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The properties of handmade paper used for mounting and conservation of paintings and calligraphy on paper is crucial to the quality and lifespan of such objects. Mounting papers from China, Korea, and Japan vary greatly in performance due to different papermaking methods and fibre materials. In this study, eight types of handmade paper widely used in China, Korea, and Japan were selected for comprehensive comparative analysis investigating their pH as well as optical, mechanical, and ageing properties. The study showed that traditional hanji, improved hanji, and thin Mino paper made of pure kozo fibres performed best in terms of mechanical properties. Among the additives mixed with kozo fibres, clam shell powder was identified as a substance that improves pH and stability of optical properties. Xuan paper Mianliao was found to be a suitable material for mounting hand scrolls and hanging scrolls due to its softness and ageing properties. Traditional hanji, improved hanji, and thin Mino paper are less flexible than xuan paper Mianliao and are considered more suitable for uses other than for mounting scrolls. This study will provide a reference for improving the quality of handmade paper and a theoretical basis for the selection of such papers for the conservation of paintings and calligraphy on paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the risk factors for unplanned readmissions within 1 month after hospital discharge to develop a seamless support system from discharge to home care. Background: With shorter hospital stay lengths, understanding the characteristics of patients with multiple risk factors is important to prevent rehospitalization. Design: This is a single‐centre retrospective descriptive study. Methods: Logistic regression and decision tree analyses were performed using eight items from the records of 3117 patients discharged from a university hospital between April–September 2017 as risk factors. Results: Unplanned readmission risk was significantly associated with emergency hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]: 3.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.04–4.77), malignancy (OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.44–3.24), non‐surgical admission (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.07–2.88), hospital stay of ≥ 15 days (OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.14–2.43) and decline in activities of daily living owing to hospitalization (OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.06–2.64). The highest risk combinations for rehospitalization were as follows: emergency hospitalization and malignancy; emergency admission, non‐malignancy and a hospital stay of ≥15 days; and scheduled hospitalization, no surgery and a hospital stay of ≥15 days. Conclusions: Patients with multiple risks for unplanned readmission should be accurately screened and provided with optimal home care. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Although the characteristics of patients at high risk of rehospitalization include malignancy, heart failure, conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other diseases prone to recurrence, old age, reduced activities of daily living and emergency hospitalization, few studies have reported on cases with multiple risks. What this paper adds? The most frequent risk types for unplanned readmissions within a month were emergency admissions for malignant tumours, emergency admissions for non‐malignant tumours with a hospital stay of 2 weeks or more and scheduled admissions for non‐surgical purposes with a length of stay of 2 weeks or more. The implications of this paper: The risk of unplanned readmission within 1 month of discharge increased due to a combination of multiple risks.This study helps us identify patients who are at high risk for readmission early in the hospitalization process and in providing nursing support for transition to their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for household transmission of the omicron variant of SARS‐CoV‐2. Background: The household infection rate has been reported to be higher for the omicron variant than for non‐omicron variants of SARS‐CoV‐2. Determination of the risk factors for household transmission of the omicron variant is therefore important. Design: A Retrospective Cohort Study was conducted. Methods: When family members of health care workers (HCWs) were found to be infected with SARS‐CoV‐2, the HCWs had to receive two nucleic acid amplification tests for SARS‐CoV‐2: immediately after and 5 to 10 days after the onset of COVID‐19 in the family members. Risk factors of household transmission were analysed by comparing cases (HCWs infected with SARS‐CoV‐2) and controls (HCWs not infected with SARS‐CoV‐2) using multivariable analysis. Results: Unvaccinated status (OR: 3.97), age of index cases (≤6 years) (OR: 1.94) and staying at home with index cases (OR: 10.18) were risk factors for household transmission. Conclusion: If there is a strong desire to avoid household infection, family members infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 should live separately during the period of viral shedding. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? During the COVID‐19 pandemic, nurses have been exposed to SARS‐CoV‐2 not only from COVID‐19 patients but also from family members infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 but prevention of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection to nurses is important to maintain health services function.The household infection rate was reported to be higher for the omicron variant (42.7%) than for non‐omicron variants (36.4% for Alpha, 29.7% for Delta and 22.5% for Beta). Determination of the risk factors for household transmission of the omicron variant is therefore important. What this paper adds? Unvaccinated HCWs had higher transmission rates (OR: 3.97, 95% CI: 1.22–12.88) than those of HCWs who received more than two doses of BNT162b2 or mRNA‐1273 mRNA COVID‐19 vaccines.Index cases aged 6 years or younger had higher transmission rates (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.13–3.35) than those of index cases aged 7 years or older.The odds of transmitting to HCWs was higher (OR: 10.18, 95% CI: 2.98–34.72) for HCWs who stayed at home with the index cases than for HCWs who spent time in a different building from the index cases. The implications of this paper: If there is a strong desire to avoid household infection, family members infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 should live separately during the period of viral shedding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most Asian countries are regarded as Confucian countries although each has its own historical and cultural background. Little is known about how people in different Asian countries perceive their family boundaries. This study is an attempt to compare the perception of the family in China, Japan, and Korea. We examined the family perception and found substantial differences among the three. Chinese people showed the widest and paternally extended perception of family. Data from people in Korea nearly matched data from China, but family perception developed bilaterally. People in Japan, however, perceived only blood‐tied, intimate relations as family members. In addition, the perception of the family was not substantially different between the genders in Japan and China, but in South Korea, men perceived family boundaries more widely than women, implying that women have a greater family burden than men in Korea. Considering the heterogeneity in family perceptions in these countries, this paper tries to explain how social institutions interact with individuals and impact the perception of family. Finally, this paper concludes that it is inappropriate to tie the three East Asian countries as 'Confucian civilizations' in terms of family perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper steps away from other papers in this series which discuss hybrid identities of long-term Western foreign residents (LTW) to report significant data gathered from a questionnaire (n=306) which was originally used to perform a Pearson r correlation (O'Keefe 2016). Certain items starting with basic statistical information such as nationality, marital status, age, and education level and proceeding to a self-rated language skill score are also included in this report. Life-satisfaction results along with other significant data are also shown