By measuring scanning tunneling spectroscopy on some large Bi islands deposited on FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)superconductors,we observe clear in-gap edge states with double peaks at about±1.0 me V on the spectra measur...By measuring scanning tunneling spectroscopy on some large Bi islands deposited on FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)superconductors,we observe clear in-gap edge states with double peaks at about±1.0 me V on the spectra measured near the perimeter of the islands.This feature is very different from the single zero-energy peak observed on some other small Bi islands.The edge states spread towards the inner side of the islands over a width of 2-3 nm.The two edge-state peaks at positive and negative energies move to higher values with the increase of the magnetic field,and they disappear near the transition temperature of FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45).Meanwhile,enhanced superconducting gaps are observed in the central regions of these Bi islands,which may be induced by the enhanced pair potential of the topological surface state.Our observations provide a valuable message for the edge state and the proximity-induced superconductivity on specific Bi islands grown on FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)substrate.展开更多
On February 8,2025,a remote area in the Caribbean Sea was rocked by a large M_(W)7.6(USGS,2025) earthquake,centered 209 km SSW of Georgetown,the capital of the Cayman Islands,and the largest city(population~41 000) of...On February 8,2025,a remote area in the Caribbean Sea was rocked by a large M_(W)7.6(USGS,2025) earthquake,centered 209 km SSW of Georgetown,the capital of the Cayman Islands,and the largest city(population~41 000) of the British Overseas Territories(Figure 1).The earthquake was significant due to its large magnitude,potential regional impact,and the possibility of generating a tsunami.展开更多
Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit...Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit plant growth and development,and reduce species richness comparing to tropical continental islands with mesophytic habitats(Li et al.,2024;Ren et al.,2017;Tu et al.,2022,2024).Coupled with global climate changes,these adverse conditions have been being exacerbated,leading to extensive degradation of ecosystems throughout the tropical coral islands(Li et al.,2021).Native insular plant resources provide enormous potentials in island greening and ecological restoration,since they have colonized and become well adapted to the specialized habitat on tropical coral islands,evolving a series of functional traits and molecular strategies to accommodate the abiotic stresses.Thus,understanding the genomic make-up of these plants will help uncover molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to tropical coral islands.However,contrary to the numerous genomic studies done for other extreme habitats,such as deserts(Hu et al.,2021;Ma et al.,2013),alpine regions(Zhang et al.,2023),intertidal habitats(Feng et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2020;Natarajan et al.,2021),and karst caves(Feng et al.,2020),molecular adaptation of plants on the tropical coral islands remains to be elucidated.展开更多
The Salmonella pathogenicity islands(SPIs) play crucial roles in the progression of Salmonella infection. In this study, we constructed an improved λ Red homologous recombination system to prepare single and triple d...The Salmonella pathogenicity islands(SPIs) play crucial roles in the progression of Salmonella infection. In this study, we constructed an improved λ Red homologous recombination system to prepare single and triple deletion mutants of 3 prominent SPIs(SPI-1, 2, and 3), aiming at the impact of deletion on morphology, carbon source metabolism, adhesion and invasion capacity, in vivo colonization, and immune efficacy in chicks. Our examination revealed that the surface of the single deletion mutants(SM6ΔSPI1, ΔSPI2, and ΔSPI3) exhibited a more rugged texture and appeared to be enveloped in a layer of transparent colloid, whereas the morphology of the triple deletion mutant(SM6ΔSPI1&2&3) remained unaltered when compared to the parent strain. The carbon metabolic spectrum of the SPI mutants underwent profound alterations, with a notable and statistically significant modification observed in 30 out of 95 carbon sources, primarily carbohydrates(17 out of 30). Furthermore, the adhesion capacity of the 4 mutants to Caco-2 cells was significantly reduced when compared to that of the parent strain. Moreover,the invasion capacity of mutants SM6ΔSPI1 and SM6ΔSPI1&2&3 exhibited a substantial decrease, while it was enhanced to varying degrees for SM6ΔSPI3 and SM6ΔSPI2. Importantly, none of the 4 mutants induced any clinical symptoms in the chicks. However, they did transiently colonize the spleen and liver. Notably, the SM6ΔSPI1&2&3mutant was rapidly cleared from both the spleen and liver within 8 days post-infection and no notable pathological changes were observed in the organs. Additionally, when challenged, the mutants immunized groups displayed a significant increase in antibody levels and alterations in the CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ subpopulations, and the levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ cytokines in the SM6ΔSPI1&2&3 immunized chicken serum surpassed those of other groups.In summary, the successful construction of the 4 SPI mutants lays the groundwork for further exploration into the pathogenic(including metabolic) mechanisms of SPIs and the development of safe and effective live attenuated Salmonella vaccines or carriers.展开更多
The Diaoyu Island(Diaoyu Dao)and its affiliated islands(DAA)have abundant fishery resources,and chlorophyll a(Chl a)concentration is an important marine color element and an important indicator of primary productivity...The Diaoyu Island(Diaoyu Dao)and its affiliated islands(DAA)have abundant fishery resources,and chlorophyll a(Chl a)concentration is an important marine color element and an important indicator of primary productivity in the ocean.Therefore,it is meaningful to understand the distribution and variation characteristics of Chl a concentration in the waters near the DAA.The distribution details of Chl a concentration in the adjacent waters of DAA were revealed by high-resolution satellite GF-1 Wide Field View(WFV)data with 16 m spatial resolution.The results indicate that:(1)The Chl a concentration is between 0.06μg/L and 0.38μg/L throughout the year and the concentration of Chl a in the northeast and east directions of the island(downstream)is significantly higher than that in the west(upstream),and there are observed vortexes with high Chl a concentration in the downstream of DAA.This phenomenon continues to persist in the waters surrounding the DAA all year.(2)The vortex induced by the interaction between the current and island results in the vorticity change of water,inducing the replenishment of a large number of nutrients to the surface,thereby promoting the growth of plankton in the downstream of DAA on the east.In addition,the DAA also plays a significant role in regulating the downstream mix layer depth(MLD).The MLD in the northeast downstream is considerably deeper than the upstream in winter and spring;it is deeper in the east downstream in summer and autumn,and the range of influence for the MLD is greatly larger than the size of the island itself.This shows that the disruption of the DAA on the current is substantial.In addition,the combined effects of SST and wind also play a significant role in modifying Chl a distribution.(3)Based on the analysis above,this study proposes the conception of building fishing pastures downstream of the DAA,and proposes a general migration plan in different seasons to scientifically and rationally utilize and protect the surrounding waters of DAA.展开更多
