Differentiated Fractionation of Various Biomass Resources by p-Toluenesulfonic Acid at Mild Conditions.

Biomass is the ideal substitute for petrochemical resources because of its renewable and abundant sources. p-Toluenesulfonic acid (p-TsOH) can effectively separate lignin from biomass under mild conditions, so it is highly expected in biomass fractionation to improve the utilization efficiency. In this study, we investigated the effect of p-TsOH differentiated fractionation of poplar sawdust, eucalyptus sawdust, and rice straw below 100 °C. According to the experimental results, upon pretreatment by p-TsOH of the three kinds of raw biomass, most of the lignin and hemicellulose of poplar sawdust and eucalyptus sawdust were removed, whereas the cellulose was retained, but most of the hemicellulose and cellulose of rice straw were kept, whereas the lignin was removed at similar conditions. The structures and compositions of pretreatment residues, lignin, and hemicellulose extracted from raw biomass were characterized by XRD, FTIR, HSQC-NMR, XPS, and SEM. The differentiated fractionation mechanism of biomass was analyzed. A better recognition and understanding of the factors affecting biomatrix opening and fractionation will allow for the identification of new pretreatment strategies that improve biomass utilization and permit the rational enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose.

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based microfluidic chip for triplex detection of shrimp pathogens.

Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1), White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), and Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) pose serious threats to the shrimp farming. To date, early detection remains an important way to control the occurrence and diffusion of these pathogens. Here, we developed for the first time, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based microfluidic chip detection system, which could detect DIV1, WSSV, and EHP simultaneously. The limits of detection (LoD) of the system were 10 copies/reaction for EHP and DIV1, and 102 copies/reaction for WSSV. The entire detection procedure could be completed rapidly in 40 min at 63°C with 100% specificity and had no cross-reaction with other common shrimp pathogens. This newly established method was further validated using 94 Penaeus vannamei clinical samples, which were comparable to a typical qPCR assay and revealed good stability and reproducibility. These results illustrate that this LAMP microfluidic chip detection system allows rapid triplex pathogen analysis and could satisfy the demands of the field and routine diagnoses in aquaculture.

A new clam shrimp (Branchiopoda: Diplostraca: Spinicaudata) from the Upper Jurassic in the Jiyuan Basin, China and its biostratigraphic significance.

A new spinicaudatan species Triglypta jiyuanensis Liao & Huang sp. nov. is described from the Upper Jurassic Maao Formation in the Jiyuan Basin, northwestern Henan Province, China. The carapace of the new species is ornamented with punctae, linear arrangements of punctae, and radial lirae. The new species differs from those of the early Triglypta forms from the Middle Jurassic but closely resembles T. jianchangensis Wang, 2014 from the Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation of western Liaoning Province. Our study provides new biostratigraphic evidence supporting that the Maao and Tiaojishan formations can be correlated. Moreover, we suggest that the Yangshuzhuang Formation in the Jiyuan Basin could correlate to the Haifanggou and the Longmen formations in the Yanliao area.

Processing and acquisition of temporality in L2 Mandarin Chinese: Effects of grammatical and lexical aspects.

This study investigated the second language (L2) processing and acquisition of Chinese temporality, specifically the interaction of grammatical and lexical aspects. An experimental group of 31 English-speaking learners of Chinese and a control group of 29 native speakers of Mandarin Chinese completed an online sentence-picture matching task and an offline translation task. Results from these experiments demonstrated the prototype effect: In aspectual development, perfective aspect started with telic verbs and progressive aspect started with activity verbs, in accordance with the Aspect Hypothesis, both for online processing and offline comprehension. The prototype effect of the grammatical aspect was evident for activity verbs but less so for accomplishment verbs in the L2 group across tasks, and this was explained through language-specific properties and L2 learners' instructional input. In addition, L2 proficiency and working memory capacity were found to modulate these processes.

Mutation Survey of Candidate Genes and Genotype-Phenotype Analysis in 20 Southeastern Chinese Patients with Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome.

