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The incorporation of pentagon‐heptagon pairs into helical nanographenes lacks a facile synthetic route, and the impact of these pairs on chiroptical properties remains unclear. In this study, a method for the stepwise construction of pentagon‐heptagon pairs in helical nanographenes by the dehydrogenation of [6]helicene units was developed. Three helical nanographenes containing pentagon‐heptagon pairs were synthesized and characterized using this approach. A wide variation in the molecular geometries and photophysical properties of these helical nanographenes was observed, with changes in the helical length of these structures and the introduction of the pentagon‐heptagon pairs. The embedded pentagon‐heptagon pairs reduced the oxidation potential of the synthesized helical nanographenes. The high isomerization energy barriers enabled the chiral resolution of the helicene enantiomers. Chiroptical investigations revealed remarkably enhanced circularly polarized luminescence and luminescence dissymmetry factors with an increasing number of the pentagon‐heptagon pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of pentagon‐heptagon pairs into helical nanographenes lacks a facile synthetic route, and the impact of these pairs on chiroptical properties remains unclear. In this study, a method for the stepwise construction of pentagon‐heptagon pairs in helical nanographenes by the dehydrogenation of [6]helicene units was developed. Three helical nanographenes containing pentagon‐heptagon pairs were synthesized and characterized using this approach. A wide variation in the molecular geometries and photophysical properties of these helical nanographenes was observed, with changes in the helical length of these structures and the introduction of the pentagon‐heptagon pairs. The embedded pentagon‐heptagon pairs reduced the oxidation potential of the synthesized helical nanographenes. The high isomerization energy barriers enabled the chiral resolution of the helicene enantiomers. Chiroptical investigations revealed remarkably enhanced circularly polarized luminescence and luminescence dissymmetry factors with an increasing number of the pentagon‐heptagon pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new β-type titanium (β-Ti) alloys of Ti-10.5Cr-5.4Mn-2.4Zr-0.9Al and Ti-15.6Cr-12Mn-3.3Zr were designed with the same bond order value 2.79 and different d-orbital energy level values of 2.28 and 2.16, respectively. The effect of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) and the segregation behaviors of β-Ti alloys were discussed by adding excessive and normal alloying elements to alloys under both as-cast and solution-treated conditions. The mono-β phase in the Ti-10.5Cr-5.4Mn-2.4Zr-0.9Al alloy and β+intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in the Ti-15.6Cr-12Mn-3.3Zr alloy were identified and observed. The as-cast and solution-treated alloys showed their ultimate tensile strength and fracture strain; these were 982 and 1002 MPa, with 9.82 and 9.89% for Ti-10.5Cr-5.4Mn-2.4Zr-0.9Al, and 448 and 296 MPa, with 0.12 and 0.11% for Ti-15.6Cr-12Mn-3.3Zr, respectively. Moreover, the Vickers hardness values of the as-cast and solution-treated alloys were 345 and 355 for Ti-10.5Cr-5.4Mn-2.4Zr-0.9Al, and 422 and 466 for Ti-15.6Cr-12Mn-3.3Zr, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the role of Isthmin-1 (Ism-1) in glucose and lipid metabolism of grass carp, we cloned the open reading frame (ORF) of Ism-1 by RT-PCR, and the sequence was analyzed by bioinformatics technology. The distribution characteristics of Ism-1 in different tissues of grass carp were detected by RT-qPCR, and the expression of Ism-1 under different nutritional conditions were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. In this study, ORF region of Ism-1 was successfully cloned. Sequence analysis showed that the ORF region of Ism-1 was 1380 bp, encoding 459 amino acids, and the relative molecular weight of protein was 50.96 kD. Amino acid multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the evolutionary relationship of Ism-1 between grass carp and fathead minnow was the closest (amino acid similarity was up to 96.51%). Ism-1 was widely expressed in multiple tissues, and had higher expression in red muscle, next were gill, brain and white muscle of grass carp. The fasting and refeeding experiment indicated the expression of Ism-1 in hepatopancreas was significantly upregulated after 14 days of starvation treatment (P<0.05), and the expression decreased after refeeding, but was still significantly higher than that of control group (P<0.05). The expression of Ism-1 in white muscle was significantly up-regulated after starvation and refeeding (P<0.05). The results of intraperitoneal injection of glucagon experiment eventuated that the expression of Ism-1 in hepatopancreas was significantly downregulated compared with control group (P<0.05). In addition, the expression of Ism-1 was significantly decreased (P<0.001) in hepatocytes after treatment with 80 μg/mL oleic acid for 24h. Overall, this research confirmed Ism-1 may be involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism of grass carp, which would provide essential data for the following study of the function of Ism-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid rise of two-dimensional (2D) materials has aroused increasing interest in the fields of microelectronics and optoelectronics; various types of 2D van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs), especially those based on MoS2, have been widely investigated in theory and experiment. However, the interfacial properties of MoS2 and the uncommon crystal surface of traditional three-dimensional (3D) metals are yet to be explored. In this paper, we studied heterostructures composed of MoS2 and metal(001) slabs, based on the first-principles calculations, and we uncovered that MoS2/Au(001) and MoS2/Ag(001) vdWHs reveal Schottky contacts, and MoS2/Cu(001) belongs to Ohmic contact and possesses ultrahigh electron tunneling probability at the equilibrium distance. Thus, the MoS2/Cu(001) heterostructure exhibits the best contact performance. Further investigations demonstrate that external longitudinal strain can modulate interfacial contact to engineer the Schottky–Ohmic contact transition and regulate interfacial charge transport. We believe that it is a general strategy to exploit longitudinal strain to improve interfacial contact performance to design and fabricate a multifunctional MoS2-based electronic device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) all-inorganic double perovskite materials have attracted great interest owing to their unique photoelectric characteristics, such as high quantum efficiency and relative stability. However, few studies have been conducted on the 2D all-inorganic double perovskite Cs3AgBiBr7, and its photoelectric properties are unclear. In this study, we present a detailed investigation of the band structure, optical absorption spectrum, carrier mobility and exciton binding energy of the double perovskite Cs3AgBiBr7 based on the first-principles. The results show that this system has an indirect band gap and low carrier mobility, high exciton binding