An estimated 15 million children die or are crippled annually by treatable or preventable heart disease in low- and middle-income countries. Global efforts to reduce under-5 mortality have focused on reducing death from communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries with little to no attention focusing on paediatric CHD and acquired heart disease. Lack of awareness of CHD and acquired heart disease, access to care, poor healthcare infrastructure, competing health priorities, and a critical shortage of specialists are important reasons why paediatric heart disease has not been addressed in low resourced settings. Non-governmental organisations have taken the lead to address these challenges. This review describes the global burden of paediatric heart disease and strategies to improve the quality of care for paediatric heart disease. These strategies would improve outcomes for children with heart disease.

The use of herbal plants as traditional medicines has a century long history. Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) is a perennial herb containing bioactive components with free radical scavenging activities. An isotope dilution technique using [U-13C]glucose was conducted to determine the effect of plantain on the responses of plasma glucose metabolism to exogenous insulin infusion in sheep. Six crossbred sheep (three wethers and three ewes; mean initial BW=40±2 kg) were fed either a mixed hay of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) (MH-diet) or mixed hay and fresh plantain (1 : 1 ratio, dry matter basis, PL-diet) and exposed to a thermoneutral (TN, 20°C; 70% relative humidity (RH)) environment or a heat exposure (HE, 30°C; 70% RH) for 5 days using a crossover design for two 23-day periods. The isotope dilution was conducted on days 18 and 23 of the experimental period during TN and HE, respectively. Plasma concentration of α-tocopherol was greater (P<0.0001) for the PL-diet than the MH-diet and remained comparable between environmental treatments. Plasma glucose concentration before isotope dilution technique was reduced for sheep (P=0.05) during HE compared with TN and remained comparable between diets. Plasma glucose turnover rate during the preinfusion period of insulin did not differ (P=0.10) between dietary treatments and between environments (P=0.65). The response of plasma glucose utilization to exogenous insulin administration was lower (P=0.04) for the PL-diet than the MH-diet. Under present experimental conditions, the plantain group was found to be resistant to the effects of insulin infusion.

The superbubble (SB) 30 Dor C with the strong non-thermal X-ray emission is one of the best targets for study of the cosmic-ray (CR) acceleration. We investigated X-ray spectral properties of the SB with a high spatial resolution of ~10 pc. Consequently, the spectra in the east regions can be described with a combination of absorbed thermal and non-thermal models while the spectra in the west regions can be fitted with an absorbed non-thermal model. We found that the observed photon index and intensity in 2-10 keV show variations of 2.0-3.5 and (0.6-8.0) × 10−7 erg s−1 cm−2 str−1, respectively. The results are possibly caused by the spatial variation of the CR acceleration efficiency and/or the circumstellar environment.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2009 in Richmond, Virginia, USA, July 26 – July 30, 2009

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2007 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, August 5 – August 9, 2007

Objective: Despite numerous clinical trials, it is unknown whether ethnicity affects treatment response to cognitive enhancers in Alzheimer's disease (AD). There is convincing evidence of ethnic and genetic variability in drug metabolism. This article reviews the available data on ethnicity in clinical trials for AD to answer two questions: (1) what are the challenges to diagnose and treat AD across different ethnic groups, and (2) are there differences in response to pharmacologic interventions for AD across these different ethnic groups?

Method: Available data from Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) randomized controlled clinical trials and from randomized controlled industry-sponsored trials for four cognitive enhancers (donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine and sabeluzole) were pooled to assess the numbers of non-Caucasian participants.

Results: The participation of ethnic minority subjects in clinical trials for AD was dependent on the funding source, although Caucasian participants were over-represented and non-Caucasian participants were under-represented in the clinical trials. Because of the low participation rate of ethnic minorities, there were insufficient data to assess any differences in treatment outcome among different ethnic groups. Strategies to improve diversity in clinical trials are discussed.

Conclusion: Greater participation of ethnically diverse participants in clinical trials for AD would generate additional information on possible differences in metabolism, treatment response, adverse events to therapeutic agents, and could foster the investigation of genetic variability among ethnic groups.

