Search

Climate change influences species geographical distribution and diversity pattern. The Chinese fire‐bellied newt (Cynops orientalis) is an endemic species distributed in East‐central China, which has been classified as near‐threatened species recently due to habitat destruction and degradation and illegal trade in the domestic and international pet markets. So far, little is known about the spatial distribution of the species. Based on bioclimatic data of the current and future climate projections, we modeled the change in suitable habitat for C. orientalis by ten algorithms, evaluated the importance of environmental factors in shaping their distribution, and identified distribution shifts under climate change scenarios. In this study, 46 records of C. orientalis from East China and 8 bioclimatic variables were used. Among the ten modeling algorithms, four (GAM, GBM, Maxent, and RF) were selected according to their predictive abilities. The current habitat suitability showed that C. orientalis had a relatively wide but fragmented distribution, and it encompassed 41,862 km2. The models suggested that precipitation of warmest quarter (bio18) and mean temperature of wettest quarter (bio6) had the highest contribution to the model. This study revealed that C. orientalis is sensitive to climate change, which will lead to a large range shift. The projected spatial and temporal pattern of range shifts for C. orientalis should provide a useful reference for implementing long‐term conservation and management strategies for amphibians in East China., Species distribution models were used to predict the habitat suitability of Cynops orientalis. Precipitation of warmest quarter and mean temperature of wettest quarter were the most critical factors shaping C. orientalis distribution. This species is sensitive to climate change, which will lead to the large range shift in future

BACKGROUND The pathophysiological changes in the remote myocardium after acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains less understood. PURPOSE To assess the inflammation in the remote myocardium post-MI and its association with left ventricular (LV) remodeling using T2 mapping. STUDY TYPE Prospective. ANIMAL MODEL AND SUBJECTS Twelve pigs at 3-day post-MI, 6 pigs at 3-month post-MI, 6 healthy pigs; 54 patients at 3-day and 3-month post-MI, 31 healthy volunteers; FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3 T MRI/ steady-state free-precession sequence for T2 mapping (animals: 0, 30, and 55 msec; human: 0, 25, and 55 msec), phase-sensitive inversion recovery gradient echo for late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), balanced steady free-precession sequence for cine. ASSESSMENT Infarcted myocardium was defined on LGE, remote T2 was measured on T2 maps. LV remodeling was evaluated as LV end-diastolic volume change index between two scans using cine. CD68 staining was conducted to detect monocyte/macrophage. STATISTICAL TESTS Student-t test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare remote T2 with normal controls. The association of remote T2 with LV remodeling was assessed using linear regression. P values of

Coexisting species may experience population and range changes alone or jointly in response to environmental change. Here, we used six climate variables and ten modeling algorithms to predict the distribution of two Takydromus species (T. septentrionalis and T. sexlineatus) in China. We identified the sympatric and allopatric areas by comparing projections between the two species based on habitat suitability under present and future climate scenarios. We constructed the hypervolumes of six climate variables for the two species and then evaluated overlaps between hypervolumes. From this study, we know the following. First, minimum temperature of coldest month contributes the most to the prediction of habitat suitability. Second, habitats suitable for the two species will shift northward in response to climate warming. Third, the range of T. sexlineatus will expand across the four future time intervals before 2,100, namely the 2021–2040, 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 intervals, under both Shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) 245 and SSP585 scenarios, and the range of T. septentrionalis will also expand in the future except at the 2081–2100 interval under the SSP585 scenario. Fourth, the sympatric areas will contract or expand under the SSP245 scenario and expand across the four future time intervals before 2,100 under the SSP585 scenario. Fifth, the niche hypervolumes of the two species partially overlapped, and the differences in niche centroid show some degree of niche differentiation between the two species. These results allow to conclude that climate warming will not only drive the northward drift of sympatric areas but also increase the size of these areas if nothing is done to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Given the existence of hybridization and introgression between T. septentrionalis and T. sexlineatus in the field where they coexist, we also conclude that climate warming will increase chances of hybridization and introgression between the two species.

