Theoretical investigation to characterize the inclusion complex of α-lipoic acid and β-cyclodextrin

We simulated the docking of α-lipoic acid (α-LA) in β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) using two models. We considered in this study complexes formed by 1:1 host–guest stoichiometry in vacuo and in aqueous phase, using PM6, DFT and ONIOM2 hybrid calculations. The results obtained with PM6 method clearly indicate that the complexes formed are energetically favored with or without solvent, model 2 (α-LA entering the cavity of β-CD from its wide side by COOH group) is found more favored than model 1 (α-LA entering into the cavity of β-CD from its wide side by cyclic group), the preference being greater in the case of ONIOM2 calculations. In addition, NBO analysis gives that mutual interactions between the donor and acceptor orbitals of α-lipoic acid and β-CD plays an important role to the stabilization of such a complex. Finally, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of free and complexed α-LA were calculated by the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbital (GIAO) method and compared with available experimental data. The results of GIAO calculations were analyzed and discussed.     

Observation of unusual Griffith’s phase behavior in quadruple perovskite oxide CaCu3Mn4O12 (CCMO) synthesized through chemical route

The CaCu₃Mn₄O₁₂ (CCMO) ceramic was successfully synthesized through the chemical route. The phase formation was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction pattern. Thermogravimetric (TGA), FT-IR, SEM, TEM, EDX, and XPS analysis were performed for investigation of the thermal behavior, phase identification, microstructural analysis, elemental analysis and oxidation state of the CCMO ceramic respectively. FT-IR spectra confirmed the existence of MnO₆ octahedral in body-centered cubic (BCC) complex perovskite oxide that resembles the CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ structure. The average particle size was observed by TEM in the range between 100 and 200 nm. AFM shows the average roughness of the surface was found to be in the range of 30 ± 5 nm. XPS and EDX studies confirmed the purity and oxidation state of the CCMO ceramic. The synthesized material shows very interesting unique Griffith’s phase (T_G) results that arise disorder in magnetic susceptibility in which ferromagnetic transition was to be observed in the paramagnetic region.     

融合图卷积神经网络和注意力机制的PM2.5小时浓度多步预测

PM_2.5小时浓度多为单步预测。为实现PM_2.5小时浓度的多步预测，基于“编码器-解码器”的序列-序列预测（Seq2Seq）模型，集合图卷积神经网络提取非欧式空间数据特征的能力以及注意力机制自适应关注特征的能力，提出了融合图卷积神经网络和注意力机制的PM_2.5小时浓度多步预测（GCN_Attention_Seq2Seq）模型。并与Seq2Seq模型和使用了图卷积神经网络、未使用注意力机制的GCN_Seq2Seq模型进行了对照，以2015—2016年北京市22个空气质量监测站点的空气质量数据为样本进行实例验证，结果表明，Seq2Seq模型和图卷积神经网络（GCN）可对PM_2.5小时浓度数据的时空依赖进行有效建模，注意力机制有助于减缓多步预测中的预测精度衰减，提升PM_2.5小时浓度多步预测的精度。GCN_Attention_Seq2Seq模型可有效应用于多种长度的PM_2.5浓度预测窗口。     

SPATIAL AND SEASONAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBONACEOUS AEROSOLS IN PEARL RIVER DELTA REGION, CHINA

Concentrations and spatial distributions of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) in atmospheric particles were measured at 8 sites in four cities (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai) of Pearl River Delta Region (PRDR), China during 2001 winter period and 2002 summer period. PM2.5 (particie diameter smaller than 2.5 um) and PM10 (particie diameter smaller than 10 um) samples were collected on pre-fired quartz filters with mini-volume samplers and analyzed using thermal optical reflectance (TOR) method. The average PM2.5and PM10 Ievel were 60.1 and 93.1 μg·m-3, respectively, with PM2.5 constituting 65.3% of the PM10 mass. The average OC and EC concentrations in PM2.5 were 12.0 and 5.1 μg·m-3, respectively, while those in PM10 were 16.0 and 6.5 μg·m-3, respectively. The carbo-naceous aerosol accounted for 37.2% of the PM2.5 and 32.8% of the PM10. The highest concentrations of OC and EC were observed at Guangzhou city in both vvinter and summer seasons. The average OC/EC ratios were 2.     

Transport of airborne particulate matters originating from Mentougou, Beijing, China

In this study, a coupled regional air quality modeling system is applied to investigate the time spatial variations in airborne particulate matters （PM10）, originating from Mentougou to Beijing municipal area in the period of April 1-7, 2004, and the influences of complex terrain and meteorological conditions upon boundary layer structure and PM10 concentration distributions. An intercomparison of the performance with CALPUFF against the observed data is presented and an examination of scatter plots is provided. The statistics show that the correlation coefficient and STD between the modeled and observed data are 0.86 and 0.03, respectively. Analysis of model results illustrates that the pollutants emitted from Mentougou can be transported to Beijing municipal area along certain transport pathways, and PM10 concentration distributions show heterogeneity characteristics. Contributions of the Mentougou sources to the PM10 concentrations in Beijing municipal area are up to 0.1-15 μg/m^3.     

