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Abstract Simultaneous electromagnetic field probing system (SEMPS) has been popular in recent years. Herein, a simultaneous electromagnetic field probing system with Y‐shaped separation detection structure (SEMPS Y) is first proposed, in which the electric field probing region and the magnetic field probing region of the probe are separated by completely covering the shield along the loop and adding a pin‐shaped metal wire to capture the electric field, which are not the same as the classical dual probe structure. Combined with the non‐rotating asymmetric calibration method (NRACM), a 4‐port vector network analyser (VNA) and a highly symmetric grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) calibrator are used to solve the calibration matrix of the asymmetric SEMPS Y. The high symmetry GCPW calibrator is used to generate the standard electromagnetic field for calibration. The results of standing wave measurements show that the SEMPS Y can achieve ultrawideband electromagnetic field measurement of up to 20 GHz. Based on near‐field scanning measurements, SEMP Y can obtain results consistent with the calculation. In addition, when the probe is rotated 90° to invalidate the H‐field input, the decoupling curves of E‐field and H‐field are measured. Results show that the separation detection structure can effectively solve the cross‐coupling problem.

This study evaluates the antioxidative potential of crude and chemically modified polysaccharides derived from Lycium barbarum L. leaves to enhance the thermal stability of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) during extended storage and heating. Natural polysaccharides were modified using ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide to improve their antioxidative properties, providing a potential alternative to synthetic antioxidants. EVOO samples treated with these polysaccharides were subjected to accelerated oxidation at 60 °C for eight weeks to simulate extended storage conditions.Oxidative stability was assessed through multiple parameters, including peroxide value (PV), P-Anisidine value (p-AV), acidity value (AV, calculated as twice the free fatty acid content), iodine value (IV), and free fatty acids (FFA). Results showed that modified polysaccharides significantly improved the oxidative stability of EVOO. After eight weeks, the peroxide value of EVOO treated with modified polysaccharides decreased by 35 % compared to the untreated control, and the free fatty acid content remained at 0.46 %, well below the European Union limit of 0.8 %. Additionally, the modified polysaccharides demonstrated 95.2 % DPPH radical scavenging activity, significantly higher than the 88.7 % observed for crude polysaccharides (p

Fishborne trematode (FBT) is an important group of parasites that are endemic worldwide to a certain extent. However, despite the epidemiological significance, the species and phylogenetic evolution characteristics of FBT metacercariae have not been well studied. In this study, a total of 600 Pseudorasbora parva (P. parva) specimens were collected from Qiqihar, 61.8% (371/600) were found to be infected with trematode metacercariae. A total of three kinds of trematodes metacercariae were obtained, and they were identified as Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis), Metorchis orientalis (M. orientalis), and Metorchis taiwanensis (M. taiwanensis) by morphological and phylogenetic analysis with infection rates of 47.7% (286/600), 15.5% (93/600), and 23.7% (142/600), respectively. Meanwhile, a survey of the three trematodes metacercariae showed that the infection rate of C. sinensis metacercariae was the highest in September, up to 66% (66/100), and the lowest in June at 26% (26/100). The infection rate of M. orientalis metacercariae was the highest in October at 26% (26/100) and the lowest in June at 5% (5/100). The infection rate of M. taiwanensis metacercariae was at its peak in November at 36% (36/100) and the lowest in July at 15% (15/100). The co-infection of metacercariae of C. sinensis and M. taiwanensis was the most common and reached a peak in October, and their infection rate was higher in autumn than in summer. The peak of infection intensity of metacercariae for C. sinensis, M. orientalis, and M. taiwanensis were different: C. sinensis was 24/g in September, M. orientalis was 7/g in October, and M. taiwanensis was 10/g in November. From the above results, it was confirmed that three species of trematodes metacercaria played an important role in infection of second intermediate hosts in Qiqihar region. Studying the morphological characteristics and sequencing the ITS2 gene for a phylogenetic tree of them will be useful for future molecular evolution, biology, and ecology of trematode metacercariae.

To carry out cell counting, it is common to use neural network models with an encoder-decoder structure to generate regression density maps. In the encoder-decoder structure, skip connections are usually used to retain detailed features. However, skip connections introduce to the encoder multiple reverse propagation paths; the backward propagation gradients along these paths exhibit significant semantic differences, which affect the encoder’s training process and may lead to adverse effects. To remedy this problem, we propose a path-gradient controlling network for cell counting. First, a novel reverse gradient control module is proposed to balance the impact on the encoder of the backward propagation signal from the skip connections. Second, to eliminate noise in the feature maps of the encoder output, the convolutional and channel attention modules are used on the shallowest layer’s skip connection. Finally, we utilise depthwise convolution to reduce information loss during the downsampling process, and we use depthwise separable transposed convolution as the upsampling method to mitigate overfitting. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art techniques such as MSCA-UNet, Two-Path Net, SAU-Net, and Cell-Net in terms of the mean absolute error (MAE) metric on four publicly available cell-counting benchmark datasets. Our model performs better on the synthetic bacterial (VGG) dataset (1.9 ± 0.1) than does the MSCA-UNet (2.0 ± 0.2). On the Modified Bone Marrow (MBM) dataset, our model (3.7 ± 0.2) outperforms SAU-Net (5.7 ± 1.2). On the human subcutaneous adipose tissue (ADI) dataset, our model, with (8.9 ± 0.3), surpasses MSCA-UNet with (9.8 ± 0.7). On the Dublin Cell Counting (DCC) dataset, our model achieves (2.4 ± 0.2) and outperforms SAU-Net with (3.0 ± 0.3). The source code of our method is available at https://github.com/mona-aliye/PGC-Net.

Abstract Driven by the development of energy storage systems (EESs), finding alternative anode materials forlithium‐ion batteries to replace the general carbon materials is becoming a hot research topic in the world. Using the metal oxides, metal sulfides, metal phosphides, metal selenides belonging to the conversion type and Sn, Sb, Bi, Ge, P and Si belonging to the alloy storage type seems to be a preferred option. Nevertheless, the demerits such as volume expansion and bad conductivity of alternative materials restrict their practical application. Carbon covering is an efficacious strategy to deal with the aforementioned issues because it can restrict the volume expansion and improve the conductivity of the composite materials effectively. This present review paper comprehensively describes the suitable carbon resources and preparation methods for expanding the practical applications of materials belonging to the conversion type and ally type in fabrications of negative electrodes.

