Knock detection in spark ignition engines based on complementary ensemble improved intrinsic time-scale decomposition (CEIITD) and Bi-spectrum

Engine knock limits the thermal efficiency improvement of spark-ignition (SI) engines. Thus, the extract research of the knock characteristics has a great significance for the development of gasoline engines. The research proposes a novel knock detection and diagnosis method in SI engines using the CEIITD (Complementary Ensemble Improved Intrinsic time-scale decomposition) and Bi-spectrum algorithm. The CEIITD algorithm is used to extract the knock characteristics. The results show that the CEIITD algorithm can effectively and clearly extract the knock shock characteristics (including light knock) through the vibration signals. A Bi-spectrum analysis can further distinguish between the light knock signal and normal combustion signal. The Bi-spectrum results also show that knock characteristic has a strong non-Gaussian property. At last, the Band pass filter and Improved ITD method were employed to identify the knock characteristics from these cylinder block vibration signals. The comparison result shows that the CEIITD method proposed in this paper is more suitable to detect the knock characteristic

Fucoxanthin: A Promising Medicinal and Nutritional Ingredient

Fucoxanthin, an allenic carotenoid, can be isolated from edible brown seaweeds. Recent studies have reported that fucoxanthin has many physiological functions and biological properties, such as antiobesity, antitumor, antidiabetes, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protective effects. Therefore, fucoxanthin can be used as both medicinal and nutritional ingredient to prevent and treat chronic diseases. Although fucoxanthin possesses many medicinal ingredient and nutritional qualities, studies indicated that its structure was unstable. In this paper, we consulted the current documents and reviewed structural properties and factors affecting the stability of fucoxanthin. We also reported the metabolism, safety, pharmacological activities, and the methods of improving the bioavailability of fucoxanthin. Based on these studies providing essential background knowledge, fucoxanthin can be developed into marine drugs and nutritional products

Transcriptome analysis reveals salt-stress-regulated biological processes and key pathways in roots of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

AbstractHigh salinity is one of the main factors limiting cotton growth and productivity. The genes that regulate salt stress in TM-1 upland cotton were monitored using microarray and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) with samples taken from roots. Microarray analysis showed that 1503 probe sets were up-regulated and 1490 probe sets were down-regulated in plants exposed for 3h to 100mM NaCl, and RT-PCR analysis validated 42 relevant/related genes. The distribution of enriched gene ontology terms showed such important processes as the response to water stress and pathways of hormone metabolism and signal transduction were induced by the NaCl treatment. Some key regulatory gene families involved in abiotic and biotic sources of stress such as WRKY, ERF, and JAZ were differentially expressed. Our transcriptome analysis might provide some useful insights into salt-mediated signal transduction pathways in cotton and offer a number of candidate genes as potential markers of tolerance to salt stress

Gene Expression Profiles Deciphering Rice Phenotypic Variation between Nipponbare (Japonica) and 93-11 (Indica) during Oxidative Stress

Rice is a very important food staple that feeds more than half the world's population. Two major Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) subspecies, japonica and indica, show significant phenotypic variation in their stress responses. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotypic variation are still largely unknown. A common link among different stresses is that they produce an oxidative burst and result in an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, methyl viologen (MV) as a ROS agent was applied to investigate the rice oxidative stress response. We observed that 93-11 (indica) seedlings exhibited leaf senescence with severe lesions under MV treatment compared to Nipponbare (japonica). Whole-genome microarray experiments were conducted, and 1,062 probe sets were identified with gene expression level polymorphisms between the two rice cultivars in addition to differential expression under MV treatment, which were assigned as Core Intersectional Probesets (CIPs). These CIPs were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and highlighted with enrichment GO terms related to toxin and oxidative stress responses as well as other responses. These GO term-enriched genes of the CIPs include glutathine S-transferases (GSTs), P450, plant defense genes, and secondary metabolism related genes such as chalcone synthase (CHS). Further insertion/deletion (InDel) and regulatory element analyses for these identified CIPs suggested that there may be some eQTL hotspots related to oxidative stress in the rice genome, such as GST genes encoded on chromosome 10. In addition, we identified a group of marker genes individuating the japonica and indica subspecies. In summary, we developed a new strategy combining biological experiments and data mining to study the possible molecular mechanism of phenotypic variation during oxidative stress between Nipponbare and 93-11. This study will aid in the analysis of the molecular basis of quantitative traits

