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As described by the temperature–size rule paradigm, fish living in warmer temperatures grow faster but have a smaller mature body size. However, the changes in the body size of fish communities in the western North Pacific, which is one of the most active fishing grounds, remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate changes in the body size of fish assemblages in the western North Pacific and whether fish sizes were potentially driven by the temperature–size rule, bottom‐up effects and intra‐ and interspecies competition at a community scale. We evaluated the fish weight data of 6 stocks of 4 species from 1978 to 2018 and 17 stocks of 13 species from 1995/1997 to 2018. Weight reduction in the fish assemblage was observed in the 1980s and was associated with the biomass peak of the Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus), indicating the effect of intra‐ and interspecies competition. Another weight reduction was observed in the 2010s, which was associated with a moderate increase in the biomass of the Japanese sardine and chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus). Our analyses indicate that stronger stratifications in the surface layers during the 2010s potentially reduced the nutrient supply from the subsurface to the surface layers. This limitation in food availability forced intra‐ and interspecies competition under a moderate increase in fish biomass. Our findings underscore the critical significance of integrating the impacts of species competition and climate change on fish sizes to improve fishery management at a community level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen boride (HB) sheets are two-dimensional materials comprising a negatively charged hexagonal boron network and positively charged hydrogen atoms with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. Herein, we report the spontaneous formation of highly dispersed Ni nanoclusters on HB sheets. The spontaneous reduction reaction of Ni ions by the HB sheets was monitored by in-situ measurements with an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer. Acetonitrile solutions of Ni complexes and acetonitrile dispersions of the HB sheets were mixed in several molar ratios (the HB:Ni molar ratio was varied from 100:0.5 to 100:20), and the changes in the absorbance were measured over time. In all cases, the results suggest that Ni metal clusters grow on the HB sheets, considering the increase in absorbance with time. The absorbance peak position shifts to the higher wavelength as the Ni ion concentration increases. Transmission electron microscopy images of the post-reaction products indicate the formation of Ni nanoclusters, with sizes of a few nanometers, on the HB sheets, regardless of the preparation conditions. These highly dispersed Ni nanoclusters supported on HB sheets will be used for catalytic and plasmonic applications and as hydrogen storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen boride (HB) sheets are metal-free two-dimensional materials comprising boron and hydrogen in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. In spite of the several advancements, the fundamental interactions between HB sheets and discrete molecules remain unclear. Here, we report the adsorption of CO2 and its conversion to CH4 and C2H6 using hydrogen-deficient HB sheets. Although fresh HB sheets did not adsorb CO2, hydrogen-deficient HB sheets reproducibly physisorbed CO2 at 297 K. The adsorption followed the Langmuir model with a saturation coverage of 2.4 × 10−4 mol g−1 and a heat of adsorption of approximately 20 kJ mol−1, which was supported by density functional theory calculations. When heated in a CO2 atmosphere, hydrogen-deficient HB began reacting with CO2 at 423 K. The detection of CH4 and C2H6 as CO2 reaction products in a moist atmosphere indicated that hydrogen-deficient HB promotes C–C coupling and CO2 conversion reactions. Our findings highlight the application potential of HB sheets as catalysts for CO2 conversion. Boron-containing materials have experimentally and theoretically been shown to be promising materials for CO2 capture and conversion. Here, hydrogen-deficient 2D hydrogen boride sheets are shown to physisorb CO2 and promote conversion to methane and ethane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly used to noninvasively monitor aquatic animals in freshwater and coastal areas. However, the use of eDNA in the open ocean (hereafter referred to OceanDNA) is still limited because of the sparse distribution of eDNA in the open ocean. Small pelagic fish have a large biomass and are widely distributed in the open ocean. We tested the performance of two OceanDNA analysis methods—species-specific qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) and MiFish metabarcoding using universal primers—to determine the distribution of small pelagic fish in the open ocean. We focused on six small pelagic fish species (Sardinops melanostictus, Engraulis japonicus, Scomber japonicus, Scomber australasicus, Trachurus japonicus, and Cololabis saira) and selected the Kuroshio Extension area as a testbed, because distribution of the selected species is known to be influenced by the strong frontal structure. The results from OceanDNA methods were compared to those of net sampling to test for consistency. Then, we compared the detection performance in each target fish between the using of qPCR and MiFish methods. A positive correlation was evident between the qPCR and MiFish detection results. In the ranking of the species detection rates and spatial distribution estimations, comparable similarity was observed between results derived from the qPCR and MiFish methods. In contrast, the detection rate using the qPCR method was always higher than that of the MiFish method. Amplification bias on non-target DNA and low sample DNA quantity seemed to partially result in a lower detection rate for the MiFish method; the reason is still unclear. Considering the ability of MiFish to detect large numbers of species and the quantitative nature of qPCR, the combined usage of the two methods to monitor quantitative distribution of small pelagic fish species with information of fish community structures was recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a scalar function depending on a numerical solution of an initial value problem, and its second-derivative (Hessian) matrix for the initial value. The need to extract the information of the Hessian or to solve a linear system having the Hessian as a coefficient matrix arises in many research fields such as optimization, Bayesian estimation, and uncertainty quantification. From the perspective of memory efficiency, these tasks often employ a Krylov subspace method that does not need to hold the Hessian matrix explicitly and only requires computing the multiplication of the Hessian and a given vector. One of the ways to obtain an approximation of such Hessian-vector multiplication is to integrate the so-called second-order adjoint system numerically. However, the error in the approximation could be significant even if the numerical integration to the second-order adjoint system is sufficiently accurate. This paper presents a novel algorithm that computes the intended Hessian-vector multiplication exactly and efficiently. For this aim, we give a new concise derivation of the second-order adjoint system and show that the intended multiplication can be computed exactly by applying a particular numerical method to the second-order adjoint system. In the discussion, symplectic partitioned Runge–Kutta methods play an essential role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method to detect human wants by using an electroencephalogram (EEG) test and specifying brain activity sensing positions. EEG signals can be analyzed by using various techniques. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been employed to analyze EEG signals, and these analyses have produced excellent results. Therefore, this paper employs CNN to extract EEG features. Also, support vector machines (SVMs) have shown good results for EEG pattern classification. This paper employs SVMs to classify the human cognition into "wants," "not wants," and "other feelings." In EEG measurements, the electrical activity of the brain is recorded using electrodes placed on the scalp. The sensing positions are related to the frontal cortex and/or temporal cortex activities although the mechanism to create wants is not clear. To specify the sensing positions and detect human wants, we conducted experiments using real EEG data. We confirmed that the mean and standard deviation values of the detection accuracy rate were 99.4% and 0.58%, respectively, when the target sensing positions were related to the frontal and temporal cortex activities. These results prove that both the frontal and temporal cortex activities are relevant for creating wants in the human brain, and that CNN and SVM are effective for the detection of human wants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a crucial step in developing a bioenergetics model for Pacific Chub Mackerel Scomber japonicus (hereafter chub mackerel), parameters related to metabolism, the largest dissipation term in bioenergetics modelling, were estimated. Swimming energetics and metabolic data for nine chub mackerel were collected at 14°C, a low temperature within the typical thermal range of this species, using variable‐speed swim‐tunnel respirometry. These new data were combined with previous speed‐dependent metabolic data at 18 and 24°C and single‐speed (1 fork length per second: FL/s) metabolic data at 15 and 20°C to estimate respiration parameters for model development. Based on the combined data, the optimal swimming speed (the swimming speed with the minimum cost of transport, Uopt) was 42.5 cm/s (1.5–3.0 FL/s or 2.1 ± 0.4 FL/s) and showed no significant dependence on temperature or fish size. The daily mass‐specific oxygen consumption rate (R, g O2 g fish−1 day−1) was expressed as a function of fish mass (W), temperature (T) and swimming speed (U): R = 0.0103W−0.490 e(0.0457T) e(0.0235U). Compared to other small pelagic fishes such as Pacific Herring Clupea harengus pallasii, Pacific Sardine Sardinops sagax and various anchovy species, chub mackerel respiration showed a lower dependence on fish mass, temperature and swimming speed, suggesting a greater swimming ability and lower sensitivity to environmental temperature variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a general problem in geoscience to estimate the time-series of velocity and temperature fields for a fluid based on limited observations, such as the flow velocity at the fluid surface and/or a temperature snapshot after flow. In this study, an adjoint-based data assimilation method (also known as 4-D variational data assimilation) was used to reconstruct the thermal convection in a highly viscous fluid (e.g. Earth's mantle) to investigate which observations constrain the thermal convection and how accurately the convection can be reconstructed for different wavelengths. The data assimilated to the adjoint-based model were generated synthetically from forward models with convecting cells of different length-scales. Based on the surface velocity and temperature snapshot, our simulations successfully reconstructed thermal convection over 50 Myr in the case that the wavelength of the convective cells is sufficiently large. We obtained two main results from this parametric study. (1) When we only considered instantaneous thermal structure fitting in the cost function, the convection reconstruction tended to fail. However, there are some cases where the laminar thermal convection can be reconstructed by assimilating only the velocity along the fluid surface. (2) There is a limit to the reconstruction of thermal convection in the case that the convecting cells are small (∼1000 km for a 50 Myr reconstruction). We propose that (1) is related to the balance of forces due to the thermal buoyancy and viscous stress around the thermal anomalies and (2) is related to how information is preserved (i.e. how the previous thermal structure is maintained in the observable state throughout the convection process). The results enable the use of geological records to estimate time-series of velocity and temperature in Earth's deep interior, even though the records may only contain information from shallow parts of Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf spot, caused by Corynespora cassiicola and Curvularia aeria , is a major disease of lettuce that results in the reduction of the quality and the quantity of lettuce production. Primary in vitro examination revealed that Trichoderma sp. T1 inhibited the mycelial growth of C. cassiicola and C. aeria by 83.79% and 85.71%, respectively, in dual culture assays. Gel diffusion showed cell-free culture filtrate of Trichoderma sp. T1 inhibited C. cassiicola and C. aeria by 50.38% and 53.97%, respectively. Based on the ITS gene sequence, an effective T1 isolate was identified as Trichoderma asperellum. Treatments of lettuce plants with spore suspension of T. asperellum T1 induced defense-related enzymes such as peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase, and the cell wall degrading enzymes β -1,3-glucanase and chitinase in the plants. The activities of β -1,3-glucanase, chitinase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were higher at 24 and 48 h after treatment with spore suspension of T. asperellum T1 than in the control group. Crude extract from inoculated lettuce caused morphology changes in fungal mycelia. In addition, reduction of disease severity was observed in lettuce pretreated with T. asperellum T1. The obtained results suggest that T. asperellum T1 efficiently controlled leaf spot and induced defense responses in lettuce. • Endophytic Trichoderma asperellum T1 inhibited mycelial growth of leaf spot fungi. • Defense response was induced in lettuces by inoculation of endophytic Trichoderma. • Application of endophytic Trichoderma suppressed disease severity index in lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, leaf spots were found on lettuce growing in fields in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand. The fungus isolated from the spot lesions on the leaves was identified as Curvularia aeria (Bat., J.A.Lima and C.T.Vasconc.) Tsuda based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequences of the ITS region of the rRNA gene. After a conidial suspension of the isolate was sprayed on lettuce seedlings, the leaf spots developed on lettuce seedlings, and the fungus was reisolated; leaves of plants inoculated with water did not develop spots. This is the first report of C. aeria causing leaf spot on lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method to predict grain growth based on data assimilation by using a four-dimensional variational method (4DVar). When implemented on a multi-phase-field model, the proposed method allows us to calculate the predicted grain structures and uncertainties in them that depend on the quality and quantity of the observational data. We confirm through numerical tests involving synthetic data that the proposed method correctly reproduces the true phase-field assumed in advance. Furthermore, it successfully quantifies uncertainties in the predicted grain structures, where such uncertainty quantifications provide valuable information to optimize the experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method to predict grain growth based on data assimilation by using a four-dimensional variational method (4DVar). When implemented on a multi-phase-field model, the proposed method allows us to calculate the predicted grain structures and uncertainties in them that depend on the quality and quantity of the observational data. We confirm through numerical tests involving synthetic data that the proposed method correctly reproduces the true phase-field assumed in advance. Furthermore, it successfully quantifies uncertainties in the predicted grain structures, where such uncertainty quantifications provide valuable information to optimize the experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Otolith oxygen isotope ratio revealed habitat layer shifts of Japanese jack mackerel. • Habitat layer shifts of jack mackerel start before the metamorphosis to juveniles. • Maximum somatic growth rate of juveniles occurred during habitat layer shifts. • Juveniles in the East China Sea gradually shift to semi-demersal layer for 31 days. • Habitat layer shifts sustain the population without their large homing migration. Japanese jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) is distributed in the semi-demersal layer of the continental shelf of the East China Sea (ECS), whereas their larvae are distributed on the surface. Notably, a smooth vertical habitat layer shift (HLS) to a deeper layer during their juvenile stage is crucial for the survival of this species. However, the determination of the start