Southwestern Coast Of Taiwan Research Articles

Participatory mapping of ecosystem services of coastal wetlands in Taiwan

AbstractThere is a lack of knowledge and understanding about what ecosystem services are and how to utilize them in a sustainable way. Ecosystem services are thus often underrecognized by the decision makers in charge of creating wetland management plans. Due to this, ecosystem services, which have been used by communities for a long time, are often left out of wetland's wise‐use plans. Inclusion of local communities and promotion of local knowledge are vital aspects of creating sustainable, equitable and resilient wetland management plans that are truly ‘wise’. In this research, we utilize participatory mapping methods to engage communities and create a database of the ecosystem services being used in Chigu Salt Pan Wetland and Chigu Lagoon, located along the coast of Southwestern Taiwan. We look at who are using the ecosystem services, to what degree they are being used and where exactly in the wetland system they are being extracted/utilized. This will pave the way for future researchers to better understand the value of Chigu Salt Pan Wetland and the ecosystem services they provide and promote the use of participatory methods in other locations.

Methanooceanicella nereidis gen. nov., sp. nov., the first oceanic Methanocellaceae methanogen, isolated from potential methane hydrate bearing area offshore southwestern Taiwan.

A novel mesophilic, hydrogenotrophic methanogen, strain CWC-04T, was obtained from a sediment sample extracted from a gravity core retrieved at station 22 within the KP-9 area off the southwestern coast of Taiwan during the ORIII-1368 cruise in 2009. Cells of strain CWC-04T were rod-shaped, 1.4-2.9 µm long by 0.5-0.6 µm wide, and occurred singly. Strain CWC-04Tutilized formate, H2/CO2, 2-propanol/CO2 or 2-butanol/CO2 as catabolic substrates. The optimal growth conditions were 42 °C, 0.17 M NaCl and pH 5.35. The genomic DNA G+C content calculated from the genome sequence of strain CWC-04T was 46.19 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene revealed that strain CWC-04T is affiliated with the genus Methanocella. The 16S rRNA gene sequences similarities within strains Methanocella arvoryzae MRE50T, Methanocella paludicola SANAET and Methanocella conradii HZ254T were 93.7, 93.0 and 91.3 %, respectively. In addition, the optical density of CWC-04T culture dropped abruptly upon entering the late-log growth phase, with virus-like particles (150 nm in diameter) being observed on and around the cells. This observation suggests that strain CWC-04T harbours a lytic virus. Based on these phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic results, we propose that strain CWC-04T represents a novel species of a novel genus in the family Methanocellaceae, for which the name Methanooceanicella nereidis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CWC-04T (=BCRC AR10050T=NBRC 113165T).

Assessing the inundation risk of cultural heritages along the southwestern coast of Taiwan: present and future

Assessing the inundation risk of cultural heritages along the southwestern coast of Taiwan: present and future

Socioeconomic adaptation to geomorphological change: An empirical study in Cigu Lagoon, southwestern coast of Taiwan

Coastal erosion in the lagoon systems is concerned as they are dynamic landscapes, often highly productive and beneficial to humankind. Cigu Lagoon contains rich and diverse ecosystems ranging from mangroves to salt fields, and from fish to birds (e.g., endangered black-faced spoonbill). As well as forming part of the country’s natural defenses against typhoons and storm surges, it is also economically important for oyster farming, fish-pond aquaculture and ecotourism. However, with the construction of reservoir, fishery harbors and breakwaters, sediment transport decreases and sand barrier islands have eroded, narrowed, lowered and moved landwards. Cigu is a rural area with decreasing, aging population, becoming a “super-aged society” as defined by World Health Organization. Therefore, it is imperative to study the socioeconomic impacts of these changes, and then to explore critical adaptation factors and potential adaptation strategies. In this research, we conducted interviews and a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process survey. Diverse stakeholders were identified and mapped using a stakeholder rainbow diagram and a power–interest grid. The results show that stakeholders consider the economy to be the most important adaptation factor, especially in relation to the employment opportunities. There are some forms of livelihood diversification in Cigu. Collaboration among young entrepreneurs is the key to socioeconomic adaptation. These factors and strategies may foster socioeconomic adaptation to coastal erosion or geomorphological change, to be aggravated by climate change and other stressors.

