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The XY model of oil‐paper insulation connects the dielectric properties of oil, paper and oil‐paper system. Its equivalent circuit is the basis of the application of dielectric response technology in the state diagnosis of transformer oil‐paper insulation. To better apply the XY model to the study of the dielectric properties of oil‐paper insulation, the dielectric properties of the coaxial oil‐paper insulation system built in the laboratory, XY model and its equivalent circuits are compared. Then an improved circuit of XY model which can reflect the properties of the oil‐paper insulation more truly is proposed. The results show that there is no difference between the XY model and the coaxial model, and both can well characterize the oil‐paper insulation system. The two equivalent circuits of XY model, "Series to Parallel" circuit and "Parallel to Series" circuit, ignore the current tangential component and the electric field distortion in oil‐paper insulation, respectively, resulting in deviations from the XY model. By introducing a new branch C*XY, the improved circuit can reflect the tangential current and electric field distortion in oil‐paper insulation, which can be completely equivalent to XY model. In addition, there is a characteristic frequency point in the oil‐paper insulation system, where the dielectric loss factor tan δ of oil, paper and oil‐paper system are the same. There is no difference between the XY model and its two equivalent circuits at this point. The characteristic frequency is determined by the dielectric properties of oil and paper, and not affected by the insulation structure. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the health beliefs of clinical and academic nurses from Japan, Australia and China regarding wearing paper masks to protect themselves and others, and to identify differences in participants' health beliefs regarding masks. Background: The correct use of face masks and consensus among health professionals across the globe is essential for containing pandemics, and nurses need to act according to policy to protect themselves, educate the public and preserve resources for frontline health workers. Paper masks are worn by health professionals and the general public to avoid the transmission of respiratory infections, such as COVID‐19, but there appear to be differences in health beliefs of nurses within and between countries regarding these. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used content analysis with a framework approach. Findings: There were major differences in nurse participants' beliefs between and within countries, including how nurses use paper masks and their understanding of their efficacy. In addition, there were cultural differences in the way that nurses use masks in their daily lives and nursing practice contexts. Conclusion: Nurses from different working environments, countries and areas of practice hold a variety of health beliefs about mask wearing at the personal and professional level. Implications for nursing policy and health policy: The COVID‐19 pandemic has sparked much discussion about the critical importance of masks for the safety of health professionals, and there has been considerable discussion and disagreement about health policies regarding mask use by the general public. Improper use of masks may have a role in creating mask shortages or transmitting infections. An evidence‐based global policy on mask use for respiratory illnesses for health professionals, including nurses, and the general public needs to be adopted and supported by a wide‐reaching education campaign. [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]

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]

Aromatic sensitizers and related compounds (SRCs) originating from thermal recording material as impurities in waste paper have been detected in aquatic environments near cities where the paper industry is flourishing. In the present study, the levels of exposure to such SRCs and the stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in different fish species ( Konosirus punctatus, Takifugu niphobles, and Tribolodon hakonensis) were analyzed. These fish species were collected from the vicinity of waste paper recycling plants in Japan. Eleven SRCs were identified in fish muscle at total concentration levels (ΣSRCs) of 64 to 818 ng/g wet weight (mean 181 ng/L wet wt). The dominant SRCs in the fish samples were 1,1-di(4-methylphenyl)ethane, 1,2-bis(3-methylphenoxy)ethane, and 1,4-dibenzyloxybenzene. Stable isotope ratios showed that, although three species feed on the same trophic level, K. punctatus and T. niphobles live in waters farther offshore than those in which T. hakonensis live. The contributions of various factors to the accumulation were also assessed. The lipid content ( r2 = 0.512, p < 0.001) was found to be the significant factor that influenced accumulation of SRCs in fish. The results also revealed significant positive correlation between the accumulation patterns and SRC components in water ( r2 = 0.512-0.658, all p values <0.05), but they showed negative correlations between the SRCs in fish and log KOW values. This suggests that the aqueous route is the predominant route for the accumulation of SRCs in fish. This is the first study on the accumulation of aromatic sensitizers in aquatic biota. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:1202-1208. © 2012 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report was written by the Japanese Society of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Nutrition, the Japanese Association on Sarcopenia and Frailty, and the Society of Swallowing and Dysphagia of Japan to consolidate the currently available evidence on the topics of sarcopenia and dysphagia. Histologically, the swallowing muscles are of different embryological origin from somatic muscles, and receive constant input stimulation from the respiratory center. Although the swallowing muscles are striated, their characteristics are different from those of skeletal muscles. The swallowing muscles are inevitably affected by malnutrition and disuse; accumulating evidence is available regarding the influence of malnutrition on the swallowing muscles. Sarcopenic dysphagia is defined as dysphagia caused by sarcopenia of the whole body and swallowing‐related muscles. When sarcopenia does not exist in the entire body, the term "sarcopenic dysphagia" should not be used. Additionally, sarcopenia due to neuromuscular diseases should be excluded; however, aging and secondary sarcopenia after inactivity, malnutrition and disease (wasting disorder and cachexia) are included in sarcopenic dysphagia. The treatment of dysphagia due to sarcopenia requires both dysphagia rehabilitation, such as resistance training of the swallowing muscles and nutritional intervention. However, the fundamental issue of how dysphagia caused by sarcopenia of the swallowing muscles should be diagnosed remains unresolved. Furthermore, whether dysphagia can be caused by primary sarcopenia should be clarified. Additionally, more discussion is required on issues such as the relationship between dysphagia and secondary sarcopenia, as well as the diagnostic criteria and means for diagnosing dysphagia caused by sarcopenia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 91–97. