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This paper investigated the influence of ultraviolet (UV) illumination on the corrosion behavior of 7A04 aluminum alloy in 3.5% NaCl solutions with various pH values (pH=5.0, 7.0, and 10.0) using weight loss measurement, electrochemical methods, and surface analysis techniques. The research results indicated that the corrosion products of 7A04 alloy in salt solutions with different pH values all exhibited n-type semiconductor properties and could trigger the photovoltaic effect under UV illumination. Simultaneously, UV illumination reduced the compactness of the corrosion products, inhibited the enrichment of copper compounds (Cu2O), and promoted the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the solution. Therefore, UV illumination significantly accelerated the corrosion process of 7A04 alloy, with the overall acceleration effect ranking as follows: alkaline > neutral > acidic. In addition, the corrosion mechanism of 7A04 alloy in the test solutions with and without UV illumination was also discussed in this paper.

The application of Mg alloys is always accompanied by various coating technology, but a reliable model predicting the service life of coatings on Mg alloys is lacking but urgent. In this work, a semi-mechanistic model was proposed to predict the service life of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating/electrophoretic coatings on a VW63Z Mg alloy; the model was decomposed into three parts: a first part depicting the degradation time of organic coating (L1) and the diffusion time of electrolyte in the inorganic coating (L2), respectively; a second part interpreting the breakdown of coatings due to the corrosion process (L3); a final part establishing an algorithm converting the accelerated tests into the real service environment (α); the effect of structural stress and dissimilar metal joints on the service life of coatings was also considered. Based on the ongoing accelerated experiments, the semi-mechanistic model could be able to predict the service life of both PEO coatings and composite coatings on VW63Z Mg alloy with a satisfiable precision.

For distribution networks, topology and line parameter information is the pre-requisite of further functions such as network analysis, operation and control. To identify the topology or estimate the parameters, a lot of existing literature relies on the knowledge of feasible topologies or full-scale deployment of advanced measuring devices, such as phase measurement units (PMUs), which is unrealistic in practice. Therefore, we propose a data-driven topology and parameter joint estimation method for non-PMU distribution networks, only using historical measurement data from smart meters. First, the topology label matrix, as a unique label of the network topology and corresponding parameters, is created and calculated based on historical data. The numeric characteristics of the topology label matrix is further analyzed to extract the topology and parameter information. Subsequently, a clustering based topology identification and parameter estimation methodology is proposed as a data-driven linear regression model. To reduce the coupling during regression, a power supply path matrix is utilized to improve the accuracy. Moreover, to improve the credibility of the method, an error-correction mechanism is proposed to indicate whether the inaccurate identification exists and how to correct it. Finally, the proposed method is tested in IEEE 33-node, 123-node networks and a large-scale system. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can provide an accurate estimation of the topology and line parameters based on samples of measurement with noise and is also effective in a large-scale system.

Ancient dolomite reservoirs play an increasingly important role in deep oil and gas exploration. The mechanism of formation and preservation of dolomite reservoirs is complex, which is always the key issue. With the discovery of deep oil and gas in the Ediacaran dolomites of the world, the upper Ediacaran Qigebrak Formation in the Tabei area has begun to attract attention, but its reservoir space difference and formation mechanism have yet to be clarified. Based on ultra-deep drilling cores and field outcrops in the Tabei area, the lithofacies, reservoir space, and formation mechanism are systematically analyzed by macro to micro, and qualitative to quantitative petrology: (1) The types of dolomite can be divided into five major categories, including microbial dolomite, granular dolomite, residual granular dolomite, crystalline dolomite and karst breccias. (2) The main types of reservoir space are microbial-framework pores, microbial-mold pores, and non-fabric selective dissolution pores. Spongiomicrobialite, karst breccias, and fine-grained dolomite are the dominant reservoir rock types. (3) High-frequency sedimentary cycles and meteoric dissolution are the key factors of reservoir formation. Two sets of large-scale reservoirs are present: the first set is mainly controlled by the supergene karst of the Keping movement, and the second set is mainly controlled by high-frequency sedimentary cycles in the penecontemporaneous period. The reservoirs formed at the shallow burial stage and were preserved until the deep burial stage. (4) The quality of a deep reservoir depends on the geological events that affect the processes of pore reduction and increase. Cementation, compaction and pressure solution are the main destructive diagenetic processes; however, the reservoir space can still be effectively preserved under the influence of constructive diagenetic processes, such as meteoric dissolution and early dolomitization. This research has important theoretical and practical significance for revealing the formation mechanism of upper Ediacaran deep dolomite reservoirs in the Tarim Basin.

