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This work is the extended version of a paper presented at the conference HMM2021, about the history of mechanical engineering. First, the initial cultural and industrial steps in the robotic field in Japan are introduced, to display the beginning of this interlaced path, before WW2; then, in the context of the aftermaths of the war, some famous anime heroes are presented as ancestors of the coming mecha anime series. The rising research in the field of robotics and more generally the developments of contemporary Japanese automation industry are then drawn, as a technological substrate for mecha conception. In particular, Masahiro Mori studies are taken into consideration to identify an actual robot design pattern to apply to the following comparative description and examination of the different mecha; finally, thanks to this analysis, the common breeding ground whence robotics and mecha (and their reciprocal influences) arise, is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan is one of the countries with the most frequent natural disasters in the world and is faced with various threats of natural disasters every year, which significantly impact Japan's social economy and people's lives. A great deal of information about disasters is preserved in Japanese literature. Interpreting and organizing this information help us to analyze the regularity of disasters and understand the preventive measures of ancient people. This paper aims to organize, analyze and save disaster data by collecting various information about disasters. Then a disaster spatiotemporal database system is constructed by using deep learning, image processing, and database technology. The system consists of two parts, namely, the disaster database and disaster website. The disaster database is the core of the whole system, which saves the disaster data after organizing and summarizing. The database collects disaster information from various sources, including key information such as disaster type, time, location, scale, and scope of impact. The Disaster website is the system's user interface, providing an interactive platform for users to access and use disaster data easily. The website has many functions, including search, visual display, disaster information query, etc. We also make a detailed analysis of the collected data, aiming to predict the causes and occurrence rules of disasters so as to achieve the target of disaster prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrodynamic coupling between the ionospheric E and F regions is widely recognized as the underlying mechanism for generating medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) during nighttime at midlatitudes. Recently, the double-thin-shell approach has proven to be a useful tool for studying the E–F coupling. By using total electron content (TEC) measurements, this approach enables the simultaneous reconstruction of electron density perturbations in both the E and F regions with broad and continuous coverage. However, the current reconstruction performance is limited when using only GPS-TEC measurements from GEONET, a dense network of ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers over Japan. The expansion of available data sources and the integration of multi-GNSS observation data are considered important to enhance the double-thin-shell model. Fortunately, SoftBank Corp., a Japanese telecommunications provider, has recently developed a dense independent GNSS observation network to improve positioning services. In this paper, we analyze the potential of the improved double-thin-shell approach and emphasize the importance of incorporating multi-GNSS observation data from both GEONET and SoftBank networks. The solvability analysis, simulation, and observation results collectively indicate a substantial improvement in the spatiotemporal resolution. Specifically, the longitudinal and latitudinal resolution is improved from 0.15° to 0.1° in the E region, and from 0.5° to 0.3° in the F region. The temporal resolution is also improved from 2 to 1 min. In addition, significant improvements have been achieved in the reconstruction performance, particularly for the E region under complex background conditions. Based on these assessments, we conclude that the incorporation of GEONET and SoftBank GNSS observation data holds significant potential for improving the double-thin-shell model and advancing our understanding of MSTIDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial periodic pattern (3P) mining is a vital data mining technique that aims to discover all interesting patterns that have exhibited partial periodic behavior in temporal databases. Previous studies have primarily focused on identifying 3Ps only in row temporal databases. One can not ignore the existence of 3Ps in columnar temporal databases as many real-world applications, such as Facebook and Adobe, employ them to store their big data. This paper proposes an efficient single database scan algorithm, Partial Periodic Pattern-Equivalence Class Transformation (3P-ECLAT), to identify all 3Ps in a columnar temporal database. The proposed algorithm compresses the given database into a novel list-based data structure and mines it recursively to find all 3Ps. The 3P-ECLAT leverages the "downward closure property" and "depth-first search technique" to reduce the search space and the computational cost. Extensive experiments have been conducted on synthetic and real-world databases to demonstrate the efficiency of the 3P-ECLAT algorithm. The memory and runtime results show that 3P-ECLAT outperforms its competitor considerably. Furthermore, 3P-ECLAT is highly scalable and is superior to the previous approach in handling large databases. Finally, to demonstrate the practical utility of our algorithm, we provide two real-world case studies, one on analyzing traffic congestion during disasters and another on identifying the highly polluted areas in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a large-scale online survey in February 2023 to investigate the public's perceptions of COVID-19 infection and fatality risks in Japan. We identified two key findings. First, univariate analysis comparing perceived and actual risk suggested overestimation and nonnegligible underestimation of COVID-19 risk. Second, multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that age, income, education levels, health status, information sources, and experiences related to COVID-19 were associated with risk perceptions. Given that risk perceptions are closely correlated with daily socioeconomic activities and well-being, it is important for policy-makers and public health experts to understand how to communicate COVID-19 risk to the public effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations of exertional heat exhaustion (EHE)-related symptoms with lifestyle habits and health factors specific to female athletes, ranked by relative risks from high to low, remain elusive. Addressing this issue would benefit athletes and coaches, ensuring safer practices during summer sports activities. To address this issue, we distributed paper-based questionnaires to seven universities in Japan, and 983 respondents completed our survey. The questionnaires covered various personal characteristics, lifestyle habits, perceived health factors, perceived athletic activity, and EHE-related symptoms. In this retrospective case–control study, we analyzed the relationships of EHE-related symptoms (objective variables) with lifestyle habits, health factors, and athletic activity conditions (explanatory variables) using the partial proportional odds model. The questionnaire responses revealed that perceived dehydration, sickness, loss of appetite, perceived accumulated fatigue, perceived mental stress, lack of ambient wind, and insufficient rest breaks were positively associated with EHE-related symptoms, with relative risks ranging from high to low. Using an air conditioner during sleep and having a sleep duration of ≥ 6 h were associated with a reduced risk of EHE-related symptoms. The study results suggest that female athletes should be allowed to postpone exercise or reduce its intensity and volume based on their perceptions of dehydration, sickness, loss of appetite, accumulated fatigue, and mental stress in summer to prevent heat-related illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the National Metrology Institute of Japan provides six national primary pH buffers under the Japan Calibration Service System. Each batch of these buffers is certified by the primary pH method using a Harned cell. On the basis of these primary buffers, the designated laboratories supply the secondary and working pH standards using a high-precision pH meter. This paper provides an estimate of the batch-to-batch reproducibility of the primary pH standard production based on the history of the certification of primary carbonate buffers in NMIJ. This buffer, which was chosen as the subject of the study because of the relative difficulty of its measurements (and thus a greater dispersion of results), is nominally the 0.025 mol kg−1 equimolal solution of disodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate. As its pH value is significantly affected by the purity of the reagents used, the evaluation of their source materials is made by both pH measurements and acidimetric gravimetric back titrations. Considering the experimentally determined pH reproducibility of ca. 0.010, potential risks to the pH accuracy are discussed when using recipe-based carbonate pH standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research delves into the implications of exchange rate fluctuations on commodity trade between Pakistan and Japan, utilizing the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag method. While prior studies have predominantly utilized the symmetric cointegration approach, the current study posits that the limited assumption of symmetry between the exchange rate and the trade flows could have hindered the empirical findings. The research investigates both the symmetric and asymmetric effects of exchange rate fluctuations on 102 Pakistani industries that import from Japan and 62 industries that export to Japan at the industry level from 1980 to 2020. The outcomes indicate that in nearly half of the importing and exporting industries that engage in trade with Japan, there is evidence of a significant impact of asymmetric exchange rate fluctuations on trade flows in both the short and long term. The study suggests that policymakers should consider the industry-specific impact of exchange rate fluctuations on trade flows and implement targeted policies accordingly. Particularly, industries that benefit from currency depreciation should be encouraged through export incentives, while industries negatively affected by currency volatility should be provided with hedging mechanisms and other forms of support to mitigate their losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess rates of traversing barriers to care to access optimal clinical outcomes in people with migraine internationally. Background: People in need of medical care for migraine should consult a health care professional knowledgeable in migraine management, obtain an accurate diagnosis, and receive an individualized treatment plan, which includes scientific society guideline-recommended treatments where appropriate. Methods: The Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes-International (CaMEO-I) Study was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted from July 2021 through March 2022 in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (US). Respondents who met modified International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, criteria for migraine and had Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) scores of ≥ 6 (i.e., mild, moderate, or severe disability) were deemed to need medical care and were included in this analysis. Minimally effective treatment required that participants were currently consulting a health care professional for headache (barrier 1), reported an accurate diagnosis (barrier 2), and reported use of minimally appropriate pharmacologic treatment (barrier 3; based on American Headache Society 2021 Consensus Statement recommendations). Proportions of respondents who successfully traversed each barrier were calculated, and chi-square tests were used to assess overall difference among countries. Results: Among 14,492 respondents with migraine, 8,330 had MIDAS scores of ≥ 6, were deemed in need of medical care, and were included in this analysis. Current headache consultation was reported by 35.1% (2926/8330) of respondents. Compared with the US, consultation rates and diagnosis rates were statistically significantly lower in all other countries except France where they were statistically significantly higher. Total appropriate treatment rates were also statistically significantly lower in all other countries compared with the US except France, which did not differ from the US. All 3 barriers were traversed by only 11.5% (955/8330) of respondents, with differences among countries (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Of people with migraine in need of medical care for migraine, less than 15% traverse all 3 barriers to care. Although rates of consultation, diagnosis, and treatment differed among countries, improvements are needed in all countries studied to reduce the global burden of migraine. Trial registration: NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a nationwide multicenter prospective registry in Japan's data, we calculated prognostic and predictive scores, including the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA); Cardiac Arrest Hospital Prognosis (CAHP); Nonshockable rhythm, Unwitnessed arrest, Long no-flow or Long low-flow period, blood PH < 7.2, Lactate > 7.0 mmol/L, End-stage chronic kidney disease on dialysis, Age ≥ 85 years, Still resuscitation, and Extracardiac cause (NULL-PLEASE); revised post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome for Therapeutic hypothermia (rCAST); and MIRACLE2 scores, for adult patients with cardiac arrest. The MIRACLE2 score was validated with the modified MIRACLE2 score, which excludes information of pupillary reflexes. Each score was calculated only for the cases with no missing data for the variables used. These scores' accuracies were compared using neurological outcomes 30 days after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA). Patients with a cerebral performance category scale of 1 or 2 were designated as having favorable neurological outcomes. Each score's discrimination ability was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve's area under the curve (AUC). To assess in detail in areas of high specificity and high sensitivity, which are areas of interest to clinicians, partial AUCs were also used. The analysis included 11,924 hospitalized adult patients. The AUCs of the OHCA, MIRACLE2, CAHP, rCAST, and NULL-PLEASE scores for favorable neurological outcomes were 0.713, 0.727, 0.785, 0.761, and 0.831, respectively. The CAHP and NULL-PLEASE scores were significantly more accurate than the rest. Accuracies did not differ significantly between the CAHP and NULL-PLEASE scores. The NULL-PLEASE score was significantly better at discriminating favorable neurological prognoses at 30 days in patients with OOHCA compared to other scoring systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ensitrelvir, an oral antiviral, in reducing hospitalization risk in outpatients at high-risk for severe COVID-19 during the Omicron era. Methods: This was a retrospective study using a large Japanese health insurance claims database. It included high-risk outpatients for severe symptoms who received their first COVID-19 diagnosis between November 2022 and July 2023. The study included outpatients aged ≥ 18 years. The primary endpoint was all-cause hospitalization during the 4-week period from the date of outpatient diagnosis and medication, comparing the ensitrelvir group (n = 5177) and the no antiviral treatment group (n = 162,133). The risk ratio and risk difference were evaluated after adjusting patient background distribution by the inverse probability of treatment weight (IPTW) method. Secondary endpoints were incidence of respiratory and heart rate monitoring, oxygen therapy, ventilator use, intensive care admission, and all-cause death. Results: The risk ratio for all-cause hospitalization between the ensitrelvir group (n = 167,385) and the no antiviral treatment group (n = 167,310) after IPTW adjustment was 0.629 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.420, 0.943]. The risk difference was − 0.291 [95% CI − 0.494, − 0.088]. The incidence of both respiratory and heart rate monitoring and oxygen therapy was lower in the ensitrelvir group. Ventilator use, intensive care admission, and all-cause death were difficult to assess because of the limited events. Conclusions: The incidence of all-cause hospitalization was significantly lower in the ensitrelvir group than in the no antiviral treatment group, suggesting ensitrelvir is an effective treatment in patients at risk of severe COVID-19. Plain Language Summary: COVID-19 still poses a risk for patients with serious health conditions and weakened immune systems, who are more likely to develop severe illness. Several studies have indicated that some oral antiviral medications might be effective in preventing severe disease. This study aimed to evaluate if ensitrelvir, an oral antiviral medication, can help prevent hospitalization in outpatients who are at risk of developing severe symptoms from the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The hospitalization rates of patients who received ensitrelvir was compared with those who did not receive any antiviral treatment, using medical records from a large health insurance database in Japan focused on outpatients who were at risk of severe symptoms and were diagnosed with COVID-19 between November 2022 and July 2023. Respiratory and heart rate monitoring, oxygen therapy, ventilator use, intensive care admission, and all-cause death were also evaluated. The study found that patients who received ensitrelvir had a lower risk of being hospitalized compared to those who did not receive any antiviral treatment. The ensitrelvir group also had lower rates of respiratory and heart rate monitoring and oxygen therapy. However, it was challenging to assess the effects on ventilator use, intensive care admission, and all-cause death due to the small number of events in the population under evaluation. Based on these findings, ensitrelvir appears to be an effective treatment for reducing the risk of hospitalization in patients at risk of severe COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although patients who underwent night-time resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) had worse clinical outcomes than those who underwent day-time resuscitation, the differences between the outcomes of patients with OHCA who underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in the day-time and night-time remain unclear. We analyzed data from the Study of Advanced Life Support for Ventricular Fibrillation with Extracorporeal Circulation in Japan. Patients were categorized according to whether they received treatment during the day-time or night-time. The primary outcomes were survival to hospital discharge and favorable neurological outcome at discharge, and the secondary outcomes were estimated low-flow time, implementation time of ECPR, and complications due to ECPR. A multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for confounders was used for comparison. Among the 1644 patients, the night-time patients had a significantly longer ECMO implementation time and estimated low-flow time than the day-time patients, along with a significantly higher number of complications than the day-time patients. However, the survival and neurologically favorable survival rates did not differ significantly between the groups. Thus, although patients who underwent ECPR at night had an increased risk of longer implementation time and complications, their clinical outcomes did not differ from those who underwent day-time ECPR. [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]

