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The influence of geometry on the local and global packing of particles is important to many fundamental and applied research themes, such as the structure and stability of liquids, crystals and glasses. Here we show by experiments and simulations that a binary mixture of hard-sphere-like nanoparticles crystallizing into a MgZn2 Laves phase in bulk spontaneously forms icosahedral clusters in slowly drying droplets. Using advanced electron tomography, we are able to obtain the real-space coordinates of all the spheres in the icosahedral clusters of up to about 10,000 particles. The local structure of 70–80% of the particles became similar to that of the MgCu2 Laves phase. These observations are important for photonic applications. In addition, we observed in simulations that the icosahedral clusters nucleated away from the spherical boundary, which is distinctly different from that of the single species clusters. Our findings open the way for particle-level studies of nucleation and growth of icosahedral clusters, and of binary crystallization.The authors investigate out-of-equilibrium crystallization of a binary mixture of sphere-like nanoparticles in small droplets. They observe the spontaneous formation of an icosahedral structure with stable MgCu2 phases, which are promising for photonic applications.

Forest carbon sinks are crucial in mitigating climate change as integral components of the global carbon cycle. Accurately estimating forest carbon sinks using traditional remote sensing indices, such as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI), presents significant challenges, particularly in complex terrains and regions with variable climates. These limitations hinder the effective capture of photosynthetic dynamics. To address this gap, this study leverages Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) remote sensing, highlighting its superiority over traditional indices in capturing photosynthetic processes and offering a more precise approach to estimating carbon sinks in climate-sensitive mountainous areas. Using SIF data from GOSIF, alongside models for light-use efficiency and ecosystem respiration, this study estimates forest carbon sinks in the Qinba Mountains of China during the growing season (June to September) from 2011 to 2018. The results are further validated and analyzed in terms of forest age and type. Key findings include: (1) The average annual forest carbon sinks during the growing season was approximately 24.51 TgC; (2) Spatially, higher carbon sinks values (average 36.79 gC·m⁻2·month⁻1) were concentrated in the western and central Qinba areas, while southeastern and central-northern regions exhibited lower values (average 7.75 gC·m⁻2·month⁻1); (3) Temporally, minimal interannual variation was observed in the northwest, whereas the southeast showed fluctuating trends, with an initial decline followed by an increase; (4) Forest carbon sinks was significantly influenced by forest age, type, and altitude. Our findings demonstrate that plantation forests aged 10 to 30 years exhibit superior carbon sequestration capacity compared to natural forests, while natural forests aged 70 to 90 years also show significant carbon sinks potential. These results underscore the crucial influence of forest characteristics on carbon sequestration dynamics. By examining these spatiotemporal patterns in the Qinba Mountains, our study offers valuable insights for advancing China’s ‘dual carbon’ goals, emphasizing the importance of strategic forest management in mitigating climate change.

Assembling binary mixtures of nanoparticles into crystals, gives rise to collective properties depending on the crystal structure and the individual properties of both species. However, quantitative 3D real-space analysis of binary colloidal crystals with a thickness of more than 10 layers of particles has rarely been performed. Here we demonstrate that an excess of one species in the binary nanoparticle mixture suppresses the formation of icosahedral order in the self-assembly in droplets, allowing the study of bulk-like binary crystal structures with a spherical morphology also called supraparticles. As example of the approach, we show single-particle level analysis of over 50 layers of Laves phase binary crystals of hard-sphere-like nanoparticles using electron tomography. We observe a crystalline lattice composed of a random mixture of the Laves phases. The number ratio of the binary species in the crystal lattice matches that of a perfect Laves crystal. Our methodology can be applied to study the structure of a broad range of binary crystals, giving insights into the structure formation mechanisms and structure-property relations of nanomaterials. 3D real-space analysis of thick nanoparticle crystals is non-trivial. Here, the authors demonstrate the structural analysis of a bulk-like Laves phase by imaging an off-stoichiometric binary mixture of hard-sphere-like nanoparticles in spherical confinement by electron tomography, enabling defect analysis on the single-particle level.

