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Objective:  To discover the mechanism of the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)-mediated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway in the protection against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in neonatal mice.Materials and Methods:  Neonatal mice were treated with EX527 (an inhibitor of SIRT1) and/or pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, an inhibitor of NF-κB). The survival rate of the mice was recorded. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the intestines. Furthermore, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were conducted to measure the protein and gene expression, while corresponding kits were used to detect the levels of oxidative stress indicators.Results:  PDTC increased the survival rate of NEC mice. When compared with the NEC+ EX527 + PDTC group, the histological NEC score was higher in the NEC + EX527 group but lower in the NEC + PDTC group. SIRT1 expression in the intestines of NEC mice was downregulated, with an increase in p65 nuclear translocation. Additionally, malondialdehyde increased and glutathione peroxidase decreased in the intestines of NEC mice, with the upregulation of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as the downregulation of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-4 in the intestines. However, the above changes could be improved by PDTC, which could be further reversed by EX527.Conclusion:  SIRT1 can mitigate inflammation and the oxidative stress response and improve intestinal permeability by mediating the NF-κB pathway, playing an important role in the alleviation of NEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harsh discipline during childhood (psychological aggression and corporal punishment) has been found to be an early risk factor for adolescent aggressive behavior. However, previous studies have mainly examined the relationship between harsh discipline as a whole and the level of adolescent aggressive behavior. This study investigates the effects of childhood psychological aggression and corporal punishment on the initial levels and rate of change in adolescent aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating role of self-compassion in this relationship. Using cluster sampling, a three-wave follow-up assessment was conducted on 1214 high-school students (60.7% boys; mean age at Wave 1 = 15.46 ± 0.71). The results showed that childhood psychological aggression and corporal punishment had a positive predictive effect on the development level of adolescent aggressive behavior. However, only childhood psychological aggression significantly directly attenuated the decline rate of adolescent aggressive behavior. In addition, both childhood psychological aggression and corporal punishment indirectly affected the initial levels and growth rate of adolescent aggressive behavior through self-compassion. These findings could provide potential targets for prevention and intervention programs aimed at improving aggressive behavior in Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interfacial debonding between the active layer and the current collector has been recognized as a critical mechanism for battery fading, and thus has attracted great efforts focused on the related analyses. However, much still remains to be studied regarding practical methods for suppressing electrode debonding, especially from the perspective of mechanics. In this paper, a pre-strain strategy of current collectors to alleviate electrode debonding is proposed. An analytical model for a symmetric electrode with a deformable and limited-thickness current collector is developed to analyze the debonding behavior involving both a pre-strain of the current collector and an eigen-strain of the active layers. The results reveal that the well-designed pre-strain can significantly delay the debonding onset (by up to 100%) and considerably reduce the debonding size. The critical values of the pre-strain are identified, and the pre-strain design principles are also provided. Based on these findings, this work sheds light on the mechanical design to suppress electrode degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise manipulation of the time–frequency modes of entangled photons is crucial for future quantum science and technologies. Recently, the frequency-domain-quantum-optical-synthesis (FD-QOS) method was demonstrated by creating a superposition of different joint temporal amplitudes: those temporal distributions can be controlled by manipulating the joint spectral amplitude in 2D frequency space via a Fourier optical relation. This FD-QOS method provides an efficient, flexible, and easy-to-control way to precisely modulate the temporal distributions of the entangled photon in an ultrafast region. However, manipulation of only the temporal modes is not sufficient for various applications in quantum information, since spectral modulations are also needed on many occasions. Here, we present a proof-of-concept experiment of two-photon spectral modulation via temporal manipulation of a biphoton wave packet. This protocol, called time-domain-quantum-optical-synthesis (TD-QOS), is achieved by adjusting the relative phases between two joint temporal distributions. In addition, the two-photon joint spectral distributions are characterized by measuring the joint spectral intensities and Hong–Ou–Mandel interferences. The combination of FD-QOS and TD-QOS enables complete control over the biphoton states. Our work would further develop quantum technologies that rely on the time–frequency modes of entangled photons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate microstructural evolution and plastic deformation under tension, the rapid solidification processes of the Ni47Co53 alloy are first simulated by molecular dynamics methods at cooling rates of 1011, 1012 and 1013 K s−1. Then, the uniaxial tension simulation study was conducted on a single crystal, polycrystal and metallic glass, which were formed during the rapid solidification. The results show that the dislocation loops evolution in the crystal is caused by the slips and proliferation of stacking faults, and in terms of plastic deformation, the single crystal is carried by stacking faults, while a polycrystal is carried by grain boundaries. A metallic glass formed at the critical cooling rate and crystallized under tension, the plastic deformation is carried by grain boundaries and stacking faults in metallic glass. Ultimately, the stacking faults are the most resistant to plastic deformation. This study has great significance for the study of the mechanical properties of single crystals, polycrystals and metallic glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides (SFPs), including SFP-3-40, SFP-3-60, SFP-3-80, SFP-7-40, SFP-7-60, SFP-7-80, SFP-10-40, SFP-10-60, and SFP-10-80, were extracted at different pH (3, 7, and 10), and then precipitated with graded precipitation of 40%, 60% and 80% (v /v) ethanol solution, respectively. Their physicochemical properties and α -glucosidase inhibitory activity were determined. Results showed that SFPs significantly differed in the contents of total sugar, protein, uronic acid, sulfate, the zeta potential, and molecular weight distribution. SFPs, including SFP-10-40, SFP-10-60, and SFP-10-80, had bigger absolute zeta potential value and higher respective average molecular weight in the same ethanol concentration precipitate. All samples were mainly composed of fucose, glucuronic acid, and mannose with different molar ratios. The extraction pH and precipitation ethanol solution concentration caused little changes in functional groups, but significantly altered surface morphology of SFPs. Congo red test revealed that all polysaccharides were not helical polysaccharides. Rheological measurements indicated that SFPs were pseudoplastic fluids and showed elastic behavior of the gel. Except SFP-3-40 and SFP-3-60, all other