超低消費電力かつ高速負荷過渡応答を有するシリーズレギュレ－タに関する研究

電気通信大学200

Underwater Acoustic Communication (UWA) Data Packet Size Optimization based on Throughput

The aim of this project is to obtain a new method which will help to maximize the performance of the Underwater Water Acoustic Network. The metrics that will be used namely are Throughput, Bit Error Rate, and Energy. These three metrics are very crucial for the network life time. Throughput will be discussed heaver. Various mathematical methods such as interpolation will be address in order to justify between these three metrics. The main contribution of this project is the algorithm and the lookup table construction developed for selecting optimal packet size in underwater communication efficiency

Vocational Training and Wheelchairs

This article talks about two associations that work together to improve the lives of mine survivors and other persons with disabilities in Cambodia by providing skills training, counseling and wheelchairs

Insecticide-treated bednets for the prevention of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Cambodia: a cluster-randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES: To validate and quantify the impact of insecticide-treated bednets (ITN) on malaria morbidity and mortality in Cambodia. METHODS: A paired, cluster-randomized trial of ITN was conducted in Rattanakiri, North East Cambodia. Thirty-four villages with a total population of 10,726 were randomized to receive deltamethrin-impregnated bednets or to control (no net provision). Cross-sectional surveys measured Plasmodium falciparum prevalence at baseline and 10 months after ITN distribution. Village malaria volunteers in control and intervention villages treated dipstick-positive P. falciparum cases with artesunate and mefloquine. The resulting passive surveillance data were used as an estimate of the incidence of clinical P. falciparum infections. RESULTS: There was a protective efficacy of 28% in P. falciparum incidence (adjusted rate ratio 0.72, 95% CI 0.47-1.08) and 9% in P. falciparum prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.65-1.28) in ITN relative to control villages; however, neither of these estimates reached statistical significance. Individual-level analysis indicated a greater reduction in P. falciparum prevalence among under 5-year-olds (adjusted OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.26-1.53) compared to older individuals (interaction P = 0.042). The protective efficacy of 35% (95% CI -28, 67%) with respect to clinical P. falciparum incidence in under 5-year-olds was more pronounced than the corresponding estimates for prevalence but was again not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of statistical significance in the results is likely to be due to a lack of power. The analysis provides further evidence for ITN effectiveness in South East Asia, particularly among individuals under 5 years of age

Underwater Acoustic Communication (UWA) Data Packet Size Optimization based on Throughput

The aim of this project is to obtain a new method which will help to maximize the performance of the Underwater Water Acoustic Network. The metrics that will be used namely are Throughput, Bit Error Rate, and Energy. These three metrics are very crucial for the network life time. Throughput will be discussed heaver. Various mathematical methods such as interpolation will be address in order to justify between these three metrics. The main contribution of this project is the algorithm and the lookup table construction developed for selecting optimal packet size in underwater communication efficiency

Low-technology cooling box for storage of malaria RDTs and other medical supplies in remote areas

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With the increase in use of point-of-care diagnostic tests for malaria and other diseases comes the necessity of storing the diagnostic kits and the drugs required for subsequent management, in remote areas, where temperatures are high and electricity supply is unreliable or unavailable.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To address the lack of temperature-controlled storage during the introduction of community-based malaria management in Cambodia, the Cambodian National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control (CNM) developed prototype evaporative cooling boxes (Cambodian Cooler Boxes - CCBs) for storage of perishable medical commodities in remote clinics. The performance of these CCBs for maintaining suitable storage temperatures was evaluated over two phases in 2005 and 2006-7, comparing conditions in CCBs using water as designed, CCBs with no water for evaporation, and ambient storage room temperatures. Temperature and humidity was monitored, together with the capacity of the RDTs recommended for storage between 2 to 30 degree Celsius to detect low-density malaria parasite samples after storage under these conditions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant differences were recorded between the proportion of temperatures within the recommended RDT storage conditions in the CCBs with water and the temperatures in the storage room (p < 0.001) and maximum temperatures were lower. RDTs stored at ambient temperatures were negative when tested with parasitized blood (2,000 parasites per micro litre) at 210 days, while the field RDTs kept in CCBs with water gave positive results until 360 days.</p> <p>Discussion and Conclusions</p> <p>The CCB was an effective tool for storage of RDTs at optimal conditions, and extended the effective life-span of the tests. The concept of evaporative cooling has potential to greatly enhance access to perishable diagnostics and medicines in remote communities, as it allows prolonged storage at low cost using locally-available materials, in the absence of electricity.</p

Sur les chemins de Tuol Kuhea : note sur un site préangkorien

International audienc

Control of Schistosoma mekongi in Cambodia: results of eight years of control activities in the two endemic provinces

