Fluvial tight sandstones,as unconventional reservoirs,feature complex sedimentary,diagenetic,and reservoir quality heterogeneities that fundamentally control their exploration and development.This study focuses on typ...Fluvial tight sandstones,as unconventional reservoirs,feature complex sedimentary,diagenetic,and reservoir quality heterogeneities that fundamentally control their exploration and development.This study focuses on typical fluvial tight sandstones of the Shanxi Formation in northern Sulige Gas Field(Ordos Basin),using core samples,field sections,logging data,and analytical tests to investigate the coupling relationships among sedimentary,diagenetic,and reservoir quality heterogeneities.Results demonstrate that:the target layer in the study area develops six lithofacies,three braided river sandbody architectural elements,two meandering river sandbody architectural elements,and five diagenetic facies.Different architectural elements and their internal lithofacies exhibit differences and coupling relationships in the strengths of sedimentary heterogeneity and diagenetic heterogeneity.Specifically:strong compaction diagenetic facies primarily occurs in siltstone lithofacies of sand-dominated,weakly sedimentary heterogeneous architectural elements;strong dissolution+microfracture development diagenetic facies is mainly distributed in coarser-grained sandstones of sand-dominated architectural elements with low sedimentary heterogeneity;clay mineral intercrystalline pore-dominated diagenetic facies is primarily located near interbeds within all architectural elements;strong carbonate cementation diagenetic facies predominates in thick mudstones at the top/bottom of architectural elements,and at contacts with pure mudstone interbeds;strong clay mineral cementation diagenetic facies concentrates in medium-heterogeneity architectural elements near pure mudstone interbeds and at contacts with silty mudstone interbeds.Sedimentary and diagenetic heterogeneities jointly control reservoir quality distribution in all architectural elements(excluding basal conglomerates):porosity and permeability decrease in positive rhythm as lithofacies grain size fines,while irreducible water saturation increases in inverse rhythm.The findings of this study can provide a robust basis for the exploration and development deployment of fluvial tight sandstone reservoirs.展开更多
Drug development for Alzheimer’s disease is extremely challenging,as demonstrated by the repeated failures of amyloid-β-targeted therapeutics and the controversies surrounding the amyloid-βcascade hypothesis.More r...Drug development for Alzheimer’s disease is extremely challenging,as demonstrated by the repeated failures of amyloid-β-targeted therapeutics and the controversies surrounding the amyloid-βcascade hypothesis.More recently,advances in the development of Lecanemab,an anti-amyloid-βmonoclonal antibody,have shown positive results in reducing brain A burden and slowing cognitive decline in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease in the Phase Ⅲ clinical trial(Clarity Alzheimer’s disease).Despite these promising results,side effects such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities(ARIA)may limit its usage.ARIA can manifest as ARIA-E(cerebral edema or effusions)and ARIA-H(microhemorrhages or superficial siderosis)and is thought to be caused by increased vascular permeability due to inflammatory responses,leading to leakages of blood products and protein-rich fluid into brain parenchyma.Endothelial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease,and the blood-brain barrier becomes increasingly leaky as the disease progresses.In addition,APOE4,the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,is associated with higher vascular amyloid burden,increased ARIA incidence,and accelerated blood-brain barrier disruptions.These interconnected vascular abnormalities highlight the importance of vascular contributions to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.Here,we will closely examine recent research evaluating the heterogeneity of brain endothelial cells in the microvasculature of different brain regions and their relationships with Alzheimer’s disease progression.展开更多
Objective: The heterogeneity of epithelial cells and their interaction with the immune microenvironment play crucial roles in tumor progression, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Methods: We analyzed single...Objective: The heterogeneity of epithelial cells and their interaction with the immune microenvironment play crucial roles in tumor progression, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Methods: We analyzed single-cell transcriptomic data from normal and tumor tissues to characterize epithelial cells and their microenvironment. Key genes were identified and used, via survival analysis and multiple machine learning methods, to construct a prognostic model termed the Epithelial Signature(EpiSig). We further validated,through a series of experiments, the critical immunological roles of the key genes incorporated into the EpiSig model.Results: Tumor tissues showed a marked increase in epithelial cells, a reduction in natural killer(NK)/T cells,and cell co-occurrence patterns distinct from normal tissues. We identified differentially expressed genes in tumor epithelial cells and integrated multiple machine-learning algorithms to construct the EpiSig model. This model effectively stratified patient prognosis, with the high-EpiSig group exhibiting significantly worse survival;receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC) and principal component analysis(PCA) analyses further supported its accuracy and robustness. Immune analyses indicated lower immune cell infiltration, decreased human leukocyte antigen(HLA) expression, and elevated programmed cell death ligand 1/programmed cell death protein 1(PDL1/PD-1) in the high-EpiSig group, reflecting a more pronounced immunosuppressive microenvironment. The core gene KRT18 correlated strongly with EpiSig scores(R=0.65) and promoted lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD) cell proliferation in functional assays. Further, low KRT18 tumors showed higher CD4+/CD8+ T cell and CD20+ B cell infiltration;in a mouse LLC subcutaneous tumor model, both Krt18 knockdown and PD-1 blockade suppressed tumor growth, with greater efficacy in combination. Mechanistically, KRT18 activated NF-kB/p65 to upregulate PD-L1, promoting immune exclusion and impairing T-cell effector function.Conclusions: This study highlights the close relationship between epithelial cell heterogeneity and immune microenvironment alterations in tumors, and presents the EpiSig as a robust tool for prognostic prediction. KRT18may serve as a promising therapeutic target in LUAD.展开更多
Pitch-derived hard carbons(HC)are promising anodes for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)due to their high carbonization yield and low cost.However,the inherent compositional heterogeneity of pitch induces non-uniform oxidati...Pitch-derived hard carbons(HC)are promising anodes for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)due to their high carbonization yield and low cost.However,the inherent compositional heterogeneity of pitch induces non-uniform oxidative cross-linking during conventional pre-oxidation,which not only renders the microstructure of HC difficult to regulate but also significantly degrades its sodium storage performance.Here,we identify the“shielding effect”of oxidation-inert components in pitch as the root cause of this structural inhomogeneity.To overcome this limitation,we propose a novel“sieving-and-reinforcement strategy”.This involves liquid-phase crosslinking to construct a polar three-dimensional(3D)carbon skeleton,followed by stepwise extraction as a molecular sieving process to remove inert components and expose the reactive skeleton,and finally,oxygen etching as a reinforcement step to drastically enhance the crosslinking density and defect population.This controllably engineered carbon skeleton in-situ evolves into an HC with a uniform hierarchical porous structure,featuring abundant ultramicropores,optimally sized closed pores(-2.15 nm),and ultrathin pore walls during carbonization.The resulting HC anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 363.3 mAh g-1at 50 mA g-1,with an impressive plateau capacity contribution of 71.5%.It also demonstrates exceptional cycling stability,retaining203.1 mAh g-1after 500 cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g-1.This work provides a fundamental understanding of precursor engineering,paving the way for the rational design of advanced carbon materials for next-generation energy storage.展开更多
The presence or absence of adult neural stem cells in the mammalian forebrain ependyma has been debated for two decades.In this study,we performed single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular composition of ...The presence or absence of adult neural stem cells in the mammalian forebrain ependyma has been debated for two decades.In this study,we performed single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular composition of the ependymal surface of the adult mouse forebrain using whole mounts of lateral walls of lateral ventricles.We identified 12 different cell subtypes in the ependymal surface.Immunocytochemical analyses revealed that CD133+multi-ciliated cells comprised 67.6%of ependymal cells,while the remaining 32.4%were CD133-.CD133+ependymal cells can be further classified into FOXJ1+/SOX2+/ACTA2+cells,FLT1+/CD31+/CLDN5+endothelial-like cells,and PDGFRB+/VTN+/NG2+pericyte-like cells,as well as endothelial-pericyte-like cells and Foxj1+endothelial-like cells.CD133-ependymal cells can be further divided into endothelial-like cells,Foxj1+ependymal cells,Foxj1+endothelial-like cells,pericyte-like cells,endothelial-pericyte-like cells,VIM+cells,and cells negative for all of these markers.This comprehensive profiling confirms the heterogeneity of the ependymal surface in the adult mouse forebrain.Debate regarding whether adult ependymal cells contain neural stem cells has arisen because different researchers have examined different populations of ependymal cells.Our study provides a new perspective for investigation of clinical endogenous neural stem cells,ultimately paving the way for stem cell therapies in neurological diseases.展开更多
