Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of WSSV-Challenged Penaeus vannamei with Variable Resistance Levels.

The Pacific white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, is highly susceptible to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Our study explored the transcriptomic responses of P. vannamei from resistant and susceptible families, uncovering distinct expression patterns after WSSV infection. The analysis revealed a higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the susceptible family following WSSV infection compared to the resistant family, when both were evaluated against their respective control groups, indicating that the host resistance of the family line influences the transcriptome. The results also showed that subsequent to an identical duration following WSSV infection, there were more DEGs in P. vannamei with a high viral load than in those with a low viral load. To identify common transcriptomic responses, we profiled DEGs across families at 96 and 228 h post-infection (hpi). The analysis yielded 64 up-regulated and 37 down-regulated DEGs at 96 hpi, with 33 up-regulated and 34 down-regulated DEGs at 228 hpi, showcasing the dynamics of the transcriptomic response over time. Real-time RT-PCR assays confirmed significant DEG expression changes post-infection. Our results offer new insights into shrimp's molecular defense mechanisms against WSSV.

Soliton interaction in a MXene-based mode-locked fiber laser.

MXenes are a class of two-dimensional layered structure ternary metal carbide or/and nitride materials. Recently, the MXene V2CTx has demonstrated excellent long-term stability, strong saturable absorption, and fast optical-switching capability, used to generate Q-switched and ultrashort pulsed lasers. However, bound-state fiber lasers based on V2CTx have not been reported yet. In this study, V2CTx is combined with a D-shaped fiber to form a saturable absorber device, whose modulation depth is measured to be 1.6%. By inserting the saturable absorber into an Er-doped fiber laser, bound states with different soliton separation and munbers are successfully obtained. Additionally, bound states with a compound soliton structure, such as the (2 + 2)- and (2 + 1)-type, are also realized. Our findings show that V2CTx can be developed as an efficient ultrafast photonics candidate to further understand the complex nonlinear dynamics of bound-state pulses in fiber lasers.

A Method for Autonomous Generation of High-Precision Time Scales for Navigation Constellations.

The time maintenance accuracy of the navigation constellation determines the user positioning and timing performance. Especially in autonomous operation scenarios, the performance of navigation constellation maintenance time directly affects the duration of constellation autonomous navigation. Among them, the frequency stability of the atomic clock onboard the navigation satellite is a key factor. In order to further improve the stability of the navigation constellation time-frequency system, combined with the development of high-precision inter-satellite link measurement technology, the idea of constructing constellation-level synthetic atomic time has gradually become the development trend of major GNSS systems. This paper gives a navigation constellation time scale generation framework, and designs an improved Kalman plus weights (KPW) time scale algorithm and time-frequency steer algorithm that integrates genetic algorithms. Finally, a 30-day autonomous timekeeping simulation was carried out using the GPS precision clock data provided by CODE, when the sampling interval is 300 s, the Allan deviation of the output time scale is 5.73 × 10-14, a 71% improvement compared with the traditional KPW time scale algorithm; when the sampling interval is 1 day, the Allan deviation is 9.17 × 10-15; when the sampling interval is 1 × 106 s, the Allan deviation is 8.87 × 10-16, a 94% improvement compared with the traditional KPW time scale algorithm. The constellation-level high-precision time scale generation technology proposed in this paper can significantly improve the stability performance of navigation constellation autonomous timekeeping.

Platinum Metallacycle-Based Molecular Recognition: Establishment and Application in Spontaneous Formation of a [2]Rotaxane with Light-Harvesting Property.

Macrocyclic molecule-based host-guest systems, which provide contributions for the design and construction of functional supramolecular structures, have gained increasing attention in recent years. In particular, platinum(II) metallacycle-based host-guest systems provide opportunities for chemical scientists to prepare novel materials with various functions and structures due to the well-defined shapes and cavity sizes of platinum(II) metallacycles. However, the research on platinum(II) metallacycle-based host-guest systems has been given little attention. In this article, we demonstrate the host-guest complexation between a platinum(II) metallacycle and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecule, naphthalene. Taking advantage of metallacycle-based host-guest interactions and the dynamic property of reversible Pt coordination bonds, a [2]rotaxane is efficiently prepared by employing a template-directed clipping procedure. The [2]rotaxane is further applied to the fabrication of an efficient light-harvesting system with multi-step energy transfer process. This work comprises an important supplement to macrocycle-based host-guest systems and demonstrates a strategy for efficient production of well-defined mechanically interlocked molecules with practical values.