In the mammalian genome,most CpGs are methylated.However,CpGs within the CpG islands(CGIs)are largely unmethylated,which are important for gene expression regulation.The mechanism underlying the low methylation levels...In the mammalian genome,most CpGs are methylated.However,CpGs within the CpG islands(CGIs)are largely unmethylated,which are important for gene expression regulation.The mechanism underlying the low methylation levels at CGIs remains largely elusive.KDM2 proteins(KDM2A and KDM2B)are H3K36me2 demethylases known to bind specifically at CGIs.Here,we report that depletion of each or both KDM2 proteins,or mutation of all their JmjC domains that harbor the H3K36me2 demethylation activity,leads to an increase in DNA methylation at selective CGIs.The Kdm2a/2b double knockout shows a stronger increase in DNA methylation compared with the single mutant of Kdm2a or Kdm2b,indicating that KDM2A and KDM2B redundantly regulate DNA methylation at CGIs.In addition,the increase of CGI DNA methylation upon mutations of KDM2 proteins is associated with the chromatin environment.Our findings reveal that KDM2A and KDM2B function redundantly in regulating DNA methylation at a subset of CGIs in an H3K36me2 demethylation-dependent manner.展开更多
Changes in vegetation status generally also represents changes in the ecological health of islands and reefs(IRs).However,studies are limited of drivers and trends of vegetation change of Nansha Islands,China and how ...Changes in vegetation status generally also represents changes in the ecological health of islands and reefs(IRs).However,studies are limited of drivers and trends of vegetation change of Nansha Islands,China and how they relate to climate change and human activities.To resolve this limitation,we studied changes to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)vegetation-greenness index for 22 IRs of Nansha Islands during normal and extreme conditions.Trends of vegetation greenness were analyzed using Sen's slope and Mann-Kendall test at two spatial scales(pixel and island),and driving factor analyses were performed by time-lagged partial correlation analyses.These were related to impacts from human activities and climatic factors under normal(temperature,precipitation,radiation,and Normalized Difference Built-up Index(NDBI))and extreme conditions(wind speed and latitude of IRs)from 2016 to 2022.Results showed:1)among the 22 IRs,NDVI increased/decreased significantly in 15/4 IRs,respectively.Huayang Reef had the highest NDVI change-rate(0.48%/mon),and Zhongye Island had the lowest(–0.29%/mon).Local spatial patterns were in one of two forms:dotted-form,and degradation in banded-form.2)Under normal conditions,human activities(characterized by NDBI)had higher impacts on vegetation-greenness than other factors.3)Under extreme conditions,wind speed(R^(2)=0.2337,P<0.05)and latitude(R^(2)=0.2769,P<0.05)provided limited explanation for changes from typhoon events.Our results provide scientific support for the sustainable development of Nansha Islands and the United Nations‘Ocean Decade’initiative.展开更多
With the acceleration of marine construction in China,the exploitation and utilization of resources from islands and reefs are necessary.To prevent and dissipate waves in the process of resource exploitation and utili...With the acceleration of marine construction in China,the exploitation and utilization of resources from islands and reefs are necessary.To prevent and dissipate waves in the process of resource exploitation and utilization,a more effective method is to install floating breakwaters near the terrain of islands and reefs.The terrain around islands and reefs is complex,and waves undergo a series of changes due to the impact of the complex terrain in transmission.It is important to find a suitable location for floating breakwater systems on islands and reefs and investigate how the terrain affects the system’s hydrodynamic performance.This paper introduces a three-cylinder floating breakwater design.The breakwater system consists of 8 units connected by elastic structures and secured by a slack mooring system.To evaluate its effectiveness,a 3D model experiment was conducted in a wave basin.During the experiment,a model resembling the islands and reefs terrain was created on the basis of the water depth map of a specific region in the East China Sea.The transmission coefficients and motion responses of the three-cylinder floating breakwater system were then measured.This was done both in the middle of and behind the islands and reefs terrain.According to the experimental results,the three-cylinder floating breakwater system performs better in terms of hydrodynamics when it is placed behind the terrain of islands and reefs than in the middle of the same terrain.展开更多
As one of the micro-blocks dispersed in the South China Sea(SCS), the basement of the Xisha Islands has rarely been drilled because of the thick overlying Cenozoic sediments, which has led to a confused understanding ...As one of the micro-blocks dispersed in the South China Sea(SCS), the basement of the Xisha Islands has rarely been drilled because of the thick overlying Cenozoic sediments, which has led to a confused understanding of the pre-Cenozoic basement of the Xisha Islands. Well CK-1, a kilometer-scale major scientific drill in the Xisha Islands in the northwestern SCS, penetrated thick reefal limestone(0–888.4 m) and the underlying basement rocks(888.4–901.4 m). In this study, we present the zircon U-Pb ages of basement basaltic pyroclastic rocks from Well CK-1 in the Xisha Islands of the northwestern SCS to investigate the basement nature of the Xisha microblock. The basement of Well CK-1 consists of basaltic pyroclastic rocks on the seamount. The zircon grains yielded apparent ages ranging from ca. 2 138.9 Ma to ca. 36 Ma. The old group of zircon grains from Well CK-1 was considered to be inherited zircons. Two Cenozoic zircons gave a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of(36.3 ± 1.1) Ma,Mean Squared Weighted Deviations(MSWD) = 1.2, which may represent the maximum age of the volcano eruption. The Yanshanian inherited zircons(116.9–105.7 Ma and 146.1–130.2 Ma) from Well CK-1 are consistent with the zircons from Well XK-1, indicating that the basement of Chenhang Island may be similar to that of Well XK-1. We propose that the Xisha micro-block may have developed on a uniform Late Jurassic metamorphic crystalline basement, intruded by Cretaceous granitic magma.展开更多
This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belo...This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.展开更多
Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopi...Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopic data for sunken offshore continental materials (basement) in the North Atlantic area are quite sparse, but a few do exist for the Rockall Plateau, or more precisely the Rockall Bank. Isotopic data for Early Paleogene basaltic materials, covering basement rocks of the Rockall Plateau, have hitherto only been publicised for the NW margin of the Hatton bank. The Early Paleogene basaltic archipelago of the Faroe Islands, on which some isotopic data do exist, rests on an ancient sunken continental crust of unknown geochemical and isotopic compositions. The objective of this contribution is to assess potential lead isotopic relationships between the Rockall Plateau and the Faroese sub-basaltic basement, based on the sparse available isotopic data existing for the former and using available isotopic data for slightly contaminated Faroese basaltic rocks. The results reached in this contribution point to a likely association between the Faroese sub-basaltic basement and the basement of the Rockall Bank and hence the Rockall Plateau and potentially also between Faroese basaltic rocks and contemporaneous counterparts from the Hatton Bank.展开更多
The fishing survey station located in the warm waters of the East China Sea is one of the abundant fishery resources of waters;with a large number of economic fish breeding grounds and economic juvenile feeding ground...The fishing survey station located in the warm waters of the East China Sea is one of the abundant fishery resources of waters;with a large number of economic fish breeding grounds and economic juvenile feeding grounds. Several fish species according to this bottom trawl survey results which appear in the annual survey from winter to autumn give us a total of 58 species, which have appeared throughout the year. But the vast majority of species appears only in certain seasons, according to the sea fish survey and based on seasonal migratory species or species mainly small endemic species. The survey of fish is tropical and subtropical warm water species and warm temperate species, and the history of the area has several types of 397 different species. There are many reasons, in addition to recent years, human disturbance and adverse consequences of environmental changes brought about, but also with the relevant sampling methods and sampler time, the survey sampled only trawl based, from Ping yang Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, the waters are still other jobs method net, gill nets, fishing industry, etc. Survey results show that the type of fish in the summer (58 species) > spring (55 species) > winter (51 species) > autumn (42 species). The type of season was among spring to summer rose, summer to autumn decline. The survey found that in the reef area of the Nanji Islands, no one species of fish is the dominant species throughout the year (according to the dominant species, each species is dominant only in one season). From the dominant species turnover accounting for the four seasons, in winter it has 53.72% of the total biomass or annual biomass, spring it has 41.53% of the overall biomass, summer it has 31.85% and autumn it has 38.56% of total biomass. Visible, seasonal succession of dominant species of fish phenomenon is very obvious, especially in the spring and winter, summer transfers dominate species at this stage show the greatest change, but winter, the transfer of this dominant species changes in minimal. Seasonal changes from biomass and the average annual marine fish survey biomass were 4832.25 g/h. From different seasons, the average biomass in winter (10779.88 g/h) > of the average biomass in spring (3624.1 g/hour) > of the mean biomass in autumn (3158 g/h) > the average Biomass in summer (1767 g/h). All of them show significant seasonal variation of the biomass, in winter and spring, the biomass is generally not high, but significantly higher than in the summer and autumn seasons. Each season, around the coast of southern Zhejiang, is less than the biomass and other catches off, which involves investigating sea location, size range, and the survey ship different network related tools. Another change from the area of biomass, some studies found that the survey of four-season fish of waters above the biological capacity of several kilograms only in some stations, namely stations and the highest biomass in summer appeared in stations 3, 7 and 11. In autumn the highest biomass appeared in stations 3, 6, 20 and 23.展开更多
Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of...Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of multiple zoological taxa on reservoir islands of a large lake in eastern China(Thousand Island Lake).This lake,created in 1959,has 1078 artificial land-bridge islands of varying areas and isolation.Our review summarizes the decades-long studies in island biogeography and habitat fragmentation from this island system,grouped into three topics:species richness(“how many species are there”),community structure(“who are they”),and species interaction(“how they interact with each other”).Our findings support the predictions of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography and extend this theory to predict community structure of island faunas by moving beyond assumptions of species equivalency.In addition,the extensive studies on ecological networks,including mutualistic,antagonistic,and parasitic interactions,reveal the negative impacts of habitat loss on the maintenance of such networks,even as increasing forest edge enhances the robustness of pollination networks.At the end of this review,we proposed several future research directions based on current studies that are simultaneously at the frontier of ecology and biogeography.展开更多
Although accelerated urbanization has led to economic prosperity,it has also resulted in urban heat island effects.Therefore,identifying methods of using limited urban spaces to alleviate heat islands has become an ur...Although accelerated urbanization has led to economic prosperity,it has also resulted in urban heat island effects.Therefore,identifying methods of using limited urban spaces to alleviate heat islands has become an urgent issue.In this study,we assessed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban heat islands within the central urban area of Fuzhou City,China from 2010 to 2019.This assessment was based on a morphological spatial pattern analysis(MSPA)model and an urban thermal environment spatial network constructed us-ing the minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model.Optimization measures for the spatial network were proposed to provide a theor-etical basis for alleviating urban heat islands.The results show that the heat island area within the study area gradually increased while that of urban cold island area gradually decreased.The core area was the largest of the urban heat island patch landscape elements with a significant impact on other landscape elements,and represented an important factor underlying urban heat island network stability.The thermal environment network revealed a total of 197 thermal environment corridors and 93 heat island sources.These locations were then optimized according to the current land use,which maximized the potential of 1599.83 ha.Optimization based on current land use led to an increase in climate resilience,with effective measures showing reduction in thermal environment spatial network structure and function,contributing to the mitigation of urban heat island.These findings support the use of current land use patterns during urban heat island mitigation measure planning,thus providing an important reference basis for alleviating urban heat island effects.展开更多
