Patterns and driving factors of functional traits of desert species with different elevational distributions in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas.

Variations in functional traits serve as measures of plants' ability to adapt to environment. Exploring the patterns of functional traits of desert plants along elevational gradients is helpful to understand the responses and adaptation strategies of species to changing environments. However, it is unknown whether the relationship between functional traits and elevation is affected by differences in the species' elevational distributions (elevation preference and species' range). Importantly, most researches have concerned with differences in mean trait values and ignored intraspecific trait variation. Here, we measured functional traits of desert plants along a wide elevational gradient in the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas and explored functional trait patterns over elevation in species with different elevational distributions. We decomposed trait variation and further investigated characterizations of intraspecific variation. Ultimately, the main drivers of trait variation were identified using redundancy analysis. We found that species' elevational distributions significantly influenced the relationship of functional traits such as plant height, leaf dry matter content, leaf thickness, leaf nitrogen and carbon content with elevation. Species with a lower elevational preference showed greater trait variation than species with a higher elevational preference, suggesting that species that prefer high elevation are more conservative facing environmental changes. We provide evidence that interspecific trait variation in leaf thickness and leaf carbon content decreased with increasing species' range, indicating that increased variations in resistance traits within species make greater responsiveness to environmental changes, enabling species a wider range. Elevation, temperature and precipitation were the main drivers of trait variation in species with a low elevational preference, while the effect of precipitation on trait variation in species with a high elevational preference was not significant. This study sheds new insights on how plants with different elevational distributions regulate their ecological strategies to cope with changing environments.

Association of histone modification with the development of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, influenced by genetic and environmental factors, may involve epigenetic alterations, notably histone modifications, in its pathogenesis. This review summarizes various histone modifications including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, serotonylation, lactylation, palmitoylation, and dopaminylation, and their implications in schizophrenia. Current research predominantly focuses on histone acetylation and methylation, though other modifications also play significant roles. These modifications are crucial in regulating transcription through chromatin remodeling, which is vital for understanding schizophrenia's development. For instance, histone acetylation enhances transcriptional efficiency by loosening chromatin, while increased histone methyltransferase activity on H3K9 and altered histone phosphorylation, which reduces DNA affinity and destabilizes chromatin structure, are significant markers of schizophrenia.

Analysis of deformation mechanism of rainfall-induced landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area: Piansongshu landslide.

The Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA) is characterized by unique geological features that increase its susceptibility to landslides. These slopes are especially prone to destabilization when influenced by external triggers like rainfall. This research focuses on the Piansongshu landslide within the TGRA, aiming at unraveling the complex internal deformation mechanisms of landslides triggered by rainfall and providing critical insights for their prevention and mitigation. The study begins with on-site geological surveys to meticulously examine the macroscopic signs and mechanisms of deformation. It then utilizes the GeoStudio numerical simulation software to assess the landslide's stability, focusing on the changes in internal seepage fields and stability under various rainfall scenarios. Results indicate that continuous rainfall leads to the formation of a temporary saturation zone on the slope, which gradually deepens. In regions with more pronounced deformation, the infiltration line at the leading edge of accumulation notably protrudes towards the surface. Notably, the stability coefficient of the secondary shear surface of the landslide fluctuates more significantly than that of the primary sliding surface. Higher rainfall intensity and longer duration are positively correlated with a more pronounced decrease in stability coefficients. The impact on stability also varies across different rainfall patterns. As rainfall infiltrates over time, the slope's safety factor gradually decreases. This reduction continues even post-rainfall, indicating a delayed restoration period before stability returns to a safe level. These results yield valuable data for forecasting and mitigating landslides.

Small molecule deoxynyboquinone triggers alkylation and ubiquitination of Keap1 at Cys489 on Kelch domain for Nrf2 activation and inflammatory therapy.

Activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) alkylation plays a central role in anti-inflammatory therapy. However, activators of Nrf2 through alkylation of Keap1-Kelch domain have not been identified. Deoxynyboquinone (DNQ) is a natural small molecule discovered from marine actinomycetes. The current study was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and molecular mechanisms of DNQ via alkylation of Keap1. DNQ exhibited significant anti-inflammatory properties both in vitro and in vivo. The pharmacophore responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties of DNQ was determined to be the α, ß-unsaturated amides moieties by a chemical reaction between DNQ and N-acetylcysteine. DNQ exerted anti-inflammatory effects through activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway. Keap1 was demonstrated to be the direct target of DNQ and bound with DNQ through conjugate addition reaction involving alkylation. The specific alkylation site of DNQ on Keap1 for Nrf2 activation was elucidated with a synthesized probe in conjunction with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. DNQ triggered the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of Keap1 by alkylation of the cysteine residue 489 (Cys489) on Keap1-Kelch domain, ultimately enabling the activation of Nrf2. Our findings revealed that DNQ exhibited potent anti-inflammatory capacity through α, ß-unsaturated amides moieties active group which specifically activated Nrf2 signal pathway via alkylation/ubiquitination of Keap1-Kelch domain, suggesting the potential values of targeting Cys489 on Keap1-Kelch domain by DNQ-like small molecules in inflammatory therapies.

An improved process for removal and recovery of heavy petroleum from solids using a ferrate-based hybrid oxidant.

Persulfate oxidants are widely used in soil remediation and wastewater treatment but perform poorly in degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), especially heavy fractions in solids. Herein, we propose the utilization of a green peroxymonosulfate-ferrate-FeS (PFI) oxidant as a promising process aid for remediating soils contaminated with heavy petroleum components, including asphaltenes and resins. The PFI oxidant could degrade heavy petroleum fractions because of dual activation of the peroxymonosulfate and ferrate by FeS at ambient conditions. Nevertheless, when dealing with soil with high oil content (>10%), the degradation efficiency remains limited (<30%) regardless of the quantity of oxidants employed. Surface elemental analysis shows that a coating of secondary products (Fe(OH)3, Fe2O3) on the surface and in pores of the soil-pollutant matrix explains the failure of oxidation and inefficient use of oxidant. To address this issue, a strategy of pre-solvent extraction-oxidation hybrid process with sequent acidic washing is proposed, where dichloromethane serves as the solvent, and PFI acts as the oxidant. In this system over 90% of the oil could be recovered with an oxidation efficiency of 80% by alleviating the problem of iron oxide coating the matrix surface. The oxidant consumption is also reduced to 70 wt% of the sludge. The PFI oxidant is found to exhibit excellent universality in treating oily sludge with low petroleum content (<2%), reducing the petroleum content in the residue to less than 0.3 wt% (meeting the national standards). The degradation of low oil content sludge by the PFI oxidant followed pseudo first-order kinetics. These findings not only elucidate the failure of PFI oxidation for high oil content oily sludge and identify its potential engineering application range, but also offer a practical strategy for processing petroleum-contaminated soil with varying oil contents through wet oxidation.

Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Tyrosinkinase Inhibitors and PD-1 Inhibitors for Spontaneously Ruptured Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in combination with tyrosinkinase inhibitors (TKI) and PD-1 inhibitors, versus TACE monotherapy for the treatment of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 104 patients with ruptured HCC receiving either combination therapy or TACE monotherapy at two centers between June 2015 and June 2022. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used at a 1:2 ratio to reduce bias between the two groups. The primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary outcome measures were the occurrence of adverse events (AEs, Common Terminology Criteria for AEs, version 5.0.) and the peritoneal metastasis rate. RESULTS: A total of 69 patients were enrolled after PSM, including 23 patients in the combination group and 46 patients in the monotherapy group. The combination group exhibited a significantly longer median OS (553 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] 222.6-883.9) compared to the monotherapy group (105 days, 95% CI 81.2-128.7; P < 0.001). Similarly, the combination group showed a better median PFS (356 days, 95% CI 299.5-412.4) compared to the monotherapy group (97 days, 95% CI 75.9-118.1; P < 0.001). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the peritoneal metastasis rate (combination group: 8.6% vs. monotherapy group: 26.1%, P = 0.119). Grade 3 AEs occurred at a rate of 21.7% and 13% in combination and monotherapy groups, respectively. No Grade 4/5 AEs were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the combination of TACE with TKI and PD-1 inhibitors significantly enhances OS and PFS compared to TACE monotherapy in ruptured HCC patients. Furthermore, this combined approach exhibited an acceptable safety profile.

Microwave synthesis of amino-functionalized MCM-41 from coal gasification fine slag for efficient bidirectional adsorption of anionic and cationic dyes.

