Photoperiod Mediates the Effects of Temperature and Light Intensity on the Proliferation of Ulva prolifera

In order to study the complex effects of photoperiod,temperature,and light intensity on the spore maturation and release number of Ulva prolifera,we cultured thalli segment(2–3 mm)under three different photoperiods(L:D=12:12,14:10 and 10:14),temperature(15℃(LT),25℃(MT)and 30℃(HT))and light intensity(100,200 and 400μmol m^(−2)s^(−1),noted as LL,ML and HL,respectively)conditions.Then the maturation time,spore release number and chlorophyll fluorescence were analyzed.The results suggested that:1)The spore maturation time was accelerated by higher temperature or higher light intensity from 62 h to 36 h,and changes in day length accelerated the spore maturation to a certain extent as compared with 12:12 light/dark cycle;2)Higher light intensity significantly decreased the chlorophyll fluorescence(Fv′/Fm′,NPQ,rETRmax andα)of the mature reproductive segment under 30℃with 12:12 light/dark cycle.But when in the other photoperiods(10:14 and 14:10 conditions),the inhibitory effects of high light intensity were alleviated significantly;3)The optimum condition for the spore maturation and release was 12:12 light/dark cycle,25℃,400μmol m^(−2)s^(−1),with both shorter and longer photoperiod reducing the spore release number;4)Higher light intensity significantly increased the spore release number under 25℃,but these effects were alleviated by 30℃treatment.This study is the first attempt to elucidate the coincidence effects of photoperiod,temperature and light intensity on the reproduction of Ulva,which would help to reveal the mechanism of the rapid proliferation of green tide.

Identification and Expression Profile of a Neuropeptide LFRFamide-Like Gene During Different Stages of Gonadal Development in the Cephalopod Sepia pharaonis

Neuropeptides are widely distributed in vertebrates and invertebrates,regulating a variety of physiological activities in the organisms,such as metabolism,feeding and reproduction.In this study,to explore the function of neuropeptide LFRFamide in Sepia pharaonis,the full-length cDNA of LFRFamide-like gene(named SpLFRFL,MG869822.1)was identified with rapid amplification of cDNA ends(RACE)method.The sequence of SpLFRFL was 860 bp in length and encoded 188 amino acids containing 4 different mature peptides:1 copy of PHTPFRFamide,NSLFRFamide,TIFRFamide,and 3 copies of GNLFRFamide.Multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis results showed that SpLFRFL shared high identity with LFRFamides of Sepia officinalis and Sepiella japonica and had the closest relationship with them.Through quantitative Real-time PCR(qRT-PCR),it was found that the SpLFRFL gene was highly expressed in the optic lobe and brain at three different stages during gonad development in both genders.Moreover,the four mature peptides at a concentration of 0.01μmol L^(−1) could inhibit the protein synthesis in the Chinese hamster ovary cell strain-K1(CHOK1)induced by SpGnRH.These data suggest that SpLFRFL might be involved in the development and reproduction of S.pharaonis.The results can contribute to future studies on neuropeptide evolution and function and benefit the cuttlefish farming.

Tbx 4 and Tbx 5 gene expression associated with appendage development and its relationship with the absence of the pelvic fin in Pampus argenteus

The Tbx family is first known through the study of their functions in the body and limbs,and its members Tbx4 and Tbx5 genes are important factors in determining the characteristics of the appendages.Pampus argenteus is one of the important economical marine fishes widely distributed in offshore areas.Therefore,it is necessary to study the role of Tbx family genes in the deletion of pelvic fin in P.argenteus.In this study,we cloned Tbx4 and Tbx5 cDNA sequence of P.argenteus(GenBank:MH709128 and MH712458).The Western blot and real time PCR were used to detect the expressions of Tbx4 and Tbx5 in different developmental stages and tissues of P.argenteus.In addition,whole-mount in-situ hybridization was used to study the localization of Tbx4 and Tbx5 genes in different developmental stages of P.argenteus.Results show that the translation of Tbx4 mRNA was inhibited during the critical period of pelvic fin development.Among different tissues,Tbx4 protein levels were the lowest in the abdominal epithelium,and even lower than that in the pectoral fin,suggesting that the protein expression was also inhibited in the abdominal epithelium of adult P.argenteus.Therefore,the results indicated that upstream genes regulation led to the key stage-specific and low expression of Tbx4 during pelvic fin development and in the abdominal epithelium.

