"Active carbon" is more advantageous to the bacterial community in the rice rhizosphere than "stable carbon".

Carbon materials are commonly used for soil carbon sequestration and fertilization, which can also affect crop growth by manipulating the rhizosphere bacterial community. However, the comparison of the differences between active carbon (e.g., organic fertilizers) and stable carbon (e.g., biochar) on rhizosphere microdomains is still unclear. Hence, a trial was implemented to explore the influence of control (CK, no fertilizer; NPK, chemical fertilizer), organic fertilizer (CF-O, organic fertilizer; CF-BO, biochar-based organic fertilizer) and biochar material (CF-B, perishable garbage biochar; CF-PMB, pig manure biochar) on the diversity, composition, and interaction of rice rhizosphere bacterial community through 16 S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. Our results demonstrate that organic fertilizer increases bacterial alpha-diversity compared to no-carbon supply treatment to the extend, whereas biochar has the opposite effect. The rhizosphere bacterial community composition showed pronounced variations among the various fertilization treatments. The relative abundance in Firmicutes decreased with organic fertilizer application, whereas that in Chloroflexi and Actinobacteria decreased with biochar application. Bacterial network analysis demonstrate that organic fertilizer enhances the complexity and key taxa of bacterial interactions, while biochar exhibits an opposing trend. The findings of our study indicate that organic fertilizer may contribute to a positive and advantageous impact on bacterial diversity and interaction in rice rhizosphere, whereas the influence of biochar is not as favorable and constructive. This study lays the foundation for elucidating the fate of the rhizosphere bacterial community following different carbon material inputs in the context of sustainable agricultural development.

Linking bacterial life strategies with the distribution pattern of antibiotic resistance genes in soil aggregates after straw addition.

Straw addition markedly affects the soil aggregates and microbial community structure. However, its influence on the profile of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which are likely associated with changes in bacterial life strategies, remains unclear. To clarify this issue, a soil microcosm experiment was incubated under aerobic (WS) or anaerobic (AnWS) conditions after straw addition, and metagenomic sequencing was used to characterise ARGs and bacterial communities in soil aggregates. The results showed that straw addition shifted the bacterial life strategies from K- to r-strategists in all aggregates, and the aerobic and anaerobic conditions stimulated the growth of aerobic and anaerobic r-strategist bacteria, respectively. The WS decreased the relative abundances of dominant ARGs such as QnrS5, whereas the AnWS increased their abundance. After straw addition, the macroaggregates consistently exhibited a higher number of significantly altered bacteria and ARGs than the silt+clay fractions. Network analysis revealed that the WS increased the number of aerobic r-strategist bacterial nodes and fostered more interactions between r-and K-strategist bacteria, thus promoting ARGs prevalence, whereas AnWS exhibited an opposite trend. These findings provide a new perspective for understanding the fate of ARGs and their controlling factors in soil ecosystems after straw addition. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS: Straw soil amendment has been recommended to mitigate soil fertility degradation, improve soil structure, and ultimately increase crop yields. However, our findings highlight the importance of the elevated prevalence of ARGs associated with r-strategist bacteria in macroaggregates following the addition of organic matter, particularly fresh substrates. In addition, when assessing the environmental risk posed by ARGs in soil that receives crop straw, it is essential to account for the soil moisture content. This is because the species of r-strategist bacteria that thrive under aerobic and anaerobic conditions play a dominant role in the dissemination and accumulation of ARG.

Rapid electrodeposition of Cu nanoparticle film on Ni foam as an integrated 3D free-standing electrode for non-invasive and non-enzymatic creatinine sensing.

