Diel transcriptional responses of coral-Symbiodiniaceae holobiont to elevated temperature.

Coral exhibits diel rhythms in behavior and gene transcription. However, the influence of elevated temperature, a key factor causing coral bleaching, on these rhythms remains poorly understood. To address this, we examined physiological, metabolic, and gene transcription oscillations in the Acropora tenuis-Cladocopium sp. holobiont under constant darkness (DD), light-dark cycle (LD), and LD with elevated temperature (HLD). Under LD, the values of photosystem II efficiency, reactive oxygen species leakage, and lipid peroxidation exhibited significant diel oscillations. These oscillations were further amplified during coral bleaching under HLD. Gene transcription analysis identified 24-hour rhythms for specific genes in both coral and Symbiodiniaceae under LD. Notably, these rhythms were disrupted in coral and shifted in Symbiodiniaceae under HLD. Importantly, we identified over 20 clock or clock-controlled genes in this holobiont. Specifically, we suggested CIPC (CLOCK-interacting pacemaker-like) gene as a core clock gene in coral. We observed that the transcription of two abundant rhythmic genes encoding glycoside hydrolases (CBM21) and heme-binding protein (SOUL) were dysregulated by elevated temperature. These findings indicate that elevated temperatures disrupt diel gene transcription rhythms in the coral-Symbiodiniaceae holobiont, affecting essential symbiosis processes, such as carbohydrate utilization and redox homeostasis. These disruptions may contribute to the thermal bleaching of coral.

Causal impact of statins on susceptibility to osteoarthritis: insights from a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a widely prevalent cause of pain and disability among older adults. It is an incurable condition, and most treatments are aimed at alleviating symptoms. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of statins on osteoarthritis by using a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach, using genetic variants associated with statin use as instrumental variables. METHOD: Information on single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with statin medication was obtained from the FinnGen study, and data on osteoarthritis were sourced from the UK Biobank. The inverse variance weighted method was used as the primary analytical approach for the Mendelian randomization analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity. To examine the genetic relationship between statins and osteoarthritis, linkage disequilibrium score regression-based estimates were used. RESULTS: Mendelian randomization analysis indicated a positive effect of statin use on the treatment of osteoarthritis (odds ratio 0.951, 95% confidence interval 0.914-0.99, p < 0.05). This conclusion was supported by various Mendelian randomization methods. Sensitivity analyses revealed no significant directional pleiotropy or influential single nucleotide polymorphisms that could compromise the overall causal inference. Linkage disequilibrium score regression-based estimates suggested a modest genetic correlation between statin use and osteoarthritis (Rg = 0.098, Se = 0.034, p < 0.05), thus reinforcing the robustness of the Mendelian randomization analysis. CONCLUSION: Statins reduce the risk of osteoarthritis, aligning with the results of observational studies. Further research is essential to validate these results and explore the underlying mechanisms in detail.

Rapid adsorptive removal of emerging and legacy PFASs from water using zinc chloride-modified litchi seed-derived biochar.

The present study successfully synthesized a novel biochar adsorbent (M-L-BC) using litchi seed modified with zinc chloride for PFAS removal in water. M-L-BC greatly enhanced removal of all examined PFASs (>95 %) as compared to the pristine biochar (<40 %). The maximum adsorption capacity was observed for PFOS, reaching 29.6 mg/g. Adsorption kinetics of PFASs followed the pseudo-second-order model (PSO), suggesting the predominance of chemical adsorption. Moreover, characterization and density functional theory (DFT) calculations jointly revealed involvement of surface complexation, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions in PFAS adsorption. Robust PFAS removal was demonstrated for M-L-BC across a wide range of pH (3-9), and coexisting ions had limited impact on adsorption of PFASs except PFBA. Furthermore, M-L-BC showed excellent performance in real water samples and retained reusability after five cycles of regeneration. Overall, M-L-BC represents a promising and high-quality adsorbent for efficient and sustainable removal of PFASs from water.