Coral sand is a unique material developed in the tropical ocean environment, which is mainly composed of coral and other marine organism debris, with the CaCO3 content up to 96 %. It has special physical and mechanica...Coral sand is a unique material developed in the tropical ocean environment, which is mainly composed of coral and other marine organism debris, with the CaCO3 content up to 96 %. It has special physical and mechanical properties due to its composition, structure and sedimentary environment. In this contribution, we discuss its specific gravity, porosity ratio compressibility, crushing, shearing and intensity for coral sand samples from the Nansha islands based on laboratory mechanical tests. Our results show distinct high porosity ratio, high friction angle and low intensity as compared with the quartz sand. We believe that grain crushing is the main factor that influences the deformation and strength of coral sand. Comprehensive study on the physical and mechanical properties of coral sands is significant in providing reliable scientific parameters to construction on coral islet, and thus avoids accidents in construction.展开更多
Urban heat island(UHI) effect is a growing concern in numerous cities worldwide, which increases urban temperatures. Conventional asphalt pavements are a major contributor to the issue, causing environmental and healt...Urban heat island(UHI) effect is a growing concern in numerous cities worldwide, which increases urban temperatures. Conventional asphalt pavements are a major contributor to the issue, causing environmental and health concerns. To tackle this issue, the implementation of cool pavements such as heat-reflective asphalt pavements has been introduced. This systematic literature review(SLR) thoroughly examines prior research to assess the effectiveness of heat-reflective asphalt pavements in reducing UHI effects. This SLR was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis(PRISMA) guidelines to enhance data reliability and minimize bias. This review process involved establishing review protocol, formulating review questions, systematically selecting articles through identification, screening, eligibility, quality appraisal, and data abstraction and analysis from various databases such as Scopus, Web of Science(WoS), Wiley, Taylor Francis, and Science Direct. Three primary themes and nine sub-themes were derived from the three review questions. From the results, heat-reflective asphalt pavements effectively minimized the UHI effect. However, their efficiency varies depending on factors such as pavement types, paving location, and use of cool materials. A comprehensive analysis examined heat-reflective pavement's mechanisms, benefits, and drawbacks. This investigation aimed to enhance comprehension and establish a robust basis for future studies in this field.展开更多
Circular economics theory offers destination managers of remote islands a solution-oriented approach to environmental sustainability. This paper examines the practical benefits of this theory that will support the dev...Circular economics theory offers destination managers of remote islands a solution-oriented approach to environmental sustainability. This paper examines the practical benefits of this theory that will support the development of a circular economy regarding sustainable island tourism (SIT). The aim of this paper is to inform discussions regarding the feasibility of applying a practice theory that emphasises changes in the behaviours across three segments, visitors, residents, and enterprises using SMART technologies. To achieve this objective, a SMART indicator system (SIS) was used to identify current practices that would support a circular economy (CE). The key innovation of this study is the creation of a proposed framework that may inform best practices for SIT in the future. The findings highlight the potential opportunity of evidenced-based planning to deliver a circular economy strategy (CES) for remote islands in the future. These insights can potentially impact the way that local authorities and destination managers approach the planning of tourism for six islands along the west coast of Ireland.展开更多
A kinetic 5-vertex model is used to investigate hexagon-islands formation on growing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). In the model, carbon atoms adsorption and migration processes on the SWCNT edge are consider...A kinetic 5-vertex model is used to investigate hexagon-islands formation on growing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). In the model, carbon atoms adsorption and migration processes on the SWCNT edge are considered. These two dynamic processes are assumed to be mutually independent as well as mutually dependent as far as the whole growth of the nanotube is concerned. Key physical parameters of the model are the growth time t, the diffusion length Γ defined as the ratio of the diffusion rate D to the carbon atomic flux F and the SWCNT chiral angle. The kinetic equation that describes the nanotube edge dynamics is solved using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with the Bortz, Kalos and Lebowitz update algorithm. The behaviors of islands density and size distribution are investigated within the growth parameters’ space. Our study revealed key mechanisms that enable the formation of a new ring of hexagons at the SWCNT edge. The growth occurs either by pre-existing steps propagation or by hexagon-islands growth and coalescence on terraces located between dislocation steps, depending on values of model parameters. This should offer a road map for edge design in nanotubes production. We also found that in appropriate growth conditions, the islands density follows Gaussian and generalized Wigner distributions whereas their size distribution at a given growth time shows a decreasing exponential trend.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant Nos.2022YFA1403201 and 2024YFA1408104)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11927809 and 12434004)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(Grant No.BK20233001)。
文摘By measuring scanning tunneling spectroscopy on some large Bi islands deposited on FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)superconductors,we observe clear in-gap edge states with double peaks at about±1.0 me V on the spectra measured near the perimeter of the islands.This feature is very different from the single zero-energy peak observed on some other small Bi islands.The edge states spread towards the inner side of the islands over a width of 2-3 nm.The two edge-state peaks at positive and negative energies move to higher values with the increase of the magnetic field,and they disappear near the transition temperature of FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45).Meanwhile,enhanced superconducting gaps are observed in the central regions of these Bi islands,which may be induced by the enhanced pair potential of the topological surface state.Our observations provide a valuable message for the edge state and the proximity-induced superconductivity on specific Bi islands grown on FeTe_(0.55)Se_(0.45)substrate.