In Cambodia, schistosomiasis is transmitted in the provinces of Kratie and Stung Treng where approximately 80 000 individuals are estimated to be at risk of infection. The baseline prevalence of infection was estimated to be between 73% and 88%, and cases of severe morbidity (hepatosplenomegaly, puberty retardation) and mortality were very common. In 1994, the Ministry of Health of Cambodia started schistosomiasis control applying universal chemotherapy with praziquantel (40 mg/kg). The coverage of the programme was between 62% and 86% for 8 years. This simple control measure resulted in the control of the disease: no cases were reported in 2004 and only three cases were reported in 2005. In addition, there are no longer reports of cases of severe morbidity due to schistosomiasis. Since the beginning of the control programme, a single dose of mebendazole (500 mg) has been combined with praziquantel during the mass chemotherapy; as a result the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworms dropped from 74.5% to 10% and from 86% to 40% respectively. The experience in Cambodia demonstrates that, with political commitment, control of parasitic diseases is achievable even in a situation of minimal resources. The programme represents a successful model for other developing countrie

Assessing the quality of service of village malaria workers to strengthen community-based malaria control in Cambodia

BackgroundMalaria continues to be a major public health problem in remote forested areas in Cambodia. As a national strategy to strengthen community-based malaria control, the Cambodian government has been running the Village Malaria Worker (VMW) project since 2001. This study sought to examine the nature and quality of the VMWs\u27 services.MethodsData collection was carried out in February and March 2008 through interviews with one of the two VMWs who takes the lead in malaria control activities in each of the 315 VMW villages (n = 251). The questionnaire addressed 1) the sociodemographic characteristics of VMWs, 2) service quality, 3) actions for malaria prevention and vector control, and 4) knowledge of malaria epidemiology and vector ecology.ResultsVMWs were effective in conducting diagnosis with Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) and prescribing anti-malarials to those who had positive RDT results, skills that they had acquired through their training programmes. However, most other services, such as active detection, explanations about compliance, and follow-up of patients, were carried out by only a small proportion of VMWs. The variety of actions that VMWs took for malaria prevention and vector control was small (average action index score 12.8/23), and their knowledge was very limited with less than 20% of the VMWs giving correct answers to six out of seven questions on malaria epidemiology and vector ecology. Knowledge of vector breeding places and malaria transmission were significant determinants of both the quality of VMWs\u27 services and the variety of their actions for malaria prevention and vector control.ConclusionsVMWs\u27 services focused primarily on diagnosis and treatment. Their focus needs to be broadened to cover other aspects of malaria control in order to further strengthen community-based malaria control. VMWs\u27 actions and knowledge also need substantial improvement. Strengthening training programmes can help achieve better performance by VMWs

Mitochondrial pseudogenes in the nuclear genome of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes: implications for past and future population genetic studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely used in population genetic and phylogenetic studies in animals. However, such studies can generate misleading results if the species concerned contain nuclear copies of mtDNA (Numts) as these may amplify in addition to, or even instead of, the authentic target mtDNA. The aim of this study was to determine if Numts are present in <it>Aedes aegypti </it>mosquitoes, to characterise any Numts detected, and to assess the utility of using mtDNA for population genetics studies in this species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BLAST searches revealed large numbers of Numts in the <it>Ae. aegypti </it>nuclear genome on 146 supercontigs. Although the majority are short (80% < 300 bp), some Numts are almost full length mtDNA copies. These long Numts are not due to misassembly of the nuclear genome sequence as the Numt-nuclear genome junctions could be recovered by amplification and sequencing. Numt evolution appears to be a complex process in <it>Ae. aegypti </it>with ongoing genomic integration, fragmentation and mutation and the secondary movement of Numts within the nuclear genome.</p> <p>The PCR amplification of the putative mtDNA nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 4 (<it>ND4</it>) gene from 166 Southeast Asian <it>Ae. aegypti </it>mosquitoes generated a network with two highly divergent lineages (clade 1 and clade 2). Approximately 15% of the <it>ND4 </it>sequences were a composite of those from each clade indicating Numt amplification in addition to, or instead of, mtDNA. Clade 1 was shown to be composed at least partially of Numts by the removal of clade 1-specific bases from composite sequences following enrichment of the mtDNA. It is possible that all the clade 1 sequences in the network were Numts since the clade 2 sequences correspond to the known mitochondrial genome sequence and since all the individuals that produced clade 1 sequences were also found to contain clade 2 mtDNA-like sequences using clade 2-specific primers. However, either or both sets of clade sequences could have Numts since the BLAST searches revealed two long Numts that match clade 2 and one long Numt that matches clade 1. The substantial numbers of mutations in cloned <it>ND4 </it>PCR products also suggest there are both recently-derived clade 1 and clade 2 Numt sequences.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that Numts are prevalent in <it>Ae. aegypti </it>and that it is difficult to distinguish mtDNA sequences due to the presence of recently formed Numts. Given this, future population genetic or phylogenetic studies in <it>Ae. aegypti </it>should use nuclear, rather than mtDNA, markers.</p