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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) affecting 1 in 3500–5000 live male newborns is the frequently fatal genetic disease resulted from various mutations in DMD gene encoding dystrophin protein. About 70% of DMD-causing mutations are exon deletion leading to frameshift of open reading frame and dystrophin deficiency. To facilitate translating human DMD-targeting CRISPR therapeutics into patients, we herein establish a genetically humanized mouse model of DMD by replacing exon 50 and 51 of mouse Dmd gene with human exon 50 sequence. This humanized mouse model recapitulats patient's DMD phenotypes of dystrophin deficiency and muscle dysfunction. Furthermore, we target splicing sites in human exon 50 with adenine base editor to induce exon skipping and robustly restored dystrophin expression in heart, tibialis anterior and diaphragm muscles. Importantly, systemic delivery of base editor via adeno-associated virus in the humanized male mouse model improves the muscle function of DMD mice to the similar level of wildtype ones, indicating the therapeutic efficacy of base editing strategy in treating most of DMD types with exon deletion or point mutations via exon-skipping induction. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) results from mutations in the DMD. Here the authors report using adenine base editing of exon splice sites to restore dystrophin expression and muscle function in a humanized mouse model of DMD with exon 50 and 51 of mouse DMD gene replaced with human exon 50. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the challenges of traffic congestion and suboptimal operational efficiency in the context of large-scale applications like production plants and warehouses that utilize multiple automatic guided vehicles (multi-AGVs), this article proposed using an Improved Q-learning (IQL) algorithm and Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD) for the purposes of load balancing and congestion discrimination on road networks. Traditional Q-learning converges slowly, which is why we have proposed the use of an updated Q value of the previous iteration step as the maximum Q value of the next state to reduce the number of Q value comparisons and improve the algorithm's convergence speed. When calculating the cost of AGV operation, the traditional Q-learning algorithm only considers the evaluation function of a single distance and introduces an improved reward and punishment mechanism to combine the operating distance of AGV and the road network load, which finally equalizes the road network load. MFD is the basic property of road networks and is based on MFD, which is combined with the Markov Chain (MC) model. Road network traffic congestion state discrimination method was proposed to classify the congestion state according to the detected number of vehicles on the road network. The MC model accurately discriminated the range near the critical point. Finally, the scale of the road network and the load factor were changed for several simulations. The findings indicated that the improved algorithm showed a notable ability to achieve equilibrium in the load distribution of the road network. This led to a substantial enhancement in AGV operational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of the scale of the aquaculture industry is one significant characteristic of global changes. However, the effects of the husbandry environment on fish phenotypic plasticity especially on fish behavioral adaptability got less attention. Moreover, whether fish boldness and brain neurogenesis mediate the environmental effects on fish behaviors was not clear. In this study, a batch of natural and husbandry rockfish Sebastes schlegelii were sampled, and the boldness, behavioral adaptability, and neurogenesis molecular markers of these fish were determined. Generally, our results showed that husbandry fish had significantly more sheltering behavior (MANOVA, P = 0.009), risk-taking behavior (MANOVA, P = 0.037), time duration spent to launch predatory behavior (MANOVA, P = 0.015), and higher fish boldness (MANOVA, P < 0.001) compared to natural fish, and meanwhile bold fish presented significantly more risk-taking behavior (LMM, P < 0.001), and less sheltering behavior (LMM, P = 0.05), flexible behavior (LMM, P = 0.022), and time duration spent to launch predatory behavior (LMM, P = 0.019) compared to shy fish. Overall, boldness almost had no effects on any neurogenesis processes, and meanwhile, environmental effects were also very limited (LMM, all P > 0.05). The structural equation model showed that the environmental effects on behavioral capacities were direct, indirect, or both direct and indirect (global goodness-of-fit: Fisher's C = 18.672, P = 0.097), which were the trade-offs between survival environment and fish boldness. These results provide novel and fundamental knowledge for improving the ecological fitness of husbandry fish in biodiversity protection under the background of global environmental changes and urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation is an important indicator of global climate change and an indispensable natural resource in the human living environment. This study used trend analysis to examine the spatial and temporal changes in the vegetation in East Africa, and then used coefficient of variation method and partial correlation analysis to investigate the effects of climate change and human activity on regional vegetation changes. The findings indicated that vegetation in East Africa exhibited an increasing spatial trend from north to south and that NDVI changes from 2001 to 2021 generally showed a weak upwards trend; however, 2005 was a significant year in the NDVI time series, and the NDVI fluctuations increased. Whereas the surface temperature showed varying degrees of the opposite tendency during the 21 years, the changes in vegetation and precipitation in East Africa were essentially coordinated, both indicating a fluctuating increasing trend. In East Africa, both surface mean temperature and precipitation had a significant impact on the NDVI, with precipitation having a marginally stronger impact than surface mean temperature. The partial correlations between the NDVI and surface temperature and precipitation were strongest in the RS2 (October to December) and DS1 (January to February) seasons, respectively. The results of the study provide a valuable reference for the future development of vegetation in East Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of acoustic wave propagation in a borehole embedded in gas hydrate-bearing sediments is of great significance for the exploitation of gas hydrate. A gas hydrate-bearing sediment is a typical three-phase porous medium containing two solids and one fluid. However, until now, the borehole acoustic wavefield and its component waves within such a porous medium have never been calculated. In this work, a real-axis integration method is proposed to calculate the borehole acoustic field embedded in a three-phase porous medium based on the Biot-type three-phase theory. Meanwhile, a component wave approach, combined with the branch-cut integral method and the residue theorem, including residues at leaky poles is proposed to study the borehole wave propagation of a three-phase porous medium. The branch points and poles of the potential acoustic wave function are obtained, which correspond to the normal and leaky modes on various Riemann sheets. On this basis, the excitation intensity and waveforms of each component are obtained. The result shows that the waveform summed up from all individual waves agrees well with the full waveform calculated by real-axis integration, which provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent inversion of reservoir parameters by using the information of various mode waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium and its alloys are often used as substrates for dental implants due to their excellent mechanical properties and good biocompatibility. However, their ability to bind to neighboring bone is limited due to the lack of biological activity. At the same time, they show poor antibacterial ability which can easily cause bacterial infection and chronic inflammation, eventually resulting in implant failure. The preparation of composite hydroxyapatite coatings with antibacterial