The degradation of ecosystem structure and function on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the result of a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, with landscape change driven by global change and human activities being one of the major ecological challenges facing the region. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of ecosystem services (ESs) and landscape patterns in eastern Qinghai province (EQHP) from 2000 to 2018 using multisource datasets and landscape indices. Three ecosystem service bundles (ESBs) were identified using the self-organizing map (SOM), and changes in ecosystem structure and function were analyzed through bundle-landscaped spatial combinations. The study also explored the interactions between ESs and natural and human factors using redundancy analysis (RDA). We revealed an increase in total ecosystem service in the EQHP from 1.59 in 2000 to 1.69 in 2018, with a significant change in landscape patterns driven by the conversion of unused land to grassland in the southwest. Forestland, grassland, and unused land were identified as important to the supply of ESs. In comparison to human activities, natural environmental factors were found to have a stronger impact on changes in ESs, with vegetation, meteorology, soil texture, and landscape composition being the main driving factors. However, the role of driving factors within different ESBs varied significantly. Exploring the response of ecosystem services to changes in landscape patterns can provide valuable insights for achieving sustainable ecological management and contribute to ecological restoration efforts.

Protein aggregation has been found in a wide range of neurodegenerative protein-misfolding diseases. The demand for in vivo technologies to identify protein aggregation is at the leading edge for the pathogenic study, diagnostic development, and therapeutic intervention of these devastating disorders. Herein, we report a series of luminol analogues to construct a facile chemiluminescence (CL)-based approach for in vivo detection and imaging of β-sheet protein aggregates. The synthesized compounds exhibited a distinct chemiluminescent response with long emission wavelengths toward reactive oxygen species under physiological conditions and displayed signal amplification in the presence of β-sheet protein aggregates, including α-synuclein, β-amyloid, and tau. Among them, CyLumi-3was further evaluated as a chemiluminescent probe in preclinical models. By intravenous administration into the model mice via the tail vein, in vivo CL imaging noninvasively detected the specific CL of the probe targeting the α-synuclein aggregates in the brains of living mice. Based on its structural characteristics, CyLumi-3can readily interact with α-synuclein aggregates with significantly enhanced fluorescence and can identify α-synuclein aggregates in vivo via distinctive CL amplification, which could pave the way for a more comprehensive understanding of protein aggregation in preclinical studies and would provide new hints for developing small-molecule chemiluminophores for protein aggregates.

Filamentous bacteriophages play a critical role in biofilm formation and virulence in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, studies of the filamentous Pf4 prophage life cycle within P. aeruginosabiofilms revealed that the prophage-encoded reverse transcriptase (RT) regulates phage genome dynamics. The RT and the non-coding RNA PhrD collaborate to edit the Pf4 phage genome to generate superinfective Pf4 variants capable of rapid propagation within biofilms by preserving genes essential for virion assembly and reconstituting a promoter for the phage excisionase gene. Mutant cells emerge in biofilms where intact Pf4 prophages are replaced by these reduced-genome phage variants, further enhancing virion production. The discovery of RT’s role in phage genome reduction expands understanding of RT functions and of the versatility of phage biology and its impact on microbial community dynamics within biofilms.

Type II cryoglobulinemia is a rare disorder characterized by abnormal immunoglobulins (Igs) precipitating in the blood at low temperatures and redissolving upon warming. Sjogren's disease (SjD) is an autoimmune disorder involving secretory gland malfunction that leads to persistent dryness of the mouth and eyes. Here, we report the case of a 61-year-old woman with a 7-year history of SjD who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL). However, her complicated clinical features could not be sufficiently explained by this disease alone. Immunofixation electrophoresis revealed monoclonal IgM-κ and polyclonal IgG-κ. The presence of precipitated cryoglobulin and elevated rheumatoid factor levels confirmed a diagnosis of type II cryoglobulinemia for this patient. To the best of our knowledge, this case represents the first report of a patient with CLL/SLL, SjD, and type II cryoglobulinemia, which increased our understanding of immune system-related disorders. Because certain similar mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of these three diseases, a combination treatment of rituximab, ibrutinib, and dexamethasone resulted in a favorable prognosis for this patient.

