Storage, patterns and influencing factors for soil organic carbon in coastal wetlands of China

Soil organic carbon (SOC) in coastal wetlands, also known as "blue C," is an essential component of the global C cycles. To gain a detailed insight into blue C storage and controlling factors, we studied 142 sites across ca. 5000 km of coastal wetlands, covering temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates in China. The wetlands represented six vegetation types (Phragmites australis, mixed of P. australis and Suaeda, single Suaeda, Spartina alterniflora, mangrove [Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina], tidal flat) and three vegetation types invaded by S. alterniflora (P. australis, K. obovata, A. marina). Our results revealed large spatial heterogeneity in SOC density of the top 1-m ranging 40-200 Mg C ha^-1 , with higher values in mid-latitude regions (25-30° N) compared with those in both low- (20°N) and high-latitude (38-40°N) regions. Vegetation type influenced SOC density, with P. australis and S. alterniflora having the largest SOC density, followed by mangrove, mixed P. australis and Suaeda, single Suaeda and tidal flat. SOC density increased by 6.25 Mg ha^-1 following S. alterniflora invasion into P. australis community but decreased by 28.56 and 8.17 Mg ha^-1 following invasion into K. obovata and A. marina communities. Based on field measurements and published literature, we calculated a total inventory of 57 × 10⁶  Mg C in the top 1-m soil across China's coastal wetlands. Edaphic variables controlled SOC content, with soil chemical properties explaining the largest variance in SOC content. Climate did not control SOC content but had a strong interactive effect with edaphic variables. Plant biomass and quality traits were a minor contributor in regulating SOC content, highlighting the importance of quantity and quality of OC inputs and the balance between production and degradation within the coastal wetlands. These findings provide new insights into blue C stabilization mechanisms and sequestration capacity in coastal wetlands.

The adsorption mechanisms of oriental plane tree biochar toward bisphenol S: A combined thermodynamic evidence, spectroscopic analysis and theoretical calculations

Garden pruning waste is becoming a problem that intensifies the garbage siege. It is of great significance to purify polluted water using biochar prepared from garden pruning waste. Herein, the interaction mechanism between BPS and oriental plane tree biochar (TBC) with different surface functional groups was investigated by adsorption experiments, spectroscopic analysis and theoretical calculations. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm of BPS on TBC can be satisfactorily fitted into pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir models, respectively. A rapid adsorption kinetic toward BPS was achieved by TBC in 15 min. As compared with TBC prepared at low temperature (300 °C) (LTBC), the maximum adsorption capacity of TBC prepared at high temperature (600 °C) (HTBC) can be significantly improved from 46.7 mg g^-1 to 72.9 mg g^-1. Besides, the microstructure and surface functional groups of HTBC were characterized using SEM, BET-N_2, and XPS analysis. According to density functional theory (DFT) theoretical calculations, the higher adsorption energy of HTBC for BPS was mainly attributed to π-π interaction rather than hydrogen bonding, which was further supported by the analysis of FTIR and Raman spectra as well as the adsorption thermodynamic parameters. These findings suggested that by improving π-π interaction through high pyrolysis temperature, BPS could be removed and adsorbed by biochar with high efficacy, cost-efficiency, easy availability, and carbon-negative in nature, contributing to global carbon neutrality.

Use of whole-cell bioreporters to assess bioavailability of contaminants in aquatic systems

Water contamination has become increasingly a critical global environmental issue that threatens human and ecosystems’ health. Monitoring and risk assessment of toxic pollutants in water bodies is essential to identifying water pollution treatment needs. Compared with the traditional monitoring approaches, environmental biosensing via whole-cell bioreporters (WCBs) has exhibited excellent capabilities for detecting bioavailability of multiple pollutants by providing a fast, simple, versatile and economical way for environmental risk assessment. The performance of WCBs is determined by its elements of construction, such as host strain, regulatory and reporter genes, as well as experimental conditions. Previously, numerous studies have focused on the design and construction of WCB rather than improving the detection process and commercialization of this technology. For investigators working in the environmental field, WCB can be used to detect pollutants is more important than how they are constructed. This work provides a review of the development of WCBs and a brief introduction to genetic construction strategies and aims to summarize key studies on the application of WCB technology in detection of water contaminants, including organic pollutants and heavy metals. In addition, the current status of commercialization of WCBs is highlighted.

Recovery of phosphorus from wastewater: A review based on current phosphorous removal technologies

Phosphorus (P) as an essential nutrient for life sustains the productivity of food systems; yet misdirected P often accumulates in wastewater and triggers water eutrophication if not properly treated. Although technologies have been developed to remove P, little attention has been paid to the recovery of P from wastewater. This work provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art P removal technologies in the science of wastewater treatment. Our analyses focus on the mechanisms, removal efficiencies, and recovery potential of four typical water and wastewater treatment processes including precipitation, biological treatment, membrane separation, and adsorption. The design principles, feasibility, operation parameters, and pros & cons of these technologies are analyzed and compared. Perspectives and future research of P removal and recovery are also proposed in the context of paradigm shift to sustainable water treatment technology.

Ultrafast Optical Probe of Coherent Acoustic Phonons in Dirac Semimetal Cd3As2 Film Epitaxied on GaAs(111)B Substrate

Coherent longitudinal acoustic phonon (CAP) generation in epitaxial Dirac semimetal Cd₃As₂ films with different thicknesses was investigated by a time-resolved reflectance technique. The short-lived weak CAP oscillations can be observed only in the thicker Cd₃As₂ films, and their central frequency of 0.039 THz has no dependence on sample thickness, but is nearly inversely proportional to the probe wavelength. For the 20 nm thin film, the observed long-lived CAP with a central frequency of 0.049 THz is generated in the GaAs(111)B substrate underneath. A sound velocity of 3800 m/s for the Cd₃As₂ film and 5360 m/s for the GaAs(111)B substrate is thus deduced. In addition, the opposite CAP amplitude and lifetime dependence on temperature further confirms the electronic and thermal stress origination of CAP generated in GaAs(111)B and Cd₃As₂ film, respectively, based on the propagating strain pulse model. The central frequency of CAP is found to be stable with increasing pumping fluence and temperature, which makes Cd₃As₂ a potential material for thermoelectric device applications.

Hepatic metabolite responses to 4-day complete fasting and subsequent refeeding in rats

Background

Fasting has been widely used to improve various metabolic diseases in humans. Adaptive fasting is necessary for metabolic adaptation during prolonged fasting, which could overcome the great advantages of short-term fasting. The liver is the main organ responsible for energy metabolism and metabolic homeostasis. To date, we lack literature that describes the physiologically relevant adaptations of the liver during prolonged fasting and refeeding. For that reason, this study aims to evaluate the response of the liver of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to prolonged fasting and refeeding.

Methods

Sixty-six male SD rats were divided into the fasting groups, which were fasted for 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, or 96 h, and the refeeding groups, which were refed for 1, 3, or 6 days after 96 h of fasting. Serum glucose, TG, FFA, β-hydroxybutyrate, insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin and FGF21 levels were assessed. The glucose content, PEPCK activity, TG concentration and FFA content were measured in liver tissue, and the expression of genes involved in gluconeogenesis (PEPCK and G6Pase), ketogenesis (PPARα, CPT-1a and HMGCS2) and the protein expression of nutrient-sensing signaling molecules (AMPK, mTOR and SIRT1) were determined by RT-qPCR and western blotting, respectively.

