Coordination analysis of flood-sediment transportation, eco-environment, and socio-economy coupling in the governance of the Yellow River Basin system.

The watershed system has a complex game relationship between the benign operation and coordinated development of various elements of flood-sediment transportation, eco-environment, and socio-economy (FES). With the increasing breadth, depth, and intensity of human activities in watersheds, it is urgent to coordinate the FES. The relationship of water-sediment in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) is complex, with a prominent contradiction in water supply and a fragile ecosystem. This research tries to build a comprehensive evaluation model for FES and explore the complex interaction between FES in the YRB from 2000 to 2020. The results demonstrated that (1) the comprehensive flood-sediment transportation index (CFTI) and comprehensive eco-environment index (CEI) presented fluctuating growth. In contrast, the comprehensive socio-economy index (CSI) revealed a linear growth trend. The CFTI of Sanmenxia, CEI of Toudaokuan, and CSI of Ningxia had the highest growth rates, with 36.03%, 6.48%, and 107.5%, respectively. (2) FES's positive and negative effects were alternating, with heterogeneity in both time and space. (3) The coupling coordination degree (CCD) in the YRB indicated an increasing trend, ranging from 0.53 to 0.87, from reluctantly coordinated development to good coordinated development. The lagging subsystem was CFTI (2000-2001 and 2008-2020) and CSI (2002-2007), and the CEI was not lagging. (4) Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) demonstrated significant differences in the CCD of the YRB, and areas with similar CCD within the basin tend to be centrally distributed in space. At the same time, there was negative spatial autocorrelation in coordination. The results provide a scientific theoretical and methodological framework for strategic research on the YRB system's governance, protection, and management.

A cusp catastrophe model for analyzing sudden channel shifting in wandering reach of the Lower Yellow River.

Sudden channel shifting of wandering rivers poses significant challenges for river engineering, flood control strategies, and the security of water resources. This study proposes a novel analytical model to quantitatively assess such channel shifts based on the cusp catastrophe theory. Utilizing bathymetric data from 93 river sections collected biannually between 2015 and 2019, a comprehensive investigation of channel instability in the wandering reach of the Lower Yellow River was conducted. The results show that both lateral and longitudinal stabilities in the Huayuankou-Gaocun section were generally favorable. For the most part of the selected sections demonstrated a propensity for gradual change. Out of the 93 sections, totally 45 were identified as being susceptible to sudden channel shifts. These vulnerable sections were predominantly located in two highly active reaches-Xiaodabin-Jinglonggong and Huayuankou-Zhaolanzhuang-during the period from 2015 to 2017, excluding the 2018-2019 non-flood season. In the latter non-flood period, nearly half of the sections in the downstream reach from Jinglonggong displayed instability. Our findings are consistent closely with empirical observations from the Lower Yellow River. Additionally, the changed flow and sediment conditions in the 2015-2019 and the efficiency of guide works have significant effects on the stability of river channels.

Nanochannel-Induced Efficient Water Splitting at the Superhydrophobic Interface.

Constructing a favorable reaction configuration at the water/catalyst interface is crucial for high-efficiency semiconductor-based water splitting. For a long time, a hydrophilic surface of semiconductor catalysts has been considered necessary for efficient mass transfer and adequate contact with water. In this work, by constructing a superhydrophobic PDMS-Ti3+/TiO2 interface (denoted P-TTO) with nanochannels arranged by nonpolar silane chains, we observe overall water splitting efficiencies improved by an order of magnitude under both the white light and simulated AM1.5G solar irradiation compared to the hydrophilic Ti3+/TiO2 interface. The electrochemical overall water splitting potential on the P-TTO electrode also decreased from 1.62 to 1.27 V, which is close to the thermodynamic limit of 1.23 V. Through the in situ diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, a nanochannel-induced water configuration transition is directly detected. The density functional theory calculation further verifies the lower reaction energy of water decomposition at the water/PDMS-TiO2 interface. Our work achieves efficient overall water splitting through nanochannel-induced water configurations without changing the bulk of semiconductor catalyst, which reveals the significant role of water status at the interface in the efficiency of the water splitting reaction over the properties of catalyst materials.

