Actinomycetes and earthy-musty odorous compounds in brackish fishponds in Tianjin, China

The presence of the odorous compounds, 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) and geosmin, as well as causative microorganisms in brackish intensive cultivation fishponds in Tianjin, China that had a severe earthy-musty odor were evaluated. The results revealed that MIB was the primary odorous compound present in the Tianjin fishponds, with a concentration ranging from 0.53-5302.7 ng.L-1. Furthermore, the concentration of MIB was found to be closely correlated with the gross biomass of actinomycetes in the water, which ranged from 10.67-1528.24 x 10(6) cfu.ml(-1). Therefore, the sequences of the 16 SrRNA and morphological characteristics of the actinomycetes in the brackish fishponds were investigated. The results revealed that the actinomycetes in the brackish fishponds included 9 species of common and dominant actinomycetes belonging to 4 genera. Of these genera, Streptomyces were the dominant species, and Streptomyces, Nocardioides and Micromonospora were the most common species in the fishponds evaluated. Next, the ability of each of the isolated Streptomyces to produce MIB was measured under laboratory culture conditions. Streptomyces Sp2 was found to have a strong ability to produce MIB, which indicates that this strain may be the primary source of the earthy-musty odor reported in brackish intensive cultivation fishponds in Tianjin, China.

Quasi-Elastic Scattering of C-16 from C-12 at 47.5 MeV/Nucleon

Differential cross sections for the quasi-elastic scattering of C-16 at 47.5 MeV/nucleon from C-12 target are measured. Coupled-channels calculations are carried out and the optical potential parameters are obtained by fitting the experimental angular distribution.

The sequence and de novo assembly of the giant panda genome

Using next-generation sequencing technology alone, we have successfully generated and assembled a draft sequence of the giant panda genome. The assembled contigs (2.25 gigabases (Gb)) cover approximately 94% of the whole genome, and the remaining gaps (0.05 Gb) seem to contain carnivore-specific repeats and tandem repeats. Comparisons with the dog and human showed that the panda genome has a lower divergence rate. The assessment of panda genes potentially underlying some of its unique traits indicated that its bamboo diet might be more dependent on its gut microbiome than its own genetic composition. We also identified more than 2.7 million heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms in the diploid genome. Our data and analyses provide a foundation for promoting mammalian genetic research, and demonstrate the feasibility for using next-generation sequencing technologies for accurate, cost-effective and rapid de novo assembly of large eukaryotic genomes.

Velleratretraol, an unusual highly functionalized lactarane sesquiterpene from Lactarius vellereus

An unusual highly functionalized lactarane sesquiterpene, named velleratretraol (1), was isolated from the ethanol extract of the fruiting body of the mushroom Lactarius vellereus. Its structure was determined through spectroscopic analysis and single-cry

Chemical Constituents from the Leaves and Stems of Schisandra rubriflora

Six new nortriterpenoids, schirubridilactones A-F (1-6). as well as 14 known compounds, were isolated from the leaves and stems of Schisandra rubriflora. The Structures of 1-6 were elucidated oil the basis of spectroscopic methods including HSQC, HMBC, H-1-H-1 COSY, and ROESY NMR experiments. The relative stereochemistry of I was confirmed through single-crystal X-ray analysis. In addition, compounds 1-6 showed anti-HIV-1 activity with EC50 values in the range 14.3-80.8 mu g/mL and Selectivity indices in the range 2.2-9.0.

The Critically Endangered black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor on Wuliang Mountain, Yunnan, China: the role of forest types in the species' conservation

The Critically Endangered black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor of China, Laos and Vietnam is threatened by deforestation and habitat destruction but there have been no studies of how it uses its forest habitat, probably because of the typically rugged t

Molecular Phylogeny of Geographical Isolates of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus: Implications on the Origin and Spread of this Species in China and Worldwide

The genetic diversity and phylogeny of 26 isolates of Bursaphelenchus xlophilus from China, Japan, Portugal and North America were investigated based on the D2/3 domain of 28S rDNA, nuclear ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences, and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. The genetic diversity analysis showed that the D2/3 domain of 28S rDNA of isolates of B. xlophilus from China, Portugal, Japan and the US were identical and differed at one to three nucleotides compared to those from Canada. ITS sequences of isolates from China and Portugal were the same; they differed at one or two nucleotides compared to those of Japanese isolates and at four and 23 nucleotides compared to those front the US and Canada, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Chinese isolates share a common ancestor with one of the two Japanese clades and that the Canadian isolates form a sister group of the clade comprised of isolates from China, Portugal,Japan, and the US. The relationship between Japanese isolates and those from China was closer than with the American isolates. The Canadian isolates were the basal group of B. xylophilus. This suggests that B. xlophilus originated in North America and that the B. xylphilus that occurs in China could have been first introduced from Japan. Further analysis based on RAPD analysis revealed that the relationship among isolates from Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong, Anhui provinces and Nanjing was the closest, which suggests that pine wilt disease in these Chinese locales was probably dispersed from Nanjing, where this disease first occurred in China.

