Search

For a sequence A of positive integers, denote by P (A) the set of all sums of distinct terms taken from A. For any integer p > 1 and any sequence A t = { a 1 ≤ ⋯ ≤ a t } of positive integers (not necessarily distinct), let S p A t = { p i a j : i = 0 , 1 , ⋯ ; j = 1 , 2 , ... , t }. In 2016, Chen, Fang and Hegyvári proved that the sequence P (S p A t) has positive lower asymptotic density if t ≥ p − 1 , and the sequence P (S p A t) has asymptotic density zero if 2 t < p. In this paper, we further consider the lower asymptotic density and completeness property of S p A t . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The atomic dispersed heterogeneous catalysts are attracting much research interests. Recently, multiple active sites (two, three or even more) exhibits all-round characters for regulation of intrinsic active sites. However, depth exploration of multiple active sites in persulfate activation etc fenton-like advanced oxidation process is still in its infancy. Herein, binary atomic dispersed active sites anchored in visible-light-responsive carbon nitride Co-Mn/CN catalyst was designed representatively. The characterization and theory calculation clarified the coordination environment of metallic center atoms and confirms its CoN4-MnN2 moiety. The unique coordinated geometry on the one hand highlights the synergy effect between photocatalysis and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation, on the other hand promotes the form of metastable metal-PMS complex and subsequent activation process. Furthermore, the catalysts present efficient application to purify the oil spill pollutes water considering water quality, pH and durability etc. This work sheds light on the rational regulation of diatomic sites in photo-Fenton-like catalysts. [Display omitted] • Co-Mn/CN DACs (diatomic catalyst) was designed and synthesized. • The presence of CoN4-MnN2 moiety is clarified by XAFs and DFT results. • Binary metal atomic sites promote form of metastable DACs-PMS complex. • DACs presented the round-the-clock catalytic behavior for oil spill degradation. • Radical and non-radical path in illumination and dark condition were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The correlation among heterogeneous microstructure, cyclic hardening/softening and fatigue failure behavior was analyzed extensively. • The fracture location was changed with the fatigue amplitude due to the amplitude-dependent and heterogeneous cyclic hardening/softening of BM and WM. • A modified cyclic constitutive model was proposed to precisely predict the heterogeneous cyclic mechanical response and failure location for both stress-controlled and strain-controlled conditions. This work performed experimental and modeling investigations on the fatigue failure mechanism of duplex stainless steel welded joints, and the correlation among heterogeneous microstructure, cyclic hardening/softening and fatigue failure behavior was analyzed extensively. A series of experiments including the characterization of microstructure by the electron back-scattered diffraction observation and fatigue mechanical tests assisted by digital image correlation technique were performed. The results show that at the lower stress amplitudes (approximately 520 MPa), the fatigue failure occurred in the weld metal, while it shifted to the base metal at higher amplitudes. Due to the grain refinement, the strain amplitude of weld metal was lower than that of base metal, particularly at the higher amplitudes, leading to the final failure at the base metal. However, at the lower amplitudes, due to the effect of Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship at the weld metal, its cyclic softening behavior was much drastic than that of base metal, resulting in the overshoot of strain amplitude during fatigue process and finial rupture at the weld metal. A cyclic constitutive model was developed by considering the amplitude-dependent and heterogeneous cyclic hardening/softening, to accurately predict the cyclic mechanical response and fatigue failure location for both stress-controlled and strain-controlled conditions. This work can be used as guidance of structure integrity assessment and life prediction for the engineering components of duplex stainless steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr 3.8 Fe 25.7 O 70.4 -chitosan magnetic microparticles (Sr 3.8 Fe 25.7 O 70.4 -CMNs) with a core-shell structure were synthesized, characterized and applied for the removal of two model cationic dyes. The results showed that these magnetic microparticles possess fast adsorption rate and high adsorption efficiency for both crystal violet (CV) and basic red 9 (BR9) at a temperature ranging 30 °C to 40 °C and suitable pH range (pH ≥ 7). The maximum removal efficiency for CV and BR9 attained to 94.5% and 97.5% in 30 min, which was significantly faster and higher than that of chitosan (<50% in 60 min) (P <0.01). And its maximum adsorption capacity for CV and BR9 reached 29.46 mg/g and 32.16 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption process of Sr 3.8 Fe 25.7 O 70.4 -CMNs follows the Langmuir isotherm with a high correlation coefficient (R 2 > 0.97) and the pseudo-second-order model. Additionally, the synthesized Sr 3.8 Fe 25.7 O 70.4 -CMNs were easy to regeneration and reuse, and the removal rate remained above 90% after 5 recycle times. This study would provide a new more environmental friendly material and method for the treatment of wastewater containing toxic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a distributed Nash equilibrium (NE) seeking problem for games in which the involved players are of Euler–Lagrange (EL) dynamics with actuator dead zone. To find NE of such games, a novel distributed algorithm with a dynamical dead-zone compensator is proposed. The compensating module in this new strategy is regarded as a fast dynamics that rapidly addresses the effect caused by actuator dead-zone characteristic. The other module of this algorithm is a slow optimizer that enables the actions of EL players to approach the NE. Since the designed strategy is a two-time-scale model, semi-global practical asymptotic stability of this strategy can be obtained by utilizing the generalized singular perturbation method. Finally, an electricity market game with six turbine-generator dynamics is utilized to validate the theoretical result of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rejecting all disturbances is an extravagant hope in safety-critical control systems, hence surviving them where possible is a sensible objective a controller can deliver. In order to build a theoretical framework starting from surviving all disturbances but taking the appropriate opportunity to reject them, a sufficient condition on surviving disturbances is first established by exploring the relation among steady sets of state, input, and disturbance, followed by an output reachability condition on rejecting disturbances. A new robust safety-critical model prediction control (MPC) framework is then developed by embedding the quartet of pseudo steady input, output, state, and disturbance (IOSD) into the optimisation. Unlike most existing tracking MPC setups, a new and unique formulation is adopted by taking the pseudo steady disturbance as an optimisation decision variable, rather than directly driven by the disturbance estimate. This new setup is able to decouple estimation error dynamics, significantly contributing to the guarantee of recursive feasibility, even if the disturbance or its estimate changes rapidly. Moreover, towards optimal coexistence with disturbances, offset-free tracking of a compromised reference can be achieved, if rejecting the disturbance conflicts with safety-critical specifications. Finally, the benefits of the proposed method have been demonstrated by both numerical simulations and experiments on aerial physical interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A nationwide spatial analysis on surface water pollutants and cancers integrating datasets was conducted. • Geographically weighted