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Degradation of rice straw by cooperative microbial activities is at present the most attractive alternative to fuels and provides a basis for biomass conversion. The use of microbial consortia in the biodegradation of lignocelluloses could reduce problems such as incomplete synergistic enzymes, end-product inhibition, and so on. In this study, a cellulolytic microbial consortium was enriched from the hindgut of Holotrichia parallela larvae via continuous subcultivation (20 subcultures in total) under static conditions. The degradation ratio for rice straw was about 83.1% after three days of cultivation, indicating its strong cellulolytic activity. The diversity analysis results showed that the bacterial diversity and richness decreased during the consortium enrichment process, and the consortium enrichment process could lead to a significant enrichment of phyla Proteobacteria and Spirochaetes, classes Clostridia, Epsilonproteobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria, and genera Arcobacter, Treponema, Comamonas, and Clostridium. Some of these are well known as typical cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic microorganisms. Our results revealed that the microbial consortium identified herein is a potential candidate for use in the degradation of waste lignocellulosic biomass and further highlights the hindgut of the larvae as a reservoir of extensive and specific cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-sensitivity mechano-luminescent sensor was fabricated on the basis of piezoelectric/electroluminescent composites. The working principle of this mechano-luminescent sensor was elucidated by analyzing the relationship between the piezoelectric-induced charges and the electroluminescent effects. When a stress is applied on the piezoelectric layer, electrical charges will be induced at both the top and bottom sides of the piezoelectric layer. The induced electrical charges will lead to a light output from the electroluminescent layer, thus producing a mechano-luminescence effect. By increasing the vibration strength or frequency applied, the mechano-luminescence output can be obviously enhanced. Mechano-luminescence sensors have potential in smart stress-to-light devices, such as foot-stress-distribution-diagnosis systems and dynamic-load-monitors for bridge hanging cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]