The function of the turbo-pump shaft within the liquid rocket engine is rendered exceedingly complex due to the operation in an environment characterized by drastically low temperatures, elevated velocities, and high pressures. Given these operational conditions, it is highly plausible that a two-phase flow might form within the liquid film located on the terminal face of the mechanical seal. This liquid-vapor mixture significantly modifies the fluid lubrication pattern across the end faces and poses consequential implications on the overall sealing stability. In this study, the phase change characteristics of the fluid in the seal clearance were investigated based on the Laminar and Mixture multi-phase flow models in a spiral groove mechanical seal. The behaviors of two-phase flow characteristics and phase transition under extreme temperature, rotational speed and pressure with liquid nitrogen media were studied. The sealing performance was quantified through metrics including the leakage rate, opening force, and internal gas phase volume ratio. The findings offered valuable insights into the role of operational conditions in influencing the phase change of the liquid film. Moreover, we discerned and explicated the intricate interconnections between the leakage rate, the opening force, and the phase change behavior of the liquid film.

Summary: Wax gland complex (WGC) serves as the primary generator of beeswax; however, the dynamic biological function in wax secretion remains unclear. To elucidate the developmental mechanism of WGC, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to reveal the variations in proteins and metabolites among the newly emerged bee (NEB), wax-secreting bee (WSB), and overaged bee (OAB). We identified 3,295 proteins and 159 metabolites in WGC. Specifically, NEB elevated the expression of ribosomal proteins for preparing the glandular organ. While WSB promoted the size of epidermal cells and oenocytes, the enrichment of fatty acids and energy metabolism in WSB suggested a strong ability in wax synthesis. In OAB, disorganized wax tubules, and up-regulated cysteine proteases reflected the gland degeneration. These findings highlight the dynamic changes in the level of molecule and morphological structure in WGC, offering valuable insights into the development and mechanism of wax secretion in honeybees and other wax insects.

Abstract Temperature has an important influence on plant growth and development. In protected agriculture production, accurate prediction of temperature environment is of great significance. However, due to the time series, nonlinear and multi coupling characteristics of temperature, it is difficult to achieve accurate prediction. We proposed a method for building a solar greenhouse temperature prediction model based on a timeseries analysis, that considers the time series characteristics and dynamic temperature changes in the greenhouse system. The method would predict the temperature of greenhouse, and provide reference for the temperature change law in protected agriculture. A parameter analysis was performed on the nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) neural network, and a solar greenhouse temperature time series prediction model was established using the NARX regression neural network. The results showed that the proposed model depicted a maximum absolute error of 0.67 °C, and model correlation coefficient of 0.9996. Compared with the wavelet and BP neural networks, the NARX regression neural network accurately predicted and significantly outperformed in the solar greenhouse temperature prediction model. Moreover, the prediction model can accurately predict temperature trends within the solar greenhouse and is pivotal to obtaining precise control of solar greenhouse temperature.

Abstract Background The overall survival for patients with resectable PDAC following curative surgical resection hasn’t been improved significantly, as a considerable proportion of patients develop recurrence within a year. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model to assess recurrence risk in patients with PDAC after upfront surgery by using preoperative clinical data and CT characteristics. Methods The predictive model was developed based on a retrospective set of 141 pancreatic cancer patients after surgery. A separate set of 77 patients was used to validate model. Between January 2017 and December 2019, all patients underwent multidetector pancreatic CT and upfront surgery. Univariable and multivariate Cox regression was used to determine the risk factors related to recurrence and then establish a nomogram to estimate the 1-year recurrence probability. The Harrell C-index was employed in evaluating the discrimination and calibration of the model. Results A total of 218 patients in this retrospective cohort. A recurrence model in nomogram form was developed with predictors including tumor size (hazard ratio [HR], 1.277; 95% CI 1.098, 1.495; P = 0.002), tumor density in the portal vein phase (HR, 0.598; 95% CI 0.424, 0.844; P = 0.003), peripancreatic infiltration (HR, 4.151; 95% CI 2.077, 8.298; P

Abstract Background Takeda G protein receptor 5 (TGR5) is widely recognized as a potential drug target for the treatment of metabolic diseases. TGR5 is not only a metabolic regulator, but also has a potential role that participating in developing and progressing of gastrointestinal cancer. We aimed to investigate the potential role of TGR5 in pancreatic cancer by utilizing molecular experiments and the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based metabolomics. Methods Herein, we assessed pancreatic cancer proliferation, migration and invasion in response to TGR5 antagonist SBI-115 in vitro experiments. Cell death was examined by using TUNEL assay on agarose-embedded sections. Then we investigated the effects of TGR5 on PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, LC–MS-based metabolomics was performed to explore the potential underlying mechanisms of TGR5 in pancreatic cancer. The correlations between TGR5 and the metabolism-related genes were further analysed by GEPIA 2 database. Results We found the proliferation capacities were decreased significantly in PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells after the treatment of SBI-115 for 48 h. The results of TUNEL assay showed that antagonism of TGR5 by SBI-115 had a remarkable effect on inducing cell death. Analysis of TEM demonstrated that SBI-115 treatment could impair the morphology of mitochondria in most PANC-1 and BXPC3 cells. The LC–MS-based analyses revealed that antagonism of TGR5 could alter the metabolic profiles of PANC-1 cells in vitro. Moreover, TGR5 was associated with some metabolism-related genes in pancreatic cancer. Conclusion Our data suggests that antagonism of TGR5 may suppress cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. TGR5 may affect the metabolism of pancreatic cancer, and TGR5 would be an attractive target for pancreatic cancer treatment.

This paper presents a constant-frequency multi-variable coordinated control strategy based on a series-series compensated dual-active-bridge wireless-power-transfer converter to eliminate real-time wireless feedback communication (RTWFC) and optimize efficiency. The use of switch-controlled capacitors as the primary and secondary resonant capacitors allows the continuous change of the compensation capacitance for the inverter soft-switching and reactance matching, respectively. The output voltage is regulated by tuning the phase-shift angle in the active rectifier bridge. The optimal load resistance for efficiency improvement is matched by adjusting the phase difference between the rectifier voltage and current based on the load and mutual inductance estimation. Moreover, the phase shift of the inverter, which is load-independent, and the coupling coefficient between the coils are positively correlated. Nevertheless, the drawbacks of the proposed control strategy are that optimal load matching is only valid for heavy load and constant current cannot be realized while keeping the constraint of the decoupled control. The proposed control strategy is experimentally validated on a prototype. The efficiency improvement is 5% compared to the conventional voltage tuning with a diode rectifier at the rated output power and in the normal position, and the peak efficiency reaches 93.6% at a 24 V output under the coupling coefficient of 0.3. In addition, a faster transient response was demonstrated in the proposed control strategy without RTWFC for output regulation.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a popular functional food with a wealth of health-promoting effects. Over 90% of the global RJ is produced in China mainly by a high RJ-producing honeybee (RJB) strain that can accept and feed a great number of queen larvae for RJ production. To elucidate RJ changes due to queen cell numbers (QCNs), we compared the yield, larval acceptance rate, metabolic and proteomic profiles, and antioxidant activities of RJ from 1 to 5 strips of queen cells (64 per strip) in RJB colonies. As QCNs increased, the larval acceptance rate was not found to vary (p = 0.269) whereas the RJ weight per cell began to significantly decline in the 5-strip colonies (p

