Urban shrinkage is a natural phase in the life cycle of industrialized cities that occurs due to population decline. Most studies, however, overlook urban shrinkage in medium-sized cities. To address this gap, researchers analyzed the spatial distribution and the factors affecting urban shrinkage of medium-sized cities at the county level in China. Based on the findings, the researchers also proposed crucial policy changes to mitigate urban shrinkage.

While unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs) are promising for renewable energy storage, their efficient operation requires simultaneous water management and gas transport, which is challenging from the standpoint of water management. Herein, a novel approach is introduced for examining the alignment hydrophilic pattern of a Ti porous transport layer (PTL) with the flow field of a bipolar plate (BP). UV/ozone patterning and is employed to impart amphiphilic characteristics to the hydrophobic silanized Ti PTL, enabling low-cost and scalable fabrication. The hydrophilic pattern and its alignment with the BP are comprehensively analyzed using electrochemical methods and computational simulations. Notably, the serpentine-patterned (SP) Ti PTL, wherein the hydrophilic channel is directly aligned with the serpentine flow field of the BP, effectively enhances oxygen removal in the water electrolyzer (WE) mode and mitigates water flooding in the fuel cell (FC) mode, ensuring uninterrupted water and gas flow. Further, URFCs with SP configuration exhibit remarkable performance in the WE and FC modes, achieving a significantly improved round-trip efficiency of 25.7% at 2 A cm⁻².

Aqueous zinc metal batteries (ZMBs) are regarded as strong contenders in secondary battery systems due to their high safety and abundant resources. However, the cycling performance of the Zn anode and the overall performance of the cells have often been hindered by the formation of Zn dendrites and the occurrence of parasitic side reactions. In this paper, a surface electron reconfiguration strategy is proposed to optimize the adsorption energy and migration energy of Zn²⁺ for a better Zn²⁺ deposition/stripping process by adjusting the electronic structure of ceric dioxide (CeO₂) artificial interface layer with copper atoms (Cu) doped. Both experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the Cu₂Ce₇O_x interface facilitates rapid transport of Zn²⁺ due to the optimized electronic structure and appropriate electron density, leading to a highly reversible and stable Zn anode. Consequently, the Cu₂Ce₇O_x@Zn symmetric cell exhibits an overpotential of only 24 mV after stably cycling for over 1600 h at a current density of 1 mA/cm² and a capacity of 1 mAh/cm². Additionally, the cycle life of Cu/Zn asymmetric cells exceeds 2500 h, with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.9%. This paper provides a novel approach to the artificial interface layer strategy, offering new insights for improving the performance of ZMBs.

This perspectives article underscores the importance of elucidating surface reconstruction mechanisms to guide the rational design of efficient and stable OER electrocatalysts.

The study utilized the CN05.1 gridded observation dataset and ERA5 reanalysis data to investigate the primary systems and mechanisms influencing run-of-river hydropower generation in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Basin.

Developing accurate and cost-effective genotyping tools is essential for improving breeding efficiency in fruit crops with long juvenile periods. This study presents Litchi40K v1.0, a flexible liquid SNP chip generated using high-depth resequencing data from 875 litchi accessions. The chip demonstrated strong applicability across population structure analysis, genome-wide association studies, genetic mapping, and germplasm fingerprinting. It enabled the identification of key genomic regions linked to fruit quality, growth habit, and environmental adaptation, including haplotypes in LITCHI026966 that significantly influence soluble solid content. Additionally, a derived Litchi384 fingerprinting panel supports standardized digital identification of cultivars. This tool provides a practical platform for modernizing litchi breeding and germplasm resource management.

Papaya yield has been shaped by a long history of domestication, but the genetic basis of high productivity has remained largely unresolved. This study provides a high-quality genome assembly of the widely cultivated papaya variety ‘Zihui’ and integrates population resequencing and pan-genome analysis to uncover key loci linked to yield traits. Notably, two genes—Cp_zihui06549, encoding a leucine-rich receptor-like protein kinase, and Cp_zihui06768, associated with photosystem I protein accumulation—were identified as major contributors to fruit production. Functional validation showed that overexpression of Cp_zihui06549 significantly increases fruit number, enhancing total yield. These findings establish essential genetic targets for improving papaya productivity and accelerating breeding programs.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led study evaluated abnormal genes and immune cell composition in canine hepatocellular carcinoma through RNA sequencing. 

The transportation sector, the second-largest emitter of global greenhouse gases, is undergoing a transformation with electrification and subsidies aimed at reducing its carbon footprint. Yet, a critical aspect often overlooked is the role of logistics in global trade and how geopolitical decisions can undermine these efforts. This study sheds light on the impact of suboptimal logistics on greenhouse gas emissions, using recent geopolitical restrictions between Russia and Western countries since 2022 and a scenario of reduced trade through the Red Sea observed in 2024.