An Increase in the Proportion of β-Diketone Epicuticular Wax Is a Beneficial Variant Trait for Drought Tolerance in Leymus chinensis.

Leymus chinensis is a perennial grass with remarkable adaptability and forage quality. It is the dominant species on the saline-alkali land in the Songnen Plain in Northeast China, where two ecotypes naturally grow: the grey-green (GG) and yellow-green (YG) genotypes, named after the leaf color. However, the differences in morphology and adaptability between the GG and YG ecotypes are not elucidated.

Impact of Side-Chain Polarity and Symmetry on the Structure and Properties of Acyclic Dioxythiophene Polymers.

Conformationally flexible side-chains on conjugated polymers promote solution processability while significantly impacting solution aggregation, solid-state ordering, and polymer-electrolyte interactions. These side-chains can strongly influence the repeat unit symmetry, polarity, steric bulk, and noncovalent interactions that collectively dictate how polymer chains pack and assemble. Acyclic dioxythiophene polymers (PAcDOTs) are highly redox-active thiophene-based organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors (OMIECs) where both the 3- and 4-positions of the thiophene ring are substituted by alkoxy groups.

A Survey on Design and Control Methodologies of High- Torque-Density Joints for Compliant Lower-Limb Exoskeleton.

The lower-limb assistance exoskeleton is increasingly being utilized in various fields due to its excellent performance in human body assistance. As a crucial component of robots, the joint is expected to be designed with a high-output torque to support hip and knee movement, and lightweight to enhance user experience. Contrasted with the elastic actuation with harmonic drive and other flexible transmission, the non-elastic quasi-direct actuation is more promising to be applied in exoskeleton due to its advanced dynamic performance and lightweight feature.

Non-Covalent Interactions and Helical Packing in Thiophene-Phenylene Copolymers: Tuning Solid-State Ordering and Charge Transport for Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

In this study, we introduce two thiophene-phenylene-thiophene (TPT) polymers designed to leverage noncovalent intramolecular interactions to regulate main-chain conformation and enhance solid-state ordering. By incorporating unsubstituted thiophene (T) or bithiophene (2T) units, we reveal striking divergence in the thermal, morphological, and optoelectronic properties of the resulting films, facilitated by these noncovalent interactions. Using a combination of computational and experimental approaches, we show that annealing yields remarkably different polymer conformations and, consequently, charge transport properties.

ELD1 mediates photoperiodic flowering via OsCCA1 alternative splicing and interacts with phytochrome signaling in rice.

Photoperiodic flowering in plants is orchestrated by the dynamic interaction between light signals and the endogenous circadian clock, but how light signals integrate into the clock remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we identify ELD1, a CCHC-type zinc finger protein that is essential for rice embryo survival. Notably, partial loss of ELD1 function results in early flowering under long-day conditions.

Cell division protein CdpA organises and anchors the midcell ring in haloarchaea.

Many archaea appear to divide through the coordinated activities of two FtsZ homologues (FtsZ1 and FtsZ2) and another bacterial cell division homologue (SepF), which are part of the midcell division ring. Here, we identify an additional protein (HVO_0739, renamed CdpA) that is involved in cell division in Haloferax volcanii, with homologues in other Haloarchaea. CdpA localises at the midcell division ring, and this requires the presence of the ring-assembly protein FtsZ1.

Prognostic and immunological characterization of osteosarcoma patients evaluated by liquid-liquid phase separation related genes.

Background: Liquid-liquid phase separation has been reported to be closely related to the development and occurrence of tumors, but its role in osteosarcoma remains unexplored.

Methods: For the first time, based on liquid-liquid phase separation related genes (LLPSRGs), a prognostic model was constructed through multivariate Cox regression. The model was validated on an independent dataset.

Engineering 3D Lattice Oxygen Metal-Organic Frameworks for Fast-Charging Quasi-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show great promise in composite solid polymer electrolytes by simultaneously immobilizing anions and facilitating cation transport, yet the synergy between these mechanisms remains unclear. To elucidate this interplay, a series of isoreticular indium-based MOFs (InOF-1, MIL-60, and MIL-68(In)) are designed, all featuring identical In-O6 coordination centers while exhibiting systematically varies pore architectures. Among them, MIL-60 stands out by achieving an optimal balance between physical size exclusion and chemical mediation of ion transport.

The Enhancement of Tribological and Heat Transfer Properties of Lithium Complex Greases Using MoC MXene.

With the increasing demand for superior performance greases in equipment, it is important to improve the efficiency of grease development. The development of multifunctional, high-performance additives is critical to improving grease development efficiency and performance. In this study, MoC MXene with a good crystal structure was prepared using a fluoride-free hydrothermal etching method.

Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Molecular Response of the Tolerant Alfalfa () Cultivar Nongjing 1 to Saline-Alkali Stress.

Alfalfa () is a perennial forage crop with significant economic and ecological significance. If alfalfa can be planted in saline-alkali land, it will not only improve the utilization rate of marginal land and alleviate the competition between forage and cereal crops for arable land but will also increase the yield of high-quality domestic forage. In this study, we conducted transcriptomic analysis on the saline-alkali-tolerant alfalfa cultivar NQ-1 and compared its metabolite accumulation levels with saline-alkali-sensitive cultivars.

Defect-Tailoring Metal-Organic Frameworks for Highly Fast-Charging Quasi-Solid-State Electrolytes Lithium Metal Batteries.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show revolutionary potential in quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) designed for high-energy-density batteries, owing to their tunable nanoporous structures and open metal sites (OMSs). However, their application is hindered by insufficient Li dissociation and low ionic conductivity, attributed to limited metal active sites. This study employed defect engineering to modulate hafnium-based MOFs, increasing OMS density while optimizing the pore microenvironment.

