Floating plastic accumulation and distribution around Kuroshio Current, western North Pacific.

The distribution of floating plastic debris around the Kuroshio Current which transports plastics from the coastal waters of Asian countries to North Pacific subtropical gyre, was investigated in 2014. The mean abundance and weight of plastic debris on the sea surface were 100,376 counts/km2 and 446.16 g/km2, respectively. Intensive plastic accumulation was observed in the frontal area between the northern edge of the Kuroshio and coastal waters off Shikoku, while a relatively higher abundance in the south of Kuroshio was generally associated with anticyclonic mesoscale eddies. Such an accumulation resulted from the eddy-Kuroshio interactions which are specifically associated with the offshore non-large meandering Kuroshio path. Overall, white, fragmented, small-sized (≤1 mm) particles with polyethylene and polypropylene polymers were dominant. In the southern area of Kuroshio, the contribution of polystyrene and larger-sized plastic was higher, suggesting a rapid influx of fresh particles from western Japan to offshore by the northwest monsoon.

RNA Editing is a Valuable Biomarker for Predicting Carcinogenesis in Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ulcerative colitis [UC] can lead to colitis-associated colorectal neoplasm [CAN]. Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing, which is regulated by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA [ADAR], induces the post-transcriptional modification of critical oncogenes, including antizyme inhibitor 1 [AZIN1], leading to colorectal carcinogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that ADAR1 might be involved in the development of CAN in UC. METHODS: We systematically analysed a cohort of 139 UC cases [40 acute phase, 73 remission phase, 26 CAN]. The degree of inflammation was evaluated using the Mayo endoscopic score [MES]. RESULTS: The type 1 interferon [IFN]-related inflammation pathway was upregulated in the rectum of active UC, rectum of UC-CAN and tumour site of UC-CAN patients. ADAR1 expression was upregulated in the entire colon of CAN cases, while it was downregulated in non-CAN MES0 cases. ADAR1 expression in the rectum predicted the development of CAN better than p53 or ß-catenin, with an area under the curve of 0.93. The high expression of ADAR1 and high AZIN1 RNA editing in UC was triggered by type 1 IFN stimulation from UC-specific microbiomes, such as seen in Fusobacterium in vitro analyses. The induction of AZIN1 RNA editing by ADAR1, whose expression is promoted by Fusobacterium, may induce carcinogenesis in UC. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of CAN can be evaluated by assessing ADAR1 expression in the rectum of MES0 UC patients, freeing UC patients from unnecessary colonoscopy and reducing their physical burden. RNA editing may be involved in UC carcinogenesis, and may be used to facilitate the prevention and treatment of CAN in UC.

Counterdiabatic driving for periodically driven open quantum systems.

We discuss dynamics of periodically driven open quantum systems. The time evolution of the quantum state is described by the quantum master equation, and the form of the dissipator is chosen so that the instantaneous stationary state is given by the Gibbs distribution. We find that the correlation between the population part and the coherence part of the density operator is induced by an adiabatic gauge potential. Although the introduction of the counterdiabatic term eliminates the correlation, additional correlations prevent convergence to the Gibbs distribution. We study the performance of the control by the counterdiabatic term. The system has three different scales and the performance strongly depends on the relations between their magnitudes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Shortcuts to adiabaticity: theoretical, experimental and interdisciplinary perspectives'.

Dynamical invariant formalism of shortcuts to adiabaticity.

We give a pedagogical introduction to dynamical invariant formalism of shortcuts to adiabaticity. For a given operator form of the Hamiltonian with undetermined coefficients, the dynamical invariant is introduced to design the coefficients. We discuss how the method allows us to mimic adiabatic dynamics and describe a relation to the counterdiabatic formalism. The equation for the dynamical invariant takes a familiar form and is often used in various fields of physics. We introduce examples of Lax pair, quantum brachistochrone and flow equation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Shortcuts to adiabaticity: theoretical, experimental and interdisciplinary perspectives'.

Fucoxanthin Production of Microalgae under Different Culture Factors: A Systematic Review.