Abstract This paper develops an active magnetic near field probe (H‐field probe) by using a four‐layer printed circuit board (PCB) technique. Two‐turn detection structure and a low noise amplifier are used to improve probe's frequency response. The two‐turn detection structure can maximize the use of PCB stack resources, and a 14.5 dB gain amplifier can increase signal output capability. The probe can then be used for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) test from 150 kHz to 3 GHz. Compared with traditional active shielded‐loop H‐field probe (TAHP) with loop area of 500 μm2, the frequency response of the proposed probe can improve 20 dB at 0.5 GHz. Different from the method of comparing the sensitivity of the probe only through the frequency response, this paper measures and analyzes the real sensitivity of the probing device composed of the proposed probe. Under the condition of the same receiver parameter setting, the sensitivity at 0.5 GHz is increased by 11.7 dB compared with commercial passive probing device and 20.2 dB at 0.5 GHz compared with the probing device with TAHP device. It reaches −32.4 dB μA. In addition, the proposed probe has acceptable spatial resolution of 1.28 mm at 1 GHz, which is more suitable for printed circuit board level EMI analysis.

Abstract Background The construction of a nanoimmune controlled-release system that spatiotemporally recognizes tumor lesions and stimulates the immune system response step by step is one of the most potent cancer treatment strategies for improving the sensitivity of immunotherapy response. Results Here, a composite nanostimulator (CNS) was constructed for the release of second near-infrared (NIR-II) photothermal-mediated immune agents, thereby achieving spatiotemporally controllable photothermal-synergized immunotherapy. CNS nanoparticles comprise thermosensitive liposomes as an outer shell and are internally loaded with a NIR-II photothermal agent, copper sulfide (CuS), toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9) agonist, cytosine-phospho-guanine oligodeoxynucleotides, and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors (JQ1). Following NIR-II photoirradiation, CuS enabled the rapid elevation of localized temperature, achieving tumor ablation and induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) as well as disruption of the lipid shell, enabling the precise release of two immune-therapeutical drugs in the tumor region. Combining ICD, TLR-9 stimulation, and inhibited expression of PD-L1 allows the subsequent enhancement of dendritic cell maturation and increases infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, facilitating regional antitumor immune responses. Conclusion CNS nanoparticle-mediated photothermal-synergized immunotherapy efficiently suppressed the growth of primary and distant tumors in two mouse models and prevented pulmonary metastasis. This study thus provides a novel sight into photo-controllably safe and efficient immunotherapy. Graphical Abstract

The projection objective lens holds a pivotal role in lithography, directly influencing imaging system quality and, consequently, the lithography machine’s feature dimensions. Optical inspection methods for this lens require advancements in calibrating systematic error and enhancing alignment precision of auxiliary devices, given their impact on calibration accuracy. In the random averaging method, random ball can give rise to additional wavefront aberrations due to misalignment and numerical aperture mismatch. To mitigate these aberrations and enhance the accuracy of systematic error calibration, this paper introduces a random ball residual compensation (RBRC) model. Additionally, when combined with the random averaging technique, it elevates the calibration accuracy of the measured lens’s wavefront aberrations. The experimental results underscore the method’s effectiveness, accurately determining optical component eccentricities and numerical aperture errors. After eliminating these errors, more accurate values of lens wavefront aberrations are achieved. This research significantly contributes to enhancing error calibration of lithography objective lens systems.

Reproduction involves the investment of resources into offspring. Although variation in reproductive effort often affects the number of offspring, adjustments of propagule size are also found in numerous species, including the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera. However, the proximate causes of these adjustments are insufficiently understood, especially in oviparous species with complex social organization in which adaptive evolution is shaped by kin selection. Here, we show in a series of experiments that queens predictably and reversibly increase egg size in small colonies and decrease egg size in large colonies, while their ovary size changes in the opposite direction. Additional results suggest that these effects cannot be solely explained by egg-laying rate and are due to the queens’ perception of colony size. Egg-size plasticity is associated with quantitative changes of 290 ovarian proteins, most of which relate to energy metabolism, protein transport, and cytoskeleton. Based on functional and network analyses, we further study the small GTPase Rho1 as a candidate regulator of egg size. Spatio-temporal expression analysis via RNAscope and qPCR supports an important role of Rho1 in egg-size determination, and subsequent RNAi-mediated gene knockdown confirmed that Rho1 has a major effect on egg size in honey bees. These results elucidate how the social environment of the honey bee colony may be translated into a specific cellular process to adjust maternal investment into eggs. It remains to be studied how widespread this mechanism is and whether it has consequences for population dynamics and epigenetic influences on offspring phenotype in honey bees and other species.

Electrochemical sensors actually involve an electrocatalytic process involving an efficient and selective energy conversion that is related to the morphology and size of the interface of the modified materials. Ultrasmall nanoclusters or single atoms generate a greater catalytic ability than normal nanomaterials. In this study biochar-supported Cu nanoclusters (CuNCs@CNFs) were fabricated via a carbon confinement synthesis method toward ultrasensitive electrochemical sensing of ractopamine (RAC). RAC is a β-adrenergic receptor agonist that is illegally used as a feed additive to significantly improve muscle accretion, resulting in RAC accumulation in meat-based food products. The unique structure of CuNCs@CNFs and the interconnectivity between the CuNCs and the CNFs enable the nanocomposite to significantly enhance conductivity and electrocatalytic activity. Using the CuNCs@CNFs-based sensor, RAC was determined with a high sensitivity of 1641 μA μM−1 cm−2. The feasibility of detecting RAC in spiked meat samples was also carried out with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 91.39 % to 94.58 %.

