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Polymerised styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) 1502 is one of the most common petrochemical products. During the identification of fire evidence, the combustion residues of SBR 1502 highly interfere with the identification of gasoline, a fire accelerant. By conducting thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) experiments at various oxygen concentrations (0, 14, and 21 vol.%), the TG-DSC combustion characteristic behaviour of SBR 1502 was investigated. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to examine the combustion residues at different stages. The results indicated a lack of 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene among the combustion residue of SBR 1502 at the oxygen concentration of 0 and 14 vol.%, thus effectively avoiding the interference of this combustion residue in gasoline identification. The results of the quantitative analysis revealed aromatic hydrocarbon components as the most interfering components for all oxygen concentration and temperature. The combustion residues of SBR 1502 at different oxygen concentrations and combustion stages exhibited different degrees of interference in gasoline identification. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative analyses (hierarchical clustering analysis) were employed to eliminate interference from SBR 1502 in gasoline identification. The results provide theoretical support during the fire identification process.

Background Camptothecin (CPT) and matrine (MAT) have potential as botanical pesticides against several pest species. However, the mechanisms of metabolic and physiological changes in pests induced by CPT and MAT are unknown. In this study, a toxicological test, an NMR-based metabolomic study, an enzymatic test, and an RT quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) experiment were all conducted to examine the effect of CPT and MAT on Spodoptera litura. Results CPT (0.5-1%) exerted high toxicity against larvae of S. litura and caused growth stagnation and high mortality of larvae. A variety of metabolites were significantly influenced by 0.5% CPT, including several energy-related metabolites such as trehalose, lactate, succinate, citrate, malate, and fumarate. In contrast, MAT showed low toxicity against larvae and induced almost no changes in hemolymph metabolites of S. litura. Enzymatic tests showed that trehalase activity was significantly decreased in larvae after feeding with 0.5% CPT. RT-qPCR showed that the transcription levels of alanine aminotransferase, malate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase were decreased while lactate dehydrogenase was increased in the 0.5% CPT-treated group. Conclusions These data indicate that one of the important mechanisms of CPT against S. litura larvae is via the inhibition of trehalose hydrolysis and glycolysis. Our findings also suggest that CPT exhibits a stronger toxicological effect than MAT against S. litura, which provides basic information for the application of CPT in the control of S. litura or other lepidoptera pests.

During fire investigation, gasoline, as a common accelerant, is produced by petroleum cracking. However, the pyrolysis residues of other petrochemicals may interfere with gasoline identification. Polymerised styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) 1502 has combustion characteristics highly consistent with those of gasoline, thus having a great effect on gasoline identification. This study investigated the pyrolysis process of SBR 1502 by using thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to examine the residues during combustion stages, including pyrolysis and nonpyrolysis stages. The results indicated that 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene in the pyrolysis residues of SBR 1502 in pyrolysis stages 2 and 3 was lacked. However, when SBR 1502 only undergoes the first pyrolysis stage or even earlier (Nonpyrolysis stage), the characteristic components in the residue are similar to gasoline. In addition, mathematical methods were applied to analyse relevance and differences between SBR 1502 and gasoline. The conclusion was that the Pearson product-moment correlation was > 0.990, which may interfere with the identification, and principal component analysis could efficiently distinguish them. The current results can provide an accurate and feasible basis for fire investigation.

The transient receptor potential melastatin-subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) is a ubiquitous cation channel possessing kinase activity. TRPM7 mediates a variety of physiological responses by conducting flow of cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and Zn2+. Here, we show that the activation of TRPM7 channel stimulated by chemical agonists of TRPM7, Clozapine or Naltriben, inhibited autophagy via mediating Zn2+ release to the cytosol, presumably from the intracellular Zn2+-accumulating vesicles where TRPM7 localizes. Zn2+ release following the activation of TRPM7 disrupted the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes by disturbing the interaction between Sxt17 and VAMP8 which determines fusion status of autophagosomes and lysosomes. Ultimately, the disrupted fusion resulting from stimulation of TRPM7 channels arrested autophagy. Functionally, we demonstrate that the autophagy inhibition mediated by TRPM7 triggered cell death and suppressed metastasis of cancer cells in vitro, more importantly, restricted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, by evoking apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation. These findings represent a strategy for stimulating TRPM7 to combat cancer.

A highly efficient di-C-glycosyltransferase GgCGT was discovered from the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra. GgCGT catalyzes a two-step di-C-glycosylation of flopropione-containing substrates with conversion rates of >98%. To elucidate the catalytic mechanisms of GgCGT, we solved its crystal structures in complex with UDP-Glc, UDP-Gal, UDP/phloretin, and UDP/nothofagin, respectively. Structural analysis revealed that the sugar donor selectivity was controlled by the hydrogen-bond interactions of sugar hydroxyl groups with D390 and other key residues. The di-C-glycosylation capability of GgCGT was attributed to a spacious substrate-binding tunnel, and the G389K mutation could switch di- to mono-C-glycosylation. GgCGT is the first di-C-glycosyltransferase with a crystal structure, and the first C-glycosyltransferase with a complex structure containing a sugar acceptor. This work could benefit the development of efficient biocatalysts to synthesize C-glycosides with medicinal potential.

