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Introduction: Fine-wool sheep are the most common breed used by the wool industry worldwide. Fine-wool sheep have over a three-fold higher follicle density and a 50% smaller fiber diameter than coarse-wool sheep. Objectives: This study aims to clarify the underlying genetic basis for the denser and finer wool phenotype in fine-wool breeds. Method: Whole-genome sequences of 140 samples, Ovine HD630K SNP array data of 385 samples, including fine, semi-fine, and coarse wool sheep, as well as skin transcriptomes of nine samples were integrated for genomic selection signature analysis. Results: Two loci at keratin 74 (KRT74) and ectodysplasin receptor (EDAR) were revealed. Fine-scale analysis in 250 fine/semi-fine and 198 coarse wool sheep narrowed this association to one C/A missense variant of KRT74 (OAR3:133,486,008, P = 1.02E-67) and one T/C SNP in the regulatory region upstream of EDAR (OAR3:61,927,840, P = 2.50E-43). Cellular over-expression and ovine skin section staining assays confirmed that C-KRT74 activated the KRT74 protein and specifically enlarged cell size at the Huxley’s layer of the inner root sheath (P

Shanbei White Cashmere goat is a typical goat species, the growth of cashmere is affected by photoperiod. To further investigate the effects of short photoperiod treatment on cashmere growth, hormone concentrations and hair follicle development-related gene expression in cashmere goats, twenty Shannbei white cashmere goats were selected and randomly divided into long-day photoperiod treatment group and short-day photoperiod treatment group. The results revealed the cashmere on short-day photoperiod treatment began to develop earlier, and its length and growth rate increased dramatically (P

Accurate identification of partial discharge (PD) and its types is essential for assessing the operating conditions of electrical equipment. To enhance PD pattern recognition under imbalanced and limited sample conditions, a method based on a Deep Autoencoder-embedded Generative Adversarial Network (DAE-GAN) is proposed. First, the Deep Autoencoder (DAE) is embedded within the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) to improve the realism of generated samples. Then, complementary PD data samples are introduced during GAN training to address the issue of limited sample size. Lastly, the model’s discriminator is fine-tuned with augmented and balanced training data to enable PD pattern recognition. The DAE-GAN method is used to augment data and recognize patterns in experimental PD signals. The results demonstrate that, under imbalanced and small sample conditions, DAE-GAN generates more authentic PD samples with improved probability distribution fitting compared to other algorithms, leading to varying levels of enhancement in pattern recognition accuracy.

Liaoning Cashmere Goats are a high-quality dual-purpose breed valued for both their cashmere and meat. They are also a key national genetic resource for the protection of livestock and poultry in China, with their intensive farming model currently taking shape. Leveraging new productivity advantages and reducing labor costs are urgent issues for intensive breeding. Recognizing goatbehavior in large-scale intelligent breeding not only improves health monitoring and saves labor, but also improves welfare standards by providing management insights. Traditional methods of goat behavior detection are inefficient and prone to cause stress in goats. Therefore, the development of a convenient and rapid detection method is crucial for the efficiency and quality improvement of the industry. This study introduces a deep learning-based behavior recognition and online detection system for Liaoning Cashmere Goats. We compared the convergence speed and detection accuracy of the two-stage algorithm Faster R-CNN and the one-stage algorithm YOLO in behavior recognition tasks. YOLOv8n demonstrated superior performance, converging within 50 epochs with an average accuracy of 95.31%, making it a baseline for further improvements. We improved YOLOv8n through dataset expansion, algorithm lightweighting, attention mechanism integration, and loss function optimization. Our improved model achieved the highest detection accuracy of 98.11% compared to other state-of-the-art (SOTA) target detection algorithms. The Liaoning Cashmere Goat Online Behavior Detection System demonstrated real-time detection capabilities, with a relatively low error rate compared to manual video review, and can effectively replace manual labor for online behavior detection. This study introduces detection algorithms and develops the Liaoning Cashmere Goat Online Behavior Detection System, offering an effective solution for intelligent goat management.

