Motivation and guidance of college students' low-carbon behavior: evidence from Chinese colleges and universities.

In the context of the global implementation of the emission peak and carbon-neutral strategic goal, guiding residents' low-carbon behavior is of great significance for the realization of the dual carbon goal. However, existing studies have paid less attention to the low-carbon behavior of college students. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this paper constructs a theoretical model of influencing factors of college students' low-carbon behavior. Combined with 612 questionnaires from Chinese colleges and universities, this study uses a structural equation model and multi-group analysis method to explore the motivation of college students' low-carbon behavior and guiding education strategies. The results show that low-carbon attitude, subjective norms, low-carbon values, and perceived behavior control have significant positive effects on low low-carbon behavior intention of college students, and influence their low-carbon behavior through low-carbon behavior intention. Further research found that gender and growth environment (urban vs. rural) presented heterogeneity in different influence paths, and the perceived cost had a significant negative moderating effect during the transition from low-carbon intention to low-carbon behavior. These research findings provide a theoretical basis and policy inspiration for explaining and guiding the low-carbon behavior of college students.

OBP83b and OBP49a Involved in the Perception of Female-Derived Pheromones in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel).

In Bactrocera dorsalis, both males and females release chemical signals to attract mates. In our previous study, we identified ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, and ethyl palmitate as potent female-derived pheromones that contribute to mate attraction. However, the mechanisms underlying the olfactory recognition remain unclear. In this study, we observed strong antennal and behavioral responses in male B. dorsalis to these female-derived pheromones, and further investigation revealed significant upregulation of OBP49a and OBP83b following exposure to these compounds. Through fluorescence competitive binding assays and RNA interference techniques, we demonstrated the crucial roles of OBP49a and OBP83b in detecting female-derived pheromones. Finally, molecular docking analysis identified key residues, including His134 in OBP83b and a lysine residue in OBP49a, which formed hydrogen bonds with female-derived pheromones, facilitating their binding. These findings not only advance our understanding of olfactory recognition of pheromones in B. dorsalis but also offer potential targets for developing olfaction-interfering techniques for pest control.

The potential of marine natural products and their synthetic derivatives as drugs targeting ion channels.

Ion channels are a type of protein channel that play a vital role in numerous physiological functions by facilitating the passage of ions through cell membranes, thereby enabling ion and electrical signal transmission. As a crucial target for drug action, ion channels have been implicated in various diseases. Many natural products from marine organisms, such as fungi, algae, sponges, and sea cucumber, etc. have been found to have activities related to ion channels for decades. These interesting natural product molecules undoubtedly bring good news for the treatment of neurological and cardiovascular diseases. In this review, 92 marine natural products and their synthetic derivatives with ion channel-related activities that were identified during the period 2000-2024 were systematically reviewed. The synthesis and mechanisms of action of selected compounds were also discussed, aiming to offer insights for the development of drugs targeting ion channels.

Neuroprotection of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hUC-MSCs) in Alleviating Ischemic Stroke-Induced Brain Injury by Regulating Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.

Brain injury caused by stroke has a high rate of mortality and remains a major medical challenge worldwide. In recent years, there has been significant attention given to the use of human Umbilical cord-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hUC-MSCs) for the treatment of stroke in different adult and neonate animal models of stroke. However, using hUC-MSCs by systemic administration to treat ischemic stroke has not been investigated sufficiently. In this study, we conducted various experiments to explore the neuroprotection of hUC-MSCs in rats. Our findings demonstrate that an intravenous injection of a high dose of hUC-MSCs at 2 × 10^7 cells/kg markedly ameliorated brain injury resulting from ischemic stroke. This improvement was observed one day after inducing transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and subsequent reperfusion in rats. Notably, the efficacy of this single administration of hUC-MSCs surpassed that of edaravone, even when the latter was used continuously over three days. Mechanistically, secretory factors derived from hUC-MSCs, such as HGF, BDNF, and TNFR1, ameliorated the levels of MDA and T-SOD to regulate oxidative stress. In particular, TNFR1 also improved the expression of NQO-1 and HO-1, important proteins associated with oxidative stress. More importantly, TNFR1 played a significant role in reducing inflammation by modulating IL-6 levels in the blood. Furthermore, TNFR1 was observed to influence the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) as demonstrated in the evan's blue experiment and protein expression of ZO-1. This study represented a breakthrough in traditional methods and provided a novel strategy for clinical medication and trials.

