Comparison of the effect of tea shoots during different seasons in Arma chinensis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) reared on Ectropis grisescens (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) pupae.

In this study, we compared the growth, development, and fecundity of Arma chinensis (Fallou) reared on pupae of the geometrid Ectropis grisescens Warren fed on tea shoots during different seasons of the year. The raw data on life history were analyzed using the age-stage, 2-sex life table. When reared on spring or winter geometrid pupae, the duration of the immature stage of A. chinensis was significantly longer than in those produced during the summer or autumn. The survival rate of immature A. chinensis reared on autumn geometrid pupae was significantly lower compared to other treatments. Reproductive diapause was observed in adult A. chinensis reared on winter geometrid pupae. The adult preoviposition period (APOP), total preoviposition period (TPOP), and total longevity were significantly longer in A. chinensis reared on winter pupae than in the other treatments. The fecundity of A. chinensis reared on spring geometrid pupae was significantly lower than in the other treatments. The higher intrinsic rate of increase of the A. chinensis reared on summer pupae (r = 0.0966 day-1) and autumn pupae (r = 0.0983 day-1) resulted in higher fecundity, shorter immature duration, and shorter TPOP compared to the winter and spring populations. These findings can be utilized to enhance and sustain biological control of E. grisescens in tea plantations.

Edge-sharing bi-octahedral diruthenium(IV,IV) compounds containing Ru-Ru bonds chelated and bridged by two carbonate and two oxo groups.

From paddle-wheel starting material Na3Ru2(CO3)4·6H2O, a family of edge-sharing bi-octahedral (ESBO) diruthenium(IV,IV) compounds formulated as Ru2O2(CO3)2(H2O)2L2·nH2O [L = piperazine (1) or 2-methylpiperazine (2), n = 4, and L = 2,2-dimethylpiperazine (3), n = 12] and Ru2O2(CO3)2(OH)4{M(H2O)4}2·nH2O [M = Mg (4), n = 4, and Ni (5), n = 2] were prepared and structurally characterized. The Ru28+ dimer is chelated and bridged by two CO32- and two µ-O in a trans manner, and the Ru-Ru distances fall in the range 2.3808(6)-2.4001(4) Å. Compound 2 shows the shortest Ru-Ru distance for all known ESBO Ru2 compounds reported thus far. Increasing -CH3 groups of terminal piperazine ligands coordinated to the Ru(µ-O)2(µ-O3C)2Ru core, and according to Raman spectra experiments combined with theoretical calculations, the intense bands of compounds 1-3 appearing at ∼360 cm-1 can be assigned to the stretching of Ru-Ru bonds.

Structural, spectroscopic and electronic properties of a family of face-shared bi-octahedral Ru25+/6+ complexes with a bridging 2,5-di(2-pyridyl)pyrrolide ligand.

A family of Ru2 dimers, [Ru2(µ-κ2N,N':κ2N',N''-dpp)2(µ-X)(X)2]q+ (X = Cl, Br, q = 0 and X = I, q = 1) is synthesized from a [Ru2(OAc)4Cl] paddlewheel starting material. The neutral products are mixed-valence Ru25+ dimers with a Ru-Ru bond order of 0.5, while the cationic iodide is a Ru26+ dimer with formal bond order of 1.0. The Ru-Ru distance is strikingly independent of the identity of the halide and the oxidation state of ruthenium, most likely a consequence of the small bridging nitrogen which constrains the geometry. The spectroscopic properties (EPR, UV/Vis) of the Br complex are consistent with a large σ-σ* splitting in [Ru2(µ-κ2N,N':κ2N',N''-dpp)2(µ-Br)(Br)2].

Enhancing magnetic hardness by sonication assisted synthesis of heterometallic carbonato spin-glass Na[Ni(H2O)4Ru2(CO3)4]·3H2O.