Coal based solid waste has been recognized as a sustainable raw material for the preparation of high added value materials for wastewater treatment. In this paper, a preparation route was designed for the rapid, efficient, and low-cost preparation of MCM-41 zeolite using coal gasification fine slag as raw material. Functionalization modification of MCM-41 was carried out by grafting amino groups on its surface to improve its application performance. Moreover, the prepared functionalized material is used for bidirectional adsorption of anionic and cationic dyes. The experimental results indicate that MCM-41 zeolite with highly ordered pore structure was rapidly prepared using the advantages of fast heating and strong permeability of microwave synthesis method, with a specific surface area of up to 862.03 m2/g. Amine functionalized MCM-41 exhibits strong adsorption capacity for both cationic and anionic dyes, with maximum adsorption capacities for methylene blue and Congo red being 292.40 mg/g and 354.61 mg/g, respectively. The study of adsorption kinetics and adsorption mechanism indicate that the adsorption process is mainly controlled through chemical adsorption, including electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π interactions. The results of this study will provide useful references for the use of coal based solid waste to prepare functional materials for the treatment of organic wastewater.

Genetically Encoded Lizard Color Divergence for Camouflage and Thermoregulation.

Local adaptation is critical in speciation and evolution, yet comprehensive studies on proximate and ultimate causes of local adaptation are generally scarce. Here, we integrated field ecological experiments, genome sequencing, and genetic verification to demonstrate both driving forces and molecular mechanisms governing local adaptation of body coloration in a lizard from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We found dark lizards from the cold meadow population had lower spectrum reflectance but higher melanin contents than light counterparts from the warm dune population. Additionally, the colorations of both dark and light lizards facilitated the camouflage and thermoregulation in their respective microhabitat simultaneously. More importantly, by genome resequencing analysis, we detected a novel mutation in Tyrp1 that underpinned this color adaptation. The allele frequencies at the site of SNP 459# in the gene of Tyrp1 are 22.22% G/C and 77.78% C/C in dark lizards and 100% G/G in light lizards. Model-predicted structure and catalytic activity showed that this mutation increased structure flexibility and catalytic activity in enzyme TYRP1, and thereby facilitated the generation of eumelanin in dark lizards. The function of the mutation in Tyrp1 was further verified by more melanin contents and darker coloration detected in the zebrafish injected with the genotype of Tyrp1 from dark lizards. Therefore, our study demonstrates that a novel mutation of a major melanin-generating gene underpins skin color variation co-selected by camouflage and thermoregulation in a lizard. The resulting strong selection may reinforce adaptive genetic divergence and enable the persistence of adjacent populations with distinct body coloration.

Growing-season drought and nitrogen addition interactively impair grassland ecosystem stability by reducing species diversity, asynchrony, and stability.

Aboveground net primary productivity controls the amount of energy available to sustain all living organisms, and its sustainable provision relies on the stability of grassland ecosystems. Human activities leading to global changes, such as increased nitrogen (N) deposition and the more frequent occurrence of extreme precipitation events, with N addition increasing the sensitivity of ecosystem production stability to changes in the precipitation regime. However, whether N addition, in combination with seasonal precipitation increases or severe drought, affects ecosystem stability remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a six-year environmental change monitoring experiment in a semiarid grassland in northern China to test the effects of N addition, seasonal drought, and precipitation increases on the temporal stability of ecosystem productivity. Our study revealed that an interaction between drought and N addition reduced species diversity, species asynchrony, species stability, and thus ecosystem stability. These environmental change drivers (except for precipitation increase) induced a positive relationship between species asynchrony and diversity, whereas N addition interactively with drought and precipitation increase led to a negative relationship between diversity and species stability. Only N addition interactively with drought induced a positive species diversity-ecosystem stability relationship because lower species stability was overcome by increased species asynchrony. Our study is great importance to illustrate that production temporal stability tends to be inhibited with drought, though interactively with nutrient N addition. These findings highlight the primary role of asynchronous dynamics among species in modulating the effects of environmental change on diversity-stability relationships.

Plasma-Induced 2D Electron Transport at Hetero-Phase Titanium Oxide Interface.

