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For a ∈ C ⁎ there are two natural evaluation maps ev a and ev a from the affine Hecke algebra H ▵ (r) C to the Hecke algebra H (r) C. The maps ev a and ev a induce evaluation maps ev ˜ a and ev ˜ a from the affine quantum Schur algebra S ▵ (n , r) C to the quantum Schur algebra S (n , r) C , respectively. In this paper we prove that the evaluation map ev ˜ a (resp. ev ˜ a) is compatible with the evaluation map Ev a (resp. Ev (− 1) n a q n ) for quantum affine sl n. Furthermore we compute the Drinfeld polynomials associated with the simple S ▵ (n , r) C -modules which come from the simple S (n , r) C -modules via the evaluation maps ev ˜ a. Then we characterize finite-dimensional irreducible S ▵ (n , r) C -modules which are irreducible as S (n , r) C -modules for n > r. As an application, we characterize finite-dimensional irreducible modules for the affine Hecke algebra H ▵ (r) C which are irreducible as modules for the Hecke algebra H (r) C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generalized multiple-prize nested lottery contest framework has been broadly applied to model noisy competitions that award prizes to multiple recipients. Equilibrium existence was not formally established until the recent contribution of Fu et al. (2022). This paper comprehensively examines the equilibrium uniqueness of this contest model. We first consider a multi-prize contest with identical players, a scenario that is commonly assumed in the literature. We verify that a symmetric equilibrium exists and that the equilibrium is unique, which lays a foundation for the numerous studies that adopt this model setting. We then proceed to an asymmetric setting in which players may differ in their prize valuations, impact functions, and/or cost functions. We show that the equilibrium uniqueness persists when players are weakly heterogeneous. However, equilibrium uniqueness may fail—and multiple equilibria may arise—when players are sufficiently heterogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) play vital regulatory roles in various biological processes. Intestine is one of the most sensitive organs to environmental and homeostatic disruptions for fish. However, systematic profiles of lncRNAs in the intestine of teleost in responses to pathogen infections is still limited. Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.), an important commercial fish species in China, has been suffering with Vibrio anguillarum infection, resulted in dramatic economic loss. Hereinto, the intestinal tissues of turbot were sampled at 0 h, 2 h, 12 h, and 48 h following V. anguillarum infection. The histopathological analysis revealed that the pathological trauma was mainly present in intestinal tunica mucosal epithelium. After high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analysis, a total of 9722 lncRNAs and 21,194 mRNAs were obtained, and the average length and exon number of lncRNAs were both less than those of mRNAs. Among which, a set of 158 lncRNAs and 226 mRNAs were differentially expressed (DE-lncRNAs and DEGs) in turbot intestine at three time points, related to many immune-related genes such as complement, interleukin, chemokine, lysosome, and macrophage, indicating their potential critical roles in immune responses. In addition, 2803 and 1803 GO terms were enriched for DEGs and co-expressed target genes of DE-lncRNAs, respectively. Moreover, 127 and 50 KEGG pathways including cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), phagosome, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and intestinal immune network for IgA production, were enriched for DEGs and co-expressed target genes of DE-lncRNAs, respectively. Finally, qRT-PCR was conducted to confirm the reliability of sequencing data. The present study will set the foundation for the future exploration of lncRNA functions in teleost in response to bacterial infection. • Intestine tissues of turbot were sampled at different time points following V. anguillarum infection. • The pathological trauma was mainly present in intestinal tunica mucosal epithelium. • A total of 158 lncRNAs and 226 mRNAs were differentially expressed, many of which were involved in immune activities. • qRT-PCR was conducted to confirm the reliability of sequencing data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) is an important cold-water economic fish. However, the production and development of turbot industry has been constantly hindered by the frequent occurrence of some diseases. Lacking full-length transcriptome for turbot limits immune gene discoveries and gene structures analysis. Therefore, we generated a full-length transcriptome using mixed immune-related tissues of turbot with PacBio Sequel platform. In this study, a total of 31.7 Gb high quality data were generated with the average subreads length of 2618 bp. According to the presence of 5′ and 3′ primers as well as poly (A) tails, FL (Full-length) and NFL (Non-full-length) isoforms were obtained. Meanwhile, we identified 32,003 non-redundant transcripts, 76.02% of which was novel isoforms of known genes. In addition, 12,176 alternative splicing (AS) events, 6614 polyadenylation (APA) events, 1905 transcription factors, and 2703 lncRNAs were identified. This work is a comprehensive report on the full-length transcriptome of immune-related tissues of turbot, and it also provides valuable molecular resources for future research on the adaptation mechanisms and functional genomics of turbot. • Full-length transcriptome of turbot was generated using SMRT Sequencing technology. • The FL transcriptome comprised 32,003 non-redundant transcripts. • 12,176 AS events, 6614 APA events, 2703 lncRNAs, and 1905 TFs were identified. • Novel genes related to immunity from novel genes and unmapped transcripts were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines are a superfamily of structurally related cytokines, which exert essential roles in guiding cell migration in development, homeostasis, and immunity. CC and CXC chemokines are the two major subfamilies in teleost species. In this study, a total of seventeen CC and CXC chemokines, with inclusion of twelve CC and five CXC chemokines, were systematically identified from the turbot genome, making turbot the teleost harboring the least number of CC and CXC chemokines among all teleost species ever reported. Phylogeny, synteny, and genomic organization analyses were performed to annotate these genes, and multiple chemokine genes were identified in the turbot genome, due to the tandem duplications (CCL19 and CCL20), the whole genome duplications (CCL20, CCL25, and CXCL12), and the teleost-specific members (CCL34-36, CCL44, and CXCL18). In addition, chemokines were ubiquitously expressed in nine examined healthy tissues, with high expression levels observed in liver, gill, and spleen. Moreover, most chemokines were significantly differentially expressed in gill and spleen after Aeromonas salmonicida infection, and exhibited tissue-specific and time-dependent manner. Finally, protein-protein interaction network (PPI) analysis indicated that turbot chemokines interacted with a few immune-related genes such as interleukins, cathepsins, stats, and TLRs. These results should be valuable for comparative immunological studies and provide insights for further functional characterization of chemokines in teleost. • Twelve CCLs and five CXCLs were characterized in turbot genome. • Gene duplications and teleost-specific members of chemokines were observed in turbot genome. • Turbot chemokines were ubiquitously expressed, with high expression