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The worsening of climate conditions is closely related to the large amount of carbon dioxide produced by human use of fossil fuels. Under the guidance of the goal of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals", with the deepening of the structural reform of the energy supply side, the hybrid energy system coupled with renewable energy has become an important means to solve the energy problem. This paper focuses on the comprehensive evaluation of hybrid energy systems. A complete decision support system is constructed in this study. The system primarily consists of four components: 1) Twelve evaluation criteria from economic, environmental, technological, and socio-political perspectives; 2) A decision information collecting and processing method in uncertain environment combining triangular fuzzy numbers and hesitation fuzzy language term sets; 3) A comprehensive weighting method based on Lagrange optimization theory; 4) Solution ranking based on the fuzzy VIKOR method that considers the risk preferences of decision-makers. Through a case study, it was found that the four most important criteria are investment cost, comprehensive energy efficiency, dynamic payback period and energy supply reliability with weights of 7.21%, 7.17%, 7.17%, and 7.15% respectively. A1 is the scheme with the best comprehensive benefit. The selection of solutions may vary depending on the decision-maker's risk preference. Through the aforementioned research, the decision framework enables the evaluation of the overall performance of the system and provides decision-making references for decision-makers in selecting solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While controlling the wheel shuttling of prototype [2]rotaxanes has been readily achieved, which promotes the development of intelligent supramolecular systems and materials, it remains a grand challenge to access higher ordered rotaxane systems with precisely controllable relative motion between component parts. Herein, a unique tristable [3]rotaxane was synthesized by threading two cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+) macrocycles with a dumbbell component, which contained three recognition sites, including a photoactive azobenzene (AB) unit and a redox active tetrathiofulvalene (TTF) unit separated by a dioxynaphthalene (DNP) unit. Upon UV (365 nm)/yellow (> 525 nm) light irradiation, the Z/E photoisomerization of the AB unit could be triggered to drive the CBPQT4+ wheel (A) to shuttle between the AB and DNP units, with the CBPQT4+ wheel (B) maintained on the TTF unit. Furthermore, regulating the redox states of the TTF unit without light irradiation can induce the CBPQT4+ wheel (B) to shuttle between the TTF and DNP units. The construction of this unique orthogonal photo and redox stimuli-responsive [3]rotaxane is conducive to the development of higher ordered rotaxane-based molecular systems with controllable sophisticated properties and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the interactions of six different flavonoids (IVa~c and Va~c) with bovine serum proteins (BSA) were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, thermodynamic and molecular dynamics simulations. The fluorescence behaviors of IVa~c and Va~c were quantitatively related to BSA, and the results calculated using the Stern-Volmer equation showed that IVa~c and Va~c had significant fluores-cence quenching with BSA, both of which were static quenching. The binding ability of monofluoroflavone with BSA was best when its fluorine atom was at para position, while the binding ability of monofluoroflavonol with BSA was best when its fluorine atom was at meta position. The binding ability of monofluoroflavonol with BSA was stronger than that of monofluoroflavone when hydroxyl group was attached to the C(3) of monofluoroflavone IVa~c. The calculated thermodynamic parameters of IVa~c and Va~Va were ΔG<0, ΔH<0 and ΔS<0, indicating that the interaction of IVa~c and Va~Vc with BSA was a spontaneous exothermic process, which mainly relies on hydrogen bonding and van der Waals force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: To find more effective agricultural antibiotics, a class of new 2‐aminothiazole derivatives containing the 4‐aminoquinazoline moiety were synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial properties against phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi of agricultural importance. RESULTS: All the target compounds were fully characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and high‐resolution mass spectrometry. The bioassay results showed that compound F29 with a 2‐pyridinyl substituent exhibited an outstanding antibacterial effect against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) in vitro, having an half‐maximal effective concentration (EC50) value as low as 2.0 μg/mL (over 30‐fold more effective than the commercialized agrobactericide bismerthiazol, with an EC50 value of 64.3 μg/mL). In addition, compound F8 with a 2‐fluorophenyl group demonstrated a good inhibitory activity toward the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), around twofold more active than bismerthiazol in terms of their EC50 values (22.8 versus 71.5 μg/mL). Interestingly, this compound also demonstrated a notable fungicidal effect against Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae, with an EC50 value largely comparable with that of the commercialized fungicide carbendazim. Finally, mechanistic studies revealed that compound F29 exerted its antibacterial effects by increasing the permeability of bacterial membranes, reducing the release of extracellular polysaccharides, and triggering morphological changes of bacterial cells. CONCLUSION: Compound F29 has promising potential as a lead compound for developing more efficient bactericides to fight against Xoc. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines independent planning system as a means of public administration in regional economic development. It proposes a new strategy based on the theories of public administrative resources, to agglomerate and unify the cities of Shantou, Jieyang, and Chaozhou into a new administrative entity as a metropolis with the status of independent planning and the preferred policies of a Special Economic Region to lead regional development. The optimal allocation of public administrative resources has played a key role in the fundamental economic development in China in recent years. The new administrative system of large cities (metropolises) with independent planning has become an innovative format to utilize the renewable soft resources of administration, which in fact is a new attempt to reform the economic system by the Chinese government. The greater Chaoshan area needs to be agglomerated and unified to further develop the regional economy with the implementation of independent planning system. The current research conducted from a practical and political point of view is of significant value to the overall planning and strategic layout of the economic and social development of the whole eastern Guangdong region.

Business parks account for 30% of China's total carbon emissions. Exploring emissions reduction approaches for business parks is crucial to achieve a net-zero emissions target, as well as for achieving a representative example for all types of emissions entities. Business parks mainly adopt two types of emissions reduction approaches: energy-saving renovations and purchasing carbon reduction products. However, there are limited studies focusing on the optimal combinations of the two approaches for reaching net-zero emissions and evaluating the cost effectiveness. To find a feasible and quantified way to build net-zero business park, a comprehensive path decision model is proposed. The problem is broken down into two parts: the optimal carbon reduction portfolio and the optimal electricity saving were researched. For the optimal product portfolio, the Markowitz theory is employed to balance the risk of carbon reduction products with the expected cost. In the part of optimal electricity saving, considering a ten-year life cycle, the total cost includes renovation investment, carbon reduction products cost, and cost saving of electricity consumption reduction. Based on the energy consumption, technical, and price data, the combination of energy-saving renovations and carbon reduction products is optimized. The model suggests a business park can save 24% of energy consumption through renovation investment and purchase CCER as 66% of the carbon reduction product portfolio. Taking only purchasing carbon reduction products as a benchmark to assess economic efficiency, implementing an optimized level of energy-saving renovation is found to save 16% of the comprehensive cost for the life cycle required to achieve zero carbon emissions. This model provides a new comprehensive optimization idea that will help future parks make decisions to achieve zero-carbon emission targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chigger mites are the vector of scrub typhus. This study estimates the infestation status and ecological characteristics of chiggers on the chestnut white-bellied rat Niviventer fulvescens in Southwest China between 2001 and 2019. Chiggers were identified under the microscope, and infestation indices were calculated. The Preston’s log-normal model was used to fit the curve of species abundance distribution. A total of 6,557 chiggers were collected in 136 of 342 N. fulvescens rats, showing high overall infestation indices (prevalence=39.8%, mean abundance=19.2, mean intensity=48.2) and high species diversity (S=100, H’=3.0). Leptotrombidium cangjiangense, Neotrombicula japonica, and Ascoschoengastia sifanga were the three dominant chigger species (constituent ratio=42.9%; 2,736/6,384) and exhibited an aggregated distribution among different rat individuals. We identified 100 chigger species, with 3 of them (Leptotrombidium scutellare, Leptotrombidium wenense, and Leptotrombidium deliense) as the main vectors of scrub typhus in China and nine species as potential vectors of this disease. Disease vector occurrence on N. fulvescens may increase the risk of spreading scrub typhus from rats to humans. Chigger infestation on N. fulvescens varied significantly in different environments. The species abundance distribution showed a log-normal distribution pattern. The estimated number of chigger species on N. fulvescens was 126 species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]