Association between Asian dust exposure and respiratory function in children with bronchial asthma in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Background: Studies on the adverse effects of Asian dust (AD) on respiratory function in children are scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the association between AD and respiratory function by measuring peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) in asthmatic children.

Methods: The study was carried out from March to May from 2014 through 2016.

One year investigation of the prevalence and diversity of clostridial spores in raw milk from the Tokachi area of Hokkaido.

We investigated the seasonal prevalence and diversity of clostridial spores in raw milk from the Tokachi area of Hokkaido. Samples of raw milk were collected quarterly from May 2013 through February 2014. The mean clostridial spore count for the raw milk from 336 milk tankers was 27.

Dose-Dependent Negative Effects of Prior Multiple Vaccinations Against Influenza A and Influenza B Among Schoolchildren: A Study of Kamigoto Island in Japan During the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 Influenza Seasons.

Background: We investigated the negative effects of prior multiple vaccinations on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) and analyzed the association of VE with prior vaccine doses.

Methods: Patients aged 9-18 years presenting with influenza-like illness at a community hospital on a remote Japanese island during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, and 2013-2014 influenza seasons were tested for influenza using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT). A test-negative, case-control study design was used to estimate the VEs of trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine.

Negative impact of prior influenza vaccination on current influenza vaccination among people infected and not infected in prior season: A test-negative case-control study in Japan.

Background: Accumulating evidences indicate that repeated influenza vaccination has negative impact on the vaccine effectiveness (VE). However no published studies considered past influenza infection when assessing the VE of repeated vaccination.

Methods: Prospective surveillance was conducted from 2009 to 2012 at a community hospital on a small island in Japan.

Development of high resolution Michelson interferometer for stable phase-locked ultrashort pulse pair generation.

We developed a high resolution Michelson interferometer with a two-frequency He-Ne laser positioning system in order to stabilize the relative phase of a pulse pair. The control resolution corresponded to a 12 as time resolution or a phase of 1.5 degrees at 900 nm.

Photonic crystal directional coupler switch with small switching length and wide bandwidth.

A directional coupler switch structure capable of short switching length and wide bandwidth is proposed. The switching length and bandwidth have a trade-off relationship in conventional directional coupler switches. Dispersion curves that avoid this trade-off are derived, and a two-dimensional photonic crystal structure that achieves these dispersion curves is presented.