文摘On February 8,2025,a remote area in the Caribbean Sea was rocked by a large M_(W)7.6(USGS,2025) earthquake,centered 209 km SSW of Georgetown,the capital of the Cayman Islands,and the largest city(population~41 000) of the British Overseas Territories(Figure 1).The earthquake was significant due to its large magnitude,potential regional impact,and the possibility of generating a tsunami.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170232,32070222,32271613)the National Key R&D Programof China(Key Special Project for Marine Environmental Security and Sustainable Development of Coral Reefs 2021-400)+1 种基金Guangdong Science and Technology Program(2024B1212050007)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFC3100405)。
文摘Tropical coral islands represent one of the extremely stressful ecosystems,characterized by high salinity,seasonal drought,heat,strong ultraviolet radiation,and infertile soil,which constraint species occurrence,limit plant growth and development,and reduce species richness comparing to tropical continental islands with mesophytic habitats(Li et al.,2024;Ren et al.,2017;Tu et al.,2022,2024).Coupled with global climate changes,these adverse conditions have been being exacerbated,leading to extensive degradation of ecosystems throughout the tropical coral islands(Li et al.,2021).Native insular plant resources provide enormous potentials in island greening and ecological restoration,since they have colonized and become well adapted to the specialized habitat on tropical coral islands,evolving a series of functional traits and molecular strategies to accommodate the abiotic stresses.Thus,understanding the genomic make-up of these plants will help uncover molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to tropical coral islands.However,contrary to the numerous genomic studies done for other extreme habitats,such as deserts(Hu et al.,2021;Ma et al.,2013),alpine regions(Zhang et al.,2023),intertidal habitats(Feng et al.,2021;Hu et al.,2020;Natarajan et al.,2021),and karst caves(Feng et al.,2020),molecular adaptation of plants on the tropical coral islands remains to be elucidated.
基金supported by the National KeyR&DProgramof China(2022YFF0710500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172853 and 32373013)the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,China(1610302022001).
文摘The Salmonella pathogenicity islands(SPIs) play crucial roles in the progression of Salmonella infection. In this study, we constructed an improved λ Red homologous recombination system to prepare single and triple deletion mutants of 3 prominent SPIs(SPI-1, 2, and 3), aiming at the impact of deletion on morphology, carbon source metabolism, adhesion and invasion capacity, in vivo colonization, and immune efficacy in chicks. Our examination revealed that the surface of the single deletion mutants(SM6ΔSPI1, ΔSPI2, and ΔSPI3) exhibited a more rugged texture and appeared to be enveloped in a layer of transparent colloid, whereas the morphology of the triple deletion mutant(SM6ΔSPI1&2&3) remained unaltered when compared to the parent strain. The carbon metabolic spectrum of the SPI mutants underwent profound alterations, with a notable and statistically significant modification observed in 30 out of 95 carbon sources, primarily carbohydrates(17 out of 30). Furthermore, the adhesion capacity of the 4 mutants to Caco-2 cells was significantly reduced when compared to that of the parent strain. Moreover,the invasion capacity of mutants SM6ΔSPI1 and SM6ΔSPI1&2&3 exhibited a substantial decrease, while it was enhanced to varying degrees for SM6ΔSPI3 and SM6ΔSPI2. Importantly, none of the 4 mutants induced any clinical symptoms in the chicks. However, they did transiently colonize the spleen and liver. Notably, the SM6ΔSPI1&2&3mutant was rapidly cleared from both the spleen and liver within 8 days post-infection and no notable pathological changes were observed in the organs. Additionally, when challenged, the mutants immunized groups displayed a significant increase in antibody levels and alterations in the CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ subpopulations, and the levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ cytokines in the SM6ΔSPI1&2&3 immunized chicken serum surpassed those of other groups.In summary, the successful construction of the 4 SPI mutants lays the groundwork for further exploration into the pathogenic(including metabolic) mechanisms of SPIs and the development of safe and effective live attenuated Salmonella vaccines or carriers.
基金The Basic Public Welfare Research Program of Zhejiang Province under contract No.LGF21D010004the Key R&D Projects in Zhejiang Province under contract No.2023C03120.
文摘The Diaoyu Island(Diaoyu Dao)and its affiliated islands(DAA)have abundant fishery resources,and chlorophyll a(Chl a)concentration is an important marine color element and an important indicator of primary productivity in the ocean.Therefore,it is meaningful to understand the distribution and variation characteristics of Chl a concentration in the waters near the DAA.The distribution details of Chl a concentration in the adjacent waters of DAA were revealed by high-resolution satellite GF-1 Wide Field View(WFV)data with 16 m spatial resolution.The results indicate that:(1)The Chl a concentration is between 0.06μg/L and 0.38μg/L throughout the year and the concentration of Chl a in the northeast and east directions of the island(downstream)is significantly higher than that in the west(upstream),and there are observed vortexes with high Chl a concentration in the downstream of DAA.This phenomenon continues to persist in the waters surrounding the DAA all year.(2)The vortex induced by the interaction between the current and island results in the vorticity change of water,inducing the replenishment of a large number of nutrients to the surface,thereby promoting the growth of plankton in the downstream of DAA on the east.In addition,the DAA also plays a significant role in regulating the downstream mix layer depth(MLD).The MLD in the northeast downstream is considerably deeper than the upstream in winter and spring;it is deeper in the east downstream in summer and autumn,and the range of influence for the MLD is greatly larger than the size of the island itself.This shows that the disruption of the DAA on the current is substantial.In addition,the combined effects of SST and wind also play a significant role in modifying Chl a distribution.(3)Based on the analysis above,this study proposes the conception of building fishing pastures downstream of the DAA,and proposes a general migration plan in different seasons to scientifically and rationally utilize and protect the surrounding waters of DAA.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32070607)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2020YFA0804000)the CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research(YSBR-012).