levels in liver, gill, and spleen. • Most turbot chemokines were differentially expressed in spleen and gill after Aeromonas salmonicida infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atlantic salmon is one of the most famous and economically important fish species globally. However, bacterial diseases constantly constrain salmon aquaculture. Thereinto, Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida (ASM), classified as atypical A. salmonicida , caused huge losses to salmonid industry in China. In this regard, we conducted transcriptome analysis in Atlantic salmon head kidney following the administration of ASM vaccination to reveal genes, their expression patterns, and pathways involved in immune responses. A total of 448.71 million clean reads were obtained, and 397.69 million reads were mapped onto the Atlantic salmon reference genome. In addition, 117, 1891, 741, 207, and 377 genes were significantly up-regulated, and 183, 1920, 695, 83, and 539 genes were significantly down-regulated post ASM vaccination at 12 h, 24 h, 1 m, 2 m, and 3 m, respectively. Furthermore, KEGG pathway analysis revealed that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) following ASM vaccination were involved in cell adhesion molecules (H2-Aa-l and CD28-l),cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction (IL10 , CXCL9 , CXCL11 , CXCR3 , and CCL19), herpes simplex infection (IL1B , SOCS3-l , and C3-l), HTLV-I infection (Il1r2 and BCL2L1), influenza A (CXCL8 and Il12b) , and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (PIK3R3-l and Ddit4-l). Finally, the results of qRT-PCR showed a significant correlation with RNA-Seq results, suggesting the reliability of RNA-Seq for gene expression analysis. This study sets the foundation for further study on the vaccine protective mechanism in Atlantic salmon as well as other teleost species. • RNA-seq was conducted to reveal the immune responses in Atlantic salmon head kidney following the administration of vaccine. • A total of 300, 3811, 1436, 290, and 916 genes were differentially expressed following vaccination at 12 h, 24 h, 1 m, 2 m, and 3 m, respectively. • Many DEGs were involved in immune-related pathways such as Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. • The results of RT-qPCR showed a significant correlation with RNA-Seq results, suggesting the reliability of RNA-Seq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a multi-player lottery contest in which heterogeneous contestants exhibit reference-dependent loss aversion à la Kőszegi and Rabin (2006, 2007). We verify the existence and uniqueness of pure-strategy choice-acclimating personal Nash equilibrium (CPNE) under moderate loss aversion and fully characterize the equilibrium. The equilibrium sharply contrasts with that in the two-player risk-neutral symmetric case. Loss aversion can lead contestants' individual efforts to change nonmonotonically, while the total effort strictly decreases. Further, it always leads to a more elitist distributional outcome, in the sense that a smaller set of contestants remain active in the competition and stronger contestants' equilibrium winning probabilities increase. We demonstrate that loss aversion generates a fundamentally different decision problem than risk aversion and develop a rationale that explains the contrasting predictions from the two frameworks. Finally, our results are robust under the alternative equilibrium concept of preferred personal Nash equilibrium (PPNE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies a multi-prize imperfectly discriminatory contest with symmetric risk-averse contestants. Adopting a multi-winner nested Tullock contest model, we first establish the existence and uniqueness of a symmetric pure-strategy equilibrium under plausible conditions. We then investigate the optimal prize allocation in the contest. Our analysis provides a formal account of the incentive effects triggered by a variation in the prevailing prize structure when contestants are risk averse. We demonstrate that contestants' incentive subtly depends not only on the degree of a contestant's risk aversion but also that of his prudence. The former affects the marginal benefit of effort, while the latter affects the marginal cost. We derive sufficient conditions under which a single-(multi-)prize contest would be optimal when the contest designer aims to maximize total effort. We also discuss in depth the roles played by risk aversion and prudence in optimal prize allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathepsins, a superfamily of hydrolytic enzymes produced and enclosed within lysosomes, play multiple roles at physiological and pathological states. Cathepsin S is a lysosomal cysteine endopeptidase of the papain family, and exerts critical roles in the regulation of MHC class II immune responses. In the present study, we captured two Cathepsin S genes in turbot (Sm CTSS1 and Sm CTSS2.1), characterized their expression patterns following V. anguillarum and S. iniae infections, and explored their binding ability and agglutination capability. Firstly, the Sm CTSS1 contained a 990 bp ORF encoding 329 amino acids, while Sm CTSS2.1 contained a 1,014 bp ORF encoding 337 amino acids. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that both genes showed the closest relationship to their counterparts of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). In addition, both genes were ubiquitously expressed in all examined healthy tissues, with the highest expression level observed in spleen and intestine, respectively, while the lowest expression level both observed in liver. Both Sm CTSS1 and Sm CTSS2.1 were significantly differentially expressed, and exhibited general down-regulations at most time points in skin and intestine after two bacterial infections. Finally, both r Sm CTSS1 and r Sm CTSS2.1 showed significant binding ability to three examined microbial ligands (LPS, PGN and LTA), and strong agglutination effect to different bacteria (E. tarda , S. agalactiae , S. aureus and V. anguillarum). Collectively, this study provided valuable data for understanding the roles of CTSS in the host defense against bacterial infections in turbot, and indicated the potential vital roles of CTSS in innate immune responses of teleost species. • Two cathepsin S genes were characterized from turbot (Sm CTSS). • The Sm CTSS genes were both ubiquitously expressed in turbot tissues. • The Sm CTSS genes were generally down-regulated following V. anguillarum and S. iniae infections. • The Sm CTSS genes showed strong binding ability to LPS, PGN and LTA. • The Sm CTSS genes exhibited strong agglutination capability with E. tarda, S. agalactiae, S. aureus and V. anguillarum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let U ˜ Z ( gl ˆ n) be the Garland integral form of U ( gl ˆ n) introduced by Garland [19] , where U ( gl ˆ n) is the universal enveloping algebra of gl ˆ n. Using Ringel–Hall algebras, a certain integral form U Z ( gl ˆ n) of U ( gl ˆ n) was constructed in [15]. We prove that the Garland integral form U ˜ Z ( gl ˆ n) coincides with U Z ( gl ˆ n). Let k be a commutative ring with unity and let U k ( gl ˆ n) = U Z ( gl ˆ n) ⊗ k. For h ⩾ 1 , we use Ringel–Hall algebras to construct a certain subalgebra, denoted by u ▵ (n) h , of U k ( gl ˆ n). We refer to u ▵ (n) h as the h th Frobenius kernel associated with gl ˆ n. The first Frobenius kernel associated with quantum gl n was realized by Beilinson–Lusztig–MacPherson [1, §6]. We will give a realization of the h th Frobenius kernel u ▵ (n) h associated with gl ˆ n for each h ⩾ 1. The