Effect of polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera on maize seedlings under NaCl stress

In this study, a polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (EP) was extracted and its effect on maize seedlings under NaCl stress was investigated. Firstly, the components and structure of the EP were determined. We found that EP is a sulfated polysaccharide of high-molecular weight (Mw, 1 840 KDa) heteropolysaccharides and the main monosaccharide is rhamnose. The polysaccharide was applied to explore its effect on the growth of maize seedlings and its defense response under a salt stress. The results show that EP could promote the growth of maize seedlings under the salt stress. In addition, EP was shown able to significantly regulate membrane permeability and adjustment of osmotic substances such as soluble protein, soluble sugar, and proline, antioxidant enzymes containing superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Therefore, EP is an effective salt-resistant substance for the growth of maize seedlings under NaCl stress.     

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics Analysis of Grassland Ecosystem Pressure in Kazakhstan

Affected by climate change and policy factors, Kazakhstan is the country with the most severe ecological degradation and grassland conflicts in Central Asia. Therefore, studying the state of grassland carrying resources in Kazakhstan is particularly important for understanding the responses of grassland ecosystems to climate change and human activities. Based on Kazakhstan's remote sensing data and animal husbandry statistics, this study analyzes the patterns of changes in grassland ecosystems in Kazakhstan based on the supply and consumption of these ecosystems. The results show that: 1) From 2003 to 2017, the number of livestock raised in Kazakhstan showed a trend of sustained and steady growth. Due to freezing damage, the scale of livestock farming decreased in 2011, but a spatial difference in the livestock farming structure was not obvious. 2) The fluctuation of grassland supply in Kazakhstan has increased, while the consumption due to animal husbandry has also continued to increase, resulting in an increasing pressure on the grassland carrying capacity. 3) Between 2003 and 2017, the overall grassland carrying status of Kazakhstan have been abundant, but the grassland carrying pressure index has shown a steadily increasing trend, the grassland carrying pressure is growing, and it is mainly determined by grassland productivity. The greater pressure in lower Kyzylorda state, the southern Kazakhstan state of the cultivated land and the northern Kazakhstan state has gradually expanded to include the agro-pastoral zone and the semi-desert zone.     

三疣梭子蟹几丁质酶基因(PtCht6)的克隆及其在免疫中的功能分析

几丁质酶(chitinase)在甲壳动物的蜕皮、消化和免疫等很多生物学过程中发挥重要功能,为深入探讨几丁质酶的免疫防御机制,本实验利用RACE技术克隆了三疣梭子蟹(Portunus trituberculatus)PtCht6基因。该基因cDNA全长2736bp,开放阅读框(ORF)2103bp,编码700个氨基酸,具有几丁质酶GH18家族典型特征。利用实时荧光定量技术分析PtCht6在三疣梭子蟹不同组织、不同蜕皮阶段、不同病原感染以及低盐胁迫(11)下的表达特征,结果显示:PtCht6在各组织中均有表达且在肝胰腺中的表达量最高;在不同蜕皮时期的肝胰腺中,其表达量由蜕皮后期(A/B)、蜕皮间期(C)、蜕皮前期(D)依次递减(P0.05);人工感染WSSV和副溶血弧菌后.PtCht6的表达量在肝胰腺中分别于12h、72h达到最大值,在血细胞中均于12h达到最大值,且相较于对照组,整体显著上调表达(P0.05);低盐胁迫能够显著抑制该基因的表达,最高抑制73倍(P0.05)。同时发现,低盐环境下感染WSSV后,该基因达到峰值的时间明显延迟(至少延迟12h.P0.05)。该研究结果预示PtCht6作为免疫因子参与三疣梭子蟹的病原防御,且低盐胁迫在一定程度上抑制了该基因的免疫功能。     

