Distribution of modified Circumpolar Deep Water and its threat in Vincennes Bay,East Antarctica

The Antarctic Bottom Water formation site Vincennes Bay,East Antarctica is experiencing a substantial intrusion of modified Circumpolar Deep Water(mCDW),which may inhibit the formation of Dense Shelf Water(DSW)and drive basal melting of the ice shelves.Based on hydrographic data obtained from March to November in 2012,we evaluated the spatial spread of mCDW over the continental shelf region of Vincennes Bay and the associated temporal evolution of water properties,as well as the sea ice formation effect on water column in the coastal polynya.Results show that two branches of mCDW occupied the deep layers of the continental shelf,distinguished by the potential density(smaller than 27.8 kg/m^(3) or not)when potential temperatureθ=0.5°C in theθ-salinity space.The warmer and less dense branch observed on the east plateau,accessed the eastern ice shelves in the coastal polynya to drive basal melting of ice shelves.In contrast,the other colder and denser branch in the mid-depression reached the western Underwood Ice Shelf.DSW formation was detectable in the coastal polynya during September-November,proving the occurrence of deep convection.Surface heat loss and brine rejection during the intensive sea ice formation contributed to the destratification of the water column in the coastal polynya.It was estimated that at least 1.11±0.79 TW heat carried by mCDW into the inner part of the polynya.

The isolation of prophyra-334 from marine algae and its UV-absorption behavior

Prophyra-334 was prepared by methanol extraction and HPLC methods from marine algae （dried laver）. It is a sunscreen compound that has good absorption of ultraviolet radiations in the wavelength ranges of 200-400 nm. The absorption maximum wavelength of prophyra-334 is at 334 nm, so defined the name. The molar extinction coefficient （ε） of prophyra-334 in aqueous solution at 334 nm wavelength is 4.23×10^4. The absorption of prophyra-334 in organic solvents differs in aqueous solutions. In polar organic solvents, the absorption maximum wavelength of prophyra-334 has a slight shift toward longer wavelength compared with that in pure water. On the contrary, in inert non-polar organic solvents, the absorption maximum wavelength and the shape of absorption spectra of prophyra-334 are changed. The effects of organic solvents on prophyra-334 stability suggested that： （1） the absorbance of prophyra-334 in water is generally constant at temperature of 60℃ in 24 h, meaning that prophyra-334 is quite stable in water; （2） the absorbance of prophyra-334 in ethanol and hexane decreases at the same condition. The stability of prophyra-334 in organic solvents is less than that in aqueous solution. In benzene, the prophyra-334 is very instable.

Rheological and Structural Properties of Sea Cucumber Stichopus japonicus During Heat Treatment

Changes in tissue structure, rheological properties and water content of raw and heated sea cucumber meat were studied. Sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus was heated at 25℃, 70℃ and 100℃ water for 5 min. The structural changes were observed using a light microscope and the rheological parameters （rupture strength, adhesive strength and deformation） determined using a texture meter. Microscopic photograph revealed that the structural change of heated meat was greater than that of raw meat. The rupture strength, adhesive strength and deformation of raw meat were smaller than those of the heated meat. Meanwhile, rheological parameters showed positive correlation with heating temperature. These changes are mainly caused by thermal denaturation and gelatinization of collagen during heating. These changes were also evidenced in observations using a light microscope and differential scanning calorimetry.

Mineral Components and Anti-oxidant Activities of Tropical Seaweeds

Seaweeds are known to hold substances of high nutritional value; they are the richest resources of minerals important to the biochemical reactions in the human body. Seaweeds also hold non-nutrient compounds like dietary fiber and polyphenols. However, there is not enough information on the mineral compounds of tropical seaweeds. Also we are interested in the antioxidant activities of seaweeds, especially those in the tropical area. In this study, Indonesian green, brown and red algae were used as experimental materials with their mineral components analyzed by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The catechins and flavonoids of these seaweeds were extracted with methanol and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） ; the anti-oxidant activities of these seaweeds were evaluated in a fish oil emulsion system. The mineral components of tropical seaweeds are dominated by calcium, potassium and sodium, as well as small amounts of copper, iron and zinc. A green alga usually contains epigallocatechin, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate and catechin. However, catechin and its isomers are not found in some green and red algae. In the presence of a ferrous ion catalyst, all the methanol extracts from the seaweeds show significantly lower peroxide values of the emulsion than the control, and that of a green alga shows the strongest anti-oxidant extract of this alga, which is significantly different from activity. The highest chelation on ferrous ions is also found in the the other methanol extracts in both 3 and 24 h incubations.

