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Summary Grain chalkiness is an undesirable trait that negatively regulates grain yield and quality in rice. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying chalkiness is complex and remains unclear. We identified a positive regulator of white‐belly rate (WBR). The WBR7 gene encodes sucrose synthase 3 (SUS3). A weak functional allele of WBR7 is beneficial in increasing grain yield and quality. During the domestication of indica rice, a functional G/A variation in the coding region of WBR7 resulted in an E541K amino acid substitution in the GT‐4 glycosyltransferase domain, leading to a significant decrease in decomposition activity of WBR7A (allele in cultivar Jin23B) compared with WBR7G (allele in cultivar Beilu130). The NIL(J23B) and knockout line NIL(BL130)KO exhibited lower WBR7 decomposition activity than that of NIL(BL130) and NIL(J23B)COM, resulting in less sucrose decomposition and metabolism in the conducting organs. This caused more sucrose transportation to the endosperm, enhancing the synthesis of storage components in the endosperm and leading to decreased WBR. More sucrose was also transported to the anthers, providing sufficient substrate and energy supply for pollen maturation and germination, ultimately leading to an increase rate of seed setting and increased grain yield. Our findings elucidate a mechanism for enhancing rice yield and quality by modulating sucrose metabolism and allocation, and provides a valuable allele for improved rice quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) has the advantages of high throughput (simultaneous detection of multiple ions), high separation efficiency (higher than 105 theoretical plates) and rapid analysis capability (less than 5 min for common inorganic ions). A compact CE-C4D system is ideal for water quality control and on-site analysis. It is suitable not only for common cations (e.g. Na+, K+, Li+, NH4+, Ca2+, etc.) and anions (e.g. Cl−, SO42−, BrO3−, etc.) but also for some ions (e.g. lanthanide ions, Pb2+, Cd2+, etc.) that require complex derivatization procedures to be detected by ion chromatography (IC). However, an obvious limitation of the CE-C4D method is that its sensitivity (e.g. 0.3–1 μM for common inorganic ions) is often insufficient for trace analysis (e.g. 1 ppb or 20 nM level for common inorganic ions) without preconcentration. For this technology to become a powerful and routine analytical technique, the system should be made compact while maintaining trace analysis sensitivity. In this study, we developed an all-in-one version of the CE-C4D instrument with custom-made modular components to make it a convenient, compact and high-performance system. The system was designed using direct digital synthesis (DDS) technology to generate programmable sinusoidal waveforms with any frequency for excitation, a kilovolt high-voltage power supply for capillary electrophoresis separation, and an "effective" differential C4D cell with a low-noise circuitry for high-sensitivity detection. We characterized the system with different concentrations of Cs+, and even a low concentration of 20 nM was detectable without preconcentration. Moreover, the optimized CE-C4D setup was applied to analyse mixed ions at a trace concentration of 200 nM with excellent signal-to-noise ratios. In typical applications, the limits of detection based on the 3σ criterion (without baseline filtering) were 9, 10, 24, 5, and 12 nM for K+, Cs+, Li+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, respectively, and about 7, 6, 6 and 6 nM for Br−, ClO4−, BrO3− and SO42−, respectively. Finally, the setup was also applied for the analysis of all 14 lanthanide ions and rare-earth minerals, and it showed an improvement in sensitivity by more than 25 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D) has the advantages of high throughput (simultaneous detection of multiple ions), high separation efficiency (higher than 105 theoretical plates) and rapid analysis capability (less than 5 min for common inorganic ions). A compact CE-C4D system is ideal for water quality control and on-site analysis. It is suitable not only for common cations (e.g. Na+, K+, Li+, NH4+, Ca2+, etc.) and anions (e.g. Cl−, SO42−, BrO3−, etc.) but also for some ions (e.g. lanthanide ions, Pb2+, Cd2+, etc.) that require complex derivatization procedures to be detected by ion chromatography (IC). However, an obvious limitation of the CE-C4D method is that its sensitivity (e.g. 0.3–1 μM for common inorganic ions) is often insufficient for trace analysis (e.g. 1 ppb or 20 nM level for common inorganic ions) without preconcentration. For this technology to become a powerful and routine analytical technique, the system should be made compact while maintaining trace analysis sensitivity. In this study, we developed an all-in-one version of the CE-C4D instrument with custom-made modular components to make it a convenient, compact and high-performance system. The system was designed using direct