An in-depth assessment of an eastern Indian stock (I-stock) and a western South Pacific stock (P-... more An in-depth assessment of an eastern Indian stock (I-stock) and a western South Pacific stock (P-stock) of Antarctic minke whales distributed between 35°E and 145°W was carried out by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC/SC) from 2001 to 2014 using data mainly collected from 1985 to 2004. This paper is a synthesis and summary of the outcomes of that assessment, although research on this species has been ongoing since 2014. The assessment integrates information from a wide range of topics including systematics, survey methods, direct catches, population structure, abundance, spatial distribution, biological information, population dynamics, species interactions, pollutants and interactions with marine debris. At least two stocks (I-stock and P-stock) are found between 35°E–145°W, with a soft boundary between 100°E and 165°E. Two sets of agreed circumpolar estimates of abundance from IWC assessment cruises (termed ‘CPII’ – 1985/86–1990/91, and ‘CPIII’ ...
The utility of progesterone concentration in blubber as a means of determining reproductive statu... more The utility of progesterone concentration in blubber as a means of determining reproductive status in the Antarctic minke whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis was assessed through a comparative analysis of progesterone concentration in blubber and plasma among 230 female whales of known reproductive status (immature, resting, ovulating or pregnant). Whales were sampled during the austral summer in the Antarctic Ocean. The general pattern of progesterone concentration by reproductive category was well correlated between blubber and plasma samples, validating in principle the use of progesterone concentrations in blubber to determine the reproductive status of females. However, some differences were found for resting and ovulating females, which require further consideration. For blubber, overlap of progesterone concentrations was observed between reproductive categories with the exception of immature/ovulating and immature/pregnant. This result suggests that the method of using progesteron...
Mercury accumulates at high levels in marine mammal tissues. However, its speciation is poorly un... more Mercury accumulates at high levels in marine mammal tissues. However, its speciation is poorly understood. The main goal of this investigation was to establish the relationships among mercury species and selenium (Se) concentrations in toothed-whale muscles at different mercury levels. The concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), inorganic mercury (I-Hg) and Se were determined in the muscles of four toothed-whale species: bottlenose dolphins (n=31), Risso's dolphins (n=30), striped dolphins (n=29), and short-finned pilot whales (n=30). In each species, the MeHg concentration increased with increasing T-Hg concentration, tending to reach a plateau. In contrast, the proportion of MeHg in T-Hg decreased from 90-100% to 20-40%. The levels of T-Hg and Se showed strong positive correlations. Se/I-Hg molar ratios rapidly decreased with the increase of I-Hg and reached almost 1 in all species. These results suggested that the demethylated MeHg immediately formed Se/I-Hg equimolar complex of mercury selenide (HgSe) in their muscles. In addition, an X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (XAFS) of a bottlenose dolphin muscle confirmed that the dominant chemical form of the Se/I-Hg equimolar complex was HgSe. HgSe was mainly localized in cells near the endomysium using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). These results suggested that the demethylated MeHg finally deposits within muscle cells of bottlenose dolphin as an inert HgSe.
Obiectiues According to an epidemiological survey by the Fatigue Study Group of Ministry of Healt... more Obiectiues According to an epidemiological survey by the Fatigue Study Group of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 1999, about 60% (+Z.Z million) of Japanese working popula-tion complained of fatigue, moreover according to a survey in Aichi Prefecture by Health Labour Sciences Research in 2012, S|o/o of. the population was aware of fatigue. These results show that the social environment related to fatigue has not changed in the last 10 years. Howeve4 there have been no established recommendations for fatigue, and few anti-fatigue medicines or foods have been developed. Oxidative stress is known to cause fatigue, so antioxidants are potential candidates for anti-fatigue agents. Imidazole dipeptides, which are abundant in whale meat, are reported to have strong antioxidative effects. We investigated the effect of whale meat extract on fatigue induced by physical load and by daily activities in humans. Methods In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 12 healthy...
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its meta... more Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and chlordane compounds (CHLs) were determined in the blubber of males (20-25years old) of Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) management Areas IV (70°-130°E) and V (130°E-170°W), south 60°S. The ranges of concentrations (ngg(-1) lipid wt.) for each compound were, PCBs: 7.7-89; DDTs: 29-340; HCHs: 0.20-4.3; HCB: 75-430; CHLs: 10-120, which were much lower than those in common minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, from the northern hemisphere. The levels of PCBs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs in Area IV were significantly higher than those in Area V, while the levels of DDTs in both areas were similar. For comparing the fate among four pesticides in the Antarctic Ocean avoiding the effect of variance due to food intake, the ratios of the pesticides to PCBs, ...
Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke wh... more Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific. To investigate the effects of OCs on the transcriptome in the minke whale, the present study constructed a hepatic oligo array of this species where 985 unique oligonucleotides were spotted and further analyzed the relationship between the OC levels and gene expression profiles of liver tissues. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified 32 genes that correlated with hepatic OC levels. The mRNA expression levels of seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C78, 2E1, 3A72, 4A35, and 4V6 showed no clear correlations with the concentration of each OC, suggesting that the accumulated OCs in the liver did not reach levels that could alter CYP expression. Among the genes screened by the custom oligo array analysis, hepatic mRNA expression levels of 16 genes were further measured using quantitative real-time revers...
Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke wh... more Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific. To investigate the effects of OCs on the transcriptome in the minke whale, the present study constructed a hepatic oligo array of this species where 985 unique oligonucleotides were spotted and further analyzed the relationship between the OC levels and gene expression profiles of liver tissues. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified 32 genes that correlated with hepatic OC levels. The mRNA expression levels of seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C78, 2E1, 3A72, 4A35, and 4V6 showed no clear correlations with the concentration of each OC, suggesting that the accumulated OCs in the liver did not reach levels that could alter CYP expression. Among the genes screened by the custom oligo array analysis, hepatic mRNA expression levels of 16 genes were further measured using quantitative real-time revers...
To evaluate environmental changes in the Antarctic Ocean, concentrations of organochlorines (PCBs... more To evaluate environmental changes in the Antarctic Ocean, concentrations of organochlorines (PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs) were determined in the blubber of the mature males of Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, (from 21 to 25 years) from the Antarctic Areas IV and V. The ranges of concentrations for each compound were, in ng/g fat wt: PCBs, 7.7-89; DDTs, 29-340;
The International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee carried out a workshop to review... more The International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee carried out a workshop to review the progress made in the research conducted under the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the North Pacific-Phase II (JARPN II) in its first six years (2002-2007). The review followed the new protocol agreed by the IWC SC in 2008. An Independent Expert Panel examined a total of 36 scientific papers prepared by Japanese scientists in response to the Terms of Reference of the workshop. Scientists related to the JARPN II research participated in the Workshop only with the aim of presenting papers on particular agenda items and to respond to questions of clarification and substance regarding the work that had been undertaken or further work that was expected to be undertaken. The report of the expert workshop to review the JARPN II programme is presented in document SC/61/Rep1. The present paper summarizes the views of scientists related to the JARPN II research on the s...
... in the western North Pacific GENTA YASUNAGA AND YOSHIHIRO FUJISE The Institute of Cetacean Re... more ... in the western North Pacific GENTA YASUNAGA AND YOSHIHIRO FUJISE The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0055, Japan. ... ICES J. Mar. Sci. 59:516-528. Tamura, T., Konishi, K., Isoda, T., Okamoto, R. and Bando, T. 2009. ...
An in-depth assessment of an eastern Indian stock (I-stock) and a western South Pacific stock (P-... more An in-depth assessment of an eastern Indian stock (I-stock) and a western South Pacific stock (P-stock) of Antarctic minke whales distributed between 35°E and 145°W was carried out by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC/SC) from 2001 to 2014 using data mainly collected from 1985 to 2004. This paper is a synthesis and summary of the outcomes of that assessment, although research on this species has been ongoing since 2014. The assessment integrates information from a wide range of topics including systematics, survey methods, direct catches, population structure, abundance, spatial distribution, biological information, population dynamics, species interactions, pollutants and interactions with marine debris. At least two stocks (I-stock and P-stock) are found between 35°E–145°W, with a soft boundary between 100°E and 165°E. Two sets of agreed circumpolar estimates of abundance from IWC assessment cruises (termed ‘CPII’ – 1985/86–1990/91, and ‘CPIII’ ...
The utility of progesterone concentration in blubber as a means of determining reproductive statu... more The utility of progesterone concentration in blubber as a means of determining reproductive status in the Antarctic minke whale Balaenoptera bonaerensis was assessed through a comparative analysis of progesterone concentration in blubber and plasma among 230 female whales of known reproductive status (immature, resting, ovulating or pregnant). Whales were sampled during the austral summer in the Antarctic Ocean. The general pattern of progesterone concentration by reproductive category was well correlated between blubber and plasma samples, validating in principle the use of progesterone concentrations in blubber to determine the reproductive status of females. However, some differences were found for resting and ovulating females, which require further consideration. For blubber, overlap of progesterone concentrations was observed between reproductive categories with the exception of immature/ovulating and immature/pregnant. This result suggests that the method of using progesteron...
Mercury accumulates at high levels in marine mammal tissues. However, its speciation is poorly un... more Mercury accumulates at high levels in marine mammal tissues. However, its speciation is poorly understood. The main goal of this investigation was to establish the relationships among mercury species and selenium (Se) concentrations in toothed-whale muscles at different mercury levels. The concentrations of total mercury (T-Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), inorganic mercury (I-Hg) and Se were determined in the muscles of four toothed-whale species: bottlenose dolphins (n=31), Risso's dolphins (n=30), striped dolphins (n=29), and short-finned pilot whales (n=30). In each species, the MeHg concentration increased with increasing T-Hg concentration, tending to reach a plateau. In contrast, the proportion of MeHg in T-Hg decreased from 90-100% to 20-40%. The levels of T-Hg and Se showed strong positive correlations. Se/I-Hg molar ratios rapidly decreased with the increase of I-Hg and reached almost 1 in all species. These results suggested that the demethylated MeHg immediately formed Se/I-Hg equimolar complex of mercury selenide (HgSe) in their muscles. In addition, an X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (XAFS) of a bottlenose dolphin muscle confirmed that the dominant chemical form of the Se/I-Hg equimolar complex was HgSe. HgSe was mainly localized in cells near the endomysium using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). These results suggested that the demethylated MeHg finally deposits within muscle cells of bottlenose dolphin as an inert HgSe.
