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Sensitizers are used to prepare photosensitive materials for ink-printing and thermal-recording media. Typical sensitizers contain an aromatic ring and exhibit aryl hydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity. They can accumulate in aquatic biota, leading to the disruption of ecosystems. Effluent from paper recycling plants has been identified as a source of contamination, and the presence of sensitizers in toilet paper may represent a new source of contamination in aquatic environments. To examine possible sources of contamination by sensitizers, this study investigated the levels of sensitizers in recycled toilet paper. We also studied the prevalence of sensitizers in rivers receiving effluents from sewage treatment plants in Japan, from 2020 to 2022. We detected eight sensitizers and related compounds in both toilet paper and river water samples; their total concentrations ranged from 0.78 to 34 µg/g (mean: 12 µg/g) in toilet paper and 58–1167 µg/L (median: 77 µg/L) in water. In the water samples, sensitizers were partitioned between liquid and suspended solid phases, and in suspended solids, sensitizers accounted for an average of 42% of the total. Correlation analysis showed a high correlation between sensitizer composition in the water from a river receiving sewage treatment plant effluents and toilet paper. Since these compounds were also detected in the river water analyzed in this study, toilet paper should be considered a novel source of sensitizers contamination in sewage treatment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-related patient-reported outcomes (HR-PROs) are crucial for assessing the quality of life among individuals experiencing low back pain. However, manual data entry from paper forms, while convenient for patients, imposes a considerable tallying burden on collectors. In this study, we developed a deep learning (DL) model capable of automatically reading these paper forms., Methods: We employed the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire, a globally recognized assessment tool for low back pain. The questionnaire comprised 25 low back pain-related multiple-choice questions and three pain-related visual analog scales (VASs). We collected 1305 forms from an academic medical center as the training set, and 483 forms from a community medical center as the test set. The performance of our DL model for multiple-choice questions was evaluated using accuracy as a categorical classification task. The performance for VASs was evaluated using the correlation coefficient and absolute error as regression tasks., Result: In external validation, the mean accuracy of the categorical questions was 0.997. When outputs for categorical questions with low probability (threshold: 0.9996) were excluded, the accuracy reached 1.000 for the remaining 65 % of questions. Regarding the VASs, the average of the correlation coefficients was 0.989, with the mean absolute error being 0.25., Conclusion: Our DL model demonstrated remarkable accuracy and correlation coefficients when automatic reading paper-based HR-PROs during external validation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The frequency‐domain dielectric spectroscopy (FDS) of humid insulating paper has been measured at different temperatures. The data show three independent dielectric processes: electrode polarization, hopping conductivity and interfacial polarization. The dielectric properties of humid insulating paper are composed of hopping conductivity and interfacial polarization, and its equivalent dielectric model can be represented by a Havriliak‐Negami (HN) relaxation branch parallel hopping conductivity. At high temperatures and low frequencies, the measured dielectric spectroscopy bends downward, which is caused by the electrode polarization. In this case, the equivalent dielectric model is composed of the body impedance of insulating paper and the electrode polarization in series. According to the equivalent dielectric model, the components of electrode polarization, hopping conductivity, and interface polarization can be separated, thereby eliminating the parasitic effect of electrode polarization on the dielectric properties of insulating paper. Both of hopping conductivity and interface polarization of insulating paper move toward high‐frequency direction with temperature increasing. For humid insulating paper with a moisture content of 5.9%, the activation energies of hopping conductivity and interface polarization are 1.18 and 0.99 eV, respectively. This difference in activation energies results in the inability of the spectrums of insulating paper to overlap with each other at different temperatures. Based on the insulating paper without oil immersion, the results obtained in this article are not affected by oil or oil‐immersion operations. This provides a reference for exploring the dielectric properties and physical mechanisms of oil‐paper composite insulation materials widely used in high‐voltage equipment. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of the aging of oil‐paper insulation is analyzed in this article, based on an improved fractional Poynting‐Thomson model, which includes dc and hopping conductivity (P‐T model2). Based on samples of oil paper produced in laboratories with different thermal aging times, it has been found that the proposed improved model provides a better fit and a higher index of coincidence concerning the measured values than the traditional P‐T model and the model that only incorporates the effect of dc conductivity (P‐T model1). Nevertheless, comparing the proposed improved P‐T model with the traditional Cole–Cole (C‐C), Davidson–Cole (D‐C), and Havriliak–Negami (H‐N) models, the improved P‐T model2 also demonstrated a superior fit for the measured value and a higher coincidence index than another model. In addition, there was an excellent exponential relationship between the quantities εa, εb and τ of the improved model and the furfural content of the samples. Consequently, these characteristic quantities could be utilized to estimate the furfural content in the oil‐paper insulation and evaluate the insulation's condition. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that bone repair following craniofacial injury could be supported by a stem cell niche in the sutures. A new paper in Development identifies a key role for neural crest-derived progenitors in skull repair and suggests that injuries close to the sutures heal more efficiently, possibly due to better access to these progenitors. To learn more about the story behind the paper, we caught up with first author, Daniel Doro, and corresponding authors Sachiko Iseki, Professor at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan, and Karen J. Liu, Professor of Genetics and Development at King's College London, UK., (© 2024. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.)

We conducted a systematic review of conference papers in social psychology at two large psychology conferences in Japan: the Japanese Psychological Association and the Japanese Society for Social Psychology. The conference papers were effectively not subjected to peer review; hence, they were suitable for testing if psychologists selectively reported statistically significant findings without pressure from journal editors and reviewers. We investigated the distributions of z -values converted from the p -values reported in the articles presented at the 2013 and 2018 conferences. The z -curve analyses suggest the existence of selective reporting by the authors in 2013. The expected discovery rate (EDR) was much lower than the observed discovery rate (ODR; 7% vs . 76%, respectively), and the 95% confidence interval (CI) did not include the ODR. However, this does not mean that the set of studies completely lacked evidential value. The expected replication rate (ERR) was 31%; this is significantly higher than 5%, which was expected under the null hypothesis of no effect. Changes were observed between 2013 and 2018. The ERR increased (31% to 44%), and the EDR almost doubled (7% to 13%). However, the estimation of the maximum false discovery rate (FDR; 68% in 2013 and 35% in 2018) suggested that a substantial proportion of the reported findings were false positives. Overall, while social psychologists in Japan engaged in selective reporting, this does not mean that the entire field was covered with false positives. In addition, slight signs of improvement were observed in how they reported their findings. Still, the evidential value of the target studies was weak, even in 2018, allowing for no optimism., Competing Interests: Kai Hiraishi, Asako Miura, Masataka Higuchi, and Yoshitsugu Fujishima are members of the JPA and the JSSP. Masaki Suyama is a member of the JSSP., (© 2024 Hiraishi et al.)