Self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) inside drying emulsion droplets provides a general strategy for hierarchical structuring of matter at different length scales. The local orientation of neighboring crystalline NPs can be crucial to optimize for instance the optical and electronic properties of the self-assembled superstructures. By integrating experiments and computer simulations, we demonstrate that the orientational correlations of cubic NPs inside drying emulsion droplets are significantly determined by their flat faces. We analyze the rich interplay of positional and orientational order as the particle shape changes from a sharp cube to a rounded cube. Sharp cubes strongly align to form simple-cubic superstructures whereas rounded cubes assemble into icosahedral clusters with additionally strong local orientational correlations. This demonstrates that the interplay between packing, confinement and shape can be utilized to develop new materials with novel properties. Colloidal nanoparticles self-assembled under spherical confinement can form a rich variety of structures. Here, the authors study the self-assembly of sharp and rounded nanocubes under such confinement, revealing the influence of particle and face geometry on positional and orientational behavior.

Sarmentosin (SA) and Quercetin (QC) are two active components of Sedum Sarmentosum Bunge, which is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. This study aimed to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of SA and QC in fatty liver of Genetic Improvement of Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) tilapia. GIFT tilapia were randomly divided into two groups with three replicates per treatment (30 fish in each replicate): normal diet group (average weight 3.51±0.31 g) and high-fat diet group (average weight 3.44±0.09 g). After 8 weeks feeding trial, growth index, lipid deposition, and biochemical indexes were measured. Lipid deposition, and lipid and inflammation-related gene expression were detected in a primary hepatocyte model of fatty liver of GIFT tilapia treated with SA or QC. Our results showed that high-fat diet caused lipid deposition and peroxidative damage in the liver of GIFT tilapia. The cell counting kit-8 assay results indicated that 10 μM SA and 10 μM of QC both had the least effect on hepatocyte proliferation. Moreover, both 10 μM of SA and 10 μM of QC showed lipolytic effects and inhibited the expression of lipid-related genes ( FAS , Leptin , SREBP-1c , and SREBP2 ) in fatty liver cells. Interestingly, QC induced autophagosome-like subcellular structure and increased the expression of IL-8 in fatty liver cells. In conclusion, this study confirmed that SA and QC improved fatty liver caused by high-fat diet, providing a novel therapeutic approach for fatty liver of GIFT tilapia.

Two crystalline nanocrystals with superparamagnetic and plasmonic properties form mechanically strong hybrid nanorods with dual functionality. Next-generation ‘smart’ nanoparticle systems should be precisely engineered in size, shape and composition to introduce multiple functionalities, unattainable from a single material 1 , 2 , 3 . Bottom-up chemical methods are prized for the synthesis of crystalline nanoparticles, that is, nanocrystals, with size- and shape-dependent physical properties 4 , 5 , 6 , but they are less successful in achieving multifunctionality 7 , 8 , 9 . Top-down lithographic methods can produce multifunctional nanoparticles with precise size and shape control 2 , 3 , 10 , 11 , yet this becomes increasingly difficult at sizes of ∼10 nm. Here, we report the fabrication of multifunctional, smart nanoparticle systems by combining top-down fabrication and bottom-up self-assembly methods. Particularly, we template nanorods from a mixture of superparamagnetic Zn 0.2 Fe 2.8 O 4 and plasmonic Au nanocrystals. The superparamagnetism of Zn 0.2 Fe 2.8 O 4 prevents these nanorods from spontaneous magnetic-dipole-induced aggregation, while their magnetic anisotropy makes them responsive to an external field. Ligand exchange drives Au nanocrystal fusion and forms a porous network, imparting the nanorods with high mechanical strength and polarization-dependent infrared surface plasmon resonances. The combined superparamagnetic and plasmonic functions enable switching of the infrared transmission of a hybrid nanorod suspension using an external magnetic field.

