Clinical application of a GPU-accelerated monte carlo dose verification for cyberknife M6 with Iris collimator.

PURPOSE: To apply an independent GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo (MC) dose verification for CyberKnife M6 with Iris collimator and evaluate the dose calculation accuracy of RayTracing (TPS-RT) algorithm and Monte Carlo (TPS-MC) algorithm in the Precision treatment planning system (TPS). METHODS: GPU-accelerated MC algorithm (ArcherQA-CK) was integrated into a commercial dose verification system, ArcherQA, to implement the patient-specific quality assurance in the CyberKnife M6 system. 30 clinical cases (10 cases in head, and 10 cases in chest, and 10 cases in abdomen) were collected in this study. For each case, three different dose calculation methods (TPS-MC, TPS-RT and ArcherQA-CK) were implemented based on the same treatment plan and compared with each other. For evaluation, the 3D global gamma analysis and dose parameters of the target volume and organs at risk (OARs) were analyzed comparatively. RESULTS: For gamma pass rates at the criterion of 2%/2 mm, the results were over 98.0% for TPS-MC vs.TPS-RT, TPS-MC vs. ArcherQA-CK and TPS-RT vs. ArcherQA-CK in head cases, 84.9% for TPS-MC vs.TPS-RT, 98.0% for TPS-MC vs. ArcherQA-CK and 83.3% for TPS-RT vs. ArcherQA-CK in chest cases, 98.2% for TPS-MC vs.TPS-RT, 99.4% for TPS-MC vs. ArcherQA-CK and 94.5% for TPS-RT vs. ArcherQA-CK in abdomen cases. For dose parameters of planning target volume (PTV) in chest cases, the deviations of TPS-RT vs. TPS-MC and ArcherQA-CK vs. TPS-MC had significant difference (P < 0.01), and the deviations of TPS-RT vs. TPS-MC and TPS-RT vs. ArcherQA-CK were similar (P > 0.05). ArcherQA-CK had less calculation time compared with TPS-MC (1.66 min vs. 65.11 min). CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed MC dose engine (ArcherQA-CK) has a high degree of consistency with the Precision TPS-MC algorithm, which can quickly identify the calculation errors of TPS-RT algorithm for some chest cases. ArcherQA-CK can provide accurate patient-specific quality assurance in clinical practice.

Multi-Modal Melt-Processing of Birefringent Cellulosic Materials for Eco-Friendly Anti-Counterfeiting.

Ubiquitous anti-counterfeiting materials with a rapidly rising annual consumption (over 1010 m2) can pose a serious environmental burden. Biobased cellulosic materials with birefringence offer attractive sustainable alternatives, but their scalable solvent-free processing remain challenging. Here, a dynamic chemical modification strategy is proposed for multi-modal melt-processing of birefringent cellulosic materials for eco-friendly anti-counterfeiting. Relying on the thermal-activated dynamic covalent-locking of the spatial topological structure of preferred oriented cellulose, the strategy balances the contradiction between the strong confinement of long-range ordered structures and the molecular motility required for entropically-driven reconstruction. Equipped with customizable processing forms including mold-pressing, spinning, direct-ink-writing, and blade-coating, the materials exhibit a wide color gamut, self-healing efficiency (94.5%), recyclability, and biodegradability. Moreover, the diversified flexible elements facilitate scalable fabrication and compatibility with universal processing techniques, thereby enabling versatile and programmable anti-counterfeiting. The strategy is expected to provide references for multi-modal melt-processing of cellulose and promote sustainable innovation in the anti-counterfeiting industry.

Phytochemical and biological studies on rare and endangered plants endemic to China. Part XXXVI. Tsugaforrestiacids A-O: Structurally diverse C-18 carboxylated diterpenoids from the twigs and needles of the 'vulnerable' conifer Tsuga forrestii and their inhibitory effects on ATP-citrate lyase.