Objective Quantification of immunity is a challenge in clinical practice due to the complexity and heterogeneity of immune cells.This study aimed to establish comprehensive reference ranges for immune indicators and c...Objective Quantification of immunity is a challenge in clinical practice due to the complexity and heterogeneity of immune cells.This study aimed to establish comprehensive reference ranges for immune indicators and characterize immune heterogeneity in healthy adults.Methods A total of 115 healthy adults aged 1865 years were enrolled.Sixty immune indicators encompassing natural immunity(NK cells,monocytes,dendritic cells,myeloid-derived suppressor cells),cellular immunity(T cells,regulatory T cells,T follicular helper cells,T helper cells),and humoral immunity(B cells),along with nutritional and metabolic indicators,were simultaneously detected.Flow cytometry was used to measure the number,phenotype,and functional subsets of immune cells.Unsupervised k-means clustering was performed to identify immune subtypes.RNA-sequencing was conducted on representative individuals from each cluster for transcriptomic validation.Results The reference ranges for 60 immune indicators were established,with over half(38/60)exhibiting coefficient of variation>30%,indicating substantial heterogeneity.Gender differences were minimal,whereas age-related changes were pronounced in adaptive immune cells.Specifically,human leukocyte antigen DR-positive(HLA-DR+)T cells(%)increased from 20.76%±7.75%(1830years)to 30.06%±10.82%(5165 years,P=0.001),while CD45RA+regulatory T(Treg)cells(%)and naive CD8+T cells(%)decreased progressively with age(P<0.001).Correlation analysis between immune cells and routine laboratory indicators revealed that nutritional indicators like albumin(ALB)were positively correlated with the number of immune cells such as CD8+T cells,while lipid metabolism indicators like low-density lipoprotein(LDL)were negatively correlated with T helper cell differentiation(P<0.01).Clustering analysis identified three distinct immune subtypes:"potential type"(26.1%,n=30)characterized by high naive T cells(44.91%±9.88%CD4+T cells,33.86%±13.82%CD8+T cells)and CD1c-positive myeloid dendritic cells(CD1c+mDCs)(45.17%±11.58%);"effector NK type"(34.8%,n=45)with elevated NK cell count(704.22±280.79 cells/μL)and cytotoxic function(93.16%±2.38%perforin+NK cells);and"effector T type"(39.1%,n=40)distinguished by increased HLA-DR+T cells(19.48%±7.1%CD4+T cells,45.11%±10.92%CD8+T cells)and effector memory(EM)CD4+T cells(37.85%±11.01%).A further RNA-sequencing analysis confirmed the transcriptomic characteristics of different immune subtypes,which was in accordance with phenotype analysis.Specifically,adults in the potential type had strong adaptive immunity;those in the effector NK type showed upregulated NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity;those in the effector T type exhibited enhanced T-helper 1 immune responses.Conclusion This study provides a systematic framework for immunity quantification by establishing reference ranges and classifying healthy adults into three immune subtypes with distinct metabolic and transcriptomic features.These findings could enhance understanding of immune heterogeneity in healthy individuals and guide personalized immune monitoring and intervention strategies in clinical practice.展开更多
Nitrate pollution in aquatic ecosystems has gained worldwide attention,making fish intestines especially vulnerable to nitrate exposure.Despite this,the patterns of cellular heterogeneity in fish intestines in respons...Nitrate pollution in aquatic ecosystems has gained worldwide attention,making fish intestines especially vulnerable to nitrate exposure.Despite this,the patterns of cellular heterogeneity in fish intestines in response to nitrate exposure are not yet fully understood.To address this gap,we investigated the varied responses of different cell populations in the intestines of turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)following 30-day exposure to nitrate at a concentration of 200 mg/L NO3-N.Our findings revealed that,among the 16 identified cell types,enterocytes,T lymphocytes(TLCs),and fibroblasts were the primary target populations exhibiting specific responses to nitrate.Nitrate exposure significantly reduced the population of enterocytes by over 10%and disrupted metabolic pathways in these cells.The proportion of TLCs increased 1.31-fold by nitrate,resulting in the activation of the immune pathways.Wound-healing fibroblasts(WHF)drive nitrate-induced extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling as a key fibroblast subtype,with linked ECM-receptor/TNF/TGF-βpathways potentially mediating intestinal defense.Nitrate impacted cell-cell communication among enterocytes and target cells,highlighting the varied responses of intestinal cells to exposure.Furthermore,nitrate increased communication probability in ligandeceptor pairs linked to junctional adhesion molecule(JAM),Ephrin type A receptor(EPHA),and collagen pathways,indicating enhanced cell adhesion and ECM homeostasis.This study provides the first look at the intestinal landscape and diverse cellular responses in turbot after nitrate exposure,offering insights into nitrate toxicity and management in aquatic ecosystems.展开更多
Traditional clinical subtype classifications(such as amnestic and non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment)rely on subjective interpretations of overlapping patterns of performance on cognitive tests,which may lead to u...Traditional clinical subtype classifications(such as amnestic and non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment)rely on subjective interpretations of overlapping patterns of performance on cognitive tests,which may lead to unreliable categorization.A more precise and objective classification of mild cognitive impairment subtypes can be achieved through data-driven clustering techniques.However,because previous studies have not restricted their cohorts to patients who have mild cognitive impairment with the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease,the nature of cognitive variability and its impact on disease progression in a strictly defined biomarker-positive preclinical Alzheimer’s disease cohort remains unknown.We examined cognitive heterogeneity among participants with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease and evaluated its prognostic utility.Neuropsychological test data from 389 patients with mild cognitive impairment in whom the cerebrospinal fluid biomarker confirmed Alzheimer’s disease were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohorts.Principal component analysis and model-based clustering were used to identify cognitive profiles,which were then validated through a 100-time bootstrap analysis.Pairwise comparisons tested for differences between the identified subgroups in participant characteristics,scores on cognitive and clinical outcomes,levels of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers,and magnetic resonance imaging-derived brain volumes.Longitudinal analyses evaluated differences in rate of change of magnetic resonance imaging volumetric measurements and clinical outcomes over 48 months.Survival analysis assessed risk for conversion to dementia.Alpha-synuclein levels and white matter hyperintensity volumes were considered for sensitivity analysis.Two distinct cognitive profiles were identified:a“typical”group(56.04%of the sample)that demonstrated relatively poorer scores on memory testing than non-memory tests,and an“atypical”group(43.96%of the sample)with smaller differences between memory and non-memory measures,indicating a more uniform pattern of impairment across cognitive domains.While the groups had comparable levels of overall cognitive impairment and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease,the typical group displayed accelerated atrophy rates every 6 months across multiple brain regions(hippocampus:29.02 mm3,standard error[SE]=10.13,P=0.005;whole brain:1799.85 mm3,SE=781.57,P=0.023;entorhinal cortex:22.26 mm3,SE=11.15,P=0.048;fusiform gyrus:66.24 mm3,SE=28.53,P=0.021).Survival analysis revealed markedly higher dementia conversion risk(hazard ratio:1.70,95%confidence interval:1.27,2.27,P<0.001)and shorter progression time in the typical group.These findings persisted after controlling for comorbid pathologies.In conclusion,this data-driven approach identified two distinct cognitive subtypes of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease that differed in their rates of clinical decline and neurodegeneration.These findings could be used to improve prognostic models and inform clinical trial stratification.展开更多
Refractory complex-concentrated alloys(RCCAs)show exceptional promise for extreme-environment applications,yet intermediate-temperature instability(0.4-0.6 Tm)and plasticity degradation severely constrain their develo...Refractory complex-concentrated alloys(RCCAs)show exceptional promise for extreme-environment applications,yet intermediate-temperature instability(0.4-0.6 Tm)and plasticity degradation severely constrain their development.This work provides an effective strategy to transform the inherent intermediate-temperature instability into a performance advantage by implementing a coordinated design of a metastable Ti2ZrTa0.75composition and targeted annealing temperatures,thereby creating synergistic nanoscale heterogeneity.Multi-scale structural characterization and molecular dynamic simulations reveal that tailored annealing at 900℃-1000℃generates two key synergistic heterogeneities:(1)nanoscale Ta-rich clusters(~40 nm)and(2)spinodal decomposition wavelengths of 4.5-8.2 nm.These features orchestrate a competitive-cooperative interaction between dislocation glide,reversible martensitic transformation,and hierarchical twinning.Depending on the annealing temperature,the dominant deformation mechanism shifts,leading to either martensite-assisted hardening(900℃annealing,271 MPa hardening strength)or twin-dominated plasticity(1000℃annealing,19.2%uniform elongation).This study overturns the conventional avoidance of instability,presenting a novel paradigm for unlocking high ductility in RCCAs via simple thermal processing.展开更多
