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Magnesium-based biodegradable metals (BMs) as bone implants have better mechanical properties than biodegradable polymers, yet their strength is roughly less than 350 MPa. In this work, binary Zn alloys with alloying elements Mg, Ca, Sr, Li, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Ag respectively, are screened systemically by in vitro and in vivo studies. Li exhibits the most effective strengthening role in Zn, followed by Mg. Alloying leads to accelerated degradation, but adequate mechanical integrity can be expected for Zn alloys when considering bone fracture healing. Adding elements Mg, Ca, Sr and Li into Zn can improve the cytocompatibility, osteogenesis, and osseointegration. Further optimization of the ternary Zn-Li alloy system results in Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mg alloy with the ultimate tensile strength 646.69 ± 12.79 MPa and Zn-0.8Li-0.8Mn alloy with elongation 103.27 ± 20%. In summary, biocompatible Zn-based BMs with strength close to pure Ti are promising candidates in orthopedics for load-bearing applications. Biodegradable implants are of great interest in orthopaedic applications but have been limited by low mechanical strength. Here, the authors examine systematically in detail the strengthening of biodegradable zinc by alloying with beneficial elements using mechanical, biodegradability and biocompatibility testing.

A bio-corrodible nitrided iron stent was developed using a vacuum plasma nitriding technique. In the nitrided iron stents, the tensile strength, radial strength, stiffness and in vitro electrochemical corrosion rate were significantly increased compared with those of the control pure iron stent. To evaluate its performance in vivo, the deployment of the nitrided iron stents in juvenile pig iliac arteries was performed. At 3 or 6 months postoperatively, the stented vessels remained patent well; however, slight luminal loss resulting from intimal hyperplasia and relative stenosis of the stented vessel segment with piglets growth were observed by 12 months; no thrombosis or local tissue necrosis was found. At 1 month postoperatively, a nearly intact layer of endothelial cells formed on the stented vessel wall. Additionally, a decreased inflammation scoring, considerably corroded struts and corrosion products accumulation were seen. These findings indicate the potential of this nitrided iron stent as an attractive biodegradable stent.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is an accurate method for evaluating hypertension, yet its use in clinical practice may be limited by availability, cost, and patient inconvenience. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of a 6-hour ABPM window to predict blood pressure control, based on that of the full 24-hour ABPM session across several clinical indications in a cohort of 486 patients referred for ABPM. Sensitivities and specificities of the 6-hour systolic blood pressure mean to accurately classify patients as hypertensive were determined using a fixed reference point of 130 mmHg for the 24-hour mean. For four common indications in which ABPM was ordered, prediction tables were constructed varying the thresholds for the 6-hour mean to find the optimal value that best predicted the 24-hour hypertensive status as determined from the full 24-hour interval. Using a threshold of 137 mmHg for the indications of borderline hypertension, evaluation of current antihypertensive regimen and suspected white-coat hypertension, sensitivity and specificity ranged from 0.83–0.88 and 0.80–0.88, respectively, for the ability of 6-hour ABPM to correctly categorize hypertensive status. Using 133 mmHg as the threshold for treatment resistance resulted in a sensitivity and specificity of 0.93 and 0.83, respectively. We conclude that a shortened ABPM session of 6 hours can be used to accurately classify blood pressure as controlled or not, based on the results of a 24-hour session. The optimal 6-hour threshold for comparison depends upon indication for referral.

The trace molecular fossils identified in the Pleistocene vermicular red earth by using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis include n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols and n-alkan-2-ones. The variations of the n-alkane parameters appear to bear significant climate information, in striking contrast to the oxygen-bearing molecules (n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols) believed to be more easily reworked by post-depositional processes. Of importance in paleoclimate reconstruction are the ratios of C27/C31 n-alkane indicative of the replacement of woody plants by grassy vegetation, and C15–21/C22–33n-alkane representative of the relative abundance between microorganisms and higher plants. The profile trends of the two n-alkane ratios are comparable to the marine oxygen isotope record among stages 4–20. These molecular fossil records implicate that the Pleistocene vermicular red earth widespread in South China was formed in coupling to the global climatic change and could be an important climate carrier.