Modelling smear effect of vertical drains using a diameter reduction method

Vertical drains are used to accelerate consolidation of clays in ground improvement projects.Smear zones exist around these drains,where permeability is reduced due to soil disturbance caused by the installation process.Hansbo solution is widely used in practice to consider the effects of drain discharge capacity and smear on the consolidation process.In this study,a computationally efficient diameter reduction method(DRM)obtained from the Hansbo solution is proposed to consider the smear effect without the need to model the smear zone physically.Validated by analytical and numerical results,a diameter reduction factor is analytically derived to reduce the diameter of the drain,while achieving similar solutions of pore pressure dissipation profile as the classical full model of the smear zone and drain.With the DRM,the excess pore pressure u obtained from the reduced drain in the original un-disturbed soil zone is accurate enough for practical applications in numerical models.Such performance of DRM is independent of soil material property.Results also show equally accurate performance of DRM under conditions of multi-layered soils and coupled radial-vertical groundwater flow.

Autotomy and Regeneration of Appendages in Crustaceans:A Review

Autotomy of appendages is a self-protection mechanism in crustaceans,which is defined as the reflexive loss of a limb in response to predation,competition,or other environmental factors.Single-limb injuries were the most common among the species surveyed in the present study,and the chelicerae were the most frequently lost appendages.After autotomy,hormones and signaling pathways are altered.Loss of limbs can affect foraging efficiency,although cheliped loss may be compensated by shifting to alternative prey or using both motor and oral appendages.In heterogeneous species,the loss of the major chelae may affect the selectivity of feeding.Autotomy can affect crustacean growth by reducing size increases at molting and altering the timing of ecdysis.In commercial production,removing chelicerae is an effective strategy to reduce cannibalism,and production of soft-shell crabs can be increased via autotomy.After autotomy,a new limb will regrow through regeneration and molting.This process involves the regulation of hormones,regrowth of nerves,and a number of signaling pathways that include the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and transforming growth factorβsignaling pathway.Crustaceans are somewhat different from vertebrates in terms of regeneration.This review provides theoretical guidance about autotomy and regeneration applied in artificial aquaculture,and we offer several suggestions for future research on autotomy and regeneration in crustaceans.

Characterization,expression dynamics,and potential function of OPA1 for regulation of mitochondrial morphology during spermiogenesis in Phascolosoma esculenta

Mitochondria undergo morphological changes during spermatogenesis in some animals.The mechanism and role of mitochondrial morphology regulation,however,remain somewhat unclear.In this study,we analyzed the molecular characteristics,expression dynamics and subcellular localization of optic atrophy protein 1(OPA1),a mitochondrial fusion and cristae maintenance-related protein,to reveal the possible regulatory mechanisms underlying mitochondrial morphology in Phascolosoma esculenta spermiogenesis.The full-length cDNA of the P.esculenta opa1 gene(Pe-opa1)is 3743 bp in length and encodes 975 amino acids.The Pe-OPA1 protein is highly conservative and includes a transmembrane domain,a GTPase domain,two helical bundle domains,and a lipid-interacting stalk.Gene and protein expression was higher in the coelomic fluid(a site of spermatid development)of male P.esculenta and increased first and then decreased from March to December.Moreover,their expression during the breeding stage was significantly higher than during the non-breeding stage,suggesting that Pe-OPA1 is involved in P.esculenta reproduction.The Pe-OPA1 protein was more abundant in components consisting of many spermatids than in components without,indicating that Pe-OPA1 mainly plays a role in the spermatid in coelomic fluid.Moreover,Pe-OPA1 was mainly detected in the spermatid mitochondria.Immunofluorescence experiments showed that the Pe-OPA1 are constitutively expressed and co-localized with mitochondria during spermiogenesis,suggesting its involvement in P.esculenta spermiogenesis.These results provide evidence for Pe-OPA1's involvement in the regulation of mitochondrial morphology during spermiogenesis.