ability can effectively figure out these concerns. In this review, the research status and development trends of antibacterial hydroxyapatite coatings constructed on titanium and its alloys are analyzed and reviewed. This review may provide valuable reference for the preparation and application of high-performance and multi-functional dental implant coatings in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A back-illuminated separate absorption and multiplication (SAM) solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) avalanche photodiode (APD) with a low-Al-content p-graded AlxGa1-xN layer and a high/low-Al-content heterogeneous dual multiplication region is designed. An n-type insertion layer is inserted between the high/low-Al-content heterostructure dual multiplication region to adjust the polarization electric field between the dual multiplication layers. The AlGaN APD with dual multiplication layers exhibits a high hole ionization coefficient due to the existence of the low-Al-content Al0.3Ga0.7 N layer in the high/low-Al-content heterostructure multiplication region. Furthermore, the polarization effect between the high/low-Al-content AlGaN dual multiplication layers can make the polarization electric field in the dual multiplication layers consistent with the direction of the applied electric field, and the polarization doping effect of the p-type graded AlxGa1-xN layer also helps to reduce the breakdown voltage of the designed APD. The calculation results show that the avalanche multiplication gain and breakdown voltage of the AlGaN solar-blind UV APD with dual multiplication layers is 9.4 × 103 and 96.9 V, respectively. It is demonstrated that the gain of the designed APD with dual multiplication layers is 222% higher than that of the conventional APD, and the breakdown voltage is also reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been reported to be a minimally invasive effective method for the treatment of secondary hypersplenism. However, neither the short-term efficacy nor the indications and/or contraindications have been described in patients with cirrhosis. From October 2019 to May 2021, eleven cases of patients with cirrhotic secondary hypersplenism were enrolled. The blood counts, liver function tests and abdominal ultrasound and/or MRI scans of all patients were closely evaluated. Among these 11 patients, eight (72.7%) patients were classified as Child–Pugh A, and the other 3 (27.3%) patients were Child–Pugh B; Five (45%) patients were diagnosed with gallstone, including multiple small stones in 2 patients and single stone in 3 patients. HIFU was performed successfully in all 11 patients. After HIFU, hematologic parameters and liver function were significantly improved in all 11 patients (p < 0.05). The HIFU ablated volume to spleen volume rate was 35–61%. Complications were ecchymosis of the waist in 7 (63.3%) patients, ablated area pain in 3 (27.3%) patients, and choledocholithiasis in 2 (18.2%) patients with multiple small gallstones. All of them recovered smoothly without additional treatment except for 2 patients with choledocholithiasis recovered with risky endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) treatment. This series suggested that HIFU is an effective and safe treatment for cirrhotic secondary hypersplenism in patients classified as Child–Pugh A or B. However, multiple small gallstones could be a relative contraindication for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proteasome subunit alpha type 7 (PSMA7) shows a carcinogenic effect on various human malignancies, but its role and regulatory mechanism in gastric carcinoma (GC) remain unclear. Aims: This study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of PSMA7 in GC. Methods: In this study, PSMA7 expressions in GC cells and tissues were detected, and relationships between PSMA7 and clinicopathological features were explored. Then, PSMA7 levels in human GC cells were intervened, and changes in cell biological behavior were observed in vitro and vivo. Key proteins and downstream factors of MAPK signaling pathway were detected after PSMA7 intervention. Results: PSMA7 was upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines. PSMA7 overexpression was significantly associated with poor pTNM, cTNM stage, and high HP infection. PSMA7 can promote proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of GC cells in vitro and vivo. Furthermore, PSMA7 expression affected the phosphorylation level of JNK, P38, ERK and the expressions of their downstream factors Ap-1, c-myc, P53. Conclusion: PSMA7 can promote GC proliferation, invasion, and metastasis through MAPK signaling pathway in GC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomolecular condensates have emerged as an important subcellular organizing principle1. Replication of many viruses, including human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), occurs in virus-induced compartments called inclusion bodies (IBs) or viroplasm2,3. IBs of negative-strand RNA viruses were recently shown to be biomolecular condensates that form through phase separation4,5. Here we report that the steroidal alkaloid cyclopamine and its chemical analogue A3E inhibit RSV replication by disorganizing and hardening IB condensates. The actions of cyclopamine and A3E were blocked by a point mutation in the RSV transcription factor M2-1. IB disorganization occurred within minutes, which suggests that these molecules directly act on the liquid properties of the IBs. A3E and cyclopamine inhibit RSV in the lungs of infected mice and are condensate-targeting drug-like small molecules that have in vivo activity. Our data show that condensate-hardening drugs may enable the pharmacological modulation of not only many previously undruggable targets in viral replication but also transcription factors at cancer-driving super-enhancers6.Cyclopamine and its chemical analogue A3E inhibit replication of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by hardening the liquid–liquid phase-separated inclusion bodies, resulting in the inhibition of virus replication in the lungs of RSV-infected mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embedded resistors in printed circuit boards (PCBs) are fabricated to provide high integration, improved electrical performance, and reduced parasitic capacitance and inductance in the high-frequency and high-speed environment. At present, the embedded resistance errors caused by etching metal film accuracy are generally more than 20%. In this work, real-time monitoring technology is developed to precisely control the resistance of electroless-plated embedded resistors. During the deposition process, the resistances of embedded resistors are monitored until reaching the targeted resistance, realizing the very ideal resistance error lower than 10%. Arbitrary shapes including serpentine and zigzag structures of embedded resistors are attempted to validate the practical capability of this approach. Reliability Characterization experiments such as high-temperature and high-pressure lamination, thermal shock and thermal cycles confirm the thermal and mechanical stability. It is demonstrated that the embedded resistors through real-time monitored electroless plating have tremendous potential in the manufacture of high-frequency and high-speed PCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flocculation is the first and important step to remove suspended and slightly soluble pollutants in industrial wastewater treatment. Flocculant is just the key element for flocculation process. Polyacrylamide (PAM) is the most widely used flocculant. But it still holds some potential flaws which are ignored by people. An eco-friendly bamboo cellulose-grafted-ployacrylamide flocculant (BC-g-PAM) was then synthesized by free-radical graft copolymerization in homogeneous aqueous solution. The optimal synthesis conditions of the BC-g-PAM was investigated. FTIR, TG, XRD and FESEM were employed to characterize and define its molecular structure and physical characteristics. The BC-g-PAM was also adopted to treat an actual papermaking wastewater. The positive results showed that the BC-g-PAM exhibited an excellent flocculation performance on the papermaking wastewater. The average turbidity removal rate reached 99.7 % and related suspended solids exhibited the corresponding decline. This flocculation also caused a positive effect