Tunable localized surface plasmon resonances in MoO_(3-x)-TiO_(2) nanocomposites with enhanced catalytic activity for CO_(2) photoreduction under visible light

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O to fuels and chemicals using solar energy is one of the most attractive but highly difficult routes.Thus far,only a very limited number of photocatalysts has been reported to be capable of catalyzing the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 under visible light.The utilization of the localized surface plasmon resonance(LSPR)phenomenon is an attractive strategy for developing visible-light photocatalysts.Herein,we have succeeded in synthesizing plasmonic MoO3?x-TiO2 nanocomposites with tunable LSPR by a simple solvothermal method.The well-structured nanocomposite containing two-dimensional(2D)molybdenum oxide(MoO3?x)nanosheets and one-dimensional(1D)titanium oxide nanotubes(TiO2-NT)showed LSPR absorption band in the visible-light region,and the incorporation of TiO2-NT significantly enhanced the LSPR absorption band.The MoO3?x-TiO2-NT nanocomposite is promising for application in the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 with H2O under visible light irradiation.

Molecular diversity and biogeography of benthic microeukaryotes in temperate seagrass(Zostera japonica)systems of northern China

The productivity and health of seagrass depend on the combined inputs of nutrients from the water and sediments in which they grow and the microbiota with which they live intimately.However,little is known about the composition and diversity pattern of single-celled benthic eukaryotes in seagrass meadows.Here,we investigated how the structure and diversity of the benthic microeukaryotic community vary with respect to season,location,and seagrass colonization,by applying 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing for 96 surface sediment samples that were collected from three different seagrass habitats through four seasons.We found that benthic microeukaryotic communities associated with seagrass Zostera japonica exhibited remarkable spatial and seasonal variations,as well as differences between vegetated and unvegetated sediments.Diatoms and dinoflagellates predominated in the benthic microeukaryotic communities,but they were inversely correlated and displaced each other as the dominant microbial group in different seasons or habitats.Mucoromycota was more prevalent in vegetated sediments,whereas Lobulomycetales and Chytridiales had higher proportions in unvegetated sites.Total organic carbon and total organic nitrogen were the most important environmental factors in driving the microeukaryotic assemblages and diversity.Our study expands the available knowledge on the biogeographic distribution patterns and niche preferences for benthic microeukaryotes in seagrass systems.

黄渤海海草分布区日本鳗草根际微生物群落结构特征及其功能分析

日本鳗草(Zostera japonica)是亚洲特有的海草种类,具有重要生态价值。近年来,黄渤海海草分布区中的日本鳗草海草床持续退化,引起了研究人员的广泛关注。[目的]基于根际微生物的分布与日本鳗草的健康生长密切相关的设想,本文旨在探究黄渤海海草分布区日本鳗草根际细菌群落结构多样性并分析其与海草健康生长的内在联系。[方法]选取黄渤海海草分布区中东营、威海、大连3个地点的日本鳗草根际与非草区表层沉积物,采用高通量测序技术(Illumina HiSeq PE300)解析根际微生物群落特征,并结合相关环境参数分析其环境功能。[结果]日本鳗草根际表层沉积物中主要存在的细菌类群有:变形菌门(Proteobacteria)所占比例为41.1%,蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria)占15.4%,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)占12.6%,放线菌门(Actinobacteria)占9.3%。不同地点之间以及样品类型(海草床根际与非根际)之间的微生物群落存在显著差异,主要表现为根际富含硫酸盐还原菌和固氮菌。环境因素:TN(total nitrogen)、TC(total carbon)、TOC(total organic carbon)、黏土(Clay)、砷(As)与根际群落组成与分布显著相关。[结论]从功能的角度来看,不同地点、不同样品类型之间的差异物种多与硫、氮代谢相关,硫酸盐还原菌对维持日本鳗草的生态健康起关键作用;日本鳗草根际微生物群落分布与环境因子、空间分布有一定相关性。

威海天鹅湖大叶藻(Zostera marina)与日本鳗草(Zostera japonica)根际微生物群落结构及其驱动机制

【目的】本文以威海天鹅湖大叶藻和日本鳗草根际沉积物为主要研究对象,探究不同生长时期的海草根际微生物群落结构多样性,并分析导致微生物群落结构差异的内在因素。【方法】选取威海天鹅湖大叶藻和日本鳗草根际沉积物与非草区表层沉积物,采用高通量测序技术(Illumina MiSeq platform)解析海草不同生长时期下根际与非草区微生物群落特征。【结果】微生物群落结构差异由海草生长时期以及海草是否定植共同驱动。在海草成熟期,丙酸菌属(Propionigenium)在大叶藻与日本鳗草根际有明显富集,其相对丰度分别为11.58%和14.26%;在海草幼苗期,脱硫球茎菌科(Desulfobulbaceae)在海草根际富集(大叶藻:2.299%,日本鳗草:4.092%);在海草衰退期时,硫卵菌属(Sulfurovum)的相对丰度在根际较高(大叶藻:5.624%,日本鳗草:3.749%)。此外,海草生长时期对不同样品之间微生物群落结构差异的解释度最大(R^(2)=0.20335,P=0.002)。PICRUSt2功能预测结果表明各功能基因在海草不同生长时期所呈现的趋势一致,但丰度上呈现出幼苗期>成熟期>衰退期的结果。【结论】天鹅湖海草床沉积物微生物群落结构在海草不同生长时期呈现不同的多样性特征,具有明显的根际效应且不同种类海草的根际微生物群落无显著差异,不具有物种特异性。

