Spatial chromatin accessibility sequencing resolves high-order spatial interactions of epigenomic markers.

As the genome is organized into a three-dimensional structure in intracellular space, epigenomic information also has a complex spatial arrangement. However, most epigenetic studies describe locations of methylation marks, chromatin accessibility regions, and histone modifications in the horizontal dimension. Proper spatial epigenomic information has rarely been obtained. In this study, we designed spatial chromatin accessibility sequencing (SCA-seq) to resolve the genome conformation by capturing the epigenetic information in single-molecular resolution while simultaneously resolving the genome conformation. Using SCA-seq, we are able to examine the spatial interaction of chromatin accessibility (e.g. enhancer-promoter contacts), CpG island methylation, and spatial insulating functions of the CCCTC-binding factor. We demonstrate that SCA-seq paves the way to explore the mechanism of epigenetic interactions and extends our knowledge in 3D packaging of DNA in the nucleus.

Single-shot measurement of the Jones matrix for anisotropic media using four-channel digital polarization holography.

Dynamic measurement of the Jones matrix is crucial in investigating polarization light fields, which have wide applications in biophysics, chemistry, and mineralogy. However, acquiring the four elements of the Jones matrix instantly is difficult, hindering the characterization of random media and transient processes. In this study, we propose a single-shot measurement method of the Jones matrix for anisotropic media called "four-channel digital polarization holography" (FC-DPH). The FC-DPH system is created by a slightly off-axis superposition of reference light waves, which are modulated by a spatial light modulator (SLM), and signal light waves that pass through a Ronchi grating. The SLM enables flexible adjustment of the spatial carrier frequency, which can be adapted to different anisotropic media. The four elements of the Jones matrix can be obtained from the interferogram through the inverse Fourier transform. Optical experiments on anisotropic objects validate the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method.

An investigation of the risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in natural population-based cohorts in China - a nested case-control study.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become one of the most significant chronic diseases in China. According to conventional wisdom, smoking is the pathogenic factor. However, current research indicates that the pathophysiology of COPD may be associated with prior respiratory system events (e.g., childhood hospitalization for pneumonia, chronic bronchitis) and environmental exposure (e.g., dust from workplace, indoor combustion particles). Dyspnea, persistent wheezing, and other respiratory symptoms further point to the need for pulmonary function tests in this population. Reducing the burden of chronic diseases in China requires a thorough understanding of the various factors that influence the occurrence of COPD. Methods: Using a cohort from the natural population, this study used nested case-control analysis. We carried out a number of researches, including questionnaire surveys and pulmonary function testing, in the Northwest and Southeast cohorts of China between 2014 and 2021. After removing any variations in the baseline data between patients and control subjects using propensity score matching analysis, the risk factors were examined using univariate or multivariate regression. Result: It was discovered that prior history of chronic bronchitis, long-term wheezing symptoms, and environmental exposure-including smoking and biofuel combustion-were risk factors for COPD. Dyspnea, symptoms of mobility limitation, organic matter, and a history of hospitalization for pneumonia at an early age were not significant in the clinical model but their incidence in COPD group is higher than that in healthy population. Discussion: COPD screening effectiveness can be increased by looking for individuals with chronic respiratory symptoms. Smokers should give up as soon as they can, and families that have been exposed to biofuels for a long time should convert to clean energy or upgrade their ventilation. Individuals who have previously been diagnosed with emphysema and chronic bronchitis ought to be extra mindful of the prevention or advancement of COPD.

Molecular catalysts with electronic axial stretching for high-performance lean-oxygen seawater batteries.

A dissolved-oxygen seawater battery (SWB) can generate electricity by reducing dissolved oxygen and sacrificing the metal anode at different depths and temperatures in the ocean, acting as the basic unit of spatially underwater energy networks for future maritime exploration. However, most traditional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts are out of work at such ultralow dissolved oxygen concentration. Here, we proposed that the electronic axial stretching of the catalyst is essentially responsible for enhancing the catalyst's sensitivity to dissolved oxygen. By modulating the lattice of iron phthalocyanine (FePc) as a model catalyst, the unique electronic axial stretching in the z-direction of planar FePc molecules was realized to achieve a boosted adsorption and electron transfer and result in a much improved ORR activity in lean-oxygen seawater environment. The peak power density of a homemade SWB using a practical carbon brush electrode decorated by the FePc is estimated to be as high as 3 W L-1. These results provide inspiring insights into the interaction between the catalyst and complicated seawater environment, and propose the electronic axial stretching as an effective indicator for the rational design of catalysts to be used in extremely lean-oxygen environment.

