Polyphenol-Reinforced Glycocalyx-Like Hydrogel Coating Induced Myocardial Regeneration and Immunomodulation.

Although minimally invasive interventional occluders can effectively seal heart defect tissue, they still have some limitations, including poor endothelial healing, intense inflammatory response, and thrombosis formation. Herein, a polyphenol-reinforced medicine/peptide glycocalyx-like coating was prepared on cardiac occluders. A coating consisting of carboxylated chitosan, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), tanshinone IIA sulfonic sodium (TSS), and hyaluronic acid grafted with 3-aminophenylboronic acid was prepared. Subsequently, the mercaptopropionic acid-GGGGG-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val peptide was grafted by the thiol-ene "click" reaction. The coating showed good hydrophilicity and free radical-scavenging ability and could release EGCG-TSS. The results of biological experiments suggested that the coating could reduce thrombosis by promoting endothelialization, and promote myocardial repair by regulating the inflammatory response. The functions of regulating cardiomyocyte apoptosis and metabolism were confirmed, and the inflammatory regulatory functions of the coating were mainly dependent on the NF-kappa B and TNF signaling pathway.

Casimir Effect in MEMS: Materials, Geometries, and Metrologies-A Review.

Casimir force densities, i.e., force per area, become very large if two solid material surfaces come closer together to each other than 10 nm. In most cases, the forces are attractive. In some cases, they can be repulsive depending on the solid materials and the fluid medium in between. This review provides an overview of experimental and theoretical studies that have been performed and focuses on four main aspects: (i) the combinations of different materials, (ii) the considered geometries, (iii) the applied experimental measurement methodologies and (iv) a novel self-assembly methodology based on Casimir forces. Briefly reviewed is also the influence of additional parameters such as temperature, conductivity, and surface roughness. The Casimir effect opens many application possibilities in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), where an overview is also provided. The knowledge generation in this fascinating field requires interdisciplinary approaches to generate synergetic effects between technological fabrication metrology, theoretical simulations, the establishment of adequate models, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Finally, multiple applications are addressed as a research roadmap.

Analysis of rice characteristic volatiles and their influence on rice aroma.

Rice aroma, one of the most important qualities of rice, was the comprehensive result of volatiles in rice and human sense. In this study, the main volatile compounds in rice were analyzed by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-olfactometry, and their correlations with sensory score were investigated. A total of eighty-five volatiles were found in rice samples. By combining odor activity value and correlation analysis, nine volatiles were considered as potential characteristic volatiles in rice aroma, namely hexanal, 2-pentylfuran, octanal, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP), 1-octen-3-ol, trans-2-octenal, decanal, trans-2-nonenal and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal. It was found that the volatiles negatively correlated with sensory scores were positively correlated with hexanal. It indicated that hexanal might be a representative of the negative volatiles of rice aroma. The effects of the nine potential characteristic volatiles on rice aroma were investigated by using sensory analysis. The results showed that the odor intensity and preference level of 2-AP, hexanal, and 1-octen-3-ol were significantly affected by the content. Furthermore, the aroma of cooked rice was significantly different after adding 2-AP, hexanal or trans, trans-2,4-decadienal. Rice aroma was increased by adding 2-AP and deteriorated by adding hexanal or trans, trans-2,4-decadienal, indicating that 2-AP contributed positively to rice aroma while hexanal and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal contributed negatively to rice aroma. Hexanal, 2-AP, and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal were suggested to be the key characteristic volatiles for future aroma evaluation.