During the 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese children had to live with strict mitigation measures at school, such as eating school lunches silently and wearing masks during physical exercise classes, even after those mitigation measures have been relaxed worldwide. Excursions and other school events were frequently cancelled, especially in 2020 and 2021. This study conducts a retrospective survey on school experiences to understand how the strict mitigation measures were related to children's mental health and well-being. Results revealed school excursion cancellation to be associated with a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms {odds ratio [OR] 1.543 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.109–2.148]}, and high cancellation rate of other school events to be associated with dissatisfaction in school experience [OR 1.650 (95% CI 1.222–2.228)]. In the subsample analysis, we found that girls and children with no extracurricular activities tended to exhibit depressive symptoms due to the cancellation of school excursions. Overall, the study demonstrated that persistent strict mitigation measures at schools might be a key factor in understanding children's mental health and psychological well-being during a long-lasting pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Possible local influence of an extreme marine heatwave is investigated on unprecedentedly hot summer around northern Japan in 2023. Sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) and subsurface ocean temperatures around northern Japan were also unprecedentedly high in the summer. This was especially the case off the east coast of Japan, where cool Oyashio water was replaced with much warmer water due to a striking poleward meander of the Kuroshio Extension persistent from the spring. Particularly amplified near-surface air temperature anomalies and even stronger warm anomalies in the subsurface ocean suggest that the marine heatwave acted to sustain the atmospheric heatwave. Anomalous upward of latent and sensible heat fluxes from the warmed sea surface are indicative of local oceanic impact. The warm SST anomalies reduced the lower-tropospheric stratification to maintain unfavourable condition for low-level cloud formation, which in turn led to increased surface insolation for further SST warming as positive feedback. The increased moisture in the warmed lower troposphere contributed to the enhanced surface downward longwave radiation. This enhanced greenhouse effect acted not only as positive feedback on the warm SST anomalies that increased evaporation but also as a contributor for the extreme warmth over northern Japan landmass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ou Backbone Range in the Tohoku Region of Japan is bounded on its both sides by two major active fault systems: the Western Fault Zone of Kitakami Lowland in the east and the Eastern Fault Zone of Yokote Basin in the west. Although these two systems are primary active fault systems in the region, information on their long-term activity characteristics is still quite limited. Therefore, we analyzed the normalized channel steepness indexes of river valleys trending perpendicular to the range front along both flanks of the Ou Backbone Range. Our results show that the eastern flank has gentler river valleys, whereas rivers along the northwestern flank are steeper. Our field investigation shows that knickpoints in this area are mostly related to local lithologic boundaries or are check dams along the valleys, thus the river systems are likely under steady-state conditions. Hence, the steeper river valleys in northwestern Ou Backbone Range indicate a higher uplift rate of the area. Because both fault systems are primarily dip-slip reverse faults and do not have significant variations in their subsurface geometry, the faster uplift suggests that the northern segment of the Eastern Fault Zone of Yokote Basin has a higher slip rate. This is consistent with results of previous studies, and the fact that the rupture of the 1896 Rikuu earthquake, the only historical surface-rupturing event in this region, was only limited along the northern segment of this fault system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality inclusive education has been guaranteed at the international policy level, but for inclusive education to be realized, teachers must be prepared to teach students with a wide variety of support needs. With well over a billion English language learners worldwide, and considering the fact that language learning can present many unique barriers to students with disabilities, the TESOL field has a growing need to consider how to best train teachers to teach inclusively. English language teachers (ELTs) generally lack training to teach students with disabilities, and little research has been done to identify specific training needs. If language learning environments are to honor the human right to inclusive education, then this is a critical research gap to close. This study reports on the use of a novel instrument, the Inclusive Practices in English Language Teaching Observation Scale (IPELT), in combination with post-observation interviews, to determine specific training needs among ELTs working at the postsecondary level in Japan. Magnitude coding of IPELT results and thematic analysis of field notes and interview data from 13 participants suggests that ELTs in this particular context would likely benefit from training in differentiation and specific considerations for teaching students with disabilities, as well as identifying possible students with disabilities. The participants also demonstrated a foundational skill set to create inclusive learning environments despite a general lack of relevant training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lifestyle management, including appropriate modifications of nutrition, exercise, and medication behaviors, is essential for optimal glycemic control. The absence of appropriate monitoring methods to validate the lifestyle change may hinder the modification and continuation of behaviors. In this study, we evaluated whether once-weekly glycated albumin (GA) measurement received via a smartphone application could improve glycemia management in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by supporting self-review and modification of lifestyle behaviors. Methods: This open-label, randomized controlled, single-center study in Japan with an 8-week intervention period was conducted in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and HbA1c levels between 7.0 and 9.0% (53‒75 mmol/mol). The intervention was once-weekly home monitoring of GA with a daily self-review of lifestyle behaviors using a smartphone application, in addition to conventional treatment. Results: A total of 98 participants (72.0% males; age 63.2 ± 11.4 years; HbA1c 7.39 ± 0.39% [57.3 ± 4.3 mmol/mol]) were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Significant decreases of the GA and HbA1c levels from the baseline to the last observation day were observed in the intervention group (− 1.71 ± 1.37% [− 39.1 ± 31.3 mmol/mol] and − 0.32 ± 0.32% [− 3.5 ± 3.5 mmol/mol], respectively). Significant decreases of the body weight, waist circumference, and caloric expenditure (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0003, p = 0.0346, respectively), but not of the caloric intake (p = 0.678), were also observed in the intervention group as compared with the control group. Conclusions: Self-review of lifestyle behaviors in combination with once-weekly GA home testing received via a smartphone application might potentially benefit glycemic management in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Trial Registration: jRCTs042220048. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expectations of big data across various fields, including education, are increasing. However, uncovering valuable insights from big data is like locating a needle in a haystack, and it is difficult for teachers to use educational big data on their own. This study aimed to understand changes in student participation rates during classes and teachers' teaching styles by analyzing educational big data. In the analysis, data from 120 students and two mathematics class teachers at a public junior high school in Japan were used. We applied the pruned exact linear time (PELT) algorithm to automatically identify significant changes in student participation during class. Based on the information obtained, we analyzed the interaction logs of teachers' e-book readers and clarified the relationship between student participation rates and teacher behavior patterns. Change point detection using the PELT algorithm showed a high F1-score of 0.7929, indicating good overall performance. We also investigated whether there was a relationship between class differences and teachers' actions and found a statistically significant difference. The results provide clues for improving student learning engagement and teachers' teaching styles, and they are expected to improve the quality of education by automatically identifying notable cases from educational big data. However, further research is required to improve data analysis methods, such as adjusting the parameters of algorithms based on the situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The convergence of cultural and aesthetic elements in timber structures from China's Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) and traditional Japanese architecture provides a rich tapestry of architectural evolution and cross-cultural exchanges. Addressing the challenge of distinguishing and understanding the intricate styles of these structures is significant for both historical comprehension and preservation efforts. This research introduces an innovative approach by integrating the Multi-Head Attention (MHA) mechanism into the YOLOv8 model, enhancing the detection of architectural features with improved precision and recall. Our novel YOLOv8-MHA model not only demonstrates a notable improvement in recognizing intricate architectural details but also significantly advances the state of the art in object detection within complex settings. Quantitative results underscore the model's effectiveness, achieving a precision of 95.6%, a recall of 85.6%, and a mean Average Precision (mAP@50) of 94% across various Intersection over Union (IoU) thresholds. These metrics highlight the model's superior capability to accurately identify and classify architectural elements, especially within environments rich with nuanced details, utilizing the enhanced YOLOv8-MHA algorithm. The application of our model extends beyond mere architectural analysis; it offers new insights into the intricate interplay of cultural identity and adaptability inherent in East Asian architectural heritage. The study establishes a solid foundation for the meticulous classification and analysis of architectural styles in timber structures within an expansive cultural and historical context, thereby enriching our understanding and preservation of these traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, a seafloor observation system observed rapid landward deformation. These seafloor observation data are potentially explicable via modeling of a low-viscosity zone under the subducting plate, called the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB). However, the effect of a low-viscosity LAB has not been empirically examined in past earthquakes because of the absence of seafloor observation data, which are expected to have high sensitivity in the detection of a low-viscosity LAB. The Nankai Trough, southwest Japan, is one location where seafloor geodetic stations are in operation that could detect a low-viscosity LAB after a future earthquake. Therefore, we quantitatively model how the low-viscosity of the LAB is expected to affect postseismic crustal deformation following an anticipated future large earthquake under the Nankai Trough. Calculating viscoelastic deformation using a model that takes into account the realistic crustal structure in the southwestern Japanese Archipelago, we examine the effects of LAB viscosity on surface deformation patterns. The results show for very low LAB viscosities ( 2.5 × 10 17 Pa s), rapid landward displacement as large as 38 cm/yr occurs in the offshore area, with uplift and subsidence patterns highly dependent on the viscosity structure. Especially in the first year after the earthquake, the difference in deformation between the cases with and without a low-viscosity LAB was much larger than the observational error level of the current seafloor observation system. For such low LAB viscosities, the probability of detection is therefore high. On the other hand, for moderately low LAB viscosities ( 2.5 × 10 18 Pa s), the deformation patterns in the cases with and without a low-viscosity LAB are similar. Indeed, the difference in displacement lies within the observational error level of the current observational network, so detection is expected to be difficult for a LAB of only moderately low-viscosity. However, such a LAB may be detected by improving observational accuracy in the Global Navigation Satellite System–acoustic observation technique by performing more frequent measurements. Additional detection potential lies in expected future accuracy improvements in vertical displacement estimates at the DONET stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculated stress drops for 2875 small intraslab earthquakes at intermediate depths beneath Tohoku, Japan. We applied an S-coda-wave spectral ratio method to almost 900,000 event pairs. Detailed velocity values for the oceanic crust (OC) were adopted from previous observational studies. The median stress drops in the OC are about half those in the oceanic mantle (OM). The median stress drop for earthquakes in the OC decreases from depths of 70 to 120 km and increases from 120 to 170 km. Our preferred interpretation is that the rigidity in the OC decreases and then increases with depth due to combined effects of the dehydration associated with the eclogite formation and the increasing temperature with depth. These depth variations are consistent with results of a similar study beneath Hokkaido. The median stress drops in the oceanic plate beneath Tohoku are generally smaller than those beneath Hokkaido. Previous studies imaging the seismic structure at shallow depths and b-value analyses of intraslab earthquakes indicate that the near-trench region of the oceanic plate off Tohoku is more hydrated than that off Hokkaido. Taken together, these results suggest that differences in the degree of hydration of the oceanic plate in the near-trench regions could produce the different behaviors of stress drops of intermediate-depth earthquakes observed in Tohoku and Hokkaido. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral and maxillofacial trauma is influenced by various factors, including regional characteristics and social background. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a state of emergency was declared in Japan in March 2020. In this study, we aimed to examine the dynamics of patients with oral and maxillofacial trauma over a 12-years period using interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis. Patients were examined at the Shimane University Hospital, Maxillofacial Trauma Center from April 2012 to April 2023. In addition to general patient characteristics, data regarding the type of trauma and its treatment were obtained from 1203 patients (770 men and 433 women). Group comparisons showed significant differences in age, trauma status, method of treatment, referral source, route, and injury occasion. ITS analysis indicated significant changes in combined nasal fractures, non-invasive reduction, and sports injuries (P < 0.05), suggesting COVID-19 significantly impacted oral and maxillofacial trauma dynamics. A pandemic of an infectious disease may decrease the number of minor trauma cases but increase the number of injuries from outdoor activities, resulting in no overall change in the dynamics of the number of trauma patients. Medical systems for oral and maxillofacial trauma should be in place at all times, independent of infectious disease pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored closed-circuit television (CCTV) networks in northeastern Toyama Prefecture, Japan, as a new data source for tsunami detection following the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. We analyzed CCTV footage and extracted time-series water level fluctuations at Yokoyama, Shimoiino, and Ekko. Spectral analysis of these waveforms revealed several long-period peaks (more than 100 s) in power spectral density (PSD), suggesting the presence of tsunami components. Notably, relatively large PSD peaks at approximately 5–10 min were observed at all CCTV locations in this study and at offshore wave observation points (Tanaka and Toyama). At Yokoyama, a maximum run-up of approximately 3 m was confirmed around 16:28. Although water level fluctuations at Shimoiino and Ekko were detected, identifying tsunami components proved challenging due to their small magnitude compared to other wave components. Despite these challenges, this study demonstrates the potential of CCTV networks for tsunami detection, and further research is needed to achieve real-time detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Bow-Wow Patrol (BWP)', established to avert local crime by encouraging dog walking, may help build social relationships among individuals through dog walking. However, details of its social influence remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the social roles of BWP in the urban areas of Japan. A total of 18 BWP organisation members from two Tokyo municipalities were recruited using snowball sampling between November 2021 and July 2022. In an interview, participants were asked about their perceptions of changes in their social relationships through the