Exploring the genetic basis of pre-harvest sprouting in rice through a genome-wide association study-based haplotype analysis

Pre-harvest sprouting(PHS)poses a significant global challenge to cereal production,impacting both yield and quality.In this study,we employed genome-wide association studies(GWAS)on diverse rice accessions to identify novel PHS-associated haplotypes.An assessment of 127 cultivated accessions for panicle germination(PHS)and detached grain germination(germination rate of detached grains at the 14th day(D14))revealed considerable phenotypic variation among rice ecotypes.GWAS analysis identified 91 significant signals at–log10(P-value)>5,including 15SNPs for PHS and 76 SNPs for D14.A subsequent linkage disequilibrium(LD)block-based GWAS analysis detected 227 significant SNPs for both traits,consisting of 18 nonsynonymous substitutions located on the coding regions of nine genes.Further haplotype analysis identified 32 haplotypes,with 10 specific to cultivated accessions,19 specific to the wild type,and three shared between them.A phenotypic assessment of major haplotypes revealed significant differences between resistant(Hap1 and Hap2)and susceptible haplotypes(Hap5,Hap27,and Hap28),distinguished by a G/A SNP within a novel gene,Os04g0545200.The identified haplotypes offer promising prospects for haplotypebased breeding aimed at enhancing PHS resistance in rice.

Hypoglycemic effect and the mechanism of action of a polysaccharide from sweet corncob in a high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a metabolic disease caused by a glycolipid metabolism disorder and isletβ-cell dysfunction.SCP-80-I is a biologically active water-soluble polysaccharide isolated from sweet corncob,an agricultural byproduct.The hypoglycemic effects of SCP-80-I on T2DM mice and its mechanisms were investigated in this study.SCP-80-I was found to significantly reduce blood glucose and lipid deposition levels in T2DM mice,as well as decrease serum leptin and increase adiponectin secretion.Interestingly,real time-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)and Western blotting results revealed that SCP-80-I could regulate the expression of several glycolipid metabolisms and insulin secretion genes and proteins,including 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),carnitine palmitoyltransferase I(CPTI),and acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase(ACC)in the liver and AMPK,sirtuin1(Sirtl),peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorycoactivator-1(PGC-1α),and uncoupling protein 2(UCP2)in the pancreas.To have a hypoglycemic effect,SCP-80-1 regulated glycolipid metabolism and islet cell function in the liver by regulating the AMPK/AC C/CPT1 signaling pathway and the AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1αand AMPK/Sirtl/UCP2 signaling pathways.These findings improve our understanding of polysaccharides derived from sweet corncob and the use of SCP-80-I in the production of hypoglycemic foods.

Dietary Macleaya cordata extract supplementation improves the growth performance and gut health of broiler chickens with necrotic enteritis

Background The poultry industry needs effective antibiotic alternatives to control outbreaks of necrotic enteritis(NE)caused by Clostridium perfringens.Methods The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Macleaya cordata extract(MCE)on the immune function and gut microbiota of broilers with NE.A total of 2881-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to a 2×2 factorial arrangement with two concentrations of dietary MCE supplementation(0 or 350 mg/kg of diet)and two disease challenge statuses(control or NE).Results The results revealed that NE significantly increased the feed conversion rate(FCR),mortality,intestinal lesion score,the levels of IL-1β,IL-17 and IFN-γ/IL-4 in serum and IL-17/IL-10 in the jejunal mucosa,m RNA levels of TLR2,IFN-γand p Ig R in the jejunum,and Clostridium perfringens concentrations in the cecum.NE significantly decreased the body weight(BW),body weight gain(BWG),jejunal villus height,V/C,m RNA level of AMPK-α1 in jejunum,IL-4 level in the jejunal mucosa and lactic acid bacteria abundance in the cecum.MCE significantly increased BW,BWG,jejunal villus height,V/C,m RNA levels of occludin,ZO-1 and AMPK-α1 in the jejunum,the levels of Ig A and Ig G in serum and IL-10 in the jejunal mucosa and m RNA levels of NF-κB,IL-10 and MHC-II in the jejunum.Additionally,MCE significantly decreased the FCR,mortality,intestinal lesion score,jejunal crypt depth,the levels of IFN-γand IL-17 in serum and IL-17/IL-10 in the jejunal mucosa,Clostridium perfringens concentrations in the cecum,and m RNA levels of IL-17/IL-10 in the jejunum.Moreover,NE significantly increased the abundance of bacteria that are associated with inflammation,obesity and depression(Alistipes,Barnesiella,Intestinimonas,RF39 and UCG-005)and significantly decreased the abundance of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)-producing bacteria(Anaerotruncus,Butyricicoccus and Bacteroides)in the cecum.MCE significantly increased the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria(Streptococcus,Ruminococcus_torques_group and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group)and significantly reduced the abundance of bacteria that are associated with inflammation and obesity(Alistipes,Barnesiella and UCG-010)in the cecum.In the cecum of broilers with NE,the relative abundance of Barnesiella and Alistipes was higher and that of Lachnoclostridium and Shuttleworthia was lower.Interestingly,these trends were reversed by the addition of MCE to the diet.Spearman correlation analysis showed that Barnesiella and Alistipes were associated with enhanced intestinal inflammation and inhibited growth performance,whereas Lachnoclostridium and Shuttleworthia were associated with anti-inflammatory effects.Conclusions MCE ameliorated the loss of growth performance in broiler chickens with NE,probably by regulating the intestinal barrier,immune function,and gut microbiota.