Integrated analyses of single-cell transcriptome and Mendelian randomization reveal the protective role of FCRL3 in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) represents a multifaceted autoimmune ailment, prompting the development and widespread utilization of numerous therapeutic interventions. However, extant medications for MS have proven inadequate in mitigating relapses and halting disease progression. Innovative drug targets for preventing multiple sclerosis are still required. The objective of this study is to discover novel therapeutic targets for MS by integrating single-cell transcriptomics and Mendelian randomization analysis. Methods: The study integrated MS genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), and protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) data for analysis and utilized two-sample Mendelian randomization study to comprehend the causal relationship between proteins and MS. Sequential analyses involving colocalization and Phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS) were conducted to validate the causal role of candidate genes. Results: Following stringent quality control preprocessing of scRNA-seq data, 1,123 expression changes across seven peripheral cell types were identified. Among the seven most prevalent cell types, 97 genes exhibiting at least one eQTL were discerned. Examination of MR associations between 28 proteins with available index pQTL signals and the risk of MS outcomes was conducted. Co-localization analyses and PheWAS indicated that FCRL3 may exert influence on MS. Conclusion: The integration of scRNA-seq and MR analysis facilitated the identification of potential therapeutic targets for MS. Notably, FCRL3, implicated in immune function, emerged as a significant drug target in the deCODE databases. This research underscores the importance of FCRL3 in MS therapy and advocates for further investigation and clinical trials targeting FCRL3.

Possible toxification mechanisms of acute and chronic pentachlorophenol to Montipora digitata: Limitation of energy supply and immunotoxicity.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is widely found in coastal environments and has various adverse effects, and its potential impact on coral reef ecosystems concerning. The scleractinian coral Montipora digitata was used for PCP stress experiments in this study. Phenotypes, physiological indicators, microbial diversity analysis and RNA sequencing were used to investigate the mechanisms underlying the responses of corals to acute and chronic PCP exposure. After 96 h of acute exposure, coral bleaching occurred at 1000 µg/LPCP and there was a significant decrease in Symbiodiniaceae density, Fv/Fm, and chlorophyll a content. Exposure to different concentrations of PCP significantly increased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), leading to oxidative stress in corals. Chronic PCP exposure resulted in bleaching at 60 days, with the Fv/Fm significantly reduced to 0.461. Microbial diversity analysis revealed an increase in the abundance of potential pathogens, such as Vibrio, during acute PCP exposure and the emergence of the degrading bacterium Delftia during chronic PCP exposure. Transcriptional analysis showed that PCP exposure caused abnormal carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism in zooxanthella, which affected energy supply, induced immune responses, and disrupted symbiotic relationships. Corals respond to injury by boosting the expression of genes associated with signal transduction and immune response. Additionally, the expression of genes associated with environmental adaptation increased with chronic PCP exposure, which is consistent with the results of the microbial diversity analysis. These results indicate that PCP exposure might affect the balance of coral- zooxanthellae symbiosis in the stony coral M. digitata, impairing coral health and leading to bleaching.

Higher genotypic diversity and distinct assembly mechanism of free-living Symbiodiniaceae assemblages than sympatric coral-endosymbiotic assemblages in a tropical coral reef.

While in hospite Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates are essential for coral health, ambient free-living counterparts are crucial for coral recruitment and resilience. Comparing free-living and in hospite Symbiodiniaceae communities can potentially provide insights into endosymbiont acquisition and recurrent recruitment in bleaching recovery. In this study, we studied coral-endosymbiotic and ambient free-living Symbiodiniaceae communities in the South China Sea. We collected samples from 183 coral and ambient plankton samples and conducted metabarcoding to investigate the diversity distribution, driving factors, and assembly mechanisms of the two groups of Symbiodiniaceae. Results revealed Cladocopium C1 and Durusdinium D1 as dominant genotypes. We detected a higher genotypic diversity in free-living than in hospite symbiodiniacean communities, but with shared dominant genotypes. This indicates a genetically diverse pool of Symbiodiniaceae available for recruitment by corals. Strikingly, we found that the cooler area had more Symbiodiniaceae thermosensitive genotypes, whereas the warmer area had more Symbiodiniaceae thermotolerant genotypes. Furthermore, in hospite and free-living Symbiodiniaceae communities were similarly affected by environmental factors, but shaped by different assembly mechanisms. The in hospite communities were controlled mainly by deterministic processes, whereas the ambient communities by stochastic processes. This study sheds light on the genetic diversity of source environmental Symbiodiniaceae and differential assembly mechanisms influencing Symbiodiniaceae inside and outside corals.IMPORTANCESymbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates play a pivotal role as key primary producers within coral reef ecosystems. Coral-endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae communities have been extensively studied, but relatively little work has been reported on the free-living Symbiodiniaceae community. Conducting a comparative analysis between sympatric coral-endosymbiotic and free-living Symbiodiniaceae communities can potentially enhance the understanding of how endosymbiont communities change in response to changing environments and the mechanisms driving these changes. Our findings shed light on the genetic diversity of source environmental Symbiodiniaceae and differential assembly mechanisms shaping free-living and in hospite Symbiodiniaceae communities, with implications in evaluating the adaptive and resilient capacity of corals in response to future climate change.