on the reduction of CODCr and BOD5 of the wastewater. Meanwhile, the BC-g-PAM exhibited an excellent biodegradability. Its degradation rate reached 63.4 % at 90 d in soil extracting solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the mechanism on how aggressive interaction alters reproductive physiology by testing whether aggressive interaction can activate the reproductive neuroendocrine function via the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis in black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii). The expressions of the androgen receptor gene (ar) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone genes (gnrhs), the concentration of plasma androgens, and GSI (the ratio of testes mass to body mass) were compared between the interaction group (dominant males or subordinate males) and the isolation group in male black rockfish after 3 weeks. A full-length cDNA encoding an androgen receptor (AR) of 766 amino acids was isolated. Transcripts encoding this AR were detected at a high relative abundance in the liver, kidney, testis, ovary, muscle, and intestine tissue. Further evaluation of brain genes transcripts abundance revealed that the mRNA levels of gnrh I and ar genes were significantly different between the interaction group and the isolation group in the hypothalamus. However, no significant difference was detected in testosterone, 11-keto-testosterone, and GSI between these two groups. This study indicates that a long-term aggressive interaction affect the expression of hypothalamic gnrh I and ar but may not change the physiological function of the HPG axis in an all-male condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anadara broughtonii is one of the main commercially important species of shellfish in northern China. A. broughtonii lives in relatively stable subtidal zone where the clam could respond to environmental changes with minimum energy. Therefore, slight fluctuations in water environment may have a great impact on physiological processes such as feeding and metabolism. Large-scale mortality often occurs during the intermediate rearing processes, and high temperatures in summer are considered the leading cause of mortality. To understand the physiological and molecular response patterns of A. broughtonii at high temperatures and to estimate the appropriate metabolism temperature for A. broughtonii, the effects of temperature on the respiratory metabolism and food intake at different growth stages were studied. The response patterns of heat shock protein genes to heat stress and post-stress recovery were also explored. Results show that the temperature and growth stage of A. broughtonii were two important factors affecting metabolism and feeding. The optimum temperature for feeding and physiological activities in each shell-length group was 24 °C. The temperature at which the peak metabolic rate occurred in each shell-length group increased with the increase in shell length. With the increase in heat stress, the expression of three heat shock protein genes (Abhsp60, Abhsp70, and Abhsp90) in the tissues of two size groups of A. broughtonii increased significantly when temperature was above 24 °C and reached a peak at 30 °C. After heat shock at 30 °C for 2 h, the expression of the three heat shock protein genes rapidly increased, peaked at 2 h after the heat shock, and then gradually decreased to the level of the control group at 48 h after the heat shock. The three heat shock protein genes respond rapidly to heat stress and can be used as indicators to the cellular stress response in A. broughtonii under an environmental stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid improvements in nanomaterials and imaging technology, great progresses have been made in diagnosis and treatment of diseases during the past decades. Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with good biocompatibility and superparamagnetic property are usually used as contrast agent for diagnosis of diseases in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Currently, the combination of multiple imaging technologies has been considered as new tendency in diagnosis and treatment of diseases, which could enhance the accuracy and reliability of disease diagnosis and provide new strategies for disease treatment. Therefore, novel contrast agents used for multifunctional imaging are urgently needed. Fe3O4 MNPs are believed to be a potential candidate for construction of multifunctional platform in diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In recent years, there are a plethora of studies concerning the construction of multifunctional platform presented based on Fe3O4 MNPs. In this review, we introduce fabrication methods and modification strategies of Fe3O4 MNPs, expecting great improvements for diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stock enhancement is a fishery management approach involving the release of hatchery organisms to increase the abundance of natural fish or invertebrate population. In this study, genetic evaluation of Fenneropenaeus chinensis stock enhancement was carried out based on the mitochondrial DNA control region. The haplotype diversity (Hd) and nucleotide diversity (π) of broodstock populations were generally higher than that of recaptured populations. The molecular variance analysis (AMOVA) results demonstrated that genetic variance was in connection with the time of releasing and recapture. A significant pairwise FST value was only obtained between L1CY and C2LZ. But there was no obvious correlation between their geographical distance and genetic difference, confirming that time factor might be the leading cause of differences. Haplotypes shared by more than three individuals all could be recaptured, which indicated that the enhancement experiment was relatively successful. In general, the enhancement effect in 2012 was better than that of in 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Blood clam (Anadara broughtonii) is a commercially important marine bivalve characterised by the red blood. Recently, the clams have been subjected to severe resource recession. Multiple environmental stressors are indispensable for the recession. Objective: We aimed to investigate the transcriptome information of blood clam under environmental stressors. Methods: Paired-end Illumina HiSeq™ 2500 sequencing technology was employed for cDNA library construction and Illumina sequencing. Several public databases were introduced for gene annotation, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database was used for pathways analyses. The Open Reading Frame of annotated hemoglobin (Hb) was predicted and validated by DNAMAN 6.0 and NCBI BLASTx, respectively. Results: A total of 242,919 transcripts were generated, 116,264 unigenes were subsequently assembled with an average length of 747 base pairs, and 33,776 unigenes were successfully annotated. Gene Ontology (GO) categories indicated that the terms of cellular processes, metabolic processes, cell, cell part, binding, and catalytic activity were dominant. KEGG pathway analyses suggested ribosome, oxytocin, focal adhesion, Ras, and PI3K-Akt were the largest signaling pathway groups, and many presented pathways (Ras, Rap1, and MAPK, etc.) were related to apoptosis, immune and stress response. In addition, a total of 19,306 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in 15,852 sequences. Six hemoglobin-related genes with complete conserved domain sequences were identified and 3 of them were predicted as HbI, HbIIα, and HbIIβ. Conclusion: This study provides transcriptome responses to multiple environmental stressors in blood clams and would provide interesting hints for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide and hypoxia threaten marine organisms in various ways. Anadara broughtonii, a commercial marine bivalve in China which has great potential exposure to sulfide and hypoxia, was selected to test the responses to these stresses. Digital gene expression profile (DGE) analysis was performed on the juveniles' gills after exposed to normal condition (CG group), hypoxia (LO group), and low/high concentration of sulfide (LS/HS group, administered in hypoxia), respectively, using RNA-seq technology. A total of over 30 million clean reads were filtered from each DGE library and over 90% of them were annotated successfully. In total, 774 