Non-contact measurement based on the 3D reconstruction of sheep bodies can alleviate the stress response in sheep during manual measurement of body dimensions. However, data collection is easily affected by environmental factors and noise, which is not conducive to practical production needs. To address this issue, this study proposes a non-contact data acquisition system and a 3D point cloud reconstruction method for sheep bodies. The collected sheep body data can provide reference data for sheep breeding and fattening. The acquisition system consists of a Kinect v2 depth camera group, a sheep passage, and a restraining pen, synchronously collecting data from three perspectives. The 3D point cloud reconstruction method for sheep bodies is implemented based on C++ language and the Point Cloud Library (PCL). It processes noise through pass-through filtering, statistical filtering, and random sample consensus (RANSAC). A conditional voxel filtering box is proposed to downsample and simplify the point cloud data. Combined with the RANSAC and Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithms, coarse and fine registration are performed to improve registration accuracy and robustness, achieving 3D reconstruction of sheep bodies. In the base, 135 sets of point cloud data were collected from 20 sheep. After 3D reconstruction, the reconstruction error of body length compared to the actual values was 0.79%, indicating that this method can provide reliable reference data for 3D point cloud reconstruction research of sheep bodies.

Currently, the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) mainly relies on traditional chemotherapeutic drugs; however, most of them have limited therapeutic effects and high toxicity. Some natural products with good therapeutic efficacy and low toxicity and side effects are limited in clinical application due to their low solubility and bioavailability. In this study, a nanoliposome drug-carrying system (Lip-Cur/Ba) was developed for the co-delivery of curcumin (Cur) and baicalin (Ba) using the thin-film hydration method. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Lip-Cur/Ba had a strong killing effect on A549 cells, and the inhibitory effect of Lip-Cur/Ba on A549 cells was enhanced by 67.8% and 51.9% relative to that of the single-carrier system, which could reduce the use of a single-drug dose (Lip-Cur and Lip-Ba), delay the release rate of the drug and improve the bioavailability. In vivo experiments demonstrated the antitumor activity of Lip-Cur/Ba by intravitreal injection in BALB/c mice, and there were no obvious toxic side effects. This study provides a new idea for curcumin and baicalin to be used in the co-treatment of NSCLC by constructing a new vector.

Abstract Nanomaterials (NMs) have received considerable attention in the field of agrochemicals due to their special properties, such as small particle size, surface structure, solubility and chemical composition. The application of NMs and nanotechnology in agrochemicals dramatically overcomes the defects of conventional agrochemicals, including low bioavailability, easy photolysis, and organic solvent pollution, etc. In this review, we describe advances in the application of NMs in chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which are the two earliest and most researched areas of NMs in agrochemicals. Besides, this article concerns with the new applications of NMs in other agrochemicals, such as bio-pesticides, nucleic acid pesticides, plant growth regulators (PGRs), and pheromone. We also discuss challenges and the industrialization trend of NMs in the field of agrochemicals. Constructing nano-agrochemical delivery system via NMs and nanotechnology facilitates the improvement of the stability and dispersion of active ingredients, promotes the precise delivery of agrochemicals, reduces residual pollution and decreases labor cost in different application scenarios, which is potential to maintain the sustainability of agricultural systems and improve food security by increasing the efficacy of agricultural inputs. Graphical Abstract

The quality and yield of cashmere closely affect the economic benefits of cashmere goat farming. Studies have shown that controlling light can have an important impact on cashmere but can also affect the concentration of harmful gases. In order to explore the impact of a short photoperiod on the growth of cashmere and harmful gases in goat houses, 130 female (non-pregnant) Shanbei white cashmere goats, aged 4–5 years with similar body weights, were randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, with 65 goats in each group. The dietary nutrition levels of the experimental goats were the same, and completely natural light was used in the control group; the light control group received light for 7 h every day (9:30–16:30), and the rest of the time (16:30–9:30 the next day) they did not receive light. The light control treatment was carried out in a control house, and the gas content was analyzed. It was found that a shortened period of light exposure could increase the annual average cashmere production by 34.5%. The content of each gas has a certain functional relationship with the measurement time period, but at the same time, we found that the content of NH3 also changes seasonally. In summary, the use of shortened light periods when raising cashmere goats can significantly increase cashmere production and quality, but at the same time, it will increase the concentration of harmful gases in the goat barn, and ventilation should be increased to ensure the health of the goats and the air quality in the barn.

