61 research outputs found
Larval and juvenile fish assemblages in the sandy beach surf zones of Nanji Island, China
No full textThe Nanji Islands, a nationally protected marine reserve in China, support high biodiversity but face significant fishery resource depletion. This study aims to describe the community structure of larval and juvenile fishes in the surf zone, a critical nursery habitat, to provide baseline data for conservation and management. Monthly surf zone sampling was conducted at five stations around Nanji Island from March 2023 to February 2024. Samples were collected during daytime (8:00-17:00) using a seine net (1×4m, 1mm mesh) with three replicates per station. A total of 8,568 fish were collected, representing 35 species from 21 families. The community was dominated by postflexion larvae (89.41%). Engraulidae was the most abundant family, with Engraulis japonicus constituting 91.30% of all specimens. Species number and catch per unit of effort (CPUE) peaked in August (16 species) and May, respectively, with minimal abundances from December to March. All diversity indices were highest in August and lowest in January. Cluster analysis of the data from 12 months indicated a strong, though not statistically significant, ecological pattern of community separation. The five stations were divided into western and eastern clusters. The species number, Margalef’s richness index, and Shannon–Wiener’s diversity index showed a positive correlation with temperature, but salinity showed a negative correlation with species number, CPUE and Shannon–Wiener’s diversity index. Niche partitioning observed between surf zone and open sea species in the Nanji Islands indicates that the surf zone acts as a specialized nursery for a subset of species (e.g., Engraulis japonicus and Lateolabrax maculatus), as opposed to a general habitat for all larval and juvenile fishes. The research contributes essential data necessary for the conservation and sustainable management of Nanji Island’s fisheries
Determination of Physical Properties for Discrete Element Model on the Nanji-Type Garlic Cloves
No full text© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to The Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery.Purpose: Agricultural machines, which increase the convenience of agricultural work and enable mass production, are mechanical systems that inevitably interact with organisms based on the characteristics of handling agricultural products. Such crop-mechanical systems often form discrete systems by integrating a large number of agricultural products within the machines. The discrete element method (DEM) is an effective numerical method that is applicable to such discontinuous mechanical systems. However, the information required for a DEM model, such as the shapes, weights, and mechanical properties of crops, is difficult to obtain based on the characteristics of organisms with atypical and large dispersion. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a calibration process that can estimate and verify DEM model parameters for Nanji-type garlic cloves. Methods: The DEM model considers the statistical properties and shape parameters of 500 garlic clove samples and is a cluster model composed of three spherical particles. The Hertz–Mindlin contact model was adopted, and the required parameters for the contact model, including the equivalent Youngs modulus and friction coefficient, were estimated, compared, and verified based on actual compression and shear test results. Results: Simulation results using the calibrated DEM model are in good agreement with the results of compression and shear tests. Further, the statistical properties of crop shape and weight were reflected in the DEM model. Conclusion: The findings will aid the analysis of crop-mechanical systems. In particular, the proposed method has applicability in the design and analysis of planters and harvesters.N
Complications of laser refractive surgery : prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
No full textAbstract: Laser refractive surgery helps patients with refraction errors to correct their vision acuity without spectacles or contact lenses. By applying a high-powered laser beam to the cornea, the tissue can be remodeled, altering the corneal refraction to allow a clear image to be projected on the retina. Although these techniques have been continuously improved over the past three decades, laser refractive surgery still sees some complications. The most serious complications are postoperative ectasia and postoperative infectious keratitis. Keratoconus is a strong contraindication for laser refractive surgery as the laser ablation can trigger postoperative ectasia. This ectasia is caused by the decompensation of the corneal material properties and