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Student Profiles
Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Jianing Liu (Johnny)

Jianing Liu
MSc candidate (2006–2008)
B.Sc, North-East Forestry University,
China.
Address:
College of Forestry, North-East Forestry University,
No.26 Hexing Road, Xiangfang District, Harbin,
Heilongjiang Province, P.R.China

E-mail :liujianing0609@yahoo.com.cn

Research Interests
Biodiversity of Freshwater Fungi in Zhalong Nature Reserve, Qiqihaer Heilongjiang Province P. R. China

Education Background
• Bachelor of Agriculture, North-East Agriculture University (2004)

Introduction to Research Topic
Zhalong Nature Reserve is the largest wetland reserve in China, located in the Songhua river plain of Heilongjiang province. It is situated 30 km2 (18 miles) outside Qiqihaer in the west of Heilongjiang province. Established in 1979, the 2100 km2 marshland is a major migratory route for birds from the migrating to South East Asia . Zhalong is one of the most important destinations for the migration of red-crowned cranes(near extinction species of world). At present, there are only 1,000 red-crowned cranes or so in China. Every year about 300 or 400 of them come here to spend the summer. Besides, the biggest artificial crane breeding center is also in Zhalong, with some 600 cranes having been bred .Its ponds and reeds make it an ideal home for over 300 different species of birds. It is protected by the Chinese government.
At present, there are so many biodiversity data was recorded for Zhalong Nature Reserve include animals and plants, but without fungi. As you know, along with viruses, bacteria and invertebrates freshwater fungi play an important role in substance cycling in freshwater ecosystems. Their decomposition of organic substrates results in the release of nutrition and carbon sources. Some of are saprobic and decompose various substances, while others are parasitic and cause disease or do harm to other freshwater organisms including water plants and animals (Cai Lei and Dr. Hyde 2004). This research will find out the species of fungi of Zhalong Nature Reserve. It will provide data for ecosystem research in Zhalong Nature Reserve, including the relationship between fungi and animals, and the relationship between fungi and plants.

Research Objectives
• To investigate the biodiversity of freshwater fungi in Zhalong Lake
• To discover new species of freshwater fungi

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Min Jiang

Min Jiang

M.S. candidate (2007–2009)
M.Sc Shandong Agricultural University


Address:
Institute of Biotechnology,
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology,
Zhejiang University,
Hangzhou 310029 P.R.China

E-mail :jiangmin8111@163.com

Research Interests:

Biodiversity of freshwater fungi on submerged in Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.

Education and training

. B.Sc. Shandong Agricultural University, Horticulture , 2001-2005
. M.Sc. Shandong Agricultural University, Plant Pathology, 2005-present
. Training on the technology of gene cloning at Nanjing Agriculture University during December 2005 to March 2006.
. Attended the freshwater fungi workshop at Northeast forest University in Harbin, 27 August-4 September, 2007

Introduction to Research Topic

Thomas defined freshwater fungi as "fungi that or the whole or part of their life cycle rely on freshwater"(Thomas 1996). Freshwater fungi are a diverse and varied group including Ascomycetes and their anamorphs, Basidiomycetes, Chytridiomycetes,and the non-fungal Saprolegniales in the Class Oomycetes. They can divided into four groups: the chytridiomycetes and oomycetes, the Ingoldian fungi; the ascomycetes and their anamorphs; other taxa. About 3000 fungal species and 138 saprolegnialean species have been reported from aquatic habitats. Research on freshwater fungi has been carried out the in Africa, Australia, China, South America and boreal and tropical regions worldwide (Shearer, 2007). In China, the work on Ingoldian fungi started in the 1980s. Yang and Ding first reported Tetracladium setigeruma from Yunnan, China in 1986. In 2000, Cai, Zhang and Hyde studied the freshwater fungi in Yunnan Province. Until now, there is no research about freshwater fungi in Zhejiang Province. The study will focus mainly on the wood samples from Nine creek, Tianmu Mountain, Donglin Mountain. The wood submerged for several months will be collected. The research is important to understand the biodiversity of freshwater fungi before they disappear.