digital synthesis (DDS) technology to generate programmable sinusoidal waveforms with any frequency for excitation, a kilovolt high-voltage power supply for capillary electrophoresis separation, and an "effective" differential C4D cell with a low-noise circuitry for high-sensitivity detection. We characterized the system with different concentrations of Cs+, and even a low concentration of 20 nM was detectable without preconcentration. Moreover, the optimized CE-C4D setup was applied to analyse mixed ions at a trace concentration of 200 nM with excellent signal-to-noise ratios. In typical applications, the limits of detection based on the 3σ criterion (without baseline filtering) were 9, 10, 24, 5, and 12 nM for K+, Cs+, Li+, Ca2+, and Mg2+, respectively, and about 7, 6, 6 and 6 nM for Br−, ClO4−, BrO3− and SO42−, respectively. Finally, the setup was also applied for the analysis of all 14 lanthanide ions and rare-earth minerals, and it showed an improvement in sensitivity by more than 25 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that nucleophagy can mitigate DNA damage by selectively degrading nuclear components protruding from the nucleus. However, little is known about the role of nucleophagy in neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI). Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were performed to evaluate the nucleophagy after nuclear DNA damage and leakage in SCI neurons in vivo and NSC34 expression in primary neurons cultured with oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro, as well as the interaction and colocalization of autophagy protein LC3 with nuclear lamina protein Lamin B1. The effect of UBC9, a Small ubiquitin‐related modifier (SUMO) E2 ligase, on Lamin B1 SUMOylation and nucleophagy was examined by siRNA transfection or 2‐D08 (a small‐molecule inhibitor of UBC9), immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. In SCI and OGD injured NSC34 or primary cultured neurons, neuronal nuclear DNA damage induced the SUMOylation of Lamin B1, which was required by the nuclear Lamina accumulation of UBC9. Furthermore, LC3/Atg8, an autophagy‐related protein, directly bound to SUMOylated Lamin B1, and delivered Lamin B1 to the lysosome. Knockdown or suppression of UBC9 with siRNA or 2‐D08 inhibited SUMOylation of Lamin B1 and subsequent nucleophagy and protected against neuronal death. Upon neuronal DNA damage and leakage after SCI, SUMOylation of Lamin B1 is induced by nuclear Lamina accumulation of UBC9. Furthermore, it promotes LC3‐Lamin B1 interaction to trigger nucleophagy that protects against neuronal DNA damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision and real-time diagnosis of sucker rod pumping system (SRPS) is important for quickly mastering oil well operations. Deep learning-based method for classifying the dynamometer card (DC) of oil wells is an efficient diagnosis method. However, the input of the DC as a two-dimensional image into the deep learning framework suffers from low feature utilization and high computational effort. Additionally, different SRPSs in an oil field have various system parameters, and the same SRPS generates different DCs at different moments. Thus, there is heterogeneity in field data, which can dramatically impair the diagnostic accuracy. To solve the above problems, a working condition recognition method based on 4-segment time-frequency signature matrix (4S-TFSM) and deep learning is presented in this paper. First, the 4-segment time-frequency signature (4S-TFS) method that can reduce the computing power requirements is proposed for feature extraction of DC data. Subsequently, the 4S-TFSM is constructed by relative normalization and matrix calculation to synthesize the features of multiple data and solve the problem of data heterogeneity. Finally, a convolutional neural network (CNN), one of the deep learning frameworks, is used to determine the functioning conditions based on the 4S-TFSM. Experiments on field data verify that the proposed diagnostic method based on 4S-TFSM and CNN (4S-TFSMCNN) can significantly improve the accuracy of working condition recognition with lower computational cost. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to discuss the effect of data heterogeneity on the working condition recognition performance of SRPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a bio-based polymer with biodegradability and biocompatibility has attracted much attention. To manipulate its properties for different applications, regulation of crystal structure and crystalline morphology becomes an attractive research topic. In this work, the structure evolution of layered samples containing an amorphous poly(D-lactide) (PDLA) layer and a crystalline poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) layer with highly oriented edge-on α lamellar crystals after annealing at 150 °C or/and after melt-recrystallization has been studied by AFM, FTIR, and TEM combined with electron diffraction. The results demonstrate that melt recrystallization