Lithium-rich layered oxides are promising cathodes for high-energy lithium-ion batteries,yet their applications are hindered by voltage decay,structural instability,and heterogeneous reaction dynamics.These degradatio...Lithium-rich layered oxides are promising cathodes for high-energy lithium-ion batteries,yet their applications are hindered by voltage decay,structural instability,and heterogeneous reaction dynamics.These degradations stem from the coexistence of Li2MnO3and LiMO2domains,which exhibit distinct redox kinetics and trigger phase mismatch during cycling.To address this challenge,we propose a tailored concentration gradient design that regulates the spatial distribution of transition metals.Nickel is intentionally enriched near the surface while manganese dominates the interior,creating a coordinated balance between interfacial stability and bulk capacity retention.Regulating Ni content deliberately induces a moderate Li/Ni cation-mixed phase,and the tailored gradient builds a surface composite structure that stabilizes the layered framework and suppresses interfacial degradation.This architecture homogenizes redox activation,alleviates surface-bulk reaction mismatch,and retards the formation of spinel or rock-salt phases.Structural characterizations with in situ and ex situ methods confirm coherent variations in composition and valence states.Electrochemical analyses demonstrate suppressed voltage hysteresis,smaller polarization,and enhanced cycling stability.Simulations further verify homogeneous ion transport with stabilized phase evolution,collectively validating that surface-phase regulation enabled by tailored concentration gradients effectively mitigates reaction heterogeneity in Li-rich layered cathodes.The findings highlight surface-phase regulation enabled by tailored concentration gradients as a scalable strategy that mitigates reaction heterogeneity in lithium-rich layered cathodes and extends applicability to other cathode systems for large-scale energy storage.展开更多
Urban flood risk poses an escalating threat to urban safety and sustainable development amid climate change and rapid urbanization.Although various flood risk assessment methods exist,most studies rely on single analy...Urban flood risk poses an escalating threat to urban safety and sustainable development amid climate change and rapid urbanization.Although various flood risk assessment methods exist,most studies rely on single analytical approaches,neglecting the advantages of methodological integration and the multifaceted nature of risk characterization.Furthermore,prevailing assessment frameworks apply uniform hydrodynamic models across entire urban areas,inadequately capturing the diverse inundation processes arising from spatial heterogeneity of urban surfaces.This research developed an integrated multi-method framework for cities exhibiting significant spatial heterogeneity in environmental,infrastructural,and socioeconomic characteristics,enabling efficient high-precision flood simulation and risk assessment by coupling the indicator system method(ISM)with the cloud model(CM).The framework comprises:(1)spatially-differentiated hydrodynamic modeling for pipeline-dense and pipeline-sparse areas;(2)entropy-analytic hierarchy process weighted grid-based flood risk assessment across multiple rainfall scenarios;and(3)cloud model-driven risk evaluation at sub-drainage functional zones to address uncertainty in assessment.The results indicate that the integrated multi-model approach effectively captures flood formation mechanisms and identify an expansion of high-risk areas.Grid-based assessment delineates fine-grained risk distribution,while the cloud model assessment reveals the stability and uncertainty of risk levels.This research advances flood risk assessment methodology by bridging sophisticated hydrodynamic modeling integration with multi-scale risk evaluation,providing a robust framework for urban flood management.展开更多
Against the backdrop of global warming,snow drought events have occurred frequently in Xinjiang in recent decades,posing severe threats to agricultural and pastoral ecosystems.Based on ERA5 reanalysis data,the Long-te...Against the backdrop of global warming,snow drought events have occurred frequently in Xinjiang in recent decades,posing severe threats to agricultural and pastoral ecosystems.Based on ERA5 reanalysis data,the Long-term Series of Daily Snow Depth Dataset in China,and CMIP6 climate projections,this study systematically investigates the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and evolutionary characteristics of typical snow droughts in Xinjiang during 1980–2021.The results indicate that snow droughts in Xinjiang exhibit pronounced temporal clustering.Prior to 2000,dry-only snow droughts occurred more frequently,whereas since 2000,warm-dry snow droughts have increased markedly.Meanwhile,the frequency of warm-only snow droughts has relatively declined.Snow droughts also exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity.The Kunlun Mountains experience the highest frequency of snow droughts and are projected to experience higher snow drought risk in the future.In addition,this study identifies cold snow droughts driven primarily by snow sublimation,highlighting a distinct mechanism for snow drought formation in the high-altitude regions of Xinjiang.With continued warming,the risk of snow drought in Xinjiang is projected to intensify by 2100.Warm-dry snow droughts are expected to become more frequent,whereas dry-only snow droughts are projected to decrease.Overall,this study elucidates the formation processes and coupled thermal-hydrological mechanisms of different snow drought types,providing a scientific basis for snow drought prediction and mitigation in Xinjiang.展开更多
Rock mass stability is significantly influenced by the heterogeneity of rock joint roughness and shear strength.While modern technology facilitates assessing roughness heterogeneity,evaluating shear strength heterogen...Rock mass stability is significantly influenced by the heterogeneity of rock joint roughness and shear strength.While modern technology facilitates assessing roughness heterogeneity,evaluating shear strength heterogeneity remains challenging.To address this,this study first captures the morphology of large-scale(1000 mm × 1000 mm) slate and granite joints via 3D laser scanning.Analysis of these surfaces and corresponding push/pull tests on carved specimens revealed a potential correlation between the heterogeneity of roughness and shear strength.A comparative evaluation of five statistical metrics identified information entropy(Hs) as the most robust indicator for quantifying rock joint heterogeneity.Further analysis using Hsreveals that the heterogeneity is anisotropic and,critically,that shear strength heterogeneity is governed not only by roughness heterogeneity but is also significantly influenced by the mean roughness value,normal stress,and intact rock tensile strength.Consequently,a simple comparison of roughness Hsvalues is insufficient for reliably comparing shear strength heterogeneity.To overcome this limitation,a theoretical framework is developed to explicitly map fundamental roughness statistics(mean and heterogeneity) to shear strength heterogeneity.This framework culminates in a practical workflow that allows for the rapid,field-based assessment of shear strength heterogeneity using readily obtainable rock joint roughness data.展开更多
Vitrimers belong to a class of polymeric materials capable of bond exchange reactions,showing great promise for environmental protection and sustainable development.However,studies on the coupling mechanism between th...Vitrimers belong to a class of polymeric materials capable of bond exchange reactions,showing great promise for environmental protection and sustainable development.However,studies on the coupling mechanism between the bond exchange kinetics and segmental dynamics near the glass transition temperature(Tg)remain scarce.Herein,we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamic heterogeneity of the segment motion and bond exchange in vitrimers.The simulation results revealed that the bond exchange energy barrier exerts a much stronger influence on the bond exchange kinetics than on the segmental dynamics.At lower temperatures,slower segmental relaxation further constraind the bond exchange rate.Additionally,increasing the bond exchange energy barrier markedly enhanced the dynamic heterogeneity of segment motion.A close correlation was observed between heterogeneity and bond exchange.This study elucidated the coupling mechanism between bond exchange and segmental dynamics at the molecular scale,thereby providing a theoretical basis for designing vitrimer materials with tunable dynamic properties.展开更多