Pseudotorymus jaapiellae is an important ectoparasitoid of the larvae of Gephyraulus lycantha, a serious gall-forming pest that devastates wolfberry, Lycium barbarum, in Northwest China. To provide requisite background for our ongoing research on the mechanisms of P. jaapiellae's host location and subsequent oviposition, we used scanning electron microscopy to describe the external morphologies and distributions of sensilla on their antennae and ovipositors. The geniculate antennae of both male and female P. jaapiellae were each composed of a scape with a basal radiculum, a pedicel, an anellum and a flagellum. We identified nine morphological sensilla types on the antennae of both sexes, including three sensilla trichodea (ST), one sensillum basiconicum (SB), two sensilla chaetica (SCh), one sensillum placodeum (SP), one sensillum coeloconicum (SCo), and one sensillum campaniformia (SCa). Females had significantly more ST I and SP than males had, but males had more ST III than did females. We observed six types of sensilla on the ovipositor, including three ST, one SB, and two SCa. ST II, ST IV and SB II were on the sheath, whereas ST V and the SCa were on the stylus. Finally, the possible biological functions of these sensilla were discussed according to their morphology and ultrastructure. These results provide an important basis for further study on chemical communication between P. jaapiellae and their host, and contribute to the development of a biological control program for G. lycantha, using the parasitoid, P. jaapiellae.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription or rumen-protected GABA (RP-GABA) can effectively relieve the heat stress (HS) in cattle, but the joint effects of TCM and RP-GABA on HS in beef cattle are not fully clarified. To investigate the effects of TCM or/and RP-GABA on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, serum parameters and heat shock proteins (HSPs) expression in beef cattle under HS ambient. A total of 40 Jinjiang yellow cattle were randomly divided into four groups: (a) control group (basal diet, BD), (b) TCM group (BD+TCM), (c) GABA group (BD+RP-GABA) and (d) TCM+GABA group (BD+TCM plus RP-GABA). Results indicated that the average daily feed intake (ADFI) was significantly elevated in the TCM+GABA group (p < 0.05), whereas, average daily gain (ADG) was elevated (p < 0.05) in the group of TCM (38.5%), GABA (35.4%) and TCM+GABA (41.5%) compared with the control group. Meanwhile, TCM+GABA exhibited prominently more positive effects in terms of SOD, BUN, T-CHO, TG, HDL-C and HSP70 (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) than the control and other treatment groups. Therefore, TCM or GABA can effectively moderate the HS response in beef cattle by ameliorating antioxidant capacity, serum parameters and HSPs expression, meanwhile, the combination of them exerts a synergistic effect on HS alleviation.

The peach fruit moth (PFM), Carposina sasakii Matsumura, is a major phytophagous orchard pest widely distributed across Northeast Asia. Here, we report the chromosome-level genome for the PFM, representing the first genome for the family Carposinidae, from the lepidopteran superfamily Copromorphoidea. The genome was assembled into 404.83 Mb sequences using PacBio long-read and Illumina short-read sequences, including 275 contigs, with a contig N50 length of 2.62 Mb. All contigs were assembled into 31 linkage groups assisted by the Hi-C technique, including 30 autosomes and a Z chromosome. BUSCO analysis showed that 98.3% of genes were complete and 0.4% of genes were fragmented, while 1.3% of genes were missing in the assembled genome. In total, 21,697 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 84.80% were functionally annotated. Because of the importance of diapause triggered by photoperiod in PFM, five circadian genes in the PFM as well as in the other related species were annotated, and potential genes related to diapause and photoperiodic reaction were also identified from transcriptome sequencing. In addition, manual annotation of detoxification gene families was undertaken and showed a higher number of glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene in PFM than in most other lepidopterans, in contrast to a lower number of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene, carboxyl/cholinesterases (CCE) gene and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) gene, suggesting different detoxication pathways in this moth. The high-quality genome provides a resource for comparative evolutionary studies of this moth and its relatives within the context of radiations across Lepidoptera.

Here we propose to develop microbiome‐based machine learning models to predict the response of biological wastewater treatment systems to environmental or operational disturbances or to design specific microbiomes to achieve a desired system function. These machine learning models can be used to enhance the stability of microbiome‐based biological systems and warn against the failure of these systems., Summary Here, we propose to develop microbiome‐based machine learning models to predict the response of biological wastewater treatment systems to environmental or operational disturbances or to design specific microbiomes to achieve a desired system function. These machine learning models can be used to enhance the stability of microbiome‐based biological systems and warn against the failure of these systems.

