Seeded Synthesis of CdSe/CdS Rod and Tetrapod Nanocrystals

We demonstrate a method for the synthesis of multicomponent nanostructures consisting of CdS and CdSe with rod and tetrapod morphologies. A seeded synthesis strategy is used in which spherical seeds of CdSe are prepared first using a hot-injection technique. By controlling the crystal structure of the seed to be either wurtzite or zinc-blende, the subsequent hot-injection growth of CdS off of the seed results in either a rod-shaped or tetrapod-shaped nanocrystal, respectively. The phase and morphology of the synthesized nanocrystals are confirmed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, demonstrating that the nanocrystals are phase-pure and have a consistent morphology. The extinction coefficient and quantum yield of the synthesized nanocrystals are calculated using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The rods and tetrapods exhibit extinction coefficients and quantum yields that are higher than that of the bare seeds. This synthesis demonstrates the precise arrangement of materials that can be achieved at the nanoscale by using a seeded synthetic approach.     

Novel Miscanthus hybrids: Modelling productivity on marginal land in Europe using dynamics of canopy development determined by light interception

New biomass crop hybrids for bioeconomic expansion require yield projections to determine their potential for strategic land use planning in the face of global challenges. Our biomass growth simulation incorporates radiation interception and conversion efficiency. Models often use leaf area to predict interception which is demanding to determine accurately, so instead we use low-cost rapid light interception measurements using a simple laboratory-made line ceptometer and relate the dynamics of canopy closure to thermal time, and to measurements of biomass. We apply the model to project the European biomass potentials of new market-ready hybrids for 2020–2030. Field measurements are easier to collect, the calibration is seasonally dynamic and reduces influence of weather variation between field sites. The model obtained is conservative, being calibrated by crops of varying establishment and varying maturity on less productive (marginal) land. This results in conservative projections of miscanthus hybrids for 2020–2030 based on 10% land use conversion of the least (productive) grassland and arable for farm diversification, which show a European potential of 80.7–89.7 Mt year⁻¹ biomass, with potential for 1.2–1.3 EJ year⁻¹ energy and 36.3–40.3 Mt year⁻¹ carbon capture, with seeded Miscanthus sacchariflorus × sinensis displaying highest yield potential. Simulated biomass projections must be viewed in light of the field measurements on less productive land with high soil water deficits. We are attempting to model the results from an ambitious and novel project combining new hybrids across Europe with agronomy which has not been perfected on less productive sites. Nevertheless, at the time of energy sourcing issues, seed-propagated miscanthus hybrids for the upscaled provision of bioenergy offer an alternative source of renewable energy. If European countries provide incentives for growers to invest, seeded hybrids can improve product availability and biomass yields over the current commercial miscanthus variety.     

Quasi‐spherical silver nanoparticles with high dispersity and uniform sizes: preparation,characterization and bioactivity in their interaction with bovine serum albumin

A stepwise seeded growth route for the preparation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is reported. In the process, silver nitrate was used as a precursor, with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent and trisodium citrate as both a reductant and stabilizer. The AgNPs were characterized using several methods, including UV–vis spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared AgNPs were quasi‐spherical and crystalline, with an average diameter of 21 nm. Interactions between the AgNPs and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated using UV–vis, fluorescence spectroscopy and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS). It was proved that the quenching mechanism is a static process. The binding constants and number of binding sites were calculated. The thermodynamic parameters implied that the binding process was spontaneous and the main driving force of the interaction was electrostatic. The results of the SFS indicated that the conformational change of BSA was induced by AgNPs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temperature thresholds of physically dormant seeds and plant functional response to fire: variation among species and relative impact of climate change

Variation in dormancy thresholds among species is rarely studied but may provide a basis to better understand the mechanisms controlling population persistence. Incorporating dormancy‐breaking temperature thresholds into existing trait frameworks could improve predictions regarding seed bank persistence, and subsequently species resilience in response to fire, climate change and anthropogenic management. A key ecological strategy for many species from fire‐prone ecosystems is the possession of a long‐lived seed bank, ensuring recovery after fire. Physical dormancy is dominant in these ecosystems and maintaining this dormancy is directly linked to seed bank persistence. We identified a suite of seed‐related factors relevant to maintaining populations in fire‐prone regions for 14 co‐occurring physically dormant species. We measured variation in initial levels of dormancy and then applied experimental heating treatments, based on current seasonal temperatures and those occurring during fires, to seeds of all study species. Additionally, higher seasonal temperature treatments were applied to assess response of seeds to temperatures projected under future climate scenarios. Levels of germination response and mortality were determined to assess how tightly germination response was bound to either fire or seasonal cues. Six species were found to have dormancy cues bound to temperatures that only occur during fires (80°C and above) and were grouped as having obligate pyrogenic dormancy release. The remaining species, classified as having facultative pyrogenic dormancy, had lower temperature dormancy thresholds and committed at least 30% of seeds to germinate after summer‐temperature treatments. Evidence from this study supports including dormancy‐breaking temperature thresholds as an attribute for identifying functional types. High temperature thresholds for breaking dormancy, found in our obligate pyrogenic group, appear to be a fire‐adapted trait, while we predict that species in the facultative group are most at risk to increased seed bank decay resulting from elevated soil temperatures under projected climate change.     

