Monsoons and habitat influence trophic pathways and the importance of terrestrial-marine linkages for estuary sharks

Tropical estuaries often receive enhanced fluxes of terrestrial derived organic matter and phytoplankton during the wet season, and such monsoonal events may significantly influence the trophic dynamics of these systems. This study examined spatio-temporal terrestrial-marine linkages in a tropical estuary, the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), southern China, by investigating trophic pathways leading to estuary sharks. We investigated spatial (inshore vs. offshore) and seasonal (wet vs. dry season) variation in the relative importance of terrestrial- and marine-derived carbon, so as to assess the contribution of detrital pathways to the pelagic spadenose shark, Scoliodon laticaudus; ontogentic changes in shark diets were also documented. Stable isotope analyses (SIA) and fatty acid (FA) profiling indicated that spadenose sharks assimilated both marine and terrestrial carbon via consumption of zooplantivorous fish and shrimps. Detrital carbon sources were more important to juvenile and pre-mature sharks at inshore locations, especially during the wet season when river discharge increased and terrestrial detritus was more abundant. Ontogenetic dietary shifts were evident: juvenile and pre-mature sharks had significantly higher levels of bacterial (detrital) FA than adults which contained more animal-derived FA. Inshore sharks, with more depleted δ13C signatures, relied more on terrestrial carbon than sharks offshore. Comparison of spadenose shark FA profiles with those of the sympatric, white-spotted bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum)—a benthic predator that acquires detrital carbon via consumption of polychaetes and crustaceans—revealed that they made greater use of detrital carbon sources. However, spadenose sharks in the inner estuary assimilated higher proportions of terrestrial detritus (44–56%) than bamboo sharks (31–45%). The importance of terrestrial detritus for both shark species demonstrated the important contribution of terrestrial detritus to both pelagic and benthic food webs in the PRE. Terrestrial-marine linkages are therefore of great significance, particularly during the wet season, in this estuarine system, which serves as feeding and nursery grounds for both shark species, and trophic subsidies from land are likely to be important for marine predators in other tropical estuaries. Read More: http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/ES11-00276.1published_or_final_versio

Musculoskeletal strength, balance performance and self-efficacy in elderly Ving Tsun Chinese martial art practitioners: Implications for fall prevention

published_or_final_versio

Validation of the Drug Abuse Screening Test (Dast-10): A Study on Illicit Drug Use among Chinese Pregnant Women

published_or_final_versio

Family conflict and lower morning cortisol in adolescents and adults: modulation of puberty

published_or_final_versio

Revisiting an ancient inorganic aggregation‐induced emission system: An enlightenment to clusteroluminescence

202202 bchyVersion of RecordRGCOthersThe authors are grateful for financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21788102 and 52003228), the Science and Technology Plan of Shenzhen (JCYJ20180306174910791), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019B121205002), the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (N_HKUT609/19, 16305518, A-HKUST605/16, and C6009-17G), and the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC-CNERC14SC01 and ITCPD/17-9).Publishe

Conducting polymer nanocomposite-based supercapacitors

The use of nanocomposites of electronically-conducting polymers for supercapacitors has increased significantly over the past years, due to their high capacitances and abilities to withstand many charge-discharge cycles. We have recently been investigating the use of nanocomposites of electronically-conducting polymers containing conducting and non-conducting nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanocrystals, for use in supercapacitors. In this contribution, we provide a summary of some of the key issues in this area of research. This discussion includes some history, fundamental concepts, the physical and chemical processes involved, and the challenges that these nanocomposite materials must overcome in order to become technologically viable. Due to space limitations, this is not a complete review of all the work that has been done in this field and we have focused on common themes that appear in the published work. Our aim is that this chapter will help readers to understand the advantages and challenges involved in the use of these materials in supercapacitors and to identify areas for further development

A case of perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia; and review of literatures

Hypophosphatasia is a rare inborn error of metabolism. The disease is characterised by skeletal mineralisation and dentition defects. Mutations have been found in the TNSALP gene in various forms of hypophosphatasia. We report the first Chinese case of perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia due to previously reported pathogenic compound heterozygous mutation in the TNSALP gene; and successfully applied clinically in prenatal diagnostic testing. The authors emphasised the importance of accurate diagnosis of fetal presentation of skeletal dysplasia for genetic counselling, and discussed its differential diagnoses.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Insomnia Symptoms And Eveningness Chronotype: Independent Associations With Emotional And Behavioural Problems In Adolescents

Background: Insomnia symptoms are common and often under-reported in adolescents. While evidence suggests that adolescents experience an intrinsic developmental change in their circadian phase, there have been limited studies to investigate whether insomnia symptoms and eveningness chronotype are associated with the risk of developing emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. Methods: A total of 5,168 adolescents (mean age: 14.9 + 1.6 years, 56% female) completed the self-report measures to assess their sleep pattern, insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI), daytime sleepiness (Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale, PDSS), and chronotype preference (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, MEQ). Emotional and behavioural problems were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Analysis: Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the independent associations of insomnia (ISI score) and evening type with the emotional and behavioural problems (SDQ score), controlling for the potential confounding factors (e.g. age, gender, chronic use of medication, sleep duration). Results and Conclusion: Prevalence of any insomnia symptoms (as defined by having one of the following sleep problems at least three times per week: difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, or early morning awakening) was 8.9%. Adolescents with evening type reported a higher degree of daytime sleepiness (p<.001) and had shorter sleep duration during weekdays (<.001) but longer sleep duration during weekends and holidays (<.001) as compared to their counterparts. Insomnia symptoms (adj ORs = 1.19, 95% CI 1.17-1.21) and evening type (adj ORs = 1.32, 95% CI 1.12-1.56) were found to be independently associated with emotional and behavioural problems in adolescents. The findings underscore the need to consider both sleep and circadian factors in the clinical management of emotional and behavioural problems in the adolescent population

Chiral poly (4-ethynylbenzoyl-l-valine)-induced helical self-assembly of alkynylplatinum(II) terpyridyl complexes with tunable electronic absorption, emission, and circular dichroism changes

A chiral amino acid-containing polyacetylene, poly(4-ethynylbenzoyl-L- valine), was found to induce the aggregation and self-assembly of square-planar alkynylplatinum(II) terpyridyl complexes by electrostatic binding of the positively charged metal complexes to the anionic sites of the polyacetylene, as revealed by the appearance of new UV/Vis absorption and emission bands upon mixing under basic conditions. The induced complex self-assembly was found to be influenced by the polyacetylene and/or base concentration, and the effect of pH on the reversibility of the aggregate/monomer interconversion was also studied. The conformational changes of the polyacetylene were probed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, in which the chirality signal of the corresponding chain helicity in the presence of the base was enhanced and stabilized upon addition of the platinum(II) complexes. The induced complex aggregation was dependent on the structural properties of the polyacetylene, while the chirality of the polyacetylene was strongly influenced by the introduction of the complex. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.link_to_subscribed_fulltex