文摘In the mammalian genome,most CpGs are methylated.However,CpGs within the CpG islands(CGIs)are largely unmethylated,which are important for gene expression regulation.The mechanism underlying the low methylation levels at CGIs remains largely elusive.KDM2 proteins(KDM2A and KDM2B)are H3K36me2 demethylases known to bind specifically at CGIs.Here,we report that depletion of each or both KDM2 proteins,or mutation of all their JmjC domains that harbor the H3K36me2 demethylation activity,leads to an increase in DNA methylation at selective CGIs.The Kdm2a/2b double knockout shows a stronger increase in DNA methylation compared with the single mutant of Kdm2a or Kdm2b,indicating that KDM2A and KDM2B redundantly regulate DNA methylation at CGIs.In addition,the increase of CGI DNA methylation upon mutations of KDM2 proteins is associated with the chromatin environment.Our findings reveal that KDM2A and KDM2B function redundantly in regulating DNA methylation at a subset of CGIs in an H3K36me2 demethylation-dependent manner.
基金Under the auspices of National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2022YFC3103103)。
文摘Changes in vegetation status generally also represents changes in the ecological health of islands and reefs(IRs).However,studies are limited of drivers and trends of vegetation change of Nansha Islands,China and how they relate to climate change and human activities.To resolve this limitation,we studied changes to the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)vegetation-greenness index for 22 IRs of Nansha Islands during normal and extreme conditions.Trends of vegetation greenness were analyzed using Sen's slope and Mann-Kendall test at two spatial scales(pixel and island),and driving factor analyses were performed by time-lagged partial correlation analyses.These were related to impacts from human activities and climatic factors under normal(temperature,precipitation,radiation,and Normalized Difference Built-up Index(NDBI))and extreme conditions(wind speed and latitude of IRs)from 2016 to 2022.Results showed:1)among the 22 IRs,NDVI increased/decreased significantly in 15/4 IRs,respectively.Huayang Reef had the highest NDVI change-rate(0.48%/mon),and Zhongye Island had the lowest(–0.29%/mon).Local spatial patterns were in one of two forms:dotted-form,and degradation in banded-form.2)Under normal conditions,human activities(characterized by NDBI)had higher impacts on vegetation-greenness than other factors.3)Under extreme conditions,wind speed(R^(2)=0.2337,P<0.05)and latitude(R^(2)=0.2769,P<0.05)provided limited explanation for changes from typhoon events.Our results provide scientific support for the sustainable development of Nansha Islands and the United Nations‘Ocean Decade’initiative.
基金financially supported by the China National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists(Grant No.52025112).
文摘With the acceleration of marine construction in China,the exploitation and utilization of resources from islands and reefs are necessary.To prevent and dissipate waves in the process of resource exploitation and utilization,a more effective method is to install floating breakwaters near the terrain of islands and reefs.The terrain around islands and reefs is complex,and waves undergo a series of changes due to the impact of the complex terrain in transmission.It is important to find a suitable location for floating breakwater systems on islands and reefs and investigate how the terrain affects the system’s hydrodynamic performance.This paper introduces a three-cylinder floating breakwater design.The breakwater system consists of 8 units connected by elastic structures and secured by a slack mooring system.To evaluate its effectiveness,a 3D model experiment was conducted in a wave basin.During the experiment,a model resembling the islands and reefs terrain was created on the basis of the water depth map of a specific region in the East China Sea.The transmission coefficients and motion responses of the three-cylinder floating breakwater system were then measured.This was done both in the middle of and behind the islands and reefs terrain.According to the experimental results,the three-cylinder floating breakwater system performs better in terms of hydrodynamics when it is placed behind the terrain of islands and reefs than in the middle of the same terrain.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 42030502, 42090041 and 42166003the Guangxi Scientific Projects under contract Nos AD17129063 and AA17204074+1 种基金the Guangxi Youth Science Fund Project under contract 2019GXNSFBA185016the Ph.D. Research Start-up Foundation of Guangxi University under contract No. XBZ170339。
文摘As one of the micro-blocks dispersed in the South China Sea(SCS), the basement of the Xisha Islands has rarely been drilled because of the thick overlying Cenozoic sediments, which has led to a confused understanding of the pre-Cenozoic basement of the Xisha Islands. Well CK-1, a kilometer-scale major scientific drill in the Xisha Islands in the northwestern SCS, penetrated thick reefal limestone(0–888.4 m) and the underlying basement rocks(888.4–901.4 m). In this study, we present the zircon U-Pb ages of basement basaltic pyroclastic rocks from Well CK-1 in the Xisha Islands of the northwestern SCS to investigate the basement nature of the Xisha microblock. The basement of Well CK-1 consists of basaltic pyroclastic rocks on the seamount. The zircon grains yielded apparent ages ranging from ca. 2 138.9 Ma to ca. 36 Ma. The old group of zircon grains from Well CK-1 was considered to be inherited zircons. Two Cenozoic zircons gave a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of(36.3 ± 1.1) Ma,Mean Squared Weighted Deviations(MSWD) = 1.2, which may represent the maximum age of the volcano eruption. The Yanshanian inherited zircons(116.9–105.7 Ma and 146.1–130.2 Ma) from Well CK-1 are consistent with the zircons from Well XK-1, indicating that the basement of Chenhang Island may be similar to that of Well XK-1. We propose that the Xisha micro-block may have developed on a uniform Late Jurassic metamorphic crystalline basement, intruded by Cretaceous granitic magma.