Symmetrical 1-pyrrolidineacetamide showing anti-HIV activity through a new binding site on HIV-1 integrase

Aim: To characterize the functional and pharmacological features of a symmetrical 1-pyrrolidineacetamide, N,N'-(methylene-di-4,1-phenylene) bis-1-pyrrolidineacetamide, as a new anti-HIV compound which could competitively inhibit HIV-1 integrase (IN) bindi

D77, one benzoic acid derivative, functions as a novel anti-HIV-1 inhibitor targeting the interaction between integrase and cellular LEDGF/p75

Integration of viral-DNA into host chromosome mediated by the viral protein HIV-1 integrase (IN) is an essential step in the HIV-1 life cycle. In this process, Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF/p75) is discovered to function as a cellular co-fa

Taxonomy of the Lemaneaceae (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) in China

Six species, belonging to two genera of Lemaneaceae in China are described. They are Lemanea Bory (including L. sinica Jao, L. crassa S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi, L. ramosa S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi and L. simplex Jao) and Paralemanea (Silva) Vis et Sheath (including P catenata (Kutzing) Vis et Sheath and P. parvula (Sirodot) S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi). Among them L. crassa S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi and L. ramosa S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi are new species. Moreover, Paralemanea (Silva) Vis et Sheath and P. catenata (Kutzing) Vis et Sheath, P. parvula (Sirodot) S. L. Xie et Z. X. Shi are newly recorded in China.

Influence of A-type Zeolite on Methane Hydrate Formation

The porous medium has an important effect on hydrate formation. In this paper, the formation process and the gas storage capacity of the methane hydrate were investigated with A-type zeolite and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) existing in the system. The results show that A-type zeolite can influence methane hydrate formation. At the temperature of 273.5 K and pressure of 8.3 MPa, the distilled water with A-type zeolite can form methane hydrate with gaseous methane in 12 hours. The formation process of the system with A-type zeolite was quite steady and the amount of A-type zeolite can influence the gas storage capacity significantly. The adding of A-type zeolite with 0.067 g.(g water)(-1) into 2 x 10(-3) g.g(-1) SDS-water solution can increase the gas storage capacity, and the maximum increase rate was 31%. Simultaneously the promotion effect on hydrate formation of 3A-type zeolite is much more obvious than that of 5A-type zeolite when the water adding amounts are 0.033 g.g(-1) and 0.067 g.g(-1) at the experimental conditions.

beta-delayed fission of Ac-228

The basic process of an exotic decay mode namely P-delayed fission is simply introduced. The progress status of the study in the world is essentialized. The observation of P-delayed fission of Ac-228 is reported. The radium was radiochemically separated from natural thorium. Thin Ra sources in which Ac-228 was got through Ra-228 ->(beta-) Ac-228 were prepared for observing fission fragments from beta-delayed fission Ac-228. They exposed to the mica fission track detectors, and measured by an HPGe gamma-ray detector. The beta-delayed fission events of Ac-228 were observed and its beta-delayed fission probability was found to be (5 +/- 2) x 10(-12).

Production cross-section of Ra-230 in the reaction of 60 MeV/u O-18 ions with U-238

A thick natural uranium target was bombarded with a 60 MeV/u O-18 beam. The neutron-rich isotope Ra-230 as the target residue was produced through the multinucleon transfer reaction (U-238-4p-4n). The barium and radium fraction as BaCl2 precipitate were radiochemically separated first from the mixture of uranium and reaction products. Then, the radium fraction was separated from BaCl2 precipitate by using cation exchange technique. The gamma-ray spectra of the Ra fraction were measured using an HPGe detector. The production cross sections of Ra-230 were obtained by a combination of the radiochemical separation technique and off-line gamma-ray spectroscopy. The cross section of Ra-230 has been determined to be 66 +/- 20 mu b.