Interfaces of metal oxide heterojunctions display a variety of intriguing physical properties that enable novel applications in spintronics, quantum information, neuromorphic computing, and high-temperature superconductivity. One such LaAlO3 /SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterojunction hosts a 2D electron liquid (2DEL) presenting remarkable 2D superconductivity and magnetism. However, these remarkable properties emerge only at very low temperatures, while the heterostructure fabrication is challenging even at the laboratory scale, thus impeding practical applications. Here, a novel plasma-enabled fabrication concept is presented to develop the TiO2 /Ti3 O4 hetero-phase bilayer with a 2DEL that exhibits features of a weakly localized Fermi liquid even at room temperature. The hetero-phase bilayer is fabricated by applying a rapid plasma-induced phase transition that transforms a specific portion of anatase TiO2 thin film into vacancy-prone Ti3 O4 in seconds. The underlying mechanism relies on the screening effect of the achieved high-density electron liquid that suppresses the electron-phonon interactions. The achieved "adiabatic" electron transport in the hetero-phase bilayer offers strong potential for low-loss electric or plasmonic circuits and hot electron harvesting and utilization. These findings open new horizons for fabricating diverse multifunctional metal oxide heterostructures as an innovative platform for emerging clean energy, integrated photonics, spintronics, and quantum information technologies.

Comparison Between a Modified Fast 3-Dimensional Turbo Spin-Echo and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging With Background Suppression in Evaluation of Lumbosacral Plexus and Its Branches.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the fast 3-dimensional NerveVIEW (3D NerveVIEW) with diffusion-weighted imaging with background suppression (DWIBS) in imaging of lumbosacral plexus and its branches. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 30 healthy volunteers and patients who had undergone compressed sensing 3D NerveVIEW and DWIBS scans. There were 11 healthy subjects, 15 patients with lumbar disc herniation, and 4 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Image quality was rated using a 4-point subjective scale. Quantitative evaluation of the nerves was done by measuring signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, and signal-to-background ratio, and the consistency in the measurements of nerve root cross-sectional areas was also assessed. The differences of signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio, signal-to-background ratio, and the scores of image quality between 2 sequences were compared. RESULTS: The overall average image quality score of 3D NerveVIEW was significantly higher than that of DWIBS (2.72 ± 0.45 and 2.45 ± 0.81, respectively; P < 0.01). In terms of individual nerves, there was no significant difference between the 2 sequences in the display of the nerves from L2 to S1; however, 3D NerveVIEW was significantly better than DWIBS in demonstration of the S2-S3 nerves, as well as the nerve details. Regarding quantitative measurements, these sequences achieved comparable results with excellent interobserver agreements. CONCLUSION: Fast 3D NerveVIEW was superior to DWIBS with improved conspicuity of small distal nerves of S2-S3 and nerve details.

Hot-Pressed Super-Elastic Graphene Aerogel with Bidirectional Thermal Conduction Properties as Thermal Interface Materials.

Traditional graphene-based films normally possess high thermal conductivity (TC) only along a single direction, which is not suitable for thermal interface materials (TIMs). Here, a graphene film with excellent bidirectional TC and mechanical properties was prepared by hot-pressing super-elastic graphene aerogel (SEGA). Thermal annealing at 1800 °C improves the further restacking of graphene sheets, bringing high structure stability to SEGA for enduring the hot-pressing process. The junctions and nodes between the graphene layers in the hot-pressed SEGA (HPSEGA) film provide bidirectional heat transport paths. The in-plane TC and through-plane TC of HPSEGA film with a thickness of 101 µm reach 740 Wm-1K-1 and 42.5 Wm-1K-1, respectively. In addition, HPSEGA film with higher thickness still maintains excellent thermal transport properties due to the interconnected structure reducing the effect of the defects. The infrared thermal images visually manifest the excellent thermal-transfer capability and thermal-dissipation efficiency of the HPSEGA films, indicating the great potential as advanced bidirectional TIMs.

Integrating transcriptome and physiological analyses to elucidate the molecular responses of sorghum to fluxofenim and metolachlor herbicide.

