The emergence of Mo2C- based catalysts in recent years has been favored as promising contender within diverse class MXenes. In terms of rapid development in the photocatalytic application, these intriguing compounds exhibit excellent photocatalytic performance because of their superior optical properties and peculiar structure characteristics. Unfortunately, a systematic review of Mo2C- based catalysts is lacking. In this review, we abstract the implication of structure—property relationship of emerging Mo2C- based MXenes materials and their applications toward the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Furthermore, synthetic pathways to prepare high-quality, low cost Mo2C- based MXenes materials and their outcomes for high HER applications are systematically described. Finally, several insights are provided into the prospects and future challenges for the development of highly reactive Mo2C- based MXenes materials, which present large range opportunities in this promising 2D materials for green and clean energy in environmental fields. This review provides a comprehensive scientific guide to the preparation, modification, and photocatalytic HER of MXenes-based materials.

The growing concerns about sustainable consumption encourage more consumer research on determinants that influence consumers’ green behavior. Although green consumption has risen for several decades, green adoption rates are often overestimated. This study rationalizes that developing strategies that follow human prehistorical roots may be effective in encouraging green consumption. This notion is supported by Miller (2009) regarding the reversal of direction to explaining consumer behaviour through human evolution and individual differences. Green strategies should focus on determining attributes that display specific characteristics favoured by respective peer groups. The current study introduces two evolutionary-focused priming stimuli as an ancestral motive to understand consumer behaviour. The selected evolutionary-focused stimuli represent the foundational modes in the evolutionary psychology of (1) mating (i.e. short-term mating) or (2) parenting (i.e. long-term parenting) modes. These different distinct modes are predicted to trigger different individual decisions based on each Sexual Selection strategy to pursue (Buss & Schmitt, 1993). Following Griskevicius’ et al. (2010) assertion that status signaling through pro-sociality is one of the primary green signaling mechanisms, this study further attempts to investigate the moderating effect of costly signaling. Therefore, this study aims to provide a conceptual framework with propositions on the role of evolutionary psychology in consumer decision-making in the green product context. The study proposes that viewing family-focused stimuli will induce higher buying intention on green products than viewing mating-focused stimuli. However, this effect may be moderated by costly signals.

The carbon-containing molecule can be used as an NMR probe to explore the acidic and structural features of various catalytic materials. Thereinto, although mesityl oxide (MO) has been extensively employed to determine the acidity of solution and ionic liquid systems, could it be utilized to characterize the acidic properties of solid acid catalysts? In this work, on the basis of a series of isolated Brønsted and Lewis acid models with varied acid strengths, the adsorption configurations and corresponding 13C chemical shifts of adsorbed MO molecules have been comprehensively studied by means of a theoretical investigation approach. Among them, both the 13C chemical shift difference between β and α carbon atoms (Δδ), and the 13C chemical shift of β carbon atoms (δ13Cβ) in adsorbed MO molecules were explicitly demonstrated to be closely related to the intrinsic acid strength of Brønsted acid sites. These correlations could be utilized to quantitatively scale the Brønsted acid strength of solid acid catalysts. Besides, a moderate relationship was theoretically derived for the relevant 13C NMR parameters and intrinsic Lewis acid strength.