A 14-bp deletion in bovine EPAS1 gene is associated with carcass traits.

EPAS1 (Endothelial PAS Domain Protein 1) gene is well-known for its function in plateau hypoxia adaptability. It encodes HIF-2α, which involved in the induction of genes regulated by oxygen and then affects multiple physiological processes such as angiogenesis and energy metabolism. All of these indicate it may affect the development of animals. In this study, a 14-bp deletion in EPAS1 gene was uncovered in Shandong black cattle population (n = 502). Two genotypes (II and ID) were found and the frequency of the homozygous II genotype is higher than the heterozygous ID genotype. This population is consisted with HWE (p > 0.05). And more importantly, the 14-bp deletion was associated with outside flat (p = 0.003), brisket (p = 0.001), and knuckle (p = 0.032). These findings suggested that the 14-bp deletion is significantly associated with carcass traits, which could be served as a molecular marker applied to cow breeding.

Breaking through water-splitting bottlenecks over carbon nitride with fluorination.

Graphitic carbon nitride has long been considered incapable of splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen without adding small molecule organics despite the fact that the visible-light response and proper band structure fulfills the proper energy requirements to evolve oxygen. Herein, through in-situ observations of a collective C = O bonding, we identify the long-hidden bottleneck of photocatalytic overall water splitting on a single-phased g-C3N4 catalyst via fluorination. As carbon sites are occupied with surface fluorine atoms, intermediate C=O bonding is vastly minimized on the surface and an order-of-magnitude improved H2 evolution rate compared to the pristine g-C3N4 catalyst and continuous O2 evolution is achieved. Density functional theory calculations suggest an optimized oxygen evolution reaction pathway on neighboring N atoms by C-F interaction, which effectively avoids the excessively strong C-O interaction or weak N-O interaction on the pristine g-C3N4.

CircRNA Profiling Reveals an Abundant circBDP1 that Regulates Bovine Fat Development by Sponging miR-181b/miR-204 Targeting Sirt1/TRARG1.

The proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes is an important factor determining bovine fat development, which is closely related to the feed conversion ratio, carcass traits, and beef quality. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of candidate circRNA and miRNA on the proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes in order to provide basic materials for molecular breeding in cattle. circRNA sequencing was performed on bovine adipocyte samples at different differentiation time points, and a total of 1830 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified. Among them, circBDP1, derived from the bovine BDP1 gene, has potential binding sites for miR-204 (known as a regulator of bovine fat development) and miR-181b, which gives us a hint that circBDP1 may regulate bovine fat development by adsorbing miR-204 and miR-181b. Here, our results revealed that circBDP1 overexpression promoted the proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes. The miRNA profile of bovine adipocytes at different differentiation time points was also analyzed using the small RNA sequencing method, and a total of 89 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, including miR-204 and miR-181b. As expected, dual-luciferase reporter results showed that circBDP1 competitively adsorbed miR-181b and miR-204. Overexpression and interference of miR-181b in bovine preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 showed that miR-181b promoted the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes. Further results displayed that miR-181b and miR-204 simultaneously targeted the SIRT1 gene, and miR-204 also targeted the 3' UTR region of the TRARG1 gene. In summary, this study found that miR-181b and miR-204 were involved in fat development by targeting SIRT1 and TRARG1. The results of this study will lay a foundation for the research of fat development and beef cattle industry.

Ultrashort-term responses of riparian vegetation restoration to adjacent cycles of ecological water conveyance scheduling in a hyperarid endorheic river basin.