Results

Fasting significantly decreased the body weight, which was totally recovered to baseline after 3 days of refeeding. A 4-day fast triggered an energy metabolic substrate shift from glucose to ketones and caused serum hormone changes and changes in the protein expression levels of nutrient-sensing signaling molecules. Glycogenolysis served as the primary fuel source during the first 24 h of fasting, while gluconeogenesis supplied the most glucose thereafter. Serum FFA concentrations increased significantly with 48 h of fasting. Serum FFAs partly caused high serum β-hydroxybutyrate levels, which became an important energy source with the prolongation of the fasting duration. One day of refeeding quickly reversed the energy substrate switch. Nutrient-sensing signaling molecules (AMPK and SIRT1 but not mTOR signaling) were highly expressed at the beginning of fasting (in the first 4 h). Serum insulin and leptin decreased with fasting initiation, and serum glucagon increased, but adiponectin and FGF21 showed no significant changes. Herein, we depicted in detail the timing of the metabolic response and adaptation of the liver to a 4-day water-only fast and subsequent refeeding in rats, which provides helpful support for the design of safe prolonged and intermittent fasting regimens.

Mobilization of contaminants: Potential for soil remediation and unintended consequences

Land treatment has become an essential waste management practice. Therefore, soil becomes a major source of contaminants including organic chemicals and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) which enter the food chain, primarily through leaching to potable water sources, plant uptake, and animal transfer. A range of soil amendments are used to manage the mobility of contaminants and subsequently their bioavailability. Various soil amendments, like desorbing agents, surfactants, and chelating agents, have been applied to increase contaminant mobility and bioavailability. These mobilizing agents are applied to increase the contaminant removal though phytoremediation, bioremediation, and soil washing. However, possible leaching of the mobilized pollutants during soil washing is a major limitation, particularly when there is no active plant uptake. This leads to groundwater contamination and toxicity to plants and soil biota. In this context, the present review provides an overview on various soil amendments used to enhance the bioavailability and mobility of organic and inorganic contaminants, thereby facilitating increased risk when soil is remediated in polluted areas. The unintended consequences of the mobilization methods, when used to remediate polluted sites, are discussed in relation to the leaching of mobilized contaminants when active plant growth is absent. The toxicity of targeted and non-targeted contaminants to microbial communities and higher plants is also discussed. Finally, this review work summarizes the existing research gaps in various contaminant mobilization approaches, and prospects for future research.

Environmental implications, potential value, and future of food-waste anaerobic digestate management: A review

Globally, the valorisation of food waste into digestate through the process of anaerobic digestion is becoming increasingly popular. As a result, a large amount of food-waste digestate will need to be properly utilised. The utilisation of anaerobic digestion for fertiliser and alternative uses is essential to obtain a circular bioeconomy. The review aims to examine the environmental management of food-waste digestate, the value of digestate as a fertiliser and soil conditioner, and the emerging uses and improvements for post-anaerobic digestion reuse of digestate. Odour emissions, contaminants in food waste, emission and leaching of nutrients into the environment, and the regulations, policies, and voluntary initiatives of anaerobic digestion are evaluated in the review. Food-waste digestate can provide essential nutrients, carbon, and bio-stimulants to soils and increase yield. Recently, promising research has shown that digestates can be used in hydroponic systems and potentially replace the use of synthetic fertilisers. The integration of anaerobic digestion with emerging uses, such as extraction of value-added products, algae cultivation, biochar and hydrochar production, can further reduce inhibitory sources of digestate and provide additional economic opportunities for businesses. Moreover, the end-product digestate from these technologies can also be more suitable for use in soil application and hydroponic use.

Comparison of Pb and Cd in wheat grains under air-soil-wheat system near lead-zinc smelters and total suspended particulate introduced modeling attempt

The excessive accumulation of wheat grain metals and metalloids caused by ambient air contamination has drawn an increasing concern. However, at present, the differences in the pathways of cadmium and lead accumulation in wheat grains in an air-soil-wheat system are not clear. In this study, wheat was grown around a lead‑zinc smelting area and exposed to different soil Pb and Cd levels and different ambient air Pb and Cd levels. Lead and Cd accumulation in wheat grains was examined in this study. Two models of wheat grain Pb and Cd concentrations were established based on the 3 variables including soil Pb and Cd concentration, ambient air Pb and Cd concentration, and soil pH. The results showed that total suspended particulate (TSP), soil, and wheat grains exhibited different degrees of Pb and Cd contamination in the study area, and the contamination of Cd is more serious than Pb contamination. The Pb in wheat grains was more likely to derive from ambient air than from soil, whereas the impact of ambient air on the accumulation of Cd in wheat grains might be very limited. This speculation was confirmed by the results of the predictor variable relative weight method based on the multiple regression analysis. Introduction of ambient air factor (TSP Pb and Cd) greatly improved the modeling effect of wheat grains Pb, while the modeling of grain Cd was more dependent on soil pH and total soil Cd. This research suggests that the reduction in wheat grain Pb is likely to be achieved by the control over ambient air Pb, whereas the reduction in the wheat grain Cd by the remediation of soil pollutants.

Two-Dimensional Porphyrin-Based Covalent Organic Framework with Enlarged Inter-layer Spacing for Tunable Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Two-dimensional (2D) porphyrin-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are one of the most promising candidates for photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), which however still suffer from the hindered mass transfer during the catalysis procedure associated with the close packing of 2D COF layers due to the strong axial π-π stacking. Herein, condensation between the porphyrinic aldehydes p-MPor-CHO (M = H₂, Co, and Ni) and 3,8-diamino-6-phenyl-phenanthridine (DPP) affords new porphyrin-based 2D COF architecture MPor-DPP-COFs (M = H₂, Co, and Ni). The bulky phenyl substituent at the phenanthridine periphery of the linking unit reduces the axial π-π stacking, providing an enlarged inter-layer spacing of 6.0 Å according to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. This, in combination with the large surface area (1021 m² g^-1) revealed by nitrogen sorption measurements at 77 K for CoPor-DPP-COF possessing electroactive Co ions, endows it with excellent photocatalytic activity for CO₂RR with a CO generation rate of 10 200 μmol g^-1 h^-1 and a CO selectivity up to 82%. This work affords new ideas for achieving efficient photocatalytic CO₂RR upon fine-tuning the inter-layer spacing of 2D COFs.

Wide field imaging of van der Waals ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 by spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride

Emergent color centers with accessible spins hosted by van der Waals materials have attracted substantial interest in recent years due to their significant potential for implementing transformative quantum sensing technologies. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is naturally relevant in this context due to its remarkable ease of integration into devices consisting of low-dimensional materials. Taking advantage of boron vacancy spin defects in hBN, we report nanoscale quantum imaging of low-dimensional ferromagnetism sustained in Fe₃GeTe₂/hBN van der Waals heterostructures. Exploiting spin relaxometry methods, we have further observed spatially varying magnetic fluctuations in the exfoliated Fe₃GeTe₂ flake, whose magnitude reaches a peak value around the Curie temperature. Our results demonstrate the capability of spin defects in hBN of investigating local magnetic properties of layered materials in an accessible and precise way, which can be extended readily to a broad range of miniaturized van der Waals heterostructure systems.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been used extensively to encapsulate other van der Waals materials, protecting them from environmental degradation, and allowing integration into more complex heterostructures. Here, the authors make use of boron vacancy spin defects in h-BN using them to image the magnetic properties of a Fe₃GeTe₂ flake.

