A Unique Layered Cu-formate Hydrate of Cu(HCOO) 2·1/3H2O: Structures,Dehydration, and Thermal and Magnetic Properties

Anew layered Cu-formate hydrate of Cu(HCOO)₂·1/3H₂O is unique in its water content and the strongly waved (4,4) Cu-formate layers held by interlayer weak axial Cu-O_formate bonds and O-H_water···O_formate hydrogen bonds. The crystal is in orthorhombic space group Pbcn, with cell parameters at 80 K:a=7.9777(2) Å, b=7.3656(2) Å, c=21.0317(5) Å(1 Å=10⁻¹ nm), and V=1235.83(5) ų. The Cu²⁺ ions are in the environments of a square pyramid and elongated octahedron, in a ratio of 1/2 within the structure. In the layer, Cu²⁺ ions are connected by anti-anti formates via short basal Cu-O bonds. The structure remains unchanged until the dehydration that produces the layered anhydrous β-Cu(HCOO)₂, and the possible transformation mechanism, supported by diffraction evidence, is the reorganization of the Cu-O_formate bonds across the parent layers after dehydration. The two phases exhibit anisotropic thermal expansion behaviors closely relevant to the transverse thermal vibrations of the constituents. Cu(HCOO)₂·1/3H₂O is a 2-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet, and exhibits a global spin-canted antiferromagnetism with the Néel temperature of 32.1 K. This is not only higher than that of the magnetically denser β-Cu(HCOO)₂, but also the highest among the copper formate frameworks.     

Convergent architecting of multifunction-in-one hydrogels as wound dressings for surgical anti-infections

Surgical procedures are susceptible to the cause of infections, which could induce delayed wound healing, oxidative stress and tissue ischemia. Multifunctional wound dressings (e.g., hydrogels) without the induction of antibiotics is promising for the elimination of surgical site infections and the associated complications. Herein, we report a reductionism approach for the fabrication of bioactive hydrogels to recapitulate antibacterial functions as well as antioxidant, pro-angiogenic and hemostatic properties in surgical infection treatments. The hydrogels composed of naturally derived Cirsium setosum extracts (CE, a traditional medicinal herb) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CS) show their capacity for surgical anti-infections on three different models (i.e., infectious random skin flap model, infectious skin defect model and infectious femur fracture model). Due to the innate bioactivities of CE and CS, CECS hydrogels can also reduce the bleeding loss (85% reduction) on a hemorrhaging liver model and improve the vascularization for skin flap regeneration. Overall, bioactive CECS hydrogels integrated with the ease and scalability of assembly process and biological activities without the addition of antibiotics is promising to act as multifunctional wound dressings for surgical anti-infections.     

Identification,Characterization and Antihypertensive Effect In Vivo of a Novel ACE-Inhibitory Heptapeptide from Defatted Areca Nut Kernel Globulin Hydrolysates

The areca (Areca catechu L.) nut kernel (ANK) is a good potential protein source for its high protein content of 9.89–14.62 g/100 g and a high yield of around 300,000 tons per year in China. However, utilization of the areca nut kernel is limited. To expand the usage of ANK in pharmaceutical or foods industries, areca nut kernel globulin was extracted and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition peptides were prepared and identified using gel chromatography, reversed phase HPLC separation, UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis and in silico screening. Finally, a novel ACE-inhibitory heptapeptide (Ala–Pro–Lys–Ile–Glu–Glu–Val) was identified and chemically synthesized. The combination pattern between APKIEEV and ACE, and the inhibition kinetics, antihypertensive effect and endothlein-1 inhibition activity of APKIEEV were studied. The results of the molecular docking demonstrated that APKIEEV could bind to four active sites (not the key active sites) of ACE via short hydrogen bonds and demonstrated high ACE-inhibitory activity (IC₅₀: 550.41 μmol/L). Moreover, APKIEEV exhibited a significantly lowering effect on both the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats, and had considerable suppression ability on intracellular endothelin-1. These results highlight the potential usage of APKIEEV as ingredients of antihypertensive drugs or functional foods.     

Lysosomal pH Rise during Heat Shock Monitored by a Lysosome‐Targeting Near‐Infrared Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe

Heat stroke is a life‐threatening condition, featuring a high body temperature and malfunction of many organ systems. The relationship between heat shock and lysosomes is poorly understood, mainly because of the lack of a suitable research approach. Herein, by incorporating morpholine into a stable hemicyanine skeleton, we develop a new lysosome‐targeting near‐infrared ratiometric pH probe. In combination with fluorescence imaging, we show for the first time that the lysosomal pH value increases but never decreases during heat shock, which might result from lysosomal membrane permeabilization. We also demonstrate that this lysosomal pH rise is irreversible in living cells. Moreover, the probe is easy to synthesize, and shows superior overall analytical performance as compared to the existing commercial ones. This enhanced performance may enable it to be widely used in more lysosomal models of living cells and in further revealing the mechanisms underlying heat‐related pathology.     

Nd,Ce和La改性对Ni/SBA-15催化剂在CH4/CO2重整反应中性能的影响

以稀土金属Nd,Ce或La的氧化物为助剂,采用β-环糊精浸渍法对Ni/SBA-15催化剂进行了改性,并运用X射线衍射、N₂吸附-脱附、程序升温还原和热重等手段考察了改性的催化剂在CO₂重整CH₄制合成气反应中的催化性能. 结果表明,Nd等稀土金属氧化物的添加对催化剂孔结构和晶相结构等性质影响不大,但可影响NiO的还原; Nd的添加使NiO与载体之间以Ni-Nd-O形式相互作用,促进了活性组分NiO的还原. 其中,Nd的添加量为5-10 wt%时所制备的催化剂在重整反应中的催化活性最高,且具有很强的抗积碳性能. La和Ce氧化物促进的Ni催化剂也表现出类似的性质和催化性能.     

