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Abstract Deep-sea coral distribution and composition are unknown in much of the global ocean, but repurposing ocean industry surveys can fill that gap. In Santos Basin, southeast Brazil, areas (241–963 m depth) were surveyed during seven Petrobras cruises, mapping bottom topography with multibeam sonar, then collecting video with remotely operated vehicles. Here, we defined deep-sea coral species distribution and richness, using these surveys, correlating them to physical oceanographic properties. Solenosmilia variabilis was the most prevalent colonial species in coral mounds. Overall, 67% of species were Octocorallia. Coral assemblage structure, abundance, and richness varied among sites both within and among depths, with higher density and richness in the northernmost Santos basin. Depth was the strongest predictor for scleractinian coral distribution, with depth ranges varying by species. Assemblage differences corresponded to changes in water mass. Desmophyllum pertusum was more abundant in South Atlantic Central Water and S. variabilis in Antarctic Intermediate Water influenced areas.

Abstract Observation of dynamic processes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is an attractive technique to experimentally analyze materials’ nanoscale phenomena and understand the microstructure-properties relationships in nanoscale. Even if spatial and temporal resolutions of real-time TEM increase significantly, it is still difficult to say that the researchers quantitatively evaluate the dynamic behavior of defects. Images in TEM video are a two-dimensional projection of three-dimensional space phenomena, thus missing information must be existed that makes image’s uniquely accurate interpretation challenging. Therefore, even though they are still a clustering high-dimensional data and can be compressed to two-dimensional, conventional statistical methods for analyzing images may not be powerful enough to track nanoscale behavior by removing various artifacts associated with experiment; and automated and unbiased processing tools for such big-data are becoming mission-critical to discover knowledge about unforeseen behavior. We have developed a method to quantitative image analysis framework to resolve these problems, in which machine learning and particle filter estimation are uniquely combined. The quantitative and automated measurement of the dislocation velocity in an Fe-31Mn-3Al-3Si autunitic steel subjected to the tensile deformation was performed to validate the framework, and an intermittent motion of the dislocations was quantitatively analyzed. The framework is successfully classifying, identifying and tracking nanoscale objects; these are not able to be accurately implemented by the conventional mean-path based analysis.

Extratropical cyclones are known to generate extreme significant wave height (swh) values at the ocean surface in the western South Atlantic (wSA), which are highly influenced by intraseasonal scales. This work aims to investigate the importance of intraseasonal timescales (30–180 d) in the regional climatology of waves and its atmospheric forcing. The variability is explained by analyzing the storm track modulation due to westerly winds. These winds present timescales and spatial patterns compatible with the intraseasonal component of the Pacific South American (PSA) patterns. The analyses are made using ECMWF’s ERA5 from 1979 to 2019 and a database of extratropical cyclones based on the same reanalysis. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses of the 10 m zonal wind and swh are used to assess the regime of westerlies and waves in the wSA. The EOF1 of the 10 m zonal wind (u10) presented a core centered at 45∘ W and 40∘ S, while the EOF2 is represented by two cores organized into a seesaw pattern with a center between 30–40∘ S and another to the south of 40∘ S. Composites of cyclone genesis and track densities as well as swh fields were calculated based on the phases of both EOFs. In short, EOF phases presenting cores with a positive (negative) u10 anomaly provide a favorable (unfavorable) environment for cyclone genesis and track densities and, therefore, positive (negative) swh anomalies. The modulation of the cyclone tracks is significant for extreme values of the swh. The spatial patterns of the EOFs of u10 are physically and statistically consistent with 200 and 850 hPa geopotential height signals from the Pacific, indicating the importance of the remote influence of the PSA patterns over the wSA.

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important stress signaling phytohormone and plays an essential role in physiological processes in plants. SA fractionation has been carried out batchwise, which is not compatible with the high analytical demand in agronomical studies and increases susceptibility to analytical errors. In this context, a novel flow-batch sample preparation system for SA fractionation on fresh plant leaves was developed. It was based on microwave-assisted extraction with water and conversion of the conjugated species to free SA by alkaline hydrolysis. Free and total SA were quantified by fluorimetry after separation by sequential injection chromatography in a C18 monolithic column. The proposed procedure is directly applicable to plant leaves containing up 16 mg kg−1 SA, with a limit of detection of 0.1 mg kg−1 of SA, coefficient of variation of 3.0% (n = 10), and sampling rate of 4 samples h−1. The flow-batch sample preparation system was successfully applied to SA fractionation in sugarcane, corn, and soybean leaves without clogging or increasing in backpressure. The proposed approach is simple, less time-consuming, and more environmentally friendly in comparison to batchwise procedures.