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of electronic medical records brought image filing systems to many hospitals, as well as electronic endoscopic medical records. However, data integration among multiple different vendors has not yet been accomplished. We start the Japan Endoscopic Database ( JED) Project endorsed by Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society ( JGES) from January 2015. The purposes of this project are as follows: (i) developing the world's largest endoscopic database generated from daily use of the reporting system; (ii) capturing the actual performance of endoscopic practice in Japan; and (iii) standardizing the terminology and fundamental items for registry of clinical studies. Moreover, the JED project has the potential to automatically collect data about adverse events, competency and evaluation of residents, and actual numbers of procedures on a nationwide scale, certification for the specialty board system, and so on. We believe that this design paper will be helpful not only for future nationwide research but also for international research ( UMIN000016093). [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]

Aim: To clarify whether the Whitney Comorbidity Index (WCI) is useful in Asian adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and whether aspiration pneumonia and pressure ulcers improved the prognostic significance of the WCI. Method: This cohort study evaluated individuals aged at least 18 years with CP in Japan. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to analyse 2‐year mortality rates. The predictive performance of the Charlson Comorbidity Index, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, and WCI were compared as comorbidity assessment criteria. Aspiration pneumonia and pressure ulcers were added to the Cox models, and their impact on hazard ratios was determined. Results: Of the 2232 adults with CP, 72 died during the 2 years. The model with a previously reported weighted WCI with aspiration pneumonia and pressure ulcers produced the best fit. Additionally, the hazard risk of 2‐year mortality for an unweighted WCI score of at least 4 was 2.56; when CP‐specific comorbidities were added, it increased to 8.94. Interpretation: This study showed that the WCI can be used in Asian adults with CP. Furthermore, assessing patient age, aspiration pneumonia, and pressure ulcers in addition to the WCI increased the predictive value for mortality. Our findings indicate that the WCI can promote valid comparisons between international populations. What this paper adds: The Whitney Comorbidity Index (WCI) is useful among adults with cerebral palsy, irrespective of ethnic differences.Assessment of aspiration pneumonia and pressure ulcers increased the WCI predictive value.The WCI helps identify adults with cerebral palsy at risk of adverse outcomes. What this paper adds: The Whitney Comorbidity Index (WCI) is useful among adults with cerebral palsy, irrespective of ethnic differences.Assessment of aspiration pneumonia and pressure ulcers increased the WCI predictive value.The WCI helps identify adults with cerebral palsy at risk of adverse outcomes. This article's abstract has been translated into Japanese. Follow the links from the abstract to view the translations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political apologies have been argued to contribute to reconciliation among groups and nations but their efficacy has also been questioned. This paper examines the acceptance of political apologies, their content and the protagonists in the victim nation, the perpetrator nation and their subgroups. Guided by studies on the structure of apologies, it distinguishes 10 features of apologies, seven of which concern their content and three of their protagonists. Following the analysis of apology statements by Japan to South Korea, the paper further breaks these features (factors) down into 32 elements (levels). The acceptance of around 70,000 possible apology combinations is examined in a randomized conjoint experiment, which was embedded in online quota‐based surveys in Japan (n = 2700) and South Korea (n = 3000). The analysis reveals that the content of apologies matters, protagonists matter more than content and some subgroups matter more than protagonists. The subgroup analysis showed that some within‐country differences are larger than cross‐country differences, which challenges the SIT. Apology statements that would be acceptable in both nations are summarised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Polistes paper wasps, haploid early males can mate with early emerging females and leave viable offspring. In contrast, diploid early males are eventually sterile because they contribute triploid offspring via diploid sperm. Clarifying the ploidy of early males is important for determining whether early male production is a reproductive strategy for the species. We examined the mating behavior and the ploidy of early males in the Japanese paper wasp, Polistes rothneyi iwatai van der Vecht. Thirteen early males from four colonies were all diploid. Two of the nine early males (22.2%) attempted to mate with females, but only one individual (11.1%) was successful (the female's spermatheca contained spermatozoa). These results suggest that although most early males of P. rothneyi iwatai do not produce offspring, their mating may be linked to the occasional production of triploid females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity, as a sustainable energy carrier, plays a central role in the transition scenarios for carbon neutralization of energy systems. Expanding the potential of electricity requires intelligent integration of electricity infrastructures and electricity markets with distributed energy resources (DERs) including roof‐top solar photovoltaics (PVs), controllable