BWP. Qualitative content analysis was conducted after text mining using the KH Coder software. The mean age of the participants was 63.9 years, and 83.3% engaged in BWP 7 days a week. The content analysis revealed six social roles of the BWP: establishment of social networks with schools as the centre, establishment of loose networks inside and outside the BWP organization, enhancement of a sense of trust among neighbours, enhancement of a sense of trust in communities, norms of reciprocity among dog owners, and dog and owner characteristics. This study found that the BWP in urban Japan strengthens social cohesion and expands social networks among dog walkers, encouraging them to continue walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pear pollination is performed by artificial pollination because the pollination rate through insect pollination is not stable. Pollen must be collected to secure sufficient pollen for artificial pollination. However, recently, collecting sufficient amounts of pollen in Japan has become difficult, resulting in increased imports from overseas. To solve this problem, improving the efficiency of pollen collection and strengthening the domestic supply and demand system is necessary. In this study, we proposed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based method to estimate the amount of pear pollen. The proposed method used a deep learning-based object detection algorithm, You Only Look Once (YOLO), to classify and detect flower shapes in five stages, from bud to flowering, and to estimate the pollen amount. In this study, the performance of the proposed method was discussed by analyzing the accuracy and error of classification for multiple flower varieties. Although this study only discussed the performance of estimating the amount of pollen collected, in the future, we aim to establish a technique for estimating the time of maximum pollen collection using the method proposed in this study. [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]

In this study, we decompose momentum indicators for the Japanese stock market into two components, high-to-price and price-to-high. High-to-price has a lower downside risk and higher Sharpe ratio than price-to-high. We find that a conventional momentum strategy combines the characteristics of high-to-price in a bull market and those of price-to-high in a bear market. In particular, the large drawdowns of momentum strategies reported in previous studies seem to be largely owed to those of price-to-high in bear markets. It is possible that the mechanism generating factor returns differs among the three strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors have been increasingly used in ovarian cancer treatment. However, the real-world safety data of these drugs in Japanese patients are limited. This retrospective study included 181 patients with ovarian cancer who received olaparib or niraparib at two independent hospitals in Japan between May 2018 and December 2022. Clinical information and blood sampling data were collected. Regarding patient backgrounds, the olaparib group had higher proportions of patients with serous carcinoma, BRCA positivity, homologous recombination deficiency, and those receiving maintenance therapy after recurrence treatment than the niraparib group. Regarding toxicity properties, the most common reasons for discontinuation in the olaparib group were anemia, fatigue, and nausea, while the reason in the niraparib was thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia caused by niraparib treatment occurred earlier than anemia caused by olaparib treatment. Patients with a low body mass index or who had undergone several previous treatment regimens were more likely to discontinue treatment within the first 3 months. Although we analyzed blood collection data, predicting treatment interruptions due to blood toxicity was challenging. In this study, we revealed the characteristics of patients and the timing of interruptions for each drug, highlighting the importance of carefully managing adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates campaign success in equity crowdfunding, using campaigns listed on a leading Japanese equity crowdfunding platform with an all-or-nothing rule. We examine how campaign success depends on campaign- and firm-specific characteristics, including the campaign target amount. We find that patenting positively affects campaign success and the campaign target amount. The results indicate that innovative firms have a higher probability of campaign success, while they set a higher target amount. We also provide evidence that campaigns that have already provided services and products have a lower probability of success, although not always significant, and firms tend to set a lower target amount. Moreover, campaigns launched by venture capital-backed firms are more likely to succeed than others. Furthermore, campaigns launched by firms eligible for the Angel Tax System, introduced in Japan as a tax incentive for investment in young and small firms, have a higher tendency to succeed in equity crowdfunding. Our findings suggest that the Angel Tax System attract more crowd investors and such tax incentives help raise funds on equity crowdfunding platforms for new businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rabies virus (RABV) causes fatal neurological disease. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) using inactivated-virus vaccines are the most effective measures to prevent rabies. In Japan, HEP-Flury, the viral strain, used as a human rabies vaccine, has historically been propagated in primary fibroblast cells derived from chicken embryos. In the present study, to reduce the cost and labor of vaccine production, we sought to adapt the original HEP-Flury (HEP) to Vero cells. HEP was repeatedly passaged in Vero cells to generate ten- (HEP-10V) and thirty-passaged (HEP-30V) strains. Both HEP-10V and HEP-30V grew significantly better than HEP in Vero cells, with virulence and antigenicity similar to HEP. Comparison of the complete genomes with HEP revealed three non-synonymous mutations in HEP-10V and four additional non-synonymous mutations in HEP-30V. Comparison among 18 recombinant HEP strains constructed by reverse genetics and vesicular stomatitis viruses pseudotyped with RABV glycoproteins indicated that the substitution P(L115H) in the phosphoprotein and G(S15R) in the glycoprotein improved viral propagation in HEP-10V, while in HEP-30V, G(V164E), G(L183P), and G(A286V) in the glycoprotein enhanced entry into Vero cells. The obtained recombinant RABV strain, rHEP-PG4 strain, with these five substitutions, is a strong candidate for production of human rabies vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine changes in individuals' psychosocial variables (e.g., psychological distress, social isolation, and alcohol use) during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, a two-year longitudinal survey was conducted at approximately one-year intervals between May 2020 and May 2022, after the first COVID-19-related state of emergency was announced in Japan. The online survey was conducted on May 11-12, 2020 (Phase 1), June 14–20, 2021 (Phase 2), and May 13–30, 2022 (Phase 3). The survey in Phase 1 was conducted during the first emergency declaration period, the survey in Phase 2 was conducted during the third emergency declaration period, and the survey in Phase 3 was conducted at a time when there was no state of emergency but many COVID-19 positive cases. Notably, 3,892 participants responded to all three surveys. In addition to psychosocial inventories often used worldwide, survey items included lifestyle and stress management indicators related to COVID-19 and various sociodemographic items including occupation (e.g., healthcare workers) or income, history of medical treatment for mental problems, severe physical illnesses, and COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine the association of expanded adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with psychological distress in adulthood. The data from nation-wide online cohort was used for analysis. Community dwelling adults in Japan were included. The ACEs was assessed by 15 items of ACE-J, including childhood poverty and school bullying. Severe psychological distress was determined as the score of Kessler 6 over 13. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, by using sample weighting. A total of 28,617 participants were analyzed. About 75% of Japanese people had one or more ACEs. The prevalence of those with ACEs over 4 was 14.7%. Those with ACEs over 4 showed adjusted odds ratio = 8.18 [95% CI 7.14–9.38] for severe psychological distress. The prevalence of childhood poverty was 29% for 50–64 year old participants and 40% of 65 or older participants. The impact of childhood poverty on psychological distress was less than other ACEs in these age cohorts. Bullying was experienced 21–27% in young generations, but 10% in 65 or older participants. However, the impact on psychological distress in adulthood was relatively high in all age groups. ACEs have impacted mental health for a long time. Future research and practice to reduce ACEs are encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) remains a devastating form of stroke. Prior use of antiplatelets or warfarin before SICH is associated with poor outcomes, but the effects of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify trends in prior antithrombotic use and to assess the associations between prior use of antithrombotics and in-hospital mortality using a multicenter prospective registry in Japan. In total, 1085 patients were analyzed. Prior antithrombotic medication included antiplatelets in 14.2%, oral anticoagulants in 8.1%, and both in 1.8%. Prior warfarin use was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 5.