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The frost heave failure mechanism of fractured rock mass is a complicated problem faced by engineering construction in cold area. In this study, low temperature frost heave test and post-freezing uniaxial compression test on sandstone samples with a water-filled flaw were carried out. The frost heave cracking mode, frost heave pressure, frost heave cracking criterion and the effect of frost heave-induced cracks on post-freezing uniaxial compression failure behavior under different flaw inclination angles (0 ~ 90°) and freezing temperatures (–10~–40 °C) were investigated. Frost heave cracks initiate and extend along the coplanar direction of flaws. The frost heave damage degree decreases with the increase of flaw inclination angle. As the freezing temperature drops, the flaw cracking length first increases greatly, and then decreases, reaching the maximum at − 15 °C. The evolution of frost heave pressure can be divided into six stages: pre-freeze stage, rapid increase stage, rapid decrease stage, stable stage, slight rebound stage and dissipation stage. The peak frost heave pressure first increases and then decreases with the increase of flaw inclination angle, and reaches the maximum at 60°, and increases as the freezing temperature drops. Formulas for calculating the critical stress intensity factor K IC for flaw frost heave cracking are provided, considering flaw inclination angle or freezing temperature. When the flaw is within a certain range of inclination angles (45 ~ 75°), cracks under uniaxial compression will extend from the frost heave-induced cracks.

Revolutionary changes in energy storage technology have put forward higher requirements on next‐generation anode materials for lithium‐ion battery. Recently, a new class of materials with complex stoichiometric ratios, high‐entropy oxide (HEO), has gradually emerging into sight and embracing the prosperity. The ideal elemental adjustability and attractive synergistic effect make HEO promising to break through the integrated performance bottleneck of conventional anodes and provide new impetus for the design and development of electrochemical energy storage materials. Here, the research progress of HEO anodes is comprehensively reviewed. The driving force behind phase stability, the role of individual cations, potential mechanisms for controlling properties, as well as state‐of‐the‐art synthetic strategies and modification approaches are critically evaluated. Finally, we envision the future prospects and related challenges in this field, which will bring some enlightening guidance and criteria for researchers to further unlock the mysteries of HEO anodes. The ideal elemental adjustability and appealing synergistic effects have led high‐entropy oxide (HEO) to attract growing scientific interest as anode for Li‐ion batteries. This article provides some enlightening guidelines and criteria for further unlocking the mystery of HEO anodes through an overview of their current status and specific descriptions regarding material design and electrochemical behavior.

Background: The regulation of oil and protein contents in cottonseed is governed by a complex genetic network. Gaining insight into the mechanisms controlling these traits is necessary for dissecting the formation patterns of cottonseed quality. Method: In this study, Xinluzhong 37 (P1) and Xinluzhong 51 (P2) were selected as parental lines for two reciprocal crosses: P1 × P2 (F1) and its reciprocal P2 × P1 (F1′). Each F1 was selfed and backcrossed to both parents to generate the F2 (F2′), B1 (B1′), and B2 (B2′) generations. To assess nutritional traits in hairy (non-delinted) and lint-free (delinted) seeds, two indicators, oil content and protein content, were measured in both seed types. Joint segregation analysis was employed to analyze the inheritance of these traits, based on a major gene plus polygene model. Results: In the orthogonal crosses, the CVs for the four nutritional traits ranged at 2.710–7.879%, 4.086–11.070%, 2.724–6.727%, and 3.717–9.602%. In the reciprocal crosses, CVs ranged at 2.710–8.053%, 4.086–9.572%, 2.724–6.376%, and 3.717–8.845%. All traits exhibited normal or skewed-normal distributions. For oil content in undelinted/delinted seeds, polygenic heritabilities in the orthogonal cross were 0.64/0.52, and 0.40/0.36 in the reciprocal cross. For protein content, major-gene heritabilities in the orthogonal cross were 0.79 (undelinted) and 0.78 (delinted), while those in the reciprocal cross were both 0.62. Conclusions: Oil and protein contents in cottonseeds are quantitative traits. In both orthogonal and reciprocal crosses, oil content is controlled by multiple genes and is shaped by additive, dominance, and epistatic effects. Protein content, in contrast, is largely controlled by two major genes along with minor genes. In the P1 × P2 combination, major genes act through additive, dominance, and epistatic effects, while in the P2 × P1 combination, their effects are additive only. In both combinations, minor genes contribute through additive and dominance effects. In summary, the oil content in cottonseed is mainly regulated by polygenes, whereas the protein content is primarily determined by major genes. These genetic features in both linted, and lint-free seeds may offer a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding aimed at improving cottonseed oil and protein quality.

