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Abstract The implementation of water-surface photovoltaic systems as a source of renewable power has expanded rapidly worldwide in recent decades. Water-surface photovoltaic avoids negative impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, while the impacts on aquatic physical and chemical properties and biodiversity are unclear. To understand the ecological and environmental impacts of water-surface photovoltaic systems, here we conducted a field survey on water physical and chemical properties, plankton and bird communities of 26 water-surface photovoltaic systems in the Yangtze River basin in China during the winter and summer of 2022. We found that water-surface photovoltaic systems decreased water temperature, dissolved oxygen saturation and uncovered area of the water surface, which caused a reduction in plankton species and individual density, altering the community composition. Water-surface photovoltaic systems also caused an overall decrease in bird diversity and changed bird community compositions. These findings suggested that water-surface photovoltaic systems have impacts on the water environment and ecology. Since water-surface photovoltaic systems will continue to expand in the future, our results emphasize that rational planning is critical for the sustainable development of water-surface photovoltaic systems and the protection of the aquatic environment and biodiversity.

Abstract Background Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma(ATC) is a rare pathological type of thyroid malignancy. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid(PSCCT) is now considered as a subtype of ATC, hereinafter referred to as ATC-SCC subtype. ATC-SCC subtype combined with follicular thyroid carcinoma is exceedingly rare, with fewer cases reported. The ATC-SCC subtype is a highly invasive tumor with a poor prognosis for patients after metastasis occurs, and current treatment of this type of tumor is tricky. Case presentation A 68-year-old female patient presented with a gradually growing swelling of right cervical region. Comprehensive auxiliary examinations and postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of ATC-SCC subtype with follicular thyroid carcinoma, and the metastasis squamous cell carcinoma of the right cervical lymph nodes originates from ATC-SCC subtype. The patient received chemoradiotherapy postoperative. However, the residual cervical lymph nodes metastasis with squamous cell carcinoma still infiltrated surrounding structures in the neck extensively after palliative resection. The patient died 7 months after surgery. Conclusion Our case highlights that cervical lymph node metastasis may be a significant factor in the poor prognosis of ATC-SCC subtype. This malignancy should be detected and treated early.

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) glass chips are promising waveguide platforms for building hybrid 3D photonic circuits due to their 3D topological capabilities, large transparent windows, and low coupling dispersion. At present, the key challenge in scaling down a benchtop optical system to a glass chip is the lack of precise methods for controlling the mode field and optical coupling of 3D waveguide circuits. Here, we propose an overlap-controlled multi-scan (OCMS) method based on laser-direct lithography that allows customizing the refractive index profile of 3D waveguides with high spatial precision in a variety of glasses. On the basis of this method, we achieve variable mode-field distribution, robust and broadband coupling, and thereby demonstrate dispersionless LP21-mode conversion of supercontinuum pulses with the largest deviation of

Abstract Clarifying migration timing and its link with underlying drivers is fundamental to understanding the evolution of bird migration. However, previous studies have focused mainly on environmental drivers such as the latitudes of seasonal distributions and migration distance, while the effect of intrinsic biological traits remains unclear. Here, we compile a global dataset on the annual cycle of migratory birds obtained by tracking 1531 individuals and 177 populations from 186 species, and investigate how body mass, a key intrinsic biological trait, influenced timings of the annual cycle using Bayesian structural equation models. We find that body mass has a strong direct effect on departure date from non-breeding and breeding sites, and indirect effects on arrival date at breeding and non-breeding sites, mainly through its effects on migration distance and a carry-over effect. Our results suggest that environmental factors strongly affect the timing of spring migration, while body mass affects the timing of both spring and autumn migration. Our study provides a new foundation for future research on the causes of species distribution and movement.

Abstract Exposure to pollutants is a potentially crucial but overlooked driver of population declines in shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. We combined knowledge of moult strategy and life history with a standardised sampling protocol to assess mercury (Hg) contamination in 984 individuals across 33 migratory shorebird species on an intercontinental scale. Over one-third of the samples exceeded toxicity benchmarks. Feather Hg was best explained by moulting region, while habitat preference (coastal obligate vs. non-coastal obligate), the proportion of invertebrates in the diet and foraging stratum (foraging mostly on the surface vs. at depth) also contributed, but were less pronounced. Feather Hg was substantially higher in South China (Mai Po and Leizhou), Australia and the Yellow Sea than in temperate and Arctic breeding ranges. Non-coastal obligate species (Tringa genus) frequently encountered in freshwater habitats were at the highest risk. It is important to continue and expand biomonitoring research to assess how other pollutants might impact shorebirds.

Abstract Coal-series diatomite (CSD) is widely distributed in China and has poor functional and structural properties and exhibits limited utilization of high value-added materials, resulting in a serious waste of resources and tremendous pressure on the environment. Moreover, due to differences in the mineralogical characteristics of CSD, different particle size scales (PSSs) have different functional structures and exhibit different self-similarities. In this study, we took CSD as the research object and PSS as the entry point and carried out a self-similarity study based on gas adsorption and an image processing method to illustrate the microstructures and self-similarities of different PSSs. The results showed that the pore structure of the CSD was dominated by mesopores and macropores and basically lacked micropores. The fractal dimensions were calculated with the Frenkel-Haisey-Hill (FHH) model and Menger model, and the D F1 values for − 0.025 mm and − 2 mm were 2.51 and 2.48, respectively, and the D M1 values were 3.75 and 3.79, respectively, indicating that the mesopore structure of the fine PSS was complex, whereas macropores were present in the coarse PSS. MATLAB was programmed to obtain grayscale thresholds, binarized images, grayscale histograms, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction images and box dimensions, which enabled us to observe the microstructures and self-similarities of the CSD. Self-similarity studies based on particle sizes are very important for functional application of CSD.Please note that article title mismatch between MS and JS we have followed MS, kindly check and cofirm.Yes, I have checked and confirmed.Kindly check and confirm corresponding author mail id are correctly identified.Yes, I have checked and confirmed.

Small mothers against decapentaplegic2/3 (Smad2/3) are two signalling intermediates in the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signalling pathway, which plays a critical role in gonad development. However, a systemic analysis of Smad2/3 in Monopterus albus (M. albus) has not been performed. The smad2 sequence in M. albus was characterized in our previous publication. In this study, we characterized the nucleotide sequence of smad3 and reported that smad3 is widely expressed in different tissues of M. albus. Importantly, the expression of smad3 significantly increased at the early vitellogenic stage in the ovary and decreased with oocyte maturation. Next, we aimed to identify the upstream factors that regulate Smad2/3 transcription. The 5′ flanking sequences of smad2/3 were cloned, and their core promoter regions were determined to be between −447 bp and −100 bp and between −1520 bp and −927 bp, respectively. The Jun and Foxo1 binding sites were conserved in the smad2 promoter region, and the Sp1, Bcl-6, and Nobox binding sites were conserved in the smad3 promoter region. Through dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments, we showed that Jun and Foxo1 binding sites may be involved in the regulation of smad2 transcription, whereas the Nobox binding site may be involved in the activation of the smad3 promoter.

Stretchable composite conductive fibers (SCCFs) exhibit remarkable conductivity, stretchability, breathability, and biocompatibility, making them ideal candidates for wearable electronics and bioelectronics. The exploitation of SCCFs in electronic devices requires a careful balance of many aspects, including material selection and process methodologies, to address the complex challenges associated with their electrical and mechanical properties. In this review, we elucidate the conductive mechanism of SCCFs and summarize strategies for integrating various conductors with stretchable fibers, emphasizing the primary challenges in fabricating highly conductive fibers. Furthermore, we explore the multifaceted applications of SCCFs-based frameworks in wearable electronic devices. This review aims to emphasize the significance of SCCFs and offers insights into their conductive mechanisms, material selection, manufacturing technologies, and performance improvement. Hopefully, it can guide the innovative development of SCCFs and broaden their application potential.