Purpose/aim of the study: To conduct a survey spectrum of the PITX2, FOXC1, and PRDM5 genes to reveal genotype-phenotype correlations in a cohort of Southeastern Chinese patients with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 20 probands with ARS were recruited in Southeast China. All patients underwent full ocular and systemic examinations. Sanger sequencing was used to analyze all coding regions of and regions adjacent to PITX2, FOXC1, and PRDM5 and 13 upstream regulatory elements of PITX2. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was performed to detect gross insertions and deletions in PITX2 and FOXC1. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect copy number variations in regulatory elements of PITX2. A bioinformatics analysis was conducted to evaluate the pathogenicity of variants. RESULTS: Eleven mutations, including eight novel mutations, were identified in PITX2. Seven of the mutations were truncations. A genotype-phenotype correlation analysis showed that 81.8% (9/11) of patients with mutations in PITX2 developed glaucoma before reaching 10 years old. The proportion of patients without detected mutations was only 33.3% (3/9, P = 0.0399). In patient G1399, ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed that the left eye exhibited a phenotype similar to aniridia with complete angle closure and a remaining stub of iris tissue. CONCLUSION: This is the first genetic study of a cohort of Southeastern Chinese patients with ARS. Eight novel mutations were detected, expanding the mutation spectrum of PITX2. PITX2 may be a major candidate gene for ARS in Southeastern Chinese patients. Truncations may be the primary mutation type in PITX2. Glaucoma onset may be earlier in patients with mutations in PITX2 than in those without mutations in PITX2 and FOXC1. A block of the anterior chamber angle by the end of the iris might represent the main factor influencing the development of glaucoma in ARS patients with an asymmetric aniridia phenotype.

Preparation of Layered-Spinel Microsphere/Reduced Graphene Oxide Cathode Materials for Ultrafast Charge-Discharge Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Although Li-rich layered oxides (LLOs) have the highest capacity of any cathodes used, the rate capability of LLOs falls short of meeting the requirements of electric vehicles and smart grids. Herein, a layered-spinel microsphere/reduced graphene oxide heterostructured cathode (LS@rGO) is prepared in situ. This cathode is composed of a spinel phase, two layered structures, and a small amount of reduced graphene oxide (1.08 wt % of carbon). The assembly delivers a considerable charge capacity (145 mA h g-1 ) at an ultrahigh charge- discharge rate of 60 C (12 A g-1 ). The rate capability of LS@rGO is influenced by the introduced spinel phase and rGO. X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicate that Cr ions move from octahedral lattice sites to tetrahedral lattice sites, and that Mn ions do not participate in the oxidation reaction during the initial charge process.

Countering the Segregation of Transition-Metal Ions in LiMn1/3 Co1/3 Ni1/3 O2 Cathode for Ultralong Life and High-Energy Li-Ion Batteries.

High-voltage layered lithium transition-metal oxides are very promising cathodes for high-energy Li-ion batteries. However, these materials often suffer from a fast degradation of cycling stability due to structural evolutions. It seriously impedes the large-scale application of layered lithium transition-metal oxides. In this work, an ultralong life LiMn1/3 Co1/3 Ni1/3 O2 microspherical cathode is prepared by constructing an Mn-rich surface. Its capacity retention ratio at 700 mA g(-1) is as large as 92.9% after 600 cycles. The energy dispersive X-ray maps of electrodes after numerous cycles demonstrate that the ultralong life of the as-prepared cathode is attributed to the mitigation of TM-ions segregation. Additionally, it is discovered that layered lithium transition-metal oxide cathodes with an Mn-rich surface can mitigate the segregation of TM ions and the corrosion of active materials. This study provides a new strategy to counter the segregation of TM ions in layered lithium transition-metal oxides and will help to the design and development of high-energy cathodes with ultralong life.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Epigonichthys cultellus (Cephalochordata: Branchiostomatidae).

The systematic position of the amphioxus species with dextral gonads distributed in the southeast Pacific and Indian Oceans has remained to be clarified due to the adoption of different names by different researchers. Mitochondrial (mt) DNA is generally considered to be a powerful molecular marker in taxonomic studies. For a reliable systematics of the amphioxi collected from the South China Sea, we sequenced the complete mtDNA from a single specimen and compared it with those of the other eight amphioxus species. The present mtDNA genome contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes, with the same gene order as those in Branchiostoma and Epigonichthys, which, however, is different from that in Asymmetron. Based on our morphological data (including measurements of some characters) and the features of the mt genome, together with the distribution records of the dextral-gonad amphioxi, we conclude that the present mtDNA sequence most likely represents that of E. cultellus.

Ca2Mn2O5 as oxygen-deficient perovskite electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction.

This paper presents the use of Ca2Mn2O5 as an oxygen-deficient perovskite electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. Phase-pure Ca2Mn2O5 was made under mild reaction temperatures through a reductive annealing method. This oxygen deficient perovskite can catalyze the generation of oxygen at ~1.50 V versus (vs) reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) electrochemically, and reach an OER mass activity of 30.1 A/g at 1.70 V (vs RHE). In comparison to the perovskite CaMnO3, Ca2Mn2O5 shows higher OER activities. The molecular level oxygen vacancies and high spin electron configuration on manganese in the crystal structures are likely the contributing factors for the enhanced performance. This work demonstrates that oxygen-deficient perovskite, A2B2O5, is a new class of high performance electrocatalyst for those reactions that involve active oxygen intermediates, such as reduction of oxygen and OER in water splitting.

