Accelerating Sulfur Redox Chemistry by Atomically Dispersed Zn-N4 Sites Coupled with Pyridine-N Defects on Porous Carbon Sheets.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with specific N-coordinated configurations immobilized on the carbon substrates have recently been verified to effectively alleviate the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) in lithium-sulfur (Li─S) batteries. Herein, a versatile molten salt (KCl/ZnCl2 )-mediated pyrolysis strategy is demonstrated to fabricate Zn SACs composed of well-defined Zn-N4 sites embedded into porous carbon sheets with rich pyridine-N defects (Zn─N/CS). The electrochemical kinetic analysis and theoretical calculations reveal the critical roles of Zn-N4 active sites and surrounding pyridine-N defects in enhancing adsorption toward LiPS intermediates and catalyzing their liquid-solid conversion. It is confirmed by reducing the overpotential of the rate-determining step of Li2 S2 to Li2 S and the energy barrier for Li2 S decomposition, thus the Zn─N/CS guarantees fast redox kinetics between LiPSs and Li2 S products. As a proof of concept demonstration, the assembled Li─S batteries with the Zn─N/CS-based sulfur cathode deliver a high specific capacity of 1132 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C and remarkable capacity retention of 72.2% over 800 cycles at 2 C. Furthermore, a considerable areal capacity of 6.14 mAh cm-2 at 0.2 C can still be released with a high sulfur loading of 7.0 mg cm-2 , highlighting the practical applications of the as-obtained Zn─N/CS cathode in Li─S batteries.

Click-ExM enables expansion microscopy for all biomolecules.

Expansion microscopy (ExM) allows super-resolution imaging on conventional fluorescence microscopes, but has been limited to proteins and nucleic acids. Here we develop click-ExM, which integrates click labeling into ExM to enable a 'one-stop-shop' method for nanoscale imaging of various types of biomolecule. By click labeling with biotin and staining with fluorescently labeled streptavidin, a large range of biomolecules can be imaged by the standard ExM procedure normally used for proteins. Using 18 clickable labels, we demonstrate click-ExM on lipids, glycans, proteins, DNA, RNA and small molecules. We demonstrate that click-ExM is applicable in cell culture systems and for tissue imaging. We further show that click-ExM is compatible with signal-amplification techniques and two-color imaging. Click-ExM thus provides a convenient and versatile method for super-resolution imaging, which may be routinely used for cell and tissue samples.

Arabidopsis G-protein ß subunit AGB1 represses abscisic acid signaling via attenuation of the MPK3-VIP1 phosphorylation cascade.

Heterotrimeric G proteins play key roles in cellular processes. Although phenotypic analyses of Arabidopsis Gß (AGB1) mutants have implicated G proteins in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, the AGB1-mediated modules involved in ABA responses remain unclear. We found that a partial AGB1 protein was localized to the nucleus where it interacted with ABA-activated VirE2-interacting protein 1 (VIP1) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MPK3). AGB1 acts as an upstream negative regulator of VIP1 activity by initiating responses to ABA and drought stress, and VIP1 regulates the ABA signaling pathway in an MPK3-dependent manner in Arabidopsis. AGB1 outcompeted VIP1 for interaction with the C-terminus of MPK3, and prevented phosphorylation of VIP1 by MPK3. Importantly, ABA treatment reduced AGB1 expression in the wild type, but increased in vip1 and mpk3 mutants. VIP1 associates with ABA response elements present in the AGB1 promoter, forming a negative feedback regulatory loop. Thus, our study defines a new mechanism for fine-tuning ABA signaling through the interplay between AGB1 and MPK3-VIP1. Furthermore, it suggests a common G protein mechanism to receive and transduce signals from the external environment.

Paeoniflorin alleviated muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia through inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signaling and activating AKT/mTOR signaling.