The extensive use of herbicides has raised concerns about crop damage, necessitating the development of effective herbicide safeners. Fluxofenim has emerged as a promising herbicide safener; however, it's underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we screened two inbred lines 407B and HYZ to investigate the detoxication of fluxofenim in mitigating metolachlor damage in sorghum. Metolachlor inhibited seedling growth in both 407B and HYZ, while, fluxofenim could significantly restore the growth of 407B, but not effectively complement the growth of HYZ. Fluxofenim significantly increased the activities of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) to decrease metolachlor residue in 407B, but not in HYZ. This implys that fluxofenim may reduce metolachlor toxicity by regulating its metabolism. Furthermore, metolachlor suppressed AUX-related and JA-related genes expression, while up-regulated the expression of SA-related genes. Fluxofenim also restored the expression of AUX-related and JA-related genes inhibited by metolachlor and further increased expression of SA-related genes. Moreover, we noted a significant increase in the content of trans-zeatin O-glucoside (tZOG) and Gibberellin1 (GA1) after the fluxofenim treatment. In conclusion, fluxofenim may reduce the injury of herbicide by affecting herbicide metabolism and regulating hormone signaling pathway.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the KCS gene family in soybean (Glycine max) reveal their potential roles in response to abiotic stress.

Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are fatty acids with chain lengths of 20 or more carbon atoms, which are the building blocks of various lipids that regulate developmental processes and plant stress responses. 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase encoded by the KCS gene is the key rate-limiting enzyme in VLCFA biosynthesis, but the KCS gene family in soybean (Glycine max) has not been adequately studied thus far. In this study, 31 KCS genes (namely GmKCS1 - GmKCS31) were identified in the soybean genome, which are unevenly distributed on 14 chromosomes. These GmKCS genes could be phylogenetically classified into seven groups. A total of 27 paralogous GmKCS gene pairs were identified with their Ka/Ks ratios indicating that they had undergone purifying selection during soybean genome expansion. Cis-acting element analysis revealed that GmKCS promoters contained multiple hormone- and stress-responsive elements, indicating that GmKCS gene expression levels may be regulated by various developmental and environmental stimuli. Expression profiles derived from RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR experiments indicated that GmKCS genes were diversely expressed in different organs/tissues, and many GmKCS genes were found to be differentially expressed in the leaves under cold, heat, salt, and drought stresses, suggesting their critical role in soybean resistance to abiotic stress. These results provide fundamental information about the soybean KCS genes and will aid in their further functional elucidation and exploitation.

Research progress on the roles of actin-depolymerizing factor in plant stress responses.

Actin-depolymerizing factors (ADFs) are highly conserved small-molecule actin-binding proteins found throughout eukaryotic cells. In land plants, ADFs form a small gene family that displays functional redundancy despite variations among its individual members. ADF can bind to actin monomers or polymerized microfilaments and regulate dynamic changes in the cytoskeletal framework through specialized biochemical activities, such as severing, depolymerizing, and bundling. The involvement of ADFs in modulating the microfilaments' dynamic changes has significant implications for various physiological processes, including plant growth, development, and stress response. The current body of research has greatly advanced our comprehension of the involvement of ADFs in the regulation of plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly with respect to the molecular regulatory mechanisms that govern ADF activity during the transmission of stress signals. Stress has the capacity to directly modify the transcription levels of ADF genes, as well as indirectly regulate their expression through transcription factors such as MYB, C-repeat binding factors, ABF, and 14-3-3 proteins. Furthermore, apart from their role in regulating actin dynamics, ADFs possess the ability to modulate the stress response by influencing downstream genes associated with pathogen resistance and abiotic stress response. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current advancements in plant ADF gene research and suggests that the identification of plant ADF family genes across a broader spectrum, thorough analysis of ADF gene regulation in stress resistance of plants, and manipulation of ADF genes through genome-editing techniques to enhance plant stress resistance are crucial avenues for future investigation in this field.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the EPF Gene Family in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.

The EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR (EPF) plays a crucial role in plant response to abiotic stress. While the EPF has been extensively studied in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, there is a lack of research on identifying EPF genes in the whole sorghum genome and its response to drought stress. In this study, we employed bioinformatics tools to identify 12 EPF members in sorghum. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that SbEPFs can be categorized into four branches. Further examination of the gene structure and protein conservation motifs of EPF family members demonstrated the high conservation of the SbEPF sequence. The promoter region of SbEPFs was found to encompass cis-elements responsive to stress and plant hormones. Moreover, real-time fluorescence quantitative results indicated that the SbEPFs have a tissue-specific expression. Under drought stress treatment, most SbEPF members were significantly up-regulated, indicating their potential role in drought response. Our research findings establish a foundation for investigating the function of SbEPFs and offer candidate genes for stress-resistant breeding and enhanced production in sorghum.