Interference with ACSL1 gene in bovine adipocytes: Transcriptome profiling of circRNA related to unsaturated fatty acid production.

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 (ACSL1) is a member of the acyl-CoA synthetase family that plays a vital role in lipid metabolism. We have previously shown that the ACSL1 gene regulates the composition of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) in bovine skeletal muscle, which in turn regulates the fatty acid synthesis and the generation of lipid droplets. Here, we used RNA-Seq to screen circRNAs that regulated the expression of ACSL1 gene and other UFA synthesis-related genes by RNA interference and noninterference in bovine adipocytes. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that the parental genes of differentially expressed (DE)-circRNAs were primarily enriched in the adipocytokine signaling pathway. The prediction results showed that novel_circ_0004855, novel_circ_0001507, novel_circ_0001731, novel_circ_0005276, novel_circ_0002060, novel_circ_0005405 and novel_circ_0004254 regulated UFA synthesis-related genes by interacting with the related miRNAs. These results could help expand our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of circRNAs in the regulation of UFA synthesis in bovine adipocytes.

Design, analysis of self-configurable modular adjustable latch lock for segmented space mirrors.

This paper presents a connection mechanism for autonomous self-assembly of segmented space mirrors. Using this connection mechanism, space mirrors can be autonomously captured, positioned, locked and adjusted. The purpose of assembling space mirrors on orbit is to overcome the limits of launch volume and mass and provide a feasibility for future extremely large space telescope in order to improve optical performance to function as monolithic mirrors. In this paper, first, the design details and operation principle of the connection mechanism are presented. Then, based on the initial capture conditions, a double-contact model is investigated. And simulated results of the dynamic and optical performance show that the proposed mechanism overcomes significant alignment errors and is considered suitable for space optical system.

Isolation and characterization of a Raf gene from Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis in response to white spot syndrome virus infection.

Raf is a member in the Ras/Raf/MAPKK/MAPK signaling transduction pathway. To obtain a better understanding of Raf in the interaction between the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), the sequence of cDNA of Raf from F. chinensis (FcRaf) was obtained. The FcRaf gene contained a 2421 bp open reading frame (ORF). The FcRaf shared most characteristic of Raf protein, such as the Raf-like Ras-binding domain (RBD), phorbol esters/diacylglycerol binding domain (C1 domain), and catalytic domain of the serine/threonine kinases, Raf (STKc_Raf). The sequence of functional domains of Raf protein was relatively conserved. The FcRaf mRNA was detected in the tissues of gill, muscle, and hepatopancreas from normal F. chinensis. The mRNA abundance level of FcRaf in the gill was the highest, which was 2.7-fold the level in the hepatopancreas. The expression level of FcRaf was significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated in the tissues of gill, muscle, and hepatopancreas post WSSV-infection, which suggested that FcRaf might be involved in the interaction between F. chinensis and WSSV. Two SNP loci were identified in the ORF, one of which was a C-T mis-sense mutation, where an Ala was replaced by a Val, and induced the predicted protein secondary structure change. Considering the relatively low MAF (0.07), whether this mis-sense mutation was a detrimental mutation needs further investigation.

Transcriptome analysis of 'Huanghai No. 2' Fenneropenaeus chinensis response to WSSV using RNA-seq.

White spot syndrome (WSS) is one of the most damaging phenomena in the culturing of shrimp. To characterize the mechanisms of the molecular responses to WSSV infection in 'Huanghai No. 2'' Fenneropenaeus chinensis, we used next-generation sequencing to observe the transcriptome after oral infection. A total of 108.6 million clean reads were obtained and assembled into 64,103 final unigenes with an average length of 845 bp (N50 = 1534 bp). The assembled unigenes contained 14,263 significant unigenes after BLASTX against the Nr database (E-value cut-off of 10-5). After comparison of digital gene expression data between challenged and control shrimp, a total of 896 DEGs after WSSV infection were identified. Gene pathway analysis indicated that 92, 131 and 142 metabolic pathways were affected at early, peak and late phases respectively. Some pathways were related to the immune response, such as the phagosome, complement and coagulation cascades, the antigen processing and presentation pathway and so on. Many immune-related genes were also identified after pathway analysis. Interestingly, some growth-related genes, such as cathepsin L, myosin regulatory light chain 2 smooth muscle, and alpha-amylase were also differentially expressed after WSSV infection, and the correlation between growth trait and WSSV-resistance trait need further research. The expression patterns of eight DEGs were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and there was good agreement between RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. These data will provide valuable information for characterizing the immune mechanism of the response of shrimp's to WSSV.

