Identification of Fucans from Four Species of Sea Cucumber by High Temperature ~1H NMR

Acidic polysaccharide, which has various biological activities, is one of the most important components of sea cucumber. In the present study, crude polysaccharide was extracted from four species of sea cucumber from three different geographical zones, Pearsonothuria graeffei（Pg） from Indo-Pacific, Holothuria vagabunda（Hv） from Norwegian Coast, Stichopus tremulu（St） from Western Indian Ocean, and Isostichopus badionotu（Ib） from Western Atlantic. The polysaccharide extract was separated and purified with a cellulose DEAE anion-exchange column to obtain corresponding sea cucumber fucans（SC-Fucs）. The chemical property of these SC-Fucs, including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and sulfate content, was determined. Their structure was compared simply with fourier infrared spectrum analyzer and identified with high temperature 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum analyzer（NMR） and room temperature 13 C NMR. The results indicated that Fuc-Pg obtained from the torrid zone mainly contained 2,4-O-disulfated and non-sulfated fucose residue, whereas Fuc-Ib from the temperate zone contained non-, 2-O- and 2,4-O-disulfated fucose residue; Fuc-St from the frigid zone and Fuc-Hv from the torrid zone contained mainly non-sulfated fucose residue. The proton of SC-Fucs was better resolved via high temperature 1H NMR than via room temperature 1H NMR. The fingerprint of sea cucumber in different sea regions was established based on the index of anomer hydrogen signal in SC-Fucs. Further work will help to understand whether there exists a close relationship between the geographical area of sea cucumber and the sulfation pattern of SC-Fucs.     

Effect of Bacillus baekryungensis YD13 Supplemented in Diets on Growth Performance and Immune Response of Sea Cucumber（Apostichopus japonicus）

The effect of a potential probiotic on the growth performance and immune response of sea cucumber（Apostichopus japonicus） was investigated. Bacillus baekryungensis YD13 isolated from sea cucumber culturing ponds was added to sea cucumber basal feed as a probiotic in different doses（0, the control; 1×10^4（YD134）, 1×10^6（YD136） and 1×10^8（YD138） CFU g-1 of diet）, and administered orally to A. japonicus（initial mean wet weight 5.44 g ± 0.17 g）. The sea cucumbers were fed in 20 aquaria, 5 each treatment, for 60 d. At the end of growth trial, 20 sea cucumbers from each treatment were challenged with Vibrio splendidus. A. japonicus in YD134 and YD136 exhibited significantly better growth performance than control（P 〈0.05）. Five non-specific immune parameters including lysozyme, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, superoxide dismutase and catalase in coelomic fluid were measured to evaluate the immune response of A. japonicus to the probiotics. Results showed that all parameters were significantly improved when YD11 was supplemented in the dose of 1×10^6 CFU g^-1（P 〈0.05）. The cumulative incidence and mortality after the Vibrio splendidus challenge decreased significantly in sea cucumbers of YD136. Accordingly, 1×10^6 CFU g^-1 of YD13 in diet was recommended for the growth promotion and immune enhancement of A. japonicus.     

Identification of five sea cucumber species through PCR-RFLP analysis

Sea cucumbers are traditional marine food and Chinese medicine in Asia. The rapid expansion of sea cucumber market has resulted in various problems, such as commercial fraud and mislabeling. Conventionally, sea cucumber species could be distinguished by their morphological and anatomical characteristics; however, their identification becomes difficult when they are processed. The aim of this study was to develop a new convenient method of identifying and distinguishing sea cucumber species. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (COI) was used to identifing five sea cucumber species (Apostichopus japonicus, Cucumaria frondosa, Thelenota ananas, Parastichopus californicus and Actinopyga lecanora). A 692 bp fragment of COI was searched for BamHI, KpnI, PstI, XbaI and Eco31I restriction sites with DNAMAN 6.0, which were then used to PCR-RFLP analysis. These five sea cucumber species can be discriminated from mixed sea cucumbers. The developed PCR-RFLP assay will facilitate the identification of sea cucumbers, making their source tracing and quality controlling feasible.     

