The aim of the present study was to show a relationship between toxicity of 100-fold concentrated water and aquatic habitat conditions. Environmental waters are 100-fold concentrated with solid-phase extraction. Medaka early fry was exposed in these waters for 48 h. The number of death and disorder was counted at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h; toxicity was expressed using inverse median effect time and median lethal time (ET (50)(-1), LT (50)(-1)). Average score per taxon (ASPT) for benthic animals and Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for fish were applied as indices of aquatic habitat conditions. The results of toxicity test were compared using ASPT and IBI. The different levels of toxicity were detected in the seawater of Japan. At the Husino River area, toxicity cannot be detected. In rivers, high toxicity appeared at urban districts without sewerage. By Spearman coefficient, the relationship between toxicity and high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) were obtained. BOD household wastewater contains hydrophobic toxic matters; otherwise, seawater in industrial area does not show clear relationship between toxicity and chemical oxygen demand. Gas chromatography to mass spectrometry simultaneous analysis database may give an answer for the source of toxicity, but further test is required. Ratio of clear stream benthic animal sharply decreased over 0.25 of LT (50)(-1) or 0.5 of ET (50)(-1). Tolerant fish becomes dominant over 0.3 of LT (50)(-1) or 0.5-1.0 of ET (50)(-1). By Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, correlation coefficient between toxicity and ASPT was obtained at -0.773 (ET (50)(-1)) and -0.742 (LT (50)(-1)) at 1 % level of significance with a high negative correlation. Toxicity (LT (50)(-1) ) has strong correlation with the ratio of tolerant species. By Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, correlation coefficient between toxicity and IBI obtained were -0.155 (ET (50)(-1)) and -0.190 (LT (50)(-1)) at 1 % level of significance and has a low or no correlation between toxicity and IBI. Even with low toxic environmental waters, toxicity test using 100-fold concentrated and medaka early fly could detect acute toxicity. The detected toxicity seemed to limit the inhabiting aquatic species in the water body.
Core-shell SiO x nanocomposite powders have been produced in a single continuous plasma spray process. The addition of CH 4 at appropriate amounts during plasma spraying of SiO was found to be quite effective in promoting the reduction of SiO and thus increasing the crystalline Si amount after the disproportionation reaction. The half-coin cell assembled using these powders for the negative electrode has exhibited a stable capacity higher than 1000 mAh/g with the coulombic efficiency of around 99.3%, both of which are higher values than those of the cell with raw SiO. Electrochemical analysis has revealed that the resistance at the SiO x particle surface decreases potentially with Li 2 O formation from the beginning of the first lithiation. The decrease in the resistance is further enhanced by the addition of CH 4 , although more volume change is expected because of the increased crystalline Si phase content. As a result, the core-shell SiO nanocomposite produced by plasma spraying with CH 4 becomes advantageous in attaining high capacity and high retention efficiency simultaneously.
By a novel oxygen absorption process, low oxygen-content Cu-alloy is implemented for fully-scaled-down, 45 nm-node dual damascene interconnects (DDIs) with 140 nm-pitched lines and 70 nm ø -vias. In this process, a very thin metal film as an oxygen absorber, which has larger negative change in the standard Gibbs free energy of oxidation than a barrier metal, is put on a natural oxide at a surface of electro-plated, Cu film. The oxygen atoms diffuse to the oxygen absorber, not to the barrier metal under the Cu film, achieving high quality Cu/barrier interface after annealing. Combining the oxygen absorption process with Cu-alloy process, 45 nm-node DDI in molecular-pore-stacking (MPS) SiOCH film is successfully obtained with high endurances for SIV, EM and TDDB.
Age, growth and maturity of the Japanese sardinella Sardinella zunasi were estimated from scale readings, observations and measurements of gonads. Specimens were collected by angling and set net as well as from commercial landings. Scale rings were found to be formed once a year from September to October. The matured are at least 9.5 cm in standard length for both sexes and the spawning season extends from June to September and its peak is in August. By applying the maximum likelihood method to the standard length-at-age data, we found that von BertalanŠy's growth equation with seasonal changes is a betterˆt than any other type of growth model, i.e.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.