Study on the high-temperature tribological performance of biodegradable ultrafine β-tricalcium phosphate reinforced barium complex grease.

Lubricating additives are essential for enhancing the tribological properties of grease. The development of low-cost lubricant additives with excellent biodegradability is expected to be the prevailing trend for future advancements. In this study, biodegradable ultrafine β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) was utilized to enhance the friction reduction, anti-wear and extreme pressure properties of barium complex greases at high temperatures.

Compounded random walk for space-fractional diffusion on finite domains.

We formulate a compounded random walk that is physically well defined on both finite and infinite domains, and samples space-dependent forces throughout jumps. The governing evolution equation for the walk limits to a space-fractional Fokker-Planck equation valid on bounded domains, and recovers the well known superdiffusive space-fractional diffusion equation on infinite domains. We describe methods for numerical approximation and Monte Carlo simulations and demonstrate excellent correspondence with analytical solutions.

Data-based tuning of bumpless feedforward for tracking of multi-phase trajectories with application to wire-bonding machine.

To improve the settling time for high-speed point-to-point motion, a piecewise-model feedforward controller is introduced which utilizes multiple inverse sub-models with bumpless transfer between them. As the transfer function of this bumpless feedforward controller is non-commutative and non-invertible, a set of special perturbation and reference inputs are designed to extract the signals required for computing the gradient of the cost function. In this way, the optimal parameters within different motion phases are found within an integrated process.

Large modulation of the bottlebrush diblock copolymer morphology and structural color through solvent selectivity.

Bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs), characterized by densely grafted side chains along their backbone, have emerged as promising materials for structural color applications. Their unique architecture prevents entanglement and facilitates rapid assembly kinetics, enabling the formation of various photonic crystals with high tunability of structural color from the visible to the infrared range. However, accessing non-1D structures has been largely limited to synthetic approaches.

The synergistic roles of MsRCI2B and MsRCI2E in the regulation of ion balance and ROS homeostasis in alfalfa under salt stress.

Under salt stress, plasma membrane proteins regulate ion homeostasis and the balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we investigated the functions of two small membrane proteins-MsRCI2B (tailless) and MsRCI2E (tailed)-encoded by the RCI2 (Rare Cold Inducible 2) gene family in Medicago sativa (alfalfa). We identified the distinct subcellular localization and expression patterns of these proteins under salt stress.

A catalyst-coated diaphragm assembly to improve the performance and energy efficiency of alkaline water electrolysers.

Alkaline water electrolysers are ideal for gigawatt-scale hydrogen production due to the usage of non-precious metal and low-cost raw materials. However, their performances are modest with the separated electrode and diaphragm structure which can date back to more than 100 years ago. Here we report a catalyst-coated diaphragm assembly to improve the performance of alkaline water electrolysers.

The basal level of salicylic acid represses the PRT6 N-degron pathway to modulate root growth and stress response in rice.

Maintaining a stable basal level of salicylic acid (SA) is crucial for plant growth, development, and stress response, although basal levels of SA vary significantly among plant species. However, the molecular mechanisms by which basal SA regulates plant growth and stress response remain to be clarified. In this study, we performed a genetic screen to identify suppressors of the root growth defect in Osaim1, a rice mutant deficient in basal SA biosynthesis.

Research on the movement pattern and kinematic model of the hindlegs of the water boatman.

The special hindleg structure and swimming setae of a water boatman give it a high degree of maneuverability, which plays an important role in swimming. This paper used a high-speed photography platform to extract key points from videos, obtaining the forward and turning movement patterns of the water boatman's hindlegs, as well as the transformation patterns of the setae. A Fourier series was used to establish the movement models of each hindleg joint, and a kinematic model of the hindlegs was established to study the continuous movement characteristics of the hindlegs.

The Development, Essence and Perspective of Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia.

Ammonia plays a pivotal role in agriculture and meanwhile holds promising potential as an energy vector for the hydrogen economy, where the nitrogen reduction to ammonia is a critical pathway for achieving sustainable development. Over the past hundred years, ammonia synthesis has undergone several breakthrough developments from Haber-Bosch process to photo/electro-catalysis and Li-mediated strategy, but still faces the challenges of low yield rate, selectivity and efficiency. Therefore, there is a pressing demand to develop efficient and green ammonia synthesis from nitrogen.

The RNA binding protein EHD6 recruits the mA reader YTH07 and sequesters OsCOL4 mRNA into phase-separated ribonucleoprotein condensates to promote rice flowering.

N-Methyladenosine (mA) is one of the most abundant modifications of eukaryotic mRNA, but its comprehensive biological functionality remains further exploration. In this study, we identified and characterized a new flowering-promoting gene, EARLY HEADING DATE6 (EHD6), in rice. EHD6 encodes an RNA recognition motif (RRM)-containing RNA binding protein that is localized in the non-membranous cytoplasm ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules and can bind both mA-modified RNA and unmodified RNA indiscriminately.

Non-covalent planarizing interactions yield highly ordered and thermotropic liquid crystalline conjugated polymers.

Controlling the multi-level assembly and morphological properties of conjugated polymers through structural manipulation has contributed significantly to the advancement of organic electronics. In this work, a redox active conjugated polymer, TPT-TT, composed of alternating 1,4-(2-thienyl)-2,5-dialkoxyphenylene (TPT) and thienothiophene (TT) units is reported with non-covalent intramolecular S⋯O and S⋯H-C interactions that induce controlled main-chain planarity and solid-state order. As confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, these intramolecular interactions influence the main chain conformation, promoting backbone planarization, while still allowing dihedral rotations at higher kinetic energies (higher temperature), and give rise to temperature-dependent aggregation properties.