Japan International Cooperation Agency

About: Japan International Cooperation Agency is a government organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 555 authors who have published 613 publications receiving 9536 citations.

Determinants of Health Service Responsiveness in Community-Based Vector Surveillance for Chagas Disease in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

Abstract: Background Central American countries face a major challenge in the control of Triatoma dimidiata ,a widespread vector of Chagas disease that cannot be eliminated. The key to maintaining the risk of transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi at lowest levels is to sustain surveillance throughout endemic areas. Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras integrated community-based vector surveillance into local health systems. Community participation was effective in detection of the vector, but some health services had difficulty sustaining their response to reports of vectors from the population. To date, no research has investigated how best to maintain and reinforce health service responsiveness, especially in resource-limited settings.

Abalone, Haliotis mariae (Wood, 1828), Hatchery and Seed Production Trials in Oman

Abstract: Hatchery and seed production trials for the Omani endemic abalone Haliotis mariae were carried out at the land-based Mirbat Abalone Seed Production Station in Oman between 1999 and 2000 The methods developed for broodstock conditioning, induction of spawning and fertilization, larval settlement, and the handling of small juveniles are shown Abalone collected in the post-monsoon period and held for 2 months matured faster than those collected before the monsoon and held for 6 months Spawning induction of males and females had 63% and 11% success rates respectively, and the morphology of early larval stages is shown Survival rates of veliger larvae introduced to settlement plates ranged from 359% to 737%, but the survival of post-larvae was low at 01% to 36% The high mortality rate was attributed to invasions of filamentous green- and coralline algae on settlement plates and occurrence of low quantity of diatoms as food Juveniles reacted best to 2% ethanol as anaesthetic, dropping off culture plates within 4 min and recovering within 17 min Cultured abalone reached an average shell length of 529 mm over 13 months, which translates to an increment of 41 mmmon-1 The overall conclusion of these preliminary research trials confirms that H mariae can be cultured successfully in Oman Further studies on the standardization of the techniques would help in stock enhancement programmes and commercial farming

Seed fertility of F1 hybrids between upland rice NERICA cultivars and Oryza sativa L. or O. glaberrima Steud.

Abstract: NERICA (New Rice for Africa) cultivars were crossed with Oryza sativa L. and O. glaberrima Steud. All the F1 hybrids between NERICA and two strains of O. glaberrima were highly sterile, while the F1 hybrids of NERICA with two cultivars of O. sativa showed differing levels of fertility depending on the cross combinations. NERICA cultivars were classified into three groups: (1) those compatible with both ssp. indica and ssp. japonica of O. sativa (i.e. NERICA12, NERICA15, NERICA16, NERICA17 and NERICA18); (2) those compatible with japonica but incompatible with indica (NERICA3, NERICA4, NERICA7, NERICA8, NERICA9, NERICA11, NERICA13 and NERICA14); and (3) incompatible with both types (NERICA1). In the first group of NERICA cultivars, four cultivars from NERICA15 to NERICA18 are derived from the same cross of CG 14/3*WAB 181-18, and they have the cytoplasm of CG 14, from an O. glaberrima strain. No ‘bridging cultivar’ between both cultigens was found in NERICA cultivars, but some NERICA cultivars were compatible with both japonica and indica. This finding is very useful for improvement of NERICA cultivars through hybridization.

Adapting home-based records for maternal and child health to users' capacities.

Abstract: Home-based records have been used in both low- and high-income countries to improve maternal and child health. Traditionally, these were mostly stand-alone records that supported a single maternal and child health-related programme, such as the child vaccination card or growth chart. Recently, an increasing number of countries are using integrated home-based records to support all or part of maternal and child health-related programmes, as in the maternal and child health handbook. Policy-makers' expectations of home-based records are often unrealistic and important functions of the records remain underused, leading to loss of confidence in the process, and to wasted resources and opportunities for care. We need to examine the gaps between the functions of the records and the extent to which users of records (pregnant women, mothers, caregivers and health-care workers) are knowledgeable and skilful enough to make those expected functions happen. Three key functions, with increasing levels of complexity, may be planned in home-based records: (i) data recording and storage; (ii) behaviour change communication, and (iii) monitoring and referral. We define a function-capacity conceptual framework for home-based records showing how increasing number and complexity of functions in a home-based record requires greater capacity among its users. The type and functions of an optimal home-based record should be strategically selected in accordance not only with demands of the health system, but also the capacities of the record users.