BackgroundSeveral previous studies have reported an association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and epilepsy, but the causal relationship is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the connection between RA and epilepsy in a European population using Mendelian randomization (MR).MethodsGenome-wide association study summary data on RA and epilepsy from European populations were included. Univariate MR (UVMR) and multivariate MR were used to investigate the causal relationship between the two conditions. Three analysis methods were applied: inverse variance weight (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median, with IVW being the primary method. Cochran Q statistics, MR-PRESSO, MR-Egger intercept, leave-one-out test, and MR-Steiger test were combined for the sensitivity analysis.ResultsUVMR showed a positive association between RA and epilepsy risk (OR=1.038, 95% CI=1.007–1.038, p=0.017) that was supported by sensitivity analysis. Further MVMR after harmonizing the three covariates of hypertension, alcohol consumption, and smoking, confirmed the causal relationship between RA and epilepsy (OR=1.049, 95% CI=1.011–1.087, p=0.010).ConclusionThis study demonstrated that RA is associated with an increased risk of epilepsy. It has emphasized that the monitoring of epilepsy risk in patients diagnosed with RA should be strengthened in clinical practice, and further studies are needed in the future to explore the potential mechanism of action connecting the two conditions.

Abstract Background Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare endocrine malignancy causing pathological changes such as abnormal bone metabolism, elevated serum calcium, and impaired renal function, and uncontrollable hypercalcemia is the main cause of death in PC patients. The diagnosis of PC is challenging and relying on postoperative histopathology. Radical surgery at the first time is the only effective therapy to cure PC. Hungry bone syndrome (HBS) is a relatively uncommon complication of parathyroidectomy characterized by profound and prolonged hypocalcemia, timely electrolyte monitoring and alternative interventional protocols can prevent symptomatic hypocalcemia. Case A 57‐year‐old man presented with multiple pathological fractures and muscle atrophy as the main symptoms accompanied by bone pain, hypercalcemia, elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH), and an enlarged left‐sided neck mass. After consultation of multidisciplinary team, he was treated conservatively with plaster bandage fixation and infusion of intravenous zoledronic acid; and then complete resection of parathyroid mass + removal of involved tissue structures + left thyroid and isthmus lobectomy + lymph node dissection in the VI region in left neck were performed. The postoperative histopathology suggested a diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma. Calcium and fluid supplementation and oral levothyroxine tablets were given postoperatively. Unexpectedly, the patient's PTH level decreased rapidly at 24 h postoperative, and serum calcium and phosphorus decreased continuously, and he felt numb around perioral sites and fingertips, which considered to be postoperative HBS complicated by parathyroidectomy. Then, a large amount of calcium supplementation and vitamin D were given timely and the patient got better at 1 month postoperatively. At 9‐month postoperative, his bone pain and fatigue were significantly relieved compared with before with calcium, phosphorus, and PTH levels at normal range. Conclusion The possibility of parathyroid disease, particularly PC, should be considered in the presence of multiple pathological fractures, muscle atrophy, generalized bone pain, hypercalcemia, and clear neck mass. Radical resection of the tumor lesions at the first surgery is a key element affecting the prognosis of PC, and the effective management of preoperative hypercalcemia and postoperative HBS is also of great significance for improving prognosis.

Introduction The surgical intervention approach to insulinomas in proximity to the main pancreatic duct remains controversial. Standard pancreatic resection is recommended by several guidelines; however, enucleation (EN) still attracts surgeons with less risk of late exocrine/endocrine insufficiency, despite a higher postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate. Recently, the efficacy and safety of preoperative pancreatic stent placement before the EN have been demonstrated. Thus, a multicentre open-label study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stent placement in improving the outcome of EN of insulinomas in proximity to the main pancreatic duct.Methods and analysis This is a prospective, randomised, open-label, superiority clinical trial conducted at multiple tertiary centres in China. The major eligibility criterion is the presence of insulinoma located in the head and neck of the pancreas in proximity (≤2 mm) to the main pancreatic duct. Blocked randomisation will be performed to allocate patients into the stent EN group and the direct EN group. Patients in the stent EN group will go through stent placement by the endoscopist within 24 hours before the EN surgery, whereas other patients will receive EN surgery directly. The primary outcome is the assessment of the superiority of stent placement in reducing POPF rate measured by the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery standard. Both interventions will be performed in an inpatient setting and regular follow-up will be performed. The primary outcome (POPF rate) will be tested for superiority with the Χ2 test. The difference in secondary outcomes between the two groups will be analysed using appropriate tests.Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Peking Union Medical College Hospital Institutional Review Board (K23C0195), Ruijin Hospital Ethics Committee (2023-314), Peking University First Hospital Ethics Committee (2024033-001), Institutional Review Board of Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University (2023223-002), Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU1AF2023LSK-473), Institutional Review Board of Tongji Medical College Tongji Hospital (TJ-IRB202402059), Ethics Committee of Tongji Medical College Union Hospital (2023-0929) and Shanghai Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (2309282-16). The results of the study will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal.Trial registration number NCT05523778.

In oncolytic virus (OV) therapy, a critical component of tumor immunotherapy, viruses selectively infect, replicate within, and eventually destroy tumor cells. Simultaneously, this therapy activates immune responses and mobilizes immune cells, thereby eliminating residual or distant cancer cells. However, because of OVs’ high immunogenicity and immune clearance during circulation, their clinical applications are currently limited to intratumoral injections, and their use is severely restricted. In recent years, numerous studies have used nanomaterials to modify OVs to decrease virulence and increase safety for intravenous injection. The most commonly used nanomaterials for modifying OVs are liposomes, polymers, and albumin, because of their biosafety, practicability, and effectiveness. The aim of this review is to summarize progress in the use of these nanomaterials in preclinical experiments to modify OVs and to discuss the challenges encountered from basic research to clinical application.

Abstract Background Group living animals, such as shorebirds foraging on intertidal mudflats, may use social information about where to find hidden food items. However, flocking also increases intraspecific competition for resources, which may be exacerbated by food scarcity. Therefore, although aggregation may bring benefits, it may also increase the intensity of intraspecific competition. Methods We examined this trade-off in adult great knots Calidris tenuirostris, a molluscivorous long-distance migrating shorebird species, using interannual variation based on 2 years with different levels of food availability during their northward migratory staging in the northern Yellow Sea, China. We estimated individual home ranges and the extent of spatial overlap of home ranges of individually tagged birds in 2012 and 2015, whilst discounting for possible differences in body size, body mass, sex and migration schedule between years. Results We found that home range size was not associated with body mass, arrival date, body size, or sex of the individual. Despite a significant difference in food availability between the two study years, there was no significant change in the 50% and 95% home range size of great knots in the contrasting situations. However, there was a significantly smaller spatial overlap between individuals in the year when food was less available, suggesting that great knots operated more independently when food was scarce than when it was abundant. Conclusions These results suggest that minimizing intraspecific competition became more important when food was scarce. Where it is impossible to monitor all habitats en route, monitoring the local movements of shorebirds may offer a way to detect changes in habitat quality in real time.

