The upregulation of POLR3G correlates with increased malignancy of bladder urothelium.

Bladder cancer remains a significant health challenge due to its high recurrence and progression rates. This study aims to evaluate the role of POLR3G in the development and progression of bladder cancer and the potential of POLR3G to serve as a novel therapeutic target. We constructed a bladder cancer model in Wistar rats by administering N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN), which successfully induced a transition from normal mucosa to hyperplasia and ultimately to urothelial carcinoma. We observed a progressive upregulation of POLR3G expression during the bladder cancer development and progression. To investigate the functional role of POLR3G, we performed functional experiments in bladder cancer cell lines. The results demonstrated that knocking down POLR3G significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We further conducted RNA sequencing on POLR3G-knockdown bladder cancer cells, and Metascape was employed to perform the functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Enrichment analysis revealed the enrichment of DEGs in the RNA polymerase and apoptotic cleavage of cellular proteins pathways, as well as their involvement in the Wnt and MAPK signaling pathways. The downregulation of Wnt pathway-related proteins such as Wnt5a/b, DVL2, LRP-6, and phosphorylated LRP-6 upon POLR3G knockdown was further confirmed by Western blotting, indicating that POLR3G might influence bladder cancer behavior through the Wnt signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that POLR3G plays a crucial role in bladder cancer progression and could serve as a potential therapeutic target. Future studies should focus on the detailed mechanisms by which POLR3G regulates these signaling pathways and its potential as a biomarker for early detection and prognosis of bladder cancer.

Federated Learning-Oriented Edge Computing Framework for the IIoT.

With the maturity of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, applications of AI in edge computing will greatly promote the development of industrial technology. However, the existing studies on the edge computing framework for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) still face several challenges, such as deep hardware and software coupling, diverse protocols, difficult deployment of AI models, insufficient computing capabilities of edge devices, and sensitivity to delay and energy consumption. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes a software-defined AI-oriented three-layer IIoT edge computing framework and presents the design and implementation of an AI-oriented edge computing system, aiming to support device access, enable the acceptance and deployment of AI models from the cloud, and allow the whole process from data acquisition to model training to be completed at the edge. In addition, this paper proposes a time series-based method for device selection and computation offloading in the federated learning process, which selectively offloads the tasks of inefficient nodes to the edge computing center to reduce the training delay and energy consumption. Finally, experiments carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are reported. The model training time with the proposed method is generally 30% to 50% less than that with the random device selection method, and the training energy consumption under the proposed method is generally 35% to 55% less.

Facile synthesis of Cu-based catalysts from Cu3Si and their catalysis properties study.

Supported copper species are well-known for their remarkable catalytic properties across numerous reactions. However, the current preparation methods pose challenges for large-scale production. In this study, we present a cost-effective method for the facile preparation of a series of copper-silicon composites using Cu3Si@Si particles as precursors. We evaluate the catalytic properties of these composites in the conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-amionphenol. Notably, the Cu@SiOx/Si composite exhibits exceptional catalytic performance, attributed to the synergy effect between Cu and Si, and the formation of a metastable Si-H2 complex that enhances the reaction kinetics. This research introduces a novel approach for creating efficient and stable catalysts for hydrogenation reactions.

Alternative splicing of clock transcript mediates the response of circadian clocks to temperature changes.

Circadian clocks respond to temperature changes over the calendar year, allowing organisms to adjust their daily biological rhythms to optimize health and fitness. In Drosophila, seasonal adaptations and temperature compensation are regulated by temperature-sensitive alternative splicing (AS) of period (per) and timeless (tim) genes that encode key transcriptional repressors of clock gene expression. Although clock (clk) gene encodes the critical activator of clock gene expression, AS of its transcripts and its potential role in temperature regulation of clock function have not been explored. We therefore sought to investigate whether clk exhibits AS in response to temperature and the functional changes of the differentially spliced transcripts. We observed that clk transcripts indeed undergo temperature-sensitive AS. Specifically, cold temperature leads to the production of an alternative clk transcript, hereinafter termed clk-cold, which encodes a CLK isoform with an in-frame deletion of four amino acids proximal to the DNA binding domain. Notably, serine 13 (S13), which we found to be a CK1α-dependent phosphorylation site, is among the four amino acids deleted in CLK-cold protein. Using a combination of transgenic fly, tissue culture, and in vitro experiments, we demonstrated that upon phosphorylation at CLK(S13), CLK-DNA interaction is reduced, thus decreasing CLK occupancy at clock gene promoters. This is in agreement with our findings that CLK occupancy at clock genes and transcriptional output are elevated at cold temperature, which can be explained by the higher amounts of CLK-cold isoforms that lack S13 residue. This study provides new insights into the complex collaboration between AS and phospho-regulation in shaping temperature responses of the circadian clock.

Regulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation by circadian, metabolic, and cellular signals.

O-linked ß-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAcylation) is a dynamic post-translational modification that regulates thousands of proteins and almost all cellular processes. Aberrant O-GlcNAcylation has been associated with numerous diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. O-GlcNAcylation is highly nutrient-sensitive since it is dependent on UDP-GlcNAc, the end product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). We previously observed daily rhythmicity of protein O-GlcNAcylation in a Drosophila model that is sensitive to the timing of food consumption. We showed that the circadian clock is pivotal in regulating daily O-GlcNAcylation rhythms given its control of the feeding-fasting cycle and hence nutrient availability. Interestingly, we reported that the circadian clock also modulates daily O-GlcNAcylation rhythm by regulating molecular mechanisms beyond the regulation of food consumption time. A large body of work now indicates that O-GlcNAcylation is likely a generalized cellular status effector as it responds to various cellular signals and conditions, such as ER stress, apoptosis, and infection. In this review, we summarize the metabolic regulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation through nutrient availability, HBP enzymes, and O-GlcNAc processing enzymes. We discuss the emerging roles of circadian clocks in regulating daily O-GlcNAcylation rhythm. Finally, we provide an overview of other cellular signals or conditions that impact O-GlcNAcylation. Many of these cellular pathways are themselves regulated by the clock and/or metabolism. Our review highlights the importance of maintaining optimal O-GlcNAc rhythm by restricting eating activity to the active period under physiological conditions and provides insights into potential therapeutic targets of O-GlcNAc homeostasis under pathological conditions.

Effect of distance information and number of warning signs on driving safety of young adults near road work zones in China.

The continuous growth of automobile ownership and road mileage in China has brought a lot of road maintenance work. The work zone shall be set for road maintenance work. Due to the road characteristics near the work zone, more accidents and a higher accident risk exist. Traffic signs are one of the essential means to ensure traffic safety. The location and number of road work signs (sign level) play a crucial role in driver safety near the work zone. The repeated road work signs can form a warning system to regulate driver behavior. This paper evaluates the effect of the number of warning signs with and without distance information on driver behavior (psychological load and physiological characteristics) near the work zone. The matter-element extension model is used for comprehensive evaluation. The study resulted in several findings. First, adding distance information improves the difficulty and time of visual recognition and enhances driver alertness. On the other hand, too many road signs are not conducive to maintaining driver alertness. Second, distance information on the work signs and the repeated setting of road warning signs add extra burden on the driver and increase driver fatigue. Third, driver's response to the repeated road work signs will gradually become stable; The speed transition under the warning signs Levels 2 and 3 are more stable than that under the warning sign Levels 1 and 4. Finally, the warning sign level shall not be more than 3. If the advanced warning area is short, it is recommended to select a warning sign Level 1. If the advanced warning area is relatively long, it is recommended to choose a warning sign Level 2. Finally, adding distance information will improve the overall effect of the warning scheme. These findings can provide a valuable reference for setting the road work signs near the work zone in practice in China.

Short-term particulate matter contamination severely compromises insect antennal olfactory perception.

The consequences of sub-lethal levels of ambient air pollution are underestimated for insects, for example, the accumulation of particulate matter on sensory receptors located on their antennae may have detrimental effects to their function. Here we show that the density of particulate matter on the antennae of houseflies (Musca domestica) collected from an urban environment increases with the severity of air pollution. A combination of behavioural assays, electroantennograms and transcriptomic analysis provide consistent evidence that a brief exposure to particulate matter pollution compromises olfactory perception of reproductive and food odours in both male and female houseflies. Since particulate matter can be transported thousands of kilometres from its origin, these effects may represent an additional factor responsible for global declines in insect numbers, even in pristine and remote areas.

Research on Lightweight Microservice Composition Technology in Cloud-Edge Device Scenarios.