C-type lectins are Ca2+-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins containing one or more carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs). C-type lectins play crucial roles in innate immunity, including nonself-recognition and pathogen elimination. In the present study, two C-type lectins (designated ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2) were identified from the shrimp Rimicaris exoculata which dwells in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. The open reading frames of ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 encoded polypeptides of 171 and 166 amino acids respectively, which were both composed of a signal peptide and a single CRD. The key motifs determining the carbohydrate binding specificity of ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 were respectively Glu–Pro–Ala (EPA) and Gln–Pro–Asn (QPN), which were firstly discovered in R. exoculata. ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 displayed similar pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) binding features and they bound three PAMPs—β-glucan, lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan—with relatively high affinity. In addition, both could efficiently recognize and bind Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. However, ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 exhibited different microbial agglutination activities: ReCTL-1 agglutinated Staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, while ReCTL-2 agglutinated Micrococcus luteus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and V. fluvialis. Both ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 inhibited the growth of V. fluvialis. All these results illustrated that ReCTL-1 and ReCTL-2 could function as important pattern-recognition receptors with broad nonself-recognition spectra and be involved in immune defense against invaders, but their specificities are not the same. In addition, the two ReCTLs possessed different carbohydrate binding specificities from each other and from the classical pattern: ReCTL-1 with an EPA motif bound d -galactose and l -mannose, while ReCTL-2 with a QPN motif bound d -fucose and N-acetylglucosamine.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a major problem in coal mining. In the vicinity of underground goaf, secondary or repeated oxidation processes of the residual coal inevitably occur, increasing the risk of coal fires. In this study, the thermal reaction behaviour of two types of raw coal samples and three preoxidised coal samples with different oxidation temperatures (80, 130, and 180 °C) were investigated. The physical and chemical properties of the samples were measured using thermogravimetric analyser-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) with heating rates of 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 °C min−1. According to the characteristic temperatures in the heating processes, the entire CSC procedure can be divided into three stages: oxidation, combustion, and burnout. The results indicated that the aliphatic side chain lengths of preoxidised coal were shorter, and the number of branched aliphatic side chains was lower than that of raw coal. Furthermore, the model for the mechanism of preoxidised coal differed from that of raw coal. Average values of the apparent activation energy of the preoxidised coal samples were lower than those of the raw coal samples. Therefore, compared with raw coal, preoxidised coal requires less energy to react and more readily undergoes spontaneous combustion.

Exogenous enzymes, including protease, lipase, carbohydrate enzyme and phytase, are widely used as additives in fish feed worldwide. The chemical effects of these enzymes are well understood; however, their benefits to fish remain controversial. This review aimed to explore the current state of knowledge on the impacts of exogenous enzymes on finfish aquaculture, and demonstrate the application of exogenous enzymes as a safe and efficient bio‐additive to regulate growth performance, digestibility, feed utilization, whole‐body composition and immune performance of fish, and reduce phosphorus pollution into environment. Overall, based on the current knowledge and information gathered in this review, it is clear that the research on exogenous enzyme supplementation in finfish aquaculture is not extensive. It may be significant to increase research on this subject in future because it could broaden the application of exogenous enzyme use in diets where they cannot be applied currently.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a global, long-standing thermal hazard in coal mining that causes serious environmental damage, particularly in developing countries. Ionic liquids (ILs) are environmentally friendly, green, economical, and a new type of fire-preventing material that inhibits coal oxidation and alleviates thermal production. In this study, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole ([BMIM][I]) at various mass ratios (0.0, 0.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mass%) were used to treat three types of coal (lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite) for CSC. The combustion-mass loss and thermal release rate of ILs treated relative to untreated coal samples were investigated using a synchronous thermal analyzer, and the optimal addition mass ratio of ILs was predicted. Not only do ILs have the most efficient inhibiting effect, but they also consider the economic benefit. Per thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry, for the content of 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4], the inhibiting effect is favorable for universal applications. In addition, coal samples treated with 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4] were subjected to programmed-temperature heating experiment testing. The oxygen consumption rate, inhibiting effect, as well as apparent activation energy, were determined. The inhibiting effect at 120.0–150.0 °C was the most obvious, which provided the basis of the application for CSC prevention.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a type of environmentally friendly solvents. Several studies have proven that ILs can inhibit the spontaneous combustion of coal (SCC). In this study, a synchronous thermal analyzer was used to analyze the effects of the imidazolium-based IL [BMIM][BF4] on coal of three metamorphic grades. A coal sample exhibiting the optimal inhibiting result was selected to investigate the effect of the oxygen concentration on IL inhibition. The results revealed that the influence of IL on the mass loss process of the three metamorphic grades of coal varied considerably. High inhibition was observed in lignite. However, the IL promoted the mass loss process in 1/3 coking coal and anthracite. The IL delayed the ignition temperature of lignite by 42 °C, whereas those of 1/3 coking coal and anthracite were advanced by 10 and 8 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the initial exothermic temperature of the three treated coal samples was higher than those of the raw coal samples. Compared with the raw coal samples, the heat released per gram of lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite was reduced by 1142, 353, and 226 J, respectively. The results indicated that the IL had a prominent inhibiting effect on the exothermic properties of the three coal samples, and the inhibiting effect decreased with an increase in the metamorphic grade of coal. Moreover, the oxygen concentration did not alter the inhibition properties of the IL on the SCC. However, the inhibiting effect weakened as the oxygen concentration decreased.

To overcome the deficiency in which 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) exhibits low levels of catalytic efficiency in aldol reactions and poor tolerance for high concentrations of aldehyde, two novel deoC genes encoding DERAPyc and DERAMet were identified in Pyrobaculum calidifontis and Meiothermus ruber that had heterologous expression in E. coli BL21. The specific activities toward 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate (DR5P) of DERAPyc and DERAMet were 13.6 ± 0.1 and 85.2 ± 0.7 U/mg, respectively. Almost 56.2% (DERAPyc) and 21.7% (DERAMet) of their activity remained after being incubated for 6 h in 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25℃. In addition, the DR5P concentration in the reaction catalyzed by DERAPyc and DERAMet was almost 0.31 and 2.63 times the amount catalyzed by DERAEco after reacting for 6 h, respectively. These results suggest that these two novel DERAs with a high tolerance for a high concentration of aldehyde have the potential to be widely used in industrial settings.