In order to reduce the content of sulfur and ash in coal, improve the desulfurization and deashing rates, a combined experiment method of microwave magnetic separation-flotation was proposed for raw coal. The desulfurization and deashing rates of three experiment methods, namely, single magnetic separation, microwave magnetic separation, and microwave magnetic separation–flotation, were compared. Taking the microwave magnetic separation–flotation experiment method as the main line, the effects of the microwave irradiation time, microwave power, grinding time, magnetic field intensity, plate seam width, foaming agent dosage, collector dosage, and inhibitor dosage on desulfurization and deashing were discussed, and the mechanism of microwave irradiation on magnetic separation and flotation was revealed. The results show that under the conditions of a microwave irradiation time of 60 s, a microwave power of 80% of the rated power (800 W), a grinding time of 8 min, a plate seam width (the plate seam width of a magnetic separator sorting box) of 1 mm, a magnetic field intensity of 2.32 T, a foaming agent dosage of 90 g/t, a collector dosage of 2125 g/t, and an inhibitor dosage of 1500 g/t, the desulfurization and deashing effect is the best. The desulphurization rate is 76.51%, the sulfur removal rate of pyrite is 96.50%, and the deashing rate is 61.91%. Microwaves have the characteristic of selective heating, and the thermal conductivity of organic matter in coal is greater than that of mineral. Microwave irradiation can improve the reactivity of pyrite in coal, pyrolyze pyrite into high-magnetic pyrite, improve the magnetic properties, and improve the magnetic separation effect. Therefore, microwave irradiation plays a role in promoting magnetic separation. Through microwave irradiation, the positive and negative charges in coal molecules constantly vibrate and create friction under the action of an electric field force, and the thermal action generated by this vibration and friction process affects the structural changes in oxygen-containing functional groups in coal. With the increase in the irradiation time and power, the hydrophilic functional groups of –OH and –COOH decrease and the hydrophilicity decreases. Microwave heating evaporates the water in the pores of coal samples and weakens surface hydration. At the same time, microwave irradiation destroys the structure of coal and impurity minerals, produces cracks at the junction, increases the surface area of coal to a certain extent, enhances the hydrophobicity, and then improves the effect of flotation desulfurization and deashing. Therefore, after the microwave irradiation of raw coal, the magnetic separation effect is enhanced, and the flotation desulfurization effect is also enhanced.

Charismatic species are often reported by the media, providing information for detecting population status and public perception. To identify the number and distribution of free-living Black Swan (Cygnus atratus), a charismatic alien species in Chinese mainland and to detect the public and the media attitudes to the species, we analyzed the reports and emotional tendency from media coverage in 2000–2022 using manual reading, crawler extraction and latent Dirichlet allocation. A total of 6654 Black Swans were reported at 711 sites, including 147 individuals at 30 nature reserves. Successful breeding was reported at one-fourth of the total sites, including five nature reserves. The proportion of positive emotional tendency to Black Swans was overwhelming in the reports and was higher than that to alien species in general, suggesting that the public and the media are unaware of the risk of biological invasion. Effective management of invasive species requires the media clarifies the invasion risk of charismatic alien species. Promoting the unity between the harmfulness of abstract concept of alien species and the charisma of a specific alien species among the public help effective management.

Many migratory birds exhibit interannual consistency in migration schedules, routes and stopover sites. Detecting the interannual consistency in spatiotemporal characteristics helps understand the maintenance of migration and enables the implementation of targeted conservation measures. We tracked the migration of Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway and collected spatiotemporal data from individuals that were tracked for at least two years. Wilcoxon non-parametric tests were used to compare the interannual variations in the dates of departure from and arrival at breeding/nonbreeding sites, and the interannual variation in the longitudes when the same individual across the same latitudes. Whimbrels exhibited a high degree of consistency in the use of breeding, nonbreeding, and stopover sites between years. The variation of arrival dates at nonbreeding sites was significantly larger than that of the departure dates from nonbreeding and breeding sites. Repeatedly used stopover sites by the same individuals in multiple years were concentrated in the Yellow Sea coast during northward migration, but were more widespread during southward migration. The stopover duration at repeatedly used sites was significantly longer than that at sites used only once. When flying across the Yellow Sea, Whimbrels breeding in Sakha (Yakutia) exhibited the highest consistency in migration routes in both autumn and spring. Moreover, the consistency in migration routes of Yakutia breeding birds was generally higher than that of birds breeding in Chukotka. Our results suggest that the northward migration schedule of the Whimbrels is mainly controlled by endogenous factors, while the southward migration schedule is less affected by endogenous factors. The repeated use of stopover sites in the Yellow Sea coast suggests this region is important for the migration of Whimbrel, and thus has high conservation value.

The evolution of the microstructure and mechanical properties of a vacuum arc melted non-equiatomic Al0.4Co0.5V0.2FeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) subjected to severe plastic deformation was investigated experimentally and by simulations. The present work explored duplex HEAs, comprising a face-centered cubic (FCC) matrix and a body-centered cubic (BCC) phase, towards outstanding their mechanical responses. The Al0.4Co0.5V0.2FeNi alloys had a duplex structure, i.e., with dispersed B2-phase islands (with sizes of dozens of microns) in several hundred micron-, even millimeter-sized FCC grains. The mechanical properties of this HEA were strongly deformation dependent, i.e., when deformation increased from 30 % up to 60 %, the yield strength and ultimate strength tensile increased from ∼0.9 GPa and 1.0 GPa to ∼1.2 GPa and 1.3 GPa, respectively. During tensile deformation, initial fractures occurred in the FCC phase located close to the interface between the FCC and BCC phases. With an increase of deformation, the fracture degree in the FCC phase got larger, and fractures also appeared in the BCC phase. Combined with the geometric dislocation density calculation results from an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, it can be seen that the dislocation density near the phase interface of FCC was higher, making it more likely to produce defects.

Abstract Each year, billions of birds migrate across the globe, and interpretation of weather radar signals is increasingly being used to document the spatial and temporal migration patterns in Europe and America. Such approaches are yet to be applied in the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway (EAAF), one of the most species‐rich and threatened flyways in the world. Logistical challenges limit direct on‐ground monitoring of migratory birds in many parts of the EAAF, resulting in knowledge gaps on population status and site use that limit evidence‐based conservation planning. Weather radar data have great potential for achieving comprehensive migratory bird monitoring along the EAAF. In this study, we discuss the feasibility and challenges of using weather radar to complement on‐ground bird migration surveys in the flyway. We summarize the location, capacity and data availability of weather radars across EAAF countries, as well as the spatial coverage of the radars with respect to migrants' geographic distribution and migration hotspots along the flyway, with an exemplar analysis of biological movement patterns extracted from Chinese weather radars. There are more than 430 weather radars in EAAF countries, covering on average half of bird species' passage and non‐breeding distributions, as well as 70% of internationally important sites for migratory shorebirds. We conclude that the weather radar network could be a powerful resource for monitoring bird movements over the full annual cycle throughout much of the EAAF, providing estimates of migration traffic rates, site use, and long‐term population trends, especially in remote and less‐surveyed regions. Analyses of weather radar data would complement existing ornithological surveys and help understand the past and present status of the avian community in a highly threatened flyway.

The present study investigated microstructural evolution and changes in tensile properties of an Al-Si piston alloy subjected to thermal exposures at 250 and 350 °C for 150, 300, and 500 h. Microstructural and nanoscale precipitates were characterized using a combination of high-angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) images and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The tensile testing was performed. The results demonstrated that the thermal exposure induced granulation of the δ-Al3CuNi particles, alongside precipitation of the θ-Al2Cu phase particles and AlCu clusters within the matrix. Specifically, an increase in the size and number density of the θ-Al2Cu phase particles was observed with exposure time at 250 °C. Conversely, at 350 °C, the θ-Al2Cu particles exhibited a gradual increase in size with prolonged thermal exposure, coupled with a decrease in their number density. AlCu clusters precipitated solely at a thermal exposure temperature of 350 °C, with precipitation intensifying over time. Moreover, a decrease in the alloy’s tensile strength and an increase in elongation were noted after thermal exposure. Finally, the present study discussed the precipitation mechanisms of θ-Al2Cu particles and AlCu clusters within the grains, suggesting that the AlCu clusters exerted a more effective strengthening effect compared to the θ-Al2Cu particles.