Fucoxanthin is one of the light-harvesting pigments in brown microalgae, which is increasingly gaining attention due to its numerous health-promoting properties. Currently, the production of microalgal fucoxanthin is not yet feasible from an economic perspective. However, the cultivation of microalgae at favourable conditions holds great potential to increase the viability of this fucoxanthin source. Hence, this study aimed to review the fucoxanthin production of microalgae under different conditions systematically. A literature search was performed using the Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed databases. A total of 188 articles were downloaded and 28 articles were selected for the current review by two independent authors. Microalgae appeared to be a more reliable fucoxanthin source compared to macroalgae. Overall, a consensus fucoxanthin production condition was obtained and proposed: light intensity ranging from 10 to 100 µmol/m2/s could achieve a higher fucoxanthin content. However, the optimal light condition in producing fucoxanthin is species-specific. The current review serves as an antecedent by offering insights into the fucoxanthin-producing microalgae response to different culture factors via a systematic analysis. With the current findings and recommendations, the feasibility of producing fucoxanthin commercially could be enhanced and possibly achieve practical and sustainable fucoxanthin production.

Proteomic Applications in Aquatic Environment Studies.

Genome determines the unique individualities of organisms; however, proteins play significant roles in the generation of the colorful life forms below water. Aquatic systems are usually complex and multifaceted and can take on unique modifications and adaptations to environmental changes by altering proteins at the cellular level. Proteomics is an essential strategy for exploring aquatic ecosystems due to the diverse involvement of proteins, proteoforms, and their complexity in basic and advanced cellular functions. Proteomics can expedite the analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes in an aquatic environment. Previous proteomic studies on aquatic environments have mainly focused on pollution assessments, ecotoxicology, their role in the food industry, and extraction and identification of natural products. Aquatic protein biomarkers have been comprehensively reported and are currently extensively applied in the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Cellular- and molecular-level responses of organisms can be used as indicators of environmental changes and stresses. Conversely, environmental changes are expedient in predicting aquatic health and productivity, which are crucial for ecosystem management and conservation. Recent advances in proteomics have contributed to the development of sustainable aquaculture, seafood safety, and high aquatic food production. Proteomic approaches have expanded to other aspects of the aquatic environment, such as protein fingerprinting for species identification. In this review, we encapsulated current proteomic applications and evaluated the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of proteomics for future aquatic environmental studies. The review identifies both pros and cons of aquatic proteomics and projects potential challenges and recommendations. We postulate that proteomics is an emerging, powerful, and integrated omics approach for aquatic environmental studies.

Cerebral control of swallowing: An update on neurobehavioral evidence.

This review aims to update the current knowledge on the cerebral control of swallowing. We review data from both animal and human studies spanning across the fields of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neuroimaging to evaluate advancements in our understanding in the brain's role in swallowing. Studies have collectively shown that swallowing is mediated by multiple distinct cortical and subcortical regions and that lesions to these regions can result in dysphagia. These regions are functionally connected in separate groups within and between the two hemispheres. While hemispheric dominance for swallowing has been reported in most human studies, the laterality is inconsistent across individuals. Moreover, there is a shift in activation location and laterality between swallowing preparation and execution, although such activation changes are less well-defined than that for limb motor control. Finally, we discussed recent neurostimulation treatments that may be beneficial for dysphagia after brain injury through promoting the reorganization of the swallowing neural network.

RNA editing facilitates the enhanced production of neoantigens during the simultaneous administration of oxaliplatin and radiotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Most cases of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are microsatellite stable (MSS), which frequently demonstrate lower response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). RNA editing produces neoantigens by altering amino acid sequences. In this study, RNA editing was induced artificially by chemoradiation therapy (CRT) to generate neoantigens in MSS CRCs. Altogether, 543 CRC specimens were systematically analyzed, and the expression pattern of ADAR1 was investigated. In vitro and in vivo experiments were also performed. The RNA editing enzyme ADAR1 was upregulated in microsatellite instability-high CRCs, leading to their high affinity for ICIs. Although ADAR1 expression was low in MSS CRC, CRT including oxaliplatin (OX) treatment upregulated RNA editing levels by inducing ADAR1. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed the upregulation of ADAR1 in patients with CRC treated with CAPOX (capecitabine + OX) radiation therapy relative to ADAR1 expression in patients with CRC treated only by surgery (p < 0.001). Compared with other regimens, CRT with OX effectively induced RNA editing in MSS CRC cell lines (HT29 and Caco2, p < 0.001) via the induction of type 1 interferon-triggered ADAR1 expression. CRT with OX promoted the RNA editing of cyclin I, a neoantigen candidate. Neoantigens can be artificially induced by RNA editing via an OX-CRT regimen. CRT can promote proteomic diversity via RNA editing.