Study on the relationship between Methylation of Neuregulin (NRG) Gene and Cervical Carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the DNA methylation state of NRG1 promoter and its expression changes, and to analyze the clinical significance of its regulatory mechanism of DNA methylation in cervical carcinoma. Methods: This was a retrospective study. One-hundred and twenty patients from the Department of Gynecology of Cangzhou People's Hospital from September 2017 to September 2019 were selected, including 40 cases of cervical SCC, 40 cases of high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions(HSIL) and 40 cases of control cervical tissues. RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry and DNA methylation-specific PCR(MSP) were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of NRG1 and DNA methylation status in different tissue types. Results: Immunohistochemical results showed that the positive protein expression rate of NRG1 gene in the SCC group was lower than that in both HSIL and Control groups. RT-qPCR results showed that the mRNA gene of NRG1 gradually decreased in expression with the increase of cervical tissue lesions, with a statistically significant difference. Similarly, it also found that the mRNA expression level of NRG1 in the SCC group was independent of patients' age (p>0.05), but significantly correlated with tumor pathological staging, surgical pathology staging and lymphatic metastasis (p<0.05). Furthermore, methylation-specific PCR results revealed a significantly higher DNA methylation rate of NRG1 gene in the SCC group than in both HSIL and Control groups, with a statistically significant difference. Moreover, the methylation degree of NRG1 gene in SCC tissues was negatively correlated with its mRNA expression (p<0.05). Conclusions: Abnormal DNA hypermethylation of NRG1 gene inhibits the expression of mRNA and protein in the progression of cervical tissue from normal to cancerous state, which is involved in the occurrence and development of cervical carcinoma.

[Analysis of Reproductive Tract Microecological Changes During the Frozen-Thawed Embryo Transfer Cycle and Clinical Pregnancy Outcomes]. / æ¿€ç´ æ›¿ä»£å†»èƒšç§»æ¤å‘¨æœŸç”Ÿæ®–é“å¾®ç”Ÿæ€å˜åŒ–ä¸Žå¦Šå¨ ç»“å±€åˆ†æž.

Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between reproductive tract microecological changes, metabolic differences, and pregnancy outcomes at different time points in the frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle while patients are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, which will be a breakthrough point for improving outcomes. Methods: A total of 20 women undergoing frozen-thawed single blastocyst transfer for the first time at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Fujian Maternal and Child Health Hospital between July 2022 and January 2023 were recruited for this study. Their vaginal and cervical secretions were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics analysis on days 2-5 of menstruation, day 7 after estrogen replacement therapy started, the day when progesterone was added, and the day of transplantation. The subjects were divided into different groups according to their clinical pregnancy status and the sequencing results were analyzed using bioinformatics methods. Results: 1) The alpha-diversity index of the vaginal and cervical microbiota was higher on days 2-5 of menstruation (P<0.01), but did not differ significantly on day 7 after oral estrogen replacement therapy started, the day of progesterone administration, and the day of transplantation (P≥0.1). 2) Both the pregnant group and the non-pregnant group showed a variety of microorganisms and metabolites with significant differences in the lower reproductive tract at different time points. 3) Microbial analysis at different time points showed that there were significant differences in vaginal flora, including Peptoniphilus, Enterocloster, Finegoldia, Klebsiella, Anaerobutyricum, Agathobaculum, Sporanaerobacter, Bilophila, Prevotella, and Anaerococcus in the pregnant group (P<0.05). 4) Metabolite analysis at different time points showed that there were significant differences in 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, linatine, (R)-amphetamine, hydroxychloroquine, and L-altarate in the vaginal secretions of the pregnant group (P<0.05), and that there were significant differences in isocitric acid, quassin, citrinin, and 12(R)-HETE in the cervical secretions (P<0.05). 5) Metabolite analysis at different time points showed that, in the non-pregnant group, there were significant differences in linatine, decanoyl-L-carnitine, aspartame, sphingosine, and hydroxychloroquine in the vaginal secretions (P<0.05), and the isocitric acid, quassin, ctrinin, and 12(R)-HETE in the cervical secretions (P<0.05). 6) Combined microbiome and metabolomics analysis showed that certain metabolites were significantly associated with microbial communities, especially Klebsiella. Conclusions: Significant differences in the microbiota genera and metabolites at different time points were found during the frozen-embryo transfer cycle of hormone replacement therapy, which may be used as potential biomarkers to predict pregnancy outcomes of embryo transfer.

Immune cell landscapes are associated with high-grade serous ovarian cancer survival.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is an aggressive disease known to develop resistance to chemotherapy. We investigated the prognostic significance of tumor cell states and potential mechanisms underlying chemotherapy resistance in HGSOC. Transcriptome deconvolution was performed to address cellular heterogeneity. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted to illustrate the outcomes of patients with varying cellular abundances. The association between gene expression and chemotherapy response was tested. After adjusting for surgery status and grading, several cell states exhibited a significant correlation with patient survival. Cell states can organize into carcinoma ecotypes (CE). CE9 and CE10 were proinflammatory, characterized by higher immunoreactivity, and were associated with favorable survival outcomes. Ratios of cell states and ecotypes had better prognostic abilities than a single cell state or ecotype. A total of 1265 differentially expressed genes were identified between samples with high and low levels of C9 or CE10. These genes were partitioned into three co-expressed modules, which were associated with tumor cells and immune cells. Pogz was identified to be linked with immune cell genes and the chemotherapy response of paclitaxel. Collectively, the survival of HGSOC patients is correlated with specific cell states and ecotypes.

