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Summary: Stature is an important quantitative trait for cattle performance, which influences herd productivity. Previous studies have reported that an SNP (AC_000171.1:g.25015640G>T, rs109815800) in Pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) on chromosome 14 (CHR14) is associated with bovine stature. To validate whether rs109815800 is associated with the body height of Chinese cattle, we carried out an association analysis using 558 adult cattle samples from seven populations. Then, 1038 samples from 38 Chinese cattle breeds were used to show the geographical distribution of this variant in China. The results showed that the Q allele (G allele) increased the height of cattle. Furthermore, the frequencies of Q allele in Chinese native breeds tend to decrease from northern China to southern China, and the frequency of Q allele in two Chinese beef cattle breeds is much higher than that in another 36 Chinese local cattle breeds. Our data suggest that the prevalence of the Q allele is correlated with latitude in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

cattle (1/2 Brahman, 1/4 Murray Grey and 1/4 Yunnan Yellow cattle) has been inter se breeding since 1980s. Genetic diversity of BMY cattle was extensively investigated using 16 microsatellite markers. A total of 130 microsatellite alleles and high allele size variance were detected. All loci displayed high genetic diversity with overall mean of N = 8.13, PIC = 0.7224 and H = 0.7666, which were higher than those of many other beef breeds. The allele-sharing neighbour-joining tree clearly displayed the new genotypic combinations and the minglement from both BMY cattle and Brahman. The results provided the genetic information to match the standards of new beef breed in South China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the relationship between hypertension and Health-Related Quality of Life tools by using the Short-Form Health Service (SF-36) in a rural area in China. The researchers aim to assess the reliability and validity of SF-36 for hypertensive patients. SF-36 is the most commonly used health status measure. It was used to evaluate the health status in general and some specific patient populations such as those with irritable bowel syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Many coastal countries are concerned with sustainable energy generation to meet their current and future energy needs. Tidal energy is an attractive resource as in-stream turbines can generate electricity even at moderate flow velocities. However, not all coastal areas are equally well-suited for tidal energy development. The survey of potential locations and their power densities is a crucial step in evaluating the potential cost-benefit of tidal energy. This research surveys the intensity and distribution of offshore tidal energy along whole coastline of China based on a high-resolution numerical simulation with a minimum mesh spacing of 80 m. The Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) has been used to carry out the numerical simulation work. Since FVCOM uses an unstructured mesh, it can accurately identify complex coastlines, such as those along islands, waterways, and estuaries. The simulation period for this numerical survey is 30 days. The accuracy of the simulation results is validated using 8-days in-situ measurements obtained at 17 coastal stations in the region of study. Research results indicate that the total mean tidal energy is 1.19 × 1014 J along the coastline of China. The tidal energy is mainly distributed in the south and southeast of the coastline of China. This study also identifies 45, 23 and 9 top sites, where the averaged tidal energy density is greater than 500, 1000, and 1500 W/m2, respectively, suitable for tidal energy extraction and utilization. Considering the long development cycle of tidal energy and global climate change, this study also investigates the impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on tidal energy distribution in the region of study using a 50-year (0.5 m) and 100-year (1.0 m) SLR scenarios. It is found that the total mean tidal energy increases by 3.0% and 6.5% for 50-year and 100-year SLR scenarios, respectively. It is believed that the findings drawn from this study could be instructive for future utilization of tidal energy along the coastline of China. • A high-resolution numerical survey of suitable sites for tidal energy extraction has been performed along the whole coastline of China. • Effects of sea-level rise on the tidal power distribution along China coast have been well analyzed. • This study identifies 45, 23 and 9 top sites of the tidal power density greater than 500, 1000, and 1500 W/m2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Liver transplantation (LTx) using donation after brain and cardiac death (DBCD) has increased steadily in China. The aims of this study were to evaluate the outcomes of DBCD LTx and to assess its feasibility to expand the donor pool. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics of DBCD donors and recipients, survival of allografts and recipients, and prognostic factors in DBCD LTx recipients from March 2010 to December 2014 in our institution. Results DBCD LTx (n = 102) were performed in our institution during the research period, and the successful donation rate was 26.0%. Mean warm ischemia time and cold ischemia time were 14.39 minutes and 5.29 hours, respectively. The overall and biliary complication rates were 45.1% and 16.7%, respectively. Donor age ( P = .043), intra-operative blood loss ( P = .048), and operation time ( P = .045) were significantly different between the complication and non-complication groups. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of patients and grafts were 88.0%, 84.6%, 84.6%, and 85.7%, 78.6%, and 78.6%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates of hepatocellular carcinoma patients were 91.9% and 80.5%, respectively whereas the recurrence-free survival rates were 84.9% and 77.2%, respectively. The patient and graft survival rates were not statistically different between the <55-year and ≥55 year groups, but complication rate was higher in the older group than in the younger group ( P = .003). Conclusions The outcome of DBCD LTx is favorable in our institution, with careful donor and recipient selection and careful peri-operative management. DBCD is an optimized solution for organ shortage in today's China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Mengshan cattle from the Yimeng mountainous region in China stand out as a unique genetic resource, known for their adaptive traits and environmental resilience. However, these cattle are currently endangered and comprehensive genomic characterization remains largely unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the genomic features and selection signals in Mengshan cattle. (2) Methods: Utilizing whole-genome resequencing data from 122 cattle, including 37 newly sequenced Mengshan cattle, we investigated population structure, genetic diversity, and selection signals. (3) Results: Our analyses revealed that current Mengshan cattle primarily exhibit European taurine cattle ancestry, with distinct genetic characteristics indicative of adaptive traits. We identified candidate genes associated with immune response, growth traits, meat quality, and neurodevelopment, shedding light on the genomic features underlying the unique attributes of Mengshan cattle. Enrichment analysis highlighted pathways related to insulin secretion, calcium signaling, and dopamine synapse, further elucidating the genetic basis of their phenotypic traits. (4) Conclusions: Our results provide valuable insights for further research and conservation efforts aimed at preserving this endangered genetic resource. This study enhances the understanding of population genetics and underscores the importance of genomic research in informing genetic resources and conservation initiatives for indigenous cattle breeds.