An extensive phytochemical investigation on the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the 90% MeOH extract from the twigs and needles of the 'vulnerable' Chinese endemic conifer Tsuga forrestii (Forrest's hemlock) led to the isolation and characterization of 50 structurally diverse diterpenoids, including 15 unreported C-18 carboxylated ones (tsugaforrestiacids A-O, 1-15, resp.). Among them, compounds 1-7 are abieten-18-oic acids, compound 8 is an abieten-18-succinate, and compounds 10-12 are podocarpen-18-oic acids, whereas compounds 13-15 are pimarane-type, isopimarane-type, and totarane-type diterpenoid acids, respectively. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by a combination of spectroscopic methods, GIAO NMR calculations and DP4+ probability analyses, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against the ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), a key enzyme in cellular metabolism. Tsugaforrestiacids E (5) and H (8) were found to have significant inhibitory effects against ACL, with IC50 values of 5.3 and 6.2 µM, respectively. The interactions of the bioactive molecules with the ACL enzyme were examined by molecular docking studies. The isolated diterpenoids also provide chemotaxonomic evidence to support the delimitation of Tsuga from its closest sister group (Nothotsuga). The above findings highlight the importance of protecting plant species with unique and diverse secondary metabolites, which may be potential sources of new therapeutic agents for the treating ACL-associated diseases.

Robust Ferrimagnetism and Ferroelectricity in 2D ɛ-Fe2O3 Semiconductor with Ultrahigh Ordering Temperature.

2D single-phase multiferroic materials with the coexistence of electric and spin polarization offer a tantalizing potential for high-density multilevel data storage. One of the current limitations for application is the scarcity of the materials, especially those combine ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at high temperatures. Here, robust ferrimagnetism and ferroelectricity in 2D ɛ-Fe2O3 samples with both single-crystalline and polycrystalline form are demonstrated. Interestingly, the polycrystalline nanosheets also exhibit easily switchable ferroelectric polarizations comparable to that of single crystals. The existence of grain boundary does not hinder the switching and retention of ferroelectric polarization. Furthermore, the ɛ-Fe2O3 nanosheets show ferrimagnetic and ferroelectric Curie temperatures up to 800 K, which reaches record highs in 2D single-phase multiferroic materials. This work provides important progress in the exploration of 2D high-temperature single-phase multiferroics for potentially compact high-temperature information nanodevices.

Surgical removal of an inferior vena cava filter in the duodenum: A rare case report and literature review.

Background: Inferior vena cava filters are typically retrieved using endovascular procedures. However, in cases where complications related to the filter arise or when endovascular retrieval becomes challenging, open surgery could be considered. Case presentation: A 65-year-old woman underwent inferior vena cava filter placement surgery for progressive venous thrombosis embolism (VTE). Following an unsuccessful endovascular retrieval attempt at an external hospital two months later, she experienced abdominal pain and was transferred to our facility for further treatment. Examination revealed that she was encountered a complication where the inferior vena cava filter penetrated both the vena cava and the duodenum post-implantation. But fortunately, the patient's blood test results were within normal range. Ultimately, our institution successfully removed the filter through open surgery and the patient was discharged without any complications. Conclusions: This case, along with our literature review, illustrates the viability and safety of duodenal-penetrated filter removal via open surgery, resulting in favorable outcomes and a promising prognosis for the patient.

Exosomes derived from tendon stem/progenitor cells enhance tendon-bone interface healing after rotator cuff repair in a rat model.

The rate of retear after surgical repair remains high. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been extensively employed in regenerative medicine for several decades. However, safety and ethical concerns constrain their clinical application. Tendon Stem/Progenitor Cells (TSPCs)-derived exosomes have emerged as promising cell-free therapeutic agents. Therefore, urgent studies are needed to investigate whether TSPC-Exos could enhance tendon-bone healing and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In this study, TSPC-Exos were found to promote the proliferation, migration, and expression of fibrogenesis markers in BMSCs. Furthermore, TSPC-Exos demonstrated an ability to suppress the polarization of M1 macrophages while promoting M2 macrophage polarization. In a rat model of rotator cuff repair, TSPC-Exos modulated inflammation and improved the histological structure of the tendon-bone interface, the biomechanical properties of the repaired tendon, and the function of the joint. Mechanistically, TSPC-Exos exhibited high expression of miR-21a-5p, which regulated the expression of PDCD4. The PDCD4/AKT/mTOR axis was implicated in the therapeutic effects of TSPC-Exos on proliferation, migration, and fibrogenesis in BMSCs. This study introduces a novel approach utilizing TSPC-Exos therapy as a promising strategy for cell-free therapies, potentially benefiting patients with rotator cuff tear in the future.

Metasurface-integrated elliptically polarized laser-pumped SERF magnetometers.

