Unraveling genomic regions and candidate genes for multiple disease resistance in upland cotton using meta-QTL analysis.

Verticillium wilt (VW), Fusarium wilt (FW) and Root-knot nematode (RKN) are the main diseases affecting cotton production. However, many reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for cotton resistance have not been used for agricultural practices because of inconsistencies in the cotton genetic background. The integration of existing cotton genetic resources can facilitate the discovery of important genomic regions and candidate genes involved in disease resistance.

GhSINA1, a SEVEN in ABSENTIA ubiquitin ligase, negatively regulates fiber development in Upland cotton.

Protein ubiquitination is essential for plant growth and responses to the environment. The SEVEN IN ABSENTIA (SINA) ubiquitin ligases have been extensively studied in plants, but information on their roles in fiber development is limited. Here, we identified GhSINA1 in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which has a conserved RING finger domain and SINA domain.

Energy transfer properties of a single-phase NaGd(PO):Eu,Mn phosphor with excellent thermal stability for w-LEDs.

A high temperature solid state method was used to prepare NaGd(PO):Eu,Mn phosphors with good thermal stability. The phosphor shows a broadband excitation region of 250-430 nm, which can be matched with the emissions of ultraviolet (UV)/near-ultraviolet (NUV) LED chips for white light emitting diodes (w-LEDs). The energy transfer efficiency is 74.

MOF-Derived Long Spindle-like Carbon-Coated Ternary Transition-Metal-Oxide Composite for Lithium Storage.

FeO is a promising alternative for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, its poor cycle stability due to the large volume effect during cycling and poor conductivity hinders its application. Herein, we have successfully designed and prepared a carbon-coated ternary transition-metal-oxide composite (noted as (FeCoNi)O@C), which is derived from FeCoNi-MOF-74 (denoted as FeCoNi-211-24).

Simultaneous Spectral Tuning and Thermal Stability Adjustment in CaZnGaLa(PO):Eu Phosphors.

The modifications of local structure in solid solution are a crucial step to regulate the photoluminescence properties of rare-earth ion-based phosphors. However, the structural diversity of host matrices and the uncertain occupation of activators make it challenging to obtain phosphors with both high stability and tailored emission. Herein, We synthesized a series of β-Ca(PO)-type CaZnGaLa(PO):Eu solid solution phosphors by design.

Polydopamine Nanocluster Embedded Nanofibrous Membrane via Blow Spinning for Separation of Oil/Water Emulsions.

Developing a porous separation membrane that can efficiently separate oil-water emulsions still represents a challenge. In this study, nanofiber membranes with polydopamine clusters polymerized and embedded on the surface were successfully constructed using a solution blow-spinning process. The hierarchical surface structure enhanced the selective wettability, superhydrophilicity in air (≈0°), and underwater oleophobicity (≈160.

Genetic structure, gene flow pattern, and association analysis of superior germplasm resources in domesticated upland cotton ( L.).

Gene flow patterns and the genetic structure of domesticated crops like cotton are not well understood. Furthermore, marker-assisted breeding of cotton has lagged far behind that of other major crops because the loci associated with cotton traits such as fiber yield and quality have scarcely been identified. In this study, we used 19 microsatellites to first determine the population genetic structure and patterns of gene flow of superior germplasm resources in upland cotton.

Metal-Based Nanocatalysts via a Universal Design on Cellular Structure.

Metal-based nanocatalysts supported on carbon have significant prospect for industry. However, a straightforward method for efficient and stable nanocatalysts still remains extremely challenging. Inspired by the structure and comptosition of cell walls and membranes, an ion chemical bond anchoring, an in situ carbonization coreduction process, is designed to obtain composite catalysts on N-doped 2D carbon (C-N) loaded with various noble and non-noble metals (for example, Pt, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Au, Co, and Ni) nanocatalysts.

Yellow Emission Obtained by Combination of Broadband Emission and Multi-Peak Emission in Garnet Structure NaYMgVO: Dy Phosphor.