High cost, inherent destabilization, and intricate fixing of enzyme molecules are the main drawbacks of enzyme-based creatinine sensors. The design of a low-cost, stabilizable, and enzyme-free creatinine sensing probe is essential to address these limitations. In this work, an integrated three-dimensional (3D) free-standing electrode was designed to serve as a non-enzymatic creatinine sensing platform and was fabricated by rapid electrodeposition of a dense copper nanoparticle film on nickel foam (Cu NP film/NF). This low-cost, stable, easy-to-fabricate, and binder-free Cu NP film/NF electrode has abundant active sites and excellent electrochemical performance. Cyclic voltammetry measurements show a wide linear range (0.25-24 mM), low detection limit (0.17 mM), and high sensitivity (306 µA mM-1 cm-2). The developed sensor shows high recovery of creatinine concentration in real urine. Besides, it has better specificity, reproducibility, and robustness in detecting creatinine. These excellent results suggest that a non-enzymatic creatinine sensor based on an integrated 3D free-standing Cu NP film/NF electrode has good potential for non-invasive detection of urinary creatinine.

CALD1 facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression in gastric cancer cells by modulating the PI3K-Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND: CALD1 has been discovered to be abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors, including gastric cancer (GC), and is associated with tumor progression and immune infiltration; however, the roles and mechanisms of CALD1 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in GC are unknown. AIM: To investigate the role and mechanism of CALD1 in GC progression, invasion, and migration. METHODS: In this study, the relationship between CALD1 and GC, as well as the possible network regulatory mechanisms of CALD1, was investigated by bioinformatics and validated by experiments. CALD1-siRNA was synthesized and used to transfect GC cells. Cell activity was measured using the CCK-8 method, cell migration and invasive ability were measured using wound healing assay and Transwell assay, and the expression levels of relevant genes and proteins in each group of cells were measured using qRT-PCR and Western blot. A GC cell xenograft model was established to verify the results of in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Bioinformatics results showed that CALD1 was highly expressed in GC tissues, and CALD1 was significantly higher in EMT-type GC tissues than in tissues of other types of GC. The prognosis of patients with high expression of CALD1 was worse than that of patients with low expression, and a prognostic model was constructed and evaluated. The experimental results were consistent with the results of the bioinformatics analysis. The expression level of CALD1 in GC cell lines was all higher than that in gastric epithelial cell line GES-1, with the strongest expression found in AGS and MKN45 cells. Cell activity was significantly reduced after CALD1-siRNA transfection of AGS and MKN45 cells. The ability of AGS and MKN45 cells to migrate and invade was reduced after CALD1-siRNA transfection, and the related mRNA and protein expression was altered. According to bioinformatics findings in GC samples, the CALD1 gene was significantly associated with the expression of members of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway as well as the EMT signaling pathway, and was closely related to the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Experimental validation revealed that upregulation of CALD1 increased the expression of PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR, members of the PI3K-Akt pathway,while decreasing the expression of PTEN; PI3K-Akt inhibitor treatment decreased the expression of PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR in cells overexpressing CALD1 (still higher than that in the normal group), but increased the expression of PTEN (still lower than that in the normal group). CCK-8 results revealed that the effect of CALD1 on tumor cell activity was decreased by the addition of the inhibitor. Scratch and Transwell experiments showed that the effect of CALD1 on tumor cell migration and invasion was weakened by the addition of the PI3K-Akt inhibitor. The mRNA and protein levels of EMT-related genes in AGS and MKN45 cells were greatly altered by the overexpression of CALD1, whereas the effect of overexpression of CALD1 was significantly weakened by the addition of the PI3K-Akt inhibitor. Animal experiments showed that tumour growth was slow after inhibition of CALD1, and the expression of some PI3K-Akt and EMT pathway proteins was altered. CONCLUSION: Increased expression of CALD1 is a key factor in the progression, invasion, and metastasis of GC, which may be associated with regulating the PI3K-Akt pathway to promote EMT.

Construction and characterization of recombinant senecavirus A expressing secreted luciferase for antiviral screening.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is a newly identified picornavirus associated with swine vesicular disease and neonatal mortality. The development of an SVA incorporating an exogenous reporter gene provides a powerful tool for viral research. In this study, we successfully constructed a recombinant SVA expressing Gaussia Luciferase (Gluc), termed rSVA-Gluc. The growth kinetics of rSVA-Gluc in BHK-21 cells were found to be comparable to those of the parental virus, and Gluc activity paralleled the virus growth curve. Genetic analysis revealed stable inheritance of the inserted reporter protein genes for at least six generations. We evaluated the utility of rSVA-Gluc in antiviral drug screening, and the results highlighted its potential as an effective tool for such purposes against SVA. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Chronic exposure to tire rubber-derived contaminant 6PPD-quinone impairs sperm quality and induces the damage of reproductive capacity in male mice.

