The surface electron transfer strategy promotes the hole of PDI release and enhances emerging organic pollutant degradation

In semiconductor photocatalysts,the easy recombination of photogenerated carriers seriously affects the application of photocatalytic materials in water treatment.To solve the serious problem of electron−hole pair recombination in perylene diimide(PDI)organic semiconductors,we loaded ferric hydroxyl oxide(FeOOH)on PDI materials,successfully prepared novel FeOOH@PDI photocatalytic materials,and constructed a photo-Fenton system.The system was able to achieve highly efficient degradation of BPA under visible light,with a degradation rate of 0.112 min^(−1)that was 20 times higher than the PDI system,and it also showed universal degradation performances for a variety of emerging organic pollutants and anti-interference ability.The mechanism research revealed that the FeOOH has the electron trapping property,which can capture the photogenerated electrons on the surface of PDI,effectively reducing the compounding rate of photogenerated carriers of PDI and accelerating the iron cycling and H2O2 activation on the surface of FeOOH at the same time.This work provides new insights and methods for solving the problem of easy recombination of carriers in semiconductor photocatalysts and degrading emerging organic pollutants.

Effect of geomorphologic features and climate change on vegetation distribution in the arid hot valleys of Jinsha River,Southwest China

Rapid change of climate in vertical and considerable geomorphologic features form a typical diversity and distribution of biota in mountain ecosystems,i.e.,the subalpine forest zone(SFZ),the valley savanna zone(VSZ),and the transition zone between them.The arid hot valley in the middle and lower reaches of Jinsha River,China represents a well target area to study distribution and the driving factors in these typical mountain ecosystems.Therefore,this study selects four sub-sample areas in the arid-hot valley to explore the distinctive changes of vegetation during 1990 to 2020,and their driving factors in the three different vegetation zones on spatiotemporal scales.On the spatial scale,the Moran’s index was applied to identify the transition zone between the SFZ and the VSZ.Results show that the VSZ at low altitudes(less than 600-1000 m from the valley bottom)is mainly affected by geomorphologic features,especially the slope aspect.With increase in altitude,the climate factors(e.g.,humidity,temperature,etc.)play a more significant role in the development of the SFZ,while the effect of geomorphologic features gradually weakens.On the time scale,The SFZ at higher altitudes experienced more rapid changes in temperature(temperature increase of 1.41°C over the last 60 years)than the VSZ at lower altitudes(temperature increase of 0.172°C over the past 60 years).It caused the forest cover increase faster than that of savanna grassland.Humidity and heat conditions are altered by topography and climate conditions,which shapes the development and physiology of plants as they adapt to the different climatic zones.Furthermore,according to the driving factors(geomorphologic and climate factors)of vegetation distribution found in this study,it suggests that suitable tree species should be planted in the transition zone to evolve into the forest zone and making the forest zone to recover from high to low altitudes gradually.

LOCAL EXISTENCE AND UNIQUENESS OF STRONG SOLUTIONS TO THE TWO DIMENSIONAL NONHOMOGENEOUS INCOMPRESSIBLE PRIMITIVE EQUATIONS

In this article,we study the initial boundary value problem of the two-dimensional nonhomogeneous incompressible primitive equations and obtain the local existence and uniqueness of strong solutions.The initial vacuum is allowed.

Identification of circRNA/miRNA/mRNA regulatory net-work involving(+)-catechin ameliorates diabetic nephropathy mice

(+)-Catechin(CE)is mainly found in green and black tea and has many biological effects,such as antiinflammatory,anti-cancer,anti-viral effects,protecting human organs,especially the kidney.This study aims to identify the circRNAs induced by CE in db/db mice and their roles in diabetic nephropathy progression.After the db/db mice were treated with CE,RNA-seq was performed to identify the differentially expressed circRNA and mRNAs.The ceRNA regulatory network was constructed and analyzed using bioinformatics software and public databases(Cytoscape,Clue GO,Mi RWalk,STRING,et al.).Our results revealed that 6 differentially expressed circRNAs are most associated with the cholinergic synapse,neurotrophin signaling pathway,and insulin signaling pathway.Among these,circRNA.5549 and circRNA.4712 might regulate Cd36,Cyp26 b1,C8 a,Cyp2 j13,Grem2 genes through ceRNA regulatory mechanism in the presence of CE treatment.The expanded network of proteins interacting with these 5 genes shows that the TGF-βsignaling pathway,signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cell,fat digestion and absorption,and PPAR signaling pathway was highly enriched.Overall,circRNA.5549 and circRNA.4712 exhibit a promotive function in CE-treated db/db mice,especially in circRNA.5549/miR-29a-5P/Cd36 regulatory network,and this evidence suggest that their ceRNA regulatory network might be a therapeutic target for DN in humans.

