Notes on species of Talaus Simon, 1886 (Araneae, Thomisidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species.

Taxonomic notes on the Talaus species from China are provided. Two new species, T.yuyang Yao & Liu, sp. nov. and T.zhangjiangkou Yao & Liu, sp. nov. are described and illustrated, and a further three species are redescribed based on their genitalic characters: T.dulongjiang Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008, T.niger Tang, Yin, Ubick & Peng, 2008, and T.sulcus Tang & Li, 2010. The species T.xiphosus Zhu & Ono, 2007 is considered a junior synonym of T.triangulifer Simon, 1886 based on an examination of many recently collected female and male specimens from Guangxi Province, China. Diagnoses, detailed illustrations and a map of distributional records of the six treated species of Talaus in China are provided.

Midget cave spiders (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from Jiangxi and Fujian Province, China.

Eleven leptonetid species belonging to four genera collected in Jiangxi and Fujian Provinces, China are presented. Ten new species of midget cave spiders from southern China are diagnosed, described, and illustrated: Leptoneteladawu Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.yuanhaoi Yao & Liu, sp. nov. and L.zuojiashanensis Yao & Liu, sp. nov. from Jiangxi; Longileptonetaguadunensis Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.huboliao Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.jiaxiani Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.letuensis Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.renzhouensis Yao & Liu, sp. nov., L.tianmenensis Yao & Liu, sp. nov., and Pararanamingxuani Yao & Liu, sp. nov. from Fujian. Furthermore, Falcileptonetamonodactyla (Yin, Wang & Wang, 1984) is recorded from Jiangxi province for the first time. Distributions records are given for all investigated species.

One new genus and four new species of Liocranidae Simon, 1897 (Arachnida, Araneae) from China and Vietnam.

Four new species of the family Liocranidae are described from China and Vietnam. The new genus Sinocranumgen. nov., is erected to accommodate S.menghaisp. nov. (♂♀) from China. Further new species described include Koppeningersp. nov. (♀) from China, Xanthariabaizilongisp. nov. (♂♀) from China and X.cucphuongsp. nov. (♂) from Vietnam. In addition, Xantharia is transferred from Miturgidae to Liocranidae. Koppe and Xantharia are reported from China and Vietnam, respectively, for the first time.

Recycling of Silicomanganese Slag and Fly Ash for Preparation of Environment-Friendly Foamed Ceramics.

In order to reduce the manufacturing cost of foamed ceramics and expand the application scope of industrial solid waste, in this study, a new type of environment-friendly foamed ceramics was prepared using direct high-temperature foaming with waste silicomanganese slag (SMS) and fly ash (FA) as raw materials and silicon carbide (SiC) as a foaming agent. The influence of SMS content, SiC content, and sintering temperature on the characteristics and microstructure of the specimen were explored. More concretely, the compressive strength, pore morphology, bulk density, and crystalline composition of the foamed ceramics were discussed. The foaming mechanism was also further analyzed. The results showed that including 20% SMS significantly reduced the melt's viscosity and stimulated bubble expansion. This, in turn, facilitated the creation of a porous structure. Moreover, it was noted that samples containing 20% SMS exhibited an anorthite phase when sintered at 1110 °C, resulting in enhanced compressive strength. The bulk density and compressive strength of the foamed ceramics decreased with an increase in the sintering temperature and SiC content. This trend was primarily attributed to the higher total porosity and the insufficient support of the pore wall to the matrix. The best all-around performance was achieved with 20 wt% SMS, 80 wt% FA as raw material, SiC addition of 1.0 wt%, and a sintering temperature of 1100 °C. Under these conditions, the compressive strength, bulk density, and total porosity of the foamed ceramics were 8.09 MPa, 0.57 g/cm3, and 71.04%, respectively. Taken together, the outstanding porous structure and mechanical properties of this foamed ceramic make it suitable for use as insulation or for building partition materials.

Notes on two species of Massuria Thorell, 1887 (Arachnida, Araneae, Thomisidae) from China with description of a new species.