It has been reported that N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPD-Q), a derivative of the tire antioxidant, N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD), exhibits acute toxicity towards organisms. However, the possible reproductive toxicity of 6PPD-Q in mammals has rarely been reported. In this study, the effects of 6PPD-Q on the reproductive toxicity of C57Bl/6 male mice were assessed after exposure to 6PPD-Q for 40 days at 4 mg/kg body weight (bw). Exposure to 6PPD-Q not only led to a decrease in testosterone levels but also adversely affected semen quality and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes, thereby indicating impaired male fertility resulting from 6PPD-Q exposure. Additionally, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that 6PPD-Q elicited differential expression of genes and metabolites primarily enriched in spermatogenesis, apoptosis, arginine biosynthesis, and sphingolipid metabolism in the testes of mice. In conclusion, our study reveals the toxicity of 6PPD-Q on the reproductive capacity concerning baseline endocrine disorders, sperm quality, germ cell apoptosis, and the sphingolipid signaling pathway in mice. These findings contribute to an enhanced understanding of the health hazards posed by 6PPD-Q to mammals, thereby facilitating the development of more robust safety regulations governing the utilization and disposal of rubber products.

Molecular transformation of dissolved organic matter in manganese ore-mediated constructed wetlands for fresh leachate treatment.

The organic matter (OM) and nitrogen in Fresh leachate (FL) from waste compression sites pose environmental and health risks. Even though the constructed wetland (CW) can efficiently remove these pollutants, the molecular-level transformations of dissolved OM (DOM) in FL remain uncertain. This study reports the molecular dynamics of DOM and nitrogen removal during FL treatment in CWs. Two lab-scale vertical-flow CW systems were employed: one using only sand as substrates (act as a control, CW-C) and the other employing an equal mixture of manganese ore powder and sand (experimental, CW-M). Over 488 days of operation, CW-M exhibited significantly higher removal rates for chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), and dissolved organic matter (represented by dissolved organic carbon, DOC) at 98.2 ± 2.5%, 99.2 ± 1.4%, and 97.9 ± 1.9%, respectively, in contrast to CW-C (92.8 ± 6.8%, 77.1 ± 28.1%, and 74.7 ± 9.5%). The three-dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (3D-EEM) and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) analyses unveiled that the influent DOM was predominantly composed of readily biodegradable protein-like substances with high carbon content and low unsaturation. Throughout treatment, it led to the degradation of low O/C and high H/C compounds, resulting in the formation of DOM with higher unsaturation and aromaticity, resembling humic-like substances. CW-M showcased a distinct DOM composition, characterized by lower carbon content yet higher unsaturation and aromaticity than CW-C. The study also identified the presence of Gammaproteobacteria, reported as Mn-oxidizing bacteria with significantly higher abundance in the upper and middle layers of CW-M, facilitating manganese cycling and improving DOM removal. Key pathways contributing to DOM removal encompassed adsorption, catalytic oxidation by manganese oxides, and microbial degradation. This study offers novel insights into DOM transformation and removal from FL during CW treatment, which will facilitate better design and enhanced performance.

Innovative gelatin-based micelles with AS1411 aptamer targeting and reduction responsiveness for doxorubicin delivery in tumor therapy.

