Evolutionary Process Research Articles

Cross‐Scale Process Intensification of Spindle CuO Supported Tungsten Single‐Atom Catalysts toward Enhanced Electrochemical Hydrogen Production

AbstractProcess intensification engineering of electrocatalysts is crucial to facilitate electrocatalytic reaction, while its cross‐scale modulation is of great challenge. Herein, the spindle CuO supported tungsten single‐atom catalysts (W SACs) with tunable mesoscale electric field and atomic‐scale coordination structure are reported toward enhanced electrochemical hydrogen evolution process. Finite element analysis indicates the mesoscale electric field can be enhanced by tailoring the tip angle of spindle configuration from 74° to 27°, enhancing hydrogen production rate by 5 times. Based on the density functional theory calculations, the configuration regulation also triggers the increase of coordination number of W–O, which increases charge transfer and downshifts d‐band center, stabilizing W sites and optimizing hydrogen desorption process. The optimized WSA/CuO‐27 exhibits much better hydrogen evolution activity (η100 = 94 mV) and stability (200 mA cm−2 for 120 h) than as‐prepared WSA/CuO‐56 and WSA/CuO‐74 analogues. Impressively, the anion exchange membrane electrolyzer fabricated with the WSA/CuO‐27 presents excellent activity comparable to that of commercial electrocatalysts, and also delivers an ultra‐low attenuation of 0.085 mA cm−2 h−1 at 300 mA cm−2 after continuous electrocatalysis for 120 h. This work inspires the design of high‐efficiency supported metal catalysts for electrochemical synthesis via the cross‐scale process intensification engineering.

The effects of environmental evolution on runoff and hydrological health variations in the upper Shule River, Northwest China

Promptly grasping the process of runoff change and the mechanism of hydrological health (H) variation in inland river basins is essential for the optimal use of water resources in the arid area of Northwest China. In this study, the upper Shule River (USR) was selected as the research area. The Budyko equation and the slope changing ratio of cumulative quantity method (SCRCQ) were used to analyze the response of environmental changes to the evolution of runoff and hydrological health during 1956–2022. The findings showed that the streamflow at various time scales in the USR showed a significantly increased trend from 1956 to 2022. The change rate of annual maximum runoff (Rmax) was 3.3 times that of annual runoff (R), the change rate of R in the flood period was 2.4 times that in the non-flood period, and the change rate in summer was 5 times that in winter. The H of the USR indicated a downtrend during 1956–2022, and the H in the Ta period was better than that in the Tb period. June and August were the main periods of runoff increase and hydrological health evolution, and precipitation (P) was the main driving factor. The response of Rmax increased to climate variability and anthropogenic stressors was 50.42 % and 49.58 %, respectively. The response degrees of H to climate variability and anthropogenic stressors were 62.89 % and 37.11 %, respectively. In general, climate variation was the major factor in the increase of R and the decrease of H in the USR. The findings are useful for getting the streamflow evolution process and hydrologic cycle mechanism and playing a supporting role in the sustainable management of water resources in the future.

A comprehensive review of livestock development: insights into domestication, phylogenetics, diversity, and genomic advances.

Livestock plays an essential role in sustaining human livelihoods, offering a diverse range of species integral to food security, economic stability, and cultural traditions. The domestication of livestock, which began over 10,000years ago, has driven significant genetic changes in species such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and pigs. Recent advancements in genomic technologies, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and genomic selection, have dramatically enhanced our understanding of these genetic developments. This review brings together key research on the domestication process, phylogenetics, genetic diversity, and selection signatures within major livestock species. It emphasizes the importance of admixture studies and evolutionary forces like natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow in shaping livestock populations. Additionally, the integration of machine learning with genomic data offers new perspectives on the functional roles of genes in adaptation and evolution. By exploring these genomic advancements, this review provides insights into genetic variation and evolutionary processes that could inform future approaches to improving livestock management and adaptation to environmental challenges, including climate change.

Laser-Induced Self-Limiting Welding of Ag Nanowires with High Mechanical and Electrical Performance.

