Hydrogen-rich syngas upgrading via CO2 adsorption by amine-functionalized Cu-BTC: the effect of different amines.

Syngas produced from supercritical water gasification typically contain a high amount of CO2 along with H2. In order to improve the quality of syngas, amine-functionalized copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Cu-BTC) was synthesized as an effective adsorbent for selective removal of CO2 from syngas to increase the concentration of H2. The amines used in this study included monoethanolamine (MEA), ethylenediamine (EDA), and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The fundamental physicochemical character of adsorbents, CO2 adsorption capacity, and CO2/H2 selectivity were analyzed. The physicochemical characterization indicated that the structure of amine-functionalized Cu-BTC was partially damaged, which resulted in a decrease in specific surface area and pore volume. On the other hand, the enlarged pore size was beneficial for the mass transfer of gas in the adsorbent. Among these adsorbents, Cu-BTC/PEI exhibited the maximum CO2 adsorption capacity of 3.83 mmol/g and the highest CO2/H2 selectivity of 19.74. It was found that the adsorption pressure is the most significant factor for the CO2 adsorption capacity. Lower temperature and higher pressure were favored for CO2 adsorption capacity and CO2/H2 selectivity, so physical adsorption by Cu-BTC played a dominant role. Moreover, Cu-BTC/PEI can be well-regenerated with stable adsorption efficiency after five consecutive cycles. These findings suggested that Cu-BTC/PEI could be a promising alternative adsorbent for CO2 capture from syngas.

Patterns of cigarette, heated tobacco product, and nicotine vaping product use among Korean adults: Findings from the 2020 ITC Korea Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Non-combustible nicotine products (NCNPs), such as heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine vaping products (NVPs) have gained a significant nicotine market share in South Korea. This descriptive study examined patterns of regular cigarette and NCNP use among South Korean adults. METHODS: Data were from the 2020 International Tobacco Control Korea Survey and included 4016 adults (aged ≥19 years) in the Republic of Korea who were regularly (at least weekly) using at least one NCNP (NVP/HTP, n=2117) and/or smoked cigarettes (n=3763) at the time of the survey. Weighted descriptive estimates were computed to assess respondents' nicotine product use among all respondents (exclusive, dual, or triple use). Thereafter, we identified sociodemographic characteristics associated with NCNP use (n=2117). RESULTS: Among Korean adults who were smoking cigarettes, 83.1% (95% CI: 81.6-84.6) did so exclusively, and 16.9% (95% CI: 15.4-18.4) smoked cigarettes and used NCNPs. Among those who used HTPs (n=1877), 14.9% (95% CI: 11.5-18.4) did so exclusively, 59.6% used HTPs and smoked cigarettes (95% CI: 55.4-63.1), 4.2% used HTPs and vaped (95% CI: 11.5-18.4), and 21.6% (95% CI: 18.9-24.2) used all three products. Of adults who used HTPs and smoked cigarettes, 86.6% smoked daily. Among those who vaped (n=865), 13.3% did so exclusively (95% CI: 9.4-17.1), 55.6% (95% CI: 49.6-61.5) vaped and smoked cigarettes, 5.1% (95% CI: 1.7-8.6) used HTPs and vaped, and 26.1% (95% CI: 22.1-30.1) used all three products. Of adults who vaped and smoked cigarettes, 82.4% (95% CI: 77.1-87.7) smoked daily. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarettes remain the most commonly used nicotine product in South Korea, and among adults using heated tobacco and/or vaping products, the majority were also smoking. Research is urgently needed to assess whether adults who are using an NCNP are doing so to quit, or rather to complement their cigarette smoking.

Growth hormone promotes myelin repair after chronic hypoxia via triggering pericyte-dependent angiogenesis.

