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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOCs) continue to wreak havoc across the globe. Higher transmissibility and immunologic resistance of VOCs bring unprecedented challenges to epidemic extinguishment. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody, 2G1, that neutralizes all current VOCs and has surprising tolerance to mutations adjacent to or within its interaction epitope. Cryo-electron microscopy structure showed that 2G1 bound to the tip of receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein with small contact interface but strong hydrophobic effect, which resulted in nanomolar to sub-nanomolar affinities to spike proteins. The epitope of 2G1 on RBD partially overlaps with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) interface, which enables 2G1 to block interaction between RBD and ACE2. The narrow binding epitope but high affinity bestow outstanding therapeutic efficacy upon 2G1 that neutralized VOCs with sub-nanomolar half maximal inhibitory concentration in vitro. In SARS-CoV-2, Beta or Delta variant-challenged transgenic mice and rhesus macaque models, 2G1 protected animals from clinical illness and eliminated viral burden, without serious impact to animal safety. Mutagenesis experiments suggest that 2G1 is potentially capable of dealing with emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants in the future. This report characterized the therapeutic antibodies specific to the tip of spike against SARS-CoV-2 variants and highlights the potential clinical applications as well as for developing vaccine and cocktail therapy.

Mining can lead to overburden failure and ground damage, which are more severe in mining shallow buried thick coal seams (SBTCS) under thick aeolian sand (TAS). We attempted to discover characteristics of mining in this particular geological condition through theoretical derivation and numerical simulation, and field monitoring. Theoretical methods, combined with numerical simulation and field monitoring methods, reveal the essence of the development and distribution of surface cracks caused by mining SBTCS and depth to thickness ratio (DTR) to be 13.43, less than 15. The findings show that, when mining SBTCS, the overburden breaks down periodically, the initial collapse distance is greater than the collapse step, approximately 55 m on average, and the collapse step is approximately 45 m, on average, in the Daliuta Coal Mine. The collapsed blocks are stacked into goaf and form “masonry beams”, and many cracks and pores are generated between the blocks. The weak stress of the aeolian sand layer causes the movement angle in the aeolian sand layer to be smaller than that in the bedrock, and leads to much sheer, tension and compression failure on the ground, and the main forms of cracks are compression uplift, tensile cracking, shear step.

Megaselia spiracularis and Dohrniphora cornuta were two forensically important flies in relatively sealed environments. Their mitochondrial genomes were first sequenced, annotated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with other 8 species of the Asehiza in this study. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree revealed that Phoridae is closer to Platypezidae and Lonchopteridae within Diptera. This work increases the databases of Phoridae species, and contributes to the further study of species identification and phylogenetics of this family.

Ultrasound has been successfully adopted to improve the biocatalytic properties of APE1547 (a novel esterase from the archaeon Aeropyrum pernix K1) in the resolution of ibuprofen. After optimizing the conditions (ultrasound power, 200 W; temperature, 35 °C), the best biocatalytic performance of APE1547 (enzyme activity, 5.39 µmol/H/mg; E value, 130.8) was obtained. Compared with the conventional reaction in an orbital shaker, the enzyme activity was significantly enhanced about 90-fold, and the enantioselectivity was enhanced about fourfold after an ultrasound. The results of scanning electron microscopy clearly indicated that the activation effect of ultrasound on APE1547 originated mainly in the morphological change of the enzyme powder. Both lower particle size and conformational change of APE1547 under ultrasound might be helpful to enhance the enantioselectivity. In addition, APE1547 kept its best performance under the low-power ultrasound for at least five reaction cycles.

A new species of the genus Megaselia, M. apifurtiva sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The species was collected from nest of Apis laboriosa Smith 1871 (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

The widely used antibiotic metronidazole (MTZ) was investigated for its toxic effects on the liver of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). The fish were exposed to 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg/L MTZ in water for 30 days, and parameters that are indicative of liver damage and oxidative stress were measured. MTZ increased liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione levels, and elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase. These parameters usually showed significant differences in the 0.5 and 2.5 mg/L MTZ groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings indicated that MTZ induced oxidative stress and caused liver damage in common carp, suggesting that measures should be taken to avoid contamination of surface waters with MTZ.

The genus Telomerina Rohacek 1983 from China is recorded to include five species: Four new species, Telomerina curvibasata sp. nov., T. laterispinata sp. nov., T. levicana sp. nov. and T. tuberculata sp. nov. One new record for Continental China, T. flavipes (Meigen). All new species are described and illustrated. A key to these species is presented.

A first Palaearctic representative of the genus Nearcticorpus Rohacek and Marshall 1982 is described from China (Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region), viz. Nearcticorpus palaearctictum sp. nov. (male only). Based on its description the diagnosis of the genus Nearcticorpus is supplemented. The geographic distribution of the genus is updated and its relations with Puncticorpus Duda, 1918 are discussed.

