Characteristic Air Temperature Distributions Observed in Summer and Winter in Urban Area in Japan

The air temperature distributions in August (summer) and December (winter) were measured in an approximately 15 × 15-km urban area in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, in order to study the spatial distribution of the air temperature and to propose effective measures against the heat island phenomenon. The air temperature was measured mainly by using thermometer shelters installed in an elementary school and a junior high school. The characteristic air temperature distribution depended on the season. The air temperature was higher inland than in the coastal region in August but was higher in the coastal region in December. The air temperature index indicated that the area where higher air temperatures would most likely appear was 5 to 10 km inland from the coast in August and around the coast in December. The seasonal air temperature distribution was presumably due to the strength of solar radiation and anthropogenic exhaust heat.     

Estimating the mitigation effect of Tokai earthquake measures on housing damage: a counterfactual approach

This paper evaluates the mitigation effect of Tokai earthquake measures on housing damage using a counterfactual approach. It focuses on those measures that stimulate ex‐ante investment in disaster prevention in the supposedly affected area, including earthquake‐proof retrofitting and improved housing construction; the effect of the measures on housing losses is estimated monetarily. The study compares factual disaster damage computed using a real distribution of houses with counterfactual damage to a hypothetical housing distribution that would occur if the measures were not implemented. The key findings are: (i) the disaster mitigation effects of Tokai earthquake measures on housing amount to approximately JPY 18 billion (USD 0.18 billion) for Yamanashi Prefecture and JPY 0.26 trillion (USD 2.6 billion) for Shizuoka Prefecture, which would be at the centre of the event; (ii) a before–after comparison biases estimates of the mitigation effect; and (iii) statistically, the measures do not mitigate the housing damage predicted for an earthquake in Tokai.     

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorines in melon-headed whales, Peponocephala electra, mass stranded along the Japanese coasts: maternal transfer and temporal trend

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of 55 melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) mass stranded along the Japanese coasts since 1982. DDTs and PCBs were predominant in all the specimens investigated. In whales that died during the latest event in 2006, concentrations of PBDEs (190–510 ng/g lipid wt) were approximately two orders of magnitude lower than DDTs and PCBs, but comparable with HCHs and HCB. Maternal transfer of PBDEs to offspring through the whole reproductive process was estimated to be 85% of the mother's body burden, while that occurring during gestation was much lower (2.6–3.5%). Concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and HCB were lower in melon-headed whales stranded after the year 2000 than those stranded in 1982, whereas PBDE and CHL levels showed a temporal increase during the past 20 years, suggesting that the peak of their usage and contamination occurred after the year 1982.     

Cadmium,copper, and zinc in carrots in Japan

Cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in carrots obtained from different regions throughout Japan were assessed in a baseline study on the contents of trace metals in foods. These three metals were measured by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The geometric mean contents (with one geometric standard deviation indicated in parentheses) of Cd, Cu, and Zn were 0.02 (2.2), 0.7 (2.1), and 2.4 (1.6) mg?kg^?1 wet weight in carrots obtained in Japan. While there was a close relationship among the contents of the three metals in the carrots grown in Cambisols and Gleysols, a significant relationship was recognized only between the contents of Cd and Zn in those grown in Andosols and Fluvic Gleysols. Cd and Zn are classified as 2B metals in the periodic table of elements, and the authors speculate that the similarity of the metal characteristics between Cd and Zn may be responsible for the close relationship in the contents of the two metals, with no relation to the soil type.     

Effects of whole spine alignment patterns on neck responses in rear end impact

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the whole spine alignment in automotive seated postures for both genders and the effects of the spinal alignment patterns on cervical vertebral motion in rear impact using a human finite element (FE) model.

Methods: Image data for 8 female and 7 male subjects in a seated posture acquired by an upright open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system were utilized. Spinal alignment was determined from the centers of the vertebrae and average spinal alignment patterns for both genders were estimated by multidimensional scaling (MDS). An occupant FE model of female average size (162 cm, 62 kg; the AF 50 size model) was developed by scaling THUMS AF 05. The average spinal alignment pattern for females was implemented in the model, and model validation was made with respect to female volunteer sled test data from rear end impacts. Thereafter, the average spinal alignment pattern for males and representative spinal alignments for all subjects were implemented in the validated female model, and additional FE simulations of the sled test were conducted to investigate effects of spinal alignment patterns on cervical vertebral motion.

Results: The estimated average spinal alignment pattern was slight kyphotic, or almost straight cervical and less-kyphotic thoracic spine for the females and lordotic cervical and more pronounced kyphotic thoracic spine for the males. The AF 50 size model with the female average spinal alignment exhibited spine straightening from upper thoracic vertebra level and showed larger intervertebral angular displacements in the cervical spine than the one with the male average spinal alignment.

Conclusions: The cervical spine alignment is continuous with the thoracic spine, and a trend of the relationship between cervical spine and thoracic spinal alignment was shown in this study. Simulation results suggested that variations in thoracic spinal alignment had a potential impact on cervical spine motion as well as cervical spinal alignment in rear end impact condition.     

Relationship between indoor and outdoor carbonaceous particulates in roadside households

Concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and carbonaceous particulates in indoor and outdoor air at roadside private households were measured in Osaka, Japan. The particulate samples were collected on filters using a portable AND sampler capable of separating particles into three different size ranges: over 10 microm, 2-10 microm (coarse) and below 2 microm (fine) in aerodynamic diameter. The filters were weighed and then analyzed for elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) by thermal oxidation using a CHN CORDER. The results showed that indoor fine PM concentration is considerably affected by fine EC and the fine EC in indoor air is significantly correlated to that in outdoor air, r=0.86 (n=30, p<0.001). A simple estimation from EC content ratio in diesel exhaust particles indicated that about 30% of indoor particulates of less than 10 microm (PM10) were contributed from diesel exhaust. Additionally, the size characteristics of outdoor PM at roadside and background sites were examined using Andersen Cascade Impactors.     