In recent years, cloud-native technology has become popular among Internet companies. Microservice architecture solves the complexity problem for multiple service methods by decomposing a single application so that each service can be independently developed, independently deployed, and independently expanded. At the same time, domestic industrial Internet construction is still in its infancy, and small and medium-sized enterprises still face many problems in the process of digital transformation, such as difficult resource integration, complex control equipment workflow, slow development and deployment process, and shortage of operation and maintenance personnel. The existing traditional workflow architecture is mainly aimed at the cloud scenario, which consumes a lot of resources and cannot be used in resource-limited scenarios at the edge. Moreover, traditional workflow is not efficient enough to transfer data and often needs to rely on various storage mechanisms. In this article, a lightweight and efficient workflow architecture is proposed to optimize the defects of these traditional workflows by combining cloud-edge scene. By orchestrating a lightweight workflow engine with a Kubernetes Operator, the architecture can significantly reduce workflow execution time and unify data flow between cloud microservices and edge devices.

The Alpha-1 Subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase (ATP1A1) Is a Host Factor Involved in the Attachment of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is an acute and severe atrophic enteritis caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) that infects pigs and makes huge economic losses to the global swine industry. Previously, researchers have believed that porcine aminopeptidase-N (pAPN) was the primary receptor for PEDV, but it has been found that PEDV can infect pAPN knockout pigs. Currently, the functional receptor for PEDV remains unspecified. In the present study, we performed virus overlay protein binding assay (VOPBA), found that ATP1A1 was the highest scoring protein in the mass spectrometry results, and confirmed that the CT structural domain of ATP1A1 interacts with PEDV S1. First, we investigated the effect of ATP1A1 on PEDV replication. Inhibition of hosts ATP1A1 protein expression using small interfering RNA (siRNAs) significantly reduced the cells susceptibility to PEDV. The ATP1A1-specific inhibitors Ouabain (a cardiac steroid) and PST2238 (a digitalis toxin derivative), which specifically bind ATP1A1, could block the ATP1A1 protein internalization and degradation, and consequently reduce the infection rate of host cells by PEDV significantly. Additionally, as expected, overexpression of ATP1A1 notably enhanced PEDV infection. Next, we observed that PEDV infection of target cells resulted in upregulation of ATP1A1 at the mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, we found that the host protein ATP1A1 was involved in PEDV attachment and co-localized with PEDV S1 protein in the early stage of infection. In addition, pretreatment of IPEC-J2 and Vero-E6 cells with ATP1A1 mAb significantly reduced PEDV attachment. Our observations provided a perspective on identifying key factors in PEDV infection, and may provide valuable targets for PEDV infection, PEDV functional receptor, related pathogenesis, and the development of new antiviral drugs.

Study on Room-Temperature Wet Oxidation of Silicon Catalyzed by Copper.

The anomalously fast growth of the silicon oxide layer at room temperature has been reported for the Cu/Si system. However, the systematical exploration of such a reaction under humidity conditions has not yet been carried out. Through one combination of the experiments and first-principle density functional theory (DFT) simulations, here, we investigate the influence of the imparted Cu atoms in Cu/Si on the oxidation of Si with the presence of H2O. The Cu addition causes the geometric distortion of the Si lattice, which alters the charge transfer to absorbed H2O and decreases its dissociation energy. This results in the experimental formation of much defective SiOx for the Cu/Si system than bare Si under humidity conditions. Furthermore, the presence of such an oxide structure and the catalytic effect of Cu provide the suitable diffusion channels and adsorption sites for the H2O transport and its dissociation. This enhances the oxidation rate of Si consequently and results in the fast growth of the oxide layer on Cu/Si at room temperature.