Production of gas-releasing electrolyte-replenishing Ah-scale zinc metal pouch cells with aqueous gel electrolyte.

Aqueous zinc batteries are ideal candidates for grid-scale energy storage because of their safety and low-cost aspects. However, the production of large-format aqueous Zn batteries is hindered by electrolyte consumption, hydrogen gas evolution and accumulation, and Zn dendrites growth. To circumvent these issues, here we propose an "open" pouch cell design for large-format production of aqueous Zn batteries, which can release hydrogen gas and allow the refilling of the electrolyte components consumed during cell cycling. The cell uses a gel electrolyte containing crosslinked kappa (k)-carrageenan and chitosan. It bonds water molecules and hinders their side reaction with Zn, preventing electrolyte leakage and fast evaporation. As a proof-of-concept, we report the assembly and testing of a Zn | |ZnxV2O5·nH2O multi-layer "open" pouch cell using the carrageenan/chitosan gel electrolyte, which delivers an initial discharge capacity of 0.9 Ah and 84% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 200 mA g‒1, 370 kPa and 25 °C.

Formation of soil organic carbon pool is regulated by the structure of dissolved organic matter and microbial carbon pump efficacy: A decadal study comparing different carbon management strategies.

To achieve long-term increases in soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, it is essential to understand the effects of carbon management strategies on SOC formation pathways, particularly through changes in microbial necromass carbon (MNC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Using a 14-year field study, we demonstrate that both biochar and maize straw lifted the SOC ceiling, but through different pathways. Biochar, while raising SOC and DOC content, decreased substrate degradability by increasing carbon aromaticity. This resulted in suppressed microbial abundance and enzyme activity, which lowered soil respiration, weakened in vivo turnover and ex vivo modification for MNC production (i.e., low microbial carbon pump "efficacy"), and led to lower efficiency in decomposing MNC, ultimately resulting in the net accumulation of SOC and MNC. In contrast, straw incorporation increased the content and decreased the aromaticity of SOC and DOC. The enhanced SOC degradability and soil nutrient content, such as total nitrogen and total phosphorous, stimulated the microbial population and activity, thereby boosting soil respiration and enhancing microbial carbon pump "efficacy" for MNC production. The total C added to biochar and straw plots were estimated as 27.3-54.5 and 41.4 Mg C ha-1 , respectively. Our results demonstrated that biochar was more efficient in lifting the SOC stock via exogenous stable carbon input and MNC stabilization, although the latter showed low "efficacy". Meanwhile, straw incorporation significantly promoted net MNC accumulation but also stimulated SOC mineralization, resulting in a smaller increase in SOC content (by 50%) compared to biochar (by 53%-102%). The results address the decadal-scale effects of biochar and straw application on the formation of the stable organic carbon pool in soil, and understanding the causal mechanisms can allow field practices to maximize SOC content.

A Self-Deoxidizing Electrolyte Additive Enables Highly Stable Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

In aqueous zinc (Zn) batteries, the Zn anode suffers from severe corrosion reactions and consequent dendrite growth troubles that cause fast performance decay. Herein, we uncover the corrosion mechanism and confirm that the dissolved oxygen (DO) other than the reputed proton is a principal origin of Zn corrosion and by-product precipitates, especially during the initial battery resting period. In a break from common physical deoxygenation methods, we propose a chemical self-deoxygenation strategy to tackle the DO-induced hazards. As a proof of concept, sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) is introduced to aqueous electrolytes as a self-deoxidizing additive. As a result, the Zn anode sustains a long-term cycling of 2500 h at 0.5 mA cm-2 and over 1100 h at 5 mA cm-2 together with a high Coulombic efficiency up to 99.6 %. The full cells also show a high capacity retention of 92 % after 500 cycles. Our findings provide a renewed understanding of Zn corrosion in aqueous electrolytes and also a practical solution towards industrializing aqueous Zn batteries.

BIND&MODIFY: a long-range method for single-molecule mapping of chromatin modifications in eukaryotes.

Epigenetic modifications of histones are associated with development and pathogenesis of disease. Existing approaches cannot provide insights into long-range interactions and represent the average chromatin state. Here we describe BIND&MODIFY, a method using long-read sequencing for profiling histone modifications and transcription factors on individual DNA fibers. We use recombinant fused protein A-M.EcoGII to tether methyltransferase M.EcoGII to protein binding sites to label neighboring regions by methylation. Aggregated BIND&MODIFY signal matches bulk ChIP-seq and CUT&TAG. BIND&MODIFY can simultaneously measure histone modification status, transcription factor binding, and CpG 5mC methylation at single-molecule resolution and also quantifies correlation between local and distal elements.