infinitesimal and little Schur algebras are certain subalgebras of Schur algebras, which are closely related to the Frobenius kernel associated with gl n. We will investigate the affine version of infinitesimal and little Schur algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to inhalable environmental particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or smaller (PM 2.5) is associated with decreased or impaired kidney function, but the underlying biological mechanisms are not fully understood. Gut microbiota is an emerging key player in the homeostasis regulation of the gut-kidney axis. Few studies have investigated its role in PM 2.5 exposure-induced gut-kidney axis homeostasis abnormalities. In this study, a versatile aerosol concentration enrichment system for medium- to long-term whole-body exposure was used to expose Sprague-Dawley rats to filtered air (FA) or concentrated ambient PM 2.5 for 12 weeks. A correlation analysis of renal impairment and the intestinal microbiome was performed. The urine flow rate calculation and renal function analysis showed that PM 2.5 exposure significantly impaired renal function and increased the urine flow rate. The fecal microbiota analysis showed that renal impairment and increased urine flow rates were consistent with the reduced estimates of the fecal bacteria Chao1, observed-species, Shannon, and Simpson (richness and diversity indices). Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the estimated bacterial richness and diversity were correlated with the urine flow rate and renal function. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed differences between animals exposed to PM 2.5 and FA in 25 bacterial groups. Further correlation of a single bacterial taxon with the urine flow rate and renal function showed that the relative abundances of 30, 29, 21, and 50 distinct bacterial groups were significantly correlated with the urine flow rate, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), serum cystatin C (CysC), and beta-2 microglobulin (β2-MG), respectively. Subchronic exposure to PM 2.5 can cause intestinal ecological disorders, which may, in turn, lead to decreased kidney function or the development of impaired kidney function. [Display omitted] • PM2.5 exposure significantly impaired the renal function in rats. • Diversity of gut microbiota in rats were correlated with renal function. • 25 bacterial groups that differed between rats exposed to PM2.5 and FA were observed. • PM2.5 subchronic exposure result in gut disorders and decreased kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trophic transfer of cyclic methyl siloxanes (CMS) in aquatic ecosystems is an important criterion for assessing its environmental risks. This study researched the trophic transfer of four CMS (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D 4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D 5), dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D 6), and tetradecamethylcycloheptasiloxane (D 7)) in marine food web from zooplankton up to seabirds in the Chinese Bohai Sea. In the zooplankton-invertebrate-fish-seabird based food web, the significant trophic magnifications were found for D 4 to D 6 (D 4 : R2 = 0.040, p < 0.05, D 5 : R2 = 0.26, p < 0.0001, D 6 : R2 = 0.071, p < 0.001), and the significant trophic dilution was found for D 7 (R2 = 0.026 and p < 0.05). The trophic magnification factors (TMF) for D 4 to D 7 were 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.1–2.6), 3.5 (2.5–5.0), 1.8 (1.3–2.6), and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.40–0.99) respectively. In the zooplankton-invertebrate-fish based food web, both significant trophic magnification for D 5 (R2 = 0.16, p < 0.0001, TMF = 3.0) and significant trophic dilution for D 7 (R2 = 0.073, p < 0.01, TMF = 0.4) were found, but for D 4 and D 6 , the trophic magnifications were not significant (D 4 : R2 = 0.010, p = 0.23, D 6 : R2 = 0.010, p = 0.23). The trophic transfer of the legacy contaminant BDE-47 and BDE-99 were also conducted as the benchmark chemicals and significant positive correlation was found. As far as we know, this is the first research on the trophic transfer of CMS in the zooplankton-invertebrate-fish-bird food chain which provided new insight of these compounds in the area. • Trophic transfer of cVMS was assessed in marine food web from Bohai Sea, China. • Trophic magnifications for D 4 to D 6 and trophic dilution for D 7 was found. • Trophic magnifications of D 4 and D 6 were affected by food web configuration. • TMF values of D 4 to D 7 show a trend of rising first and then falling against K OW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The rise of civic engagement in the era of urban transformation deserves attention. • This study is based on data from 39 urban neighbourhoods in Guangzhou, China. • Social-capital and community-psychology approaches to activism are synthesized. • The neighborhood effect is differentiated by specific forms of civic engagement. • Both spatial and social embeddedness of neighborhood activism should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play vital regulatory roles in various biological processes, including in immune responses. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is an important commercial fish species in China. To identify immune-related miRNAs of O. niloticus , 4 libraries from liver during S. agalactiae infection (0 h, 5 h, 50 h, and 7 d) were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing technology in tilapia. We obtained 10,703,531, 11,507,163, 11,180,179 and 13,408,414 clean reads per library, respectively. In our results, a total of 482 miRNAs were identified through bioinformatic analysis, including 220 conserved miRNAs and 262 putative novel miRNAs. Moreover, 21 (4.36%), 50 (10.37%), and 46 (9.54%) miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed at 5 h, 50 h and 7 d, respectively. In addition, 6939 target genes regulated by these differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted, and their functional annotations were predicted by Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, which revealed that a majority of differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in apoptotic process, metabolic process, and immune responses. Finally, Real-time quantitative PCR experiments were performed for 7 miRNAs by stem-loop RT-PCR, and a general agreement was confirmed between the sequencing and RT-qPCR data. To our understanding, this is the first report of comprehensive identification of O. niloticus miRNAs being differentially regulated in liver related to S. agalactiae infection. This work provides an opportunity for further understanding of the molecular mechanisms of miRNA regulation in O. niloticus host–pathogen interactions, and genetic resources for molecular assistant selection for disease resistant breeding program. Highlights • A total of 482 miRNAs were identified in tilapia, including 220 conserved miRNAs and 262 putative novel miRNAs. • 21, 50, and 46 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed at 5 h, 50 h and 7 d post infection, respectively. • A majority of differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in apoptotic process and immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) causes a wide variety of infections in many species. CD44 is a transmembrane adhesion molecule, expressed by various cell types, which has been implicated in several infection processes. The aim of this study was to examine the role of CD44 in S. zooepidemicus adherence to LA-4 cells (mouse lung adenoma). Dose-dependent