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Summary: This study aims to elucidate the pivotal role of aldolase A (ALDOA) in retinoblastoma (RB) and evaluate the potential of the ALDOA inhibitor itaconate in impeding RB progression. Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing, ALDOA consistently exhibits overexpression across diverse cell types, particularly in cone precursor cells, retinoma-like cells, and retinoblastoma-like cells. This heightened expression is validated in RB tissues and cell lines. ALDOA knockdown significantly diminishes RB cell viability, impedes colony formation, and induces notable metabolic alterations. RNA-seq analysis identifies SUSD2, ARHGAP27, and CLK2 as downstream genes associated with ALDOA. The application of itaconate demonstrates efficacy in inhibiting RB cell proliferation, validated through in vitro and in vivo models. This study emphasizes ALDOA as a promising target for innovative RB therapies, with potential implications for altering tumor energy metabolism.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is one of the most widely used socioeconomic indicators, serving as an integral component for climate change impact analysis. However, a national scale assessment may induce considerable bias because it conceals any internal variations within a country. The lack of a long-term sub-national scale GDP data is a substantive hinderance. Leveraging the close relationship between nighttime lights and GDP, we address this gap by developing a novel methodological framework in two steps. First, under the modeling philosophy of spatial statistics, we developed a novel approach based on deep and machine learning techniques to establish a complex mapping between two inconsistent nighttime lights (NTL) datasets: the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s Operational Linescan System (DMSP) and the National Polar-Orbiting Partnership’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The models achieve accuracies ranging from 0.945 to 0.980 (correlation coefficients). By taking the estimations ensemble of the two techniques, the time series of DMSP data was extended to 2021. Next, a novel modeling strategy based on multi-layer perceptron was developed to derive the non-linear relationship between NTL and GDP per capita at sub-national scale to alleviate scale effects at this granularity, while explicitly capturing regional heterogeneity effect. The trained models achieve average accuracies of 0.967, 0.959, and 0.959 on the training, validation, and test sets, respectively. We evaluate the developed dataset at the global, national, and sub-national scales from various perspective, and the results offer solid evidence on the reliability of the estimated economic data. By linking to historical global climate change data, we quantify global economic losses attributed to extreme heat to demonstrate how the estimated GDP data can be useful in the climate change impact analysis.

In order to explore the efficient use of water and nitrogen for winter wheat under irrigation with micro-sprinkling hose, two-season field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of irrigation levels and nitrogen application rate on yield, water productivity (WP) and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP). Three irrigation levels were 60 %, 65 %, and 70 % field capacity (FC) during the reviving to jointing stage, 65 %, 70 %, and 75 % FC after the jointing stage, referred to as W1, W2 and W3, respectively. The irrigating water quota is 30 mm. The five N topdressing period treatments were reviving period + booting stage (N1), jointing + booting stage (N2), reviving period (N3), jointing stage (N4), and booting stage (N5). The results showed that the water consumption, leaf area index, plant height, biomass, grain yield, and NPFP increased with an increase in irrigation amount, and the WP decreased with an increase in irrigation amount. Nitrogen applied during the reviving period was beneficial for increasing grain yield, WP, and NPFP under the irrigation level W1; nitrogen applied during the jointing period was beneficial for increasing grain yield, WP, and NPFP for winter wheat under the W2 and W3 irrigation levels. The W3N2 treatment resulted in the highest grain yield (8.98 t·ha−1), but it was not significant difference from W2N2 (average of 8.92 t·ha−1). After a comprehensive evaluation based on grain yield, WP and NPFP, the appropriate modes of irrigation and nitrogen is the treatment of W2N2 (65 % and 70 % FC irrigation treatments during the reviving to jointing stage and the stages after jointing stage, respectively; the nitrogen topdressing during jointing + booting stage) for winter wheat using micro-sprinkling hose irrigation in North China.