The article delves into the collection of texts related to Japan within Paul Claudel's complete works and supplementary volumes, discussing their organization and significance in understanding Claudel's relationship with Japan. It examines Claudel's travel to Japan in 1898 as a young diplomat and his subsequent appointment as the French ambassador to Japan in 1921, highlighting his perspectives on cultural exchange and diplomatic initiatives.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore how researchers in general, and field researchers in particular, might respond to systems of governance of the researchers' activity in ways that can support rather than distort the quality of the research. Design/methodology/approach: We draw upon literature on serendipity to develop a framework for engaging with the positive and negative potentials of systems of governance. We ground our analysis in discussion of participation in the field comprising two parts: first, the examination of our own activities and second, the accounts of participation found in two career-autobiographical interviews with emeritus professors of management accounting from Japan. Findings: We highlight the potential for a productive tension between two contrasting perspectives that researchers might take on governance of their activity. A contractual perspective sees the value of targets and detailed pre-planning. A reflexive perspective sees the value of exploring the unexpected and considering many alternatives. We offer a framework for considering serendipity and the conditions that facilitate serendipity to help researchers maintain a productive tension between these perspectives. Research limitations/implications: We build upon retrospective accounts of two successful individuals whose careers evolved in a specific context. The intention is not to set out what might be generally achievable in a research career, nor to propose specific lines of action or planning in relation to specific systems of governance, since these vary across countries and over time. Rather, the paper draws on these materials to illuminate the more general challenge of preparing for serendipity in a way that goes beyond simple opportunism. Originality/value: We analyse how researchers' mindfulness of serendipity and the nature of contexts that facilitate serendipity can encourage a productive tension between contractual and reflexive perspectives on governance of academic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a super-aging society, health promotion activities in local Japanese communities are increasingly essential. Developing the health-promotion programs must include the perspective of older people residing in these communities and what they believe to be their regional strengths. This study aimed to clarify the elements of regional strengths perceived by older people living in local Japanese communities from the literature review. Using the internet edition of the Japan Medical Abstracts Society (Ichu-shi), the authors examined papers on Japanese regional residents using relevant keywords. Of 342 considered papers, 14 papers were extracted in this study. As a result, the contents related to the regional strengths perceived by the older people living in the local Japanese community were extracted, classified based on the similarity of the meanings and contents, and then summarized into the elements of the strengths. As the regional strengths, three categories were cited for individual elements: "Actions or behaviors underpinned by experience," "Continuing to live with positivity and vigor," and "Extensive support for the subject and their family." Three categories were cited for environmental elements: "A comfortable environment," "Maintaining intimate and friendly interpersonal relations," and "Support that meets the regional characteristics." Along with individual and environmental elements, support from experts in the region was cited. Hence, it was concluded that the active participation of experts is essential for promoting activities in local communities, and that deepening relationship with older people has the potential to improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This research explores the initial skepticism and bewilderment among zoo staff about animal welfare and environmental enrichment introduced in Japanese zoos in the mid-1990s. Based on the results of a 2001 questionnaire survey conducted by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums and publicly available literature, this paper demonstrates that this skepticism and confusion are not simply due to wariness of a new initiative but to a complex combination of factors, including inadequate information, historical and cultural context, and differing perceptions of animal care in the legal system. For example, it was shown that in the early 2000s, environmental enrichment was misinterpreted as exhibit strategy, leading to resistance from zoo staff. This misinterpretation and resistance can be traced back to the post-World War II popularity of mobile zoos and the legal perception of animals as mere "living beings", not "sentient beings" under Japan's Animal Protection Law. Through the analysis of a case study in Japan in the early 2000s, this paper aims to identify some of the early challenges to introducing and practicing animal welfare and environmental enrichment in non-Western cultures and contribute to better understanding and practice. Despite regional differences, this study aims to contribute to understanding and improving the universal acceptance and application of animal welfare. This study examines the Japanese zoo staff's initial skepticism and bewilderment regarding animal welfare and environmental enrichment in the mid-1990s. Utilizing a 2001 questionnaire conducted by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums and existing literature reveals that this resistance stemmed from inadequate information, cultural history, and legal perspectives on animal care. Specifically, environmental enrichment was initially misunderstood as an exhibition strategy, partly due to post-WWII trends in mobile zoos and legal views of animals as non-sentient under Japan's Animal Protection Law. The research highlights the early hurdles in adopting animal welfare and environmental enrichment in non-Western settings, aiming to provide insights for other regions dealing with similar transitional challenges. It also addresses misperceptions about environmental enrichment in the context of empathetic relationships and professional ethics in Japanese zoology, offering insights into regions facing similar issues. Additionally, the paper discusses the progression of animal welfare practices in Japanese zoos and related managerial challenges, acknowledging cultural and institutional factors. Despite regional differences, this study aims to contribute to understanding and improving the universal acceptance and application of animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to estimate a statistical model of the country risk determination as represented by the country price earnings ratio (PE) to identify potentially mispriced countries. It uses the gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate and a dummy indicator for market-related events (i.e. financial crises), both approximating the business cycle. The model is used to compare a major Asian country's (i.e. Japan) risk with Western countries' risk. Design/methodology/approach: The model used finance variables such as the systemic, non-diversifiable, risk and foreign direct investments to characterize any country risk. A random effects model with panel data estimated the effects of macroeconomic and financial variables on PE. The simultaneity problem was checked using two stage least squares and some lagged independent variables. Findings: The results explained to investors the country risk contributing factors: PE was positively correlated with variables that may increase dividends and market risk premia similar to GDP growth rates and total risk and negatively correlated with variables that increase market risk, namely, nominal risk-free interest rates and financial crises. Japan's PE seemed to exceed most of the Western countries considered here, implying lower risks, lower interest rates and higher growth in the major Asian country Japan. Originality/value: This paper focuses on the effectiveness of country risk measures in predicting periods of intense instability, similar to financial crises. This study contributes a model to measure market risk premium, using PE (or inversely, the earnings yield) as a proxy variable. Investors can use this risk measure in picking less risky stocks to include in their portfolio, calling for liberalizing Asian countries' financial markets to improve their stock market capitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Flutter framework with Dart programming allows developers to effortlessly build applications for both web and mobile from a single codebase. It enables efficient conversions to native codes for mobile apps and optimized JavaScript for web browsers. Since utilizing a wide range of widgets in Flutter ensures consistent experiences on various devices for users, it becomes crucial in programming education by providing a unified environment for learning app development while reducing the need for platform-specific knowledge. However, the setup of the Flutter environment is challenging for novice students due to its multiple steps, such as installing dependencies and configuring environments. To support independent learning for these students, it is essential to simplify the setup by providing user-friendly instructions and automated tools. In this paper, we present a Docker-based environment for Flutter app developments across Windows, Linux, and Mac through Visual Studio Code, ensuring a unified learning experience. This paper aims to simplify complex configurations and address the obstacles encountered by students when initiating Flutter projects. For the evaluation, we prepared three simple Flutter projects along with the setup environment in a Docker container. Then, we asked 24 Master's students at Okayama University, Japan, to install the environment and modify the source codes in the projects independently by following the given instructions. The results show that all the students successfully completed the assignments, which confirms the efficiency and validity of our proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to provide an understanding of how the transfer of progressive human resource management (HRM) practices may or may fail to render multinational enterprises (MNEs) institutional entrepreneurs creating change in job quality and decent work to underprivileged workers in the low-pay retail sector in Japan. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on survey questionnaire data and interviews with workers and management in a foreign retailer in Japan. Findings: The findings suggest that even where MNEs may provide some measurable material improvements in job quality, in this case equal pay for equal work, the total outcomes are nevertheless shaped by institutional context and constraints. In this case, the improvement in pay was intertwined with flexibility demands that were possible to meet for some workers but not others. In particular, women with care responsibilities and competing demands on their time were not able to experience "decent work" in the same way as others. Research limitations/implications: The study had a relatively low response rate, due to lack of discretion over time experienced by workers in Japan, as well as limited data on program outcomes, with interviews conducted with a small number of participants. Practical implications: The study suggests that spaces and opportunities exist for MNEs to diverge from dominant practices in given host country locations and exercise a level of agency as emissaries of decent work but successful outcomes require a very thorough understanding of individual worker experiences within the institutional constraints of given environments. Social implications: The study offers insights into the complexities of initiatives by MNEs to contribute to the provision of decent work, particularly for workers in underprivileged positions including women in low-pay sectors such as retail, as firm-level practices lead to variable outcomes when filtered through local institutions. Originality/value: The study brings together a focus on firm-level practices that inform much of the international HRM and international management scholarship with an emphasis on the experiences of workers, which is pursued in the sociology of work, to investigate whether MNEs can be actors in the realising of the Sustainable Development Goals around decent work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global energy landscape transitions towards a more sustainable future, hydrogen has emerged as a promising energy carrier due to its potential to decarbonize various sectors. However, the economic competitiveness of hydrogen production by water electrolysis strongly depends on renewable energy source (RES) availability. Thus, it is necessary to overcome the challenges related to the intermittent nature of RESs. This paper presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of complementing green hydrogen production with grid electricity. An evaluation model for the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is proposed, considering both CO2 emissions and the influence of RES fluctuations on electrolyzers. A minimum load restriction is required to avoid crossover gas. Moreover, a new operation strategy is developed for hydrogen production plants to determine optimal bidding in the grid electricity market to minimize the LCOH. We evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approach with a case study based on data from the Kyushu area in Japan. The results show that the proposed method can reduce the LCOH by 11% to 33%, and increase hydrogen productivity by 86% to 140%, without significantly increasing CO2 emission levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In Japan, health-care systems have long been supported by physicians' long working hours. To solve this problem, there is an urgent need to improve the working environment for physicians while practicing patient-centered medicine and controlling health-care costs. This paper aims to examine the effect of task shifting to nurses and discuss its usefulness from the perspective of health-care value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach: This paper analyzes task shifting to nurses in acute care hospitals in Japan as a solution for the shortage of anesthesiologists. The authors discuss how the value was created from the perspective of the health-care ecosystem, with conceptual consideration of the value co-creation mechanism through patient-centered practices. Findings: The study showed that task shifting initiatives in Japan can improve the motivation of nurses through human resource development while maintaining high quality. The study also suggested that task shifting from physicians to nurses may contribute to improving net income and maintaining the health-care system. Practical implications: The findings are highly reproducible and can be immediately applied to initiatives at other medical institutions in Japan. Furthermore, it is suggested that these findings might provide some perspective on the realignment of fragmented healthcare in the USA. Originality/value: It was confirmed in practical terms that micro-level initiatives have an impact on the macro level as well. In addition, the academic presentation of the concept has contributed to the deepening of value research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After nearly a decade of rapid development, woody biomass has been widely used in Japan for power generation and heating. However, it has faced bottlenecks in recent years, leading to a decline in its popularity. This study aimed to elucidate the current status of woody biomass utilization in Japan by reviewing relevant research papers on upstream resource supply and downstream case studies in the supply chain. The supply potential of woody biomass estimated by reviewed articles ranges from 1.2 to 5.5 m3/year/ha, yet a significant portion of this potential cannot be exploited. The utilization of government subsidies, mechanization, and aggregated forests can substantially enhance the availability. The utilization of woody biomass has garnered widespread attention from the Japanese government and private enterprises, presenting an economic impact ranging from 66 to 249 million JPY/t, along with a GHG emission reduction spanning from −17.29 to 202.44 kg-CO2eq/GJ. However, balancing cost and scale remains the primary challenge facing woody biomass utilization in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a scalable end-to-end tree boosting system called XGBoost has been applied for predicting the magnitude of an earthquake from the early part of earthquake waveform data. This model uses the features extracted from the early P wave phase of the records as an input. The model's effectiveness has been verified by using data on earthquakes occurring in the Eurasian plate of Japan Islands from 1996 to 2021. Feature engineering has given 29 new features identified from the early P wave phase of the record, which show a high correlation with the magnitude of an earthquake. The comparison of predicted and actual magnitude shows that a trained XGboost model, which uses a single input record for magnitude prediction, gives an average prediction error of 0.004 ± 0.57 for earthquakes in the test dataset. In contrast, the average prediction error of –1.1 ± 0.80 and –0.65 ± 0.69 has been obtained for the magnitude estimated from conventional τc and Pd methods using the same test dataset. It is further seen that the average predicted magnitude of a single earthquake of magnitude 4.5 and 6.1 (MJMA) obtained by using multiple nearfield records using XGBoost model is 4.58 ± 0.33 and 6.32 ± 0.29, which is close to the actual magnitude of the earthquake. The results presented in this paper clearly show that the structured data can be effectively used by complex machine learning or deep learning models to predict earthquake magnitude from single or multiple records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From mathematical models of growth to computer simulations of pigmentation, the study of shell formation has given rise to an abundant number of models, working at various scales. Yet, attempts to combine those models have remained sparse, due to the challenge of combining categorically different approaches. In this paper, we propose a framework to streamline the process of combining the molecular and tissue scales of shell formation. We choose these levels as a proxy to link the genotype level, which is better described by molecular models, and the phenotype level, which is better described by tissue-level mechanics. We also show how to connect observations on shell populations to the approach, resulting in collections of molecular parameters that may be associated with different populations of real shell specimens. The approach is as follows: we use a Quality-Diversity algorithm, a type of black-box optimization algorithm, to explore the range of concentration profiles emerging as solutions of a molecular model, and that define growth patterns for the mechanical model. At the same time, the mechanical model is simulated over a wide range of