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To determine age-related alterations in vortex veins in healthy subjects. A total of 228 healthy subjects (aged 4 to 86 years) were recruited and divided into four groups (G1, <21 years; G2, 21–40 years; G3, 41–60 years; and G4, 61–86 years). The clinical characteristics of the participants were recorded, and parameters including the number of vortex vein roots (NVVR), the central vortex vein diameter (CVVD), the mean root area of the vortex vein (MRAVV), and the weighted mean of the thickest branch diameter (WMTBD) were obtained by marking the vortex veins on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). The NVVR in the age group over 60 years old was significantly lower than that in other age groups (P< 0.05). The CVVD, MRAVV, and WMTBD of all age groups increased with increasing age (P< 0.05). The NVVR was unevenly distributed among the quadrants (P< 0.001). The proportions of type four vortex veins (complete systems including ampulla) and anastomotic branches of the vortex veins were significantly increased in elderly participants over 50 years of age (P< 0.05). Subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly correlated with age, NVVR, CVVD and MRAVV (P< 0.05). This is the first study to reveal age-related alterations in vortex veins on ICGA in a healthy population. Aging may lead to partial vortex occlusion and residual vortex dilation. As age increases, anastomotic branches increasingly appear between the originally independent vortex veins. Translational relevance:Aging may lead to partial vortex occlusion and residual vortex dilation.

Field evidence is presented showing that egg production rate and hatching success in the copepod Calanus sinicus were greatly modified during a major late-winter diatom blooms in the Jiaozhou Bay (Yellow Sea). The diatom species composition in this period had shifted to a dominance of Skeletonema costatum and Thalassiosira sp, and comprised about 65% of phytoplankton population among all six sampling stations. Calanus sinicus were examined to determine the effects of the diatom bloom on reproduction and recruitment. The results of egg production rate and hatching success were significantly decreased with the increase of chlorophyll a concentration, indicating that diatom bloom induced negative effect on the copepods population recruitment.

In this paper, microspheres were prepared by using Chinese bauxite as raw materials through centrifugal spray drying method. The microstructure and composition of ceramic microsphere were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and X-ray energy spectrum. The particle size was 10~100#m. The XRD analysis reveals that the main crystalline phase of the ceramic microsphere were α-Al2O3 and mullite (3Al2O3•2SiO2). The Al2O3 content (chemical composition) of the microspheres was little more than 70%, and the molar ratio of Al2O3/SiO2 was near to the molar ratio of alumina and silica of mullite.