Coexistence of Interacting Charge Density Waves in a Layered Semiconductor.

Coexisting orders are key features of strongly correlated materials and underlie many intriguing phenomena from unconventional superconductivity to topological orders. Here, we report the coexistence of two interacting charge-density-wave (CDW) orders in EuTe_{4}, a layered crystal that has drawn considerable attention owing to its anomalous thermal hysteresis and a semiconducting CDW state despite the absence of perfect Fermi surface nesting. By accessing unoccupied conduction bands with time- and angle-resolved photoemission measurements, we find that monolayers and bilayers of Te in the unit cell host different CDWs that are associated with distinct energy gaps. The two gaps display dichotomous evolutions following photoexcitation, where the larger bilayer CDW gap exhibits less renormalization and faster recovery. Surprisingly, the CDW in the Te monolayer displays an additional momentum-dependent gap renormalization that cannot be captured by density-functional theory calculations. This phenomenon is attributed to interlayer interactions between the two CDW orders, which account for the semiconducting nature of the equilibrium state. Our findings not only offer microscopic insights into the correlated ground state of EuTe_{4} but also provide a general nonequilibrium approach to understand coexisting, layer-dependent orders in a complex system.

Warming effects on grassland soil microbial communities are amplified in cool months.

Global warming modulates soil respiration (RS) via microbial decomposition, which is seasonally dependent. Yet, the magnitude and direction of this modulation remain unclear, partly owing to the lack of knowledge on how microorganisms respond to seasonal changes. Here, we investigated the temporal dynamics of soil microbial communities over 12 consecutive months under experimental warming in a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. The interplay between warming and time altered (P < 0.05) the taxonomic and functional compositions of microbial communities. During the cool months (January to February and October to December), warming induced a soil microbiome with a higher genomic potential for carbon decomposition, community-level ribosomal RNA operon (rrn) copy numbers, and microbial metabolic quotients, suggesting that warming stimulated fast-growing microorganisms that enhanced carbon decomposition. Modeling analyses further showed that warming reduced the temperature sensitivity of microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) by 28.7% when monthly average temperature was low, resulting in lower microbial CUE and higher heterotrophic respiration (Rh) potentials. Structural equation modeling showed that warming modulated both Rh and RS directly by altering soil temperature and indirectly by influencing microbial community traits, soil moisture, nitrate content, soil pH, and gross primary productivity. The modulation of Rh by warming was more pronounced in cooler months compared to warmer ones. Together, our findings reveal distinct warming-induced effects on microbial functional traits in cool months, challenging the norm of soil sampling only in the peak growing season, and advancing our mechanistic understanding of the seasonal pattern of RS and Rh sensitivity to warming.

Harnessing Ion-Dipole Interactions for Water-Lean Solvation Chemistry: Achieving High-Stability Zn Anodes in Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

The reversibility and stability of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are largely limited by water-induced interfacial parasitic reactions. Here, dimethyl(3,3-difluoro-2-oxoheptyl)phosphonate (DP) is introduced to tailor primary solvation sheath and inner-Helmholtz configurations for robust zinc anode. Informed by theoretical guidance on solvation process, DP with high permanent dipole moments can effectively substitute the coordination of H2O with charge carriers through relatively strong ion-dipolar interactions, resulting in a water-lean environment of solvated Zn2+. Thus, interfacial side reactions can be suppressed through a shielding effect. Meanwhile, lone-pair electrons of oxygen and fluorinated features of DP also reinforce the interfacial affinity of metallic zinc, associated with exclusion of neighboring water to facilitate reversible zinc planarized deposition. Thus, these merits endow the Zn anode with a high-stability performance exceeds 3800 hours at 0.5 mA cm-2 and 0.5 mAh cm-2 for Zn||Zn batteries and a high average Coulombic efficiency of 99.8% at 4 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2 for Zn||Cu batteries. Benefiting from the stable zinc anode, the Zn||NH4V4O10 cell maintains 80.3% of initial discharge capacity after 3000 cycles at 5 A g-1 and exhibits a high retention rate of 99.4% against to the initial capacity during the self-discharge characterizations.