The depth understanding of the organic structure characteristics of coal and its evolution is beneficial to the clean and efficient coal directional conversion. This research probes the evolution path and mechanism of carbon structure of lignite during the hydrothermal transitions dewatering (HTD) and tetralin solvent thermal transitions dewatering (TTD). The structural evolution with these two transitions was explored using 13C NMR and XRD in an autoclave at different temperatures. The moisture content in lignite is effectively decreased during HTD and TTD processes, and this is mainly due to the removal of O-containing functional groups and the decrease of water holding capacity. The TTD process is achieved a higher dehydration and deoxidation for lignite compared with HTD process. This is possibly due to that the dehydrating energy of TTD process not only comes from the thermal energy, but also the tetralin is more likely to form hydrogen bonds with water. The aromaticity is increased during HTD and TTD processes, and this increase is possibly contributed by aromatization while the contribution of aromatic rings condensation was limited because the molar ratio of aromatic bridgehead carbon has changed little. Also, from the XRD data, the stacking of aromatic structural units are significantly promoted and are not obvious for the lateral extended size for crystal structural evolution during HTD and TTD processes. when the pretreatment temperature was at 310 °C, the aromaticity increase from 60.94% to 69.50% and 69.68% during HTD and TTD processes, respectively. The stacking height increase from 8.94 Å to 12.06 Å and 13.27 Å, and the stacking number increase from 2.49 to 3.51 and 3.86, the lateral sizes have changed little. The increase of aromaticity is finally manifested in aromatic units vertical stacking height and stacking layer number. These results indicate that the graphitization and ordering are promoted to some degree during HTD and TTD processes. Compared with the HTD, the TTD had the greater impact on the conversion of lignite carbon structure to high-rank coal. Those results are potentially useful to the clean and efficient utilization of lignite.

Titanium alloys are considered one of the most promising materials. However, their poor thermal expansion property remains a major obstacle to their widespread application. In this study, we explored an innovative design strategy to tune the thermal expansion properties of titanium alloy. Specifically, we used rare earth iron intermetallic compounds (Gd-Fe IMCs) with low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) as expansion inhibitors to prepare composites with the required thermal expansion properties via in situ reaction. The morphology and size of Gd-Fe IMCs can be effectively controlled by electromagnetic and ultrasonic fields, resulting in a dense distribution of micro/nano-structured Gd-Fe IMCs and strong interfacial bonding of the composites. This alloy has an excellent CTE of 6.8 × 10 ^−6 /K and a high ultimate tensile strength of 921 MPa. The improvement in the physical properties (especially in thermal expansion properties) of titanium alloy can be attributed to the synergistic effect between Gd-Fe IMCs and Ti matrix. This design strategy can also be extended to other titanium alloys as a reference for designing low thermal expansion titanium alloys.

Abstract Background The expression and biological functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in reproductive organs have been extensively reported. However, it is still unclear whether circRNAs are involved in sex change. To this end, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in gonads at 5 sexual stages (ovary, early intersexual stage gonad, middle intersexual stage gonad, late intersexual stage gonad, and testis) of ricefield eel, and the expression profiles and potential functions of circRNAs were studied. Results Seven hundred twenty-one circRNAs were identified, and the expression levels of 10 circRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT–PCR) and found to be in accordance with the RNA-seq data, suggesting that the RNA-seq data were reliable. Then, the sequence length, category, sequence composition and the relationship between the parent genes of the circRNAs were explored. A total of 147 circRNAs were differentially expressed in the sex change process, and GO and KEGG analyses revealed that some differentially expressed (such as novel_circ_0000659, novel_circ_0004005 and novel_circ_0005865) circRNAs were closely involved in sex change. Furthermore, expression pattern analysis demonstrated that both circSnd1 and foxl2 were downregulated in the process of sex change, which was contrary to mal-miR-135b. Finally, dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation showed that circSnd1 and foxl2 can combine with mal-miR-135b and mal-miR-135c. These data revealed that circSnd1 regulates foxl2 expression in the sex change of ricefield eel by acting as a sponge of mal-miR-135b/c. Conclusion Our results are the first to demonstrate that circRNAs have potential effects on sex change in ricefield eel; and circSnd1 could regulate foxl2 expression in the sex change of ricefield eel by acting as a sponge of mal-miR-135b/c. These data will be useful for enhancing our understanding of sequential hermaphroditism and sex change in ricefield eel or other teleosts.

Abstract Background An increasing number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play important roles in sex differentiation and gonad development by regulating gene expression at the epigenetic, transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The ricefield eel, Monopterus albus, is a protogynous hermaphroditic fish that undergoes a sequential sex change from female to male. However, the roles of lncRNA in the sex change is unclear. Results Herein, we performed RNA sequencing to analyse lncRNA expression patterns in five different stages of M. albus development to investigate the roles of lncRNAs in the sex change process. A total of 12,746 lncRNAs (1503 known lncRNAs and 11,243 new lncRNAs) and 2901 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) were identified in the gonads. The target genes of the DE-lncRNAs included foxo1, foxm1, smad3, foxr1, camk4, ar and tgfb3, which were mainly enriched in signalling pathways related to gonadal development, such as the insulin signalling pathway, MAPK signalling pathway, and calcium signalling pathway. We selected 5 highly expressed DE-lncRNAs (LOC109952131, LOC109953466, LOC109954337, LOC109954360 and LOC109958454) for full length amplification and expression pattern verification. They were all expressed at higher levels in ovaries and intersex gonads than in testes, and exhibited specific time-dependent expression in ovarian tissue incubated with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The results of quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis and a dual-luciferase assay showed that znf207, as the gene targeted by LOC109958454, was expressed in multiple tissues and gonadal developmental stages of M. albus, and its expression was also inhibited by the hormones FSH and hCG. Conclusions These results provide new insights into the role of lncRNAs in gonad development, especially regarding natural sex changes in fish, which will be useful for enhancing our understanding of sequential hermaphroditism and sex changes in the ricefield eel (M. albus) and other teleosts.

China's coastal wetlands provide breeding, migration stopover, and wintering habitats for about 230 waterbird species, which is more than a quarter of all waterbirds in the world. Large-scale and high intensity human activities have resulted in serious loss and degradation of coastal wetlands over the past half century, causing population declines in many waterbirds. Through a literature review and expert surveys, this article reviews conservation measures taken in recent decades to protect waterbirds in China's coastal wetlands and provides recommendations for future conservation action from three aspects: policy and administration, habitat conservation and management, and multiparty participation. Over the past decades, many conservation legislation, regulations and action plans at the national level and more site-specific measures and interventions have been implemented, with notable improvement in the effectiveness in policy making and multi-stakeholder participation. Accordingly, some threats to waterbirds have been mitigated and many key sites for waterbirds have been designated as strictly protected nature reserves. However, some critical issues still remain, mostly related to habitat conservation and management, such as coastal wetland restoration, control of invasive Spartina alterniflora, control of environmental pollution, and improvement of artificial habitat quality. We highlight that protecting natural tidal wetlands and improving habitat quality are critical for the conservation of coastal waterbirds, especially those highly dependent on the intertidal wetlands. China has demonstrated strong commitment to ecological conservation and restoration for the future, in terms of both funding and policies for biodiversity and wetland ecosystems. It is important that this commitment to conserve coastal waterbirds is supported continuously by science- and evidence-based decisions and actions.

