Search Results (348)

Palaemon gravieri is an ecologically important shrimp species that plays a vital role in depressing jellyfish blooms in the southern Yellow and East China Seas of China. However, information on its distribution pattern and migration route related to environmental variables is fragmented. We conducted independent trawling surveys of P. gravieri between 2018 and 2019. Its sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity lower limits were 8 °C and 30‰, respectively. It showed the highest abundance at sea bottom temperatures and salinities of 12–14 °C and 32–33‰, respectively, in spring; 11–12 °C and 32.5‰ in autumn; and 10.5–14 °C and 31–33‰ in winter. Mean biomass, abundance, and size were ranked seasonally as follows: autumn > winter > spring > summer; autumn > winter and spring; and summer > spring > autumn > winter, respectively. Under the current climate scenario, P. gravieri is mainly concentrated in the inshore areas of the southern Yellow and northern East China Seas. Under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios in 2100, P. gravieri was mainly concentrated in the southern Yellow and northern East China Seas, and in inshore areas of the East China Sea. This species is therefore expected to benefit from climate warming. The findings of this study can facilitate the development of climate-induced fishery strategies and management schemes. Full article

With the deepening electrification of transportation, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are emerging as a vital component of clean and electrified transportation systems. Nonetheless, renewable-based hydrogen production–refueling stations (HPRSs) for FCEVs still need solid models for accurate simulations and a practical capacity optimization method for cost reduction. To address this gap, this study leverages real operation data from China’s largest HPRS to establish and validate a comprehensive model integrating hydrogen production, storage, renewables, FCEVs, and the power grid. Building on this validated model, a novel capacity optimization framework is proposed, incorporating an improved Jellyfish Search Algorithm (JSA) to minimize the initial investment cost, operating cost, and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). The results demonstrate the framework’s significant innovations and effectiveness: It achieves the maximum reductions of 29.31% in the initial investment, 100% in the annual operational cost, and 44.19% in LCOH while meeting FCEV demand. Simultaneously, it reduces peak grid load by up to 43.80% and enables renewable energy to cover up to 89.30% of transportation hydrogen demand. This study contributes to enhancing economic performance and optimizing the design and planning of HPRS for FCEVs, as well as promoting sustainable transportation electrification. Full article

The white-spotted jellyfish, Phyllorhiza punctata, is an invasive species with significant ecological and economic relevance spreading across various regions. While its ecological impact is well-documented, its molecular and biochemical characteristics remain poorly understood. In this study, we integrate proteomic data generated by LC-MS/MS with publicly available transcriptomic information to characterize P. punctata, analyzing differential protein expression across three distinct tissues: oral arms, mantle, and gonads. A total of 2764 proteins and 25,045 peptides were identified, including several venom components such as jellyfish toxins (JFTs) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which were further investigated and compared to toxins from other species. Enrichment analyses revealed clear tissue-specific functions. Additionally, deep learning and machine learning tools identified 274 promising AMP candidates, including the α-helical, β-sheet, and αβ-motif peptides. This dataset provides new insights into the protein composition of P. punctata and highlights strong AMP candidates for further characterization, underscoring the biotechnological potential of underexplored cnidarian species. Full article

A moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) is a representative of the phylum Cnidaria, commonly found in the northern seas of the globe. The regenerative abilities of cnidarians have recently been associated with extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by these organisms. In this study, a method for the isolation of EVs from the oral arms of A. aurita is presented. The methodology includes differential centrifugation, size-exclusion chromatography, and ultrafiltration. The isolates were characterized with tunable resistive pulse sensing, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, capillary electrophoresis (CE), and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS). Small (<150 nm in diameter) EVs were abundant in the isolates. The EVs were found to carry nucleic acids, indicating their role in signaling. Additionally, the difference in zeta potential values measured with ELS and CE indicates high glycation in the vesicles analyzed. Although the method developed was effective in isolating EVs from small sample volumes (0.5 mL), the EV yield was insufficient for omics analysis. Thus, the scaling up of the isolation process is required for comprehensive biochemical analysis and biological activity assessment in A. aurita-derived EVs. Full article

