Cryptic divergences and repeated hybridizations within the endangered “living fossil” dove tree(Davidia involucrata) revealed by whole genome resequencing

The identification and understanding of cryptic intraspecific evolutionary units(lineages) are crucial for planning effective conservation strategies aimed at preserving genetic diversity in endangered species.However, the factors driving the evolution and maintenance of these intraspecific lineages in most endangered species remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted resequencing of 77 individuals from 22 natural populations of Davidia involucrata, a “living fossil” dove tree endemic to central and southwest China. Our analysis revealed the presence of three distinct local lineages within this endangered species, which emerged approximately 3.09 and 0.32 million years ago. These divergence events align well with the geographic and climatic oscillations that occurred across the distributional range.Additionally, we observed frequent hybridization events between the three lineages, resulting in the formation of hybrid populations in their adjacent as well as disjunct regions. These hybridizations likely arose from climate-driven population expansion and/or long-distance gene flow. Furthermore, we identified numerous environment-correlated gene variants across the total and many other genes that exhibited signals of positive evolution during the maintenance of two major local lineages. Our findings shed light on the highly dynamic evolution underlying the remarkably similar phenotype of this endangered species. Importantly, these results not only provide guidance for the development of conservation plans but also enhance our understanding of evolutionary past for this and other endangered species with similar histories.

Comparative Embryological Studies on Infertility of Interspecific Hybridizations Between Oryza sativa with Different Ploidy Levels and O. officinalis

As maternal parents, diploid （L202-2x） and autotetraploid （L202-4x） of Oryza sativa cv. L2O2 were crossed with O. officinalis. Embryo development and fertilization in these two crosses were comparatively studied. There were no mature hybrid seeds obtained because all the hybridized spikelets died 30 days after pollination. The main reasons for no seed set were abnormal fertilization and development of the embryos and endosperms in the interspecific hybrids. There were doublefertilization, egg cell single-fertilization and non-fertilization in these crosses. Although 59.45% and 54.87% of hybrid embryos produced in the crosses of L202-2x/O. officinalis and L202-4x/O. officinalis, respectively, hybrid embryos ceased to develop or degenerated and plenty of free endosperm nuclei were in disaggregating state without developing cellular endosperms three days after pollination. Besides, some embryological differences in these two crosses were found, that is, the rate of double-fertilization and total rate of doubleand single-fertilization in L202-2x/O. officinalis were higher than those in L202-4x/O. officinalis. The embryo and endosperm of hybrids developed more slowly, and embryos and free endosperm nuclei were more severely degenerated in L202-4x/O. officinalis than in L202-2x/O. officinalis. Five days after pollination, a few of embryos in L202-2x/O. officinalis developed into pear-shaped ones, however, embryos in L202-4x/O. officinalis were all degenerated. Therefore, it is more difficult to obtain interspecific hybrids by wide crosses between autotetraploid of O. sativa and O. officinalis.

颈椎前路Hybrid手术和颈椎后路单开门椎管扩大成形术治疗多节段脊髓型颈椎病临床疗效分析

目的:分析颈椎前路Hybrid手术和颈椎后路单开门椎管扩大成形术(EODL)治疗多节段脊髓型颈椎病的疗效,探讨多节段脊髓型颈椎病患者手术方式的选择。方法:对2017年7月—2020年7月在首都医科大学附属北京中医医院手术治疗的70例多节段脊髓型颈椎病患者进行回顾性分析,根据手术方式不同,分为前路组35例和后路组35例,前路组患者行Hybrid手术[颈椎前路椎间盘切除融合术(ACDF)联合人工颈椎间盘置换术(ACDR)],后路组患者行EODL。记录2组患者住院时间、手术时间、术中出血量和术后引流量,通过日本骨科协会(JOA)评分、JOA改善率、颈椎残障功能指数(NDI)、疼痛视觉模拟评分(VAS)和术后满意度评分进行疗效评价,统计2组患者术后并发症发生情况。结果:与后路组比较,前路组患者术中出血量、术后引流量、住院时间和手术时间均明显减少(P<0.01),术前各项评分差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。末次随访时,与后路组比较,前路组患者JOA评分和JOA改善率明显升高(P<0.01),NDI评分和VAS评分明显降低(P<0.01)。与术前比较,末次随访时2组患者JOA评分明显升高(P<0.01),NDI和VAS评分均明显降低(P<0.01)。按术后满意度评分评价,2组患者术后满意度均较高。2组患者术后并发症发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:颈椎前路Hybrid手术和EODL在治疗多节段脊髓型颈椎病方面均取得了较为满意的疗效。Hybrid手术具有出血量少和手术时间短等优点,临床上应根据患者实际情况选择最适宜的术式。