energy (2041.38 meV) and significant light absorption in the UV region. We also find that the material may be a potential exciton insulation candidate owing to the exciton binding energy beyond the band gap. Our calculated results also show that low dimensional perovskite Cs3AgBiBr7 is more suitable for luminescence than a photovoltaic device. We hope our theoretical results will inspire and promote the experimental exploration of 2D all-inorganic double perovskite materials for photoelectric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment took the edible fungus residue as research object, to improve the crude protein content in fermentation product. Single factor experiment and orthogonal experiment were used to investigate the effects of different factors on the crude protein content in the solid fermentation of edible fungus residue, and to find the optimal combination of fermentation parameters. The nutrient content before and after fermentation was compared under the optimal process parameters. The results showed that the order of importance of the factors affecting the crude protein content in the fermented products was the ratio of material to liquid > fermentation temperature > inoculation amount of seed liquid > fermentation time. The optimal fermentation parameters were fermentation temperature 30 °C, material liquid ratio 3.0 g/mL, fermentation time 96 h and seed liquid inoculation amount 25%. The crude protein content of fermentation product was 22.37%. Compared with before fermentation, the crude protein content in fermented product was significantly increased (P<0.05), the cellulose and hemicellulose content were significantly decreased (P<0.05) . The study indicates that the solid state fermentation of edible mushroom residue by inoculating mixed bacteria can produce higher quality protein feed and effectively improve the feeding nutritional value of mushroom residue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid metabolism disorders are found ubiquitously in farmed fish and occur as a result of excessive fat accumulation. Previous studies have found that miR-33 is involved in lipid metabolism; however, its role in fish lipid metabolism is unclear. We sought to clarify this relationship in grass carp in vivo and in vitro. Our findings revealed the length of miR-33 to be 65 bp. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that grass carp miR-33 was most closely related to fish miR-33 (Siganus canaliculatus). Hepatocytes transfected with miR-33 mimic displayed markedly raised TG content (P < 0.05) as well as increased levels of lipid synthesis-related transcription factors (P < 0.05). Compared with blank and saline groups, total serum cholesterol, AST, and LDL levels were suppressed in groups treated with the miR-33 antagomir (P < 0.05). Moreover, the expression levels of PPARγ and SREBP-1c mRNA were significantly decreased in contrast to those found in the control group (P < 0.05). Similar findings were noted in the expression of immune-related proinflammatory molecules (TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and NF-κB), which also demonstrated decreased levels (P < 0.05). Conversely, high expressions of anti-inflammatory factors (TGF-β1 and IL-10) were noted (P < 0.05). This investigation strongly supports the role of miR-33 in hepatopancreas-based lipid metabolism and immunity. miR-33 may have been highly conserved in early vertebrates in order to facilitate liver-specific metabolic and immunomodulatory functions. Our findings provide a basis for further investigations exploring the mechanisms surrounding fish lipid metabolism and may aid in preventing and treating immunocompromised fish as well as fish with fatty hepatopancreas, and other metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater shrimp are a rich species group, with a long and problematic taxonomic history attributed to their wide distribution and similar morphological characteristics. Shrimp diversity and species identification are important cornerstones for fisheries management. However, identification based on morphological characteristics is a difficult task for a nonspecialist. Abundant freshwater shrimp species are distributed in the waters of Henan Province, but investigations of freshwater shrimp are limited in this region, especially concerning molecular features. Here, we combined morphology and DNA barcodes to reveal the species diversity of freshwater shrimp in Henan province. A total of 1,200 freshwater shrimp samples were collected from 46 sampling sites, and 222 samples were chosen for further microscopic examination and molecular delimitation. We used tree‐based methods (NJ, ML, and bPTP) and distance‐based methods (estimation of the paired genetic distances and ABGD) to delimit species. The results showed that there were nine morphospecies based on morphological characteristics; all could effectively be defined by molecular methods, among which bPTP and ABGD defined 13 and 8 MOTUs, respectively. The estimation of the paired genetic distances of K2P and the p‐distances had similar results. Mean K2P distances and p‐distances within species were both equal to 1.2%. The maximum intraspecific genetic distances of all species were less than 2%, with the exception of Palaemon modestus and M. maculatum. Various analyses have shown that P. modestus and M. maculatum have a large genetic differentiation, which may indicate the existence of cryptic species. By contrast, DNA barcoding could unambiguously discriminate 13 species and detect cryptic diversity. Our results demonstrate the high efficiency of DNA barcoding to delimit freshwater shrimp diversity and detect the presence of cryptic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground brines are large reserves of valuable mineral resources. Aiming at the underground brines of western Sichuan Basin, the phase equilibria of quinary system KCl–KBr–K2SO4–K2B4O7–H2O and its quaternary subsystem KBr–K2SO4–K2B4O7–H2O were studied by using the method of isothermal dissolution equilibrium at 373 K. The phase diagrams, water content diagrams and density-composition relationship diagrams of above two systems were plotted by using the experimental data, respectively. The results show that the quaternary system KBr–K2SO4–K2B4O7–H2O belongs to a simple type; it consists of three univariant curves, one invariant point and three crystallization regions (K2B4O7⋅4H2O, K2SO4, and KBr). The equilibrium phase diagram (saturated with K2SO4) in the quinary system KCl–KBr–K2SO4–K2B4O7–H2O is a type of solid solution, and there are two crystallization regions (K2B4O7⋅4H2O, solid solution K(Cl,Br)) (saturated with K2SO4), one univariant curve and no invariant point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dimensional transitional metal sulfide and halide perovskite heterostructures have attracted considerable attention due to their wide applicability in optoelectronics. We present detailed research that combines two-dimensional MoS2 and Cs2PbI4 into heterostructures and investigate the electronic structure, charge carrier transfer, and optical properties of two kinds of heterostructures (1T-MoS2/Cs2PbI4 and 2H-MoS2/Cs2PbI4) based on density functional theory. It is predicted that both interfacial contacts for 