Carbon dots doped with germanium (GeCDs) were firstly prepared by a new simple 15 min carbonation synthesis route, exhibiting excitation-independent photoluminescence (PL), which could avoid autofluorescence in bioimaging applications. The as-prepared GeCDs have low cell toxicity, good biocompatibility, high intracellular delivery efficiency, stability and could be applied for detection of mercury(II) ions with excellent selectivity in complicated medium. It is to be noted that the as-prepared GeCDs used as a new type of probe for visualization of dynamic invasions of mercury(II) ions into Hep-2 cells display greatly different properties from most of the previously reported CDs which are regularly responsive to iron ions. All the results suggest that the GeCDs can be employed for visualization and monitoring of the significant physiological changes of living cells induced by Hg(2+).
Hydrological alternation can dramatically influence riparian environments and shape riparian vegetation zonation. However, it was difficult to predict the status in the drawdown area of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), because the hydrological regime created by the dam involves both short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter impoundment for half a year. In order to examine the effects of hydrological alternation on plant diversity and biomass in the drawdown area of TGR, twelve sites distributed along the length of the drawdown area of TGR were chosen to explore the lateral pattern of plant diversity and above-ground biomass at the ends of growing seasons in 2009 and 2010. We recorded 175 vascular plant species in 2009 and 127 in 2010, indicating that a significant loss of vascular flora in the drawdown area of TGR resulted from the new hydrological regimes. Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus had high tolerance to short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter flooding. Almost half of the remnant species were annuals. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener Index and above-ground biomass of vegetation exhibited an increasing pattern along the elevation gradient, being greater at higher elevations subjected to lower submergence stress. Plant diversity, above-ground biomass and species distribution were significantly influenced by the duration of submergence relative to elevation in both summer and previous winter. Several million tonnes of vegetation would be accumulated on the drawdown area of TGR in every summer and some adverse environmental problems may be introduced when it was submerged in winter. We conclude that vascular flora biodiversity in the drawdown area of TGR has dramatically declined after the impoundment to full capacity. The new hydrological condition, characterized by long-term winter flooding and short periods of summer flooding, determined vegetation biodiversity and above-ground biomass patterns along the elevation gradient in the drawdown area.
The {100} facet of single‐crystalline TiO2(B) is an ideal platform for inserting Li ions, but it is hard to be obtained due to its high surface energy. Here, the single‐crystalline TiO2(B) nanobelts from H2Ti3O7 with nearly 70% {100} facets exposed are synthesized, which significantly enhances Li‐storage capacity. The first‐principle calculations demonstrate an ab in‐plane 2D diffusion through the exposed {100} facets. As a consequence, the nanobelts can significantly accommodate Li ions in LiTiO2 formula with specific capacity up to 335 mAh g−1, which is in good agreement with the electrochemical characterizations. Coating with conductive and protective poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonate), the cut‐off discharge voltage is as low as 0.5 V, leading to a capacity of 160.7 mAh g−1 after 1500 cycles with a retention rate of 66% at 1C. This work provides a practical strategy to increase the Li‐ion capacity and cycle stability by tailoring the crystal orientation and nanostructures.
Gut microbiota are closely linked to host health and adaptability to different geographical environments. However, information on the influence of different geographical conditions on the intestinal microbiota of yaks is limited. In this study, 18 yak fecal samples were collected from three regions of China, namely Shangri-la, Lhasa, and Yushu, and were analyzed via high-throughput sequencing. The alpha diversity, as measured by the Shannon, ACE, and Chao indices, was the highest in the Shangri-la samples. Principal coordinate analysis detected significant differences in the composition of the intestinal microbiota of yaks from different regions. A total of six phyla, 21 families, and 29 genera were identified in the fecal samples. The dominant phyla in the samples were Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and the most abundant family was Ruminococcaceae. In addition, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 was the predominant genus and was more abundant in Yushu samples than in other samples. However, the predicted functional gene composition of the gut microbiota of yaks from different regions was similar. Our results revealed that geographical conditions influence the diversity and composition of the intestinal microbiota of yaks.
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