溅射技术与基体偏压对TiB_(x)涂层结构和力学性能的影响

目的改善TiB_(x)涂层的残余应力,提高其力学性能。方法采用不同的磁控溅射技术(dcMS、HiPMS、Hybrid)和基体偏压制备TiB_(x)涂层。通过电子探针显微分析仪(EPMA)测试TiB_(x)涂层的化学成分,采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和X射线衍射仪(XRD)表征涂层的表面形貌、组织结构特征、相组成和择优取向,通过sin^(2)ψ法、纳米压痕仪和洛氏压痕法分别测试TiB_(x)涂层的残余应力、纳米硬度和膜层/基体结合强度。结果溅射技术和基体偏压对TiB_(x)涂层的组织结构和力学性能都有着显著的影响。在基体旋转条件下,不同溅射技术和基体偏压制备的涂层均呈现出TiB_(2)-(001)择优取向。随基体偏压的升高,涂层的残余应力呈现出先增大、后减小的规律。偏压相同时,HiPIMS技术制备的TiB_(x)涂层具有最高的残余应力。随着基体偏压的增加,TiB_(x)涂层的纳米硬度和弹性模量不断增加,在偏压为–130 V时,Hybrid-TiB_(x)涂层具有最高的纳米硬度(40.1GPa)。偏压相同时,dcMS-TiB_(x)和Hybrid-TiB_(x)涂层表现出优异的膜层/基体结合强度(HF1-HF2级),而HiPIMS涂层表现出较差的膜层/基体结合强度(HF1-HF4级)。结论溅射技术和基体偏压对TiB_(x)涂层的微观组织结构和力学性能有着重要的影响,Hybrid模式结合了dcMS模式和HiPMS模式的优点,Hybrid-TiB_(x)涂层呈现出最优的综合力学性能(高的纳米硬度、沉积速率和膜层/基体结合强度)。

Enhancing Deep Learning Soil Moisture Forecasting Models by Integrating Physics-based Models

Accurate soil moisture(SM)prediction is critical for understanding hydrological processes.Physics-based(PB)models exhibit large uncertainties in SM predictions arising from uncertain parameterizations and insufficient representation of land-surface processes.In addition to PB models,deep learning(DL)models have been widely used in SM predictions recently.However,few pure DL models have notably high success rates due to lacking physical information.Thus,we developed hybrid models to effectively integrate the outputs of PB models into DL models to improve SM predictions.To this end,we first developed a hybrid model based on the attention mechanism to take advantage of PB models at each forecast time scale(attention model).We further built an ensemble model that combined the advantages of different hybrid schemes(ensemble model).We utilized SM forecasts from the Global Forecast System to enhance the convolutional long short-term memory(ConvLSTM)model for 1–16 days of SM predictions.The performances of the proposed hybrid models were investigated and compared with two existing hybrid models.The results showed that the attention model could leverage benefits of PB models and achieved the best predictability of drought events among the different hybrid models.Moreover,the ensemble model performed best among all hybrid models at all forecast time scales and different soil conditions.It is highlighted that the ensemble model outperformed the pure DL model over 79.5%of in situ stations for 16-day predictions.These findings suggest that our proposed hybrid models can adequately exploit the benefits of PB model outputs to aid DL models in making SM predictions.

Activation Redistribution Based Hybrid Asymmetric Quantization Method of Neural Networks

The demand for adopting neural networks in resource-constrained embedded devices is continuously increasing.Quantization is one of the most promising solutions to reduce computational cost and memory storage on embedded devices.In order to reduce the complexity and overhead of deploying neural networks on Integeronly hardware,most current quantization methods use a symmetric quantization mapping strategy to quantize a floating-point neural network into an integer network.However,although symmetric quantization has the advantage of easier implementation,it is sub-optimal for cases where the range could be skewed and not symmetric.This often comes at the cost of lower accuracy.This paper proposed an activation redistribution-based hybrid asymmetric quantizationmethod for neural networks.The proposedmethod takes data distribution into consideration and can resolve the contradiction between the quantization accuracy and the ease of implementation,balance the trade-off between clipping range and quantization resolution,and thus improve the accuracy of the quantized neural network.The experimental results indicate that the accuracy of the proposed method is 2.02%and 5.52%higher than the traditional symmetric quantization method for classification and detection tasks,respectively.The proposed method paves the way for computationally intensive neural network models to be deployed on devices with limited computing resources.Codes will be available on https://github.com/ycjcy/Hybrid-Asymmetric-Quantization.