adhesion with LA-4 may be effectively studied by flow cytometry. Adherence of S. zooepidemicus is reduced after treatment of cells with anti-CD44 antibody. Treatment of S. zooepidemicus with recombinant CD44 significantly reduced bacteria adherence. In addition, CD44 can directly bind to wild-type S. zooepidemicus , while the binding was decreased in the capsule deletion isogenic mutant. These data suggest that CD44 facilitates adherence of S. zooepidemicus to LA-4 cells. Highlights • Adherence of S. zooepidemicus is reduced after treatment of cells with CD44 antibody. • Treatment of S. zooepidemicus with recombinant CD44 significantly reduced bacteria adherence. • CD44 facilitates adherence of S. zooepidemicus to LA-4 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucosal immune system is one of the most vital components in the innate immunity and constitutes the first line of host defense against bacterial infections, especially for the teleost, which live in the pathogen-rich aquatic environment. Cathepsins, a superfamily of hydrolytic enzymes produced and enclosed within lysosomes, play multiple roles at physiological and pathological states. In this regard, we sought here to identify Cathepsin A in turbot ( Sm CTSA), characterize its mucosal expression patterns following Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae infections in mucosal tissues, and explore its binding ability with three microbial ligands for the first time. The Sm CTSA was 2631 bp long containing a 1422 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded 473 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Sm CTSA showed the closest relationship to half-smooth tongue sole ( Cynoglossus semilaevis ). In addition, Sm CTSA was ubiquitously expressed in all examined healthy tissues, with high expression levels in head kidney (HK) and intestine, while the lowest expression level in blood. Moreover, Sm CTSA was significantly differentially expressed at least two timepoints in each mucosal tissue, suggesting its potential important roles in innate immune responses of turbot. Finally, in vitro assays showed that recombinant Sm CTSA bound Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with high affinity, and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan (PGN) with relatively low affinity. This study provides valuable data for understanding the roles of ctsa in the host defense against bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The locality of locally repairable codes (LRCs) for a distributed storage system is the number of nodes that participate in the repair of failed nodes, which characterizes the repair cost. In this paper, we first determine the locality of MacDonald codes, then propose three constructions of LRCs with r = 1 , 2 and 3 . Based on these results, for 2 ≤ k ≤ 7 and n ≥ k + 2 , we give an optimal linear [ n , k , d ] code with small locality. The distance optimality of these linear codes can be judged by the codetable of M. Grassl for n < 2 ( 2 k − 1 ) and by the Griesmer bound for n ≥ 2 ( 2 k − 1 ) . Almost all the [ n , k , d ] codes ( 2 ≤ k ≤ 7 ) have locality r ≤ 3 except for the three codes, and most of the [ n , k , d ] code with n < 2 ( 2 k − 1 ) achieves the Cadambe–Mazumdar bound for LRCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathepsin F (CTSF) is a recently described papain-like cysteine protease and unique among cathepsins due to an elongated N-terminal pro-region, which contains a cystatin domain. CTSF likely plays a regulatory role in processing the invariant chain which is associated with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II. In this regard, we identified the CTSF gene of turbot as well as its protein structure, phylogenetic relationships, and expression patterns in mucosal tissues following Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae challenge. We also determined the expression patterns of CTSF in mucosal tissues after vaccinated with the formalin-inactivated V. vulnificus whole-cell vaccine. Briefly, turbot CTSF gene showed the closest relationship with that of Paralichthys olivaceus in phylogenetic analysis. And CTSF was ubiquitously expressed in all tested tissues with the highest expression level in gill. In addition, CTSF gene showed different expression patterns following different bacterial challenge. The significant quick regulation of CTSF in mucosal surfaces against infection indicated its roles in mucosal immunity. Functional studies should further characterize avail utilization of CTSF function to increase the disease resistance of turbot in maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barriers against infection and to facilitate selection of the disease resistant family/strain in turbot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innate immune system is the primary defense mechanism against pathogen infection in teleost, which are living in pathogen-rich aquatic environment. It has been long hypothesized that the disease resistance in teleost are strongly correlated to the activities of innate immune genes. Tilapia is an important economical fish around the world, especially in China, where the production accounts for nearly half of the global production. Recently, S. agalactiae has become one of the most serious bacterial diseases in southern China, resulted in high cumulative mortality and economic loss to tilapia industry. Therefore, we sought here to characterize the expression profiles of tilapia against S. agalactiae infection at whole transcriptome level by RNA-seq technology. A total of 2822 genes were revealed significantly expressed in tilapia spleen with a general trend of induction. Notably, most of the genes were rapidly the most induced at the early timepoint. The significantly changed genes highlighted the function of pathogen attachment and recognition, antioxidant/apoptosis, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and immune activation. Collectively, the induced expression patterns suggested the strong ability of tilapia to rapidly recognize the invasive bacteria, and activation of downstream immune signaling pathways to clear the bacteria and prevent the tissue damage and bacteria triggered cell apoptosis. Our results heighted important roles of novel candidate genes which were often missed in previous tilapia studies. Further studies are needed to characterize the molecular relationships between key immune genes and disease resistance, and to identify the candidate genes for molecular-assistant selection of disease-resistant broodstock and evaluation of disease prevention and treatment measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemokines are a superfamily of structurally related chemotactic cytokines exerting significant roles in regulating cell migration and activation. They are defined by the presence of four conserved cysteine residues and are divided into four subfamilies depending on the arrangement of the first two conserved cysteines residues: CXC, CC, C and CX3C. In this study, a complete set of 17 CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL) genes was systematically identified and characterized from channel catfish genome through data mining of existing genomic resources. Phylogenetic analysis allowed annotation of the 17 CXC chemokines. Extensive comparative genomic analyses supported their annotations and orthologies, revealing the existence of fish-specific CXC chemokines and the expansion of CXC chemokines in the teleost genomes. The analysis of gene expression after bacterial infection indicated the CXC chemokines were expressed in a gene-specific