Ocean University of China

About: Ocean University of China is a education organization based out in Qingdao, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Sea surface temperature. The organization has 27604 authors who have published 27886 publications receiving 440181 citations. The organization is also known as: Zhōngguó Hǎiyáng Dàxué & OUC.

The Role of Clusterin in Alzheimer’s Disease: Pathways, Pathogenesis, and Therapy

Abstract: Genetic variation in clusterin gene, also known as apolipoprotein J, has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) through replicated genome-wide studies, and plasma clusterin levels are associated with brain atrophy, baseline prevalence and severity, and rapid clinical progression in patients with AD, highlighting the importance of clusterin in AD pathogenesis. Emerging data suggest that clusterin contributes to AD through various pathways, including amyloid-β aggregation and clearance, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation, and neuronal cell cycle control and apoptosis. Moreover, epigenetic regulation of the clusterin expression also seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD. Emerging knowledge of the contribution of clusterin to the pathogenesis of AD presents new opportunities for AD therapy.

Periphytic ciliate colonization: annual cycle and responses to environmental conditions

Abstract: Glass slides were used as artificial substrates for collecting periphytic ciliates from scallop-farming waters of Jiaozhou Bay near Qingdao (China) over a period of 1 yr. A total of 37 ciliate species, about half of which belong to the orders Hypotrichida and Cyrtophorida, were identi- fied using living observation and silver impregnation methods. Peaks of ciliate abundance and bio- mass occurred in November, mainly due to the suctorian Corynophrya lyngbyi, while sessile per- itrichs (especially Pseudovorticella sinensis, Zoothamnium duplicatum and Z. plumula) dominated the ciliate communities during August. Vagile ciliates had low abundance and biomass despite accounting for a large proportion of the species richness. Almost no typical periphytic ciliates were detected in the winter months (from January to March). Twelve dominant species showed clear succession over the year and were found to correlate with a variety of environmental variables. Uni- variate and multivariate analyses were performed in order to explore the relationship between ciliate community and environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphate, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, turbidity). Diversity and evenness indices were found to be relatively independent of physico-chemical factors, whereas species richness and the ratio of biomass to abundance were strongly related to nutrients. Multivariate ana- lyses revealed that temperature, nutrients and salinity may best explain the changes in community structure of ciliates colonizing the glass slides.

Dietary administration of Bacillus (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and isomaltooligosaccharide influences the intestinal microflora, immunological parameters and resistance against Vibrio alginolyticus in shrimp, Penaeus japonicus (Decapoda: Penaeidae)

Abstract: The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of oral administration of probiotics (Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis) in combination with prebiotic isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO) on the intestinal microflora and immunological parameters of Penaeus japonicus and its resistence against Vibrio alginolyticus. A basal diet was supplemented with 0% probiotics and prebiotic (control), 108 colony forming unit (CFU) g−1B. licheniformis and 0.2% IMO (T1), 108 CFU g−1B. subtilis and 0.2% IMO (T2), 108 CFU g−1B. licheniformis in combination with 108 CFU g−1B. subtilis and 0.2% IMO (T3). The results showed that the total bacterial counts significantly increased (P<0.05) and Vibrio counts significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the intestine of shrimp with supplementation of dietary synbiotics. Shrimp fed the diet with both Bacillus probiotics and IMO (T3) produced significantly higher immune parameters (phenoloxidase activity, lysozyme activity and nitric oxide synthase activity and superoxide dismutase activity) than the control group (P<0.05). Significant lower cumulative mortality after challenge with V. alginolyticus was also observed in shrimp fed diet with both Bacillus probiotics and IMO (T3) than that in the control group (P<0.05). The results indicated that the oral administration of probiotics (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and prebiotic IMO has positive effects on bacterial flora in P. japonicus gut, and can activate non-specific immunity of shrimp.