growth patterns, resulting in a variety of spine shapes. While time-consuming, these steps only need to be performed once and then function as look-up tables. Actual pictures of shell spines can then be matched against the list of existing spine shapes, yielding a potential growth pattern which, in turn, gives us matching molecular parameters. The framework is modular, such that models can be easily swapped without changing the overall working of the method. As a demonstration of the approach, we solve specific molecular and mechanical models, adapted from available theoretical studies on molluscan shells, and apply the multiscale framework to evaluate the characteristics of spines from three distinct populations of Turbo sazae. Author summary: Connecting genotype to phenotype is a fundamental goal in developmental biology. While many studies examine this link in model organisms for which gene regulatory networks are well known, for non-model organisms, different techniques are required, and multiscale computational modeling offers a promising direction. In this paper, we develop a framework linking molecular-scale interactions to tissue-level growth and mechanics to organ-level characteristics in order to investigate spine formation in T. sazae, a species of mollusc that displays remarkable phenotypic plasticity in spine form. Our analysis uncovers a subtle but statistically significant difference in spine form between shell specimens collected from three different localities in Japan. Moreover, by tracing the difference in form through parametric differences in the multiscale framework, we provide mechanistic insight as to how environmental differences may translate to a change in form. The methodology we present may readily be extended to more detailed modeling of this system, and the conceptual framework is amenable for multiscale analysis in other systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake swarms are most commonly composed of small‐magnitude earthquakes. However, a recent study by Yoshida, Uchida, et al. (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106023) analyzed a swarm beneath the Noto Peninsula in Japan that, after more than two years of moderate‐magnitude seismicity, triggered the moment magnitude (Mw) 6.2 Suzu mainshock in May 2023. Based on high‐precision earthquake locations and a slip inversion of the mainshock, these authors found that the Mw 6.2 Suzu earthquake occurred on the updip extension of a fault that was active during the swarm, likely driven by increased fluid pressure. After publication of that paper, a much larger and more destructive Mw 7.5 event occurred nearby on 1 January 2024. These events underscore the potential for swarms to be precursors to large, damaging earthquakes. Forecasting the eventual evolution of swarms is currently very challenging but could be aided in the future by new observations and models. Plain Language Summary: Although earthquake swarms often only contain small earthquakes, occasionally they can trigger large, damaging earthquakes. Yoshida, Uchida, et al. (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106023) examined the triggering of a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Japan, which caused extensive damage, following two years of smaller earthquakes. This sequence, like many swarms, may have been driven by elevated fluid pressure migrating upwards within the crust. After publication of that paper, a much larger and more destructive Mw 7.5 event occurred nearby. Forecasting the eventual evolution of ongoing swarms is currently very challenging but could be aided in the future by new observations and models. Key Points: Earthquake swarms can be precursors to damaging earthquakes, including the 1 January 2024, Mw 7.5 Noto Peninsula, Japan eventFluid pressure changes often drive swarm activity, and their degree of confinement may influence swarm evolutionDirect observations of fluids in fault zones combined with numerical modeling may aid swarm forecasting in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan is discharging nuclear contaminated water from the 2011 Fukushima incident into the sea after treatment with the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS). This process is expected to continue for decades, as planned by the Japanese government. This decision sparks opposition from many countries and international organizations, as well as constant protests from people in Japan and neighboring countries. Although there are no international documents specifically addressing the discharge of contaminants from a nuclear accident, it is found that the LOS Convention, treaties on nuclear safety, and international environmental laws provide the basis and legal framework for requiring Japan to implement environmental impact assessments throughout the entire process of Fukushima contaminated water discharge. First, this paper evaluates the consistency between the measures taken before Japan's decision to discharge contaminated water into the sea and the requirements under international laws. Second, this paper further examines the substantive and procedural requirements under international law for the entire process of Fukushima contaminated water discharge. It identifies substantive criteria to be applied in assessing the environmental impact of Fukushima contaminated water discharge based on international documents and explores the procedural requirements to assure transparency, prudence, and accountability of the assessment. Finally, given the potential transboundary damage caused by the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea, this paper proposes that a new multi-stakeholder cooperative mechanism is necessary to achieve effective and credible monitoring and respond to the claims of potentially affected parties. In addition to providing a legal framework for the environmental impact assessment in the Fukushima case, this paper may also contribute to the proper disposal of nuclear contaminants in future nuclear accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sakurajima Volcano Observatory, with a history exceeding 60 years, is recognized by researchers in Japan and overseas for conducting frontier research centering on Sakurajima, the most active volcano in Japan. It is owned by Kyoto University and represents the university in the surrounding communities. This paper reviews the open-door events, which have been conducted yearly for the last ten years as a part of a university-wide effort by Kyoto University. They make use of the facilities at Sakurajima Volcano Observatory, which aims to enhance the understanding of volcanoes among the general public in collaboration with geo-guides as "boundary workers." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Japan's discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean has attracted widespread attention. To effectively address the challenge of separating uranium, the focus is on finding a healthy and environmentally friendly way to adsorb uranium using biochar. In this paper, a BP neural network is combined with each of the four meta-heuristic algorithms, namely Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Differential Evolution (DE), Cheetah Optimization (CO) and Fick's Law Algorithm (FLA), to construct four prediction models for the uranium adsorption capacity in the treatment of radioactive wastewater with biochar: PSO-BP, DE-BP, CO-BP, FLA-BP. The coefficient of certainty (R2), error rate and CEC test set are used to judge the accuracy of the model based on the BP neural network. The results show that the Fick's Law Algorithm (FLA) has a better search ability and convergence speed than the other algorithms. The importance of the input parameters is quantitatively assessed and ranked using XGBoost in order to analyze which parameters have a greater impact on the predictions of the model, which indicates that the parameters with the greatest impact are the initial concentration of uranium (C0, mg/L) and the mass percentage of total carbon (C, %). To sum up, four prediction models can be applied to study the adsorption of uranium by biochar materials during actual experiments, and the advantage of Fick's Law Algorithm (FLA) is more obvious. The method of model prediction can significantly reduce the radiation risk caused by uranium to human health during the actual experiment and provide some reference for the efficient treatment of uranium wastewater by biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method for applying forging to high-density wood. A cylindrical container was formed using a closed die, and the appropriate conditions for temperature and punch length were evaluated. Ulin, which is a high-density wood, and Japanese cedar, which is a low-density wood and widely used in Japan, were used as test materials. The pressing directions were longitudinal and radial based on wood fiber orientation, and the shape and density of the resulting containers were evaluated. In the case of ulin, cracks decreased by increasing the temperature, while temperature had little effect on Japanese cedar. Containers without cracks were successfully formed by using a punch of appropriate length. The density of the containers was uniform in the punch length l = 20 and 40 mm in the L-directional pressing and l = 20 mm in the R-directional pressing when using ulin, with an average density of 1.34 g/cm3. This result indicates the forging ability of ulin is high compared to that of commonly