Application of the finite analytic numerical method to a flowdependent variational data assimilation

An anisotropic diffusion filter can be used to model a flow-dependent background error covariance matrix,which can be achieved by solving the advection-diffusion equation.Because of the directionality of the advection term,the discrete method needs to be chosen very carefully.The finite analytic method is an alternative scheme to solve the advection-diffusion equation.As a combination of analytical and numerical methods,it not only has high calculation accuracy but also holds the characteristic of the auto upwind.To demonstrate its ability,the one-dimensional steady and unsteady advection-diffusion equation numerical examples are respectively solved by the finite analytic method.The more widely used upwind difference method is used as a control approach.The result indicates that the finite analytic method has higher accuracy than the upwind difference method.For the two-dimensional case,the finite analytic method still has a better performance.In the three-dimensional variational assimilation experiment,the finite analytic method can effectively improve analysis field accuracy,and its effect is significantly better than the upwind difference and the central difference method.Moreover,it is still a more effective solution method in the strong flow region where the advective-diffusion filter performs most prominently.

Coral records of Mid-Holocene sea-level highstands and climate responses in the northern South China Sea

High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a basis for scientific assessment of the evolutionary trend of coral reefs in the SCS.Although sporadic studies have been performed around Hainan Island in the northern SCS,the reconstructed sea level presents different values or is controversial because the indicative meaning of the sea-level indicators were neither quantified nor uniform criteria.Here,we determined the quantitative relationship between modern living coral and sea level by measuring the top surfaces of 27 live Porites corals from the inner reef flat along the east coast of Hainan Island and assessed the accuracy of results obtained using coral as sea-level indicators.Additionally,three in situ fossil Porites corals were analyzed based on elevation measurements,digital X-ray radiography,and U-Th dating.The survey results showed that the indicative meanings for the modern live Porites corals is(146.09±8.35)cm below the mean tide level(MTL).It suggested that their upward growth limit is constrained by the sea level,and the lowest low water is the highest level of survival for the modern live Porites corals.Based on the newly defined indicative meanings,6 new sea-level index points(SLIPs)were obtained and 19 published SLIPs were recalculated.Those SLIPs indicated a relative sea level fluctuation between(227.7±9.8)cm to(154.88±9.8)cm MTL between(5393±25)cal a BP and(3390±12)cal a BP,providing evidences of the Mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the northern SCS.Besides that,our analysis demonstrated that different sea-level histories may be produced based on different indicative meanings or criteria.The dataset of 276 coral U-Th ages indicates that coral reef development in the northern SCS comprised the initial development,boom growth,decline,and flourishing development again.A comparison with regional records indicated that synergistic effects of climatic and environmental factors were involved in the development of coral reefs in the northern SCS.Thus,the cessation of coral reef development during the Holocene in the northern SCS was probably associated with the dry and cold climate in South China,as reflected in the synchronous weakening of the ENSO and East Asian summer monsoon induced by the reduction of the 65°N summer insolation,which forced the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

The Dilemma and Way Out of China’s Participation in the Development of Marine Genetic Resources in ABNJ from the Perspective of BBNJ

The fifth intergovernmental negotiations on marine BBNJ(Biodiversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction)concluded in August 2022,in which there are still major differences regarding access to marine genetic resources,management,and technology transfer.China’s participation in the development of marine genetic resources in ABNJ(areas beyond national jurisdiction)has many dilemmas,which are linked to the difficulties faced in advancing the BBNJ negotiations.The following countermeasures are proposed at the institutional and practical levels respectively:clarifying the legal attributes and applicability of the principles of marine genetic resources;establishing mechanisms for access,management,environmental impact assessment and benefit sharing of marine genetic resources;and using the“Blue Partnership”to build a governance mechanism for marine genetic resources to achieve mutual benefits.