U-Net for Taiwan Shoreline Detection from SAR Images

Climate change and global warming lead to changes in the sea level and shoreline, which pose a huge threat to island regions. Therefore, it is important to effectively detect the shoreline changes. Taiwan is a typical island, located at the junction of the East China Sea and the South China Sea in the Pacific Northwest, and is deeply affected by shoreline changes. In this research, Taiwan was selected as the study area. In this research, an efficient shoreline detection method was proposed based on the semantic segmentation U-Net model using the Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data of Taiwan island. In addition, the batch normalization (BN) module was added to the convolution layers in the U-Net architecture to further improve the generalization ability of U-Net and accelerate the training process. A self-built shoreline dataset was introduced to train the U-Net model and test its detection efficiency. The dataset consists of a total of 4029 SAR images covering all coastal areas of Taiwan. The training samples of the dataset were annotated by morphological processing and manual inspection. The segmentation results of U-Net were then processed by edge detection and morphological postprocessing to extract the shoreline. The experimental results showed that the proposed method could achieve a satisfactory detection performance compared with the related methods using the data provided by the Ministry of the Interior of Taiwan from 2016 to 2019 for different coastal landforms in Taiwan. Within a 5-pixel difference between the detected shoreline and the ground truth data, the F1-Meaure of the proposed method exceeded 80%. In addition, the potential of this method in shoreline change detection was validated with a sandbar located on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Finally, the entire shoreline of Taiwan has been described by the proposed approach and the detected shoreline length was close to the actual length.

Revisiting a Mei-Yu Front Associated with Heavy Rainfall over Taiwan during 6–7 June 2003

During 6–7 June 2003, a Mei-Yu jet/front system over Southern China is characterized by appreciable horizontal temperature contrast below the 850 hPa level (>8 K), where the cold, dry, postfrontal northeasterlies converge with the warm, moist southwesterly flow, and above the 400–hPa level (>18 K) associated with an upper-level front. The frontal baroclinic zone tilts northward with a slope of ~1/100. During the passage of a midlatitude trough, the upper-level jet/front system advances southeastward. The thermally direct circulation across the subsynoptic low-level jet (SLLJ)/Mei-Yu front system, coupled with dynamic forcing aloft on the equatorial side of the entrance region of a subsynoptic upper-level jet (SULJ), provides a favorable environment for the development of a frontal cyclone over Southern China. A southwesterly marine boundary layer jet (MBLJ) develops between the deepening Mei-Yu frontal cyclone and the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH). The MBLJ transports moisture from the northern South China Sea (NSCS) to Southern China. All three jets (SULJ, SLLJ, and MBLJ) interact together during the deepening of the Mei-Yu frontal cyclone with positive feedback effects of latent heat release. On 7 June 2003, as the Mei-Yu front arrives near the Taiwan area, the warm, moist, and unstable air associated with the MBLJ decelerates as it approaches the Central Mountain Range (CMR). The warm, moist, and unstable air is orographically lifted by the CMR and enhances the vertical motion already present with the frontal zone. A region of widespread heavy rainfall develops, with a maximum of more than 350 mm/day, over a region extending from the southwestern coast of Taiwan to the windward slopes of the CMR.

Monitoring coastal aquaculture devices in Taiwan with the radio frequency identification combination system

ABSTRACT Marine debris significantly influences the environment and economics of marine ecosystems. Measures to ban illegally discarded materials using monitoring techniques are expected to mitigate marine debris mismanagement. For example, derelict oyster farming rafts along the southwestern coast of Taiwan have been a source of marine debris pollution since the 1980s. An efficient inspection system is an urgent requirement for monitoring oyster farming areas and, is expected to implement control and surveillance measures for litter discarded from coastal fisheries. To address this issue, this study examined combinations of radio frequency identification (RFID), drone archiving, and onshore receiving systems to ascertain the positions of oyster rafts and their owners with digitally tagged labels. The results showed that the two proposed monitoring systems are feasible for use in marine environments. The RFID signals archived by the drone reached 100% of the 200 tags with a spatial bias ranging from 2.38 to 59.99 m. RFID-GPS hybrid tag signals received by the onshore station covered 100% of the 20 tags with spatial bias ranging from 1.27 to 10.47 m. The RFID-GPS hybrid system was confirmed as a feasible approach for monitoring oyster rafts within 3 km of the coast. The real-time (1 h intervals) position and attributes of each raft detected by the system indicated that our designed techniques enhance responsible fishery surveillance and management of coastal aquaculture worldwide.

