Iron deposition in gastric black spots: Clinicopathological insights and NanoSuit-correlative light and electron microscopy analysis.

Objectives: Black spots (BSs) are lentiginous findings observed in the gastric body and fundus during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and are predominantly seen in patients undergoing Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment. However, the detailed patient background and exact composition are poorly understood. This study aims to clarify the clinicopathological features of BSs, examine patient demographics, and use the NanoSuit-correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) method combined with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for elemental analysis. Methods: Patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy between 2017 and 2022 were included. Data on age, medications, blood tests, and H. pylori infection status were retrospectively gathered from medical records. Univariate analysis was conducted to examine BS presence, with results then used in a multivariate model to identify associated risk factors. Additionally, pathological specimens from patients with BSs were analyzed for elemental composition using the NanoSuit-CLEM method combined with scanning electronmicroscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Results: An analysis of 6778 cases identified risk factors for BSs, including older age and using proton pump inhibitors, statins, corticosteroids, and antithrombotic drugs. Endoscopically, BSs correlated with higher gastric atrophy and lower active H. pylori infection. Iron deposition at BS sites was specifically identified using NanoSuit-CLEM. Conclusions: BSs on gastrointestinal endoscopy may indicate an absence of active H. pylori inflammation. The discovery of iron deposition within BSs using the NanoSuit-CLEM method has offered new insights into the possible causative factors and advances our understanding of the etiology of BSs, bringing us closer to unraveling the underlying mechanisms of their formation.

Analysis of lens cloudiness during endoscopic submucosal dissection procedures: Effects of a novel lens cleaner.

Objectives: We aimed to identify independent factors for intraoperative endoscopic lens cloudiness during gastric and colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissections, investigate the effectiveness of Cleastay, an endoscope anti-fog solution, and examine factors associated with severe submucosal fat deposition. Methods: A total of 220 patients who underwent gastric or colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissections in two institutions between January 2022 and October 2023 were included. Significant factors related to cloudiness were determined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Patient background and tumor characteristics related to severe submucosal fat deposition were investigated, and the degree of intraoperative endoscopic lens cloudiness and outcomes were compared between the Cleash and Cleastay groups. Results: In the multivariate analysis, factors increasing lens cloudiness included long procedure time (odds ratio [OR], 17.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-202.08), stomach (vs. colon; OR, 5.08; 95% CI, 1.99-12.96), and severe submucosal fat deposition (OR, 12.19; 95% CI, 5.02-29.60). Conversely, the use of Cleastay (vs. Cleash; OR, 0.066; 95% CI, 0.021-0.21) was identified as a factor reducing cloudiness. Location analysis revealed that severe submucosal fat deposition was more common in the upper stomach and right colon. Conclusions: It was suggested that Cleastay is more useful for endoscopic submucosal dissection of the upper stomach and right colon, where severe submucosal fat deposition is expected.

Direct electron beam writing of silver using a ß-diketonate precursor: first insights.

Direct electron beam writing is a powerful tool for fabricating complex nanostructures in a single step. The electron beam locally cleaves the molecules of an adsorbed gaseous precursor to form a deposit, similar to 3D printing but without the need for a resist or development step. Here, we employ for the first time a silver ß-diketonate precursor for focused electron beam-induced deposition (FEBID). The used compound (hfac)AgPMe3 operates at an evaporation temperature of 70-80 °C and is compatible with commercially available gas injection systems used in any standard scanning electron microscope. Growth of smooth 3D geometries could be demonstrated for tightly focused electron beams, albeit with low silver content in the deposit volume. The electron beam-induced deposition proved sensitive to the irradiation conditions, leading to varying compositions of the deposit and internal inhomogeneities such as the formation of a layered structure consisting of a pure silver layer at the interface to the substrate covered by a deposit layer with low silver content. Imaging after the deposition process revealed morphological changes such as the growth of silver particles on the surface. While these effects complicate the application for 3D printing, the unique deposit structure with a thin, compact silver film beneath the deposit body is interesting from a fundamental point of view and may offer additional opportunities for applications.