White matter injury (WMI) causes oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) differentiation arrest and functional deficits, with no effective therapies to date. Here, we report increased expression of growth hormone (GH) in the hypoxic neonatal mouse brain, a model of WMI. GH treatment during or post hypoxic exposure rescues hypoxia-induced hypomyelination and promotes functional recovery in adolescent mice. Single-cell sequencing reveals that Ghr mRNA expression is highly enriched in vascular cells. Cell-lineage labeling and tracing identify the GHR-expressing vascular cells as a subpopulation of pericytes. These cells display tip-cell-like morphology with kinetic polarized filopodia revealed by two-photon live imaging and seemingly direct blood vessel branching and bridging. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments indicate that GHR signaling in pericytes is sufficient to modulate angiogenesis in neonatal brains, which enhances OPC differentiation and myelination indirectly. These findings demonstrate that targeting GHR and/or downstream effectors may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for WMI.

Identification and recombinant expression of a cutinase from Papiliotrema laurentii that hydrolyzes natural and synthetic polyesters.

Given the multitude of extracellular enzymes at their disposal, many of which are designed to degrade nature's polymers (lignin, cutin, cellulose, etc.), fungi are adept at targeting synthetic polyesters with similar chemical composition. Microbial-influenced deterioration of xenobiotic polymeric surfaces is an area of interest for material scientists as these are important for the conservation of the underlying structural materials. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of the Papiliotrema laurentii 5307AH (P. laurentii) cutinase, Plcut1. P. laurentii is basidiomycete yeast with the ability to disperse Impranil-DLN (Impranil), a colloidal polyester polyurethane, in agar plates. To test whether the fungal factor involved in this clearing was a secreted enzyme, we screened the ability of P. laurentii culture supernatants to disperse Impranil. Using size exclusion chromatography (SEC), we isolated fractions that contained Impranil-clearing activity. These fractions harbored a single ~22 kD band, which was excised and subjected to peptide sequencing. Homology searches using the peptide sequences identified, revealed that the protein Papla1 543643 (Plcut1) displays similarities to serine esterase and cutinase family of proteins. Biochemical assays using recombinant Plcut1 confirmed that this enzyme has the capability to hydrolyze Impranil, soluble esterase substrates, and apple cutin. Finally, we confirmed the presence of the Plcut1 in culture supernatants using a custom antibody that specifically recognizes this protein. The work shown here supports a major role for the Plcut1 in the fungal degradation of natural polyesters and xenobiotic polymer surfaces.IMPORTANCEFungi play a vital role in the execution of a broad range of biological processes that drive ecosystem function through production of a diverse arsenal of enzymes. However, the universal reactivity of these enzymes is a current problem for the built environment and the undesired degradation of polymeric materials in protective coatings. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a hydrolase from Papiliotrema laurentii 5307AH, an aircraft-derived fungal isolate found colonizing a biodeteriorated polymer-coated surface. We show that P. laurentii secretes a cutinase capable of hydrolyzing soluble esters as well as ester-based compounds forming solid surface coatings. These findings indicate that this fungus plays a significant role in biodeterioration through the production of a cutinase adept at degrading ester-based polymers, some of which form the backbone of protective surface coatings. The work shown here provides insights into the mechanisms employed by fungi to degrade xenobiotic polymers.

Prevalence and reasons for use of heated tobacco products among Malaysian adults who smoked: Findings from the 2020 International Tobacco Control Malaysia Survey.

