Quanzhou Normal University

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a significant global health threat because of its rapid evolution and high mutation rate, which limits the performance of existing molecular diagnostics. This study presents a dual-mode, aptamer-based detection platform that combines high sensitivity with mutation resilience. Using a computer-assisted X-aptamer Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) approach, we identified NP14, a high-affinity, dual-target DNA aptamer that specifically binds to the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein at its N-terminal domain. Analyses via molecular docking, aptamer truncation, and targeted mutagenesis revealed that NP14 interacted with both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV N proteins and identified key nucleotides C24 and G27 of the P1 region and structural determinants critical for its high-affinity binding. Building on this discovery, we engineered a dual-mode biosensing system by integrating NP14 into a multicolor dynamic light scattering-enhanced enzyme-linked aptamer-antibody assay (MD ELAAA). MD ELAAA synergistically combines two complementary detection strategies: i) non-aggregative plasmonic colorimetry for visual signal detection and ii) dynamic light scattering for ultrasensitive quantitative analysis, in which Au/Ag nanomaterials are used to amplify optical and scattering signals. This system achieves a sensitivity of 0.43 TCID50/mL, representing a 47-fold improvement over standard methods. By integrating high sensitivity, specificity, variant recognition, and dual-mode signal output, the MD ELAAA platform enables reliable detection of low-abundance SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Its robust performance supports early-stage diagnostics and high-throughput variant monitoring, establishing MD ELAAA as a robust platform for next-generation viral detection and surveillance.

Humans display ingroup favouritism when trusting others, showing greater trust toward ingroup members than outgroup members. This research examined regional differences in intergroup trust between southern and northern China. In Study 1, we analysed data from a national survey (N = 10,968) to compare attitudes toward trust in various relationships among respondents from the North and South. In Study 2, we used game experiments (N = 156) to measure behavioural trust among northern and southern college students toward different groups, and to explore micro-level explanatory factors for regional differences. Study 3 (N = 65) further tested the mechanisms underlying these regional differences through experimental manipulations based on the results of Study 2. The findings indicated that both southerners and northerners exhibit ingroup favouritism under relational cues, while only northerners show ingroup favouritism under categorical cues. Expectations of reciprocity can explain the regional differences in intergroup trust between South China and North China. This research provides new insights and evidence on the cultural differences in intergroup trust, thereby enhancing the understanding of regional culture and its psychological manifestations in China.

The North China Block (NCB), sandwitched between the Paleotethys and Paleo-Asian Ocean realms, played a pivotal role in the assembly and breakup of the Pangea supercontinent during the Paleozoic to Mesozoic. Yet the kinematic evolution of the NCB across the Pangea cycle—particularly its latitudinal drift, rotational behavior, and potential response to global-scale true polar wander (TPW)—remains debated due to data gaps in key intervals. We integrate new and published high-quality paleomagnetic data from the NCB spanning the Carboniferous to Jurassic to reconstruct its motion and assess TPW contributions. Our results show that the NCB resided at low paleolatitudes (～5–10°N) during the Late Carboniferous to the earliest Permian (～300 Ma), consistent with coeval equatorial faunal assemblages. Throughout the Permian, the NCB underwent persistent northward drift and clockwise rotation, culminating in the final closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean by the Late Permian to Early Triassic. This trajectory aligns with the motion of Laurussia, indicating that the NCB had become an integral part of Pangea by the end of the Permian. In contrast, Early Jurassic volcanic rocks yield complex magnetization patterns with three distinct directional groups (shallow NW, moderate NE, and steep inclinations), suggesting either complicated response to the Jurassic Monstershift TPW event or multi-phase overprinting by regional tectonics. Critically, when compared with the apparent standstill of the adjacent Mongolia Block—which remained near ～30°N throughout the Carboniferous due to the counteraction between northward plate motion and southward TPW—the NCB’s steady northward migration provides a robust reference frame for isolating TPW signals in East Asia. We propose that the decoupled kinematics between the NCB and Mongolia during the Permo-Carboniferous reflects differential responses to the same TPW event, highlighting the necessity of multi-block analyses to disentangle plate tectonic motion from true polar wander in supercontinent cycles.Keywords: North China Block; Pangea; Paleo-Asian Ocean; Paleomagnetism; True Polar Wander; Supercontinent cycleAcknowledgmentsThis research is funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (42372254), National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFF0803604, 2024YFF0808000)

ABSTRACT Asphalt is a promising precursor for hard carbon anode in sodium‐ion batteries, owing to its low cost and high carbon yield. However, its complex molecular composition leads to uncontrolled carbonization and unpredictable electrochemical performance. Here, we introduce two quantitative molecular descriptors: the aromatic substitution index ( f a s ) and short‐chain substitution index ( R ) that enable precise correlation between precursor molecular topology and hard carbon microstructure. Through systematic solvent fractionation and multi‐scale characterization, we discover that short‐chain pendant alkyl groups with high R values enhance oxidative crosslinking to suppress graphitization, while high‐degree aromatic substitution with high f a s values promotes the formation of uniform closed pores and optimizes structural disorder. The optimized hard carbon achieves superior sodium storage performance (326 mAh g −1 , 93% capacity retention after 500 cycles, 204 mAh g −1 at 5 A g −1 ) with exceptional rate capability. This descriptor‐based approach provides both fundamental insights into microstructure formation and a practical strategy for precursor selection, paving the way for rationally designed high‐performance hard carbon anodes.