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The fracture behavior of a piezoelectric ceramic under applied electric fields has been the subject of recent studies. We have used finite element analysis to study experiments with the modified small punch (MSP) technique. Nonlinear three-dimensional finite element analysis was employed to calculate the MSP energy and maximum strain energy density. The effects of an applied electric field, 180° and 90° domain switching on the MSP energy, and maximum strain energy density are discussed, and the model predictions are compared with the results of the experiments. The polarization switching zones corresponding to combined mechanical and electrical loads are also obtained. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes how polluted water is abandoned or stored untreated in many places. Use of ditches, ponds, and wastewater tanks; How self-purification stabilizes the wastewater; Importance of self-purification capacity; Need for enhanced aeration.

Mature male medaka were continuously exposed to 0.005, 0.0-5 or 1.0 ppb of estradiol-17beta (E2 or 0.1, 10 or 100 ppb of p-nonylphenol (NP) or bis-phenol-A (BPA). Female-specific proteins (Fsp) were inducedin medaka exposed to 0.005 ppb of E2, 0.1 ppb of NP, or 10 ppb of BPA. Concentrations of 0.005 pbb of E2 and 0.1 ppb of NP corresponded to concentrations of these chemicals detected inriver water in Japan. The abilities of the 3 chemicals to induce Fspwere E2> NP> BPA. Embryonic medaka were exposed to E2, NP and BPA under conditions of static-renewal for 200-230 days until pre-maturity. Survival ratios of medaka exposed to E2 and NP declined in concentrations more than 25 ppb and 50 ppb, respectively. The groups of medaka exposed to E2 had individuals with testis-ova or abnormal gonad. There was no male in exposure to 1.0 ppb E2. When exposed to 100 ppb of NP or BPA, abnormal gonad was also detected. Abnormal anal fin (female-like) was observed in male exposed to 100 ppb of NP. The LC50 values for each of the 3 chemicals were much higher than the concentrations detected in water in the environment-the 3 chemicals were considered to have no lethal effect on medaka in aquatic environments. However, exposures to E2 or NP at environmental concentrations induced Fsp. BPA also had the ability to affect medaka as an environmentalestrogen, although its extrogenic activity was weaker than that of E2 or NP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1-octanol-water partition coefficients (logPow) of seven pesticides, i.e., Hymexazol, methomyl, imidacloprid, thiophanatemethyl, carbaryl, linuron, thiobencarb, were determined by RPHPLC method. The relation between these estimated logPow and adsorption isothem parameters on powdered activated carbon was studied by correlating their logPow values with the Freundlich adsorption parameters. The adsorption parameter, logk, was found to increase with the increase of logPowfor the pesticides examined. The activated carbon amount needed forlowering pesticide concentration from 500 mu g/l to 50 mu g/l was calculated. The amount of activated carbon needed for hymexazol (logPow, 0.11) was 688.5 mg/l, while that for thiobencarb (logPow, 3.78) was 5.1 mg/l, which suggests that pesticides with a high polarity, i.e., a low Pow, are difficult to remove by powdered activated carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptosporidium and other protozoa that relate to water-born infectious diseases are worldwide concerns with respect to supplying safe drinking water. The first massive water-borne infectious disease causedby Cryptosporidium occurred in June 1996 at Ogose-town, Saitame, Japan. The number of patients was approximately 8,800 from 14,000 habitants of the town. A nationwide survey of Cryptosporidium and Giardia was implemented to determine their occurrence in water sources. Ninety-four water sources were studied by analyzing 277 samples taken from three different points of each source. Cryptosporidium and Giardia have contaminated most of the water sources for public water supply in Japan. River water contained higher levels of Cryptosporidium and Giardia than the other water sources. Considering the high risks of water-born Cryptosporidiosis in Japan, the Ministry of Health and Welfareannounced, in October, 1996, provisional guidelines for protecting drinking water from Cryptosporidium. It set out the preventive measures, emergency responses and other measures to be taken immediately by the waterworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the successful implementation of the MAC21 Project, the new MAC21 Project is being implemented for further development of membrane technology in Japan. The project includes various pilot-scale andlaboratory experiments on 1) a nanofiltration system, and 2) a MF/UFsystem combined with advanced treatment processes such as activated carbon treatment, ozonation and biological treatment. As a result, ithas been shown that both systems are applicable to drinking water treatment. Although a NF system was very effective for the removal of organic contaminants such as precursors of disinfection byproducts, itis considered that the development of a proper treatment method for the concentrate will be very important in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roseomonas, a genus of pink-pigmented glucose non-fermentative bacteria, has been associated with various primary and hospital-acquired human infections; however, to our knowledge, its nosocomial transmission has never been reported. Clinical and epidemiological investigations were carried out after two cases of R. mucosa bacteremia occurred in our hospital in 2018. Environmental samples were taken of environmental surfaces prone to water contamination in the wards and cultured. The two clinical isolates and all environmental isolates that showed growth of pink colonies were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed and fingerprinting software was used to analyze the DNA restriction patterns and determine their similarity. Two patients who developed R. mucosa bacteremia had received care from the same treatment team. Of 126 environmental samples, five showed growth of R. mucosa. Using 80% similarity as the cut-off, PFGE analysis revealed that the isolates from the two patients' blood cultures and three environmental isolates belonged to the same clone. The hospital water environment was contaminated with the same clone of R. mucosa that caused bacteremia in the two patients, suggesting nosocomial transmission linked to contaminated environment. Increased vigilance is needed to monitor the emergence of Roseomonas in healthcare settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Hand hygiene is key to preventing healthcare-associated infection and the spread of respiratory viruses like the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Unfortunately, hand hygiene adherence of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Japan is suboptimal according to previous studies., Objectives: Our objectives were to evaluate hand hygiene adherence among physicians and nurses before touching hospitalized patients and to evaluate changes in hand hygiene adherence after a multimodal intervention was implemented., Design, Setting, and Participants: We conducted a pre- and postintervention study with HCWs at four tertiary hospitals in Niigata, Japan. Hand hygiene observations were conducted from June to August 2018 (preintervention) and February to March 2019 (postintervention)., Intervention: The multimodal hand hygiene intervention recommended by the World Health Organization was tailored to each hospital and implemented from September 2018 to February 2019., Main Outcomes and Measures: We observed hand hygiene adherence before touching patients in each hospital and compared rates before and after intervention. Intervention components were also evaluated., Results: There were 2,018 patient observations preintervention and 1,630 postintervention. Overall, hand hygiene adherence improved from 453 of 2,018 preintervention observations (22.4%) to 548 of 1,630 postintervention observations (33.6%; P < .001). Rates improved more among nurses (13.9 percentage points) than among doctors (5.7 percentage points). Improvement varied among the hospitals: Hospital B (18.4 percentage points) was highest, followed by Hospitals D (11.4 percentage points), C (11.3 percentage points), and Hospital A (6.5 percentage points)., Conclusions: A multimodal intervention improved hand hygiene adherence rates in physicians and nurses in Niigata, Japan; however, further improvement is necessary. Given the current suboptimal hand hygiene adherence rates in Japanese hospitals, the spread of COVID-19 within the hospital setting is a concern.