Common autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs) include pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid (BP), which are primarily caused by IgG autoantibodies against the structural proteins of desmosomes at the cell–cell junction and hemidesmosomes at the epidermal–dermal junction. Few studies have assessed nail changes in patients with pemphigus or BP. In the present study, we collected the clinical data of 191 patients with AIBDs (108 patients with pemphigus and 83 patients with BP) and 200 control subjects. Nail changes were observed in 77.0% (147/191), 77.8% (84/108), and 75.9% (63/83) of patients with AIBDs, pemphigus, and BP, respectively, and 14.5% (29/200) of control subjects. Beau's lines and paronychia were the most common nail involvement, observed in 22.5% (43/191) and 22.5% (43/191) of patients with AIBDs, 25.0% (27/108) and 25.9% (28/108) of patients with pemphigus, 19.3% (16/83) and 18.1% (15/83) of patients with BP, respectively. The autoimmune bullous skin disorder intensity score (ABSIS) and the onset time of patients with pemphigus or BP with nail changes were different. Onychomycosis accounted for 21.5% (41/191) of all patients with AIBDs. The ABSIS was correlated with nail involvement in patients with BP (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), and weakly correlated with nail involvement in patients with AIBDs (r = 0.37, p < 0.001), pemphigus (r = 0.29, p = 0.009), and pemphigus vulgaris (PV; r = 0.35, p = 0.008). No correlation was observed between nail involvement and disease antibody titers. In conclusion, nail changes are frequently observed in patients with pemphigus and BP. The type and onset time of nail changes may indicate the severity of pemphigus and BP, which warrants the attention of dermatologists.

Protein phosphorylation is known to regulate a comprehensive scenario of critical cellular processes. However, phosphorylation-mediated regulatory networks in honey bee embryogenesis are mainly unknown. We identified 6342 phosphosites from 2438 phosphoproteins and predicted 168 kinases in the honey bee embryo. Generally, the worker and drone develop similar phosphoproteome architectures and major phosphorylation events during embryogenesis. In 24 h embryos, protein kinases A play vital roles in regulating cell proliferation and blastoderm formation. At 48–72 h, kinase subfamily dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), and induced pathways related to protein synthesis and morphogenesis suggest the centrality to enhance the germ layer development, organogenesis, and dorsal closure. Notably, workers and drones formulated distinct phosphoproteome signatures. For 24 h embryos, the highly phosphorylated serine/threonine-protein kinase minibrain, microtubule-associated serine/threonine-protein kinase 2 (MAST2), and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) at Thr564 in workers, are likely to regulate the late onset of cell proliferation; in contrast, drone embryos enhanced the expression of CDK12, MAPK3, and MAST2 to promote the massive synthesis of proteins and cytoskeleton. In 48 h, the induced serine/threonine-protein kinase and CDK12 in worker embryos signify their roles in the construction of embryonic tissues and organs; however, the highly activated kinases CDK1, raf homolog serine/threonine-protein kinase, and MAST2 in drone embryos may drive the large-scale establishment of tissues and organs. In 72 h, the activated pathways and kinases associated with cell growth and tissue differentiation in worker embryos may promote the configuration of rudimentary organs. However, kinases implicated in cytoskeleton organization in drone embryos may drive the blastokinesis and dorsal closure. Our hitherto most comprehensive phosphoproteome offers a valuable resource for signaling research on phosphorylation dynamics in honey bee embryos.

Camellia bee pollen (CBP) is a major kind of bee product which is collected by honeybees from tea tree (Camellia sinensis L.) flowers and agglutinated into pellets via oral secretion. Due to its special healthcare value, the authenticity of its botanical origin is of great interest. This study aimed at distinguishing CBP from other bee pollen, including rose, apricot, lotus, rape, and wuweizi bee pollen, based on a non-targeted metabolomics approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Among the bee pollen groups, 54 differential compounds were identified, including flavonol glycosides and flavone glycosides, catechins, amino acids, and organic acids. A clear separation between CBP and all other samples was observed in the score plots of the principal component analysis, indicating distinctive metabolic profiles of CBP. Notably, L-theanine (864.83–2204.26 mg/kg) and epicatechin gallate (94.08–401.82 mg/kg) were identified exclusively in all CBP and were proposed as marker compounds of CBP. Our study unravels the distinctive metabolic profiles of CBP and provides specific and quantified metabolite indicators for the assessment of authentic CBP.

The most important honey bee queen food royal jelly is produced by the exocrine hypopharyngeal glands (HGs) of the worker honey bees. The HGs exhibits diverse gene and protein that create age-related physiological adaptations. However, limited knowledge is available on how the phosphorylation process is responsible for physiological alterations across the development of HGs in newly emerged bees. This study measured the acinus of HGs and characterized its phosphoproteomics analysis between the newly emerged bees of royal jelly bees (RJBs) and Italian bees (ITBs). Phosphopeptides of HGs were enriched by Ti4+-IMAC reagents, followed by protein identification via Q-Exactive LC-MS/MS. Our findings indicated that the mean acinus size of HGs of newly emerged bees of RJBs was significantly larger (56.18 ± 1.72 µm) than ITBs (45.98 ± 1.62 µm). A total of 1576 phosphopeptides with 1800 phosphosites containing 525 phosphoproteins were identified in RJBs, while 746 phosphopeptides, of which 846 phosphosites correspond to 317 phosphoproteins were identified in ITBs. Most proteins were phosphorylated on 1 residue followed by 2 and 3 residues in newly emerged bees of both bee stocks. In addition, serine phosphorylation was most observed, followed by threonine and tyrosine in both bee stocks. In newly emerged bees of RJBs, the protein metabolic process, glycolytic process, and formation of translation preinitiation were uniquely enriched, while protein translation, peptide metabolic process and elongation were enriched in ITBs. This research shows detailed phosphorylation of HGs and provides helpful information for understanding the biological activities of HGs development in newly emerged bees from both bee stocks.

Metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is becoming epidemic both in developing and developed countries in recent years. Vegetable and fruit consumptions have been associated with the prevention of metabolic syndrome. Pomegranate is a widely consumed fruit in Middle East and Asia. Currently, accumulating data showed that pomegranate exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities in experimental and clinical studies. The beneficial effects of pomegranate may come from its rich polyphenols and be mediated by increasing the activity of AMPK, upregulating GLUT4, activating PPARγ- ABCA1/CYP7A1 pathways and improving mitochondrial function. This review provides a systematical presentation of findings on the beneficial effects as well as the possible mechanisms of pomegranate and its major components on prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome.

Fe7S8@C composite materials are facilely fabricated using the gelatin, FeSO4·7H2O and Na2S·9H2O by one-step method. The obtained Fe7S8@C composite materials show the fabulous rate performances and cycling performances, when controlling the carbon contents in Fe7S8@C composite materials. For instance, the Fe7S8@C-40 shows the cycling performance at 657.3 mAh/g, after carrying out the charge-discharge cycles 400 times. These electrochemical performances lead us to consider our provided preparation method is the effective way to facilitate the application of Fe7S8@C in fabrication of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) as negative electrode materials.