Safety assessment of a novel marine multi-stress-tolerant yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii GXDK6 according to phenotype and whole genome-sequencing analysis

The application of microorganisms as probiotics is limited due to lack of safety evaluation.Here,a novel multi-stress-tolerant yeast Meyerozyma guilliermondii GXDK6 with aroma-producing properties was identified from marine mangrove microorganisms.Its safety and probiotic properties were assessed in accordance with phenotype and whole-genome sequencing analysis.Results showed that the genes and phenotypic expression of related virulence,antibiotic resistance and retroelement were rarely found.Hyphal morphogenesis genes(SIT4,HOG1,SPA2,ERK1,ICL1,CST20,HSP104,TPS1,and RHO1)and phospholipase secretion gene(VPS4)were annotated.True hyphae and phospholipase were absent.Only one retroelement(Tad1-65_BG)was found.Major biogenic amines(BAs)encoding genes were absent,except for spermidine synthase(JA9_002594),spermine synthase(JA9_004690),and tyrosine decarboxylase(inx).The production of single BAs and total BAs was far below the food-defined thresholds.GXDK6 had no resistance to common antifungal drugs.Virulence enzymes,such as gelatinase,DNase,hemolytic,lecithinase,and thrombin were absent.Acute toxicity test with mice demonstrated that GXDK6 is safe.GXDK6 has a good reproduction ability in the simulation gastrointestinal tract.GXDK6 also has a strong antioxidant ability,β-glucosidase,and inulinase activity.To sum up,GXDK6 is considered as a safe probiotic for human consumption and food fermentation.

Delving into the dissimilarities in electrochemical performance and underlying mechanisms for sodium and potassium ion storage in N-doped carbon-encapsulated metallic Cu_(2)Se nanocubes

The large volumetric variations experienced by metal selenides within conversion reaction result in inferior rate capability and cycling stability,ultimately hindering the achievement of superior electrochemical performance.Herein,metallic Cu_(2)Se encapsulated with N-doped carbon(Cu_(2)Se@NC)was prepared using Cu_(2)O nanocubes as templates through a combination of dopamine polymerization and hightemperature selenization.The unique nanocubic structure and uniform N-doped carbon coating could shorten the ion transport distance,accelerate electron/charge diffusion,and suppress volume variation,ultimately ensuring Cu_(2)Se@NC with excellent electrochemical performance in sodium ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium ion batteries(PIBs).The composite exhibited excellent rate performance(187.7 mA h g^(-1)at 50 A g^(-1)in SIBs and 179.4 mA h g^(-1)at 5 A g^(-1)in PIBs)and cyclic stability(246,8 mA h g^(-1)at 10 A g^(-1)in SIBs over 2500 cycles).The reaction mechanism of intercalation combined with conversion in both SIBs and PIBs was disclosed by in situ X-ray diffraction(XRD)and ex situ transmission electron microscope(TEM).In particular,the final products in PIBs of K_(2)Se and K_(2)Se_(3)species were determined after discharging,which is different from that in SIBs with the final species of Na_(2)Se.The density functional theory calculation showed that carbon induces strong coupling and charge interactions with Cu_(2)Se,leading to the introduction of built-in electric field on heterojunction to improve electron mobility.Significantly,the theoretical calculations discovered that the underlying cause for the relatively superior rate capability in SIBs to that in PIBs is the agile Na~+diffusion with low energy barrier and moderate adsorption energy.These findings offer theoretical support for in-depth understanding of the performance differences of Cu-based materials in different ion storage systems.

