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For a scalar integrable model, it is generally believed that the solitons interact with each other elastically, for instance, multi-bright solitons from the nonlinear Schrödinger equation and the Korteweg-de Vries equation, etc. We obtain double-valley dark solitons from the defocusing Hirota equation by the Darboux transformation. Particularly, we report a remarkable phenomenon for the inelastic interaction of the double-valley dark solitons, in contrast to the solitons interacting with each other elastically for a scalar integrable model in previous works. Furthermore, we give the explicit conditions for the elastic collision based on the asymptotic analysis results. It is shown that the double-valley dark solitons could also admit elastic interaction under the special parameters settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between plants and insects are among the most important life functions for all organism at a particular natural community. Usually a large number of samples are required to identify insect diets in food web studies. Previously, Sanger sequencing and next generation sequencing (NGS) with short DNA barcodes were used, resulting in low species‐level identification; meanwhile the costs of Sanger sequencing are expensive for metabarcoding together with more samples. Here, we present a fast and effective sequencing strategy to identify larvae of Lepidoptera and their diets at the same time without increasing the cost on Illumina platform in a single HiSeq run, with long‐multiplex‐metabarcoding (COI for insects, rbcL, matK, ITS and trnL for plants) obtained by Trinity assembly (SHMMT). Meanwhile, Sanger sequencing (for single individuals) and NGS (for polyphagous) were used to verify the reliability of the SHMMT approach. Furthermore, we show that SHMMT approach is fast and reliable, with most high‐quality sequences of five DNA barcodes of 63 larvae individuals (54 species) recovered (full length of 100% of the COI gene and 98.3% of plant DNA barcodes) using Trinity assembly (up‐sized to 1015 bp). For larvae diets identification, 95% are reliable; the other 5% failed because their guts were empty. The diets identified by SHMMT approach are 100% consistent with the host plants that the larvae were feeding on during our collection. Our study demonstrates that SHMMT approach is reliable and cost‐effective for insect‐plants network studies. This will facilitate insect‐host plant studies that generally contain a huge number of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the dynamic active sites over binary oxide catalysts is of great challenge in heterogeneous catalysis. In this work, the origin of active sites toward low-temperature CO oxidation (<200 °C) were thoroughly studied using MnO x -CeO 2 composite oxide catalysts with different Mn/Ce molar ratios, synthesized by a redox co-precipitation method. The optimum Mn 1 Ce 1 catalyst (T 100 = 190 °C), which showed excellent activity, has found to be composed of three phases: (1) CeO 2 ; (2) amorphous MnO x ; (3) MnO x -CeO 2 solid solution (active sites). With the combination of kinetics and characterization results, including Temperature-Programmed-Desorption/Reduction (TPD/TPR), operando Raman spectroscopy and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectra (DRIFTS), the dynamic structures of catalysts were rationalized with the identification of the interface of MnO x and CeO 2 . The mechanism for CO oxidation over MnO x -CeO 2 in the temperature range 100–190 °C were proposed that the direct and the formate routes were followed at T < 130 °C, and the carbonate route became dominant at T > 130 °C. Notably, the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism was proceeded in the whole temperature range. We speculate that cheap binary oxides will substitute for noble metal as catalysts for the removal of CO and other toxic gases, especially operating under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bemisia tabaci is an important agricultural pest with worldwide distribution and host preference. Therefore, understanding the biology of this pest is important to devise specific pest control strategies. The antennae of herbivorous insects play an important role in the identification of hosts using plant volatiles. To understand the features of antennae in B. tabaci MEAM 1(formerly known as biotype ‘B’) and MED (formerly known as biotype ‘Q’), the morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla were examined using scanning electron micrographs. The results showed that the average antennae length in MEAM 1 was longer than MED. No differences were observed in the number and distribution of antennal sensilla in MEAM 1 and MED antennae; each antenna had nine different types of sensilla. Both cryptic species possessed Microtrichia, Grooved surface trichodea sensilla, Chaetae sensilla, Coeloconic sensillaⅠandⅡ, Basiconic sensilla Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ and Finger-like sensilla. This is the first report of Grooved surface trichodea sensilla and Basiconic sensilla Ⅱ on B. tabaci flies. The numbers of Chaetae sensilla were different in the females and males of MEAM 1 and MED, which females having 5 and males containing 7. The surface structure of Basiconic sensilla Ⅰ was different with MEAM 1 showing a multiple-pitted linen surface and MED showing a multiple-pitted pocking surface. Basiconic sensillaⅡ were double in one socket with the longer one having a multiple-pitted surface and the shorter one with a smooth surface. Basiconic Ⅲ and Finger-like sensillae were longer in MEAM 1 antennae than in MED antennae. Our results are expected to further the studies that link morphological characteristics to insect behavior and help devise strategies to control insect pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Raman–Nath diffraction in acousto–optic effect was studied theoretically and experimentally in the paper. Up to now, each order of diffracted light in Raman–Nath diffraction was still considered simply to be just frequency-shifted and to be a plane wave. However, we find that the