The exploration of multiple birth-related genes has always been a significant focus in sheep breeding. This study aimed to find more genes and proteins related to the litter size in sheep. Ovarian specimens of Small Tail Han sheep (multiple births) and Xinji Fine Wool sheep (singleton) were collected during the natural estrus cycle. Transcriptome and proteome of ovarian specimens were analyzed. The transcriptome results showed that “steroid hormone biosynthesis” and “ovarian steroidogenesis” were significantly enriched, in which HSD17B1 played an important role. The proteome data also confirmed that the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were enriched in the ovarian steroidogenesis pathway, and the CYP17A1 was the candidate DEP. Furthermore, lncRNA MSTRG.28645 was highly expressed in Small Tailed Han sheep but lowly expressed in Xinji fine wool sheep. In addition, MSTRG.28645, a hub gene in the co-expression network between mRNAs and lncRNAs, was selected as one of the candidate genes for subsequent verification. Expectedly, the overexpression and interference of HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 showed a significant effect on hormone secretion in granulosa cells. Therefore, this study confirmed that HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 might be potential genes related to the fecundity of sheep. It was concluded that both HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 were critical regulators in the secretion of hormones that affect the fecundity of the sheep.

Serum P1NP, one of the important biomarkers for bone turnover, is commonly used for the prediction of bone fracture and the prognosis of osteoporosis after therapy. We developed a P1NP chemiluminescence assay and evaluated changes in bone metabolism markers in lung transplant patients. The screened 2 P1NP antibodies with constructed antigens and α-1 chain antigens expressed by the Corynebacterium glutamate expression system were applied into assay development. The assay performance was evaluated to examine the reliability. A normal Q-Q plot was used to establish male reference interval. Changes of bone metabolism markers before and after lung transplantation in 19 patients were evaluated. The linear factor R of P1NP reagent was greater than 0.99. The limit of detection was 3.32 ng/ml. The precision of the three batches of P1NP reagents was lower than 8%. Method comparison with Roche P1NP reagent showed that the correlation coefficient R2 was 0.91. In the monitoring of bone mass in a short time, bone metabolism markers can better indicate the change of bone mass, while the traditional bone mineral density detection is lagging behind the bone metabolism markers. P1NP and β-CrossLap to bone mass change in patients after lung transplantation, and P1NP and β-CrossLap are very good clinical markers for bone mass monitoring.

This study systematically reviews the progress of research on the corrosion inhibition effects of organic compounds on carbon steel since 2002, using the CiteSpace bibliometric tool. Through the analysis of 2,264 articles from the WOS (Web of Science) and Scopus databases, our team delved into aspects such as annual publication volume, authors, institutions, countries and keywords which helped identify the current research focus in this field. In particular, the protective efficacy of organic compounds on carbon steel in acidic environments has been highlighted. It is evident that the integration of coating technology, the development of organic compound derivatives and the extraction of green organic compounds have emerged as new research hotspots in this field. This study not only comprehensively evaluates the means and methods of assessing the corrosion inhibition performance of new organic compounds but also further specifies the main directions for future research in this field. These include composite organic coatings, targeted development of new organic compounds, development and application of green organic compounds from plants and corrosion inhibition mechanisms of organic compounds on other metal materials. This study not only provides a thorough and in-depth review of the history and current status of this field but, more importantly, clarifies specific directions for future research in this area. The aim of this research is to provide strong theoretical support and practical guidance for subsequent researchers, promoting future development of this field.