Enhancing rock fragmentation prediction in mining operations:A hybrid GWO-RF model with SHAP interpretability

In the mining industry,precise forecasting of rock fragmentation is critical for optimising blasting processes.In this study,we address the challenge of enhancing rock fragmentation assessment by developing a novel hybrid predictive model named GWO-RF.This model combines the grey wolf optimization(GWO)algorithm with the random forest(RF)technique to predict the D_(80)value,a critical parameter in evaluating rock fragmentation quality.The study is conducted using a dataset from Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine,employing six different swarm sizes for the GWO-RF hybrid model construction.The GWO-RF model’s hyperparameters are systematically optimized within established bounds,and its performance is rigorously evaluated using multiple evaluation metrics.The results show that the GWO-RF hybrid model has higher predictive skills,exceeding traditional models in terms of accuracy.Furthermore,the interpretability of the GWO-RF model is enhanced through the utilization of SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)values.The insights gained from this research contribute to optimizing blasting operations and rock fragmentation outcomes in the mining industry.

MicroRNA-502-3p regulates GABAergic synapse function in hippocampal neurons

Gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)ergic neurons,the most abundant inhibitory neurons in the human brain,have been found to be reduced in many neurological disorders,including Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease-related dementia.Our previous study identified the upregulation of microRNA-502-3p(miR-502-3p)and downregulation of GABA type A receptor subunitα-1 in Alzheimer's disease synapses.This study investigated a new molecular relationship between miR-502-3p and GABAergic synapse function.In vitro studies were perfo rmed using the mouse hippocampal neuronal cell line HT22 and miR-502-3p agomiRs and antagomiRs.In silico analysis identified multiple binding sites of miR-502-3p at GABA type A receptor subunitα-1 mRNA.Luciferase assay confirmed that miR-502-3p targets the GABA type A receptor subunitα-1 gene and suppresses the luciferase activity.Furthermore,quantitative reve rse transcription-polymerase chain reaction,miRNA in situ hybridization,immunoblotting,and immunostaining analysis confirmed that overexpression of miR-502-3p reduced the GABA type A receptor subunitα-1 level,while suppression of miR-502-3p increased the level of GABA type A receptor subunitα-1 protein.Notably,as a result of the overexpression of miR-502-3p,cell viability was found to be reduced,and the population of necrotic cells was found to be increased.The whole cell patch-clamp analysis of human-GABA receptor A-α1/β3/γ2L human embryonic kidney(HEK)recombinant cell line also showed that overexpression of miR-502-3p reduced the GABA current and overall GABA function,suggesting a negative correlation between miR-502-3p levels and GABAergic synapse function.Additionally,the levels of proteins associated with Alzheimer s disease were high with miR-502-3p overexpression and reduced with miR-502-3p suppression.The present study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of regulation of GABAergic synapses by miR-502-3p.We propose that micro-RNA,in particular miR-502-3p,could be a potential therapeutic to rget to modulate GABAergic synapse function in neurological disorders,including Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's diseaserelated dementia.

Accelerating Oxygen Electrocatalysis Kinetics on Metal-Organic Frameworks via Bond Length Optimization

Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)have been developed as an ideal platform for exploration of the relationship between intrinsic structure and catalytic activity,but the limited catalytic activity and stability has hampered their practical use in water splitting.Herein,we develop a bond length adjustment strategy for optimizing naphthalene-based MOFs that synthesized by acid etching Co-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid-based MOFs(donated as AE-CoNDA)to serve as efficient catalyst for water splitting.AE-CoNDA exhibits a low overpotential of 260 mV to reach 10 mA cm^(−2)and a small Tafel slope of 62 mV dec^(−1)with excellent stability over 100 h.After integrated AE-CoNDA onto BiVO_(4),photocurrent density of 4.3 mA cm^(−2)is achieved at 1.23 V.Experimental investigations demonstrate that the stretched Co-O bond length was found to optimize the orbitals hybridization of Co 3d and O 2p,which accounts for the fast kinetics and high activity.Theoretical calculations reveal that the stretched Co-O bond length strengthens the adsorption of oxygen-contained intermediates at the Co active sites for highly efficient water splitting.