Distribution and Catch Rate Characteristics of Narrow-Barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) in Relation to Oceanographic Factors in the Waters Around Taiwan

This study investigated the relationship of the catch rates (CRs) of Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) with oceanographic factors in the waters around Taiwan by using high-resolution fishery and environmental data for the period 2011–2016. The investigation results revealed that trammel nets accounted for 69.79% of the total catch of S. commerson and were operated mostly in the Taiwan Strait (TS). We noted seasonal variations in the distribution of high CRs. These CRs were observed in the southwestern TS, including the waters along the southwestern coast of Taiwan and around the Penghu Islands, and extended to the Taiwan Bank during autumn; they increased in winter. To predict the spatial and temporal patterns of Spanish mackerel density and their relationship with oceanographic and spatiotemporal variables, generalized additive models were used. These models explained 48.4% of the total deviance, which was consistent with the assumed Gaussian distribution. Moreover, all variables examined were significant CR predictors (p < 0.05). Latitude and longitude were the key factors influencing the spatiotemporal distribution of S. commerson, and sea surface chlorophyll a concentration was a key oceanographic factor. Observing projected changes in El Niño/Southern Oscillation events for S. commerson revealed that CRs were higher and distributed further southward during La Niña events than during other events. We inferred that the S. commerson distribution gradually moved toward the southwest with the northeast monsoon, which was enhanced during La Niña in winter.

Seasonal variation of diversity, weathering, and inventory of microplastics in coast and harbor sediments

Spatiotemporal variations in the abundance of microplastics (MPs) in surface sediments along the southwestern coast of Taiwan (including harbor and coastal regions) were investigated and the diversity, degree of weathering, and inventory of MPs in the sediments further quantified. The spatiotemporal variations of MP characteristics were used to assess possible transport routes of MPs. Results indicated that the average MP abundance in the partially-enclosed harbor region was 79.3 MPs in 1 kg dry sediment (item/kg dw), which was 3–5 times higher than that in the coastal region. Average MP abundance during the dry season (36.5 ± 52.2 item/kg dw) was relatively higher than that during the wet season (22.3 ± 23.2 item/kg dw). The dominant MPs were small (0.1–1.0 mm, 90%), colored (62.3%), and consisted mainly of fibers (54.1%) and fragments (40.5%). Analysis by μFTIR revealed the presence of ten types of polymers in the MPs, with the most abundant being polypropylene (35.1%), rayon (33.2%), and polystyrene (10.0%). Values of the microplastic diversity integrated index (MPDII) indicated that MP diversity was greater in the harbor region (MPDII = 0.62) than in the coastal region (MPDII = 0.51–0.54), and greater during the wet season (MPDII = 0.60) than during the dry season (MPDII = 0.50). As indicated by values of the MP carbonyl index (CI), the MPs exhibited a high degree of oxidation (CI >0.31) that appeared unrelated to spatiotemporal variations. In the dry season, MP inventory was 12.2 tons and the wet season inventory was 8.1 tons. The hydrodynamic forces may be an influenced force for the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of the MPs in surface sediments. MPs could accumulate in the surface sediments during the dry season and resuspend in the wet season with the higher rainfall and then migrate towards the deep sea following the water flow.

Seawater exchange rates for harbors based on the use of MIKE21 coupled with transport and particle tracking models

The water self-purification capacities of coastal areas can be affected by the extension of adjacent harbors. Studies of the seawater exchange capacities of harbors are viewed as an important index and means of protecting coastal water environments. In this paper, the MIKE21 hydrodynamic model (HD) is established and coupled with the transport model (TR) and particle tracking model (PT). Taking the Budai Harbor of Chiayi County along the southwestern coast of Taiwan as an example, five scenarios of upstream river inflow and corresponding pollutant distributions are explored. The tidal exchange rates (TER) of the five scenarios are quantitatively calculated. The results show the following: (1) Water exchange and self-purification capacities of the coastal area are stronger than those of other areas of the wetland region. (2) The self-purification capacities of the wetland are improved close to estuary due to upstream inflows. (3) With an increase in upstream flows, the wetland TER increases from 0.85 to 0.95, showing that inflows improve the water exchange capacity of the wetland. These have results applications for quantifying the influence of engineering construction in coastal areas close to harbors, for revealing the rates of seawater exchange that govern areas within and outside of harbors.