random forest addressed spatial heterogeneity for surface water pollutants. • Multiple pollutants of surface water spatially associated with digestive cancer incidence in China. Surface water pollution and digestive cancers are concerning environmental health issues. Multiple pollutants of surface water coexist within unique geospatial heterogeneous contexts of surface water flow, which can lead to complex patterns of impact on cancer incidence. This complexity has posed challenges to comprehensive assessment. In this study, we integrated nationwide surface water data of 21 pollutants collected from 3632 sections of nine large river basins and cancer incidence data for six digestive cancers covering 381.6 million people in China. Local Moran's I method was used to assess the patterns of spatial aggregation of each surface water pollutant separately to observe the local spatial nonstationarity and heterogeneity of the pollutant concentrations in different spatial areas. A geographically weighted random forest (GWRF) model, a spatial machine learning approach, was applied to address the spatial heterogeneity of the pollutants and assess their association with cancer incidence. Goodness-of-fit and overall performance of the GWRF model were assessed by the local statistics in the out-of-bag set, such as the mean local pseudo-R2, increase in mean squared error, and local residuals in each local model. Compared with the aspatial random forest model, the GWRF model had better performance (mean local pseudo-R2 ranged from 0.16 (gallbladder cancer) to 0.60 (pancreatic cancer)). Surface water pollution was associated with digestive cancer incidence mainly in the Songhua and Liaohe, Haihe, and Huaihe River Basins. By focusing on these areas, we identified key pollutants specific to different cancer types. Incidence of oesophageal, stomach, colorectal, gallbladder, and pancreatic cancer was associated with common pollutants such as fluoride and arsenic. Our assessment provides targets for the government and environmental health specialists to take tailored actions to control pollution and effectively prevent cancer incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 cycloaddition is an effective way to realize carbon neutralization. It is a great challenge to develop efficient and green catalytic system. In this work, ZnIn 2 S 4 catalyst with highly exposed surface zinc sites were fabricated for thermal & bule LED driven solvent-free CO 2 cycloaddition. The optimized ZISe shows efficient yield of CO 2 cycloaddition with epoxides under blue LED irradiation at 80 °C with TBAB as cocatalyst (Con 92.3%; Sel >99; 137.1 mmol/g/h). Excellent stability and broad substrates scoped was confirmed. The photoinduced hole facilitates the coordination and polarization of adsorbed propylene oxide. Simultaneously, photoinduced electron would transfer to propylene oxide molecule to form electron-riched transition state, which was not only facilitate to the open-ring step of propylene oxide, but also greatly help the activation of CO 2 adsorbed adjacent S2- sites. To our knowledge, this is the first report on thermo-photo-synergistic catalytic CO 2 cycloaddition on ZnIn 2 S 4. [Display omitted] • ZISe synthesized by solvothermal method exhibits highly exposed Zinc sites. • ZISe exhibits superior thermo-photo-synergistic catalytic activity for CO 2 CA. • E a decreases from 36.2 to 22.7 kJ/mol for thermo-photo-synergistic catalysis. • ZISe with highly exposed Zn sites exhibits strong Lewis's acid-base properties. • TPSC activity is attributed to light induced electron-riched transition state of PO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, the cyclic mechanical characters of 316L stainless steel at elevated temperature are extensively investigated by the experimental and cyclic constitutive models. The experiments include the monotonic tensile tests with different loading rates and the low cycle fatigue tests considering the effect of strain amplitudes, strain rates and loading sequences. The evolution of cyclic stress amplitudes, hysteresis loops and elastic modulus under various loading conditions are comprehensively analyzed. The experimental results show that the 316L steel at elevated temperature performs a typical three-stage cyclic mechanical response, i.e., initial hardening, subsequent saturation and final accelerated softening. The cyclic softening in both stiffness and flow stress is mainly caused by the nucleation of micro-voids or micro-cracks, and the subsequent coalesce and propagation. Furthermore, although the nearly rate-independent mechanical behavior is observed at monotonic tensile and first several fatigue cycles due to the DSA effect, the cyclic hardening/softening behavior shows a significant strain-rate and loading history dependence. Finally, inspired by the experimental observations and analyses, a damage-coupled cyclic elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model involving strain-range, strain-rate and loading history dependence is proposed to predict the complex cyclic behaviors of the material at elevated temperature. A hardening factor is incorporated into the Chaboche kinematic hardening equations to model the kinematic-induced hardening behavior. And the plastic strain memory surface and the maximum plastic strain rate are introduced to model the strain-range, strain-rate and loading history dependence of cyclic behavior. The proposed model is proved to effectively describe the complex evolution of not only cyclic stress amplitude but also hysteresis loops for the 316L steel at elevated temperature. Highlights • The cyclic response and fatigue mechanism for the 316L steel at room and elevated temperature were compared. • The various tensile and LCF tests considering the effect of strain range, strain rate and loading sequence were carried out. • The fatigue damage was determined experimentally, and incorporated into the cyclic elastic-viscoplastic constitutive model. • The relationship between strain rate, DSA effect and cyclic behavior were investigated and realized by the proposed model. • The proposed model can predict the evolution of not only cyclic stress amplitude but also hysteresis loops accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Intramolecular hydrogen bond is disturbed upon addition of F anion, forming intermolecular hydrogen bond. • HF is likely to be bond with HBT derivative without further deprotonation. • Desiliyation process in HBT-Ratio-F2 is spontaneously. Abstract Previous study shows that HBT-based fluorophore HBT-Ratio-F1 and F2 are excellent sensor with selectivity and sensitivity towards F anion showing binate ratiometric characteristics. In this work, we study the whole sensing process by DFT and TDDFT methods in detail. The electronic structures and electronic characters of the neutral sensor, F anion attached complex, and anionic form after deprotonation are investigated in both S 0 and S 1 states. In neutral sensor, the potential energy profile of proton transfer is investigated to understand the tautomerization process. In anion, the cis-trans isomerization process is also investigated in both S 0 and S 1 states to unveil the behavior of anion. The calculated results show that intra molecular hydrogen bond O H⋯ N in neutral sensor is disturbed upon addition of F anion, forming new inter molecular hydrogen bond (O)N⋯ H F in the (S 0) S 1 state in anion complex and HF is likely to be bonded with HBT derivative without further dissociation. The comparison of the calculated absorption (emission) energies in both HBT-Ratio-F1 and HBT-Ratio-F2 with experimental spectral peaks is also included and the binate ratiometric character in spectra is discussed based on calculation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was produced from cane molasses by dilute acid catalysis. • A hyper-cross-linked resin (HCLR) was designed and synthesized. • HCLR was applied for separating and purifying HMF from cane molasses hydrolysate. • HCLR had excellent adsorption performance for HMF, and can be reused stably. Sugarcane molasses is a