Microplastics pose a threat to marine environments through their physical presence and as vectors of chemical pollutants. However, the impact of microplastics on the accumulation and human health risk of chemical pollutants in marine organisms remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the microplastics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in marine organisms from Sanggou Bay and analyzed their correlations. Results showed that microplastic and PAHs concentration ranged from 1.23 ± 0.23 to 5.77 ± 1.10 items/g, from 6.98 ± 0.45 to 15.07 ± 1.25 μg/kg, respectively. The microplastic abundance, particularly of fibers, transparent and color plastic debris, correlates strongly with PAH contents, indicating that microplastics increase the bioaccumulation of PAHs and microplastics with these characteristics have a significant vector effect on PAHs. Although consuming seafood from Sanggou Bay induce no carcinogenic risk from PAHs, the presence of microplastics in organisms can significantly increases incremental lifetime cancer risk of PAHs. Thus, microplastics can serve as transport vectors for PAHs with implications for the potential health risks to human through consumption. This study provides new insight into the risks of microplastics in marine environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diatoms and dinoflagellates are two typical functional groups of phytoplankton, playing important roles in ecosystem processes and biogeochemical cycles. Changes in diatoms and dinoflagellates are thought to be one of the possible mechanisms for the increase in harmful algal blooms (HABs), due to changing hydrological conditions associated with climate change and human activities. However, little is known about their ability to adapt to changing ocean environments, thus making it difficult to know whether and how they are adapting. By analyzing a 44-year monitoring dataset in the central Bohai Sea during 1978-2021, we found that the abundance ratio of diatoms to dinoflagellates showed a decreasing trend seasonally and ecologically, indicating that the phytoplankton community underwent distinct successional processes from diatom dominance to diatom-dinoflagellate co-dominance. These processes exhibited varying responses to temperature, nutrient concentrations and ratios, and their interactions, of which temperature primarily drove the seasonal succession whereas nutrients were responsible for the ecological succession. Specifically, diatoms showed a preference for lower temperatures and higher DIP concentrations, and were able to tolerate lower DIN at lower temperatures. In contrast, dinoflagellates tended to prevail at conditions of warming and high N/P ratios. These different traits of diatoms and dinoflagellates reflected the fact that warming as a result of rising temperature and eutrophication as a consequence of nutrient input would favor dinoflagellates over diatoms. Moreover, the increasing dominance of dinoflagellates indicated that dinoflagellate blooms were likely to become more frequent and intense in the central Bohai Sea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diatoms and dinoflagellates are two typical functional groups of phytoplankton assemblages, which play a crucial role in the structure and functioning of most marine ecosystems. To date, a novel challenge in ecology and biogeochemistry is to address the influences of environmental changes associated with climate change and human activities on the dynamics of diatoms and dinoflagellates. However, the knowledge of the key environmental factors controlling the diatom-dinoflagellate dynamics remains to be improved, particularly in the coastal ecosystems. Therefore, we conducted four cruises along the Qingdao coastline in spring, summer, autumn, and winter 2022 to explore how diatoms and dinoflagellates varied in response to regional environmental changes. The results showed that the phytoplankton communities were dominated by diatoms and dinoflagellates in terms of abundance and species diversity throughout the year in the study region. Yet, there were significant seasonal variability of diatoms and dinoflagellates across the four seasons. For example, diatom species was the most diverse during autumn, and the higher average abundance was observed in the fall and winter. In contrast, the average abundance of dinoflagellates was maximum during the summer and minimum in the autumn season. Moreover, the abundance and species ratios of diatoms/dinoflagellates (dia/dino) also showed significant seasonal variations in the region. The dia/dino abundance ratio was lowest in summer, while the dia/dino species ratio showed an increasing trend from spring to fall and a slight descending trend during winter. Based on the redundancy analysis, we revealed that diatoms and dinoflagellates responded differently to various environmental variables in different seasons, of which temperature and nutrients (especially dissolved inorganic nitrogen, DIN) had highly significant correlations with both the dia/dino abundance and species ratios. Thus, we suggested that temperature and DIN were the key factors controlling the seasonal dynamics of diatoms and dinoflagellates in the Qingdao coastal area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Assessment of ecological security is essential for understanding the status of bay ecosystem and developing appropriate management strategy. Based on the driving force-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) model, the demographic, economic, social, and ecological data of Laizhou Bay and its three neighboring counties were selected for the period from 2015 to 2021. An ecological security evaluation index system of Laizhou Bay containing 26 indicators was established, and the weights of each indicator were determined by the methods of AHP and EWM, and a comprehensive evaluation of the ecological security of Laizhou Bay was carried out by ESI. Correlations between indicators were analyzed by the Spearman's rank coefficient of correlation. The results showed that there were significant correlations between marine conditions and indicators such as population size in the surrounding area, mariculture area, industrial and domestic wastewater discharge, and treatment rate. Overall, from 2015 to 2021, the ecological security of Laizhou Bay showed a favorable trend, from a relatively unsafe level to a generally safe level, and then to a relatively safe level. Through the comprehensive evaluation of the ecological security of Laizhou Bay, we can recognize the utilization of marine resources and ecological carrying capacity, guide the rational development and utilization of marine resources, and promote the sustainable development of the marine economy., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Influenza imposes a significant disease burden on society and individuals annually, and influenza vaccination is considered a significant public health measure to prevent influenza and reduce influenza-related severe disease and death. The low influenza vaccination rate in China is partly due to certain factors affecting the willingness and behavior of individuals to receive them. Scientific research and targeted interventions on these factors can effectively improve the vaccination situation. Commonly used individual-level theoretical models for influenza vaccination behavior include the health belief model, protection motivation theory, and theory of planned behavior. This study reviews theoretical models commonly employed in researching influenza vaccination willingness and behavior. An overview of these practical applications and challenges models is presented to provide references for relevant research and intervention programs in China.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is widely present in marine animals. However, the characteristics of TMAO content in different classes of marine animals are insufficiently understood. In this study, the TMAO content in 79 marine animals (48 species, 7 classes) collected in the coastal and offshore areas of China during year 2019-2022 was analysed. The results showed that the TMAO content of the total samples varied from 0 to 139.19 mmol kg -1 . The TMAO content in the classes Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Polychaeta and Holothuroidea varied from 0.06 ± 0.09 to 0.38 ± 0.63 mmol kg -1 , but it varied from 30.20 ± 24.20 to 75.90 ± 38.59 mmol kg -1 in the classes Crustacea, Cephalopoda, and Osteichthyes. The TMAO content in the latter 3 classes was 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the former 4 classes. It was inferred that the significant difference was related to the food sources or physiological metabolic mechanisms of different classes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Qingjing Hu, on behalf of all the authors of a submission, declares no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily has been reported to play an important role in heat tolerance pathways. Based on the Bovine Genome Variation Database and Selective Signatures, a missense mutation (NC&#95;037345.1: c.2237A > G: p. His746Arg) (rs209689836) was identified in the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 4 ( TRPM4 ) gene, a member of the TRP family, corresponding to heat tolerance. Here, we explored the prevalence of this variant in 19 native Chinese cattle (comprised of 404 individuals) to determine its possible association with heat tolerance in Chinese cattle by using PCR and DNA sequencing. The distribution of alleles of NC&#95;037345.1: c.2237A > G: p. His746Arg displays significant geographical differences across native Chinese cattle breeds, consistent with the distribution of indicine and taurine cattle in China. Additionally, the association analysis indicated that the G allele was significantly associated with mean annual temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and temperature humidity index (THI) ( p  < .05), suggesting that cattle carrying allele G were distributed in regions with higher T, RH, and THI. In conclusion, our results suggested that the mutation of the TRPM4 gene in Chinese cattle might be a candidate locus associated with heat tolerance.