Conjugated Three-Dimensional High-Connected Covalent Organic Frameworks for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Developing conjugated three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) still remains an extremely difficult task due to the lack of enough conjugated 3D building blocks. Herein, condensation between an 8-connected pentiptycene-based D_2h building block (DMOPTP) and 4-connected square-planar linkers affords two 3D COFs (named 3D-scu-COF-1 and 3D-scu-COF-2). A combination of the 3D homoaromatic conjugated structure of the former building block with the 2D conjugated structure of the latter linking units enables the π-electron delocalization over the whole frameworks of both COFs, endowing them with excellent conductivities of 3.2-3.5 × 10^-5 S cm^-1. In particular, the 3D rigid quadrangular prism shape of DMOPTP guides the formation of a twofold interpenetrated scu 3D topology and high-connected permanent porosity with a large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 2340 and 1602 m² g^-1 for 3D-scu-COF-1 and 3D-scu-COF-2, respectively, ensuring effective small molecule storage and mass transport characteristics. This, in combination with their good charge transport properties, renders them promising sulfur host materials for lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) with high capacities (1035-1155 mA h g^-1 at 0.2 C, 1 C = 1675 mA g^-1), excellent rate capabilities (713-757 mA h g^-1 at 5.0 C), and superior cycling stability (71-83% capacity retention at 2.0 C after 500 cycles), surpassing the most of organic LSB cathodes reported thus far.

Hydroxyapatite tailored hierarchical porous biochar composite immobilized Cd(II) and Pb(II) and mitigated their hazardous effects in contaminated water and soil

A novel composite of hydroxyapatite tailored hierarchical porous biochar (HA-HPB) was synthesized and used for the adsorptive immobilization of Cd(II) and Pb(II) in water and soil. The hierarchical porous biochar (HPB) was prepared from rice husk through a molten-salt-assisted pyrolysis approach; then, a series of HA-HPB (with 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 g of HPB) was prepared with co-precipitation procedure. All HA-HPBs, particularly HA-3HPB, revealed significantly higher removal efficiency of Cd(II) and Pb(II) (≥99.5%) in water than pristine biochar (5.79 - 24.12%). The immobilization efficiency of HA-3HPB for Cd(II) and Pb(II) was slightly inhibited by the ionic strength and co-existing cations. The Langmuir adsorption capacities of Cd(II) and Pb(II) were 88.1 and 110.2 mg/g, respectively. Ion exchange, complexation, cation-π interaction, and precipitation were the key mechanisms involved in the immobilization of Cd(II) and Pb(II) using HA-3HPB. The HA-3HPB reduced the availability of soil Cd (63.5 - 87.8%) and Pb (64.6 - 92.9%) compared to the unamended soil, and thus reduced their content in the Chinese cabbage shoots by 69.3 -95.4% for Cd and 66.5 -97.2% for Pb. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of HA-HPB for remediation of Cd(II) and Pb(II) contaminated water and soil and mitigating the potential risks.

Dynamic switching of crotonylation to ubiquitination of H2A at lysine 119 attenuates transcription-replication conflicts caused by replication stress

The reversible post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins plays an important role in many cellular processes. Lysine crotonylation (Kcr) is a newly identified PTM, but its functional significance remains unclear. Here, we found that Kcr is involved in the replication stress response. We show that crotonylation of histone H2A at lysine 119 (H2AK119) and ubiquitination of H2AK119 are reversibly regulated by replication stress. Decrotonylation of H2AK119 by SIRT1 is a prerequisite for subsequent ubiquitination of H2AK119 by BMI1. Accumulation of ubiquitinated H2AK119 at reversed replication forks leads to the release of RNA Polymerase II and transcription repression in the vicinity of stalled replication forks. These effects attenuate transcription–replication conflicts (TRCs) and TRC-associated R-loop formation and DNA double-strand breaks. These findings suggest that decrotonylation and ubiquitination of H2A at lysine 119 act together to resolve replication stress-induced TRCs and protect genome stability.

In Situ Growth of Covalent Organic Framework Nanosheets on Graphene as the Cathode for Long-Life High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries

The poor electronic and ionic conductivities of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) severely restrict the development of COF-based electrodes for practical rechargeable batteries, therefore inspiring more research interest from the direction of both material synthesis and technology. Herein, a dual-porous COF, USTB-6, with good crystallinity and rich redox-active sites is conceived and fabricated by the polymerization of 2,3,8,9,14,15-hexa(4-formylphenyl)diquinoxalino [2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine and 2,7-diaminopyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone. In particular, the heterogeneous polymerization of the same starting materials in the presence of graphene affords uniformly dispersed COF nanosheets with a thickness of 8.3 nm on a conductive carbon substrate, effectively enhancing the electronic conductivity of the COF-based electrode. Such a graphene-supported USTB-6 nanosheets cathode when used in a lithium-ion battery exhibits a specific capacity of 285 mA h g^-1 at a current density of 0.2 C and excellent rate performance with a prominent capacity of 188 mA h g^-1 at 10 C. More importantly, a capacity of 170 mA h g^-1 is retained by using the USTB-6 nanosheets cathode after 6000 cycles charge and discharge measurement at 5 C.

Steric Effects in the Deposition Mode and Drug-Delivering Efficiency of Nanocapsule-Based Multilayer Films

Using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), block polymers with a series of quaternization degrees were coated on the surface of silica nanocapsules (SNCs) by the "grafting-from" technique. Molnupiravir, an antiviral medicine urgently approved for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, was encapsulated in polymer-coated SNCs and further incorporated into well-defined films with polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) homopolymers by layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly via electrostatic interactions. We investigated the impact of the quaternization degree of the polymers and steric hindrance of functional groups on the growth mode, swelling/deswelling transition, and drug-delivering efficiency of the obtained LBL films. The SNCs were derived from coronas of parent block polymers of matched molecular weights-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PNIPAM-b-PDMAEMA)-by quaternization with methyl sulfate. As revealed by the data results, SNCs with coronas with higher quaternization degrees resulted in a larger layering distance of the film structure because of weaker ionic pairing (due to the presence of a bulky methyl spacer) between SNCs and PSS. Interestingly, when comparing the drug release profile of the encapsulated drugs from SNC-based films, the release rate was slower in the case of capsule coronas with higher quaternization degrees because of the larger diffusion distance of the encapsulated drugs and stronger hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions between SNCs and drug molecules.

N-Doped Honeycomb-like Ag@N-Ti3C2Tx Foam for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

To solve the pollution problem of electromagnetic waves, new electromagnetic shielding materials should meet the requirements of being lightweight with high electrical conductivity. In this work, the combination of silver (Ag) nanoparticles and nitrogen doping (N-doping) was expected to tune the electromagnetic and physical properties of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene, and the Ag@N-Ti₃C₂T_x composites were fabricated through the hydrothermal reactions. The nitrogen doped (N-doped) Ag@Ti₃C₂T_x composites showed a hollow structure with a pore size of 5 μm. The influence of N-doped degrees on the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance was investigated over 8-18 GHz. Therefore, the controlled N-doping composites exhibited reflection-based EMI shielding performance due to the electrical conductivity and the special three-dimensional (3D) honeycomb-like structure. The achieved average EMI shielding values were 52.38 dB at the X-band and 72.72 dB at the K_u-band. Overall, the Ag@N-Ti₃C₂T_x foam, due to its special 3D honeycomb-like structure, not only meets the characteristics of light weight, but also exhibits ultra-high-efficiency EMI shielding performance, revealing great prospects in the application of electromagnetic wave shielding field.

