Light-responsive transcription factor ZeMYB32 negatively regulates ZeCCD4-2 to affect carotenoid accumulation in Zinnia elegans petals.

Carotenoids are essential pigments in ornamental plants, and their accumulation results from the interaction of internal developmental processes and external environmental factors. Light serves as a crucial environmental factor significantly influencing carotenoid synthesis and accumulation. Among various pigments, carotenoids function as an essential factor in petal coloring of Zinnia elegans ray floret.

Layered Sodium-Rich Cathode Material NaNiMnO with a High Rate and a Long Cycle Life.

This study successfully designed and synthesized a sodium-rich layered material, P2-NaNiMnO (referred to as NNMO), via a straightforward sol-gel method. Analysis confirms that NNMO possesses a P2 phase (63/) layered structure, featuring a significantly enlarged interlayer spacing, which is conducive to the rapid diffusion of sodium ions. Further investigations revealed that the introduction of nickel (Ni) effectively reduced the manganese (Mn) content, thereby mitigating the Jahn-Teller effect and enhancing the material's electrochemical stability.

Spatial-Temporal Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy for Evaluating Ionic Velocity in Solid-State Electrolytes.

Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) with high ionic conductivity are crucial for the development of high-performance all-solid-state batteries. While a growing number of strategies based on nanoengineering are emerging to enhance the ionic conductivity of SSEs, understanding nanoscale ionic transport remains a nontrivial challenge. In this work, a simple yet effective approach is developed for in situ measuring microscopic ionic velocity in SSEs.

Nanoscale Thermomechanical Coupling Study on the Aging of NASICON-Type Solid Electrolytes.

Previous investigations on the aging mechanism of solid electrolytes (SEs) predominantly focused on electrochemical and mechanical properties, often overlooking their thermal characteristics. In this study, we introduced scanning thermal microscopy and scanning thermo-ionic microscopy to delve into the microscopic aging process of the LiAlTi(PO) (LATP) SE assembled with Li metal. Our findings revealed the formation of a LiAlTi(PO) secondary phase during cycling.

Recent intensified riverine CO emission across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost region.

Global warming causes permafrost thawing, transferring large amounts of soil carbon into rivers, which inevitably accelerates riverine CO release. However, temporally and spatially explicit variations of riverine CO emissions remain unclear, limiting the assessment of land carbon-climate feedback. Using new and published 5685 riverine CO partial pressure data in the Arctic and Tibetan Plateau, we show that current riverine CO emission across the Northern Hemisphere permafrost zone is 200 ± 15 Tg C yr⁻.

Methane emissions from thermokarst lakes must emphasize the ice-melting impact on the Tibetan Plateau.

Thermokarst lakes, serving as significant sources of methane (CH), play a crucial role in affecting the feedback of permafrost carbon cycle to global warming. However, accurately assessing CH emissions from these lakes remains challenging due to limited observations during lake ice melting periods. In this study, by integrating field surveys with machine learning modeling, we offer a comprehensive assessment of present and future CH emissions from thermokarst lakes on the Tibetan Plateau.

Snowmelt decreases light use efficiency in Qinghai-Tibetan plateau between 2000 and 2017.

Due to the impact of climate change, significant alterations in snowmelt have already occurred, which have been demonstrated to play a crucial role in photosynthetic carbon sequestration processes in vegetation. However, the effect of changes in snowmelt on light use efficiency (LUE) of grassland remain largely unknown in the permafrost region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). By utilizing remote sensing data from 2000 to 2017, we conducted an analysis on the spatial and temporal patterns of LUE for various types of permafrost and grassland on the QTP.

Anomalously High Apparent Young's Modulus of Ultrathin Freestanding PZT Films Revealed by Machine Learning Empowered Nanoindentation.

The mechanical properties at small length scales are not only significant for understanding the intriguing size-dependent behaviors but also critical for device applications. Nanoindentation via atomic force microscopy is widely used for small-scale mechanical testing, yet determining the Young's modulus of quasi-2D films from freestanding force-displacement curve of nanoindentation remains challenging, complicated by both bending and stretching that are highly nonlinear. To overcome these difficulties, a machine learning model is developed based on the back propagation (BP) neural network and finite element training to accurately determine the Young's modulus, pretension, and thickness of freestanding films from nanoindentation force-displacement curves simultaneously, improving the computational efficiency by two orders of magnitude over conventional brute force curve fitting.