State-of-the-art advances in vacancy defect engineering of graphitic carbon nitride for solar water splitting

Developing low-cost,efficient,and stable photocatalysts is one of the most promising methods for large-scale solar water splitting.As a metal-free semiconductor material with suitable band gap,graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_(3)N_(4))has attracted attention in the field of photocatalysis,which is mainly attributed to its fascinating physicochemical and photoelectronic properties.However,several inherent limitations and shortcomings—involving high recombination rate of photocarriers,insufficient reaction kinetics,and optical absorption—impede the practical applicability of g-C_(3)N_(4).As an effective strategy,vacancy defect engineering has been widely used for breaking through the current limitations,considering its ability to optimize the electronic structure and surface morphology of g-C_(3)N_(4) to obtain the desired photocatalytic activity.This review summarizes the recent progress of vacancy defect engineered g-C_(3)N_(4) for solar water splitting.The fundamentals of solar water splitting with g-C_(3)N_(4) are discussed first.We then focus on the fabrication strategies and effect of vacancy generated in g-C_(3)N_(4).The advances of vacancy-modified g-C_(3)N_(4) photocatalysts toward solar water splitting are discussed next.Finally,the current challenges and future opportunities of vacancy-modified g-C_(3)N_(4) are summarized.This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for future research on the design and development of highly efficient defective g-C_(3)N_(4).

Effect of Matching Algorithm and Profile Shape on Pulsar Pulse Time of Arrival Uncertainties

For high-precision pulsar timing analysis and low-frequency gravitational wave detection,it is essential to accurately determine pulsar pulse times of arrival(ToAs)and associated uncertainties.To measure the ToAs and their uncertainties,various cross-correlation-based techniques can be employed.We develop methodologies to investigate the impact of the template-matching method,profile shape,signal-to-noise ratio of both template and observation on ToA uncertainties.These methodologies are then applied to data from the International Pulsar Timing Array.We demonstrate that the Fourier domain Markov chain Monte Carlo method is generally superior to other methods,while the Gaussian interpolation shift method outperforms other methods in certain cases,such as profiles with large duty cycles or smooth profiles without sharp features.However,it is important to note that our study focuses solely on ToA uncertainty,and the optimal method for determining both ToA and ToA uncertainty may differ.

QM/MM Study on Enzymatic Mechanism in Sinigrin Biosynthesis

As the major and abundant type of glucosinolates(GL)in plants,sinigrin has potential functions in promoting health and insect defense.The final step in the biosynthesis of sinigrin core structure is highly representative in GL compounds,which corresponds to the process from 3-methylthiopropyl ds-GL to 3-methylthiopropyl GL catalyzed by sulfotransferase(SOT).However,due to the lack of the crystallographic structure of SOT complexed with the 3-methylthiopropyl GL,little is known about this sulfonation process.Fortunately,the crystal structure of SOT 18 from Arabidopsis thaliana(At SOT18)containing the substance(sinigrin)similar to 3-methylthiopropyl GL has been determined.To understand the enzymatic mechanism,we employed molecular dynamics(MD)simulation and quantum mechanics combined with molecular mechanics(QM/MM)methods to study the conversion from ds-sinigrin to sinigrin catalyzed by AtSOT18.The calculated results demonstrate that the reaction occurs through a concerted dissociative mechanism.Moreover,Lys93,Thr96,Thr97,Tyr130,His155,and two enzyme peptide chains(Pro92-Lys93 and Gln95-Thr96-Thr97)play a role in positioning the substrates and promoting the catalytic reaction by stabilizing the transition state geometry.Particularly,His155 acts as a catalytic base while Lys93 acts as a catalytic acid in the reaction process.The presently proposed concerted dissociative mechanism explains the role of At SOT18 in sinigrin biosynthesis,and could be instructive for the study of GL biosynthesis catalyzed by other SOTs.

Relativistic motion on Gaussian quantum steering for two-mode localized Gaussian states

Realistic quantum systems always exhibit gravitational and relativistic features.In this paper,we investigate the properties of Gaussian steering and its asymmetry by the localized two-mode Gaussian quantum states,instead of the traditional single-mode approximation method in the relativistic setting.We find that the one-side Gaussian quantum steering will monotonically decrease with increasing observers of acceleration.Meanwhile,our results also reveal the interesting behavior of the Gaussian steering asymmetry,which increases for a specific range of accelerated parameter and then gradually approaches to a finite value.Such finding is well consistent and explained by the well-known Unruh effect,which could significantly destroy the one-side Gaussian quantum steering.Finally,our results could also be applied to the dynamical studies of Gaussian steering between the Earth and satellites,since the effects of acceleration are equal to the effects of gravity according to the equivalence principle.