Two species assigned to Massuria Thorell, 1887 are reviewed. The female of Massuriabandian Tang & Li, 2010 is described for the first time from Jianfengling National Natural Reserve, Hainan Province, China. The species Diaeasimplex Xu, Han & Li, 2008 is described as a synonym of Massuriabellula Xu, Han & Li, 2008 based on female and male specimens from Guangdong Province, China. Massuriaminsp. nov. described as a new species (female, Fujian Province, China). Detailed illustrations and a distribution map are provided for these three species of Massuria.

A new species of Mallinella Strand, 1906 (Araneae, Zodariidae) from South China.

Background: Only one zodariid species, Storenomorphalushanensis Yu & Chen, 2009 was found from Jiangxi Province. No other Mallinella species have been recorded from this Province. New information: A new species, Mallinellashahu sp. n. is described from Jiangxi Province, China. Morphological illustrations, living photos and distribution map are given.

Two new thomisid species (Arachnida, Araneae, Thomisidae) from China and Vietnam, with the first descriptions of the males of Borboropactuslongidens Tang & Li, 2010 and Stephanopisxiangzhouica Liu, 2022.

Collections of thomisid spiders by amateur and professional arachnologists in China have led to the discovery of some interesting crab spiders (Thomisidae). Two new species in two genera of thomisid spiders are described and illustrated with photographs and SEMs: Phartaxizang Liu & Yao, sp. nov. (♀) and Stephanopisqiong Liu & Yao, sp. nov. (♀). The previously unknown males of Borboropactuslongidens Tang & Li, 2010 and Stephanopisxiangzhouica Liu, 2022 were also collected and are described for the first time. The genus Borboropactus Simon, 1884 is reported for the first time from Vietnam. The new Stephanopis species is also recorded for only the second time from the Asian mainland. Distributions of all these species are mapped.

Taxonomic notes on Stemmops O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894 (Araneae, Theridiidae) of China.

Background: The theridiid spider genus Stemmops O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894 includes 27 extant species and is distributed in America (23 spp.) and Asia (4 spp.). Three species, S.forcipus Zhu, 1998 (♂♀), S.nigrabdomenus Zhu, 1998 (♂) and S.nipponicus Yaginuma, 1969 (♂♀), are currently known from China. New information: Two new species of Stemmops are described from China: S.atratus sp. n. (♀, Jiangsu, Zhejiang) and S.lini sp. n. (♂♀, Fujian, Zhejiang). In addition, the previously unknown female of S.nigrabdomenus Zhu, 1998 is described. Photos and morphological descriptions are provided.

First record of theridiosomatid genus Sennin Suzuki, Hiramatsu & Tatsuta, 2022 from Anhui Province, China, with the description of a new species (Araneae, Theridiosomatidiae).

Background: Only two Sennin species are known from the world, Sennincoddingtoni (Zhu, Zhang & Chen, 2001) from China and Sennintanikawai Suzuki, Hiramatsu & Tatsuta, 2022 from Ryukyu Islands. No other Sennin species have been recorded from other locations. New information: A new species, Senninshuanglong sp. n. is described from Anhui Province, China. Morphological illustrations, SEMs, living photos, habitat and distribution map are given.

The Impact Resistance and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete with Hooked-End and Crimped Steel Fiber.

The utilization of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a sustainable solution to protect the fragile natural environment and save the diminishing natural resources. The current study was aimed at exploring the impact resistance and mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) affected by hooked-end steel fiber (HF) and crimped steel fiber (CF). Fifteen concrete mixtures considering different RCA substitution ratio, steel fiber dosage, and steel fiber shapes were designed. Meanwhile, a statistical analysis method-based Weibull distribution was introduced to evaluate the variations of impact test results, presented using a reliability function. Lastly, the microstructural morphologies of interfacial transition zones at the cement paste/aggregate and cement paste/fiber interfaces were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results showed that the impact resistance and mechanical properties mildly decreased with the increase in substitution ratio of RCA, whereas they conclusively increased with the increase in steel fiber content. Steel fiber recycled aggregate concrete (SFRAC) with 1.5% steel fiber content had the best impact resistance, and its initial cracking times and final failure times were 3.25-4.75 and 8.78-29.08 times those of plain RAC, respectively. HF has better impact resistance than CF. The SEM observations of microstructures indicated that the hardened cement paste of natural aggregate concrete (NAC) was more compact than that of RAC. Steel fiber had a better connection with the cement paste interface than that of aggregate and cement paste owing to better thermal conductivity. This research could be a guide for SFRAC as a structural material in practical engineering, steering the construction industry toward the circular economy.