here in their original form. The results of items that asked respondents their opinion on certain subjects are displayed here to act as a debate for future work. Items inquire about subjects like dual citizenship, the right to vote in all elections and opinions on the Japanese school system. Respondents were also asked what their plans are for the future. Items such as this seek out the feeling of permanence rather than living a temporary life in Japan. Finally, the main focus of this data is to report on the variance recorded in female/male responses to certain items through simple cross tabulation. Significant has been designated, for the purpose of this study, at greater than an 8% variance. The data indicates that gender roles are affected by the expectations of male and female roles within the Japanese construct. The variances are broken down into two groups: personal and professional environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis of two language policies developed in the 2000s by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The two language policies analyzed in this paper are the 'Action Plan to Cultivate Japanese with English Abilities' and 'JSL [Japanese as a Second Language] Curriculum in School Education,' developed within the same temporal and spatial frame at the turn of the millennium in Japan. Focusing on lexical labeling in language and population management, it is argued that these two policies have dealt with mutually exclusive groups of the student population, for whom different kinds of bilingualism and Japanese language are imagined. Cumulatively, these two policies represent an unequal access to bilingualism in the Japanese context, combined with the Japanese dualism that indexes national and other speaker-hood through the distinction between kokugo- and nihongo-Japanese education, which has been a key mechanism in the creation of national boundaries in modern Japan. Through this analysis, this paper identifies the particularities of the Japanese case, as well as situating it in the global trend of unequal management of bilingualism. Abbreviations: MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan [Monbu kagaku sho]; CNL: Council of National Language [Kokugo shingi kai]; CCA: Council of Cultural Affairs [Bunka shingi kai]; CJGTC: Commission on Japan's Goals in the Twenty-First Century [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated whether neurotrophin (NT)-3 polymorphisms influenced the executive function of patients with 2 separate disease stages with similar dementia conditions: amnestic mild cognitive impairment (A-MCI) or mild Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Among 215 outpatients with dementia and MCI, 155 with mild AD (n = 108) or A-MCI (n = 47) were recruited and divided into three genotypic groups based on the representative NT-3 functional polymorphisms rs6332 and rs6489630. Next, we compared the frontal assessment battery (FAB) total and subtest scores between the three genotypic groups. Results: The total FAB score was not significantly associated with the rs6332 and rs6489630 genotypes; however, the conflicting instructions score among the 6 subtests was significantly associated with the rs6332 genotype (p < 0.05). Moreover, in patients with mild AD, the conflicting instructions score differed significantly among the three genotypic groups of rs6332 (p < 0.05) (G/G < A/A: p = 0.042 and G/A < A/A: p = 0.041). No significant differences in any other demographic variables were observed among the three genotypes of rs6332 and rs6489630. Conclusion: These results suggested that an NT-3 polymorphism, rs6332, may significantly influence executive function, reflecting interference performances among patients with mild-stage AD. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is an agricultural corporation more efficient than a traditional family farm? This paper attempts to answer this question by examining the technical and allocative efficiency of family farms and agricultural corporations. To do so, it applies the stochastic production frontier method in panel data built on the family farms and agricultural corporations in the Japanese rice sector and focuses on comparing the technical and allocative efficiency of the two production forms at the same scale of operation. Results reveal that family farms have a significant advantage over agricultural corporations in technical efficiency at each level of scale of operation. In both production forms, as the scale of operation increases, the technical efficiency correspondingly rises. However, the disparity in technical efficiency diminishes between the two production forms as their land size increases. In contrast, the allocative efficiency of different factors differs between family farms and agricultural corporations at different scales of land size. Overall, family farms show superiority in the allocative efficiency of labour, and agricultural corporations exhibit superiority in the allocative efficiency of agricultural capital. Last, decomposition of total productivity progress (TFP) reveals that family farms have positive TFP change which is mainly attributable to a positive and large allocative component, while agricultural corporations undergo negative TFP change due to its negative and large allocative component. Moreover, the results intimate that technical progress and technical efficiency improvement are faster in agricultural corporations than in family farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional slot concentrated winding (FSCW) is a kind of winding structure with few‐slots/coils multi‐poles. FSCW has the potential value of high torque density due to its short end‐winding and high slot fill ratio and is widely used in low‐speed direct‐drive application situations. However, compared with integral slot winding (ISW), the back EMF coefficient of FSCW is smaller, which leads to smaller output torque under the same condition. To improve the back EMF coefficient of FSCW, equidirectional toroidal winding (ETW) is proposed and applied to the dual rotor slotless axial flux permanent magnet motor (AFPM), in which the unit structure is three slots/coils two poles, and the ideal back EMF coefficient is the same as that of ISW. In this paper, firstly, the structure of ETW is introduced and its operating principle is analyzed. Then, compared with the AFPM with ISW, the open circuit and load characteristics of the AFPM with ETW under two conditions of the same wire gauge and the same coil width are analyzed respectively. The back EMF coefficient and output torque of ETW‐AFPM are similar to that of ISW‐AFPM under the same coil width. The back EMF coefficient and output torque of ETW‐AFPM are a little lower than that of ISW‐AFPM under the same wire gauge. Finally, the experimental results also validate the feasibility of AFPM with ETW and the correctness of the analysis results. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Text and data mining activities—that is, the automated processing of digital materials to uncover new knowledge—have become more frequent in all areas of scientific research. Because they require a massive use of copyrighted work, there are evident conflicts with copyright legislation. Countries at the forefront of research and development have begun to address this issue. This paper presents the basic aspects of legislation applicable to text and data mining activities. It offers a detailed comparative analysis of the norms of the main jurisdictions that have regulated them to date, highlighting in each case the positive and negative aspects. An adequate knowledge of these laws is not only important for researchers but also important for the academic librarians who provide advice and support in these matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the energy consumption of elderly and non-elderly households, recognizing the ever-increasing importance of the aging population for energy policy. Decisions of the domestic (in-home) and transport (out-of-home) sectors at the household level are jointly incorporated by building a multivariate Hierarchical Archimedean Copula model with intra-sector and inter-sector dependencies. Data from a life-oriented behavioral survey in Japan are used, which includes 532 elderly households and 340 non-elderly households. A variety of life-related factors, together with built environment factors, are introduced into the above model. Modeling analysis results show that inter- and intra-sector dependencies are heterogeneous across households in