Studies on automated survey system of environmental chemicals by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer I. Retrieval system of mass spectra

A retrieval system of mass spectra based upon the Probability Based Matching method was studied in order to apply it to survey the chemicals in environments by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer system. As retrieval indices, peak missing probability and relative confidence value were proposed.     

Distribution coefficient of selenium in Japanese agricultural soils

In order to evaluate the selenium (Se) sorption level in Japanese soils, soil/soil solution distribution coefficients (K(d)s) were obtained for 58 agricultural soil samples (seven soil classification groups) using 75Se as a tracer. Although several chemical forms of Se are present in agricultural fields, selenite was used, because it is the major inorganic Se form in acid soils such as found in Japan. The Kd values obtained covered a wide range, from 12 to 1060l/kg, and their arithmetic mean was 315l/kg. Among the soil groups, Andosols had higher Kd values. The Kd values for all samples were highly correlated with soil active-aluminum (Al) and active-iron (Fe) contents. Thus, active-Al and active-Fe were considered to be the major adsorbents of Se. Then, a new sequential extraction procedure was applied to 12 soil samples in order to quantify the effect of soil components on Se adsorption. The sequential extraction results showed that 80-100% of the adsorbed Se was recovered as Al-bound Se and Fe-bound Se. The amount of Al-bound Se was the highest in the soils that showed high Kd values, though the relative contribution of Fe-bound Se tended to increase with decreasing Kd values. The high values of Kd seemed to be caused mainly by the adsorption of Se onto active-Al in Japanese soils.     

Variation in migratory history of Japanese eels,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Anguilla japonica</Emphasis>, collected in coastal waters of the Amakusa Islands,Japan, inferred from otolith Sr/Ca ratios

In order to examine the variation in migratory history of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, we measured otolith strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) concentrations by X-ray electron microprobe analysis in 5 yellow eels and 20 silver eels collected in the coastal waters of the Amakusa Islands during the spawning migration season. Three migratory types categorized as river eels, estuarine eels and sea eels were found. Estuarine eels were dominant (52%), sea eels were the second most abundant (28%), followed by river eels (20%). The low proportion of river eels from the spawning migration season suggested that the estuarine and sea eels that inhabit the nearby coastal areas might make a larger reproductive contribution to the next generation in this area, although similar analyses should be made over the wide-range geographic distribution of this species, to provide better estimates of the reproductive contributions by different migratory patterns of the population.     

Studies on transitory laxative effects of sorbitol and maltitol: II: Differences in laxative effects among various foods containing the sweetening agents

We studied the laxative effect of sweetening agents, hydrogenated glucose syrup (HGS) containing 88–92% maltitol, and sorbitol contained in various foods. The subjects were 89 volunteers (64 males and 25 females). Foods used in the study were tablets, bevarages, chewing gum, jelly, adzuki-bean jelly, chocolate and candies which contained one of the two sweetening agents.The doses of the sweetening agents were 0.4 g/kg for sweets in tablet form and 20 g for the other foods. Approximately 10% of the subjects exhibited diarrhea after taking tablets as a control; approximately 20% did so after taking HGS except for adzuki-bean jelly; and approximately 30% did so after taking sorbitol. There was no significant difference between HGS and the control substance. The incidence of diarrhea tended to be higher with the two sweetening agents only when contained in adzuki-bean jelly. The length of time between the ingestion of test substances and the first onset of diarrheal stool varied widely from less than one hour to 23 hours among individuals. However, adzuki-bean jelly diarrhea was induced within 5 hours in all subjects. Soft stool accounted for 60 – 90% of the macroscopic findings of diarrheal stool. Chief complaints of abdominal symptoms were gurgling, flatus and lower abdominal pain.     

Inbreeding avoidance or tolerance? Comparison of mating behavior between mass-reared and wild strains of the sweet potato weevil

Inadvertent selection is an important genetic process that frequently occurs during laboratory culture. The mass-reared strain of the sweet potato weevil Cylas formicarius exhibits stronger inbreeding depression than the wild strain does. When inbreeding depression occurs in a population, mating with a close relative is often considered maladaptive; however, in some contexts, the inclusive fitness benefits of inbreeding may outweigh the costs, favoring individuals that tolerate a low level of inbreeding depression. Theory predicts that mass-reared strain weevils will avoid inbreeding while wild strain weevils will tolerate inbreeding. To examine this prediction, we compared the effect of relatedness on the mating and insemination successes in mass-reared and wild strains of C. formicarius. While close relative pairs of the wild strain copulated less frequently than non-kin pairs, almost all mass-reared strain pairs copulated irrespective of relatedness. The results showed that the strain with weak inbreeding depression (wild strain) avoided inbreeding, whereas the strain with strong inbreeding depression (mass-reared strain) tolerated inbreeding. The contradiction between the theoretical prediction and our results is discussed from the perspective of laboratory adaptation, mating systems, and life history of C. formicarius.     