In Western countries, a shift to a diet rich in proteins from diverse sources could aid the transition to more sustainable patterns of protein consumption and production, contributing to meet the future demand for protein from the growing population. The successful integration of alternative proteins into diets hinges, however, on consumer acceptance. Despite a plethora of acceptance studies on alternative proteins, comparative insights remain limited. To improve the fragmented understanding of the drivers and barriers of alternative protein acceptance, this study examines consumer willingness in Germany to buy food products containing proteins from three sources—algae, crickets and jellyfish—using the same methodological approach. The findings indicate that environmental consciousness strengthens the willingness to buy products based on all three protein sources while neophobia weakens it. In contrast, past meat consumption habits contribute positively to the acceptance of animal-origin alternative proteins, like crickets and jellyfish, but negatively to the acceptance of algae. The acceptance is also influenced by demographic factors. It is argued that strategies targeting these factors can enhance the acceptance of alternative protein sources such as algae, crickets and jellyfish. However, it is important to tailor the strategies to the determinants that influence the willingness to buy products from a particular protein source. Full article

Accurate short-term photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting is crucial for ensuring the stability and efficiency of modern power systems, particularly given the intermittent and nonlinear characteristics of solar energy. This study proposes a novel hybrid forecasting model that integrates complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), the jellyfish search (JS) optimization algorithm, and a bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) neural network. First, the original PV power signal was decomposed into intrinsic mode functions using a modified CEEMDAN method to better capture the complex nonlinear features. Subsequently, the fast Fourier transform and improved Pearson correlation coefficient (IPCC) were applied to identify and merge similar-frequency intrinsic mode functions, forming new composite components. Each reconstructed component was then forecasted individually using a BiLSTM model, whose parameters were optimized by the JS algorithm. Finally, the predicted components were aggregated to generate the final forecast output. Experimental results on real-world PV datasets demonstrate that the proposed CEEMDAN-JS-BiLSTM model achieves an $R^2$ of 0.9785, a MAPE of 8.1231%, and an RMSE of 37.2833, outperforming several commonly used forecasting models by a substantial margin in prediction accuracy. This highlights its effectiveness as a promising solution for intelligent PV power management. Full article

Ocean acidification, caused by increased atmospheric CO₂, threatens marine organisms that depend on calcium-based structures such as jellyfish statoliths. This study investigated the effects of low pH on the morphology and statolith formation of ephyrae in Aurelia coerulea, comparing two developmental pathways to form ephyra: polyp-strobilation and planula-strobilation. Under the pH 6.8 condition, polyps failed to produce viable ephyrae, whereas planula-strobilation succeeded in releasing ephyrae with normal morphology, though statoliths were absent. Under the pH 7.8 condition, both strobilation types produced normal-shaped ephyrae with reduced statolith size but increased statolith number compared with the control (pH 8.1), suggesting a compensatory response to acidification. Statolith morphology differed between pathways: planula-strobilated ephyrae had needle-shaped statoliths with high aspect ratios, indicating a rapid, early-stage crystallization process. Despite their minimal body size and statolith development, planula-strobilated ephyrae maintained the functional mass of statoliths necessary for survival. This rapid, morphologically minimized development suggests that planula-strobilation is an adaptive reproductive strategy in response to environmental stress. Our findings suggest that A. coerulea possesses a flexible life history strategy that may facilitate its resilience to ongoing ocean acidification scenarios. Full article

Industry currently generates numerous substances, such as food additives, whose environmental impacts, particularly in marine environments, remain inadequately assessed. This study employed Aurelia aurita for the first time as a model organism to evaluate the toxicity of such compounds. The main goal was to evaluate the toxicity of two food additives, 2-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-ol (S1) and 1-phenylethan-1-ol (S2), on A. aurita ephyrae, comparing the results with other organisms representing different trophic levels, specifically the alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the crustacean Artemia salina. Acute toxicity tests were conducted on each organism. In A. aurita, S1 exhibited high toxicity (LC₅₀ ≈ 10 mg/L), while S2 had lower toxicity (LC₅₀ ≈ 80 mg/L). The pulsation frequency data for A. aurita revealed that S1 initially increased the pulsation rates at lower concentrations (maximum at 10 mg/L), followed by a significant decrease at higher concentrations. Conversely, S2 showed a steady decrease in pulsation rates up to 10 mg/L, with a slight increase at concentrations of 15, 20, and 25 mg/L. The results demonstrate varying sensitivities to the toxic effects of the two compounds across different trophic levels, with A. aurita ephyrae being the most sensitive. This suggests the potential efficacy of jellyfish as novel ecotoxicological models due to their heightened sensitivity, enabling the detection of lower contaminant concentrations in test samples. Further research is required to enhance the efficiency of ecotoxicological assays using this model. Full article

