Charge transfer characteristics in rhodopsin mimics during photoexcitation.

To gain insights into the light-harvesting capabilities of the chromophores, it is essential to understand their molecular and electronic structures within their natural chemical or biological contexts. Rhodopsins display varied absorption characteristics due to the interaction between the chromophore retinal and its surrounding protein environments. In this study, we employed a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach to examine a series of artificially designed rhodopsin mimics based on human cellular retinol acid binding protein 2 (hCRABP II).

Impact of altered groundwater depth on soil microbial diversity, network complexity and multifunctionality.

Understanding the effects of groundwater depth on soil microbiota and multiple soil functions is essential for ecological restoration and the implementation of groundwater conservation. The current impact of increased groundwater levels induced by drought on soil microbiota and multifunctionality remains ambiguous, which impedes our understanding of the sustainability of water-scarce ecosystems that heavily rely on groundwater resources. This study investigated the impacts of altered groundwater depths on soil microbiota and multifunctionality in a semi-arid region.

Impact of deeper groundwater depth on vegetation and soil in semi-arid region of eastern China.

Introduction: Understanding the impact of deep groundwater depth on vegetation communities and soil in sand dunes with different underground water tables is essential for ecological restoration and the conservation of groundwater. Furthermore, this understanding is critical for determining the threshold value of groundwater depth that ensures the survival of vegetation.

Method: This paper was conducted in a semi-arid region in eastern China, and the effects of deep groundwater depth (6.

Rapid heavy metal sensing platform: A case of triple signal amplification strategy for the sensitive detection of serum copper.

Heavy metals are considered as hazardous substances to human because of their toxicity, persistence and bioaccumulation, and the level in serum is an important factor to evaluate the caused health risk, which depends on efficient and sensitive analytical methods. Here, a triple signal-amplified electrochemical sensing platform based on metal-dependent DNAzymes was fabricated for sensitive determination of heavy metals in serum (copper as a model target). Under the optimized conditions, the proposed method showed good sensitivity (limit of detection, 0.

Improving Fire Safety of Epoxy Resin with Alkyl Glycoside Modified CuAl-Layered Double Hydroxide.

To further improve carbonization efficiency of epoxy resin (EP) composites to form compact protective layers during combustion process, alkyl glycoside modified CuAl layered double hydroxide (CuAl-(APG)LDH) was designed and synthesized via one-step coprecipitation method, which was incorporated into EP matrix for preparing EP/CuAl-(APG)LDH nanocomposites. The results of XRD and TEM confirmed that EP nanocomposites with low incorporation of CuAl-(APG)LDH were exfoliated structures. The TGA results showed that the incorporation of CuAl-(APG)LDH remarkably increased the residues at 700 °C.