Obiectiues According to an epidemiological survey by the Fatigue Study Group of Ministry of Healt... more Obiectiues According to an epidemiological survey by the Fatigue Study Group of Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 1999, about 60% (+Z.Z million) of Japanese working popula-tion complained of fatigue, moreover according to a survey in Aichi Prefecture by Health Labour Sciences Research in 2012, S|o/o of. the population was aware of fatigue. These results show that the social environment related to fatigue has not changed in the last 10 years. Howeve4 there have been no established recommendations for fatigue, and few anti-fatigue medicines or foods have been developed. Oxidative stress is known to cause fatigue, so antioxidants are potential candidates for anti-fatigue agents. Imidazole dipeptides, which are abundant in whale meat, are reported to have strong antioxidative effects. We investigated the effect of whale meat extract on fatigue induced by physical load and by daily activities in humans. Methods In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 12 healthy...
Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its meta... more Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and chlordane compounds (CHLs) were determined in the blubber of males (20-25years old) of Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) management Areas IV (70°-130°E) and V (130°E-170°W), south 60°S. The ranges of concentrations (ngg(-1) lipid wt.) for each compound were, PCBs: 7.7-89; DDTs: 29-340; HCHs: 0.20-4.3; HCB: 75-430; CHLs: 10-120, which were much lower than those in common minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, from the northern hemisphere. The levels of PCBs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs in Area IV were significantly higher than those in Area V, while the levels of DDTs in both areas were similar. For comparing the fate among four pesticides in the Antarctic Ocean avoiding the effect of variance due to food intake, the ratios of the pesticides to PCBs, ...
Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke wh... more Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific. To investigate the effects of OCs on the transcriptome in the minke whale, the present study constructed a hepatic oligo array of this species where 985 unique oligonucleotides were spotted and further analyzed the relationship between the OC levels and gene expression profiles of liver tissues. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified 32 genes that correlated with hepatic OC levels. The mRNA expression levels of seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C78, 2E1, 3A72, 4A35, and 4V6 showed no clear correlations with the concentration of each OC, suggesting that the accumulated OCs in the liver did not reach levels that could alter CYP expression. Among the genes screened by the custom oligo array analysis, hepatic mRNA expression levels of 16 genes were further measured using quantitative real-time revers...
Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke wh... more Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific. To investigate the effects of OCs on the transcriptome in the minke whale, the present study constructed a hepatic oligo array of this species where 985 unique oligonucleotides were spotted and further analyzed the relationship between the OC levels and gene expression profiles of liver tissues. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified 32 genes that correlated with hepatic OC levels. The mRNA expression levels of seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C78, 2E1, 3A72, 4A35, and 4V6 showed no clear correlations with the concentration of each OC, suggesting that the accumulated OCs in the liver did not reach levels that could alter CYP expression. Among the genes screened by the custom oligo array analysis, hepatic mRNA expression levels of 16 genes were further measured using quantitative real-time revers...
To evaluate environmental changes in the Antarctic Ocean, concentrations of organochlorines (PCBs... more To evaluate environmental changes in the Antarctic Ocean, concentrations of organochlorines (PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs) were determined in the blubber of the mature males of Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, (from 21 to 25 years) from the Antarctic Areas IV and V. The ranges of concentrations for each compound were, in ng/g fat wt: PCBs, 7.7-89; DDTs, 29-340;
The International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee carried out a workshop to review... more The International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee carried out a workshop to review the progress made in the research conducted under the Japanese Whale Research Program under Special Permit in the North Pacific-Phase II (JARPN II) in its first six years (2002-2007). The review followed the new protocol agreed by the IWC SC in 2008. An Independent Expert Panel examined a total of 36 scientific papers prepared by Japanese scientists in response to the Terms of Reference of the workshop. Scientists related to the JARPN II research participated in the Workshop only with the aim of presenting papers on particular agenda items and to respond to questions of clarification and substance regarding the work that had been undertaken or further work that was expected to be undertaken. The report of the expert workshop to review the JARPN II programme is presented in document SC/61/Rep1. The present paper summarizes the views of scientists related to the JARPN II research on the s...
... in the western North Pacific GENTA YASUNAGA AND YOSHIHIRO FUJISE The Institute of Cetacean Re... more ... in the western North Pacific GENTA YASUNAGA AND YOSHIHIRO FUJISE The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0055, Japan. ... ICES J. Mar. Sci. 59:516-528. Tamura, T., Konishi, K., Isoda, T., Okamoto, R. and Bando, T. 2009. ...
Uploads
Papers by Genta Yasunaga