Operational monitoring and forecasting of wave run-up on seawalls

In this work, a wave run-up monitoring system and a model for forecasting the wave run-up height on a seawall were developed. Electrical conductivity sensors were installed on the seaward slopes of seawalls to measure the wave run-up heights. The general packet radio service protocol was used to transmit the measured data in real time to the desired remote location. The Princeton Ocean Model and WAVEWATCH III were used to predict the water levels and ocean waves, respectively, by using the available wind fields. The empirical formulas recommended in the Coastal Engineering Manual (2011) and EurOtop (2018) were adopted to estimate the run-up height. The wave run-up heights were forecasted 72 h in advance and were renewed at 6-h intervals as new wind fields became available. The developed monitoring system and forecasting model were combined for operational monitoring and forecasting of wave run-up on seawalls. The wave run-up monitoring system was set up at three seawalls along the southwestern coast of Taiwan from 2013 to 2016. Consistency between the forecasted and measured wave run-up heights during typhoon periods demonstrated the feasibility of using the proposed method for monitoring and forecasting wave run-up heights. Furthermore, the multi-model ensemble approach was adopted to improve the unsatisfactory run-up forecasting performance during typhoon periods, and the forecasted run-up heights were eventually presented as a band with upper and lower limits as opposed to single values. The forecast results can be used to provide advance warning of possible wave overtopping and associated coastal flooding during typhoon periods.

Outer Tropical Cyclone Rainbands Associated with Typhoon Matmo (2014)

Abstract On 23 July 2014, a commercial aircraft (GE222) crashed near the Ma-Gong Airport on Penghu Island off the southwestern coast of Taiwan as it struggled to land in the stormy weather that was caused by the outer tropical cyclone rainbands (OTCRs) of Typhoon Matmo. This study aims to document the detailed aspects of airflow and precipitation of OTCRs through high-resolution radar and surface observations and to identify how these observed structures contribute to aviation weather hazards. Analyses indicate that the weather at the airport was significantly influenced by the passage of three OTCRs (R1, R2, and R3), and these rainbands share common characteristics of squall-line-like airflow and precipitation structures. As GE222 descended to approach the runway and flew immediately behind and roughly parallel to the leading edge of R3, the aircraft encountered the heaviest precipitation of the rainband and the prominent crosswind that was a manifestation of the rear-to-front flow generated locally by the rainband. The heavy rain–induced poor visibility and the occurrence of strong crosswinds were primary weather hazards affecting this flight event. Momentum budget analyses suggest that the frontward pressure gradient force provided by the near-surface, convectively generated mesohigh played a major role in driving the low-level rear-to-front flow inside the band. The results from the present study imply that closely monitoring convective activities in the outer regions of tropical cyclones and their potential transformation into squall-line-like storms is crucial to complement the routine aviation alert of severe weather under the influence of tropical cyclones.

Gate operation for habitat-oriented water management at Budai Salt Pan Wetland in Taiwan

Commercial salt pans around the world act as important habitats for waterbirds due to their unique trophic and physical attributes. Today, most commercial salt pans in Taiwan have been decommissioned and many have been designated as protected wetland habitats. Due to the dike and water gate systems controlling water flow in the salt pan wetlands, water management plans are important for habitat maintenance. Despite this, creation and implementation of habitat-oriented water management plans in protected salt pan wetlands is not common practice, especially in areas where flooding is a concern. In order to understand the potential for implementing water management plans for habitat creation in salt pan wetlands located in flood prone regions, this study designed and conducted three water management experiments for Budai Salt Pan Wetland, a wetland of national importance along the southwestern coast of Taiwan. The three experiments were designed to better understand the impacts of allowing water into the wetland during both the end and the beginning of the dry season in Taiwan. The design of each water gate operation was unique, based on the initial hydrologic conditions, and needs of the experiment in order to inform the design of future water management plans for the wetland. The consequent influence of gate operations on water depth, salinity, and immediate bird use of the wetland were analyzed. The experiments show that the water management techniques adopted in the study can allow for the creation of habitat types with varying water depths and salinity while not increasing flood risk to surrounding communities. Because the gate operation experiments were short term, a complete understanding of bird responses was limited. Even so, the responses of waterbird communities to these depth manipulations did indicate the potential of water management to increase foraging opportunities. The methods and findings of this research can inform wetland management and policy throughout Taiwan and the rest of the world.

