Kensuke Goto

This study investigated the impact of emergency food temperature variation andthe presence of privacyon stress with the aim of potentially reducing the stress of living in an evacuation center during large-scale disasters. Salivary amylase activity of the subjects was measured. Results showed no statistically significant impact on stress due to variations in the temperature of emergency food or privacy. However, the survey noted points for improvement, including experiment settings and relationships between subjects, which highlighted the need for future research and surveys. This study is expected to aid with initiatives that reduce stress in evacuation centershowever, more detailed condition settings are required in order to eliminate individual stress level differences.

The earthquakes in Kumamoto (2016) and Osaka (2018) in Japan revealed grave repercussions of collapsed block walls, causing fatalities and severe damage. These incidents underscored the need for understanding and mitigating the risk posed by these structures. In response, this study focused on assessing block walls collapse risk. Surveys across Nagasaki, Tokyo, and Chiba scrutinized various factors like rebar presence, wall appearance, and maintenance status using a Japan Concrete Block Association chart. Results revealed alarming statistics: 38% of block walls in Nagasaki posed a danger, with factors like lack of rebar and wall age significantly impacting collapse risk. Comparing regions, earthquake-experienced Kanto had 19% risky block walls versus 38% in less-experienced Kyushu, emphasizing the influence of earthquake awareness on residents perception of block wall risks. Lack of rebar emerged as a primary risk factor across all areas. Considering block walls have a lifespan of 20-30 years, deteriorating rebar due to corrosion poses imminent risks. Urgent surveys and awareness campaigns, especially along school routes, are crucial to prevent tragedies like the young girls death in Osaka. The study emphasizes scholars responsibility to disseminate accurate information about block wall risks during earthquakes. However, challenges persist, such as unclear property ownership, hindering countermeasures even after identifying high-risk walls. Looking ahead, national diagnostic surveys are essential to address the looming danger, especially considering potential seismic events like the Nankai Trough Earthquake. Disaster education must prioritize teaching children about the risks of block walls during earthquakes to ensure their safety.

Female sand fleas (Tunga penetrans Linnaeus, 1758, Siphonaptera: Tungidae) cause a severe parasitic skin disease known as tungiasis. T. penetrans is a small flea, measuring less than 1 mm in length. The females of this species burrow into the skin of human and animal hosts and mostly affect the feet. This has led to the anecdotal assumption that T. penetrans, unlike its relatives in the Siphonaptera family, would have a limited jumping ability potentially not reaching higher body parts. However, there is no data supporting this. This study evaluated the jumping capabilities of T. penetrans for height and distance using sticky tapes. The vertical jump of the female T. penetrans ranged from 4.5 to 100 mm with a mean of 40 mm whereas the vertical jump of the male T. penetrans ranged from 1.2 to 138 mm with a mean of 46 mm. The horizontal jump of the female T. penetrans ranged from 18 to 138 mm with a mean of 64 mm and that of the male ranged from 9 to 251 mm with a mean of 80 mm. Based on the literature, fleas of various species have been described as jumping vertically 50-100 times their size and horizontally 5-100 times their size. In this respect, sand fleas appear to have equal expert jumping abilities to their relatives. Their aggregation on people's feet is not likely a result of their poor jumping ability but might be an adaptation to the host's behavior which would require further investigations.

INTRODUCTION: Snakebites are a major cause of permanent injury and death among poor, rural populations in developing countries, including those in East Africa. This research characterizes snakebite incidence, risk factors, and subsequent health-seeking behaviors in two regions of Kenya using a mixed methods approach. METHODS: As a part of regular activities of a health demographic surveillance system, household-level survey on snakebite incidence was conducted in two areas of Kenya: Kwale along the Kenyan Coast and Mbita on Lake Victoria. If someone in the home was reported to have been bitten in the 5 years previous to the visit, a survey instrument was administered. The survey gathered contextual information on the bite, treatment-seeking behavior and clinical manifestations. To obtain deeper, contextual information, respondents were also asked to narrate the bite incident, subsequent behavior and outcomes. RESULTS: 8775 and 9206 households were surveyed in Kwale and Mbita, respectively. Out of these, 453 (5.17%) and 92 (1.00%) households reported that at least one person had been bitten by a snake in the past 5 years. Deaths from snakebites were rare (4.04%), but patterns of treatment seeking varied. Treatment at formal care facilities were sought for 50.8% and at traditional healers for 53.3%. 18.4% sought treatment from both sources. Victims who delayed receiving treatment from a formal facility were more likely to have consulted a traditional healer (OR 8.8995% CI [3.83, 20.64]). Delays in treatment seeking were associated with significantly increased odds of having a severe outcome, including death, paralysis or loss of consciousness (OR 3.47 95% CI [1.56; 7.70]). CONCLUSION: Snakebite incidence and outcomes vary by region in Kenya, and treatment-seeking behaviors are complex. Work needs to be done to better characterize the spatial distribution of snakebite incidence in Kenya and efforts need to be made to ensure that victims have sufficient access to effective treatments to prevent death and serious injury.