Promoting Chinese urban residents' participation in source separation and recycling.

Source separation and recycling (SSR) for municipal solid waste is an important strategy for the transition to a circular economy and requires broader resident participation. How can residents' participation in SSR be promoted? Here, we consider 13 cities in Jiangsu as microcosms of China. We quantify residents' intentions to participate in SSR by distributing a validated questionnaire to 2,963 urban residents, analyze the results through structural equation modeling, and propose localized policy recommendations. We find that residents have positive attitudes toward SSR, although 92.6% of residents in southern Jiangsu were more willing to participate than those in northern Jiangsu (84.6%). Additionally, the influencing factors and their degree of influence on resident SSR participation intentions exhibit disparities across cities. "Accessibility of SSR facilities" simultaneously affects the 13 studied cities and is a key factor. "Environmental knowledge" and "environmental attitudes" are important impact factors, with occurrence frequencies of 84.6% and 69.2%, respectively. However, laws and regulations have no significant effect on residents' SSR participation intentions. We recommend that the government create favorable external conditions related to facilities and services, promote extensive publicity and educational activities through various channels, and improve the effectiveness of SSR laws and regulations. Future SSR management strategies should be localized, flexible and comprehensive. This research could help decision makers in China and other countries design policy guides to promote SSR and help link current research areas to social development.

Effects of food matrix elements (dietary fibres) on grapefruit peel flavanone profile and on faecal microbiota during in vitro fermentation.

Citrus fruits are a good source of flavanones. The present study aimed to assess the effect of food matrix elements [dietary fibres (DFs)] on the flavanone profile of grapefruit peel (GFP) and on the gut microbiota during in vitro digestion and simulated colonic fermentation. The contents of low-molecular-weight metabolites (dihydrocaffeic acid and 3-phenylpropionic acid) were increased by pectin, konjac and chitosan in medium- and high-viscosity matrices. Compared with the GFP group, the counts of Lactobacillus spp. and Clostridium leptum were significantly increased in medium-viscosity food matrices (konjac and chitosan) (p < 0.05). Moreover, the acetic and propionic acid contents were significantly elevated in the GFP + DF groups after 12 h of fermentation (p < 0.05). GFP flavanones were retained by DF, and the total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant potency composite (APC) index decreased during in vitro digestion. These findings indicate that medium-viscosity DFs (konjac and chitosan) could act as key food matrix elements for the retention of polyphenols.

A new species of Lysiteles Simon, 1895 (Araneae, Thomisidae) from South China.

Background: Lysiteles Simon, 1895 is one of the largest taxa with small body size among the Thomisidae and is mainly distributed in East, South and Southeast Asia. Most of them are recorded from southern provinces of China, such as Jiangxi Province, including three species. However, all of them are only discovered from Jinggang Mountain National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi Province. But there are still other species remaining unknown which need to be surveyed from other areas in this Province. New information: One Lysiteles species was collected from Nanfengmian National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi Province. Based on morphological characters, it was recognised as a new species and has been named as Lysitelesnanfengmian sp. n. It is described and illustrated with photographs and its distribution is also mapped.

The first record of the thomisid genus Ibana Benjamin, 2014 (Araneae, Thomisidae) from China, with the description of a new species.

Background: The genus Ibana Benjamin, 2014 was established, based on the type species Ibanasenagang Benjamin, 2014 from Borneo, Malaysia. No species of this genus has been recorded from China. New information: A new species of Ibana is described and illustrated, representing the first record of the genus for China. Ibanagan sp. n. differs from its congener by the yellowishbrown longitudinal band on the abdomen and the round, contiguous spermathecae. The distribution of the new species in Jiangxi Province is mapped.

Hesperidin prevents the combined toxicity of decabromodiphenyl ether and sodium nitrite in vitro.