of the as-prepared sample leads to the formation of abundant randomly oriented PLA stereo-complex (PLA SC) crystals. Annealing at 150 °C results in the formation of a small amount of oriented PLA SC crystals at the interface. These PLA SC crystals show great impact on the recrystallization behavior of sample after melting at 190 °C and then crystallizing at 90 °C. First, they impede the mutual diffusion of the overlying PDLA and underlying PLLA, and thus reduce their stereocomplexation ability as manifested by the decreased amount of PLA SC crystals. Second, they act as substrate to initiate the epitaxial crystallization of the overlying PDLA and underlying PLLA, which ensures the production of a highly oriented structure of PDLA and PLLA after melt recrystallization again. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size is an important appearance quality trait in rice, which also affects grain yield. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between indica variety 9311 and japonica variety Cypress was constructed. And 181 out of 600 RILs were sequenced, and a high-density genetic map containing 2842 bin markers was constructed, with a total map length of 1500.6 cM. A total of 10 quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to grain length (GL), grain width (GW), grain length-to-width ratio (LWR), and 1000-grain weight (TGW) were detected under two environments. The genetic effect of qGL4, a minor QTL for GL and TGW, was validated using three heterogeneous inbred family (HIF) segregation populations. It was further dissected into two closed linked QTL, qGL4.1 and qGL4.2. By progeny testing, qGL4.1 and qGL4.2 were successfully delimited to intervals of 1304-kb and 423-kb, respectively. Our results lay the foundation for the map-based cloning of qGL4.1 and qGL4.2 and provide new gene resources for the improvement of grain yield and quality in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This is a retrospective study and aims to investigate the clinical outcomes of patients with knee varus deformity and extruded medial meniscus who underwent arthroscopic meniscus centralization and medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy. Methods: A total of 24 patients were included in the trial, and arthroscopy intraoperative photographs and standing preoperative and postoperative radiographs were taken to analyze the mechanical tibiofemoral angle and tibial plateau inclination. Postoperative complications and knee motion were recorded, and the surgical results were evaluated using the knee society score. Results: The study observed four cases of surgery-related complications among all patients, but no major complications were reported. The surgery significantly improved knee flexion degrees and total knee range of motion. Satisfactory outcomes were shown in postoperative radiographs and secondary intraoperative photographs. The knee score increased from 39.6 ± 10.0 to 80.1 ± 9.0, and the functional score improved from 48.1 ± 6.9 to 89.4 ± 5.5. The preoperative tibial plateau inclination was 5.3 ± 0.7, while the postoperative data showed a decrease to 4.2 ± 0.7. The preoperative mechanical tibiofemoral angle was − 7.7 ± 1.0, and it improved in all patients postoperatively to 2.8 ± 0.9. Conclusion: By alternating the knee biomechanics and significantly improving symptoms and quality of life, arthroscopic medial meniscus centralization and medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy units are confirmed to be an effective alternative treatment for knee varus deformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new disaccharide glycoside, franchoside A (1), and 17 known compounds were isolated from the tubers of Arisaema franchetianum Engler. The chemical structure of the previously undescribed compound 1 was elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses. Compounds 1, 2, 6, 10, 14 and 18 showed significant cytotoxic activities at varying IC50 values in the range of 4.0–10.6 μM against five cancer cell lines. Compounds 8, 10, 13 and 17 (10 μM) exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and the release of NO from RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), while compounds 1, 9, 14, 15 and 16 showed weak anti-inflammatory activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen phenolic constituents were isolated from the 80% ethanol extract of Kalimeris shimadae, including two phenolic glycosides (1, 2), six flavonoids (3–8), five phenylpropanoids (9–13), and two lignans (14, 15). Their structures were identified by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. Compound 1 was a new glucosyringic acid derivative, whereas compounds 2–14 were first discovered from K. shimadae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventeen compounds, including one sesquiterpene (1), two diterpenoids (2 and 3), four monoterpenes (4 – 7), one phenolic acid (8), seven flavonoids (9 – 15), one lignan (16), and one sterol (17), have been isolated from the whole herb of Thymus quinquecostatus Cêlak., Lamiaceae. Among them, compounds 1 – 3 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 15 , and 16 were isolated from the genus Thymus for the first time; and compounds 5 – 7 were first isolated from this plant. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and compared with known data. To the best of our knowledge, their chemotaxonomic significance was explored in the present study for the first time. Compounds isolated from the whole herb of Thymus quinquecostatus Cêlak. [Display omitted] • A total of 17 compounds were isolated from Thymus quinquecostatus. • Compounds 1 – 3 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 15 and 16 were first isolated from genus Thymus. • The chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds is determined for the first time. • This study contributes to the phytochemical understanding of T. quinquecostatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elucidation of the interaction mechanism between phospholipids and milk proteins within emulsions is pivotal for comprehending the properties of infant formula fat globules. In this study, multispectral methods and molecular docking were employed to explore the relationship between phosphatidylcholine (PC) and whey protein isolate (WPI). Observations indicate that the binding constant, alongside thermodynamic parameters, diminishes as temperature ascends, hinting at a predominantly static quenching mechanism. Predominantly, van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds constitute the core interactions between WPI and PC. This assertion is further substantiated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which verifies PC's influence on WPI's secondary structure. A detailed assessment of thermodynamic parameters coupled with molecular docking reveals that PC predominantly adheres to specific sites within α‐lactalbumin, β‐lactoglobulin, and bovine serum albumin, propelled by a synergy of hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces, with binding energies noted at −5.59, −6.71, and −7.85 kcal/mol, respectively. An increment in PC concentration is observed to amplify the emulsification properties of WPI whilst concurrently diminishing the zeta potential. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for applying the PC–WPI interaction mechanism in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Wnt5a, which regulates the activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, is reportedly overexpressed in osteoarthritis (OA) tissues. The purpose of this study was to elucidate its role in the development of OA by deleting Wnt5a in osteocalcin (OCN)-expressing cells. Materials and Methods: Knee OA was induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in OCN-Cre;Wnt5afl/fl knockout (Wnt5a-cKO) mice and control littermates. Eight weeks after surgery, histological changes, cell apoptosis, and matrix metabolism of cartilage were evaluated by toluidine blue, TUNEL staining, and im-immunohistochemistry analyses, respectively. In addition, the subchondral bone microarchitecture of mice was examined by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Results: Histological scores show substantial cartilage degeneration occurred in ACLT knees, coupled with decreased collagen type II expression and enhanced matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression, as well as higher proportions of apoptotic cells. Micro-CT results show that ACLT resulted in decreased bone mineral density, bone volume/trabecular volume, trabecular number, and structure model index of subchondral bones in both Wnt5a-cKO and control littermates; although Wnt5a-cKO mice display lower BMD and BV/TV values, no significant difference was observed between Wnt5a-cKO and control mice for any of these values. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that Wnt5a deficiency in OCN-expressing cells could not prevent an osteoarthritic phenotype in a mouse model of post-traumatic OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alloying nanoclusters (NCs) has emerged as a widely explored and versatile strategy for tailoring tunable properties, facilitating in‐depth atomic‐level investigations of structure‐property correlations. In this study, we have successfully synthesized six atomically precise copper NCs alloyed with Group 10 metals (Pd or Pt). Notably, the Pd0 or Pt0 atom situated at the center of the distorted hexagonal antiprism Pd0/Pt0@Cu12 cage, coordinated with twelve Cu+ and two tBuC≡C− ligands. Moreover, ligand exchange strategies demonstrated the potential for Cl− and Br− to replace one or two alkynyl ligands positioned at the top or side of the NCs. The chirality exhibited by these racemic NCs is primarily attributed to the involvement of halogens and a chiral (Pd/Pt)@Cu18 skeleton. Furthermore, all the NCs exhibit near‐infrared (NIR) luminescence, characterized by emission peaks at 705–755 nm, lifetimes ranging from 6.630 to 9.662 μs, and absolute photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 