1T-MoS2/Cs2PbI4 exhibit p-type Schottky contacts and the Schottky barrier heights of interfacial contacts can be largely tuned based on interfacial engineering. The 2H-MoS2/Cs2PbI4 heterostructure demonstrates type II band alignment, which can effectively enhance photogenerated carrier separation and optical absorption coefficients. The tunable Schottky barrier heights in 1T-MoS2/Cs2PbI4 and the type II band alignment in the 2H-MoS2/Cs2PbI4 heterostructure would provide the potential application in future designs of field effect transistor and photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nanostructures are assumed to be characterized by couple stress effects. Based on the couple stress theory and surface/interface theory, the anti-plane electro-mechanical behavior of piezoelectric composites with a nano-fiber is studied, and the effect of stress and electric displacement at the interface on the size-dependent behavior is examined. By introducing a decoupling function, the governing equations in piezoelectric materials are simplified into two classical governing equations. The displacement and electric potential are expressed by Bessel functions. By satisfying the boundary conditions around the nano-fiber with surface/interface effect, the expanded coefficients are obtained. Excellent agreement with the previous results validates this model. It can be concluded that the interface around the nano-fiber shows greater effect on the stress than that on the electrical fields, and the interface effect increases greatly due to the existence of couple stress. The effect of material properties of nano-fiber on the stress and electric field under different coupling stresses is also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic lipid metabolism disorder due to excessive fat accumulation in fish is a significant problem in aquaculture. Studies have shown that grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) can regulate fish lipid metabolism and improve fish immunity. However, the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we used grass carp that stores excess fat in the liver as a model. In vitro, GSPE treatment of hepatocytes for 3 h significantly decreased TG content, accompanied with decreased expression of SREBP-1c, FAS, and ACC and increased expression of PPARα, ATGL, and LPL. GSPE treatment for 1 h significantly decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, and NF-κB) and increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and TGF-β1). In vivo, the administration of GSPE significantly reduced high-fat diet-induced increase of serum CHOL, TG, and HDL, but increased LDL content. GSPE treatment for 3 h increased expression of ATGL and LPL, and significantly decreased the expression of HFD-fed-induced SREBP-1c, ACC, FAS, PPARγ, PPARα, and H-FABP. GSPE treatment for 3 h also significantly decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and IL-1β) and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. The expression levels of the lipogenic miRNAs, miR-33, and miR-122, were suppressed both in vivo and in vitro by GSPE. In summary, GSPE had hypolipidemic and potential anti-inflammatory effects in the liver, potentially mediated by miR-33 and miR-122. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell adhesion molecule CD146 belonging to the immune-globulin superfamily member, was initially identified as a melanoma marker. With the development of CD146 research, it was found that CD146 is a neovascularization marker. The CD146 expression is decreased significantly or absent following with the maturation of blood vessels, indicating the critical role of CD146 in the development and maturation of blood vessels. In recent years, numerous studies have reported that CD146 and its soluble form (sCD146) are involved in development and pathological damage of blood brain barrier (BBB). This paper aims to review the role and mechanism of CD146 in BBB. It will be helpful to further explore the potential value of CD146 in various BBB damage-related brain diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the oral administration of Rehmannia glutinosa polysaccharide (RGP-1) on the immunoregulatory properties, antioxidant activity, and resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in Cyprinus carpio L. were investigated. The purified RGP-1 (250, 500, and 1,000 μg/mL) was co-cultured with the head kidney cells of the common carp. The proliferation and phagocytosis activities of the head kidney cells, and the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines in the culture medium were determined. Next, 300 common carps (47.66 ± 0.43 g) were randomly divided into five groups; the two control groups (negative and positive) were administered sterile PBS and the three treatment groups were administered different concentrations of RGP-1 (250, 500, and 1,000 μg/mL) for seven days. Subsequently, the positive and treatment groups were infected with A. hydrophila , and the negative group was administered sterile PBS for 24 h. The concentration of NO, cytokines, lysozyme (LZM), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) in serum, the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the levels of malonaldehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), and the total activities of superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the hepatopancreas of the common carp were tested. We observed that RGP-1 could significantly enhance the proliferation and phagocytosis activities (P < 0.05), besides inducing the production of NO, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) (P < 0.05) in vitro. The in vivo experimental results revealed that RGP-1 significantly enhanced NO production, protein levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12), LZM and AKP activities, and the antioxidant content (T-AOC, SOD, CAT, GSH, GSH-Px, and MDA) compared to that observed in the negative group prior to A. hydrophila infection (P < 0.05). NO, pro-inflammatory cytokines, LZM and AKP activities were significantly lower than that in the positive group after infection (P < 0.05). However, whether infected or not, the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-β) increased significantly in the RGP-1-treated groups (P < 0.05). Therefore, the results suggested that RGP-1 could enhance the non-specific immunity, antioxidant activity and anti- A. hydrophila activity of the common carp, and could be used as a safe and effective feed additive in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An appropriate band structure and effective carrier separation are very important for the performance of a solar photocatalyst. In this paper, based on first-principles calculations, it was predicted that blue phosphorene (BlueP) and a C2N monolayer can form a promising metal-free type-II heterojunction. The electronic structure of the BlueP/C2N heterojunction facilitated the overall water splitting reactions well. The projected band structure showed that the conduction band edge was contributed by C2N and the valence band edge was dominated by BlueP. Under the combination of the driving force of the band offset and the built-in electric field between the two layers, the photo-generated electrons and holes were transferred