A New Species of the Genus Trimeresurus from Southwest China (Squamata: Viperidae)

Species from the Trimeresurus popeiorum complex (Subgenus: Popeia) is a very complex group. T. popeiorum is the only Popeia species known from China. During the past two years, five adult Popeia specimens (4 males, 1 female) were collected from Yingjiang County, Southern Yunnan, China. Molecular, morphological and ecological data show distinct differences from known species, herein we describe these specimens as a new species Trimeresurus yingjiangensis sp. nov Chen, Ding, Shi and Zhang, 2018. Morphologically, the new species distinct from other Popeia species by a combination of following characters: (1) dorsal body olive drab,without cross bands on the scales; (2) a conspicuous bicolor ventrolateral stripe present on each side of males, first row of dorsal scales firebrick with a white ellipse dot on posterior upper part in male, these strips absent in females; (3) eyes firebrick in both gender; (4) suboculars separated from 3rd upper labial by one scale on each side; (5) ventrals 164–168 (n = 5); (6) MSR 21

Reactive Oxygen Species Affect the Tenderness of Bovine Muscle by Regulating Glycolysis during the Early Stage of Postmortem Cold Storage

This study was conducted to investigate the regulatory mechanism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the glycolysis pathway of bovine muscle and its impact on meat tenderness at the early stage of postmortem cold storage. Fresh beef was treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a major ROS, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as an ROS scavenger, or physiological saline as a control before being stored at 4 ℃. After 0.5, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours, the glycolysis level and tenderness indices were assessed. In addition, tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomics was used for protein identification and quantitative analysis of the samples after 24 hours and for screening of differential proteins in the glycolysis pathway. The findings showed that the glycolysis level increased significantly in the H2O2-treated group, and glycogenolysis and lactic acid accumulation were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). In contrast, the glycolysis process was significantly suppressed by NAC treatment. The H2O2-treated group reached the ultimate pH after 12 hours, 12 and 36 hours earlier than the control and NAC groups, respectively. The shear force of the H2O2-treated group reached its maximum after 12 hours, and the myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI) was significantly greater than that of the other two groups after 6–48 hours (P < 0.05), indicating that a higher ROS level can accelerate the tenderization of bovine muscle by enhancing the glycolysis capacity during postmortem refrigeration. Totally eight up-regulated proteins and two down-regulated proteins in the glycolysis pathway were identified in the H2O2-treated versus control groups after 24 hours of refrigeration. Among these proteins, the up-regulated core proteins of phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM), enolase (ENO), and pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit beta (PDHB) coordinated with the down-regulated pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit alpha (PDHA) to accelerate the glycolysis process. In conclusion, ROS can speed up glycolysis and consequently improve meat tenderness by regulating the expression of key proteins in the glycolysis pathway

Boundary domain genes were recruited to suppress bract growth and promote branching in maize

Grass inflorescence development is diverse and complex and involves sophisticated but poorly understood interactions of genes regulating branch determinacy and leaf growth. Here, we use a combination of transcript profiling and genetic and phylogenetic analyses to investigate tasselsheath1 (tsh1) and tsh4, two maize genes that simultaneously suppress inflorescence leaf growth and promote branching. We identify a regulatory network of inflorescence leaf suppression that involves the phase change gene tsh4 upstream of tsh1 and the ligule identity gene liguleless2 (lg2). We also find that a series of duplications in the tsh1 gene lineage facilitated its shift from boundary domain in nongrasses to suppressed inflorescence leaves of grasses. Collectively, these results suggest that the boundary domain genes tsh1 and lg2 were recruited to inflorescence leaves where they suppress growth and regulate a nonautonomous signaling center that promotes inflorescence branching, an important component of yield in cereal grasses

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Hainan Glass Lizard (Dopasia hainanensis) determined by next-generation sequencing

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Hainan Glass Lizard (Dopasia hainanensis) from its type locality (Diaoluo Mountain in Hainan Island, China) was determined using next-generation sequencing. The mitogenome was 17,000 bp in length and comprised the standard set of 1 control region, 2 rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, plus 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The PCGs were used to perform Bayesian phylogenetic analysis together with other Anguidae and Helodermatidae as well as Shinisauridae lizards with mitogenome in GenBank. The resulting phylogenetic tree recovered D. hainanensis as the sister-taxon to Dopasia harti. The mitogenome of D. hainanensis will provide a valuable resource for various study areas such as species delimitation, molecular evolution, and phylogenetic inference

Next-generation sequencing yields a complete mitochondrial genome of the Tartar sand boa (Eryx tataricus) from Junggar Basin

The viviparous Tartar sand boa, Eryx tataricus, is a widespread species in arid Central Asia. A complete mitochondrial genome of one individual from Junggar Basin in Northwest China was determined by next-generation sequencing. The mitogenome is 17,537 bp in size, comprising 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and 2 control regions. The order and structure of the genes are similar to those of other Henophidia snakes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 concatenated PCGs recovered the monophyly of Boidae and indicated that E. tataricus is closely related to Boa constrictor plus Eunectes notaeus

Energy Conv. Manag.