PLK1-mediated phosphorylation of PPIL2 regulates HR via CtIP

Homologous recombination (HR) is an error-free DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway, which safeguards genome integrity and cell viability. Human C-terminal binding protein (CtBP)—interacting protein (CtIP) is a central regulator of the pathway which initiates the DNA end resection in HR. Ubiquitination modification of CtIP is known in some cases to control DNA resection and promote HR. However, it remains unclear how cells restrain CtIP activity in unstressed cells. We show that the ubiquitin E3 ligase PPIL2 is recruited to DNA damage sites through interactions with an HR-related protein ZNF830, implying PPIL2’s involvement in DNA repair. We found that PPIL2 interacts with and ubiquitinates CtIP at the K426 site, representing a hereunto unknown ubiquitination site. Ubiquitination of CtIP by PPIL2 suppresses HR and DNA resection. This inhibition of PPIL2 is also modulated by phosphorylation at multiple sites by PLK1, which reduces PPIL2 ubiquitination of CtIP. Our findings reveal new regulatory complexity in CtIP ubiquitination in DSB repair. We propose that the PPIL2-dependent CtIP ubiquitination prevents CtIP from interacting with DNA, thereby inhibiting HR.

Heavy Mn-doped CsPbBr3nanocrystals synthesized by high energy ball milling with high stability

CsPbX₃(X = Cl, Br, I) semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have excellent optical and photoelectric properties, and are potential core materials for various photoelectric devices. However, the toxicity of Pb and instability have been the key limitations to application of NCs. Herein, using MnBr₂and MnBr₂·4H₂O as manganese sources, heavy Mn-doped CsPbBr₃(Mn:CsPbBr₃) NCs are synthesized by high-energy ball grinding, which avoids high temperature, a large number of polar solvents and atmosphere protection required in traditional liquid phase methods. However, when MnBr₂·4H₂O is used as the raw material, infinite solid solution doping can be achieved, and the synthesized Mn:CsPbBr₃NCs show smaller particle size, stronger PL intensity and stability. The reason is that presence of crystal water plays a similar role to wet milling in the ball milling process, and can promote the passivation effect of oleylamine (OAm) on nanocrystal defects and the connection between them. In addition, a simple, easy-operating and beneficial to commercial production method for the preparation of Mn:CsPbBr₃NCs/EVA flexible films is proposed, which can effectively improve the stability of Mn:CsPbBr₃NCs. This study is expected to provide an effective way for the synthesis and stability improvement of CsPbX₃NCs doped with different ions.

Widespread Wildfires Over the Western United States in 2020 Linked to Emissions Reductions During COVID-19

Widespread wildfires struck the western United States in 2020, damaging properties and threating human lives. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, which disrupted human activities. Here, we investigate the effects of the emissions reductions during the pandemic on fire weather in 2020 over the western United States by using an earth system model together with observations. We show that reductions in aerosols dominate the increases in wildfire risks, whereas greenhouse gas decrease counteracts this influence. The aerosol emissions reductions increased surface air temperature and decreased precipitation and relative humidity due to a weakened moisture transport, which explains one-third of the observed increase in wildfire risks during August-November over the western United States in 2020. This study suggests that COVID-19-related emissions reductions have an unexpected influence on wildfires, highlighting a different but important role of human activities in affecting wildfire risks.

Formation and transformation of reactive species in the Fe2+/peroxydisulfate/Cl- system

The influence of Cl^- on the formation mechanism of active components is often neglected in the Fe²⁺/peroxydisulfate (PDS) system containing a large amount of ferryl ion reactive specie (Fe(Ⅳ)). In the current investigation, the effects of Cl^- concentration on the removal of methyl phenyl sulfoxide (PMSO), the formation of methyl phenyl sulfone (PMSO₂), the transformation of reactive species and oxidation products were investigated under different reaction conditions that included Fe²⁺ dosage, PDS dosage, and pH₀. The results showed that Cl^- complexing Fe²⁺ increased the formation path of sulfate radical (SO₄^·-) in the Fe²⁺/PDS system. Fe²⁺ dosage and pH₀ value affected the content and morphology of Fe²⁺-Cl^- complex, thus affecting the composition of reactive species. According to the experiment of free radical steady-state concentration, it was found that low concentration of Cl^- reacted with SO₄^·- and increased the steady-state concentration of chlorine radicals (8.09 × 10^-13 M [·Cl]_ss at 1.41 mM Cl^-), while at high concentration of Cl^-, the contents of SO₄^·-, hydroxyl radical (·OH) and dichloride anion radicals (Cl₂^·-) increased and the contents of Fe(Ⅳ) and ·Cl decreased. ·Cl had strong reactivity with PMSO, and PMSO and its oxidation products were chlorinated under the combined action of ·Cl and Cl₂^·-. This work reveals the reaction mechanism and environmental application risks of Fe²⁺/PDS technology and lays the groundwork for subsequent industrial application of Fe²⁺/PDS system.

Construction and Immunogenicity of a Recombinant Pseudorabies Virus Expressing SARS-CoV-2-S and SARS-CoV-2-N

Coronavirus (CoV) is an important pathogen of humans and animals, which can infect humans or animals through the respiratory mucosal route. Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is quite similar to syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) with the same receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The S and N proteins are the most important protective antigens of the SARS-CoV-2. The S protein on the viral membrane mediates the virus attachment with the host cells, and the N protein is the most abundant expression during infection. In this study, the recombinant viruses expressing the S and N proteins of SARS-CoV-2 were successfully constructed by Red/ET recombinant technology using Pseudorabies virus (PRV) strain Bartha-K61 as a vector. Genetic stability and growth kinetics analysis showed that the recombinant viruses rPRV-SARS-CoV-2-S and rPRV-SARS-CoV-2-N had similar genetic stability and proliferation characteristics to the parental PRV. The immunoassay results showed that mice immunized with recombinant viruses could produce total IgG antibodies. Therefore, PRV is feasible and promising as a viral vector to express SARS-CoV-2-S and SARS-CoV-2-N genes. This study can provide a reference for future research on live vector vaccines for domestic animals, pets, and wild animals.

[Clinical validation of the 2020 diagnostic approach for pediatric autoimmune encephalitis in a single center]

Objective: To evaluate the value of the 2020 diagnostic criteria (Cellucci criteria) for pediatric autoimmune encephalitis (AE) in children with suspected AE in a single center. Methods: The clinical data of 121 children hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2019 to October 2021, with a diagnosis of suspected AE, were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The children were divided into definite antibody-positive AE (dAPAE), probable antibody-negative AE (prANAE), possible AE (pAE) and non-AE groups according to the Chinese expert consensus and the Graus criteria. A new diagnosis was made according to the Cellucci criteria which was compared with the clinical diagnosis to evaluate the diagnostic value of the Cellucci criteria. The Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and χ² test were used to compare the differences among groups. The sensitivity and specificity were used to evaluate efficacy of the Cellucci criteria. Results: Among the 121 children, 72 were males and 49 were females, with an age of 10.3 (6.5, 14.0) years at disease onset. There were 99 cases diagnosed as AE according the clinical diagnosis (58 males and 41 females), of which 43 cases were diagnosed as dAPAE, 14 cases as prANAE and 42 cases as pAE, and the other 22 cases were not AE (14 males and 8 females). The top 2 initial symptoms in the 99 children with AE were seizures (53 cases, 53.5%) and abnormal mental behaviors (35 cases, 35.4%). And the most common symptoms during the course of the disease were abnormal mental behaviors (77 cases, 77.8%) and seizures (64 cases, 64.6%). There were statistically differences in the incidence of consciousness disorders, autonomic dysfunctions during the course of the disease and the length of hospitalization among the 4 groups (χ²=21.63, 13.74, H=22.60, all P<0.05). Ninety-six of the 121 children were tested for AE-related antibodies, of which 45 cases (46.9%) were antibody-positive. According to the Cellucci criteria, 42 cases were diagnosed as dAPAE, 34 cases as prANAE and 14 cases as pAE. Compared with the clinical diagnosis, the sensitivity of the Cellucci criteria for the diagnosis of the 3 types of AE were 93.02%, 92.86% and 87.88%, and the specificity were 96.23%, 74.39% and 86.36%, respectively. Conclusions: The Cellucci criteria has a high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of pAE and dAPAE in the clinical management of children with suspected AE, while a high sensitivity but low specificity for the diagnosis of prANAE. Therefore, it is recommended to apply the Cellucci criteria selectively in clinical practice according to the actual situation, especially in the diagnosis of prANAE.

