Rapid, low-temperature nanodiamond formation by electron-beam activation of adamantane C-H bonds.

Diamond and adamantane () share a -symmetric carbon skeleton, but converting to diamond has been challenging because it requires selective carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bond cleavage and monomer assembly into a diamond lattice. Our approach differs from the conventional high-temperature, high-pressure diamond syntheses. We electron-irradiated submicrocrystals at 80 to 200 kilo-electron volts and 100 to 296 kelvin in vacuum for tens of seconds.

Melting entropy of crystals determined by electron-beam-induced configurational disordering.

Upon melting, the molecules in a crystal explore numerous configurations, reflecting an increase in disorder. The molar entropy of disorder can be defined by Boltzmann's formula Δ = ln(), where is the increase in the number of microscopic states, so far inaccessible experimentally. We found that the Arrhenius frequency factor of the electron diffraction signal decay provides through an experimental equation = , where is an inelastic scattering cross section.

Hierarchical Porous Bimetallic FeMn Metal-Organic Framework Gel for Efficient Activation of Peracetic Acid in Antibiotic Degradation.

Effective techniques for eliminating antibiotics from water environments are in high demand. The peracetic acid (PAA)-based advanced oxidation process has recently drawn increasing attention for its effective antibiotic degrading capability. However, current applications of PAA-based techniques are limited and tend to have unsatisfactory performance.

Sequential Sol-Gel Self-Assembly and Nonclassical Gel-Crystal Transformation of the Metal-Organic Framework Gel.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) gel, an emerging subtype of MOF structure, is unique in formation and function; however, its evolutionary process remains elusive. Here, the evolution of a model gel-based MOF, UiO-66(Zr) gel, is explored by demonstrating its sequential sol-gel self-assembly and nonclassical gel-crystal transformation. The control of the sol-gel process enables the observation and characterization of structures in each assembly stage (phase-separation, polycondensation, and hindered-crystallization) and facilitates the preparation of hierarchical materials with giant mesopores.

Hierarchical porous melamine sponge@MIL-101-Fe-NH composite as Fenton-like catalyst for efficient and rapid tetracycline hydrochloride removal.

Metal-organic frameworks have been investigated in Fenton-like catalysis for tetracycline hydrochloride degradation, a widely used antibiotic which threatens the growth and health of creatures. However, powder phase and absence of large pores limit the materials' degradation performance and application. In this work, a hierarchical macro-meso-microporous composite melamine sponge@MIL-101-Fe-NH was firstly designed and constructed.

Two new bibenzyls from (Rolfe) Rolfe and their antioxidant activity.

Two new bibenzyls ( and ) were isolated from the pseudobulbs of (Rolfe) Rolfe along with six known compounds, including isoarundinin I (), isoarundinin II (), bulbocodin D (), batatasin III (), 5,3'-dihydroxy- 4-(-hydroxybenzyl)-3-methoxybibenzyl () and shancigusin F (). Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods. These compounds showed potent DPPH free radical scavenging effects with IC values ranging from 49.

Discovery of glucosyloxybenzyl 2-hydroxy-2-isobutylsuccinates with anti-inflammatory activities from Pleione grandiflora.

Six new glucosyloxybenzyl 2-hydroxy-2-isobutylsuccinates, pleionesides A-F (1-6), along with two known compounds (7, 8) were obtained from the pseudobulbs of Pleione grandiflora (Rolfe) Rolfe. The structures and absolute configurations of new compounds were established by HRESIMS and NMR data, along with acidic hydrolysis and alkaline hydrolysis experiments. Compounds 1-6 were tested for their anti-inflammatory activities on LPS-induced BV2 microglial cells.

[A new lignan from Euscaphis konishii].

The chemical constituents from the extract of the twigs of Euscaphis konishii with anti-hepatoma activity were investigated, twelve compounds by repeated chromatography with silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and preparative-HPLC. The structures of the chemical components were elucidated by spectroscopy methods, as konilignan(1),(7R, 8S)-dihydrodehydrodico-niferylalcohol-9-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),illiciumlignan B(3),threo-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-panediol(4),erythro-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-[4-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]-1,3-panediol(5), matairesinol(6), wikstromol(7), isolariciresinol(8),(+)-lyoniresinol(9), 4-ketopinoresinol(10), syringaresin(11), and vladinol D(12). Among them, compound 1 is a new lignan.

A Showcase of Green Chemistry: Sustainable Synthetic Approach of Zirconium-Based MOF Materials.

Zirconium-based metal-organic framework materials (Zr-MOFs) have more practical usage over most conventional benchmark porous materials and even many other MOFs due to the excellent structural stability, rich coordination forms, and various active sites. However, their mass-production and application are restricted by the high-cost raw materials, complex synthesis procedures, harsh reaction conditions, and unexpected environmental impact. Based on the principles of "Green Chemistry", considerable efforts have been done for breaking through the limitations, and significant progress has been made in the sustainable synthesis of Zr-MOFs over the past decade.

[Changes in water state and soluble protein contents of wampee axes during inducing desiccation tolerance by sucrose preculture].

Progressively increasing sucrose concentration of culture medium could increase desiccation tolerance of wampee [Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels] axes. The changes in water state and soluble proteins of axes during acquirement of desiccation tolerance were measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and SDS-PAGE.

[Changes in desiccation tolerance and cell ultrastructures of wampee axes induced by progressively raising sucrose concentration of culture medium].

The desiccation tolerance of wampee [Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels] axes was significantly increased when they were pre-cultured with woody plant medium with progressively increasing sucrose contents (27% --> 50% --> 60%). Most of the plumular axes could survive a moisture content as low as 18.

[Induction of chilling tolerance and heat shock protein synthesis in rice seedlings by heat shock].

Heat shock applied to germinated rice seeds increased the chilling tolerance of seedlings. Comparison with the control, brief heat shock applied before chilling at 4 degrees C for 2 days and recovery at 25 degrees C for another 2 days decreased the permeability of cellular membranes and increased the content of proline in rice seedlings. Heat shock applied before chilling also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase and the content of ascorbate in rice seedlings.

[Synthesis of heat shock proteins in developing maize embryo].

Labeling of protein in developing maize embryo with (35)S-Met showed that, the protein synthesis rate in heat shock (42 degrees C) was similar to that in the control (25 degrees C). Heat shock inhibited protein synthesis at 16 DAP, whereas it stimulated protein synthesis at 22 and 34 DAP. The pattern of SDS-PAGE showed that, a new set of heat shock proteins were induced after heat shock.