loads, and storage batteries. This integration will advance the management of power distribution grids, resulting in harmonization of the distribution grids and variable renewable generation. In the foreseeable future, the DERs will be actively used to perform advanced management of power distribution grids and compensate fluctuation in variable renewable power generation such as PVs and wind power. Market‐based coordination mechanisms are already practiced in large‐scale electricity production, electricity trading and transmission around the world. Using these mechanisms at the distribution grid level to integrate numerous flexible devices into the grids remains an important research topic. This paper reviews the role of DER integration toward carbon‐neutral power systems, the state‐of‐art and challenges associated with market‐based approaches for integrating flexible demand, distributed generation, and storage. Methods for assessing the value of DER aggregation such as virtual power plants and microgrids are also explored. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu‐Sn transient‐liquid‐phase bonding has a limit in achieving small diameter/high‐density bumps due to the extrusion of the melted Sn layer during bonding. This paper report a new method that can fabricate small diameter Cu‐Sn bumps with 5 μm diameter and 25 μm pitch based on a new thermal reflow and pre‐bonding method that enables solid‐state Cu‐Sn reaction for avoiding Sn extrusion. Using the new method, 3D integration of a 640 × 480 MEMS array on a CMOS circuit chip has been demonstrated. This method can be used in 3D integration of MEMS arrays and CMOS circuits such as micromirror arrays. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper devised a novel Christmas‐tree structure for flexible neural probes, which features recording sites on side‐branches that can be folded along the shank of the probe by temporary encapsulation before implantation. This design reduces the size of the implant and minimizes the surgical footprint. Upon implantation, the temporary encapsulation dissolves in vivo, leading to self‐stretching of the branches, and an expansion of the lateral detecting range of the probe. We conducted in vitro experiment with our probe in 0.6% agar that mimics the brain tissue environment. The results demonstrate that the neural probe we have developed exhibits self‐stretching ability and provides an increased lateral recording range without causing additional damage to the brain tissue. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a novel additive manufacturing technique for MEMS devices using newly developed APSLD (atmospheric pressure sputtering layer deposition) technology. It uses a microplasma at atmospheric pressure to deposit microstructures with defined properties, such as conducting or isolating directly at different surfaces additively without complex and time‐consuming manufacturing routes like planar technology. Feasibility tests have been successfully done to deposit metal lines, isolating and metal oxide layers on 3D surfaces to manufacture high stable MEMS sensor system for harsh environments. This is a promising technology in the field of MEMS manufacturing, as it can simplify the manufacturing process and reduce the cost. The ability to deposit different materials can expand the design possibilities for MEMS devices. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new scheme for readout of a photoionization detector (PID) that utilizes the ionization luminescence of target gases in helium plasma to generate an output signal. Our signal readout method is based on processing the recorded video and correlating the light peak intensity with the sample injection time and concentration. We successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a colorimetric readout‐based photoionization detector coupled with a gas chromatography column by detecting a mixture of non‐polar compounds (alkanes) and two polar compounds (acetone and ethanol). The detection limit for our first‐generation device was calculated to be ~118 ng for acetone and around 26 ng for ethanol. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of different voltage unbalance definitions on voltage control in unbalanced distribution systems. Traditional voltage regulation methods for unbalanced systems rely on a single voltage unbalance definition with inconsistent adoptions. In such a situation, voltage control performance can vary between definitions, and improper choice leads to control failures. In this study, we perform numerical analysis and simulations to investigate the impact of different definitions. In the numerical analysis, two definitions quantifying negative and zero sequence components are used as reference definitions, and the theoretical error range of the remaining definitions is identified. The results are further verified by the simulations on the IEEE 123 node test system with phase‐by‐phase controlled three‐phase step voltage regulators and smart photovoltaic inverters. The control of the devices is optimized to minimize or limit a specific definition. The results show that the values of each definition at the same voltage condition can differ significantly, and inappropriate definitions may lead to significant uncertainty in the voltage control. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents layer‐by‐layer additive manufacturing (AM) of molten metal microdroplets and dielectric materials to fabricate multilayer hybrid circuit boards featuring interdigitated 3D capacitors. The printed metal lines have a low resistance of 5 mΩ/mm, 12 times lower than state‐of‐the‐art conductive inks. Exploiting the advantages of Sn‐based oxide as an ideal candidate for Electrical Energy Storage Systems (ESS), we successfully fabricated an out‐of‐plane capacitor module using a combination of polymer and metal materials. The fabrication process exhibited an exceptional aspect ratio of 16, illustrating the successful incorporation of 20 metal layers in the out‐of‐plane capacitor module. Q factor obtained for the 3D capacitor was in the range of 66–500. Additionally, a fully automated printing technique was employed to produce a multilayer hybrid electrical printed circuit board (PCB), eliminating the need for post‐processing. This streamlined approach presents an efficient and comprehensive solution for the one‐stop printing of intricate electrical circuits. © 2024 The Authors. IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering published by Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active distribution network is integrated with a large number of renewable energy sources and flexible loads such as electric vehicles(EVs). The unstable output of distributed generation and the random access to different phases cause three phase unbalance in the distribution network, which increase the energy loss and carbon emissions. Three phase unbalance reduction requires high real‐time dispatch and optimization of the power flow. This paper attempts to reduce the energy loss and carbon emission by using flexible multi‐state switch (FMSS) with optimal energy dispatch strategy. A multi‐objective optimization model is established based on second‐order cone relaxation to reduce the three‐phase unbalance and energy loss. EVs regulation strategy is proposed by analyzing their charging flexibility. A fast solution method is brought up based on second‐order cone model transformation. The effectiveness and rapidity of the method is verified by multiple cases. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scheduling workload is a demand response strategy for data centers to reshape electricity usage, which provides an opportunity for them to utilize renewable energy. Enhancing the flexibility of workload scheduling would promote the data center to integrate renewable energy. Considering that the improvement of flexibility in workload scheduling is tightly related to the Quality of Service (QoS) required by IT consumers (ITCs), it becomes desirable for the data center to collaborate with them to further facilitate renewable energy integration in demand response programs. This paper proposes a QoS‐based bi‐level demand response model for the data center, where game theory is adopted to resolve the conflict of interest in the collaboration between the data center and ITCs. At the upper level, the data center is a leader who provides differential monetary incentives to ITCs while dispatching workload to integrate renewable energy. At the lower level, ITCs act as followers who adjust the workload's QoS to enhance the flexibility of workload scheduling. Simulation results show that the proposed model can decrease the operating cost of the data center while increasing the utilization of renewable energy. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐field magnets have been used in a wide range of scientific and industrial areas. REBCO (REBa2Cu3Ox, where RE = Rare Earth) coated superconductors (CCs) have been gaining increasing interest due to the potentialities of using them in high‐field magnets. However, the thermal stability of the REBCO CCs coils is limited by longitudinal heat conduction inside the coils and bubbles generated by evaporating helium. So as to enhance the heat transfer in REBCO coil, a cooling system based on GM/JT cycle was designed. In this paper, the design, thermodynamic calculation, and analysis of the cooling system for the REBCO coil are provided systematically. It is found that when the mass flow rate is 0.75 g/s at a pressure of 10 bar, the cooling capacity of the system is up to 10.16 W. Meanwhile, the inlet pressure and counterflow heat exchangers efficiency are key factors for significantly improving the cooling capacity of the system. An open loop experiment also has been carried out and the cooling capacity of 0.79 W at 4.5 K is obtained finally when He mass flow rate is 0.1 g/s. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic dispatch (ED) problem is very important in the economics of power systems, and a suitable dispatch algorithm can help power plants save huge amounts of money and use energy efficiently. To ensure the economics of the power system dispatch strategy, this paper proposes a quantum‐behaved particle swarm improvement algorithm for solving the ED problem. First, the algorithm addresses the problem that the classical quantum‐behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) tends to be premature and falls into local optimality. We propose a method to calculate the mean best position by assigning weights to different particles, by adopting the idea of concentration selection in the immune concentration regulation mechanism, and designing a Weight‐Concentration selection probability function, so that those particles located outside the local optimal solution region but with smaller fitness value and better evolutionary trend can be retained. Second, to make the algorithm focus on global search at the beginning of the iteration and more focused search at the end to enhance the neighborhood search capability at the later stage, a decreasing function of the slope K in the Weight‐Concentration selection probability function is designed so that the influence of the weighting term on the calculation of the mean best position decreases gradually. The algorithm is evaluated with four power systems, and the results show that the overall performance of the improved algorithm is better than other algorithms in solving the ED problem in terms of minimum solution, convergence, and stability. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the needs of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR), smart contact lenses (SCL) have become an important platform as a display source in the future consumer market. Accordingly, this paper demonstrates a display device based on contact lenses. This device integrates a 3 × 3 Mini‐LED display array, a micro antenna, and a driver and transmission chip and is packaged in a smart contact lens made of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). It is note that in order to simultaneously meet the goals of wearing comfort, biocompatibility, wireless energy transmission and adjustable display functions, the final package thickness needs to be less than 200 μm. Here, we use heterogeneous packaging technology to connect the driver and transmission chip and the Mini‐LED display array with metal wires on the flexible substrate, and use metal wires on the same conductive layer to design the antenna required for wireless energy transmission. In order to complete the above functions, we use 920 MHz RFID technology as the energy source for wireless energy transmission. When the antenna of the RFID reader is 2 cm away from the smart contact lens, the designed receiving chip can receive 100 μW of energy. After converting this energy to DC 3 V, it can drive Mini‐LED with a current of about 30 μA, and the mini‐LED display array can be instantly controlled to display different contents by transmitting display commands through the RFID protocol. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thyristor converter is a core equipment for AC/DC hybrid power grids of high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) where overheating does harm to its reliability. In reality, overheating is closely related to the broken three‐phase symmetry when the AC side is disturbed. Particularly, when commutation failures occur, the valve forced to reconduct will suffer from severe short‐circuit current for a long period, risking the overheating damage. Therefore, the accurate measurement of valve current is fundamental to acquire valve temperature. This paper adopts a real‐time virtual measurement scheme, which is based on temporal features of the converter terminal current, to calculate valve current fundamental for the calculation of valve loss under the transient state. Then, an equivalent circuit model is built based on the actual heat‐flow path of the converter valve, considering the high thermal sensitivity of the heat source material layer. Next, a monitoring system for transient valve temperature is established. Finally, the proposed method is tested in CIGRE HVDC benchmark model. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can reflect the actual valve state, and model the actual heat transfer process more accurately compared to the Foster network, which can support the basic configuration of the overheat protection. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaics (PV), which is one of variable renewable energies, have been installed largely. In the environment of largely installed PV, the output fluctuates of PV influences on the operation of power gird network adversely. Therefore, PV energy generation forecasting is valid for power grid operation and management and needs the reduction of large forecast error as well as average error. Due to a day‐ahead forecast of the total PV energy generation in the power grid area, we developed the forecasting method by using meteorological forecast data of many points in the target area. In order to forecast the regional PV energy generation, the proposed method uses auto‐encoder and convolutional neural network (CNN) for extracting requirements and valid data, and forecast with neural network (NN) by means of extracted information. In this paper, we improved the forecasting error by using multiple meteorological elements as input data. As a result, we indicated that using both of global horizontal irradiance and low cloud cover is required for the reginal PV energy generation forecasting, and large forecasting error can be reduced by adding either dew point depression, or cumulative precipitation as input data. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a semi‐passive smart contact lens platform for sensor and actuator applications. It focuses on design improvements made prior to human clinical trials involving basic considerations on comfort and safety, which are verified through animal studies. Observations of tissue temperature variation and post‐trial surgery examinations confirm that the 50 μW on‐lens wireless power delivery reduces the impact on tissue of previously reported SCL. Migration of wirelessly powered radio frequency identification (RFID)‐based passive SCL to semi‐passive systems is enabled with the proposed on‐lens power storage element. Furthermore, a switched capacitor converter extends the active time of the storage element and reduces electromagnetic influence. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a core functional material in acoustic resonators and filters, the elasticity of aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric thin film and its correlated intrinsic properties deserve priority attention. This paper presents an in‐depth investigation of elastic softening and stiffening effect induced by stress loading in AlN piezoelectric thin film. Based on the Born‐Lande equation, the physical mechanism of such new intrinsic elastic property is revealed and predicted quantitatively for the first time from the perspective of atomic interaction forces. It is found that a maximum 6.7% modulation range of elasticity coefficient can be achieved under ultimate stress loading conditions from (−2.5, −2.5) to (2.5, 2.5) GPa. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an improved process for controlling the initial deflection structure of cantilever‐type MEMS tactile sensors. By using residual stress, deposition sequence, and metal layer patterns, the initial deflection of the cantilever was successfully aligned to the same initial deflection with micron accuracy and 97% yield in a simpler and easier process than previous processes. This enables a reduction in the number of processes and flexible control of deflection, which is expected to improve yield and shorten fabrication time. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an ultra‐soft neural probe with a temporary high‐strength U‐section coating of polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the first time. Its fabrication is compatible with MEMS processes, and an ultrathin U‐section coating over the probe's back and sidewall is precisely formed by spinning and cold laser cutting. With this novel coating, the probe has both minimized cross‐sectional area and sufficient mechanical strength for low‐invasive penetration into the brain. Besides, the remained ultra‐soft deformable probe after PEG dissolution is expected to be the next generation of neural implants for chronic recording. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an equivalent circuit model of self‐assembled electret (SAE) micro‐electro‐mechanical systems (MEMS) vibrational energy harvesters (VEHs). For the first time, a detailed equivalent circuit model of the SAE‐MEMS VEH has been implemented on a circuit simulator, considering the device energy diagram. The implemented equivalent circuit model allows analysis of the relationship between output current and SAE properties, device structures, and electrode materials. The validity of the model is confirmed by comparing the measurement and simulation results. Thus, the proposed model would be useful for the design of SAE‐MEMS VEHs. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the development and integration of (Poly‐Si/Air)n Distributed BRAGG Reflectors (DBR) in a MOEMS Fabry‐Pérot‐Interferometer (FPI) concept. The realized reflectors constitute a promising and resource‐efficient alternative to complex Ion‐Assisted Deposition based DBRs while maintaining their advantages. Compared to state of the art MOEMS FPIs the (Poly‐Si/Air)n DBRs can be integrated into two moveable reflector carriers based on two individually fabricated wafers which are bonded. The (Poly‐Si/Air)n DBRs are investigated as (HL) and (HL)2 reflector stacks showing a reflectance above 91% within the wavelength range of 2.8–5.7 μm. © 2023 The Authors. IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering published by Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a MEMS accelerometer based on bulk SiC. The fabrication and packaging scheme were designed, an efficient signal processing circuit was built, and the output performance of the sensor was tested. The test results show that the resistivity of the piezoresistive material is 194.40 Ω μm, the sensor's output sensitivity is 0.21 mV/g, the linearity is 99.8%, and the resonance frequency is 1636 Hz. Finally, the accelerometer was applied to the two ground vibration tests of aero‐engine, and the vibration signal of the turbine components and the test bed was successfully extracted. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the current control steady‐state error caused by sampling delay, parameters mismatch of direct‐drive permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). This paper proposed a method of dual model predictive control (MPC) of direct‐drive PMSM based on sliding mode disturbance observer (SMDO). Deadbeat predictive current control (DPCC) is used for current loop, a SMDO is proposed to observe the system disturbance, the estimation is compensated to DPCC by feedback to decrease the current control steady‐state error. For speed loop, MPC with an internal model control observer (IMCO) can observe and compensate the load disturbance feedforward. The experimental results show that, the dynamic response speed of the proposed strategy is fast, the speed recovery time after sudden load torque is short, and the anti‐load disturbance performance and current tracking performance are effectively improved. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to detect the underground medium with large depth, the transmitter of electromagnetic sounding instrument has higher and higher power and voltage. A novel voltage equalizing strategy for cascaded constant current power supply using in electromagnetic transmitter was proposed in this paper. The cascaded topology of the transmitter has two isolated full‐bridge AC/DC converters, which had same input source and were connected in series on the output side. The mathematical model based on state space average method was analyzed. After simplifying the circuit, the state space equation was used to describe the circuit model. The stability and frequency characteristics of the system were analyzed. Aiming at the constant current output and the output voltage balance of the two converters, the system coupling model was established. The constant current controller and voltage equalizing controller were designed with decoupling method. A 300 W prototype was built and the experimental results verified the performance of the proposed method. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the model predictive control (MPC) technique, the modulated MPC (M2PC) method applies multiple voltage vectors in order within one switching cycle, enabling a fixed switching frequency and better motor control performance. However, the M2PC technique suffers from a significant computational burden and imprecise allocation method of the vector action time, affecting the control performance. To address these two issues, this paper proposes an improved M2PC method that utilizes the information of projection of the reference vector on the selected voltage vectors for efficiently selecting the optimal active vectors and also accurately calculating their action time. Compared to the conventional M2PC, the proposed technique demonstrates both excellent dynamic performance with reduced execution time by 15.3% and superior steady‐state performance in terms of lower torque/speed ripple as well as fewer current harmonics. Those benefits have been proven by the results of a 2.5k rpm permanent magnet synchronous motor drive. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

This study aims to provide an overview of the service system view (SSV), and the current status of its adoption for the development and implementation of assistive technology (AT). The role of ATs in the global aging scenario is anticipated; however, their diffusion is cumbersome. The SSV captures stakeholders, technologies, and their interactions as integrated systems. Based on this perspective, several approaches for designing long‐term care services have been proposed that would be helpful for the successful implementation of ATs. However, the existing geriatrics and gerontology literature seldom addresses these topics. Based on a literature review, this study first illustrates the challenges of using ATs in the real world. The existing literature highlights the sociotechnical challenges of utilizing ATs, such as the changes required in care work and resistance to them. To overcome the challenges, three approaches associated with the SSV have been introduced: service design, service engineering and living labs. This paper also introduces recent national projects in Japan that have adopted these approaches. As the importance of the SSV is growing for the successful implementation of ATs, the ability to adopt the SSV and its approaches is anticipated. In relation to geriatrics and gerontology studies, the impact on older adults' quality of life, as well as the economic effect, needs to be analyzed in future research. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 74–80. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the career development process of women in postwar Japan who belonged to the Shufuren (the Association of Consumer Organization), the homemakers' federation, and who became experts in everyday life through studying and researching to improve their lives. It analyzes the organizational chart, hours and fundings for activities, details of activities, formation of the cooperative relationships, and career development of the leaders. The women who gathered at the Shufuren studied and researched the issues that arose in daily lives. By accumulating survey and research data and presenting scientific evidence, they made requests and proposals for improvements to the Diet, governments, and industries. Through these activities, they contributed to establish laws and systems protecting consumer rights. The women also developed partnerships with other civic groups in sharing current social issues. They expanded the circle of the movement and asserted their demands to the Diet, government agencies, industries, and the public. The members grew as experts in everyday life by steadily building their careers with