Enhanced Plasmonic Trapping and Fluorescent Emission of Nitrogen-Vacancy Nanodiamonds Using a High-Efficiency Nanofocusing Device.

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) with nitrogen-vacancy centers are pivotal for advancing quantum photonics and imaging through deterministic quantum state manipulation. However, deterministic integration of quantum emitters into photonic devices remains a challenge due to the need for high coupling efficiency and Purcell enhancement. We report a deterministic FND-integrated nanofocusing device achieved by assembling FNDs at a plasmonic waveguide tip through plasmonic-enhanced optical trapping. This technique not only increases the emission rate by 58.6 times compared to isolated FNDs but also preferentially directs radiation into the waveguide at a rate 5.3 times higher than that into free space, achieving an exceptional figure-of-merit of ∼3000 for efficient energy transfer. Our findings represent a significant step toward deterministic integration in quantum imaging and communication, opening new avenues for quantum technology advancements.

Human activities reshape the spatial overlap between North Chinese leopard and its wild ungulate prey.

BACKGROUND: Rapidly expanding human activities have profoundly changed the habitat use of both large carnivores and their prey, but whether and how human activities affect the interactions between them has received relatively less attention. In this study, we conducted a systematically designed camera-trapping survey on an endangered large carnivore (North Chinese leopard Panthera pardus japonensis) and its wild ungulate prey (Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus and wild boar Sus scrofa) in the Taihang Mountains of central North China. Using conditional two-species occupancy model based on data derived from the extensive sampling effort (15,654 camera-days at 102 camera sites), we examined the relationship of spatial use between leopards and each prey species under the effects of human presence, free-ranging cattle, roads and settlements. RESULTS: Humans and cattle had contrasting effects on the relationship of spatial use between leopard and roe deer, with higher and lower spatial segregation between them at human and cattle-frequented sites, respectively. Roads might create a shelter for wild boar from leopard predation, with less spatial segregation between them at sites close to the roads. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that human activities are reshaping the spatial overlap between large carnivores and their prey, and have non-equivalent effects among different types of human activity. Such effects may further alter the strength of interspecific interactions between predator and prey, with far-reaching influences on the community and ecosystem that require more research.

Surface-anchored N-based functional groups driven photoactivity of SrTiO3.

Surface modification, including the anchoring of functional groups is a popular method to increase the photocatalytic activity of semiconductor photocatalysts. These species can trap excited electrons, thus prolonging the life of the charge carriers. N-containing functional groups are suitable for this purpose due to their high electron density. Here, we report a facile synthesis method for preparing interfacial N-based functional groups-modified and nitrogen-doped SrTiO3 photocatalysts. Among the modified samples (with 0.42-11.14 at.% nominal nitrogen content), the one with 7.71 at.% nitrogen showed 6.4 times higher photooxidation efficiency for phenol and 2.2 times better photoreduction efficiency for CO2 conversion than the unmodified SrTiO3 reference. Characterization results showed that using a low amount of nitrogen source resulted in low but measurable nitrogen doping, which did not significantly affect the photocatalytic activity. The formation of surface amine groups was significant even at lower initial nitrogen concentrations, while higher amounts of nitrogen source gradually resulted in the incorporation of nitrogen in higher amounts. Surface amine groups decreased the recombination of charge carriers, resulting in increased photocatalytic activity.

Chitin-Assisted Synthesis of CuS Composite Sponge for Bacterial Capture and Near-Infrared-Promoted Healing of Infected Diabetic Wounds.

Diabetic wounds are prone to recurrent infections, often leading to delayed healing. To address this challenge, we developed a chitin-copper sulfide (CuS@CH) composite sponge, which combines bacterial trapping with near-infrared (NIR) activated phototherapy for treating infected diabetic wounds. CuS nanoparticles were synthesized and incorporated in situ within the sponge using a chitin assisted biomineralization strategy. The positively charged chitin surface effectively adhered bacteria, while NIR irradiation of CuS generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) heat and Cu2+ to rapidly damage the trapped bacteria. This synergistic effect resulted in an exceptional antibacterial performance against E. coli (∼99.9%) and S. aureus (∼99.3%). The bactericidal mechanism involved NIR-induced glutathione oxidation, membrane lipid peroxidation, and increased membrane permeability. In diabetic mouse models, the CuS@CH sponge accelerated the wound healing of S. aureus infected wounds by facilitating collagen deposition and reducing inflammation. Furthermore, the sponge demonstrated good biocompatibility. This dual-functional platform integrating bacterial capture and NIR-triggered phototherapy shows promise as an antibacterial wound dressing to promote healing of infected diabetic wound.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Rab7a in Lysosomal Positioning and Drug Resistance in Nutrient-Limited Cancer Cells.