Cancer survival analysis on population-based cancer registry data in Zhejiang Province, China (2018-2019).

Objective: This is a comprehensive overview of long-term cancer survival in Zhejiang Province, China. Hybrid analysis, a combination of cohort and period analysis, has been proposed to derive up-to-date cancer survival estimates. Using this approach, we aimed to timely and accurately analyze the 5-year relative survival (RS) and net survival (NS) in cancer registries of Zhejiang Province, China. Methods: A total of 255,725 new cancer cases diagnosed during 2013-2017 were included in 14 cancer registries in Zhejiang Province, China, with a follow-up on vital status until the end of 2019. The hybrid analysis was used to calculate the 5-year RS and 5-year NS during 2018-2019 for overall and stratifications by sex, cancer type, region, and age at diagnosis. Results: During 2018-2019, the age-standardized 5-year RS and NS for overall cancer in Zhejiang was 47.5% and 48.6%, respectively. The age-standardized 5-year RS for cancers of women (55.4%) was higher than that of men (40.0%), and the rate of urban areas (49.7%) was higher than that of rural areas (43.1%). The 5-year RS declined along with age, from 84.4% for ages <45 years to 23.7% for ages >74 years. Our results of the RS and NS showed the similar trend and no significant difference. The top five cancers with top age-standardized 5-year RS were thyroid cancer (96.0%), breast cancer (84.3%), testicular cancer (79.9%), prostate cancer (77.2%), and bladder cancer (70.6%), and the five cancers with the lowest age-standardized 5-year RS were pancreatic cancer (6.0%), liver cancer (15.6%), gallbladder cancer (17.1%), esophageal cancer (22.7%), and leukemia (31.0%). Conclusions: We reported the most up-to-date 5-year cancer RS and NS in Zhejiang Province, China for the first time, and found that the 5-year survival for cancer patients in Zhejiang during 2018-2019 was relatively high. The population-based cancer registries are recognized as key policy tools that can be used to evaluate both the impact of cancer prevention strategies and the effectiveness of health systems.

Nanoscale Visualization of Symmetry-Breaking Electronic Orders and Magnetic Anisotropy in a Kagome Magnet YMn6Sn6.

A kagome lattice hosts a plethora of quantum states arising from the interplay between nontrivial topology and electron correlations. The recently discovered kagome magnet RMn6Sn6 (R represents a rare-earth element) is believed to showcase a kagome band closely resembling textbook characteristics. Here, we report the characterization of local electronic states and their magnetization response in YMn6Sn6 via scanning tunneling microscopy measurements under vector magnetic fields. Our spectroscopic maps reveal a spontaneously trimerized kagome electronic order in YMn6Sn6, where the 6-fold rotational symmetry is disrupted while translational symmetry is maintained. Further application of an external magnetic field demonstrates a strong coupling of the YMn6Sn6 kagome band to the field, which exhibits an energy shift discrepancy under different field directions, implying the existence of magnetization-response anisotropy and anomalous g factors. Our findings establish YMn6Sn6 as an ideal platform for investigating kagome-derived orbital magnetic moment and correlated magnetic topological states.

Clcn3 deficiency ameliorates high-fat diet-induced obesity and improves metabolism in mice.

Objective: Obesity is defined as excess body fat and is a current health epidemic associated with increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The ClC-3 chloride channel/antiporter, encoded by the Clcn3, is associated with some diseases, like carcinoma, nervous system diseases, and metabolic diseases. To verify the relationship between the Clcn3 and weight including metabolic changes, searching for a new target for metabolic therapy of obesity, we designed the experiment. Methods: The mice were divided into 4 different groups: Clcn3+/+ mice + high-fat diet (HFD), Clcn3-/- mice + HFD, Clcn3+/+ mice + normal diet (ND), Clcn3-/- mice + ND, and fed for 16 weeks. After the glucose tolerance test and insulin tolerance test, peripheral blood and adipose tissues were collected. Moreover, we performed transcriptome sequencing for the epididymal white adipose tissue from Clcn3+/+ and Clcn3-/- mice with the high-fat diet. Western blotting verified the changes in protein levels of relevant metabolic genes. Results: We found that the Clcn3-/- mice had lower body weight and visceral fat, refining glucose and lipid metabolism in HFD-induced mice, but had no effect in normal diet mice. RNA-seq and Western blotting indicated that Clcn3 deficiency may inhibit obesity through the AMPK-UCP1 axis. Conclusion: Modulation of Clcn3 may provide an appealing therapeutic target for obesity and associated metabolic syndrome.