The significance of eighteen rice genotypes on arsenic accumulation, physiological response and potential health risk

Rice is an important food crop that is susceptible to arsenic (As) contamination under paddy soil conditions depending on As uptake characteristics of the rice genotypes. Here we unveiled the significance of eighteen (fine and coarse) rice genotypes against As accumulation/tolerance, morphological and physiological response, and antioxidant enzymes-enabled defense pathways. Arsenic significantly affected rice plant morphological and physiological attributes, with relatively more impacts on fine compared to coarse genotypes. Grain, shoot, and root As uptake were lower in fine genotypes (0.002, 0.020, and 0.032 mg pot^-1 DW, respectively) than that of coarse (0.031, 0.60, and 1.2 mg pot^-1 DW, respectively). Various biochemical (pigment contents, hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation) and defense (antioxidant enzymes) plant parameters indicated that the fine genotypes, notably Kainat and Basmati-385, possessed the highest As tolerance. Arsenic-induced risk indices exhibited greater hazard quotient (up to 1.47) and carcinogenic risk (up to 0.0066) for coarse genotypes compared to the fine ones, with the greatest risk for KSK-282. This study elaborates the pivotal role of genotypic variation among rice plants in As accumulation, which is crucial for mitigating the associated human health risk. Further research is required on molecular aspects, e.g., genetic sequencing, to examine rice genotypes variation in defense mechanisms to As contamination.

Cathepsin K Deficiency Prevented Kidney Damage and Dysfunction in Response to 5/6 Nephrectomy Injury in Mice With or Without Chronic Stress

Background:

Chronic psychological stress is a risk factor for kidney disease, including kidney dysfunction and hypertension. Lysosomal CatK (cathepsin K) participates in various human pathobiologies. We investigated the role of CatK in kidney remodeling and hypertension in response to 5/6 nephrectomy injury in mice with or without chronic stress.

Methods:

Male 7-week-old WT (wild type; CatK^+/+) and CatK-deficient (CatK^−/−) mice that were or were not subjected to chronic stress underwent 5/6 nephrectomy. At 8 weeks post-stress/surgery, the stress was observed to have accelerated injury-induced glomerulosclerosis, proteinuria, and blood pressure elevation.

Results:

Compared with the nonstressed mice, the stressed mice showed increased levels of TLR (Toll-like receptor)-2/4, p22^phox, gp91^phox, CatK, MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-2/9, collagen type I and III genes, PPAR-γ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma), NLRP-3 (NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3), p21, p16, and cleaved caspase-8 proteins, podocyte foot process effacement, macrophage accumulation, apoptosis, and decreased levels of Bcl-2 (B cell lymphoma 2) and Sirt1, as well as decreased glomerular desmin expression in the kidneys. These harmful changes were retarded by the genetic or pharmacological inhibition of CatK. Consistently, CatK inhibition ameliorated 5/6 nephrectomy–related kidney injury and dysfunction. In mesangial cells, CatK silencing or overexpression, respectively, reduced or increased the PPAR-γ and cleaved caspase-8 protein levels, providing evidence and a mechanistic explanation of CatK’s involvement in PPAR-γ/caspase-8–mediated cell apoptosis in response to superoxide and stressed serum.

Conclusions:

These results demonstrate that CatK plays an essential role in kidney remodeling and hypertension in response to 5/6 nephrectomy or stress, possibly via a reduction of glomerular inflammation, apoptosis, and fibrosis, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy for controlling kidney injury in mice under chronic psychological stress conditions.

Spectroscopic investigations and density functional theory calculations reveal differences in retention mechanisms of lead and copper on chemically-modified phytolith-rich biochars

A better understanding of different retention mechanisms of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) by biochars during the remediation of contaminated sites is critically needed. In this study, different spectroscopic techniques including synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), and near-edge XAFS spectroscopy (NEXAFS), were used to investigate the spatial distributions and retention mechanisms of lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) on phytolith-rich coconut-fiber biochar (CFB), and ammonia, nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide modified CFB (MCFB) (i.e., ACFB, NCFB and HCFB). The μ-XRF analyses indicated that sorption sites on ACFB and NCFB were more efficient compared to those on CFB and HCFB to bind Pb/Cu. XAFS analyses revealed that the percentage of Pb species as Pb(C₂H₃O₂)₂ increased from 22.2% (Pb-loaded CFBs) to 47.4% and 41.9% on Pb-loaded NCFBs and HCFBs, while the percentage of Cu(OH)₂ and Cu(C₂H₃O₂)₂ increased from 5.8% to 32.8% (Cu-loaded CFBs) to 41.5% and 43.4% (Cu-loaded NCFBs), and 27.1% and 35.1% (Cu-loaded HCFBs), respectively. Due to their similar atomic structures of Pb/Cu, Pb(C₂H₃O₂)₂/Pb-loaded montmorillonite and Cu(C₂H₃O₂)₂/Cu(OH)₂ were identified as the predominant Pb/Cu species observed in Pb- and Cu-loaded MCFBs. The NEXAFS analyses of carbon confirmed that increasing amounts of carboxylic groups were formed on HCFB and NCFB by oxidizing carbon-containing functional groups, which could provide additional active binding sites for Pb/Cu retention. Results from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of nitrogen showed that azido-groups of ACFB played major roles in Pb/Cu retention, while amide-groups and pyridine-groups of NCFB primarily participated in Pb/Cu retention. Overall, density functional theory calculations suggested that silicate and the synergistic effect of hydroxyl and carboxylic-groups on MCFBs were highly efficient in Pb retention, while azido-groups and/or carboxylic-groups played major roles in Cu retention. These results provide novel insights into the PTE retention mechanisms of MCFBs.

Multifunctional SiC@SiO2 Nanofiber Aerogel with Ultrabroadband Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Traditional ceramic materials are generally brittle and not flexible with high production costs, which seriously hinders their practical applications. Multifunctional nanofiber ceramic aerogels are highly desirable for applications in extreme environments, however, the integration of multiple functions in their preparation is extremely challenging. To tackle these challenges, we fabricated a multifunctional SiC@SiO₂ nanofiber aerogel (SiC@SiO₂ NFA) with a three-dimensional (3D) porous cross-linked structure through a simple chemical vapor deposition method and subsequent heat-treatment process. The as-prepared SiC@SiO₂ NFA exhibits an ultralow density (~ 11 mg cm^- 3), ultra-elastic, fatigue-resistant and refractory performance, high temperature thermal stability, thermal insulation properties, and significant strain-dependent piezoresistive sensing behavior. Furthermore, the SiC@SiO₂ NFA shows a superior electromagnetic wave absorption performance with a minimum refection loss (RL_min) value of - 50.36 dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB_max) of 8.6 GHz. The successful preparation of this multifunctional aerogel material provides a promising prospect for the design and fabrication of the cutting-edge ceramic materials.