Tuning the Transparency Window of SrVO3 Transparent Conducting Oxide.

Correlated transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have gained great attention, because of their unique combination of transparency and metallic character. SrVO3 (SVO) was identified as a high-performance TCO in the visible range. Few studies have investigated band structure engineering through chemical doping to enhance the optical properties of SVO. Here, we use two different strategies by exploiting the band-filling and width of the bands derived from Vanadium to tune the screened plasma frequency ωp* and the interband transition Ep-d energy, corresponding to the optical transparency window edges. For control of the band-filling strategy, it is found that Titanium doped SVO has a wide transparency window, but such a composition does not maintain the high electrical conductivity required for TCO applications. Concerning the bandwidth strategy, the doping of SrVO3 by Calcium shows that ωp* remains located in the IR range (1.12 eV), while Ep-d is blue-shifted into the UV region (3.43 eV) due to reinforced electronic correlations. By an appropriate choice of dopant, we successfully increased the size of the transparency window by around 11% from 1.94 eV (SVO) to 2.30 eV (Calcium-doped SVO), while retaining high conductivity of around 2.30 × 104 (S·cm-1) and high charge carrier density of 2.93 × 1022 cm-3.

Chemically Resolved Respiratory Deposition of Ultrafine Particles Characterized by Number Concentration in the Urban Atmosphere.

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) dominate the atmospheric particles in number concentration, impacting human health and climate change. However, existing studies primarily rely on mass-based approaches, leading to a restricted understanding of the number-based and chemically resolved health effects of atmospheric UFPs. In this study, we utilized a high-mass-resolution single-particle aerosol mass spectrometer to investigate the online chemical composition and number size distribution of ultrafine, fine, and coarse particles during the summertime in urban Shenzhen, China. Human respiratory deposition dose assessments of particles with varying chemical compositions were further conducted by a respiratory deposition model. The results showed that during our observation, particles containing elemental carbon (EC) were the dominant components in UFPs (0.05-0.1 µm). Compared to fine and coarse particles, UFPs can deposit more deeply into the respiratory tract with a daily dose of ∼2.08 ± 0.67 billion particles. Among the deposited UFPs, EC-cluster particles constituted ∼85.7% in number fraction, accounting for a daily number dose of ∼1.78 billion particles, which poses a greater impact on human health. Simultaneously, we found discrepancies in the chemically resolved particle depositions among number-, surface area-, and mass-based approaches, emphasizing the importance of an appropriate metric for particle health-risk evaluation.

Formulation and Evaluation of a Transferosomal Gel of Famciclovir for Transdermal Use.

Objectives: Famciclovir, the drug of choice for cold sores and recurrent genital herpes, has poor oral bioavailability and is associated with numerous side effects. The study aimed to explore the possibility of transdermal application of famciclovir through a transferosome-loaded gelling system to localize the drug at the site of application with improved penetrability, therapeutic effects, and comfort. Materials and Methods: Transferosomes of famciclovir were prepared using tween 80, phospholipid, and cholesterol. To optimize drug entrapment and the vesicular size of the transferosomes, a central composite design was employed. The optimized formulation was evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, surface morphology, and degree of deformability. The optimized product was included in the Carbopol 940 gelling system. The gel was evaluated for ex vivo permeation, skin irritation, drug deposition at various skin layers, and histopathological analysis. Results: The design optimization yielded an optimized product (FAMOPT) of nanosized (339 nm) stable vesicles of the transferosome of famciclovir. The surface morphology analysis revealed the formation of nanovesicles without aggregation. Compatibility between the drug and excipients was established. The elasticity of the vesicles demonstrated resistance to leakage. The permeation of the drug was enhanced by 2.8 times. The gel was found to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to the animal skin. The drug deposition at various skin layers was remarkably improved, indicating effective drug penetration. The histopathological examination further demonstrated the penetration of nano-vesiculate drugs through deeper layers of the skin. Conclusion: Hence, nano-vesicular famciclovir delivery is a promising alternative to conventional famciclovir delivery with enhanced local and systemic action for herpes treatment.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Properties and Photoinduced Crystallization of TiO2-Fe2O3 Inverse Opals Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition.