The role of spliceosome-associated protein 130 (SAP130) in gut inflammation, particularly in Crohn's disease (CD), remains unclear. The aim of our study was to analyze correlations between serum SAP130 levels and CD severity, and to assess its predictive value for the clinical efficacy of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) in CD. Correlations between the SAP130 levels and CD severity were evaluated. SAP130 and its receptor Mincle (macrophage-inducible C-type lectin) in the colon tissue in active CD were measured. Furthermore, the serum SAP130 level was investigated as a predictor of clinical efficacy in patients treated with EEN. The serum SAP130 levels significantly increased in patients with active CD compared with patients in remission for CD (P < 0.001) and control individuals (P < 0.001), and they varied according to clinical activity and significantly correlated with disease severity. In parallel, the expression of both SAP130 and Mincle in colon tissue was elevated in active CD. Additionally, the serum SAP130 level declined in patients with active CD who achieved efficacy at week 8 after EEN therapy. This preliminary evidence shows that SAP130 might be a potential noninvasive biomarker that correlates well with CD severity and the clinical efficacy of EEN in CD.

The reproductive maturation hypothesis, the terminal investment hypothesis, and the senescence hypothesis are the most extensively evaluated hypotheses proposed to explain age-related patterns of reproduction in iteroparous organisms. Here, we evaluated these hypotheses for the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), a short-lived lacertid lizard, by comparing reproductive traits between females that completed reproductive cycles under the same laboratory conditions in two consecutive years (2008 and 2009). Reproductive females gained linear size (snout-vent length) not only as they got 1 year older but also during the breeding season. Larger females generally laid eggs earlier and invested more in reproduction than did smaller ones. Females switched from laying smaller eggs in the first clutch to larger eggs in the subsequent clutches but kept clutch size and postpartum body mass constant between successive clutches in a breeding season and between years. Females that laid more clutches or eggs in 2008 did not lay fewer clutches or eggs in 2009. Of the traits examined, only clutch frequency, annual fecundity, and annual reproductive output were susceptible to ageing. Specifically, the clutch frequency was reduced by 1.1 clutches, annual fecundity by 3.1 eggs and annual reproductive output by 1.0 g in 2009 compared with 2008. Our results suggest that the reproductive maturation hypothesis better explains patterns of reproduction in young or prime-aged females of E. argus, whereas the senescence hypothesis better explains reproductive patterns in old females. The terminal investment hypothesis does not apply to any trait examined because no trait value was maximized in old females.

The pH value in the wound milieu plays a key role in cellular processes and cell cycle processes involved in the process of wound healing. Here, a microfluidic assembly technique is employed to fabricate micro-gel ensembles that can precisely tune the pH value of wound surface and accelerate wound healing. The micro-gel ensembles consist of poly (hydroxypropyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid)-magnesium ions (poly-(HPA-co-AA)-Mg

Fullerenes are a molecular form of carbon allotrope and bear certain solubility, which allow the supramolecular assembly of fullerene molecules-also together with other complementary compound classes-via solution-based wet processes. By well-programmed organizing these building blocks and precisely modulating over the assembly process, supramolecularly assembled fullerene micro-/nano-architectures (FMNAs) are obtained. These FMNAs exhibit remarkably enhanced functions as well as tunable morphologies and dimensions at different size scales, leading to their applications in diverse fields. In this review, both traditional and newly developed assembly strategies are reviewed, with an emphasis on the morphological evolution mechanism of FMNAs. The discussion is then focused on how to precisely regulate the dimensions and morphologies to generate functional FMNAs through solvent engineering, co-crystallization, surfactant incorporation, or post-fabrication treatment. In addition to C

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of rumen-protected γ-aminobutyric acid (RP-GABA) on apparent nutrient digestibility, growth performance and health status in heat stressed beef cattle. Fifty Jinjiang Yellow cattle were randomly assigned to 5 treatments (10 animals/treatment). Treatments 1 to 5 were basal diets affixed with 0 (control), 8, 16, 24 and 32 mg of RP-GABA/kg of body weight (BW) respectively. The trial lasted 45 days. Apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and calcium (Ca) quadratically increased with increasing RP-GABA (p

