Molecular and functional characterization of a candidate sex pheromone receptor OR1 in Spodoptera litura.

Olfaction is primarily mediated by highly specified olfactory receptors (ORs). Here, we cloned and identified an olfactory receptor, named SlituOR1 (Genbank no. JN835269), from Spodoptera litura and found evidence that it is a candidate pheromone receptor. It exhibited male-biased expression in the antennae, where it was localized at the base of sensilla trichoidea, the antennal sensilla mainly responsive to pheromones in moths. Conserved orthologues of this receptor, found among known pheromone receptors within the Lepidoptera, and SlituOR1 were placed among a clade of candidate pheromone receptors in a phylogeny tree of insect OR gene sequences. SlituOR1 showed differential expression in S. litura populations attracted to traps baited with different ratios of the two sex pheromone components (9Z,11E)-tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9E11-14:OAc) and (9Z,12E)-tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9E12-14:OAc). Knocking down of SlituOR1 by RNA interference reduced the electroantennogram (EAG) response to Z9E11-14:OAc, and this result is consistent with the field trapping experiment. We infer that variation in transcription levels of olfactory receptors may modulate sex pheromone perception in male moths and could provide some of the flexibility required to maintain the functionality of communication with females when a population is adapting to a new niche and reproductive isolation becomes an advantage.

Three-step calcination synthesis of high-purity Li8ZrO6 with CO2 absorption properties.

Li(8)ZrO(6) contains a high lithium content and may bear a great ability of CO(2) absorption, yet the reports about the properties of CO(2) absorption on Li(8)ZrO(6) are few to date for its difficulty in production. In this paper, high-purity Li(8)ZrO(6) is synthesized via a three-step calcination method combined with an effective lithium source and a suitable initial Li/Zr molar ratio. The produced Li(8)ZrO(6) possesses a great CO(2) absorption capacity of about 53.98 wt % at 998 K, which could be well-maintained in a wide range of CO(2) partial pressures of 0.1-1.0 bar although it decreased gradually during the multicycle process of CO(2) absorption-desorption in a 10% CO(2) feed stream because of the high working temperature. These properties imply that Li(8)ZrO(6) may be a new option for high-temperature CO(2) capture applied in industrial processes such as a steam methane reformer.

Diversity and evolution of Ty1-copia retroelements in representative tribes of Bambusoideae subfamily.

Ty1-copia retroelements have been found in all major plants and are largely responsible for the huge differences in the genome size. In this study we isolated and sequenced Ty1-copia reverse transcriptase (rt) gene fragments from 44 representative species of bamboo and nine cultivars or forms of Phyllostachys pubescens. Phylogenetic analysis of 72 distinct Ty1-copia rt sequences showed that Ty1-copia retroelements were widespread, diverse and abundant in these species of Bambusoideae subfamily. In addition, a molecular phylogeny of the species of the Bambusoideae subfamily was established by using the internal transcribed spacer sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) sequences. The comparison between ITS- and Ty1-copia rt- based trees is obviously incongruent. The results suggested either the existence of horizontal transfer events between phylogenetically distant species, or an ancestral Ty1-copia retroelement polymorphism followed by different evolution and stochastic losses.

[Electrochemical oxidation of dual electrodes with iron promoting used for the treatment of wastewater from acrylonitrile production].

Effects and laws of electrochemical oxidation of dual electrodes with iron promoting for the treatment of wastewater from acrylonitrile production were investigated using Ti/SnO2 + Fe as combined anodes and graphite as cathode. Compared with traditional electrochemical oxidation, the higher removal of organic pollutants and current efficiency were obtained via oxidation of dual electrodes. Through the process COD removal efficiency and current efficiency were enhanced by 11.0%-13.8% and 8.0%-15.0% respectively, referred to the results from traditional electrochemical oxidation under conditions of the same voltage and no hydrogen peroxide added. With 2 200 mg x L(-1) hydrogen peroxide and voltage of 4.0 V, COD and TOC removal efficiencies increased to 74.6% and 67.9% respectively, and with the increase of hydrogen peroxide, both were enhanced obviously. During the initial reaction period, the higher hydrogen peroxide concentration and the lower Fe2+ concentration were detected, and with reaction time increased, hydrogen peroxide concentration decreased rapidly and Fe2+ concentration increased gradually. The voltage value had great effect on the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and Fe2+, and the current efficiency was affected obviously by the time of current passed through iron anode under certain initial dosage of hydrogen peroxide. The better color removal was also obtained from electrochemical oxidation of dual electrodes. The electrochemical oxidation of dual electrodes with iron promoting presents a new alternative for the treatment of organic wastewater.

Direct hydrothermal synthesis of ternary Li-Mn-O oxide ion-sieves.

Spinel-type ternary LiMn(2)O(4) oxide precursor was synthesized by direct hydrothermal synthesis of Mn(NO(3))(2), LiOH, and H(2)O(2) at 383 K for 8 h, a better technique for controlling the nanocrystalline structure with well-defined pore size distribution and high surface area than the traditional solid state reaction method. The final low-dimensional MnO(2) nanorod ion-sieve with a lithium ion selective adsorption property was further prepared by an acid treatment process to completely extract lithium ions from the Li-Mn-O lattice. The effects of hydrothermal reaction conditions on the nanostructure, chemical stability, and ion-exchange property of the LiMn(2)O(4) precursor and MnO(2) ion-sieve were systematically examined via powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), and lithium ion selective adsorption measurements. The results show that this new kind of low-dimensional MnO(2) nanorod can be used for lithium extraction from aqueous environments, including brine, seawater, and waste water.