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General circulation models (GCMs) and their downscaled regional‐scale equivalents have been important tools for climate‐change studies. However, there has been limited assessment of the performance of GCMs and downscaled models in simulating extreme storms in temperate coastal environments. This study assesses the model characterization of extreme storms on the heavily populated coast of south‐east Australia. Twenty‐year average recurrence interval (ARI) storm intensities derived from generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions based on observed and large‐scale atmospheric model data are compared. Changes in extreme storms from past climate to a high‐emission future scenario are also investigated. Simulations of storm minimum surface pressures compared favourably with measured data. Both the GCMs and downscaled models reproduced the observed decrease with increasing latitude along the coast in the 20 year ARI of minimum surface pressure. Both indicated that the minimum storm surface pressure should change negligibly in a high‐emission future. Although the models underestimated the maximum daily precipitation significantly, models are improving significantly with CMIP epoch and downscaling. In the high‐emission future scenario, the GCMs and NARCliM projected the 20 year ARI maximum daily precipitation would increase in the order of 25%. GCMs and the corresponding downscaled products presently do not represent the extreme value distributions of historical wind speed data well, overestimating at smaller values of ARI and significantly underestimating in larger values of ARI. Significant changes in the magnitude of the 20 year ARI maximum daily‐average onshore wind speed are not projected for the high‐emission future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a wide bandwidth and wide axial ratio (AR), circularly polarised (CP), patch array antenna. By combining dual layers of a polarizer with dual layers of linearly polarized microstrip patch antenna, a novel method is created for generating circular polarization waves with a wide frequency range. The dual-layer 2 × 2 and 2 × 8 microstrip patch array antenna is employed to achieve linearly polarized waves and the external polarizer consists of a 3 × 3 and 3 × 12 four-layer dual rings polarizer that transforms linearly polarized (LP) waves into CP waves. The |S11| −10 dB bandwidth of small and large-scale circular polarized array antennas is 20% and 27.06% at 5 GHz, respectively, Simulations and testing show that the 3-dB axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW) at 5 GHz is 17%. The suggested antenna has a lot of potential for satellite communication applications because of its easy structure, wide ARBW, and wide impedance bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel electromagnetic bandgap power/ground (P/G) network is proposed by using λ/4 open stub resonators for the broadband suppression of the simultaneous switching noise. Since three λ/4 open stub resonators are linked to the bridge between the two cells as bandstop filter, the high‐order mode resonances can be effectively suppressed. The proposed P/G network is analyzed by the cavity modes, simulated by the full‐wave simulator, and validated by the measurement. A broadband simultaneous switching noise suppression from 0.6 to 7.6 GHz is achieved. Additionally, in comparison with the reference boards, the radiated emission has less electromagnetic interference, which validates the advantage of the proposed electromagnetic bandgap P/G network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving coastal and shallow-water bathymetry is essential for understanding the marine environment and for coastal management. Bathymetric data in shallow sea areas can currently be obtained using SDB (satellite-derived bathymetry) with multispectral satellites based on depth inversion models. In situ bathymetric data are crucial for validating empirical models but are currently limited in remote and unapproachable areas. In this paper, instead of using the measured water depth data, ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2) ATL03 bathymetric points at different acquisition dates and multispectral imagery from Sentinel-2/GeoEye-1 were used to train and evaluate water depth inversion empirical models in two study regions: Shanhu Island in the South China Sea, and Heron Island in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) in Australia. However, different sediment types also influenced the SDB results. Therefore, three types of sediments (sand, reef, and coral/algae) were analyzed for Heron Island, and four types of sediments (sand, reef, rubble and coral/algae) were analyzed for Shanhu Island. The results show that accuracy generally improved when sediment classification information was considered in both study areas. For Heron Island, the sand sediments showed the best performance in both models compared to the other sediments, with mean R2 and RMSE values of 0.90 and 1.52 m, respectively, representing a 5.6% improvement of the latter metric. For Shanhu Island, the rubble sediments showed the best accuracy in both models, and the average R2 and RMSE values were 0.97 and 0.65 m, respectively, indicating an RMSE improvement of 15.5%. Finally, bathymetric maps were generated in two regions based on the sediment classification results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting transport and fates of marine debris spilled from lost ship containers is increasingly important. This paper builds a forecast framework by forcing a state-of-the-art particle-tracking model with operational oceanic and atmospheric forecasts, and compares simulations with the spotted debris from an actual maritime container spill in the south-eastern Australia water. In coastal areas, patterns of the spotted debris can be approximately simulated when applying surface current forecasts of an eddy-resolving resolution, along with the horizontal dispersion, Stokes drift and windage. The strengths and shortcomings of various forecast datasets varied. Therefore, a thorough analysis of various forcing datasets might be required when performing a marine debris forecast. The horizontal dispersion coefficient can be used to parameterize the unresolved small-scale processes. Stokes drift and windage, especially the latter one, can be important for the debris movements. This study suggests that some global forecast models can be used with certain confidence to forecast debris movement, however, not all are equivalent and cautions are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, an array‐based ray tracing model and Fabry–Pérot cavity antenna covered by frequency selective surfaces (FSS) are proposed to realize the flat‐topped radiation pattern (FTRP). Based on the array‐based model, a good FTRP can be obtained by combining the initial directivity of the feed array with the additional directivity of FSS‐type partially reflective surface. By using the proposed method, a low‐cost, lightweight, simple structure and dual‐polarization Fabry‐Pérot cavity antenna with small aperture size for FTRP is designed. From the measured results, the FTRP with more than 58° beamwidth and less than 2 dB ripple level in the frequency band of 2.4 to 2.7 GHz for indoor communication are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The East Australian Current (EAC) is a highly dynamic western boundary current of the South Pacific Gyre. The EAC frequently encroaches shoreward, drives upwelling, changes coastal bio-physical dynamics, and thus exerts significant impacts on coastal marine ecosystems. In this study, with high frequency (HF) radar and mooring data, for the first time accurate daily mapping and tracking of a rapid EAC intrusion event was conducted and the impacts of the EAC intrusion on the shelf water off Coffs Harbor were monitored. The results show that, during the event, the EAC was highly dynamic with a mean daily onshore/offshore movement of ~5 km/day. In addition, we found that the bottom ocean temperature and the surface current speed on the shelf varied linearly with the EAC-to-coast distance. This study thus demonstrates the value of HF remotely sensed data for the ongoing quantitative monitoring of the highly dynamic EAC fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes an efficient hybrid method consisting of the efficient iterative method of moments–physical optics (EI-MoM-PO) and the equivalent dipole moment (EDM) with the high-order impedance boundary condition (HOIBC) to explore the electromagnetic scattering from the object with an isotropic or anisotropic surface coating. By introducing the