Genome-Wide mRNA and Long Non-Coding RNA Analysis of Porcine Trophoblast Cells Infected with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Associated with Reproductive Failure.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a vertically transmitted reproductive disorder that is typically characterized by miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth in pregnant sows after infection. Such characteristics indicate that PRRSV can infect and penetrate the porcine placental barrier to infect fetus piglets. The porcine trophoblast is an important component of the placental barrier, and secretes various hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, to maintain normal pregnancy and embryonic development during pregnancy. It is conceivable that the pathogenic effects of PRRSV infection on porcine trophoblast cells may lead to reproductive failure; however, the underlying detailed mechanism of the interaction between porcine trophoblast (PTR2) cells and PRRSV is unknown. Therefore, we conducted genome-wide mRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) analysis profiling in PRRSV-infected PTR2. The results showed that 672 mRNAs and 476 lncRNAs were significantly different from the control group after viral infection. Target genes of the co-expression and co-location of differential mRNAs and lncRNAs were enriched by GO (gene ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) analysis, revealing that most of the pathways were involved in cell nutrient metabolism, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Specifically, the estrogen signaling pathway, the PI3K (PhosphoInositide-3 Kinase)-Akt (serine/threonine kinase) signaling pathway, and the insulin secretion related to embryonic development were selected for analysis. Further research found that PRRSV inhibits the expression of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1), thereby reducing estrogen-induced phosphorylation of AKT and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The reduction in the phosphorylation of AKT and mTOR blocks the activation of the GPER1- PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway, consequently restraining insulin secretion, impacting PTR2 cell proliferation, differentiation, and nutrient metabolism. We also found that PRRSV triggered trophoblast cell apoptosis, interrupting the integrity of the placental villus barrier. Furthermore, the interaction network diagram of lncRNA, regulating GPER1 and apoptosis-related genes, was constructed, providing a reference for enriching the functions of these lncRNA in the future. In summary, this article elucidated the differential expression of mRNA and lncRNA in trophoblast cells infected with PRRSV. This infection could inhibit the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway and trigger apoptosis, providing insight into the mechanism of the vertical transmission of PRRSV and the manifestation of reproductive failure.

Clinical, epidemiological, and drug resistance insights into HIV-positive patients in Meizhou, China.

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic, resulting from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, exhibits distinct regional characteristics. This study undertakes a retrospective analysis of the epidemiological and clinical features of 195 HIV-positive cases in Meizhou, China, from May 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Western blotting (WB) confirmed and assessed these cases. Notably, the majority of cases emanated from socio-economic groups with comparatively lower levels of education, with 80% being male. Strikingly, 90% of the cases were found to be in the middle to late stages of infection based on CD4+ T cell counts. Among the 30 different serum antibody profiles examined, reactivity with seven bands (p24, p31, gp41, p51, p66, gp120, and gp160) emerged as the most commonly observed WB pattern. The absence of specific bands, specifically p55 (17.44%), p39 (32.31%), and p17 (25.64%) were most frequent, with the detection frequency of p17 bands significantly reduced among cases in the AIDS and middle stages. An analysis of drug resistance genotypes indicated that, despite viral mutations conferring resistance to certain reverse transcriptase inhibitors, the first-line treatment regimen remained effective for patients in Meizhou. Notably, mutations resistant to protease inhibitors were infrequent (2.7%), suggesting that incorporating protease inhibitors into the treatment regimen may enhance therapeutic outcomes for local patients. These findings provide essential insights into the specific epidemiological patterns, serum antibody profiles, and drug resistance genotypes of HIV-infected patients in Meizhou. Significantly, this research contributes to the formulation of future treatment strategies tailored to the local context.

Nutrient-sensitive protein O-GlcNAcylation shapes daily biological rhythms.

O-linked-N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAcylation) is a nutrient-sensitive protein modification that alters the structure and function of a wide range of proteins involved in diverse cellular processes. Similar to phosphorylation, another protein modification that targets serine and threonine residues, O-GlcNAcylation occupancy on cellular proteins exhibits daily rhythmicity and has been shown to play critical roles in regulating daily rhythms in biology by modifying circadian clock proteins and downstream effectors. We recently reported that daily rhythm in global O-GlcNAcylation observed in Drosophila tissues is regulated via the integration of circadian and metabolic signals. Significantly, mistimed feeding, which disrupts coordination of these signals, is sufficient to dampen daily O-GlcNAcylation rhythm and is predicted to negatively impact animal biological rhythms and health span. In this review, we provide an overview of published and potential mechanisms by which metabolic and circadian signals regulate hexosamine biosynthetic pathway metabolites and enzymes, as well as O-GlcNAc processing enzymes to shape daily O-GlcNAcylation rhythms. We also discuss the significance of functional interactions between O-GlcNAcylation and other post-translational modifications in regulating biological rhythms. Finally, we highlight organ/tissue-specific cellular processes and molecular pathways that could be modulated by rhythmic O-GlcNAcylation to regulate time-of-day-specific biology.