Morphological and Molecular Data Revealed One New Species of the Short-legged Toads Brachytarsophrys Tian and Hu,1983(Anura,Megophryidae)from Yunnan,China

A new species of the genus Brachytarsophrys,named Brachytarsophrys wenshanensis sp.nov.,has been identified in southeastern Yunnan,China.This new species can be readily distinguished from other known congeners by both morphological criterion and molecular analysis of three mitochondrial gene segments:16S,COI,and Cytb.This classification is based on the following morphological characters:(1)medium body size(SVL 83.8–85.1 mm in two adult males);(2)enormous head,with head width nearly 1.2 times the length;(3)tongue pyriform,feebly notched;(4)non-meeting heels;(5)male lacking nuptial pad;(6)tibiotarsal articulation reaching angle of mouth when hindlimbs are extended forward alongside the body;(7)absence of outer metatarsal tubercle,inner metatarsal tubercle elliptic and approximately equal to first toe;(8)rudimentary toe webbing,webbing formula:Ⅰ(2–)–(2^(++))Ⅱ(2^(–))–(3^(++))Ⅲ(2^(½))–(4)Ⅳ(4^(+))–(2^(⅔))V;(9)lateral fringes narrow;(10)dermal ridge or glandular fold on dorsum absent;(11)pectoral glands distinct and irregular,femoral gland small.Our work increases the number of species within the genus Brachytarsophrys to 9.

MXene Enhanced 3D Needled Waste Denim Felt for High‑Performance Flexible Supercapacitors

MXene,a transition metal carbide/nitride,has been prominent as an ideal electrochemical active material for supercapacitors.However,the low MXene load limits its practical applications.As environmental concerns and sustainable development become more widely recognized,it is necessary to explore a greener and cleaner technology to recycle textile by-products such as cotton.The present study proposes an effective 3D fabrication method that uses MXene to fabricate waste denim felt into ultralight and flexible supercapacitors through needling and carbonization.The 3D structure provided more sites for loading MXene onto Z-directional fiber bundles,resulting in more efficient ion exchange between the electrolyte and electrodes.Furthermore,the carbonization process removed the specific adverse groups in MXenes,further improving the specific capacitance,energy density,power density and electrical conductivity of supercapacitors.The electrodes achieve a maximum specific capacitance of 1748.5 mF cm-2 and demonstrate remarkable cycling stability maintaining more than 94%after 15,000 galvanostatic charge/discharge cycles.Besides,the obtained supercapacitors present a maximum specific capacitance of 577.5 mF cm^(-2),energy density of 80.2μWh cm^(-2)and power density of 3 mW cm^(-2),respectively.The resulting supercapacitors can be used to develop smart wearable power devices such as smartwatches,laying the foundation for a novel strategy of utilizing waste cotton in a high-quality manner.

Zircon SHRIMP U–Pb geochronology,geochemistry,and geological significance of dacite in the Zhesang gold district,southeast Yunnan Province,China

The Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic framework of the Nanpanjiang Basin has much been disputed.Herein,the middle-acid volcanic rock,dacite,exposed to the Zhesang gold district,southeast Yunnan Province,has been analyzed.The results show that the dacite belongs to a calc-alkaline series,SiO_(2)contents range from 62.79 to 76.66 wt%.Zircon SHRIMP U–Pb dating of dacite demonstrates that they were formed in the Early Triassic(247.8±1.7 Ma,MSWD=1.2).All samples exhibit enrichment in LILE(e.g.Rb,K,Th,and U),and depletion in HFSE(e.g.Nb,Ta,and Ti),which has the geochemical affinity of I-type granite.La–La/Sm and La–La/Yb discrimination diagrams show that the partial melting,mainly of the mafic lower crust,of rocks,plays a major role in the formation process.The dacite has low initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratios(0.706954 to 0.708589)and negative ε_(Nd)(t)values(-11.77 to-10.88).Zircons in dacite have ε_(Hf)(t)values of-16.2 to-8.3,and the two-stage Hf model ages are 1799–2301 Ma,mostly concentrated between 1800 and 1900 Ma,indicating that the magma source area is the reconstructed ancient lower crust mixed with some mantle materials,and crystal fractionation process underwent in the late stage of magma migration.This study reveals that the arc-volcanic rocks of the Early Triassic in the southern margin of the Nanpanjiang Basin were formed by the subduction of the Late Paleozoic ocean basin within the border region between China and Vietnam.

