Essential (Mg,Fe, Zn and Cu) and Non-Essential (Cd and Pb) Elements in Predatory Insects (Vespa crabro and Vespa velutina): A Molecular Perspective

The recent introduction of the Asian yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, into Europe has raised concern regarding the threat to honeybees and the competition with the European hornet, Vespa crabro. The aim of this study was to investigated essential (Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu) and non-essential (Cd and Pb) elements in these two species. Element concentrations were determined in the whole body and separately in the head, thorax and abdomen using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The changes in essential element concentration and speciation during metamorphosis were also studied using size exclusion chromatography followed by AAS and proteomic analysis. In both species, the essential elements were more concentrated in the abdomen due to the presence of fat bodies. Magnesium, Fe and Zn concentrations were significantly higher in V. crabro than in V. velutina and could have been related to the higher aerobic energy demand of the former species required to sustain foraging flight. Low concentrations of Cd and Pb were indicative of low environmental exposure. The concentration and speciation of essential elements, particularly Fe, varied among the developmental stages, indicating a modification of ligand preferences during metamorphosis. Overall, the results in the present study provide a better understanding of the hornet metal metabolism and a foundation for additional studies.     

Ir(III) and Ru(II) Complexes in Photoredox Catalysis and Photodynamic Therapy: A New Paradigm towards Anticancer Applications

Individually, photoredox catalysis (PC) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are well-established concepts that have experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, leading to significant progress in organic synthesis for PC and clinical approval of anticancer drugs for PDT. But, very recently, new photoredox catalyst systems based on Ir(III) and Ru(II) complexes have garnered significant interest because they can simultaneously be used as PDT agents apart from their demonstrated PC activity. This highlight discusses the unique PC behavior of emerging Ir(III)- and Ru(II)-based systems while also examining their potential PDT activity in cancer treatment.     

Plant Copper Amine Oxidases: Key Players in Hormone Signaling Leading to Stress-Induced Phenotypic Plasticity

Polyamines are ubiquitous, low-molecular-weight aliphatic compounds, present in living organisms and essential for cell growth and differentiation. Copper amine oxidases (CuAOs) oxidize polyamines to aminoaldehydes releasing ammonium and hydrogen peroxide, which participates in the complex network of reactive oxygen species acting as signaling molecules involved in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. CuAOs have been identified and characterized in different plant species, but the most extensive study on a CuAO gene family has been carried out in Arabidopsis thaliana. Growing attention has been devoted in the last years to the investigation of the CuAO expression pattern during development and in response to an array of stress and stress-related hormones, events in which recent studies have highlighted CuAOs to play a key role by modulation of a multilevel phenotypic plasticity expression. In this review, the attention will be focused on the involvement of different AtCuAOs in the IAA/JA/ABA signal transduction pathways which mediate stress-induced phenotypic plasticity events.     

The Antibacterial Drug Candidate SBC3 is a Potent Inhibitor of Bacterial Thioredoxin Reductase

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem for public health and associated with increasing economic costs and mortality rates. Silver and silver-related compounds have been used for centuries due to their antimicrobial properties. In this work, we show that 1,3-dibenzyl-4,5-diphenyl-imidazol-2-ylidene silver(I) acetate/NHC*-Ag-OAc (SBC3) is a reversible, high affinity inhibitor of E. coli thioredoxin reductase (TrxR; K_i=10.8±1.2 nM). Minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) tests with different E. coli and P. aeruginosa strains demonstrated that SBC3 can efficiently inhibit bacterial cell growth, especially in combination with established antibiotics like gentamicin. Our results show that SBC3 is a promising antibiotic drug candidate targeting bacterial TrxR.     

Influence of CO2 inleakage on the slight-alkalization of generator internal cooling water

The slight-alkalization of generator internal cooling water (GICW) is widely used to inhibit the corrosion of hollow copper conductor and thereby ensure the safe operation of the generator. CO₂ inleakage is increasingly identified as a potential security risk for GICW system. In this paper, the influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization of GICW was theoretically discussed. Based on the equilibriums of the CO₂-NaOH-H₂O system, CO₂ inleakage saturation was derived to quantify the amount of the dissolved CO₂ in GICW. This parameter can be directly calculated with the measured conductivity and the [Na⁺] of GICW. The influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization conditioning of GICW and the measurement of its water quality parameters were then analyzed. The more severe the inleakage, the narrower the water quality operation ranges of GICW, resulting in the more difficult the slight-alkalization conditioning of GICW. The temperature calibrations of the conductivity and the pH value of GICW show non-linear correlations with the amount of CO₂ inleakage and the NaOH dosage. This study provides insights into the influence of CO₂ inleakage on the slight-alkalization of GICW, which can serve as the theoretical basis for the actual slight-alkalization when CO₂ inleakage occurs.     

机械合金化FeS/Cu复合材料的摩擦磨损性能

以FeS和CuSn8Ni1粉末为原料，利用机械合金化技术和粉末冶金技术制备了FeS/Cu复合材料，探讨了不同载荷情况下所制备的FeS/Cu复合材料的摩擦学性能及润滑膜与转移膜特征。结果表明：机械合金化提高了FeS与铜合金基体界面结合性能，进而提高了材料减摩耐磨性能；当载荷较小时，摩擦副表面接触不稳定，复合转移膜不连续，摩擦因数波动大；载荷较大时，复合转移膜易破损，材料的减摩耐磨性能变差；当载荷为150 N时，载荷适宜，材料表面软化，复合转移膜更加完整，摩擦因数较小。     

铜电解精炼添加剂生产实践与精细化管理探索

添加剂是铜电解精炼生产管理的最关键要素,合适的添加剂使用方案可以有效保障电解生产系统长期稳定。结合添加剂生产实践和其它电解厂添加剂管理优点,提出探索添加剂精细化管理,进一步保障和提升铜电解添加剂管理实效。     

浅谈不同给液方式在铜电解车间的应用

不同给液方式对铜电解过程中有重要的影响,不同的循环方式会影响槽内温度分布、电解液成分及阳极泥沉降等,因此,根据铜电解生产不同情况的需要,分析对比了多种给液方式在贵冶电解车间的应用,总结了这几种给液方式的优缺点和适用条件。     

Synthesis and Characterization of Co Nanocomposite Based on Poly(benzimidazole-amide) Matrix and Their Behavior as Catalyst in Oxidation Reaction

2,6-Bis(5-amino-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine was prepared and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, ¹H-NMR, and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic methods. Then a new poly(benzimidazole-amide) was synthesized by polymerization of the corresponding diamine and isophthalic acid. The obtained poly(benzimidazole-amide) exhibited good yield and high thermal stability. Due to the existence of benzimidazole moieties in polymer’s structure, it has the tendency to form complexes with metal ions. So, a new poly(benzimidazole-amide)/Co nanocomposite was prepared. Morphological studies revealed that metal nanoparticles were dispersed in the polymer matrix without any aggregation. poly(benzimidazole-amide)/Co nanocomposite was used as a catalyst in the oxidation of ethyl benzene to acetophenone with tert-butyl hydroperoxide.