Coast Of Taiwan Research Articles

Movement behaviour of released wild and farm-raised dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus tracked by pop-up satellite archival tags

To gauge the effectiveness of supplementing native populations of dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, we compared farm-raised and wild fish in terms of their horizontal and vertical movement patterns, habitat preferences and thermal niche using pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) deployed in two disparate locations: the sub-tropical southeastern coast of Taiwan (wild, n = 4), and temperate Kagoshima Bay, Japan (farm-raised, n = 3). Tagged fish were tracked for periods of 7–40 days, reached depths > 100 m, and experienced temperatures of 15–30 °C in Taiwan, and 20–23 °C in Kagoshima Bay. Fish tagged in Taiwan made primarily northward movements during early summer but changed to a southward course in early winter. In Kagoshima Bay, tagged fish undertook southward excursions along the coast and movements were confined to the bay. Dolphinfish spent > 50% of their time near the surface and made more extensive vertical movements during the night than during the day; vertical movements were largely confined to the mixed layer. Depth distributions appeared to be limited by a Δ6 °C change in temperature relative to sea surface temperature (i.e., > 90% of movements were within 6 °C of the warmest water available).

Acknowledging differences: number, characteristics, and distribution of marine benthic communities along Taiwan coast

AbstractOur knowledge of the ability of coral reefs to face contemporary challenges disregards the wide variety of benthic communities (BCs) that could be associated with contrasted dynamics when facing stressors. Accordingly, this study investigates the number, characteristics, and distribution of BCs responsible for the development of coastal three‐dimensional structures in Taiwan. A total of 89 transects among three regions (north, east, and south) and two depths (−10 and −40 m) were characterized using a morpho‐functional categorization of benthic organisms. Using an unsupervised learning algorithm, k‐means cluster, an optimal number of k groups were identified among transects in order to minimize total intra‐group variance and represent a first level of organization, mirroring the number of BCs. Each BC was then described into prevailing categories and typified by an association with significant indicator groups. Their distributions were further examined and tested among regions and depths. Seven BCs were identified as having different composition and indicator categories. Their distributions suggest that, while sea surface temperature and light regime may be associated with a panel of available BCs, local conditions may have the final say on whether a BC eventually thrives at a given location. Overall, this study proposes an innovative and simple analytical framework for acknowledging differences among BCs. Our results encourage greater consideration of these shades in coral reef ecology studies, as they could conceal a variety of roles and dynamics important for the conservation of these endangered ecosystems.

Assessing the Potential Highest Storm Tide Hazard in Taiwan Based on 40-Year Historical Typhoon Surge Hindcasting

Typhoon-induced storm surges are catastrophic disasters in coastal areas worldwide, although typhoon surges are not extremely high in Taiwan. However, the rising water level around an estuary could be a block that obstructs the flow of water away from the estuary and indirectly forms an overflow in the middle or lower reaches of a river if the occurrence of the highest storm surge (HSS) coincides with the highest astronomical tide (HAT). Therefore, assessing the highest storm tide (HST, a combination of the HSS and HAT) hazard level along the coast of Taiwan is particularly important to an early warning of riverine inundation. This study hindcasted the storm surges of 122 historical typhoon events from 1979 to 2018 using a high-resolution, unstructured-grid, surge-wave fully coupled model and a hybrid typhoon wind model. The long-term recording measurements at 28 tide-measuring stations around Taiwan were used to analyze the HAT characteristics. The hindcasted HSSs of each typhoon category (the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan classified typhoon events into nine categories according to the typhoon’s track) were extracted and superposed on the HATs to produce the individual potential HST hazard maps. Each map was classified into six hazard levels (I to VI). Finally, a comprehensive potential HST hazard map was created based on the superposition of the HSSs from 122 typhoon events and HATs.