and duration of the HLS and the factors controlling HLS are not yet optimized. To elucidate the timing of the HLS, we analyzed the otolith oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O oto), which increases at lower temperatures and higher salinity (the conditions that the fish experience in the deeper layers of the ECS), at a high temporal resolution of minimum 5 days intervals. From the profile of the δ18O oto in otoliths of juvenile T. japonicus in the demersal layer, the HLS timing was estimated using two different indices, namely, HLS moment and HLS duration, which represent the highest δ18O oto gap signal and gradual δ18O oto change, respectively. Consequently, the average HLS moment was estimated to be 35.1 ± 10.3 days post-hatching (dph). The HLS started at 23.1 ± 9.6 dph, and its duration lasted for 31.3 ± 17.2 days on average. Generalized additive model (GAM) analyses indicated that the standard length and growth conditions influenced the HLS timing, which suggested that energy demand might regulate the HLS timing. To determine the order of HLS and life-history events, the ages of T. japonicus were compared among HLS, metamorphosis and maximum growth rate. The results showed that the start of HLS duration, metamorphosis, the HLS moment, and maximum growth rate occurred in that sequence. The experienced change of δ18O oto suggested that T. japonicus juveniles shift their habitat layer gradually, rather than rapidly at a specific life-history event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An IBM of chub mackerel in the Northwest Pacific with a bioenergetics module was developed to simulate early life history. • Individuals located on the northern side of the Kuroshio axis usually show a relatively higher growth rate. • Years in which more high-growth-rate individuals were included had higher recruitment and higher recruitment per spawner. • Species composition of prey was an important factor affecting the growth rate and eventually recruitment. Chub mackerel is one of the most important fisheries target species worldwide. These fish have large fluctuations in biomass, the mechanism of which remains unclear. This study developed a bioenergetics individual-based model for chub mackerel distributed in the Northwest Pacific and evaluated the dominant environmental factors that affect their early life history. The parameters in the bioenergetics model were obtained or estimated from previous studies, and a migration model with a gradient area search algorithm was coupled. The growth rate of chub mackerel was calibrated to in situ growth data by adjusting the half-saturation constant of consumption (K). During 2002–2016, the growth and migration of chub mackerel were reproduced using the model with satellite-derived forcing. The migration routes and growth were tightly coupled: individuals located to the north of the Kuroshio axis experienced a better prey environment, showed a relatively higher growth rate, and entered a better prey field by self-selected swimming. Years with more high-growth individuals in the model corresponded to observed higher recruitment (R) and recruitment per spawner (RPS). These results support the hypothesis that a higher growth rate in the early stage results in higher recruitment, because individuals with higher growth can migrate into a better prey environment. A negative correlation was found between R and the distance of the Kuroshio axis from the Boso Peninsula, indicating that when the Kuroshio axis was located closer to the Boso Peninsula, the water temperature of the coastal area increased, resulting in an increase in coastal-dominant zooplankton species, which positively affected the growth of chub mackerel in the early life stage. In addition, interannual variations in prey zooplankton species composition and the relative position of the Kuroshio to the spawning grounds partially influenced the early growth of chub mackerel. The results demonstrate the complex mechanisms of ocean currents and prey fields controlling the recruitment of small pelagic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific herring populations at eight North Pacific Rim locations were simulated to compare basin-wide geographic variations in age-specific growth due to environmental influences on marine productivity and population-specific responses to regime shifts. Temperature and zooplankton abundance from a three-dimensional lower-trophic ecosystem model (NEMURO: North Pacific Ecosystem Model for Understanding Regional Oceanography) simulation from 1948 to 2002 were used as inputs to a herring bioenergetics growth model. Herring populations from California, the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI), Prince William Sound (PWS), Togiak Alaska, the western Bering Sea (WBS), the Sea of Okhotsk (SO), Sakhalin, and Peter the Great Bay (PGB) were examined. The half-saturation coefficients of herring feeding were calibrated to climatological conditions at each of the eight locations to reproduce averaged size-at-age data. The depth of averaging used for water temperature and zooplankton, and the maximum consumption rate parameter, were made specific to each location. Using the calibrated half-saturation coefficients, the 1948–2002 period was then simulated using daily values of water temperature and zooplankton densities interpolated from monthly model output. To detect regime shifts in simulated temperatures, zooplankton and herring growth rates, we applied sequential t -test analyses on the 54 years of hindcast simulation values. The detected shifts of herring age-5 growth showed closest match (69%) to the regime shift years (1957/58, 1970/71, 1976/77, 1988/89, 1998/99). We explored relationships among locations using cluster and principal component analyses. The first principal component of water temperature showed good correspondence to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and all zooplankton groups showed a pan-Pacific decrease after the 1976/77 regime shift. However, the first principal component of herring growth rate showed decreased growth at the SO, PWS, WCVI and California locations and increased growth at the Sakhalin, WBS and Togiak locations after 1977. The SO location belonged to the same cluster as the location in with the eastern North Pacific. The calibrated half-saturation coefficients affected the degree to which growth was sensitive to interannual variation in water temperature versus zooplankton. For example, the half-saturation values for the SO location resulted in very efficient feeding that shifted the sensitivity of herring growth from food to temperature. The model results demonstrate how geographic specificity of bioenergetics parameters, coupled with location-specific variation in temperature and food, can combine to determine local and regional responses of fish growth to climate forcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the elevated chlorophyll- a (Chl- a ) zone found along the coast in winter in Sendai Bay, Japan, using hydrographic observations and a one-dimensional ecosystem model. Chlorophyll- a distribution was vertically homogeneous with a horizontal gradient and could be approximated as a power function of bottom depth; Chl- a concentration drastically increased with decreasing bottom depth, despite temperature and salinity being almost vertically and horizontally homogeneous. The observed results revealed significant correlations among Chl- a and nutrients concentrations proportional to the Redfield ratio. Diatoms accounted for more than 99% of the detected total cells, indicating the occurrence of a diato m bloom. A one-dimensional ecosystem model, which incorporated vertical mixing and the self-shading effect of phytoplankton, revealed that bottom depth was responsible for the occurrence of the bloom during the convective season in coastal area where vertical mixing reached the bottom and that there existed the critical bottom depth where the integrated Chl- a in the water column remained constant. A bloom could occur where the bottom depth is shallower than the critical bottom depth, not when the depth of the mixed layer is shallower than the classical critical depth and the stratification is established. From the observational and model results, it is suggested that the diatom bloom was induced by oceanic water intrusion, which transported nutrients to the bay and the elevated Chl- a zone was formed within a month after the intrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal and interannual variability in