Electrostatic Interaction-directed Construction of Hierarchical Nanostructured Carbon Composite with Dual Electrical Conductive Networks for Zinc-ion Hybrid Capacitors with Ultrastability

Metal-organic framework(MOF)-derived carbon composites have been considered as the promising materials for energy storage.However,the construction of MOF-based composites with highly controllable mode via the liquid-liquid synthesis method has a great challenge because of the simultaneous heterogeneous nucleation on substrates and the self-nucleation of individual MOF nanocrystals in the liquid phase.Herein,we report a bidirectional electrostatic generated self-assembly strategy to achieve the precisely controlled coatings of single-layer nanoscale MOFs on a range of substrates,including carbon nanotubes(CNTs),graphene oxide(GO),MXene,layered double hydroxides(LDHs),MOFs,and SiO_(2).The obtained MOF-based nanostructured carbon composite exhibits the hierarchical porosity(V_(meso)/V_(micro)∶2.4),ultrahigh N content of 12.4 at.%and"dual electrical conductive networks."The assembled aqueous zinc-ion hybrid capacitor(ZIC)with the prepared nanocarbon composite as a cathode shows a high specific capacitance of 236 F g^(-1)at 0.5 A g^(-1),great rate performance of 98 F g^(-1)at 100 A g^(-1),and especially,an ultralong cycling stability up to 230000 cycles with the capacitance retention of 90.1%.This work develops a repeatable and general method for the controlled construction of MOF coatings on various functional substrates and further fabricates carbon composites for ZICs with ultrastability.

p-d Orbital Hybridization Engineered Single-Atom Catalyst for Electrocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis

The rational design of metal single-atom catalysts(SACs)for electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction(NRR)is challenging.Two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks(2DMOFs)is a unique class of promising SACs.Up to now,the roles of individual metals,coordination atoms,and their synergy effect on the electroanalytic performance remain unclear.Therefore,in this work,a series of 2DMOFs with different metals and coordinating atoms are systematically investigated as electrocatalysts for ammonia synthesis using density functional theory calculations.For a specific metal,a proper metal-intermediate atoms p-d orbital hybridization interaction strength is found to be a key indicator for their NRR catalytic activities.The hybridization interaction strength can be quantitatively described with the p-/d-band center energy difference(Δd-p),which is found to be a sufficient descriptor for both the p-d hybridization strength and the NRR performance.The maximum free energy change(ΔG_(max))andΔd-p have a volcanic relationship with OsC_(4)(Se)_(4)located at the apex of the volcanic curve,showing the best NRR performance.The asymmetrical coordination environment could regulate the band structure subtly in terms of band overlap and positions.This work may shed new light on the application of orbital engineering in electrocatalytic NRR activity and especially promotes the rational design for SACs.

Hybrid model for BOF oxygen blowing time prediction based on oxygen balance mechanism and deep neural network

The amount of oxygen blown into the converter is one of the key parameters for the control of the converter blowing process,which directly affects the tap-to-tap time of converter. In this study, a hybrid model based on oxygen balance mechanism (OBM) and deep neural network (DNN) was established for predicting oxygen blowing time in converter. A three-step method was utilized in the hybrid model. First, the oxygen consumption volume was predicted by the OBM model and DNN model, respectively. Second, a more accurate oxygen consumption volume was obtained by integrating the OBM model and DNN model. Finally, the converter oxygen blowing time was calculated according to the oxygen consumption volume and the oxygen supply intensity of each heat. The proposed hybrid model was verified using the actual data collected from an integrated steel plant in China, and compared with multiple linear regression model, OBM model, and neural network model including extreme learning machine, back propagation neural network, and DNN. The test results indicate that the hybrid model with a network structure of 3 hidden layer layers, 32-16-8 neurons per hidden layer, and 0.1 learning rate has the best prediction accuracy and stronger generalization ability compared with other models. The predicted hit ratio of oxygen consumption volume within the error±300 m^(3)is 96.67%;determination coefficient (R^(2)) and root mean square error (RMSE) are0.6984 and 150.03 m^(3), respectively. The oxygen blow time prediction hit ratio within the error±0.6 min is 89.50%;R2and RMSE are0.9486 and 0.3592 min, respectively. As a result, the proposed model can effectively predict the oxygen consumption volume and oxygen blowing time in the converter.