Description of a new species of the genus Acropoma (Acropomatidae) from the Arafura Sea with a redescription of Acropoma leobergi Prokofiev 2018 and the first record of Acropoma boholensis Yamanoue and Matsuura 2002 from the South China Sea

A new species of the genus Acropoma, A. arafurensis sp. nov., is described based on two specimens (57.3–76.2 mm standard length: SL) collected from the Arafura Sea. The present species is distinguished from other congeners by a combination of the following characters: luminous gland U-shaped extending from throat to posterior tip of pectoral fin; luminous-gland length 29.5–32.0% SL; symphysis of lower jaw not sharply protruded; proximal radial of first anal-fin pterygiophore with concavity on anterior surface; anus situated closer to pelvic-fin insertion than to origin of anal fin; cycloid scales on lateral side of posterior half of body; vertical line on cheek absent; scales between first dorsal-fin base and lateral line 4; pectoral-fin rays 15; and gill rakers 20–21. Acropoma leobergi is redescribed based on 60 specimens (38.6–143.5 mm SL) from Taiwan, Philippines, and northern and west coast of Australia. Additionally, two specimens (94.9–103.1 mm SL) of A. boholensis collected from Luzon, Philippines, represent the first record of this species from the South China Sea.

Assessment of Cryosat-2 and SARAL/AltiKa altimetry for measuring inland water and coastal sea level variations: A case study on Tibetan Plateau lake and Taiwan Coast

Satellite altimetry has been proven as an effective technology to accurately measure water level, ice elevation, and flat land surface changes since the 1990s. To overcome limitations of pulse-limited altimetry, new altimetric missions such as Cryosat-2 and Satellite with ARgos and AltiKa (SARAL/AltiKa), have been designed to have higher along-track spatial resolution to measure more accurately inland water levels for small water bodies, and coastal sea level changes. In this study, we evaluate the performance of Cryosat-2 low-resolution (LRM) and SARin modes and SARAL/AltiKa Ka-band data on two connected lakes in central Tibetan Plateau, and in the coastal region of Taiwan. Results are compared with in situ tide gauge data in Taiwan and altimetric lake level time series from the CNES Hydroweb database. Our results show that water level change trends observed by Cryosat-2 20-Hz retracked observations, the SARAL/AltiKa 40-Hz Ice-1 retracked data, and the Hydroweb measurements are consistent with the estimated water level trend of ∼0.30 m/y, during 2011–2017, and 2013–2015, for the Tibetan Migriggyangzham Co and Dorsoidong Co, respectively. For the coastal region, the performance of SARAL/AltiKa is better than that of Cryosat-2 LRM data in Taiwan. This finding demonstrates the superiority of the Ka-band over Ku-band radar altimetry.

Geoacoustic provinces of the northern South China Sea based on sound speed as predicted from sediment grain sizes

The determination of geoacoustic provinces has important applications in assessing the responses of sedimentary environment and processes. Suitable geoacoustic provinces have not yet been identified in the northern South China Sea, which is an excellent study site for examining sediment acoustic properties. To determine the geoacoustic provinces of sediments in the northern South China Sea, 270 position samples were collected and analysed. Two-parameter empirical equations linking sediment grain-size components to sound speed were applied to sediments from the continental shelf and slope to accurately calculate sound speed in seafloor sediments, especially in the absence of site-specific acoustic data. Based on the ratios of sound speed within the sediments, two geoacoustic provinces are identified. Province I, which is characterized by low sound speed, primarily consists of fine-grained sediments discharged from the Pearl River. Province II, which is characterized by high sound speed, can be further divided into Province II-A and Province II-B. Province II-A is composed of mixed modern and relict sediments originating from the Pearl River and the southwest coast of Taiwan during a Pleistocene drop in sea level. Province II-B consists of coarser relict sediments caused by sea level change during the late Quaternary.