Quantum spin liquid signatures in monolayer 1T-NbSe2.

Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) are in a quantum disordered state that is highly entangled and has fractional excitations. As a highly sought-after state of matter, QSLs were predicted to host spinon excitations and to arise in frustrated spin systems with large quantum fluctuations. Here we report on the experimental observation and theoretical modeling of QSL signatures in monolayer 1T-NbSe2, which is a newly emerging two-dimensional material that exhibits both charge-density-wave (CDW) and correlated insulating behaviors. By using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy (STM/STS), we confirm the presence of spin fluctuations in monolayer 1T-NbSe2 by observing the Kondo resonance as monolayer 1T-NbSe2 interacts with metallic monolayer 1H-NbSe2. Subsequent STM/STS imaging of monolayer 1T-NbSe2 at the Hubbard band energy further reveals a long-wavelength charge modulation, in agreement with the spinon modulation expected for QSLs. By depositing manganese-phthalocyanine (MnPc) molecules with spin S = 3/2 onto monolayer 1T-NbSe2, new STS resonance peaks emerge at the Hubbard band edges of monolayer 1T-NbSe2. This observation is consistent with the spinon Kondo effect induced by a S = 3/2 magnetic impurity embedded in a QSL. Taken together, these experimental observations indicate that monolayer 1T-NbSe2 is a new promising QSL material.

Study on the correlation between IL-12p70, IL-17A and migraine in children.

Objective: To compare the serum levels of 12 cytokines in migraine group, encephalitis with headache symptoms group, pneumonia without headache symptoms group and migraine subgroups to explore the cytokines associated with migraine in children and their levels. Methods: A total of 44 children with migraine, 27 children in the encephalitis group with headache symptoms and 44 children in the pneumonia group without headache symptoms were selected from January 2022 to August 2023 in Hebei Children's Hospital. They were all tested for serum cytokines by immunofluorescence assay. The migraine group was further divided into subgroups according to different age, gender, course of disease, and presence of coinfection. The differences of serum cytokine levels among the above groups were compared, and the correlation analysis was carried out. Results: Except IL-5, there were no significant differences in the expression levels of other 11 inflammatory cytokines between migraine subgroups. Compared with encephalitis with headache symptoms group and pneumonia without headache symptoms group the serum levels of IL-4, TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-12p70 were higher in migraine group than in pneumonia group, and the levels of IL-12p70 were higher than those in encephalitis group (p < 0.05). An increase in serum IL-12p70 (OR = 1.267, 95%CI 1.054-1.523, p = 0.012) and IL-17A (OR = 1.066, 95%CI 1.016-1.119, p = 0.010) levels had a significant effect on migraine. Conclusion: Elevated serum levels of IL-12p70 and IL-17A may increase the risk of migraine in children, which has certain diagnostic and predictive value.

Genomic Analyses Uncover Evolutionary Features of Influenza A/H3N2 Viruses in Yunnan Province, China, from 2017 to 2022.

