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Cyber Range is an experimental platform based on virtualization technology to construct a controlled simulation environment, providing a real-world simulation environment for cybersecurity personnel to conduct various practical exercises. The problem is that generating a virtual environment satisfying the requirements is labor-intensive and time-consuming. To resolve the above problem, this paper proposes a system to automate the deployment of a cyber range. In our method, the first step is to collect virtual machines (VMs) related to cybersecurity and extract relevant features. Then, machine learning is used to classify VMs to reduce the cost of manual VMs selection. Lastly, leveraging the popular OpenStack cloud platform as the deployment platform enhances the applicability of the cyber range. When it comes time to deploy a virtual environment, the instructor only needs to provide some brief description information of a virtual environment. Then, the system will automatically parse the description file to complete the automated deployment of the virtual environment. This system has been successfully applied to the cyber range of Sichuan University for daily teaching tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to reproduce signal transduction and cellular communication in artificial cell systems is significant in synthetic protobiology. Here, we describe an artificial transmembrane signal transduction through low pH‐mediated formation of the i‐motif and dimerization of DNA‐based artificial membrane receptors, which is coupled to the occurrence of fluorescence resonance energy transfer and the activation of G‐quadruplex/hemin‐mediated fluorescence amplification inside giant unilamellar vesicles. Moreover, an intercellular signal communication model is established when the extravesicular H+ input is replaced by coacervate microdroplets, which activate the dimerization of the artificial receptors, and subsequent fluorescence production or polymerization in giant unilamellar vesicles. This study represents a crucial step towards designing artificial signalling systems with environmental response, and provides an opportunity to establish signalling networks in protocell colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils always receive microplastics (MPs) from plastic mulching, compost, and sewage irrigation, but the effects of MPs on soil environment remain largely unexplored. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of three MPs (membranous polyethylene (PE), fibrous polypropylene (PP), and microsphere PP) on enzyme activities and microbial community structure in one loamy and sandy soil. The concentration of microsphere PP (2 mg/g) was one‐tenth of those of the other two MPs (20 mg/g). The results showed that the effects of three MPs on urease, dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase activities followed the order: fibrous PP > membranous PE > microsphere PP, membranous PE > microsphere PP > fibrous PP and fibrous PP > microsphere PP > membranous PE, respectively. Results from high‐throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA revealed that the membranous PE and fibrous PP raised the alpha diversities of the soil microbiota, whereas the diversity indexes of microbiota on MPs surfaces were significantly lower than those in the amended soils. MPs significantly altered the microbial community structure, especially for the enrichment of Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes, the depletion of Deinococcus‐Thermus and Chloroflexi. Aeromicrobium, Streptomyces, Mycobacterium, Janibacter, Nocardia, Arthrobacter were prone to inhabit on the MPs surfaces. Practitioner points: Three microplastics had different effects on soil enzyme activities.Fibrous PP had a more persistent effect on microbial activity.Membranous PE and fibrous PP raised the alpha diversities of soil microbiota.The effects of membranous PE and fibrous PP on microbial communities were similar.Distinct microbial communities were enriched on the surfaces of microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to reproduce signal transduction and cellular communication in artificial cell systems is significant in synthetic protobiology. Here, we describe an artificial transmembrane signal transduction through low pH-mediated formation of the i-motif and dimerization of DNA-based artificial membrane receptors, which is coupled to the occurrence of fluorescence resonance energy transfer and the activation of G-quadruplex/hemin-mediated fluorescence amplification inside giant unilamellar vesicles. Moreover, an intercellular signal communication model is established when the extravesicular H + input is replaced by coacervate microdroplets, which activate the dimerization of the artificial receptors, and subsequent fluorescence production or polymerization in giant unilamellar vesicles. This study represents a crucial step towards designing artificial signalling systems with environmental response, and provides an opportunity to establish signalling networks in protocell colonies., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)