Mn3O4is regarded as a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) based on its ultrahigh theoretical capacity (937 mAh g–1) and low cost but suffers from poor electronic conductivity and large volume variation during the lithiation/delithiation process, which result in dramatic capacity fading and inferior rate capability. Ti3C2TxMXene, a novel two-dimensional transition metal carbide with metallic conductivity, excellent mechanical properties, and hydrophilic surface, could be an ideal candidate to improve the lithium storage performance of Mn3O4. Here, a unique flexible, 2D–2D Mn3O4/MXene film is fabricated by assembling 2D Mn3O4with Ti3C2Txnanosheets through a simple vacuum filtration approach. In this unique 2D–2D nanostructure, MXene nanosheets buffer the volume change of Mn3O4during the charge/discharge process. Moreover, the introduction of MXene enables the fabricated 2D–2D nanostructure with excellent flexibility and can be directly used as an electrode for LIBs, which is beneficial for enhancing the energy density of the assembled batteries. As a result, the flexible film of Mn3O4-MXene-8-2 shows excellent lithium storage performances in terms of specific capacity (931 mAh g–1at 0.05 A g–1), rate capability (624 mAh g–1at 1 A g–1), and cycling stability, demonstrating its great potential for the application in LIBs.

This paper aims at investigating the cognitive processing of the oracle bone inscriptions (OBIs) for L1 (first-language) speakers. Adopting both a behavioral and an eye-tracking experimental paradigm, the paper explores how language background and the prior learning of Chinese characters affect L1 speakers’ recognition and processing of the OBIs. Our results reveal the following. (1) L1 speakers process distinct oracle structural categories differently. In terms of accuracy, the recognition of the xiangxingand huiyistructures is better than that of the zhishiand xingshengstructures. In terms of eye-movement metrics, the differences in processing converged with the behavioral findings. (2) L1 speakers differ in the processing of oracle characters depending on their structural similarities with the corresponding modern Chinese characters. Furthermore, characters with structural symmetry are easier to recognize, as reflected in their higher accuracy (behavioral task) and shorter duration (eye-tracking task). (3) The recognition and the eye-movement experimental data reveal a significant effect of learning. The current study carries empirical and theoretical implications for understanding the underlying comprehension mechanisms of the OBIs and the application of computer-assisted oracle recognition techniques.

Intraspecies diversification and niche adaptation by members of the Vibriogenus, one of the most diverse bacterial genera, is thought to be driven by horizontal gene transfer. However, the intrinsic driving force of Vibriospecies diversification is much less explored. Here, by studying two dominant and competing cohabitants of the gastric cavity of corals, we found that a phenotype influencing island (named VPII) in Vibrio alginolyticuswas eliminated upon coculturing with Pseudoalteromonas. The loss of VPII reduced the biofilm formation and phage resistance, but activated motility, which may allow V. alginolyticusto expand to other niches. Mechanistically, we discovered that the excision of this island is mediated by the cooperation of two unrelated mobile genetic elements harbored in Pseudoalteromonasspp., an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) and a mobilizable genomic island (MGI). More importantly, these mobile genetic elements are widespread in cohabitating Gram-negative bacteria. Altogether, we discovered a new strategy by which the mobilome is employed by competitors to increase the genomic plasticity of rivals.

OASs play critical roles in immune response against virus infection by polymerizing ATP into 2–5As, which initiate the classical OAS/RNase L pathway and induce degradation of viral RNA. OAS members are functionally diverged in four known innate immune pathways (OAS/RNase L, OASL/IRF7, OASL/RIG-I, and OASL/cGAS), but how they functionally diverged is unclear. Here, we focus on evolutionary patterns and explore the link between evolutionary processes and functional divergence of Tetrapod OAS1. We show that Palaeognathae and Primate OAS1genes are conserved in genomic and protein structures but differ in function. The former (i.e., ostrich) efficiently synthesized long 2–5A and activated RNase L, while the latter (i.e., human) synthesized short 2–5A and did not activate RNase L. We predicted and verified that two in-frame indels and one positively selected site in the active site pocket contributed to the functional divergence of Palaeognathae and Primate OAS1. Moreover, we discovered and validated that an in-frame indel in the C-terminus of Palaeognathae OAS1 affected the binding affinity of dsRNA and enzymatic activity, and contributed to the functional divergence of Palaeognathae OAS1 proteins. Our findings unravel the molecular mechanism for functional divergence and give insights into the emergence of novel functions in Tetrapod OAS1.

Monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL), also known as type II enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, is a rare malignant lymphoma of the extranodal lymphoid tissue derived from interepithelial T lymphocytes. MEITL is a primary intestinal T-cell lymphoma with a challenging diagnosis and aggressive progression, and it can invade other extraintestinal sites. In this study, we report four patients diagnosed with MEITL. All patients presented with abdominal pain, and one patient was admitted because of acute intestinal perforation. Two patients presented with unformed defecation and diarrhea. All patients carried the immunophenotypes CD3, CD7, CD8, CD20, and CD56, and the Ki-67 index ranged 60% to 90%. Three cases were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. One case displayed possibly relevant alterations of CREBBP, NOTCH2, SETD2, and STAT5B, and another case exhibited definite alteration of NOTCH1, possibly relevant alterations of CCND1 and DNMT3A, and potentially relevant alterations of HISTH3B, IGLL5, KMT2C, and KRAS. Different chemotherapy regimens were used, but the prognosis was poor. Hence, we illustrated that because of its low incidence, challenging diagnosis, and difficult treatment, further therapeutic improvements are urgently warranted.

High mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1) is an evolutionarily ancient protein, which, as an important non-histone chromosome-binding protein in organism cells, is involved in a variety of important biological processes, including DNA repair, gene transcription, cellular inflammatory response, and autophagy. In this study, we established an eccentric exercise model to observe the effect of HMGB1 on skeletal muscle autophagy and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Forty-eight male 8-week-old SD rats were randomly divided into control group (C) and exercise group (E). Group E was subjected to a bout of eccentric exercise on a treadmill and sampled soleus at 0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h post-exercise. The speed of the exercise protocol in this study was 16 m/min, the slope was −16°, and the time was 90 min. The ultrastructural changes of skeletal muscle were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The protein expressions of HMGB1, Beclin1, and LC3 were detected by Western Blot. The co-localizations of Beclin1/Bcl-2, Beclin1/HMGB1, and Beclin1/Vps34 were measured by immunofluorescence. The results show that eccentric exercise leads to abnormal changes in the ultrastructure of skeletal muscle, and the protein levels of Beclin1, LC3-II/LC3-I, and the content of HMGB1 in nuclear and cytoplasm were significantly increased at 24 h post-exercise (P< 0.05). The co-localization of Beclin1/Bcl-2 and Beclin1/HMGB1 were increased significantly at 0 h post-exercise and then decreased, while the co-localization of Beclin1/Vps34 showed the highest level at 24 h post-exercise. In conclusion, HMGB1 facilitates the separation of Beclin1 from Bcl-2 and promotes Beclin1 binding to Vps34, which may play an important role in eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle autophagy.

China’s Mars rover, Zhurong, touched down on Utopia Planitia in the northern lowlands of Mars (109.925° E, 25.066° N) in May 2021, and has been conducting in situ investigations of the landing area in conjunction with the Tianwen-1 orbiter. Here we present surface properties derived from the Zhurong rover’s traverse during the first 60 sols of rover operations. Our analysis of the rover’s position from locomotion data and camera imagery over that time shows that the rover traversed 450.9 m southwards over a flat surface with mild wheel slippage. Soil parameters determined by terramechanics, which observes wheel–terrain interactions, indicate that the topsoil has high bearing strength and cohesion. The soil’s equivalent stiffness is estimated to range from 1,390 to 5,872 kPa per mN, and the internal friction angle ranges from 21° to 34° under a cohesion of 1.5 to 6 kPa. Aeolian bedforms in the area are primarily transverse aeolian ridges, indicating northeastern local wind directions. Surface rocks imaged by the rover cameras show evidence of physical weathering processes, such as wind erosion, and potential chemical weathering processes. Joint investigations utilizing the scientific payloads of the rover and the orbiter can provide insights into local aeolian and aqueous history, and the habitability evolution of the northern lowlands on Mars.

Intraspecies diversification and niche adaptation by members of the Vibriogenus, one of the most diverse bacterial genera, is thought to be driven by horizontal gene transfer. However, the intrinsic driving force of Vibriospecies diversification is much less explored. Here, by studying two dominant and competing cohabitants of the gastric cavity of corals, we found that a phenotype influencing island (named VPII) in Vibrio alginolyticuswas eliminated upon coculturing with Pseudoalteromonas. The loss of VPII reduced the biofilm formation and phage resistance, but activated motility, which may allow V. alginolyticusto expand to other niches. Mechanistically, we discovered that the excision of this island is mediated by the cooperation of two unrelated mobile genetic elements harbored in Pseudoalteromonasspp., an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) and a mobilizable genomic island (MGI). More importantly, these mobile genetic elements are widespread in cohabitating Gram-negative bacteria. Altogether, we discovered a new strategy by which the mobilome is employed by competitors to increase the genomic plasticity of rivals.

Through β-activation of alkynoic acid esters with N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis, a formal [3+3] annulation of alkynyl acylazoliums with indolin-3-ones has been developed for the rapid construction of structurally interesting benzofuro[3,2-b]pyridin-2-ones with potential bioactivities. This protocol provides a highly efficient and simple method for the synthesis of the target molecules under mild reaction conditions with a wide substrate scope and excellent chemoselectivity. The synthetic utility of this protocol was also demonstrated by the versatile late-stage modifications.