Double-skeleton interpenetrating network-structured alkaline solid-state electrolyte enables flexible zinc-air batteries with enhanced power density and long-term cycle life.

The alkaline solid-state electrolytes have received widespread attention for their good safety and electrochemical stability. However, they still suffer from low conductivity and poor mechanical properties. Herein, we report the synthesis of double-network featured hydroxide-conductive membranes fabricated by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) as the double-skeletons. Then, we implanted quaternary ammonium salt guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (GG) as the OH- conductor for high-performance electrochemical devices. By virtue of the unique stripe-like structure shared from the double skeleton with a high degree of compatibility and stronger hydrogen bond interactions, the polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (PCG) solid-state electrolytes achieved optimal thermal stability (> 300 °C), mechanical property (∼ 34.15 MPa), dimensional stability (at any bending angle), and high ionic conductivity (13 mS cm-1) and ion mobility number (tion âˆ¼ 0.90) compared with chitosan-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (CG) and polyvinyl alcohol-guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (PG) electrolyte membrane. As a proof-of-concept application, the "sandwich"-type zinc-air battery (ZAB) assembled using PCG membrane as the electrolyte realized a high open-circuit voltage (1.39 V) and an excellent power density (128 mW cm-2). Notably, in addition to its long-term cycle life (30 h, 2 mA cm-2) and stable discharge plateau (12 h, 5 mA cm-2), it could even enable a flexible ZAB (F-ZAB) to readily power light-emitting diodes (LED) at any bending angle. These merits afford the PCG membrane a promising electrolyte for improving the performance of solid-state batteries.

Overexpression of SlWRKY6 enhances drought tolerance by strengthening antioxidant defense and stomatal closure via ABA signaling in Solanum lycopersicum L.

Drought is a major handicap for plant growth and development. WRKY proteins comprise one of the largest families of plant transcription factors, playing important roles in plant growth and stress tolerance. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), different WRKY transcription factors differentially (positively or negatively) regulate drought tolerance, however, the role of SlWRKY6 in drought response and the associated molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance remain unclear. Here we report that SlWRKY6, a member of the WRKYII-b group, is involved in the functional aspects of drought resistance in tomato. Transcriptional activation assays show that SlWRKY6 is transcriptionally active in yeast cells, while the subcellular localization assay indicates that SlWRKY6 is localized in the nucleus. Overexpression of SlWRKY6 in tomato plants resulted in stronger antioxidant capacity and drought resistance as manifested by increased photosynthetic capacity and decreased reactive oxygen species accumulation, malondialdehyde content and relative electrolyte leakage in transgenic tomato plants compared with wild-type under drought stress. Moreover, increased abscisic acid (ABA) content and transcript abundance of ABA synthesis and signaling genes (NCED1, NCED4, PYL4, AREB1 and SnRK2.6) in the transgenic tomato plants indicated potential involvement of the ABA pathway in SlWRKY6-induced drought resistance in tomato plants. Inspection of 2-kb sequences upstream of the predicted binding sites in the promoter of SlNCED1/4 identified two copies of the core W-box (TTGACC/T) sequence in the promoter of SlNCED1/4, which correlates well with the expression of these genes in response to drought, further suggesting the involvement of ABA-dependent pathway in SlWRKY6-induced drought resistance. The study unveils a critical role of SlWRKY6, which can be useful to further reveal the drought tolerance mechanism and breeding of drought-resistant tomato varieties for sustainable vegetable production in the era of climate change.

A Highly Sensitive Dual-Drive Microfluidic Device for Multiplexed Detection of Respiratory Virus Antigens.

