Microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been proposed as a sustainable approach to solve various environmental, structural, geotechnical and architectural issues. In the last decade, a ubiquitous microbial metabolism, nitrate reduction (also known as denitrification) got attention in MICP research due to its unique added benefits such as simultaneous corrosion inhibition in concrete and desaturation of porous media. The latter even upgraded MICP into a more advanced concept called microbially induced desaturation and precipitation (MIDP) which is being investigated for liquefaction mitigation. In this paper, we present the findings on MICP through denitrification by covering applications under two main titles: (i) applications solely based on MICP, such as soil reinforcement, development of microbial self-healing concrete, restoration of artwork and historical monuments, and industrial wastewater treatment, (ii) an application based on MIDP: liquefaction mitigation. After explaining the denitrification process in detail and describing the MICP and MIDP reaction system occurring through denitrification metabolism, the most recent advances in each potential field of application are collected, addressing the novel findings and limitations, to provide insights toward the practical applications in situ. Finally, the research needs required to deal with the defined challenges in application-oriented upscaling and optimization of MICP through denitrification are suggested. Overall, collected research findings revealed that MICP through denitrification possesses a great potential to replace conventionally used petrochemical-based, labour intensive, destructive and economically unfeasible techniques used in construction industry with a bio-based, labourless, low-carbon technology. This worldwide applicable bio-based technology will facilitate the sustainable development and contribute to the carbon-emission-reduction.

Panzhousaurus rotundirostris Jiang, Lin, Rieppel, Motani and Sun, 2019, is restudied on the basis of a second specimen from the Upper Member of the Guanling Formation near Panzhou City, Guizhou Province, China. The second specimen offers hitherto unknown or unconfirmed information regarding the dermal palate, the ventral aspect of the cervical vertebrae, and the hind limbs, thus permitting a refinement of the diagnosis. Newly added or modified diagnostic characters include paired frontals with no posterolateral process, elongated and slender phalanges in the manus and pes, and a phalangeal formula of 3-4-5-4-3 for the manus, and 2-3-4-5-3 for the pes. A new phylogenetic analysis of Eosauropterygia demonstrates that Pachypleurosauridae is the sister taxon of Eusauropterygia, and the monophyly of these groups as traditionally upheld is confirmed. Panzhousaurus is most closely related to Dianopachysaurus and Keichousaurus within Pachypleurosauridae. In this study, the monophyletic Pistosauroidea excludes Corosaurus and Cymatosaurus. The latter two genera are found to form a monophyletic clade that represents the basal-most members of Eusauropterygia, which is in accordance with their stratigraphic distribution.

A new specimen of Lariosaurus xingyiensis is described and provides new information on the dermal palate of the skull and the postcranial skeleton. Based on a comprehensive comparison with the holotype specimen, an amended diagnosis of L. xingyiensis is given on the basis of the following features: a medium-sized species of Lariosaurus with jugal absent, longitudinal diameter of upper temporal fenestra about 1.7 times longitudinal diameter of orbit, retroarticular process elongate, clavicles without anterolaterally expanded corners, posterior scapular process (blade) slender and elongate, humerus distinctly shorter than femur, and dorsal process of ilium with distinct tubercular ornamentation. Two phylogenetic analyses of Nothosauridae demonstrate that Nothosaurus as previously conceived is not monophyletic whereas Lariosaurus is a monophylum. Three species previously referred to Nothosaurus are more closely related to Lariosaurus and are hereby reassigned to Lariosaurus, namely, L. juvenilis, L. youngi, and L. winkelhorsti. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Lin, W.-B., D.-Y. Jiang, O. Rieppel, R. Motani, C. Ji, A. Tintori, Z.-Y. Sun, and M. Zhou. 2017. A new specimen of Lariosaurus xingyiensis (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the Ladinian (Middle Triassic) Zhuganpo Member, Falang Formation, Guizhou, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2017.1278703.

—Eosauropterygians rapidly diversified in the Anisian (Middle Triassic), a period by which the invertebrates had already completely recovered from the end-Permian mass extinction. The Pelsonian (Anisian) deposits of the small Panxian and Luoping intraplatform basins in southwestern China alone yielded seven or more eosauropterygian taxa. A new Middle Triassic sauropterygian, Panzhousaurus rotundirostris, gen. et sp. nov., is here described based on an almost complete skeleton from the middle Anisian (Middle Triassic) of Panzhou (Guizhou Province, southwestern China). The upper temporal fenestra smaller than the orbit, the broad and flat parietal table, the cervical ribs with two proximal articular heads, the pachyostotic proximal ends of the dorsal ribs, and the unexpanded sacral ribs indicate that the specimen is a pachypleurosaur-like eosauropterygian. The new species also shows some differences from all other eosauropterygians, such as a rounded and shortened snout, 24 cervical and 20 dorsal vertebrae, a straight ulna with a concave posterior margin, and four distal carpals. Phylogenetic analysis also reveals that Panzhousaurus is an eosauropterygian, closely related to pachypleurosaur-like forms. The discovery of Panzhousaurus enriches our knowledge of the diversity of the Panxian fauna and provides new information to test phylogenetic relationships among known eosauropterygians. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:682A4FDD-C048-469F-867A-9F1D5847BD5A Supplemental Data—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Jiang, D.-Y., W.-B. Lin, O. Rieppel, R. Motani, and Z.-Y. Sun. 2019. A new Anisian (Middle Triassic) eosauropterygian (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from Panzhou, Guizhou Province, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI:10.1080/02724634.2018.1480113.

In this research, the microbial‐induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique combined with cement was proposed to improve the physical and mechanical properties of silt. A series of comparative experiments of the MICP technique combined with cement treatments on silt (MICP‐reinforced soil‐cement) were conducted. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS), internal friction angle, cohesive force, and ultrasonic velocity of the silt treated with the MICP technique combined with cement were higher than those treated with cement. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests showed that the cement hydration products cemented the silt into agglomerates and formed a skeleton, and the calcite produced by the MICP process covered the surface of the agglomerates and filled the silt pores and cemented the particles, which played a role in increasing the strength of the specimens. In addition, the products and reactants of MICP accelerated the hydration reaction of the cement and played a role in the curing system consistent with carbonate‐based and alkaline earth metal–based early‐strengthening agents. The results of this study will provide basic theoretical and experimental data for the research and application of microbe‐based treatment approaches for silt.

The analysis and design of single piles subjected to lateral load are very important. The traditional expression for calculating rotational stiffness coefficient is too complex, and it needs large amount of computation. This paper proposes a new approach for getting rotational stiffness coefficient of pile hinged on top under moment load. It has been proved that the new method is the equivalent of traditional method of calculating rotational stiffness coefficient using power series. A case study shows that the same answer can be gotten in calculating rotational stiffness coefficient by the two methods. However, a large computational cost can be reduced by the new method.