The Effect of Netting Solidity Ratio and Inclined Angle on the Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Knotless Polyethylene Netting

Knotless polyethylene(PE) netting has been widely used in aquaculture cages and fishing gears, especially in Japan. In this study, the hydrodynamic coefficient of six knotless PE netting panels with different solidity ratios were assessed in a flume tank under various attack angles of netting from 0?(parallel to flow) to 90?(perpendicular to flow) and current speeds from 40 cm s^(-1) to 130 cm s^(-1). It was found that the drag coefficient was related to Reynolds number, solidity ratio and attack angle of netting. The solidity ratio was positively related with drag coefficient for netting panel perpendicular to flow, whereas when setting the netting panel parallel to the flow the opposite result was obtained. For netting panels placed at an angle to the flow, the lift coefficient reached the maximum at an attack angle of 50? and then decreased as the attack angle further increased. The solidity ratio had a dual influence on drag coefficient of inclined netting panels. Compared to result in the literature, the normal drag coefficient of knotless PE netting measured in this study is larger than that of nylon netting or Dyneema netting.

Observations and modeling of the ice-ocean conditions in the coastal Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

The Chukchi and Beaufort Seas include several important hydrological features： inflow of the Pacific water, Alaska coast current （ ACC ）, the seasonal to perennial sea ice cover, and landfast ice ＇along the Alaskan coast. The dynamics of this coupled ice-ocean system is important for both regional scale oceanography and large-scale global climate change research. A mumber of moorings were deployed in the area by JAMSTEC since 1992, and the data revealed highly variable characteristics of the hydrological environment. A regional high-resolution coupled ice-ocean model of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas was established to simulate the ice-ocean environment and unique seasonal landfast ice in the coastal Beaufort Sea. The model results reproduced the Beaufort gyre and the ACC. The depthaveraged annual mean ocean currents along the Beaufort Sea coast and shelf hreak compared well with data from four moored ADCPs, but the simulated velocity had smaller standard deviations, which indicate small-scale eddies were frequent in the region. The model resuits captured the sea,real variations of sea ice area as compared with remote sensing data, and the simulated sea ice velocity showed an ahnost stationary area along the Beaufort Sea coast that was similar to the observed landfast ice extent. It is the combined effects of the weak oceanic current near the coast, a prevailing wind with an onshore component, the opposite direction of the ocean current, and the blocking hy the coastline that make the Beaufort Sea coastal areas prone to the formation of landfast ice.

Continuous Saccharification of Laminarin by Immobilized Laminarinase ULam111 Followed by Ethanol Fermentation with a Marine-Derived Yeast

We isolated a novel laminarinase ULam111 from Flavobacterium sp. strain UMI-01. Purified ULam111 showed degradation activity against laminarin with the specific activity of 224 ± 18 U/mg at 30°C and pH 6.0. Its optimum temperature was 50°C, and degradation activities against laminarin were observed at 4°C - 80°C. With a laminarin degradation system, we investigated the preparation and properties of immobilized ULam111 with the use of the 11 types of carriers. The high activity recoveries of immobilized ULam111 were as follows: 19.4% for IB-S60P carrier beads (the non-ionic type), 15.6% for IB-S60S carrier beads (the non-ionic type), 11.9% for IB-150P carrier beads (the covalent type), and 7.1% for IB-C435 carrier beads (the cationic type). With the repeated use of immobilized ULam111, the enzyme activities immobilized on IB-S60S and those on IB-S60P remained at 40% and 30% respectively after the sixth trial. We selected IB-S60S as suitable beads for enzyme immobilization, and we attempted to construct a reactor system with ULam111 immobilized on IB-S60S beads. In this system, 1.2 - 1.9 g/L glucose was repeatedly produced from 30 mg/mL laminarin solutions after 20 hr when the reactor operation was repeated 10 times. We examined ethanol fermentation from the saccharified solutions with a marine-derived yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae C-19), and 0.51 - 0.58 g/L bioethanol was produced from the saccharified solution that contained 1.71 - 1.86 g/L of glucose.

