Updated on 2025/06/15

写真a

 
TAKAI YUKI
 
Comment
In modern human life, the use of chemicals is essential to maintain comfort, health, and well-being. I, myself, also use cars (although as minimally as possible) and take medication when I am ill. However, if we prioritize human life alone and fail to consider the impact on the surrounding environment, it is innocent organisms that bear the consequences, and, as history has shown, these consequences ultimately return to humans as even greater negative impacts. Therefore, through research in environmental science (environmental toxicology), I aim to propose scientifically grounded solutions to
Organization
Faculty of Agriculture Department of Bioresource Sciences Assistant Professor
Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences Department of Bioresource Sciences(Concurrent)
School of Agriculture Department of Bioresource and Bioenvironment(Concurrent)
Title
Assistant Professor
Contact information
メールアドレス
Tel
0928024607
Profile
I conduct research on the effects of pollutants (such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics) on aquatic organisms in environments. Specifically, my work focuses on developing behavioral test methods that allow for a simple evaluation of the effect of pollutants on behaviors essential for survival, such as social interactions and predator response. Additionally, I aim to elucidate the mechanisms of pollutant effect on organisms through adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) and accumulate knowledge for risk assessment, contributing to the conservation of aquatic environments. Furthermore, I am also developing a non-invasive environmental monitoring method for coastal areas using wharf roach feces.
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Research Areas

  • Environmental Science/Agriculture Science / Environmental impact assessment

  • Environmental Science/Agriculture Science / Chemical substance influence on environment

  • Life Science / Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology

Degree

  • Ph.D. (Agriculture) ( 2023.3 Kyushu University )

Research History

  • Kyushu University Faculty of Agriculture Assistant professor (tenure track) 

    2023.10 - Present

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  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (PD) 

    2023.4 - 2023.9

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  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC2) 

    2022.4 - 2023.3

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Education

  • Kyushu University   Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences   Bioresource Sciences

    2020.4 - 2023.3

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    Country:Japan

    Notes:Doctoral course

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Research Interests・Research Keywords

  • Research theme: Development of non-invasive environmental monitoring methods for organisms in coastal areas

    Keyword: Environmental monitoring, Non-invasive monitoring

    Research period: 2024.4

  • Research theme: Development and Evaluation of Assessment Methods for the Effect of Pollutants Based on the Behavioral Characteristics of Medaka Fish

    Keyword: Behavioral alteration, chemical pollutants, microplastics

    Research period: 2022.4

  • Research theme: Ph.D. dissertation: Establishment of the One-Compartment Model to Quantify the Microplastics Vector Effect

    Keyword: Microplastics, vector effect

    Research period: 2021.4 - 2023.3

  • Research theme: Master thesis: Genome Editing of Takifugu rubripes using CRISPR/Cas9 system

    Keyword: CRISPR/Cas9 system, Takifugu rubripes

    Research period: 2014.4 - 2016.3

  • Research theme: Undergraduate thesis: Study of the novel transcription factor (bHLH-type transcription factor, AKS) in the stomatal closure mechanism of Arabidopsis thaliana

    Keyword: Arabidopsis thaliana, stomata, ABA

    Research period: 2012.10 - 2014.3

Awards

  • 2024年度博士研究奨励賞(オルガノ賞)

    2024.9   日本水環境学会   新規行動影響評価手法Peek-A-Boo Testの開発:汎用的かつ高感度なメダカの行動影響評価手法の開発を目指して

    高井優生

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    Award type:Award from Japanese society, conference, symposium, etc.  Country:Japan

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  • The Best Young Scientist Platform Presentation Award

    2024.8   21st International Symposium on Toxicity Assessment   Peek-A-Boo Test: Assessing the Behavioral Impact of Diazepam and Chlorpyrifos on Medaka Fish (Oryzias latipes)

    Yuki Takai

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    Award type:Award from international society, conference, symposium, etc.  Country:Japan

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  • Panda杯全日本青年作文コンクール2023(入選)

    2023.11   中国外文局アジア太平洋広報センター(人民中国雑誌社)、中華人民共和国駐日本国大使館、公益財団法人日本科学協会   されど僕は嫌いではない

  • 第21回生物資源環境科学府賞

    2023.3   九州大学   The Award of Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences

  • 笹川科学研究奨励賞

    2022.3   公益財団法人日本科学協会   海産魚類におけるエンドサイトーシスはマイクロプラスチックのベクター効果を増強するか?

