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Selective herbicides are used to control undesirable vegetation or weeds in fields without harming crops. Herbicide use for weed management can directly impact the densities of insect pests in agricultural communities as a result of insect mortality during and immediately after application. In insects, the glutathione S‐transferase (GST) enzyme is involved in both the detoxification process and the defense of cellular membranes against oxidative damage. In this study, two TmGSTs (TmGST‐iso1 and TmGST‐iso2) were identified and characterized to elucidate the GST family in Tenebrio molitor. Among the developmental stages of T. molitor, eggs had the highest expression levels of TmGST‐iso1. TmGST‐iso2 expression was highest in the pre‐pupal stage. TmGST‐iso1 expression was high in the guts of early and late larvae, whereas TmGST‐iso2 expression was not observed in early larvae. Adults, both male and female, had the highest levels of TmGST‐iso1 mRNA expression in the gut and reproductive organs, and the highest levels of TmGST‐iso2 expression in the reproductive organs. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the impact of treatment with butachlor on the mRNA expression of TmGST‐iso1 and TmGST‐iso2 in larvae. TmGST‐iso1 expression increased in the butachlor‐treated group after 3 and 24 h, whereas TmGST‐iso2 expression peaked at 24 h after treatment. This study provides vital information about the detoxifying activities of T. molitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification has led to significant increases in production, but the overuse of pesticides and associated hazards pose threats to biodiversity and ecological functions. Catalase (CAT), a key antioxidant enzyme, plays a crucial role in alleviating oxidative stress by directly interacting with toxins. In this study, we identified three CAT isoforms in Tenebrio molitor (TmCAT‐iso1, TmCAT‐iso2 and TmCAT‐iso3). These CATs possess a CAT domain, tetramer interface sites and a heme‐binding pocket. We examined the expression of Tm catalases across all developmental stages and in specific tissues using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) experiments. Our findings demonstrate that TmCAT‐iso1 and TmCAT‐iso3 exhibit peak expression in young and late larval stages, respectively, whereas TmCAT‐iso2 shows peak expression during the egg and pre‐pupal stages. Tissue distribution analysis revealed the high expression of TmCAT‐iso1 and TmCAT‐iso2 in larval hemocytes, whereas TmCAT‐iso3 is predominantly expressed in larval Malpighian tubules. Furthermore, injection with chlorantraniliprole significantly elevated mRNA expression levels of TmCAT‐iso1, TmCAT‐iso2, and TmCAT‐iso3 in larval groups, compared with control groups. Our study highlights the distinct developmental stages and tissues where TmCATs are expressed. We also elucidated the effects of pesticide application on the expression of each TmCAT, revealing the physiological characteristics of CATs in response to these pesticides, which are dose‐ and time‐dependent in T. molitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a stability-guaranteed bias-compensated normalized least-mean-square (BC-NLMS) algorithm for noisy inputs. The bias-compensated algorithms require the estimated input noise variance in the elimination process of the bias caused by noisy inputs. However, the conventional methods of estimating the input noise variance in those algorithms might cause the instability for a specific situation. This paper first analyzes the stability of the BC-NLMS algorithm by investigating the dynamics of both the mean deviation and the mean-square deviation in the BC-NLMS algorithm. Based on the analysis, the estimation of the input noise variance and the adjustment of the step size are carried out to perform a stabilization as well as a performance enhancement in terms of a steady-state error and a convergence rate. Simulations in system identification and acoustic echo cancellation scenarios with noisy inputs show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing bias-compensated algorithms in the aspect of the stability, the steady-state error, and the convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a fast and precise adaptive filtering algorithm for online estimation under a non‐negativity constraint. A novel variable step‐size (VSS) non‐negative normalised least‐mean‐square (NLMS)‐type algorithm based on the mean‐square deviation (MSD) analysis with a non‐negativity constraint is derived. The NLMS‐type algorithm under the non‐negativity constraint is derived by using the gradient descent of the given cost function and the fixed‐point iteration method. Furthermore, the VSS derived by minimising the MSD yields improvement of the filter performance in the aspects of the convergence rate and the steady‐state estimation error. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms existing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient variable step‐size diffusion normalised least‐mean‐square algorithm is proposed via a mean‐square deviation (MSD) analysis for the distributed estimation. The proposed algorithm has two distinguishing features for computational efficiency. In the adaptation step, an intermittent adaptation rule that dynamically adjusts an update interval is proposed to reduce the redundant updates. In the diffusion step, instead of the existing combination rules, a selection rule is proposed to select the intermediate estimate of the most reliable node among its neighbour nodes for the estimate at each node. Moreover, to achieve both fast convergence rate and low steady‐state error, a variable step size is obtained by minimising the MSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense seaweed grazing by sea urchins has destroyed kelp forests and accelerated the transformation of these forests into barren areas known as urchin barrens. Once the sea urchins occupy the barren ground, it becomes more challenging to restore the kelp forests. Although phlorotannin, a primary herbivore defense chemical secreted by kelp, has been reported to discourage feeding activities of marine herbivores but the direct application of naturally extracted phlorotannin does not effectively repel sea urchins. In this study, we applied a simple and green Tannin-FeIII (TA-FeIII) coating on substrates as a sea urchin repellent using a cheap, ecofriendly tannin (TA) obtained from biomass as an alternative to phlorotannin. In a model aquarium experiment, most of the sea urchins (Anthocidaris crassispina) in the tank evaded the TA-FeIII-coated substrates. In field tests with 300 sea urchins, the majority of sea urchins could not crawl over the TA-FeIII-coated rope for more than 2 h in contrast to the control group. Hence, the safety, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of the TA-FeIII coating make it a practical candidate to protect the kelp ecosystem from sea urchins. Graphical abstract: Schematic image showing the TA-FeIII complex coating on a target substrate and a possible repellent mechanism of the TA-FeIII complex. Image 1 • TA-FeIII coating on marine substrate is a practical solution for urchin barren. • Tannin-FeIII coating exhibited the ability to repel sea urchins. • Sea urchin avoidance responses were positively related to the TA-FeIII concentration. • The repelling ability of Tannin-FeIII was also evident in ocean filed experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algal spores respond to many environmental variables, especially to chemical "cues". This chemotactic response can be utilized to attract spores, thereby colonization of a new substrata is possible to be influenced. In this attempt, four chemoattractant candidates were screened against spores of Ulva pertusa to reveal their efficiencies. Attachment and subsequent germination of Ulva spores were effectively influenced by these chemoattractant candidates. In particular 100 microg cm2 of D-glucose coating was found to enhance spore attachment by > 150%. Furthermore, field investigations carried out with test panels, clearly indicate the chemoattractive properties of test coatings. In recent years, various anthropogenic activities and natural hazards cause detrimental impacts on the benthic algae and other fishery resources. Artificial reefs have been laid on many coastal regions to increase or restore marine resources. Chemoattractant coatings can be applied on artificial surfaces to increase the colonization of benthic forms. It also can be used in the mariculture devices. Influence of chemoattractants on Ulva spores and fouling biomass estimated on test panels are discussed.