by-product in the process of sugar production, which has characteristics of large quantity, low price and easy to pollute the environment. High-valued utilization of sugarcane molasses has important research significance. In this work, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was obtained through hydrolyzing sugarcane molasses, and was separated from the hydrolysate by a designed hyper-cross-linked adsorption resin (HCLR). The optimal conditions for adsorption/desorption of HMF by HCLR were obtained. On this basis, the adsorption kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamic behavior of HMF onto HCLR were studied, and the adsorption mechanism of HMF onto HCLR was clarified. At last, HMF with a highest purity of 96.0% and an average purity of 93.2% were obtained through fixed bed dynamic adsorption/desorption study. Overall, this work provides a complete process route from sugarcane molasses to high-value product of HMF, and provides theoretical and technical references for the efficient and comprehensive utilization of sugarcane molasses resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photophysical properties as well as proton transfer process from normal form (Enol) to tautomer form (Keto) in 1,8-Dihydroxydibenzo[a,h]phenazine [DHBP] have been theoretically investigated by TDDFT method. The potential energy profiles of the reaction paths for concerted proton transfer and stepwise proton transfer via single-proton transferred intermediate (INT) are examined, and the results show that proton transfer occurs in locally excited state following the stepwise mechanism at the lowest excitation energy in the gas phase. The concerted reaction path is found to be unstable with respect to anti-symmetric mode statically. The steady state emission band detected in Piechowska et al. experiment was assigned to INT, while emissions from Enol and Keto are less likely to be observed. The low intensity of the fluorescence at INT can be explained by the inter-system crossing between the lowest singlet state S 1 with the triplet states T 1 and T 2 instead of the internal conversion from S 1 to S 0 introduced by torsion at INT structure at current computational level. This study provides new insight into the quenching mechanism in π-extended rigid molecule DHBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• >Synthetical effect of material inhomogeneity and welding defect on fatigue behavior. • >New structure strain method including heterogeneous plasticity and stress singularity. • >Evolution of fatigue mode with geometric configurations and cyclic amplitudes. • >A damage tolerance-based fatigue design concept to guide manufacture of welded joints. This paper performed experimental and analytical investigations on the synthetical effect of material inhomogeneity and welding defects on the fatigue behavior of 2205 duplex stainless steel cruciform welded joints. A series of experiments were performed, including microstructure characterization by the electron back-scattered diffraction, fatigue mechanical tests assisted by digital image correlation technique and fracture morphology observations by scanning electron microscope. Results show that fatigue life and failure location of cruciform welded joints depended heavily on their geometric configurations for lower cyclic amplitudes. However, with the elevation of loading, material inhomogeneity played a greater roles, leading to the change of fatigue failure mode with both geometric configuration and cyclic stress amplitude. To quantize the effects of welding defects and material inhomogeneity, a modified structure strain method was proposed by considering the heterogeneous plastic properties, to accurately predict both fatigue lifetime and failure location of cruciform welded joints at both low and high cycles fatigue. Lastly, a damage tolerance-based fatigue design method was discussed to guide the highly-reliable manufacture and damage detection of duplex stainless steel cruciform welded joints in the engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) manganese oxides consisted of tetragonal phase Mn3O4 and α-MnO2 with different morphology have been directly grown vertically on Ti foil by a simple electrochemical method without any template and used as the catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The results show that manganese oxides with different morphology show high activity and good stability for OER and the manganese oxide (MnOx) nanowire arrays obtained at 70 °C show higher activity and better stability than MnOx with cotton wool structure and MnOx nanosheet arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MiRNA-1 may participate in regulating ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) by affecting the expression and distribution of connexin 43 (Cx43). The aim of this study is to investigate miR-1 expression and its potential role in regulating Cx43 during ischemic postconditioning (IPOST) in a rat model. Fifty-five Wistar male rats were randomly divided into five groups: N, IR, IPOST, agomir-1, and antagomir-1 group. The hearts were perfused with the Langendorff system. The reperfusion arrhythmia (RA) and myocardial infarct size were observed and recorded. The miRNA-1 expression and the Cx43 expression and distribution were assessed by RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. First, the RA score in the IR group was higher than that in the control group, whereas there was no difference between the IPOST and antagomir-1 groups. Second, the myocardial infarct size was larger in the agomir-1 than in the IPOST group; there was no difference between the antagomir-1 and the IPOST group. Third, the miRNA-1 expression increased by 78% in the agomir-1 group but decreased by 32% in the antagomir-1 group compared with the IPOST group. Fourth, compared with the Control group, the Cx43 expression in the IR group decreased, the Cx43 expression decreased in the agomir-1 group compared with the IPOST group. Fifth, the distribution of Cx43 was irregular and disorganized in the IR and agomir-1 groups. In the IPOST and antagomir-1 groups, Cx43 was neatly distributed in the intercalated disk area. Our findings suggest that IPOST can inhibit the up-regulation of miRNA-1 induced by ischemia–reperfusion and that the down-regulation of miRNA-1 can prevent the decrease and redistribution of Cx43, which will protect the heart from IRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the relaxation of weld residual stress in a 316L stainless steel weld joint under cyclic loading was researched by experimental and finite element method (FEM). Initially, the as-weld residual stresses were calculated by a sequential coupling thermo-mechanical FEM. Subsequently, a cyclic plasticity constitutive model was proposed to study the redistribution of the residual stress by the cyclic load. Significant residual stresses are released during the first few cycles. Especially, about 45–60% of the maximum residual stresses are released during the first cycle because of the plastic deformation caused by the superposition between the as-weld residual stress and the applied load. More residual stresses are released with the increase of the stress amplitude and cyclic number. An analytical model, which considers the effects of the initial residual stress, yield stress, stress amplitude, and number of cycles, was proposed to predict the relaxation of the weld residual stress by the cyclic load. In addition, experimental measurements were also performed to validate this model. Experimental results prove that the proposed model can be used as a valid tool to predict the relaxation of residual stress by the fatigue load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three complete mitochondrial genomes of Blaberidae (Insecta: Blattodea) ( Gromphadorhina portentosa , Panchlora nivea , Blaptica dubia ) and one complete mt genome of Blattidae (Insecta: Blattodea) ( Shelfordella lateralis ) were sequenced to further understand the characteristics of cockroach mitogenomes and reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship of Blattodea. The gene order and orientation of these four cockroach genomes were similar to known cockroach mt genomes, and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and one control region. The mt genomes of Blattodea exhibited a characteristics of a high A + T composition (70.7%–74.3%) and dominant usage of the TAA stop codon. The AT content of the whole mt genome, PCGs and total tRNAs in G. portentosa was the lowest in known cockroaches. The presence of a 71-bp intergenic spacer region between trnQ and trnM was a unique feature in B. dubia , but absent in other cockroaches, which can be explained by the duplication/random loss model. Based on the nucleotide and amino acid datasets of the 13 PCGs genes, neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML) and bayesian inference (BI) analyses were used to rebuild the phylogenetic relationship of cockroaches. All phylogenetic analyses consistently placed Isoptera as the sister cluster to Cryptocercidae of Blattodea. Ectobiidae and Blaberidae (Blaberoidea) formed a sister clade to Blattidae. Corydiidae is a sister clade of all the remaining cockroach species with a high value in NJ and MP analyses of nucleotide and amino acid datasets, and ML and BI analyses of the amino acid dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A multiscale model was proposed to accurately predict the heterogeneous and multiscale elasto-plastic properties of 2205 DSS welded joints. • The contribution of Peierls–Nabarro stress, solid solution strengthening, grain/phase boundary, and dislocations density on the macro-mechanical properties (YS and UTS) was quantified. • The evolution of heterogeneous micro-mechanical responses with two constitutive phases with the elevation of loads was predicted accurately. • The banded GBAs and its adjacent ferrite were more prone to plastic-deformed. This work aims to reveal the inherent dependency between the heterogeneous microstructure induced by the metallurgical transformation during welding of 2205 duplex stainless steel (DSS) and its macroscopic and microscopic elasto-plastic properties by experiments and models. A multiscale model was developed by combining a macro-constitutive model incorporating the physically-based yield strength and a crystal plasticity model considering both the micro-mechanical properties of two phases and their realistic morphology. The results show that the heterogeneous macro-mechanical properties of base metal (BM), heat affected zone (HAZ), and weld material (WM), as well as their micro-mechanical responses related to phase morphology, ratio, and grain size, can be accurately predicted. The contribution of Peierls–Nabarro stress, solid solution strengthening, grain/phase boundary, and dislocations density on macro-yield and tensile strengths was quantified, and WM was proven to have greater yield and tensile strengths due to the greater contribution of grain refinement and solid solution strengthening. In addition, a transition mechanism of the deformation-bearing phase from austenite to ferrite with the increase of load was proved, and the banded grain boundary austenite (GBA) and its adjacent ferritic grains were prone to plastic-deformation. This work can be used as guidance of structure integrity assessment and welding process optimization for the engineering components of DSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In oocytes, the cytoplasmic polyadenylation and maternal mRNAs translation is regulated by cis -elements, including polyadenylation signal (PAS) and cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) in 3ʹ-UTR. Recent studies illustrate non-canonical polyadenylation mechanisms of translational regulation in mouse oocytes, which is different from that in Xenopus oocytes. However, it is still unclear if this regulation in rodent oocytes functions in the domestic animal oocyte. Here, by using sheep as an animal model, we cloned the 3ʹ-UTRs of Cpeb1 or Btg4 and ligated it into the pRK5-Flag- Gfp vector. Variant numbers and positions of PASs and CPEs within the 3ʹ-UTRs were constructed to detect their effects on translational control. After in vitro -transcription and microinjection into sheep fully grown germinal vesicle stage oocytes, the expression efficiency of mRNAs was detected by the GFP and flag expression. Our results show that: (i) PAS located at the proximal end of 3ʹ-UTR can mediate the translation of the maternal mRNAs, as long as they locate far from CPEs; (ii) The proximal PAS has higher efficiency in regulating transcription than the distal one; (iii) increase of PAS number can promote the translational activity more efficiently; (iv) a single CPE located close to PAS (<50 bp) in 3ʹ-UTRs of Cpeb1 or Btg4 could partially repress translation. In 3ʹ-UTRs of Btg4 , two CPEs have a higher inhibitory effect, and three CPEs can completely inhibit mRNA translation. These results confirm the existence of the non-canonical mechanism in domestic animal oocytes. • PASs in the proximal area of 3′-UTR can activate maternal mRNAs translation. • The amount and position of PASs affect the translational activation efficiency. • The location and number of CPEs affect the translational repression efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wang et al. synthesized phenylacetylene modified HBT derivative (HBT- s -Ph) and diphenylacetylene modified HBT derivative (HBT- d -Ph) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) phenomenon. In this work, we have theoretically compared the photochemical and photophysical processes of HBT- s -Ph and HBT- d -Ph in the gas phase, toluene and solid phase using several theoretical methods. The ground-state, excited-state equilibrium structures, the potential energy curves and the excited-state properties were comparatively calculated for a better understanding of the AIE mechanism. The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process within HBT derivatives is very fast in both gas phase, toluene, and solid phase due to the small energy barrier, inducing the formation of Keto tautomer which is responsible for emission peaks observed in experiment in both gas phase, toluene and solid phase. But, the reaction paths are very different from there. In toluene, the non-radiative path via HBT intramolecular rotation along the C–C bond is favorable to occur, leading to low Φ f of HBT- s -Ph and HBT- d -Ph in toluene. In contrast, the non-radiative path of HBT intramolecular rotation is strongly suppressed in solid phase due to the high energy barriers, which is responsible for high Φ f of HBT- s -Ph and HBT- d -Ph in solid phase. The substitution effect on AIE and the large difference of Φ f in HBT- s -Ph and HBT- d -Ph in solid phase have been revealed. The presents results contribute to a better understanding of the different photophysical properties of HBT derivatives in toluene and solid phase, and unveil the AIE mechanism in HBT derivatives, which provides deep insight into molecular design of organic photoelectric materials with high Φ f. • The AIE phenomenon in HBT- s -Ph and HBT- d -Ph is probably induced by the RACI. • The higher Φ f in HBT- d -Ph is found to be related with low exciton coupling, high HR factors in solvent and low possibility of intersystem crossing between singlet state and triplet states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, intercalation occurs when foreign atoms intercalate into multi-layer structures, while adsorption occurs when foreign atoms interact with monolayer structures or surfaces. We performed an investigation on the Mg intercalation into Ti 2 C building block (MXene) from first-principles simulation. We found that Mg can favorably intercalate into MXene, forming the stable compound Ti 2 MgC, which corresponds to the stage I in the Li intercalation into graphite. Based on the evaluation of the average cell potential and the energy barrier of Mg diffusion for the most energetically stable structure, our results suggest that Ti 2 MgC is a potential anode for Mg ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the ionic conductivity