Genetic influence of meningioma on cisplatin resistance: a Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although various aspects of cisplatin resistance have been studied, the impact of genetic variations still needs to be explored. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the impact of cisplatin on meningiomas using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, employing genetic variants associated with cisplatin use as instrumental variables. METHOD: We conducted a two-sample MR analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Instrumental variables were derived from single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with meningioma to estimate the causal relationship with cisplatin resistance. Sensitivity analyses were performed to confirm the findings. RESULTS: Genetic predisposition to meningioma significantly increased the risk of cisplatin resistance (odds ratio (OR): 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44-1.85, P < 0.05). Sensitivity analyses supported the causal link. CONCLUSION: This MR study suggests that genetic predisposition to meningioma increases susceptibility to cisplatin resistance. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanisms behind these causal effects.

Simultaneous determination of trace marine lipophilic and hydrophilic phycotoxins in various environmental and biota matrices.

An efficient and sensitivity approach, which combines solid-phase extraction or ultrasonic extraction for pretreatment, followed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, has been established to simultaneously determine eight lipophilic phycotoxins and one hydrophilic phycotoxin in seawater, sediment and biota samples. The recoveries and matrix effects of target analytes were in the range of 61.6-117.3 %, 55.7-121.3 %, 57.5-139.9 % and 82.6 %-95.0 %, 85.8-106.8 %, 80.7 %-103.3 % in seawater, sediment, and biota samples, respectively. This established method revealed that seven, six and six phycotoxins were respectively detected in the Beibu Gulf, with concentrations ranging from 0.14 ng/L (okadaic acid, OA) to 26.83 ng/L (domoic acid, DA) in seawater, 0.04 ng/g (gymnodimine-A, GYM-A) to 2.75 ng/g (DA) in sediment and 0.01 ng/g (GYM-A) to 2.64 ng/g (domoic acid) in biota samples. These results suggest that the presented method is applicable for the simultaneous determination of trace marine lipophilic and hydrophilic phycotoxins in real samples.

The emerging and legacy persistent organic contaminants in corals of the South China Sea.

Seawater warming, ocean acidification and chemical pollution are the main threats to coral growth and even survival. The legacy persistent organic contaminants (POCs), such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the emerging contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), dechlorane plus (DPs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs) were studied in corals from Luhuitou fringing reef in Sanya Bay and Yongle atoll in Xisha Islands, the South China Sea (SCS). Total average concentrations of ∑16PAHs, ∑23OCPs, ∑34PCBs, ∑8PBDEs, ∑2DPs and ∑5NBFRs in 20 coral species (43 samples) from the SCS were 40.7 ± 34.6, 5.20 ± 5.10, 0.197 ± 0.159, 3.30 ± 3.70, 0.041 ± 0.042 and 36.4 ± 112 ng g-1 dw, respectively. PAHs and NBFRs were the most abundant compounds and they are likely to be dangerous pollutants for future coral growth. Compared to those found in other coral reef regions, these pollutants concentrations in corals were at low to median levels. Except for PBDEs, POCs in massive Porites were significantly higher than those in branch Acropora and Pocillopora (p < 0.01), as large, closely packed corals may be beneficial for retaining more pollutant. The current study contributes valuable data on POCs, particularly for halogenated flame retardants (HFRs, including PBDEs, DPs and NBFRs), in corals from the SCS, and will improve our knowledge of the occurrence and fate of these pollutants in coral reef ecosystems.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) in corals of the South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have garnered significant attention in recent years. In view of the enormous ecosystem services value and severe degradation of coral reefs in the South China Sea, this study investigated the occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation of 11 OPEs in five coral regions: Daya Bay (DY), Weizhou Island (WZ), Sanya Luhuitou (LHT), Xisha (XS) Islands, and Nansha (NS) Islands. Although OPEs were detected at a high rate, their concentration in South China Sea seawater (1.56 ± 0.89 ng L-1) remained relatively low compared to global levels. All OPEs were identified in coral tissues, with Luhuitou (575 ± 242 ng g-1 dw) showing the highest pollution levels, attributed to intense human activities. Coral mucus, acting as a defense against environmental stresses, accumulated higher ∑11OPEs (414 ± 461 ng g-1 dw) than coral tissues (412 ± 197 ng g-1 dw) (nonparametric test, p < 0.05), and their compositional characteristics varied greatly. In the case of harsh aquatic environments, corals increase mucus secretion and then accumulate organic pollutants. Tissue-mucus partitioning varied among coral species. Most OPEs were found to be bioaccumulative (BAFs >5000 L kg-1) in a few coral tissue samples besides Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Mucus' role in the bioaccumulation of OPEs in coral shouldn't be ignored.

