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The citrus fruit fly Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax is a major and devastating agricultural pest in Asian subtropical countries. Previous studies have shown that B. minax interacts with plant hosts via the efficient chemosensory system. However, the molecular components of the B. minax chemosensory system have not been well characterized. Herein, we identified a total of 25 putative odorant-binding receptors (OBPs), 4 single-copy chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and 53 candidate odorant receptors (ORs) using a newly generated whole-genome dataset for B. minax. This study significantly extended the chemosensation-related gene profiles (particularly, OBPs and ORs) in six other tephritid species. Comparative transcriptome analysis of adult B. minax and Bactrocera dorsalis showed that there were 14 highly expressed OBPs (FPKM > 100) in B. dorsalis and 7 highly expressed ones in B. minax. The expression level of CSP3 gene and CSP4 gene was higher in B. dorsalis than that in B. minax. Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of chemosensory genes in the citrus fruit fly B. minax provided new insights for preventive control of this agriculture important pest and closely related species.

Previous studies have suggested that the Notch signaling pathway plays a very important role in the proliferation and differentiation of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the expression level of Notch-related signaling molecules in PMVECs in bleomycin (BLM)-induced rat pulmonary fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, Western blotting, and real-time PCR were used to analyze the differences in protein and mRNA expression levels of Notch-related signaling molecules, i.e. Notch1, Jagged1, Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4), and hairy and enhancer of split homolog 1 (Hes1), between a control group treated with intratracheal instillation of saline and a study group treated with intratracheal instillation of BLM solution. Expression levels of the receptor Notch1 and one of its ligands, Jagged1, were upregulated, while the expression levels of the ligand Dll4 and the target molecule of the Notch signaling pathway, Hes1, were downregulated. The differences in protein and mRNA expression levels between the control and study groups were significant (p

LaNbO4 ceramics with NiO/CoO addition were designedly prepared through the conventional solid-state reaction. Compared with the pure LaNbO4 ceramics, attractively lower sintering temperatures and better microwave dielectric properties had been reached in the additive samples. The sintering behavior of the additive ceramics were characterized by the densities. For phase composition of LaNbO4-NiO/CoO ceramics, two phases were indexed as monoclinic fergusonite structure of LaNbO4 and isometric structure of NiO/CoO separately. The dielectric constants of LaNbO4-NiO/CoO ceramics had been analyzed by densities and polarizability. The quality factors (Q×f values) could be distinctly optimized to 95,050 GHz by NiO addition and 62,100 GHz by CoO addition, respectively. Moreover, intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the Q×f values had been further discussed relying on Raman spectrum and grain size analysis, with grain size (which refer to the extrinsic factors) being consequently verified to play the dominant role.

The citrus fruit fly Bactrocera (Tetradacus) minax is a major and devastating agricultural pest in Asian subtropical countries. Previous studies have shown that B. minax interacts with hosts via an efficient chemosensory system. However, knowledge regarding the molecular components of the B. minax chemosensory system has not yet been well established. Herein, based on our newly generated whole-genome dataset for B. minax and by comparison with the characterized genomes of 6 other fruit fly species, we identified, for the first time, a total of 25 putative odorant-binding receptors (OBPs), 4 single-copy chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and 53 candidate odorant receptors (ORs). To further survey the expression of these candidate genes, the transcriptomes from three developmental stages (larvae, pupae and adults) of B. minax and Bactrocera dorsalis were analyzed. We found that 1) at the adult developmental stage, there were 14 highly expressed OBPs (FPKM>100) in B. dorsalis and 7 highly expressed OBPs in B. minax; 2) the expression of CSP3 and CSP4 in adult B. dorsalis was higher than that in B. minax; and 3) most of the OR genes exhibited low expression at the three developmental stages in both species. This study on the identification of the chemosensory system of B. minax not only enriches the existing research on insect olfactory receptors but also provides new targets for preventative control and ecological regulation of B. minax in the future.

