Green and Scalable Preparation of an Isomeric CALF-20 Adsorbent with Tailored Pore Size for Molecular Sieving of Propylene from Propane.

Molecular sieving of propylene (C3H6) from propane (C3H8) is highly demanded for C3H6 purification. However, delicate control over aperture size to achieve both high C3H6 uptake and C3H6/C3H8 selectivity with low cost remains a significant challenge. Herein, a green and scalable approach is reported for preparing an isomeric CALF-20 adsorbent, termed as NCU-20, using water as the only solvent with a cost of $10 per kilogram. NCU-20 features a contracted pore size (4.2 × 4.7 Å2) compared to CALF-20 (5.2 × 5.7 Å2), which enables molecular sieving of C3H6 (4.16 × 4.65 Å2) from C3H8 (4.20 × 4.80 Å2). Notably, NCU-20 exhibits record-high C3H6 adsorption capacity (94.41 cm3 cm-3) at 298 K and 1.0 bar, outperforming all C3H6/C3H8 molecular sieving adsorbents. The sieving performances of C3H6/C3H8 are well maintained at elevated temperatures. Therefore, a delicate balance between C3H6 adsorption capacity (91.62 cm3 cm-3) and C3H6/C3H8 selectivity (uptake ratio of 22.2) is obtained on NCU-20 at 298 K and 0.5 bar. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate a high productivity of 65.39 cm3 cm-3 for high-purity C3H6 (>99.5%) from an equimolar C3H6/C3H8 gas-mixture.

Topology Reconfiguration of Anion-Pillared Metal-Organic Framework from Flexibility to Rigidity for Enhanced Acetylene Separation.

Flexible metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents commonly encounter limitations in removing trace impurities below gate-opening threshold pressures. Topology reconfiguration can fundamentally eliminate intrinsic structural flexibility, yet remains a formidable challenge and is rarely achieved in practical applications. Herein, a solvent-mediated approach is presented to regulate the flexible CuSnF6-dpds-sql (dpds = 4,4''-dipyridyldisulfide) with sql topology into rigid CuSnF6-dpds-cds with cds topology. Notably, the cds topology is unprecedented and first obtained in anion-pillared MOF materials. As a result, rigid CuSnF6-dpds-cds exhibits enhanced C2H2 adsorption capacity of 48.61 cm3 g-1 at 0.01 bar compared to flexible CuSnF6-dpds-sql (21.06 cm3 g-1). The topology transformation also facilitates the adsorption kinetics for C2H2, exhibiting a 6.5-fold enhanced diffusion time constant (D/r2) of 1.71 × 10-3 s-1 on CuSnF6-dpds-cds than that of CuSnF6-dpds-sql (2.64 × 10-4 s-1). Multiple computational simulations reveal the structural transformations and guest-host interactions in both adsorbents. Furthermore, dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate that high-purity C2H4 (>99.996%) effluent with a productivity of 93.9 mmol g-1 can be directly collected from C2H2/C2H4 (1/99, v/v) gas-mixture in a single CuSnF6-dpds-cds column.

Simulating short-term light responses of photosynthesis and water use efficiency in sweet sorghum under varying temperature and CO2 conditions.

Climate change, characterized by rising atmospheric CO2 levels and temperatures, poses significant challenges to global crop production. Sweet sorghum, a prominent C4 cereal extensively grown in arid areas, emerges as a promising candidate for sustainable bioenergy production. This study investigated the responses of photosynthesis and leaf-scale water use efficiency (WUE) to varying light intensity (I) in sweet sorghum under different temperature and CO2 conditions. Comparative analyses were conducted between the A n-I, g s-I, T r-I, WUEi-I, and WUEinst-I models proposed by Ye et al. and the widely utilized the non-rectangular hyperbolic (NRH) model for fitting light response curves. The Ye's models effectively replicated the light response curves of sweet sorghum, accurately capturing the diminishing intrinsic WUE (WUEi) and instantaneous WUE (WUEinst) trends with increasing I. The fitted maximum values of A n, g s, T r, WUEi, and WUEinst and their saturation light intensities closely matched observations, unlike the NRH model. Despite the NRH model demonstrating high R 2 values for A n-I, g s-I, and T r-I modelling, it returned the maximum values significantly deviating from observed values and failed to generate saturation light intensities. It also inadequately represented WUE responses to I, overestimating WUE. Across different leaf temperatures, A n, g s, and T r of sweet sorghum displayed comparable light response patterns. Elevated temperatures increased maximum A n, g s, and T r but consistently declined maximum WUEi and WUEinst. However, WUEinst declined more sharply due to the disproportionate transpiration increase over carbon assimilation. Critically, sweet sorghum A n saturated at current atmospheric CO2 levels, with no significant gains under 550 µmol mol-1. Instead, stomatal closure enhanced WUE under elevated CO2 by coordinated g s and T r reductions rather than improved carbon assimilation. Nonetheless, this response diminished under simultaneously high temperature, suggesting intricate interplay between CO2 and temperature in modulating plant responses. These findings provide valuable insights into photosynthetic dynamics of sweet sorghum, aiding predictions of yield and optimization of cultivation practices. Moreover, our methodology serves as a valuable reference for evaluating leaf photosynthesis and WUE dynamics in diverse plant species.