Structural clarification of mannoglucan GSBP-2 from Ganoderma sinense and its effects on triple-negative breast cancer migration and invasion.

Ganoderma sinense, known as Lingzhi in China, is a medicinal fungus with anti-tumor properties. Herein, crude polysaccharides (GSB) extracted from G. sinense fruiting bodies were used to selectively inhibit triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. GSBP-2 was purified from GSB, with a molecular weight of 11.5 kDa and a composition of α-l-Fucp-(1→, ß-d-Glcp-(1→, ß-d-GlcpA-(1→, →3)-ß-d-Glcp-(1→, →3)-ß-d-GlcpA-(1→, →4)-α-d-Galp-(1→,→6)-ß-d-Manp-(1→, and →3,6)-ß-d-Glcp-(1→ at a ratio of 1.0:6.3:1.7:5.5:1.5:4.3:8.0:7.9. The anti-MDA-MB-231 cell activity of GSBP-2 was determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium, colony formation, scratch wound healing, and transwell migration assays. The results showed that GSBP-2 could selectively inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells through the regulation of genes targeting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (i.e., Snail1, ZEB1, VIM, CDH1, CDH2, and MMP9) in the MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, Western blotting results indicated that GSBP-2 could restrict epithelial-mesenchymal transition by increasing E-cadherin and decreasing N-cadherin expression through the PI3K/Akt pathway. GSBP-2 also suppressed the angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conclusion, GSBP-2 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells and showed significant anti-angiogenic ability. These findings indicate that GSBP-2 is a promising therapeutic adjuvant for TNBC.

[The application of molecular biology-based microbial remediation technologies in petroleum polluted environments].

Owing to human activities and industrial production, petroleum pollution has become a serious environmental issue. Microbial remediation technology, characterized by its eco-friendly characteristics, has drawn significant attention in petroleum pollution remediation. The application of molecular biology technology has led to a drastic revolution in microbial remediation technology, providing resources for the development of highly efficient degrading agents. However, limitations such as the lack of precision in species annotation and the limited detection sensitivity still exist. Other microbial remediation technologies also have substantial potential in enhancing the degradation efficiency of petroleum pollutants and reducing their environmental harm, especially biosurfactants and bio-stimulants, which offer relatively shorter remediation periods and lower costs, promising large-scale application in the future. Moreover, the combination of molecular biology and other microbial remediation technologies may become an effective tool for petroleum pollutant degradation. This review summarized the application of molecular biology methods in petroleum polluted environments, reviewed the recent research progress on microbial remediation techniques for petroleum-contaminated sites, discussed the remediation effects of these microbial remediation techniques, and proposed the future development direction of microbial remediation technology.

Structural characterization of a galactoglucomannan with anti-neuroinflammatory activity from Ganoderma lucidum.

According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) presents certain effects for nourishing nerves and calming the mind. G. lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs) have various biological activities; however, the structural characterization and the structure-activity relationship in anti-neuroinflammation of GLPs needs to be further investigated. In this work, the crude polysaccharide GL70 exhibited a remarkable impact on enhancing the spatial learning and memory function, as well as reducing the anxiety symptoms of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A galactoglucomannan (GLP70-1-2) was isolated from GL70, and characterized by monosaccharide composition, partial acid hydrolysis, methylation, and NMR analysis. The backbone of GLP70-1-2 was →6)-α-D-glcp-(1 â†’ 6)-ß-D-galp-(1 â†’ [6)-ß-D-manp-(1]3 â†’ 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 6)-α-D-glcp-(1 â†’ 2)-ß-D-galp-(1 â†’ [4)-α-D-glcp-(1 â†’ 6)-ß-D-manp-(1 â†’ 2)-ß-D-galp-(1]2 â†’ 6)-ß-D-glcp-(1 â†’ 6)-ß-D-glcp-(1→ with two side chains attached to O-4 of →6)-ß-D-galp-(1→ and O-3 of →6)-ß-D-glcp-(1→, respectively. In addition, GLP70-1-2 exhibited remarkable efficacy in decreasing the level of pro-inflammatory factors in LPS-activated BV2 cells through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. Collectively, GLP70-1-2 exhibited significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity and may have the potential for developing as a drug for AD.