and electronic properties of Na 3 P using first principle simulations. We found that the atoms were arranged in one layer of Na and P atoms and alternate layers containing Na atoms only. Three possible independent and asymmetric Na diffusion paths exist. In the first two, Na diffusion occurs among sodium atoms in the same layer, while in the third path, Na diffusion occurs among sodium atoms in different layers. Moreover, the activation energies of Na diffusion in the first two paths are much smaller than that of the third. With the introduction of a Na vacancy, a hole state deep in the valence region appears that is responsible for the valence band-edge rising in the center of the Brillouin zone. This sodium vacancy is very likely to play a role in the electron transfer in Na 3 P. The fast ionic conductivity and considerable electron conductivity make P a promising anode material in the first step of the Na deintercalation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify thirteen active ingredients of Tanreqing Injection in rat plasma. • First report on the pharmacokinetic investigation of TRQI in pneumonia model rats. • The pharmacokinetic characteristics of Tanreqing Injection combined with cefixime were detected. • The assay was applied for the pharmacokinetic study of drug-drug interaction in rats. [Display omitted] Combining traditional Chinese medicine and chemical drugs with antimicrobial activities has become more popular, but there is insufficient relevant research on such combinations. The Tanreqing injection (TRQI), a Chinese compound medicine, exhibits therapeutic effects in treating upper respiratory tract infections, severe influenza, and pneumonia. This research investigates the pharmacokinetics of TRQI in pneumonia model rats and explores the effect of the antibiotic cefixime on its metabolism. The pneumonia model rats were randomly divided into six groups: low, medium, and high (3, 6, and 12 mL kg−1) dose TRQI group, and a medium dose TRQI combined with cefixime (14.4 mg kg−1) group, with the remainder two groups were control group. Blood samples were collected from the tail vein at different time points between 0 and 24 h after injection. A sensitive and quick method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) was established for the simultaneous determination of the 13 TRQI components in the blood samples. The analytes were separated on an XBridge™C 18 column (2.1 mm × 150 mm, 5 µm), with the flow phase consisting of methanol and 0.1% formic acid water at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The assay method met the biological sample determination requirements, demonstrating good adaptability and practicability for application in the pharmacokinetic study of TRQI in pneumonia model rats. Moreover, the method was used successfully in the interaction study of TRQI with cefixime. The results indicated that co-administration results in a significant change in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the main TRQI components. However, the changes in the pharmacokinetic characteristics of multiple TRQI components were inconsistent. Thus, the results of this drug combination under different pathological conditions in clinical applications were unpredictable. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the combined use of cefixime and TRQI in clinical applications to avoid the risk of adverse drug reactions in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, Fe-Sn nanoparticles and its carbide counterpart, i.e. Fe-Sn/C nanoparticles were fabricated by DC arc-discharge method. The crystal structures, morphologies and cyclic performances of both samples were characterized by XRD, HRTEM and galvanostatic discharge/charge measurements. It is indicated that the main phases in two kinds of nanoparticles are FeSn2 and Sn. The sizes of Fe-Sn nanoparticles are in the range of 30∼100nm, while Fe-Sn/C nanoparticles are about 10∼50nm. Fe-Sn nanoparticles electrode exhibits the real discharge/charge specific capacities of 192/159 mAh g−1, those are gradually faded to near 11 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles. Nevertheless, Fe-Sn/C nanoparticles electrode has the real discharge/charge specific capacities of 557/517 mAh g−1, can maintain to 373 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles. The carbon additive in Fe-Sn/C nanoparticles was characterized to be a graphite-like shell, its excellent effects on suppression of the volume change and electrochemical performances were discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Corncob acid hydrolysate was used for microbial oil production. [•] Oleaginous yeast Trichosporon cutaneum was used for lipid production. [•] Effect of medium composition and cultural condition were investigated. [•] Under the optimum conditions, the lipid content (45.4%) increased for 26.5%. [•] Under the optimum conditions, the lipid coefficient (22.9%) increased for 31.6%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Currently, single cell oils (SCO) attract much attention because of their bi-function as a supplier of functional oils and feedstock for biodiesel production. However, high fermentation costs prevent their further application, and the possibility and potential of their industrialization is suspected. Therefore, various low-cost, hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates were utilized for SCO production. Of these substrates, lignocellulosic biomass, which is the most available and renewable source in nature, might be an ideal raw material for SCO production. Although many reviews on SCO have been published, few have focused on SCO production from low-cost substrates or evaluated the possibility and potential of its industrialization. Therefore, this review mainly presents information on SCO and its production using low-cost substrates and mostly focuses on lignocellulosic biomass. Finally, the possibility and potential of SCO industrialization is evaluated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, corncob acid hydrolysate was used for microbial oil production by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon coremiiforme for the first time. Hydrolysed by dilute sulphuric acid, corncob could turn into an acid hydrolysate with high sugar concentration (45.7 g L−1) and this hydrolysate could be utilized for microbial oil production without concentration process. After detoxified by overliming and absorption with activated carbon, the corncob hydrolysate could be used by T. coremiiforme efficiently that a total cell mass of 20.4 g L−1 with a lipid content of 37.8% (corresponding to a lipid yield of 7.7 g L−1), and a lipid coefficient of 17.2 could be obtained after cultivation of T. coremiiforme on the corncob hydrolysate for 8 days. Therefore, T. coremiiforme is a promising strain for microbial oil production from lignocellulosic biomass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neodymium (Nd3+) doped nanomaterials exhibited the unique near infrared (NIR) luminescence properties. However, the application of Nd-doped nanomaterials to chemosensors was rarely explored. Herein, the water-soluble 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate stabilized Nd-doped LaF3 (ADP-Nd-LaF3) nanoparticles were explored as the NIR probe for chemosensors. The NIR emission intensity at 1061nm of ADP-Nd-LaF3 nanoparticles kept stable in the aqueous solution of various pH and coexisting of most common metal ions except copper ion, consequently, the ADP-Nd-LaF3 nanoparticles were developed as a high selective NIR probe for Cu(II). The NIR emission of ADP-Nd-LaF3 exhibits a linear quenching response to Cu(II) in the range 5–100μM, with a detection limit of 0.8μM. The precision of eleven replicate detections of 5μM Cu(II) was 0.5% (RSD). The recovery of spiked Cu(II) in human urine and waste water samples ranged from 102 to 109%. The possible mechanism of Cu(II)-induced fluorescence quenching of ADP-Nd-LaF3 nanoparticles was also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: From the distillation process after butanol