The management of ecological water conveyance (EWC) can allow riparian vegetation communities to survive the threat of degradation in hyperarid inland areas and promote the health of groundwater-recharged riparian ecosystems. However, the ultrashort-term effects of periodic EWC scheduling on riparian vegetation remain unclear. This study explored the spatiotemporal differentiation in species structure (herbs, shrubs, and trees), diversity (measured by the Simpson, Shannon-Wiener, Pielou, and Margalef indices), stability (evaluated via Godron fitting distances and abundance-biomass comparison curves), and integrity (proxied by the vegetation-based index of biotic integrity) of vegetation communities in the downstream Heihe River Basin, China. Empirical orthogonal function, Pearson correlation, canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), and partial CCA methods were used to evaluate the effects of dominant habitat environmental factors from the hydrogeographic features, soil physicochemical properties, and anthropogenic impacts. The results showed that the riparian vegetation community diversity, stability, and integrity varied moderately to slightly with hierarchical distance from near wetlands (<200 m; containing mainly herbs) to far desert edges (>800 m; occupied by shrubs/subshrubs). The middle transition zone (200-800 m; occupied mostly by trees/subtrees) had the best diversity and integrity but relatively poor stability. The most significant influencing factors were EWC and soil moisture. The simple diversity, fair-level integrity, and disturbed but not irreversibly damaged stability of the vegetation community were generally improved by 14.82%, 20.33%, and 30.57%, respectively, in the pre-EWC period but worsened in the post-EWC period. The difference in spatially distributed EWC quantities caused more apparent vegetation restoration in high water-supplied subareas where certain biological community instability existed. Therefore, adequate EWC management can be considered a prerequisite for the maintenance of high richness and structural stability in local communities and requires a good balance between interregional vegetation abundance and enhanced environmental tolerance.

Genetic Variations within the Bovine CRY2 Gene Are Significantly Associated with Carcass Traits.

As an important part of the circadian rhythm, the circadian regulation factor 2 of cryptochrome (CRY2), regulates many physiological functions. Previous studies have reported that CRY2 is involved in growth and development. However, the relationship between CRY2 gene polymorphism and cattle carcass traits remains unclear. The aim of this study was to detect the possible variations of the CRY2 gene and elucidate the association between the CRY2 gene and carcass traits in the Shandong Black Cattle Genetic Resource (SDBCGR) population (n = 705). We identified a 24-bp deletion variation (CRY2-P6) and a 6-bp insertion variation (CRY2-P7) in the bovine CRY2 gene. The frequency of the homozygous II genotype is higher than the heterozygous ID genotype in both two loci. In addition, CRY2-P6 was consistent with HWE (p > 0.05). Importantly, the CRY2-P6 variant was significantly associated with 12 carcass traits, including gross weight, ribeye, high rib, thick flank, etc. and the II was the dominant genotype. The CRY2-P7 site was also significantly correlated with five traits (gross weight, beef-tongue, etc.). Collectively, these outcomes indicated that the two Indel loci in the CRY2 gene could be used for marker-assisted selection of cattle carcass traits.

Screening of Bovine Tissue-Specific Expressed Genes and Identification of Genetic Variation Within an Adipose Tissue-Specific lncRNA Gene.

Global classification of bovine genes is important for studies of biology and tissue-specific gene editing. Herein, we classified the tissue-specific expressed genes and uncovered an important variation in the promoter region of an adipose tissue-specific lncRNA gene. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the number of genes specifically expressed in the brain was the highest, while it was lowest in the adipose tissues. A total of 1,575 genes were found to be significantly higher expressed in adipose tissues. Bioinformatic analysis and qRT-PCR were used to uncover the expression profiles of the 23 adipose tissue-specific and highly expressed genes in 8 tissues. The results showed that most of the 23 genes have higher expression level in adipose tissue. Besides, we detected a 12 bp insertion/deletion (indel) variation (rs720343880) in the promoter region of an adipose tissue-specific lncRNA gene (LOC100847835). The different genotypes of this variation were associated with carcass traits of cattle. Therefore, the outcomes of the present study can be used as a starting point to explore the development of cattle organs and tissues, as well as to improve the quality of cattle products.

CircRNA Profiling Reveals CircPPARγ Modulates Adipogenic Differentiation via Sponging miR-92a-3p.