Galaxies moving through the gas of the intracluster medium (ICM) experience ram pressure stripping, which can leave behind a gas tail. When a disk galaxy receives the wind edge-on, however, the characteristic signature is not a typical jellyfish tail, but rather an unwinding of the spiral arms. We aim to quantify such asymmetries both in the gas and in the stellar component of a simulated galaxy. To this end, we simulate a gas-rich star-forming spiral galaxy moving through a self-consistent ICM gas. The amplitude and location of the asymmetries were measured via Fourier decomposition. We found that the asymmetry is much more evident in the gas component, but it is also measurable in the stars. The amplitude tends to increase with time and the asymmetry radius migrates inwards. We found that, when considering the gas, the spiral arms extend much further and are more unwound than the corresponding stellar arms. Characterizing the unwinding via simulations should help inform the observational criteria used to classify ram pressure stripped galaxies, as opposed to asymmetries induced by other mechanisms. Full article

A modified dual hierarchical terminal sliding mode control (MDHTSMC) strategy is developed in this study for the control of a two-wheeled self-balancing robot (TWSBR). The control framework incorporates individually designed sliding surfaces within a structured dual-layer hierarchy, enabling explicit prediction of convergence time. To overcome the system’s underactuation characteristics, a hierarchical structure is embedded into the dual terminal sliding mode control law. Additionally, the proposed approach mitigates the chattering effect and enhances the system’s self-balancing capabilities. Numerical simulations were conducted to verify the controller’s effectiveness and to confirm the theoretical results. Full article

The venom of Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish represents a promising source of bioactive compounds with potential pharmacological applications. In our previous work, we identified two novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides—IVGRPLANG (896.48 Da) and IGDEPRHQYL (1227.65 Da)—isolated from N. nomurai venom hydrolysates via papain digestion. In this study, we conducted a detailed biochemical and computational characterization of these peptides. The IC₅₀ values were determined to be 23.81 µM for IVGRPLANG and 5.68 µM for IGDEPRHQYL. Kinetic analysis using Lineweaver–Burk plots revealed that both peptides act as competitive ACE inhibitors, with calculated inhibition constants (K_i) of 51.38 µM and 5.45 µM, respectively. To assess the structural stability of the ACE–peptide complexes, molecular dynamics simulations were performed. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) and root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) analyses provided insights into complex stability, while interaction fraction analysis elucidated key bond types and residue–ligand contacts involved in binding. Furthermore, a network pharmacology approach was employed to predict therapeutic targets within the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS). Eleven target proteins were identified: IVGRPLANG was associated with REN, ACE, CTSB, CTSS, and AGTR2; IGDEPRHQYL was linked to REN, AGT, AGTR1, AGTR2, KNG1, and BDKR2. Molecular docking analyses using HADDOCK software (version 2.4) were conducted for all targets to evaluate binding affinities, providing further insight into the peptides’ therapeutic potential. Full article

Solar energy has become a vital renewable energy source (RES), and photovoltaic (PV) systems play a key role in its utilization. However, the performance of these systems can be compromised by faulty panels. This paper proposes an innovative framework that combines the deep neural network VGG19 with the Jellyfish Optimization Search Algorithm (JFOSA) for efficient fault detection using aerial images. VGG19 excels in automatic feature extraction, while JFOSA optimizes feature selection and significantly improves classification performance. The new framework achieves impressive results, including 98.34% accuracy, 98.71% sensitivity, 98.69% specificity, and 94.03% AUC. These results outperform baseline models and various optimization techniques, including ant colony optimization (ACO), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The system demonstrated superior performance in detecting solar panel defects such as cracks, hot spots, and shadow defects, providing a robust, scalable, and automated solution for PV monitoring. This approach provides an efficient and reliable way to maintain energy efficiency and system reliability in solar energy applications. Full article