A new strategy based on a cascade amplification strategy biosensor for on-site eDNA detection and outbreak warning of crown-of-thorns starfish.

Population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) seriously threaten the sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. However, traditional ecological monitoring techniques cannot provide early warning before the outbreaks, thus preventing timely intervention. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a more accurate and faster technology to predict the outbreaks of COTS. In this work, we developed an electrochemical biosensor based on a programmed catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and hybridization chain reaction (HCR) cyclic amplification strategy for sensitive and selective detection of COTS environmental DNA (eDNA) in water bodies. This biosensor exhibited excellent electrochemical characteristics, including a low limit of detection (LOD = 18.4 fM), low limit of quantification (LOQ = 41.1 fM), and wide linear range (50 fM - 10 nM). The biosensing technology successfully allowed the detection of COTS eDNA in the aquarium environment, and the results also demonstrated a significant correlation between eDNA concentration and COTS number (r = 0.990; P < 0.001). The reliability and accuracy of the biosensor results have been further validated through comparison with digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Moreover, the applicability and accuracy of the biosensor were reconfirmed in field tests at the COTS outbreak site in the South China Sea, which has shown potential application in dynamically monitoring the larvae before the COTS outbreak. Therefore, this efficient electrochemical biosensing technology offers a new solution for on-site monitoring and early warning of the COTS outbreak.

Metabolic signatures of two scleractinian corals from the northern South China sea in response to extreme high temperature events.

Coral bleaching events are becoming increasingly common worldwide, causing widespread coral mortality. However, not all colonies within the same coral taxa show sensitivity to bleaching events, and the current understanding of the metabolic mechanisms underlying thermal bleaching in corals remains limited. We used untargeted metabolomics to analyze the biochemical processes involved in the survival of two bleaching phenotypes of the common corals Pavona decussata and Acropora pruinosa, during a severe bleaching event in the northern South China Sea in 2020. During thermal bleaching, P. decussata and A. pruinosa significantly accumulated energy products such as succinate and EPA, antioxidants and inflammatory markers, and reduced energy storage substances like glutamate and thymidine. KEGG analysis revealed enrichment of energy production pathways such as ABC transporters, nucleotide metabolism and lipid metabolism, suggesting the occurrence of oxidative stress and energy metabolism disorders in bleached corals. Notably, heat stress exerted distinct effects on metabolic pathways in the two coral species, e.g., P. decussata activating carbohydrate metabolism pathways like glycolysis and the TCA cycle, along with amino acid metabolism pathways, whereas A. pruinosa significantly altered the content of multiple small peptides affected amino acid metabolism. Furthermore, the osmoregulatory potential of corals correlates with their ability to survive in heat-stress environments in the wild. This study provides valuable insights into the metabolic mechanisms linked to thermal tolerance in reef-building corals, contributes to the understanding of corals' adaptive potential to heat stress induced by global warming and lays the foundation for developing targeted conservation strategies in the future.

Occurrence, distribution, and sources of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in the air of the Indo-China Peninsula Based on a Passive Air Monitoring Network.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are a class of emerging and ubiquitous contaminants that are attracting increasing attention, and their large-scale use as flame retardants and plasticizers has led to their pervasive presence in the environment, although their broader impacts remain unknown. In this study, 11 OPEs were measured in the atmosphere of Southeast Asia and Southwest China during 2016. The ∑11OPEs were higher in this region (78.0-1670 pg/m3, mean 458 pg/m3) than in many remote areas, lower than in developed regions, and comparable to levels in many developing country cities. Generally, the ∑11OPEs were higher in urban (105-1670 pg/m3, mean 538 pg/m3) than in suburban (78.0-1350 pg/m3, mean 388 pg/m3). Seasonal variations of OPEs in the air were more pronounced in Cambodia and Laos, especially for Triphenyl Phosphate (TPHP). Seasonal variations of ∑11OPEs in most regions correspond to changes in temperature and rainfall. Biomass burning may be also a factor in facilitating OPE emissions from biomass materials or soil into the atmosphere of Southeast Asia. The random forest analysis showed that among these, rainfall had the greatest effect on the seasonal variation of atmospheric OPE concentrations, followed by biomass burning and temperature. The inter-regional variation of ∑11OPEs in Southeast Asia was related to population and economic development in each region. Airflow trajectories indicated that the OPEs in this region were mainly from local sources. The health risk assessment revealed that the inhalation exposure risks of OPEs to the residents in the study areas were very low during the sampling period, but may be increasing.