Adipogenesis describes the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of mature adipocytes from primary adipocytes and is regulated by post-transcriptional modifications. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in mammalian development and physiology. However, the circRNA-mediated regulation of adipogenesis remains poorly understood. We profiled circRNA expression during bovine primary adipogenesis, detecting 16 circRNA candidates, including circPPARγ, which was abundant in the adipose tissue. Overexpression (overexpression plasmids) and interference (small interfering RNAs) with circPPARγ in bovine primary adipocytes, and proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis were analyzed using EdU (5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine) cell proliferation, cell counting kit-8, flow cytometry, TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling apoptosis assay, Oil Red O staining, quantitative real-time PCR, and western blotting assays, which showed that circPPARγ facilitates adipocyte differentiation and inhibits proliferation and apoptosis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assays indicated that circPPARγ binds miR-92a-3p and YinYang 1 (YY1). A novel regulatory pathway regulating adipogenesis and adipose deposition was revealed.

Nickel supported on Nitrogen-doped biomass carbon fiber fabricated via in-situ template technology for pH-universal electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Developing alternatives to noble metal electrocatalysts for hydrogen production via water splitting is a challenging task. Herein, a novel electrocatalyst with Ni nanoparticles disperesed on N-doped biomass carbon fibers (NBCFs) was prepared through a simple in-situ growth process using Ni-ethanediamine complex (NiC) as the structure-directing agent. The in-situ template effect of the NiC facilitated the formation of Ni-N bonds between the Ni nanoparticles and NBCFs, which not only prevented the aggregation and corrosion of the Ni nanoparticles, but also accelerated the electron transfer in the electrochemical reaction, thus improving the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of the electrocatalyst. As expected, the optimal Ni/NBCF-1-H2 electrocatalyst exhibited better HER activity over the entire pH range than the control Ni/NBCF-1-N2 and Ni/NBCF-1-NaBH4 samples. The HER overpotentials of the Ni/NBCF-1-H2 electrocatalyst were as low as 47, 56, and 100 mV in alkaline (pH = 13.8), acidic (pH = 0.3), and neutral (pH = 7.3) electrolytes, respectively at the current density of 10 mA cm-2. Meanwhile, the Ni/NBCF-1-H2 sample could run continuously for 100 h, exhibiting outstanding stability. This work provides a feasible method for developing efficient and cheap electrocatalysts derived from biomass carbon materials using the in-situ template technology.

Genetic variations of bovine PCOS-related DENND1A gene identified in GWAS significantly affect female reproductive traits.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified DENND1A as a potential candidate gene linked to the fertility-related phenotypes in dairy cows. However, to date, no studies have examined the association of the DENND1A insertion/deletions (indels) to bovine fertility on a large scale. Herein, two indel sites, including P4-del-26-bp and P8-ins-15-bp were identified in 1064 Holstein cows. The values of the minor allelic frequency (MAF) ranged between 0.471 (deletion) and 0.230 (deletion), respectively, and combined four different haplotypes by analyzing the haplotype combination. It is noteworthy that P4-del-26-bp is associated with the ovarian width (P = 0.0004) and corpus luteum diameter (P = 0.004). Meanwhile, P8-ins-15-bp was found to have a significant association with the ovarian width (P = 0.020), ovarian weight (P = 0.004), the number of mature follicles (P = 0.020), and diameter of the mature follicles (P = 0.016). Furthermore, the combinatorial analysis showed that the two indel combined-genotypes were significantly related to several reproductive traits (ovarian width, ovarian weight, etc.). Collectively, our findings indicated that these two novel indels and their combinations are correlated with the reproductive traits, and hence, they can serve in the marker-assisted selection (MAS) in cattle breeding. Nevertheless, further functional experiments are needed for understanding the mechanisms of these indels in cattle reproduction in a better way.

Detection of insertions/deletions (InDels) within the goat Runx2 gene and their association with litter size and growth traits.

Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) is characterized by its critical functions in osteoblastic and ovulatory processes. The goal of this study was to explore the insertion/deletion (indel) variants of this gene and to evaluate their association with productive traits. Herein, a 12 bp and 6 bp insertion within the Runx2 gene was uncovered in Shaanbei white cashmere goats (SBWC; n = 1200). Chi-square analysis revealed that the 12 bp insertion was related to litter size (p < 0.01). Further association analysis also found this insertion was significantly associated with litter size (p = 1.1E-5). Interestingly, this insertion was also significantly associated with chest circumference (p = 0.018). Additionally, the 6 bp insertion was associated with body length (p = 0.003), chest width (p = 0.011), and chest circumference (p = 0.005). Furthermore, diplotype associations also uncovered that the combined genotypes of these two indels also significantly affected litter size and growth traits (p < 0.05). These findings suggested that these two insertions within the Runx2 gene were significantly associated with reproduction and growth traits, which would make them beneficial functional DNA markers that can be used in goat breeding.

