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The dinoflagellates Karenia mikimotoi and Prorocentrum donghaiense are both important causative species of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the East China Sea. The ichthyotoxic K. mikimotoi, which occasionally leads to large-scale HABs in the East China Sea, is difficult to be discriminated from other morphologically similar species in the family Kareniaceae by light microscope observation. To improve the accuracy and efficiency in detection of K. mikimotoi, a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed in this study. The qPCR assay has high specificity and sensitivity, which allows the detection of K. mikimotoi at the lower detection limit of one cell. The qPCR assay target K. mikimotoi, together with another qPCR assay previously developed for P. donghaiense, was applied to study a bloom of dinoflagellates in the coastal waters of Fujian province from April 25 to June 11 in 2019. Cells of K. mikimotoi were detected in about half of the samples, and the maximum abundance was lower than 30 cells L−1. Abundance of P. donghaiense cells (maximum abundance above 106 cells L−1) were determined using both qPCR assay and light microscope cell counting, and the results of the two methods were consistent with each other. The qPCR assays of the blooming dinoflagellates offer reliable and accurate approaches for the detection of HABs species.

In recent years, marine hypoxia has frequently occurred in global coastal and estuarine waters with detrimental impacts on marine fauna. In this work, we examined the impact of hypoxia on the mortality, growth, reproduction, and enzyme activities of the mysid Neomysis awatschensis. The mortality rate of adult mysids increased by 100% within 4 h under the hypoxia treatment (2 mg/L), while that of juveniles was 53.33 ± 5.77% after 96 h. The long-term low dissolved oxygen (DO) treatment (5 mg/L for 30 d) significantly reduced the fatty acid content of mysids. A significant reproductive inhibition was also observed: the total juvenile productions in the treatment with DO at 4, 5, and 6 mg/L were only 6.5%, 24%, and 60% of the control group (DO at 8.5 mg/L), respectively. The total superoxide dismutase activity increased significantly in low oxygen treatments. Catalase and lactate dehydrogenase activities first increased and then decreased with the dropping DO concentrations. These results suggest that hypoxia has multiple impacts on marine zooplankton. This may adversely affect higher trophic level organisms and the structure and function of marine ecosystems.

To overcome the inaccuracy problem of the traditional wedge evaluation of steel plates and strips caused by the randomness of the thicknesses of two local points and improve the reliability of the wedge index, the double-centroid method for the wedge evaluation was proposed, and a model based on the centroid theory was established. Meanwhile, an integral model for the discrete thickness values of the cross-section profiles was derived. The discussion focused on the distinct characteristics of the two-point method, asymmetric method, and double-centroid method in evaluating the asymmetric distribution of cross-sections. The three methods were employed to evaluate the wedge values of both the theoretical and measured cross-sections of steel plates and strips, and the accuracies of three wedge evaluation models were analyzed and discussed. The results showed that the double-centroid method objectively reflects the degree and variation characteristics of the wedge values of the cross-sections of steel plates and strips, and this method is feasible, reliable, and outstanding.

Aim： To investigate the mechanisms underlying the hepatotoxicity of timosaponin A3 （TA3）, a steroidal saponin from Anemarrhena asphodeloides, in rats. Methods： Male SD rats were administered TA3 （100 mg.kg^-1·d^-1, po） for 14 d, and the blood and bile samples were collected after the final administration. The viability of a sandwich configuration of cultured rat hepatocytes （SCRHs） was assessed using WSTol. Accumulation and biliary excretion index （BEI） of d8-TCA in SCRHs were determined with LC-MS/MS. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to analyze the expression of relevant genes and proteins. ROS and ATP levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential （MMP） were measured. F-actin cytoskeletal integrity was assessed under confocal microscopy. Results： TA3 administration in rats significantly elevated the total bile acid in serum, and decreased bile acid （BA） component concentrations in bile. TA3 inhibited the viability of the SCRHs with an IC50 value of 15.21±1.73 pmol/L. Treatment of the SCRHs with TA3 （1-10 μmol/L） for 2 and 24 h dose-dependently decreased the accumulation and BEI of d8-TCA. The TA3 treatment dose- dependently decreased the expression of BA transporters Ntcp, Bsep and Mrp2, and BA biosynthesis related Cyp7a1 in hepatocytes. Furthermore, the TA3 treatment dose-dependently increased ROS generation and HO-1 expression, decreased the ATP level and MMP and disrupted F-actin in the SCRHs. NAC （5 mmol/L） significantly ameliorated TA3-induced effects in the SCRHs, whereas mangiferin （10-200 μg/mL） almost blocked TA3-induced ROS generation. Conclusion： TA3 triggers liver injury through inducing ROS generation and suppressing the expression of BA transporters. Mangiferin, an active component in Anemarrhena, may protect hepatocytes from TA3-induced hepatotoxicity.