The effects of storage temperature (4°C, 25°C, and 35°C) on sensory quality, physicochemical properties, texture, molecular forces, flavor, and microbial indexes of preserved eggs were studied. The results showed that the sensory quality, weight loss rate, pH, and color of preserved eggs were significantly different at different storage temperatures (P < 0.05). Compared with high temperature and normal temperature storage, low temperature storage reduced weight loss rate by 55.15 and 64.1%, respectively, improved the sensory score (P < 0.05), inhibited the reduction of pH and the increase of total volatile base nitrogen (P < 0.05), and decreased the change of color (P < 0.05). During storage, there was no difference in the springiness of preserved egg white stored at different temperatures (P > 0.05). Hardness and chewiness at 3 different temperatures increased first and then decreased, and low temperature significantly inhibited the progress of these changes to a certain extent (P < 0.05). The content of ionic bond in egg white first decreased and then increased, and content of disulfide bond increased first and then decreased. Content of ionic bond in yolk decreased all the time, and high temperature could promote this change. Whatever the temperature was, the content of free amino acids in preserved egg white and yolk increased first and then decreased, and the total content of amino acids stored at different temperatures was significantly different (P

10-Hydroxydec-2-enoic acid (10-HDA), an unsaturated hydroxyl fatty acid from the natural food royal jelly, can protect against cell and tissue damage, yet the underlying mechanisms are still unexplored. We hypothesized that the neutralization of the hydroxyl free radical (•OH), the most reactive oxygen species, is an important factor underlying the cytoprotective effect of 10-HDA. In this study, we found that the •OH scavenging rate by 10-HDA (2%, g/ml) was more than 20%, which was achieved through multiple-step oxidization of the –OH group and C=C bond of 10-HDA. Moreover, 10-HDA significantly enhanced the viability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) damaged by •OH (P < 0.01), significantly attenuated •OH-derived malondialdehyde production that represents cellular lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05), and significantly increased the glutathione levels in •OH-stressed VSMCs (P < 0.05), indicating the role of 10-HDA in reducing •OH-induced cytotoxicity. Further proteomic analyses of VSMCs identified 195 proteins with decreased expression by •OH challenge that were upregulated by 10-HDA rescue and were primarily involved in protein synthesis (such as translation, protein transport, ribosome, and RNA binding) and energy metabolism (such as fatty acid degradation and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis). Taken together, these findings indicate that 10-HDA can effectively promote cell survival by antagonizing •OH-induced injury in VSMCs. To the best of our knowledge, our results provide the first concrete evidence that 10-HDA-scavenged •OH could be a potential pharmacological application for maintaining vascular health.

Herein, the novel sodium ion hybrid capacitors (SIHCs) are successfully and facilely fabricated by utilizing the same carbon resource of magnesium citrate. Namely, the carbons which are fabricated by immediate carbonizations of magnesium citrate are used as positive electrodes, and N, S-doped carbons prepared by co-carbonizations of magnesium citrate with ammonium persulfate are determined as negative electrodes. The detailed electrochemical evaluations demonstrate that fabricated SIHCs possess tremendous Na+ storage performance. For instance, the fabricated SIHC(1//1) shows an energy density of 100.8 Wh Kg−1 at a power density of 136.8 W Kg−1, when current density was 0.1 A g−1. Furthermore, when the current density was set at 5.0 A g−1, this SIHC(1//1) also exhibits a power density of 12957.6 W Kg−1 at an energy density of 46.9 Wh Kg−1. These results reveal that SIHC(1//1) has the powerful competitiveness in high energy and power-required electricity storage applications.

Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are involved in cellular energy metabolism and have been shown to undergo adaptive evolution in organisms with increased energy-consuming activities. The genetically selected high royal jelly-producing bees (RJBs, Apis mellifera ligustica) in China can produce 10 times more royal jelly, a highly nutritional and functional food, relative to unselected Italian bees (ITBs). To test for potential adaptive evolution of RJB mitochondrial genes, we sequenced mitogenomes from 100 RJBs and 30 ITBs. Haplotype network and phylogenetic analysis indicate that RJBs and ITBs are not reciprocally monophyletic but mainly divided into the RJB- and ITB-dominant sublineages. The RJB-dominant sublineage proportion is 6-fold higher in RJBs (84/100) than in ITBs (4/30), which is mainly attributable to genetic drift rather than positive selection. The RJB-dominant sublineage exhibits a low genetic diversity due to purifying selection. Moreover, mitogenome abundance is not significantly different between RJBs and ITBs, thereby rejecting the association between mitogenome copy number and royal jelly-producing performance. Our findings demonstrate low genetic diversity levels of RJB mitogenomes and reveal genetic drift and purifying selection as potential forces driving RJB mitogenome evolution.

Debregeasia orientalis, an important Chinese medicinal herb, has a long history for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. In this study, the antitumour activities of D. orientalis leaf polyphenols (DOLPs) against human cervical cancer Hela cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Hela cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis were investigated, the results revealed that DOLPs could inhibit Hela cell proliferation by blocking cell-cycle progression, inducing apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. Moreover, Hela cells treated with DOLPs also showed an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential. These results suggesting that the apoptotic effect of DOLPs on Hela cells was associated with an increased level of ROS and ROS production mediate apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. This article not only provides a basis for the functional mechanism and future application of DOLPs, but also promotes the high value utilization of D. orientalis leaf.

Backgrounds: Inflammatory response mediated by activated immune cells is a vital process in host defense system while responding to various stresses. Our previous studies have indicated that pomegranate peel polyphenols (PPPs) and their main components punicalagin (PC) and ellagic acid (EA) decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators by regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway, but whether these tested polyphenols play an important role in NF-κB signaling pathway, another crucial pathway of inflammation, remains unclear. Objective: In this study, we analyzed the anti-inflammatory effect of these polyphenols via TLR4-NF-κB pathway in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. Methods: Different concentrations of PPPs, PC, and EA were pre-incubated with RAW264.7 macrophages and then stimulated with LPS (1 μg/mL), and the effects of reactive oxygen species and TLR4 were investigated. Moreover, NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and phosphorylation, and degradation of IκB were measured by Western blot. Furthermore, the influence of pro-inflammatory cytokines was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Our data showed that PPPs, PC, and EA inhibited LPS-induced intracellular ROS production and suppressed the mRNA and protein expression levels of TLR4 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory mechanism was involved in blocking LPS-induced phosphorylation, degradation of IκB, and nuclear translocation of p65. Additionally, PPPs and PC exhibited a stronger anti-inflammatory effect than that of EA. Conclusion: The results indicated that PPPs possess potent anti-inflammatory effect, and PC was the main effective component in PPPs, which provided new insights into the utilization of PPPs to prevent inflammation-associated disorders.