Research Objectives

. To find out the biodiversity of freshwater fungi on submerged in Zhejiang Province

. To discover new species of freshwater fungi

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Marivic V. Cabanela

Marivic

MSc candidate (2006–2008)
Laboratory of Plant Pathology,
Department of Plant Biotechnology,
Chiang Mai University,
Chiang Mai, Thailand


Address:
Mushroom Research Center
128 Moo3, Bahn Pa Dheng
T. Pa Pae, A. Mae Taeng
Chaing Mai 50150, Thailand

E-mail :mvc0206@yahoo.com

Research Interests
Biodiversity of Freshwater Fungi in Paoay Lake, the Philippines and Mushroom Research Centre Lake, Thailand

Introduction to Research Topic
Mycology is the study of fungi, the vast assemblage of microorganisms which includes such microfungi, as molds, yeast, and mushrooms. All microorganisms in one-way or another might be influenced by fungi. Consider further the importance of fungi in the decomposition of wastes and potential hazards of fungi as pathogens to plants and to humans. Yet, fungi are ubiquitous and important. Mycologists study fungi either in nature or in the laboratory and at different experimental levels ranging from descriptive to molecular and from basic to applied.
Philippines is in Southeast Asia, between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. There are numerous peninsulas, as well as valleys, lakes and regions of dense forest and swamps. Several studies on the diversity of freshwater fungi on submerged wood have been carried out in temperate (Shearer, 1993; Kane et al., 2002), tropical (Sivichai et al., 2002) and subtropical regions (Hyde et al., 1998). Different ecological habitats have also been investigated. Although there have been many biodiversity studies in the aquatic environment, terrestrial environments have still received far more attention. Freshwater fungi are generally defined as any species, which for the whole or part of their life cycle, rely on free water (Thomas, 1996). So, freshwater fungi are a cosmopolitan and diverse group, which include zoosporic fungi, zygomycetes, ascomycetes, hyphomycetes, coelomycetes, and basidiomycetes. They also play an important role in the freshwater ecosystem. Freshwater fungi have the ability to decompose organic materials and play an important role in nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystem (Chamier, 1985; Wong et al,. 1998; Abdel-Raheem and Shearer, 2002).
This study will focus mainly on the wood samples collected from Paoay Lake, Philippines and MRC Lake, Thailand. Wood or bamboo samples that have been submerged for several months will be collected from both lakes. The existing fungi on the samples collected will be investigated. This project is important to understand the biodiversity of freshwater fungi and to look at the biodiversity of hotspots throughout Philippines before habitats disappear. There is presently nobody working on freshwater fungi at Paoay Lake and even most areas in the Philippines are barely studied for fungi.
In this regards, the study of morphological and taxonomic characteristics, species description and geographical distribution patterns, and biodiversity of freshwater fungi are needed.

Research objectives
• To find out the biodiversity of freshwater fungi in Paoay Lake and Mushroom Research Centre Lake
• To provide data on the geographical distribution of freshwater fungi by comparing the fungal communities in Paoay Lake and MRC Lake and other freshwater bodies
• To possibly provide some of the gaps of knowledge on the ecology and role of freshwater fungi
• To described the taxonomy of the isolates and to described collections
• To discover new species of freshwater fungi

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Mongkol Wongsawas

Mongkol

Ph.D. candidate (2005–2009)
B.Sc, M.Sc., Khon Kaen University,
Thailand.

Address:
Institute of Biotechnology,
College of Agriculture and Biotechnology,
Zhejiang University,
Hangzhou 310029 P.R.China

E-mail :mongkol1971@gmail.commongkol1971@hotmail.com

Research Interests
Biodiversity and molecular phylogeny of freshwater fungi on submerged wood in Zhejiang province, P.R. China
Phylogeny of freshwater Coelomycetes

Education and training
• B.Sc. (Agriculture ) Plant Pathology, 1993, Khon Kaen University (Thailand)
• M.Sc. (Agriculture ) Plant Pathology, 1998, Khon Kaen University (Thailand)
• Crop Protection Training. September, 2003 at China International Center for Agricultural Training (CICAT), South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou P.R. China
• Freshwater Fungi Workshop. September, 2008 at Northeast Forestry University, Harbin P.R. China