Design of an adjustable bipod flexure for a large-aperture mirror of a space camera.

An adjustable bipod flexure (ABF) technique for a large-aperture mirror of a space camera is presented. The proposed flexure mount can decrease the surface distortions caused by the machining error and the assembly error of the mirror assembly (MA) in a horizontal optical testing layout. Through the analysis of the compliance matrix of conventional bipod flexure, the positional relationship between the rotation center and the apex of the flexure is investigated. Then, the principle of the adjustable flexure, known as the trapezoidal switching principle, is proposed based on the analysis result. The structure and application of the flexure are also described. The optical performance of the mirror mounted by the adjustable flexures in different misalignments was performed using finite element methods. The result shows that the astigmatic aberration due to gravity is effectively reduced by adjusting the mount, and the root-mean-square value of the mirror can be minimized with the misalignment between the flexure pivot and the neutral plane minimized. New monolithic bipod flexures, based on the optimal regulating variable Δu according to the measurement results, are manufactured to replace the ABFs to secure the mirror's safety against launch loads. Modal analysis verified the mechanical safety of the MA with respect to the new monolithic flexures.

cDNA cloning and expression analysis of a phosphopyruvate hydratase gene from the chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis.

In the present study a cDNA encoding a phosphopyruvate hydratase (enolase) was cloned from the muscle of the Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) and named as FcEnolase. The cDNA of FcEnolase encoded a protein of 434 amino acid residues with a molecular mass 47.22 kDa. The residues 342-355 constituted the signature motif "LLLKVNQIGSVTES". A SNP locus (C96T) in the ORF at 96 bp was identified. The results showed that the FcEnolase was a conserved gene. In the normal F. chinensis, the mRNA level in the muscle was much higher (P < 0.05) than the mRNA level in the gill and hepatopancreas. To verify the mRNA level of FcEnolase in the F. chinensis post WSSV infection, a real-time RT-PCR was performed. In the WSSV-infected F. chinensis, the FcEnolase mRNA level was significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated in the muscle at 12 and 24 h post challenge (hpc) to approximately 2.7-fold and 2.7-fold the mRNA level in the controls, respectively. The FcEnolase mRNA level in the gill was significantly (P < 0.05) down-regulated at 6 hpc to approximately 0.3-fold the mRNA level in the control, followed by a significant (P < 0.05) up-regulation at 12 hpc to approximately 2.8-fold the mRNA level in the control. There was no obvious change of FcEnolase mRNA level in the hepatopancreas during the infection process. The expression profile coincided with the fact that WSSV primarily infects the tissues of muscle and gill, but hardly infects hepatopancreas. To verify the protein level of FcEnolase post WSSV infection, a Western blot was performed. The FcEnolase protein level in the muscle at 24 hpc significantly (P < 0.05) increased to approximately 2.1-fold the level in the control. These results showed the characterization of FcEnolase and suggested that the FcEnolase might be involved in the response of F. chinensis to WSSV infection.

The identification of microRNAs involved in the response of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis to white spot syndrome virus infection.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of small noncoding RNA, which is involved in the post-transcriptional regulation in all metazoan eukaryotes. MiRNAs might play an important role in the host response to virus infection. However, miRNAs in the aquatic crustacean species were not extensively investigated. To obtain a better understanding of the response of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection, the sequence and expression profile of miRNAs in the hepatopancreas of WSSV-infected F. chinensis were obtained by the high-throughput Illumina HiSeq 2500 deep sequencing technique. A total number of 129 known miRNAs and 44 putative novel miRNAs were identified from the deep sequencing data. The peak size of miRNAs was 22 nt (37.0%). 25 miRNAs were significantly (P < 0.05) differentially expressed post WSSV infection. Six of the differentially expressed miRNAs were randomly selected for further verification by the real-time RT-PCR technique. The results showed that there was a consistency between the deep sequencing and real-time RT-PCR assay. The target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted. Each miRNA had 4 target genes on average. The results suggested that some specific miRNAs might be involved in the response of F. chinensis to WSSV infection, and further provided basic information for the investigation of specific miRNAs in F. chinensis.

Isolation and expression analysis of an MAPKK gene from Fenneropenaeus chinensis in response to white spot syndrome virus infection.