Drought is a crucial abiotic stress factor affecting the growth and development of cotton, and there is significant differentiation in drought resistant among different cotton varieties. To reveal the drought resistance mechanisms of four cotton varieties, this study conducted a systematic analysis across multiple stages and multiple indicators. In this study, two drought resistant varieties (J206-5 and Jiumian 20) and two drought sensitive varieties (Xinluzhong 77 and Xinluzhong 67) were selected as experimental materials for seed germination, drought related gene expression during seedling stage, and photosynthetic indicators during flower and boll stage. The six germination indicators of four cotton varieties showed a decreasing trend with the increase of PEG6000 concentration. Under 10% PEG6000 treatment, the relative germination potential, relative germination rate, relative germination index, and relative root fresh weight of drought resistant varieties were significantly higher than those of drought sensitive varieties. Under drought stress until July 19th, the Pn, Tr, and SPAD of drought resistant varieties were significantly higher than those of drought sensitive varieties. Under drought stress until August 19th, the Ci and SPAD of drought resistant varieties were significantly higher than those of drought sensitive varieties, and the Pn of drought resistant varieties was significantly higher than that of drought sensitive variety Xinluzhong 67. When drought resistant varieties were subjected to drought stress for 8d, except for the GhPPO-3 gene, the expression levels of the other 8 genes were significantly upregulated and reached their maximum values, and the expression levels were significantly higher than those of drought sensitive varieties. Under drought stress, drought resistant cotton varieties exhibit better seed germination, photosynthesis, and expression levels of drought related genes. This study provides a theoretical basis for cotton drought resistance breeding.

Background Large-scale afforestation can significantly change the ground cover and soil physicochemical properties, especially the soil fertility maintenance and water conservation functions of artificial forests, which are very important in semi-arid mountain ecosystems. However, how different tree species affect soil nutrients and soil physicochemical properties after afforestation, and which is the best plantation species for improving soil fertility and water conservation functions remain largely unknown. Methods This study investigated the soil nutrient contents of three different plantations ( Larix principis-rupprechtii , Picea crassifolia , Pinus tabuliformis ), soils and plant-soil feedbacks, as well as the interactions between soil physicochemical properties. Results The results revealed that the leaves and litter layers strongly influenced soil nutrient availability through biogeochemical processes: P. tabuliformis had higher organic carbon, ratio of organic carbon to total nitrogen (C:N) and organic carbon to total phosphorus (C:P) in the leaves and litter layers than L. principis-rupprechtii or P. crassifolia , suggesting that higher C:N and C:P hindered litter decomposition. As a result, the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved soil nutrients and clay components, compared with the P. tabuliformis plantation forest. Furthermore, the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia plantation forests significantly improved the soil capacity, soil total porosity, and capillary porosity, decreased soil bulk density, and enhanced water storage capacity, compared with the P. tabuliformis plantation forest. The results of this study showed that, the strong link between plants and soil was tightly coupled to C:N and C:P, and there was a close correlation between soil particle size distribution and soil physicochemical properties. Conclusions Therefore, our results recommend planting the L. principis-rupprechtii and P. crassifolia as the preferred tree species to enhance the soil fertility and water conservation functions, especially in semi-arid regions mountain forest ecosystems.

The study focuses on the multidimensional attributes of rural marginalization and their differentiated impact on rural development levels. Based on a systematic review and summary of research findings, this study elucidates the conceptual implications of rural development levels and rural marginalization and deconstructs rural marginalization into five dimensions. Considering Linhai City in Zhejiang Province, China, as the research object, a measurement model for rural development levels was constructed comprising basic and enhancement factors. An influencing factor set was established based on the perspective of marginalization. Spatial autocorrelation and multiscale geographically weighted regression models were comprehensively employed to measure and analyze rural development levels and their influencing factors. The main findings are as follows: (1) the concept of rural marginalization is defined from five dimensions: spatial, technological, policy, social, and infrastructural, and a quantitative evaluation system is established; (2) through quantitative analysis using Linhai City as an example, it is found that the influence of marginalization across different dimensions on rural development exhibits significant spatial variability, meaning that the impact of marginalization on rural development levels is influenced by multiple factors. These findings suggest that, while formulating rural development policies, we should fully consider the actual and external circumstances of different villages, adopt tailored strategies based on local conditions, and avoid implementing one-size-fits-all policies.

Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (ZSS) is the first choice for the treatment of insomnia. This research aimed to reveal the spatial distribution of identifying quality markers of ZSS and to illustrate the metabolite quality characteristics of this herbal medicine. Here, we performed a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) in situ to detect and image 33 metabolites in ZSS, including three saponins, six flavonoids, four alkaloids, eight fatty acids, and 12 amino acids. The MALDI images of the metabolites clearly showed the heterogeneous spatial distribution in different regions of ZSS tissues, such as the cotyledon, endosperm, and radicle. The distribution area of two saponins, six flavonoids, and three alkaloids increased significantly after the fried processing of ZSS. Based on the ion images, samples with different processing technologies were distinguished unambiguously by the pattern recognition method of orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). Simultaneously, 23 major influencing components exerting higher ion intensities were identified as the potential quality markers of ZSS. Results obtained in the current research demonstrate that the processing of ZSS changes its content and distribution of the medicinal components. The analysis of MALDI-MSI provides a novel MS-based molecular imaging approach to investigate and monitor traditional medicinal plants.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), is a novel plant growth regulator that can enhance plant tolerance against salt stress. However, the molecular mechanism of ALA is not well studied. In this study, ALA improved salt tolerance of apple (Malus × domestica 'Gala') when the detached leaves or cultured calli were used as the materials. The expression of MdWRKY71, a WRKY transcription factor (TF) gene was found to be responsive to NaCl as well as ALA treatment. Functional analysis showed that overexpressing (OE)-MdWRKY71 significantly improved the salt tolerance of the transgenic apple, while RNA interfering (RNAi)-MdWRKY71 reduced the salt tolerance. However, exogenous ALA alleviated the salt damage in the RNAi-MdWRKY71 apple. When MdWRKY71 was transferred into tobacco, the salt tolerance of transgenic plants was enhanced, which was further improved by exogenous ALA. Subsequently, MdWRKY71 bound to the W-box of promoters of MdSOS2, MdNHX1, MdCLC-g, MdSOD1, MdCAT1 and MdAPX1, transcriptionally activating the gene expressions. Since the genes are responsible for Na+ and Cl− transport and antioxidant enzyme activity respectively, it can be concluded that MdWRKY71, a new TF, is involved in ALA-improved salt tolerance by regulating ion homeostasis and redox homeostasis. These results provided new insights into the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of ALA in enhancing apple salt tolerance.

The environmental heterogeneity caused by altitude can lead to trade-offs in nutrient utilization and allocation strategies among plant organs; however, there is still a lack of research on the nutrient variation in the “flower–leaf–branch–fine root–soil” systems of native shrubs along altitude gradients in China’s unique karst regions. Therefore, we analyzed the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents and their ratios in flowers, leaves, branches, fine roots, and surface soil of Hypericum kouytchense shrubs across 2200–2700 m altitudinal range in southwestern China’s karst areas, where this species is widely distributed and grows well. The results show that H. kouytchense organs had higher N content than both global and Chinese plant averages. The order of C:N:P value across plant organs was branches > fine roots > flowers > leaves. Altitude significantly affected the nutrient dynamics in plant organs and soil. With increasing altitude, P content in plant organs exhibited a significant concave pattern, leading to unimodal trends in the C:P of plant organs, as well as the N:P of leaves and fine roots. Meanwhile, plant organs except branches displayed significant homeostasis coefficients in C:P and fine root P, indicating a shift in H. kouytchense’s P utilization strategy from acquisitive-type to conservative-type. Strong positive relationships between plant organs and soil P and available P revealed that P was the key driver of nutrient cycling in H. kouytchense shrubs, enhancing plant organ–soil coupling relationships. In conclusion, H. kouytchense demonstrates flexible adaptability, suggesting that future vegetation restoration and conservation management projects in karst ecosystems should consider the nutrient adaptation strategies of different species, paying particular attention to P utilization.

To identify seedling traits closely associated with drought resistance and to screen for drought-tolerant germplasm, 202 cotton varieties (lines) were evaluated under controlled indoor conditions using a nutrient soil cultivation method. Seedling-stage traits measured included plant height, cotyledon node diameter, true leaf number, chlorophyll content, and fresh and dry biomass of both shoots and roots. Drought resistance was assessed using drought resistance coefficients for each trait, followed by descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), partial correlation analysis, and comprehensive evaluation via the entropy weight method. PCA and partial correlation analysis revealed that plant height, cotyledon node diameter, aboveground fresh weight, and underground fresh weight were strongly associated with drought resistance at the seedling stage. The comprehensive drought resistance index (D-value) classified the 202 cotton lines into four categories: highly drought-resistant, moderately drought-resistant, drought-sensitive, and highly drought-sensitive. Physiological assays indicated that malondialdehyde (MDA) content in drought-resistant lines first increased and then declined with prolonged drought stress, while it continued to increase in sensitive lines. In contrast, proline (Pro) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased steadily in drought-resistant lines but showed negligible changes in sensitive lines. These four morphological traits and three physiological indicators represent reliable criteria for evaluating drought resistance in cotton seedlings. Four highly drought-resistant and thirteen moderately drought-resistant lines were identified, providing valuable germplasm for genetic improvement of drought tolerance in cotton.