New microwave dielectric ceramics of Mg2LaNbO6, which had high quality factors (Q׃) and near-zero frequency temperature coefficient, were synthesized via conventional solid-state reaction. The sintering characteristic, crystal structure and microwave dielectric properties of Mg2LaNbO6 ceramics were characterized and investigated. As a result, Mg2LaNbO6 ceramics had a complex phase composition: LaNbO4 and MgO as the main and the second phase respectively, with an unknown phase (which related to the MgO) being detected. Well-developed micro-structures of Mg2LaNbO6 ceramics were obtained in the designed sintering temperature zone, with the grain size and its distribution also being investigated. Moreover, the permittivity, which was related to the density, remained almost unchanged. The Q׃ values increased first and then decreased, which was governed by the grain size and its distribution. Additionally, the τf values of Mg2LaNbO6 ceramics was relatively stable and near to zero.

Recent laboratory experiments demonstrate that electrical conductivity of upper mantle (UM) minerals is greatly increased by small amounts of water or by partial melt. Determination of deep conductivity using electromagnetic (EM) methods can thus provide constraints on the presence of volatiles and melting processes in UM. Probing conductivity at UM depths requires EM data with periods of a few to one cycle per day. This is a challenging period range for EM studies due to the spatially complex ionospheric source that dominates at these periods. The idea of exploiting tidal signals for EM studies of the Earth is not new, but so far it was used only for interpretation of inland and transoceanic electric field data due to M2. Emphasis in this work is made on a discussion of sea bottom magnetic field of the same origin.

A flow and sediment mathematical model was built under three-dimensional hybrid coordinate to simulate Wenzhou Oufei tidal flat and its neighboring sea area, and the verification was down. The calculation results and the observed data are identical well. In estuary area, the sediment concentration is the highest, then outside the estuary. In Oufei tidal flat area, the sediment concentration is relatively high, and it decreases gradually towards the open sea. Through the simulation, the characteristics and the basic law of sediment concentration distribution was reproduced.

Accumulation and activation of myofibroblasts are the hallmark of progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and the resident fibroblasts are the major source of myofibroblasts. However, the key factors involved in the transformation of fibroblasts are unknown. Pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs), major effector cells against pathogenesis in early stages of the disease, can secrete cytokines to induce the differentiation of mesenchymal cells. We speculated that PMVECs could secrete pro-fibrotic cytokines and promote the transformation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Accordingly, we established a co-culture system with PMVECs and fibroblasts to examine the specific transformation and collagen synthesis of the co-cultured fibroblasts by FACS and Western blot, prior to and after treatment with neutralizing antibodies against transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). We also analyzed expression of TGF-β1 and CTGF in PMVECs. The synthesis and secretion of TGF-β1 and CTGF protein were up-regulated in PMVECs isolated from bleomycin (BLM)-treated rats, most prominently at 7 days post-instillation. We showed that the PMVECs isolated from BLM-induced rats could induce the transformation of normal fibroblasts and their secretion of collagen I, which was inhibited by both neutralizing anti-TGF-β1 and anti-CTGF antibodies. Therefore, up-regulation of TGF-β1 and CTGF in PMVECs plays an important role in activation, transformation, and collagen synthesis of fibroblasts; in particular, these effects in PMVECs are likely to be the key factors for activation and stimulation of static fibroblasts in lung interstitium in early stages of pulmonary fibrosis disease.

For meeting the requirements of high-precision and high-speed in on-line detection for strip and plate’s internal defects, in the paper, based on elaborating methods and principle of conventional ultrasonic testing, the research status of traditional ultrasonic testing technology and non-contact ultrasonic testing techniques, there analysis and discuss the problems and causes in the process of detection. In the end, the trend of development is given.

The Mg-based hydrogen storage alloy Mg 2− x Al x Ni (0≤ x ≤0.5) have been successfully synthesized by a diffusion method (DM). The structures of these alloys have been examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical characteristics have also been investigated, such as corrosion resistance and electrochemical capacity. It is found that a new phase appears when Al is added to the Mg–Ni system. It can be observed that there are a large number of defects on the alloy surface, which strongly affect its characteristics. The electrochemical capacity and cycle lives of Al-containing alloys increase strongly compared to the Al-free alloy. With increasing Al concentration in the alloys, the capacity also increases due to the increase of the amount of the new phase.