the vertical nutrient supply above the Seychelles Dome (SD) in the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean is examined using a high-resolution coupled physical-biological ocean model. Above the SD region, seasonal phytoplankton blooms occur from May to August (from Austral fall to early winter). This unique seasonal variability is caused by a significant increase in the nutrient concentration, which coincides with a significant deepening of the mixed layer depth. A nutrient budget analysis revealed that the seasonal nutrient variability in the mixed layer above the SD is controlled mainly by vertical processes, including entrainment and vertical diffusion during the blooming season. The sum of the vertical nutrient supply is nearly equivalent to what is biologically consumed and is consistent with satellite observations of the seasonal variation in surface chlorophyll. Additionally, the influence of the SD intensity on nutrient concentrations above the SD region was investigated at an interannual time scale. Composite analyses of the nutrient budget imply that nutrient concentrations decrease (increase) because of negative (positive) vertical diffusion anomalies from the Austral summer to early fall in weak (strong) SD years. This negative (positive) vertical diffusion anomaly is caused by a gentle (sharp) vertical nutrient gradient owing to the weaken (strengthen) subsurface SD. Conversely, seawater nutrients and surface chlorophyll concentrations during blooms do not differ significantly between years with weak and strong SDs because negative (positive) nutrient concentration anomalies formed by anomalous vertical diffusion in the Austral summer are not maintained as a result of a damping effect, which is a positive (negative) meridional nutrient advection anomaly during the early blooming season and can last several months. During these months, anomalous meridional nutrient gradient plays an important role by inducing a meridional nutrient advection anomaly via a southwestward Ekman transport forced by climatological trade winds. These anomalous meridional nutrient gradients are caused primarily by vertical diffusion anomalies during the Austral summer during the SD-event years. The results of this study imply that interannual variations in mixed layer nutrient concentrations and surface chlorophyll during the Austral summer are strongly related to the intensity of the subsurface SD via the vertical gradient of nutrients inside and below the mixed layer. • Nutrient budget equation in the sea surface mixed layer is established. • Blooming above the Seychelles Dome is enhanced by the vertical nutrient supply. • Vertical nutrient supply results from entrainment and vertical diffusion. • Nutrient anomalies are caused by vertical diffusion anomalies during boreal winter. • Vertical diffusion anomalies are associated with the subsurface Seychelles Dome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since deep low‐frequency tremors are considered to be associated with large earthquakes that occur adjacently on the same subducting plate interface, it is important to investigate tremors that occurred before the establishment of modern seismograph networks such as the High Sensitivity Seismograph Network (Hi‐net). We propose a deep‐learning solution to detect evidence of tremors in scanned images of paper seismogram records from over 50 years ago. In this study, we fine‐tuned a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on the Residual Network, which was pre‐trained using images of synthetic waveforms from our previous study, using a data set comprised of images generated from real seismic data recorded digitally by Hi‐net to facilitate a supervised analysis. The fine‐tuned CNN was able to predict the presence or absence of tremors in the Hi‐net images with an accuracy of 98.64%. Gradient‐weighted Class Activation Mapping heatmaps created to visualize model predictions indicated that the CNN's ability to detect tremors is not degraded by the presence of teleseisms. Once validated using the Hi‐net images, the CNN was applied to paper seismograms recorded from 1966 to 1977 at the Kumano observatory in southwest Japan, operated by Earthquake Research Institute, The University of Tokyo. The CNN showed potential for detecting tremors in scanned images of paper seismogram records from the past, facilitating downstream tasks such as the creation of new tremor catalogs. However, further training using an augmented data set to control for variables such as inconsistent plotting pen thickness is required to develop a universally applicable model. Plain Language Summary: In 2002, deep low‐frequency tremors, which periodically occur with much smaller amplitudes and longer durations than common earthquakes, were discovered owing to the establishment of dense seismic arrays in Japan. These tremors are considered to be associated with megathrust earthquakes because they occur in deeper regions of plate boundaries compared with common earthquakes. Investigating tremors that occurred before the establishment of dense seismic arrays is important since megathrust earthquakes recur on intervals of 100–200 years, and digital records from modern seismic arrays cover only a fraction of that time. In this study, we developed a convolutional neural network based on the Residual Network (ResNet) that extracts tremors from images of waveforms recorded more than 50 years ago, when seismometers drew waveforms directly on drum‐rolled paper using a pen. The proposed ResNet, which was trained on seismogram images generated from synthetic waveforms and real data recorded digitally by modern seismic arrays, was applied to scanned images of paper seismograms recorded from 1966 to 1977 at an observatory in southwest Japan. A list of tremors was successfully obtained; however, further training using data that accounts for variables such as inconsistent plotting pen thickness is required to develop a universally applicable model. Key Points: Convolutional neural network model for detection of deep low‐frequency tremors from seismogram images is proposedThe model trained with seismogram images converted from real seismic data successfully detects tremorsThe detection performances of the trained model for the paper records at the Kumano observatory in southwest Japan are discussed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The journal Fisheries Oceanography provides a global forum for fisheries scientists and oceanographers to understand how marine ecosystems, and the services they provide to society, are structured and shaped by environmental variability and climate change. With this special issue, as well as the 30th Anniversary Virtual Issue of the most influential papers from the journal's history, we commemorate 30 years of publishing leading research in the field of fisheries oceanography. These issues showcase the extent, depth and impact of the research published in Fisheries Oceanography. We also reflect on the evolution of research themes through the journal's history, and highlight key emergent themes in our field. We look forward to continuing to publish impactful research in the pages of Fisheries Oceanography in the years ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrographic structure of a quasi-stationary jet separated from the Kuroshio Extension, a phenomenon that possibly leads to deepening of the winter mixed layer, is revealed via intensive observations using a conductivity-temperature-depth profiler and a ship-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) carried out in September 2009. Data collected from profiling floats set to drift isopycnal layers and time series of sea surface buoys and satellite altimeters were also analyzed to understand the continuity, water characteristics, and time variation of the jet. Although the flow field was complex due to disturbances such as energetic eddies, the jet transported subtropical water to the downstream (northeastern) observation region in a layer shallower than 400 dbar and its highest velocity was concentrated in the mid- and deep layers (≤0.30 m s−1 at the sea surface and ≥0.05 m s−1 at 800-m depth). The velocity axes of the jet detected from the satellite data corresponded to those detected through analysis of the ADCP data, and the intensity of the jet at the sea surface varies over interannual-to-decadal time scales. Part of the interannual-to-decadal variation in the velocity field of the jet is controlled by the dynamic state of the Kuroshio Extension and is