Sub-headline: Researchers from Shenzhen University and University of Queensland summarize the evolution of SR, exploring generative and long-term trends

A team of researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has published a comprehensive review in Science China Chemistry, highlighting the latest breakthroughs in "top-down" synthesis strategies for single-atom catalysts (SACs). Led by Prof. Huang Zhou and Prof. Yuen Wu from USTC’s Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry and Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, the review systematically summarizes a decade of progress in the field, offering valuable insights for advancing SACs’ practical application.

A new decades-long study of oceanographic data provides the first evidence that deep-ocean heat has moved closer to Antarctica, threatening the fragile ice shelves that fringe the continent.

Artificial light at night not only alters the landscape, but also profoundly disrupts natural ecosystems. A recent study by the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau shows that light pollution can significantly disrupt the exchange of energy and nutrients between bodies of water and their surrounding habitats – sometimes even more than non-native species. Thus, lighting along riverbanks or streams can have far-reaching ecological consequences. The results were published in the journal Functional Ecology. 

Background: Emerging parasites pose increasing challenges at the interface of human, animal, and ecosystem health. Among these, Trichobilharzia spp., schistosomatid of migratory and resident waterfowl, can cause cercarial dermatitis (CD) when its larval stage (cercaria) accidentally penetrate human skin. While this parasite has been documented in several European countries, its presence in Portugal has remained unreported, leaving a critical gap in understanding potential zoonotic risks in local freshwater ecosystems. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of Trichobilharzia spp. in freshwater snails from Lake Alqueva, providing the first insights into its potential ecological and public health implications in Portugal.

Methods: Fieldwork was carried out on Lake Alqueva, considered the largest artificial reservoir in Western Europe, with ecological and public health relevance. Freshwater snails from shore locations in Lake Alqueva were examined for cercarial shedding, and molecular identification was performed by PCR amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions.

Results: Morphological and genetic analyses confirmed Trichobilharzia franki from Radix auricularia, showing high homology with European and Asian lineages. Moreover, human infections compatible with CD were also reported in the region.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for continued malacological surveillance, particularly in recreational freshwater bodies, to assess risk areas and implement mitigation strategies. Furthermore, this study expands the known geographical distribution of T. franki in Europe and underscores the importance of integrating ecological and public health approaches to monitor emerging zoonotic parasites.

Existing swirling combustion technology, which relies on faulty coal, is unable to meet deep peak shaving demands without auxiliary methods. This paper developed a deep peak regulation burner (DPRB) to achieve stable combustion at 15%–30% of the boiler’s rated load without auxiliary support. Gas-particle tests, industrial trials, and transient numerical simulations were conducted to evaluate the burner’s performance. At full rated load, the DPRB formed a central recirculation zone (RZ) with a length of 1.5d and a diameter of 0.58d (where d represents the outlet diameter). At 40%, 20%, and 15% rated loads, the RZ became annular, with diameters of 0.30d, 0.40d, and 0.39d, respectively, with a length of 1.0d. At 20% and 15% rated loads, the recirculation peak and the range of particle volume flux were comparable to those at 40% rated load. The prototype burner demonstrated that, without oil support, the gas temperature within 0 to 1.8 m from the primary air outlet remained below 609 °C, insufficient to ignite faulty coal. As the load rate increased from 20% to 30%, the prototype’s central region temperature remained low, with a maximum of 750 °C between 0 and 2.0 m. In contrast, the DPRB’s central region temperature reached 750 °C at around 0.65–0.70 m. At a 3%·min−1 load-up rate, when the load increased from 20% to 30%, the prototype burner extinguished after 30 s. However, the DPRB maintained stable combustion throughout the process.