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Effective treatment of water pollution is an economic and social requirement globally. Humic acid (HA) is a popular mitigator for such waters. However, the combined effect of HA and restorative plants on cadmium (Cd) remediation is not well understood. Therefore, we experimented on Cd remediation using HA along with vetiver grass and HA-vetiver grass. We observed that vetiver grass effectively removed Cd at 15～30 mg/L. The accumulation capacity of the root was significantly higher than the shoots (P organelle > soluble substance (F1 > F2 > F3). The plant’s accumulation capacity against 25 mg/L Cd was higher than for other treatments. The root accumulation capacity was much higher (702.3 mg/L) than those without added HA. However, upon adding 200 and 250 mg/L HA, the phytoremediation of Cd in the root and shoot significantly reduced (P

Vietnam Robusta Coffee was roasted at different roasting degree and roasting temperature and 9 element concentrations (K, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Pb) of roasted coffee were analyzed by Flame atomic absorption method (FAAS) in this study. The results showed that the concentrations were ranged in 1447.97 ~ 1342.10 (mg/100g), 768.22 ~ 1259.44 (μg/g),10.35 ~ 13.15 (μg/g), and 17.38 ~ 20.97 (μg/g) for element of K, Ca, Cu and Mn in green and roasted coffee beans, respectively. All determined elements were the smallest value in green coffee, then increased with increasing roasting level and reached the highest value in Spain roast (roasting temperature of 250°C). Mg concentration ranged in 682.70 ~ 3647.73 (μg/g); Fe concentration ranged in 37.20 ~ 53.44 (μg/g); Zn concentration ranged in 5.97 ~ 6.89 (μg/g) and Pb concentration ranged in 2.18 ~ 15.04 (μg/100g). Concentrations of all determined elements didn’t change with the increased roasting process.

Abstract The Asian ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata, is an important insect of predatory natural enemy, which has a strong control effect and application prospects for aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and other small-sized pests of agriculture and forestry crops. Gut microbiota composition posed impacts on development of insects. In order to clarify the effect of artificial feed feeding on the intestinal microbial species and structure of C. septempunctata, we compared the intestinal microbial flora of C. septempunctata reared on bean aphids and artificial food for 15 days. Results show that Proteobacteria was the dominant component in all groups at phylum level, Rhodobacter, Methylovigula, Burkholderia, and Bradyrhizobium were the dominant bacteria among all groups at genus level. As to the differences in bacterial community structure and diversity, there is no significant difference between Shannon index and Simpson index, the principal components analysis of the bacterial communities, and the samples were roughly distributed in different regions. After 15 days of feeding, artificial diet did not significantly reduce the microbial diversity of the gut of C. septempunctata compared to the aphid group, and there was no significant effect on the abundance of dominant flora in the gut of C. septempunctata, C. septempunctata gut has a similar core microbiota. This study clarifies the effects in intestinal microbial diversity and composition structure of the C. septempunctata with artificial diet, and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the intestinal microorganisms and optimizating the artificial diet of C. septempunctata.

Abstract The giant ladybug Megalocaria dilatata (Fabricius) is a potential biocontrol agent and a valuable model for coccinellid genomics and evolutionary biology. However, the lack of a reference genome for M. dilatata has impeded further explorations into its evolution and constrained its use in pest management. Here, we assembled and annotated a high-quality, chromosome-level genome of M. dilatata. The resulting assembly spans 772.3 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 72.48 Mb and a GC content of 34.23%. The Hi-C data aided in anchoring the assembly onto 10 chromosomes ranging from 43.35 to 108.16 Mb. We identified 493.33 Mb of repeat sequences, accounting for 63.88% of the assembled genome. Our gene prediction identified 25,346 genes, with 81.89% annotated in public protein databases. The genome data will provide a valuable resource for studying the biology and evolution of Coccinellidae, aiding in pest control strategies and advancing research in the field.

Trace elements play a crucial role in the growth and bioactive substance content of medicinal plants, but their utilization efficiency in soil is often low. In this study, soil and Aconitum carmichaelii samples were collected and measured from 22 different locations, followed by an analysis of the relationship between trace elements and the yield and alkaloid content of the plants. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between zinc, trace elements in the soil, and the yield and alkaloid content of A. carmichaelii. Subsequent treatment of A. carmichaelii with both bulk zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) demonstrated that the use of ZnO NPs significantly enhanced plant growth and monoester-type alkaloid content. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects, metabolomic analysis was performed, resulting in the identification of 38 differentially expressed metabolites in eight metabolic pathways between the two treatments. Additionally, significant differences were observed in the rhizosphere bacterial communities, with Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota identified as valuable biomarkers for ZnO NP treatment. Covariation analysis further revealed significant correlations between specific microbial communities and metabolite expression levels. These findings provide compelling evidence that nanoscale zinc exhibits much higher utilization efficiency compared to traditional zinc fertilizer.

