Showing papers by "Japan International Cooperation Agency published in 2012"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated urinary biomarker levels in an adult mixed intensive care unit (ICU) cohort of patients who had been clinically evaluated as having prerenal acute kidney injury.
83 citations
TL;DR: The genus Gluconacetobacter is divided into two groups phylogenetically, phenotypically and ecologically and the genus Komagatabacter is newly introduced, and the type species of the new genus is designated as Komag atabacter xylinus (Brown 1886) comb.
Abstract: The genus Gluconacetobacter is divided into two groups phylogenetically, phenotypically and ecologically: the Gluconacetobacter liquefaciens group and the Gluconacetobacter xylinus group. For the latter group, the genus Komagatabacter is newly introduced, and the type species of the new genus is designated as Komagatabacter xylinus (Brown 1886) comb. nov. Twelve species of the Gluconacetobacter xylinus group are transferred to the new genus as new combinations.
71 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the impacts of a training program on the adoption of improved cultivation practices, the productivity of rice farming, and the income and profit from rice production were assessed using ex-post non-experimental data in Uganda.
62 citations
TL;DR: Social supports from spouses and people on ART could facilitate their treatment adherence and could mitigate the influence of HIV infection for poor patients and those who fall into poverty after starting ART in rural Zambia.
Abstract: Around 70% of those living with HIV in need of treatment accessed antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Zambia by 2009. However, sustaining high levels of adherence to ART is a challenge. This study aimed to identify the predictive factors associated with ART adherence during the early months of treatment in rural Zambia. This is a field based observational longitudinal study in Mumbwa district, which is located 150 km west of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Treatment naive patients aged over 15 years, who initiated treatment during September-November 2010, were enrolled. Patients were interviewed at the initiation and six weeks later. The treatment adherence was measured according to self-reporting by the patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictive factors associated with the adherence. Of 157 patients, 59.9% were fully adherent to the treatment six weeks after starting ART. According to the multivariable analysis, full adherence was associated with being female [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), 3.3; 95% Confidence interval (CI), 1.2-8.9], having a spouse who were also on ART (AOR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.5-13.1), and experience of food insufficiency in the previous 30 days (AOR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.8-13.8). Some of the most common reasons for missed doses were long distance to health facilities (n = 21, 53.8%), food insufficiency (n = 20, 51.3%), and being busy with other activities such as work (n = 15, 38.5%). The treatment adherence continues to be a significant challenge in rural Zambia. Social supports from spouses and people on ART could facilitate their treatment adherence. This is likely to require attention by ART services in the future, focusing on different social influences on male and female in rural Zambia. In addition, poverty reduction strategies may help to reinforce adherence to ART and could mitigate the influence of HIV infection for poor patients and those who fall into poverty after starting ART.
51 citations
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present three transportation-related issues within the reconstruction process of the Banda Aceh coastal area, mobility in relocation sites, and reconstruction of the Meulaboh road, and conduct a preliminary analysis of these issues by adding the viewpoint of disaster management and reconstruction.
Abstract: Aceh, located in the northernmost area of Sumatra Island, is one of the regions that suffered the most damage from the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. The process of reconstruction after a large-scale disaster is considered an opportunity to create a safer society, especially for developing countries, however the accumulation of knowledge about how to improve reconstruction is insufficient. The affected areas have diverse social and economic characteristics and unprecedented restoration efforts have been made. The Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, therefore, provides numerous research opportunities, and many surveys and other researches have been conducted to better understand what happened and how the reconstruction process could be improved. However, the majority of such research has focused on housing reconstruction, rebuilding livelihoods and community rehabilitation and there has been only limited research on transportation-related issues. Thus, there is significance in evaluating the reconstruction of Aceh from a transportation perspective, a dimension that has yet to be examined systematically. As a first step in the effort to evaluate various aspects of the reconstruction of Aceh from a transportation perspective, this research aims to present three transportation-related issues within the reconstruction process—1) the road network in the Banda Aceh coastal area, 2) mobility in relocation sites, and 3) reconstruction of the Banda Aceh–Meulaboh road—and to conduct a preliminary analysis of these issues by adding the viewpoint of disaster management and reconstruction, the authors' area of specialization. For conducting a preliminary analysis, existing information such as research papers, articles and reports and data collected through interviews and field reconnaissance conducted by the authors were utilized as much as possible, and such “qualitative data” was analyzed by applying the “interpretive approach”, considered an appropriate analytical framework for qualitative data.
