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Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), with the strong toxicity and carcinogenicity, has been reported to great toxicity to the liver and other organs of animals. It cause huge economic losses to breeding industry, including the aquaculture industry. Chinese mitten crabs (Eriocheir sinensis), as one of important species of freshwater aquaculture in China, are deeply disturbed by it. However, the molecular and metabolic mechanisms of hepatopancreas and ovary in crabs underlying coping ability are still unclear. Hence, we conducted targeted injection experiment with or without AFB1, and comprehensively analyzed transcriptome and metabolomics of hepatopancreas and ovary. As a result, 210 and 250 DEGs were identified in the L-C vs. L-30 m and L-C vs. L-60 m comparison, among which 14 common DEGs were related to six major functional categories, including antibacterial and detoxification, ATP energy reaction, redox reaction, nerve reaction, liver injury repair and immune reaction. A total of 228 and 401 DAMs in the ML-C vs. ML-30 m and ML-C vs. ML-60 m comparison both enriched 12 pathways, with clear functions of cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, purine metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, ABC transporters and tryptophan metabolism. Integrated analysis of metabolomics and transcriptome in hepatopancreas discovered three Co-enriched pathways, including steroid biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. In summary, the expression levels and functions of related genes and metabolites reveal the regulatory mechanism of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) adaptability to the Aflatoxin B1, and the findings contribute to a new perspective for understanding Aflatoxin B1 and provide some ideas for dealing with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed production plays an important role in aquaculture. The sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus is an important marine aquaculture species in many Asian countries. By 2020, the annual total seed production of A. japonicus reached 551 billion individuals in China. However, the traditional method of culturing A. japonicus larvae is cost intensive and causes environmental pollution. In this study, we developed an eco‐friendly method for rearing sea cucumber larvae. We designed a cage system to provide a suitable living environment for larvae in open‐air outdoor ponds, and then, we identified 0.2 larvae per ml as the optimal stocking density for larval rearing. We also found that substrates made of oyster and scallop shells were optimal for larval settlement. A. japonicus larvae showed good survival, growth, development and settlement when cultured using this low‐cost and non‐polluting method. Our results can be applied to support sustainable development of the sea cucumber industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of benign pelvic lesions and tumors is still a challenge in clinical orthopedics. The surgical procedure was complicated and the postoperative complication was hard to avoid usually. The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical outcome and predict the fracture risk of benign bone tumors on acetabular dome by finite element analysis. In our research, clinical data of 25 patients were collected from January 2010 to January 2017, including basic information of patients, reconstruction methods, complications, and postoperative MSTS function scores. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to predict the fracture risk when a benign tumor involved an acetabular dome. 25 patients were followed up for 37.5 ± 5.6 (ranging from 24 to 78) months. Intraoperative bleeding was 100–3000 ml (mean 858.3 ml). The postoperative MSTS93 score was 19.61 ± 7.32 before operation and 26.28 ± 15.59 at the last follow-up. The results of finite element analysis suggest that there was a high risk for pathological fracture in the following: both columns were damaged by tumors; the anterior column and 50% of the posterior column were affected. Other cases were in the low fracture risk group. Based on this study, we believe that, according to the risk assessment results of tumor cavity fracture suggested by the FEA results, combined with the nature of tumor, it may become a useful tool which is a great significance to guide the operation plan, select the operation time, and guide the postoperative functional exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross is an herbal medicine with a long history of common use in China. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome sequence of P. perfoliata and investigated its phylogenetic relationship in the family Polygonaceae. The total genome size is 160,585 bp in length with 37.96% GC content, consisting of a small single-copy (SSC) of 12,876 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) of 85,439 bp, and two inverted repeats (IRs) of 31,135 bp. The cp genome contains 128 genes, including 35 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and 85 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that P. perfoliata was closely related to P. maackiana, and Persicaria exhibited a closer relationship with Bistorta in the family Polygonaceae. This work provides a molecular basis for investigating the evolutionary status, phylogenetic relationships, and population genetics of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are ubiquitous anaerobic microorganisms that play significant roles in the global biogeochemical cycle. Coastal