Quantum Imaging of Magnetic Phase Transitions and Spin Fluctuations in Intrinsic Magnetic Topological Nanoflakes

Topological materials featuring exotic band structures, unconventional current flow patterns, and emergent organizing principles offer attractive platforms for the development of next-generation transformative quantum electronic technologies. The family of MnBi₂Te₄ (Bi₂Te₃)_n materials is naturally relevant in this context due to their nontrivial band topology, tunable magnetism, and recently discovered extraordinary quantum transport behaviors. Despite numerous pioneering studies to date, the local magnetic properties of MnBi₂Te₄ (Bi₂Te₃)_n remain an open question, hindering a comprehensive understanding of their fundamental material properties. Exploiting nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond, we report nanoscale quantum imaging of the magnetic phase transitions and spin fluctuations in exfoliated MnBi₄Te₇ flakes, revealing the underlying spin transport physics and magnetic domains at the nanoscale. Our results highlight the unique advantage of NV centers in exploring the magnetic properties of emergent quantum materials, opening new opportunities for investigating the interplay between topology and magnetism.

Biochar as a potential strategy for remediation of contaminated mining soils: Mechanisms, applications, and future perspectives

Soil heavy metal contamination caused by mining activities is a global issue. These heavy metals can be enriched in plants and animals through the food chain, and eventually transferred to the human system and threatening public health. Biochar, as an environmentally friendly soil remediation agent, can effectively immobilize heavy metals in soil. However, most researchers concern more about the remediation effect and mechanism of biochar for industrial and agricultural contaminated soil, while related reviews focusing on mining soil remediation are limited. Furthermore, the remediation effect of soil in mining areas is affected by many factors, such as physicochemical properties of biochar, pyrolysis conditions, soil conditions, mining environment and application method, which can lead to great differences in the remediation effect of biochar in diverse mining areas. Therefore, it is necessary to systematically unravel the relevant knowledge of biochar remediation, which can also provide a guide for future studies on biochar remediation of contaminated soils in mining areas. The present paper first reviews the negative effects of mining activities on soil and the advantages of biochar relative to other remediation methods, followed by the mechanism and influencing factors of biochar on reducing heavy metal migration and bioavailability in mining soil were systematically summarized. Finally, the main research directions and development trends in the future are pointed out, and suggestions for future development are proposed.

Transformation of Porous Organic Cages and Covalent Organic Frameworks with Efficient Iodine Vapor Capture Performance

The reaction of 5,5'-([2,2'-bipyridine]-5,5'-diyl)diisophthalaldehyde (BPDDP) with cyclohexanediamine and [benzidine (BZ)/[2,2'-bipyridine]-5,5'-diamine (BPDA)], respectively, affords a nitrogen-rich porous organic cage BPPOC and two two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs), USTB-1 and USTB-2 (USTB = University of Science and Technology Beijing), under suitable conditions. Interestingly, BPPOC with a single-crystal X-ray diffraction structure is able to successfully transform into USTB-1 and USTB-2 (newly converted COFs denoted as USTB-1c and USTB-2c, respectively) upon exchange of the imine unit of cyclohexanediamine in the cage by BZ and BPDA. Such a transformation also enables the isolation of analogous COFs (USTB-3c and USTB-4c) on the basis of an isostructural organic cage, BTPOC, which is derived from 5,5'-([2,2'-bithiophene]-4,4'-diyl)diisophthalaldehyde (BTDDP) and cyclohexanediamine. However, the conventional solvothermal reaction between BTDDP and BPDA leads to an impure phase of USTB-4 containing incompletely converted aldehyde groups due to the limited solubility of the building block. The newly prepared COFs have been characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In particular, BPPOC is able to absorb the iodine vapor with an uptake of 5.64 g g^-1, breaking the porous organic cage's (POC's) record value of 3.78 g g^-1. Nevertheless, the cage-derived COFs exhibit improved iodine vapor adsorption capability in comparison with the directly synthesized counterparts, with the highest uptake of 5.80 g g^-1 for USTB-1c. The mechanism investigation unveils the superiority of nitrogen atoms to sulfur atoms for POCs in iodine vapor capture with the assistance of definite crystal structures. This, in combination with porosity, synergistically influences the iodine vapor capture capacity of COFs.

Prevalence and clinical aspects of depression in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta‑analysis of 129 studies

Depression is one of the most important non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), but its prevalence and related clinical characteristics are unclear. To this end, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis based on 129 studies, including 38304 participants from 28 countries. Overall, the prevalence of depression in PD was 38%. When compared with patients without depression, those with depression had a younger age of onset, a lower education level, longer disease duration, higher UPDRS-III, higher H&Y staging scale, and lower MMSE, SE-ADL scores. We observed that depression was associated with female patients, patients carrying the GBA1 mutation, freezing of gait (FOG), apathy, anxiety and fatigue. Our results suggest that depression is an independent, frequent non-motor symptom in PD, appearing in the early stage and persisting throughout the disease duration. In addition, several clinical characteristics and motor and non-motor symptoms appeared to be associated with depression and negatively impacted on quality of life.

Sorption of Pb(II) onto biochar is enhanced through co-sorption of dissolved organic matter

Biochar plays an important role in controlling migration of pollutants in soils. However, little information is available on the interactions between soil-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM), biochar and soluble metal species. The aim of this work was to present the adsorption process of soil DOM by biochar (corn straw biochar produced at 700 °C) and to determine whether co-sorption of DOM would change the affinity for Pb(II). The adsorption rates of biochar and biochar + DOM for Pb(II) were best fitted with a pseudo-second order kinetic model, and the equilibrium adsorption isotherm data agreed well with both the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Adsorption of DOM to biochar reached equilibrium after 15 h with an uptake of 52% of the supplied DOM. We used fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) with parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis to demonstrate that protein-like, fulvic acid-like and humic acid-like substances were the primary constituents of the DOM, which were quenched over time in the presence of biochar. Synchronous fluorescence spectra indicated that the protein-like structures were the predominant fluorescence substances in DOM. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) showed the binding of DOM to biochar resulted in the quenching of fluorescence in the order: protein-like substances > humic-like substances (280 > 355 nm). Data supports the notion that DOM can increase the adsorption capacity of biochar for metal-ions.

Comparative study on the characteristics and environmental risk of potentially toxic elements in biochar obtained via pyrolysis of swine manure at lab and pilot scales

Pyrolysis is considered as a promising method to immobilize potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in animal manures. However, comparative study on characteristics and environmental risk of PTEs in biochar obtained by pyrolysis of animal manure at different reactors are lacking. In this study, swine manure was pyrolyzed at 300-600 °C in a lab-scale or pilot-scale reactor with the aim to investigate their effects on characteristics and environmental risk of As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in swine manure biochar. Results showed that biochars produced from pilot scale had lower pH and carbon (C) content but higher oxygen (O) content than those from lab scale. Biochars from pilot scale had higher total PTEs (except Cd) concentrations and releasable PTEs (except Pb) but lower CaCl₂-extractable PTEs and phytotoxicity germination index (GI) to radish seedings than those from lab scale. Chemical speciation analysis indicated that PTEs in biochar produced from pilot-scale fast pyrolysis at 400 °C had higher percentage of more stable fraction (F5 fraction) and lower potential ecological risk index (RI) than those from lab-scale slow pyrolysis. These findings demonstrated that bioavailability and potential ecological risk of PTE in swine manure biochar were greatly decrease in the pilot-scale pyrolysis reactor and the optimum temperature was 400 °C considering the lowest potential ecological risk index.

