Plastics are recognized as a worldwide threat to the environment, possibly affecting human health and wildlife. Small forms of plastics such as micro and nanoplastics can interact with other organic contaminants, potentially acting as chemical carriers and modulating their toxicity. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of polystyrene nanoparticles (Nano-PS) and a real-world environmental PAH mixture (Elizabeth River Sediment Extract-ERSE, comprised of 36 detected PAHs) to zebrafish embryos and larvae. Embryos were exposed to Nano-PS (0.1-10 ppm) or ERSE (0.1-5% v/v, equivalent to ΣPAH 5.07-25.36 ppb), or co-exposed to a combination of both. Larvae exposed to Nano-PS did not exhibit developmental defects, while larvae exposed to ERSE (2-5%) showed classic signs of PAH toxicity such as heart malformation and deformities in the jaw, fin, and tail. ERSE (5%) also impaired vascular development in the brain. When coexposed, Nano-PS decreased the developmental deformities and impaired vascular development caused by ERSE. This was strongly correlated to the lower PAH bioaccumulation detected in the co-exposed animals (whole larvae, as well as the yolk sac, brain, and heart). Our data suggest that PAHs are sorbing to the surface of the Nano-PS, decreasing the concentration, uptake, and toxicity of free PAHs during the exposure. Such sorption of PAHs increases the agglomeration rate of Nano-PS during the exposure time, potentially decreasing the uptake of Nano-PS and associated PAHs. Despite that, similar induction of EROD activity was detected in animals exposed to ERSE in the presence or not of Nano-PS, suggesting that enough PAHs were accumulated in the organisms to induce cellular defense mechanisms. Nano-PS exposure (single or combined with ERSE) decreased the mitochondrial coupling efficiency and increased NADH production, suggesting and impairment on ATP production accompanied by a compensatory mechanism. Our data suggest that nanoplastics can sorb contaminants and potentially decrease their uptake due to particle agglomeration. Nanoplastics also target and disrupt mitochondrial energy production and act as vectors for the mitochondrial uptake of sorbed contaminants during embryonic and larval stages. Such negative effects of nanoplastics on energy metabolism and efficiency could be *

Virtual high-throughput screening (VHTS) with density functional theory (DFT) and machine-learning (ML)-acceleration is essential in rapid materials discovery. By necessity, efficient DFT-based workflows are carried out with a single density...

Laser-driven projection display puts forward urgent demand for color converter materials to achieve wide-color-gamut and high-quality image presentation. In this study, a hierarchical structure quantum dots-in-glass film (QiGF) is fabricated via co-sintering stable green/red-emitting CsPbX 3 @ glass (X 3 = Br 3 , Br 1.5 I 1.5 ) and commercial low-melting glass on the sapphire substrate. Benefiting from the well-retained optical properties of CsPbX 3 quantum dots in amorphous glass and high thermal conductivity, QiGF succeeded in inhibiting luminescence saturation after 20 W mm −2 blue laser irradiation. A brand-new white-lighting source designed by coupling a blue laser with a pattern "QiGF wheel" produced ultra-narrow blue/green/red tri-color emissions and total luminous flux of 146 lm. Accordingly, a QiGFconverted laser projection system is successfully designed for the first time, showing more natural and real color restoration for its wide color gamut display feature (157% of conventional light-emitting diode projection and 107% of NTSC standard). The present study highlights the practical application of CsPbX 3 quantum dots composite as an efficient laser-driven color converter in projection display.

High-quality backlit display puts forward urgent demand for colorconverting materials. Recently, metal halide perovskites (MHPs) with full spectral tunability, high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), and high color purity have found potential application in wide-color-gamut display. Regrettably, naked MHPs suffer from long-term instable issue and cannot pass harsh stability tests. Herein, amorphous-glass-protected green/ red CsPbX 3 quantum dots (QDs) are prepared by elaborately optimizing glass structure, perovskite concentration, and in situ crystallization. PLQYs of green CsPbBr 3 @glass and red CsPbBr 1.5 I 1.5 @glass reach 94% and 78%, respectively, which are the highest ones of CsPbX 3 @glass composites reported so far and comparable to colloidal counterparts. Benefited from complete isolation of QDs from external environment by glass network, CsPbX 3 @glass can endure harsh commercial standard aging tests of 85 °C/85%RH and blue-light-irradiation, which are applied to construct white light-emitting diodes (wLEDs) with high external quantum efficiency of 13.8% and ultra-high luminance of 500 000 cd m −2 . Accordingly, the perovskite wLED arrays-based backlit unit and a prototype display device are designed for the first time, showing more vivid and wide-color-gamut feature benefited from narrowband emissions of CsPbX 3 QDs. This work highlights practical application of CsPbX 3 @glass composite as an efficient and stable light color converter in backlit display.

activity of CdS/Ag/TiO 2 nanorod composites: Degradation of nitrobenzene coupled with the concomitant production of molecular hydrogen,

Upon stress challenges, proteins/RNAs undergo liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) to fine-tune cell physiology and metabolism to help cells adapt to adverse environments. The formation of LLPS has been recently linked with intracellular pH, and maintaining proper intracellular pH homeostasis is known to be essential for the survival of organisms. However, organisms are constantly exposed to diverse stresses, which are accompanied by alterations in the intracellular pH. Aging processes and human diseases are also intimately linked with intracellular pH alterations. In this review, we summarize stress-, aging-, and cancer-associated pH changes together with the mechanisms by which cells regulate cytosolic pH homeostasis. How critical cell components undergo LLPS in response to pH alterations is also discussed, along with the functional roles of intracellular pH fluctuation in the regulation of LLPS. Further studies investigating the interplay of pH with other stressors in LLPS regulation and identifying protein responses to different pH levels will provide an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms underlying pH-driven LLPS in cell adaptation. Moreover, deciphering aging and disease-associated pH changes that influence LLPS condensate formation could lead to a deeper understanding of the functional roles of biomolecular condensates in aging and aging-related diseases.

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