Driving mechanism for farmers' participation in improving farmland ecosystem: Evidence from China

peer reviewe

An efficient outsourced attribute-based encryption scheme in the device-to-device mobile network

Device-to-device communication is considered as one of the hopeful technologies for proximal communication, which plays a vital role in the wireless systems and 5G cellular networks. The outsourced attribute-based encryption scheme is convinced to be very suitable for secure device-to-device communication since it allows not only fine-grained sharing of encrypted data but also achieves high efficiency in the decryption of general attribute-based encryption schemes. However, almost all existing outsourced attribute-based encryption schemes can hardly be applied directly in the device-to-device communication because many heavy computation operations, such as pairing and modular exponentiations, cannot be taken on the mobile devices in the device-to-device network. In this article, we propose a concept of outsourcing threshold decryption for attribute-based encryption and design a new efficient outsourcing threshold decryption scheme for ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption. In our definition of outsourcing threshold decryption, the decryption, which is a computationally expensive operation, is outsourced to multiple semi-trusted and lightweight computing devices determined by an access structure and can be jointly taken by these devices. Our scheme supports proxy re-encryption which enables the decryption delegation. Finally, security and efficiency analyses of our proposed method indicate that our proposal guarantees strong security against chosen plaintext attacks and requires less outsourced computation and communication cost than the existing outsourced attribute-based encryption schemes

A Novel Exopolysaccharide with Metal Adsorption Capacity Produced by a Marine Bacterium Alteromonas sp. JL2810

Most marine bacteria can produce exopolysaccharides (EPS). However, very few structures of EPS produced by marine bacteria have been determined. The characterization of EPS structure is important for the elucidation of their biological functions and ecological roles. In this study, the structure of EPS produced by a marine bacterium, Alteromonas sp. JL2810, was characterized, and the biosorption of the EPS for heavy metals Cu2+, Ni2+, and Cr6+ was also investigated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis indicated that the JL2810 EPS have a novel structure consisting of the repeating unit of [-3)-α-Rhap-(1→3)-α-Manp-(1→4)-α-3OAc-GalAp-(1→]. The biosorption of the EPS for heavy metals was affected by a medium pH; the maximum biosorption capacities for Cu2+ and Ni2+ were 140.8 ± 8.2 mg/g and 226.3 ± 3.3 mg/g at pH 5.0; however, for Cr6+ it was 215.2 ± 5.1 mg/g at pH 5.5. Infrared spectrometry analysis demonstrated that the groups of O-H, C=O, and C-O-C were the main function groups for the adsorption of JL2810 EPS with the heavy metals. The adsorption equilibrium of JL2810 EPS for Ni2+ was further analyzed, and the equilibrium data could be better represented by the Langmuir isotherm model. The novel EPS could be potentially used in industrial applications as a novel bio-resource for the removal of heavy metals

The Fate of Marine Bacterial Exopolysaccharide in Natural Marine Microbial Communities.

Most marine bacteria produce exopolysaccharides (EPS), and bacterial EPS represent an important source of dissolved organic carbon in marine ecosystems. It was proposed that bacterial EPS rich in uronic acid is resistant to mineralization by microbes and thus has a long residence time in global oceans. To confirm this hypothesis, bacterial EPS rich in galacturonic acid was isolated from Alteromonas sp. JL2810. The EPS was used to amend natural seawater to investigate the bioavailability of this EPS by native populations, in the presence and absence of ammonium and phosphate amendment. The data indicated that the bacterial EPS could not be completely consumed during the cultivation period and that the bioavailability of EPS was not only determined by its intrinsic properties, but was also determined by other factors such as the availability of inorganic nutrients. During the experiment, the humic-like component of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) was freshly produced. Bacterial community structure analysis indicated that the class Flavobacteria of the phylum Bacteroidetes was the major contributor for the utilization of EPS. This report is the first to indicate that Flavobacteria are a major contributor to bacterial EPS degradation. The fraction of EPS that could not be completely utilized and the FDOM (e.g., humic acid-like substances) produced de novo may be refractory and may contribute to the carbon storage in the oceans

Information exposure incentivizes consumers to pay a premium for emerging pro-environmental food: Evidence from China

peer reviewedThis study aims to reveal Chinese consumers' willingness to pay for Green manure-rice and its determinants by conducting an information intervention experiment. Results first showed that consumers' willingness to pay before and after the information intervention was 7.9 CNY/kg and 12.1CNY/kg, which was 2.6 CNY/kg and 6.8 CNY/kg premium than that of conventional rice, respectively. This finding highlights the necessity of eliminating information asymmetry in the pro-environmental food market through external information supply. Afterwards, the decision mechanism by which consumers pay for Green manure-rice was explored. The main conclusions are as follows. First, both subjective self-evaluation and environmental literacy had a positive and significant impact on consumer premium. This finding provides policymakers with the enlightenment that it is feasible to raise consumer premium by actively guiding their subjective self-evaluation and fostering their environmental literacy. Second, the moderating effect of information intervention on consumer awareness of Green manure-rice attributes was identified. This result not only emphasizes the positive role of food attribute labeling in guiding consumers’ payment, but also further verifies the effectiveness of information strategy in promoting the development of Green manure-rice market. Third, information intervention narrowed the gap of payments between different consumer groups, which provides instrumental support for stabilizing the Green manure-rice market. These results are of great importance for both guiding the update of pro-environmental food market and promoting paddy agricultural system innovation in China

Oceaniovalibus guishaninsula gen. nov., sp nov., A Marine Bacterium of the Family Rhodobacteraceae