GnRH sterilization vaccines have been developed for various practical and clinical reasons. However, conjugation of GnRH peptide to carrier protein has many drawbacks, hampering the further commercialization of GnRH vaccines. In this study, a new nonconjugated GnRH vaccine, D-Lys6-GnRH-tandem-dimer peptide （TDK）, emulsified in Specol adjuvant was investigated for its immunocastration efficacy in young male rats. Prepubertal male rats were randomly allocated into three groups （n = 12）： control （no treatment）, surgically castrated or immunized against 100 μg TDK in Specol adjuvant at 6 weeks of age （with a booster 8 weeks later）. Blood samples （for antibody titers and hormone concentrations） were collected at 2-week intervals until rats were killed （18 weeks of age）. Compared to intact controls, active immunization against TDK reduced （P〈 0.05） serum concentrations of testosterone, inhibin B, LH and FSH, prevented the onset of spermatogenesis at puberty. Furthermore, mRNA expressions of GnRH receptor, LH-β and FSH-β in the pituitary, LH receptor, FSH receptor, inhibin α, βA and βB subunit in the testes were decreased in immunocastrated rats compared to intact controls （P 〈 0.05）. These results demonstrate for the first time that GnRH-tandem-dimer peptide emulsified in Specol is a promising veterinary sterilization medicine.

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism, and over 90% are type 2 diabetes. Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the type 2 diabetes complications, usually accompanied by changes in myocardial structure and function, together with cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Our study investigated the effect of curcumin on regulating oxidative stress (OS) and apoptosis in DCM. In vivo, diabetes was induced in an experimental rat model by streptozoticin (STZ) together with high‐glucose and high‐fat (HG/HF) diet feeding. In vitro, H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured with high‐glucose and saturated free fatty acid palmitate. Curcumin was orally or directly administered to rats or cells, respectively. Streptozoticin ‐induced diabetic rats showed metabolism abnormalities and elevated markers of OS (superoxide dismutase [SOD], malondialdehyde [MDA], gp91phox, Cyt‐Cyto C), enhanced cell apoptosis (Bax/Bcl‐2, Cleaved caspase‐3, TUNEL‐positive cells), together with reduced Akt phosphorylation and increased Foxo1 acetylation. Curcumin attenuated the myocardial dysfunction, OS and apoptosis in the heart of diabetic rats. Curcumin treatment also enhanced phosphorylation of Akt and inhibited acetylation of Foxo1. These results strongly suggest that apoptosis was increased in the heart of diabetic rats, and curcumin played a role in diabetic cardiomyopathy treatment by modulating the Sirt1‐Foxo1 and PI3K‐Akt pathways.

Bright and efficient organic emitters of near-infrared light would be of use in applications ranging from biological imaging and medical therapy to night-vision devices. Here we report how a new class of Pt( II ) complex phosphors have enabled the fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes that emit light at 740 nm with very high efficiency and radiance due to a high photoluminescence quantum yield of ∼81% and a highly preferred horizontal dipole orientation. The best devices exhibited an external quantum efficiency of 24 ± 1% in a normal planar organic light-emitting diode structure. The incorporation of a light out-coupling hemisphere structure further boosts the external quantum efficiency up to 55 ± 3%. New design of Pt( II ) phosphors yield near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes with high efficiency and brightness.

The functionalization of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is an important strategy for broadening its application fields. In the present work, MCC was functionalized by phosphorylation reaction with phytic acid (PA) for enhanced flame retardancy. The conditions of phosphorylation reaction including PA concentration, MCC/PA weight ratio and temperature were discussed, and the thermal degradation, heat release and char-forming properties of the resulting PA modified MCC were studied by thermogravimetric analysis and pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry. The PA modified MCC, which was prepared at 90 °C, 50%PA and 1:3 weight ratio of MCC to PA, exhibited early thermal dehydration with rapid char formation as well as low heat release capability. This work suggests a novel strategy for the phosphorylation of cellulose using PA and reveals that the PA phosphorylated MCC can act as a promising flame retardant material.