HOIBC into the EDM method, the relationship between the equivalent electric and magnetic dipole moments is established. Therefore, the EDM method is extended to general cases. For the composite scattering from electrically large objects including MoM and PO regions, the EDM method is implemented to fill the MoM impedance matrix and to accelerate the evaluation of the coupling between the MoM and PO regions, which considerably improves the computing efficiency. The numerical results indicate that the proposed hybrid method allows for a substantial decrease in computation time. Also, they also agree well with the traditional finite element method, MoM, or MoM-PO method, which proves the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress severely affects plant development and yield. Calcineurin B-like protein interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) play a crucial role in plant adaptation to environmental challenges. However, the biological functions of CIPKs in soybean remain poorly understood. Here, we identified GmCIPK21 , a salt-responsive CIPK gene from soybean. Overexpression of GmCIPK21 in Arabidopsis and soybean hairy roots led to increased salt tolerance. The hairy roots with GmCIPK21 suppression by RNA interference exhibited salt-sensitive phenotypes. Further physiological analysis revealed that GmCIPK21 reduced the content of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes under salt stress. Additionally, GmCIPK21 was found to enhance the ABA sensitivity of transgenic plants. GmCIPK21 was also implicated in increasing the activation of antioxidant-, salt-, and ABA-related genes upon salt stress. Interestingly, GmCIPK21 interacted with GmCBL4, promoting the scavenging salt-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results collectively suggested that GmCIPK21 affects ROS homeostasis and ABA response to improve salt tolerance in soybean. • GmCIPK21 participates in modulating antioxidant system and ABA response to improve salt tolerance in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To take the advantages of a convolutional neural network (CNN), U-net, and a complex-valued CNN (complex-CNN), a new complex-valued U-net (CU-net) is proposed for deep learning (DL)-based methods to solve inverse scattering problem (ISP). With the proposed CU-net, the complex scattered data carrying rich information of object can be directly used for inversion without any preprocessing, which is very helpful for the accuracy improvement of the final result. To validate the performance of proposed method, a microstructure, consisting of a finite periodic set of circular cylindrical dielectric rods, is considered and detected for textural abnormalities, which contains the missing, flaw, and displacement of the rods. The distances between rods and diameters of rods are both subwavelength, well beyond the Rayleigh criterion, which causes this ISP extremely ill-posed. For comparison, both the conventional iterative method and DL-based method are used to solve this nonlinear problem. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the well-trained DL-based methods can successfully produce excellent results almost in real time and can greatly outperform the conventional iterative methods in terms of quality and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for economic development in the coastal zone is exerting greater pressure on the eco-environment in this region. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct comprehensive research on the sustainable development of the eco-environment in coastal areas. Grounded in sustainable development theory and Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), this study assessed sustainable development of Jiaozhou Bay (JZB), China over the period from 2015 to 2019 under multiple pressures applying the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. Subsequently, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis was employed to propose specific countermeasures and recommendations. In terms of weight within the criterion layer, Response (R) and Pressure (P) were assigned higher weights. The comprehensive assessment value Z in the target layer indicated a slight decrease in 2016 followed by a gradual increase that eventually led to stabilization. The comprehensive assessment values of the indicators varied depending on different conditions, implying that higher values would contribute to sustainable development of the eco-environment. Based on a SWOT analysis, strategies for Qingdao were derived from a combination of research findings and future development policy. These strategies include preventing and controlling land and sea pollution, governing reclamation activities, optimizing industrial structure, and strengthening public opinion guidance. This study highlights the application of quantitative and qualitative analysis methods in ICZM, providing specific recommendations based on policy analysis for achieving sustainable development in JZB's eco-environment under multiple pressures. • The sustainable development of the eco-environment in Jiaozhou Bay is investigated. • This study integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies. • The indicators of human involvement carry significant weight within the system. • The government's focus aids Jiaozhou Bay's eco-environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the exponential population growth and remarkable socio-economic advancements, coastal areas face increasingly complex challenges in eco-environmental management due to anthropogenic pressures. With the current emphasis on high-quality economic development, there is an urgent need to establish and evaluate a comprehensive indicator system to ensure the sustainable development of the coastal eco-environment and to meet evolving management demands. Research on the coordinated development level of coastal eco-environmental complex system, based on the concept of land-sea coordination, plays a pivotal role in promoting the resolution of eco-environmental issues in coastal areas, achieving sustainable socio-economic development in these regions. In this study, we construct an indicator system for the eco-environmental complex system in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) coastal zone, China, comprising six sub-systems and thirty indicators. The comprehensive development level and coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) are employed in this study to analyze the indicator system in 1980–2020, aiming to elucidate the processes involved in the improvements in this complex system. The findings indicate: (i) the system's comprehensive development level evaluation and coupling coordination degree (CCD) exhibit a two-stage pattern: a declining trend in 1980–2005, followed by a rising trend in 2005–2020. (ii) despite improvements, the comprehensive development level and the CCD of the system in 2020 still hold potential for further enhancement compared to 1980; and (iii) policymaking and changes in anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas are the primary factors influencing the performance of the system. In the future, policymaking can reduce anthropogenic pressures on the coastal eco-environment, improve the comprehensive development level and CCD of the complex system, and encourage a commitment to sustainable development. • A coastal eco-environmental complex system was set in the coastal zone. • Long-term data was collected to evaluate the development level and coupling coordination relationship in complex system. • The performance of the system has undergone an initial decline followed by a gradual improvement. • The future enhancement of the system will be driven by effective policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the notion that felt obligation is an important motivation variable that drives employees' behavior, this study examines how leaders can evoke felt obligation in followers and to what extent such obligation can subsequently promote follower voice behavior. Using data from 384 Chinese employees and their 130 managers, we find that followers' felt obligation to the leader (FOTL) serves as a mediator in the relationship between transformational leadership and employee voice behavior and that the mediation effect of FOTL is moderated by followers' power distance orientation (PDO), such that the mediation effect is significant only for employees with low PDO. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have compared the ocean heat content (OHC), estimated using two eddy-resolving hindcast simulations based on Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator version 1 (OFES1) and version 2 (OFES2). Results from a global objective analysis of subsurface temperature (EN4) were taken as a reference. Both EN4 and OFES1 suggest that OHC has increased in most regions of the top 2000 m during 1960–2016, which is mainly associated with the deepening of neutral density surfaces and variations along the neutral density surfaces of regional importance. Upon comparing the results obtained from the two OFES hindcasts, we found substantial differences in the temporal and spatial distributions of the OHC, especially in the Atlantic Ocean. A basin-wide heat budget analysis showed that there was less surface heating for the major basins in OFES2. The horizontal heat advection was mostly similar; however, OFES2 had a significantly stronger meridional heat advection associated with the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) above 300 m. Additionally, large discrepancies in the vertical heat advection were also evinced when the two OFES results were compared, especially at a depth of 300 m in the Indian Ocean. We inferred that there are large discrepancies in the vertical heat diffusion (those that cannot be directly evaluated in this study due to data unavailability), which, along with the different magnitudes of sea surface heat flux and vertical heat advection, were the major factors responsible for the examined differences in OHC. This work suggests that OFES1 provides a reasonable multi-decadal estimate of global and basin-integrated warming trends above 700 m, except for the top 300 m for the Pacific Ocean and between 300–700 m for the Indian Ocean. Although the estimates of the global OHC during 1960–2016 are consistent with observations between 700–2000 m, caution is warranted while examining the basin-wide multi-decadal OHC variations using OFES1. The seemingly suboptimal OHC estimate based on OFES2 suggests that any conclusions on long-term climate variations derived from OFES2 might suffer from large drifts, necessitating audits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have compared the ocean heat content (OHC), estimated using two eddy-resolving hindcast simulations based on Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator version 1 (OFES1) and version 2 (OFES2). Results from a global objective analysis of subsurface temperature (EN4) were taken as a reference. Both EN4 and OFES1 suggest that OHC has increased in most regions of the top 2000 m during 1960–2016, which is mainly associated with the deepening of neutral density surfaces and variations along the neutral density surfaces of regional importance. Upon comparing the results obtained from the two OFES hindcasts, we found substantial differences in the temporal and spatial distributions of the OHC, especially in the Atlantic Ocean. A basin-wide heat budget analysis showed that there was less surface heating for the major basins in OFES2. The horizontal heat advection was mostly similar; however, OFES2 had a significantly stronger meridional heat advection associated with the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) above 300 m. Additionally, large discrepancies in the vertical heat advection were also evinced when the two OFES results were compared, especially at a depth of 300 m in the Indian Ocean. We inferred that there are large discrepancies in the vertical heat diffusion (those that cannot be directly evaluated in this study due to data unavailability), which, along with the different magnitudes of sea surface heat flux and vertical heat advection, were the major factors responsible for the examined differences in OHC. This work suggests that OFES1 provides a reasonable multi-decadal estimate of global and basin-integrated warming trends above 700 m, except for the top 300 m for the Pacific Ocean and between 300–700 m for the Indian Ocean. Although the estimates of the global OHC during 1960–2016 are consistent with observations between 700–2000 m, caution is warranted while examining the basin-wide multi-decadal OHC variations using OFES1. The seemingly suboptimal OHC estimate based on OFES2 suggests that any conclusions on long-term climate variations derived from OFES2 might suffer from large drifts, necessitating audits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative deviance is a creative activity that an individual privately engages in that has the contradictory characteristics of high risk and high reward. Drawing on social learning theory, the authors examine the impact of paradoxical leadership behavior (PLB) on employee creative deviance through two studies. Study 1 was a preliminary test of the hypotheses. Study 2 repeated the findings of Study 1 to verify the reliability of the findings. The results showed that PLB was positively related to employee creative deviance and that employee paradox mindset mediated the positive relationship between PLB and creative deviance. Furthermore, leader–member exchange (LMX) moderated the effect of PLB on a paradox mindset and the mediation effect of a paradox mindset, such that the two effects were stronger when LMX was high. The implications and limitations of our research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ocean heat content (OHC) estimates from high-resolution hindcast simulations from the Ocean General Circulation Model for the Earth Simulator Version 1 (OFES1) and Version 2 (OFES2), and a global objective analysis of subsurface temperature observations (EN4.2.1) were compared. There was an OHC increase in most of the global ocean over a 57-year period, mainly a result of vertical displacements of neutral density surfaces. However, we found substantial differences in the temporal and meridional distributions of the OHC between the two OFES hindcasts. The spatial distributions of potential-temperature change also differed significantly, especially in the Atlantic Ocean. The spatial distributions of the time-averaged surface heat flux and heat transport from the OFES1 and OFES2 were highly correlated, but differences could be seen. However, these differences, more specifically in the heat transport, were only partially responsible for the OHC differences. The marked OHC differences may arise from the different vertical mixing schemes and may impact the large-scale pressure field, and thus the geostrophic current. The work here should be a useful reference for future OFES users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first present a new constraint condition on the confluent Heun function HC(α, β, γ, δ, η;z) (β, γ ≥ 0, z ∈ [0, 1]) and then illustrate how to solve the rigid rotor in the electric field. We find its exact solutions unsolved previously through solving the Wronskian determinant. The present results compared with those by the perturbation methods are found to have a big difference for a large parameter a. We also present 2D and 3D probability density distributions by choosing different angular momentum quantum numbers l. We observe that the original eigenvalues with degeneracy (2 l + 1) are split into the (l + 1) state with approximate eigenvalues l(l + 1) for small a but large l. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel swapped double-sided electromagnetic bandgap (DS-EBG) power/ground plane is proposed with broadband suppression of the simultaneous switching noise (SSN) and low radiation emission. By using the double-sided structure, the equivalent inductance between the EBG cells can be well improved and result in the broadband suppression of SSN. In the proposed structure, pairs of via are used to build the three-dimensional bridges between the swapped power/ground planes. They also lead to the suppressions of SSN be improved. Simulated and measured results show good agreements with each other. Additionally, the measured radiation emission of the proposed structure shows that it has lower electromagnetic interference compared with the two typical reference boards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new steel fiber reinforced cellular concrete (SFRCC) is introduced in this study. • Steel fiber reinforcement is obvious in the mechanical behaviors of SFRCC. • Fiber characteristics affect the distributions of steel fibers and pores in SFRCC. • Correlation between compressive and splitting-tensile strengths of SFRCC is studied. A high-performance steel fiber reinforced cellular concrete (SFRCC) with millime-size pore structure is recently suggested as an attractive material in structural engineering because of its desirable engineering characteristics. However, the influence of the steel fibers on the mechanical properties of SFRCC are still very limited in literature. Therefore, before the structural applications, it is necessary to learn the mechanical behaviors of SFRCC under