The connection of phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya of the western Antarctic Peninsula to the Southern Annular Mode

Antarctic coastal polynyas are biological hotspots in the Southern Ocean that support the abundance of hightrophic-level predators and are important for carbon cycling in the high-latitude oceans.In this study,we examined the interannual variation of summertime phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya(MBP)in the western Antarctic Peninsula area,and linked such variability to the Southern Annular Mode(SAM)that dominated the southern hemisphere extratropical climate variability.Combining satellite data,atmosphere reanalysis products and numerical simulations,we found that the interannual variation of summer chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the MBP is significantly and negatively correlated with the spring SAM index,and weakly correlated with the summer SAM index.The negative relation between summer Chl-a and spring SAM is due to weaker spring vertical mixing under a more positive SAM condition,which would inhibit the supply of iron from deep layers into the surface euphotic layer.The negative relation between spring mixing and spring SAM results from greater precipitation rate over the MBP region in positive SAM phase,which leads to lower salinity in the ocean surface layer.The coupled physical-biological mechanisms between SAM and phytoplankton biomass revealed in this study is important for us to predict the future variations of phytoplankton biomasses in Antarctic polynyas under climate change.

Nitrate in the Changjiang diluted water:an isotopic evaluation on sources and reaction pathways

A cruise covering two transects in the Changjiang(Yangtze)estuary in July 2017 was conducted,aiming to explore the sources for riverine NOˉ3 and identify reactions involved in the NO_(3)^(-)transformations along the transport of the Changjiang diluted water(CDW).In the river water,NO_(3)^(-)was fundamentally contributed by chemical fertilizer leakage in the watershed according to isotope signals.Sewage discharge may also be significant on riverine NO_(3)^(-)inventory,while the isotope signal was masked by nitrification.Together with the transport of the CDW,NO_(3)^(-)production was observed in waters with low salinities(<20)and high turbidities.Nitrification resulted from the mineralization of riverine organic nitrogen;therefore,the high turbidity was linked to active production.In the outer plume,coupled with stratification,a significant decrease in NO_(3)^(-)concentration was observed in the surface water.In parallel,enrichment inδ^(15)N-NO_(3)^(-)andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)^(-)was found,indicating biological consumption by phytoplankton.The difference in the stratification intensity between two transects led to variations in NO_(3)^(-)concentrations and isotope compositions.In the benthic water,denitrification(sediment-water interface)and nitrification(bottom water)coexisted.Furthermore,accumulations of NH4+and dissolved organic nitrogen in the bottom water were observed,indicating that nitrification was constrained by oxidant(mainly dissolved oxygen)supplies.

Statistical characteristics of mesoscale eddies on the continental slope in the northern South China Sea

The continental slope in the northern South China Sea(SCS) is rich in mesoscale eddies which play an important role in transport and retention of nutrients and biota. In this study, we investigate the statistical properties of eddy distributions and propagation in a period of 24 years between 1993 and 2016 by using the altimeter data. A total of 147 eddies are found in the continental slope region(CSR), including 70 cyclonic eddies(CEs) and 77 anticyclonic eddies(ACEs). For those eddies that appear in the CSR, the surrounding areas of Dongsha Islands(DS) and southwest of Taiwan(SWT) are considered as the primary sources, where eddies generated contribute more than 60% of the total. According to the spatial distribution of eddy relative vorticity, eddies are weakening as propagating westward. Although both CEs and ACEs roughly propagate along the slope isobaths, there are discrepancies between CEs and ACEs. The ACEs move slightly faster in the zonal direction, while the CEs tend to cross the isobaths with large bottom depth change. The ACEs generally move further into the basin areas after leaving the CSR while CEs remain around the CSR. The eddy propagation on the continental slope is likely to be associated with mean flow at a certain degree because the eddy trajectories have notable seasonal signals that are consistent with the seasonal cycle of geostrophic current. The results indicate that the eddy translation speed is statistically consistent with geostrophic velocity in both magnitude and direction.

Seasonal linkage of the Southern Hemisphere extratropical climate variability to two types of ENSO

This study uses the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis(CFSR) to investigate the responses of the Southern Hemisphere(SH) extratropical climate to two types of El Nino–Southern Oscillation(ENSO)-the eastern Pacific(EP) type and the central Pacific(CP) type in different seasons. The responses are denoted by the anomalies of climate variables associated with one-standard-deviation increase in the Nino3 or Nino4 index. The results show that in austral spring the differences in the ENSO-related anomaly(ERA) patterns of atmospheric circulation between the EP ENSO period(1979–1998) and CP ENSO period(1999–2010) are mainly associated with the change in the ENSO-PSA2 relationship. Such differences affect the ERA fields of surface air temperature and mixed layer temperature, and finally result in significant differences in sea-ice concentration anomalies in the Atlantic sector. In austral summer, significant correlation exists between the variations of SAM and both of the variations of Nino3 and Nino4 in 1979–1998, while the correlation between SAM and Nino4 disappears in 1999–2010. For all seasons, the strength of the climate ERAs depend on if there are close relationship between ENSO and the major climate variation modes of the SH extratropics. For the climate variables, the ERA patterns of surface air temperature are generally controlled by surface wind anomalies and mirrored by the mixed layer temperature anomalies. The mixed layer depth anomalies are primarily modulated by surface heat flux anomalies and occasionally by anomalous wind. There are strikingly strong anomalies of surface heat flux in the autumn of 1979–1998 related to the Nino3 variation, the period when there is only significant correlation between ENSO and PSA2. There are no evidence that the SH extratropical climate variability induced by Nino3 variations are stronger in the EP-ENSO period, and that variability induced by Nino4 variations are stronger in the CP-ENSO period.