A novel biosensing strategy on the dynamic and on-site detection of Vibrio coralliilyticus eDNA for coral health warnings.

Heat stress and coral diseases are the predominant factors causing the degradation of coral reef ecosystems. Over recent years, Vibrio coralliilyticus was identified as a temperature-dependent pathogen causing tissue lysis in Pocillopora damicornis and one of the primary pathogens causing bleaching and mortality in other corals. Yet current detection techniques for V. coralliilyticus rely primarily on qPCR and ddPCR, which cannot meet the requirements for non-invasive and real-time detection. Herein, we developed an effective electrochemical biosensor modified by an Au-MoS2/rGO (AMG) nanocomposites and a specific capture probe to dynamically detect V. coralliilyticus environment DNA (eDNA) in aquarium experiments, with a lower limit of detection (0.28 fM) for synthetic DNA and a lower limit of quantification (9.8 fg/µL, ∼0.86 copies/µL) for genomic DNA. Its reliability and accuracy were verified by comparison with the ddPCR method (P > 0.05). Notably, coral tissue started to lyse at only 29 °C when the concentration of V. coralliilyticus increased abruptly to 880 copies/µL, indicating the biosensor could reflect the types of pathogen and health risks of corals under heat stress. Overall, the novel and reliable electrochemical biosensing technology provides an efficient strategy for the on-site monitoring and early warning of coral health in the context of global warming.

The microbiome dynamics and interaction of endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and fungi are associated with thermal bleaching susceptibility of coral holobionts.

The thermal bleaching percentage of coral holobionts shows interspecific differences under heat-stress conditions, which are closely related to the coral-associated microbiome. However, the ecological effects of community dynamics and interactions between Symbiodiniaceae and fungi on coral thermal bleaching susceptibility remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the diversity, community structure, functions, and potential interaction of Symbiodiniaceae and fungi among 18 coral species from a high thermal bleaching risk atoll using next-generation sequencing. The results showed that heat-tolerant C3u sub-clade and Durusdinium dominated the Symbiodiniaceae community of corals and that there were no core amplicon sequence variants in the coral-associated fungal community. Fungal richness and the abundance of confirmed functional animal-plant pathogens were significantly positively correlated with the coral thermal bleaching percentage. Fungal indicators, including Didymellaceae, Chaetomiaceae, Schizophyllum, and Colletotrichum, were identified in corals. Each coral species had a complex Symbiodiniaceae-fungi interaction network (SFIN), which was driven by the dominant Symbiodiniaceae sub-clades. The SFINs of coral holobionts with low thermal bleaching susceptibility exhibited low complexity and high betweenness centrality. These results indicate that the extra heat tolerance of coral in Huangyan Island may be linked to the high abundance of heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae. Fungal communities have high interspecific flexibility, and the increase of fungal diversity and pathogen abundance was correlated with higher thermal bleaching susceptibility of corals. Moreover, fungal indicators were associated with the degrees of coral thermal bleaching susceptibility, including both high and intermediate levels. The topological properties of SFINs suggest that heat-tolerant coral have limited fungal parasitism and strong microbial network resilience.IMPORTANCEGlobal warming and enhanced marine heatwaves have led to a rapid decline in coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Several studies have focused on the impact of coral-associated microbiomes on thermal bleaching susceptibility in corals; however, the ecological functions and interactions between Symbiodiniaceae and fungi remain unclear. We investigated the microbiome dynamics and potential interactions of Symbiodiniaceae and fungi among 18 coral species in Huangyan Island. Our study found that the Symbiodiniaceae community of corals was mainly composed of heat-tolerant C3u sub-clade and Durusdinium. The increase in fungal diversity and pathogen abundance has close associations with higher coral thermal bleaching susceptibility. We first constructed an interaction network between Symbiodiniaceae and fungi in corals, which indicated that restricting fungal parasitism and strong interaction network resilience would promote heat acclimatization of corals. Accordingly, this study provides insights into the role of microorganisms and their interaction as drivers of interspecific differences in coral thermal bleaching.