The tea lace bug, Stephanitis chinensis Drake, 1948, a notorious pest, inflicts significant damage on commercial tea cultivation and ornamental gardens across China. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity, population structure, and demographic history of S. chinensis based on the genetic and phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) sequences. The dataset exhibited 453 polymorphic sites, 315 parsimony informative sites, and 138 singleton variable sites, attesting to the species' genetic complexity. Haplotype diversity varied across populations, with the highest in Ziyang County of Shaanxi Province (SXZY) and lowest in Yongchuan District of Chongqing City (CQYC). Genetic differentiation was primarily within populations, while some pairs showed significant divergence, indicative of geographic barriers and local adaptation. Inconsistent signals from neutrality tests and mismatch distribution analysis suggested historical stability interspersed with growth or bottleneck events. Phylogenetic analysis depicted distinct haplotype clusters, with Mabian County of Sichuan province (SCMB) forming a unique clade. The haplotype network emphasized geographic uniqueness while highlighting shared ancestry between Yongchuan District of Chongqing City (CQYC) and Guwen County of Hunan Province (HNGW). These findings illuminate S. chinensis' ecological adaptability, historical dynamics, and potential for adaptive responses to agricultural practices. In addition, the results indicated important implications for pest management, genetic conservation, and the broader understanding of the species' evolutionary trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haplodiplatyidae is a recently established earwig family with over 40 species representing a single genus, Haplodiplatys Hincks, 1955. The morphology of Haplodiplatyidae has been studied in detail, but its molecular characters remain unclear. In this study, two mitogenomes of Haplodiplatys aotouensis Ma & Chen, 1991, were sequenced based on two samples from Fujian and Jiangxi provinces, respectively. These represent the first mitogenomes for the family Haplodiplatyidae. The next-generation sequencing method and subsequent automatic assembly obtained two mitogenomes. The two mitogenomes of H. aotouensis were generally identical but still exhibit a few sequence differences involving protein-coding genes (PCGs), ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, control regions, and intergenic spacers. The typical set of 37 mitochondrial genes was annotated, while many transfer RNA (tRNA) genes were rearranged from their ancestral locations. The calculation of nonsynonymous (Ka) and synonymous (Ks) substitution rates in PCGs indicated the fastest evolving nd4l gene in H. aotouensis. The phylogenetic analyses supported the basal position of Apachyidae but also recovered several controversial clades.

The mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of scale insects are less known in comparison to other insects, which hinders the phylogenetic and evolutionary studies of Coccoidea and higher taxa. Herein, the complete mitogenomes of Unaspis yanonensis, Planococcus citri and Ceroplastes rubens were sequenced for Coccoidea. The 15,220-bp long mitogenome of U. yanonensis contained the typical set of 37 genes including 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes and two rRNA genes; the 15,549-bp long mitogenome of P. citri lacked the tRNA gene trnV; the 15,387-bp long mitogenome of C. rubens exhibited several shortened PCGs and lacked five tRNA genes. The mitochondrial gene arrangement of the three mitogenomes was different from other scale insects and Drosophila yakuba. Most PCGs used standard ATN (ATA, ATT, ATC and ATG) start codons and complete TAN (TAA or TAG) termination codons. The ND4L had the highest evolutionary rate but COX1 and CYTB were the lowest. Most tRNA genes had cloverleaf secondary structures, whereas the reduction of dihydrouridine (DHU) arms and TψC arms were detected. Tandem repeats, stem-loop (SL) structures and poly-[TA]n stretch were found in the control regions (CRs) of the three mitogenomes. The phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood methods (ML) showed identical results, both supporting the inner relationship of Coccoidea as Coccidae + (Pseudococcidae + Diaspididae).

Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler) is a popular food from Allium species in East and Southeast Asia. Most Allium species possess characteristic aromas and have antimicrobial activity. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of root, leaf, and scape extracts of Chinese chive at different pH levels (3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 9.0, and 10.7) were compared. The most pronounced activity was produced by the scape extract, and the greatest activity was obtained at pH 5.0. HPLC and GC--MS analysis showed that the major active ingredient was 2-amino-5-methylbenzoic acid. The mechanism of action of Chinese chive scape extracts may involve the depression or disruption of cell membrane integrity, according to our results of the leakage of electrolytes and protein, as well as scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baltileuctra dewalti Chen sp. nov., a new extinct species of needle stoneflies (Leuctridae, Plecoptera), is described and illustrated from the Eocene Baltic amber and compared to the other leuctrids. Baltileuctra dewalti Chen sp. nov. differs from both extant and extinct representatives of Leuctridae by a combination of morphological characters including wing venation, unique terminalia structures, and cercal modification. The most distinguishable character for the new taxon is the presence of two dentate long spines lateral to a well-developed subanal probe. Several parasitic mites are also found on the new stonefly. This is the earliest known fossil evidence for mite parasitism in Plecoptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis and characterization of multifunctional AuFe alloy nanoparticles by a polyl process are described. The magnetic investigation has shown the superparamagnetic or soft ferromagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles at room temperature, whereas the UV-visible measurements have displayed the variation of the absorption bands at 560 nm.

The Catsper channel is a sperm-specific, Ca2+ -permeable, pH-dependent, and low voltage-dependent channel that is essential for the hyperactivity of sperm flagellum, chemotaxis towards the egg, capacitation and acrosome reaction. All of these physiological events require calcium entry into sperm cells. Remarkably, Catsper genes are exclusively expressed in the testis during spermatogenesis, and are sensitive to ion channel-induced pH change, such as NHEs, Ca2+ATPase, K+ channel, Hv1 channel and HCO3 - transporters. Furthermore, the Catsper channel is regulated by some physiological stimulants, such as progesterone, cyclic nucleotides (e.g., cAMP, cGMP), zona pellucida (ZP) glycoproteins and bovine serum albumin (BSA). All of these factors normally stimulate Ca2+ entry into sperm through the Catsper channel. In addition, the Catsper channel may be a potential target for male infertility treatment or contraception. This review will focus on the structure, functions, regulation mechanisms and medicinal targets of the Catsper channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au-doped CoPt nanowires were prepared in anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplates by electrodeposition and the doping effects on their microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated. Dependent on the deposition conditions, the CoPtAu nanowires can have the cubic or tetragonal phase. The magnetic measurements indicate that the nanowires demonstrate ferromagnetic behavior, showing the easy axis along the direction of the nanowires and strong enhancement in coercivity and squareness prior to annealing, whereas the optical measurements reveal plasmon resonances characteristic of nanostructured Au. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional Au0.5Fe0.5 alloy nanoparticles from a polyol process were investigated, showing the alloy nanostructures with the formation of a new phase and twin microstructures. Giant diamagnetism, on the order of -10-2 emu g-1 Oe-1, is observed in the zero-field cooled process of the nanoparticles, which is modeled in terms of the spin-orbital interactions tuned by the modified potential energy as a result of the shrinking dimension, peculiar disordered microstructure, and heterogeneous elemental composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genome of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was sequenced for the first time, which was 15,416 bp in length and with an AþT content of 81.9%. The common set of 37 genes (13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes) were all annotated. Most PCGs had standard ATN start codons and TAN stop codons. Most tRNA genes exhibited typical cloverleaf secondary structures, whereas the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm of trnSer (AGN) was reduced. The mitochondrial phylogenetic analyses consistently recovered the relationships within Gracillariidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To investigate the protective effect of small interfering RNA targeting HIF-1α in retina of diabetic retinopathy mice and its mechanism. METHODS: Totally 40 C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into the normal group, diabetes group, siRNA-HIF-1α group and siRNA-NC group. The diabetic models were constructed. The histopathological change of the retina of the mice was observed in each group. The microvessel density(MVD)was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of HIF-1α, VEGF,NF-κB, IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA in the retina in each group were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The expressions of HIF-1α, ET-1 and vWF proteins in the retina in each group were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The body weights of diabetes group, siRNA-NC group and siRNA-HIF-1α group were lower than the normal group, while the blood glucose levels were higher than the normal group(All PPPPCONCLUSION: Specific silencing of HIF-1α gene could protect the retina of DR. The mechanism may be related to the reduction of angiogenesis and vascular endothelial injury.

The black citrus aphid, Aphis aurantiiBoyer de Fonscolombe, 1841, is one of the most destructive pests in commercial tea plantations and gardens in China. In this study, we investigated the population genetic structure of A. aurantii based on the concatenated sequences of two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase I (cox1) and cytochrome b (cytb). A total of 166 haplotypes were identified from 177 individuals collected at 11 locations in China. The whole Chinese A. aurantii population showed a low nucleotide diversity (0.00968) and a high population diversity (haplotype diversity; 0.9991). The haplotypes of the 11 local populations were widely distributed in the neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree and haplotype network diagram, whereas no apparent lineages were detected. Gene flow analysis showed gene exchanges among local populations. The pairwise Fst values revealed a certain amount of genetic difference among local populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) reflected genetic differences both within and among populations. The isolation by distance (IBD) analysis revealed a high positive correlation between the geographic distance and genetic distance of the different populations. Neutral test and mismatch distribution suggested that A. aurantii may have experienced recent population expansion events.