A novel red-emitting aggregation-induced emission probe for determination of ß-glucosidase activity.

ß-Glucosidase (ß-Glu) is a ubiquitous enzyme which has multiple roles in medical diagnosis, food production, agriculture, etc. Existing ß-Glu assays have limitations such as complex operation, long running time, and high background noise. Here we report a red-emissive probe TBPG for measuring the activity of ß-Glu. The probe was synthesized through conjugating a ß-Glu targeting glucoside to an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore. In the presence of ß-Glu, TBPG was hydrolyzed and exhibited a fluorescence turn-on process. The detection conditions including time, temperature, pH value, buffer, and probe concentration were optimized systematically. Afterwards, fluorescence titration was conducted showing an excellent linearity (R2 = 0.998), a wide linear dynamic range (0-5.0 U/mL), and a limit of detection as low as 0.6 U/L. The detection specificity and ion interference were evaluated by adding various biological species and ions to probe without or with ß-Glu. Next, we demonstrate the applicability of probe TBPG in determining the ß-Glu activity in living cells using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Finally, this newly established assay was applied to real soil samples. Comparable results were obtained as the commercial assay, manifesting its great potential in soil enzyme analysis.

Inducing Inorganic Carbon Accrual in Subsoil through Biochar Application on Calcareous Topsoil.

Biochar amendments add persistent organic carbon to soil and can stabilize rhizodeposits and existing soil organic carbon (SOC), but effects of biochar on subsoil carbon stocks have been overlooked. We quantified changes in soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and SOC to 2 m depth 10 years after biochar application to calcareous soil. The total soil carbon (i.e., existing SOC, SIC, and biochar-C) increased by 71, 182, and 210% for B30, B60, and B90, respectively. Biochar application at 30, 60, and 90 t ha-1 rates significantly increased SIC by 10, 38, and 68 t ha-1, respectively, with accumulation mainly occurring in the subsoil (below 1 m). This huge increase of SIC (mainly CaCO3) is ∼100 times larger than the inorganic carbon present in the added biochar (0.3, 0.6, or 0.9 t ha-1). The benzene polycarboxylic acid method showed that the biochar-amended soil contained more black carbon particles (6.8 times higher than control soil) in the depth of 1.4-1.6 m, which provided the direct quantitative evidence for biochar migration into subsoil after a decade. Spectral and energy spectrum analysis also showed an obvious biochar structure in the biochar-amended subsoil, accompanied by a Ca/Mg carbonate cluster, which provided further evidence for downward migration of biochar after a decade. To explain SIC accumulation in subsoil with biochar amendment, the interacting mechanisms are proposed: (1) biochar amendment significantly increases subsoil pH (0.3-0.5 units) 10 years after biochar application, thus forming a favorable pH environment in the subsoil to precipitate HCO3-; and (2) the transported biochar in subsoil can act as nuclei to precipitate SIC. Biochar amendment enhanced SIC by up to 80%; thus, the effects on carbon stocks in subsoil must be understood to inform strategies for carbon dioxide removal through biochar application. Our study provided critical knowledge on the impact of biochar application to topsoil on carbon stocks in subsoil in the long term.

Aminosilane Molecular Layer Enables Successive Capture-Diffusion-Deposition of Ions toward Reversible Zinc Electrochemistry.

The aqueous zinc (Zn) battery is a safe and eco-friendly energy-storage system. However, the use of Zn metal anodes is impeded by uncontrolled Zn deposition behavior. Herein, we regulate the Zn-ion deposition process for dendrite-free Zn metal anodes using an aminosilane molecular layer with high zincophilic sites and narrow molecule channels. The aminosilane molecular layer causes Zn ions to undergo consecutive processes including being captured by the amine functional groups of aminosilane and diffusing through narrow intermolecular channels before electroplating, which induces partial dehydration of hydrated Zn ions and uniform Zn ion flux, promoting reversible Zn stripping/plating. Through this molecule-induced capture-diffusion-deposition procedure of Zn ions, smooth and compact Zn electrodeposited layers are obtained. Hence, the aminosilane-modified Zn anode has high Coulombic efficiency (∼99.5%), long lifespan (∼3000 h), and high capacity retention in full cells (88.4% for 600 cycles). This strategy not only has great potential for achieving dendrite-free Zn anodes in practical Zn batteries but also suggests an interface-modification principle at the molecular level for other alternative metallic anodes.