is diagnosed based on postoperative tomography. The main purpose of preoperative examinations is therefore to screen for keratoconus using devices based such as Scheimpflug tomography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and air-puff tonometry. These devices use different techniques to assess the in-vivo shape and material properties of the cornea for signs of early keratoconus. OCT provides higher resolution images than Scheimpflug tomography, which allows studying the corneal epithelial layer thickness. This can be used detect keratoconus early and tp stage the condition using artificial intelligence (AI). Although OCT only provides morphological information, its abilities can be extended by combining it with an air-puff device and AI to achieve a very high diagnostic sensitivity for the earliest form of keratoconus, referred to as forme fruste keratoconus (FFKC). Postoperative ectasia is typically treated using corneal cross-linking (CXL), which strengthens the impaired mechanical properties of the cornea. This technique comes in two variants in which the corneal epithelium is either removed (epi-off) or left in place (epi-on). Although epi-off was considered more effective, modern epi-on protocols have overcome limitations such as oxygen diffusion, riboflavin penetration, and UV-A light blocks to ensure a similar biomechanical effect as the accelerated epithelium-off CXL protocol. Postoperative infectious keratitis is rare and is cause by the laser ablation that makes the cornea thinner and more susceptible to perforation. Photo-activated chromophore for keratitis-CXL (PACK-CXL) treats infectious keratitis from different perspectives, but the protocols should be updated based on our keratoconus-oriented treatment experience. The PACK-CXL protocols may be accelerated while maintaining the same bacterial killing rate. In conclusion, the focus of laser refractive surgery complications should still be on prevention, both for ectasia and infectious keratitis. Both can seriously threaten vision, but properly adjusted protocols for CXL and PACK-CXL can help to improve prognosis
Description of Alvania wangi Xu, Qi & Kong, sp. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Littorinimorpha, Rissoidae) from the East China Sea
No full textAlvania wangi Xu, Qi & Kong, sp. nov. (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Littorinimorpha, Rissoidae) was discovered within the intertidal zone in the Nanji Islands and Zhoushan Islands, Zhejiang Province, China. It has a radula characteristic of Alvania Risso, 1826, a protoconch sculptured with micro pits and lamellae between spiral lirae, and a teleoconch with growth lines and subobsolete cords. Specimens were examined using an integrative taxonomic approach incorporating morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses of concatenated mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear 28S rRNA gene sequences. The findings suggest that the new species is sister to Alvania circinata A. Adams, 1861 and is probably endemic to the shallow waters of the East China Sea
Composition and Diversity of Over-Wintering Aquatic Bird Community on Poyang Lake, China
No full textThe present study aimed to investigate the structure, composition and diversity of the over-wintering aquatic bird community of Poyang Lake, including Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve (PNNR), Nanji National Nature Reserve (NNNR) and Duchang Provincial Nature Reserve (DPNR), China. After the preliminary survey, birds surveyed from vantage points at each study site between the years 2016 and 2020 in the winter season. A total of 58 bird species belonging to nine orders and 13 families were observed. The study showed variation in effective species numbers (Species richness, Shannon’s diversity and Simpson’s diversity) among the three study sites and the survey years. Nanji National Nature Reserve had the highest avian diversity, whereas Duchang Provincial Nature Reserve had the lowest. Globally threatened bird species, Siberian Crane (critically endangered), Oriental Stork (endangered), found in our study sites. However, the current management practices of the nature reserve and conservation of this globally threatened bird species are inadequate, especially of Duchang Provincial Nature Reserve. Therefore, for long term conservation of birds in these areas, it needs continuing intentional improvement of the sites and awareness creation to the local community
Review of: L\u27lo e Il Tu
