The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans in China: A review of its distribution and role in harmful algal blooms.

The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans is often reported as a worldwide HAB species and caused severe financial losses to local aquaculture. In this review, we summarized the temporal and geographical distribution of its HABs in China, as well as its position in the plankton structure. Increasing N. scintillans HABs, both frequency and coverage, have broken out in almost all Chinese coastal regions mainly from April to June, with short-term and small coverage blooms as the primary type. The HAB period seems to shift with age and latitude. Recently, increasing abundance and dominance of N. scintillans were also reported in plankton communities in Chinese coastal waters, with multiple environmental factors related. In particular, trophic relationships may play an important role in its dominance and outbreaks of HABs. However, how N. scintillans became a dominant species in China and the mechanisms responsible for its HABs require further study.

Evaluation of mouse acute liver damage by breath test with domestically synthesized ~(13)C-methacetin / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective To establish a convenient ~(13)C-breath test system in live mice,and investigate the value of ~(13)C-methacetin breath test(~(13)C-MBT) in the diagnosis of acute liver damage of mice with domestically synthesized ~(13)C-methacetin. Methods Domestically synthesized ~(13)C.methacetin was prepared from aeamol by methylation. Abdominal injection of CCl_4 was adopted to duplicate acute liver damage of mice,then the mice were housed under normal laboratory condition for a whole month to gain recovery,which were indentified by hepatic pathological examinations and biochemical teats of liver function.After fasting, the mice were orally administered ~(13)C-methacetin,and the expired air was collected at various time points. Infrared spectrometer was employed, and delm over baseline(DOB) curves of ~(13)C-exhalation were drawn. Results Six to eight min after administration of ~(13)C-methacetin,the rate of ~(13)C-exhalation peaked in control group(51.9±2.04), and decreased thereafter. Sixteen min after administration of ~(13)C-methacetin,the rate of ~(13)JC-exhalation peaked in model group(26.37±5.74), and decreased thereafter.There were significant differences between these two groups(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in peak value and time to reach the peak on DOB curves of ~(13)C-methacetin breath test after the two groups of mice were housed under the same condition for a month(P>0.05).Conclution ~(13)C-MBT facilitates the collection and evaluation of ~(13)CO_2 in the expired air of live mice,and yields precise reflection of alterations of liver function in acute liver injury and functional recovery.