terms of these factors. It is found that almost equal numbers of influential factors are sensitive and insensitive to age-based sample segmentation. Various similarities and dissimilarities across energy types between elderly and non-elderly households are revealed. The paper concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a comparative ethnographic study of ageing as both category and experience. Drawing on simultaneous 16-month ethnographies conducted as part of the ASSA project, we focus on how ageing is being re-defined in eight contexts around the world, with particular focus on the authors' field sites: rural and urban settings in both Japan and Uganda. Despite being among the world's oldest and youngest populations, respectively, there are various affinities in both ethnographies of age and technology use related to the reconfiguration of family-care norms across distances. This shared finding informs the articulation of age categories, which we found to be negotiated in line with established intergenerational expectations and family roles. This paper is illustrated with ethnographic examples of how people redefine ageing in context and in turn bring 'age' to life, demonstrating the social significance of age categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gdansk Journal of East Asian Studies / Gdanskie Studia Azji Wschodniej is the property of Jagiellonian University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of New Architecture is the property of New Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper argues that, although Japan's and Germany's energy transition paths differ in detail, a trend towards decentralisation is clearly evident in both countries. Based on comprehensive screening, own stocktaking and the results of a stakeholder dialogue, this paper highlights the motivation for different local actors to enter the energy market in both countries. Although there are challenges to success in a market dominated by large energy companies, this paper argues that the benefits to local communities outweigh the efforts. Overall, it is shown that democratisation and the decentralisation of the energy system are suitable to facilitate a successful transformation process in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emotional design of multimedia lessons involves adding features that are intended to increase learner enjoyment and promote learning—such as adding narrative, anthropomorphizing non‐human elements, and using warm colours. Objective: The present study extends this work to examine the potential of Japanese animation (anime) for improving science learning. Method: Specifically, 134 English‐speaking students learned about cells in the human body by viewing the popular anime, Cells at Work, either in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed in English with no subtitles (anime groups), or by viewing a slideshow containing the same information (slideshow group). The anime conditions were vibrant story‐driven lessons that depicted human‐looking cells working to fight off invaders in a human body that looked like a city. The slideshow used very similar wording as the anime groups, and displayed the cells without anthropomorphism or a storyline. Results and Conclusion: The anime groups did not differ significantly from each other on any dependent measures and were therefore combined. The anime groups scored significantly higher than the slideshow group on retention (d = 0.35) and transfer (d = 0.48) tests. The anime groups also had significantly higher ratings of motivation (d = 0.60) and enjoyment (d = 1.13), whereas, the slideshow group had significantly higher ratings of distraction (d = 0.59). These results support the cognitive‐affective theory of learning with media (CATLM) and demonstrate that anime may be an effective learning medium. Takeaways: Anime should be considered as a medium for science learning, especially when students might not otherwise be motivated to learn. Lay Description: What is currently known about this topic: Anime is a form of Japanese animation similar to an animated comic book.Cells at Work is a series of anime lessons on cells in the human bloodstream.Cells are represented with anthropomorphism, colours, and rounded shapes.Emotional design involves using anthropomorphism, colours, and rounded shapes. What does this paper add: Students viewed an anime or an equivalent slideshow on the human bloodstream.The anime group performed better on a post‐test and reported less distraction.Anime can be considered a form of emotional design for science lessons. What are the implications for practitioners: Anime can be used to teach about cells in the human bloodstream.Instructional designers should consider using anime as a medium for science instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China and Japan are both Asian countries that are geographically adjacent and share a common cultural heritage. Suicide is a significant public health concern in both countries. While Japan has established a relatively mature framework for suicide prevention, China lacks national suicide prevention mechanisms. This paper analyzes the disparity in adolescent suicide prevention between China and Japan so that China can learn from Japan’s experience in this area and develop effective, systematic mechanisms for the prevention and intervention of adolescent suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In order to understand the digital divide among older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, we investigated the association between internet use and compliance with COVID‐19 preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency in Japan. Methods: A total of 8952 community‐dwelling citizens aged 75 years and above were asked about their preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency using a paper‐based questionnaire. Among them, 51% responded and were divided into internet users and non‐users. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of internet use for compliance with preventive behaviors. Results: Approximately 40% of the respondents used the internet, and 9.29% used social media to collect COVID‐19‐related information. Internet usage was independently associated with compliance with using hand sanitizers, avoiding going out, avoiding eating out, avoiding traveling, getting vaccinated, and getting tested for COVID‐19; the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.21 (1.05–1.38), 1.19 (1.04–1.37), 1.20 (1.05–1.38), 1.32 (1.15–1.52), 1.30 (1.11–1.53), and 1.23 (1.07–1.41), respectively. Exploratory subgroup analyses demonstrated that social media users might have shown early adaptation to newly recommended preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency. Conclusions: Results suggest that a digital divide exists, as evidenced by the varied compliance with preventive behaviors depending on internet use. Additionally, social media use may be associated with early adaptation to newly recommended preventive behaviors. Therefore, future studies regarding the digital divide among older adults should investigate differences depending on the types and content of internet resources. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 289–296. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of sociology as a subfield has long aimed to describe the historical developments of the discipline, within which national traditions offer unique voices while also contributing to a global sociology. How do various sociological paradigms and national traditions approach social reality in similar and different ways? This paper examines Russian and Japanese contributions to the history of sociology by reviewing some of their major concepts and perspectives. On this basis, this paper seeks to probe into the past and present self‐understandings of the two sociological traditions, as well as their potentials for a more active role in global sociological discourse. Both countries have a history of protracted isolation, which has made them more or less invisible in the international sociological community. However, Russian and Japanese sociological traditions exist and are ready to be tapped, even as their production and mobilization of intellectual resources remain strongly embedded in their politics, cultures, and societies. A broader aim of this paper is to enhance mutual understandings and future collaborations between sociologists in Russia and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Japanese EFL learners often fail to identify and categorise the different degrees of certainty associated with CERTAIN, PROBABLE, and POSSIBLE items. This computer‐mediated study evaluated the relative effects of animated versus static illustrations on stimulating the spatial concept of distance for the acquisition of this knowledge. Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) discover whether the spatial concept of distance captured by three‐dimensional (3D) images in animated or static illustrations help learners understand spatial relationships more clearly, and (2) whether a static illustration is sufficient for learning the different degrees of certainty. Method: Animated and static visualisation groups used 3D images of animated versus static illustrations that capture the spatial concept of distance, and a contrasting group did not use illustrations. The former applied the spatial concept of distance to learn the degrees of certainty, using animated or static illustrations. A spatial concept‐oriented approach that visualises concepts of distance enabled participants to understand the degrees of certainty. The contrasting approach involved rote learning of a list of target expressions for the different degrees of certainty in English. Results and Conclusions: Both the animated and static versions of the spatial concept‐oriented approaches were equally effective. The difference between the two versions did not significantly impact the overall performance of the groups. Takeaways: Regardless of the type of effect, the spatial concept of distance captured in words and illustrations helped the participants (1) process the different degrees of certainty cognitively in terms of distances and (2) retain them in long‐term memory. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Understanding our experiences in terms of metaphors based on spatially visualised concepts of the physical world leads to mapping the embodied concepts onto non‐embodied concepts and retaining these in long‐lasting memory.3D descriptions direct people's attention to the spatially visualised concepts, which influences people to internalise them with ease.The lack of consensus (in previous studies) on the effect of animated versus static versions of the metaphor awareness‐raising approach with either 2D or 3D images has some relevance to the cognitive theory of multimedia learning. What this paper adds: Computer‐generated 3D images were used to help participants in the metaphor‐based groups understand spatial relationships related to the degrees of certainty among certain, probable, and possible items.This study evaluated the relative effects of animated versus static illustrations on stimulating the spatial concept of distance for the acquisition of this knowledge.The animated and static version of the metaphor‐based approach groups outperformed those in the non‐metaphor‐based and control groups. Implications for practice and/or policy: It is necessary to consider all possible confounding variables and control for their effects when designing future animation versus static studies.Further analysis of the spatial concept‐oriented metaphor‐based approach from the perspectives of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning combined with cognitive linguistic theory would be beneficial for fellow researchers and teachers to gain insight into the nuances of the approach and expand its application in the EFL context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Immunotherapy has revolutionized the therapeutic options for patients living with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the unprecedented results achieved through immunotherapy, a low body mass index, which is referred to as cachexia, and the bacterial composition of the gut microbiota are known factors associated with resistance. In this paper, we enrolled 113 Japanese patients with NSCLC and demonstrated that cachexia was associated with poor outcomes. Moreover, microbiota sequencing revealed that patients without cachexia had abundant bacteria that correlated with a beneficial outcome. Altogether, our results demonstrated an association between the gut microbiota and cachexia. This study provides a rationale to launch clinical trials on the outcome of shifting the microbiota composition of patients with cachexia that are receiving immunotherapy. Cancer cachexia exerts a negative clinical influence on patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). The prognostic impact of body weight change during ICI treatment remains unknown. The gut microbiota (GM) is a key contributor to the response to ICI therapy in cancer patients. However, the association between cancer cachexia and GM and their association with the response to ICIs remains unexplored. This study examined the association of cancer cachexia with GM composition and assessed the impact of GM on clinical outcomes in patients with NSCLC treated with ICIs. In this observational, prospective study, which included 113 Japanese patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs, the prevalence of cachexia was 50.4% (57/113). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly shorter in the cachexia group than in the non-cachexia group (4.3 vs. 11.6 months (p = 0.003) and 12.0 months vs. not reached (p = 0.02), respectively). A multivariable analysis revealed that baseline cachexia was independently associated with a shorter PFS. Moreover, a gain in body weight from the baseline (reversible cachexia) was associated with a significantly longer PFS and OS compared to irreversible cachexia. Microbiome profiling with 16S rRNA analysis revealed that the cachexia group presented an overrepresentation of the commensal bacteria, Escherichia-Shigella and Hungatella, while the non-cachexia group had a preponderance of Anaerostipes, Blautia, and Eubacterium ventriosum. Anaerostipes and E. ventriosum were associated with longer PFS and OS. Moreover, a cachexia status correlated with the systemic inflammatory marker-derived-neutrophil-to-lymphocytes ratio (dNLR) and Lung Immune Prognostic Index (LIPI) indexes. Our study demonstrates that cachexia and longitudinal bodyweight change have a prognostic impact on patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICI therapy. Moreover, our study demonstrates that bacteria associated with ICI resistance are also linked to cachexia. Targeted microbiota interventions may represent a new type of treatment to overcome cachexia in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A claim that law reflects culture holds the promise of explaining the success and failure of some societies to modernize their legal systems after Western patterns. However, recent socio-legal studies call for attention to other factors. This paper revisits the 'cultural thesis' with regard to Japan and Russia. Many scholars used to refer to the Confucian and Orthodox heritage to explain reluctant usage of the legal institutions and uneven effect of legal modernisation. However, this explanation restated biased stereotypes and failed to take into account such factors as rational (pragmatic) attitude, reaction to the design of legal institutions, and legal politics of the elites. The author traces the origins of the 'cultural thesis' in the works of the main protagonists, looks how it can be revised and contemplates a more adequate scheme to assess the weight of the factors that caused, facilitated or blocked legal changes in non-Western societies since the inception of their modernisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harmony Search (HS) is a music-inspired optimization algorithm for solving complex optimization problems that imitate the musical improvisational process. This paper reviews the potential of applying the HS algorithm in three countries, China, South Korea, and Japan. The applications represent several disciplines in fields of study such as computer science, mathematics, electrical/electronic, mechanical, chemical, civil, and industrial engineering. We anticipate an increasing number of HS applications from these countries in near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing popularity of the EC (e-commerce) market, more and more consumers' consumption approaches have shifted from physical stores to online shopping. Due to the different popularity of networks in various countries, there are also differences in the products and frequencies of online purchases. At the same time, the network usage rate of the young people in Japan and China has reached more than 90%, with college students around 20 years old