The role of probiotics in prevention and treatment of food allergy

With the prevalence of food allergy increasing every year,food allergy has become a common public health problem.More and more studies have shown that probiotics can intervene in food allergy based on the intestinal mucosal immune system.Probiotics and their metabolites can interact with immune cells and gut microbiota to alleviate food allergy.This review outlines the relationship between the intestinal mucosal immune system and food allergy.This review also presents the clinical application and potential immunomodulation mechanisms of probiotics on food allergy.We aim at providing a reference for further studies to explore the key active substances and immunomodulation mechanisms of anti-allergic probiotics.

Selective Hydrogenation of Polycyclic Aromatics to Monocyclic Aromatics over NiMoC/HβCatalysts in a Methane and Hydrogen Environment

To obtain high yields of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with methyl side chains,such as toluene and xylene,methane(CH_(4))can be introduced into the hydrocracking of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.CH_(4)can participate in the reaction,supply methyl side chains to the product,and improve product distribution.In this study,the hydrogenation reaction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over a carbonized NiMo/Hβcatalyst in a CH_(4)and hydrogen(H_(2))environment was investigated to study the promotional effect of CH_(4)on the hydrocracking of polycyclic aromatics.Under conditions of 3.5 MPa,380℃,volume air velocity of 4 h^(-1),gas-oil volume ratio of 800,and H_(2):CH_(4)molar ratio of 1:1,the conversion rate of naphthalene was 99.97%,the liquid phase yield was 93.62%,and the selectivity of BTX were 17.76%,25.17%,and 20.47%,respectively.In comparison to the use of a H_(2)atmosphere,the selectivity of benzene was significantly decreased,whereas the selectivity of toluene and xylene were increased.It was shown that CH_(4)can participate in the hydrocracking of naphthalene and improve the selectivity of toluene and xylene in the liquid product.The carbonized NiMo/Hβcatalyst was characterized by a range of analytical methods(such as X-ray diffraction(XRD),ammonia-temperature-programmed desorption(NH3-TPD),hydrogen-temperature-programmed reduction(H_(2)-TPR),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)).The results indicated that Ni and Mo carbides were the major species in the carbonized NiMo/Hβcatalyst and were considered to be active sites for the activation of CH_(4)and H_(2).After loading the metal components,the catalyst displayed prominent weak acidic sites,which may be suitable locations for cracking,alkylation,and other related reactions.Therefore,the carbonized NiMo/Hβcatalyst displayed multiple functions during the hydrocracking of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a CH_(4)and H_(2)environment.These results could be used to develop a new way to efficiently utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and natural gas resources.

Effective depolymerization of alkali lignin using an attapulgite-Ce_(0.75)Zr_(0.25)O_(2)(ATP-CZO)-supported cobalt catalyst in ethanol/isopropanol media

Lignin is the world's greatest renewable aromatic biofeedstock,and it has promising applications in high value-added chemical products.Herein,N-Co/ATP-CZO was used as a catalyst for the depolymerization of alkali lignin in ethanol and isopropanol systems,and explored the effects of formic acid(FA)amount,reaction time,reaction temperature and other factors on the depolymerization of alkali lignin.Among them,formic acid serves as both catalytic and in situ-hydrogen donor.Ultimately,the highest yield of bio-oil(59.28%(mass)),including 30.05%(mass)of monomer,was obtained after a reaction of FA to alkali lignin mass ratio of 4 and 240°C for 8 h.Among the monomers,the yield of Guaiacol was the highest(5.94%(mass)),followed by 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol(5.74%(mass)).This study,the modification of attapulgite was carried out to reduce the acidity while enhancing the catalytic activity for depolymerization,and the selection of hydrogen donor was investigated.A feasible pathway for lignin depolymerization research was opened.

