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Predictive Screening of Ta₄C₃ MXene as an Inhalable Nanotherapeutic Based on an Advanced 3D Air-Liquid Interface Lung Model
Item type: Journal Article
Kong, Ying; Machi, Nicole; Jiang, Fuze; et al. (2026)
The rapid development of two-dimensional (2D) MXenes has outpaced our understanding of their pulmonary safety, leaving a critical gap in clinical translation due to inconsistent data from traditional 2D cell cultures. Herein, we developed an immunocompetent three-dimensional (3D) alveolar model comprising A549 epithelial cells, MRC-5 fibroblasts, and THP-1-derived macrophages cultured at the air-liquid interface. This self-organized triculture forms a stratified epithelial-mesenchymal trophic unit with functional surfactant production and cell-cell crosstalk, providing a physiologically relevant platform for the predictive screening of potential nanomedicines. Following thorough characterization, we utilized this system to investigate the therapeutic potential of in-house synthesized Ta₄C₃ MXene nanosheets across three size fractions (100-500 nm, 500-2000 nm, and ≥ 2000 nm). Key biological events leading to lung inflammation and fibrosis, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic markers, demonstrated the responsiveness of the model. All of the size fractions showed high biocompatibility. Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed efficient cellular internalization. Notably, the 100-500 nm fraction induced the most pronounced therapeutic reaction by scavenging ROS and promoting macrophage polarization shift from M1 to M2 and arresting fibrotic remodeling. The addition of macrophages in the tricultures led to heightened inflammatory and fibrotic responses, enabling more sensitive detection of the anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects of Ta₄C₃ MXenes. This study establishes a rapid 3D alveolar model for predictive assessment of pulmonary safety and therapeutic efficacy upon Ta₄C₃ treatment.
Tunable high-efficiency microwave photon detector based on a double quantum dot coupled to a superconducting high-impedance cavity
Item type: Journal Article
Oppliger, Fabian; Jang, Wonjin; Tarascio, Aldo; et al. (2026)
High-efficiency single-photon detection in the microwave domain is a key enabling technology for various quantum applications. However, the extremely low energy of microwave photons presents a fundamental challenge, preventing direct photon-to-charge conversion as achieved in optical systems using semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate continuous microwave photon detection with an efficiency approaching 70% in the single-photon regime. We use a hybrid system comprising a gate-defined double quantum dot (DQD) charge qubit in a gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide heterostructure, coupled to a high-impedance Josephson junction array cavity. We systematically optimize the hybrid architecture to maximize the detection efficiency by leveraging strong charge-photon coupling, tunable DQD tunnel rates, and the frequency tunability of both subsystems. The system efficiency is characterized over a frequency range of 3 to 5.2 gigahertz. Our results establish semiconductor-based cavity-quantum electrodynamics architectures as a scalable and versatile platform for efficient microwave photon detection, opening promising avenues for quantum microwave optics and quantum information technologies.
Toward Predictive Theory in Single-Atom Catalysis
Item type: Journal Article
Ruiz-Ferrando, Andrea; Mitchell, Sharon; López, Núria; et al. (2026)
Single-atom catalysis has become a central framework for experiment-theory integration, as catalytic performance is highly sensitive to the environment of individual metal atoms, a feature that electronic structure calculations are well-suited to analyze. Yet much of current theoretical practice relies on simplified single-site models and narrow reactivity windows, overlooking the intrinsic site diversity and evolution of single-atom catalysts (SAC). This Perspective discusses how SAC modeling can be reframed through a lifecycle-oriented view that integrates synthesis, activity, stability, and safety. By adopting ensemble-based descriptions and modular thermodynamic descriptors, we show how theory can be used systematically in line with the level of structural definition accessible experimentally. Using acetylene hydrochlorination as a prominent SAC application with exceptional data coherence for examining the theory-experiment interplay, wedemonstrate that site formation and evolution under synthesis and reaction conditions, as well as ensemble-driven activity trends consistent with experimental yields, can be treated quantitatively. In contrast, stability and safety are more effectively addressed through comparative, pathway-resolved analyses. More broadly, this perspective points toward a shift in how SAC modeling is framed across reactions, enabling theory to move beyond post-rationalization toward disciplined prediction.
Introducing the Coercive Recruitment of Adults Dataset (CROAD), 1990-2021
Item type: Journal Article
Cadorin, Nina M. (2026)
Armed groups rely on recruitment to sustain their organizations, yet most research on forced recruitment focuses on children. Far less attention has been given to the coercive recruitment of adults, even though adults constitute the majority of rebel members. This article introduces the Coercive Recruitment of Adults Dataset (CROAD), a new cross-sectional dataset covering 390 rebel organizations active in civil wars between 1990 and 2021 that use coercion to recruit adults. CROAD features two forms of coercive recruitment (forced recruitment and conscription), records public pledges to end these practices, and includes additional variables. The dataset can be easily combined with other data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP). This article introduces the dataset, presents descriptive statistics, replicates a study on forced recruitment and wartime rape, and highlights avenues for future research.
Distinguishing Terpene Structural Isomers With Dielectric Barrier Discharge Ionization (DBDI)-Mass Spectrometry
Item type: Journal Article
Raeber, Justine; Begley, Alina; Bovens, Annina; et al. (2026)
Dielectric barrier discharge ioniziation (DBDI) is an ambient ionization technique that enables real-time, in situ analysis of for example, volatile compounds such as terpenes. Terpenes pose an analytical challenge due to isomerism and shared structural features, often leading to similar or identical MS spectra, which complicates structural annotation. DBDI is a low-temperature plasma that generates reagent ions that ionize analytes via multiple pathways. The reagent-ion composition, and thus the presence and distribution of adducts and precursor ions, depends on the ionization atmosphere inside of the source and can be tuned by adjusting for example, humidity or dopant gases. Here, DBDI-MS was used to acquire spectra of six terpenes under varied atmospheres (humidified air, MeOH, N₂) and these were compared with electron-ionization (EI) mass spectra, the gold standard for terpene analysis. Isomeric pairs that are not distinguishable by EI (α/β-pinene and borneol/isoborneol) produced distinct DBDI-MS patterns. DBDI-MS therefore enables isomer differentiation without chromatographic separation and complements EI for structure elucidation by providing structure- and isomer-dependent spectral fingerprints.