The Japanese quarantine system monitors incoming passengers to detect imported pathogens at international airports. At one airport, we found that 74% of 13315 travellers returning with diarrhoea had visited only one country before entering Japan. On the basis of our results, we hypothesized that the international distribution and potential source of bacterial strains could be inferred by analysing strains isolated from travellers returning to Japan. In order to demonstrate the potential for this system, we randomly selected five Shigella sonnei strains and examined their restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns. One set of strains appeared to be closely related, while three sets, isolated from travellers who visited different countries were possibly related. These results suggest that international distributions and potential sources of S. sonnei may be inferred by monitoring isolates from passengers arriving at a Japanese quarantine station.

A 2-dimensional Doppler coronagraph “NOGIS” (NOrikura Green-line Imaging System) at the Norikura Solar Observatory, NAOJ, is a unique imaging system that can provide both intensity and Doppler velocity of 2 MK plasma from the green coronal line emission $\lambda$5303 Å of Fe xiv. We present the first detection of a CME onset by NOGIS. The event was originally induced by a C9.1 confined flare that occurred on 2003 June 1 at an active region NOAA $\#$10365 near the limb. This flare triggered a filament eruption in AR 10365, which later evolved into a partial halo CME as well as an M6.5 flare at the same AR 10365 on 2003 June 2. The CME originated in a complex of two neighboring magnetic flux systems across the solar equator: AR 10365 and a bundle of face-on tall coronal loops. NOGIS observed i) a density enhancement in between the two flux systems in the early phase, ii) a blue-shifted bubble and jet that later appeared as (a part of) the CME, and iii) a red-shifted wave that triggered a periodic fluctuations in Doppler shifts in the face-on loops. These features are crucial to understand unsolved problems on a CME initiation (e.g., mass supply, magnetic configuration, and trigger mechanism) and on coronal loop oscillations (e.g., trigger and damping mechanisms). We stress a possibility that interaction between separatrices of the two flux systems played a key role on our event.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html

The electric field dependence and anisotropy of the impact ionization coefficients of 4H-SiC are investigated by means of the avalanche breakdown behavior of p+n diodes. The breakdown voltages as a function of doping density and the multiplication factors of a leakage current are obtained using p+n diode fabricated on (0001) and (1120) 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers. The obtained impact ionization coefficients show large anisotropy; the breakdown voltage of a p+n diode on (1120) wafer is 60% of that on (0001) wafer. We have shown that anisotropy of the impact ionization coefficients is attributable to the anisotropy of saturation velocity originated from the electronic structure of 4H-SiC.

The survey of Vibrio cholerae O1 in marine area was carried out in the Port of Osaka, Japan in 1987–2001, and 51 V. cholerae O1 strains were isolated. All strains were identified to be of El Tor biotype, Ogawa serotype and classic Ubon Kappa-phage type, and were cholera toxin (CT)-negative and CT gene-negative. In order to clarify certain ecological aspects of V. cholerae O1 in the marine environment of the temperate zone, we performed molecular analysis of the isolated strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with NotI and SfiI restriction enzymes. We found the indistinguishable strains by DNA analysis using PFGE with strains passed for 1 year, and also found the closely related strains with that passed for 3 and 12 years. Those results indicated that V. cholerae O1 can survive over one winter at least, and that it survives in marine water for a long time by undergoing continuous mutation.

