Ticks prefer specific feeding sites on a host that are influenced by host–tick and tick–tick interactions. This study focused on the spatiotemporal distribution of ticks in Hokkaido sika deer, an important tick host in Hokkaido, Japan. Tick sampling was performed on the sika deer in the Shiretoko National Park between June and October 2022. Ticks were collected from 9 different body parts of the deer to compare their attachment site preferences. Interspecific and intraspecific relationships among ticks were examined using co-occurrence analysis. The collected ticks were nymphal and adult stages of 4 species: Ixodes ovatus, Ixodes persulcatus, Haemaphysalis japonica and Haemaphysalis megaspinosa. Seasonal variations in tick burden were observed, with I. persulcatus and I. ovatus peaking in June and declining towards October; H. japonica showing low numbers in July and August and increasing from September; and H. megaspinosa appearing from September onwards with little variation. Attachment site preferences varied among species, with a significant preference for the pinna in I. ovatus and I. persulcatus. Haemaphysalis japonica was mainly found on the body and legs between June and August, and shifted to the pinna from September. Haemaphysalis megaspinosa showed a general preference for areas other than the legs. Co-occurrence analysis revealed positive, negative and random co-occurrence patterns among the tick species. Ticks of the same genus and species exhibited positive co-occurrence patterns; I. ovatus showed negative co-occurrence patterns with Haemaphysalis spp. This study revealed the unique attachment site preferences and distinct seasonal distributions of tick species in the Hokkaido sika deer.

Although the relationship between dyslipidaemia (DL) and coronary artery disease (CAD) or between trace minerals intake and CAD is well known separately, the exact nature of this relationship remains unknown. We hypothesize that the relationship between trace mineral intake and CAD may differ depending on whether or not the individual has DL. The present study analysed the relationships among trace mineral intake, DL, and CAD in middle-aged and older adults living in Shika town, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. This study included 895 residents following the exclusion of those with genetic risk carriers for familial hypercholesterolemia. Trace mineral intake was evaluated using the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. Interactions were observed between DL and CAD with zinc (p = 0.004), copper (p = 0.010), and manganese intake (p < 0.001) in a two-way analysis of covariance adjusted for covariates such as sex, age, body mass index, and current smokers and drinkers. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that zinc (odds ratio (OR): 0.752; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.606, 0.934; p = 0.010), copper (OR: 0.175; 95% CI: 0.042, 0.726; p = 0.016), and manganese (OR: 0.494; 95% CI: 0.291, 0.839; p = 0.009) were significant independent variables for CAD in the dyslipidaemic group. The present results suggest that DL with a low trace mineral intake is associated with CAD. Further longitudinal studies are required to confirm this relationship.

The {100}-oriented (CaxSr1-x)Si2 thin films have been prepared by co-sputtering method at various deposition temperatures. Constituent phase of the films primarily depends on the deposition temperature and the composition x. Although CaSi2 films consisted of layered structure regardless of deposition temperature, the phase was changed by the deposition temperature: the majority phases of the film deposited at 600°C, 650°C and 700°C were 1T layered structure, 1T layered structure + 2H layered structure and 1T layered structure + 6R layered structure, respectively. When the (CaxSr1-x)Si2 films deposited at 700°C, the α-SrSi2-type phase was mainly confirmed below x = 0.17, which is the most stable phase of SrSi2. However, the main phase of all CaxSr1-xSi2 films deposited at 600°C changed to be 1T-type layered structure. Substitution with Ca below x = 0.50 in the film deposited at 600°C led to the decrease in the electrical resistivity compared with that of pure SrSi2.

The Japanese scientific academic community defined ‘functional food’ early in the 1980s. That is, functional foods are those that have three functions. The primary function is nutrition. The secondary function is a sensory function or sensory satisfaction. The third is the tertiary function, which is physiological. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW) set up ‘Foods for Specified Health Use’ (FOSHU) in 1991 as a regulatory system to approve the statements made on food labels concerning the effect of the food on the human body. Food products applying for approval by FOSHU are scientifically evaluated in terms of their effectiveness and safety by the Council of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Hygiene under the MHLW. The regulatory range of FOSHU was broadened in 2001 to accept the forms of capsules and tablets in addition to those of conventional foods. FOSHU increased the total to about 330 items in January 2003. The MHLW enacted a new regulatory system, ‘Foods with Health Claims’, in April 2001, which consists of the existing FOSHU system and the newly established ‘Foods with Nutrient Function Claims’ (FNFC). Under the FNFC, twelve vitamins (vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, D, biotin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and niacin) and two minerals (Ca and Fe) are standardized. Examples of claims regarding these substances are as follows: ‘Calcium is a nutrient which is necessary to form bones and teeth’; ‘Vitamin D is a nutrient which promotes calcium absorption in the gut intestine and aids in the formation of bones.’ The upper and lower levels of the daily consumption of these nutrients are also determined. The labelling of functional foods should always be based on scientific evidence and be in harmony with international standards. The nutrient–function claim was adopted in the guidelines for nutrition claims by the Codex Alimentarius in 1997. The claims of the Japanese FNFC are equivalent to the nutrient function claims standardized by the Codex Alimentarius. The enhanced function claim and the disease risk-reduction claims were proposed by both the Codex Alimentarius and an Economic Union project in 1999. The structure function claim, which is similar to the enhanced function claim, was enacted by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in the USA in 1994. Most of the statements of the Japanese FOSHU system are close to the category of structure/function claims in the USA or the enhanced function claims of the Codex Alimentarius.