条斑紫菜酵母双杂交文库的构建及PyMAPK5互作蛋白的筛选

为进一步研究条斑紫菜促分裂原活化激酶家族PyMAPK5的下游互作蛋白,理解其生物学功能,本研究通过酵母双杂交的方法进行其相互作用蛋白的筛选。提取不同温度和失水逆境胁迫下的RNA,利用Invitrogen体系构建条斑紫菜酵母双杂交cDNA文库,其库容为1.44×107CFU,重组率为91.8%。以pGBKT7-PyMAPK5为诱饵蛋白载体,利用共转化方法,从文库中筛选得到26个与PyMAPK5互作的候选蛋白。候选蛋白集中在光系统II相关蛋白、捕光蛋白、微管蛋白、ATP酶、GTP结合蛋白及假设蛋白等。微管蛋白、捕光蛋白、光系统II蛋白一对一验证结果为阳性,表明在酵母体内存在互作。本研究为阐明条斑紫菜PyMAPK5与其互作蛋白的关系及解析PyMAPK5下游作用机制奠定了基础。     

Current-induced scour beneath initially elevated subsea pipelines

When a subsea pipeline is laid on an uneven seabed, certain sections may have an initial elevation with respect to the far-field seabed, e_o, and thus potentially affecting the on-bottom stability of the pipeline. This paper focuses on quantifying the effects of the upstream dimensionless seabed shear stress, θ_∞, and Reynolds number, Re, on: (1) the maximum dimensionless seabed shear stress beneath the pipe, θ_max, to be compared to the critical shear stress in order to determine whether scour would occur and progress towards an equilibrium state; and, (2) the dimensionless equilibrium scour depth beneath the pipe, S_eq/D. Using a 2-D Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach along with the k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model, a parametric study involving 243 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations was conducted. The simulation results were used to develop a closed-form equation for the prediction of θ_max. Subsequently, experimental measurements of S_eq/D have been compiled from published literature, to develop a new closed-form equation for the prediction of S_eq/D with a high correlation to the experimental data. In summary, we present two closed-form equations for the prediction of θ_max and S_eq/D for pipelines with an initial e_o/D, which are applicable for both clear-water and live-bed conditions. The effects of θ_∞ and Re have been included, albeit Re having a small influence as compared to the other parameters.     

Effects of wave directionality on extreme response for a long end-anchored floating bridge

Reliable design codes are of great importance when constructing new civil engineering concepts such as floating bridges. Previously only a scarce number of floating bridges have been built in rough wave conditions and only limited knowledge of the extreme environmental conditions and the associated extreme response exists. To form a better design basis an increased understanding of the sensitivity in the structural response towards changes in short-crested sea parameters is needed. Furthermore, acquiring the necessary accuracy in simulated extreme response is often a computationally expensive endeavour and the number of simulations needed is often based on experience. The present study investigates the wave-induced short-term extreme response of a simplified end-anchored floating bridge concept for several wave environments with a return period of 100 years. The study includes convergence of the coefficient of variation for the extreme response for different realization lengths as well as number of realizations. The sensitivity in the structural response towards different main wave directions and spreading exponents is investigated and includes both transverse and vertical displacement response spectra and extreme Von Mises stress in the bridge girder cross-section. The extreme response is based on an accuracy of 2% in the coefficient of variation equivalent to 40 3-h realizations and a low sensitivity in the response is found for natural occurring spreading exponents and for main wave directions within 15° from beam sea.     