Ecological and Biological Characteristics for the Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus) Off Taiwan, with Conservation Evaluations on Potential Anthropogenic Threats

Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is one of the cetacean species commonly encountered off the eastern coast of Taiwan. The species appears to occur in Taiwanese waters year-round. Many biological and ecological characteristics, including group size, habitat preference, and ages at weaning and sexual maturity, are by-and-large in accord with earlier reports for populations in other geographic regions. Morphological assessments, dietary analyses, and genetic data altogether suggest the dolphins found in Taiwanese and Japanese waters are from the same population, which exhibits high genetic diversity and a sign of recent demographic expansion. The dolphin species is endorsed a “Rare and Valuable Species (Class II)” status and is protected by the Wildlife Conservation Act in Taiwan. However, it is still vulnerable to human activities, in terms of whale-watching tourism and coastal gill-net fisheries, with a growing concern on the level of heavy metal residues found in dolphin tissues. Current knowledge for the species is mostly derived from relatively limited information. Assessments on key biological and ecological features, e.g., population size, residency, social structure, and group composition, shall be prioritised for conservation initiatives.

Micro-colonization of arsenic-resistant Staphylococcus sp. As-3 on arsenopyrite (FeAsS) drives arsenic mobilization under anoxic sub-surface mimicking conditions

We investigated the subsurface biomatrix of the most abundant As-mineral, arsenopyrite (FeAsS), and meticulously studied a potential biogenic arsenic mobilization phenomenon. An arsenic-resistant [up to 7.5 mM As(III) and 200 mM As(V)] and arsenate-reducing bacterial strain (Staphylococcus sp. As-3) was isolated from a sediment core sample taken from the Budai borehole, on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Isolate As-3 could reduce 5 mM As(V) to 3.04 mM in 96 h, generating 1.6 mM As(III) under anoxic conditions. Isolate As-3, which adsorbed As(V) up to 19.02 mg g−1 (cdw) and As(III) up to 0.46 mg g−1 (cdw), demonstrated effective As-bioaccumulating ability, as corroborated by a TEM-EDS analysis. Under anaerobic batch conditions, isolate As-3 micro-colonies could grow on as well as interact with arsenopyrite (FeAsS), mobilizing arsenic into soluble phase as As(III) and As(V). Using synchrotron radiation-based FTIR micro-spectroscopy, various functional group signatures and critical chemical bonds enabling a direct interaction with arsenopyrite were underpinned, such as a potential P-OFe bond involved in facilitating bacteria-mineral interaction. Using atomic force microscopy, we analyzed the scattered bacterial cell arrangement and structure and measured various biomechanical properties of micro-colonized Staphylococcus sp. As-3 cells on arsenopyrite. We suggest that the release of organic acids from As-3 drives soluble arsenic release in the aqueous phase under anoxic conditions through oxidative dissolution. Furthermore, arsC-encoding putative cytoplasmic arsenic reductase sequencing and transcript characterization indicated that arsC plays a possible role in the reduction of moderately soluble As(V) to highly soluble toxic As(III) under anoxic conditions. Thus, we suggest that firmicutes such as Staphylococcus sp. As-3 may play an important role in microbially-mediated arsenic mobilization, leading to arsenic release in the sub-surface niche.

Probabilistic forecasting of coastal wave height during typhoon warning period using machine learning methods

Abstract This study applied machine learning methods to perform the probabilistic forecasting of coastal wave height during the typhoon warning period. The probabilistic forecasts comprise a deterministic forecast and the probability distribution of a forecast error. A support vector machine was used to develop a real-time forecasting model for generating deterministic wave height forecasts. The forecast errors of deterministic forecasting were then used as a database to generate probabilistic forecasts by using the modified fuzzy inference model. The innovation of the modified fuzzy inference model includes calculating the similarity of the data by performing fuzzy implication and resampling the potential data from the fuzzy database for probability distribution. The probabilistic forecasting method was applied to the east coast of Taiwan, where typhoons frequently cause large waves. Hourly wave height data from an offshore buoy and various typhoon characteristics were used as inputs of the probabilistic forecasting model. Validation results from real typhoon events verified that the proposed probabilistic forecasting model can generate the predicted confidence interval, which can properly enclose the observed wave height data, excluding some cases with extreme wave heights. Moreover, an objective measure was used to validate the proposed probabilistic forecasting method.