An efficient methodology for synthesis of α-keto acids via oxidation of alkenes using TBHP as oxidant catalyzed by a bifunctional iron nanocomposite has been established. A variety of alkenes with different functional groups were smoothly oxidized into their corresponding α-keto acids in up to 80% yield. Moreover, the bifunctional iron nanocomposite catalyst showed outstanding catalytic stability for successive recycles without appreciable loss of activity.

Solid-state lithium (Li)–air batteries are recognized as a next-generation solution for energy storage to address the safety and electrochemical stability issues that are encountered in liquid battery systems1–4. However, conventional solid electrolytes are unsuitable for use in solid-state Li–air systems owing to their instability towards lithium metal and/or air, as well as the difficulty in constructing low-resistance interfaces5. Here we present an integrated solid-state Li–air battery that contains an ultrathin, high-ion-conductive lithium-ion-exchanged zeolite X (LiX) membrane as the sole solid electrolyte. This electrolyte is integrated with cast lithium as the anode and carbon nanotubes as the cathode using an in situ assembly strategy. Owing to the intrinsic chemical stability of the zeolite, degeneration of the electrolyte from the effects of lithium or air is effectively suppressed. The battery has a capacity of 12,020 milliamp hours per gram of carbon nanotubes, and has a cycle life of 149 cycles at a current density of 500 milliamps per gram and at a capacity of 1,000 milliamp hours per gram. This cycle life is greater than those of batteries based on lithium aluminium germanium phosphate (12 cycles) and organic electrolytes (102 cycles) under the same conditions. The electrochemical performance, flexibility and stability of zeolite-based Li–air batteries confer practical applicability that could extend to other energy-storage systems, such as Li–ion, Na–air and Na–ion batteries.

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) represents a promising alternative route for sustainable ammonia synthesis, which currently dominantly relies on the energy-intensive Haber–Bosch process, while it is significantly hampered by the sluggish reaction kinetics due to the short of glorious electrocatalysts. In this work, we report an efficient porous tin heterostructure with intimate dual interfaces for electrosynthesis of ammonia, which exhibits outstanding NRR efficiency with an NH3yield rate and Faradaic efficiency as high as 30.3 μg h–1mg–1catand 41.3%, respectively, and excellent stability as well at a low potential of −0.05 V (vs RHE) in 0.1 M Na2SO4solution under ambient conditions. This matrix value is superior to the analogue Sn-based heterostructures with a single interface and outperforms the currently state-of-the-art Sn-based catalysts. Comprehensive characterizations and theoretical calculations uncovered the formation of the unique intimate dual interfaces in the tin heterostructure promoting the enhancement of the NRR process, which not only effectively exposes more active sites for stronger N2chemisorption and activation but also accelerates the interfacial electron transfer and reduces the free energy barrier for the rate-determining *N2H formation step, highlighting the importance of the dual interface effect for the design of electrocatalysts in catalysis.

Design and fabrication of functional porous air cathode materials with superior catalytic activity is still the key point for non-aqueous lithium-oxygen(Li-O2) batteries. Herein, inspired by the self-standing three-dimensional(3D) structure of the natural spinach leaves, a unique binder-free and self-standing porous Au/spinach cathode for high-performance Li-O2batteries has been developed. The carbonized spinach leaves serve as a superconductive current collector and an ideal porous host for accommodating catalysts. The Au/spinach cathode could offer enough spaces for accommodating the discharge products, shorten the distance of the oxygen and electrolyte diffusion, and promote the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes. This optimized Au/spinach cathode achieved a high specific area capacity of 7.23 mA·h/cm2at a current density of 0.05 mA/cm2and exhibited excellent stability(280 cycles at 0.05 mA/cm2with a fixed capacity of 0.2 mA·h/cm2). The superior performance encourages the construction of more advanced cathode architectures by the use of bio-composites for Li-O2batteries.

The integration of DNA methylation and transcriptional state within single cells is of broad interest. Several single-cell dual- and multi-omics approaches have been reported that enable further investigation into cellular heterogeneity, including the discovery and in-depth study of rare cell populations. Such analyses will continue to provide important mechanistic insights into the regulatory consequences of epigenetic modifications. We recently reported a new method for profiling the DNA methylome and transcriptome from the same single cells in a cancer research study. Here, we present details of the protocol and provide guidance on its utility. Our Smart-RRBS (reduced representation bisulfite sequencing) protocol combines Smart-seq2 and RRBS and entails physically separating mRNA from the genomic DNA. It generates paired epigenetic promoter and RNA-expression measurements for ~24% of protein-coding genes in a typical single cell. It also works for micro-dissected tissue samples comprising hundreds of cells. The protocol, excluding flow sorting of cells and sequencing, takes ~3 d to process up to 192 samples manually. It requires basic molecular biology expertise and laboratory equipment, including a PCR workstation with UV sterilization, a DNA fluorometer and a microfluidic electrophoresis system.