The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is listed as a Vulnerable species in the IUCN red list. Tidal wetland (tideland), the major habitat for wintering Hooded Cranes at East China's Chongming Dongtan, has dramatically changed in the past two decades, but there is limited knowledge about the population and habitat changes of the Hooded Cranes. This study investigated the population size and distribution of wintering Hooded Cranes at Chongming Dongtan from 2000 to 2021. We used remote sensing images combined with a vegetation classification algorithm to analyse the distribution of saltmarsh vegetation. The quadrat method was used to investigate the density and weight of the underground corms of Sea Bulrush (Scirpus mariquter), the main food on tideland for the Hooded Cranes. From 2000 to 2021, the population number of wintering Hooded Cranes at Chongming Dongtan remained stable at approximately 100. In 2000, the area of Scirpus spp. and Common Reed (Phragmites australis) accounted for approximately half of the total saltmarsh area at Chongming Dongtan, respectively. The invasive Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) rapidly expanded on tideland in the 2000s while the Scirpus spp. was competed out and thus significantly reduced in area. After the implementation of an ecological project to control Smooth Cordgrass and to restore Scirpus spp. in the 2010s, the area of the Smooth Cordgrass decreased considerably while the area of Scirpus spp. increased. The corms of Sea Bulrush decreased on the southeastern tideland during the study period, which might be the cause of the northward movement of the foraging Hooded Cranes on tideland. We also found Hooded Cranes foraged crops in the nearby farmland in mid-winter, causing human-bird conflicts in the recent decade. Our results found that changes in habitat and food conditions on tideland impacted wintering Hooded Cranes. Foraging in farmland with human disturbance in the recent decade might be related to insufficient food on tideland. We suggest active intervention to accelerate the restoration of Sea Bulrush on tideland and reduce human disturbance in farmland to improve the habitat quality of the wintering Hooded Crane at Chongming Dongtan.

Abstract The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Tibetan Highlanders is lower than that in plain-living individuals, but the mechanism still unclear. Gut microbiota (GM) disorder is considered one of the potential factors involved in the pathogenesis of CAD, but the GM characteristics of Tibetan Highlanders suffering from CAD are unknown. We sequenced the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA of gut bacteria from fecal samples from Tibetan and Han CAD patients and healthy individuals inhabiting the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as well as from Han CAD patients and healthy individuals living at sea level, and we analyzed the GM characteristics of these subjects by bioinformatics analysis. The results showed that Tibetan Highlanders suffering from CAD had higher GM α-diversity, with differently distributed cluster compared with healthy Tibetan Highlanders and Han CAD patients living at high and low altitudes. Genera Catenibacterium, Clostridium_sensu_stricto, Holdemanella, and Ruminococcus 2 were enriched in Tibetan Highlanders suffering from CAD compared with healthy Tibetan Highlanders and Han CAD patients living at high- and low-altitudes. Prevotella was enriched in Tibetan Highlanders suffering from CAD compared with Han CAD patients living at high- and low-altitudes. Moreover, Catenibacterium was positively correlated with Prevotella. Additionally, Catenibacterium, Holdemanella, and Prevotella were positively correlated with fermented dairy product, carbohydrate and fiber intake by the subjects, while Clostridium_sensu_stricto was negatively correlated with protein intake by the subjects. In conclusion, our study indicated that Tibetan Highlanders suffering from CAD showed distinct GM, which was linked to their unique dietary characteristics and might associated with CAD.

ObjectiveEstablishing a risk model of the survival situation of appendix cancer for accurately identifying high-risk patients and developing individualized treatment plans.MethodsA total of 4,691 patients who were diagnosed with primary appendix cancer from 2010 to 2016 were extracted using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) * Stat software. The total sample size was divided into 3,283 cases in the modeling set and 1,408 cases in the validation set at a ratio of 7:3. A nomogram model based on independent risk factors that affect the prognosis of appendix cancer was established. Single-factor Cox risk regression, Lasso regression, and multifactor Cox risk regression were used for analyzing the risk factors that affect overall survival (OS) in appendectomy patients. A nomogram model was established based on the independent risk factors that affect appendix cancer prognosis, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve and calibration curve were used for evaluating the model. Survival differences between the high- and low-risk groups were analyzed through Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test. Single-factor Cox risk regression analysis found age, ethnicity, pathological type, pathological stage, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, number of lymph nodes removed, T stage, N stage, M stage, tumor size, and CEA all to be risk factors for appendiceal OS. At the same time, multifactor Cox risk regression analysis found age, tumor stage, surgery, lymph node removal, T stage, N stage, M stage, and CEA to be independent risk factors for appendiceal OS. A nomogram model was established for the multifactor statistically significant indicators. Further stratified with corresponding probability values based on multifactorial Cox risk regression, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis found the low-risk group of the modeling and validation sets to have a significantly better prognosis than the high-risk group (p < 0.001).ConclusionThe established appendix cancer survival model can be used for the prediction of 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and for the development of personalized treatment options through the identification of high-risk patients.

The traditional preparation of ZSM-5 molecular sieves relies on chemical reagents to provide silicon and aluminum sources, which are limited as raw materials and cannot be commonly used in production practice. Using coal gangue as the raw material and using medium-temperature chlorination roasting and the pressure acid leaching process to control the silicon–aluminum ratio [n(Si/Al)] of coal gangue, a ZSM-5 molecular sieve was prepared using the alkali melting hydrothermal method. The pressure acid leaching process solved the limitation that kaolinite and mica cannot simultaneously be activated. Under optimal conditions, the n(Si/Al) of the coal gangue increased from 6.23 to 26.14 and complied with the requirements for the synthesis n(Si/Al) of a ZSM-5 molecular sieve. The effect of n(Si/Al) on the preparation of the ZSM-5 molecular sieve was studied. Finally, spherical granular ZSM-5 molecular sieve material with a microporous specific surface area of 169.6329 m2/g, an average pore diameter of 0.6285 nm, and a pore volume of 0.0988 cm3/g was prepared. Providing ideas for the high-value utilization of coal gangue, it is significant for solving the problem of coal gangue solid waste, as well as the problem of ZSM-5 molecular sieve feed stock.

This paper proposes a robust dichotomy-based model predictive control (DS-MPC) with a fixed switching frequency for the grid-connected inverter (GCI). The proposed fast dichotomy algorithm can select and deduce the optimal voltage vector dynamically through the space vector plane. Therefore, the proposed DS-MPC strategy could ensure dynamic performance and steady-state performance as well. Also, the current control robustness can be improved through DS-MPC with disturbance observer (DO) based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF). The novelty of this control is that the current control with fast dynamic response can be realized in the weak grid, even if the grid voltages are greatly distorted. Simulation and hardware experiments on the weak grid validate the effectiveness of the proposed DS-MPC with the EKF observer approach.

Vector-mediated mutagenesis remains a major safety concern for many gene therapy clinical protocols. Indeed, lentiviral-based gene therapy treatments of hematologic disease can result in oligoclonal blood reconstitution in the transduced cell graft. Specifically, clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) highly expressing HMGA2, a chromatin architectural factor found in many human cancers, is reported in patients undergoing gene therapy for hematologic diseases, raising concerns about the safety of these integrations. Here, we show for the first time in vivo multilineage and multiclonal expansion of non-human primate HSCs expressing a 3’ UTR-truncated version of HMGA2 without evidence of any hematologic malignancy >7 years post-transplantation, which is significantly longer than most non-human gene therapy pre-clinical studies. This expansion is accompanied by an increase in HSC survival, cell cycle activation of downstream progenitors, and changes in gene expression led by the upregulation of IGF2BP2, a mRNA binding regulator of survival and proliferation. Thus, we conclude that prolonged ectopic expression of HMGA2 in hematopoietic progenitors is not sufficient to drive hematologic malignancy and is not an acute safety concern in lentiviral-based gene therapy clinical protocols.