INTRODUCTION: There have been rapid expansions in heated tobacco products (HTPs) outside of Japan and the Republic of Korea. In November 2018, HTPs were first introduced in Malaysia and since then, no studies have been conducted on Malaysians' use of HTPs. This study is the first to examine the prevalence of HTP use and reasons for use among Malaysian adults who smoked cigarettes. METHODS: Data came from the 2020 ITC Malaysia Survey, a web-based survey of a nationally representative sample of adults who smoked (n=1047) aged 18 and older. They were asked on ever heard of, ever used, and currently using HTPs, and their reasons for using HTPs. RESULTS: Overall, 25.4% (n= 324; 95% CI:22.3%-28.7%) of Malaysians who smoked reported ever used HTPs with 6.7% (n=85; 95% CI:22.3%-28.7%) were using them daily and 8.1% (n=110; 95% CI:6.4% -10.2%) were using HTPs non-daily. Most of them (57.2%) who dual use were of aged 25-39 and 97.3% were males. Among those who smoked daily, almost half (49.3%) were also using HTP daily. Among those who used HTPs daily and non-daily, curiosity (84.2%, 95% CI:78.4%-90.0%), taste (83.2%, 95% CI:77.3%-89.1%), and appealing technology (78.5%, 95% CI:71.3%-85.6%) were the most reported reasons. Among those who used HTPs daily, curiosity was the top reason (87.9%, 95% CI:78.9%-93.4%), while among non-daily, taste good was the top reason (81.9%, 95% CI:71.9%-88.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The very high use of HTPs among Malaysians who smoked requires continued public health surveillance that can inform the regulation of these novel tobacco products.

Ordered planar plating/stripping enables deep cycling zinc metal batteries.

Metal anodes are emerging as culminating solutions for the development of energy-dense batteries in either aprotic, aqueous, or solid battery configurations. However, unlike traditional intercalation electrodes, the low utilization of "hostless" metal anodes due to the intrinsically disordered plating/stripping impedes their practical applications. Herein, we report ordered planar plating/stripping in a bulk zinc (Zn) anode to achieve an extremely high depth of discharge exceeding 90% with negligible thickness fluctuation and long-term stable cycling. The Zn can be plated/stripped with (0001)Zn preferential orientation throughout the consecutive charge/discharge process, assisted by a self-assembled supramolecular bilayer at the Zn anode-electrolyte interface. Through real-time tracking of the Zn atoms migration, we reveal that the ordered planar plating/stripping is driven by the construction of in-plane Zn─N bindings and the gradient energy landscape at the reaction fronts. The breakthrough results provide alternative insights into the ordered plating/stripping of metal anodes toward rechargeable energy-dense batteries.

Rational Electrochemical Design of Cuprous Oxide Hierarchical Microarchitectures and Their Derivatives for SERS Sensing Applications.

Rational morphology control of inorganic microarchitectures is important in diverse fields, requiring precise regulation of nucleation and growth processes. While wet chemical methods have achieved success regarding the shape-controlled synthesis of micro/nanostructures, accurately controlling the growth behavior in real time remains challenging. Comparatively, the electrodeposition technique can immediately control the growth behavior by tuning the overpotential, whereas it is rarely used to design complex microarchitectures. Here, the electrochemical design of complex Cu2O microarchitectures step-by-step by precisely controlling the growth behavior is demonstrated. The growth modes can be switched between the thermodynamic and kinetic modes by varying the overpotential. Cl- ions preferably adhered to {100} facets to modulate growth rates of these facets is proved. The discovered growth modes to prepare Cu2O microarchitectures composed of multiple building units inaccessible with existing methods are employed. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) additives can guarantee all pre-electrodeposits simultaneously evolve into uniform microarchitectures, instead of forming undesired microstructures on bare electrode surfaces in following electrodeposition processes is discovered. The designed Cu2O microarchitectures can be converted into noble metal microstructures with shapes unchanged, which can be used as surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates. An electrochemical avenue toward rational design of complex inorganic microarchitectures is opened up.

Prevalence, Transmission and Genetic Diversity of Pyrazinamide Resistance Among Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates in Hunan, China.