manner. CXCL11.3 and CXCL20.3 were expressed significantly higher in resistant fish than in susceptible fish after ESC infection, while CXCL20.2 were expressed significantly higher in resistant fish than in susceptible fish after columnaris infection. The expression of those CXC chemokines, therefore can be a useful indicator of disease resistance. A similar pattern of expression was observed between resistant and susceptible fish with biotic and abiotic stresses, ESC, columnaris and hypoxia, suggesting that high levels of expression of the majority of CXC chemokines, with exception of CXC11 and CXC20, are detrimental to the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mucosal surfaces constitute the first immune barrier of host defense and also serve as the dynamic interfaces that simultaneously mediate a diverse array of critical physiological processes. It has been long hypothesized that observed difference of disease resistance among different fish strains and species are strongly correlated to the activities of the immune actors in mucosal surfaces. Particularly, neuronal NOS (nNOS or NOS1) is a constitutively expressed gene that catalyzes the oxidation of l -arginine and water to nitric oxide (NO), which is known as a potent host defence effector in immune system with antimicrobial activity. Moreover, NOS1 was detected to be expressed in fish mucosal surfaces, but its activities in mucosal immune responses were always overlooked. In this regard, we identified the NOS1 of turbot and characterized its expression patterns in mucosal tissues following Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae challenge. The results showed that the NOS1 gene had a 4389 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded 1462 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed the turbot NOS1 had the strongest relationship to Larimichthys crocea . And the syntenic analysis revealed the similar neighboring genes associated with turbot NOS1, compared with other teleost and mammals. In addition, NOS1 was widely expressed in all examined tissues with the highest expression level in brain, followed by intestine and gill. Finally, the NOS1 showed a general trend of up-regulation in mucosal tissues following both bacterial challenge, with the highest up-regulation in intestine. The significant quick induction of NOS1 in mucosal surfaces against infection indicated its key roles to prevent pathogen attachment and entry in mucosal immunity. More functional studies are needed to conduct in teleost to better understand the roles of NOS1 in maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barriers against infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mucosal surfaces constitute the first line of host defense against infection, and also serve as the dynamic interfaces that simultaneously mediate a diverse array of critical physiological processes, while in constantly contact with a wide range of pathogens. The lysozymes are considered as key components for innate immune response to pathogen infection with their strong antibacterial activities. But their activities in mucosal immune responses were always overlooked, especially for g-type lysozymes, whose expression patterns in mucosal tissues following bacterial challenge are still limited. Towards to this end, here, we characterized the g-type lysozymes, Lyg1 and Lyg2 in turbot, and determined their expression patterns in mucosal barriers following different bacterial infection. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the turbot g-type lysozyme genes showed the closest relationship to Cynoglossus semilaevis . The two lysozyme genes showed different expression patterns following challenge. Lyg2 was significantly up-regulated in mucosal tissues following Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae challenge, while Lyg1 showed a general trend of down-regulation. The significant mucosal expression signatures of g-type lysozyme genes indicated their key roles to prevent pathogen attachment and entry in the first line of host defense system. Further functional studies should be carried out to better characterize the availability of utilization of g-type lysozyme to increase the disease resistance in the mucosal surfaces and facilitate the disease resistant breeding selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septins are an evolutionarily conserved family of GTP-binding proteins. They are involved in diverse processes including cytokinesis, apoptosis, infection, neurodegeneration and neoplasia. In this study, through thorough data mining of existed channel catfish genomic resources, we identified a complete set of 15 septin genes. Septins were classified into four subgroups according to phylogenetic analysis. Extensive comparative genomic analysis, including domain and syntenic analysis, supported their annotation and orthologies. The expression patterns of septins in channel catfish were examined in healthy tissues and after infection with two major bacterial pathogens, Edwardsiella ictaluri and Flavobacterium columnare . In healthy channel catfish, most septin genes were ubiquitously expressed and presented diversity patterns in various tissues, especially mucosal tissues, proposing the significant roles septin genes may play in maintaining homeostasis and host immune response activities. After bacterial infections, most septin genes were regulated, but opposite direction in expression profiles were found with the two bacterial pathogens: the differentially expressed septin genes were down-regulated in the intestine after E. ictaluri infection while generally up-regulated in the gill after F. columnare infection, suggesting a pathogen-specific and tissue-specific pattern of regulation. Taken together, these results suggested that septin genes may play complex and important roles in the host immune responses to bacterial pathogens in channel catfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the impact of progress feedback on players' performance in multi-contest team tournaments, in which team members' efforts are not directly substitutable. In particular, we employ a real-effort laboratory experiment to understand, in a best-of-three tournament, how players' strategic mindsets change when they compete on a team compared to when they compete individually. Our data corroborate the theoretical predictions for teams: Neither a lead nor a lag in the first component contest affects a team's performance in the subsequent contests. In individual tournaments, however, contrary to the theoretical prediction, we observe that leaders perform worse—but laggards perform better—after learning the outcome of the first contest. Our findings offer the first empirical evidence from a controlled laboratory of the impact of progress feedback between team and individual tournaments, and contribute new insights on team incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum loop algebra of gl n is the affine analogue of quantum gl n . In the seminal work [1] , Beilinson–Lusztig–MacPherson gave a beautiful realisation for quantum gl n via a geometric setting of quantum Schur algebras. More precisely, they used quantum Schur algebras to construct a certain algebra U in [1, 5.4] and proved in [1, 5.7] that U is isomorphic to quantum gl n . We will present in this paper a full generalisation of BLM's realisation to the affine case. Though the realisation of the quantum loop algebra of gl n is motivated by the work [1] for quantum gl n , our approach is purely algebraic and combinatorial, independent of the geometric method for quantum gl n . As an application, we