A stochastic method for the prediction of icebreaker bow extreme stresses

It is well established that the ship-ice interaction process is quite complex and associated ice loads on the icebreaker hull is a stochastic process. Obviously, novel accurate statistical methods and models should be developed and applied to estimate extreme bow stresses.This paper studies icebreaker bow stresses based on measured distribution of ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean on the way to and from the North Pole. Since the vessel route was carefully selected searching for easier ice conditions, the Arctic Ocean crossing was not a straight linear but a meandering path. Thus, the specific ship route data was biased with respect to general ice statistics in the region, but true with respect to the route specific ice data encountered by a ship navigating in that region. Therefore the route specific ice thickness data is directly needed for ship design and navigation analysis. It is assumed that captains are competent and knowledgeable, and therefore will select a route that provides the most favourable ice conditions.This paper contributes to study of the newest Chinese self-designed polar icebreaker, serving the purpose of enhancing icebreaker operational reliability. Finite Element Method software package ANSYS/LS-DYNA has been employed to simulate bow stress pattern for a particular icebreaker operating in the Arctic Ocean. Extreme bow stresses were estimated using Naess-Gaidai method. The latter is a first application of Naess-Gaidai method to a distribution with lower bound. Thus this paper aims at introducing an efficient method of estimating route-specific icebreaker extreme bow stresses.     

A study of coral reef resilience and implications of adaptive management and rehabilitation in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam

The Province of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam, is located in the western South China Sea and boasts a shoreline of 385 km and many islands. Previous studies have indicated the extreme diversity and abundance of coral reefs in its waters as compared with other coastal provinces of Vietnam. A study on the resilience of coral reefs against increased surface water temperature and anthropogenic impact is conducted at 19 reef sites in 2015. At each site, a series of parameters (e.g., coral covers, genus diversity, and coral recruitment, substratum heterogeneity, depth, water exchange level, and sediment deposit and water temperature) are measured quantitatively or semi-quantitatively. The measured data are rated based on the relationship between the parameter values and coral susceptibility; the consideration that reef health reflects the biological capability to adapt to environmental changes and the recruitment potential if bleached; and positive or negative influences of physical factors in the mitigation of thermal stress and protecting corals from bleaching. A cumulative analysis enables researchers to divide the studied reefs into four categories based on varying levels of reef health to support resilience, recovery, and vulnerability in the case of increased water temperature. Relevant management interventions for each category and other supporting activities are suggested to enhance management effectiveness and to plan the rehabilitation of coral reefs for biodiversity conservation and touristic development, taking into account the involvement of related stakeholders.     

作物胁迫无人机遥感监测研究评述

作物胁迫是全球农业发展的一个重要制约因素,实现快速、大范围、实时的作物胁迫监测对于农业生产具有重要意义。传统的作物胁迫监测方式,如田间调查、理化检测和卫星遥感监测总是受到各种田间条件或大气条件的制约。随着无人机和各种轻量化传感器的快速发展,其凭借高频、迅捷等优势为各种作物胁迫监测提供了一套全新的解决方案。本文在介绍了目前主流的多种无人机和传感器的基础上,首先对目前无人机遥感用于作物监测的主要胁迫类型进行了梳理,然后重点阐述了基于光谱成像和热红外传感器进行作物胁迫无人机遥感监测的应用和技术方法,最后提出了作物胁迫无人机遥感监测尚需解决的关键问题,并展望了未来无人机遥感用于作物胁迫监测的前景。     

利用InSAR资料反演宁洱Ms6.4地震震源参数及库仑应力变化

首先利用ALOS PALSAR数据,通过D-InSAR技术获取2007-06-03云南宁洱MS6.4地震的同震形变场,然后基于Okada弹性半空间位错模型反演该地震的断层几何以及精细滑动分布,最后计算宁洱地震后周边断层的静态库仑应力变化。结果表明,形变主要集中在西盘,最大视线向形变量为51.6 cm;反演得到的震源位置为23.05°N、101.02°E,深度3 km,断层走向145°,倾向49.5°,平均滑动角153°,发震断层为NNW向普洱断裂,断层活动以右旋走滑为主,兼具逆冲分量;断层面最大滑动量为1.2 m,反演得到的震级为MW619。基于库仑应力场发现,磨黑断裂处于库仑应力增加区域,而2014年景谷地震位于负值区域。结合实地考察资料和反演结果表明,宁洱地震为浅源地震,但断层并未出露地表。