Conventional microfluidic systems that rely on capillary force have a fixed structure and limited sensitivity, which cannot meet the demands of clinical applications. Herein, we propose a dual-drive microfluidic device for sensitive and flexible detection of multiple pathogenic microorganisms antigens/antibodies. The device comprises a portable microfluidic analyzer and a dual-drive microfluidic chip. Along with capillary force, a second active driving force is provided by a removable self-driving valve in the waste chamber. The interval between these two driving forces can be adjusted to control the reaction time in the microchannel, optimizing the formation of antigen-antibody complexes and enhancing sensitivity. Moreover, the material used in the self-driving valve can be changed to adjust the active force strength needed for different tests. The device offers quantitative analysis for respiratory syncytial virus antigen and SARS-CoV-2 antigen using a 35 µL sample, delivering results within 5 min. The detection limits of the system were 1.121 ng/mL and 0.447 ng/mL for respiratory syncytial virus recombinant fusion protein and SARS-CoV-2 recombinant nucleoprotein, respectively. Although the dual-drive microfluidic device has been used for immunoassay for respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2 in this study, it can be easily adapted to other immunoassay applications by changing the critical reagents.

Predicting the potential risk of Caragana shrub encroachment in the Eurasian steppe under anthropogenic climate change.

Climate change and human activities drive widespread shrub encroachment in global grassland ecosystems, particularly in the Eurasian steppe. Caragana shrubs, the primary contributors to shrub encroachment in this region, play a crucial role in shaping the ecosystem's structure and function. Future changes in the suitable distribution range of Caragana species will directly affect the ecological security and sustainable socio-economic development of the Eurasian steppe ecosystem. We used an ensemble modeling approach to predict Caragana shrub-dominated plant communities' current and future distribution in three major steppe subregions: the Black Sea-Kazakhstan steppe, the Tibetan Plateau steppe, and the Central Asian steppe. We assessed the potential risk of Caragana shrub encroachment by predicting changes in the suitable distribution area of 19 Caragana shrub species under future climate changes. Our research findings suggest that the expansion of Caragana species in different subregions of the Eurasian steppe is influenced by the effects of climate change in various ways. The distribution of Caragana species is primarily influenced by precipitation and temperature, and the global human modification (ghm) has a significant impact on the Central Asian and Tibetan Plateau subregions. Minimal changes are expected in the Black Sea-Kazakhstan subregion, a slight increase on the Tibetan Plateau, and a substantial rise in the Central Asian subregion, which suggests a higher potential risk of Caragana species shrub encroachment in that area. Our research provides valuable insights into the response of Caragana shrub encroachment to changing climates and human activities. It also has implications for the sustainable management of different areas of the vast Eurasian steppe ecosystem.

Iron-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks as Multiple Cascade Synergistic Therapeutic Effect Nano-Drug Delivery Systems for Effective Tumor Elimination.

Efforts have been made to improve the therapeutic efficiency of tumor treatments, and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown excellent potential in tumor therapy. Monotherapy for the treatment of tumors has limited effects due to the limitation of response conditions and inevitable multidrug resistance, which seriously affect the clinical therapeutic effect. In this study, we chose to construct a multiple cascade synergistic tumor drug delivery system MIL-101(Fe)-DOX-TCPP-MnO2@PDA-Ag (MDTM@P-Ag) using MOFs as drug carriers. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) and Ag NPs loaded on MDTM@P-Ag can be activated to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and achieve photothermal conversion, thus effectively inducing the apoptosis of tumor cells and achieving a combined photodynamic/photothermal therapy. Once released at the tumor site, manganese dioxide (MnO2) can catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the acidic microenvironment of the tumor to generate oxygen (O2) and alleviate the hypoxic environment of the tumor. Fe3+/Mn2+ will mediate a Fenton/Fenton-like reaction to generate cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH), while depleting the high concentration of glutathione (GSH) in the tumor, thus enhancing the chemodynamic therapeutic effect. The successful preparation of the tumor drug delivery system and its good synergistic chemodynamic/photodynamic/photothermal therapeutic effect in tumor treatment can be demonstrated by the experimental results of material characterization, performance testing and in vitro experiments.

Perioperative impact of ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve blocks in patients undergoing pelvic fracture surgery.