The emergence of biomagnetism imaging has led to the development of ultrasensitive and compact spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) atomic magnetometers that promise high-resolution magnetocardiography (MCG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). However, conventional optical components are not compatible with nanofabrication processes that enable the integration of atomic magnetometers on chips, especially for elliptically polarized laser-pumped SERF magnetometers with bulky optical systems. In this study, an elliptical-polarization pumping beam (at 795 nm) is achieved through a single-piece metasurface, which results in an SERF magnetometer with a high sensitivity reaching 10.61 fT/Hz1/2 by utilizing a 87Rb vapor cell with a 3 mm inner diameter. To achieve the optimum theoretical polarization, our design combines a computer-assisted optimization algorithm with an emerging metasurface design process. The metasurface is fabricated with 550 nm thick silicon-rich silicon nitride on a 2 × 2 cm 2 SiO2 substrate and features a 22.17° ellipticity angle (a deviation from the target polarization of less than 2%) and more than 80% transmittance. This study provides a feasible approach for on-chip polarization control of future all-integrated atomic magnetometers, which will further pave the way for high-resolution biomagnetism imaging and portable atomic sensing applications.

GSHFA-HCP: a novel intelligent high-performance clustering protocol for agricultural IoT in fragrant pear production monitoring.

The agriculture Internet of Things (IoT) has been widely applied in assisting pear farmers with pest and disease prediction, as well as precise crop management, by providing real-time monitoring and alerting capabilities. To enhance the effectiveness of agriculture IoT monitoring applications, clustering protocols are utilized in the data transmission of agricultural wireless sensor networks (AWSNs). However, the selection of cluster heads is a NP-hard problem, which cannot be solved effectively by conventional algorithms. Based on this, This paper proposes a novel AWSNs clustering model that comprehensively considers multiple factors, including node energy, node degree, average distance and delay. Furthermore, a novel high-performance cluster protocol based on Gaussian mutation and sine cosine firefly algorithm (GSHFA-HCP) is proposed to meet the practical requirements of different scenarios. The innovative Gaussian mutation strategy and sine-cosine hybrid strategy are introduced to optimize the clustering scheme effectively. Additionally, an efficient inter-cluster data transmission mechanism is designed based on distance between nodes, residual energy, and load. The experimental results show that compared with other four popular schemes, the proposed GSHFA-HCP protocol has significant performance improvement in reducing network energy consumption, extending network life and reducing transmission delay. In comparison with other protocols, GSHFA-HCP achieves optimization rates of 63.69%, 17.2%, 19.56%, and 35.78% for network lifespan, throughput, transmission delay, and packet loss rate, respectively.

Hybridization of bimetallic cobalt-molybdenum oxide multihole nanosheets with selenium adulteration as advanced bifunctional electrocatalysts for boosting overall water splitting.

Electrocatalytic water splitting produces green and pollution-free hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, which can effectively alleviate energy crisis. In this paper, bimetallic and selenium doped cobalt molybdate (Se-CoMoO4) nanosheets with rough surface are resoundingly prepared. The multihole Se-CoMoO4 nanosheets display ultrathin and rectangular architecture with the dimensions of âˆ¼ 3.5 µm and 700 nm for length and width, respectively. The Se-CoMoO4 electrocatalyst shows remarkable water electrolysis activity and stability. The overpotentials of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are 270 and 63.3 mV at 10 mA cm-2, along with low Tafel slopes of 51.6 and 62.0 mV dec-1. Furthermore, the Se-CoMoO4 couple electrolyzer merely requires a cell voltage of 1.48 V to achieve 10 mA cm-2 current density and presents no apparent attenuation for 30 h. This investigation declares that the hybridization of transition bimetallic oxide with nonmetallic adulteration can afford a tactic for the preparation of bifunctional non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts.

Unraveling anti-aging mystery of green tea in C. elegans: Chemical truth and multiple mechanisms.

Tea drinking impacts aging and aging-related diseases. However, knowledge of anti-aging molecules other than the major catechins in complex tea extracts remains limited. Here we used Caenorhabditis elegans to analyze the longevity effects of tea extracts and constituents comprehensively. We found that the hot water extract of green tea prolonged lifespan and heathspan. Further, the MeOH fraction prolonged lifespan significantly longer than other fractions. Correlation analysis between mass spectroscopic data and anti-aging activity suggests that ester-type catechins (ETCs) are the major anti-aging components, including 4 common ETCs, 6 phenylpropanoid-substituted ester-type catechins (PSECs), 5 cinnamoylated catechins (CCs), 7 ester-type flavoalkaloids (ETFs), and 4 cinnamoylated flavoalkaloids (CFs). CFs (200 µM) are the strongest anti-aging ETCs (with the longest 73% lifespan extension). Green tea hot water extracts and ETCs improved healthspan by enhancing stress resistance and reducing ROS accumulation. The mechanistic study suggests that they work by multiple pathways. Moreover, ETCs modulated gut microbial homeostasis, increased the content of short-chain fatty acids, and reduced fat content. Altogether, our study provides new evidence for the anti-aging benefits of green tea and insights into a deep understanding of the chemical truth and multi-target mechanism.