Silicate melt inclusions (SMIs) in olivine, clinopyroxene, and orthopyroxene in basalt and trachyandesite of the middle Okinawa Trough (MOT) and in basaltic andesites of the southern Okinawa Trough (SOT) were investigated in detail to understand the evolution of magma and geochemical characteristics of the basaltic magma source. Both the SMIs and host bulk rocks are more heavily enriched with Pb and large ion lithophile elements than with high field strength elements and rare earth elements. The major element compositions of SMIs in the MOT trachyandesite show a scattered variation trend of medium-K to shoshonitic series and suggest that a K-rich magma source may exist in the Okinawa Trough. Two groups with distinct element distribution patterns observed in SMIs of the MOT trachyandesite may represent magmas with different evolutionary histories. Compared with fractional crystallization and partial melting processes, magma mixing may serve as a reasonable process for the production of trachyandesite in the MOT. Fractional crystallization has played an important role in basaltic magma evolution in the MOT and SOT. Simulations conducted using MELTS show that the fractional crystallization evolution trends observed correspond well to the presence of a magma chamber at 300MPa with an H2O content level of 0.2wt% in the MOT and to the presence of a magma chamber at 300MPa with an H2O content level of 0.4wt% in the SOT. Ratios of incompatible trace elements (e.g., Th/Ce, Th/Sm, Ba/Th, and Th/Nb); positive Pb anomalies; negative Nb, Ta, and Ti anomalies; and the existence of organic hydrocarbons (CnHm) in the SMIs can be attributed to the involvement of subducted sediment from the subducting slab. Modelling results suggest that more primitive magma represented by SMIs from the MOT has formed through the melting of less than 6% of a metasomatized depleted mantle with contributions of 1.2% sediment melt and 0.8% sediment fluid. In contrast, more primitive magma from the SOT formed through the melting of 4-10% of the depleted mantle with contributions of 3% sediment melt and 1% sediment fluid. The different features of the SMIs together with different tectonic settings of the MOT and SOT have formed in response to the westward subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate.

In the southwestern Okinawa Trough, a cluster of approximate 70 submarine volcanoes is located at the cross back-arc volcanic trail (CBVT), with the eruptive products dominated by rhyolites. New whole-rock major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotopic data and previously available geochemistry data of volcanic rocks from this region are presented to determine the petrogenesis of these rhyolites. The rhyolites have high SiO2 (>70.01 wt.%), K2O + Na2O (6.71-7.16 wt.%) contents and differentiation index (DI) values (DI > 93), and are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.99-1.11) and medium-K calc-alkaline in composition. The relatively low 10(4)*Ga/Al (2.06-2.17) and FeO*/MgO ratios (4.50-6.62), as well as Zr (91-174 ppm) and Zr + Ce + Nb + Y (175-271) contents suggest that the rhyolites, which contain hornblende, are generally similar to those of typical highly fractionated I-type granitoids. The rhyolites show arc-related features such as enrichment in LILEs (Rb, Ba, K), Th, U, Pb, and LREEs ((La/Yb)(N) = 6.21-6.74) and strong depletion in HFSEs (Nb, Ta, P, Ti) with both nearly identical and more enriched isotopic compositions, including epsilon Nd (from -3.2 to -3.5), Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios (0.705552 to 0.705713), delta O-18 values (+8.1 parts per thousand to +8.6 parts per thousand), and Pb isotopic compositions (Pb-206/Pb-204 = 18.568-18.589, Pb-207/Pb-204 = 15.641-15.656, and Pb-208/Pb-204 = 38.848-38.904). Based on these characteristics, we propose that subduction-related basalt magma and crust-derived magma mixed and homogenized within a shallow magma chamber with a homogeneous "base-level" isotopic signature of >0 center dot 7055 (Sr-87/Sr-86) and > -3 (epsilon Nd). This magma would have then experienced the extensive fractional crystallization of minerals, including plagioclase, hornblende, apatite, sphene, and Fe-Ti oxides, to form the CBVT rhyolites. Our geochemical interpretation of the existence of a long-lived, convecting magma chamber beneath the CBVT is also consistent with seismic tomography results.