Nitrogen cycle is critical to maintain a healthy coral reef ecosystem. Urea can provide a source of nitrogen for coral holobiont and is important for coral calcification through degradation by urease. Despite the involvement of coral-associated bacteria in nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification are well recognized, to what extend urea degradation by bacteria contributing to the urea utilization by coral holobiont remains to be investigated. In this study, we demonstrate that the urea utilization is a common feature of Halomonasspp. that is a dominant genus in cultivable coral-associated bacteria. A urease operon was characterized by genome sequencing and gene knock-out technique in Halomonas meridianaSCSIO 43005, isolated from the gastric cavity of healthy scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis. H. meridianashowed high urease activity which was induced by urea and deletion of the urease operon reduced the capability to use urea as solo nitrogen source. Furthermore, approximately 1/3 coral-associated bacteria in the IMG/M database possess complete urease operons indicating the involvement of bacteria-derived ureases in coral holobiont. These results suggest that urease from coral-associated bacteria might be important player in the nitrogen cycling of coral reefs.

The Furongian Series of the Cambrian in the Tarim Craton (NW China) is mainly composed of crystalline dolostones, and is an important target for oil and gas exploration. The chronostratigraphic framework of the Furongian Series in the Tarim Craton has not yet been established due to the scarcity of fossils and the absence of the Steptoean Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion (SPICE), which is the primary global carbon isotope excursion of the Furongian Series. In this study, the SPICE was discovered by examining the carbon isotopes of the representative drilling wells in the West Platform and East Basin. A positive carbon isotope anomaly with δ13C values ranging from 1.5‰ to 1.9‰ (PDB), were found in the middle of the Xiaqiulitag Formation of the three drilling wells in the West Platform, and a positive excursion with δ13C values up to 4.0‰ (PDB), which is correlated with the SPICE, was found in the lower limestone of the Tuershaketag Formation in the East Basin. Based on the carbon isotopic data and chemostratigraphic correlation, the chronostratigraphic framework of the Furongian Series across different facies in the Tarim Craton is preliminarily established. The basal boundary of the Furongian Series was preliminarily defined by the occurrence of the SPICE. A weak positive anomaly of δ13C was observed at the base of the Penglaiba Formation of the three boreholes in the West Platform and the top of the Tuershaketag Formation of Tadong-2 well. We propose that the positive anomaly of the carbon isotope above the weak negative anomaly at the base of the Penglaiba Formation and the top of the Tuershaketag Formation can be used to define the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary in the Tarim Craton.

Physicians have long been calling for an inherent antimicrobial wound dressing, which will be a great progress for treating complicated infections. Here, we report a novel bioadhesive hydrogel with inherent antibacterial properties prepared by mixing modified hyaluronic acid (HA) and ε-polylysine (EPL). This hydrogel can effectively kill Gram (+) and (−) bacteria for its high positive charge density on the surface. The sol–gel transition occurs within seconds via horseradish peroxidase enzymatic cross-linking and Schiff base reaction, which also allows the hydrogel to recover completely from destruction quickly within 5 min. In an infected rat wound model, histological studies indicated that the hydrogels effectively killed bacteria on the surface of wounds and accelerated wound healing. Histological analysis indicated that the thickness of the newborn skin, the density of the newborn microvascular, granulation tissue, and the collagen of rats treated with hydrogel dressings were twice as high as those treated by commercial fibrin glue. These results indicate that the HA/EPL hydrogel has great potential as an antibacterial wound dressing for future clinical applications.

Scleractinian corals host numerous microbial symbionts with different types of interactions. The gastric cavity of scleractinian coral, as a semiclosed subenvironment with distinct chemical characteristics (e.g., dissolved O2, pH, alkalinity, and nutrients), harbors a distinct microbial community and a diverse array of bacteria that can be pathogenic or beneficial. Galaxea fascicularisis one of the dominant massive scleractinian coral species on inshore fringing reefs in the northern South China Sea. Although the abundance of coral-associated bacteria has been investigated in G. fascicularis, less is known about the microorganisms in the gastric cavity. In this study, we specially isolated cultivable bacterial strains from the gastric cavity of G. fasciculariscollected from Hainan Island using a noninvasive sampling approach. Among the 101 representative bacterial strains, one Vibrio coralliilyticusstrain, SCSIO 43001, was found to be a temperature-dependent opportunistic pathogen of G. fascicularis.The antagonistic activity between the 100 strains and V. coralliilyticusSCSIO 43001 was tested using a modified Burkholder diffusion assay. Our results showed that V. coralliilyticusSCSIO 43001 inhibits the growth of Erythrobacterflavusand Sphingomonas yabuuchiae.Additionally, we found that three Pseudoalteromonasstrains showed moderate to high anti-bacterial activity against V. coralliilyticusSCSIO 43001 and several other coral-associated Gram-negative bacterial strains. These results suggest that competition between the coral pathogen and other bacteria also occurs in the gastric cavity of coral, and Pseudoalteromonasstrains in the gastric cavity of G. fascicularismay provide a protective role in the defense against co-inhabiting coral pathogens at elevated temperature.