Mitogen-activated kinase kinase (MAPKK) is an important gene involved in the host-virus interaction process. To obtain a better understanding of MAPKK in the interaction process between the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV), we cloned the sequence of an MAPKK cDNA from F. chinensis (FcMAPKK) and investigated the effect of FcMAPKK on WSSV infection. The results showed that the FcMAPKK gene contained a 1227 bp open reading frame (ORF), which encoded a highly conserved protein with a serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic (S_TKc) domain. The deduced amino acid sequence of FcMAPKK shared identities between 11.9 and 92.6% with MAPKKs from vertebrate, invertebrate, plant and fungus species. The FcMAPKK was expressed in all the examined tissues in the normal F. chinensis. FcMAPKK expression level was highest in the hepatopancreas where it was approximately 2.6-fold the expression level in the gill, and lowest in the muscle where it was approximately 0.3-fold the expression level in the hepatopancreas. The FcMAPKK expression levels in the muscle, gill, and hepatopancreas were all changed post WSSV challenge. The FcMAPKK expression was significantly (P < 0.01) up-regulated in the muscle of F. chinensis at 48 h post WSSV infection. The WSSV began to replicate quickly in the normal F. chinensis at 48 h post infection, while the WSSV replication in the U0126-treated F. chinensis could be significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited. The results suggested that FcMAPKK might be involved in the WSSV infection process, and hijacking of FcMAPKK might be required for WSSV replication in F. chinensis.

Comparative microarray profile of the hepatopancreas in the response of "Huanghai No. 2" Fenneropenaeus chinensis to white spot syndrome virus.

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infects all shrimp species and is the greatest detriment to shrimp culture. To better understand the mechanism of molecular responses to WSSV infection in "Huanghai No. 2" Fenneropenaeus chinensis, a microarray technique was used. Microarray gene expression profiling of 59,137 unigenes identified Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) both in live and moribund shrimp at early, peak and late phases. In live shrimp, 1307, 1479 and 1539 DEGs were obtained in the early, peak and late phase, respectively. Meanwhile, 1536, 2181 and 1591 DEGs were obtained in moribund shrimp. Twenty known annotation genes are uniquely expressed in the late phase of live shrimp, including adhesion regulating molecule 1, arginine kinase, BUD31 homolog, and QM. Compared to WSSV-susceptible shrimp, 75 known annotation genes are uniquely expressed in WSSV-resistant shrimp, including arginine kinase, BUD31 homolog, clottable protein 2, caspase 2, cathepsin C, calnexin, HMGBb, Histone 3, and selenoprotein M. The gene expression patterns of the infected shrimp were altered by WSSV infection. To further confirm the expression of differentially expressed genes, real-time RT-PCR was performed to test six randomly selected genes. The data will provide valuable information to understand the immune mechanism of shrimp's response to WSSV.

Molecular Characterization and Expression Analysis of the C-Type Lectin Domain Family 4 Member F in Litopenaeus vannamei against White Spot Syndrome Virus.

White spot disease (WSD) outbreaks pose a significant threat to the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming industry. The causative agent is the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). There are no effective treatments for WSD so far. Therefore, understanding the resistance mechanisms of L. vannamei against the WSSV is crucial. C-type lectins (CTLs) are important pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that promote agglutination, phagocytosis, encapsulation, bacteriostasis, and antiviral infections. This study cloned the C-type lectin domain family 4 member F (LvCLEC4F) from L. vannamei. LvCLEC4F contains a 492 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 163 amino acids, including a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD). Following a challenge with the WSSV, the expression profile of LvCLEC4F was significantly altered. Using RNA interference (RNAi) technology, it was found that LvCLEC4F promotes WSSV replication and affects the expression levels of genes related to the regulation of apoptosis, signaling and cellular stress response, and immune defense. Meanwhile, the hemolymph agglutination phenomenon in vivo was weakened when LvCLEC4F was knocked down. These results indicated that LvCLEC4F may play an important role in the interaction between L. vannamei and WSSV.

The Expression and Epigenetic Characteristics of the HSF2 Gene in Cattle-Yak and the Correlation with Its Male Sterility.