passion for daily activities. Their activities were not limited to the Shufuren; some women went beyond the Shufuren to become leaders of organizations. Conventionally, homemakers are viewed as not having career development aspirations. When discussing women's career development in Japan, attention has focused on career development through work and balancing work and family life. However, the activities and steps taken by the female members of the Shufuren to improve their lives should also be considered a form of career development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the shift in career strategies among Japanese women due to the globalization of Japan's economy since the 1980s. It highlights how economic changes led to a gender‐based division of labor, propelling women to seek opportunities abroad. The research draws on interviews with 81 women who moved to financial centers in East Asia, mainly in Hong Kong and Shanghai, examining their experiences in the workforce, the impact of human resource agencies in their migration, and the challenges and opportunities they encountered. The study reveals a complex landscape where Japanese women navigate gendered expectations and discrimination both in Japan and abroad in pursuit of career advancement. The conclusion emphasizes three points. First, women found opportunities abroad to do what they wanted, even if it was not what they initially expected before leaving Japan. Second, although supportive and subordinate to male managers, their work was indispensable to the management of Japanese companies abroad. Their contribution has long been underestimated but needs to be considered. Third, the experience abroad gave them direct interaction with various clients and colleagues and a view of rapid societal change in Hong Kong and China, contributing to choosing their diverse career trajectories and life plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Introduction: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing rapidly in Japan, and diabetic neuropathy is a major factor decreasing diabetic patients' quality of life, as well as a risk factor for sudden death. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy and raise awareness about it among patients and their physicians. Materials and Methods: Diabetic outpatients ( N = 5077) at 249 medical institutions within Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, were surveyed by questionnaire and underwent foot examinations. The questionnaire included 10 questions about sensory abnormalities of both feet, muscle cramps and autonomic symptoms. Foot examinations included testing for vibratory perception of the medial malleolus, Achilles tendon reflexes and touch sensation of the bottom of the great toe using tissue paper. Results: Of the 5077 patients surveyed, 70.4% reported symptoms. Overall, 75.4% of the patients underwent vibratory perception testing, of whom 44.9% had abnormal thresholds (≤10 s). On the tissue paper touch test, performed in 94.6% of patients, 11.9% had no touch sensation. Of the 2803 type 2 diabetic patients with known background factors who underwent foot examinations, 49.4% had diabetic neuropathy. There was a high prevalence of diabetic neuropathy (36.1%) in patients with <5-year history. Of the patients with no touch sensation on the tissue paper test, 81.3% had diabetic neuropathy. Conclusions: The present study identified the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy in Kanagawa Prefecture. The tissue paper test is a simple and excellent method of evaluating decreased superficial sensation that can help evaluate the severity of diabetic neuropathy. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2011.00174.x, 2011) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses international student prospectuses from twenty‐two Japanese universities involved in the Top Global University Program (TGUP) to examine how universities in Japan present and understand internationalization. International prospectuses were analysed using qualitative text analysis to generate a series of themes connected to university internationalization. Different categories of TGUP participant universities were compared to better understand the differences between how different participant types present and understand internationalization. The findings suggest that while there are differences between participant types and individual universities, overall, there appears to be a tension between understanding internationalization as an authoritative, university‐centred activity and as a student‐centric activity in which students are active participants. Furthermore, it found that although rankings are an important aspect of the TGUP, few prospectuses mentioned rankings. The paper suggests possible reasons for this omission based on the TGUP participant type. Finally, this study offers insights into how Japanese universities understand internationalization and position themselves as international institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The disc assay system for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a novel technique using a small amount of whole blood on filter paper. The accuracy of this assay system and its feasibility for use in prostate cancer mass screening were evaluated. Methods: In the first arm of the study, to evaluate the accuracy of the disc assay system, PSA values were determined by both a disc assay system and a standard serum assay system using the same blood samples obtained from 420 outpatients. In the second arm of the study, the feasibility and reliability of the disc assay system were examined in prostate cancer mass screening. A total of 2475 men were screened by the disc assay (disc group) and 3348 men were screened by the standard serum assay (serum group) in the first step of mass screening. In the second step of the screening in the disc group, 101 men underwent PSA tests by a standard serum assay, then the first PSA values determined by the disc assay were compared with the second PSA values determined by the standard serum assay. In the second step of the screening in the serum group, 94 men underwent additional PSA tests by a serum assay, and then the first PSA values were compared with the second PSA values. Two men in each group were excluded from analysis because the true PSA values of the first step were not available (more than 50 ng/mL). Results: The PSA values determined by the disc assay closely correlated with those obtained by the standard assay ( r = 0.987) in 295 outpatients with PSA levels between 1.0 and 20 ng/mL. In the PSA mass