Numerical Analysis of the Influence of the Impinging Distance on the Scouring Efficiency of Submerged Jets

Water jet technology is widely used in submerged buried pipes as a non-traditional trenching process,often invol-ving a complex sediment response.An important adjustable and influential engineering variable in this technol-ogy is represented by the impinging distance.In this study,the FLOW-3D software was used to simulate the jet scouring of sand beds in a submerged environment.In particular,four sets of experimental conditions were con-sidered to discern the relationship between the maximum scour depth and mass and the impinging distance.As shown by the results,a critical impinging distance h0 exists by which the static scour depth can be maximized;the scour mass ratio between dynamic and static conditions decreases as the impinging distance increases.Moreover,the profile contours are similar when the erosion parameter Ec is in the range 0.35<Ec<2.Empirical equations applicable for predicting the jet trenching contour under both dynamic and static scour modes are also provided in this study.

Study on the interannual variability of the Kerama Gap transport and its relation to the Kuroshio/Ryukyu Current system

An analysis of a 68-year monthly hindcast output from an eddy-resolving ocean general circulation model reveals the relationship between the interannual variability of the Kerama Gap transport(KGT)and the Kuroshio/Ryukyu Current system.The study found a significant difference in the interannual variability of the upstream and downstream transports of the East China Sea-(ECS-)Kuroshio and the Ryukyu Current.The interannual variability of the KGT was found to be of paramount importance in causing the differences between the upstream and downstream ECS-Kuroshio.Additionally,it contributed approximately 37%to the variability of the Ryukyu Current.The interannual variability of the KGT was well described by a two-layer rotating hydraulic theory.It was dominated by its subsurface-intensified flow core,and the upper layer transport made a weaker negative contribution to the total KGT.The subsurface flow core was found to be mainly driven by the subsurface pressure head across the Kerama Gap,and the pressure head was further dominated by the subsurface density anomalies on the Pacific side.These density anomalies could be traced back to the eastern open ocean,and their propagation speed was estimated to be about 7.4 km/d,which is consistent with the speed of the local first-order baroclinic Rossby wave.When the negative(positive)density anomaly signal reached the southern region of the Kerama Gap,it triggered the increase(decrease)of the KGT towards the Pacific side and the formation of an anticyclonic(cyclonic)vortex by baroclinic adjustment.Meanwhile,there is an increase(decrease)in the upstream transport of the entire Kuroshio/Ryukyu Current system and an offshore flow that decreases(increases)the downstream Ryukyu Current.

Effect of dietary supplement of inactivated Lactobacillus plantarum Ep-M 17 on growth performance,immune response,disease resistance,and intestinal microbiota in Penaeus vannamei

Our previous study found that feeding with Lactobacillus plantarum Ep-M17 could effectively affect the growth performance,immune response,and gut microbiota of Penaeus vannamei.However,high temperature and pressure during feed pelletizing is the main problem that can lead to a decrease in the activity of probiotics or cause their inactivation.Further investigation needs to investigate whether inactivated Ep-M17 can exert similar effects as live Ep-M17.Therefore,we evaluated the effects of inactivated L.plantarum Ep-M17 on growth performance,immune response,disease resistance,and gut microbiota in P.vannamei.Results show that adding inactivated Ep-M17 to the feed also promoted body weight gain and increased relative immune protection in shrimp.Also,histological examination revealed that the administration of inactivated Ep-M17 led to improvements in the density and distribution of microvilli in the intestines and enhancements in the abundance of B and R cells in the hepatopancreas.Additionally,the inactivated Ep-M17 supplementation resulted in increased activity levels of nutrient immune-related enzymes in both the shrimp hepatopancreas and intestines.Moreover,it stimulated the expression of Lvlec,PEN-3a,Crustin,LGBP,Lysozyme,and proPo genes in both the hepatopancreas and intestines.Furthermore,the inactivated Ep-M17 also increased bacterial diversity in the gut of shrimp and promoted the abundance of specific flora,facilitating the host organism’s metabolism and immunity to improve the disease resistance of shrimp.Therefore,supplementation of inactivated L.plantarum Ep-M17 in shrimp diets can exert similar effects as live L.plantarum Ep-M17 effectively improving growth performance,gut microbiota,immune response,and disease resistance in P.vannamei.