Over a 25-year period, we encountered 12 patients who died suddenly with coronary arterial lesions due to Kawasaki disease. We report their clinical course, and analyze the happenings of their deaths. Of the 12 patients, 10 were dead on arrival at hospital. Their age at death ranged from 13 months to 27 years, with a median of 16 years, and the interval from the onset of Kawasaki disease to death ranged from 2 months to 24 years. In 4 patients, death was found to be due to myocardial infarction, while in the remaining 8, it could not be determined. In 7 patients, coronary angiograms obtained less than 4 months after the acute onset of Kawasaki disease showed lesions bilaterally, most being giant aneurysms. Myocardial infarction had occurred in 6 patients prior to their death. In 1 patient of the late 1970s, who collapsed after running, cardiac sequels had not been suspected prior to autopsy. During the 1980s, 3 infants with bilateral giant aneurysms died within a year of the initial onset of Kawasaki disease, with acute myocardial infarction being the cause in 2 of them. In the late 1990s, and the 2000s, 5 patients died suddenly with left ventricular dysfunction, their ejection fractions being less than 40 percent more than 20 years after the initial onset of Kawasaki disease. Prior to their sudden deaths, they had had no cardiac events for many years, but had suffered previous myocardial infarctions. Multifocal premature ventricular contractions, and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, are probable risk factors in such patients. Careful follow-up, checking for ventricular arrhythmia, is needed to prevent sudden death in patients suffering left ventricular dysfunction in the setting of Kawasaki disease.

An amorphous p-type conductive oxide semiconductor was created based on a mother crystalline material, a p-type conductive ZnRh2O4 spinel. The amorphous film of ZnRh2O4 was deposited by an rf sputtering method. Seebeck coefficient was positive, +78 μVK-1, indicating that major carrier is a positive hole. A moderate electrical conductivity (2 S cm-1 at room temperature) for a p-type semiconductor was observed. Optical band gap was estimated to be 2.1 eV. P-n junction diodes with a structure of Au / a-ZnRh2O4 / a-InGaZnO4 / ITO fabricated on glass substrates, operated with a good rectifying characteristics, a rectification current ratio at ± 5V of ∼103. The threshold voltage was 2.1 eV, which corresponds to the band gap energy of the amorphous ZnRh2O4. This is the first discovery of a p-type amorphous oxide and the demonstration of p-n junction all composed of amorphous oxide semiconductors.

Carrier transport property was studied in relation to microstructure for polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) prepared from SiF4 and H2 gas mixtures at temperatures below 360°C. It was found that Hall mobility markedly increased with the increase in crystal fraction especially at crystal fractions larger than 80% and it exhibited good correlation with orientation fluctuation as well as with crystal fraction. In addition, dependence of Hall mobility on orientation fluctuation exhibited different tendency between (220) and (400) oriented poly-Si. It suggests that atomic configuration and electronic structure at grain boundaries depends on orientation structure, resulting in the different dependence of Hall mobility on orientation fluctuation. By applying hot-vapor annealing at 310°C to 1 μm-thick P-doped (400) oriented poly-Si, Hall mobility was improved from 10 cm2/Vs to 17 cm2/Vs.

The preparation of amorphous silicon films and solar cells using SiH2Cl2 source gas and electron cyclotron resonance assisted chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) was investigated. By using buffer layers to protect previously deposited layers improved a-Si:H(Cl) solar cells were prepared and studied. The high quality a-Si:H(Cl) films used in this study exhibited low defect densities (~1015cm-3) and high stability under illumination even when the deposition rate was increased to ~15A/s. The solar cells were deposited in the n-i-p sequence. These solar cells achieved VOC values of ~ 0.89V and ~ 3.9% efficiency on Ga doped ZnO (GZO) coated specular substrate. The a-Si:H(C1) electron and hole μτ products were ~10-8cm2/V.

Lead-zirconate-titanate films were prepared by excimer laser ablation. The coercive field of films deposited on MgO substrates with an electrode was lower than that of films deposited on sapphire substrates. Laser fluence influenced the grain and crystalline size, resulting in a change in the Ec. Film thicknesses were varied over a range from 0.3 to 2.41μm, with the thinnest film showing a large remanent polarization even at an applied effective voltage of 5V.

Pb(Zr0.52Ti0. 48)O3 (PZT) films were prepared on r-plane sapphire substrates by the laser ablation method utilizing ArF excimer laser in O2 or N2O environment. The composition of the films deposited in O2 environment was found to be fairly close to the composition of the target material for a wide range of substrate temperatures, 400 – 750 °c. Increasing the laser fluence (the laser power density) for the ablation enhances the formation of the perovskite structure rather than the pyrochlore one. Use of N2O ambient gas instead of O2 gas enhances the formation of the perovskite structure of PZT films. Furthermore, it was found that a laser irradiation on the growing film surface during deposition enhances the formation of the perovskite structure.