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–23.26, P < 0.05) compared to no prior antithrombotic use. No such association was evident between prior DOAC use and no prior antithrombotic use (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.44–4.05, P = 0.606). Concomitant use of antiplatelets and warfarin further increased the in-hospital mortality rate (37.5%) compared to warfarin alone (17.2%), but no such association was found for antiplatelets plus DOACs (8.3%) compared to DOACs alone (11.9%). Prior use of warfarin remains an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality after SICH in the era of DOACs. Further strategies are warranted to reduce SICH among patients receiving oral anticoagulants and to prevent serious outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous increase in carbon dioxide emissions due to human activities and the resulting severe climate issues, there is global concern about energy conservation and emission reduction. However, detailed data on energy consumption and emissions at a fine-grained scale, particularly regarding spatial dimensions and sector-specific emissions, remains insufficient and in need of refinement and timely updates. In Japan, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there has been a significant shift from nuclear power generation to reliance on fossil fuels across various sectors, highlighting disparities in emissions data across different regions and industries. Our work extends the emissions time series for Japan's 47 prefectures, incorporating their socioeconomic characteristics over a broader time frame and with a more detailed sectoral classification. The emissions inventory, covering the period from 1990 to 2020, is based on the consumption of the three main fossil fuels across 32 sectors, with emissions carefully allocated for regional power generation. This dataset, presented in a unified format, is expanded to include longer time scales and more detailed socioeconomic data. It is anticipated to offer crucial insights for establishing regional emission reduction targets and identifying sectoral priorities for decarbonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interseismic strain around southwest Japan can be attributed to slip phenomena on the plate interface and processes inside the continental plate, such as block motions and inland fault slips. Although many crustal deformation analyses have been carried out, the simultaneous estimation of these phenomena and comprehensive discussion regarding the effect on the total strain budget remain topics to be investigated. In this study, we conducted numerical experiment to evaluate the possibility of simultaneously monitoring the spatiotemporal evolution of interseismic fault slips and block motions based on state-space modeling. We aimed to estimate fault slips and block motions using the time series of dense continuous Global Navigation Satellite System sites covering southwest Japan, encompassing 25 years from 1996 onward. We calculated synthetic block motions of the forearc region, monotonically increasing back slips on block boundary faults, and long-term slow slip events in the Tokai region, Kii Channel, and Bungo Channel. Subsequently, we generated the expected synthetic displacement time-series at GNSS stations. Applying Kalman filtering, we successfully estimated the spatiotemporal evolution of block motions, cumulative back slips, multiple slow slip events occurring in different regions. Although the contributions of fault slips and block motions showed slight trade-off, main characteristics of the slip distributions and the direction of block motions were well-recovered. We recovered slow slip events with slips of 5–10 cm or larger. We investigated the estimation uncertainty and separation precision of the unknown parameters using the covariance matrix estimated by Kalman filtering. Focusing on the structure of the non-diagonal component of the covariance matrix, we evaluated the complex effects of site and subfault locations on the estimated slip spatial distribution bias. For instance, the extent of the correlation between subfaults suggested that the three slow slip regions have different tendency of the uncertainties of slip areas, extending toward landside, seaward, or both of them. Our framework enables the comprehensive evaluation of the contributions and uncertainties of various deformation sources covering the entire subduction zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2014 phreatic eruption of Mt. Ontake was preceded by increased volcano-tectonic (VT) seismicity, but all other types of precursors were obscure. A subsurface process leading to eruption with few precursors has yet to be identified. This study performed numerical simulations to reproduce the precursory time sequence of the eruption. High-temperature water from a cooling magma reservoir was injected into a modeled porous medium filled with cold water. This resulted in an immediate pressure increase and a delayed temperature increase in the shallow parts. The pressure increased immediately because the injected fluid pushed the existing fluid away from the porous medium. A sharp boundary between low (initial)- and high (injected)-temperature regions, known as a thermal front, developed and migrated upward slowly, leading to a delayed temperature increase. The lag time between the pressure and temperature changes is likely responsible for the precursory VT seismicity. If the injected water temperature was less than the critical point, the water was liquid throughout the model region until the thermal front reached a shallow part, where the pressure was low enough for the heated water to vaporize. This vaporization was sudden and large, likely leading to a large eruption with few precursors, similar to the time sequence in 2014. If the injected water temperature was higher, the water volume increased gradually from liquid to supercritical and then to the gas state. This scenario likely led to a small eruption with numerous precursors, similar to the previous eruption of Mt. Ontake that occurred in 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addressed the issue of determining multiple potential clusters with regularization approaches for the purpose of spatio-temporal clustering. The generalized lasso framework has flexibility to incorporate adjacencies between objects in the penalty matrix and to detect multiple clusters. A generalized lasso model with two L 1 penalties is proposed, which can be separated into two generalized lasso models: trend filtering of temporal effect and fused lasso of spatial effect for each time point. To select the tuning parameters, the approximate leave-one-out cross-validation (ALOCV) and generalized cross-validation (GCV) are considered. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate the proposed method compared to other approaches in different problems and structures of multiple clusters. The generalized lasso with ALOCV and GCV provided smaller MSE in estimating the temporal and spatial effect compared to unpenalized method, ridge, lasso, and generalized ridge. In temporal effects detection, the generalized lasso with ALOCV and GCV provided relatively smaller and more stable MSE than other methods, for different structure of true risk values. In spatial effects detection, the generalized lasso with ALOCV provided higher index of edges detection accuracy. The simulation also suggested using a common tuning parameter over all time points in spatial clustering. Finally, the proposed method was applied to the weekly Covid-19 data in Japan form March 21, 2020, to September 11, 2021, along with the interpretation of dynamic behavior of multiple clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed S-268019-b, a recombinant spike protein vaccine with a squalene-based adjuvant, for superiority in its immunogenicity over ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine among adults in Japan. In this multicenter, randomized, observer-blinded, phase 3 study, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–naïve participants (aged ≥ 18 years, without prior infection or vaccination against SARS-CoV-2) were randomized (1:1) to receive either S-268019-b or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 as two intramuscular injections given 28 days apart. Participants who provided consent for a booster administration received S-268019-b at Day 211. The primary endpoint was SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (NAb) titer on Day 57; the key secondary endpoint was the seroconversion rate for SARS-CoV-2 NAb titer on Day 57. Other endpoints included anti–SARS-CoV-2 S-protein immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibody titer and safety. The demographic and baseline characteristics were generally comparable between S-268019-b (n = 611) and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (n = 610) groups. S-268019-b showed superior immunogenicity over ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, based on their geometric mean titers (GMTs) and GMT ratios of SARS-CoV-2 NAb on Day 57 by cytopathic effect assay (GMT [95% confidence interval {CI}] 19.92 [18.68, 21.23] versus 3.63 [3.41, 3.87]; GMT ratio [95% CI] 5.48 [5.01, 6.00], respectively; two-sided p-values < 0.0001). Additionally, NAb measured using a cell viability assay also showed similar results (GMT [95% CI] 183.25 [168.04, 199.84] versus 24.79 [22.77, 27.00]; GMT ratio [95% CI] 7.39 [6.55, 8.35] for S-268019-b versus ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, respectively; p < 0.0001). The GMT of anti–SARS-CoV-2 S-protein IgG antibody was 370.05 for S-268019-b versus 77.92 for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 on Day 57 (GMT ratio [95% CI] 4.75 [4.34, 5.20]). Notably, immune responses were durable through the end of the study. S-268019-b elicited T-helper 1 skewed T-cell response, comparable to that of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19. After the first dose, the incidence of solicited systemic treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was higher in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, but after the second dose, the incidence was higher in the S-268019-b group. Headache, fatigue, and myalgia were the most commonly reported solicited systemic TRAEs, while pain at the injection site was the most frequently reported solicited local TRAE following both doses in both groups. No serious treatment-related adverse serious TRAEs events were reported in the two groups. S-268019-b was more immunogenic than ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and was well tolerated (jRCT2051210151). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and predicting fault slip behaviors in subduction zones is essential for understanding earthquake cycles and assessing future earthquake potential. We developed a data assimilation method for fault slip monitoring and the short-term prediction of slow slip events, and applied to the 2010 Bungo Channel slow slip event in southwest Japan. The observed geodetic data were quantitatively explained using a physics-based model with data assimilation. We investigated short-term predictability by assimilating observation data within limited periods. Without prior constraints on fault slip style, observations solely during slip acceleration predicted the occurrence of a fast slip; however, the inclusion of slip deceleration data successfully predicted a slow transient slip. With prior constraints to exclude unstable slip, the assimilation of data after slow slip event occurrence also predicted a slow transient slip. This study provides a tool using data assimilation for fault slip monitoring and prediction based on real observation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood mitigation efforts (flood fighting), including raising awareness among local residents, have been crucial in Japan to reduce damage during flood events. In this study, interviews were conducted with three flood fighting management bodies on the Yodo and Yamato Rivers, which still have strong flood fighting corps, and field investigations were performed focusing on the actual operation of flood fighting warehouses, which serve as infrastructure bases for flood fighting. Targets included the flood fighting affairs associations on the left and right banks for the Yodo River and that on the right bank for the Yamato River. The survey results showed that with the progress of flood control measures and river improvement, opportunities to conduct actual flood fighting work during floods decreased in all cases in recent years, but flood fighting techniques and knowledge were passed on through exercises and drills. In addition, the flood fighting warehouses were well managed and maintained their functions as material and equipment storage places and as waiting and meeting places for flood fighting corps members. Considering the intensification of external flood forces due to future extreme weather changes, it was deemed that the role of the flood fighting corps is expected to increase in importance, and it was judged that preparations were being made to respond to this trend. On the other hand, there were some challenges in terms of securing a sufficient number of members due to the shortage resulting from the aging of the corps members and maintaining warehouses from a budgetary standpoint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary heart disease (CHD) risk is influenced by socioeconomic status-related parameters, particularly occupation. We investigated occupational gaps in CHD risk and how the introduction of remote work moderated the observed occupational differences in CHD risk during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Japan. Data from a web-based, nationwide cohort study, comprising 17,640 workers (aged 20–65 years) with baseline data from December 2020, were analyzed. Participants were grouped by occupation as upper-level nonmanual workers (managers/professionals) and others (reference group). The primary outcome was CHD (angina pectoris/myocardial infarction) onset retrospectively confirmed at the 1-year follow-up survey. Upper-level nonmanual workers exhibited a higher CHD incidence than others (2.3% vs. 1.7%). This association was pronounced in the younger (20–49 years) population, with a significant CHD risk (adjusted risk ratio = 1.88). Upper-level nonmanual workers exhibited nearly 15% higher remote work prevalence, with a significant remote work-related CHD risk (adjusted risk ratio = 1.92). The mediating effects of remote work explained an overall disparity of 32% among the younger population. Occupational gaps in CHD incidence in Japan differ from those in Western countries, where upper-level nonmanual workers have lower cardiovascular risk. In Japan, remote work can mediate CHD risk in the younger population of upper-level nonmanual workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) refractory to conventional resuscitation have started undergoing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). However, the mortality rate of these patients remains high. This study aimed to clarify whether a center ECPR volume was associated with the survival rates of adult patients with OHCA resuscitated using ECPR. This was a secondary analysis of a retrospective multicenter registry study, the SAVE-J II study, involving 36 participating institutions in Japan. Centers were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of the annual average number of patients undergoing ECPR: high-volume (≥ 21 sessions per year), medium-volume (11–20 sessions per year), or low-volume (< 11 sessions per year). The primary outcome was survival rate at the time of discharge. Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared among the three groups. Moreover, a multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model was applied to study the impact of center ECPR volume. A total of 1740 patients were included in this study. The center ECPR volume was strongly associated with survival rate at the time of discharge; furthermore, survival rate was best in high-volume compared with medium- and low-volume centers (33.4%, 24.1%, and 26.8%, respectively; P = 0.001). After adjusting for patient characteristics, undergoing ECPR at high-volume centers was associated with an increased likelihood of survival compared to middle- (adjusted odds ratio 0.657; P = 0.003) and low-volume centers (adjusted odds ratio 0.983; P = 0.006). The annual number of ECPR sessions was associated with favorable survival rates and lower complication rates of the ECPR procedure. Clinical trial registration: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr%5fe/ctr%5fview.cgi?recptno=R000041577 (unique identifier: UMIN000036490). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical properties of seafloor massive sulfides are crucial for interpreting sub-seafloor images from geophysical surveys, shedding light on the evolution of seafloor mineral deposits. While some studies have explored the relationship between electrical properties and the volume of conductive minerals in rocks from seafloor massive sulfide deposits, they primarily focused on artificial samples, leaving the characteristics of natural samples less understood. Moreover, there has been no comprehensive study detailing the general characteristics of electrical properties, particularly chargeability and relaxation time, in relation to the volumetric fraction of sulfides in rocks from massive sulfide mounds in typical hydrothermal areas. In this study, we employed complex conductivity measurements, elemental concentration analysis, and mineral content identification on to rock samples from the active hydrothermal zones of the Okinawa Trough in Japan. The complex conductivity observed was remarkably high, with a pronounced imaginary component and a broad frequency range. This is attributed to induced polarization extending beyond our measurement range. The rock samples were rich in conductive sulfide minerals such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena. Using the Cole–Cole rock physics model, we established a correlation between rock chargeability and relaxation time coefficient with the volume fraction of conductive sulfide minerals, which deviated from previous findings. The intensity of induced polarization was notably higher than anticipated in earlier studies using artificial samples. Furthermore, we observed a distinct positive correlation between the coefficient of relaxation time and the increase in sulfide volume, likely due to the geometric characteristics of the sulfide minerals. Our findings suggest that rocks in massive sulfide mounds may generally construct sulfide clusters that lengthen the conductive path of the electrical carrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is a global health problem that leads to sedentary behavior and tends to cause