Effects of calcination on synthesis of hydroxyapatite derived from oyster shell powders

Oysters abound on the west coast of Taiwan and waste oyster shell production exceeds 0.12 million tons per year. The wide availability and natural-biological origin of oyster shells, containing several trace elements that will remain in the crystalline structure of synthesized HA making its composition alike human bone, will benefit the overall physiological functioning after implantation. In this study, solid-state reactions between oyster shell powders (CaCO3) and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) were performed through ball milling and subsequently calcining at various temperatures (900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 °C) and durations (1, 3, 5, and 10 h). The XRD results showed that we have successfully synthesized high phase-purity HA from DCPD and oyster shell powders through 1 h of milling and then calcined at 1000 °C for 10 h or at 1200 °C for 1 h. The crystallite size of as-prepared HA was around 45.3 nm, while the particle sizes were 2.23 and 2.59 μm, respectively. According to the FTIR analysis of as-prepared HA powders calcined at 1000 °C for 10 h or at 1200 °C for 1 h, the carbonate ion peaks observed for the specimen closely matched those of A- and B-type carbonates. It is worth noting that the final products composed of single-phase HA or biphasic calcium phosphate (HA+β-TCP) can easily be prepared by using different calcination temperatures and times, although we intended to produce pure HA from oyster shell powders.

Flood hazard mitigation in land subsidence prone coastal areas by optimal groundwater pumping

Continuing land subsidence can aggravate flood hazard and diminish the effectiveness of existing flood mitigation systems. This paper presents a study of groundwater‐ pumping management for mitigating flood hazard in a subsidence infested area in the southwest coast of Taiwan. An optimal groundwater‐pumping model is developed for preventing flood hazard from worsening and for satisfying the groundwater demand. In an area where the land is susceptible to pumping‐induced subsidence, the study shows that proper long‐term pumping strategy to manage spatial–temporal variation of future land subsidence should be an integral part of flood risk management as it can sustain the effectiveness of the flood mitigation measures.

Памятники Наньгуаньли и Наньгуаньли Дун в контексте реконструкции хозяйственного уклада ранненеолитического населения острова Тайвань.

In the 1960s, K.C. Chang proposed that Tapenkeng (Dabenkeng) inhabitants could be migrants from mainland China to the island and the ancestors of modern indigenous peoples. The first settlers could be characterized by corded pottery, a wide range of fishing tools, polished stone axes and adzes, marine economy and shell ornaments. The article presents the results of investigations of archaeological sites in Tainan County – Nankuanli (Nanguangli) and Nankuanli Tung (Nanguangli Dong) which provide essential and detailed information regarding the question of the peopling of Taiwan approximately 6000 years ago. The article focuses on publications that discuss the economy and way of life of the first settlers of the Taiwanese seaside who strongly relied on marine food resources. Faunal data played an important role in the reconstruction of resource use. A big amount of shell remains indicate their significant role in the diet of ancient inhabitants. About 21 families and 49 species of gastropods and bivalves were identified by Taiwanese scientists. Remnants of dogs, deer, wild boar and muntjac were also found. Fish bones was the most abundant food resource in the Nankuanli region – 17 fish families can be identified. Analyses of the excavated materials indicate a gradual shift of these settlements from temporary to places of permanent habitation and intensive exploration of nearby environments. Taiwanese archaeologists also conclude that the inhabitants of this area were not isolated and had strong long-distance connections with Penghu archipelago and the eastern coast of Taiwan (Pinglin in Hualien) from where they sourced raw materials such as jade and olivine basalt. Therefore, they had sailing crafts suitable for open sea voyaging. Also, according to the finds of carbonized rice and millet remains these settlers had learned advanced farming technology.

From Collective Consent to Consultation Platform: An Experience of Indigenous Research Ethics in Makota’ay

In 2015, six organisations, including the Makota’ay Community Development Association, Hualien Tribal College (HTC), and the project team of Dynamics of Eastern Taiwan in the New Century at National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) co-signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Makota’ay, a Pangcah2 tribal community on the east coast of Taiwan. The MoU establishes a community-focused interactive paradigm that aims towards collaboration in the promotion of indigenous education. By agreeing upon the MoU, the parties become partners in research. This moved research away from conventional paradigm where Indigenous peoples are subjects, and put Makota’ay’s input and aspirations towards constructing local knowledge at the centre of the multilateral relationship. One of the purposes of the MoU is to enact Article 21 of The Indigenous Peoples Basic Law, which mandates that research involving indigenous peoples should obtain the consent of the individual, and collective consent of the indigenous community.