Limited nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment can cause the rewiring of signaling and metabolic networks to confer cancer cells with survival advantages. We show here that the limitation of glucose, glutamine and serum from the culture medium resulted in the survival of a population of cancer cells with high viability and capacity to form tumors in vivo. These cells also displayed a remarkable increase in the abundance and size of lysosomes. Moreover, lysosomes were located mainly in the perinuclear region in nutrient-limited cells; this translocation was mediated by a rapid post-transcriptional increase in the key endolysosomal trafficking protein Rab7a. The acidic lysosomes in nutrient-limited cells could trap weakly basic drugs such as doxorubicin, mediating resistance of the cells to the drug, which could be partially reversed with the lysosomal inhibitor bafilomycin A1. An in vivo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay indicated a remarkable decrease in microtumor volume when nutrient-limited cells were treated with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and bafilomycin A1 compared to cells treated with either agent alone. Overall, our data indicate the activation of complementary pathways with nutrient limitation that can enable cancer cells to survive, proliferate and acquire drug resistance.

Practical, effective and safer: Placing traps above ground is an improved capture method for the critically endangered ngwayir (western ringtail possum; Pseudocheirus occidentalis).

The capture of wild-living animals can provide valuable information that is critical in developing and implementing effective conservation actions. These capture procedures, however, often require direct handling of individuals by researchers, and conservationists should constantly seek to improve capture methods so that the impacts on animal welfare are minimised. The ngwayir (western ringtail possum; Pseudocheirus occidentalis) is a critically endangered arboreal marsupial in need of effective conservation. It is, however, not amenable to conventional trapping, leading to the use of methods such as nest robbing and tranquilisation using dart guns or pole syringes, which involve potentially serious animal welfare risks and longer exposure of animals to humans as compared to conventional trapping. In pursuit of an improved capture method, we investigated opportunistically whether placing traps above the ground would increase the capture success rate of the species, using wire cage traps baited with universal bait and fruit. Between 2010 and 2019, we deployed trapping grids in Locke Nature Reserve and adjacent campsites near Busselton, WA, Australia, with traps placed on the ground for 1,985 trap nights and traps placed on horizontal tree branches, fallen trees or fences, 1-2 m above ground for 694 trap nights. With the above ground traps we trapped 82 ngwayirs out of 694 trap nights, 27 in autumn and 55 in spring. We also captured eleven common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula; 1.6% trap success rate), 12 King's skinks (Egernia kingii; 1.7%) and five black rats (Rattus rattus; 0.7%). Trapping success rate was higher in elevated traps (up to 18.3%) compared to traps on the ground (0.5%) and using fruit as bait increased the trap success rate. These results suggest that using elevated traps baited with fruit is a practical, effective method to capture the ngwayir.

Mapping high-risk areas for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex bacteria transmission: Linking host space use and environmental contamination.

In many Mediterranean ecosystems, animal tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, an ecovar of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), is maintained by multi-host communities. It is hypothesised that interspecies transmission is mainly indirect via shared contaminated environments. Therefore, identifying spatial areas where MTBC bacteria occur and quantifying space use by susceptible hosts might help predict the spatial likelihood of transmission across the landscape. Here, we aimed to evaluate the transmission risk of MTBC in a multi-host system involving wildlife (ungulates and carnivores) and cattle (Bos taurus). We collected eighty-nine samples from natural substrates (water, soil, and mud) at 38 sampling sites in a TB endemic area within a Mediterranean agroforestry system in Portugal. These samples were analysed by real-time PCR to detect MTBC DNA. Additionally, host-specific space use intensity maps were obtained through camera-trapping covering the same sampling sites. Results evidenced that a significant proportion of samples were positive for MTBC DNA (49 %), suggesting that the contamination is widespread in the area. Moreover, they showed that the probability of MTBC occurrence in the environment was significantly influenced by topographic features (i.e., slope), although other non-significant predictor related with soil conditions (SMI: soil moisture index) incorporated the MTBC contamination model. The integration of host space use intensity maps with the spatial detection of MTBC showed that the red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) exhibited the highest percentages of high-risk areas for MTBC transmission. Furthermore, when considering the co-occurrence of multiple hosts, transmission risk analyses revealed that 26.5 % of the study area represented high-risk conditions for MTBC transmission, mainly in forest areas.