Exploring the SiCCT Gene Family and Its Role in Heading Date in Foxtail Millet

CCT transcription factors are involved in the regulation of photoperiod and abiotic stress in Arabidopsis and rice. It is not clear that how CCT gene family expand and regulate heading date in foxtail millet. In this study, we conducted a systematic analysis of the CCT gene family in foxtail millet. Thirty-nine CCT genes were identified and divided into four subfamilies based on functional motifs. Analysis showed that dispersed duplication played a predominant role in the expansion of CCT genes during evolution. Nucleotide diversity analysis suggested that genes in CONSTANS (COL)-like, CCT MOTIF FAMILY (CMF)-like, and pseudoresponse response regulator (PRR)-like subfamilies were subjected to selection. Fifteen CCT genes were colocalized with previous heading date quantitative trait loci (QTL) and genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) signals. Transgenic plants were then employed to confirm that overexpression of the CCT gene SiPRR37 delayed the heading date and increased plant height. Our study first investigated the characterization and expansion of the CCT family in foxtail millet and demonstrated the role of SiPRR37. These results lay a significant foundation for further research on the function of CCT genes and provide a cue for the regulation of heading date.

[Weight status related early changes in blood pressure, cardiac structure and function in 4-year-old children]

Objective: To explore the association between weight status and early changes in blood pressure, cardiac structure and function in children at 4 years of age. Methods: A cross-sectional study of the relationship between weight status and cardiovascular parameters was performed on the platform of "Shanghai Birth Cohort" in Shanghai Xinhua Hospital between 2017 and 2020. Height, weight, blood pressure and echocardiography were measured in 1 477 children at 4 years of age. According to body mass index (BMI), participants were classified into five groups: underweight, lean, normal weight, overweight and obese. Blood pressure, cardiac structure and function indexes were compared among different groups using one-way ANOVA. The associations between blood pressure, cardiac structure and function and weight status in children were analyzed by linear regression models. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze whether weight status was an independent risk factor for elevated blood pressure or left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in children. Results: A total of 1 477 children including 772 boys and 705 girls were included in this study. There were 115 overweight and obese boys (14.9%) and 68 overweight and obese girls (9.6%). The majority of children had normal weight (916 cases, 62.0%), followed by underweight (303 cases, 20.5%), overweight (130 cases, 8.8%), lean (75 cases, 5.1%), and obese (53 cases, 3.6%). With the increase of BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular posterior wall thickness in systole, left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole, left ventricular diameter in end-systole, left ventricular diameter in end-diastole, interventricular septum thickness in systole and left ventricular ejection fraction showed significantly positive trend, and the differences among the groups were significant (F=31.73, 6.59, 14.22, 4.96, 3.01, 31.50, 39.79, 5.91, 3.09, all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that overweight and obese were all positively associated with systolic blood pressure (β=5.2, 95%CI 3.6-6.8), LVMI (β=1.9, 95%CI 0.8-3.1), left ventricular diameter in end-systole (β=1.3, 95%CI 0.9-1.8), and left ventricular diameter in end-diastole (β=1.6, 95%CI 1.0-2.2). In the Logistic regression model, compared with normal weight children, overweight (OR=2.37, 95%CI 1.37-4.41) and obese children (OR=10.90, 95%CI 4.47-26.60) both had significantly increased risk of elevated blood pressure. However, the risk of LVH did not significantly increased. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity in 4-year-old children are associated with increased blood pressure, increased left ventricle diameter and LVMI. Overweight and obesity are independent risk factors for elevated blood pressure in children at 4 years of age.

Quantum Sensing and Imaging of Spin-Orbit-Torque-Driven Spin Dynamics in the Non-Collinear Antiferromagnet Mn3 Sn

Novel non-collinear antiferromagnets with spontaneous time-reversal symmetry breaking, non-trivial band topology, and unconventional transport properties have received immense research interest over the past decade due to their rich physics and enormous promise in technological applications. One of the central focuses in this emerging field is exploring the relationship between the microscopic magnetic structure and exotic material properties. Here, nanoscale imaging of both spin-orbit-torque-induced deterministic magnetic switching and chiral spin rotation in non-collinear antiferromagnet Mn₃ Sn films using nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers are reported. Direct evidence of the off-resonance dipole-dipole coupling between the spin dynamics in Mn₃ Sn and proximate NV centers is also demonstrated by NV relaxometry measurements. These results demonstrate the unique capabilities of NV centers in accessing the local information of the magnetic order and dynamics in these emergent quantum materials and suggest new opportunities for investigating the interplay between topology and magnetism in a broad range of topological magnets.

Fancd2os Reduces Testosterone Production by Inhibiting Steroidogenic Enzymes and Promoting Cellular Apoptosis in Murine Testicular Leydig Cells

BACKGRUOUND

It is well-established that serum testosterone in men decreases with age, yet the underlying mechanism of this change remains elusive.

METHODS

The expression patterns of Fancd2 opposite-strand (Fancd2os) in BALB/c male mice and testicular tissue derived cell lines (GC-1, GC-2, TM3, and TM4) were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot and immunofluorescence. The Fancd2os-overexpressing or knockdown TM3 cells were constructed by infecting them with lentivirus particles and were used to evaluated the function of Fancd2os. The testosterone production was measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the steroidogenic enzymes such as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage (P450scc), and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) were analysed using RT-PCR. The apoptosis of TM3 cells induced by ultraviolet light or testicular tissues was detected using flow cytometry, Western blot or dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the Fancd2os expression and TUNEL-positive staining in mouse testicular Leydig cells.

RESULTS

The Fancd2os protein was predominantly expressed in mouse testicular Leydig cells and its expression increased with age. Fancd2os overexpression inhibited testosterone levels in TM3 Leydig cells, whereas knockdown of Fancd2os elevated testosterone production. Fancd2os overexpression downregulated the levels of StAR, P450scc and 3β-HSD, while Fancd2os knockdown reversed this effect. Fancd2os overexpression promoted ultraviolet light-induced apoptosis of TM3 cells. In contrast, Fancd2os knockdown restrained apoptosis in TM3 cells. In vivo assays revealed that higher Fancd2os levels and mouse age were associated with increased apoptosis in Leydig cells and decreased serum testosterone levels. Pearson correlation analysis exhibited a strong positive correlation between the expression of Fancd2os and TUNEL-positive staining in mouse testicular Leydig cells.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that Fancd2os regulates testosterone synthesis via both steroidogenic enzymes and the apoptotic pathway.