Simultaneous derivatization and exfoliation of a multilayered Ti3C2Tx MXene into amorphous TiO2 nanosheets for stable K-ion storage.

Two-dimensional transition metal compounds (2D TMCs) have been widely reported in the fields of energy storage and conversion, especially in metal-ion storage. However, most of them are crystalline and lack active sites, and this brings about sluggish ion storage kinetics. In addition, TMCs are generally nonconductors or semiconductors, impeding fast electron transfer at high rates. Herein, we propose a facile one-step route to synthesize amorphous 2D TiO2 with a carbon coating (a-2D-TiO2@C) by simultaneous derivatization and exfoliation of a multilayered Ti3C2Tx MXene. The amorphous structure endows 2D TiO2 with abundant active sites for fast ion adsorption and diffusion, while the carbon coating can facilitate electron transport in an electrode. Owing to these intriguing structural and compositional synergies, a-2D-TiO2@C delivers good cycling stability with a long-term capacity retention of 86% after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g-1 in K-ion storage. When paired with Prussian blue (KPB) cathodes, it exhibits a high full-cell capacity of 50.8 mA h g-1 at 100 mA g-1 after 140 cycles, which demonstrates its great potential in practical applications. This contribution exploits a new approach for the facile synthesis of a-2D-TMCs and their broad applications in energy storage and conversion.

Delamination-Assisted Ultrafast Wrinkle Formation in a Freestanding Film.

Freestanding films provide a versatile platform for materials engineering thanks to additional structural motifs not found in films with a substrate. A ubiquitous example is wrinkles, yet little is known about how they can develop over as fast as a few picoseconds due to a lack of experimental probes to visualize their dynamics in real time on the nanoscopic scale. Here, we use time-resolved electron diffraction to directly observe light-activated wrinkling formation in freestanding La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 films. Via a "lock-in" analysis of oscillations in the diffraction peak position, intensity, and width, we quantitatively reconstructed how wrinkles develop on the time scale of lattice vibration. Contrary to the common assumption of fixed boundary conditions, we found that wrinkle development is associated with ultrafast delamination at the film boundaries. Our work provides a generic protocol to quantify wrinkling dynamics in freestanding films and highlights the importance of the film-substrate interaction in determining the properties of freestanding structures.

Direct observation of the collective modes of the charge density wave in the kagome metal CsV3Sb5.

A recently discovered group of kagome metals AV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text] (A = K, Rb, Cs) exhibit a variety of intertwined unconventional electronic phases, which emerge from a puzzling charge density wave phase. Understanding of this charge-ordered parent phase is crucial for deciphering the entire phase diagram. However, the mechanism of the charge density wave is still controversial, and its primary source of fluctuations-the collective modes-has not been experimentally observed. Here, we use ultrashort laser pulses to melt the charge order in CsV[Formula: see text]Sb[Formula: see text] and record the resulting dynamics using femtosecond angle-resolved photoemission. We resolve the melting time of the charge order and directly observe its amplitude mode, imposing a fundamental limit for the fastest possible lattice rearrangement time. These observations together with ab initio calculations provide clear evidence for a structural rather than electronic mechanism of the charge density wave. Our findings pave the way for a better understanding of the unconventional phases hosted on the kagome lattice.

Correction: Double cross-linked transparent superhydrophilic coating capable of anti-fogging even after abrasion and boiling.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D3RA03113F.].

Spin-mediated shear oscillators in a van der Waals antiferromagnet.