Aquaponics is a green and efficient agricultural production model that combines aquaculture and vegetable cultivation. It is worth looking into optimizing the proportion of fish and plants to improve the quality and yield. However, there is little non-destructive monitoring of plant growth in aquaponics monitoring systems currently. In this paper, based on the Internet of Things technologies, a monitoring system is designed with miniaturization, modularization, and low-cost features for cultivation-breeding ratio research. The system can realize remote monitoring and intelligent control of parameters needed to keep fish and plants under optimal conditions. First, a 32-bit chip is used as the Microcontroller Unit to develop the intelligent sensing unit, which can realize 16 different data acquisitions as stand-alone extensible modules. Second, to achieve plant data acquisition and upload, the Raspberry Pi embedded with image processing algorithms is introduced to realize edge-computing. Finally, all the collected data is stored in the Ali-cloud through Wi-Fi and a WeChat Mini Program is designed to display data and control devices. The results show that there is no packet loss within 90 m for wireless transmission, and the error rate of environment parameters is limited to 5%. It was proven that the system is intelligent, flexible, low-cost, and stable which is suitable for small-scale aquaponics well.

ABSTRACT: The changes in lipid properties of duck egg yolks during processing may affect the quality of egg yolks. In this paper, various physicochemical and instrumental methods were used to study the changes of lipid characteristics of duck egg yolks under extreme processing conditions such as high salt, high salt-heat synergy and strong alkali. The results showed that both the high salt and high salt-heat treatments resulted in the decrease of the moisture content and the increase of the oil exudation of egg yolks. The iodine value of the lipid extracted from salted egg yolks with or without heat treatment decreased. However, strong alkali treatment increased the moisture content of egg yolks, and the oil exudation increased at first and then decreased. The iodine value of the lipid obtained from preserved egg yolks showed an overall trend with first increase and then decrease, and the saponification value of the lipid got from preserved egg yolks was lower than the lipid got from the raw salted egg yolks. According to the conjugated diene acid value and thiobarbituric acid value, the lipid of egg yolks was oxidized to different degrees under the three processing conditions. At the end of pickling, the fatty acid content of the lipid acquired from egg yolks all increased. Therefore, all three extreme treatments significantly changed the lipid properties of duck egg yolks.

Preserved eggs without adding heavy metals in the pickling solution (heavy metals–free preserved eggs) have been developed, but it was found that the undesirable phenomenon such as dry shrinkage and fading occurred when they were not packaged and stored at room temperature. In this study, the effects of 5 packaging methods on the quality of heavy metals-free preserved eggs during storage were systematically studied. These methods included storage at room temperature and 4°C without packaging, wrapping with plastic bags, paraffin coating, and vacuum package. Through adopting these 5 packaging methods, the results showed that the moisture content and pH of the albumen decreased continuously, the mass loss rate increased continuously, the content of total volatile basic nitrogen increased firstly and then decreased, and the albumen hardness increased continuously. No microorganisms were detected in all samples with the 5 packaging methods during storage. Among them, the uncoated preserved eggs suffered the most serious moisture loss and mass loss, and the pH dropped at the fastest rate, followed by the preserved eggs wrapped in plastic bags. Preserved eggs stored at low temperature tended to turn yellow during storage, and the albumen showed higher hardness. The packaging method of paraffin coating performed the best in preventing the moisture loss of the albumen and the weight loss, which only decreased by 0.34 and 1.24%, respectively, after 3 mo. The best springiness, the darkest color, and the highest sensory score were found in the vacuum-packed preserved eggs after 3 mo of storage. It was concluded that paraffin coating and vacuum packing had better effect, while plastic bag packing showed the worst preservation performance for heavy metals–free preserved eggs.

Behavioral specialization is key to the success of social insects and leads to division of labor among colony members. Response thresholds to task-specific stimuli are thought to proximally regulate behavioral specialization, but their neurobiological regulation is complex and not well understood. Here, we show that response thresholds to task-relevant stimuli correspond to the specialization of three behavioral phenotypes of honeybee workers in the well-studied and important Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. Quantitative neuropeptidome comparisons suggest two tachykinin-related peptides (TRP2 and TRP3) as candidates for the modification of these response thresholds. Based on our characterization of their receptor binding and downstream signaling, we confirm a functional role of tachykinin signaling in regulating specific responsiveness of honeybee workers: TRP2 injection and RNAi-mediated downregulation cause consistent, opposite effects on responsiveness to task-specific stimuli of each behaviorally specialized phenotype but not to stimuli that are unrelated to their tasks. Thus, our study demonstrates that TRP signaling regulates the degree of task-specific responsiveness of specialized honeybee workers and may control the context specificity of behavior in animals more generally.

The coal tar pitch based V2O3@C composite materials were successfully fabricated by a hydrothermal method using the V2O5, H2C2O4·2H2O and coal tar pitches dissolved in water. It is observed that changing the dosages of coal tar pitches dissolved in water can lead to the various carbon contents in V2O3@C composite materials, resulting in the V2O3@C composite materials possessing different electrochemical performances. As a result, when the carbon content is adjusted to 42.7 %, the prepared V2O3@C-2.0 shows more excellent electrochemical performances than other prepared V2O3@C composite materials. For instance, the V2O3@C-2.0 exhibits the high Li+ storage capacity at 580.2 mAh g−1, after charge-discharge was carried out 100 cycles at 0.1 A g−1. Surprisingly, the V2O3@C-2.0 still shows the Li+ storage capacity at 234 mAh g−1, after 500 cycles at 5.0 A g−1. The prepared V2O3@C composite materials show an excellent industrial application perspective because coal tar pitches are the generally industrial crude materials.

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of a high royal jelly-producing honeybee strain selected from Italian bees (Apis mellifera ligustica) in China was determined. The entire mitogenome was 16,467 bp in length with an A + T content of 84.99%. It contained the typical 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region. The order and orientation of these genes were identical to those of other A. mellifera subspecies sequenced to date. Phylogenetic analysis supported that the high royal jelly-producing honeybee strain was sister to formerly sequenced Italian bees.