fermentation, wastewaters mainly consisted of organic acids and residual sugars and with high COD (usually >20,000mg/L) are generated. Without any pretreatment and adding other nutrients (nitrogen sources and trace elements), these wastewaters were used as substrate for microbial oil production by oleaginous yeast Trichosporon coremiiforme. After 5days’ lipid fermentation, all the sugars and organic acids measured were totally utilized by T. coremiiforme and a 68% of COD degradation could be obtained. The highest biomass and lipid content of T. coremiiforme on the wastewaters were 5.8g/L and 19.1%, respectively. This work shows that T. coremiiforme is a promising strain for microbial oil production on the wastewaters after butanol fermentation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Corncob was hydrolyzed with Trichoderma reesei cellulase and used as substrate for growth by the oleaginous yeast Trichosporon dermatis without detoxification or addition of a nitrogen source or trace elements. A total biomass of 24.4 g/L with a lipid content of 40.1% (corresponding to a lipid yield of 9.8 g/L), and a high lipid coefficient (lipid yield per mass of sugar, % g/g) of 16.7 could be achieved after cultivation for 7 days. Therefore, T. dermatis is a promising strain for microbial oil production from lignocellulosic biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ginsenosides, the active components found in Panax ginseng, have been reported to inhibit the cardiac hypertrophy in rats. This study aims to observe the potential effect of total ginsenosides (TG) on the hypertrophic vascular diseases. The model of vascular neointimal hyperplasia was established by rubbing the endothelia of the common carotid artery with a balloon in male Sprague Dawley rats. TG (15mg/kg/day, 45mg/kg/day), L-arginine (L-arg) 200mg/kg/day, and NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) 100mg/kg/day used with the same dose of L-arg or TG 45mg/kg/day were given for 7 and 14 consecutive days after surgery. TG and L-arg administrations significantly ameliorated the histopathology of injured carotid artery, which was abolished or blunted by L-NAME, an NOS inhibitor; TG and L-arg could also remarkably reduce the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a proliferation marker of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs), in neointima of the injured artery wall. Further study indicated that balloon injury caused a decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and an elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) content in plasma, and reduced the cGMP level in the artery wall, which were reversed by TG. It was concluded that TG suppress the rat carotid artery neointimal hyperplasia induced by balloon injury, which may be involved in its anti-oxidative action and enhancing the inhibition effects of NO/cGMP on VSMC proliferation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sepsis and its derivative syndromes are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit. Recently, lots of studies have shown that the progression of sepsis is attributed to redox imbalance and overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines. In previous studies, we have reported the anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of chitosan oligosaccharides in vitro. In the light of these findings, we applied the model of sepsis to mice by LPS injection to investigate whether chitosan oligosaccharides have a protective effect on LPS-induced sepsis. We found that treatment by chitosan oligosaccharides not only attenuated organ dysfunction but also improved survival rate after LPS injection. To further understand how it works, we examined several proinflammatory markers including neutrophil infiltration in organs and TNF-α and IL-1β in serum, and found that these cytokines were significantly reduced by chitosan oligosaccharide treatment. In addition to this, anti-oxidants including glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT) levels were depleted and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased in LPS-induced sepsis, while chitosan oligosaccharides smoothed out the redox imbalance. Furthermore, we also assessed c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signal activation by LPS-stimulation, and found both of them were attenuated by chitosan oligosaccharide treatment. Collectively, our data demonstrated that chitosan oligosaccharides can protect mice from the LPS challenge by virtue of anti-inflammatory effects as well as anti-oxidation properties, which might offer beneficial effects for patients with sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Iron oxides and oxyhydroxides (or iron-rich marine sediments) are assumed to be one of the candidate ‘missing sinks’ of Ge that account for half of the total precipitated Ge from seawater. Information on equilibrium Ge isotope fractionation during Ge adsorption onto Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide surfaces plays an essential role in understanding the Ge isotope global budget. In this study, the possible adsorbed Ge surface complexes on Fe(III)-oxyhydroxide surfaces are carefully verified by comparing their energies and geometries with known experimental results. Moreover, the equilibrium Ge isotope fractionations between the adsorbed Ge complexes and the dominant Ge species in aqueous solution are investigated by using the Urey model or the Bigeleisen–Mayer equation. First-principles density functional theory is used for optimizing the structures and obtaining harmonic frequencies at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level. For accurate estimation of solvation effects, the “water-droplet” explicit solvent method is also used. Our results suggest that bidentate corner-sharing (2C)>Fe2O2Ge(OH)2(aq) is the dominant adsorbed Ge surface complex during adsorption processes in the neutral or acidic condition. Under basic conditions, the dominant surface structure is changed to 2C>Fe2O2GeOOH− (aq) complex. These results are consistent with existing EXAFS experimental evidences (Pokrovsky et al., 2006). Our calculations show that Ge isotopes can be distinctly fractionated by such adsorption processes to about 1.7‰ (25°C, in terms of 74Ge/70Ge). Light Ge isotopes are preferentially enriched on the surfaces of Fe-oxyhydroxides. The data generally agree with the observations of Galy et al. (2002) and Rouxel et al. (2008). Such Ge adsorption might affect the Ge isotope compositions of rivers, hydrothermal fluids and seawaters. Because of the broad distribution and large amount of iron-rich deposits everywhere, such adsorption processes will greatly influence the Ge isotope global budget. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cu-coordinated complex based on 7-membered amide cycle has been designed and synthesized. And its binding ability with nucleotides (AMP, adenosine 5′-monophosphate; ADP, adenosine 5′-diphosphate; ATP, adenosine 5′-triphosphate) has been studied by UV–vis spectrum. Results indicate that the receptor shows the highest binding ability with AMP among studied nucleotides and can selectively and strongly bind nucleotides at neutral medium. The receptor can be used as optical sensor for the detection of AMP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this article, we report our detailed mechanistic study on the reactions of cyclic-N3 with NO, NO2 at the G3B3//B3LYP/6-311+G(d) and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//QCISD/6-311+G(d)+ZPVE levels; the reactions of cyclic-N3 with Cl2 was studied at the G3B3//B3LYP/6-311+G(d) and CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//QCISD/6-31+G(d)+ZPVE levels. Both of the singlet and triplet potential-energy surfaces (PESs) of cyclic-N3 +NO, cyclic-N3 +NO2 and the PES of cyclic-N3 +Cl2 have been depicted. The results indicate that on singlet PESs cyclic-N3 can undergo the barrierless addition–elimination mechanism with NO and NO2 forming the respective dominant products N2 + 1cyclic-NON and 1NNO(O)+N2. Yet the two reactions on triplet PESs are much less likely to