Identification of novel alternative splicing of bovine lncRNA lncFAM200B and its effects on preadipocyte proliferation.

Adipogenesis is closely related to human health, livestock growth, and meat quality. A previous study identified that bovine lncFAM200B promoter has high activity in 3T3-L1 mice preadipocytes. Thus, lncFAM200B was a candidate gene for regulating adipogenesis. This study aimed to uncover the role of lncFAM200B in bovine adipogenesis and identify novel genetic variations within the bovine lncFAM200B gene. An expression analysis found that lncFAM200B was expressed higher in fat than that in muscle, but the difference was not related to the total methylation level of the promoter active region. Moreover, the expression of lncFAM200B exhibited a significant positive correlation with the expression of C/EBPa during bovine adipocyte differentiation. To uncover the function of lncFAM200B, the full-length lncFAM200B was cloned, and four kinds of transcript variants were found. Protein-coding potential prediction and prokaryotic expression system analysis showed that these four transcript variants were noncoding RNAs. The quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay showed that the transcript variants decreased the messenger RNA expression of Cyclin D1 and inhibited the proliferation of bovine preadipocytes. Considering the important role of lncFAM200B in adipogenesis, we identified genetic variations in lncFAM200B. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were revealed, and two of them (SNP1 and SNP3) were associated with Nanyang cattle body measurement traits. In conclusion, this study found that bovine lncFAM200B inhibited preadipocyte proliferation, and two genetic variations of lncFAM200B could be used in cattle breeding.

Fabrication of Co(Ni)-P surface bonding states on core-shell Co(OH)2@P-NiCo-LDH towards electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.

The application of NiCo-LDHs in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is rarely reported because it is usually served as an effective electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) owing to the essential chemical and electric structure features. It still is a challenge to realize the effective HER over NiCo-LDHs unless modified with noble metals. In this work, the noble-metal-free core-shell Co(OH)2@P-NiCo-LDH hybrid with dodecahedral hierarchical structure is prepared by the sacrificial template method along with subsequent phosphating process, which is available for the electrocatalytic HER. The fabricated Co(Ni)δ+-Pδ- bonding states on the surface of outer shell NiCo-LDH not only provide the abundant active centers but also reduce interfacial charge transfer resistance to enhance the HER activity. Meanwhile, the unique core-shell dodecahedral structure effectively avoids the agglomeration and restacking of NiCo-LDH nanosheets to improve the electrochemical stability. This work exploits a novel noble-metal-free modification strategy to expand the application of NiCo-LDH in HER.

Ni2P QDs decorated in the multi-shelled CaTiO3 cube for creating inter-shelled channel active sites to boost photocatalytic performance.

Control and insight into the abundance of inter-shelled channel active sites and charge transport mechanism are the long-term challenges for enhancing photocatalytic activity. Herein, the Ni2P quantum dots (QDs) are decorated in the multi-shelled CaTiO3 cube for creating the abundance of inter-shelled channel active sites, which greatly improve the photocatalytic performances for generating H2 and degrading tetracycline (TC) relative to pure CaTiO3 and Ni2P. Moreover, the Z-scheme mechanism and the quantum effect of the Ni2P in multi-shelled CaTiO3 cube play a crucial role for enhancing photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, the photoelectric researches demonstrate that the Ni2P/CaTiO3 heterostructure possesses more abundant active sites, smaller interface transmission resistance and faster photo-generated charge transfer efficiency. This work provides a meaningful model to research other materials with creating the abundance of inter-shelled channel active sites for the photo-electrocatalytic field.

circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 Sponges miR-93 to Regulate the Proliferation and Differentiation of Adipocytes by Promoting lncSLC30A9 Expression.

