Sakhalin Husky dogs who survived in Antarctica for a year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0umrd56lXds&feature=related ; in Japanese

(actual footage of two Sakhalin Husky dogs who survived in Antarctica for a year)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0umrd56lXds&feature=related ; in Japanese

(actual footage of two Sakhalin Husky dogs who survived in Antarctica for a year)

Two Sakhalin Husky dogs, Taro and Jiro, who survived in Antarctica for a year

In February 1957, the first Japanese Antarctica expedition team constructed

the research station" Showa station" which located at 69°00′ S 39°35′ E in

Antarctica and thereafter. 11 men with 15 sled-dogs (Sakhalin Husky)

remained in Antarctica base. 

In February1958, the second team went to the Antarctica base. But the ship

was unable to get close to the base. The ship was trapped in the ice and was

rescued by American Icebreaker ship. The first team was evacuated by heli-

copter and 15 Sakhalin Husky dogs were left in the base. Cancel the second 

winter.

A rush of criticism were occurred in Japan for left the dogs in the Antarctica 

base.

January 14th,1959. one year later, the third team arrived in the base. 
They found that two dogs, named Taro and Jiro, brothers, are live ! 
Seven dogs was found in dead, at which were connected to the chain. 
Six dogs were removed the chains and missing.

Yasukazu Kitamura (born 1931. Professor Emeritus of Kyushu University, 
joined in first and third mission), who was responsible for Aurora observation 
and care-taker of dogs, described (Yasukazu Kitamura; The truth of Antarctica 
expedition team and Taro, Jiro. Shoggakukan Bunko. 2007. in Japanese) ---------

------1) Age of the dog: Taro and Jiro were the youngest among 15 dogs

---------(1~5 years old at the start of expedition). The 3~4 year old dog

---------were the main force of sled.

------2) The stored foods for human and dog in " Showa" base were intact.

---------Some types of dogs have to cannibalism during the famine. 7 dogs

---------were found in dead which were connected to chains, while the bodies

---------were intact. I think that Sakhalin dogs ate penguins, feces of seal,

---------seabirds and fishes(trapped in the ice).

------3) ----------- Since that incident, 50 years have been passed. Still,I deeply

---------regret my action that I tightened the collars of 15 dogs because I came

---------back to the base as soon as possible. If I did not, 7 dogs might be survived. 

Based on this story,Later in 2006, Walt Disney Pictures released the movie;

             Eight Below → http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Below

             movie clip    → http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3eBOcWmZw4&feature=related

Keiji Hagiwara, MD

Kami-Ube Pediatric Clinic,

1-20-2 Tokiwadai, Ube 755-0097, Japan

E-mail: keijihagiwara@gmail.com

Antarctica expedition and sled dogs

In February 1957, the first Japanese Antarctica expedition team constructed

the research base " Showa station ", in which located at 69°00′ S 39°35′ E

in Antarctica. 

--------Below photos are excepts from the book(Yasukazu Kitamura:

           The first Antarctic team and Sakhalin Husky dogs. Kyoikusha. 
           in Japanese, 1982.)

Showa base

-------------------------------Antarctic expedition by dog sled.

----------------------------------Twenty two Sakhalin Husky dogs were joined.

---------- Thereafter, 11 men with 15 sled dogs (Sakhalin Husky) ,

one cat and two birds remained in Antarctica (February 1957-February 1958).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One year later, In February 1958, the second team went to the Antarctica base.
But the ship was unable to get close to the base. The ship was trapped in the ice
and was rescued by American Icebreaker ship. The first team were evacuated
by helicopter and 15 Sakhalin Husky dogs, which connected with chains, were
left in the base. Cancel the second winter.

After came back to Japan, the expedition team received a rush of criticism
for leaving the 15 dogs in the Antarctica base.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eleven months later, In January 14th 1959, the third team arrived in the base.
Seven dogs were found in dead, at which were connected to the chains.
Eight dogs were removed chains and six dogs were missing.
    Surprisingly, Two dogs(Taro & Jiro) were live !

   Taro & Jiro and Yasukazu Kitamura

What they ate ? How they survived ? Prof. Kitamura discribed as follow;

1) Age of the dog: Taro and Jiro were the youngest among 15 dogs
--- ---(1~5 years old at the start of expedition). The 3~4 year old dogs
--- ---were the main force of sled.
2) Sakhalin dogs ate penguins. seabirds and fishes(trapped in the ice).
3) The store food for human and dog in base were intact.
4) Some Types of dogs have to cannibalism during the famine.
--------Seven dogs were found in dead with chains, while the bodies were intact.