The 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) enzyme in psychrophilic bacteria has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. A novel gene, deoC (681 bp), encoding DERAPsy, was identified in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a, recombinantly expressed in E. coli BL21 and purified via affinity chromatography, which yielded a homodimeric enzyme of 23 kDa. The specific activity of DERAPsy toward 2-deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate (DR5P) was 7.37 ± 0.03 U/mg, and 61.32% of its initial activity remained after incubation in 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25 °C for 2 h. Based on the calculation results (dock binding free energy) with the ligand chloroacetaldehyde (CAH), five target substitutions (T16L, F69R, V66K, S188V, and G189R) were identified, in which the DERAPsy mutant (G189R) exhibited higher catalytic activity toward DR5P than DERAPsy. Only the DERAPsy mutant (V66K) exhibited 12% higher activity toward chloroacetaldehyde and acetaldehyde condensation reactions than DERAPsy. Fortunately, the aldehyde tolerance of these mutants exhibited no significant decline compared with the wild type. These results indicate an effective strategy for enhancing DERA activity.

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is an important molecule in the mucosal immunity of teleosts. Previous studies have shown that pIgR can bind and transport polymeric immunoglobulins (pIgs), but few studies have focused on the binding of teleost pIgR to bacteria. In this study, we identified a gene encoding pIgR in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The pIgR gene contained two Ig-like domains (ILDs), which were homologous to ILD1 and ILD5 of mammalian pIgR. Our results showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could combine with IgM. Moreover, we also found that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could bind to Aeromonas hydrophila and Micrococcus luteus. Further analysis showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could also combine with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and various saccharides, and reduced binding to bacteria was observed with LPS and PGN treatment, indicating that largemouth bass pIgR could bind to bacteria to prevent infection and that saccharide binding is an important interaction mechanism between pIgR and bacteria. These results collectively demonstrated that largemouth bass pIgR not only combines with IgM but also binds to bacteria by various saccharides.

In China, coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is seriously disasters in gobs during coal seam groups mining, the secondary or multiple oxidation processes of residual coal occur inevitably, severely increasing the risk of coal fires. This paper focused on the thermal reaction behavior of two samples of raw coal and degrees of pre-oxidized (Oxi-80 °C, Oxi-130 °C, and Oxi-180 °C), we determined their characteristics of physical and chemical via thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) with the heating rates being 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 °C min−1. According to the characteristic temperature, the CSC process could be divided into three stages of oxidation (stage I), combustion (stage II), and thermal residual (stage III). The results indicated that for pre-oxidized coal the length of aliphatic side chains was shorter, and the number of branched aliphatic side chains was lower than that of the raw coal. The kinetic models revealed the mechanism category was changed between raw coal and pre-oxidized coal. However, the heating rate exerted little influence on the mechanism category of each stage, particularly in stage I. The average values of apparent activation energy for the pre-oxidized coal samples were lower than that of raw coal. Therefore, the pre-oxidized coal samples required less energy to activate and more readily caused spontaneous combustion than raw coal at certain stages.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is an extremely complex physical and chemical reaction between coal and oxygen, and it results in the gradual accumulation of thermal energy that eventually produces conditions that are favorable for combustion. Ionic liquids (ILs) inhibit coal oxidation and reduce the amount of heat that is produced. A synchronous thermal analyzer was used to examine the effects of imidazolium-based ILs on bituminous coal from two sources. The results revealed that with the anion [BF4]−, the inhibiting effect of [BMIM]+ was stronger than that of [EMIM]+. Moreover, with the cation [BMIM]+, the inhibiting effects of [BF4]− were stronger than that of [I]− and [NO3]−. The inhibiting effects of the ILs on CSC were estimated using the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method, which relates the apparent activation energy to the degree of conversion. The inhibiting effect of [BMIM][BF4] offers a basis for effectively preventing CSC and is favorable for universal application.

Galectins are β-galactoside binding lectins that play crucial roles in innate immunity in vertebrates and invertebrates through their conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs). In the present study, single- and four-CRD-containing galectins were identified in oyster Crassostrea gigas (designated CgGal-2 and CgGal-3). The open reading frames (ORFs) of CgGal-2 and CgGal-3 encode polypeptides of 200 and 555 amino acids, respectively. All CRDs of CgGal-3 include two consensus motifs essential for ligand-binding, and a novel motif is present in CgGal-2. Pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) profiles were determined for recombinant rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3, and rCgGal-2 displayed low binding affinity for PAMPs, while rCgGal-3 bound various PAMPs including glucan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and peptidoglycan (PGN) with relatively high affinity. Furthermore, rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3 exhibited different microbe binding profiles; rCgGal-2 bound to Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Vibrio vulnificus) and fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris), while rCgGal-3 bound to these microbes but also to Gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus). In addition, rCgGal-3 possessed microbial agglutinating activity and coagulation activity against fungi and erythrocytes, respectively, but rCgGal-2 lacked any agglutinating activity. Carbohydrate binding specificity analysis showed that rCgGal-3 specifically bound D-galactose. Furthermore, rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3 functioned as opsonin participating in the clearance against invaders in C. gigas. Thus, CgGal-2 with one CRD and CgGal-3 with four CRDs are new members of the galectin family involved in immune responses against bacterial infection. Differences in the organisation and amino acid sequences of CRDs may affect their specificity and affinity for nonself substances.

Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), a famous Chinese formula, has been widely used to treat gynecological disorders since ancient times and has recently showed efficacy in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Butylidenephthalide (BDPH) and alisol B (ALI) are recognized as the primary active ingredients of DSS. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetic comparative study of BDPH and ALI in herbal extracts and their purified forms. A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) methodology was developed to determine the concentration level of BDPH and ALI in rat plasma. This approach enables a real-time pharmacokinetics profiling of BDPH and ALI in DSS extracts as well as their purified forms in rats after oral administration. The validated method showed an evident linearity over a wide range of dosages (r > 0.99) with sensitivity down to 1.0 ng/mL for each analyte. The extraction recovery of the analyte ranged from 80.8 to 99.1%. The pharmacokinetic parameters were significantly different in herbal extracts and their purified forms. The results showed that the absorption of both BDPH and ALI from DSS extracts was significantly greater compared with their purified forms. A highly specific, sensitive and rapid HPLC–MS/MS method was developed and applied for the determination of BDPH and ALI in rat plasma. It was found that BDPH and ALI had higher bioavailability in the DSS extract compared with their purified forms.

2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) belongs to the family of lyases and can form C–C bonds to generate multiple chiral centers, thus providing an interesting route to produce key chiral compounds. However, several problems, such as low activity and poor stability (poor tolerance to high aldehyde concentrations), limit the practical application of DERA in large-scale production. Many approaches have been introduced to address these issues. Specifically, in the last decade, many new DERAs, with high catalytic activity or excellent aldehyde tolerance, have been cloned from various extremophilic microorganisms. In addition, on the basis of the analysis of the catalytic mechanism of DERA, rational design engineering and computational design have been used to reconstruct DERA enzymes to alter their stability and catalytic activity.

We have grown EuPt2As2 single crystals using self-flux method, and investigated the physical properties by performing electrical transport, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements. X-ray diffraction studies show that EuPt2As2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic structure with space group Pmmn. While no superconductivity is observed down to 1.5 K, two antiferromagnetic transitions related to Eu ions are found below 10 K. Similar to iso-structural EuPd2As2 and EuPd2Sb2, we propose that the first transition at 7.1 K is due to the antiferromagnetic ordering of Eu moments, and the second one at 5.9 K is due to a spin reorientation. The specific heat measurements reveal that the extrapolated Sommerfeld coefficient is moderately large γ 0 ∼ 70.5 mJ/(mol ⋅ K 2 ). We also proposed a field versus temperature phase diagram of this compound.

In this study, the effects of chrysin on cerebral ischemia by establishing middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rat were investigated. In vivo experiments, the rats were orally administrated with clopidogrel or chrysin once daily for 7 days before the experimental of ischemia and the rats were divided into 5 groups: the sham group, the I/R group, I/R + clopidogrel group, I/R + chrysin (10 mg/kg), I/R + chrysin (20 mg/kg) group. Chrysin significantly ameliorated the I/R rats, evaluated by TTC staining, determination of brain wet to dry weight ratio and neurological deficits. Moreover, in serum and brain tissues of the I/R rats, chrysin also could effectively suppress the release of inflammatory cytokines, including levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). In addition, chrysin could improve the SOD activity in the I/R rats. Mechanically, chrysin could activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, inhibited inflammation and apoptosis. In oxygen-glucose deprivation and recovery (OGD/R)-induced SH-SY5Y cells in vitro. Chrysin markedly decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in supernatant of OGD/R-induced SH-SY5Y cells via activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that chrysin might be a potential therapeutic agent for cerebral ischemia.

Electric arc beads commonly cause large fire and explosion accidents, especially during the powder process industries. During such fires, the original equipment is often severely burned, rendering electrical fire investigation impossible. Therefore, identifying the beads caused by electrical faults through metallurgical investigation is crucial. This study focused on the ‘cause’ of arc beads and determined their pattern characteristics through metallurgical analysis of copper wires with short-circuit currents of 100, 160, 200, and 240 A. According to microstructure characteristics and metallographic knowledge, bead pattern characteristics were divided into six types: hypereutectic (A), dendritic eutectic (B), chilled layer (C), cellular crystal (D), dendritic (E), and coarse columnar crystal (F). Oxide levels of each category were A (4.5%–7.6%) > C (2.0%–3.8%) > B (1.1%–2.4%) > D (1.0%–2.1%) > E (0.6%–1.9%) > F (0.1%–0.7%). When the short-circuit currents were the same, there were a greater number of small particle beads than large ones. As the current increased, the number of distributed beads with a particle size d

The effects of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [Bmim][BF4] on the exothermic and heat transfer characteristics of three metamorphic grades of coal during low-temperature oxidation were investigated. The C80 microcalorimeter results showed that the IL inhibited the exothermic process and characteristics of long-flame and non-caking coals, whereas the IL had a growth-promoting influence on gas-fat coal. The kinetics calculation results showed that the apparent activation energy of long-flame and non-caking coals increased after treatment but gas-fat coal was subjected to the opposite effects. According to the consequences of the LFA457 laser flash system, the IL decreased the thermal diffusivity and increased the specific heat of long-flame and non-caking coals. It had a notable inhibiting effect on the heat transfer properties of the two coals. However, the influence of IL on the heat transfer characteristics of gas-fat coal shows a salient promoting effect. Therefore, we conclude that the IL inhibited the generation and transfer of heat during the low-temperature oxidation of long-flame and non-caking coals. This prevented the occurrence and development of coal spontaneous combustion, but it had the opposite effect on gas-fat coal. The effect of the IL on the thermal behaviour of coal oxidation at low temperature varied with the degree of metamorphism of coal, and such an influence played a dual role in this because of its inhibition and promotion in relation to this reaction. This demonstrated that the IL did not inhibit the spontaneous combustion of all types of coal.

Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) has become a commercially important fish species all over the world. High-density aquaculture has led to congestion and contributed to bacterial infection outbreaks that have caused high mortality. Therefore a 56-days feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (GB-9) and Yarrowia lipolytica lipase2 (YLL2) on growth performance, digestive enzymes activity, innate immunity and resistance to pathogens of A. japonica. Fish growth performance was significantly affected by dietary YLL2 supplementation but not by GB-9. Fish fed diets with YLL2 at 2.0 g/kg diet in combination of high and low levels of GB-9 (5.0 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg) produced the highest growth. For digestive enzyme, lipase and trypsin activities was promoted by dietary containing YLL2, while amylase activities was increased by dietary containing YLL2, GB-9 single or combination. For innate immunity, the mucus lysozyme activity, leukocytes phagocytosis activity and reactive oxygen species level of skin, peroxidase and lysozyme activity of serum were enhanced in fish fed with GB-9 compared to those in control group (p 0.05). The highest resistance to Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas hydrophila was determined in fish fed with 5.0 g kg

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) predominantly affect women of reproductive ages, with pain as the main symptom. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle and to examine whether genistein could antagonize the effects of E2 in female rats. Injection of glutamate into the masseter muscle dose-dependently decreased head withdrawal thresholds, a parameter for mechanical hypernociception. Head withdrawal thresholds in ovariectomized rats also decreased with increasing doses of E2 replacement, and were further aggravated by injection of glutamate (1M, 40μL) into the masseters. Genistein at doses of 7.5 and 15 mg/kg antagonized E2-induced hypernociception of masseter muscle, and at doses of 7.5, 15, and 30 mg/kg also antagonized E2 potentiation of glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle. Genistein produced optimal antagonistic effects of E2 on nociception behavior at a dose of 15 mg/kg. On the molecular level, tyrosine phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (pNR2B) and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinase (pERK1/2) were significantly upregulated in the hippocampus following glutamate injection and were further potentiated by E2 replacement. Genistein at dose of 15 mg/kg partially reversed E2-potentiated glutamate-evoked upregulation of pNR2B and pERK1/2 expression in the hippocampus. These results indicated that moderate doses of genistein could antagonize E2 enhanced glutamate-evoked hypernociception of masseter muscle possibly via N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in the hippocampus.

A 12-weeks feeding trial was performed to investigate the possible effects of supplementation of Hybrid sturgeon diet with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (GB-9) and Yarrowia lipolytica lipase2 (YLL2) single or combined on immune response and growth performance of Hybrid sturgeon (Acipenser schrenkii ♂and Acipenser baeri ♀). For this aim, Hybrid sturgeons were fed with four experimental diets namely: Diet 1 (0-control), Diet 2 (5.0 g/kg GB-9), Diet 3 (4.0 g/kg YLL2), and Diet 4 (5.0 g/kg GB-9 + 4.0 g/kg YLL2), respectively. After fed with varied diets, growth performance, mucosal immune response, leukocytes immune response and serum immunological response were measured. The results indicated that supplementations of GB-9 + YLL2 resulted in a significant increase in final weight, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) concentration, compared with that of control (p

The abuse of antibiotics and following rapidly increasing of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is the serious threat to our society. Natural products from microorganism are regarded as the important substitution antimicrobial agents of antibiotics. We isolated a new strain, Bacillus sp. GFP-2, from the Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Whitespotted bamboo shark) intestine, which showed great inhibitory effects on the growth of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, the growth of salmon was effectively promoted when fed with inactivated strain GFP-2 as the inhibition agent of pathogenic bacteria. The genes encoding antimicrobial peptides like LCI, YFGAP and hGAPDH and gene clusters for secondary metabolites and bacteriocins, such as difficidin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, surfactin, butirosin, macrolactin, bacillaene, fengycin, lanthipeptides and LCI, were predicted in the genome of Bacillus sp. GFP-2, which might be expressed and contribute to the antimicrobial activities of this strain. The gene encoding β-1,3-1,4-glucanase was successfully cloned from the genome and this protein was detected in the culture supernatant of Bacillus sp. GFP-2 by the antibody produced in rabbit immunized with the recombinant β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, indicating that this strain could express β-1,3-1,4-glucanase, which might partially contribute to its antimicrobial activities. This study can enhance a better understanding of the mechanism of antimicrobial activities in genus Bacillus and provide a useful material for the biotechnology study in antimicrobial agent development.

cis -Epoxysuccinate hydrolase (CESH) is efficient in catalyzing conversion of cis -epoxysuccinate into l -(+)-tartaric acid, and the enzyme has been successfully applied in industry. However, low thermostability limits its use in large-scale applications. To improve the stability of CESH, we conducted directed evolution and used strategies belonging to semi-rational redesign. Mutant 1X-1 (Q122R) was harvested from directed evolution. Its half-life at 50 °C ( t 1/2, 50 °C ) increased from 8.5 min to 31.6 min, and the T 50 15 (temperature at which the activity of enzyme decreased by 50% in 15 min) increased from 44.0 °C to 49.5 °C. Substitutions F26V and I83R predicted by multiple sequence alignments were introduced into mutant 1X-1, and the t 1/2, 50 °C and T 50 15 of mutant 3X (Q122R, F26V and I83R) increased to 170.8 min and 55.4 °C. Simulated mutation based on in silico structural modelling was used in constructing mutant 5X (Q122R, F26V, I83R, D8K and S90R), for which the t 1/2, 50 °C and T 50 15 increased to 237.1 min and 62.4 °C, respectively. Site-saturated mutagenesis was employed on amino acid residues Asp-8, Phe-26, Ile-83, Ser-90, and Gln-122 to maximize the thermostability of mutant 5X. Mutant 5X-1 (Q122R, F26W, I83R, D8K and S90R) was isolated; its t 1/2,50 °C increased to 293.2 min, 34.5-fold that of the wild-type enzyme and the T 50 15 increased to 64.8 °C. Moreover, the effective working ranges of pH of mutant 5X-1 extended to 5.0–10.0 from 8.0–9.0 for the wild-type enzyme.