Control of magnetic performances of molecular magnets is essential but few efforts have been documented. A green and efficient sonication assisted synthesis of a new heterometallic diruthenium(ii,iii) carbonate, Na[Ni(H2O)4Ru2(CO3)4]·3H2O (1), was carried out by self-assembling in aqueous solution. Compound 1 exhibits spin-glass behavior below ∼5.0 K, and a systematic investigation of the ultrasonic irradiation influence on the powder samples reveals that their coercivity increases from 50 Oe to 743 Oe with the control of ultrasonic power under appropriate conditions.

Lipoxin A4 inhibited the activation of hepatic stellate cells -T6 cells by modulating profibrotic cytokines and NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: The deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) during hepatic fibrosis is an intermediate process in the progression of multiple chronic liver diseases to cirrhosis. Because activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the main source of ECM, HSCs activation is the central link in the formation of liver fibrosis. It was reported that the analogs of lipoxin A4 (LXA4) had anti-fibrotic effects, but the mechanisms are still not clear. This study was conducted to explore the possible mechanisms involved in the process of LXA4-mediated inhibition of HSCs activation. METHODS: Rat HSC-T6 cells were activated by LPS and treated with LXA4 and/or BOC-2. The levels of ECM were assessed by hydroxyproline (Hyp) kit. The protein levels of α-SMA, Collagen I and III, MMP-2, MMP-9, TGF-ß1, PDGF A and B, NF-κB P65, phosphorylated NF-κB P65 (P-P65) and NF-κB inhibitor α (I-κBα) were measured via western blot. The mRNA levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed by real-time PCR. The contents of TGF-ß1 and PDGF were assessed by ELISA kits. Nuclear transfer assay kit was used to assess the activation and translation of NF-κB P65. RESULTS: (1) LPS activated HSC-T6 cells and up-regulated α-SMA, but LXA4 decreased LPS-induced α-SMA in HSC-T6 cells. (2) LXA4 inhibited LPS-induced Hyp production, meanwhile down-regulated LPS-induced Collagen I, Collagen III, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in HSC-T6 cells. (3) LXA4 decreased LPS-induced TGF-ß1 and PDGF in HSC-T6 cells. (4) LXA4 repressed LPS-activated NF-κB signaling pathway, causing a reduction of I-κBα degradation, NF-κB phosphorylation, and NF-κB p65 transposition in HSC-T6 cells. (4) BOC-2, the blocker of LXA4 receptor, inhibited all the effects of LXA4. CONCLUSION: LXA4 inhibited HSCs activation through down-regulation TGF-ß1/PDGF, and repression NF-κB signal pathway.

Alkali counterions tune diruthenium(iii,iii)-based ferrimagnetic chain structured antiferromagnets exhibiting step-like hysteresis loops.

The synthesis of antiferromagnets (AFMs) has attracted extensive attention in the area of magnetic devices, such as spintronics and memory devices. Following our initial work on the employment of the homo-valent diruthenium(iii,iii) paddle wheel species with high spin states (S = 2) as building blocks and active components for the construction of molecule-based magnetic materials, the reaction of mixed-valent diruthenium(ii,iii) phosphates Ru2(H2PO4)2(H1.5PO4)2(H2O)2·2H2O (1) with H2O2, Cu2+ and ACl (A = K, Rb and Cs) in aqueous solution led to the formation of heterometallic copper diruthenium(iii,iii) phosphates A2[Cu(H2O)4Ru2(HPO4)2(PO4)2(H2O)2]·nH2O [A = K (2); A = Rb and n = 2 (3); A = Cs and n = 3 (4)]. The compounds consist of chain structures in which each octahedral environment of Cu(H2O)42+ bonds to two [Ru(HPO4)2(PO4)2]2- units in a trans manner, forming a ferrimagnetic negative chain {Cu(H2O)4Ru2(HPO4)2(PO4)2(H2O)2}n2n-, exhibiting anomalous magnetic properties. Long-range ordering temperatures, Tc, were observed around 10 K, and the control of the chain structured antiferromagnets exhibiting step-like hysteresis loops was successfully achieved through counterion tuning by replacing K with either Rb or Cs.