The high-efficiency and high-precision welding technology of Ag nanowires is of great engineering significance for the integration of new-generation micro- and nanodevices, and the mechanical behavior of its interconnect joints is also essential for their reliable application, especially for some flexible device. In this paper, based on the nano-focusing and localized plasma enhancement properties of Ag nanowires under laser irradiation, Ag nanowire self-limiting joints with mechanical and electrical properties comparable to those of the base material are obtained. At the same time, the local plasma enhancement characteristics of Ag nanowire joints are scanned and analyzed with nanoscale resolution by using cathodoluminescence technology, and the local multi-physical field coupling regulation mechanism of Ag nanowire joints induced by different laser parameters is systematically investigated by combining theoretical simulations. Meanwhile, based on the in situ laser welding and nanomechanical tensile experiments, the mechanical properties of single Ag nanowires and their welded joints are systematically analyzed, and the characteristics of the interfacial atomic behaviors and the evolution process during the welding and tensile processes are investigated.

Prezygotic barriers effectively limit hybridization in a rapid evolutionary radiation.

Hybridization is increasingly recognized as an important evolutionary process across the tree of life. In many clades, phylogenomic approaches have permitted unparalleled insight into the extent and frequency of hybridization. However, we continue to lack a deep understanding of the factors that limit and shape patterns of hybridization, especially in evolutionary radiations. In this study, we characterized patterns of introgression across Costus (Costaceae), a young evolutionary radiation of tropical understory plants that maintain widespread interfertility despite exhibiting strong prezygotic reproductive isolation. We analyzed a phylogenomic dataset of 756 genes from 54 Costus species using multiple complementary approaches - D-statistics, gene-tree-based tests, and phylogenetic network analyses - to detect and characterize introgression events throughout the evolutionary history of the radiation. Our results identified a moderate number of introgression events, including a particularly ancient, well-supported event spanning one of the deepest divergences in the clade. Most introgression events occurred between taxa or ancestral lineages that shared the same pollination syndrome (bee-pollinated or hummingbird-pollinated). These findings suggest that prezygotic barriers, including pollinator specialization, have been key to the balance between introgression and reproductive isolation in Costus.

Song Creativity as Communicative Insight into the Era: An Example of the Evolution and Influence of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Vocal Legacy in European Musical Tradition

The purpose of this study is a comprehensive examination of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s song creativity as a key communicative component of the era, focusing on its innovative essence and style genesis. This research explores Mozart's song compositions to provide a deeper understanding of the cultural and musical contexts of the time, as well as to uncover the influences and innovations he introduced into the genre. The significance of this work lies in studying song compositions as reflections of the social and cultural processes of the period. Research methodology. The research employs a multidisciplinary approach, combining historical musicological analysis, textual methodology, and comparative analysis. The examination of literary sources, including works by Angermüller, Giegling, Knepler, Lebrecht, Rattalino, Vill, and Wysocki, provides insights into various aspects of Mozart’s song creativity, its impact on the musical tradition of the era, and allows for comparisons with the works of other less-known composers. Scientific novelty. The article delves into the analysis of the communicative component of song creativity as a basis for creating a continuous link in the development of the era, both in Mozart’s work and in comparison with other lesser-known composers of the time. It reveals that the genesis of song serves as a foundation for the evolutionary process of genre formation and its integration into the characteristic features of the period. The study highlights the influences Mozart incorporated into his work and his contribution to the evolution of the song genre, demonstrating his exceptional ability to adapt and innovate. Conclusions. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart significantly influenced the development of European musical tradition through his song creativity, elevating the quality of chamber vocal music and introducing innovations that became the foundation for the further development of the genre in the 19th century. His works reflect a profound understanding of contemporary trends and influences, creating a rich and emotionally nuanced musical dialogue that impacted subsequent generations of composers.