In recent years, frequent acute temperature changes have posed a serious threat to the physiology and survival of fish. This study utilized RNA-Seq technology to analyze the transcriptional dynamics in the muscle tissues of Acrossocheilus wenchowensis under various acute temperature conditions (16◦C, 20◦C, 24◦C, 28◦C and 32◦C). Through comprehensive analysis, we identified 11509 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), a gene set (profiles 19) that was significantly up-regulated with increasing temperature, and two weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) modules that were significantly correlated with acute temperature changes. Furthermore, we identified 28 transcription factors that are pivotal in oxidative stress and energy metabolism under acute temperature changes. Our results showed that, compared to the control group (24°C), KEGG functional enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of DEGs in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and p53 signaling pathway, with an overall trend of suppressed expression. This indicates that maintaining cell stability and reducing cell damage is an effective adaptive mechanism for A. wenchowensis to cope with acute temperature changes. Through STEM analysis and the black WGCNA module associated with high-temperature stress, we identified significant up-regulation of pathways and hub genes related to energy metabolism including oxidative phosphorylation, TCA cycle, purine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism, as well as the central roles of signal transduction pathways such as MAPK signaling pathway and AMPK signaling pathway, which synergistically regulate energy production. Under acute low-temperature stress, the turquoise WGCNA module highlighted significant up-regulation of hub genes associated with Ribosomal and Spliceosomal pathways related to protein synthesis and processing, as well as activation of calcium signaling pathways, which plays an important role in maintaining cellular function during low-temperature adaptation. These findings provide a critical theoretical and molecular basis for the adaptation of eurythermal fish to rapid temperature changes.

Autogenous shrinkage is a serious problem for high-strength concrete, which may lead to early-age cracking. Shrinkage-reducing agents are typically used to mitigate the autogenous shrinkage of concrete. However, some negative effects, such as unstable workability and the reduction of compressive strength, will be caused. In this study, emulsified or plain cooking oil is used as a shrinkage-reducing agent in low water-binder ratio concrete. Deformational behaviours of concrete with cooking oil and normal commercially available shrinkage-reducing agent are investigated. Experimental results show that the utilization of cooking oil could significantly reduce the autogenous shrinkage of high-strength concrete due to the reduction of surface tension. Additionally, emulsified cooking oil is better than normal shrinkage-reducing agents and plain cooking oil in many aspects of the concrete. Micro-structure of the concrete with different shrinkage-reducing agents is also observed. Emulsified cooking oil is considered a promising admixture for the mitigation of autogenous shrinkage of high-strength concrete.

The evasion of carbon dioxide (CO2) from lakes significantly influences the global carbon equilibrium. Amidst global climatic transformations, the role of Qingzang Plateau (QZP) lakes as carbon (C) sources or sinks remains a subject of debate. Furthermore, accurately quantifying their contribution to the global carbon budget presents a formidable challenge. Here, spanning half a century (1970–2020), we utilize a synthesis of literature and empirical field data to assess the CO2 exchange flux of QZP lakes. We find markedly higher CO2 exchange flux in the southeast lakes than that in the northern and western regions from 1970 to 2000. During this time, both freshwater and saltwater lakes served primarily as carbon sources. The annual CO2 exchange flux was estimated at 2.04 ± 0.37 Tg (Tg) C yr−1, mainly influenced by temperature fluctuations. The CO2 exchange flux patterns underwent a geographical inversion between 2000 and 2020, with increased levels in the west and decreased levels in the east. Notably, CO2 emissions from freshwater lakes diminished, and certain saltwater lakes in the QTP transitioned from carbon sources to sinks. From 2000 to 2020, the annual CO2 exchange flux from QZP lakes is estimated at 1.34 ± 0.50 Tg C yr−1, with solar radiation playing a more pronounced role in carbon emissions. Cumulatively, over the past five decades, QZP lakes have generally functioned as carbon sources. Nevertheless, the total annual CO2 emissions have declined since the year 2000, indicating a potential shift trend from being a carbon source to a sink, mirroring broader patterns of global climate change. These findings not only augment our understanding of the carbon cycle in plateau aquatic systems but also provide crucial data for refining China's carbon budget.

During an investigation of fungal diversity from freshwater environments in different regions in Jiangxi Province, China, four interesting species were collected. Morphology coupled with combined gene analysis of an ITS, LSU, SSU, and rpb2 DNA sequence data showed that they belong to the family Pleurotheciaceae. Four new species, Pleurotheciella ganzhouensis, Pla. irregularis, Pla. verrucosa, and Pleurothecium jiangxiense are herein described. Pleurotheciella ganzhouensis is characterized by its capsule-shaped conidia and short conidiophores, while Pla. irregularis has amorphous conidiophores and 3-septate conidia. Pleurotheciella verrucosa has cylindrical or verrucolose conidiogenous cells, 1-septate, narrowly fusiform, meniscus or subclavate conidia. Pleurothecium jiangxiense characterized in having conidiogenous cells with dense cylindrical denticles and short conidiophores. Pleurothecium obovoideum was transferred to Neomonodictys based on phylogenetic evidence. All species are compared with other similar species and comprehensive descriptions, micrographs, and phylogenetic data are provided.