Cancer cachexia is a progressive wasting syndrome, which is mainly characterized by systemic inflammatory response, weight loss, muscle atrophy, and fat loss. Paeoniflorin (Pae) is a natural compound extracted from the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas, which is featured in anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunoregulatory pharmacological activities. While, the effects of Pae on cancer cachexia had not been reported before. In the present study, the effects of Pae on muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia were observed both in vitro and in vivo using C2C12 myotube atrophy cell model and C26 tumor-bearing cancer cachexia mice model. In the in vitro study, Pae could alleviate myotubes atrophy induced by conditioned medium of C26 colon cancer cells or LLC Lewis lung cancer cells by decreasing the expression of Atrogin-1 and inhibited the decrease of MHC and MyoD. In the in vivo study, Pae ameliorated weight loss and improved the decrease in cross-sectional area of muscle fibers and the impairment of muscle function in C26 tumor-bearing mice. The inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the activation of AKT/mTOR pathway was observed both in C2C12 myotubes and C26 tumor-bearing mice treated by Pae, which might be the main basis of its ameliorating effects on muscle atrophy. In addition, Pae could inhibit the release of IL-6 from C26 tumor cells, which might also contribute to its ameliorating effects on muscle atrophy. Overall, Pae might be a promising candidate for the therapy of cancer cachexia.

High-density mapping of durable and broad-spectrum stripe rust resistance gene Yr30 in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: The durable stripe rust resistance gene Yr30 was fine-mapped to a 610-kb region in which five candidate genes were identified by expression analysis and sequence polymorphisms. The emergence of genetically diverse and more aggressive races of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) in the past twenty years has resulted in global stripe rust outbreaks and the rapid breakdown of resistance genes. Yr30 is an adult plant resistance (APR) gene with broad-spectrum effectiveness and its durability. Here, we fine-mapped the YR30 locus to a 0.52-cM interval using 1629 individuals derived from residual heterozygous F5:6 plants in a Yaco"S"/Mingxian169 recombinant inbred line population. This interval corresponded to a 610-kb region in the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) RefSeq version 2.1 on chromosome arm 3BS harboring 30 high-confidence genes. Five genes were identified as candidate genes based on functional annotation, expression analysis by RNA-seq and sequence polymorphisms between cultivars with and without Yr30 based on resequencing. Haplotype analysis of the target region identified six haplotypes (YR30_h1-YR30_h6) in a panel of 1215 wheat accessions based on the 660K feature genotyping array. Lines with YR30_h6 displayed more resistance to stripe rust than the other five haplotypes. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) with Yr30 showed a 32.94% higher grain yield than susceptible counterparts when grown in a stripe rust nursery, whereas there was no difference in grain yield under rust-free conditions. These results lay a foundation for map-based cloning Yr30.

Screening results and mutation frequency analysis of G6PD deficiency in 1,291,274 newborns in Huizhou, China: a twenty-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the incidence rate and spectrum of gene mutations of Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in the Huizhou city of southern China to provide a scientific basis for disease prevention and control in the area. METHODS: From March 2003 to December 2022, newborn screening for G6PD enzyme activity was carried out in Huizhou city using the fluorescence quantitative method. Infants who tested positive during the initial screening were diagnosed using the nitroblue tetrazolium ratio method, while a subset of infants received further gene mutation analysis using the multicolor probe melting curve analysis method. RESULTS: A total of 1,291,274 newborns were screened and the screening rate has increased from 20.39% to almost 100%. In the 20-year period, 57,217 (4.43%) infants testing positive during the initial screening. Out of these infants, 49,779 (87%) were recalled for confirmatory testing. G6PD deficiency was confirmed in 39,261 of the recalled infants, indicating a positive predictive value of 78.87%. The estimated incidence rate of G6PD deficiency in the region was 3.49%, which was significantly higher than the average incidence rate of 2.1% in southern China. On the other hand, seven pathogenic G6PD variants were identified in the analysis of the 99 diagnosed infants with the most common being c.1388 G > A (48.5%), followed by c.95 A > G (19.2%), c.1376 G > T (15.2%), c.871 G > A (9.1%), c.1360 C > T (3.0%), c.392 G > T (3.0%), and c.487 G > A (1.0%). CONCLUSION: The incidence of G6PD deficiency in newborns in the Huizhou city was higher than the southern China average level, while the types and frequencies of gene mutations were found to vary slightly from other regions. Our findings suggested that free government screening and nearby diagnosis strategies could reduce the incidence of G6PD deficiency in the area.

Interleukin-22 induces interleukin-18 expression from epithelial cells during intestinal infection.