Comparison of trace element accumulation in Baikal seals (Pusa sibirica), Caspian seals (Pusa caspica) and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus)

Concentrations of 18 trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Hg, Tl and Pb) were determined in liver, kidney, muscle and hair of Baikal seals, Caspian seals and northern fur seals. All the three species showed the highest concentrations of Hg, V, Mn, Se and Ag in liver, Cd, Co and Tl in kidney, and Cs in muscle among the soft tissues examined. The highest burdens of Zn, Rb and Cs were observed in muscle, Mo and Ag in liver, and Sb and Pb in hair in all the three species. Concentrations of non-essential elements, Rb, Cd, Cs and Hg, showed significant positive correlations among liver, kidney and muscle, whereas correlation coefficients for essential elements, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn and Se, between the three tissues were generally low for all the species, suggesting that homeostasis controls the concentrations of essential elements but not the non-essential elements in the tissues of these animals. Significant age-dependent increase was found in the concentrations of V, Se and Ag in liver and Hg in liver and kidney of all the three species. Hair concentrations showed significant positive correlations with Zn levels in liver and kidney and Hg in muscle for Caspian seals, Hg in liver and kidney for Baikal seals, and Pb in liver for northern fur seals. Furthermore, regression analysis using the data in the present study and in the literature showed significant positive correlations between Hg levels in hair, and liver, kidney and muscle for various species of pinnipeds. These results indicate the possibility of using hair samples for monitoring these trace elements in pinnipeds.     

Contamination of butyltin and phenyltin compounds in the marine environment of Otsuchi Bay, Japan

Butyltin (BT) and phenyltin (PT) compounds were measured in seawater, sediment, and biological samples collected from coastal areas of Otsuchi Bay, Japan. Tributyltin (TBT) compounds in seawater, sediment, plankton, mussels, scallops and fish were in the range of 0.008-0.074 microg liter(-1), 0.01-0.64 mg (kg dry wt)(-1), 0.24-9.8 mg (kg dry wt)(-1), 0.04-0.18 mg (kg wet wt)(-1), 0.10-0.13 mg (kg wet wt)(-1) and 0.01-0.02 mg (kg wet wt)(-1), respectively. Trace amount of PTs were found in seawater. The highest concentrations of TBT and triphenyltin (TPT) were found near a shipyard. Triorganotin compounds were more dominant than their metabolites. A positive correlation was observed between the concentrations of TBT and TPT in the mussels. Concentrations of TBT and TPT in mussels were high in the upper intertidal zone, and decreased toward the water.     

Bioaccumulation profiles of polychlorinated biphenyls including coplanar congeners and possible toxicological implications in Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica)

Isomer specific concentrations of individual polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) including toxic non-ortho (IUPAC 77, 126, 169), mono-ortho (105, 118, 156) and di-ortho (137, 138, 153, 180) coplanar congeners were determined in the blubber of 40 Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica) and as their fish diet collected from Lake Baikal, Siberia. Residue levels of total PCBs in Baikal seals were noticeably high and comparable to those reported for seals from the North Sea, suggesting the recent usage of this compound in the watershed of Lake Baikal. Non-, mono-, and di-ortho coplanar congeners were also detected in Baikal seals and fish. An approach to estimate bioaccumulation profiles of PCB congeners revealed that the non-ortho PCBs, IUPAC 77, 126 and 169 seemed to be less persistent than other congeners. Furthermore, selective biotransformation of PCB congeners having either meta-para vicinal H atoms or both adjacent chlorinated meta-para and ortho-meta positions has been suggested. Comparison of 2,3,7,8-TCDD toxic equivalents (TEQ) of non-, mono- and di-ortho coplanar congeners in Baikal seals with those for other marine mammals suggested higher enrichment of mono-ortho congeners, particularly IUPAC 105 and 118, which contributed significantly to the total TEQs in Baikal seals. Results imply that the TCDD-like toxicity is relatively serious in Baikal seals, because of the enrichment of these toxic PCB congeners in tissues.     

Perfluorinated organic compounds in human blood serum and seminal plasma: a study of urban and rural tea worker populations in Sri Lanka

Concentrations and accumulation of 13 fluorinated organic compounds (FOCs) in human sera and seminal plasma were measured in an Asian developing country, Sri Lanka. Six of the FOCs, PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonate), PFHS (perfluorohexanesulfonate), PFUnA (perfluoroundecanoic acid), PFDA (perfluorodecanoic acid), PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), were detected in all of the sera samples. Measurable quantities of two main perfluorosulfonates, PFOS and PFHS, were found in all seminal plasma samples. The detection frequency of the predominant perfluoroalkylcarboxylate, PFOA, in seminal plasma was >70%. Accumulation of PFOS in sera was significantly positively correlated with PFOA, PFHS and PFNA. Positive linear regressions were also found between PFNA and PFUnA and PFNA and PFDA suggesting that these compounds may have a similar origin of exposure and accumulation. Significantly positive associations were observed for partitioning of both PFOS and PFNA between sera and seminal plasma. The accumulation of FOCs was not significantly different in sera from Colombo (urban population) and Talawakele (rural conventional tea workers). However, the Haldummulla population (rural organic tea workers) had relatively lower exposure to FOCs compared to the other two groups, urban and rural conventional tea workers. Concentrations of FOCs in Sri Lanka were similar to those reported for industrialized countries suggesting that human exposure to such chemicals is widespread even in developing countries. The novel finding of FOCs in human seminal plasma implies that further studies are needed to determine whether long-term exposure in humans can result in reproductive impairments.