Objective:Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1(Lrg1)could regulate diverse cells in cerebral ischemiareperfusion.Our study seeks to uncover Lrg1’s impact on endothelial cell heterogeneity via differentiation pathways ...Objective:Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1(Lrg1)could regulate diverse cells in cerebral ischemiareperfusion.Our study seeks to uncover Lrg1’s impact on endothelial cell heterogeneity via differentiation pathways and transcription factors.Method:The CSOmap model measured cell-to-brain-center distances using single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)data in middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion(MCAO/R).Monocle2 mapped endothelial differentiation paths.Gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)analyzed endothelial subcluster variations.Database searches revealed a zinc finger MIZ-type containing 1 protein-frizzled 3(Zmiz1-Fzd3)promoter interaction.Endothelial cells were transfected with a Fzd3 promoter-luciferase plasmid.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and western blotting assessed MCAO/R or Zmiz1 overexpression effects on Fzd3-related mRNA and proteins.A retroviral vector carrying Zmiz1 was injected into the brains of mice to study its effect on Fzd3.Result:Lrg1−/−mice exhibited elevated cell adhesion proteins and decreased microvascular leakage after MCAO/R.CSOmap showed widened astrocyte spacing in thesemice.RSS revealed Zmiz1 overexpression inMCAO/R+Lrg1−/−mice.MCAO/R and pcDNA3-Zmiz1 transfection both enhanced luciferase activity with Fzd3,indicating Zmiz1 binding to Fzd3.Retroviral Zmiz1 injection or knockdown disrupted ischemic brain tight junctions,highlighting Zmiz1’s key role in blood-brain barrier protection,likely through Fzd3 pathway modulation.Conclusion:The findings indicate Lrg1 knockout induces endothelial differentiation by activating Zmiz1,which is crucial for maintaining blood-brain barrier function,possibly via modulating the Fzd3 pathway.展开更多
Compacted bentonite blocks are proposed for buffer barriers in deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste(HLRW)disposal.These blocks,manufactured through uniaxial compression in molds,exhibit hetero...Compacted bentonite blocks are proposed for buffer barriers in deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste(HLRW)disposal.These blocks,manufactured through uniaxial compression in molds,exhibit heterogeneity that may impact long-term buffer performance.This study focuses on the physical and hydro-mechanical heterogeneity of full-scale blocks induced by the compaction process.Sector-shaped blocks,with radii of 600 mm and 1200 mm and a height of 200 mm,were axially compressed.Key parameters,including water content,dry density,elasticity modulus,swelling pressure,and permeability,were measured to assess the heterogeneity.Results show that the heterogeneity in the upper layer is primarily caused by differences in drainage and gas expulsion pathways.As depth increases,water content and dry density become more correlated.Hydro-mechanical behavior is largely controlled by dry density,but its fluctuation ratio is much higher than that of dry density.Regarding the microstructure,pore structure heterogeneity follows the order:corner regions>edge regions>center regions,and upper layer>middle layer>lower layer.Vertical microcracks also develop to varying degrees,increasing the anisotropy of the blocks.Upon these observations,the study thoroughly discusses the feasibility and challenges of reckoning the hydro-mechanical properties of blocks using dry density distribution alongside laboratory-scale data.Additionally,it proposes an indicator to evaluate the overall heterogeneity of buffer blocks.These findings highlight the inherent heterogeneity of compacted bentonite blocks at the engineering scale,providing valuable insights for future experiments and simulations.展开更多
Background:Glioma is among the most malignant brain tumors,and its heterogeneity contributes significantly to treatment failure.Comprehensive profiling of cellular and molecular heterogeneity across different glioma s...Background:Glioma is among the most malignant brain tumors,and its heterogeneity contributes significantly to treatment failure.Comprehensive profiling of cellular and molecular heterogeneity across different glioma stages and recurrence states is crucial for understanding therapeutic resistance and identifying novel targets.Accordingly,this study sought to systematically characterize the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of glioma across different stages and recurrence states using single-cell RNA sequencing,and to identify prognostic subtypes and potential therapeutic targets.Methods:We integrated public single-cell RNA sequencing data from glioma specimens,including lower-grade glioma(LGG),glioblastoma(GBM),and paired primary and recurrent tumors.Using these datasets,we identified distinct cellular subpopulations and their molecular signatures.Based on these glioma cell subpopulations,we reclassified gliomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database into molecular subtypes and constructed a prognostic model.The functional role of a key candidate gene,insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2(IGFBP2),was validated using in vitro knockdown experiments in mouse and human tumor cells and in vivo therapeutic studies in murine models,including combination therapy with anti-programmed cell death protein 1(anti-PD-1)immune checkpoint blockade.Results:This analysis revealed that T cells in GBM and recurrent samples were predominantly exhausted,characterized by upregulation of PD-1 and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing−3(Tim3),while myeloid cells exhibited an immunosuppressive phenotype with elevated expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)and cluster of differentiation(CD)276.We identified 12 distinct glioma cell subpopulations with varying proliferative and hypoxic signatures.Based on these subpopulations,TCGA gliomas were reclassified into two major subtypes.One subtype,enriched with myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)and regulatory T cells(Tregs),was associated with poorer patient prognosis.A prognostic model was successfully established using differentially expressed genes between the subtypes.Furthermore,IGFBP2 was highly expressed in glioma cells,and its expression negatively correlated with T cell infiltration.In vitro knockdown of IGFBP2 downregulated programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression on tumor cells.In vivo,IGFBP2 knockdown significantly suppressed tumor growth(p<0.01)and extended survival in tumor-bearing mice(p<0.05),and its combination with anti-PD-1 therapy markedly enhanced antitumor efficacy.Conclusions:This study provides deeper insights into the cellular ecosystem and heterogeneity of glioma,linking specific cellular features to patient prognosis.We identify IGFBP2 may play a role in regulating immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and a potential therapeutic target.展开更多
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD)has no significant impact on liver-metastatic patterns or survival outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer.While the negative findings are clinically ...Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD)has no significant impact on liver-metastatic patterns or survival outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer.While the negative findings are clinically appealing,several issues may limit a definitive biological interpretation.First,the use of steatosisweighted,noninvasive surrogates may be prone to misclassification in pancreatic cancer,where cachexia,sarcopenia,and systemic inflammation can distort these components,thereby attenuating true associations toward the null.Second,accumulating evidence has suggested that MASLD is highly heterogeneous,in which adverse oncologic outcomes are more consistently linked to metabolic inflammation and fibrosis rather than steatosis alone and pooling these phenotypes may dilute signals from high-risk subgroups.Third,in pancreatic cancer with short survival,death is a major competing event,conventional time-to-event analyses without competing-risk frameworks may thereby underestimate the metastasisrelated effect.Additionally,mechanistic research supports the concept of a premetastatic hepatic niche that is driven by inflammation and metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer.Therefore,we conclude that the statistical absence of correlation should not be conflated with the absence of biological causation.Instead,future studies incorporating fibrosis-focused phenotyping,treatment-aware modeling,and competing-risk analyses are warranted to clarify which MASLD subtypes may meaningfully influence metastasis and survival.展开更多
This study develops a novel mesoscale fracture modelling approach,combining a hybrid phase-field model with Weibull random field(RF)models,for simulating complex three-dimensional(3D)mesoscale failure of rock-like bri...This study develops a novel mesoscale fracture modelling approach,combining a hybrid phase-field model with Weibull random field(RF)models,for simulating complex three-dimensional(3D)mesoscale failure of rock-like brittle materials under triaxial compression.The hybrid phase-field model is used to automatically simulate crack initiation and propagation in the generated RF-based mesoscale models,with no need for remeshing and crack tracking.To validate the approach,three types of cylindrical sandstones under compression were simulated:(i)intact(without notches),(ii)with one or two notches as initial flaws,and(iii)with random weak joints.The effects of confining pressure,RF’s shape parameter,notch angle,notch type,and tensile fracture energy on results were investigated in detail.It is found that the predicted deviatoric stress-displacement curves of intact cylinders for different confining pressures are in good agreement with experimental data,and high confining pressures can change the direction of crack propagation in the notched cylinders.Additionally,the initial flaws and weak joints deflect crack paths and ultimately affect the material’s peak stresses and critical failure displacements.Although the tensile fracture energy significantly influences crack growth in the tensile zone,it shows a minor effect on the overall mechanical response.The present simulations have well demonstrated the capacity of the developed approach in modelling complex 3D heterogeneous crack propagation in rock-like materials.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42572150).