Background: China is a country with a burden of high rates of both TB and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). However, published data on pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance are still limited in Hunan province, China. This study investigated the prevalence, transmission, and genetic diversity of PZA resistance among multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Hunan province. Methods: Drug susceptibility testing (DST) with the Bactec MGIT 960 PZA kit and pyrazinamidase (PZase) testing were conducted on all 298 MDR clinical isolates. Moreover, 24-locus MIRU-VNTR and DNA sequencing of pncA, rpsA, and panD genes were conducted on 180 PZA-resistant (PZA-R) isolates. Results: The prevalence of PZA resistance among MDR-TB strains reached 60.4%. Newly diagnosed PZA-R TB patients and clustered isolates with identical pncA, rpsA, and panD mutations showed that transmission of PZA-R isolates played a significant role in the formation of PZA-R TB. Ninety-eight mutation patterns were observed in the pncA among 180 PZA-R isolates, and seventy-one (72.4%) were point mutations. Twenty-four of these mutations are new, including 2 base substitutions (V93G and T153S) and 22 nucleotide deletions or insertions. The W119C was found in PZA-S isolates, on the other hand, F94L and V155A mutations were found in both PZA resistant and susceptible isolates with positive PZase activity, indicating that they were not associated with PZA resistance. This is not entirely in line with the WHO catalogue. Ten novel rpsA mutations were found in 10 PZA-R isolates, which all combined with mutations in pncA. Thus, it is unpredictable whether these mutations in rpsA can impact PZA resistance. No panD mutation was found in all PZA-R isolates. Conclusion: DNA sequencing of pncA and PZase activity testing have great potential in predicting PZA resistance.

Public support for tobacco endgame policies in South Korea: Findings from the 2020 International Tobacco Control Korea Survey.

BACKGROUND: Strong public support can increase the likelihood of adopting tobacco control policies. We assessed support for six commercial tobacco endgame policies in South Korea: limiting the nicotine in cigarettes, banning all additives in cigarettes, restricting the number of places where cigarettes are sold, and banning the manufacture and sales of cigarettes (unconditionally, with the provision of cessation support and with alternative tobacco products available). METHODS: Data were obtained from 4740 adults who completed the 2020 International Tobacco Control Korea Survey. Participants were categorised based on their nicotine use: (1) did not use any products, (2) vaped and/or used heated tobacco products (HTPs) but did not smoke cigarettes, (3) smoked cigarettes only and (4) smoked cigarettes and vaped and/or used HTPs. Attitudes towards the policies were classified as supportive, undecided or opposed. Weighted multinomial logistic regression models assessed support levels according to nicotine use. RESULTS: Support was highest for limiting the nicotine content in cigarettes (68.4%; 95% CI 64.6% to 72.3%) and restricting the number of retailers (68.1%; 95% CI 64.5% to 71.7%), and lowest for banning cigarette sales if alternative products are made available (45.0%; 95% CI 40.9% to 49.1%). People who did not use any products were most likely to support endgame policies, except for banning cigarette sales with alternatives available. The proportion of undecided participants exceeded 10% (range 13%-25%) for all policies. CONCLUSION: There is a strong public support for tobacco endgame policies in South Korea. Further research should prioritise the development of strategies to ensure the effective implementation of highly supported policies.

Seagrass genomes reveal ancient polyploidy and adaptations to the marine environment.

We present chromosome-level genome assemblies from representative species of three independently evolved seagrass lineages: Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, Thalassia testudinum and Zostera marina. We also include a draft genome of Potamogeton acutifolius, belonging to a freshwater sister lineage to Zosteraceae. All seagrass species share an ancient whole-genome triplication, while additional whole-genome duplications were uncovered for C. nodosa, Z. marina and P. acutifolius. Comparative analysis of selected gene families suggests that the transition from submerged-freshwater to submerged-marine environments mainly involved fine-tuning of multiple processes (such as osmoregulation, salinity, light capture, carbon acquisition and temperature) that all had to happen in parallel, probably explaining why adaptation to a marine lifestyle has been exceedingly rare. Major gene losses related to stomata, volatiles, defence and lignification are probably a consequence of the return to the sea rather than the cause of it. These new genomes will accelerate functional studies and solutions, as continuing losses of the 'savannahs of the sea' are of major concern in times of climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Intentions to Quit, Quit Attempts, and the Use of Cessation Aids Among Malaysian Adult Smokers: Findings From the 2020 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Malaysia Survey.