negative emotion. In contrast, exercise is widely recommended for a health promotion, while pain often worsens with physical activity. Although exercise therapy is often prescribed to people with pain, the mechanisms of exercise effect on pain remains unclear. In this study, we tried to identify a universal association factor between regular exercise and pain intensity utilizing a cross-sectional web-based survey involving 52,353 adult participants from a large national study conducted in Japan. Using principal component analysis, we uncovered a mediation model of exercise effect on pain through psychological components. Analyses were performed in half of the population with pain (n = 20,330) and validated in the other half (n = 20,330), and showed that high-frequency exercise had a significant association with reduction in pain intensity. We also found Negative Affect and Vigor, two psychological components, are fully associating the exercise effect on pain (indirect effect = − 0.032, p < 0.001; association proportion = 0.99) with a dose-dependent response corresponding to the frequency of exercise. These findings were successfully validated (indirect effect of high-frequency exercise = − 0.028, p < 0.001; association proportion = 0.85). Moreover, these findings were also identified in subpopulation analyses of people with low back, neck, knee pain, and the tendency of the exercise effect on pain was increased with older people. In conclusion, the effect of exercise on pain is associated with psychological components and these association effects increased in parallel with the frequency of exercise habit regardless pain location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) increase the risk of preterm births and cesarean delivery. This study aimed to investigate whether maternal blood leukocyte, monocyte, or neutrophil counts in the first trimester are related to the development of HDP. Data were collected from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, a large birth cohort study (n = 38,194) that recruited pregnant women in 15 Regional Centers across Japan (from January 2011 to March 2014). The odds ratios (ORs) for mild/severe HDP according to the cut-off value of leukocyte/neutrophil/monocyte counts by the receiver operating characteristic curve showed high ORs. Furthermore, pregnant women with the highest quartiles of leukocyte and monocyte counts had higher adjusted ORs (aORs) for mild (leukocyte: aOR = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.58; monocyte: aOR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.04–1.63) and severe HDP (leukocyte: aOR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.08–2.13; monocyte: aOR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.03–2.01) compared with those with the lowest quartiles of those counts. In addition, pregnant women with the highest neutrophil counts had higher aOR for mild HDP (aOR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.02–1.56) compared with those with the lowest count. In conclusion, high leukocyte and monocyte counts in the first trimester are associated with the development of HDP. Thus, they may be used to predict subsequent HDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickens in free-range environments are at risk of exposure to various pathogens, such as filarioids transmitted via hematophagous vectors. However, the study of filarioids in poultry has been largely neglected compared to the extensive studies focused on viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Here, we performed histological and molecular investigations of the filarioids detected in domestic chickens from two different flocks in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. In the first case, adult worms were present in the pulmonary artery and right ventricle, and microfilariae were present in multiple organs of deceased chickens. In the second case, similar filarioids were detected in the organs and blood of one necropsied layer. Phylogenetic analysis using 18S rRNA gene fragments positioned the filarioid in the same clade as that of Onchocercidae sp., previously identified in a deceased chicken from Chiba Prefecture, Japan, that is located 500 km away from Hiroshima Prefecture. Based on 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COI gene fragments, the filarioid was positioned distinctly from previously reported genera of avian filarioids. These results suggest that the filarioids are potentially associated with the health burden on domestic chickens and belong to the genus Paronchocerca. Furthermore, we developed a nested PCR assay targeting mitochondrial COI and detected the parasite DNA from the biting midge Culicoides arakawae captured near the flock, suggesting that it serves as a vector. Our findings fill the knowledge gap regarding avian filarioids, laying the groundwork for future studies examining the epidemiology, life cycle, and species diversity of this neglected parasite group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between daily breakfast habits during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment remains unknown. We evaluated the association between breakfast habits during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment. Data of 72,260 women with singleton deliveries at and after 37 weeks of gestation enrolled during 2011–2014 in the Japan Environment and Children's Study were analysed. Offspring neurodevelopmental delays at 3 years of age were evaluated using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3). Participants were stratified by tertiles of maternal daily energy intake (DEI) (Groups 1, 2, and 3:< 1400, 1400–1799, and ≥ 1800 kcal, respectively) during pregnancy and by offspring sex. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for abnormality in communication among participants with daily breakfast consumption habit was 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.96). A stratified analysis based on total DEI showed no significant differences in the neurodevelopment of Group 1 offspring. The aOR for abnormality in communication was 0.80 (95% confidence interval, 0.68–0.94) in Group 2. The aOR for abnormality in personal–social characteristics was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.71–0.99) in Group 3. Maternal daily breakfast habits are associated with offspring neurodevelopment at 3 years of age, with the association influenced by maternal DEI and offspring sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses safety confirmation systems and how Social Capital (SC) affects the resilience of the safety confirmation network for natural disasters in the U.S. and Japanese society. When a large-scale disaster occurs, people desire to inform their loved ones of their safety status and search for their loved one's status in a chaotic environment. Safety confirmation is the action of confirming the current status of people in disaster areas by collecting safety, injury, missing, and death information and sending the contact request. First, this study summarized the safety confirmation resources. The U.S. approach focuses on the missing and dead, while the Japanese approach focuses on the survivors and tries to define the remaining people who are missing and dead. Second, the social background that formed the SC was compared. Third, how SC affects the safety confirmation network in and between communities was analyzed. The case areas were Honolulu County in the U.S. and Aichi prefecture in Japan, and 1,324 samples were analyzed by ordinal logistic regression. The safety confirmation network reflected the social and SC structure for each country. The ethnic diversity in the network provided high resilience. Honolulu's network was more open beyond the community and connected more with others. Residents' economic network was linked to the safety confirmation network. Aichi's network was more closed in the community and connected with kinship or neighbor ties. Trust and interaction with others shaped the foundation of the safety confirmation network. Finally, the integrated safety confirmation system was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan, Japanese Black cattle, known for their exceptional meat quality owing to their abundant intramuscular fat, undergo a unique three-stage feeding system with varying concentrate ratios. There is limited research on physiological and rumen microbial changes in Japanese Black cattle during these stages. Therefore, this study aimed to examine Japanese Black steers in these three stages: early (T1, 12–14 months), middle (T2, 15–22 months), and late (T3, 23–30 months). The rumen bacteria of 21 cattle per phase was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Rumen bacterial diversity was significantly higher in T1, with a distinct distribution, than in T2 and T3. Specific phyla and genera were exclusive to each stage, reflecting the shifts in feed composition. Certain genera dominated each stage: T1 had Flexilinea, Streptococcus, Butyrivibrio, Selenomonas, and Kandleria; T2 had Bifidobacterium, Shuttleworthia, and Sharpea; and T3 had Acetitomaculum, Mycoplasma, Atopobium, and Howardella. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between certain microbial populations and physiological parameters. These findings indicate that changes in energy content and feed composition are associated with physiological and ruminal alterations. This study may guide strategies to improve rumen health and productivity in Japanese Black cattle by modifying diets to specific fattening stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]