spontaneously to the conduction band of C2N and the valence band of BlueP, respectively. An effective carrier separation in the heterostructure was thus achieved. More notably, the obtained light absorption of the BlueP/C2N junction showed an obvious red-shift, which greatly extended the area of light adsorption to the visible light region. We further proposed that strain could also be used to modulate the band gap and the band edge positions of the heterojunction. Our results not only provide a theoretical design, but also reveal the fundamental separation mechanism of the photo-generated carriers in the BlueP/C2N heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of honeysuckle extract (Lonicera japonica, HE) on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). HE at doses of 10 g kg−1 (LHE), 20 g kg−1 (MHE), and 40 g kg−1 (HHE) were individually mixed with the basal diet and fed to grass carp for 10 weeks, and ginseng extract (20 g kg−1, GSE) was used as a positive control. The results showed that HE administration exerted no effect on growth performance, but the hepatosomatic index (HSI) and muscle and liver lipid contents were significantly decreased in the LHE and MHE groups. The serum levels of LDL-c, total triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) also declined in the HE-treated groups. Moreover, the disordered vacuolization and nucleus migration in the liver were alleviated in the MHE and HHE groups, and mRNA expressions of lipogenesis-related genes, such as acc1, fas, srebp1, and pparγ decreased. Similarly, the expression of genes related to lipolysis, such as cpt1, atgl, lpl, and pparα, was found to be significantly increased in the MHE and HHE groups compared with the control. Taken together, HE can effectively improve the lipid metabolism and ameliorate the lipid deposition of grass carp and thus may be a promising feed additive in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solid–liquid equilibrium of the quaternary system (KBr + NaBr + MgBr2 + H2O) was accurately investigated at 298 K. The equilibrium phase diagram was obtained and consisted of seven dissolution isotherms, three co-saturated points and five solid crystallization regions under the condition of 298 K. The five solid crystallization regions contain four single salts NaBr·2H2O, NaBr, KBr, MgBr2·6H2O and one double salt KBr·MgBr2·6H2O, respectively. The largest crystallization region corresponds to KBr comprising more than half of the region of the equilibrium phase diagram. Using Pitzer's model and mathematical calculation tools, the solubilities of the bromide minerals in this system were calculated; the calculation results are basically consistent with the experimental results. The research in this paper is of great significance in guiding the development of bromine resources of underground brines in the Western Sichuan Basin and providing fundamental thermodynamic data of bromine-containing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-positive and aerobic actinobacterium, strain SYSU D8006T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. Phenotypically, the strain was found to grow at 14-50 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 4% (w/v) NaCl. The chemotaxonomic features of strain SYSU D8006T included menaquinone MK-9(H4) as the respiratory quinone, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside as known polar lipids, iso-C15:0, iso-C16:0, C17:1ω8c and C18:1ω9c as the predominant fatty acids, and arabinose, galactose and glucose as the whole cell sugars. Strain SYSU D8006T shared the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence identity with Blastococcus jejuensis DSM 19597T (98.2%). Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8006T is characterized to represent a novel species of the genus Blastococcus, for which the name Blastococcus deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8006T (= CGMCC 1.15935T = KCTC 49026T = CPCC 204618T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Streptomyces isolate, designated strain SYSU D8023T, was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Gurbantunggut desert, China. The characterisation of the isolate was achieved using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The isolate was found to be Gram-positive and aerobic. The strain was found to be able to grow at 14-50 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Strain SYSU D8023T contains LL-diaminopimelic acid as a cell wall diamino acid. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) were detected as the respiratory quinones, and anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and anteiso-C17:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSU D8023T has a sequence identity of 97.9% to Streptomyces barkulensis RC 1831T. The DNA G + C content of strain SYSU D8023T was determined to be 70.1 mol%. Based on the analyses of the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8023T was concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces desertarenae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the species is SYSU D8023T (= CGMCC 4.7455T = KCTC 49023T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain SYSU D8008T was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Saudi Arabia. The strain was observed to be Gram-stain positive, non-motile and aerobic. It can grow at 15-37 °C, pH 6.0-10.0 and can tolerant up to 7% (w/v) NaCl. Pairwise comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain SYSU D8008T shares high sequence similarities with Georgenia deserti SYSU D8004T (96.8%) and Georgenia halophila YIM 93316T (96.8%). Menaquinone MK-8(H4) was detected as the respiratory isoprenologue. The polar lipid profile of strain SYSU D8008T was found to consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, two phosphatidylinositol mannosides, an unidentified glycolipid and an unidentified phospholipid. Strain SYSU D8008T was found to contain anteiso-C15:0 and iso-C15:0 as the predominant fatty acids. Galactose, glucose and rhamnose were detected as the whole cell sugars. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SYSU D8008T can be differentiated from other closely related members of the genus Georgenia. The strain SYSU D8008T, therefore, is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Georgenia, for which the name Georgenia alba sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYSU D8008T (= CGMCC 1.15800T = KCTC 39988T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel actinobacterium, designated strain CFH 30183T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from a karst cave in Luoyang, Henan Province. The taxonomic position of the strain was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of strain CFH 30183T were observed to be Gram-stain positive, motile, asporogenous and coccoid to rod shaped. The strain was found to be aerobic and oxidase positive. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain CFH 30183T was found to be closely related to Ornithinimicrobium murale 01-Gi-040T (97.8% sequence identity). The ANIb/ANIm values between strain CFH 30183T and O. murale DSM 22056T were found to be 80.3%/85.9%. Strain CFH 30183T was found to grow optimally at 28-32 °C, at pH 8.0-9.0 and in the presence of up to 7% NaCl (w/v). Whole cell hydrolysates of strain CFH 30183T contained L-ornithine as the diagnostic diamino acid, and arabinose, glucose, mannose and rhamnose as whole cell sugars. The respiratory quinone was determined to be MK-8(H4), while the major fatty acids were found to consist of iso-C15:0 and iso-C16:0. The polar lipids profile was found to include diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unidentified phospholipid, an unidentified phosphoglycolipid and four unidentified lipids. The DNA G + C content of strain CFH 30183T was calculated to be 70.9%. Based on the phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic data obtained, strain CFH 30183T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Ornithinimicrobium, for which the name Ornithinimicrobium cavernae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CFH 30183T (= KCTC 49018T = CGMCC 1.16393T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The length‐weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for 5 fish species of Gobioninae from the Yellow River and Huaihe River in Henan Province, China. All specimens were collected in August 2015 and June 2016, using three gillnets (25 × 1.5 m, mesh size 0.5 cm) and ten cages (0.3 × 0.3 × 10 m, mesh size 0.5 cm) at each time. Parameter b value of these 5 fish species collected in the Yellow River and Huaihe River ranged from 2.982 to 3.470, the correlation coefficient (r2) value ranged from 0.953 to 0.991. Statistical of LWRs for these 5 fish species from different populations were highly significant (p < 0.01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most frequently occurring carcinoma of the head and neck. The complexity of NPC makes it difficult for it to be diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Certain long non‑coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are closely associated with the carcinogenesis of NPC. In the present study, the expression of lncRNA ZNF674‑1 in NPC tissues and an NPC cell line was analyzed and was revealed to be downregulated compared with normal tissues and cells. When the expression of lncRNA ZNF674‑1 was reduced in NPC cells, the proliferation, migration and invasion of these cells was promoted, whereas the apoptosis of these cells was decreased. On the contrary, when overexpressed, the expression of lncRNA ZNF674‑1 inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of cells, but promoted cell apoptosis. The results of the present study reveal that the lncRNA ZNF67‑1 may restrain the carcinogenesis of NPC, and may also serve as a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis and treatment of NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal chalcogenides have attracted considerable attention for the further development of nanoscale devices, however low carrier mobility seriously prevents its further application. Here, the first-principles calculations are used to explore the structural, electronic, and carrier mobility properties of few layer Janus MoSSe in different types of stacking. The result shows that AC-stacking is the most favored stacking regardless of combination mode. Besides the band gap regulation, the dipole moment perpendicular to the x–y plane can be effectively modified through varying of the combination mode and thickness of few layers, which is further evidenced by the plane electrostatic potential energy difference between the two sides. Furthermore, the carrier mobility in these Janus structures can be greatly affected by the dipole and thickness. Although the carrier mobility in monolayer MoSSe is relatively low, the bilayer or trilayer structures have a quite high electron carrier mobility of 1194 cm2 V−1 s−1 and hole carrier mobility of 5894 cm2 V−1 s−1, mainly determined by the deformation potential. The results presented here show that the few layer Janus MoSSe has a potential in designing electronic devices or photocatalysts such as for water splitting with the intrinsic built-in electronic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports the diversity of culturable bacteria associated with the puffer fish Gastrophysus spadiceus. During the study, a total of 31 strains affiliated to the genera Pseudomonas, Janthinobacterium, Rahnella, and Psychrobacter were isolated from liver, intestines, and flesh of G. spadiceus. These strains exhibited a diverse range of metabolites as indicated by the HPLC and TLC profiles of the chemical extracts of their fermentation products. Some of these crude extracts showed strong antimicrobial activities against pathogenic bacterial strains. In addition, few crude extracts exhibit insecticidal activity against Artemia salina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status was determined of two actinomycetes, designated CFH S0057 and CFH S0065, that were isolated from soil samples collected from an extinct volcano in Tengchong county, Yunnan province, south-west China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains CFH S0057 and CFH S0065 belong to the genus Nocardia and formed a single clade within this genus. The two isolates were able to grow at 4-45 °C, pH 5.0-7.0 and with a NaCl tolerance up to 5.0% (w/v). The whole-cell hydrolysates were rich in meso-diaminopimelic acid, galactose, arabinose and fructose. Mycolic acids were present. Strains CFH S0057 and CFH S0065 exhibited a menaquinone system with MK-8 (H, ω cyclo), and the major polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside and one unidentified phospholipid. Major fatty acids were C, Summed features 3, C ω9c and C 10-methyl (TBSA). The genomic DNA G + C contents of strains CFH S0057 and CFH S0065 were 65.7 and 66.1 mol%, respectively. The combined genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic results indicated the isolates are considered to represent a novel species of the genus Nocardia, for which the name Nocardia tengchongensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CFH S0057 (= KCTC 29485 = JCM 30083). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the mechanism of fatty liver formation induced by high non-protein energy diets in grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella), basal diet and high-energy diets were fed to juvenile grass carp for 9 weeks. The experimental groups fed on high-energy diets which included a high-lipid diet (H- LIP), a high-carbohydrate diet (H- CHO) and a high-lipid and carbohydrate diet (H- CL). The control group fed on basal diet. Growth performance, liver fat accumulation, serum biochemical indexes and the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes ( SREBP-1, PPARγ, FAS, ACC1, and LPL) and mi RNAs (miR-33, miR-122, and miR-370) were examined at the end of the feeding trial. There were no significant differences in growth rate and feed efficiency among the four groups. However, significant increase in mesenteric and liver fat contents, and lipid droplets in the liver was induced by high-lipid and high-carbohydrate diets. There were significant differences in serum biochemical indicators such as AST/ ALT, GLB, TG and TP, and liver fatty acid composition between the control and experimental groups. The expression levels of SREBP-1, PPARγ, FAS, ACC1 and LPL were upregulated, while CPT-1 was downregulated with the