IntroductionClubroot disease is a devastating soil borne disease caused by infection with Plasmodiophora brassicae, which primarily affects cruciferous plants. The microbial diversity of the soil is an essential indicator of its quality.MethodsThis study measured the physicochemical properties of the soil to study the effect of its microbial diversity on the infection of oilseed rape with P. brassicae. High-throughput sequences of the soil bacteria and fungi in the inter-root soils of P. brassicae were analyzed under different treatment conditions.ResultsIn the study, it was found that the efficiency of strain X216 in preventing and controlling the root disease of rapeseed was positively correlated with the amount of solution used to irrigate the root system. The results of the greenhouse and field trials showed that the efficiency of strain X216 against the root disease of rapeseed was 43.16% in the field and 62.14% in the greenhouse. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Rozellomycota, and Basidiomycota are critical phylum in the development of clubroot disease. The application of biocontrol increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bacillus, Mesorhizobium, Mycobacterium, Streptomyces and Filobasidium, which affected the structure and abundance of microbial communities. A principal coordinate analysis showed that the microbial structure in the soil varied substantially in the bacterial community, and there was no significant difference in soil structure in the fungal community.DiscussionThe occurrence of clubroot disease affected the structure of inter-root microbial community composition in the soil, which resulted in a decrease in its community diversity. The application of the biocontrol bacterium X216 increased the soil microbial diversity. It effectively reduced the occurrence of P. brassicae, and this study provides a basis to study the microbial diversity in cruciferous crops.

ADP ribosylation factor-like GTPase 2 (Arl2) is crucial for controlling mitochondrial fusion and microtubule assembly in various organisms. Arl2 regulates the asymmetric division of neural stem cells in Drosophila via microtubule growth. However, the function of mammalian Arl2 during cortical development was unknown. Here, we demonstrate that mouse Arl2 plays a new role in corticogenesis via regulating microtubule growth, but not mitochondria functions. Arl2 knockdown (KD) leads to impaired proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and neuronal migration. Arl2 KD in mouse NPCs significantly diminishes centrosomal microtubule growth and delocalization of centrosomal proteins Cdk5rap2 and γ-tubulin. Moreover, Arl2 physically associates with Cdk5rap2 by in silico prediction using AlphaFold multimer, which was validated by co-immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay. Remarkably, Cdk5rap2 overexpression significantly rescues the neurogenesis defects caused by Arl2 KD. Therefore, Arl2 plays an important role in mouse cortical development through microtubule growth via the centrosomal protein Cdk5rap2.

Metal-ion-dependent nucleases play crucial roles in cellular defense and biotechnological applications. Time-resolved crystallography has resolved catalytic details of metal-ion-dependent DNA hydrolysis and synthesis, uncovering the essential roles of multiple metal ions during catalysis. The histidine-metal (His-Me) superfamily nucleases are renowned for binding one divalent metal ion and requiring a conserved histidine to promote catalysis. Many His-Me family nucleases, including homing endonucleases and Cas9 nuclease, have been adapted for biotechnological and biomedical applications. However, it remains unclear how the single metal ion in His-Me nucleases, together with the histidine, promotes water deprotonation, nucleophilic attack, and phosphodiester bond breakage. By observing DNA hydrolysis in crystallo with His-Me I-PpoI nuclease as a model system, we proved that only one divalent metal ion is required during its catalysis. Moreover, we uncovered several possible deprotonation pathways for the nucleophilic water. Interestingly, binding of the single metal ion and water deprotonation are concerted during catalysis. Our results reveal catalytic details of His-Me nucleases, which is distinct from multi-metal-ion-dependent DNA polymerases and nucleases.