Spatiotemporal formation of a single liquid-like condensate and amyloid fibrils of α-synuclein by optical trapping at solution surface.

Liquid-like protein condensates have recently attracted much attention due to their critical roles in biological phenomena. They typically show high fluidity and reversibility for exhibiting biological functions, while occasionally serving as sites for the formation of amyloid fibrils. To comprehend the properties of protein condensates that underlie biological function and pathogenesis, it is crucial to study them at the single-condensate level; however, this is currently challenging due to a lack of applicable methods. Here, we demonstrate that optical trapping is capable of inducing the formation of a single liquid-like condensate of α-synuclein in a spatiotemporally controlled manner. The irradiation of tightly focused near-infrared laser at an air/solution interface formed a condensate under conditions coexisting with polyethylene glycol. The fluorescent dye-labeled imaging showed that the optically induced condensate has a gradient of protein concentration from the center to the edge, suggesting that it is fabricated through optical pumping-up of the α-synuclein clusters and the expansion along the interface. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy and thioflavin T fluorescence analysis revealed that continuous laser irradiation induces structural transition of protein molecules inside the condensate to ß-sheet rich structure, ultimately leading to the condensate deformation and furthermore, the formation of amyloid fibrils. These observations indicate that optical trapping is a powerful technique for examining the microscopic mechanisms of condensate appearance and growth, and furthermore, subsequent aging leading to amyloid fibril formation.

Improved UV Photoresponse Performance of ZnO Nanowire Array Photodetector via Effective Pt Nanoparticle Coupling.

Ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors (PDs) based on nanowire (NW) hold significant promise for applications in fire detection, optical communication, and environmental monitoring. As optoelectronic devices evolve towards lower dimensionality, multifunctionality, and integrability, multicolor PDs have become a research hotspot in optics and electronic information. This study investigates the enhancement of detection capability in a light-trapping ZnO NW array through modification with Pt nanoparticles (NPs) via magnetron sputtering and hydrothermal synthesis. The optimized PD exhibits superior performance, achieving a responsivity of 12.49 A/W, detectivity of 4.07 × 1012 Jones, and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 4.19 × 103%, respectively. In addition, the Pt NPs/ZnO NW/ZnO PD maintains spectral selectivity in the UV region. These findings show the pivotal role of Pt NPs in enhancing photodetection performance through their strong light absorption and scattering properties. This improvement is associated with localized surface plasmon resonance induced by the Pt NPs, leading to enhanced incident light and interfacial charge separation for the specialized configurations of the nanodevice. Utilizing metal NPs for device modification represents a breakthrough that positively affects the preparation of high-performance ZnO-based UV PDs.

Maturation of field-collected female Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus (Coleoptera: Elateridae) over their swarming period.

Larvae of two species of click beetle, Agriotes obscurus and Agriotes lineatus, are important pests of vegetable and field crops in both Europe and North America. Both species have been long and extensively studied, but to date little is known regarding the maturation and egg development of female beetles relative to their swarming periods. This knowledge is important for developing wireworm management tactics that target female beetles, as these would ideally eliminate the beetles before they oviposit. This paper is an attempt to address this knowledge gap. We dissected 2,450 female A. obscurus and 477 female A. lineatus collected in southwestern British Columbia in 2015-2020, and describe how their abdominal lipid content and number of mature eggs change during their swarming period. Based on the presence of mature and immature eggs, active ovarioles, and lipid content, we propose 6 consecutive beetle maturity stages. Beetles collected early in the season have high lipid content and no eggs. Over time, immature, then mature eggs appear and the lipid content decreases dramatically. Ovarioles are generally active throughout the swarming period, even when lipids are no longer present, suggesting that for these species egg laying may continue until the end of the season, and that fecundity depends both on a beetle's original lipid content at emergence, and subsequent diet.

Evaluation of rifle cartridge and shot placement for euthanizing feral swine (Sus scrofa) in traps.

