Bioleaching offers a sustainable alternative to conventional metallurgy, but its application is limited by low leaching rates, inhibition by heavy metals, and prolonged adaptation. Here, we engineered Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, a model bioleaching microorganism ubiquitous in mining environments, by modulating intracellular bis(3′ −5′)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) signaling to enhance biofilm formation, bioleaching efficiency, and arsenic tolerance. Overexpression of diguanylate cyclase genes AFE_1379, AFE_0053, and AFE_1373 produced engineered strains S-222, S-306, and S-651, respectively, with 1.7-, 2.5-, and 5-fold higher intracellular c-di-GMP levels than the control carrying the empty plasmid vector. Under arsenic-free condi tions, all engineered strains showed similar growth profiles, but S-306, at intermediate c-di-GMP (306.3 ± 28.1 μg mg−1), formed cytochrome-rich biofilms with low internal resistance and achieved the highest bioleaching efficiency. Under arsenic stress, S-651, at high c-di-GMP (651.4 ± 15.5 μg mg−1), developed polysaccharide-rich biofilms that enhanced arsenic tolerance, scorodite (FeAsO₄·2H₂O) precipitation, and bioleaching performance. Transcriptomic analysis confirmed these strain-specific gene expression patterns. These findings demonstrate that tuning intracellular c-di-GMP enables A. ferrooxidans to reprogram biofilm matrix composition for extracellular electron uptake and heavy-metal resistance, providing a synthetic biology strategy for environmentally friendly bioleaching and tailings recycling
Wisdom is theorized to regulate the ethical use of cognitive strengths, but empirical evidence for its moderating role remains limited and inconsistent. This research investigates whether wisdom guides the application of intelligence and creativity toward prosocial ends, using domain-consistent, humanistic assessments across two studies (N = 933). Study 1 employed performance-based measures to examine how state-level wisdom influences the prosocial deployment of social intelligence and real-life creativity in morally complex scenarios. Study 2 used self-report measures to explore trait-level associations among integrative wisdom, social intelligence, creativity, and social mindfulness. Across both studies, wisdom consistently moderated the link between creativity and prosociality: higher wisdom predicted either stronger positive associations (Study 2) or buffered against ethically problematic use (Study 1). In contrast, no consistent evidence was found that wisdom similarly guided the use of intelligence. These findings suggest that wisdom functions as a selective moral regulator, more effectively shaping the ethical expression of open-ended, generative capacities such as creativity than of structured, instrumental capacities such as intelligence. The results underscore the importance of aligning constructs within shared evaluative domains and provide preliminary empirical support for wisdom as a meta-capacity that channels value-sensitive strengths toward socially constructive ends.
Although the term ‘intellectual tradition’ is frequently used, it is rarely clearly defined, leaving a vast and largely unknown space for multidimensional inquiry. This article explores how to find tacit intellectual traditions by drawing upon cross-cultural philosophical resources and proposing possible methodological directions for educational research. The main argument is that intellectual traditions can be tacit at both epistemological and ontological levels. Three Western theorists—Edward Shils, Michael Polanyi, and Michael Oakeshott—critically reflect on anti-traditionalism and objectivism since the Enlightenment. They contend that intellectual traditions, including the tradition of science, as tacit knowledge, play an important role in human knowing and action. Chinese philosophy also attaches great importance to the tacit dimensions of intellectual tradition particularly at the ontological level, as exemplified by the core concept of ‘Dao’. As a foundational assumption underlying the worldview in ancient China, Dao generated different ways of knowing in Confucianism, Daoism, and Zen Buddhism. Even today, it continues to shape how Chinese people interpret and transmit traditions. The philosophical comparison between East and West reveals the complexities inherent in intellectual traditions, which bring new opportunities for educational research. Incorporating diverse tacit intellectual traditions can help researchers better understand cross-cultural educational issues in teaching, learning, and research. For this purpose, we propose ethnoepistemology, ontography, and hermeneutics as potential methodological tools.