All-fiber passively mode-locked laser using nonlinear multimode interference of step-index multimode fiber

We experimentally demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, an all-fiber passively mode-locked laser operation based on the nonlinear multimode interference of step-index multimode fiber. Such a structure couples the light in and out of the multimode fiber via single-mode fibers, and its physical mechanisms for saturable absorption have been analyzed theoretically based on the third-order nonlinear Kerr effect of multimode fiber. Using the nonlinear multimode interference structure with 48.8 mm length step-index multimode fiber, the modulation depth has been measured to be ～5%. The passively mode-locked laser output pulses have a central wavelength of 1596.66 nm, bandwidth of 2.18 nm, pulsewidth of ～625 fs, and fundamental repetition rate of8.726 MHz. Furthermore, the influence of total cavity dispersion on the optical spectrum, pulse width, and output power is investigated systematically by adding different lengths of single-mode fiber and dispersion compensation fiber in the laser cavity.

Nutrient depletion is the main limiting factor in the crude oil bioaugmentation process

The biodegradation was considered as the prime mechanism of crude oil degradation.To validate the efficacy and survival of the crude oil-degrading strain in a bioremediation process,the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene(egfp)was introduced into Acinetobacter sp.HC8-3 S.In this study,an oil-contaminated sediment microcosm was conducted to investigate the temporal dynamics of the physicochemical characterization and microbial community in response to bacterium amendment.The introduced strains were able to survive,flourish and degrade crude oil quickly in the early stage of the bioremediation.However,the high abundance cannot be maintained due to the ammonium(NH 4^(+)-N)and phosphorus(PO 4^3--P)contents decreased rapidly after 15 days of remediation.The sediment microbial community changed considerably and reached relatively stable after nutrient depletion.Therefore,the addition of crude oil and degrading cells did not show a long-time impact on the original microbial communities,and sufficient nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients ensures the survive and activity of degrader.Our studies expand the understanding of the crude oil degradative processes,which will help to develop more rational bioremediation strategies.

Tunable terahertz wave difference frequency generation in a graphene/AlGaAs surface plasmon waveguide

Graphene-based surface plasmon waveguides(SPWs) show high confinement well beyond the diffraction limit at terahertz frequencies. By combining a graphene SPW and nonlinear material, we propose a novel graphene/AlGaAs SPW structure for terahertz wave difference frequency generation(DFG) under near-infrared pumps.The composite waveguide, which supports single-mode operation at terahertz frequencies and guides two pumps by a high-index-contrast AlGaAs∕Al Oxstructure, can confine terahertz waves tightly and realize good mode field overlap of three waves. The phase-matching condition is satisfied via artificial birefringence in an AlGaAs∕Al Ox waveguide together with the tunability of graphene, and the phase-matching terahertz wave frequency varies from 4 to 7 THz when the Fermi energy level of graphene changes from 0.848 to 2.456 eV. Based on the coupled-mode theory, we investigate the power-normalized conversion efficiency for the tunable terahertz wave DFG process by using the finite difference method under continuous wave pumps, where the tunable bandwidth can reach 2 THz with considerable conversion efficiency. To exploit the high peak powers of pulses, we also discuss optical pulse evolutions for pulse-pumped terahertz wave DFG processes.

Enhanced bio-decolorization of1-amino-4-bromoanthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid by Sphingomonas xenophaga with nutrient amendment

Bacterial decolorization of anthraquinone dye intermediates is a slow process under aerobic conditions. To speed up the process, in the present study, effects of various nutrients on 1-amino-4-bromoanthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid（ABAS） decolorization by Sphingomonas xenophaga QYY were investigated. The results showed that peptone, yeast extract and casamino acid amendments promoted ABAS bio-decolorization. In particular,the addition of peptone and casamino acids could improve the decolorization activity of strain QYY. Further experiments showed that L-proline had a more significant accelerating effect on ABAS decolorization compared with other amino acids. L-Proline not only supported cell growth, but also significantly increased the decolorization activity of strain QYY. Membrane proteins of strain QYY exhibited ABAS decolorization activities in the presence of L-proline or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, while this behavior was not observed in the presence of other amino acids. Moreover, the positive correlation between L-proline concentration and the decolorization activity of membrane proteins was observed, indicating that L-proline plays an important role in ABAS decolorization. The above findings provide us not only a novel insight into bacterial ABAS decolorization, but also an L-proline-supplemented bioaugmentation strategy for enhancing ABAS bio-decolorization.

Picosecond dissipative soliton generation from an ytterbium‑doped fber laser based on a BP/SnSe_(2)‑PVA mixture saturable absorber

Stable picosecond dissipative soliton pulses were observed in an ytterbium-doped fber laser employing a high-quality mixture of BP/SnSe_(2)-PVA saturable absorber(SA).The modulation depth,saturation intensity,and non-saturable loss of the mixture of BP/SnSe_(2)-PVA SA were measured with values of 5.98%,18.37 MW/cm2,and 33%,respectively.Within the pump power range of 150–270 mW,stable dissipative soliton pulses were obtained with an output power of 1.68–4 mW.When the minimum pulse duration is 1.28 ps,a repetition rate of 0.903 MHz,center wavelength of 1064.38 nm and 3 dB bandwidth of 2 nm were obtained.The maximum pulse energy of 4.43 nJ and the signal-to-noise ratio up to 72 dB were achieved at pump power of 270 mW.The results suggest that the BP/SnSe_(2)-PVA mixture SA has outstanding nonlinear saturable absorption characteristics and broad ultrafast laser applications.