This research aimed to systematically identify and preliminarily validate the Hevea brasiliensis expressed sequence tag (EST) information using Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) and provide evidence for further development of SSR molecular marker. The definition of general SSR features of Hevea EST splicing sequences and development of SSR primers founded the basis of diversity analysis and variety identification for Hevea tree resource. 1134 SSR loci were identified in the EST splicing sequence and distributed in 840 Unigene. The occurrence rate of SSR loci was 23.9%, and the average distribution distance of EST-SSR was 2.59 kb. The major repeat type was mononucleotide repeat motif, which accounted for 38.89%, while the corresponding value was 36.95% for dinucleotide repeat motif and 18.17% for trinucleotide repeat motif; the proportion of other motifs was only 5.99%. The superior repeat motifs for mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and trinucleotide were A/T, AG/CT, and AAG/CTT, respectively. 739 pair of primers were designed for 1134 SSR loci. PCR amplification was performed on Hevea Reyan5-11, Reyan87-6-47, and PR107, and 180 pairs of primers were selected which were able to amplify polymorphism bands.

Xiangzamian 2 (XZM2) was the most widely cultivated cotton hybrid planted as F1 hybrids and as selfed F2 seeds in China before the release of transgenic Bt hybrids. By crossing two parents of XZM2, Gossypium hirsutum cv. Zhongmiansuo12 (ZMS12) and G. hirsutum acc. 8891, and through subsequent selfings, we obtained F8 and F9 populations of 180 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). A RIL population was cultivated in two cotton-growing regions in China for 2 years. The purpose of the present research was to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for fiber quality and provide information applicable to cotton breeding. A genetic map was constructed mainly using SSR markers. QTL controlling fiber quality traits were determined at the single-locus and two-locus levels, and genotype-by-environment interactions were analyzed. Among the main-effect QTL, a fiber length QTL qFL-D2-1 and a reflectance QTL qFR-D2-1 were simultaneously detected at two growing regions in 2 years, which suggested a high degree of stability in different environments, and might be of particular value for a marker-assisted selection (MAS) program. The results suggested that epistatic effects, as well as additive effects, of QTL play important roles in fiber quality in these RILs. In our research, the phenomenon of QTL clusters was detected in the cotton genome.

Musa becccarii N.W. Simmonds is one of the most important wild banana species native to Borneo. The chromosome number, 2n = 18, is new to the genus Musa. Wild populations of M. beccarii have been reduced enormously due to massive land clearing for oil palm plantations. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome of Musa beccarii by next-generation sequencing (NGS). The total length of the complete chloroplast genome was 168,457 bp, and the overall GC content of the whole genome is 36.8%. The cp genome of Musa beccarii contained a pair of inverted repeat regions of 34,819 bp, which were separated by the large single copy of 88,166bp and the small single copy of 11,059 bp. It encoded 114 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA ribosomal genes. The most genes occur as a single copy, while 21 gene species occur in double copies. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrateds Musa becccarii formed a single branch among genus Musa. This complete chloroplast genome will provide important information for conservation and identification of species of Musa spp.

Musa acuminata var. chinensis is one of the most important wild banana species native to China which has huge potential breeding value by its cold tolerance and disease resistance. In this study, we first reported the complete chloroplast genome of M. acuminata var. chinensis and explore its phylogenetic position using a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree. The chloroplast genome of M. acuminata var. chinensis is 170,402 bp in length and the overall GC content of the whole genome is 36.8%. It consisting of a pair of inverted repeat (IR, 35,320 bp) regions, a large single-copy (LSC, 88,870 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC, 10,900 bp). The chloroplast genome contained 112 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA ribosomal genes. The most genes occur as a single copy, while 23 gene species occur in double copies. Phylogenetic analysis of 7 selected chloroplast genomes revealed that M. acuminata var. chinensis was closely related to M. acuminata ssp. malaccensis. The complete chloroplast genome of M. acuminata var. chinensis will greatly enhance precious gene resources for banana breeding programs in the future.