The Okinawa Trough (OT) is a back-arc, initial marginal sea basin that is located behind the Ryukyu arc-trench system. Pumice, including both white and black pumice, is the most widely distributed magmatic rock in the OT. Here, the major and trace element concentrations and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions of the white and black pumice from the middle OT (MOT) are presented and combined with previously published elemental data for volcanic rocks from the MOT. Their different magma sources and magmatic evolutions are discussed, and their different magma chamber structures are provided in this paper. These results demonstrate that the white pumice has two magma sources: One was produced by the crystallization-based differentiation of basaltic magma, and the other was produced by the assimilation-fractional crystallization (AFC; with less than 5% contamination) of basaltic magma. The black pumice also includes two magma sources: One is similar to that of the first white pumice, whereas the other was produced by basaltic magma that experienced more than 20% upper crustal contamination. There are two different structure magma chambers for white and black pumice in the MOT crust: The deeper one generated no contaminated pumice, whereas the shallow one generated contaminated black pumice. The contamination of the white pumice (

This study aimed to examine the proliferation of and secretion by rat ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) treated with mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP). Ovarian GCs were incubated with MEHP at concentration of 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µM for 24 hr. Cell viability was determined using the MTT Cell Proliferation Assay. Progesterone and estradiol production was evaluated by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and the expression of FSHR, PR, and ER was measured by immunocytochemistry. StAR, P450scc, 3β-HSD, 17β-HSD, and P450 arom mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR. MEHP markedly attenuated proliferation of GCs, increased expression of sex hormone receptors and key enzymes in progesterone production, and stimulated steroid hormone secretion. The result of these analyses demonstrates that MEHP exposure of GCs may have effects on rat ovarian functions.

Bismuth sodium titanate (BNT) piezoelectric ceramic coatings with dense morphology and single perovskite phase were fabricated by thermal spray process. The melting and crystallization behaviors of BNT near congruent composition and the effect of excess Bi composition were investigated by analyzing the heating-melting-cooling cycle for the application in thermal spray process. Crystal structure and morphology of the thermal sprayed BNT coatings were examined, and their electrical and electromechanical properties were tested. An effective piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 50 pm/V was obtained under substrate clamping, measured with laser scanning method. The findings have shed light on the design of appropriate compositions for achieving high quality lead-free piezoelectric ceramic coatings by the scalable thermal spray process.

Various carbon nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, ketjenblack (KB) carbon and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), are investigated as catalysts for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) reaction in the aquathermolysis of heavy crude oil. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the crystallinity and graphitization of these carbon samples. Their morphology and structure are determined by transmission electron microscopy. Surface functional groups are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and specific surface area and pore volume are studied by N2 adsorption-desorption surface area analyzer. To evaluate the HDS activity of carbon nanocatalysts, thiophene is employed as a model compound since its ring structure is commonly present in asphaltene and resin components of heavy crude oil. The reactions are conducted under conditions similar to actual reservoir conditions of 120-180 °C and

Host alternation, an obligatory seasonal shifting between host plants of distant genetic relationship, has had significant consequences for the diversification and success of the superfamily of aphids. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, the molecular mechanism of host alternation was explored through a large-scale gene expression analysis of the mealy aphid Hyalopterus persikonus on winter and summer host plants. More than four times as many unigenes of the mealy aphid were significantly upregulated on summer host Phragmites australis than on winter host Rosaceae plants. In order to identify gene candidates related to host alternation, the differentially expressed unigenes of H. persikonus were compared to salivary gland expressed genes and secretome of Acyrthosiphon pisum. Genes involved in ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation and with molecular functions of heme-copper terminal oxidase activity, hydrolase activity and ribosome binding were potentially upregulated in salivary glands of H. persikonus on the summer host. Putative secretory proteins, such as detoxification enzymes (carboxylesterases and cytochrome P450s), antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and superoxide dismutase), glutathione peroxidase, glucose dehydrogenase, angiotensin-converting enzyme, cadherin, and calreticulin, were highly expressed in H. persikonus on the summer host, while a SCP GAPR-1-like family protein and a salivary sheath protein were highly expressed in the aphids on winter hosts. These results shed light on phenotypic plasticity in host utilization and seasonal adaptation of aphids.