The use of solar energy for photocatalysis holds great potential for sustainable pollution reduction. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a benchmark material, effective under ultraviolet light but limited in visible light utilization, restricting its application in solar-driven photocatalysis. Previous studies have shown that semiconductor heterojunctions and nanostructuring can broaden the TiO2's photocatalytic spectral range. Semiconductor heterojunctions are interfaces formed between two different semiconductor materials that can be engineered. Especially, type II heterojunctions facilitate charge separation, and they can be obtained by combining TiO2 with, for example, iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3). Nanostructuring in the form of 3D inverse opals (IOs) demonstrated increased TiO2 light absorption efficiency of the material, by tailoring light-matter interactions through their photonic crystal structure and specifically their photonic stopband, which can give rise to a slow photon effect. Such effect is hypothesized to enhance the generation of free charges. This work focuses on the above-described effects simultaneously, through the synthesis of TiO2-Fe2O3 IOs via multilayer atomic layer deposition (ALD) and the characterization of their photocatalytic activities. Our results reveal that the complete functionalization of TiO2 IOs with Fe2O3 increases the photocatalytic activity through the slow photon effect and semiconductor heterojunction formation. We systematically explore the influence of Fe2O3 thickness on photocatalytic performance, and a maximum photocatalytic rate constant of 1.38 ± 0.09 h-1 is observed for a 252 nm template TiO2-Fe2O3 bilayer IO consisting of 16 nm TiO2 and 2 nm Fe2O3. Further tailoring the performance by overcoating with additional TiO2 layers enhances photoinduced crystallization and tunes photocatalytic properties. These findings highlight the potential of TiO2-Fe2O3 IOs for efficient water pollutant removal and the importance of precise nanostructuring and heterojunction engineering in advancing photocatalytic technologies.

Enhanced Responsivity and Photostability of Cs3Bi2I9-Based Self-Powered Photodetector via Chemical Vapor Deposition Engineering.

Lead-based halide perovskites have gained significant prominence in recent years in optoelectronics and photovoltaics, owing to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Nonetheless, the toxicity of lead (Pb) and the stability concern pose obstacles to their potential for future large-scale market development. Herein, stable lead-free Cs3Bi2I9 (CBI) films are presented with smooth and compact morphologies synthesized via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), demonstrating their application as an UV photodetector in a self-powered way. The self-powered photodetectors (SPDs) exhibit remarkable characteristics, including a responsivity of 1.57 A W-1 and an impressive specific detectivity of 3.38 × 1013 Jones under the illumination of 365 nm at zero bias. Furthermore, the SPDs exhibit a nominal decline (≈2.2%) in the photocurrent under constant illumination over 500 h, highlighting its impressive long-term operational stability. Finally, the real-time UV-detection capability of the device is demonstrated by measuring the photocurrent under various conditions, including room light and sunlight at different times. These findings offer a new platform for synthesizing stable and high-quality perovskite films, and SPDs for advancing the development of wearable and portable electronics.

Chemically Tailored Growth of 2D Semiconductors via Hybrid Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are an exciting platform for excitonic physics and next-generation electronics, creating a strong demand to understand their growth, doping, and heterostructures. Despite significant progress in solid-source (SS-) and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), further optimization is necessary to grow highly crystalline 2D TMDCs with controlled doping. Here, we report a hybrid MOCVD growth method that combines liquid-phase metal precursor deposition and vapor-phase organo-chalcogen delivery to leverage the advantages of both MOCVD and SS-CVD. Using our hybrid approach, we demonstrate WS2 growth with tunable morphologies─from separated single-crystal domains to continuous monolayer films─on a variety of substrates, including sapphire, SiO2, and Au. These WS2 films exhibit narrow neutral exciton photoluminescence line widths down to 27-28 meV and room-temperature mobility up to 34-36 cm2 V-1 s-1. Through simple modifications to the liquid precursor composition, we demonstrate the growth of V-doped WS2, MoxW1-xS2 alloys, and in-plane WS2-MoS2 heterostructures. This work presents an efficient approach for addressing a variety of TMDC synthesis needs on a laboratory scale.