compression and splitting-tension, as well as their relationship. To this end, a detailed experimental program has been performed to research the effect of fibers' shape (i.e., crimped, straight and hooked end) and aspect ratio (i.e., 33.33, 44.44 and 55.56) on the compressive and splitting-tensile behaviors of the new SFRCC utilizing saturated superabsorbent polymer (SAP) under different volume fraction of steel fibers (i.e., 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%). Experimental results show that higher compressive strength and splitting-tensile strength of SFRCC are tightly related to higher volume fraction or aspect ratio of steel fibers, corresponding to the more ductile behaviors and higher loading levels in the post-peak behaviors. Moreover, it is important to consider the influence of fibers' shape on the mechanical properties of SFRCC. Based on the cracked planes of SFRCC specimens after splitting-tensile tests, it is confirmed that the procedures of specimen fabrication and material characterization significantly influence the distributions of steel fibers and pores and some empirical formulae are proposed to describe the dependence of their distributions on the fiber characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the plume morphology and dynamics prior to and after the landfall of Cyclone Debbie (2017). The heavy rainfall and flooding produced a large buoyant coastal current, which moved southward after the cyclone landfall then advected northward with the prevailing southerly wind. The plume is simulated using the eReef GBR1 1-km model and a passive tracer is used to identify the plume behaviour. Based on the concentration of river tracers from the Burdekin River, the plume had propagated over 100 km to the north 23 days after the cyclone landfall. Based on an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis, the cyclone-induced river discharge is found to be the major cause for surface salinity variation with a lag time equal to 17 h. The response of surface plume area to the river flow is about 40 h lag with correlation coefficient = 0.68 and according to the wind strength index, the plume was controlled by buoyancy on c1 but could be controlled by wind in the far field. Wind also plays a very important role. Under weak downwelling wind forcing lower than 0.1 Pa, the plume thickness is sensitive to river discharge and tides. With stronger downwelling wind forcing larger than 0.1 Pa vertical mixing is generated, the plume is restricted to the coast, and high river discharge can only affect the thickness of the plume, but not its width. After Cyclone Debbie made landfall, upwelling winds developed, and the freshwater plume reversed direction from northward to southward most likely due to the influence of the northerly wind as well as the ambient current and topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new planar waveguide structure, based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons (SSPPs), is proposed featuring compact size, low loss, and good subwavelength field confinement. Compared with the rectangular- and trapezoidal-type cells in the conventional spoof surface plasmonic waveguides (SSPWs), the proposed cell has 50.7% and 27.8% size reduction at the same cut-off frequency, respectively. Moreover, the simulated electrical field distributions show that there are good improvements in the field enhancement and subwavelength confinement. To further validate the transmission characteristics of the proposed waveguide, coplanar waveguide (CPW) and corresponding transition structures are used to get a high efficient mode conversion. A CPW-SSPW-CPW structure on a dielectric board is designed, fabricated, and measured in the microwave region. Good agreement is achieved between the simulated and measured results. The last results show that the proposed waveguide has low insertion loss and flat group delay in an ultra-wideband from 2.4 to 10.3 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal upwelling is important for marine ecosystems and the economy, because of its elevated primary and secondary productivity and large potential for fish catch. This study developed a scale-independent and semi-automatic image processing technique to map the upwelling areas along the 4500 km south-eastern coast of Australia from 14-year monthly MODIS Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data. The results show that there is significant spatial variability in the mapped upwelling areas, month to month, season to season and year to year. There is also strong temporal (month to month, seasonal and inter-annual) variability of the upwelling characteristics in area of influence, SST anomaly, chlorophyll-a concentrations and upwelling speed. This study identifies two prominent upwelling systems, the NSW system along the coast of New South Wales and the WVIC/SA system along the coast of western Victoria and adjacent South Australia. The NSW coastal upwelling system occurs more or less continuously from austral spring to autumn. The WVIC/SA coastal upwelling system is a seasonal upwelling system occurring in the austral summer. The NSW coastal upwelling system has a stronger upwelling intensity than the WVIC/SA system, in terms of area of influence, SST anomaly, chlorophyll- a concentrations and upwelling speed. We believe that the NSW coastal upwelling system, especially the northern and central parts, is mainly driven by the East Australian Current (EAC) and its eddies; while, the WVIC/SA coastal upwelling is a typical wind-driven system. In addition, the results indicate that the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events are likely to have a low-to-moderate impact on both the NSW and the WVIC/SA coastal upwelling systems. The El Nino (La Nina) events tend to strengthen (weaken) upwelling intensity. • A scale-independent and semi-automatic upwelling mapping technique is developed. • There is strong temporal variability of the upwelling characteristics. • Two persistent upwelling systems off south-eastern Australian coast are identified. • ENSO events are likely to have a low-to-moderate impact on both upwelling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A fully calibrated three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the Sydney Harbour Estuary was used to determine the dominant forcing of regulating estuarine circulation in a sinuous channel under conditions of low river discharge during dry weather. The system, characterized by stratified flood and mixed ebb during spring tides, and stratified flood and ebb during neap tides, was analysed using model results of current profiles, density field, eddy viscosity and gradient Richardson number at a mooring station and cross-channel transect. The magnitude and direction of lateral circulation was modulated in the flood-ebb and spring-neap cycles due to changes in the interactions between the tides and the complex geometry. During spring tides, a differential-advection-induced lateral baroclinic pressure gradient tends to drive the lateral circulation and stratifies the water column. When the along-estuary circulation is strong enough to break the stratification induced by the lateral baroclinic pressure gradient, centrifugal force works in concert with nonlinear advection establishing a classical two-layer helical flow across the channel. Channel bends also induce vertical mixing as a result of the overturning of the density fields. The lateral circulation redistributes the differential-advection-induced lateral shear of the along-estuary momentum and is transferred to either reinforce or cancel the along-estuary circulation. The lateral bathymetry variability in a channel is therefore the key factor causing the intratidal asymmetries in the along-estuary circulations. Stratification suppresses lateral circulation during neap tides, and generates a three-layer lateral circulation structure in the water column during stratified ebb. Highlights • The interaction between stratification, tides and the complex geometry produces asymmetries in the lateral circulation. • Lateral circulation induces the asymmetries in the vertical mixing. • Along-estuary momentum is transformed by the lateral circulation leading to asymmetries in the along-estuary circulation. • Channel bends transfer along-estuary circulation into lateral circulation and vertical mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • SHPB apparatus is used to study the stress wave propagation across RCC masses. • The effect of interlayer on stress wave propagation is analyzed. • A viscoelastic medium model is proposed to depict the nonlinear deformation of RCC. • The reflection and transmission of stress wave