From zinc homeostasis to disease progression: Unveiling the neurodegenerative puzzle.

Zinc is a crucial trace element in the human body, playing a role in various physiological processes such as oxidative stress, neurotransmission, protein synthesis, and DNA repair. The zinc transporters (ZnTs) family members are responsible for exporting intracellular zinc, while Zrt- and Irt-like proteins (ZIPs) are involved in importing extracellular zinc. These processes are essential for maintaining cellular zinc homeostasis. Imbalances in zinc metabolism have been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Disruptions in zinc levels can impact the survival and activity of neurons, thereby contributing to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases through mechanisms like cell apoptosis regulation, protein phase separation, ferroptosis, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Therefore, conducting a systematic review of the regulatory network of zinc and investigating the relationship between zinc dysmetabolism and neurodegenerative diseases can enhance our understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases. Additionally, it may offer new insights and approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

[Impacts of climate warming on growth period and yield of rice in Northeast China during recent two decades].

By using rice growth period, yield and climate observation data during the recent two decades, the impact of climate warming on rice in Northeast China was investigated by mathematical statistics methods. The results indicated that in the three provinces of Northeast China, the average, maximum and minimum temperatures in rice growing season were on the. rise, and the rainfall presented a downward trend during 1989-2009. Compared to 1990s, the rice whole growth periods of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces in 2000s were prolonged 14 d, 4.5 d and 5.1 d, respectively. The increase of temperature in May, June and September could extend the rice growth period, while that in July would shorten the growth duration. The rice growth duration of registered varieties and experiment sites had a similar increasing trend in Northeast China except for the Heilongjiang Province, and the extension of registered varieties growth period was the main factor causing the prolonged growth period of rice at experiment sites. The change in daily average, minimum and maximum temperatures all could affect the rice yield in Northeast China. The increasing temperature significantly increased the rice yield in Heilongjiang Province, especially in the west region of Sanjiang Plain. Except for the south of Liaoning Province, rice yields in other regions of Northeast China were promoted by increasing temperature. Proper measures for breeding, cultivation and farming, could be adopted to fully improve the adaptation of rice to climate warming in Northeast China.

Direct writing of graphene patterns on insulating substrates under ambient conditions.

To unleash the full potential of graphene in electronics and optoelectronics, high-quality graphene patterns on insulating substrates are required. However, existing methods generally follow a "synthesis + patterning" strategy, which are time consuming and costly for fabricating high-quality graphene patterns on desired substrates. We developed a nanofabrication process to deposit high-quality graphene patterns directly on insulating substrates via a solid-phase laser direct writing (LDW) process. Open-air and room-temperature fabrication of graphene patterns on insulating substrates has been achieved via a femtosecond LDW process without graphene transfer and patterning. Various graphene patterns, including texts, spirals, line arrays, and integrated circuit patterns, with a feature line width of 800 nm and a low sheet resistance of 205 ohm/sq, were fabricated. The LDW method provides a facile and cost-effective way to fabricate complex and high-quality graphene patterns directly on target substrates, which opens a door for fabricating various advanced functional devices.