Herein, we constructed innovative reduction-sensitive and targeted gelatin-based micelles for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery in tumor therapy. AS1411 aptamer-modified gelatin-ss-tocopherol succinate (AGSST) and the control GSST without AS1411 modification were synthesized and characterized. Antitumor drug DOX-containing AGSST (AGSST-D) and GSST-D nanoparticles were prepared, and their shapes were almost spherical. Reduction-responsive characteristics of DOX release in vitro were revealed in AGSST-D and GSST-D. Compared with non-targeted GSST-D, AGSST-D demonstrated better intracellular uptake and stronger cytotoxicity against nucleolin-overexpressed A549 cells. Importantly, AGSST-D micelles showed more effective killing activity in A549-bearing mice than GSST-D and DOX⋅HCl. It was revealed that AGSST-D micelles had no obvious systemic toxicity. Overall, AGSST micelles would have the potential to be an effective drug carrier for targeted tumor therapy.

Coherent perfect absorption from asymmetry transmissive Helmholtz resonator metamaterials.

We propose an asymmetry transmissive (AT) Helmholtz resonator metamaterial to interact with dual incidences of different polarizations from opposite directions to achieve coherent perfect absorption at a terahertz regime. More specifically, the proposed design will solely allow the x-polarized incidence tunnel into the Helmholtz resonator cavity array with roughly half the energy reflected. Meanwhile, the transmitted fields will be converted into the y-polarized counterparts so as to go out through the metamaterial and finally coherent canceled with the partially reflected fields of the other incidence. Our design, introducing the Helmholtz resonator array in the electromagnetics with an extension of the principle of polarization conversion under the coherent perfect absorption, should pave the way for the quest of building up more advanced wave trapping meta-devices for various applications in different disciplines.

Dual role of nitroarenes as electrophiles and arylamine surrogates in Buchwald-Hartwig-type coupling for C-N bond construction.

One of the most widely utilized methods for the construction of C(sp2)-N bonds is the transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl halides/boronic acids with amines, known as Ullmann condensation, Buchwald-Hartwig amination, and Chan-Lam coupling. However, aryl halides/boronic acids often require multi-step preparation while generating a large amount of corrosive and toxic waste, making the reaction less attractive. Herein, we present an unprecedented method for the C(sp2)-N formation via Buchwald-Hartwig-type reactions using synthetically upstream nitroarenes as the sole starting materials, thus eliminating the need for arylhalides and pre-formed arylamines. A diverse range of symmetrical di- and triarylamines were obtained in a single step from nitroarenes, and more importantly, various unsymmetrical di- and triarylamines were also highly selectively synthesized in a one-pot/two-step process. Furthermore, the success of the scale-up experiments, the late-stage functionalization of a drug intermediate, and the rapid preparation of hole-transporting material TCTA showcased the utility and practicality of this protocol in synthetic chemistry. Mechanistic studies indicate that this transformation may proceed via an arylamine intermediate generated in situ from the reduction of nitroarenes, which is followed by a denitrative Buchwald-Hartwig-type reaction with another nitroarene to form a C-N bond.

Comparative Mitogenomics Analysis Revealed Evolutionary Divergence among Neopestalotiopsis Species Complex (Fungi: Xylariales).

The genus Neopestalotiopsis consists of obligate parasites that cause ring spot, scab, and leaf blight diseases in higher plant species. We assembled the three complete mitogenomes for the guava fruit ring spot pathogen, Neopestalotiopsis cubana. The mitogenomes are circular, with sizes of 38,666 bp, 33,846 bp, and 32,593 bp. The comparative analyses with Pestalotiopsis fici showed that N. cubana differs greatly from it in the length of the mitogenomes and the number of introns. Moreover, they showed significant differences in the gene content and tRNAs. The two genera showed little difference in gene skewness and codon preference for core protein-coding genes (PCGs). We compared gene sequencing in the mitogenomes of the order Xylariales and found large-scale gene rearrangement events, such as gene translocations and the duplication of tRNAs. N. cubana shows a unique evolutionary position in the phylum Ascomycota constructed in phylogenetic analyses. We also found a more concentrated distribution of evolutionary pressures on the PCGs of Neopestalotiopsis in the phylum Ascomycota and that they are under little selective pressure compared to other species and are subjected to purifying selection. This study explores the evolutionary dynamics of the mitogenomes of Neopestalotiopsis and provides important support for genetic and taxonomic studies.