Negative regulation of APC/C activation by MAPK-mediated attenuation of Cdc20 under stress.

Mitotic anaphase onset is a key cellular process tightly regulated by multiple kinases. The involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in this process has been established in egg extracts. However, the detailed regulatory cascade remains elusive, and it is also unknown whether the MAPK-dependent mitotic regulation is evolutionarily conserved in the single-cell eukaryotic organisms such as fission yeast ().

Inland water greenhouse gas emissions offset the terrestrial carbon sink in the northern cryosphere.

Climate-sensitive northern cryosphere inland waters emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, yet their total emissions remain poorly constrained. We present a data-driven synthesis of GHG emissions from northern cryosphere inland waters considering water body types, cryosphere zones, and seasonality. We find that annual GHG emissions are dominated by carbon dioxide ([Formula: see text] teragrams of CO; [Formula: see text]) and methane ([Formula: see text] teragrams of CH), while the nitrous oxide emission ([Formula: see text] gigagrams of NO) is minor.

Soil water dynamics and plant water uptake: Primeval mature vs. debris flow-developed half-mature subalpine fir stands in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Natural disaster can disrupt soil structure and replace established vegetation with younger plants, altering the local hydrological processes. We used hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes to examine soil water dynamics and plant water uptake patterns in two adjacent fir stands in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: a primeval mature stand (MF, finer- textured soil) and a debris flow-developed half-mature stand (HMF, coarser-textured soil). Our results showed that the isotopic composition and soil gravimetric water content (SWC) in deep soil water in MF exhibited a more pronounced hysteresis pattern in response to precipitation compared to HMF, indicating lower turnover rate of soil water in MF.

Pre-operative prediction of histopathological growth patterns of colorectal cancer liver metastasis using MRI-based radiomic models.

Purpose: Histopathological growth patterns (HGPs) of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) have prognostic value. However, the differentiation of HGPs relies on postoperative pathology. This study aimed to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomic model to predict HGP pre-operatively, following the latest guidelines.

Flexoelectric Engineering of Bulk Photovoltaic Photodetector.

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) offers an interesting approach to generate a steady photocurrent in a single-phase material under homogeneous illumination, and it has been extensively investigated in ferroelectrics exhibiting spontaneous polarization that breaks inversion symmetry. Flexoelectricity breaks inversion symmetry via a strain gradient in the otherwise nonpolar materials, enabling manipulation of ferroelectric order without an electric field. Combining these two effects, we demonstrate active mechanical control of BPVE in suspended 2-dimensional CuInPS (CIPS) that is ferroelectric yet sensitive to electric field, which enables practical photodetection with an order of magnitude enhancement in performance.

Increased Deep Trap Density in Interfacial Engineered Nanocomposite Revealed by Sequential Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy for High Dielectric Energy Storage.

Nanocomposites combining inorganic nanoparticles with high dielectric constant and polymers with high breakdown strength are promising for the high energy density storage of electricity, and carrier traps can significantly affect the dielectric breakdown process. Nevertheless, there still lacks direct experimental evidence on how nanoparticles affect the trap characteristics of nanocomposites, especially in a spatially resolved manner. Here, a technique is developed to image the trap distribution based on sequential Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) in combination with the isothermal surface potential decay (ISPD) technique, wherein both shallow and deep trap densities and the corresponding energy levels can be mapped with nanoscale resolution.

Nitrogen dynamics of alpine swamp meadows are less responsive to climate warming than that of alpine meadows.

The freeze-thaw cycle mediates permafrost soil hydrothermal status, nitrogen (N) mineralization, and loss. Furthermore, it affects root development and competition among nitrophilic and other species, shaping the pattern of N distribution in alpine ecosystems. However, the specific N dynamics during the growing season and N loss during the non-growing season in response to climate warming under low- and high-moisture conditions are not well documented.

Escaping from CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout: the facts, mechanisms, and applications.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and associated Cas protein (CRISPR-Cas), a powerful genome editing tool, has revolutionized gene function investigation and exhibits huge potential for clinical applications. CRISPR-Cas-mediated gene knockout has already become a routine method in research laboratories. However, in the last few years, accumulating evidences have demonstrated that genes knocked out by CRISPR-Cas may not be truly silenced.