The fabrication and luminescent performance of novel phosphors NaYMgVO:Dy were investigated by a conventional solid-state reaction method. Under near-UV light, the NaYMgVO host self-activated and released a broad emission band (400-700 nm, with a peak at 524 nm) ascribable to charge transfer in the (VO) groups. Meanwhile, the NaYMgVO:Dy phosphors emitted bright yellow light within both the broad emission band of the (VO) groups and the sharp peaks of the Dy ions at 490, 582, and 663 nm at a quenching concentration of 0.

Efficient Adsorption of the Cd(II) and As(V) Using Novel Adsorbent Ferrihydrite/Manganese Dioxide Composites.

Ferrihydrite/manganese dioxide composites (FH-M) were synthesized from ferrihydrite (FH) and manganese compounds by ex situ synthesis and characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the present work. The influences of experimental parameters such as the solution pH value and initial concentration of adsorbate on the adsorption uptake of Cd(II)/As(V) was systematically investigated. The adsorption kinetics was analyzed by fitting quasi-first-order and quasi-second-order kinetic equations.

New Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalyst of Chitin-Modified Titanium Dioxide/Carbon Fiber Composites for Wastewater.

To improve the catalyst properties of TiO under visible light irradiation, chitin-modified TiO was synthesized via a hydrothermal method on the surface of carbon fibers. The microstructure and interface properties of the so-prepared photocatalyst were investigated via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Our results indicated that the synergetic effect of the crystal phase of TiO, carbon fiber, and chitin is the main reason leading to the improvement of the photocatalytic activity of the composite catalyst.

Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of a Novel Green-Yellow-Emitting Phosphor BiOCl:Pr for Blue-Light-Based w-LEDs.

The development of white-light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs) makes it meaningful to develop novel high-performance phosphors excited by blue light. Herein, BiOCl:Pr green-yellow phosphors were prepared via a high-temperature solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure, luminescent properties, lifetime, thermal quenching behavior, and quantum yield were studied in detail.

Magneto-elastic coupling behavior of the double perovskite BaFeMoO.

BaFeMoO has been reported to exhibit a ferromagnetic to a paramagnetic transition with a Curie temperature above room temperature, and thus it is a potential material for spintronics. These exciting properties are related, at least in part, to combined structural and magnetic instabilities. A conventional analysis of lattice parameter data from the present study and literature in terms of spontaneous strain shows that the magnetic ordering is accompanied by a significant volume strain, which implies a strong coupling behavior of magneto-elastic properties in BaFeMoO.

Comparative Chloroplast Genomics of Species: Insights Into Repeat Sequence Variations and Phylogeny.

Cotton is one of the most economically important fiber crop plants worldwide. The genus contains a single allotetraploid group (AD) and eight diploid genome groups (A-G and K). However, the evolution of repeat sequences in the chloroplast genomes and the phylogenetic relationships of species are unclear.

Discovery of novel solid solution CaSi O N : Eu phosphors: structural evolution and photoluminescence tuning.

Discovery of novel phosphors is one of the main issues for improving the color rendering index (CRI) and correlated color temperature (CCT) of white light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs). This study mainly presents a systematic research on the synthesis, crystal structure variation and photoluminescence tuning of novel (oxy)nitride solid solution CaSi O N : Eu phosphors. XRD refinements show that lattice distortion occurs when x value diverges the optimum one (x = 1).

Growth, structure, and luminescence properties of novel silica nanowires and interconnected nanorings.

Novel silica nanowires and interconnected nanorings were firstly synthesized on a graphite paper by typical thermal catalytic chemical vapor deposition method, using silicon and carbon black powders as raw materials. The field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the composition and structure characterization, which indicates that the silica nanowires and interconnected nanorings were amorphous. The growth of the as-prepared silica nanowires and interconnected nanorings was related to the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, but the nanowire-ring structure may be due to the polycentric nucleation and periodic stable growth with gradual direction changes.

"114"-Type Nitrides LnAl(Si Al )N O with Unusual [AlN ] Octahedral Coordination.

Aluminum-nitrogen six-fold octahedral coordination, [AlN ], is unusual and has only been seen in the high-pressure rocksalt-type aluminum nitride or some complex compounds. Herein we report novel nitrides LnAl(Si Al )N O (Ln=La, Sm), the first inorganic compounds with [AlN ] coordination prepared via non-high-pressure synthesis. Structure refinements of neutron powder diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data show that these compounds crystallize in the hexagonal Swedenborgite structure type with P6 mc symmetry where Ln and Al atoms locate in anticuboctahedral and octahedral interstitials, respectively, between the triangular and Kagomé layers of [SiN ] tetrahedra.