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Papers

  • Fragmentation of expanded polystyrene to microplastics by wharf roach Ligia spp.

    Lee, S; Tsuruda, Y; Honda, M; Mukai, K; Hirasawa, T; Wijaya, DC; Takai, Y; Simasaki, Y; Oshima, Y

    MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN   214   117769   2025.5   ISSN:0025-326X eISSN:1879-3363

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    Language:English   Publisher:Marine Pollution Bulletin  

    The East Asian region is an area of high human and fishery activity, where a substantial amount of plastic, especially expanded polystyrene (EPS), is discharged into the environment and reaches sandy and rocky seashores. EPS pollution and its impact on organisms inhabiting sandy and rocky areas may be suspected. In a field study conducted in the West Japan sandy and rocky seashore region, wharf roaches, Ligia spp., which are ubiquitous and cosmopolitan organisms in the Pacific area, were found to ingest EPS more frequently than polypropylene and polyethylene microplastics. Furthermore, the results of our feeding experiment indicate that wharf roaches are capable of not only grazing on EPS, but also fragmenting EPS to microplastics ranging from 2 to 214 μm in diameter when estimated as circles. We conclude that wharf roaches may contribute to the decomposition and fragmentation of EPS microplastics.

    DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117769

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  • Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Tissues of <i>Oreochromis Mossambicus</i> from the uMgeni River and Human Health Risk Assessment

    Lebepe, J; Selala, MC; Takai, Y; Maleka, NM; Hlatshwayo, SBS

    WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION   235 ( 11 )   2024.11   ISSN:0049-6979 eISSN:1573-2932

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    Publisher:Water, Air, and Soil Pollution  

    Metal enrichment in aquatic ecosystems has compromised the potential of fish to enhance food security. The uMgeni River drains urban and industrialized catchment and flows through economically disadvantaged rural communities that opt for fish to supplement their protein needs. However, there are uncertainties on the safety of consuming fish from the uMgeni River. The present study aims to explore metal distribution between the water, sediment, and tissues of the preferred Oreochromis mossambicus, and evaluate whether concentrations in the muscle are safe for human consumption. The water, sediment, and fish samples were collected from Inanda and Nagle dams, and metal concentrations were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Alkaline pH was observed at both dams and metals were below detectable level in the water column. Even though metal concentrations in the water column were below detectable levels, significant concentrations were found in the sediment. No consistent trend in metal concentrations was observed across tissues, but higher levels were generally found in the liver, followed by the gill, and then the muscle. Nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) exhibited concentrations exceeding the permissible limit for human consumption. Similarly, the target hazard quotient exceeded the threshold of 1 for Pb, chromium (Cr), and antimony (Sb) at both dams with Inanda Dam showing higher indices for Sb and Pb. The carcinogenic risk for the three metals was also found to be higher than 10–6. These findings suggest that consumption of O. mossambicus from the uMgeni River should be limited to no more than 150 g per week.

    DOI: 10.1007/s11270-024-07553-z

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  • Accumulation of chlorobenzenes in Japanese medaka (<i>Oryzias latipes</i>) co-exposed to 10- or 45-µm polystyrene microplastics

    Al-Emran Md, Matsudera Midori, Honda Masato, Takai Yuki, Lee SeokHyun, Uchida Yukiya, Qiu Xuchen, Shimasaki Yohei, Oshima Yuji

    Japanese Journal of Environmental Toxicology   27 ( 1 )   73 - 86   2024.10   ISSN:13440667 eISSN:18825958

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    Language:English   Publisher:The Japanese Society of Environmental Toxicology  