Dynamical Lee-Yang zeros for continuous-time and discrete-time stochastic processes.

We describe classical stochastic processes by using dynamical Lee-Yang zeros. The system is in contact with external leads and the time evolution is described by the two-state classical master equation. The cumulant generating function is written in a factorized form and the current distribution is characterized by the dynamical Lee-Yang zeros. We show that a continuous distribution of zeros is obtained by discretizing the time variable. When the transition probability is a periodically oscillating function of time, the distribution of zeros splits into many parts. We study the geometric property of the current by comparing the result with that of the adiabatic approximation. We also use the Floquet-Magnus expansion in the continuous-time case to study dynamical effects on the current at the fast-driving regime.

Transcriptomics de novo sequencing data of Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 under exponential and stationary growth stages.

Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 is a non-model microalga exhibiting superior oil-accumulating abilities. However, biomass production in M. gracile SE-MC4 is limited due to low cell proliferation especially after prolonged cultivation under oil-inducing culture conditions. Present data consist of next generation RNA sequencing data of M. gracile SE-MC4 under exponential and stationary growth stages. RNA of six samples were extracted and sequenced with insert size of 100 bp paired-end strategy using BGISEQ-500 platform to produce a total of 59.64 Gb data with 314 million reads. Sequences were filtered and de novo assembled to form 53,307 number of gene sequences. Sequencing data were deposited in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and can be accessed via BioProject ID PRJNA552165. This information can be used to enhance biomass production in M. gracile SE-MC4 and other microalgae aimed towards improving biodiesel development.

Transcriptome-wide study in the green microalga Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 identifies prominent roles of photosynthetic integral membrane protein genes during exponential growth stage.

The non-model microalga Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 is a potential species for biodiesel production. However, low biomass productivity hinders it from passing the life cycle assessment for biodiesel production. Therefore, the current study was aimed at uncovering the differences in the transcriptome profiles of the microalgae at early exponential and early stationary growth phases and dissecting the roles of specific differential expressed genes (DEGs) involved in cell division during M. gracile cultivation. The transcriptome analysis revealed that the photosynthetic integral membrane protein genes such as photosynthetic antenna protein were severely down-regulated during the stationary growth phase. In addition, the signaling pathways involving transcription, glyoxylate metabolism and carbon metabolism were also down-regulated during stationary growth phase. Current findings suggested that the coordination between photosynthetic integral membrane protein genes, signaling through transcription and carbon metabolism classified as prominent strategies during exponential growth stage. These findings can be applied in genetic improvement of M. gracile for biodiesel application.

Motor and sensory cortical processing of neural oscillatory activities revealed by human swallowing using intracranial electrodes.

Swallowing is attributed to the orchestration of motor output and sensory input. We hypothesized that swallowing can illustrate differences between motor and sensory neural processing. Eight epileptic participants fitted with intracranial electrodes over the orofacial cortex were asked to swallow a water bolus. Mouth opening and swallowing were treated as motor tasks, whereas water injection was treated as a sensory task. Phase-amplitude coupling between lower-frequency and high γ (HG) bands (75-150 Hz) was investigated. An α (10-16 Hz)-HG coupling appeared before motor-related HG power increases (burst), and a θ (5-9 Hz)-HG coupling appeared during sensory-related HG bursts. The peaks of motor-related coupling were 0.6-0.7 s earlier than that of HG power. The motor-related HG was modulated at the trough of the α oscillation, and the sensory-related HG amplitude was modulated at the peak of the θ oscillation. These contrasting results can help to elucidate the brain's sensory motor functions.

Large-scale distribution and composition of floating plastic debris in the transition region of the North Pacific.

Floating plastic debris was investigated in the transition region in the North Pacific between 141°E and 165°W to understand its transportation process from Asian coast to central subtropical Pacific. Distribution was influenced primarily by the current system and the generation process of the high concentration area differed between the western and eastern areas. West of 180°, debris largely accumulated around nearshore convergent area and was transported by eddies and quasi-stationary jet from south to the subarctic region. The average was 15% higher than that previously reported in 1989, suggesting an increase in plastic debris in 30 years. East of 180°, debris concentrated in the calm water downstream of the Kuroshio Extension Bifurcation with considerably high concentration (505,032 ± 991,989 pieces km-2), due to the accumulation of small transparent film caused by calm weather conditions, suggesting a further investigation on small plastic (<1 mm) in the subsurface depth in the subtropical North Pacific.