43 citations
TL;DR: The crude and purified plasma from the Siamese crocodile significantly showed antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria and reference strains by damage cell membrane of target bacterial cells.
Abstract: The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a critically endangered species of freshwater crocodiles. Crocodilians live with opportunistic bacterial infection but normally suffer no adverse effects. They are not totally immune to microbial infection, but their resistance thereto is remarkably effective. In this study, crude and purified plasma extracted from the Siamese crocodile were examined for antibacterial activity against clinically isolated, human pathogenic bacterial strains and the related reference strains. Crude plasma was prepared from whole blood of the Siamese crocodile by differential sedimentation. The crude plasma was examined for antibacterial activity by the liquid growth inhibition assay. The scanning electron microscopy was performed to confirm the effect of crude crocodile plasma on the cells of Salmonella typhi ATCC 11778. Effect of crude crocodile plasma on cell viability was tested by MTT assay. In addition, the plasma was purified by anion exchange column chromatography with DEAE-Toyopearl 650 M and the purified plasma was tested for antibacterial activity. Crude plasma was prepared from whole blood of the Siamese crocodile and exhibited substantial antibacterial activities of more than 40% growth inhibition against the six reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and the four clinical isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, and Vibrio cholerae. Especially, more than 80% growth inhibition was found in the reference strains of Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholerae, and Staphylococcus epidermidis and in the clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi and Vibrio cholerae. The effect of the crude plasma on bacterial cells of Salmonella typhi, a certain antibacterial material probably penetrates progressively into the cytoplasmic space, perturbing and damaging bacterial membranes. The effect of the crude plasma was not toxic by the yellow tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay using a macrophage-like cell, RAW 264.7. The pooled four fractions, designated as fractions D1-D4, were obtained by column chromatography, and only fraction D1 showed growth inhibition in the reference strains and the clinical, human pathogenic isolates. The crude and purified plasma from the Siamese crocodile significantly showed antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria and reference strains by damage cell membrane of target bacterial cells. From the MTT assay, the Siamese crocodile plasma was not cytotoxic to the cells.
35 citations
TL;DR: A domestic infestation rate of 8% could serve as the possible threshold below which transmission would become unlikely and the implementation of an 8% threshold for determining needs for universal insecticide spraying would lead to a 21% reduction in spraying-related costs.
Abstract: To examine the existence of a possible threshold for the domestic infestation rate of Triatoma dimidiata, below which transmission becomes unlikely, a census was conducted in 59 Chagas disease endemic communities of El Salvador and Honduras. Entomological and serological tests were conducted targeting 4,083 households and 6,324 children between 6 months and 15 years of age. The overall domestic infestation rate of Triatoma dimidiata and seroprevalence among children were 12.9% and 0.49%, respectively. Communities with a domestic infestation rate at 8% or less consistently showed a seroprevalence of 0%. In communities with a domestic infestation rate above 8%, there was a wide range in seroprevalence. A domestic infestation rate of 8% could serve as the possible threshold below which transmission would become unlikely. The implementation of an 8% threshold for determining needs for universal insecticide spraying would lead to a 21% reduction in spraying-related costs.
32 citations
TL;DR: A common structure of the current community-based surveillance systems, consisting of five fundamental sequential functions is outlined, to increase scalability and sustainability, and four of the five functions could be delegated to the locally available human resources, and the surveillance systems can be integrated into the general health systems.
Abstract: After remarkable reduction in prevalence through regional elimination of domestic vectors, the central challenge of Chagas disease control is shifting towards interruption of the disease transmission by non-eliminable vectors in Latin America. Vector surveillance with community participation was cost-effective against the eliminable vectors. But the efforts often failed against the non-eliminable vectors due to lack of surveillance coverage or sustainability. For instance, in El Salvador and Honduras, the operational vector control personnel lost access to many communities under decentralized health systems. To cover wider areas lastingly, the countries implemented the surveillance systems involving non-specialists from locally embedded resources, such as local health services, schools and community leaders. From these experiences, this paper outlines a common structure of the current community-based surveillance systems, consisting of five fundamental sequential functions. To increase scalability and sustainability, four of the five functions could be delegated to the locally available human resources, and the surveillance systems can be integrated into the general health systems. Challenges at national and regional levels are discussed for further evolution of the surveillance systems.
30 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that distance from a health center is a risk factor for early childhood mortality (primarily, infant mortality) in Madagascar by using a large-scale nationally representative dataset and the accessibility to health care in remote areas would be a key factor to achieve better infant health.