Path-Following Control With Obstacle Avoidance of Autonomous Surface Vehicles Subject to Actuator Faults

This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles inevitably suffer from actuator faults in complex sea environments,which may cause existing obstacle avoidance strategies to fail.To reduce the influence of actuator faults,an improved artificial potential function is constructed by introducing the lower bound of actuator efficiency factors.The nonlinear state observer,which only depends on measurable position information of the autonomous surface vehicle,is used to address uncertainties and external disturbances.By using a backstepping technique and adaptive mechanism,a path-following control strategy with obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance is designed which can ensure that the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of zero.Compared with existing results,the proposed control strategy has the capability of obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance simultaneously.Finally,the comparison results through simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Analysis and Characterization of the GABA Transaminase and Succinate Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase Genes in the Microalga Isochrysis zhanjiangensis in Response to Abiotic Stresses

Gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA),widely existing in different organisms,is rapidly accumulated in plants in response to environmental stresses.The main biosynthesis and degradation pathways of GABA constitute the GABA shunt,which is tied to the tricarboxylic acid(TCA)cycle.GABA transaminase(GABA-T)and succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase(SSADH)are two essential enzymes for the GABA degradation pathway.While there are abundant studies on GABA shunt in higher plants at the physiological and genetic levels,research on its role in microalgae remains limited.This study aimed at exploring the function of GABA-T and SSADH genes in Isochrysis zhanjiangensis,an important diet microalga,under different stresses.We cloned two GABA-T genes,IzGABA-T1 and IzGABA-T2,and one SSADH gene IzSSADH from Isochrysis zhanjiangensis and conducted heterologous expression experiments.The results showed that the overexpression of IzGABA-T1 or IzGABA-T2 enhanced the survival rates of yeast transformants under heat or NaCl stress,while the overexpression of IzSSADH improved yeast tolerance to NaCl stress but had no obvious effect on heat stress.Additionally,the results of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qPCR)showed that IzGABA-T1 transcription increased in the HT(salinity 25,35℃)and LS(salinity 15,25℃)groups.At 24 h,the IzGABA-T2 transcriptions increased in the HT,LS,and HS(salinity 35,25℃)groups,but their transcription levels decreased in all groups at 48 h.IzSSADH transcription increased in the LS group.These results suggest that IzGABA-T1,IzGABA-T2,and IzSSADH are associated with temperature and salinity stresses and possess a certain preference for different stresses.

Data Quality Control Method of a New Drifting Observation Technology Named Drifting Air-Sea Interface Buoy

An integral quality control(QC)procedure that integrates various QC methods and considers the design indexes and operational status of the instruments for the observations of drifting air-sea interface buoy was developed in the order of basic in-spection followed by targeted QC.The innovative method of combining a moving Hampel filter and local anomaly detection com-plies with statistical laws and physical processes,which guarantees the QC performance of meteorological variables.Two sets of observation data were used to verify the applicability and effectiveness of the QC procedure,and the effect was evaluated using the observations of the Kuroshio Extension Observatory buoy as the reference.The results showed that the outliers in the time series can be correctly identified and processed,and the quality of data improved significantly.The linear correlation between the quality-controlled observations and the reference increased,and the difference decreased.The correlation coefficient of wind speed before and after QC increased from 0.77 to 0.82,and the maximum absolute error decreased by approximately 2.8ms^(-1).In addition,air pressure and relative humidity were optimized by 10^(-3)–10^(-2) orders of magnitude.For the sea surface temperature,the weight of coefficients of the continuity test algorithm was optimized based on the sea area of data acquisition,which effectively expanded the applicability of the algorithm.