wetlands, one of the major habitats of SRB, exhibit high sulfate-reducing activity and thus play significant roles in organic carbon remineralization, benthic geochemical action, and plant-microbe interactions. Recent studies have provided credible evidence that the functional rather than the taxonomic composition of microbes responds more closely to environmental factors. Therefore, in this study, functional gene prediction based on PacBio single molecular real-time sequencing of 16S rDNA was applied to determine the sulfate-reducing and organic substrate-decomposing activities of SRB in the rhizospheres of two typical coastal wetland plants in North and South China: Zostera japonica and Scirpus mariqueter. To this end, some physicochemical characteristics of the sediments as well as the phylogenetic structure, community composition, diversity, and proportions of several functional genes of the SRB in the two plant rhizospheres were analyzed. The Z. japonica meadow had a higher dissimilatory sulfate reduction capability than the S. mariqueter-comprising saltmarsh, owing to its larger proportion of SRB in the microbial community, larger proportions of functional genes involved in dissimilatory sulfate reduction, and the stronger ability of the SRB to degrade organic substrates completely. This study confirmed the feasibility of applying microbial community function prediction in research on the metabolic features of SRB, which will be helpful for gaining new knowledge of the biogeochemical and ecological roles of these bacteria in coastal wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mass mortalities of sea cucumber Apostichpous japonicus have prevailed in northern China, mainly attributing to the emergence of extreme environmental conditions, that is hyperthermia and hyposalinity. The high‐quality sea cucumber seedlings appear to possess more robust resistance to adverse conditions. There are usually indoor‐ and outdoor‐cultured seedlings in industrial production of sea cucumbers. Although the outdoor‐cultured sea cucumbers are practically considered to be more strong and robust, the effective evaluation approach to distinguish these seedlings has been scarce. The current study compared survival and immune performances of indoor‐ and outdoor‐cultured A. japonicus under combined exogenous stressors, that is hyperthermia and hyposalinity. Results based on secondary stress induction revealed that the activities of immune enzymes and levels of catecholamines in body wall of outdoor‐cultured seedlings were prominently higher than those of indoor‐cultured seedlings recovered for 0–72 hr following sublethal stress (30°C and 25 psu of salinity). The opposite case occurred on immune enzymes in coelomic fluid of the two sources of seedlings except for myeloperoxidase. Importantly, the outdoor‐cultured seedlings, which were recovered for 72 hr after sublethal stress, exhibited a 93% of cumulative survival rate following 7 days of recovery after lethal stress (33°C and 20 psu of salinity), 27% higher than the indoor‐cultured seedlings. Collectively, the outdoor‐cultured A. japonicus seedlings showed more superior quality than the hatchery‐produced seedlings in terms of survival and immune performance. These findings provide practically useful information towards quality distinction of the indoor‐ and outdoor‐cultured sea cucumbers, which could benefit the aquaculture industry to obtain high‐quality seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentrations of eight heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were measured in the sediment, the isolated microplastics from the sediment and the body wall of sea cucumbers from farms in China. Accordingly, the heavy metal concentrations in the sediment were below the class I upper limit of Chinese sediment quality guidelines. Among heavy metals, the median concentrations of Cd and As were higher in the body wall than in the corresponding sediment. Additionally, the median concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn were higher on the microplastics than in the corresponding sediment. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation among heavy metals in sediment, sea cucumber and microplastics. This study contributes to the understanding of the heavy metal accumulation in the sediment, the microplastics and the body wall of the sea cucumber. Unlabelled Image • Microplastics may serve as a vector of heavy metals in the sea cucumber farms. • Sea cucumber may have a strategy accumulating some heavy metals in the body wall. • Sea cucumber A. japonicus might be considered as a bio-monitor for Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phellodendron amurense is an endangered tree with important medicinal and economic value in China. In this study, eight nuclear SSR primer pairs were employed to assess the genetic diversity and structure of 22 natural populations, including 516 individuals. A total of 66 alleles were detected with an average of 8.3 alleles per locus ranging from 3 to 17. The expected heterozygosity ( H e) of each SSR locus varied from 0.347 to 0.877 (average 0.627). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the main variation component existed within populations (95.11%) rather than among populations (4.89%). The Wilcoxon's sign-rank tests did not show any recent bottleneck effect in any population. A Mantel test displayed a significant correlation between the geographic distances and genetic distances for all populations (r = 0.566, P = 0.0001), indicating conformity to the isolation by distance model. Bayesian clustering and UPGMA supported grouping the populations into two groups. The present genetic structure of P. amurense may be explained by geographical isolation. The lack of genetic structure and genetic diversity decreased with increasing latitude within the Northeast China group may be due to postglacial northward expansion from a single refugium. Proper conservation measures are proposed for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In coastal areas of China, the seagrass Zostera japonica has drastically decreased in the past decades. Swan Lake is an exception, where we found extensive areas of Z. japonica beds. The growth of Z. japonica in the lagoon exhibited strong seasonal variation. The maximum shoot density of 9880 ± 2786 shoots m −2 occurred in August. The maximum specific growth rate (SGR) of 4.99 ± 1.99% ⋅ d −1 was recorded in June 2012. SGR might be a good parameter for assessing the growth status of Z. japonica population. N and P contents in the rhizome were significantly lower than those in the leaf and leaf sheath. Lower C/P ratios suggested P enrichment of the seagrass. The occurrence of Z. japonica in Swan Lake was featured by adapting to the intertidal harsh environments. The transplantation method using sectioned rhizomes would be a potential way for restoration of degraded Z. japonica beds. The establishment of the Rongcheng Swan National Nature Reserve in China has contributed to the survival and expansion of Z. japonica in Swan Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumbers Apostichopus japonicus are one of the most important aquaculture species in China. Their normal body color is black to fit their surroundings. Wild albinos are rare and hard to breed. To understand the differences between albino and normal (control) sea cucumbers at the transcriptional level, we sequenced the transcriptomes in their body-wall tissues using RNA-Seq high-throughput sequencing. Approximately 4.876 million (M) and 4.884 M 200-nucleotide-long cDNA reads were produced in the cDNA libraries derived from the body walls of albino and control samples, respectively. A total of 9 561 (46.89%) putative genes were identified from among the RNA-Seq reads in both libraries. After filtering, 837 significantly differentially regulated genes were identified in the albino library compared with in the control library, and 3.6% of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found to have changed those more than five-fold. The expression levels of 10 DEGs were checked by real-time PCR and the results were in full accord with the RNA-Seq expression trends, although the amplitude of the differences in expression levels was lower in all cases. A series of pathways were significantly enriched for the DEGs. These pathways were closely related to phagocytosis, the complement and coagulation cascades, apoptosis-related diseases, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and cell adhesion. The differences in gene expression and enriched pathways between the albino and control sea cucumbers offer control targets for cultivating excellent albino A. japonicus strains in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An artificial oyster shell reef was deployed in Rongcheng Bay, East China. However, the effects of this reef on the surrounding macrobenthic communities were unknown. We compared sedimentary factors, macrobenthic biomass, abundance, and community composition and ecological indicators between the reef and non-reef areas over a one year period. The mean values for chlorophyll a (Chl a), total organic matter (TOM), total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) content in surface sediments in the reef area were slightly higher than those in the non-reef area. The Chl a levels differed significantly between the two areas, but the TOM, TOC, and TN were not significantly different. The abundance of crustaceans was significantly different between the two areas, but the abundance and biomass of polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusk did not differ significantly. The permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed that the macrobenthic community differed significantly through time and analysis of similarity multivariate analyses (ANOSIM) revealed that the macrobenthic community differed significantly in some months. The ecological indicators revealed that the environmental quality of the reef area was slightly better than that of the non-reef area. Overall, our results suggest that the artificial oyster shell reef may change the macrobenthic community and the quality of the environment. Despite the lack of an effect in the short term, long-term monitoring is still needed to evaluate the effects of artificial oyster shell reefs on macrobenthic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eelgrass ecosystems have a wide variety of ecological functions in which living tissues and detritus may be a food source for many marine animals. In this study, we conducted a laboratory simulating experiment to understand the trophic relationship between the eelgrass Zostera marina L and the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. A mixture of decaying eelgrass debris and seafloor surface muddy sediments was used as food to feed A. japonicus, and then specific growth rates (SGR) and fecal production rates (FPR) were measured. According to the proportion of eelgrass debris, we designed five treatment diets, i.e., ES0, ES10, ES20, ES40, and ES100, with eelgrass debris accounting for 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and 100% in dry weight, respectively. Results showed that diet composition had a great influence on the growth of A. japonicus. Sea cucumbers could use decaying eelgrass debris as their food source; and when the organic content of a mixture of eelgrass debris and sediment was 19.6% (ES40), a relatively high SGR (1.54%·d−1) and FPR (1.31 g·ind.