Molecular Phylogeny and Phenotypic Characterization of Yeasts with a Broad Range of pH Tolerance Isolated from Natural Aquatic Environments

In this study, yeasts with broad range of pH tolerance were isolated and characterized from natural aquatic environments in Japan. Only a few basic and application studies of alkali-tolerant yeasts have been reported, despite the unmet industrial needs. First, we surveyed alkali-tolerant yeasts from natural aquatic environments at pH 7.6 - 9.4. We isolated 35 yeast strains that grew in pH 9.0 medium, from seven genera and nine species: 25 strains (N1, N2, through N6, N9, K1, K3 through K19) were Rhodotorula mucilaginosa;one (N7) was Rhodosporidium fluvial;one (N8) was Scheffersomyces spartinae;two (N10 and N13) were Wicherhamonyces anomalus;one (N11) was Cyberlindnera saturnus;one (S1) was Candida sp.;two (S2 and S4) were Candida intermedia;one (S3) was Candida quercuum;and one (K2) was Cryptococcus liquefacience. We examined the effects of pH on the growth of representative yeast strains. Strains K12 and S4 showed high growth at pH 3 - 10. Strains N7, N8, N10, N11, and S3 showed high growth at pH 3 - 9. Strains K2 and S1 showed high growth at pH 4 - 8. All nine of these strains had neutralizing activities from acidic media at pH 3 - 5 to pH 6 - 8. We previously isolated acid-tolerant yeasts (Cryptococcus sp. T1 [1] and Candida intermedia CeA16 [2]) from extremely acidified environments;they showed high growth at pH 3 - 9 and neutralizing activities of acidic media by releasing ammonium ions. Thus, alkali-tolerant yeasts and acid-tolerant yeasts were found to be similar species and have both high growth at a broad range of pH and neutralizing activities of acid media. Previously, we also isolated acid-tolerant, acid-neutralizing yeasts from neutral natural environments (26 strains, 12 species) [3]. Next, we constructed the phylogenetic trees of both acid-tolerant yeasts and alkali-tolerant yeasts. All were situated in the same classification position. Similar yeast species with a broad range of pH tolerance were living in natural aquatic environments at pH values from alkali to acid.

Constructing Genetic Linkage Maps Using the Whole Genome Sequence of Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis) and a Comparison of Chromosome Structure among Teleost Species

Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) is one of the most economically important species in the Percomorpha group of teleost fishes. Their migrations are extensive and depend upon continuous swimming at a high rate of speed throughout their life. The draft genome sequence of this species has been reported but remains highly fragmented. We constructed a Pacific bluefin tuna genetic linkage map using microsatellite markers developed on each of the scaffolds from the draft genome sequence to link these genome fragments and understand the genomic structure of species in Percomorpha. Of the 606 polymerase chain reaction microsatellite primer pairs tested, 473 were polymorphic in the mapping populations for the linkage analysis. We constructed sex-specific maps for 24 linkage groups consisting of 470 markers, which allowed us to place scaffolds that cumulatively represented 20.8% (153.8 Mb) of the sequenced genome onto the linkage groups. The distribution of orthologous genes on the chromosomes of tuna and four other teleost fish species suggested that the constitution of tuna chromosomes is closest to that of medaka. Both species have the 24 chromosomes of the ancestral teleost, including several chromosomal inversions. The integrated map developed in this study will be useful to construct a complete physical map to conduct comparative teleost genomics and genetic studies on economically useful traits in Pacific bluefin tuna.