Over-input of nitrogen (N) fertilizer coupled with flood irrigation resulted in low N and water productivity and serious NO3--N leaching in maize fields in the North China Plain (NCP). Drip-fertigation can enhance water-N use efficiency by precisely regulating water and N fertilizer application. In this study, a three-year drip-fertigation experiment on maize was carried out during the 2018–2020 growing seasons with three irrigation levels, i.e. 50 (W1, 100 %), 40 (W2, 80 %), and 30 mm (W3, 60 %), and five N levels, i.e. 0 (N0), 90 (N1), 180 (N2), 270 (N3), and 360 (N4) kg ha−1 were designed to investigate the responses of soil water consumption, NO3--N distribution, grain yield (GY), N uptake (UN), and water-N productivity to different irrigation and N application regimes. The results demonstrated that 80 % deficit irrigation (W2) obtained comparable GY to sufficient irrigation (W1), but significantly increased water productivity (WP) by 7.2 % compared with W1. Soil NO3--N contents in the 0–100 cm soil layers increased as the N application rate increased, but decreased with the increase of irrigation level. When the N application rate exceeded 180 kg N ha−1, soil NO3--N contents in the 60–100 cm soil layers were greatly increased. With the increasing N application rate, GY increased first and then tended to be stabilized when the N application rate reached 180 kg ha−1, UN showed an increased trend, while N agronomic efficiency (AEN) showed a decreased trend, the N recovery efficiency (REN) increased firstly and then decreased. When water consumption ranged from 374 to 388 mm and N application rate from 186 to 257 kg ha−1, respectively, GY and WP obtained 95 maximum values and AEN got 70 % maximum value, simultaneously. In conclusion, the regime of N application rate at about 180 kg ha−1 coupled with 40 mm irrigation level (per event) is recommended for drip-fertigated maize fields in the NCP.

IntroductionBottle gourd is an annual herbaceous plant that not only has high nutritional value and many medicinal applications but is also used as a rootstock for the grafting of cucurbit crops such as watermelon, cucumber and melon. Organellar genomes provide valuable resources for genetic breeding.MethodsA hybrid strategy with Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technology sequencing data was used to assemble bottle gourd mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes.ResultsThe length of the bottle gourd mitochondrial genome was 357547 bp, and that of the chloroplast genome was 157121 bp. These genomes had 27 homologous fragments, accounting for 6.50% of the total length of the bottle gourd mitochondrial genome. In the mitochondrial genome, 101 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 10 tandem repeats were identified. Moreover, 1 pair of repeats was shown to mediate homologous recombination into 1 major conformation and 1 minor conformation. The existence of these conformations was verified via PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. Evolutionary analysis revealed that the mitochondrial genome sequence of bottle gourd was highly conserved. Furthermore, collinearity analysis revealed many rearrangements between the homologous fragments of Cucurbita and its relatives. The Ka/Ks values for most genes were between 0.3~0.9, which means that most of the genes in the bottle gourd mitochondrial genome are under purifying selection. We also identified a total of 589 potential RNA editing sites on 38 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs) on the basis of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-seq data. The RNA editing sites of nad1-2, nad4L-2, atp6-718, atp9-223 and rps10-391 were successfully verified via PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing.ConclusionIn conclusion, we assembled and annotated bottle gourd mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes to provide a theoretical basis for similar organelle genomic studies.

Abstract The heterostructure of two‐dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) has garnered extensive attention, for the junction is the building block of a semiconductor device. However, the controllable synthesis of TMDC heterostructures of different transition metals and different chalcogen elements is still challenging because of the etching by atom substitution during the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Here, a Mo─O transition state with lower energy is introduced to the edge of an as‐grown MoSe2 by using ultraviolet ozone treatment, to prevent the fast atom substitution of S for Se, and enable a stable growth of WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure. A polymer‐free transfer method is developed based on capillary interaction, and atomic structure characterization confirms the high‐quality WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure. The WS2/MoSe2 lateral heterostructure photodetector exhibits superior photoresponse compared to WS2 and MoSe2 devices, with a responsivity of 21.87 A W−1 and a detectivity of 4.2 × 1012 Jones at 350 nm. Kelvin probe force microscopy result reveals that the built‐in electric field within the heterojunction facilitates the effective separation of photogenerated electron‐hole pairs. This study carries profound implications for the CVD growth and polymer‐free transfer of TMDC heterostructures in photodetector applications.