Solid-liquid phase equilibrium for the system ammonium polyphosphate-urea ammonium nitrate-potassium chloride-water at 273.2 K

Based on the dynamic method,a quaternary system of ammonium polyphosphate (APP)-urea ammonium nitrate (UAN,CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3))-potassium chloride (KCl)-H_(2)O and its subsystems (APP-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O,KCl-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O and APP-KCl-H_(2)O) were systematically investigated at the temperature of 273.2 K.Each ternary phase diagram contains one invariant point and three crystallization regions.The crystallization regions are:(1)(NH_(4))_(3)HP_(2)O_(7),(NH_(4))_(4)P_(2)O_(7)and ((NH_(4))_(3)HP_(2)O_(7)+(NH_(4))_(4)P_(2)O_(7)) for APP-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O diagram;(2) KCl,KNO_(3)and(KCl+KNO_(3)) for KCl-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O diagram and (3)(NH_(4))_(3)HP_(2)O_(7),KCl and((NH_(4))_(3)HP_(2)O_(7)+KCl) for APP-KCl-H_(2)O diagram.The quaternary phase diagram of APP-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-KCl-H_(2)O has no quaternary invariant point but includes four solid phase crystallization regions,i.e.,(NH_(4))_(3)HP_(2)O_(7),(NH_(4))_(4)P_(2)O_(7),KNO_(3)and KCl,in which the KNO_(3)region occupies the largest area.The maximum total nutrient content (N+P_(2)O_(5)+K_(2)O) existing as ionic forms in the APP-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O,KCl-[CO(NH_(2))_(2)-NH_(4)NO_(3)]-H_(2)O,APP-KCl-H_(2)O and quaternary systems is 44.70%,32.86%,45.56%and 46.23%(mass),respectively,indicating that the maximum nutrient content can be reached using raw materials of the corresponding systems to prepare liquid fertilizer.In the quaternary system,the content of NH_(4)~+-N ascends with the increase of the total nutrient content,while the contents of NO_(3)^(-)-N and CO(NH_(2))_(2)-N increase with elevated total N.This work can help optimize the operating parameters for the production,storage and transportation of liquid fertilizers.

Experiencing urban forests for mitigation of negative emotions of people exposed to seasonal PM_(2.5)in Northeast China

Experiencing urban green and blue spaces(GBSs)can be a nature-based solution to improve mental well-being and cope with negative moods for people exposed to PM2.5 pollution.In this study,a total of 1257 photos were collected to recognize their posted emotions of Sina Weibo users from 38 parks in 22 cities in Northeast China in 2021,when atmospheric PM_(2.5)and landscape metrics were evaluated for GBSs of each park.Autumn and winter had heavy atmospheric PM_(2.5)pollutions in resource-dependent cities of Liaoning.Net positive emotions(happy minus sad scores)decreased in larger green spaces.The perception of blue space countered the presentation of sadness only for a limited period over four seasons.High elevation decreased the level of happiness presented in winter.Overall,this study confirms that visiting large urban green spaces at low elevations can benefit the perception of positive sentiments for people exposed to PM_(2.5)in autumn.For planning urban forests in Northeast China,more green spaces should be constructed in cities in southern Jilin province to alleviate air PM_(2.5)pollution and gain better well-being of local people.

Vinous-throated parrotbills breed in invasive smooth cordgrass habitat:Can native birds avoid the potential ecological trap?

Native animals are facing long-term coexistence with invasive plants worldwide,the impacts of which on animal behavior remain poorly known.Potential ecological traps could threaten native birds breeding in invasive plant habitats,but behavioral strategies for birds to avoid such risks are few concerned.The invasion of Smooth Cordgrass(Spartina alterniflra) has seriously varied the vegetation landscape in the coastal wetlands of eastern China,and affected the habitat selection of native birds.Here,we investigated the nesting and breeding characteristics of a common native passerine,the Vinous-throated Parrotbill(Sinosuthora webbiana),in habitats dominated by native Common Reed(Phragmites australis) and exotic cordgrass.We found that parrotbills could complete their breeding cycle in cordgrass habitat.Most nest failure was attributed to predation in native habitat but tide inundation in cordgrass habitat.However,the nest success rate and daily survival rate(DSR) in cordgrass habitat were higher.Moreover,nest height was markedly higher in cordgrass habitat and was the most important influencing variable(positively correlated with the DSR).These results suggest that cordgrass habitat is a potential ecological trap due to the tide inundation,but some parrotbills seem to effectively avoid this risk by increasing nest height.Our study reveals that a native passerine changes its nesting behavior to accommodate invasive plant habitat and highlights that habitat changes caused by invasive plants may drive the adaptive evolution of native animal behavior.The limitation of these results must be acknowledged for the small sample size,and there is a need for a larger sample and long-term data for further verification.