correlated with that of the Kuroshio Extension latitude (linear correlation coefficient r ~ 0.67). The relationship between these variations can be interpreted qualitatively as being responsible for the inertial streamers that separate from the crests of meanders of the Kuroshio Extension to the jet region due to the large steering effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin, affects various cruciferous crops. Variations in pathogenicity and virulence are present among field populations of P. brassicae. Many races (pathotypes) have been reported in Japan as well as in other countries using various differential systems. Populations can be classified into four pathotypes using two clubroot-resistant (CR) cultivars of Chinese cabbage as differential hosts in Japan. However, it was recently indicated that each population is often heterogenic and composed of multiple genotypes (races or pathotypes). Breakdown in CR cultivars of Chinese cabbage is a problem in some areas of Japan and may contribute to the selective propagation of minor pathogenic genotypes on the CR cultivars. Clubroot has also been recorded on five species of cruciferous weeds in Japan. In particular, clubroot of Cardamine flexuosa is widely distributed in Japan. Some populations of C. flexuosa are often moderately pathogenic on Chinese cabbage and turnip. Therefore, the epidemiological relationship between clubroot of cruciferous crops and that of the weed has been noted but not thoroughly clarified. The relationship between pathogenic and genetic variations has also been examined among populations from cruciferous crops and weeds in Japan. The result implies an interesting genetic relationship among Williams' races, among pathotypes determined using CR cultivars of Chinese cabbage and among populations from crops and C. flexuosa. This review includes an introduction of the status of studies on pathogenic and genetic diversity in P. brassicae from Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ito, S-I., Okunishi, T., Kishi, M. J., and Wang, M. 2013. Modelling ecological responses of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) to future climate change and its uncertainty. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 980–990.An ecosystem-based bioenergetics model was used to investigate the responses of Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) to global warming. The model was forced by the projected sea surface temperature (SST) generated by climate models that formed the bases for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fourth Assessment Report (IPCC-AR4). Twelve climate models, which reproduced the Pacific Decadal Oscillation well compared with observations, were selected and B1, A1B, and A2 emissions scenarios were used. In total, 33 ensemble simulations were conducted, of which 24 (73%) showed a decrease in wet weight of Pacific saury. The migration pattern was modified in 11 (33%) cases. In these cases, higher SST and size reduction under global warming prevented or delayed the southern migration of saury in winter. As a result, egg production was enhanced by the higher availability of prey plankton in the modified spawning region. A case study to separate the direct temperature effects was conducted, in which prey plankton density was assumed to be the same as the control run. The results suggest that an SST increase will directly reduce juvenile growth, whereas a prey plankton density decrease has an influence on the growth of adults and migration pattern, and hence egg production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We developed a multi-trophic level ecosystem model by coupling physical, biogeochemical-plankton and fish models. An oceanic general circulation model was coupled with a lower trophic level ecosystem model and a Japanese sardine migration model, and applied to the western North Pacific. To investigate the impact of global warming on the pelagic fish ecosystem, such as Japanese sardine, we conducted numerical experiments of growth and migration of Japanese sardine using physical fields for the present day and future with a global warming scenario simulated by a high-resolution climate model. The model results demonstrated possible impacts of global warming on the growth and migration pattern of Japanese sardine. The growths of fish in the current main spawning region under the global warming scenario were significantly slower than those under the present climate scenario. Fish in this region will be at disadvantage for their recruitment under the global warming condition. Prey conditions in the spawning region were projected not to markedly change under global warming condition while water temperature increased. As a result sardine spawning ground was projected to shift towards more north areas. During the feeding migration period in summer, geographical distribution of juveniles fish was projected to shift northwards by one to two degrees latitude under the global warming condition following the change in the distribution of optimal temperature region for feeding. However, this northwards shift of the optimal temperature for feeding was minimized adjacent to the western North Pacific by the cooler water supply by the intensification of the Oyashio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional individual-based fish movement model coupled with fish bioenergetics was developed to simulate the observed migration and growth of Japanese sardine ( Sardinops melanostictus) in the western North Pacific. In the model, derived from the observed ocean-environmental data as the driving force, fish movement was adapted as a kinesis behavior. The model successfully simulated the observed transport patterns during the egg and larval stages and the northward migrations during the juvenile stage in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The model results showed that both temperature during the larval stage in the Kuroshio Extension and the prey availability during the early juvenile stage in the Kuroshio-Oyashio transitional area are important factors for growth of Japanese sardine. In autumn, the observed juvenile sardine were mainly distributed in the subarctic water region off the Kuril Islands, which is an area (158-165°E, 43-47°N) with a high chlorophyll- a (Chl- a) concentration. The model reproduced the fish distribution, which has a high density in this region. The high Chl- a concentration area in autumn may contribute to increasing the survival rate of Japanese sardine by cascading up the food chain, from the high primary production, and is an important habitat for recruitment success of Japanese sardine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel statistical model for estimating the intraindividual difference in left prefrontal cortex electroencephalogram (EEG) activity, and a method for evaluating the proposed model. It is known that EEGs contain individual characteristics. However, extraction of these individual characteristics has not been reported. The analyzed frequency components of an EEG can be subdivided into components that contain a significant number of features, and components that do not contain such features. From the viewpoint of these feature differences, we propose a model for extracting the features of an EEG. The model assumes a latent structure and employs factor analysis, treating the model error as personal error. We consider the first factor loading, which is calculated by eigenvalue decomposition, as the EEG feature. Furthermore, we use a k-nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithm for evaluating the proposed model and the extracted EEG features. In general, the distance metric used is the Euclidean distance. It is possible that the distance metric used depends on the characteristics of the extracted EEG features and on the subject. Therefore, depending on the subject, we use one of three distance metrics: the Euclidean distance, the cosine distance, or the coefficient of correlation. Finally, in order to show the effectiveness of the proposed model, we present the results of an experiment using real EEG data. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 94(5): 9-16, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10326 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: CO hydrogenation over a CeNi2, an amorphous CeNi2H x and a disproportionate mixture containing Ce hydride and CeNi5 which were prepared by hydrogen absorption, has been investigated. Catalytic properties are different among the three samples since the bulk structure of the samples changes during the reaction. Nevertheless, the amorphous CeNi2H x exhibits high activity as well as unique selectivity of hydrocarbons. This study shows that hydrogen-induced amorphization (HIA) is a potential activation treatment for intermetallic compounds for catalysts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We improved our optical recording system to record epifluorescence optical signals from the intact cerebral cortex. Using custom-made fiber optic illumination equipment and tandem lens optics excluding a dichroic mirror, we successfully obtained high-quality single sweep optical signals in vivo in rat sensorimotor cortex. After reduction of pulsation artifacts with software originally designed for prolonged continuous recording under spontaneous breathing, the signal-to-noise ratio of the optical signal was sufficient to analyse evoked responses quantitatively. We were able to make isochrones for the onset of responses based on single sweep optical recordings. We further examined the effect of baclofen using this isochrone map, and succeeded in quantitatively demonstrating the inhibitory effect on the spatial pattern of neural activity in the rat sensorimotor cortex by calculating the area of response region on the isochrone map. Thus, our improved system provides sustained single sweep records suitable for quantitative analysis using epifluorescence optics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The steam reforming of ethanol over metal-oxide-promoted Pt/SiO2 catalysts after H2 reduction was investigated. The catalysts were prepared by sequential impregnation with an aqueous solution of Pt(NO2)2(NH3)2 and aqueous solutions of metal complexes of V, Nb, and Mo. For a range of low temperatures (393–513K), the ethanol conversion achieved by adding these metal oxides was greater than that achieved when an un-promoted-Pt/SiO2 catalyst was used. The highest ethanol conversion was achieved in the case of the Nb-oxide-promoted Pt/SiO2 catalyst; in this case, the ethanol conversion was the highest and it was 2.7 times higher than that in the case of the un-promoted Pt/SiO2 catalyst at 473K. The results of catalyst characterization suggest that the surface of Pt metal particles was covered by NbO x . The effects of strong metal-oxide interaction (SMOI) in Pt–NbO x enhanced the steam reforming of ethanol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Oyashio region in the western North Pacific supports high biological productivity and has been well monitored. We applied the NEMURO (North Pacific Ecosystem Model for Understanding Regional Oceanography) model to simulate the nutrients, phytoplankton, and zooplankton dynamics. Determination of parameters values is very important, yet ad hoc calibration methods are often used. We used the automatic calibration software PEST (model-independent Parameter ESTimation), which has been used previously with NEMURO but in a system without ontogenetic vertical migration of the large zooplankton functional group. Determining the performance of PEST with vertical migration, and obtaining a set of realistic parameter values for the Oyashio, will likely be useful in future applications of NEMURO. Five identical twin simulation experiments were performed with the one-box version of NEMURO. The experiments differed in whether monthly snapshot or averaged state variables were used, in whether state variables were model functional groups or were aggregated (total phytoplankton, small plus large zooplankton), and in whether vertical migration of large zooplankton was included or not. We then applied NEMURO to monthly climatological field data covering 1 year for the Oyashio, and compared model fits and parameter values between PEST-determined estimates and values used in previous applications to the Oyashio region that relied on ad hoc calibration. We substituted the PEST and ad hoc calibrated parameter values into a 3-D version of NEMURO for the western North Pacific, and compared the two sets of spatial maps of chlorophyll-a with satellite-derived data. The identical twin experiments demonstrated that PEST could recover the known model parameter values when vertical migration was included, and that over-fitting can occur as a result of slight differences in the values of the state variables. PEST recovered known parameter values when using monthly snapshots of aggregated state variables, but estimated a different set of parameters with monthly averaged values. Both sets of parameters resulted in good fits of the model to the simulated data. Disaggregating the variables provided to PEST into functional groups did not solve the over-fitting problem, and including vertical migration seemed to amplify the problem. When we used the climatological field data, simulated values with PEST-estimated parameters were closer to these field data than with the previously determined ad hoc set of parameter values. When these same PEST and ad hoc sets of parameter values were substituted into 3-D-NEMURO (without vertical migration), the PEST-estimated parameter values generated spatial maps that were similar to the satellite data for the Kuroshio Extension during January and March and for the subarctic ocean from May to November. With non-linear problems, such as vertical migration, PEST should be used with caution because parameter estimates can be sensitive to how the data are prepared and to the values used for the searching parameters of PEST. We recommend the usage of PEST, or other parameter optimization methods, to generate first-order parameter estimates for simulating specific systems and for insertion into 2-D and 3-D models. The parameter estimates that are generated are useful, and the inconsistencies between simulated values and the available field data provide valuable information on model behavior and the dynamics of the ecosystem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

EEG is characterized by unique and individual characteristics. Little research has been done to take into account the individual characteristics when analyzing EEG signals. Often the EEG has frequency components which can describe most of the significant characteristics. Then there is the difference of importance between the analyzed frequency components of the EEG. We think that the importance difference shows the individual characteristics. In this paper, we propose a new EEG extraction method of characteristic vector by a latency structure model in individual characteristics (LSMIC). The LSMIC is the latency structure model, which has personal error as the individual characteristics, based on normal distribution. The real-coded genetic algorithms (RGA) are used for specifying the personal error that is unknown parameter. Moreover we propose an objective estimation method that plots the EEG characteristic vector on a visualization space. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is evaluated using a realistic simulation and applied to real EEG data. The result of our experiment shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 92(1): 9–17, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The tomato saponin α-tomatine has been proposed to kill sensitive cells by binding to cell membranes followed by leakage of cell components. However, details of the modes of action of the compound on fungal cells are poorly understood. In the present study, mechanisms involved in α-tomatine-induced cell death of fungi were examined using a filamentous pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum. α-Tomatine-induced cell death of F. oxysporum (TICDF) occurred only under aerobic conditions and was blocked by the mitochondrial F0F1-ATPase inhibitor oligomycin, the caspase inhibitor D-VAD-fmk, and protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Fungal cells exposed to α-tomatine showed TUNEL-positive nuclei, depolarization of transmembrane potential of mitochondria, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. These results suggest that TICDF occurs through a programmed cell death process in which mitochondria play a pivotal role. Pharmacological studies using inhibitors suggest that α-tomatine activates phosphotyrosine kinase and monomeric G-protein signaling pathways leading to Ca2+ elevation and ROS burst in F. oxysporum cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