Comparative Genome Analysis of a Pathogenic Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae Isolate WH13013 from Pig Reveals Potential Genes Involve in Bacterial Adaptions and Pathogenesis.

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a common pathogen responsible for pig erysipelas. However, the molecular basis for the pathogenesis of E. rhusiopathiae remains to be elucidated. In this study, the complete genome sequence of the E. rhusiopathiae strain WH13013, a pathogenic isolate from a diseased pig, was generated using a combined strategy of PacBio RSII and Illumina sequencing technologies. The strategy finally generated a single circular chromosome of approximately 1.78 Mb in size for the complete genome of WH13013, with an average GC content of 36.49%. The genome of WH13013 encoded 1633 predicted proteins, 55 tRNAs, as well as 15 rRNAs. It contained four genomic islands and several resistance-associated genes were identified within these islands. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that WH13013 was close to many other sequenced E. rhusiopathiae virulent strains. The comprehensive comparative analysis of eight E. rhusiopathiae virulent strains, including WH13013, identified a total of 1184 core genes. A large proportion (approximately 75.31%) of these core genes participated in nutrition and energy uptake and metabolism as well as the other bioactivities that are necessary for bacterial survival and adaption. The core genes also contained those encoding proteins participating in the biosynthesis and/or the components of the proposed virulence factors of E. rhusiopathiae, including the capsule (cpsA, cpsB, cpsC), neuraminidase (nanH), hyaluronidase (hylA, hylB, hylC), and surface proteins (spaA, rspA, rspB). The obtaining of the complete genome sequence of this virulent strain, WH13013, and this comprehensive comparative genome analysis will help in further studies of the genetic basis of the pathogenesis of E. rhusiopathiae.

Virulence determinants, antimicrobial susceptibility, and molecular profiles of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains isolated from China.

The aim of this study was to understand the epidemiology, serotype, antibiotic sensitivity, and clonal structure of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains in China. Forty-eight strains were collected from seven provinces during the period from 2012 to 2013. Pulse-field electrophoresis identified 32 different patterns which were classified into clonal groups A­D. Most pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns were observed in clonal complex A and B, suggesting high diversity of genetic characterization in these two predominant clonal complexes. Antibiotic sensitivity test shows that all the stains were susceptible to ampicillin, erythromycin, and cefotaxime, and resistant to kanamycin, cefazolin, sulfadiazine, and amikacin. Erythromycin and ampicillin are recommended as first-line antibiotics for treatment of E. rhusiopathiae in China. The high variation in PFGE pattern among the main clonal groups shows that the E. rhusiopathiae in China may originate from different lineages and sources instead of from expansion of a single clonal lineage across different regions.

Compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients can enhance immune response and efficacy of RHD vaccine in rabbit.

In order to validate the immune-enhancement efficacy of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCHMIs), made with astragalus polysaccharide (APS), epimedium polysaccharide (EPS), propolis flavone (PF) and ginsenosides (GS), as immune potentiator or vaccine adjuvants for rabbits, the effects of two cCHMIs on rabbit lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma and IL-10 mRNA expression of T lymphocyte in vitro were determined. At the same time, two cCHMIs were injected into 35-day-old rabbits after mixed with rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) vaccine taking aluminum adjuvant and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as controls. On days 7, 14, 21, 35 and 49 after the vaccination, the dynamic changes of peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and serum antibody titers of the rabbits were analyzed. On day 63, all rabbits were challenged with RHD virus. The results showed that the two cCHMIs could significantly promote rabbit lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-gamma and IL-10 mRNA expression of T lymphocyte in vitro. In vivo, two cCHMIs could significantly enhance serum antibody titers and lymphocyte proliferation. Their adjuvanticity was slightly superior to aluminum adjuvant. All the rabbits vaccinated with the cCHMIs adjuvant vaccine were protected. These findings confirmed that two cCHMIs possessed better immune-enhancement efficacy and would be used as effective immune adjuvant of RHD vaccine.

Development of an RT-PCR for rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) and the epidemiology of RHDV in three eastern provinces of China.

Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the diagnosis of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was developed by examining sensitivity and specificity. Samples from rabbits infected with rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) were examined to investigate the distribution of the virus in the body. The results showed that the RT-PCR method had good specificity. The sensitivity of the RT-PCR was 1 x 10(4) times higher than that of the hemagglutination assay (HA). RT-PCR was able to detect RHDV in all viscera, but not in feces. In the second part of the study, in order to investigate the prevalence of RHDV, 400 meat samples from the Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau and 512 nasal secretion samples from rabbits in three provinces of China were collected and tested by RT-PCR. The results showed significant differences in the prevalence of RHDV in rabbits of different ages, but no significant differences among different provinces and years. Some random isolates were sequenced and compared. The homology of sequences among three new isolates and other isolates ranged between 93.7% and 99.6%. It is recommended that RHD vaccine should be used in China to protect rabbits against RHDV.