Understanding how microscopic spin configuration gives rise to exotic properties at the macroscopic length scale has long been pursued in magnetic materials1-5. One seminal example is the Einstein-de Haas effect in ferromagnets1,6,7, in which angular momentum of spins can be converted into mechanical rotation of an entire object. However, for antiferromagnets without net magnetic moment, how spin ordering couples to macroscopic movement remains elusive. Here we observed a seesaw-like rotation of reciprocal lattice peaks of an antiferromagnetic nanolayer film, whose gigahertz structural resonance exhibits more than an order-of-magnitude amplification after cooling below the Néel temperature. Using a suite of ultrafast diffraction and microscopy techniques, we directly visualize this spin-driven rotation in reciprocal space at the nanoscale. This motion corresponds to interlayer shear in real space, in which individual micro-patches of the film behave as coherent oscillators that are phase-locked and shear along the same in-plane axis. Using time-resolved optical polarimetry, we further show that the enhanced mechanical response strongly correlates with ultrafast demagnetization, which releases elastic energy stored in local strain gradients to drive the oscillators. Our work not only offers the first microscopic view of spin-mediated mechanical motion of an antiferromagnet but it also identifies a new route towards realizing high-frequency resonators8,9 up to the millimetre band, so the capability of controlling magnetic states on the ultrafast timescale10-13 can be readily transferred to engineering the mechanical properties of nanodevices.

Double cross-linked transparent superhydrophilic coating capable of anti-fogging even after abrasion and boiling.

The commercial application of surfaces with superhydrophilic (SHPL) properties is well known as an efficient strategy to address problems such as anti-fogging, anti-frosting, and anti-biological contamination. However, current SHPL coatings are limited by their poor water and abrasion resistances. Thus, herein, to solve these problems active glass was employed as a substrate, and a stable and transparent SHPL solution was prepared via the spraying process. Aqueous polyacrylic resin (PAA), SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs), tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), and sodium allyl sulfonate (SDS) were utilized as the four main components of the PAA-TEOS-SiO2 coating. The durability properties including anti-abrasion, resistance to water, and contact component loss were investigated via the Taber abrasion test, boiling water immersion test, and anti-fogging test, respectively. Furthermore, the structure, composition, and wettability of the coating before and after the friction and water immersion tests were compared via water contact angle (WCA) measurements. Furthermore, the effect of the type of resin on the properties of the coating was investigated. The surface morphology of the blended water-based polyacrylic acid (PAA) resin was uniform and flat and its adhesion to the substrate was the highest (4.21 MPa). Considering the durability and optical properties of the coating, the optimal blend was 3 wt% PAA resin, which exhibited a transmittance of 90%. When the content of TEOS, which enhanced the crosslinking in the coating, was increased to 2 wt%, the results showed that the SHPL coating maintained good anti-friction, boiling resistance, and anti-fogging properties under the conditions of 300 cycle Taber friction with 250 g load and soaking in hot water at 100 °C for 1 h. In particular, the excellent durability of strong acid and alkali resistance, heat resistance, and long-term aging resistance will facilitate the commercial viability and expand the application of SHPL coating in various research fields.

Vv-circSIZ1 mediated by pre-mRNA processing machinery contributes to salt tolerance.

CircRNAs exist widely in plants, but the regulatory mechanisms for the biogenesis and function of plant circRNAs remain largely unknown. Using extensive mutagenesis of expression plasmids and genetic transformation methods, we analyzed the biogenesis and anti-salt functions of a new grape circRNA Vv-circSIZ1. We identified Vv-circSIZ1 that is mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of xylem. CircSIZ1 is species-specific, and genomic circSIZ1-forming region of seven tested species could be backspliced in Nicotiana benthamiana, but not in Arabidopsis. The retention length of Vv-circSIZ1 flanking introns was significantly positively correlated with its generation efficiency. The precise splicing of Vv-circSIZ1 does not depend on its mature exon sequence or internal intron sequences, but on the AG/GT splicing signal sites and branch site of the flanking introns. The spliceosome activity was inversely proportional to the expression level of Vv-circSIZ1. Furthermore, RNA-binding proteins can regulate the expression of Vv-circSIZ1. The overexpression of Vv-circSIZ1 improved salt tolerance of grape and N. benthamiana. Additionally, Vv-circSIZ1 could relieve the repressive effect of VvmiR3631 on its target VvVHAc1. Vv-circSIZ1 also promoted transcription of its parental gene. Overall, these results broaden our understanding of circRNAs in plants.