Water Bird Communities in Nonoperational Cigu Salt Pan Wetland of Varying Land Elevation and Water Depth on the Southwest Taiwan Coast

The Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) is a critically endangered species. More than 50% of these spoonbills winter regularly on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. From 2007 to 2019, the rate of increase of the Black-faced Spoonbill population was only 10.5%, which is lower than the rate of 12.0% per year reported between 1991 and 2004. Black-faced Spoonbills have experienced several bottlenecks, and problems may exist in their breeding and/or in wintering habitats. Understanding the ecological environment of their habitats in Taiwan is an important issue, including the current use of water birds, the water depth of their habitats and even the aquatic plants. A total population of 93,614 birds of 88 species was recorded in a survey of the Cigu salt pan from October 2017 to October 2018. The biodiversity H' (loge) of the total birds was 2.67. Dunlin (Calidris alpina) was the most dominant species with a population of 21,053 (22.5%), followed by Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) with a population of 20,350 (21.7%). The largest area of terrain elevation at -1.0 to -0.2 m was 685.4 ha (38.5%) and at -0.2 to -0.1 m was 320.4 ha (18.0%). Between 2017 and 2018, the similarity in water depth classification was 47.2%, reflecting climate change, a degree of water accumulation, and the wader utilization situation. A strategy for maintaining biodiversity in the Cigu salt pan wetland and conserving spoonbills is therefore proposed in this paper.

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.

Generating potential risk maps for typhoon-induced waves along the coast of Taiwan

Typhoon-induced waves threaten the coastal areas of Taiwan each year. The roaring waves caused by typhoon Meranti (2016) even destroyed a lighthouse in a fishing port on the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Therefore, there has been increased interest in creating potential risk maps for typhoon-induced waves along the coast of Taiwan. In this study, the highest intensity and lowest intensity typhoons (HITs and LITs, respectively) for each category from 1977 to 2016 were selected. A fully coupled tide-surge-wave model was utilized to map the distributions of maximum significant wave heights for 18 typhoon events. Each map was classified into one of 5 levels and employed to generate maximum and minimum potential risk maps for typhoon-induced waves. Our results demonstrate that the northern and the eastern coasts of Taiwan are threatened by violent waves (significant wave heights (SWHs) range from 7 to 11.5 m) over a coastline length of 236.4 km and roaring waves (SWHs exceeding 11.5 m) over a coastline length of 298.1 km under HIT conditions. The lengths of coastline threatened by big waves (SWHs ranging from 3 to 6 m) and small waves (SWHs less than 3 m) are 637.7 km and 553.4 km, respectively, under LIT conditions.

Effect of metals on zooplankton abundance and distribution in the coast of southwestern Taiwan.

Three transects were established along the southwestern coast of Taiwan; transects from north to south were respectively extended from the Kaohsiung Harbor, Kaoping River estuary, and Fangshan River estuary. Six metals including Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni were analyzed in the zooplankton and seawater samples. A total of 24 groups of zooplankton were identified. Calanoid was the frequently collected group and accounted for greater than 40% of the relative abundance of zooplankton. Results showed that metal concentrations in seawater close to coast were higher than those in the outside of transect. The mean of metal concentrations in zooplankton followed the hierarchy: Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd. On the whole, metal concentrations in zooplankton from sampling sites in the coastal region were observed to be higher than those in the offshore region. The bioconcentration factor of zooplankton ranged within 103-105 for all studied metals and indicated that zooplankton in the seawater of southwestern Taiwan can accumulate metal even at background concentrations of metals. The value of diversity indices exhibited an increase in the distance to the coast, whereas the abundance showed no significant correlation with that. Consequently, the lowest mean abundance of zooplankton and the highest average metal bioaccumulation were found in transect outside Kaohsiung Harbor, representing that Kaohsiung Harbor has the contamination of anthropogenic metals that results in the impact on zooplankton.