Carbon dots (CDs) with tunable fluorescence emissions have been developed from a wide range of small organic molecules with various bottom-up syntheses. However, most of them were prepared under high temperatures and high pressures with long reaction times and tedious purification processes. In addition, previously reported carbon dots frequently displayed excitation-dependent emissions, which restrict their further applications. Herein, we present a simple and rapid microwaveassisted solvothermal synthesis of multicolour carbon dots with excitation-independent emissions. In ethylene glycol, the green (G)-CDs emitting at 537 nm with a quantum efficiency (QY) of 15% were obtained by using a single precursor of phloroglucinol, and blue (B)- and yellow (Y)-CDs emitting at 436 nm and 557 nm with QYs of 55% and 28% were derived with additives of o- and m-phenylenediamine, respectively. Analyses of their chemical structures and optical processes suggest that highly polymeric carbon dots were uniformly formed from the small molecules and their fluorescences were predominantly originated from rapid direct recombination. Furthermore, emissions at different wavelengths were mainly attributed to different degrees of oxidation (13.9%, 15.2% and 16.4% oxygen in B-, G- and Y-CDs, respectively) and different proportions of pyrrolic nitrogen (10.4% and 1.40% in B- and Y-CDs, respectively). To demonstrate the application feasibility, the obtained carbon dots were utilized for ion detection and anti-counterfeiting. Based on static quenching of the carbon dots’ fluorescence, micro amounts of ferric ion in water samples were detected selectively and reproducibly. Moreover, the anti-counterfeiting pattern constructed by the carbon dots emitted fluorescence under ultraviolet illumination, but concealed perfectly under daylight. This achievement is of great potential for developing multicolour carbon dots of high qualities.

How high-mass stars form is currently unclear. Calculations suggest that the radiation pressure of a forming star can halt spherical infall, preventing further growth when it reaches 10 M⊙. Two major theoretical models on the further growth of stellar mass have been proposed. One model suggests the merging of less massive stellar objects, and the other is through accretion, but with the help of a disk. In ow motions are key evidence for how forming stars gain further mass to build up massive stars. Recent developments in technology have boosted the search for in ow motion. A number of high-mass collapse candidates were obtained with single dish observations, and mostly showed blue proles. Infalling signatures seem to be more common in regions which have developed radiation pressure than in younger cores, which is the opposite of the theoretical prediction and is also very different from observations of low mass star formation. Interferometer studies so far confirm this tendency with more obvious blue profiles or inverse P Cygni profiles. Results seem to favor the accretion model. However, the evolution of the infall motion in massive star forming cores needs to be further explored. Direct evidence for monolithic or competitive collapse processes is still lacking. ALMA will enable us to probe more detail of the gravitional processes.

The Svalbard Treaty, one of the few inter-governmental treaties in the Arctic area, has drawn global attention. Currently, the dispute focuses mainly on its scope of applicability. Different interpretations of the issue, directly affect each contracting party’s interests in Svalbard, intensifying its debate. China signed the Svalbard Treaty on July 1, 1925, becoming one of its first contracting parties. China has attached great importance to non-discriminatory rights under the treaty, such as scientific research, resource exploitation, fishing, hunting and commercial activities, etc. Therefore, the final determination of the treaty’s applicable scope has a profoundly direct impact on China’s interests in the Arctic area. This research is to analyze the Chinese position on the Svalbard Treaty and to demonstrate the legitimacy of China’s viewpoint from a treaty interpretation perspective.

The novel serogroup of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar mogi (H3a3b3d) was isolated from fallen leaves, sampled in a forest region of the city of Mungyeong, Korea. Plasmids from B. thuringiensis have been implicated in pathogenicity as they carry the genes responsible for different types of diseases in mammals and insects. In this study, the genome sequence of the strain was determined. The 6.0-Mb genome of B. thuringiensis mogi contains three replicons: a circular chromosome (5.40-Mb) encoding 5,652 predicted open reading frames (ORFs), and two megaplasmids, pMOGI364 (364 564 bp) and pMOGI222 (222 348 bp). The G+C contents of these replicons ranged from 31.3% to 34.2% for pMOGI364 and pMOGI222, respectively. There are six putative cry genes, cry19Bb1, cry73Aa, cry20Bb1, cry27Ab1, cry4Aa and cry56Ba1, distributed on these two megaplasmids. To investigate the role of these genes in crystal production, the expression profiles of these toxin genes were analyzed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) from the wild type strain. Also, these cry genes were cloned to the Escherichia coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector, pHT1K under the control of its own promoter and then introduced into an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis Cry-B strain for further molecular characterization.