Neuroligin1 in excitatory synapses contributes to long-term cognitive impairments after repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures.

BACKGROUND: Repeated sevoflurane exposures in neonatal rats may lead to neuronal apoptosis affecting long-term cognitive function, the mechanism is unknown. Neuroligin1 (NL1) is essential for normal excitatory transmission and long-term synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of intact animals. Herein, we explore the role of NL1 in hippocampal excitatory synapses on long-term cognitive impairments induced by repeated sevoflurane exposures in neonatal rats. METHODS: From postnatal day six (P6) to P8, neonatal rats were exposed to 30% oxygen or 3% sevoflurane +30% oxygen for 2 h daily. Rats from each litter were randomly assigned to five groups: control group (Con), native control adeno-associated virus (NC-AAV) group (Con + NC-AAV), sevoflurane group (Sev), sevoflurane + recombinant RNAi adeno-associated virus targeting NL1 downregulation (NL1--AAV) group (Sev + NL1--AAV) and control + recombinant RNAi adeno-associated virus targeting NL1 upregulation (NL1+-AAV) group (Con + NL1+-AAV). Animals were injected with NC-AAV or NL1-AAV into the bilateral hippocampal CA1 area and caged on P21. From P35 to P40, behavioral tests including open field (OF), novel object recognition (NOR), and fear conditioning (FC) tests were performed to assess cognitive function in adolescent rats. In another experiment, rat brains were harvested for immunofluorescence staining, western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: We found that the mRNA and protein levels of NL1 were substantially higher in the Sev group than in the Con group. Immunofluorescence showed that NL1 and PSD95 were highly colocalized in hippocampal CA1 area and vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) around neurons decreased after repeated sevoflurane exposures. Co-immunoprecipitation showed that the amount of PSD95 with NL1 antibody was significantly increased in the Sev group compared to the Con group. These rats had a poorer performance in the NOR and FC tests than control rats when they were adolescents. These results were reversed by NL1--AAV injection into the CA1 area. NL1+-AAV group was similar to the Sev group. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures decreased inhibitory synaptic inputs (labelled by vGAT) around neurons, which may influence the upregulation of NL1 in hippocampal excitatory synapses and enhanced NL1/PSD95 interaction, ultimately leading to long-term cognitive impairments in adolescent rats. Injecting NL1--AAV reversed this damage. These results suggested that NL1 in excitatory synapses contributes to long-term cognitive impairments after repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures.

Sediment-seawater partitioning, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification of perfluorobutane sulfonamide in marine environment.

Environmental occurrence of perfluorobutane sulfonamide (PFBSA) has only been recently discovered. The current knowledge regarding the occurrence and environmental behaviors of PFBSA in the marine environment is still relatively limited. In this study, PFBSA and other 37 poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances were analyzed in seawater (n = 43), sediment (n = 43), and marine fish (n = 176) samples collected from East China Sea and Antarctic Ocean. PFBSA was detected in > 90% of seawater from East China Sea and Antarctic Ocean, with the concentrations of 1.0 - 19 ng/L and < LOD-228 pg/L, respectively. The field-based mean log-transformed sediment-seawater partitioning coefficients of PFBSA were 1.6 ± 0.19 L/kg dw and 1.1 ± 0.19 L/kg dw in East China Sea and Antarctic Ocean, respectively, which are lower than that of perfluorooctanoate and perfluorooctane sulfonate. This indicates its long-range transport potential in global oceans with ocean currents. The mean log-transformed bioaccumulation factor values of PFBSA determined in the multiple species of whole-body marine fishes from East China Sea and Antarctic Ocean were 2.3 L/kg ww and 2.4 L/kg ww, respectively, which are comparable to that of perfluoroheptanoate (2.3 L/kg ww) in marine fishes from East China Sea. We did not observe an obvious biomagnification or biodilution of PFBSA along the marine food chain in East China Sea or Antarctic Ocean. This study provides the first data on the environmental behaviors of PFBSA in the marine environment.