Feral swine are a highly destructive invasive species around the globe. Wildlife managers commonly trap and euthanize feral swine with firearms to reduce their adverse impacts. The utility of euthanizing domestic swine with firearms has been considered when emergency situations arise such as in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak in domestic swine. Similarly, the rapid depopulation of domestic swine facilities became necessary when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted pork production in 2020. Evaluation of the effects of caliber, cartridge, size of feral swine, and shot placement on effectiveness and safety of the method is needed. We collected data from feral swine euthanized in traps on how those variables influenced the effectiveness in time to death and number of shots required and safety risks based on the occurrence of bullet pass-through (i.e., bullet exiting the pig). We tested three cartridges of two calibers (.22 long rifle, .22 Winchester magnum rimfire, and .308 Winchester) delivered from a rifle with three shot placements targeting the brain. From 570 euthanization events, we calculated an average time to death of 100.06 (SD = 29.24) seconds, with larger feral swine taking slightly longer. Most feral swine (73%) were euthanized with a single shot but averaged 1.28 (SD = 0.48) shots overall. Safety risks from pass-through shots were more common when using the .308 Winchester cartridge, and when rear and side shot placements were used. Overall, we recommend a .22 long rifle cartridge and frontal shot placement as an effective and safe option for euthanizing feral swine in traps, and likely for domestic swine of similar size and shot distances.

Monomer Trapping Synthesis Toward Dynamic Nanoconfinement Self-healing Eutectogels for Strain Sensing.

The rapid advancement in attractive platforms such as biomedicine and human-machine interaction has generated urgent demands for intelligent materials with high strength, flexibility, and self-healing capabilities. However, existing self-healing ability materials are challenged by a trade-off between high strength, low elastic modulus, and healing ability due to the inherent low strength of noncovalent bonding. Here, drawing inspiration from human fibroblasts, a monomer trapping synthesis strategy is presented based on the dissociation and reconfiguration in amphiphilic ionic restrictors (7000-times volume monomer trapping) to develop a eutectogel. Benefiting from the nanoconfinement and dynamic interfacial interactions, the molecular chain backbone of the formed confined domains is mechanically reinforced while preserving soft movement capabilities. The resulting eutectogels demonstrate superior mechanical properties (1799% and 2753% higher tensile strength and toughness than pure polymerized deep eutectic solvent), excellent self-healing efficiency (>90%), low tangential modulus (0.367 MPa during the working stage), and the ability to sensitively monitor human activities. This strategy is poised to offer a new perspective for developing high strength, low modulus, and self-healing wearable electronics tailored to human body motion.

Bioinspired Flexible and Low-Voltage Organic Synaptic Transistors for UV Light-Driven Vision Systems.

Neuromorphic vision systems, particularly those stimulated by ultraviolet (UV) light, hold great potential applications in portable electronics, wearable technology, biological analysis, military surveillance, etc. Organic artificial synaptic devices hold immense potential in this field due to their ease of processing, flexibility, and biocompatibility. In this work, we have fabricated a flexible organic field-effect transistor (OFET) that utilizes chitosan-silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) composite material as the active dielectric material. During UV light illumination, both silver nanoparticles and the pentacene layer generate a large number of charge carriers. The photogenerated carriers lead to a more significant hole accumulation at the pentacene interface, resulting in a current rise. In the absence of light, the trapped electron in the silver nanoparticles persists for a longer duration, preventing the instant recombination with holes. This extended retention of electrons leads to the observed synaptic performance of the transistor. The use of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) as one of the dielectric layers enables the device to operate effectively at low voltage (<1 V). The device mimics various crucial synaptic properties of the brain, including short-term potentiation and long-term potentiation (STP and LTP), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), spike-duration dependent plasticity (SDDP), spike-number dependent plasticity (SNDP), and spike-rate dependent plasticity (SRDP), etc. This work introduces an approach to develop flexible organic synaptic transistors that operate efficiently at low voltages, paving the way toward high-performance, UV light-driven neuromorphic vision systems.

CO2 trapping dynamics in tight sandstone: Insights into trapping mechanisms in Mae Moh's reservoir.