accounting for the highest percentage. Therefore, this paper focused on the college students' online purchase of clothing, and compared the consumption behaviors of Japanese and Chinese college students to explore the characteristics of Japanese and Chinese college students' consumption behaviors. After summarizing the theoretical research in the past, based on the online sales of clothing, we conducted a questionnaire survey among college students in Japan and China from the perspective of Marketing Mix. The results show that when the college students in Japan and China purchase clothing, there was a big difference in ① purchase channel, ② commodity price, ③ commodity quality and ④ network comments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A previous study has shown deficient knowledge of caries risk factors/indicators in a Japanese adult population regarded to have a high interest in preventive dentistry. No prior research has investigated caries risk knowledge in an Irish adult population. We hypothesise there may be unexpected differences or similarities in knowledge across countries with similar levels of economic development when comparing groups with different socio-economic and cultural profiles. Understanding what influences knowledge is important for the development of effective and efficient caries prevention strategies. The current paper aims to describe the knowledge of caries risk factors/indicators in two groups with different socio-economic profiles from two culturally distinct countries. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys of adult dental patients were carried out in Japan and in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) using similar self-administered paper questionnaires. Patients were asked to identify caries risk factors/indicators from eight (Japan) or ten (RoI) listed items. The Japanese study involved 482 patients (aged ≥20 years) from 52 dental members of a nationwide web-based initiative Promoting Scientific Assessment in Prevention of Tooth Decay and Gum Disease (PSAP). The Irish study involved 159 patients (aged 20-69 years) accessing state-provided ('medical card') dental services from eight dental practices in County Cork. The two samples were compared. Results: A higher proportion of Irish respondents identified 'Not visiting the dentist for check-up and cleaning' (OR 2.655; 99% CI 1.550, 4.547) and 'Not using fluoride' (OR 1.714; 99% CI 1.049, 2.802) than did Japanese respondents. A lower proportion of Irish respondents identified 'A reduced amount of saliva' (OR 0.262; 99% CI 0.159, 0.433) than Japanese respondents. Similarly shown in both studies were a persistent belief that 'Not brushing teeth properly' is a caries risk factor and a lack of knowledge on saliva buffering capacity as a caries risk factor. Conclusions: Deficiencies in knowledge which should be addressed: among the Japanese group, of dental check-up/cleaning visits and of fluoride use for caries prevention; among the Irish group, of saliva quantity as a caries risk factor. In addition, in both groups, we need to inform patients of the defensive role of saliva. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Several procedures for conservation treatment were comparatively studied for degraded “Suga-fibres” made of raw silk fibres dyed black. Two traditional methods, (1) neutralization with magnesium bicarbonate, and (2) antioxidant treatment with phytic acid, originally used for paper preservation, were tried for the conservation of Suga-fibres. The influences of a single treatment, or a combination of neutralization and antioxidant treatments, for the model fibres on their tensile strength were investigated under conditions of high humidity at high temperature before and after the accelerated aging test. The effect of the novel antioxidant cysteine on the fibre degradation was also examined. For the single treatments, the neutralization with magnesium bicarbonate retarded the degradation of higher iron-content iron (20%)/tannate-silk fibre, while the antioxidant with phytic acid treatment most effectively prevented the degradation of lower iron-content iron (2%)/tannate-silk fibre. This may be due to the different acidity in iron/tannate-silk fibres, and thus the degradation of iron (2%)/tannate-silk fibre would be caused by iron-catalyzed oxidation rather than acid-catalyzed hydrolysis because of its lower acidity. Among antioxidant treatments, cysteine more effectively retarded the degradation of the iron (20%)/tannate-silk fibre, while in the case of the iron (2%)/tannate-silk fibre, phytic acid more effectively conserved its strength and breaking strain. The result suggests that the thiol group of cysteine coordinates with an excess of ferrous ions in the iron (20%)/tannate-silk fibre and quenches the production of hydrogen peroxide. This study demonstrated that phytic acid, cysteine and magnesium bicarbonate treatments are useful as effective reagents for the conservation treatment of black-dyed textiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper aims at promoting the training quality of the female workforce in elderly health-care delivery service in Japan and Vietnam. Here, an in-depth analysis is conducted on the similarities and diff erences in the gender awareness of staff working at elderly health centres in both countries, as well as viewpoints of administrators regarding female worker recruitment and leadership education on this service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the characteristics and results of two different approaches to urban regeneration which we have termed ‘Metagovernance’ and ‘Pluricentric coordination’ following. We studied this through a comparative study of area-based, participatory urban regeneration projects in Denmark and Japan, representing each one approach. The paper aims to clarify results of the two approaches in terms of five aspects of urban regeneration, relevant to the process and results: (1) strategic spatial improvement, (2) influence of the legal system and transparency of the processes, (3) empowerment of citizens and diversity of participants, (4) innovative capacity (diversity and creativity of the projects) and (5) continuity and flexibility of the projects. The paper concludes that each approach has strengths and weaknesses and that each country can learn from the other to strengthen future participatory urban regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper attempts to explore the connections between expanding female education and the participation of women in paid employment in Japan, China and India, three of Asia's largest economies. Analysis based on existing data and literature shows that despite the large expansion in educational access in these countries in the last half century, women have lacked egalitarian labour market opportunities. A combination of social discouragement and individual choice largely explains the withdrawal, non-participation or intermittent female presence in the labour force, notwithstanding increased educational access. In taking stock of these issues and debates across these countries, it is argued that the parallel experiences of women in these countries can be traced back to persistent gender norms which, amongst other things, imply the centrality of marriage and non-market unpaid labour for women. The paper argues that there is a need for gender-sensitive public policy in order for increased education to translate to labour market gains for women, leading to sustainable development outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 created dangerous public health conditions which pressured governments and health systems to respond in a rapid and effective manner. However, this type of rapid response required many governments to bypass standing; bureaucratic structures of health sector administration and political governance to quickly take; essential measures against a rapidly evolving public health threat. Each government's particular; configuration of governmental and health system decision-making created specific structural and functional challenges to these necessary centrally developed and coordinated strategies. Most East Asian governments (except Japan) succeeded relatively quickly in centralizing essential disease control and treatment initiatives in a timely manner. In contrast, a number of European countries, especially those with predominantly tax-based financing and politically managed health delivery systems, had greater difficulty in escaping bureaucratic governance and