samples had a stronger α -glucosidase inhibitory activity than that of acarbose. The inhibition type of SFPs against α -glucosidase varied owing to different extraction pH and precipitation ethyl concentration. This study shows that extraction pH can significantly affect the structure and hypoglycemic activity of SFPs and provide a data support for the scientific use of Sargassum fusiforme in industrial production. [Display omitted] • Nine polysaccharide fractions were obtained from Sargassum fusiforme (Harv.) Setch at different extraction pH. • The physicochemical properties of SFPs were significant different. • SFP-7-40 showed the strongest α -glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 0.304 mg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular dynamics simulation has been conducted in Ni73Co27 and Ni74Co26 alloys during rapid solidification at the cooling rate of 1 × 1012 K/s. It indicates that two phase transitions occur with twice drops, and the number of FCC increases suddenly in Ni73Co27 alloy. And finally, FCC atoms are dominant with the amount of 92.94% at 300 K, which neatly arranges themselves into the crystalline structure. A lot of topologically close-packed clusters are formed in Ni74Co26 alloy, indicating the formation of metallic glass. The differences between the formations in crystalline hexagon and amorphous pentagon are demonstrated by three-dimensional visualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel robust low-voltage-triggered silicon-controlled rectifier (LVTSCR) with high holding voltage, low trigger voltage, and low overshoot voltage has been proposed for 5 V integrated circuit electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. The new LVTSCR integrates an extra low-resistance current path by embedding an NMOS transistor into the traditional LVTSCR. This extra current path will divert part of the ESD current, thus resulting in a lower overshoot voltage as well as better quasi-static I–V characteristics in the new structure. As such, the holding voltage of the new LVTSCR has been increased by ∼23%, the quasi-static triggering characteristic has been decreased by ∼8%, and the overshoot voltage has been improved by ∼38%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of present research was to explore whether Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharide (SFP) could partly replace acarbose against type 2 diabetes in rats. Results indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose intervention typically mitigated diabetic symptoms and serum profiles and exhibited better anti-diabetic effects than single acarbose treatment in controlling fasting blood glucose, improving insulin resistance and mitigating kidney injuries. The RT-qPCR analysis indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose administration distinctly activated the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway compared with single acarbose treatment. Moreover, the co-administration also restrained liver fat accumulation via affecting the expression of HMGCR and SREBP-1c genes. In addition, the 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that SFP co-administered with low-dose acarbose significantly restored beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats, such as the increase of Muribaculaceae , Lachnospiraceae , Bifidobacterium , Ruminococcaceae _UCG-014, Ruminococcus _1, Romboutsia , Eggerthellaceae , Alistipes and Faecalibaculum , and the decrease of Escherichia - Shigella. These results suggested that SFP, the novel natural adjuvant of acarbose, displayed the desirable benefits in minimizing the dose of drug, while improving the anti-diabetic efficiency. Unlabelled Image • SFP-ACAR typically mitigated diabetic symptoms and serum profiles. • SFP-ACAR showed better effects in controlling FBG, insulin, BUN and Cr levels. • SFP-ACAR distinctly restored beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats. • SFP-ACAR improved IR by notably activating the IRS/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a scheme to investigate the spatial modulation of the refractive index in a dense atomic ensemble under the action of the Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) beams. Theoretical derivations based on a density-matrix approach associated with numerical simulations are utilized to study the behaviors of the index of refraction, showing that the azimuthal and radial mode indices (i.e., l 2 and p 2) of the LG beams significantly affect the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index. To be specific, the number of the dispersive peaks is determined by (p 2 + 1) | l 2 | , and there are 2 | l 2 | lossless petals in conjunction with p 2 concentric absorption rings centered on the vortex center. Furthermore, by tuning the phase values of the electric and magnetic components of the electromagnetic field, the index of refraction can be drastically tuned from negative to zero to positive and accompanied by periodic absorption and amplification. This investigation provides a powerful tool for manipulating the index of refraction through a nonlinear interaction between atoms and the vortex beams and suggests potential applications in optical switching, logic gates, and optical storage with spatially varying refractive indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of current work was to explore the potential anti-diabetic mechanisms of Hizikia fusifarme polysaccharide (HFP) in type 2 diabetic rats. The carbohydrate loading experiment illustrated that HFP supplement could reduce blood sugar fluctuations caused by eating through inhibiting the hydrolysis of starch in mice. The analysis of typically diabetic symptoms and serum profiles showed that oral administration of HFP could mitigate hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in rats. The 16s rRNA gene sequencing analysis indicated that HFP treatment could restore beneficial composition of gut flora in diabetic rats, and the correlation analysis revealed that the improvement of diabetes is closely related to the modification of gut flora by HFP intervention. Furthermore, the RT-qPCR and western blotting analysis clarified that HFP administration could increase glycogen storage in liver and skeletal muscle of diabetic rats through activating IRS/PI3K/AKT/GLUT signaling pathway and restrain gluconeogenesis via affecting the relative expression of Egr-1 and PEPCK genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three algal polysaccharides (APs) were acquired from Scagassum (SCP), Sargassum fusiforme (Harv.) Setch. (SFP) and Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) Ag. (MAP) by hot water extraction, and their structural characterization and antidiabetic activity were investigated in high fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. The results revealed that there were obvious differences in extraction yield, molecular weight, compositions of monosaccharide and organic element, molecular morphology, rheological properties and the contents of total sugar, protein, uronic acid and sulfate of SCP, MAP and SFP. SFP had the highest extraction yield, the contents of total sugar and uronic acid and the smallest molecular weight. Congo red assay indicated that all polysaccharides had no triple-helix structure. Oral administration of APs prominently restrained loss of weight and increase of water intake (P <.05), and also significantly controlled the increase of levels of blood glucose, triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) in diabetic rats (P <0.05). Diabetic rats treated with SCP had the highest high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level (P <.05), similar to those in normal group. MAP and SCP showed positive effect in improving the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of diabetic rats (P <.05). Meanwhile, the increased ALT and BUN contents caused by the liver and kidney damages were markedly ameliorated in the diabetic rats with APs intervention (P <.05). As a consequence, APs could be promising candidates as natural medicines and functional foods for the improvement of diabetes and its complications. • The molecular weight, compositions, rheological properties and molecular morphology of APs are different. • APs controlled prominently the levels of blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) Alanine transaminase (ALT) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in type 2 diabetic rats. • MAP and SCP showed positive effect in controlling the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of type 2 diabetic rats. • Oral administration of SCP significantly increased the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level in type 2 diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three algae polysaccharides (APs) extracted from Ascophyllum nodosum (ANP), Fucus vesiculosus (FVP) and Undaria Pinnatifida (USP) significantly differed in the zeta potential, water and oil holding capacity, monosaccharide composition, organic element composition, molecular weight distribution, microstructure and rheological properties. Antidiabetic effects of APs were compared by oral intervention at the dose of 400 mg/kg·body weight/day in high sugar and fat diets and streptozotocin injection induced type 2 diabetic rats. The analysis of body weight, water intake, fasting blood glucose, insulin, oral glucose tolerance, blood lipid indicators (including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and free fatty acid (FFA)), liver function indexes (involving alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)) and renal function profiles (comprising uric acid (UA) and urea nitrogen (BUN)) showed that APs possessed obvious antidiabetic activities, and FVP showed better effects in controlling the levels of FFA, AST, ALT, UA and BUN. Intervention of FVP reduced the total bile acid (TBA) level and elevated high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level of diabetic rats. Histomorphological observation further demonstrated that APs, especially FVP, could attenuate liver and kidney damage caused by diabetes. This study concluded that the antidiabetic effects of ANP, FVP and USP were distinctly different, which might be attributed to their different chemical structures. Therefore, the structure-activity relationship and antidiabetic mechanism of APs will be our future research direction. Unlabelled Image • The compositions, zeta potentials, molecular weights, rheological properties and microstructure of APs are significantly different. • USP has stronger water and oil holding capacity than ANP and FVP. • APs could ameliorate hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and kidney damage of diabetic rats, and FVP shows better effects in controlling the levels of free fatty acid (FFA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid (TBA) and uric acid (UA). • Intervention of APs could decrease the serum insulin level of diabetic rats. • FVP could significantly increase the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level of diabetic rats. • USP could more significantly reverse weight loss of diabetic rats than ANP and FVP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two polysaccharide fractions (SFPs, designated as respectively SFP-1 and SFP-2) were acquired from Sargassum fusiforme by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction, and their physicochemical properties and hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects were investigated. Structural analysis indicated that SFPs were obvious different in the zeta potential, molecular weight distribution, characteristic organic group, microstructure and the contents of total sugar, uronic acid, sulfate and moisture. SFPs consisted of fucose, mannose, rhamnose, glucose, galactose and glucuronic acid with different molar ratios. Congo red test explained that SFPs had no triple-helix structure. SFP-1 exhibited lower viscosity due to its lower molecular weight. Regarding to hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, oral administration of SFPs prominently restrained loss of body weight and increase of water intake, and also significantly controlled the increase of levels of fasting blood glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), uric acid (UA), urea nitrogen (BUN), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of diabetic rats, and SFP-2 showed better effects in controlling fasting blood glucose, ALT, UA and BUN levels. Intervention of SFP-2 reduced the levels of insulin, FFA and TBA of diabetic rats. Histomorphological observation further demonstrated that SFPs could attenuate liver and kidney damage caused by hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Data indicated that SFPs, especially SFP-2, significantly improved hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and kidney function of diabetic rats. • The physicochemical properties of SFPs are quite different from others investigated Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides. • The compositions, zeta potentials, molecular weights, characteristic organic groups, rheological properties and microstructure of SFPs are obviously different. • SFPs could ameliorate hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia and liver and kidney damage of diabetic rats, and SFP-2 shows better effects in controlling the levels fasting blood glucose, free fatty acid (FFA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bile acid (TBA), uric acid (UA) and urea nitrogen (BUN). • Intervention of SFP-2 could reduce the serum insulin level of diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heavy metals contamination of soil has been considered as a global environmental problem, and consequently various soil amendments have been widely used in immobilization. Previous studies have reported that micro-/nano-hydroxyapatite (MHA/NHA) as a novel chemical material could alleviate soil acidity and reduce the bioavailability of heavy metals. However, the mechanism of soil microorganism responding to the application of MHA/NHA is little studied. Presently, an in-situ field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of MHA/NHA and the other three traditional amendments including alkali slag (AS), lime (L) and apatite (AP) on soil copper (Cu) bioavailability and dominate bacterial population. The results showed that the application of MHA/NHA effectively increased soil pH and decreased soil available Cu content, and showed the highest increasing effects on the activities of urease, catalase and acid phosphatase. Compared with the control, MHA/NHA significantly changed the soil bacterial community structure and increased the bacterial abundance and diversity. Besides, analysis of the dominate population showed that the application of MHA/NHA decreased the relative abundance of acidophiles and the indicator of soil degradation. Additionally, the relative abundance of potential plant growth promoting bacteria increased with the addition of MHA/NHA, which was confirmed by the characteristics (the ability of producing indole acetic acid and siderophore) of bacterial strains. These results suggested that these dominate bacterial populations with significant changes may be regarded as the biomarkers for the recovery of soil ecological environment, which provides a theoretical basis for the ecological evaluation of MHA/NHA. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The addition of micro-/nano-hydroxyapatite (MHA/NHA) combined with Elsholtzia splendens was efficient in immobilization. • The activities of soil enzyme were greatly increased by the application of MHA/NHA. • The abundance and the diversity of bacterial community were increased with the MHA/NHA application. • The relative abundance of acidophiles and the indicator of soil degradation decreased by the addition of MHA/NHA. • The relative abundance of potential plant growth promoting bacteria was increased after the MHA/NHA application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Thermal effect of the biphotons generated from M TiO X O 4 is thoroughly investigated. • The thermal effect is the key to precisely control the quantum state. • The maximal spectral purity of biphotons is insensitive to temperature shift. • The HOM interference patterns are very sensitive to temperature shift. • The research results are useful for quantum interference and spectroscopy. Abstract We theoretically and numerically investigate the temperature-dependent properties of the biphotons generated from four isomorphs of periodically poled KTiOPO 4 (PPKTP): i.e., PPRTP, PPKTA, PPRTA and PPCTA. It is discovered that the first type of group-velocity-matched (GVM) wavelength is decreased by 6.4, 1.2, 8.9, 25.6 and 6.3 nm, while the phase-matched wavelength is decreased by 4.4, −0.4, −1.2, 29.1 and 59.5 nm for PPKTP, PPRTP, PPKTA, PPRTA and PPCTA, respectively, when the temperature is increased from 20 °C to 120 °C. Although the maximal spectral purity of the heralded single photons is not changed at different temperature, the Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interference shows different patterns due to a shift of the joint spectral amplitude. These thermal effects are very important for precise control of the quantum state for the future applications in quantum information processing, for example, in quantum interference or spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • EA/UPP SDs significantly increased the EA solubility and dispersity. • Crystalline transformation was one of the reasons for EA solubility enhancement. • EA/UPP SDs were mostly maintained by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. • EA/UPP SDs significantly enhanced the EA biotransformation process. The current study was aimed to enhance the solubility, dispersibility and biotransformation efficacy of ellagic acid (EA) by preparing food-derived ellagic acid- Undaria pinnatifida polysaccharides solid dispersion (EA/UPP SD). The results demonstrated that the solubility of EA/UPP SD was improved from 0.014 mg/mL to 0.383 mg/mL, and the enhancement was related to converting to a more amorphous state and restraining its self-aggregation during the mechanochemical process. The structure of EA/UPP SDs was mostly maintained by hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions between EA and UPP. Moreover, the result of in vitro anaerobic incubations showed the biotransformation process was improved with EA/UPP SD addition to substrate due to the advance of microbial accessibility in EA dispersion. Altogether, these results indicated that the EA/UPP SDs expanded the application of EA by increasing the solubility and dispersity, and provided a theoretical basis for bioconversion efficiency enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teramethylpyrazine (TMP) is a pyrazine alkaloid with a variety of pharmacological effects and widely used in clinical practice. In this study,Monascusstrain M-3 with high TMP and low citrinin productions was screened from red yeast rice collected from different areas of Fujian province in China.Monascusstrain M-3 was further identified through molecular biological methods based on the sequencing of different gene regions. Results showed that primer set of β-tubulin-F/β-tubulin-R targeting the β-tubulin gene was more suitable for the identification ofMonascusstrain M-3. Based on comparative analysis of the results obtained by different primer sets,Monacusstrain M-3 was finally identified asMonascus purpureus. Then, the composition of culture medium and liquid state fermentation conditions ofMonacusstrain M-3 were optimized by single-factor experiment and central composite design of response surface methodology, with the purpose of optimizing the TMP productions. The optimum composition of culture medium and liquid state fermentation conditions are as follows: starch 5.1%, peptone 3.51%, Mg2SO40.1%, NaNO30.2%, KH2PO40.25%, fermentation temperature of 28.23 °C, fermentation time of 9 d, shaker speed of 180 r/min, inoculum size of 7.21% and loading volume of 100 mL/250 mL triangular flask. Under the optimum composition of culture medium and liquid state fermentation conditions, the TMP production ofMonacusstrain M-3 can reach 13.49 µg/mL. This study is expected to provide a new approach of TMP production through biosynthesis byMonascusstrain, and promote the further development of functional foods or medicines fromMonascusfermentation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic control of probe absorption spectrum via vortex beams in multilevel systems has attracted much attention because it provides an avenue to observe unique transport properties. In this paper, we employ experimentally accessible parameters to flexibly control the probe absorption spectrum that shows vortex-induced transparency (VIT) and absorption (VIA) phenomena. Specifically, this system can be served as an optical switch while the vortex beams can act as the control knob, which has the ability to switch from a transparency dip to an absorption peak. Differing from a conventional electromagnetically induced transparency technique, our proposed scheme investigates VIT and VIA by tuning the orbital angular momentum of vortex beams in the resonance and non-resonance cases. Moreover, the collective feature caused by constructive or destructive interference is also studied via adjustable frequency detuning. Our results may provide an efficient approach to study similar phenomena in multilevel quantum systems driven by optical vortex beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present two novel “quasi-Bayer” micro-polarizer (MP) patterns for the polarization imaging based on the division-of-focal-plane polarimeters (DoFP). Compared with the traditional equally-weighted MP pattern with four different micro-polarizers, the “quasi-Bayer” pattern requires less photo-lithography-based selective etching steps, leading to a significant reduction of the MP array's fabrication complexity. In addition, for the mainstream bilinear interpolation algorithm, the proposed “quasi-Bayer” pattern with three micro-polarizers exhibits the lowest mean square error (MSE) of 0.43%. Moreover, the “quasi-Bayer” patterns take advantages not only at the fixed illumination level, but also for different illumination levels. Reported experimental results validate the effectiveness of the “quasi-Bayer” patterns by varying the input light intensity from 13 lx to 213 lx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F with a typical Na+ superionic conductor (NASICON) structure is a promising cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its unique layered structure, high energy density and fast ionic conductivity. However, the low intrinsic electronic conductivity seriously hinders the practical application of Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F. In this work, ionic liquid-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-IL) were applied as a conductive network to form Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F-based cathode. The highly dispersed MWCNT-IL can hinder the agglomeration growth of Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F crystal and can result in the formation of uniform Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F cubes of ∼1 μm which are covered evenly by conductive MWCNT-IL through C O P/V bonds (denoted as NVOPF@MWCNT-IL). Relying on the synergistic effect of conductive MWCNT-IL and uniform Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 2 O 2 F cubes, NVOPF@MWCNT-IL cathode for SIBs can exhibit improved cycling stability and superior rate performance. The specific capacity of NVOPF@MWCNT-IL can reach 107 mA h g−1 with high retention of 96.7% after 900 cycles at a current density of 1C (1C=130 mA h g−1). At a high current density of 30C, NVOPF@MWCNT-IL maintains a high discharge capacity of 79 mA h g−1 after 1500 cycles. The above results provide an effective and simple method to construct advanced NASICON cathodes for SIBs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this work was to investigate the bacterial flora present in the traditional fermentation starters using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry fingerprinting combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing and species-specific PCRs. A total of 1314 bacterial strains were obtained from ten kinds of representative wine fermentation starters (5 Hong Qu and 5 Yao Qu) and classified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Sixteen different bacterial species belonging to six different genera ( Bacillus , Staphylococcus , Leuconostoc , Pediococcus , Lactobacillus and Lactococcus ) were identified with high accuracy by comparing them with generated spectra of MALDI Biotyper database. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis showed that MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry fingerprinting was a good complementary approach to 16S rRNA sequencing and even a more powerful tool in the accurate differentiation and classification of Bacillus species, especially for differentiating between Bacillus subtilis , Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus methylotrophicus . MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was also found to provide valuable information at species levels for the genus of Lactobacillus . The identification revealed that most strains isolated from traditional fermentation starters were B. amyloliquefaciens (31.81%), followed by Bacillus megaterium (16.89%), Lc. lactis subsp. lactis (8.60%) and B. subtilis (8.14%). In the culture-dependent quantitative analysis, 69.01% of the detected isolates were Bacillus species, and 30.44% of the detected isolates belonged to the class of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including Leu. mesenteroides , Pediococcus pentosaceus , Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus brevis , Pediococcus acidilactici , Lactobacillus coryniformis and Lc. lactis subsp. lactis. This study provides detailed evaluation of bacterial communities in the traditional fermentation starters for Hong Qu glutinous rice wine using a fast and cost-effective technique—MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry fingerprinting. Information provided by this study is fundamental and useful to develop effective strategies for the selection of beneficial bacterial strains and improve of quality of Hong Qu glutinous rice wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, five Fucus vesiculosus polysaccharides (FVPs; FVP-2, FVP-4, FVP-7, FVP-10, and FVP-13) were extracted by different pH, and their physicochemical characteristics and α -glucosidase inhibitory activity were investigated. Results showed that extraction pH significantly affected the chemical composition, molecular weight, zeta potential, structure characterization, and rheological property of FVPs. The viscosity consistency index of Fucus vesiculosus polysaccharides at high concentration (40 mg/mL) were ranked in decreasing order as FVP-10 > FVP-4 > FVP-7 > FVP-2 > FVP-13, which was strictly in accordance with the order of Mw. Among the five polysaccharides, FVP-13 showed the strongest α -glucosidase inhibitory activity, which might be related to its the lowest Mw and relatively higher xylose content. Fluorescence quenching analysis indicated that the interaction of FVPs and α -glucosidase was predominated by a dynamic mechanism. Thermodynamic analysis showed that the main driving forces for the interaction was hydrophobic interaction. Circular dichroism spectrum analysis found that FVPs could induce the secondary structure of α -glucosidase changes like the decrease of β -sheet content and the increase of β -turn and random coil content to inhibit α -glucosidase activity. These results suggested that extraction with high pH was an efficient method to obtain FVPs with strong α -glucosidase inhibition activity. • Five Fucus vesiculosus polysaccharides were obtained at different extraction pH. • FVP-13 showed the stronger α -glucosidase inhibitory activity. • The α -glucosidase inhibitory mechanism of polysaccharide was studied. • Hydrophobic interaction played a key role in the bonding of FVPs to α -glucosidase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new bis-Schiff bases containing a piperazine ring, N,N'-bis(4-chlorobenzylidene)- and N,N'-bis(4-cyanobenzylidene)-1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, were prepared by the reaction of N,N'-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine with 4-chloro- and 4-cyanobenzaldehyde, respectively. The dichloro compound was fully identified by X-ray crystallography and it exhibited good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the detection of a single-photon source using highly efficient superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) at telecom wavelengths. Both the single-photon source and the detectors are characterized in detail. At a pump power of 100 mW (400 mW), the measured coincidence counts can achieve 400 kcps (1.17 Mcps), which is the highest ever reported at telecom wavelengths to the best of our knowledge. The multi-pair contributions, the experimental and theoretical second order coherence functions, and the saturation property of SNSPD are analyzed in detail. The experimental data and theoretical analysis should be useful for the future experiments to detect ultra-bright down-conversion sources with high-efficiency detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient generation and detection of indistinguishable twin photons are at the core of quantum information and communications technology (Q-ICT). These photons are conventionally generated by spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC), which is a probabilistic process, and hence occurs at a limited rate, which restricts wider applications of Q-ICT. To increase the rate, one had to excite SPDC by higher pump power, while it inevitably produced more unwanted multi-photon components, harmfully degrading quantum interference visibility. Here we solve this problem by using recently developed 10 GHz repetition-rate-tunable comb laser, combined with a group-velocity-matched nonlinear crystal, and superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. They operate at telecom wavelengths more efficiently with less noises than conventional schemes, those typically operate at visible and near infrared wavelengths generated by a 76 MHz Ti Sapphire laser and detected by Si detectors. We could show high interference visibilities, which are free from the pump-power induced degradation. Our laser, nonlinear crystal, and detectors constitute a powerful tool box, which will pave a way to implementing quantum photonics circuits with variety of good and low-cost telecom components, and will eventually realize scalable Q-ICT in optical infra-structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aristoyunnolins G ( 1) and H ( 2), two new diastereoisomeric sesquiterpenes featuring a rare aristophyllene skeleton, were isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Aristolochia yunnanensis. Their absolute stereochemistry involving three chiral centers was determined by combined chemical, spectral, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation methods. Chirality 26:189-193, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organomercury dimer [Hg2(PMP)Cl2]2 ·DMF ( 1) (PMP = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) was prepared by the reaction of mercury chloride with PMP and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, TG, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The title compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P $\bar{1}$, with a = 7.4298(6), b = 9.0313(8), c = 12.4145(13) Å, V = 760.50(12) Å3, Z = 1. Each mercury(II) atom is tricoordinated to one chlorine atom, one carbon atom of the pyrazole ring from one PMP, and one oxygen atom from another PMP. The coordination arrangement