The reliance on fossil fuels is a major contributor to increased anthropogenic CO2 emissions, driving global challenges such as climate change through the greenhouse effect. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a promising interdisciplinary technology aimed at mitigating these emissions by securely sequestering gigatons of CO2. This study focuses on the feasibility of storing point-source CO2 emissions in saline formations, with a particular emphasis on the Mae Moh coal-fired power plant in Lampang, Thailand, which is located near its associated coal mine. The region presents challenges due to tight sandstone reservoirs buried over 2000 m deep. With reservoir simulation, this study evaluates the impact of various factors on CO2 containment and trapping in these geological settings. Results show that elevated temperatures decrease structural trapping of 43.0%-28.9% and increase solubility trapping of 28.55%-46.5%, at 40 °C and 80 °C respectively. Hysteresis is found to enhance residual trapping by immobilizing up to 31.1% of CO2 within pore spaces at 0.5. Permeability heterogeneity has a minimal impact on overall trapping efficiency due to the less heterogeneity of the tight sandstone. However, the kV/kH ratio significantly influences vertical CO2 migration which resulted in residual trapping at its highest at the ratio of 0.1, while lower ratios support lateral dispersion. Moderate rock compressibility values are identified as optimal for structural and residual trapping, while extreme compressibility enhances solubility trapping by up to 30%. These findings emphasize the complexity of CO2 trapping mechanisms in tight sandstone formations, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of key factors in CCS projects.

Carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants combine common developmental processes to make a complex epidermal trapping surface.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A hierarchical micro-topography of ridges and steps renders the trap rim of carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants unusually wettable, and slippery for insects when wet. This complex three-dimensional epidermis structure forms, hidden from plain sight, inside the still-closed developing pitcher bud. Here, we reveal the sequence of epidermal patterning events that shape the trap rim. By linking this sequence to externally visible markers of bud development, we provide a framework for targeting individual stages of surface development in future studies. METHODS: We used cryo-scanning electron microscopy to investigate the detailed morphogenesis and epidermal patterning of the Nepenthes x hookeriana pitcher rim. In addition, we collected morphometric and qualitative data from developing pitcher traps including those sampled for microscopy. KEY RESULTS: We identified three consecutive patterning events. First, strictly oriented cell divisions resulted in radially aligned rows of cells and established a macroscopic ridge-and-groove pattern. Next, conical papillate cells formed, and papillae elongated towards the trap interior, increasingly overlapping adjacent cells and eventually forming continuous microscopic ridges. In between these ridges, the flattened papillae formed acutely angled arched steps. Finally, the cells elongated radially, thereby establishing the convex collar shape of the rim. This general sequence of surface development also showed a spatial progression from the outer to the inner trap rim edge, with several consecutive developmental stages co-occurring at any given time. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that the complex surface microtopography of the Nepenthes pitcher rim develops by sequentially combining widespread, evolutionarily conserved epidermal patterning processes in a new way. This makes the Nepenthes trap rim an excellent model for studying epidermal patterning mechanisms in leaves.

A numerical feasibility study of CO2 foam for carbon utilization and storage in a depleted, high salinity, carbonate oil reservoir.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) offers a viable solution to reduce the carbon footprint in the petroleum industry, and foam injection presents a promising method to achieve this while simultaneously increasing oil recovery. In this work, we studied the feasibility of CO2 foam for co-optimizing enhanced oil recovery and CO2 storage in a high-salinity carbonate formation. The simulated hydrodynamic model is a depleted formation containing 30% residual oil, with three mechanisms for CO2 storage: solubility, residual, and mineralization trapping mechanisms. The results showed that after 20 years, oil recovery during foam injection was 2.7 times higher than CO2 injection, and the CO2 stored during foam flooding was 38% higher than CO2 injection. Notably, foam injection also increased CO2 storage capacity by 2.6 times, indicating the potential to store around 2 gigatons of CO2 in the simulated model. This was attributed to the ability of foam to significantly reduce gas mobility and thus form isolated bubbles through its Jamin effect. Residual trapping was the dominant trapping mechanism, contributing to over 70% of the total CO2 trapped, attributed to the reduction in the dissolution of CO2 in brine due to the high salinity of the aqueous medium. CO2 mineralization was also studied, showing the least trapping efficiency and the dissolution trend of all the carbonate minerals. This study illustrates a novel CO2 utilization and storage technique in which CO2 is concurrently sequestered while enhancing oil recovery in a depleted oil reservoir by injecting CO2 as foam. The relevance of this study lies in its potential to provide a dual benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and boosting oil production, offering a sustainable approach for the petroleum industry.

Raman Spectroscopy of Optically Trapped Living Human T Cell Subsets and Monocytes.