Hydroxamate-Containing Bisphosphonates as Fosmidomycin Analogues: Design, Synthesis, and Proherbicide Activity.

Fosmidomycin (FOS) is a natural product inhibiting the DXR enzyme in the MEP pathway and has stimulated interest for finding more suitable FOS analogues. Herein, two series of FOS analogue hydroxamate-containing bisphosphonates as proherbicides were designed, with bisphosphonate replacing the phosphonic unit in FOS while retaining the hydroxamate (BPF series) or replacing it with retro-hydroxamate (BPRF series). The BPF series were synthesized through a three-step reaction sequence including Michael addition of vinylidenebisphosphonate, -acylation, and deprotection, and the BPRF series were synthesized with a retro-Claisen condensation incorporated into the reaction sequence.

The seasonal variability of future evapotranspiration over China during the 21st century.

The evapotranspiration (ET) plays a crucial role in shaping regional climate patterns and serves as a vital indicator of ecosystem function. However, there remains a limited understanding of the seasonal variability of future ET over China and its correlation with environmental drivers. This study evaluated the skills of 27 models from the Six Phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project in modeling ET and the Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) method was employed to merge monthly simulated ET based on the top five best-performing models.

Surfactant-assisted preparation of all-gel-state flexible supercapacitor with remarkable electrochemical performance based on polyaniline-polyacrylamide/sodium alginate hydrogels.

The electrochemical performance of polyaniline-based all-gel-state supercapacitor (AGSSC) is significantly depended on the dispersity and mass loaded of polyaniline (PANI). In this manuscript, inspired by the properties of surfactant, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) was introduced to prepare various PANI-polyacrylamide/sodium alginate/SDBS (PANI-PSS) AGSSCs. With presence of SDBS, the electrochemical performance of PANI-PSS AGSSCs was greatly improved, displaying a trend of initial rise and then decrease with increasing concentration of SDBS from 0 to 0.

Functional analysis of Cdc20 reveals a critical role of CRY box in mitotic checkpoint signaling.

Accurate mitosis is coordinated by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) through the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), which inhibits the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C). As an essential regulator, Cdc20 promotes mitotic exit through activating APC/C and monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment through activating SAC. Cdc20 requires multiple interactions with APC/C and MCC subunits to elicit these functions.

Heat stress-induced activation of MAPK pathway attenuates Atf1-dependent epigenetic inheritance of heterochromatin in fission yeast.

Eukaryotic cells are constantly exposed to various environmental stimuli. It remains largely unexplored how environmental cues bring about epigenetic fluctuations and affect heterochromatin stability. In the fission yeast , heterochromatic silencing is quite stable at pericentromeres but unstable at the mating-type () locus under chronic heat stress, although both loci are within the major constitutive heterochromatin regions.

Recent intensified erosion and massive sediment deposition in Tibetan Plateau rivers.

Recent climate change has caused an increase in warming-driven erosion and sediment transport processes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Yet a lack of measurements hinders our understanding of basin-scale sediment dynamics and associated spatiotemporal changes. Here, using satellite-based estimates of suspended sediment, we reconstruct the quantitative history and patterns of erosion and sediment transport in major headwater basins from 1986 to 2021.

Design and synthesis of fosmidomycin analogs containing aza-linkers and their biological activity evaluation.

Background: The enzymes involved in the 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway are attractive targets of a new mode of action for developing anti-infective drugs and herbicides, and inhibitors against 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (IspC), the second key enzyme in the pathway, have been intensively investigated; however, few works are reported regarding IspC inhibitors designed for new herbicide discovery.

Results: A series of fosmidomycin (FOS) analogs were designed with nitrogen-containing linkers replacing the trimethylene linker between the two active substructures of FOS, phosphonic acid and hydroxamic acid. Synthesis followed a facile three-step route of sequential aza-Michael addition of α-amino acids to dibenzyl vinylphosphonate, amidation of the amino acid carboxyl with O-benzyl hydroxylamine, and simultaneous removal of the benzyl protective groups.