T helper 1 (Th1) cell-associated immunity exacerbates ileitis induced by oral Toxoplasma gondii infection. We show here that attenuated ileitis observed in interleukin-22 (IL-22)-deficient mice was associated with reduced production of Th1-cell-promoting IL-18. IL-22 not only augmented the expression of Il18 mRNA and inactive precursor protein (proIL-18) in intestinal epithelial cells after T. gondii or Citrobacter rodentium infection, but also maintained the homeostatic amount of proIL-18 in the ileum. IL-22, however, did not induce the processing to active IL-18, suggesting a two-step regulation of IL-18 in these cells. Although IL-18 exerted pathogenic functions during ileitis triggered by T. gondii, it was required for host defense against C. rodentium. Conversely, IL-18 was required for the expression of IL-22 in innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) upon T. gondii infection. Our results define IL-18 as an IL-22 target gene in epithelial cells and describe a complex mutual regulation of both cytokines during intestinal infection.

Effects of oxygen adsorption on the corrosion behavior of the Ti(0001) surface: a DFT investigation.

The electrochemical corrosion of Ti surfaces is significantly affected by O adsorption, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Herein, density functional theory calculations are employed to examine the adsorption energies, structural properties, electronic structures, and thermodynamic stability of atomic O on Ti(0001) surfaces during initial oxidation. Additionally, the impact of O adsorption on Ti dissolution is assessed by introducing a Ti vacancy on the Ti(0001) surface. The passivation of the Ti(0001) surface is predominantly ascribed to the robust adsorption of O atoms. The thermodynamic results reveal that bulk TiO2 easily forms at 300 K, which explains the spontaneous passivation of the Ti(0001) surface. The formation of an O monolayer on the Ti(0001) surface increases the work function (Φ), positively shifting the equilibrium potential and reducing the corrosion rate. The surface vacancy formation energy of Ti on the Ti(0001)/O surface surpasses that on the clean surface. The electrode potential shift for a Ti atom dissolving from the Ti(0001)/O surface is positive, indicating that oxidation impedes the formation of Ti vacancies, rendering Ti atoms less soluble. This study enhances our comprehension of the corrosion mechanism in Ti metal.

High Respiratory and Cardiac Drive Exacerbate Secondary Lung Injury in Patients With Critical Illness.

The high respiratory and cardiac drive is essential to the host-organ unregulated response. When a primary disease and an unregulated secondary response are uncontrolled, the patient may present in a high respiratory and cardiac drive state. High respiratory drive can cause damage to the lungs, pulmonary circulation, and diaphragm, while high cardiac drive can lead to fluid leakage and infiltration as well as pulmonary interstitial edema. A "respiratory and cardiac dual high drive" state may be a sign of an unregulated response and can lead to secondary lung injury through the increase of transvascular pressure and pulmonary microcirculation injury. Ultrasound examination of the lung, heart, and diaphragm is important when evaluating the phenotype of high respiratory drive in critically ill patients. Ultrasound assessment can guide sedation, analgesia, and antistress treatment and reduce the risk of high respiratory and cardiac drive-induced lung injury in these patients.

Prospective Evaluation of the Peripheral Perfusion Index in Assessing the Organ Dysfunction and Prognosis of Adult Patients With Sepsis in the ICU.

Background: The peripheral perfusion index (PI) reflects microcirculatory blood flow perfusion and indicates the severity and prognosis of sepsis. Method: The cohort comprised 208 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with infection, among which 117 had sepsis. Demographics, medication history, ICU variables, and laboratory indexes were collected. Primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and 28-day mortality. Secondary endpoints included organ function variables (coagulation function, liver function, renal function, and myocardial injury), lactate concentration, mechanical ventilation time, and length of ICU stay. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the associations between the PI and clinical outcomes. Sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the associations between the PI and organ functions in the sepsis and nonsepsis groups. Result: The PI was negatively associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.15 to 0.55), but was not associated with 28-day mortality. The PI was negatively associated with the coagulation markers prothrombin time (PT) (ß -0.36, 95% CI -0.59 to 0.13) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (ß -1.08, 95% CI -1.86 to 0.31), and the myocardial injury marker cardiac troponin I (cTnI) (ß -2085.48, 95% CI -3892.35 to 278.61) in univariate analysis, and with the PT (ß -0.36, 95% CI -0.60 to 0.13) in multivariate analysis. The PI was negatively associated with the lactate concentration (ß -0.57, 95% CI -0.95 to 0.19), mechanical ventilation time (ß -23.11, 95% CI -36.54 to 9.69), and length of ICU stay (ß -1.28, 95% CI -2.01 to 0.55). Sensitivity analyses showed that the PI was significantly associated with coagulation markers (PT and APTT) and a myocardial injury marker (cTnI) in patients with sepsis, suggesting that the associations between the PI and organ function were stronger in the sepsis group than the nonsepsis group. Conclusion: The PI provides new insights for assessing the disease severity, short-term prognosis, and organ function damage in ICU patients with sepsis, laying a theoretical foundation for future research.