This study examined quitting behavior and use of cessation aids (CAs) among Malaysian adult smokers aged ≥18 years (n = 1,047). Data were from the 2020 International Tobacco Control (ITC) Malaysia Survey were analyzed. A total of 79.9% of Malaysian smokers attempted to quit in the past 12 months and 85.2% intended to quit in the next 6 months. The most common CAs were e-cigarettes (ECs) (61.4%), medication/nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs; 51.0%), and printed materials (36.7%); the least common CA was infoline/quitline services (8.1%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between sociodemographic variables and CAs use. Male smokers were more likely to use infoline/quitline services (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.27; P = .034). Malay smokers were more likely to use infoline/quitline services (aOR = 3.36; P = .002), ECs (aOR = 1.90; P = .004), printed materials (aOR = 1.79; P = .009), and in-person services (aOR = 1.75; P = .043). Most Malaysian smokers wanted to quit smoking. Furthermore, ECs were the most popular CAs, highlighting the need to assess the effectiveness of ECs for quitting smoking in Malaysia.

Hydroxyl group-induced enhancement of antioxidant activity of resveratrol over pterostilbene by binding to lactoferrin.

The reduced antioxidant capacity of trans-resveratrol (Res) than the second generation of Res, namely pterostilbene (Pte), severely prohibits its in-depth intriguing radical-scavenging applications in food formulations. Herein, a unique chemical structure-dependent strategy was proposed to specifically enhance the radical scavenging activity of Res over Pte, relying on the two more hydroxyl groups on the A-benzene ring of Res, thus facilitating its binding with lactoferrin (LF) to form stable complexes through more hydrogen bonds. We prepared LF-Res and LF-Pte complexes, revealed their binding mechanisms by multispectral analysis and molecular docking/dynamics simulations, further evaluated their antioxidant properties via ABTS and DPPH assays and a model of inhibiting apple browning, eventually elucidated their structure-binding-property relationships. This contribution offers a new approach to restore the antioxidant capability of Res, also paves the way to precisely regulate the fascinating bioactivities of hydrophobic compounds by protein-binding in a chemical structure-, especially hydroxyl group-dependent manner.

Oxygen-regulated spontaneous solid electrolyte interphase enabling ultra-stable solid-state Na metal batteries.

Solid-state sodium metal batteries utilizing inorganic solid electrolytes (SEs) hold immense potentials such as intrinsical safety, high energy density, and environmental sustainability. However, the interfacial inhomogeneity/instability at the anode-SE interface usually triggers the penetration of sodium dendrites into the electrolyte, leading to short circuit and battery failure. Herein, confronting with the original nonuniform and high-resistance solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at the Na-Na3Zr2Si2PO12 interface, an oxygen-regulated SEI innovative approach is proposed to enhance the cycling stability of anode-SEs interface, through a spontaneous reaction between the metallic sodium (containing trace amounts of oxygen) and the Na3Zr2Si2PO12 SE. The oxygen-regulated spontaneous SEI is thin, uniform, and kinetically stable to facilitate homogenous interfacial Na+ transportation. Benefitting from the optimized SEI, the assembled symmetric cell exhibits an ultra-stable sodium plating/stripping cycle for over 6600 h under a practical capacity of 3 mAh cm-2. Quasi-solid-state batteries with Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode deliver excellent cyclability over 500 cycles at a rate of 0.5 C (1 C = 117 mA cm-2) with a high capacity retention of 95.4%. This oxygen-regulated SEI strategy may offer a potential avenue for the future development of high-energy-density solid-state metal batteries.

Transient Zwitterions Dynamics Empowered Adaptive Interface for Ultra-Stable Zn Plating/Stripping.

