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Antimicrobial peptides and their analogues have become substitutes for antibiotics in recent years. The antimicrobial peptide analogue SAMP‐A4‐C8 (n‐octanoic‐VRLLRRRI) with high antimicrobial activity was found in our lab. We speculate that it may kill pathogens by some lethal mechanism of action. In the present investigation, the microbicidal activities of SAMP‐A4‐C8 and its mechanism of action were investigated. The results demonstrated that SAMP‐A4‐C8 had lethal activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans by cell disruption. Based on its microbicidal activities, we believe that it is worth further research for its potential as drug candidate. The results showed that SAMP‐A4‐C8, with low propensity to induce the resistance of S. aureus and C. albicans, could kill the persister cells of S. aureus and C. albicans, exhibited biofilm forming inhibition activity and preformed biofilm eradication ability against S. aureus and C. albicans, and displayed therapeutic potential on pneumonia in S. aureus‐infected mice by reducing lung inflammation. The present study provided a promising drug candidate in the war against multidrug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop new phosphor materials for optical temperature sensing application, a series of Yb3+-Tb3+ and Eu3+ doped Ca2Gd8(SiO4)6O2 (CGS) phosphors were designed by solid-state reaction method. Upon 980 nm excitation, the green emission of Tb3+ was observed in the CGS:0.8Yb3+, xTb3+ (0.08 ≤ x ≤ 1.2) phosphors, which could be mainly owing to the cooperative energy transfer from Yb3+ to Tb3+. The corresponding upconversion (UC) luminescence mechanism was studied by using the dependence of UC emission intensity on excitation powder. The temperature-dependence indicates that the ratio of the Tb3+ emission intensities of I5D4 and I5D3 changes with temperature, which shows a linear relationship. The high absolute sensitivity was achieved to be about 0.431 K−1. Upon 463 nm excitation, the Eu3+ 5D0,1-7FJ transitions were found in the Eu3+-activated CGS. The investigation on temperature-dependence reveals that with increasing temperature the intensities of 5D0-7FJ transitions decrease but those of 5D1-7FJ transitions increase gradually, owing to the thermally coupled 5D0 and 5D1 levels. The fluorescence lifetime based temperature sensing properties was studied in this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coming out of the resource dilemma to realize the sustainable development is a tough task for resource-based cities. In these cities, one-fold industrial structure, unreasonable economic structure, serious environmental crisis and inappropriate human resource arrangement are hindering further development. The comprehensive evaluation method can quantify the effects of transition, and more detailed analysis of effects can be traced to the score of the three first level indexes: social development, economic development and environmental protection. The shortcomings of a resource-based city can also be seen from the results, so further improved schemes will be processed. The comprehensive evaluation can help find a reasonable method from the three transition methods: (1) the extension of industrial chain (2) the implantation of new industries (3) the support of new dominant industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]