Electrocatalysis is driven by the chemical nature of electrodes and their surfaces. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic activity and selectivity critically depend on the atomic surface arrangement of electrodes, characterized by facets and their crystallographic orientation, surface steps, and defects, i.e., the electrode surface structure. Over the past decades, single-crystal studies have provided fundamental insights into so-called structure–activity relationships, while nanoparticle systems have extended this knowledge toward industrial electrocatalysts. Yet, translating these insights into practical electrodes remains limited by the use of binders, supports, and surfactants, which mask active sites, compromise stability, and hinder reproducibility. This review provides a framework for the electrochemical restructuring of metal electrodes, emphasizing how electrochemical processes can generate nanostructured, binder-free, free-standing electrodes with tailored surface architectures. We critically evaluate restructuring strategies, including electrodeposition, potential cycling, anodic polarization, electrochemical dealloying, and particularly cathodic corrosion, reframing the latter not only as a degradation pathway but also as a versatile tool for fine-tuning metal surfaces and fabricating flexible electrodes. Fundamental insights into cathodic corrosion are discussed in detail, linking atomic-scale restructuring mechanisms with the emergence of features relevant for catalysis and electrocatalysis. We further address stability challenges, parameters influencing restructuring, and applications in electrocatalysis, including HER and OER, CO2 reduction, nitrate reduction, and electro-oxidation of small organic molecules as candidates for fuels in energy storage and conversion. This review bridges electrochemical surface science with engineering of electrode materials to provide a roadmap for advancing surface design in energy technology, electrochemical science, and sustainable catalysis.
The transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) presents significant challenges, underscoring the need for improved transitional care procedures. Few European countries have implemented national transition-related guidance, despite the potential of clinical guidance to support appropriate care decisions and practices. We conducted a literature review to inform the development of the European Society of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) transition guidance for clinicians. Following systematic principles, four databases (Medline, Embase, PsychInfo, Web of Science) were searched to identify relevant international research published from January 1, 2019 to April 10, 2025, to build on existing evidence. Titles and abstracts were reviewed by two independent reviewers. We screened 12,595 records and included 149 reports published since 2019. Illness severity was the primary predictor of AMHS transition, with only 20–25
Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disruption is an early pathogenic event in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Yet, direct links between NMJ pathways and ALS-associated genes such as FUS, whose heterozygous mutations cause aggressive forms of ALS, remain elusive. In a knock-in Fus-ALS mouse model, we identified postsynaptic NMJ defects in newborn homozygous mutants that were attributable to mutant FUS toxicity in skeletal muscle. Adult heterozygous knock-in mice displayed smaller neuromuscular endplates that denervated before motor neuron loss, which is consistent with 'dying-back' neuronopathy. FUS was enriched in subsynaptic myonuclei, and this innervation-dependent enrichment was distorted in FUS-ALS. Mechanistically, FUS collaborates with the ETS transcription factor ERM to stimulate transcription of acetylcholine receptor genes. Co-cultures of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons and myotubes from patients with FUS-ALS revealed endplate maturation defects due to intrinsic FUS toxicity in both motor neurons and myotubes. Thus, FUS regulates acetylcholine receptor gene expression in subsynaptic myonuclei, and muscle-intrinsic toxicity of ALS mutant FUS may contribute to dying-back motor neuronopathy.
Recent experiments demonstrate all-electric spinning of levitated nanodiamonds with embedded nitrogen-vacancy spins. Here, we argue that such gyroscopically stabilized spin rotors offer a promising platform for probing and exploiting quantum spin-rotation coupling of particles hosting a single spin degree of freedom. Specifically, we derive the effective Hamiltonian describing how an embedded spin affects the rotation of rapidly revolving quantum rotors due to the Einstein-de Haas and Barnett effects, which we use to devise experimental protocols for observing this coupling in state-of-the-art experiments. This will open the door for future exploitations of quantum spin rotors for superposition experiments with massive objects.
Litter decomposition by arthropods and microbes is a key ecosystem process in tropical forests, yet its response to disturbance and forest regeneration remains poorly understood. To investigate decomposition dynamics across forest succession, we conducted a space-for-time study in the Ecuadorian lowland Choc & oacute; spanning active cacao plantations and pastures (year 0), regenerating secondary forests (1-38 years), and old-growth forest. We deployed litterbags in 32 plots, with aboveground litterbags accessible to arthropods and belowground ones allowing only microbial decomposition. Each litterbag contained standardized leaf litter from five common tree species. We modeled litter mass loss as a function of forest age and environmental variables associated with regeneration. To assess ecosystem resilience to new disturbances, we also tested how localized pulse perturbation (forest clearing) and fencing (large ground-dwelling animal exclusion) influenced decomposition. Aboveground decomposition was primarily driven by surface temperature, elevation, tree biomass, and forest age, with trajectories varying by land-use history. In sites recovering from cacao cultivation, decomposition followed a U-shaped pattern, with lower rates during mid-succession and again higher rates in old-growth forest. This suggests that faunal decomposers respond non-linearly to successional changes, likely reflecting shifts in habitat quality and resource availability. Belowground decomposition remained stable across forest ages and was shaped by soil moisture and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, indicating strong environmental filtering on microbial communities. Perturbation reduced decomposition, especially aboveground, and the rates in fenced treatments did not reach undisturbed levels. Our findings highlight the effects of large- and small-scale disturbances on an essential process for successful tropical forest restoration.