Swallowing-related neural oscillation: an intracranial EEG study.

OBJECTIVE: Swallowing is a unique movement due to the indispensable orchestration of voluntary and involuntary movements. The transition from voluntary to involuntary swallowing is executed within milliseconds. We hypothesized that the underlying neural mechanism of swallowing would be revealed by high-frequency cortical activities. METHODS: Eight epileptic participants fitted with intracranial electrodes over the orofacial cortex were asked to swallow a water bolus and cortical oscillatory changes, including the high γ band (75-150 Hz) and ß band (13-30 Hz), were investigated at the time of mouth opening, water injection, and swallowing. RESULTS: Increases in high γ power associated with mouth opening were observed in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) with water injection in the lateral central sulcus and with swallowing in the region along the Sylvian fissure. Mouth opening induced a decrease in ß power, which continued until the completion of swallowing. The high γ burst of activity was focal and specific to swallowing; however, the ß activities were extensive and not specific to swallowing. In the interim between voluntary and involuntary swallowing, swallowing-related high γ power achieved its peak, and subsequently, the power decreased. INTERPRETATION: We demonstrated three distinct activities related to mouth opening, water injection, and swallowing induced at different timings using high γ activities. The peak of high γ power related to swallowing suggests that during voluntary swallowing phases, the cortex is the main driving force for swallowing as opposed to the brain stem.

Double-high in palmitic and oleic acids accumulation in a non-model green microalga, Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 under nitrate-repletion and -starvation cultivations.

Bioprospecting for biodiesel potential in microalgae primarily involves a few model species of microalgae and rarely on non-model microalgae species. Therefore, the present study determined changes in physiology, oil accumulation, fatty acid composition and biodiesel properties of a non-model microalga Messastrum gracile SE-MC4 in response to 12 continuous days of nitrate-starve (NS) and nitrate-replete (NR) conditions respectively. Under NS, the highest oil content (57.9%) was achieved despite reductions in chlorophyll content, biomass productivity and lipid productivity. However, under both NS and NR, palmitic acid and oleic acid remained as dominant fatty acids thus suggesting high potential of M. gracile for biodiesel feedstock consideration. Biodiesel properties analysis returned high values of cetane number (CN 61.9-64.4) and degree of unsaturation (DU 45.3-57.4) in both treatments. The current findings show the possibility of a non-model microalga to inherit superior ability over model species in oil accumulation for biodiesel development.

Lipid accumulation patterns and role of different fatty acid types towards mitigating salinity fluctuations in Chlorella vulgaris.

Mangrove-dwelling microalgae are well adapted to frequent encounters of salinity fluctuations across their various growth phases but are lesser studied. The current study explored the adaptive changes (in terms of biomass, oil content and fatty acid composition) of mangrove-isolated C. vulgaris UMT-M1 cultured under different salinity levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 30 ppt). The highest total oil content was recorded in cultures at 15 ppt salinity (63.5% of dry weight) with uncompromised biomass productivity, thus highlighting the 'trigger-threshold' for oil accumulation in C. vulgaris UMT-M1. Subsequently, C. vulgaris UMT-M1 was further assessed across different growth phases under 15 ppt. The various short, medium and long-chain fatty acids (particularly C20:0), coupled with a high level of C18:3n3 PUFA reported at early exponential phase represents their physiological importance during rapid cell growth. Accumulation of C18:1 and C18:2 at stationary growth phase across all salinities was seen as cells accumulating substrate for C18:3n3 should the cells anticipate a move from stationary phase into new growth phase. This study sheds some light on the possibility of 'triggered' oil accumulation with uninterrupted growth and the participation of various fatty acid types upon salinity mitigation in a mangrove-dwelling microalgae.

Taxon- and Growth Phase-Specific Antioxidant Production by Chlorophyte, Bacillariophyte, and Haptophyte Strains Isolated From Tropical Waters.