The relationships between phytoplankton carbon (C) biomass and diversity (i.e., C-to-H' ratio) and chlorophyll a (i.e., C-to-Chl a ratio) are good indicators of marine ecosystem functioning and stability. Here we conducted four cruises spanning 2 years in Jiaozhou Bay to explore the dynamics of C-to-H' and C-to-Chl a ratios. The results showed that the phytoplankton C biomass and diversity were dominated by diatoms, followed by dinoflagellates. The average C-to-H' ratio ranged from 84.10 to 912.17, with high values occurring in the northern region of the bay. In contrast, the average C-to-Chl a ratio ranged between 15.55 and 89.47, and high values primarily appeared in the northern or northeastern part of the bay. In addition, the redundancy analysis showed that temperature and phosphate (DIP) were significantly correlated with both ratios in most cases, indicating that temperature and DIP may be key factors affecting the dynamics of C-to-H' and C-to-Chl a ratios., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To identify the key factors influencing the trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) content of teleost fishes living in shallow seas and the epipelagic zone of the deep ocean, the muscle TMAO content was measured in 152 teleost fishes (21 species) collected from the marginal seas of China and the epipelagic zone of the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO) during May-July 2021. The results showed that the TMAO content in all fishes varied from 4.99 to 82.97 mmol kg -1 , and it varied notably among different species, e.g., the highest average content (72.71 ± 8.22 mmol kg -1 in Argyrosomus argentatus) was 1 order of magnitude higher than the lowest one (Scomber japonicus), but the ratios of the highest content to the lowest content in each species varied from 1.29 to 3.28, suggesting that the interspecific variations in TMAO content were obviously greater than the intraspecific variations. Moreover, no correlation was observed between the TMAO content of the 152 fishes and the corresponding environmental factors of seawater depth, salinity and temperature, indicating that species played a more important role than environmental factors in driving TMAO accumulation. To exclude the influence of species, intraspecies correlations between TMAO content and environmental factors were analyzed. In the marginal seas of China, only ∼8 % of the TMAO content of teleost fishes (1 species) showed a positive correlation with salinity and depth, but ∼50 % of the TMAO content (5 species) was negatively correlated with temperature. Moreover, the TMAO content of the fish increased by 4.66 ± 1.38 % compared with their corresponding intraspecific average values for every 1 °C of temperature decrease. A similar phenomenon was also found in the TMAO content of pelagic teleost fishes in the NWPO, suggesting that temperature was a key environmental factor affecting the TMAO content of teleost fishes in shallow seas and the epipelagic zone of the deep ocean., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Zhengguo Cui, on behalf of all the authors of a submission, declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Historical hybridization between southern indigenous Chinese cattle and banteng has been well-documented and has resulted in gene introgression. Bitter taste receptors were reported in indigenous cattle as a result of introgression from banteng. To determine the level of introgression of the taste 2 receptor member 16 ( TAS2R16 ) gene from banteng into Chinese cattle, two missense mutations in the bovine TAS2R16 gene were examined. Here, we explored the prevalence of the two variants in 28 indigenous Chinese cattle and banteng breeds (comprising 750 individuals) to determine the influence of banteng introgressions on Chinese cattle based on PCR and DNA sequencing. In our study, the two mutant alleles had a higher frequency distribution in southern China with strong geographic distribution, especially in the south-central and southeast areas. In conclusion, this study examines the impact of introgression on the frequency distributions of mutations in variable regions and the subsequent adaptation of Chinese indigenous cattle to different environmental conditions.

Yunling cattle (YL) is a recently developed beef breed harboring a quarter of Yunnan ancestral cattle genome, spanning over past 30 years. Compared with Diqing cattle (DQ), a Yunnan native cattle breed, YL presents various advantages, including rapid growth and exquisite meat quality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenotypic differences are not clearly understood. To further identify the candidate genes responsible for the quality of the meat in the muscle, longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle was used for RNA-Seq analysis. A total of 508 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in YL (adjusted p -value <0.01 and log2FoldChange >1), of which 243 were up-regulated and 265 were down-regulated. Functional association analysis showed that the identified DEGs mainly enriched the lipid and fat metabolism pathways. Moreover, it was also observed that several fat-related genes were differentially expressed in both cattle breeds, including three up-regulated genes ( MOGAT1 , ACSM3 , PLPP2 ) and two down-regulated genes ( ADIG , GPAT3 ). In addition, alternative splice analysis was also performed revealing an important 9-11 exon skipping variation of GPAM gene (crucial for beef marbling) in YL, which is three times higher than that in DQ, suggesting that this variation might have played the central role in the 'snow beef' effect in YL. We believe that our results will help in understanding the mechanism of muscle development and promote the further breeding programs in YL cattle.

Background: Headache disorders are widely prevalent and pose a considerable economic burden on individuals and society. Globally, misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of primary headache disorders remain significant challenges, impeding the effective management of such conditions. Despite advancements in headache management over the last decade, a need for comprehensive evaluations of the status of primary headache disorders in China regarding diagnosis and preventative treatments persists., Methods: In the present study, we analyzed the established queries in the Survey of Fibromyalgia Comorbidity with Headache (SEARCH), focusing on previous diagnoses and preventative treatment regimens for primary headache disorders. This cross-sectional study encompassed adults diagnosed with primary headache disorders who sought treatment at 23 hospitals across China between September 2020 to May 2021., Results: The study comprised 2,868 participants who were systematically examined. Migraine and tension-type headaches (TTH) constituted a majority of the primary headache disorders, accounting for 74.1% (2,124/2,868) and 23.3% (668/2,868) of the participants, respectively. Medication overuse headache (MOH) affected 8.1% (231/2,868) of individuals with primary headache disorders. Over half of the individuals with primary headache disorders (56.6%, 1,624/2,868) remained undiagnosed. The previously correct diagnosis rates for migraine, TTH, TACs, and MOH were 27.3% (580/2,124), 8.1% (54/668), 23.2% (13/56), and 3.5% (8/231), respectively. The misdiagnosis of "Nervous headache" was found to be the most prevalent among individuals with migraine (9.9%, 211/2,124), TTH (10.0%, 67/668), trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) (17.9%, 10/56), and other primary headache disorders (10.0%, 2/20) respectively. Only a minor proportion of individuals with migraine (16.5%, 77/468) and TTH (4.7%, 2/43) had received preventive medication before participating in the study., Conclusions: While there has been progress made in the rate of correct diagnosis of primary headache disorders in China compared to a decade ago, the prevalence of misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of primary headaches remains a veritable issue. As such, focused efforts are essential to augment the diagnosis and preventive treatment measures related to primary headache disorders in the future., (© 2023. Springer-Verlag Italia S.r.l., part of Springer Nature.)