Growth-selective survival of young jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus during transition from pelagic to demersal habitats in the East China Sea

To examine the growth-selective survival in early life stages of jack mackerel from the East China Sea, we compared growth rates of young fish collected from the surface layer in April with those of survivors collected from the near-bottom layer in May?CJune. We performed this analysis from 3?year classes with different levels of relative abundance: low in 2005, intermediate in 2008 and high in 2009. Growth rates during the larval stage of the original population were slower than the survivors in all survey years, indicating that faster-growing individuals in the surface layer had a higher probability of survival to the near-bottom habitat than slower-growing individuals. Selection intensity, defined as differences in growth rates between the two groups, was higher in year classes with a lower abundance. Hence, growth rates during the early life stages of jack mackerel are considered to be a critical determinant of successful survival to the demersal habitat.     

Tourists and disasters: lessons from the 26 December 2004 tsunamis

The 26 December 2004 tsunamis around the Indian Ocean exposed the vulnerability of many coastal communities, including those serving tourists. To draw conclusions regarding disaster risk reduction for tourism in coastal areas, this study surveyed international tourists who survived the tsunami regarding their perceptions and experiences of the disaster. Semi-structured interviews were completed between January and June 2005 of 55 primary interviewees who were international tourists in locations affected by the tsunami. The qualitative data from the interviews yielded commonalities across four main themes with relevance to disaster risk reduction: information and awareness, warning systems, personal preparation, and livelihoods. Three areas are suggested as topics to highlight for further investigation: the connections between sustainable tourism and disaster vulnerability, the role of tourists in disasters, and disaster risk reduction education.     

Oceanic residents, neritic migrants: a possible mechanism underlying foraging dichotomy in adult female loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta)

To reveal the mechanism underlying intrapopulation variation in the use of feeding habitats (oceanic vs. neritic) by adult female loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), we compared telomere length in the epidermis (a proxy for age) between oceanic- and neritic-foraging recruits (first-time nesters). Based on egg-yolk stable isotope ratios, recruits at Yakushima Island, Japan, were clearly divided into small oceanic planktivores and large neritic benthivores. There were no significant differences in telomere length between oceanic and neritic foragers, suggesting that they start reproduction at similar ages. Turtles that experienced faster growing conditions during their oceanic early lives may achieve sexual maturity there, while others may move from oceanic areas into neritic habitats, switching diets from nutrient-poor macroplankton to nutrient-rich benthic fauna in order to compensate for their earlier slow growth rate and continue their sexual development, reaching maturity in neritic waters.     

Lignin and its effects on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems

Lignin is a major component of plant litter. In this review, we found lignin comprises a complex class of organic compounds whose concentration differs greatly both between and within plant species. There are many analytical methods for detecting the composition and structure of lignins. As lignins are enormously complex compounds, chemical assay is difficult and different methods vary with the results. Lignin plays a significant role in the carbon cycle, sequestering atmospheric carbon into the living tissues of woody perennial vegetation. It has also great effects on nitrogen dynamics of forest ecosystems as well as other ecological processes. Lignin is one of the most slowly decomposing components of dead vegetation, contributing a major fraction of the material that becomes humus as it decomposes. Lignin is highly correlated with decomposition of litter. Thus, there is evidence that the lignin concentration is a more influential factor than the other chemical concentrations, in determining the rate of leaf litter decomposition of different forest ecosystems. Although a great number of researchers have addressed lignin's role in litter decomposition, still there are many aspects of lignin biogeochemistry that are not known. This lack of information hinders complete amalgam of lignin effects on litter decomposition processes and dynamics of nutrient cycling.     

Prediction of seawater solubility of aromatic compounds

The salting-out effect by seawater constituents on the water solubilities of 11 aromatic compounds, anthracene, pyrene, phenanthrene, biphenyl, naphthalene, p-nitrotoluene, p-toluidine, o-nitrophenol, m-nitrophenol, p-nitrophenol and phenol was investigated. A best fit equation (r = 0.965) for the salting-out parameters, K, and distilled water solubilities, S_o, at 20°C was found to be K = ?0.0298 log S_o + 0.114. Seawater solubilities, S, predicted for solutions of ionic strength, I, using the equation log S = (0.0298 I + 1) log S_o ? 0.114 I were in agreement with observed values within 13 % (average 4.8 %) and there were no significant differences between values from the Pacific Ocean seawater and those from 35 o/oo NaCl solutions. It was concluded that dissolved organic matter in seawater had an insignificant effect for the test chemicals.