Core strength training in university female tennis players / Treino de fortalecimento do core em tenistas universitárias / Entrenamiento de la fuerza del core en tenistas universitarias

ABSTRACT Introduction Core strength training has been extensively used in competitive sports training, achieving remarkable results in the most competitive sports training by maximizing athletes' strength and accuracy. It is believed that a specific protocol for female university tennis players can bring the same results. Objective Verify the effectiveness of core strength training in the performance of female university tennis players. Methods Randomized controlled trial of female university tennis players (n=40) with a specific core strength training protocol versus traditional strength training methods. Changes in tactical skills pre and post-experiment were compared. Descriptive statistical treatment of the collected results was confronted with current literature. Results Compared with traditional strength training, core strength training proved to be more conducive to developing core strength in female college tennis players. Conclusion Core strength training assists in the development of skills and tactics in female college tennis players. Evidence level II; Therapeutic Studies - Investigating the results.

RESUMO Introdução O treino de fortalecimento do core tem sido amplamente utilizado no treinamento esportivo competitivo, alcançando resultados notáveis no treino esportivo mais acirrado ao maximizar a força e precisão dos atletas. Acredita-se que um protocolo específico para as tenistas universitárias possa causar os mesmos resultados. Objetivo Verificar a eficácia do treinamento de força do core no treinamento de tenistas universitárias. Métodos Estudo randomizado controlado de tenistas universitárias (n=40) com protocolo específico de fortalecimento de core para fortalecimento versus métodos tradicionais de treino de força. Foram comparadas as alterações das habilidades táticas pré e pós experimento. O tratamento estatístico descritivo dos resultados coletados foi confrontado com a literatura atual. Resultados Comparado com o treinamento de força tradicional, o treinamento de força do core revelou-se mais propício ao desenvolvimento da força do core em tenistas universitárias. Conclusão O treinamento de força do core auxilia no desenvolvimento da habilidade e tática das tenistas universitárias. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - Investigação de resultados.

RESUMEN Introducción El entrenamiento de la fuerza del core se ha utilizado ampliamente en el entrenamiento deportivo de competición, logrando resultados notables en el entrenamiento deportivo más competitivo al maximizar la fuerza y la precisión de los atletas. Se cree que un protocolo específico para los tenistas universitarios puede provocar los mismos resultados. Objetivo Comprobar la eficacia del entrenamiento de la fuerza del core en el entrenamiento de las tenistas universitarias. Métodos Estudio controlado aleatorio de jugadoras de tenis universitarias (n=40) con un protocolo específico de entrenamiento de la fuerza del core para el fortalecimiento frente a los métodos tradicionales de entrenamiento de la fuerza. Se compararon los cambios en las habilidades tácticas antes y después del experimento. El tratamiento estadístico descriptivo de los resultados recogidos se confrontó con la literatura actual. Resultados En comparación con el entrenamiento de fuerza tradicional, el entrenamiento de fuerza del core demostró ser más propicio para el desarrollo de la fuerza del core en las tenistas universitarias. Conclusión El entrenamiento de la fuerza del core ayuda al desarrollo de la habilidad y la táctica de las tenistas universitarias. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de resultados.

Microspectroscopic visualization of how biochar lifts the soil organic carbon ceiling.

The soil carbon (C) saturation concept suggests an upper limit to the storage of soil organic carbon (SOC). It is set by the mechanisms that protect soil organic matter from mineralization. Biochar has the capacity to protect new C, including rhizodeposits and microbial necromass. However, the decadal-scale mechanisms by which biochar influences the molecular diversity, spatial heterogeneity, and temporal changes in SOC persistence, remain unresolved. Here we show that the soil C storage ceiling of a Ferralsol under subtropical pasture was raised by a second application of Eucalyptus saligna biochar 8.2 years after the first application-the first application raised the soil C storage ceiling by 9.3 Mg new C ha-1 and the second application raised this by another 2.3 Mg new C ha-1. Linking direct visual evidence from one-, two-, and three-dimensional analyses with SOC quantification, we found high spatial heterogeneity of C functional groups that resulted in the retention of rhizodeposits and microbial necromass in microaggregates (53-250 µm) and the mineral fraction (<53 µm). Microbial C-use efficiency was concomitantly increased by lowering specific enzyme activities, contributing to the decreased mineralization of native SOC by 18%. We suggest that the SOC ceiling can be lifted using biochar in (sub)tropical grasslands globally.

Steering surface reconstruction of copper with electrolyte additives for CO2 electroreduction.