湛江地区一次冷锋型海雾微物理特征

利用2010年3月31日—4月2日冷锋天气系统影响下湛江海雾综合观测资料,分析了海雾的微物理特征及海雾过程中气溶胶粒子谱的演变特征。结果表明,海雾的生消与风场密切相关,海雾生成和发展与较强的ESE气流相联系,而弱的NE气流则会促使海雾减弱或消散。湛江海雾的雾滴数浓度为100~102cm-3,液态含水量为0.001~0.232 g·m-3,雾滴平均半径小于10μm,雾滴峰值半径多位于1.4μm。海雾雾滴谱分布以单调递减谱为主,谱宽超过20μm,且雾发展过程中雾滴谱谱宽存在突然增宽和迅速减小的现象。海雾过程中雾滴数浓度的变化主要是由半径小于5μm的雾滴数密度变化引起的。海雾过程对气溶胶粒子的湿清除效果并不显著,雾过程中粒径小于0.1μm和大于4μm的气溶胶粒子数密度显著减少,但在雾消散后又迅速恢复到雾发生前的水平。     

Effects of the oophagous bivalve Acesta oophaga on the morphology and fecundity of its deep‐sea tubeworm host,Lamellibrachia luymesi

The deep‐sea bivalve Acesta oophaga lives attached to the anterior end of the vestimentiferan tubeworm, Lamellibrachia luymesi, at cold methane seeps. The bivalve is found almost exclusively on female tubeworms, where it consumes the lipid‐rich eggs of L. luymesi that are spawned year round (Biological Bulletin, 209, 2005, 87). It is apparent that A. oophaga benefits directly from this close association, but the consequences for the tubeworm host may be more complicated than just a simple predator–prey interaction. Since A. oophaga completely surrounds the tube opening and plume of the worm, it is likely that its presence would limit oxygen uptake by L. luymesi, thereby inhibiting worm growth and reproduction. We hypothesized that occupied tubeworms would compensate for this by growing larger plumes for oxygen uptake. To explore the effects of bivalve presence/absence on female tubeworms, several morphological features, including body size, plume length, tube diameter, and tube segment length, as well as instantaneous fecundity, were compared. Results suggest that the mere presence of A. oophaga has a significant impact on the morphology of its host worm, as all measures of worm size, except for tube segment length, were significantly greater with clams present. Additionally, instantaneous fecundity was 3.5 times higher in occupied worms, implying that tubeworms are not oxygen‐deprived or energy limited as a result of bivalve presence. Our findings suggest that the association between these two deep‐sea organisms may be a more complex form of symbiosis than the simple predator–prey relationship, as previously thought.     

一次典型高压型海雾过程中海上大气波导的数值模拟

2009年4月9—12日黄海海域发生了一次受高压系统影响的海雾过程。利用卫星观测与探空数据、WRF模式(Weather Research and Forecasting Model)对此次海雾过程及相伴的大气波导进行了观测分析与数值模拟。海雾与波导发展可分为3个阶段:(1)大气波导先于海雾存在于黄海海面;受高压下沉影响,黄海上空存在逆温层和较强的湿度梯度,表现为较强的贴海表面波导和非贴海表面波导。(2)海雾始于高压西部,并随高压系统逐渐东移减弱,向黄海北部扩展;辐射冷却虽然使雾顶附近逆温增强,但海雾的机械湍流使其顶部湿度梯度减小,雾顶附近对应弱悬空波导或波导消失。(3)高压系统影响使干空气下沉到雾区导致黄海海雾消散;雾顶附近逆温仍存在,同时湿度梯度增大,黄海上空逐渐变为非贴海表面波导。本研究结果表明:高压系统不仅极易为波导的发生提供有利条件,而且有利于海雾的生成,在海雾演变过程中主要是雾顶水汽梯度的变化导致了波导类型及强度的变化。     