Formation Characteristics of Pt-Ni Alloy Nanoparticles Fabricated by Nanolamination of Atomic Layer Deposition in Hydrogen.

Forced-flow atomic layer deposition nanolamination is employed to fabricate Pt-Ni nanoparticles on XC-72, with the compositions ranging from Pt94Ni6 to Pt67Ni33. Hydrogen is used as a co-reactant for depositing Pt and Ni. The growth rate of Pt is slower than that using oxygen reactant, and the growth exhibits preferred orientation along the (111) plane. Ni shows much slower growth rate than Pt, and it is only selectively deposited on Pt, not on the substrate. Higher ratios of Ni would hinder subsequent stacking of Pt atoms, resulting in lower overall growth rate and smaller particles (1.3-2.1 nm). Alloying of Pt with Ni causes shifted lattice that leads to larger lattice parameter and d-spacing as Ni fraction increases. From the electronic state analysis, Pt 4f peaks are shifted to lower binding energies with increasing the Ni content, suggesting charge transfer from Ni to Pt. Schematic of the growth behavior is proposed. Most of the alloy nanoparticles exhibit higher electrochemical surface area and oxygen reduction reaction activity than those of commercial Pt. Especially, Pt83Ni17 and Pt87Ni13 show excellent mass activities of 0.76 and 0.59 A mgPt -1, respectively, higher than the DOE target of 2025, 0.44 A mgPt -1.

Unraveling the Deposition and Dissolution Behavior of the Ag-Modified Li Surface Based on Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscopy.

Lithium is a promising anode material for advanced batteries because of its high capacity and low redox potential. However, its practical use is hindered by nonuniform Li deposition and dendrite formation, leading to safety concerns in Li metal batteries. Our study shows that Ag-based materials enhance the uniformity of Li deposition on Ag-modified Li (AgLi) surfaces, thereby addressing these key challenges. This improvement is due to the strong affinity of Ag for Li, which promotes uniform deposition and dissolution. Additionally, the AgLi surface demonstrated an improved cycling stability, which is crucial for long-term battery reliability. Emphasizing our analytical approach, we utilized comprehensive techniques such as Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and electrochemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM) to locally analyze the electrical properties and unravel the Li deposition/dissolution mechanisms. KPFM analysis provided crucial insights into surface potential variations, while EC-AFM highlighted topographical changes during the Li deposition and dissolution processes, contributing significantly to the development of safer and more efficient Li metal batteries.

In Situ Inorganic/Organic Protective Layer on Carbon Paper as Advanced Current Collector for Robust Li Metal Anode.

Lithium (Li) metal is regarded as the most promising anode for next-generation batteries with high energy density. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth and infinite volume expansion during cycling seriously hinder the application of Li metal batteries (LMBs). Herein, an inorganic/organic protective layer (labeled as BPH), composed of in situ formed inorganic constituents and PVDF-HFP, is designed on the 3D carbon paper (CP) surface by hot-dipping method. The BPH layer can effectively improve the mechanical strength and ionic conductivity of the SEI layer, which is beneficial to expedite the Li-ion transfer of the entire framework and achieve stable Li plating/stripping behavior. As a result, the modified 3D CP (BPH-CP) exhibits an ultrahigh average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of ≈99.7% over 400 cycles. Further, the Li||LiFePO4 (LFP) cell exhibits an extremely long-term cycle life of over 3000 cycles at 5 C. Importantly, the full cell with high mass loading LiFePO4 (20 mg cm-2) or LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM, 16 mg cm-2) cathode exhibits stable cycling for 100 or 150 cycles at 0.5 C with high-capacity retention of 86.5% or 82.0% even at extremely low N/P ratio of 0.88 or 0.94. believe that this work enlightens a simple and effective strategy for the application of high-energy-density and high-rate-C LMBs.

