The sustainability concept seeks to balance how present and future generations of humans meet their needs. But because nature is viewed only as a resource, sustainability fails to recognize that humans and other living beings depend on each other for their well-being. We therefore argue that true sustainability can only be achieved if the interdependent needs of all species of current and future generations are met, and propose calling this ‘multispecies sustainability’. We explore the concept through visualizations and scenarios, then consider how it might be applied through case studies involving bees and healthy green spaces.

Four species of malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium knowlesi infect humans living in the Khanh Phu commune, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. The latter species also infects wild macaque monkeys in this region. In order to understand the transmission dynamics of the three species, we attempted to detect gametocytes of the three species in the blood of infected individuals, and sporozoites in the salivary glands of mosquitoes from the same region. For the detection of gametocyte-specific mRNA, we targeted region 3 of pfg377, pvs25, pmg and pks25 as indicators of the presence of P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae and P. knowlesi gametocytes, respectively. Gametocyte-specific mRNA was present in 37, 61, 0 and 47% of people infected with P. falciparum (n = 95), P. vivax (n = 69), P. malariae (n = 6) or P. knowlesi (n = 32), respectively. We found that 70% of mosquitoes that had P. knowlesi in their salivary glands also carried human malaria parasites, suggesting that mosquitoes are infected with P. knowlesi from human infections.

The kinetics of Ge lateral overgrowth on SiO2 with line-shaped Si seeds is examined. The growth process is described by the difference between the growth rates of Ge on (100) planes (GR100) and <311> facets (GR311). The theoretical calculations well reproduce the growth kinetics. It is shown that narrowing the line-seeds helps Ge coalescence and flat film formation.

Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) on board International Space Station is capable ofobserving gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and sending notices of GRBs or other transient events,using real time connection to the ground. MAXI observed 32 GRBs or short X-ray transientsas of the end of September 2012. Among them, eleven events were simultaneously detected byother satellites. The observed rate of the MAXI GRBs is about one event per month. Thisrate is comparable to a past observation with larger effective area and larger field ofview. The fact indicates that MAXI has better sensitivity to observe GRBs because of lowbackground. The distribution of the spectral hardness of MAXI GRBs is similar to theresults of a past instrument, which is sensitive to similar energy range.

There are few data on circulatory pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and cytokine gene polymorphisms in H. pylori-positive patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the effects of H. pylori infection, gastric atrophy, and the IL-8 T-251A polymorphism on plasma IL-8 levels in 98 Japanese adults. Seventy-one subjects were positive for H. pylori infection. The geometric mean of plasma IL-8 concentration was significantly higher in subjects with H. pylori infection than in those without (P=0·001). The development of atrophy was negatively associated with IL-8 levels in the H. pylori-positive subjects, although not significantly. Plasma IL-8 levels in the T/T genotype were associated with H. pylori infection and atrophy status (P=0·016). Our findings suggested that circulating IL-8 levels were associated with H. pylori infection. The effect of H. pylori infection on plasma IL-8 levels was not clearly modified by the IL-8 T-251A polymorphism.

Propagation of electrostatic electron waves whose frequency is smaller than the electron plasma frequency in a large unmagnetized plasma is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. When a receiver is close to a transmitter, free-streaming electrons are detected owing to their large capacity for excitation. When the distance between the receiver and the transmitter becomes large, the third-order Landau mode is observed due to its smaller damping than that of free-streaming electrons. Finally, a dip in amplitude of the wave, caused by interference by the higher-order Landau modes, is seen. The results are in reasonable agreement with numerical calculation assuming a dipole excitation for the wave.

The characteristic of the electrostatic mode excited in non-neutral plasma in the equilibrium state is closely related to the internal state of plasma. This relationship has been used for non-destructive diagnosis of non-neutral plasma. Under the present conditions, this diagnosis is only supported by simplified theory. We employ numerical simulation reflecting actual experimental conditions and examine the characteristic of this electrostatic mode.

Oncomelania nosophora (Gastropoda: Pomatiopsidae) is the intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum in Japan. Although most of the snails were eliminated during the 20th century, they are still found in two areas in Japan. One area is in the Kofu Basin, including Nirasaki City, in Yamanashi Prefecture. The other is the Obitsu River Basin in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture. Snails collected in Nirasaki and Kisarazu were exposed to 3 geographical strains of S. japonicum originating from Japan, China, and the Philippines. Both isolates of O. nosophora showed high susceptibility to the Japanese strain of S. japonicum (74·0%–82·2% for the Nirasaki isolate and 58·0%–56·0% for the Kisarazu isolate) and low susceptibility to the Chinese strain (0·0%–1·3% and 1·4%–7·9% respectively). In contrast, the susceptibility of the snails to the Philippine strain was significantly different (P<0·01) between the isolates (3·3%–6·6% for the Nirasaki isolate and 31·9%–75·9% for the Kisarazu isolate). To examine the differences in infectivity in detail, we conducted histological observations of snails exposed to the Philippine strain at 3 h, 1, 3, and 15 days after miracidial exposure. We found differences in the development of the parasite between the isolates of snails from early after exposure.

