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Monitoring pig drinking has been a topic of interest to pig researchers and producers for many years. However, challenges still remain due to the fact that pigs like to play with drinkers in nursery environments and that the drinking pig is often touching others. These factors negatively influence the performance of camera-based pig drinking detection algorithms. The aim of this study is to investigate a deep learning method based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) to classify drinking and drinker-playing. In the experiment, two pens of pigs were video recorded for 3 days. In video from the first pen, 5400 2 s drinking episodes and 5400 2 s drinker-playing episodes were generated with 80% of these data being allocated as training set and the remaining 20% as validation set. In video from the second pen, 12,000 2 s drinking and drinker-playing episodes were generated as a test set. Firstly, the CNN architecture ResNet50 was used to extract spatial features. These features were input into LSTM framework to extract spatial–temporal features. Through the fully connected layer, the prediction function Softmax was finally used to classify these drinking and drinker-playing episodes. In the test set, the classification accuracy in the body and head regions of interest was 87.2% and 92.5%, respectively. The results indicate that the proposed method can be used to classify pigs' drinking and drinker-playing. These classification results have potential to improve the accuracy of pig drinking detection and help farmers to estimate pig welfare. • A novel video-based deep learning method was used to study pig drinking behaviour. • Long short-term memory was used to extract the spatial–temporal features. • Classification accuracy in the body and head regions of interest was 87.2% and 92.5%. • Drinking behaviour can be detected under conditions of pigs touching and overlapping. • Shortening the region of interest can be used to improve the classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization negatively impacts the diversity of aquatic insect assemblages in headwater streams and can lead to the homogenization of insect communities at the regional level. However, less is known about the impact of urbanization on insects in headwater streams within smaller cities that have significant upstream portions outside of urban land use. We collected insects monthly from April to September in 2014 and 2015 from five streams that flowed from rural upstream through urban downstream land use, plus two rural reference streams, in Greater Binghamton, New York, in the northeast USA. While urbanization was associated with lower insect taxonomic richness ( α ¯ ) and elevated stream water conductivity, the regional diversity (γ) was similar among urban and rural land use. This corresponded to higher dissimilarity among urban sites (β) than among rural sites. To our knowledge, this is the first report of higher urban stream insect community β-diversity. Our results suggest that urbanization in this medium-sized city negatively impacts stream insect richness, but the change of community assemblages is not homogenous across the urban landscape. Connectivity between upstream rural sites and downstream urban sites may provide some relief from the impacts of urbanization in smaller cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Aggressive pigs were separated from the herd and extracted continuously. • Head and 4 kink points of pigs were located and used as feature points. • Kinetic energy model was built by analysing motion of these 5 feature points. • Kinetic energy difference between adjacent frames was used to recognise aggression. • The proposed algorithm has higher accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and precision. Abstract The aim of this study is to build a kinetic energy model to recognise aggressive behaviours in pigs. Pig mixing experiments were performed 10 times. In each experiment, 7 pigs from 3 pens were mixed and then videos of the first 3 h after mixing and the 3 h after 24 h were selected as experimental data. A 30 h data of 5 groups of pigs were used as training set and a 30 h data of another 5 groups of pigs as test set. Firstly, according to connected area and adhesion index, aggressive pigs were separated from the herd and then key frame sequences with aggression were extracted. Secondly, head and 4 kink points of pigs were selected as feature points. By analysing motion of these points, kinetic energy of 2 aggressive pigs was calculated and kinetic energy difference between adjacent frames was selected as features. Finally, these features were trained by using hierarchical clustering to obtain the thresholds of high and medium aggression. These thresholds were used to design the rule of aggression recognition. By using the proposed algorithm, high aggression could be recognised with an accuracy of 95.8%, a sensitivity of 92.8%, specificity of 96.7% and precision of 90.2%, and medium aggression could be recognised with an accuracy of 92.3%, a sensitivity of 92.6%, specificity of 91.9% and precision of 93.0%. The results indicate that this algorithm can be used to recognise aggressive behaviours of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for the identification of group-housed pigs based on machine vision is proposed. It benefits to the automatic detection and analysis of the behaviour of pigs. Top-view videos of pigs were obtained and the images of individual pigs extracted. The Gabor features were extracted by convolving pig images with Gabor filters and the local structural features using the Local Binary Pattern (LBP) identification. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was then used to reduce the feature dimension and the features were concatenated to form the feature vectors. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed method, standing posture images of pigs were used to conduct the experiments in terms of Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification. The experimental results demonstrated that the combination of Gabor and LBP features produced better results. The average recognition rate achieved 91.86% by SVM with a linear kernel and the PCA parameter varied from 0.85 to 0.99. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glycoside hydrolase family 18 chitinases degrade or alter chitin. Multiple catalytic domains in a glycoside hydrolase family 18 chitinase function synergistically during chitin degradation. Here, an insect group III chitinase from the agricultural pest Ostrinia furnacalis (OfChtIII) is revealed to be an arthropod‐conserved chitinase that contains two nonsynergistic GH18 domains according to its catalytic properties. Both GH18 domains are active towards single‐chained chitin substrates, but are inactive towards insoluble chitin substrates. The crystal structures of each unbound GH18 domain, as well as of GH18 domains complexed with hexa‐N‐acetyl‐chitohexaose or penta‐N‐acetyl‐chitopentaose, suggest that the two GH18 domains possess endo‐specific activities. Physiological data indicated that the developmental stage‐dependent gene‐expression pattern of OfChtIII was the same as that of the chitin synthase OfChsA but significantly different from that of the chitinase OfChtI, which is indispensable for cuticular chitin degradation. Additionally, immunological staining indicated that OfChtIII was co‐localized with OfChsA. Thus, OfChtIII is most likely to be involved in the chitin‐synthesis pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to develop a computer vision-based method to automatically detect aggressive behaviors among pigs. Ten repetitions of the same experiment were performed. In each of the experiment, 7 piglets were mixed from three litters in two pigpens and captured on video for a total of 6 h. From these videos, the first 3 h of video after mixing were recorded as a training set, and the 3 h of video after 24 h were recorded as a validation set. Connected area and adhesion index were used to locate aggressive pigs and to extract key frame sequences. The two pigs in aggression were regarded as a whole rectangle according to their characteristics of continuous and large-proportion adhesion. The acceleration feature was extracted by analyzing the displacement change of four sides of this rectangle between adjacent frames, and hierarchical clustering was used to calculate its threshold. Based on this feature, the recognition rules of medium and high aggression were designed. Testing 10 groups of pigs, the accuracy of recognizing medium aggression was 95.82% with a sensitivity of 90.57% and with a specificity of 96.95%, and the accuracy of recognizing high aggression was 97.04% with a sensitivity of 92.54% and with a specificity of 97.38%. These results indicate that the acceleration can be used to recognize pigs’ aggressive behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Forest restoration has been proposed as an effective strategy for the sequestration of atmosphere CO. Understanding the mechanisms of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in afforestation is important to quantifying and enhancing carbon (C) sequestration. Methods: After 70 years afforestation with two conifer and three broadleaf tree species in monocultures in Northeast USA, we measured soil C pools as well as C fractions in these plantations and nearby pasture control. Results: Soil C stored in forest floor was increased by afforestation, especially in conifer stands. Total C stock in mineral soils was not statistically different among species, but C fractions had been altered. Compared to pasture land, afforestation decreased coarse particle organic C (cPOC) fraction, while increased recalcitrant mineral associated SOC (mSOC) fraction. Afforestation decreased the macro-aggregate C fraction in the 0-5 cm soil, but increased the micro-aggregate C fraction in the 5-15 cm soil. Conclusions: 1) Afforestation using conifers could improve the whole soil-profile carbon stock compared to broadleaves when the forest floor is included; 2) Even though the overall mineral soil C stock was not changed, afforestation could improve soil C stabilization through increasing mSOC fraction and forming more micro-aggregate C fraction in deeper soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biogenesis of chitin, a major structural polysaccharide found in the cuticle and peritrophic matrix, is crucial for insect growth and development. Chitin synthase, a membrane-integral β-glycosyltransferase, has been identified as the core of the chitin biogenesis machinery. However, a yet unknown number of auxiliary proteins appear to assist in chitin biosynthesis, whose precise function remains elusive. Here, we identified a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA), in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster , as a chitin biogenesis-associated protein. The physical interaction between Dm SERCA and epidermal chitin synthase (Krotzkopf verkehrt, Kkv) was demonstrated and analyzed using split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescent complementation, pull-down, and immunoprecipitation assays. The interaction involves N-terminal regions (aa 48–81 and aa 247–33) and C-terminal regions (aa 743–783 and aa 824–859) of Dm SERCA and two N-terminal regions (aa 121–179 and aa 369–539) of Kkv, all of which are predicted be transmembrane helices. While tissue-specific knock-down of DmSERCA in the epidermis caused larval and pupal lethality, the knock-down of DmSERCA in wings resulted in smaller and crinkled wings, a significant decrease in chitin deposition, and the loss of chitin lamellar structure. Although Dm SERCA is well-known for its role in muscular contraction, this study reveals a novel role in chitin synthesis, contributing to our knowledge on the machinery of chitin biogenesis. [Display omitted] • Epidermal chitin synthase-interacting candidates are identified by TAP-MS in fly. • Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase interacts with epidermal chitin synthase. • The Dm SERCA-Kkv interaction involves several predicted transmembrane helices. • Dm SERCA functions in cuticle chitin biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topical application of CYP11B1 inhibitorsto reduce cutaneous cortisol is a novel strategy to promote healingof chronic wounds. Pyridyl substituted arylsulfonyltetrahydroquinolineswere designed and synthesized resulting in a strong inhibitor 34(IC50= 5 nM). It showed no inhibition of CYP17and CYP19 and no mutagenic effects. It exhibited inverse metabolicstability in plasma (t1/2≫ 150min), which is similar to wound fluid in composition, and in liverS9 fractions (t1/2= 16 min). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative role of the canopy size of nurse shrubs on microenvironment and native tree establishment in degraded tropical lands has been seldom studied. In a 21-month field experiment, we aimed to test the effect of a native shrub with different canopy sizes on the early establishment of native trees as part of the effort of forest restoration in tropical China. We examined the microenvironment, and the seedling establishment and growth of two native trees: Castanopsis fissa and Syzygium hancei in both open space (OS) microsite and microsite under the canopy of the native pioneer shrub Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. Shrub microsite was further divided into large canopy (LC), and medium canopy (MC) microsite, based on the shrub leaf area indices. Results showed that relative to OS, LC had higher soil nutrient concentration and water content, and lower photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), while MC had lower PAR and higher soil exchangeable Mg, K, and Ca. Survival and growth were mostly enhanced, while water stress and photoinhibition reduced for C. fissa seedlings in MC and S. hancei seedlings in LC. It is found that the beneficial effects of the native shrub on seedling establishment and growth result mostly from the improvement in nutrient and water availabilities, the reduction in plant stress caused by harsh summer light, and the specific ecological requirements of different tree species. We suggest that different canopy sizes of native shrub R. tomentosa may be explored to target different native trees and hence promote forest restoration in degraded tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further research the extracting method of the pig gait features, the paper firstly focus on the extraction of the pig gait frequency. A gait frequency extraction method was proposed based on analyzing the skeleton endpoints of depth image. Firstly, a series of processes, including skeleton extracting and pruning, were taken to the frames of depth image sequences. Secondly, a path similarity skeleton graph matching method was introduced to distinguish the fore-leg endpoints and the hind-leg endpoints from the skeleton graph. Then considering the characteristics of the depth image, a rule to distinguish the far-side endpoint and the near-side endpoint was constructed by calculating the average value of neighbor skeleton points of the endpoint. After ascertaining the skeleton endpoints of four legs, a variable was defined to represent the relative position of the far-side endpoint and the near-side endpoint, along the horizontal direction between frames in a sequence. Furthermore, the fitting sine curves were used to represent the variations of the fore-leg endpoints and the hind-leg endpoints separately. At last, the reciprocal of the fitting sine curve frequency can be calculated and the INTPART of double reciprocal was regarded as the fore-leg steps (FS) or the hind-leg steps (HS). The complete step (CS) was defined as the minimum of FS and HS. The finally gait frequency can be calculated by using the CS value to divide the duration of the sequence. To verify the proposal method, 28 depth image sequences of pig moving were acquired by using the KINECT depth camera, at the Rongxin pig farming of Danyang city in Jiangsu province, China. Another 28 sequences were achieved by mirror transforming along the horizontal direction to the native sequences. Experiments were taken for all the 56 sequences by using the proposal method. Experimental results show that the success rate of the method proposed in this paper is 82.1%, up to 92% for the situation when the pig moves continuously and the moving directions is perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the axis of the depth camera only. Incorrect results often appear when the pig stays for a long time between steps or by non-cross steps, it needs to further adapt the proposal method. For the situation of rough variation of the pig body occurring in the sequence, the proposal method is not suited because the matching of skeleton points can not be achieved. That is the insufficient point of the proposal method. The proposal method would help to carry the further research of the abnormal gait of pig and construct the abnormal monitoring system by fusion of multi-source vision features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We evaluated nitrogen (N) dynamics in an urban constructed wetland under base-flow and storm-flow. [•] N concentrations were reduced under base-flow in all sampling years and all seasons except winter. [•] Over the 4-year sampling period, 38% of the N entering the wetland during base-flow was removed. [•] N was removed in 2 of the 7 storm events sampled and overall N-export was 34% greater than the input. [•] N retention and export in urban constructed wetlands are highly dependent on hydrologic discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin is an aminopolysaccharide present in insects as a major structural component of the cuticle. However, current knowledge on the chitin biosynthetic machinery, especially its constituents and mechanism, is limited. Using three independent binding assays, including co-immunoprecipitation, split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid assay, and pull-down assay, we demonstrate that choline transporter-like protein 2 (Ctl2) interacts with krotzkopf verkehrt (kkv) in Drosophila melanogaster. The global knockdown of Ctl2 by RNA interference (RNAi) induced lethality at the larval stage. Tissue-specific RNAi to silence Ctl2 in the tracheal system and in the epidermis of the flies resulted in lethality at the first larval instar. The knockdown of Ctl2 in wings led to shrunken wings containing accumulated fluid. Calcofluor White staining demonstrated reduced chitin content in the first longitudinal vein of Ctl2 knockdown wings. The pro-cuticle, which was thinner compared to wildtype, exhibited a reduced number of chitin laminar layers. Phylogenetic analyses revealed orthologues of Ctl2 in different insect orders with highly conserved domains. Our findings provide new insights into cuticle formation, wherein Ctl2 plays an important role as a chitin-synthase interacting protein. [Display omitted] • Choline transporter-like protein 2 interacts with chitin synthase 1. • Ctl2 is necessary for chitin synthesis in chitin-containing organs. • Multiple motifs in Ctl2 are involved in the interaction to N-terminal region of kkv. • Putative orthologues of Ctl2 are found in different insect orders. • The gene expression pattern of Ctl2 during development is similar to that of kkv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chasing the active impurity: In the validation of a screening hit it was discovered that a polymeric trace impurity was responsible for the biological activity. Such a side product can be formed with similar compounds. During the investigations it was discovered that the negatively charged macromolecule interacts very efficiently with the protein surface of E. coli RNAP via electrostatic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The relationship between tree species and soil nutrient availability is critical for evaluating plantation succession and promoting forest restoration. This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of exotic and native tress species on soil nutrient availability. Methods: Four exotic species ( Eucalyptus urophylla, E. tereticornis, Acaia auriculaeformis, A. mangium) and four native species ( Castanopsis fissa, Schima superba, C. hystrix, Michelia macclurei) were planted and grown for one-year. Soil solution (DOC, DON, NH−N, NO−N) was sampled and analyzed during the study. After the experiment, soil properties were determined, and plant tissues were analyzed. Results: DOC levels were greater in soils with trees planted than controls without trees. Compared to native species, exotic species had much faster growth rates and greatly reduced DON and NO−N concentrations. Exotic species always had less P concentrations in leaves and stems than native species. Furthermore, N-fixing A. auriculaeformis led to greater soil available P compared to other species. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we provide some recommendations for afforestation practice. This study highlights that a better understanding of the pros and cons of exotic species would be beneficial to advance afforestation in China and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Constructed wetlands are increasingly being used to treat wastewater, yet most remediation studies only focus on single pollutants (e.g. nitrogen [N] or phosphorus [P]) or pollutant classes (e.g. nutrients). For wetland remediation to be useful in urban systems, where storm generated wastewater often contains many different pollutant types (e.g. nutrients and metals), wetlands must be able to both tolerate and remediate these pollutant cocktails. Since plants are often integral to this treatment ability, the objective of our study was to evaluate the growth of three common wetland plants (Glyceria grandis, Typha latifolia and Sagittaria latifolia) treated with single and multi-pollutant wastewater types. We planted six replicate blocks within the research greenhouse at Binghamton University located in Binghamton, NY, USA. Each block contained 12 five-gallon pots filled with homogenized wetland sediment collected from a natural wetland on campus. Four pots were planted with G. grandis, four with T. latifolia and four with S. latifolia. Plants from each of the three species were assigned with one of four treatment solutions (dionized water [control], nitrate [NO3 −], metal mixture [Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd], or nitrate and metal mixture), and watered weekly for a total of seven weeks. Effluent was collected weekly and analyzed to determine weekly NO3–N efflux. At peak standing biomass, all roots and shoots were harvested to determine total aboveground and belowground biomass and N and P accumulation. Sediment was also collected to determine net N mineralization rates. We found that the NO3 − treatment, metal treatment and the combined NO3 − and metal treatment had no negative effect on plant growth and nutrient (N and P) content. However, G. grandis produced a greater amount of aboveground biomass (33.09±0.72g) and had a greater amount of N (450.9±25.3mg) in the aboveground biomass than T. latifolia (22.25±1.54g; 300.0±21.8mg) and S. latifolia (24.30±1.53g; 297.1±21.3mg). While S. latifolia sequestered a greater amount of P (181.6±11.1mg) than G. grandis (127.6±8.6mg) and T. latifolia (97.1±8.9mg). In addition, efflux NO3–N was substantially reduced by both plants and sediment, but plant presence caused a significantly greater NO3–N reduction than sediment alone. These findings indicate that wetland plants can grow well under single and multi-pollutant conditions, like those commonly found in urban systems, and that optimal ecosystem function would more likely occur in systems with multiple plant species assemblages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background and aims: The impacts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on terrestrial ecosystem processes remain controversial, mostly because of the uncertainty regarding the fates of deposited N. We conducted a 16-week simulated deposition study to experimentally trace N in a greenhouse plant-soil system. Methods: Using a two-way factorial design, we added (NH)SO solution twice a week to pots containing different soil organic matter (SOM) content and with or without a live plant ( Salix dasyclados). The recoveries of N in soil, plant biomass, and leaching solution were quantified. Results: We found most N was retained in soil (18.0-59.2%), with significantly more N recovered from high-SOM soils than from low-SOM soils. Plant presence significantly increased N retention in soil. Plant biomass accounted for 10-20% of the N input, with proportionally more N assimilated when plants were grown in low-SOM soils. Leaching loss of N was relatively low (10-17%). Conclusion: Our study suggests that SOM content and plant presence significantly affect the fates of deposited N. Indeed, N would be preferentially retained in soils with high SOM content and live plant, while plants would assimilate more deposited N when grown in low SOM soils. Global biogeochemical models thus need to incorporate such soil-specific N retention and plant N assimilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Computer vision methods for livestock behaviour recognition were evaluated. • Journey from computer vision to deep learning was elaborated. • This paper involves with segmentation, identification and behaviour recognition. • Research trend of livestock behaviour recognition was illustrated from four aspects. • This review could provide researchers and producers with technical references. The increasing demand for sustainable livestock products also demands new considerations in animal breeding. Breeding programs are now seeking to integrate animal behavioural phenotypes, as these relate to the productivity, health and welfare of the animals and thereby can influence yield and economic benefits in the industry. Traditional manual observation of pig behaviour is time-consuming, laborious, subjective, and difficult to achieve in continuous and large-scale operations. It is not surprising that computer vision technology with the advantages of being objective, non-invasive and continuous has been widely researched for its use in the recognition of livestock behaviours over recent years. Nevertheless, in studies of livestock behaviour recognition, computer vision technology faces some challenges, e.g., complex scenes, variable illumination, occlusion, touching and overlapping between livestock, which has limited the fast translation of technology to industry. On the other hand, deep learning technology has proven to solve these difficulties to a certain extent and is being adopted to recognise livestock behaviours. This paper mainly evaluates the recent developments in computer vision methods for recognition of these behaviours in pigs and cattle. The focus on these species is made possible by the number of studies exist quantifying behaviours that are of importance for their health, welfare and productivity such as aggression, drinking, feeding, lameness, mounting, posture, tail-biting and nursing. This review paper especially analyses the development of image segmentation, identification and behaviour recognition using tradition computer vision and more recent deep learning methods, and evaluates the evolution of key research in the field. We elaborate the research trend of livestock behaviour recognition from four aspects, i.e., development of robust livestock identification algorithms, recognition of livestock behaviours for different growth stages, further quantification of the results of behaviour recognition, and building evaluation system of growth status, health and welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Feeding behaviour of multiple pigs at the nursery stage was recognised in this study. • Xception and LSTM were combined to extract discriminative spatial-temporal features. • These features can used to recognise feeding behaviour with an accuracy of 98.4%. • The identity and feeding time of each pig were determined in 4 feeding sub-regions. • The proposed algorithm could recognise 98.5% of feeding time of individual pigs. Monitoring the feeding behaviour of pigs and measuring their feeding time can help farmers to evaluate the pig health and welfare. The aim of this study was to develop a video-based deep learning algorithm to recognise feeding behaviour of nursery pigs and determine the feeding time of pigs on an individual level. In the experiment, two pens of pigs were video recorded for 3 days. In the video of feeding region of pen 1, 96,000 1 s feeding episodes and 96,000 1 s non-feeding episodes were generated. 70% of these data was randomly selected as training set and the remaining 30% as validation set. In the video of feeding region of pen 2, all the labelled 24,656 1 s feeding episodes and 61,744 1 s non-feeding episodes were used as test set. Firstly, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture Xception was used to extract spatial features. These features were input into Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) framework to extract spatial-temporal features. Through the fully connected layer, the prediction function Softmax was finally used to classify these 1 s episodes as feeding or non-feeding. An image processing algorithm based on maximum entropy segmentation, HSV (Hue, Saturation and Value) colour space transformation and template matching was proposed to calculate the circularity of the head, the ratio of the head to the feeding sub-region, the accumulated pixels of the head motion, and the distance from the head to the number on pig back in order to determine the identity and feeding time of each pig. In the test set, the proposed algorithm could recognise feeding behaviour with an accuracy of 98.4%, a sensitivity of 98.8%, specificity of 98.3% and precision of 95.9%, and could correctly recognise 98.5% of feeding time of individual pigs from the total 45944 s feeding time of 8 pigs. The results indicate that the proposed method can be used to recognise feeding behavior of pigs and determine feeding time of each pig. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The individual identification of group-housed pigs plays an important role in breeding process management and individual behavior analysis. Recently, livestock identification methods based on the side view or face image have strict requirements on the position and posture of livestock, which poses a challenge for the application of the monitoring scene of group-housed pigs. To address the issue above, a Weber texture local descriptor (WTLD) is proposed for the identification of group-housed pigs by extracting the local features of back hair, skin texture, spots, and so on. By calculating the differential excitation and multi-directional information of pixels, the local structure features of the main direction are fused to enhance the description ability of features. The experimental results show that the proposed WTLD achieves higher recognition rates with a lower feature dimension. This method can identify pig individuals with different positions and postures in the pig house. Without limitations on pig movement, this method can facilitate the identification of individual pigs with greater convenience and universality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is the first time to use computer vision to recognise pig enrichment engagement. • A HSV colour space-based method was proposed to track the object region of interest. • InceptionV3 and LSTM were used to extract discriminative spatial-temporal features. • This algorithm has reference value for classifying similar behaviours of pigs. • Pigs preference to 3 enrichment objects was also determined in this study. As providing objects that pigs prefer can reduce the occurrence of tail-biting and aggression and consequently improve animal welfare, automatic recognition of pigs' engagement with different objects can have practical value. Therefore, aim of this study was to develop a computer vision based approach that utilised a recurrent neural network-based deep learning algorithm to recognise pig enrichment engagement (EE) behaviours and preliminarily determine the preference to objects. Two pig pens were studied. 1 day of video was recorded in pen 1, which generated 2400 1 s EE and 2400 1 s non-EE episodes. 80% of these data was randomly selected as training set and the remaining 20% as validation set. Moreover, 4 days of video were recorded and used as the test set in pen 2. Firstly, the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) colour space-based tracking algorithm was developed to locate object region of interest. Secondly, the convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture InceptionV3 was used to extract spatial features from each frame. These features were input into the long short-term memory (LSTM) framework to extract spatial-temporal features from each episode. Through the fully connected layer, the prediction function Softmax was finally used to classify these episodes as EE or non-EE behaviour. In the validation set, the proposed algorithm could recognise EE with blue ball, golden ball and wooden beam with an accuracy of 95.2%, 95.4% and 97.3%, respectively. By shortening the radius of the region of interest into a half of the average length of pig body, the corresponding accuracy could be improved into 96.9%, 97.1% and 97.9%, respectively. In the test set, the proposed algorithm could recognise EE with each of these 3 objects with an accuracy of 96.5%, 96.8% and 97.6%, respectively. The proportion of EE with each of these 3 objects was 75.8%, 6.0% and 18.2%, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed method can be used to recognise EE behaviours of pigs, and halving the radius of the region of interest can improve the recognition accuracy of EE behaviours. Moreover, the preference of pigs to objects based on EE duration were preliminarily determined as blue ball > wooden beam > golden ball. The obtained duration of EE behaviours can help farmers to evaluate the enrichment used and thereby to increase the health and welfare of the pigs in their care. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm has reference value for the classification of the behaviours with similar motion patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A deep learning method based on CNN and LSTM was used to recognise pig aggression. • This study directly process video episodes rather than individual frames. • CNN features were input into LSTM framework to extract spatial-temporal features. • The proposed method could recognise aggressive episodes with an accuracy of 97.2%. • A frame skipping approach can improve the accuracy to 98.4% and halve running time. Aggression is considered as a major animal welfare problem in commercial pig farming. The aim of this study is to develop a deep learning method based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) to recognise aggressive episodes of pigs. Compared to previous studies of pig behaviours based on deep learning, this study directly process video episodes rather than individual frames. In the experiment, nursery pigs (8/pen) were mixed for 3 days and then 8 h of video was recorded in each day. From these videos, 600 aggressive 2 s-episodes were manually selected and then augmented into 2400 episodes by using horizontal, vertical and diagonal mirroring. From the videos, 2400 non-aggressive 2 s-episodes were also manually selected. 80% of the data were randomly allocated as training set and the remaining 20% as validation set. Firstly, the CNN architecture VGG-16 was used to extract spatial features. These features were then input into LSTM framework to further extract temporal features. Through fully connected layer, the prediction function Softmax was finally used to determine if the current episode is aggression or non-aggression. Using the proposed method, aggressive episodes could be recognised with an accuracy of 97.2%. This result indicates that this method can be used to recognise aggressive episodes of pigs. Additionally, this paper further investigates the validity of this method under the conditions of skipping frames and reducing the episode length. The results show that a frame skipping approach whereby 30 fps is reduced into 15 fps within each 2 s-episode can improve the accuracy into 98.4% and halve the total running time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new depth sensor of RealSense D435 was used for pig aggression detection. • Advantages of group analysis and 3D cameras were combined for the first time. • Connected area threshold was set to remove moving pixels without aggression. • SVM was used to classify the 4 features of motion shape index in each 3 s-unit. • The proposed algorithm could detect aggression with higher evaluation parameters. The aim of this study is to develop a depth image analysis method to automatically detect aggressive behaviours of group-housed pigs. In this work 2 experiments were performed. In each experiment, 8 pigs from 3 pens were mixed for 3 days and then 8 h of video was recorded in each day. In the 24 h data of the first experiment, all the 883 aggressive 3 s-units and manually selected 883 non-aggressive 3 s-units were used as training set. In the 24 h data of the second experiment, all the 856 aggressive 3 s-units and manually selected 856 non-aggressive 3 s-units were used as test set. Firstly, frame-to-frame distance was set and then frame difference method was used to obtain moving pixels. Secondly, moving pixels caused by non-aggressive behaviours were removed by setting threshold of connected area. Number of filtered moving pixels were summed and defined as motion shape index (MSI) in each frame. After dividing all videos into 3 s-units, the maximum, mean, variance and standard deviation of MSI in each unit were extracted as features. Finally, support vector machine (SVM) was used to classify these features in order to detect aggression. Using the proposed algorithm, aggressive behaviours could be detected with an accuracy of 97.5%, a sensitivity of 98.2%, specificity of 96.7% and precision of 96.8%. The results indicate that this algorithm can be used to detect aggressive behaviours of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition represents a major global change factor, but its long‐term effect on tree growth and carbon (C) sequestration remains uncertain. Our manipulation experiment and meta‐analysis reveal that N deposition in temperate and boreal forests promoted tree growth and the allocation of more C into wood than into leaves in China and worldwide. Thus, N deposition may increase forest C sequestration through enhanced wood production and distribution of C into stable sinks. In the context of achieving "Carbon Neutrality," understanding how N deposition affect long‐term forest C sinks will help us with mitigation strategies under climate change. Summary: Increased nitrogen (N) deposition is driving many temperate and boreal forests in the Northern Hemisphere towards N saturation. However, it is uncertain how long‐term N deposition affects tree growth and carbon (C) allocation in these forests.To investigate this, we treated temperate larch and mixed forests in northeastern China with N additions for 8 years. In addition, we collected data from 25 N‐addition experiments in temperate and boreal forests worldwide to reveal the overall effects of N on tree growth and C allocation.Nitrogen additions significantly promoted total biomass increment by 24% in both study forests, with on average additional 8 kg C per kg N gain into woody biomass over the study period. Nitrogen additions increased the ratio of woody biomass increment to foliage litterfall production in the larch forest (by 34%). Literature data analysis also revealed greater N promotion on wood (24%) over foliage (9%) production. However, the positive effect on foliage diminished over time.These results combined imply that N deposition may promote tree growth in temperate and boreal regions and drive proportionally more photosynthate allocation into wood than leaves, thus may enhance forest C sequestration in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time semantic segmentation is a challenging task as both segmentation accuracy and inference speed need to be considered at the same time. In this paper, a Dual Context Network (DCNet) is presented to address this challenge. It contains two independent sub-networks: Region Context Network and Pixel Context Network. Region Context Network is main network with low-resolution input and features re-weighting module to achieve sufficient receptive field. Meanwhile, Pixel Context Network with location attention module is to capture the location dependencies of each pixel for assisting the main network to recover spatial detail. A contextual feature fusion is introduced to combine output features of these two sub-networks. The experiments show that DCNet can achieve high-quality segmentation while keeping a high speed. Specifically, for Cityscapes test dataset, it can achieve 76.1% Mean IOU with the speed of 82 FPS on a single GTX 2080Ti GPU when using ResNet50 as backbone and 71.2% Mean IOU with the speed of 142 FPS when using ResNet18 as backbone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin, the major structural polysaccharide in arthropods such as insects and mites, is a linear polymer of N -acetylglucosamine units. The growth and development of insects are intimately coupled with chitin biosynthesis. The membrane-bound β-glycosyltransferase chitin synthase is known to catalyze the key polymerization step of N -acetylglucosamine. However, the additional proteins that might assist chitin synthase during chitin biosynthesis are not well understood. Recently, fatty acid binding protein (Fabp) has been suggested as a candidate that interacts with the chitin synthase Krotzkopf verkehrt (Kkv) in Drosophila melanogaster. Here, using split-ubiquitin membrane yeast two-hybrid and pull-down assays, we have demonstrated that the Fabp-B splice variant physically interacts with Kkv in vitro. The global knockdown of Fabp in D. melanogaster using RNA interference (RNAi) induced lethality at the larval stage. Moreover, in tissue-specific RNAi experiments, silenced Fabp expression in the epidermis and tracheal system caused a lethal larval phenotype. Fabp knockdown in the wings resulted in an abnormal wing development and uneven cuticular surface. In addition to reducing the chitin content in the first longitudinal vein of wings, Fabp silencing also caused the loss of procuticle laminate structures. This study revealed that Fabp plays an important role in chitin synthesis and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the complex insect chitin biosynthesis. [Display omitted] • Fatty acid binding protein associates with chitin biosynthesis in Drosophila melanogaster. • Whole-body knock down of fatty acid binding protein induced lethal larval phenotypes. • Wing-specific knockdown led to abnormal wing development with uneven surfaces. • Fatty acid binding protein suppression caused loss of pro-cuticle laminate structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental change factors can significantly affect the composition and physiology of soil microbes. How the resulting changes in the community composition are related to microbial functions, however, remains poorly understood. We investigated the effects of climate warming (+ 1.4°C of air temperature and + 0.75°C of soil temperature at 10 cm depth) and reactive nitrogen (N) input (12 g N m–2 year–1) on the community composition and physiologies of soil bacteria in a semiarid Loess grassland. Soil bacterial communities were assessed by Miseq sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons while their physiological properties were assessed by microbial metabolic quotients (qCO2, microbial respiration per unit of microbial biomass) and microbial community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs). Our results showed that N input, but not warming, altered bacterial community structure, although both warming and N input significantly affected the abundances of certain phyla. While phyla Verrucomicrobia and Chloroflexi were sensitive to warming, Saccharibacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were primarily responsive to N input. Both warming and N input increased microbial metabolic quotients, but only warming significantly impacted soil microbial CLPPs with L-cysteine, oxalic acid, oxoglutaric acid and aminobutyric acid being the sensitive C sources. Structural equation modeling showed that warming and N input influenced soil bacterial phyla through soil moisture, soil NO3––N and plant biomass. The sensitive bacterial phyla, not the whole community property, were significantly correlated with qCO2 and microbial C utilization. Our findings suggest that responses of bacterial groups sensitive to environmental change factors, rather than the whole community, may exert dominant effects on soil microbial functions under future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid(P. chinense Schneid) is known in TCM as Huang Bo , is traditionally used to support gastrointestinal function and alleviate stomach-related ailments, including gastric ulcer bleeding and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is classified by the WHO as a Group 1 carcinogen. However, the specific activity and mechanism of action of P. chinense Schneid against H. pylori infection remain unclear. It has been noted that Huangjiu processing may alter the bitter and cold properties of P. chinense Schneid , but its effect on antimicrobial activity requires further investigation. Additionally, it remains uncertain whether berberine is the sole antimicrobial active component of P. chinense Schneid. This study aims to elucidate the anti- H. pylori infection activity of P. chinense Schneid , along with its mechanism of action and key antimicrobial active components. Phytochemical analysis was carried out by UPLC-MS/MS. HPLC was employed to quantify the berberine content of the extracts. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using the micro broth dilution method. Morphology was observed using SEM. The impact on urease activity was analyzed through in vitro urease enzyme kinetics. RT-qPCR was employed to detect the expression of virulence genes, including adhesin, flagellum, urease, and cytotoxin-related genes. The adhesion effect was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and agar culture. P. chinense Schneid exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against both antibiotic-sensitive and resistant H. pylori strains, with MIC ranging from 40 to 160 μg/mL. Combination with amoxicillin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and clarithromycin did not result in antagonistic effects. P. chinense Schneid induced alterations in bacterial morphology and structure, downregulated the expression of various virulence genes, and inhibited urease enzyme activity. In co-infection systems, P. chinense Schneid significantly attenuated H. pylori adhesion and urease relative content, thereby mitigating cellular damage caused by infection. Huangjiu processing enhanced the anti- H. pylori activity of P. chinense Schneid. Besides berberine, P. chinense Schneid contained seven other components with anti- H. pylori activity, with palmatine exhibiting the strongest activity, followed by jatrorrhizine. This study sheds light on the potential therapeutic mechanisms of P. chinense Schneid against H. pylori infection, demonstrating its capacity to disrupt bacterial structure, inhibit urease activity, suppress virulence gene transcription, inhibit adhesion, and protect host cells. The anti -H. pylori activity of P. chinense Schneid was potentiated by Huangjiu processing, and additional components beyond berberine were identified as possessing strong anti- H. pylori activity. Notably, jatrorrhizine, a core component of P. chinense Schneid , exhibited significant anti- H. pylori activity, marking a groundbreaking discovery. [Display omitted] • Phytochemical constituents of HB were analyzed. • HB show anti- H p infection activity, revealing its ability to disrupt bacterial structure, inhibit urease activity, decrease the transcription of virulence genes, inhibit adhesion, and protect host cells. • The anti- H p activity of HB was enhanced after Huangjiu processing, with MIC of 40 μg/ml. • A groundbreaking discovery was the strong anti- H p activity of jatrorrhizine, one of the core components of HB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Growing evidence has shown that nitrogen (N) deposition can lead to soil acidification and tree nutrient imbalance. Tree species-specific differences in plant-soil interactions may render different forest types exhibiting contrasting responses to N deposition, yet this remains largely untested.We conducted N addition experiments (0 and 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1) separately in a larch (Larix kaempferi) forest and an adjacent larch-broadleaf mixed forest, and examined whether soil N availability, soil acid–base chemistry, leaf nutrients and stoichiometry of these two forests responded differently to four-year N addition.We found that N addition increased soil nitrate concentrations at four soil layers (i.e. Oa + e, 0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm), and resulted in soil acidification at Oa + e and 0–10 cm layers characterized by decreased pH and exchangeable base cations and increased hydrolyzing cations in the larch forest. In contrast to soil chemical properties, larch leaf nutrient stoichiometry except the C:N ratio showed no significant responses to N addition in the larch forest. Moreover, N addition did not significantly affect soil inorganic N concentration, soil acid–base chemistry, and tree leaf nutrients in the larch-broadleaf mixed forest.Our results suggest the higher resistance of larch-broadleaf mixed forests than larch forests against soil acidification under N addition, and highlight the establishment of conifer-broadleaf mixed forests is an important silvicultural practice to alleviate soil acidification induced by N deposition.Methods: Growing evidence has shown that nitrogen (N) deposition can lead to soil acidification and tree nutrient imbalance. Tree species-specific differences in plant-soil interactions may render different forest types exhibiting contrasting responses to N deposition, yet this remains largely untested.We conducted N addition experiments (0 and 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1) separately in a larch (Larix kaempferi) forest and an adjacent larch-broadleaf mixed forest, and examined whether soil N availability, soil acid–base chemistry, leaf nutrients and stoichiometry of these two forests responded differently to four-year N addition.We found that N addition increased soil nitrate concentrations at four soil layers (i.e. Oa + e, 0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm), and resulted in soil acidification at Oa + e and 0–10 cm layers characterized by decreased pH and exchangeable base cations and increased hydrolyzing cations in the larch forest. In contrast to soil chemical properties, larch leaf nutrient stoichiometry except the C:N ratio showed no significant responses to N addition in the larch forest. Moreover, N addition did not significantly affect soil inorganic N concentration, soil acid–base chemistry, and tree leaf nutrients in the larch-broadleaf mixed forest.Our results suggest the higher resistance of larch-broadleaf mixed forests than larch forests against soil acidification under N addition, and highlight the establishment of conifer-broadleaf mixed forests is an important silvicultural practice to alleviate soil acidification induced by N deposition.Results: Growing evidence has shown that nitrogen (N) deposition can lead to soil acidification and tree nutrient imbalance. Tree species-specific differences in plant-soil interactions may render different forest types exhibiting contrasting responses to N deposition, yet this remains largely untested.We conducted N addition experiments (0 and 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1) separately in a larch (Larix kaempferi) forest and an adjacent larch-broadleaf mixed forest, and examined whether soil N availability, soil acid–base chemistry, leaf nutrients and stoichiometry of these two forests responded differently to four-year N addition.We found that N addition increased soil nitrate concentrations at four soil layers (i.e. Oa + e, 0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm), and resulted in soil acidification at Oa + e and 0–10 cm layers characterized by decreased pH and exchangeable base cations and increased hydrolyzing cations in the larch forest. In contrast to soil chemical properties, larch leaf nutrient stoichiometry except the C:N ratio showed no significant responses to N addition in the larch forest. Moreover, N addition did not significantly affect soil inorganic N concentration, soil acid–base chemistry, and tree leaf nutrients in the larch-broadleaf mixed forest.Our results suggest the higher resistance of larch-broadleaf mixed forests than larch forests against soil acidification under N addition, and highlight the establishment of conifer-broadleaf mixed forests is an important silvicultural practice to alleviate soil acidification induced by N deposition.Conclusions: Growing evidence has shown that nitrogen (N) deposition can lead to soil acidification and tree nutrient imbalance. Tree species-specific differences in plant-soil interactions may render different forest types exhibiting contrasting responses to N deposition, yet this remains largely untested.We conducted N addition experiments (0 and 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1) separately in a larch (Larix kaempferi) forest and an adjacent larch-broadleaf mixed forest, and examined whether soil N availability, soil acid–base chemistry, leaf nutrients and stoichiometry of these two forests responded differently to four-year N addition.We found that N addition increased soil nitrate concentrations at four soil layers (i.e. Oa + e, 0–10, 10–20, and 20–40 cm), and resulted in soil acidification at Oa + e and 0–10 cm layers characterized by decreased pH and exchangeable base cations and increased hydrolyzing cations in the larch forest. In contrast to soil chemical properties, larch leaf nutrient stoichiometry except the C:N ratio showed no significant responses to N addition in the larch forest. Moreover, N addition did not significantly affect soil inorganic N concentration, soil acid–base chemistry, and tree leaf nutrients in the larch-broadleaf mixed forest.Our results suggest the higher resistance of larch-broadleaf mixed forests than larch forests against soil acidification under N addition, and highlight the establishment of conifer-broadleaf mixed forests is an important silvicultural practice to alleviate soil acidification induced by N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on forests largely depend on its fate after entering the ecosystem. While several studies have addressed the forest fate of N deposition using 15N tracers, the long‐term fate and redistribution of deposited N in tropical forests remains unknown. Here, we applied 15N tracers to examine the fates of deposited ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3‐) separately over 3 years in a primary and a secondary tropical montane forest in southern China. Three months after 15N tracer addition, over 60% of 15N was retained in the forests studied. Total ecosystem retention did not change over the study period, but between 3 months and 3 years following deposition 15N recovery in plants increased from 10% to 19% and 13% to 22% in the primary and secondary forests, respectively, while 15N recovery in the organic soil declined from 16% to 2% and 9% to 2%. Mineral soil retained 50% and 35% of 15N in the primary and secondary forests, with retention being stable over time. The total ecosystem retention of the two N forms did not differ significantly, but plants retained more 15NO3‐ than 15NH4+ and the organic soil more 15NH4+ than NO3‐. Mineral soil did not differ in 15NH4+ and 15NO3‐ retention. Compared to temperate forests, proportionally more 15N was distributed to mineral soil and plants in these tropical forests. Overall, our results suggest that atmospherically deposited NH4+ and NO3‐ is rapidly lost in the short term (months) but thereafter securely retained within the ecosystem, with retained N becoming redistributed to plants and mineral soil from the organic soil. This long‐term N retention may benefit tropical montane forest growth and enhance ecosystem carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has become an international public health problem, and antibiotic-based triple or quadruple therapy is currently the mainstay of treatment. However, the effectiveness of these therapies decreases due to resistance to multiple commonly used antibiotics. Sanguisorba officinalis L. (S. officinalis), a traditional Chinese medicine clinically used for hemostasis and treatment of diarrhea, has various pharmacological activities. In this study, in vitro antimicrobial activity was used for the preliminary evaluation of S. officinalis against H. pylori. And a pharmacology analysis approach was also utilized to elucidate its underlying mechanisms against H. pylori infection. Methods: Micro-broth dilution method, agar dilution method, checkerboard assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for the assessment of anti-bacterial activity. Active ingredients screening, GO analysis, KEGG analysis, construction of PPI network, molecular docking, and RT-qPCR were used to elucidate the underlying pharmacological mechanisms of S. officinalis against H. pylori infection. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of S. officinalis against multiple H. pylori strains including clinically isolated multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains were ranging from 160 to 320 µg/ml. These results showed that S. officinalis had additive interaction with four commonly used antibiotics and could exert antibacterial effect by changing the morphology of bacteria without developing drug resistance. Through network pharmacology analysis, 8 active ingredients in S. officinalis were screened out for subsequent studies. Among 222 putative targets of S. officinalis, 49 targets were identified as potential targets for treatment of H. pylori infection. And these 49 targets were significantly enriched in GO processes such as protein kinase B signaling, protein kinase activity, protein kinase binding, and KEGG pathways such as Pathways in cancer, MicroRNAs in cancer, and TNF signaling pathway. Protein-protein interaction analysis yielded 5 core targets (AKT1, VEGFA, EGFR, SRC, CCND1), which were validated by molecular docking and RT-qPCR. Conclusions: Overall, this study confirmed the in vitro inhibitory activity of S. officinalis against H. pylori and explored the possible pharmacological mechanisms, laying the foundation for further research and clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Conifers are considered to prefer to take up ammonium (NH4+) over nitrate (NO3−). However, this conclusion is mainly based on hydroponic experiments that separate roots from soils. It remains unclear to what extent mature conifers can use nitrate compared to ammonium under field conditions where both roots and soil microbes compete for nitrogen (N).We conducted an in situ whole mature tree nitrogen‐15 (15N) labeling experiment (15NH4+ vs 15NO3−) over 15 d to quantify ammonium and nitrate uptake and assimilation rates in four 40‐yr‐old monoculture coniferous plantations (Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sylvestris, Picea koraiensis and Larix olgensis, respectively).For the whole tree, 15NO3− contributed 39% to 90% to total 15N tracer uptake among four plantations during the study period. At day 3, the 15NO3− accounted for 77%, 64%, 62% and 59% by Larix olgensis, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus sylvestris and Picea koraiensis, respectively.Our study indicates that mature coniferous trees assimilated nitrate as efficiently as ammonium from soils even at low soil nitrate concentration, in contrast to the results from hydroponic experiments showing that ammonium uptake dominated over nitrate. This implies that mature conifers can adapt to increasing availability of nitrate in soil, for example, under the context of globalization of N deposition and global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanguisorba officinalis L. (S. officinalis L.), known as Di Yu (DY) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are used to treat burns, vomiting of blood, asthma, intestinal infections, and dermatitis. It has been reported that the root of DY has a significant inhibitory effect on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). However, there is currently little research on the composition analysis and anti- H. pylori infection properties of the non-medicinal parts of DY, such as its stems, leaves, and flowers. The commonly used eradication therapies for H. pylori infection are antibiotic-based therapies. With the increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori, it is urgent to find effective alternative therapies. To find alternative therapies and increase the utilization of DY, this study aims to investigate the phytochemistry profile, in vitro anti- H. pylori activity, and preliminary antibacterial mechanism of the non-medicinal parts of DY. The non-medicinal parts of DY extracts were obtained by using hot water reflux method. The chemical composition of these extracts was analyzed using colorimetric method, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS). The in vitro anti- H. pylori activity was investigated using broth microdilution method, checkerboard dilution method, time-kill curve, time-inhibition curve, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Transcriptional sequencing technology was used to study the effect of DY stems and flowers on the gene expression of H. pylori and explore possible antibacterial mechanisms. The non-medicinal parts of DY contain abundant phytochemicals, such as total phenols and total flavonoids, and possess strong inhibitory and bactericidal activity against both standard and clinical strains of H. pylori in vitro. The MIC was 80–1280 μg/mL and the MBC was 80–2560 μg/mL, and the strength of the antibacterial effects was dependent on the concentration of phytochemicals (total polyphenols, gallic acid and ellagic acid). In addition, the combination of non-medicinal parts of DY with antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and clarithromycin, did not result in any antagonistic effects. All of them could disrupt the morphology, internal microscopic and cell wall structures of H. pylori thereby acting as an inhibitor. The mechanism of action was found to be the disruption of H. pylori morphology, internal microstructure, and cell wall. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the non-medicinal parts of DY significantly regulated the gene expression of H. pylori , especially the metabolic pathway. This study analyzed the chemical composition of the non-medicinal parts of DY and confirmed its inhibitory and bactericidal activities against H. pylori , both standard and clinical strains. Additional, the mechanism of inhibition involves disrupting the structure of H. pylori cells, altering gene expression, and interfering with bacterial metabolic pathways. This study provides a reference for further resource utilization and the development of H. pylori drugs using the non-medicinal parts of DY. [Display omitted] • The non-medicinal parts of DY showed anti- H. pylori activity in dependent on the concentration of phytochemicals. • The non-medicinal parts of DY exhibited anti- H. pylori activity by inhibiting growth, destroying membrane and down-regulating virulence genes. • The non-medicinal parts of DY could be served as a safe and convenient agent for H. pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition due to intensified emissions of NH 3 and NO x is a global problem with profound consequences on living organisms and the environment. Although N emission rates are currently considered to be high in East Asia, reports on the current N deposition level and composition are still limited, especially in northeastern China, where official N deposition monitoring sites are unavailable. This limits our understanding of the spatio-temporal N deposition patterns and their influencing factors at regional to continental scales. Here, we used data collected mostly during 2019 at 38 sites, comprising 7 sites in northeastern China and 31 EANET (Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia) sites in middle and east Russia, Mongolia, central and southern China, South Korea and Japan to explore the spatial-seasonal variations and drivers of ammonium and nitrate deposition across the Northeast Asia. Total bulk inorganic N (TIN) deposition was 3.7–24.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 and NH 4 +-N/NO 3 −-N ratio in the TIN was 0.8–2.8 in northeastern China. The bulk/wet TIN deposition averaged 7.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 (predominantly in the form of ammonium-N: NH 4 +-N/NO 3 −-N = 1.4) over the Northeast Asia region, with the highest rates being observed in northeastern China (11.6), as well as central and southern China (10.7), followed by east Russia, South Korea and Japan (5.6), and the lowest in middle Russia and Mongolia (1.5). This regional bulk/wet TIN deposition level is about twice of the wet TIN deposition level in Europe and the United States. The TIN deposition in summer and spring was 45–467% higher than in autumn and winter. Out of the ten land uses considered, only agricultural and urban land uses significantly positively correlated with NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N deposition rates across all monitored sites. This study suggests that the ongoing agricultural and urban expansions are likely to enhance N deposition and its associated effects across global ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Total inorganic N deposition was 3.7–24.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in northeastern China. • TIN deposition ranged 0.4–24.5 and averaged 7.