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected and assigned to Gene ontology (GO) classification and KEGG Pathway enrichment analysis. The results show that many of the upregulated DEGs are related to hemoglobin, immunology, and stress responding. In the stressed A. broughtonii, cytochrome P450 and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase may stimulate the glycolysis process to reduce oxygen consumption; Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, heat shock protein and protein disulfide isomerase probably help to maintain the genome integrity; Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing protein 2/3, mitogen-activated protein kinase and tumor necrosis factor pathways were probably responsible for protein repair, proteolysis, apoptosis and immune responses to high concentration of sulfide. Combined challenges also induced alternative oxidase and sushi repeat-containing protein, which have indistinct but probably indispensable function in invertebrates. For the first time, comprehensive transcriptome information on A. broughtonii in response to sulfide and hypoxia were provided. Our research offers new insights into the molecular mechanism behind the resistance of shellfish to sulfide and hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population genetic studies of marine fishes usually show complex patterns of genetic differentiation which were influenced by both historical process and contemporary gene flow. Genetic structure of eight different populations for eastern keelback mullet, Liza affinis, collected from the coast along eastern and southern China, was examined using six microsatellite loci. We found strong genetic similarities among most of the samples except the Dongguan population and most microsatellite variation was found within populations. All loci were characterized by high genetic variability with expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.871 to 0.928. The Bayesian cluster analysis of the microsatellite data detected four genetic groups with no relation to geographic areas. The bottleneck results also showed no significant values. Based on these data we postulated that complex marine currents and larval dispersal shaped the genetic structured of studied populations. The present study illustrated the importance of understanding the biological significance of genetic differentiation when using molecular data in identifying units for management and protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will put forward a hybrid model to predict the tendency of the fund, which is based on neural network combined with Genetic Algorithm (GA), Optimal Entropy (OE) and Variation Function. In China, financial market has great potential, but due to the intensity instability of the fund market. At present, the forecast about the trend of funds is still a not very accuracy. This model includes data pretreatment, input and output. Data preprocessing part is the time and characteristic alignment. Input part is that according to different characteristics, we use OE, GA and change function as of the input of neural network. Output part is using back propagation algorithm to get the final forecast. Because the input data has many different characteristics, in order to make full use of these characteristics, using the OE and GA of the global optimal feature selection can make the input model is more superior, which will help to improve the prediction accuracy of the proposed model. The experimental results show that using this hybrid model predicts china fund net value, the accuracy can reach 97.8%. This result is more accuracy when compare with China's existing institutions and financial website is more accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The partitioning of food resources among three abundant co-occurring reef-associated scorpionfish, Hexagrammos agrammus, Hexagrammos otakii and Sebastes schlegelii, was determined on an artificial reef zone in nearshore and offshore coastal waters of northern China, using stomach content and stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N). The three species consumed similar prey items, mainly a variety of crustaceans, teleosts, polychaetes and macroalgae, but the proportions of the items differed among species. The dietary composition of all three scorpionfish differed significantly in nearshore waters, but not between H. otakii and S. schlegelii in offshore waters, where both species fed predominantly on carideans, penaeids and brachyurans. The δ13C values varied significantly among the three scorpionfish in nearshore waters, and tended towards significance (P = 0.053) between H. otakii and S. schlegelii in offshore waters, suggesting that they partition food resources. Bayesian mixing models further confirmed that all scorpionfish were generalist carnivorous and that the main food sources were assimilated in different proportions. In the nearshore waters, resource partitioning occurs among the three scorpionfish, reducing the potential for competition and the feeding ecology implies that they have dietary plasticity, which facilitates their coexistence and maintains local benthic fish community stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored stroke behaviour, energy sources, and their related metabolic enzymes during multi-intensity swimming and tail-flipping at low- and high-intensity modes in Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis. In swimming, shrimp were encouraged to swim at velocities of 3, 6, 9 cm s−1 for 200 min (low-intensity), and at 12, 15, 18 cm s−1 until fatigue (high-intensity). In tail-flipping, shrimp were encouraged to tail-flip by tapping cephalothorax at frequencies of 0.020, 0.040, 0.063 Hz (one tap every 50, 25, 16 s) for 5 min (low-intensity), and at 0.083, 0,100, 0.125 Hz (one tap every 12, 10, 8 s) until no response (high-intensity). Results showed that shrimp increased stroke rates of pleopods and uropods to elevate swimming and tail-flipping ability. For low-intensity locomotion, glycogen was burned in aerobic pathway due to low pleopods beat frequency in swimming; however, glycogen was anaerobically burned due to high uropods beat amplitude in tail-flipping. Anaerobic metabolism occurred in high-intensity locomotion in either swimming or tail-flipping. Critical contents of muscle lactate causing locomotion fatigue might be around threefold of rest condition. Shrimp reduced locomotive time to avoid glycogen exhaustion and lactate accumulation during high-intensity locomotion. These findings highlight our understanding of physiological mechanisms of locomotion activities in shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) has a viviparous reproductive pattern and long-term sperm storage. Multiple paternity is frequently reported in this species. Six polymorphic microsatellite markers were applied to genotype 23 pregnant females (11 wild and 12 cultured) and 645 of their embryos, which were collected from the coast of the Shandong Peninsula in China. The number of sires and the quantity of paternal contributions for each brood were estimated. The results of a cultured group from Japan were reanalysed for comparison and illustration as a quoted group. Multiple paternity was detected in 10 (90.9%) of 11 broods in the wild group, 11 (91.7%) of 12 broods in the cultured group, and eight (88.9%) of nine broods in the quoted group. The number of sires in the cultured group appears to be significantly larger than that of the quoted group (P = 0.030), but the difference between the wild and the cultured groups was not significant (P = 0.219) nor was that between the wild and the quoted groups (P = 0.146). Additionally, in the 29 multiply sired broods, 22 broods were significantly skewed from equal paternal contributions, indicating that sperm competition and cryptic female choice might play key roles in the post-copulatory paternity biasing of this species. Furthermore, within the quoted data, the male was distinctly older than the female in 16 of 18 (88.9%) copulation pairs, demonstrating that females are apt at selecting older males to mate with. These results may provide some guidance or knowledge for artificial breeding, the evolutionary mechanism of polyandry, and sexual selection in black rockfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro- and nanometallic structures that exhibit extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) have