Construction of a genomic DNA library with a TA vector and its application in cloning of the phytoene synthase gene from the cyanobacteriumSpirulina platensis M-135

INTRODUCTIONThesignalproaningschemeofmostpnsentsonarsyStasuChaseChosounder,fishfinder,etc.,deteCtsthesignaIsaanrdingt0theamPlitudethasholdafterthefilter.However,inacomplicatalandfrequenhychangingunderotCfacousticalchanne,thesta-bilityandreiabilityofthiskindofsonarsySteIndroeshamlyasanysySthenoisewhleadt0anindedion.AmplitudefaderesultingfromstrongsignalfluCtuationcauseslossofdata.InsomesyStetnS,suchasndnelocatingsonar,highrangingamCyisneded,soasinglededionschernecann0tadapttoit.Resul…     

Phylogeny of transfer RNA and origins of organelles

By using nucleotide sequences of transfer RNA's, the endosymbiotic model for the origin of chloroplasts and mitochondria is examined. The endosymbiotic origin of the chloroplasts is confirmed, but concerning the origin of the mitochondria no conclusion can be drawn. Phyletic relations of euglenoids to higher plants and to animals are also discussed. Finally, phylogeny of fungi is discussed in terms of tRNA sequences and it is proposed that the classical taxonomy of fungi should be reconsidered in terms of molecular taxonomy or molecular paleontology.     

The domain of validity of the KdV-type solitary rossby waves in the shallow water β-plane model

The Domain, where the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the KdV-type solitary Rossby waves are satisfied is defined in the shallow water β-plane model. The KdV-type solitary Rossby waves are the Rossby waves whose time-longitude dependence is determined by the KdV equation. As far as an appropriate amplitude and an appropriate ratio of the scales of the east-west and north-south directions are given, the KdV-type solitary Rossby waves can exist for every basic zonal flow. This result suggests the large validity of the soliton model in geophysical fluid dynamics. The KdV-type solitary Rossby waves are classified into four categories: (1) shear solitons studied by Long, Larsen, Benny, Redekop, and Hukuda, (2) β-divergent solitons studied by Clarke, Yamagata, and Nogami, (3) β-solitons found in the case of the strong stratification, and (4) divergent solitons which exist in the planetary-geostrophic-scale zonal flow. A remarkable result is that, in addition to the conventional east-west elongated solitons, the north-south elongated solitons can also exist for the case of the divergent solitons.     

Organohalogen and organotin compounds in killer whales mass-stranded in the Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaido, Japan

Blubber and liver samples were obtained for analysis of wide ranges of contaminants from killer whales (Orcinus orca) which were locked away in drifting sea ice on the coast of Rausu, the Shiretoko Peninsula in Eastern Hokkaido, Japan in February 2005. Among the organohalogen compounds analyzed, DDTs were the predominant contaminants with concentrations ranging from 28 to 220 microg/g on a lipid-weight basis followed by PCBs and other organochlorine pesticides. PBDEs levels were two or three orders of magnitude lower than those of PCBs and DDTs. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) derived by WHO mammal-TEF in killer whales were in the range of 110-440 pgTEQ/g. Mono-ortho coplanar PCBs contributed to 75-98% of total TEQs, indicating coplanar PCBs are significant contaminants for risk assessment in this species. The fact that hepatic residue levels of butyltins (from 13 to 770 ng/g wet weight) were much higher than those of phenyltins may be reflecting extensive use of tributyltin as antifouling paint.     

An improved methodology to measure evaporation from bare soil based on comparison of surface temperature with a dry soil surface

Accurate estimation of the resistances to water vapor movement is a major difficulty in evaluating evaporation from soil. By including the temperature of a dry soil surface (the temperature of the surface of a dry soil column buried in the field), a method for estimating evaporation from soil is proposed. The necessary input variables for the suggested method are temperature, net radiation, and soil heat flux. There are three advantages of the proposed method over the conventional methods. First, soil surface resistance and aerodynamic resistance are not required. Second, the variables included are fewer. Third, measurement and analysis of the parameters involved are relatively easy. Sensitivity analysis shows that the suggested method is sensitive to temperatures. Test experiments were conducted in a sandy field, where a weighing lysimeter was installed. Evaporation from soil, together with the variables specified above, were measured. For temperatures measured by thermocouples, experimental results showed that the mean absolute error (MAE) for the daily evaporation over 22 days was 0.17 mm day⁻¹. The regression between calculated and measured evaporation was highly significant (r²=0.89). Moreover, the intercept and slope of the regression equation were not significantly different from zero and unity, respectively, at the 0.05 probability level. Furthermore, by using the temperatures measured by infrared thermometers, the MAE between measured evaporation and estimated evaporation was 0.15 mm day⁻¹. The regression between them was highly significant (r²=0.94). In addition, the intercept and slope of the regression equation were not significantly different from zero and unity, respectively, at the 0.05 probability level. These results show that evaporation calculated using the proposed method is in good agreement with lysimeter measured values. By comparing with the temperature difference method, it was shown that the suggested method estimated soil evaporation more accurately than the temperature difference method. Therefore, it is concluded that the proposed method is not only a simple way for application, but also an accurate way to estimate soil evaporation.