马尾松林两种林下植被土壤碳氮特征及其与凋落物质量的关系

以飞播马尾松林为研究对象,通过典型样地调查和样品测定,采用配对样本t检验和冗余分析（RDA）方法分析芒萁类和禾草类两种林下植被类型土壤碳、氮特征及其与凋落物质量之间的关系。结果表明：（1）土壤有机碳、微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳、全氮、速效氮、微生物量氮和可溶性有机氮含量在0-10、10-20 cm土层均表现为禾草类显著高于芒萁类（P < 0.05）,而在20-40、40-80 cm土层两种植被类型碳氮指标的大小未表现出相同的变化规律,且差异不显著（P > 0.05）。（2）两种植被类型凋落物半分解和未分解层的C含量及C/N值均表现为芒萁类显著高于禾草类（P < 0.05）,而N含量则表现为禾草类显著高于芒萁类（P < 0.05）;同一植被类型的未分解层C含量及C/N值均显著大于半分解层,N含量则半分解层显著大于未分解层（P < 0.05）。（3）0-10 cm土层两种类型凋落物C/N值和C含量均与土壤碳氮各指标呈显著负相关（P < 0.05）,N含量与土壤碳氮各指标的相关性不显著（P > 0.05）;10-20 cm土层,芒萁类的半分解层C/N值与土壤碳氮各指标存在显著相关性（P < 0.05）,禾草类的凋落物C含量与土壤碳氮各指标也存在显著相关性（P < 0.01）。林下植被凋落物C/N值越小,其分解速率越快,有利于土壤养分的积累,禾草类凋落物C/N值低于芒萁类是导致其土壤碳氮指标高于芒萁类的重要原因。     

The emergence of embryos from hard seeds is related to the structure of the cell walls of the micropylar endosperm, and not to endo-beta-mannanase activity

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Seeds of carob, Chinese senna, date and fenugreek are hard due to thickened endosperm cell walls containing mannan polymers. How the radicle is able penetrate these thickened walls to complete seed germination is not clearly understood. The objective of this study was to determine if radicle emergence is related to the production of endo-beta-mannanase to weaken the mannan-rich cell walls of the surrounding endosperm region, and/or if the endosperm structure itself is such that it is weaker in the region through which the radicle must penetrate. METHODS: Activity of endo-beta-mannanase in the endosperm and embryo was measured using a gel assay during and following germination, and the structure of the endosperm in juxtaposition to the radicle, and surrounding the cotyledons was determined using fixation, sectioning and light microscopy. KEY RESULTS: The activity of endo-beta-mannanase, the major enzyme responsible for galactomannan cell wall weakening increased in activity only after emergence of the radicle from the seed. Thickened cell walls were present in the lateral endosperm in the hard-seeded species studied, but there was little to no thickening in the micropylar endosperm except in date seeds. In this species, a ring of thin cells was visible in the micropylar endosperm and surrounding an operculum which was pushed open by the expanding radicle to complete germination. CONCLUSIONS: The micropylar endosperm presents a lower physical constraint to the completion of germination than the lateral endosperm, and hence its structure is predisposed to permit radicle protrusion.     

Life cycle of cytosolic prions

Prions are self-templating protein aggregates that were originally identified as the causative agent of prion diseases in mammals, but have since been discovered in other kingdoms. Mammalian prions represent a unique class of infectious agents that are composed of misfolded prion protein. Prion proteins usually exist as soluble proteins but can refold and assemble into highly ordered, self-propagating prion polymers. The prion concept is also applicable to a growing number of non-Mendelian elements of inheritance in lower eukaryotes. While prions identified in mammals are clearly pathogens, prions in lower eukaryotes can be either detrimental or beneficial to the host. Prion phenotypes in fungi are transmitted vertically from mother to daughter cells during cell division and horizontally during mating or abortive mating, but extracellular phases have not been reported. Recent findings now demonstrate that in a mammalian cell environment, protein aggregates derived from yeast prion domains exhibit a prion life cycle similar to mammalian prions propagated ex vivo. This life cycle includes a soluble state of the protein, an induction phase by exogenous prion fibrils, stable replication of prion entities, vertical transmission to progeny and natural horizontal transmission to neighboring cells. Our data reveal that mammalian cells contain all co-factors required for cytosolic prion propagation and dissemination. This has important implications for understanding prion-like properties of disease-related protein aggregates. In light of the growing number of identified functional amyloids, cell-to-cell propagation of cytosolic protein conformers might not only be relevant for the spreading of disease-associated proteins, but might also be of more general relevance under non-disease conditions.     

Cones structure and seed traits of four species of large‐seeded pines: Adaptation to animal‐mediated dispersal

Seed dispersal selection pressures may cause morphological differences in cone structure and seed traits of large‐seeded pine trees. We investigated the cone, seed, and scale traits of four species of animal‐dispersed pine trees to explore the adaptations of morphological structures to different dispersers. The four focal pines analyzed in this study were Chinese white pine (Pinus armandi), Korean pine (P. koraiensis), Siberian dwarf pine (P. pumila), and Dabieshan white pine (P. dabeshanensis). There are significant differences in the traits of the cones and seeds of these four animal‐dispersed pines. The scales of Korean pine and Siberian dwarf pine are somewhat opened after cone maturity, the seeds are closely combined with scales, and the seed coat and scales are thick. The cones of Chinese white pine and Dabieshan white pine are open after ripening, the seeds fall easily from the cones, and the seed coat and seed scales are relatively thin. The results showed that the cone structure of Chinese white pine is similar to that of Dabieshan white pine, whereas Korean pine and Siberian dwarf pine are significantly different from the other two pines and vary significantly from each other. This suggests that species with similar seed dispersal strategies exhibit similar morphological adaptions. Accordingly, we predicted three possible seed dispersal paradigms for animal‐dispersed pines: the first, as represented by Chinese white pine and Dabieshan white pine, relies upon small forest rodents for seed dispersal; the second, represented by Korean pine, relies primarily on birds and squirrels to disperse the seeds; and the third, represented by Siberian dwarf pine, relies primarily on birds for seed dispersal. Our study highlights the significance of animal seed dispersal in shaping cone morphology, and our predictions provide a theoretical framework for research investigating the coevolution of large‐seeded pines and their seed dispersers.