Abstract Background In-flight conditions are hypothesized to influence the timing and success of long-distance migration. Wind assistance and thermal uplift are thought to reduce the energetic costs of flight, humidity, air pressure and temperature may affect the migrants’ water balance, and clouds may impede navigation. Recent advances in animal-borne long-distance tracking enable evaluating the importance of these factors in determining animals’ flight altitude. Methods Here we determine the effects of wind, humidity, temperature, cloud cover, and altitude (as proxy for climbing costs and air pressure) on flight altitude selection of two long-distance migratory shorebirds, far eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) and whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus). To reveal the predominant drivers of flight altitude selection during migration we compared the atmospheric conditions at the altitude the birds were found flying with conditions elsewhere in the air column using conditional logistic mixed effect models. Results Our results demonstrate that despite occasional high-altitude migrations (up to 5550 m above ground level), our study species typically forego flying at high altitudes, limiting climbing costs and potentially alleviating water loss and facilitating navigation. While mainly preferring migrating at low altitude, notably in combination with low air temperature, the birds also preferred flying with wind support to likely reduce flight costs. They avoided clouds, perhaps to help navigation or to reduce the risks from adverse weather. Conclusions We conclude that the primary determinant of avian migrant’s flight altitude selection is a preference for low altitude, with wind support as an important secondary factor. Our approach and findings can assist in predicting climate change effects on migration and in mitigating bird strikes with air traffic, wind farms, power lines, and other human-made structures.

BackgroundResearch findings have revealed that combining anti-angiogenesis inhibitors with programmed death-1(PD-1) inhibitors can reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and enhance the antitumor immune response. To explore the therapeutic options for breaking immune tolerance in microsatellite stability (MSS) or mismatch repair-proficiency (pMMR) advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), we assessed the efficacy, safety and predictors of the fruquintinib and PD-1 inhibitors combination in patients with MSS/pMMR advanced CRC in a real-world environment.MethodsWe conducted a single-center retrospective study by collecting relevant data on patients with MSS/pMMR advanced CRC who received fruquintinib coupled with PD-1 inhibitors in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between August 2019 and November 2021, focusing on progression-free survival.ResultsWe enrolled 110 eligible patients in this study between August 2019 and November 2021. At the deadline (January 20, 2022), 13 patients had objective responses. The objective response rate was 11.8% (13/110, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.4-18.2), the disease control rate was 70.0% (82/110, 95% CI: 60.9-78.2), and the progression-free survival was 5.4 months (95% CI: 4.0-6.8). Liver metastases (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.594, 95% CI: 0.363-0.973, P160U/L) (HR: 0.478, 95%CI: 0.241-0.948, P4g/L) (HR: 0.517, 95% CI: 0.313-0.855, P

Tellurium (Te) nanomaterials (NMs) have emerged as a new antibacterial candidate to respond to the complex global health challenge of bacterial resistance. Herein, Te nanoneedles (NNs) that act both chemically and physically on bacteria are synthesized by a facile method using Na2TeO3, urea and glucose. It is found that the prepared Te NNs have a strong affinity to the cell membrane of bacteria and subsequently promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacteria, resulting in an excellent antibacterial effect toward Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative). What's more, this needle-like morphology also can physically damage the bacterial cell membranes. The Te NNs per se are inert in mammalian cells to produce ROS at a proper concentration, indicating considerable biocompatibility of this material. As a proof-of-concept, the antibacterial Te NNs were used as an anti-inflammatory reagent for promoting bacteria-infected wound healing in vivo, during which Te NNs caused no evident side effects to major organs in mice. Additionally, the antibacterial activity is maintained in the presence of surface oxidation of Te NNs after long-term dispersion in phosphate buffered saline solution. The needle-like Te NMs with long-term antibacterial stability and good biocompatibility have great potential for the treatment of associated infectious diseases.

The comprehensive utilization of low-grade diatomite resources and the effective treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater have attracted widespread attention. The combined scrubbing-magnetic separation-acid leaching-roasting process was used to increase the SiO2 content from 59.22% to 86.93%, reduce the Al2O3 content from 18.32% to 6.75%, and reduce the Fe2O3 content from 6.85% to 1.24% in the low-grade diatomite from Heilongjiang, China. The TiO2/g-C3N4/diatomite nanocomposite was prepared by a facile ultrasonic-thermal polymerization method. In this ternary structure, diatomite skeleton effectively increased the surface area with abundant adsorption sites, prevented g-C3N4 from restacking, and facilitated the separation of electrons and holes via the formation of TiO2/g-C3N4 heterojunctions. The degradation rate was 98.77%, 90.59%, and 89.16% for the three catalytic reaction cycles of the MB solution, respectively. The composite showed a high degradation rate of the MB solution after three cycles, which indicated that the composite had good recyclability. Through the free radical capture test, it was elucidated that O2−·, h+, and ·OH all played a role in the photocatalytic reaction of the TiO2/g-C3N4/diatomite to the MB solution, in which O2−· was mainly responsible for the photocatalytic oxidation mechanism, and the reaction kinetics were further investigated. This nanostructured TiO2/g-C3N4/diatomite composite has fascinating visible light catalytic activity and excellent stability.

Abstract Many birds wintering in the Indian subcontinent fly across the Himalayas during migration, including Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus), Demoiselle Cranes (Anthropoides virgo) and Ruddy Shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea). However, little is known about whether shorebirds migrate across the Himalayas from wintering grounds beyond the Indian subcontinent. Using geolocators and satellite tracking devices, we demonstrate for the first time that Common Redshanks (Tringa totanus) and Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) wintering in Singapore can directly fly over the Himalayas to reach breeding grounds in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and north-central Russia respectively. The results also show that migratory shorebirds wintering in Southeast Asia can use both the Central Asian Flyway and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. For Redshanks, westerly-breeding birds crossed the Himalayas while more easterly breeders on the Plateau migrated east of the Himalayas. For Whimbrels, an individual that crossed the Himalayas was probably from a breeding population that was different from the others that migrated along the coast up the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The minimum required altitude of routes of trans-Himalayan Redshanks were no higher on average than those of eastern migrants, but geolocator temperature data indicate that birds departing Singapore flew at high elevations even when not required to by topography, suggesting that the Himalayan mountain range may be less of a barrier than assumed.

Abstract Background Conserving migratory birds is challenging due to their reliance on multiple distant sites at different stages of their annual life cycle. The concept of “flyway”, which refers to all areas covered by the breeding, nonbreeding, and migrating of birds, provides a framework for international cooperation for conservation. In the same flyway, however, the migratory activities of the same species can differ substantially between seasons and populations. Clarifying the seasonal and population differences in migration is helpful for understanding migration ecology and for identifying conservation gaps. Methods Using satellite-tracking we tracked the migration of Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus variegatus) from nonbreeding sites at Moreton Bay (MB) and Roebuck Bay (RB) in Australia in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Mantel tests were used to analyze the strength of migration connectivity between the nonbreeding and breeding sites of MB and RB populations. Welch’s t test was used to compare the migration activities between the two populations and between northward and southward migration. Results During northward migration, migration distance and duration were longer for the MB population than for the RB population. The distance and duration of the first leg flight during northward migration were longer for the MB population than for the RB population, suggesting that MB individuals deposited more fuel before departing from nonbreeding sites to support their longer nonstop flight. The RB population exhibited weaker migration connectivity (breeding sites dispersing over a range of 60 longitudes) than the MB population (breeding sites concentrating in a range of 5 longitudes in Far Eastern Russia). Compared with MB population, RB population was more dependent on the stopover sites in the Yellow Sea and the coastal regions in China, where tidal habitat has suffered dramatic loss. However, RB population increased while MB population decreased over the past decades, suggesting that loss of tidal habitat at stopover sites had less impact on the Whimbrel populations, which can use diverse habitat types. Different trends between the populations might be due to the different degrees of hunting pressure in their breeding grounds. Conclusions This study highlights that conservation measures can be improved by understanding the full annual life cycle of movements of multiple populations of Whimbrels and probably other migratory birds.