In recent years, Raman spectroscopy has garnered growing interest in the field of biomedical research. It offers a non-invasive and label-free approach to defining the molecular fingerprint of immune cells. We utilized Raman spectroscopy on optically trapped immune cells to investigate their molecular compositions. While numerous immune cell types have been studied in the past, the characterization of living human CD3/CD28-stimulated T cell subsets remains incomplete. In this study, we demonstrate the capability of Raman spectroscopy to readily distinguish between naïve and stimulated CD4 and CD8 cells. Additionally, we compared these cells with monocytes and discovered remarkable similarities between stimulated T cells and monocytes. This paper contributes to expanding our knowledge of Raman spectroscopy of immune cells and serves as a launching point for future clinical applications.

The complex universe of inactive PARP1.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a crucial member of the PARP family, which modifies targets through ADP-ribosylation and plays key roles in a variety of biological processes. PARP inhibitors (PARPis) hinder ADP-ribosylation and lead to the retention of PARP1 at the DNA lesion (also known as trapping), which underlies their toxicity. However, inhibitors and mutations that make PARP1 inactive do not necessarily correlate with trapping potency, challenging the current understanding of inactivation-caused trapping. Recent studies on mouse models indicate that both trapping and non-trapping inactivating mutations of PARP1 lead to embryonic lethality, suggesting the unexpected toxicity of the current inhibition strategy. The allosteric model, complicated automodification, and various biological functions of PARP1 all contribute to the complexity of PARP1 inactivation.

Different coexistence patterns between apex carnivores and mesocarnivores based on temporal, spatial, and dietary niche partitioning analysis in Qilian Mountain National Park, China.

Carnivores play key roles in maintaining ecosystem structure and function as well as ecological processes. Understanding how sympatric species coexist in natural ecosystems is a central research topic in community ecology and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we explored intra- and interspecific niche partitioning along spatial, temporal, and dietary niche partitioning between apex carnivores (wolf Canis lupus, snow leopard Panthera uncia, Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx) and mesocarnivores (Pallas's cat Otocolobus manul, red fox Vulpes vulpes, Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata) in Qilian Mountain National Park, China, using camera trapping data and DNA metabarcoding sequencing data. Our study showed that apex carnivore species had more overlap temporally (coefficients of interspecific overlap ranging from 0.661 to 0.900) or trophically (Pianka's index ranging from 0.458 to 0.892), mesocarnivore species had high dietary overlap with each other (Pianka's index ranging from 0.945 to 0.997), and apex carnivore and mesocarnivore species had high temporal overlap (coefficients of interspecific overlap ranging from 0.497 to 0.855). Large dietary overlap was observed between wolf and snow leopard (Pianka's index = 0.892) and Pallas's cat and Tibetan fox (Pianka's index = 0.997), suggesting the potential for increased resource competition for these species pairs. We concluded that spatial niche partitioning is likely to key driver in facilitating the coexistence of apex carnivore species, while spatial and temporal niche partitioning likely facilitate the coexistence of mesocarnivore species, and spatial and dietary niche partitioning facilitate the coexistence between apex and mesocarnivore species. Our findings consider partitioning across temporal, spatial, and dietary dimensions while examining diverse coexistence patterns of carnivore species in Qilian Mountain National Park, China. These findings will contribute substantially to current understanding of carnivore guilds and effective conservation management in fragile alpine ecosystems.

Physiological Status of Rice Leaf-Roller Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Adults Trapped by Sex Pheromone and Floral Odor.

The rice leaf-roller Cnaphalocrocis medinalis is an important migratory pest of rice. We conducted a study to determine the physiological status of adults trapped by a sex pheromone and floral odor. In the immigrant group, the number of males trapped by the floral odor was greater than the number caught by sex pheromone trapping. The volume of testes was similar in the above two trapping methods but was smaller than in the sweep net method. The ovary developmental grade, mating rate, and number of matings of females caught in floral odor trap were higher than in those caught in the sweep net. In the local breeding group, the number of males trapped by sex pheromones was greater than the number trapped by the floral odor. The volume of testes was smaller in the floral odor trap compared to the pheromone trap group, with the largest in the sweep net group. The ovarian developmental grade, mating rate, and number of matings of females were significantly higher in the floral odor trap group than in the sweep net group. In the emigrant group, the adult olfactory response to the sex pheromone and floral odor was low. The volume of testes was larger in the sweep net group compared to the moths caught by floral odor trapping. The number of eggs laid by female immigrants trapped by the floral odor and sweep net was similar, while the number in the local breeding group was greater in moths caught with the sweep net in comparison with those caught by the floral odor trap. The difference in egg hatchability between the two trapping methods in both immigrants and local breedings was not significant.