Electron spins in nitrogen vacancy centres are perturbed by nearby nuclear spins, making it possible to infer some of the nuclear spins' properties. Here the authors demonstrate a technique that can determine the location of nuclear spins in three-dimensional space using only one electron spin.

Abstract Background Recent preclinical and phase I studies have reported that rebamipide decreased the severity of chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with oral cancer. This placebo-controlled randomized phase II study assessed the clinical benefit of rebamipide in reducing the incidence of severe chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Methods Patients aged 20–75 years with HNC who were scheduled to receive chemoradiotherapy were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive rebamipide 2% liquid, rebamipide 4% liquid, or placebo. The primary endpoint was the incidence of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis determined by clinical examination and assessed by central review according to the Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events version 3.0. Secondary endpoints were the time to onset of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis and the incidence of functional impairment (grade ≥ 3) based on the evaluation by the Oral Mucositis Evaluation Committee. Results From April 2014 to August 2015, 97 patients with HNC were enrolled, of whom 94 received treatment. The incidence of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis was 29% and 25% in the rebamipide 2% and 4% groups, respectively, compared with 39% in the placebo group. The proportion of patients who did not develop grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis by day 50 of treatment was 57.9% in the placebo group, whereas the proportion was 68.0% in the rebamipide 2% group and 71.3% in the rebamipide 4% group. The incidences of adverse events potentially related to the study drug were 16%, 26%, and 13% in the placebo, rebamipide 2%, and rebamipide 4% groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in treatment compliance among the groups. Conclusions The present phase II study suggests that mouth washing with rebamipide may be effective and safe for patients with HNC receiving chemoradiotherapy, and 4% liquid is the optimal dose of rebamipide. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT02085460 (the date of trial registration: March 11, 2014).

From an acetone-water (3:2) extract of aerial parts of Thymus gobicus Czern. (31.1 g), compounds 1-8 were obtained using high-performance liquid chromatography. Based on spectroscopic data, the isolated compounds were identified as rosmarinic acid (1), monardic acid A (2), nepetoidin B (3), aromadendrin (4), apigenin (5), chrysoriol (6), apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside (7), and apigenin 7-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside methyl ester (8). Compound 2 was a (7R,8R)-diastereomer of lithospermic acid (2a). Although it was reported that the anti-allergic activity of lithospermic acid was higher than that of 2, the acetylcholine inhibitory activity of 2 was higher than that of lithospermic acid.

“Ecological Infrastructure (EI)” are defined as naturally functioning ecosystems that deliver valuable services to people, such as healthy mountain catchments, rivers, wetlands, coastal dunes, and nodes and corridors of natural habitat, which together form a network of interconnected structural elements in the landscape. On the other hand, natural disaster occur at the locations where habitat was reduced due to the changes of land use, in which the land was converted to the settlements and agricultural cropland. Hence, habitat loss and natural disaster are linked closely. Ecological infrastructure is the nature-based equivalent of built or hard infrastructure, and is as important for providing services and underpinning socio-economic development. Hence, ecological infrastructure is expected to contribute to functioning as ecological disaster reduction, which is termed Ecosystem-based Solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR). Although ecological infrastructure already exists in the landscape, it might be degraded, needs to be maintained and managed, and in some cases restored. Maintenance and restoration of ecological infrastructure is important for security of human lives. Therefore, analytical tool and effective visualization tool in spatially explicit way for the past natural disaster and future prediction of natural disaster in relation to ecological infrastructure is considered helpful. Hence, Web-GIS based Ecological Infrastructure Environmental Information System (EI-EIS) has been developed. This paper aims to describe the procedure of development and future application of EI-EIS. The purpose of the EI-EIS is to evaluate functions of Eco-DRR. In order to analyse disaster data, collection of past disaster information, and disaster-prone area is effective. First, a number of digital maps and analogue maps in Japan and Europe were collected. In total, 18,572 maps over 100 years were collected. The Japanese data includes Future-Pop Data Series (1,736 maps), JMC dataset 50m grid (elevation) (13,071 maps), Old Edition Maps: Topographic Map (325 maps), Digital Base Map at a scale of 2500 for reconstruction planning (808 maps), Detailed Digital Land Use Information for Metropolitan Area (10 m land use) (2,436 maps), and Digital Information by GSI (national large scale map) (71 maps). Old Edition Maps: Topographic Map were analogue maps, and were scanned and georeferenced. These geographical area covered 1) Tohoku area, 2) Five Lakes of Mikata area (Fukui), 3) Ooshima Island (Tokyo), 4) Hiroshima area (Hiroshima), 5) Okushiri Island (Hokkaido), and 6) Toyooka City area (Hyogo). The European data includes topographic map in Germany (8 maps), old topographic map in Germany (31 maps), ancient map in Germany (23 maps), topographic map in Austria (9 maps), old topographic map in Austria (17 maps), and ancient map in Austria (37 maps). Second, focusing on Five Lakes of Mikata area as an example, these maps were integrated into the ArcGIS Online® (ESRI). These data can be overlaid, and time-series data can be visualized by a time slider function of ArcGIS Online.