Introduction to Research Topic
The important role of higher fungi in freshwater ecosystems is in the utilization of dead plant material as sources of nutrients and also responsible for the biodegradation of organic materials in aquatic habitats, particularly plant materials in the form of leaf litter and other plant debris. Such fungi play a vital role in recycling essential elements, particularly carbon. Submerged wood substrate in freshwater habitats support a high diversity of fungi and a number of novel taxa have been discovered in the last 10 years.
Several studies on the diversity of freshwater fungi had previously been carried out in temperate regions but recently there had been more studies in tropical regions and subtropical regions. However, freshwater fungi in large geographical area remain to be sampled including South America, Africa, Australia, China, boreal and tropical regions worldwide. On the other hand, wood-inhabiting fungi in the freshwater environment have received less attention in mainland China, as compared to those in terrestrial environment. Until year 2004, only 121 species of freshwater ascomycetes and anamorphic fungi have been reported in Mainland China particularly in Yunnan, Sichuan, Beijing and Anhui province. Nevertheless, there is no report on biodiversity of freshwater fungi on submerged wood in Zhejiang province.
Molecular phylogeny is the use of the structure of molecules to achieve information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. Knowledge of phylogenetic relationships provides the basis and applied for classifying organisms because numerous species of fungi are taxonomically problematic classification based on their morphological characteristics. The powerful of molecular phylogeny have been used for establish the fungi phylogenetic trees. However, only few taxa have been examined using molecular techniques. Therefore, molecular data are still need to resolve phylogenetic relationship and unsubscribe species to fully evaluate aquatic fungal diversity.
This research will focus mainly on the submerged wood samples which collected from different freshwater habitats in Zhejiang Province, P.R. China. The existing fungi on the samples collected will be examined, identified, describe and recorded. This project is significant to understand the biodiversity and to establish the molecular phylogeny of freshwater fungi in this province before freshwater habitats will be disturbed by human. Moreover, there is absent currently information on biodiversity and molecular phylogeny of freshwater fungi on submerged wood in Zhejiang province, P.R. China.


Research objectives
• To find out the biodiversity of freshwater fungi that colonizing on submerged wood in freshwater habitats of Zhejiang province
• To isolate, collect and document freshwater fungi in Zhejiang province for future studies.
• To discover and describe new species of freshwater fungi.
• To construct phylogenetic trees to examine evolutionary relationships of the selected genera and species of freshwater fungi, in particular Coelomycetes.

Publications
1. Saksirirat, W., M. Wongsawas, N. Sanoamuang and T. Vinijsanan. 2000. Comparison of Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. isolates by host differentiation and electrophoretic technique. The Journal of Thailand Phytopathological Society 14-15(1-2): 31-45. (in Thai language)
2. Khangkhun, P., K. Srisaad, M. Wongsawas, K. Bunlua, and W. Toobhudda. 2004. The influence of soil water on seed and grain quality of rice variety, Khao Dwak Mali 105, grown in Amphur Payagkaphumpisai, Mahasarakham Province. Mahasarakham University Journal 23(2): 29-37. (in Thai language)

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Subramanya

Subramanya

Ph.D. candidate (2007–2011)
M.Sc., Mangalore University,
India.
Address:
Division of Microbiology,
School of Biological Sciences,
The University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China

E-mail :subbu36@gmail.com

Research Interests
Freshwater fungi in extreme environments with a molecular study of Sordariomycetes

Education and training
Subramanya (Subbu) has an MS in biotechnology from India. He is doing his doctoral research on “morphology, molecular taxonomy and phylogeny of freshwater fungi in extreme environments”. His supervisors are Drs. Kevin D. Hyde, Stephen Pointing and Rajesh Jeewon.

Introduction to Research Topic
Humans live and work on the surface of earth where the temperature is moderate. So it is natural to consider very hot and very cold environments as being ‘extreme’. However the natural habitat of some fungi can be either extremely hot or extremely cold.
Fungi make up one of the major clades of life (Maddison and Schulz, 2006). They are an important component of ecosystem structure and function. Our knowledge of fungal diversity however is incomplete. We know only about 8-10% of estimated 1.5 million fungal species (Hawksworth, 2001). Fungal taxonomists have a great challenge, in a way major opportunity to discover the remaining 90% of the estimated fungi. Where are the missing fungi (Hyde 2000)? Identification of fungi from fresh water in extreme environments will definitely contribute to our understanding of global fungal diversity.

Research Objectives
• To investigate the diversity and systematics of freshwater fungi in extreme environments.
• To epitypify some important families of Sordariomycetedae using morpho-molecular characters (e.g. rDNA, RPB2, EF or mating type sequence-data).
• To investigate the evolution of sexual morphologies in Sordariomycetes.
• To study the significance of asexual morphologies in molecular systematics of the Sordariomycetes.
• To perform molecular dating of Sordariomycetes.

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Wang Jing

Wang Jing

Ph.D. candidate (2007–2011)
MS Nankai University

 


Address:
Division of Microbiology,
School of Biological Sciences,
The University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China
E-mail:

E-mail :jingwanghku@hkusua.hku.hk

Research Interests
Fungal communities on submerged wood from different streams and lakes in Lijiang, China
Phyogeny and taxonomy of freshwater discomycetes and Sordariomycetes