A novel, rapid, and efficient technique for removing phoxim residues from grapes was developed using microbubbles plasma-activated water (mbPAW). The mbPAW system was generated by utilizing a non-thermal plasma jet as the working gas of the Venturi tube. The phoxim residues in the grapes were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results indicated that the mbPAW treatment significantly enhanced the removal efficiency of the phoxim residues in grapes (92.82 %) compared with plasma-activated water (PAW) treatment (73.60 %) and microbubble generator without the plasma (mbW) treatment (13.56 %). The improved decontamination efficacy of mbPAW was attributed to its stronger oxidation capability and acidic environment, particularly the increased concentration of hydroxyl radicals, which facilitated phoxim removal from the grapes. Notably, LC-Q-TOF analysis revealed identical degradation products of phoxim (diethyl (Z)-(((cyano (phenyl)methylene)amino)oxy)phosphonate and (Z)-N-hydroxybenzimidoyl cyanide) in both the systems, confirming consistent degradation pathways. Crucially, post-treatment quality assessments revealed no statistically significant differences in grape physicochemical properties, including color, firmness, sugar content, vitamin C concentration, and superoxide dismutase activity. This study establishes mbPAW as a green, residue-free strategy for pesticide decontamination in horticultural products, offering high removal efficiency with minimal adverse impacts on produce quality.
Enhancement-mode (E-mode) p-channel field-effect transistors (p-FETs) remain challenging for GaN complementary logic (CL) technology due to their unstable threshold voltage (Vth), low current density, and large on-resistance (RON) at 6 V CL-compatible operation. In this work, we demonstrate a high-performance E-mode GaN p-FET with a p-NiO/p-GaN heterojunction gate. Notably, the suppressed Vth shift and improved channel conductivity were simultaneously achieved in the E-mode channel. The improvement is primarily due to the type-II band alignment at the p-NiO/p-GaN interface. This structure reduces band overlap, resulting in a low interface trap density (DT) of 3.29–5.71 × 1010 cm−2 eV−1 as measured by the sub-bandgap photo-assisted capacitance–voltage method. The fabricated device with LG/LGS/LGD = 1.5/3/3 μm exhibits a Vth of −0.6 V with a minimal hysteresis of 0.02 V and maximum shift of 0.04 V under stress, a ID of 5.5 mA/mm, a RON of 0.47 k Ω mm, and a transconductance (gm) of 1.8 mS/mm for 6 V CL-compatible operation.
The evolution of Fe(II)-oxidizing microorganisms has been closely linked to the evolution of Earth's iron biogeochemical cycle and redox history. However, its impact on the coupled biogeochemical cycling of iron and phosphorus, particularly the distribution of iron-bound phosphate (PFe) in water columns, remains largely unexplored. This study elucidates the distinct Fe(II) oxidation mechanisms of the anoxygenic Rhodobacter ferrooxidans SW2 and the oxygenic Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, along with the properties, transformation processes, and phosphate interactions of their biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides. SW2-mediated Fe(II) oxidation via iron oxidase drove sequential transformation from ferrihydrite to green rust and then to goethite. The resulting cell-mineral aggregates had a large hydrodynamic diameter (Dh, up to 26 μm), a high Fe/C ratio (∼2.5), and a rapid sedimentation rate (up to 57.7 m/day), efficiently transporting PFe to deep-sea sediments. In contrast, PCC 7002 indirectly oxidized Fe(II) via oxygen production, forming poorly crystalline iron (oxyhydr)oxides stabilized by extracellular polymeric substances. The resultant small aggregates (Dh = ∼6.9 μm), with a slower sedimentation rate (∼3.9 m/day), exhibited high phosphorus retention and were susceptible to dissimilatory iron reduction, facilitating PFe recycling in surface waters. These findings suggest that biogenic iron (oxyhydr)oxides from anoxygenic iron oxidizers act as carriers, transporting phosphorus to deep sediments, whereas those from oxygenic cyanobacteria function as phosphorus traps in surface waters. This study provides new insights into how the evolution of Fe(II)-oxidizing microorganisms reshapes PFe cycling and distribution in water columns, emphasizing the need to integrate microbiological and geochemical perspectives in understanding Earth's biogeochemical cycles.
Earth’s core has long been speculated to be the largest reservoir of hydrogen (H) on the planet. However, current estimates of its H content involve substantial uncertainties, due to the challenge of quantifying H under extreme conditions. Here, we perform superliquidus metal-silicate partitioning experiments on H using laser-heated diamond anvil cells, and combine it with atom probe tomography. The direct observation of H at silicon- and oxygen-rich nanostructures in the iron alloy indicates coupled sequestration of silicon, oxygen and hydrogen into Earth’s core during its formation. With the observed molar Si/H ratio close to unity, Earth’s core is estimated to contain 0.07-0.36 wt.% H, equivalent to 9-45 oceans of water. Such an amount would require the Earth to obtain the majority of its water from the main stages of terrestrial accretion, instead of through comets during late addition.