Abstract In this paper, we consider a class of weakly nonlinear complementarity problems (WNCP) with large sparse matrix. We present an accelerated modulus-based matrix splitting algorithm by reformulating the WNCP as implicit fixed point equations based on two splittings of the system matrixes. We show that, if the system matrix is a P-matrix, then under some mild conditions the sequence generated by the algorithm is convergent to the solution of WNCP.

To meet the urgent need of society for advanced photocatalytic materials, novel visible light driven heterostructured composite was constructed based on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and fibrous TiO2. The g-C3N4/TiO2 (CNT) composite was prepared through electrospinning technology and followed calcination process. The state of the g-C3N4 and fibrous TiO2 was tightly coupled. The photocatalytic performance was measured by degrading the Rhodamine B. Compared to commercial TiO2 (P25®) and electrospun TiO2 nanofibers, the photocatalytic performance of CNT composite was higher than them. The formation of CNT heterostructures and the enlarged specific surface area enhanced the photocatalytic performance, suppressing the recombination rate of photogenerated carriers while broadening the absorption range of light spectrum. Our studies have demonstrated that heterostructured CNT composite with an appropriate proportion can rational use of visible light and can significantly promote the photogenerated charges transferred at the contact interface between g-C3N4 and TiO2.

Aim: To investigate the clinical features, response to corticosteroids, and prognosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)-induced liver failure in China., Methods: A total of 22 patients (19 female and 3 male; average age 51 ± 15 years) with AIH-induced liver failure treated in our hospital from 2004 to 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical, biochemical and pathological characteristics of the 22 patients and responses to corticosteroid treatment in seven patients were examined retrospectively. The patients were divided into survivor and non-survivor groups, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis were compared between the two groups. The t test was used for data analysis of all categorical variables, and overall survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method., Results: At the time of diagnosis, mean IgG was 2473 ± 983 mg/dL, with three (18.8%) patients showing normal levels. All of the patients had elevated serum levels of antinuclear antibody (≥ 1:640). Liver histology from one patient showed diagnostic pathological changes, including massive necrosis and plasma cell infiltration. Four patients survived (18.2%) and 18 died (81.8%) without liver transplantation. The results showed that patients with low admission Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores (21.50 ± 2.08 vs 30.61 ± 6.70, P < 0.05) and corticosteroid therapy (100% vs 16.7%, P < 0.05) had better prognosis. A total of seven patients received corticosteroid therapy, of whom, four responded and survived, and the other three died. Survivors showed young age, shorter duration from diagnosis to corticosteroid therapy, low MELD score, and absence of hepatic encephalopathy at the time of corticosteroid administration. Six patients who were administered corticosteroids acquired fungal infections but recovered after antifungal therapy., Conclusion: Early diagnosis and corticosteroid therapy are essential for improving the prognosis of patients with AIH-induced liver failure without liver transplantation.

Aim: To investigate serum cystatin C level as an early biomarker for predicting acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF)., Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with hepatitis B virus-related ACLF who had normal serum creatinine (Cr) level (< 1.2 mg/dL in men, or < 1.1 mg/dL in women) were enrolled in the Liver Failure Treatment and Research Center of Beijing 302 Hospital between August 2011 and October 2012. Thirty patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 30 healthy controls in the same study period were also included. Measurement of serum cystatin C (CysC) was performed by a particle-enhanced immunonephelometry assay using the BN Prospec nephelometer system. The ACLF patients were followed during their hospitalization period., Results: In the ACLF group, serum level of CysC was 1.1 ± 0.4 mg/L, which was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than those in the healthy controls (0.6 ± 0.3 mg/L) and CHB patients (0.7 ± 0.2 mg/L). During the hospitalization period, eight ACLF patients developed AKI. Logistic regression analysis indicated that CysC level was an independent risk factor for AKI development (odds ratio = 1.8; 95%CI: 1.4-2.3, P = 0.021). The cutoff value of serum CysC for prediction of AKI in ACLF patients was 1.21 mg/L. The baseline CysC-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR(CysC)) was significantly lower than the creatinine-based eGFR (eGFR(CG) and eGFR(MDRD)) in ACLF patients with AKI, suggesting that baseline eGFR(CysC) represented early renal function in ACLF patients while the Cr levels were still within the normal ranges., Conclusion: Serum CysC provides early prediction of renal dysfunction in ACLF patients with a normal serum Cr level.