The epididymis is divided into three regions including the caput, corpus and cauda. Gene expression profiles in different regions indicate the different functions of epididymis which are crucial for sperm maturation. In this study, three one-year-old rams was used as the experimental animal. Transcriptome sequencing technology was used to sequence mRNA in the caput, corpus and cauda of the epididymis. Based on the spatiotemporal-specific expression pattern in the epididymis, the mRNA expression profiles of the three parts of the epididymis were analysed. Region-specifically expressed genes were analysed by GO and KEGG analyses to screen the key genes involved in sheep sperm maturation. We obtained 129, 54 and 99 specifically expressed genes in the caput, corpus and cauda, respectively. And twenty specific expressed genes related to sperm maturation were used to construct functional networks. The heatmap showed that 6 genes of LCN protein family were highly expressed in the head of epididymis of sheep. We infer that sperm maturation is gradual in the epididymis and that there are significant differences in epididymal gene expression patterns between different species. This provides a data resource for analysing the regulatory mechanism of epididymis genes related to sperm maturation in rams.

For the straight-line tracking of unmanned surface vehicle (USV), most researchers pay much attention to the course control. In the present work, a strategy of decoupling and control of the speed and yaw of the USV is proposed to maintain a constant speed and a desired course, which ensures the high efficiency of ship-borne sonar during a seabed exploration. Since USV is 3-DOF underactuated system, the Lyapunov direct method is combined with the hierarchical back stepping control method to achieve the desired speed and yaw angle of USV under the external disturbances, such as wind, waves and currents. A disturbance observer is then constructed to compensate the oscillation by predicting changes in external disturbances. The control system is further proved to be asymptotically stable by the Lyapunov theory. The validity and robustness of this decoupling controller is verified by applying to a practical USV in the straight-line tracking.

The hair follicle is a complex mini-organ in the skin that undergoes organ induction, morphogenesis, and regeneration. However, the accurate molecular mechanism of skin and hair diversity regulation is still elusive. The sheep is an animal model that can be used to further explore the mechanisms of skin and hair diversity. In this study, we carried out a transcriptomic analysis of the mRNA expression in the skin of Xinji fine-wool sheep at different growth stages (3 and 12 months old) and 12-month-old Tan sheep and explored the transcripts’ relationship with hair follicle growth. A total of 1327 mRNAs and 67 transcription factors were identified to be differentially expressed in the different breeds and during different periods of skin development. The differentially expressed genes were enriched in GO terms represented by system development, multicellular organism development, animal organ development, and skin development, and three KEGG pathways typified those governing differences in skin structure. Combining protein–protein interaction networks of skin development (GO:0043588) and functional annotation, nine important candidate genes, namely, LAMA5, OVOL1, SRF, DHCR24, NGFR, SMO, CDSN, HOXC13, and KDF1, and many core genes with minor effects were confirmed to be associated with hair follicle development. Furthermore, members of the zf-C2H2 and homeobox transcription factor families, which were identified to play a crucial role in producing finer and denser wool, were mainly upregulated in 12-month-old Xinji fine-wool sheep when compared with expression in 12-month-old Tan sheep and 3-month-old Xinji fine-wool sheep. This study revealed the major–minor gene interactions in the developmental pathway and provided ideas for an in-depth understanding of the genetic structure and gene regulation in the skin/hair growth process.

Abstract Nano-delivery systems for the active ingredients of pesticides can improve the utilization rates of pesticides and prolong their control effects. This is due to the nanocarrier envelope and controlled release function. However, particles containing active ingredients in controlled release pesticide formulations are generally large and have wide size distributions. There have been limited studies about the effect of particle size on the controlled release properties and biological activities of pesticide delivery systems. In the current study, avermectin (Av) nano-delivery systems were constructed with different particle sizes and their performances were evaluated. The Av release rate in the nano-delivery system could be effectively controlled by changing the particle size. The biological activity increased with decreasing particle size. These results suggest that Av nano-delivery systems can significantly improve the controllable release, photostability, and biological activity, which will improve efficiency and reduce pesticide residues.