基于数值模拟的渤海海域地震海啸危险性定量化研究

根据地震海啸产生的条件,结合渤海海域的地形特征、地质构造、地震学特征和历史地震及海啸记录对渤海海域潜在的地震海啸进行了数值模拟研究。分析了渤海可能引发地震海啸的震源区域,讨论了渤海发生海啸灾害的可能性。文中通过数值模拟再现了渤海历史上几次规模较大的地震事件可能引发的海啸情景,研究分析了可能的地震海啸在渤海及周边海域的传播过程及波动特征.地震海啸传播模型采用基于四叉树原理的自适应网格加密技术,有效解决了局部分辨率与计算效率之间的矛盾。数值计算包括地震海啸产生及传播过程。利用该模型对渤海潜在的地震海啸进行了数值计算,基于数值计算结果定量阐述了渤海海域潜在地震海啸对渤海局部岸段及北黄海沿岸的影响,给出了渤海可能地震海啸危险性划分;研究结果将为我国海啸危险性分析和海啸预警技术研究工作提供技术支持。     

基于ROMS模式利用集合最优插值同化沿轨海表面高度异常数据的研究

The ensemble optimal interpolation （EnOI） is applied to the regional ocean modeling system （ROMS） with the ability to assimilate the along-track sea level anomaly （TSLA）. This system is tested with an eddy-resolving system of the South China Sea （SCS）. Background errors are derived from a running seasonal ensemble to account for the seasonal variability within the SCS. A fifth-order localization function with a 250 km localization radius is chosen to reduce the negative effects of sampling errors. The data assimilation system is tested from January 2004 to December 2006. The results show that the root mean square deviation （RMSD） of the sea level anomaly decreased from 10.57 to 6.70 cm, which represents a 36.6% reduction of error. The data assimilation reduces error for temperature within the upper 800 m and for salinity within the upper 200 m, although error degrades slightly at deeper depths. Surface currents are in better agreement with trajectories of surface drifters after data assimilation. The variance of sea level improves significantly in terms of both the amplitude and position of the strong and weak variance regions after assimilating TSLA. Results with AGE error （AGE） perform better than no AGE error （NoAGE） when considering the improvements of the temperature and the salinity. Furthermore, reasons for the extremely strong variability in the northern SCS in high resolution models are investigated. The results demonstrate that the strong variability of sea level in the high resolution model is caused by an extremely strong Kuroshio intrusion. Therefore, it is demonstrated that it is necessary to assimilate the TSLA in order to better simulate the SCS with high resolution models.     

Amodified discrete element model for sea ice dynamics

Considering the discontinuous characteristics of sea ice on various scales,a modified discrete element model（DEM） for sea ice dynamics is developed based on the granular material rheology.In this modified DEM,a soft sea ice particle element is introduced as a self-adjustive particle size function.Each ice particle can be treated as an assembly of ice floes,with its concentration and thickness changing to variable sizes under the conservation of mass.In this model,the contact forces among ice particles are calculated using a viscous-elastic-plastic model,while the maximum shear forces are described with the Mohr-Coulomb friction law.With this modified DEM,the ice flow dynamics is simulated under the drags of wind and current in a channel of various widths.The thicknesses,concentrations and velocities of ice particles are obtained,and then reasonable dynamic process is analyzed.The sea ice dynamic process is also simulated in a vortex wind field.Taking the influence of thermodynamics into account,this modified DEM will be improved in the future work.     

基于阈值区间的海洋锋面提取模型

A model （Bayesian oceanic front detection, BOFD） of sea surface temperature （SST） front detection in satel- lite-derived SST images based on a threshold interval is presented, to be used in different applications such as climatic and environmental studies or fisheries. The model first computes the SST gradient by using a Sobel algorithm template. On the basis of the gradient value, the threshold interval is determined by a gradi- ent cumulative histogram. According to this threshold interval, front candidates can be acquired and prior probability and likelihood can be calculated. Whether or not the candidates are front points can be deter- mined by using the Bayesian decision theory. The model is evaluated on the Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer images of part of the Kuroshio front region. Results are compared with those obtained by using several SST front detection methods proposed in the literature. This comparison shows that the BOFD not only suppresses noise and small-scale fronts, but also retains continuous fronts.