Ultrastructure of Antennal Sensory Organs in Nine Flesh Flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae): New Insight into the Definition of Family Sarcophagidae.

The antennae are the main olfactory organ of flies, playing key roles in their survival and the success of all life stages. Antennal ultrastructural morphology has been well described in the representative species of most calyptrate families, yet only a few studies have focused on Sarcophagidae species, those with ecological and medical relevance. Antennal morphology and the types, shapes, distribution, and density of the antennal sensilla of nine Sarcophagidae species are studied in detail with scanning electron microscopy, including Miltogramminae: Metopia campestris (Fallén) and Mesomelena mesomelaena (Loew), Paramacronychiinae: Agria mihalyii (Rohdendorf & Verves), Wohlfahrtia bella (Macquart), and W. magnifica (Schiner); Sarcophaginae: Sarcophaga (Parasarcophaga) albiceps Meigen, S. (Bercaea) africa (Wiedemann), S. (Boettcherisca) peregrina (Robineau-Desvoidy), and S. (Liosarcophaga) portschinskyi (Rohdendorf), covering all three subfamilies of this family. The morphology of the three segments of the antennae has been described. The scape has only one type of chaetic sensilla, while three subtypes of chaetic sensilla were detected on the pedicel. The postpedicel has four types of sensilla: trichoid sensilla, coeloconic sensilla, clavate sensilla, and three subtypes of basiconic sensilla. Bottle-shaped sensilla were observed in sensory pits on the postpedicel in all nine species. These sensilla have not been discovered in other calyptrate species, suggesting that they are a potential sarcophagid synapomorphy.

Establishment of a Real-Time Quantitative PCR Assay for Porcine Circovirus-Like Virus and the First Evidence of Its Spread to Hainan and Jiangxi Provinces of China.

Porcine Circovirus-like (PCL) virus, a new emerging virus, has been widely detected in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Anhui provinces in China, which may be a novel agent causing severe diarrhea in newborn piglets and tending to spread widely. Evidence suggests that the virus is related to hemorrhagic enteritis and diarrhea, and many newborn piglets were emaciated to death after infection. Therefore, a sensitive, quick, and accurate detection system for virus detection and epidemiological investigation is necessary. In this study, we developed a real-time quantitative PCR assay based on SYBR green for the detection of PCL virus. The ORF4 conserved region of PCL virus was found by the alignment of the uploaded genome sequences to design specific primers, and the primers were tested and showed good specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility. Approximately, 138 fecal samples were obtained from diarrheal pigs in South China from June to December 2021. Approximately, 22.46% (31/138) of the samples and 40% (8/20) of the pig farms were positive for PCL virus, respectively, by using this method. Moreover, it is worth noting that the virus was first detected in Hainan and Jiangxi Provinces of China, which means that the virus may spread widely in China. Through evolutionary tree analysis and partial sequence comparison, there are some differences of virus genes in each province, suggesting that there is a risk of variation, and the four PCL virus strains showed a sequence similarity of 86.7%-87.8% for the rep gene and 92.2%-92.9% for the Rep protein, respectively, with Bo-Circo-like virus that is detected in bovine, which further demonstrates a close relationship between the two viruses that originated from different animals. In conclusion, our study provides a useful diagnostic approach to PCL virus detection and epidemiological inquiry. Meanwhile, the epidemic data using this real-time qPCR assay provide evidence for the widespread variations and epidemic of the virus in South China, and warn the appropriate measures for prevention, and control of porcine circovirus-like virus infection should be under consideration in pig production.

MTHFD2 is a potential oncogene for its strong association with poor prognosis and high level of immune infiltrates in urothelial carcinomas of bladder.