A chemiluminescent immunoassay for human serum osteocalcin, or bone Gla protein, was established using a double-antibody sandwich model. Examination of the hook effect revealed that it was significantly reduced, and no hook effect was observed at an osteocalcin concentration of 4000 ng/mL. The established method showed good analytical performance and thermal stability. The limit of detection was 0.03 ng/mL. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) was 3.22%–5.64%, the interassay CV was 4.42%–7.25%, and the recovery rate was 93.22%–107.99%. Cross-reactivity (CR) was not observed with bovine, rat, mouse, rabbit, or porcine samples. The developed method showed a good correlation with the N-MID product from Roche. In total, 1069 clinical patient samples were measured using the reagent kit developed in this study.

Aim The target molecule regulatory function of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in multiple signalling pathways has become a main focus of genetic and pharmacological regulatory studies of various diseases. The identification of target genes for miRNA-21 in the development of hair follicles can provide new research pathways for the regulation of cell development. Methods In the present study, eight six-month-old ewes from Super Merino (SM) and Small Tailed Han (STH) sheep breeds were selected. Target prediction and dual-luciferase wild-type and mutant vectors were used to identify the target genes of miR-21. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and bioinformatics analysis were conducted to analyze the effects of miR-21. Results The results show that the expressions of CNKSR2, KLF3 and TNPO1 were downregulated by miRNA-21 at rates of 36%, 26% and 48%, respectively. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the expression of miR-21 and the three target genes in sheep with two extreme phenotypes. The expression of microRNA-21in October was significantly lower than that in January and February; while the expression of CNKSR2, KLF3 and TNPO1 in October was higher than that in January and February. Conclusions: These results suggest that CNKSR2, KLF3 and TNPO1 are three newly discovered target genes of miR-21 and might be involved in the effects of miR-21 on hair follicle development.

Microcapsules have been widely studied owing to their biocompatibility and potential for application in various areas, particularly drug delivery. However, the size of microcapsules is difficult to control, and the size distribution is very broad via various encapsulation techniques. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain microcapsules with uniform and tailored size for the construction of controlled-release drug carriers. In this study, emulsification and solvent evaporation methods were used to prepare a variety of ovalbumin-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microcapsules to determine the optimal preparation conditions. The particle size of the PLGA microcapsules prepared using the optimum conditions was approximately 200 nm, which showed good dispersibility with an ovalbumin encapsulation rate of more than 60%. In addition, porous microcapsules with different pore sizes were prepared by adding a varying amount of porogen bovine serum albumin (BSA) to the internal water phase. The release curve showed that the rate of protein release from the microcapsules could be controlled by adjusting the pore size. These findings demonstrated that we could tailor the morphology and structure of microcapsules by regulating the preparation conditions, thus controlling the encapsulation efficiency and the release performance of the microcapsule carrier system. We envision that this controlled-release novel microcapsule carrier system shows great potential for biomedical applications.

During apoptosis, Bcl-2 proteins such as Bax and Bak mediate the release of pro-apoptotic proteins from the mitochondria by clustering on the outer mitochondrial membrane and thereby permeabilizing it. However, it remains unclear how outer membrane openings form. Here, we combined different correlative microscopy and electron cryo-tomography approaches to visualize the effects of Bax activity on mitochondria in human cells. Our data show that Bax clusters localize near outer membrane ruptures of highly variable size. Bax clusters contain structural elements suggesting a higher order organization of their components. Furthermore, unfolding of inner membrane cristae is coupled to changes in the supramolecular assembly of ATP synthases, particularly pronounced at membrane segments exposed to the cytosol by ruptures. Based on our results, we propose a comprehensive model in which molecular reorganizations of the inner membrane and sequestration of outer membrane components into Bax clusters interplay in the formation of outer membrane ruptures.Editorial note: This article has been through an editorial process in which the authors decide how to respond to the issues raised during peer review. The Reviewing Editor's assessment is that all the issues have been addressed (see decision letter).