ABSTRACTOxidative stress is considered as a major pathogenesis in myocardial damage; however, effective therapies are limited so far. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitroantioxidative mechanism of Catalpol in cardiomyocytes. The results indicated that Catalpol attenuated high glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis in mouse cardiomyocytes via significantly downregulating long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (Neat1) expression. Furthermore, Catalpol downregulated Neat1 expression and attenuated apoptosis by inhibiting production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HG-treated cardiomyocytes. Moreover, Catalpol also suppressed HG-induced degradation of IκBα and the nuclear localization of nulear factor-κB (NF-κB) by decreasing the intracellular ROS levels. Additionally, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase activity assays validated that NF-κB bound to Neat1 promoter to activate Neat1 expression. In summary, these results implied that Catalpol protected mouse cardiomyocytes against oxidative injury at least partly through ROS-NF-κB-Neat1 axis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease, is related to environmental factors, sex hormones, genetics, and other factors, affecting 0.5–1% of the global population. The JAK-STAT pathway plays an important role in the signal transduction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the pathogenesis of RA. Tofacitinib (TF), the first approved JAK inhibitor for treating RA, can reduce inflammatory reactions, improve RA conditions, prevent irreversible joint injury, and improve the quality of life of patients. However, the traditional oral administration of TF causes poor compliance and severe side effects owing to the long-term and high-frequency treatment. Therefore, highly efficient pharmaceutical formulations for TF are necessitated. Here, a novel TF-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sustained release nanoparticle (NanoTF-PLGA) was prepared using a high-gravity nanoprecipitation technique (HGNPT), and its therapeutic effect on RA was verified in vitro and in vivo. The influence of the different operation parameters of HGNPT on the particle size of PLGA, including the rotating speed of the rotating bed, the volume ratio of solvent to antisolvent, and the concentration of the surfactant, was investigated using an orthogonal design. The optimum reaction conditions for preparing PLGA nanoparticles were selected by optimizing the formula, and TF was then added to the reaction mixture to prepare NanoTF-PLGA. The results demonstrated that NanoTF-PLGA had a smaller size (603.8 nm), a more uniform shape, a higher drug loading efficiency, and long-term sustained release properties (over 14 days). Furthermore, in vitro experiments proved that NanoTF-PLGA could enter RAW264.7 cells by cell uptake, demonstrated good biocompatibility, inhibited the migration of RAW264.7 cells, and simultaneously inhibited the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo experiments showed that subcutaneous administration of NanoTF-PLGA significantly alleviated articular cartilage injury and reduced the level of inflammatory cell infiltration into the joint cavity. This study presents a promising technique for preparing sustained drug formulations that can be extended to numerous therapeutic drugs.

Metal-air batteries are recognized as a next-generation solution for energy storage with high energy density and environmental protection. However, the development of air batteries has been severely limited due to slow cathodic kinetics, which result in large overpotentials and low round-trip efficiency. In recent years, the research on field assisted metal-air batteries has garnered increasing attention. This review systematically discusses the impact of optical fields, magnetic fields, ultrasonic fields, internal stress fields, microwave fields, and composite fields on the charging and discharging processes of air batteries. Optical fields possess the ability to excite electrons within electrode materials, alternatively transforming light energy into heat, which consequently facilitates electrochemical reactions. Magnetic fields have the potential to change the orientation of the magnetic moment in electrode materials, affecting reaction rates and mass transfer processes. By introducing ultrasonic fields and internal stress fields, the kinetic processes of electrocatalytic reactions can be optimized. Microwave fields can improve the synthesis strategies of electrode materials. These external fields improve the performance and efficiency of metal-air batteries by effectively regulating the physical state, reaction rates, and mass transfer processes of electrode materials. Finally, the main challenges and possible future research directions for external field regulation strategies are summarized.