Pelvic fractures present a severe and complex clinical challenge. This study aimed to compare ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal (IIN) and iliohypogastric nerve (IHN) blocks with conventional general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing internal fixation surgery for pelvic fractures. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 100 patients equally divided into ultrasound-guided and control groups. The study monitored hemodynamics, intraoperative anesthesia drug usage, postoperative pain levels, and the incidence of adverse reactions between the 2 groups. The ultrasound-guided group underwent ultrasound-guided IHN and IIN blocks combined with GA. The ultrasound-guided group exhibited significant advantages for hemodynamic measurements at specific time points, lower consumption of Propofol and Remifentanil, and reduced pain intensity across all evaluated time intervals (P < .05). The incidence rate of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the ultrasound group (P = .016). Ultrasound-guided anesthesia is a superior alternative to conventional GA for managing pelvic fractures through internal fixation surgery. It offers advantages in terms of hemodynamic stability, drug consumption, postoperative pain management, and adverse reaction reduction.

Safety and efficacy evaluation of Simo decoction and Arecae semen in herbal medicine practice.

Objective: The traditional Chinese patent medicine (TCPM), Simo decoction (Simo decoction oral solution), with its primary ingredient Arecae semen (Binglang, Areca catechu L.), known for its potential carcinogenic effects, is the subject of this study. The research aims to analyze the effectiveness and potential risks of Simo decoction, particularly as a carcinogen, and to suggest a framework for evaluating the risks and benefits of other herbal medicines. Methods: The study is based on post-marketing research of Simo decoction and Arecae semen. It utilized a wide range of sources, including ancient and modern literature, focusing on the efficacy and safety of Simo decoction. The research includes retrospective data on the sources, varieties, and toxicological studies of Arecae semen from databases such as Pubmed, Clinical Trials, Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WHO-UMC Vigibase, and China National Center for ADR Monitoring. Results: Common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with Simo decoction include skin rash, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. However, no studies exist reporting the severe ADRs, such as carcinogenic effects. Arecae semen is distributed across approximately 60 varieties in tropical Asia and Australia. According to the WHO-UMC Vigibase and the National Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System databases, there are currently no reports of toxicity related to Arecae semen in the International System for Classification of ADRs (ISCR) or clinical studies. Conclusion: Risk-benefit analysis in TCPM presents more challenges compared to conventional drugs. The development of a practical pharmacovigilance system and risk-benefit analysis framework is crucial for marketing authorization holders, researchers, and regulatory bodies. This approach is vital for scientific supervision and ensuring the safety and efficacy of drug applications, thus protecting public health.

Safety and efficacy evaluation of halicin as an effective drug for inhibiting intestinal infections.

Halicin, the first antibacterial agent discovered by artificial intelligence, exerts broad-spectrum antibacterial effects and has a unique structure. Our study found that halicin had a good inhibitory effect on clinical isolates of drug-resistant strains and Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens). The safety of halicin was evaluated by acute oral toxicity, genotoxicity and subchronic toxicity studies. The results of acute toxicity test indicated that halicin, as a low-toxicity compound, had an LD50 of 2018.3 mg/kg. The results of sperm malformation, bone marrow chromosome aberration and cell micronucleus tests showed that halicin had no obvious genotoxicity. However, the results of the 90-day subchronic toxicity test indicated that the test rats exhibited weight loss and slight renal inflammation at a high dose of 201.8 mg/kg. Teratogenicity of zebrafish embryos showed that halicin had no significant teratogenicity. Analysis of intestinal microbiota showed that halicin had a significant effect on the intestinal microbial composition, but caused a faster recovery. Furthermore, drug metabolism experiments showed that halicin was poorly absorbed and quickly eliminated in vivo. Our study found that halicin had a good therapeutic effect on intestinal infection model of C. perfringens. These results show the feasibility of developing oral halicin as a clinical candidate drug for treating intestinal infections.

Heteropolyacid promoted lignin-MOF derived spherical catalyst for catalytic hydrogen transfer of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Catalytic conversion of biomass-derived value-added chemicals was of great significance for the utilization of renewable biomass resources to instead of fossil chemicals. Biomass-derived lignin was regarded as an important support and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was a vital platform chemical derived from cellulose. Herein, a series of lignin-MOF hybrid catalysts were prepared and modified with different heteropolyacids (HPAs), which were then successfully introduced into the selective conversion of HMF to 5-hydroxymethylfurfuryl alcohol (MFA). The effect of different HPA, calcination temperature, etc. were all studied, and all catalysts were well characterized. It was confirmed that silicotungstic acid modified catalyst (Ni3Co-MOF-LS@HSiW) exhibited the best catalytic performance, while the highest conversion of HMF was up to 100%, with the best MFA yield of 86.5%. The finding in this study could provide novel insights for the utilization of lignin and preparation of value-added biomass-derived chemicals.