Non-volatile 2D MoS2/black phosphorus heterojunction photodiodes in the near- to mid-infrared region.

Cutting-edge mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) sensing technologies leverage infrared photodetectors, memory units, and computing units to enhance machine vision. Real-time processing and decision-making challenges emerge with the increasing number of intelligent pixels. However, current operations are limited to in-sensor computing capabilities for near-infrared technology, and high-performance MWIR detectors for multi-state switching functions are lacking. Here, we demonstrate a non-volatile MoS2/black phosphorus (BP) heterojunction MWIR photovoltaic detector featuring a semi-floating gate structure design, integrating near- to mid-infrared photodetection, memory and computing (PMC) functionalities. The PMC device exhibits the property of being able to store a stable responsivity, which varies linearly with the stored conductance state. Significantly, device weights (stable responsivity) can be programmed with power consumption as low as 1.8 fJ, and the blackbody peak responsivity can reach 1.68 A/W for the MWIR band. In the simulation of Faster Region with convolution neural network (CNN) based on the FLIR dataset, the PMC hardware responsivity weights can reach 89% mean Average Precision index of the feature extraction network software weights. This MWIR photovoltaic detector, with its versatile functionalities, holds significant promise for applications in advanced infrared object detection and recognition systems.

The modified suture-bridge technique for treating avulsion fracture of minors tibial eminence of anterior cruciate ligament: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of modified suture-bridge technique fixation for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial avulsion fracture. METHOD: Minors who underwent arthroscopic reduction and modified suture bridge fixation of ACL tibial avulsion fracture between January 2018 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative MRI and X-ray examinations were performed to evaluate the presence of epiphyseal plate injury and fracture healing. Moreover, KT-1000 side-to-side difference, Lachman test, range of motion (ROM), the subjective Knee score of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), Lysholm Knee score, and Tegner activity grade score were evaluated preoperatively and at the minimum 1-year follow-up visit. RESULTS: A total of 16 participants met the inclusion criteria. They had a mean age of 12.6 years (range, 9-16 years); mean time to surgery, 6.9 days (range, 2-13 days) and had a minimum of 12 months clinical follow-up (mean, 25.4 months; range, 12-36 months) after surgery. Postoperative radiographs and MRI showed no injury to the epiphyseal plate, optimal reduction immediately after the operation, and bone union within three months in all patients. All of the following showed significant improvements (pre- vs. postoperatively): mean KT-1000 side-to-side difference (8.6 vs. 1.5; p < 0.05), Lachman tests (2 grade 9 and 3 grade 7 vs. 0 grade 12 and 1 grade 4; p < 0.05), IKDC subjective score (48.3 vs. 95.0; p < 0.05), mean Lysholm score (53.9 vs. 92.2; p < 0.05), mean Tegner activity score (3.2 vs. 8.3; p < 0.05) and mean ROM (42.9°vs 133.1°; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Arthroscopic reduction and modified suture bridge fixation for ACL tibial avulsion fracture is a dependable and recommended treatment that can effectively restore the stability and function of the knee and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Serial cell culture passaging in vitro led to complete attenuation and changes in the characteristic features of a virulent porcine deltacoronavirus strain.

