With the rapid development of the aluminium electrolysis industry, large amounts of lithium-containing electrolyte residue are generated, posing environmental risks and wasting lithium resources. This study proposes an efficient lithium leaching method from spent carbon anode (SCA) electrolytic aluminium carbon slag using NaOH. The leaching rate of lithium reaches 89.46% at a NaOH concentration of 10 mol/L, a leaching temperature of 90 °C, and a leaching time of 2 h. Thermodynamic calculations concluded that during alkaline leaching, most phases in SCA can react spontaneously with NaOH to release soluble ions. The kinetic results suggested that the leaching behavior of Li+ follows the ‘unreacted shrinkage nucleus model’, controlled by both mixing and diffusion. NaOH concentration and leaching temperature are the key factors governing the effectiveness of Li+ leaching. Medusa simulations showed that the dissociated Al3+ in alkaline leach solution would first form an Al(OH)3 complex and continue to react with OH− to form Al(OH)4−, while lithium exists in the form of Li+ and LiOH. Mechanistic analysis via SEM-EDS and XRD indicates that NaOH breaks Na–Al–F bonds, releasing Li+ and forming NaF. This approach offers an eco-friendly pathway for resource recovery from SCA, supporting cryolite regeneration and minimizing the environmental impacts of hazardous waste.
River ecosystems sustain socio-economic development via the provision of essential ecosystem services, which are of direct relevance to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A paradigm shift in river management over the last 30 years, away from engineered channels that predominantly increase drainage efficiency, towards more restorative and holistic approaches that integrate hydrological, geomorphological, and ecological systems, makes this an ideal time to reflect on both the successes and future trajectories in river ecosystem management. Therefore, we synthesize published research on river ecosystems within the SDG framework using a suite of knowledge visualization tools. Co-occurrence analysis reveals that research in river ecosystem science can be broadly split into three themes: water quality, water flow, and aquatic organisms, and that most published work spans more than one of these themes. Co-word network evolution reveals a significant increase over the past decade in research on climate change, emerging pollutants, and the dynamics of riparian communities. Regions with different levels of socio-economic development exhibit markedly different research priorities. Correlation analysis between article keywords and the SDGs reveals synergies and trade-offs between river ecosystems and the achievement of 130 of the targets. Under the SDGs framework, these findings highlight frontier research priorities and provide a knowledge base to support the sustainable management of river ecosystems in the face of future challenges.
Acoustic waves can affect two important components of multi-rotor drones, more formally called multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The first is located in the electronic board, the so-called IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which can be influenced by intense sound waves at resonant frequency. The second is the motor-propeller unit of drones. Multi-rotor drones generate low-frequency acoustic emissions during flight; if external acoustic waves achieve resonance with these blade-induced vibrations, they can cause structural fatigue or mechanical failure in the motor-propeller unit. The paper addresses the following issues: first, the influence of resonant frequency sound waves on these two design elements and their performance evaluation; second, the feasibility of an integrated counter-UAV system comprising acoustic Direction of Arrival (DoA) estimation and Blade Passage Frequency (BPF) detection; and third, a new solution for a long-range directional sound effector. This proposed solution includes determining the operating frequency as the 3rd to 5th harmonics of the BPF. Furthermore, it introduces a new concept that, instead of using a standard array of sound drivers, utilizes a limited quantity of powerful drivers arranged skeletally according to a Vicsek fractal topology. This configuration generates a powerful, needle-like acoustic beam capable of delivering effective mechanical disruption multi-rotor drones at long ranges.
Tight junctions (TJs), once viewed as static paracellular seals, are now recognized as dynamic master regulators of tumor plasticity, microenvironment remodeling, and metastasis. This comprehensive review synthesizes emerging knowledge redefining TJs as versatile signaling and mechanobiological hubs. Beyond simply facilitating EMT through barrier dissolution, TJs coordinate every stage of the metastatic cascade. The review highlights how critical proteins like ZO-1 form liquid-liquid phase-separated (LLPS) condensates to nucleate junctional assembly, which is a well-characterized biophysical event, while also evaluating the proposed, yet less empirically validated, roles of these condensates in broader mechanosensing and signaling cascades. The review also evaluates classic transmembrane-to-nuclear relays, such as the ZO-1-ZONAB axis, and discusses the emerging concept of TJ-NR cross-talk, in which claudin-mediated adhesion has been proposed to modulate SFK activity and subsequent nuclear receptor phosphorylation in specific oncogenic contexts, linking cell adhesion to transcriptional plasticity. Furthermore, TJs orchestrate organotropic colonization, support the survival of circulating tumor cell clusters by resisting hemodynamic stress, and engage in mechanical cross-talk to remodel the stiffened tumor extracellular matrix. This shifting concept transforms TJs into promising clinical targets for precise network-level interference and overcoming therapeutic resistance in advanced malignancies.
Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungal pathogens with extremely wide host ranges. Among these, zoonotic microsporidia such as Encephalitozoon hellem, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi can infect humans as well as other animals, causing recurrent diarrhea, hepatitis, and even death in immune-compromised individuals. The abilities of zoonotic microsporidia to regulate their hosts are essential to their survival and thriving within hosts. The manipulations of zoonotic microsporidia on hosts are employed in multiple ways, including metabolic modulation, immune suppression, signaling pathway regulations, and epigenetic modification. This review focuses on pathogen-host interactions between zoonotic microsporidia and their hosts, and compares their regulatory characteristics with those of typical fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans. In summary, unraveling the regulatory strategies of zoonotic microsporidia not only deepens our understanding of microsporidia pathogenesis but also provides potential targets for therapeutic intervention against these emerging pathogens. Comparative studies with typical fungal pathogens further highlight the unique and sophisticated host-manipulating mechanisms evolved by microsporidia from the fungal kingdom.