Bt5198, a new rice restorer line containing Bt gene, was developed from the cross and backcross of the elite restorer line Chenghui 177 with Bt Minghui 63, a transgenic Bt restorer line. The inbred lines were evaluated using PCR amplification, test paper evaluation, insect resistance evaluation in both the laboratory and paddy fields, nursery evaluation of rice blast resistance and pedigree selection of agronomic traits. Larval mortalities on Bt5198 and Bt Minghui 63 were 100% when rice culms were inoculated with the eggs of the striped stem borer (SSB) in the laboratory. Bt5198 was highly resistant against SSB and the yellow stem borer (YSB) under field conditions. The F1 hybrids derived from Bt5198 and four cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines were also highly resistant to SSB and YSB and had a significant heterosis. Two-year evaluation of rice blast resistance confirmed that the resistance levels of Bt5198 to leaf blast and neck blast were similar to those of Chenghui 177 and significantly better than those of Bt Minghui 63. Seed germination ability and pollen yield of Bt5198 were similar with Chenghui 177, suggesting that the introduction of the Bt gene into the new restorer line had no significant effects on seed vitality or the yield of seed production. To identify the presence of the Bt gene, it was effective to combine test paper examination with the evaluation of insect-resistance, both in the laboratory and under field conditions.

The genus Terrilimosina Rohacek is recorded from China for the first time. Five species of the genus Terrilimosina are now known to occur in China, in which two species, Terrilimosina parabrevipexa sp. nov. and Terrilimosina parasmetanai sp. nov. are described as new to science. A key to the known Chinese species is provided.

Nanofiltration (NF) was investigated for the treatment of an electroplating rinse wastewater containing Cu and Cr. Three NF membranes, DL, DK, and NTR-7450, were used in the experiment. Effects of pressure, temperature, and feed pH on membrane performance were investigated. With the rise of pressure, flux decline with time for DL and DK membranes was obvious. Flux of NTR-7450 membrane was stable at different pressure in the experiment. With the increase of pressure, the Cr and Cu rejections of three NF membranes increased slightly. With the rise of temperature, the permeate flux increased and rejections of Cr and Cu did not change obviously in the scope of this experiment. The change of flux with feed pH was not great generally. The permeate flux was minimum around the isoelectric points of the membranes. The Cr and Cu rejections for the feed with pH more than 7 were greater than that for the feed with pH less than 7. In the latter stage of the NF concentration process, flux decline behaviors of membranes were obvious. Stability investigation results showed that DK membrane had better stability in the raw electroplating wastewater with pH 2.32 than DL membrane.

A review of the genus Minilimosina Roháček, 1983 of China, comprising 16 species, is given, with data about types, published descriptions and figures, and distributions. A key to the Chinese species of the genus Minilimosina is provided and three new species are described and illustrated: M. gracilenta Su sp. nov., M. parafanta Su sp. nov. and M. tapiehella Su sp. nov.. The male of M. archboldi Marshall, 1985 is redescribed. Females of M. luteola Su, 2011 and M. cornigera RoháčekMarshall, 1988 are described and illustrated for the first time. Phylogenetic relationships of M. cerciseta Su, 2011, M. luteola Su, 2011, M. obtusispina Su, 2013, M. quadrispinosa Su, 2011, M. gracilenta Su sp. nov., M. parafanta Su sp. nov. and M. tapiehella Su sp. nov. are discussed.

Three new species, Megaselia cornipalpis sp. nov., M. lacunitarsalis sp. nov. and M. trimacula sp. nov. are described and illustrated from mainland China. A checklist of species of genus Megaselia recorded from mainland China is provided.

Ultrasound has been successfully adopted to improve the biocatalytic properties of APE1547 (a novel esterase from the archaeon Aeropyrum pernix K1) in the resolution of ibuprofen. After optimizing the conditions (ultrasound power, 200 W; temperature, 35 °C), the best biocatalytic performance of APE1547 (enzyme activity, 5.39 µmol/H/mg; E value, 130.8) was obtained. Compared with the conventional reaction in an orbital shaker, the enzyme activity was significantly enhanced about 90-fold, and the enantioselectivity was enhanced about fourfold after an ultrasound. The results of scanning electron microscopy clearly indicated that the activation effect of ultrasound on APE1547 originated mainly in the morphological change of the enzyme powder. Both lower particle size and conformational change of APE1547 under ultrasound might be helpful to enhance the enantioselectivity. In addition, APE1547 kept its best performance under the low-power ultrasound for at least five reaction cycles.

Two new species, Phora rostrata and P. concava, collected in Ningxia, China are described and illustrated. In addition, P. amplifrons is reported for the first time in China and a key is provided for the Chinese species of Phora.

Insects are the only flying animals among invertebrates, but also the earliest animals with wings in animal kingdom. The presence of wings not only expands the insects’ activity and distribution scope, but also enhances their speed, which brings superiority and competence in variety of aspects such as foraging, calling, finding places for spawning, winters and summers, avoiding predators and so on. Wing is an important condition for insecta to become the most prosperous biological community. Among various insects, wings experienced a wide range of variation, so the characteristics of wings have become an important basis for the study of insect classification and evolution.