No full textL\u27lo e II Tu is an Italian translation of Nishida KitarO\u27s 1932 essay, Watakushi to Nanji (I and Thou), with an introduction by the translator, Renato Andolfato. The translation is followed by an essay by Giangiorgio Pasqualotto, the author of II Tao della Filosofia (1989), who teaches at the University of Padova. The present book grew out of Andolfato\u27s graduation thesis of 1994 for the University of Venice. Since Nishida\u27s I and Thou has never been translated until now, this is a welcome addition to the field of Nishida Studies. The book tells its readers something about the scholarly interest in Nishida in Italy today, and perhaps more specifically in Venice
Oyster-based national mapping of trace metals pollution in the Chinese coastal waters
No full textTo investigate the distribution and variability of trace metal pollution in the Chinese coastal waters, over 1000 adult oyster individuals were collected from 31 sites along the entire coastline, spanning from temperate to tropical regions (Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea), between August and September 2015. Concentrations of macroelements [sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P)] and trace elements [cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), silver (Ag), and titanium (Ti)] in these oysters were concurrently measured and analyzed. The results showed high Ti, Zn and Cu bioaccumulation in oysters from Guangdong (South China Sea) and Zhejiang (East China Sea). Oysters at Nanji Island (Wenzhou) and Daya Bay (Huizhou) accumulated significantly high concentrations of Ni and Cr. The elements in these oysters were several times higher than the national food safety limits of China. On the other hand, the present study found that normalization of metals by salinity (Na) and nutrient (P) could reflect more details of metal pollution in the oysters. Biomonitoring of metal pollution could benefit from incorporating the macroelement calibration instead of focusing only on the total metal concentrations. Overall, simultaneous measurement of macroelements and trace metals coupled with non-linear analysis provide a new perspective for revealing the underlying mechanism of trace metal bioavailability and bioaccumulation in marine organisms.</p
R\ue9habilitation visuelle \ue0 l\u2019aide de mini lentilles de contact scl\ue9rales pour les corn\ue9es pr\ue9sentant des cicatrices
No full textAbstract: Purpose. - To present a case series of patients with corneal scars who were successfully fitted with mini scleral contact lenses (mSCL). Results. - Six eyes of six patients with corneal scars were fitted with mSCLs. All scars were situated in the visual axis within the scotopic pupillary zone. The sizes of the scars varied, with the smallest being confined to a central corneal area (case 5) and the largest covering the entire visual axis (case 2). In addition to compromising corneal transparency, these scars also induced significant corneal irregularities, especially in cases 1, 3, and 4. The average corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) with spectacles was 20/80, with a range of 20/200 to 20/40. With the use of mSCLs, CDVA improved to an average of 20/25, ranging from 20/40 to 20/16. The mean visual acuity improvement observed was five optotype lines, with a range of 3 to 7 lines. Conclusion. - Corneas with scars often exhibit increased higher -order aberrations (HOA), and affected patients not only experience reduced vision but also suffer from seriously reduced optical quality and optical phenomena such as photophobia. Utilizing mSCLs in such individuals can significantly enhance visual acuity and improve optical side effects resulting from corneal opacity and irregularity. (c) 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies
Halogenated eudesmane derivatives and other terpenes from the marine red alga Laurencia pinnata and their chemotaxonomic significance
No full textChemical investigation of the marine red alga Laurencia pinnata collected from Nanji Island of China resulted in the isolation and identification of three new eudesmane (selinane) sesquiterpenes, 1 beta-bromoselin-11-en-4 alpha-ol (1), 1 beta-bromo-4 alpha,5 alpha-epoxyselinane (2), and 1 beta-bromoselin-3,11-diene (3), and one new 6,8-cycloeudesmane sesquiterpene,1 beta-bromo-6,8-cycloselin-4(15)-ene (4), together with one known eudesmane sesquiterpene, 1 beta-bromoselin-4(15),11-diene (5), two known chamigrane sesquiterpenes, 2,10-dibromo-3-chlorochamigr-7-ene (6) and 2,10-dibromo-3-chlorochamigr-7-en-9-ol (7), one kahukuane diterpene, kahukuene B (8), and one parguerane diterpene, 15-bromoparguer-9(11)-en-16-ol (9). These halogenated isolates were found in L. pinnata for the first time, and they support the taxonomic position of this species under the genus Laurencia. Eudesmane derivatives (1-5) are predominant and rarely reported from this genus, and they may be taken as chemotaxonomic markers for L. pinnata in the future. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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