management constraints. Drawing on data about these governments' early stage COVID-19 control experiences, this article suggests that structural changes will be necessary if low-performing governments are to better respond to a pandemic. This paper also summarizes other relatively successful strategies. By adopting such strategies, nations can help overcome structural bureaucratic and administrative obstacles in responding to further waves of COVID-19 or similar future pandemic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile learning (m-learning) is gaining its importance in recent years. For libraries, it is inevitable to adapt to this trend and provide various information services and support for m-learning. This paper studies the m-learning usage of Library and Information Science (LIS) students, who will be the new blood for the library in future. In this paper, we invited 267 subjects from Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan to participate in our online survey. We found that LIS students from these regions do adopt communication tools and social media for m-learning. However, they less frequently use their smartphones for academic reading. Plus, they rely more on search engines for fulfilling their information needs instead of library resources. We also found that the lack of a mobile version of the library website constitutes a significant barrier in m-learning, but the lack of mobile apps is relatively acceptable by the respondents. The result of this study shows that there are no big differences in m-learning usage among the three regions, except that LIS students from Hong Kong are accessing the learning management platforms via their smartphones more frequently compared to students from Japan and Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper first asks whether the working of market forces in Japanese manufacturing industries is unique to them or similar to US counterparts. It is found that autoregressive profit equations for 376 Japanese firms over 1964-82 are on average similar to those for 413 US firms over 1964-80. The paper next asks whether the inter-industry pattern of profit adjustments in Japan is related to industry traits in a manner analogous to the US. In this case specific national differences between the two countries in the effects of imports, industry growth, and capital intensity on the profit adjustment process are found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo is the property of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• The five functions of government-market dynamics are critical to SG deployment. • China and Japan differ in the ways that government actors engage market actors. • China's approach is hierarchical; Japan's approach is more systemic. • National contextual differences can explain the variety of dynamics and outcomes. • Optimising government-making dynamics is vital to realising SG potentials. Smart grids (SGs) have been increasingly regarded as an enabling technology for post-Fukushima energy transitions. SGs require new policies and market infrastructures to deliver their potential, but the roles of governments in increasingly market based energy systems have not been well conceptualised. Advancing the socio-technical energy transitions literature, this paper proposes five functions of government-market dynamics in an integrated framework, and applies the framework in the field of smart grid developments in two Asian countries, China and Japan. Based on interviews with 38 key stakeholders, this study has three main findings. First, both countries have in common that the five functions of government-market dynamics are critical in developing, diffusing and utilising SG technologies. Second, China and Japan exhibit distinctive characteristics in the ways that government actors engage market actors. While the Chinese approach is more hierarchical, fragmented and homogenous led by two monopolised grid companies, the Japanese approach is a relatively systemic, bottom-up, and heterogeneous system mainly operated through four large-scale SG demonstration projects. Third, national contextual differences, most notably the advancement of electricity market reforms, explain the variety of the dynamics and outcomes. This paper concludes that consideration of optimising government-market dynamics is vital to create conductive conditions for realising the potential that SGs can offer in energy transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mirai. Estudios Japoneses is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Total quality management (TQM) has been recognized as a successful management philosophy that can be successfully implemented in the construction industry. By examining the Japanese contractors working in Egypt and comparing their managing systems to the local ones, a comparative analysis of the two contractors working in the Egyptian field is presented in this paper to illustrate how TQM can be implemented effectively in the Egyptian construction industry. Bearing in mind the location bound nature of the production process, the competitive bidding, which emphasizes cost and the absence of the quality culture of the clients, subcontractors and site operatives are some of the constraining factors for implementing the quality policy. Based on the research findings, the paper presents some features of the Japanese construction industry that could be implemented in the Egyptian field in addition to a new model for TQM implementation that appropriates the Egyptian construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outcome measures during acute cardiovascular disease (CVD) phases, such as quality of death, have not been thoroughly evaluated. This is the first study that compared the family members' perceptions of quality of death in deceased CVD patients and in deceased cancer patients using a bereaved family survey. Methods: Retrospectively sent questionnaire to consecutive family members of deceased patients with CVD from ten tertiary hospitals from October 2017 to August 2018. We used the short version of the Good Death Inventory (GDI) and assessed overall care satisfaction. Referencing the GDI, the quality of death was compared between CVD patients admitted to a non-palliative care unit (non-PCU) and cancer patients in palliative care units (PCU) and non-PCUs in the Japan Hospice and Palliative Care Evaluation Study (J-HOPE Study). Additionally, in the adjusted analysis, multivariable linear regression was performed for total GDI score adjusted by the patient and participant characteristics to estimate the difference between CVD and other patients. Results: Of the 243 bereaved family responses in agreement (response rate: 58.7%) for CVD patients, deceased patients comprised 133 (54.7%) men who were 80.2 ± 12.2 years old on admission. The GDI score among CVD patients (75.0 ± 15.7) was lower (worse) than that of cancer patients in the PCUs (80.2 ± 14.3), but higher than in non-PCUs (74.4 ± 15.2). After adjustment, the total GDI score for CVD patients was 7.10 points lower [95% CI: 5.22–8.97] than for cancer patients in PCUs and showed no significant differences compared with those in non-PCUs (estimates, 1.62; 95% CI [-0.46 to 5.22]). Conclusions: The quality of death perceived by bereaved family members among deceased acute CVD patients did not differ significantly from that of deceased cancer patients in general wards, however, was significantly lower than that of deceased cancer patients admitted in PCUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2019, the International Olympic Committee published the first Olympic and Paralympic Model Formulary (OPF), which defined the standardised set of medications required at every Olympic and Paralympic Games for the treatment of athletes. This study aimed to test the OPF to determine whether it meets the clinical needs of the athlete population with respect to medications used for pain and/or inflammation (PI), and to present a revised set of essential PI medications for the OPF based on prevalence of athlete use. Medication-use data of athletes at the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympic Games (n = 6155) from three sources were used to establish prevalence of PI medicine use and to revise the OPF: (i) doping control forms, (ii) pharmacy dispensing reports, and (iii) injection declaration forms. This revised list was further validated through (iv) medication importation declarations by teams (n = 156), and (v) survey of team physicians (n = 382). Results: Overall prevalence