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Hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells offer possibility of adopting platinum-group-metal-free catalysts to negotiate sluggish oxygen reduction reaction. Unfortunately, the ultrafast hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) on platinum decreases at least two orders of magnitude by switching the electrolytes from acid to base, causing high platinum-group-metal loadings. Here we show that a nickel-molybdenum nanoalloy with tetragonal MoNi 4 phase can catalyze the HOR efficiently in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high apparent exchange current density of 3.41 milliamperes per square centimeter and operates very stable, which is 1.4 times higher than that of state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst. With this catalyst, we further demonstrate the capability to tolerate carbon monoxide poisoning. Marked HOR activity was also observed on similarly designed WNi 4 catalyst. We attribute this remarkable HOR reactivity to an alloy effect that enables optimum adsorption of hydrogen on nickel and hydroxyl on molybdenum (tungsten), which synergistically promotes the Volmer reaction. The lack of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) hampers the application of hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells. Here, authors reported bimetallic MoNi 4 and WNi 4 nanoalloys with marked HOR activity in alkali, among which MoNi4 outperforms the Pt/C catalyst.

Background Pistachio ( Pistacia vera ), one of the most important commercial nut crops worldwide, is highly adaptable to abiotic stresses and is tolerant to drought and salt stresses. Results Here, we provide a draft de novo genome of pistachio as well as large-scale genome resequencing. Comparative genomic analyses reveal stress adaptation of pistachio is likely attributable to the expanded cytochrome P450 and chitinase gene families. Particularly, a comparative transcriptomic analysis shows that the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthetic pathway plays an important role in salt tolerance in pistachio. Moreover, we resequence 93 cultivars and 14 wild P. vera genomes and 35 closely related wild Pistacia genomes, to provide insights into population structure, genetic diversity, and domestication. We find that frequent genetic admixture occurred among the different wild Pistacia species. Comparative population genomic analyses reveal that pistachio was domesticated about 8000 years ago and suggest that key genes for domestication related to tree and seed size experienced artificial selection. Conclusions Our study provides insight into genetic underpinning of local adaptation and domestication of pistachio. The Pistacia genome sequences should facilitate future studies to understand the genetic basis of agronomically and environmentally related traits of desert crops.

The ankle‐link complex (ALC) consists of USH2A, WHRN, PDZD7, and ADGRV1 and plays an important role in hair cell development. At present, its architectural organization and signaling role remain unclear. By establishing Adgrv1 Y6236fsX1 mutant mice as a model of the deafness‐associated human Y6244fsX1 mutation, the authors show here that the Y6236fsX1 mutation disrupts the interaction between adhesion G protein‐coupled receptor V subfamily member 1 (ADGRV1) and other ALC components, resulting in stereocilia disorganization and mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) deficits. Importantly, ADGRV1 inhibits WHRN phosphorylation through regional cAMP‐PKA signaling, which in turn regulates the ubiquitination and stability of USH2A via local signaling compartmentalization, whereas ADGRV1 Y6236fsX1 does not. Yeast two‐hybrid screening identified the E3 ligase WDSUB1 that binds to WHRN and regulates the ubiquitination of USH2A in a WHRN phosphorylation‐dependent manner. Further FlAsH‐BRET assay, NMR spectrometry, and mutagenesis analysis provided insights into the architectural organization of ALC and interaction motifs at single‐residue resolution. In conclusion, the present data suggest that ALC organization and accompanying local signal transduction play important roles in regulating the stability of the ALC. The ankle link complex (ALC) is essential for hair cell development and hearing. However, the architectural organization and signaling role of ALC remain unclear. Here, the authors show that ALC component ADGRV1 inhibits whirlin phosphorylation and regulates the stability of USH2A through compartmentalized cAMP‐PKA signaling. These results provide insights into the molecular mechanism underlying ALC assembly and dynamic regulation.

AimsHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive patients with breast cancer may have different HER2/CEP17 ratios and HER2 copy numbers, with inconsistent responses to anti-HER2 neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Our study aimed to explore the relationship between different HER2 fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) patterns in HER2-positive patients with breast cancer and responses to anti-HER2 NACT.Methods527 patients with HER2-positive invasive breast cancer who received anti-HER2 NACT from 2015 to 2022 were included and divided into three groups by FISH results, namely group A: HER2/CEP17<2.0 and HER2 copy numbers ≥6.0, HER2 immunohistochemistry 2/3+; group B: HER2/CEP17≥2.0 and HER2 copy numbers ≥4.0 and <6.0; group C: HER2/CEP17≥2.0 and HER2 copy numbers ≥6.0. We compared clinicopathological characteristics and pathological complete response (pCR) rates of different groups.ResultsAccording to HER2 FISH results, 12 patients (2.3%, 12/527) were in group A, 40 (7.6%, 40/527) were in group B and 475 (90.1%, 475/527) were in group C. The pCR rate was the lowest in group B (5.0%), while the pCR rates in group A and group C were 33.3% and 44.4%, respectively (p (group A vs. B) =0.021, p (group C vs. B) < 0.001). Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that HER2 FISH pattern was correlated with pCR rate (p (group C vs. B) < 0.001, p (group C vs. B) = 0.025).ConclusionsPatients with HER2/CEP17≥2.0 and HER2 copy numbers ≥4.0 and <6.0 do not benefit to the same extent from current anti-HER2 therapies as FISH-positive patients with other patterns.

Much like other indigenous domesticated animals, Tibetan chickens living at high altitudes (2,200–4,100 m) show specific physiological adaptations to the extreme environmental conditions of the Tibetan Plateau, but the genetic bases of these adaptations are not well characterized. Here, we assembled a de novo genome of a Tibetan chicken and resequenced whole genomes of 32 additional chickens, including Tibetan chickens, village chickens, game fowl, and Red Junglefowl, and found that the Tibetan chickens could broadly be placed into two groups. Further analyses revealed that several candidate genes in the calcium-signaling pathway are possibly involved in adaptation to the hypoxia experienced by these chickens, as these genes appear to have experienced directional selection in the two Tibetan chicken populations, suggesting a potential genetic mechanism underlying high altitude adaptation in Tibetan chickens. The candidate selected genes identified in this study, and their variants, may be useful targets for clarifying our understanding of the domestication of chickens in Tibet, and might be useful in current breeding efforts to develop improved breeds for the highlands.

Taxus fuana , an endemic plant of the West Himalayas, has an extremely small population size and is currently threatened by heavy logging due to its medicinal properties. However, the impacts of human‐induced logging on population size and tree size‐class distribution, and their consequences for genetic diversity in China remain unclear, constraining conservation efficacy. Field surveys across six Gyirong sites indicated that trees with basal diameters of 6–30 cm experienced the most severe logging damage, particularly at Jilong (JL) and Langjiu (LJ). Both chloroplast DNA ( ɸ ST = 0.138) and nuclear SSR ( F ST = 0.091) revealed significant differentiation among sites. Demographic modeling and gene flow estimates suggest that restricted gene flow and enhanced genetic drift in smaller sites appear to have driven this differentiation. Moreover, genetic diversity declined in a size‐dependent manner: larger sites at Kaire (KR) and Jipu (JP) maintained higher haplotype diversity, nucleotide diversity, and allelic richness, whereas smaller sites at LJ and Tangbo (TB) exhibited markedly reduced values. At the individual tree level, sites dominated by small trees (6–30 cm) harbored lower genetic variation and allelic richness than those with a broader size‐class distribution, underscoring the link between logging‐induced demographic shifts and genetic erosion. We therefore recommend habitat restoration to prevent further logging, while establishing corridors and stepping‐stone sites to re‐establish gene flow and introducing genetically diverse individuals into sites with a high proportion of small trees.

Generic and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments may reflect different aspects of lives in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and thus be associated with different determinants. We used the same cluster of predictors for the generic and disease-specific HRQoL instruments to examine and compare the determinants of HRQoL. HRQoL was measured in 92 patients with PD by the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). The predictors included demographic and disease characteristics, and motor and non-motor symptoms. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify HRQoL determinants. Depressive symptoms and motor difficulties of daily living were the first two significant determinants for both instruments. The other significant determinant for the SF-36 was fatigue and non-motor difficulties of daily living, and for the PDQ-39 was motor signs of PD. The results suggest the importance of the evaluation and intervention focused on depressive symptoms and motor difficulties of daily living in patients with PD. In addition, the SF-36 seems more related to non-motor symptoms, while the PDQ-39 appears more associated with motor symptoms. This information is important for understanding results from these two instruments and for choosing which to use.