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) and Sodium nitrite (SN) coexist in the processing meat and fish foods, but there is no research considering them together. The present study aimed to investigate the binary mixture's toxicity of BDE-209 and SN and explore the protective effect of hesperidin (Hsp) on the combined toxicity. Results showed that compared with the impact of BDE-209 or SN alone, the binary mixture had a synergistic toxic effect on impairing the viability of HepG2 cells, accompanied by oxidative stress, Ca2+ accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction. The increase of γ-H2AX fluorescent foci and micronuclei number also indicated its genotoxicity. Pretreatment of Hsp could significantly alleviate the above damage caused by the binary combination. These findings revealed the toxicological interaction of BDE-209 and SN and highlighted that food containing abundant natural flavonoids, as hesperidin, could reduce this toxicological risk.

Interactions and exchange of CO2 and H2O in coals: an investigation by low-field NMR relaxation.

The mechanisms by which CO2 and water interact in coal remain unclear and these are key questions for understanding ECBM processes and defining the long-term behaviour of injected CO2. In our experiments, we injected helium/CO2 to displace water in eight water-saturated samples. We used low-field NMR relaxation to investigate CO2 and water interactions in these coals across a variety of time-scales. The injection of helium did not change the T2 spectra of the coals. In contrast, the T2 spectra peaks of micro-capillary water gradually decreased and those of macro-capillary and bulk water increased with time after the injection of CO2. We assume that the CO2 diffuses through and/or dissolves into the capillary water to access the coal matrix interior, which promotes desorption of water molecules from the surfaces of coal micropores and mesopores. The replaced water mass is mainly related to the Langmuir adsorption volume of CO2 and increases as the CO2 adsorption capacity increases. Other factors, such as mineral composition, temperature and pressure, also influence the effective exchange between water and CO2. Finally, we built a quantified model to evaluate the efficiency of water replacement by CO2 injection with respect to temperature and pressure.

Prospective, naturalistic study of open-label OROS methylphenidate treatment in Chinese school-aged children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders during childhood, characterized by the core symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention and puts great burden on children themselves, their families and the society. Osmotic release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-MPH) is a once-daily controlled-release formulation developed to overcome some of the limitations associated with immediate-release methylphenidate (IR-MPH). It has been marketed in China since 2005 but still lacks data from large-sample clinical trials on efficacy and safety profiles. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of OROS-MPH in children aged 6 to 16 years with ADHD under naturalistic clinical setting. METHODS: This 6-week, multi-center, prospective, open-label study enrolled 1447 ADHD children to once-daily OROS-MPH (18 mg, 36 mg or 54 mg) treatment. The effectiveness measures were parent-rated Inattention and Overactivity With Aggression (IOWA) Conners I/O and O/D subscales, physician-rated CGI-I and parent-rated global efficacy assessment scale. Blood pressure, pulse rate measurement, adverse events (AEs) and concomitant medications and treatment review were conducted by the investigator and were served as safety measures. RESULTS: A total of 1447 children with ADHD (mean age (9.52 ± 2.36) years) were enrolled in this trial. Totally 96.8% children received an OROS-MPH modal dose of 18 mg, 3.1% with 36 mg and 0.1% with 54 mg at the endpoint of study. The parent IOWA Conners I/O score at the end of week 2 showed statistically significant (P < 0.001) improvement with OROS-MPH (mean: 6.95 ± 2.71) versus the score at baseline (10.45 ± 2.72). The change in the parent IOWA Conners O/D subscale, CGI-I and parent-rated global efficacy assessment scale also supported the superior efficacy for OROS-MPH treatment. Fewer than half of 1447 patients (511(35.3%)) reported AEs, and the majority of the events reported were mild (68.2%). No serious adverse events were reported during the study. CONCLUSION: This open-label, naturalistic study provides further evidence of effectiveness and safety of OROS-MPH in school-aged children under routine practice.

The preparation and characterization of gas bubble containing liposomes.

Liposomes and lipid nano-particles containing gas bubbles have great potentials to be used as ultrasound contrast agents or as drug and gene delivery vehicles. We developed a method to enable in situ CO2gas bubbles formation inside liposomes. The resulted bubbles containing liposomes were shown to be able to effectively echo ultrasound. Their acoustic properties were assessed by ultrasound imaging and intensity analysis. Compared to most other echogenic liposome formulations reported, our method is easier, faster, and more economical. It would be useful for many applications with improvements and optimization.