Preparation of biocompatibility coating on magnesium alloy surface by sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel.

Magnesium alloy is an excellent material for biodegradable cerebrovascular stents. However, the rapid degradation rate of magnesium alloy will make stent unstable. To improve the biocompatibility of magnesium alloy, in this study, biodegradable sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan (SA/CMCS) was used to coat onto hydrothermally treated the surface of magnesium alloy by a dipping coating method. The results show that the SA/CMCS coating facilitates the growth, proliferation, and migration of endothelial cells and promotes neovascularization. Moreover, the SA/CMCS coating suppresses macrophage activation while promoting their transformation into M2 type macrophages. Overall, the SA/CMCS coating demonstrates positive effects on the safety and biocompatibility of magnesium alloy after implantation, and provide a promising therapy for the treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in the future.

Stress-Relief Engineering in a N-Doped C-Modified Hierarchical Nanoporous Si Anode with a Microcurved Pore Wall Structure for Enhanced Lithium Storage.

The commercialization of alloy-type anodes has been hindered by rapid capacity degradation due to volume fluctuations. To address this issue, stress-relief engineering is proposed for Si anodes that combines hierarchical nanoporous structures and modified layers, inspired by the phenomenon in which structures with continuous changes in curvature can reduce stress concentration. The N-doped C-modified hierarchical nanoporous Si anode with a microcurved pore wall (N-C@m-HNP Si) is prepared from inexpensive Mg-55Si alloys using a simple chemical etching and heat treatment process. When used as the anode for lithium-ion batteries, the N-C@m-HNP Si anode exhibits initial charge/discharge specific capacities of 1092.93 and 2636.32 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C (1 C = 3579 mA g-1), respectively, and a stable reversible specific capacity of 1071.84 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles. The synergy of the hierarchical porous structure with a microcurved pore wall and the N-doped C-modified layer effectively improves the electrochemical performance of N-C@m-HNP Si, and the effectiveness of stress-relief engineering is quantitatively analyzed through the theory of elastic bending of thin plates. Moreover, the formation process of Li15Si4 crystals, which causes substantial mechanical stress, is investigated using first-principles molecular dynamic simulations to reveal their tendency to occur at different scales. The results demonstrate that the hierarchical nanoporous structure helps to inhibit the transformation of amorphous LixSi into metastable Li15Si4 crystals during lithiation.

Effects of Feather Hydrolysates Generated by Probiotic Bacillus licheniformis WHU on Gut Microbiota of Broiler and Common carp.

Due to the ever-increasing demand for meat, it has become necessary to identify cheap and sustainable sources of protein for animal feed. Feathers are the major byproduct of poultry industry, which are rich in hard-to-degrade keratin protein. Previously we found that intact feathers can be digested into free amino acids, short peptides, and nano-/micro-keratin particles by the strain Bacillus licheniformis WHU in water, and the resulting feather hydrolysates exhibit prebiotic effects on mice. To explore the potential utilization of feather hydrolysate in the feed industry, we investigated its effects on the gut microbiota of broilers and fish. Our results suggest that feather hydrolysates significantly decrease and increase the diversity of gut microbial communities in broilers and fish, respectively. The composition of the gut microbiota was markedly altered in both of the animals. The abundance of bacteria with potentially pathogenic phenotypes in the gut microbial community of the fish significantly decreased. Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Neisseria spp., Achromobacter spp. were significantly inhibited by the feather hydrolysates. In addition, feather hydrolysates significantly improved proteolytic activity in the guts of broilers and fish. In fish, the expression levels of ZO-1 and TGF-α significantly improved after administration of feather hydrolysates. The results presented here suggest that feather hydrolysates generated by B. licheniformis WHU could be an alternative protein source in aquaculture and could exert beneficial effects on fish.

Teleoperation of an Anthropomorphic Robot Hand with a Metamorphic Palm and Tunable-Stiffness Soft Fingers.