A new process, coke and heavy oil co-conversion for production of light olefins (ethylene and propylene) and synthesis gas, was introduced in this paper. Following the technological principle of this process, light olefins and synthesis gas could be produced. Using a fixed bed as the reactor and coke and Shengli atmospheric residue as raw materials in the preliminary study of hot simulative experiments, the effects of operating parameters on the gaseous products components and produced coke were investigated. When the mass ratio of oxygen/steam/residue was set at 0.3/1.0/1.0 and the pyrolysis temperature at 800 degrees C, while the residence time lasted less than 0.5 s, the contents of light olefins (C2H4, C3H6), alkanes (CH4, C2H6) and synthesis gas (H-2, CO) were about 24%, 28% and 37%, respectively. The SEM images of the produced coke on the coked surface medium from residue pyrolysis were observed, and the results showed that the produced coke was almost consumed with blown oxygen. All the results demonstrated that the coke and heavy oil co-conversion process (CHCP) could produce light olefins and synthesis gas together, and the coking problem could be solved effectively. Therefore, the concept of this process is positive and feasible. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.A new process, coke and heavy oil co-conversion for production of light olefins (ethylene and propylene) and synthesis gas, was introduced in this paper. Following the technological principle of this process, light olefins and synthesis gas could be produced. Using a fixed bed as the reactor and coke and Shengli atmospheric residue as raw materials in the preliminary study of hot simulative experiments, the effects of operating parameters on the gaseous products components and produced coke were investigated. When the mass ratio of oxygen/steam/residue was set at 0.3/1.0/1.0 and the pyrolysis temperature at 800 degrees C, while the residence time lasted less than 0.5 s, the contents of light olefins (C2H4, C3H6), alkanes (CH4, C2H6) and synthesis gas (H-2, CO) were about 24%, 28% and 37%, respectively. The SEM images of the produced coke on the coked surface medium from residue pyrolysis were observed, and the results showed that the produced coke was almost consumed with blown oxygen. All the results demonstrated that the coke and heavy oil co-conversion process (CHCP) could produce light olefins and synthesis gas together, and the coking problem could be solved effectively. Therefore, the concept of this process is positive and feasible. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Draconibacterium mangrovi Hu & Guo & Lai & Dong & Huang 2020, SP. NOV.

DESCRIPTION OF DRACONIBACTERIUM MANGROVI SP. NOV. Draconibacterium mangrovi (man.gro'vi. N.L. gen. n. mangrovi of a mangrove). Colonies on MB agar plates are light yellow, small and round. Cells are Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, slightly curved and long rod-shaped, 5–6.5 µm long and 0.6 µm wide, with no flagellum. Catalase activity is weak positive and oxidase activity is positive. Growth is observed at 15–40 °C (optimum, 35 °C), NaCl tolerance of 0–5% (w/v; optimum, 2%) and pH 5.0–9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). It has no ability to degrade soluble starch, skimmed milk or carboxymethyl cellulose. Grows slowly on nitrogenfree medium. This species shows positive results for alkaline phosphatase, esterase (C4), esterase lipase (C8), leucine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, cystine arylamidase, trypsin, α -chymotrypsin, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS- BI-phosphohydrolase, α -galactosidase, β -galactosidase, α -glucosidase, β -glucosidase, N -acetyl- β -glucosaminidase and β -fucosidase; weak positive for lipase (C14), β -glucuronidase and α -mannosidase. Reduction of nitrate to nitrite is positive. Production of indole is weak positive. Hydrolysis of aesculin is positive. Positive for 4-nitropheny l- β -D-galactopyranoside. Hydrolysis of gelatin is negative. Fermentation of amygdalin is positive and fermentation of rhamnose, sucrose and melibiose is weakly positive. The predominant menaquinone is MK-7. The major fatty acids are (>10%) iso-C 15:0, anteiso-C 15:0 and C 17:1 ω 6 c. The polar lipids include phosphatidylethanolamine, a phospholipid and several unidentified lipids. The draft genome size is 5.9 Mb with genomic G+C content of 40.8 mol%. The type strain, GM2-18 T (=MCCC 1K04382 T =KCTC 72879 T), was isolated from mangrove sediment sampled at Luoyang River estuary in Quanzhou bay, Fujian, PR China. The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain GM2-18 T is MN908333. The draft genome sequence has been deposited at GenBank under the accession number JAAAGB000000000.Published as part of Hu, Yuzhong, Guo, Yu, Lai, Qiliang, Dong, Le & Huang, Zhaobin, 2020, DraCOnibaCTerium mangrOVi sp. nov., isolated from mangrove sediment, pp. 4816-4821 in International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 70 (8) on pages 4819-4820, DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.004354, http://zenodo.org/record/622405