The barrel jellyfish (Rhizostoma pulmo), like other cnidarians, shows cnidocytes containing cnidae, responsible for the jellyfish’s stinging properties. The sting of R. pulmo can cause contact dermatitis or urticaria and even systemic symptoms. Recent studies have identified stinging-cell structures in the mucous secretion released in the water column by Cassiopea xamachana, belonging to the same order as R. pulmo. The present paper verifies the release of stinging-cell structures in the water by R. pulmo and reports the case of two 17-year-old adolescents (one male and one female) who were affected by epidermal rashes consistent with the irritating sensations of stinging water. The reaction happened twice in the Ionian Sea; the patients were in proximity to R. pulmo but, on both occasions, there had been absolutely no direct contact with the jellyfish’s tentacles. To test the hypothesis of stinging water caused by R. pulmo, samples of sea water and mucous harvested in close proximity to a living jellyfish were taken and analyzed under a microscope at different magnifications. The microscopic analysis showed the presence of free and aggregated nematocysts in both the samples of water and mucous. It is likely that the free and aggregated nematocysts observed were discharged in the water by the jellyfish and were dispersed by water currents that led them to come into contact with the patients’ skin. At present, it is not known what predisposes humans to the perception of stinging water, and it is reasonable to affirm that caution should be advised for people with an allergic history when entering the water in the presence of jellyfish. Further investigations are required to better understand both the pathophysiological pathways underlying the stinging water phenomenon and the minimum concentration of urticating elements that is able to trigger the onset of stinging water. Full article

Skin health must be ensured at all times in the case of wounds when the skin is subjected to traumatic actions that require multiple wound-healing measures. Wound healing is a complex, multi-phase biological process critical for restoring skin integrity after trauma. This study investigates the development and evaluation of a novel composite hydrogel formulated from collagen peptides extracted from the jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo and hydroethanolic extracts from the brown alga Cystoseira barbata, both sourced from the Romanian Black Sea coast. Throughout the work, the characteristics due to the biochemical compositions of the extracts from the brown alga C. barbata and from the jellyfish R. pulmo are highlighted as important, emphasizing the content of polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. Total phenol content was analyzed for three extracts from natural products. The biochemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and in vitro wound-healing properties of the components and their composite (JPC-ALG) were assessed. The rheological behavior and optical microscopy studies of collagen hydrogels were prepared. The general mechanisms of wound healing with the involvement of polysaccharides and collagen peptides existing in all categories of extracts were highlighted. The study of the effects of JPC-ALG composites and individual extracts on fibroblast and keratocyte cell lines is also presented. Results demonstrated that the composite exhibited synergistic effects, enhancing fibroblast and keratinocyte migration and proliferation, key factors in wound closure. The findings support the potential application of this marine-derived bioactive composite as a promising biomaterial for wound-healing therapies. Full article

The ecological role and in situ feeding potential of Aurelia coerulea ephyrae remain poorly quantified. We conducted in situ chamber experiments in Geoje and Jaran Bay, Korea, to evaluate clearance rates, specific growth rate (SGR), and grazing carbon among ephyrae of different sizes and origins. Larger field-collected ephyrae had higher clearance rates (4.2 ± 0.8 mL ind⁻¹ h⁻¹) and grazing carbon (17.2 ± 1.0 μg C ind⁻¹ d⁻¹) than smaller individuals (1.6 ± 0.5 mL ind⁻¹ h⁻¹; 5.2 ± 1.1 μg C ind⁻¹ d⁻¹), though the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Field-collected ephyrae exhibited significantly greater clearance (p < 0.05) and grazing carbon (p < 0.01) than laboratory-reared ephyrae, while laboratory-reared ephyrae had higher SGR (p < 0.01).Grazing efficiency did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). SGR peaked at intermediate prey concentrations (0.189 ± 0.013 d⁻¹, p < 0.05), with reduced growth at both lower and higher concentrations. These results indicate that in situ feeding and growth rates are lower than laboratory rates, and that early-stage predation by ephyrae is modulated by prey availability and environmental history. Such findings provide essential baseline data for predicting the bloom dynamics and ecological impacts of Aurelia in temperate coastal environments. Full article