Discrimination of Wild and Hatchery-Reared Black Porgy <i>Acanthopagrus schlegelii</i> Using Otolith Elements Analysis of Magnesium and Manganese

Due to the decreasing resources of both inshore and offshore fisheries, many organizations have released fry to enhance their stock in recent years. The discrimination between wild and hatchery-reared individuals must be performed to assess the efficiency of the release. Fresh groundwater is generally used by hatchers in southwesternTaiwanto decrease salinity and to promote the growth of larvae prior to feeding; thus, the elemental composition of the otolith may be different in stocks, and this difference may be used for identification. This study used Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to analyze the trace elements in the nuclei of otoliths from black porgy Acanthopagrus schlegelii, including six hatchery reared specimens from the Tainan County, three recaptured marked and ten captured unmarked specimens from the Miaoli County in Northwestern coast of Taiwan. Among the six hatchery and three recaptured marked specimens, which ranged from 4.9 to23.4 cmin body length, the nucleus zone (relative to within5 cmin size growth) of the otoliths showed higher magnesium concentrations than that observed on both edges. The distribution was similar to an inverse “V” shape. The otoliths also showed lower manganese concentrations near the nucleus and had higher values near the edges, resulting in a distribution similar to a “U” shape. According to the appeared shape of Mg2+/Ca2+ and Mn2+/Ca2+ ratio in the central area of the nucleus zone, this study determined six specimens which were from hatchery reared and three specimens were from wild among ten unmarked specimens captured from the Northwestern coast of Taiwan. Under the conditions used in this study, the absorption of calcium into the otolith was active and required energy in the seawater and freshwater, while the incorporation of magnesium and manganese was passive and was primarily affected by diffusion.

Phylogeography and genetic connectivity of the marine macro-alga Sargassum ilicifolium (Phaeophyceae, Ochrophyta) in the northwestern Pacific1.

The evolutionary influences of historical and contemporary factors on the population connectivity and phylogeographic structure of a brown seaweed, Sargassum ilicifolium, were elucidated using the nuclear ITS2 and mitochondrial COI markers for the collections newly sampled within its distribution range in the northwestern Pacific (NWP). Significant genetic structure at variable levels was identified between populations (pairwise FST ) and among populations grouped by geographical proximity (ΦCT among regions). The adjacent groups of populations with moderate structure revealed from AMOVA appeared to have high genetic connectivity. However, a lack of genealogical concordance with the geographic distribution was uncovered for S.ilicifolium from the NWP. Such genetic homogeneity is interpreted as a result of the interaction between postglacial recolonization and dynamic oceanic current regimes in the region. Two separated glacial refugia, the South China Sea and the Okinawa Trough, in the marginal seas of east China were recognized based on the presence of endemic haplotypes and high haplotype diversity in the populations at southern China and northeast of Taiwan. Populations persisting in these refugia may have served as the source for recolonization in the NWP with the rise of sea level during the warmer interglacial periods. The role of oceanic currents in maintaining genetic connectivity of S.ilicifolium in the region was further corroborated by the coherence between the direction of oceanic currents and that of gene flow, especially along the eastern coast of Taiwan. This study underlines the interaction between historical postglacial recolonization and contemporary coastal hydrodynamics in contributing to population connectivity and distribution for this tropical seaweed in the NWP.