The level of partial pressure of carbon dioxide affects respiratory effort in COVID-19 patients undergoing pressure support ventilation with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: Patients with COVID-19 undergoing pressure support ventilation (PSV) with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) commonly had high respiratory drive, which could cause self-inflicted lung injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different levels of partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2) on respiratory effort in COVID-19 patients undergoing PSV with ECMO. METHODS: ECMO gas flow was downregulated from baseline (respiratory rate < 25 bpm, peak airway pressure < 25 cm H2O, tidal volume < 6 mL/kg, PaCO2 < 40 mmHg) until PaCO2 increased by 5 - 10 mmHg. The pressure muscle index (PMI) and airway pressure swing during occlusion (ΔPOCC) were used to monitor respiratory effort, and they were measured before and after enforcement of the regulations. RESULTS: Ten patients with COVID-19 who had undergone ECMO were enrolled in this prospective study. When the PaCO2 increased from 36 (36 - 37) to 42 (41-43) mmHg (p = 0.0020), there was a significant increase in ΔPOCC [from 5.6 (4.7-8.0) to 11.1 (8.5-13.1) cm H2O, p = 0.0020] and PMI [from 3.0 ± 1.4 to 6.5 ± 2.1 cm H2O, p < 0.0001]. Meanwhile, increased inspiratory effort determined by elevated PaCO2 levels led to enhancement of tidal volume from 4.1 ± 1.2 mL/kg to 5.3 ± 1.5 mL/kg (p = 0.0003) and respiratory rate from 13 ± 2 to 15 ± 2 bpm (p = 0.0266). In addition, the increase in PaCO2 was linearly correlated with changes in ΔPOCC and PMI (R2 = 0.7293, p = 0.0003 and R2 = 0.4105, p = 0.0460, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with COVID-19 undergoing PSV with ECMO, an increase of PaCO2 could increase the inspiratory effort.

Echocardiographic features of right ventricle in septic patients with elevated central venous pressure.

BACKGROUND: Elevated central venous pressure (CVP) is deemed as a sign of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. We aimed to characterize the echocardiographic features of RV in septic patients with elevated CVP, and quantify associations between RV function parameters and 30-day mortality. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of septic patients with CVP ≥ 8 mmHg in a tertiary hospital intensive care unit. General characteristics and echocardiographic parameters including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) as well as prognostic data were collected. Associations between RV function parameters and 30-day mortality were assessed using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Echocardiography was performed in 244 septic patients with CVP ≥ 8 mmHg. Echocardiographic findings revealed that various types of abnormal RV function can occur individually or collectively. Prevalence of RV systolic dysfunction was 46%, prevalence of RV enlargement was 34%, and prevalence of PVR increase was 14%. In addition, we collected haemodynamic consequences and found that prevalence of systemic venous congestion was 16%, prevalence of RV-pulmonary artery decoupling was 34%, and prevalence of low cardiac index (CI) was 23%. The 30-day mortality of the enrolled population was 24.2%. In a Cox regression analysis, TAPSE (HR:0.542, 95% CI:0.302-0.972, p = 0.040) and PVR (HR:1.384, 95% CI:1.007-1.903, p = 0.045) were independently associated with 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic findings demonstrated a high prevalence of RV-related abnormalities (RV enlargement, RV systolic dysfunction and PVR increase) in septic patients with elevated CVP. Among those echocardiographic parameters, TAPSE and PVR were independently associated with 30-day mortality in these patients.

Transcriptional regulation of intermolecular Ca2+ signaling in hibernating ground squirrel cardiomyocytes: The myocardin-junctophilin axis.