high-energy treatments. Additionally, the expression levels of miR-33, miR-122 and miR-370 in the liver were higher in the three high-energy treatments than those in the control ( P < 0.05). The results suggest that modifications of lipid metabolism-related genes and mi RNAs may be involved in fatty liver formation induced by high non-protein energy diets in grass carp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An endophyte with high yield of β-mannanase, designated as Paenibacillus sp. CH-3, was isolated from black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia) seeds. The β-mannanase gene ( manB) has been cloned, expressed, purified, and characterized. With an open reading frame of 984 bp, the manB gene encodes 327 amino acid residues, which belongs to GH family 5. The recombinant β-mannanase (ManB) has an apparent molecular weight of 50.4 kDa with an optimal activity level at pH 7.0 and 45 °C, and it is stable in the range of pH 4-9. By optimizing, the temperature, isopropyl β- d-thiogalactoside concentration, and induction time were 28 °C, 0.05 mM, and 12 H, respectively. The highest activity reached at 1,054.17 U/mL. In addition, ManB had Km values of 7.30, 8.69, and 27.17 mg/mL for locust bean gum (LBG), guar gum, and konjac glucomannan (KGM), respectively. Its catalytic efficiency ( kcat/ Km) was 176.31 mL/(mg·Sec) for LBG, 116.69 mL/(mg·Sec) for guar gum, and 115.49 mL/(mg·Sec) for KGM. The products of glucomannans, which were hydrolyzed by ManB, mainly contain mannobiose, mannotetrose, and a higher manno-oligosaccharide. The characteristics of ManB revealed that it could be exploited as an effective additive in the animal feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biology of Korarchaeia remains elusive due to the lack of genome representatives. Here, we reconstruct 10 closely related metagenome-assembled genomes from hot spring habitats and place them into a single species, proposed herein as Panguiarchaeum symbiosum. Functional investigation suggests that Panguiarchaeum symbiosum is strictly anaerobic and grows exclusively in thermal habitats by fermenting peptides coupled with sulfide and hydrogen production to dispose of electrons. Due to its inability to biosynthesize archaeal membranes, amino acids, and purines, this species likely exists in a symbiotic lifestyle similar to DPANN archaea. Population metagenomics and metatranscriptomic analyses demonstrated that genes associated with amino acid/peptide uptake and cell attachment exhibited positive selection and were highly expressed, supporting the proposed proteolytic catabolism and symbiotic lifestyle. Our study sheds light on the metabolism, evolution, and potential symbiotic lifestyle of Panguiarchaeum symbiosum , which may be a unique host-dependent archaeon within the TACK superphylum. [Display omitted] • Panguiarchaeum symbiosum belongs to a previously unknown order within the Korarchaeia • P. symbiosum has a symbiotic lifestyle by fermenting peptides and reducing sulfur • Genes related to proteolytic catabolism and cell attachment exhibit positive selection • Genes related to proteolytic catabolism and cell attachment are highly expressed Qu et al. report 10 closely related genomes from hot springs with the name Panguiarchaeum symbiosum proposed. By focusing on ecological niches and evolution, they reveal a symbiotic lifestyle of these microbes, where genes associated with nutrient acquisition and cell attachment are prone to be positively selected and highly transcribed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel actinomycetes, designated strains CFH S0322 and CFH S01580, were isolated from soil samples collected from Xuchang city and Ji Guan cave in Henan province, China, respectively. Their taxonomic positions were investigated by a polyphasic approach. The two isolates were Gram-reaction positive, non-motile, aerobic and catalase-positive actinomycetes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that the two isolates are closely related to the members of the genus Amycolatopsis, sharing high similarities with Amycolatopsis magusensis KCTC 29056 (99.1 %, CFH S0322) and Amycolatopsis nigrescens DSM 44992 (98.1 %, CFH S01580), respectively. The major whole cell sugars of strains CFH S0322 and CFH S01580 were arabinose and galactose and the predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H). The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains CFH S0322 and CFH S01580 were 70.6 and 68.6 mol%, respectively. Morphological, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic results suggest that strains CFH S0322 and CFH S01580 are representatives of two new species, for which the names Amycolatopsis xuchangensis sp. nov. and Amycolatopsis jiguanensis sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are CFH S0322 (=NBRC 110769 =KCTC 39516) and CFH S01580 (=DSM 101526 =CCTCC AA 2015032). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GalNAc-transferase-7 (GALNT7) is essential for the regulation of cell proliferation and has been implicated in tumorigenesis. However, the role of GALNT7 in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear. Our previous study showed that GALNT7 was a putative target of miR-494, which was confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. In the present study, we demonstrated that in vitro knockdown of GALNT7 significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of NPC-derived cells. In vivo tumorigenicity assay showed that miR-494 and GALNT7-small interfering RNA (siRNA) reduced tumor growth in nude mice. Taken together, our results provided new evidence for an oncogenic role of GALNT7 in NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theoretical model is proposed in this paper to predict the bi-stable states of initially stressed cylindrical shell structures attached by surface anisotropic piezoelectric layers. The condition for existence of bi-stability of the shell structural system is presented and analytical expressions for corresponding rolled-up radii of the stable shell are given based on the principle of minimum strain energy. The resulting solution indicates that the shell system may have two stable configurations besides its initial state under a combined action of the actuating electric field and initial stresses characterized by the bending moment. If the piezoelectric layer materials act as only sensor materials without the actuating electric field, initial stresses may produce the bi-stable states, but one corresponding to its initial state. For the shell without initial stresses, the magnitude in the actuating electric field determines the number of the stable states, one or two stable configurations besides the initial state. The theoretical prediction for the bi-stable states is verified by finite element method (FEM) simulation by using the ABAQUS code. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two closely related thermophilic bacterial strains, designated YIM 71031 and YIM 71039, were isolated from a hot spring in Tengchong county, Yunnan province, south-western China. The novel isolates were observed to be Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and yellow-pigmented bacteria. The strains were found to be able to grow at 37-65 °C, pH 6.0-9.0 and with a NaCl tolerance up to 1.0 % (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences placed these two isolates in the genus Meiothermus. They were found to be closely related to Meiothermus timidus DSM 17022 (98.6 % similarity), and formed a cluster with this species. The predominant menaquinone was identified as MK-8 and the major fatty acids (>10 %) as anteiso-C, iso-C, anteiso-C, iso-C and C. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains YIM 71031 and YIM 71039 were determined to be 64.0 and 65.4 mol%, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridizations showed low values between strains YIM 71031 and YIM 71039 and their closely related neighbour M. timidus DSM 17022. Morphological phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic results suggest that strains YIM 71031 and YIM 71039 are representatives of a new species within the genus Meiothermus, for which the name Meiothermus roseus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 71031 (=KCTC 42495 =NBRC 110900). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel actinobacterial strain, designated CFH S0499, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Catba island in Halong Bay, Vietnam. The cells were observed to be Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile, curved rods. The strain was found to grow optimally at 28 °C and pH 7.0. Growth was found to occur at 0-7 % NaCl. Chemotaxonomically, the peptidoglycan type was determined to be of the A3α type, with glutamic acid, glycine, alanine and lysine as the major cell wall amino acids. The whole cell sugars were found to contain mannose, galactose, glucose, ribose and rhamnose. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, glycolipids and two unidentified phospholipids. The major fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C, iso-C, anteiso-C and iso-C and the predominant respiratory quinone as MK-9 (H), with a minor amount of MK-10 (H) and MK-8 (H). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 71.8 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain CFH S0499 should be assigned to the genus Sinomonas and is closely related to members of the species Sinomonas atrocyanea DSM 20127 (98.3 %), Sinomonas soli CW 59 (98.28 %), Sinomonas flava CW 108 (98.26 %), Sinomonas mesophila MPLK 26 (97.5 %) and Sinomonas notoginsengisoli SYP-B 575 (95.8 %). DNA-DNA hybridizations showed low values (49.1-54.5 %) between strain CFH S0499 and its four closest neighbours. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analysis, strain CFH S0499 is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Sinomonas, for which the name Sinomonas halotolerans sp. nov. is proposed, with CFH S0499 as the type strain (=CCTCC AB2014300 = KCTC 39116). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to the common belief that confinement promotes water solidification, here we show by molecular dynamics simulations that confinement can impede water solidification under electric fields. The behavior is evidenced by the increase in critical electric field strength for water solidification as the confinement progresses. We also show that the solidification occurs more easily with a parallel field than a perpendicular one. We understand and generalize these results by developing an energy theory incorporated with the anisotropic Clausius-Mossotti equation. It is revealed that the underlying mechanism lies in the confinement effect on molecules' electro-orientations. Thus, it becomes possible to achieve electro-freezing (i.e., room-temperature ice) by choosing both confinement and electric fields appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma has very high incidence and high mortality worldwide. MiRNA is related to the tumorigenesis and metastasis of a variety of tumors. In the present study, we verify that the expression of miR-494 in NPC tissues and NPC-derived cells was down-regulated, respectively. The proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion of NPC-derived cells were suppressed, while the cell apoptosis was promoted, when miR-494 was over-expressed in these cells. GALNT7 and CDK16 were confirmed to be the direct targets of miR-494. These results suggested that miR-494 play an inhibitory role in the tumorigenesis of NPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile and non-spore forming strain, designated CFH S0262, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Catba island in Halong Bay, Vietnam. A polyphasic approach was used to study the taxonomic position of this new isolate. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain CFH S0262 belongs to the genus Rhodococcus and clustered with Rhodococcus soli DSD51W, Rhodococcus hoagii NBRC 103062, Rhodococcus defluvii Call and Rhodococcus kunmingensis YIM 45607 (98.7, 98.5, 97.9 and 97.6 % similarities, respectively). Strain CFH S0262 could grow in the presence of NaCl (0-4 %, optimum 0-3 %), at pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and at 10-40 °C (optimum, 28 °C). The predominant menaquinones of strain CFH S0262 were identified as MK-8 (H) and MK-8 (H). The major fatty acids (≥10 %) were found to be C and Cω9c. The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannoside, a glycolipid and two unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 71.4 mol%. Based on a comparative analysis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, in combination with low values of DNA-DNA hybridization between strain CFH S0262 and its closest neighbours, it is proposed that strain CFH S0262 represents a novel species of the genus Rhodococcus, for which the name Rhodococcus agglutinans sp. nov., is proposed, with the type strain CFH S0262 (=CCTCC AB2014297=KCTC 39118). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel endoglucanase gene was cloned from Thermobifida halotolerans YIM 90462, designated as thcel6A for being a member of glycoside hydrolase family 6. The gene was 1332 bp long and encoded a 443-amino-acid protein with a molecular mass of 45.9 kDa. The purified recombinant endoglucanase had optimal activity at 55 °C and pH 8.5. Thcel6A showed high hydrolytic activities at 25-55 °C and retained 58 % of initial activity after incubation at 90 °C for 1 h. It retained more than 80 % of activity after incubation for 12 h at pH values from 4 to 12. Thcel6A displayed higher hydrolytic activities in 5-15 % NaCl (w/v) than at 0 % NaCl. Activity increased 2.5-fold after incubation with 20 % (w/v) NaCl at 37 °C for 10 min. These properties suggest that this novel endoglucanase has potential for specific industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Streptomyces-like actinomycete strain, designated as YIM 78087, was isolated from a sediment sample collected from Hehua hot spring in Tengchong, Yunnan province, south-west China. The taxonomic position of strain YIM 78087 was investigated by a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YIM 78087 belongs to the genus Streptomyces and is closely related to Streptomyces fimbriatus DSM 40942, Streptomyces marinus DSM 41968 and Streptomyces qinglanensis DSM 42035 (97.18, 97.05 and 97.1 % similarity, respectively). Combined with the low values of DNA-DNA hybridization between strain YIM 78087 and its closest neighbours, these analyses indicated that this new isolate represents a different genomic species in the genus Streptomyces. The predominant menaquinones of strain YIM 78087 were identified as MK-9 (H) and MK-9 (H). The major fatty acids were identified as anteiso-C (28.4 %), anteiso-C (23.0 %) and iso-C (15.1 %). The whole-cell hydrolysates found to contain glucose, mannose and ribose. The DNA G+C content was determined to be 73.0 mol%. Based on the comparative analysis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, it is proposed that strain YIM 78087 represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces calidiresistens sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is YIM 78087 (=BCRC 16955=DSM 42108=JCM 19629). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alkalitolerant, thermotolerant and Gram-stain negative bacterium, designated strain YIM 78007, was isolated from an alkaline geothermal soil sample from Hehua hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan province, south-west China. Cells of strain YIM 78007 were observed to be aerobic and short rod-shaped. The colonies were observed to be orange-red, convex and circular. 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis showed that strain YIM 78007 clustered with members of the genus Roseomonas (with similarities from 97.2 to 92.2 %). Optimal growth of strain YIM 78007 occurs at 40-50 °C and pH 8.0-10.0. The predominant ubiquinone was identified as Q-10 and the major fatty acids were identified as C ω7c and C. The polar lipids were identified as diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified aminolipids and one unknown phospholipid. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was determined to be 63 mol %. The levels of DNA-DNA hybridization relatedness between strain YIM 78007 and its closet neighbours ( Roseomonas lacus JCM 13283 and Roseomonas terrae JCM 14592) were well below the threshold required for the proposal of a novel species. The results of physiological and biochemical characteristics, the phylogenetic analysis, as well as low DNA-DNA hybridization values, allowed the phenotypic and genotypic differentiation of strain YIM 78007 from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, strain YIM 78007 is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Roseomonas, for which the name Roseomonas alkaliterrae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 78007 (=BCRC 80644 = JCM 19656). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alkalitolerant, thermotolerant, strictly aerobic and Gram-staining negative bacterial strain, designated YIM 78140, was isolated from a water sample in Hehua hot spring, Tengchong, Yunnan province, south-west China. The colonies were light brown, convex and circular. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain YIM 78140 indicated that it was clustered with members of β-Proteobacteria (with the similarity from 96.9 to 93.6 %). Good growth occurred at 40-50 °C, pH 8.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-3 % (w/v) NaCl. The predominant ubiquinones were Q-8 and Q-9. The major fatty acids were C C cyclo, C ω7c and summed feature 3. The G+C content of genomic DNA was 70.8 mol%. The results of physiological and biochemical characteristics, phylogenetic analysis allowed the phenotypic and genotypic differentiation of strain YIM 78140 from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, the strain YIM 78140 represents a novel genus of the family Comamonadaceae, for which the name Zhizhongheella caldifontis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 78140 (= BCRC 80649 = KCTC 32557). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the nondestructive evaluation on the thermal characters of interface around a nano-fibre is presented. The multiple scattering of plane thermal waves between the nano-fibre and the semi-infinite surface is described. The solution to the heat diffusion equation is expressed by wave function expansion method, and the mode coefficients are obtained by satisfying the boundary conditions at the interface around the nano-fibre. The temperature at the surface of the structure under different parameters is calculated and illustrated graphically. It is found that the interface effect on the temperature becomes great if the solid has a better thermal conductivity. The results can provide the theoretical background for the nondestructive evaluation of interface around the nano-inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermotolerant Gram-staining negative and aerobic bacterium, designated strain YIM 77520, was isolated from a geothermally heated soil sample collected at Rehai National Park, Tengchong, Yunnan Province, South-West China. Cells of the strain were found to be rod-shaped and colonies were light beige and circular. The strain was found to grow in the presence of 0-2 % (w/v) total salts (optimum, 0 %), at pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and 25-55 °C (optimum, 45 °C). The only quinone detected was Q-8 and the genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 66.9 mol%. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were identified as iso-C and iso-C. The phospholipids were found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, five unknown phospholipids and three aminophospholipids. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain YIM 77520 was found to form a cluster with Lysobacter thermophilus YIM 77875 and showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to L. thermophilus YIM 77875 (96.0 %). These two strains formed a distinct lineage of the family 'Xanthomonadaceae'. On the basis of the morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, as well as genotypic data, a new genus, Vulcaniibacterium gen. nov. is proposed with Vulcaniibacterium tengchongense sp. nov. as the type species. The type strain of V. tengchongense sp. nov. is strain YIM 77520 (=DSM 25623 = CCTCC AB 2011152). Furthermore we propose that L. thermophilus Wei et al. is reclassified in the new genus as Vulcaniibacterium thermophilum comb. nov. (type strain YIM 77875 = CCTCC AB 2012064 = KCTC 32020) based on polyphasic data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bending problem of a thin rectangular plate with in-plane variable stiffness is studied. The basic equation is formulated for the two-opposite-edge simply supported rectangular plate under the distributed loads. The formulation is based on the assumption that the flexural rigidity of the plate varies in the plane following a power form, and Poisson's ratio is constant. A fourth-order partial differential equation with variable coefficients is derived by assuming a Levy-type form for the transverse displacement. The governing equation can be transformed into a Whittaker equation, and an analytical solution is obtained for a thin rectangular plate subjected to the distributed loads. The validity of the present solution is shown by comparing the present results with those of the classical solution. The influence of in-plane variable stiffness on the deflection and bending moment is studied by numerical examples. The analytical solution presented here is useful in the design of rectangular plates with in-plane variable stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]