A new species of the jawfish genus from Taiwan, northwestern Pacific Ocean (Perciformes, Opistognathidae).

A new species of jawfish genus is described based on a specimen collected from a beach in the Peng-hu Islands during a cold snap. The new species, , differs from its congeners in having a rigid upper jaw, 10-11 + 1 + 19-22 = 31-33 gill rakers, 55 scale rows in lateral series, 10 + 16 = 26 vertebrae, the terminus of the lateral line at the base of the fourth segmented dorsal-fin ray (15 in total rays), the head, nape, dorsal-fin base above lateral line, throat, chest, and pectoral-fin base naked, dorsal fin with eight blotches along its entire base, body with five horizontal dark stripes, nape with two dark blotches in front of the dorsal-fin origin, and a caudal fin with five narrow, dark bands. A detailed description is provided and compared to its similar congeners.

, a new beardfish from the western Pacific (Teleostei, Polymixiiformes, Polymixiidae).

A new species of beardfish, genus , is described based on three specimens collected in Taiwanese waters and off the Chesterfield Islands of New Caledonia. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: dorsal-fin rays IV-V, 35-37; gill rakers on outer face of first gill arch 3+1+6=10; scales row between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line vertically 6-8 (S1) and posteriorly 12-14 (S2); pyloric caeca 40; snout rounded, with its surface rough and gelatinous, its tip evidently protrude anterior margin of premaxilla; ctenii on body scales arranged in a wedge-shape, forming three rows; 4 anal-fin spine long, 1.0%-1.

New record of Engyprosopon macrolepis (Regan, 1908) from Taiwan (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae).

Specimens of the largescale dwarf flounder, Engyprosopon macrolepis (Regan, 1908) (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae), were collected from the fishery landing of Chi-kan, Peng-hu Islands, western Taiwan. Although this species has been recorded from western Pacific Ocean including the Philippines and Japan, it has never been recorded from Taiwanese waters. Therefore, our specimens represent the first record for Taiwanese waters and fill a gap in the distribution of this species between the two countries.

New species of the eel genera Dysomma and Dysommina from Vietnam, South China Sea (Anguilliformes: Synaphobranchidae).

Two new cutthroat eel species are described from Vietnam. Dysomma intermedium sp. nov.

Redescription of the hispidoberycid, Kotlyar, 1981 from Taiwan, with comments on its morphology (Beryciformes, Stephanoberycoidei, Hispidoberycidae).

A rare spiny-scale pricklefish, Kotlyar, 1981, is redescribed based on four specimens collected from Taiwan. Their sampling locality represents the northernmost record of the family, which extends the family's distribution from the eastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to northeastern Taiwan in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. A detailed description of these specimens and the first description of its sagittal otoliths are provided.

New records of a rare gibberfish, (Stephanoberyciformes, Gibberichthyidae), from the South China Sea, with comments on morphological characters.

The gibberfish is recorded for the first time from southwestern Taiwan, northern South China Sea, based on the collection of seven adults and subadults from the Dong-gang fish market, Pingtung. These specimens represent the northernmost extent of the adult range of the species, and they fill a distributional gap in the western Pacific Ocean. Our findings suggest that a population of the species has become recently established in the region.

Impact of Gender and Age on Claim Rates of Dread Disease and Cancer Insurance Policies in Taiwan.

In this paper, the impact of both gender and age on the claim rates of dread disease and cancer insurance policies were examined using unique data taken from Taiwan's private health insurance policies issued by non-life insurers during the 2012 to 2015 policy years. Those aged 30-39 served as the reference group. For the total number of dread disease policies, male insureds had a higher non-cancer claim probability than female insureds, while an age under 20 was associated with much lower claim rates for dread disease policies than for ages over 50.

Global status of lignocellulosic biorefinery: Challenges and perspectives.

The bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass to produce bio-based products under biorefinery setup is gaining global attention. The economic viability of this biorefinery would be inclined by the efficient bioconversion of all three major constituents of lignocellulosic biomass i.e.

New Inverse Emulsion-Polymerized Iron/Polyaniline Composites for Permanent, Highly Magnetic Iron Compounds via Calcination.

The hydrophilic initiator potassium persulfate (KPS) was converted into a hydrophobic molecule by complexing with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) at both ends of the molecule (CTAPSu). Inverse emulsion polymerization thus proceeded inside micelles dispersed in the affluent toluene with CTAPSu as the initiator. Polyaniline (PANI) formed inside the micelles and entangled with FeO nanoparticles already esterified with oleic acid (OA).

U-Shaped Optical Fiber Probes Coated with Electrically Doped GQDs for Humidity Measurements.

The influence of the bending radius on the sensitivity of the graphene quantum dots (GQDs)-coated probe is experimentally investigated for a U-shaped probe. The fiber is bent into a U shape using the optic fiber flame heating method, and the optic fiber is enclosed in a glass tube to increase the stability of the probe. The surface of the U-shaped optical fiber was coated with electrospun fibers formed via electrospinning.

Superparamagnetic, High Magnetic α-Fe & α″-FeN Mixture Prepared from Inverse Suspension-Polymerized FeO@polyaniline Composite.

Oleic acid (OA)-modified FeO nanoparticles were successfully covered with polyanilines (PANIs) via inverse suspension polymerization in accordance with SEM and TEM micrographs. The obtained nanoparticles were able to develop into a ferrite (α-Fe) and α″-FeN mixture with a superparamagnetic property and high saturated magnetization (SM) of 245 emu g at 950 °C calcination under the protection of carbonization materials (calcined PANI) and other iron-compounds (α″-FeN). The SM of the calcined iron-composites slightly decreases to 232 emu g after staying in the open air for 3 months.

Melting and Recrystallization of Copper Nanoparticles Prepared by Microwave-Assisted Reduction in the Presence of Triethylenetetramine.

The small sized copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs), prepared in the presence of triethylene tetramine (TETA) and assisted with microwave irradiation, have an extremely low melting temperature. Melting of the small sizezd Cu-NPs can be triggered by the heat generated from the e-beam irradiation during SEM and TEM image construction. The dispersed Cu atoms around the agglomerated big Cu particles can undergo recrystallization immediately due to the strong driving force of the huge temperature difference to normal melting temperature (T = 1085 °C).

Polyaniline Based Pt-Electrocatalyst for a Proton Exchanged Membrane Fuel Cell.

Calcination reduction reaction is used to prepare Pt/EB (emeraldine base)-XC72 (Vulcan carbon black) composites as the cathode material of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The EB-XC72 core-shell composite obtained from directly polymerizing aniline on XC72 particles is able to chelate and capture the Pt-ions before calcination. X-ray diffraction spectra demonstrate Pt particles are successfully obtained on the EB-XC72 when the calcined temperature is higher than 600 °C.

Preparation of Pt-Catalyst by Poly(-phenylenediamine) Nanocomposites Assisted by Microwave Radiation for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell.

The Pt elements are prepared via the redox reaction with microwave (MW) irradiation in the presence of poly(p-phenylenediamine) (PpPD) which is polymerized on XC72 carbon matrix (PpPD/XC72), behaving as reducing agent. The free primary amines of PpPD are actually converted (oxidized) to secondary ones (5,10-dihydrophenazine) after MW irradiation. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) micrographs reveal the prepared Pt nanoparticles are well-dispersed on the carbon matrix like commercial Pt-implanted carbon nanocomposite (Pt/C).