Hybrid Dynamic Variables-Dependent Event-Triggered Fuzzy Model Predictive Control

This article focuses on dynamic event-triggered mechanism(DETM)-based model predictive control(MPC) for T-S fuzzy systems.A hybrid dynamic variables-dependent DETM is carefully devised,which includes a multiplicative dynamic variable and an additive dynamic variable.The addressed DETM-based fuzzy MPC issue is described as a “min-max” optimization problem(OP).To facilitate the co-design of the MPC controller and the weighting matrix of the DETM,an auxiliary OP is proposed based on a new Lyapunov function and a new robust positive invariant(RPI) set that contain the membership functions and the hybrid dynamic variables.A dynamic event-triggered fuzzy MPC algorithm is developed accordingly,whose recursive feasibility is analysed by employing the RPI set.With the designed controller,the involved fuzzy system is ensured to be asymptotically stable.Two examples show that the new DETM and DETM-based MPC algorithm have the advantages of reducing resource consumption while yielding the anticipated performance.

基于Hybrid A^(*)算法的变压器声级巡检系统研究与设计

随着国内变电站数目逐步增加,采用固定式声级监测终端对变压器声级检测的方式已经满足不了日常检测的需求。为解决固定式声级监测终端方式成本高、维护复杂、设备利用率低等问题,该文率先提出了一种变压器声级巡检系统,并设计了最优声级巡检路径。通过场地定位传感器生成变压器场地栅格图信息,采用Hybrid A^(*)算法将场地栅格图信息生成符合国标所要求的最优声级巡检路径检测点;针对所开发的变压器声级巡检装置,采用生成的巡检路径对变压器进行声级测定作业,对测定的声级数据进行分析处理。测试结果表明,该文开发的系统与设计算法的变压器声级巡检时间、检测效率以及数据的采集准确性都优于固定式声级监测终端方式,系统完成变压器声级巡检全过程的成功率可达95%。

The Extended Hybrid Carrier-Based Multiple Access Technology for High Mobility Scenarios

The hybrid carrier(HC)system rooted in the carrier fusion concept is gradually garnering attention.In this paper,we study the extended hybrid carrier(EHC)multiple access scheme to ensure reliable wireless communication.By employing the EHC modulation,a power layered multiplexing framework is realized,which exhibits enhanced interference suppression capability owing to the more uniform energy distribution design.The implementation method and advantage mechanism are explicated respectively for the uplink and downlink,and the performance analysis under varying channel conditions is provided.In addition,considering the connectivity demand,we explore the non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA)method of the EHC system and develop the EHC sparse code multiple access scheme.The proposed scheme melds the energy spread superiority of EHC with the access capacity of NOMA,facilitating superior support for massive connectivity in high mobility environments.Simulation results have verified the feasibility and advantages of the proposed scheme.Compared with existing HC multiple access schemes,the proposed scheme exhibits robust bit error rate performance and can better guarantee multiple access performance in complex scenarios of nextgeneration communications.

复杂建设环境下基于Hybrid A^(*)算法的铁路平面线形绿色优化设计

随着“双碳经济下绿色铁路”理念的兴起,将“绿色生态”融入到铁路平面线路优化已成为近年来的研究热点。本文以铁路建设成本与生态破坏成本的协同优化为目标,引入并改进了一种自动驾驶导航算法(Hybrid A^(*)算法),以适应复杂的铁路设计问题,同时考虑最小曲线半径、最大曲线半径、最短曲线长度、最短夹直线长度、缓和曲线长度等铁路线形约束。研究结果表明:(1)改进后算法以离散网格方式整合外部环境因素,实现渐进式全局探索,获取接近全局最优的铁路线路设计结果;(2)该方法在复杂外部环境约束下,无需预设水平交点位置和数量,可自动生成符合线路-环境耦合约束的优化平面线路方案。

Production traits and fertility of reciprocal hybrids between Argopecten irradians irradians and A.i.concentricus

The two bay scallop subspecies,Argopecten irradians irradians(NN)and A.i.concentricus(SS),are fast growing and major cultured bivalves in China.However,their relatively small sizes and decreasing production traits caused by long-term inbreeding have been major concerns to the industry in the last two decades.Hybridization between the two bay scallop subspecies may provide a new approach to breed a new variety with superior production traits for the industry.For this end,in this study,we hybridized the two bay scallop subspecies in order to obtain a new strain that incorporates the genes of both subspecies.No significant difference was found in fertilization rate,hatching rate and metamorphosis rate between the purebred and crossbred cohorts(NN♀×SS♂,denoted as NS;SS♀×NN♂,denoted as SN).Both mating strategy(intra-vs.inter-population crosses)and egg origin had significant effects on growth and survival at the larval stage.Heterosis was observed in the crossbred and was more pronounced in older stages.Genetic diversity of the reciprocal hybrids,especially that of SN,was increased compared with the purebred cohorts.Almost all hybrids were completely fertile and able to reproduce by selffertilization or by backcrossing with either parent.Apparently,male sterile individuals whose gonads were fully occupied by the ovary part at mature stage were found in the hybrids for the first time.The hybrids,especially SN,may provide precious germplasm resources for the production of ternary hybrids with the Peruvian scallop,A.purpuratus.