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to value-added hydrocarbon products using metallic copper (Cu) catalysts is a potentially sustainable approach to facilitate carbon neutrality. However, Cu metal suffers from unavoidable and uncontrollable surface reconstruction during electrocatalysis, which can have either adverse or beneficial effects on its electrocatalytic performance. In a break from the current catalyst design path, we propose a strategy guiding the reconstruction process in a favorable direction to improve the performance. Typically, the controlled surface reconstruction is facilely realized using an electrolyte additive, ethylenediamine tetramethylenephosphonic acid, to substantially promote CO2 electroreduction to CH4 for commercial polycrystalline Cu. As a result, a stable CH4 Faradaic efficiency of 64% with a partial current density of 192 mA cm-2, thus enabling an impressive CO2-to-CH4 conversion rate of 0.25 µmol cm-2 s-1, is achieved in an alkaline flow cell. We believe our study will promote the exploration of electrochemical reconstruction and provide a promising route for the discovery of high-performance electrocatalysts.

Sequencing of methylase-accessible regions in integral circular extrachromosomal DNA reveals differences in chromatin structure.

BACKGROUND: Although extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) has been intensively studied for several decades, the mechanisms underlying its tumorigenic effects have been revealed only recently. In most conventional sequencing studies, the high-throughput short-read sequencing largely ignores the epigenetic status of most ecDNA regions except for the junctional areas. METHODS: Here, we developed a method of sequencing enzyme-accessible chromatin in circular DNA (CCDA-seq) based on the use of methylase to label open chromatin without fragmentation and exonuclease to enrich ecDNA sequencing depth, followed by long-read nanopore sequencing. RESULTS: Using CCDA-seq, we observed significantly different patterns in nucleosome/regulator binding to ecDNA at a single-molecule resolution. CONCLUSIONS: These results deepen the understanding of ecDNA regulatory mechanisms.

Boosting carbon monoxide production during CO2 reduction reaction via Cu-Sb2O3 interface cooperation.

Development of multiple-component catalyst materials is a new trend in electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR). A new type of metal-oxide interaction is reported here to improve carbon monoxide production via synergistic effect between the CO2-to hydrocarbon selective metal material and CO2-to hydrogen generation oxide material. Cu/Sb2O3 material originates from the hetero-structured CuO/Sb2O3 by a facile two-step hydrolysis and precipitation method, cooperative to inhibit hydrogen evolution or methane product, achieving CO Faradaic efficiency to 92% in CO2 saturated KCl electrolyte at -0.99 V with good stability. The formation of a stable *COOH intermediate by electronic and geometric effects via Cu and Sb2O3 are responsible to promote CO selectivity. Cu-Sb2O3 interface interaction also destabilizes the adsorption *H as well, an intermediate for H2 evolution. This study proposes a versatile design strategy for construction and utilization of metal-oxide interface for eCO2RR.

Addressless: A new internet server model to prevent network scanning.

Eliminating unnecessary exposure is a principle of server security. The huge IPv6 address space enhances security by making scanning infeasible, however, with recent advances of IPv6 scanning technologies, network scanning is again threatening server security. In this paper, we propose a new model named addressless server, which separates the server into an entrance module and a main service module, and assigns an IPv6 prefix instead of an IPv6 address to the main service module. The entrance module generates a legitimate IPv6 address under this prefix by encrypting the client address, so that the client can access the main server on a destination address that is different in each connection. In this way, the model provides isolation to the main server, prevents network scanning, and minimizes exposure. Moreover it provides a novel framework that supports flexible load balancing, high-availability, and other desirable features. The model is simple and does not require any modification to the client or the network. We implement a prototype and experiments show that our model can prevent the main server from being scanned at a slight performance cost.

A Corrosion-Resistant and Dendrite-Free Zinc Metal Anode in Aqueous Systems.

Rechargeable aqueous zinc (Zn) ion-based energy storage systems have been reviving recently because of their low cost and high safety merits; however, they still suffer from the problems of corrosion and dendrite growth on Zn metal anodes that cause gas generation and early battery failure. Unfortunately, the corrosion problem has not received sufficient attention until now. Here, it is pioneeringly demonstrated that decorating the Zn surface with a dual-functional metallic indium (In) layer, acting as both a corrosion inhibitor and a nucleating agent, is a facile but effective strategy to suppress both drastic corrosion and dendrite growth. Symmetric cells assembled with the treated Zn electrodes can sustain up to 1500 h of plating/stripping cycles with an ultralow voltage hysteresis (54 mV), and a 5000 cycle-life is achieved for a prototype full cell. This work will instigate the further development of aqueous metal-based energy storage systems.