Increase in Agricultural-Derived NHx and Decrease in Coal Combustion-Derived NOx Result in Atmospheric Particulate N-NH4+ Surpassing N-NO3- in the South China Sea.

The atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic active nitrogen significantly influences marine primary productivity and contributes to eutrophication. The form of nitrogen deposition has been evolving annually, alongside changes in human activities. A disparity arises between observation results and simulation conclusions due to the limited field observation and research in the ocean. To address this gap, our study undertook three field cruises in the South China Sea in 2021, the largest marginal sea of China. The objective was to investigate the latest atmospheric particulate inorganic nitrogen deposition pattern and changes in nitrogen sources, employing nitrogen-stable isotopes of nitrate (δ15N-NO3-) and ammonia (δ15N-NH4+) linked to a mixing model. The findings reveal that the N-NH4+ deposition generally surpasses N-NO3- deposition, attributed to a decline in the level of NOx emission from coal combustion and an upswing in the level of NHx emission from agricultural sources. The disparity in deposition between N-NH4+ and N-NO3- intensifies from the coast to the offshore, establishing N-NH4+ as the primary contributor to oceanic nitrogen deposition, particularly in ocean background regions. Fertilizer (33 ± 21%) and livestock (20 ± 6%) emerge as the primary sources of N-NH4+. While coal combustion continues to be a significant contributor to marine atmospheric N-NO3-, its proportion has diminished to 22 (Northern Coast)-35% (background area) due to effective NOx emission controls by the countries surrounding the South China Sea, especially the Chinese Government. As coal combustion's contribution dwindles, the significance of vessel and marine biogenic emissions grows. The daytime higher atmospheric N-NO3- concentration and lower δ15N-NO3- compared with nighttime further underscore the substantial role of marine biogenic emissions.

The Prescription trends and dosing appropriateness analysis of novel oral anticoagulants in ischemic stroke patients: a retrospective study of 9 cities in China.

Background: Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been recommended by guidelines as the first-line drugs for preventing cardiogenic stroke. We aimed to provide an overview of the prescription trends and dosing appropriateness of NOACs in China. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of NOAC prescriptions using the Hospital Prescription Analysis Cooperation Project data from 2016 to 2022. Various patient features, such as gender, age, city, year, source, department visited, original diagnosis, dosing, cost, and insurance type, were collected and analyzed to examine the trends and dosing appropriateness of NOAC usage in ischemic stroke patients. Results: 62,014 NOAC prescriptions were analyzed, including 16,602 for dabigatran, 45,253 for rivaroxaban, and 159 for apixaban. 85.14% of the patients were aged 65 or above, and tertiary hospitals accounted for 95.97% of NOAC prescriptions. NOAC prescriptions rose from 1828 in 2016 to 13,998 in 2021 but dropped to 13,166 in 2022. The percentage of annual prescriptions for NOACs among stroke patients has increased from 0.05% in 2016 to 0.37% in 2022. Total drug cost increased from ¥704541.18 in 2016 to ¥4128648.44 in 2021, then decreased to ¥1680109.14 in 2022. Prescriptions were divided into 48,321 appropriate and 11,262 inappropriate dosing groups, showing significant differences in medications, age, year, city type, hospital level, source, insurance type, and department visited (all p < 0.001). The median drug cost for inappropriate dosing was higher than for appropriate dosing (¥55.20 VS ¥83.80). The top comorbidities in ischemic stroke patients were atrial fibrillation (35.30%), hypertension (32.75%), and coronary heart disease (16.48%). Conclusion: The application of NOACs in the Chinese population is increasing. Our findings highlight the frequent deviation from labeled dosing of NOACs in clinical practice. Continued efforts are necessary to promote the appropriate use of NOACs according to the standard dosage in the drug insert.

Responses in reef-building corals to wildfire emissions: Heterotrophic plasticity and calcification.