Temperate phages can interact with bacterial hosts through lytic and lysogenic cycles via different mechanisms. Lysogeny has been identified as the major form of bacteria–phage interaction in the coral-associated microbiome. However, the lysogenic-to-lytic switch of temperate phages in ecologically important coral-associated bacteria and its ecological impact have not been extensively investigated. By studying the prophages in coral-associated Halomonas meridiana, we found that two prophages, Phm1 and Phm3, are inducible by the DNA-damaging agent mitomycin C and that Phm3 is spontaneously activated under normal cultivation conditions. Furthermore, Phm3 undergoes an atypical lytic pathway that can amplify and package adjacent host DNA, potentially resulting in lateral transduction. The induction of Phm3 triggered a process of cell lysis accompanied by the formation of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and Phm3 attached to OMVs. This unique cell-lysis process was controlled by a four-gene lytic module within Phm3. Further analysis of the Tara Ocean dataset revealed that Phm3 represents a new group of temperate phages that are widely distributed and transcriptionally active in the ocean. Therefore, the combination of lateral transduction mediated by temperate phages and OMV transmission offers a versatile strategy for host–phage coevolution in marine ecosystems.

Reticular chemistry effectively yields porous structures with distinct topological lattices for a broad range of applications. Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-based octatopic building blocks with a rare Ohsymmetric configuration and attracting inorganic features have great potential for creating three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with new topologies. However, the intrinsic flexibility and intensive motion of cubane-type POSS molecules make the construction of 3D regular frameworks challenging. Herein, by fastening three or four POSS cores with per aromatic rigid linker from rational steric directions, we successfully developed serial crystalline 3D COFs with unpresented “the” and scu topologies. Both the experimental and theoretical results proved the formation of target 3D POSS-based COFs. The resultant hybrid networks with designable chemical skeletons and high surface areas maintain the superiorities of both the inorganic and organic components, such as their high compatibility with inorganic salts, abundant periodic electroactive sites, excellent thermal stability, and open multilevel nanochannels. Consequently, the polycubane COFs could serve as outstanding solid electrolytes with a high ionic conductivity of 1.23 × 10–4S cm–1and a lithium-ion transference number of 0.86 at room temperature. This work offers a pathway to generate ordered lattices with multiconnected flexible cube motifs and enrich the topologies of 3D COFs for potential applications.

Background: By analyzing 23 evaluation indicators included in 14 national basic public health service programs in a region of Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, the performance of basic public health services in the region in 2021 were analyzed to clarify the implementation and conduct of relevant programs. We also use this study as a basis to radiate the work of municipal basic public health services centered on the region and the outstanding problems reflected and to provide theoretical contents and suggestions that can be referred to for the same regions in central and western China as well as worldwide. Methods: Using the TOPSIS method as the basis for the data analysis method, the evaluation indexes are ranked in terms of their proximity to the idealized target, and combined with the entropy value method, Technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) and rank-sum ratio (RSR) were used to rank 14 basic health care providers by grade. A comprehensive evaluation of the performance of basic public health services in a region of Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2021 was conducted through a joint model of entropy -weighted TOPSIS and RSR, making full use of the characteristics and advantages of the fuzzy joint, and conducting a comprehensive analysis from the perspective of the ratio weight and the method of graded calculation, making the study more distinguishable and measureable. Results: In this study, for the regional basic public health services, a total of 23 evaluation indicators of basic public health service projects were included, among which the top three indicators with the weight of the entropy value method indicators were found to include the rate of Chinese medicine health management for the elderly, the rate of health management for the elderly, and the BCG vaccination rate after the analysis of the weight of the indicators; After the entropy-weighted TOPSIS evaluation showed that the Ci values of the regions were found to be between 0.378 and 0.715 through the calculation of the positive and negative ideal values of each indicator; RSR staging method evaluation showed that three community health centers (X2, X10, X12) had excellent evaluations of basic public health services; The number of evaluations as poor and moderate are 2 (X3, X9) and 9 (X1, X4, X5, X6, X7, X8, X11, X13, X14), respectively; Finally, the results of the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method and the fuzzy joint model of RSR staging method are basically consistent with the overall trend of the above two methods, and the reliability and credibility of the research results are high. Conclusion: The entropy-weighted TOPSIS and RSR joint model can evaluate the effectiveness of basic public health services in a more comprehensive and holistic way. The results of the RSR staging results and the related weight ratio analysis show that the basic public health service programs in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are relatively balanced, but there are some differences; The same genus of elderly Chinese medicine health management rate, health management rate of the elderly, BCG vaccination rate several indicators accounted for a higher weight, its correlation with the key population-related items is high, suggesting that the future key population health service items should be focused on, and future research should be suggested from two key research.