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Although CRISPR/Cas9 has been widely used in insect gene editing, the need for the microinjection of preblastoderm embryos can preclude the technique being used in insect species with eggs that are small, have hard shells, and/or are difficult to collect and maintain outside of their normal environment. Such is the case with Sogatella furcifera, the white‐backed planthopper (WBPH), a significant pest of Oryza sativa (rice) that oviposits inside rice stems. Egg extraction from the stem runs the risk of mechanical damage and hatching is heavily influenced by the micro‐environment of the rice stem. To bypass these issues, we targeted embryos prior to oviposition via direct parental (DIPA)‐CRISPR, in which Cas9 and single‐guide RNAs (sgRNAs) for the WBPH eye pigment gene tryptophan 2,3‐dioxygenase were injected into the hemocoel of adult females. Females at varying numbers of days posteclosion were evaluated to determine at what stage their oocyte might be most capable of taking up the gene‐editing components. An evaluation of the offspring indicated that the highest G0 gene‐edited efficacy (56.7%) occurred in females injected 2 d posteclosion, and that those mutations were heritably transmitted to the G1 generation. This study demonstrates the potential utility of DIPA‐CRISPR for future gene‐editing studies in non‐model insect species and can facilitate the development of novel pest management applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Multi‐planar external fixation has been used for the management of segmental tibial fractures with severe soft tissue injuries. However, fewer specialized studies have been reported. The primary aim of this study was to describe our experience of treating fractures of this type using the Taylor Spatial Frame and Ilizarov external fixation methods. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 33 patients with segmental tibial fracture treated at our institution between January 2016 and December 2020. The patients were divided into double Taylor Spatial Frame (D‐TSF) and Ilizarov groups based on the external fixation structure. Baseline demographic data included sex, age, injury side and cause, open or closed fracture, time from injury to surgery, complications, and external frame removal and fracture healing time. The hip–knee–ankle angle (HKA) was measured from preoperative, immediate postoperative, and final follow‐up full‐length X‐rays of bilateral lower limbs. We determined the degree of deviation in the HKA by calculating the difference between the measured angle and the ideal value of 180°; the absolute value was used to assess recovery of the lower limb force line. At the final follow‐up, Johner–Wruhs tibial fracture outcome criteria (J‐W TFOC) were used to classify the postoperative function of the affected limb as excellent, good, moderate, or poor. Count data were analyzed with the chi‐square test or Fisher's exact test; the Mann–Whitney U test was used for rank data. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of sex, age, side of injury, cause of injury, closed or open fracture, or time between injury and surgery, which indicates that the groups were comparable (p > 0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed in external frame removal and fracture healing time between the D‐TSF and Ilizarov groups (36.24 ± 8.34 vs 45.42 ± 10.21 weeks, p = 0.009; 33.33 ± 8.21 vs 42.00 ± 9.78 weeks, p = 0.011). The Johner–Wruhs criteria were used to assess the function of the affected limb, the D‐TSF group performed better in correcting the lower limb force line than the Ilizarov group. A statistically significant difference in terms of excellent ratings was observed between the two groups (18/2/1/0 vs 5/5/1/1, p = 0.010). Postoperative follow‐up X‐rays demonstrated a significant improvement in the HKA in both groups immediately after surgery and at the final follow‐up compared to the angle before surgery. At the final follow‐up, a statistically significant difference was observed in the degree of deviation in the HKA between the two groups (1.58° ± 0.84° vs 2.37° ± 1.00°, p = 0.023). Conclusion: The D‐TSF treatment is associated with minimal secondary damage to soft tissue, a straightforward and minimally invasive procedure, multiplanar stable fracture fixation, and optimization of fracture alignment and lower limb force lines, therefore, it is highly effective therapeutic option for segmental tibial fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau (the HTP), referred to as "the third pole" with an excessive warming rate, exerts strong impacts on the global environment. As one of warming contributors, atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) remains limited scientific understanding in the HTP due to a scarcity of observations. In this study, we present a study of the light‐absorbing properties of methanol‐soluble brown carbon (MeS‐BrC) and water‐soluble brown carbon (WS‐BrC) during 2018–2021. Highly spatiotemporal variations of BrC light absorptions were observed. In the HTP marginal area, elevated BrC absorption coefficients at 365 nm (babs,365) and levoglucosan concentrations were obtained, and MeS‐BrC exhibits approximately 1.3–1.8 times higher absorption compared to WS‐BrC. We determined that BrC light absorptions was largely attributed to biomass burning (29%–35%). BrC can act as a potent warming agent in the HTP marginal area, with high direct solar absorption (25%–47% relative to black carbon). Plain Language Summary: Atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) remains low scientific understanding in the HTP due to a scarcity of observations. Here, we present a plateau‐scale study of the light‐absorbing properties of methanol‐soluble brown carbon (MeS‐BrC) and water‐soluble brown carbon (WS‐BrC) during the period of 2018–2021. This study highlights the contribution of BrC to the HTP warming. Higher BrC light absorption was observed in the HTP marginal area compared with the central HTP. Enhanced radiative absorption effect of WS‐BrC was obtained in the HTP, with an annual average of ∼25% compared with BC in Qinghai Lake and Ngari, and as high as 46.5% in Purang. The results confirmed the importance of BrC from biomass burning in contributing to light‐absorbing aerosols in this region. Key Points: Brown carbon (BrC) can be a strong warming agent in the marginal Himalayas and Tibetan PlateauHighly spatiotemporal variations of plateau‐scale BrC were observedBrC light absorptions was largely attributed to biomass burning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]