The total dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSPt) concentrations over the surface seawater of China's marginal seas and the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWPO) in May-July 2021 (during the recessional period of La Niña) were analysed. The results showed that the DMSPt concentrations in the marginal seas of China varied from 4.73 to 775.96 nmol L -1 , with an average value of 111.42 ± 129.30 nmol L -1 (average ± standard deviation). It was 2-12 times higher than those previously measured in the same seas and in the NWPO in this study. Significant positive correlations between DMSPt, chlorophyll-a and surface seawater temperature (SST) were observed in the SYS, the ECS and the NWPO. Moreover, their abnormally high SST was related to La Niña. These results suggested that high phytoplankton abundance was caused by abnormally high SST following La Niña, which further promoted DMSPt concentration increases. However, the increase of DMSPt was also related to other factors such as nutrients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Sulfamerazine (SM) is a commonly used antibiotic and have been widely used to control various bacterial infectious diseases. The structural composition of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is known to be a major factor that influences the indirect photodegradation of SM, yet the influence mechanism remains unknown. In order to understand this mechanism, CDOM from different sources was fractionated using ultrafiltration and XAD resin, and characterized using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The indirect photodegradation of SM in these CDOM fractions was then investigated. Humic acid (JKHA) and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM) were used in this study. The results showed that CDOM could be divided into four components (three humic-like components and one protein-like component), and terrestrial humic-like components C1 and C2 were found to be the main components that promote SM indirect photodegradation due to their high aromaticity. The indirect photodegradation of SM was much faster in low molecular weight (MW) solutions, whose structures were dominated by greater aromaticity and terrestrial fluorophores in JKHA and higher terrestrial fluorophores in SRNOM. The HIA and HIB fractions of SRNOM contained large aromaticity and high fluorescence intensities of C1 and C2, resulting in a greater indirect photodegradation rate of SM. The HOA and HIB fractions of JKHA had abundant terrestrial humic-like components and contributed more to SM indirect photodegradation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Copy number variation (CNV) is a type of genomic structural variation, and the research on it has flourished in recent years. According to the high-throughput sequencing data, we found that the copy number variation region of the GAL3ST1 gene was correlated with the growth traits of bovine. It is significant that we study the CNV of GAL3ST1 gene and process the association analysis between results of Q-PCR and growth traits of Chinese cattle. In this research, SPSS software was used to detect the distribution of GAL3ST1 gene copy number in four cattle breeds and the correlation of growth traits was analyzed. Correlation analysis showed that GAL3ST1 CNV had positive effects on some growth traits of bovine ( p  < 0.05). In addition, the study detects the expression of GAL3ST1 gene in different tissues of Xia'nan cattles on mRNA level. The result showed that GAL3ST1 gene has different expression conditions in different tissues, results showed that the expression level was high in intestine and low in liver tissue. In a word, we speculated that the GAL3ST1 gene can be used as a molecular marker and this study confirmed that the CNV of it can provide theoretical basis for molecular breeding of cattle in China.

Speciation is a central topic in evolutionary biology. However, how genomic divergence originates and accumulates in the face of gene flow during ecological adaptation remains poorly understood. Closely related species that have adapted to distinct environments but inhabit some overlapping ranges provide an ideal system to evaluate this issue. Here, we combine population genomics and species distribution models (SDMs) to examine genomic divergences between two sister plant species, Medicago ruthenica and M. archiducis-nicolai, that occur in northern China and the northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, respectively, with overlapping distributions in the border of the two regions. M. ruthenica and M. archiducis-nicolai are well-delimited based on population genomic data, although hybrids exist in sympatric sampling locations. Coalescent simulations and SDMs suggest that the two species diverged from each other in the Quaternary but have been in continuous contact with gene flow occurring between the two species since then. We also discovered positive selection signatures associated with genes both outside and within genomic islands in both species that are probably involved in adaptations to arid and high-altitude environments. Our findings provide insights into how natural selection and climatic changes in the Quaternary initiated and maintained interspecific divergence of these two sister species., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), a novel coronavirus which infects pigs, spreading around the world and causing huge economic losses. In recent years, there have also been human cases of PDCoV infection, which poses a potential threat to public health. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of PDCoV in pigs in China between 2015 and 2021. The prevalence of PDCoV in China was searched from five databases (CNKI, VIP, WanFang, PubMed and ScienceDirect) and 65 articles met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 25,977 samples, including 3828 positive cases. The overall prevalence of PDCoV was 13.61% (3828/25,977), with the highest prevalence in northern China (19.18%) and the lowest prevalence in southwest China (7.19%). We also analyzed other subgroup information, such as sampling years, test methods, age and geographic factors. The results show that PDCoV is endemic in China and climate may be a potential risk factor for PDCoV infection. It is suggested that appropriate measures should be taken in different climatic areas to reduce local PDCoV infection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The coastal eco-city of Fuzhou in Southeastern China has experienced severe ozone (O 3 ) episodes at times in recent years. In this study, three typical synoptic circulations types (CTs) that influenced more than 80% of O 3 polluted days in Fuzhou during 2014-2019 were identified using a subjective approach. The characteristics of meteorological conditions linked to photochemical formation and transport of O 3 under the three CTs were summarized. Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions was applied to simulate O 3 episodes and to quantify O 3 sources from different regions in Fuzhou. When Fuzhou was located to the west of a high-pressure system (classified as "East-ridge"), more warm southwesterly currents flowed to Fuzhou, and the effects of cross-regional transport from Guangdong province and high local production promoted the occurrence of O 3 episodes. Under a uniform pressure field with a low-pressure system occurring to the east of Fuzhou (defined as "East-low"), stagnant weather conditions caused the strongest local production of O 3 in the atmospheric boundary layer. Controlled by high-pressure systems over the mainland (categorized as "Inland-high"), northerly airflows enhanced the contribution of cross-regional transport to O 3 in Fuzhou. The abnormal increases of the "East-ridge" and "Inland-high" were closely related to O 3 pollution in Fuzhou in April and May 2018, resulting in the annual maximum number of O 3 polluted days during recent years. Furthermore, the rising number of autumn O 3 episodes in 2017-2019 was mainly related to the "Inland-high", indicating the aggravation of cross-regional transport and highlighting the necessity of enhanced regional collaboration and efforts in combating O 3 pollution., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Urban parks can mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) and effectively improve the urban microclimate. In addition, quantifying the park land surface temperature (LST) and its relationship with park characteristics is crucial for guiding park design in practical urban planning. The study's primary purpose is to investigate the relationship between LST and landscape features in different park categories based on high-resolution data. In this study, we identified the land cover types of 123 parks in Luoyang using WorldView-2 data and selected 26 landscape pattern indicators to quantify the park landscape characteristics. The result shows that the parks can alleviate UHI in most seasons, but some can increase it in winter. While the percentage of bare land, PD, and PAFRAC have a positive impact on LST, AREA&#95;MN has a significant negative impact. However, to deal with the current urban warming trend, a compact, clustered landscape configuration is required. This study provides an understanding of the major factors affecting the mitigation of thermal effects in urban parks (UP) and establishes a practical and feasible urban park renewal method under the idea of climate adaptive design, which provides valuable inspiration for urban park planning and design.

