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Pufferfish (Takifugu spp.) are rapidly becoming a valuable food commodity across Asia, making the flavour characterization of the different species economically significant. In this study, the flavour characteristics of four cultured pufferfish varieties (T obscurus, T flavidus, T bimaculatus and T rubripes) were evaluated using headspace‐gas chromatography‐ion mobility spectrometry (HS‐GC‐IMS) coupled with an electronic nose and electronic tongue. A total of 37 volatile compounds, primarily aldehydes and alcohols, were identified by HS‐GC‐IMS and used to distinguish the four pufferfish species. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the volatile compound profiles indicated that the four cultivated varieties had unique chemical compositions. PCA of the electronic nose and tongue response data was consistent with HS‐GC‐IMS evaluation and revealed that the aroma and taste of T rubripes were distinct from the other varieties. The collaborative analysis method combining HS‐GC‐IMS and intelligent sensory systems could significantly advance the evaluation of flavour differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing interest in utilization of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) starch in applications fields. Jackfruit has potentials as a source of commercially available starches since it is widely cultivated in Asia, Americas and Caribbean with minimal input costs. As the major component of jackfruit seeds (60–80%, dry matter basis) that accounts for 8–15% of the fruit weight, jackfruit starch is considered as cheap and sustainable carbohydrate source. Jackfruit starch (JS) has great potential for various applications due to the unique structural and functional features. This review aims to highlight the composition, multiscale structure, functional properties, modifications, as well as potential applications of jackfruit starch. In addition, a relationship between functional properties and structure of jackfruit starch is discussed. To expand its potential utilization, future research interests on jackfruit starch are also proposed. JS has high amylose content (22.10–38.34%) makes the JS as a kind of a potential resistant and low digestible starch. JS shows smaller granule size, swelling power and solubility with a round, bell or oval shape. The extraction methods resulted in different components, some properties of JS. The polymorph of JS is A-type. The proportions of short chain are higher than that of cereal starch. JS shows unique structure with high short chains correlated with pasting viscosity. Jackfruit starch has been used as natural source of resistant starch or thicker, gelling agents and stabilizer in food products. Image 1 • Jackfruit starch (JS) shows smaller granule size, swelling power and solubility. • The extraction methods resulted in different components, some properties of JS. • JS has high amylose content, high resistant starch content, low digestibility. • JS shows unique structure with high short chains correlated with pasting viscosity. • The JS can be used in the industries based on its special function properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renewable energy product trade is critically important to global economic prospects and its rapid development, making it a key issue in international economics of much interest to scholars. Previous studies have paid attention to bilateral trade, yet we still know little about the patterns of renewable energy product trade and its evolution from the whole industry perspective. Based on bilateral trade data, complex network, as well as ERGM and TERGM, we build global renewable energy trade networks (GRETNs) during 2000-2018 and explore the patterns and determinants. The results show that (1) the GRETNs expand during 2000-2018, characterized by a small-world, reciprocity, degree disassortative, and export volume heterogeneity. (2) The GRETNs form four communities, and the community patterns greatly fluctuate over time. (3) Economies in North America, Europe, and Asia play dominant roles, while the USA, Germany, and China are the cores of the GRETNs. (4) Endogenous structure of reciprocity, structural embeddedness, and out-degree popularity are essential parts of the evolving patterns of GRETNs. Most trade relationships are developed between economies located within the same continent, participating in APEC or WTO, or having similar areas. There is heterophily in GDP and per capita income, and Matthew effects in GDP, urbanization, and industrialization rate. Countries that share a common geographic border, language, religion, or currency, being former colonies of the same colonialists, and having signed regional trade agreements are more likely to trade in renewable energy products., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The Asia-Pacific region is renowned to harbor nearly half of the global hot spots of biodiversity. Accordingly, many endemic species of boletes have already been recorded from this geographic region. However, the majority of the specific descriptions of reported boletoid species follow classical concepts of taxonomy, and by comparison only a few taxa have been corroborated by modern molecular techniques. In this study, we focused on specimens in a new clade uncovered by our previous studies. By careful reexamination of macroscopic and microscopic characters of Boletus granulopunctatus , originally described from Japan, and Xerocomus mcrobbii , originally described from New Zealand, we discovered a new genus and species Amoenoboletus miraculosus from Sabah, Malaysia. In addition, three new combinations in Amoenoboletus are proposed, and a dichotomous key to species in the genus is provided. The phylogenetically close relationship among Amoenoboletus species suggests a tight geographic correlation in the Asia-Pacific region.

In many East Asia regions, spring (from March to May) precipitation is an important restricting factor to vegetation growth. By analyzing the coupling features of spring NPP with precipitation, the result was found that the response features of NPP to precipitation were mainly embodied within the leading six NPP-precipitation paired-modes. The explanation rates of the leading six paired-modes to the covariance of NPP-precipitation were 42.91, 23.29, 9.96, 5.60, 5.04 and 3.95%, respectively and total to 90.75%. The temporal correlation coefficients of the leading six paired-modes were 0.830, 0.889, 0.841, 0.747, 0.912 and 0.923, respectively and all the correlations were significant at the level of 0.001. In some high altitude regions, there was no obviously corresponding relationship between NPP and precipitation in the leading two paired-modes and the reason of it may be that spring temperature was the main restricting factor to NPP. In middle and low altitude regions, the effect of precipitation on NPP was relatively more notable. Nine atmospheric circulation factors in spring affected the patterns of NPP and precipitation greatly and the affected regions with explanation rate to precipitation and NPP changes over 50% shared 65.58 and 60.41% to the whole study area, respectively.