−1 d−1) of A. japonicus were obtained. It is suggested that eelgrass beds can not only provide habitat for the sea cucumber A. japonicus but can also provide an indirect food source for the deposit feeder. This means that the restoration and reconstruction of eelgrass beds, especially in coastal waters of China, would be a potential and effective measure for sea-cucumber fisheries, in respect to both resource restoration and aquaculture of this valuable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: [1.] This paper investigated the bioenergetic responses of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (wet weights of 36.5±1.2g) to different water temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C) in the laboratory. [2.] Results showed that theoretically the optimal temperatures for energy intake and scope for growth (SFG) of sub-adult A. japonicus was at 15.6 and 16.0°C, respectively. The aestivation threshold temperature for this life-stage sea cucumber could be 29.0°C by taking feeding cessation as the indication of aestivation. [3.] Our data suggests that A. japonicus is thermo-sensitive to higher temperature, which prevents it from colonising sub-tropical coastal zones. Therefore, water temperature plays an important role in its southernmost distribution limit in China. [4.] The potential impact of global ocean warming on A. japonicus might be a northward shift in the geographical distribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fed fish farms produce large amounts of wastes, including dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. In China, fish mariculture in coastal waters has been increasing since the last decade. However, there is no macroalgae commercially cultivated in north China in warm seasons. To exploit fish-farm nutrients as a resource input, and at the same time to reduce the risk of eutrophication, the high-temperature adapted red alga Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Bory) Dawson from south China was co-cultured with the fish Sebastodes fuscescens in north China in warm seasons. Growth and nutrient removal from fish culture water were investigated in laboratory conditions in order to evaluate the nutrient bioremediation capability of G. lemaneiformis. Feasibility of integrating the seaweed cultivation with the fed fish-cage aquaculture in coastal waters of north China was also investigated in field conditions. Laboratory seaweed/fish co-culture experiments showed that the seaweed was an efficient nutrient pump and could remove most nutrients from the system. Field cultivation trials showed that G. lemaneiformis grew very well in fish farming areas, at maximum growth rate of 11.03% day− 1. Mean C, N, and P contents in dry thalli cultured in Jiaozhou Bay were 28.9±1.1%, 4.17±0.11% and 0.33±0.01%, respectively. Mean N and P uptake rates of the thalli were estimated at 10.64 and 0.38 μmol g− 1 dry weight h− 1, respectively. An extrapolation of the results showed that a 1-ha cultivation of the seaweed in coastal fish farming waters would give an annual harvest of more than 70 t of fresh G. lemaneiformis, or 9 t dry materials; 2.5 t C would be produced, and simultaneously 0.22 t N and 0.03t P would be sequestered from the seawater by the seaweed. Results indicated that the seaweed is suitable as a good candidate for seaweed/fish integrated mariculture for bioremediation and economic diversification. The integration can benefit economy and environment in a sustainable manner in warm seasons in coastal waters of north China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Effects of stocking density on seston dynamics and filtering and biodeposition by the suspension-cultured Zhikong scallop Chlamys farreri Jones et Preston in a eutrophic bay (Sishili Bay, northern China), were determined in a 3-month semi-field experiment with continuous flow-through seawater from the bay. Results showed that the presence of the scallops could strongly decrease seston and chlorophyll a concentrations in the water column. Moreover, in a limited water column, increasing scallop density could cause seston depletion due to scallop''s filtering and biodeposition process, and impair scallop growth. Both filtration rate and biodeposition rate of C. farreri showed significant negative correlation with their density and positive relationship with seston concentration. Calculation predicts that the daily removal of suspended matter from water column by the scallops in Sishili Bay ecosystem can be as high as 45% of the total suspended matter; and the daily production of biodeposits by the scallops in early summer in farming zone may amount to 7.78 g m−2, with daily C, N and P biodeposition rates of 3.06×10−1, 3.86×10−2 and 9.80×10−3 g m−2, respectively. The filtering and biodeposition by suspension-cultured scallops could substantially enhance the deposition of total suspended particulate material, suppress accumulation of particulate organic matter in water column, and increase the flux of C, N and P to benthos, strongly enhancing pelagic–benthic coupling. It was suggested that the filtering-biodeposition process by intensively suspension-cultured bivalve filter-feeders could exert strong top-down control on phytoplankton biomass and other suspended particulate