Role of Stokes Drift in Ocean Dynamics Under Typhoon Conditions in the Bohai Sea

The effect of Stokes drift production(SDP),which includes Coriolis-Stokes forcing,Langmuir circulation,and Craik-Lei-bovich vortexes,on the upper ocean during typhoon passage in the Bohai Sea(BS),China,is investigated by using a coupled wave-current model.The role of SDP in turbulent mixing and the further dynamics during the entire typhoon period are comprehensively stud-ied.Experimental results show that SDP greatly increases turbulent mixing at all depths under typhoon conditions by up to seven times that under normal weather conditions.SDP generally strengthens sea surface cooling by more than 0.4℃,with the maximum reduction in sea surface temperature(SST)at the during-typhoon stage exceeding 2℃,which is approximately seven times larger than that under normal weather conditions.The SDP-induced decrease in current speed can exceed 0.2ms^(-1),and the change in current direction is generally opposite the wind direction.These results suggest that Stokes drift depresses the effect of strong winds on currents by intensifying turbulent mixing.Mixed layer depth(MLD)is distinctly increased by O(1)during typhoons due to SDP and can deepen by more than 5m.In addition,the continuous effects of SDP on SST,current,and MLD at the after-typhoon stage indi-cate a hysteretic response between SDP and typhoon actions.

Synergistic Interdecadal Evolution of Precipitation over Eastern China and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation during 1951-2015

By using the multi-taper method(MTM)of singular value decomposition(SVD),this study investigates the interdecadal evolution(10-to 30-year cycle)of precipitation over eastern China from 1951 to 2015 and its relationship with the North Pacific sea surface temperature(SST).Two significant interdecadal signals,one with an 11-year cycle and the other with a 23-year cycle,are identified in both the precipitation and SST fields.Results show that the North Pacific SST forcing modulates the precipitation distribution over China through the effects of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO)-related anomalous Aleutian low on the western Pacific subtropical high(WPSH)and Mongolia high(MH).During the development stage of the PDO cold phase associated with the 11-year cycle,a weakened WPSH and MH increased the precipitation over the Yangtze River Basin,whereas an intensified WPSH and MH caused the enhanced rain band to move northward to North China during the decay stage.During the development stage of the PDO cold phase associated with the 23-year cycle,a weakened WPSH and MH increased the precipitation over North China,whereas an intensified WPSH and the weakened MH increased the precipitation over South China during the decay stage.The 11-year and 23-year variabilities contribute differently to the precipitation variations in the different regions of China,as seen in the 1998flooding case.The 11-year cycle mainly accounts for precipitation increases over the Yangtze River Basin,while the 23-year cycle is responsible for the precipitation increase over Northeast China.These results have important implications for understanding how the PDO modulates the precipitation distribution over China,helping to improve interdecadal climate prediction.