Case Study: A Simulation Model of the Spawning Stock Biomass of Pacific Bluefin Tuna and Evaluation of Fisheries Regulations

This study proposes a simulation model that well reproduces the spawning stock biomass of Pacific bluefin tuna. Environmental factors were chosen to estimate the recruitment per spawning stock biomass, and a simulation model that well reproduced the spawning stock biomass was developed. Then, effects of various fisheries regulations were evaluated using the simulation study. The results were as follows: 1) arctic oscillations, Pacific decadal oscillations and the recruitment number of the Pacific stock of Japanese sardine were chosen as the environmental factors that determined the recruitment per spawning stock biomass;2) spawning stock biomass could be well reproduced using a model that reproduced the recruitment per spawning stock biomass and the survival process of the population that included the effect of fishing;and 3) the effects of various fisheries regulation could be evaluated using the simulation model mentioned above. The effective regulation in the simulations conducted in this paper was a prohibition of fishing for 0- and 1-year-old fish in terms of recovering the spawning stock biomass. The reduction of fishing mortality coefficients for all age fish to 50% of actual values also showed a good performance. The recent reductions of the recruitment and spawning stock biomass were likely caused by heavy harvesting, especially of immature fish, since 2004.

NiFe alloy particles doping effect of Gd-Ba-Cu-O bulks processed by a new cold-seeding technology

The process of cold seeding melt growth of GdBa2Cu3Oy （Gd123） bulk superconductors using NdBa2Cu3Oy （Nd123） thin films was reported. In addition, a novel cold seeding concept of combining MgO crystal and buffer pellet was also introduced. The misorientation caused by the lattice mismatch between MgO and Gd123 melt was overcome by choosing suitable heat treatment program and Gd2BaCuO5 （Gd211） content of the buffer pellet. The doping effect of soft ferromagnetic NiFe alloy particles was also reported. The bulk sample with 0.4% （mole fraction） doping amount shows the best performance on the flux trapping. The critical current density is largely enhanced under the external field of 1-2 T, which is promising for large-scale applications. This effect is originated from the substitution of Fe and Ni ions for the Cu sites contributing to magnetic flux pinning.

Determination of Selenium in Marine Aquatic Products by Hydride Generation-atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry (HG-AFS)

A method for the analysis of selenium in marine aquatic products by HG-AFS has been investigated. The method is based on the reduction of inorganic selenium to volatile SeH2 which is bubbled out by carrier gas of pure argon, and then swept to Ar-H2 flame quarts atomizer to measure its fluorescence intensity. The hydride generation, transportation, atomization and some instrumental parameters were studied by a kind of orthogonal design. The optimum conditions selected are as follows： reactive acidity, 20% HC1; the amount of NaBH4, 4.9mL; gas flow of argon, 600mLmin^-1; atomizing temperature, 200 ℃ ; negative high voltage, - 300V; light current, 100 mA; integral time, 7s. The detection limit of the presented method is 0.072μgL^-1 for selenium. The calibration curve shows a satisfactory line inthe concentration range from 0.000 to 1.000μgL^-1 Se. The recovery is 95.8%-102.2%.

Growth and Reproductive Activity of a Captive Female Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) from Japanese Water

This report describes growth and annual reproductive cycle of female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) rescued from Japanese water in 2007. The maximum body length was 179 cm and body weight was 69.8 kg. The average daily food consumption was 7.0 kg (ranging 3.7 - 9.9 kg), 11.8% of the body weight. In this report, the porpoise was kept in 17 °C water annually and the blubber thicknesses showed almost constant throughout the year (average 18 mm, range 13 - 22 mm). Therefore, we added new evidence to this hypothesis by showing that body weight and the blubber thickness do not fluctuate seasonally in fixed water temperature. Serum progesterone level of the female showed five peaks from September to November, and each cycle lasted the average of 20.5 days. Such result indicates that harbour porpoise exhibits seasonal polyestrous activity.