ent-Kaurane-Type Diterpenes Induce ROS-Mediated Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Apoptosis by Suppress the Homologous Recombination DNA Repair in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Six ent-kaurane-type diterpenes were isolated from the roots of Isodon ternifolia. Previous studies have shown that compounds 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, A549, and HCT116), but its molecular mechanism has not been studied yet. In the present study, the inhibited proliferation of compounds 1 and 2 of two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines (4T1 and MDA-MB-231) have been demonstrated by MTT and colony formation assay. Flow cytometry, western blotting, and qPCR were used to further demonstrate the apoptosis process in TNBCs. Importantly, the following mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decrease during apoptosis was demonstrated to correlate to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In addition, DNA damage induced by compounds 1 and 2 was illustrated by detect of homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair genes and proteins expression, such as RAD51. These results indicated that compounds 1 and 2 could trigger the TNBCs apoptosis mediated by ROS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by down regulating HR DNA repair. Furthermore, this research reveals that the mechanism between mitochondria dysfunction and DNA damage is deserved to be investigated for elucidating the dynamic signal transduction between the nucleus and the cellular matrix during apoptosis.

Transparent superhydrophilic composite coating with anti-fogging and self-cleaning properties.

Superhydrophilic coatings have incomparable advantages in anti-fogging and self-cleaning but are limited to poor abrasion resistance and water resistance. Consequently, the research on the contradiction between hydrophilicity and water resistance, as well as abrasion resistance and visible transmittance, has become a focus of superhydrophilic coatings. Herein, we design a ceramic-polymer superhydrophilic composite coating with a high density, strong cross-linking structure, and smooth surface. Because of its static water contact angle (WCA = 3.2°) and short water spreading time (ST = 1878 ms), the transparent composite coating exhibits anti-fogging performance. Meanwhile, it exhibits anti-fogging durability even after 400 Taber abrasion cycles under a 250 g load or immersion in boiling water for 30 min. Furthermore, the result of self-cleaning characterization and theoretical analysis demonstrate that the low surface roughness endows the composite coating with excellent self-cleaning properties. The composite coating can effectively scavenge oil and dust pollution on its surface in a humid environment. Thus, the developed composite coating in this work is potential in the anti-fogging and self-cleaning fields.

The spontaneous symmetry breaking in Ta2NiSe5 is structural in nature.

The excitonic insulator is an electronically driven phase of matter that emerges upon the spontaneous formation and Bose condensation of excitons. Detecting this exotic order in candidate materials is a subject of paramount importance, as the size of the excitonic gap in the band structure establishes the potential of this collective state for superfluid energy transport. However, the identification of this phase in real solids is hindered by the coexistence of a structural order parameter with the same symmetry as the excitonic order. Only a few materials are currently believed to host a dominant excitonic phase, Ta2NiSe5 being the most promising. Here, we test this scenario by using an ultrashort laser pulse to quench the broken-symmetry phase of this transition metal chalcogenide. Tracking the dynamics of the material's electronic and crystal structure after light excitation reveals spectroscopic fingerprints that are compatible only with a primary order parameter of phononic nature. We rationalize our findings through state-of-the-art calculations, confirming that the structural order accounts for most of the gap opening. Our results suggest that the spontaneous symmetry breaking in Ta2NiSe5 is mostly of structural character, hampering the possibility to realize quasi-dissipationless energy transport.

Prevalence of HIV Transmitted Drug Resistance in Nanjing from 2018 to 2021.