discover a presentation of the Ringel–Hall algebra of a cyclic quiver by semisimple generators and their multiplications by the defining basis elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A computer-supported recursive construction for large caps in projective space P G ( r , 4 ) is presented. Using this recursive construction, we construct a 2136-cap in P G ( 8 , 4 ) , a 5124-cap in P G ( 9 , 4 ) , a 15840-cap in P G ( 10 , 4 ) , a 36084-cap in P G ( 11 , 4 ) and a 95256-cap in P G ( 12 , 4 ) . The first four caps are larger than the known largest 2110-cap, 5040-cap, 15423-cap and 34566-cap respectively. Then we propose a fast algorithm for checking completeness of a cap based on a bijective map φ between points in P G ( r , 4 ) and a subset I of the positive integer set N . Completeness of the new caps is checked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on data from the 2005 National Population Sample Survey and compiled covariates of 205 prefectures, this research adopted principal-component and multilevel-logistic analyses to study homeownership in urban China. Although the housing reform has severed the link between work units and residence, working in state sectors (government, state-owned enterprises and collective firms) remained significant in determining a household’s entitlement to reform-era housing with heavy subsidies or better qualities. While the prefecture-level index of marketization reduced local homeownership of self-built housing, affordable housing and privatized housing, its effect is moderated by cross-level interactions with income, education and working in state sectors across different types of housing. Meanwhile, the index of political and market connections promoted all types of homeownership except for self-built housing. By situating the downside of marketization within a context of urban transformation, this research not only challenges the teleological premise of the neoliberal market transition theory but calls for research on institutional dynamics and social consequences of urban transformation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affine quantum Schur algebra is a certain important infinite dimensional algebra whose representation theory is closely related to that of quantum affine gl n . Finite dimensional irreducible modules for the affine quantum Schur algebra S ▵ ( n , r ) v were classified in [15] , where v ∈ C ⁎ is not a root of unity. We will classify blocks of the affine quantum Schur algebra S ▵ ( n , r ) v in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is an evolutionarily conserved control process that maintains cellular homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. Autophagy principally serves an adaptive role to degrade dysfunctional proteins and to clean damaged organelles in response to pathogenic, viral, or microbial infection, nutrient deprivation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In previous study, we showed bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) NADL infection induced autophagy and significantly elevated the expression levels of autophagy-related genes, Beclin1 and ATG14, at 12 h post-infection in MDBK cells. However, the specific mechanisms involved in controlling autophagic activity remain unclear. Here, we investigate the effects of BVDV NADL envelope glycoproteins overexpression on inducing autophagy. The results show that viral envelope glycoproteins E rns and E2 overexpression mediated by lentivirus increase the formation of autophagosome, the percentage of GFP-LC3 puncta-positive cells and the expression levels of Beclin1 and ATG14. Whereas E1 overexpression doesn't affect autophagic activity. Collectively, these findings suggest that the viral envelope glycoproteins E rns and E2 are involved in inducing autophagy, and provide a mechanistic insight into the regulation of autophagy in viral infected cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The mRNA and protein levels of PLCε1 were significantly reduced by a targeting PLCε1 shRNA in vitro and in vivo. [•] The depression of PLCε1 protein correlated with the reduction of CCL-2 protein in gastric cancer cells. [•] The PLCε1 shRNA may be a promising molecular target candidate for gene therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We will present an elementary algebraic construction of canonical bases for modified quantum and q-Schur algebras. Furthermore, we will discuss the relation between the canonical basis of the positive part of quantum and the canonical basis of modified quantum . Finally, we will establish an explicit connection between the canonical basis of modified quantum and that of q-Schur algebras. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To explore the effects of different regulation modes on the soil structure and gas transport characteristics in seasonal permafrost regions, freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) were used as boundary conditions and three typical soils on the Songnen Plain were used: black soil, baijiang soil and meadow soil. Four treatments were established: biochar addition (B1), straw addition (S1), biochar combined with straw addition (B1S1) and an untreated control (CK). The changes in the proportion of soil water-stable aggregates, total soil porosity (TP), soil water characteristic curves (SWRCs), soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soil air permeability (PL) were analyzed. The results showed that biochar and straw influenced the structure of the three soil types. The proportions of large (2–0.5 mm) and medium (0.5–0.25 mm) aggregates increased significantly. The soil aggregate stability indexes of the treated soils were better than those of the CK, and the three-phase ratios of the treated soils were closer to ideal. The different treatments had particularly obvious effects on the black soil; the generalized soil structure index (GSSI) values reached 95.59, 94.36 and 98.74 in the B1, S1 and B1S1 treatments, respectively. An interaction effect was observed between biochar and straw. B1S1 had a stronger effect than the other treatments, and the soil water holding capacity was significantly improved (FC = 0.317 cm3 cm−3). Under the B1S1 treatment, the DOC contents in black soil, baijiang soil and meadow soil were 160.78 mg/kg, 272.828 mg/kg and 271.912 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, biochar and straw combined effectively reduced PL fluctuations under FTCs and improved the long-term stability of the soil structure. These results can aid in rational straw and biochar use to achieve comprehensive agricultural waste utilization. [Display omitted] • Explore an efficient and reasonable application method of biochar and straw. • Explore the effect of freeze-thawing cycles on soil structure. • Soil structure is the main factor affecting soil water-holding and aeration. • For different soils, not all treatments have a positive effect on soil improvement. • The effect of biochar and straw on black soil improvement is better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Let be the double Ringel–Hall algebra of the cyclic quiver and let be the modified quantum affine algebra of . We will construct an integral form for such that the natural algebra homomorphism from to the integral affine quantum Schur algebra is surjective. Furthermore, we will use Hall algebras to construct the integral form of the universal enveloping algebra of the loop algebra , and prove that the natural algebra homomorphism from to the affine Schur algebra over is surjective. In a subsequent paper (Fu [10]), we will use affine Schur