring of both temperature and gas. Herein, we propose a facile coaxial wet-spinning strategy to fabricate a dual-parameter fiber sensor capable of simultaneously detecting carbon monoxide (CO) and temperature for early combustion warning. The resulting core-sheath structured fiber consists of a CO sensing sheath made of SnO2/In2O3 heterojunction/aramid nanofiber (ANF)/silver nanowire composite with biomimetic gradient pores, an ANF isolation layer, and a temperature sensing core composed of MXene. The gradient porous sheath constructed by gradient-induced phase separation technology exhibits gradually decreasing pore sizes from outer (> 10 μm) to inner (< 3 μm) regions. This structure demonstrates a significant enhancement in the fiber sensor's sensitivity to CO, achieving a 15% higher response compared to non-gradient porous structures (ΔR/R0 = 0.95%/ppm; detection limit of 10 ppm), with the response time reduced to 19.28 s, surpassing the response speed of most fire-warning fibers. Additionally, this fiber sensor can rapidly monitor abnormal temperature increases, enabling flame alarm functionality within 3 s. It also achieves precise real-time temperature detection within the range of 50-300 °C, exhibiting high sensitivity (20.6 μV K-1) and a strong linear correlation (R2 = 0.99). This work highlights the significant potential of gradient pore in enhancing CO sensing and offers a novel perspective for the design of ultrafast early fire-warning fiber sensors. A biomimetic gradient porous core–shell fiber with enhanced gas-sensing capabilities for CO-temperature early fire warning is fabricated via a coaxial wet-spinning technology. The gradient porous sheath with SnO2/In2O3 heterojunction endows enhanced CO gas-sensing performance with high sensitivity, low detection limit and improves the CO respond of by 15%. The CO-temperature dual-mode sensing fiber integrated with a wireless early fire-warning system achieves a rapid respond to fire in ~3 s and detects 10 ppm CO gas within 19 s.
Direct recycling of spent lithium-ion battery cathodes is hindered by two interdependent challenges: persistent polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder residues that block particle surfaces and incomplete structural repair of degraded layered phases. Here, we report a one-pot regeneration strategy based on a Li+-containing deep eutectic solvent (Li+-DES) that integrates targeted defluorination and phase reconstruction within a reusable medium. Under mild conditions, the functionalized Li+-DES selectively cleaves C─F bonds of PVDF, enabling complete binder removal and interface purification. Without any solvent exchange, the same Li+-DES serves as a lithium-rich repair medium, in which enhanced Li+ coordination and transport promote the formation of a uniform pre-lithiation layer and facilitate the conversion of inactive spinel Co3O4 back into well-ordered layered LiCoO2 upon annealing. The regenerated LiCoO2 delivers a discharge capacity of 157.4 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C, retains 83.1% of its capacity after 300 cycles, and maintains stable cycling even at 4.6 V. By integrating defluorination, Li replenishment, and structural reconstruction into a single reusable system, this work provides a simplified, energy-efficient, and sustainable route for closed-loop recycling of degraded cathode materials.
The authors describe the 'Groove and Peel' technique of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK), which is easy to learn and reproducible and consistently enables removal of most of the corneal stroma, potentially reaching the pre-Descemet's layer. The technique requires minimum instrumentation and provides a good alternative to big bubble technique of DALK.
The hippocampus participates in crucial functions such as memory consolidation, spatial processing and emotional regulation that require diverse input from multiple cortical areas that is funneled through the upper layers of the entorhinal cortex (EC), mostly from layer II to the dentate gyrus (DG). Traditional models of the hippocampal formation described 200,000 EC layer II neurons projecting to 1 million granule cells (GCs) in the rat, rendering low divergence (1:5), with each EC neuron establishing about 18,000 synapses with GCs and each GC receiving about 4000 synapses from EC neurons. In this manuscript, we update this model of connectivity incorporating new features described in the last three decades that include updated populations of EC layer II neurons obtained with design-based stereology, a revised definition of EC layer II based on molecular criteria and selecting reelin expressing neurons as the only layer II neurons projecting to the hippocampus. The updated model shows ~80,000 neurons from EC layer II projecting to the DG, ~45,000 from the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and ~35,000 from the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) with high divergence of 1:20 and 1:30. We also show that EC layer II neurons may establish ~90,000-115,000 synapses on GCs, while GCs receive about 8000 synapses from EC layer II neurons. We estimate a ~25% redundancy in the connectivity, so each EC neuron may contact ~68,000-86,000 GCs and each GC would be contacted by ~3000 neurons from MEC and 3000 from LEC. In addition, we quantitatively assess a potential projection of mossy cells to the middle molecular layer described in mice, which could have an impact on GC inhibition. Overall, we produced a detailed, complete, and updated quantitative model of EC projections to the DG that reveals a much more divergent and richer projection than previously described, with implications for functional models (e.g., pattern separation) and more widely for building realistic hippocampal models or establishing comparisons across species.
NiCoFe layered double hydroxide (NiCoFe-LDH) and surface-reconstructed NiCoFe alloy (ANiCoFe) electrocatalysts were systematically investigated for alkaline oxygen evolution (OER) and urea oxidation (UOR). In situ X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) analysis, density functional theory (DFT), and XANES simulations were employed to investigate the potential-dependent redox behavior, phase reversibility, and local coordination environment of the catalysts. While both catalysts exhibit comparable activity at low current density, ANiCoFe demonstrates superior performance at higher current densities, delivering lower overpotential and higher turnover frequency (TOF). After prolonged cycling, ANiCoFe requires a lower potential to achieve 40 mA cm- 2 compared to NiCoFe-LDH, indicating enhanced durability under practical conditions. In situ XAFS reveals reversible Ni2 +/Ni3 + redox transitions during operation, while DFT-assisted XANES analysis identifies the local coordination environment of Fe species within the ternary framework. Notably, the reconstructed ANiCoFe structure, featuring a conductive metallic core, suppresses the formation of isolated γ-NiOOH domains and enhances phase reversibility under dynamic potentials. Consequently, ANiCoFe exhibits excellent catalytic activity, high intrinsic activity (TOF), and long-term stability for both OER and UOR, including under intermittent on-off electrolysis, highlighting its promise as a cost-effective non-noble-metal electrocatalyst.