NEMURO, the North Pacific Ecosystem Model for Understanding Regional Oceanography, simulates the temporal evolution and dynamics of the North Pacific''s nutrient–phytoplankton–zooplankton food web. The approach of developing a single model formulation allowed quantitative comparisons across various locations and time periods. Building on a common foundation enabled the linkages between lower trophic levels to the higher trophic (fish) components to proceed systematically. NEMURO was extended to NEMURO. FISH by using the lower trophic level output of NEMURO as input to a bioenergetic-based model of fish growth and population dynamics. This paper summarizes the contributions of individual papers that comprise this issue of Ecological Modelling and that all used the NEMURO family of models. Contributions represent a rich set of case-studies and in-depth modeling studies focused on the North Pacific that addressed: oceanic biogeochemistry, regional and seasonal variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton, reconstruction of 40–50 years of plankton dynamics, effects of climate on herring and saury growth and population dynamics, the feasibility of automatic calibration methods, the sensitivity of the model to parameter values, and projections of future states of the ecosystem under global warming. Next steps in the evolution of NEMURO are suggested and include increased resolution of the physical model underlying NEMURO, the addition of new biological state variables at the lower trophic levels to better represent the diversity of oceanic species and their potential for different responses under changing environmental conditions, and the addition of more higher trophic level species to allow for inter-specific (competition and predation) interactions. The NEMURO effort involved a diverse group of researchers working jointly on a common problem for several years. Consequently, the resulting contributions, even at the level of the individual papers, provide a broader perspective and integration of the results than would have occurred by working in isolation. The benefits of a large-scale collaborative effort to develop a common model formulation are clearly illustrated by the papers in this issue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To elucidate the interannual response of Pacific saury growth to climate variability, a simple 3-box model of NEMURO. FISH was forced by observed sea surface temperature (SST) from 1950 to 2002. In the model, fish wet weight is calculated according to a fish bioenergetics equation. The observed condition factor of Pacific saury showed large decadal variability with significant year-to-year variability. In the model, wet weight of Pacific saury also showed decadal and year-to-year variability, however the amplitude of decadal variability was much smaller than observed. The cause of the model failure is suggested to be the absence of a multi-species fish formulation in the model. The Japanese sardine population, which has a large biomass that exhibits great decadal fluctuations, is proposed as potentially affecting zooplankton density in the saury migration region. We also investigated differences of interannual growth variability between spawning seasons. Since Pacific saury spawns from autumn to the following spring, we consider three seasonal (autumn, winter and spring) cohorts in the model. The amplitude of growth variability is largest for the spring-spawned cohort and smallest in the winter-spawned cohort. This difference is caused by the difference of life history of each spawned cohort. The spring-spawned cohort spawns only once in their life-cycle, however other cohorts spawn twice. During the (autumn) fishery season, age 1 spring-spawned cohort has not yet spawned, while the other cohorts have spawned once. As a result, the spring-spawned cohorts retain the memory of the environmental influence during the early life stages while the other cohorts, through their spawning, have erased that memory. Hence, the spring-spawned cohort shows a larger fluctuation in wet weight than other cohorts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The infrared (IR) chemiluminescence spectra of CO2 were measured during steady-state CO oxidation by O2, NO and N2O over Pd(110) surface. Kinetics of these reactions were studied using a molecular-beam reaction system, and the order of the activity was as follows: CO+O2 >CO+NO>CO+N2O. From the analysis of the IR emission spectra, it is found that the antisymmetric vibrational mode of CO2 was more excited in the case of the CO+O2 and CO+N2O reactions, in contrast, the bending vibrational mode was more excited in the case of the CO+NO reaction. These results suggest that the activated complex of CO2 in the CO+NO reaction has more bent structure than those in the CO+O2 and CO+N2O reactions. The reason of this different behavior of the CO+NO reaction is discussed based on higher structure-sensitivity of the CO+NO reaction than the CO+O2 and CO+N2O reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The infrared (IR) chemiluminescence spectra of CO2 were measured during steady-state CO oxidation over Pd(110) and Pd(111). CO2 formation rate always gave a maximum in the surface temperature dependence, and the maximum temperature was denoted as . Analyses of IR emission spectra at surface temperatures higher than showed that the bending vibrational temperature () was higher for Pd(111) than for Pd(110). These results suggest that the activated CO2 complex of CO2 formation is more bent on Pd(111), and straighter on Pd(110). On the other hand, at surface temperatures lower than , antisymmetric vibrational temperature () was much higher than on both Pd surfaces, suggesting that the activated complex is much straighter at the lower surface temperatures. Considering adsorption sites and their energy levels, the model of the activated complex of CO2 formation at the transition state is discussed and proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The infrared chemiluminescence spectra of CO2 formed during steady-state CO+NO reaction over Pd(110) indicated that the temperature of the bending vibrational mode was much higher than that of the antisymmetric one at higher surface temperatures such as 800–850 K. Especially, in the high temperature range, more vibrationally excited CO2 was formed from CO+NO reaction than CO+O2 reaction. On the basis of the result, we propose the model structure of reaction intermediates for CO2 formation in CO+NO reaction, which is different from that in CO+O2 reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The infrared chemiluminescence study of CO2 formed during steady-state CO+O2 reaction over Pd(110) under various CO/O2 pressure ratios was carried out. Highly excited antisymmetric vibrational mode compared to bending vibrational mode was observed under reaction conditions at high CO coverage. This can be related to the activated complex of CO2 formation in more linear form. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is found that vanadia-modified Rh/SiO2 catalyst (V-Rh/SiO2) exhibited high selectivity of 1-propanol formation in ethylene hydroformylation. The performance of V-Rh/SiO2 was much dependent on the calcination temperature and the formation of RhVO4 mixed oxide crystallites. The active sites for 1-propanol formation can be formed by the reduction of the RhVO4 mixed oxide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici produces extracellular enzymes known as tomatinase, which degrade the tomato phytoanticipin α-tomatine to less toxic metabolites. Tomatinase gene (FoToml) has been found also in certain strains of F. oxysporum belonging to formae speciales nonpathogenic on tomato plants. In the current study, four FoToml-positive strains (#2, #3, #11, and #17) of F. oxysporum belonging to formae speciales different from f. sp. lycopersici and f. sp. radicis-lycopersici were examined for their ability to infect tomato plants. All of the four strains colonized not only the roots and basal stems but also upper stems of tomato plants. One of the four strains, #3 (f. sp. batatas), was transformed with the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. A GUS-marked #3 (#3-GUS) colonized vascular vessels of all tomato cultivars tested differing in the extents of colonization in the stems among the cultivars. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that each FoToml of the four FoToml-positive strains was expressed in the roots and stems of tomato plants, suggesting that FoToml is important for the four strains to survive in tomato plants. To see systemic induction of defense genes in tomato plants inoculated with either #2, #3, #11, or #17, accumulations of transcripts of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase genes were analyzed. Tomato plants inoculated with #2 or #3 showed enhanced expression of acidic chitinase gene (Chi3). Prior inoculation of tomato plants with either #2 or #3 suppressed the vascular wilt of tomato caused by subsequent challenge with F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A fish bioenergetics model coupled with an ecosystem model was developed to reproduce the growth of Pacific saury. The model spatially covers three different oceanographic spatial domains corresponding to the Kuroshio, Oyashio, and interfrontal (mixed water) regions. In this coupled model, three (small, large, and predatory) zooplankton densities which were derived from the lower trophic level ecosystem model were input to the bioenergetics model of saury as the prey densities. Although certain model parameters were imposed from other species’ bioenergetics, several model parameters were estimated from observational data specific to Pacific saury. The integrated model results reproduced appropriate growth rates of Pacific saury. Model sensitivities to water temperature and prey density are examined and observational methods to evaluate the model parameters are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive study of the variation of the oceanic environment and fish populations in the northwestern Pacific (VENFISH) was an interdisciplinary scientific program to enhance our understanding of relationships between the ocean environment and the pelagic fishes, Pacific saury and walleye pollock. As prey of saury and walleye pollock, key species of zooplankton were selected and their life history and production were elucidated. Retrospective analyses were also conducted to investigate the mechanisms of production variation in some zooplankton species. Life history and ecology of Pacific saury and walleye pollock were also investigated and substantial improvements to our understanding of them were achieved. In addition, improved information from VENFISH were used to develop several models to investigate saury growth, and population dynamics, and predatory pressure on zooplankton from walleye pollock. Observational and model results indicate the importance of the Kuroshio and the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition region to saury recruitment and of Oyashio transport to walleye pollock recruitment. Moreover, models developed under VENFISH will become the basis of fisheries management models for saury, walleye pollock, and other fishes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective CO oxidation in H2-rich gas over K2CO3-promoted Rh/SiO2 (K2CO3-Rh/SiO2) catalysts was investigated, and the results were compared with those of Rh/SiO2 catalysts. K2CO3-Rh/SiO2 catalysts were able to realize almost complete removal of CO. The additive effect of K2CO3 was dependent on the preparation method and on the K2CO3 amounts. K2CO3-Rh/SiO2 catalyst prepared by the sequential impregnation method with molar ratio K/Rh = 3 exhibited high performance. According to the characterization results, the catalyst had highly dispersed Rh metal particles partially covered with K2CO3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The antifungal glycoalkaloid α-tomatine accumulates in tomato plants and may protect plants from fungal infection. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the causal agent of vascular wilt of tomato, produces a tomatinase (FoToml) that degrades α-tomatine to the nontoxic compounds tetrasaccharide lycotetraose and tomatidine. Induction of tomatinases and the distribution of FoToml homologs were examined among 30 strains belonging to 16 formae speciales of F. oxysporum. Tomatinase activity was found in 27 strains belonging to 15 formae speciales, but FoToml homologs (>98% sequence identity) were detected in only six strains belonging to four formae speciales. To identify tomatinases other than FoToml, α-tomatine-inducible proteins of another tomato pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A protein with a molecular mass of 64 kDa accumulated in the α-tomatine-induced culture filtrates, and the protein had tomatinase activity, degrading α-tomatine to lycotetraose and tomatidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic activity and CO2 selectivity over carbon black-supported Pd with the addition of Zn (Zn–Pd/C) was comparable to those of Pd/ZnO in methanol steam reforming. From the characterization of fresh Zn–Pd/C after H2 reduction pretreatment by means of BET surface area, XRD, TEM and the measurement of CO adsorption, Pd–Zn alloy particles were detected on Zn–Pd/C. This is also supported by high CO2 selectivity in methanol steam reforming over Zn–Pd/C as well as Pd/ZnO. In addition, Zn–Pd/C exhibited higher stability than Pd/ZnO in methanol steam reforming. After the reaction for the life test, the formation of zinc carbonate hydroxide such as Zn4CO3(OH)6·H2O was clearly observed on Pd/ZnO. It is expected that the deactivation is caused by covering active Pd–Zn alloy particles with zinc carbonate hydroxide. Although this phenomenon can also occur on Zn–Pd/C, the deactivation rate was much lower than Pd/ZnO because the amount of free ZnO is much smaller on Zn–Pd/C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many fungal pathogens of tomato produce extracellular enzymes, collectively known as tomatinases, that detoxify the preformed antifungal steroidal glycoalkaloid α-tomatine. Tomatinase from the vascular wilt pathogen of tomato Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici cleaves α-tomatine into the aglycon tomatidine (Td) and the tetrasaccharide lycotetraose (Lt). Although modes of action of α-tomatine have been extensively studied, those of Td and Lt are poorly understood. Here, we show that both Td and Lt inhibit the oxidative burst and hypersensitive cell death in suspension-cultured tomato cells. A tomatinase-negative F. oxysporum strain inherently non-pathogenic on tomato was able to infect tomato cuttings when either Td or Lt was present. These results suggest that tomatinase from F. oxysporum is required not only for detoxification of α-tomatine but also for suppression of induced defense responses of host. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Steam reforming of methanol over Zn-promoted Pt catalyst supported on an electrically conductive carbon black has been investigated after H2 reduction at 873 K. X-ray diffraction measurement showed that Pt–Zn alloy was formed on the carbon black (C). The Zn-promoted Pt/C catalyst showed higher activity and selectivity to CO2 compared with unpromoted Pt/C catalyst. Methyl formate was formed over the Zn-promoted Pt/C catalyst in decomposition of methanol (without water). This suggests that steam reforming of methanol over the Zn-promoted Pt/C catalyst can proceed via methyl formate, which is different from that of the unpromoted Pt/C catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

K-promoted Rh/USY (molar ratio: K/Rh=3) catalyst was found to exhibit high performance in preferential oxidation of CO in rich hydrogen. Such high performance was maintained in the presence of steam and CO2. The CO oxidation activity of the K-Rh/USY catalyst was independent of the partial pressure of H2, while the activity of the unpromoted Rh/USY catalyst was decreased significantly in hydrogen-rich stream. The effect of potassium addition on the catalyst structure was investigated and is discussed in terms of the differences in the catalytic performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The removal of CO in H2-rich gas is indispensable to the polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The promoting effect of potassium on supported Rh metal catalysts was found in the selective CO oxidation with O2 under H2-rich stream. Rh/SiO2 and Rh/USY exhibited low level of CO removal, however, K–Rh/SiO2 and K–Rh/USY had excellent performance in the reaction. From the results of characterization, it is suggested that the role of potassium is different on SiO2 and USY. In the case of Rh/SiO2, potassium addition enhanced the Rh dispersion, and it enhanced the TOF in the case of Rh/USY. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Investigates the usability of low-temperature catalytic process for cellulose gasification. Conversion of cellulose to gas; Application of hydrogen and syngas from cellulose or cellulosic biomass gasification; Challenges encountered during the gasification process.