Characteristics of elemental carbon and organic carbon in PM10 during spring and autumn in Chongqing, China

PM10 （particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm） samples were collected simultaneously at nine urban sites and one urban background site during two intensive observation campaigns in 2006. Concentrations of elemental carbon （EC） and organic carbon （OC） in PM10 were analyzed using an element analyzer. The characteristics regarding spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of OC and EC concentrations and their contributions to PM10 mass, as well as correlation between OC and EC, were investigated in detail. The average OC and EC concentrations for urban sites were 57.5 ± 20.8 and 8.3 ± 3.9 μg/m^3, respectively, both being around three times higher than those for urban background site. As a whole, EC concentrations did not show distinct seasonal variations, though OC concentrations were generally higher in autumn than in spring. For urban sites, total carbonaceous aerosol （TCA） accounted for 33.2% in spring and 35.0% in autumn of PM10 mass. The OC and EC concentrations were found significantly correlated to each other both in spring and in autumn, implying the existence of similar emission sources such as coal combustion. The OC/EC ratios generally exceeded 2.0, indicating the presence of secondary organic carbon （SOC）, whose estimated concentration for urban Chongqing was 26.7 and 39.4μg/m^3, accounting for 48.9 and 61.9% of the total OC observed in the samples, in spring and in autumn, respectively.     

A study on the phase transformation behaviour of Cu-20wt.Sn alloy produced using powder metallurgy method: Experimental and molecular dynamics modelling

In this study, Cu-20wt.Sn alloy was produced by powder metallurgy (PM) method by using high purity element powders. The phases in the microstructure of the produced alloy were determined by XRD study. The phase transformation behaviour of the alloy was investigated by DSC and modelling method. Moreover, the Cu-20wt.Sn alloy system was modelled with molecular dynamics (MD) simulation based on modified Embedded Atom Method (MEAM). The radial distribution function (RDF) was calculated to determine the structural properties of system during the phase transformations. The experimental results showed that the transformation ($\alpha +\delta$) → ($\alpha +\gamma$) occur at temperature above 500°C. The simulation results showed that the phase transformation $\alpha +\delta \to \alpha +\gamma$ occurs at 550°C temperature. Our simulation results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.     

Kinetics of oxidation of benzyl alcohols with molecular oxygen catalyzed by N-hydroxyphthalimide: Role of hydroperoxyl radicals

A kinetic study of the initiated oxidation of benzyl alcohol and cumene by molecular oxygen was performed. The oxidation rate was more enhanced with N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) in the case of cumene than that of benzyl alcohol. HOOH inhibits cumene oxidation and does not affect the rate of oxidation of benzyl alcohol. It was shown that termination chain reactions of phthalimid-N-oxyl radicals (PINO^•) does not occur with RОО^• and proceeds with HOO^•. A kinetic scheme of the process and an equation describing the kinetics of oxidation of benzyl alcohol in the presence of NHPI are proposed. Using the PM7 method, the thermodynamic characteristics of elementary steps of oxidation explaining the obtained results were calculated.     

Detection of monohydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine and particulate matter using LC separations coupled with integrated SPE and fluorescence detection or coupled with high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

A high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with integrated solid‐phase extraction for the determination of 1‐hydroxypyrene and 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, 4‐ and 9‐hydroxyphenanthrene in urine was developed and validated. After enzymatic treatment and centrifugation of 500 μL urine, 100 μL of the sample was directly injected into the HPLC system. Integrated solid‐phase extraction was performed on a selective, copper phthalocyanine modified packing material. Subsequent chromatographic separation was achieved on a pentafluorophenyl core–shell column using a methanol gradient. For quantification, time‐programmed fluorescence detection was used. Matrix‐dependent recoveries were between 94.8 and 102.4%, repeatability and reproducibility ranged from 2.2 to 17.9% and detection limits lay between 2.6 and 13.6 ng/L urine. A set of 16 samples from normally exposed adults was analyzed using this HPLC‐fluorescence detection method. Results were comparable with those reported in other studies. The chromatographic separation of the method was transferred to an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography pentafluorophenyl core–shell column and coupled to a high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer (HR‐TOF‐MS). The resulting method was used to demonstrate the applicability of LC‐HR‐TOF‐MS for simultaneous target and suspect screening of monohydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in extracts of urine and particulate matter.