Micropores regulating enables advanced carbon sphere catalyst for Zn-air batteries

Energy conversion technologies like fuel cells and metal-air batteries require oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)electrocatalysts with low cost and high catalytic activity.Herein,N-doped carbon spheres(N-CS)with rich micropore structure have been synthesized by a facile two-step method,which includes the polymerization of pyrrole and formaldehyde and followed by a facile pyrolysis process.During the preparation,zinc chloride(ZnCl2)was utilized as a catalyst to promote polymerization and provide a hypersaline environment.In addition,the morphology,defect content and activity area of the resultant N-CS catalysts could be regulated by controlling the content of ZnCl2.The optimum N-CS-1 catalyst demonstrated much better catalytic activity and durability towards ORR in alkaline conditions than commercial 20 wt%Pt/C catalysts,of which the half-wave potential reached 0.844 V vs.RHE.When applied in the Zn-air batteries as cathode catalysts,N-CS-1 showed a maximum power density of 175 mW cm^(-2) and long-term discharging stability of over 150 h at 10 mA cm^(-2),which outperformed 20 wt%Pt/C.The excellent performance could be due to its ultrahigh specific surface area of 1757 m2 g
1 and rich micropore channels structure.Meanwhile,this work provides an efficient method to synthesize an ultrahigh surface porous carbon material,especially for catalyst application.

Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene/Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Films for Wearable Supercapacitor and Joule Heater

The titanium carbide nanosheets(MXene)hold great potential for fabricating high-performance electronics due to their two-dimensional layered structure,high electrical conductivity,and versatile surface chemistry.However,assembling the small MXene nanosheets into flexible macroscopic films for wearable electronics still remains a challenge.Herein,we report the hierarchical assembling of MXene nanosheets and cellulose nanofibers into high-performance composite films via an electrostatic self-assembly strategy induced by polyethyleneimine.Benefited from the nacre-like microstructure of MXene"bricks"and cellulose nanofibers"mortars"interlocked by polyethyleneimine via hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction,composite films possess integrated superior flexibility,high tensile strength,and stable electrical conductivity,which are advantageous for wearable electronic applications.To provide a proof-of-concept design,a symmetric quasi-solid-state supercapacitor with the as-prepared composite film as electrode is fabricated,which exhibits a specific capacitance of 93.9 mF cm^(-2)at a current density of 0.1 mA cm^(-2)and almost constant capacitive behavior under different bending states.In addition,the composite film possesses capacities of electrothermal conversion and complete degradation in a hydrogen peroxide solution.These results demonstrate that the electrostatically self-assembled composite films hold great promise in the development of highly flexible,mechanically robust,and environmentally friendly energy storage and conversion devices.

Vultures as a model for testing molecular adaptations of dietary specialization in birds

Vultures are the only obligate scavengers among extant vertebrates.They provide valuable ecological services in ecosystems through removing carcasses,thus preventing the growth of other scavenger populations and the spread of pathogens.Moreover,their specific diets expose them to various deadly pathogens,which makes them potential candidates for studying molecular adaptations required to survive this extremely specialized scavenging habit.In this review,we summarize the morphological characteristics and behavioral habits,origin and phylogeny,and molecular adaptations to scavenging in both Old and New World vultures.The two groups of vultures share a similar appearance,indicative of convergent evolution.Vultures have experienced different degrees of specialization in their sensory organs;Old World vultures depend on sight,while New World ones depend on both smell and sight.Combined fossil records and molecular data suggest that vultures evolved independently,with distinct phylogenetic positions.We also explored their adaptation to scavenging in facial and intestinal microbiomes,gastric acid secretion and immunity.Compared with the facial microbiome,the intestinal microbiome had a lower diversity,dominated by Fusobacteria and Clostridia.The phages and single invertebrate species Adineta vaga,which feeds on dead bacteria and protozoa,present in the gut suggest a possible alternative defense mechanism.Several genes involved in gastric acidic secretion(including ATP4B,SLC26A7 and SST)and immunity(including BCL6,STING,and TLRs) undergoing positive selection likely have essential roles in eliminating invasive pathogens and initiating an innate immune response.Taken together,this review presents the current research status of vultures and highlights the use of vultures as a model for exploring molecular adaptations of dietary specialization in birds.It also provides a theoretical basis for the study of the genetic mechanisms of vultures to scavenging,and contributes to the formulation of vulture conservation strategies.