Macroscopic perspective on phase transition behavior of natural single-crystal graphite under different pressure environments

Comprehensive understanding of the direct transformation pathway from graphite to diamond under high temperature and high pressure has long been one of the fundamental goals in materials science. Despite considerable experimental and theoretical progress, current experimental studies have mainly focused on the local microstructural characterizations of recovered samples, which has certain limitations for high-temperature and high-pressure products, which often exhibit diversity. Here, we report on the pressure-induced phase transition behavior of natural single-crystal graphite under three distinct pressure-transmitting media from a macroscopic perspective using in situ two-dimensional Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The surface evolution process of graphite before and after the phase transition is captured, revealing that pressure-induced surface textures can impede the continuity of the phase transition process across the entire single crystal. Our results provide a fresh perspective for studying the phase transition behavior of graphite and greatly deepen our understanding of this behavior, which will be helpful in guiding further high-temperature and high-pressure syntheses of carbon allotropes.

Optimization of FeMn-MOF doped with silver nanoparticles for high-performance supercapattery devices

Supercapacitors are demanded by energy storage devices for both fast charging and discharging performance as well as extended life cycles. The design and manufacture of higher supercapacitor electrodes help a device to function much better. Ag nanoparticles were produced on Fe-MOF and Mn-MOF using the hydrothermal synthesis technique to synthesize unique composite material called FeMn-MOF/Ag (NPs). These refined composites find use in supercapacitors, hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), and electrochemical sensors. Highly conductive silver nanoparticles were added to FeMn-MOF with high rate capability. Apart from their inherent benefits of metal–organic frameworks, the as-made FeMn-MOF/Ag nanoparticles also improved electrical conductivity. When the scan rate was 3 mV s−1, the FeMn-MOF/Ag (NPs) showed a specific capacity (CV) of 1417 C g−1. Similarly, when the applied current density was 2 A g−1, it displayed a specific capacity (GCD) of 2346 C g−1. The FeMn-MOF/Ag (NPs)//AC asymmetric supercapacitor exhibited an energy density of 13 (Wh/kg) and a power density of 1685 (W/kg). For the hydrogen evolution process, the material exhibited an overpotential of 90.22 mV and a Tafel slope of 58.4 mV dec−1. Furthermore, it exhibited exceptional durability in cycling, maintaining 93.3% of its capacitance after undergoing 12,000 cycles. Therefore, these results offer crucial insights into the progress of different electrode materials. The results suggest that FeMn-MOF/Ag nanoparticles possess advantageous characteristics suitable for utilization as electrodes in supercapattery and HER (hydrogen evolution reaction) applications.

Evolutionary engineering of methylotrophic E. coli enables fast growth on methanol

As methanol can be derived from either CO2 or methane, methanol economy can play an important role in combating climate change. In this scenario, rapid utilization of methanol by an industrial microorganism is the first and crucial step for efficient utilization of the C1 feedstock chemical. Here, we report the development of a methylotrophic E. coli strain with a doubling time of 3.5 hours under optimal conditions, comparable or faster than native model methylotrophs Methylorubrum extorquens AM1 (Td~4hr) and Bacillus methanolicus at 37°C (Td~5hr). To accomplish this, we develop a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) with dynamic copy number variation (CNV) to facilitate overcoming the formaldehyde-induced DNA-protein cross-linking (DPC) problem in the evolution process. We track the genome variations of 75 cultures along the evolution process by next-generation sequencing, and identified the features of the fast-growing strain. After stabilization, the final strain (SM8) grows to 20 g/L of cell mass within 77 hrs in a bioreactor. This study illustrates the potential of dynamic CNV as an evolution tool and synthetic methylotrophs as a platform for sustainable biotechnological applications.

Analysis of Controlling Factors of Pore Structure in Different Lithofacies Types of Continental Shale—Taking the Daqingzi Area in the Southern Songliao Basin as an Example

Due to the influence of terrigenous debris, the internal pore structure of continental shale is highly heterogeneous, and the controlling factors are complex. This paper studies the structure and controlling factors of shale reservoirs in the first member of the Qingshankou Formation in the Southern Songliao Basin using core data and various analytical test data. The results show that the original deposition and subsequent diagenesis comprehensively determine the shale reservoirs’ pore structure characteristics and evolution law. According to the severity of terrigenous debris, the shale reservoirs in the study area are divided into four categories and six subcategories of lithofacies. By comparing the characteristics of different shale lithofacies reservoirs, the results show that the lithofacies with a high brittle mineral content have more substantial anti-compaction effects, more primary pores to promote retention and a relatively high proportion of mesopores/macropores. Controlling the organic matter content when forming high-quality reservoirs leads to two possibilities. An excessive organic matter content will fill pores and reduce the pore pressure resistance. A moderate organic matter content will make the inorganic diagenesis and organic hydrocarbon generation processes interact, and the development of organic matter mainly affects the development of dissolution pores. The comprehensive results show that A3 (silty laminated felsic shale) reservoirs underwent the pore evolution process of “two drops and two rises” of compaction, cementation and pore reduction, dissolution and pore increase, and organic matter cracking and pore increase, and they are the most favourable lithofacies of the shale reservoirs in the study area.