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is an important enteric coronavirus that has caused enormous economic losses in the pig industry worldwide. However, no commercial vaccine is currently available. Therefore, developing a safe and efficacious live-attenuated vaccine candidate is urgently needed. In this study, the PDCoV strain CH/XJYN/2016 was continuously passaged in LLC-PK cells until passage 240, and the virus growth kinetics in cell culture, pathogenicity in neonatal piglets, transcriptome differences after LLC-PK infection, changes in the functional characteristics of the spike (S) protein in the high- and low-passage strains, genetic variation of the virus genome, resistance to pepsin and acid, and protective effects of this strain when used as a live-attenuated vaccine were examined. The results of animal experiments demonstrated that the virulent PDCoV strain CH/XJYN/2016 was completely attenuated and not pathogenic in piglets following serial cell passage. Genome sequence analysis showed that amino acid mutations in nonstructural proteins were mainly concentrated in Nsp3, structural protein mutations were mainly concentrated in the S protein, and the N, M, and E genes were conserved. Transcriptome comparison revealed that compared with negative control cells, P10-infected LLC-PK cells had the most differentially expressed genes (DEGs), while P0 and P240 had the least number of DEGs. Analysis of trypsin dependence and related structural differences revealed that the P10 S protein interacted more strongly with trypsin and that the P120 S protein interacted more strongly with the APN receptor. Moreover, the infectivity of P240 was not affected by pepsin but was significantly decreased after exposure to low pH. Furthermore, the P240-based live-attenuated vaccine provided complete protection to piglets against the challenge of virulent PDCoV. In conclusion, we showed that a PDCoV strain was completely attenuated through serial passaging in vitro. These results provide insights into the potential molecular mechanisms of PDCoV attenuation and the development of a promising live-attenuated PDCoV vaccine.IMPORTANCEPorcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is one of the most important enteropathogenic pathogens that cause diarrhea in pigs of various ages, especially in suckling piglets, and causes enormous economic losses in the global commercial pork industry. There are currently no effective measures to prevent and control PDCoV. As reported in previous porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus studies, inactivated vaccines usually elicit less robust protective immune responses than live-attenuated vaccines in native sows. Therefore, identifying potential attenuation mechanisms, gene evolution, pathogenicity differences during PDCoV passaging, and immunogenicity as live-attenuated vaccines is important for elucidating the mechanism of attenuation and developing safe and effective vaccines for virulent PDCoV strains. In this study, we demonstrated that the virulence of the PDCoV strain CH/XJYN/2016 was completely attenuated following serial cell passaging in vitro, and changes in the biological characteristics and protection efficacy of the strain were evaluated. Our results help elucidate the mechanism of PDCoV attenuation and support the development of appropriate designs for the study of live PDCoV vaccines.

Intraspecific diploidization of a halophyte root fungus drives heterosis.

How organisms respond to environmental stress is a key topic in evolutionary biology. This study focused on the genomic evolution of Laburnicola rhizohalophila, a dark-septate endophytic fungus from roots of a halophyte. Chromosome-level assemblies were generated from five representative isolates from structured subpopulations. The data revealed significant genomic plasticity resulting from chromosomal polymorphisms created by fusion and fission events, known as dysploidy. Analyses of genomic features, phylogenomics, and macrosynteny have provided clear evidence for the origin of intraspecific diploid-like hybrids. Notably, one diploid phenotype stood out as an outlier and exhibited a conditional fitness advantage when exposed to a range of abiotic stresses compared with its parents. By comparing the gene expression patterns in each hybrid parent triad under the four growth conditions, the mechanisms underlying growth vigor were corroborated through an analysis of transgressively upregulated genes enriched in membrane glycerolipid biosynthesis and transmembrane transporter activity. In vitro assays suggested increased membrane integrity and lipid accumulation, as well as decreased malondialdehyde production under optimal salt conditions (0.3 M NaCl) in the hybrid. These attributes have been implicated in salinity tolerance. This study supports the notion that hybridization-induced genome doubling leads to the emergence of phenotypic innovations in an extremophilic endophyte.

Woven coronary artery with acquired etiology: the natural history documented by serial angiography and optical coherence tomography.

Woven coronary artery (WCA) is a rare anomaly and its etiology remains speculative. Both congenital and acquired factors are considered to be concerned with the pathogenesis. In a 35-year-old man, the tissue characteristics of WCA were evaluated by optical coherence tomography. Serial coronary angiography indicated that acquired factor is the cause, and thrombus recanalization is the most likely pathological mechanism.

Validation of the Chinese version of the 'caring ability of family caregivers of patients with cancer scale (CAFCPCS)' in family caregivers of elderly patients with cancer: A study protocol.