Aberrant expression of the heat shock proteins and factors was revealed to be closely associated with male reproduction. Heat shock factor 2 (HSF2) is a transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of diverse developmental pathways. However, the role and the corresponding molecular mechanism of HSF2 in male cattle-yak sterility are still poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to obtain the sequence and the biological information of the cattle-yak HSF2 gene and to investigate the spatiotemporal expression profiles of the locus during the development of cattle-yak testes. Additionally, the differential expression was analyzed between the cattle-yak and the yak, and the methylation of corresponding promoter regions was compared. Our results showed an additional 54 bp fragment and a missense mutation (lysine to glutamic acid) were presented in the cattle-yak HSF2 gene, which correlated with enriched expression in testicular tissue. In addition, the expression of the HSF2 gene showed dynamic changes during the growth of the testes, reaching a peak in adulthood. The IHC indicated that HSF2 protein was primarily located in spermatocytes (PS), spermatogonia (SP), and Sertoli cells (SC) in cattle-yak testes, compared with the corresponding cells of cattle and the yak. Furthermore, bisulfite-sequencing PCR (BSP) revealed that the methylated CpG sites in the promoter region of the cattle-yak HSF2 were more numerous than in the yak counterpart, which suggests hypermethylation of this region in the cattle-yak. Taken together, the low expression abundance and hypermethylation of HSF2 may underpin the obstruction of spermatogenesis, which leads to male cattle-yak infertility. Our study provided a basic guideline for the HSF2 gene in male reproduction and a new insight into the mechanisms of male cattle-yak sterility.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cathepsin B gene from the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis.

Cathepsin B is a unique member of the cathepsin superfamily, which acts as both an endopeptidase and peptidyl-dipeptidase. To obtain a better understanding of this enzyme, we cloned a cDNA encoding cathepsin B from the muscle of Fenneropenaeus chinensis (FcCB). FcCB contained a 996-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 331 amino acid residues with a putative signal peptide and a propeptide_C1 at the N-terminal, a glutamine oxyanion hole and active site cysteine, histidine and asparagine residues. A region from residue 79 to 327 conferred the peptidase activity of FcCB. Pair-wise and multiple sequence alignment with 17 other organisms, including ten different vertebrate species, five different invertebrate species and two different plant species, indicated that the signal peptide and the propeptide_C1 at the N-terminal of FcCB were less conserved than the mature protein, except when compared with Penaeus monodon, Litopenaeus vannamei and Marsupenaeus japonicas, all of which belong to the genus Penaeus. The expression of FcCB in the hepatopancreas was higher than that in the gill. The expression of FcCB in the gill was higher than that in the muscle. A challenge test was performed to reveal the responses of FcCB in different tissues to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection, which causes serious economic losses in the shrimp farming industry. The FcCB gene expressions in the ectoderm, mesoderm and entoderm were not the same prior to WSSV infection, but at 6 h after WSSV challenge, the FcCB expression in the gill, hepatopancreas and muscle was up-regulated, suggesting that FcCB might be involved in the immune response to WSSV. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the FcCB gene, involving C/T transitions, which are known as mutation hot spots. Notably, the three SNPs constituted a haplotype that can be used as an indicator of the haplotype block. The SNP genotypes of two groups of shrimps, respectively comprising 96 WSSV-resistant shrimps and 96 WSSV-susceptible shrimps, were obtained using a high-resolution melting (HRM) method. Associated factors, including observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), minor allele frequency (MAF) and P-values for the deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), were obtained. For the association analysis with WSSV resistance, the P-values were calculated using Pearson's chi-square test. In the two groups, the MAFs of all sites were greater than 0.05, and no site departed significantly (P < 0.05) from HWE. The genotype distribution of the C-984T mutation site between the two groups was not significantly different. These results lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the host-virus interaction and provide useful information for solving the WSSV problem.

Identification, cloning and characterization of an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) from Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase, which participates in signaling transduction pathways that control intracellular events, including resumption of meiosis, embryogenesis, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, cell death and response to radiation. Some virus species evolved the ability to hijack the host cell ERK signaling transduction pathway for viral replications and gene expressions. To obtain a better understanding of ERK, we cloned a cDNA encoding ERK from the muscle of Fenneropenaeus chinensis (FcERK). The FcERK contained a 1098 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a protein of 365 amino acid residues with a conserved phosphorylation motif TEY in the kinase activation loop. Pair-wise and multiple sequence alignment revealed that ERK is highly conserved across taxa. The FcERK gene expressions in the hepatopancreas and gill were noticeably higher than the expression observed in the muscle. A challenge test was performed to reveal the responses of FcERK in different tissues to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. Post WSSV challenge, the FcERK expression in the gill significantly increased during the early stage of the viral infection, the FcERK expression in the muscle increased later than that in the gill, and the FcERK expression in the hepatopancreas significantly decreased. The FcERK gene expression profile accorded with the results that the virus primarily infects tissues originating from the ectoderm, with less infection of the tissues originating from the mesoderm, and hardly any infection in the tissues originating from the entoderm. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the FcERK gene, involving C/T transition. The SNP genotypes of two groups of shrimps, respectively comprising 96 WSSV-resistant shrimps and 96 WSSV-susceptible shrimps were obtained using a high-resolution melting (HRM) method. In the two groups, the MAFs of both sites were greater than 0.05, and no site departed significantly (P < 0.05) from HWE. The genotype distributions of both mutation sites between the two groups were not significantly different. These results lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the host-virus interaction and provide useful information for disease control.