BACKGROUND: The bifunctional methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP+ dependent) 2, methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase (MTHFD2) has been reported to play an oncogenic role in various types of cancers. However, the function of MTHFD2 in urothelial carcinomas of bladder (UCB) and its association with tumor immune infiltration remains unknown. We aim to examine the suitability of MTHFD2 to be a novel biomarker of bladder cancer and whether MTHFD2 is linked to immune infiltration. METHODS: RNA sequencing data and clinical information (bladder cancer samples: normal samples = 414: 19) were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas official website. Western blot analysis was performed to detect MTHFD2 expression in human bladder cancer (BLCA) cells and normal urothelial cell line SV-HUC-1. Associations between MTHFD2 expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis H test. The "survival" and "survminer" packages were utilized to plot Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Moreover, the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted using a clusterProfiler package. The correlation of MTHFD2 expression with immune infiltration level was estimated using the single sample GSEA (ssGSEA) algorithm. Furthermore, associations between MTHFD2 and immune checkpoint genes were evaluated using the correlation analysis. RESULTS: Transcriptome analysis manifested that MTHFD2 was highly expressed in UCB tissues than normal bladder tissues, which was further confirmed by western blot analysis in human BLCA cells and SV-HUC-1 cells. Moreover, MTHFD2 high expression was significantly associated with the advanced disease progression. Also, the high expression of MTHFD2 was correlated with poor prognosis, and MTHFD2 was considered as an independent prognostic factor for disease specific survival. Furthermore, a number of cancer-related pathways were enriched in MTHFD2 high group, including NF-κB activation, JAK/STAT, and cancer immunotherapy by PD1 blockade. Several immune checkpoint molecules were also strongly associated with MTHFD2 expression, including PDCD1, CD274, CTLA4, CD276, LAG3, HAVCR2, and TIGIT. CONCLUSIONS: MTHFD2 expression was remarkably elevated in UCB, suggesting that MTHFD2 could be a promising biomarker for BLCA as well as novel target for anti-cancer immunotherapy since its close association with immune infiltration.

Chemical characterization and source identification of PM2.5 in Luoyang after the clean air actions.

Luoyang is a typical heavy industrial city in China, with a coal-dominated energy structure and serious air pollution. Following the implementation of the clean air actions, the physicochemical characteristics and sources of PM2.5 have changed. A comprehensive study of PM2.5 was conducted from October 16, 2019 to January 23, 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of previous control measures and further to provide theory basis for more effective policies in the future. Results showed that the aerosol pollution in Luoyang in autumn and winter is still serious with the average concentration of 91.1 µg/m3, although a large reduction (46.9%) since 2014. With the contribution of nitrate increased from 12.5% to 25.1% and sulfate decreased from 16.7% to 11.2%, aerosol pollution has changed from sulfate-dominate to nitrate-dominate. High NO3-/SO42- ratio and the increasing of NO3-/SO42- ratio with the aggravation of pollution indicating vehicle exhaust playing an increasingly important role in PM2.5 pollution in Luoyang, especially in the haze processes. Secondary inorganic ions contributed significantly to the enhancement of PM2.5 during the pollution period. The high value of Cl-/Na+ and EC concentration indicate coal combustion in Luoyang is still serious. The top three contributor sources were secondary inorganic aerosols (33.3%), coal combustion (13.6%), and industrial emissions (13.4%). Close-range transport from the western and northeastern directions were more important factors in air pollution in Luoyang during the sampling period. It is necessary to strengthen the control of coal combustion and reduce vehicle emissions in future policies.

Antennal and palpal sensilla of three predatory Lispe species (Diptera: Muscidae): an ultrastructural investigation.

Antennae and maxillary palps are the most important chemical reception organs of flies. So far, the morphology of antennae and maxillary palps of flies of most feeding habits have been well described, except for that of relatively rare aquatic predatory species. This study describes sensilla on antennae and maxillary palps of three aquatic predatory Lispe species: Lispe longicollis, L. orientalis and L. pygmaea. Types, distribution, and density of sensilla are characterised via light and scanning electron microscopy. One type of mechanoreceptors is found on antennal scape. Mechanoreceptors (two subtypes) and one single pedicellar button (in L. pygmaea) are located on antennal pedicel. Four types of sensilla are discovered on antennal postpedicel: trichoid sensilla, basiconic sensilla (three subtypes), coeloconic sensilla and clavate sensilla. A unique character of these Lispe species is that the coeloconic sensilla are distributed sparsely on antennal postpedicel. Mechanoreceptors and basiconic sensilla are observed on the surface of maxillary palps in all three species. We demonstrated clear sexual dimorphism of the maxillary palps in some of the Lispe species, unlike most other Muscidae species, are larger in males than females. This, along with their courtship dance behaviour, suggest their function as both chemical signal receiver and visual signal conveyer, which is among the few records of a chemical reception organ act as a signal conveyer in insects.