algebras to give BLM realization of , and this enables us to give a new proof of the statements about given in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The removal of nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) by the freshwater green microalga Scenedesmus obliquus was studied in cultures exposed to different concentrations of NP and OP for 5 days. In most cases, low NP and OP concentrations (<1mg/L) did not affect the growth, fluorescence transient (F v /F m ), photosynthetic pigments and cell ultrastructure of S. obliquus, whereas high NP and OP concentrations (>1mg/L) suppressed algal growth, decreased F v /F m and photosynthetic pigments, and destroyed algal ultrastructure. S. obliquus had a rapid and high ability to remove NP and OP. After 5 days of culturing, >89 percent NP and >58 percent OP were removed by this alga, with the highest removal efficiency being near 100 percent. The removal of NP and OP was mainly caused by algal degradation. Extracellular NP contents of S. obliquus were lower than intracellular NP contents, with the ratios changing from 0 to 0.74. However, most of extracellular OP contents of S. obliquus were higher than intracellular OP contents, with the ratios changing from 0.74 to 2.15. The two alkylphenols exhibited a high bioconcentration potential, with one-day bioconcentration factors (BCF) of NP and OP varying between 3393 to 13262 and 949 to 3227, respectively. After 5 days of culturing, high BCF values were still recorded when NP and OP initial concentrations were higher than 0.5mg/L. These results demonstrated potential application of this algal species in the removal of organic contaminants including alkylphenols in addition to nutrients and metals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Let be the natural algebra homomorphism from the enveloping algebra of to the Schur algebra . We will present a BLM-realization of and the restricted enveloping algebra of . This result will be used to construct various bases for and little Schur algebras. Finally we will discuss the relation between the little q-Schur algebra and the little Schur algebra through the construction of a -basis for the little q-Schur algebra over . Here and is an lth primitive root of 1 with being odd. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate the structure and representations of the quantum group . We will present a realization for , following Beilinson–Lusztig–MacPherson (BLM) [A.A. Beilinson, G. Lusztig, R. MacPherson, A geometric setting for the quantum deformation of , Duke Math. J. 61 (1990) 655–677], and show that the natural algebra homomorphism from to the infinite q-Schur algebra is not surjective for any . We will give a BLM type realization for the image and discuss its presentation in terms of generators and relations. We further construct a certain completion algebra so that can be extended to an algebra epimorphism . Finally we will investigate the representation theory of , especially the polynomial representations of . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the variation in total effort expended by participants when prizes are awarded in a grand contest as opposed to a number of subcontests. When contestants are homogeneous, under a mild and plausible condition (regular contest technology), a grand contest generates more effort than any set of subcontests. When no restrictions are placed on the contest technology, the results further demonstrate an “increasing-return-to-scale” property such that each individual responds to a proportional increase in the number of contestants and the number of each prize by increasing individual effort. Therefore, when a collection of identical subcontests forms a grand contest, the total effort always increases and the grand contest leads to a higher rent-dissipation rate. Our results apply to a wide variety of competitive activities, such as high-profile sports (e.g., diving and gymnastics in the Olympic Games), the internal labor market and the “quota” system for public resource allocation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Using the result of [S.R. Doty, D.K. Nakano, K.M. Peters, Polynomial representations of Frobenius kernels of , in: Contemp. Math., vol. 194, 1996, pp. 57–67; S. König, C. Xi, When is a cellular algebra quasi-hereditary? Math. Ann. 315 (1999) 281–293], we prove that a non-semisimple infinitesimal Schur algebra is not cellular. Furthermore, we determine the structure of the endomorphism ring of tensor space as a module for the infinitesimal Schur algebra , up to Morita equivalence. Both results generalize to the quantum case. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper we give a classification of the infinitesimal q-Schur algebras which have tame representation type. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The compound Na5Li3Ti2S8 has been synthesized by the reaction of Ti with a Na/Li/S flux at 723K. Na5Li3Ti2S8 crystallizes in a new structure type with four formula units in space group C2/c of the monoclinic system. The structure contains three crystallographically independent Na+ cations and two crystallographically independent Li+ cations. Na5Li3Ti2S8 possesses a channel structure that features two-dimensional layers built from Li(1)S4 and TiS4 tetrahedra. The layers, which are stacked along c, comprise eight-membered rings and sixteen-membered rings. Na(3)+ cations are located between the eight-membered rings and Na(1)+, Na(2)+, and Li(2)+ cations are located between the sixteen-membered rings. These cations are each octahedrally coordinated by six S2− anions. The ionic conductivity σ T of Na5Li3Ti2S8 ranges from 8.8×10−6 S/cm at 303K to 3.8×10−4 S/cm at 483K. The activation energy E a is 0.40eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel phenylacetyl-CoA ligase gene, designated phlB, was cloned and identified from the penicillin producing strain Penicillium chrysogenum based on subtractive suppression hybridization approach. The phlB gene contains a 1686-bp open-reading frame and encodes a protein of approximately 62.6kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence shows about 35% identity to the characterized P. chrysogenum phenylacetyl-CoA ligase Phl and has a peroxisomal targeting signal on its C-terminal. Recombinant PhlB protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. Enzymatic assay confirmed that recombinant PhlB can catalyze the reaction of phenylacetic acid (PAA) with CoA to yield phenylacetyl-CoA. The expression level of phlB in the penicillin producing medium supplemented with PAA, the side chain precursor of penicillin G, was about 2.5-fold higher than that in medium without PAA. The study suggested that PhlB might participate in the activation of PAA during penicillin biosynthesis in P. chrysogenum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In [J. Du, Q. Fu, J.-P. Wang, Infinitesimal quantum and little q-Schur algebras, J. Algebra 287 (2005) 199–233], little q-Schur algebras were introduced as homomorphic images of infinitesimal quantum in the odd root of unity case. In this paper, we shall introduce little q-Schur algebras at even roots of unity. We shall construct various bases for and give the dimension formula of . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neurosecretory systems are known to synthesize and secrete a diverse class of peptide hormones which regulate many physiological processes. The crustacean sinus gland (SG) is a well-defined neuroendocrine site that produces numerous hemolymph-borne agents including the most complex class of endocrine signaling molecules—neuropeptides. As an ongoing effort to define the peptidome of the crustacean SG, we determine the neuropeptide complements of the SG of the Jonah crab, Cancer borealis, and the Maine lobster, Homarus americanus, using nanoflow liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-QTOF) MS/MS. Numerous neuropeptides were identified, including orcokinins, orcomyotropin, crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH), CHH precursor-related peptides (CPRPs), red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH), β-pigment dispersing hormone (β-PDH), proctolin and HL/IGSL/IYRamide. Among them, two novel orcokinins were de novo sequenced from the SG of H. americanus. Three CPRPs including a novel isoform were sequenced in H. americanus. Four new CPRPs were sequenced from the SG of C. borealis. Our results show that structural polymorphisms in CPRPs (and thus the CHH precursors) are common in Dendrobranchiata as well as in Pleocyemata. The evolutionary relationship between the CPRPs is also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: RbVSe2 has been synthesized at 773K through the reaction of V and Se with a Rb2Se3 reactive flux. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group D 2h 24-Fddd with 16 formula units in a cell of dimensions , , and at . The structure possesses infinite one-dimensional chains of edge-sharing VSe4 tetrahedra separated from the Rb+ ions. These chains distort slightly to chains. The V–V distance within these chains is 2.8362(4)Å. First-principles total energy calculations indicate that a non-magnetic configuration for the V3+ cations is the most stable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The two compounds RbInS2 and RbInSe2 have been synthesized at 773K by means of the reactive flux method. These isostructural compounds crystallize in space group C2/c of the monoclinic system with 16 formula units in a cell at 153K of dimensions , , , and for RbInS2, and , , , and for RbInSe2. The In atoms are four-coordinated. The structure consists of two-dimensional (, Se) layers perpendicular to [001] separated from the Rb+ cations. Adamantane-like In4 Q 10 units are connected by common corners to form the layers. Band structure calculations indicate that these compounds are direct band-gap semiconductors with the smallest band gap at the point. The calculated band gaps are 2.8eV for RbInS2 and 2.0eV for RbInSe2, values that are consistent with the colors of the compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We first follow De Concini and Kac [in: A. Connes, M. Dulfo, A. Joseph, R. Rentshler (Eds.), Operator Algebras, Unitary Representations, Enveloping Algebras and Invariant Theory, 1990, pp. 471–506] to give a presentation for the infinitesimal quantum , , and then reconstruct or realize in two different ways following the Beilinson–Lusztig–MacPherson geometric setting approach [Duke Math. J. 61 (1990) 655–677]. Thus, we obtain three new bases for . In the second part of the paper, we use to introduce the little q-Schur algebra as a subalgebra of the q-Schur algebra . The symmetry structure of a little q-Schur algebra is then investigated through the construction of various bases of monomial, BLM and PBW types for and q-Schur algebras. We also obtain a formula for the dimension of . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The compound CsAgSb4S7 has been synthesized by the reaction of the elements in a Cs2S3 flux at 773K. The compound crystallizes in a new structure type with eight formula units in space group C2/c of the monoclinic system in a cell at 153K of dimensions , , , , and . The structure contains two-dimensional layers separated by Cs atoms. Each layer is built from edge-sharing one-dimensional and chains. Each Ag atom is tetrahedrally coordinated to four S atoms. Each Sb3+ center is pyramidally coordinated to three S atoms to form an SbS3 group. CsAgSb4S7 is insulating with an optical band gap of 2.04eV. Extended Hückel calculations indicate that the band gap in CsAgSb4S7 is dominated by the Sb 5s and S 3p states above and below the Fermi level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Six new compounds in the A 2LiMS4 (A=K, Rb, Cs; M=V, Nb, Ta) family, namely K2LiVS4, Rb2LiVS4, Cs2LiVS4, Rb2LiNbS4, Cs2LiNbS4, and Rb2LiTaS4, have been synthesized by the reactions of the elements in Li2S/S/A2S3 (A=K, Rb, Cs) fluxes at 773K. The A and M atoms play a role in the coordination environment of the Li atoms, leading to different crystal structures. Coordination numbers of Li atoms are five in K2LiVS4, four in A 2LiVS4 (A=Rb, Cs) and Cs2LiNbS4, and both four and five in Rb2LiMS4 (M=Nb, Ta). The A 2LiVS4 (A=Rb, Cs) structure comprises one-dimensional chains of tetrahedra. The Rb2LiMS4 (M=Nb, Ta) structure is composed of two-dimensional layers. The Cs2LiNbS4 structure contains one-dimensional chains that are related to the Rb2LiMS4 layers. The K2LiVS4 structure contains a different kind of layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Three new compounds, Cs2Bi2ZnS5, Cs2Bi2CdS5, and Cs2Bi2MnS5, have been synthesized from the respective elements and a reactive flux Cs2S3 at 973 K. The compounds are isostructural and crystallize in a new structure type in space group Pnma of the orthorhombic system with four formula units in cells of dimensions at 153 K of a=15.763(3), b=4.0965(9), c=18.197(4) A˚, V=1175.0(4) A˚3 for Cs2Bi2ZnS5; a=15.817(2), b=4.1782(6), c=18.473(3) A˚, V=1220.8(3) A˚3 for Cs2Bi2CdS5; and a=15.830(2), b=4.1515(5), c=18.372(2) A˚, V=1207.4(2) A˚3 for Cs2Bi2MnS5. The structure is composed of two-dimensional ∞2[Bi2MS52−] (M=Zn, Cd, Mn) layers that stack perpendicular to the [100] axis and are separated by Cs+ cations. The layers consist of edge-sharing ∞1[Bi2S66−] and ∞1[MS34−] chains built from BiS6 octahedral and MS4 tetrahedral units. Two crystallographically unique Cs atoms are coordinated to S atoms in octahedral and monocapped trigonal prismatic environments. The structure of Cs2Bi2MS5, is related to that of Na2ZrCu2S4 and those of the AMM′Q3 materials (A=alkali metal, M=rare-earth or Group 4 element, M′= Group 11 or 12 element, Q=chalcogen). First-principles theoretical calculations indicate that Cs2Bi2ZnS5 and Cs2Bi2CdS5 are semiconductors with indirect band gaps of 1.85 and 1.75 eV, respectively. The experimental band gap for Cs2Bi2CdS5 is &ap;1.7 eV, as derived from its optical absorption spectrum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] The simultaneous intercalation of protons and Zn2+ ions in aqueous electrolytes presents a significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) for large-scale use, a challenge that has yet to be overcome. To address this, we have developed a MnO 2 /tetramethylammonium (TMA) superstructure with an enlarged interlayer spacing, designed specifically to control H+/Zn2+ co-intercalation in AZIBs. Within this superstructure, the pre-intercalated TMA+ ions work as spacers to stabilize the layered structure of MnO 2 cathodes and expand the interlayer spacing substantially by 28 % to 0.92 nm. Evidence from in operando pH measurements, in operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows that the enlarged interlayer spacing facilitates the diffusion and intercalation of Zn2+ ions (which have a large ionic radius) into the MnO 2 cathodes. This spacing also helps suppress the competing H+ intercalation and the formation of detrimental Zn 4 (OH) 6 SO 4 ·5H 2 O, thereby enhancing the structural stability of MnO 2. As a result, enhanced Zn2+ storage properties, including excellent capacity and long cycle stability, are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]