CoS_(2)/S-Doped C with In Situ Constructing Heterojunction Structure for Boosted K-lon Diffusion and Highly Efficient Storage

Exploring the desired anode materials to address the issues of poor structural stability tardy redox kinetics caused by large potassium ionic radius are fatal for the realization of large-scale applications of potassium-ion batteries.In this work,the feasibility to achieve promoted K^(+)storage by constructing the model of CoS_(2)enfolded in carbon was verified by the density functional theory calculations.And the results predicted a faster electron/potassium ion transport kinetics than bare CoS_(2)by increasing electron carrier density and narrowing diffusion barrier.Therefore,an interfacial engineering strategy was applied and implemented to synthesize the CoS_(2)nanoparticles enveloped in the S-doped carbon(CoS_(2)/SC)under this inspiration.The as-prepared CoS_(2)/SC composite exhibited a prominent rate capability and long cycling lifespan,delivering the high capacity of 375 mA h g^(-1)at 0.2 A g^(-1)at the 100th cycle and 273 mA h g^(-1)at 2 A g^(-1)over 300 cycles.The in/ex situ characterizations unraveled the converse mechanism of CoS_(2)/SC in K^(+)storage,showing an eventually reversible phase transformation of K_(x)CoS_(2)Co↔within the electrochemical reactions.

Key Considerations on the Industrial Application of Lignocellulosic Biomass Pyrolysis Toward Carbon Neutrality

1.The importance of biomass in carbon neutrality With the increasing urgency to mitigate climate change,over 100 countries have committed to net-zero carbon emissions by the mid-21st century[1].For example,China has announced that it will reach a carbon peak and carbon neutrality,with the rapid development of renewable energy undoubtedly playing a key role in achieving these goals.Compared with other renewable energy sources,such as wind energy,solar energy.

Whole-genome and genome-wide association studies improve key agricultural traits of safflower for industrial and medicinal use

Safflower(Carthamus tinctorius)is widely cultivated around the world for its seeds and flowers.The presence of linoleic acid(LA)in its seeds and hydroxysafflor yellow A(HSYA)in its flowers are the crucial traits that enable safflower to be used for industrial and medicinal purposes.Understanding the genetic control of these traits is essential for optimizing the quality of safflower and its breeding.To further this research,we present a chromosome-scale assembly of the genome of the safflower variety‘Chuanhonghua 1’,which was achieved using an integrated strategy combining Illumina,Oxford Nanopore,and Hi-C sequencing.We obtained a 1.17-Gb assembly with a contig N50 of 1.08 Mb,and all assembled sequences were assigned to 12 pseudochromosomes.Safflower’s evolution involved the core eudicotγ-triplication event and a whole-genome duplication event,which led to large-scale genomic rearrangements.Extensive genomic shuffling has occurred since the divergence of the ancestor of dicotyledons.We conducted metabolite and transcriptome profiles with time-and part-dependent changes and screened candidate genes that significantly contribute to seed lipid biosynthesis.We also analyzed key gene families that participate in LA and HSYA biosynthesis.Additionally,we re-sequenced 220 safflower lines and carried out a genome-wide association study using high-quality SNP data for eight agronomic traits.We identified SNPs related to important traits in safflower.Besides,the candidate gene HH_034464(CtCGT1)was shown to be involved in the biosynthesis of HSYA.Overall,we provide a high-quality reference genome and elucidate the genetic basis of LA and HSYA biosynthesis in safflower.This vast amount of data will benefit further research for functional gene mining and breeding in safflower.