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the association between proximity to a health center and early childhood mortality in Madagascar and to assess the influence of household wealth maternal educational attainment and maternal health on the effects of distance. Methods: From birth records of subjects in the Demographic and Health Survey we identified 12565 singleton births from January 2004 to August 2009. After excluding 220 births that lacked global positioning system information for exposure assessment odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for neonatal mortality and infant mortality were estimated using multilevel logistic regression models with 12345 subjects (level 1) nested within 584 village locations (level 2) and in turn nested within 22 regions (level 3). We additionally stratified the subjects by the birth order. We estimated predicted probabilities of each outcome by a three-level model including cross-level interactions between proximity to a health center and household wealth maternal educational attainment and maternal anemia. Results: Compared with those who lived >1.5-3.0 km from a health center the risks for neonatal mortality and infant mortality tended to increase among those who lived further than 5.0 km from a health center; the adjusted ORs for neonatal mortality and infant mortality for those who lived >5.0-10.0 km away from a health center were 1.36 (95% CI: 0.92-2.01) and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.06-1.90) respectively. The positive associations were more pronounced among the second or later child. The distance effects were not modified by household wealth status maternal educational attainment or maternal health status. Conclusions: Our study suggests that distance from a health center is a risk factor for early childhood mortality (primarily infant mortality) in Madagascar by using a large-scale nationally representative dataset. The accessibility to health care in remote areas would be a key factor to achieve better infant health.
26 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the combined impacts of mobile phone use and personal networks by using panel data from 856 households in 94 communities in rural Uganda, where the number of communities with mobile network coverage increased from 41 to 87 communities over a 2-year period between the first and second surveys, conducted in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
Abstract: Personal networks can help rural workers find urban jobs. When information flow increases due to the expansion of mobile phone use, the new information flow may strengthen existing types of personal network, such as ethnic networks, or provide opportunities to those who were previously outside of these networks. We examine the combined impacts of mobile phone use and personal networks by using panel data from 856 households in 94 communities in rural Uganda, where the number of communities with mobile network coverage increased from 41 to 87 communities over a 2-year period between the first and second surveys, conducted in 2003 and 2005, respectively. We find first that the possession of mobile phone handsets at the household level increases an individual’s chance of leaving his or her rural village to find a job, and second, that mobile phone use increases the chance that an individual will choose migration to a greater degree for individuals who belong to a smaller ethnic group than to a larger group in the capital city, Kampala.
TL;DR: Older CHWs were likely to perform well and their performance was influenced by their training partners, and which factors most impacted the performance of CHWs in Kenya was determined.
Abstract: BACKGROUND Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a key role in the functioning of Primary Health Care. However, little research on the performance of CHWs has been conducted in Kenya. This study aims to describe their performance and to determine which factors most impacted the performance of CHWs in Kenya. METHODS A total of 750 CHWs were identified as potential subjects. However, appropriate data were submitted by 172 CHWs because of rejection and loss of their reporting status. Data on CHWs were collected through questionnaires, and information about their performance was gathered from their supervisors. RESULTS Approximately 60% of the CHWs were active. CHWs over 40 years of age were likely to display good performance in their job (P < 0.001). In addition, the performance of CHWs was influenced by training partners (P < 0.03). CONCLUSION Older CHWs were likely to perform well. Furthermore, their performance was influenced by their training partners.
TL;DR: In Guatemala, the Ministry of Health (MoH) began a vector control project with Japanese cooperation in 2000 to reduce the risk of Chagas disease infection by Rhodnius prolixus, which facilitated the process was existing knowledge in vector control and notable commitment by the MoH, as well as political, managerial and technical support by external stakeholders.
Abstract: In Guatemala, the Ministry of Health (MoH) began a vector control project with Japanese cooperation in 2000 to reduce the risk of Chagas disease infection. Rhodnius prolixus is one of the principal vectors and is targeted for elimination. The control method consisted of extensive residual insecticide spraying campaigns, followed by community-based surveillance with selective respraying. Interventions in nine endemic departments identified 317 villages with R. prolixus of 4,417 villages surveyed. Two cycles of residual insecticide spraying covered over 98% of the houses in the identified villages. Fourteen villages reinfestated were all resprayed. Between 2000-2003 and 2008, the number of infested villages decreased from 317 to two and the house infestation rate reduced from 0.86% to 0.0036%. Seroprevalence rates in 2004-2005, when compared with an earlier study in 1998, showed a significant decline from 5.3% to 1.3% among schoolchildren in endemic areas. The total operational cost was US$ 921,815, where the cost ratio between preparatory, attack and surveillance phases was approximately 2:12:1. In 2008, Guatemala was certified for interruption of Chagas disease transmission by R. prolixus. What facilitated the process was existing knowledge in vector control and notable commitment by the MoH, as well as political, managerial and technical support by external stakeholders.