around the mercury atom is T-shaped. This is the first structural report on an organomercury derivative of PMP. The distance between the two HgII ions is 3.2735(8) Å, which indicates the presence of weak Hg ···Hg interactions. Meanwhile, 1 can be connected by intermolecular C-H ···Cl hydrogen bonding and weak Hg ···O/Cl/N interactions to form a three dimensional network. The thermal stability and antibacterial activity of 1 were studied. The binding of 1 with calf thymus DNA was investigated by absorption spectroscopy and viscometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a protective barrier for brain safety, but it is also a major obstacle to the delivery of drugs to the cerebral parenchyma such as the hippocampus, hindering the treatment of central nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this work, an anti-AD brain-targeted nanodrug delivery system by co-loading icariin (ICA) and tanshinone IIA (TSIIA) into Aniopep-2-modified long-circulating (Ang2-ICA/TSIIA) liposomes was developed. Low-density lipoprotein receptorrelated protein-1 (LRP1) was a receptor overexpressed on the BBB. Angiopep-2, a specific ligand of LRP1, exhibited a high binding efficiency with LRP1. Additionally, ICA and TSIIA, drugs with neuroprotective effects are loaded into the liposomes, so that the liposomes not only have an effective BBB penetration effect, but also have a potential anti-AD effect. The prepared Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes appeared narrow dispersity and good stability with a diameter of 110nm, and a round morphology. Cell uptake observations, BBB models in vitro, and imaging analysis in vivo showed that Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes not only penetrate the BBB through endocytosis, but also accumulate in N2a cells or brain tissue. The pharmacodynamic analysis in vivo demonstrated that Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes could improve AD-like pathological features in APP/PS1 mice, including inhibiting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, reducing apoptosis, protecting neurons, and improving cognitive function. Therefore, Ang2-ICA/TSIIA liposomes are considered a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel coordination polymer, [Cd(PMP)Cl] (PMP = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-2-pyrazoline-5-one), was prepared by the reaction of cadmium chloride hemidihydrate and PMP, and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, TGA/DTA and electrochemical analysis. Single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the title complex is orthorhombic, space group Pna2(1), with a = 16.5398(14), b = 18.238(2), c = 3.8367(7) Å, V = 1157.4(3) Å, Z = 2. Each cadmium atom is hexa-coordinate and surrounded by an OCl environment, adopting a distorted octahedral geometry, in which three Cl ions act as μ-linker and two as μ-linker. The Cd(II), Cl and PMP form an infinite 1D chain with complicated chair-like features through μ- and μ-Cl bridges. The electrochemical behavior of the complex was investigated in DMF by cyclic voltammetry. The antibacterial activity of the complex, PMP and cadmium chloride hemidihydrate was tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis by the agar diffusion method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Four modified Al diffusion coatings (Al, Cr–Al, Al–Si and Cr–Al–Si coatings) were prepared on Ni3Al based single crystal superalloy IC20. The oxidation tests were carried out at 1 150 °C for up to 100 h. Cyclic hot corrosion tests were carried out at 950 °C for 50 h. The results indicate that the oxidation and corrosion resistances of IC20 alloy are improved significantly by the coatings, and both oxidation and hot corrosion resistances of the four coatings are rated in the order (from worst to best) of Cr–Al, Al, Cr–Al–Si, Al–Si coatings. It is found that the degradations of Al and Cr–Al coatings are very quick due to the serious inter-diffusion between the coatings and substrates. The inter-diffusion between Si-containing coatings and substrates is reduced since Si effectively retards the outward diffusion of Mo. The weak effects of Cr and benefit effects of Si to the oxidation and hot corrosion resistance were discussed. The hot corrosion degradation mechanism of superalloy IC20 was analyzed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We present a scheme for realizing open-destination and controlled teleportation of a single-qubit rotation gate, albeit probabilistically, by using partially entangled pairs of particles. In the scheme, a quantum rotation is faithfully teleported onto any one of N spatially separated receivers under the control of the (N-1) unselected receivers in a network. We first present the three-destination and controlled teleportation of a rotation gate by using three partially entangled pairs, and then generalize the scheme to the case of N-destination. In our scheme, the sender's local generalized measurement described by a positive operator-valued measurement (POVM) lies at the heart. We construct the required POVM. The fact that deterministic and exact teleportation of a rotation gate could be realized using partially entangled pairs is notable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new polynitrile, N,N,N′,N′-tetra(2-cyanoethyl)-1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, was synthesized by the nucleophilic addition reaction of 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine and acrylonitrile for the first time. The title compound was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, and its crystal structure determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group P2/ c and a = 8.6195(12), b = 9.300(14), c = 16.221(2) Å, β = 97.824(2)°, V = 1288.2(3) Å, D = 1.064 g cm, M = 412.59, Z = 2, F(000) = 448, μ = 0.067 mm. The TG-DTA analysis revealed that the title compound possesses relatively good thermal stability under 220 °C. Graphical Abstract: A new polynitrile, N,N,N′,N′-tetra(2-cyanoethyl)-1,4-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine, was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, TG-DTA, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction.[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

new Cd(II) coordination polymer, [Cd(PMP)] (1) [PMP = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone], has been synthesized by the reaction of Cd(CHCOO)·2HO with PMP and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, UV-vis spectrum, TG-DTA, and electrochemical analysis. Single crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that the complex has a three-dimensional network. Each PMP acts as bidentate bridging ligand and each Cd(II) center is surrounded by two O atoms and two N atoms from four different PMP ligands to form distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry. The photoluminescence study shows the complex exhibited strong solid state blue fluorescent emission at room temperature, and the TG-DTA analysis demonstrated that it has highly thermal stability. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of the complex has been investigated for the first time in DMF by cyclic voltammetry, and the results showed that it has an irreversible process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new coordination polymer [Zn(PMP)2Cl]n (PMP = 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone) has been prepared by the reaction of zinc chloride and PMP, and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV, and fluorescence spectra, TG/DTA, and electrochemical analysis. Single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the complex is monoclinic, space group P 2(1)/n, with a = 10.850(17), b = 17.578(2), c = 10.997(18) Å, β = 104.999(3)°, V = 2025.8(5) Å3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.470 mg m-3, F(000) = 920, goodness-of-fit = 0.905, and R1 = 0.0441. The complex is a 1-D coordination polymer, and the coordination geometry of Zn(II) is a distorted tetrahedron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Porous Ti–15Mo alloy is fabricated by powder sintering approach from TiH2 and Mo powders. Space-holder of NH4HCO3 powder is used to regulate the pore characteristics and mechanical property. The investigation results indicate that the sintering temperature has a significant influence, while the addition of NH4HCO3 has little effect on the phase constituents of the sintered porous Ti–15Mo alloy. Pore characteristic parameters (mean pore size and porosity) and mechanical properties (ultimate compressive strength and elastic modulus under compression) of the sintered porous Ti–15Mo alloy vary with the adding amount of NH4HCO3, and match those of cancellous bones. The results indicate that it is expected to be used as a porous hard tissue implant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In power market studies, the forecast of locational marginal price (LMP) relies on the load forecasting results from the viewpoint of planning. It is well known that short-term load forecasting results always carry certain degree of errors mainly due to the random nature of the load. At the same time, LMP step changes occur at critical load levels (CLLs). Therefore, it is interesting to investigate the impact of load forecasting uncertainty on LMP. With the assumption of a certain probability distribution of the actual load, this paper proposes the concept of probabilistic LMP and formulates the probability mass function of this random variable. The expected value of probabilistic LMP is then derived, as well as the lower and upper bound of its sensitivity. In addition, two useful curves, alignment probability of deterministic LMP versus forecasted load and expected value of probabilistic LMP versus forecasted load, are presented. The first curve is designed to identify the probability that the forecasted price in a deterministic LMP matches the actual price at the forecasted load level. The second curve is demonstrated to be smooth and therefore eliminates the step changes in deterministic LMP forecasting. This helps planners avoid the possible sharp changes during decision-making process. The proposed concept and method are illustrated with a modified PJM five-bus system and the IEEE 118-bus system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Reactions of Ag4X4(Ph3P)4 (X=Br, I) with 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphine)methane (dppm) ligand under microwave heating conditions afforded two asymmetric silver(I) dimers of the type [Ag2(μ-X)2(μ-dppm)(PPh3)2], X=Br(1), I(2), with butterfly-shaped dinuclear cores. The molecular structures of two compounds have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and satisfactorily calculated by using the PW91 functional considered with the DNP basis set and ECP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In market-based planning and operation, it is very useful to have the information of generation dispatch, congestion, and price as load increases. Therefore, it is beneficial to system planners if the congestion or locational marginal pricing (LMP) versus load is readily available. This can certainly be obtained by repetitively running an optimization model at different load levels. However, this approach is too brute-force to be practical. In this paper, an efficient algorithm is proposed to identify the new binding constraint and the new marginal unit set when the system load increases from the present load level. It addresses the challenge of step changes in generation dispatch when a generation or transmission limit becomes binding. The algorithm also gives the new sensitivity of the new marginal units. Therefore, the generation dispatch, congested lines, and LMP at a new critical load level (CLL) can be easily calculated. Test results are presented in matrix formulation to clearly demonstrate and verify the proposed algorithm. Since the proposed approach is based on linearized model, it should be particularly suitable for short-term planning or operation, although application to long-term planning is also possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new copper Schiff-base complex [Cu(C15H23N3O2)(NO3)]NO3 was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic (IR), thermal (TG/DTA) and electrochemical methods. Single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the complex is monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 23.549(2), b = 6.583(12), c = 12.765(15) Å, β = 102.823(2)°, V = 1929.4(5) Å3, Z = 4, Dcalcd = 1.601 Mg m-3, F(000) = 964, goodness-of-fit = 1.034 and R1 = 0.0407. The Cu(II) is four-coordinate with distorted square planar geometry. The structure consists of isolated [Cu(C15H23N3O2)(NO3)]+ and a nitrate, which are further linked to a 3D network by significant N-H ··· O, N-H ··· N hydrogen bonds and weak O ··· Cu interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal reactions of copper(I) or copper(II) salts with guanazole (3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole = Hdatrz) have yielded three novel 3D Cu-guanazolate complexes, that is, [Cu 7Br 6][Cu(datrz) 2] ( 1), [Cu(datrz)] ( 2), and [Cu 4(datrz) 2(OH) 2(SO 4) 2] ( 3). Complex 1presents the first example in Cu(I) halide complexes with its Cu(I) bromide units {Cu 7Br 6} nn+ adopting a 3D network, which is constructed from two unprecedented substructures: the edge-sharing eight-membered {Cu 4Br 4} nrings and the three-bladed paddle-wheel-like {Cu 4Br 4} nunits. Guanazolate ligands in 1adopt an unprecedented pentadentate bridging mode and some bromide ligands exhibit a rare umbrella-like μ4coordination geometry. The first binary Cu(I) guanazolate 2exhibits a seldom reported two-fold interpenetrated lvt-anet, which can be partially controlled through the fixing effect of inter-ligand hydrogen bonds. Cu(II) complex 3comprises a rarely encountered 12-connected tetranuclear {Cu 4( μ3-OH) 2} SBU, which is bridged by guanazolate ligands adopting a peculiar quadridentate coordination mode. This complex displays a non-interpenetrated pcunet, which is first constructed from multinuclear Cu(II) SBUs. Both 1and 2exhibit strong, broad, and unstructured emissions with long luminescence lifetimes, which may be assigned to the 3[MLCT] ES, and the 3[MC] or 3[MMLCT] ES could also be possible for 1. Complex 3exhibits magnetic properties with four Cu(II) centers antiferromagnetically coupled in a tetranuclear array, which enables multiple and strong exchange interactions of J1= −95.1, J2= −152.7, and J3= −55.4 cm −1. All compounds of this study display a medium to high thermal stability, and complex 1shows the highest one with its structure framework unchanged up to 540 °C. Some significant structure−function correlations are discussed in this study as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new hybrid system of cadmium(II) polymers has been synthesized by using 1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (HtrzSH) and cadmium salts, affording six novel luminescent complexes, that is, [Cd(H 2trzS) 2Cl 2] ( 1), [Cd(HtrzS)Br] ( 2), [Cd(HtrzS)I] ( 3), [Cd 2(HtrzS) 2(SO 4)] ( 4), [Cd(H 2trzS)(H 2Edta)]·(H 2O) ( 5), and [Cd(trzS) 2] ( 6). In these materials, owing to the effective inducement of inorganic or organic anions, coordination versatility of the HtrzSH ligand manifests as many as six bridging modes (type A− F), and five of them (type B− F) are first reported. The structure of complex 1is a one-dimensional chain constructed from the neutral monodentate and bidentate H 2trzS ligand (type A− B), whereas two-dimensional complexes 2− 3and the three-dimensional complex 4possess the deprotonated tridentate to quadridentate HtrzS ligands (type C− E). Zero-dimensional complex 5and peristyle-like three-dimensional complex 6are synthesized by means of organic anions, and in the latter complex a bideprotonated quadridentate trzS ligand is presented (type F). All complexes exhibit strong photoluminescence with fluorescent emissions varying from blue to orange in the