Our system is the electrochemical approaches include the detection of hybridization from nonlabeling nucleic acids to protein-bound nucleic acids using soluble mediators with K4Fe(CN)6 solutions. In order to generate bio-functional surfaces, the streptavidin(SAv)-biotin system is used. A 50 % change of redox peak current after hybridization measured with 50 ?M concentration of target DNA. We suggest that this result comes from the efficient electron transport through the SAv-biotin interaction. Our electrochemical detection system showed good reproducibility on a chip with non-labeling DNA hybridization detection.

Our system is the electrochemical approaches include the detection of hybridization from nonlabeling nucleic acids to protein-bound nucleic acids using soluble mediators with K4Fe(CN)6 solutions. In order to generate bio-functional surfaces, the streptavidin(SAv)-biotin system is used. A 50 % change of redox peak current after hybridization measured with 50 μM concentration of target DNA. We suggest that this result comes from the efficient electron transport through the SAv-biotin interaction. Our electrochemical detection system showed good reproducibility on a chip with non-labeling DNA hybridization detection.

The High Energy Transient Explorer 2 is a small scientific satellite designed to detect and localize gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The coordinates of GRBs detected by HETE-2 will be distributed to interested ground-based observers within seconds of burst detection, thereby allowing detailed observations of the initial phases of GRBs. HETE-2 was launched successfully on October 9, 2000. The GRB positions will start to be delivered after a few months of the complete testing and calibration of the spacecraft system and the science instruments.

A spin-glass state up to 210 K has been found in (Mg,Fe){Mg,Fe,Ti)2O4 spinel ferrite thin films formed on α-Al2O3(0001) substrates. The long-time relaxation of the magnetization in zero-field-cooled operation, which is characteristic feature of the spin-glass state, has been observed below 210 K. We have also achieved the change of magnetic state in the film from spin-glass to ferrimagnet over a wide temperature range below 160 K by means of light-irradiation. The amount of spin-melt on light-irradiation is calculated to be 41 % at 10 K and 26 % at 100 K.

We have demonstrated the presence of ferroelectric properties in non-oxide (II-VI type semiconductor) ferroelectric thin films, such as (Zn,Cd)Te, (Zn,Cd)Se and (Zn,Cd)S (thickness: 3000–5000 Å). They have shown the ferroelectric hysteresis feature with memory windows of 0.2V, 0.3V and 0.8V, respectively. The materials design for getting the ferroelectric nature is as follows: when the size of the replaced atom is smaller than the host atom, then the substituent atoms can occupy off-centered positions, thus locally induce electric dipoles, thereby leading to ferroelectric behavior. These II-VI wide gap semiconducting ferroelectric films will open the door for new memory devices.

Since the discovery of fading X-rays from Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) with BeppoSAX (Piro et al. 1997, Costa et al. 1997), world-wide follow-up observations in optical band have achieved the fruitful results. The case of GRB 970228, there was an optical transient, coincides with the BeppoSAX position and faded (Paradijs et al. 1997, Sahu et al. 1997). These optical observations also confirmed the extended component, which was associated with the optical transient. The new transient are fading with a power-law function in time and the later observation of HST confirmed the extended emission is stable (Fruchter et al. 1997). This extended object seems to be a distant galaxy and strongly suggests to be the host.

We made a search of quiescent X-ray counterparts of two Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), GRB930131 and GRB940217. These GRBs were detected with BATSE, EGRET, COMPTEL on board CGRO together with the GRB detector on Ulysses spacecraft, then they were localized in small error regions. These observations showed that the bursts were remarkably bright accompanying delayed high energy gamma-rays. ASCA observations have found a single X-ray source for each GRB on the possible location determined with the above instruments.

There are several regions where a group of quasars are significantly clustered in the physical space. In the “CFHT grens survey” conducted by Crampton et al. (Crampton et al. 1989 and references therein), the 23 quasars between z=1.036 and 1.185 were found to be clustered over ~ 2° × 2° in the region denoted as 1338+27 At the mean redshift zave = 1.113, the angular extent 6000 arcsec (CHH89) of this cluster corresponds to 60 h −1Mpc(q 0 = 0.5) and the dispergion of the redshift λz = 0.044 to 45 h −1Mpc.

An influence of sheet electron beam irradiation (SEBI) on the wettability is investigated of the hydroxy apatite (HAP) [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2]. The wettability is one of the important factors to control bio-compatibility. The SEBI is homogeneously performed by an electrocurtain processor. The temperature of the sample is below 323 K just after the irradiation. The wettability is evaluated by measuring the wet angle θ in a drop of water. The SEBI increases the wettability. Based on rate process, the influence of SEBI on wettability is discussed. Using the SEBI, we can precisely control the surface condition of HAP.