Abstract Targeted delivery of glutamine metabolism inhibitors holds promise for cholangiocarcinoma therapy, yet effective delivery vehicles remain a challenge. This study reports the development of a biomimetic nanosystem, termed R‐CM@MSN@BC, integrating mesoporous organosilicon nanoparticles with reactive oxygen species‐responsive diselenide bonds for controlled release of the glutamine metabolism inhibitor bis‐2‐(5‐phenylacetamido‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐yl) ethyl sulfide (BPTES) and the photosensitizer Ce6. Erythrocyte membrane coating, engineered with Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) peptides, not only enhanced biocompatibility but also improved tumor targeting and tissue penetration. Upon laser irradiation, R‐CM@MSN@BC executed both photodynamic and glutamine‐metabolic therapies, inducing necroptosis in tumor cells and triggering significant immunogenic cell death. Time‐of‐flight mass cytometry analysis revealed that R‐CM@MSN@BC can remodel the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by polarizing M1‐type macrophages, reducing infiltration of M2‐type and CX3CR1+ macrophages, and decreasing T cell exhaustion, thereby increasing the effectiveness of anti‐programmed cell death ligand 1 immunotherapy. This strategy proposed in this study presents a viable and promising approach for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.

In recent years, microplastics, especially marine microplastic pollution, have received global attention as a new type of environmental problem. The establishment of accurate and efficient methods for the detection of microplastics is the basis for in-depth research on the transport, transformation, fate, and ecotoxicological effects of microplastics in the environment. Microplastics in seawater frequently mix with biological tissues, resulting in challenges when identifying samples. However, commonly used pretreatment protocols for microplastics often suffer from long digestion times, inadequate digestion, and the risk of potentially damaging microplastics. This study compared the digestion efficiencies of five digestion reagents and provided further insights into two advanced oxidation methods involving Fenton’s reagent and an innovative alkaline K2S2O8 protocol based on sulfate and hydroxyl radicals. Using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM−EDS), and carbonyl index (CI) analyses, the status of microplastics after pretreatment was evaluated. The results revealed that the alkaline K2S2O8 method could enhance the reaction efficiency while reducing the potential for functional group damage during microplastic pretreatment. Moreover, the proposed K2S2O8 method was applied to the pretreatment of field seawater samples, and field microplastics were effectively separated from biologically rich samples. Thus, a digestion protocol based on alkaline K2S2O8 provides an effective way to isolate seawater microplastics from biologically rich samples. This study contributes to the development of efficiently microplastic monitoring and provides valuable insights into access to reliable data for fate and inventory of oceanic microplastics.

Recent years have seen the publication of numerous papers on the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing in plastic surgery. Despite this growing interest, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the field has yet to be conducted. To address this gap, we undertook a bibliometric study to map out the knowledge structure and identify research hotspots related to 3D printing in plastic surgery. We analyzed publications from 1995 to 2024, found in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), utilizing tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package “bibliometrix”. Our analysis included 1,057 documents contributed by 5,545 authors from 1,620 organizations across 71 regions, and these were published in 400 journals. We observed a steady growth in annual publications, with Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania leading in research output. Notably, Shanghai Jiao Tong University emerged as a primary research institution in this domain. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery and Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery have made significant contributions to the field, with Thieringer, Florian M being the most prolific and frequently cited author. Key areas of focus include medical education and surgical procedures, with “3D printing”, “virtual surgical planning” and “reconstructive/orthognathic surgery” highlighted as future research hotspots. Our study provides a detailed bibliometric analysis, revealing the evolution and progress of 3D printing technologies in plastic surgery. As these technologies continue to advance, their impact on clinical practice and patient lives is expected to be profound.

Several cardiovascular illnesses are associated with aberrant activation of cellular pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, cuproptosis, disulfidptosis, and macrophage polarisation as hallmarks contributing to vascular damage and abnormal cardiac function. Meanwhile, these three novel forms of cellular dysfunction are closely related to mitochondrial homeostasis. Mitochondria are the main organelles that supply energy and maintain cellular homeostasis. Mitochondrial stability is maintained through a series of regulatory pathways, such as mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial fusion and mitophagy. Studies have shown that mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., impaired mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy) promotes ROS production, leading to oxidative stress, which induces cellular pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, cuproptosis, disulfidptosis and macrophage M1 phenotypic polarisation. Therefore, an in-depth knowledge of the dynamic regulation of mitochondria during cellular pyroptosis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, cuproptosis, disulfidptosis and macrophage polarisation is necessary to understand cardiovascular disease development. This paper systematically summarises the impact of changes in mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy on regulating novel cellular dysfunctions and macrophage polarisation to promote an in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and provide corresponding theoretical references for treating cardiovascular diseases.