摘要Fluvial tight sandstones,as unconventional reservoirs,feature complex sedimentary,diagenetic,and reservoir quality heterogeneities that fundamentally control their exploration and development.This study focuses on typical fluvial tight sandstones of the Shanxi Formation in northern Sulige Gas Field(Ordos Basin),using core samples,field sections,logging data,and analytical tests to investigate the coupling relationships among sedimentary,diagenetic,and reservoir quality heterogeneities.Results demonstrate that:the target layer in the study area develops six lithofacies,three braided river sandbody architectural elements,two meandering river sandbody architectural elements,and five diagenetic facies.Different architectural elements and their internal lithofacies exhibit differences and coupling relationships in the strengths of sedimentary heterogeneity and diagenetic heterogeneity.Specifically:strong compaction diagenetic facies primarily occurs in siltstone lithofacies of sand-dominated,weakly sedimentary heterogeneous architectural elements;strong dissolution+microfracture development diagenetic facies is mainly distributed in coarser-grained sandstones of sand-dominated architectural elements with low sedimentary heterogeneity;clay mineral intercrystalline pore-dominated diagenetic facies is primarily located near interbeds within all architectural elements;strong carbonate cementation diagenetic facies predominates in thick mudstones at the top/bottom of architectural elements,and at contacts with pure mudstone interbeds;strong clay mineral cementation diagenetic facies concentrates in medium-heterogeneity architectural elements near pure mudstone interbeds and at contacts with silty mudstone interbeds.Sedimentary and diagenetic heterogeneities jointly control reservoir quality distribution in all architectural elements(excluding basal conglomerates):porosity and permeability decrease in positive rhythm as lithofacies grain size fines,while irreducible water saturation increases in inverse rhythm.The findings of this study can provide a robust basis for the exploration and development deployment of fluvial tight sandstone reservoirs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82404892(to QY),82061160374(to ZZ)the Science and Technology Development Fund,Macao Special Administrative Region,China,Nos.0023/2020/AFJ,0035/2020/AGJ+2 种基金the University of Macao Research Grant,Nos.MYRG2022-00248-ICMS,MYRG-CRG2022-00010-ICMS(to MPMH)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No.2024A1515012818(to ZZ)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.21623114(to ZZ).
摘要Drug development for Alzheimer’s disease is extremely challenging,as demonstrated by the repeated failures of amyloid-β-targeted therapeutics and the controversies surrounding the amyloid-βcascade hypothesis.More recently,advances in the development of Lecanemab,an anti-amyloid-βmonoclonal antibody,have shown positive results in reducing brain A burden and slowing cognitive decline in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease in the Phase Ⅲ clinical trial(Clarity Alzheimer’s disease).Despite these promising results,side effects such as amyloid-related imaging abnormalities(ARIA)may limit its usage.ARIA can manifest as ARIA-E(cerebral edema or effusions)and ARIA-H(microhemorrhages or superficial siderosis)and is thought to be caused by increased vascular permeability due to inflammatory responses,leading to leakages of blood products and protein-rich fluid into brain parenchyma.Endothelial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of Alzheimer’s disease,and the blood-brain barrier becomes increasingly leaky as the disease progresses.In addition,APOE4,the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease,is associated with higher vascular amyloid burden,increased ARIA incidence,and accelerated blood-brain barrier disruptions.These interconnected vascular abnormalities highlight the importance of vascular contributions to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease.Here,we will closely examine recent research evaluating the heterogeneity of brain endothelial cells in the microvasculature of different brain regions and their relationships with Alzheimer’s disease progression.
基金supported by the Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project(No.2025ZD0548500).
摘要Objective: The heterogeneity of epithelial cells and their interaction with the immune microenvironment play crucial roles in tumor progression, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Methods: We analyzed single-cell transcriptomic data from normal and tumor tissues to characterize epithelial cells and their microenvironment. Key genes were identified and used, via survival analysis and multiple machine learning methods, to construct a prognostic model termed the Epithelial Signature(EpiSig). We further validated,through a series of experiments, the critical immunological roles of the key genes incorporated into the EpiSig model.Results: Tumor tissues showed a marked increase in epithelial cells, a reduction in natural killer(NK)/T cells,and cell co-occurrence patterns distinct from normal tissues. We identified differentially expressed genes in tumor epithelial cells and integrated multiple machine-learning algorithms to construct the EpiSig model. This model effectively stratified patient prognosis, with the high-EpiSig group exhibiting significantly worse survival;receiver operator characteristic curve(ROC) and principal component analysis(PCA) analyses further supported its accuracy and robustness. Immune analyses indicated lower immune cell infiltration, decreased human leukocyte antigen(HLA) expression, and elevated programmed cell death ligand 1/programmed cell death protein 1(PDL1/PD-1) in the high-EpiSig group, reflecting a more pronounced immunosuppressive microenvironment. The core gene KRT18 correlated strongly with EpiSig scores(R=0.65) and promoted lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD) cell proliferation in functional assays. Further, low KRT18 tumors showed higher CD4+/CD8+ T cell and CD20+ B cell infiltration;in a mouse LLC subcutaneous tumor model, both Krt18 knockdown and PD-1 blockade suppressed tumor growth, with greater efficacy in combination. Mechanistically, KRT18 activated NF-kB/p65 to upregulate PD-L1, promoting immune exclusion and impairing T-cell effector function.Conclusions: This study highlights the close relationship between epithelial cell heterogeneity and immune microenvironment alterations in tumors, and presents the EpiSig as a robust tool for prognostic prediction. KRT18may serve as a promising therapeutic target in LUAD.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22108309 and 22478433)the Postdoctoral Innovation Project in Shandong Province(SDCX-ZG-202203099)+2 种基金the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(ZR2023MB005)the Fundamental Research Fund for the Central Universities(No.24CX06047A)the Taishan Scholar Program of Shandong(No.ts20190919 and No.tsqn202312135)。
摘要Pitch-derived hard carbons(HC)are promising anodes for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)due to their high carbonization yield and low cost.However,the inherent compositional heterogeneity of pitch induces non-uniform oxidative cross-linking during conventional pre-oxidation,which not only renders the microstructure of HC difficult to regulate but also significantly degrades its sodium storage performance.Here,we identify the“shielding effect”of oxidation-inert components in pitch as the root cause of this structural inhomogeneity.To overcome this limitation,we propose a novel“sieving-and-reinforcement strategy”.This involves liquid-phase crosslinking to construct a polar three-dimensional(3D)carbon skeleton,followed by stepwise extraction as a molecular sieving process to remove inert components and expose the reactive skeleton,and finally,oxygen etching as a reinforcement step to drastically enhance the crosslinking density and defect population.This controllably engineered carbon skeleton in-situ evolves into an HC with a uniform hierarchical porous structure,featuring abundant ultramicropores,optimally sized closed pores(-2.15 nm),and ultrathin pore walls during carbonization.The resulting HC anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 363.3 mAh g-1at 50 mA g-1,with an impressive plateau capacity contribution of 71.5%.It also demonstrates exceptional cycling stability,retaining203.1 mAh g-1after 500 cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g-1.This work provides a fundamental understanding of precursor engineering,paving the way for the rational design of advanced carbon materials for next-generation energy storage.
基金supported by the State Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82030035(to YES)Peak Disciplines(Type IV)of Institutions of Higher Learning in Shanghai(to LZ).