Research on the recycling decision of WEEE in rural China under dual supervision

Against the backdrop of promoting green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, this paper aims to promote efficient recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in rural China. In this paper, considering the integrated development of urban and rural areas and the standardization of industrial recycling system, under the joint action of the extension of producer responsibility and “dual regulation” of supply and marketing cooperatives, the evolutionary game model and system dynamics model of three-level recycling network of farmers, supply and marketing cooperatives and retailers are established. The mechanism of the participants to promote the recycling of WEEE in rural areas is discussed and the strategic choices and interactive relationships of various entities in the evolutionary process were used to analyze through the evolutionary game method. Meanwhile, using the theory of system dynamics, the main influencing factors of different evolution stages and the dynamic change process of the system are analyzed. The results show that: (1) supply and marketing cooperatives, retailers, and farmers can initially tend to participate in and supervise the recycling of WEEE; however, (2) they can finally achieve strong supervision, actively undertake and participate in the recycling and stabilization stable strategy of rural WEEE depends on their benefits and cost of expenditure expenditures are reasonable. (3) The strategic choice of supply and marketing cooperatives has the most significant impact on the strategic choice of retailers and the strategic choice of retailers has the most significant impact on the strategic choice of farmers.

Investigation on internal evolution process of slope under seismic loading: insights from a transparent soil test and shaking table test

Earthquakes are a primary factor in triggering slope instability and pose a serious threat to transportation. However, current research on the internal deformation of slopes under seismic loading remains limited. To investigate the effects of different seismic loadings on the evolution process and failure mode of slopes, a novel experiment combining transparent soil materials and shaking table tests was proposed in this study. Using a self-designed shaking table system, sine waves with amplitudes of 0.10 g, 0.15 g, and 0.20 g and frequencies of 3 Hz, 5 Hz, and 8 Hz were applied. Based on Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology and non-intrusive monitoring techniques, displacement and velocity contour maps, whole-field average displacement and failure mechanism of the slope were analyzed. The results show that, as the vibration persists, the slope transitions from initial shallow linear sliding to overall circular arc sliding, exhibiting an obvious progressive traction failure mode. The evolution process of the slope could be divided into three phases: shallow low-speed sliding phase, overall rapid sliding phase, and overall low-speed sliding phase. Furthermore, the amplitude of seismic loading has a greater influence on slope deformation compared to its frequency. This novel experiment offers important insights into the internal evolution process of slopes under seismic loading.

Evolution of promoter-proximal pausing enabled a new layer of transcription control.

Promoter-proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is a key regulatory step during transcription. Despite the central role of pausing in gene regulation, we do not understand the evolutionary processes that led to the emergence of Pol II pausing or its transition to a rate-limiting step actively controlled by transcription factors. Here we analyzed transcription in species across the tree of life. Unicellular eukaryotes display a slow acceleration of Pol II near transcription start sites that transitioned to a longer-lived, focused pause in metazoans. This event coincided with the evolution of new subunits in the NELF and 7SK complexes. Depletion of NELF in mammals shifted the promoter-proximal buildup of Pol II from the pause site into the early gene body and compromised transcriptional activation for a set of heat shock genes. Our work details the evolutionary history of Pol II pausing and sheds light on how new transcriptional regulatory mechanisms evolve.