Morphological and molecular evidence for natural hybridization between Sorbus pohuashanensis and S. discolor (Rosaceae)

In overlapping distribution areas of Sorbus pohuashanensis and S.discolor in North China(Mount Tuoliang,Mount Xiling and Mount Baihua),Sorbus indi-viduals were found with pink fruit,which have never been recorded for the flora of China.Fourteen morphological characters combined with four chloroplast DNA markers and internal transcribed spacer(ITS)were used to analyze the origin of the Sorbus individuals with pink fruits and their relationship to S.pohuashanensis and S.discolor.PCA,SDA and one-way(taxon)ANOVA of morphological characters provided convincing evidence of the hybrid ori-gin of Sorbus individuals with pink fruits based on a novel morphological character and many intermediate characters.Haplotype analysis based on four cpDNA markers showed that either S.pohuashanensis or S.discolor were maternal parents of Sorbus individuals with pink fruits.Incongru-ence of the position of Sorbus individuals with pink fruits between cpDNA and ITS in cluster trees supported by DNA sequence comparative analysis,implying former hybridiza-tion events between S.pohuashanensis and S.discolor.Mul-tiple hybridization events between S.pohuashanensis and S.discolor might have contributed to the generation of Sorbus individuals with pink fruits.This study has provided insights into hybridization between species of the same genus in sympatric areas,which is of great significance for the study of interspecific hybridization.

MXene-based hybrid materials for electrochemical and photoelectrochemical H_(2) generation

The conversion of solar energy to produce clean hydrogen fuel through water splitting is an emerging strategy for efficiently storing solar energy in the form of solar fuel.This aligns with the increasing global demand for the development of an ideal energy alternative to fossil fuels that does not emit greenhouse gases.Electrochemical(EC) and photoelectrochemical(PEC) water splitting technologies have garnered significant attention worldwide for advanced hydrogen solar fuel production in recent decades.To achieve sustainable green H_(2) production,it is essential to create efficient catalyst materials that are low-cost and can replace expensive noble metal-based catalysts.These characteristics make them an ideal catalyst material for the process.Two-dimensional MXenes with M_(n+1)X_(n) structure have been identified as a promising option for EC and PEC water splitting due to their superior hydrophilicity,metal-like conductivity,large surface area,and adjustable surface chemistry.Here,we present a summary of recent advancements in the synthesis and performance enhancement methods for MXene hybrid materials in hydrogen production through EC and PEC water splitting.Furthermore,we examine the challenges and insights associated with the rational design of MXene-based hybrid materials to facilitate efficient water splitting for sustainable solar fuel production.

Origin and evolution of a new tetraploid mangrove species in an intertidal zone

Polyploidy is a major factor in the evolution of plants,yet we know little about the origin and evolution of polyploidy in intertidal species.This study aimed to identify the evolutionary transitions in three truemangrove species of the genus Acanthus distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region.For this purpose,we took an integrative approach that combined data on morphology,cytology,climatic niche,phylogeny,and biogeography of 493 samples from 42 geographic sites.Our results show that the Acanthus ilicifolius lineage distributed east of the Thai-Malay Peninsula possesses a tetraploid karyotype,which is morphologically distinct from that of the lineage on the west side.The haplotype networks and phylogenetic trees for the chloroplast genome and eight nuclear genes reveal that the tetraploid species has two sub-genomes,one each from A.ilicifolius and A.ebracteatus,the paternal and maternal parents,respectively.Population structure analysis also supports the hybrid speciation history of the new tetraploid species.The two sub-genomes of the tetraploid species diverged from their diploid progenitors during the Pleistocene.Environmental niche models revealed that the tetraploid species not only occupied the near-entire niche space of the diploids,but also expanded into novel environments.Our findings suggest that A.ilicifolius species distributed on the east side of the Thai-Malay Peninsula should be regarded as a new species,A.tetraploideus,which originated from hybridization between A.ilicifolius and A.ebracteatus,followed by chromosome doubling.This is the first report of a true-mangrove allopolyploid species that can reproduce sexually and clonally reproduction,which explains the long-term adaptive potential of the species.