Influenza A viruses evolve at a high rate of nucleotide substitution, thereby requiring continuous monitoring to determine the efficacy of vaccines and antiviral drugs. In the current study, we performed whole-genome sequencing analyses of 253 influenza A/H3N2 strains from Yunnan Province, China, during 2017-2022. The hemagglutinin (HA) segments of Yunnan A/H3N2 strains isolated during 2017-2018 harbored a high genetic diversity due to heterogeneous distribution across branches. The mutation regularity of the predominant antigenic epitopes of HA segments in Yunnan was inconsistent in different years. Some important functional mutations in gene segments associated with viral adaptation and drug tolerance were revealed. The rapid genomic evolution of Yunnan A/H3N2 strains from 2017 to 2022 mainly concentrated on segments, i.e., matrix protein 2 (M2), non-structural protein 1 (NS1), neuraminidase (NA), NS2, and HA, with a high overall non-synonymous/synonymous substitution ratio (dN/dS). Our results highlighted a decline in vaccine efficacy against the A/H3N2 circulating strains, particularly against the Yunnan 2021-2022 A/H3N2 strains. These findings aid our understanding of evolutionary characteristics and epidemiological monitoring of the A/H3N2 viruses and provide in-depth insights into the protective efficacy of influenza vaccines.

Fluorescent assay for acetylcholinesterase activity and inhibitor screening based on lanthanide organic/inorganic hybrid materials.

It is of great significance for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) to achieve the on-site activity evaluation of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the hydrolase of acetylcholine (ACh). Herein, we have developed a biosensing method endowed with considerable superiority based on the organic-inorganic hybrid composite Eu(DPA)3@Lap with excellent stability and fluorescent properties for this purpose by loading Eu3+ ions and 2,6-dipicolinic acid (DPA) into LAPONITE® (Lap). Through the comprehensive consideration of the specific hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (ATCh) into thiocholine (TCh) by AChE, the high binding affinity of TCh to copper ion (Cu2+), and the selective fluorescence quenching ability of Cu2+, a simple Eu(DPA)3@Lap-based assay was developed to realize the rapid and convenient evaluation of AChE activity. Owning to the facile signal on-off-on response mode with a clear PET-based sensing mechanism, our assay presents favorable selectivity and sensitivity (LOD of 0.5 mU mL-1). Furthermore, the fluorescent assay was successfully applied for assessing AChE activity in human serum samples and screening potential AChE inhibitors, showing potential for application in the early diagnosis and drug screening of AD, as a new development path of AD therapy.

Orientational Nanoconjugation with Gold Endows Marked Antimicrobial Potential and Drugability of Ultrashort Dipeptides.

Antibiotic resistance is a global threat. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are highly desirable to treat multidrug-resistant pathogen infection. However, few AMPs are clinically available, due to high cost, instability, and poor selectivity. Here, ultrashort AMPs (2-3 residues with an N-terminal cysteine) are designed and assembled as gold nanoparticles. Au-S conjugation and ultrashort size restrict nonspecific reactions and peptide orientation, thus concentrating positively charged residues on the surface. The nanostructured assemblies enormously enhance antimicrobial abilities by 1000-6000-fold and stability. One representative (Au-Cys-Arg-NH2, Au_CR) shows selective antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with 10 nM minimal inhibitory concentration. Au_CR has comparable or better in vivo antimicrobial potency than vancomycin and methicillin, with low propensity to induce resistance, little side effects, and high stability (17.5 h plasma half-life). Au_CR acts by inducing collapse of membrane potential and rupture of the bacterial membrane. The report provides insights for developing AMP-metal nanohybrids, particularly tethering nonspecific reactions and AMP orientation on the metal surface.

Identification and verification of ferroptosis-related genes in the pathology of epilepsy: insights from CIBERSORT algorithm analysis.

Background: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. A mechanism of cell death regulation, known as ferroptosis, which involves iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, has been implicated in various diseases, including epilepsy. Objective: This study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between ferroptosis and epilepsy through bioinformatics analysis. By identifying key genes, pathways, and potential therapeutic targets, we aimed to shed light on the underlying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Materials and methods: We conducted a comprehensive analysis by screening gene expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to ferroptosis. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to gain insights into the biological processes and pathways involved. Moreover, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to identify hub genes, which was further validated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. To explore the relationship between immune infiltration and genes, we employed the CIBERSORT algorithm. Furthermore, we visualized four distinct interaction networks-mRNA-miRNA, mRNA-transcription factor, mRNA-drug, and mRNA-compound-to investigate potential regulatory mechanisms. Results: In this study, we identified a total of 33 differentially expressed genes (FDEGs) associated with epilepsy and presented them using a Venn diagram. Enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in the pathways related to reactive oxygen species, secondary lysosomes, and ubiquitin protein ligase binding. Furthermore, GSVA enrichment analysis highlighted significant differences between epilepsy and control groups in terms of the generation of precursor metabolites and energy, chaperone complex, and antioxidant activity in Gene Ontology (GO) analysis. Furthermore, during the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, we observed differential expression in pathways associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) between the two groups. To identify hub genes, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using 30 FDEGs and utilized algorithms. This analysis led to the identification of three hub genes, namely, HIF1A, TLR4, and CASP8. The application of the CIBERSORT algorithm allowed us to explore the immune infiltration patterns between epilepsy and control groups. We found that CD4-naïve T cells, gamma delta T cells, M1 macrophages, and neutrophils exhibited higher expression in the control group than in the epilepsy group. Conclusion: This study identified three FDEGs and analyzed the immune cells in epilepsy. These findings pave the way for future research and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for epilepsy.