Folic acid (FA) is an important vitamin for human growth, especially for pregnant women. FA deficiency is associated with megaloblastic anemia, neural tube defects, cardiovascular diseases, irritability, diarrhea, and psychiatric disorders. Normally, FA molecules bind to folate-binding protein (FBP) in the serum as complex. Before quantify the FA concentration, a releasing procedure should be conducted. Alkaline condition and tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) are used to release binding FA to freeing state. In this work, a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) for human serum FA was established by competition model. Streptavidin (SA) was labeled to magnetic beads by an 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDAC/NHS) method. Activated biotin molecules were labeled to FBP molecules purified from milk. FA was labeled to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by EDAC to activate the FA molecules. The pretreated samples or standards were added into the reaction tube with biotin-FBP and FA-horseradish peroxidase (HRP), FA in the sample compete with FA-HRP for binding to biotin-FBP, the signal is inversely proportional to the FA concentration. The method established shows good thermostability and performance. The limitation of detection (LOD) is 0.44 ng/mL. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) is 3.6%–7.1%, the interassay CV is 4.2%–7.5%, and the recovery rate is 92.1%–103.5%. Cross reactivity (CR) was remarkably low with aminopterin, folinic acid, and methotrexate. The method shows good correlation with the FA CLIA product from Beckman Coulter; the equation is y = 0.9618x−0.1434 while the R2 value is 0.9224. The established method is sensitive, rapid, and accurate which can fully satisfy for the clinical requirement.

Poorly water-soluble and photosensitive pesticide compounds are difficult to formulate as solvent-free nanoformulations with high efficacy. A avermectin solid nanodispersion with a mean particle size of 188 nm was developed by microprecipitation and lyophilisation techniques. The suspensibility and wetting time of the solid nanodispersion in water were 99.8% and 13 s, respectively, superior to those of conventional water dispersible granules and wettable powders. The anti-photolysis performance of the nanoformulation was twice that of the technical material, and the biological activity against diamondback moths was more than 1.5 times that of the conventional solid formulations while taking LC 50 as the evaluation index. Moreover, the formulation composition substantially decreased the surfactant content and avoided organic solvents. Microprecipitation combined with lyophilisation is an easy and promising method to construct solid nanoformulations for pesticides with poor water solubility and environmental sensitivity. The application of the highly effective solid nanodispersion in crop production will have a great potential in reducing chemical residues and environmental pollution.

Damaged mitochondria are selectively eliminated by mitophagy. Parkin and PINK1, gene products mutated in familial Parkinson’s disease, play essential roles in mitophagy through ubiquitination of mitochondria. Cargo ubiquitination by E3 ubiquitin ligase Parkin is important to trigger selective autophagy. Although autophagy receptors recruit LC3-labeled autophagic membranes onto damaged mitochondria, how other essential autophagy units such as ATG9A-integrated vesicles are recruited remains unclear. Here, using mammalian cultured cells, we demonstrate that RABGEF1, the upstream factor of the endosomal Rab GTPase cascade, is recruited to damaged mitochondria via ubiquitin binding downstream of Parkin. RABGEF1 directs the downstream Rab proteins, RAB5 and RAB7A, to damaged mitochondria, whose associations are further regulated by mitochondrial Rab-GAPs. Furthermore, depletion of RAB7A inhibited ATG9A vesicle assembly and subsequent encapsulation of the mitochondria by autophagic membranes. These results strongly suggest that endosomal Rab cycles on damaged mitochondria are a crucial regulator of mitophagy through assembling ATG9A vesicles.

Green communication is a new communication concept of promoting energy conservation and emission reduction as well as improving energy efficiency. With the growing energy shortage and environmental pollution, green communications has become the research hotspot of all the industry. The energy-saving potential of heterogeneous network-based electricity emergency communication system was analyzed and green communication schemes in network and device level were proposed. The objective is to save energy under the premise of ensuring the communication quality and consequently respond to the green communication needs.