Aromatics production from relay catalytic pyrolysis of cow manure using Ru/C and ZSM-5 dual catalysts synthesized from coal gasification fine slag.

Resource utilization of solid waste can aid in gradual substitution of fossil fuels while achieving waste recycling. In this study, residual carbon and ash slag from the coal gasification fine slag were separated by froth flotation, and then was used to prepare Ru/C and ZSM-5 dual catalysts with carbon-rich and ash-rich components as raw materials, respectively. The performance of two catalysts for catalytic upgrading of volatiles from pyrolysis of cow manure (CM) to produce light aromatic hydrocarbons was systematically investigated. The direct pyrolysis products of CM mainly included alcohols, ketones, ethers, and other oxygen-containing compounds. When ZSM-5 was used as the catalyst, the yield of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) increased significantly due to the better catalytic cracking and aromatization abilities of ZSM-5 catalyst. However, the yield of phenols in the pyrolysis products improved when Ru/C was used as the catalyst due to the cleavage effect of Ru/C on the C-O bond. When Ru/C and ZSM-5 were used as dual catalysts in relay catalytic pyrolysis of volatiles, the increase in MAHs yield in the pyrolysis product was higher than the total increase obtained under Ru/C and ZSM-5 single catalysis. The possible pathways for the generation of MAHs from CM under Ru/C and ZSM-5 relay catalytic pyrolysis were revealed by the pyrolysis experiment performed on model compounds.

Boosting with an aerosolized Ad5-nCoV elicited robust immune responses in inactivated COVID-19 vaccines recipients.

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant has become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant and exhibits immune escape to current COVID-19 vaccines, the further boosting strategies are required. Methods: We have conducted a non-randomized, open-label and parallel-controlled phase 4 trial to evaluate the magnitude and longevity of immune responses to booster vaccination with intramuscular adenovirus vectored vaccine (Ad5-nCoV), aerosolized Ad5-nCoV, a recombinant protein subunit vaccine (ZF2001) or homologous inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac) in those who received two doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. Results: The aerosolized Ad5-nCoV induced the most robust and long-lasting neutralizing activity against Omicron variant and IFNg T-cell response among all the boosters, with a distinct mucosal immune response. SARS-CoV-2-specific mucosal IgA response was substantially generated in subjects boosted with the aerosolized Ad5-nCoV at day 14 post-vaccination. At month 6, participants boosted with the aerosolized Ad5-nCoV had remarkably higher median titer and seroconversion of the Omicron BA.4/5-specific neutralizing antibody than those who received other boosters. Discussion: Our findings suggest that aerosolized Ad5-nCoV may provide an efficient alternative in response to the spread of the Omicron BA.4/5 variant. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=152729, identifier ChiCTR2200057278.

Similar electronic state effect enables excellent activity for nitrate-to-ammonia electroreduction on both high- and low-density double-atom catalysts.

Double-atom catalysts (DACs) for harmful nitrate (NO3-) electroreduction to valuable ammonia (eNO3RR) is attractive for both environmental remediation and energy transformation. However, the limited metal loading in most DACs largely hinders their applications in practical catalytic applications. Therefore, exploring ultrahigh-density (UHD) DACs with abundant active metal centers and excellent eNO3RR activity is highly desired under the site-distance effect. Herein, starting from the experimental M2N6 motif deposited on graphene, we firstly screened the low-density (LD) Mn2N6 and Fe2N6 DACs with high eNO3RR activity and then established an appropriate activity descriptor for the LD-DAC system. By utilizing this descriptor, the corresponding Mn2N6 and Fe2N6 UHD-DACs with dynamic, thermal, thermodynamic, and electrochemical stabilities, are identified to locate at the peak of activity volcano, exhibiting rather-low limiting potentials of -0.25 and -0.38 V, respectively. Further analysis in term of spin state and orbital interaction, confirms that the electronic state effect similar to that of LD-DACs enable the excellent eNO3RR activity to be maintained in the UHD-DACs. These findings highlight the promising application of Mn2N6 and Fe2N6 UHD-DACs in nitrate electroreduction for NH3 production and provide impetus for further experimental exploration of ultrahigh-density DACs based on their intrinsic electronic states.