used low-density woods. In summary, this paper investigated the appropriate parameters for forging with ulin. As a result, products of more uniform density than products made by cutting were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For users of Precise Point Positioning (PPP), Multi-GNSS Advanced Orbit and Clock Augmentation PPP signals provide corrective data. When using the PPP approach and/or PPP-Ambiguity Resolution (AR) method, the QZSS signal provides globally applicable error corrections on satellite orbit, clock offset, and code/phase biases. In addition, from FY2024, as a part of the MADOCA-PPP technology demonstration, wide-area ionospheric correction data will be provided for the Asia-Oceania region. A software estimator of precise satellite information developed by JAXA, Multi-GNSS Advanced Demonstration Tool for Orbit and Clock Analysis (MADOCA), allows u-blox CO99-ZED-F9P and MSJ 3008-GM4-QZS utilizing MADOCA-PPP to be used in GNSS applications that need sub-decimetre precision but don't have to be expensive. Errors caused by positioning satellites are computed by using observation data from domestic and overseas GNSS monitoring station networks such as IGS and MIRAI, and obtained correction data is transmitted from QZSS signal to provide highly precise positioning augmentation services that can be used in the Asia-Oceania Region. Users may utilize the PPP technique for high-precision locating by employing a GNSS receiver that supports the QZSS signals. This paper describes an experiment carried out with the static method to combine GPS, GLONASS, and QZSS signals in the project site (ISHI, USUD and MIZU stations in Japan). This paper examines the GPS/GLONASS/QZSS obtainable accuracy. These obtained results indicate that integrating GPS system with GLONASS and QZSS is favoured for surveying applications. It appears that integrating GPS/GLONASS/QZSS (MADOCA precise ephemeris file) static measurements in the study area between 0-4 millimetres accuracy can be guaranteed on all occasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan launched its Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) Strategy in 2016 to reinforce the liberal, rulesbased international order regarded as facing global and regional challenges. Japan hoped to attract other states to the FOIP multidimensional platform, including those with limited adherence to freedom and openness. The diffuse nature of the FOIP Vision encompasses diverse issues beyond geopolitical security, spurring doubts of purpose. Does Japan seek minimal status quo order adherence? Is FOIP primarily a values and governance order-enhancing platform, a strategic China-containing construct, or an influence generating counter to Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative? Ultimately, could Japan cultivate a FOIP ecumenical community defending international law and order across the Indo-Pacific? What form of community does Japan envisage creating and sharing with its partners, with strategic or simply communication purposes? This paper addresses these questions, and the degree to which FOIP could realise tangible FOIP benefits for Japan and others, while investigating how "Free and Open" Japan's Vision has appeared during its three major incarnations under Prime Ministers Abe and Kishida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses heritage structures built of welded tuff masonry and timber frames. Such timber-masonry composite structures were built in Japan around the early 20th century. Timber frames are composed of studs and girts. The studs are coupled by penetrating girts via nuki joints. The studs are connected to masonry walls by means of L-shaped wrought iron pegs. In this paper, a warehouse is considered as the case study. Pull-out and shear tests were conducted to examine the performance of joints between a masonry wall and stud. A focus was given to the contribution of iron pegs. A microtremor test was performed on the case study. Based on these experimental activities, seismic analysis was carried out by numerical approach. Attention was paid to the discretisation of joint behaviour between masonry walls and timber studs. The paper introduces structurally a unique heritage building and discusses its seismic behaviour, focusing on joint behaviour derived from iron pegs and nuki joints. Findings are taken advantage of for the seismic analysis of historical composite structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal psychology is field of research which seeks to bring evidence-based practice to the vital work of the criminal justice system. This research is increasingly being conducted and its findings applied around the world. However, worldwide legal systems and their processes can vary greatly. In the current paper, we summarise discussions between legal psychology academics and criminal justice practitioners from Japan. Together, we examine how practices in the Japanese criminal justice system interact with the international evidence base for psychologically-informed 'best practice' approaches. Our discussion targets areas of popular study in legal psychology, focusing on concealed crime knowledge detection, line up identification procedures, and investigative interviewing of witnesses, suspects, and victims. Each section features a description of current Japanese practice, followed by a review of the current state of the relevant academic legal psychological literature. We then connect this practice and research synergy to a reflection with suggestions for future research. Taken together, our paper acts as a conduit to incentivise more research and practice collaboration for Japanese and non-Japanese audiences and presents opportunities for collective international legal psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The maritime route connecting the Chinese continent and the Japanese archipelago facilitated a significant exchange of commercial goods and sociocultural knowledge throughout the Southern Song dynasty. Within this context, Japanese pilgrim monks traveling along this route acted as key conduits for the transmission of Buddhist teachings. Their journeys profoundly influenced the establishment and development of new Buddhist monasteries in Japan. Focusing on biographical accounts that portray the experiences of these pilgrim monks during their twelfth- and thirteenth-century sea voyages, this paper aims to explore how these accounts drew on intertextual links with existing Buddhist records to fulfill the compilers' intentions. Specifically, this paper examines the structure and sources of biographical accounts detailing miraculous encounters between pilgrim monks and Buddhist deities during perilous situations at sea. By interpreting the role of these deities in the corpus of Buddhist literature and within Japanese Buddhist monasteries founded by pilgrim monks, this paper argues that the increasing emphasis on pilgrim monks' attainment of divine protection in their biographical records suggests a growing concern for reinforcing the authority of their dharma lineages. Moreover, the composition and reception of these miraculous accounts reflected the changing religious needs and reshaped strategies for promoting specific Buddhist sects in subsequent periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In central Japan, adult Patanga japonica (Bolívar) grasshoppers overwinter as adults while in reproductive diapause. At this local, February nights fall as low as -7°C, whereas days can exceed 16°C. Adults respond to the diel thermal cycle with daily vertical movements out of and back into leaf litter. This paper documents and discusses the significance of this interesting winter behavior. Temperature strongly influenced the daily vertical movements. Time of morning emergence, duration of aboveground occupancy, and number of adults emerging all highly correlated with current and maximum daily temperatures. In January, adults were immobile at < -1°C but could stand up when their body temperatures reached ~3.7°C. In contrast, adults held outdoors in semi-natural conditions emerged from the litter at ~14°C, suggesting threshold temperatures of ~14°C for morning emergence. The numbers of adults emerging or hiding varied over the winter season. Light also influenced movements. Adults held in horizontal transparent tubes, each with half covered with black paper (D-area) and the other half exposed to light (L-area), moved into the L-area during the day and returned to the D-area in the afternoon. In both cases, movement was into a colder microhabitat, implying that the direction of daily movements was possibly via phototaxis, not thermotaxis. Further experiments suggested that increasing temperatures elicited positive phototaxis, and decreasing temperatures elicited negative phototaxis and that the phototaxis was controlled by the direction, magnitude, and absolute range of the temperature change in P. japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an international collaboration in the Students Meet Internationally through Language Education (SMILE) project and investigates how the SMILE project impacts Thai EFL students. This program provides students with opportunities to use English as an Authentic Communication Tool (E-ACT) by sharing their experiences and culture with high school peers in Japan online. Thirty-one Thai twelfth graders from a public high school in Bangkok participated in the SMILE project in the 2022 academic year. The