Correlation and phonon effects for the electronic transport and thermoelectric power factors in the metal-band-insulator crossover of perovskite-type titanates.

The structural and electronic properties in the metal-band-insulator crossover of the perovskite-type oxygen deficient system SrTiO(3-δ/2) and the Sr-rare-earth element substituted systems Sr(1-x)Ce(x)TiO(3-δ(n)/2) and Sr(1-x)La(x)TiO(3-δ(n)/2), δ(n) being the nominal value, are explored in order to clarify the transport mechanisms and to determine the thermoelectric power factors, through measurements of the x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power, Hall coefficient and magnetic susceptibility. The metallic transport for SrTiO(3-δ/2) with δ≤0.2 and that for Sr(1-x)Ce(x)TiO(3-δ(n)/2) and Sr(1-x)La(x)TiO(3-δ(n)/2) with x≈0.

Surveillance of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in beef with effective procedures, independent of serotype.

To detect various serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in food, methods independent of serotyping are needed. We established procedures to isolate STEC using a rapid and sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the Shiga toxin (ST) gene and a method of plating LAMP assay positive dilutions onto media for the selection of E. coli.

Prevalence of community-acquired respiratory tract infections associated with Q fever in Japan.

A multicenter prospective cohort study to assess the occurrence and characteristics of acute Q fever associated with community acquired respiratory infections was performed. Among the 400 patients enrolled for the study, 10 (2.50%) patients (5 out of 120 cases of pneumonia, 3 out of 131 cases of acute bronchitis, and 2 out of 149 cases of upper respiratory infections) were diagnosed as having acute Q fever.

Evidence for widespread infection of hepatitis E virus among wild rats in Japan.

Sporadic cases of hepatitis E have been reported in industrialized countries, including Japan. The source of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in these patients is unknown, although zoonotic transmission has been suggested. To investigate whether or not rodents might be a reservoir of HEV, we conducted an epidemiological survey for the antibody to a recombinant capsid protein of HEV using serum samples from wild rodents in Japan.