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BackgroundAnastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a solitary egg endoparasitoid that has been studied for inundative biological control of Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China. In this study, we assessed the reproductive attributes and functional response of Anastatus japonicus on a factitious host, Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Anthelidae) at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity and 16 h:8 h light/dark photoperiod.ResultsThe mean lifetime fecundity of Anastatus japonicus females was 404.3 progeny produced over an average oviposition period of 42.3 days. The sex ratio of adult progeny was slightly male biased (51.2%), whereas more female progeny were produced before day 20 of a female's life. Single 1-day-old mated Anastatus japonicus females exhibited a type II functional response to increasing host densities (1-50 eggs), with an inverse host density-dependent pattern of percent parasitism. The upper limit to the daily attack rate was estimated as 7.6 Antheraea pernyi eggs. Furthermore, mutual interference among Anastatus japonicus females occurred when increasing densities of parasitoids (1, 2, 4, 8, 16) were exposed to 30 host eggs.ConclusionLaboratory functional response result revealed that individual Anastatus japonicus might be unable to respond effectively to increasing host density in the field, which could be compensated by releasing larger numbers of wasps. Strong mutual interference among foraging Anastatus japonicus females should be considered in any future inundative biological control programs for the sustainable management of Halyomorpha halys or other host insect pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Objective To explore the role of miR-499 targeting TGF-α mRNA protein in regulating the migration and apoptosis of human osteosarcoma cell line Saos2 and its pathogenesis. Methods The expression differences of miR-499 and TGF-α in osteosarcoma tissues were detected by RT-qPCR. Double luciferase reporter gene assay was used to detect the targeting relationship between miR-499 and TGF-α. Transwell cell assay and TUNEL apoptosis assay were used to detect the migration and apoptosis of Saos2 cells. A nude mouse xenograft model of osteosarcoma was constructed to detect the regulatory mechanism of miR-499/TGF-α axis in vivo. Results In osteosarcoma, miR-499 expression was decreased (P＜0.01) but TGF-α mRNA expression was increased(P＜0.01). miR-499 negatively regulated TGF-α mRNA protein expression (P＜0.01). Transfection of miR-499 simulacrum inhibited the migration and promoted apoptosis of Saos2 cells (P＜0.01), while TGF-α promoted the migration and inhibited apoptosis of Saos2 cells (P＜0.01). miR-499 inhibited the carcinogenic effect of TGF-α. Conclusions miR-499 inhibits the biological function of osteosarcoma cell line Saos2 by inhibiting at TGF-α mRNA protein level which suggests that miR-499 may inhibit the development of osteosarcoma.

To scientifically evaluate the risk assessment level of lake reservoir type water source areas and take the Luokeng Reservoir water source area in Dianbai District, Maoming City as an example, based on the systematic literature review method, this paper constructs a risk assessment index system for lake reservoir type water source areas from three aspects: water element, management element, and socio-economic element, covering nine levels: water quality, water quantity, aquatic ecology, management and protection level, emergency level, agriculture, industry, economy, and life, with a total of 27 three-level indicators. And it analyzes and determines the risk threshold of the response index, uses fuzzy mathematics to calculate the fuzzy membership function value of the risk evaluation index, and uses the normalization formula of the mutation evaluation method to calculate the total membership function value of the first level evaluation index and the risk evaluation system step by step. The results indicate that the risk level of water sources is closely related to the investment in water source construction. Since the water source area of Luokeng Reservoir is designated as a drinking water source area in 2018, with the increase in investment in water source construction and the enhancement of protection efforts, the risk of water source areas has gradually decreased. From 2018 to 2022, the overall risk assessment level of the water source area of Luokeng Reservoir was ranked as higher risk, higher risk, medium risk, lower risk, and lower risk; The risk assessment levels of water elements are in order of high risk, low risk, low risk, low risk, and low risk. The level transformation of water elements is closely related to the improvement of the annual water supply guarantee rate, annual precipitation, and vegetation coverage rate of the third level indicators. The risk assessment levels of management elements are sequentially high risk, high risk, high risk, low risk, and medium risk. The risk assessment level transformation of management elements is synchronized with the construction investment of Luokeng Reservoir. The risk assessment levels of socio-economic factors are in order of lower risk, medium risk, medium risk, lower risk, and lower risk. The changes in risk levels of socio-economic factors are closely related to industrial wastewater discharge and economic growth rate. This result is consistent with the objective situation of Luokeng Reservoir and is highly reliable. Although the risk of Luokeng Reservoir is relatively low now, it still needs to increase investment in the future. The management department of the water source area of Luokeng Reservoir should actively cooperate with various relevant departments to accelerate the standardized construction of the protected area, increase the comprehensive renovation of the protected area, improve the monitoring level, management personnel level, and emergency level of the water source area, comprehensively ensure the safety of the water source area, and further reduce the risk level of the water source area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] To clarify the effect of density on the population growth of Phenacoccus solenopsis to improve control of this pest. [Methods] The development and reproduction of P. solenopsis kept at (26 ± 1), a RH of 70% ± 10% °C and a photoperiod of 16L:8D, was measured at different nymphal densities (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 per 15 cm²). [Results] The developmental duration was significantly shorter, (26.60 ± 0.57) d and (26.67 ± 0.45) d, respectively, at nymphal densities of 5 or 10 per 15 cm² (P < 0.05). Female fecundity was highest [(100.56 ± 1.25) progeny per female] at a nymphal density of 2, followed by a nymphal density of 5 [(61.29 ± 2.64) progeny per female]. The survival rate at a nymphal density of 5 was 75%, which was significantly higher than the other treatments (P < 0.05). The net reproductive rate (R0) was highest at a nymphal density of 2 (31.425), followed by that at a nymphal density of 5 (22.985). R0 decreased with increasing nymph density. The population doubling time (t) was shortest at a nymphal density of 5 (5.635 d), followed by a nymphal density of 10 (105.682 d). The t value was first negatively, then positively, correlated with nymphal density. [Conclusion] Nymphal density affects the population growth of P. solenopsis. A density of 5 nymphs / 15 cm² was the most suitable for the growth, development and reproduction of this species; lower or higher densities were less suitable. These findings are useful for further research on control methods for P. solenopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additionally, MaxEnt may have overestimated due to its insufficient data regarding the thermal requirements of the raisin moth" should be replaced with "However, the MaxEnt model predicts a larger number of suitable areas for the establishment of the raisin moths than CLIMEX predictions. Current and Potential Future Global Distribution of the Raisin Moth Cadra figulilella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under Two Different Climate Change Scenarios. Percentage contribution and permutation importance values for each environmental variable included in a MaxEnt model used to predict current and future worldwide distributions of the raisin moth, I Cadra figulilella i . [Extracted from the article]

The self-made KOH together with NH4OH pulping of corn stover was investigated. The combined alkaline system could effectively remove lignin during pulping. There are three stages of lignin removal during delginification. Approximately 90% of lignin could be removed after temperature reached 150ºC for over 30 minutes. The p-hydroxyl phenol groups in lignin could be completely removed during the delignification reaction. The tendency of the increase of the crystalline degree of cellulose is observed with increase of reaction temperature. The kinetics of delignification is found to be the first order with respect to the remained lignin and the 0.4 order with respect to the remained hydroxide concentration. The activation energy of delignification is 23 kJ/mol. The solution obtained from precipitation of lignin is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium elements and organic matters. Various techniques including FT-IR, GPC, DSC, were applied to characterize the acid precipitated lignin. The result shows that the lignin with the polydispersity of 1.4 still maintains the p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl units in its matrix.