Luminescence Properties of Self-Activated Mm(VO4)2 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) Phosphors Synthesized by Solid-State Reaction Method.

In this paper, M3(VO4)2 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) self-activated phosphors were prepared by a solid-state reaction method at 1,000 °C for 5 h. The phase formation and micrographs were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The Ca3(VO4)2 phosphor does not show any emission peaks under excitation with ultraviolet (UV) light.

Morphology controlling method for amorphous silica nanoparticles and jellyfish-like nanowires and their luminescence properties.

Uniform silica nanoparticles and jellyfish-like nanowires were synthesized by a chemical vapour deposition method on Si substrates treated without and with Ni(NO3)2, using silicon powder as the source material. Composition and structural characterization using field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the as-prepared products were silica nanoparticles and nanowires which have amorphous structures. The form of nanoparticles should be related to gas-phase nucleation procedure.

Crystal structure evolution and luminescence properties of color tunable solid solution phosphors Ca(2+x)La(8-x)(SiO4)(6-x)(PO4)xO2:Eu(2+).

A series of apatite solid solution phosphors Ca(2+x)La(8-x)(SiO4)(6-x)(PO4)xO2:Eu(2+) (x = 0,2,4,6) were synthesized by a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction. The phase purity was examined using XRD, XPS and XRF. The crystal structure information, such as the concentration, cell parameters and occupation rate, was analyzed using a Rietveld refinement, demonstrating that the Eu(2+) activated the Ca2La8(SiO4)6O2 and Ca8La2(PO4)6O2 to form continuous solid solution phosphors.

Novel, low-cost solid-liquid-solid process for the synthesis of α-Si3N4 nanowires at lower temperatures and their luminescence properties.

Ultra-long, single crystal, α-Si3N4 nanowires sheathed with amorphous silicon oxide were synthesised by an improved, simplified solid-liquid-solid (SLS) method at 1150 °C without using flowing gases (N2, CH4, Ar, NH3, etc.). Phases, chemical composition, and structural characterisation using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the nanowires had Si3N4@SiOx core-shell structures.

Enhanced thermal properties of novel shape-stabilized PEG composite phase change materials with radial mesoporous silica sphere for thermal energy storage.

Radial mesoporous silica (RMS) sphere was tailor-made for further applications in producing shape-stabilized composite phase change materials (ss-CPCMs) through a facile self-assembly process using CTAB as the main template and TEOS as SiO2 precursor. Novel ss-CPCMs composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and RMS were prepared through vacuum impregnating method. Various techniques were employed to characterize the structural and thermal properties of the ss-CPCMs.

Erratum to: The effects of atmosphere and calcined temperature on photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanofibers prepared by electrospinning.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-8-548.].

Fe(NO3)3-assisted large-scale synthesis of Si₃N₄ nanobelts from quartz and graphite by carbothermal reduction-nitridation and their photoluminescence properties.

The large-scale synthesis of Si3N4 nanobelts from quartz and graphite on a graphite-felt substrate was successfully achieved by catalyst-assisted carbothermal reduction-nitridation. The phase composition, morphology, and microstructure of Si3N4 nanobelts were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The Si3N4 nanobelts were ~4-5 mm long and ~60 nm thick and exhibited smooth surfaces and flexible shapes.

Energy transfer from Sm3+ to Eu3+ in red-emitting phosphor LaMgAl11O19:Sm3+, Eu3+ for solar cells and near-ultraviolet white light-emitting diodes.

The red-emitting phosphor LaMgAl11O19:Sm(3+), Eu(3+) was prepared by solid-state reaction at 1600 °C for 4 h. The phase formation, luminescence properties, and energy transfer from Sm(3+) to Eu(3+) were studied. With the addition of 5 mol % Sm(3+) as the sensitizer, the excitation wavelength of LaMgAl11O19:Eu(3+) phosphor was extended from 464 to 403 nm, and the emission intensity under the excitation at 403 nm was also enhanced.