Plasmids are crucial for determining the pathogenicity and host range of organisms of the Bacillus thuringiensis strains. In this research, a novel serogroup of B. thuringiensis serovar mogi (H3a3b3d), which showed mosquitocidal activity against Anopheles sinensis and Culex pipiens pallens, was isolated from fallen leaves in Mungyeong city, Republic of Korea. In contrast to the complicated plasmid profiles of B. thuringiensis H3 serotype strains, the B. thuringiensis serovar mogi contained two megaplasmids (> 30 MDa) on which the toxin genes were occasionally located. Sequence analysis using 454-pyrosequencing revealed that there are 7 putative cry genes, cry19Bb1, cry73Aa, cry40orf2, cry20Bb1, cry27Ab1, cry56Ba1 and cry39orf2, distributed on the two different megaplasmids, respectively. These cry genes were cloned to the Escherichia coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector, pHT1K under the control of its own promoter and p1KSD, which is a recombinant expression vector containing cyt1Aa promoter combined with the STAB-SD sequence, and then introduced into an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis Cry-B strain for further molecular characterization. To investigate the role of these genes in crystal production, the expression profiles of these toxin genes were analyzed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) from the wild type strain. These results clearly indicate that the cry39orf2 was the dominant ingredient in the crystal. This novel 3a3b3d type strain, B. thuringiensis serovar mogi, could be used as a good resource for studying unknown mosquitocidal cry genes.

Bacillus thuringiensis serovar mogi of a novel serogroup (H3a3b3d), which showed mosquitocidal activity against Anopheles sinensis and Culex pipiens pallens, was isolated from fallen leaves in Mungyeong city, Republic of Korea. In contrast to the complicated plasmid profiles of B. thuringiensis H3 serotype strains, the B. thuringiensis serovar mogi contained only megaplasmid (> 30 MDa) on which the toxin genes were occasionally located. Sequence analysis using 454-pyrosequencing revealed that the megaplasmid harbored at least seven putative cry genes, showing about 84%, 75%, 73%, 58%, 84%, 39% and 75% similarities in amino acid sequences with Cry27Aa, Cry19Ba, Cry20-like, Cry56Aa, Cry39ORF2, Cry8Ba and Cry40ORF2, respectively. These cry genes were cloned to the Escherichia coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector, pHT1K, and then introduced into an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis Cry-B strain for further molecular characterization. To investigate the role of these genes in crystal production, the expression profiles of these toxin genes were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qrtPCR) from the wild type strain as well as transformant strains. The results clearly indicate that the cry39orf2 was the dominant ingredient in the crystal. This novel 3a3b3d type strain, B. thuringiensis serovar mogi, could be used as a good resource for studying unknown mosquitocidal cry genes.

Plasmids from Bacillus thuringiensis have been implicated in pathogenicity as they carry the genes responsible for different types of diseases in mammals and insects. B. thuringiensis serovar mogi of a novel serogroup (H3a3b3d), which showed mosquitocidal activity against Anopheles sinensis and Culex pipiens pallens, was isolated from fallen leaves in Mungyeong city, Republic of Korea. In contrast to the complicated plasmid profiles of B. thuringiensis H3 serotype strains, the B. thuringiensis serovar mogi contained only megaplasmid (> 30 MDa) on which the toxin genes were occasionally located. Sequence analysis using 454-pyrosequencing revealed that the megaplasmid harbored at least seven putative cry genes, showing about 84%, 75%, 73%, 58%, 84%, 39% and 75% similarities in amino acid sequences with Cry27Aa, Cry19Ba, Cry20-like, Cry56Aa, Cry39ORF2, Cry8Ba and Cry40ORF2, respectively. These cry genes were cloned to the Escherichia coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector, pHT1K, and then introduced into an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis Cry-B strain for further molecular characterization. This novel 3a3b3d type strain, B. thuringiensis serovar mogi, could be used as a good resource for studying unknown mosquitocidal cry genes.