RNAi-mediated knockdown of α-Spectrin depresses reproductive performance in female Bactrocera dorsalis.

The female reproductive potential plays a crucial role in reproduction, population dynamics and population maintenance. However, the function of endogenous genes in undifferentiated germ cells has been largely unknown in Bactrocera dorsalis. In this study, the conservative analysis showed that α-Spectrin shared a similarity in B. dorsalis and other dipteral flies. Further, the differential expression of α-Spectrin was examined in B. dorsalis by RT-qPCR, and the expression pattern of α-Spectrin protein was identified in female adult ovaries by using immunostaining. During the development of ovary, the change on the number of undifferentiated germ cells was also characterized and analyzed. To understand the function of α-Spectrin in B. dorsalis ovary, the RNAi-based knockdown was conducted, and the RNAi efficiency was examined by RT-qPCR, western blot and bioassay. The results revealed that the α-Spectrin dsRNA could strikingly decrease the expression level of α-Spectrin in ovaries and diminish oviposition and ovary size as a consequence of downregulation of α-Spectrin. Overall, our study facilitates reproductive research on the function of conservative genes in B. dorsalis ovary, which may provide a new insight into seeking novel target genes for pest management control.

Female semiochemicals stimulate male courtship but dampen female sexual receptivity.

Chemical communication plays a vital role in mate attraction and discrimination among many insect species. Here, we document a unique example of semiochemical parsimony, where four chemicals act as both aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs in different contexts in Bactrocera dorsalis. Specifically, we identified four female-specific semiochemicals, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl cis-9-hexadecenoate, and ethyl palmitate, which serve as aphrodisiacs to attract male flies and arouse male courtship. Interestingly, these semiochemicals, when sexually transferred to males during mating, can function as anti-aphrodisiacs, inhibiting the receptivity of subsequent female mates. We further showed that the expression of elongase11, a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of these semiochemicals, is under the control of doublesex, facilitating the exclusive biosynthesis of these four semiochemicals in females and guaranteeing effective chemical communication. The dual roles of these semiochemicals not only ensure the attractiveness of mature females but also provide a simple yet reliable mechanism for female mate discrimination. These findings provide insights into chemical communication in B. dorsalis and add elements for the design of pest control programs.

Visualization of Confined Electrons at Grain Boundaries in a Monolayer Charge-Density-Wave Metal.

1D grain boundaries in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are ideal for investigating the collective electron behavior in confined systems. However, clear identification of atomic structures at the grain boundaries, as well as precise characterization of the electronic ground states, have largely been elusive. Here, direct evidence for the confined electronic states and the charge density modulations at mirror twin boundaries (MTBs) of monolayer NbSe2 , a representative charge-density-wave (CDW) metal, is provided. The scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements, accompanied by the first-principles calculations, reveal that there are two types of MTBs in monolayer NbSe2 , both of which exhibit band bending effect and 1D boundary states. Moreover, the intrinsic CDW signatures of monolayer NbSe2 are dramatically suppressed as approaching an isolated MTB but can be either enhanced or suppressed in the MTB-constituted confined wedges. Such a phenomenon can be well explained by the MTB-CDW interference interactions. The results reveal the underlying physics of the confined electrons at MTBs of CDW metals, paving the way for the grain boundary engineering of the functionality.