Mutation survey of candidate genes in 40 Chinese patients with congenital ectopia lentis.

PURPOSE: To identify the spectrum and frequency of five candidate genes in Chinese patients with congenital ectopia lentis (EL). METHODS: Forty consecutive and unrelated congenital probands with EL were collected and underwent ocular, skeletal, and cardiovascular examinations. Sanger sequencing was used to analyze all of the coding and adjacent regions of five candidate genes: FBN1, ADAMTS10, ADAMTSL4, TGFBR2, and CBS. Mutation analysis was performed to evaluate the pathogenic variants and to identify the cause of congenital EL. RESULTS: The FBN1 gene screen revealed 25 pathogenic variants in 34 of the 40 families with congenital EL, including three novel (c.1955G>T, c.2222delA, and c.4381T>C) and 22 known mutations. The ADAMTSL10 gene screen revealed a compound heterozygous variant (c.1586G>A and c.2485T>A) in a family with Weill-Marchesani syndrome (WMS). In the remaining five probands, no pathogenic variant was detected in any of the five screened genes. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we identified three novel and 22 known mutations in FBN1 in 34 of 40 EL families. The results expand the mutation spectrum of the FBN1 gene and suggest that FBN1 mutations may be the major cause of congenital EL in Chinese patients.

Exome sequencing reveals CHM mutations in six families with atypical choroideremia initially diagnosed as retinitis pigmentosa.

Mutations in almost 200 genes are associated with hereditary retinal diseases. Of these diseases, retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common and is genetically and clinically highly heterogeneous. At least 62 genes are associated with RP and mutations in these genes account for approximately half of the cases of disease. In the present study, mutations in the CHM gene, which are known to associate with choroideremia, were identified in six of 157 families with retinitis pigmentosa by whole exome sequencing. No potential pathogenic mutations in the 62 RP­associated genes were found in the six families. Sanger sequencing confirmed the mutations in CHM, including four novel (c.558_559delTT, c.964G>T, c.966delA, c.1166+2T>G) and two known (c.703­1G>A and c.1584_1587delTGTT) mutations. Available clinical data suggest an atypical phenotype of choroideremia in these patients compared to that of Caucasians. Overlapping clinical features and atypical phenotypic variation may contribute to the confusion of one another. Awareness of the phenotypic variation and careful clinical examination may facilitate proper clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of complicated hereditary retinal diseases. Whole exome sequencing therefore is useful in the identification of genetic cause for less clarified hereditary retinal diseases and enriches our understanding of phenotypic variations of gene mutation.

Facile fabrication of Si mesoporous nanowires for high-capacity and long-life lithium storage.

Si has the second highest theoretical capacity among all the known anode materials for lithium ion batteries, whereas it is vulnerable to pulverization and crumbling upon lithiation/delithiation. Herein, Si mesoporous nanowires prepared by a scalable and cost-effective procedure are reported for the first time. Such nanowire morphology and mesoporous structure can effectively buffer the huge lithiation-induced volume expansion of Si, therefore contributing to excellent cycling stability and high-rate capability. Reversible capacities of 1826.8 and 737.4 mA h g(-1) can be obtained at 500 mA g(-1) and a very high current density of 10 A g(-1), respectively. After 1000 cycles at 2500 mA g(-1), this product still maintains a high capacity of 643.5 mA h g(-1).

Mesoporous TiO(2)-Sn@C core-shell microspheres for Li-ion batteries.

Using amorphous TiO2 microspheres as precursors, we obtain mesoporous TiO2-Sn@C core-shell microspheres. Sn is encapsulated into a TiO2 matrix, and carbon is coated outside. This intriguing architecture can effectively buffer volume change and structural stress, thus contributing to excellent long-term cycling stability and superior high-rate cyclability.

Association of the single nucleotide polymorphisms in the extracellular matrix metalloprotease-9 gene with PACG in southern China.