Morphological and Sulfur-Isotopic Characteristics of Pyrites in the Deep Sediments from Xisha Trough,South China Sea

Pyrite is one of the common authigenic minerals in marine sediments.Previous studies have shown that the morphological and isotopic characteristics of pyrite are closely related to the geochemical environment where it is formed.To better understand the for-mation mechanism of authigenic pyrite,we analyzed the isotopic composition,morphology,and distribution of pyrite in the sediment at 500m below the seafloor from Xisha Trough,South China Sea.Mineral morphologies were observed by scanning electron micros-copy and Raman spectrography.X-Ray computed tomography was applied to measure the particle size of pyrite.The size of pyrite crystals in the matrix sediment mainly ranged between 25 and 65µm(av.ca.40µm),although crystals were larger(av.ca.50μm)in the veins.The pyrites had a fine-grained truncated octahedral shape with occasionally well-developed growth steps,which implies the low growth rate and weak anaerobic oxidation of methane-sulfate reduction when pyrite was formed.Theδ^(34)S values of pyrites ranged from+20.8‰Vienna-defined Canyon Diablo Troilite(V-CDT)to+33.2‰V-CDT and from+44.8‰V-CDT to+48.9‰,which suggest two growth stages.In the first stage,with the continuous low methane flux,the pyrite possibly formed in an environment with good access to seawater.In the second stage,the pyrites mainly developed in sediment fractures and appeared in veins,probably due to the limited availability of sulfate.The less exposure of pyrite to the environment in the second stage was probably caused by sediment accumulation or perturbation.In this study,an episodic pyritization process was identified,and the paleoenvironment was reconstructed for the sediment investigated.

Targeted screening of an anti-inflammatory polypeptide from Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye cnidoblasts and elucidation of its mechanism in alleviating ulcerative colitis based on an analysis of the gut microbiota and metabolites

Ulcerative colitis(UC)is a recurrent inflammatory bowel disease that imposes a severe burden on families and society.In recent years,exploiting the potential of marine bioactive peptides for the treatment of diseases has become a topic of intense research interest.This study revealed the mechanism underlying the protective effect of the dominant polypeptide PKKVV(Pro-Lys-Lys-Val-Val)of Rhopilema esculentum cnidoblasts against DSS-induced UC through a combined analysis of the metagenome and serum metabolome.Specifically,the polypeptide composition of R.esculentum cnidoblasts was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS).Molecular docking showed that the dominant peptide PKKVV could bind better with tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)than the original ligand.Subsequent animal experiments suggested that PKKVV could modulate disorganized gut microorganisms in mice with UC;affect serum metabolites through the arachidonic acid,glycerophospholipid and linoleic acid metabolism pathways;and further alleviate UC symptoms.This study provides a reference for the comprehensive development of marine bioactive substances and nonpharmaceutical treatments for UC.

U-Pb zircon geochronology of basaltic pyroclastic rocks from the basement beneath the Xisha Islands in the northwestern South China Sea and its geological significance

As one of the micro-blocks dispersed in the South China Sea(SCS), the basement of the Xisha Islands has rarely been drilled because of the thick overlying Cenozoic sediments, which has led to a confused understanding of the pre-Cenozoic basement of the Xisha Islands. Well CK-1, a kilometer-scale major scientific drill in the Xisha Islands in the northwestern SCS, penetrated thick reefal limestone(0–888.4 m) and the underlying basement rocks(888.4–901.4 m). In this study, we present the zircon U-Pb ages of basement basaltic pyroclastic rocks from Well CK-1 in the Xisha Islands of the northwestern SCS to investigate the basement nature of the Xisha microblock. The basement of Well CK-1 consists of basaltic pyroclastic rocks on the seamount. The zircon grains yielded apparent ages ranging from ca. 2 138.9 Ma to ca. 36 Ma. The old group of zircon grains from Well CK-1 was considered to be inherited zircons. Two Cenozoic zircons gave a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of(36.3 ± 1.1) Ma,Mean Squared Weighted Deviations(MSWD) = 1.2, which may represent the maximum age of the volcano eruption. The Yanshanian inherited zircons(116.9–105.7 Ma and 146.1–130.2 Ma) from Well CK-1 are consistent with the zircons from Well XK-1, indicating that the basement of Chenhang Island may be similar to that of Well XK-1. We propose that the Xisha micro-block may have developed on a uniform Late Jurassic metamorphic crystalline basement, intruded by Cretaceous granitic magma.