Air pollution has posed serious threats to human health. Based on the microdata of a large tertiary hospital in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2021, combined with the macro data such as air quality monitoring data, meteorological data, and city-level regional socio-economic data, this paper empirically tests the impact of air pollution instrumented by thermal inversions on the cardiovascular health of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its group differences. The results show that: (1) Air pollution has a negative impact on the cardiovascular health of patients with T2DM, that is, the cardiovascular health of patients with T2DM will decline in regions with high air pollution; (2) The impact of air pollution on cardiovascular health in T2DM patients is heterogeneous, with males and older patients bearing greater air pollution health losses; (3) From the perspective of the external environment, the negative effects of environmental pollution on patients' health were significantly reduced in areas with higher environmental regulation intensity and better public health conditions, indicating the necessity of strengthening environmental governance and increasing public health expenditure., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhang, Ren, Wang, Zhu, Qu and Yuan.)

Heavy metals and organic pollutants like total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in coastal marine sediments are receiving extensive attention, as they may pose a serious threat to the aquatic environment and ecosystem health. To date, however, data on the long-term variations in the levels of sedimentary heavy metals and TPHs as well as their ecological risks are relatively limited. Here, we conducted 12 cruises spanning 3 years in the Bohai Sea and obtained ~1400 sediment samples to explore the long-term variations of heavy metals (i.e., Hg, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd) and TPHs, and to assess their potential ecological risks. The results suggested that the ranges for the levels of Hg, As, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, and TPHs in sediments between 2019 and 2021 were <0.01-0.07, 0.23-10.72, 8.07-20.67, 25.52-46.55, 10.94-28.19, 0.14-0.56, and 9.14-18.41 mg kg -1 , respectively. Based on the single factor evaluation (F i ) for sediment quality, we found that most of the evaluation factors in the study area met the requirements of sediment quality standard (i.e., F i  < 1), except for the factor of metal Cd in some cases. The implication is that the sediment in the Bohai Sea was fairly clean in terms of heavy metals and TPHs. However, the concentration of metal Cd exceeded the sediment quality standard during May 2019 and 2020 (i.e., F i  > 1), indicating that Cd could be identified as a major pollutant in surface sediments. Also, based on the ecological risk assessment (E i ) of heavy metal pollutants, we found that the metal Cd had reached a level with potential ecological risk in some cases (80 ≤ E i  < 160). As such, we further suggested that the Cd contamination might have a potential risk on the Bohai Sea' ecosystem., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to assess the potential of 21 bp mutation in the second intron of the GSN gene as a molecular marker-assisted by exploring the effect of 21 bp mutation on growth traits in four beef cattle breeds. Gelsolin (GSN), a member of the superfamily of gel proteins, is involved in the regulation of a variety of cellular activities in the organism and plays an important function in cell motility, apoptosis, signal transduction and inflammatory responses. Gelatin can not only negatively regulate the pro-apoptotic effect of P53 protein, but also promote apoptosis by blocking the interaction between actin and deoxyribonuclease, so, the GSN gene was selected as a candidate gene in this study. In this study, a 21 bp mutation on the second intron to the GSN gene was verified in 573 individuals of Yunling (YL, n = 220), Jiaxian (JX, n = 140), Xianan (XN, n = 114) and Qinchuan (QC, n = 97) cattle breeds using Once PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. The association analysis of polymorphisms in the GSN gene with growth traits in four breeds was revealed: in YL cattle, the heart girth and forehead size of heterozygous ID genotype were significantly higher than II genotype (P < 0.05). In JX cattle, the withers height, body length and heart girth of II and ID genotype were significantly highest than DD genotype (P < 0.01); the height at hip cross and height at sacrum of II genotype was significantly highest than DD genotype (P < 0.01), but ID genotype was significantly higher than DD genotype. In XN cattle, the abdominal girth and circumference of the cannon bone of II genotype were significantly higher than ID genotype (P < 0.05). In QC cattle, the hucklebone width of ID genotype was significantly the highest than II genotype (P < 0.01). The results suggest that GSN may be an important candidate gene and that a 21 bp mutation on the second intron to the GSN gene can be used for molecular marker-assisted selection of four beef cattle breeds., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Laizhou Bay is plagued by many environmental problems (e.g., acidification and eutrophication) that are likely to increase in the coming decades along with social and demographic trends. We thus conducted 12 cruises from July 2019 to December 2021 in the Laizhou Bay to evaluate the potential influences of human activities on its eutrophication status. The results showed that the parameters of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and oxygen (DO) exceeded the water quality standard in some cases during the past 3 years, suggesting DIN and DO were the crucial factors controlling water quality in the bay. Meanwhile, DIN was identified as a major pollutant in the region, and played an important role in driving the phytoplankton dynamics. Furthermore, with the increases in human-related nutrient inputs (especially DIN), the bay environment reached the mild eutrophication level and was probably at risk from excessive nutrient loads at present, further evidencing the ecosystem degradation., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Marbling score (MS), is an economically important trait in cattle. Previous results showed that a SNP ( c.*188G > A ) of akirin 2 ( AKIRIN2 ) gene was associated with MS in Japanese Black cattle and Korean cattle. However, the distribution of the genotypic frequency of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has not been explored in Chinese cattle. In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing to detect the variation in 1296 individuals from 39 Chinese cattle breeds, one semi-wild bovine species (Dulong) and three introduced breeds (Angus, Holstein and Brahman). Our study found the frequency of the A allele at this locus roughly diminished from north to south in Chinese cattle, and we detected statistically significant differences between Angus and Brahman ( p  < 0.05), Dulong and another two breeds (Angus and Holstein; p  < 0.01) using Chi-Square Independence Test. Our results reflected the variation of AKIRIN2 : c.*188G > A in Chinese cattle, which would help us better understand Chinese cattle genetic resources and provide reference for further research.

