The Molecular Detection of and in Sika Deer () in Japan.

Fecal specimens (271 samples) from wild deer, , were collected from nine different areas in Japan; these samples were subjected to a real-time reverse transcription PCR for -and -specific 18S ribosomal RNA to investigate the prevalence of and infection. The incidence of and in the nine areas ranged from 0% to 20.0% and 0% to 3.

Community analysis of picocyanobacteria in an oligotrophic lake by cloning 16S rRNA gene and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

In this study, the picocyanobacterial species composition of Lake Miyagase was examined by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene in a clone library and by amplicon sequencing using a benchtop next-generation sequencer. Five separate samples were analyzed from different days over a ten-month period. In the picocyanobacterial lineage, 9 and 12 OTUs were identified from a clone library and by amplicon sequencing, respectively.

Quantitative detection of human enteric adenoviruses in river water by microfluidic digital polymerase chain reaction.

We describe an assay for simple and accurate quantification of human enteric adenoviruses (EAdVs) in water samples using a recently developed quantification method named microfluidic digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR). The assay is based on automatic distribution of reaction mixture into a large number of nanolitre-volume reaction chambers and absolute copy number quantification from the number of chambers containing amplification products on the basis of Poisson statistics. This assay allows absolute quantification of target genes without the use of standard DNA.

[Current situation and problems associated with inactivation of microorganisms in water using copper].

Objectives: The current situation and problems associated with inactivation of microorganisms in water using copper were elucidated.

Methods: A literature review was conducted regarding the history and mechanisms of inactivation technology using copper, the variety of microorganisms shown to be inactivated by these methods in previous experiments, and the efficacy of such technologies for the inactivation of microorganisms in water.

Results: The use of copper for inactivation of microorganisms has a long history.

Occurrence of pepper mild mottle virus in drinking water sources in Japan.

Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) is a plant virus that has been recently proposed as a potential indicator of human fecal contamination of environmental waters; however, information on its geographical occurrence in surface water is still limited. We aimed to determine the seasonal and geographic occurrence of PMMoV in drinking water sources all over Japan. Between July 2008 and February 2011, 184 source water samples were collected from 30 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs); viruses from 1 to 2 liters of each sample were concentrated by using an electronegative membrane, followed by RNA extraction and reverse transcription.

Serum C1q- binding adiponectin in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) have much higher levels of adiponectin (Total-APN). Adiponectin and C1q form a protein complex in human blood, and serum C1q-binding adiponectin (C1q-APN) can be measured. We recently reported that C1q-APN/Total-APN ratio rather than Total-APN correlated with atherosclerosis in diabetics.

Occurrence of viruses and protozoa in drinking water sources of Japan and their relationship to indicator microorganisms.

A nationwide survey of viruses, protozoa, and indicator microorganisms in drinking water sources of Japan was conducted. Among 64 surface water samples collected from 16 drinking water treatment plants, 51 (80 %) samples were positive for at least one of the 11 pathogen types tested, including noroviruses of genogroups I (positive rate, 13 %) and II (2 %), human sapoviruses (5 %), human adenoviruses of serotypes 40 and 41 (39 %), Cryptosporidium oocysts (41 %), and Giardia cysts (36 %). Total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and F-specific coliphages were detected in 63 (98 %), 33 (52 %), and 17 (27 %) samples, respectively, and E.

Removal of radioactive iodine and cesium in water purification processes after an explosion at a nuclear power plant due to the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The presence of radionuclides at five water purification plants was investigated after an explosion at a nuclear power plant hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake on 11 March 2011. Radioactive iodine (¹³¹I) and cesium (¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs) were detected in raw water in Fukushima and neighboring prefectures. ¹³¹I was not removed by coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation.

One-year weekly survey of noroviruses and enteric adenoviruses in the Tone River water in Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan.

To investigate the actual fluctuations in the concentrations of noroviruses (NoVs) GI and GII, and enteric adenoviruses (EAdVs) in river water and its relationship with the number of acute infectious gastroenteritis patients, one-year weekly quantitative monitoring of NoVs GI and GII and EAdVs was performed in the Tone River in Japan where the surface water is utilized for the main production of drinking water for the Tokyo Metropolitan Area from October 2009 to September 2010. Noroviruses GI and GII and EAdVs were detected in 28 (54%), 33 (63%), and 23 (44%) of the 52 samples (1 L each), respectively. The concentrations of NoVs GI and GII and EAdVs fluctuated strongly and were more abundant in winter and early spring.

Rapid start-up of a nitrifying reactor using aerobic granular sludge as seed sludge.

In this study, the effectiveness of aerobic granular sludge as seed sludge for rapid start-up of nitrifying processes was investigated using a laboratory-scale continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) fed with completely inorganic wastewater which contained a high concentration of ammonia. Even when a large amount of granular biomass was inoculated in the reactor, and the characteristics of influent wastewater were abruptly changed, excess biomass washout was not observed, and biomass concentration was kept high at the start-up period due to high settling ability of the aerobic granular sludge. As a result, an ammonia removal rate immediately increased and reached more than 1.

Quantitative detection of Cryptosporidium oocyst in water source based on 18S rRNA by alternately binding probe competitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (ABC-RT-PCR).

We describe an assay for simple and cost-effective quantification of Cryptosporidium oocysts in water samples using a recently developed quantification method named alternately binding probe competitive PCR (ABC-PCR). The assay is based on the detection of 18S rRNA specific for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The standard curve of the ABC-PCR assay had a good fitting to a rectangular hyperbola with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.

Foaming control by automatic carbon source adjustment using an ORP profile in sequencing batch reactors for enhanced nitrogen removal in swine wastewater treatment.

Incomplete denitrification and ammonia accumulation were found to cause proliferation of filamentous microorganisms in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) for swine wastewater treatment. Foaming was observed in response to the accumulation of 115.2 and 12.

Anaerobic/oxic/anoxic granular sludge process as an effective nutrient removal process utilizing denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms.

In a biological nutrient removal (BNR) process, the utilization of denitrifying polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (DNPAOs) has many advantages such as effective use of organic carbon substrates and low sludge production. As a suitable process for the utilization of DNPAOs in BNR, an anaerobic/oxic/anoxic granular sludge (AOAGS) process was proposed in this study. In spite of performing aeration for nitrifying bacteria, the AOAGS process can create anaerobic/anoxic conditions suitable for the cultivation of DNPAOs because anoxic zones exist inside the granular sludge in the oxic phase.

Effectiveness of oxidation-reduction potential and pH as monitoring and control parameters for nitrogen removal in swine wastewater treatment by sequencing batch reactors.

Two bench-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were operated in a fixed hydraulic retention time study to investigate the effectiveness of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), pH and dissolved oxygen as parameters for indicating denitrification followed by nitrification in SBRs for swine wastewater treatment. The ORP and pH profiles were monitored and evaluated under different denitrification and nitrification conditions with and without a supplemental carbon source. With a low C/N ratio, and using a suitable C/N ratio adjustment control, ORP and pH could be used as monitoring and control parameters in both the anoxic and oxic phases for practical swine wastewater treatment.

Integrated real-time control strategy for nitrogen removal in swine wastewater treatment using sequencing batch reactors.

A new integrated real-time control system was designed and operated with fluctuating influent loads for swine wastewater treatment. The system was operated with automatic addition control of an external carbon source, using real-time control technology, which utilized the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and the pH as parameters to control the anoxic phase and oxic phase, respectively. The fluctuations in swine wastewater concentration are extreme; an influent with a low C/N ratio is deficient in organic carbon, and a low carbon source level can limit the overall biological denitrification process.