Recent years have witnessed significant progress in nanotechnology and pesticide research in pest control and crop protection. There are more motivations to develop nanoformulations that are less harmful to environment than conventional formulations. The use of nanosuspension has been proposed as a novel formulation to process poorly soluble pesticides. In this study, the lambda-cyhalothrin nanosuspension (LCNS) was prepared in a melt emulsification method. The prepared nanosuspension had a mean particle size of 12.0 ± 0.1 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.279 ± 0.135. The smaller particle size and polydispersity confer better wettability, stability and bioavailability than conventional suspension concentrates. The excellent properties of the nanosuspension were attributed to the reduced particle size and the emulsification and dispersion of the surfactants. The LCNS eliminates the need for organic solvents and significantly reduces the amount of surfactant required. The simple production process of LCNS saves production and equipment costs. The results indicate that lambda-cyhalothrin nanosuspensions would have a broad application prospect in agricultural production systems.

Poorly water-soluble compounds are difficult to develop as pesticide products and face great challenges in water-based and environmentally friendly formulation development. In this study, high pressure homogenization combined with lyophilization was adopted to prepare the solid nanodispersions of chlorantraniliprole with poor solubility and high melting point. The mean particle sizes of the solid nanodispersions with different pesticide contents were all less than 75 nm, even when the content was up to 91.5%. For the 2.5% chlorantraniliprole solid nanodispersion with the mean particle size of 29 nm, the suspensibility and wetting time in water were 97.32% and 13 s, respectively. The re-dispersibility and wettability were superior to those of conventional water dispersible granules. The retention on the rice leaf of 18.7 mg/cm2 was 1.5 and 3 times that of commercial aqueous suspension concentrate and pure water. The bioassay result to diamondback moths indicated that the toxicity of the solid nanodispersion was 3.3 and 2.8 times that of technical and aqueous suspension concentrate, respectively. Moreover, the solid nanodispersion has the advantages of total avoidance of organic solvents, significant reduction of surfactants and feasibility of obtaining high concentration nanoformulations. The solid nanodispersion is an attractive candidate for improving pesticide solubility and efficacy, and its application in crop production will reduce both residues in food and environmental pollution of pesticide.

Damaged mitochondria can be selectively eliminated by mitophagy. Although two gene products mutated in Parkinson’s disease, PINK1, and Parkin have been found to play a central role in triggering mitophagy in mammals, how the pre-autophagosomal isolation membrane selectively and accurately engulfs damaged mitochondria remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that TBC1D15, a mitochondrial Rab GTPase-activating protein (Rab-GAP), governs autophagosome biogenesis and morphology downstream of Parkin activation. To constrain autophagosome morphogenesis to that of the cargo, TBC1D15 inhibits Rab7 activity and associates with both the mitochondria through binding Fis1 and the isolation membrane through the interactions with LC3/GABARAP family members. Another TBC family member TBC1D17, also participates in mitophagy and forms homodimers and heterodimers with TBC1D15. These results demonstrate that TBC1D15 and TBC1D17 mediate proper autophagic encapsulation of mitochondria by regulating Rab7 activity at the interface between mitochondria and isolation membranes.

Conditional gene manipulation in mice becomes a routine for genetic studies of mammalian gene functions. Additional site-specific recombinases such as FLP or phi31 provide one more level of gene manipulation flexibility. The recombination activity of the currently available FLP deleter mice remains low. We generated a new FLP deleter mouse line with the mouse codon-optimized FLPo gene in C57BJ/6 background, which showed superior recombination efficacy in comparison to FLPe deleter mice. 100% complete removal of FRT-flanked Neo cassette was observed in all F1 progeny mice carrying both FLPo and Neo cassette, which can be transmitted to F2 generation independent of FLPo activity. Our new FLPo transgenic mice (on pure C57BJ/6 background) will largely facilitate the gene targeting process and is valuable for conditional gene manipulation.