can be expressed mathematically. Abstract The weak bonding interlayers in roller compacted concrete (RCC) have significant influence on the physical and mechanical behaviors for its layered structure. However, less attention has been paid to the stress wave propagation across interlayers under impact loadings. In this paper, the split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) is used to investigate the stress wave propagation across RCC, characterized by reflection and transmission coefficients. It is found that the stress wave propagation across RCC is influenced by the interlayer and exhibits obvious strain-rate sensitivity under impact loadings. Furthermore, an equivalent viscoelastic medium model is suggested to analyze the stress wave propagation across RCC specimen, which verifies that the wave attenuation lies in the nonlinear deformation behavior of RCC. The theoretical transmission coefficient of stress wave in SHPB test is negatively related to relative wave impedance, wave attenuation coefficient and specimen length. Besides, much less wave attenuation will occur when RCC specimens are exposed to higher strain-rate loadings. This paper further interprets the mechanism for the dynamic behaviors of layered RCC in term of stress wave propagation and indicates the ability of interlayers to obstruct the wave propagation effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Dynamic size effect of RCC has been verified based on the fragment size distribution. • Dynamic behaviors of RCC is tightly related to the fragment composition. • Fractal dimension of fragments is size-dependent and strain-rate sensitive. • Fragmentation-based fractal concept is suggested to evaluate dynamic behaviors of RCC. Abstract For further investigating the dynamic size effect of roller compacted concrete (RCC), this paper focuses on the concrete fragmentation under impact loadings, which compensates the one-sidedness of pure strength and deformation analysis. 101 RCC specimens with different size have been prepared and tested under impact loadings. Then, more comprehensive understandings on size-dependence and strain-rate sensitivity of dynamic behaviors for RCC can be obtained in terms of failure process, fragment size distribution, and fractal characteristics. The experimental results indicate that the dynamic fragmentation process is highly related to the multiaxial stress state in the specimens. The fragment size distribution can be used to depicture the dynamic behaviors of RCC, indicating the tight correlation among crack propagation, energy dissipation and failure strength. The suggested exponential growth models, interpreting dynamic compressive strength and toughness with fractal dimension, provide an effective way to evaluate the dynamic behaviors of RCC based on the fragment size distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological degradation has inhibited sustainable development along the coast of China. To counter this, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of China has implemented the Blue Bay Remediation Project for bay restoration as one of the strategies to build a strong marine nation by a process of integrated coastal-zone management. With the overall goals of pristine water, a green coast, clean beaches, beautiful bays and islands clearly defined, the restoration of 66 bays will be funded (about USD$48-64 million for each bay), starting with 16 bays in 2016. This project can be described as a milestone for China, as the marine environment has never before attracted such attention. Such a huge remediation project should provide an example for the rest of the world to follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal-trapped waves (CTWs) in Jervis Bay were investigated using a Jervis Bay Ocean Model (JBOM), based on the Princeton Ocean Model. Under the typical temperature stratification in Jervis Bay in summer, the first three modes of external CTWs can scatter into the bay. The wind stress inside Jervis Bay can generate CTWs, and the wind stress on the adjacent shelf can also generate CTWs in the bay by oscillations at the bay's opening, which are associated with temperature fluctuations there. The actual subinertial CTWs in Jervis Bay are a result of the interference of these CTWs. The amplitudes of the first three CTW modes were calculated from the observed sea level data. Three numerical experiments were designed to identify the major forcing for the observed subinertial temperature oscillations in Jervis Bay during an observational program in the summer of 1988/89. It was found that the local wind stress was the major contributor to the observed oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Initial damage of RCC has been quantified by NDT methods. • The initial damage effect on various dynamic behaviors of RCC has been investigated. • Dynamic compressive strength of RCC can be predicted with NDT results. • The initial damage of RCC has been evaluated with a proposed method. Abstract Roller compacted concrete (RCC) usually remains in the damage state due to improper vibrating compaction control, and suffers from the attenuation of mechanical behaviors, leading to a limitation of the original concrete design. The aim of this paper is to promote a greater knowledge and understanding of the initial damage effect on dynamic compressive behaviors of RCC, taking the initial material damage into consideration in the context of original engineering design. In this paper, the actual construction technology was simulated in the laboratory and three damage measurements (i.e., density, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and elasticity modulus) were conducted to quantify the initial damage of RCC. Then, the dynamic compressive behaviors of RCC were tested by split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) after initial damage measurement. The experimental results show that the initial damage of RCC shows a great influence on dynamic compressive strength and toughness. More remarkable attenuation of dynamic compressive strength (or toughness) occurs at higher strain rates. Furthermore, the dynamic compressive strength of RCC can be predicted with nondestructive testing (NDT) methods based on their tight correlation. An initial damage evaluation method under impact loadings, illustrated as damage graph accompanied with strength assurance rate, is proposed to determine a more reasonable damage grade, which can be used in practical engineering design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new efficient aggregate basis function method is proposed for the electromagnetic scattering from composite structures consisting of finite periodic array and other object. The aggregate basis functions composed of Rao–Wilton–Glisson basis functions are defined, which leads to a good decrease in the number of unknowns, but with the enough accuracy. To obtain the aggregate basis functions, the approximate solution is implemented. By taking advantage of the nature of periodic array, the filling number of the impedance matrix blocks is substantially decreased, and the procedure of getting the approximate solutions is accelerated. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated in a typical scattering example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the dynamics and behaviors of suspended sediments is vital in analysis of morphological, environmental, and ecological processes occurring in coastal marine environments. To study the mechanisms of maintaining high suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) on a tide-dominated offshore shoal, we measured water depths, current velocities, SSCs, wave parameters and bottom sediment compositions in the southern Yellow Sea. These data were then used to calculate bottom shear stresses generated by currents ( τ c ), waves ( τ w ), and wave–current interactions ( τ cw ). SSCs time series exhibited strong quarter-diurnal peaks during spring tides, in contrast to the semidiurnal signal during neap tides. A Fourier analysis showed that suspended sediment variations within tidal cycles was mainly controlled by resuspension in most stations. There existed relatively stable background SSCs (maintaining high SSCs among tidal cycles) values at all four stations during both windy (wind speed > 9.0 m/s) and normal weather conditions (wind speed < 3.0 m/s). The background SSCs had strong relationship with spring/neap-averaged τ cw , indicating background SSCs were mainly controlled by mean bottom shear stress, with a minimum value of 0.21 N/m 2 . On account of the strong tidal currents, background SSCs of spring tides were greater than that of neap tides. In addition, on the base