Speciation studies in the genomic era.

Since Darwin's era, speciation has been one of the most central issues in evolutionary biology studies. Understanding the processes of species origin is crucial in deepening our understanding of the formation of species biodiversity, which is essential for their protections. However, speciation research has been challenging due to the rather complex evolutionary histories of many extant species.

Progress on animal speciation studies.

Speciation research represents our thinking and exploration about how new species are generated and maintained, and it is one of the most important parts of evolutionary biology. Revealing new species formation modes, processes of reproductive isolation establishment and their intrinsic genetic mechanisms, are not only important issues and primary tasks in the field of speciation, but also the key clues for our understandings about the species diversity in nature. Here, by focusing on animal groups, we first introduced different definitions of species concept, and then summarized present research progress and important breakthroughs made in the speciation modes and molecular mechanism of reproductive isolation.

Progress on ancient DNA investigation of Late Quaternary mammals in China.

It has been more than 40 years since the beginning of exploring the genetic composition of ancient organisms from the perspective of ancient DNA. In the recent 20 years, with the development and application of high-throughput sequencing technology platforms and the improved efficiency of retrieving highly fragmented DNA molecules, ancient DNA research moved forward to a brand-new era of deep-time paleogenomics. It not only solved many controversial phylogenetic problems, enriched the migration and evolution details of various organisms including humans, but also launched exploration of the molecular responses to climate changes in terms of "whole genomic-big data-multi-species" level.

The migration and evolutionary mechanisms of northern Asian populations from the perspective of ancient genomics.

The northern part of Asia, including Siberia, the Mongolian Plateau, and northern China, is not only a crossroads for population exchange on the Eurasian continent but also an important bridge connecting the American continent. This region holds a unique and irreplaceable significance in exploring the origins of humanity, tracking human migration routes, and elucidating evolutionary mechanisms. Despite the limited number of samples unearthed, varying preservation conditions, and constraints of technical means, our understanding of the interactions among populations in northern Asia is still in its infancy.

Ancient DNA elucidates the migration and evolutionary history of northern and southern populations in East Asia.

Over the past decade, the continuous development of ancient genomic technology and research has significantly advanced our understanding of human history. Since 2017, large-scale studies of ancient human genomes in East Asia, particularly in China, have emerged, resulting in a wealth of ancient genomic data from various time periods and locations, which has provided new insights into the genetic history of East Asian populations over tens of thousands of years. Especially since 2022, there emerged a series of new research progresses in the genetic histories of the northern and southern Chinese populations within the past 10,000 years.

PO Tetrahedron Assisted Chelate Engineering for 10.67%-Efficient Antimony Selenosulfide Solar Cells.

Anisotropic carrier transport and deep-level defect of antimony selenosulfide (Sb(S,Se)) absorber are two vital auses restraining the photovoltaic performance of this emerging thin-film solar cell. Herein, chelate engineering is proposed to prepare high-quality Sb(S,Se) film based on hydrothermal deposition approach, which realizes desirable carrier transport and passivated defects by using tetrahedral PO ion in dibasic sodium phosphate (NaHPO, DSP). The PO Lewis structure, on one hand in the form of [(SbO)(PO)] chelate, can adsorb on the polar planes of cadmium sulfide (CdS) layer, promoting the heterogeneous nucleation, and on the other hand, the tetrahedral PO inhibits horizontal growth of (SbS(e)) ribbons due to size effects, thus achieving desirable [hk1] orientation.

Confined CVD Synthesis and Temperature-Dependent Spectroscopic Properties of Bilayer Graphene Ribbon Arrays with Bifunctional Modulation of Adhesion Metal.

Bilayer graphene ribbons (GRs) hold great promise for the fabrication of next-generation nanodevices, thanks to unparalleled electronic properties, especially the tunable bandgap in association with twist angle, ribbon width, edge structure, and interlayer coupling. A common challenge in manufacturing bilayer GRs via templated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach is uncontrollable dewetting of micro- and nano-scaled patterned metal substrates. Herein, a confined CVD synthetic strategy of bilayer GR arrays is proposed, by utilizing the bifunctional Ni as a buffered adhesion layer to regulate the anisotropic dewetting of metal film in the V-groove and as a carbon-dissolution regulated metal to initiate the bilayer nucleation.