The Okinawa Trough, located between Japan and Taiwan, is a back-arc basin at an early stage of evolution from arc to back-arc. Relative to other western Pacific back-arc basins, it has a shallow Wadati–Benioff zone and thick continental crust. In this paper, helium and CO2 concentrations and helium isotope data are presented for three basalts and three pumices from the middle and southern parts of the Okinawa Trough, with the aim of assessing the impact of volatile recycling and crustal contamination on magma composition. In the southern trough, a basalt sample sourced from magma with a large subduction component has a helium isotope ratio similar to that of typical MORB and a high CO2/3He ratio. This result indicates that subduction is an important barrier for helium but not for carbon. The contribution of recycled helium to the underlying mantle wedge is negligible in the middle and southern parts of the trough. Crustal-helium contamination of the basaltic magma from the southern trough is weak but is significant for volcanic rocks from the middle trough that were sourced from magma with significant crustal residence times. Degassing has affected all samples, producing hydrothermal fluids rich in volatiles. Deep, violent degassing may have occurred in the mantle wedge in the southern trough, and pre-eruptive magma degassing during storage is particularly extensive in the middle trough. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

J.A.Z. and J.M. contributed equally to this work. This work was supported by the Research Center Program of IBS (Institute for Basic Science) in Korea (IBS-R009-D1). STEM measurement was supported by the National Center for Inter-University Research Facilities (NCIRF) at Seoul National University in Korea. J.A.Z., B.W., and L.-Q.C. acknowledge the support by the Computational Materials Sciences Program funded by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, under Award Number DE-SC0020145 (J.A.Z. and L.-Q.C.) and by the US National Science Foundation under Award Number NSF-MRSEC DMR-1420620 (B.W.) and a fellowship from 3M Incorporated. Computations for this research were performed on the Pennsylvania State University’s Institute for CyberScience Advanced CyberInfrastructure, and the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) through NSF DMR170006. C.J.R. and J.S.L. acknowledge the support from Science Research Center and the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2018R1A2B2005331). The authors from IMRE acknowledge the supports by National Research Foundation Competitive Research Programme of Singapore, NRF-CRP15-2015-04, (IMRE/16-9P1122). M.S., C.W.A., and T.H.K. acknowledge the support from the Priority Research Centers Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (Grant No. NRF-2019R1A6A1A11053838). The authors acknowledge invaluable suggestions and support from S. M. Yang, Z.-G. Ye, S. H. Chang, and J. H. Ko.

The complexes [Ag12(Spz)12(N-triphos)2][Ag3(Spz)3(N-triphos)]2·(DMF)6 (1) and [Ag18(Spz)12(N-triphos)4(CF3CO2)6] (2) were synthesized and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction [HSpz = pyrazine-2-thiolate, N-triphos = tris((diphenylphosphanyl)methyl)amine]. The central [Ag6] ring with chair-conformation in 1 and the ideally octahedral [Ag6] cluster core in 2 are both stabilized by the tripodal building units of neutral [Ag3(Spz)3(N-triphos)] compound. The Ag···Ag distances of the [Ag6] moieties in 1 and 2 are 3.07 and 2.81 A, respectively, exhibiting intermetallic interactions, which can enhance the stability of [Ag6] conformations. In addition, the π···π interactions between parallel pyrazine rings could impose on the building and the Ag···Ag interactions of these Ag–S clusters.

Biaryls, which contained a benzyloxy motif, were directly constructed through a ligand-promoted Pd(II) -catalyzed ortho-arylation of masked aromatic alcohols. A variety of acetoxime ethers could be coupled with a diverse range of arylboronic acid pinocol esters, giving direct access to bioactive biaryls in modest to good yield. Not only could acetoxime be subsequently removed without a separation, functionalized hydroxylamine derivatives could also be obtained.

Healable, electrically conductive materials are highly desirable and valuable for the development of various modern electronics. But the preparation of a material combining good mechanical elasticity, functional properties, and intrinsic self-healing ability remains a great challenge. Here, we design composites by connecting a polymer network and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through host-guest interactions. The resulting materials show bulk electrical conductivity, proximity sensitivity, humidity sensitivity and are able to self-heal without external stimulus under ambient conditions rapidly. Furthermore, they also possess elasticity comparable to commercial rubbers.

An efficient FeCl3-catalyzed three-component reaction between aldehydes, sulfonamides and allylsilanes has been achieved, which provides a convenient, atom-economic and green way to construct homoallylamine derivatives. In addition, this reaction exhibits excellent syn stereoselectivity with -substituted allylsilanes.