DERASEP (2-deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase cloned from Staphylococcus epidermidis) shows higher catalytic activity toward 2-deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate (DRP) than that of DERAECO (2-deoxy-ribose aldolase cloned from Escherichia coli). However, the acetaldehyde tolerance of DERASEP is still at low level, which limits its use in large-scale applications. Although the mechanism responsible for enzyme inactivation in the presence of solvents is unclear, earlier work indicated the positive correlation between the tolerance of an enzyme for organic solvents and the rigidity of its structure. The acetaldehyde tolerance of DERASEP was improved by site-directed mutagenesis on the basis of enhancing the rigidity of the protein structure. After calculating the virtual mutation energy (stability) of the enzyme and experimental verification, variant10 mutant DERASEP with three amino acid substitutions (T120C, G174I, and G213C) was harvested after three rounds of site-directed mutagenesis. It showed surprisingly high tolerance to acetaldehyde, with almost 70.5% residual catalytic activity after exposure to 300 mM acetaldehyde for 2 h, while the wild-type DERASEP retained only 11.3% activity under the same condition. Because the rigidity of the protein was increased after incorporating the mutations, the specific activity of the variant10 was only half that of DERASEP. Thus, the acetaldehyde tolerance of DERASEP was efficiently increased by enhancing the rigidity of the structure. These results suggested that the inactivation of DERA by exposure to acetaldehyde may result from protein structural damage.

2-Deoxyribose aldolase-catalyzed C-C bond-forming reactions have become 1 more and more important in synthesis of statins and other drug intermediates. Many methods have focused on improving the aldolase properties and harvesting new aldolases, but a good outcome depends on the efficiency of the high-throughput screening system. We have developed a visible green fluorescence probe based on a coumarin derivative, which can be reversibly modulated by a retro-aldol reaction catalyzed by 2-deoxyribose aldolase for selecting aldolase mutants with high activity. This assay system provides a convenient and effective way for high-throughput screening aldolases as the green fluorescence is sensitively detected and daylight-viewable without the need for specialist equipment. We used our probe to successfully harvest aldolase mutants with higher activities than the parent from a random mutagenesis library.

Phytochemical investigation of a Chinese fern Lepidogrammitis drymoglossoides led to the isolation of five compounds, including one triterpenoid, two lignans and two glycosides. Their structures were determined to be filic-3-ene-28-oic acid (1), (−)-syringaresinol-4 -O- beta- d -glucopyranoside (2), lyoniresinol (3), 4- O- beta- d -glucopyranosyl caffeic acid (4) and n -butyl- O- beta- d -fructopyranoside (5) on the basis of mass and NMR spectra and chemical and physical properties. Filic-3-ene-28-oic acid (1) is a new triterpenoid, while compounds 2–5 were isolated from the genus Lepidogrammitis for the first time. Chemotaxonomic significance of this investigation is summarized.

Neuroactive steroids (rapidly acting steroids that act as allosteric modulators of neurotransmitter receptors such as the A‰£-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor and the NMDA glutamate receptor) are involved in brain development and have been proposed to be important in the etiology and/or pharmacotherapy of a number of psychiatric and neurologic disorders, but there is limited information available on their association with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This paper reviews the possible involvement of neuroactive steroids (NASs) and some related steroids, including testosterone, androstenedione and estradiol steroids in the etiology of ASD. NASs include progesterone, pregnanolone, pregnenolone, pregnenolone sulfate, allopregnanolone, tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). Studies on the levels of NASs and related steroids in blood, urine, saliva, and amniotic fluid in ASD are also reviewed. The results on plasma levels of NASs in ASD reported in the literature are generally inconclusive, probably because of differences among studies in terms of experimental design and factors such as age, gender, number of subjects, and medication being taken and differences in time of day at which samples are taken and storage conditions of samples. Future studies on levels of NASs in ASD should include careful consideration of the factors mentioned above, the possible advantages of saliva sampling and the use of assay procedures that provide simultaneous analysis of levels of a large number of these steroids.

Background The relapse rate of ulcerative colitis (UC) is high. The efficacy of combined diosmectite and mesalazine treatment for active mild-to-moderate UC was investigated. Material/Methods A total of 120 patients with UC were enrolled in this randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study. Sixty patients were assigned to the Diosmectite group (diosmectite and mesalazine) and 60 were assigned to Placebo group (placebo and mesalazine). In the induction phase, the primary end point was the clinical remission rate at 8 weeks; secondary end points were clinical response, endothelial mucosal healing, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels, and defecation frequency. In the maintenance phase, the primary end point was clinical remission at 52 weeks; secondary end points were clinical response, endothelial mucosal healing, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and defecation frequency. Results At 8 weeks, the Diosmectite group had a significantly higher clinical remission rate (68.3% vs. 50%) and mucosal healing rate (66.7% vs. 48.3%) compared with the Placebo group. There were no significant differences in clinical response rates, Mayo score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, or defecation frequency. At 52 weeks, the Diosmectite group had a significantly higher clinical remission rate (61.7% vs. 40%) and mucosal healing rate (60% vs. 38.3%) compared with the Placebo group. Defecation frequency was lower, but this was not significant. Conclusions Combined diosmectite and mesalazine treatment successfully induced and maintained the treatment of active mild-to-moderate UC as indicated by higher rates of clinical remission and mucosal healing.