Influences of sea level rise on tides and storm surges around the Taiwan coast

Global sea level rise (SLR) rates are accelerating, and abnormal weather is occurring more frequently due to global warming and climate change. SLR could intensify coastal disasters and concerns of an increase in storminess. In this study, a two-dimensional advanced circulation model (ADCIRC) was used to simulate tides and storm surges around the Taiwan coast. The model was calibrated and verified using observed tides and storm surges at four tidal gauge stations, including Taipei Tamsui, Taichung Harbor, Kaohsiung Harbor, and Hualien Harbor, based on historical typhoon events. The root mean square error and skill value of the differences between the computed and observed water levels for model calibration and validation were in the range of 0.08–0.27 m and 0.92–0.99, respectively. The results showed a reasonable agreement between the simulated and observed tidal levels and surge heights. The validated model was then used to assess the impact of SLR on the tides and surge heights. Four typical typhoon events under present-day sea level conditions and under SLR conditions of 0.87 m and 1.9 m were used for the model simulations. The simulated results show that the largest differences in water levels and surge heights between present-day conditions and SLR of 0.87 m and 1.9 m are found at Taichung Harbor compared to other three-gauge stations. The changes in M2 tidal amplitude are less than 1 cm due to sea level rise. Moreover, the timing of the M2 tide was earlier by approximately 4.7 min and 9 min under SLR 0.87 m and 1.9 m, respectively, at Taichung Harbor. The maximum increases in water level ranged from 9.2 cm to 13.7 cm under SLR of 0.87 m and from 19.2 cm to 24.8 cm under SLR of 1.9 m at Taichung Harbor. The peak water level can significantly increase as a result of the SLR. All of these characteristics respond to an SLR with nonlinear and nonuniform behavior.

Intrepid rafting weevil larvae survive 6 days at sea

There are many talented creatures in the Animal Kingdom, from swimmers and flyers to species with extreme hearing and vision, but Wen-San Huang from the National Museum of Natural Science, Taiwan, wants to add rafting to the list of extraordinary animal achievements. He knew that flightless insects, and even some small mammals, can wash up on distant shores in just a matter of days, having clung to pieces of vegetation that are washed out to sea and carried over hundreds of kilometres by strong ocean currents. However, success is only assured if the plucky seafarers are capable of surviving immersion in dehydrating saltwater. Huang also realised that insects may undertake these perilous voyages at different life stages, either as eggs or as larvae. As flightless Pachyrhynchus weevils have dispersed over great distances and successfully colonised some Pacific islands, Huang and Hui-Ying Yeh tested the resilience of one member of the family to saltwater.‘These weevils [Pachyrhynchus jitanasaius] cannot be caught using traps, so we look for them in the field and catch them in trees with nets’, says Hui-Yun Tseng, who travelled to Green Island off the coast of Taiwan with Jung-Ya Hsu to collect three pairs of the elusive beetles. Then, Yeh painstakingly collected the beetles’ minute eggs and installed them in tiny perforations in fish poison tree (Barringtonia asiatica) leaf veins to develop, first into larvae and then into adults. Once Yeh had established the P. jitanasaius colony in the laboratory, she immersed all three beetle life stages in water – ranging from fresh to brackish (16.5‰ salinity) and full seawater (35‰ salinity) – for 3, 7 and 14 days to see how the insects faired. Sadly, none of the adults survived for more than 1.5 days – even in freshwater – with most dying within the first 24 h, making it unlikely that the adults could endure such perilous crossings. However, the larvae were hardier – 25% surviving 7 days of immersion in seawater – and many went on to develop successfully into adults. But the weevil eggs were the most robust, with more than 80% hatching, regardless of the salinity.So how well would the larvae survive when burrowed within pieces of ocean-going fruit? Having implanted one weevil larva per fish poison tree fruit, Yeh installed a wave-making machine in a tank in the lab and allowed the fruit to bob about in the simulated ocean for 6 days – the length of time that it would take for a fruit to travel from the Babuyna Islands, off the Philippines, to the Japanese Yaeyama Islands. And, in an even more audacious experiment, Huang and Yeh cast some of the larvae-laden fruit adrift in the Kuroshio current off Taiwan for 6 days to find out whether any of the insects would survive. Remarkably, two of the larvae emerged alive from the lab-bound fruit and the team was even more impressed when, after retrieving the drifting fruit from the Pacific, they discovered two more survivors, both of which went on to develop into adults.‘Our study provides the first empirical evidence that P. jitanasaius larvae can survive oceanic rafting inside fish poison tree fruit’, says Huang, who suspects that the tough waterproof fruit, packed with buoyant air pockets and nutrition, could provide the ideal mode of transport for pioneering weevil settlers.