A highly reversible zinc anode is crucial for the commercialization of zinc-ion batteries. However, the change in the microstructure of the electric double layer originated from the dynamic change in charge density on the electrode greatly impacts anode reversibility during charge/discharge, which is rarely considered in previous research. Herein, the zwitterion additive is employed to create an adaptive interface by coupling the transient zwitterion dynamics upon the change of interfacial charge density. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations suggest the molecular orientation and adsorption groups of zwitterions will be determined by the charging state of the electrode. ZnSO4 electrolyte with zwitterion fulfills a highly reversible Zn anode with an average Coulombic efficiency of up to 99.85%. Zn/Zn symmetric cells achieve greatly enhanced cycling stability for 700 h with extremely small voltage hysteresis of 29 mV under 5 mA cm-2 with 5 mAh cm-2 . This study validates the adaptive interface based on transient dynamics of zwitterions, which sheds new light on developing highly reversible metal anodes with a high utilization rate.

Perceived stress and psychological disorders in healthcare professionals: a multiple chain mediating model of effort-reward imbalance and resilience.

Background: Healthcare professionals have shown more psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression due to the nature of work, which can cause job burnout, decrease the quality of medical services, and even endanger medical safety. The aim of the study is to explore the serial multiple mediating role of effort- reward imbalance and resilience between perceived stress and psychological disorders among healthcare professionals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in China from February to April 2023. A total of 2098 healthcare professionals at a tertiary general hospital was investigated by the following self-reported questionnaires: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI), Healthcare professionals Resilience Scale (MSRS). Results: Anxiety and depression are interrelated (r = 0.362, p < 0.01), and they were positively related to perceived stress (r = 0.640/0.607, p < 0.01) and ERI (r = 0.422/0.383, p < 0.01), and negatively related to resilience (r = -0.343/-0.320, p < 0.01). After controlling demographic factors, the variance in anxiety and depression was explained by perceived stress was 37.7 and 35.0%. Bootstrap analyses examining the pathway of perceived stress-ERI-resilience-anxiety revealed significant direct effects [B = 0.560, 95%CI (0.528, 0.591)], as well as indirect effects mediated independently by ERI [B = 0.045, 95%CI (0.029, 0.060)], resilience [B = 0.031, 95%CI (0.017, 0.047)], or a combination of both [B = 0.004, 95%CI (0.002, 0.007)]. Similarly, in the path of perceived stress-ERI-resilience-anxiety-depression, significant direct effects were found [B = -0.310, 95%CI(0.265, 0.351)], along with indirect effects mediated individually by ERI [B = 0.033, 95%CI(0.013, 0.052)], resilience [B = 0.014, 95%CI (0.001, 0.028)], and anxiety [B = 0.218, 95%CI (0.190, 0.246)], or by both or three together (B = 0.032). Conclusion: This study proved the hypothesis that ERI and resilience played a mediating role in perceived stress and psychological disorders, revealed the potential mechanism of anxiety in stress and depression, and proposed a solution for perceived stress to psychological distress, which can provide a basis for the intervention of healthcare professionals in the face of mental health crisis.

Integration of multiomics analysis to reveal the major pathways of vitamin A deficiency aggravates acute respiratory distress syndrome in neonatal rats.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major disease that threatens the life and health of neonates. Vitamin A (VA) can participate in early fetal lung development and affect lung immune function. Researches revealed that the serum VA level in premature infants with ARDS was lower than that in premature infants without ARDS of the same gestational age, and premature infants with VA deficiency (VAD) were more likely to develop ARDS. Moreover, the VA levels can be used as a predictor of the development and severity of neonatal ARDS. However, the critical question here is; Does ARDS develop due to VAD in these systemic diseases? Or does ARDS develop because these diseases cause VAD? We hypothesize that VAD may aggravate neonatal ARDS by affecting immunity, metabolism, barriers and other pathways. In this article, we used multiomics analysis to find that VAD may aggravate ARDS mainly through the Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway, the HIF-1 signaling pathway, glutathione metabolism, and valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation signaling pathways, which may provide the molecular pathogenic mechanism behind the pathology of VAD-aggravated ARDS and can also provide potential molecular targets for subsequent research on ARDS.