of wavelet, statistics analyses and turbulence dissipation parameter, background SSCs during slack tide in the study area may be maintained by intermittent turbulence events induced by a combined tidal current and wave action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal choking is a geometric feature caused by a narrowed channel. Construction of the Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China obstructed three key channels and intensively changed the local geometry and topography. In this study nine numerical experiments based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model are conducted to study the project's influence on tidal characteristics. Results show that stronger tidal choking happened at the East Entrance after project, mainly due to the jet induced water-level drop forced by Bernoulli law and the longer and narrower geometry. The stronger tidal choking forces a faster flow and larger tidal energy flux at the choked channel while reducing the tidal amplitude in the Inner Harbour Area (IHA). The scouring on this channel reduces the choking effect but further enlarges tidal energy flux. Moreover, damming the channels decrease the tidal amplitude at the lee side of tidal propagating direction while increasing the amplitude on the stoss side. The dams also decrease the tidal current on both sides, and meanwhile develop two patches with stronger current aside the dam. The project induced changes in tidal characteristics are complex in space, and perturbations in bathymetry increase this complexity. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces little changes in the total tidal energy density in the IHA, but induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy. Although this study is site-specific, the findings may be applicable to tidal dynamics in land reclamation close to open seas, such as the dramatic reclamation of islands in the South China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional, high-resolution tidal model coupled with the UNSW sediment model (UNSW-Sed) based on Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM) was set up to study the suspended-sediment dynamics and its change in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB) due to land reclamation over the period 1935 to 2008. During the past decades, a large amount of tidal flats were lost due to land reclamation. Other than modulating the tides, the tidal flats are a primary source for sediment resuspensions, leading to turbidity maxima nearshore. The tidal dynamics are dominant in controlling the suspended-sediment dynamics in JZB and have experienced significant changes with the loss of tidal flats due to the land reclamation. The sediment model coupled with the tide model was used to investigate the changes in suspended-sediment dynamics due to the land reclamation from 1935 to 2008, including suspended-sediment concentrations (SSC) and the horizontal suspended-sediment fluxes. This model can predict the general patterns of the spatial and temporal variation of SSC. The model was applied to investigate how the net transport of suspended sediments between JZB and its adjacent sea areas changed with land reclamation: in 1935 the net movement of suspended sediments was from JZB to the adjacent sea (erosion for JZB), primarily caused by horizontal advection associated with a horizontal gradient in the SSC; This seaward transport (erosion for JZB) had gradually declined from 1935 to 2008. If land reclamation on a large scale is continued in future, the net transport between JZB and the adjacent sea would turn landward and JZB would switch from erosion to siltation due to the impact of land reclamation on the horizontal advection of suspended sediments. We also evaluate the primary physical mechanisms including advection of suspended sediments, settling lag and tidal asymmetry, which control the suspended-sediment dynamics with the process of land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure due to volume overload is a major reason for rehospitalization in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Strict volume control provides better cardiac functions and blood pressure in this population. Volume management, which is a volume control strategy, may decrease volume overload and related complications. Using a quasi-experimental design, 66 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 34) and control group (n = 32). The patients were followed up for 6 months with scheduled clinic and/or telephone visits; the intervention group adopted volume management strategy, while the control group adopted conventional care. Volume overload and cardiac function were compared between the two groups at the baseline and at 6 months. At Month 6, the intervention group resulted in significant improvement in volume overloaded status, cardiac function, and volume-overload-related rehospitalization. Volume management strategy allows for better control of volume overload and is associated with fewer volume-related readmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strain rate and specimen size are two main influential factors when measuring the compressive strength of concrete-like materials. Understanding the dynamic size effect of concrete is essential for better analysis and design of concrete structures. However, few systematic laboratory tests have investigated the dynamic size effect in layered roller compacted concrete (RCC) under various levels of high-strain-rate loading. In this study, three sizes of cylindrical RCC specimens with diameters of 50 mm, 75 mm and 100 mm are prepared and tested under high loading rates to directly investigate the size effects. The size dependence and strain rate sensitivity are characterized in terms of the failure pattern, dynamic compressive strength, ultimate strain, maximum strains, and toughness. The dynamic compressive strength increases with increasing specimen size under impact loading, which is opposite to the size effect under static loading. The statistical significance is further investigated in terms of the variation in the dynamic mechanical properties of the RCC material based on analysis of variance (ANOVA). A modified Weibull size effect law, which incorporates both the specimen size and strain rate, is proposed and verified to illustrate the underlying mechanism of the dynamic size effect for the RCC material under impact loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The PVC/CNT nanocomposite was prepared with commercial poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) beads and multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT). The comparative values of the electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) and electrical conductivity of PVC/CNT nanocomposite in the presence and absence of PVC beads were described. The results showed that the EMI SE values and electrical conductivity values of PVC/CNT nanocomposite had increased compared to those without PVC beads. After the addition of PVC beads, both values of the EMI SE and electrical conductivity had also increased with the increasing of the amount of PVC bead on the PVC/CNT nanocomposite, and the PVC/CNT nanocomposite in the presence of PVC bead showed high EMI SE value (22.6 dB at 4.0 wt% CNT loading in the presence of 70 wt% bead) and high conductivity value (5.31×10−2S cm−1 at 1.0 wt% CNT loading in the presence of 70 wt% bead) at low CNT loading. Thus, PVC beads effectively play a major role in enhancing the EMI SE value and electrical conductivity value of the nanocomposite. To check the bead region and solvent‐dried CNT region in the nanocomposite, morphological studies have been done and morphological studies of the PVC/CNT nanocomposite supported the two‐phase regions in the composite and the selective dispersion of the CNT in the solvent‐dried phase has been clearly observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an improved production of validamycin A was obtained upon developing a fed-batch strategy in a plant-scale bioreactor. The shift in metabolic flux during validamycin A fermentation process was elucidated using the online capacitance measurement coupled with 1 H NMR spectroscopy. We found that the online capacitance measurement could replace DCW for biomass detection in raw material medium during fermentation. On the basis of cell mass and residual sugar concentration, a fed-batch fermentation strategy was developed, with two times addition of 12 g/L glucose in the broth at the 49.5th and 64.5th h. Subsequently, the validamycin A concentration reached 26.0 g/L in a 60-T fermenter. The intracellular concentration of trehalose, maltose, and tryptophan had notably increased, and their accumulation had a strong relationship with validamycin A production. In this study, a metabolomics analysis method without 13 C labeling, which can be applied to plant-scale fermentation in turbid broth, is being presented for the first time. In brief, the undertaken study provides a new approach for the process improvement of validamycin A production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with poor outcomes in multiple solid cancers and play important roles in cancer progression. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) may account for metastasis and recurrence. However, the association between TAMs and EMT is not clarified in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of TAMs on EMT in TNBC. Material and methods We studied specimens from 278 patients with TNBC. TAMs marker cluster of differentiation 163 and EMT-related marker E-cadherin were detected by immunohistochemistry in TNBC tissues, and their clinical significance was evaluated from the patients' medical records. Results TNBC patients with polarized cluster of differentiation 163 + TAMs infiltration and low level of E-cadherin had a significantly higher risk of aggressive features, including recurrence, histologic differentiation, and lymph node metastasis. Infiltration of TAMs was also negatively correlated with E-cadherin in TNBC tissues. Multivariate analysis indicated that infiltration of TAMs and low expression of E-cadherin were independent prognostic factors of overall survival and disease-free survival in TNBC patients. Conclusions High infiltration of TAMs was associated with low expression of E-cadherin and could be used as an unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ripples appear and disappear dynamically on coastal bed. The bottom stress can significantly be enhanced when ripples appear, and then the sediment transport will be influenced by the ripple-enhanced stress. However, ripples’ impact on suspended sediments is seldom discussed. In this study, a bedform (ripples) module based on combined wave and current flow is coupled with a bottom boundary layer (BBL) model. This BBL model outputs our improved bottom shear stress (BSS) to both the sediment model (UNSW-sed) and the hydrodynamic model (POM). Model results in Jervis Bay of Australia show that the simulated suspended sediment concentration (SSC) of an abrupt rising is significantly improved by considering ripples rather than setting a uniform roughness ( K b ) without ripples. However, the SSC is still underestimated by using previous schemes. Differently from the previous estimation of ripple-enhanced shear velocity U ∗ c w e , noted as U ∗ c w e _ N L , we introduce an U ∗ c w e improved by calculating through ripple-enhanced ripple-enhanced K b , which is noted as U ∗ c w e _ K b . Simulation shows that U ∗ c w e _ K b produces significantly increased SSC under high wave conditions, resulting in reasonable agreements with the measurements. The wave friction factor f w is shown to play a crucial role in causing the difference between U ∗ c w e _ K b and U ∗ c w e _ N L . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The polyaniline-polyvinyl alcohol (PANI-PVA) composite conductive coatings were prepared by using PVA as the base material and doping with hydrochloride (HCl), dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA), and aminosulfonic acid (NH2SO3H) aqueous solution. The influences of mass ratio between PANI and PVA, acid content, oxidant (ammonium persulfate, APS) content, reaction time, and drying temperature of film on the conductivity of coating film were studied. The result shows that in case the mass percentage of PVA is 40% and the drying temperature of film is 80℃, the conductivity of coating film has the highest conductivity. In case C(HC1) is 0.5 mol⋅L−1, the reaction time is 6 h, and n(APS/An) is 1.0, the maximum conductivity of HCl-PANI-PVA coating film is 1500 S⋅m−1; in case C(DBSA) is 1.0 mol⋅L−1, the reaction time is 8 h, and the n(APS/An) is 2.0, the maximum conductivity of DBSA-PANI-PVA coating film is 710 S⋅m−1; in case C(NH2SO3H) is 1.0 mol⋅L−1, the reaction time is 6 h, and the n(APS/An) is 2.0, the maximum conductivity of NH2SO3H-PANI-PVA coating film is 200 S⋅m−1. Among these PANI-PVA composite conductive coatings, the conductivity of HCl-PANI-PVA coating film is the highest. At the same time, the structure and conductive mechanism of composite materials were characterized and analyzed through infrared and ultraviolet spectrum and scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five-year (2010 to 2014) sea surface temperature (SST) data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer are used to study the effects of the Australian summer monsoon on SST diurnal variation (DV) over the Australian northwestern shelf (NWS, defined as 105°E-125°E, 25°S-10°S). Strong DV events identified with amplitude of 0.5-2 K were observed over the NWS. A double-peak seasonal pattern of DV is obtained, with the strongest DV occurring in February/March and October/November. This seasonal DV pattern over the NWS is largely due to the Australian summer monsoon, which reduces the easterly trade wind during the summer monsoonal period, favoring the development of SST DV. Since the monsoon region is distributed globally in the tropical oceans, in the western and eastern North Pacific, as well as in the southern Indian Ocean, we anticipate that strong SST DV may also exist in these parts of coastal oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents fundamental investigation on the dynamic compressive behavior and constitutive model of roller compacted concrete (RCC) at intermediate strain rates. Dynamic uniaxial compression tests of RCC specimens were performed by split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). Then, the dynamic compressive properties of RCC material under intermediate strain rate are investigated in terms of failure pattern, stress-strain curve, dynamic increase factors (DIF) of compressive strength, Young’s modulus and critical strain at peak stress. The polynomial fitting method (in terms of lg ε ̇ ) was well adapted to describe the empirical strain rate effect. The vertical stratification of RCC caused by different mix proportion and compacted layer structure has influence on its dynamic mechanical behavior. Due to the statistically discreteness of RCC material, the distributions of dynamic mechanical properties were analyzed with statistics theory. A new statistical constitutive model was proposed with statistical analysis, in which the two main parameters were related to strain rate and conventional mechanical properties. Finally, the developed constitutive model is verified and demonstrated to be high applicability to RCC material and improves the estimations of the dynamic mechanical properties of RCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of bronchiolitis in infancy, which is a major risk factor for recurrent wheezing and asthma. Orosomucoid 1-like protein 3 ( ORMDL3 ) has been reported to associate with virus-triggered recurrent wheezing and asthma in children. However, little is known about how ORMDL3 is involved into RSV infection. In this study, we showed that the mRNA expression of ORMDL3 is significantly increased in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of infants with RSV-induced bronchiolitis compared with uninfected controls, also increased in bronchial epithelial cells and lung fibroblasts following RSV infection in vitro . To investigate the underlying mechanisms of RSV-induced ORMDL3 expression, we performed in silico analysis of the binding sites of several transcription factors in the ORMDL3 promoter. The proximal interferon-regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) binding site positively regulated ORMDL3 transcription following exposure to RSV, as determined through mutational analysis. Overexpression and RNA interference experiments targeting IRF-3 showed that it regulates the expression of ORMDL3 following RSV exposure. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that IRF-3 binds directly to the promoter of the ORMDL3 gene. Furthermore, we confirmed that expression of IRF-3 is significantly increased and shows a strong linear correlation with increased ORMDL3 in the peripheral blood lymphocytes from infants with RSV-induced bronchiolitis. Our results indicate that IRF-3 is an important regulator of ORMDL3 induction following RSV infection by binding directly to the promoter of ORMDL3 , which may be implicated in the inflammatory and immune reactions involved in bronchiolitis and wheezing diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the dynamics and behaviors of suspended sediments is vital in analysis of morphological, environmental, and ecological processes occurring in coastal marine environments. To study the mechanisms of maintaining high suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) on a tide-dominated offshore shoal, we measured water depths, current velocities, SSCs, wave parameters and bottom sediment compositions in the southern Yellow Sea. These data were then used to calculate bottom shear stresses generated by currents ( τ c ), waves ( τ w ), and wave–current interactions ( τ cw ). SSCs time series exhibited strong quarter-diurnal peaks during spring tides, in contrast to the semidiurnal signal during neap tides. A Fourier analysis showed that suspended sediment variations within tidal cycles was mainly controlled by resuspension in most stations. There existed relatively stable background SSCs (maintaining high SSCs among tidal cycles) values at all four stations during both windy (wind speed > 9.0 m/s) and normal weather conditions (wind speed < 3.0 m/s). The background SSCs had strong relationship with spring/neap-averaged τ cw , indicating background SSCs were mainly controlled by mean bottom shear stress, with a minimum value of 0.21 N/m 2 . On account of the strong tidal currents, background SSCs of spring tides were greater than that of neap tides. In addition, on the base of wavelet, statistics analyses and turbulence dissipation parameter, background SSCs during slack tide in the study area may be maintained by intermittent turbulence events induced by a combined tidal current and wave action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first 3-D current-wave-sediment coupled model of the semi-exposed estuary Batemans Bay, New South Wales, Australia, was developed in our study based on the Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM). Our study explored the hydrodynamics, sediment dynamics and morphology change inside the Batemans Bay under large wave events. The modeled monthly-averaged residual flow, sediment flux and suspended sediment concentration with a combined tidal and wave forcing in the inner bay were significantly different to those only with tidal forcing, this is because the storm wave events can generate wave-induced currents and large bottom stresses, influencing the sediment transport. In addition, the morphology change of the flood-tide delta (FTD) inside the Batemans Bay under wave effects was also investigated in this study. According to previous studies, the FTD is a sediment deposit located on the landward side of tidal inlets, formed by the incoming tidal currents and ocean waves, which is an important morphology coastal feature influencing the sediment exchange with adjacent beach systems. Yet, the dynamic processes of FTDs have not been fully understood and explored quantitatively in sheltered estuaries. Based on our model results, the FTD near Cullendulla Beach is controlled by wave effects and was in an equilibrium status: when the FTD was eroded deeper to a critical value (about 2 m) by waves, sedimentation occurred. The rocky headland adjacent to the FTD contributed to the formation of the FTD due to sheltering effects, and the FTD actually developed at the 'wave shadow areas' behind the headland in Batemans Bay, which were dominantly controlled by sheltering effects. Despite being termed a ' Flood-Tide Delta ', ' Tide ' here is misleading, and a new name of ' Wave Shadow Shoal ' should be given to describe such wave-dominated coastal features. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that waves played the dominant role in the hydrodynamic processes, sediment transport and morphology change in Batemans Bay. • The flood-tide delta (FTD) in Batemans Bay is actually wave-driven and developed behind the headland due to the sheltering effects; • FTD is in a dynamic equilibrium where if it is deeper than a threshold level, then deposition occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique two-carbon ring expansion of isatin has been achieved to conveniently construct the functionalized dibenzo[b,d]azepin-6-one scaffold in moderate to high yields, and the two carbon sources are different: one carbon is from the N-substituent of pyridinium bromide and the other is from indene-1,3-dione. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal environments are a key location for transport, commercial, residential and defence infrastructure, and have provided conditions suitable for economic growth. They also fulfil important cultural, recreational and aesthetic needs; have intrinsic ecosystem service values; and provide essential biogeochemical functions such as primary productivity, nutrient cycling and water filtration. The rapid expansion in economic development and anticipated growth of the population in the coastal zones along the Yellow and East China Sea basin has placed this region under intense multiple stresses. Here we aim to: 1) synthesize the new knowledge/science in coastal oceanography since 2010 within the context of the scientific literature published in English; 2) report on a citation analysis that assesses whether new research topics have emerged and integrated over time, indicate the location of modelling and field-based studies; and 3) suggest where the new research should develop for heavily impacted estuaries and coastal seas of East Asia. The conclusions of the synthesis include: 1) China has emerged as a dominant force in the region in producing scientific literature in coastal oceanography, although the area of publications has shifted from its traditional fields such as physical oceanography; 2) there has been an increasing number of publications with cross-disciplinary themes between physical oceanography and other fields of the biological, chemical, and geological disciplines, but vigorous and systematic funding mechanisms are still lacking to ensure the viability of large scale multi-disciplinary teams and projects in order to support trans-disciplinary research and newly emerging fields; 3) coastal oceanography is responding to new challenges, with many papers studying the impacts of human activities on marine environment and ecology, but so far very few studying management and conservation strategies or offering policy solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commonly-used empirical equations for calculating downward ‘photosynthetically available radiation’ or PAR were reviewed in order to identify a more theoretically-sound parameterization for application to ocean biogeochemical models. Three different forms of broadband PAR parameterization are currently employed in biogeochemical models, each of them originating from the downward irradiance formulations normally applied to ocean circulation models, which produce poor attenuation estimates for PAR. Two of the PAR formulations, a single-exponential function and a double-exponential function, are parameterized by multiplying surface irradiance by a coefficient determining the portion of underwater PAR. The third formulation uses the second term of the double-exponential function. After elucidating the theoretical problems of modeling PAR using these parameterizations, we suggest an improved, R-modified double-exponential PAR formulation, including Paulson and Simpson's (1977) parameter values. We also newly estimate PAR penetration via least-squares fitting of values digitized from Jerlov's (1976) observations in different oceanic water types, and compare this PAR-observation derived parameterization with our new, theoretical, R-modified parameterization. Finally, we discuss a universal limitation inherent in current theoretical approaches to PAR parameterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) is a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. A single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against human IGF-1R forms inclusion body when expressed in periplasmic space of E. coli routinely. Here, we described that co-expression of appropriate disulfide bonds (Dsb) proteins known to catalyze the formation and isomerization of Dsb can markedly recover the soluble expression of target scFv in E. coli. A 50 % recovery in solubility of the scFv was observed upon co-expression of DsbC alone, and a maximum solubility (80 %) was obtained when DsbA and DsbC were co-expressed in combination. Furthermore, the soluble scFv present full antigen-binding activity with IGF-1R, suggesting its correct folding. This study also suggested that the selection of Dsb proteins should be tested case-by-case if the approach of co-expression of Dsb system is adopted to address the problem of insoluble expression of proteins carrying Dsb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]