P.S.:
1) Yasukazu Kitamura (born 1931. Professor Emeritus of Kyushu University,
---- joined in first & third mission), who was responsible for Aurora
-----observation and caretaker of sled dogs.

2) based on this story, In 2006, Walt Disney Pictures released the movie, 
------" Eight Below " → http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight_Below

-------movie clip → http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3eBOcWmZw4&feature=related

Any questions:
write to Keiji Hagiwara, keijihagiwara@gmail.com

Rapid test for Norovirus

1) Norovirus( Electron-microscopic image, x 21,820)

2) Rapid test for Norovirus;

3) Rapid test for Norovirus;

Norovirus cause acute gastroenteritis and many outbreaks  in nursery, 
kindergarden, school, hospital and among families.

Previously names: Norwalk-like viruses, Caliciviruses, and Small round
-----------------------structured viruses.

1) Symptoms:  --  acute-onset nausea, vomiting; watery, non-bloody diarrhea 

---------------------with abdominal cramps, and fever.
2) Transmission: --oral-faecal route or a droplet route from vomitus.

----------------------Norovirus can survive freezing and heating to 60°C.
3) Incubation period: 12~36 hours

4) Disinfections: --1% sodium hypochlorite( Cl Na O) 

5) Rapid test: ------Enzyme-linked Immuno-sorbent Assay.
                            For more infomations, ask to -------　
ーーーーーーD Denka Seiken Co, Ltd.
                            http://denka-seiken.jp/english/index.html

                          ----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------                  --RT-PCR
--------------------　　　　　　---+-------- - ------ total
                          ----------------------------------------------------

                          rapid test---- +----53--------1---------54
------------                          --- - ----19-------90-------109
----------                          ------------------------------------------
-----                          --------total---72-------91-------163
                          ----------------------------------------------------

Any questions:   write to  Keiji Hagiwara,    

                             keijihagiwara@gmail.com

Intrafamilial transmission of Norovirus

Norovirus is one of the causative agents of acute gastroenteritis(vomiting and 
diarrhea) in childhood. If one child is suffered gastroenteritis due to this virus. 
Usually, brother or sister and their parents also are suffered, because no immunity 
to Norovirus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A case of  intrafamilial transmission of Norovirus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 23. 10-year-old male started abdominal pain and vomiting at school
-----------lunch time, following watery diarrhea.
April 25.  In the morning, Mother(45 y) and father (50 y) developed abdominal 
----------- cramp,vomiting and diarrhea.
-----------In the night, 15-year-old brother also started the same symptoms.

1) Rapid test of feces indicate Norovirus infection:

2) Electron-microscopic image of Norovirus:

Dennis Kunkel Microscopy. Inc.

3) Norovirus is still alive in the refrigerator freezer.
4) Disinfectants such as alcohol and Benzalkonium chloride( also known as  

---- alkyl-dimethyl-benzyl-ammonium chloride and ADBAC) is no effect.

---- Sodium hypochlorite, used for cleaning the baby's bottle, is effective.

Any questions: write to Keiji Hagiwara, MD
---------------------------------Kami-Ube Pediatric Clinic,
---------------------------------Ube 755-0097, Japan
---------------------------------keijihagiwara@gmail.com

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2012

Rhododendro (Tsutsuji)

Rhododendro (Tsutsuji ) at Tokiwa park.

Cherry blossom in Tokiwa park.

Cherry blossom in Tokiwa park.

Hayabusa-unmanned spacecraft

Replica of Hayabusa

Hayabusa was an unmanned spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to return a sample of material from a small near-Earth asteroid, named 
25143 Itokawa to Earth。

Hayabusa, formerly known as MUSES-C for Mu Space Engineering Spacecraft C, was launched on 9 May 2003 and rendezvoused with Itokawa in mid-September 2005. 


After arriving at Itokawa, Hayabusa studied the asteroid's shape, spin, topography, 
color, composition, density, and history. In November 2005, it landed on the asteroid 
and collected samples in the form of tiny grains of asteroidal material, which were 
returned to Earth aboard the spacecraft on 13 June 2010.


The spacecraft also carried a detachable minilander, MINERVA, but this failed to reach
 the surface.------------http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayabusa

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji( 3,776 m, 100 km south-west of Tokyo) from Boeing 787.

Yokohama Chinatown

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest Chinatown in Japan. 
There are roughly 500 Chinese restaurants.