material in coastal ecosystems. This study also indicated that commercially suspension-cultured bivalves may simultaneously and potentially aid in mitigating eutrophication pressures on coastal ecosystems subject to anthropogenic N and P loadings, serving as a eutrophic-environment bioremediator. The ecological services (e.g. filtering capacity, top-down control, and benthic–pelagic coupling) functioned by extractive bivalve aquaculture should be emphasized in coastal ecosystems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mass mortalities of cultured zhikong scallops (Chlamys farreri) have occurred each summer in most culture areas of northern China since 1996. Among the hypothesized causes are high culture density, infectious disease and genetic inbreeding. To investigate these potential agents, C. farreri were deployed at three densities (low, medium and high) at three sites (Jiaonan, Penglai and Yantai) in the summer of 2000. Scallops were sampled for survival, growth and histopathology before, during and after a mortality episode. Most of the mortality occurred in July and August, during and toward the later part of the spawning season, when water temperature reached 23–26 °C. Final cumulative mortalities reached 85% to 90% at all three sites. Scallops in the medium and high densities had higher initial death rates than did those at the low density. High densities also inhibited growth. Ciliates from the genus Trichodina, larvae of various organisms and anomalous secretions were observed in sections of the gill cavity, with highest prevalence during and at the end of the mortality period. Prokaryotic inclusion bodies were found in the soft tissues, but their prevalence was low and apparently without correlation with mortalities. Genetic analysis with random amplified polymorphic DNA markers showed slightly lower heterozygosity in the cultured stocks (0.301) than in the wild stocks (0.331). It is possible that the mortalities are caused by a combination of several factors such as stress associated with reproduction, high temperature, overcrowding and poor circulation in the growout cages, opportunistic invaders or pathogens, and possibly inbreeding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Protein is a necessary nutrient for the sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus , an important commercial species in China, South Korea and Japan. In this study, the dietary protein requirements of two newly discovered color morphs—white and purple was investigated and compared with the common, green morph. The green, white and purple morphs were fed a diet with five different protein levels (1, 6, 11, 16 and 21%) for 60 days with a mixture of soybean meal and fish meal (1:1) as the protein source, and their growth, energy budget, physiological and immunological performance were measured. Results showed that dietary protein levels had a significant effect on the growth performance of A. japonicus (P < 0.05). The maximum specific growth rate (SGR) and proportion of energy allocated for growth occurred at dietary protein levels of 6 and 11%, and the food conversion efficiency (FCE) was highest at the 11% protein level, indicating that the optimum dietary protein level for these color morphs is at ~ 11%. Apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (ADMD) and crude protein (ACPD) increased, but the ingestion rate decreased with increasing dietary protein levels, due perhaps to the decreased sea-mud content of the diets. The energy allocated to excretion, and the free ammonia and malonaldehyde content in coelomic fluid increased with increasing dietary protein levels, which can be explained by enhanced protein metabolism. Trypsin activity decreased significantly when dietary protein was > 16%, indicating that the protein content was beyond the digestive ability of sea cucumber, and that excess protein in the diet inhibits protein digestion. Catalase (CAT) and glutamic–oxaloacetic transaminase activity was positively and significantly correlated with SGR, indicating that rapid growth was supported by a robust immune system and effective protein metabolism. At a 1% dietary protein level, the purple color morph had significantly higher SGR, FCE, ACPD and CAT activity, and allocated more energy for growth than the green morph, indicating that the purple morph may be better adapted to a low protein diet than the green morph. The white morph had lower SGR, FCE, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and CAT activity, and allocated less energy to growth, but had a higher excretion energy and higher free ammonia content in coelomic fluid than the green or purple morphs, indicating a difference or physiological defect in protein metabolism in the white morph. Statement of relevance The results of this study would be invaluable in improving aquaculture technology and management strategies for green, white, and purple color morphs of Apostichopus japonicus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1980s, seagrass populations have declined greatly in most coastal waters of China. Nevertheless, we documented, in this study, an unusual occurrence of the eelgrass Zostera marina L. in north China, with biomass markedly higher than other temperate areas in the world. Seasonal changes in biometric variables and the biomass of Z. marina were examined in a shallow marine lagoon of Swan Lake, an important nature reserve for swans ( Cygnus cygnus ). Results showed that shoot height of eelgrass varied seasonally, with maximum values (>170 cm) being recorded in June 2009 and minimum values (<25 cm) in January–March 2010. The highest shoot density was recorded in August 2009 (645 shoots m −2 ) and the lowest in March 2010 (334 shoots m −2 ). Eelgrass biomass also varied seasonally, from >1000 g DW m −2 in August 2009 to <100 g DW m −2 in March 2010. Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content in different parts of eelgrass also varied seasonally. The N and P contents in rhizomes were significantly lower than that in leaves and leaf sheaths. Annual average C/N ratios in leaves, leaf sheaths, and rhizomes were 14.99 ± 2.97, 13.31 ± 4.59, and 18.50 ± 4.99, respectively; and annual average C/P ratios were 248.82 ± 81.7, 199.8 ± 87.5, and 289.2 ± 95.1, respectively; the abovementioned deviations suggest P enrichment of eelgrass in the lagoon, compared with the global range for the species. Water temperature is the most important environmental factor that impacts the seasonal variation in this species. The increased distribution area and high productivity of Z. marina were mostly attributed to local conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dam impoundment, which rapidly changes hydrologic regimes and greatly alters aquatic environments, plays a critical role in the seed germination and seedling growth of wetland plants, especially influencing their seed banks. In this study, a soil seed bank experiment was carried out along a water level gradient for the Lake Lashi wetland in the Northwest Yunnan Plateau of China. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect, driver and dynamic mechanism of dam impoundment on the soil seed bank of plateau wetlands using partial least squares (PLS) regression and chaotic dynamic methods. The results showed that the soil seed bank had significant differences in seed density, species composition, and water ecotype of the plant species between the flood zone (perennially flooded area, seasonally flooded area, and flood plain area) and nonflood zone (control area) in the plateau wetland. The seed bank density was obviously lower in the perennially flooded area and higher in the seasonally flooded area and flood plain area, with values that were 39.88%, 153.53%, and 146.47% that of the control area, respectively. After dam impoundment, the number of plant species gradually increased; however, the dominance of the dominant species became less obvious, and the species diversity indices decreased significantly, e.g., by 15.47% for the Simpson diversity index and 72.39% for the Shannon Wiener diversity index. Our study showed that dam impoundment has made the Lake Lashi wetland complex chaotic ecosystem switch between order and disorder through self-organization and that the species composition of the soil seed bank continuously experienced self-adaptation. These results provide a reference for scientific evaluations of the effects of dam impoundment on wetland ecosystems and provide guidance for the protection and management of plateau wetland ecosystems. • The soil seed bank of plateau wetland showed significant changes after dam impoundment. • The soil seed bank density relatively increased, however, the species diversity decreased significantly. • Dam impoundment has made Lake Lashi ecosystem switch between order and disorder through self-organization. • The species composition of the soil seed bank continuously experienced self-adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial reefs are widely deployed for fishery enhancement and marine conservation. A comprehensive assessment on the effects of artificial reefs could minimize the negative consequence of blindly developing artificial reefs. We examined the meiofaunal community and benthic environment adjacent to and <5 m from artificial reefs in Xiangyun Bay, Bohai Sea, China. We found the highest total meiofaunal abundance beside the artificial reef. Shannon-Wiener and Pielou indexes had no significant difference among different distances from the artificial reefs. The presence of artificial reefs impeded the surrounding flow and provided additional substrate for bivalves and kelps, which could cause finer sediment and organic enrichment around it. Sediment grain size and total organic matter were the most important parameters influencing the meiofauna. We suggest that the shape, material, configuration and location of artificial reefs should be related with a specific goal to avoid mindless proliferation., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Microplastic ingestion by the farmed sea cucumber is undocumented. Microplastics were isolated from the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus that was collected from eight farms along the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea in China. To examine microplastic ingestion, the intestines were isolated, digested and then subjected to the floatation test. The microplastic abundance in the sediment ranged from 20 to 1040 particles kg -1 of dry sediment, while the ingested microplastics ranged from 0 to 30 particles intestine -1 . After filtering the coelomic fluid, the extracted microplastics from the coelomic fluid ranged from 0 to 19 particles animal -1 . Thus, we speculated that microplastics may transfer to the coelomic fluid of sea cucumber. The ingested microplastics did not correlate with the animal body weight but was site dependent, suggesting that sea cucumber may serve as sentinel for microplastic pollution monitoring in the sediment. The microplastics were identified by Fourier transform infrared micro spectroscopy, and the polymer types were mainly cellophane, polyester, and polyethylene terephthalate. This