    <p>The co-existence of microplastics and hydrophobic organic chemicals is ubiquitous in the environment. Microplastics may act as vectors for the transmission of organic pollutants to organisms. In the present study, we co-exposed 33 adult medaka fish to a mixture of chlorobenzenes (CBs; trichlorobenzene, tetrachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, and hexachlorobenzene—at 10, 10, 10, and 8 µg/L, respectively) and two different sizes of polystyrene microplastics (PS-MP)—10-µm PS-MP at 0.1 mg/L and 45-µm PS-MP at 0.45 mg/L. We exposed the fish to CBs, CB10MP (CBs+10-µm PS-MP), and CB45MP (CBs+45-µm PS-MP) for 7 days followed by 3 days for excretion. We measured the concentrations of CBs and PS-MP in the fish on days 7, 8, 9, and 10 and in the water on days 5, 6, and 7. Our results clearly indicated that there was no increase in the concentration of CBs in the medaka co-exposed to MPs and either size of PS-MP. This result might have been due to the sorption of Tri- and TetCBs to PS-MP and little or no desorption in the gut. Our study revealed the absence of a vector effect of PS-MP on the bioaccumulation of CBs in medaka.</p>

    DOI: 10.11403/jset.27.73

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  • Report on Special Program of 3rd Joint Conference on Environmental Chemicals “The future of ecotoxicology: What can we expect in 10 years?”

    Iwasaki Yuichi, Takai Yuki, Takahashi Hirokazu, Tani Kazune, Ito Mana, Hiki Kyoshiro, Ishimota Makoto, Sakamoto Masaki, Hano Takeshi, Horie Yoshifumi

    Japanese Journal of Environmental Toxicology   27 ( 1 )   61 - 63   2024.10   ISSN:13440667 eISSN:18825958

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    Language:Japanese   Publisher:The Japanese Society of Environmental Toxicology  

    DOI: 10.11403/jset.27.61

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  • Metal distribution in three organs and edibility assessment on<i> Coptodon rendalli</i> from the Umgeni River impacted by metallurgic industrial activities

    Hlatshwayo, SSB; Bissessur, A; Selala, MC; Takai, Y; Lebepe, J

    ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT   196 ( 8 )   742   2024.8   ISSN:0167-6369 eISSN:1573-2959

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    Language:English   Publisher:Environmental Monitoring and Assessment  

    Fish is among the most affordable and readily available protein sources for communities residing near water bodies. However, the recent pollution status of aquatic ecosystems has rendered fish consumption risky for human health. The study evaluated metal levels in the liver, gill, and muscle tissues of Redbreast tilapia (Coptodon rendalli) from Inanda and Nagle dams in the uMgeni River system. Metals, Al, Sb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, and Zn were analysed using ICP-OES. Fish size showed no significant difference between the two dams (p > 0.05) whereas a descending trend liver > gill > muscle was observed for most metal levels at both dams. Moreover, there was a clear separation for metal levels in the liver, gill, and muscle between the two dams (p < 0.001) and a similar trend was observed for organs in each dam (p < 0.001). No relationship was observed between fish length and metal levels and no definite trend was observed for inter-metal relationships. Antimony, Cr, and Pb showed THQs greater than 1 at both dams which suggests health risks for consumers. Molybdenum has also shown a concerning THQs with some individuals exhibiting values ranging from 0.5 – 0.9. These findings suggest that consuming C. rendalli from the Inanda and Nagle dams could result in adverse health effects from Sb, Cr and Pb.