Decoupled High-Mobility Graphene on Cu(111)/Sapphire via Chemical Vapor Deposition.

The growth of high-quality graphene on flat and rigid templates, such as metal thin films on insulating wafers, is regarded as a key enabler for technologies based on 2D materials. In this work, the growth of decoupled graphene is introduced via non-reducing low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) on crystalline Cu(111) films deposited on sapphire. The resulting film is atomically flat, with no detectable cracks or ripples, and lies atop of a thin Cu2O layer, as confirmed by microscopy, diffraction, and spectroscopy analyses. Post-growth treatment of the partially decoupled graphene enables full and uniform oxidation of the interface, greatly simplifying subsequent transfer processes, particularly dry-pick up - a task that proves challenging when dealing with graphene directly synthesized on metallic Cu(111). Electrical transport measurements reveal high carrier mobility at room temperature, exceeding 104 cm2 V-1 s-1 on SiO2/Si and 105 cm2 V-1 s-1 upon encapsulation in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The demonstrated growth approach yields exceptional material quality, in line with micro-mechanically exfoliated graphene flakes, and thus paves the way toward large-scale production of pristine graphene suitable for high-performance next-generation applications.

Spatially Confined Alloying of Pt Accelerates Mass Transport for Fuel Cell Oxygen Reduction.

Pt-based alloy with high mass activity and durability is highly desired for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, yet a great challenge remains due to the high mass transport resistance near catalysts with lowering Pt loading. Herein, an extensible approach employing atomic layer deposition to accurately introduce a gas-phase metal precursor into platinum nanoparticles (NPs) pre-filled mesoporous channels is reported, achieved by controlling both the deposition site and quantity. Following the spatially confined alloying treatment, the prepared PtSn alloy catalyst within mesopores demonstrates a small size and homogeneous distribution (2.10 ± 0.53 nm). The membrane electrode assembly with mesoporous carbon-supported PtSn alloy catalyst achieves a high initial mass activity of 0.85 A mg Pt - 1 ${\mathrm{mg}}_{\mathrm{Pt}}^{-1}$ at 0.9 V, which is attributed to the smallest local oxygen transport resistance (3.68 S m-1) ever reported. The mass activity of the catalyst only decreases by 11% after 30000 cycles of accelerated durability test, representing superior full-cell durability among the reported Pt-based alloy catalysts. The enhanced activity and durability are attributed to the decreased adsorption energy of oxygen intermediates on Pt surface and the strong electronic interaction between Pt and Sn inhibiting Pt dissolution.

Translocation (11;14) is a common cytogenetic abnormality in clonal plasma cells in monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease.

Monoclonal Immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD) is characterised by deposits of intact monoclonal light chains in the kidney leading to renal dysfunction. In this study, we retrospectively investigated the underlying plasma cell cytogenetic abnormalities in MIDD. CyclinD1 (11;14) translocation was identified in 12/27 (45%) patients. Among the patients without translocation, del13q and hyperdiploidy were the most common abnormalities. Patients in the non-t (11;14) group had a higher baseline light-chain ratio, higher proteinuria and lower eGFR as compared to patients with t (11;14). Haematological VGPR or higher was seen in 58% of t (11;14), and 30% without t (11;14), possibly related to higher use of Daratumumab-based therapy in the t (11;14) group. With a median follow-up of 750 days, 30% (8/24) progressed to end stage renal disease (ESRD). eGFR <20 mL/min (HR 25, 95% CI 2.09-298, p = 0.01) and 24 urine protein >3 g/24 h (HR 9, 95% CI 1.27-63.90, p = 0.02) at diagnosis were significantly associated with progression to ESRD. Renal survival was better in t (11;14) as compared to the non-t (11;14) group (HR 0.11, p = 0.06). Translocation (11;14) is a common abnormality in MIDD and affects the presentation and outcomes. Identification of this abnormality should lead to exploration of BCL2 inhibitors in this disease.