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 over Northeast Asia. • NH 4 +-N dominated TIN deposition (NH 4 +-N/NO 3 −-N = 1.4) in Northeast Asia. • TIN deposition level in NE Asia is about twice that reported in Europe and the USA. • NH 4 +-N and NO 3 −-N deposition increased with increasing farmland and urban coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiosis with most terrestrial plant roots, obtaining photosynthates in return for mineral nutrients. Ecological theories based on the economics of trading partnership predict that nutrient enrichment would suppress AMF. Experimental results from nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) additions, however, were highly variable, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show distinct AMF responses to soil N:P stoichiometry manipulations via gradients of long‐term N and P additions in a Mongolian steppe. A complementary experiment with an acid addition gradient was designed to help tease apart the effect of N‐induced acidification from N nutrient. AMF root colonization and extraradical fungal biomass progressively decreased along the P gradient under two distinct host plant species, suggesting a carbon (C)‐P tradeoff. In contrast, low to moderate N inputs increased both AMF parameters, corresponding to the increasing N:P ratio. Yet, high N inputs reduced AMF colonization and biomass, and the magnitudes of N‐led inhibition were similar to those under acid additions that induced comparable changes in soil pH. Structural equation modeling further showed that while soil N:P stoichiometry primarily controlled the effect of P addition on AMF, N‐induced soil acidity overtook the N:P stoichiometry under high N inputs and dominated the effects of reactive N on AMF. In addition, AMF community composition in roots was more dependent on host plants and unresponsive to changes in soil nutrients. We further proposed a comprehensive framework that integrates biological and geochemical effects of reactive N and P inputs on AMF. Together, these results indicate that while the C‐P tradeoff controls P suppression of AMF, N‐induced acidification dominates the N inhibition. Our findings suggest that incorporation of geochemical impacts of N and P inputs would facilitate modeling efforts to project mycorrhizal impact on plant interactions and soil C balance under future nutrient enrichment scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition on forest ecosystems have been well recognized. However, our understanding of the fate of deposited N and its retention dynamics in different ecosystems is limited. This study used the 15N-tracer method to investigate both the short-term (1 week - 3 months) and long-term (1 - 3 years) fates of deposited NH4+ or NO3- in two forests in northeastern China, namely a larch plantation forest and a mixed forest. We determined retention dynamics of 15N-labelled NH4+ or NO3- (by following the recovery of the 15N) in different ecosystem compartments over three years. In the first three months, total N retention declined from 97 -100% to 52 - 72% in the larch forest and from 84 - 88 to 53 - 56% in the mixed forest, indicating a rapid initial loss of newly deposited N regardless of forest type. Here after, 15N retention stayed relatively constant in both forests, but retained 15N was redistributed from the organic layer to the mineral soil with no significant change in plants over time. At the end of three years, 15N retention were 48 - 51% and 42 - 47% in the larch and mixed forest, respectively, suggesting that once retained over the first growing season, most deposited N was recycled within ecosystem in the long-term. The N retention efficiency in our studied forests was lower than that observed in many temperate forests in Europe and US. But leachate 15N loss was minor (<1% of the added 15N). Total N retention did not significantly differ between NH4+ and NO3- inputs in either forest. However, the distribution of NH4+ and NO3- inputs in different ecosystem compartments was distinctly different, with higher 15NO3- retained in plants (while lower retention in organic layer) than found for 15NH4+. This suggests that NO3- deposition could be more beneficial to forest growth and CO2 sequestration into plant biomass. The distinctly different retention of deposited NH4+ and NO3- may have long-term consequences, which has important implications in environmental policy development to regulate anthropogenic deposition of NO3- and NH4+ and their impacts on forest ecosystems.Keywords: 15N tracer, temperate forests, N retention and redistribution, N deposition, northeastern China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying soil organic carbon (SOC) changes is a fundamental issue in ecology and sustainable agriculture. However, the algorithm‐derived biases in comparing SOC status have not been fully addressed. Although the methods based on equivalent soil mass (ESM) and mineral‐matter mass (EMMM) reduced biases of the conventional methods based on equivalent soil volume (ESV), they face challenges in ensuring both data comparability and accuracy of SOC estimation due to unequal basis for comparison and using unconserved reference systems. We introduce the basal mineral‐matter reference systems (soils at time zero with natural porosity but no organic matter) and develop an approach based on equivalent mineral‐matter volume (EMMV). To show the temporal bias, SOC change rates were recalculated with the ESV method and modified methods that referenced to soils at time t1 (ESM, EMMM, and EMMV‐t1) or referenced to soils at time zero (EMMV‐t0) using two datasets with contrasting SOC status. To show the spatial bias, the ESV‐ and EMMV‐t0‐derived SOC stocks were compared using datasets from six sites across biomes. We found that, in the relatively C‐rich forests, SOC accumulation rates derived from the modified methods that referenced to t1 soils and from the EMMV‐t0 method were 5.7%–13.6% and 20.6% higher than that calculated by the ESV method, respectively. Nevertheless, in the C‐poor lands, no significant algorithmic biases of SOC estimation were observed. Finally, both the SOC stock discrepancies (ESV vs. EMMV‐t0) and the proportions of this unaccounted SOC were large and site‐dependent. These results suggest that although the modified methods that referenced to t1 soils could reduce the biases derived from soil volume changes, they may not properly quantify SOC changes due to using unconserved reference systems. The EMMV‐t0 method provides an approach to address the two problems and is potentially useful since it enables SOC comparability and integrating SOC datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denitrification is a major process contributing to the removal of nitrogen (N) from ecosystems, but its rate is difficult to quantify. The natural abundance of isotopes can be used to identify the occurrence of denitrification and has recently been used to quantify denitrification rates at the ecosystem level. However, the technique requires an understanding of the isotopic enrichment factor associated with denitrification, which few studies have investigated in forest soils. Here, soils collected from two tropical and two temperate forests in China were incubated under anaerobic or aerobic laboratory conditions for two weeks to determine the N and oxygen (O) isotope enrichment factors during denitrification. We found that at room temperature (20 °C), NO 3 − was reduced at a rate of 0.17 to 0.35 μg N g −1 h −1 , accompanied by the isotope fractionation of N ( 15 ε ) and O ( 18 ε ) of 31‰ to 65‰ (48.3 ± 2.0‰ on average) and 11‰ to 39‰ (18.9 ± 1.7‰ on average), respectively. The N isotope effects were, unexpectedly, much higher than reported in the literature for heterotrophic denitrification (typically ranging from 5‰ to 30‰) and in other environmental settings (e.g., groundwater, marine sediments and agricultural soils). In addition, the ratios of Δδ 18 O:Δδ 15 N ranged from 0.28 to 0.60 (0.38 ± 0.02 on average), which were lower than the canonical ratios of 0.5 to 1 for denitrification reported in other terrestrial and freshwater systems. We suggest that the isotope effects of denitrification for soils may vary greatly among regions and soil types and that gaseous N losses may have been overestimated for terrestrial ecosystems in previous studies in which lower fractionation factors were applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to intensifying human disturbance, over half of the world's tropical forests are reforested or afforested secondary forests or plantations. Understanding the resilience of carbon (C) stocks in these forests, and estimating the extent to which they can provide equivalent carbon (C) sequestration and stabilization to the old growth forest they replace, is critical for the global C balance., In this study, we combined estimates of biomass C stocks with a detailed assessment of soil C pools in bare land, Eucalyptus plantation, secondary forest and natural old-growth forest after over 50 years of forest restoration in a degraded tropical region of South China. We used isotope studies, density fractionation and physical fractionation to determine the age and stability of soil C pools at different soil depths., After 52 years, the secondary forests had equivalent biomass C stocks to natural forest, whereas soil C stocks were still much higher in natural forest (97.42 t/ha) than in secondary forest (58.75 t/ha) or Eucalyptus plantation (38.99 t/ha) and lowest in bare land (19.9 t/ha). Analysis of δ13C values revealed that most of the C in the soil surface horizons in the secondary forest was new C, with a limited increase of more recalcitrant old C, and limited accumulation of C in deeper soil horizons. However, occlusion of C in microaggregates in the surface soil layer was similar across forested sites, which suggests that there is great potential for additional soil C sequestration and stabilization in the secondary forest and Eucalyptus plantation., Collectively, our results demonstrate that reforestation on degraded tropical land can restore biomass C and surface soil C stocks within a few decades, but much longer recovery times are needed to restore recalcitrant C pools and C stocks at depth. Repeated harvesting and disturbance in rotation plantations had a substantial negative impact on the recovery of soil C stocks. We suggest that current calculations of soil C in secondary tropical forests (e.g. IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories) could overestimate soil C sequestration and stabilization levels in secondary forests and plantations., A is available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic routing is becoming an attractive routing solution for WSNs since it offers a radical departure from traditional topology-dependent routing paradigms through use of geographic location in data delivery. However, it often suffers from the routing hole, referring to an area free of nodes in the direction closer to destination, in various real-world environments such as buildings and obstacles, leading to route failure. Currently, most geographic routing protocols tend to exploit face routing to recover the route. The basic idea behind it is to planarize the whole network by eliminating the crossing links before applying routing algorithms, thus achieving suboptimal network performance. In this article, we first survey representative face-based geographic routing approaches, including their design prerequisites and philosophy. Furthermore, we outline the emerging issues to be addressed in the future and illustrate the forming factors behind them in detail. Based on these observations, we then propose a CAGR to address the routing hole problem by employing relative coordinate systems, avoiding planarizing networks and preserving route optimality properties. Simulation results show that the proposed approach is superior to existing protocols in terms of packet delivery ratio, control overhead, and delivery delay in WSNs over a variety of communication sessions passing through the routing holes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eight triflavonoids, selagintriflavonoids A-H, were isolated from whole herbs of Selaginella doederleinii . The structures of compounds selagintriflavonoids A-C consisted of three naringenin units, whereas those of selagintriflavonoids D-H consisted of apigenin and two naringenin moieties. The structures and absolute configurations of the compounds were determined based on NMR, HRESIMS, and experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. The ability of the compounds to inhibit β -secretase (BACE1) was also evaluated. All compounds exhibited BACE1 inhibition with IC 50 values ranging from 0.75 to 46.99 μ M. Selagintriflavonoid A exhibited the strongest inhibition (0.75 μ M) and is thus a promising compound for treating Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new carboxymethyl flavonoids named 5-carboxymethyl-3′, 4′, 7-trihydroxyflavone ( 1 ), (2 S )- 5-carboxymethyl-3′, 4′, 7-trihydroxyflavonone ( 2a ), (2 R )-5-carboxymethyl-3′, 4′, 7-trihydroxyflavonone ( 2b ), (2 S )-5-carboxymethyl-4′, 7-dihydroxyflavonone ( 3 ), 5- carbomethoxymethyl-4′, 7-dihydroxyflavone ( 4 ), and a new chromone named 5-carboxymethyl-7-hydroxychromone ( 5 ), together with two known compounds 5-carboxymethyl-4′-hydroxyflavone-7- O - β - d -glucopyranoside ( 6 ), 5-carboxymethyl-4′, 7-dihydroxyflavone ( 7 ) were isolated from Selaginella moellendorffii Hieron. Their structures including absolute configuration were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. What's worth mentioning is that a carboxymethyl substituent appeared at the C-5 position of all isolated compounds, only recently discovered in genus Selaginella . Compounds 2a and 2b were identified as a pair of chiral isomers; compound 5 was discovered as the first chromone comprising a carboxymethyl side chain. Furthermore, all compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities against various Gram-positives and Gram-negatives, and compared to the reference drugs amoxicillin and norfloxacin. As a result, compounds 3 and 4 exhibited as potent antimicrobial agents with a broad spectrum, and compound 5 appeared as the most promising one to combat Gram-positives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First long-term daily soil NO flux measurement with an automated system from a temperate forest in Northeast China. • Soil temperature explained 90–92% of the seasonal variation in NO emission, with a Q 10 of 3.67. • The optimum soil moisture for NO emission was 37% WFPS during the growing season. • Annual soil NO emission was 0.42±0.04 kg N ha−1, being 31% of the global forest average. • Soil NO emission during the non-growing season was only 7.7% of the annual flux. Nitric oxide (NO) is a highly reactive trace gas affecting atmospheric chemistry and air quality. Although forest soils have been recognized as an important source of atmospheric NO, there are large uncertainties in global forest soil NO emission inventories (ranged from 0.03 to 8.00 kg N ha−1, averaged 1.34 ± 0.28 kg N ha−1), partly due to the paucity of high-frequency monitoring from unmanaged forests. In this study, we used an automated sampling system to measure NO fluxes with a high temporal resolution over two years (daily measurements from January 2019 to December 2020) in a mixed forest in Northeast China. We found that the mean annual NO emission was 0.42 ± 0.04 kg N ha−1, being 31% of the global forest average. The contribution of NO emission during the growing season was 92% of the yearly NO flux. Soil temperature was the most important edaphic factor in regulating NO emission, explaining 90–92% of the seasonal variation. The apparent temperature sensitivity (Q 10) of NO flux was 3.67. In the growing season, NO emission was also influenced by soil moisture, with optimum soil moisture of 37% WFPS. By providing a detailed measurement of diurnal, seasonal, and annual dynamics of NO emissions and their environmental controls from forest soils, our data are useful to develop more accurate biogeochemical models that will improve upscaled global NO budgets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M Perry (S. aromaticum) (Myrtaceae), also known as clove, was used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to aid gastrointestinal function and treat stomach disorders including vomiting, flatulence and nausea. And it is a food homology medicine which is a promising candidate for H. pylori treatment. H. pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 50% of the human population worldwide, which is closely related to multiple gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. However, there are still no sufficient studies on the anti- H. pylori activity of S. aromaticum , especially for the mechanism of action. This study aimed to study the antibacterial activities of S. aromaticum extracts on both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains, and to explore the underlying mechanisms of action. The S. aromaticum extracts were obtained by heat reflux extraction and lyophilized to powder form. The phytochemical analyses were performed by High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and UPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In vitro anti- H. pylori activity was evaluated by broth microdilution method. Mechanism of action studies included morphological observation using electron microscopy, determination of expression of virulence genes by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), genes expression profile identification by transcriptomic analysis, and exploration of anti- H. pylori infection mechanisms by network pharmacology analysis and western blotting validation. The S. aromaticum extracts, aqueous extract (AE) and 75% hydroalcoholic extract (HE), exerted significant antibacterial activities against both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains with MICs of 160∼320 μg/ml, without developing drug resistance. Among them, AE was bactericide to all the tested strains with MBCs of less than 4MIC, while HE was merely bacteriostatic to most of the tested strains with MBCs of 2MIC∼16MIC. Besides, they showed no antagonistic effects in combination with clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin. Additionally, these extracts altered the morphology and ultrastructure and down-regulated the virulence genes expression of H. pylori. And transcriptomic analysis showed that they regulated genes expression of multiple H. pylori biological processes, including tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC) and pyruvate metabolic pathways. Furthermore, these extracts combated the abnormal activation of PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways caused by H. pylori infection. Overall, the present study firstly analyzed the chemical compositions of S. aromaticum extracts, and then confirmed their activities on both antibiotic-sensitive and -resistant H. pylori strains. In addition, the mechanisms of action of S. aromaticum extracts against H. pylori were found to be destroying the bacterial structure, down-regulating the expression of virulence genes, and interfering TAC and pyruvate metabolic pathways. Finally, S. aromaticum extracts were found to combated the abnormal activation of PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways to treat H. pylori infection. This study should accelerate further research and application of S. aromaticum against H. pylori infection. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thousands of kilometers of shelterbelt plantations of Casuarina equisetifolia have been planted to protect the southeast coastline of China. These plantations also play an important role in the regional carbon (C) cycling. In this study, we examined plant biomass increment and C accumulation in four different aged C. equisetifolia plantations in sandy beaches in South China. The C accumulated in the C. equisetifolia plant biomass increased markedly with stand age. The annual rate of C accumulation in the C. equisetifolia plant biomass during 0–3, 3–6, 6–13 and 13–18 years stage was 2.9, 8.2, 4.2 and 1.0 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Soil organic C (SOC) at the top 1 m soil layer in these plantations was 17.74, 5.14, 6.93, and 11.87 Mg C ha−1, respectively, with SOC density decreasing with increasing soil depth. Total C storage in the plantation ecosystem averaged 26.57, 38.50, 69.78, and 79.79 Mg C ha−1 in the 3, 6, 13 and 18- yrs plantation, with most of the C accumulated in the aboveground biomass rather than in the belowground root biomass and soil organic C. Though our results suggest that C. equisetifolia plantations have the characteristics of fast growth, high biomass accumulation, and the potential of high C sequestration despite planting in poor soil conditions, the interactive effects of soil condition, natural disturbance, and human policies on the ecosystem health of the plantation need to be further studied to fully realize the ecological and social benefits of the C equisetifolia shelterbelt forests in South China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canarium album Raeusch. belongs to the Burseraceae family. Its ripe fruits, known as Qing Guo (QG) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are used to treat sore throat, cough, and fish or crab poisoning. QG was reported to have antibacterial activity, and it exerted excellent anti- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) activity in our screening of abundant TCM. However, few studies have reported its anti- H. pylori activity and mechanism. The commonly used eradication therapies for H. pylori infection are antibiotic-based therapies. With the increasing antibiotic resistance of H. pylori , interest in finding alternative therapies has been aroused. This study investigated the phytochemistry profile, in vitro anti- H. pylori activity and possible anti-bacterial mechanism of QG extracts. QG extracts were obtained by heat reflux extraction, ultrasonic extraction or liquid-liquid extraction with different solvents. The quantitative and qualitative phytochemical analyses were performed by colorimetric determination, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and UPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In vitro anti- H. pylori activity was assessed by broth micro-dilution method. Mechanism of action studies included morphological observation using electron microscopy, urease inhibition assay and determination of expression of virulence genes by RT-qPCR. All QG extracts especially ethyl acetate extract (QGEAE) were rich in phenolic components, with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) on H. pylori of 39–625 μg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of 78–1250 μg/ml. Both aqueous extract (QGAE) and QGEAE could induce the morphological and structural changes of H. pylori , inhibit urease activity with IC 50 of 1093 μg/ml and 332.90 μg/ml, respectively, and down-regulate the virulence genes, such as vacA and cagA. QG may exhibit in vitro anti- H. pylori activity by inhibiting growth, destroying the bacterial structure and down-regulating the expression of virulence factors. Moreover, QG is the homology of food and TCM, which can be considered as a safe and convenient agent against H. pylori infection. [Display omitted] • Phytochemical constituents of Canarium album Raeusch. fruits (QG) were analyzed. • QG showed anti- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) activity towards sensitive and antibiotic resistant strains. • QG exhibited anti- H. pylori activity by inhibiting growth, destroying membrane and down-regulating virulence genes. • QG could be served as a safe and convenient agent for H. pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]