take place under room temperature due to the high barriers. For the cyclic-N3 +Cl2 reaction, a Cl-abstraction mechanism was revealed that results in the product cyclic-N3Cl+Cl with an overall barrier as high as 14.7kcal/mol at CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//QCISD/6-31+G(d)+ZPVE level. So the cyclic-N3 radical could be stable against Cl2 at low temperatures in gas phase. The present results can be useful for future experimental investigation on the title reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two novel artificial receptors, 2,2′-bipyridine derivatives containing phenol group, have been designed and synthesized. The interaction of the receptors containing Schiff base or its reductive system with biologically important anions was determined by UV–vis and 1H NMR titration experiments. Results indicate that receptors 1 and 2 show the strong binding ability for dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 −), fluoride (F−), acetate (AcO−) and almost no binding ability for chloride (Cl−), bromide (Br−), iodide (I−). At the same time, the strongest binding ability of receptor 1 for H2PO4 − among studied anions is not influenced by the existence of other anions; as well as receptor 2 for F−. In addition, the binding ability of receptor 1 (Schiff base system) with various anions is stronger than that of receptor 2 (the reductive Schiff base system) due to the difference of electronic effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of artificial receptors, hydrazone derivatives containing anthracene, have been designed and synthesized. The interaction of these receptors with biologically important anions was determined by UV–vis, fluorescence and 1H NMR titration experiments and theoretical investigation. Results indicate that the receptor (1) without NO2 shows no binding ability for various anions. The other receptors (2 and 3) show the highest binding ability for acetate (AcO−) among studied anions (fluoride (F−), dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 −), chloride (Cl−), bromide (Br−), iodide (I−)); and the binding ability for AcO− is not interfered by the existence of other anions. The additions of AcO−, F− and H2PO4 − can arouse different degrees of fluorescence quenching. 1H NMR titration shows that the interaction between the receptor 2 and F− firstly depends on the hydrogen-bond formation; later the interacted site NH is deprotonated and the added F− forms hydrogen bond with the near CH in Schiff base. Moreover, visual color changes accompany guest binding, enabling this system to act as colorimetric anion sensors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] An NIS-promoted intramolecular cyclization of allenamides was developed to create a workable route to tetrahydro-β-carbolines. These reactions proceed rapidly and tolerate a broad scope of substrates. Moreover, the obtained halides allow functional group diversification by palladium catalyzed coupling reactions, which could act as potential intermediates for the synthesis of valuable compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple has been recognized as a potential anode for redox flow batteries to take the place of the V(IV)/V(V) in all-vanadium redox battery (VRB) and the Br2/Br− in sodium polysulfide/bromine (PSB) because it has higher standard electrode potential. In this study, the electrochemical behavior of the Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple on carbon felt and spectral pure graphite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, steady polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transient potential-step experiment, X-ray diffraction and charge–discharge experiments. Results show that the Mn(III) disproportionation reaction phenomena is obvious on the carbon felt electrode while it is weak on the graphite electrode owing to its fewer active sites. The reaction mechanism on carbon felt was discussed in detail. The reversibility of Mn(II)/Mn(III) is best when the sulfuric acid concentration is 5M on the graphite electrode. Performance of a RFB employing Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple as anolyte active species and V(III)/V(II) as catholyte ones was evaluated with constant-current charge–discharge tests. The average columbic efficiency is 69.4% and the voltage efficiency is 90.4% at a current density of 20mAcm−2. The whole energy efficiency is 62.7% close to that of the all-vanadium battery and the average discharge voltage is about 14% higher than that of an all-vanadium battery. The preliminary exploration shows that the Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple is electrochemically promising for redox flow battery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two novel artificial receptors based on diamide and bearing phenol group and copper(II) have been synthesized. Their anion-binding properties are evaluated for F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, AcO−, H2PO4 − and OH− by UV–vis and 1H NMR titration experiments to further elucidate the impact of phenol group and copper(II) on the chemistry of anion-recognition. Results indicate that the interacted model of fluoride anion with receptor 1 is different from other anions and the 1H NMR signals of receptor 2 occur changes after the addition of fluoride anion. This may be related with the small radius and strong electronegative property of fluoride. The receptors should have many chemical and analytical applications and the sensing principle should be widely applicable to the sensing of other receptors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two artificial receptors, 1,2-bis-p-substituted phenyl-sulfonamido-4,5-bis-nitrobenzene, have been designed and synthesized. The interactions of these receptors with halide anions are determined by UV–vis and 1H NMR titration experiments. Results indicate that two receptors have strong sensitivity and selectivity for fluoride among halide anions. In addition, the visible color changes upon the addition of fluoride anion can make the receptors as convenient detection tools for fluoride anion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The title complexes, {[Ag(Pepy)(NO3)]}∞ (1) and [HPepy(FeCl4)] (2) (Pepy= trans-2-(2-phenylethyleneyl)pyridine), had been synthesized and characterized structurally by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, FTIR as well as thermal analysis. The geometrical structure of complex 1 is a one-dimensional helical zigzag chain. Each AgI center is five-coordinated by two anions and one Pepy ligand while the anion is an uncommon tetra-dentate coordinating to two AgI by O atoms, respectively. The anions connecting with AgI as bridge blocks resulted in the formation of crystalline of helical polymeric chain. In the mononuclear complex 2, the FeIII center is four-coordinated by four Cl− as [FeCl4]− anion, which connected with hydrogen atoms from the protonated N atom and the C atoms from HPepy+ to form multivalent hydrogen bonded network through N–H⋯Cl and C–H⋯Cl interactions. The two frameworks can be both considered as a 3D structure driven by diverse hydrogen bonds as well as π–π stacking interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Induction of larval diapause is a photoperiodically controlled event in the life history of the moth Pseudopidorus fasciata. In the present study, the photoperiodic counter of diapause induction has been systematically investigated. The required day number (RDN) for a 50% response was determined by transferring from a short night (LD 16:8) to a long night (LD 12:12) or vice versa at different times after hatching, The RND differed significantly between short- and long-night cycles at different temperatures. The RDN for long-night cycles at 20, 22, 25 and 28°C was 11.5, 9.5, 7.5 and 8.5 days, respectively. The RDN for short-night cycles was 3 days at 22°C and 5 days at 20°C indicating that the effect of one short night was equivalent to the effect of 2–3 long nights effect. Night-interruption experiments of 24h photoperiods by a 1h light pulse showed that the