TL;DR: The data from this study demonstrate that SIM, one of statins, contributes to prevent the progression of renal fibrosis by upregulating BMP-7-mediated anti-fibrotic signaling and that one aspect of crucial efficacies is achieved by regulating HOXA13 and USAG-1.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors applied a new numerical simulating method based on the Extended Distinct Element Method (EDEM) and conducted collapse simulations of the brick masonry house behavior during the shaking table tests.
Abstract: Damage caused by devastating earthquakes has occurred in many developing countries. In order to mitigate such damage by promoting the study of adequate seismic design strategies, the authors conducted a dynamic collapse test on 3 m × 3 m × 3 m brick masonry house constructed with Pakistani bricks, using a one-direction horizontal large-scale shaking table. In order to analyze and simulate seismic performance of the masonry structures, the authors applied a new numerical simulating method based on the Extended Distinct Element Method (EDEM) and conducted collapse simulations of the brick masonry house behavior during the shaking table tests. In the numerical simulation model, bricks were assumed to be rigid bodies, and mortar was modeled using a mortar spring that consists of a normal spring and a shear spring. The parameters of each mortar spring were defined based on the results of material tests. Simulated results showed various collapsing processes, and the simulated aspects were found to be similar to the results of the shaking table tests.
TL;DR: Based on the relationship between the fork length and the developmental stage of the testes or ovaries, male and female dolphinfish were found to reach sexual maturity by the following spawning season after hatching in the northern East China Sea.
Abstract: The growth and reproductive characteristics of dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus collected in the waters off western Kyushu from May 2008 to April 2011 were determined based on scale and otolith readings and gonad histological examinations, respectively. Based on annual increments in scales and daily increments in sagittal otoliths, the von Bertalanffy growth curves in male and females were determined as $$ FL_{t} = 1049[1 - \exp \{ - 0.835(t + 6.975 \times 10^{ - 14} )\} ] $$
and $$ FL_{t} = 938[1 - \exp \{ - 1.029(t + 6.975 \times 10^{ - 14} )\} ] $$
, respectively, where FL
t
is the mean fork length (mm) at age t. The spawning period was found to last from June to August for dolphinfish, based on an examination of the monthly changes in the gonadosomatic index and histological observations. Therefore, based on the relationship between the fork length and the developmental stage of the testes or ovaries, male and female dolphinfish were found to reach sexual maturity by the following spawning season after hatching in the northern East China Sea.
TL;DR: Few but transmissible clones can transmit after acquiring multidrug resistance and colonize even in a country with a developed, well-organized healthcare system, as suggested by analysis of Mtb isolates in Osaka Prefecture.
Abstract: Infection and transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-Mtb) and extensively drug-resistant M. tuberculosis (XDR-Mtb) is a serious health problem. We analyzed a total of 1,110 Mtb isolates in Osaka Prefecture and neighboring areas from April 2000 to March 2009. A total of 89 MDR-Mtb were identified, 36 (48.5%) of which were determined to be XDR-Mtb. Among the 89 MDR-Mtb isolates, 24 (27.0%) phylogenetically distributed into six clusters based on mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-various number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing. Among these six clusters, the MIRU-VNTR patterns of four (OM-V02, OM-V03, OM-V04, and OM-V06) were only found for MDR-Mtb. Further analysis revealed that all isolates belonging to OM-V02 and OM-V03, and two isolates from OM-V04 were clonal. Importantly such genotypes were not observed for drug-sensitive isolates. These suggest that few but transmissible clones can transmit after acquiring multidrug resistance and colonize even in a country with a developed, well-organized healthcare system.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined what motivates resource users to contribute financially to the management of water supply system infrastructure by paying their water tariff and found that users who prefer borehole water and are satisfied with the service provided are more likely than others to pay.
TL;DR: In Niger, insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) have been distributed to the target group of households with young children and/or pregnant women at healthcare facilities in the course of antenatal/immunization clinics through strengthened community health committees in 2009 to achieve universal coverage.