T-type calcium channels are prominently expressed in primary nociceptive fibers and well characterized in pain processes. Although itch and pain share many similarities including primary sensory fibers, the function of T-type calcium channels on acute itch has not been explored. We investigated whether T-type calcium channels expressed within primary sensory fibers of mouse skin, especially Cav3.2 subtype, involve in chloroquine-, endothelin-1- and histamine-evoked acute itch using pharmacological, neuronal imaging and behavioral analyses. We found that pre-locally blocking three subtypes of T-type calcium channels in the peripheral afferents of skins, yielded an inhibition in acute itch or pain behaviors, while selectively blocking the Cav3.2 channel in the skin peripheral afferents only inhibited acute pain but not acute itch. These results suggest that T-type Cav3.1 or Cav3.3, but not Cav3.2 channel, have an important role in acute itch processing, and their distinctive roles in modulating acute itch are worthy of further investigation.

A new quinary oxysulfide LaPbBiS3O was designed and successfully synthesized via a solid-state reaction in a sealed evacuated quartz tube. This material, composed of stacked NaCl-like [M4S6] (where M = Pb, Bi) layers and fluorite-type [La2O2] layers, crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4/nmm with a = 4.0982(1) Å, c = 19.7754(6) Å, and Z = 2. Electrical resistivity and Hall effect measurements demonstrate that it is a narrow gap semiconductor with an activation energy of ∼17 meV. The thermopower and the figure of merit at room temperature were measured to be -52 μV/K and 0.23, respectively, which makes LaPbBiS3O and its derivatives be promising for thermoelectric applications.

EcoDERA 2 as efficiently immobilized on GA-APTES-NSM 1 with a yield of over 75% After incubation of the free EcoDERA in 300 mM acetaldehyde for 3 h, no activity was observed, while in contrast, the EcoDERA-GA-APTES-NSM 2 retained more than 60% of its activity after a 3 h incubation. The EcoDERA-GA-APTES-NSM possessed 65.7% of its initial activity after incubation at 80 °C for 10 min, whereas, the free enzyme lost almost all of its activity under these conditions. The immobilized enzyme can be easily separated from the reaction system by using only a magnetic-iron.These results suggest the potential utility of GA-APTES-NSM as an immobilization support for EcoDERA.

Exothermicity is a key parameter for evaluating coal spontaneous combustion (CSC). A suitable oxygen concentration is essential for CSC. Ionic liquids (ILs), which are a popular type of fire prevention material, inhibit coal oxidation. 1-Butyl-3-methyl imidazole tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) was used at various mass ratios (0, 2, 5, and 10 mass%) to treat coal to inhibit CSC. Through simultaneous thermal analysis tests, coal samples were investigated in atmospheres with oxygen concentrations of 5, 10, 15, and 21 vol%. The results indicated that the mass loss decreased with increasing IL content. However, the mass loss did not decrease indefinitely with increasing IL content. The lowest mass loss was observed at an IL concentration of approximately 7.5 mass%. The inhibition increased with decreasing oxygen concentrations. Moreover, the inhibiting effect first increased slowly until the IL concentration exceeded 10 mass%, after which the inhibiting effect increased rapidly. The relationship between the exothermic rate and the mass loss rate of the coal at Stage 2 of the reaction was comparatively analysed. The reaction rate between oxygen and coal was the key factor influencing the exothermic rate. In the oxidation of coal, both the oxygen concentration and inhibitor content affected the comprehensive combustion index of coal.

The layered bismuth sulfofluorides EuBiS2F and Eu3Bi2S4F4 show unique properties among all the BiS2-based superconductors. Both compounds exhibit a possible charge-density-wave (CDW) instability ar...

A novel Ag3PO4/multiwalled carbon nanotube (Ag3PO4/MWCNT) composite has been prepared by a simple precipitant approach. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance, and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the MWCNTs are well deposited on Ag3PO4 nanoparticles. The Ag3PO4/MWCNT composite with MWCNT content of 1.4 wt% exhibits optimal photocatalytic activity under visible light. The rate constant of MO degradation over Ag3PO4/1.4 wt% MWCNT is 5.84 times that of pure Ag3PO4. Compared with pure Ag3PO4, the incorporation of MWCNTs not only significantly enhances the photocatalytic activity but also improves the structural stability of Ag3PO4, suggesting that the synergistic effects take place in the composite. The improvement is attributed to the conductive structure supported by MWCNTs, which favors electron–hole separation and the removal of photogenerated electrons from the decorated Ag3PO4. A possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag3PO4/MWCNT photocatalyst was assumed as well.

We have synthesized a new oxypnictide, Ba2Ti2Fe2As4O, via a solid-state reaction under a vacuum. The compound crystallizes in a body-centered tetragonal lattice, which can be viewed as an intergrowth of BaFe2As2 and BaTi2As2O, thus containing Fe2As2 layers and Ti2O sheets. Bulk superconductivity at 21 K is observed after annealing the as-prepared sample at 773 K for 40 h. In addition, an anomaly in resistivity and magnetic susceptibility around 125 K is revealed, suggesting a charge- or spin-density wave transition in the Ti sublattice.

Many studies have been dedicated to the development of scaffolds for improving post-traumatic nerve regeneration with different biomaterials. Nerve autografting is the most common surgical procedure currently used to repair nerve defects as a gold standard. To address the disadvantages of limited availability of donor nerves and donor site morbidity, we have fabricated chitosan conduits and seeded them combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) as an alternative. The conduits were tested for efficacy in bridging the critical gap (8 mm) in sciatic nerves of adult rats, which including sciatic nerve function index (SFI), ethology observation, histologic detection, immunohistochemistry detection. The BMSCs were tested for survival rate and differentiation by fluorescence labeling. Six weeks after operation, the SFI, average regenerated fiber density, and fiber diameter in nerves bridged with BMSCs were similar to those treated with autograft, but significantly higher than those bridged with chitosan conduits only (P

This paper is concerned with the preparation and use of HDTMA-modified clinoptilolite (Ct.) to remove phenol and investigate the effect of cation ions on the phenol sorption performance. It was found that HDTMA-modified Ct. removed phenol more efficiently than natural Ct. This can be attributed to the enhanced hydrophobic surface properties of HDTMA-modified Ct. In the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, the phenol sorption by HDTMA-modified Ct. was further improved. The formation of neutral ion pair of metal–phenol and increasing hydrophobic interactions were contributed to such phenomena.

