Researchers have discovered exceptionally rich assemblages of plant spine fossils in central Tibet, confirming an early diversification of spiny plants around 39 million years ago. The findings suggest that a drying and cooling climate may have driven the evolution of physical defense mechanisms against large herbivores.
Researchers have developed a new live-attenuated influenza A vaccine approach using proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) viruses. The approach uses the endogenous ubiquitin-proteasome system of host cells to degrade viral proteins, resulting in sufficiently attenuated but immunogenic vaccines.
Rapid seed dispersal by hornets is essential for the short-lived seeds of Aquilaria sinensis due to their vulnerability to desiccation. The hornets consume fruit elaiosomes and deposit seeds in damp shade, allowing germination.
A research group has discovered that a coral pathogen, Vibrio coralliilyticus, kills non-pathogenic competitors in the coral microbiota through prophage induction. This process involves the generation of hydrogen peroxide, which eliminates harmless bacteria and allows the pathogen to outcompete and colonize the coral.
Researchers found that shallow lakes are linked to fertile plains, high anthropogenic disturbances, and strong water-sediment interactions, making them susceptible to eutrophication. Lake depth also predicts external nutrient load and sensitivity to human disturbance, with shallower lakes being more sensitive.
Scientists identify PiT2-loop7 missense mutations causing inorganic phosphate dyshomeostasis, leading to primary familial brain calcification. The study reveals how these mutations affect PiT2 phosphorylation and membrane localization, reducing Pi transport activity.
Researchers used an isomer beam to study isomer depletion in a low gamma-ray background environment. They found no evidence of isomer depletion and measured the excitation probability at less than 2×10^−5, consistent with theoretical calculations.
A research team has generated a single-cell atlas for amphioxus, a basal chordate species, providing insights into its developmental program and the origin of vertebrates. The study's findings reveal similar developmental trajectories and regulatory networks in amphioxus and other chordate model organisms.
Researchers developed a new medical instrument called CAST-R-HP to diagnose and treat Helicobacter pylori infections. The tool performs rapid pathogen identification, metabolism inhibition-based antimicrobial susceptibility tests, and high-quality single-cell whole-genome sequencing.
Scientists made a breakthrough in understanding the structure and function of serotonin receptors, revealing the molecular mechanism of selective coupling with G-proteins. The study provides insights into ligand recognition and could lead to rational structure-based drug design for treating diseases linked to serotonin imbalance.
Researchers discovered a 'volcano-shaped' relationship between polysulfide adsorption and catalytic activity in lithium-sulfur batteries. This finding modifies the long-standing principle that strong adsorption leads to good catalytic activity, suggesting catalysts should be designed separately to improve performance.
Researchers have pinpointed a molecular map that details the specific gene interactions controlling rice's heat tolerance. The study reveals a genetic module, dubbed thermotolerance 3 (TT3), which enhances rice's ability to withstand high temperatures and reduces yield loss caused by heat stress.
Researchers from Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a scalable and controllable approach to exfoliate high-quality hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets. The new method uses a rapid volume expansion of water in icing to reduce interlayer interaction, resulting in efficient exfoliation.
High concentrations of disinfection byproducts in tap water are linked to adverse health outcomes. Researchers suggest adopting solutions such as advanced water treatment and sourcing water from less polluted areas to reduce the risk. Additionally, nanofiltration is proposed as an effective household treatment to improve water quality.
Researchers develop new method to synthesize two-dimensional monolayer polymeric fullerene, a unique member of the carbon material family. The material exhibits interesting properties, including anisotropic behavior and moderate bandgap, making it a potential candidate for electronic devices.
Scientists found evidence of a vertebrate spiracle originating from fish gills in ancient Chinese fossils. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of the human middle ear and how it adapted to transport sound vibrations into the inner ear.
A team of scientists has discovered a novel magnetotactic bacterium that forms intracellular amorphous silica globules. This finding suggests a previously unobserved influence on the global silicon cycle during early Earth history, expanding our knowledge of prokaryotic biosilicification.
A team of researchers has determined the cryo-electron microscopy structures of three NPY receptors in complex with the peptide ligand and Gi protein. The study reveals interaction details between different NPY receptors and the peptide, highlighting distinct conformations upon binding to each receptor. This understanding is crucial fo...
The Chang'E-5 team found hydroxyl signals in lunar rocks and soil, indicating the presence of indigenous water on the Moon's surface. The bulk of this water is contained in apatite minerals, suggesting a lunar origin.
The study found that precipitation during cold seasons is a major contributor to energy consumption in Tibet, particularly when temperatures fall below freezing. Additionally, there is a marked disparity between urban and rural areas in how climate affects energy consumption, with urban areas experiencing higher rates on cold, snowy days.
A study found that OTUD3 limits RNA virus-triggered innate immunity but promotes DNA virus-triggered innate immunity, highlighting the complexity of host antiviral responses. OTUD3 also interacts with cGAS to remove K48-linked polyubiquitination chains and protect its DNA-binding ability.
Researchers observe formation of ordered and tunable MZM lattice in naturally strained LiFeAs, characterized by strain-induced CDW stripes. The lattice density and geometry can be tuned using external magnetic fields, providing a promising platform for manipulating MZMs.
A recent study identified Pdyn-expressing neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus as a novel nucleus controlling homeostatic thermogenesis and social interaction-associated hyperthermia. These neurons respond to cold temperatures, promoting thermogenesis, and also modulate social interactions, leading to increased body temperature.
Researchers have discovered a new repeating fast radio burst, FRB 190520B, which exhibits extreme behavior similar to the initial discovery, FRB 121102A. The source has high ambient electron density and reliable bursting behaviors, suggesting it may be a 'newborn' with characteristics resembling a super luminous supernova.