Although many circular RNAs (circRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been discovered in adipocytes, their precise functions and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Based on existing circRNA and lncRNA sequencing data of bovine adipocytes, we screened for the differential expression of circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 in preadipocytes and adipocytes and further analyzed their function and regulation during adipogenesis. The overexpression of circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 together facilitated adipocyte differentiation and suppressed proliferation. Computationally, the RNA hybrid showed that circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 had multiple potential binding sites with miR-93. Additionally, luciferase reporting experiments verified that circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 may interact with miR-93. We also demonstrated that overexpressed miR-93 effectively suppresses the expression of lncSLC30A9. Signaling pathway enrichment analysis, luciferase activity assay, and expression analysis revealed that lncSLC30A9 inhibits proliferation by inhibiting the expression of AKT protein and promotes differentiation by recruiting the FOS protein to the promoter of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG). In sum, our results elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of circFLT1 and lncCCPG1 as miR-93 sponges in bovine adipocytes.

Goat sperm associated antigen 17 protein gene (SPAG17): Small and large fragment genetic variation detection, association analysis, and mRNA expression in gonads.

Transcriptome sequencing analyses have suggested that sperm associated antigen 17 protein gene (SPAG17) may play important regulating roles in litter size. In this study, the expression profiles and genetic variations of the SPAG17 were studied in Shaanbei White Cashmere (SBWC) goats (n=1567). SPAG17 was highly expressed in testis and ovary of SBWC goats. At different developmental stages, it also continued to be highly expressed in testis. In addition, two variations of SPAG17, one indel locus and one copy number variation locus, were significantly associated with first-born litter size. Joint analysis results suggested that two polymorphic loci of the SPAG17 gene may regulate host gene expression in goat ovary and testis. Overall, the results indicated the important role of SPAG17 in the reproductive process of goats.

Mir-193b Regulates the Differentiation, Proliferation, and Apoptosis of Bovine Adipose Cells by Targeting the ACSS2/AKT Axis.

The precise functions and molecular mechanisms of microRNAs (miRNAs) in adipocytes are primarily unknown. Studies have demonstrated that miR-193b plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of preadipocytes. Herein, we evaluated the effects of bta-miR-193b on the growth and development of adipocytes, using the EdU cell proliferation method, flow cytometry analysis, CCK-8 assay, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and oil red O staining. We observed that the overexpression of bta-miR-193b significantly affected the differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis of adipocytes. The results of the dual-fluorescent reporter vector experiments demonstrated that bta-miR-193b directly targeted Acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family member 2 (ACSS2). Additionally, the effects of ACSS2 overexpression on the proliferation and apoptosis in adipose cells were the opposite of those induced by bta-miR-193b. We also demonstrated that ACSS2 can significantly promote the expression of AKT and pAKT proteins. Therefore, this study presents a novel mechanism by which bta-miR-193b regulates adipocyte development by targeting ACSS2.

Multi-shelled hollow cube CaTiO3 decorated with Bi12O17Cl2 towards enhancing photocatalytic performance under the visible light.

It is highly desirable to combine the microstructure management and heterostructure construction technique to remold inherent wide band gap semiconductor CaTiO3 with the purpose of enhancing its visible light absorption capacity and photocatalytic performance. Herein, a novel multi-shelled hollow cube Bi12O17Cl2/CaTiO3 heterostructure has been successfully synthesized by a facile template-free method for photocatalytic hydrogen production and degradation pollutants in water under the visible light. The investigations of microstructure, physicochemical property and photoelectric behaviors indicate that the multi-shelled hollow cube architecture and synergetic effect of 2D-3D structural coupling are dominant reasons to enhance phototcatalytic performance, which can significantly improve the absorption and utilization of visible light, multiply abundant active radical generation and boost the separation and migration efficiency of photoproduced electron-hole pairs. Moreover, the probable photocatalytic reaction mechanisms, the feasible migration behaviors of photo-produced charges, the influence factors of enhancing photocatalytic activities are proposed in depth. It is intended that further innovative works on the multi-shelled hollow cube architecture design of high-performance photocatalyst by facile template-free hydrothermal method can be inspired.