attracted much attention for their potential applications in photonic devices. However, most existing reports have only discussed EOT at one specific wavelength, which limits its use in multi-wavelength applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate EOT at multiple wavelengths through an asymmetric corrugated thin silver film due to simultaneous excitation of multiple plasmonic resonances at both interfaces. A unique method that applies single-pulse nanosecond laser interference lithography is introduced to produce the silver grating, which shows high quality over large area. At oblique incidence, each EOT peak is observed to split into two peaks oppositely shifted towards higher and lower frequencies. At some specific angles of incidence, overlap of these shifted peaks gives rise to distorted transmission spectra. Our method may find applications involving multiple wavelengths such as multi-wavelength bandpass filters, anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy, enhanced four-wave mixing, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lower Triassic conodont biostratigraphy has been well studied around the world in the past decades, but the Induan-Olenekian boundary (IOB) remains undecided. The Novispathodus waageni group has been taxonomically re-assessed based on abundant new materials from the Jianshi and Chaohu sections, South China. New study shows that Nv. waageni typically possesses: (1) an approximately equi-dimentional P1 blade element, (2) an accurate upper profile with denticle height descending in both directions, (3) a denticulated posterior edge (lower denticles posterior of the highest denticle), and (4) a round basal cavity outline. Of the three proposed subspecies of the waageni species, both Nv. waageni waageni (Sweet, 1970) and Nv. w. eowaageni (Zhao and Orchard, 2005) are valid, and the former differs clearly from Nv. w. eowaageni in having (1) a slightly higher length/height ratio (holotype=1.30 : 1.23), (2) a thicker blade, sometimes with medial thickening, (3) fewer (broader) denticles per unit length, (4) generally recurved denticles, not straight and upright, (5) highest denticles closer to posterior, (6) common differentiation of a posterior cusp, and (7) more sinuous basal profile, with increased posterior upturning. A third subspecies illustrated as Nv. waageni n. subsp. A sensu Goudemand, 2014 is not conspecific with older individuals of Nv. w. eowaageni, and also cannot be assigned to the Nv. waageni group. Abundant new materials demonstrate a clear ontogenic process for Nv. w. eowaageni, indicating that Nv. w. eowaageni occurring in the Induan−Olenekian boundary (IOB) succession is rather stable. Small, earlier individuals (i.e., those from Bed 225 in Jianshi) are referred to as Nv. w. eowaageni Morphotype A, and are thought to have likely evolved from Ns. dieneri Morphotype 3, and to be the precursor of mature elements of Nv. w. eowaageni. The first appearance datum of Nv. w. eowaageni therefore is an ideal mark defining the IOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus stock enhancement by releasing hatchery-produced seeds is a management tool used to recover its population under natural environmental conditions. To assess the suitability of releasing sites, we examined the microbiota of the gut contents of A. japonicus from two populations (one in sandy-muddy seagrass beds and one in rocky intertidal reefs) and the microbiota in their surrounding sediments. The activities of digestive and immune-related enzymes in the A. japonicus were also examined. The results indicated that higher bacterial richness and Shannon diversity index were observed in all the seagrass-bed samples. There were significant differences in intestinal and sediment microorganisms between the two habitats, with a 2.87 times higher abundance of Firmicutes in the seagrass bed sediments than that in the reefs. Meanwhile, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were significantly higher abundant in the gut content of A. japonicus from seagrass bed than those from the reefs. In addition, the seagrass-bed samples exhibited a relatively higher abundance of potential probiotics. Principal coordinates analysis and heatmap showed the bacterial communities were classified into two groups corresponding to the two habitat types. Moreover, compared to A. japonicus obtained from rocky intertidal habitat, those obtained from the seagrass bed showed higher lysozyme, superoxide dismutase and protease activities. Our results suggest that bacterial communities present in seagrass beds might enhance the digestive function and immunity of A. japonicus. Therefore, compared with the rocky intertidal reef, seagrass bed seems to be more beneficial for the survival of A. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytic fauna community structure is mainly determined by macro-scale environmental characteristics (e.g., water motion), whereas the influences of, and interaction with, micro-scale habitat-forming species are not well known. In order to explore the effects of water motion and functional macroalgal group on the community structure of epiphytic faunas, macroalgae and epiphytic faunas from four isolated artificial rocky reefs with different levels of hydrodynamic conditions were investigated in Laoshan Bay of China. A total of 32 macroalgal species and 22 faunal species were recorded on the surveys. The biomass and abundance of macroalgae and epiphytic faunas showed significant variations among stations and months. The biomass and abundance of epiphytic faunas were highest at outer Huangshankou station (H1) with medium hydrodynamic force. The lowest biomass of epiphytic faunas occurred at inner Huangshankou station (H3) with highest level of water motion, while the lowest abundance of epiphytic faunas occurred at Liepo station (L) with lowest level of water motion. Results showed that medium water motion level contributed to increasing biodiversity of epiphytic faunas. Epiphytic communities generally presented higher biomass and abundance in summer than in spring or autumn, which indicated temperature could be the ecological driver for temporal variation of epiphytic communities. The epiphytic faunas showed distinct preferences to structural morphology of macroalgae which forms suitable habitat for these organisms. This study suggests that artificial rocky reefs are of great significance to restore and maintain coastal biodiversity, and appropriate physical disturbance promote community reestablishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In relation to the stock enhancement program for Chinese white shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis, hatchery-released juveniles and wild samples in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea were genotyped using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to investigate the levels of genetic variation among these populations. Five AFLP primer combinations generated a total of 757 bands across the 268 individuals in nine hatchery-released populations and three wild populations. All 757 bands were polymorphic. High polymorphism at AFLP markers was found within both hatchery-released and wild populations. The percentage of polymorphic loci for populations ranged from 87.22 to 98.60%, while the Nei's genetic diversity ranged from 0.1822 to 0.2728. Compared with wild populations, the nine hatchery-released populations showed significant genetic changes based on F values. All populations were divided into two distinct groups by principal coordinate analysis (PcoA) analysis. Three wild populations (Dalian, Kengli, Middle Yellow Sea) with hatchery-released populations from Rongcheng, Panjin, and Dandong clustered as one group; the rest of hatchery populations formed another group. Interestingly, no obvious geographic cluster was found in the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean tree and PcoA. We recommend monitoring the genetic variability of selected hatchery populations to enhance the conservation of natural Chinese white shrimp F. chinensis resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological similarities of Pampus fishes have led to considerable confusion in species-level identification, and no accurate information on neotype or DNA barcoding of Pampus echinogaster is available. Two hundred and seven specimens of P. echinogaster were collected