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.

Spatial variations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur in the salt marsh sediments of the Yangtze Estuary in China

Abstract: Surface sediments and three sediment vibrocores were collected from the salt marsh of the Yangtze Estuary in order to examine the C, N, P and S distributions. Marsh plants and suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the river were also sampled and analyzed in order to determine their elemental compositions. The levels of total organic carbon (0.1–0.7%) and C/N ratios (6–11) in the surface sediments of the Yangtze Estuary salt marsh were relatively low compared with those reported for other salt marshes in European and North American coastal areas. The total organic carbon (TOC) level and C/N ratio of the surface sediments were similar to those of the SPM in the Yangtze Estuary, but were much lower than those of the marsh plant samples. These findings support the view that organic matter in the surface sediments is largely derived from SPM in the river, with minor contributions from the marsh vegetation. Total phosphorus (TP) showed irregular variation in its spatial distribution, whereas the TOC, total nitrogen (TN) and total sulfur (TS) concentrations were highest in the high marsh zones and lowest in the bare flat areas. This pattern was related to the spatial variability of the sediment grain size (i.e. clay-rich sediments in the high marsh zones resulted in elevated TOC, TN and TS contents). Some vibrocore sediments in the mid-depths of the high and low marsh zones, however, showed greater TOC contents than might have been predicted from the TOC-grain size relationship. This suggested the existence of additional organic inputs (i.e. marsh vegetation) for these vibrocore sediment sections, despite their original riverine source. After eliminating the effect of grain size, it was calculated that 22–55% of the TOC and 0.6–35% of the TN in the sediment samples were derived from the marsh vegetation. Considering both the vertical accretion rate and the ecosystem evolution of the salt marsh, it was estimated that the annual contributions of TOC and TN made by the marsh vegetation to the sediments in the Yangtze Estuary were 5.8 × 1011 g C yr−1 and 2.3 × 1010 g N yr−1, respectively, with corresponding accumulation rates of 1.1–1.5 × 1010 g C yr−1 and 4.4–5.8 × 108 g N yr−1 at the present time.

Transgene expression is associated with copy number and cytomegalovirus promoter methylation in transgenic pigs.

Abstract: Transgenic animals have been used for years to study gene function, produce important proteins, and generate models for the study of human diseases. However, inheritance and expression instability of the transgene in transgenic animals is a major limitation. Copy number and promoter methylation are known to regulate gene expression, but no report has systematically examined their effect on transgene expression. In the study, we generated two transgenic pigs by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by cytomegalovirus (CMV). Absolute quantitative real-time PCR and bisulfite sequencing were performed to determine transgene copy number and promoter methylation level. The correlation of transgene expression with copy number and promoter methylation was analyzed in individual development, fibroblast cells, various tissues, and offspring of the transgenic pigs. Our results demonstrate that transgene expression is associated with copy number and CMV promoter methylation in transgenic pigs.

Recent progress in studies of the South China Sea circulation

Abstract: The South China Sea (SCS) is a semi-enclosed marginal sea with deep a basin. The SCS is located at low latitudes, where the ocean circulations are driven principally by the Asia-Australia monsoon. Ocean circulation in the SCS is very complex and plays an important role in both the marine environment and climate variability. Due to the monsoon-mountain interactions the seasonal spatial pattern of the sea surface wind stress curl is very specific. These distinct patterns induce different basin-scale circulation and gyre in summer and winter, respectively. The intensified western boundary currents associated with the cyclonic and anticyclonic gyres in the SCS play important roles in the sea surface temperature variability of the basin. The mesoscale eddies in the SCS are rather active and their formation mechanisms have been described in recent studies. The water exchange through the Luzon Strait and other straits could give rise to the relation between the Pacific and the SCS. This paper reviews the research results mentioned above.