Unlocking the potential of phenolated kraft lignin as a versatile feed additive.

Lignin, a renewable natural antioxidant and bacteriostat, holds promise as a versatile, cost-effective feed additive. However, traditional industrial lignin faces limitations, including low reactivity, poor uniformity, and unstable properties, necessitating chemical modification. Complex modification methods pose economic and toxicity challenges, so this study adopted a relatively simple alkali-catalyzed phenolization approach, using phenol, catechol, and pyrogallol to modify kraft lignin, and characterized the resulting products using various techniques. Subsequently, their antioxidant, antibacterial, adsorption properties for heavy metal ions and mycotoxins, growth-promoting properties, and antiviral abilities were assessed. The phenolation process led to lignin depolymerization and a notable increase in phenolic hydroxyl content, particularly in pyrogallol-phenolated lignin (Py-L), rising from 3.08 to 4.68 mmol/g. These modified lignins exhibited enhanced antioxidant activity, with over 99 % inhibition against E. coli and S. aureus, and remarkable adsorption capacities for heavy metal ions and mycotoxins. Importantly, Py-L improved the growth performance of mice and reduced influenza mortality. Furthermore, density functional theory calculations elucidated the mechanism behind the enhanced antioxidant properties. This study presents a promising avenue for developing versatile feed additives to address challenges related to animal feed antioxidant supplementation, bacterial control, and growth promotion.

Superconducting diode effect and interference patterns in kagome CsV3Sb5.

The interplay among frustrated lattice geometry, non-trivial band topology and correlation yields rich quantum states of matter in kagome systems1,2. A series of recent members in this family, AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb or Cs), exhibit a cascade of symmetry-breaking transitions3, involving the 3Q chiral charge ordering4-8, electronic nematicity9,10, roton pair density wave11 and superconductivity12. The nature of the superconducting order is yet to be resolved. Here we report an indication of dynamic superconducting domains with boundary supercurrents in intrinsic CsV3Sb5 flakes. The magnetic field-free superconducting diode effect is observed with polarity modulated by thermal histories, suggesting that there are dynamic superconducting order domains in a spontaneous time-reversal symmetry-breaking background. Strikingly, the critical current exhibits double-slit superconductivity interference patterns when subjected to an external magnetic field. The characteristics of the patterns are modulated by thermal cycling. These phenomena are proposed as a consequence of periodically modulated supercurrents flowing along certain domain boundaries constrained by fluxoid quantization. Our results imply a time-reversal symmetry-breaking superconducting order, opening a potential for exploring exotic physics, for example, Majorana zero modes, in this intriguing topological kagome system.

Effects of plant diversity and community structure on ecosystem multifunctionality under different grazing potentials in the eastern Eurasian steppe.

Grazing potential represents the potential carrying capacity of steppe livestock production. Understanding the impact of changes in plant diversity and community structure on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) at different grazing potentials is crucial for the sustainable management of steppe ecosystems. We examined the associations between plant diversity, community structure, above-ground ecosystem multifunctionality (AEMF), and below-ground ecosystem multifunctionality (BEMF) at various grazing potentials. Our assessment employed generalized linear mixed-effects models and structural equation models to determine the impact of these factors on ecosystem multifunctionality. Our study results indicated that ecosystem multifunctionality differed depending on the level of grazing potential and decreased as grazing potential declined. The impact of plant diversity and community structure on above- and below-ground ecosystem multifunctionality varied. Plant diversity and community structure correlated more with AEMF than BEMF. Plant diversity had the most significant effect on EMF under high grazing potential, while community structure had the greatest effect on EMF under moderate and low grazing potential. These improve our understanding of the correlation between steppe plant diversity, community structure, and above- and below-ground ecosystem multifunctionality. This understanding is necessary to develop strategies to increase plant diversity or regulate community structure and the sustainability of steppes.