Teleoperation in soft robotics can endow soft robots with the ability to perform complex tasks through human-robot interaction. In this study, we propose a teleoperated anthropomorphic soft robot hand with variable degrees of freedom (DOFs) and a metamorphic palm. The soft robot hand consists of four pneumatic-actuated fingers, which can be heated to tune stiffness. A metamorphic mechanism was actuated to morph the hand palm by servo motors. The human fingers' DOF, gesture, and muscle stiffness were collected and mapped to the soft robotic hand through the sensory feedback from surface electromyography devices on the jib. The results show that the proposed soft robot hand can generate a variety of anthropomorphic configurations and can be remotely controlled to perform complex tasks such as primitively operating the cell phone and placing the building blocks. We also show that the soft hand can grasp a target through the slit by varying the DOFs and stiffness in a trail.

On-Shelf and Operational Decay Dynamics of Self-Healing Quasi-Two-Dimensional Perovskite Light-Emitting Devices.

Currently, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) is approaching its theoretical limit. The main drawback of PeLEDs is their stability. Ion migration in the perovskite layer is one of the main causes of the operational decomposition of PeLEDs. Here, we find that butylammonium-based quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) PeLEDs show self-healing ability, revealing the existence of ion migration in the fabricated perovskite layer. Then, on the basis of the analysis of ∼170 operational decay EQE curves, patterns of on-shelf and operational decay in self-healing quasi-2D PeLEDs have been identified. The uneven distributions of resistance on the perovskite film surface are proposed to cause secondary electric fields. The electroluminescent scintillation in certain regions results in fluctuating electroluminescence of PeLEDs, further proving the existence of microcosmic steric ion movement under secondary electric fields. Our work explores the decay patterns of self-healing PeLEDs and highlights the impact of steric ion movements on the decay processes of PeLEDs.

Construction and characterization of a full-length infectious clone of an emerging senecavirus A strain.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is an emerging virus that causes vesicular disease in pigs. Construction of a full-length SVA cDNA clone is crucial for understanding its replication and pathogenesis. Here, we successfully constructed a CMV-promoter-driven infectious cDNA clone of the SVA isolate SVA/GX/CH/2018, which we named rSVA GX01. Sequence comparison between the pSVA GX01 and the parental isolate (SVA/GX/CH/2018) revealed three single-nucleotide differences. Four-week-old piglets were experimentally infected with either the parental virus or the cloned virus. The results showed that the cloned rSVA GX01 displayed weak pathogenicity in 4-week-old pigs compared to the parental virus SVA CH-GX-01-2018. The infectious clone of SVA will serve as a valuable tool for studying the viral replication cycle and for functional analysis of the viral genome.

Methane emission from water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir: Seasonal variation and microbial mechanism.

Periodic and significant water level fluctuations within the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) create a complex water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) that can significantly influence greenhouse gas emissions. However, the scarcity of comprehensive studies investigating long-term monitoring and analysis of CH4 flux patterns and underlying mechanisms concerning water level variations, environmental characteristics, and microbial communities has limited our understanding. This study conducted a four-year monitoring campaign to examine in situ CH4 emissions from three representative sampling sites. Results indicated that the CH4 flux remained relatively stable at lower water levels, specifically at the control site (S1). However, water level fluctuations significantly influenced CH4 emissions at the sampling sites situated within the WLFZ. Notably, the highest CH4 flux of 0.252 ± 0.089 mg/(m2·h) was observed during the drying period (June to August), while the lowest CH4 flux of 0.048 ± 0.026 mg/(m2·h) was recorded during the flooding period. Moreover, CH4 emissions through the water-air interface surpassed those through the soil-air interface. The CH4 flux positively correlated with organic carbon, temperature, and soil moisture. The relative abundance of methane metabolism microorganisms peaked during the drying period and decreased during the impounding and flooding periods. The primary methanogenesis pathway was hydrogenotrophic, whereas methanotrophic processes were mainly aerobic, with Ca. Methylomirabilis governing the anaerobic methanotrophic process. Overall, the current findings serve as crucial theoretical references for understanding CH4 emissions and carbon metabolism processes within WLFZ environments.