An experiment combining a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp approach and an isotope dilution method determined the effects of cold exposure and time relative to feeding on blood glucose metabolism in four sheep. The sheep, fed 20 g/kg body-weight (BW) of lucerne hay cubes and 5 g/kg BW of maize-based concentrates once daily, were exposed in turn to a thermoneutral environment (20 °C) and a cold environment (0 °C) for 20 days. The combined experiments were performed at four different times relative to feeding, i.e. 3 to 2 h, 2 to 1 h and 1 to 0 h before, and 1 to 2 h after the initiation of feeding for the basal periods, and 1 to 0 h before, and 0 to 1 h, 1 to 2 h and 3 to 4 h after the initiation of feeding for the glucose clamp periods in both environments. [U-13C]Glucose was continuously infused for 6 h after a priming injection. Insulin was continuously infused at 6·0 mU/kg BW per min for 2 h, which corresponded to the last 2 h of the [U-13C]glucose infusion. Blood glucose concentrations were maintained euglycaemic during the insulin infusion by concomitant variable glucose infusion. Blood glucose turnover rate (GTR) during the basal period was enhanced by cold exposure (P=0·01) and feeding (P=0·04). Blood GTR increased (P<0·01) with the glucose clamp. During the glucose clamp, blood GTR and glucose infusion rate (GIR) were greater (P=0·003 and P=0·001, respectively) during cold exposure than in the thermoneutral environment. Time relative to feeding influenced (P=0·003) the GIR, whereas changes in blood GTR and endogenous glucose production rate were not significant. No significant cold×feeding interaction was observed in these variables. It was suggested that, in sheep, glucose metabolism was enhanced by cold exposure and the glucose clamp. It was probable that blood glucose metabolism during the glucose clamp was influenced by cold exposure and feeding, but the combined effect of cold exposure and feeding was not significant.

We report preparation of highly grain-aligned and densified [Ca2CoO3-δ]0.62CoO2 bulks and a change of thermoelectric performance for their bulks with different oxygen deficiencies (dgrl). The highly c-axis aligned and highly densified samples which showed low electronic resistivities at room temperature, were obtained by combination of magnetic alignment and spark plasma sintering methods. Electronic resistivity p and Seebeck coefficient S along the ab plane were systematically changed with oxygen contents and a power factor was consequently enhanced up to 3.5×10--6 Wcm-1K-2 at 300K for the sample annealed at 500°C in air. Moreover, the magnetic properties also showed a systematic change with oxygen contents.

We report preparation and thermoelectric properties of c-axis aligned and densified Ca3Co4O9 and [Ca2(Co0.65Cu0.35)2O4]0.624CoO2 polycrystals. The c-axis alignment and densification were accomplished by magnetic alignment and spark plasma sintering methods, respectively. The obtained samples showed high degrees of c-axis orientation and relative densities, which were close to those of single crystals, resulting in the highest values of power factors in Ca3Co4O9 and [Ca2(Co0.65Cu0.35)2O4]0.624CoO2 polycrystals.

Thin plate-like [Ca2(Co1-xCux)2O4] y CoO2 single crystals were successfully grown by the flux method using SrCl2 solvent. The largest crystal size was approximately 3 × 3 × 0.01 mm3. The copper concentrations, x, in the crystals were found to be depending on each crystal, suggesting a certain solid-solution range of copper in the present system. The obtained crystal showed low resistivity (∼4.3mQcm) and high Seebeck coefficient (∼160μVK-1) at 300K. The crystal showed anisotropic magnetization with larger magnetization under H ∥ c. Irreversible magnetization behavior below ∼90K was also found under H ∥ c.

In order to clarify the failure to isolate Shigella spp. by direct plating, we compared frequencies of Shigella spp. isolation by direct plating and by plating after enrichment in selenite broth. A total 67 strains were isolated in this study. The strains of 38 (56·7%) were isolated only by direct plating, and 25 (37·3%) strains were isolated by both direct plating and after enrichment. Four strains (6·0%) were isolated after enrichment but not by direct plating. Since 6% of isolated Shigella spp. were not isolated by direct plating, we recommend that direct plating and additional isolations from selenite broth should be performed. The significance concerning reduction of concentration of sodium selenite in enrichment broth is discussed.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 was investigated with respect to its halotolerance and whether it can survive in marine water. STEC O157 could multiply in a medium containing 5% NaCl and in sterilized marine water, and could survive in unsterilized marine water for at least 15 days. On the basis of these results, we postulated that STEC O157 may survive in natural marine water, and attempted to isolate the bacterium and Shiga toxin gene (stx) from marine water in Japan. The stx, comprising stx1 and stx2, was detected from marine water samples by PCR. STEC and other stx-positive bacteria, however, could not be isolated from these samples in this study. These results indicate that stx-positive bacteria may survive in marine water and suggest the necessity of a survey.