solid state. Some structure related red or blue emission shifts compared to the free ligand are studied, as well as several advantageous structural factors to obtain longer fluorescence lifetime. X-ray powder diffraction and thermal studies are used to investigate the bulk properties of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine members of a new anions-controlled Cd(II)-guanazole (3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole = Hdatrz) hybrid family, that is, [Cd3(datrz)6(H2O)2] (1), [Cd3(datrz)4F2] (2), [Cd5(datrz)4Cl4(OH)2] (3), [Cd5(datrz)4Br4(OH)2] (4), [Cd3(datrz)2-(SO3)2] · (H2O) (5), [Cd3(datrz)2(O2CMe)4] (6), [Cd(datrz)(O2CEt)] (7), [Cd(Hdatrz)(O2CtBu)2] (8), and [Cd(Hdatrz)2-(H2Edta)] (9) have been synthesized by exploiting hydrothermal reactions of guanazole with suitable cadmium salts under appropriate reaction conditions. With effective control of inorganic or organic anions, the coordination diversity of the guanazole ligand in 1-9 manifests an unprecedented enrichment with five bridging modes varying from bidentate to quadridentate, two of which are first reported. Compound 1 is the first reported three-dimensional chiral complex constructed from the guanazole ligand which adopts a novel N1, N2, amino N-bridging mode. Halogen anions F-, Cl-, and Br- controlled compounds 2-4 are all three-dimensional, with their guanazole ligands possessing another novel quadridentate bridging mode. Sulfite anions controlled compound 5 displays a three-dimensional network with peculiar cage-like hexnuclear cadmium clusters. As for organic anions, low dimensional structures have been found for alkylcarboxylate anions MeCO2-, EtCO2-, and tBuCO2- controlled compounds 6, 7, and 8 (two-dimensional) and for H2Edta2- controlled compound 9 (zero- dimensional), and their guanazole ligands manifest low coordination numbers as well. These hybrid materials also present interesting structure-induced physical properties. The chiral compound 1 exhibits the second-order nonlinear optical properties at room temperature. Compounds 2-9 except 6 all exhibit photoluminescence of blue fluorescent emissions in the solid state at ambient temperature, which may be assigned to the intraligand π-π* transitions. Some structure related red or blue emission shifts have been investigated. Thermal studies show that most compounds of this study possess a high thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teleportation of quantum gates using partially entangled states is considered. Different from the known probability schemes, we propose and study a method for teleporting a prototypical single-qubit rotation on a remote receiver with unit fidelity and unit probability by using two partially entangled pairs. The method is applicable to any two partially entangled pairs satisfying the condition that their smaller Schmidt coefficients γ and η are (2γ+2η-2γη-1)≥0. In our scheme, the sender's local generalized measurement described by a positive operator-valued measurement (POVM) lies at the heart. We construct the required POVM. The fact that the controlled teleportation of single-qubit rotation could be realized exactly using two partially entangled pairs is also notable. A sender could teleport a rotation on a remote receiver, an arbitrary one of the two receivers, via the control of the other in a network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The locational marginal pricing (LMP) methodology has become the dominant approach in power markets. Moreover, the dc optimal power flow (DCOPF) model has been applied in the power industry to calculate locational marginal prices (LMPs), especially in market simulation and planning owing to its robustness and speed. In this paper, first, an iterative DCOPF-based algorithm is presented with the fictitious nodal demand (FND) model to calculate LMP. The algorithm has three features: the iterative approach is employed to address the nonlinear marginal loss; FND is proposed to eliminate the large mismatch at the reference bus if FND is not applied; and an offset of system loss in the energy balance equation is proved to be necessary because the net injection multiplied by marginal delivery factors creates doubled system loss. Second, the algorithm is compared with ACOPF algorithm for accuracy of LMP results at various load levels using the PJM 5-bus system. It is clearly shown that the FND algorithm is a good estimate of the LMP calculated from the ACOPF algorithm and outperforms the lossless DCOPF algorithm. Third, the DCOPF-based algorithm is employed to analyze the sensitivity of LMP with respect to the system load. The infinite sensitivity or step change in LMP is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescent acentric and homochiral coordination compounds, which possess new topological networks, multiple helical structures and NLO properties, have been generated through the control of a versatile asymmetric ligand as well as inorganic anions, and this suggests a new protocol for preparing acentric and chiral materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine beta defensin 2 (pBD2) is a cationic antimicrobial peptide with broad spectrum antibacterial activity, which makes it a potential alternative to antibiotics to prevent and cure diseases of pigs. However, development of pBD2 as an effective antibiotic agent requires molecular understanding of its functional mechanism against pathogens. In this study, we investigated the functional mechanism of pBD2 antibacterial activity. Escherichia coli was incubated with different pBD2 concentrations for different times. Electron microscopy was used to analyze the locations of pBD2 and its induced morphological changes in E. coli. Gene expression analysis was also performed to further understand the molecular changes of E. coli in response to pBD2 incubation. The results demonstrated that E. coli membranes were broken, holed, and wrinkled after treatment with pBD2, and pBD2 was located on the cell membranes and manly in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, 38 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected, successfully sequenced and confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Most of the known functional DEGs were associated with DNA transcription and translation and located in the cytoplasm. Collectively, the results suggest that pBD2 could have multiple modes of action and the main mechanism for killing E. coli might be influence on DNA transcription and translation by targeting intracellular molecules after membrane damage, although transport and metabolism proteins were also affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sb2S3 is rapidly developed as light absorber material for solar cells due to its excellent photoelectric properties. However, the use of the organic hole transport layer of Spiro‐OMeTAD and gold (Au) in Sb2S3 solar cells imposes serious problems in stability and cost. In this work, low‐cost molybdenum (Mo) prepared by magnetron sputtering is demonstrated to serve as a back electrode in superstrate structured Sb2S3 solar cells for the first time. And a multifunctional layer of Se is inserted between Sb2S3/Mo interface by evaporation, which plays vital roles as: i) soft loading of high‐energy Mo particles with the help of cottonlike‐Se layer; ii) formation of surficial Sb2Se3 on Sb2S3 layer, and then reducing hole transportation barrier. To further alleviate the roll‐over effect, a pre‐selenide Mo target and consequentially form a MoSe2 is skillfully sputtered, which is expected to manipulate the band alignment and render an enhanced holes extraction. Impressively, the device with an optimized Mo electrode achieves an efficiency of 5.1%, which is one of the highest values among non‐noble metal electrode based Sb2S3 solar cells. This work sheds light on the potential development of low‐cost metal electrodes for superstrate Sb2S3 devices by carefully designing the back contact interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]