Fuel Process. Technol.

A moving bed was used as the reactor in experiments to produce synthesis gas by coal and natural gas co-conversion process. The effects of coal types on the temperature in the flame zone, the ingredients and the H-2/CO ratio of synthesis gas, together with the methane and steam conversions were investigated by using coke, anthracite, lean and fat coals as the raw materials. By comparing the results between coals and coke, it can be seen that the temperatures in the flame zone and the content of the active compounds (H-2, CO) of coals are higher than those of coke. In addition, the H-2/CO ratio of synthesis gas closes to the calculated value by thermodynamic equilibrium. For the produced crude synthesis gas with coals by coal and natural gas co-conversion process, in which the H-2/CO ratio varies in 1.0-2.0, the content of the active compounds (H-2, CO) is more than 92%, and the residual methane is less than 2%, the methane and steam conversion rates are more than 90% and 75%, respectively. All these results demonstrated that the concept of coal and natural gas co-conversion process is positive and feasible. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.A moving bed was used as the reactor in experiments to produce synthesis gas by coal and natural gas co-conversion process. The effects of coal types on the temperature in the flame zone, the ingredients and the H-2/CO ratio of synthesis gas, together with the methane and steam conversions were investigated by using coke, anthracite, lean and fat coals as the raw materials. By comparing the results between coals and coke, it can be seen that the temperatures in the flame zone and the content of the active compounds (H-2, CO) of coals are higher than those of coke. In addition, the H-2/CO ratio of synthesis gas closes to the calculated value by thermodynamic equilibrium. For the produced crude synthesis gas with coals by coal and natural gas co-conversion process, in which the H-2/CO ratio varies in 1.0-2.0, the content of the active compounds (H-2, CO) is more than 92%, and the residual methane is less than 2%, the methane and steam conversion rates are more than 90% and 75%, respectively. All these results demonstrated that the concept of coal and natural gas co-conversion process is positive and feasible. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

LF-NMR determination of water distribution and its relationship with protein- related properties of yak and cattle during postmortem aging

The water distribution have a profound influence on meat quality, and proteins play a critical role in water distribution. The water distribution detected with proton NMR and its relationship with protein related properties were investigated. Three populations of water were detected: bound water (T21, P21), immobilized water (T22, P22), and free water (T23, P23). The decreased T22 and T23 indicated an increase in water-holding capacity in both muscles from 3 days of aging. The P22 in cattle was higher than that in yak and the P23 in cattle was lower than that in yak, suggesting that cattle exhibited a greater water-holding capacity compared to yak. Moreover, postmortem aging affected muscle protein oxidation, denaturation, and degradation. Correlation analysis suggested that protein oxidation and denaturation caused muscle water loss and protein degradation could allow the muscle to retain water. It provides a basis for the optimization of quality of meat and products

Design of spread spectrum communication system based on multipath signal synthesis

Abstract A low‐complexity anti‐multipath interference spread spectrum communication system is proposed to address shortcomings in traditional anti‐multipath technology, such as complex structures and high resource consumption. The system utilizes a fast Fourier transform to capture pseudo‐noise code signals and simultaneously detect multipath signals. Moreover, the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of each path signal is calculated, and the multipath signal is synthesized through the designed optimal SNR synthesis method to improve the SNR of the demodulated signal to reduce the bit error rate. MATLAB is used to perform functional simulations of the system to verify its feasibility. The simulation results show that the system can successfully detect and synthesize multipath signals and achieve lower communication error rates than traditional code division multiple access (CDMA) systems