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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2008.12.002 Byline: T. Toyoda (a), S. Masuda (a), N. Sugiura (a), T. Mochizuki (a), H. Igarashi (b), M. Kamachi (c), Y. Ishikawa (d), T. Awaji (a)(d) Keywords: Air-sea coupled process; El NiA[+ or -]o; Data assimilation; 4D-VAR Abstract: Time-varying air-sea coupled processes in the central to eastern equatorial Pacific associated with strong El NiA[+ or -]o development during the 1997-1998 period are examined using a newly developed reanalysis dataset obtained from four-dimensional variational ocean-atmosphere coupled data assimilation experiments. The time series of this data field exhibits realistic features of El NiA[+ or -]o evolution. Our analysis indicates that resonance between eastward-propagating oceanic downwelling Kelvin waves and the seasonal rise of sea-surface temperature (SST) in the central to eastern equatorial Pacific generates relatively persistent high SST conditions accompanied by a deeper thermocline and more relaxed easterly winds than usual. The surface condition resulting from the wave-seasonal SST resonance represents a preconditioned state that leads to an enhancement in incident downwelling Kelvin waves to levels sufficient to induce large-amplitude unstable coupled waves in the central to eastern equatorial region. Heat balance estimates using our reanalysis dataset suggest that the unstable coupled waves are categorized within the intermediate regime of coupled Kelvin and Rossby waves and have the potential to grow rapidly. We argue that the seasonal resonance and the unstable coupled waves should play crucial roles in the development of the largest historical El NiA[+ or -]o event, which was recorded between late 1997 and early 1998. Author Affiliation: (a) Frontier Research Center for Global Change, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokohama, Japan (b) Marine-Earth Data and Information Department, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokohama, Japan (c) Meteorological Research Institute, Japan Meteorological Agency, Tsukuba, Japan (d) Department of Geophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Article History: Received 29 December 2007; Revised 1 December 2008; Accepted 4 December 2008

Summary A 7-year-old neutered male domestic short-haired cat that had undergone contrast radiography of the bowel with barium sulphate after acute episodes of vomiting 2 months previously, was presented with chronic vomiting, anorexia and weight loss. Abdominal radiography and ultrasonography revealed residual contrast enhancement and an obstruction of the small intestine. A contracted and stenosed ileum and distal jejunum were identified by exploratory laparotomy and surgically resected; subsequently, the clinical signs resolved. Histopathological examination of the ileum revealed mucosal ulceration with severe submucosal granulation tissue formation associated with scattered foreign crystalline material. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed that the crystals contained barium sulphate. This is the first report in animals of the rare complication of barium sulphate incorporation into the gastrointestinal mucosa after contrast radiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We experienced three cases of nocardiosis by Nocardia farcinica in the same ward within a six-month period. The result of gene analysis by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA gave the same pattern. Thus, these three cases were considered to be caused by the same strain of N. farcinica, implying the presence of nosocomial infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We investigated the impacts of extensive anthropogenic (high seas driftnet squid fishery) and natural (late 1990s major climate regime shift) events on dominant epipelagic fish, squid, and shark in the central North Pacific Transition Region based on a driftnet survey covering the years 1979–2006. Fishing was conducted by Japan, Korea and Taiwan to target neon flying squid in the period 1979–1992, resulting in a decline in stocks of the target species and non-target species (Pacific pomfret and juvenile blue shark), which were by-catch of this fishery. The catch was found to be at the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) level for neon flying squid, the underfished level for juvenile blue shark, but the overfished level for Pacific pomfret. The MSY of Pacific pomfret indicated that this species is more susceptible to exploitation than previously considered. In response to the late 1990s regime shift, neon flying squid and Pacific saury showed low stock levels in 1999–2002 and 1998–2002, respectively, as a result of reduced productivity in their nursery grounds (the Subtropical Frontal Zone and Kuroshio Extension Bifurcation Region, respectively). On the other hand, Pacific pomfret showed no decreasing trend in stock during the low- and intermediate-productivity regimes because of the high productivity of their main spawning/nursery ground (Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front), which was independent of the regime shifts. Thus, squid and saury appear to be more susceptible to the regime shift than pomfret. We discuss the implications for stock management of the species-specific responses to the fishery and the regime shift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]