Education and Research Experience
• 2007.1-Present, The University of Hong Kong, PhD candidate
• Position: Research Assistant, Research Center for Ecological Conservation (RCEC), Tsinghua University, Beijing China
• Major Subject: Plant Physiological Ecology, MS, Institute of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin China
• Major Subject: Biology Education, B.Sc. Minor Subject: English, Department of Biology, Tianjin Normal University
• Related researches about effects of oil cake on cucumber (the soil microbe analysis). Soil samples were collected, and microbes from them were isolated and identified. The microbe diversity had been discussed. Basic theory and technology about the microbial analysis were mastered from this experiment. (Sep/2002 –Jau/2003)
• Isolation, purification, subculture and identification of ryegrass endophytic fungi; the tissue culture of ryegrass. I mastered the techniques of surface sterilization of plant tissues, isolation, subculture of endophytic fungi and identification of them by traditional methods, as well as the method of grass tissue culture. (Jau/2003-Dec/2003)
• Artificial reinfection of EF (Endophyte Free) Perennial Ryegrass and Tall Fescue by callus and seedlings. By using several artificial inoculation methods, the EI (Endophyte Infected) ryegrass and tall fescue had been obtained. The genetic transformation system of ryegrass and tall fescue had been successfully established and two way of inoculation mode had been discussed for a further step. (Jau/2004-Aug/2004)
• Accurate identification of ryegrass endophytic fungi. Some grasses could be enhanced in resistance both under biosis and abiosis stress after been infected by particular species of endophytic fungi. In order to meet the significance demand of artificial inoculation, the endophyte then has been identified at species level by promoting conida and ITS (Internal Transcribed Spacer of nuclear rDNA) sequence analysis. The overall knowledge about molecular biology and molecular techniques applied on mocrobal analysis were studied and experimented. (Sep/2004 –June/2005)
• Laboratory and fieldwork about the research on microbial restoration of abandoned mining area in Beijing. To study on a methodology to fulfill the ecological restoration by recovering the soil microbes community to a primary status, and also try to set up an assessment standard to evaluate the success of ecological restoration by analyzing the soil microbial community.

Introduction to Research Topic
Two hundred submerged wood samples were randomly collected from two rivers, Chongjiang River and Sancai River, and two lakes, Sancai Lake1 and Sancai Lake2 in Lijiang, China. Fungal communities on these substrates were investigated. Ninety-one taxa were recorded in total, including 13 ascomycetes, 77 anamorphic taxa and 1 basidiomycete. A higher species diversity was recorded in Chongjiang River. The frequency of occurrence of these fungi was also investigated. Anamorphic fungi were dominant in each habitat. A higher ratio of discomycetes was recorded in these habitats in comparison to the fungal communities from other temperate and tropical regions. The most common anamorphic genera from all habitats are Helicoon and Spirosphaera. Species overlap occurred between streams and lakes. The average number of species identified from each sample in Chongjiang River and Sancai River is 3.2 and 1.04 respectively; while in Sancai Lake1 and Sancai Lake2, the average number of species is 0.73 and 0.52 respectively. The possible reasons for these differences in fungal community from these different habitats are discussed.

Research Objectives
• To investigate the fungal communities in different altitude area.
• To investigate the fungal communities in different habitats (lentic and lotic).
• To discover fungal species new to science.
• To find out telemorph-anamorph connections of some fungi

Publications
1. Wang Jing, Ren An-zhi, Xie Feng-xing, Wei Yu-kun, Gao Yu-bao. (2005) Some methods in promoting sporulation of endophytic fungi in Lolium perenne L. Mycosystema 24: 590-596
2. Ruan Wei-bin, Wang Jing, Li Hua-bing, et al..(2005). Fatty acids as the active principles in seedcake: effects on Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Growth in sick soil. Allelopathy Journa 16: 217-226.
3. Ruan Wei-bin, Liu MO-han, Pan Jie, Wang Jing, Lu Wen-long, Gao Yu-bao (2003) Effects and mechanisms of oil cakes on the growth of cucumber (cucumis sativus L.) under continuous cropping system. Scientia Agricultura Sinica 36: 1519-1524
4. Ruan Wei-bin, Liu Mo-han, Pan Jie, Wang Jing, Lu Wen-long, Gao Yu-bao (2003). Effects and mechanisms of oil cakes on the growth of cucumber (cucumber sativus L) under continuous cropping system. Agricultural Sciences in China 2: 1137-1143.(In English)
5. Wang Jing, Yu Qian, Han Qian, Zhang Yong, Tian Jun,Yu Chang-qing. Study on the Spontaneous Restoration of Abandoned Quarries in Western Mountain Area of Beijing (submitted).

