Ultracompact Vernier-effect-improved sensor by a single microfiber-knot resonator.

Fiber-optic sensors are an indispensable element of modern sensing technologies by virtue of their low cost, excellent electromagnetic immunity, and remote sensing capability. Optical Vernier effect is widely used to enhance sensitivity of fiber-optic sensors but requires bulky and complex cascaded interferometers. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate an ultracompact (∼2 mm by ∼2 mm) Vernier-effect-improved sensor by only using a single microfiber-knot resonator.

Distribution Pattern of Mangrove Fish Communities in China.

Mangroves are among the most productive marine and coastal ecosystems and play an important role in maintaining the stability and diversity of fish communities. To explore the structure of mangrove fish communities in China, we compiled previous studies, monographs, and two databases on 54 mangrove areas published in the past 30 years. Mangrove fish communities in China comprised Osteichthys (597 species) and Chondrichthyes (14 species), representing 611 species in 344 genera, 117 families, and 28 orders.

Functionalized Carbon Nanotube-Embedded Poly(vinyl alcohol) Microspheres for Efficient Removal of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α has an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid and septic arthritis. Removal of excess tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a promising treatment. In this study, a series of functionalized carbon nanotube-embedded poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposite adsorbents were prepared for TNF-α removal for the first time.

Studying the Role of a Single Mutation of a Family 11 Glycoside Hydrolase Using High-Resolution X-ray Crystallography.

XynII is a family 11 glycoside hydrolase that uses the retaining mechanism for catalysis. In the active site, E177 works as the acid/base and E86 works as the nucleophile. Mutating an uncharged residue (N44) to an acidic residue (D) near E177 decreases the enzyme's optimal pH by ~ 1.

Bead-type polystyrene/nano-CaCO (PS/nCaCO) composite: a high-performance adsorbent for the removal of interleukin-6.

A novel nano-CaCO (nCaCO) particle composite-derived polystyrene (PS) resin was successfully synthesized by a suspension polymerization method. The nCaCO reinforced PS material (PS/nCaCO) possessed a structure with abundant mesopores of high porosity, high specific surface area (828.3 m g) and large pore volume (1.

Preparation of nano-CaCO/polystyrene nanocomposite beads for efficient bilirubin removal.

A novel nano-CaCO/polystyrene nanocomposite adsorbent (NPS-8) was synthesized for efficient bilirubin removal from human plasma. A comparison with the polystyrene adsorbent (PS-8), which was without the incorporation of nano-CaCO, revealed that NPS-8 had superior bilirubin adsorption capacity and mechanical strength. The resulting nano-CaCO reinforced PS-8 (NPS-8) was tested by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical strength test, and bilirubin adsorption assays.

High performance of a unique mesoporous polystyrene-based adsorbent for blood purification.

A multi-functional polystyrene based adsorbent (NKU-9) with a unique mesoporous and a high surface area was prepared by suspension polymerization for removal of therapeutic toxins in blood purification. The adsorbent produced had an almost equal amount of mesopore distribution in the range from 2 to 50 nm. The adsorption of serum toxins with different molecular weights were examined by in vitro adsorption assays and compared with some clinical currently used adsorbents such as HA-330, Cytosorb and BL-300 which are produced by China, America and Japan, respectively.

Wagging motion of hydrogen-bonded wire in the excited-state multiple proton transfer process of 7-hydroxyquinoline·(NH3)3 cluster.

In this work, the dynamics of hydrogen bonds (as well as the hydrogen-bonded wire) in excited-state tautomerization of 7-hydroxyquinoline·(NH3)3 (7HQ·(NH3)3) cluster has been investigated by using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). It shows that upon an excitation, the hydrogen bond between -OH group in 7-hydroxyquinoline (7HQ) and NH3 moiety would extremely strengthened in S1 state, which could effectively facilitate the releasing of the proton from the phenolic group of 7HQ moiety to the hydrogen-bonded wire and the forming an Eigen-like cationic wire (NH3···NH4(+)···NH3) in the cluster. To fulfill the different optimal angles of NH4(+) in the wire, a wagging motion of hydrogen-bonded wire would occur in excited state.