Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B

Reviews

Reminiscences on the study of wind waves

Hisashi MITSUYASU

2015 Volume 91 Issue 4 Pages 109-130
Published: April 10, 2015
Released on J-STAGE: April 10, 2015

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.91.109

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The wind blowing over sea surface generates tiny wind waves. They develop with time and space absorbing wind energy, and become huge wind waves usually referred to ocean surface waves. The wind waves cause not only serious sea disasters but also take important roles in the local and global climate changes by affecting the fluxes of momentum, heat and gases (e.g. CO₂) through the air-sea boundary. The present paper reviews the selected studies on wind waves conducted by our group in the Research Institute for Applied Mechanics (RIAM), Kyushu University. The themes discussed are interactions between water waves and winds, the energy spectrum of wind waves, nonlinear properties of wind waves, and the effects of surfactant on some air-sea interaction phenomena.

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Hydrogen sulfide and polysulfides as signaling molecules

Hideo KIMURA

2015 Volume 91 Issue 4 Pages 131-159
Published: April 10, 2015
Released on J-STAGE: April 10, 2015

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.91.131

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Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a familiar toxic gas that smells of rotten eggs. After the identification of endogenous H₂S in the mammalian brain two decades ago, studies of this molecule uncovered physiological roles in processes such as neuromodulation, vascular tone regulation, cytoprotection against oxidative stress, angiogenesis, anti-inflammation, and oxygen sensing. Enzymes that produce H₂S, such as cystathionine β-synthase, cystathionine γ-lyase, and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase have been studied intensively and well characterized. Polysulfides, which have a higher number of inner sulfur atoms than that in H₂S, were recently identified as potential signaling molecules that can activate ion channels, transcription factors, and tumor suppressors with greater potency than that of H₂S. This article focuses on our contribution to the discovery of these molecules and their metabolic pathways and mechanisms of action.

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Original Article

Discovery of radioactive silver (^110mAg) in spiders and other fauna in the terrestrial environment after the meltdown of Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant

Hiromi NAKANISHI, Atsushi MORI, Kouki TAKEDA, Houdo TANAKA, Natsuko KO ...

2015 Volume 91 Issue 4 Pages 160-174
Published: April 10, 2015
Released on J-STAGE: April 10, 2015

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.91.160

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Six months after the explosion of TEPCO’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, radioactive silver (^110mAg), was detected in concentrations of 3754 Bq/kg in Nephila clavata (the orb-web spider; Joro-gumo in Japanese) collected at Nimaibashi, Iitate village in Fukushima Prefecture, whereas ^110mAg in the soil was 43.1 Bq/kg. A survey of 35 faunal species in the terrestrial environment during the 3.5 years after the accident showed that most of Anthropoda had two orders higher ^110mAg in their tissues than soils, although silver is not an essential element for their life. However, tracing of the activity of ^110mAg detected in spider Atypus karschi collected regularly at a fixed location showed that it declined much faster than the physical half-life. These results suggest that ^110mAg was at once biologically concentrated by faunal species, especially Arthropoda, through food chain. The factors affecting the subsequent rapid decline of ^110mAg concentration in faunal species are discussed.

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