Understanding the structure–activity relationship of catalysts is crucial for addressing global energy and environmental challenges. A research team led by Professor Jiangwei Zhang from Inner Mongolia University presents a comprehensive review of advanced characterization techniques—including spectroscopy, microscopy, compositional analysis, and in-situ/operando methods—that enable atomic-level insights into catalytic systems. These techniques pave the way for intelligent catalyst design and real-time reaction monitoring.

In this study, a novel facile and versatile solid phase seed-mediated confined strategy is reported for the synthesis of atomically ordered non-precious Ni₃Ga₁ intermetallic nanocubes encapsulated in N-doped carbon layer. The resulting confined nanocubes demonstrate exceptional activity and exclusive selectivity in the 1,4-hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds while maintaining high stability over multiple reaction cycles without performance degradation.

Inspired by dragonfly eyes, researchers at Fudan University have developed a self-driven polarization-sensitive ferroelectric photomemristor that dramatically improves the recognition of low-contrast images. The developed devices combine anisotropic rhenium diselenide with ferroelectric single-crystalline DIPAB, enabling real-time, in-sensor image enhancement and achieving up to 85.9% recognition accuracy—nearly double that of traditional photomemristors.

Z-form nucleic acids (ZNAs) are left-handed DNA/RNA structures implicated in innate immunity and cell death, yet the endogenous force driving their formation in vivo had remained unclear. In this study, the research team identified oxidative DNA modification as a molecular trigger for nucleic acid conformational switching. They showed that oxidative lesions in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), particularly 8-oxoG formation, induced a transition from canonical B-DNA to Z-DNA. The resulting oxidized Z-mtDNA was sensed by the Zα domain of ZBP1, activating a ZBP1–MAVS–caspase-8 signaling pathway that drove hepatocyte apoptosis. The findings were highly relevant to acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver failure, in which the current therapy, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), rapidly loses efficacy beyond the early detoxification phase. The team demonstrated that APAP-induced oxidative stress promoted mtDNA oxidation and Z-DNA formation, thereby triggering the secondary hepatotoxicity that resisted NAC treatment. Importantly, pharmacological activation of the oxidative DNA repair enzyme OGG1 with TH10785 reversed Z-DNA back to B-DNA and achieved near-complete survival in delayed-treatment models. Together, these findings established oxidation-driven DNA conformational transition as a fundamental signaling mechanism and identified reversal of Z-DNA as a promising therapeutic strategy for acute liver failure.

Penile shortening and erectile dysfunction are common problems after radical pelvic surgery for prostate, bladder, or rectal cancer. A new review published in UroPrecision finds that penile traction therapy (PTT), a non-invasive mechanical treatment, may help preserve penile length and improve erectile function when started early after surgery. This review is part of the themed issue “Distinct Themes for the Advanced Practice Providers in Andrology”

Basilar trunk artery aneurysms are a rare and serious type of brain aneurysm with limited treatment data. A study finds that most patients can be successfully treated using minimally invasive procedures, with nearly nine in ten achieving good recovery. Based on one of the largest single-center analyses to date, this study highlights the effectiveness of modern endovascular techniques while pointing to higher risks in larger aneurysms, emphasizing the need for careful patient selection and follow-up.

In modern medical systems, drug therapy remains one of the most essential approaches for disease prevention and treatment. In particular, combination therapy has become a common strategy for improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing drug resistance in the treatment of complex diseases. However, the use of multiple drugs simultaneously significantly increases the risk of drug–drug interactions (DDIs), which may alter the pharmacological effects of drugs or even lead to adverse reactions, posing a threat to patient safety.