of PI medication use was 36.7%, with higher use by female athletes (female: 44.1%; male: 30.0%; p < 0.001), with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs being the most used class (27%). Use of medications with safety risks were identified, including nimesulide, piroxicam and metamizole. A revised list of 48 PI medications was recommended for the OPF. Conclusion: The research led to a revised set of essential medications for the treatment of pain and inflammation to be available for athletes at the Olympic Games, which would lead to a 7% improvement in the numbers of athletes who could have their exact PI medication requirements met by the OPF. Key Points: Medicines are provided at the Olympic Games for prescribing to athletes by international team physicians, with those most commonly prescribed being for treatment of pain and inflammation due to musculoskeletal sports injury. This study presents an optimal list of 48 essential medicines for the treatment of pain and inflammation to be available at every summer and winter Olympic Games, selected based on prevalence of athlete use, avoidance of harms, and reflecting the preferred treatment options of international team physicians. The results of this study will inform the selection of medicines to be available through the medical services within the athlete villages and competition venues at future Olympic Games. The implementation of this formulary is expected to result in 7% more athletes having access to their preferred choice of treatment for pain and inflammation due to sports injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To elucidate the treatment and surgery outcomes with or without perioperative therapies in Japanese patients with clinical stage III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in real‐world settings. Methods: We performed subset analyses of the SOLUTION study, a multicenter, noninterventional, observational study of Japanese patients diagnosed with clinical stage III NSCLC, for those who started first‐line treatment (surgery±perioperative therapy) between January 2013 and December 2014 (study registration: UMIN000031385). Follow‐up data were obtained using medical records from diagnosis to March 1, 2018. Results: Of 149 eligible patients, 67 underwent surgery alone (median age 71 years) and 82 underwent surgery+perioperative therapy (median age 63 years). Lung resection was performed in 137 patients and the others underwent exploratory thoracotomy or other procedures. Perioperative therapies included adjuvant therapy only (n = 41), neoadjuvant therapy only (n = 24), and neoadjuvant+adjuvant therapy (n = 17). The median overall survival (OS) and 3‐year OS rate were 29.3 months and 44.0%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery alone, and not reached and 61.1%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery+perioperative therapy. The 3‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) rates were 42.4% and 47.1%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery+perioperative therapy and 28.5% and 28.9%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery alone. In multivariable Cox regression, perioperative therapy was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 0.49 [0.29–0.81]), PFS (0.62 [0.39–0.96]), and DFS (0.62 [0.39–0.97]) versus surgery alone. Conclusions: Our study suggested that perioperative therapy may be associated with better survival among patients undergoing surgical treatment of clinical stage III NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with cerebral aneurysm who undergo stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE) has not been established. We aimed to clarify the association between duration of DAPT and incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with cerebral aneurysm. Methods We registered patients with cerebral aneurysm who underwent SACE in 27 hospitals in Japan. Those treated with DAPT (aspirin and clopidogrel) were eligible for inclusion in a previously reported randomized control trial (RCT). Patients who were ineligible or refused to participate to the RCT were followed-up for 15 months after SACE as the non-RCT cohort. Our study examined both the RCT and non-RCT cohorts. The primary and secondary outcomes were ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic events. Results Among the 313 patients registered, 296 were included for analysis (of these, 136 were RCT patients and 160 were non-RCT patients). Patients who were treated with DAPT for more than 6 months (n=191) were classified as the long-term DAPT group. Those treated less than 6 months (n=105) were classified as the short-term group. The incidence of ischemic stroke did not significantly differ between the long-term group (2.5 per 100 person-years) and the short-term group (3.2 per 100 person-years); nor did incidence of hemorrhagic events (0.8 and 3.2 per 100 person-years, respectively). The period of DAPT was not significantly associated with incidence rates of ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic events. Conclusions Duration of DAPT was not associated with the incidence of ischemic stroke in the first 15 months after SACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: With advancements in communication technologies and internet connectivity, avatar robots for children who cannot attend school in person due to illness or disabilities have become more widespread. Introducing these technologies to the classroom aims to offer possibilities of social and educational inclusion. While implementation is still at an experimental level, several of these avatars have already been introduced as a marketable service. However, various obstacles impede widespread acceptance. Methods: In our explorative qualitative case study we conducted semistructured interviews with eight individuals involved in the implementation of the avatar robots AV1 in Germany and eleven participants involved with implementing OriHime in Japan. We analyzed and compared implementation processes, application areas, access and eligibility, and the potential and limitations of avatars at schools. Results: We identified structural similarities and differences in both countries. In the German cases the target is defined as temporary use for children who cannot attend school in person because of childhood illness, with the clear goal of returning to school. Whereas in Japan OriHime is also implemented for children with physical or developmental disabilities, or who cannot attend school in person for other reasons. Discussion: Our study suggests that avatar technologies bear high potential for children to stay socially and educationally connected. Yet, structures need establishing that grant equal access to avatar technologies. These include educational board regulations, budgets for funding avatar technologies and making them accessible to the public, and privacy protection standards that are adequate, yet do not create implementation hurdles that are too high. Furthermore, guidelines or training sessions on technical, educational and psychosocial aspects of including avatar technologies in the classroom for teachers are important for successful implementation. Since our Japanese cases suggest that expanding the area of application beyond childhood illness is promising, further research on the benefits for different groups is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical value of the trajectory of temporal changes in acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers has not been well established among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods: This is a single-center, prospective observational study, performed at a mixed ICU in a teaching medical institute in Tokyo, Japan. Adult ICU patients with an arterial line and urethral catheter were enrolled from September 2014 to March 2015. Patients who stayed in the ICU for less than 48 h and patients with known end-stage renal disease were excluded from the study. Blood and urine samples were collected for measurement of AKI biomarkers at 0, 12, 24, and 48 h after ICU admission. The primary outcome was major adverse kidney events (MAKE) at discharge, defined as a composite of death, dialysis dependency, and persistent loss of kidney function (≥ 25% decline in eGFR). Results: The study included 156 patients. Serum creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uL-FABP) were serially measured and each variable was classified into three groups based on group-based trajectory modeling analysis. While the trajectory