1.75 %–2.52 % in their crystalline state. The experimental optical properties of these NCs are found to be in excellent agreement with the results of theoretical calculations. These alloy NCs not only offer valuable insights into the synthesis of Pd0/Pt0‐Cu alloy NCs, but also bridge the gap in understanding the structure‐luminescence relationships of Pd0/Pt0‐Cu molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alloying nanoclusters (NCs) has emerged as a widely explored and versatile strategy for tailoring tunable properties, facilitating in‐depth atomic‐level investigations of structure‐property correlations. In this study, we have successfully synthesized six atomically precise copper NCs alloyed with Group 10 metals (Pd or Pt). Notably, the Pd0 or Pt0 atom situated at the center of the distorted hexagonal antiprism Pd0/Pt0@Cu12 cage, coordinated with twelve Cu+ and two tBuC≡C− ligands. Moreover, ligand exchange strategies demonstrated the potential for Cl− and Br− to replace one or two alkynyl ligands positioned at the top or side of the NCs. The chirality exhibited by these racemic NCs is primarily attributed to the involvement of halogens and a chiral (Pd/Pt)@Cu18 skeleton. Furthermore, all the NCs exhibit near‐infrared (NIR) luminescence, characterized by emission peaks at 705–755 nm, lifetimes ranging from 6.630 to 9.662 μs, and absolute photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 1.75 %–2.52 % in their crystalline state. The experimental optical properties of these NCs are found to be in excellent agreement with the results of theoretical calculations. These alloy NCs not only offer valuable insights into the synthesis of Pd0/Pt0‐Cu alloy NCs, but also bridge the gap in understanding the structure‐luminescence relationships of Pd0/Pt0‐Cu molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a standard treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with large vessel occlusion. Hypertension and increased blood pressure variability within the first 24 h after successful reperfusion are related to a higher risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and higher mortality. AIS patients might suffer from ischemia-reperfusion injury following reperfusion, especially within 24 h. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a sedative commonly used in EVT, can stabilize hemodynamics by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system and alleviate ischemia-reperfusion injury through anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Postoperative prolonged sedation for 24 h with DEX might be a potential pharmacological approach to improve long-term prognosis after EVT. Methods: This single-center, open-label, prospective, randomized controlled trial will include 368 patients. The ethics committee has approved the protocol. After successful reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scores 2b–3, indicating reperfusion of at least 50% of the affected vascular territory), participants are randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. In the intervention group, participants will receive 0.1~1.0 μg/kg/h DEX for 24 h. In the control group, participants will receive an equal dose of saline for 24 h. The primary outcome is the functional outcome at 90 days, measured with the categorical scale of the modified Rankin Scale, ranging from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (death). The secondary outcome includes (1) the changes in stroke severity between admission and 24 h and 7 days after EVT, measured by the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (ranging from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating greater severity); (2) the changes in ischemic penumbra volume/infarct volume between admission and 7 days after EVT, measured by neuroimaging scan; (3) the length of ICU/hospital stay; and (4) adverse events and the all-cause mortality rate at 90 days. Discussion: This randomized clinical trial is expected to verify the hypothesis that postoperative prolonged sedation with DEX after successful reperfusion may promote the long-term prognosis of patients with AIS and may reduce the related socio-economic burden. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04916197. Prospectively registered on 7 June 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel procedure has emerged in recent years within oilfields - namely, the utilization of a hybrid fracturing method employing pre-CO2 injection along with sand-carry slick water. In this paper, based on the real logging data of shale oil reservoirs in the second member of Cangdong Sag, Huanghua Depression, combined with the GOHFER, a coupled 3-D hydraulic fracture propagation model is proposed. This research delves into an examination of how engineering factors exert their influence on the process of fracture propagation. The quantitative analysis is conducted encompassing critical fracture parameters such as half-length, height, and width, and self-defined fracture seepage area and fracture front fractal dimension. The research findings indicate that as injection displacement increases, the fracture shape undergoes a transformation from being "long, low, and wide" to becoming "short, high, and narrow". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ni 0.5 Co 1.5 Al exhibits excellent capabilities for C-O bonds cleavage. • Isotope labeling experiments indicate the active hydrogen comes from isopropanol. • Major products of DL hydrogenolysis are phenolic compounds, especially guaiacol. Hydrogenolysis of lignin to produce valuable aromatic chemicals under mild conditions can effectively realize the value-added utilization of lignin. In this work, catalytic transfer hydrogenolysis (CTH) of dealkaline lignin (DL) over Ni 0.5 Co 1.5 Al catalyst was studied for the production of phenolic compounds, and the reaction mechanism was elucidated through the reaction of 2-phenoxy-1-phenylethanol (PPE) in deuterated isopropanol (CD 3 CD(OD)CD 3) and D 2. Moreover, we investigated the CTH behaviors of various lignin including organic solvents lignin in birch (OL), acidic solvents lignin in birch (AL) and birch powder (BW) to explore the suitability of the Ni 0.5 Co 1.5 Al catalyst. The results showed that Ni 0.5 Co 1.5 Al was able to catalyze the hydrogenolysis of various lignin into phenolic monomers using isopropanol as an in-situ hydrogen source. Under optimized conditions, the hydrogenolysis of DL over Ni 0.5 Co 1.5 Al achieved 43.30 wt% lignin oil yield. The experimental results of isotope labeling experiments exhibited that the active hydrogen generated by isopropanol is used for the cleavage of C-O bonds, and the electronic interactions between Ni and Co promotes the C-O bonds breaking. Isopropanol can not only be a hydrogen donor, but also act as a reaction solvent to stabilize intermediates and enhance the yield of phenolic compounds in the lignin CTH process. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear species boundaries are crucial for plans and actions on biodiversity conservation. However, morphological similarities among allied species can result in taxonomic difficulties, thus impeding conservation efforts. In China, Cinnamomum japonicumSiebold is a well‐known endangered plant, yet suffers from longstanding taxonomic issues. Here, we explicitly evaluate whether C. japonicum, C. chenii, and C. chekiangense are the same phylogenetic species on the basis of a multi‐individual sampling strategy. We identified three sets of low‐copy orthologous genes from 19 Lauraceae taxa for phylogenetic inferences. Both the concatenation and coalescent‐based phylogenies supported that C. chenii individuals were embedded in the C. japonicum clade, indicating these two taxa are conspecific. Meanwhile, C. chekiangense accessions formed a monophyly which was not sister to C. japonicum. This result, together with the morphological differences that the leaves of C. japonicum are glabrous with a faveolate pattern of venation while those of C. chekiangense have trichomes and inevident lateral veins, led us to consider both as two distinct species. Based on 17 728 neutral single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the ADMIXTURE analysis suggested that the Chinese C. japonicum populations in Zhoushan Archipelago (=C. chenii) were genetically differentiated from the Japanese and Korean ones. Furthermore, ecological niche modeling predicted that the present distribution area of Chinese C. japonicum is likely to be unsuitable under global warming scenarios. Together with its limited distribution and genetic uniqueness, we recommend that Chinese C. japonicum deserves conservation priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fe/NC catalyst shows good activity and stability for cleaving C-O bonds in lignite. • Fe-N and Fe/Fe 3 C species in the catalyst were crucial to the catalytic activity. • Active hydrogen species were hydrogen radicals generated from H 2 and isopropanol. • The hydrocracking products have higher H/C ratio and heating values than lignite. • Catalytic hydrocracking promoted producing phenols via the cleavage of C-O bonds. Cleaving C-O bridged bonds of lignite via catalytic hydrocracking (CHC) is an effective method to produce chemicals and clean fuels. Herein, a nitrogen-doped carbon supported Fe catalyst was developed by using a one-pot method for CHC of Xilinguole lignite (XL) and its related model compounds. The doped nitrogen enhanced the interaction between Fe and N species to form Fe-N sites and favored forming smaller Fe/Fe 3 C nanocrystals, which played a crucial role in CHC performance. Toluene and phenol were produced from CHC of benzyl phenyl ether (BPE) with high yield and selectivity at 250 °C over the optimal catalyst with 4% Fe, without hydrogenation products. The Fe-based catalyst activated both H 2 and isopropanol to generate hydrogen radicals for cleaving C-O bridged bonds. The CHC of XL under different temperature and time showed that the yields of oil, asphaltene and preasphaltene were obviously promoted under 