course of the SMILE project we describe in this paper consisted of four collaboration classes (50 minutes, four times), and each class consisted of two sessions (25 minutes, twice). In each session, the Thai students met Japanese students in the same school grade in small groups with four or five students in total. These classes were conducted via online channels. Thai students' data were collected from class observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The results revealed that the Thai students 1) increased their confidence in using English, 2) gained broader perspectives from the cultural exchange sessions, 3) were eager to have similar collaborations with new Japanese students, and 4) showed clear enjoyment in their activities. Given these benefits, we conclude that the experience that student participants gained through the SMILE project had a substantial impact on them, which is likely to change their attitude toward studying English in the future. Besides, we discuss how current approaches to learner psychology may or may not be applied to our findings. Based on the results, the authors argue that having students with different first languages meet online should be conducted more widely in EFL circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation for university entrance tests now forms a significant part of international English language pedagogy, with considerable numbers of learners aiming to study abroad requiring supportive instruction. This important learning stage underpins subsequent experiences and requires further investigation, if later challenges faced by international university students are to be understood. This paper's Japan-based research included observing an entire intensive IELTS preparation course (N = 12 students) over a five-week period. Additionally, two instructors and seven learners were interviewed, and forty homework essays collected. Pedagogical approaches, participant perspectives and the test preparation process itself are described in depth. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated three key findings. First, a think-plan-write essay model may improve students' performance under timed test conditions, if supported by classroom exercises on lexis, grammar and structure. Second, introducing unfamiliar academic writing structures using model answers and increasing test knowledge (particularly using simplified rubrics) helped clarify expectations of western-style writing. Third, test preparation should be broader than increasing score gains alone; introducing academic writing is a justified and viable objective of preparation courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess vespicochory in Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae), we conducted preliminary observations of Aristolochia shimadae under cultivation and in its natural habitat. Two paper wasp species (Polistes spp.) were observed visiting freshly dehisced capsules of cultivated plants of A. shimadae. After removing the seed from the capsule and licking the juicy and sticky substance surrounding it, paper wasps bit off and carried away only a part of the raphe. This behavior suggests that the capsule, including the substance surrounding the seeds, is attractive to them, and the raphe is equivalent to an elaiosome. In our field observations of A. shimadae in a natural habitat, a wasp (Vespula shidai) carried away a seed after licking the juicy and sticky substance surrounding it. This observation of vespicochory is the first report on A. shimadae and the first on angiosperms in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Contribution to the authorship, including that for case reports, should be appropriately evaluated. I have noticed a scarcity of case reports with clinic doctors listed as coauthors, prompting this investigation. I sought to offer suggestions on the possible reasons for this trend. Methods: I checked case reports published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, the Journal of Medical Case Reports, and the BMJ Case Reports. I identified case reports listing a clinic doctor as a coauthor. I consulted eight professors at Jichi Medical University to ascertain whether case reports from their departments included clinic doctors as coauthors and, if not, the reasons. Results: Among 65 case reports from Japanese institutes published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, only one paper lists a clinic doctor as a coauthor. Of 100 and 50 papers published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports and BMJ Case Reports, respectively, none listed a clinic doctor as a coauthor. Six out of eight professors admitted to never considering the idea of including clinic doctors as coauthors. Conclusions: The scarcity of case reports with clinic doctors as coauthors extends beyond Japanese obstetrics and gynecology, encompassing various specialties worldwide. Center doctors do not think of the idea that a clinic doctor should be a coauthor. A clinic doctor who transferred the patient should be considered as a candidate coauthor depending on his/her scientific contribution. Such an approach could foster an environment encouraging doctors to contribute to academic writing, regardless of their workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The XY model is a simplified insulation model for transformers that aims to connect the frequency spectrum of major insulation, insulation paper, and oil. It enables the calculation of the paper's frequency spectrum, facilitating a quantitative evaluation of the transformer's insulation status. Given the scarcity of research addressing the accuracy of the XY model and its corresponding equivalent circuit, this paper investigates the accuracy of the XY model and conducts an in‐depth analysis of the error associated with its equivalent circuit. Firstly, the frequency spectrum of oil‐paper insulations based on the XY model with varying moisture content and structure configurations were measured, followed by the simulation of both the corresponding 2D‐coaxial and XY models. By comparing the results obtained from these simulations with experimental data on oil‐paper insulation, the accuracy of XY model is verified. Subsequently, two variants of the equivalent circuit of the XY model are derived by combining the oil, spacer, and paper differently, which denoted as Type I and II circuits. Finally, we analyzed and explained the errors present in these equivalent circuits compared with the XY model. Our findings show that the width‐thickness ratio of oil‐paper insulation is the most critical influencing factor, while moisture content and insulation structure have a less decisive impact. Notably, for general transformers, as the width‐thickness ratio is between 30 and 70, the relative error of the Type I circuit remains consistently below 0.3% across different frequencies. Consequently, the Type I circuit proves to be a more suitable representation of the equivalent circuit for the XY model in the context of general transformers. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual SLAM algorithms can obtain a large amount of texture information from the environment and usually perform very well in static scenes, but there are a large number of irregular dynamic points when running in dynamic scenes, which can lead to increased error in SLAM feature point matching and loss of tracking localization. To address this challenge this paper proposes a SLAM system (YVG‐SLAM) that adapts to dynamic scenes. YVG‐SLAM is an improvement on the ORB‐SLAM3 algorithm, integrating the view geometry algorithm and the current powerful YOLOv5 algorithm, while proposing a dynamic feature removal strategy without a priori assumptions to reduce the influence of dynamic targets. In this paper, we first lighten the YOLOv5 algorithm, then process the image frame to get the bounding box, then use the view geometry algorithm to determine the dynamic feature points on the image frame, and finally remove the moving objects in the image frame according to the dynamic feature recognition strategy proposed in this paper. The performance of the algorithm is tested on the TUM RGB‐D and BONN RGB‐D datasets. The experimental results show that the robustness of the proposed algorithm on most video sequences is better than the existing SLAM algorithms dealing with dynamic scenes such as Detect‐SLAM and DynaSLAM, and the RMSE index of the absolute trajectory error measured on high‐speed dynamic video sequences can be significantly reduced by more than 93% compared to ORB‐SLAM3. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sparganosis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by plerocercoid larvae of the genera Spirometra or Sparganum (Cestoda: Diphyllobothriidae). The larvae of Spirometra generally do not undergo asexual reproduction, whereas those of Sparganum can induce proliferative lesions in infected tissues. This paper presents an unusual case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with Spirometra mansoni in a cat, normally considered a definitive host of the species. Case presentation: A 9-year-old male domestic cat was presented with a mass on the right side of the face that underwent progressive enlargement for 1 month. The morphological and histopathological examinations revealed multiple asexual proliferative cestode larvae in the lesions, suggestive of proliferative sparganosis. Next-generation sequencing analysis of formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens of surgically excised tissue indicated that the worm was Spirometra mansoni. Conclusion: Although S. mansoni a common tapeworm species found in the small intestine of domestic cats and dogs in Japan, proliferative sparganosis is extremely rare. This is the first confirmed case of proliferative sparganosis due to infection with S. mansoni in cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early 1900s, mutation breeding to select varieties with desirable traits using spontaneous mutation was actively conducted around the world, including Japan. In rice, the number of fixed mutations per generation was estimated to be 1.38-2.25. Although this low mutation rate was a major problem for breeding in those days, in the modern era with the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, it was conversely considered to be an advantage for efficient gene identification. In this paper, we proposed an in silico approach using NGS to compare the whole genome sequence of a spontaneous mutant with that of a closely related strain with a nearly identical genome, to find polymorphisms that differ between them, and to identify the causal gene by predicting the functional variation of the gene caused by the polymorphism. Using this approach, we found four causal genes for the dwarf mutation, the round shape grain mutation and the awnless mutation. Three of these genes were the same as those previously reported, but one was a novel gene involved in awn formation. The novel gene was isolated from Bozu-Aikoku, a mutant of Aikoku with the awnless trait, in which nine polymorphisms were predicted to alter gene function by their whole-genome comparison. Based on the information on gene function and tissue-specific expression patterns of these candidate genes, Os03g0115700/LOC_Os03g02460, annotated as a shortchain dehydrogenase/reductase SDR family protein, is most likely to be involved in the awnless mutation. Indeed, complementation tests by transformation showed that it is involved in awn formation. Thus, this method is an effective way to accelerate genome breeding of various crop species by enabling the identification of useful genes that can be used for crop breeding with minimal effort for NGS analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the world population growth, energy consumption and the rapid development of industrial economy, a large amount of carbon emissions has brought destruction and threats to the earth's environment on which human beings depend. The development of low-carbon economy has become the consensus of governments all over the world and has been vigorously advocated & promoted. This paper focuses on the top five global GDP nations in 2022: The United States, China, Japan, Germany, and Britain. A comprehensive evaluation index system of urban low-carbon economic development level is constructed from four dimensions: economic development level, environmental quality, energy consumption emission intensity and social development speed by using literature review and field interview. The evaluation measures are determined using the TOPSIS evaluation method with entropy weight and the grey relational model, providing a comprehensive assessment of the low-carbon economy's development level in these five countries." Judging from the comprehensive evaluation score, the overall development of low-carbon economy in American cities is in good condition and has reached the development standard of low-carbon economy; Germany and Japan rank second and third, and they are low-carbon economies. Britain ranks fourth in comprehensive evaluation, although it belongs to a low-carbon economy country, but there is still a certain gap with Germany and Japan; There is still a big gap between China and the other four countries. Based on the measurement and evaluation outcomes, it presents recommendations and strategies to foster the growth of low-carbon economies, offering valuable insights for the advancement of such economies across different nations. The research results guide countries all over the world to reduce carbon emissions in the process of economic development, protect the earth environment on which human beings depend, and make a better tomorrow for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although internet-based stress management programs are proven effective in improving mental health among workers, micro- and small-sized enterprises (MSEs), lacking in occupational healthcare services, face challenges implementing them. To address this gap, this study will develop the program with stakeholders at MSEs to aim for real-world implementation. Objectives: This paper describes a study protocol for a pre-post feasibility study of an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trial of text-based internet-based programs ("WellBe-LINE") in MSEs with less than 50 employees. This feasibility study primarily aims to evaluate trial methods for future effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trials. Methods: For this study protocol, an internet- and text-based self-care intervention program using the LINE app (a popular message tool in Japan) will be prepared according to evidence-based psychoeducational topics. Based on our online survey findings, personalized algorithms will be implemented according to employees' gender, age, and psychological distress levels. A personalized program using a popular pre-existing text app is expected to reduce employees' burdens and be attractive to them, resulting in successful implementation outcomes and mental health benefits. A pre-post design feasibility study will be conducted on ten companies to evaluate trial methods (e.g., recruitment and procedures). The primary outcome will involve individual-level penetration, defined as the proportion of the number of employees who register for the program divided by the total number of invited employees at the company. The progression criterion to go next trial specifies that more than 50% of the recruited companies obtain 60% individual penetration, which is set based on the findings of the prior survey of employees at MSEs and of interviews of stakeholders involved in this study, and will be measured by LINE system. Finally, acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility will be measured using internet-based questionnaires and interviews. Discussion: This pre-post feasibility study for future effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trials will provide in-depth knowledge about the successful implementation of text-based, semi-personalized, self-care mental health interventions in real-world settings using both quantitative and qualitative data. Conclusions: This feasibility study will help validate the effectiveness of text-based interventions using a widely used social networking service (SNS) tool for employees in MSEs. Trial registration: UMIN clinical trial registration, UMIN000046960. Registered on February 21, 2022. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000053570 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human driving behavior significantly affects vehicle fuel economy and emissions on hilly roads. This paper presents an ecological (eco) driving scheme (EDS) on hilly roads using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) in a mixed traffic environment. A nonlinear optimization problem with a relevant prediction horizon and a cost function is formulated using variables impacting the fuel economy of vehicles. The EDS minimizes vehicle fuel usage and emissions by generating the optimum velocity trajectory considering the longitudinal motion dynamics, the preceding vehicle's state, and slope information from the digital road map. Furthermore, the immediate vehicle velocity and angle of the road slope are used to tune the cost function's weight utilizing fuzzy inference methods for smooth maneuvering on slopes. Microscopic traffic simulations are used to show the effectiveness of the proposed EDS for different penetration rates on a real hilly road in Fukuoka City, Japan, in a mixed traffic environment with the conventional (human-based) driving scheme (CDS). The results show that the fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles are significantly reduced by the proposed NMPC-based EDS compared to the CDS for varying penetration rates. Additionally, the proposed EDS significantly increases the average speed of vehicles on the hilly road. The proposed scheme can be deployed as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan and Germany are both facing a rapidly aging population and have similar social insurance-based long-term care systems. However, there are significant differences in utilization and costs. This paper presents a microeconomic decision model validated by regression analysis, Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition, and Data Envelopment Analysis to contrast the utilization patterns in the Japanese and German long-term care sectors. The design of the welfare programs for low-income families has been identified as one of the main reasons. In Germany, the welfare system leads to a demand curve for nursing home care that is comparable to that of an inferior good which makes external long-term care in nursing homes the more attractive, the poorer the respective households are. In addition, the resulting inelastic demand of the population groups in need of social benefits seem to reduces competition among Germany's long-term