Boosting the zinc storage performance of vanadium dioxide by integrated morphology engineering and carbon nanotube conductive networks

Vanadium dioxide(VO_(2)) with the advantages of high theoretical capacity and tunnel structure has attracted considerable promising candidates for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the intrinsic low electronic conductivity of VO_(2) results in an unsatisfactory electrochemical performance.Herein,a flower-like VO_(2)/carbon nanotubes(CNTs)composite was obtained by a facile hydrothermal method.The unique flower-like morphology shortens the ion transport length and facilitates electrolyte infiltration.Meanwhile,the CNT conductive networks is in favor of fast electron transfer.A highly reversible zinc storage mechanism was revealed by ex-situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.As a result,the VO_(2)/CNTs cathode exhibits a high reversible capacity(410 mAh·g^(−1)),superior rate performance(305 mAh·g^(−1)at 5 A·g^(−1)),and excellent cycling stability(a reversible capacity of 221 mAh·g^(−1)was maintained even after 2000 cycles).This work provides a guide for the design of high-performance cathode materials for aqueous zinc metal batteries.

Effects and fate of metal-based engineered nanomaterials in soil ecosystem:A review

Metal-based engineered nanomaterials(MENMs)are increasingly being used in people’s working lives.Although MENMs have important effects on soil ecosystem and play an important role in solving soil environmental problems,the hazards associated with MENMs cannot be ignored.Therefore,more and more scholars have studied the behavior and effects of nanomaterials in soils in recent years.In this review,we explore the articles on MENMs and soil ecosystem retrieved from various databases from 2013 to 2022.We discuss the mechanisms of MENM toxicity,the current state of soil ecosystem,the ecological effects of MENMs on soil microbes,earthworms,and plants,and the ways by which soil organisms take up MENMs.We now know that although MENMs have positive effects on soil ecosystem,their potential hazards are not negligible.Therefore,it is necessary to investigate the effects of MENMs on soil organisms.Meanwhile,we should pay more attention to the negative effects of MENMs on soil ecosystem while exploring their positive effects on soil ecosystem in future research.

Biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration of vulnerable ecosystems in the Anthropocene

This editorial summarizes the contributions to the Special Issue Biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration of vulnerable ecosystems in the Anthropocene',established under the Journal of Plant Ecology.

Nanofiltration for drinking water treatment: a review

In recent decades,nanofiltration(NF)is considered as a promising separation technique to produce drinking water from different types of water source.In this paper,we comprehensively reviewed the progress of NFbased drinking water treatment,through summarizing the development of materials/fabrication and applications of NF membranes in various scenarios including surface water treatment,groundwater treatment,water reuse,brackish water treatment,and point of use applications.We not only summarized the removal of target major pollutants(e.g.,hardness,pathogen,and natural organic matter),but also paid attention to the removal of micropollutants of major concern(e.g.,disinfection byproducts,per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances,and arsenic).We highlighted that,for different applications,fit-for-purpose design is needed to improve the separation capability for target compounds of NF membranes in addition to their removal of salts.Outlook and perspectives on membrane fouling control,chlorine resistance,integrity,and selectivity are also discussed to provide potential insights for future development of high-efficiency NF membranes for stable and reliable drinking water treatment.

Unpaved road erosion after heavy storms in mountain areas of northern China

More frequent extreme rainfall events associated with global climate change cause greater challenges for soil conservation.Severe erosion occurs on many unpaved roads since these structures create important water flow paths during heavy storms.The present research aimed to investigate the intensity and influencing factors of unpaved road erosion under varied land use and management conditions(sloping cropland,terraced cropland,forest&grass).The erosion occurred in the watersheds contributing runoff water to roads after the greatest rainfall event recorded in the mountain area of northern China caused by Typhon Lekima.The research was conducted in an agricultural-forest-dominated watershed based on field investigation and UAV-based image analysis.A road erosion level classification standard was given according to the occurrence of rills,ephemeral gullies,and gullies.Significant erosion happened on 67% of the unpaved roads;42% of them suffered moderate to severe erosion in which ephemeral gullies or gullies developed.The average erosion amount from these roads was 2280.75 t ha-1 and was significantly influenced by the watershed land use type and management.The dominant factor governing unpaved road erosion associated with terraced cropland was vegetation coverage on roads.Drainage area was the most important factor for road erosion in sloping cropland and forest&grass land,and road gradient was also a critical factor.Terraces,and forest&grass in drainage areas significantly reduced unpaved road erosion by 85%and,47%,respectively,compared to sloping cropland.More integrated measures should be used to prevent unpaved road erosion.The results of this research can be applied to road protection against erosion in heavy storms.