Optically pumped magnetometer magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) holds significant promise for clinical functional brain imaging due to its superior spatiotemporal resolution. However, effectively suppressing metallic artifacts, particularly from devices such as orthodontic braces and vagal nerve stimulators remains a major challenge, hindering the wider clinical application of wearable OPM-MEG devices.A comprehensive analysis of metal artifact characteristics from time, frequency, and time–frequency perspectives was conducted for the first time using an OPM-MEG device in clinical medicine. This study focused on patients with metal orthodontics, examining the modulation of metal artifacts by breath and head movement, the incomplete regular sub-Gaussian distribution, and the high absolute power ratio in the 0.5–8 Hz band. The existing metal artifact suppression algorithms applied to SQUID-MEG, such as fast independent component analysis (FastICA), information maximization (Infomax), and algorithms for multiple unknown signal extraction (AMUSE), exhibit limited efficacy. Consequently, this study introduced the second-order blind identification (SOBI) algorithm, which utilized multiple time delays for the component separation of OPM-MEG measurement signals. We modified the time delays of the SOBI method to improve its efficacy in separating artifact components, particularly those in the ultralow frequency range. This approach employs the frequency-domain absolute power ratio, root mean square (RMS) value, and mutual information methods to automate the artifact component screening process.The effectiveness of this method was validated through simulation experiments involving four subjects in both resting and evoked experiments. In addition, the proposed method was also validated by the actual OPM-MEG evoked experiments of three subjects. Comparative analyses were conducted against the FastICA, Infomax, and AMUSE algorithms. Evaluation metrics included normalized mean square error, normalized delta band power error, RMS error, and signal-to-noise ratio, demonstrating that the proposed method provides optimal suppression of metal artifacts. This advancement holds promise for enhancing data quality and expanding the clinical applications of OPM-MEG.

In this article, physical model test and numerical simulation are used to study the formation of filter cake and the filtration performance of the geotextile on the lateral boundary of the ultra-fine tailings grouting geotextile tubes from macro and micro levels. At the macro level, the effects of different grouting flow rates and tailings slurry mass concentrations on the surface filter cake formation and the dehydration performance of geotextile on the lateral boundary of the geotextile tubes were analyzed. At the micro level, the use of CFD-DEM method for fluid and particle of two-way coupling numerical simulation research, lateral drainage boundary of superfine tailings in tubes filter cake forming process is analyzed. The research shows that the increase of grouting flow rates and tailings slurry mass concentrations will make the thickness of filter cake great and the structure more compact, which will lead to more serious silting of the surface layer of geotextile and greatly reduce the dehydration performance; The numerical simulation results regularity is consistent with the results regularity of physical model test on the formation of filter cake on geotextile surface of geotextile tubes: the larger the slurry inlet speed and particles concentrations, the more complete the formation of filter cake on geotextile surface, the denser the cake structure, and the less tailings loss. By studying the effects of grouting flow rates and slurry mass concentrations on the surface filter cake formation and tubes dehydration, this article aims to find suitable slurry filling construction conditions and explore the main influencing factors caused by dehydration and consolidation of ultra-fine tailings grouting geotextile tubes, so as to provide some help for the subsequent flocculating of ultra-fine tailings to solve the problem of surface drying and internal wetting of geotextile tubes.

The West Kunlun orogenic belt located in the northwestern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important record of the formation and northward extension of the plateau, but the current research mainly focuses on the tectonic activities of the Cenozoic era, and there is still considerable controversy regarding the formation and evolutionary history of pre-Cenozoic orogenic belts. This study focuses on Cretaceous sandstone samples from the Kedong region in the piedmont belt of the West Kunlun orogenic belt. U-Pb geochronological analysis was performed on 200 detrital zircon grains from the core samples. Combined with stratigraphic data and previous research, the main provenance direction was investigated to constrain the tectonic evolutionary history of the orogenic belt’s peripheral regions. The results show that the detrital zircons are aged from 290 to 208 Ma, 520–310 Ma, 810–580 Ma, 1,400–880 Ma and 2,548–1,730 Ma, reflecting the complexity of provenance in this area. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of igneous rocks, zircon age composition and stratigraphic conditions in potential source areas, it is concluded that the primary source regions include the East Kunlun orogenic belt and the North and South Kunlun terranes, with a low likelihood of contributions from within the Tarim Basin. The evolution of the West Kunlun orogenic belt can generally be divided into two opening and two closing phases. The detrital zircon ages predominantly exhibit two peak values at 259 Ma and 459 Ma, respectively representing the ages of transition from oceanic crust subduction to continent-continent collision for the Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the Proto-Tethys Ocean. Additionally, there is a temporal gap between the evolution of the Proto-Tethys Ocean and the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. The Triassic period marks a transitional phase in tectonic evolution, shifting into an intracontinental evolutionary stage. This study provides new geochronological evidence for the early developmental history of the West Kunlun orogenic belt.