screening, the PSA values determined in the first step closely correlated with those in the second step both in the disc group ( r = 0.916) and in the serum group ( r = 0.845). A significant dissociation of the two PSA values was observed in seven of 99 men in the disc group and in three of 92 men in the serum group. However, there was no statistical significance in the incidence of dissociation in the two PSA values between the disc group and the serum group. Conclusions: The disc assay system seems to be a sensitive and accurate assay system. The feasibility and reliability of the disc assay system were well demonstrated in the field during prostate cancer mass screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the practices of natural science researchers and the recognition authors receive in multi-authored papers at Japanese universities. The ' Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication' by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, which sets global standards for authorship ethics in many natural science fields, notes problems in two areas in particular: with 'gift authors' (people who are indicated as authors, but who do not actually contribute to the work) and with 'ghost authors' (people, often students or researchers in lower positions, who are not properly represented in the paper even though they make essential contributions to it). We also note the recent complaints by junior researchers about these violations, which are claimed to be harassment or bullying using power differences. Our survey of researchers in natural sciences at 15 top Japanese universities shows that, despite the different specialized fields, few researchers actually meet the gold standard of authorship criteria of proper authorship and about half think that their violation might be condoned. The data are analyzed taking into consideration a particular local context. Through the exploratory research above, we speculate that most natural science researchers in Japan may be either confused about or struggle with the situation where the strict global criteria conflict with specific local cultures that often condone gift and ghost authorships. Those who are already socialized in such local cultures take unethical authorships for granted, while others view it as an intersection of harassment and misconduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a collection of abstracts from the International Journal of Psychology, covering a range of topics related to religion, spirituality, and psychological well-being. The articles explore various aspects such as the role of psychological mechanisms in religious rituals, the relationship between religiosity and smartphone use, spirituality in later life, the impact of spirituality on nurses' burnout, attitudes towards sexual diversity, religious belief and social cognitive ability in Japan, empathy and prejudice, different images of God and risky behaviors, and the impact of religious social identity on psychological well-being in Asian indigenous religious groups. The studies provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between religion, spirituality, and psychological processes. Another paper presents research on topics including the effects of meditation on brainwave patterns, religion and coping with cancer, beliefs in tempting fate, leaving destructive cults, religious coping and life satisfaction in Latinx individuals, religion and just world beliefs, and a comparison between Nirvana in Buddhism and self-actualization in psychology. These studies offer valuable insights into the intersection of religion and psychology and their potential implications for individuals and communities. [Extracted from the article]

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

In classrooms that use small‐group tasks, some groups may finish earlier than others and there may be concern that early finishers will become disengaged. However, early finishing remains relatively under‐examined. This paper uses conversation analysis to investigate how EFL students in a Japanese university finish tasks early. It describes a set of practices students use to finish tasks and reveals how students orient to the achievement of task outcomes. The study finds that students may have more to say on task topics than a task allows, and early finishers may develop these topics in post‐task talk in the target language. The paper argues that early finishing may lead to useful language practice and teachers should therefore be cautious when assigning extra work to early finishers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atypical antipsychotic medications have often been used in the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new safety information concerning atypical antipsychotic drugs, indicating that their use may increase the risk of cardiovascular adverse events among elderly adults with BPSD. Based on this information, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued a similar warning against the use of atypical antipsychotic drugs licensed in Japan. We then sought to determine whether or not the use of typical antipsychotics should be recommended to replace atypical antipsychotics. In this paper, we discuss the influence of these warnings on the withholding of use of risperidone exemplified in seven case histories. Methods: Seven inpatients who exhibited BPSD received risperidone monotherapy in our hospital. In response to the FDA notice, the atypical antipsychotics used to treat these patients were replaced with typical antipsychotic agents. Results: During the period of risperidone administration, all patients exhibited clinical improvement compared with their baseline results and showed no adverse events. Two of our seven patients developed psychotic exacerbation and exhibited extrapyramidal symptoms coinciding with the replacement of risperidone with conventional antipsychotics. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first clinical report on the influence of the FDA alert on the use of atypical antipsychotics for psychotic symptoms in older patients with dementia in Japan. In two of our seven BPSD cases, there was no benefit from taking conventional antipsychotics. Our results lead to the conclusion that the use of typical antipsychotics should not be recommended to replace atypical antipsychotics. Although close attention should be paid to the FDA alert, clinicians must take into consideration the balance of benefits and risks when evaluating the appropriate use of antipsychotics in older patients with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]