Hypopharyngeal glands (HGs) are the most important organ of hymenopterans which play critical roles for the insect physiology. In honey bees, HGs are paired structures located bilaterally in the head, in front of the brain between compound eyes. Each gland is composed of thousands of secretory units connecting to secretory duct in worker bees. To better understand the recent progress made in understanding the structure and function of these glands, we here review the ontogeny of HGs, and the factors affecting the morphology, physiology, and molecular basis of the functionality of the glands. We also review the morphogenesis of HGs in the pupal and adult stages, and the secretory role of the glands across the ages for the first time. Furthermore, recent transcriptome, proteome, and phosphoproteome analyses have elucidated the potential mechanisms driving the HGs development and functionality. This adds a comprehensive novel knowledge of the development and physiology of HGs in honey bees over time, which may be helpful for future research investigations.

Pomegranate peel polyphenols (PPPs) extracts presented anti-proliferation and apoptosis-inducing effects in human HepG2 hepatoma cells in our previous studies. This study aimed to investigate the differential anticancer effects of main PPPs components punicalagin (PC) and ellagic acid (EA) on HepG2 cells and their possible action mechanisms. Cell proliferation, morphology, cell cycle and apoptosis were investigated, and the results revealed that PC and EA mediated the cell-cycle arrest at the S-phase and G0/G1-phase and dose-dependently led to apoptosis in HepG2 cells. In addition, apoptosis-related protein activities and the reactive oxygen species levels showed that the activation of apoptosis-related proteins and the elevation of intracellular H2O2 production were aroused. It revealed that both PC and EA could inhibit cell growth and led to apoptosis in HepG2 cells, and PC was more effective than EA. Furthermore, one of the important apoptosis-inducing mechanisms is the participation of them in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

The utilization of industrial by-products is becoming more and more important for resource utilization. In this study, soluble dietary fiber (SDF) was extracted from Jerusalem artichoke residue, and a series of characterizations of SDF were carried out. The results showed that SDF had good properties. SDF (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4%) and chitosan (2%) were further used to prepare the coating that was used for the preservation of blueberry. The chemical structure of the film was obtained by FT-IR and XRD analysis. The microstructure of the film was analyzed by SEM, and the properties of the film were tested. The blueberry fresh-keeping test proved that the SDF-added film could effectively prolong the quality of blueberries in storage for 16 days. After 16 days of storage, compared with the control group, the decay rate of the coating group with 0.2% SDF decreased by 16.3%, the consumption of organic acids decreased by 43.7%, and the content of anthocyanin increased by 29.3%. SDF has a potential application in food preservation.

Abstract Background Quizartinib, an inhibitor of class III receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), is currently in phase 3 development for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bearing internal tandem duplications in the FLT3 gene. Aberrant RTK signaling is implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of solid tumors, suggesting that inhibiting quizartinib-sensitive RTKs may be beneficial in precision cancer therapy. Methods This was a phase 1, open-label, modified Fibonacci dose-escalation study of orally administered quizartinib in patients with advanced solid tumors whose disease progressed despite standard therapy or for which there was no available standard treatment. Patients received quizartinib dihydrochloride (henceforth referred to as quizartinib) once daily throughout a 28-day treatment cycle. The primary endpoint was evaluation of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of quizartinib. Secondary endpoints included preliminary evidence of antitumor activity and determination of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters of quizartinib. Results Thirteen patients were enrolled. Five patients received a starting dose of quizartinib 135 mg/day; dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of grade 3 pancytopenia, asymptomatic grade 3 QTc prolongation, and febrile neutropenia were observed in 1 patient each at this dose. A lower dose of quizartinib (90 mg/day [n = 8]) was administered without DLTs. The most common treatment-related treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were fatigue (n = 7, 54%), dysgeusia (n = 5, 38%), neutropenia (n = 3, 23%), and QTc prolongation (n = 3, 23%). Overall, all patients experienced at least 1 AE, and 4 experienced serious AEs (2 patients each in the 135-mg and 90-mg dose groups) including hematologic AEs, infections, and gastrointestinal disorders. Six patients (including 3 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors [GIST]) had a best response of stable disease. Conclusion The MTD of quizartinib in patients with advanced solid tumors was 90 mg/day. Overall, the safety and tolerability of quizartinib were manageable, with no unexpected AEs. Quizartinib monotherapy had limited evidence of activity in this small group of patients with advanced solid tumors. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registration Number: NCT01049893; First Posted: January 15, 2010.

Inflammatory response remains one of the most common and serious complications of disease in clinical studies. It has been established that some molecules found in pomegranate peel polyphenols (PPPs) are related to inflammatory processes; however, the mechanisms are unclear, leaving a significant unmet medical need. The goal of this study was to analyze the anti-inflammatory effects of PPPs in RAW264.7 macrophages and examine the relationship between certain special components such as - punicalagin (PC) and ellagic acid (EA) and systemic inflammation. The results showed that PPPs and their main components PC and EA, could decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) at the mRNA and protein levels and, down-regulate iNOS and COX-2 expression, which in turn reduced NO and PGE2. The molecular mechanism might be associated with the inhibition of MAPKs activation. Additionally, PPPs and PC performed much better than EA. We highlight the key role of food-derived molecules PPPs and its main components in understanding the mechanism of anti-inflammatory.

The colloidal gold quick test card which we developed ​was used for rapid detection of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris (A. acidoterrestris) in apple juice concentrate. Two antibodies against A. acidoterrestris, obtained from Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and Japan White Rabbits, were adopted to construct this quick test card. The results showed that the colloidal gold quick test card had better specificity, and was more ​rapid and convenient which deserved notice especially (the test could be completed within 5–10 min) and concorded with ELISA method (we previously report) and K medium methods (traditional classical method). This new developed colloidal gold quick test card (we named it TAB quick test card) could be more convenient for apple juice safety testing.

Abstract The honeybee brain is a central organ in regulating wide ranges of honeybee biology, including life transition from nurse to forager bees. Knowledge is still lacking on how protein phosphorylation governs the neural activity to drive the age-specific labor division. The cerebral phosphoproteome of nurse and forager honeybees was characterized using Ti4+-IMAC phosphopeptide enrichment mass-spectrometry-based proteomics and protein kinases (PKs) were predicted. There were 3,077 phosphosites residing on 3,234 phosphopeptides from 1004 phosphoproteins in the nurse bees. For foragers the numbers were 3,056, 3,110, and 958, respectively. Notably, among the total 231 PKs in honeybee proteome, 179 novel PKs were predicted in the honeybee brain, of which 88 were experimentally identified. Proteins involved in wide scenarios of pathways were phosphorylated depending on age: glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, AGE/RAGE and phosphorylation in nurse bees and metal ion transport, ATP metabolic process and phototransduction in forager bees. These observations suggest that phosphorylation is vital to the tuning of protein activity to regulate cerebral function according to the biological duties as nursing and foraging bees. The data provides valuable information on phosphorylation signaling in the honeybee brain and potentially useful resource to understand the signaling mechanism in honeybee neurobiology and in other social insects as well.