325 °C, 1 MPa, and 6 h, and they had much higher H/C ratio but remarkably lower O/C ratio, resulting in much higher heating values (28.19–36.90 MJ/kg) than XL. Phenols were the major group component with relative content of 53.6 wt% in oil from CHC, and the asphaltene and preasphaltene from CHC had obviously lower molecular weights, which could attributed to depolymerization of C-O bridged bonds in the XL macromolecular structures over the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lysine-specific demethylase 1 (KDM1A) is reported to be a regulator in learning and memory. However, the effect of KDM1A in oxycodone rewarding memory has yet to be studied. In our study, rewarding memory was assessed by using conditioned place preference (CPP) in male mice. Next generation sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR were used to explore the molecular mechanisms. Oxycodone significantly decreased PP1α mRNA and protein levels in hippocampal neurons. Oxycodone significantly increased KDM1A and H3K4me1 levels, while significantly decreased H3K4me2 levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Behavioral data demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of ORY-1001 (KDM1A inhibitor) or intra-hippocampal injection of KDM1A siRNA/shRNA blocked the acquisition and expression of oxycodone CPP and facilitated the extinction of oxycodone CPP. The decrease of PP1α was markedly blocked by the injection of ORY-1001 or KDM1A siRNA/shRNA. Oxycodone-induced enhanced binding of CoRest with KDM1A and binding of CoRest with the PP1α promoter was blocked by ORY-1001. The level of H3K4me2 demethylation was also decreased by the treatment. The results suggest that oxycodone-induced upregulation of KDM1A via demethylation of H3K4me2 promotes the binding of CoRest with the PP1α promoter, and the subsequent decrease in PP1α expression in hippocampal neurons may contribute to oxycodone reward. [Display omitted] • Oxycodone upregulated KDM1A expression in hippocampal neurons. • KDM1A promoted the binding of CoRest with the PP1α promoter. • Demethylation of H3K4me2 at the PP1α promoter may contribute to oxycodone reward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been used to detect uric acid (UA), but still very challenging to achieve a low detection limit due to the low inferior conductivity of MOFs. Herein, three different N-doped ZIF-67-derived carbons were synthesized for the first time by one-step co-pyrolysis of 2-methylimidazole with cobalt nitrate (CN), cobalt acetate (CA) or cobalt chloride (CC) toward UA sensing. Afterwards, the cobalt nitrate-derived Co particle (Co/CN) supported by N-doped ZIF-67-derived carbon displays extremely low detection limit and high sensitivity for UA, outperformed all reported MOFs-based UA sensors. More interestingly, it was discovered that the high valence Co4+ within the Co/CN sample produced in high-acidic environment can intercalate in the frame for a bridge adsorption between two reaction sites, which boosted simultaneous 2-electron transfer, while Co3+ only allows an end-adsorption structure for one-electron transfer being the rate determining step. Furthermore, the bridge adsorption mode of UA on Co4+ -based catalyst was also verified by theoretical DFT calculations and XPS experiment. This work holds great promise for a selective and sensitive UA sensor for practical bioscience and clinic diagnostic applications while shedding lights in fundamental research for innovative designs and developments of high-sensitive electrochemical sensors. Co4+ of Co/CN is favorable to a bridge-adsorption of UA resulting in low detection limit and good selectivity for detection of UA, which is much superior to the nano-scaled particles based biomimetic ones and ranking the best for all reported Co-based sensors. [Display omitted] • One-step pyrolysis to successfully prepare Co/CN containing high states Co4+. • The Co/CN UA sensor accomplishes an extremely low detection limit of 88 nM with high selectivity and wide linear range, ranking the best among all reported Co-based UA sensors. • The Co/CN sensor is successfully used to high-sensitively monitor UA released from human serum, holding great promise in clinical diagnosis. • An enhancement mechanism of Co/CN UA sensor is systematically investigated for the scientific insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ni and Zr modified nanosheet ZSM-5 zeolites as tandem catalysts were designed using co-impregnation method (Zr-Ni/S-Z5) or combining in-situ hydrothermal synthesis of Ni@S-Z5 and sequential impregnation of Zr (Zr/Ni@ S-Z5). Their applications in upgrading of lignite pyrolysis volatiles coupling with methanol to light aromatics were investigated. The results demonstrated that nanosheet zeolites with larger surface areas and shorter b-axis length benefited the production of light aromatics due to exposing more active sites and improved diffusion limitation compared with conventional ZSM-5 zeolites. Adding Ni and Zr into tandem catalysts further enhanced