A new study reveals that the Asian Water Tower's frozen assets are melting away, with more liquid water in northern endorheic basins and less in southern exorheic basins. This imbalance is expected to pose a challenge to water supply-demand balancing in downstream regions.
A new discovery in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has found the oldest known mayfly swarm, dating back to the Early Jurassic period. The finding reveals complex mating-swarm behavior in stem-group mayflies, highlighting the underappreciated ecological significance of insects in ancient ecosystems.
A joint research team reveals a distinct developmental transition for the neural microcircuit in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), featuring dense electrical coupling and sparse chemical synapses. The study provides a solid microcircuit basis for understanding hypothalamic functions.
A team of researchers has developed a new algorithm to efficiently integrate large-scale microbiome data and identify disease-associated biomarkers. The NetMoss algorithm uses microbial interaction networks to remove batch effects and quantify topological differences, revealing biomarkers linked to multiple diseases.
A new electrode design boosts carbon dioxide electroreduction, converting CO2 to CO with 54% efficiency and stable large current densities. The results demonstrate a promising approach for scalable CO2 abatement and renewable energy consumption.
A new training algorithm for deep spiking neural networks (SNNs) uses biologically plausible spatiotemporal adjustment to improve performance and reduce energy consumption. This approach achieves competitive classification accuracy with only 3% of the energy used by traditional artificial neural networks.
Researchers discovered a massive protostellar disk in the Galactic Center with spiral arms, challenging previous understanding of star formation. The disk was perturbed by a close encounter with a nearby object, leading to the formation of spiral arms through accretion disk dynamics.
A new fossil discovery solves the giraffe evolutionary mystery by revealing that long necks evolved as a weapon in male courtship competition. The unique characteristics of the fossil, including its disc-like ossicone and complex joints, suggest an extreme adaptation for high-speed head-to-head impact.
A joint research team has discovered ancient continental rocks at the Southwest Indian Ridge, dating back 2.7 billion years. The rocks' composition suggests they were recycled from the neighboring African continent through the asthenosphere, challenging current understanding of oceanic crust formation.
A recent study found that global warming is likely to increase the frequency of strong Western Pacific Subtropical High events, leading to enhanced flood risk in East China. This is due to increased sensitivity of rainfall and atmospheric convection to sea surface temperature variability under warmer climates.
Researchers discovered that chromatin entropy increases during aging, leading to epigenetic dysregulation and cellular senescence. The study found that aberrant expression of placenta-related genes is a key driver of cellular aging.
Researchers used heterochronic parabiosis to connect old and young mice, revealing key mediators of systemic rejuvenation. Aged stem cells in bone marrow were revitalized by exposure to young blood, regaining lymphoid differentiation potential.
Researchers propose an ecological model to understand how individual responses to dietary fiber vary across gut microbiomes. The study found that specific bacteria grow in response to inulin and drive changes in gut health.
Researchers have developed CAS(ME)3, a large-scale micro-expression database with depth information and high ecological validity. The database contains 1,109 manually labeled micro-expressions and 3,490 macro-expressions, allowing for more accurate emotional analysis and recognition.
Researchers analyzed ancient incense samples from a Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple and found evidence of exotic spices like elemi and frankincense. The findings provide insight into the complex role of incense in religious rituals and court activities during this period.
Latest climate models tend to overestimate future Afro-Asian summer monsoon (AfroASM) rainfall and runoff. By constraining biases, the rainfall increase is 70% of the raw projection.
A recent study reveals that massive carbon emission during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age led to anoxic areal extent equivalent to 20% of the seafloor and significant biodiversity loss. The research team used geochemical signals, sedimentology, and climate modeling to simulate the effects of a 300,000-year warming event.
A joint research team has developed a hybrid electro-biosystem that efficiently converts CO2 to glucose and fatty acids with high titer and yield. The system combines spatially separate CO2 electrolysis with yeast fermentation, achieving an ultrapure acetic acid solution for biological fermentation.
Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences use rare-RI ring to measure palladium-123 mass, providing reliable data for calculations. The new results improve understanding of fine structure of element abundance patterns created in the r-process, consistent with observed solar r-process abundance.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a method to overcome the tradeoff between rice yield component traits, including panicle number and size. By modifying the cis-regulatory region of the Ideal Plant Architecture 1 gene, they increased grain yield by 15.9% while maintaining tiller number.
Researchers successfully synthesized a novel nitride with hexazine rings, a dianionic compound, for the first time in a laboratory experiment. The nitride remained stable under pressures as low as 20 GPa, paving the way for potential high-energy density materials.
Research in Nature reveals the intrinsic activation mechanism of orphan GPCRs, a family offering new opportunities for cancer drug development. The study uncovers key molecular factors governing receptor activation and function modulation.
The Linyi Lagerstätte, a new middle Cambrian fossil site in North China, has provided valuable insights into the evolution of animals during this period. The discovery has shed light on the morphological disparity and community structure of marine fauna following the Cambrian explosion.
Researchers developed an automated system called Clinical Antimicrobials Susceptibility Test Ramanometry (CAST-R) to identify the best antibiotics for treating acute blood infections. The system uses Raman microspectroscopy and machine learning to achieve rapid and accurate results, outperforming conventional methods in just three hours.
Scientists reconstructed a whole-brain projectome comprising over 6,000 single neurons in the mouse prefrontal cortex, revealing 64 projectome-defined neuron subtypes. The study utilized software package Fast Neurite Tracer to analyze TB-sized imaging data and construct high-resolution intra-PFC networks.
A recent study found that the C/EBPβ/AEP pathway accelerates Alzheimer's disease progression and shortens lifespan. In contrast, deleting this gene or inhibiting AEP increases life expectancy in mice and worms.