from the coastal waters of Dandong, Dongying, Qingdao, Nantong, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, Changle, Taiwan, and Wakayama (Japan), from June 2010 to April 2013. The diagnostic characteristics of P. echinogaster are as follows: dorsal fin VIII-XI-43-51, anal fin V-VIII-43-49, pectoral fin 22-27, caudal fin 19-22, pelvic fin absent; first gill rakers sparse, slender (pointed), 3-4+12-16=15-20; vertebrae 39-41; transverse occipital canal on top of head moderately small, wavy ridges not reaching upper origin of pectoral fin; ventral branch of lateral line canal spare, shorter than dorsal branch of lateral line canal. By combining congener sequences of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene from GenBank, two absolute groups were detected among all specimens, which further indicated that two valid species were present based on genetic differences in amino acid sequences and the distance between the groups. The sequences of Group 1 can be regarded as DNA barcoding of P. echinogaster. The correct morphological redescription and DNA barcoding of P. echinogaster are presented here to provide a guarantee for efficient and accurate studies, a theoretical basis for classification, and enable appropriate fishery management and conservation strategies for the genus Pampus in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass seed bank plays a key role in the regeneration of new vegetation when seagrasses are removed by the natural or man-made disaster. Various factors may affect the development of sediment seed bank. We conducted a microcosm experiment to test the effects of burrowing and feeding activities of Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum on the burial of Zostera marina seeds in sediments. The effects of lasting time (3-hour, 1-day, 3-day, 7-day, 14-day and 28-day), clam density (0, 2, 4 and 8 clams with shell length of 3 cm in each microcosm) and clam size (shell length of 2, 3 and 4 cm at 4-clam density) on seed burial were examined in plastic microcosm cores (30 cm high × 10 in inner diameter) in a 28-day period. Results showed that the seed burial depth significantly increased with time, the density and the size of clams. No seeds were buried in the sediment in the cores without clams during the whole experiment period. For the 3-cm clams, about 91.61% of the seeds were buried in the sediment at the end of the experiment in the high-density treatment (8 clams at each core); while in the medium and low-density treatments (4 and 2 clams in each core, respectively), about 76.93% and 60.61% of the seeds were buried in the sediment, respectively. For the size treatments, large (4 cm) clams buried 89.56% of the seeds at the end of the experiment, much more than those of medium (3 cm, 76.93%) and small (2 cm, 61.50%) size clams. During the whole experiment period, nearly all of the buried seeds were at a depth of from 0 cm to 5 cm. These results suggested that Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum may play an important positive role in seagrass seed bank dynamics in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble starch-functionalized graphene oxide composite (GO-starch) was prepared by a facile esterification reaction. And the composite was used as a novel adsorbent for the removal of Cd(II) from aqueous solution. The chemical composition and morphology of the GO-starch was investigated by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. To evaluate the effects of the adsorption of Cd(II) by GO-starch, batch adsorption studies were performed to optimize the major parameters such as contact time, pH, initial concentration and temperature. The maximum uptake capacity of Cd(II) was 43.20 mg/g under the optimal conditions. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics, isotherms and thermodynamics of Cd(II) on GO-starch were also investigated. The experimental data indicated that the adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms of Cd(II) on GO-starch were well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The adsorption thermodynamic parameters were calculated as Δ G < 0, Δ H > 0 and Δ S > 0, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic, feasible and spontaneous. Due to its high adsorption capacity for Cd(II), the GO-starch might have considerable potential for the aqueous removal of metal ions. Graphical Abstract: Soluble starch-functionalized graphene oxide composite (GO-starch) was prepared and used as a novel adsorbent for the aqueous removal of Cd(II). The chemical composition and morphology of the GO-starch was characterized by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to optimize the major parameters such as contact time, pH, initial concentration and temperature. The maximum uptake capacity of Cd(II) was 43.20 mg/g under the optimal conditions. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms were well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The adsorption thermodynamic parameters were Δ G < 0, Δ H > 0 and Δ S > 0, indicating that the Cd(II) adsorption process was spontaneous, endothermic and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of low temperature (8.5°C) on the growth and feeding rates and feed conversion efficiency of juvenile P. olivaceus with an average initial weight of 3.87 ± 0.06 g (mean ± SE). Fish were exposed to 8.5°C for 0 (control), 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, and then to 20°C for 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6 weeks, respectively. Low temperature clearly led to growth depression. The weight of fish exposed to low temperature for 1 week was restored to that of control, while that of fish exposed to low temperature longer was significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). During the entire low-temperature period, specific growth rate, feeding rate and feed conversion efficiency of the fish were significantly lower ( P < 0.05) than those of control, while in the whole recovery period, specific growth and average feeding rate were markedly higher ( P < 0.05) than those of control. At the end of experiment, only the feeding rate of the fish exposed to low temperature for 1 week was not significantly different from that of control ( P > 0.05). Feeding rate and feed conversion efficiency were reduced at low temperature in juvenile P. olivaceus. The compensatory growth of juvenile P. olivaceus may therefore be attributed to the improvement of feeding rate. Our results suggested that growth depression occurs when juvenile P. olivaceus are exposed to low temperature for more than one week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Release programs to enhance stocks of ark shell ( Anadara broughtonii) have been undertaken in a number of Asian countries, but their effectiveness has rarely been investigated owing to a lack of marking methods. The quality and longevity of fluorescent markers, alizarin red S (ARS) and calcein (CAL) (200 and 300 mg/L), as well as clip tags, were tested on juvenile A. broughtonii. No significant differences in survival or shell growth were observed in juveniles stained with either of the two fluorochromes after a 160-day culture period, but the retention rate was 100% after 1 year. Fluorescent marks (≥grade 3) were observable microscopically in juveniles stained with the two fluorochromes, and some fluorescent marks (≥grade 4) were visible with the naked eye after 1 year. ARS-marked shells were brighter than those marked with CAL, and shells marked with 300 mg/L of the fluorochromes were easier to detect than those marked with 200 mg/L. Clip tags were incorporated into the shell as the bivalve grew, and the retention rate was 64.25% after 160 days. Significant differences in survival (at 30 days), shell length (at 60, 90, 120, and 160 days), and wet weight (at 90, 120, and 160 days) were observed between the clip-tagged and control groups (all P< 0.05), indicating that the tags may have passive effects on the ark shell. The results suggest that both ARS and CAL are suitable to mark A. broughtonii for large-scale restocking programs, and that optimal marking quality was achieved with 300 mg/L ARS. Lighter and smaller clip tags need to be developed to reduce injury and increase survival rate of clams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FTY720 (fingolimod) is the first oral drug approved for treating relapsing-remitting forms of multiple sclerosis. It is also protective in other neurological models including ischemia, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease and Rett syndrome. However, whether it might protect in a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) mouse model associated with the dopaminergic pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD), has not been explored. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of FTY720 on 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity in cell cultures and mice. Here we show that FTY720 protected against 6-OHDA cytotoxicity and apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells. We also show that prior administration of FTY720 to 6-OHDA lesioned mice ameliorated both motor deficits and nigral dopaminergic neurotoxicity, while also reducing 6-OHDA-associated inflammation. The protective effects of FTY720 were associated with activation of AKT and ERK1/2 pro-survival pathways and an increase in brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that FTY720 holds promise as a PD therapeutic acting, at least in part, through AKT/ERK1/2/P-CREB-associated BDNF expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accordion-shaped traps are widely used in China to catch the Asian paddle crab Charybdis japonica but traps of conventional design often catch juvenile crabs. A new type of accordion-shaped trap with an escape vent (L×W=4.3 cm×3.0 cm) was designed and a comparative study between the newly designed and conventional traps was performed in the artificial reef area of Zhuwang, Laizhou Bay, China from June to August 2012. The mean catch per unit effort (CPUE) of undersized crabs was significantly lower in the vented traps than in the conventional traps (paired t -test, n=30, P<0.001), while the CPUE of marketable crabs was significantly higher in the vented traps (paired t-test, n=30, P<0.001). The mean size of crabs (carapace length) caught in the vented traps was significantly larger than in conventional traps (paired t-test, n=29, P<0.001). The ratio of undersized crabs was 35.05±2.57% in conventional traps and 12.53±0.69% in vented traps (significantly lower, paired t-test, n=29, P<0.001). Therefore, a 4.3 cm×3.0 cm escape vent was considered appropriate for C. japonica fishing in the artificial reef area. This finding will assist the development of more sustainable and efficient crab fishing methods using accordion-shaped traps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major phenolic, β-carotene, and ascorbic acid (AA) contents in 17 pineapple varieties were quantified and compared. Anti-oxidant activities were evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing anti-oxidant power (FRAP), and metal chelating capacity (MCC) assays. MD-2 exhibited the highest AA and total phenolic (TP) contents and DPPH and ABTS assay results, but was lower in β-carotene contents. Ripley had the highest total flavonoid (TF) content with a low AA content. Comte de Pairs exhibited the highest MCC and the lowest FRAP values. TP contents and both DPPH and ABTS activities, FRAP values and both AA contents and DPPH activities, and TF contents and ABTS activities were positively correlated. MD-2 exhibited the greatest diversity of phenolics and highest anti-oxidant activities in all assays. Information included herein can be useful for development of pineapple-based food products containing high levels of health promoting anti-oxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated whether tanshinone I (T-I) has therapeutic effects in cellular and animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD), and explore its possible mechanism. For this purpose, human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were cultured and exposed to 100 μM 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the absence or presence of T-I (1, 2.5 and 5 μM). The results revealed that 6-OHDA-induced cell death was reduced by T-I pretreatment as measured by MTT assay, lactate dehydrogenase release and flow cytomety analysis of cell apoptosis. The increase in the reactive oxygen species caused by 6-OHDA treatment was also attenuated by T-I in SH-SY5Y cells. T-I pretreatment was also shown to result in an increase in nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) protein levels and its transcriptional activity as well as the upregulation of Nrf2-dependent genes encoding the antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase-1, glutathione cysteine ligase regulatory subunit and glutathione cysteine ligase modulatory subunit in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, in the in vivo experiment, T-I treatment significantly attenuated 6-OHDA-induced striatal oxidative stress and ameliorated dopaminergic neurotoxicity in 6-OHDA-lesioned mice, as evidenced by western blot analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and TH immunostaining of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the striatum. Taken together, the results suggest that T-I may be beneficial for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass habitats are structurally complex ecosystems, which support high productivity and biodiversity. In temperate systems the density of seagrass may change seasonally, and this may influence the associated fish and invertebrate community. Little is known about the role of seagrass beds as possible nursery areas for fish and invertebrates in China. To study the functioning of a seagrass habitat in northern China, demersal fish and invertebrates were collected monthly using traps, from February 2009 to January 2010. The density, leaf length and biomass of the dominant seagrass Zostera marina and water temperature were also measured. The study was conducted in a Seagrass Natural Reserve (SNR) on the eastern coast of the Shandong Peninsula, China. A total of 22 fish species and five invertebrate species were recorded over the year. The dominant fish species were Synechogobius ommaturus, Sebastes schlegelii, Pholis fangi, Pagrus major and Hexagrammos otakii and these species accounted for 87% of the total number of fish. The dominant invertebrate species were Charybdis japonica and Octopus variabilis and these accounted for 98% of the total abundance of invertebrates. There was high temporal variation in species composition and abundance. The peak number of fish species occurred in August-October 2009, while the number of individual fish and biomass was highest during November 2009. Invertebrate numbers and biomass was highest in March, April, July and September 2009. Temporal changes in species abundance of fishes and invertebrates corresponded with changes in the shoot density and leaf length of the seagrass, Zostera marina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation mechanism of the first arrivals in the cased boreholes for the poorly bonded conditions is investigated. Based on the analyses of the Riemann surface structure of the characteristic function, the dispersion features, excitation spectra and contributions of modes excited in the cased boreholes with different cementing types are studied. The phase velocity dispersion studies of leaky modes show that high-order modes form 'plateau' regions with one approximate velocity denoted by v separated by their cutoff frequencies, in which the phase velocity changes little with a considerable frequency range, while the group velocity keeps a relatively constant high value. Usually, the operation frequency range of a specific cementing evaluation acoustic logging tool is covered by such a 'plateau' region. Mode excitation and contribution analyses show that the first arrivals in the cased boreholes for the poorly bonded conditions are the contributions from leaky modes, where the traveling velocity of the first arrivals processed by slowness time coherence (STC) method is equal to the approximated velocity v. Analyses on generation of leaky modes in the cased boreholes supplement the understanding of the generation mechanism of the first arrivals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel tetramethylpyrazine derivative, CXC195, has been recently shown to protect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying the neuroprotection of CXC195 are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of CXC195 on the phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in response to cerebral I/R and to