Fucoxanthin: A Promising Medicinal and Nutritional Ingredient

Fucoxanthin, an allenic carotenoid, can be isolated from edible brown seaweeds. Recent studies have reported that fucoxanthin has many physiological functions and biological properties, such as antiobesity, antitumor, antidiabetes, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective activities, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protective effects. Therefore, fucoxanthin can be used as both medicinal and nutritional ingredient to prevent and treat chronic diseases. Although fucoxanthin possesses many medicinal ingredient and nutritional qualities, studies indicated that its structure was unstable. In this paper, we consulted the current documents and reviewed structural properties and factors affecting the stability of fucoxanthin. We also reported the metabolism, safety, pharmacological activities, and the methods of improving the bioavailability of fucoxanthin. Based on these studies providing essential background knowledge, fucoxanthin can be developed into marine drugs and nutritional products

Six underutilized grain crops for food and nutrition in China

Underutilized grain crops are an essential part of the food system that supports humankind. A number of these crops can be found in China, such as barley, buckwheat, broomcorn millet, foxtail millet, oat, and sorghum, which have characteristics such as containing more nutritional elements, being resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses, and having strong adaptability to poor environments. The diversity of these crops provides options for farmers’ livelihoods and healthy food for the population. Although some mentioned crops such as barley, oat, and sorghum are not underutilized crops globally, they could be considered underutilized in China as they were more important in the past and could be revitalized for food and nutrition in the future. This paper reviews current progress in research and development in the areas of germplasm resource conservation, variety improvement, cultivation technologies, processing, and the nutrition and benefits of six underutilized grain crops in China. It is concluded that underutilized grain crops could play a critical role in food and nutritional security in China

The Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Actions of Cordyceps sinensis

Cordyceps sinensis, also called DongChongXiaCao (winter worm, summer grass) in Chinese, is becoming increasingly popular and important in the public and scientific communities. This study summarizes the chemical constituents and their corresponding pharmacological actions of Cordyceps sinensis. Many bioactive components of Cordyceps sinensis have been extracted including nucleoside, polysaccharide, sterol, protein, amino acid, and polypeptide. In addition, these constituents’ corresponding pharmacological actions were also shown in the study such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antiapoptosis, and immunomodulatory actions. Therefore can use different effects of C. sinensis against different diseases and provide reference for the study of Cordyceps sinensis in the future

The complete mitochondrial genome of Aparapotamon similium (Decapoda: Brachyura), an endemic to China

In this study, we first obtained the complete mitochondrial genome of Aparapoamon similium (Decapoda: Brachyura). The complete mitochondrial genome is 19,236 bp in length and includes 37 typical genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs genes, 2 rRNAs genes, and 1 putative control region). The whole mitochondrial genome is characterized by the apparent AT bias (72.82%). BI and ML phylogenetic analysis based on 67 mitochondrial genomes of Brachyura species show a highly similar topology structure with high bootstrap supported. The results reveal the close relationship between A. similium and Potamiscus motuoense. This study would establish a solid data foundation for further diversification studies

Exploring the protective effect of Sangggua Drink against type 2 diabetes mellitus in db/db mice using a network pharmacological approach and experimental validation

Sanggua Drink (SGD) is an experienced formula for clinical treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Network pharmacology and experiments were combined to explore the potential mechanism of action of SGD on T2DM. The material basis and action mechanism of SGD were investigated to reveal the active components of SGD, potential target prediction was conducted from TargetNet, PharmMapper; Cytoscape was used to construct PPI network and component-target-pathway (C-T-P) network diagram to interpret biological processes and enrich action pathways. 54 compounds and 41 key target proteins were screened, and a total of 98 signaling pathways were obtained. In vivo experiments, the levels of p-AMPK (P < 0.01), p-ACC and p-AKT were significantly increased in the mice with SGD intervention compared to the db/db mice, while level of FOXO1 were decreased. The results suggested that SGD might improve insulin resistance and glucose metabolism in T2DM mice by activating the AMPK/Akt signaling pathway