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An introduction is presented that discussed issues on topics including enlightenment of the recent scientific achievements in the field of Thermal Energy Usage in the Agricultural Sector, concerns of feeding a growing global population, and depletion of fossil energy sources and deforestation.

It is my privilege to be an Invited Guest Editor for this issue of the International Journal of Simulation: Systems, Science and Technology (IJSSST). In this issue we selected 52 papers to represent a cross-section of research in engineering technologies and applied sciences areas. The selected papers have gone through a strict review and revision stages after extending the contents. In my role as Guest editor for this issue, I have full responsibility for maintaining the quality of the selected papers to the highest international standards in published Letters. I am grateful for IJSSST to give me the opportunity to develop and publish this set of papers as a special outsourced issue. This editorial note also indemnifies the IJSSST from any responsibility for the content and presentation of this issue. We wish to thank all our reviewers and the editorial board members who have contributed to the release of this issue by their devoted engagement and dedication. We herewith also wish the readers of the journal to enjoy reading these papers as much as we enjoyed reviewing and editing this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a clip-domain serine proteinase homolog designated as MnSPH was cloned and characterized from a freshwater prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. The full-length cDNA of MnSPH was 1897 bp and contained a 1701 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 566 amino acids, a 103 bp 5'-untranslated region, and a 93 bp 3'-untranslated region. Sequence comparison showed that the deduced amino acids of MnSPH shared 30-59% identity with sequences reported in other animals. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that the MnSPH transcripts were present in all detected tissues with highest in the hepatopancreas and ovary. The MnSPH mRNA levels in the developing ovary were stable at the initial three developmental stages, then increased gradually from stage IV (later vitellogenesis), and reached a maximum at stage VI (paracmasis). Furthermore, the expression of MnSPH mRNA in hemocytes was significantly up-regulated at 1.5 h, 6 h, 12 h and 48 h post Aeromonas hydrophila injection. The increased phenoloxidase activity also demonstrated a clear time-dependent pattern after A. hydrophila challenge. These results suggest that MnSPH participates in resisting to pathogenic microorganisms and plays a pivotal role in host defense against microbe invasion in M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]