AIM: This study aims to translate the English version of the 'caring ability of family caregivers of patients with cancer scale (CAFCPCS)' into Chinese and validate its psychometric properties in the family caregivers of elderly patients with cancer. DESIGN: A methodological study. METHODS: Based on the Brislin translation model, the original scale will be translated and back-translated, the Delphi expert consultation method will be adopted for cross-cultural adaptation, and the pilot will be carried out in 20-30 family caregivers of elderly patients with cancer. Then, a dual-centre prospective study will be conducted by recruiting 371-542 family caregivers of elderly patients with cancer to validate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of CAFCPCS. RESULTS: The scale's content validity will be evaluated using the Delphi expert inquiry method, and the face validity will be evaluated using a pre-experiment. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) will be used to assess structural validity, while internal consistency reliability and split-half reliability will be used to assess reliability. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Public involvement is of great significance for this study. Participants will be used in a pre-test to give feedback on whether the contents of the clinical pilot version of CAFCPCS after expert consultation can reflect real problems and whether the sentences can be well understood. Based on their opinions, the research group will further refine the scale.

Myotis bat STING attenuates aging-related inflammation in female mice.

Bats, notable as the only flying mammals, serve as natural reservoir hosts for various highly pathogenic viruses in humans (e.g., SARS-CoV and Ebola virus). Furthermore, bats exhibit an unparalleled longevity among mammals relative to their size, particularly the Myotis bats, which can live up to 40 years. However, the mechanisms underlying these distinctive traits remain incompletely understood. In our prior research, we demonstrated that bats exhibit dampened STING-interferon activation, potentially conferring upon them the capacity to mitigate virus- or aging-induced inflammation. To substantiate this hypothesis, we established the first in vivo bat-mouse model for aging studies by integrating Myotis davidii bat STING ( MdSTING) into the mouse genome. We monitored the genotypes of these mice and performed a longitudinal comparative transcriptomic analysis on MdSTING and wild-type mice over a 3-year aging process. Blood transcriptomic analysis indicated a reduction in aging-related inflammation in female MdSTING mice, as evidenced by significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, immunopathology, and neutrophil recruitment in aged female MdSTING mice compared to aged wild-type mice in vivo. These results indicated that MdSTING knock-in attenuates the aging-related inflammatory response and may also improve the healthspan in mice in a sex-dependent manner. Although the underlying mechanism awaits further study, this research has critical implications for bat longevity research, potentially contributing to our comprehension of healthy aging in humans.

Adjusting Ion Diffusion Kinetics of Li Deposition Enabled by an Elastic Porous Melamine Sponge Host for Stable Lithium Metal Anodes.

Lithium (Li) dendritic growth and huge volume expansion seriously hamper Li-metal anode development. Herein, we design a lightweight 3D Li-ion-affinity host enabled by silver (Ag) nanoparticles fully decorating a porous melamine sponge (Ag@PMS) for dendrite-free and high-areal-capacity Li anodes. The compact Ag nanoparticles provide abundant preferred nucleation sites and give the host strong conductivity. Moreover, the high specific surface area and polar groups of the elastic, porous melamine sponge enhance the Li-ion diffusion kinetics, prompting homogeneity of Li deposition and stripping. As expected, the integrated 3D Ag@PMS-Li anode delivered a remarkable electrochemical performance, with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 97.14% after 450 cycles at 1 mA cm-2. The symmetric cell showed an ultralong lifespan of 3400 h at 1 mA cm-2 for 1 mAh cm-2. This study provides a facile and cost-effective strategy to design an advanced 3D framework for the preparation of a stable dendrite-free Li metal anode.

Genome-wide expression quantitative trait locus analysis reveals silk-preferential gene regulatory network in maize.

Silk of maize (Zea mays L.) contains diverse metabolites with complicated structures and functions, making it a great challenge to explore the mechanisms of metabolic regulation. Genome-wide identification of silk-preferential genes and investigation of their expression regulation provide an opportunity to reveal the regulatory networks of metabolism. Here, we applied the expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping on a maize natural population to explore the regulation of gene expression in unpollinated silk of maize. We obtained 3,985 silk-preferential genes that were specifically or preferentially expressed in silk using our population. Silk-preferential genes showed more obvious expression variations compared with broadly expressed genes that were ubiquitously expressed in most tissues. We found that trans-eQTL regulation played a more important role for silk-preferential genes compared to the broadly expressed genes. The relationship between 38 transcription factors and 85 target genes, including silk-preferential genes, were detected. Finally, we constructed a transcriptional regulatory network around the silk-preferential gene Bx10, which was proposed to be associated with response to abiotic stress and biotic stress. Taken together, this study deepened our understanding of transcriptome variation in maize silk and the expression regulation of silk-preferential genes, enhancing the investigation of regulatory networks on metabolic pathways.