Extreme wildfire events are on the rise globally, and although substantial wildfire emissions may find their way into the ocean, their impact on coral reefs remains uncertain. In a five-week laboratory experiment, we observed a significant reduction in photosynthesis in coral symbionts (Porites lutea) when exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires. At low PM2.5 level (2 mg L-1), the changes in δ13C and δ15N values in the host and symbiotic algae suggest reduced autotrophy and the utilization of wildfire particulates as a source of heterotrophic nutrients. This adaptive strategy, characterized by an increase in heterotrophy, sustained some aspects of coral growth (total biomass, proteins and lipids) under wildfire stress. Nevertheless, at high PM2.5 level (5 mg L-1), both autotrophy and heterotrophy significantly decreased, resulting in an imbalanced coral-algal nutritional relationship. These changes were related to light attenuation in seawater and particulate accumulation on the coral surface during PM2.5 deposition, ultimately rendering the coral growth unsustainable. Further, the calcification rates decreased by 1.5 to 1.85 times under both low and high levels of PM2.5, primarily affected by photosynthetic autotrophy rather than heterotrophy. Our study highlights a constrained heterotrophic plasticity of corals under wildfire stress. This limitation may restrict wildfire emissions as an alternative nutrient source to support coral growth and calcification, especially when oceanic food availability or autotrophy declines, as seen during bleaching induced by the warming ocean.

Linking coral fluorescence phenotypes to thermal bleaching in the reef-building Galaxea fascicularis from the northern South China Sea.

Coral fluorescence phenotypes have been suggested as an adaptation to a broad range of environmental conditions, yet the mechanisms linking thermal bleaching tolerance in reef-building coral populations, associated with fluorescence phenotypes due to GFP-like proteins, remains unclear. In this study, the relationship between the thermal sensitivity and phenotypic plasticity of corals was investigated using two phenotypes of Galaxea fascicularis, green and brown. The results reveal that brown G. fascicularis was more susceptible to bleaching than green G. fascicularis when exposed to a higher growth temperature of 32 °C. Both phenotypes of G. fascicularis were associated with the thermotolerant Symbiodiniaceae symbiont, Durusdinium trenchii. However, the brown G. fascicularis showed a significant decrease in Symbiodiniaceae cell density and a significant increase in pathogenic bacteria abundance when the growth temperature was raised from 29 to 32 °C. The physiological traits and transcriptomic profiles of Symbiodiniaceae were not notably affected, but there were differences in the transcriptional levels of certain genes between the two phenotype hosts of G. fascicularis. Under heat stress of 32 °C, the gene encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP)-like and chromosome-associated proteins, as well as genes related to oxidative phosphorylation, cell growth and death showed lower transcriptional levels in the brown G. fascicularis compared to the green G. fascicularis. Overall, the results demonstrate that the green form of G. fascicularis is better able to tolerate ocean warming and defend against pathogenic bacteria, likely due to higher gene transcription levels and defense ability. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00190-1.

Distribution and adsorption-desorption of organophosphate esters from land to sea in the sediments of the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea: Impact of seagoing river input.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been a class of emerging environmental contaminants. However, studies on their environmental behavior, specifically their adsorption-desorption behavior between sediment and seawater in estuarine and coastal areas, remain limited. To address this gap, our study focused on investigating the levels and behavior of 11 OPEs in sediment samples collected from the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea, encompassing estuaries and coastal regions. The total concentrations of 11 OPEs (Σ11OPEs) in the sediments exhibit a significant decrease in summer, both in seagoing rivers (4.67 ± 2.74 ng/g dw) and the coastal zone (5.11 ± 3.71 ng/g dw), compared to winter levels in seagoing rivers (8.26 ± 4.70 ng/g dw) and the coastal zone (7.71 ± 3.83 ng/g dw). Chlorinated OPEs dominated the sediments, constituting 63 %-76 % of the total. Particularly, port and mariculture areas showed the highest levels of OPEs. Through load estimation analysis, it was revealed that the sedimentary OPEs in Qinzhou Bay (221 ± 128 kg) had the highest load, with input from the Qin River identified as a significant source. Chlorinated OPEs showed a trend of desorption from sediments to the water column with increasing salinity, emphasizing the crucial role of land-based OPEs input through suspended particulate matter in rivers as a pathway to the ocean. The impact of strong flow in estuarine environments was highlighted, as it can scour sediments, generate suspended sediments, and release OPEs into the water bodies. Additionally, the results of the ecological risk assessment indicated that most of the OPEs posed low-risk levels. However, attention is warranted for the contamination levels of some chlorinated OPEs, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring and assessment.