    DOI: 10.1007/s10661-024-12875-w

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Presentations

  • 海の掃除屋フナムシの糞を使用した環境モニタリング手法の検討

    高井優生, 徳永美遥, Lee SeokHyun, 島崎洋平, 大嶋雄治

    2024年度日本水環境学会九州沖縄支部 研究発表会  2025.3 

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    Event date: 2025.3

    Presentation type:Oral presentation (general)  

    Venue:福岡   Country:Japan  

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  • Advancing Ecotoxicology: A Behavioral Test Method for Medaka Fish and a Non-Invasive Monitoring Approach for Coastal Organisms International conference

    Yuki Takai

    Joint Seminar between PKNU and KU  2025.2  School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, Kyushu University

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    Event date: 2025.2

    Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    Venue:Fukuoka   Country:Japan  

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  • Development of a Toxicity Assessment Method Focusing on the Behavioral Characteristics of Medaka Fish International conference

    Yuki Takai

    KYU-PKNU Joint Research Seminar  2024.10  Pukyong National University

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    Event date: 2024.10

    Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    Venue:Busan   Country:Korea, Republic of  

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  • Microplastics Effects on Aquatic Organisms: Quantification of the Vector Effect and Development of the Monitoring Method International conference

    Yuki Takai

    KYU-PKNU Joint Research Seminar  2024.10  Pukyong National University

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    Event date: 2024.10

    Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    Venue:Busan   Country:Japan  

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  • 水生生物へのマイクロプラスチックの影響評価に向けて~化学物質との複合影響評価や新規モニタリング手法の開発~

    高井優生

    第95回環日セミナー  2024.10  金沢大学環日本海域環境研究センター

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    Event date: 2024.10

    Presentation type:Public lecture, seminar, tutorial, course, or other speech  

    Venue:石川   Country:Japan  

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MISC

  • Recent Progress in the Study of Peroxiredoxin in the Harmful Algal Bloom Species Chattonella marina

    Yohei Shimasaki, Koki Mukai, Yuki Takai, Xuchun Qiu, Yuji Oshima

    ANTIOXIDANTS   2021.2

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    Language:English  

    Peroxiredoxin (Prx) is a relatively recently discovered antioxidant enzyme family that scavenges peroxides and is known to be present in organisms from biological taxa ranging from bacteria to multicellular eukaryotes, including photosynthetic organisms. Although there have been many studies of the Prx family in higher plants, green algae, and cyanobacteria, few studies have concerned raphidophytes and dinoflagellates, which are among the eukaryotic algae that cause harmful algal blooms (HABs). In our proteomic study using 2-D electrophoresis, we found a highly expressed 2-Cys peroxiredoxin (2-CysPrx) in the raphidophyte Chattonella marina var. antiqua, a species that induces mass mortality of aquacultured fish. The abundance of the C. marina 2-CysPrx enzyme was highest in the exponential growth phase, during which photosynthetic activity was high, and it then decreased by about a factor of two during the late stationary growth phase. This pattern suggested that 2-CysPrx is a key enzyme involved in the maintenance of high photosynthesis activity. In addition, the fact that the depression of photosynthesis by excessively high irradiance was more severe in the 2-CysPrx low-expression strain (wild type) than in the normal-expression strain (wild type) of C. marina suggested that 2-CysPrx played a critical role in protecting the cell from oxidative stress caused by exposure to excessively high irradiance. In the field of HAB research, estimates of growth potential have been desired to predict the population dynamics of HABs for mitigating damage to fisheries. Therefore, omics approaches have recently begun to be applied to elucidate the physiology of the growth of HAB species. In this review, we describe the progress we have made using a molecular physiological approach to identify the roles of 2-CysPrx and other antioxidant enzymes in mitigating environmental stress associated with strong light and high temperatures and resultant oxidative stress. We also describe results of a survey of expressed Prx genes and their growth-phase-dependent behavior in C. marina using RNA-seq analysis. Finally, we speculate about the function of these genes and the ecological significance of 2-CysPrx, such as its involvement in circadian rhythms and the toxicity of C. marina to fish.