Earthquake and its resultant tsunami, as a kind of disaster events in geological history, may be recorded as event deposits of seismite and tsunamite. Typical characteristics of seismite and tsunamite, including seismo-fracture bed, synsedimentary microfracture, micro-corrugated lamination, molar tooth structure, hummocky bedding, occurs in Mesoproterozoic Dalongkou Formation of Kunyang Group in central Yunnan Province. Three types of sedimentary units have been recognized: seismite (unit-A, including limestone with molar tooth structure, seismic shattering rock, seismic corrugated rock, autoclastic breccia and intraclastic parabreccia), tsunamite (unit-B, intraclastic limestone with hummocky or parallel beddings) and background deposits (unit-C). Various stackings of these units construct three distinct sedimentary sequences: A-B-C, A-C and B-C. A-B-C represents an event sedimentary sequence of earthquake-tsunami-background deposits, A-C represents the sequence of earthquake and background deposits (no tsunami occurring), and B-C represents the sequence of tsunami and background deposits (far from the center of earthquake). As the central Yunnan Province was located in a tectonic setting of rift basin in Mesoproterozoic Era, the earthquake event deposits of the Dalongkou Formation are sedimentary response to tectonic activity of the rift basin.

To figure out major diseases and insect pests of sugarcane and sugarcane resistance to diseases,the occurrence of major diseases and insect pests on 11 main sugarcane varieties in eight sugarcane producing areas of Guangxi was investigated during the medium-term growth period of sugarcane in 2015,and field resistance to smut and mosaic diseases was evaluated. The results showed that the dead heart rate（ DHR） ranged from 0. 00% to 38. 55%; new-planting sugarcane of Guiliu 2 and ratoon sugarcane of Liucheng 05-136 suffered the most severe damage in Beihai city,and the DHR were 38. 55% and 37. 66%,respectively. The incidence rate of smut disease ranged from 0. 00% to 24. 89%. Ratoon sugarcane was more susceptible to smut than new-planting sugarcane among all investigated varieties. Variety ROC22 was most susceptible to smut,and performed moderate susceptibility. Guiliu 2 was the second susceptible and performed resistance,with the incidence rate of 7. 45%. The rest nine varieties had high resistance. Sugarcane mosaic disease occurred mildly in Guangxi,and the incidence rate ranged from 0. 39% to 7. 73%. ROC22,Guitang 42 and Guiliu 2 expressed moderate resistance and the rests exhibited resistance. Sugarcane in Nanning and Beihai suffered more severe damage than those in other producing areas. The field evaluation system of sugarcane resistance to borers was expected to be constructed. ROC22 was most susceptible to smut,compared with other main varieties. Mosaic diseases occurred lightly in Guangxi. Multi-location and multi-year observation are necessary for accurate evaluation of sugarcane resistance to smut and mosaic diseases.

Background Giant Juncao is often used as feed for livestock because of its huge biomass. However, drought stress reduces forage production by affecting the normal growth and development of plants. Therefore, investigating the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance will provide important information for the improvement of drought tolerance in this grass. Results A total of 144.96 Gb of clean data was generated and assembled into 144,806 transcripts and 93,907 unigenes. After 7 and 14 days of drought stress, a total of 16,726 and 46,492 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed, respectively. Compared with normal irrigation, 16,247, 23,503, and 11,598 DEGs were observed in 1, 5, and 9 days following rehydration, respectively. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed abiotic stress-responsive genes and pathways related to catalytic activity, methyltransferase activity, transferase activity, and superoxide metabolic process. We also identified transcription factors belonging to several families, including basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), WRKY, NAM (no apical meristem), ATAF1/2 and CUC2 (cup-shaped cotyledon) (NAC), fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR1), B3, myeloblastosis (MYB)-related, and basic leucine zipper (bZIP) families, which are important drought-rehydration-responsive proteins. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was also used to analyze the RNA-seq data to predict the interrelationship between genes. Twenty modules were obtained, and four of these modules may be involved in photosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction that respond to drought and rehydration conditions. Conclusions Our research is the first to provide a more comprehensive understanding of DEGs involved in drought stress at the transcriptome level in Giant Juncao with different drought and recovery conditions. These results may reveal insights into the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in Giant Juncao and provide diverse genetic resources involved in drought tolerance research.