Sustainable upgrading of biomass: a thermodynamic approach to fine-tuning product selectivity for glycerol oxidation.

Calculated thermodynamic properties for the electrochemical glycerol oxidation at different temperatures and potentials indicate that external applied bias has a more significant influence on reaction selectivity than temperature.

Valence Electron: A Descriptor of Spinel Sulfides for Sulfur Reduction Catalysis.

Catalysts are essential for achieving high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries. The precise design and regulation of catalytic sites to strengthen their efficiency and robustness remains challenging. In this study, spinel sulfides and catalyst design principles through element doping are investigated.

Self-Cascade of ROS/Glucose-Scavenging Immunomodulatory Hydrogels for Programmed Therapeutics of Infected Diabetic Ulcers via Nrf2/NF-κB Pathway.

Diabetic ulcers (DUs) are characterized by a microenvironment with high oxidative stress, high blood glucose levels, and recalcitrant bacterial infections. This microenvironment is accompanied by long-term suppression of endogenous antioxidant systems, which makes their clinical management extremely challenging. To address this issue, a hybridized novel gold-palladium (AuPd) nanoshell of the injectable/injectable hydrogel system UiO/AuPd/BNN6/PEG@Gel (UAPsBP@Gel) is developed.

Molecular Mechanisms of circKIF4A in Breast Cancer Progression.

Aim: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy worldwide, necessitating continued research into its molecular mechanisms. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their role in various cancers, including BC. This study explores the role of circRNA kinesin family member 4A (circKIF4A) in BC progression and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Emerging Violet Phosphorus Nanomaterial for Biomedical Applications.

Violet phosphorus (VP) is a phosphorus allotrope first discovered by Hittorf in 1865, which has aroused more attention in the biomedical field in recent years attributed to its gradually discovered unique properties. VP can be further categorized into bulk VP, VP nanosheets (VPNs), and VP quantum dots (VPQDs), and chemical vapor transport (CVT), liquid-phase/mechanical/laser exfoliation, and solvothermal synthesis are the common preparation approaches of bulk VP, VPNs, and VPQDs, respectively. Compared with another phosphorus allotrope (black phosphorus, BP) that is once highly regarded in biomedical applications, VP nanomaterial (namely VPNs and VPQDs) not only exhibits tunable bandgap, moderate on/off current ratio, and good biodegradability, but shows enhanced stability and biosafety as well, allowing it to be a promising candidate for a variety of biomedical applications like antibacterial therapy, anticancer therapy, and biosensing and disease diagnosis.

Effects of graded levels Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (Chenpi) on growth performance, serum biochemical indices, meat quality, and caecal microbiota and metabolite in yellow-feathered broilers.

The Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP), is the aged peel of Citrus fruit, which contains phenols, flavonoids, and polysaccharides. This study aims to investigate dietary CRP supplementation on the growth performance, serum biochemical indices, meat quality, intestinal morphology, microbiota, and metabolite of yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 240 yellow-feathered broilers (1.

Safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The aim of this study was to verify the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection (ER) for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Methods: Among a consecutive series of resections for gastric GISTs performed in a single center, the outcomes of patients who had ER were compared to standard surgical resection (SR).

Results: In the cohort, 329 consecutive primary localized gastric GISTs patients (, ER/SR = 251/78) were enrolled.

Clinical Characteristics and Laboratory Diagnoses of Pediatric Patients Hospitalized During an Outbreak of Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

This study prospectively collected the clinical data, information on respiratory pathogens, and laboratory findings of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumonia) infection who were hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University during the M. pneumoniae outbreak in Hefei City, Anhui Province, China, between October 2023 and December 2023.

Functional response of two Mesocomys species on factitious host Antheraea pernyi and their biocontrol potential against the Japanese giant silkworm Caligula japonica.