most crucial event for the photoperiodic time measurement in this moth was whether the length of pre-interruption (D 1) or the post-interruption (D 2) scotophases exceeded the critical night length (10.5h). If D 1 or D 2 exceeded 10.5h diapause was induced. The diapause-averting effect of a single short-night cycle (LD 16:8) against a background of long nights (LD 12:12) showed that the photoperiodic sensitivity was greatest during the first 7 days of the larval period and the highest sensitivity was on the fourth day. Both non-24 and 24h light-dark cycle experiments revealed that the photoperiodic counter in P. fasciata is able to accumulate both long and short nights during the photosensitive period, but in different ways. The information from short-night cycles seems to be accumulated one by one in contrast to long-night cycles where six successive cycles were necessary for about 50% diapause induction and eight cycles for about 90% diapause. These results suggest the accumulation of long-night and short-night cycles may be based on different mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The title complex {[Ag(HPPz)4(NO3)](NO3)4}, 1, has been prepared from the reaction of trans-2-(2-phenylethenyl)pyrazine (PPz) with AgNO3 at room temperature in 10% HNO3 and structurally determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The result shows that the AgI center is five-coordinated with one anion and four mono-protonated HPPz+ ligands. The anions display versatility not only participating in coordination, but also linking the HPPz+ ligands by electrostatic and hydrogen bond interactions. The final framework can be considered as a 3D supramolecular architecture built up by the self-assembly of the building blocks ([Ag(HPPz)4(NO3)]3+, ), driven by diverse interactions based on the anions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the past, the method of reconstitution was used to investigate the interaction between metalloenzymes (containing Zn(II)) and metal ions. In this paper, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been employed to firstly study the direct interactions between Bacillus subtilis neutral proteinase (BSNP), nuclease P1 and Cu(II) ions added in aqueous solution, respectively. These results show that a dynamic equilibrium exists between the Zn(II) in the active site of native enzymes and the added Cu(II), the added Cu(II) partly replaces the Zn(II), forming Cu(II)-enzyme derivatives. As a result, the activity of the native enzymes is influenced. The influences of pH value on this kind of interaction have also been investigated, and the results demonstrate that the change of pH value has little influence on the system of nuclease P1, but has remarkable influence on BSNP. We firstly obtained the EPR spectra for Cu(II)-enzyme derivatives. In addition, the derivative of Cu(II)-BSNP exists in the solution with two different conformations (I type g&z.dfnc;=2.34, A&z.dfnc; (mT)=13.4; II type g&z.dfnc;=2.25, A&z.dfnc; (mT)=16.1), and this two conformations exchanged each other depending on pH. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In vitro maturation (IVM) and cryopreservation of goat oocytes are important for establishing a valuable genetic bank for domesticated female animals and improving livestock reproductive efficiency. C-Phycocyanin (PC) is a Spirulina extract with antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and radical scavenging properties. However, whether PC has positive effect on goat oocytes IVM or developmental competence after vitrification is still unknown. In this study, we found that first polar body extrusion (n = 293), cumulus expansion index (n = 269), and parthenogenetic blastocyst formation (n = 281) were facilitated by adding 30 μg/mL PC to the oocyte maturation medium when compared with the control groups and that supplemented with 3, 10, 100 or 300 μg/mL PC (P < 0.05). Although PC supplementation did not affect spindle formation or chromosome alignment (n = 115), it facilitated or improved cortical granules migration (n = 46, P < 0.05), mitochondria distribution (n = 39, P < 0.05), and mitochondrial membrane potential (n = 46, P < 10−4). Meanwhile, supplementation with 30 μg/mL PC in the maturation medium could significantly inhibit the reactive oxygen species accumulation (n = 65, P < 10−4), and cell apoptosis (n = 42, P < 0.05). In addition, PC increased the oocyte mRNA levels of GPX4 (P < 0.01), and decreased the mRNA and protein levels of BAX (P < 0.01). Next, we investigated the effect of PC supplementation in the vitrification solution on oocyte cryopreservation. When compared with the those equilibrate in the vitrification solution without PC, recovered oocytes in the 30 μg/mL PC group showed higher ratios of normal morphology (n = 85, P < 0.05), survival (n = 85, P < 0.05), first polar body extrusion (n = 62, P < 0.05), and parthenogenetic blastocyst formation (n = 107, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, PC supplementation of the vitrification solution increased oocyte mitochondrial membrane potential (n = 53, P < 0.05), decreased the reactive oxygen species accumulation (n = 73, P < 0.05), promoted mitochondria distribution (n = 58, P < 0.05), and inhibited apoptosis (n = 46, P < 10−3). Collectively, our findings suggest that PC improves goat oocyte IVM and vitrification by reducing oxidative stress and early apoptosis, which providing a novel strategy for livestock gamete preservation and utilization. • PC promoted oocytes in vitro maturation and embryo development. • PC improved mitochondrial function after oocytes IVM and vitrification. • PC reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis levels after oocytes IVM and vitrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The preparation process of hydrophilic-hydrophobic PAM/PS IPNs was optimized. • PAM/PS IPNs was used to remove fermentation inhibitors from SCBH. • PAM/PS IPNs had excellent adsorption performance towards fermentation inhibitors. • PAM/PS IPNs can be regenerated easily and reused stably. Economical removal of fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate plays a considerable role in bioconversion of lignocellulose biomass. In this work, the textural properties of polyacrylamide/polystyrene interpenetrating polymer networks (PAM/PS IPNs) on adsorption of fermentation inhibitors from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate (SCBH) were investigated for the first time. The results showed that, the specific surface area, pore diameter and surface polarity had important influence on its adsorption performance towards sugars, organic acids, furans and acid-soluble lignin. The PAM/PS IPNs under the optimal copolymerization situation achieved the high selectivity coefficients of 4.07, 14.9, 21.2 and 25.8 with respective to levulinic acid, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acid-soluble lignin, and had a low total sugar loss of 2.09%. Overall, this research puts forward a design and synthetic strategy for adsorbent to remove fermentation inhibitors from lignocellulosic hydrolysate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aggregative game involving double-integrator agents is investigated. In this game, the dynamics of all players are subjected to unknown time-varying disturbances and unmodeled terms, and are also influenced by networked attacks on the communication topology. To seek a Nash equilibrium for such games, a novel distributed robust Nash equilibrium seeking algorithm is proposed and the complete closed-loop system is modeled as a hybrid system using an average dwell-time automaton and a time-ratio monitor to constrain attacks. Then, to analyze stability for the proposed algorithm, a Lyapunov function is constructed and uniform asymptotic stability is obtained under a local Lipschitz assumption on the gradients of the payoff functions. In addition, global uniform asymptotic stability is obtained under a global Lipschitz assumption on the gradients. Finally, an example is used to illustrate the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]