Stable Cycling of Na Metal Batteries at Ultrahigh Capacity.

The development of sodium metal batteries has long been impeded by dendrite formation issues. State-of-the-art strategies, exemplified by sodiophilic hosting/seeding layers, have demonstrated great success in suppressing dendrite formation. However, addressing high-capacity applications (>10 mAh cm-2) remains a significant challenge. Herein, the study revisits the interlayer strategy by simply covering a carbon nanotube (CNT) film onto the surface of a sodium metal anode, unlocking its overlooked potential for ultrahigh capacity applications. In situ Raman spectroscopy reveals the interlayer's fast-ion-storage feature, enabling deposition at the interface without capacity limitations. Consequently, in symmetric cells, one-year long-term reversible cycling and a record-high capacity of 50 mAh cm-2 under 90% depth of discharge is achieved, representing a significant breakthrough for stabilizing Na anode. Furthermore, the full cell with a 50-µm thin metal anode and a high-loading Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode (12 mg cm-2) delivers a stable capacity of 94 mAh g-1 for 270 cycles (94% capacity retention).

Amyloid Goiter in a 57-Year-Old Woman With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case Report.

Amyloid goiter (AG) is a condition in which amyloid protein builds up in the thyroid gland. Patients with such a condition tend to have thyroid tissue that is extensively involved by amyloid; however, patients are usually euthyroid. Systemic amyloidosis is one of the conditions that may cause damage to the kidneys or worsen the condition of kidney failure in patients with ongoing chronic kidney disease as amyloid proteins can deposit in a variety of tissues including kidneys. Thyroid goiter can rarely be the first confirmed place to be involved with amyloidosis. We present the case of a 57-year-old female with AG who had a history of renal failure.

Response of soil-microbe-extracellular enzyme stoichiometric characteristics to nitrogen deposition in a Pinus yunnanensis forest in central Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

To understand the effects of nitrogen deposition on element cycling and nutrient limitation status in forest ecosystems, we examined the effects of nitrogen deposition on the stoichiometric characteristics of forest soil-microbial-extracellular enzymes in Pinus yunnanensis forest. We conducted a field experiment with control (CK, 0 g N·m-2·a-1), low nitrogen (LN, 10 g N·m-2·a-1), medium nitrogen (MN, 20 g N·m-2·a-1) and high nitrogen (HN, 25 g N·m-2·a-1) since 2019. We collected soil samples (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm and 10-20 cm) at September 2022, and measured the contents of soil organic, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (MBC, MBN, MBP) and the activities of C, N, and P acquisition enzymes. The results showed that nitrogen deposition significantly reduced soil organic content, C:N and C:P by 6.9%-29.8%, 7.6%-45.2% and 6.5%-28.6%, and increased soil total N content and N:P by 10.0%-45.0% and 19.0%-46.0%, respectively. Nitrogen addition did not affect soil total P content. Except for soil C:N and C:P, soil nutrient content and stoichiometric ratio were highest in 0-5 cm soil layer. MN and HN treatments significantly decreased MBN by 11.0%-12.7%. MBC, MBP, and their stoichiometry did not change significantly under nitrogen deposition. Soil microbial nutrient content in 0-5 cm soil layer was significantly higher than that in other soil layers. Nitrogen deposition significantly decreased the activities of cellobiose hydrolase and leucine aminopeptidase (decreased by 14.5%-16.2% and 48.7%-66.3%). HN treatment promoted ß-1,4-glucosidase activity (increased by 68.0%), but inhibited soil enzyme stoichiometric carbon to nitrogen ratio and nitrogen to phosphorus ratio (decreased by 95.4% and 88.4%). LN and MN treatment promoted ß-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity (increased by 68.3%-116.6%), but inhibited enzyme stoichiometric carbon to phosphorus ratio (decreased by 14.9%-29.4%). Alkaline phosphatase activity had no significant change. Soil enzyme activities were significantly decreased with increasing soil depth. Soil total N and total P and microbial nutrients were negatively correlated with vector angle (representing microbial nitrogen or phosphorus limitation), while vector length (representing microbial carbon limitation) was consistently significantly positively correlated with vector angle, suggesting the synergistic promotion between microbial carbon limitation and phosphorus limitation. Nitrogen deposition gradually shifted to phosphorus limitation while alleviating microbial nitrogen limitation in P. yunnanensis forest. In addition, microbial activities in this region was limited by C availability, and the relationship between microbial C and P limitation was proportional.