Antioxidants found in microalgae play an essential role in both animals and humans, against various diseases and aging processes by protecting cells from oxidative damage. In this study, 26 indigenous tropical marine microalgae were screened. Out of the 26 screened strains, 10 were selected and were further investigated for their natural antioxidant compounds which include carotenoids, phenolics, and fatty acids collected in their exponential and stationary phases. The antioxidant capacity was also evaluated by a total of four assays, which include ABTS, DPPH, superoxide radical (O2 •-) scavenging capacity, and nitric oxide (•NO-) scavenging capacity. This study revealed that the antioxidant capacity of the microalgae varied between divisions, strains, and growth phase and was also related to the content of antioxidant compounds present in the cells. Carotenoids and phenolics were found to be the major contributors to the antioxidant capacity, followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic acid (LA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), arachidonic acid (ARA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) compared to other fatty acids. The antioxidant capacity of the selected bacillariophytes and haptophytes was found to be positively correlated to phenolic (R 2-value = 0.623, 0.714, and 0.786 with ABTS, DPPH, and •NO-) under exponential phase, and to carotenoid fucoxanthin and ß-carotene (R2 value = 0.530, 0.581 with ABTS, and 0.710, 0.795 with O2 •-) under stationary phase. Meanwhile, antioxidant capacity of chlorophyte strains was positively correlated with lutein, ß-carotene and zeaxanthin under the exponential phase (R2 value = 0.615, 0.615, 0.507 with ABTS, and R2 value = 0.794, 0.659, and 0.509 with •NO-). In the stationary phase, chlorophyte strains were positively correlated with violaxanthin (0.755 with •NO-), neoxanthin (0.623 with DPPH, 0.610 with •NO-), and lutein (0.582 with •NO-). This study showed that antioxidant capacity and related antioxidant compound production of tropical microalgae strains are growth phase-dependent. The results can be used to improve the microalgal antioxidant compound production for application in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, and feed industry.

Effect of Deep Brain Stimulation on Swallowing Function: A Systematic Review.

The effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) on swallowing function in movement disorders is unclear. Here, we systematically reviewed this topic by searching keywords following PICOS strategy of problem (swallowing or swallow or dysphagia or aspiration) and intervention (deep brain stimulation, or DBS) in the PubMed and Web of Science in English in April 2020, with comparators [subthalamic nucleus (STN), globus pallidus interna (GPi), ventralis intermedius, (ViM), post-subthalamic area, or caudal zona incerta (PSA/cZi); ON/OFF DBS state/settings, ON/OFF medication state, Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia, tremor], outcomes (swallowing function measures, subjective/objective) and study types (good quality original studies) in mind. We found that STN DBS at usual high-frequency stimulation could have beneficial effect (more so on subjective measures and/or OFF medication), no effect, or detrimental effect (more so on objective measures and/or ON medication) on swallowing function in patients with PD, while low-frequency stimulation (LFS) could have beneficial effect on swallowing function in patients with freezing of gait. GPi DBS could have a beneficial effect (regardless of medication state and outcome measures) or no effect, but no detrimental effect, on swallowing function in PD. GPi DBS also has beneficial effects on swallowing function in majority of the studies on Meige syndrome but not in other diseases with dystonia. PSA/cZi DBS rarely has detrimental effect on swallowing functions in patients with PD or tremor. There is limited information on ViM to assess. Information on swallowing function by DBS remains limited. Well-designed studies and direct comparison of targets are further needed.

Bioprospecting of indigenous marine microalgae with ammonium tolerance from aquaculture ponds for microalgae cultivation with ammonium-rich wastewaters.

We isolated fifty-two strains from the marine aquaculture ponds in Malaysia that were evaluated for their lipid production and ammonium tolerance and four isolates were selected as new ammonium tolerant microalgae with high-lipid production: TRG10-p102 Oocystis heteromucosa (Chlorophyceae); TRG10-p103 and TRG10-p105 Thalassiosira weissflogii (Bacillariophyceae); and TRG10-p201 Amphora coffeiformis (Bacillariophyceae). Eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) in three diatom strain was between 2.6 and 18.6 % of total fatty acids, which were higher than in O. heteromucosa. Only A. coffeiformi possessed arachidonic acid. Oocystis heteromucosa naturally grew at high ammonium concentrations (1.4-10 mM), whereas the growth of the other strains, T. weissflogii and A. coffeiformi, were visibly inhibited at high ammonium concentrations (>1.4 mM-NH4). However, two strains of T. weissflogii were able to grow at up to 10 mM-NH4 by gradually acclimating to higher ammonium concentrations. The ammonium tolerant strains, especially T. weissflogii which have high EPA contents, were identified as a valuable candidate for biomass production utilizing NH4-N media, such as ammonium-rich wastewater.