Background: The Japanese giant silkworm (JGS) Caligula japonica is a significant defoliator pest in East Asia, causing severe economic losses in forest and fruit production. To establish a cost-effective biological control program against JGS, the age-stage, two-sex life table method was used to accurately assess the potential efficacy of two Mesocomys species (M. albitarsis and M.

Structural and load-dependent arterial stiffness across the adult life span.

Background: The arterial stiffening is attributed to the intrinsic structural stiffening and/or load-dependent stiffening by increased blood pressure (BP). The respective lifetime alterations and major determinants of the two components with normal aging are not clear.

Methods: A total of 3053 healthy adults (1922 women) aged 18-79 years were enrolled.

Effect of a Nurse-Led Support Program Using Mobile Application Versus Nurse Phone Advice on Patients at Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major health problem of atherosclerotic cardiovascular (CV) disease and early intervention is regarded important. Given the proven effect of a lifestyle intervention with nursing telephone counselling and mHealth use in health care, yet the comparisons of both support are lacking, this study is proposed.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of a coronary artery disease (CAD) support program using a mobile application versus nurse phone advice on exercise amount and physical and psychological outcomes for clients at risk of CAD.

Differences of longitudinal plasma biomarkers between single memory domain and multidomain subject cognitive decline: Evidence from SILCODE.

Background: Plasma biomarkers demonstrated potential in identifying amyloid pathology in early Alzheimer's disease. Different subtypes of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may lead to different cognitive impairment conversion risks.

Objective: To investigate the differences of plasma biomarkers in SCD subtypes individuals, which were unclear.

Urinary formic acid is associated with cerebral amyloid deposition and glucose metabolism in memory clinic patients.

Background: Urinary formic acid (FA) has been reported to be a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the association between FA and pathological changes in memory clinic patients is currently unclear.

Objective: This study aims to investigate associations between FA and pathological changes across different cognitive statuses in memory clinic patients.

Structure-function coupling alterations in cognitively normal individuals with white matter hyperintensities.

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are prominent neuroimaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) linked to cognitive decline. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying WMH remain unclear.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the structural decoupling index (SDI) as a novel metric for quantifying the brain's hierarchical organization associated with WMH in cognitively normal older adults

Methods: We analyzed data from 112 cognitively normal individuals with varying WMH burdens (43 high WMH burden and 69 low WMH burden).

Enantioselective Synthesis of Nonfused Eight-Membered O-Heterocycles by Sequential Catalysis.

This work describes a chiral bifunctional squaramide/DBU sequential catalytic strategy for the enantioselective synthesis of nonfused chiral eight-membered O-heterocycles through the asymmetric addition of ynones to β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters followed by the regio- and diastereoselective cyclization of the adduct intermediates. Mechanistic experiments revealed that an isomerization process should be involved in the ring formation step, and the origin of the high regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity has also been elucidated by the DFT calculations.

Palladium(II)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Ring Opening of Oxabenzonorbornadienes via Domino Aminopalladation of Alkynylanilines.

We report herein a robust enantioselective ring opening coupling of oxabenzonorbornadienes via Pd(II)-catalyzed domino cyclization of alkynylanilines, which features the formation of three covalent bonds and two contiguous stereocenters with excellent enantio- and diastereoselectivity and a broad substrate scope. The good functional group tolerance of this domino desymmetrization strategy enables efficient late-stage transformation of natural product-derived alkynylanilines. The resulting indolated dihydronaphthols could serve as a valuable platform to streamline the diversity-oriented synthesis of other valuable enantioenriched tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives.

Substrate-Controlled Divergent Reductive Cyclization of 2-Arylanilines Using CO as a Switching Reagent.

Capturing CO is highly valued in the field of organic synthesis, especially underdeveloped dual-CO conversion. In this study, we detail a novel reductive cyclization of 2-indolylanilines with dual CO as a difunctional reagent in the presence of PMHS [poly(methylhydrosiloxane)], delivering methyl-substituted quinoxalines. Furthermore, another chemoselective cyclization with 2-pyrrolylanilines is also realized by converting mono-CO.