Assessing simultaneous immobilization of lead and improvement of phosphorus availability through application of phosphorus-rich biochar in a contaminated soil: A pot experiment

Soil lead (Pb) contamination is often caused by anthropogenic activities. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted to assess the effect of biochars derived from pig-carcass (PCBC) and branches of oriental-plane tree (OPBC) on the bioavailability, redistribution, and phytoavailability of Pb and P, as well as the growth of Ipomoea aquatica Forsk in a Pb-contaminated soil. Application of PCBC increased the total and available P concentrations in the soil as compared to the control, and enhanced the concentrations of labile P and sparingly labile P via direct exogenous P input and improvement of soil pH. Both biochars facilitated P accumulation in plant shoots and roots. Sequential extraction of soil Pb confirmed that biochar application facilitated the transformation of mobile Pb into stable fractions, with greater effects from PCBC than OPBC. Hence, biochar application significantly decreased the soil DTPA-extractable Pb by 90.2% (PCBC) and 64.0% (OPBC) compared to the control, consequently reducing Pb uptake by plants. The Pb immobilization by biochar was driven by the biochar-induced increase of soil pH, Pb-phosphate/carbonate precipitation, ion exchange between Pb²⁺ and biochar-derived cations (e.g., Ca²⁺ and K⁺), and surface complexation with functional groups (e.g., carboxyl, hydroxyl, CO). Application of PCBC simultaneously increased the biomass of plant roots and shoots, by 1.8- and 0.6- folds, respectively. Overall, PCBC showed a potential to function as an effective amendment in the immobilization of Pb and alternative P fertilizer to improve degraded soils.

Effect Evaluation of Subxiphoid and Intercostal Thymectomy: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Background

It still remains unclear whether subxiphoid video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (SVATS) thymectomy is safe and reasonable. This meta-analysis aims at assessing the effectiveness and safety of SVATS for thymoma in comparison with that of intercostal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (IVATS) thymectomy.

Methods

All the relevant data systematically analyzed in this thesis were retrieved from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, web of science, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The time span for data retrieval was from the date of database establishment to March 2022. The outcome indicators include operation time, intraoperative blood loss, duration of postoperative drainage, postoperative hospital days, visual analogue scale (VAS) score on the day of operation, VAS score on postoperative day 3, and VAS score on postoperative day 7; postoperative complications were analyzed in our meta-analysis.

Results

In 13 studies of this paper, there were 1,198 cases included. Among them, 563 cases were treated by SVATS thymectomy and 635 cases by IVATS thymectomy. There was no significant difference in the operation time [113.38 vs. 119.91  min, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.70–0.15, p = 0.20) and the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.58–1.15, p = 0.25) between SVATS thymectomy and IVATS thymectomy. However, SVATS thymectomy significantly reduced the amount of intraoperative blood loss (47.68 vs. 66.69  mL, SMD = −0.57, 95% CI: −0.95 to −0.18, p = 0.004), postoperative drainage days (2.12 vs. 2.72 days, SMD = −0.46, 95% CI: −0.74 to −0.18, p = 0.001), postoperative hospital stays (4.53 vs. 5.91 days, SMD = −0.64, 95% CI: −0.96 to −0.31, p = 0.0001), and VAS scores after the operation.

Discussion

SVATS thymectomy is safe and feasible, and the perioperative effect is better than IVATS thymectomy to a certain extent, which is worthy of popularization and further research.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/

Novel solid acid catalyst for the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural with fructose dehydration

BACKGROUND: 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is a high value-added platform compound which can be obtained by dehydration of hexose under acidic conditions. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, a novel impregnation strategy for the molecular sieves (ZSM-5) as carrier and phosphotungstic acid (TPA) as active ingredient is proposed, the influence of the fructose dehydration process were studied and eco-friendliness, low-cost 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) was successfully obtained. METHOD: The structure surface area, pore size, acidity and microstructure of solid acid catalysts were investigated by XRD, BET, NH3-TPD and SEM. The influences of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalyst dosage on the yield of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HFM) were investigated. RESULTS: The results showed that TPA/ZSM-5 (mass ratio 20:10) has good dispersion and catalytic activity, fructose dosage 5 g, reaction temperature 140 °C, reaction time 2 h, catalyst dosage 0.5 g, and the yield of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was 80.75% and after five times use the yield of 5-HMF remained above 75%. CONCLUSION:

Revamping highly weathered soils in the tropics with biochar application: What we know and what is needed

Fast weathering of parent materials and rapid mineralization of organic matter because of prevalent climatic conditions, and subsequent development of acidity and loss/exhaustion of nutrient elements due to intensive agricultural practices have resulted in the degradation of soil fertility and productivity in the vast tropical areas of the world. There is an urgent need for rejuvenation of weathered tropical soils to improve crop productivity and sustainability. For this purpose, biochar has been found to be more effective than other organic soil amendments due to biochar's stability in soil, and thus can extend the benefits over long duration. This review synthesizes information concerning the present status of biochar application in highly weathered tropical soils highlighting promising application strategies for improving resource use efficiency in terms of economic feasibility. In this respect, biochar has been found to improve crop productivity and soil quality consistently through liming and fertilization effects in low pH and infertile soils under low-input conditions typical of weathered tropical soils. This paper identifies several advance strategies that can maximize the effectiveness of biochar application in weathered tropical soils. However, strategies for the reduction of costs of biochar production and application to increase the material's use efficiency need future development. At the same time, policy decision by linking economic benefits with social and environmental issues is necessary for successful implementation of biochar technology in weathered tropical soils. This review recommends that advanced biochar strategies hold potential for sustaining soil quality and agricultural productivity in tropical soils.

Recovery, regeneration and sustainable management of spent adsorbents from wastewater treatment streams: A review

Adsorption is the most widely adopted, effective, and reliable treatment process for the removal of inorganic and organic contaminants from wastewater. One of the major issues with the adsorption-treatment process for the removal of contaminants from wastewater streams is the recovery and sustainable management of spent adsorbents. This review focuses on the effectiveness of emerging adsorbents and how the spent adsorbents could be recovered, regenerated, and further managed through reuse or safe disposal. The critical analysis of both conventional and emerging adsorbents on organic and inorganic contaminants in wastewater systems are evaluated. The various recovery and regeneration techniques of spent adsorbents including magnetic separation, filtration, thermal desorption and decomposition, chemical desorption, supercritical fluid desorption, advanced oxidation process and microbial assisted adsorbent regeneration are discussed in detail. The current challenges for the recovery and regeneration of adsorbents and the methodologies used for solving those problems are covered. The spent adsorbents are managed through regeneration for reuse (such as soil amendment, capacitor, catalyst/catalyst support) or safe disposal involving incineration and landfilling. Sustainable management of spent adsorbents, including processes involved in the recovery and regeneration of adsorbents for reuse, is examined in the context of resource recovery and circular economy. Finally, the review ends with the current drawbacks in the recovery and management of the spent adsorbents and the future directions for the economic and environmental feasibility of the system for industrial-scale application.

The Construction and Exploration of a Comprehensive MicroRNA Centered Regulatory Network in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)

MicroRNA (miRNA) is an essential endogenous post-transcriptional regulatory factor, and foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is an ideal C4 model cereal that is a highly valuable crop in semiarid and arid areas. The Research on comprehensive and high confidence identification and annotation of foxtail millet miRNAs needs to be strengthened, and to our knowledge, there is no information on the regulatory network of foxtail millet miRNA. In this study, 136 high confidence miRNAs were identified through high-throughput sequencing of the small RNAs in seven tissues at the shooting and grain filling stages of foxtail millet. A total of 2,417 target genes were obtained by combining computational biology software and degradome sequencing methods. Furthermore, an analysis using transcriptome sequencing revealed the relationships between miRNAs and their target genes and simultaneously explored key regulatory modules in panicles during the grain filling stage. An miRNA regulatory network was constructed to explore the functions of miRNA in more detail. This network, centered on miRNAs and combining upstream transcriptional factors and downstream target genes, is primarily composed of feed forward loop motifs, which greatly enhances our knowledge of the potential functions of miRNAs and uncovers numerous previously unknown regulatory links. This study provides a solid foundation for research on the function and regulatory network of miRNAs in foxtail millet.