TAOK1 negatively regulates IL-17-mediated signaling and inflammation

Interleukin 17(IL-17)is an important cytokine that can induce tissue inflammation and is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous autoimmune diseases.However,the regulation of its signaling transduction has not been well described.In this study,we report that thousand and one kinase 1(TAOK1)functions as a negative regulator of IL-17-mediated signal transduction and inflammation.TAOK1 knockdown promotes IL-17-induced cytokine and chemokine expression and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-κB.We further demonstrate that TAOK1 interacts with IL-17 receptor A(IL-17RA)independent of its kinase activity,and TAOK1 dose-dependently prevents the formation of the IL-17R-Act1(nuclear factor activator 1,also known as tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3 interacting protein 2)complex.Consistent with this,TAOK1 deficiency exacerbates colitis in the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease,likely by its promotion of the IL-17-mediated signaling pathway.TAOK1 expression is decreased in the colons of ulcerative colitis patients.In conclusion,these findings suggest that TAOK1 is involved in the development of IL-17-related autoimmune disorders.

Precision Higgs physics at the CEPC

The discovery of the Higgs boson with its mass around 125 GeV by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations marked the beginning of a new era in high energy physics.The Higgs boson will be the subject of extensive studies of the ongoing LHC program.At the same time,lepton collider based Higgs factories have been proposed as a possible next step beyond the LHC,with its main goal to precisely measure the properties of the Higgs boson and probe potential new physics associated with the Higgs boson.The Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC)is one of such proposed Higgs factories.The CEPC is an e^+e^- circular collider proposed by and to be hosted in China.Located in a tunnel of approximately 100 km in circumference,it will operate at a center-of-mass energy of 240 GeV as the Higgs factory.In this paper,we present the first estimates on the precision of the Higgs boson property measurements achievable at the CEPC and discuss implications of these measurements.

Correction to: TAOK1 negatively regulates IL-17-mediated signaling and inflammation

Correction to:Cellular&Molecular Immunology(2018).https://doi.org/10.1038/cmi.2017.158;published online 5 February 2018 In this article,published online 5 February 2018,the second primer of mouse actin,il-6,il-1β,TNFα,cxcl1,cxcl2 and ccl20 in Table 2 should be marked as“reverse primer”instead of“forward primer”.Corrected Table 2 is shown below.The authors regret the errors.

SARS-CoV-2 N protein potentiates host NPM1-snoRNA translation machinery to enhance viral replication

Dear Editor,COVID-19(Coronavirus Disease 2019)is causing an unprecedented public health crisis.Protein translation is crucial for virus lifecycle.Nucleocapsid(N)protein is among the most abundant SARS-CoV-2 proteins and highly conserved across coronavirus genus.1 However,its function in subverting host translation machinery is still elusive.

CEPC Technical Design Report

The Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC)is a large scientific project initiated and hosted by China,fostered through extensive collaboration with international partners.The complex comprises four accelerators:a 30 GeV Linac,a 1.1 GeV Damping Ring,a Booster capable of achieving energies up to 180 GeV,and a Collider operating at varying energy modes(Z,W,H,and tt).The Linac and Damping Ring are situated on the surface,while the subterranean Booster and Collider are housed in a 100 km circumference underground tunnel,strategically accommodating future expansion with provisions for a potential Super Proton Proton Collider(SPPC).The CEPC primarily serves as a Higgs factory.In its baseline design with synchrotron radiation(SR)power of 30 MW per beam,it can achieve a luminosity of 5×10^(34)cm^(-2)s^(-1)per interaction point(IP),resulting in an integrated luminosity of 13 ab^(-1)for two IPs over a decade,producing 2.6 million Higgs bosons.Increasing the SR power to 50 MW per beam expands the CEPC's capability to generate 4.3 million Higgs bosons,facilitating precise measurements of Higgs coupling at sub-percent levels,exceeding the precision expected from the HL-LHC by an order of magnitude.This Technical Design Report(TDR)follows the Preliminary Conceptual Design Report(Pre-CDR,2015)and the Conceptual Design Report(CDR,2018),comprehensively detailing the machine's layout,performance metrics,physical design and analysis,technical systems design,R&D and prototyping efforts,and associated civil engineering aspects.Additionally,it includes a cost estimate and a preliminary construction timeline,establishing a framework for forthcoming engineering design phase and site selection procedures.Construction is anticipated to begin around 2027-2028,pending government approval,with an estimated duration of 8 years.The commencement of experiments and data collection could potentially be initiated in the mid-2030s.