Experimental and Numerical Investigations of the Hydrodynamic Characteristics, Twine Deformation, and Flow Field Around the Netting Structure Composed of Two Types of Twine Materials for Midwater Trawls

Nettings are complex flexible structures used in various fisheries.Understanding the hydrodynamic characteristics,de-formation,and the flow field around nettings is important to design successful fishing gear.This study investigated the hydrodynamic characteristics and deformation of five nettings made of polyethylene and nylon materials in different attack angles through numeri-cal simulation and physical model experiment.The numerical model was based on the one-way coupling between computational fluid dynamics(CFD)and large deflection nonlinear structural models.Navier-Stokes equations were solved using the finite volume ap-proach,the flow was described using the k-ωshear stress turbulent model,and the large deflection structural dynamic equation was derived using a finite element approach to understand the netting deformation and nodal displacement.The porous media model was chosen to model the nettings in the CFD solver.Numerical data were compared with the experimental results of the physical model to validate the numerical models.Results showed that the numerical data were compatible with the experimental data with an average relative error of 2.34%,3.40%,6.50%,and 5.80%in the normal drag coefficients,parallel drag coefficients,inclined drag coefficients,and inclined lift coefficients,respectively.The hydrodynamic forces of the polyethylene and nylon nettings decreased by approxi-mately 52.56%and 66.66%,respectively,with decreasing net solidity.The drag and lift coefficients of the nylon netting were appro-ximately 17.15%and 6.72%lower than those of the polyethylene netting.A spatial development of turbulent flow occurred around the netting because of the netting wake.However,the flow velocity reduction downstream from the netting in the wake region in-creased with increasing attack angle and net solidity.In addition,the deformation,stress,and strain on each netting increased with in-creasing solidity ratio.

Evaluations of the Sensory Quality Indices and Freshness Assessment of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus Fillets Fed Recycled Food Waste Materials

This study was designed to evaluate the sensory quality indices, freshness assessment and safety of eating Nile tilapia fed recycled food waste materials [food industry waste （FIW） and soy sauce waste （SSW）] for 32 weeks using K values, IMP content and microbial viable cell count. Five experimental diets were formulated at 0% and 20%-22% inclusion level of recycled food wastes. The diets were designated as D 1： 0% of recycled food waste, D2： 20% inclusion of FIW, D3： 20% inclusion of FIW and SSW, D4： 20% inclusion of FIW and tryptophan, and D5： 22% inclusion of SSW. The result from the body composition shows that D I had higher carcass protein, while D3 had the highest lipid content and there was no significant difference in the carcass moisture and ash contents among all treatments. The results of microbial viable cell counts showed that no significant differences were observed among the dietary treatments and all the fish fed experimental diets still remained fresh four days after refrigerated storage at 5 ~C. In addition, no significant differences were noted among the K value concentrations of all the fish fed the experimental diets. From the result of this study, we concluded that using 20% inclusion of recycled food waste materials （FIW and SSW） in the diet of tilapia had no negative effect on the flesh of the fish; hence, recycled food waste could be a good alternative ingredient to aquaculture.

Matching of the Gray Whales of off Sakhalin and the Pacific Coast of Japan, with a Note on the Stranding at Wadaura, Japan in March, 2016

The coast of Japan is a migratory corridor for the western stock of the gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), which was once considered as extinct and remains endangered. According to the historical records, from 1955 to 2014, only 21 gray whales occurrence has been recorded in 59 years. However, from 2015 to 2016, intensive occurrence including the seven sightings and the two strandings were noted. In this paper, we found that those sightings were re-sightings of the same individual, which was initially sighted off Sakhalin during August, 2014. On 4 March, 2016, a young female gray whale (8.9 m in body length) was stranded at Wadaura beach, Chiba prefecture. We also conducted research on this animal including taking pictures and external measurements. In addition, we flensed this animal to observe the internal organs and collect a skeletal specimen. The reason for the death of this animal remains unclear;however, from its external characteristics, we identified that this animal was not an identical one, sighted off Sakhalin and the coast of Japan from 2014 to 2016. On 5 April, 2016, another young female gray whale (7 m in body length) was stranded at Arai beach, Shizuoka prefecture. We concluded that from 2015 to 2016, at least three distinct gray whales have migrated along the coast of Japan.