Extensive multi-species harmful algal blooms (HABs) were triggered by Super Typhoon Lekima in Laizhou Bay (Bohai Sea) in August 2019. After conducting two field cruises before and after the typhoon passage, we employed both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-pigment and microscopic methods to study the changes in the phytoplankton community and biomass. Following the passage of Lekima, the average surface salinity decreased, while dissolved inorganic nitrogen and dissolved silicate concentrations increased in the study area. The phytoplankton abundance and Chl a significantly increased after the typhoon event. Post-typhoon, the highest abundance values of Pseudo-nitzschia spp., Noctiluca scintillans, and Coscinodiscus spp. reached 10 6 cells/L and those of Bacillaria paxillifera, Ceratium spp., and Gymnodinium catenatum were in the order of 10 5 cells/L. HPLC-pigment CHEMTAX analysis showed that the biomass (Chl a) of dinoflagellates, diatoms, cryptophytes, chlorophytes, and haptophytes increased significantly after the typhoon. The increase in Chl a concentration was mainly attributable to large-sized phytoplankton, which are mostly diatoms and dinoflagellates. This study highlights that typhoons may cause HABs by introducing large amounts of freshwater and nutrients and change the phytoplankton community in a temperate and inner bay., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bovine leukocyte antigen, class II, DO beta (BoLA-DOB) is related to antigen presentation, which can triggered by multicul factors. And the condition of immune function determines how much cattle load to heat stress. To evaluate the relationship between heat-resistance and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BoLA-DOB gene, our study has taken further analysis in Chinese indigenous cattle for the first time. A missense single nucleotide polymorphism (rs464874590) was detected in BoLA-DOB gene. We directly sequenced rs464874590 (NM&#95;001013600.1 g.7122762 A > G) in BoLA-DOB gene of 522 individuals of 26 cattle breeds. The frequency of allele G gradually decreases from south to north with distinct climatic distribution characteristics. Further association analysis was carried out between different genotypes and environmental parameters, including annual mean temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and temperature-humidity index (THI). The result showed that three genotypes were significantly correlated with T, H, and THI (P < 0.01), indicating that GG genotype was distributed in areas with hot and moist conditions. Therefore, our results suggested that the rs464874590 could be applied as a genetic marker to detect the heat-resistance of Chinese indigenous cattle., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Copy number variation (CNV) has been used as an important source of phenotypic and genetic diversity in recent years. Nicastrin ( NCSTN ) gene is usually attached to human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, and Acne inversa. However, there are no essays about the NCSTN gene combining with cattle breeds. In our study, we discovered different distributions of NCSTN gene copy number and associated it with phenotypic traits in four Chinese yellow cattle breeds (XN, PN, QC and YL). The result turned out that the CNV of the NCSTN gene was associated with several growth traits, such as cannon circumference, chest girth and rump length ( p  < 0.05). In general, we revealed the eminence over CNV of NCSTN gene and economic traits, suggesting that the CNV of the NCSTN gene can be considered to be a promising molecular breeding marker of Chinese beef cattle.

The production traits of cattle, especially milk trait, are of great significance to human life. A quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with milk fat content was detected in the centromeric region of cattle chromosome 14. This QTL harbors a strong candidate gene called DGAT1 responsible for the milk quality. A non-conservative substitution of lysine by alanine ( K232A ) was found in DGAT1 gene producing a strong effect on milk composition and yield. The lysine (K allele) is associated with increased milk fat content, while the decreased milk fat content is linked to the alanine (A allele) amino acid. To estimate the frequencies of the DGAT1 K232A polymorphism in Chinese cattle breeds, PCR and DNA sequencing methods were used to investigate the polymorphism of DGAT1 K232A in a total of 682 individuals, including 655 Chinese cattle and 27 Holstein cattle. The results demonstrated that the frequency of K allele gradually elevated from the northern group to the southern group of native Chinese cattle, whereas the frequency of A allele showed a contrary pattern, displaying a significant geographical difference across native Chinese cattle breeds. Our results confirm that the southern cattle group has higher milk fat content than that of the northern group.

A dysfunctional immune response in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is a recurrent theme impacting symptoms and mortality, yet a detailed understanding of pertinent immune cells is not complete. We applied single-cell RNA sequencing to 284 samples from 196 COVID-19 patients and controls and created a comprehensive immune landscape with 1.46 million cells. The large dataset enabled us to identify that different peripheral immune subtype changes are associated with distinct clinical features, including age, sex, severity, and disease stages of COVID-19. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA was found in diverse epithelial and immune cell types, accompanied by dramatic transcriptomic changes within virus-positive cells. Systemic upregulation of S100A8/A9, mainly by megakaryocytes and monocytes in the peripheral blood, may contribute to the cytokine storms frequently observed in severe patients. Our data provide a rich resource for understanding the pathogenesis of and developing effective therapeutic strategies for COVID-19., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests Zemin Zhang is a founder of Analytical Bioscience and an advisor for InnoCare. All financial interests are unrelated to this study. The remining authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Based on the concept of total quality management, the practice of managing needle-stick and sharps injuries was analyzed to improve nursing quality., Methods: Using total quality management, an improvement plan was completed. Standard operating procedures for infusion therapy and monitoring of the circulatory system were made to reduce the utilization of winged metal needles and the frequency of needle-stick injuries. From 2015 to 2018, four cross-sectional surveys were conducted on the use of winged metal needles, peripheral intravenous catheters, central venous catheters, peripherally inserted central catheters, and implantable venous access ports and the status of needle-stick and sharps injuries in our hospital during the 4 years., Results: Four cross-sectional surveys showed that the percentage of winged metal needle utilization decreased significantly from 13% to 0.5%, and that of peripheral intravenous catheters increased from 77% to 87%. Zero tolerance of winged metal needles increased from 33 to 60 nursing units, an improvement rate of 81.82%. The number of needle-stick injuries decreased from 71 to 21, a decrease of 70.42%. Needle-stick injuries occurred mainly during waste disposal (34.71%) and needle withdrawal (18.18%) and when recapping needles (9.92%)., Conclusion: Based on total quality management, the implementation of zero tolerance of winged metal needles is much better. The use of winged metal needles and the incidence of needle-stick injuries are reduced. Total quality management is of great clinical value in preventing needle-stick injuries.