study revealed that, microplastics widely existed in sea cucumber farms, and that sea cucumbers ingest microplastics as suitable with their mouth open. Moreover, the microplastics might transfer to the coelomic fluid of the sea cucumber. Further investigations are needed to assess the chronic effect of the microplastics on the growth and physiological status of the sea cucumber., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The recent miniaturization of acoustic tracking devices has allowed fishery managers and scientists to collect spatial and temporal data for sustainable fishery management. The spatial and temporal dimensions of fish behavior (movement and/or vertical migrations) are particularly relevant for rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) because most rockfish species are long-lived and have high site fidelity, increasing their vulnerability to overexploitation. In this study, we describe the short-term (with a tracking period of up to 46 d) spatial behavior, as determined by acoustic tracking, of the black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii, a species subject to overexploitation in the Yellow Sea of China. The average residence index (the ratio of detected days to the total period from release to the last detection) in the study area was 0.92 ± 0.13, and most of the tagged fish were detected by only one region of the acoustic receiver array, suggesting relatively high site fidelity to the study area. Acoustic tracking also suggested that this species is more frequently detected during the day than at night in our study area. However, the diel detection periodicity (24 h) was only evident for certain periods of the tracking time, as revealed by a continuous wavelet transform. The habitat selection index of tagged S. schlegelii suggested that S. schlegelii preferred natural reefs, mixed sand/artificial reef bottoms and mixed bottoms of boulder, cobble, gravel and artificial reefs. The preference of this species for the artificial reefs that were recently deployed in the study area suggests that artificial seascapes may be effective management tools to attract individuals. The vertical movement of tagged S. schlegelii was mostly characterized by bottom dwelling behavior, and there was high individual variability in the vertical migration pattern. Our results have important implications for S. schlegelii catchability, the implementation of marine protected areas, and the identification of key species habitats, and our study provides novel information for future studies on the sustainability of this important marine resource in eastern China.

Sea cucumbers, Apostichopus japonicus, experience seasonally high water temperatures during the summer months and enter aestivation to survive. Aestivation is characterized by strong metabolic rate depression which is supported by a series of strategies including reorganizing metabolic processes, suppressing cell functions, enhancing cytoprotective mechanisms, and altered gene expression. The respiratory tree tissue of the sea cucumber is an excellent material for studying aestivation, undergoing obvious atrophy during aestivation. The present study analyzed the global gene expression profile of respiratory tree tissue of A. japonicus during aestivation by constructing and screening three libraries representing key stages of aestivation: non-aestivation (NA), deep-aestivation (DA), and arousal from aestivation (AA) using RNA-seq. A total of 1240, 1184 and 303 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified following the criteria of |log2 ratio|≥1 and FDR≤0.001 in comparisons of DA vs. NA, AA vs. NA and DA vs. AA. A set of respiratory tree specific DEGs was identified the first time and, in addition, common DEGs that were responsive to aestivation in both respiratory tree and intestine were identified. Functional analysis of DEGs was further performed by GO enrichment analysis and respiratory tree specific GO terms were screened out and provide interesting hints for further studies of the molecular regulation of aestivation in A. japonicus., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Eelgrass beds in coastal waters of China have declined substantially over the past 30 years. In this study, a simple new transplanting technique was developed for eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) restoration. To assist in anchoring single shoots, several rhizomes of rooted shoots were bound to a small elongate stone (50-150 g) with biodegradable thread (cotton or hemp), and then the bound packet was buried at an angle in the sediments at a depth of 2-4 cm. This stone anchoring method was used to transplant eelgrass in early November 2009 and late May 2010 in Huiquan Bay, Qingdao. The method led to high success. Three month survivorship of the transplanted shoots at the two transplant sites was >95%. From April 20 to November 19, 2012, the following characteristics of the 2009 and 2010 transplanted eelgrass beds were monitored: morphological changes, shoot density, shoot height, leaf biomass, and sediment particle size. Results showed that the sexual reproduction period of the planted eelgrass was from April to August, and vegetative reproduction reached its peak in autumn. Maximum shoot height and biomass were observed in June and July. After becoming established, the transplanted eelgrass beds were statistically equal to natural eelgrass beds nearby in terms of shoot height, biomass, and seasonal variations. This indicates that the transplant technique is effective for eelgrass restoration in coastal waters.