Enantioselective Synthesis of 2,3,3a,8a-Tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]benzofuran Scaffolds Enabled by Cu(II)/SPDO-Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition of 2,3-Dihydrofuran and Quinone Esters.

An asymmetric [3+2] cycloaddition of quinone esters with 2,3-dihydrofuran has been realized via a newly developed Cu(II)/SPDO complex. It provides straightforward access to 2,3,3a,8a-tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b]benzofurans (TFB) with high enantioselectivity (up to 97.5:2.5 er) and diastereoselectivity (all >20:1 dr). The resulting adducts contain two adjacent stereocenters and a continuously functionalized benzene ring. Additionally, this transformation could be easily performed on a gram scale, allowing for expedient synthesis of natural dihydroaflatoxin D2 and aflatoxin B2.

A molecular pyroelectric enabling broadband photo-pyroelectric effect towards self-driven wide spectral photodetection.

Broadband spectral photoresponse has shown bright prospects for various optoelectronic devices, while fulfilling high photoactivity beyond the material bandgap is a great challenge. Here, we present a molecular pyroelectric, N-isopropylbenzylaminium trifluoroacetate (N-IBATFA), of which the broadband photo-pyroelectric effects allow for self-driven wide spectral photodetection. As a simple organic binary salt, N-IBATFA possesses a large polarization (~9.5 µC cm-2), high pyroelectric coefficient (~6.9 µC cm-2 K-1) and figures-of-merits (FV = 187.9 × 10-2 cm2 µC-1; FD = 881.5 × 10-5 Pa-0.5) comparable to the state-of-art pyroelectric materials. Particularly, such intriguing attributes endow broadband photo-pyroelectric effect, namely, transient currents covering ultraviolet (UV, 266 nm) to near-infrared (NIR, 1950 nm) spectral regime, which breaks the restriction of its optical absorption and thus allows wide UV-NIR spectral photodetection. Our finding highlights the potential of molecular system as high-performance candidates toward self-powered wide spectral photodetection.

Management of typical VOCs in air with adsorbents: status and challenges.

The serious harm of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the ecological environment and human health has attracted widespread attention worldwide. With economic growth and accelerated industrialization, the anthropogenic emissions of VOCs have continued to increase. The most crucial aspect is to choose the appropriate adsorbent, which is very important for the VOCs removal. The search for environmentally friendly VOCs treatment technologies is urgent. The adsorption method is one of the most promising VOCs emission reduction technologies with the advantages of high cost-effectiveness, simple operation, and low energy consumption. One of the most critical aspects is the selection of the appropriate adsorbent, which is very important for the removal of VOCs. This work provides an overview of the sources and hazards of VOCs, focusing on recent research advances in VOCs adsorption materials and the key factors controlling the VOCs adsorption process. A summary of the key challenges and opportunities for each adsorbent is also provided. The adsorption capacity for VOCs is enhanced by an abundant specific surface area; the most efficient adsorption process is achieved when the pore size is slightly larger than the molecular diameter of VOCs; the increase in the number of chemical functional groups contributes to the increase in adsorption capacity. In addition, methods of activation and surface modification to improve the adsorption capacity for VOCs are discussed to guide the design of more advanced adsorbents.

Observation of Two-Dimensional Type-II Superconductivity in Bulk 3R-TaSe2 by Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy.

Here we report a low-temperature and vector-magnetic-field scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/S) study on 3R-TaSe2. The sample surface was obtained by exfoliating a bulk 3R-TaSe2 single crystal in an ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) chamber and then transferred in situ to STM. It was observed that the topmost layer shows a 3 × 3 charge density wave pattern at T = 4.2 K with metallic character in STS. The electronic characterization study by variable-temperature and magnetic field STS revealed that 3R-TaSe2 behaves as a type-II superconductor. More intriguingly, such superconductivity (SC) can survive under strong in-plane magnetic fields even up to 2.5 T and out-of-plane magnetic fields up to 0.7 T, exhibiting an anisotropic superconducting property. Temperature-dependent STS showed that 3R-TaSe2 undergoes a transition above 0.58 K. Our results may be important for understanding the intriguing SC properties of the 3R-phase van der Waals materials.