Members of the genus Hemerocallis have significant value as ornamental, edible, and medicinal plants, particularly in China, where they have been utilized for thousands of years as both a vegetable and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Hemerocallis species exhibit strict control over flowering time, with individuals flowering either diurnally or nocturnally. However, our understanding of the evolutionary history of this genus, especially concerning important horticultural traits, remains limited. In this study, sequencing and assembly efforts were conducted on 73 samples within the Hemerocallis genus. All accessions were classified into two distinct groups based on their diurnal (daylilies) or nocturnal (nightlilies) flowering habits. Comparative analysis of the chloroplast genomes from these two groups identified fifteen variant hotspot regions, including fourteen SNPs and one deletion, which hold promise for the development of molecular markers for interspecific identification. Phylogenetic trees, generated through both maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference methods using 76 shared protein-coding sequences, revealed that diurnal flowering evolved prior to nocturnal flowering. The divergence between the two groups is estimated to have occurred approximately 0.82 MYA (95% CI: 0.35–1.45 MYA). The ancestral state of Hemerocallis is hypothesized to have featured diurnal flowering with orange yellow petals. This study marks the first reconstruction of the evolutionary history and ancestral state of the genus Hemerocallis. The findings contribute significantly to our understanding of the adaptation and speciation history within the genus.

During invisalign treatment, as salivary proteins or glycoproteins fill the space between the teeth and the aligners, they can easily adhere to the teeth, forming an acquired cellular film on which bacteria are highly susceptible to colonizing, which in turn leads to the development of enamel white staining lesions (WSLs), one of the major complications of orthodontic treatment. Inhibiting the activity of cariogenic bacteria while promoting the remineralization of demineralized enamel is the key to preventing and treating WSLs. Currently, the drug commonly used in clinical practice for the treatment of WSLs is silver diamine fluoride, which, although it has both antimicrobial and remineralizing effects, suffers from problems such as pulpal irritation and tooth discoloration. In this study, based on the principle of coordination chemistry, copper ions and plant polyphenol tannins were assembled on invisible orthodontic aligners to form a metal–phenol network coating (TA-Cu MPNs), and zwitterionic sulfonamethyldopamine was introduced for bionic mineralization to obtain the multifunctional coating TA-Cu MPNs@ZDS@CaP (TZC). The coating exhibits acid-responsive release of Ca2+ and PO43−, and the decomposed CaP layer can be regenerated by a simple dipping method. The TZC coating strongly inhibits common cariogenic bacteria and their biofilms. In addition, the results of the in vitro mineralization experiment show that TZC-coated invisible orthodontic aligner treatment of demineralized enamel has significant remineralization effects. It is worth mentioning that the constructed coating has a durable antibacterial effect and can meet the service cycle of invisible orthodontic aligners. This study provides theoretical and experimental bases for the prevention or treatment of WSLs in invisible orthodontic treatment.

In oligotrophic oceans, primary productivity is widely limited by nitrogen bioavailability. The broadly distributed and abundant nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Trichodesmium plays an important role in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles by providing a “new” source of nitrogen to many non-diazotrophic microbes, thereby driving new primary production in the ocean. However, the underlying process and mechanism of nitrogen supply from Trichodesmium to other phytoplankton remain unclear. Here, our results demonstrated that the fixed nitrogen released by Trichodesmium could sustain the growth of a non-nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, including a mutant strain (Mut-ureA) that cannot use urea. However, the growth rate of Mut-ureA was approximately 20% lower than that of the wild strain when Trichodesmium filtrate was used for nitrogen supply. This result was consistent with the composition of the Trichodesmium exudate, in which urea comprised more than 20% of the total fixed nitrogen that was released. It is evident from the experiments that a fraction of the Trichodesmium-derived nitrogen was not available to Mut-ureA. Our results suggested that Trichodesmium produces dissolved organic nitrogen, especially a certain amount of urea as a “new” nitrogen source, benefiting in particular populations of surrounding phytoplankton species.