Propagule dispersal is a crucial life history stage, which affects population recruitment and regeneration as well as community structure and functions. The windborne process of samara dispersal is affected not only by samara traits and other plant traits, but also by environmental factors. Therefore, studying samara traits related to its dispersal and intraspecific variation in relation to other plant traits and environmental factors could help to understand population distribution and dynamics. Hopea hainanensis , a Dipterocarpaceae tree species dominant in lowland rainforests in Hainan (China) but endangered due to anthropogenic disturbances, is dispersed mainly by wind because of its sepal-winged samara. Here, we measured dispersal-related intraspecific samara traits of H. hainanensi s, and analyzed their variation and correlation in relation to plant height, DBH (diameter at breast height), and elevation plant location. Great variations in the samara traits existed, and the variations were larger within than among individuals, which indicated a “bet-hedging” strategy of this species. Plant height, DBH, and elevation explained slight variation in the samara traits. Samara dispersal potential is mainly affected by the samara mass and morphological traits. Samara settling velocity was significantly positively correlated with fruit mass, seed mass, length and width, as well as samara wing loading, and negatively correlated with wing mass ratio, wing area, and wing aspect ratio. Substantial proportions of intraspecific variation in samara dispersal are explained by the samara mass and morphological traits. Natural regeneration with human-aided dispersal is necessary for recovering the H. hainanensis population. This finding contributes to the generalization of trait-based plant ecology, modeling of seed dispersal in tropical forests, and conservation and recovery of rare and endangered species such as H. hainanensis .

Background and aims Windblown sand movements, i.e., wind denudation and sand burial, pose a strong selective pressure on dune vegetation. Dune plants commonly receive repeated wind denudation or sand burial. Therefore, simultaneously examining the role of sand movement intensity and frequency in shaping dune vegetation is critical for dune biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration. However, studies of this nature are rare. Methods We studied the integrated effects of sand movement intensity and frequency on the seedling performance of a dominant semi-shrub, Artemisia ordosica , in the Mu Us sandland. We subjected A. ordosica seedlings to a total intensity of 10 cm wind denudation or sand burial treatments conducted once, twice or four times. Key results We found, given that the total intensity of sand movement remains the same, increasing frequency and decreasing intensity per time largely improved seedling survival. Furthermore, increasing frequency and decreasing intensity per time significantly alleviated the negative effects of wind denudation, although such alleviation effect was not detected for sand burial. Seedlings of A. ordosica increased specific leaf area, root length, and biomass allocation to root to adapt to wind denudation, while they developed adventitious roots to adapt to sand burial. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that a single heavy sand movement is more detrimental than multiple light ones to the performance of A. ordosica seedlings. Our findings suggest that windproof measures to prevent severe sand movements is necessary to allow the establishment of A. ordosica during the dune restoration process.

The development of efficient sequencing techniques has resulted in large numbers of genomes being available for evolutionary studies. However, only one genome is available for all amphibians, that of Xenopus tropicalis , which is distantly related from the majority of frogs. More than 96% of frogs belong to the Neobatrachia, and no genome exists for this group. This dearth of amphibian genomes greatly restricts genomic studies of amphibians and, more generally, our understanding of tetrapod genome evolution. To fill this gap, we provide the de novo genome of a Tibetan Plateau frog, Nanorana parkeri , and compare it to that of X. tropicalis and other vertebrates. This genome encodes more than 20,000 protein-coding genes, a number similar to that of Xenopus . Although the genome size of Nanorana is considerably larger than that of Xenopus (2.3 vs. 1.5 Gb), most of the difference is due to the respective number of transposable elements in the two genomes. The two frogs exhibit considerable conserved whole-genome synteny despite having diverged approximately 266 Ma, indicating a slow rate of DNA structural evolution in anurans. Multigenome synteny blocks further show that amphibians have fewer interchromosomal rearrangements than mammals but have a comparable rate of intrachromosomal rearrangements. Our analysis also identifies 11 Mb of anuran-specific highly conserved elements that will be useful for comparative genomic analyses of frogs. The Nanorana genome offers an improved understanding of evolution of tetrapod genomes and also provides a genomic reference for other evolutionary studies. Significance We provide a de novo genome of the Tibetan frog, Nanorana parkeri , and conduct a series of comparisons with other vertebrates. Approximately one-half of the genome of Nanorana consists of transposable elements (TEs). The frequencies and distributional patterns of TEs differ considerably between Nanorana and Xenopus , the only other amphibian for which a genome has been sequenced. The genomes of these two frogs exhibit substantial homologous synteny blocks with rare interchromosomal and intrachromosomal rearrangements. We also identify 11 Mb of amphibian-specific conserved elements comprising 217 genes. These highly conserved genes provide a basis for comparative genomic analyses throughout frogs.