摘要The presence or absence of adult neural stem cells in the mammalian forebrain ependyma has been debated for two decades.In this study,we performed single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the cellular composition of the ependymal surface of the adult mouse forebrain using whole mounts of lateral walls of lateral ventricles.We identified 12 different cell subtypes in the ependymal surface.Immunocytochemical analyses revealed that CD133+multi-ciliated cells comprised 67.6%of ependymal cells,while the remaining 32.4%were CD133-.CD133+ependymal cells can be further classified into FOXJ1+/SOX2+/ACTA2+cells,FLT1+/CD31+/CLDN5+endothelial-like cells,and PDGFRB+/VTN+/NG2+pericyte-like cells,as well as endothelial-pericyte-like cells and Foxj1+endothelial-like cells.CD133-ependymal cells can be further divided into endothelial-like cells,Foxj1+ependymal cells,Foxj1+endothelial-like cells,pericyte-like cells,endothelial-pericyte-like cells,VIM+cells,and cells negative for all of these markers.This comprehensive profiling confirms the heterogeneity of the ependymal surface in the adult mouse forebrain.Debate regarding whether adult ependymal cells contain neural stem cells has arisen because different researchers have examined different populations of ependymal cells.Our study provides a new perspective for investigation of clinical endogenous neural stem cells,ultimately paving the way for stem cell therapies in neurological diseases.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82372324)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFA1303500)。
摘要Objective Quantification of immunity is a challenge in clinical practice due to the complexity and heterogeneity of immune cells.This study aimed to establish comprehensive reference ranges for immune indicators and characterize immune heterogeneity in healthy adults.Methods A total of 115 healthy adults aged 1865 years were enrolled.Sixty immune indicators encompassing natural immunity(NK cells,monocytes,dendritic cells,myeloid-derived suppressor cells),cellular immunity(T cells,regulatory T cells,T follicular helper cells,T helper cells),and humoral immunity(B cells),along with nutritional and metabolic indicators,were simultaneously detected.Flow cytometry was used to measure the number,phenotype,and functional subsets of immune cells.Unsupervised k-means clustering was performed to identify immune subtypes.RNA-sequencing was conducted on representative individuals from each cluster for transcriptomic validation.Results The reference ranges for 60 immune indicators were established,with over half(38/60)exhibiting coefficient of variation>30%,indicating substantial heterogeneity.Gender differences were minimal,whereas age-related changes were pronounced in adaptive immune cells.Specifically,human leukocyte antigen DR-positive(HLA-DR+)T cells(%)increased from 20.76%±7.75%(1830years)to 30.06%±10.82%(5165 years,P=0.001),while CD45RA+regulatory T(Treg)cells(%)and naive CD8+T cells(%)decreased progressively with age(P<0.001).Correlation analysis between immune cells and routine laboratory indicators revealed that nutritional indicators like albumin(ALB)were positively correlated with the number of immune cells such as CD8+T cells,while lipid metabolism indicators like low-density lipoprotein(LDL)were negatively correlated with T helper cell differentiation(P<0.01).Clustering analysis identified three distinct immune subtypes:"potential type"(26.1%,n=30)characterized by high naive T cells(44.91%±9.88%CD4+T cells,33.86%±13.82%CD8+T cells)and CD1c-positive myeloid dendritic cells(CD1c+mDCs)(45.17%±11.58%);"effector NK type"(34.8%,n=45)with elevated NK cell count(704.22±280.79 cells/μL)and cytotoxic function(93.16%±2.38%perforin+NK cells);and"effector T type"(39.1%,n=40)distinguished by increased HLA-DR+T cells(19.48%±7.1%CD4+T cells,45.11%±10.92%CD8+T cells)and effector memory(EM)CD4+T cells(37.85%±11.01%).A further RNA-sequencing analysis confirmed the transcriptomic characteristics of different immune subtypes,which was in accordance with phenotype analysis.Specifically,adults in the potential type had strong adaptive immunity;those in the effector NK type showed upregulated NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity;those in the effector T type exhibited enhanced T-helper 1 immune responses.Conclusion This study provides a systematic framework for immunity quantification by establishing reference ranges and classifying healthy adults into three immune subtypes with distinct metabolic and transcriptomic features.These findings could enhance understanding of immune heterogeneity in healthy individuals and guide personalized immune monitoring and intervention strategies in clinical practice.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32202963)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20220681)+3 种基金the Doctoral Program of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Jiangsu Province(No.JSSCBS20221625)the Scientific Research Foundation Program of Jiangsu Ocean University(No.KQ22009)the Graduate Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province(No.KYCX24_3673)the Under-graduate Innovation&Entrepreneurship Training Program of Jiangsu Province,China(Nos.SY202411641631001 and SY202411641631002).
摘要Nitrate pollution in aquatic ecosystems has gained worldwide attention,making fish intestines especially vulnerable to nitrate exposure.Despite this,the patterns of cellular heterogeneity in fish intestines in response to nitrate exposure are not yet fully understood.To address this gap,we investigated the varied responses of different cell populations in the intestines of turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)following 30-day exposure to nitrate at a concentration of 200 mg/L NO3-N.Our findings revealed that,among the 16 identified cell types,enterocytes,T lymphocytes(TLCs),and fibroblasts were the primary target populations exhibiting specific responses to nitrate.Nitrate exposure significantly reduced the population of enterocytes by over 10%and disrupted metabolic pathways in these cells.The proportion of TLCs increased 1.31-fold by nitrate,resulting in the activation of the immune pathways.Wound-healing fibroblasts(WHF)drive nitrate-induced extracellular matrix(ECM)remodeling as a key fibroblast subtype,with linked ECM-receptor/TNF/TGF-βpathways potentially mediating intestinal defense.Nitrate impacted cell-cell communication among enterocytes and target cells,highlighting the varied responses of intestinal cells to exposure.Furthermore,nitrate increased communication probability in ligandeceptor pairs linked to junctional adhesion molecule(JAM),Ephrin type A receptor(EPHA),and collagen pathways,indicating enhanced cell adhesion and ECM homeostasis.This study provides the first look at the intestinal landscape and diverse cellular responses in turbot after nitrate exposure,offering insights into nitrate toxicity and management in aquatic ecosystems.
基金funded by Shanghai Baiyulan Pujiang Project(No.24PJD087)funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12401347)+5 种基金Shanghai“Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan”Computational Biology Key Project(Nos.23JS1400500 and 23JS1400800)Chinese MOE Foundation on Humanities and Social Sciences(No.23YJC910006)the Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai(No.24ZR1420400)MWB was funded by NIH/NIA(Nos.R01AG082073,R01AG079280,and P30AG062429)HHF was funded by NIH/NIA(Nos.U19AG079774-01,R01AG061146,P30AG062429,R01AG076634-01,CIHR 137794)funded by NIH/NIA R01AG064002,P30AG062429,R01AG076634,and the Epstein Family Alzheimer’s Research Collaboration.
摘要Traditional clinical subtype classifications(such as amnestic and non-amnestic mild cognitive impairment)rely on subjective interpretations of overlapping patterns of performance on cognitive tests,which may lead to unreliable categorization.A more precise and objective classification of mild cognitive impairment subtypes can be achieved through data-driven clustering techniques.However,because previous studies have not restricted their cohorts to patients who have mild cognitive impairment with the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease,the nature of cognitive variability and its impact on disease progression in a strictly defined biomarker-positive preclinical Alzheimer’s disease cohort remains unknown.We examined cognitive heterogeneity among participants with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease and evaluated its prognostic utility.Neuropsychological test data from 389 patients with mild cognitive impairment in whom the cerebrospinal fluid biomarker confirmed Alzheimer’s disease were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohorts.Principal component analysis and model-based clustering were used to identify cognitive profiles,which were then validated through a 100-time bootstrap analysis.Pairwise comparisons tested for differences between the identified subgroups in participant characteristics,scores on cognitive and clinical outcomes,levels of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers,and magnetic resonance imaging-derived brain volumes.Longitudinal analyses evaluated differences in rate of change of magnetic resonance imaging volumetric measurements and clinical outcomes over 48 months.Survival analysis assessed risk for conversion to dementia.Alpha-synuclein levels and white matter hyperintensity volumes were considered for sensitivity analysis.Two distinct cognitive profiles were identified:a“typical”group(56.04%of the sample)that demonstrated relatively poorer scores on memory testing than non-memory tests,and an“atypical”group(43.96%of the sample)with smaller differences between memory and non-memory measures,indicating a more uniform pattern of impairment across cognitive domains.While the groups had comparable levels of overall cognitive impairment and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease,the typical group displayed accelerated atrophy rates every 6 months across multiple brain regions(hippocampus:29.02 mm3,standard error[SE]=10.13,P=0.005;whole brain:1799.85 mm3,SE=781.57,P=0.023;entorhinal cortex:22.26 mm3,SE=11.15,P=0.048;fusiform gyrus:66.24 mm3,SE=28.53,P=0.021).Survival analysis revealed markedly higher dementia conversion risk(hazard ratio:1.70,95%confidence interval:1.27,2.27,P<0.001)and shorter progression time in the typical group.These findings persisted after controlling for comorbid pathologies.In conclusion,this data-driven approach identified two distinct cognitive subtypes of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease that differed in their rates of clinical decline and neurodegeneration.These findings could be used to improve prognostic models and inform clinical trial stratification.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52471190,52171166,and 12534013)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China(Grant No.2024JJ2060)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province,China(Grant Nos.2025ZYJ001 and 2021RC4026)supported by Sinoma Institute of Materials Research(Guangzhou)Co.Ltd。
摘要Refractory complex-concentrated alloys(RCCAs)show exceptional promise for extreme-environment applications,yet intermediate-temperature instability(0.4-0.6 Tm)and plasticity degradation severely constrain their development.This work provides an effective strategy to transform the inherent intermediate-temperature instability into a performance advantage by implementing a coordinated design of a metastable Ti2ZrTa0.75composition and targeted annealing temperatures,thereby creating synergistic nanoscale heterogeneity.Multi-scale structural characterization and molecular dynamic simulations reveal that tailored annealing at 900℃-1000℃generates two key synergistic heterogeneities:(1)nanoscale Ta-rich clusters(~40 nm)and(2)spinodal decomposition wavelengths of 4.5-8.2 nm.These features orchestrate a competitive-cooperative interaction between dislocation glide,reversible martensitic transformation,and hierarchical twinning.Depending on the annealing temperature,the dominant deformation mechanism shifts,leading to either martensite-assisted hardening(900℃annealing,271 MPa hardening strength)or twin-dominated plasticity(1000℃annealing,19.2%uniform elongation).This study overturns the conventional avoidance of instability,presenting a novel paradigm for unlocking high ductility in RCCAs via simple thermal processing.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21875022,22179008)the Yibin‘Jie Bang Gua Shuai’(2022JB004)+2 种基金the support from the High-Level Talent Introduction Project of Yibin(2024YG03)the support from the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(GZB20230931)the Special Support of Chongqing Postdoctoral Research Project(2023CQBSHTB2041).