A Stock-Recruitment Relationship Applicable to Pacific Bluefin Tuna and the Pacific Stock of Japanese Sardine

This study shows that the stock-recruitment relationship (SRR) for Pacific bluefin tuna and the Pacific stock of Japanese sardine can be expressed by the same SRR model. That is, (environmental factors), where Rt and St-1 denote the recruitment in year t and spawning stock biomass in year t - 1, and f(.) is a function that evaluates the effect of environmental factors in year t. The simulations showed that when the fluctuation in environmental factors cyclically changed, 1) the shape of the apparent SRR assumed clockwise loops for the shorter maturity age of fish, and 2) the apparent SRR comprised scattered anticlockwise loops for the longer maturity age of fish. These features coincided well with those observed. This finding gives us a new paradigm in SRR, which is far different from the concept that has predominated in the field for more than 60 years.

Numerical Simulation of Interaction between Supersonic Flow and Backward Inclined Jets Surrounded by Porous Cavity

As one of supersonic mixing techniques, a supersonic mixing technique using a cavity and a porous wall has been proposed. The cavity and the porous wall generate the low speed region in the cavity, which enhances mixing the main flow with the jets. In this study, numerical simulations were conducted to clarify the effects of backward inclined jets on the mixing technique using a porous wall and a cavity. In the numerical simulations, three patterns of jet injections which combined normal jets with backward inclined jets were studied. As a result, the combination of a backward inclined jet and a normal jet generates the suction flow behind the backward inclined jet, which is useful for making the injected jets flow into the cavity. In addition, the introduction of backward inclined jets reduces the total pressure loss. On the other hand, the mass flow rate through the porous holes decreases with increase in the number of the backward inclined jets.

Effect of Acid Species on <i>Cryptococcus</i>sp. T1 and Construction of Its Bioreactor System for Continuous Neutralization of Acidic Media

Generally, the tolerance of yeasts to acid is stronger than that of bacteria. In addition, some of the yeasts are able to neutralize acidic media, which is called acid-neutralizing yeast. An acid-neutralizing yeast, Cryptococcus sp. strain T1, was previously isolated from Lake Tazawa in Japan. Here we investigated the effect of several types of acid on the neutralizing ability of strain T1, and we improved an existing bioreactor model to effectively neutralize acidic water. First we carried out a neutralizing test with strain T1 using casamino acid solution adjusted to pH 3.0 - 5.0 with each inorganic or organic acid. The solutions adjusted to pH 3.0 with nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and citric acid were neutralized by strain T1. The pH 3.0 solutions with lactic acid, formic acid, and acetic acid were not neutralized. These results demonstrated that some types of organic acid avoid neutralization by strain T1, and we hypothesized that this might be due to the sterilizing function of non-dissociative organic acid. We then constructed a bioreactor system with a column filled with T1-immobilized alginate beads. The previous research identified a problem in this bioreactor system: the high level of ammonium ions (NH+4) in the neutralized water might pollute water environments, and aluminum ions (Al3+) included in acidic water prevent the neutralization. Here, we used zeolite to get rid of the NH+4 and Al3+, and the addition of a zeolite reactor enabled the bioreactor system to neutralize the acidic water with a decrease of NH+4 in the water.

Behavior of Antibiotic-Resistant Fecal Coliforms in the Stream of a Sewage Treatment Plant in Tokyo

We are confronting a new threat in the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria followed by epidemic spread in aquatic environments in metropolitan areas because damage from river floods is increasing remarkably in Japan due to global extreme weather. The sewer penetration rate is about 100% in Tokyo and reclaimed water from sewage treatment plants accounts for over 50% of all water in both the down- and mid-stream areas of local rivers. The water quality of these rivers, which contain microflora, seems to be seriously affected by reclaimed water. In this study, we collected water samples on July 17, 2018 and examined the behavior of antibiotic-resistant fecal coliforms in the stream of a sewage treatment plant in Tokyo. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing fecal coliforms with encoding genes were found;the CTX-M-1, CTX-M-9, TEM, and SHV groups were found to have survived in the final effluent to the river after sterilization with sodium hypochlorite.