Additional Vitamin and Mineral Support for Patients with Severe Burns: A Nationwide Experience from a Catastrophic Color-Dust Explosion Event in Taiwan.

Major burn injuries, which encompass ≥20% of the total body surface area (TBSA), are the most severe form of trauma because of the stress response they provoke, which includes hypermetabolism, muscle wasting, and stress-induced diabetes. In 2015, a color-dust explosion disaster occurred in the Formosa Fun Coast of Taiwan and injured 499 people, who were transferred via a nationwide emergency delivery system. Some recommendations are currently available regarding vitamin and mineral support for wound healing and recovery in severe burns, but there is a lack of evidence to confirm the benefits. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the effects of additional vitamin and mineral support for patients with severe burn injuries. Sixty-one hospitalized individuals with major burns (full thickness and ≥20% TBSA) were classified into the supplement (n = 30) and control (n = 31) groups, according to whether they received supplementation with additional vitamins, calcium, and magnesium. There were significant differences between the supplement and control groups in the incidence of wound infection (30.0% vs. 77.4%, p < 0.001), sepsis (13.3% vs. 41.9%, p = 0.021), and hospitalization days (51.80 vs. 76.81, p = 0.025). After adjustment, logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared to those in the control group, patients in the supplement group had a lower risk for wound infection (OR 0.11; 95% CI 0.03–0.43; p = 0.002) and sepsis (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.01–0.61; p = 0.014). Supplementation of multiple vitamins, calcium, and magnesium reduced the risk of wound infection and sepsis, shortened the time of hospitalization, and can be considered for use in major burns.

Applications of ocean currents data from high-frequency radars and current profilers to search and rescue missions around Taiwan

ABSTRACTTo enhance the immediacy and accuracy of search and rescue missions conducted by Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (TCGA), this study examines the characteristics of ocean currents and estimates the drifting trajectory of objects for two cases of marine incidents. Two methods are used to predict object’s drift tracks: the first one is simply calculating the advection driven by currents and the second method adopts a Monte Carlo based software, SARMAP. Ocean currents data from a high-frequency radar system comprised of 18 radar units surrounding Taiwan supplemented by bottom-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) data and wind data are used as the primary oceanic environment data. The estimated ending points of drifting for both cases of missing persons in water by using both methods are consistent with the actual recovery locations. Our analyses demonstrate that ocean currents data, if properly used, can be very useful for rapid response in marine search and rescue.

Interaction of coastal countercurrent in I-Lan Bay with the Kuroshio northeast of Taiwan

The interaction of coastal water in I-Lan Bay, a bay near northeast Taiwan, and the Kuroshio Current is studied using the data from hydrologic survey and satellite remote sensing. An index for water mass distinguished is used for clarifying the origin of water mass in I-Lan Bay. The velocity profile from acoustic Doppler current profile data indicates a countercurrent that flows southward along the northeast coast of Taiwan toward I-Lan Bay with a speed around 0.1–0.2 m/s. The index of water mass indicates that the water of I-Lan Bay is mainly affected by the northern shelf waters of Taiwan and mixed with Kuroshio nearshore water, thus forming a clear ocean front between these two areas. The near surface water temperature in the I-Lan Bay is about 2 °C lower than that in the Kuroshio region. The seasonal average near surface salinity of I-Lan Bay can exist 0.4 psu fresher than the Kuroshio area. From the analysis of dynamic process, the coastal countercurrent in I-Lan Bay is primarily affected by 1) the occurrence of cold dome in northeast of Taiwan mainly occurs in summer, and 2) the wind-driven current from the Taiwan Strait along the north coast and the northeast coast of Taiwan caused by the southwesterly monsoon makes the countercurrents strongly in summer. The dynamics of the countercurrent occurrence can be explained by the Ekman transport theory.