The brain of Myotragus balearicus, an insular bovid from the Balearics

ABSTRACT Myotragus balearicus is the terminal species of a Caprinae lineage that inhabited the Balearic Islands since the Messinian. Myotragus balearicus had a relatively small brain, reported to be half the size of a contemporary bovid of similar size. This study presents a reassessment of its brain size and anatomy. We demonstrate that the brain of M. balearicus is only 17% smaller when compared to Late Miocene taxa. Since the ancestors of M. balearicus were isolated on the Balearics in the Late Miocene, we deduce that the small brain size of M. balearicus is a feature largely retained from its continental ancestor and only partially the result of geographic isolation. The reduction in brain size can be attributed to reduction of the occipital region. We hypothesise that neuroanatomical changes during the evolutionary process of dwarfism were likely influenced by the absence of ecologically relevant predators.

Analysis on Ecological Network Pattern Changes in the Pearl River Delta Forest Urban Agglomeration from 2000 to 2020

The advancement of urbanization has led to a decline in the ecological function and environmental quality of cities, seriously reducing the services and sustainable development capacity of urban ecosystems. The construction of the National Forest Urban Agglomeration of China is conducive to alleviating the ecological and environmental problems brought about by rapid urbanization and promoting sustainable urban development. A time series analysis of ecological network changes can quickly and effectively explore the development and changes of ecological spatial patterns over time. Identifying ecological protection and restoration areas in urban agglomerations is an important way to promote ecosystem restoration and optimize ecological networks. This paper takes the Pearl River Delta forest urban agglomeration as the research area, uses multi-source remote sensing data from 2000 to 2020 (every 5 years), identifies ecological sources based on the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) method, generates ecological corridors based on the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, constructs a time series ecological network pattern in the Pearl River Delta region, and analyzes the evolution process of the ecological network pattern over time. The results indicate that over time, the core green area in the ecological network pattern of the Pearl River Delta first decreased and then increased, and the complexity of ecological corridors first decreased and then increased. The main reason is that the urbanization process in the early 21st century led to severe ecological fragmentation. Under the promotion of the national forest urban agglomeration construction, the ecological network pattern of the Pearl River Delta was restored in 2015 and 2020. The time series analysis of the ecological network pattern in the Pearl River Delta region of this research confirms the effectiveness of the construction of forest urban agglomerations, providing a scientific reference for the identification of ecological networks and optimization of spatial patterns in forest urban agglomerations.

Numerical modeling of graded sediment transport with limited bed material supply – A case study in the Middle Yangtze River

Suspended sediment concentration in the Middle Yangtze River (MYR) has reduced sharply below the Three Gorges Dam since 2003, and led to significant channel degradation and riverbed coarsening. However, the complex interaction between riverbed coarsening and sediment transport is essential for channel evolution processes but is poorly understood. This paper presents a one-dimensional model for simulating graded sediment transport when the bed material supply is limited. The model takes account of the effect of bed material composition (BMC) and threshold probability on graded sediment transport, and thus improve the accuracy of recovery coefficient. The modeling results of graded sediment concentrations was calibrated and then satisfactorily verified using field observations in the JingJiang Reach from 2015 to 2016. The results showed bed material composition affect the simulated fine, medium, and coarse sediment concentrations, and the improvements of normalized errors are 17.6%, 45.9%, and 330.7%, respectively. With the BMC effect considered, the recovery factor of fine and medium were far less than coarse sediment in the MYR. In addition, the recovery ratios of medium and coarse sediment concentrations along the MYR were improved by 88.6%-265.4% and 75.1%-105.9% respectively, owing to the bed material supply after the TGD operation; however, there was no significant effect on fine sediment, with a low recovery ratio of 8.3%-8.6%. Therefore, the effect of bed material composition on graded sediment transport and channel evolution needs to be considered for higher simulation accuracy in the MYR.