care providers, which is associated with a loss of efficiency in how they use production factors. In Japan, this negative outcome is avoided by a comfort segmentation in the nursing home market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research activities would be better served if they were communicated in a manner that is openly accessible to the public and all researchers. The research we share is often limited to representative data included in research papers—science would be much more efficient if all reproducible research data were shared alongside detailed methods and protocols, in the paradigm called Open Science. On the other hand, one primary function of research journals is to select manuscripts of good quality, verify the authenticity of the data and its impact, and deliver to the appropriate audience for critical evaluation and verification. In the current paradigm, where publication in a subset of journals is intimately linked to research evaluation, a hypercompetitive "market" has emerged where authors compete to access a limited number of top‐tier journals, leading to high rejection rates. Competition among publishers and scientific journals for market dominance resulted in an increase in both the number of journals and the cost of publishing and accessing scientific papers. Here we summarize the current problems and potential solutions from the development of AI technology discussed in the seminar at the 46th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses optimization problems subject to an objective function's evaluation‐number constraint arbitrarily given in advance. These problems are practical for black‐box objective functions which cost much money and/or time per evaluation because money and/or time constraints are typically applicable in real‐world projects. This paper suggests a new solution strategy that can be used to adapt metaheuristics to evaluation‐number constraints arbitrarily given in advance. The proposed strategy updates the setting parameters of a target metaheuristic algorithm for every generation by solving a fixed small‐size optimization problem related to the evaluation‐number constraint. It has the advantage of being insensitive to the effects of dimensionality increases in principle. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is confirmed by numerical experiments with two well‐known metaheuristics, i.e., the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the differential evolution algorithm. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preoperative education can improve postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing stoma surgery. However, the prevalence and when, where, and how preoperative education is implemented are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the current status of outpatient preoperative education for patients undergoing stoma surgery for rectal cancer as perceived by nurses. Additionally, it sought to identify the information provided by Japanese healthcare providers as a part of preoperative education. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,716 wound, ostomy, and continence nurses (WOCNs) in charge of stoma clinics at Japanese hospitals. Unsigned self-administered survey forms were mailed to the participants, and paper- or web-based responses were obtained. The main questions included: overview of the participants and their facilities, provision of outpatient preoperative education, status of implementation, and preoperative education components. To examine the factors associated with preoperative education, the independent variable was the presence or absence of preoperative education in the clinic, and the explanatory variables were the years of experience as a nurse, years of experience as a WOCN, type of hospital, number of beds, and number of intestinal stoma surgeries per year. Regression analysis was performed. Results: We received 773 valid responses (valid response rate: 45%). Duration of experience as a nurse and as a WOCN were 24.6 and 10.9 years, respectively. Outpatient preoperative education was provided by 24% of the participants. Most preoperative education sessions were conducted for patients or caregivers. Preoperative education took 31–60 min per patient, and one to five patients received preoperative education each month. Booklets, ostomy appliances, and stoma models/dolls were used as supplementary materials for preoperative education. The most frequently mentioned components of preoperative education were stoma care, daily life, social security, stoma clinic, traveling and going out, quality of life after stoma surgery, and precautions for medical treatment. In addition, education on the use of restrooms on the go, disaster preparedness, defecation disorders after restorative proctectomy, and complications after stoma closure were considered necessary. Conclusions: The implementation rate of outpatient preoperative education was low (24%). Future challenges include the development of specific educational content and procedures suitable for the Japanese medical environment and the establishment of preoperative medical care teams for stoma surgery to promote the provision of outpatient preoperative education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual-polarization radar often detects columnar regions of enhanced differential reflectivity (ZDR) extending vertically above the environmental 0 °C level. Indicative of supercooled liquid drops and wet ice particles lofted by strong updrafts, these ZDR columns are increasingly understood to be of use in predicting extreme rainfall. With the aim of achieving practical application of ZDR column measurements, this paper focuses on the relationship between the height of ZDR columns and rainfall intensity near the ground. All the data on ZDR columns analyzed in this study was collected from weather radar stations in Japan. The height of each column and rainfall rates at low levels were analyzed using an automated algorithm. A regression analysis result reveals peak column height to be positively correlated with maximum rainfall rate near ground level, and that rainfall intensity on the ground is likely to exceed 50 mm h-1 when radar identifies a ZDR column. Furthermore, extreme rainfall with an intensity of 180 mm h-1 or more is likely associated with a column over 3 km tall from the 0 °C level. These findings suggest that surveillance of ZDR columns can contribute to the reliability of very short-range forecasts or nowcasts as well as assist with the issue of early warnings of extreme rainfall and flash floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how historical inter-firm syndication networks influence venture capitalists' (VCs) propensity to invest in startups pursuing novel, uncertain technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). We theorize that VCs' positional attributes within cumulative syndication networks determine their access to external expertise and intelligence that aid AI investment decisions amidst informational opacity. Specifically, reachability to prior AI investors provides referrals and insights transmitted across short network paths to reduce ambiguity. Additionally, VC brokerage between disconnected industry clusters furnishes expansive, non-redundant information that is pivotal for discovering and assessing AI opportunities. Through hypotheses grounded in social network theory, we posit network-based mechanisms that equip VCs to navigate uncertainty when engaging with ambiguous innovations like AI. We test our framework, utilizing comprehensive historical records of global venture capital investments. Analyzing the location information of VC firms in this database, we uncovered a history of 14,751 investments made by Korean and Japanese firms. Using these data, we assembled an imbalanced panel dataset from 1984 to 2022 spanning 230 Korean and 413 Japanese VCs, with 4508 firm-year observations. Negative binomial regression analysis of this dataset reveals how historical relational patterns among venture capital firms foster readiness to evaluate unfamiliar innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

As a replacement for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) have been widely used and detected in different indoor environments all over the world. This paper comprehensively describes the concentration levels and distribution information of 11 kinds of OPFRs from 33 indoor dust and 10 air environments, from which TBOEP, TCIPP, and TDCIPP were observed to have higher concentrations in indoor environments. The ΣOPFRs displayed higher concentrations in indoor dust than in indoor air due to the higher molecular weight and vapor pressure of ΣOPFRs in building decoration materials, specifically for TCIPP and TDCIPP compounds. Considering that it is inevitable that people will be exposed to these chemicals in the indoor environments in which they work and live, we estimated their potential health risks through three human exposure pathways and found that the ingestion exposure to TBOEP for toddlers in Japan may reach up to 1270.80 ng/kg/day, which comprises a significant pathway compared to dermal contact and indoor air inhalation. Specifically, the combined total exposure to OPFRs by air inhalation, dust ingestion, and dermal contact was generally below the RfD values for both adults and toddlers, with a few notable higher exposures of some typical OPFRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]