Habitat and behaviour of adult yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the waters off southwestern Taiwan determined by pop-up satellite archival tags

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares ) is an economically important species for longline and trolling fisheries in the waters off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, yet this species' movement patterns remain poorly understood. This study provides the first information on the movement and behaviour of adult yellowfin tuna using pop-up satellite archival tags in the waters off the southwestern coast of Taiwan. In total, 11 tuna (ranging from 116 to 135 cm in fork length) were tagged and released from 2011 to 2013. Seven fish were successfully tracked to provide information on depth and temperature preferences as well as horizontal movements. The majority of the vertical movements (30.3%) of yellowfin tuna occurred in the 50-m depth range in mixed layers. The mean swimming depth was 74.4 m (±50.7 m) during the daytime and 94 m (±72.5 m) at nighttime, which was a contrast to the findings in other waters. The maximum diving depth was 1000 m, where the water temperature was approximately 4 °C. This value was similar to the measurements made by a CTD near a depth of 1000 m, where the water temperature was approximately 4.2 °C and the O2 level was 3.0 mg l−1 . One of the tuna travelled 190 NM (straight distance) in 37 days, with most of its horizontal movements (70.6%) occurring at temperatures that ranged from 26 to 28 °C, suggesting that yellowfin tuna have a preference for this temperature range throughout the period of PAST observation.

Searching urinary tumor-associated proteins for bladder transitional cell carcinoma in southwestern Taiwan using gel-based proteomics

Background and purposeWe try to search for specific serum or urinary biomarkers for the early detection, follow-up, and prediction of tumor recurrence, progression, and clinical outcome is a difficult task in individuals with bladder cancer. Materials and methodsIn this study, urinary samples were dialyzed to remove any interfering molecules and concentration by lyophilization. The urinary proteome maps of 10 healthy volunteers and 10 bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTTC) patients were explored through two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) coupled with mass spectrometry. With no fractionation, the proteome maps acquired in this study likely represented the total urinary proteins. ResultsComparative proteomics indicated that six proteins were down-regulated and five proteins were up- regulated in BTCC patients as compared with normal. The down-regulated spots were identified as human haptoglobin precursor, human heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4 precursor, and AMBP protein precursor. The up-regulated spots were identified as peroxiredoxin 2, heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan, protease serine 1 fragment and AMBP protein precursor. Most of these de-regulated proteins were extracellular matrix–associated proteins, which may play roles in regulating the immune response, signal transduction and tumor invasions. ConclusionIn this paper, 11 de-regulated proteins were observed in the urinary specimens of BTTC patients from the southwestern coast of Taiwan where Blackfoot disease is endemic and the unusually high incidence of BTTC in this area might attribute to high arsenic content in the drinking water. It is possible that long-term arsenic-induced alteration of these de-regulated proteins, most of which were extracellularmatrix – (ECM) related proteins which may play roles in regulating the immune response, signal transduction and tumor invasions, might be involved in BTTC development in southwestern Taiwan.

The Role of Southwesterly Flow in MCS Formation During a Heavy Rain Event in Taiwan on 12 - 13 June 2005

This paper presents a numerical study of a heavy rain event that occurred in southern Taiwan in June 2005. From 11-13 June 2005, a weak Mei-yu front moved southeastward from China to Taiwan, while mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) were developing and moving northward over the northern South China Sea (SCS). During the first day of the event the southwesterly flow intensified when a ridge associated with the Pacific high extended northwestward from the Philippines to the southern Taiwan Strait (TS). This pressure pattern produced a large northwestward pressure gradient force that created a southeasterly wind speed increase followed by intensification of the southwesterly flow through Coriolis acceleration. An low-level jet (LLJ) formed consequently and transported moisture and unstable air toward the southwestern coast of Taiwan. MCSs were triggered in the southwesterly flow because the potentially unstable air was lifted in a low-level convergence and shearing vorticity environment. They intensified, became organized, and moved northeastward overland, resulting in heavy rainfall in southern Taiwan. On the second day, low pressure formed near the southern TS because of the combined effect of a travelling short-wave trough and a pressure reduction resulting from the latent heat release by the evolving MCSs. This pressure change produced down-gradient acceleration in the northeastward direction, resulting in southwesterly flow strengthening. The local wind acceleration was smaller than that of the first day because the dominant pressure system was local scale, while that of the first day was synoptic scale.