Vegetation characteristics and soil properties in grazing exclusion areas of the Inner Mongolia desert steppe

In arid and semi-arid desert steppe areas,grazing exclusion with fencing is widely regarded as an effective strategy for restoring degraded vegetation and enhancing the quality of degraded soil.In this study,we hypothesized that grazing exclusion caused by fencing enhances both vegetation and soil properties,and that the longer an area is fenced,the more considerable the improvement.We conducted an observational study wherein random sampling was utilized to select 9 plots fenced for ten or more years,25 plots fenced for four to nine years,25 plots fenced for one to three years and 29 free-grazing plots within an area of approximately 63,000 km^(2)of Inner Mongolia desert steppe.A one-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in the characteristics of grassland vegetation or soil properties between grasslands fenced for one to three years and free-grazing grassland.After 4 years of fencing,noticeable increases in above-ground biomass,litter content,Simpson index,soil organic carbon,and available nitrogen were observed.Significant positive differences in vegetation coverage,height,species richness,soil available phosphorus,and available potassium were associated with plots with a minimum of 10 years of fencing.The soil layer with the greatest difference in the fenced-in areas for soil organic carbon was at 0-25 cm.For available nitrogen and available phosphorus,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-20 cm soil layer,while for available potassium,fencing produced the most significant differences in the 0-30 cm soil layer.However,the fencing did not indicate any statistically significant differences in terms of clay,silt,and sand content in any soil layer.The data support our hypothesis that grazing exclusion improves both vegetation and soil properties,and that longer periods of grazing exclusion result in greater degrees of improvement.This research offers technical guidance for the reasonable choice of fencing time across a vast area of the Inner Mongolian desert steppe.

Seasonal and interannual variations of ecosystem photosynthetic characteristics in a semi-arid grassland of Northern China

The ecosystem apparent quantum yield(α),maximum rate of gross CO_(2) assimilation(Pmax)and daytime ecosystem respiration rate(R.),reflecting the physiological functioning of ecosystem,are vital photosynthetic parameters for the estimation of ecosystem carbon budget.Climatic drivers may affect photosynthetic parameters both directly and indirectly by altering the response of vegetation.However,the relative contribution and regulation pathway of environmental and physiological controls remain unclear,especially in semi-arid grasslands.We analyzed seasonal and interannual variations of photosynthetic parameters derived from eddy-covariance observation in a typical semi-arid grassland in Inner Mongolia,Northern China,over 12 years from 2006 to 2017.Regression analyses and a structural equation model(SEM)were adopted to separate the contributions of environmental and physiological effects.The photosynthetic parameters showed unimodal seasonal patterns and significantly interannual variations.Variations of air temperature(T,)and soil water content(SWC)drove the seasonal patterns of photosynthetic parameters,while SWC predominated their interannual variations.Moreover,contrasting with the predominant roles of T,onαand Ra,SWC explained more variance of Pmax than T,Results of SEM revealed that environmental factors impacted photosynthetic parameters both directly and indirectly through regulating physiological responses reflected by stomatal conductance at the canopy level.Moreover,leaf area index(LAl)directly affectedα,Pmax and R,and dominated the variation of Pmax.On the other hand,SWC influenced photosynthetic parameters indirectly through LAl and canopy surface conductance(gc).Our findings highlight the importance of physiological regulation on the photosynthetic parameters and carbon assimilation capacity,especially in water-limitedgrassland ecosystems.

Soil microbial communities regulate the threshold effect of salinity stress on SOM decomposition in coastal salt marshes

Salinity stress is one of the critical environmental drivers of soil organic matter(SOM)decomposition in coastal ecosystems.Although the temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))of SOM decomposition has been widely applied in Earth system models to forecast carbon processes,the impact of salinity on SOM decomposition by restructuring microbial communities remains uncovered.Here,we conducted a microcosm experiment with soils collected from the coastal salt marsh in the Yellow River Estuary,which is subjected to strong dynamics of salinity due to both tidal flooding and drainage.By setting a gradient of salt solutions,soil salinity was adjusted to simulate salinity stress and soil carbon emission(CO_(2))rate was measured over the period.Results showed that as salinity increased,the estimated decomposition constants based on first-order kinetics gradually decreased at different temperatures.Below the 20‰salinity treatments,which doubled the soil salinity,Q_(10)increased with increasing salinity;but higher salinity constrained the temperature-related response of SOM decomposition by inhibiting microbial growth and carbon metabolisms.Soil bacteria were more sensitive to salinity stress than fungi,which can be inferred from the response of microbial beta-diversity to changing salinity.Among them,the phylotypes assigned to Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli showed higher salt tolerance,whereas taxa affiliated with Alphaproteobacteria and Bacteroidota were more easily inhibited by the salinity stress.Several fungal taxa belonging to Ascomycota had higher adaptability to the stress.As the substrate was consumed with the incubation,bacterial competition intensified,but the fungal co-occurrence pattern changed weakly during decomposition.Collectively,these findings revealed the threshold effect of salinity on SOM decomposition in coastal salt marshes and emphasized that salt stress plays a key role in carbon sequestration by regulating microbial keystone taxa,metabolisms,and interactions.