The contraction of heart cells is controlled by the intermolecular signaling between L-type Ca2+ channels (LCCs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), and the nanodistance between them depends on the interaction between junctophilin-2 (JPH2) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and caveolin-3 (CAV3) in the transversal tubule (TT). In heart failure, decreased expression of JPH2 compromises LCC-RyR communication leading to deficient blood-pumping power. In the present study, we found that JPH2 and CAV3 transcription was concurrently regulated by serum response factor (SRF) and myocardin. In cardiomyocytes from torpid ground squirrels, compared with those from euthermic counterparts, myocardin expression was up-regulated, which boosted both JPH2 and CAV3 expression. Transmission electron microscopic imaging showed that the physical coupling between TTs and SRs was tightened during hibernation and after myocardin overexpression. Confocal Ca2+ imaging under the whole-cell patch clamp condition revealed that these changes enhanced the efficiency of LCC-RyR intermolecular signaling and fully compensated the adaptive down-regulation of LCCs, maintaining the power of heart contraction while avoiding the risk of calcium overload during hibernation. Our finding not only revealed an essential molecular mechanism underlying the survival of hibernating mammals, but also demonstrated a "reverse model of heart failure" at the molecular level, suggesting a strategy for treating heart diseases.

Bipolaris fujianensis sp. nov., an Emerging Pathogen of Sapling Shoot Blight on Chinese Fir, and Its Sensitivity to Fungicides.

Chinese fir is an extremely important economic tree species in southern China. In recent years, 74.5% of Chinese fir saplings suffered from shoot blight in Shunchang County, Nanping City, Fujian Province, China. Seventeen isolates were collected from rotten shoots, and their pathogenicity was confirmed following Koch's postulates. The five pathogenic isolates were identified as belonging to the genus Bipolaris based on morphological characteristics, including septate and geniculate conidiophores, smooth to slightly verruculose conidiogenous nodes, dematiaceous phragmospore conidia, oblong or fusiform conidia, and slightly protruding or truncate hilum on conidia, but the number of pseudosepta (3 to 11, mostly 5 to 8) and the size of conidia ([22.81 to 116.13] × [9.16 to 26.58] µm) are different from those of the known species of Bipolaris. A phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, GAPDH, and Tef1-α sequences determined that the five strains belong to a new species of Bipolaris, and the name Bipolaris fujianensis sp. nov. is proposed. The fungicide sensitivity of the pathogen strain Cfsb3 was further evaluated using eight fungicides. Flusilazole, difenoconazole, tebuconazole, and propiconazole exhibited high toxicity to Cfsb3, and the effective concentration inhibiting 50% (EC50) of mycelial growth was 0.08, 0.20, 0.34, and 0.36 µg/ml, respectively, for these four fungicides. Flusilazole, difenoconazole, and iprodione inhibited B. fujianensis by 100% on detached Chinese fir shoots at their recommended concentrations, but azoxystrobin and thiram were ineffective. In conclusion, this study reported an emerging pathogen of Chinese fir sapling shoot blight and proposed triazole and dicarboximide fungicides for disease control.

Sophoridine Counteracts Obesity via Src-Mediated Inhibition of VEGFR Expression and PI3K/AKT Phosphorylation.

Sophoridine (SRP) is a natural quinolizidine alkaloid found in many traditional Chinese herbs, though its effect on adipose tissue is unclear. We improved serum lipid levels by administering SRP by gavage in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 mice. After 11 weeks, SRP supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain and improved glucose homeostasis, while reducing subcutaneous fat and liver weight. SRP also inhibited cell proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. Proteomics analysis revealed that SRP inhibits adipocyte differentiation by interacting with Src, thereby suppressing vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) expression and PI3K/AKT phosphorylation. This study provides an empirical basis for the treatment of obesity with small molecules.

Preparation of a Novel Oat ß-Glucan-Chromium(III) Complex and Its Hypoglycemic Effect and Mechanism.

This study synthesized a novel oat ß-glucan (OBG)-Cr(III) complex (OBG-Cr(III)) and explored its structure, inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase, and hypoglycemic activities and mechanism in vitro using an insulin-resistant HepG2 (IR-HepG2) cell model. The Cr(III) content in the complex was found to be 10.87%. The molecular weight of OBG-Cr(III) was determined to be 7.736 × 104 Da with chromium ions binding to the hydroxyl groups of OBG. This binding resulted in the increased asymmetry and altered spatial conformation of the complex along with significant changes in morphology and crystallinity. Our findings demonstrated that OBG-Cr(III) exhibited inhibitory effects on α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Furthermore, OBG-Cr(III) enhanced the insulin sensitivity of IR-HepG2 cells, promoting glucose uptake and metabolism more efficiently than OBG alone. The underlying mechanism of its hypoglycemic effect involved the modulation of the c-Cbl/PI3K/AKT/GLUT4 signaling pathway, as revealed by Western blot analysis. This research not only broadened the applications of OBG but also positioned OBG-Cr(III) as a promising Cr(III) supplement with enhanced hypoglycemic benefits.

