Gonadal Atresia, Estrogen-Responsive, and Apoptosis-Specific mRNA Expression in Marine Mussels from the East China Coast: A Preliminary Study.

This preliminary survey analysed mussel atresia incidences, estrogen-responsive and apoptotic-specific molecular end points, and aqueous and gonadal levels of selected estrogens from the East China coast. Estrogen levels were low (e.g. < LOD-28.36 ng/L, < LOD-3.88 ng/g wet weight of tissue for BPA) relative to worldwide freshwater environments, but high oocyte follicle atresia incidences (up to 26.6%) occurred at selected sites. Expression of estrogen-responsive ER2 was significantly increased in males relative to females at sites with high atresia incidences in females. A second estrogen-responsive gene, V9, was significantly increased at two sites in April in females relative to males; the opposite was true for the remaining two sites. Apoptosis-specific genes (Bcl-2, fas) showed elevated expression in males relative to females at the site with the highest atresia incidence. These results provide coastal estrogen levels and the utility of several estrogen-specific molecular-level markers for marine mussels.

Computational analyses of aortic blood flow under varying speed CF-LVAD support.

Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices (CF-LVADs) generally operate at a constant speed whilst supporting a failing heart. However, constant speed CF-LVAD support may cause complications and increase the morbidity rates in the patients. Therefore, different varying speed operating modes for CF-LVADs have been proposed to generate more physiological blood flow, which may reduce complication rates under constant speed CF-LVAD support. The proposed varying speed CF-LVAD algorithms simulate time-dependant dynamics and three dimensional blood flow patterns in aorta under varying speed CF-LVAD support remain unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate three dimensional blood flow patterns in a patient-specific aorta model under co-pulsating and counter-pulsating CF-LVAD support modes driven by speed and flow rate control algorithms using numerical simulations. Aortic blood flow was evaluated for 10,000 rpm constant speed CF-LVAD support generating 4.71 L/min mean flow rate over a cardiac cycle. Co-pulsating and counter-pulsating CF-LVAD speed control operated the pump at the same average speed over a cardiac cycle and co-pulsating and counter-pulsating CF-LVAD flow rate control generated the same average flow rate over cardiac cycle as in the constant speed pump support. Simulation results show that the utilised counter-pulsating pump flow rate control may decrease the haemolysis to a third compared to the most commonly employed constant speed pump operating mode. Moreover, CF-LVAD support utilising counter-pulsating pump flow rate control generated the most favourable hemodynamic characteristics, i.e. low Dean number, least wall shear stress and least haemolysis values among the investigated cases.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Mekong tiger fish Datnioides undecimradiatus (Roberts & Kottelat, 1994).

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Mekong tiger fish Datnioides undecimradiatus (Perciformes: Datnioididae) has been sequenced by next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,534 bp, includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of the Mekong tiger fish is 27.9% for A, 30.69% for C, 16.51% for G, 24.91% for T and show 77% identities to Anoplocapros lenticularis(GenBank accession no. NC011319.1). The complete mitogenome of the Mekong tiger fish provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for Datnioididae family.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Indonesian tiger fish Datnioides microlepis (Bleeker 1854).

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Indonesian tiger fish Datnioides microlepis (Bleeker 1854) (Perciformes: Datnioididae) has been sequencedby next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,439 bp, includes 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of Indonesian tiger fish is 27.36% for A, 30.89% for C, 17.00% for G, 24.75% for T and show 91% identities to Mekong tiger fish Datnioides undecimradiatus (GenBank: KU870663). The complete mitogenome of the Indonesian tiger fish, provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for Datnioididae.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the big-belly seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis (Lesson 1827).

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the big-belly seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis (Lesson, 1827) (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae), has been sequenced by the next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome is 16 521 bp in length which includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of the seahorse is 31.1% for A, 23.6% for C, 16.0% for G, 29.3% for T and shows 87% identities similar to tiger tail seahorse, Hippocampus comes. The complete mitogenome of the big-belly seahorse provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for seahorse family.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle (Linnaeus, 1758).

In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle (Linnaeus, 1758) (Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae) has been sequenced by next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,488bp, includes 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition\ of \the broad-nosed pipefish is 27.72% for A, 27.81% for C, 16.53% for G, 27.94% for T and show 87% identities to Syngnathus schlegeli (GenBank: AP012318). The complete mitogenome of the broad-nosed pipefish, provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for seahorse family.

[Biomass and carbon storage of Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora in Jiuduan Shoal Wetland of Yangtze Estuary, East China].

By the methods of field survey and laboratory analysis, an investigation was conducted on the seasonal dynamics of biomass and carbon storage of Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora dominated vegetation belts in the Jiuduan Shoal Wetland of Yangtze Estuary, East China in 2010-2012. The organic carbon storage of the biomass (including aboveground part, underground part, and standing litter) of the two plants was the highest in autumn and the lowest in spring. The average carbon storage of the biomass of S. alterniflora per unit area (445.81 g x m(-2)) was much higher than that of P. australis (285.52 g x m(-2)), and the average carbon storage of the standing litter of S. alterniflora (315.28 g x m(-2)) was also higher than that of P. australia (203.15 g x m(-2)). However, the organic carbon storage in the surface soil (0-30 cm) under P. australis community (1048.62 g x m(-2)) was almost as twice times as that under S. alterniflora community (583.33 g x m(-2)). Overall, the carbon accumulation ability of P. australis community (3212.96 g x m(-2)) was stronger than that of the S. alterniflora community (2730.42 g x m(-2)). Therefore, it is of significance to protect the P. australis community in terms of carbon sequestration at the salt marsh.