Eelgrass ecosystems have a wide variety of ecological functions in which living tissues and detritus may be a food source for many marine animals. In this study, we conducted a laboratory simulating experiment to understand the trophic relationship between the eelgrass Zostera marina L and the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus. A mixture of decaying eelgrass debris and seafloor surface muddy sediments was used as food to feed A. japonicus, and then specific growth rates (SGR) and fecal production rates (FPR) were measured. According to the proportion of eelgrass debris, we designed five treatment diets, i.e., ES0, ES10, ES20, ES40, and ES100, with eelgrass debris accounting for 0%, 10%, 20%, 40%, and 100% in dry weight, respectively. Results showed that diet composition had a great influence on the growth of A. japonicus. Sea cucumbers could use decaying eelgrass debris as their food source; and when the organic content of a mixture of eelgrass debris and sediment was 19.6% (ES40), a relatively high SGR (1.54%·d(-1)) and FPR (1.31 g·ind.(-1) d(-1)) of A. japonicus were obtained. It is suggested that eelgrass beds can not only provide habitat for the sea cucumber A. japonicus but can also provide an indirect food source for the deposit feeder. This means that the restoration and reconstruction of eelgrass beds, especially in coastal waters of China, would be a potential and effective measure for sea-cucumber fisheries, in respect to both resource restoration and aquaculture of this valuable species.

Objective: To study the effect and function of P16 protein during the development of lung cancer, in order to explore the differences of expression of P16 protein in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between Xuanwei and Kunming district., Methods: 45 patients with NSCLC from Xuanwei and 45 patients from Kunming,18 patients from pneumatocele who underwent radical resection were collected. Immunohistochemical staining were used to analyze the expressions of P16 protein in paraffin-embedded tissues from these 90 residing patients with lung cancer., Results: 45 cases with lung cancer were negative for P16 protein expression, total loss expression rates were 41.7% (45/108). Loss expression rates of Xuanwei,Kunming and pneumatocele were 57.8% (26/45), 37.8% (17/45), 11.1% (2/18), respectively. In comparition the loss expression of P16 protein in clinicopathologic characteristics between the two groups, there were some statistically significant differences in the loss expression rate of P16 (P < 0.05): the loss expression rate of P16 in cases with stage I, adenocarcinoma and stage T2 in Xuanwei were more higher than those in Kunming; the loss expression rates of P16 in Xuanwei and Kungming were more higher than those in pneumatocele respectively., Conclusion: Loss expression rates of P16 protein in the early stage and adenocarcinoma in Xuanwei lung cancer group were significant difference compared with in Kunming lung cancer group.

Research on the group-reference effect has confirmed that social identities can affect memory, but few studies have explored the role of identity salience in this effect. Two experiments were designed to fill the gap. In Experiment 1 Tibetan students at one predominantly Han Chinese university showed high ethnic identity salience and better memory for trait adjectives encoded in reference to Tibetans than in reference to Han Chinese. In Experiment 2 Tibetan students at one Tibetan-majority university demonstrated low ethnic identity salience and no differences were found between memory performance under Tibetan-referential processing and Han-referential processing conditions. In comparison, Han participants did not show high ethnic awareness or an ingroup-reference effect in either experiment, due to membership of an ethnic majority (Experiment1) and lack of inter-ethnic contact (Experiment 2). These findings suggest that high salience is a prerequisite for social identities to facilitate memory.

Catecholamines have long been known to play essential roles in several physiological processes in invertebrates. In this study, enzyme immunoassays were used to examine the levels of catecholamines (including adrenaline (AD), noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (DA)) in the hemolymph of the scallop, Chlamys farreri, in responses to selected environmental stress. These stressors include high temperature (acute transfer from 17 to 28 degrees C), low salinity (acute transfer from salinity 31 to 20 psu) and air exposure, which are commonly encountered in aquaculture practices or in their natural habitat. The results showed that both AD and NA concentrations increased significantly in response to all the stressors. The levels of these catecholamines peaked 72 hr after acute temperature or salinity stresses, and then decreased gradually. For scallops subjected to air exposure, the duration of AD concentration elevation depended on the exposure temperature with a higher air temperature resulting in a shorter time to return to control level. In contrast, the NA responses were long lasting and no obvious decreases were observed after reaching the peak value. Interestingly, the DA concentration showed an inverse trend in response to stresses compared with AD or NA. These results suggested that the catecholaminergic responses in bivalve hemolymph will provide useful references in predicting the success of aquaculture practices and monitoring the environmental stresses., ((c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)