Isoorientin (Iso), a natural bioactive flavonoid, possesses significant anti-tumor and anti-oxidant activities. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a food processing injurant with carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and genotoxicity. Our preliminary study demonstrates that Iso attenuated the pyroptotic hepatocyte damage induced by BaP; however, the molecular mechanism remains unknown. The present study showed that Iso reduced the increase caused by BaP in the overflow of LDH, NO, and the electrical conductivity and the protein expressions of GSDMD-N, IL-18, and IL-1β, further showing that Iso could reduced the pyroptotic damage in HL-7702 cells induced by BaP. Caspase-1 inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK) inhibited the characteristic pyroptosis protein expressions of Caspase-1, GSDMD-N, IL-18, and IL-1β, showing that the classic pyroptosis pathway depending on Caspase-1 was caused by BaP in HL-7702 cells. Consistent with the effects of the NLRP3 inhibitor (MCC950), NF-κB inhibitor (PDTC), ROS, and mtROS inhibitor (NAC and Mito-TEMPO), Iso weakened the stimulatory effects of BaP on the levels of ROS, the nuclear localization of NF-κB, and the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the characteristic indices of pyroptosis, demonstrating that Iso could alleviate the BaP-induced pyroptotic hepatocytes injury through inhibiting the ROS/NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, which provides a new perspective and strategy to prevent liver injury induced by BaP.

Previous studies have shown genetic associations between leprosy and 18 different genes/loci. Here, Wang and colleagues perform genome-wide association study in Han Chinese leprosy patients and describe four novel loci to be associated to the disease.

Royal jelly (RJ), a natural honeybee product, has a wide range of antibacterial activities. N-glycosylated major royal jelly protein 2 (N-MRJP2), purified from RJ, can inhibit the growth of Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae, Gram-positive), a contagious etiological agent of the American foulbrood disease of honeybees. However, the inhibitory mechanism is largely unknown. Antibacterial assay and membrane proteome were conducted to investigate the inhibition capacity of RJ from different instar larvae and P. larvae treated by N-MRJP2, respectively. The similar antibacterial efficiency of RJ from different larval instar indicates that RJ is vital for the adaptive immune defense of small larvae. The killing of P. larvae by N-MRJP2 is achieved by disturbing the cell wall biosynthesis, increasing the permeability of cell membrane, hindering aerobic respiration, restraining cell division and inducing cell death. This demonstrates that RJ is critical for the passive immunity of immature larvae and N-MRJP2 can be used as natural antibiotic substance to resist P. larvae, even for other gram-positive bacteria. This constitutes solid evidence that RJ and N-MRJP2 have potentials as novel antibacterial agents.

In view of the common and difficult to solve vehicle vibration problem, taking a large truck manufacturing enterprise in China as an example, an improved model for solving truck vibration problem is established by using the G8D method, and the unbalanced excitation force of the wheel system is analysed. The coupling of the excitation frequency and the natural frequency of the system leads to the resonance phenomenon, as well as the inadequate damping function of the system, is the fundamental cause of the vibration problem. After verifying and implementing permanent correction measures at the same time at the three levels of components, devices, and the entire vehicle, the acceleration of the seat guide rails for the vibration performance of the truck reduces from the original state 1.04 m/s2 to 0.6 m/s2, a decrease of 42.3%, which reaches the best level of mainstream cars in the country and is close to the optimal level of 0.5 m/s2 among the same kinds of cars in Germany. Therefore, the improved model can improve the sustainability of product manufacturing, provide industry guidance for solving the quality problem of truck vibration, and provide a sustainable guarantee for social public transport safety.

Assessing the impacts of future climate change on crop yields requires basic research into both the major meteorological factors that affect crop yield and the influence that changes to global circulation patterns have on local meterological parameters. For example, the atmospheric circulation and crop “meteorological yield” and the response of meteorological yield to climate change are positively correlated. Using apple (Malus domestica) production as an example, the present work investigated the link between fruit yield and global circulation factors by using yield data from 28 apple-producing counties in Shaanxi province, China, from 1980 to 2015. We used four methods to isolate apple production and applied a Grey relational analysis of 88 meteorological factors and the associated sequential correlation. We extracted the major climate factors based on the high consistency of climatic factors and the variation trend of meteorological yield of apple, and analyzed the main meteorological factors for the meteorological apple yield of three major apple producing areas by analyzing high-impact atmospheric circulation indices. The climate factors included solar radiation, pan evaporation, accumulated temperature, precipitation, wind speed, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, mean temperature, heat injury over several days, number of frost days during flowering, number of freezing days during dormancy, and annual temperature range. The main meteorological factors affecting annual apple meteorological yield were total solar radiation from April to October, evaporation from April to September, precipitation in April and June to August, and minimum temperature in mid-April. The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was the circulation index most closely related to total summer solar radiation, pan evaporation, and precipitation. Correlation analysis showed that the polar vortex area index and sea surface temperature index were important circulation indices affecting climate yield in apple regions. The meteorological yields of apples in zones Ⅰ and Ⅲ were significantly correlated with the ENSO period index, mainly in the autumn and winter. Similar to the conclusions of previous studies, the uncertainty of meteorological yield in the Shaanxi fruit region is predicted to increase under future climate change. Keywords: Apple yield, Shaanxi province, Grey relational analysis, Climate factors, Circulation index

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of a field cricket Turanogryllus eous Bey-Bienko, 1956 was determined using next-generation sequencing. The mitogenome was 16,045 bp in length comprising 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a control region. Relative to the ancestral insect gene order, T. eous possessed an inversion of trnN-trnS1-trnE. The control region contained 3.4 tandem copies of a 194-bp sequence. Phylogenetic analysis supported that T. eous was sister to the clade comprising Teleogryllus and Velarifictorus. This study provides essential genetic information for genetic diversity analysis of T. eous.

To provide genetic data for the cricket subfamily Eneopterinae, the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of a bush cricket Xenogryllus marmoratus (Haan, 1844) was determined. This mitogenome was 15,762 bp in size containing the typical 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and a control region (CR). Compared with the ancestral insect gene arrangement, X. marmoratus had an inversion involving trnE-trnS1-trnN. Phylogenetic analysis supported that X. marmoratus was sister to a formerly sequenced species Cardiodactylus muiri of Eneopterinae. This study provides new data for further phylogenetic studies of Eneopterinae or higher taxa.