PURPOSE: To study the association of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs17576 and rs2250889 in the extracellular matrix metalloprotease-9 (MMP-9) gene with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) in southern Chinese patients. METHODS: DNA samples were obtained from 211 adult patients with PACG and 205 control subjects to study the relationships between SNPs in MMP-9 and PACG. Polymorphism analyses of rs17576 and rs2250889 in MMP-9 were performed using the polymerase chain reaction,restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and direct DNA sequencing techniques. The association between genetic polymorphisms and the risk of PACG were estimated by chi2 test and logistic regression. RESULTS: Genotyping of the MMP-9 site (rs2250889) was significantly different between the two groups (P=0.004), and the odds ratio was OR=1.76 (95%CI: 1.264-2.449). The frequencies of the G/G genotype in the PACG and control groups were 9% and 2.9%, respectively. However, there were no significant differences between these two groups in the frequencies of the genotypes and alleles for rs17576 in MMP-9. CONCLUSION: The SNP rs2250889 located in MMP-9 might be associated with PACG among southern Chinese people, and people with the G/G genotype are likely more susceptible to PACG. In contrast, the SNP rs17576 in MMP-9 might not be related to PACG in the same population.

Investigation of CYP1B1 mutations in Chinese patients with primary congenital glaucoma.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the mutation spectrum of the cytochrome P450 gene (CYP1B1) in Chinese patients with primary congenital glaucoma (PCG). METHODS: The coding regions of CYP1B1 from 41 Chinese PCG patients were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and heteroduplex analysis-single strand conformation polymorphism (HA-SSCP) followed by subsequent cloning and bidirectional sequencing. New variants were confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis in 80 normal Chinese controls. RESULTS: Six distinct mutations, four of which are novel, were identified in 14.6% (6/41) of all patients. The CYP1B1 mutations in two patients were homozygous, and the other four patients were compound heterozygous. Beyond the four novel mutations (g.4531_4552del22bp, g.4633delC, p.S336Y, and p.I471S), two reported missense mutations (R469W and R390H) were also identified. The missense mutation, R390H, was involved in 9.8% (4/41) of patients in our study. None of the novel mutations was observed in any of the 80 controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the premise that CYP1B1 is a major gene for PCG, appearing to be responsible for the disease in roughly one in six Chinese PCG patients. The R390H mutation was identified as a predominant CYP1B1 allele among the Chinese PCG patients in our study. This observation emphasizes the importance of mutational screening of CYP1B1, especially for the R390H mutation in Chinese patients.

Novel GPR143 mutations and clinical characteristics in six Chinese families with X-linked ocular albinism.

PURPOSE: There are few genetic studies and clinical descriptions of Asian patients with X-linked ocular albinism (OA1). In the present study, the mutation analysis of G protein-coupled receptor 143 gene (GPR143) and clinical characteristics were assessed in Chinese patients with OA1. METHODS: Six families with OA1 were recruited from our pediatric and genetic eye clinic. Genomic DNA was prepared from venous leukocytes. The coding regions of GPR143 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and subsequently analyzed by direct sequencing. The variations detected were further evaluated in available family members as well as controls. RESULTS: Mutations in GPR143 were identified in each of the six families: c.849delT (p.Val284SerfsX15); c.238_240delCTC (p.Leu80del); c.658+1G>A, c.353G>A (p.Gly118Glu); g.1103_7266del6164 (p.Gly84AlafsX65), which resulted in a deletion of exons 2 and 3; and g.25985_26546del562 (p.Gly296ValfsX26), which resulted in a deletion of exon 8. Of these six, c.353G>A is a known mutation, while the other five are novel. All affected patients had nystagmus, poor visual acuity, and foveal hypoplasia. However, hypopigmentation of the iris and fundus was very mild in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Five novel mutations and one known mutation were identified in six Chinese families with OA1. These results expand the mutation spectrum of GPR143, and demonstrate the clinical characteristics of OA1 among the Chinese.

Branchiostoma japonicum and B. belcheri are distinct lancelets (Cephalochordata) in Xiamen waters in China.

Lancelets in Xiamen were reported as Branchiostoma belcheri in 1932, and subsequently were believed to comprise a single species. However, recent studies revealed that Xiamen lancelets actually represent two species, B. belcheri and B. japonicum. We observed thousands of lancelets from Xiamen beach to recognize these two species. Our observations showed that at least three morphological characters distinguish them: 1) the rostral fin is slightly round with the end obtuse in B. belcheri but elliptic with the end cuspate in B. japonicum; 2) the number of preanal fin-chambers is more than 80 in B. belcheri but less than 64 in B. japonicum, and the chambers are slender in the former but stout in the latter; 3) the caudal fin of B. belcheri is narrower than that of B. japonicum, and the angle between the dorsal and super-caudal fins, and between preanal and sub-caudal fins, is obtuse in B. belcheri but acute in B. japonicum. We also provide some ecological and distributional evidence to support the conclusion that there are two separate species in Xiamen waters.