The KRT75 gene (Keratin 75) is a member of the type II epithelial α-keratin gene family which plays a key role in hair and nail formation. And the coat conformation affects heat tolarence in mammals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the KRT75 gene and further evaluate its relation to heat stress in Chinese cattle. A missense mutation (NC&#95;037332.1: g.1052 T > C) of the bovine KRT75 was identified using the Bovine Genome Variation Database (BGVD). The g.1052 T > C variant was then genotyped in 519 individuals of 22 cattle breeds. Further analyses showed that the frequency of T allele in Chinese indigenous cattle breeds gradually diminished from northern groups to southern groups, whereas the frequency of C allele displayed a contrary patternl. Simultaneously, the frequency of the CC and CT genotype for southern groups was much greater than that of the TT genotype. Additionally, association analysis showed the genotypes were remarkably associated with mean annual temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and temperature humidity index (THI) (P < 0.01). Our results demonstrated that the KRT75 gene might be a candidate gene associated with the heat stress in Chinese cattle., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microplastic pollution in marine environments has become a major global environmental issue. However, the source of microplastics in marine environments is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the distribution and the source of microplastics in surface seawater from Sanggou Bay, China. The results showed that the average abundance of microplastics was 20.06 ± 4.73 items/L, which represented a medium and high level relative to other sea areas. Microplastics of <0.5 mm dominated. Most particles were granular and transparent, and polyethylene was the dominant polymer. We estimated that 62.76% of the microplastics originated from mariculture facilities, an indication that mariculture contributes significantly to microplastics pollution, and calculated that 96.15 kg was present in surface seawater of Sanggou Bay. Our findings indicated that more attention should be paid to mariculture-derived microplastics pollution in the future., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The goal of our study is to investigate whether the methylation levels of AHCY and CBS promoters are related to the risk of cerebral infarction by detecting the methylation level of AHCY and CBS genes., Methods: We extracted peripheral venous blood from 152 patients with cerebral infarction and 152 gender- and age-matched healthy controls, and determined methylation levels of AHCY and CBS promoters using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. We used the percentage of methylation reference (PMR) to indicate gene methylation level., Results: We compared the promoter methylation levels of two genes (AHCY and CBS) in peripheral blood DNA between the cerebral infarction case group and the control group. Our study showed no significant difference in AHCY promoter methylation between case and control. Subgroup analysis by gender showed that the methylation level of AHCY in males in the case group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant in females. In a subgroup analysis by age, there was no significant difference in the AHCY methylation level between the case and control in the young group (≤44 years old). However, the level of AHCY gene methylation in the middle-aged group (45-59 years old) was significantly higher and the aged group (≥60 years old) was significantly lower than that in the control groups. However, CBS promoter methylation levels were significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (median PMR: 70.20% vs 104.10%, P = 3.71E-10). In addition, the CBS methylation levels of males and females in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (male: 64.33% vs 105%, P = 2.667E-08; female: 78.05% vs 102.8%, P = 0.003). We also found that the CBS levels in the young (23-44), middle-aged (45-59), and older (60-90) groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (young group: 69.97% vs 114.71%; P = 0.015; middle-aged group: 56.04% vs 91.71%; P = 6.744E-06; older group: 81.6% vs 119.35%; P = 2.644E-04). Our ROC curve analysis of CBS hypomethylation showed an area under the curve of 0.713, a sensitivity of 67.4%, and a specificity of 74.0%., Conclusion: Our study suggests that hypomethylation of the CBS promoter may be closely related to the risk of cerebral infarction and may be used as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for cerebral infarction.

Yunling cattle, a three-breed cross consisting of 1/2 Brahman cattle, 1/4 Murray Grey cattle and 1/4 Yunnan Yellow cattle, has advantage of rapid growth, good meat quality, enhanced tolerance towards a hot and humid climate, tick resistance and crude feed forbearance. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity, global and local ancestry proportions by sequencing the genomes of 131 Yungling cattle and 31 Brahman cattle (for control). Furthermore, we used 35 published genomes of ancestry breeds (including Angus cattle [ancestry of Murray Grey], Wannan cattle [ancestry of Yunnan Yellow cattle: Wenshan and Dianzhong], Wenshan and Dianzhong cattle) to characterize the formation process of Yunling cattle. The highest nucleotide diversity was found in the Wannan cattle, followed by Wenshan, Dianzhong, Brahman, Yunling and Angus cattle. The results of LD decay in each breed was largely consistent with the results of nucleotide diversity, except for the faster decay in Angus cattle out of a smaller effective population size and a strong bottleneck during the breed formation. The population-structure analysis revealed that the cross-breed Yunling cattle harboured the ancestry with Angus (0.44), Brahman (0.48) and Wannan cattle (0.08). Subsequently, we used RFmix to infer local ancestry in Yunling cattle and then performed chi-squared test to obtain the segments whose proportions of a certain ancestry were excessive compared with the whole-genome level, leading to 391 Angus, 49 Brahman and 2,312 Wannan segments. Gene annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the excessive Angus, Brahman and Wannan segments might contribute to the rapid growth, immune resistance and indigenous adaptation, respectively, in Yunling cattle. Our results help understand ancestry components and formation process in Yunling cattle and will provide an opportunity for selective breeding by molecular approaches in future., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