This paper proposes a magnetic actuator system of a new type capable of inspection in a complex pipe by means of a new motion principle. Using plural vibration components, the magnetic actuator is able to move in the complex pipe. A magnetic actuator of the reversible type, due to opening and closing of a compound material by using elongation and contraction of four shape-memory-alloy (SMA) coils, was fabricated. In this paper, the influence of the electrical cable length on the moving characteristics of the magnetic actuator is discussed. Twenty electrical cables of 0.12 mm diameter were used in this paper. The experimental result shows that the prototype actuator was able to climb at 15.3 mm/s in the straight pipe when pulling a load mass of 50 g. In addition, the result demonstrated that the magnetic actuator system was able to inspect the complex pipe over a distance of 10 m. This actuator system can inspect a complex pipe with an inside diameter from 40 mm to 50 mm. In addition, the actuator system was able to inspect the pipe with a simple apparatus of three amplifiers and one signal generator.

Methane fermentation is an effective way to treat wet organic wastes. Since methane fermentation is a multistage process, intermediates are likely to accumulate and cause fermentation inhibition. Two phase methane fermentation process enables further accurate control of the environmental conditions to suit each reaction and this will prevent fermentation inhibition. Hydrogen-methane two phase fermentation process can produce both H2 and CH4, and increase total energy quantity. Partial recirculation of methane fermentation sludge will act as inoculum compensation and pH control for the hydrogen fermentation process because the sludge includes hydrogen producing bacteria. Since methane fermentation sludge includes also hydrogen consuming microbes such as methanogenic bacteria and those that compete with hydrogen producing bacteria for substrate, making hydrogen producing bacteria dominant is necessary for a fine hydrogen- methane process. Heat treatment to the methane fermentation sludge has been used for effectively making the hydrogen fermentation bacteria dominant. This research aimed to develop a new treatment technology for effectively dominating the hydrogen producing bacteria. Hot compressed water (HCW) treatment was employed as a new treatment technology and was compared with heat treatment. Hydrogen fermentation was performed by using treated seed sludge and the effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated. Mesophilic methane fermentation sludge from food waste was used as seed sludge. Heat treatment was operated by a water bath at 95 °C for 2 h. HCW treatment was operated at 150 °C for 40 min as retention time under three different pressures 0.5, 2.5 and 4.5 MPa. Hydrogen fermentation was performed with a 100 ml batch reactor adding 0.375 g glucose as substrate in an incubator at 37 °C for 150h. Gas generation and composition were measured every 6 h with GC. The organic acid and glucose concentration was measured with HPLC after fermentation. Microbial community structure was analyzed with a next-generation DNA sequencer on the hydrogen fermentation sludge. HCW treatment at 0.5 MPa was effective and high hydrogen yield over 1.5 mol- H2/mol-glucose was obtained in two of three replicates, which was 4 times higher than non-treatment, and 3 times higher than heat treatment. Microbial community structure analysis showed that HCW treatment at 0.5 MPa was more effective than heat treatment for eliminating methanogenic bacteria and dominating Clostridium.

Rising atmospheric CO2 contents have led to greater CO2 uptake by the oceans, lowering both pH due to increasing hydrogen ions and CaCO3 saturation states due to declining carbonate ion (CO32−). Here we used previously compiled data sets and new data collected in 2010 and 2011 to investigate ocean acidification of the North Pacific western subarctic gyre. In winter, the western subarctic gyre is a source of CO2 to the atmosphere because of convective mixing of deep waters rich in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). We calculated pH in winter mixed layer from DIC and total alkalinity (TA), and found that it decreased at the rate of −0.0011 ± 0.0004 yr−1 from 1997 to 2011. This decrease rate is slower than that expected under the condition of seawater/atmosphere equilibration, and it is also slower than the rate in the subtropical regions (−0.002 yr−1). The slow rate is caused by a reduction of CO2 emission in winter due to an increase in TA. Below the mixed layer, the calcite saturation horizon (~ 185 m depth) shoaled at the rate of 2.9 ± 0.9 m yr−1 as the result of the declining CO32− concentration (−0.03 ± 0.01 μmol kg−1 yr−1). Between 200 m and 300 m depth, pH decline during the study period (−0.0051 ± 0.0010 yr−1) was larger than ever reported in the open North Pacific. This enhanced acidification rate below the calcite saturation horizon reflected not only the uptake of anthropogenic CO2 but also the increase in the decomposition of organic matter evaluated from the increase in AOU, which suggests that the dissolution of CaCO3 particles increased.