A New α-Galactosidase from Thermoacidophilic Alicyclobacillus sp. A4 with Wide Acceptor Specificity for Transglycosylation

An α-galactosidase gene (gal36A4) of glycosyl hydrolase family 36 was identified in the genome of Alicyclobacillus sp. A4. It contains an ORF of 2,187 bp and encodes a polypeptide of 728 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 82.6 kDa. Deduced Gal36A4 shows the typical GH36 organization of three domains—the N-terminal β-sheets, the catalytic (β/α)₈-barrels, and the C-terminal antiparallel β-sheet. The gene product was produced in Escherichia coli and showed both hydrolysis and transglycosylation activities. The optimal pH for hydrolysis activity was 6.0, and a stable pH range of 5.0–11.0 was found. The enzyme had a temperature optimum of 60 °C. It is specific for α-1,6-glycosidic linkages and had a K _m value of 1.45 mM toward pNPGal. When using melibiose as both donor and acceptor of galactose, Gal36A4 showed the transfer ratio of 23.25 % at 96 h. With respect to acceptor specificity, all tested monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides except for D-xylose and L-arabinose were good acceptors for transglycosylation. Thus, Gal36A4 may find diverse applications in industrial fields, especially in the food industry.     

External-Radiation-Induced Local Hydroxylation Enables Remote Release of Functional Molecules in Tumors

Radiation-induced cleavage for controlled release in vivo is yet to be established. We demonstrate the use of 3,5-dihydroxybenzyl carbamate (DHBC) as a masking group that is selectively and efficiently removed by external radiation in vitro and in vivo. DHBC reacts mainly with hydroxyl radicals produced by radiation to afford hydroxylation at para/ortho positions, followed by 1,4- or 1,6-elimination to rescue the functionality of the client molecule. The reaction is rapid and can liberate functional molecules under physiological conditions. This controlled-release platform is compatible with living systems, as demonstrated by the release of a rhodol fluorophore derivative in cells and tumor xenografts. The combined benefits of the robust caging group, the good release yield, and the independence of penetration depth make DHBC derivatives attractive chemical caging moieties for use in chemical biology and prodrug activation.     

2D sp2 Carbon‐Conjugated Porphyrin Covalent Organic Framework for Cooperative Photocatalysis with TEMPO

2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are receiving ongoing attention in semiconductor photocatalysis. Herein, we present a photocatalytic selective chemical transformation by combining sp² carbon‐conjugated porphyrin‐based covalent organic framework (Por‐sp²c‐COF) photocatalysis with TEMPO catalysis illuminated by 623 nm red light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). Highly selective conversion of amines into imines was swiftly afforded in minutes. Specifically, the π‐conjugation of porphyrin linker leads to extensive absorption of red light; the sp² ?C=C? double bonds linkage ensures the stability of Por‐sp²c‐COF under high concentrations of amine. Most importantly, we found that crystalline framework of Por‐sp²c‐COF is pivotal for cooperative photocatalysis with (2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO). This work foreshadows that the outstanding hallmarks of COFs, particularly crystallinity, could be exploited to address energy and environmental challenges by cooperative photocatalysis.     

A carbonyl-rich covalent organic framework as a high-performance cathode material for aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) provide high theoretical capacity, operational safety, low-cost and environmental friendliness for large-scale energy storage and wearable electronic devices, but their future development is plagued by low capacity and poor cycle life due to the lack of suitable cathode materials. In this work, a covalent organic framework (Tp-PTO-COF) with multiple carbonyl active sites is synthesized and successfully introduced in aqueous rechargeable ZIBs for the first time. Tp-PTO-COF delivers high specific capacities of 301.4 and 192.8 mA h g⁻¹ at current densities of 0.2 and 5 A g⁻¹, respectively, along with long-term durability and flat charge–discharge plateaus. The remarkable electrochemical performance is attributed to the abundance of nucleophilic carbonyl active sites, well defined porous structure and inherent chemical stability of Tp-PTO-COF. Moreover, the structural evolution and Zn²⁺ ion intercalation mechanism are discussed and revealed by the experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations. These results highlight a new avenue to develop organic cathode materials for high performance and sustainable aqueous rechargeable ZIBs.

A covalent organic framework (Tp-PTO-COF) with carbonyl active sites was proposed as a novel cathode material and successfully applied in aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs).     

大型公共建筑工程质量保险纯费率厘定研究——基于GLM及GAM的实证比较分析

为准确地厘定大型公共建筑工程质量的保险纯费率,通过文献分析及调研,对影响大型公共建筑工程质量的因素进行了研究,提炼出11项保险费率因子。以46栋竣工于1993—2016年的大型公共建筑为工程数据集,在频率-强度法基础上,基于Poisson、Negative Binomial、Gamma、Inverse Gauss等分布的假设,利用广义线性模型及广义可加模型建立了8个工程质量保险纯费率厘定模型,通过比较选择最优模型,并对模型进行了验证。结果表明,所建模型可用于大型公共建筑工程质量保险纯费率厘定。