文摘This study describes the gradient analysis of the freshwater macroinvertebrate assemblages in eight streams of Tenerife and La Gomera (Canary Islands) over a 16-year period. During this period, a total of 75 taxa belonging to 34 taxonomic families were found. Endemism has an important presence in the streams on both islands, especially regarding Trichoptera and Coleoptera. The overall status of freshwater macroinvertebrates is rather uncertain as recent data on these communities are scarce and focused on a limited number of sites. Overexploitation of aquifers and the diversion of natural water flows for irrigation have resulted in the drying up of numerous natural streams, inevitably endangering the fauna that inhabits them. A reduction in number and abundance of endemic and sensitive species was observed in the majority of the sampled streams resulting in a lower ecological rating. Therefore, it is proposed that the protection of streams of high conservation value is essential to conserve freshwater macroinvertebrate fauna native to the Canary Islands.
文摘Seafloor extension and associated rifting in the North Atlantic Area, which started in Early Paleogene (from −62 Ma), resulted in a few micro-continents being isolated and submerged below sea levels. Published isotopic data for sunken offshore continental materials (basement) in the North Atlantic area are quite sparse, but a few do exist for the Rockall Plateau, or more precisely the Rockall Bank. Isotopic data for Early Paleogene basaltic materials, covering basement rocks of the Rockall Plateau, have hitherto only been publicised for the NW margin of the Hatton bank. The Early Paleogene basaltic archipelago of the Faroe Islands, on which some isotopic data do exist, rests on an ancient sunken continental crust of unknown geochemical and isotopic compositions. The objective of this contribution is to assess potential lead isotopic relationships between the Rockall Plateau and the Faroese sub-basaltic basement, based on the sparse available isotopic data existing for the former and using available isotopic data for slightly contaminated Faroese basaltic rocks. The results reached in this contribution point to a likely association between the Faroese sub-basaltic basement and the basement of the Rockall Bank and hence the Rockall Plateau and potentially also between Faroese basaltic rocks and contemporaneous counterparts from the Hatton Bank.
文摘The fishing survey station located in the warm waters of the East China Sea is one of the abundant fishery resources of waters;with a large number of economic fish breeding grounds and economic juvenile feeding grounds. Several fish species according to this bottom trawl survey results which appear in the annual survey from winter to autumn give us a total of 58 species, which have appeared throughout the year. But the vast majority of species appears only in certain seasons, according to the sea fish survey and based on seasonal migratory species or species mainly small endemic species. The survey of fish is tropical and subtropical warm water species and warm temperate species, and the history of the area has several types of 397 different species. There are many reasons, in addition to recent years, human disturbance and adverse consequences of environmental changes brought about, but also with the relevant sampling methods and sampler time, the survey sampled only trawl based, from Ping yang Ocean and Fisheries Bureau, the waters are still other jobs method net, gill nets, fishing industry, etc. Survey results show that the type of fish in the summer (58 species) > spring (55 species) > winter (51 species) > autumn (42 species). The type of season was among spring to summer rose, summer to autumn decline. The survey found that in the reef area of the Nanji Islands, no one species of fish is the dominant species throughout the year (according to the dominant species, each species is dominant only in one season). From the dominant species turnover accounting for the four seasons, in winter it has 53.72% of the total biomass or annual biomass, spring it has 41.53% of the overall biomass, summer it has 31.85% and autumn it has 38.56% of total biomass. Visible, seasonal succession of dominant species of fish phenomenon is very obvious, especially in the spring and winter, summer transfers dominate species at this stage show the greatest change, but winter, the transfer of this dominant species changes in minimal. Seasonal changes from biomass and the average annual marine fish survey biomass were 4832.25 g/h. From different seasons, the average biomass in winter (10779.88 g/h) > of the average biomass in spring (3624.1 g/hour) > of the mean biomass in autumn (3158 g/h) > the average Biomass in summer (1767 g/h). All of them show significant seasonal variation of the biomass, in winter and spring, the biomass is generally not high, but significantly higher than in the summer and autumn seasons. Each season, around the coast of southern Zhejiang, is less than the biomass and other catches off, which involves investigating sea location, size range, and the survey ship different network related tools. Another change from the area of biomass, some studies found that the survey of four-season fish of waters above the biological capacity of several kilograms only in some stations, namely stations and the highest biomass in summer appeared in stations 3, 7 and 11. In autumn the highest biomass appeared in stations 3, 6, 20 and 23.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(32030066,32071545,32371590,32301330,32001124,32101268,32101278)。
文摘Reservoir islands formed by dam construction have the same history,clear boundaries,and large numbers that provide a natural platform for testing theories in ecology and biogeography.In this paper,we review studies of multiple zoological taxa on reservoir islands of a large lake in eastern China(Thousand Island Lake).This lake,created in 1959,has 1078 artificial land-bridge islands of varying areas and isolation.Our review summarizes the decades-long studies in island biogeography and habitat fragmentation from this island system,grouped into three topics:species richness(“how many species are there”),community structure(“who are they”),and species interaction(“how they interact with each other”).Our findings support the predictions of the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography and extend this theory to predict community structure of island faunas by moving beyond assumptions of species equivalency.In addition,the extensive studies on ecological networks,including mutualistic,antagonistic,and parasitic interactions,reveal the negative impacts of habitat loss on the maintenance of such networks,even as increasing forest edge enhances the robustness of pollination networks.At the end of this review,we proposed several future research directions based on current studies that are simultaneously at the frontier of ecology and biogeography.