Scalar induced gravitational waves in light of Pulsar Timing Array data

The power-law parametrization for the energy density spectrum of gravitational wave(GW)background is a useful tool to study its physics and origin.While scalar induced secondary gravitational waves(SIGWs)from some particular models fit the signal detected by NANOGrav,Parkers Pulsar Timing Array,European Pulsar Timing Array,and Chinese Pulsar Timing Array collaborations better than GWs from supermassive black hole binaries(SMBHBs),we test the consistency of the data with the infrared part of SIGWs which is somewhat independent of models.Through Bayesian analysis,we show that the infrared parts of SIGWs fit the data better than GW background from SMBHBs.The results give tentative evidence for SIGWs.

Theoretical perspective on synthetic man-made life:Learning from the origin of life

Creating a man-made life in the laboratory is one of life science's most intriguing yet challenging problems.Advances in synthetic biology and related theories,particularly those related to the origin of life,have laid the groundwork for further exploration and understanding in this field of artificial life or man-made life.But there remains a wealth of quantitative mathematical models and tools that have yet to be applied to this area.In this paper,we review the two main approaches often employed in the field of man-made life:the top-down approach that reduces the complexity of extant and existing living systems and the bottom-up approach that integrates welldefined components,by introducing the theoretical basis,recent advances,and their limitations.We then argue for another possible approach,namely"bottom-up from the origin of life":Starting with the establishment of autocatalytic chemical reaction networks that employ physical boundaries as the initial compartments,then designing directed evolutionary systems,with the expectation that independent compartments will eventually emerge so that the system becomes free-living.This approach is actually analogous to the process of how life originated.With this paper,we aim to stimulate the interest of synthetic biologists and experimentalists to consider a more theoretical perspective,and to promote the communication between the origin of life community and the synthetic man-made life community.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of S-doped covalent triazine framework for organic pollutant degradation

Photocatalysis using the abundant solar energy is an environmentally friendly and efficient way to degrade organic matter.Covalent triazine frameworks(CTFs),a new class of metal-free organic semiconductors responsive to visible light,are promising materials for water treatment.In this study,an original CTF,namely CTF-1,was modified by S-doping to form CTFSx,which were used as metal-free catalysts for degradation of methyl orange(MO)and bisphenol A(BPA).The outcomes demonstrated that the photocatalytic degradation of MO and BPA by CTFSxwas superior to that by CTF-1,with better stability and reusability.Within 6 h,53.2%MO and 84.7%BPA were degraded by CTFS5,and the degradation rate constants were 0.145 h-1and 0.29 h-1,respectively,which were 3.6 and 5.8 times higher than those of CTF-1.Further investigation revealed that enhanced visible light absorption,a reduced degree of free carrier recombination,rapid separation and transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes,and improved·OH oxidation capacity were important factors contributing to the significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity.The S-doping method effectively improved the light absorption performance,electronic structure,and modulation band structure of CTF-1.This work highlights the potential application of low-cost metal-free catalysts driven by visible light for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater.

A novel herbivorous wood-borer insect outbreak triggers die-offs of a foundation plant species in coastal ecosystems

Introduction:Understanding the trophic interactions between plants and herbivorous insects is essential for managing the ecosystem health and sustainability in the context of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance.The Tamarix chinensis is a foundation plant species of salt marshes in northern China,which provides a variety of ecological functions and services in coastal ecosystems such as withstanding storm tide,conserving biodiversity,and preventing shoreline erosion.Outcomes:However,through long-term field observations,for the first time,we found that the health of this population has been suffering from the potential outbreak of a novel wood-borer insect(Zeuzera leuconotum Butler)under multiple stresses,contributing substantially to the degradation of the coastal salt marshes.Discussion and Conclusion:Therefore,there is urgent need and great significance to investigate the potential impact of this herbivorous wood-borer insects on health and sustainability of plant community in coastal ecosystems for in-depth understanding its degradation mechanisms.