phase and frequency shifts occur simultaneously and individually in Raman–Nath diffraction. The findings demonstrate that, in addition to the frequency shift, the optical phase of each order of diffracted light is also shifted by the sound wave and fluctuates with the sound wave and is related to the location in the acoustic field from which the diffracted light originates. As a result, the wavefront of each order of diffracted light is modulated to fluctuate spatially and temporally with the sound wave. Obviously, these findings are significant for applications of Raman–Nath diffraction in acousto–optic effect because the optical phase plays an important role in optical coherence technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative characterization of skin collagen on photo-thermal response and its regeneration process is an important but difficult task. In this study, morphology and spectrum characteristics of collagen during photo-thermal response and its light-induced remodeling process were obtained by second-harmonic generation microscope in vivo. The texture feature of collagen orientation index and fractal dimension was extracted by image processing. The aim of this study is to detect the information hidden in skin texture during the process of photo-thermal response and its regeneration. The quantitative relations between injured collagen and texture feature were established for further analysis of the injured characteristics. Our results show that it is feasible to determine the main impacts of phototherapy on the skin. It is important to understand the process of collagen remodeling after photo-thermal injuries from texture feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel MnIII polymers, [Mn(phox)2(N3)J0 (1)n [Mn(Etphox)2(N3)]n (2), and (Mn(Etphox)2(C2N3)]n (3), using achiral ligand Hphox (Hphox = 2-(4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)phenol) and chiral ligand HEtphox (HEtphox = 2-(4-ethyl- 4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)phenol) were synthesized and stwcturally and magnetically characterized. All complexes are of 1 D chain structures and fonn 2D frameworks by weak interactions. The adjacent 1 D chains of complex 1 are connected by face-to-face ar-jr interactions, C-H∙∙∙π interactions, and hydrogen bonding, which leads to the formation of a supramolecular 20 sheet structure. The three compounds show antiferroniagnetic coupling between MnIII ions. And compound 2 is a spin-canted weak ferromagnet with TN = 5.6K, showing metamagnetic behavior with a two-step magnetic phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoacoustic imaging, which can provide the maximum intensity contrast in tissue depth imaging without ionizing radiation, will be a promising imaging trend for tumor detection. In this paper, a column diffusion fiber was employed to carry a pulsed laser for irradiating stomach directly through esophagus based on the characteristics of gastric tissue structure. A long focused ultrasonic transducer was placed outside the body to detect photoacoustic signals of gastric tissue. Phantom and in vitro experiments of submucosal gastric tumors were carried out to check the sensitivity of scanning photoacoustic tomography system, including the lateral and longitudinal resolution of the system, sensitivity of different absorption coefficient in imaging, capability of transversal detection, and probability of longitudinal detection. The results demonstrate that our innovative technique can improve the parameters of imaging. The lateral resolution reaches 2.09 mm. Then a depth of 5.5 mm with a longitudinal accuracy of 0.36 mm below gastric mucosa of early gastric cancer (EGC) has been achieved. In addition, the optimal absorption coefficient differences among absorbers of system are 3.3–3.9 times. Results indicate that our photoacoustic imaging (PAI) system, is based on a long focusing transducer, can provide a potential application for detecting submucosal EGC without obvious symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) sulfide (PNIPAM-S-) brush-tethered and Pd nanoparticle (NP) loaded UiO-66 type NMOF, namely Pd@UiO-66-S-PNIPAM, based on a NMOF–polymer covalent composite approach. The obtained multifunctional composite material can be a highly efficient Pickering emulsifier to stabilize the toluene-in-water emulsion; furthermore, it promotes the biphasic chlorobenzene (CB) dechlorination at the toluene–water interface in excellent yields at room temperature. More importantly, the Pd@UiO-66-S-PNIPAM emulsifier is thermo-responsive and can trigger emulsification at room temperature (25 °C) and demulsification at an elevated temperature (45 °C) of the toluene droplets, which makes product–catalyst in situ separation and recycling feasible. This temperature switchable Pickering emulsion catalytic system can be reused at least five times without any loss of its catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cells (DCs) are multifunctional cells that initiate adaptive immune responses. Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have reduced numbers of DCs which may be functionally impaired, a defect that may contribute to viral persistence. Autologous DC-based immunotherapy is considered to be a treatment option for chronic HBV infection (CHB). We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of HBV-pulsed DCs in combination with the antiviral drug entecavir in patients with CHB. Eighty patients were divided into four groups: HBV-pulsed DCs only, HBV-pulsed DCs plus entecavir, entecavir only, and an untreated control group. Patients on combination therapy exhibited greater antiviral responses than patients on either monotherapy. The combination of HBV-pulsed DCs and entecavir resulted in the largest reduction in serum viral DNA levels and the highest percentage of virologic response. In addition, combination therapy resulted in viral e antigen (HBeAg) loss and seroconversion. These results suggest that the combination of HBV-pulsed autologous DCs and entecavir could be therapeutically advantageous for patients with CHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]