curves moved parallel to each other (i.e., "low," "middle," and "high") for eGFR and plasma NGAL, the uL-FABP curves showed distinct trajectory patterns and moved in different directions ("low and constant," "high and exponential decrease," and "high and exponential increase"). These trajectory patterns were significantly associated with MAKE. MAKE occurred in 16 (18%), 16 (40%), and 9 (100%) patients in the "low and constant," "high and exponential decrease," and "high and exponential increase" groups, respectively, based on uL-FABP levels (p-value < 0.001). The initial value and the 12-h change in uL-FABP were both significantly associated with MAKE, even after adjusting for eGFR [Odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.45 (1.17–1.83) and 1.43 (1.12–1.88) for increase of initial value and 12-h change of log-transformed uL-FABP by 1 point, respectively]. Conclusions: Trajectory pattern of serially measured urinary L-FABP was significantly associated with MAKE in ICU patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Starting from industry 4.0 in Germany and followed by the New Strategy for American Innovation in the USA and the smartization strategy in Japan, developed countries are pushing nation-wide innovation strategies. Similarly, China is pursuing the Made in China 2025, and Korea announced the Manufacturing Industry Innovation 3.0 strategy. However, few researchers have identified the industrial structure that establishes the foundation of the 4th Industrial Revolution or have derived strengths and weaknesses to provide implications on policy formulation through quantitative comparison with developed countries. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the spillover effect of the information and communication technology (ICT) industry (the foundation of the 4th Industrial Revolution) and machinery·equipment industry (the foundation of smart manufacturing through convergence with ICT industry).Design/methodology/approach This study examines the industrial spillover effects of the ICT industry and machinery·equipment industry in the USA, Germany, Japan, China and Korea by using the World Input–Output Table from 2000 to 2014.Findings The results showed that backward linkage effect of the ICT Industry are high in the order of Korea≑China>Japan>the USA≑Germany, and forward linkage effect of the ICT industry are high in the order of Japan ≑> the USA≑Korea ≑> China ≑> Germany. Backward linkage effects of the machinery·equipment industry are high in the order of China>Japan≑Korea>the USA>Germany, and forward linkage effects of the machinery·equipment industry are high in the order of China>Korea>Germany≑Japan≑the USA.Practical implications China and Korea encourage active government investment in ICT and machinery·equipment industries, especially the intentional convergence between ICT and machinery·equipment industries is expected be generate higher synergy. The "innovation in manufacturing" strategy in the USA that utilizes its strength in ICT services seems appropriate, whereas Germany needs to revitalize the ICT industry to strengthen its manufacturing industry. Japan's strategy is to focus its ICT capabilities on robot sector. While the scope of innovation is limited, its synergy is worth expecting.Originality/value This study attempted to provide a theoretical approach to the determination of national policy strategies and provide practical implications for response to the impacts of the 4th Industrial Revolution, by comparing the inducement effects of ICT and machinery·equipment industries between major countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the historical pattern of sport participation in Japan, two active elderly groups--Masters athletes and senior university students--were compared. Research findings suggest that Masters athletes perceive sport as serious and competitive, and their previous sport participation leads directly to their sport participation in later life. On the other hand, senior university students are more likely to perceive sport as a playful leisure pursuit. For them, leaving and reentering sport is not uncommon. This paper presents eight possible patterns of lifelong sport and exercise participation that should be considered when designing marketing programs to recruit elderly participants, and when developing programs to meet the needs of a heterogeneous older population with a variety of beliefs, attitudes, and experiences in sport and exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the 1970s the new urban poverty (NUP) ballooned in Japan and the US, and it evoked policy responses that produced new, rescaled regulatory spaces to contain the poor on the fringe of social rights and the capital circuit. The paper illuminates this process through the comparison of Japanese and US trajectories, both of which, evolving through economic crises, have established unique pathways. The author first constructs a theoretical framework based on Marxian, Polanyian, and Lefebvrean traditions. Then, he compares national-scale poverty regulation in Japan and the US from the 1950s through the 2000s. Lastly, the author examines how the countries' regulation of a major aspect of the NUP--homelessness--intensified multiscalar reseating processes. The paper concludes that regulation of the NUP represents a significant instance of uneven spatial development of capitalism mediated by the state that requires synthetic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some recommendations for the use of species diversity indices in a paper recently published in this journal by M. Ohsawa on the species richness and composition of weevils in five forest types in the middle region of Japan. Because several factors, such as small sample size, calculation of Simpson’s diversity index by the use of the original equation of Simpson’s measure of concentration D, and a weak point in the Shannon–Wiener diversity index H′, may have led to biased estimates, I recalculated these indices using combined species diversity values of the five forest types. As the general tendencies of 1− D and H′ values calculated here were similar to those in Ohsawa’s paper, there is no need to propose any change to his view. However, these recalculated diversity indices indicated that they are values which are more suitable for use. It should be noted that the characteristics and weak point associated with the diversity indices need to be taken into account in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is now a well-recognized indication for liver transplantation. This paper reviews existing literature on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for ALD and presents data from a single, high volume United States liver transplant center. Methods: For the literature review, a PubMed search was undertaken using the search terms 'living donor' and 'alcoholic liver disease'. Studies were included that presented outcome data for patients who underwent LDLT for ALD. For the single-center data collection, all patients who underwent LDLT from 2003 to 2016 at our center were reviewed and the data for recipients with ALD was subsequently analyzed and compared with those patients who underwent LDLT for other indications. Results: Of 110 studies that resulted from the PubMed query, only 5 contained data that was relevant to this manuscript. These studies represented data collected from two Asian countries: one single center in Korea and a collection of centers in Japan. The relapse rate following LDLT for ALD ranged from 7.9% to 22%, and pre-transplant abstinence did not impact post-transplant relapse in any of these studies. For the single-center data, of 136 LDLT performed at our institution during the time period, 22 were performed for ALD. There was no difference in 1- or 5-year survival between patients transplanted for ALD and those transplanted for other etiologies (94.7% vs. 93.4%, P = 0.79 and 78.9% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.6). Conclusion: There is a very limited amount of data available on LDLT for ALD. Existing data suggests that LDLT for ALD results in excellent outcomes. Short Summary: Published data on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are limited. One- and five-year survival rates range from 82% to 100% and 78% to 87%, respectively. Rates of alcohol relapse following transplant appear low, ranging from 7% to 23%; 6-month abstinence periods prior to LDLT for ALD do not appear to have a significant impact on relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]