Abstract: In Niger, insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) have been distributed to the target group of households with young children and/or pregnant women at healthcare facilities in the course of antenatal/immunization clinics. With the aim of universal coverage, ITNs were additionally distributed to households through strengthened community health committees in 2009. This study assessed the impact of the community-based net distribution strategy involving community health committees in the ITN coverage in Boboye Health District, Niger. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 1,034 households drawn from the intervention area (the co-existence of the community-based system together with the facility-based system) and the control area (the facility-based system alone). In the intervention area, 55.8% of households owned ITNs delivered through the community-based system, and 29.6% of households exclusively owned ITNs obtained through the community-based system. The community-based system not only reached households within the target group (54.6% ownership) but also those without (59.1% ownership). Overall, household ITN ownership was significantly higher in the intervention area than in the control area (82.5% vs. 60.7%). In combination, the community-based system and the facility-based system achieved a high ITN coverage. The community-based system contributed to reducing leakage in the facility-based system.
TL;DR: From the data obtained, all four species of the genus Zygozyma were distinguished from one another at the generic level and the name of Kockiozyma was newly suggested for ZygoZyma suomiensis, and KockIOzyma suOMiensis was introduced as a new combination.
Abstract: In phylogenetic trees based on 18S rRNA gene, 26S rRNA gene, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA gene and the EF-1α gene sequences, and the concatenated sequences of the latter four regions derived from the neighbor-joining method, the four species of the genus Zygozyma constituted four clusters, respectively, with low bootstrap values. In phylogenetic trees based on the concatenated sequences of 18S rRNA genes, 26S rRNA genes, mitochondrial small subunit rRNA genes and the EF-1α genes derived from the neighbor-joining method, the maximum parsimony method and the maximum likelihood method, Lipomyces species including Lipomyces starkeyi (the type species of the genus Lipomyces), Lipomyces tetrasporus and so on, Lipomyces lipofer (= Waltomyces lipofer), Lipomyces japonicus (= Smithiozyma japonica), Babjevia anomala (= Lipomyces anomalus) and Dipodascopsis uninucleata constituted their own respective clusters. The four species of the genus Zygozyma, viz., Zygozyma oligophaga (the type species of the genus Zygozyma), Zygozyma suomiensis, Zygozyma arxii (= Kawasakia arxii) and Zygozyma smithiae (= Limtongia smithiae) were separated from one another and phylogenetically independent from other Lipomycetaceous yeast species. From the data obtained, all four species of the genus Zygozyma were distinguished from one another at the generic level. The name of Kockiozyma was newly suggested for Zygozyma suomiensis, and Kockiozyma suomiensis was introduced as a new combination.
TL;DR: A series of global milestones rests on the hypothesis that in-service training, workshops or conferences (hereafter ‘in-service‘) are effective non-financial incentives for retention as discussed by the authors.
TL;DR: The present results suggest that the residues 534, and 416 to a lesser extent, of the E2 glycoprotein are critically involved in the HCV infectivity and antibody neutralization.
Abstract: The molecular basis of antibody neutralization against hepatitis C virus (HCV) is poorly understood. The E2 glycoprotein of HCV is critically involved in viral infectivity through specific binding to the principal virus receptor component CD81, and is targeted by anti-HCV neutralizing antibodies. A previous study showed that a mutation at position 534 (N534H) within the sixth N-glycosylation motif of E2 of the J6/JFH1 strain of HCV genotype 2a (HCV-2a) was responsible for more efficient access of E2 to CD81 so that the mutant virus could infect the target cells more efficiently. The purpose of this study was to analyze the sensitivity of the parental J6/JFH1, its cell culture-adapted variant P-47 possessing 10 amino acid mutations and recombinant viruses with the adaptive mutations to neutralization by anti-HCV antibodies in sera of HCV-infected patients. The J6/JFH1 virus was neutralized by antibodies in sera of patients infected with HCV-2a and -1b, with mean 50% neutralization titers being 1:670 and 1:200, respectively (P < 0.00001). On the other hand, the P-47 variant showed 50- to 200-times higher sensitivity to antibody neutralization than the parental J6/JFH1 without genotype specificity. The N534H mutation, and another one at position 416 (T416A) near the first N-glycosylation motif to a lesser extent, were shown to be responsible for the enhanced sensitivity to antibody neutralization. The present results suggest that the residues 534, and 416 to a lesser extent, of the E2 glycoprotein are critically involved in the HCV infectivity and antibody neutralization. J. Med. Virol. 84:229–234, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.