Light- and temperature-assisted spin state annealing: accessing the hidden multistability.

Among responsive multistable materials, spin crossover (SCO) systems are of particular interest for stabilizing multiple spin states with various stimulus inputs and physical outputs. Here, in a 2D Hofmann-type coordination polymer, [Fe(isoq)2{Au(CN)2}2] (isoq = isoquinoline), a medium-temperature annealing process is introduced after light/temperature stimulation, which accesses the hidden multistability of the spin state. With the combined effort of magnetic, crystallographic and Mössbauer spectral investigation, these distinct spin states are identified and the light- and temperature-assisted transition pathways are clarified. Such excitation-relaxation and trapping-relaxation joint mechanisms, as ingenious interplays between the kinetic and thermodynamic effects, uncover hidden possibilities for the discovery of multistable materials and the development of multistate intelligent devices.

[Decomposition of different plant litters in Loess Plateau of Northwest China].

Taking the litters of species Hippophae rhamnoides, Medicago sativa, Populus simonii, Robinia pseudoacaci, Salix psammophila, and Stipa bungeana in the Loess Plateau of Northeast China as test objects, and by using mesh bags, this paper studied the dynamic changes of the litters mass, carbon, and nitrogen during decomposition after buried in the field in semiarid region. The litters buried were from one, two, or three of the plant species, and mixed thoroughly with equal proportion of masses. During decomposition, the mass loss rate, total carbon and nitrogen release rates, and total soluble carbon and nitrogen contents of different litters were higher at the early than at the later decomposition stage. After 412 d decomposition, the average mass loss rate of the litters was in the order of mixed litters of three plant species > mixed litters of two plant species > one plant species litter. By the end of this experiment, the average release rates of the litter total carbon and nitrogen ranked as one plant species litter > mixed litters of two plant species > mixed litters of three plant species, the litter soluble organic carbon content was mixed litters of two plant species > mixed litters of three plant species > one plant species litter, while the litter soluble total nitrogen content was mixed litters of three plant species > mixed litters of two plant species > one plant species litter. Correlation analysis showed that the litter mass loss rate had definite correlation with the litter soluble organic matter, especially soluble organic carbon. From the viewpoint of mass loss rate, the mixture of the litters of P. simonii, H. rhamnoide, and M. sativa was the optimum. It was suggested that in the process of returning farmland into forestland and grassland in the gully and valley region of Loess Plateau, it would be required to rationally increase plant species diversity to improve soil fertility.

1-(4-Cyano-benz-yl)-3,5-dimethyl-pyridinium bis-(benzene-1,2-dithiol-ato)nickelate(III).

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C(15)H(15)N(2))[Ni(C(6)H(4)S(2))(2)], contains half each of two independent centrosymmetric anions and a single cation in a general position. The Ni(III) ions are coordinated by four S atoms in a square-planar geometry. The anions exhibit two packing modes, viz. stacked along the a axis in a face-to-face fashion with an alternate arrangement of anions and cations, and stacked in a side-by-side fashion, forming ribbons parallel to (011).

Crystal structure of methyl parathion hydrolase from Pseudomonas sp. WBC-3.

Methyl parathion hydrolase (MPH, E.C.3.1.8.1), isolated from the soil-dwelling bacterium Pseudomonas sp. WBC-3, is a Zn(II)-containing enzyme that catalyzes the degradation of the organophosphate pesticide methyl parathion. We have determined the structure of MPH from Pseudomonas sp. WBC-3 to 2.4 angstroms resolution. The enzyme is dimeric and each subunit contains a mixed hybrid binuclear zinc center, in which one of the zinc ions is replaced by cadmium. In both subunits, the more solvent-exposed beta-metal ion is substituted for Cd2+ due to high cadmium concentration in the crystallization condition. Both ions are surrounded by ligands in an octahedral arrangement. The ions are separated by 3.5 angstroms and are coordinated by the amino acid residues His147, His149, Asp151, His152, His234 and His302 and a water molecule. Asp255 and a water molecule serve to bridge the zinc ions together. MPH is homologous with other metallo-beta-lactamases but does not show any similarity to phosphotriesterase that can also catalyze the degradation of methyl parathion with lower rate, despite the lack of sequence homology. Trp179, Phe196 and Phe119 form an aromatic cluster at the entrance of the catalytic center. Replacement of these three amino acids by alanine resulted in a significant increase of K(m) and loss of catalytic activity, indicating that the aromatic cluster has an important role to facilitate affinity of enzyme to the methyl parathion substrates.