Focus on oliguria during renal replacement therapy.

Oliguria is a clinical symptom characterized by decreased urine output, which can occur at any stage of acute kidney injury and also during renal replacement therapy. In some cases, oliguria may resolve with adjustment of blood purification dose or fluid management, while in others, it may suggest a need for further evaluation and intervention. It is important to determine the underlying cause of oliguria during renal replacement therapy and to develop an appropriate treatment plan. This review looks into the mechanisms of urine production to investigate the mechanism of oliguria during renal replacement therapy from two aspects: diminished glomerular filtration rate and tubular abnormalities. The above conditions all implying a renal oxygen supply-demand imbalance, which is the signal of worsening kidney injury. It also proposes a viable clinical pathway for the treatment and management of patients with acute kidney injury receiving renal replacement therapy.

Multifunctional Buffer Layer Engineering for Efficient and Stable Wide-Bandgap Perovskite and Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells.

Inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are preferred for tandem applications due to their superior compatibility with diverse bottom solar cells. However, the solution processing and low formation energy of perovskites inevitably lead to numerous defects at both the bulk and interfaces. We report a facile and effective strategy for precisely modulating the perovskite by incorporating AlOx deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the top interface. We find that Al3+ can not only infiltrate the bulk phase and interact with halide ions to suppress ion migration and phase separation but also regulate the arrangement of energy levels and passivate defects on the perovskite surface and grain boundaries. Additionally, ALD-AlOx exhibits an encapsulation effect through a dense interlayer. Consequently, the ALD-AlOx treatment can significantly improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) to 21.80 % for 1.66 electron volt (eV) PSCs. A monolithic perovskite-silicon TSCs using AlOx-modified perovskite achieved a PCE of 28.5 % with excellent photothermal stability. More importantly, the resulting 1.55 eV PSC and module achieved a PCE of 25.08 % (0.04 cm2) and 21.01 % (aperture area of 15.5 cm2), respectively. Our study provides an effective way to efficient and stable wide-band gap perovskite for perovskite-silicon TSCs and paves the way for large-area inverted PSCs.

Plant trait networks reveal adaptation strategies in the drylands of China.

BACKGROUND: Plants accomplish multiple functions by the interrelationships between functional traits. Clarifying the complex relationships between plant traits would enable us to better understand how plants employ different strategies to adapt to the environment. Although increasing attention is being paid to plant traits, few studies focused on the adaptation to aridity through the relationship among multiple traits. We established plant trait networks (PTNs) to explore the interdependence of sixteen plant traits across drylands. RESULTS: Our results revealed significant differences in PTNs among different plant life-forms and different levels of aridity. Trait relationships for woody plants were weaker, but were more modularized than for herbs. Woody plants were more connected in economic traits, whereas herbs were more connected in structural traits to reduce damage caused by drought. Furthermore, the correlations between traits were tighter with higher edge density in semi-arid than in arid regions, suggesting that resource sharing and trait coordination are more advantageous under low drought conditions. Importantly, our results demonstrated that stem phosphorus concentration (SPC) was a hub trait correlated with other traits across drylands. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that plants exhibited adaptations to the arid environment by adjusting trait modules through alternative strategies. PTNs provide a new insight into understanding the adaptation strategies of plants to drought stress based on the interdependence among plant functional traits.

Analysis of reconstruction quality for computer-generated holograms using a model free of circular-convolution error.

Continuous complex-amplitude computer-generated holograms (CGHs) are converted to discrete amplitude-only or phase-only ones in practical applications to cater for the characteristics of spatial light modulators (SLMs). To describe the influence of the discretization correctly, a refined model that eliminates the circular-convolution error is proposed to emulate the propagation of the wavefront during the formation and reconstruction of a CGH. The effects of several significant factors, including quantized amplitude and phase, zero-padding rate, random phase, resolution, reconstruction distance, wavelength, pixel pitch, phase modulation deviation and pixel-to-pixel interaction, are discussed. Based on evaluations, the optimal quantization for both available and future SLM devices is suggested.