Origin and dispersal of early domestic pigs in northern China.

It is widely accepted that modern pigs were domesticated independently at least twice, and Chinese native pigs are deemed as direct descendants of the first domesticated pigs in the corresponding domestication centers. By analyzing mitochondrial DNA sequences of an extensive sample set spanning 10,000 years, we find that the earliest pigs from the middle Yellow River region already carried the maternal lineages that are dominant in both younger archaeological populations and modern Chinese pigs. Our data set also supports early Neolithic pig utilization and a long-term in situ origin for northeastern Chinese pigs during 8,000-3,500 BP, suggesting a possibly independent domestication in northeast China.

Graphene quantum dots to enhance the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency of anatase TiO2 with exposed {001} facet.

Hydrogen evolution through photocatalysis is promising with respect to the environmental problems and challenges of energy shortage that we encounter today. In this paper, we have combined graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and {001} faceted anatase TiO2 (with an exposed percentage of 65-75%) together for effective photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. A series of characterizations including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy have been carried out to study the structure of the as-prepared GQDs/{001}TiO2 composite.

Early Holocene chicken domestication in northern China.

Chickens represent by far the most important poultry species, yet the number, locations, and timings of their domestication have remained controversial for more than a century. Here we report ancient mitochondrial DNA sequences from the earliest archaeological chicken bones from China, dating back to ∼ 10,000 B.P.