    DOI: 10.3390/antiox10020162

Professional Memberships

  • Japan Society on Water Environment

  • The Japanese Society of Environmental Toxicology

  • Japan Society on Water Environment

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  • SETAC Australasia

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Academic Activities

  • Screening of academic papers

    Role(s): Peer review

    2023

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    Type:Peer review 

    Number of peer-reviewed articles in foreign language journals:4

Research Projects

  • Exploring the Relationship between Pharmaceutical-Induced Behavioral Effects and Ecological Risks through the Behavioral Characteristics of Medaka Fish

    Grant number:24K20939  2024.4 - 2027.3

    Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists

    高井 優生

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    Grant type:Scientific research funding

    医薬品は生理活性が強いため、低濃度でも水生生物に影響を与えることが懸念されており、特に中枢神経薬は水生生物の行動に大きな影響を与えることが報告されている。本研究ではこれまで明らかになっていなかった「医薬品などの化学汚染物質による魚類の行動変化がどのように生態リスクにつながるのか?」を明らかにするための研究を行う。具体的には、医薬品による魚類(モデル生物:メダカ)の行動変化とそれによる生存率や繁殖率などの生態リスクへの影響を数理モデルで評価する。これにより、これまで漠然と議論されてきた魚類の行動影響がどのように生態リスクに繋がるのかを定量的に評価することが可能になる。

    CiNii Research

  • フタル酸エステル類に着目したマイクロプラスチック汚染の評価~フナムシの糞で環境モニタリング?~

    Grant number:2024-6010  2024

    Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

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    Authorship:Principal investigator  Grant type:Competitive funding other than Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  • ナノプラスチックのベクター効果:生態影響評価に向けた数理モデルの構築

    Grant number:22KJ2453  2023.3 - 2024.3

    Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows

    高井 優生

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    Grant type:Scientific research funding

    現在、水環境ではマイクロプラスチック(粒径5 mm以下のプラスチック粒子、MP)およびナノプラスチック(粒径1 um以下のプラスチック粒子、NP)による生物影響が懸念されている。これまでの知見により、MPが化学物資の生物体内への取り込みを加速させること、いわゆるベクター効果を有することが報告されている。さらに、微細MPは魚類の消化管やえらから体内に容易に取り込まれ、また、一度体内に取り込まれた微細MPは長期にわたって魚体内に残留する可能性が見出されている。本研究では、魚類における微細MPのベクター効果を定量的に評価することを目的とする。

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  • 魚介類養殖における気候変動に左右されない強力な赤潮対応技術の開発

    2022.4 - 2026.3

    農林水産省(日本) 

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    Authorship:Coinvestigator(s) 

  • ナノプラスチックのベクター効果:生態影響評価に向けた数理モデルの構築

    Grant number:22J13703  2022 - 2023

    Japan Society for the Promotion of Science  Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research  Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows

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    Grant type:Scientific research funding

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Educational Activities

  • I teach a course on environmental science (environmental toxicology).

Class subject

  • 水産生物環境学 II

    2024.6 - Present   Summer quarter

  • 水産生物環境学 I

    2024.4 - Present   Spring quarter

  • 生物化学実験

    2024.4 - Present   First semester

  • 水産生物環境学実験

    2024.4 - Present   First semester

  • Environmental and Ecological Science for Animal Production II

    2024.4 - Present   Spring quarter

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FD Participation

  • 2025.1   Role:Participation   Title:全学FD「⽣成AIを大学の教育・学習・業務にどのように組み込むか?-第六弾 MyAIチャットボットで教育・学習・業務をリデザインする-」

    Organizer:University-wide

  • 2025.1   Role:Participation   Title:農学研究院FD:DX化によって広がる研究の可能性

    Organizer:[Undergraduate school/graduate school/graduate faculty]

  • 2024.12   Role:Participation   Title:【全学FD】性の多様性を考える研修会

    Organizer:University-wide

  • 2024.12   Role:Participation   Title:競争的資金獲得に向けた農学研究院FD

    Organizer:[Undergraduate school/graduate school/graduate faculty]

  • 2024.9   Role:Participation   Title:全学FD「M2B講習会」(9/13~オンデマンド配信)

    Organizer:University-wide

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Social Activities

  • Lesson: Introduction to Environmental Science (Iwata High School)

    Role(s):Lecturer

    Kyushu University  Kyushu University  2024.10

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    Audience:High school students

    Type:Visiting lecture