The adsorption of bisphenol-A (BPA) by hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HDTMA) modified clinoptilolite was presented. In this paper, the equilibrium adsorption of BPA by HDTMA modified clinoptilolite was described by Freundlich isotherm with a correlation coefficient's square (R2) of 0.988. The kinetics of adsorption was defined by second-order kinetics with a rate constant (Kv) of 1.98 g/mg/h. The absorption rate was fast, and the liquid solid equilibrium was accomplished within 180 minutes. The effects of initial solution pH, and reaction temperatures had been estimated, showing that the adsorption was enhanced gradually by increasing pH value.

The individual and competitive adsorption capacities of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ on clinoptilolite and polymeric Al/Fe modified clinoptilolite were studied. In single systems, adsorption capacity of Pb2+ exceeded that of Cu2+ and Zn2+, and the adsorption capacities of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ by polymeric Al/Fe modified clinoptilolite were greater than clinoptilolite. In binary isometric competition adsorption, adsorption capacities of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ by clinoptilolite and polymeric Al/Fe modified clinoptilolite decreased compared with single systems. In binary non -isometric competition adsorption, adsorption of Zn2+ from solutions containing a fixed Zn2+ concentration was severely depressed (34%, 26% by clinoptilolite and polymeric Al/Fe (PAFC) modified clinoptilolite, respectively) by increasing the concentration of Cu2+ in the solution, but inverting the roles of Cu2+ and Zn2+ caused only a relatively minor reduction in adsorption of Cu2+. What,s more in other non-equal competition binary systems, the effect of metal adsorption was little. In general, the strength of adsorption followed the order of Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ and the order of PAFC modified clinoptilolite > clinoptilolite.

Enoxaparin is widely used in clinic, but it has some disadvantages. For example, its anticoagulant activity is weaker compared with heparin and it can not be effectively neutralizad by protamine sulfate (PS) in case of bleeding. Therefore, in this work, a new generation of low molecular weight heparin (NG-LMWH) was prepared.The NG-LMWH was prepared with the method of alkaline β-elimination followed by gel chromatography. Estimating the molecular weight of the NG-LMWH by GPC-HPLC, it has a remarkably low polydispersity index and narrow molecular weight distribution. The polydispersity index of NG-LMWH was 1.052, which was lower than heparin (1.5) and enoxaparin (1.279). Anti-FXa and anti-FIIa potency of NG-LMWH was much higher than that of Enoxaparin, and close to that of heparin, which was determined by chromogenic substrate method. To test the degree of anti-FXa or anti-FIIa potency neutralized by PS, equivalent anti-FXa or anti-FIIa activity doses of different anticoagulant in plasma were titrated with increasing amounts of PS in plasma. The results indicate that NG-LMWH was more efficiently neutralized by PS than enoxaparin.The efficacy of anti-thrombus of NG-LMWH was superior to enoxaparin and the effect was dose dependent, which was evaluated with rat carotid artery thrombosis and inferior vena cava thrombosis model. The results of pharmacokinetics in New Zealand rabbits showed that the pharmacokinetic characteristics of NG-LMWH were similar to enoxaparin. The NG-LMWH prepared in this work has both advantages of heparin and enoxaparin with more effective and safer anticoagulation than enoxaparin.

Superconductivity, the absence of electrical resistance, is rare in quasi-one-dimensional materials. Researchers show that bulk superconductivity emerges at 6.1 K and ambient pressure in a quasi-one-dimensional chromium arsenide.

The inhibitive action of extract from mint leaves (EML) on Q235A hot rolled carbon steel (HRCS) in 0.5mol/L H2SO4 solution was studied using weight loss measurement, electrochemical polarization and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization. The results indicate that the extract functions as a good inhibitor. The inhibition efficiency of EML increases with rise in temperature and concentration. The max value of inhibition efficiency reaches 94.01% with addition of 320mg/L EML inhibitor in 0.5mol/L H2SO4 solution, at 50 o C. Chemical adsorption of EML components occurs on the surface of carbon steel according to the thermodynamic theoretic analysis. It is shown that the extract of mint leaves acts as a mixed type inhibitor according to the analysis from electrochemical polarization curves. The adsorption of the extract on hot rolled carbon steel obeys Langmuir's adsorption isotherm.

EuBiS$_{2}$F is a self-doped superconductor due to the mixed valence of Eu. Here we report that, with the Ce substitution for Eu by 50 at.\%, the material exhibits ferromagnetic ordering at 8 K for the Ce-4$f$ moment, superconductivity at 2.2 K in the BiS$_2$ layers, and possibly antiferromagnetic ordering at 2.1 K for the Eu-4$f$ spins. The Eu valence is essentially divalent with the Ce incorporation. We tentatively interpret the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity by considering different Bi-6$p$ orbitals that are responsible for superconductivity itself and for mediating the ferromagnetic interaction, respectively. We argue that the antiferromagnetic ordering of the Eu-4$f$ spins is most likely due to a magnetic dipole-dipole interaction., Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures

The quinary oxysulfide LaPbBiS3O is prepared by solid state reaction of a stoichiometric mixture of La2S3, Bi2S3, and PbO (evacuated quartz tube, 940 K, 25 h).