Despite the cerebellum’s crucial role in brain function, its early development, particularly in relation to the cerebrum, remains poorly understood. Here, we examine cerebellocortical connectivity using over 1000 high-quality resting-state functional MRI scans from children between birth and five years of age. By mapping cerebellar topography with fine temporal granularity, we unveil the hierarchical organization of cerebellocortical functional connectivity from infancy. We observe dynamic shifts in cerebellar functional topography, which become more focal with age while largely maintaining stable anchor regions similar to adults, highlighting the cerebellum’s evolving yet organized role in functional integration during early development. Our findings demonstrate cerebellar connectivity to higher-order networks at birth, which generally strengthen with age, emphasizing the cerebellum’s early role in cognitive processing beyond sensory and motor functions. Our study provides insights into early cerebellocortical interactions, reveals functional asymmetry and sex-specific patterns in cerebellar development, and lays the groundwork for future research on cerebellum-related disorders in children. Using over 1,000 early childhood fMRI scans, the authors mapped cerebellocortical connectivity, revealing early integration with higher-order networks and age-related refinement, gradients, asymmetry, and sex-specific patterns.

Understanding the geodynamics of plateau evolution requires examining the spatial and temporal aspects of mountain building in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, which are still under debate. Here we integrate apatite geo‐thermochronological and geochemical data from the Oligocene‐Miocene succession of the Xunhua Basin to elucidate the evolution of the regional topography. The results suggest sediment provenance changes, at ca. 28, 20 and 12 Ma, indicating topographic growth of the West Qinling, Laji Shan, and Jishi Shan source areas, respectively. Our findings reveal Oligocene‐Miocene stepwise deformation and middle Miocene stress reorganization within the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. We attribute this to Oligocene lithospheric foundering beneath the south‐central Tibetan Plateau and the middle Miocene initiation of sinistral strike‐slip faults due to the underthrusting of India and North China. This study highlights the roles of lithospheric removal and continental underthrusting in plateau growth, and the value of multi‐proxy apatite analyses in provenance studies. Plain Language Summary The northeastern Tibetan Plateau experienced significant shortening in the last 65 million years due to India‐Eurasia collision, and is thus an ideal region to study how regional topography responds to tectonics. In this study, we have examined the sedimentology and undertaken isotopic dating of apatite grains within the Xunhua Basin. Our results show how the rivers feeding the basin have changed course around 28, 20, and 12 Ma, corresponding to the growth of the West Qinling, Laji Shan, and Jishi Shan mountain ranges, respectively. Our findings, together with evidence for how the rocks in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau have deformed and evidence for the deep structure of the crust from geophysics, suggest deformation progressed from the southern to the northern edges of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau in the last 30 million years. We attribute this to the removal of the Indian Plate beneath the south‐central Tibetan Plateau, and major phases of movement on reverse faults in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Furthermore, we identify a stress change in the last 12 million years caused by the major phases of movement on strike‐slip faults in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. We attribute this to the underthrusting of India and North China plates, respectively. Key Points Apatite provenance data sets reveal provenance changes at ca. 28, 20 and 12 Ma, indicating topographic growth of source areas Stepwise deformation in the NE Tibetan Plateau resulted from Oligocene lithospheric foundering beneath south‐central Tibet Mid‐Miocene strike‐slip fault‐driven stress change in the NE Tibetan Plateau is attributed to the underthrusting of India and North China

Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) play vital roles in the regulation of tolerance to various stresses in living organisms. To dissect the mechanisms of the Hsfs in potato adaptation to abiotic stresses, genome and transcriptome analyses of Hsf gene family were investigated in Solanum tuberosum L. Twenty-seven StHsf members were identified by bioinformatics and phylogenetic analyses and were classified into A, B, and C groups according to their structural and phylogenetic features. StHsfs in the same class shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs. The chromosomal location analysis showed that 27 Hsfs were located in 10 of 12 chromosomes (except chromosome 1 and chromosome 5) and that 18 of these genes formed 9 paralogous pairs. Expression profiles of StHsfs in 12 different organs and tissues uncovered distinct spatial expression patterns of these genes and their potential roles in the process of growth and development. Promoter and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detections of StHsfs were conducted and demonstrated that these genes were all responsive to various stresses. StHsf004, StHsf007, StHsf009, StHsf014, and StHsf019 were constitutively expressed under non-stress conditions, and some specific Hsfs became the predominant Hsfs in response to different abiotic stresses, indicating their important and diverse regulatory roles in adverse conditions. A co-expression network between StHsfs and StHsf -co-expressed genes was generated based on the publicly-available potato transcriptomic databases and identified key candidate StHsfs for further functional studies.