Determining the migration routes and connections of migratory birds at the population level helps clarify intraspecific differences in migration. Five subspecies have been recognized in the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) in Eurasia. Ssp. rogachevae is the most recently described subspecies. It breeds in Central Siberia, while its non-breeding region and migration routes are still unclear. We tracked the migration of Eurasian Whimbrels captured at three non-breeding sites (Moreton Bay in east coast of Australia, Roebuck Bay in Northwest Australia and Sungei Buloh Wetland in Singapore) and two migration stopover sites (Chongming Dongtan and Mai Po Wetland in China). We determined the breeding sites and inferred the subspecies of the tagged birds in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway (EAAF) based on the known breeding distribution of each subspecies. Of the 30 tagged birds, 6 and 21 birds bred in the breeding range of ssp. rogachevae and variegatus, respectively; one bred in the presumed transition area between the breeding range of ssp. phaeopus and rogachevae, and two bred in the region between the breeding range of ssp. rogachevae and variegatus. The birds that bred in the ssp. rogachevae breeding range spent their non-breeding season in the northern Sumatra, Singapore, East Java and Northwest Australia and mainly stopped over along China's coasts during migration. None of our birds bred in the exclusive breeding range of the phaeopus subspecies. Previous studies have predicted that rogachevae whimbrels migrate along the Central Asian Flyway and spend the non-breeding season in West India and East Africa. We found that at least some rogachevae whimbrels migrate along the EAAF and spend the non-breeding season in Southeast Asia and Australia. The ssp. phaeopus is at best sparsely distributed in the EAAF in the west region, or possibly does not occur at all.

Abstract Migratory connectivity describes the extent to which migratory species' populations are connected throughout the annual cycle. While recognized as critical for understanding the population dynamics of migratory species and conserving them, empirical evidence of links between migratory connectivity and population dynamics are uncommon. We analyzed associations between spatiotemporal connectivity and differential population trends in a declining and endangered migratory shorebird, the far eastern curlew (Numenius madagascariensis), with multiyear tracking data from across the Australian nonbreeding grounds. We found evidence of temporal and spatial segregation during migration and breeding: curlew from southeast Australia initiated northward migration earlier, arrived at breeding sites earlier, and bred at lower latitudes than curlew from northwest Australia. Analysis of land modification intensity revealed that populations from southeast Australia face greater human impacts compared to those from northwest Australia at both the breeding and nonbreeding grounds, a pattern that aligns with steeper population declines in southeast Australia. This alignment between migratory connectivity, human impacts, and differential population change highlights the importance of a full annual cycle approach to conservation that includes mitigating threats on the breeding grounds and better protecting nonbreeding habitats in Australia where far eastern curlew spend over half of each year.

Bmpr2 plays a central role in the regulation of reproductive development in mammals, but its role during ovarian development in fish is still unclear. To ascertain the function of bmpr2 in ovarian development in the ricefield eel, we isolated and characterized the bmpr2 cDNA sequence; the localization of Bmpr2 protein was determined by immunohistochemical staining; and the expression patterns of bmpr2 in ovarian tissue incubated with FSH and hCG in vitro were analyzed. The full-length bmpr2 cDNA was 3311 bp, with 1061 amino acids encoded. Compared to other tissues, bmpr2 was abundantly expressed in the ovary and highly expressed in the early yolk accumulation (EV) stages of the ovary. In addition, a positive signal for Bmpr2 was detected in the cytoplasm of oocytes in primary growth (PG) and EV stages. In vitro, the expression level of gdf9, the ligand of bmpr2, in the 10 ng/mL FSH treatment group was significantly higher after incubation for 4 h than after incubation for different durations. However, bmpr2 expression in the 10 ng/mL FSH treatment group at 2 h, 4 h and 10 h was significantly lower. Importantly, the expression level of bmpr2 and gdf9 in the 100 IU/mL hCG group had similar changes that were significantly decreased at 4 h and 10 h. In summary, Bmpr2 might play a pivotal role in ovarian growth in the ricefield eel, and these results provide a better understanding of the function of bmpr2 in ovarian development and the basic data for further exploration of the regulatory mechanism of gdf9 in oocyte development.

To understand the characteristics of the fish community structure and biomass particle-size spectrum in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, fish and environmental surveys were conducted in 21 segments of the upper reaches of the Jinsha River in September 2019 and June 2020. A total of 4062 fish belonging to 2 orders, 5 families, 18 genera, and 28 species were collected. Among them, Cyprinidae fish were the most abundant (14 species), accounting for 50.00%. The Shannon index and Pielou evenness index values varied from 0.402–1.770 and 0.254–0.680, respectively. The dominant species of fish were Triplophysa stenura, Schizothorax wangchiachii, and Schizopygopsis malacanthus. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to analyse the relationship between the fish community and environmental factors. Velocity, altitude, and dissolved oxygen were the main influencing factors of fish community structure differences in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River. The abundance/biomass curves showed that the fish communities in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River were moderately or severely disturbed. The standardized biomass particle-size spectrum of fish showed that the degree of disturbance of fish in tributaries was much lower than that in the main stream. Compared with the historical data, the fish community structure in the Jinsha River has changed significantly, with the number of exotic species increasing, and the individual fish showing miniaturization and younger ages. It is suggested that habitat conservation strategies be adopted in the upper tributaries of the Jinsha River to provide a reference for the restoration of fishery resources and the conservation of fish diversity in the Yangtze River.

Low-expansion alloys are of great importance and can be used for the development of new aerospace materials. Herein, we report diverse rare earth quasicrystal alloys fabricated by the vacuum suction casting process. The effects of the addition of cerium (Ce) on the microstructure, thermal expansion properties and microhardness of the Al-Cu-Fe alloy were systematically investigated. This study discovered the tiny Al-Cu-Fe-Ce microstructure. A uniform distribution could be achieved after Ce addition amount is elevated. At the Ce addition amount of 1 at%, the lowest alloy thermal expansion coefficient was obtained. The alloy exhibited the maximum microhardness under these conditions. The microhardness of alloys containing 1 at% of Ce was approximately 2.4 times higher than the microhardness exhibited by alloys devoid of Ce additives. The coefficient of thermal expansion decreases by approximately 20%. The use of the suction casting process and the addition of an appropriate amount of Ce can potentially help design and develop Al-Cu-Fe-Ce alloys.

Apoptosis plays a key role in the effective removal of excessive and defective germ cells, which is essential for sequential hermaphroditism and sex change in vertebrates. The ricefield eel, Monopterus albus is a protogynous hermaphroditic fish that undergoes a sequential sex change from female to male. Previous studies have demonstrated that apoptosis is involved in sex change in M. albus. However, the apoptotic signaling pathway is unclear. In the current study, we explored the underlying mechanism of apoptosis during gonadal development and focused on the role of the mitochondrial apoptosis signaling pathway in sex change in M. albus. Flow cytometry was performed to detect apoptosis in gonads at five sexual stages and ovary tissues exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in vitro. Then the expression patterns of key genes and proteins in the mitochondrial pathway, death receptor pathway and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) pathway were examined. The results showed that the apoptosis rate was significantly increased in the early intersexual stage and then decreased with the natural sex change from female to male. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that bax, tnfr1, and calpain were mainly expressed in the five stages. ELISA demonstrated that the relative content of cytochrome-c (cyt-c) in the mitochondrial pathway was significantly higher than that of caspase8 and caspase12, with a peak in the early intersexual stage, while the levels of caspase8 and caspase12 peaked in the late intersexual stage. Interestingly, the Pearson’s coefficient between cyt-c and the apoptosis rate was 0.705, which suggests that these factors are closely related during the gonadal development of M. albus. Furthermore, the cyt-c signal was found to be increased in the intersexual stage by immunohistochemistry. After incubation with H2O2, the mRNA expression of mitochondrial pathway molecules such as bax, apaf-1, and caspase3 increased in ovary tissues. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway may play a more important role than the other apoptotic pathways in sex change in M. albus.