Nuclear compensatory evolution driven by mito-nuclear incompatibilities

Mitochondrial function relies on the coordinated expression of mitochondrial and nuclear genes, exhibiting remarkable resilience despite high mitochondrial mutation rates. The nuclear compensation mechanism suggests deleterious mitochondrial alleles drive compensatory nuclear mutations to preserve mito-nuclear compatibility. However, prevalence and factors conditioning this phenomenon remain debated due to its conflicting evidence. Here, we investigate how mito-nuclear incompatibilities impact substitutions in a model for species radiation. Mating success depends on genetic compatibility (nuclear DNA) and spatial proximity. Populations evolve from partially compatible mito-nuclear states, simulating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression. Mutations do not confer advantages nor disadvantages, but individual fecundity declines with increasing incompatibilities, selecting for mito-nuclear coordination. We find that selection for mito-nuclear compatibility affects each genome differently based on their initial state. In compatible gene pairs, selection reduces substitutions in both genomes, while in incompatible nuclear genes, it consistently promotes compensation, facilitated by more mismatches. Interestingly, high mitochondrial mutation rates can reduce nuclear compensation by increasing mtDNA rectification, while substitutions in initially compatible nuclear gene are boosted. Finally, the presence of incompatibilities accelerates species radiation, but equilibrium richness is not directly correlated to substitution rates, revealing the complex dynamics triggered by mitochondrial introgression and mito-nuclear coevolution. Our study provides a perspective on nuclear compensation and the role of mito-nuclear incompatibilities in speciation by exploring extreme scenarios and identifying trends that empirical data alone cannot reveal. We emphasize the challenges in detecting these dynamics and propose analyzing specific genomic signatures could shed light on this evolutionary process.

How Brains Perceive the World.

Can machines ever be sentient? Could they perceive and feel things, be conscious of their surroundings? What are the prospects of achieving sentience in a machine? What are the dangers associated with such an endeavor, and is it even ethical to embark on such a path to begin with? In the series of articles of this column, I discuss one possible path toward "general intelligence" in machines: to use the process of Darwinian evolution to produce artificial brains that can be grafted onto mobile robotic platforms, with the goal of achieving fully embodied sentient machines.

The image of the “iron city” in the Yakut prose of the twentieth century

The article interprets the image of the “iron city” in Yakut prose in the context of the geopoetic discourse of the city/village, the degree and nature of perception of which can contribute to the reflection of the peculiarities of the national worldview and the dynamics of the mental landscape in literature. In the context of the stated theme, the consideration of the image of the prose hero, whose consciousness is extremely responsive to the modifications of time and the surrounding landscape (the new space of the city as noisy, interesting, frightening) is of special importance. The identification of the boundaries and borders of space in the context of the chronotopic system accentuates interest in the liminal (intermediate) chronotope of the road as a special chronotopic complex, also iron images, white motor ship, airplane, train, and so on. The process of evolution of the hero of the road, which is fully revealed in the space of the road, most clearly reflects the problem of human self-identification in a huge urban space. Such a perspective of research contributes to the disclosure of genre and style evolution of Yakut literature as a developing dynamic system, and, importantly, to the identification of unique artistic markers of the author's style, as well as the image of the writer as an original carrier of national identity

Complex Models of Sequence Evolution Improve Fit, but not Gene Tree Discordance, for Tetrapod Mitogenomes.

Variation in gene tree estimates is widely observed in empirical phylogenomic data and is often assumed to be the result of biological processes. However, a recent study using tetrapod mitochondrial genomes to control for biological sources of variation due to their haploid, uniparentally inherited, and non-recombining nature found that levels of discordance among mitochondrial gene trees were comparable to those found in studies that assume only biological sources of variation. Additionally, they found that several of the models of sequence evolution chosen to infer gene trees were doing an inadequate job fitting the sequence data. These results indicated that significant amounts of gene tree discordance in empirical data may be due to poor fit of sequence evolution models, and that more complex and biologically realistic models may be needed. To test how the fit of sequence evolution models relates to gene tree discordance, we analyzed the same mitochondrial datasets as the previous study using two additional, more complex models of sequence evolution that each includes a different biologically realistic aspect of the evolutionary process: a covarion model to incorporate site-specific rate variation across lineages (heterotachy), and a partitioned model to incorporate variable evolutionary patterns by codon position. Our results show that both additional models fit the data better than the models used in the previous study, with the covarion being consistently and strongly preferred as tree size increases. However, even these more preferred models still inferred highly discordant mitochondrial gene trees, thus deepening the mystery around what we label the "Mito-Phylo Paradox" and leading us to ask whether the observed variation could, in fact, be biological in nature after all.