基金Under the auspices of Special Funds for Education and Scientific Research of the Department of Finance(Min Cai Zhi[2022]No.840)Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Technology and Resource Optimization Construction Project(No.PTJH17014)。
文摘Although accelerated urbanization has led to economic prosperity,it has also resulted in urban heat island effects.Therefore,identifying methods of using limited urban spaces to alleviate heat islands has become an urgent issue.In this study,we assessed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban heat islands within the central urban area of Fuzhou City,China from 2010 to 2019.This assessment was based on a morphological spatial pattern analysis(MSPA)model and an urban thermal environment spatial network constructed us-ing the minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model.Optimization measures for the spatial network were proposed to provide a theor-etical basis for alleviating urban heat islands.The results show that the heat island area within the study area gradually increased while that of urban cold island area gradually decreased.The core area was the largest of the urban heat island patch landscape elements with a significant impact on other landscape elements,and represented an important factor underlying urban heat island network stability.The thermal environment network revealed a total of 197 thermal environment corridors and 93 heat island sources.These locations were then optimized according to the current land use,which maximized the potential of 1599.83 ha.Optimization based on current land use led to an increase in climate resilience,with effective measures showing reduction in thermal environment spatial network structure and function,contributing to the mitigation of urban heat island.These findings support the use of current land use patterns during urban heat island mitigation measure planning,thus providing an important reference basis for alleviating urban heat island effects.
文摘Coral sand is a unique material developed in the tropical ocean environment, which is mainly composed of coral and other marine organism debris, with the CaCO3 content up to 96 %. It has special physical and mechanical properties due to its composition, structure and sedimentary environment. In this contribution, we discuss its specific gravity, porosity ratio compressibility, crushing, shearing and intensity for coral sand samples from the Nansha islands based on laboratory mechanical tests. Our results show distinct high porosity ratio, high friction angle and low intensity as compared with the quartz sand. We believe that grain crushing is the main factor that influences the deformation and strength of coral sand. Comprehensive study on the physical and mechanical properties of coral sands is significant in providing reliable scientific parameters to construction on coral islet, and thus avoids accidents in construction.
基金Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for offering financial support via Research University Individual (RUI) Grant 1001.PAWAM.8014140 for this study。
文摘Urban heat island(UHI) effect is a growing concern in numerous cities worldwide, which increases urban temperatures. Conventional asphalt pavements are a major contributor to the issue, causing environmental and health concerns. To tackle this issue, the implementation of cool pavements such as heat-reflective asphalt pavements has been introduced. This systematic literature review(SLR) thoroughly examines prior research to assess the effectiveness of heat-reflective asphalt pavements in reducing UHI effects. This SLR was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis(PRISMA) guidelines to enhance data reliability and minimize bias. This review process involved establishing review protocol, formulating review questions, systematically selecting articles through identification, screening, eligibility, quality appraisal, and data abstraction and analysis from various databases such as Scopus, Web of Science(WoS), Wiley, Taylor Francis, and Science Direct. Three primary themes and nine sub-themes were derived from the three review questions. From the results, heat-reflective asphalt pavements effectively minimized the UHI effect. However, their efficiency varies depending on factors such as pavement types, paving location, and use of cool materials. A comprehensive analysis examined heat-reflective pavement's mechanisms, benefits, and drawbacks. This investigation aimed to enhance comprehension and establish a robust basis for future studies in this field.
文摘Circular economics theory offers destination managers of remote islands a solution-oriented approach to environmental sustainability. This paper examines the practical benefits of this theory that will support the development of a circular economy regarding sustainable island tourism (SIT). The aim of this paper is to inform discussions regarding the feasibility of applying a practice theory that emphasises changes in the behaviours across three segments, visitors, residents, and enterprises using SMART technologies. To achieve this objective, a SMART indicator system (SIS) was used to identify current practices that would support a circular economy (CE). The key innovation of this study is the creation of a proposed framework that may inform best practices for SIT in the future. The findings highlight the potential opportunity of evidenced-based planning to deliver a circular economy strategy (CES) for remote islands in the future. These insights can potentially impact the way that local authorities and destination managers approach the planning of tourism for six islands along the west coast of Ireland.
文摘A kinetic 5-vertex model is used to investigate hexagon-islands formation on growing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT). In the model, carbon atoms adsorption and migration processes on the SWCNT edge are considered. These two dynamic processes are assumed to be mutually independent as well as mutually dependent as far as the whole growth of the nanotube is concerned. Key physical parameters of the model are the growth time t, the diffusion length Γ defined as the ratio of the diffusion rate D to the carbon atomic flux F and the SWCNT chiral angle. The kinetic equation that describes the nanotube edge dynamics is solved using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations with the Bortz, Kalos and Lebowitz update algorithm. The behaviors of islands density and size distribution are investigated within the growth parameters’ space. Our study revealed key mechanisms that enable the formation of a new ring of hexagons at the SWCNT edge. The growth occurs either by pre-existing steps propagation or by hexagon-islands growth and coalescence on terraces located between dislocation steps, depending on values of model parameters. This should offer a road map for edge design in nanotubes production. We also found that in appropriate growth conditions, the islands density follows Gaussian and generalized Wigner distributions whereas their size distribution at a given growth time shows a decreasing exponential trend.
