Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as a significant class of materials promising for photocatalysis, and defect engineering offers an effective route for enhancing their photocatalytic performance. In this mini-review, a first-principles design perspective on defect engineering in 2D materials for photocatalysis is provided. Various types of defects in 2D materials, spanning point, line, and planar defects are explored, and their influence on the intrinsic properties and photocatalytic efficacy of these materials is highlighted. Additionally, the use of theoretical descriptors to characterize the stability, electronic, optical, and catalytic properties of 2D defective systems is summarized. Central to the discussion is the understanding of electronic structure, optical properties, and reaction mechanisms to inform the rational design of photocatalysts based on 2D materials for enhanced photocatalytic performance. This mini-review aims to provide insights into the computational design of 2D defect systems tailored for efficient photocatalytic applications.

Plant polyphenol pterostilbene packed in pH-sensitive microbeads reaches the inflamed colon, calms immune attack, heals leaky lining and rebalances gut bugs—offering a promising, low-cost idea for ulcerative colitis care.

There are over 36,500 pieces of space debris of larger than 10 cm in orbit according to statistical model orbit provided by European Space Agency’s Space Debris Office at European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Any of those debris can pose a threat to operational satellites. Active debris removal (ADR) is conducted to solve the above problems for stabilizing the space debris environment. Unfortunately, the angular velocity of space debris exceeds the maximum angular velocity of 4 to 5 deg/s that can be directly captured by a robotic arm. Therefore, to stabilize the debris environment, the first task, i.e., de-tumbling tasks, is to reduce the initial angular velocity of the debris by applying an external torque. To ensure the safety of the de-tumbling tasks avoiding collision between the de-tumbling device and the uncooperative space target, many contactless methods have been studied. Among them, the contactless method based on electromagnetic eddy current method has received increasing attention due to the advantages of pollution-free and high safety performance.

UC Riverside scientists have created a small-scale system that transforms food waste into high-protein animal feed and fertilizer using black soldier flies, offering a sustainable solution to a major environmental problem.

An efficient and highly selective NADH regeneration system has been constructed by integrating M with CIS microspheres via facile electrostatic self-assembly with L-AA as a sacrificial agent.

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique for molecular identification and characterization, with applications spanning various scientific disciplines. Despite its significance, MS faces challenges in widespread adoption due to cost constraints, instrument portability issues, and complex sample handling requirements. In recent years, 3D printing has emerged as a technology across industries due to its cost-effectiveness, customization capabilities, and rapid prototyping features. This review explores the integration of 3D printing with MS technology to overcome existing limitations and enhance biomedical analysis capabilities. We first categorize mainstream 3D printing methods and assess their potential in MS applications. We also discuss their roles in different MS categories such as liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization MS (MALDI MS) in biomedical research. Additionally, we highlight the current challenges and future research directions for advancing 3D printing-assisted mass spectrometry, emphasizing its role in enabling portable, cost-effective, and customized MS solutions for biomedical analysis.

Precise tumor diagnosis and treatment require the support of abundant molecular information. However, conventional molecular diagnostic technologies gradually fail to satisfy the demands of clinical therapy due to limited detection performance. Benefiting from highly specific target sequence recognition and efficient cis/trans cleavage activity, CRISPR/Cas system has been widely employed to construct novel molecular diagnostic strategies, hailed as the “next-generation molecular diagnostic technology”. This review focuses on recent advances in CRISPR molecular diagnostic systems for the detection of tumor variant gene, protein, and liquid biopsy biomarker, and outlines strategies for CRISPR in situ molecular detection. In addition, we explore general principles and development trends in the construction of CRISPR molecular diagnostic system and emphasize the revolutionary impact that it has brought to the field of molecular diagnostics.