The temporal-spatial distribution of marine autotrophic picoplankton (APP) in the central Bohai Sea was investigated in April (spring), June (early summer), August (summer), and October (autumn) in 2015 through a combination of HPLC-pigment method and flow cytometry. Flow cytometry results showed that APP was composed of Synechococcus (Syn) and pico-eukaryotes (PEUKs). The lowest average abundances of Syn and PEUKs was obtained in April. Afterward, the average APP density substantially increased, and Syn dominated the total cell abundances. Although generally outnumbered by Syn, PEUKs were the larger contributor to total APP carbon biomass (>52%) in all the cruises, except in August, when Syn bloomed. Compared with the cytometric method, HPLC-pigment CHEMTAX revealed a more sophisticated diversity of APP community. In April, diatoms were the main contributor to pico-Chl a, whereas prasinophytes became the main contributor in June and October. Syn bloom was evidenced by CHEMTAX, which revealed that it contributed 69.3% of Chl a in August. Redundancy analysis suggested that temperature was the main factor influencing the distribution of APP. Moreover, nutrients and their structures had some effects, which depended on different APP groups in the area. The accordance between CHEMTAX and cytometric method was evaluated through correlation analysis. A significantly positive correlation between cell abundance and CHEMTAX-derived Chl a was observed for Syn in August and PEUKs in June. Nevertheless, further study is needed owing to the observed discrepancies between the methods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the marine environment has attracted considerable global attention. However, the colonization of microorganisms on mariculture-derived MPs and their effects on mariculture remain poorly understood. In this study, the MPs (fishing nets, foams and floats) and a natural substrate, within size ranges (1-4 mm), were then incubated for 21 days in Sungo Bay (China), and the composition and diversity of bacterial communities attached on all substrates were investigated. Results showed that bacterial communities on MPs mainly originated from their surrounding seawater and sediment, with an average contribution on total MPs adherent population of 47.91% and 37.33%, respectively. Principle coordinate analysis showed that community similarity between MPs and surrounding seawater decreased with exposure time. In addition, lower average bacterial community diversity and higher relative abundances of bacteria from the genera Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas and Alteromonas on MPs than those in their surrounding seawater and sediments indicated that MPs might enrich potential pathogens and bacteria related with carbohydrate metabolism. They are responsible for the significant differences in KEGG Orthology pathways (infectious disease and carbohydrate metabolism) between MPs and seawater. The KO pathway (Infectious Diseases) associated with MPs was also significantly higher than those with feathers in the nearshore area. MPs might be vectors for enrichment of potentially pathogenic Vibrio, and enhance the ecological risk of MPs to mariculture industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As the largest inland sea of China, the Bohai Sea has confronted significant environmental changes in recent decades, and a shift of phytoplankton community from diatoms to dinoflagellates was observed by microscopic method in previous studies. However, the counting of some small-sized non-diatoms (e.g., flagellates and cyanobacteria) have long been neglected due to the limitation of this method. In this study, we measured the phytoplankton community structure and abundance in the central Bohai Sea in summer and autumn of 2015 by employing both microscopic method and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pigments - CHEMTAX analysis. The results of microscopic counting showed that the phytoplankton community was characterized by diatoms, dinoflagellates, and chrysophytes, which contained a total of 107 species. Dinoflagellates and diatoms co-dominated in summer while the latter became the dominant group in autumn. Compared with microscopic counting, CHEMTAX analysis allowed identification of a larger number of phytoplankton groups (including 8 phyla). The results of CHEMTAX analysis showed that besides diatoms and dinoflagellates, the small-sized non-diatoms (i.e., flagellates and cyanobacteria) also played an important role. Diatoms and cyanobacteria dominated the total Chl a (contributing 32.5% and 17.1%, respectively), followed by cryptophytes, dinoflagellates, and prasinophytes in the summer. A short-term summer to autumn variability of phytoplankton abundance and community was observed. Temperature and nutrient availability affected the succession of the phytoplankton community from diatoms and non-diatoms co-dominance in the summer to absolute diatoms dominance in the autumn. A direct comparison of algal cell abundance and CHEMTAX biomass showed that a significant positive correlation was observed only for dinoflagellates (P < 0.01) in the autumn. Our work provides some basic information on the dynamics of small-sized flagellates and cyanobacteria in this area, and also suggests that a combination of both the methods is needed in future investigations to better understand the current status as well as the future changes of phytoplankton community., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Monitoring the ingestion of microplastics by fish in the environment is crucial to understanding the risks posed by microplastics in the marine ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the ingestion of microplastics in deep-sea fish from the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. All fish samples were contaminated by microplastics, reflecting a high level of microplastic pollution in this region. The average abundance of microplastics in the stomachs of sampled fish was 1.96 ± 1.12 items/individual and 1.53 ± 1.08 items/g, and levels in the intestines of sampled fish were 1.77 ± 0.73 items/individual and 4.82 ± 4.74 items/g. Fish were collected from depths of 200 to 209 m and 453 to 478 m, and no significant difference in the quantity of microplastics ingested was detected among different depths in this range. The microplastics ingested by fish were dominated by plastics that were <1 mm in size, film-like in shape, transparent in color and composed of cellophane. Our results suggest that the ingestion of microplastics by fish is closely related with the microplastic pollution in the marine environment., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

With its vast territory and complex natural environment, China boasts rich cattle genetic resources. To gain the further insight into the genetic diversity and paternal origins of Chinese cattle, we analyzed the polymorphism of Y-SNPs (UTY19 and ZFY10) and Y-STRs (INRA189 and BM861) in 34 Chinese cattle breeds/populations, including 606 males representative of 24 cattle breeds/populations collected in this study as well as previously published data for 302 bulls. Combined genotypic data identified 14 Y-chromosome haplotypes that represented three haplogroups. Y2-104-158 and Y2-102-158 were the most common taurine haplotypes detected mainly in northern and central China, whereas the indicine haplotype Y3-88-156 predominates in southern China. Haplotypes Y2-108-158, Y2-110-158, Y2-112-158 and Y3-92-156 were private to Chinese cattle. The population structure revealed by multidimensional scaling analysis differentiated Tibetan cattle from the other three groups of cattle. Analysis of molecular variance showed that the majority of the genetic variation was explained by the genetic differences among groups. Overall, our study indicates that Chinese cattle retain high paternal diversity (H = 0.607 ± 0.016) and probably much of the original lineages that derived from the domestication center in the Near East without strong admixture from commercial cattle carrying Y1 haplotypes., (© 2018 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Complete mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequences of 1105 individuals were used to assess the diversity of maternal lineages of cattle populations in China. In total, 250 taurine and 88 zebu haplotypes were identified. Five main haplogroups-T1a, T2, T3, T4 and T5-were identified in Bos taurus, whereas Bos indicus harbored two haplogroups-I1 and I2. Our results suggest that the distribution of T1a in Asia was concentrated mainly in the northeast region (northeast China, Korea and Japan); haplogroups T2, T3 and T4 were predominant in Chinese cattle; and T5 was sporadically detected in Mongolian and Pingwu cattle. In contrast to the widespread presence of I1, I2 was distributed only in southwestern China (Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Tibet Autonomous Region) and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. This is the first time that all five taurine haplogroups and two zebu haplogroups have been found in Mongolian cattle. In addition, eight individuals in Tibetan cattle carried the Bos grunniens mtDNA type. The high mtDNA diversity (H = 0.904 ± 0.008) and the weak genetic structure among the 57 Chinese cattle breeds/populations are consistent with their complex historical background, migration route and ecological environment., (© 2018 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)