Selective CO_(2) photoreduction to CH_(4) mediated by dimension-matched 2D/2D Bi_(3)NbO_(7)/g-C_(3)N_(4) S-scheme heterojunction

Discovering highly selective catalysts is key to achieve effective CO_(2) photoreduction to hydrocarbon fuels.In this work,we construct an ultrathin dimension-matched S-scheme Bi_(3)NbO_(7)/g-C_(3)N_(4) heterostructure,which permits the highly selective photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) to CH_(4),as shown by 13C isotopic measurements.Density functional theory calculations combined with solid-state characterization confirm the electron transfer from g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheets to Bi_(3)NbO_(7),establishing an internal electric field.The internal electric field drives photogenerated electrons from Bi_(3)NbO_(7) to g-C_(3)N_(4),as revealed by in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,demonstrating the presence of an S-scheme charge transfer path in Bi_(3)NbO_(7)/g-C_(3)N_(4) heterostructures allowing efficient and selective CO2 photoreduction.As a result,the optimized sample achieved a CH_(4) evolution rate of 37.59μmol·g^(-1)·h^(-1),a ca.15-fold enhancement compared to ultrathin g-C_(3)N_(4) nanosheets,and also retained stability after 10 reaction cycles and 40 h of simulated solar irradiation with no sacrificial reagents.The optimized Bi3 Nb O7/g-C_(3)N_(4) composites achieve almost 90%selectivity for CH_(4) production over CO.

Buffer allocation method of serial production lines based on improved ant colony optimization algorithm

Buffer influences the performance of production lines greatly.To solve the buffer allocation problem(BAP) in serial production lines with unreliable machines effectively,an optimization method is proposed based on an improved ant colony optimization(IACO) algorithm.Firstly,a problem domain describing buffer allocation is structured.Then a mathematical programming model is established with an objective of maximizing throughput rate of the production line.On the basis of the descriptions mentioned above,combining with a two-opt strategy and an acceptance probability rule,an IACO algorithm is built to solve the BAP.Finally,the simulation experiments are designed to evaluate the proposed algorithm.The results indicate that the IACO algorithm is valid and practical.

Characterization of subtype selection properties of R-(-)-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride and its racemate on muscarinic receptors

In order to compare the potential selectivity of R-（-）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride with its racemate （±）-DM- phencynonate hydrochloride on acetylcholine muscarinic receptor subtypes, the five human acetylcholine muscarinic receptor subtypes （M1- M5） （CHO-hml-5R） were cloned and expressed in Chinese hamster ovary （CHO-K1） cell line. The specific mRNAs of the five acetylcholine muscarinic receptor subtypes were detected by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） method, demonstrating the definite expression of muscarinic receptor subtype genes （CHO-hml-5R）. The affinity and saturability of different muscarinic receptor subtypes to [^3H] N-methylscopolamine （[^3H]-NMS） were obtained by radioligand binding assay. Equilibrium binding assay revealed that the maximum binding capacity of [^3H]-NMS （Bmax value） to CHO-hml-5R were 40.22±3.23, 24.53±4.11, 29.65±2.65, 25.41±2.46, 32.78±4.81 pmol/mg·protein, respectively. Kd values of [^3H]-NMS to muscarinic receptors M1 to M5 were 0.97±0.22, 1.16±0.14, 0.99±0.06, 0.56±0.08, 1.12±0.06 nM, respectively. R-（-）-DM- phencynonate hydrochloride was found to block the M4 receptor with a much higher potency （pD2 = 7.48） than those displayed on M1 （pD2 = 6.20）, M2 （pD2 = 5.99）, M3 （pD2 = 5.99） and M5 （pD2 = 6.70） subtypes. However, for （±）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride, no significant subtype receptor selectivity was found. Both （±）-DM- and R-（-）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride showed allosteric effects on muscarinic receptors, the Hill coefficient （nH） of five receptor subtypes was less than 1, respectively. The results revealed that R-（-）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride showed selectivity torwards M4 subtype, and there were allosteric effects for both R-（-）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride and （±）-DM-phencynonate hydrochloride on muscarinic receptors.