BTEXN yields, which was attributed to the induction of oxyphilic ZrO 2 for activating C Ar -O bonds combining the promotion of Ni for hydrogenation. Comparing to Zr-Ni/S-Z5 catalyst, lower BTEXN yield was observed due to the decrease in exposing active sites over Zr/Ni@ S-Z5 catalyst. Moreover, enhancing diffusion behaviors in shorter b-axis length and the presence of more fractions of external coke indicated less effective in blocking pore channels, thus nanosheet zeolite series showed lower deactivation rates. [Display omitted] • Nanosheet zeolites with larger surface areas and shorter b-axis benefited the production of light aromatics. • Adding Ni and Zr into tandem catalysts further enhanced BTEXN yields. • Nanosheet zeolites with more fractions of external coke presented lower deactivation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sand physico-chemical properties exhibited distinct changes across the intertidal zones on island beaches. • Consistent patterns of variation were observed in macrofaunal diversity and functional groups across the intertidal zones. • Variations in macrofaunal communities on island beaches were primarily influenced by sand moisture, salinity, and nutrition. • Island beaches are not ecological deserts, they require careful protection. Island beaches, once mistakenly considered as 'ecological deserts', are actually unique ecosystems that support abundant macrofaunal communities. However, limited studies have examined the variations and determinants of macrofaunal communities across the intertidal zones on island beaches, which is crucial for shedding light on the underlying ecological processes and enhancing biodiversity conservation efforts. Here, we explored the variations in macrofaunal communities along sand physico-chemical gradient across four intertidal zones on nine representative beaches, within the largest land-bridge archipelago in eastern China. Our findings revealed that species richness, density, and Shannon-Wiener diversity of macrofaunal communities were notably higher in the lower intertidal zones, exhibiting a positive correlation with elevated levels of sand moisture (M), electrical conductivity (EC), available potassium (AK), and grain size (GS). Conversely, macrofaunal Simpson diversity displayed an inverse pattern, with heightened values observed in the vegetation zone. The Saprophagous, Predaceous, and Omnivorous groups of macrofaunal communities demonstrated an increase with higher levels of EC, AK, and M in the lower intertidal zones. Furthermore, Phytophagous group of macrofaunal communities tended to inhabit the vegetation zones characterized by elevated levels of sand total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), and organic carbon (OC). Primarily, our findings indicate that sand nutrition, moisture, and salinity play pivotal roles in shaping the variations of macrofaunal communities on island beaches. These insights offer valuable perspectives into the holistic responses of macrofauna on island beaches to changes in sand physico-chemical properties, serving as a crucial theoretical foundation for the assessment, conservation, and restoration of island beaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A particulate loading and active regeneration cycle of the diesel particulate filter were performed on a burner. • Most ash-bridges were observed in the middle region of the diesel particulate filter channel. • Using Ca-based or Mg-based additive lubricants is beneficial to reduce the ash-bridge deposition. • When the blockage rate is greater than about 70%, the channels near the ash bridge are destroyed. Diesel particulate filter (DPF), an important after-treatment system, is widely used to trap particulates from diesel engines. After many active regenerations of the DPF, non-volatile ash may form an ash bridge phenomenon in the DPF channel. This paper studies the effects of lubricant components on ash-bridge deposition characteristics in the DPF. Four test lubricants were prepared based on the CK-4 standard lubricant with four different additives (Ca-based, Mg-based, compound, and Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) additives), which were separately and proportionately blended into diesel fuel to form four different fuels. A particulate loading and active regeneration cycle of the DPF with those fuels were performed on a burner. The results show that mid-channel ash deposits (MCD) and the ash-bridge phenomenon were observed in the DPF with all four fuels, and the ash-bridge was mainly located in the middle region of the DPF channel. Mg-based or ZDDP additives can improve the ash-channel ratio (A: C) of the MCD. Ca- or Mg-based additives can reduce the distribution density of ash bridges and avoid sintering of DPF. Different shapes of ash bridges will cause different blockage rates in the DPF channel. When the blockage rate of the DPF channel is greater than about 70 %, DPF channels near the ash bridge are destroyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]