Differences in Cladonia rangiferina nitrogen uptake capacity between ammonium and nitrate with uptake kinetics.

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition could affect the structure and function of terrestrial plants. Non-N2-fixing lichens are used to monitor atmospheric N deposition because they rely on the deposited inorganic N (i.e., ammonium and nitrate) as N sources. However, the uptake capacities of lichen on ammonium and nitrate remain unclear, which hinders the application of lichen N content to accurate bioindication of atmospheric N deposition levels. We investigated ammonium and nitrate uptake capacities of Cladonia rangiferina, which was treated with ammonium alone, nitrate alone, and ammonium and nitrate mixture solutions with different mixing ratios under light and dark conditions. The results showed that N uptake rates increased with ammonium and nitrate concentrations in solutions and generally followed the Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics. Ammonium uptake of C. rangiferina showed higher values of affinity, and was more efficient than the nitrate uptake. Both rates and amounts of nitrate uptake decreased with increasing ratios of ammonium to nitrate in solutions, while ammonium uptake showed no substantial variations, indicating an inhibition of ammonium on nitrate uptake capability. The darkness significantly decreased the maximum uptake rate and efficiency of nitrate, but had much weaker effects on lichen ammonium uptake. These findings highlight the preference of lichen on ammonium as a key N uptake strategy. It is thus necessary to consider the main types of atmospheric inorganic N deposition when using lichens to monitor atmospheric N pollution levels and evaluate N deposition based on lichen ecophysiology.

Steerable Interfacial Assembly of 1D Amyloid-Like Protein Nanocomposites for Enhanced Nanoherbicide Utilization.

Conventional herbicide formulations suffer from serious problems such as easy drift, run-off and scouring into the environment, which pose enormous threats to human health and environmental safety. Herein, an innovative strategy is proposed to prepare oil-in-water nanoemulsions with long-term stability, enhanced droplet deposition, and improved nanoherbicide adhesion via steerable interfacial assembly of 1D amyloid-like protein nanocomposites. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) undergoes rapid amyloid-like aggregation upon reduction of its disulfide bond. The resulting phase-transitioned BSA (PTB) oligomers instantly self-assemble on the surface of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to form the 1D PTB/CNF nanocomposites, which greatly expands the parameter space for interfacial assembly of amyloid-like proteins. The PTB/CNF nanocomposites exhibit excellent interfacial activity, enabling spontaneous adsorption at the oil-water interface to stabilize nanoemulsion. The excess PTB/CNF nanocomposites would also self-assemble at the air-aqueous interface upon spraying, resulting in efficient droplet deposition on (super)hydrophobic leaves. The deposited nanoherbicides show excellent resistance to wind/rain corrosion due to the robust amyloid-mediated adhesion, with a retention rate of more than 80% after severe scouring. Consequently, herbicide applications can be reduced by at least 30% compared to commercial emulsifiable concentrates, showing greater herbicidal efficiency. This study provides novel insights and approaches to promote sustainable agricultural development.