Bounding the Inefficiency of the C-Logit Stochastic User Equilibrium Assignment

Compared with standard logit-based stochastic user equilibrium assignment model,the C-logit model describes route choice behavior in a more realistic way by considering the overlapping effect between routes.This paper investigates the inefficiency upper bounds of this model against the deterministic system optimum and the C-logit stochastic system optimum in terms of the total network travel time.It is found that the commonality factor of overlapping routes significantly affects the inefficiency bound,besides link congestion degree,total demand and the number of feasible routes.If the commonality factor is not considered,the efficiency loss resulting from selfishly stochastic travel behavior will be to large extent underestimated.

The evolution of male mate choice and female ornamentation： a review of mathematical models

The evolution of male preferences and of female ornaments in species with traditional sex roles （i.e., polygyny） have been highlighted as areas in need of more active research by an accumulation of recent findings. The theoretical literature on these topics is relatively small and has centered on the evolution of male choice. Mathematical models have emphasized that, under polygyny, the evolution of male preferences faces much greater competition costs than does the evolution of female preferences. We discuss ways in which costly male choice can nonetheless evolve, via （1） direct selection that favors preferences, primarily through mating with highly fecund females, （2） mechanisms that rely on indirect selection, which weakly counters competitive costs of male preferences, and （3） genetic constraints, primarily in the form of pleiotropy of male and female preferences and traits. We also review a variety of mathematical models that have elucidated how costs to male preferences can be avoided. Finally, we turn our attention to the relatively scant theoretical literature on the effects of male mate choice on the evolution of female traits. We emphasize the finding that the presence of male preferences cannot be assumed to lead to the evolution of female ornaments during polygyny, and point out situations where models have elucidated ways in which female ornaments can nevertheless evolve.

The relationship between intraspecific assortative mating and reproductive isolation between divergent populations

The term ＇assortative mating＇ has been applied to describe two very different phenomena： （1） the tendency for indi- viduals to choose phenotypically similar mates from among conspecifics; or （2） the tendency to prefer conspecific over hete- rospecific mates （behavioral reproductive isolation）. Both forms of assortative mating are widespread in nature, but the relation- ship between these behaviors remains unclear. Namely, it is plausible that a preference for phenotypically similar conspecifics in cidentally reduces the probability of mating with phenotypically divergent heterospecifics. We present a model to calculate how the level of reproductive isolation depends on intraspecific assortative mating and the phenotypic divergence between species. For empirically reasonable levels of intraspecific assortment on a single trait axis, we show that strong reproductive isolation requires very substantial phenotypic divergence. We illustrate this point by applying our model to empirical data from threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and Darwin＇s Finches （Geospiza spp）. We conclude that typical levels of intraspecific assortment cannot generally be extrapolated to explain levels of interspecific reproductive isolation. Instead, reproductive isolation between species likely arises from different mate choice behaviors, or multivariate assortative mating [Current Zoology 58 （3）： 484-492, 2012].

Sex roles and sexual selection： lessons from a dynamic model system

Our understanding of sexual selection has greatly improved during the last decades. The focus is no longer solely on males, but also on how female competition and male mate choice shape ornamentation and other sexually selected traits in females. At the same time, the focus has shifted from documenting sexual selection to exploring variation and spatiotemporal dynamics of sexual selection, and their evolutionary consequences. Here, I review insights from a model system with exceptionally dynamic sexual selection, the two-spotted goby fish Gobiusculus flavescens. The species displays a complete reversal of sex roles over a 3-month breeding season. The reversal is driven by a dramatic change in the operational sex ratio, which is heavily male-biased at the start of the season and heavily female-biased late in the season. Early in the season, breeding-ready males outnumber mature females, causing males to be highly competitive, and leading to sexual selection on males. Late in the season, mating-ready females are in excess, engage more in courtship and aggression than males, and rarely reject mating opportunities. With typically many females simultaneously courting available males late in the season, males become selective and prefer more colorful females. This variable sexual selection regime likely explains why both male and female G. flavescens have ornamental colors. The G. flavescens model system reveals that sexual behavior and sexual selection can be astonishingly dynamic in response to short-term fluctuations in mating competition. Future work should explore whether sexual selection is equally dynamic on a spatial scale, and related spatiotemporal dynamics.