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang  

Ying Zhang

Ying Zhang

Ph.D. candidate (2006–2010)

Address:
Division of Microbiology,
School of Biological Sciences,
The University of Hong Kong,
Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China

E-mail :zhangying310@hotmail.com ; yinghku@gmail.com

Background
Ying Zhang is from Sandong Province, China. She finish her BSc in Horticulture in 2000, then she focused on the research of arbuscular mycorrizal (AM) fungal diversity in Dujiangyang, Sichuan Province. She surveyed the AM fungal diversity under different ecosystems in Dujiangyan. She graduated in 2003, worked in the Mycology and Lichenology Key Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. During that period, she continued working on with the AM fungal diversity research and was responsible for Mycorrhizal Fungal Research in the laboratory. In 2006, she join the Fungal Diversity Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong as a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Kevin D. Hyde, Dr. Stephen B. Pointing and Dr. Rajesh Jeewon.

Education and Training:
• B. Sc (1996-2000), Horticulture Department, Laiyang Agriculture College, China
• MPhil (2000-2003), Horticulture Department, Laiyang Agriculture College / Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Research Interest/Current Projects:
• Pleosporales – including freshwater species
• “Revision of Pleosporales: based on type specimens of each genus”
• Morphological taxonomy, phylogeny and systematics of Ascomycota
• Taxonomy, fungal biodiversity assessment in natural environment and ecological function of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal

Introduction to the Research Topic:
Pleosporales is the largest Order in the class Dothideomycetes (Eriksson, 2005). Fungi in this Order can have saprobic or parasitic life styles, and some of them can even form symbiosis with alga and form lichens. Currently, 13 families, 126 genera, and c.a. 1,400 species were accepted in this order. She is working on a monograph of Pleosporales by examining the type specimens of each genus and other collections. She will fully describe the type specimens and illustrate the genera using photographic plates and line drawings. Fresh material of Pleosporales will also be searched for as well as new and interesting fungi. By examining types and obtaining identical fresh material she can be sure that the materials used in molecular studies are correctly identified. Where necessary epitypes will also be designated using the fresh material as these specimens also have living isolates. Systematic phylogenetic analysis will also be conducted on the type species of the genus with rDNA sequences. The teleomorphs with their anamorphs will also be linked where possible.

Publications:

1. Ying Zhang, Rajesh Jeewon, Jacques Fournier & Kevin D. Hyde (2007) Taxonomy and phylogeny of Amniculicola lignicola gen et sp. nov. from freshwater. Mycological Research (submitted).
2. Ying Zhang & Liang-Dong Guo (2007) Arbuscular mycorrhizal structure and fungi associated with mosses Mycorrhizal 17:319-325.
3. Zhang Ying, Gao Qing-Ming & Guo Liang-Dong (2007) Seven New records of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in China. Mycosystema 26: 174-178.
4. Cai Bang-Ping, Zhang Ying, Chen Jun-Yu, Zhang Qi-Xiang & Guo Liang-Dong (2007) Three new records of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with wild Prunus mume from Tibet in China. Mycosystema 26:36-39.
5. Wei, J.G., Xu, T., Guo, L.D., Liu, A.R. Zhang, Y. & Pan, X.H. (2007). Endophytic Pestalotiopsis species associated with plants of Podocarpaceae, Theaceae and Taxaceae in southern China. Fungal Diversity 24: 55-74.
6. Q-M Gao & Y. Zhang L-D. Guo (2006). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the southeast region of Tibet. Mycosystema 25: 234-243.
7. Y. Zhang & L-D. Guo (2005). Two new records of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in China. Mycosystema 24(3): 465-467.
8. Qiao Hong-Quan, Zhang Ying, Guo Liang-Dong & FU Jun-Fan 2005 Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with most common plants in north Xinjiang Mycosystema 24:130-136.
9. Y. Zhang, L-D. Guo & R-J. Liu. (2004). Survey of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in deforested and natural forest land in subtropical region of Dujiangyan, southwest China. Plant and Soil 261 (1-2): 257-263.
10. Y. Zhang, L-D. Guo & R-J. Liu. (2004). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with common pteridophytes in Dujiangyan, southwest China. Mycorrhiza 14: 25-30.
11. Y. Zhang, L-D. Guo & R-J. Liu. (2003). Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with most common plants in subtropical region of Dujiangyan. Mycosystema 22: 204-210.
12. Zhang Ying, Guo Liang-Dong & Liu Run-Jin. (2003) Diversity and Ecology of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi in Dujiangyan. Acta Phytoecologia Sinica 27 (4): 537-544. (in Chinese).
13. Zhang Ying, Liu Run-Jin & Guo Liang-Dong(2002)Recent Research on Culture Characters of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi. Microbiology 29 (4): 86-90. (in Chinese).

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Jianing Liu Min Jiang Marivic V. Cabanela Mongkol Wongsawas
Subramanya Wang Jing Ying Zhang