Background: Transmitted drug resistance (TDR) is a major challenge in the clinical management of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the epidemic characteristics of and risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 TDR in Nanjing from 2018 to 2021 to provide support for clinical management. Methods: The HIV-1 Pol gene was amplified by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction from venous blood of 1190 HIV-infected patients who did not receive antiviral therapy, and the amplified product was sequenced using an in-house sequencing method. The sequencing result was compared with the HIV drug resistance database from Stanford University to elucidate the rates of antiviral drug resistance and distribution of drug-resistant mutation sites. Factors associated with TDR were evaluated using a logistic regression model. Results: Detection of drug resistance at the gene level was successful in 1138 of 1190 HIV-1-infected patients (95.6%), and the overall 4-year drug resistance rate was 8.2% (93/1138). The drug resistance rate was higher for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs; 6.7%) than for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs; 2.5%) or protease inhibitors (PIs; 0.1%) (χ 2 = 83.907, P<0.0001). The most common NNRTI-related mutation was V179D/E followed by K103N. M184V was the dominant NRTI-associated mutation, and M46L/I was the most prevalent PI-associated mutation. A CD4+ T cell count of <50 cells/µL was significantly associated with an increased risk of TDR (OR=3.62, 95% CI: 1.38-9.51, P=0.009). Conclusion: The prevalence of TDR in the city of Nanjing from 2018 to 2021 was at a moderate epidemic risk according to World Health Organization standards. Continuous monitoring of TDR can inform clinical diagnosis and treatment. Patients with advanced disease and a low CD4+ T lymphocyte count are more likely to have TDR in Nanjing.

Clinicopathologic features and abnormal signaling pathways in plasmablastic lymphoma: a multicenter study in China.

BACKGROUND: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare but aggressive B-cell lymphoma subtype with poor prognosis. Knowledge about the etiology, clinicopathologic and molecular features, and outcomes of PBL is limited. This study aimed to examine the clinicopathologic characteristics, therapeutic approaches, and clinical outcomes of PBL patients in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 102 PBL patients were recruited from three cancer centers. The pathologic features and clinical outcomes of 56 patients with available treatment details and follow-up data were reviewed and analyzed. RNA sequencing was performed in 6 PBL and 11 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. RESULTS: Most patients in our cohort were male (n = 36, 64.3%), and 35 patients presented with Ann Arbor stage I/II disease at diagnosis. All these patients showed negative findings for human immunodeficiency virus, and the vast majority of patients in our cohort were immunocompetent. Lymph nodes (n = 13, 23.2%) and gastrointestinal tract (n = 10, 17.9%) were the most commonly involved site at presentation. Post-treatment complete remission (CR) was the only prognostic factor affecting overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in the multivariate analysis. RNA-seq demonstrated that B-cell receptor (BCR), T-cell receptor (TCR), P53, calcium signaling, and Wnt signaling pathways were significantly downregulated in PBLs compared with GCB (or non-GCB) DLBCLs. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter study in the Chinese population, PBL mainly occurred in immunocompetent individuals and most patients present with early-stage disease at diagnosis. Post-treatment CR was an important prognostic factor affecting OS and PFS. RNA-seq showed that the B-cell receptor (BCR), P53, calcium signaling, cell adhesion molecules, and Wnt signaling pathways significantly differed between PBL and GCB (or non-GCB) DLBCL, which provided theoretical basis for its pathogenesis and future treatment.

Dynamical criticality of spin-shear coupling in van der Waals antiferromagnets.

The interplay between a multitude of electronic, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom underlies the complex phase diagrams of quantum materials. Layer stacking in van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures is responsible for exotic electronic and magnetic properties, which inspires stacking control of two-dimensional magnetism. Beyond the interplay between stacking order and interlayer magnetism, we discover a spin-shear coupling mechanism in which a subtle shear of the atomic layers can have a profound effect on the intralayer magnetic order in a family of vdW antiferromagnets. Using time-resolved X-ray diffraction and optical linear dichroism measurements, interlayer shear is identified as the primary structural degree of freedom that couples with magnetic order. The recovery times of both shear and magnetic order upon optical excitation diverge at the magnetic ordering temperature with the same critical exponent. The time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory shows that this concurrent critical slowing down arises from a linear coupling of the interlayer shear to the magnetic order, which is dictated by the broken mirror symmetry intrinsic to the monoclinic stacking. Our results highlight the importance of interlayer shear in ultrafast control of magnetic order via spin-mechanical coupling.