The alphaproteobacterial strain JLT2003(T) was isolated from surface seawater off the coast of Guishan island, Taiwan. The strain was Gram negative, ovoid or coccoid, non-motile and formed pink colonies on marine agar 2216 (MA; DIFCO) medium. The dominant fatty acids were C-18:1 omega 7c, cyclo C-19:0 omega 8c, and C-16:0. The polar lipid profile consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The major respiratory ubiquinone was Q-10. The DNA G+C content was 62.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain was most closely related to Pontibaca methylaminivorans GRP21(T) with 94.8% similarity. The isolate was distinguishable from members of the family Rhodobacteraceae based on phenotypic and biochemical characteristics. On the basis of the taxonomic data presented, strain JLT2003(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Oceaniovalibus guishaninsula gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Oceaniovalibus guishaninsula is JLT2003(T) (=JCM 17765(T) = CGMCC 1.10827(T)).973 program [2011CB808800]; NSFC [91028001, 41076063]; SOA [201105021, MELRS0940

CDK5/NFAT5-Regulated Transporters Involved in Osmoregulation in <i>Fejervarya cancrivora</i>

Crab-eating frogs (Fejervarya cancrivora) can live in brackish water with a salinity of up to 18‰, although most amphibians are not able to tolerate such high saline environments. To investigate its potential osmoregulation, we conducted experiments in F. cancrivora and F. multistriata. The results showed that F. cancrivora made use of ions (such as Na+ and Cl−) to increase intracellular concentrations via the Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) enzyme. The mRNA expression of aldose reductase (AR) was significantly higher in F. cancrivora (p F. cancrivora, while AQP expression in skin was higher in F. multistriata (p F. cancrivora. The protein expression of CDK5, the upstream protein of the NFAT5 pathway, was 2 times higher in F. cancrivora. Therefore, we can conclude that CDK5/NFAT5-regulated transporters might be involved in osmoregulation in F. cancrivora

Altuibacter lentus gen nov, sp nov, a novel member of family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from deep seawater of the South China Sea

National Key Basic Research Program of China [2013CB955700]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [91028001]; SOA [201105021]A novel chemoheterotrophic, aerobic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, yellow-pigmented, bacterial strain JLT2010(T) was isolated from deep seawater of the South China Sea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain JLT2010(T) belongs to the family Flavobacteriaceae and is most closely related to Ulvibacter antarcticus IMCC3101(T) with 95.7 % similarity. Some phenotypic characteristics such as the absence of flexirubin-type pigments, growth at 37 A degrees C, hydrolysis of casein differentiated strain JLT2010(T) from the genus Ulvibacter as well as other genera in the family Flavobacteriaceae. The DNA G+C content of the strain JLT2010(T) was found to be 35.7 mol% and the major respiratory quinone was found to be MK-6. On the basis of phenotypic and phylogenetic features, JLT2010(T) is classified as a novel genus and species within the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Altuibacter lentus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JLT2010(T) (=JCM 18884(T) = CGMCC 1.12167(T))

Paracoccus oceanense sp nov, Isolated from the West Pacific

NSFC [91028001, 41076063]; SOA [201105021]; [MELRS0940]A Gram-negative, short ovoid-to coccus-shaped, aerobic, motile, non-spore-forming bacterium (designated strain JLT1679(T)) was isolated from West Pacific. Cells have subpolar flagella, dividing by binary fission. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain belongs to branch of the evolutionary radiation occupied by the genus Paracoccus, family Rhodobacteraceae, order Rhodobacterales, class Alphaproteobacteria. The closest neighbours were Paracoccus stylophorae KTW-16(T) (97.1% similarity), Paracoccus caeni strain MJ17(T) (96.5% similarity), Paracoccus homiensis DD-R11(T) (96.0% similarity) and Paracoccus alcaliphilus JCM 7364(T) (95.8% similarity). The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain JLT1679(T) were summed feature 8 (18:1 omega 6c) (38.8%), C-18:0 (27.7%), C-16:0 (22.5%), and significant amounts of C-18:1 omega 9c (5.1%), C-14:0 (3.8%) and C-18:1 omega 7c 11-methyl (2.1%), were present. The pre-dominant respiratory ubiquinone of strain JLT1679(T) was Q-10 and the DNA G + C content of strain JLT1679(T) was 59.5 mol%. The polar lipid profile consisted of a mixture of phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and sphingoglycolipid. The isolate was distinguishable from members of the genus Paracoccus on the basis of phenotypic and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data that strain JLT1679(T) represents a novel species of the genus Paracoccus, for which the name Paracoccus oceanense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JLT1679(T) (= JCM 17768(T) = CGMCC 1.10831(T))

Oceanitalea nanhaiensis gen nov, sp nov, an actinobacterium isolated from seawater

NSFC [91028001, 41076063]; SOA [201105021]A Gram-positive, motile, short-rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain JLT1488(T), was isolated from the South China Sea and investigated in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. The peptidoglycan type determined for strain JLT1488(T) was A4 alpha with lysine as the diagnostic cell-wall diamino acid and an interpeptide bridge of L-Lys L-Glu. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylinositol mannosides, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown phospholipid. The only detected menaquinone was MK-8(H-4), and the major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C-18:1 omega 7c/C-18:1 omega 6C) C-16:0 and summed feature 3 (C-16:1 omega 7c/C-16:1 omega 6c); significant amounts of C-12:0 3-OH, C-10:0 and C-19:0 cyclo omega 8c were also present. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 62.3 mol%. Comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JLT1488(T) with those of related type strains demonstrated that it represented a novel lineage within the family Bogoriellaceae, suborder Micrococcineae, being closely related to species of the genera Georgenia, Bogoriella and Cellulomonas (94.6-96.8% sequence similarity). These results demonstrate that strain JLT1488T is a member of a new genus, for which the name Oceanitalea nanhaiensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is JLT1488(T) (=JCM 17755(T)=CGMCC 1.10826(T))