摘要Lithium-rich layered oxides are promising cathodes for high-energy lithium-ion batteries,yet their applications are hindered by voltage decay,structural instability,and heterogeneous reaction dynamics.These degradations stem from the coexistence of Li2MnO3and LiMO2domains,which exhibit distinct redox kinetics and trigger phase mismatch during cycling.To address this challenge,we propose a tailored concentration gradient design that regulates the spatial distribution of transition metals.Nickel is intentionally enriched near the surface while manganese dominates the interior,creating a coordinated balance between interfacial stability and bulk capacity retention.Regulating Ni content deliberately induces a moderate Li/Ni cation-mixed phase,and the tailored gradient builds a surface composite structure that stabilizes the layered framework and suppresses interfacial degradation.This architecture homogenizes redox activation,alleviates surface-bulk reaction mismatch,and retards the formation of spinel or rock-salt phases.Structural characterizations with in situ and ex situ methods confirm coherent variations in composition and valence states.Electrochemical analyses demonstrate suppressed voltage hysteresis,smaller polarization,and enhanced cycling stability.Simulations further verify homogeneous ion transport with stabilized phase evolution,collectively validating that surface-phase regulation enabled by tailored concentration gradients effectively mitigates reaction heterogeneity in Li-rich layered cathodes.The findings highlight surface-phase regulation enabled by tailored concentration gradients as a scalable strategy that mitigates reaction heterogeneity in lithium-rich layered cathodes and extends applicability to other cathode systems for large-scale energy storage.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52239003,52409005)。
摘要Urban flood risk poses an escalating threat to urban safety and sustainable development amid climate change and rapid urbanization.Although various flood risk assessment methods exist,most studies rely on single analytical approaches,neglecting the advantages of methodological integration and the multifaceted nature of risk characterization.Furthermore,prevailing assessment frameworks apply uniform hydrodynamic models across entire urban areas,inadequately capturing the diverse inundation processes arising from spatial heterogeneity of urban surfaces.This research developed an integrated multi-method framework for cities exhibiting significant spatial heterogeneity in environmental,infrastructural,and socioeconomic characteristics,enabling efficient high-precision flood simulation and risk assessment by coupling the indicator system method(ISM)with the cloud model(CM).The framework comprises:(1)spatially-differentiated hydrodynamic modeling for pipeline-dense and pipeline-sparse areas;(2)entropy-analytic hierarchy process weighted grid-based flood risk assessment across multiple rainfall scenarios;and(3)cloud model-driven risk evaluation at sub-drainage functional zones to address uncertainty in assessment.The results indicate that the integrated multi-model approach effectively captures flood formation mechanisms and identify an expansion of high-risk areas.Grid-based assessment delineates fine-grained risk distribution,while the cloud model assessment reveals the stability and uncertainty of risk levels.This research advances flood risk assessment methodology by bridging sophisticated hydrodynamic modeling integration with multi-scale risk evaluation,providing a robust framework for urban flood management.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2024YFE0104200)the Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Utilization in Arid Zone,Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XJYS0907–2023–24)the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(Grant Nos.2023QNRC001&2022QNRC001)。
摘要Against the backdrop of global warming,snow drought events have occurred frequently in Xinjiang in recent decades,posing severe threats to agricultural and pastoral ecosystems.Based on ERA5 reanalysis data,the Long-term Series of Daily Snow Depth Dataset in China,and CMIP6 climate projections,this study systematically investigates the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and evolutionary characteristics of typical snow droughts in Xinjiang during 1980–2021.The results indicate that snow droughts in Xinjiang exhibit pronounced temporal clustering.Prior to 2000,dry-only snow droughts occurred more frequently,whereas since 2000,warm-dry snow droughts have increased markedly.Meanwhile,the frequency of warm-only snow droughts has relatively declined.Snow droughts also exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity.The Kunlun Mountains experience the highest frequency of snow droughts and are projected to experience higher snow drought risk in the future.In addition,this study identifies cold snow droughts driven primarily by snow sublimation,highlighting a distinct mechanism for snow drought formation in the high-altitude regions of Xinjiang.With continued warming,the risk of snow drought in Xinjiang is projected to intensify by 2100.Warm-dry snow droughts are expected to become more frequent,whereas dry-only snow droughts are projected to decrease.Overall,this study elucidates the formation processes and coupled thermal-hydrological mechanisms of different snow drought types,providing a scientific basis for snow drought prediction and mitigation in Xinjiang.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.42422705,42207175,42177117 and 42577170)the Ningbo Youth Leading Talent Project (No.2024QL051)+1 种基金the Chinese Academy of Engineering Science and Technology Strategy Consulting Project (No.2025-XZ-57)the Central Government Funding Program for Guiding Local Science and Technology Development (No.2025ZY01028)。
摘要Rock mass stability is significantly influenced by the heterogeneity of rock joint roughness and shear strength.While modern technology facilitates assessing roughness heterogeneity,evaluating shear strength heterogeneity remains challenging.To address this,this study first captures the morphology of large-scale(1000 mm × 1000 mm) slate and granite joints via 3D laser scanning.Analysis of these surfaces and corresponding push/pull tests on carved specimens revealed a potential correlation between the heterogeneity of roughness and shear strength.A comparative evaluation of five statistical metrics identified information entropy(Hs) as the most robust indicator for quantifying rock joint heterogeneity.Further analysis using Hsreveals that the heterogeneity is anisotropic and,critically,that shear strength heterogeneity is governed not only by roughness heterogeneity but is also significantly influenced by the mean roughness value,normal stress,and intact rock tensile strength.Consequently,a simple comparison of roughness Hsvalues is insufficient for reliably comparing shear strength heterogeneity.To overcome this limitation,a theoretical framework is developed to explicitly map fundamental roughness statistics(mean and heterogeneity) to shear strength heterogeneity.This framework culminates in a practical workflow that allows for the rapid,field-based assessment of shear strength heterogeneity using readily obtainable rock joint roughness data.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52173020 and 52573023)。
摘要Vitrimers belong to a class of polymeric materials capable of bond exchange reactions,showing great promise for environmental protection and sustainable development.However,studies on the coupling mechanism between the bond exchange kinetics and segmental dynamics near the glass transition temperature(Tg)remain scarce.Herein,we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamic heterogeneity of the segment motion and bond exchange in vitrimers.The simulation results revealed that the bond exchange energy barrier exerts a much stronger influence on the bond exchange kinetics than on the segmental dynamics.At lower temperatures,slower segmental relaxation further constraind the bond exchange rate.Additionally,increasing the bond exchange energy barrier markedly enhanced the dynamic heterogeneity of segment motion.A close correlation was observed between heterogeneity and bond exchange.This study elucidated the coupling mechanism between bond exchange and segmental dynamics at the molecular scale,thereby providing a theoretical basis for designing vitrimer materials with tunable dynamic properties.