Organic Excitonic State Management by Surface Metallic Coupling of Inorganic Lanthanide Nanocrystals.

The ability to harness charges and spins for control of organic excitonic states is critical in developing high-performance organic luminophores and optoelectronic devices. Here we report a facile strategy to efficiently manipulate the electronic energy states of various organic phosphors by coupling them with inorganic lanthanide nanocrystals. We show that the metallic atoms exposed on the nanocrystal surface can introduce strong coupling effects to 9-(4-ethoxy-6-phenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-9H-carbazole (OCzT) and some organic chromophores with carbazole functional groups when the organics are approaching the nanocrystals. This unconventional organic-inorganic hybridization enables a nearly 100 % conversion of the singlet excitation to fast charge transfer luminescence that does not exist in pristine organics, which broadens the utility of organic phosphors in hybrid systems.

Tropical mountain ice core δ18O: A Goldilocks indicator for global temperature change.

Very high tropical alpine ice cores provide a distinct paleoclimate record for climate changes in the middle and upper troposphere. However, the climatic interpretation of a key proxy, the stable water oxygen isotopic ratio in ice cores (δ18Oice), remains an outstanding problem. Here, combining proxy records with climate models, modern satellite measurements, and radiative-convective equilibrium theory, we show that the tropical δ18Oice is an indicator of the temperature of the middle and upper troposphere, with a glacial cooling of -7.35° ± 1.1°C (66% CI). Moreover, it severs as a "Goldilocks-type" indicator of global mean surface temperature change, providing the first estimate of glacial stage cooling that is independent of marine proxies as -5.9° ± 1.2°C. Combined with all estimations available gives the maximum likelihood estimate of glacial cooling as -5.85° ± 0.51°C.

Interfacial Reconstruction Toward Reversible Mg Anode in Conventional Electrolytes.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries are considered with great potential as sustainable, economic-friendly, safe energy storage techniques. Whereas, the Mg metal anode exhibits limited plating/stripping behavior in the conventional electrolytes due to the severe passivation. Herein, a facile LiI solution treatment is reported to reconstruct the interphase between Mg metal anode and electrolytes, converting the original passivation film to I-riched solid electrolyte interphase with the ability of rapid Mg2+ migration, which can reduce the overpotential for Mg anode plating/stripping from 2 to 0.4 V at 0.1 mA cm-2. In addition, Li+ from the LiI precursor can be released and shuttles to the Mo6S8 cathode side, promoting cointercalation of Mg2+. With the simultaneous improvement of the anode and cathode, the Mg//Mo6S8 full cell delivers a decreasing voltage hysteresis (0.1 V) and much enhanced specific capacity (80.8 mAh g-1). This work provides a maneuverable anode treatment for constructing a passivation-against interphase between Mg metal anode and the conventional electrolytes, contributing an insight for the development toward high-performance Mg batteries.

Genome-scale phylogeny and comparative genomics of the fungal order Sordariales.

The order Sordariales is taxonomically diverse, and harbours many species with different lifestyles and large economic importance. Despite its importance, a robust genome-scale phylogeny, and associated comparative genomic analysis of the order is lacking. In this study, we examined whole-genome data from 99 Sordariales, including 52 newly sequenced genomes, and seven outgroup taxa. We inferred a comprehensive phylogeny that resolved several contentious relationships amongst families in the order, and cleared-up intrafamily relationships within the Podosporaceae. Extensive comparative genomics showed that genomes from the three largest families in the dataset (Chaetomiaceae, Podosporaceae and Sordariaceae) differ greatly in GC content, genome size, gene number, repeat percentage, evolutionary rate, and genome content affected by repeat-induced point mutations (RIP). All genomic traits showed phylogenetic signal, and ancestral state reconstruction revealed that the variation of the properties stems primarily from within-family evolution. Together, the results provide a thorough framework for understanding genome evolution in this important group of fungi.