The proteins P53 and Mdm2 (murine double minute 2) play a prominent role in preventing the induction of uncontrolled apoptosis in numerous cell types. To better understand their potential roles during gonadal development in Monopterus albus, p53 and mdm2 homologues were isolated and characterized, and their mRNA expression patterns in developing gonadal and ovarian tissue incubated with H2O2 in vitro were analysed. The open reading frames (ORFs) of p53 and mdm2 consisted of 1125 and 1497 base pairs (bp), respectively. A multiple amino acid residue alignment analysis showed that p53 and Mdm2 harboured the typical conserved domains of their gene families. Phylogenetic analysis also demonstrated that the Mdm2 of M. albus exhibited high sequence similarity with Lates calcarifer; however, the p53 sequences of the Neoteleostei, including M. albus, were distinct from those of the Euteleostei and other vertebrates. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that p53 and mdm2 were mainly expressed in the ovary; their expression was significantly increased in the previtellogenic stage, was maintained at the increased level thereafter, showed a second increase in the early intersexual stage, and then decreased with the natural sex change from female to male. After incubation with H2O2, the expression patterns of p53 and mdm2 in ovarian fragments were similar to that of the apoptotic molecular marker caspase3, showing a significant increase at 1 h post incubation (hpi), a decrease after 2 hpi, and then a return to significantly upregulated levels at 4 hpi and 8 hpi. In addition, p53, mdm2 and caspase3 were strongly correlated. These results will be useful for further studies on the function and regulation of p53 and Mdm2 during gonadal development in Monopterus albus, particularly in the ovary.

Schizothorax kozlovi Nikolsky is a unique cold−water fish in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China and has high economic value. In our study, genetic diversity and population structure analyses were performed on seven wild populations (originating from the Jinsha River, Yalong River, and Wujiang River) in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River by genotyping by sequencing (GBS). The results indicated that a total of 303,970 single−nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the seven wild populations. Lower genetic diversity was exhibited among the intrapopulations of the three tributaries, and the Wujiang River population had significant genetic differentiation when compared to the Jinsha River and Yalong River populations. Furthermore, the selected SNPs were enriched in cellular processes, environmental adaptation, signal transduction, and related metabolic processes between the Wujiang population and the other two populations. The above results indicate that the populations of S. kozlovi have different degrees of tolerance and selection pressure in response to temperature and altitude. The Wujiang intrapopulation has greater genetic diversity and differentiation than the Jinsha River and Yalong River populations, which demonstrates that the Jinsha and Yalong populations require more attention and resources for their protection. The results of this study will increase our understanding of the diversity of S. kozlovi in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and provide a basis for the conservation and utilization of wild resources.

Natural zeolite was modified using metal ions, including magnesium(II), aluminum(III) and titanium(IV). The modified zeolite was then used as an adsorbent for the investigation of the adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamic parameters of fluoride ions in wastewater at various pHs and temperatures. The kinetics and thermodynamics for the removal of the fluoride ions onto the modified zeolite have also been investigated. The fluoride ion adsorption capacity of the three types of modified zeolites exhibited an increase, then decrease, with rising pH. The fluoride adsorption capacity of the modified zeolites decreased with an increase in temperature. The pseudo-second-order model is more suitable for describing the adsorption kinetic data than the pseudo-first-order model for modified zeolite and the adsorption process of the fluoride ions reveals pseudo-second-order kinetic behavior, respectively. It was found that the adsorption equilibrium data fit the Freundlich isothermal equation better than that of the Langmuir isothermal and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isothermal equations. Thermodynamic analysis suggests that the negative values of ΔG0 and ΔH0 further indicate that the fluoride adsorption process is both spontaneous and exothermic. The results of competitive adsorption tests suggest that the modified metal zeolite materials adsorb fluoride ions with high selectivity.

Reed marshes are vital habitats for many species of birds, some of which are wholly or largely dependent on this habitat. Reed harvesting in winter is a common practice for increasing economic benefits, but it also promotes reed growth and maintains reed marsh landscapes by removing dry reed stalks. Different reed cutting intervals create different habitat conditions and thus lead to differences in habitat use by marsh birds. Although many studies have reported birds and their habitat conditions in reed marshes with different cutting schemes in Europe, few studies have been conducted in Asia, where reed marshes are widely distributed. Here, we conducted a one-year survey (from March 2019 to February 2020) on birds and their habitat conditions (vegetation and food) in reed marshes with three cutting intervals: age 1 (cutting every year), age 2 (cutting with one-year interval), and uncut (uncut for four years), at Chongming Dongtan, an estuarine wetland on China’s coast. As the cutting interval increased, the growing reed density decreased, the dry reed and total reed density increased, and the food density (in terms of reed seeds, arthropods, and arthropod eggs) decreased. A total of 4627 birds of 23 species were captured by mist nets. In general, species capture rates were similar among the three habitats in the same season, and individual capture rates in uncut reed marshes were lower than those in age 1 and age 2 marshes. This was probably because the relatively low density of reed stems promoted the movement of birds to age 1 and age 2 marshes, where birds could find abundant food. In contrast to previous studies, we found that age 1 marshes provide suitable habitats for birds soon after vegetation is restored in summer. However, reed parrotbills (Paradoxornis heudei), a common reed marsh specialist, had high capture rates in uncut reed marshes in winter. This is probably because they live in dense vegetation, and dense vegetation can reduce threats from aerial predators. This study emphasizes that habitat use should be considered in reed cutting practices and that a mixture of reed marshes with different cutting intervals benefits different birds and also different requirements of the same birds over the course of the year.

Pareuchiloglanis sichuanensis is an endemic fish species in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genome of P. sichuanensis was analyzed. The mitochondrial genome, consisting of 16,774 base pairs (bp), included 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding control region. The phylogenetic tree showed that P. sichuanensis was closely related to P. anteanalis. These results provid the useful information for further studies on taxonomic status, molecular systematics, and stock evaluation.

Colorectal cancer remains as a serious global cause of morbidity and mortality. The current therapies for colorectal cancer treatment are still unsatisfactory and thus, identification of novel targets is an urgent requisite. Recent evidence has reported miRNAs are closely correlated with colorectal cancer development. miR-150 has been identified in tumor progression in various cancers. Nevertheless, its roles in colorectal cancer remain poorly known. In our study, a decreased miR-150 expression in colorectal cancer tissues and cells was observed. Meanwhile, we reported a negative correlation between miR-150 and β-catenin in colorectal cancer. β-catenin can participate in the physiological mechanism of many types of cancers. Then, miR-150 was overexpression in SW480 and HT-29 cells and it was show that miR-150 repressed SW480 and HT-29 cell viability, proliferation and colony formation capacity. Moreover, colorectal cancer cell progression was triggered by the inhibition of miR-150 via negatively regulating β-catenin. Subsequently, the direct binding correlation between miR-150 and β-catenin was demonstrated. β-catenin, c-myc and CyclinD1 level was significantly restrained by the up-regulation of miR-150 in SW480 and HT-29 cells. Finally, it was proved that miR-150 depressed colorectal cancer growth through modulating β-catenin in vivo. Overall, it was implied that miR-150 could inhibit colorectal cancer progression and serve as a tumor suppressor via inactivating β-catenin pathway.

Lightweight and flexible energy storage devices are needed to persistently power wearable devices. Here the authors employ metallized carbon fabrics as hosts for sulfur and lithium to achieve flexibility, electrochemical stability and high energy density in a lithium-sulfur battery.