基金supported by the Foundation Project:National Natural Science.Foundation of China(Nos.:82460249,82100417,81760094)The Foundation of Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology Outstanding Youth Fund Project(20212BAB206022,20242BAB23080).
摘要Objective:Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein 1(Lrg1)could regulate diverse cells in cerebral ischemiareperfusion.Our study seeks to uncover Lrg1’s impact on endothelial cell heterogeneity via differentiation pathways and transcription factors.Method:The CSOmap model measured cell-to-brain-center distances using single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)data in middle cerebral artery occlusion reperfusion(MCAO/R).Monocle2 mapped endothelial differentiation paths.Gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)analyzed endothelial subcluster variations.Database searches revealed a zinc finger MIZ-type containing 1 protein-frizzled 3(Zmiz1-Fzd3)promoter interaction.Endothelial cells were transfected with a Fzd3 promoter-luciferase plasmid.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR)and western blotting assessed MCAO/R or Zmiz1 overexpression effects on Fzd3-related mRNA and proteins.A retroviral vector carrying Zmiz1 was injected into the brains of mice to study its effect on Fzd3.Result:Lrg1−/−mice exhibited elevated cell adhesion proteins and decreased microvascular leakage after MCAO/R.CSOmap showed widened astrocyte spacing in thesemice.RSS revealed Zmiz1 overexpression inMCAO/R+Lrg1−/−mice.MCAO/R and pcDNA3-Zmiz1 transfection both enhanced luciferase activity with Fzd3,indicating Zmiz1 binding to Fzd3.Retroviral Zmiz1 injection or knockdown disrupted ischemic brain tight junctions,highlighting Zmiz1’s key role in blood-brain barrier protection,likely through Fzd3 pathway modulation.Conclusion:The findings indicate Lrg1 knockout induces endothelial differentiation by activating Zmiz1,which is crucial for maintaining blood-brain barrier function,possibly via modulating the Fzd3 pathway.
基金supported by the China Atomic Energy Authority(CAEA)through the Geological Disposal Program,National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42125701 and 42430713)Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(Grant No.2023ZKZD26).
摘要Compacted bentonite blocks are proposed for buffer barriers in deep geological repositories for high-level radioactive waste(HLRW)disposal.These blocks,manufactured through uniaxial compression in molds,exhibit heterogeneity that may impact long-term buffer performance.This study focuses on the physical and hydro-mechanical heterogeneity of full-scale blocks induced by the compaction process.Sector-shaped blocks,with radii of 600 mm and 1200 mm and a height of 200 mm,were axially compressed.Key parameters,including water content,dry density,elasticity modulus,swelling pressure,and permeability,were measured to assess the heterogeneity.Results show that the heterogeneity in the upper layer is primarily caused by differences in drainage and gas expulsion pathways.As depth increases,water content and dry density become more correlated.Hydro-mechanical behavior is largely controlled by dry density,but its fluctuation ratio is much higher than that of dry density.Regarding the microstructure,pore structure heterogeneity follows the order:corner regions>edge regions>center regions,and upper layer>middle layer>lower layer.Vertical microcracks also develop to varying degrees,increasing the anisotropy of the blocks.Upon these observations,the study thoroughly discusses the feasibility and challenges of reckoning the hydro-mechanical properties of blocks using dry density distribution alongside laboratory-scale data.Additionally,it proposes an indicator to evaluate the overall heterogeneity of buffer blocks.These findings highlight the inherent heterogeneity of compacted bentonite blocks at the engineering scale,providing valuable insights for future experiments and simulations.
摘要Background:Glioma is among the most malignant brain tumors,and its heterogeneity contributes significantly to treatment failure.Comprehensive profiling of cellular and molecular heterogeneity across different glioma stages and recurrence states is crucial for understanding therapeutic resistance and identifying novel targets.Accordingly,this study sought to systematically characterize the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of glioma across different stages and recurrence states using single-cell RNA sequencing,and to identify prognostic subtypes and potential therapeutic targets.Methods:We integrated public single-cell RNA sequencing data from glioma specimens,including lower-grade glioma(LGG),glioblastoma(GBM),and paired primary and recurrent tumors.Using these datasets,we identified distinct cellular subpopulations and their molecular signatures.Based on these glioma cell subpopulations,we reclassified gliomas from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database into molecular subtypes and constructed a prognostic model.The functional role of a key candidate gene,insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2(IGFBP2),was validated using in vitro knockdown experiments in mouse and human tumor cells and in vivo therapeutic studies in murine models,including combination therapy with anti-programmed cell death protein 1(anti-PD-1)immune checkpoint blockade.Results:This analysis revealed that T cells in GBM and recurrent samples were predominantly exhausted,characterized by upregulation of PD-1 and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing−3(Tim3),while myeloid cells exhibited an immunosuppressive phenotype with elevated expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)and cluster of differentiation(CD)276.We identified 12 distinct glioma cell subpopulations with varying proliferative and hypoxic signatures.Based on these subpopulations,TCGA gliomas were reclassified into two major subtypes.One subtype,enriched with myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs)and regulatory T cells(Tregs),was associated with poorer patient prognosis.A prognostic model was successfully established using differentially expressed genes between the subtypes.Furthermore,IGFBP2 was highly expressed in glioma cells,and its expression negatively correlated with T cell infiltration.In vitro knockdown of IGFBP2 downregulated programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression on tumor cells.In vivo,IGFBP2 knockdown significantly suppressed tumor growth(p<0.01)and extended survival in tumor-bearing mice(p<0.05),and its combination with anti-PD-1 therapy markedly enhanced antitumor efficacy.Conclusions:This study provides deeper insights into the cellular ecosystem and heterogeneity of glioma,linking specific cellular features to patient prognosis.We identify IGFBP2 may play a role in regulating immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and a potential therapeutic target.
摘要Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD)has no significant impact on liver-metastatic patterns or survival outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer.While the negative findings are clinically appealing,several issues may limit a definitive biological interpretation.First,the use of steatosisweighted,noninvasive surrogates may be prone to misclassification in pancreatic cancer,where cachexia,sarcopenia,and systemic inflammation can distort these components,thereby attenuating true associations toward the null.Second,accumulating evidence has suggested that MASLD is highly heterogeneous,in which adverse oncologic outcomes are more consistently linked to metabolic inflammation and fibrosis rather than steatosis alone and pooling these phenotypes may dilute signals from high-risk subgroups.Third,in pancreatic cancer with short survival,death is a major competing event,conventional time-to-event analyses without competing-risk frameworks may thereby underestimate the metastasisrelated effect.Additionally,mechanistic research supports the concept of a premetastatic hepatic niche that is driven by inflammation and metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer.Therefore,we conclude that the statistical absence of correlation should not be conflated with the absence of biological causation.Instead,future studies incorporating fibrosis-focused phenotyping,treatment-aware modeling,and competing-risk analyses are warranted to clarify which MASLD subtypes may meaningfully influence metastasis and survival.
基金funded by the ARC Discovery Project grants(Grant Nos.DP210100437 and DP230100126)ARC Linkage Project(Grant No.LP230201048).
摘要This study develops a novel mesoscale fracture modelling approach,combining a hybrid phase-field model with Weibull random field(RF)models,for simulating complex three-dimensional(3D)mesoscale failure of rock-like brittle materials under triaxial compression.The hybrid phase-field model is used to automatically simulate crack initiation and propagation in the generated RF-based mesoscale models,with no need for remeshing and crack tracking.To validate the approach,three types of cylindrical sandstones under compression were simulated:(i)intact(without notches),(ii)with one or two notches as initial flaws,and(iii)with random weak joints.The effects of confining pressure,RF’s shape parameter,notch angle,notch type,and tensile fracture energy on results were investigated in detail.It is found that the predicted deviatoric stress-displacement curves of intact cylinders for different confining pressures are in good agreement with experimental data,and high confining pressures can change the direction of crack propagation in the notched cylinders.Additionally,the initial flaws and weak joints deflect crack paths and ultimately affect the material’s peak stresses and critical failure displacements.Although the tensile fracture energy significantly influences crack growth in the tensile zone,it shows a minor effect on the overall mechanical response.The present simulations have well demonstrated the capacity of the developed approach in modelling complex 3D heterogeneous crack propagation in rock-like materials.