Comprehensive Analysis of miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles during Muscle Development of the Longissimus Dorsi Muscle in Gannan Yaks and Jeryaks.

A hybrid offspring of Gannan yak and Jersey cattle, the Jeryak exhibits apparent hybrid advantages over the Gannan yak in terms of production performance and other factors. The small non-coding RNAs known as miRNAs post-transcriptionally exert a significant regulatory influence on gene expression. However, the regulatory mechanism of miRNA associated with muscle development in Jeryak remains elusive. To elucidate the regulatory role of miRNAs in orchestrating skeletal muscle development in Jeryak, we selected longissimus dorsi muscle tissues from Gannan yak and Jeryak for transcriptome sequencing analysis. A total of 230 (DE) miRNAs were identified in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Gannan yak and Jeryak. The functional enrichment analysis revealed a significant enrichment of target genes from differentially expressed (DE)miRNAs in signaling pathways associated with muscle growth, such as the Ras signaling pathway and the MAPK signaling pathway. The network of interactions between miRNA and mRNA suggest that some (DE)miRNAs, including miR-2478-z, miR-339-x, novel-m0036-3p, and novel-m0037-3p, played a pivotal role in facilitating muscle development. These findings help us to deepen our understanding of the hybrid dominance of Jeryaks and provide a theoretical basis for further research on the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs associated with Jeryak muscle growth and development.

Experimental study on FBG sensing technology-based stress monitoring at the corners of reinforced soil retaining walls.

As a unique type of flexible slope fill-retaining structure, reinforced soil-retaining walls have the advantages of convenient construction, broad application conditions, good seismic performance, and high economic benefits. In general, reinforced soil-retaining walls appear at corners due to the restriction in topographic conditions during engineering construction. However, their special structures and stress conditions are usually ignored, thus triggering panel bulging, cracking, and collapse. In this study, an experimental method based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technology was proposed for a physical model of reinforced soil-retaining walls. Then, a uniformly distributed load experiment was performed on this model by combining the measurement advantages of intelligent wire-type soil pressure sensors and the flexible characteristics of geotechnical reinforcement materials. The deformation development of this reinforced soil-retaining wall was monitored. Results revealed that before and after the loading of the reinforced soil-retaining wall, the deformation was mainly concentrated above the retaining wall, and the deformation scale at the corners was larger than that in the bilateral linear parts. After loading, the largest force deformation area on the retaining wall was transferred from the corners to the load area. The maximum strain was right beneath the load above the retaining wall, and the peak value at the other layers gradually approached the retaining wall. The experimental results prove that FBG sensing technology is feasible and effective for the whole-process monitoring of reinforced soil-retaining walls and is thus worthy of popularization and application.

Unraveling the effect of the combination of modified atmosphere packaging and ε-polylysine on the physicochemical properties and bacterial community of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili).

The combined effect of ε-polylysine (PL) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 60% CO2/40% N2) on the bacterial community of greater amberjack filets and their physicochemical properties was evaluated at 4°C. The total viable counts (TVC), psychrotrophic bacterial count, sensory index, texture analysis, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) revealed that PL, MAP, and MAP + PL treatment delayed the deterioration of greater amberjack filets. These treatment groups also showed decreased accumulation of biogenic amines. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing results indicated that these treatments suppressed the growth of Pseudomonas in greater amberjack filets. Furthermore, the MAP + PL treatment group was observed to be more effective than the PL and MAP groups, extending the shelf life of greater amberjack filets by 6 days. This investigation showed that the combination of PL and MAP has the potential to retain the quality and extend the shelf life of greater amberjack.