Summary: Male infertility is a major concern affecting reproductive health. Biallelic deleterious variants of most DNAH gene family members have been linked to male infertility, with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) being an efficacious way to achieve offspring. However, the association between DNAH12 and male infertility is still limited. Here, we identified one homozygous variant and two compound heterozygous variants in DNAH12 from three infertile Chinese men. Semen analysis revealed severe asthenozoospermia, abnormal morphology, and structure of sperm flagella. Furthermore, the Dnah12 knock-out mouse revealed severe spermatogenesis failure and validated the same male infertility phenotype. Favorable fertility outcomes were achieved through ICSI in three human individuals and Dnah12 knock-out mice. Collectively, our study indicated that biallelic variants of DNAH12 can induce male infertility in both human beings and mice. Notably, evidence from DNAH12 enhanced that ICSI was an optimal intervention to achieve favorable fertility outcomes for infertile males with DNAH gene family variants.

Summary: Background: The E1A-associated protein p300 (p300) has emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy due to its crucial role in promoting oncogenic signaling pathways in various cancers, including prostate cancer. This need is particularly significant in prostate cancer. While androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has demonstrated promising efficacy in prostate cancer, its long-term use can eventually lead to the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Notably, p300 has been identified as an important co-activator of the androgen receptor (AR), highlighting its significance in prostate cancer progression. Moreover, recent studies have revealed the involvement of p300 in AR-independent oncogenes associated with NEPC. Therefore, the blockade of p300 may emerge as an effective therapeutic strategy to address the challenges posed by both CRPC and NEPC. Methods: We employed AI-assisted design to develop a peptide-based PROTAC (proteolysis-targeting chimera) drug that targets p300, effectively degrading p300 in vitro and in vivo utilizing nano-selenium as a peptide drug delivery system. Findings: Our p300-targeting peptide PROTAC drug demonstrated effective p300 degradation and cancer cell-killing capabilities in both CRPC, AR-negative, and NEPC cells. This study demonstrated the efficacy of a p300-targeting drug in NEPC cells. In both AR-positive and AR-negative mouse models, the p300 PROTAC drug showed potent p300 degradation and tumor suppression. Interpretation: The design of peptide PROTAC drug targeting p300 is feasible and represents an efficient therapeutic strategy for CRPC, AR-negative prostate cancer, and NEPC. Funding: The funding details can be found in the Acknowledgements section.

Abstract The silicon (Si) anode is prone to forming a high electric field gradient and concentration gradient on the electrode surface under high‐rate conditions, which may destroy the surface structure and decrease cycling stability. In this study, a ferroelectric (BaTiO3) interlayer and field polarization treatment are introduced to set up a built‐in field, which optimizes the transport mechanisms of Li+ in solid and liquid phases and thus enhances the rate performance and cycling stability of Si anodes. Also, a fast discharging and slow charging phenomenon is observed in a half‐cell with a high reversible capacity of 1500.8 mAh g−1 when controlling the polarization direction of the interlayer, which means a fast charging and slow discharging property in a full battery and thus is valuable for potential applications in commercial batteries. Simulation results demonstrated that the built‐in field plays a key role in regulating the Li+ concentration distribution in the electrolyte and the Li+ diffusion behavior inside particles, leading to more uniform Li+ diffusion from local high‐concentration sites to surrounding regions. The assembled lithium‐ion battery with a BaTiO3 interlayer exhibited superior electrochemical performance and long‐term cycling life (915.6 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at a high current density of 4.2 A g−1). The significance of this research lies in exploring a new approach to improve the performance of lithium‐ion batteries and providing new ideas and pathways for addressing the challenges faced by Si‐based anodes.

Additively manufactured a low carbon Fe–Cr–Ni–Al Corrax stainless steel has ultra-high strength, but the mechanism at work when the steel cracks is still unclear. In this study, Corrax stainless steel was tensile tested to fracture and cracks in the vicinity of the fracture surface were analyzed by scanning electron microscope and electron-backscattered diffraction. The results show that the cracks propagated at angles of 45–60° to the tensile axis. Some cracks were transgranular, and high-angle grain boundaries had little effect on crack propagation. Crack propagation was inhibited in regions with lower Taylor factors. Kernel average misorientation value analysis established that the crack propagation process is accompanied by significant plastic deformation. The influence of particles and unfused pores on crack propagation is also discussed.