determine whether phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway might be involved. An in vitro model of oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) which was performed on primary cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and an in vivo middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model that was performed on Wistar rats were used in this study. CXC195 increased nitric oxide (NO) production and the phosphorylation but not the protein level of eNOS in HAECs subjected to 1 h OGD followed by reperfusion. In addition, CXC195 increased the phosphorylation of Akt; inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway by a specific inhibitor, wortmannin, suppressed CXC195-induced NO release in HAECs. Consistently, CXC195 treatment significantly restored the phosphorylations of eNOS and Akt in the cortical penumbra of rats subjected to 2 h MCAO followed by reperfusion. Moreover, wortmannin abolished CXC195-induced eNOS phosphorylation and neuroprotection as evidenced by a reversal of the reduction in infarct volume and neurobehavioral outcomes. In conclusion, CXC195 induced phosphorylation of eNOS by activation of PI3K/Akt signaling under pathological cerebral I/R conditions, which provided a novel explanation for the neuroprotective effect of CXC195. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cellulose-based superabsorbent exhibits excellent water absorbency and retention performance as well as biodegradability. However, the detailed biodegradation process in soil has not been monitored yet. Yellowing is another important factor affecting its appearance and storage. In this work, cellulose from flax yarn wastes (FYW) was used as the skeleton material to synthesize a cellulose-g-P(AA-co-AM) (FYW/PAA) superabsorbent. The properties of the FYW/PAA superabsorbent were characterized, especially its biodegradation process and yellowing mechanism. The resultant FYW/PAA presented excellent water absorbency and retention capabilities of 886 g/g in deionized water and 73.2 wt% after being dried at 60 °C for 12 h, respectively. The fracturing of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds on the flax-cellulose macromolecules is the main reason for the biodegradation of FYW/PAA in soil. This causes a 70.8 wt% degradation after FYW/PAA has been buried in soil for only 60 days. The drying method and UV irradiation have important implications for the yellowing of FYW/PAA. They facilitate the generation of chromophore and auxochrome groups on the flax-cellulose macromolecules. 2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (BHT) exhibits excellent antioxidant properties to inhibit the yellowing of FYW/PAA products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study compared vertebral deformities of hatchery-reared and wild-caught juvenile Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. A total of 362 hatchery-reared flounder (total length 122.5-155.8 mm) were collected from three commercial hatcheries located in Yantai, East China, and 89 wild fish (total length 124.7-161.3 mm) were caught off Yangma Island near Yantai City (37°27′N, 121°36′E). All the fish were dissected, photographed, and images of the axial skeleton were examined for vertebral deformities. Compared with wild-caught flounder in which no deformed vertebrae were detected, 48 (13.3%) hatcheryreared fish had deformed vertebrae. The deformities were classified as compression, compression-ankylosis, and dislocation-ankylosis. The vertebral deformities were mainly localized between post-cranial vertebra 1 and 3, with vertebrae number 1 as the most commonly deformed. The causative factors leading to vertebral deformities in reared Japanese flounder may be related to unfavorable temperature conditions, inflammation, damage, or rupture to the intervertebral ligaments under rearing conditions. Furthermore, no significant difference in the total number of vertebral bodies was observed between wild-caught (38.8±0.4) and hatchery-reared flounder (38.1±0.9) ( P>0.05). However, the number of vertebral bodies of hatchery-reared and wild-caught flounder ranged from 35 to 39 and from 38 to 39, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease (HIV-1 PR) is a major target for the design of anti-AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) drugs. Some C-symmetric inhibitors have been designed for the C-symmetric binding pocket of HIV-1PR. The crystallographic structures reveal that the binding modes are not C-symmetric for C- symmetric inhibitors binding to PR. In this work, four molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the binding modes between four C-symmetric inhibitors (6 AD, 6AG, 6FD and 6FG) and PR, as well as the stabilities of these inhibitors in the binding pocket. Analysis of the hydrophobic surface of the binding pocket shows that it is necessary to add a polar group to the P (benzyl) and P (phenyl) groups of the inhibitor 6AD. Analysis of the hydrogen bonds formed between inhibitors and residues (Asp25/Asp25′, Ile50/Ile50′) indicates that the steric structures of the inhibitors are not suitable for the binding pocket. The two increased polar groups of trifluoromethyl and formamido meet the needs of the binding pocket for polar molecules. The inhibitor with both these groups (6FG) has stronger stability than the other three inhibitors, which have only one (6AG and 6FD) or none (6AD) of these groups. The ranking of binding free energies calculated by molecular mechanics-generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA) method agrees well with the experimental data. It is expected that this study will provide theoretical guidance for the design of anti-AIDS drugs targeting HIV-1PR. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested the utility of chemical marking techniques in the juvenile black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii. Juveniles (30-40 mm total length) were immersed in a range of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) solutions at concentrations ranging from 300 to 500 mg/L, and alizarin complexone (ALC) solutions at concentrations ranging from 200 to 400 mg/L in filtered sea water (salinity of 30) for 24 h, respectively. Otoliths (sagittae, asteriscus), scales, fin rays (dorsal, pectoral, ventral, anal, and caudal fin rays), and fin spines (dorsal, ventral, and anal fin spines) were sampled and used to detect fluorescent marks after a 60-day growth experiment. With the exception of 300 mg/L TC, acceptable marks were produced in the otoliths and fin spines by all concentrations of TC and ALC. In particular, we observed clearly visible marks in the sagittae, asteriscus, and fin spines under normal light at concentrations of 200-400 mg/L, 250-400 mg/L, and 250-400 mg/L ALC, respectively. Scales and fin rays had acceptable marks at much higher concentrations (≥350 mg/L TC, ≥250 mg/L ALC for scales and ≥350 mg/L TC, ≥300 mg/L ALC for fin rays). The best mark quality (i.e., acceptable marks were observed in all sampled structures after immersion marking) were obtained following immersion in TC at between 350-500 mg/L, and ALC between 300-400 mg/L. In addition, there was no significant difference in survival and growth of TC and ALC marked fish compared to their controls up to 60 days post-marking ( P > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, an H4N6 avian influenza virus (AIV) was isolated and identified from healthy ducks in a waterfowl market in Shandong Province in the northern China. This virus was named A/duck/Shandong/1/2010 (H4N6) (DK/SD/1/2010 hereafter). The gene sequence of the virus was determined, and genetic and evolutionary analyses were conducted by combining related sequences in GenBank. Results indicated that seven genes of DK/SD/1/2010 (PB2, PB1, PA, HA, NP, M, and NS) originate from the Eurasian lineage. Another gene, the NA gene, originated from both the Eurasian and the North American lineages. The amino acid sequence near the cleavage site of DK/SD/1/2010 HA (PKKASR↓GLF) corresponded to the characteristics of AIV of low pathogenicity. Animal inoculation tests showed that the virus cannot replicate in chickens and mice. Therefore, DK/SD/1/2010 may be a recombinant virus formed by influenza virus genes from different sources through complicated restructuring and evolution in ducks that is avirulent to chickens and mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]