Plasmids from Bacillus thuringiensis have been implicated in pathogenicity as they carry the genes responsible for different types of diseases that in mammals and insects. A novel serogroup (H3a3b3d), B. thuringiensis strain K4 which showed mosquitocidal activity against Anopheles sinensis and Culex pipiens pallens, was isolated from fallen leaves in Mungyeong city, Republic of Korea. In contrast to the complicated plasmid profiles of B. thuringiensis H3 serotype strains, the strain K4 (designated as serovar mogi) had only one large plasmid (>200kb) on which the toxin genes were occasionally located. A 454 pyrosequencing was used for the complete sequencing of the large plasmid. The sequence analysis showed that k4 plasmid had at least seven putative cry genes, ending up to showing 84%, 75%, 73%, 58%, 84%, 39% and 75% homology with Cry27Aa, Cry19Ba, Cry20-like, Cry56Aa, Cry39ORF2, Cry8Ba and Cry40ORF2 toxins in amino acids, respectively. This novel 3a3b3d type strain, B. thuringiensis serovar mogi, can be used as a good resource for studying unknown mosquitocidal cry genes. The E. coli-B. thuringiensis shuttle vector, pHT1K was used to clone these cry genes for characterization. In each clone, the level of transcription and production of crystal proteins will be investigated in near the future.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strain K4 was isolated from fallen leaves which had been collected at a forest stand in Mungyeong city, Republic of Korea. The flagellated vegetative cells of Bt K4 were agglutinated with the H3 reference antiserum among 55 reference H-antisera. In a further test to identify subfactors, 3b and 3d monospecific antisera were reactive to the cells, followed up with introducing a novel serogroup of 3a3b3d, designated as serovar mogi. The strain K4 had mosquitocidal activity against Dipteran larvae, Anopheles sinensis and Culex pipiens pallens, with no Lepidopteran toxicity observed. The SDS-PAGE profile of K4 crystal protein, ovoidal-shaped, included several bands ranging from 30-75 kDa. Four putative peptides, Cry19Ba, Cry40ORF2, Cry27Aa and Cry20Aa were detected from the bands by a nano-LC-ESI-IT MS analysis. Through a thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR, cry19Ba, cry40ORF2 and cry27Aa genes were partially cloned from K4 strain. Three cry genes were further found in the strain by a 454 pyrosequencing, ending up to showing 58%, 39% and 84% homology in amino acids with Cry56Aa, Cry8Ba and Cry39ORF2 toxins, respectively. This novel 3a3b3d type strain, B. thuringiensis subsp. mogi, can be used as a good resource for studying unknown mosquitocidal cry genes.

Aphids feed on host plants by penetrating the stems or leaves with stylets. The feeding behavior of aphids consists of probing, penetration, salivation, and sap ingestion. To assess the effects of sound on feeding behavior, we monitored the stylet activity of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), using electrical penetration graph (EPG). The use of EPG was critical for determining the stage, frequency, and duration of feeding in aphids. We played back three acoustic stimuli of sine waves with frequencies of 100, 1000, and 5000 Hz to adult aphids. In the sound treatment group, the frequencies of probing, penetration, and salivation increased, whereas the duration of sap ingestion decreased. The results of EPG revealed that the acoustic stimuli may restrict aphid feeding by inhibiting sap ingestion.

To understand the evolution and speciation of closely related species, a multiple approach encompassing morphological, behavioral, and genetic analyses is necessary. In Korea, three species of Loxoblemmus crickets occur widely. L. campestris and L. equestris are morphologically indistinguishable, whereas males of L. doenitzi are different from the other two species in head morphology. The genetic analyses using the partial mitochondrial COI sequences showed that L. doenitzi diverged off earlier than L. campestris and L. equestris. The analyses of laboratory recordings revealed that distributions of calling song characters generally overlapped among three cricket species. However, the number of pulses in a chirp was two in L. doenitzi and four in L. campestris, but it was greater than or equal to six in L. equestris. Provided that females make mate choice based on this calling song character, the differentiation in this character may lead to premating reproductive isolation and may have evolved during the speciation proccess in these closely related species.